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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Lord Fourth
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The story surrounding Melina and Varis was becoming increasingly tangled. Was Lates’s unexpected interference a mere coincidence, or was there a deeper motive behind it?
Either way, it didn’t matter. The situation was becoming so complicated that he couldn’t help but feel overwhelmed. What should he do? He had inadvertently stolen two events. This created a significant obstacle to Varis and Melina’s relationship.
“Haa.”
He sighed, lamenting the increasingly unpredictable situation. Just then, someone poked his cheek.
“Arnold~”
It was Melina. She was holding a chocolate bar wrapped in foil.
“Here’s a gift. I made it myself. Thank you so much for helping me twice yesterday.”
It was a token of gratitude…
Melina was a character skilled in confectionery. She often gave chocolates like this as a sign of gratitude or affection, and originally, this chocolate should have been given to Varis, not him.
But the fact that it was in his hand now meant he had completely stolen her ~affetion points~.
“Meow~”
And it was all because of that white cat. Even now, Lates was rubbing against him and nibbling on him affectionately.
“Thank you…”
He thanked her, but his heart felt heavy. Still, since she had given him a gift, he put aside his complicated feelings for a moment and took a bite of the chocolate.
“Delicious.”
He couldn’t help but express his admiration as soon as it touched his tongue.
“Really~?”
It melted smoothly in his mouth, releasing a rich cocoa aroma.
The first taste was slightly bitter, but it was quickly followed by a sweet aftertaste that lingered warmly on his tongue.
It was more than just sweet. The subtle caramel flavor, the nutty aroma, and the slight hint of salt at the end awakened all his senses.
“Hehe~ I’m glad you like it. I’m actually quite confident in my chocolate-making skills.”
In the original story, there was a description of her chocolates being exquisite, and this was certainly living up to that reputation.
It was so delicious that it made him forget his worries, even if just for a moment.
“It was delicious.”
“You’re welcome!”
He felt a bit calmer. He could finally think positively, instead of just lamenting his situation.
Yes, he had stolen the small events, but the decisive factor in winning Melina’s heart was defeating the evil spirit before her eyes. And as he had said many times, only Varis could do that, so there was still hope.
‘Varis… I’m counting on you.’
He silently pleaded with Varis to save Melina on the day the evil spirit was released.
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The small events related to Melina continued.
“Lates?! Come here!!”
Lates would suddenly have a whim and run off with Melina’s belongings.
“Ah?! A-A thief!!”
Or she would have her wallet stolen by a pickpocket. Originally, Varis would have solved both problems.
“Meow~”
But thanks to the white cat, he ended up being the hero of those events as well.
“Arnold~! Did you catch him for me?”
Lates would steal her belongings and then jump into his arms.
“Ugh, I lost my wallet… Huh? Did you find it for me again, Arnold?”
Or it would somehow retrieve her stolen wallet from the pickpocket and secretly hand it to him. It was as if the cat was determined to connect him with Melina.
Still, he felt that as long as the final event went smoothly, everything would be fine.
“······.”
Time passed, and one seemingly ordinary, peaceful day, while everyone was going about their daily lives, he was heading somewhere with a heavy heart.
He had found a handwritten letter in his drawer.
‘Today is my birthday, and also the day I die. If you don’t mind, could you come to the marked location?’ it read.
As expected, the letter was from Melina. Melina, unable to find her destined savior and with her birthday approaching, had sent a letter to the one she felt was closest to her destiny and disappeared.
And that letter had reached him.
“Where are you going? Isn’t it almost time for class? The professor will be angry.”
The location she had indicated was a spacious open area somewhere within the academy. And he was going there with Varis.
“—- !”
They followed the directions in the letter, walking towards a deserted area.
“Ugh, aaaaaah –!!”
As they approached their destination, Melina’s pained moans echoed.
“Oh? Arnold! I hear someone screaming!”
Varis, hearing her voice, broke out in a cold sweat and started running.
“Aaaaaaaaaah —-”
They found Melina writhing in pain in the open area, surrounded by a dark aura.
“Kyaaaaa -!!”
Lates was also there, but it was baring its fangs, as if guarding the suffering Melina.
“Melina, are you okay?!”
Varis reached Melina before he did. And as soon as he touched her, a strange phenomenon occurred.
“Kyaaaaaaaaaaa —!!”
The dark aura surrounding her began to surge uncontrollably.
“Ugh… ?!!”
Melina’s body floated in the air as if possessed. The dark smoke emanating from her coalesced into a shape.
“Wh-What is that?!”
A figure, at least five meters tall, cloaked in black robes and with glowing red eyes, materialized from Melina’s body.
Thud –
“Ugh…”
Melina fell to the ground like a puppet with its strings cut. She was still conscious, breathing faintly, and slumped on the ground.
“It is time. I will claim your life, young princess.”
A chilling voice echoed in his mind. It sounded like the voice of an evil god, its crimson gaze fixed on her.
Clang –
The evil spirit, in the form of a grim reaper, raised a giant scythe and was about to strike Melina.
“U-Ugh, n-no…!”
But Melina didn’t run. Or rather, she couldn’t.
She had already lost all her strength, having served as the vessel for the spirit’s summoning, she was unable to resist its death sentence.
“Surrender your soul.”
Clang –
“Hmm?”
But the evil spirit’s scythe couldn’t pierce Melina’s heart. Because a man had rushed towards her the moment he saw the it happening.
“Y-You’re… Varis?”
It was Varis. He gritted his teeth, struggling to block the evil spirit’s scythe.
“Hyaaah!”
With a loud yell, he pushed back the attack.
“Haa, haa.”
He seemed to be struggling just to parry a single attack.
Arnold watched on the sidelines as there was nothing he could do. Only those with the qualities of a hero could interfere with this entity.
No matter how strong he was, if he didn’t have the qualities of a hero, his attacks would be ignored.
“Huu…”
Varis caught his breath and adjusted his stance after deflecting it’s attack. As expected, he could physically interact with the it.
“You dare interfere? Very well, I shall bury you alongside the princess.”
The evil spirit swung its scythe again, targeting Varis this time.
Clang-
“Ugh!”
But perhaps because he was destined to become a hero, he managed to block the evil spirit’s attack once again.
“Varis! Are you okay?!”
Melina, seeing him protect her, called out to him with worry in her eyes.
But Varis didn’t respond, seemingly too exhausted. He was struggling just to defend against its attacks.
“….”
Arnold could only silently cheered for Varis, hoping he would defeat the evil god and lift Melina’s curse.
It was about time for his heroic powers to awaken, allowing him to wield the holy power needed to defeat this evil entity.
Clang –
“Uwaah?!”
But… something was wrong.
Clang –
“Not yet!!”
His talent should have been shining by now. Why wasn’t it working?
Clang –
“Ugh!!”
Was he not strong enough yet? But he had been steadily growing stronger, and he had gained a large amount of experience from defeating the monsters during Elisha’s event—
“Oh?”
—Just then, it hit him like a ton of bricks. He, not Varis, had been the one to defeat the monsters that attacked Elisha’s farm.
That meant all that experience hadn’t gone to Varis, and he hadn’t grown strong enough to manifest his heroic powers in the fight against the evil spirit.
Everything made sense now.
Clang -!
“Aaah?!”
Then, there was no one who could stop the evil spirit now?
“Meow -! Meow -!”
Just then, he felt a sharp pain and looked down. Lates was scratching his leg with its claws, as if urging him to do something.
Was it telling him to fight the evil spirit? But as he had just said, no one could interfere with the it without the qualities of a hero.
“Meow, meow, meow!!!!”
The white cat frantically scratched his leg. What did it want? He wanted to help, but there was nothing he could do…
Clang -!
But as he hesitated, Varis’s sword broke, unable to withstand the evil spirit’s attacks.
“W-What?! Kuh!!”
Varis, having lost his means of defense, was sent tumbling across the ground.
“Foolish mortal. I shall claim your life along with the princess’s.”
The evil spirit aimed its scythe at them, preparing for the final blow.
“G… Ugh…”
“Varis! Wake up!”
The spirit’s scythe delivered its cruel judgment.
“Oh, no…”
A desperate situation.
“Damn it.”
Clang -!!
A clear, ringing sound.
“What?!”
The spirit’s scythe couldn’t claim their lives.
“Huh?”
“A-Arnold -!”
Because his sword had blocked the attack. He had intervened on a whim, and for some reason, he was able to interact with the evil spirit.
“Tsk.”
Why? Only the power of a hero should be able to accomplish this feat.
“Melina, Varis. Sorry for spacing out.”
But that wasn’t important right now. Since he could interact with it.
“Leave it to me -”
Then, he could defeat it.
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Hi Lord Fourth here!
I’m new to translating so if you find some mistakes or inconsistencies let me know about it on the dedicated channel on discord.
