226 – Cornerstone for Growth
El Pandor Runeterra.
When I think about it, I think I thought of this world as a ‘training game with unexpected elements added.’
They attacked all the female characters that appeared here, considering them as ‘target targets’.
However, there was a heroine candidate who would not give up no matter how much I tried.
That was Claire.
No matter what route they contacted, they were unable to make any progress in their relationship, so they ended up settling on Isabella or Enya every time.
‘···He wasn’t the person I could have in the first place.’
And as I looked at Lucas and Claire blushing and feeling awkward around each other, I could understand the reason.
Because this world is not a game to be played.
The idea that I could have all the women to myself was nothing but arrogance.
In the end, the human mind is not like a mathematical formula, so there was a heart that could not be possessed no matter how much talent one had.
And that is Claire’s heart towards Lucas.
‘In the end, Lucas will be the key to Claire’s awakening.’
Bernhard, one of the four ducal families.
I haven’t been able to pay attention to it because I haven’t had anything to do with it, but Bernhard is definitely one of the families that are direct descendants of the Celestials.
Rather, since they are a family that specializes in ‘buffs’ and ‘auras’, they may be able to perform even bigger.
So, if the relationship with Lucas is the key to awakening Claire, there is no reason not to support it.
After organizing my thoughts, I conveyed my plan to Eve.
After completing the analysis, Eve opened her mouth.
“···Then why don’t we push them into an extreme situation?”
“···Hmm? Extreme situation?”
“Yes. By putting Lucas in a crisis situation, we will induce Claire’s awakening. “If she doesn’t wake up, it’s an extreme situation where Lucas might die.”
···Indeed.
I nodded.
Isn’t ‘awakening’ often accompanied by dramatic emotional changes?
Representative examples include Lucas, Enya, and Isabella.
Thanks to my encouragement, Enya regained her faith in herself and mastered the art of Baldo.
Isabella learned of my devotion in the last episode and she abandoned her denial.
Lucas also began to awaken by overcoming his complex about his father.
In other words, an event like that is needed for Claire to awaken.
Lucas, her long-time crush, is in danger, and she needs a chance to unleash her potential to save him.
“Okay. Let’s move forward right away. “How long do you think it will take?”
“····Hmm. About 3 weeks? “As long as I get help from Elena and the Emperor, three weeks is enough.”
Help from Elena and the Emperor.
In other words, we will use Elena’s ancient magic and the emperor’s ‘inventory’ to create a space to awaken them.
However, Eve added something unexpected after that.
“And in addition, there is something you need to do.”
He makes a meaningful expression saying that he has something to do.
When I asked her what that was, she answered.
“Netorare.”
“···What?”
“We have to take Claire away from Lucas. “That’s what you will do for three weeks.”
·····Netorare?
Is this really what I think?
At that time, Eve nodded her head and said.
“Yes. “That’s exactly what you think.”
“······.”
···I was dumbfounded.
When I looked at Eve with a dumbfounded expression as she made such an absurd suggestion, she raised the corner of her mouth and said,
“hehehehe. Don’t worry. I will prepare thoroughly. “All you have to do is play the role of a good actor.”
······I guess this isn’t a normal incident.
***
A week has passed.
I have been focusing on taking the children of the 4th Duke with me and helping them grow.
I carried out my mission by traveling around various villages and cities where demons and demons were rampaging.
“That… Claire. Buff in battle this time… It was very good. hahahaha···. “Thanks to you, I cleared it easily.”
“Oh, no… “It’s because you did a good job.”
And in the process, Lucas and Claire were able to become closer.
If you put them together, they inevitably become closer.
Anyone could tell that the two were just before becoming lovers.
[Brother. Now is the time to move.]
At this point, when the pink air currents enveloped the two, Eve gave a cruel command.
He is telling them to commit such an atrocious act to take Claire away from Lucas.
‘···I can’t help it.’
However, for the sake of everyone’s happiness, he had no choice but to assume the role of a villain.
In the end, we have to push Lucas to the extreme in order to fix his unstable psychological base.
“·····What do you mean? “Fool Lucas by pretending I’m dating you?”
So, I approached Claire and told her my business.
Of course, Claire looked like she was bitten by a bug and asked me what I meant.
I took out the answer I had prepared.
“···Do you remember that time? “In a city ruled by the seven deadly sins of ‘sloth’ and ‘lust,’ you fell into those desires.”
“····Ugh.”
Claire’s expression hardened.
When we bring up the dark history that they want to forget, they turn their heads and avoid eye contact.
Eventually, her face blushed and she spoke harshly.
“Why is that? “What are you trying to talk about?”
“···As you know, the way the devil corrupts humans is by stimulating their desires. To be exact, deficiency. Or they corrupt it by maximizing fear and inciting desire.”
Claire nodded her head.
I had already emphasized this several times, so he nodded with an expression of understanding.
However, I had no intention of ending class here.
“So, in order to avoid being tempted by the devil, it is important to properly face your fears. What he fears most. So, you have to face the desire that fear creates head on and overcome it.”
“······.”
Claire lowered her gaze with a thoughtful look on her face.
It is as if he is exploring his own fears.
I stared into space for a while with deeply sunken eyes.
Then he raised his head again and said.
“So. Are you saying my fears are related to Lucas? “You mean I have to deceive Lucas in order to overcome that fear?”
“···Hmm. The context is similar, but in reverse. I’m here to help Lucas face his fears. “That’s why I’m trying to get you away from Lucas for the time being.”
“······.”
Claire looked at me with a puzzled expression.
Seeing her eyes asking for an explanation, I added the following words.
“···Lucas has a strong ‘desire for recognition.’ Because of her complex about her commoner father, she has always suffered from a compulsion to be the perfect nobleman. … Also, because of her father’s absence, her attachment to and desire for recognition from her mother is stronger than others.”
Claire nodded her head.
And then he looked at me with eyes that seemed to ask me to continue.
“···So, I plan to help you escape from that chronic desire. “Lucas is too dependent on the approval of others and on her mother’s affection.”
Claire’s expression, who had been calmly listening to me, subtly twisted.
Some part of what I said seems uncomfortable.
As expected, she opened her mouth in a blunt tone.
“I don’t think that’s true. Rumors about you and Sir Adela. Lucas is bound to be confused when he hears such rumors, right? “I wouldn’t be able to sleep if Enya or Isabella had a strange relationship with my father, right?”
“······.”
···Sharp point.
If her friend had a relationship like that with her mother, of course it would be uncomfortable.
But─.
“So, is there any reason not to?”
That’s a story from the real world.
This is not a problem in this medieval fantasy setting.
In fact, in this world, it is not the case that a woman who has lost her husband takes a younger man as her husband to satisfy her own desires, or a younger man marries an older widow for his own power. It’s quite common.
Most children of noble families accept this without any hesitation.
In the first place, the marriage method of nobles is usually one where the elders of the family talk to each other and decide on each other’s partners, so there is almost no choice about marriage.
Rather, the case of Adela or Ileiya, who had a love marriage, can be said to be an extremely rare case.
“···No matter what my relationship with Lord Adela is, that is the business of the heads of the family. “What’s strange about families merging for mutual benefit?”
“···I know that very well but·····.”
Claire touched her forehead with a confused expression.
She is also a member of the noble ecosystem, so she knows that what I say is not wrong.
However, in the case of the Grand Duchy, including Claire, they lived in a different environment than ordinary nobles.
Ileiya, Bjornson, and Adrian all married as they pleased and grew up in harmony like ordinary families.
Adela also loves a commoner and claims to be his husband, which is ridiculous.
“···Still uncomfortable? Well, it’s probably because you are all only children of the Archduchy. “I never had to fight with my brothers over the succession structure or inheritance, so I never made any political calculations.”
Also, except for Isabella, all of them are only children.
Isabella is also an only child, as her older sister has been completely pushed out of her succession plan.
As a result, these four have never been stressed about taking over or the political battle.
Unlike ordinary nobles, he has a flower garden on his head.
“But you know this much. “If you cannot respond to changes in power in the world of aristocracy, you will not survive.”
That’s how I beat Claire and Lucas’ childlike minds.
In this world, when you are 19 years old, you are six years removed from the social circle and are very sensitive to the power structure between families and political issues, and it is a time to worry about your own position. I grew up without doing it.
Because he still does not have emotional independence from his parents, he is caught up in his own emotions.
“Claire. I am your academy classmate and friend, but I am also the Emperor’s representative and the head of the Fix family. “If it is beneficial to my family, taking Sir Adella could be one of my options.”
“······.”
“So think carefully. “Is it normal for you, who are faced with an unwanted situation, to whine and comfort your hurt feelings like that?”
“······.”
Claire’s expression hardened.
He even took a step back and cowered.
I guess I was quite embarrassed by the sudden change in my mood.
“I, I’m just Lou, Lucas’ friend—”
“Claire.”
“─Uh, huh?”
“It can’t be solved that way. “You can use your family’s power to put pressure on me, or you can create a situation where the marriage between me and Lord Adela is detrimental to me, or if that doesn’t work, you have to negotiate.”
“······.”
“Of course, I can suppress any number you think of. “I’m in a position where I can do anything if I want to.”
Claire’s spirit was completely broken by my next words.
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My breathing became heavy, and my shoulders slumped.
How much power do I have?
It is only when the smoke screen of ‘friends’ is hidden that we can see how much of a position we occupy in this empire.
“···Gaju is that kind of place. They are a tribe that can do anything for the benefit of the family. On the contrary, it tends to be very easy to exclude one’s emotions.”
“······.”
“···There are many times when I have to do all kinds of dirty work. Those who want to bite my neck off. Those who will laugh in front and betray you in the back. Or those who have already betrayed themselves. Rat-like minions who will eat away at my honor and fortune. “It is quite unusual to deal with such people by providing appropriate justification.”
The reason why I was able to become the second in command of the empire.
It is not only my ability, but also because I have consistently eliminated enemies.
On the outside, it only looks gorgeous, but the shadows hanging behind it are filled with the blood of countless political enemies.
“But Claire.”
However, I did not come here as the head of the family.
I just want to help Claire and Lucas.
I approached her and spoke in her soft voice.
“The reason I called you here was because I wanted to help you as a ‘friend.’ “I don’t know what will happen to my relationship with Lord Adela, but I want to at least help Lucas not waver between them.”
···Claire’s eyes changed at my sincere words.
The appearance of being afraid of me has disappeared, and they are showing interest in what I am saying.
Finally, she nodded her head and said.
“···Now that I think about it, I think you’re right. We are still too young… “We only care about our feelings…”
“······.”
“···I’ll give it a try. If it’s for Lucas’ growth, there’s nothing I can’t do. So, what should I do?”
After a long period of persuasion, Claire finally accepted my offer.
I smiled and told Eve the first step.
“First, you can go to the love-only inn with me.”
An inn dedicated to love.
A modern example would be a love hotel.
“······Ha?”
Then Claire’s expression crumpled as if she was looking at a cockroach.
Nevertheless, I smiled and continued shamelessly.
“And Lucas will catch us going in.”
“······.”
“···While holding hands.”
···Claire’s face was colored with astonishment.
Poor Lucas.