Chapter 20 Narumi Honoka ⑦
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
The next morning.
I stepped out of my second-floor room and headed down to the dining hall, only to find Koganei in a sorry state. He was a mess of bruises and swelling, his right eye puffed up like he’d been possessed by a poltergeist, while Narumi Honoka ministered to him with healing magic.
”Morning,” I said. “What happened to you?”
”Mornin’… it’s nothing, man. Ow… dammit…” Koganei raised a hand in a weak greeting.
He was clearly lying. You don’t end up looking like a car crash for “nothing.”
Lil leaned in, her voice a sharp, irritated whisper in my ear. “The fool tried to creep into my bed last night. I made sure to beat him just shy of death.”
I nodded, the pieces clicking into place. ‘I see. But really, what was he thinking?’
”He likely assumed I’d be an easy mark once I was asleep,” Lil added, her disgust palpable.
I was speechless. Apparently, Lil hadn’t been the only one offended; Leki had gotten her licks in too, leaving jagged claw marks across Koganei’s face.
”Seriously, what is wrong with you?” Narumi sighed, her shoulders slumped in exhaustion. “Don’t make me waste my magic on something this pathetic.”
”Shut up and just fix it,” Koganei snapped, though it came out as a pained wheeze.
Narumi let out another long, weary sigh. “Still, Lil-san, don’t you think you went a bit overboard? You didn’t have to wreck him just to need a Heal.”
”I offer no apologies,” Lil replied coldly. “My heart is already pledged to a certain gentleman. I have no intention of surrendering my body to anyone else.”
”Oh… I see,” Narumi stammered. “I mean, I get it, but…”
It was a simple truth: most women want to be held by the one they love. Prostitutes and those in the trade might sell their bodies to strangers, along with a few rare nymphomaniacs, but for someone like Lil, a violation of that loyalty was a death sentence.
”Morning-whoa! Koganei? What happened to you?” Akiyama and Oshiro had just arrived, stopping dead at the sight of the carnage. Even with Narumi’s magic, the wounds weren’t fading.
”Hey, can’t you use some stronger healing magic?” Akiyama asked.
”No,” Narumi shot back. “I’m not wasting high-tier magic on a guy who tries to paw at Lil-san while I’m standing right here.”
”Look, I messed up, okay? Just-ow, ow, ow!” Koganei groaned.
I watched them, knowing full well that completely mending those injuries would drain Narumi’s MP. Besides, she clearly had no intention of a full recovery. It was his own damn fault. Let him sit with the pain; maybe he’d actually reflect on it.
If I were still Natsumi, I wouldn’t have just broken him-I would have killed him. But that wouldn’t be Vengeance. My current mask as Shin was a blessing. For me, and certainly for Koganei.
”Alright, let’s grab some breakfast and hit the guild,” I said. The others nodded in agreement.
Mary still hadn’t shown her face. Losing her younger brother-the only family she had left-had clearly shattered her. Even the inn’s usually iron-fisted owner didn’t have the heart to say anything.
In that regard, I-the real Natsumi-was the outlier. Luck was dead, yet I felt nothing. Then again, Akiyama and the others seemed to have moved on remarkably fast as well.
* * *
We were currently three days’ trek from the town of Rubia, deep in the territory known as the Valley of Flying Dragons. Our target from the guild: a Wyvern subjugation.
But these weren’t ordinary Wyverns. We were hunting Flare and Frost variants.
Wyverns are dragon-kin, smaller and more agile, with wings for arms. At five meters long, they’re pebbles compared to true Dragons, which can reach twenty meters-or even a hundred. They lack complex abilities, and as long as you account for their flight, they aren’t usually a nightmare to deal with. Dangerous, sure-claws and teeth are never a joke-but manageable. I’d taken them down before back when Luck was alive.
But Flare and Frost Wyverns are a different breed. They possess breath attacks. One spits searing fire; the other, a freezing blizzard. It makes them exponentially more lethal. The only mercy is that they can’t fire their breath in rapid succession.
Normally, a request like this would never be handed to an Obsidian-rank like me, let alone a group of Jade-ranks. But the Hero party’s stats were off the charts. After they’d slaughtered a Death Mantis, the guild had made an exception.
As we moved, we stumbled upon an Ogre. Or rather, we had stumbled upon it. Before it could even roar, Akiyama had drawn his blade. Using his ‘Magic Sword’ skill, he’d cleaved the beast in two with a single, fluid strike.
”Incredible,” Lil whispered.
”You think so?” Akiyama asked, though he couldn’t hide his smirk. “It’s mostly just the skill, honestly.”
”Perhaps. But that skill is an extension of your own strength. You should take more pride in it,” Lil replied.
Lil was laying it on thick, and Akiyama, ever the sucker for a beautiful woman’s praise, was practically glowing. I could see Koganei and Oshiro watching from the sidelines, their expressions darkening.
Lil had been doing this all day-showering Akiyama with attention and ignoring the others. It was grating on them. Oshiro was possessively territorial, and Koganei had always nursed a hidden inferiority complex toward Akiyama. That hadn’t changed since the summoning. In fact, while Akiyama had been too busy dealing with Oshiro-who apparently spent her nights in Akiyama’s room chasing shrine maidens away-to enjoy the “perks” of being a Hero, Koganei had been rotating through women like a revolving door.
Thinking of how many women he’d bedded while Narumi watched… I actually felt a twinge of pity for her.
Of course, this was all going according to my plan. I’d told Lil exactly how to act. This “Hero” party was far more fragile than they realized. Their combat coordination was impressive, and while I wasn’t worried about losing to them, it would be a hassle to fight them at full strength. Better to rot them from the inside.
I glanced at Narumi. She had barely participated in the fight, fading into the background like a ghost. Back in class, she’d been the popular one, the center of attention. Now, overshadowed by Lil, she looked lost.
”Sigh…”
She was trailing behind the others, watching Lil fawn over Akiyama. I slowed my pace to match hers, putting on my best “concerned friend” act.
”What’s wrong? You look like you’re miles away,” I said.
”Oh… it’s nothing,” Narumi murmured. “I was just wondering… if there’s even a point to me being here.”
”Why would you say that?” I asked.
”My innate skill… it’s mostly for recovery. But Akiyama and the others are so strong, they never even get a scratch. I feel useless.”
Narumi’s skill, ‘Protection of Raphael,’ was a powerful composite type, much like my own. It granted her mastery over Wind and Holy magic, healing, poison and disease resistance, and even compounding. She was a walking pharmacy. But because her training had been focused almost entirely on healing, her offensive magic was still at Level 1, while her healing and compounding had hit Level 3.
”They just don’t need me,” Narumi said, her eyes downcast.
She wasn’t wrong. Akiyama and his cohort rarely took damage. A healer in a party that doesn’t bleed is just extra baggage. She was starting to realize she had no place in this new world.
”You can’t think like that,” I said. “There’s always the ‘what if.’ You aren’t unnecessary, Narumi.”
”Do you really believe that?” she asked.
”I know it. A time will come when they absolutely need you. Surely.”
Her face brightened, a small, genuine smile breaking through the gloom. “Thanks, Shin. I think I needed to hear that. I feel a lot better.”
”I’m glad,” I said.
I smiled back, a cold, dark joy blooming in my chest. ‘Oh, you’ll be necessary, alright.’ Necessary for my Vengeance. And for Koganei, this would be the ultimate price. Because…
”We should be reaching a good campsite soon,” I announced to the group. “The sun is still high, but let’s get settled early.”
”Great idea,” Narumi said, turning her smile toward me. “Honestly, Shin, having you here is a lifesaver. If it were just us, we’d be great at killing monsters but we wouldn’t have a clue how to actually survive outdoors.”
’Smile while you can, Narumi. Because soon, I’m going to take you for myself. And I’m going to make Koganei watch.’
—
Summary:
Koganei faces the consequences of attempting a ‘yobai’ on Lil, resulting in a severe beating. The party travels to the Valley of Flying Dragons for a Wyvern hunt, during which Akiyama’s power is highlighted through Lil’s orchestrated praise. Shin manipulatively consoles Narumi, building her trust for his ultimate plan of revenge against Koganei.
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Character Insight:
Shin demonstrates extreme calculated manipulation, using Lil to create internal friction within the Hero party. Narumi shows vulnerability and an ‘inferiority complex’ regarding her role, which Shin exploits to position himself as her sole emotional support.
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Behind the Scenes:
The ‘Protection of Raphael’ skill name is a common trope referencing biblical archangels, signaling Narumi’s role as a high-tier support character.
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TL Notes:
Notes:
• Koganei – Height 166 cm, weight 56 kg. A mood-maker in the baseball club. He was only after Honoka’s body and worked with Oshiro to steal her from Akiyama.
• Honoka – A member of the relief team with healing magic. Despite her cute, short, ‘transistor glamour’ appearance, she is cold-hearted and mocks Sasaki.
• Narumi – Narumi Honoka. A member of the relief team with healing magic. Despite her cute, short, ‘transistor glamour’ appearance, she is cold-hearted and mocks Sasaki. Black hair, black eyes.
• Lil – One of the heroines. Height 166 cm, B-W-H: 90-56-90. She is a top-tier beauty with long indigo hair down to her waist, a large scar on her abdomen and sharp golden eyes. She has wolf ears and a tail.
• Leki – Lil’s daughter. Height: 140 cm, B-W-H: 70, 54, 69. She looks more like a Siberian Husky puppy than a wolf. Honestly, she just looks like a stuffed toy.
• Natsumi – The protagonist. Height 168 to 171 cm, weight 57 to 59 kg. He has a baby face, but he hides his eyes with his bangs. He was bullied by the Sugita gang just because his name sounded like a girl’s name.
• Shin – A level 18 greatsword user and Hunter from Rubia. Jade rank.
• Luck – Shin’s partner and a wind magic user. Hunter from Rubia. Deceased.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
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