Ch.115Testing NPC. (3)
by fnovelpia
Gor, Rey for 3 years. Ragni for 2 years. That’s how long we’ve been together.
If I said I didn’t trust them, it would mean either I’m a sociopath with poor empathy or I just want to let them go.
Of course, I have no such intentions, and saying I don’t trust them is absolute nonsense.
Otherwise, why would I have entrusted Ira to them and gone elsewhere?
Moreover, all three of them are smarter than me and have better situational judgment.
Today’s events prove it, and even beyond today, I’ve always received a lot of help from them in terms of intelligence.
Yet I told these women I would test them. And there was no reason they wouldn’t understand what I meant.
[-Occupation: Assigned Swordsman- Level: 204 Name: Rey Sol. Age: 20.]
[Slah Mime Golem: Level 403]
[-Occupation: Raid Boss (Ottoman Empire Slave)- Level: 450 Name: Ragni Bluemoon. Age: 19.]
“So, you want to fight us?”
“More like a sparring match. If you three neutralize me, you win. If I neutralize you, you lose. Simple, right?”
“You want to test our strength to see if we’re sufficient to take care of Ira. Is that what you’re saying?”
“Yeah.”
The world will soon be shaken by a full-scale demonic invasion, the levels of monsters we’ve faced so far will rise dramatically, and there will even be Pokémon-like demons that you might encounter just walking down the street.
In other words, the world won’t remain as ‘safe’ and ‘simple’ as it has been until now.
“And if you lose, you’ll have to stay at this academy under the Dean’s protection.”
“What?!”
“What?! Why suddenly…!!”
Everyone’s eyes widen at my words. Even Gor, though silent, looks genuinely surprised.
Well, it’s probably not a great condition for those who’ve fought with the Dean.
“Ha! Since it’s about Ira, you really don’t trust us, do you?”
“Jack, even though I enjoy being disparaged by you, being dismissed like this hurts my feelings.”
[…Even if the Dean has changed his mind, it’s still an awkward relationship to be around constantly.]
All three women voice their complaints, but I decided to say what I needed to say.
“You all saw what happened at [Aigram], so you know. And no one can guarantee such things won’t happen again. Besides, as you know, Ira is more precious to me than my own life.”
At my words, Rey’s face darkens, remembering how she almost died at Aigram, and both Gor and Ragni close their mouths, seeming to understand what I mean.
But all three women still maintain their dissatisfied gazes.
Yes, you’ve all changed dramatically since Aigram.
Rey has learned additional skills, Ragni has fully awakened as a boss. And Gor has become a cheat-level monster that didn’t even exist in the game.
“And something has changed in me recently.”
“…?”
“My life originally consisted of just Ira and myself. But being human, that changed too. Rey, Ragni, Gor. You’ve become precious to me, second only to Ira.”
Still, that doesn’t mean you’re unconditionally safe. Did my meaning get across? I’m not sure.
But it’s all sincere. I no longer intend to lie or push everything away.
Even Gor, who was once just a status window, has now become someone I can’t do without.
As for Ragni and Rey, I’m even envisioning a future where we live together in a peaceful heaven someday.
And of course, that includes the sight of Ira in my arms.
“P-precious… second only to Ira…!! I’m squealing…!!”
“…My lower abdomen is tingling. This is bad.”
[Master. Please stop with the surprises. You know monsters can impregnate and be impregnated by any living being, right?]
Their reactions are very different from what I expected.
No, it’s completely insane. Truly, if they weren’t perverts, my self-control wouldn’t have lasted this long.
Damn, how did I end up falling for these girls? Sigh.
“Anyway, that’s it. If you fail the test, you’ll have to come to the academy with Ira and stay protected until I return.”
“Yes! I understand! Now that I know Jack ‘values me,’ I’ll definitely show you that I’m not just someone who needs your protection!!!”
[I’ve always considered Ira’s safety my responsibility. I’ve known from the beginning that she’s more precious than Master’s life. So I’ll prove it. That I’m not just a perverted golem with good abilities.]
“…Jack, I have one question.”
As Rey draws her sword and Gor clenches her fist, both boldly declaring their intentions toward me, Ragni, who had been sitting with her legs crossed, raises her hand and suddenly asks a question.
Huh? What is it?
“If failing the test comes with a penalty, does passing it come with an appropriate reward?”
“Ah! Is that true?!”
[…As expected, Ragni, your intelligence is truly reliable.]
“…Hmm, I hadn’t really thought about it. Is there something you want?”
“Sex…!!”
“If you’re going to talk nonsense, just forget it.”
How can such words come out of a woman’s mouth without any hesitation?
I stopped her before she could finish, but Miho, watching from below, turned red, and the Dean’s expression suggests he’s wondering what these crazy people are talking about.
Damn, I can hear the Dean’s likability dropping from here.
“Grr. You get me all heated up like this with just words, but how long do you expect me to wait?! I’m already 19, you know?! At this rate, I’ll wither away!!”
“I’ve never gotten you heated up. And Ragni hasn’t withered away. Stop talking nonsense, and if you don’t have anything you want, let’s start…”
[A wish token, excluding sexual things. How about that?]
“Yes! I’ll take that for now!”
“Me too! I’m fine with that too!!”
As I was forcibly trying to start, Gor threw out what she thought was a brilliant idea—a wish token. Damn. I really hate how smart they are at times like this.
“Fine. But if you lose, you’ll live at the academy without complaint.”
“Great!! Got your word!!”
[We’ll definitely win.]
Ragni immediately draws her twin guns, and Gor and Rey step forward, ready to pounce at any moment. I raise my fists in response.
I was planning to go easy, but with a wish token at stake, my fists keep tensing up.
“Then, come at me!!”
As I shout, Ragni’s guns immediately spew magic bullets.
*
Magic bullet gun. It was a weapon in the game, and also Ragni’s main weapon as a boss.
-Tatatataang!!
“You’re too straightforward.”
After dodging all of Ragni’s magic bullets by just twisting my body in place, I extend my fist toward Gor, who’s charging straight at me.
[Mimicry.]
-Boom!!!
[Ugh?!]
“What’s with telling me in advance? Did you think you could overwhelm me in a 1:1 with [Mimicry]?”
Gor’s fist doesn’t reach me, but mine lands perfectly on her chest.
Three years ago, the [Mime Golem] that was like a mannequin evolved into Gor, changing both in reach and size.
Yes. She became shorter, smaller, and prettier. Meanwhile, I grew taller and my reach increased.
If you use exactly the same attack as me, I’ll always reach you first.
“Hup!!”
-Swish! Clang!!
“Ugh?!”
“Rey, it’s good that your attack is fast. It’s also good that you understand your skills and came from Gor’s front. But you’re focusing too much on hitting that your sword strike itself is too light.”
[Steel Swordsman] which grants additional stats, and [Swift Sword] which increases normal attack speed—Rey’s sword is certainly sharp as she charges with a perfect understanding of her skills, but that’s all.
It’s so light that when I struck the flat of the blade without even thinking, she was pushed back like that.
[Gigantification.]
-Whoosh!! Thud!!!
As Rey is pushed back, Gor immediately regains her posture, grows to about 3M, and throws a punch, but this too has too many openings. Besides.
“Gor, it’s an order. Don’t announce the skills you’re going to use while worrying about me. Even at full power, you can’t beat me.”
-Boom!!!
[Ugh?!!]
Even by normal standards, that size and fist speed were by no means slow, but the opponent is me.
I’ve never once thought I was great, but I’ve also never thought my body was inadequate.
Even if my brain isn’t smart, my body has compensated and helped me survive most challenges, right?
And when faced with an opponent stronger and faster than me, such large and average-speed attacks only create openings.
Gor, who took a hit to the chest through the opening in her attack, falls backward, and Ragni, who was waiting behind, fires magic bullets at me as I’m in mid-air.
The timing and aim are perfect. Truly, if there were a Republic of Korea Army in this world, Ragni’s shooting method could be used as a manual. But because of that.
-Bang bang bang! Papapak!!
“I told you earlier. You’re too straightforward.”
As bullets aimed at my head and chest fly toward me, I catch them all with my hands, causing Ragni’s eyes to widen like saucers.
It’s not the speed of real rifles like the K-2 or M16 from my previous life, but a speed that anyone could see if they tried, not just me.
Honestly, the bullets are slower than arrows, so anyone who knows about ‘guns’ could perform such a feat.
In the future ahead. When demons invade and many people die and become stronger in this world. This will become the norm.
-Thud.
“Um, Jack?”
“Yeah?”
As I land on the ground, Ragni lets out a hollow laugh and puts her gun back at her waist.
“It’s something I hate saying the most, and something you never say to me, but can I just say it to you once?”
“What? I don’t even know what you’re talking about.”
“I think I know what Ragni wants to say.”
Rey, who was pushed far away when I struck the flat of her blade, nods as she stands beside Ragni.
What are you talking about? If you have something to say, say it properly. Just don’t make weird sexual jokes.
“Haha. You monster. This is really absurd. Catching fast bullets with bare hands?”
“You’re unreasonably strong. Striking away a flying sword with your bare hands—do you really not want to give us wish tokens that badly?”
[…I really couldn’t imagine a 3M-sized being falling with one hit. And to think ‘Mimicry’ was broken in a single moment. Master, how much stronger do you intend to get?]
As Gor, rubbing her chest, stands in front of the two women again, all three look at me as if they’re truly dumbfounded, and I just smile awkwardly.
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