Compatriots (3)

After the Hero and Lilith briefly left the room for a one-on-one conversation, in Celista’s Dormitory Room.

“…….”

“…….”

“…….”

In the meeting place where Ethan, Agnes, and Celista remained, only a strange awkwardness and silence quietly flowed.

Lilith, who was close to both Ethan and Agnes, and Gyeotmwa Jyosyegigot, who was close to Agnes and Celista.

The people who remained after Lilith and Gyeotmwa Jyosyegigot left were practically all in a “friend of a friend” relationship. When three or more people were together, they didn’t feel much awkwardness, but when only two people were present, they created an awkward atmosphere where it was difficult to bring up a conversation topic.

Since it was a situation where only such people gathered, it was inevitable that an awkward atmosphere flowed, and the one who broke the silence first was none other than Ethan.

“It seems everyone has run out of things to say. It’s probably because there’s no one here who’s close to each other when Lilith and the Hero aren’t around.”

“…Yes, yes.”

“…….”

“If neither of you is going to say anything, I’d like to make a statement. Is that alright?”

“Oh, by all means, Prince Blackwood-nim!”

“…Suit yourself.”

Just as Gyeotmwa Jyosyegigot and Lilith were using a rare gathering to talk, this meeting of the three of them was also a rare occasion.

Although the three of them had completely different interests and points of contact, Ethan had found one commonality among them, and realizing that this commonality was related to his own personal goal, he drew the attention of the other two.

“First of all, this is about the two people who are currently outside.”

“Yes?”

“Huh?”

“Is there anyone among Saintess Celista-nim or Lady Blaze who wishes for the relationship between that Hero and Lilith to grow closer?”

“……Yes?”

“What do you mean?”

“What do I mean? It means exactly what I said.”

Judging that it would take some time for Lilith and Gyeotmwa Jyosyegigot to return anyway, Ethan explained his personal goals and intentions to the two women in front of him.

“To be honest, I don’t want Lilith and that Hero to become close.”

“Yes, yes?!”

“That’s obvious.”

“And it’s probably the same for both of you. Isn’t that right, Saintess Celista-nim?”

“Wh-what are you talking about? I, I’m not really…”

“I already know that Saintess Celista-nim likes the Hero romantically, so there’s no point in pretending not to know.”

“Yes, yes, yes?!”

Celista, who let out a flustered voice like a startled hamster due to her feelings being blurted out by someone else, hastily made excuses, but Ethan and Agnes were already certain that she liked Gyeotmwa Jyosyegigot.

“Ah, no…! I, I don’t have such improper feelings for the Hero-nim…!”

“Wouldn’t it be better to lower your voice? If you’re not careful, the Hero outside might hear you.”

“Hmph?!”

“…I knew it too. It’s obvious to anyone.”

“Heh-heh-heh?!”

After confirming Celista, who kept making startled expressions while covering her mouth with both hands, Ethan then immediately turned his gaze towards Agnes.

“And Lady Blaze probably wouldn’t be too pleased with Lilith becoming close to that Hero, right?”

“…I don’t really like that Hero.”

“I know that, but precisely because of that, you’d even less want to see Lilith dating that man.”

“…….”

“He’s already a man with complicated relationships with women. Do you truly want your only two friends to get involved with him? Besides, according to rumors, your other friend, Princess Seraphine-nim, also seems to be interested in that Hero.”

“Y-yes?! P-Princess-nim?!”

“Lady Blaze, you probably wouldn’t want to see your two friends fighting over one man. Am I wrong?”

“…You’re not wrong.”

“W-wait a moment… The Princess-nim being interested in the Hero-nim must be some kind of misunderstanding… Ah, no, I, I never really harbored any improper feelings for the Hero-nim to begin with…”

“Then it seems our common goal has roughly been decided.”

Ignoring Celista’s awkward acting, Ethan simply spoke his mind with conviction, and from his mouth soon came the true reason he had called the two of them.

“To put it bluntly, I can never hand over my Lilith to that Hero.”

“I-I see…”

“…Whatever.”

“So, I’d like to ask for your cooperation. From Lady Blaze, and from Saintess Celista-nim as well.”

“C-cooperation, then, wh-what exactly do you mean…”

“If possible, I’d appreciate it if you could guide the situation in a way that prevents Lilith from being alone with the Hero.”

“Th-that might be a little wrong, don’t you think? I, I believe everything the Hero-nim does has meaning…”

“I’m not forcing you. If you don’t feel inclined, you can just ignore what I just said. If you truly don’t have such feelings, there’s no reason for you to be swayed.

However, one thing is certain: I will take all possible measures to ensure that the two of them do not encounter each other as much as possible. It doesn’t matter even if the two of them don’t agree, so keep that in mind.”

“…….”

Ethan’s sudden declaration to obstruct the Hero and Lilith’s relationship.

At his words, while feeling considerable embarrassment, Celista also felt a strange sense of excitement in her heart.

If Prince Blackwood was truly determined to prevent the relationship between the Hero-nim and Lilith, then the fact that she was actually the True Saintess would not be revealed, and that would mean she could stay by the Hero-nim’s side for longer.

And what helped her make that decision was Agnes’s reply, who had seemed neutral.

“…I’ll help.”

“Really?”

“In return, if you promise to take responsibility for Lilith until the very end.”

“I swear on the name of the Blackwood Family. Conveniently, Saintess-nim is also present here, so she’s perfect as a witness.”

“…Then it’s settled.”

“I, I too… I’ll, I’ll keep that in mind…”

“Thank you very much, Saintess Celista-nim.”

“I-I don’t particularly harbor any strange feelings for the Hero-nim, or feel jealous of Li-Lilith-nim… no, Lilith-yang, or anything like that… I-I just think the Hero-nim needs to maintain his chastity these days…”

Ethan nodded inwardly, receiving Celista’s cooperation, which he hadn’t expected much.

It was the moment Ethan, Celista, and Agnes’s temporary alliance was formed.

⁎ ⁎ ⁎

“Hey, you’re Lilgirlchang, right?”

“…I don’t know what you’re talking about, Gyeotmwa Jyosyegigot Hero-nim. Who exactly is this ‘Lilgirlchang’ person you speak of?”

“It’s true, you punk! You were just talking so brazenly a moment ago, why are you suddenly acting?!”

“…….”

Ah, fuck.

No way, I can’t believe the nickname I used in my previous life would be found out here.

I should have started the conversation more carefully. Instead of getting excited and blabbering on about this and that, and getting caught.

If it had just remained at the level of suspicion, I could have somehow glossed it over, but because I heard the nickname Lilgirlchang after such a long time, my body couldn’t react naturally in that moment.

“Wow, is this for real? You’re really that Lilgirlchang?”

“…….”

“The kid who used to troll on Lua Gallery by calling Lilith a ‘slut whore’ transmigrated into Lilith? Wow, this bastard is truly legendary, kuk-kuk, kuk…”

“Ugeureu deukcheu…”

Haa, fuck.

Why the hell did I have to get caught here, seriously.

Why of all people is the bastard who transmigrated into the Hero a Lua Gallery user among so many Lumia Academy players, and why of all things is the strategy guide he saw mine?

It was a trick of fate so absurd it was unbelievable, and I almost felt a sense of futility.

“Wow, seeing something like this, it seems karma really does exist. How can Lilgirlchang be Lilith? Ah, this is seriously amazing, kuk-kuk.”

“…What was your Lua Gallery nickname?”

“Me? It’s been a long time since I transmigrated, so I don’t remember well, but it was probably Guwon Sunae?”

“…Ah, that was you. No wonder you played exactly by the book.”

I don’t have a good enough memory to even remember dynamic IPs, but I do remember the names of a few guys who frequently commented on my strategy guides.

One of them was a guy who used the nickname ‘Guwon Sunae’ and asked questions on every one of my strategy guides, and he was especially memorable because he almost always left questions on every strategy guide, leaving a deep impression.

Instead of all the lunatics who frequented the gallery, it might actually be a relief that this guy transmigrated into the protagonist. At least in my memory, he was the one who followed my strategy guide from beginning to end.

If I hadn’t died in an accident, I probably could have finished the 25th playthrough and the last chapter of the strategy guide, but since it was a strategy guide that was truly finished with only the ending left, there shouldn’t be any problem with clearing it.

…Even so, the fact that I was found out to be Lilgirlchang was a situation I had never expected.

“Ugh, fuck. That’s enough, let’s just go back quickly. If we stay any longer, they’ll really get suspicious.”

“Oh, okay, Geolchang-ah~.”

“…And just in case, don’t you dare call me that in front of Ethan. I’m not kidding, he’ll seriously try to kill you.”

“Kuk-kuk, y-yeah. It must be nice to be loved, kuh-heup…”

“Sseuppeuseukkeugeu…”

I only wanted to confirm that we were compatriots from the same Earth, but it ended up being a time where we only revealed each other’s community nicknames.

‘I should have brazenly pushed through, pretending to be a dynamic IP user on the gallery…’

Perhaps finding it funny that Lilgirlchang from Lua Gallery had transmigrated into Lilith, Gyeotmwa Jyosyegigot kept grinning until just before returning to Celista’s Dormitory Room.

After we returned to the meeting place, what we faced was a dormitory room that had strangely become even more awkward.