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Translator: Nonon
Proofreader: Silavin
The girl I know is positive and straightforward.
The girl I know is someone who would fall deep in love. A love that transcends social status with a noble or the future King. She would protect her loved one from an assassin, improve her alchemy magic with the help of her love interest and borrow the strength of many people to defeat the sealed dragon to save the kingdom from the crisis. She would have her feats acknowledged, sometimes even becoming a princess or a court alchemist.
It would be different if I was simply told that she was different from who I knew. Somehow, I was feeling a different kind of discrepancy.
As if somebody else was sitting in her position.
As if paint had been spilled into clean water.
There would be no problems with this change because the shape would remain the same, but I shouldn’t leave it alone. That’s how I felt.
◆
She was definitely strong and excellent.
In Azalea academy, only two people, including her, could use alchemy magic and she had a promising future ahead of her as one of the best alchemists in the kingdom.
While many people (mostly nobles) frowned at the way she treated nobles and commoners equally, those who knew her well would say that this was a part of her personality that shouldn’t have been discarded, even if it meant creating more enemies for her. That was the kind of a small human girl she was.
“That’s the way she is. While she may seem unstable in a way, she has the strength to overcome obstacles.”
That was Ash’s opinion of her.
Yesterday I was busy dealing with the brainwashed monsters and today, the students are going back to the Azalea academy. So, I asked Ash about Ms. Nephrite… Ms. Kriemhild while doing a report.
When I asked him about how she behaved at the academy, I got the aforementioned answer, but it seems that Ms. Kriemhild, His Highness Chartreuse and Ash seem to only interact with each other because they’re classmates. They all naturally attract attention, but they don’t seem to be very close.
The reason I think so is because most of his evaluation was accompanied with ‘from what I’ve heard’ and when I asked him if she was close to His Highness and him, he gave me a strange look and told me that she was most likely closer to Lady Violet.
It’s possible that he’s just not telling me the whole truth, but he assured me as His Highness’ valet, she wasn’t close to him. Though, it could be just to avoid spreading strange rumous. Still, he looked as if he truly didn’t understand why I would think so.
“Sir Ash, I apologize for inconveniencing you regarding this matter.”
“No, it’s an unforgivable scandal that a student of our academy would commit such a crime. I am the one who has to apologize.”
“Huh, ah, please raise your head!
Ash bowed to me apologetically.
Considering our social statuses, it’s unthinkable for a Marquis like Ash to bow to a Baron like me and knowing his personality, it’s even more unthinkable.
In Ring of Fire, unless you’re in Ash’s route or the true route, he’s the type of the person who’ll only apologize on the surface to somebody who’s of lower status than him.
Even if he were in a bad position, he would only apologize shallowly, make enough amends so that other people wouldn’t be able to complain and get it over with. He would never truly lower his head to anybody.
‘I only swear loyalty to His Highness and the royal family. It’s impossible for me to lower my head to anybody other than them.’
Although you can’t tell at a glance, his personality is embedded with the status system of the noble society, even though it is not obvious at a glance.
When the player enters his route, he begins to change his mind about the difference in status…
“As a graduate myself, I would be troubled if bad rumors spread about Azalea academy, so I don’t mind keeping things a secret. However, I would like for Roshenna Rivers to atone for his crimes…”
“Please rest assured. My family will take full responsibility to punish this unforgivable crime. We will teach him that his actions, which he claimed came from his love for His Highness, were nothing but an illusion, whether he likes it or not.”.
Oh yeah, this is the Ash I know.
Due to his pride as a noble, he will not overlook the misconduct of other nobles. Roshenna will be punished in a fitting manner. And the Rivers family will fall. In a way that cannot be mentioned. RIP.
“O-okay. I will leave it to you… um, please be gentle with him.”
“Hahaha, I know.”
“I see, haha.”
“Yes, please leave it to me. Hahaha.”
Ash’s laughter was scary enough to make me worry instead.
…Meanwhile, I also have to keep in mind that Roshenna could be Ash’s assassin, but from the looks of it, it would be hard to get close to the captured Roshenna.
“By the way, Baron Heartfield. Vale- no, there is one thing I would like to say.”
“Yes, please go ahead.”
Ash said that he was going to check on the captured Roshenna and make a final check before returning to the academy, but before cutting off the conversation and leaving, he decided to say something else, as if he’d just remembered it.
… It’s probably about Lady Violet. He might have been undecided the other day, but I’m sure that hates Lady Violet. I wonder if he’s going to tell me to be careful like Chartreuse—
“Please take good care of your wife. I pray that you two will live happy lives.”
Or not.
Words that came out of Ash’s mouth were completely different from what I had imagined.
“Is anything wrong?”
“… No, I’m sorry. With all due respect, I was sure you hated Lady Violet, Sir Ash. Your words were so unexpected, I was taken aback…”
“Yes, I haven’t forgiven her for what she has done. And I would never take her side. However, “
In response to my brutally honest words, Ash gave me a gentle smile unlike his scary smile from before, and replied.
“I’m not such a bad person that I would deny a woman’s happiness.”
◆
“Who do I want to protect with this sword? Oh, that person hasn’t come to Shiki, but she’s a wonderful girl. I’m going to hone my skills so I won’t lose to Ash and His Highness.
Those were Chartreuse’s words.
It doesn’t feel like ‘she’ refers to Ms. Kriemhild, at least. I wonder if he was able to acquire his sword technique that can only be achieved in his route or the true route thanks to that wonderful girl?
By the way, Ms. Kriemhild only calls Chartreuse by his nickname, which is reserved for his close friends due to her bright personality. Thus, she calls him ‘Cher’ as though it was the natural thing to do. On the other hand, Chatreuse calls Ms. Kriemhild by her last name out of concern for the girl he wants to protect.
“By the way, Baron. Will you spar with me?”
“Huh, why?”
“I saw that you aren’t an ordinary person… when you kicked away that Orc. Please cooperate with me for the sake of my sword path.”
This damn battle freak. Is fighting the only thing on your mind?
Later I’ll ask Ash to take over.
Or rather, what’s the use of fighting when you’re going back to the academy? Are you planning to catch up to them by running later?… It’s scary because I feel like he’d actually say it.
“I’m sorry, Sir Chartreuse. The one that kicked that Orc away was actually… a power called ‘Great God Ibuki’. It temporarily gives me powers by manipulating curses and I can’t use it unless something serious happens.”
In truth, I’d actually just enhanced my leg strength. My current physical abilities aren’t much different from when I was a teen in my previous life. As expected I’m not strong enough to kick an Orc away without any help.
Still, body strengthening can be used immediately and he might ask me to duel him right this moment. Due to the difference in our status, it would be hard to refuse him.
So I thought I’d make up something randomly to evade him, but…
“I see… then it can’t be helped. I look forward to the day we’ll eventually fight.”
This future knight commander candidate really believed me.
Well, there’s certainly magic that can transform mystical things like that into power, but isn’t he a bit too gullible? He didn’t pull back because he sensed that I was hesitant, but rather because he believed me.
“I’m sorry. Perhaps when another chance arises one day.”
“Yeah, I’ll be in your care that time. Oh, right. I’m actually scheduled to fight that Sister after this. Would you like to come too, Baron?”
“Pardon?”
What is this guy talking about?
“That Sister’s pretty capable as well. I’ve got Ash’s permission to spar with her once before we go back to the academy. Heh, I’m looking forward to it.”
“Please wait a minute. Eh, by Sister you mean Cyan? You’re going to fight Cyan?
“There are no other Sisters in the area, right? Man, with people like the blacksmith and Lady Apricot, I can’t help but think that Shiki is a good place. Mm, it’s this time already? Well then, I’m off to the dueling ground. I will be going ahead!”
“Eh, please wait a minute!”
Chartreuse left at a great speed as I remained still. Were you looking forward to it that much, you bastard?
Judging from the direction where he’s going, they’ll probably fight in front of the church. Rather, why wasn’t I told about this? Huh, was Ash’s ‘please be happy’ a lie? So he’ll still harass me regardless?!
“Mr. Clo, tell me more about that ‘Great God Ibuki’! Can I use it too?!”
Shit, another pain in the ass appeared too!
I want to ask Chartreuse a little more about this person who he wants to protect, so why is everybody getting in my way?!
Is this some divine intervention by powers that be?! Are they telling me that I have no right to know about the game scenario?!※
Author’s note:
※He’s wrong.
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Man, he just got shafted by the plot.