Chapter 145: Preparations for the Festival

"Isn't that enough?"

Outside the academy at a dessert shop downtown, Findenai was eating cake using a fork before she became extremely annoyed and just picked it up with her hand. When I asked her this, she responded flatly.

"Well, I guess it's not as good as I thought, huh?"

Findenai possessed numerous talents.

Aside from her combat ability, she also excelled in leadership, possessing the charisma capable of commanding a revolutionary army.

Furthermore, her beast-like senses were something that could only be called a talent.

However, personally, I suspected that her greatest talent lay in her ability to get on my nerves.

"Do you know how many slices of cake you just stuffed into your mouth?"

"Of course, I don't know."

"Look at the number of plates next to you."

There were stacks of plates piled high.

I gazed at Findenai, who brought to mind a scene I could only have witnessed in a sushi conveyor belt restaurant in the past. She then took a bite of the chocolate cake that was in her hand before responding to my statement.

"Tsk, I think grilled meat suits me better."

"Huff, alright; it was my fault to expect common sense from a wolf."

As I sighed and rose from my seat, Findenai followed suit while smacking her lips.

After paying an amount that could hardly be considered the price for a meal, we left with some take-out cakes, and Findenai giggled for no apparent reason.

No longer wanting to be swept along by her, I decided to change the subject.

"Honestly, I was surprised. I did not know you would choose to eat dessert."

"Huh? Actually, I didn't really want to."

Thud.

As I stopped in my tracks and stared at Findenai, she also stared back at me patiently.

Given her sour mood after I requested her to leave me alone in Marias Great Forest, I sought to appease her by asking what she wanted, to which she demanded dessert.

And now she said she actually didn't really want to eat it?

Did she know how much money I just spent on her? If Deia found out, she would have immediately thrown anything she could get her hands on at me and called me a crazy bastard.

"I just felt this was the most efficient way to empty your pocket, Master Bastard."

"..."

"Nevertheless, wow, Master Bastard, you really did spend that much on me. I feel touched now. Should I do something for you in return?"

Findenai elbowed my side teasingly.

Yeah, she was actually this kind of woman from the start.

No, maybe I should just see her as a beast instead of a woman.

"Alright, let me ask you to do one thing."

"Oh? What is it? Are you feeling pent-up? Do you need me to help you out?"

"Just shut that mouth of yours for a bit."

When I spoke through my clenched teeth, Findenai immediately pretended to zip her mouth shut.

I felt slightly relieved once she quieted down.

After stopping by the hotel where Illuania was staying at, to deliver the cakes, I headed back to the lab.

"Wow! Thank you!"

"I-isn't this pâtisserie really expensive?"

[...It looks delicious.]

After also sharing the dessert with Owen and Professor Fel, I grabbed the remaining cake.

"Hey, where are you going?"

"I want to give this to someone. Also, did I not tell you to keep your mouth shut?"

"Shit, what a fucking narrow-minded jerk."

"..."

"Ah, right! I'm sorry! Should I put a gag in my mouth? I heard that's your thing."

I ignored Findenai's words and stepped out of the lab. My destination was Erica's lab.

Of course, I didn't come here without reason; I had something to ask her.

After knocking, I stepped inside, causing Erica, who was working, to flinch slightly.

I cleared my throat and signaled the surrounding assistants, and they quickly abandoned their tasks and immediately left.

"Excuse us."

"Have a good time."

"We'll be back when called."

Although there was a strange consideration in each of their words as they left, I paid no heed to it.

"Ahem, what brings you here?"

Erica casually asked, pretending not to have heard the words of her assistants.

I held out the small box that contained the cake towards her desk.

"It is nothing. I just bought this."

"Oh, for me?"

"...Is there anyone else here other than you?"

Erica was surprised; she didn't expect me to bring her something like this out of the blue. However, she smiled softly and accepted it.

"Thank you."

Suddenly, a brief silence filled the room.

Since there was no need to waste time, I got straight to the point.

"I heard that you have some dispute with the Bright Household."

"...Uh, uhm."

Seeing Erica awkwardly scratching her cheek before nodding, perhaps I got too straight to the point.

"When I told them I wouldn't marry Gideon, they immediately kicked me out of the household. But it's alright, I'm old enough to stand on my own, aren't I?"

Erica shrugged nonchalantly in response. Truthfully, she was indeed leading a more confident and independent life now than before.

This was the Erica Bright I knew; with her back straight alongside a confident gaze, a truly beautiful woman.

"However, their stance must have changed after the fall of the Zeronia Household, right?"

"..."

The financial blow the Zeronia Household suffered from after having to erect the memorial monument, as well as making donations to repent for the massacre of the Setima residents committed by them. On top of that, they also had to join the front lines against the Marias tribe, which had declared war in the name of Setima.

I heard that even before I arrived, the soldiers of the Zeronia Household had nearly been wiped out, and Gideon Zeronia was hospitalized due to injuries.

"That's right. Because of that, my household has been trying to take me back. I received a letter a few days ago."

Erica opened a drawer and took out a letter with the insignia of the Bright Household.

"But it's not because they genuinely need me."

She was initially only seen as a daughter to be used for political gain. Therefore, this was not because they felt gratitude towards her for preventing the irreversible mistake of marrying her into the Zeronia Household.

"It's more like because right now, I am engaged with you, no, to be precise, it is because they need you."

My position as the Soul Whisperer had become even more solidified through this war. So, in short, the Bright Household sought to ride on the coattails of the Soul Whisperer.

"I see."

Knowing this was coming, I responded calmly.

"Set a time, let us go together."

"...Huh?"

Erica had a puzzled expression as she couldn't understand what I was saying. For her sake, I explained it once again.

"Let us go to the Bright Household together. I also need something from them."

"N-no, wait. Huh? Really?"

"But if it is just the two of us, it would raise suspicions, right? How about disguising it as a formal meeting between families? I will also call Darius to come with us."

Erica's cold expression crumbled in an instant, replaced by shyness. She couldn't keep her hands still.

"T-then, what about the annulment letter?"

She asked cautiously.

"I am sorry, but we need to put it on hold for a while. However, you can hand it back anytime after we return from your place."

"...Ah."

Erica's expression turned cold. I pretended not to see the bitterness on her face as I spoke calmly.

"Please understand."

"Alright, I got it. I don't really want to go back to my family's main house, but I do want to see those nobles groveling before you."

After that, I simply said goodbye and left the lab. I felt sorry for the dejected Erica, however...

I don't want to tie her up in this life as well.

From what I heard from Aria, I ended up marrying Erica in the first round.

It was not out of love, but simply because I needed her. When I was sick, she took care of me and eventually proceeded with the marriage.

This time, I could at least do something for her, right?

Of course, it wasn't just for Erica's sake.

It's also because Dante's movements are highly suspicious.

They instigated incidents earlier than expected. In the game's original storyline, Dante's name wasn't even supposed to appear during this period.

Their activity seemed to have increased due to my presence, so I also had to make thorough plans and prepare accordingly.

What a headache.

There was only one reason why Dante was giving me a major headache.

It was because their ultimate plan might truly be the way to save this continent.

In fact, during the first round, Aria failed to prevent Dante's leader from dying. As a result, we couldn't prevent the boundary between life and death on the continent from collapsing.

I need to find a way to replace their plan.

Until I found a recourse, I had no choice but to leave Dante as a bunch of variables.

When I returned to my lab with such thoughts, I found that it was quite noisy compared to when I left.

Findenai and Professor Fel held a paper that resembled a notice and were engaged in a discussion while Owen attempted to interject his opinion.

It was somewhat of an unexpected scene.

As soon as I arrived, the attention of the three people were immediately drawn to me, and they rushed over.

"Uh-huh-uh-blah!"

"..."

"Uh-blah-blah-blah!"

Findenai was the first to reach me. She had actually grabbed something from somewhere to gag her mouth, and that gag caused her to drool when she tried to explain something to me.

"Sigh, take that thing out first."

"Puha! Master Bastard! Look at this! They're having a festival at the academy!"

"P-Professor Deus. They say each lab is allowed to set up one stand or display their achievements!"

"Soul Whisperer! How about we do something like a performance?"

Each of them spouted things they wanted to say. I quickly reached out and grabbed the notice that Findenai was holding and read it.

It was a paper that read 'Loberne Summer Festival.' It was almost the end of summer now.

Now, this reminded me that there were festive periods in [Retry], and every time it was held, there would be various events where users could obtain abilities or items.

"Hmm."

It was a notice asking each professor's lab to submit a work related to their achievements or set up a stand. It wasn't a very interesting event since I wasn't planning on raising Aria as a hero anymore, but everyone seemed to have slightly different opinions.

"How about having a dueling arena? You know, the kind of place where we can all gather and have a big brawl!"

Findenai suggested something absurd.

"I-it's a chance to showcase my research items! I've come up with an incredible imitation body! It goes swoosh-swoosh when you stab, and then blood comes out, too!"

Professor Fel wanted to turn the student festival into a gory scene.

"Can I... also perform?"

Even Owen joined in, seemingly eager for a chance to play on stage.

Hearing them talk, I sighed and replied.

"Just do what you want."

I didn't have the luxury to care about it that much.