Chapter 22: Immediate outbreak, Part 2

“Do… I like Allen?”

“W-Well, you keep asking about him…”

…She’s not wrong. I do have positive feelings for Allen.

Whether those feelings are the romantic kind this naive girl is implying… I’m not sure.

Using him as a scapegoat was… satisfying, but I wouldn’t call it love.

But regardless, why is this conversation even heading in this direction? My only intention was to find Allen.

“Why? Do you like Allen, Noel?”

“Yes! I like him a lot!”

“Hmm…”

Such a direct answer.

Quite different from Yerin, who also seems to harbor feelings for Allen. Yerin is always shy and coy around him, craving his attention and affection.

This girl, however… she seems to accept Allen for who he is, without pretense.

“What if I said I liked Allen?”

“I’d like you too, for recognizing Allen’s good qualities!”

Is she incredibly pure, or just incredibly dense? She’s naive, yes, but there’s an innocence about her too.

“What if I said I was going to take Allen away from you?”

“Allen isn’t an object to be taken.”

I didn’t expect her to interpret it that way. She really is…

“But if you tried, I wouldn’t let you! I’d never let you!”

‘Oh…’

Such a confident, resounding answer.

If I’d asked Yerin this, she would have started with, “…What? What do you mean?” and then escalated to, “Why? Why are you trying to take Allen from me? Why? Why? Why?!” while reaching for her holy sword.

But this girl is different.

Her tone is confident. Yerin is insecure, desperate to possess Allen.

This Noel… she seems certain that Allen is already hers.

It’s a ridiculous comparison, but… if I had a rival for Allen’s affections, it would be her, not Yerin. Yerin is self-destructing.

Her behavior today was proof enough.

“…It was nice talking to you, Noel. I’ll walk you to the palace gates.”

I got the information I needed, even if it wasn’t entirely satisfying. No need to push further. And with the recent incident involving the hero’s party, I need to lay low.

“Yes! It was fun! Thank you!!”

She’s still beaming, completely oblivious. I don’t know when we’ll meet again, but for today…

…Wait. No.

Maybe I can use her a little longer.

Lilia is with the knights, and Helena is out somewhere. Being alone in the palace would be… uncomfortable.

“…Noel. That workshop you mentioned, Master Deva’s? I’m interested. Could you take me there?”

“Oh, yes! Okay! It’s not far from here. Follow me!”

My dreams are lofty, but my reality is a mess.

My goals are to capture Allen and kill the b*tch who’s been clinging to him.

But now that I’m faced with the situation… I’m lost.

I don’t want to go back to the palace. They’ll interrogate me, scold me.

Honestly, that’s not the biggest problem. I have a plausible excuse, a mix of truth and lies.

But I still don’t want to go back. I don’t know how long I’ll be stuck there, how long I’ll be separated from Allen.

Even in the best-case scenario, the festival and ceremonies will resume, meaning I won’t be able to search for Allen for at least two days.

“Haa… Allen…”

I walk with my head down, cloak pulled low to hide my face.

I feel pathetic.

When I went to the inn, I was so eager to see Allen, my steps were light.

Now, they’re heavy, each one an effort.

“Ah…!”

Suddenly, I see a mirage of Allen on the ground.

“Aah…！ Don’t leave me… Allen!!”

I’m going crazy.

I thought we’d never be separated.

When we were, I despaired, but I believed he’d forgive me if I begged. He’s kind, he’d understand.

But the real Allen… he was so cold. No, not cold. His eyes were filled with hatred, disgust.

I can handle that from anyone else, but from Allen… it hurts too much.

What do I do if he won’t forgive me, if I can’t even catch him? How do I live without Allen?

…I don’t know. My head hurts.

“Haa…”

I drag my exhausted body towards the palace…

“…Huh?”

What…?

Someone passes by… and I feel a familiar sensation. A familiar scent.

It’s not Allen… and I don’t think it’s one of the hero’s party…

…No, this familiarity… it’s the same unsettling feeling I had before.

Unsettling, not familiar.

“…It’s her.”

The b*tch who was clinging to Allen this morning.

The b*tch who tainted his unique scent with her own foul odor…!

I follow her.

I’m sure it’s her.

She can’t have gone far.

“W-Wait…!”

Thump

I finally catch up to her.

I grab her shoulder, stopping her. She turns around.

The attraction potion.

Master Deva said it’s more potent than any aphrodisiac.

At least it’s not addictive, so it’s not harmful to the body.

But if I use it… it could solve my biggest problem.

The hero’s party.

They’re the number one obstacle to my peaceful life in this world.

Wouldn’t an attraction potion make them approach me more?

Yes, but their current approach is problematic because they’re trying to control Allen, to force him back into their party.

Honestly, if I could just reason with them, it would be much easier.

But these crazy heroines… they’re beyond reason. That’s why I’m on the run.

If it was just Yerin trying to capture Allen, I could understand. But the others too… it’s too much.

And this attraction potion… it probably won’t work on Yerin.

She’s already obsessed with Allen beyond measure.

What difference would a potion make? Allen could probably just breathe in her ear and she’d go into heat more intensely than with any potion.

But… if I use this potion… it could improve my chances of living a peaceful life.

So, now I’m trying to figure out how to use it. The biggest problem is administering it. I need a way to make them ingest it naturally.

“Hmm… Would it work if I just… sprayed it?”

If I could make it into a perfume… that would be much easier.

I take out a dropper and put a single drop on my skin.

‘…No effect.’

If it’s stronger than an aphrodisiac, I should be feeling something. But I’m perfectly fine. No scent, no change.

So, ingestion is the only way.

“Hmm, how should I…?”

Knock knock knock

“…?”

Someone’s knocking on the workshop door.

I go to the living room and ask Master Deva, “Master, are you expecting someone?”

“Hmm? Why do you ask?”

“Didn’t you hear someone knocking at the d—”

Knock knock knock

“Oh, there it is again.”

“I’m not expecting anyone… A customer, perhaps?”

A customer? His potions are more expensive than other shops. Why would anyone come here?

Of course, his potions are more effective, so the price is justified. But ordinary people wouldn’t know that. They just know it’s expensive. People from the capital rarely visit.

“…I was about to start an experiment, so you go see who it is.”

“Yes…”

Couldn’t he greet the customer before starting his experiment?

…But I’m staying here for free, so I should at least do this much…

Who could it be? Some eccentric, probably.

Maybe a merchant passing through the capital, or a traveler?

It’s a potion shop, so it’s most likely another adventurer party.

Knock knock knock

They could have just walked in, but they’re knocking. Polite.

“Yes, coming…”

“Excuse me… is anyone here?”

“…!!”

Wait, that voice… it’s familiar.

A woman’s voice. But besides Master Deva, I’ve only heard five women speak properly in this world.

It’s not Noel or Yerin. I’d recognize their voices immediately.

Then… could it be?