NOVEL WEB Chapter 3
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“First of all, I’ve wrapped the bandages, but it seems like it will take some time to heal if the cleric doesn’t come.”
The palace doctor said while checking my condition.
“Can’t we do something with a potion? The imperial vault must have plenty of potions that could help.”
“Oh no! This level of injury is nothing serious; please don’t waste the precious potions of the imperial palace!”
Eve brought up potions with a worried look, so I quickly interjected.
“No matter how much I’m the Betrayer Hero’s writer, I’m still just a baron’s son, and as of now, I’m unemployed. There’s absolutely no way I could use that precious potion!”
“Zech…”
Eve carefully took hold of my left hand.
“You’re not making excuses because you don’t want to write, are you…?”
“Of course not! I just don’t want to be a burden to the palace—”
“That’s a relief!”
-*Clap!*
Eve clapped her hands with a bright expression.
“Because those who can provide potions without any problem are already here!”
“Huh? What do you mean—”
-*Crash!*
“We’ve come from the Alchemist Association! What’s the status of Check Writer?!”
Suddenly, the door burst open, and people in purple and green robes rushed in.
“First, pour all the potions good for bones! Others, wait a moment!”
“No, what the hell is—ugh…”
Before I could fully grasp the situation, these crazy folks began pouring potions into my mouth.
“Save Check Writer!”
“Pour it all in!!”
“What about the stamina recovery potion?”
“Pour that too!”
“What about strawberry juice?”
“Pour everything!!”
What the hell, you idiots!
After more than thirty potions went down my throat, I could barely manage to stand up.
“Huff… huff… I almost died…”
I’m definitely going to find that guy who poured in mint chocolate latte.
“I’m really glad that you’re okay, Zech!”
“Ha, haha… Yes, indeed.”
‘Looks like I need to find a way to get to the terrace now… And it seems impossible to say I can’t write because I’m in pain unless I actually faint.’
Ah, I have no choice but to write.
It’s a huge punishment for a writer.
“Zech, can you walk? Should I take you to your room?”
“Uh… I’ll just go with the maid. Surely, a princess like you shouldn’t bother with escorting a baron’s son like me.”
As I glanced toward the door the alchemists had opened, I saw a blue-haired maid peeking out.
‘Now that I think about it, I never asked her name.’
But she’s the first reader of my next work.
“Um, maid? Could you take me to my room? I’m still not familiar with the structure of the palace.”
“Huh?! Oh, yes…”
The maid jumped in surprise and bowed to Eve.
“Then I’ll escort Check Writer to his room.”
“…What’s your name?”
“I-I am Belua…”
“Hmm…”
‘So her name is Belua.’
I got up from the bed and stood next to her.
“Ahem, then, Your Highness? I’ll take my leave now.”
-*Creeeak.*
With an effort to ignore the princess’s meaningful gaze, I closed the door.
***
“We’ve arrived, Lord Zech.”
“Thank you, Belua.”
Once Belua and I entered the room, we closed the door behind us.
“Um, Lord Zech.”
“Yes?”
No sooner had the door closed than Belua immediately called out to me.
“What is it?”
“You were going to jump off the terrace to escape, weren’t you?”
“!!”
How did she know?
“Don’t make that ‘How did you know?’ face. It’s strange if you don’t know, honestly.”
“Uh, uh… it was an accident!”
“Well… let’s go with that. Anyway.”
Belua’s eyes sparkled as she looked at the piles of paper on my desk.
“Is that…?!”
“Um, yes, it’s what I’ve been working on.”
“Squee!”
“But don’t get your hopes up too much; the content hasn’t grown much. I usually only write about 5000 characters, and I had to expand it to a whole book, so it’s taking some time. I made slight modifications from what I showed you yesterday, and only a little bit of new content.”
“Can I read it?!”
“Feel free.”
It’s not like it’s going to wear out by reading.
-*Can I read it too?
“Sure, go ahead—wait?”
What was that voice just now?
Belua and I froze, exchanging glances.
Is it you?
No?
…Am I screwed?
Looks like it.
***
“Thank you, Zech. I can’t wait to see your next work!”
Eve’s gaze turned from me to Belua, who was behind my shoulder.
“And you’ve been showing it to the maid first, haven’t you?”
“Ah.”
Oh no, I’m in trouble.
Living in the imperial palace, showing the maid first—she won’t be angry about that, right?
If she thinks that way, then I’ll be in deep trouble, and so will Belua.
“But I’ll bear with it.”
“…Huh?”
Looking at her with the expression of ‘Are you serious?’, she gave an enigmatic smile before speaking.
“I think it’d be better to see it all at once when it’s published than to see it little by little. That would be better for you too, wouldn’t it?”
“Ah, yes! That makes sense! Hmm!”
“Then I’ll bless your next work and hope it gets published soon?”
“Uh, wait a second.”
It feels like I should hurry to submit it now, right?
“Since you’re the legendary ‘Weekly Serialization’ Check Writer, I’ll wait with trust~”
-*Click.
The door… closed.
“…Belua, I’m really sorry, but could you please not come in for the next five days?”
Because I need to write.
***
After those five days flew by quickly.
-*Bang!
“Hey Donnie!”
“Cough… cough! Wh-what’s going on?”
“The god has returned!”
“What, what? Does that mean…?”
“Check Writer’s new work!”
“Yeeeeeah!”
“Hey, don’t do a somersault!”
Donnie, the head of the publishing house, received Check Writer’s new work, and his action was so swift that the new work hit the shelves just two days later.
Countless people buzzed in front of the bookstore, their eyes sparkling with dopamine at their long-awaited return.
“This is…”
“This is exactly..”
“Found it!”
Check Writer’s new work.
Its title is…
[The Greatest Supporter was Expelled from the Party]
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[Expelled from the Party.]
This was the first sentence of the book.
[Hey, Marcus. Can we talk for a moment?]
Marcus, who looked handsome but had a rather nasty demeanor, quietly entered the room of the swordsman.
In his room were other party members, and the atmosphere was tense.
The green-haired elf archer, Elena.
The ponytailed female knight, Charlotte, the tank.
The catgirl mage, Cassie.
With the party leader and swordsman, Ricardo, in the lead, everyone was looking at Marcus with disapproving eyes.
[What’s going on, Ricardo? And everyone.]
To Marcus’s innocent question, Ricardo smiled slyly and opened his mouth.
[Marcus, we’ve been talking among ourselves, you see?]
He came close to Marcus, placing a hand on his shoulder.
[You’re expelled from our party, Marcus.]
[…What?]
While Marcus looked incredulous, the other party members nodded in agreement with Ricardo’s statement.
[Honestly, Marcus, you don’t do much yet take a lot of money.]
[Seriously, in combat, you’re just dead weight. Sorry, Marcus.]
[Nya ha ha! Up until now, we kept you around out of affection, but honestly, you’re utterly useless! I bet the younger beastmen would fight better than you!]
[Everyone… What…]
Seeing Marcus in shock, Ricardo explained to him, struggling to hold back laughter.
[Hey, Marcus. To be honest? Our party has become an S-Rank party, and you seem somewhat unnecessary, don’t you? Don’t we have to enter S-Rank Dungeons every day?]
[You mean… unnecessary?]
[Exactly. What do you even do? Find traps and set them? Other rangers can do that just as well. Cooking? Honestly, your cooking is just mediocre. Cleaning up after monsters? We could just hire a pack horse, and it would do a better job. You used to do a few other things too, didn’t you? Honestly, do we really need you?]
Ricardo shrugged and moved between Elena and Cassie, wrapping his arms around their waists.
Charlotte, who found it uncomfortable, looked at the scene in distaste.
Seeing that, Marcus realized why Ricardo was trying to expel him.
[Ricardo, you don’t mean… you want to kick me out just for a girl…!]
[Whoa whoa, hold on there. What kind of nonsense are you spewing, Marcus? I made this decision for the sake of our party, you know? Stop blabbering and get out, would you?]
Seeing the two flirty with the girls on either side of Ricardo, Marcus clenched his fists.
[I always said that romance within the party causes problems!]
Honestly, Marcus had no intention of criticizing them just for dating.
How long had it been since our party had stuck together; friendships blossomed, and love bloomed.
So, he didn’t say anything when he found out the three were in that kind of relationship, but the greedy Ricardo was not satisfied with just that.
[Did you persuade me to kick me out just to have Charlotte for yourself?]
Even with two women on either side, Ricardo frequently shot glances toward Charlotte, licking his lips.
[I can’t believe I suffered all of this for such a pointless party…]
Marcus looked up at the ceiling and let out a deep sigh.
[Fine, I get it.]
[If you’re going that far.]
[I’ll leave the party.]
Marcus placed his hand on the doorknob, muttering quietly.
[I hope that flowers bloom in front of you from now on.]
『Do you want to deactivate the skill [Our Pact]?』
There was no need for deliberation.
[Deactivate.]
『Skill [Our Pact] has been deactivated.』
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