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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Wjin
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Preparations to kill Belial proceeded smoothly.
“It seems to be tomorrow.”
“It can’t be ‘seems’…”
“I used Yellody to track Belial’s movements.”
“He’s going to occupy one of the magic towers farthest from the academy…? Why?”
“Ugh, I don’t know!”
“Alright. I’ll help you, kid.”
Scarlett and Dustin, who seemed to have a lot to say to me about the Marchosias incident, readily cooperated. Without a full explanation, no one would understand my plan, but when I mentioned it was about Umberto, the conversation somehow progressed.
And I… was greeting a guest who had visited Seraphi Hall after a long time.
“Melissa and Aveline… they must hate me, right?”
It was the emerald knight, Edwin Gwynn. We were talking, watching the sunset.
“Hardly?”
“What…?”
“Why would they hate you? If they had a conscience, they couldn’t.”
“…”
Edwin still hadn’t gotten over Melissa and Aveline. Well, when he was practicing alone at the beginning of the semester, they were the only two who had talked to him… so I could understand his feelings.
“Lev, you’re amazing. You’re so cool about everything.”
“I wonder…”
I answered, thinking about how I had been walking a tightrope between Aria and Yeriel.
“You and I both have our foolish sides. Especially you, you’re even more frustrating than I am.”
“…”
“…But then again, isn’t that what makes you a protagonist?”
“Huh?”
Edwin looked at me as if to say, ‘What are you talking about?’ and I quickly changed the subject.
“If those two come back, they’ll definitely look for you.”
“…!”
It was almost a given. Edwin was the one who had left room for them with his indecisive personality.
“How you handle it is up to you… but when you think about it, this is all because of those damn demons, right? The fact that Kaelan became a demon is one thing, but the fact that Melissa and Aveline made such a wrong choice is… well.”
“…You’re right.”
Edwin’s tightly shut mouth opened.
“I really… want to defeat the Demon King.”
“Right, so…”
“You want me to remember what you said earlier, right?”
“…Yeah.”
I had asked Edwin to prepare for a contingency. It had to be Edwin who finished off Belial. The possibility that a great demonic army would appear after Belial’s death. And… the possibility that I… would lose to the Demon King.
Trials made characters stronger. Especially if they were on the side of good. Of course, the process might be frustrating, but if I told him this in advance, the story would progress a little more smoothly.
“You don’t give up on anything, do you?”
“Thanks, Lev. I’m glad I talked to you.”
“Yeah…”
It was then.
“Leev Come and eat~.”
Lily’s voice came from the entrance of the Black House dormitory.
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Dinnertime had returned.
Yeriel, who was on dinner duty, asked me, “Huh? Lev, where’s Edwin?”
“He went back. He said he wanted to train.”
He was a really determined guy. He had accepted my request without hesitation, and as if his motivation had skyrocketed, he headed straight for the training hall.
“But he could have eaten before he left…”
“I know. By the way, where’s Aria?”
“Still… no word from her. Anyway, L-Lev, sit down…!”
“Okay.”
What was this? Was it because of what happened last night? Yeriel turned away, her face blushing, as she looked at me. Then, a chilling voice came from behind me.
“Is there something going on between you two?”
The elf archer Selena, her arms crossed and her eyes narrowed.
“What?”
“You two were nowhere to be found yesterday. What were you doing?”
“…”
As we were momentarily silent, Selena chuckled as if she were exasperated.
“I knew Lev Denec was a playboy, so I guess that’s that…”
Her muttering, which was hard to ignore, passed…
“Yeriel, I didn’t expect this from you.”
“Ah…?”
“Aria Bluebell confessed first. Isn’t it common courtesy to wait until their relationship is confirmed?”
“No…! I just…!”
Lily looked around, wondering what was going on, and as Yeriel couldn’t find anything to refute, Selena smiled triumphantly.
“Good, that’s great. From now on, I’ll be breaking the rules too.”
“!”
She said something meaningful, then… looked at me and commanded seductively, “After dinner, come to my room. Lev Denec.”
“…Uh-huh…?”
“To be fair, can I borrow him for a moment too?”
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After dinner, in front of Selena’s room.
‘I didn’t expect this development…’
I didn’t know she would show so much interest in me after she started staying at Seraphi Hall. The betrayal of her clan, the showdown with Darian…
It was true that I had helped her, but elves were proud and didn’t easily give their hearts. But I couldn’t avoid it forever. From Selena’s perspective, there were quite a few things that could be misunderstood.
Knock, knock.
I knocked lightly and entered her room.
“…”
Perhaps because she had just moved in, the room was a bit messy, but all the objects and furniture were neatly arranged, reflecting Selena’s usual lifestyle.
She was sitting on the edge of the bed, her legs crossed, her arms folded… looking at me with a mixture of arrogance and contempt.
“Come here, darling.”
“S-Selena, I think there’s some misunderstanding…”
“Shut that mouth.”
No questions asked…
“!”
She grabbed my collar and kissed me.
Mmmph.
The kiss with Selena started with a transparent and soft feeling, then turned into a rough and passionate exploration of each other. Selena’s mouth, which seemed to want to devour me, parted for a moment, then moved up and down.
“How is it? Darling. Are you nervous with me too?”
“Well…!”
Men were weak to beautiful women, and weak to sudden kisses… I couldn’t deny her question.
Mmmph.
The kiss continued. And a moment later… our mouths parted with a thin string of saliva.
“Why? A proud and arrogant elf, just push her down and teach her a lesson, right?”
I wiped my lips with the back of my hand and tried to say something. But I couldn’t.
“….”
“…Scoundrel.”
“…Sorry.”
“Playboy.”
Selena looked at a corner of the room with sad eyes and muttered, “I know. I know I’m late.”
She made me sit on her bed and continued, “I’ve always distrusted humans.”
“…”
“That’s how I was taught. The history of elves… is not all bright.”
“…”
Her sharing her past was a scene I had never seen even in the game.
“Just because my father was human, I was discriminated against. And I turned that resentment back on humans. It was a vicious cycle.”
“That’s not your fault, Selena.”
“…Hmm?”
“I trust you. You’ve changed now.”
At my words, Selena smiled faintly and…
“Because of whom…”
…whispered in my ear.
“It’s a little disappointing. That I can’t have you.”
And after looking at my face for a long time, she said with a sigh of satisfaction, looking at the empty air, “I understand. Aria Bluebell. I’ve used him well, so I’ll return him.”
“Uh…?”
“…Go to her.”
“What??”
In that moment, I understood.
‘I forgot.’
Aria had surveillance magic… and it was at a high level… so she had been watching since yesterday…?
“Agh.”
As I stood up stiffly like a robot, my mind on the verge of breaking, I went to the door.
“…Wait.”
Selena hesitated and called me back.
“Unlike humans who live in the moment, an elf’s resolve is eternal…”
“?”
“I might continue to like you.”
“Ah, okay.”
“I don’t give up easily. That’s what I mean.”
“It’s an honor.”
I just turned my head, grinned, and left her room.
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On the circulating train platform.
“…How do I go back?”
Although more than ten trains had already passed, the pure maiden Aria Bluebell’s feet wouldn’t move. The main actors were Yeriel and Lev, Selena and Lev… but Aria didn’t have the confidence to face them.
She took out her diary, which contained a checklist for when she got a lover, and put a small pen to her lips.
.
.
.
Call by a pet name (v)
Cook a delicious meal for him ( )
Have him put me to sleep (v)
Tell him I like him in person (★) ( )
Hold hands and walk ( )
.
.
.
After declaring themselves a couple, she had only managed to check off two items, at best. She had called Lev her ‘lover’ and asked him to put her to sleep. But…
‘I thought cuddling was high on the list…’
She didn’t know how sweet it was to fall asleep while being patted by Lev in the same bed. She thought their relationship had progressed a lot… She was too naive.
-Darling.
-Lev, come to me…
The others were already a few steps ahead of her. Of course, it was their private life, so she hadn’t watched until the end… but even to the now-adult Aria, what happened next was obvious.
Shake, shake.
Her silver hair swayed. Aria tried to shake off her uncomfortable feelings by turning her head.
“Lev is also a man, after all.”
It was natural. She thought it was perfectly fine for people in love to do that. But, what about her? Would he treat her the same way? She was most afraid of being disappointed if he treated her differently.
Whoosh.
As Aria shivered in the slightly chilly wind…
Drape.
“?!”
A familiar-smelling cadet jacket was draped over her shoulders. Warmth immediately enveloped her.
“Miss, I’ve been looking for you…”
“Mr. Lev…?”
“Why are you running away?”
“Why are you suddenly speaking so formally…? And…! I-I…!”
As Aria flustered, Lev snatched her diary and checked a few pages.
“Hmm, let’s see. With a lover…”
“G-Give it back…!!”
Despite her reaching for it, he read the diary with a serious expression and…
“How many will we check off today…”
…said with a slightly bitter smile.
“If you just stay by my side, we’ll check them off in no time.”
He was a man with ash-grey hair who said such things so casually.
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