"No Marriage, Please! vs. Marry Me or Die: The Ultimate Love Showdown" - Episode 3

Episode 3 Meeting the Heroine
Our destination: the Kingdom of Levaris—one of the largest cities in the world and a great nation that stands as a rival to the Lagnas Empire.
To the west lies the mighty Kingdom of Levaris. To the east, the formidable Lagnas Empire.
There’s currently no major conflict between the two powers, but Theo inevitably becomes entangled in their war—that’s the premise of this game’s storyline.
For now, I’ve decided to head to the kingdom to gather information. Entry into the empire is likely impossible, after all.
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“Kyaa—!!”
Just then, a high-pitched scream from a woman pierced the air.
Could someone be under attack by a monster? It’s not exactly unusual in this world—but in my case, there’s a twist. My passive skill draws monsters toward me.
Its effect range is only about five meters, but even from afar, monsters can sense my presence and flock to me.
So why is someone else being attacked instead? I don’t know—but in any case, I rush toward the direction of the scream without hesitation.
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“That is…”
I immediately grasp the situation. A carriage has toppled over, and what appears to be the coachman lies unconscious, bleeding from the forehead.
There’s one other person—a woman.
Her long hair shimmers like strands of moonlight, silver and luminous. Her large eyes have a faint bluish hue. She wears a black-trimmed nun’s habit, now slightly dirtied with soil.
I recognize her.
She’s one of the heroines—Saintess Ria. In the latter part of the story, she becomes Theo’s companion and plays a key role.
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“Are you all right?”
There’s no way I could ignore this. I step in between her and the monster attacking her—a griffin.
Griffins are ferocious, flying predators, with the muscular body of a lion.
Normally, they only appear in high-level forests. They shouldn’t be here… and yet.
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“Grrrrrrrrrr…”
Well, whatever the reason—I’ve got no choice.
“Leave this to me.”
“B-But…!”
“It’s fine.”
Drawing the sword from my waist, I face the griffin. Its eyes glow red with a feral gleam.
I’d just tested out a skill earlier—this time, I’ll try magic in real combat.
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“GYYAAAAAAAAAAAHHH!!”
With a shriek, the griffin lunges, claws outstretched. It flaps its wings and glides toward me at high speed.
I brace myself and meet its charge head-on.
Activating Body Enhancement, followed by a higher-tier skill, Mighty Arms.
We lock in a brief clash—like a sword fight—but the outcome is already decided.
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“Dark Lance.”
I simultaneously activate a spell alongside the skill. A dark-element spear materializes and launches straight toward the griffin’s head.
With a sickening thud, the spear pierces through its skull.
The beast’s massive body collapses to the ground.
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No problems with casting magic, either. Once again, I realize just how much of a genius Yuri truly is.
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“Wha…? You took down a griffin that easily…?”
She stands there, stunned.
“Are you hurt?”
“Ah… um, no, I’m fine. But he… he needs healing right away.”
She rushes to the unconscious coachman and softly utters, “Heal.”
“Ugh…”
“Looks like he’ll be okay.”
Apparently, the man recovered quickly.
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“Thank you again, truly.”
“Don’t mention it. Could I trouble you to report that thing to the Adventurer’s Guild?”
“Yes, of course. I’ll let them know.”
Then, as if something occurred to her, she added,
“Oh! I haven’t introduced myself yet. I’m Ria.”
“I’m Yuri.”
“Yuri, thank you again for what you did.”
Ria bowed deeply. Her silver hair cascaded down like silk.
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“Um… I’d really love to thank you properly. There’s a village nearby, if you’d be willing…”
I hesitate for a moment.
In the original game, the story unfolds from Theo’s point of view, and Ria’s past was never deeply explored. Still… forming a connection with her now certainly wouldn’t hurt.
I decided to accept her invitation.
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“Sure. I was planning to stay in the village anyway. Lead the way.”
“Thank you!”
Ria beamed brightly.
Before boarding the carriage, I asked about the earlier situation.
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“Still, that was quite the ordeal. A griffin, here of all places?”
“Yes, I was shocked too. I was returning from the kingdom, and I’ve never seen high-rank monsters in this forest before.”
“Monster habitats do follow patterns—but they’re never absolute. Probably just an irregular occurrence.”
“That could be… but I’m grateful you were there. I believe this was divine providence.”
Ria was deeply devout. She clasped her hands in prayer, eyes closed in reverence.
As we rode toward the village, I asked another question.
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“Ria, you’re not afraid of me?”
“Ah, you mean your skill?”
“Yeah. My passive skill, Evil Presence, causes fear in living beings. But you don’t seem affected.”
“My passive skill is Affection. It has the opposite effect—causing living beings to feel fondness toward me. Though it doesn’t work very well on monsters.”
“Ah… so our skills cancel each other out.”
I already knew that, but I asked just in case. It only reaffirms that this world really is the same as the game I know.
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“Hehe.”
“What is it?”
“Nothing. I just thought… it feels like fate. People who meet me tend to become very warm and kind—because of the skill, I mean.”
“Sorry if I seem cold.”
“Not at all. It’s our first meeting—it’s perfectly normal.”
Despite my immunity to her skill, her smile was still… undeniably charming.
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“We’ve arrived. Please, come to my estate.”
“Your estate? Not the church?”
That surprised me. I had expected a church.
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“You’re suppressing your skill, but ordinary people would still be affected by it. This way is safer.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes! I live alone in a rather large house, so it’s no trouble.”
Wait a second… are we already on track for some kind of romantic route? That’s got to be my imagination.
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“All right. I’ll stop by the inn first, then head over.”
“Sure! My estate is just ahead. The inn is on the way, so let’s meet up later. I’m heading to the church first.”
“Got it.”
We parted ways for now.
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After getting a room at the inn—with the receptionist visibly nervous the whole time, thanks to my skill—I wrapped up the process quickly.
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“It’s night already, huh.”
Before I realized it, dusk had fallen. The cries of birds of prey echoed faintly through the air.
As I walked toward Ria’s estate, I passed by the church.
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The church stood solemnly in stone, with tall spires piercing the sky. The stained-glass windows caught the remnants of twilight, casting colorful light inside.
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“Oh, Saintess! Please, continue to watch over us…!”
“Of course. The gods are always with you.”
Inside, Ria comforted the believers with a warm smile and blessings.
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“May the grace of the gods be upon you all.”
She performed the gestures of prayer with such grace—it was the very image of a saint.
I was about to call out to her when she sent off the last of the worshippers and retreated toward the back of the church.
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“Ugh… I’m so done with this. My shoulders are killing me. Can someone please give me a massage?”
She rolled her shoulder dramatically.
Wait… what was that tone? Her demeanor was totally different.
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This wasn’t the Ria I knew from the game. There, she was the epitome of purity and grace.
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“And I’ve got more guests to entertain after this. Ugh, being a saint is exhausting…”
The contrast was so extreme, I felt like I’d seen something I absolutely shouldn’t have.
Let’s… let’s pretend I didn’t see that.
I turned to leave—only to trip on a patch of grass, making a loud rustle.
Ria turned toward the sound.
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Our eyes met.
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“Ah.”
“Wha—!?”