After Stealing Hero's Mother, I Reincarnated in the Fantasy World!-Chapter 93: The girls’ concerns

As Rain walked to the venue of the finals, which was further away than it seemed, the storage ring on his finger gave off a faint vibration.

"Sives? Did you want something?"

His cosmic wolf girl, who now resided in his storage ring, often did so when she wanted to talk about something.

Though usually most of her talk was limited to requests for new delicious food.

"Don’t show too much. It’s always best to keep a few cards to yourself. Especially when it comes to that witch, Ophelia."

"Huh? You mean the academy principal?"

"Yes. How did she even manage to become the principal? Ah, nevermind. Since she is the principal, she should be present there. Or not. She’s not a person whose actions anyone can predict. Anyway, if she’s in the mood, she’ll definitely show up there."

Her face grew sour.

"And something tells me that’s what’s going to happen."

Although Sives had exceptionally negative thoughts about Ophelia, since she was the one who had caught her and put her on a chain for decades, Rain wasn’t about to relax about her.

Ophelia. What did he even know about her?

A woman whose curves were mesmerizing even to a seasoned man like him, and a woman who had once put him in charge of 2nd year students out of the blue.

And that was it.

"I’m not telling you to hold back. Just don’t let her suspect you of anything. Otherwise that witch will hound you to the end like the worst of the blood hounds."

"Okay. Thanks for your care, Sives."

"..."

She silently withdrew without saying a word.

When Rain reached the straight corridor at the end of which he could see the exit to the arena, he noticed a silhouette leaning against the wall. The light from the outside obscured her features, but one glance was enough for him to recognize her.

Long blonde hair, bouncy breasts, and a supple yet not lacking in shapes body.

It was Aelorian, Princess of the Forgotten Forest.

Her eyes immediately focused on Rain as he approached.

"Rain...long time no see. How have you been? Did you enjoy the tournament? Was it hard to get to the finals?"

There was a strained cheerfulness in her voice, unnatural in this semi-darkness. When she noticed his silence, her smile faltered slightly, and she added.

"And yeah, don’t have any wrong ideas, it’s just a coincidence. Not that I was expecting to see anyone here..."

"You lost."

At his direct words, her smile finally faded.

Was she sincere from the start, though?

She was only trying not to show her feelings about her defeat, trying to hide it behind her usual demeanor, but her lifelessly pale eyes gave away her feelings completely.

"...Yes."

She, as the only daughter and the future of the entire Elven Kingdom, had no right to be weak. She must win. If not for herself, then for her people.

"I was unable... to win…"

For her, defeat was not a personal failure, but a betrayal. The weight of responsibility, so heavy for a young girl like her, pressed down on her.

"The people who believed in me… I let them down… again."

"Hey, Ael. You’re forgetting something."

Rain interrupted her musings.

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"We’re a team."

The bond that had bound them together since the incident in the rift, the bond that confirmed everything they had experienced together, was not something Rain was willing to break easily.

"Just because you lost doesn’t mean we lost."

Finally her fluttering emerald eyes met his unwavering gaze.

"So just get the best seat and watch me crush that bastard."

Rain held out his hand to her, never taking his gaze from her emerald eyes.

"Not as myself, but as a team."

Aelorian awkwardly extended her hand in return, squeezed it lightly. She did feel a little better after his words and smiled weakly.

Suddenly, he gripped her hand tighter and pulled her into his arms.

!!!

Shocked by his unexpected action, she immediately tried to break free.

"Y-You! L-Let me go!!! Let me go now!!!"

Her red ears wiggled like never before as she made her fruitless attempts to break free of his grip.

Rain leaned into her fluttering ears, his hot breath sending shivers through her body.

"I think I’ve said it before, Ael, you’re my woman. So don’t think so much about all this complicated stuff and just rely on me."

"W-Who is your woman?! Don’t o-overestimate yourself!"

She continued to cry it out and flutter in his arms until her strength ran out and she finally fell silent. After a few minutes, she said in a soft voice.

"You already have to go..."

"They can wait."

So they stood in silence for an unknown amount of time, listening only to each other’s quiet breathing, until he heard her quiet voice again.

"Okay, you can let me go now."

He didn’t deny her this time, releasing her from his embrace.

"Hmph."

She snorted and turned away, trying to make a disgruntled face. Stay connected via novelbuddy

’She finally seems to have fully come to her senses by now.’

Her former fatigue and frustration with herself were gone, as if they had never existed.

Pouting some more time, Aelorian looked thoughtfully toward the solar arena, then spoke.

"That guy, Gray, he may not look it, but he’s not an easy opponent. He’s... um, how should I put this? He’s strange"

"What do you mean?"

"I don’t know, it’s a gut feeling. It feels like there’s something wrong with him."

Remembering their conversation earlier, and Gray’s attitude towards his mother and the others, Rain could only nod to himself.

’Such a hypocritical freak.’

Rain had already realized this, but decided not to speak of it, instead turning his attention to another detail.

"Oh, is Your Highness worried about me?"

The elven beauty flinched slightly and froze in place.

"N-no, why would I? Don’t overestimate your worth."

"Really? Too bad, I was really hoping for that."

Rain showed a sad face and shook his head.

Aelorian hesitated for a moment, rubbing the dagger at her waist before speaking.

"Good luck to you, Rain."

As if having done everything she wanted to do, she quickly turned away and headed in hasty, slightly awkward steps in the opposite direction of the arena.

"Don’t lose to him."

On the way out, she whispered faintly. Probably, if it hadn’t been for his keen senses, he wouldn’t have heard it.

Rain didn’t know whether the words were directed to him or to herself, but he smiled anyway.

With that, waving goodbye to her, he moved with confident steps into the arena, towards the bright light.

***

Thanks for reading, everyone.