Evan D. Sherden, Preparing for the Next Scenario (4)

“Hmph.”

It was the first time Belois became sullen in front of Evan. Saying ‘Hmph,’ it sure was by the textbook. ‘Hmph’ stood for, ‘God’s sake!’

“L-Lua?”

“Don’t come close.”

Evan tried to calm her down and talk, but Belois stopped him from doing so. Of course, he could just break the magic barrier she set up by flicking his finger, but that was the last resort. Evan quickly stepped back.

“Why?”

“I won’t be able to stay angry if you hug me, so don’t come close.”

Wasn’t that just another way of saying “hug me”? Or was it not? Well, yes, it seemed like it wasn’t based on Belois’s sullen face. It looked like hugging her would stop the imminent bad ending, but it would lead to an irreversible dead ending. Evan kept his distance just as she requested.

“Isn’t it good if you aren’t angry anymore?”

“I know that I’m an easy girl, but for now, I want to stay angry.”

Women sure were mysterious creatures; Evan realized that and sighed. When he gave up on getting close to her, Belois seemed to be a bit disappointed as she spoke.

“The reason why you said you wouldn’t need my barrier before you went to sleep was that you knew she would visit you, didn’t you?”

“Hmm, yes.”

“And the same goes for why you told me to leave?”

“Yes.”

As expected, he somewhat knew what made her angry just by her questions. It was probably because Evan called in the Succubus Queen. For Evan, he knew the Succubus Queen would visit him anyway, so he only took the right measures so that Belois wouldn’t waste her energy, and yet, there she was, angry. No, perhaps, was it because he didn’t inform her beforehand? But telling her ‘The Succubus Queen will visit me tonight, so let me be alone was also suspicious? Like telling her bluntly that he would have an affair with someone else…hmm, calling in the Succubus Queen was a mistake in the first place. Evan finally came to understand that face. What was wrong was his brain?

“What am I to you, Master?”

At last, he understood why Belois was making a sullen expression. And the fact that it was different from the situation with Arisha and Serena. As he felt sorry for her, he replied to Belois in a serious tone.

“The person I love the most.”

“Hyaa…! I just told you! That I…! want to stay angry…!”

Belois’s face reddened as she was about to explode any moment now, and she stamped her feet. Evan just told her the truth, but he didn’t speak further since her reactions were too cute. Such reactions from Belois were truly rare sights; it was better to admire them quietly while he could.

“…Again, tell me one more time.”

“Lua, you are the person I love the most.”

“One more time.”

“I love you the most.”

“Huhuhu…hya!”

Belois was about to feel completely relieved as she was satisfied, but she slapped her cheeks after realizing the situation she was put in. That was also super cute.

“Hmm, hmmm…you love me the most, yet you hid this from me, didn’t you? If you’ve told me sooner, I wouldn’t have bothered you.”

“Really?”

“…Nope.”

Belois spoke honestly as she looked into Evan’s purple eyes. Her eyes sparkled like a ruby as they shook like she didn’t want to accept the truth.

“I would have bothered you. Rather, I would have done my best to stop it from happening.”

“Yeah, I thought so, too.”

Evan roughly understood how Belois felt towards the Succubus Queen, Maybell. Strangely, even before, she was strict only to Belois. Like she was always putting up an unnecessary alert to her, it was a strange relationship that existed between those two. Actually, their fight came to an end with Belois as the winner since she became Evan’s first woman, but she was still putting up her guard.

“She…no, Eonni was the only opponent I could have fought on equal terms.”

“What equal terms? I’m not following your story…wait a minute. Are you trying to talk about the status?”

“Yes.”

Belois nodded without hesitation.

“Lady Arisha is a daughter of a count that ruled over the dungeon, and Her Majesty Serena is the first daughter of the King. Both of them were different from me, but not Maybell Eonni.”

“But you girls are now nobles. Maybell is a viscount, and you are a knight.”

In this world, knights were considered middle-class nobles. The knights in the dungeon city received superior treatment compared to the knights from regular noble families, and the registered knights in the Dungeon Knighthood could even mock petty nobles.

“I’m talking about where we started, Master. In this world, the first status that’s given to a person means a lot.”

“That’s…”

An undeniable fact. Although Maybell became a viscount and she held significant influences as co-representative of a giant merchant guild, which allowed her to be treated with high respect like a high noble…but everyone would have thought of her differently. The nobles in this country look down on nobles that suddenly acquired their statuses. Although they were once peasants in the past during their ancestors’ time, they act all high as if their lineage held great value. Such lineage meant the most in this country, or rather, in this world. The ruling class made it that way.

‘And since Lady Arisha and Her Majesty Serena knew about it, they were able to become your fiancées while doing whatever they wanted to do. However, Maybell Eonni and I had to cling onto you while trying our best.’

Belois managed not to talk about it, although her words were about to come out from her mouth unbidden. She couldn’t overstep that line even if she were upset. She could have said it to Arisha and Serena, but not in front of Evan. She always wanted to show Evan her lovely side. Even though it felt a little late, it was good so far.

“Anyways…and that is why I didn’t want to lose against Maybell Eonni.”

“You didn’t lose.”

‘And both of you didn’t end up as regular maids.’

Evan said it only to himself. One was a witch, and the other one the Succubus Queen. The period when both of them were on equal terms was just their childhood, at best…!

“I know, it’s just that I’m acting sensitive because the memory from that period strongly remains in me until this moment. So…I just wanted to complain to you.”

Like what average girls do, Evan asked Belois, who was omitting her last words.

“Then, can I now approach you?”

“Yes…hug me.”

Belois stretched out her arms towards him. Evan hugged her tightly and whispered into her ear.

“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you beforehand.”

“Then do what you did to Eonni last night.”

“…Then it’s over with this.”

“Huh?”

Belois couldn’t believe what she just heard and questioned him. Evan gave her the answer through his silence, and that made Belois grumble as she was at a loss for words.

“That stupid Eonni, how could not she use such an opportunity…”

“She has her own reasons. It seems like she can’t until the Demon King is defeated. And it is only then I will get to marry you girls, so I can say it’s a good time…”

“No.”

Belois was annoyed at that point.

“We were supposed to get married after this scene ends. And it ended.”

“No, Lua, that’s…”

She even had the recording about it. Evan realized the situation he was put in and became nervous, but Belois poked his tensed cheek while smiling lightly.

“I know that you are too busy right now. I just wanted to tease you a bit.”

“…It won’t take long.”

Although she wanted to cover her sad emotions with those words, Evan noticed it, so he spoke firmly.

“We were able to have those guys take the spotlight successfully, so what’s left is just the conquest of Merdin. Then defeating the Demon King is right up next, and it can be done quickly. Really, it won’t take long. Everything will end before the winter comes.”

It was May right now. In half a year more, he was certain that he could finish everything. Belois asked with worry.

“Aren’t you overdoing yourself? Master, it was just a joke. I’ll wait for you to accept me. Really.”

“Well, I’m not pushing myself too hard, am I? Go with the flow. Since all conditions are met, I’m just doing what I should.”

“What about the barrier on Merdin? Wasn’t it impossible to break it until Lin and Lan become stronger, or Ms. Aria returns from the Mana Realm?”

“Ah, about that…”

Could Lin and Lan’s sealing magic become strong enough to break the barrier on Merdin based on their performances until the 100th floor of the dungeon? Actually, there was no certainty in it. At first, Evan came up with a plan that he would somehow deal with the barrier. But now, it didn’t matter anymore. Evan could simply break it himself without asking anyone’s help.

“I thought of breaking the barrier with my Heavenly Skills before. But I was worried that I might break everything in Merdin, including its barrier if I do such, so I was simply holding myself back.”

“What an outrageous thing you say. I’m even more scared since I know you are telling the truth.”

“But as I was practicing controlling the Heavenly Skills…umm, and as it evolved to Annihilation, I firmly believe that I can now precisely break what I want.”

For example, Evan was confident that he could obliterate just one leaf from a tree while casting his Annihilation skill. It was a result of practicing solely on controlling the skill.

“So, the barrier will be taken care of. Of course, I won’t break the barrier myself. I’ll have Lin and Lan get the spotlight and help them from behind.”

“And if the barrier on Merdin is lifted like that…”

“We will take care of anything inside and clear its 100th floor. And gathering the holy water from God is a plus.”

If he earned the holy water, then there was just one step before completing the Elixir. And that one missing item was the Hell Ruby which contained the aura of hell. It was only after acquiring such a jewel, which was supposedly located in the Mana Realm, that the Elixir could be made. Traveling to the Mana Realm would be a problem, but it would turn out fine somehow. What mattered now was the Demon King.

“After conquering the Merdin Dungeon, it’s over. The Demon King will be resurrected, and we just need to defeat it.”

“How about the ‘rift’?”

“That’s a long-term project. No way, are you saying you’ll wait until I get to defeat the Devil?”

“Nope.”

Belois quickly replied. She looked terrified while imagining what Evan just said.

“It’s my bad, Master.”

“Yeah, so please wait a bit longer.”

“Yes.”

Evan spoke in all sincerity, his previous slyness gone. Belois mumbled “half a year” several times and smiled.

“I love you.”

“Yeah, me too.”

“Disappointing.”

“Why!?”

Evan was surprised by her words and asked her a question, to which she replied sullenly.

“Clearly, you were saying ‘Ah, I’ve heard this already last night,’ through your expression.”

“…!?”

Did she have the ability to read people’s minds like the Succubus Queen!? Evan shuddered as Belois let out a sigh to herself.

“I’ll have the rest later tonight. It’s time for you to work now.”

“My Lua is getting stricter day by day…”

“It’s because I love you more every day. It’s your fault for spoiling me in the first place, Master.”

“It can’t be helped since I love you too.”

“Hmmmmmm, I’ll give you a point for that.”

She fixed Evan’s collars and kissed his lips lightly before she put distance between herself and Evan.

“Then come home soon. You have a lot to do.”

“Yeah. I’ll be back soon.”

Evan nodded and turned his back as his expression tensed up.

The children of the god race, whom he wasn’t able to meet as their paths crossed. It was time to meet Name’s party.