Category: Shadow Hero

— Maria Santaaria’s PoV —

Lately, I have been having unpleasant dreams.

They contain memories from a long time ago.

During my early childhood, my parents… especially my father always kept their distance from me almost as if they didn’t want to be associated with me. 

—But why?

It didn’t take long for me to find out the harsh reality.

This is because children are considered an important labor force in the countryside I live in and I was unfortunate enough to be born with a weak body which makes me prone to illnesses such as asthma.

Especially due to my asthma, I would often find myself collapsing quickly if I engaged in any strenuous activity, so I couldn’t live up to those expectations. As a result, I was quickly ostracised by both children and adults alike for being useless.

The only person who ever cared for me was my grandmother.

She showered me with affection and even secretly brought me food to my bed.

“You know, Maria, I’m just happy that you’re here. To think that I have such a cute granddaughter.” (Grandmother)

My grandmother would often say that and I often replied the same way.

“Grandmother (Obaa-sama), I will definitely get well someday and repay your kindness.” (Young Maria)

However, that day never came as my grandmother passed away when I was only ten years old.

—In the end, I couldn’t do anything for her.

After the tragedy, I started my solitary lifestyle with a bigger hole in my heart than usual.

But that didn’t last.

Half a year after my grandmother passed away, a priest from the church had come all the way to our town to look for me specifically. When we first met, he told me something completely unexpected.

—You have the capabilities of being a saint.

Upon hearing this, everyone’s attitude quickly changed.

After learning healing magic from the priest and using it to cure my own asthma, more people started to uplift¹ me.

“Maria, is there something you’d like to eat?” (Maria’s mother)

“Since you helped heal the villagers earlier, shall we go hunting for a feast tonight?” (Maria’s father)

My parents’ attitude towards me also changed dramatically from how it used to be. They weren’t as distant from me anymore and started paying attention to me.

I was happy about the newfound attention I was receiving, so I continued to use my healing magic to help others. 

Everyone around me kept praising me, saying, “As expected of the saint.”

When I heard this, I felt that new expectations were being set on me, so I started to assist others with their various requests aside from healing to meet those new expectations.

During this time, it made me wish that my grandmother had lived a little longer.

With my current self, I could have done more for her.

Soon, I realized two important things.

—If I served others, they would care about me.

—If I didn’t serve others, I would regret it later.

As a result, I decided to devote all of my time to helping others with their requests.

As I did so, more and more people gathered around me.

Over time, they kept coming back with more and more requests.

…This is for the best.

This was the world I had desired.

No matter how busy I become, no matter how much hardship I endure,  this is the only way I can maintain a connection with society and build relationships with others… by serving them.

---

TL notes:

Thanks for reading!

No, this girl isn’t just unlucky to be born with a weak body, she’s more unlucky to be born in that dumb village. Aside from her grandmother, she was basically suffering from illnesses and had no one else to talk to up until she was 10.

And then her father decided to come back with the milk the moment he heard her daughter won the lottery. Of course, her mother is to be blamed as well since she didn’t really care about her either. They sure look proud of having a daughter they didn’t raise.

If you think about it, Maria’s childhood is basically the opposite of MC’s childhood. When small Maria got ostracised, it became traumatic. When small MC got bullied, he laughed and grew stronger. Childhood traumas can seriously alter a person’s life.

MC pls save this girl thank you.

P.S. I’m gonna start slowing down on releases. As you may or may not know, I’m posting 2 series every day, and it was manageable… until my school holidays ended and I just started on my internship so yeh… Out of the 2 series I’m working on, this one takes more time to translate and edit. I’ll try to post once every 2 days. We also almost caught up with the author.

---

Footnote:

1. Uplift means raising someone to a higher position.

The problem that plagues Maria is an extremely personal issue. 

Yes, those who are taking advantage of her kindness are at fault, but the fact that she doesn’t refuse them and accepts being used is also a problem.

That’s why solving her problem is a bit difficult.

It is possible to resolve conflicts with her father and tell those who try to take advantage of her to stop. However, the underlying issue of her own state of mind is also incredibly important to address.

Forcing someone to understand that self-sacrifice is bad is unlikely to work, and trying to hammer it into their heads may only make things worse.

Well, to begin with, I don’t deny the concept of self-sacrifice in general.

For example, doing something for others and receiving recognition can be a form of fair exchange.

Generally, as long as ‘What I did for others = What I received from others’, there shouldn’t be any harm in it.

However, in Maria’s case, there is an abnormally low return for what she does for others, and the amount of stuff she does for others is ludicrous.

Since this balance is disrupted in favor of the requester, the result is that there are a lot of people approaching her for help. The key problem here is to help her distinguish between ‘tasks that should be done’ and ‘tasks that should not be done’, and to have the courage to say no.

To be able to make that distinction, it’s important to take on more tasks where you receive appropriate compensation, whether it’s in the form of money or friendship.

By doing so, you will naturally come to understand that certain tasks will only be detrimental to you, and you will become more confident at refusing them.

—That was the proposed solution based on my knowledge of the game.

So, in essence, what I need to do is keep offering Maria high-quality tasks and mediate them to ensure that she gets to experience fair returns.¹

“—So, um, Irina-san, is that okay with you?” (Louis)

After giving Irina a detailed explanation of my plans, I asked her.

In response, she let out a sigh and brushed her bangs with a troubled look on her face.

“*Sigh*…We’ve only just started dating, and you’re already so preoccupied with other girls.” (Irina)

“I-I’m sorry…” (Louis)

“Well, it’s fine. In order words, Saint-sama is suffering, and Louis wants to save her, right?” (Irina)

I nodded in response to Irina’s question.

“That’s right. I can’t just leave a girl (heroine) who is suffering alone.” (Louis)

“…I also feel that it’s wrong to neglect a girl who is suffering and only have you pay attention to me. Louis, you should do what you want. Of course, even if that leads Saint-sama falling for you and you start dating her, I won’t stop you.” (Irina)

I froze in response to Irina’s sudden bombshell statement.

“N-No… I don’t think she would fall for me…” (Louis)

“She will definitely fall in love with you. I guarantee it. After all, I fell in love with you in the same way.” (Irina)

I see… Well, for now, I shouldn’t dwell on that.

Yeah, I’ll put the complicated stuff on hold for now.

“Are you really okay with that?” (Louis)

“In this country, polygamy is allowed. Some countries restrict it, but this country is pretty lenient in that regard.” (Irina)

Certainly, in the game, you could marry multiple people. It’s the same convenient polygamy system often found in harem-themed games. And since this world is based on that game, it makes sense for it to be that way.

“W-Well, let’s think about it when the time comes…” (Louis)

“That time might come sooner than you think. After all, you’re a wonderful person, Louis.” (Irina)

Irina said it with a confident look on her face. 

At that moment, I had no idea that her prediction would actually come true.

＋＋＋

Having received Irina’s official approval, I decided to contact Maria again.

Our class was 1-C, and if I remember correctly, Maria’s class was 1-A.

By the way, in this fantasy school setting, there is no hierarchy between classes that you would often find in such stories. Instead, the top-performing students were evenly distributed among the classes.

And so, right after the classes ended, I anxiously waited outside the classroom of Class A.

As the students from Class A began to leave, they looked at me and whispered to each other, then walked away.

“(What’s with that guy? Why is he in front of Class A?)” (Student)

“(He probably found another person to make fun of, as usual.)” (Student)

“(…Ah, I see. Maybe it’s Maria-sama this time?)” (Student)

“(That’s possible. She’ll do anything if you ask, and she’s a convenient person.)” (Student)

I could faintly hear their conversation.

It was one thing for them to talk about me, but hearing them describe Maria as a “convenient person” annoyed me.

However, if I were to respond here, it would only make things worse.

I gritted my teeth and patiently waited for Maria to come out.

After a while, Maria finally came out, and I called out to her.

“Hey, mind hanging out with me for a bit?” (Louis)

---

TL notes:

Thanks for reading!

MC has read enough novels and mangas to know that telling others to not overdo something doesn’t usually work. The classic trope of telling someone to not push themselves too hard only for them to push themself too hard.

Harem is officially confirmed, but is now a good time to ask who is the yandere? Irina doesn’t really look like one, so maybe it’s Maria? There is a yandere tag on Kakuyomu, which is why I put one on NU.

---

Footnote:

1. I may have translated this line incorrectly, cause I don’t really understand it. For anyone who knows jap, raw is “まあ要するに、俺がやることは、マリアに質のいい相談や手伝いなどの案件を斡旋し続けて、成功体験を積んでもらうということになるな”

When I woke up, a beautiful girl was peering at me.

She had silky golden hair, azure eyes, and a gentle expression.

When I shifted my gaze slightly downward, I could see her ample assets hanging there.

By the way, I could faintly see some cleavage through the gap in the collar of her nun uniform.

“Oh, you’re awake?” (Maria)

She asked in a voice as clear as crystal.

This is Maria Santaaria, the second heroine of this story.

She is a saint who, like the other heroines, carries deep agony within her and ends up falling into darkness, only to be saved by Allen.

I had already decided that I would save her myself later.

The Allen in this world didn’t seem very competent for some reason. He didn’t make much of an impression.

Anyways, since he couldn’t save her completely, I’m going to do it myself.

However, I had planned to do this at a later date.

There should still be time before the Evil God approaches her, and trying to save Maria in the current situation would likely end up spreading my bad reputation again.

The heat was already slowly dying down, saving her would bring up more talk about my bad reputation.

So, I had intended to wait until my impression had changed somewhat, but I wonder if us meeting has something to do with fate.

For now, I should just observe the situation and wait for the right moment.

“Well, thanks to you, I could rest comfortably.” (Louis)

“That’s good to hear.” (Maria)

“But… where are we? This looks like a room in the girls’ dormitory…” (Louis)

Where I am right now is definitely not the infirmary.

It’s a place that looks almost like a room in a girls’ dormitory, similar to what I saw when I invaded Irina’s room before.

However, unlike Irina’s room, it’s plain and has very few items.

In my past life, this is what you might call a minimalist’s room.

Despite that, there’s a pleasant, feminine scent.

Moreover, there was a faint aroma of a young girl radiating from the bed.

“Um, actually, I wanted to take you to the infirmary, but you seemed to be in quite a lot of pain, so I brought you to my room instead.” (Maria)

“Why your room…” (Louis)

“That’s because I’m a saint, and there are more holy-attribute magic tools in this room than in the infirmary. This makes it much easier to use healing magic here. Well… for some reason, healing magic didn’t seem to work very well, though.” (Maria)

I see.

Healing magic probably doesn’t work since my headache is like a form of mental pollution.

But on the flip side, being around so many holy-attribute magic tools probably had an impact on the “Light Factor” within me which is why my headache cleared up.

In other words, it seems that Maria bringing me to this room was the right move in the end.

“I see. Well, that’s a relief.” (Louis)

I try to sit up, but for some reason, Maria stops me.

“It’s better for you to keep resting. You seem to have been quite weakened. Would you like me to prepare something easy to eat?” (Maria)

“Well… It’s just that it’s not exactly good for my reputation to be staying in a beautiful girl’s room like this.” (Louis)

Not only have I already started dating Irina, but if I keep doing things like this, my bad reputation is just going to get even worse.

So, I really should leave soon…

“Fufu, could it be that you’re concerned about your own bad reputation, Louis-san?” (Maria)

“Well… my reputation, huh? I have never really cared about it.” (Louis)

I inadvertently tried to act tough.

I really didn’t care about it, but it’s just that I need to clear my bad reputation for Irina’s sake.

Besides, after everything that happened, it would be kind of lame to suddenly start caring about it.

However, Maria stared deeply into my eyes, as if she could see right through me.

Unable to withstand that gaze, I averted my eyes and let out a sigh as I spoke.

“Haa… Well, okay. I do care a bit. Let’s just leave it at that.” (Louis)

“It’s good to be honest. God blesses those who are sincere.” (Maria)

“But you seem to know quite a bit about me. I didn’t think I was that well-known.” (Louis)

“You’re underestimating yourself too much. Louis-san stands out quite a bit.” (Maria)

Well, even if I stand out, it’s probably in a bad way.

However, the fact that this news reached even the saint. My bad reputation seems to be quite something.

After she confirmed that I had obediently laid back down on the bed, she spoke while standing in the kitchen.

“Anyway, is there something you’d like to eat? I can make most things.” (Maria)

A home-cooked meal by a beautiful girl…

It’s the ideal situation, but why can’t I fully enjoy it?

In the back of my mind, the image of a silver-haired beauty keeps flashing.

“Well, what do I want to eat… I guess I’ll have some rice porridge.” (Louis)

But I shamelessly said that.

Honestly, in this situation, what else could I eat besides rice porridge?

Maria nodded in response to my words and began to prepare the rice porridge.

This world was based on a game from Japan, so even though it has a fantasy setting, the food culture is similar to Japan. Not only the food culture but most aspects of the culture adhere to Japanese norms.

“Alright, I’ll make the rice porridge. —Ahh, that’s right. I haven’t introduced myself yet, but do you me to?” (Maria)

Maria asked as if she had just remembered, but I shook my head.

“No, there’s no need. You’re Maria Santaaria. A saint and my schoolmate who enrolled in the same year.” (Louis)

“Fufu, as expected, you already knew about that.” (Maria)

After that, there was a period of silence as Maria continued to prepare the rice porridge silently.

However, I became curious and broke the silence by asking Maria something that has been on my mind. 

“By the way, Maria, have you had any strange dreams recently?” (Louis)

When I asked, she turned to me with a slightly surprised look in her eyes. 

“You knew about it, huh? It’s true that I have been having some unsettling dreams lately.” (Maria)

…Really?

This room is filled with holy-attribute magic tools, so it should be difficult for the Evil God to make contact with her. 

Nevertheless, if she is having unsettling dreams now, there’s a possibility that the “Dark Factor” within her has increased more than expected.

Normally, this shouldn’t happen this early, but it seems that some things have changed a result of me saving Irina.

Should I expedite¹ my plan…

But if I do that, I’ll miss the opportunity to remove my bad reputation.

I hope Irina will understand, but who knows how this will turn out.

I, myself, don’t really care about things like my bad reputation or how society sees me, so it doesn’t really bother me.

Maria’s troubles are also related to her parents, so it will take more time. Right… It’s probably better to take action sooner rather than later.

While I was thinking about what to do, it seemed that Maria’s rice porridge had been completed, and she returned with a plate in hand.

I sat up, intending to take the plate, but Maria shook her head.

“You can’t, Louis-san, please stay still. I’ll feed you.” (Maria)

“No, I was just… Haa, I understand. I’ll leave it to you.” (Louis)

No matter what I say, Maria will never cut corners when it comes to taking care of someone.

I knew that well, so I gave in and let her feed me.

She has a tendency to “sacrifice herself to serve others”.

I have a bit of that tendency as well, but in her case, the boundaries with others are blurred, and she tends to agree to everything.

Perhaps it’s because of her high empathy towards others and her experiences of being neglected by her parents, especially her father, that she has become this way.

Furthermore, her father, who had been neglecting Maria, suddenly changed his attitude when he found out that she was a saint. 

As a result, she associates her value and purpose in life with being a saint, or more specifically, with serving others.

Because of this excessive self-sacrifice, she ends up suffering a lot.

But the worst part is… She is unaware of it.

The fact that she is unaware that she is suffering is also a problem, and all this makes it quite challenging to save her.

Well, I’ll definitely see it through.

“Alright… *blow blow*. Here you go, ahh.” (Maria)

Maria scooped up some piping hot rice porridge with a spoon, blew on it to cool it down, and then brought it close to my mouth.

After that, I continued to receive care from Maria while carrying a sense of unease in my heart.

---

TL notes:

Thanks for reading!

Most aspects of the culture here adhere to Japan…? So I guess harem is not one of those things.

There is a Maria backstory chapter later.

---

Footnote:

1. Expedite means to make an action or process happen sooner or be accomplished more quickly.

Today was the day of my date with Irina.

Around noon, I put on my uniform and waited anxiously in front of the school gate.

This was my first-ever uniform date, so there was no way I wouldn’t be excited.

I mean, it’s a uniform date with an ultra-beautiful silver-haired girl!

If this doesn’t make my heart race, then what will?

After waiting for a while, Irina arrived dressed in her usual uniform.

“Sorry to have kept you waiting. Shall we get going right away?” (Irina)

“O-Okay. Y-Yeah, let’s go.” (Louis)

Urgh.

Even though I was incredibly nervous, Irina led the way with a seemingly composed expression.

While I found her very reliable, it also made me feel sad about how pathetic I am.

“So, do you have any plans for where we’re going today?” (Irina)

“I thought we could just walk down the main street and maybe pop into any interesting shops we come across.” (Louis)

It seems like there aren’t as many date spots here like back in Japan.

Of course, this means no large shopping malls or leisure facilities like aquariums or amusement parks.

As a result, we ended up walking towards the main street while trying to engage in a conversation.

I felt really nervous, and my thoughts weren’t flowing smoothly.

Irina, on the other hand, continued to wear that relaxed expression, making it seem like I was the only one feeling nervous.

After a while of walking, we eventually reached the main street.

Since it was a holiday, the main street was bustling with people.

“There sure are a lot of people huh…?” (Irina)

“Indeed… L-Lets hold hands so that we don’t get separated.” (Louis)

I nervously spoke in a strained voice and grabbed Irina’s hand.

Then, I heard a faint surprised voice beside me.

“…Ah.” (Irina)

I glanced over and saw Irina’s ears turning bright red, looking flustered.

Ah, it seems that she was trying to act composed and confident in front of me.

She had intended to take the lead, but the sudden hand-holding had caught her off guard.

It’s probably something like that.

Once I realized that, I started to feel more at ease, and began to walk slowly while staying close to Irina.

“If you find something you’re interested in, just let me know.” (Louis)

“Oh, um, okay. I will.” (Irina)

With her mask of composure completely gone, Irina looked embarrassed and her movements started becoming more awkward as she lowered her gaze.

For a moment, I considered teasing her, but since it was a date, I decided against it.

After all, I’m striving to be a considerate guy who can read the atmosphere.

As we walked slowly down the main street, a delicious aroma wafted through the air.

It was a sweet, dessert-like scent.

It appears that there was a pastry shop nearby, and when I looked at Irina, she seemed interested in it as well.

“How about trying that pastry shop over there?” (Louis)

When I suggested it, she blushed slightly and nodded.

“Yeah, I’m a little interested in it.” (Irina)

And so, we decided to enter the pastry shop that was emitting a sweet aroma.

＋＋＋

We enjoyed the rest of our date by eating sweets, browsing through clothing stores, and visiting magic item shops and bookstores.

As it was coming to an end, we had both loosened up a bit, and there was a relaxed atmosphere.

“Well then, let’s meet at the classroom the day after tomorrow.” (Louis)

“Yeah, sounds good. See you then.” (Irina)

We returned to the school grounds and said our goodbyes.

Tomorrow was also a regular holiday, so we wouldn’t see each other until the day after tomorrow.

As the enjoyable time came to an end, a shadow fell over my heart.

And in response to that feeling, the “dark factor” I had absorbed from Irina a while ago began to react——

*Thump*

*Thump-thump*

*Thump-thump-thump*

I instinctively clutched my head and crouched down as a persistent pain ensued. It felt as if something was relentlessly kicking my head.

Damn… this is all it took to trigger the “dark factor”…?

I gritted my teeth and continued to endure, determined not to succumb to the darkness.

However, the pain continued to gradually intensify…

“Are you okay?” (?)

Such a voice descended from above me.

When I looked up, a girl in a nun outfit was looking down at me with concern.

Aah, she is — Saint Maria Santaaria, the second heroine of this story.

Despite being a saint, she also carried darkness in her heart and eventually fell into darkness at the hands of the Evil God.

“I… ugh, I’m fine.” (Louis)

I replied, but I was far from fine.

My head was pounding, and my heart rate was accelerating without restraint.

“Um, maybe I should bring you to the infirmary…” (Maria)

For a moment, I considered letting her take me there, but it was after my date with Irina. It isn’t right for me to be hanging around with the second heroine.

I did plan to eventually help her, but there was still time before she would fall into darkness, so I wanted to take things slowly.

So… I couldn’t let her help me…

However, as the pain worsened, my consciousness gradually faded.

Before I knew it, I had lost consciousness.

---

TL notes:

Thanks for reading!

I wished the date lasted a bit longer but I guess the game just refuses to let MC procrastinate.

I was wondering if I should translate her name to “Maria Santaria” or “Maria Santaaria”. I think “Santaaria” is the closest to the raw but sounds kinda weird? I’m sorry if I offended anyone called “Santaaria”.

Btw she was wearing a “sister outfit” instead of a “nun outfit”. I’m not good at religious stuff but I’m sure there is a difference. I translated it to “nun outfit” cause I figured more people would be able to picture it.

---

Footnote:

1. None

I have temporarily resolved the issue with Irina, but unless I clear my bad reputation, there is a possibility that the “dark factors” will accumulate again.

I decided that instead of using baseless rumors like with Irina to fix my bad reputation, I would show it through my actions instead. Changing their perception won’t be easy, so I can only do it little by little.

For that, I’ll secretly perform good deeds, but in a way that might be somewhat noticeable. At the same time, it’s probably a good idea to gradually spread rumors that I wasn’t actually trying to help Irina during the incident, just in case anyone suspects it.

So, for a week after my confession, I secretly engaged in volunteer activities such as picking up trash and watering flowers to increase my reputation.

But…!

Because of that, I couldn’t find time to spend with Irina!

This is a life-or-death situation.

I finally got to date the heroine of my dreams, but we haven’t been able to do any couple-like things yet!

I want to spend more time flirting with Irina!

There are so many things I want to do with her!

So, on the eve of a holiday, I made the big decision to invite Irina out on a date.

In this school, you need a permit to leave the campus, and that permit must be accepted by the day before, so that’s why I decided on this the day before.

Since I could only be alone with Irina during lunch break, I arranged to have lunch with her in the usual empty classroom.

“*Cough!* Uh, Irina.” (Louis)

“What’s wrong?” (Irina)

A little while after we started eating our bento, I cleared my throat and spoke to Irina.

She noticed that something was different and looked at me with a curious expression.

“Summer is coming to an end soon, right?” (Louis)

“Indeed, it does feel like autumn is approaching.” (Irina)

“S-so, um… don’t you want to get some autumn clothes or something?” (Louis)

After hearing my words, Irina thought for a moment and then, for some reason, wore a mischievous smile.

“Ah, autumn clothes, huh? Well, I actually have the ones from last year, so I think I’ll be fine.” (Irina)

“But, you know, girls usually like window shopping¹ for clothes, right?” (Louis)

“Fufu, I think it depends on the person. There are girls who don’t really enjoy dressing up either, you know?” (Irina)

“Uh… y-yeah, you’re right, but…” (Louis)

I found myself at a loss for words.

No, Irina hadn’t said anything wrong.

However, she had been wearing a mischievous smirk on her face the whole time.

She probably sensed that I was trying to ask her out on a date and was teasing me about it.

Damn… I feel like I’m being played here.

This situation is quite challenging for someone like me with zero romantic experience…

How do invite her in a cool way?

I desperately rack my brain.

“I, um, know a stylish clothing store. Are you interested?” (Louis)

“Oh, really? What kind of store?” (Irina)

“Ugh! W-Well, what kind… It’s a stylish one, a really, really stylish one.” (Louis)

“Hmm, is that so?” (Irina)

Irina glanced at me with a mischievous look, and I could definitely sense the amusement in her eyes.

Damn it… She’s messing with me…

Maybe I should turn the tables and try to make Irina blush instead!

“And besides, you know, don’t you want some new underwear too?” (Louis)

“……Hentai.” (Irina)

Instead of blushing, I received a sharp glare.

It seems like inviting Irina on a date in a cool way was impossible for me after all.

As I stumbled over my words, Irina chuckled softly and apologized.

“Fufu, sorry. I couldn’t help it because it was so cute seeing Louis desperately trying to ask me out on a date.” (Irina)

“Hmph… after all, I’m just a loser who can’t ask someone out on a date.” (Louis)

As I sulked, she suddenly came over to me and placed her hand on my head, and began to pet me gently.

My heart leaped in response to this unexpected gesture, and I could feel my face getting warm.

“But I find the real, down-to-earth Louis very charming too. I can’t help but want to pet you.” (Irina)

I felt happy but also a bit frustrated.

However, I couldn’t think of a counterattack, so I gave up and decided to invite her on a date honestly.

I gently brushed away Irina’s hand that was petting me and looked at her with a serious expression.

“Irina. Let’s go on a date. I want to do more couple-like things with you.” (Louis)

I had originally planned to be much cooler in my approach.

In the end, it seems I can only convey my feelings earnestly.

I can handle other people’s emotions well, but I seem to be quite clumsy when it comes to my own feelings.

Maybe this is part of human nature.

However…

“Eh… Ah, yeah. I also wanted to do couple-like things with Louis…” (Irina)

For some reason, Irina’s eyes began to swim with agitation, and her voice trembled as she spoke.

She even blushed all the way to her ears.

What’s going on…

I couldn’t quite understand her reaction, and as I tilted my head, Irina mumbled something in a barely audible voice.

“Well, if you suddenly say something like that with such a serious expression… I can’t help but become conscious of it…” (Irina)

“Huh? What do you mean?” (Louis)

“Oh, it’s nothing. Anyway, it’s about the date, right? Of course, I’m okay. I look forward to it.” (Irina)

Irina smiled warmly and nodded.

Yahooo!

I’m not exactly sure how it happened, but I’ve managed to secure a date!

All’s well that ends well!

I couldn’t invite her in a cooler way, but I can make up for it during the date!

In any case, I have something to look forward to!

And so, I successfully invited Irina on a date, and somehow, my after-school volunteer activities became more productive than ever.

---

TL notes:

Thanks for reading!

Honestly MC, you sound cooler when you’re honest.

I swear there is another word for “couple-like” but I can’t put my finger on it. You can’t tell me that hundreds of years of evolution in English have led us to use the word “couple-like”. Does the word “romantic” fit? Idk it seems a bit off somehow.

The raw for this actually said MC wants to invite her in a “smart” way instead of a “cool” way. I figured it might be less confusing if I sub in “cool’ instead of “smart”.

---

Footnote:

1. Window shopping is when you look at goods without the intention of buying them.

— Irina von Luccaria’s PoV —

“NOOOOOOOO!” (Irina)

I woke up drenched in sweat.

My body was trembling slightly.

I had a very, very unpleasant dream.

Lately, I’ve been having unpleasant dreams almost every day.

I don’t remember what the dreams are about.

But they’re uncomfortable and scary like they’re digging into the depths of my heart.

If I keep having this dream, I’m certain that I will cease to be myself.

That’s the feeling I had.

The thought of that is scary.

If I can no longer control myself…

What will become of me?

Just imagining that sent shivers down my spine.

Holding onto my trembling body, I weakly muttered on the bed.

“Louis… Help me…” (Irina)

＋＋＋

— Louis von Armstrong’s PoV —

“Oy… Oyy! Irina!” (Louis)

“…Huh? W-What is it?” (Irina)

Three days after that major confession by Irina.

Every day, during lunch break, we were having strategy meetings in an empty classroom while eating our lunches.

But recently, Irina’s behavior has been a bit strange.

She seems to be somewhere else, lost in thought, and she’s been looking unwell.

Could it be that…

I suddenly had a certain suspicion.

It had been about three weeks since summer vacation ended.

It wouldn’t be strange if that thing were to contact her soon.

“What’s wrong? You don’t seem well.” (Louis)

“Well… I’ve been having trouble falling asleep lately.” (Irina)

“Could it be that you’re having bad dreams? Scary ones, perhaps?” (Louis)

When I asked, Irina looked at me with a somewhat bewildered expression.

“How did you know? Are you stalking me or something?” (Irina)

“No, no, it’s not like that! You just mentioned having trouble falling asleep, so…” (Louis)

“Fufu, I’m just joking. Well, you’re right about me having bad dreams.” (Irina)

…As I suspected.

It’s likely that the Evil God has made contact with Irina.

In this world, there exist what are called “Light Factors” and “Dark Factors” within a person’s heart.

While these two forces oppose each other, most individuals have a balance between the two within their hearts.

However, occasionally, some people have that balance disrupted.

For instance, if one leans too much into their “Light Factor”, they might become unable to doubt others. On the other hand, if one leans too much into their “Dark Factor”, they might stop being able to trust others.

When this gets taken to extremes, it can lead to behaviors like indiscriminately trying to help everyone or indiscriminately attacking others.

This makes maintaining that balance important. However, the heroines who are burdened with troubles often tend to lean towards the “Dark Factor”.

Making use of this, the Evil God further amplifies their “Dark Factor”, ultimately aiming to use them as vessels for its own revival.

In the first war against the Evil God, which my father participated in, the deity’s physical form was nearly completely destroyed.

In other words, the Evil God is currently at its weakest state. In order to fix this, it searches for talented individuals with a high “Dark Factor”.

By the way, the protagonist, Allen-kun, is like an embodiment of the “Light Factor”, which allows him to counter the Evil God.

The fact that the Evil God has made contact with Irina confirms that her “Dark Factor” is still quite high.

It’s likely that I won’t be able to resolve this issue without addressing my bad reputation.

Therefore, I need to remove my bad reputation as soon as possible—

“Ugh!” (Irina)

Suddenly, Irina doubled over, clutching her head.

This is bad!

The Evil God’s amplified “Dark Factor” is digging up past traumas and old wounds.

Of course, being subjected to this would cause pain and suffering.

Irina being in pain right now implies that her “Dark Factor” is being amplified in real time.

There’s only one way to remove the amplified “Dark Factor”.

It’s the method that Allen-kun frequently used in the game.

That method is—kissing.

To be more precise, by exchanging bodily fluids, it’s possible to transfer the “Dark Factor”.

While I would like to question why it has to be a kiss, well, it’s a game world, so it’s not the strangest idea.

Anyway, the priority is to help Irina who’s currently in distress.

To do that, I have to kiss her.

I instinctively reached out to touch her shoulder as she crouched down—.

Is it really okay for me to do this?

Shouldn’t this role be reserved for the protagonist?

Such thoughts crossed my mind.

If I do this, there is no way for Allen, the protagonist, to get close to Irina anymore.

If that were to happen, it would likely become more difficult for Allen to fight against the Evil God with one less member.

After all, Allen is the only one with enough “Light Factor” to stand a chance against the Evil God.

But I can’t just leave Irina suffering like this.

…I’m just a mob character.

A powerless mob character who gets killed by slimes.

Of course, I don’t have the strength to stand against the Evil God.

But—

Don’t I want to see her smile?

Don’t I want to not see her in pain?

I like Irina.

I want her to be happy, to genuinely smile from the heart.

She has already suffered enough.

I want her to be rewarded, and I want to do something to help her.

Since I choose to go down this path… I’ll have no choice but to save all the heroines myself.

In the game, the protagonist is always half-hearted in the things he does.

He couldn’t completely save the heroines, nor could he completely defeat the Evil God.

Then, I’ll find a way to save everyone and create a True Ending.

I don’t know if I can truly save them or if this idea is even possible.

But even so, I have no choice but to do it, for the sake of seeing their genuine smiles—

With this newfound determination, I embraced Irina’s shoulder and spoke in a gentle voice.

“Irina, are you okay?” (Louis)

“…Yeah, somehow.” (Irina)

“I see. It might be strange for me to say this now, but remember when you said you wanted me to convey my feelings once more?” (Louis)

As I said that, she widened her eyes and looked at me.

There was a hint of confusion in her expression.

Taking a deep breath, I began to speak slowly while making sure that my words got across clearly.

“For me, Irina is someone I like. I like you, Irina. Or rather… I love you. I really, really love you.” (Louis)

As I spoke, Irina’s face began to blush.

Perhaps the pain in her head had subsided, as her hands that were previously clutching her head now moved to cover her face.

After a while, Irina timidly asked in a soft voice.

“…Really?” (Irina)

To that question, I answered firmly and confidently.

I no longer wavered or hesitated in my decision.

For their sake, I will do everything in my power to save all of them.

“Yeah, it’s true. I really like you, Irina.” (Louis)

In response, she leaned against me, placing her weight on me, and said with a happy tone.

“I’m glad… I’m really, really glad.” (Irina)

If I had been rejected here, it would have been the end of my resolve. But somehow, she accepted me.

Irina continued, her words coming out slowly and thoughtfully.

“Recently, I’ve been thinking about a lot of things. About my own feelings. And about you.” (Irina)

I simply listened to her words in silence.

“But no matter how many times I thought about it, I ended up with the same answer. I like you. I think I fell in love with you.” (Irina)

Then, she twisted her body slightly to face me directly and looked into my eyes.

Her expression was very serious and yet filled with happiness.

“Hey, Louis. I’ve fallen in love with you. So—please take responsibility for it, okay?” (Irina)

With that, Irina naturally closed her eyes.

I pressed my lips gently against her faintly peach-colored lips.

Simultaneously, I felt the flow of the amplified “Dark Factor” within her being removed and flowing into me.

Then, I felt something dense and dark flowing into me with incredible force.

It’s painful.

My head felt like it was about to split open.

My heart was screaming.

The massive influx of “Dark Factor” is causing my heart to gradually darken and close off as it sinks deeper within me.

Ah, should I just destroy everything?

Can anyone truly love me from their heart?

What bother will all of this…?

Going deeper, and deeper, I feel my heart sinking—

Sinking into the depths of darkness.

However…

If I were to succumb to the darkness, there is no doubt that Irina will be sad.

That was the one thing I wanted to avoid.

I somehow managed to hold onto my sanity and resist.

But if our lips were to part in this current situation, I would undoubtedly…

Just as I was thinking that, Irina unexpectedly embraced me and gently licked my lips with her tongue.

…Ah, Irina, you truly are amazing.

Thanks to that, I somehow managed to regain my composure.

I’m alright now.

My mind has cleared up.

We parted our lips, and I took a step back.

“Ah…” (Irina)

I could hear a somewhat lonely voice, and I decided to tease Irina a bit.

“Hehe, let’s continue this another time.” (Louis)

“…Fine, I get it.” (Irina)

She turned her gaze away in embarrassment and replied.

Irina seems to be unaware that a portion of her “Dark Factor” has been removed.

Well, the concepts of “Light Factor” and “Dark Factor” aren’t widely understood in this world.

My head still throbs with pain, and if I let my guard down, my heart feels like it might sink again.

But if Irina knows about this, she would definitely kiss me to try and help me.

However, there is no solution to this.

So, I have decided that I will definitely keep it hidden from her.

Besides, it sounds kind of cool to say something like “My left arm is throbbing…”, doesn’t it?

“Well then… I look forward to being with you, Irina.” (Louis)

“Yeah… I look forward to it too, Louis.” (Irina)

We locked eyes and exchanged those shy words, full of embarrassment.

---

TL notes:

Thanks for reading!

LETS GOOOOOO an MC who actually dates the heroines.

Plus, he basically just decided that he is gonna steal all the heroines away from Allen lol, is this netori? Well, I guess not since they aren’t together yet.

I’m glad the author explained the process of what the Evil God is actually doing and trying to achieve cause I kept wondering what falling into darkness means.

I substituted “like” with “love” during his confession. I know that “like” is “suki” and “love” is “aishteru”. But the author used “suki” 4 times in slightly different ways, so when translated it came out a bit redundant. Anyways, just know that “suki” was used.

---

Footnote:

1. None

With my confinement lifted, I eagerly make my way to the classroom.

Now… I wonder what everyone will say.

I’m actually looking forward to what kind of insults will be thrown my way, just a little bit.

No, it’s not like I’m masochistic or anything.

It’s just that being spoken ill of is somewhat nostalgic, you know~

In my previous life, I was bullied even during elementary school.

Despite this, I never stopped going to school, instead, I merely looked at the bullies with a sidelong glance and thought, “Pfff these kids are wasting their time and voice for something so pointless.”

I have been thinking like that since then.

They were the cause of my twisted nature.

Anyways, for that reason, I have developed a resistance to insults, and it’s been a while since I have had the leisure to enjoy insults that kids come up with after putting in their utmost effort to think of them.

I open the classroom door with a *bang* and step inside.

As expected, a quiet gossip session started among the students.

“I can’t believe that he has the nerve to actually come to the classroom.” (Student)

“Seriously, just looking at his face makes me mad.” (Student)

Their choice of words was lacking in vocabulary and filled with dull backbiting¹.

It was oddly anticlimactic. I expected something better.

Can’t you come up with a more clever insult that can actually get under my skin?

I quickly scanned the classroom and spotted Irina.

There were two girls around her seat.

Their names… I don’t know.

They weren’t exactly heroines or anything, or rather, they just seemed to be your typical classmates 1 and 2.

These girls are even more of a mob than I am.

Thinking about it like this, maybe having some backstory and a name is still better than nothing…?

There’s a freckled² girl with messy tied-up reddish-brown hair and a timid-looking girl with glasses who seems to lack confidence.

They probably became friends with Irina while I was in confinement.

They seemed to be having a lively conversation – was what I thought.

But suddenly, Irina shot a glare around her and was about to slam her desk forcefully – only to be stopped by the two girls.

Ah!

That was close. If she had instinctively defended me out of her emotions, Irina might have had her reputation reverted back.

Realizing this, the two girls must have intervened to prevent that.

While silently thanking them in my mind, I entered the classroom with a composed expression and headed towards my seat.

“You have some nerve acting so nonchalant.” (Student)

“Just breathing the same air as you is infuriating.” (Student)

Hmm, I’d give that a fifty out of a hundred.

Insulting skills still need some improvement.

Come back after polishing them up a bit more.

Afterwards, the teacher entered the classroom and classes started.

During class, Irina kept glancing in my direction and seemed like she wanted to approach me, but she never did.

Perhaps those two girls said something to her, but I wonder how much has Irina told them?

During lunch break, it seemed like Irina was on the verge of exploding, so I pretended to head to the cafeteria to have lunch and made my way to the back of the school building.

After waiting for a while, Irina showed up.

And she had an incredibly stern expression.

“…I can’t stand hearing Louis being talked about like that.” (Irina)

Those were the first words she said.

No greetings or anything.

“Don’t worry, just let them say what they want to say. They can’t hurt me with something like that.” (Louis)

“But…” (Irina)

As Irina still seemed like she wanted to say something, I quickly interjected.

“Besides, all I want is for you to be happy, and to be able to see you smile, Irina. I don’t need anything more than that.” (Louis)

Upon my words, Irina widened her eyes and shyly averted her gaze.

“Y-Yeah. I appreciate you saying that, but…” (Irina)

“You’ve found your place in the class, and made friends, haven’t you? Isn’t that a good thing?” (Louis)

Saying that, Irina’s gaze began to shift as if she was troubled.

“True, the current situation is the world I wished for. But… that doesn’t mean that you have to suffer for it.” (Irina)

“Ultimately, I’m just a stranger to Irina because we haven’t known each other for long. If you can find happiness by using me as a stepping stone, then that’s enough for me.” (Louis)

Hah… I ended up saying something pretty cool.

As I was reveling in my own words, Irina suddenly looked at me, as if she had realized something.

“Yes, that’s right. Louis is certainly a stranger to me, I don’t know much about you after all.” (Irina)

“That’s right, that’s r——” (Louis)

“But——you said it earlier, didn’t you? That as long as I’m happy and smiling, that’s enough for you.” (Irina)

I froze in the midst of attempting to nod with my arms crossed.

…Huh?

What is she trying to say?

As I tilted my head in confusion, Irina came out with something unexpected.

“In that case, Louis, you should find happiness too. Your happiness is a condition for me to be happy.” (Irina)

…Why?

What on earth is she saying?

“Nonono, I’m just an insignificant existence to you, right Irina?” (Louis)

“That’s not true. There’s a small possibility that I f-f-fell in love with Louis.” (Irina)

Is that really possible?

It’s like a possibility at the level of subatomic particles.

Irina said it while looking embarrassed and averting her gaze, causing me to shake my head unconsciously.

Indeed, Irina did invade my room during my confinement period, but that was probably just to repay a favor.

It’s not like Irina actually likes me and used repaying the favor as an excuse to see me – that kind of romcom situation couldn’t possibly be real… right?

“Is this real…? Do you actually like me?” (Louis)

“……! W-Well, there is a possibility is what I’m saying.” (Irina)

Ah, possibilities, possibilities.

“But as long as there are insults directed at you, I can’t be truly happy and genuinely smile.” (Irina)

“Why…” (Louis)

“Because if people around me keep saying bad things about the person who saved me, then naturally, it’s going to leave a burden on my heart, don’t you think?” (Irina)

So that’s how it is.

I can’t really understand those kinds of feelings.

But Irina smiled gently, extending her hand towards me.

“Louis. Let’s be happy together. I won’t allow you to be unhappy all by yourself.” (Irina)

Irina – the arrogant, prideful, overflowing with confidence, and incredibly cute heroine, made that proposal to me.

“Oh, by the way, Irina.” (Louis)

“What is it?” (Irina)

“Well, I’m really sorry for saying this after your previous line, but…” (Louis)

As I hesitated to speak, Irina tilted her head curiously and urged me to continue.

“What’s wrong? We need to hurry before the bell rings.” (Irina)

“Yeah, that’s right… Well, you know, back then when you intruded into my room, it looked like one of the decorations on your underwear had come off… I thought maybe it’s a good idea to return it to you.” (Louis)

Saying that, I took out a fabric petal from my pocket.

It was probably one of the decorative petals from her underwear.

When I had invaded Irina’s room last time, I noticed that these were attached to her underwear.

Seeing it, Irina’s face gradually turned red—

“Baka! Hentai! Go and die!” (Irina)

With that, she snatched the petal from my hand and stormed off with incredible force.

I couldn’t quite tell if the redness in her face was due to embarrassment or anger.

---

TL notes:

Thanks for reading!

Based MC, he doesn’t give a shit about what the other students say about him. My man literally turned what is a potential childhood trauma into based energy.

Don’t worry there are still a couple of chapters of romantic developments.

---

Footnote:

1. Backbiting means malicious talk about someone who is not present. Basically talking behind someone’s back.
2. Freckled is someone with freckles. I don’t really know what freckles are, but according to Google-sensei, it’s when you have small, pale brown spots on the skin, usually on the face.

While I was enjoying my NEET (confinement) lifestyle, a beautiful girl showed up uninvited.

And to top it off, she was dressed in a seductive outfit similar to a negligee.

What kind of romantic comedy is this?

Or is this more like an R18 doujinshi or something?

The beautiful girl—Irina—had broken in through the window, so she currently stood with her back to the open window, facing me.

Because of that, her hair and negligee flutter in the warm breeze of the late summer, and the moonlight shines on top of her, making it difficult to clearly see her expression.

I was dangerously close to mistaking myself as the protagonist when presented with such an ideal scenario.

That was close; I’m just an incompetent mob character.

If I forget that and get carried away, I’ll undoubtedly be killed by a slime.

If I die before seeing the smiles of the heroines, I’ll probably become a vengeful spirit and curse the protagonist for being born lucky.

“Hey, um, so what do you think of this?” (Irina)

I can hear a nervous, strained voice.

Huh? Think about what? 

Could it be that she is asking for my impressions as a virgin?

Seriously? It’s like we’re a couple in love or something!

I’m happy, I’m so happy!

But I can’t come up with clever words like the protagonist.

When I look closely, her slender white arms and legs are shining in the moonlight, and because of her light clothing, her slightly puffy chest is eye-catching.

“Surprisingly, you’ve got quite the chest, huh~” (Louis)

Huh!?

Damn it!

My inner thoughts slipped out unintentionally!

Feeling a chilling gaze, I shudder involuntarily.

Thank goodness that her expression isn’t visible in the moonlight.

If Irina’s face were visible, I would have awakened to some strange interests.

“…I knew that Louis had a dirty mind, but I never thought you would say something like that out of the blue.” (Irina)

You knew, huh?

…Well, I guess it’s a bit obvious.

More than a bit, actually.

—Trying to steal underwear and making various comments about it.

Yeah, there’s no denying it.

“S-Sorry. My inner thoughts slipped out…” (Louis)

“Well, it’s fine. I came here for that today.” (Irina)

…Huh? For what?

What could that be?

As I tilt my head in response to Irina’s words, she approaches me with quick, determined steps.

I find myself cornered against the wall, almost as if she’s about to “kabedon¹” me.

So even boys can feel excited about “kabedon” huh…

As I was lost in thought, Irina inexplicably placed her hand on my clothing while talking.

“I received something very important from Louis. Something that can’t be repaid with half-hearted feelings. It’s not fair that I was the only one receiving something, while you have been sacrificing yourself. You must have lost various things because of me, right? I don’t believe in inequality. That’s why I will have to repay you, little by little, for all of the things you have done for me, even if it will never be enough.” (Irina)

While saying such things, Irina proceeded to unbutton my pajama shirt.

Ah! Irina is about to see my upper body!

How embarrassing!

Once she finished unbuttoning all the buttons, she looked at my upper body and took a sharp breath.

“…You’re surprisingly well-built.” (Irina)

After saying that, Irina cautiously touched my muscles.

Her fingers were slightly colder than my body temperature, so a chilly sensation was transmitted.

Moreover, those fingers seemed to be trembling slightly.

Of course, my brain was currently in a state of utter confusion.

What’s going on? Is this the start of a romantic comedy?

Or rather, it’s still an R18 doujinshi, isn’t it?

Then, Irina started reaching for her own negligee, and finally, my brain rebooted.

“Wait, wait, wait! Hold on a second, you lost maiden!” (Louis)

“…What is it?” (Irina)

“I understand that Irina is a loyal person. And whether you’re doing this to repay me or not, I honestly couldn’t care less about this kind of thing.” (Louis)

When I said that, Irina removed her hand from the negligee she was about to undo and lowered her head, falling silent.

She must have been pushing herself after all.

Someone as innocent and pure as Irina probably doesn’t have the same assertiveness as an older sister kind of character.

Seeing her slightly trembling, I continued with my words.

“For me, I want Irina to be happy, or more accurately, I just wanted to see your unclouded smile.” (Louis)

My words seemed to have confused Irina.

“Why would you want to see me smile…? Would you really sacrifice so much of yourself just for that?” (Irina)

“Isn’t that obvious? Because if it’s for the sake of someone I like (favorite heroine), I would do anything.” (Louis)

In response, I heard a perplexed voice for some reason.

“…Really? You like me?” (Irina)

“Yeah, of course. Irina is the person I like (my favorite heroine), without a doubt.” (Louis)

I said that with a triumphant look on my face.

Hearing my words, Irina took a step back unsteadily. Then, she glared at me in a cute way while twirling her bangs embarrassingly.

“Idiot (baka), don’t just say things like that so casually.” (Irina)

…Huh?

Wait, did I mess up again somehow?

While I was still confused by her words, Irina averted her gaze shyly and mumbled softly.

“But… if that feeling is true… could you let me hear it again later?” (Irina)

After saying that, Irina jumped out of the window and disappeared.

Huh?

Why did it feel like a confession just now…?

I reflected on our conversation again.

…………….

…………….

Well, that was definitely a confession, wasn’t it?

AHHHH, I’ve really gone and done it this time!

Of course, I like Irina!

In fact, I really really like her!

But I didn’t intend to confess, and honestly, I had planned to remain a mob character!

Damn it all!

At this rate, the main storyline where Irina and the protagonist team up to fight against the evil god will completely fall apart!

Besides, I still have plenty of heroines I need to save!

If I start dating Irina and then try to rescue them, it’s definitely going to be considered cheating!

But despite everything I just said, I still want to be with Irina!

I want to date her!

I want to share lunches with her at school, and go on uniformed dates on weekends!

Yeah, if it’s possible, I really want her to be my girlfriend!

Arghh but, I still somehow need to save the other heroines…

Maybe I’m getting a bit too ahead of myself, it’s not like it’s been decided that we’re officially dating.

As I continued to struggle with my conflicting thoughts, I spent that night tossing and turning, unable to sleep.

---

TL notes:

Thanks for reading!

Mission failed successfully…! MC ended up accidentally pulling an Uno reverse card and confessed to Irina. It’s nice to see MC being honest to himself about wanting to date her too.

---

Footnote:

1. Kabedon is the wall slamming flirting thing. I don’t really know how to explain it lol.

As I walked with Irina to the center of the stage, she whispered this in my ear:

“I won’t let your determination go to waste. I don’t intend to hold back.” (Irina)

I looked at Irina in surprise, and she smiled gently once again.

I don’t understand why she’s looking at me with such an expression.

It just seemed like the plan went wrong somewhere.

I don’t know where it went wrong, but it’s up to the protagonist, Allen, to save Irina.

Without cooperation between the protagonist and the heroines, they won’t be able to defeat the evil god, and there’s a high possibility that this world itself will head towards the bad ending.

My own life and death don’t matter at this point, I just didn’t want the heroines to get caught up in this and die.

…Well, I guess things will work out somehow.

There’s no helping it at this point.

For now, I will continue to focus on clearing Irina’s bad reputation.

The spectator seats at the school’s arena are full, with everyone badmouthing me and cheering for Irina.

This is going exactly as I planned, and it shows that the strategy is proceeding according to plan.

“Lazy bastard! Get your ass kicked by Irina-san already!” (Spectator)

“Someone who mocks others’ efforts deserves to get beaten up!” (Spectator)

Such jeers are being thrown around in abundance.

You guys are so fickle¹!

Whatever you bunch of nobodies say won’t affect me!

Fuwahahah, I know something about Irina that even you guys don’t—like the color of her underwear!

There’s no way I would be swayed by your trivial insults!

As I stood in the center of the duel arena, facing Irina while recalling her underwear, she inexplicably sent me a cold gaze.

“I’m starting to feel like it might be best to crush you with all my might regardless of your determination.” (Irina)

“W-Why… Was it obvious that I was recalling the massive stash of underwear in Irina’s drawer…” (Louis)

“It seems like I should definitely go all out and crush you. …Just don’t die, okay?” (Irina)

Gyaaah!

She’s totally pissed!

I involuntarily shivered as Irina approached with the tip of the wooden sword pointed at me while laughing lightly.

Well, that was my fault.

But in the end, I did manage to get her motivated, so I suppose that’s a good thing.

Despite her saying she wouldn’t hold back earlier, there were small traces of her not being able to bring herself to go all out against me somewhere.

But now, it’s like her determination has become one hundred times stronger.

I can feel her resolve to thoroughly crush me, no matter how much I flatter her or apologize my way out of it.

As we faced each other, a slender woman approached us.

By the way, she’s flat-chested.

She has short, silky blonde hair and a beautiful face with a somewhat strong-willed expression.

She is one of the High Elves and also the principal of this school.

She is none other than Seleniel Lilliana.

There are already rumors going around about her being alive for several hundred years or not alive at all.

Just so you know, her exact age isn’t even listed in the official game materials.

“Now then, we shall begin the duel between Louis von Armstrong and Irina von Luccaria!” (Seleniel)

As Principal Seleniel raised her right hand and made the declaration, the audience erupted in excitement.

The sound of a *gong* resonated, announcing the start of the duel.

Of course, I’m just here to spectacularly meet my villainous end.

I continued to provoke and taunt Irina in a loud voice that everyone in the audience could hear.

“Heyyyy, miss (nee-san), aren’t you trying a bit too hard? You’re wayyy too serious, desperately working like your life depends on it – seriously, it’s like, sooo boring! Hehehe, if you lose to me now, it’s game over for you!” (Louis)

I seem to have turned into a bit of a “gal”, but oh well, it’s quite fun.

I was hoping that Irina would get more worked up but…

— Well, looks like that didn’t work.

Irina lightly nods and sends me a warm look that seems to say, “Yeah, yeah, I understand what you’re trying to do. I know you’re just pretending.”

What’s with that sweet gaze?

Did I accidentally snap her back to reality?

Of course, I wanted to have some super sweet lovey-dovey romcom moments with the heroines!

But that’s not what I was aiming for!

I need more of a cold, disdainful look as if you’re looking down on me!

But it seems quite difficult to anger Irina now.

Let’s try attacking to gauge the situation.

“Here we go, Irina! I’m not going to apologize for what I’m about to do.” (Louis)

Saying that I kicked off the ground and closed in on Irina.

Of course, my movement was painfully slow.

No wonder I can’t even beat a simple slime.

I wonder if I have even less strength and stamina compared to my previous life.

“Heheh! What’s with that slowness? Is he trying to make us laugh?” (Spectator)

“Hahahah! ‘I’m not going to apologize for what I’m about to do’? What an idiot!” (Spectator)

At least the audience seems to be reacting as they should.

Now, if only Irina could take it seriously…

“Uraaaaaaah!” (Louis)

I shouted as I swung the wooden sword at Irina.

Of course, she easily avoided it.

However, I decided to give an overreaction.

“W-What?! You dodged my attack!” (Louis)

And yes— the audience erupted in laughter.

With my current performance, I could probably have the entire nation rolling in laughter.

Could it be that I have the potential to be an entertainer?

As I was pondering about such useless thoughts, it seemed Irina couldn’t endure hearing people smack talk me any longer. She was glaring around, seemingly about to shout in frustration.

Irina is kind-hearted and has a strong sense of pride.

She probably can’t stand hearing people say bad things about the one person who saved her.

However, if things continue like this, the plan will completely fall apart.

If Irina ends up defending me, it might even make it much harder to clear her bad reputation.

While one could interpret that she is defending the lazy me out of kindness, it might also be interpreted as her being too timid to defeat me.

To completely erase Irina’s bad reputation, it’s better to have her go all out against me right here right now.

With that in mind—

“Hey, Irina. Come to think of it, you had a lot of white panties, but don’t they get stained easily?” (Louis)

I whispered that into her ear.

Of course, I adjusted my voice so that only she could hear.

The effect seemed to be significant because she blushed all the way up to her ears and shot me a furious glare.

“…Hey, don’t you have any delicacy?” (Irina)

“Well, you know, there was one that seemed a little stained, so I was just curious.” (Louis)

“…………!” (Irina)

Of course, there wasn’t any underwear with stains on it.

Or rather, I hadn’t paid that much attention. 

Back then, I was too busy looking for the notes.

Irina swung the wooden sword with full force with tears in her eyes.

Right now, if she was playing baseball, this would have definitely been a home run.

To no one’s surprise, I was sent flying with my body bending into a curve and slammed against the wall of the arena before losing consciousness.

＋＋＋

Three days later, I finally regained consciousness and found myself summoned to the principal’s office.

“Sigh… At this rate, you’ll be expelled. So, what are you going to do, Louis?” (Seleniel)

Principal Seleniel sighed while holding her head in her hands.

On top of being the principal and a high elf, she is also one of the heroines in this story.

Since it is a fantasy-themed game, having an elf as one of the heroines is… well, quite expected.

However, somehow, it seemed like there was a connection between her and the supposed biggest mob character, Louis-kun.

As surprising as it may be, Louis has quite a wide range of connections.

He seems to be playing a much more central role in this game than I anticipated, and there is a chance that his death could serve as some kind of turning point for the story.

If that’s the case, it would explain the reason for introducing this seemingly useless mob character, and his exit from the scene would also make sense.

While still speculative, it’s not as far-fetched as it might seem.

Setting that aside, I don’t understand why there is a connection between me and Seleniel.

Though I don’t understand it, I’ll make use of whatever resources I have.

After all, there are still plenty of heroines in this school that I want to help.

Of course, the elf who’s glaring at me right now is also one of them.

And so, I got down on my knees and pleaded to be allowed to stay in the academy.

“Please, Principal-sama! I don’t want to be expelled yet! Please spare me from expulsion!” (Louis)

Lately, I feel that I have been doing nothing but kneeling…

Oh well, whatever.

Whatever it takes to save the heroines I guess.

As I bowed my head, Seleniel let out another sigh.

“Sigh… Of course, if you genuinely reflect on your actions, I can cancel the expulsion… But, are you sure? Being expelled would definitely be easier, you know?” (Seleniel)

Upon hearing those words, I lifted my head and asked her.

“Why do you say that being expelled is easier?” (Louis)

“…Don’t you understand? If you continue attending this academy like this, you might end up being ridiculed and bullied for the rest of your life here.” (Seleniel)

Ah, that’s it.

With a confident smile, I spoke up.

“I don’t care what the nobodies say. As long as the people I want to protect are safe, that’s all that matters.” (Louis)

Upon hearing my words, Seleniel’s eyes widened in surprise.

She then stared at me for a while, seemingly trying to figure out my true intentions. Eventually, she let out a third sigh, as if giving up.

“…Alright. If you put it that way, I’ll cooperate. After all, you’re Ren’s son.” (Seleniel)

Ren.

That’s my father’s name.

Hmm, I see.

It seems like her connection is more with my father than with me.

“However, there must still be some form of punishment. People around won’t be satisfied with just the duel.” (Seleniel)

“Well, that makes sense.” (Louis)

I nodded in agreement with Seleniel’s words.

Of course, I never expected to get away scot-free.

And so, I ended up with a one-week suspension as punishment.

“I wondered how this would turn out but… Ren, your son is growing up to be quite similar to you.” (Seleniel)

＋＋＋

Hooray for the NEET (confinement) lifestyle.

Not working is truly the best.

Maybe I’m fine with a lifetime of suspension, after all.

As I was thoroughly enjoying my suspended life in the dormitory, I heard a voice—

“…Hey, Louis. Are you there?” (Irina)

It was 2 AM in the middle of the night.

For some reason, the main heroine of this scenario, Irina, managed to sneak into my room..

How did things end up like this?

---

TL notes:

Thanks for reading!

The heroine roster is getting quite big lol. Good thing I have the character list, otherwise, I would have forgotten all of the names. 

The elf has definitely fought alongside Louis’s father during the war.

---

Footnote:

1. Fickle means changing frequently, especially as regards one’s loyalties or affections.

[The first part of this chapter occurs after MC makes fun of Irina, and before the duel announcement]

Well, I have finally gone and done it.

I exposed Irina’s private parts (preparation and review notes) while making fun of them.

As a result, I am now receiving even more scornful gazes from those around me than before.

But that’s okay.

Everything is going according to plan, and the story is progressing smoothly.

After spreading the word, I visited the student council room again after school.

“Sorry for intruding~! (Ojamashimasu~!)” (Louis)

As usual, I find Leila inside the room gazing out of the window with a somewhat melancholic air. 

It seemed like she was too deep in thought to notice that I had come in.

However, there’s something captivating about a beautiful girl gazing wistfully¹ out of a window.

It’s the kind of scene that you want to capture in a photo, post it on social media, and will garner a lot of likes.

Could this be an opportunity?

Isn’t this a chance to surprise the same Leila who always maintains a dignified and cool expression?

Realizing this, I quietly approached Leila and—

I placed my hand on her shoulder and shouted near her ear.

“SURPRISE!” (Louis)

“KYAAAH!” (Leila)

She let out an incredibly loud scream.

Not the kind of scream a girl should let out.

Oops, I think I went too far.

She quickly noticed me and gave me an annoyed look.

“Ani… You could have at least warned me if you were going to surprise me.” (Leila)

“Well, if I warn you beforehand, it kind of defeats the purpose, doesn’t it?” (Louis)

Does that mean that if I were to warn her in advance, she would be okay for me to surprise her? That thought is beyond my understanding.

“By the way, Ani… Are you okay?” (Leila)

Leila asked me with a worried expression in her eyes.

She is probably about the scornful looks I have been receiving lately.

“Fufu… sister dearest. Do you know what people in my shoes are known as?” (Louis)

“…? I have no idea.” (Leila)

“Fufufu, of course you wouldn’t. Oh well, it can’t be helped. Your kind Ani will tell you. We are known as… the cool guy who secretly manipulates the school from behind the scenes!” (Louis)

As I passionately explained, Leila once again gave me an annoyed look.

And this time, it was even worse than before.

“Ani… I regretted worrying about you. I’m going to claim damages for emotional distress. Just hand over your wallet and your life already.” (Leila)

“Sister dearest, why are you making an expression that a girl shouldn’t be making?! Didn’t anyone teach you that only mafia bosses make that expression!?” (Louis)

It was like the expression of a mafia boss ready to cut off the legs of an underling who failed at their job.

Man, that’s the face of someone who can easily take a life…

“…Ani, are you pushing yourself too hard?” (Leila)

Now, my sister was looking at me with a somewhat pitiful expression.

However, beneath those eyes, I could see traces of concern. Unconsciously, I averted my gaze and muttered.

“You know, males (otakus) are the type to go to great lengths to protect the smiles of the females (heroines).” (Louis)

It’s like playing through a high-difficulty eroge game all night long just to reach the heroine’s happy ending.

Or like being unable to accept the brutal ending of an anime, so you learn to try and draw doujinshis² to make up for it.

There are times when a man must take action.

And now was precisely one of those times.

“You’re saying something that sounds cool but also kind of lame, Ani.” (Leila)

“You think it’s lame!? I thought I said something pretty cool, though!?” (Louis)

“Saying out loud that you think you are cool isn’t making it any more convincing.” (Leila)

“Oh, uh, yeah. Sorry.” (Louis)

An older brother receives a stern critique from his sister.

How pathetic.

Ah, the conversation has gone off track again.

I put on a serious face and conveyed my request to Leila.

“So, you see, I have something that I would like the student council to announce.” (Louis)

“…What is it?” (Leila)

Leila tilted her head at my words.

I handed over a piece of paper.

Written on it were details about my intrusion into Irina’s room and the consequences I will face.

After reading it, Leila looked up at me with serious eyes.

“You’re serious about this, Ani?” (Leila)

“Yeah. I’m willing to push myself a little to see the person I like truly smile.” (Louis)

For a brief moment, Leila’s expression seemed somewhat sad. But soon, she looked at me with a resolute gaze and continued.

“I understand. If you’re that serious, then I won’t hesitate anymore. So, go and save her with everything you got. If you fail, I won’t forgive you.” (Leila)

“Yeah…” (Louis)

In response to her earnest words, I gave a short nod.

Now then… the final battle is about to begin.

But the chessboard is already perfectly set up.

With this, I’ll end up being disliked by all the students, including Irina herself, but Allen-kun will be able to come in and comfort Irina afterwards.

Isn’t this the perfect setup?

Maybe I have some kind of talent for matchmaking or something.

＋＋＋

And so, the day of the final showdown arrived.

The spectators surrounding the arena were all cheering for Irina while throwing harsh words at me.

Watching this scene from the backstage, I chuckled to myself.

Up to this point, everything went according to plan.

Yes – up to this point, everything went according to plan.

For some reason, my plan decided to go haywire at the very end.

I don’t know where I went wrong.

Perhaps I misunderstood her personality.

“Now that we’re alone, I’ll make sure to tell Louis properly… Thank you so much for doing so much for my sake.” (Irina)

She said that with a gentle smile.

…Why!?

How did it come to this?!

Why is Irina, who was supposed to hate me, smiling at me and even expressing gratitude!?

According to my plan, she should be saying something like, “I’ll never lose to you. I’ll make you regret picking a fighting with me” with a touch of disdain!

Seriously… where did the plan go wrong?

Was it the unexpected factor of me trying to steal Irina’s underwear?

Well, I wasn’t really trying to, but that is how it looked like in her eyes.

I vividly remember receiving a shower of scornful gazes from her at that time.

“Um… Irina. I did some terrible things to you, you know? I stole your underwear and made fun of your notes?” (Louis)

I decided to cautiously throw a jab and gauge her reaction.

However, Irina looked as if she understood everything from my words. She nodded and then continued by saying something unexpected.

“Hey, Louis. Even if you end up making enemies of the entire world, I’ll always be on your side. Don’t forget that.” (Irina)

What’s going on? What’s with this intense confession!?

Come on, this has to be a confession, right? She definitely likes me, doesn’t she!?

When did I unintentionally raise this flag!?

To make things worse, Irina approached me with a gentle expression and then enveloped my head in her slightly inflated chest.

“There, there (*yoshi yoshi*)… Just for now, you can lean on me and vent out everything, okay?” (Irina)

Gyahhh! I definitely messed up somewhere!

This is embarrassing, way too embarrassing!

Aaargh! I knew it, I can’t be the protagonist!

If this keeps happening every day, my heart won’t be able to take it!

My tarnished heart is being purified in such a beautiful way!

While I struggled, I couldn’t muster the strength to retort and ended up being held tightly and having my head petted until the match began.

…Seriously, how did things end up like this?

---

TL notes:

Thanks for reading!

Here we see MC’s plan falling apart for the better in real time.

My instincts are telling me that Louis used to do something similar to what he is doing right now but something bad happened that caused him to change. Leila is probably worried that the past will repeat itself. Not that we know what happened in the past, but obviously, Louis was never always like this.

Apparently there is a difference between “patted” and “petted”. Someone enlighten me on why two different words exist for the same meaning.

---

Footnote:

1. Wistfully means with a feeling of vague or regretful longing.
2. Doujinshi is a Japanese term for self-published works including manga or novels, usually based on an original work.