Ch.145145. Festival Preparations

“Is that enough?”

At a dessert shop in town outside the academy. When I ask Findenai, who’s eating with her hands after complaining that using a fork pisses her off, she answers indifferently.

“It’s not as good as I thought.”

Findenai has many talents.

Combat goes without saying, leadership to guide people, charisma to command revolutionary forces.

Even her beast-like senses were something that could only be obtained through talent.

But personally, I thought her greatest talent might be getting on my nerves.

“Do you know how many cakes you’ve stuffed into your mouth?”

“No idea.”

“Look at the plates beside you.”

Plates stacked high.

As I stare at Findenai accusingly at a sight you’d normally see in a conveyor belt sushi restaurant, she puts the remaining chocolate cake in her mouth and answers.

“Slurp, I think I’m better suited to just grilling and eating meat.”

“Sigh, right. It’s my fault for expecting common sense from a wolf.”

As I sigh and get up, Findenai follows, needlessly smacking her lips.

After paying an amount that couldn’t be considered a single meal, I grab some packaged cake and head outside, where Findenai is snickering for no reason.

Not wanting to get swept up in her mood, I try changing the subject.

“Honestly, I’m surprised. I didn’t think you’d want to eat desserts.”

“Huh? Actually, I didn’t really want to eat them?”

Stop.

My steps halt, and when I look at Findenai, she stares back at me intently.

She demanded dessert when I told her to ask for whatever she wanted to improve her mood after she’d been sulking because I told her to leave me alone in the Great Forest of Marias.

She didn’t actually want to eat it?

Does she know how much money was spent? If Deia knew, she would have thrown whatever was within reach while cursing me as a crazy bastard.

“I was just thinking about the most efficient way to empty the master’s wallet.”

“……”

“Wow, master spent that much on me. I’m touched? Should I do something for you too?”

Findenai pokes my side with her elbow.

Right, she was always this kind of woman.

No, I should just consider her a beast.

“Fine, I have one request.”

“Oh? What is it? Got something pent up? Want me to help you release it?”

“Just shut that mouth of yours.”

When I speak through gritted teeth, Findenai immediately pretends to zip her lips shut.

With that bit of quiet, my mind feels slightly more at ease.

On the way, we stop by Illuania’s hotel to deliver dessert, then head straight back to the laboratory.

“Wow! Thank you!”

“Th-this is from a really expensive place!”

[…It looks delicious.]

After sharing some with Owen and Professor Per, I pick up the remaining package.

“What? Where are you going?”

“I have someone else to give this to. And I told you to keep your mouth shut.”

“Shit, you’re such a fucking stickler.”

“……”

“Ah, yes! I’m sorry! Should I put a gag in my mouth? I heard that’s your thing.”

Ignoring Findenai’s question, I left the laboratory. My destination was Erika’s research lab.

Of course, I wasn’t coming for no reason; I had something to ask her.

After knocking and entering, Erika’s shoulders flinch slightly as she works.

She clears her throat unnecessarily and gives her assistants a look, and they immediately abandon their work and leave.

“Excuse us.”

“Have a good time.”

“Call us when you need us back.”

There was strange consideration in their parting words, but I paid no mind.

“Ahem, what brings you here?”

Erika asks nonchalantly, pretending not to have heard her assistants’ comments.

I place the small box containing cake on her desk.

“I thought you might like this.”

“Ah, for me?”

“…Who else is here besides you?”

Erika seems surprised that I would bring something like this. But soon she smiles softly and accepts it.

“Thank you.”

A sudden moment of silence.

Seeing no need to waste time, I get straight to the point.

“I heard you’ve fallen out with the Bright family.”

“…Um, yes.”

Did I strike too directly? Erika awkwardly scratches her cheek and nods.

“When I said I wouldn’t marry Gideon, they kicked me out right away. But it’s fine, I’m old enough to be independent, right?”

Erika shrugs and answers as if it’s nothing. Indeed, she now lives more confidently and proactively than before.

The Erika Bright I knew.

With shoulders straight and eyes full of confidence, she was truly beautiful.

“I see, but with the Zeronia family’s collapse, your family’s position must have changed.”

“……”

The financial damage from the memorial and donations for the Septima residents’ massacre was severe, and now with the Marias tribe attacking under Septima’s name, they were even on the front lines.

From what I heard, before I arrived, the Zeronia family’s private soldiers were nearly annihilated, and Gideon Zeronia was hospitalized with injuries.

“That’s true. And the family is trying to get me back. They sent a letter just a few days ago.”

Erika opens a drawer and takes out a letter stamped with the Bright family crest.

“But they don’t truly need me.”

She was always meant to be used for political purposes. They weren’t thanking her for preventing the irreversible mistake of marrying into the Zeronia family.

“They need you because we’re engaged. To be precise, they need you.”

My position as a spiritmaster has become even more solid through this war. In short, the Bright family wants to hold onto the spiritmaster connection.

“Right.”

Having expected this, I answered calmly.

“Set a time, I’ll go with you.”

“…Huh?”

Erika asks with an expression that shows she doesn’t understand my meaning. I explain once more for her benefit.

“Let’s go to the Bright family together. I need them too.”

“Ah, wait. Huh? Really?”

“If I just show up, they’ll be suspicious. Let’s frame it as a formal meeting. I’ll call Darius separately.”

Her cold expression crumbles, and her hands fidget with bewilderment.

“Th-then what about the engagement cancellation?”

She asks cautiously.

“I’m sorry, but I need you to hold off for a while. But you can give it anytime after we return.”

“…Ah.”

Erika’s expression grows cold. Pretending not to read the bitterness on her face, I spoke calmly.

“I’m asking you.”

“Alright, I understand. I hate going to my family home, but I’d like to see those people grovel before you.”

With that, I gave a simple greeting and left the research lab. I felt sorry for Erika’s dejected appearance, but…

‘I don’t want to bind her to me in this life too.’

I heard from Aria that in the first cycle, I married Erika.

Not because I loved her, but simply because I needed her. She nursed me when I was sick and even married me.

This time, I could do something for her.

Of course, I wasn’t acting solely for Erika’s sake.

‘Dante’s movements are concerning.’

They’re causing incidents earlier than expected. In the original game timeline, the name Dante wouldn’t even have appeared at this point.

Because of my existence, they’re actively moving, so I planned to prepare accordingly.

‘What a headache.’

There was only one reason why Dante gave me a headache.

Because their ultimate plan was truly the path to saving the continent.

In fact, when the first cycle’s Aria killed Dante’s leader, she couldn’t prevent the collapse of the boundary between life and death on the continent.

‘I need a method to replace their plan.’

Until I found it, I had no choice but to leave those unpredictable Dante members alone.

Thinking this, I returned to the lab to find it much noisier than when I left.

Findenai and Professor Per were holding what looked like an announcement paper and discussing something enthusiastically, while Owen was squeezed between them, asserting his own opinion.

A somewhat unexpected scene.

As I arrived, the three people’s gazes immediately fixed on me, and they rushed over.

“Mmmphmmmph!”

“……”

“Mmmmphmmph!”

The first to rush over was Findenai, who had actually found a gag somewhere and was trying to explain something to me while drooling with it in her mouth.

“Haa, take it off.”

“Puha! Master! Look at this! The academy is having a festival?”

“D-Deus Professor. Each lab can set up a stall or display their achievements!”

“Spiritmaster! How about a concert?”

The three of them fire off whatever they want to say. I reach out and snatch the announcement from Findenai’s hand to check it.

A paper clearly labeled ‘Robern Summer Festival.’ The end of summer.

Come to think of it, there was a festival period in the game too, and I remember being able to get various events, stats, or items during that time.

“Hmm.”

The announcement stated that each professor’s laboratory should submit work related to their achievements or set up a stall. Since I no longer planned to raise Aria as a hero, it wasn’t a particularly interesting event for me, but everyone else seemed to feel differently.

“How about a dueling arena? Everyone goes in together and fights it out!”

Findenai making nonsensical suggestions.

“Th-this is a chance to show my research! I just made an amazing prosthetic arm! When you stab with it, swoosh swoosh! It even bleeds!”

Professor Per Petra trying to turn the student festival into a gore scene.

“How about… a concert?”

Even Owen secretly yearning for the stage.

Listening to them, I sighed and answered.

“Do whatever you want.”

I didn’t have the luxury to worry about such things.