The Villain is Too Good at Sniping

8. Arsene (3)

…Lara Steelhyden.

Introducing herself as “Steelhyden’s Lara”, she was one of the main heroines in the original story.

In other words, one of the key players in saving this world.

Who would have thought we’d meet in a place like this? It was a truly strange connection.

Or perhaps it was fate.

The feeling I had before leaving the mansion, the one I got from Esperandu Duke.

Perhaps everything was predetermined, from me being possessed to meeting Lara.

The situation unfolding before my eyes was unbelievable.

“I have to go to Arsene.”

It was an unfamiliar situation.

If our positions were reversed, what would have happened? I might have pulled the trigger long ago, relying on my habits.

Even if not, could I have made such a bold “deal”?

Lara Steelhyden didn’t show fear. She proposed a deal with a neutral attitude, neither fully trusting nor hostile towards me.

“What about you? How did you end up here?”

I hesitated for a moment. I had already mentioned the name Galion, and taking it back now would only raise more suspicions.

It was none other than the heroine Lara Steelhyden from the original story. The girl who would grow up to be a great sorceress stood before me.

…What to do.

My hesitation didn’t last long. I pulled out the admission recommendation letter from my bosom. I covered the part with the name written on it with my hand.

“I’m also going to Arsene. I’m a preparatory student.”

“Then we’re going to the same place……?”

This time, it was Lara Steelhyden who hesitated.

Her lips curled up, and it was clear she was trying to gather her thoughts. A moment later, determination filled her eyes.

“Actually, I don’t have the fare.”

I wondered what she would say, but it seemed she wanted to borrow money.

“The motorcycle outside, is it yours? Then…….”

But it seemed that wasn’t the case.

Lara opened and closed her mouth repeatedly, her lips trembling.

Based on her personality, Lara had strong pride. She probably wanted to ask me for something, but couldn’t bring herself to say it.

But I couldn’t keep going on like this either.

“It’s okay, I can give you a ride.”

“I’ll pay you back later.”

“I don’t want it.”

“…….”

My firm response made Lara press her lips together. But her sharp gaze remained unchanged.

“…Stillhyden doesn’t owe anyone a debt.”

I wondered why he couldn’t say that.

“Then this is the first time, right? Remember it well.”

“That’s not what I meant!”

“If you don’t like it, then don’t say it.”

If I were him, I would have said thank you right away. We’ve secured a means of transportation, and he’s not even going to accept compensation; from my perspective, it couldn’t get any better.

“…….”

But Lara was different.

The pinnacle of poverty. A dirt spoon. Yet, despite that, she’s a resilient existence that gets back up.

A righteous character who doesn’t yield to evil and stands up against it with dignity. That’s why she becomes a reliable comrade to the protagonist.

That’s Lara Stillhyden, and it’s her unique trait that eventually makes her a great mage.

But even so, once you’ve given in, that’s it. I didn’t expect anything from Lara, even if she said she wouldn’t owe anyone a debt from the start.

If I can safely arrive at Arsen, grow well, and ensure a comfortable old age by preventing the destruction of this world, that’s enough.

Besides, I’m in a situation where I’m using a pseudonym, not my real name. It’s better to cleanly cut off the relationship between Galion and Lara, which is already one-sided.

Anyway, I have to go to Arsen, just like everyone else. And since I have things to do, it’s better to arrive as soon as possible.

“It’s not the time to be proud. We’re not even walking to Arsen.”

“But our family is……!”

“If you don’t like it, I’ll go alone.”

I just silently picked up my suitcase.

If I think deeply, it’s not good to get involved with her. Lara Stillhyden is a capable person who can handle things on her own, but now I’m just wasting time standing next to her.

I didn’t know that saying “leave when the applause stops” would come true like this.

Galion is disappearing from here.

“Hey! What are you doing! Is this some kind of joke?”

“Here.”

“No, this is ridiculous……! No, wait! Just a minute!”

A pitiful cry echoed from behind. At that moment, I had already tied my shoelaces.

“Then I’ll go.”

As I took out the key card from the hotel wall, the indoor lighting turned off. But at that moment, a small light illuminated the room.

“…Please take care of it.”

A spherical object resembling a firefly was emitting light instead of the fluorescent lamp. It was a light orb created by Lara.

“For now, there’s nothing I can do, but…”

I just bowed my head to look at Lara. The key card was still in my hand.

“When I can repay you, I’ll do it somehow. Stillhyden doesn’t owe anyone a debt, so somehow…….”

I turned around. Lara’s gaze was serious.

“So, what’s the conclusion?”

“Please take care of it. Until Arsen.”

Yes, it should have ended like that from the start.

Lara Stillhyden is someone who has a hard time accepting help from others. That’s why she struggled alone in the original story and grew slowly.

Especially in the library’s ghost episode.

…It was an episode where Lara struggled alone and made the situation worse.

If I had entered with the protagonist or player, Lara wouldn’t have been possessed by the vengeful spirit. So, it’s okay to receive help from others sometimes.

“No need to compensate me. If you keep nagging, I’ll just go alone.”

Thinking about all the group projects and hardships I’ll face later, it’s better to practice reducing my burden from now on.

Receiving help from others isn’t shameful. I wish I had realized that earlier.

And do I need a reason to help my favorite character? Even when I played the original game, I suffered because of some absurd reason.

Of course, that’s now a reality, but a transaction doesn’t have to involve material exchange. If I’m satisfied, that’s enough.

Initially, I didn’t receive anything from Lara. As I said before, if I grow well in Arsene, that’s enough for me.

That’s the path to saving the world and securing my comfortable old age.

…But I couldn’t reveal that, so I just kept my mouth shut.

***

That night, I rested at the lodge.

I gave Lara the bed, and I leaned on the chair, closing my eyes for a while. We decided to depart for Arsene early the next morning.

I had to wear a mask all day. It was stifling, but I could endure it. The mask was designed to be worn for an extended period, after all.

“Sorry, but we only have one helmet.”

“It’s okay. I’ll figure something out.”

Lara said that and cast a spell. A translucent barrier similar to a magical shield surrounded our bodies.

Magic reinforcement. It was a buff-type magic that thickened my magical power to protect me from the outside, similar to a defensive magic.

I started the motorcycle. I greeted the innkeeper who came to see us off and stepped on the accelerator.

“Whoa…!”

Lara’s arms, which were suddenly wrapped around my waist, startled me. The unfamiliar sensation made me flinch for a moment, but the motorcycle’s vibrations probably didn’t reveal my reaction.

We’re heading to the suburbs where the gate is located.

It should only take about an hour.

Compared to driving on the road all day yesterday, this is like taking a short stroll around the neighborhood.

Just a short hour.

However, with a companion this time, it felt like twice as long.

I had decided to take her only to the suburbs. Any further accompaniment would be inconvenient for me.

The name “Sierra Esperanza” was still stuck in my head, and I was worried that I might accidentally blurt it out.

I gripped the handlebars tightly, gritting my teeth as I sped down the road. The end of the seemingly endless highway was in sight.

The apartment complex and high-rise buildings visible between the mountains. The tollgate-like checkpoint was approaching.

At that moment, Lara lightly poked my side with her finger.

“Hey, are you not going to tell me your real name?”

Her sudden question caught me off guard.

Kiiiik!

“Uh, what?!”

…I almost passed the checkpoint without stopping.

Did she discover my alias? Did she cast some kind of illusion magic that I didn’t know about?

In just a few seconds, countless thoughts flashed through my mind.

But no matter how hard I thought, I couldn’t come up with any clues. I pretended not to know and asked back.

“…What name? What surname?”

“Your surname, besides Gallion. The surname that follows Gallion. You have to tell me your full name.”

I ignored him and moved forward. The checkpoint staff member was waving his hand.

I pulled out Arsen’s admission recommendation letter with one hand. Considering Arsen’s status, this one document would be enough to handle any ordinary procedure.

“Ah, you’re going to Arsen? Then, have a good trip.”

The checkpoint staff member gestured, and the barrier blocking the way rose. He didn’t check the contents; he only verified Arsen’s logo.

Lara’s voice came from beside me.

“Don’t ignore me.”

“I don’t care.”

“That’s not possible. You have to tell me your full name, or else…”

I thought she was being quiet, but she was still worried.

I passed through the checkpoint and parked my motorcycle on the side road. I didn’t intend to receive anything, but they kept trying to give me something.

“I really don’t care. There’s no reason to tell you.”

“…….”

With this level of stubbornness, my intentions should have been conveyed. I didn’t know how Lara would take it, but this was the best I could do.

“…Why won’t you tell me?”

Well, it’s because I don’t have a surname.

Galion was never a real name to begin with.

Lies tend to snowball, and once you start, it’s hard to stop. It’s better to keep quiet than to make something up and have it blow up in your face.

As I parked my motorcycle, Lara carefully got off the backseat. She seemed to want to say something but suddenly hesitated and stepped back.

“Ah……?”

Lara’s gaze, which had stopped mid-sentence, wasn’t directed at me. She was looking at the ring on my left pinky finger.

…It took me quite a while to notice.

“Is that yours?”

“No, I don’t need it now.”

I stopped Lara from trying to take the ring off.

“You’re exhausted from using magic. You’re a mage, and your magic hasn’t fully recovered yet. Don’t overexert yourself.”

“…….”

“You have to prepare for the entrance exam too. Don’t push yourself too hard.”

Lara is a mage. She must have immediately sensed the ring’s effect.

It’s not a big deal even if I don’t have it now. I can buy a similar ring with a similar effect at a nearby store.

With my overflowing esperance, it’s possible.

Lara looked at the ring on her pinky finger, her expression complex and subtle.

“Well, have a good trip.”

Our sudden encounter ends here.

There was no response. It didn’t matter. As Galion, I would never meet Lara again.

If we were to meet again, it would be as ‘Siôn Illeayonhart’, not Galion.

Galion disappears here. I didn’t have any regrets.

***

…He was a strange person.

A masked stranger.

At first, I was scared and unfamiliar. When I came to my senses, I was in a strange room. I was startled and cautiously surveyed my surroundings.

There was a carrier hung on the wall.

There was no danger. On the contrary, it was the opposite.

A warm blanket covered my knees. What happened? I don’t remember anything.

The last thing I remembered was the man who gave me a weird look and the man riding an otobike. I don’t remember the man’s face.

The man who came out of the shower room wore a mask and didn’t even reveal his name. He was a really strange person. I received help from such a person.

“The ring…”

I looked at the ring on my finger.

A magical artifact with a mana recovery function, a very expensive item that could cover the tuition fee just by selling it.

“……”

Of course, I wouldn’t think of selling the item given by the mysterious benefactor. This is something I need to return.

“Did he say his name was Galion?”

Galion.

A student who was going to enroll in the same Arsen Academy as me.

If I meet him again, I can return the ring to him.

“Stealhiden doesn’t forget gratitude.”

No, I will return it. I’ll find a way to do it. As long as we’re in the same academy, we’ll definitely meet somewhere.

I set a new goal for myself.

The masked man, Galion. I etched the name of the person who helped me in a corner of my heart.