Im not the final boss lo.., p.1
I'm Not the Final Boss' Lover Volume 3, page 1
I’M NOT THE FINAL BOSS’ LOVER
VOLUME 3
KEN
TRANSLATED BY
WORDEXCERPT
KEN 2022 © I’m Not the Final Boss’ Lover
All rights reserved.
English Translation © WordExcerpt LLC.
English translation rights arranged with Shinyoung Media Services. First published in Republic of Korea by Shinyoung Media Services.
Translator: David Song | Editor: Noelle Winters & Sestet Nimr
This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is coincidental.
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ISBNs 978-1-954707-73-3 (digital) | 978-1-954707-74-0 (paperback)
For the readers
Magic is my only love.
AXION
CONTENTS
1. We're Not In Any Relationship
2. Performance Report Meeting
3. The Long-Awaited Reunion
4. Clearing Up The Misunderstanding
Afterword
CHAPTER ONE
WE'RE NOT IN ANY RELATIONSHIP
On our way back to Nochtentoria Castle, I asked the others to keep silent about Mayer's holy power.
“It just so happens that all the elite members are here. There are no further people who need to know about his holy power. Any more than this and rumors will be leaking out.”
“Would that be troublesome?” Axion asked, puzzled.
When thinking about the morale of the Dark Knights and my standing, it might be better to promote the matter as my merit instead of keeping it secret. It wasn't such a good thing, however.
“The Dark Knights are the strongest even as things are. There's no need to make the other expedition corps feel helpless, right?”
As I told August before, it would spell trouble if the other corps lost motivation and gave up on raiding dungeons. Going by some rough mental calculations, we needed to keep Mayer's power a secret to some extent. I swept my gaze over each squad that had participated in this expedition.
“Squad Darkfall is well known for being tight-lipped, and I trust that Axion will reign in the Red Wolves well. As for squad Purity...”
“W-we'll never speak of it. Please trust me, Vice-captain,” Squad Purity's leader said, gesturing hastily. He seemed afraid of falling out of favor with me since his squad had the lowest ranking among those who had joined here.
I laughed at the sight of him panicking and eased his worry.
“Squad Purity's trustworthy as well. In the first place, I wouldn't have brought a squad I didn't trust for the dragon-slaying.”
“Vice-captain...!” Purity's leader teared up, seeming moved at my surprising show of trust.
To be honest, though, the most worrisome out of us was the special unit. I glanced at Tragula. Whether he could keep a secret or not, the man's trustworthiness was questionable. Then I saw him put on an ambiguous smile, one I could only interpret as a signal that he was going to be talking behind our backs. I may as well put a watch on him if need be.
After a firm warning to everyone, our expedition returned to Nochtentoria Castle. Even if we didn't reveal that Mayer had manifested holy power, the dragon-slaying was quite a prominent achievement. Those who had remained at the castle happily welcomed us as we pulled in a load of loot: dragon bone, dragon scales, and so on. As for why they were happy, that was because the rich Dark Knights didn't put the dungeon loot on auction to sell. Instead, the loot became equipment to be distributed among the members. The participating members of an expedition would get something each, while any leftovers would be for the others of the corps. Of course, the others would have to compete for those leftovers, but that was expected within the Dark Knights. Although not comparable to artifacts, weapons and armor made of dragon materials were also rare.
As our expedition had been a large one, a homecoming ceremony awaited us. Once everyone assembled, Mayer said, “If not for the vice-captain insisting on the Furka dungeon raid, we would not have today's achievement. As such, the best set of equipment to be made from the dragon materials shall be awarded to her.”
I shot a bewildered look at Mayer as the man hadn't even consulted me about this. I felt I had already received enough gifts for the Furka dungeon raid. He had given me artifacts, and the Dragon's Orb as well. Of course, I had no intention of refusing presents, but what equipment would I need considering how I was pretty much draped in artifacts? Even if I were to have two pairs of boots, I only had one pair of feet, didn't I?
I decided then to give whatever surplus equipment to the special unit members. Even if I didn't need them, that didn't mean the others were the same. But what was I to do if the other participating members of the expedition protested...?
Feeling troubled, I hastily surveyed the atmosphere among the Dark Knights. Then I saw the dragon expedition's members all nod in agreement as if I deserved the best set of equipment. Since the high contributing members agreed on the matter, there was no way the others could complain. At this point, I felt that they too acknowledged that my position as the vice-captain was firmly secure.
And so, the homecoming ended without problems, but a problem remained.
“I must ask you, Sister. Do you even intend on shaking off the scandalous rumors with His Excellency?”
“Of course I do... I do, but...”
I fell into reflection, head hung before August. The Dark Knights had asked various things about me from the dragon expedition members. They had plenty of curiosity about the half-year spent in the dungeon along with the special unit, no doubt. Since they found it hard to ask me, they tried asking the others that had joined the dragon-slaying. They mainly went for the easiest ones to talk to, which was squad Purity. Thankfully, though, it turned out I had not misjudged them as squad Purity's members had lauded my capability with flushed faces.
“The effectiveness of her support spells were extraordinary after experiencing it myself. She cast a triple-stacking spell over four squads, I tell you,” one of them had said.
“All four squads?”
“Yes. We didn't know because we were so frantic, but it has to be accurate since the squad leader of Yellow Lightning said so.”
“If that's true, then... I think we've been misjudging support mages until now.”
“It makes sense. Considering the kind of person His Excellency is, there's no way he would've appointed just anybody.”
“True that. But still, the way His Excellency treats the vice-captain seems a little different from how you would a valuable talent... Is there really nothing going on between them?”
Squad Purity had united to defend my name, but at that question, they had only managed to give an awkward smile as an answer. The ones who were questioning them got the exact meaning of that expression.
“No wonder...” someone had muttered. “Squad Darkfall was exceptionally courteous to the vice-captain. The people in that squad don't bow their heads to any random person, as you know.”
“The squad Darkfall bowed their heads to the vice-captain? Impossible! They don't even talk properly to the rest of our corps. Not even the elite members.”
“But it's true. And they were all smiles looking at her. I found that odd so I snuck over and eavesdropped a bit. Guess what I heard them say?”
“What did they say?”
“That the vice-captain was none other than the future grand duchess and mistress of Nochtentoria Castle!”
“Golly! So she wasn't simply a lover.”
What I heard was an utter shock because I had no doubt that squad Darkfall disapproved of me. I mean, what was with those guys smiling so warmly from afar? And what was this talk about being the future grand duchess? Where in the world had they gotten that idea? Was letting Mayer Knox hug me the problem? But even if I didn't, could I have avoided these suspicions?
Thanks to the unexpected participation of squad Darkfall in the rumor-mongering, my treatment was elevated from being Mayer Knox's lover or mistress to the future grand duchess. Naturally, this wasn't at all something I had wanted. If anything, it was a relief that I could grasp the situation quickly thanks to squad Purity's leader, who informed me of everything. But no matter how much I denied the rumors, everyone only mistook my efforts as ‘playing secret lovers’. I looked for August to find a way out of this situation, believing him to be the one person to hold an objective view. As a consequence, I was getting a huge scolding.
“You have the intention, yet you hug His Excellency in front of all the troops…”
Was that the biggest problem after all?
August sighed as he looked at me and I laughed awkwardly. Resignation was etched on his firmly-set features. “Ha... What is the point of saying all this? Whatever. I wash my hands on this matter.”
August shook his head as if sa
“…You think so too?”
I sighed. It was horrifying to even think of becoming the public enemy of all the women in the capital. But August was apathetic as this serious situation was not his business.
“It may be easier to just give up. After all, as long as His Excellency protects you, no one will make any obvious attempts to harm you, Sister.”
“You're telling me to accept the gossiping to avoid getting caught in a shower? But how would I handle it if a problem pops up with my love life later down the line?”
“So you did have thoughts of starting a relationship.”
“Of course!” I retorted angrily. I was only putting it aside for the moment because I couldn't afford to date anyone right now.
I had entered a game world with lots of handsome guys, and there was no reason to not try falling in love after defeating the demon lord. Besides, if my ex was Mayer Knox, I was sure to attract some weirdos. Like, say, they'd try to compare themselves with him by dating me. Of course, there might be good guys among them, but still... I didn't want to make a situation where I could get involved with weirdos in the first place.
Chewing my lip in anxiety, I begged August as if he were my last hope.
“I have to do something, even if only for the reputation of the Dark Knight... There's not a single good thing to come of a scandal between the captain and vice-captain going around. Couldn't you have a little talk with the captain about this, Reverend?”
The priest wrinkled his brows in discomfort.
“…You are asking me?”
“He won't listen to me.”
“In my opinion, he seems to listen to you the most.”
I shook my head and explained, “I'm sure he does when it comes to dungeons and squads, but this is a bit different. Do you know what he said when I brought the matter up with him? He said, ‘it does not matter since it is untrue, no?’ The man fails to understand the very need to keep distance between us! He thinks he's done nothing to be ashamed of.”
“Then there is no solution.”
“And he didn't even know the rumors were going on. Apparently, everyone was being quiet around him.”
August clicked his tongue, seeming troubled. I felt a little more persuasion would bring him over to my side, so I continued the offense.
“I think it's a bit necessary for someone other than me to tell him about the seriousness of this situation. I'm sure the captain will start minding his behavior a little then.”
“…Indeed, it does seem necessary to make him aware.”
Finally getting his agreement, I said happily, “I'll leave it to you, then!”
“But this is as far as I can help. Please do not give me any more trouble,” August replied coldly, then swerved around to go his way. I would've complained about his temper at any other time, but not today. I watched his wide back disappear with hope-filled eyes, praying ardently for his success.
August was never one to procrastinate so he immediately went looking for Mayer after his conversation with Jun was over. It just so happened that Mayer also had business with the priest, seeming glad to see the latter, which was rare.
The captain began, “So, did anything happen in the last dungeon?”
Nothing much had happened, but August was well aware that Mayer wasn't really asking about the dungeon. He wanted to know if something had happened to Jun Karentia.
“So little happened that there was no need for me to even cast a healing spell.”
Mayer didn't seem satisfied despite the priest's answer, though, as he sighed softly and said, “Jun tends to take too little care of herself.”
August was tired of hearing this line. His captain would practically say the same thing at every opportunity. The way Mayer put it, someone might think that Jun was a person who wouldn't mind jumping into a pit of fire. But from the priest’s observation of the woman over the past half a year, Jun wasn't the kind to take any risks. In fact, she was closer to being a safety-first person who always took extra precautions. The vice-captain would beat a swift retreat if she sensed even the slightest danger during a raid. She always reminded the special unit to do the same.
“Don't ever get hurt,” she would say. “Reverend August is with us for now so he can stick back whatever arms or legs you might lose. But if you get used to abusing yourselves like that, what will you guys do when he's gone later?”
She was the careful type. Nevertheless, it wasn't like August was clueless about why Mayer worried so much about her. Although Jun tended to stay as far away from danger as possible, he sometimes sensed from her the dangerous daringness and the twisted thinking characteristic of those who had once toed the line of life and death. Sometimes, she would even do unimaginable things, like how she had recklessly stayed with His Excellency when he had lost his senses, trying to awaken his holy power... Now that was something an ordinary person with a sense of danger would never do.
To her, the captain was more dangerous than a wild beast, capable of tearing her in half at any moment. Even August himself would take care when he was around Mayer and the level 80 man was out of it. How must Jun have felt when she was level 25 at the time? Surely her instincts must have refused, even if it was something necessary.
When Jun had come to August for treatment, she had seemed unconcerned, saying Mayer had summoned her. And yet, her forearm had been bruised black and blue. At first, she gave the excuse of falling off the bed, but August realized soon enough that she was talking nonsense. Jun didn't seem to have any intention of telling the truth, however, so he calculated the days in which she would get hurt. One day, he secretly followed behind her to the captain's quarters. It was then that he got to know a piece of the truth.
Initially, August had thought that Mayer was having a violent relationship with Jun, his lover. Admittedly, the Mayer Knox he knew wasn't that sort of person. Then again, there was the possibility that the man's hidden instincts would reveal themselves on the bed.
In the priest's opinion, enduring such suffering because of love was utterly foolish. He had intended on persuading Jun to quit that sort of relationship, and also to give a sharp word of advice to Mayer. So, he pulled her to a stop and asked about the situation.
Fortunately, it turned out that they were not in that kind of relationship, but that had only made August feel even more chilled. Jun had looked so calm and matter-of-fact as she explained that she was only going through what was necessary. Perhaps he would've empathized a little more if she had been enduring out of love, even if that would've seemed foolish. Her injuries would leave her bones intact, but the pain of muscles twisting and bursting was nothing ordinary. And yet, she went through this pain over and over again as if it was only natural, looking as if that much was bearable enough. But even the acolytes in penance for Saint Marianne would not suffer as much as her.
Mayer Knox would never have dreamed that Jun could have gone so far for him. Otherwise, he would never have stopped at asking August to look after her. He would have kept her within his sight, using whatever excuse necessary. August’s guess was that Jun had probably done something similar in front of the captain before. That was probably why she was so adamant about hiding her injuries from Mayer, and also why Mayer was so sensitive about her getting hurt.
The priest clicked his tongue. Although he understood Jun's insistence on keeping that past incident a secret to Mayer, he wondered if that was the right thing. What was the meaning of a sacrifice that was buried without anyone knowing? He couldn't understand.
And even though Mayer knew none of all this, the man was fussier than anyone else.
“That is why I often worry,” he said. “Reverend August, I ask you to keep an eye on her from now on as well. You have to be the one to stop her when I am not there.”
