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Translator: Xini
Proofreader: Silavin
Two kinds of protagonists could be found in light novels.
The kind with little to no personality, thereby making it easier for players to insert themselves into the story.
The kind with an overbearing personality, coupled with a storyline between the protagonist and their love interests that players can enjoy.
As my sister would say, the two kinds can be distinguished as, experience it yourself or revere the characters.
In the Ring of Fire, the protagonist belongs to the latter category.
If the protagonist had no personality, the event pictures would end up with the protagonist wearing a blank expression. Instead, all event pictures had proper expressions and the choices were also very quirky.
The actions and words of the protagonist’s personality charms the love interests and their fates intertwined.
At a certain stage, the protagonist would even duel with High Highness Vermillion… despite being allies, saying,
“I respect you. I’m not your inferior. I wish to be your equal and walk alongside you. Which is why… I’m giving it all I got.”
Uttering cool lines like that, the protagonist would try to throw a punch at some instances.
If such a character was labelled as having no personality then the majority of protagonists would end up being bland.
“– Ah, though there are hard times, there are fun times as well. Living in Shiki is not too bad.”
“I see. Home is where you make it, as they say.”
At present, a girl with a strong personality as the protagonist was happily listening to Lady Violet speak.
I was thinking of asking her about the other alchemist mage. I wanted to check out how different she was from the girl I knew, but it was really hard to break the ice, let alone get any information out of her.
“I’ve been the only one talking. Simply listening to me go on about my life must be boring.”
“Not at all. Hearing you recount your tales with so much excitement is infectious, so I’m having fun.”
“Really? I have to say you’re not only a good talker, but a good listener as well…”
“You think so?”
Seeing the two of them talking animatedly, they didn’t look in the least on bad terms.
Committing deeds high society would find appalling, envious of her closeness with her beloved prince and being unable to bear it any longer, she bids farewell to the world. I could see none of those emotions between the two. They are genuinely very close friends.
“Ah, sorry. I’m a bit busy settling affairs after the Rivers’ incident. I hope you won’t mind if I step away for a moment.”
“Yeah. That’s okay.”
“Sorry. There are things that must be kept confidential in cases like these.”
“Of course. But… you give off the air of a woman who can get the job done and I find that cool.”
Lady Violet chucked and replied, “Aw shucks Ms. Kriemhild!”
And bid her goodbye with a thumbs up.
…Alright. Ms. Kriemhild is alone now. I can probably try to strike up a conversation with her now… but I don’t know. I feel like it makes me look really suspicious to sneak a conversation with a woman alone. If Lady Violet were to see us, she may think we were having an affair or a tryst. I should wrap it up quickly.
“Ms. Kriemhild, may I have a moment of your time?”
“Yes? Ah, Mr. Clo. Hello.”
Ms. Kriemhild recognized my face and greeted me with a smile.
…I really doubt her claims of being unpopular. Though, I wonder if there are many that misunderstand her friendly nature. In the story, His Highness and the others protected her though.
Incidentally, she began calling me by my name as my surname overlapped with Lady Violet’s (which led to me going by first name basis too!). This is how we started referring to each other casually.
“Let me thank you once again for being such good friends with my wife. I couldn’t be more happy that my wife had such a good friend by her side in the academy.”
“N-Not at all! I’m the one who should be grateful that a duke’s daughter made friends with a commoner like me!”
“…”
“Uh, umm… is something wrong? What’s with the incomprehensible expression you’re making while looking at me ?”
“…It’s nothing. I was simply touched that Lady Violet had a friend of her age. Please continue to be friends with her.”
“Of course, that’s the plan, but is that really so touching?”
“I was of the impression that she’d had no friends at the academy.”
I’m guessing Lady Violet back then didn’t have the most pleasant of personalities.
Besides His Highness, I suppose she was on speaking terms with Ash and Chartreuse too, but that’s probably as far as their relationship went…
“But she was always surrounded by many students, you know?”
“This is just my guess, but if I were to give them a name, it would be followers.”
“Ahaha…”
Ms. Kriemhild couldn’t disagree so she just laughed drily.
Yeah, that’s why I’m touched.
There’s certainly a lot of things I don’t know. Like the identity of her duel partner, but I’m happy to stand corrected in regards to her having had someone she could call a friend at the academy.
“…Um, at the risk of offending you, do you mind if you ask you something?”
“No problem. Go ahead.”
At my approval, Ms. Kriemhild looked as if my face had sparked a memory in her and asked, subdued.
“Have you been taking advantage of the fact that Violet is innocent to teach her something perverted?”
“I haven’t.”
I have to give it to her for being gutsy enough to ask a noble something like that, even if I’m only a noble in name.
In the game Ring of Fire, it’s true that there was one ending where they hinted at Lady Violet suffering at the hands of a pervert, but I want to clarify that I haven’t done anything of the sort.
“Forgive me. Violet is innocent and she can also be clumsy so I was worried that she might be pulled into doing something weird…”
So even Ms. Kriemhild had the same opinion of her.
“It’s quite alright. It’s only natural that you’re concerned. I’m aware that I don’t have a stellar reputation and if my friend married such a man, anyone would be worried.”
If we’re talking about the capital, then I’m sure there’s more than one unsavoury rumour circulating about me. Well, not like I can say my reputation here is that solid either. When anyone learns that their friend had left for a place like that, of course they’d be worried.
So I’d be glad if the conversation she had earlier had quelled her worries even just a little.
“Well, I’m worried that the next time I meet Violet, she’ll be wearing a cloak and laughing out loud or get excited at the sight of a wound or ingest poison of her own volition or have a mechanical body like Robot.”
“…”
“Why are you looking away?”
Shit. I find it hard to deny any of that.
I’m frustrated that settling into Shiki means that you become perverted in one way or another. Perhaps… that’s being a pervert means!? Surely… not.
“Ahaha, but I’m glad that she appears happy. Please continue to treat her well.”
Saying so, Ms. Kriemhild smiled as she wished us happiness. Her eyes that were looking up due to the difference in our height and her smile that lit up her whole face had quite the charm.
…But, I don’t know why. For some reason, I felt a sense of deja vu or rather that something was off with her smile. A smile that made me wonder if she really did normally smile that way.
However it was just a smile after all. I think everything looks suspicious only because I doubted her before.
“Oh, right. Mr. Clo. I thought you needed something from me.”
Oof, I wonder if she found it fishy that I went out of my way to come here to talk to her, for she had a curious look on her face.
I cleared my throat and after checking that no one was within earshot, I asked Ms. Kriemhild, at a volume only she could hear, about the duel… or rather, about the opponent of the duel that I didn’t know of.
“About the person Lady Violet duelled against… I’m sure you’d agree it’s a little awkward to ask about that to the people directly involved.”
Ms. Kriemhild nodded, folded her arms, looking convinced.
After a brief struggle to find the right words, she unfolded her arms and spoke about that girl.
“She was also a pupil of my master and learned alchemy magic from him. She’s also well versed in other types of magic with both her physical abilities and alchemy magic being second to none. She’s very beautiful and popular at the academy.”
… Should I say, I knew it. After all, this information makes it certain that something was amiss.
The reason there are only a few alchemy mages is because you need the specific talent for it and also since it is almost obsolete, there are very few left with the knowledge to teach anyone. In our kingdom, there is no one who professionally practises alchemy magic.
Moreover, Ms. Kriemhild’s master has a difficult personality and rarely takes in a disciple and even she was only taught the basics in her childhood. Even taking a pupil was supposed to be unusual for him. After all, her master was described to be eccentric, and she was described as his only disciple.
But if that girl really was taught by the same master… then is this world simply only similar to the game, Ring of Fire? After all, the same events may not necessarily repeat? Or…
“By the way, is that girl good friends with His Highness Vermillion, Lord Ash, Lord Chartreuse… and even the son of the Forsythes?”
“Yes. She is indeed close with all the people you just mentioned.”
“…I see.”
The Forsythe in question is called Eccles Forsythe, the eldest son of the Count Forsythe and also one of the love interests in the game Ring of Fire.
All the people I mentioned are prominent figures at the academy, and if that girl is really so remarkable then it should be no surprise that they would have crossed paths. All I’ve heard is stories about her and I don’t know anything for certain, but her actions or rather, her circumstances are suspicious no matter how I look at them.
“…This is something I heard from staff at the academy, but did she by chance fall into the lake at the academy with His Highness while the class was still in session, get rescued after being attacked by a wounded B- Class monster some distance away from the academy, slap Lord Ash… was that girl the one involved in all these incidents?”
“Yes. That’s her alright. That brings back memories.”
Perhaps, that girl is the same as me, a reincarnator.
Examples of choices when the protagonist has a strong personality (3 choices)
- Fight.
- Sneak into his bedroom.
- Sneak into his bath.
