“…Is the spirit still not coming out?”
“Yes… Mother…”
Nex Aureus.
His childhood was unfortunate.
He was thought to have a bright future as the eldest son of the Ten Heroes, but as he grew older, the whispers about him due to the absence of his spirit only grew louder.
‘Could it really be that the young master is not a genuine child?’
‘Shh, quiet! They’ll hear you!’
‘It doesn’t matter. A spiritless mage isn’t worth anything. Besides, he has no talent as a swordsman, and he doesn’t have the mana like a mage.’
‘His hair color is also different from that of the young master.’
If you take away the fact that he was a descendant of a noble family famous for spirits, he was just one of the many commoners with no talent.
“Young master, we’re rooting for you.”
The maid, who had just been talking behind his back, said that. Nex grew up watching this, and he began to despise people’s lies.
“I won’t punish the maid no matter what, Nex.”
“Mother, she called me a bastard! This is an insult to the family…”
A maid who spoke ill of the duke’s family. Normally, this would be a serious matter enough for someone to die.
“…How did that happen?”
Asha Aureus spoke calmly to Nex with a cold gaze. For some reason, she seemed overly composed.
“Um…? But, Mother…”
“If you’re truly a descendant of the Aureus family, you should be able to prove your worth.”
“…”
“Are you scared that you might really be a bastard?”
“No, I’m not.”
With his mother having golden hair, while he had purple hair, there was certainly something that felt off.
“…So I just need to prove my abilities from now on?”
“That’s right. At least as the eldest son, you should have that much capability.”
“Understood… Mother…”
That day, Nex learned how to read people’s expressions. He suspected that the whispers were deceitful, hinting that they were hiding something about him which led to being neglected.
“What do you mean by that? Young Master?”
“I mean exactly that. A spirit is a creature born from emotions.”
He tried hard to become strong, yet the cold attitude remained unchanged for years.
“Well, if that’s the case, I’ll find you a bride. Maybe that will wake up your spirit.”
“Absolutely not. Do you think I’m like you?”
“Anger is a good emotion. Then I’ll take that as a yes. Nex.”
After all, requests for marriage started pouring in since the day he had his coming-of-age ceremony. Perhaps it was because he showed anger for the first time at Asha.
“I came at the request of Asha, the living sun among the Ten Heroes…”
“Send them back.”
“…Of the Ten Heroes, I bring greetings to you, Nex…”
“Don’t need it!”
He hated the harem. He was terrified that his wife might secretly insult him just like the maid from his childhood.
‘What should I do? I can’t go against the family head.’
He needed something to ensure that women wouldn’t come near him. Thus, he donned the mask of a villain. Speaking harshly and contorting his expression became a habit for him.
“Ha, girl. A killer whale can never rise above a phoenix, right? Shouldn’t you marry a spirit instead? What a lowly family.”
“…How dare you, trash that can’t even summon a spirit!!”
‘As expected, this person is after the family wealth.’
Throughout his life, Nex came to believe that this world was riddled with deceitful and deceived people. Even nobles who seemed to have good intentions spoke ill behind his back.
Then, while he was deliberately living recklessly, he learned spell resonance…
“Waaah! Hey, you there!!”
‘Seriously, what kind of strange people are out there? A vampire, huh? Is this world really okay?’
In the social club he was forced to attend, he met a single saintess who could understand him.
A woman who could see only Nex Aureus, not his spirit.
Nex was now checking on Schartines’s condition. I had unwittingly become an invisible man.
I thought they might say something like he’s affiliated with the Demon Kings and the Church of Heroes, but there was not a shred of doubt in their solving of the puzzle.
As I know, he’s not an emotional person.
“Are you okay? Shar…?”
“Oh, Nex. I’m fine. I just dozed off for a bit… where am I…?”
Nex’s eyes kept flickering, and his anxious hands were trembling. Time passed for a moment.
Hug!
After confirming she wasn’t hurt, he embraced her in a reunion hug, his eyes watery as if he might cry. Who would have thought this icy rival character could change like this?
Perhaps she had also suffered in Servi’s nightmare. Dreams can turn into nightmares too.
“I’m glad. Really glad….”
“I can’t breathe… Nex…”
“…Just a little longer, stay like this.”
The vampire nun wriggled in discomfort, but that was nonsense.
As long as a person was alive, that was good enough. Nex might have died if he were the betrayer instead of taking the route. The original story line was like that.
“…I’m so relieved you’re not hurt.”
I let out a sigh of relief. I was scared my game knowledge wouldn’t work. I had cold sweat while piecing together the puzzle. I plopped down.
“Wow, Licht, is that you?!”
“I barely managed to get up to help my junior. I hardly did anything, haha…”
“Then that succubus was also your junior…!”
“Yeah, Shar.”
Though hugging Nex made her blush, I didn’t care.
In fact, I welcomed this happy ending. A smile finally broke on my lips.
Tweet…!
Then Nex’s sparrow flew over my shoulder. Huh? Helios Midnight is still active? The sun hadn’t disappeared behind me. It’s impossible for the entity…
Oh, maybe that’s how it worked.
Chirp chirp?
“Sorry, Shar.”
As the spirit burned the rope, allowing her to move…
“Why? Nex.”
“There’s a feeling that arises when you’re alive.”
“When have I died? I am the second saintess, you know!”
“Those demons are the type to…”
Nex loosened his grip and loosened his hug. The two lovers locked eyes. A phoenix hovered around them.
“Well, if you found me, then that’s enough, right?”
“…Is it because you hate seeing me go alone to meet your mother?”
“Uh, uh?! Does that mean…?”
Nex’s eyes bulged while showing a tearful smile. Seeing him crying and laughing made Schartines smile in disbelief as well.
“I…don’t know. Silly fox.”
Both of their faces turned bright red.
“How can you propose in this situation?!”
“Haha, I’m sorry. I got too hasty seeing you okay.”
“Then, there’s no second chance. Got it?”
“…Understood, Shar!”
With the same expression, they smiled at each other warmly. At that moment, they looked happier than anyone else.
Right after, a pink status window appeared before my eyes.
[Schartines♡Nex 62% “NEW!!”]
With flower pollen scattering according to the surroundings.
This is what an event CG should look like.
A wedding blessed by the phoenix.
The spirit had grown, and their feelings had strengthened again.
Well, well. Is it appropriate to say “congratulations” here?
“Congratulations.”
I secretly gave them a thumbs up. My way of expressing my feelings.
Fortunately, the lost affection level had not only been restored but surpassed halfway. I nodded in satisfaction.
“…Thank you for today, junior.”
“It wasn’t something I did to receive thanks.”
“Haha, that’s just what I like about you. Licht.”
I almost dropped the “junior” title just now.
Without any pretense, Nex was genuinely thanking me with teary eyes.
Am I now a guarantor for their engagement? Then there’s no rivalry or anything like that. The theory about existing companion routes was true.
“If it weren’t for you, we would have been in real trouble, Shar.”
“Really? I just woke up, and it feels like I’m here…”
“It’s been two days! You sleepyhead.”
“What? No way?!”
She looked shocked. Going back and forth between me and Nex, checking if I was telling the truth. We had just done something akin to an engagement, so it couldn’t possibly be a lie.
“It’s true. You must have been asleep for two whole days due to the succubus.”
“No way…”
I relayed the truth to the flustered senior. Was she worried about her academic grades? Even so, it’s something she won’t be able to speech about after all the hardships we faced to get here.
“Shar, Licht is seriously strong. There’s a reason why our Crown…no, Crown Prince is keeping an eye on him.”
“Is that so? They already seem like friends.”
“…Seniors? Maradol and I are not friends!”
Why, even now the crown prince flag is getting set up? Thank goodness Lupus’s name hasn’t appeared on the status window yet. And I really hope the elder doesn’t abandon me.
“Junior would probably like it too. It’s not every day you get ties with the royal family.”
“No thanks.”
I only want our saintess route.
Seeing me shake my head vigorously in denial,
“…You’re just too kind, Junior. So innocent, it seems.”
“Did you just figure that out? Nex. I’ve known for a long time!”
“Shar, lying is bad. You suspected Junior at first.”
“Uh, um… I got hit back this time.”
The two newly engaged lovers were brightly laughing together.
The dungeon, which had been devoid of sunlight, became as bright as day under the artificial lights created by the spirit, as the two young adults rose to their feet under the light.
“Why do you want to link me with Maradol?”
“Well, that kid has shown interest in you first.”
“…That’s right. Licht.”
The two approached me, saying strange things.
Since it has come to this, should I really set up a saintess flag too?
Hahaha…
At that moment, someone interrupted our conversation.
“Yeah… if I just get rid of the heretic like you… it won’t affect the prophecy…”
I frowned at Servi, who had appeared. She was ruining the good atmosphere. I had kept quiet even after hearing about the Crown Prince.
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