EP.6 1-4. The Neighbor’s Yellow Dog and the Red Cat
After the battle ended, I began to clean my sword.
Swordsmanship was great and all, but without mana, the durability took a serious hit. The blade already had a few nicks.
“Academy… pure love? Dark knight..? What’s that?”
“It’s like a guardian angel protecting love.”
“Like how you did with me and Ariel? Pulling the strings from behind?”
“That’s not it.”
It’s a bit different from that. After all, you can’t just change someone’s feelings. That’s how emotions are.
I inspected the shimmering blade and then waded into the water to clean my helmet.
“You sure know how to pick the strangest things to do.”
“I like to make things a bit difficult for myself.”
Is it that fascinating? Well, I guess I don’t need to tell him that this thing won’t come off.
The sound of splashing woke someone up, who rubbed their eyes and looked around.
“Kai..? What are you doing, not sleeping?”
“…Ariel?”
“Good luck, Mr. Kainel.”
“Hey!! Licht!!”
“It’s late. Think carefully about what I said.”
I gave the hero a little push toward the direction of the mage.
I hoped for some kind of change.
The faint smell of blood might even help a bit. Hang in there.
“…Huh? Is this blood? Are you hurt?!”
“No, it’s just wolf blood. Licht and I took care of it.”
“Wow. Really.”
Ariel’s eyes widened as she looked at the black fur.
That’s a good flag.
“…Did you do it to protect me..?”
“That’s right.”
“I did wake up to the sound of wolves howling…”
“You hate having your sleep interrupted.”
“Thank you, Kai.”
The hero had changed. Now, even if he tried to brush it off as just being childhood friends, he would deny it himself. I quietly submerged into the water.
“Are you and that knight on good terms now?”
“Yeah, like you said, he’s not such a bad guy.”
“Right?”
“Oh, right. Licht! How did you know I was a hero…”
I’m never telling you. Do I want to mess up the story? Let’s keep it our little secret. Thanks to a perk, I could hear clearly even underwater.
“…He’s gone.”
“Let’s really go to sleep now. I’m scared of bugs…”
“Alright. But I have something to say.”
“What is it?”
“I’m sorry for the harsh things I said.”
“What?!”
“And, you look really beautiful today, Ariel.”
Oh, that’s pretty bold. You’ve grown a lot, hero. You’re ready to leave the mountain!
“I knew it! You didn’t really mean it!”
“Thank you.”
“Hehe… Kai being not so honest is cute~”
“Telling a guy he’s cute isn’t a compliment… Huh? Ariel?”
She pulled him into the tent. Even she, who wasn’t good at expressing her emotions, seemed to have learned something today.
“I guess it’s safe to come out now.”
I stood up, my eyes just above the waterline.
My body, heavy with moisture, started to drip with water.
“I’ll have to keep watch while I dry off.”
The night was deep. There was plenty of time.
I had a feeling that the love story of these two childhood friends would start from here.
I threw a few more logs onto the dying fire.
After swinging my sword hundreds of times,
dawn broke.
After stomping out the campfire, I entered the tent where Kainel and Ariel were sleeping together.
In that moment, Kainel, who had been squinting, met my eyes. Wait, was he already awake?
“It’s time to get up, everyone.”
Pretending to know nothing, I nudged Kainel awake. Why on earth was the hero already awake? Then, right beside him, there was a commotion under the blankets.
Like a chick hatching from an egg, her face slowly peeked out.
“Mmm… Just a little more… Kai…”
She was cuddling up to him. So she really does have a habit of hugging something while sleeping.
His childhood friend was whining in her sleep. So this is why. It didn’t seem like anything happened during the night. If it had, I would’ve heard it.
‘Please, help me… Licht…’
Kainel mouthed a plea for help to me.
Hold on, Kainel. This is the path you chose. That’s not the line I wanted, though. You still need to get through to the confession event.
His childhood friend’s attack continued. She wrapped her arms around his waist like a snake, squeezing him tightly.
As she burrowed into his embrace, Kainel mustered his courage.
He gently brushed aside her bangs.
“Ariel, it’s morning. We need to get up. Don’t you want to go to the academy?”
“Really? Can we not go?”
“There’s no way we can skip.”
“I just want to stay like this with you, Kai.”
The two of them exchanged calm jokes.
It was a stable morning greeting between lovers. If we had some freshly baked toast and a fried egg, it’d be perfect.
“Hehe… Good morning, Kai.”
“Good morning, Ariel. Did you sleep well?”
“Thanks to you.”
They looked at each other and exchanged soft smiles.
Morning sunlight streamed in through the gaps in the tent. Just looking at each other made them happy, and even their small laughter seemed to bubble over.
A faint scent of lavender lingered in the air.
‘I get to see this in person.’
A scene straight out of what you’d call an event CG.
It was such a heartfelt and detailed display that I couldn’t help but gape a little. Seeing it in real life was much more moving. It was better than the game.
“Licht, thanks for yesterday.”
“I’m glad it helped.”
Kainel greeted me cheerfully.
Gone was the wary attitude from the previous day, replaced by a sense of familiarity.
He must have sorted out his feelings. This meant there’d be no chance of a harem drift.
I climbed into the carriage. Since it wasn’t needed anymore, I reorganized my belongings.
Let’s make this comfortable for you two, hero couple.
“Careful, Ariel. It’s a bit high here.”
“You didn’t help me yesterday.”
“Looking at it again, it seems a bit high for you.”
“Hmph, now you notice. Silly Kai.”
The blond hero, escorting her with utmost care, looked like a prince with his princess. The fear of losing someone to someone else was a powerful motivator.
‘Thank goodness. I was worried he’d mess up because he’s never dated before.’
It seemed like my advice had been pretty successful.
“When we get to the academy, there’ll probably be girls prettier than me, right?”
“Well, I don’t think so.”
“Why?”
“Do I really have to say it?”
“Yes. Why do you think that?”
“I’m not repeating it.”
Maybe he’d realized that no matter how much they clash, she’ll come back. Her aggressive side was growing stronger. It’d be great if she kept this up at the academy.
Tsunderes are always hard to predict.
“When we get to the Empire, I want to visit a famous dessert shop!”
“You’re paying, right?”
“Let’s split it~ You’re going to eat some too!”
“I already have a tab running somewhere.”
Is he talking about candy? I bought it just in case it reminded me of the saintess, so I wasn’t too attached to it.
Your love life is more important. If things go awry in the saintess route, it’s going to be a headache. As I sorted through these thoughts, the carriage came to a stop.
“We’ve arrived, Sir Dark Knight.”
The coachman addressed me.
“I’m just a commoner named Licht. Please feel free to speak comfortably, sir.”
Was it because of the black helmet? I tried to correct him.
We’re accomplices in setting up these two, so why the formality?
“The one who protected all of us last night deserves to be called a knight.”
“There were others involved as well.”
“I woke up in the middle of the night and didn’t expect such a situation to arise. Your skills are quite impressive.”
He noticed.
The coachman, with a good-natured smile, quietly spoke. He must have woken up when I went to wash up.
“The other member of your party seems to be a hero. A swordsman who can stand shoulder to shoulder with him couldn’t be an ordinary person.”
“Please keep that a secret. It would cause problems.”
Seeing him whispering, I slipped a few more silver coins into the coachman’s pocket.
It would be troublesome if Kainel’s identity as a hero were revealed. We’d attract all sorts of nuisances.
…Or had we already been found out?
If not, there wouldn’t have been a reason for the Shadow Wolf to appear.
“I understand, but I won’t take the money.”
“Pardon?”
“In exchange, may I ask for your name?”
His shabby appearance contrasted with his refined tone.
Something felt off. If this were a trap, my head would’ve already rolled. He must be someone of some importance.
“This old man feels like he’s met a noble person.”
His eyes seemed to see right through me.
Is this fame another event?
“Licht.”
“…That’s a good name. I’ll remember it, Sir Dark Knight.”
There’s no harm done. The events we can see change depending on what’s triggered. I had intended to pay for the hero’s share as well, but I failed.
If need be, I’d leave the wolf pelt behind. It’d be enough to buy his silence.
Sorry, Kainel. This is for your safety.
“Huh, are we here? Licht?”
“I think so. Look, you can see the statue over there.”
With the conversation over, the hero spoke to me.
The carriage had long since stopped, and only then did they realize they’d arrived at the Empire. Their reaction was way too slow. What on earth were they focused on… Oh, they’re holding hands now.
She seemed to be thrilled, even as her childhood friend got closer. I guess this is what they mean by a match made in heaven.
“Being in the Empire really is different from a village, huh? Right, Mr. Country Bumpkin?”
“It sure is, Miss Tomboy.”
“…You’re going to regret that later.”
Seeing the two of them walk ahead together made them look genuinely happy. This was giving me a bit of heartburn. I needed to escape before they realized how much the carriage ride had cost. I’d left the pelt behind without telling them.
“If you keep going straight ahead, you’ll see the fountain. If you continue further, you’ll reach the academy. See you at the entrance ceremony tomorrow.”
With just a day left until the entrance ceremony, I didn’t want to be the clueless guy interrupting their date.
“Alright, Licht. See you later.”
“See you at the entrance ceremony, Helmet Guy!”
“Thank you all for your hard work.”
I listened to their fading voices as I navigated through the crowd. They definitely have loud voices when they’re fighting.
It’ll be troublesome if they have marital spats next door.
“Helmet Guy? What’s that?”
“That’s his nickname!”
“Ariel, Licht is the same age as us.”
“But Helmet Guy sounds cuter!”
Watching them made me think that maybe they could develop a romantic relationship even without my help.
I was almost certain of it.
I went to the inn and tried to sleep.
I didn’t want to be that freshman running late with a piece of bread in his mouth, shouting that he’s going to be late.
That’s such an outdated trope now.
***
Late at night, under the soft moonlight spreading across a certain study, there was a knock at the door.
The person responsible for the sound was the coachman who had brought Licht and his group to the Empire earlier.
Gone was his former appearance; he was now dressed neatly in a butler’s uniform, and even his face exuded grace and elegance.
When he opened the door and entered, a snow-white girl was reading a book, her appearance as pristine as midwinter snow.
“Are you reading tonight, Lady Phine?”
“…”
Receiving no reply, the butler produced a box from behind him. It was from the *Gransia Empire Confectionery,* a box of strawberry cake.
“I brought some strawberry cake. It’s as cute as always.”
“…Thank you.”
“I disguised myself as a coachman and made contact with someone named Kainel.”
“How was it?”
“He still seems immature, just an apprentice.”
The butler recalled the battle from the previous night. The blond-haired man with the holy sword seemed unaware of the monster’s characteristics.
“Weak.”
“When will you break your habit of judging everyone by strength? I’ve told you countless times that there’s no one like you among your peers…”
“That’s not it. Absolutely not.”
The girl cut him off and spoke two words with conviction. The butler sighed as the familiar phrase came out once more,
and he began to speak about someone he had remembered.
“However, I did see a rather intriguing individual. Do you recall the Grand Swordmaster among the Ten Greats?”
“…Drake, the Dragonslayer.”
“Yes, that’s right. You probably met him when you were younger. It seems he’s taken on a disciple. The stance and technique of that sword were unmistakable.”
The swordsmanship the dark knight displayed was unique. A technique that cut through shadows without using aura—there was only one such technique.
The butler spoke with a confident tone.
“…Is he strong?”
“Stronger than the hero, most likely.”
“Why?”
“He gave all the tactical instructions during the fight with the Shadow Wolf.”
“Appearance.”
“He wore a black knight’s helmet. He was quite an unusual individual. If you meet him at the academy tomorrow, you might become good friends.”
“Name.”
“He said his name was Licht. He had no surname.”
The butler’s lips curled into a faint smile. There was a glimmer of hope that he might be able to change the person he served.
Knowing the weak points of a difficult-to-conquer monster was proof of considerable skill.
“I’ll remember it.”
“Then I, Dijur the butler, will take my leave. Have a peaceful night.”
With that, the door to the study closed, and the flame of the candle flickered.
Alone in the room, the white-haired girl had a pair of wolf ears atop her head that remained motionless.
Her golden eyes were faded, empty, and she began reading her book once more, like a doll wound up to move.
Only the sound of turning pages and the thick scent of roses enveloped the girl.