Chapter 285

“…”

I was speechless, my face frozen in a daze, completely caught off guard by her unexpected question. I couldn’t even begin to fathom her intentions.

Riviera stared at me with her usual unreadable expression.

It was so typical of her to just drop a bombshell like that and then stare at me expectantly.

It was then that Hiresia suddenly spoke up in a serious tone, “There’s nothing more precious than a friend. I’ll be going now, so you two have a good chat.”

“…”

You’re really eager to get out of here, aren’t you?

I understand.

How could you not be anxious?

I’ll let you go.

“Oh, right, you said you were busy, didn’t you, Hiresia? Thanks for today, and please go ahead.”

“Ah, yes, yes. I’m very busy. Then…”

*Whoosh.*

My elf senior vanished like a gust of wind.

…She had built a pyramid out of dirt over the remaining meat.

I chuckled and turned my attention back to Riviera.

My mind was racing.

‘Something’s different about her today.’

First,

She was completely soaked, even though she was fully clothed.

Even Riviera wouldn’t normally walk around like that.

Second,

The question itself.

She often said nonsensical things, but she had never said anything like that before.

Having reached that conclusion, I decided to give her a serious answer, not a joking one.

“Of course not. We’re friends, aren’t we? Who would want their friend to leave?”

It might have sounded like a generic answer, but it was my honest feeling.

She had been my enemy in the past.

A ruthless and powerful enemy, devoid of empathy.

But after getting entangled with her like this, I had come to see a different side of her, a more human side.

She was definitely strange, but she wasn’t inherently bad.

She was a million miles away from villains like Gulshan the Shadow or the crazy Necromancer, who enjoyed killing for the sake of killing.

No, she was actually closer to being a good person.

That was my impression after being friends with her for almost two years.

‘Come to think of it, Chapter 7 has already passed…’

Chapter 7, where I was supposed to clash with the Blood Witch, a named boss, as an enemy.

But this time, nothing had happened.

Because the situation had changed completely.

Riviera and I had become friends.

So I had thought that her departure would also be different.

But why was she suddenly bringing it up now?

‘Did she find the secret library?’

That thought crossed my mind.

She should have found it by now.

But there had been no sign of it.

Perhaps my actions had affected that as well.

Anyway,

I could sense something different about her today.

“Hmm.”

Riviera blinked, processing my answer.

And then she asked again, “Really?”

“Of course, you idiot. Don’t you trust me? More importantly, dry yourself off. You’ll catch a cold.”

“Cough.”

“…See?”

I lit a fire using the firewood we had used to cook the meat.

*Crackle, crackle.*

The sound of the fire crackling filled the air.

A warm heat emanated from the flames.

I grabbed Riviera and forced her to sit next to the fire.

“What the hell happened? Did you break the ice and jump into the lake to catch fish or something?”

“Cough.”

“Seriously?”

“Cough.”

“…I really want to dissect your brain.”

I said that, but I realized.

That the secret library was probably hidden in the lake.

No one but a weirdo like her would even think of diving into a deep lake.

“Here, use this to dry yourself off.”

I took out a towel.

I always carried one with me for training.

*Pat, pat, pat.*

I dried her hair first.

And then I started drying her body from the top down.

I was drying the body of a female friend, but I didn’t feel anything strange.

She was so small that it felt like I was bathing and drying a puppy.

“Feels good.”

Riviera said, blinking.

She was cute.

She looked like a cute little puppy.

But she was actually quite scary.

“Don’t enjoy it so much when you’re making me do all the work.”

I joked, trying to finish the service (?) as quickly as possible.

But,

“Why not my chest? Please do my chest too.”

Riviera requested innocently, as if it was the most natural thing in the world.

“Cough! Cough!”

I choked on my own saliva.

…I could never win against her.

How could I possibly win against someone who could say such things with a straight face?

“Do it yourself…”

“Why? We’ve slept in the same bed before.”

“Cough! Cough! Cough!”

That was a heavy blow.

She was too much for me to handle.

“…Please don’t say such things in front of other people. I’ll become human trash.”

“But it’s true.”

“That’s not the point!”

I clicked my tongue, wrapped the wet towel around her neck, and sat down.

Riviera stared at the crackling fire, her eyes unfocused.

And then she suddenly asked, “Are you holding me back?”

“I don’t know why you’re talking like you’re about to leave, but yes, I am.”

“Because we’re friends?”

I didn’t answer right away.

Because I realized that it wasn’t a casual question.

I tossed a twig into the fire.

“Because you’re a special friend.”

“Special?”

“Yeah, we’ve been friends since we were awkward outcasts, right? You, me, and Allen. You know what they say, a friend in need is a friend indeed.”

“I wasn’t really in need.”

“…”

Please read the room.

I chuckled wryly and tried to maintain my composure.

“Ah, right. You were a bit different.”

“Hmm?”

Was that the right answer?

I smiled and continued, “And a friend when you’re bored is also a true friend, right?”

“I’m not sure.”

“Just pick one.”

I shook my head and tossed another twig into the fire.

The crackling sound was strangely soothing.

“You’re definitely an interesting person, Max.”

Riviera’s confession.

Well, it wasn’t really a confession, it was an obvious fact.

“So you’re not bored anymore? You should be grateful.”

“Grateful.”

“Don’t just say it, show it.”

“Grateful.”

“…”

It was a joke, but it wasn’t really a joke.

I felt a strange emotion welling up inside me.

…Stop playing with my emotions with that cute face, you little devil.

I rubbed my forehead.

“I enjoyed my school life. Because of you, Max.”

“…”

She was really going all out today.

I barely managed to control my emotions.

“Me too. I had a lot of fun because of you. And,”

I continued in a low voice, “I wouldn’t be who I am today without you.”

I meant it.

The mock battle, the Tower of Infinity, Schwarzfelz, Diotes Island…

I wouldn’t have been able to clear any of those without her help.

Ironically, I was who I was today thanks to the help of someone who was supposed to be my enemy.

So she wasn’t my enemy.

She was a precious friend.

“I don’t know what’s going on. But I want you to stay with me until graduation. As a precious friend.”

“What number am I?”

“Huh?”

“I want to know what number I am.”

“…”

She really knew how to ruin the mood.

…It was a talent.

What kind of absurd question was that?

It was a rude question, to say the least.

She was asking me to rank my friends.

Normally, I would have just brushed it off with a joke, but…

That didn’t seem like the right answer here.

According to the relationship window, she was a legendary heroine with a transcendental difficulty level.

It meant that she was a difficult and demanding person.

Even if I couldn’t clear her character route, I needed to maintain a good relationship with her, and a generic answer wouldn’t cut it.

So I gave her a straightforward answer.

“Third. Happy? Is that high enough for you to be considered a precious friend?”

“Oh? Higher than I expected. Is the first one that high elf chick?”

“Hey, don’t ask about other people.”

“Okay.”

Riviera surprisingly didn’t pry any further.

Her expression, illuminated by the firelight, softened slightly, her eyebrows and the corners of her lips lifting.

That was her version of a happy face.

She was very subtle with her emotions.

Anyway, it seemed like my answer had been the right choice.

I smiled inwardly, feeling satisfied.

And then Riviera suddenly spoke up again.

“First.”

“Huh?”

“You’re first to me, Max.”

“…”

I was speechless, my heart skipping a beat.

A wave of emotion washed over me.

My eyes felt moist.

…D-Don’t make me tear up, you little devil.

I looked down, feeling embarrassed.

“I-Is that so…?”

My words were clumsy.

My mind was racing, trying to figure out how to respond.

An awkward silence filled the air.

*Crackle, crackle.*

Only the sound of the fire crackling could be heard.

Thankfully, Riviera spoke up again.

“I’m actually a witch.”

This time, it was a real confession.

A secret that she couldn’t reveal to anyone outside the organization.

And she was confessing it to me.

…She was serious.

And I realized.

That this scene was a crucial turning point in our relationship.

Perhaps even in the success or failure of this game.

I snapped out of my daze.

“I see. Honestly, I never thought you were normal. You’re too unique. But I never imagined that you were a witch.”

“I’m probably the only one left, so it’s understandable.”

The last witch.

All the other witches who practiced forbidden magic had been burned at the stake, so she might be right.

“I see.”

“And,”

Riviera continued, “I’m actually an executive of an organization that’s trying to destroy the world.”

“…”

I barely managed to suppress a cough.

How was I supposed to react to such a casual confession?

No, wait a minute.

She confessed that?

…Is she insane?

No, no, she’s not insane.

This is…

She’s showing her sincerity to me, the friend she considers most precious.

And,

If I don’t accept her sincerity…

‘Is she prepared to kill me?’

This was a secret that couldn’t be shared with anyone.

And she had told me.

‘Calm down, calm down.’

I changed my mindset.

She was my friend.

So I just had to react accordingly.

Surely.

“Hmm, it sounds like a joke, but… I’ll believe you.”

“That’s a Max-like response.”

“Max-like?”

“Yeah. You’re not surprised at all.”

“…I’m barely holding it together.”

I coughed and looked up.

“Anyway, I understand your sincerity.”

I knew.

That sincerity had to be met with sincerity.

I had to do it here.

Make a confession of my own.

“Actually, I…”

I began seriously.

“Yes?”

“I’m an extra.”

“Hmm? Hmm? Hmm?”

Riviera tilted her head, her eyes filled with question marks.

She clearly had no idea what I was talking about.

But I had to say it.

I said, putting on my most serious expression, “An extra who wants to become a hero.”