Chapter 105: Showing Off… Again, Invited to Rinslet's Room?

"A place where someone still thinks about you is a place you can call home."

— Jiraiya, Naruto

<><><><>

~ If you like the story, please leave a review :)

~ Push the Story forward with your [Power Stones]

<><><><>

"That's right! Now that Scarlet is stronger, I should be able to defeat it!" Claire declared, her confidence renewed.

<Crimson protector...>

<Guardian of the ever-burning flames...>

<I hereby invoke the blood contract.>

<Obey my command!>

....

Claire chanted the incantation to release her Elemental Waffe. A fiery red whip materialized in her hand.

Through her Elemental Waffe, she could wield a fraction of Scarlet's power.

However, it consumed her "divine power," which was essentially magic.

"Haa!" Claire shouted, leaping into the air.

She lashed out with the flaming whip, striking the rock giant repeatedly.

Stone fragments and dust filled the air.

"Blazing Inferno!"

After a series of strikes, Claire unleashed an Elemental Magic spell with her left hand.

A massive fireball hurtled towards the rock giant.

Boom!

The fireball exploded against the giant's face.

"I did it!" Claire exclaimed, surprised by her success.

"Damn it! How did Claire become so strong?" Rinslet grumbled.

Claire's attacks were incredibly powerful. Rinslet knew she couldn't replicate them.

But Claire wasn't usually this strong. What had caused this sudden increase in power?

"Don't celebrate too early, Claire. It's not over yet," Roy warned.

"What? How?" Claire couldn't believe it. Scarlet's restored strength had boosted her confidence, making her a bit overconfident.

But just as she spoke...

ROAR!!!!

The rock giant roared, the flames dissipating as it glared at Claire with its crimson eyes.

Claire froze.

Rinslet, however, reacted quickly. She summoned her own Elemental Waffe, an ice bow, and aimed it at the giant.

"Claire, snap out of it! Attack!" she shouted.

Claire finally snapped back to reality.

"One more time, and I'll definitely defeat it!" she told herself.

The rock giant swung its massive hand at them.

This time, they were prepared and dodged the attack.

Roy, carrying Carol, leaped to a safe distance to observe the fight.

"Roy-sama, please help them! Lady Rinslet and Claire-sama can't defeat that Demonic Spirit alone," Carol pleaded, looking at Roy with worry.

She knew that only this mysterious man could save her mistress.

"Don't worry, Carol. I'll intervene if necessary. But let them try first," Roy replied with a smirk.

Carol, though still anxious, could only trust his words.

Claire and Rinslet, having evaded the giant's attack, counterattacked.

Claire lashed out with her flaming whip, targeting the giant's head.

Rinslet fired a barrage of ice arrows, aiming for the giant's joints to restrict its movements.

Despite their usual bickering, the two girls worked together seamlessly.

But then, the rock giant roared and stomped its foot.

The ground shook violently.

"Aah!" Claire and Rinslet lost their balance and fell.

The giant swung its massive hand, shattering the surrounding cliffs.

Carol gasped as she saw Claire and Rinslet about to be crushed.

Roy, however, remained calm. He extended his hand towards the girls.

A giant hand formed from magic materialized and pulled them to safety just as the rock giant's hand slammed into the cliff where they had been standing.

Boom!!!

The cliff crumbled.

"Are you two alright?" Roy asked with a smile.

"W-We're fine," Claire stammered, still shaken by the close call and the fact that her attacks hadn't harmed the giant at all.

"Thank you for saving me," Rinslet said, staring at Roy with a mix of gratitude and curiosity.

This man had saved her three times now. She couldn't help but feel a strange connection to him.

"But what about that Demonic Spirit?" Carol asked, looking at the approaching giant with worry.

"I'll handle it," Roy replied confidently.

It was time for him to show off his power.

Claire, Rinslet, and Carol watched expectantly.

Roy smirked and raised his hand towards the sky.

They followed his gaze...

A massive chunk of ice materialized in the sky.

It expanded rapidly, transforming into a colossal Hand that blotted out the sun.

Roy clenched his hand.

The [Ice Hand] descended, grabbing the rock giant like a child picking up a toy.

Roy tightened his grip.

The [Ice Hand] crushed the giant.

Crunch! Crunch! Crunch!

The Rock Giant, hundreds of meters tall, was instantly pulverized.

Claire, Rinslet, and Carol were speechless, their eyes wide with shock.

"Wow! Onii-chan is amazing!" Kurome cheered, clapping her hands excitedly.

Saya rolled her eyes. Roy could have easily defeated the giant with a simple attack, but he had to make a spectacle of it.

But she had to admit, it was quite impressive.

"H-He's so strong!"

"That was incredible!"

"As expected of Roy-sama!"

...

The girls were awestruck.

"Haha, it was nothing. Don't look at me like that," Roy chuckled, enjoying their admiration.

"Well, it's getting late. Let's head back."

He stretched and yawned.

They returned to the academy.

Back at the villa, Roy found Rias and the others had already returned.

"Rias, how did it go? Did you find any potential servants?" he asked with a smile, sitting beside her on the sofa.

"There are many talented girls here. I have a few in mind, but I'm not sure how to approach them," Rias admitted.

"Who are they?"

"Ellis Fahrengart, the leader of the Sylphid Knights."

"I heard her adopted sister, Velsaria Eva Fahrengart, is also quite strong."

"And Fianna Ray Ordesia, the former second princess of the Ordesia Empire."

"Of course, I'm also considering how to persuade Headmaster Greyworth."

"And the teachers here aren't bad either!" Rias rattled off a list of names, her eyes sparkling with excitement.

...

...

There were simply too many talented girls in this academy.

The ones Rias mentioned were among the strongest and most talented.

Most of them were main characters from the original story.

However, since the protagonist in this timeline hadn't inherited the Dark Elemental Lord's power, he wasn't present at the academy.

But Roy was surprised that Fianna was still here.

In the original story, Fianna had come to this academy specifically to defeat the protagonist and win the Blade Dance.

But now, she had already enrolled in Areishia Spirit Academy.

It seemed Roy's actions had caused a butterfly effect.

"To recruit them, you'll need to be patient and appeal to their desires," Roy advised.

"From what I know, Velsaria is eager for power. That could be an opportunity."

Velsaria was indeed talented.

Roy remembered her mostly for her resemblance to Mikoto Misaka from 'A Certain Magical Index'.

Just like in the original story, she had been easily defeated in the Blade Dance.

However, unlike in the original story, she had lost to another red-haired girl this time.

This meant she would likely still follow the same path as in the original story and implant a cursed seal on herself to gain power.

This could be their chance.

"Just conquer them with your strength. It's only natural for the strong to rule the weak," Esdeath suggested with a smirk.

Rias frowned.

She didn't want to force anyone to become her servant.

"That's not a bad idea," Roy said, surprisingly agreeing with Esdeath.

"Eh? Why?" Rias looked at him in confusion.

"Velsaria is different from others. She used to be a kind and gentle person, though a bit serious," Roy explained.

"But after her defeat in the Blade Dance, she became obsessed with power, even willing to go astray."

"So, using force to subdue her might not be a bad approach."

"Really?" Rias was intrigued.

"Yes, but I suggest waiting a bit longer," Roy added.

Rias glared at him but nodded in agreement.

Roy had his reasons for suggesting they wait.

Without experiencing the consequences of the cursed seal, Velsaria wouldn't understand that her reckless pursuit of power was wrong.

...

...

The next day, Roy went to class with Nezuko and Makomo, hoping to learn more about Elemental Waffes.

He happened to encounter Claire and Rinslet in the classroom.

The two girls, seeing him enter, rushed over and sat beside him.

"Ahem, Roy-san, I've prepared a delicious lunch. Would you like to join me?" Rinslet asked with an expectant look.

"What? But I brought my own lunch today," Claire retorted, her confidence faltering.

If her lunch wasn't always burnt to a crisp, she might have been more assertive.

But when it came to cooking, she had to admit that Rinslet was better.

"How about we all have lunch at my place?" Roy suggested.

Shizuka and Saeko were preparing lunch at the villa.

If he didn't go back, they would be upset.

Claire and Rinslet exchanged glances.

"Sure."

"That would be lovely. Thank you for the invitation."

Rinslet wouldn't refuse a personal invitation from Roy.

And Claire was simply tempted by the delicious food she had enjoyed yesterday.

The other students in the classroom gossiped, seeing Claire and Rinslet acting so friendly with the new male student.

"Did you see that? The younger sister of the 'Calamity Queen' is getting close to that man!"

"Is she trying to seduce him for protection?"

"No, look, the Laurenfrost heiress is also getting close to him."

"Are they competing for his attention?"

"I wouldn't gossip about them. After all, he was personally invited by the Headmaster."

The teacher lectured, while the students whispered amongst themselves.

Claire and Rinslet didn't hear their whispers.

Roy, however, overheard them but ignored their gossip.

...

At lunchtime, Roy returned to the villa with Claire and Rinslet.

"Welcome back, Roy-kun!" Shizuka and Yuriko greeted them with smiles, dressed in maid outfits.

"Roy-san's maids are so adorable!" Rinslet commented, pleased.

She was a maid fanatic and believed that as long as a maid was cute, everything else was irrelevant.

"Come in, everyone," Roy said with a smile.

He led them to the dining room.

"Roy, did you pick up these kouhais today?" Leone asked, eyeing the two girls curiously.

Roy rolled his eyes.

"Pick them up? You don't believe in my charm?" he retorted playfully.

"Come on in, you two. Don't be shy."

Claire and Rinslet were a bit nervous.

There were so many girls here, each with their own unique beauty and talents.

Although they considered themselves exceptional, they felt a bit overshadowed in this company.

But after sharing a meal together, they quickly warmed up to each other.

...

That afternoon, Roy visited Rinslet's room at her invitation.

"Please have a seat, Roy-sama. My lady is preparing some refreshments," Carol said, guiding him to a seat.

"It's strange. Why is Carol, the maid, here, while Rinslet is the one preparing refreshments?" Roy commented, though he knew the reason.

"Well..." Carol giggled awkwardly.

"A maid's only purpose is to be cute, right?" Rinslet chimed in, entering the room with a plate of beautifully decorated pastries.

"Rinslet, you spoil your maid too much," Roy said, shaking his head. He took a pastry and sampled it.

"How is it?" Rinslet asked, leaning closer, her eyes sparkling with anticipation.

"It's not bad," Roy replied with a nod.

"Really?" Rinslet was relieved.

Having tasted the food at Roy's place earlier, she had felt a bit insecure about her own cooking, despite her usual confidence.

"Roy-san, I have a question for you," Rinslet said curiously.

"Sure, ask away," Roy replied, enjoying the pastries.

<><><><>

Support & Read 18 Advanced Chapters. Ahead of the rest!

https://p-atreon.com/dragonnx

(Just remove the hyphen to access Patreon normally.)

There is 8 Exciting Fanfics already available on my Patreon!