.｡.:✧ Chapter 44 ✧:.｡.

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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: FusionX
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“Let’s go through it once more, everyone find your places. Focus!”

Professor Veritio, who usually seemed a bit off, transformed completely when it came to teaching acting or starting a rehearsal.

Truly a tiger of a professor.

As the play progressively neared completion, the students’ anticipation grew, feeling the genius of the renowned playwright wasn’t without merit.

“Philea!”

Ares’s call to Rin was passionately delivered. It felt sincere, not just an act.

“Ah, Geldmea!”

Rin’s voice carried sorrow, but her step was light as she was brought before me by subordinate 1 (May Plov).

“Gerry!”

Ares charged at me, but Helia (Arni Duratan), my villainous aide and secretary, blocked his path.

Sitting on the throne, I laughed, grasping Rin’s wrist to draw her onto my knee, then placing my hand on her shoulder, declaring,

“She’s mine.”

“Hold on a moment.”

Professor Vertio interjected with a look of concern, approaching me.

Was my acting awkward? I thought I had immersed myself in the role.

“Gerry, you’re treating Philea too much like a trophy, with too much care in your touch. Rin, would it be okay for him to handle you a bit more roughly?”

“Of course!”

Rin nodded brightly, smiling.

To others, it might seem like the professor was making an unreasonable request, but she smiled to ease any potential discomfort.

“Wasn’t it enough just now?”

Professor Vertio shook his head.

“It needs to be rougher, like in a battle, with a wild feel to it! And don’t forget to provoke Geldmea too!”

“…”

“Let’s try it again.”

Turning with a smile, Professor Veritio left me sighing, wondering what to do next, when Rin tapped my shoulder.

“It’s okay, just do what you want.”

“But I’m not okay with it.”

It felt awkward and unpleasant.

Then, Rin’s grip on my hand tightened strangely.

“Do it.”

“…”

Rin turned and returned to her original position.

“Sigh.”

Right, it’s just a play, and perhaps I was too personally invested. This isn’t something I want to do.

“Philea!”

“Ah, Geldmea!”

“Gerry!”

The rehearsal proceeded as before.

Just like earlier, Arni Duratan blocked Ares, and May Plov presented Rin to me.

Seated on the throne, I roughly pulled Rin towards me, seating her on my thighs and wrapping my arm around her waist.

Yes, I am Gerry.

I’ll make those eyes of Geldmea (Ares) weep tears of blood!

Fully embracing my role, I whispered in Rin’s neck, smiling at Ares,

“She’s mine.”

“Ah, yes.”

“…Hmm?”

“Uaaaah!”

Ares’s roar of rage was meant to end with him being struck down by Arni, fainting.

But Rin had inserted a line not in the script, amidst Ares’s roar.

Something felt off, so I glanced at her to find her unfocused eyes and a slight dribble, as she clung to me tightly in reverse.

“Okay! Cut! Perfect! That was amazing!”

Luckily, it seemed no one else noticed, but Rin showed no sign of letting go.

“Rin? You can let go now?”

“I’m your’s. Yes, I am…”

Wondering what she was on about, I pushed her away and stood up, her eyes lingering on me with disappointment.

Fearing that staying any closer might lead to trouble, I quickly stepped away, only for Professor Veritio to approach me soon after.

“You did really well just now! It was wild, and the way you provoked Geldmea was excellent! Keep it up.”

“Yes……”

Although it seemed a bit dangerous, I nodded in agreement.

Yet, Rin’s antics continued.

“Let’s go, Philea!”

Even during the scene where Ares and Althric were about to take back their lovers, whom they had lost in their final battle.

“……”

Rin chose not to leave but to stay by my side and then spoke up.

“Is it possible to change the role?”

In the scene where Gerry reveals his true love for his secretary Helia (Arni Duratan), she seriously approached Professor Veritio to request a change of role.

‘She’s fulfilling her personal desires here.’

I thought she was merely working, but that wasn’t the case. Rin seemed more passionate than anyone, yet she was acting more on personal motives than anyone else.

“Must be nice, huh?”

May, fulfilling her role as my subordinate, quipped during a break.

She had chewed on candy to the point where it made crunching noises.

“Must be nice?”

“Any guy would love to legally be around girls like that.”

“Ha, not me.”

Perhaps because I had Ares as a negative example.

Knowing how much the girls in our village suffered because of their fondness for him, I had an aversion to such behavior.

“Hmm? Really?”

He replied, seemingly surprised but subtly pleased.

Nevertheless, the play continued.

Next was the scene where Althric, playing Roben, was provoked.

“Philea and Elise, come out.”

Philea was a senior female student in her fourth year, and Elise was one of Ares’ ‘fish in his pond’.

A woman who exuded a peculiar elegance that was distinct from other girls, along with her brilliant blonde hair.

Personally, she was the most striking and memorable woman in Ares’ circle, though I had not interacted much with her until now.

“After the battle, let’s start with the provoking scene.”

The scene where, after defeating Althric, I would take away Philea and Elise, who were fond of him.

‘But what kind of play is this?’

I wondered if this was really appropriate for a student play, but at least it was not explicitly obscene, despite the violent implications.

The story was such, without even a hint of exposure, because the character Gerry treated women merely as trophies.

“Gah!”

Althric fell as if in anger, looking up at me as I pulled Philea and Elise into an embrace.

“……!”

“Hmm.”

They seemed a bit surprised, but had I not done so, Professor Veritio would have surely called for a redo.

“Sweet, your women are truly sweet.”

And so, the rehearsal went on until Professor Vertio shouted his approval.

At that moment, Philea pushed me away with her hand, annoyed, and walked off. Elise also gave me a cold look before turning towards where Ares was.
“Ah, I really want to swear.”

Some are going on a rampage, while others are making a fuss telling them not to.

“Sigh.”

Scratching my head in irritation, May snuck up on me again.

“What’s wrong?”

“Nothing…”

I was about to complain but then decided against it, closing my mouth. However, May had already noticed.

“They’re pathetic, aren’t they? It’s just a play, and we’re doing what we have to do, but they’re making it so annoying.”

“Exactly.”

I was grateful for how refreshingly she put it.

Then, May said with a playful smile,

“Those without manners. They should just be happy to be embraced. If it were me, I’d just…”

Seeing May swallow her saliva, I made a face that showed I was even more annoyed, but she laughed it off as a joke.

“I think I need to talk to them properly.”

As if anyone was doing this because they want to.

“Let’s try that scene again, actors come in.”

Following Professor Veritio’s command, the actors gathered again.

Philea openly showed a face of reluctance, and while Elise pretended to be indifferent, a feeling of revulsion was subtly perceptible in her golden eyes.

Then, my resolve to speak kindly crumpled and went into the trash.

“Hey.”

My voice, low and filled with emotion, unexpectedly carried a deeper anger than I thought, but seeing them startled and looking at me made me think it was for the best.

“Cut it out. Is this a game to you? It’s a play. You’ve all read the script and agreed to participate.”

“…”

“…”

Both of them looked at me as if they were struck dumb, probably never expecting me to speak so directly.

“You wouldn’t like it. Some weird guy touching you must be unpleasant. But I feel the same. I don’t like being sandwiched between two strange girls. It’s repulsive. But we just do it.”

Aren’t we all here trying to make it to Yggdrasil?

“Look, I’m not into you kids or anything like that.”

I gave them each a cold look.

“Just tone it down.”

With a gesture of my chin to move on, they bowed their heads and left. Then, the rehearsal started again.

“Sweet, your women are truly sweet.”

With that final line, Professor Vertio’s okay sign came once more.

“Good! Very good! Especially Philea and Elise, your acting scared was excellent. I thought you were really frightened!”

“…”

Seeing them avoid eye contact and hurry away, I guess them acting scared wasn’t just an act.

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