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I Got a New Skill Every Time I Was Exiled, and After 100 Different Worlds, I Was Unmatched (Web Novel) - Chapter 408: First, We Need to Meet; Otherwise, There Can Be No Future.
Chapter 408: First, We Need to Meet; Otherwise, There Can Be No Future.
This chapter is updated by JustRead.pl
“Kyaa! Hey Ed, did you hear!? She said he’s her destined partner!”“It’s more like a fated partner… or maybe not.”
As Tia excitedly shook my shoulders, I took the opportunity to observe Mao… not that I needed to. I mean, she was acting all weird and squirmy.
“When I saw Yuto for the first time, something like… a shock ran through me. At first, I thought it was my demon king instincts being stimulated, but it seemed different. It didn’t take long to understand the cause of that excitement.”
“Love at first sight!? You’ve fallen in love with the hero!?”
“Well, yes.”
“Wow, really! Hey, hey, what do you like about him?”
“Hmm, what do I like, you ask…”
As Tia leaned in with her question, Mao, however, calmed down and a gentle smile formed on her lips.
“There are, of course, many things I like about him. But to speak of them would be boorish, wouldn’t it?”
“Eh, really?”
“Yes. The moment we met, I felt ‘I like him.’ From there on, it’s merely rationalizing the reason behind these feelings—’Where do these feelings come from?’ Moreover, I hardly know anything about him yet. To say at this stage what I like about him would feel somewhat… superficial. Therefore, for now, it’s enough for me that I’ve fallen for him at first sight.”
“Ooh, that’s deep… Wait, but… Ed, you didn’t know about Mao-chan, right?”
“Huh? Yeah, so?”
“So, does that mean Mao-chan won’t even speak to the hero for at least half a year?”
“Eh? Ah, I think so?”
Thinking about it, I hadn’t met Mao in my first journey through this world. That meant Mao wouldn’t appear around the hero. Considering what I’ve heard now and the world situation I knew then, it’s unlikely that the first-round Mao was acting as a proper Demon King.
“What do you mean?”
“That’s… well, I’ve got the gist of your story, so maybe it’s time I explain our situation.”
Saying that, I started to explain our circumstances… how we were traveling through different worlds by the will of a god, how we can’t leave the hero’s party unless we’re expelled, and most importantly, that this was my second time visiting this world.
Mao frowned thoughtfully and started nibbling on a sixth piece of the confectionary.
“Mmm… Even for you, my lord, what a peculiar fate you’ve walked…”
“Really? I thought I was telling a pretty unbelievable story, but you believe it just like that?”
“I have no reason or meaning to doubt it. But then… d-does that mean I will just keep watching Yuto from afar…?”
“I can’t really answer that. I didn’t feel your presence at all during the first round… Oh, right. Can you, like, hide your presence?”
“Hm? I can do that. Hah!”
In response to my question, Mao seemed to steel herself. Then Mao’s… or rather, the “Demon King’s presence” rapidly diminished, becoming undetectable to my senses.
“How about that! I’ve worked hard to be able to enter human towns undetected. In a crowd, I can completely erase my presence!”
“A crowd… I see. That’s why I didn’t notice at first.”
If I hadn’t caught sight of Mao at that moment, I probably would never have realized she was there until the end. She wasn’t forcibly following me but was merely observing from within the town.
“Fufu, if I can deceive my lord, that must be something, right?”
“Yeah, impressive. But this means… hmm.”
As Mao’s presence nearly vanished into that of an ordinary person, I stroked my chin, deep in thought. If she can blend in this well… maybe it’s possible?
“Hey Mao. How about you join us in the Hero’s party?”
“Huh!?”
“Wow, that’s a great idea! Hey Mao-chan, why don’t you come with us?”
“Tia-dono!? My lord, what a sudden…”
“I mean, if you stay like this, you’ll just end up watching Yuto from afar, right? That’s kinda… you know?”
“Exactly! Even if your love doesn’t come to fruition, it’s a waste just watching from afar! If you travel with us, you can naturally be around the hero. What do you think, Mao-chan?”
“How can I… suddenly, when you put it like that…”
Caught off guard by my suggestion and Tia’s enthusiastic support, Mao continued to nervously nibble on her baked sweets. After finishing the last piece on her plate, she looked up at me with a helpless expression.
“My Lord, why do you care so much for me?”
“Haha, there’s no grand reason. It’s just… well, I thought an opportunity wouldn’t hurt.”
Miracles and coincidences don’t happen without an opportunity. If I had been too shy to approach Tia, or if Tia had been more introverted and hadn’t interacted with me, in that world, Tia and I would never have spent time together like this.
And now, in this world, the chance for Mao and the hero to meet might only exist here. By the time I’m expelled from this world, Mao might have given up on the hero or might not be able to stay here for some reason.
But we’ve met at this moment. We’ve been given the chance to connect, so it wouldn’t hurt to meddle a bit more to overlap those chances, those opportunities.
“Of course, if you don’t want to, I won’t force you. It’s common to find that things are different from what you imagined once you get closer, or to start seeing their flaws once you become friends. Keeping it as a beautiful memory without ever meeting is also an option. So, I’m not forcing anything. I’m just asking. Mao… what do you want?”
“I… I want to know. I want to know more about the hero, about Yuto! Even if I end up regretting knowing him, I don’t want to regret not knowing him. So please… take me with you!”
“Alright, then it’s time for a strategy meeting. Tia, I’m counting on your help too.”
“Of course! I’m super motivated today!”
As I pat Mao’s head, Tia clenched her fists in front of her chest, showing her determination. Just like that, we naturally proceeded to strategize on how to integrate ourselves into the hero’s party… and the next day.
“Mmm…”
“Don’t look so glum, Mao.”
We followed the hero Yuto, who was walking alone in the forest, from a considerable distance. With three of us, it was hard to avoid detection, so we kept a significant distance, but Tia wouldn’t lose sight of the inexperienced boy’s steps in the forest.
“But Yuto is going to be attacked soon, right? I know it, yet to wait until he’s attacked before helping… I understand the reason, but…”
“It’s hard to accept when you think about your crush being in danger.”
“That’s just how it is.”
In the first round, Yuto developed a kind of admiration for me after I saved him from danger, which led to us acting together. Otherwise, there was no rational reason for Yuto, just a young adventurer, to join me.
If we had gone ahead and defeated the beasts attacking Yuto, and then warned him to be careful because strong monsters appeared around here, that would have been the end of it. That would make us just kind-hearted senior adventurers passing by, not enough to form a party, so we definitely couldn’t choose that path.
“And… It should be about time now. Both of you, be ready—”
“Aaaaahhhhh!”
Before I could finish my warning, a high-pitched scream of a boy echoed from deep within the forest. Oops, we need to hurry—
“Yuto!? I’m coming now!”
“Hey!? Damn it, let’s go, Tia!”
“Yes!”
Ignoring the initial plan, Mao dashed off, and Tia and I chased after her at full speed.
