Unrequited love is notoriously difficult. One side often has no thoughts about it, while the other side’s emotions run wild without brakes.
‘How can I naturally get them together?’
Feelings that are hard to connect if both sides aren’t honest. Pina, Kainel, Ariel, and I were huddled in the club room, plotting.
Called it, The Dating Operation of the Sage and the Drake.
We, the lovebirds, gathered to join two clueless individuals in romance.
“First, shouldn’t Drake’s opinion be important?”
“I hear he’s single. And the Sage is a beauty, so maybe it won’t be so bad?”
Ariel suggested we first ask Drake if he had someone he liked, while Kainel blurted out that it would be fine.
Typical hero couple behavior. How do these two not change even when they’re dating?
“Can’t we just ask them if they like each other? Why make it complicated…?”
“……”
Pina shot straight. She’s currently linking her arms with me, her tail wagging furiously.
The Inrang Tribe loves only one person for life, much like elves. They seem to lack understanding of hiding feelings or running away from them.
‘..Pina is indeed proactive.’
Is it lucky or not? Her earlier reaction after hearing about the Sage was pure innocence.
With all the mixed bathing in the North and our kiss yesterday, if she had pushed just a bit further, I’d have been lunch!
“So, following Ariel’s suggestion, I’ll ask the Master if he has a lover.”
I started scribbling on the chalkboard. First, I’d ask Drake if he had a partner or someone he liked.
The Sage is rather shy, so she avoided overdoing any advances on Drake.
Since she claimed to see the future, there was no way she’d force an issue.
‘If anything, that made her hold back her feelings.’
I knew Drake didn’t have a special someone either and only realized the Sage liked him around Black Heart.
That’s a ten-year gap from now.
Before the Demon King, Black Cloud, got killed, it might be impossible, but still.
“It’s fortunate so far. The Sage hasn’t pressured Drake.”
“Will anything change just because we help? Mr. Helmet?”
Ariel raised her hand, fixing her jostling hat while expounding her argument as a Mage.
“What matters most is a natural encounter!”
Natural encounters. Too obvious meddling might make them feel pressured and create negative effects, pushing them apart. That made sense.
‘Can’t argue with that.’
I nodded. The romantic levels in the Status Window aren’t absolute; they’re relative.
If I’d forced someone together, desperate to raise those numbers, it’d likely end in failure.
I almost caused a backlash trying to play matchmaker between Kainel and Ariel.
If I messed up, I might have ended up with a hero as an enemy!
[권기석♡소피티아:56% ‘NEW!’]
[이수현♡피네 그란시아: 56% ‘NEW!!’]
Just then, the Status Window popped up, as if to confirm my thoughts.
The love levels of the northern duchess and the guy with the pillar were rising alongside mine.
Although it was the same percentage,
“I don’t like Su-hyun paying attention to other girls… but this might be better.”
“…Pina.”
The love of Princess Pina Grancia was heavy.
Just a moment ago, she had let go of me after holding on for dear life because I was speaking alone with the Sage.
Her tail, which had been crushing my leg moments ago, had almost paralyzed me.
If this feels like this now, how trapped would I be once she realizes Inrang Tribe love?
Would I be chained down, incapable of moving?
I couldn’t shake the image of black-haired Pina the Sage had foreseen.
‘The Saintess from my dream must really exist, so possibly she’s somewhere out there?’
Probably a future version from a different world line.
Considering the notes left in the Library of Truth and her physique being even more fierce than now.
She seemed to be almost the size of the Saintess.
Would I have an opportunity to meet her someday?
I swallowed hard, feeling a chill run down my spine.
“Well then, let’s check on the operation. I’ll ask Master Drake for the necessary info.”
“We’ll bring the Sage!”
I combined everyone’s ideas to form a plan.
In the original Night Heart and the sequel, the only person who could be called a lover was the Sage, but attention to detail is necessary for good outcomes.
The game is a copy of this world.
There are at least some discrepancies from reality, so overconfidence would be foolish.
‘I never expected to help them connect a love line.’
It’s a strange feeling. Pina contacting the Imperial Guards to find a nice restaurant, and Kainel and Ariel brainstorming how to naturally retrieve the Sage.
“And lastly, if we slip away from our seats…”
“It’ll be the success of my plan.”
Ultimately, creating opportunities for them to meet is crucial.
After we invite them to dinner and slyly slide away, won’t they manage to chat well together?
“…Honestly, I hope it works.”
Pina and I gradually became close after we first met.
Whatever the trigger may be, frequent coincidences can lead to destiny.
Human hearts are not easily manipulated, after all, and it depends on how the two act.
*
At the Academy’s Swordsmanship Training Hall.
In the empty space devoid of presence, two men stood wielding swords.
“…Long time no see, Master.”
“Licht! You called me first to train? How touching!”
A loud laugh echoed.
I had sent a letter in advance to Drake saying I’d be training swordsmanship.
It was the only way to latch on to the training nerd Drake. No risk, no gain!
“I’ve been thinking I need to get stronger.”
“Ahahaha!! I knew it! The ‘Princess’ is married to a man! Physical training is important!”
He seemed to know the Inrang Tribe better than I did, laughing while mentioning Pina.
Come to think of it, he must have also seen Pina wrapping her tail around me.
I bit my lip out of spite.
I wish he had mentioned all this from the start.
‘No, Rock tried his best too.’
Rock Emperor might have applied pressure. How would I explain that a girl gets possessive when a guy she likes appears?
Pina, even wearing her choker, a symbol of being already married—
It’s practically like a wedding ring.
Unlike how people wear rings, the Inrang Tribe adorns itself with necklaces.
Among them, a choker is a rather blatant symbol.
Pina might not know, but what I heard through the guy with the pillar was shocking.
“So, how’s it going with the Princess lately? Your brother brags about possibly becoming a grandfather soon…”
“……”
Ugh, that wolf king is saying such things.
Seems he’s completely accepted me now. It looks like that incident during the sports day wasn’t serious.
“It’s… if I said it’s going well, it’d be a lie… urrp…”
“Pffhahaha!! The legendary Licht has a hiccup! The hero who captured the Demon King!”
Hiccuping, I had to shrink away every time I opened my mouth.
Damn, that kiss with Pina keeps haunting me.
Just recalling it makes my face flush and the soft sensation cuts off my breath.
It’s not my fault; Pina’s just too seductive.
“…Master, do you have a first love or something?”
“Hmm? Me? Not really! I’ve just been swinging my sword my whole life!”
Clenching my fist, I thought it was a chance to ask.
Thank goodness. Drake has no one he likes after all.
It matched what I knew about him.
I sent a signal to Kainel, who was far away with a thumbs-up.
He began creating an O-shape with his arms and shifted to join the Sage for dinner preparations.
“Would you have any advice for your junior?”
“Well, don’t make the Princess cry would probably be advice!”
I noticed he caught me distracted, and with a chuckle, he swung his sword like the Grand Sword Master.
Tink—! A sound of metal rang as our blades collided.
The master tested if my skills hadn’t rusted.
Seeing he was satisfied when I blocked his sword filled me with dread.
Ugh, he’s saying I still need to grow.
Originally, he was an NPC who came out as a swordsmanship instructor at the Academy.
If I didn’t reach the level of the Grand Sword Master, he would keep doing this.
“You haven’t rusted at all! The guy the Princess desires!”
“…Don’t say it in such a strange way, Master.”
With another clang! the two swords clashed again.
Now, Drake attempted to engage in an arm-wrestling match. My hand shook and lost its balance,
“For Pina’s sake, I’d do anything.”
“Even so, bringing out the Mind Sword against your Master feels a bit cowardly!”
I placed my hand on my chest and drew out my resolve.
I stopped Drake from placing a sword at my neck to end the training.
If I lost, I’d surely have to sit through hours of preaching.
“Even if you call it cowardly, Master, you use a sword made of dragon teeth.”
“Still, the Mind Sword is a manifestation of the heart! Unless the heart breaks, there’s no way to shatter it!”
Contrary to his words, Drake grinned.
He seemed happy with my growth, countering my use of the Drake Style.
I wouldn’t have gotten this strong if it weren’t for Pina being here.
*
“…Wait, are you saying you’re going to treat dinner? The sun must be rising in the east!”
“Master, the sun always rises in the east.”
About an hour passed.
Thanks to the Mind Sword and the new techniques I learned, I finally wrapped up my grueling training with Drake.
“Hmm… You’re speaking correctly, so it doesn’t seem like you’re possessed by a specter!”
“…..”
As I headed towards the restaurant Pina reserved, Drake eyed me suspiciously.
Surprisingly not a fool.
He was checking if my bizarre questions meant I was being set up by an enemy.
“..D-Drake?”
“Isn’t that the Sage? How did you get here! What an interesting coincidence!”
At that moment, I spotted the Sage at the entrance, made up for some bizarre occurrence.
With too much makeup, it was obvious who was behind it.
With her face caked in powder and ribbons on her horns, it seemed Pina did her makeup.
‘Pina.. that looks horrifyingly like some egg goblin….’
Behind the Sage, I could see Ariel frantically shaking her head, her face pale.
And then I saw Pina smiling confidently.
“Ahhahaha! That makeup is quite lovely!”
“Y-You think it’s beautiful? Thank you for the compliment, Drake!”
Will this date end successfully?
With a bad feeling, I quickly scanned the restaurant’s sign.
[The Soup is Amazing! Lizardman Foot Cuisine]?
What a shocking name!
I distinctly heard it was a nice restaurant from Pina.
It looks like, similarly to that minotaur tomahawk steak, the taste of normal people and the Inrang Tribe truly differ.
“Come on in! I’ve reserved seats for you, Master!”
No turning back now.
Checking the couple seats I reserved for Drake and the Sage, I shoved them inside the restaurant.
“Drake and I are… too close!”
“Take it easy, junior! Let’s go slowly!”
They had to walk close together through the narrow hall, hoping that through dialogue, they might reveal the bond I remembered.
Unfulfilled love is indeed a sad matter.
