Her silver hair shimmered in the sunlight, a breathtaking sight.
With features that would put any idol to shame and long, slender limbs, she had an incredible physique.
One might ask if she'd stepped right out of the world of anime or games-and it wouldn't be an exaggeration. Well, technically, she was a game character.
A girl so radiant she could purify my very soul just by standing there was right in front of me.
I should probably start a shrine for her right here and now.
"What are you doing?" she asked.
"Uhh... w-well, do you have some business with me?" I stammered.
"Why so formal? We're classmates. You can just talk to me normally. You're Sakaki-kun, right?"
"You actually remember me!?"
I was floored. The Sword Saint¹ herself, Liesha Edelheit, had actually spoken my name.
I'll have to make a feast of red rice² the moment I get home!
"I at least remember the people Todo-sensei acknowledges," she replied.
Ah, so that was it.
Come to think of it, Liesha Edelheit started following Todo Seiya to the battlefield because of her deep admiration for him.
Recognizing her staggering potential, Todo Seiya had permitted her to accompany him.
"So, I have something I want to ask Sakaki-kun-the guy whose hobby is gathering information," she said.
Oh boy. That one slip of the tongue really came back to haunt me.
"…I'm looking for a way to break a certain curse. I was wondering if you'd heard anything about that…"
"!!"
Urgh! This-isn't this one of the key flags for the protagonist, Todoroki Rekka, to enter the Liesha Edelheit route?!
This is definitely not the kind of thing a background character should be hearing!
"Actually, you probably know this already, but… Todo Seiya-sensei's body is being eroded by a curse…"
Stop! Stop right there! Don't say another word!!
That's a plot point the hero, Todoroki Rekka, is supposed to hear so you can solve it together!
I am not the guy who's supposed to be in this scene!!
"Todo-sensei shielded me… and took that wound… He tells me not to worry, that it's not my fault… but I… Wait, what are you doing?"
"I-it's n-nothing!"
I didn't want to hear it, but I couldn't exactly run away. I wanted to plug my ears, but I couldn't exactly do that either, so I just ended up slumped on the ground in a heap.
The cold hard truth was that if it was me, I couldn't finish this quest.
In the original game, Todo Seiya-sensei's curse eventually gets lifted, and he joins the party as a guest NPC³.
His strength is legendary-like Nokturnus from Dragon Quest VI, the kind of hidden boss who could solo the final antagonist.
You can't control him, but he's the ultimate ally who just goes out and wrecks everything in sight.
The route where he joins is exclusive to Liesha Edelheit, and his sheer, broken power was honestly a joke.
But the difficulty to reach that point is just as insane. The bosses guarding the materials for the cure are absurdly powerful.
Even with Liesha Edelheit in the party, you can only barely scrape a win with the combined strength of the protagonist, Todoroki Rekka, and Liesha herself.
If I-a guy with zero combat ability-get dragged into that, the writing is on the wall. We're going to lose.
"…That look on your face. You know something, don't you, Sakaki-kun? A way to break the curse."
"!!"
"I knew it! Please, tell me! I'll do anything, whatever it takes!"
I'm pathetic. I can't even maintain a decent poker face.
She grabbed both my shoulders and started shaking me back and forth.
Her face was so close I thought I might pass out. Someone save me…
"Whoa, whoa, calm down. What's going on? What happened?"
"!!"
"…! It's none of your business. Sakaki-kun, we'll talk about this tomorrow. See ya."
My savior-no, the actual protagonist, Todoroki-stepped in between me and Liesha Edelheit.
My heart nearly jumped out of my chest for a different reason, but this was better than the alternative.
Am I okay? Is my face totally beet-red right now?
"You alright, Reo? You were getting tangled up with a real heavy hitter there. That girl is the real deal," Todoroki said.
"Of course she is, Rekka-kun. That's Liesha Edelheit. She's known as the Sword Saint-a powerhouse by anyone's standards."
"Ugh, that was the Sword Saint? I knew she was something else, but damn."
Since Saionji-san has ties to Todo Seiya, he naturally knows Liesha Edelheit too.
Actually, in the Saionji route, Liesha is a literal boss enemy…
"What's up? Did something happen?"
"Reo, did you get caught in the middle of something again?"
Doumeki-san and Hyouga gathered around too.
The main cast was all here. I was seriously worried about whether my heart could take it.
And to think they were all gathering around me, a mere background character⁴… what kind of god-tier reward was this?
Where do I sign up to pay for this? I'd happily dump every cent I have into this, minus my basic living expenses. I don't care if I have to live on instant noodles for a month.
"I-it's nothing much. It's a personal matter for Liesha-san, so I can't really talk about it. Sorry," I said.
"Fair enough. I get it!" Todoroki replied.
"I see. But if you're ever in trouble, make sure to talk to us, okay?" Saionji added.
"Yeah! We're friends, after all!"
"Heh… true. If there's anything I can do to help, just say the word."
"Guys…!"
It felt so warm… Paradise was right here, in front of the school shoe lockers.
That's the thing… these were all the people I "stan," the ones I loved.
Hot-blooded, kind, cool, and even a little bit klutzy.
I loved every single one of them.
How lucky was I to experience this for real?
I don't even remember how I got home after that.
The next thing I knew, I was standing at my front door.
Did I just fast-travel?
No, wait, this isn't a game. This is reality.
Crap, I was so caught up in the moment I don't even remember what I said to them.
I'm such a mess.
I headed inside, and Taku greeted me while wearing an apron.
"Oh. Welcome back, Big Bro. I'm on dinner duty today. Any requests?"
"I'm home, Taku. Let's see… maybe some red rice?"
"Huh? Why red rice?"
"Never mind. I want a hamburger steak."
"Got it! I'll go whip up some patties!"
I watched Taku as he headed back to the kitchen.
He's only in middle school, but he's already over six feet tall.
He has a massive, intimidating build, but he's actually the domestic type who's a pro at sewing and housework.
He's the number one man I'd want for a wife. Uh, husband, I mean.
He's a family man and good with his hands-though his grades are pretty average.
He's the brother I'm proud of.
My other pride and joy, my younger sister, was supposed to be late today because of her club.
At our house, we leave notes on the whiteboard on the fridge.
It makes it easy for our parents, who leave early in the morning, to see what's up and leave their own messages.
I checked the whiteboard-nothing had changed since this morning-and went up to my room.
Listening to the pounding of my heart, I thought back on everything that happened today. I couldn't stop a smile from creeping onto my face.
Tomorrow's Ability Measurement⁵ will expose just how weak I am.
This dream-like time will probably come to a crashing halt.
The issue is Liesha-san… but once she sees how weak I am, she'll probably give up on me.
Anyone would realize that a weakling like me can't do a thing.
It makes me a little sad, but I can't forget that I'm just a background character.
Still… surely even a Mob is allowed to look back on this one dream of a day and sink into the memories for just a bit longer?
Summary:
Sakaki Reo is approached by the 'Sword Saint' Liesha Edelheit, who asks for his help in breaking a curse affecting her mentor, Todo Seiya. Realizing he's accidentally triggered a high-level hero route, Reo panics as the hero Todoroki Rekka intervenes. The chapter ends with Reo enjoying a brief moment of friendship with the main cast before dreading the upcoming Ability Measurement.
Trivia:
- Reo knows specific game mechanics, like guest NPCs and route-exclusive characters.
- The 'Sword Saint' can be an enemy boss depending on the route chosen.
- Reo's younger brother, Taku, is an 'all-rounder' who is physically intimidating but domestic.
- Reo's information-gathering 'hobby' is what drew Liesha to him in the first place.
- The curse on Todo Seiya is a major plot point that usually involves the protagonist
Character Insight:
Reo shows extreme self-deprecation, constantly reinforcing his status as a 'Mob' to avoid the danger of hero routes. Liesha demonstrates desperation and vulnerability despite her 'Sword Saint' title. Taku is introduced as a contrasting character to Reo—physically superior but domestically inclined.
Behind the Scenes:
The reference to Nokturnus (Dark Dream) and Deathtamoor from Dragon Quest VI highlights the author's intent to use established JRPG power-scaling to explain character strength.
TL Notes:
1 ↩ Sword Saint (Kensei): A legendary title given to the strongest master of the blade.
2 ↩ Red Rice (Sekihan): Steamed rice with red beans, traditionally served on special or celebratory occasions in Japan.
3 ↩ NPC: Non-Player Character; in this context, a character that joins the party temporarily or assists in battle without player control.
4 ↩ Mob (Mobu): A background or 'extra' character who is not meant to be part of the main story.
5 ↩ Ability Measurement: A trope common in 'Isekai' or game-world novels where characters' stats and skills are formally evaluated.
Notes:
• Liesha Edelheit - A student in Class E. Known as the 'Sword Saint' and the strongest sub-character. A young girl with S-rank strength and speed. She was saved by Todo Seiya in the past and blamed herself for his injury. She approaches Reo at the end of the chapter. Beautiful girl with silver hair that shimmers in the sunlight, long slender limbs, and an idol-like face. She admires Todo Seiya.
• Todo Seiya - Great General and former Supreme Commander of the Military. Currently the homeroom teacher for Reo's class. Known as the 'Grim Reaper' by demons. Has a scarred/cursed dominant arm. He started his career at age 14.
• Todoroki Rekka - Red-haired 'Brave Fantasy' true protag—hot-blooded, friendly Class A golden boy with sky-high phys/magic stats, 'Child Prodigy of East Middle.' Big Four member, body reinforcement magic ace, calls Reo 'buddy,' zero chill on personal space, popular frank dude with bottomless optimism.
• Reo - Reincarnated HS dude who grinded 'Brave Fantasy' 100+ times, now a bland mob in the game world—black hair, Class E #6 by the back door, F-rank stats but plot meta-knowledge + magic flow reading to sideline-support heroes. Lil' bro to Saki & Taku, survives as background bro.
• Taku - Reo's younger brother. Protective and prone to outbursts of anger against those who hurt his family. A middle schooler. Over 180cm (6 feet) tall with a massive, intimidating build. Skilled in sewing and housework.