Chapter 16 – ‘Girl Abductor’ vs ‘Crusher’, Round 2
Translator: Mana
Apparently, there were flashy men in this world who insisted that going out together as a man and woman could only be a date.
If this definition was true then the actions that I was about to take would be a date, but in reality, this was no date.
Yes, because this was a battle between me and her…
A few days after the meeting with Roslia, we decided to go out together. It was an invitation from Roslia.
The first time we made contact, I learned exactly how proficient her abilities were at making men fall for her. I wanted to avoid any more unexpected contact and decided to use this chance to end it all.
Today was the day I executed my plan to have Force see me being friendly with Roslia and create a scene of carnage.
I had the members of the ‘Arrivers’ call Force out. My mission was simply to go to the meeting place at the time Force would arrive, while pretending to be on a date with Roslia.
I arrived at our meeting place outside of town while thinking these thoughts. A girl was standing alone in that empty place. Because that place was empty, the girl’s beauty stood out even further.
“Ah, Note!” If this is not Binbogami WordPress then it is stolen!
Dressed in a white one-piece instead of the priestess habit from last time, Roslia started running this way while waving. I was nearly KO’d by the difference in her gentle yet completely different appearance and swaying chest.
Flustered, I was only able to casually raise my hand with a pathetic, “H-Hey…” So lame…
Roslia quickly approached and came to a stop at an extremely close distance, saying, “I’m expecting a lot from you today!” before linking her arm with mine while smiling.
—Impossible impossible impossible.
Not happening. It was impossible to endure this.
You’re too cute, Roslia.
The way she looked up at me, bringing her head close and pressing her chest to my arm, was all of the highest class. The full package of the ideals of all the men in this world.
This sense of distance with a man who questioned ‘Is it really a date when a man and woman just go out together?” What a deadly technique!
Anyone would think that ‘After this, I’m going to be dating this girl…’, right?!
Of course, Roslia wouldn’t leave me alone as I struggled to calm the thumping in my heart—
“What’s wrong? Let’s go already! It’ll be a great date!”
She turned her angelic smile this way.
That was the moment my advantage from the first round was flipped in an instant.
Let me start from the conclusion. It was fun. It was extremely fun.
I may have stated that this wasn’t a date before I met Roslia today, but I take it back.
It was definitely a date.
After meeting up with Roslia, we headed for the tourist hotspot fountain in the northwest of the town as planned.
And then proceeded to do nothing but gaze at the beautiful scenery and Roslia’s profile the whole time.
“It’s so beautiful!” she said to me.
I nearly responded with the cliche reply, ‘Roslia’s more beautiful’.
“I made lunch!” Roslia said as she took some colourful sandwiches out of the basket.
Unable to taste anything due to my nerves and happiness, I lied, “Yeah, it’s delicious…”
“Well then, shall we go back to the city?”
Roslia held my hand as she walked next to me. The fingers of my right hand were linked with the fingers of her left, like the rumoured lovers link.
I told Roslia we were re
turning to town now to go shopping together. That was why this remark of hers that sounded like we were heading to the next part of the date made me extremely sad.
Because— We were about to head to the place where Erin and the rest were waiting. We were about to end this extremely fun date.
At this time, I heard the whispers of the devil in my head.
Why don’t you break your promise with Erin and Jin and Neme, and just continue your date like this?
That voice was my own.
Would it really matter if you just extended the plan until next time?
Desires distinctly chipped away at my mind.
Would the other members forgive me if I told them something unexpected happened?
And at my unresisting will. I had stopped resisting of my own will.
I squeezed Roslia’s hand. When she squeezed back, I asked her a question to confirm her feelings in order to follow my own desires and keep this happy time from ending.
“…Hey, Roslia. How do you feel about me? In comparison to other men like Force…”
We were walking down the single road towards the town.
That was my own choice. It was proof I had chosen to end this date and protect the members of the ‘Arrivers’.
It wasn’t that Roslia’s answer to my question was bad. Actually, it was perfect. Yes, it was too perfect.
“…I have the most fun when I’m with Note!”
That overly perfect answer had made me realise that her attitude and the date until now was completely fabricated.
Because wasn’t it so?
I hadn’t shown her my cool or reliable side even once since we met.
A pathetic, nervous, cowardly man. That was me. It wasn’t like I was particularly cool.
So there was not even the slightest reason for her to choose me over the many men she was involved with.
“Even walking down an empty road like this is fun when you’re with someone else!”
She swung our connected hands back and forth. Those words no longer reached my heart.
“Yeah, I’m also having so much fun! Who you’re with really is more important than what you’re doing, don’t you think?”
Emotionlessly, I let out a textbook response off the top of my head. Of course, I adjusted the tone of my voice appropriately, to make it believable.
Ten minutes or so later down the deserted road. I suddenly felt a sense of dread, for possibly making a fatal mistake.
…Something was obviously wrong.
It wasn’t regarding Roslia, but the presence of the five men that had been watching us, detected through my constantly activated ‘Enemy Search’.
The presences of the men were there from the beginning of the date. At first, it was only two people, but as they were the same men I felt in the pub with Roslia previously, I determined they were Roslia’s lackeys.
However, ever since we went to the fountain the number of men trailing us increased, and their hostility was magnified too. Right now, it felt like they were almost about to attack.
I considered the reasons why.
Firstly, it was possible that my plan was exposed somehow.
But I had no recollection of making any fatal mistake like that. It was difficult to consider that possibility.
The next reason I thought of was jealousy.
I could accept their reasons for harming me if it was because of the favour that Roslia showed me. But that wouldn’t be a very smart thing to do in front of Roslia, since it would lower her impression of them. I wasn’t quite convinced myself, but these were the only reasons I could think, so they were the most promising candidates.
While I was being alert, one man made his move. The rest of the men followed him and moved to surround us.
Upon looking at the face of the man that appeared before us, I realised the idiotic misunderstanding I had made.
The man that had appeared in front of us was—not a man. The person that had appeared was. A woman. Not to mention, all five of them.
Yes, they were most likely not Roslia’s lackeys. Rather, the opposite. They were trying to defeat Roslia. In fact, they were currently holding weapons. Pointed towards Roslia.
My mistake was that when I detected their presences in the pub, I had assumed they were the admirers Jin had mentioned, looking out for her.
‘Enemy Search’ was capable of detecting the strength of an enemy, but couldn’t determine their gender.
“Roslia, how about you come with us for a bit…”
The woman at the front approached with the weapon out. The other four people surrounding us did the same.
Roslia hid behind my shoulder in fear.
“I’m scared… Note…”
Even if you said that…
“Sorry, but I can’t help… I don’t have any battle abilities, there’s no way I can win against these people…”
Having determined the opponents strength with ‘Enemy Search’, I raised both hands and stated this clearly.
Then, I pushed Roslia towards the women.
“Eh… how could you forsake a weak girl like me like this?!”
“There’s nothing to forsake… since this situation… is your own doing, right? Because Roslia was flirting with all kinds of men, these people are holding a grudge or something…”
Caught by the unexpected situation, Roslia returned to her true self.
So that was an act after all…
“Well, that’s true, but…”
The women replied while slightly backing away from my cold treatment…
Wasn’t it strange for them to back away from me?! I was the one on their side!
“Our group of thieves was destroyed by that woman. That woman seduced the men, and our group collapsed from the inside.”
“My condolences.”
I showed them my lack of hostility through letting out some words of sympathy.
In reality, Force would return if Roslia wasn’t here, so I had a feeling that handing Roslia over to these women would solve everything.
Also, I valued my own life.
“So we decided to form a group of thieves with only women. Without letting any shitty men in…”
“That certainly seems like the right way to have less conflict…”
“However! You, who abandoned a woman just to protect yourself! You’re even shittier than the men who were seduced by Roslia! You’re an enemy to all women! We were going to let you go at first, but not anymore! We’re taking you with that woman!”
Seriously…? I made the wrong choice…
Just how unlucky could I be…
Though it looked like I got what I deserved…
The woman in front grabbed me in a flash. Her speed was so fast, I wasn’t able to resist at all with my lack of power.
She grabbed my arms and attempted to handcuff them.
This was very bad. I just needed 1 second—no, 0.5 seconds was enough—
“Ah, Jin!” I yelled, and the women whirled around to look.
However, there was no one there—
“It’s a bluff!”
The woman who grabbed me whacked the back of my head with the hilt of her sword. I felt my consciousness sinking away.