Chapter 50

Chapter 50

"You fool... You're really a fool."

"Yeah~ yeah. I said I was sorry."

Sniffle-.

Luna sniffled loudly once more.

After rinsing her hair and clothes with water, I took a hair tie from my pocket dimension and tied her hair into twin tails.

Our Luna, after all, besides her dog-like personality, twin tails are all she has.

Why do I carry a hair tie, you ask?

To take care of a child, you need to be prepared for anything.

Well, the problem is that this 'child' is 15 years old.

But despite my utmost care, I couldn't do anything about her swollen eyes.

"Sniffle... Don't get the wrong idea."

"Huh?"

"It's not because you were gone! Not because I thought you had died... Ah, no, I mean, got hurt or something."

Did she hate to even think of me dying?

'How cute.'

She might think she looks fierce, but with her swollen eyes and those words, she wasn't very convincing.

"Re, really? You think I'd even blink if you died!?"

"Keke, it would be a bit sad if that happened."

"Ah, no, I mean... not really like that. I'd save you before you die. It would be sad if a friend died..."

Did she realize her slip of words?

Luna looked confused and lost.

I gently patted her head.

"Keke, you've worked hard. Don't worry, I'll always stick close from now on."

I could feel Luna calming down.

As expected, the best way to soothe a child is a combination of praise and patting.

"Wh, who's a child here!?"

Luna pushed my hand away and pounced on me.

Hmm, now she's back to the usual Luna.

I ignored her biting my head and fell into thought.

'What was the deal Caron made with Renia?'

Only three things were certain at the moment.

That Luna was involved.

That there was a need to prevent me from getting too close to Luna.

And that it was a request made by Luna's mother, Renia.

Could it be...!

'Was the deal to find a good man for Luna?'

Then I'm the perfect candidate.

I'm a great guy.

Good enough to offer my head to the fierce Luna!

"From now on, don't step a foot away from me."

"...Huh?"

"Why would I let you out of sight? We'll be together wherever you go. Remember that!"

Anger control disorder, stalker tendencies.

And now, separation anxiety too?

This is my only party member?

I feel dizzy, really.

"Oh, Zero! You're safe? Thank goodness."

A group of students approached me.

They were kids from Group 3, who had explored the ant nest with me.

"Lady Luna is amazing! Thanks to her, I can now confess!"

"Yeah, really. Thanks to her, we survived!"

The cliché-spouting, confession-killer (?) survived too.

Listening to their conversation, it seemed Luna had saved the kids.

'Did Luna fill the gap left by Caron?'

[Lv. 21]

The number floating above Luna's head.

She was level 18 before we parted, so she had gained three levels.

Moreover,

[Ambivalence A]

A new skill had appeared.

A skill, especially an A-grade, popping up suddenly.

'Ambivalence is a synergy skill.'

Synergy skills are passive skills activated when there's a character in the party meeting specific conditions.

[Ambivalence] affects the overall stats, either increasing or decreasing them.

Stats increasing or decreasing? What does that mean?

If the condition-matching character is present, stats increase.

If not, stats decrease.

'From what I know, A-grade means ±25%.'

For reference, S-grade means ±50% stats applied.

Yes, it's overpowered.

But such a skill also comes with a penalty.

"Uu, Uuu...! I can engage in that level of physical contact anytime, you know?"

Does this look like physical contact to you? Are you sane?

And I don’t want to be bitten by a boy, thank you.

"Sticking out tongue. Zero isn't the type to do physical contact with just anyone! He's quite principled, you know."

Was I engaged in physical contact?

Being forced to have my head bitten?

"Me, me! I am his BFF! That means best friends forever!"

"Be, BFF!? I am closer than that! I am his BBBBBBBBBBBBBBFF!!"

Luna, there's no such word in this world, you know?

Adding more 'B's' doesn't make you any closer.

"Gi, give me back my friend!"

"Who's talking back now?"

Luna started pulling Raymon's hair.

Her grip is quite strong.

So, [Ambivalence] applies to such scuffles as well?

Thanks for the new information, Luna.

"Let, let go of me!"

"Go play with your new friends! Why are you clinging to him?"

"I, I like Zero better!"

"My Zero doesn't like someone like you!"

"That's not your Zero, it's my Zero!"

Ah! Ah!

Luna and Raymon's petty fight had begun.

I had no intention of stopping them.

Children grow by fighting, after all.

"Hello?"

That was when.

Yuridia approached me with a gentle smile.

'She must think this is a good opportunity.'

To get acquainted with me and make her presence known.

And eventually, to suggest that I should become subservient to her.

By the way, although people from Yuridia's faction had visited me a few times, she herself had never come in person.

'Probably because of noble pride, and the pride of leading a faction.'

She wanted me to acknowledge her authority by approaching first.

And this was no different on Teron's side.

Their pride wouldn't allow them to come in person, so they kept sending people.

They had been frustrated by my lack of response despite their continuous overtures.

But to have such an opportunity now.

'She must think this is the best of luck.'

It's important that it wasn't a prearranged meeting or that I didn't seek her out, but rather a chance encounter.

Ordinary people might wonder what's the difference, but for high-nosed nobles, it's a completely different concept.

As different as heaven and earth, perhaps?

"Keke, hello. My name is Zero."

"Of course, I knew that. Every freshman knows the name Zero. Nice to meet you for the first time. I'm Yuridia de Rownter, the third daughter of the Rownter family."

Her uniform was a bit torn, but that didn't diminish Yuridia's dignity at all.

Utterly polite and well-mannered.

Of course,

'She must be thinking something completely different inside.'

In reality, Yuridia is quite the troublemaker.

But she's a noble.

Moreover, she's hailed as a genius in magic, carrying the expectations of her family.

Even if she wanted to reveal her true nature, she couldn't.

'Well, the family thinks she's reformed through education and guidance...'

But in reality, they haven't changed even 1% of Yuridia.

Her acting skills and patience are quite remarkable.

To sum up, think of her as a 'character living behind a mask'. It’s easier to understand her character that way.

Right now, inside, she's probably saying this.

'Ah, maintaining manners is so damn annoying. But since it's our first meeting, I guess I should care?'

- Is what she'd probably think.

She's not a bad kid.

Just a child whose inside and outside are a little (?) different.

By the way, Yuridia has nicknames like Two-Faced Yuridia, Asura Yuridia, and Jekyll and Yuridia.

It's because when playing as Yuridia in the game, her dialogue is accompanied by her inner thoughts in parentheses.

For example,

"It's an honor to meet you. I was a bit upset that you didn't respond even though I sent people to you. Just a little bit, of course."

You brat. I sent people to you, why didn't you come?

And ignoring me too? Do you want a little taste of death?

...would be her actual thoughts.

--TL Notes--

Hope you enjoyed this chapter. If you want to support me or give me feedback, you can do it at /MattReading