After receiving the Dragon Heart, my body had grown stronger.
“..Licht, you should rest. Are you really going to do push-ups on the bed, kid?”
The blonde-haired hero clicked her tongue at me, barely managing to do push-ups.
“To adapt to the Dragon Heart’s output, there’s no other choice.”
“You’re really consistent…”
“If I don’t train, I’ll be useless.”
I gasped for breath. Three more Demon Kings were left. To protect Pina, I had to become stronger; it was only natural.
‘I thought that since I had defeated Head, I would never become the Nameless Saintess…’
It seemed this world had no intention of leaving her alone.
I felt a chill as I looked at the status window floating like a warning sign. So, the penalties were still intact.
It was my fault for being happy without knowing what I was celebrating.
[Reward: Return to the Real World, Pina Grancia’s ‘Grand Route’ Ending.]
[Failure: ?Myth]
What on earth does ?Myth mean? It was good that it had definitely changed to Pina Grancia.
Because of this, I was currently gritting my teeth and training in bed. Only I could protect her.
Who cares about penalties? No matter what happens, I just needed to sacrifice myself and prevent Pina from being unhappy.
‘If I had become a Saintess, one thing is certain—I would have been more miserable than now.’
Nex would have lost Schartines, and Pina would have either been forgotten by those around her or lost her memories and became ignorant.
This was the storyline for the original and its sequels. I had to outright deny that.
“Mardol, no. Princess Pina has explained everything to me.”
“Do you now know, Kainel?”
“Yeah, you told me to watch out for Ariel while you went to buy fruit.”
Kainel spoke up. So Pina had now revealed her real name to someone other than me. It seemed like something had progressed here.
“She asked me to keep treating her like a friend… Should I say that’s typical of Mardol?”
“Right, she’s always been herself.”
Fortunately, I didn’t feel any awkward vibes. If she made more friends, that was good for me. The Saintess Pina had also been somewhat lonely without friends.
“Licht. You did something amazing. You saved the princess with Mana Rose, right?”
“I was just doing what needed to be done, Kainel.”
“The princess of Grancia Empire cared for you with utmost sincerity… You’ve certainly achieved something, our Black Knight.”
I wondered if this was a good thing.
“Isn’t it a bit too much kindness?”
“Well, I think the princess definitely likes you.”
Thud. At that moment, my arm’s strength suddenly gave out, and I buried my face into the bed. Pina? That Pina Grancia likes me?
“Kainel, what kind of nonsense are you saying..!”
Blood rushed to my face. I propped myself up and yelled in that direction. No way, that can’t be true.
“No, isn’t that obvious? You saved her life from that Magic Hat and caught Head Ake.”
“…”
“You even shared magical circuits with the princess. While your lives aren’t directly connected, you can at least know where each other is.”
I couldn’t take it anymore. It had been three months since I failed to notice Pina right next to me.
“Stop. Please, just stop.”
“You have to keep your word, Licht.”
Even with my affection level displayed, I was scared. I was already expecting it to be at rock bottom.
It was even just a mere 1%. It could drop back to 0% at any moment.
“In the first place, you’re the one with two-timing going on. Leaving behind the Nameless Saintess for the princess….”
“Uggghhhh!! Stop it!”
“I’m just giving advice to a player who’s playing both sides.”
I was angry at the brown-haired guy who was mimicking my tone and smirking. Thud!
“There’s no such thing as a pure harem. Choose one and live decently, Licht.”
Seeing that I was weakened, he easily pinned me down. With one hand, he simply blocked me.
“So you need to be sure of one thing. Nameless Saintess or princess?”
“In the first place, I only want one…!”
When did he become such a skilled tease? It was the complete opposite of our first meeting.
“What? You’re not two-timing…?”
At that moment, the door swung open with a clunk, and a girl with red pigtails and a white-haired member of the Inrang tribe entered the treatment room.
“Kai, we’re here! Oh?”
“..Licht. You.”
Ariel and Pina walked in with a fruit basket. Had they caught on to Kainel and me almost clashing? Pina’s golden wolf-like eyes were glaring at me.
“I told you to just rest…”
“Oh, Princess Pina…”
Tap-tap. Perhaps she was angry, she approached quickly and lifted my mask.
“Your, your burn scars…”
I hurriedly said that the disgusting burn scars wouldn’t be a problem for her. However, she just wagged her tail as she spoke slowly.
“I’m fine, Licht. This is proof of the life you’ve lived.”
“Don’t tell me… you intentionally left it?”
Thank goodness. To be honest, I still hadn’t completely gotten rid of my guilt over the burns. This was something I had to bear and live with.
“Yeah, I hope you become more confident. Don’t just think about bad things.”
“Thank you for your consideration.”
Pina grabbed my cheeks with both hands. Even as my cheeks stretched visibly, she merely smiled with a small giggle. Her cute wolf-like fangs were showing.
“So, what were you doing with Kainel? Hurry up and tell me.”
“I didn’t do anything…! Pina.”
“Really? Kainel?”
Ah, my cheeks were burning, but I felt good. Now, seeing her wander around in armor or the academy uniform made me feel proud.
‘She’s completely stopped wearing the glass helmet. Thank goodness for that.’
The trauma that had captivated Pina might have been resolved. She could now be a little bolder in the world.
“No. Licht was just training until a moment ago.”
“Kainel..! You traitor..!”
I had been feeling relieved inside, but upon hearing the hero’s answer, Pina’s white wolf ears perked up, and she looked at me coldly.
“Lie down. Licht.”
“I still need to train…!”
“Princess… Will you not listen?”
“I’ll lie down.”
With her delicate hands firmly pinning me down like a cat, she wouldn’t let me get up. Why was she so strong? Even if she’s the daughter of Emperor Rock.
‘That being said, I did manage to catch one final boss.’
Perhaps it was because I didn’t want to get up, my strength wasn’t fully engaged. It felt like I didn’t want to shake off her concerned touch.
“Oh, you can get up again, Licht.”
“Wait? Why?”
“You need to eat fruit. That way you’ll get better faster…”
Suddenly, Pina pulled me back up. Her soft grasp on my arms set off alarms in my nervous system.
“Here..! Kai, Cloud Peach! Pina and I brought it together~!”
“That stuff is too sweet…”
“Hey, don’t resist! You ate that chocolate parfait just fine last time!”
Ariel, wearing a magic hat, beamed as she offered a snow-white peach to Kainel, and the hero signaled for help with his gaze.
“Leave the helmet to Pina and try it quickly!”
But I couldn’t help him.
“Here, Licht. Ah, open wide.”
I was being pressured too. Pina had swiftly peeled the peach without me realizing, her hand pushing the fruit towards my mouth.
“I can eat it by myself.”
“My arm hurts, Licht?”
The daughter of Emperor Rock’s claiming her arm hurt while holding a Cloud Peach? It was a fluffy, light-weight fruit with a soft taste.
“Ugh… I can’t resist it… Licht…”
Her strangely shaky behavior and words clearly sounded like a lie, but since she wanted it this badly, I decided to accept.
“Understood, Pina.”
I deliberately began to nibble small pieces of the peach. This seemed like a complete mess. What have I been doing all this time for Pina to be this way?
“..It’s sweet.”
Just in case, I made sure my lips wouldn’t touch her fingers. There could be an unexpected event, so I was cautious.
“Make sure to eat it all, Licht.”
“Ugh..!”
Just when I intended to leave only the end of the peach, she thrust her finger into my mouth. At least I wished she had given it to me with a fork.
“Hehe, you’re like a scared puppy.”
“…”
Pina’s soft finger brushed against my lips. Whether she knew it or not, she simply smiled at me with fox-like charm.
‘Is this what 1% feels like…?’
I glanced at the hero couple next to me, sensing an unease.
“Hehe, how is it? Kai, isn’t it tasty!”
“Uh, mmhm, it’s good. Not bitter… No, it’s sweet.”
The brown-haired guy’s face soured as he tried not to get caught not liking sweets while his mouth was packed with Cloud Peach.
“This time it’s Crystal Apple! This one’s sweet too!”
“Ariel, s-stop…”
Even seeing that, the red cat continued to feed him sweet fruits, despite it being apparent he didn’t want it. Even a couple with an affection level of 35% was like that.
“Why, Licht?”
“Nothing at all, Pina.”
I figured that if I wanted to, Pina and I could also reach that level. After all, it was a fruit given by someone you liked.
“Licht, your heart’s acting weird again.”
“I’m fine, really. Please, don’t climb up on the bed.”
“No, it feels strange…”
She pressed her hand to her chest and used the other hand to check her heartbeat, checking the rhythm.
“Just think it’s because Pina is beautiful.”
“Oh.. Helmet Guy. What’s going on between you two?!”
As I spoke, the light magic user beside me covered her mouth and laughed while tapping the light hero’s back. She wore a face that showed she had witnessed something great.
“It’s just a friendship.”
“Doesn’t seem like it? Is it real…?”
If I continued to stick close to Pina like this, I felt like I would die from my racing heart. This felt more like a romantic scenario. More than that, Ariel should stop teasing me too.
“Oh, right! Helmet Guy! One of those Ten Heroes… Was it White Lily? That person has been found.”
“..Really?”
“Yeah! I just saw Professor Dennis bringing her back to the academy!”
It hadn’t been long since I had told Dennis that the Celestial Demon was at the center of the endless Monster Forest.
“That’s great.”
So she had come already. Indeed, it seems the original timeline had been followed, where Head was killed and ignorance was lifted. I vaguely knew her location, but…
‘With Laplace or the Sage’s help, I should be able to get an accurate spatial coordinate.’
I rose up. After all, she was someone I had served for a month as my teacher.
I couldn’t miss the scene where the protagonists of [Night Heart] reunite.
It was a scene I had already seen in the original, but my instincts told me there might be something different.
“Licht. If you’re going to walk, hold onto me.”
While I was thinking, Pina looked at me with worried eyes and offered her support.
My body and mind were still disconnected, making it hard to walk. It felt like a baby learning how to walk for the first time.
“I need to practice walking alone.”
“I’m fine, so hurry.”
I had to be able to walk on my own, so I could go to the restroom without Pina’s help and reduce the constant physical contact. I concentrated strength in my legs.
“I’m okay now….”
“Licht?!”
I stumbled while trying to shake off her hand and fell back. I lost my balance, and it could have hurt Pina who was supporting me.
Thud. The sound echoed through the floor. In that fleeting moment, my instincts kicked in.
“Are you… hurt anywhere?”
“I’m fine… but….”
“Ah.”
I had collided with the ground first, but I managed to wrap my arms around the slender waist of the white-haired girl, ensuring she wouldn’t get hurt.
In short, we ended up in a position where I was gently holding her as I fell.
The scent of roses wafted in. The sweet scent of a woman that felt like it would melt my sanity washed over me. I felt the alluring softness of her body all at once.
“Licht, are you okay?!”
“Pina, are you hurt…?”
She was on top of me while I lay on the ground. The two of us were sandwiched together like a sandwich.
“..Pervert.”
“I’m sorry.”
Thump. The overwhelming pressure of her being enveloped in my chest made my head spin. This was an accident. If I had just stayed still…
“Hehe, you’re a big wolf now.”
This wouldn’t have happened. I took a deep breath, and while I was breathing, Pina was nuzzling her face against my body.
“It’s cozy…”
Was she marking me? I had heard that the Inrang tribe sometimes did that to prevent others from approaching.
‘A wolf, a wolf… Yeah, our Pina is indeed a wolf.’
Barely keeping my sanity intact, I stood back up with her support and moved my steps to meet the Celestial Demon and Dennis.
