…Sanctuary.
If everything goes well, it would be during the first semester of the third year. Positioned towards the very end of Karina’s dedicated quest line, which usually occurs around the second semester of the third year, it was essentially the final event.
This event, where Karina, who is not yet a complete Saint, awakens to become a true Saint, is a route that must be followed if you’ve raised her as a party member.
The power difference between awakened Karina and unawakened Karina was like night and day.
“I’m planning on a month of secluded training.”
“…Is that okay?”
“Honestly, I think it will be painful not seeing Johann. But I want to help more than that.”
“You don’t have to push yourself too hard.”
There was no urgent need for Karina to awaken.
The impending Dragon hunt that was supposed to happen before the end of the semester was also planned with the assumption that Karina hadn’t awakened yet. If she finished her awakening and came back, it would be welcomed on my part.
Even so, my reluctance stemmed from my personal feelings. Karina looked at me, smiled, and replied.
“Don’t worry too much. A month isn’t that long, right?”
“A month without you seems long.”
“Why does someone who has lived alone for ten years say that?”
“Johann! I’m here too!”
“So am I…”
“Uh, me too.”
That’s true, but… it feels… different.
“You’ll be busy. Time will pass quickly when you’re working. And Renny will be there, so nothing major should happen.”
“I got it.”
Worrying too much can be a burden. I took a step back.
“Without Karina, I guess I won’t be going to the Academy for a while…”
“Why not? Let’s go together!”
“I don’t have a reason to tag along.”
No matter how much I’m now referred to as a count and a hero, following along to the Academy would be a bit awkward.
Since the purpose of my trip was to protect Karina, if she was holed up in the Sanctuary, I’d only have to handle paperwork in the office.
Millia seemed disappointed by that.
“I had fun going to the Academy with Johann…”
I didn’t ride the student tech, but rather the knight tech, so there was nothing I could do about it. It was a bit… awkward to call myself a student with this look.
Of course, there were others in the Knight Department who looked like bulky, older students, but still.
I also didn’t want to go back to school. I don’t remember much, but the thought of school gave me chills, which probably meant I really hated it.
“Then I should make solid preparations to hunt the Dragon during the remaining time…”
“Is there anything I can help with?”
“You just need to handle the prosthetic arm work well. More tasks will pile up.”
There’s a hell of a lot to do.
Still, I should take a break today.
With that thought, I got up from my seat.
———————
“Johann, you’re coming to pick me up, right?”
“No.”
“If Johann comes to pick me up, I’ll act like a baby! Waaah!”
…Is this the candidate for the next student council president?
I facepalmed at Millia’s antics as she tried to act spoiled every chance she got.
“If you become president, you shouldn’t behave like that.”
“That’s true. Who would follow a president acting like a child?”
“Y-yeah, that is true…”
“Well, I can still do it!”
“You can do it.”
You do everything well except fighting. Well, even fighting might not be that bad since she herself isn’t really keen on it.
…I don’t wish for Millia to fight either.
Not everyone needs to fight.
“Hehe, of course! The student council election starts in a month, so I’ll work hard!”
“I really hope you succeed.”
“Hehe, just you wait!”
“Then, have a safe trip.”
“Yeah! Johann, work hard too!”
“I-I will…!”
“Uncle, I’m off!”
“I’m heading out!”
Now, shall I go pick up Karina?
I turned to head to Karina’s room. With everyone who needed to leave already gone, there was hardly anyone around as I walked. If there were, it would just be servants. Upon reaching the door, I made eye contact with Renny.
“Are you still getting ready?”
“Yeah.”
“You won’t be able to see each other for a month.”
“Looks like it. Do your work well while I’m gone. Honestly, with the recent atmosphere, who knows what kind of work will come in? Because with the Dragon’s imminent resurrection, everywhere is preparing for war.”
Still, is the Academy still operating normally amidst all this? It’s primarily thanks to Principal Merlin’s strong insistence… but it seems to be a situation close to game mechanics.
This world feels extraordinarily realistic while also having that strange game-like quality mixed in. Just like the status window.
“Do you think anything major will happen while we’re gone?”
“Not sure.”
Now that the original plot is practically shattered, it’s uncertain whether the original episodes will proceed.
In the second semester, the main episodes left consist of the student council elections, the second festival, and Harpas.
Harpas was defeated last year, and the festival isn’t going to happen due to the current atmosphere, and while the student council election will happen, who knows if it’ll follow the original?
It might be a rather dull second semester.
In the original story, depending on whether the heroine’s dedicated quest lines were followed and how the main episodes were cleared, things would start branching off around this time.
The ‘Traitor’ route would also begin branching off at this point.
Of course, since I took down Harpas, that trigger wouldn’t exist. It wouldn’t be impossible to forcefully ruin it, but now that I’m in a relationship with Karina, I wouldn’t do something crazy like that.
The ultimate goal of the Traitor route was to kill both Karina and Renny and become the sole ‘king’ of this continent, seizing everything for myself.
“Johann, is that you?”
“Yeah. Can I come in?”
“Yes. Come on in.”
I quietly turned the doorknob and pushed the door open. Karina was sitting on the bed, looking at me in an outfit completely different from usual.
Dressed in a plain and light training priest outfit, she smiled at me as soon as she saw me.
“…Does it look shabby?”
Shabby? For someone with a figure like Karina, even if she dressed sloppily, she’d still look alluring. The dress she was wearing, being a dress shape, formed drapes thanks to her large chest.
In some ways, it might look like she gained weight, but if you had seen her chest and belly, you’d understand. The space left behind produces an ominous allure.
“Johann?”
Ah.
“Even if you’re dressed in rags, you’d still be more beautiful than a mansion’s worth of gowns.”
“Haha, what a joke.”
Karina chuckled and patted the space beside her twice with her palm, indicating I should sit next to her. I quietly moved closer and sat down beside her. Looking to the side, I could see the top of Karina’s head.
“I won’t be able to see you for a month.”
“It’s just a month.”
“…It feels like it will be a really long month.”
“Hehe, if you stay busy with work, it’ll fly by. And you’re not heading somewhere dangerous, right?”
“I should at least greet Sabrina and thank her properly.”
“Will she not get mad?”
“Not sure.”
I felt a pleasant weight resting on my arm. I stroked Karina’s hair as she leaned against my arm. Her hair still felt as soft as baby fluff.
“You really seem to like hair.”
“Somehow, touching it makes me feel good.”
“I’ve heard that guys prefer to touch bodies more… but Johann doesn’t seem very proactive about it.”
“I’m just trying to hold back as best as I can.”
It’s not like I haven’t done anything at all, but I was definitely trying to restrain myself as best as I could. I’ve touched as far down as her waist quite a bit, though.
“You can touch as much as you want. We’re a couple, after all. It would be weirder for lovers to hold back on skinship…”
“Sadly, I think surpassing this line would be too dangerous.”
“Meaning, after everything is done… right?”
“I’m sorry. It seems like I’m making you wait too long.”
“It’s okay. I just feel like you’re holding back too much. If you’re okay with it…”
“No. I’m fine as it is. I don’t want to live with anxiety behind me.”
I stood up from my seat. I could clearly hear Karina’s sigh of disappointment, but I pretended not to notice and quietly extended my hand.
“Okay, it’s time to go to the Sanctuary.”
“Johann, before we go…”
Karina nestled herself into my embrace. As her fluffy body and warm heat completely enveloped me, I lifted her chin with my fingers and pressed my lips against hers.
“Ahem.”
“I just pulled away, and now I want to do it again.”
“I promise I’ll indulge in it when I’m back, so don’t worry.”
“I might not be able to train because I’m thinking of Johann.”
“…I must be a sinner then.”
“Hehe…”
“…My side feels cold.”
“How about you quickly get yourself a lover?”
“I don’t have the time for that!”
Ignoring Renny’s blunt voice, we left the room.
My site has received a lot of DMCA notices, lol. From now on, I will update the MTL on https://darkmtl.com/.
The site is fast and lightweight because there are no ads yet. However, the theme is different from Cybor-TL, so take some time to familiarize yourself.
Support me by donating at least $10, and you'll have the right to request any novel from Novelpia (excluding 19+ content) using a newly developed tool.