Chapter 142 Hiiro Dies
I was careless.
Shura is my rival and the wall I need to surpass. But if you look at it that way, she's undeniably a beauty. Her personality seems a bit prickly and difficult, but considering her relationship with Sham, it's clear she can be surprisingly caring.
If I throw away my preconceptions, I'd say Shura is actually a really charming female character. And to make such a character feel more feminine, romantic events are essential.
So, here comes a refreshing blue guy who seems to know all about Shura's past. They even have a beautiful rival for Shura ready to go. I can't help but feel the vibes of a rom-com.
(Hold on, does that mean...)
In other words, from the perspective of the knight order commander, me and Quollio are his love rivals. We're like shadows of the guys close to that girl he's interested in. Of course, Leonhardt doesn't show any blatant hostility there. He acts mature on the surface, but I can tell he's probably feeling anxious and lonely inside.
Thinking back, that line he said about being concerned for Shura's situation might have been a roundabout way of making his feelings known. Like, "I was the first one to fall for her."
Yeah. Perfect deduction. Nice, I'm really stepping up my game as a guy who just made a great leap in dating experience. I'm feeling sharp.
My past of diving into shoujo manga for hero research is paying off. I heard heroes always show up in shoujo manga, so I read them, but the meaning of a hero in shoujo is a bit different.
But I ended up reading all the way to the last volume. It was interesting. Who would've thought that experience would come back around in another world? What an epic payoff.
(To be honest, I'm not really into meddling in other people's love lives, but I can't just ignore it either.)
Getting in the way of someone's love life or being a busybody isn't my intention, but since I'm somewhat caught up in it, I can't pretend it's not happening. Plus, celebrating my friends' happiness is also part of being a protagonist. I want Shura to be happy too.
So the question is, how should I navigate this situation?
I explained to Leonhardt that Shura and I aren't that kind of relationship, and then I thought about whether to just support the two of them or to play the rival role. Hmm.
(Feelin' like crap, ain'tcha? Can't decide if I should just be a nobody or make life tough for everyone. Figures.)
(Ugh, my head's not really in it yet. Master's unfortunate traits are really showing now.)
(Huh? Unfortunate?)
(Never mind.)
Ruthless is mumbling about something, but whatever. She probably doesn't care about Shura's love life anyway. Since it's a delicate matter, it's better to stay quiet than to stir things up.
"Yeah. You've really changed, Eshurareze. You seem a bit more relaxed than back then. Did you find a chance to change your mind after becoming part of the squad instead of being isolated?"
"Ugh. How long are you going to talk about the past...?"
"Nyahaha! Well, Sis Shura has gained me, the cutest little sister in the whole continent! Hehe!"
"Wow, you're so confident..."
"Where's the cuteness in just being clingy and noisy?"
"You're way cuter than Quo, who just spouts nothing but common sense!"
"Is that so? From my perspective, I thought Hiiro's presence was a big factor."
"Wh-what...!"
While I was struggling with this choice that wasn't really my strong suit, I noticed everyone's eyes were on me.
"Huh? Whatcha care 'bout me?"
"It's about why Eshurareze has become softer. I think it's because of your influence, but what do you think?"
"........"
When they said Shura has become softer, I wondered if they meant her attitude towards beasts. Well, I can't say I don't have any idea about it. But I feel this strange pressure to answer. Mainly from Shura.
Plus, Leonhart is a bit scary too. For a moment, it felt like the light in his eyes disappeared. Behind those emotionless eyes, what is he really expecting?
Ah. I see. This is a test.
From Leonhart's perspective, it might not be too pleasant to see the girl he likes being influenced by another guy. So he's asking this question on purpose to test me.
This commander, is he really a guy who will get in the way of my love? Is he someone I should fight against? It's like he's trying to figure me out with his questions.
"Kukuku, well, looks like I've made her a bit more cuddly. She finally has some cuteness to match her looks."
"...Huh!?"
"What?"
"C-cuteness? Hiiro, why are you saying that? Did you suddenly catch a fever or something?"
"Hey, Quo, let's keep it down, okay?"
"*Mumble, mumble*"
Alright then, let me show you.
My perfect assist.
"Uh, Hiiro..."
"But you're being too soft, Hiiro. You think you can handle this girl? She's not someone you can control, you know. Even if she's softened up a bit, she's still a wild horse."
"...Huh?"
"Oh, the wind is changing..."
Should I just follow along at Mr. Leonhardt? Or stand in the way as an obstacle?
If I'm unsure, I might as well do both. It's that simple. I'll act like a rival while indirectly supporting their progress. Perfect. Therefore, perfect.
"Shut up! When she talks, it's like listening to filth spewing from her lips. And that vibe of hers...it's just gross. You got that too, right?"
"...Huh?"
"And you who treats people like wild boars? Jump on beasts like a rabid dog. You act cool but you might fight faster than me. How many shelves are you stacking up here?"
"...Hey, wait a second?"
"Even if I say something, it's still a lot. She's full of spikes, like a thousand needles. A wild dog wouldn't know what hit her with that roughness. So, commander, are you ready to take control of this wild horse, huh?"
"...Hey."
How about that? This is the cool plan where the commander can't stay quiet when hearing bad things about that girl!
I've lined up so many insults about Shura, and he should immediately punch me and say she's a wonderful person! Then Shura will get all flustered by that Leonhart and their distance will shrink.
Well, I'm scared of what comes next, but it can't be helped. For your love story, I'll take a punch or 2.
Alright, I've gritted my teeth. Bring it on. Don't just stand there in shock, come on, commander!
Let's go!
Let's go!
Come at me with a straight right, Commander──
(Stupid, it was straight from behind. Master is really such an idiot)
* * *
"......Huh. Where the hell am I"
"Finally awake, you idiot."
"Good morning, weird guy......Hiiro."
"Are you okay, Hiiro?"
"Quollio? Lyam and Sham? What's this about? Why am I back in the infirmary instead of in the leader (captain) office like I was supposed to be? What happened?"
"You fell. In life."
"Well, unfortunately, that's just how it goes, huh?"
"Judgment has been passed......."
"?"
"......So, why's Shura avoiding me this entire time?"
"Shut up, you idiot! Die!"
"?"
"You, you, you! Die!"
"???"
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