Ch.303Following NPC. (6)

The Emperor of the Empire has become a puppet, and the Prime Minister is going insane. And there’s a possibility that the Prime Minister is merely a pawn of the Church, which might be completely in league with demons.

Hmm. The content of the game and the Empire’s situation have changed, but the story remains the same—the Empire is on the path to destruction and the Church is garbage. So…

“Jack! I…!!”

“Absolutely not.”

“The people believe in me!! So…!!”

“Still no.”

“Ugh…”

Ragni moves to stop the Empire. I understand the meaning and content of that. But the Chancellor also wanted to prevent her subsequent actions, and he explained the reasons right where I was.

Whether she, as a member of the imperial family, stops the current Empire or not, or can’t stop it, questions of responsibility will arise. The Emperor, the head of the imperial family, has gone mad, and the imperial princess of the same bloodline couldn’t stop him. On top of that, they’ve started a war encompassing more than half the continent, and the scheme behind that war involves demons, especially the summoning and power replenishment of the Seven Deadly Sins. The latter part was content from the game and isn’t currently known information, but it’s a story that will be revealed in the future. When that happens, can the imperial family of the Empire possibly remain safe?

‘Absolutely not.’

Just for beating up a village chief and some villagers in a rural backwater, and for disobeying a baron’s orders, I lived as a fugitive for almost a year. Then, even though she didn’t do it directly, what about the incident where the Empire she belongs to and should lead has embroiled the entire continent? In my opinion, no one will forgive her. It seems she’s become popular within the Empire now, but that’s only “now.” Once national-level powers start speaking up, public opinion will flip faster than the palm of a hand.

“Ragni, I think what you’re saying is right.”

“…Yes.”

“But, more than what’s right, more than the Empire, my companions and you are more precious to me.”

“Ugh♡”

Normally, I think this would be the end of the conversation. If it were the Ragni who was desperate to win my heart, she would back down if I told her I cherish her and want to keep her out of harm’s way. But…

“…Jack, I’m truly happy that you cherish me so much. It makes me want to go to bed with you right now. But…”

“If necessary, I’ll really do that.”

“Huh?!”

Until now, I’ve been holding back quite a bit, but I no longer intend to hesitate or hide my feelings for you all. If Ragni starts arguing with me here to try to persuade me, my chances of winning against her are literally zero. I absolutely can’t win. So, I’ll just change my approach.

“W-wait a minute!! R-really?! If I oppose…!!”

“If you were to bear my child, even you wouldn’t be able to move freely. When that time comes, I’ll sincerely take responsibility and protect you, even if I have to confine you.”

“Wha?!♡”

There’s no backing down. If making her my woman so she can’t escape is the best move, then I’ll consider even that means. Hearing my words, Ragni’s face turns as red as her eyes as if she has a fever, and even Dolph, who didn’t leave when the Chancellor did, covers his mouth and stammers. Hmm, but shouldn’t you leave?

“…As Her Highness’s guard.”

“No, that’s unnecessary. I’m stronger.”

“Just as a stain on the wall.”

“You want me to make you a stain?”

“Because I’m concerned about Her Highness’s future, if necessary…”

This guy? Looking incredulously at Dolph, who doesn’t back down and crouches at the edge of the wall as if trying to become an actual stain, Ragni gently takes my hand.

“I-I’m… r-really happy. I don’t know what happened to you, but somehow. Yes. You already had a wild charm, but you’ve become much more manly now♡”

“Yes, that’s right. So…”

“But, even though I’m overjoyed, I still can’t.”

“……”

Indeed, if it were the old Ragni, she would have shouted “To bed right now!!” and pounced on me yelling “Yasu! Yasu!” But the current Ragni is different. I can tell just from listening to her earlier. Right now, she’s genuinely concerned about the Empire and its people.

“Jack, I felt like a member of the imperial family for the first time here. I’m not particularly saying I want to return to being royalty, but still. I felt my heart race when I saw their desire to believe in me and follow me.”

“You know that…”

“Yes. I know they’re reacting like that because they don’t know anything yet. I already understand that they’ve developed resentment toward the imperial family and nobles who only start strange wars and oppress them, so they’re just placing their hopes in me, someone of high status who suddenly appeared, and in the ‘monster’ who suddenly displayed great power.”

“Then…!!”

“Even so.”

Ragni, who keeps cutting off my words and continuing with what she wants to say, seems to have noticed the change in my thinking speed and continues with a smile.

“This is a reality I didn’t know until now. The reason I acted here was only to incite the revolutionaries to improve my skill performance and to use the people. I didn’t have any thoughts about taking care of their lives or listening to the voices of the people. Of course, I knew it intellectually and knew what happened to old royal families and imperial houses that didn’t listen to the voices of the people, so I studied to understand their lives in my own way. But I didn’t know. I only knew it intellectually; I didn’t really think of them as individual human beings. Moreover, until now, I didn’t think of them as people I should protect.”

Saying this, Ragni chuckles, “Saying it like this makes me sound like a terrible royal,” and I just narrow my eyebrows. No, that should be fine. These are people who never cared about you in the first place. They’re just looking for a well now that their necks are on the line. Just because you’ve built up your strength, just because you’ve become stronger, there’s no reason you should take responsibility for them now.

“…You’ve been consistent from the beginning, Jack. You’re quite merciless to anyone who isn’t your own.”

“And you are my own. That’s why I don’t want you to be in danger.”

“Hmm. That’s true love.”

“”……””

When I glare at Dolph, who’s crouched in the corner and interrupted our serious conversation, he just buries his head in the floor as if he didn’t say anything. Seriously, can’t you just leave?

“Jack, still. I want to believe what I saw. I don’t want to turn away from the reality where the people took my side and believed in me.”

“…Haa.”

This small, plump mouth isn’t just delicious to kiss; her eloquence is too strong. I was thinking of just covering her lips and taking her away if she kept talking and resisting.

“Jack, please? I want to try just a little bit more. What I had planned has already fallen apart, but there’s still something I can do. I have a proper next plan too. I don’t want to leave everything to the Chancellor and abandon the Empire like this.”

“…You must know, right? Not only are you precious to me, but so are Rei, Gor, and Ira. If I let you do what you’re planning, it definitely won’t be good for us.”

“No, that’s…”

I stop her lips with my finger as she tries to say that she’ll stay behind while I take Ira and the others back. Sorry, but that option disappeared the moment I came here first.

“Mmph… You’d choose Ira over me if you had to put us on a scale anyway.”

“That’s obvious.”

“Pfft! It’s obvious?”

“True love for a little sister is a bit…”

“Hey, fuck, can’t you just leave?!”

When I yell at the guy who interrupted again and grab the empty teacup the Chancellor drank from to throw it, he quickly catches it and starts staring at the wall. Wow, this is driving me crazy. Why is his level over 150 again?

“Jack, I’m sorry. I know you’re a kind person. Even now, you could just give an order to my necklace and be done with it, but you’re talking with me like this. I really love you for that.”

“…Is that so.”

Ragni, who hugs my waist as she finishes speaking, just buries her face in my chest as if she has nothing more to say. Clearly, she’s saying that if I want to stop her, I should give an order to her necklace. And she knows that I can’t completely ignore her will, so I won’t do it. Haa, this is really frustrating. I really didn’t want to deal with Empire business if I could avoid it.

“…Fine, let’s do it. Let’s overthrow the Empire.”

“…Huh? Do it? Wait! You don’t need to come along…!!!”

“No, this is my maximum concession. I told you before. Don’t give me that bullshit about being worried, about us being in danger, about it being your business. Just tell me what you want to do now.”

“T-that was a completely different situation…!!”

You said you wanted to bear my child then. And just now, I gave you a chance, but you rejected it. To that extent, it’s clear that as much as you love me, you’ve fallen in love with the Empire and the people who made your heart race. Truly, whether it’s the Queen in the game or this one, there’s no helping their devotion to the Empire.

“No, it’s the same. The size has gotten a bit bigger, there are a few more demons, and a few more enemies. And compared to that side, this side has much larger size, power, and number of forces.”

“Wait!! What do you mean by ‘this side’s number’?! Jack!! You…!!!”

Ragni, who accurately grasped the point of what I said, finally makes her eyes wider than at any other point today, as if she’s most surprised by this. I can’t believe her eyes would get much wider at this one statement than at my surprise kiss. Hey, they might overflow at this rate.

“N-no!! Rei and Gor need to protect Ira!! This is my business! It’s something I want to do out of my own selfishness!! You just need to go back for a while and wait, that’s all…!!!”

“I order you to shut up.”

Lowering my voice as much as possible, I grab the chin of Ragni, who’s about to jump up and down while talking, and once again press my lips against hers. I’ve compromised as much as I can. Now I’m going to be forceful too.

“♡?♡!♡!!?!”

“Ragni, I order you.”

I give another order to Ragni, who can’t speak due to the order to shut up and is just blushing.

“Do you like or dislike that I, that we, help you? Just say that.”

“Nngh…!! L-like…?!”

As if she absolutely shouldn’t say it, she forcefully covers her mouth and shakes her head vigorously, tears welling up. This is something. When she’s always asking me to torment her, but now she’s about to cry when I actually do it. She’s really cute.

*Slide*

When I gently grab and lower Ragni’s hands that are blocking with all her might, ruby-like red eyes that look like they’re really about to cry start to look at me as if blaming me. Ah, I feel like that side of her nature is stirring a bit.

“Answer.”

“…I… like it. I’d… like… you to… help.”

You, who shed a single tear like a bead, were incredibly cute. And then…

“Ouch.”

I really turned the guy who added unnecessary background music into a stain on the wall.