“Mr. Kasuya, please go ahead with the details of your story.”
“Uh, Ms. Snow? Ah, um, Aki… didn’t you have something you wanted to discuss with me?”
“Aki?”
“Kasuya, please go ahead first. I’m just going to read The Old Man and the Sea now.”
“…You don’t have that book, do you?”
“I’ve memorized the contents of books I’ve read once. I’ll just go meet the lions at the beach.”
“W-Wait, there are lions on the beach?”
“Yeah, in Africa.”
“Oh, so there are lions on the beaches of Africa.”
“…If you’re interested, I can tell you more about it next time. Now, please return to dealing with the princess.”
Aki-kun crawls into bed. Hm, maybe he’s not feeling well?
“Mr. Kasuya? So?”
Ms. Snow offers me a chair and, with incredible efficiency, brings a warm drink.
What a nice person…
…She must be in a good mood! She’s got such a cheerful face!
“Um, uh, where should I start?”
“Everything. From the beginning to the end, without leaving anything out.”
Is it just me? It feels like my skin prickled a little.
Also, Ms. Snow’s magical energy.
Normally, it has a faint golden hue circulating, but now it’s… distorted?
It’s rainbow-colored.
Rainbow-colored magic is swirling around her body. Each speck of light seems to bounce around on her slender shoulders and her two-bun golden ponytail.
Hmm. I’ve never seen magic circulating like this before.
How interesting! There’s such a personal difference!
“Mr. Kasuya?”
“…Oh.”
Whoa, just now, did I feel a little intimidated by Ms. Snow?
The rainbow-colored magic took on the form of a huge face.
“I’m not angry. It’s just that in the brief moment I looked away, or since the incident the other day, I’ve noticed someone softening their attitude toward you, Mr. Kasuya. So let’s speak calmly.”
“?? Uh, yes. Well, I was told by Professor Unsbana if I had any interest in a marriage proposal or something.”
“Yes.”
“It seems to be quite a good offer. Apparently, it’s Professor Unsbana’s grandson…”
“Yes.”
“And the other party is also a magician, but seems to belong to the Imperial Knight Order. A magician… in the Knight Order, it sounded like a pretty impressive occupation.”
“Yes.”
“Is he one of the Seven Greats of the Empire…? I think he was called the Sword Star?”
“Yes, and? Um, please wait a moment. Before I respond, one thing: We are still in a student position, and among the reincarnated heroes, we are among the few who retain our memories. Of course, I wish for everyone’s safety and happiness. I believe that eventually obtaining marriage and family in this world is a wonderful thing. However, Mr. Kasuya, this period is very important for us. We still know nothing about this world. Why have the reincarnated heroes come here? What does it mean to confront the seven prophecies conveyed by the church? Consideration and countermeasures are essential, so really, at this moment, is marriage or that necessary? I know I’m not in a position to comment on others. I already have discussions about marriage as well, but you, Mr. Kasuya, are not a noble. You should choose the person you want to be with based on your own will. It should be just me who treats marriage or weddings as a means—”
What’s this? Ms. Snow is looking at me with her eyes slightly narrowed?
Her lips are smiling, but her eyes aren’t? She’s talking really fast; it feels like she’s casting a spell.
Well, it’s fine!
“I conveyed that I’m not interested for now.”
“I believed you, Mr. Kasuya. That’s what makes you a comrade of the reincarnated heroes.”
She’s smiling.
Oh, Ms. Snow’s magical energy changed.
“So, Mr. Kasuya, you are not particularly considering marriage or engagements, right?”
“Ah, well, yes. I properly declined to the professor.”
I gave a polite Japanese-style refusal.
Since the professor seemed quite upbeat, it should be okay.
“Yes, yes, that’s how it should be. Now, Mr. Kasuya, may I share something as well?”
“Something to discuss?”
If I remember correctly, I was summoned because the professor and Aki-kun had something to ask me.
I wonder what Ms. Snow wants.
“Are you aware that the dungeon exploration subject will start in the upcoming classes?”
“Dungeon?”
What’s that? This is the first time I’m hearing about it.
《…Player, I believe the principal explained this at the time of enrollment in the magic academy.》
Is that so?
Hmm, I’m not good at listening to speeches in those kinds of situations.
“That sounds like you, Mr. Kasuya. In the dungeon exploration class, students will form parties. This is a tradition of the magic academy and is a rehearsal for living as a magician after graduation.”
“Oh, I see.”
It reminds me of being assigned groups for school trips.
I recall forming a group with the misfits who weren’t in any group, just like me.
Everyone seemed to have enrolled in the magic academy.
But those were the carefully selected loners.
During breaks, everyone was just living their loner lives.
I felt a sense of pride as a king.
Ah, do I have to join a group for dungeon exploration as well?
What should I do? I might get left out again.
I need to do something about it.
I have to raise my evaluation with Snow and the others during this dungeon practice too…
Should I reach out to the loner group?
I was pondering this when—
“The story is simple. Would you please join our group for the dungeon exploration practice?”
“Huh?”
“…It really is too sudden, isn’t it? And it’s natural for you, Mr. Kasuya, to feel it’s presumptuous of me…”
Ms. Snow looks a bit dejected.
Wait, did she just invite me…?
Why, how come?
No, calm down, Kasuya Takihito.
I shouldn’t have built up that much goodwill yet.
There must be some ulterior motive.
Hmm… As a person of intellect, I should be able to notice this… there has to be some thought behind it.
If they know me as a curse, then that’s one thing, but as Kasuya Takihito, I hold no value.
“…Kasuya, can I ask you something too?”
“Aki?”
Before I knew it, Aki-kun stood up beside Ms. Snow.
“You don’t have to trust me, even though I’ve treated you coldly. But can you trust Snow just a little?”
“Aki, right now, it’s between me and Mr. Kasuya.”
“Just listen. Kasuya, I’m about to say something very unpleasant. However, you have the duty to know it.”
“Duty?”
Duty…
Somehow, it feels nice…
After such a long time of being a background character, hearing something like that is refreshing.
Snow is amazing, fulfilling the duties of royalty and nobility—
“Snow is engaged to the third prince of the Empire. It’s still just a private agreement level discussion, though.”
“Aki!! Why do you know that?!”
“Snow extracted conveniences from the Empire in exchange for this engagement. Tax benefits, housing, citizenship, and even your admission to the magic academy.”
“Eh?”
“Aki, why do you know that… Why!! Don’t tell Kasuya -kun!!”
“Gah!!”
“Aki, you idiot!! I didn’t know!!”
A splendid punch to the solar plexus.
A sharp blow infused with just the right amount of magical power.
Right after she launched that without losing her composure, Snow dashed out of the room.
Ah… something about the situation is really changing.
“Ugh… She seems to have forgotten that I’m injured… that boar girl… Kasuya …”
“Ah, yes?”
“I don’t mind being insulted as much as you want… you can look down on me as a convenient person. But Snow… please, be gentle with that child.”
“O-Okay, Aki-kun, are you alright?”
“No problem. But I won’t be able to chase after Snow… If I can produce results in the dungeon exploration… even as a student, there’s a chance to gain the rights of a first-class magician…”
“Oh, is that so? All right then.”
“Ah, thank you. You’re a lifesaver. Damn, she really hit hard; normally, it would be just a slap…”
I help Aki-kun up onto the bed as he kneels down.
“I want to nullify that child’s marriage… She came to a world where she could live freely… and yet…”
“…Understood. I’ll chase after Snow for now.”
“I owe you one. Thank you…”
Aki-kun slumps heavily on the bed.
It seems Snow’s punch really hit hard.
Now then… I feel like I’m getting caught up in something troublesome, but…
“So, my admission to the magic academy was thanks to Snow-kun.”
Now that I think about it, it was too smooth after all that trouble with the church.
Hmm… before considering Snow’s favorability, it would lower my standing to leave the debt I owe to a true, high-class villain unfulfilled.
That’s right; the kind of villain I want to be is someone solitary and proud, endowed with intelligence and charisma—a truly formidable villain.
I have to repay this debt properly.
For now, I’ll search for Snow-kun.
I’ll trace the magical traces with my cursed eye.
Just then, when I imbue my eyes with cursed power…
Click.
I hear a sound like the clock’s hands moving.
In an instant, color vanished from the world.
Furniture, the room, everything turned gray.
Huh?
Warning, warning, warning, warning, warning, warning, warning, warning, warning, warning, warning, warning, warning!! Player!!
“Oh, there you are. I found you in a place like this, G-level Gifted.”
My body can’t move.
Before my eyes, a vortex of light appears, and a woman emerges from it.
She is a beautiful woman.
More radiant than Snow and the knights of the Cursed Brotherhood, who occasionally display brilliance.
Her appearance is like the very source of beauty itself.
Dressed in garments resembling divine raiments, like something out of heaven.
“Oh, you can’t move? Right now, I’m stopping the world’s time with divine authority.”
It’s true; I can’t move at all.
In this gray world, only she is filled with color and light.
“I was surprised in the Hall of Holga. Fairness and justice were extremely angry. Hehe, but to have such lowly creatures interfere with divine authority, pu pu pu.”
The woman laughs.
It irritates me for some reason, unconditionally.
Hmm.
Ah, the cursed power is circulating within my body…
Could it be…
“Oh, there’s not much time left. Ahem, Kasuya Takihito. I have come to entrust you with a divine revelation today. It must be a great honor for such a lowly mortal, right? Bow down and listen.”
Oh, the curses I’m storing are quite nice.
The curses absorbed from the dragon and bandits I hunted the other day.
This might serve as material for a spell.
Knead, knead, knead.
Mixing the curses within me.
“Snow von Untz to Licht. I have prepared a wonderful path for her. I want you to assist her. For her to follow the path of a wonderful sacrifice… No, a king.”
Player!! Don’t listen!! Dangerous mind control magic activation detected!! No, I can’t even protect myself with a defense barrier…
Oh ho.
Mixing spells is fun.
That dragon… was quite strong, you know.
Just one roar could remove all status ailment debuffs.
I remember how Crow and White were teary-eyed.
“Be grateful for the glory of becoming my puppet. Thank you, G-level Gifted, no, trash.”
Light.
“I, one of the Seven Great Gods, am the God of Courage and Duty.”
The woman, the goddess’s eyes shine golden.
“Authority—‘Offering of Duty.’”
Player!!
My body jolts.
No way, here… Player…
“Fufu, even trash can become useful. With this, I can advance both the elimination of that annoying unidentified pest and the finishing touches on my toy simultaneously. First, let’s head to Pandora’s lower layer, beneath the heart of the Demon King—”
“Spell creation. Complete.”
All right, done.
A new spell.
A good one mixed with the curses from the gigantic white dragon and that large bandit.
“Eh?”
Eh?
“Spell deployment—”
That effect.
Gulp.
Behind me, a space above my head splits open.
What emerges is the jaw of a dragon, wide open.
“Gor…”
A huge giant’s face appears from inside the dragon’s mouth.
No, this guy is…
The gigantic bandit; he had been spewing poison from his mouth.
“Eh? Why, move!”
“‘White Dragon Giant’s Triumph, Poisonous Voice!’”
“Gorrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!! Obororororororororororororororor!!”
“Kyah, gyaaaaaaaaaah!!??”
The head of the white dragon shouts with an immensely large voice.
And then, a giant spewing some purple poison.
Hahaha, that’s filthy.
“Ah, ahhhhhh, you, youuuuuuuuuu!!”
The poisoned goddess is flailing around.
The poison overflowing in the room is a result of the spell’s effect, so I quickly dispel it with curse manipulation.
Now, only the goddess is left poisoned in front of me.
Ah, I can move.
Is it because I dealt damage?
“Damn you, lowly creature!! If you had been gentle, I wouldn’t have gotten so arrogant!! Now, disappear, huh?”
“Annoying.”
Bam.
I kick off the ground.
Infusing my fist with cursed power, I shoot it toward her face!! No, it’s a punch!!
“Buh.”
Bosh.
The goddess dissipates into particles of light.
Simultaneously, the world returns to color in an instant.
I did it!
“Guhhh…”
Aki-kun seems to be asleep too.
Let’s go to Snow-kun!
Still, what was that just now?
I feel like I heard something…
…Well, it was weak, so it’s all good!!
……………………………… All good!!
