NOVEL WEB Chapter 48: Their Delusions
“Did you call for me, my lord?”
“Yeah, Nicole, you’ve come at a good time.”
The black-haired boy sat on the throne. A beautiful woman who appeared to be a nun appeared and kneeled respectfully to the boy.
“The piece I obtained. Do you remember the foolish noble from that country?”
“Of course, my lord.”
“Well, it seems that I can’t use it anymore.”
“…What happened?”
Nicole thought that it couldn’t be true. There was no way her master could fail.
“I was surprised. I thought they were just foolishly fighting for power, but there are wise men everywhere. This is my mistake. I misjudged that country.”
“My lord, you could not have made a mistake!”
Nicole raised her voice unintentionally.
“…F-forgive me, my lord.”
“It’s okay.”
She lowered her head and apologized for her rudeness.
“The ‘Darkness’ is in my way. I want someone to get rid of it, and I want that someone to be you, Nicole. Can you do it for me?”
“…W-what an honor! That I, myself, could receive such an important task!”
Nicole trembled with joy. She was needed and was necessary for her lord, and that alone made her feel as if she were ascending to heaven.
However, when she looked at those crimson eyes, which seemed to be weighing her, she quickly regained her composure. She hadn’t accomplished anything yet. It would be meaningless if she didn’t live up to her lord’s expectations.
“So, what would you do? You understand after this incident, right? The ‘darkness’ is strong. You’ll be defeated if you go directly, but you know that, right?”
“You’re absolutely right, my lord.”
Nicole had no objections. She knew herself best. She wasn’t particularly bad at fighting. However, if the information was correct, she couldn’t win against the ‘darkness’ in a direct fight.
From an objective point of view, she calmly made that judgment.
“What will you do then?”
“…Let someone close kill him. If it’s someone they truly trust, there will surely be a chance.”
Nicole had already made a plan in her head. She didn’t need to take matters into her own hands.
“Hahaha, that’s great. I’m counting on you, Nicole.”
“Y-yes, my lord!”
Seeing her own master smiling with satisfaction, tremendous joy ran through Nicole’s entire body like an electric current.
§
“──That’s the situation, Alice. They will inform us later about the party schedule. Keep that in mind.”
“…Yes, I understand. Father.”
“Is something wrong?”
“No… I’m just a little tired, so I’ll rest in my room.”
My father seemed to have said something else, but I kept walking towards my room without stopping.
I opened the door and buried my face in the bed as if collapsing onto it. Then I twisted my body and laid on my back, staring at the ceiling.
“This is the worst.”
The Aslan Magic Academy Attack Incident.
Knights occasionally came to my house, claiming to be investigating, and wanted to hear my story. It was really annoying.
It was clear that they suspected that I was the one who led them. Even if the world turned upside down, that would never happen.
That’s why I haven’t been able to contact Luke for about three weeks… no, that’s just an excuse.
I was actually waiting. Waiting for Luke to contact me. Waiting for him to say that he wanted to see me.
I wanted proof that my feelings weren’t one-sided… but that desire brought about the worst possible outcome.
──Ice dragon.
One of the elemental dragons that even children know about. Luke achieved the unbelievable feat of subjugating and controlling the Ice Dragon.
It should be a joyous thing in reality. Actually, I’m sincerely happy about what Luke accomplished. But…
──My attribute overlaps with it.
At that moment, a disturbing thought passed through my mind.
These past three weeks have been really frustrating. I knew it was not good, but even if I resisted, I indulged in self-gratification once every three days.
Still, I endured it because my desire for Luke was stronger. I wanted to go to Gilbadia right now, in the middle of the day or at night, and push him down on the bed.
It’s not something a lady should do, but once you experience that pleasure, you can’t resist it.
However, I still haven’t heard from Luke.
The reason for that is… could it be because of the Ice Dragon?
According to one theory, dragons have a higher intelligence than humans. And although I don’t know if it’s true or not, I’ve read in a document that in the southern part of the continent, there is a race called “Dragon People” who have ancestors of both dragons and humans.
In other words, there is a possibility that Luke and the Ice Dragon have developed a relationship beyond that of a summoner and a familiar…!
That’s why Luke didn’t contact me. He was satisfied with what he did with the dragon, both in and out of battle.
This… could this be… cuckoldry…?
As soon as such an obscene thought crossed my mind, I felt an indescribable lust surge through my body, accompanied by a pain that tightened my chest.
“…Haah…Haah…”
I used all my willpower to stop my hand from reaching my lower abdomen, which was about to extend to it. This was absolutely not good. I felt like I wouldn’t be able to turn back once I gave in to this temporary pleasure.
I refuse to be foolish enough to lose everything by giving in to momentary pleasure.
“…I can’t stay like this.”
I headed to my father’s side as soon as possible, so that I could head to Gilbadia immediately.
§
“Oh, welcome back Mia-chan! You did amazing today!”
“Ugh, elemental magic is so dangerous.”
“Gahahaha, we can’t let ourselves be defeated!”
As Mia returned to the guild, many greeted her. Yes, she was currently working as a solo adventurer.
──All for the sake of being needed by Luke.
When news came that Luke had become an adventurer, she decided to become one herself. She believed that if she did, she would definitely be needed.
Being a solo adventurer was inconvenient in many ways. She realized that immediately after she started, and still feels it now.
However, she couldn’t imagine Luke teaming up with commoners. That’s why Mia became a qualified adventurer. To support Luke’s adventurer activities.
But…
(…Luke still hasn’t contacted me today. Should I reach out to him… but…)
She might annoy him. She might be a bother. Thinking that, Mia’s feet were too nervous to move. Plus, it felt like she was trying to outdo Alice, which made her hesitate.
“…”
As she completed various requests, she became an A-rank adventurer.
At first, she was shunned by other adventurers because of her noble status, but they couldn’t help but acknowledge her isolated power. Many now treat her with a friendly camaraderie as fellow adventurers.
“Um, is something wrong?”
“No… I was just thinking a little.”
“Hmm. Oh, have you heard? The seventh S-rank adventurer in the kingdom appeared in Gilbadia—”
“Tell me more!!”
” —Eh!?”
──Gilbadia.
The word caught Mia’s terrifyingly honed senses. The man who casually brought up the topic without knowing anything was intimidated by Mia’s unseen presence.
“W-what’s wrong, Mi—”
“Hurry up! Continue the story!”
“Eh, oh… it seems that the seventh S-rank adventurer in the kingdom appeared in Gilbadia. Moreover, he’s a solo adventurer like you, and his name is… ”
” —Luke, right?”
“That’s right! He’s apparently the son of a lord, and he defeated an ice dragon and tamed it all by himself! It’s totally incredible!”
“…Is that so…”
“What’s wrong, Mia-chan!? You’re amazing too! I’m sure you’ll be the next S-rank adventurer—”
The man seemed to still be saying something, but Mia started to walk unsteadily with vacant eyes. Without even hearing the voices calling out to her, she left the guild and went outside.
“I…can’t…measure up…”
Mia murmured.
If Luke had only defeated the Ice Dragon, there would have been no problem. It would have been something for her to be proud of as his fiancée, and she could have used it as an excuse to visit him and celebrate.
However, the fact that he had “tamed” the dragon was a difficult truth for her to accept.
Mia returned to the mansion, still feeling empty, and collapsed onto her bed.
“I’m losing…”
Taming the dragon meant that Luke had acquired another piece.
It meant that the “rank” that she had clearly established in her mind was now being threatened.
Her position as someone who was necessary for Luke, including all the other men, was being challenged.
She only recognized Alice as someone who was more important to Luke than herself. However, she couldn’t forgive Alice, who had become a pawn for Luke before her, for being more necessary to him than she was. It was unforgivable.
“I’m losing, I’m losing, I’m losing, I’m losing, I’m losing, I’m losing, I’m losing, I’m losing, I’m losing, I’m losing, I’m losing, I’m losing, I’m losing, I’m losing, I’m losing, I’m losing──”
If Luke had acquired the Attribute Dragon, an Elemen
tal Dragon as a pawn, there was a possibility that it would be more necessary to him than she was.
The moment she thought that, her heart was engulfed in darkness.
“… I have to go. Quickly.”
Mia also decided to hurry to Gilbadia as soon as possible.