The Transmigrator Doesn’t Dream of Being the Protagonist – Chapter 21

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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Mod7
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My first impression after clashing with a demon?

They were weaker than I expected.

Honestly, I felt like I could have taken him down alone.

Of course, it was all thanks to my two power-ups.

Firstly, Linchester Swordsmanship was specifically designed for fighting demons.

And the modified version I had learned addressed the weaknesses of the original style.

Secondly, the Heart of Winter was a legendary artifact that had transformed a C-rank adventurer into an S-rank adventurer.

My hard work, the treacherous mountain climb, the agonizing training… it had all been worth it.

And drenching my sword in holy water beforehand had also been a wise decision.

If I had to quantify it,

I’d say it was 40% swordsmanship, 50% Heart of Winter, and 10% holy water.

That’s how much they contributed to my victory.

But why did I gang up on him?

Why wouldn’t I? Safety first, always.

Safety was paramount.

I had to survive in this damn world.

I had no idea how long I would be stuck here.

My goal was to return to Earth.

But if that was impossible, I had to make the best of this situation.

And to do that, I had to reach the end of the story.

A happy ending.

“And they all lived happily ever after.”

I picked up the demon medal.

“It really was a demon.”

Tesha’s eyes widened.

“Why would a demon be here?”

To assassinate you, of course…

I couldn’t say that.

“Perhaps he was trying to eliminate us Hero Candidates. After all, we’re their common enemy.”

Tesha nodded, accepting my plausible explanation.

“Those demons are truly despicable.”

Tesha was destined to become the empress.

And as empress, she would launch a massive campaign to eradicate the demons.

Our protagonist, Arthur, would even receive her support.

A thought crossed my mind.

If I became friends with the princess, maybe I could secure a comfortable government position?

I was a shameless opportunist.

I couldn’t let this opportunity slip away.

“Yes, I believe one day, all demons will be eradicated.”

Our protagonist would take care of them.

“One day…”

Tesha clenched her fist.

Her eyes blazed with determination.

We decided to head back.

I glanced at the demon medal as we walked.

Each demon possessed a unique mark.

They were intricate and difficult to distinguish.

Most of the seventy-two demon generals were based on the seventy-two demons of Solomon, their names and characteristics borrowed from the Lesser Key of Solomon.

If I had access to the internet, I could easily identify this demon based on the markings on the medal.

We exited the northern forest without further incident.

I reported our encounter to Rond Giltian, representing Team 3.

“You encountered a demon?”

Rond asked, his expression impassive.

He was a professional, but I wished he had a more expressive face.

“Yes, here’s his medal.”

I presented the demon medal to Rond.

He examined it carefully.

“Andromalius.”

He recognized the demon based on the medal.

As expected of Rond Giltian.

“Well done, Ethan. You didn’t back down from the demon, and you worked with your team to eliminate him.”

I blinked a few times.

Rond Giltian was stingy with his compliments.

How stingy?

He probably wouldn’t even bat an eyelid if Arthur brought him an ogre carcass.

‘I see. You managed to slay an ogre.’

That’s the kind of person Rond Giltian was.

“Anyway, I understand. You did well in dealing with the demon.”

Even I was speechless after receiving such a curt compliment.

“I’ll take the medal for now. I need to report this to my superiors.”

This incident wouldn’t lead to any significant restrictions on outdoor activities at the academy.

Why?

It was a matter of pride.

If the Hero Academy restricted outdoor activities out of fear of demons, they would be giving the demons exactly what they wanted.

And true to their reputation for making students drink poison in class, their teaching methods were harsh and unforgiving.

If I suggested,

“Perhaps we should prioritize safety in our lessons?”

They would retort,

“Heroes are forged through adversity and trials.”

Preaching about the academy’s philosophy.

“Thank you.”

I bowed and turned to leave.

Students were emerging from the forest, one by one.

I rejoined Tesha and Sepia.

“What did the professor say?”

“He said the demon was Andromalius.”

I recounted my conversation with Rond.

He had taken the medal and promised to report the incident to his superiors.

The academy’s policies were unlikely to change.

Tesha spoke up, her voice hesitant.

“Andromalius is ranked seventy-second, isn’t he?”

“Yes, he is.”

“I see… Thank you, Ethan. Your leadership allowed us to defeat the demon safely.”

It was natural to express gratitude after receiving help.

But perhaps it was because I had been surrounded by such strange heroines…

I was touched by her simple words of thanks.

“Haha, it was nothing. Don’t mention it.”

“No, really! I was terrified when I saw the demon. I don’t know what would have happened if it weren’t for you…”

“It was a team effort. You did well, too, Tesha.”

“No, you were so well-prepared, even enchanting your sword with holy water. You could be a professional demon hunter.”

I felt a burning sensation on the back of my neck.

Sepia was glaring at us.

She looked like a volcano about to erupt.

I wished I were as oblivious as Arthur.

“Hey, Ethan.”

“Yes, my lady.”

“Go to the snack bar and buy a cookie set.”

This time, it was a cookie errand.

Sepia continued to build her reputation for being a terrible person.

Tesha intervened.

“Hold on, Sepia.”

“What?”

“You shouldn’t send your friends on errands like that.”

Sepia frowned.

She might not have known that Tesha was a princess, but it was a blatant challenge to her authority.

I felt a surge of anxiety.

“Ethan and I are not friends.”

“Huh?”

“Ethan is my servant and bodyguard.”

Tesha’s eyes widened.

She looked at me.

“Is that true?”

“Yes, it’s true, Tesha. I’m a servant of the Logness family.”

“Oh… I-I see. I apologize for meddling.”

Tesha fidgeted with her fingers.

Sepia’s eyebrows rose slightly.

A sign of amusement.

“Ethan, go buy the cookie set. Here’s 5,000 Elleh. Keep the change as your tip.”

I made a silent vow.

I would escape from the Logness family.

I took the 5,000 Elleh bill and turned to leave.

The lesson was over.

Students who had finished early were allowed to leave.

“Wait, Ethan.”

I turned around. Tesha had followed me.

She walked with a light, almost bouncy step.

“I was just heading to the snack bar, too.”

“Ah…”

I glanced over my shoulder.

Sepia was glaring at me.

I suppressed a smile.

Haha!

I’m ditching the Sepia coin and hopping on the princess coin!

I wanted to do a victory dance.

I didn’t care if Sepia was glaring at me.

Tesha and I walked side by side across the training grounds.

“Ethan, you mentioned that you’re a servant of the Logness family, right?”

Her golden eyes looked up at me.

“Yes, I’m a servant of the Logness family.”

“What’s Sepia like?”

“……”

“You can be honest with me.”

But I couldn’t be honest.

It would be incredibly rude to badmouth my master in front of the princess.

It was time to exercise some tact.

“She’s a good person. She’ll be a great leader for the Logness territory.”

“Ah, I see.”

“And she’s a powerful mage.”

“That’s true. I was surprised. I knew the Logness family was known for their magic, but…”

Talking to Tesha made me realize…

This was what normal human interaction felt like.

I had been surrounded by:

Arthur, the status-window-cheating protagonist.

Anya, the battle-hungry barbarian warrior.

Tia, the cold and calculating analyst.

And Sepia, the volatile noblewoman.

I hadn’t had a proper conversation with anyone.

Tesha was like an angel compared to them.

“So, you’re a skilled swordsman who enrolled in the academy, despite being a servant?”

“Um… I don’t think I’m particularly skilled.”

“No, you seem very capable.”

Ah, the princess was so kind.

The protagonist was an idiot.

To choose Vivian over her…

Of course, Arthur had chosen Vivian because he was tired.

He no longer wanted to deal with the political drama and had opted for a peaceful life in the countryside with Vivian, brewing potions and living a quiet life.

Anyway,

It was time to recruit our clueless protagonist’s neglected princess to the club.

“Tesha, have you decided which club you’re joining?”

“Club? No… I haven’t decided yet.”

“If you’re open to suggestions, my friend and I are starting a club… would you be interested in joining?”

I wanted to beg her to join.

Tesha giggled.

“Hmm? What kind of club is it?”

“Hunting, dungeon exploration, socializing, making friends. It’s about having fun with friends.”

Incredibly fun…

While slaying demons…

“It does sound fun. But I have a part-time job at the academy three days a week. I’m not sure if I can be an active member…”

Tesha’s part-time job was basically a commoner experience for a royal.

She was organizing books at the library.

Why was she working part-time?

She wanted to experience the hardships of commoners.

If she wanted to truly understand the struggles of ordinary people, she should work at a tavern or help out on a farm.

Imagine the fun if she encountered a troublesome customer at a tavern.

Someone harassing a princess at a bar? That would be a hilarious hidden camera prank.

“But being in a club would be a good experience for you.”

I couldn’t have asked for a better sales pitch for Tesha, who valued personal growth.

We were almost at the snack bar.

I delivered the final blow.

“And you can make good connections.”

“Good connections…”

“Ah, we’re here.”

We entered the snack bar.

True to its reputation as the most prestigious academy in the empire, the snack bar had a luxurious ambiance.

And there were multiple snack bars throughout the academy.

A magic tool shop, a stationery and general store, a potion shop, and even a weapon shop.

While I was choosing a cookie set, Tesha visited the potion shop and returned.

“What did you buy?”

“Just some holy water and potions. What about you? Ah, right, the cookie set.”

“Yes!”

I held up the bag of cookies.

“Anyway, thank you for today, Ethan. And please tell Sepia her magic was impressive.”

“Yes, I will. Have a safe trip back.”

I was about to say goodbye when Tesha held out her hand.

I hesitated, unsure of what it meant.

“Ethan, can I have your communication crystal? I need your contact information for the club.”

I had almost forgotten the most important part.

I pulled out my crystal and handed it to her.

Tesha’s small hand deftly manipulated the crystal.

A holographic window appeared above it.

“Here’s my contact information. Send me a message!”

“Yes, of course. I’ll send you one right now.”

I sent Tesha a message.

“See you tomorrow, Ethan. I have to go to work now.”

“Okay, have a good day.”

Tesha headed towards the library.

Ah, this was normal human interaction.

It was refreshing.

I turned on my communication crystal and called Sepia.

“[Did you buy it?]”

“[Yes, my lady, where are you?]”

“[I’m at the dormitory lobby. Come here.]”

Her voice was colder than usual.

I walked towards the lobby.

I arrived shortly after.

Sepia was standing there, arms crossed, tapping her foot impatiently.

“Why are you so late? Did you walk here?”

“I’ll run next time.”

“Sigh… Ethan, you took so long that I don’t feel like eating cookies anymore. It ruined my teatime. So go and exchange them for cake.”

I stared at her, confused.

Sepia clarified.

“I said go exchange them for slices of cake.”

Ah… I hadn’t misheard her.

My hand, holding the cookie set, trembled.

I felt like throwing the cookies at her.

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Princess coin to the moon!