EP.82 23-3. Who is the uninvited guest?
The Magic Club’s haunted house booth was proceeding quite successfully.
“What’s so scary about this….”
“Eek!”
“...Senior, you said it wasn’t scary?”
It was the harpy and oni I saw earlier. The horned man, who seemed fearless, screamed in surprise when the yellow Cerberus popped out from the side and clung to his junior female.
“Gyaaa! A cat with only a floating mouth!”
Inside the dark booth where only a little light came in.
Furthermore, Mardol’s glass walls and ceilings distorted things, making the makeup look even scarier.
“Krrr…”
“Kyaaaa! A water ball!”
Some students were so surprised that they cast spells. I drew my sword and immediately cut away the water orbs flying towards Mardol.
“Don’t use magic.”
“Ah… I’m sorry. I was too surprised….”
If the Princess had been hit by a water bomb, it would have been a disaster. I hadn’t directly seen the event where the Imperial Guard came out and massacred the players yet.
“Licht, thank you.”
“You’re welcome.”
Emperor Roque would cherish his child in a similar way. The fact that Mardol’s personal information hadn’t been released to the outside world was proof of that.
‘If something goes wrong, my life might be in danger.’
I swallowed hard. To be honest, I was curious about why she didn’t take off her helmet.
‘Come to think of it, I’ve never seen Mardol’s face.’
It’s strange, even if I can’t take it off because it’s a special item. I shouldn’t be thinking about other women besides our Saintess, but why do I keep doing this.
‘It must be because of Magic Hat. Let’s not worry too much. Lee Soo-hyun.’
Seeing the hidden face of the princess for the first time? It’s obviously a confirmed Mardol route. I only have our Saintess. I have no intention of creating a harem, no matter what.
My feelings belong solely to her. I shook my head and stopped thinking.
“It’s a shame, but please leave. Student.”
I pointed to the exit with my hand. It’s best to send them out before more problems arise. After seeing one person off like that, she spoke to me from next to me.
“Licht, what’s wrong?”
“...It’s nothing. So, is your arm okay?”
“Yes. Because I’m strong.”
The tree monster was holding the spare helmet in her arms as if it were precious. My voice echoed from the blue-flamed equipment.
“Hey, Mardol. I have a quiz I thought of, would you like to try and answer it?”
“I’ll try. Tell me.”
“...Do you know what metal can be used to make the equipment with the highest evasion rate?”
No matter how I thought about it, her affection was too high. I could lower it with this kind of gag, so let’s try to go only on the companion route.
She pondered the answer to the question for a long time,
“I don’t know.”
She was looking at me with sparkling eyes as if asking for a hint.
“What’s the answer..? Licht?”
“Mithril.”
“Ah.”
Mardol covered her mouth as if shocked. You must think it’s absurd too. It was a gag that our cute Saintess used to like.
“Ouch, that hurts. Mardol.”
“...”
She seemed angry and even lightly hit me. Actually, it didn’t hurt because it was just a friendly nudge. It’s good to express rejection like this.
“Hmph, no one will get that kind of gag….”
“Of course. Because it’s not meant to be guessed in the first place.”
You have to explain a failed joke. I had prepared a trap to use when it was already wrong. I looked at the deeply dug hole next to me.
“So… you’ve filled this with training slimes?”
“Yes. I thought that would be better. Licht.”
Sloshing, gelatinous monsters. It would be okay since they wouldn’t be harmful. If a problem did arise, it would only be that clothes would get wet and slippery.
If they continued walking straight, they could return to the entrance of the booth. This kind of thing was necessary for a house of horror.
‘Ariel… seems to be doing well.’
I saw the cat disappearing and reappearing into the flames with a hee hee! laughing sound in the distance. Non-hot flames were burning beneath her feet.
‘I shouldn’t keep doing this.’
I felt dizzy again. My hand reflexively went up to the part covered by the glass magic. My trauma has been getting worse lately.
“Licht, are you okay..?”
“...I’m fine. I’ll rest for a while, so would you let me know if a customer comes?”
At that moment. Mardol suddenly put the helmet down on the floor and pulled my body to her side. Her strength was so strong that I couldn’t resist.
“Want to lean on me?”
I was already leaning on someone because of someone else. The tree monster was next to me, matching my eye level. It was like someone dozing off on the shoulder of the person next to them on the subway or bus.
“No! I’m fine now!”
It was just like that. I was startled and raised my body. I really couldn’t let my guard down with this person.
“That’s a relief. Licht. I feel better.”
“You surprised me. Why did you suddenly do that?”
“...Licht is a pervert, so.”
I only felt the hard texture of wood, so why was she calling me a pervert? The karma from the grade exam was deep. When did Mardol become the one who teased me like this.
‘I don’t know if it’s good or bad that she’s only doing this to me.’
It’s good that the character who seemed indifferent and sad has changed a little positively.
But why is that target me, an extra, not another male protagonist. There are many people better than me in this world.
I sighed. Would I really get locked up in the imperial dungeon and not be able to get out if this continued? If I stuck with the Saintess,
‘She’s been locking up her only friend saying she hasn’t seen her lately…. No, that’s too far.’
In <Black Heart>, Lupus did that if he dated someone from the Imperial Guard.
Now that I had saved the empress who was captured by Magic Hat, he wouldn’t do that. The problem was this side. A person with almost no prior information.
“Licht.”
The Imperial Princess. The heroine of <Grand Hearts Academia>. Mardol Gransia. It was impossible to even predict what she would do.
She had shown the absurdity of greeting the sword in the grade exam, and she had just told me to lean on her.
I wish I could know the pattern like Kainel or Ariel, whose companion route was easy to capture.
“That thing from before. Can you tell me more about it?”
I was surprised that she was talking so long at that moment. You mean the dad joke? I thought it wasn’t funny. I got goosebumps at the unexpected reaction.
“What is the mineral that horned ducks like the most?”
“...Orichalcum.”
Mardol even made a V-sign with her hand to show off her victory to me.
“...”
“I guessed it.”
I had been seen through. How did she know, like last time? It’s something that comes out of humor magazines that kids these days don’t know….
“Ah, you were here. My precious graduate student.”
That was when I was thinking of turning the flag in another direction because I didn’t know what to do with Mardol.
“...Professor Dennis?”
“Hello. Professor.”
A blue-haired man with a strong smell of alcohol came to find me and Mardol.
***
Dennis was walking with a bow-legged gait. With a good-natured smile, he blew out a hot breath of intoxication.
“You’re doing well. Soldiers.”
“Did you come to check the club booth?”
“Yes, so that no problems arise.”
Nodding, he agreed with my opinion, and with the sound of opening the lid, he took out a small bottle from his pocket and immediately quenched his throat.
“Is there anything else you want to ask for?”
“Ah, please don’t allow magic to be used inside the booth.”
“Yes, why?”
Looking around the glass maze, with an appearance that grew larger and smaller, he shook his hand in front of him and inspected the booth.
“Some people are scared and attack with magic….”
“Is there anything else you want to ask for?”
I heard a buzzing voice next to me. Mardol, dressed as Kuer, opened her mouth.
“...Fatigue recovery magic circle. I need it.”
“I can do that much. Here it is.”
Finishing his words, he drew a magic circle with water droplets. Just standing on it made me feel like the fatigue in my whole body was relieved.
“Licht, do you like it?”
“...It’s okay. Thank you.”
“That’s a relief.”
It feels strange because you’re the one who said it. Let’s just pass it over since it seemed like you were worried about me staggering earlier.
“The magic prevention measures are now in place.”
Paaat. The ring of the three-dimensional magic circle in his hand was made large and rotated around the booth. A circle that divided the outside and inside was created like Saturn.
Water droplets splattered into the booth, making a pattering sound. A cool sensation was felt through the visor.
“...Thank you.”
“Ah, that’s right. Licht.”
“What is it?”
He had finished everything and was about to turn away when he spoke to me again. What was it? Was there another event?
“Do you know that a night market opens around evening? There’s plenty of food, and there are plays.”
“That sounds good. Are you coming too, Professor?”
“I’ll be at a pub nearby. If it’s a booth that sells alcohol, I’ll go anywhere.”
As expected, a drunkard is a drunkard. Hearing the lines he mainly said in the original work after a long time,
‘Fortunately, this person is the same as I knew him.’
I smiled without realizing it. It’s a relief that my expression wasn’t revealed thanks to the helmet.
‘It’s also good for raising Kainel and Ariel’s affection.’
Since night market dates have romance. When I turned my gaze, I saw the Cerberus and Cheshire Cat playing in the distance.
“Grrr…! Ariel, how is it! Aren’t you scared?”
“I’m not scared at all! You idiot Kain…!!”
“Oh, there’s a cockroach!”
“Hiyayaak!!”
They knew each other well, as if boasting that they were childhood friends. Lying about there being a bug, Ariel was almost crying. Tell him to appease her quickly.
“...Licht, that.”
At that moment, Mardol pointed her finger at the hero couple and asked me a question. You know it now?
“...Why aren’t they dating?”
“Well. The answer is easy.”
Because respecting each other is love. That’s obvious. They must be lacking in preparation. Reality is also cold.
Things that are as white as the first snow are easily dirtied. Pure love is easily broken without resolve.
They were people who even eloped in the sequel before the final battle with Magic Hat, so in a way, I should say that’s how they are.
“I don’t know…”
Because Mardol tilted her head as if she didn’t know the reason, the branches blocked my view.
***
Just as Dennis was leaving the Magic Club booth,
“Ah, I’m sorry.”
“I didn’t see my surroundings.”
He lightly bumped into a passerby who was trying to enter the booth. The two men only brushed shoulders with each other.
“Are you hurt?”
“I’m okay. How about you?”
“I’m fine too. I’m sorry.”
“No, I’m more sorry. Young man.”
That’s how the short meeting ended. It was because both of them were careless. A connection and ill-fated relationship that passed by without anything unpleasant happening.
“...Dennis, I see. It’s been a while.”
Looking at the blue-haired man who was walking away, Head muttered briefly. Staring at the small booklet that read “Haunted House,”
“If it wasn’t for Magic Hat, it would have been really dangerous.”
He carefully put on the mask again, which he had almost dropped due to the collision a little while ago.