Chapter 296: Intentional and Unintentional

“You’re saying you want to... borrow money?”

In the single carriage, Muen looked at the girl who had come alone late at night, his face a bit strange.

“Now?”

“Mm.”

Liya kept her head lowered, her little head seeming about to sink into her chest. Her voice was as thin as a mosquito’s; if it weren’t so quiet around them, Muen would hardly have heard her.

“Why?”

Muen asked in puzzlement.

Back at the restaurant earlier, he had offered to borrow money from Liya, but because of her pride and the bottom line she held to, he was flatly refused.

Yet now she had actually come of her own accord to borrow money?

That can’t be right. The salary he’d given this private musician wasn’t low—she spent it all this fast?

What happened?

Liya didn’t seem like the type to spend recklessly.

“B-because...”

Liya recounted the cause of the situation from beginning to end.

After hearing her out, Muen slumped back on the sofa, showing a look both unexpected and perfectly reasonable.

“So it was... still because of Ariel.”

“But I didn’t expect her to go full gambling addict—betting and losing more than half the money?”

“No wonder that scene felt so déjà vu earlier.”

This kind of thing had happened before, hadn’t it.

Ariel still hasn’t learned her lesson?

No—that’s not it. If he stood in her shoes and thought about it with the mindset of a non-gambler hiring odds, he’d also stake money on himself losing.

His growth was indeed incomprehensible in other people’s eyes. After all, no one casually has a nice, harmonious chat with Evil Gods. Before he crushed those third-years, even Muen hadn’t expected it would be so easy now to beat those greenhouse flowers.

Even now, there were probably many who thought his former wastrel persona was something he’d deliberately put on.

“But... it still shouldn’t have come to the point where you’d take the initiative to borrow money.”

Muen sounded rather helpless.

The girl before him kept her head bowed, fingers gripping the hem of her skirt tightly. From her movements alone, he could tell what kind of resolve she had reached.

This wasn’t only about her pride—it was about her effort to obtain results not by asking others for help but by her own labor.

Yet now she herself had overturned her own effort and denied her own actions.

“Because...”

Liya answered softly:

“Ariel secretly ran out to hunt demonic beasts.”

“Huh?”

Muen was shocked. He lifted the curtain and glanced at the pitch-black wilderness.

“Right now?”

“Mm.”

Liya nodded. “She’s probably trying to obtain more materials before we reach Ailierze, then sell them there to make money.”

“...Way out of line.”

Muen covered his face and griped:

“Pink Bear chose relatively safe roads. Add in the dragon-blood horses’ deterrent aura, and there simply aren’t any particularly powerful—or valuable—demonic beasts. Even if she goes out to kill beasts now, how much can she earn in two nights?

It probably won’t even match my money for two meals.”

“...”

“But that still doesn’t seem right.

If it were someone else, maybe I’d be sure. But it’s that Ariel.”

Muen suddenly grew serious. He laced his fingers and propped his chin, fixing his eyes on the girl:

“Liya, you’re the one closest to her—you should know best. Ariel is someone who can keep creating miracles. So earning enough in two days might be nearly impossible for others, but for her, I can be very certain she can do it.”

After all, she was that fated protagonist Ariel. Even if she ran into some rare beast on this outing and struck it rich overnight, Muen wouldn’t be surprised.

“Besides, this is, in the end, Ariel reaping what she sowed. So why would you...”

“...”

Liya stared into the void, and the image of Ariel disappearing into the darkness seemed to appear again before her eyes.

At that time, she had wanted to call her back.

It was so late.

So dark.

So dangerous.

There were countless reasons that could have stopped Ariel, yet in the end she didn’t speak.

Because...

“All I can do... is this,” Liya answered in a low voice.

She could have spoken, but she herself couldn’t produce that money.

She could have asked to go along, but Ariel would surely refuse on the grounds that she wasn’t good at fighting.

She could have said that Ariel didn’t need to push herself—that she, Liya, could become Saintess through her own effort.

But she knew that was impossible.

Without Ariel, she simply could not become Saintess.

From beginning to end, she was only a parasite clinging to Ariel.

Without Ariel, she could do nothing at all.

So vile and despicable—just like that.

“Is that so?”

Muen watched Liya.

Though he still couldn’t see her face clearly, he seemed to perceive the emotions the girl gave off.

Emotions that... shouldn’t appear in a future Saintess.

“I roughly understand what you mean.”

“Then...”

Liya finally lifted her head. Her tear-brimming eyes held unease; her cute, pretty face was a little tense.

That timid look almost landed a macho elbow straight into Muen’s heart.

After all, no one can refuse something adorable.

But...

Muen let his hands fall, tapped the tabletop lightly, and said firmly:

“I won’t lend you money.”

“Tha—eh? Wh-what?”

Liya had just been about to jump up in delight when she suddenly registered Muen’s answer. The joy on her face froze at once; clearly she hadn’t expected him to refuse.

“Wh-why?”

“Isn’t it obvious? I’m the vile son of a great noble.”

Muen stroked his chin, studied Liya’s cute little face, and suddenly grinned roguishly:

“So the chance for a free loan only comes once with me. You turned it down before—now it’s gone.”

“Th-then... y-you mean...”

Liya’s eyes widened as she stared intently at Muen. Looking at that mischievous smile of his, for some reason she suddenly thought of that incident more than a month ago.

Remembering that blush-and-heart-pounding scene, Liya’s cheeks went crimson in a flash, and there even seemed to be faint wisps of steam rising from her forehead.

C-could it be...

“N-no... it’s impossible!”

Liya covered her little face, twisting vehemently:

“That kind of thing won’t do!

Even if there are only the two of us in the carriage, even if I couldn’t run even if I wanted to right now, even if the carriage is soundproof and screaming myself hoarse would do no good...

That kind of thing still won’t do!”

“...You seem to be imagining some strange plot?”

Watching Liya suddenly “struggle,” Muen deadpanned:

“If I really had any crooked thoughts about you, I would’ve acted a month ago—how could I have waited till now?”

Muen snapped his fingers, and the box Liya was very familiar with—the one Ariel had sent before—appeared on the table.

He opened it, revealing the cash remaining after deducting Liya’s salary over this period—about half of it left—and pushed it in front of Liya.

“Here. For you.”

Through the cracks of her fingers, Liya looked in puzzlement at the bills before her. A faintly silly-sweet expression appeared on her little face:

“Wh-why... Didn’t you say you wouldn’t lend it?”

“Of course it’s not a loan.”

Muen crossed his legs and smiled:

“It’s an investment.”

“Huh? Investment?”

Liya was dumbfounded; her little brain felt a bit slow to respond.

“What do you mean?”

“It’s simple. The Liya Angel sitting in front of me is just a very ordinary little girl right now, right?”

“Mm.” Liya gave a small nod.

“But being ordinary now doesn’t mean you’ll be ordinary later.”

Muen said, “Put simply, I’ve taken a liking to your future. I think you’ll become a remarkable, formidable person, so I’m helping you now. In return, in the future, you’ll help me.”

“The future?”

Liya jolted.

Could it be...

Muen Campbell knows I’m a Saintess candidate?

But that can’t be. Her candidate status was extremely confidential. Aside from the Church and Ariel, no one should know.

And... judging from how he’d treated her before, he didn’t seem like someone who knew she was a candidate.

Who hires a Saintess candidate to play music for him!

Liya cautiously studied Muen’s expression, trying to read something from his face, but no matter how she looked, it was only a clean, handsome smile.

“So? While it feels totally unreasonable to exchange five hundred thousand for the help of a future heavyweight, you’re really short on money right now, aren’t you?”

Muen’s lips quirked; he grinned wickedly:

“Hurry up and accept it. I can’t wait to take advantage here.”

“...”

Liya didn’t nod right away. She simply stared at Muen with a complicated expression. After a long moment, she bit her lip and asked softly:

“W-why?”

“Hm?”

“Why do you think I’ll become a formidable person?”

“Isn’t it obvious?”

Muen answered as if it were a matter of course:

“Because you’re that outstanding.”

“N-not at all.”

Liya suddenly raised her voice, but then realized the rudeness of it, bowed her head, and murmured:

“I-I’m not outstanding at all.”

“...”

Muen narrowed his eyes. That feeling—something a future Saintess absolutely shouldn’t have—surfaced in Liya again.

This is... inferiority?

“That does make me curious—why does Liya think she isn’t outstanding?” Muen asked.

“Because... look, I can’t compare to Ariel in anything. And if I’m apart from her, I can’t do anything. How could someone like me be outstanding?” Liya answered softly:

“Ariel is an exception. You shouldn’t be comparing yourself to her. Whoever compares themselves to a cheat like that will have their confidence crushed.”

“But...”

“No buts.”

Muen sighed and said:

“Liya, have you noticed something?”

“Wh-what?”

“Why were you chosen for this roster?”

“Huh?”

“Think about what kind of people were selected this time. Not to mention the second- and third-year top seats—Ariel and Senior Fanny—I made the rounds earlier, and whether it’s Senior Vicky, Senior Aaron, or Senior Marshall, their strength is top-tier for their phase. Even including me... From the fact that Professor Prang set rules allowing challenges but in the end the roster didn’t change at all, it’s clear that comprehensive strength had to be a very important criterion.”

“H-how does that prove anything?”

“So dense, Liya—you still haven’t put it together?”

Looking at the dazed, adorable girl, Muen sighed helplessly again:

“Then let me ask you, Liya... are you strong?”

“I...”

Liya started to answer, then suddenly froze.

The words clogged in her throat and wouldn’t come out.

Is she strong?

Of course she’s not.

From beginning to end, she wasn’t very good at fighting. Otherwise, when Professor Prang set that rule, she wouldn’t have hidden her face.

So... that means...

“See? Even without the biggest plus—comprehensive combat strength—you were still chosen for the roster. Doesn’t that show that in other respects you possess an excellence none of us can compare with?”

Muen smiled:

“Be a little more confident, Liya Angel. I’m not the only one who’s noticed what’s outstanding about you.”

“And the help and friendship you’ll give in the future will certainly be worth far more than a mere five hundred thousand.”

“...”

Liya stared blankly at Muen, a little dazed. For some reason, she suddenly felt that Muen’s smile was dazzling.

She... outstanding?

Panic rose inexplicably in her heart. She abruptly lowered her head and fell silent.

...

...

“Um... your answer?”

Seeing the girl bow her head again and say nothing, as if his words had startled her, Muen suddenly felt a bit anxious.

Could it be he’d gone too far?

Or was it that the money was too little?

After all, trying to trade a mere five hundred thousand for the help of a future Saintess was indeed a bit much.

“How about I add another five hundred thousand?”

“...N-no need.”

Liya suddenly reached out and set her hand on the box. She shook her head firmly, but still didn’t lift her head to look at Muen:

“This money is enough. I accept your investment, b-but...”

“But?”

“The words ‘help me’ are too broad. C-can it be more specific?” Liya asked haltingly.

“Fair...”

So I really was too greedy?

Profiting off a crisis does invite dislike.

Muen stroked his chin and said:

“How about this. My five hundred thousand stays the same, but the condition becomes one promise from you.”

“A promise?”

“That’s right. After taking this five hundred thousand, you must do one thing for me in the future if I need it.”

“One thing...”

“Of course, it won’t be anything excessive.”

Seeing Liya hesitate, Muen quickly added:

“It’ll be something you can absolutely do, that won’t violate your identity and position, and won’t violate moral standards. If it exceeds those three points, you can refuse.”

“How about it? Is that okay?”

Muen extended his hand and waited quietly.

“...”

Another long silence. Just when Muen thought the girl would refuse his terms, Liya suddenly snapped her head up to glance at him, then buried it into her chest again.

She moved so fast {N•o•v•e•l•i•g•h•t} that Muen didn’t even catch her expression.

Only then did she finally lift her slender, fair little hand, place it in Muen’s palm, and give a gentle squeeze.

“Th-then let it be sworn in the name of the Goddess.”

“...Mm.”

Muen squeezed that little hand in turn and smiled:

“Sworn in the name of the Goddess.”

...

After Liya left.

Muen looked at the empty table before him. The flawless smile on his face suddenly receded and then... revealed the vicious look of a scheme achieved.

“Heh—get-out-of-jail-free card acquired. Nice!”

When Ariel suddenly challenged him during the day, he’d been a little flustered—because it was Ariel, after all. Even though he had quite a few cheats now, he still didn’t have the confidence to tangle with the original novel’s fated protagonist.

But now it was different.

With this layer of relationship with Liya, and with the promise just now, as long as she stepped in, no matter what, Ariel couldn’t really go for the kill on him.

After all, he wasn’t planning to pry her girl away now, and he had no do-or-die conflict with Ariel.

Even if fate is a pain in the ass, it can’t conjure something out of nothing, right?

To so easily dissolve the malice of fate into nothing...

“Which means...”

Muen crossed one leg over the other and, recalling his recent flawless performance, couldn’t help thinking smugly:

“Maybe I’m the legendary genius?”

...

Liya stepped out of the carriage.

Feeling the midnight chill blowing past, she suddenly squatted down and buried her head between her thighs.

Only now did the blush that had been gathering on her pretty face—which Muen hadn’t noticed—slowly spread, like ink dripping into water.

It tinged her neck a little red as well.

In the stillness of the hour, Liya hugged her knees lightly.

Muen’s words still echoed in her mind.

She had never heard such words before.

Because in everyone’s eyes, she was only the little tagalong at Ariel’s side, good-for-nothing...

But why could Muen Campbell... always find such a tricky angle?

Liya thought again of the moment the roster was announced.

When she herself—and even Ariel—had little hope for the results, only he still wore that dazzling smile and told her:

Don’t worry. You’ve worked hard. You can do it.

...

Why?

Muen Campbell, why do you always believe in me so much?

And you’re so good to me—always thinking up ways to help me?

Could it be...

“No, no!”

“He has a girlfriend, and a fiancée!”

“And he himself said it wasn’t like that.”

Liya rejected the dangerous thoughts in her mind and lowered her head, plucking at the innocent grass with her little hands.

“But why did he make me swear such a strange promise just now? To do one thing for him—what will that be?”

“Could it be... that kind of thing!”

“Ah, Liya Angel, you’re a future Saintess—how can you think such shameless thoughts?”

The more Liya thought, the hotter her face felt. In the end, she decided to think about nothing, tilted her head, and gazed at the distant starlight.

That starlight somehow really looked like that guy’s smile.

Liya stroked her chest and murmured unconsciously:

“I just feel... my heart’s a mess.”

...

...

“Look, Master!”

In the dense, pitch-black woods, Ariel’s face was splattered with demonic beast blood. Excited, she held up a crystalline core to the starlight.

“I actually dug out a core this pure from that low-tier demonic beast. What luck!”

“It is lucky. A core of this purity is worth at least fifty thousand Aemils.”

“That’s wonderful.”

Ariel carefully put the core away, glanced at the dawn about to rise on the horizon, hummed a little tune, and set off lightly on the return path.

“Wait for me, Liya. This time I’m definitely going to give you a surprise.”