Chapter 116: Takatsuki Makoto is taught by the Goddess about pacts

"Good morning, popular Hero-kun."

I was on the ground for some reason, and when I opened my eyes, Noah-sama was right in front of my eyes.

Noah-sama's long glistening silver hair flowed right close by like a waterfall.

"Good morning, Noah-sama." (Makoto)

I get up and kneel.

"Fufu, you have finally become hero-like." (Noah)

"Being attacked by Lucy and Sa-san is Hero-like...?" (Makoto)

I feel like that's different.

But Noah-sama directed eyes of wonder as if looking at a weird creature.

"Why are you so stoic, Makoto? There's cute girls who love you so close to you, and yet, you don't put a hand on them at all. Are you homo?" (Noah)

"You can read my mind, so you should know that that's not the case." (Makoto)

What is this Goddess saying?

"But you are a mystery, Makoto. You like girls, and have interest in lewd stuff, and yet, you don't act upon it at all. Hey, what kind of girls are your type, Makoto?" (Noah)

Noah-sama slyly directs an upward glance at me.

Can you stop giving me a peek of your breasts?

'Haah', I sigh.

My type of girl, huh.

When I told Sa-san in the past, she got creeped by it...

While I was wondering how I should explain it, Noah-sama made a weird expression.

"Eeeh, a princess that's captured by a dragon? How deep in your fantasies were you?" (Noah)

"Please don't jump the dialogue by reading my mind!" (Makoto)

This is a literal fantasy world!

Ain't it fine?!

It ain't that out of reach now!

"Makoto, what you need are strong comrades that will fight alongside you, and people with political power. Treasure Lucy-chan, Aya-chan, and Sofia-chan." (Noah)

"That's, well...I know." (Makoto)

"In the first place, a captured princess is of no use. That pink princess with the plumber main character is just a decoration, right?" (Noah)

"...Yeah." (Makoto)

I ended up looking at the Goddess in front of me that is imprisoned in the Deep Sea Temple with cold eyes.

"W-What's...with those eyes?" (Noah)

Those words are coming right back at you.

Also, what you are saying is dangerous (in a legal meaning).

"To begin with, even though I am a Hero, I still haven't even fought against a Demon Lord-like enemy yet, you know? Those kinds of things are done at the ending, right?" (Makoto)

"...You are a gamer to the very bone." (Noah)

She went 'good grief' and shrugs her shoulders.

What, you got a problem?

"I don't find it respectable to make girls wait too much, you know? Don't blame me if they end up getting stolen away." (Noah)

"Don't say stuff like that." (Makoto)

That's indeed scary.

Am I too indecisive?

"Well, fine. By the way, you have something to ask me, right?" (Noah)

The topic changed.

I certainly do have a lot to ask her.

First...

"Undine isn't showing at all..." (Makoto)

Even though I call her every day, there's no reaction at all.

What happened there at Highland?

"Didn't I tell you? You normally would need 1,000 Water Proficiency if you want to call Undine-chan. The one before was because you were troubled, so Undine-chan made an exception and helped you out." (Noah)

"You mean I was lucky?" (Makoto)

"Putting it simply, yeah. But you are liked by the Spirits, so I think they will come help you out again if you are in trouble. However, if you get lenient and think they will come save you every time, you will fall. Spirits are whimsical." (Noah)

Hmm, so I can't add it in my strategies, huh.

Just because I learned Charm Magic doesn't mean that I can call Undine any time I want, huh. What a shame.

"Then...why is it that I was able to see Fire Spirits just recently?" (Makoto)

When I say that, the face of Lucy shows up in my mind.

"Aah, you are talking about the time when you kissed Lucy-chan. That was horrible, Makoto." (Noah)

"...Right.." (Makoto)

I got excited because I managed to see Fire Spirits.

I have reflected.

"The reason why you could see Fire Spirits was because of a pact." (Noah)

"Pact?" (Makoto)

I haven't done a pact with Lucy though?

Furiae-san I could understand since I made a pact and became her Guardian Knight.

"It is not like there's only one type of pact." (Noah)

Saying this, Noah-sama snaps her fingers and a white board shows up.

Her female teacher mode, huh.

Ah, even her clothes changed.

"The first one, you and I made a God and Believer pact. I gained a believer, and you obtained the sacred treasure and the Spirit User Skill." (Noah)

"Of course I remember that, Evil God-sama." (Makoto)

"Divine Punishment!" (Noah)

I got hit.

Noah-sama writes in the white board 'God and Believer Pact'.

"Next, you became a Country Designated Hero. This is an Employment Pact. You became the Hero of the Water Country, Rozes, and obtained support in your clothes, meals, and housing. Your employer is the Rozes royalty. Or more like, Sofia-chan." (Noah)

"...It kinda reminds me of a salaryman." (Makoto)

"You were a student, Makoto. You might have worked in a company when you became an adult though." (Noah)

In the end, I was hired as a Hero (Salaryman) in this world, so destiny converged...?

"I won't retort to every single statement of yours, okay? Third, the Guardian Knight Pact you had with Furiae-chan. You shouldered the duty of protecting the Moon Oracle, and obtained the Charm Magic Skill." (Noah)

"It currently is only effective enough to call cats though." (Makoto)

"...Well, work hard and train." (Noah)

Noah-sama with a throw-away statement!

Will I be able to control Griffons or something eventually?

I feel like it would be faster to just ask Furiae-san to do it.

"And so, the fourth one. The Love Pact with Lucy-chan." (Noah)

"Hmm?" (Makoto)

A weird word suddenly showed up.

Love Pact?

"What are you saying? Kissing is the proof of being in a romantic relationship, right? Even in your world, when you are marrying, you do a kiss oath, right?" (Noah)

Noah-sama says as if it is the most natural thing.

"I haven't been to a marriage." (Makoto)

"You can see that in dramas!" (Noah)

Aah, yeah, I think I did...or maybe...did I?

Wait, hm? That means...

"You are saying Lucy and I are in a romantic relationship now?" (Makoto)

"In the time you were kissing, that's how it was viewed, and the Spirits blessed you." (Noah)

I-Is that so?!

"By the way: Girlfriend -> Engaged -> Married. The strength of the pact increases in that order." (Noah)

Noah-sama grins in an obviously suggestive manner.

"If you marry Lucy-chan, you will be able to use the Fire Spirit Skills as you wish!" (Noah)

"That's a horrible way of putting it!" (Makoto)

It sounds like a person marrying for the money! It is the really bad type of marriage!

"But in the current state, you would have to kiss Lucy-chan every single time in order to see the Fire Spirits, you know?" (Noah)

Noah-sama says a fiendish thing with a cute expression.

I try imagining that situation.

'Hey, Lucy, I want to train with Fire Magic today, so please lend me your lips. Don't worry, just half a day is fine'.

"That's not good!" (Makoto)

I retorted full force at myself.

What's with that piece of shit?!

I would get my ass kicked by Sa-san!

I could also easily see Furiae-san looking at me like I am trash.

"...No. I should give up on the Fire Spirits." (Makoto)

"You could also marry Lucy-chan, you know?" (Noah)

"We haven't even begun to go out. Are you an idiot, Noah-sama?" (Makoto)

"So cruel!" (Noah)

No, I am the idiot.

Nothing comes easy.

I should just steadily get better as I have done until now.

...My Proficiency hasn't been increasing at all lately.

Noah-sama placed a hand on my head.

"You are doing well, Makoto. Good job, good job." (Noah)

"...Uhm, thanks." (Makoto)

What was I praised for?

"Next is Sofia-chan. Even if she approaches you, don't go chickening out." (Noah)

"That's what you were talking about?!" (Makoto)

By 'you are doing well', you meant with my female relationships?

"See ya~." (Noah)

Noah-sama fades out with a bright smile.

(...What should I do?) (Makoto)

I feel like my worries increased after consulting with Noah-sama.

◇◇

"....."

When I woke up, I was alone.

Lucy and Sa-san must have woken up already.

Now that I think about it, we were hit with the Sleep Curse of an angry Furiae-san last night, huh.

I head out to wash my face.

(...I think Furiae-san is still gonna be angry.) (Makoto)

There's the living room on the way, so if she is awake, she should be there.

In the living room, there's not only Furiae-san, but Lucy and Sa-san too.

"Good morning~." (Makoto)

""?!""

When I speak out, Lucy and Sa-san react excessively as they look back.

"M-M-Makoto?! G-G-Good morning! I-I have plans to hang out with Emily today!" (Lucy)

"T-T-Takatsuki-kun! Good morning! T-Today I will be going to Nina-san's place, okay?!" (Aya)

The two left in an instant without even giving me the chance to say anything back.

(Eeeeeh~.) (Makoto)

What? What was that?

Do they hate me now?

Is it because I am indecisive as Noah-sama said?

I absentmindedly stand there and...

"You are not going to eat, my knight?" (Furiae)

"What happened to those two...?" (Makoto)

I got anxious, so I tried consulting with Furiae-san who is poking the salad as if in a bad mood.

"The two were holding their heads groaning that they went too far yesterday. They said they couldn't look you in the face. Those two are cute, aren't they?" (Furiae)

"So it isn't that I am being hated..." (Makoto)

"Are you an idiot? If you are still half-asleep, you should go wash your face." (Furiae)

She responded with a tone as if truly amazed.

I am glad it is not that they hate me.

"Just go out with those two already. What a pain of a man you are." (Furiae)

I am being dissed left and right first thing in the morning.

"...Yeah, I am currently thinking about it." (Makoto)

"You really beat around the bush. Well, being engaged with more than 20 people would also be annoying though." (Furiae)

"..."

She doesn't say who that is.

The love of Furiae-san is full of troubles.

"By the way, my knight, you are always using Charm Magic?" (Furiae)

"Eh?" (Makoto)

She said something weird.

"I am not though." (Makoto)

"Look in a mirror." (Furiae)

I look at a mirror while tilting my head.

My eyes were releasing a dim orange.

"Eh? W-What?" (Makoto)

I wasn't aware at all.

Isn't this bad?

"Well, with Charm Magic of that level, it is only gonna affect small animals though." (Furiae)

It wasn't bad.

"But for people who already love you, and at night when Moon Magic is stronger, it might show effects, so be careful." (Furiae)

"That's no good then!" (Makoto)

Could it be that it affected Lucy and Sa-san last night?

"What a thing to do... I have to apologize to Lucy and Sa-san." (Makoto)

"Isn't it okay? They were embarrassed, but they seemed happy, you know? They loved you to begin with, so you simply gave them a push. It isn't really that bad." (Furiae)

Ugh...but the fact that it was through Charm Magic is just...

No, I am glad we didn't go through it in that state.

"You guys are really wishy washy. You should just get together already." (Furiae)

Furiae-san is so straight about it.

"But you got in the way yesterday." (Makoto)

"Be more quiet! I could hear everything!" (Furiae)

Ah, yes.

Right, hearing it is annoying indeed.

"I will be walking around the city. See ya, my knight." (Furiae)

Furiae-san finished breakfast and said this.

"Eh? Wait, I will go with you." (Makoto)

I said this as her Guardian Knight.

"I am okay alone. I won't go outside the city." (Furiae)

"But I heard that there's a lot of men aiming for you, Princess..." (Makoto)

The noble lady that recently came to Makkaren.

There's rumors that she is a fearsome beauty that has grasped the heart of the men of Makkaren.

A girl walking around alone is just...

"It is okay, it is okay. In the ruins of Laphroaig, there were mountains of people who would try to assault me. Compared to that, in this city, the most they would do is try to flirt. Easy peasy. No one can put a hand on me with my Charm Magic anyways." (Furiae)

"...Is that so." (Makoto)

Every single piece about Furiae-san's past is heavy.

She left with light steps.

I begin to eat the breakfast that was most likely prepared by Sa-san.

I washed the dishes with water magic.

By the way, the detergent is from the Fujiwara Company.

The product's name is Mokyutto. <the onomatopoeia when touching something fluffy.>

...I can't say anything to his naming sense.

I am alone in the house, so I decided to go out.

(Should I train today...? Or maybe go meet Lucy and Sa-san?) (Makoto)

I walked around the city while thinking that, and then I noticed.

(There's a lot of people I haven't seen before...?) (Makoto)

I have been in Makkaren for more than 1 year.

It may be a pretty big place, but I at least know the faces of the people from the neighborhood.

Makkaren has a lot of adventurers, so there's a lot of new faces.

But the people here are different.

They are not adventurers.

(They look like regular citizens, but they are not citizens that have been here for long...) (Makoto)

They might simply be people who moved here.

Even so, there's a lot.

Also, I feel gazes directed at me.

Could they be from the Snake Church...?

I should consult with Fuji-yan.

While I was thinking that...

*Kan kan kan kan*

The sound of a bell like at that time in Symphonia rang.

Tension runs in the city.

Hm? I don't think there was something like that when I was here.

"Monsters have appeared!"

The voice of the guards on watch resonated.

The residents immediately react to that voice and hide in their houses.

I could slightly read from their faces that they were thinking 'Again? Good grief'.

How could this be?

The peaceful Makkaren has become dangerous...

l