Chapter 3: Final Part

Final Part

Mizell's sword finally chopped off the monster's head.

It was a beast-man-like monster, the kind of target that adventurers face when they graduate from their apprenticeship.

Perhaps sensing an unprecedented situation, Mizell appeared stunned at his success, then excited.

"I ...I did it...?! I did it! That's amazing, it's all thanks to Asurika's advice."　

Perhaps the elation of having defeated an opponent who had always been superior to him had made him forget the resentment he felt towards Asurika, as Mizell looked towards me with a happy expression.

It makes a better impression than when he has a dark, gloomy expression. He probably had a hopeful look like that when he first started out as an adventurer.

Now, since he seems happy, I would like to gently praise him and take advantage of his feelings, but...　

"[Burnstorm]."

The other beastman, who had been hiding behind a rock all this time, had just taken advantage of Mizell's opportunity to attack from behind, and was burned to ashes with a vortex of flames.

Now that all the monsters in the area have been killed, it's time to talk.　

"You should never let your guard down until the very end. That's why people call you Zako. Right, Mizell?"

"Uh……"

Breaking into a cold sweat, Mizell is further humiliated and scolded, and looks down again.

I walked over to him and whispered in his ear.

"Za~ko~. Lol."

I could see his body trembling slightly. Was he angry? I couldn't help but laugh at Mizell's strange pride.

I suddenly took him in my arms and pressed him against Asurika's body, which was burning hot from the fire magic.

This time, a sweet and gentle voice that Asurika's throat had never before produced poured into Mizell's ears.　

"...But you're a lot stronger than you were yesterday. I thought that was amazing."

"Uh... oh, thank you..."

The boy's face is red with blush and he has a strange expression on his face. Oh, that's strange. In this way, following Asurika's words and actions, when you belittle someone and then say something kind to them, their reaction is so funny it sends shivers down your spine.

In fact, what I just said was my honest feeling. It seems that Mizell has finally learned how to use magic in hand-to-hand combat, and his strength has improved dramatically over the past few days. At this rate, I'm sure he'll soon gain the strength worthy of a protagonist in an isekai fantasy. That's a good thing.

The trip is going well. We're starting to have conversations to some extent.

As for where this road takes us... Mizell says that after spending the night in the next village we stop at, he is thinking of trying out adventure again in another big town. He probably feel like we are starting a new life.

...At this point, I feel like the story is going to be different from the original. The beautiful heroine-like girl who is drawn with Mizell on the cover of the manga hasn't even appeared yet.

I should have read it more thoroughly. I've read other stories about party banishment too, so it's all mixed up in my head.

Also, my friends used to make fun of me for this, but I often find myself satisfied just by reading the main character's awakening scene or the fate of the banished party. That's what happened with Mizell's story to me. No, I was planning to read the whole story properly later. Sorry, Mizell.

So the future is uncertain. But that's also the adventure.

Just like before, if we encounter monsters, Mizell will step up and deal with them, and if we reach a lodging facility, we can replenish our supplies and rest.

So we continued on this ordinary, manga-like, but not so glamorous journey.

We were quite far from the royal capital of this country, so the next post station we arrived at was a fairly rural village that didn't seem to have received the benefits of the country.

We got a room at the only inn we could find, bought some supplies from the people there, and prepared for our next journey. Other than that, we had nothing else to do and I was bored.

I left the preparations for the trip to Mizell and went for a walk around the village.

If there are injured or sick people, she will cast healing magic on them to give them a sense of relief. If someone tells her there's a crack in the barrier surrounding the village, she will repair it.

As the children, eager to know the outside world, gather noisily, I tell them stories of my adventures, stories of the city, and stories of isekai fantasy that I have read. When I show them the fire magic that Asurika is best at, everyone gasps in admiration.

Soon, the sun went down.

It was a peaceful time. Mizell seemed to be watching me from a distance.

Did you think Asurika had such a side to her? I can say with certainty that she wouldn't do such things. It's because she hates the countryside. I also did it because it felt good to be respected by everyone.

But thanks to that, the lodging fee was free. It's good that wizards can be active anywhere. Asurika's efforts are now bearing fruit. That's good news. I'm glad.

That night.

At night in a village like this, it's so quiet you can hear the chirping of insects. Maybe that's because the inn is rundown.

I was standing outside Mizell's room in just my thin pajamas.

The door seems to be locked, but when I told the lady at the inn that I wanted to sneak into his room tonight, she smiled and lent me the key. It seems I managed to trick her into thinking we were lovers.

Well, even without the key, it's easy to pry this door open with magic.

For example, a room in a first-class inn in the royal capital would be equipped with magical security to ensure the safety and security of its guests.

However, this is not the case here. It seems to be common sense among adventurers that when staying at a cheap lodging like this, the guests themselves use magic to prepare barrier. Just like when camping.

However, Mizell had not mastered magic, and so if any thieves came to this inn, it would be the end for him, and he would have no choice but to tremble and wait for morning to come.

You must be feeling anxious. As a friend, let's try to comfort you.

The sound of the metal lock opening was awfully loud. Feeling like a burglar, I quietly opened the door and stepped inside.

No, this wasn't a theft or an assault, so there was no need to hide my presence. I cleared my senses in the dark room and called out to Mizell, who seemed to be in bed.

"Are you awake...?"

A higher-pitched voice came out of my throat than I had intended. Maybe I was nervous.

Because this is a situation where a girl sneaks into a boy's room at night, which could happen in any person's life. The fact that I'm the one doing it makes me really excited.

There was no reply from Mizell. I confirmed that Mizell was lying down facing the other side. … I got behind him and tucked my body under the blanket.

Even though she had no feelings for Mizell, her heartbeat quickened at the sight of him in such a vulnerable state.

If Mizell turned around and jumped on top of me right now, there would be no way for me to escape.

That's will be really good.

...But I still couldn't sense that. From close range, I spoke to Mizell's back in a small voice, like singing a lullaby.

"Things have been going well for us lately. Going on adventures with Mizell is fun."

These are true words. I had always dreamed of walking through a world of stories, wielding magic and weapons. And while Mizell may only seem like a man who could do odd jobs to Asurika, I found him someone I could rely on outside of combat.

The boy's expression was slowly beginning to brighten up as well.

Yes, everything was going well.

"About that ...., Mizell? Do you still hate me?"　

There was no answer to my question. But I could not hear any sound of breathing. Mizell was awake, listening to what I was saying.

I reached out and touched the boy's back.

The duvet or blanket gets too hot when two people share it.

"I'm sorry I kicked you out of the party. I can't be myself in front of other people... The truth is, I've always wanted to do this."

There is no need for me to apologize for what Asrika did, but this is also a strategy.

The spiteful girl named Asurika was in fact a tsundere or something who couldn't be honest with herself... That's how I'll distort the truth.

She's been promoted from a simple silly dead person to a heroine. I'm sure she will be thrilled. You can thank me, Asurika.

"If you're okay with it, let's stay together. I like you, so..."　

I felt my face flush as I said it. Again, there was no reply, which was oddly relieving.

When it comes to the real thing, I somehow end up whispering childish words of love. Even though I don't mean it, the embarrassment is enough to make the blood rush to my face.

I don't want to tell such obvious lies because I think he's still a little wary, but when it comes down to it, I end up telling a shallow lie. It can't be helped. I don't think I'll ever be able to acquire the vocabulary to deceive a man.

...To make up for my lack of skill, I presses my heated body against his back. This is the best I can do, so there's no way it won't work.

I felt his body heat and the sound of his heartbeat. I felt a sense of comfort and a thrill.

And so, while I waited patiently for Mizell to succumb to his sexual desire or whatever and pounce on me, the night just grew deeper.

When I woke up, there was no one next to me.

I look around the room. It seems like it's been a while since he disappeared. Or rather, there's no trace of him. No luggage. And I don't feel like anyone has touched my body.　

"He got away..."

What a boring punchline. I felt a sudden coldness in the back of my head.

What should I do? Maybe he has already left the village. If I chase after him now, will I be able to catch him?

I went back to my room and quickly got ready to leave.

She puts on a wizard-like outfit for traveling and monster slaying, and picks up her wand. She makes a dignified face in front of the full-length mirror, and prepares it. Then she is complete as Asurika Feriana, a well-known user of red flames in the royal capital. She snorts at how good it is.

However, something suddenly became strange and her expression changed. It was a ridiculous sight to think that the contents had been replaced with something else.

Since there was a large full-length mirror, I wanted to have fun saying things that Asurika would never say or take poses that she would never do, but unfortunately that will have to wait for next time.

I said goodbye to the lady and left the inn. She was surprised to hear that Mizell had disappeared. It seems that he had left quite early.

Let's just follow it. Hopefully it will lead in the right direction.

And so, as I headed towards the entrance of the village...

I noticed something strange about people passing by.

"...Tra-Traveler! Don't go that way! A monster, a monster has come in!"

The girl from the village I met yesterday called out to me in a desperate tone.

To summarize what he told me quickly and breathlessly:

...A monster broke through the barrier and entered the village from the east side. It's not something anyone can do anything about unless they're an exterminator or adventurer. We'll all leave from the west side and evacuate to the neighboring village. If you see anyone, please tell them to run away. I'll go and call out to the people at the inn.

That's the story.

I don't know what kind of monster it is, but I'm in a hurry and the timing is really bad. I'll kill it right away.

The monster that was facing against the current of fleeing villagers did not look particularly strong.

A big rock puppet, or a golem. That's what the thing in front of me is called. I've defeated it before. Most monsters take the form of animals, plants, insects, and other creatures found in nature, but golems are said to be creatures created by magicians that have turned into monsters and started attacking people.

I readied my wand and accelerated the flow of magic power.

The energy generated converges at the tip of the wand.

"[Ex Flare]"　

A ray of intense heat hits the golem, and the problem is solved.　

"...Huh!?"

However.

The rock doll emerged from the red light, unharmed and with all its limbs intact.

"[Ex Flare]! [Burnstorm]! ...[Spear Ray]! Why...?!"

The magic isn't working. It doesn't work at all.

Just in case, I tried changing the attribute to other than fire, but it was just repelled without creating a single crack.

I step back.

Of course, the other world is vast, and there are bound to be monsters that magic doesn't work on.

But why now, why here? It's strange. It's unnatural. It's illogical.

She continued to cast spells with all her magical power. She had tried everything she could think of. And then...

The golem was walking slowly and had already come close enough that I could feel my staff tapping on its body.

"This thing...?!"

Before I knew it, I was rolling on the ground. I thought to myself, this is what it feels like to be hit by a car.

My whole body hurts, especially my arms. I was hit by those big, stone arms.

Shit. Shit shit shit...! It's humiliating. Magic just doesn't work on something like this...　

"...Gah...!! Ah, ahhh..."

I was hit again.

Ouch.

I crawl along the ground to pick up my dropped wand. Without it, I can't use magic efficiently.

Then, a golem appeared in front of me.

...Why does this happen?

I didn't really care if I struggled in a shameful way. Even if I could use Asrika's magic, I was still just a useless student. I knew something like this would happen eventually.

But what I'm facing now is just death. It's not a losing event, or a defeat to power up, or anything like that. It's just my broken bones and pain, and I'm bleeding and hurting. Why can't it be convenient for me?

In the end, is Asurika destined to die a miserable death? Would that change even if I took her place?

...What is this, so boring.

The truth is...I thought that I could have been the main character, the protagonist.　

When I saw the golem raise its arms, I burst into shameful tears. I think I may have even let a little cry from underneath.

And so, the time until death felt slower than ever before...

I saw a huge, solid rock body shifting from top to bottom.

"Ooooh!!!"　

Something flashes, and the golem's body starts to tear apart.

It was a sword. It cut through the hard rock that magic couldn't penetrate like it was butter.

As the remains of the golem tumbled to the ground in pieces, Mizell stood there, breathing heavily.

".. Very protagonist-like, huh."

That thought came to my mind.

"Eh? I.. I...how did I..."

"…………Mizell."

"Asurika!! Are you okay!?"　

The boy came running towards me with a pained expression on his face. He looked exactly like someone who had come to help me out of concern.

I picked up the wand that was nearby.

Using it as support, I tried to somehow stand up, but my legs seemed to give way and I collapsed halfway through.

Mizell caught me. I was grateful for his concern, but my body hurt.　

"Were you trying to protect this village?"

"...Hmm? Ah, I guess so..."

I was annoyed that you had left without permission, so I decided to show off a little. And now this is what has happened. The village would have been helpless without Mizell.

I tried to move my body, but I still couldn't move.

I clung to Mizell like a child.　

"Why didn't you come and help me earlier?!"

"Eh?"

"I was scared. I thought I was going to die."　

My mouth moves, so I say what I want to say.　

"But ... Thank you for helping me..."

This time, I truly felt that way.

An isekai fantasy kind of dreams. I imagined a success story like the ones I often read in novels and manga.

That's just like Asurika's carefree attitude.

But unfortunately, I am now just one of the characters. This guy is the real main character. I realized that when I almost die.　

"Asurika... I'm...I'm glad I was able to help you. Thank you, too. For trying to protect the village."

"……Yeah"

"This is the hometown of a friend of mine. I went to visit his grave this morning...ah, I need to thank you for this."

Oh.

Mizell... somehow, it seems like he's more talkative than usual.

Turning bad luck into good luck. I could hear a hint of trust in me in Mizell's voice.

He felt like he had to show some gratitude. Even though I was the one who should be showing gratitude.

I kept my face down...

I laughed.

This is a good scene. Yes, after going through this, it would be a lie to say there wasn't something to be gained from it.

Mizell is waiting to hear from me, something that has never happened before.　

"Well then..."

I raised my head and gazed at Mizell, conscious of the expectant gaze that was filling his eyes.　

"Then ... can you hug me~?"

"...N-Now?"　

I flirtatiously asked for a cute, girly reward.

I'm pretty strong after nearly dying. Even though my body hurts all over. Don't you think I'm a brave girl, Mizell?

If I approach him this thoroughly, he'll forget about Asurika from before. My body is hot now, and my pulse is fast. I'll press against his heart, and make him really misunderstand...

Humans can't forever ignore a good-looking person of the opposite sex who says she likes them.

Mizell looks embarrassed. He is not the typical protagonist who is insensitive to love, so he must be imagining what this request means.

That's fine. From the outside, they would look like a couple who'd gotten out of a pinch and closed the gap, on the verge of reaching the finish line...

"I ...I'll do it."

Mizell put the arm that had been supporting me around my back.

A hug after a fierce battle was a situation that seemed straight out of fiction, and it made me feel a little good.

I accepted the embrace of the protagonist of the story as a girl who was more delicate than him. I didn't like Mizell or anything, but I felt a sense of excitement and fulfillment.

I let myself go for a while, thinking about my next lines and expressions. And then――　

With a bang.

Something ran down my back at incredible speed.

I had a hunch that something very bad was about to happen.

"Ah. What...?"

The moment Mizell put an arm around my shoulders,

Something foreign entered my head.

"Ah. This... Ah. Ah, ah, ahh..."

It was like a sweet electric current.

"Happiness." That's the word that comes to my mind.

A sense of euphoria is sent to my brain. My head is about to explode with happiness. My heart is beating faster, and something strange is mixed into the bloodstream that is being sent to my entire body, invading my entire body.

'I want to dedicate my whole life to this person.' That feeling wells up from the bottom of my heart.

...What is this?! That can't be.

I tried to push Mizell away--

Also, something was sent to my brain and heart, washing everything away.　

"Ah? I like you... No, that's not it!"

This feeling wells up inside me... it's love.

Although I was certainly feeling some discomfort for a moment, the moment I felt it, it was replaced by something completely different.

I like it. No. I like it. No. I like it. No!

Okay, I get it all now.　

"Umm... let... go.. ."　

This guy is definitely a harem protagonist.

Mizell had some kind of power that could make women fall in love with him. No one in this world could recognize it, but the god who wrote the story had given him something that could turn women into heroines. Like a powerful charm skill. That's definitely it. I understood it with my body.

Otherwise, something so unnatural would not be possible.

This is a terrible trap. Yes, I saw through it. So I can resist. I must resist. I must get rid of this thing right now.

"Hmm, hmm...huh?"

Oh. Again.

Something is turning my soul inside out. I love this guy too much and I can't let go.

Even though we had been in close contact many times before, this sensation was completely different. His body temperature, his smell, everything about him felt so precious, and my five senses were keenly picking up all the information about him. They hit me in the head, pried it open, and stuffed me with all my affection for him.

I love him. I love him. I LOVE HIM!

No! That's not it! I was just playing around. I need to keep myself together.

I desperately tried to muster my voice.

"M-Mizell... I ..  I ... toward Mizell I feel..."　

Wait, that's not a good time to say that.

My throat is about to swell with emotion as I say more, but I manage to hold it in by clenching my mouth tightly.

...However, before I realized it, I had dropped the magic wand I was holding and was embracing the other person tightly.

This is almost like a confession....not the usual farce, but from the bottom of my heart.

After I stopped mid-sentence, Mizell's embrace tightened a little.

Then, a sweet, warm wave was sent to my head again...

"Umm, I'm too .... toward Asurika..."

"Ah, what...?"

"Eh? Oh, sorry. It's nothing."　

His voice whispered in my ear, gently gripping my brain and shaking it violently.

What was he trying to say? No, I heard him.

So it's mutual.

"Eh, ehehe..."　

My face was smiling.

Is this a fearless laugh, a sign that the scheme has succeeded?

... Perhaps I couldn't bear the happiness of being embraced and let out a laugh.

I don't have a mirror so I don't know.

"A-Are you okay now?"

"....."　

As I was held by Mizell, my thinking became increasingly dull.

To put it in a positive way, I felt soothed and calmed.

I was scared. It was controlling my thoughts. And yet, I couldn't let it go.　

In the end, we ended up just like this, in the middle of the village. To others, we must have looked like a young girl clinging to her beloved after her wish had finally come true.

That's not true.

This is.....unacceptable.　

As I was rocked back and forth in the carriage, I hugged my knees and stayed still.

Diagonally across from the fairly spacious luggage platform was Mizell. We were lucky enough to come across a traveling merchant with a horse just when they were barely carrying any luggage, and he offered to escort us to the next town.

A day had passed since that incident, and my head, which had been boiling in hot water, had cooled down a little.

There is a slang word called "choroin." It refers to a girl who falls for you easily, like the easy heroines in harem stories.

Could that really happen to me? What a flop.　

"......!"

My eyes met with Mizell's, and I realized that I had been taking occasional glances at what was going on over there.

As if something was on his mind, Mizell approached me.

"Hik……!"　

I instinctively stepped back and put some distance between me and him.

I'm sorry, but I don't want anything more to happen to me.

My brain is melting.　

"……as I thought."　

As he said this, Mizell looked hurt.

Judging from his words, he must have thought that there must have been some mistake in Asurika's feelings for him...

...I felt a sharp pain in my chest.

Is this my own conscience, or is it the result of the emotions that was added back then?

It is no longer even possible to make that judgment.　

Take a deep breath.

What's the right thing to do?

Should I move away from this guy and stay the same as I always was?

Or maybe.

Will I embrace that soul-melting feeling of happiness and become captivated by this person?

Even though I refused, my eyes found their way there.

It's because I fell in love with this man. No, I was made to. Forced. Even if Mizell didn't realize it, he did horrible things to me.

It's unforgivable. I'm disappointed in you. It shouldn't have happened. I'm not the kind of person who could have been like this.

...Anger and jealousy boiled up inside me as I glared at Mizell.

That's right.

I am――,　

I went over to Mizell and put my hand on his.

"Mizell..."　

Her breath is hot and it feels like it's burning my throat.　

"...The truth is, well. I had some evil plans, that's why I approached you."

I utter words that are completely different from the lies I has told up until now.　

"I think I've really fallen in love with you."

"...!"　

ah.

I said it.

I can't lie. I can't control myself. It's all because of this poisonous love.　

"So… so… hmmm"　

Oi, me! Close your mouth and swallow some air.

If you go beyond this point, there's no going back. There's no way to fix it.

Is this really okay?

This isn't how I planned. I, Asurika, have been defeated by a weakling kid who was just a small fry until recently, and have had the upper hand.

That shouldn't be the case--

"Asurika?"

"I... Uh? Ah, ah, I..."

When I heard my name called in a slightly passionate voice, my mind and my body easily raised the white flag and surrendered.

Our eyes collide. I can't look away anymore.

I pleaded with him, somehow managing to squeeze out a trembling voice.　

"I want all of me to be yours..."　

And so, she spoke those crucial words.

As I accepted the impulse planted in my soul as my own, and let it flow through my throat and out of my mouth, a tingling sensation of pleasure ran up my spine.

My brain is tingling. There is an uneasy ache deep in my stomach and chest.

Mizell gasped, looked at me with an expression I couldn't understand, then blushed.

"...is that okay...?"

He replied.

Knowing that he wanted me, my body trembled with joy. I was shamefully turned on and nodded.

This body no longer belongs to Asurika, nor to me. I decide, without the permission of its rightful owner, that it belongs to the male in front of me. Just by knowing that, a heat born from deep inside my stomach spreads throughout my entire body.

I did it.

I feel a sense of accomplishment. Why? What kind of accomplishment?

...For having become this person's woman. And for having irreparably distorted the life of a young girl.

The pleasure of controlling others. And the opposite, the pleasure of being dominated and subjugated. I had never known anything like it until today.

Ah. Ahhh~

I'm happy.

I chose the right path.

We feel the warmth of each other's hands and laugh together, pure joy at being united.

This was the finish line, and the start.

I sat next to Mizell and looked at him passionately. I felt the comfort of a solid connection in my heart.

...But, however.　

"But in return, I have a favor to ask of you."　

...I won't give this body, this heart, for free.

I'll make him pay for the corruption he caused to me. That's right. My swollen desire to dominate won't be satisfied by just taking control of Asurika's life. Even if I learn how good it feels to be dominated.

That's why……,

"Mizell. You will be mine too, right...?"

An equivalent exchange, or maybe a cheap one?

I'm giving everything to Mizell, so I expect Mizell to do the same. Isn't that a given?

Harem protagonist. No joke.

You have such a hidden power of fascination that you will never be able to speak to another woman again. You will never be able to touch another woman again. Your voice is mine, and your hands are mine only.

At some point, we had been covering each other in a sweet, sticky sweat.

Before long, Mizell...with his face as red as an apple, agreed to become mine.

I'm sure my face and the depths of my eyes were probably the same color, like burning fire.

As we were rocked side by side in the carriage, without looking at each other's faces, we felt each other's warmth.

She rested the weight of her head on the boy's left shoulder and intertwined her slender fingers with the boy's outstretched hand. Mizell's hand was slightly larger than Asurika's.

Holding hands like lovers. When I put strength into my sweaty hands, unlike the previous one-sided seductions, he squeezed me back tightly. I never thought that the excitement would be so different just because there was a response or not.

We just felt excited, like we were in elementary or middle school and our hands got hot and we started to sweat more.　

"Mizell"

"Yeah?"

"I love you."

"...ugh! Thank you. Me too..."　

"Hey, if you get close to another girl... I might kill you and her too."

"Eh? Uh, yeah... I'll be careful."

"That's a promise."

"...."

"Mizell, please don't kick me out of this party."

"Hm. I mean, that's what I should be saying."

"...I'm sorry about that time. But I won't banish Mizell again. Something like that won't happen again. Because..."

With a gaze filled with heat that threatened to overflow from within, I looked into Mizell's eyes.

Beautiful blue eyes. I'm sure Asurika's image is reflected there. That's fine. It's fine as long as he only looks at me.

I laughed with the most joyful, happy, sad and loving feeling I had ever felt in my life.　

"I'll never let you go from my life again ..."　

From this party with just the two of us. From my side. I won't let you take even one step outside.

For just a moment, I caught a glimpse of fear in the depths of Mizell's eyes, and being so smitten with him, I didn't miss it.

So stupid. So cute.

It's too late to regret it. It's your fault.

Let's adventure in this world, just the two of us forever.

My beloved protagonist-kun.

(THE END)