NOVEL NEXT Chapter 34
What is the most important thing in a group project?
“Well then, everyone, we’ve arrived at the forest.”
It’s not about the leader who goes ahead; it’s about the person encouraging everyone from behind to do their part.
“Let’s elect one leader from each group and let me know.”
Yeah, the leader is the most important.
Dennis, who had just teleported all the new students using a 3D Magic Circle, let out a sigh as if finally relieved.
“Laplace, how are you doing?”
“Feeling a bit better, Dennis.”
Seeing Laplace talking from a distance makes it seem like they might have slipped out of the Demon King’s calculations. There’s only so much power can cover the world.
So, I can finally relax a bit? The tension in my body loosened. I took a deep breath.
“So, we’re going with the helmet guy as our leader, right!”
“Ah, I guess that’s how it has to be. I’m the best at… using tools.”
Almost slipped up again there.
Maybe I’m worried it’s related to our Saintess? No matter how social one was before possessing a body, now we’re all the same age.
“Wait, isn’t it a weapon, not a tool? You’re pretty good with a sword!”
The red-haired Mage looked at me, feeling something strange. Ariel can be scary at times like this. But why is she acting tsundere even with a sense of awareness?
“That’s true. You’re someone who can rub artifacts with a steel sword.”
“Rufus, you’re strong.”
Then, the blonde Hero and the Knight nodded at the same time. Luckily, they went along with it, so it went smoothly.
“Thank you. Then I’ll convey that to Professor Dennis.”
[The Endless Monster Forest].
They said the faculty would watch us at night, but it’s still daytime. They meant we could encounter monsters soon, so we needed to formulate a plan and prepare.
“There are two ways: catch a monster of the highest rank or catch a large number of low-rank monsters.”
I was racking my brain for high points. Kainel and Mardol are strong, and Ariel’s magic will finally get a proper showcase this time.
“Which method is easier, Rufus?”
“I’ll gather everyone’s opinions first and then let you know.”
The first principle of a group project: if someone recklessly says what to do first, they’re highly likely to fail. At the very least, you have to listen to everyone’s opinions and consider them.
I looked at where Kainel and Ariel were standing and asked for opinions. Then, I heard a buzzing voice next to me.
“… Strong ones.”
“I want a lot of them! I just learned a new spell that goes off like fireworks from that direction! Helmet guy!”
“I’ll go for strong ones like Mardol. I want to practice using Shine Strike.”
Opinions divided 2 to 1. This is a bit tricky. I was planning to go with a lot of them.
“I recommend targeting giant ants, armored bugs, or insects that move in swarms…”
I rested my chin on my hand. With the fire Mage here, it might be better to focus on these monsters and use area attacks.
‘There could be monsters here that we have no idea about, so it might be dangerous.’
Monster strategies depend highly on whether you know the information or not. If you know their weak attributes, it becomes significantly easier. In the game, damage can double or be halved based on this.
I took a quick scan of the party members. My eyes met Mardol’s. Why does this Crown Prince feel so burdensome? I suddenly gasped.
“Well… I guess strong monsters are also fine, as everyone suggested.”
I finished calculating and subtly told them. As long as it’s not the Demon King or an Archduke, I’d be fine anywhere.
“Still, our synergy is good.”
Ariel has fire, Kainel has light, and the Knight probably has the earth attribute with the way it bends steel.
Theoretically, there should be no element we can’t handle. Light and darkness will pierce through each other, and Ariel and Mardol can offset each other’s weaknesses.
“Is that so? But what element do you have, Helmet guy?”
“…”
Ariel made a cat-like expression. Seems like she’s teasing me. Honestly, it’s rare for someone like me, with low mana and a twisted circuit, not to know his attribute.
“Darkness… maybe?”
I suspect it might be darkness. If not that, the only other option is water. I actually enjoy being a bit “chuunibyou” and can use Shadow Slash pretty well.
“Ariel, of course, Rufus is element-less…!”
“Rufus, element-less…?”
Kainel jokingly brought it up. The Knight stared at me, almost believing it. That kind of thing doesn’t exist in the game, Mardol.
“… I should just keep my mouth shut.”
I figured it would be fine if they wanted to do what they liked. Since it came to this, I’d better raise the affection level between the dog and cat. Kainel had been teasing me for a while, so it worked out.
I vividly recalled my first time at the Academy. Looking back, it’s been quite a while since then.
“… The problem is I don’t know which monsters have a high rank, since this is my first time here.”
“Right, Rufus.”
“If we just recklessly hunt, won’t we end up stacking points?”
“That’s not good. We need to at least assess the opponent first.”
Even if we hunt however we want, we shouldn’t let our guard down against monsters. The reason I couldn’t use Void Slash against the Shadow Wolf is that.
‘The moment the campfire went out, it could’ve become completely dark and dangerous.’
If Kainel grew to adeptly handle the Holy Sword, it wouldn’t be a problem, but thinking about the nature of the shadows, he could’ve missed responding.
“It was also like that with the Shadow Wolf before; the higher the rank of the monster, the more careful we should be. We might be strong, but…”
“Since it’s Rufus saying that, guess we can’t help it…”
I sighed. He’s too optimistic and indecisive. Being a Hero like this can be a bit annoying. That’s just how he is.
“I think so too. It wouldn’t hurt to be careful, right? Don’t you think, Mardol?”
“Yeah. Ariel.”
Ariel was talking closely to the Knight. Her red hair fluttered in the wind.
The heroines are practically magnets for romantic trouble. It was like that earlier when they were forming groups… and with Schartines, it seems like a scenario the Creator intended.
‘We can’t have our Saintess waiting endlessly at home for a husband who doesn’t return.’
It was like that in [Black Heart], where the actual Harem Route was first implemented. I had gotten derailed by some post in the game community, but just seeing a bit of it made me cough up blood.
Let’s think of some good memories instead. If I remember that part more, the trauma might resurface. I took a moment to recall the past.
[Welcome…! Knight! I’ve been waiting for you!]
During school days, I vividly remember the time I got very sick and spent days in bed.
When I finally pulled myself together and turned on the game, a white-haired woman with a happy wagging tail greeted me.
[It’s been about three days since you’ve been out of the party, but you could’ve said something before you left! Knight.]
If you miss attendance in the game, it shows like this. I must have been absent for three days since I was really sick.
Still, I didn’t want to worry our Saintess. Repeating the cycle of collapsing and getting up made those three days pass by. School was also treating absences due to illness, and I had a break.
[Weren’t you worried if I was sick?]
That’s why I liked [Night Heart]. It felt like it healed my heart that had nowhere to go.
As I munched on the congee I ordered, the text coming up made my lost appetite from that day come back.
At that moment, a notification for a return compensation popped up, triggering an event.
[Now, the Nameless Saintess has prepared something for you!]
The pure white Saintess pounded her chest as if to showcase her confidence and handed me an item.
[Tada~! How about it? It’s my masterpiece..!]
It was food labeled “Beef Stew” that restored 10 HP.
Honestly, it was one of those junk items. It was famous in the game community for occupying inventory space, begging for deletion.
“Thank you, Saintess.”
But back then, since I was eating beef and vegetable porridge, the item she cheerfully handed over felt incredibly precious.
It seemed insignificant to others.
[How is it? I’m good at cooking, aren’t I..?]
“Yeah, it’s great. It has beef and healthy veggies too.”
Her healing capacity was so low that she was just an NPC used early on. There was no way she could have cooking skills.
So, the flavor was supposed to be mediocre, but for me, that didn’t matter. The heart behind it was what mattered.
[Try it now, Knight! It’ll give you strength..!]
It was nice how she unreservedly encouraged me.
Even though Western food and Eastern food are different, the ingredients were similar. With each bite I took while staring at the monitor, tears welled in my eyes.
[Hehe, I hope this will make you visit me more!]
I thought I’d gotten used to no one knowing my pain. But when her warm words made me face reality, my heart felt tight.
[The Saintess will die alone in sorrow if waiting in loneliness… uh.]
The Saintess, pretending to cry while joking around, expressed her emotions to me.
Her icy demeanor changed so much as we became closer; how could I not feel affection for her?
Being alone in my desolate corner felt like I truly had someone with me. That’s why in [Black Heart], I sold some tricks at the auction house and transferred my character.
The original game said I couldn’t bring items below common grade? Then, I just had to find a way.
[Hehe, I’m someone who can do things when it counts! Knight!]
As I consumed half of the Beef Stew, she smiled warmly and spoke in her cute voice.
… Although she wasn’t the main character and her lines and voice acted separately,
This food she gave me was special, so how could I not carry it into the game? I brainstormed since sending through the mail was blocked.
The messages that followed also tugged at my heartstrings.
[So, are you feeling better now?]
[I don’t know what happened, but… Knight.]
[Honestly, I worried a lot. I was afraid you had disappeared.]
As soon as I’d load the game, she would be there, fidgeting and pacing around the room, unable to relax.
[I’m just a Nameless Saintess, so it’s okay if you do other things. But… ]
Or, sometimes late at night, I’d see her nodding off in front of a cold dinner after being unable to sleep.
[If you think of me, please come visit [Night Heart] anytime, Knight.]
The original work somehow incorporated the downside of a long loading time of classic games. Translating the waiting time before accessing into that moment.
[I’ll always be waiting for you, Knight.]
Although she spoke plausibly, her wolf ears and tail drooped with a downcast spirit.
After that, I probably never missed attendance until hitting 10,000 hours. It felt like a cheat to target someone sick. That was offside.
As I was lost in such nostalgia, the red-haired Mage spoke to me.
“Helmet guy!”
“Ariel, have you finished your chat?”
“Yeah, but why were you staring at Mardol like that?”
Guess she had just finished talking to Mardol about something. I felt happy remembering good times for the first time in a while.
‘Ariel should be okay since she has Kainel.’
Even with all that close gossiping, there didn’t seem to be any pink romantic atmosphere. I pulled my hands away from my chin.
“I just found it interesting that you seem close with Mardol.”
“Mardol is nice! He likes cute things… and he likes sweets too…!”
“Now that you mention it, that’s true. Ariel.”
Currently, Rufus didn’t seem off at all. The bad rumors circulating in the Empire were gone, and he wasn’t some pervert after Ariel either.
He even informed me about the Wolf Fang known in the Empire, and he had sheltered me with an umbrella when it rained.
‘At that point… maybe I should let our Saintess have a look at him. Let’s see if he avoids the Harem Route.’
Above all, he seemed pretty perfect. He was great at swordsmanship and had a lot of money. Minus the parts that looked like cold glass, he was husband material.
‘Honestly, I’m a bit envious.’
I sighed. Had there been a connection before with the Saintess, it wouldn’t have been so bad, but now it’s been five years since I got incorporated into the game.
If there had been fate…
“Rufus, what’s up?”
The Knight tilted his head, looking at me. Stuck between the perceptive red cat and the Saintess who seems likely to have a romantic route with the Crown Prince, I felt suffocated.
“… It’s nothing. Just lost in thought for a bit.”
Even while acknowledging that the current Crown Prince isn’t a bad person, a contradictory attitude arose within me.
It’s still too soon for me to forget our Saintess.