Womanizer (1)

Ah, what a surprise.

Since when were you awake?

I hope you didn't see me washing up...

Doing my best to appear calm, I held my longsword and glanced towards her.

I quickly enhanced my [Observer's Eye] with [Amplification Orb].

Her tangled hair and half-closed eyes told me she hadn't been awake for long.

Relieved, I replied nonchalantly, "I was checking the area around us."

"Where? Why?"

Piel's eyes narrowed suspiciously.

Her doubt wasn't unfounded.

Disappearing early in the morning only to return with my weapon drawn did seem suspicious.

Keeping my calm, I told her, "I went to scout the dungeon entrance."

"Why... did you go alone? You should've woken us."

Piel's suspicion didn't waver.

She continued squinting at me.

'Phew.'

I need to clear up this misunderstanding.

...Lately, it feels like I've become an actor.

Using the [Amplification Orb] to enhance [Twisted Noble's Dignity], I tried to project an air of authority.

"Piel," I said, exhaling.

"You lack foresight."

Piel glared, bristling with hostility.

It was nice to see the old Piel after a long time, but this wasn't the time for nostalgia.

"What?"

I stepped closer, speaking in a low voice so only she could hear.

"Most people, knowing we'd be in Fosspatil Pass, didn't bother bringing thermal equipment. Can you really trust those people?"

"..."

Piel was silent.

I continued, "As soon as I heard we were heading to Fosspatil Pass, I formed several theories and chose the most probable one. The rest of you brought basic clothes and useless toiletries. Plus, this pass is in your family's territory, Piel de Chalon. What preparations did you make?"

Piel blinked at me.

After a moment, she shook her head.

"···Nothing much. I thought the academy would handle everything. I'm not good at planning."

Just as I'd known from the game, Piel didn't like to think too much.

But I didn't let it go.

"Piel de Chalon, you're a noble from the great Chalon family and the second rank of our grade. If even you are like this, what about the other students? Honestly, I didn't expect much, but the situation is worse than I thought. Sharing my plans would only demoralize everyone. They should just rest and keep their strength. That's why I checked the surroundings alone. Do you understand?"

Piel nodded, her expression blank.

"······I see."

Phew.

That should be enough to convince her.

I was about to leave Piel's side when─

"···Wait."

Piel grabbed my wrist.

"What's up?"

"I have something to say to you separately. ······Let's go somewhere quiet."

She glanced at our sleeping teammates.

She didn't want to be overheard.

Hmm, a private conversation with Piel.

What will she do this time, what will she say······ I'm curious.

The others were still asleep, so we had time.

Most importantly, Piel's grip was gentle.

A huge contrast to that time in the training ground.

Of course, the answer to give at this time was─

"I refuse."

"······Why."

Piel's eyes looked sad.

Ah, it's hard to resist that expression.

I could have held out against any other girl, but Piel is different.

Theo, this bastard, likes Piel.

The problem is that it affects me too.

Why is my heart beating so fast?

I quickly looked away.

"······Ah."

Just as I was trying to come up with an excuse, I felt Piel's hand fall away from my wrist.

That's when.

"Uh uh uh······ it's cold. Oh, Theo, Piel, you're awake?"

Travis woke up, rubbing his eyes.

······Nice timing.

Caught off guard, Piel and I turned to him.

"Ah, hahaha. Were you two talking? Did I clumsily break the mood······ Sorry."

Travis scratched his head, laughing awkwardly.

Monica and Andrew started to wake up as well.

······Just like when you see a snake going over a wall, should probably just let it go.

I looked at Piel one last time, then addressed the team.

"I've found the entrance to the dungeon."

"Really? Wow, how? Is it nearby?"

"Amazing······ Really."

Travis and Monica were visibly impressed.

Andrew looked bored, as usual.

"I don't say just things pointlessly. We should have breakfast near the dungeon entrance. Let's leave right away."

Team 2 – Theo's team – set out for the dungeon.

After an hour of navigating the rugged pass, Theo called out,

"We'll be there soon."

"Good...! It's closer than I thought!"

"Huuu, okay! But... Can we eat something now and just when we get there? I find it hard to try when I'm hungry, hehe."

Travis and Monica responded energetically.

Andrew, who still looked bored, nodded instead of responding.

It wasn't because he was physically tired and exhausted.

The cause was Theo, who had somehow become the team's leader.

'...Damn, that cunning bastard.'

He brought them all the way to this remote place just to play around with girls.

'What's so appealing about him? His face is handsome, yes...'

There was a certain allure about him, something that instilled trust.

Even as a man, he felt reliable, so it must be even more so for the girls.

But a boy in his mid-teens, barely out of puberty, couldn't easily acknowledge the gap between him and the others.

The emotion welling up now was a mix of jealousy and inferiority.

Andrew Jackson. The genius mage of Elinia Academy.

His towering pride was on the verge of being shattered.

'He even has a fiancée...'

Heroes were permitted to practice polygamy.

In fact, it would be odd if they didn't have multiple wives.

Heroes considered a bit of womanizing to be something cool.

Unlike Andrew, a commoner, Theo is a noble from the great family of Waldeurk.

There was no reason for him not to succeed.

'Ugh...'

Andrew's head ached as he remembered last night's events.

He thought he had gotten rid of his feelings for Aisha, but clearly, that wasn't the case.

The way she hesitated in front of Theo with a blushing face was unmistakably a girl in love.

Andrew had never seen it before.

And it didn't end with Aisha.

Afterward, he exchanged close skinship with the elf princess of the great forest, Siena, in front of everyone.

Theo also approached the haughty and prickly Jang Woohee without hesitation.

She looked at him peculiarly too.

And waking up this morning, he saw Piel holding his wrist.

All of them were attractive women, not the type to fall for just anyone.

'Damn it. Why is Theo so friendly with Noctar, that orc?'

But Andrew knew the answer.

His friendship with Noctar was a diversion.

If he only got close to the girls, his intentions would be too obvious.

He didn't want to be seen as a man driven by lust.

He's a really calculating guy.

No, was his idiotic appearance from the previous semester... an act?

He's an unpredictable guy in many ways.

What frustrated Andrew the most was that inside, he had accepted Theo as a insurmountable obstacle.

To be honest, he wasn't just good at picking up girls, he's also cool as a man.

Even when he was wrongly accused before, he forgave him.

In the fishing club, Theo offered his pricey spare clothes...

He was very considerate.

'Is kindness important?'

At some point, Andrew had come to this realization and nodded in agreement.

Andrew identified the emotion that welled up inside him.

It was a sense of inferiority.

He chuckled, filled with determination.

'I haven't kneeled to you yet, Theo.'

Feelings of inferiority can only be felt towards those of similar stature.

'I'll thoroughly study you and become cool too.'

Appearance and background can't be helped, but he will thoroughly learn what can be learned.

And he will steal the heart of the girl from the hot dog shop, Sally.

Just like you, Theo.

While Andrew made this solemn vow,

"We've arrived. This is the entrance."

Theo, who was leading, announced.