The Abandoned Saint I Picked Up is a Side Character in an Otome Game and Turns Out to Be the World's Strongest Mage. I Plan to Rescue the Heroine Who Couldn't Achieve Her Happy Ending in a Dungeon. - Chapter 2

“Um, where exactly are we going?”

“Like I said earlier, to my hideout. And don’t tell anyone about it. …Here we are.”

“Huh?”

After walking a short distance from the scene of the massacre, I stopped in front of a building. Ariel blinked in confusion as she looked at it.

Well, her reaction was completely understandable.

The place I was about to enter was a shabby little hut that looked like it could collapse at any moment.

“This… is your hideout?”

“Not exactly.”

I pulled a key out of my pocket.

“Ta-da! The Key to Anywhere!”

“What… are you doing?”

“…One of the things I hate about this world is that no one gets my Doraemon references.”

Overwhelmed by an indescribable sadness, I inserted the key into the lock on the door of the rickety hut. As I turned it, the door began to glow brightly.

The glow formed a large rectangle, creating a gate that opened into another space.

“What is this…?”

“Basically, you can stick this key into any lock, and it’ll take you to my hideout. I worked with another magician to create it.”

“That’s… incredible. Magic is truly amazing.”

“Right? That’s why so many magicians lose themselves to dangerous experiments. But I’m not one of those guys.”

I’d like to think I’m one of the more reasonable ones.

I only studied magic as a means of self-defense. Sure, I get excited building weapons like guns or other tools, but I rarely use them outside of combat.

As I basked in her praise, Ariel’s expression darkened slightly.

“It’s even more amazing than magic.”

“…Magic has its own merits. But in the end, magic tools are just imitations of magic. Anything magic tools can do, magic can achieve as well.”

“Is that true? But I’ve never seen magic as incredible as your tools.”

“Well, it’s all about how you use it.”

“How you use it?”

To simplify it, imagine saying, Die. With magic, your words alone could kill someone.
With magic tools, saying Die would require you to physically strangle your target.

Magic is far simpler and more effective, but it’s likely treated as an innate skill rather than something to study.

Those in power don’t want to lose their privilege, so they restrict magic research. As a result, most people only see magic through rigid, preconceived notions.

That’s why magic doesn’t evolve.

“Achoo! I-I’m sorry.”

Ariel sneezed.

As expected of a heroine, even her sneezing was picturesque. Her shy expression afterward was undeniably adorable.

“…We’ve talked enough. Get inside.”

“O-okay. Excuse me.”

Passing through the gate, we found ourselves in a forest filled with fresh air and the scent of greenery.

The thick trees gave way to a clearing, where only short grass grew.

In the middle of the clearing stood a large house.

Ariel blinked and looked around, clearly amazed by the teleportation to an entirely different place.

“Endo-san, where are we?”

“You know about the large dungeon near Andarencia’s royal capital, right?”

“Ah, yes. It’s the one said to have been created by the first king of Andarencia in collaboration with spirits, isn’t it? …But why bring up the dungeon?”

“This is it.”

“…Huh?”

“This is the lowest floor of that dungeon.”

“You’re kidding.”

“Nope. Not kidding.”

Ariel’s astonishment was understandable.

After all, the dungeon we were in was notoriously difficult, filled with monsters so strong that current humanity couldn’t handle them.

The idea of someone building a house on the lowest floor was almost unbelievable.

But I managed it.

Why? Because the dungeon was a crucial location in Under the Shining Starry Sky, which incorporated RPG elements.

There were even routes that unlocked once Ariel’s level reached a certain point.

I had tackled this dungeon countless times, memorizing safe paths and the locations of every monster perfectly.

“But wait a moment. Don’t you need special permission to even enter this dungeon?”

“This world is survival of the fittest. And for magicians, that’s especially true.”

“In other words, you snuck in without permission. …And what kind of dialect was that just now?”

“Achoo!” Ariel sneezed again.

As Ariel shivered slightly, I realized we’d been talking in the damp air for too long. Despite her disheveled appearance, her elegance as a heroine shone through.
Even her sneezing had a certain charm that was hard to ignore.

“Alright, let’s get inside before you catch a cold,” I said, leading the way into the house. Ariel followed, still in awe of her surroundings.

Ariel sneezed again.

Uh-oh.

At this rate, she was bound to catch a cold.

“…Hurry up and get inside. The bath should be ready—it heats automatically. Warm yourself up quickly.”

“A bath? You have a bath?”

“Yeah. I made it using fire magic, water magic, and earth magic.”

“Magic really is incredible. This will be my first time using a bath.”

Ariel looked genuinely surprised.

Well, that made sense. In this world, only nobles had the luxury of enjoying a proper hot bath.

But wait—didn’t the Royal Academy have a large communal bath for the dorm students?

“Didn’t the Royal Academy have baths?”

“Well, yes, but… they said commoners would dirty the water, so we weren’t allowed to use them. I usually just cleaned myself with water from the well.”

“…Take your time in the bath. Just don’t stay in too long and overheat.”

I gently pushed Ariel toward the bathroom, practically ushering her inside.

In the game, she could use the Academy baths without issue, but reality was far harsher. The bullying she endured was much worse than I had imagined.

Seriously, what’s wrong with that Academy’s standards?

I mean, I understand why the nobles would find Ariel annoying.
To them, a commoner awakening to the rare attribute of Light Magic probably felt like a slap in the face.

I get it, but I can’t understand it.

I’ll never comprehend the mindset of those who take joy in tormenting others.

And no, it’s not because I was Japanese in my past life or anything like that.

Enemies should be identified and eliminated.

I’ve always dealt with threats swiftly. If someone pisses you off, just take them out.

That’s my philosophy. Maybe it’s barbaric, but it’s why I’ll never understand the nobles and their petty bullying.

“…Um, Endo-san?”

“Hm? Are you done?”

Apparently, while I was lost in thought, some time had passed. Ariel had finished her bath.

However, she was peeking out from behind the bathroom door, hiding herself.

“What’s wrong?”

“…Um, do you have any clothes I could borrow? My uniform is soaked…”

“…Ah, sorry. That completely slipped my mind.”

She must be completely naked behind that door.

I hadn’t thought about her needing a change of clothes. This was… problematic.

“I, uh, hate to admit it, but I don’t really keep spare clothes at home. You see, I prefer to, uh… embrace a natural lifestyle when I’m home alone.”

“…What?”

“Don’t judge me! Living alone naturally leads to this kind of behavior!”

Ariel pressed herself further behind the door, clearly appalled.

Getting this kind of reaction from a beautiful girl… yeah, it stings.

“Anyway, I don’t have any spare clothes, but I do have an extra robe. You’ll have to make do with that.”

“…Thank you. I’ll borrow it.”

When I handed her the robe, she put it on and finally stepped out of the bathroom.

Her long black hair, previously dirty from rain and mud, now gleamed with a healthy shine. Her skin was rosy and fresh from the bath.

The oversized robe hung loosely on her, giving her an unexpectedly alluring look.

Wait, could this be the robe equivalent of the “boyfriend shirt” trend?
A cute girl wearing my robe… why did my heart just skip a beat?

Not to mention, I’d noticed earlier when she was in her uniform, but Ariel has some seriously shapely thighs.
Her waist is slender, and her figure is definitely appealing.

It was impossible not to notice.

As I was unintentionally eyeing her, Ariel suddenly spoke up.

“Endo-san, you’re staring.”

“Uh? No, I wasn’t!”

“You can deny it all you want, but I can tell when someone’s looking.”

“…Sorry.”

I decided it was best to apologize right away.

But seriously, can you blame me? Men are naturally drawn to girls with, um, certain features.
Although, I know there are guys who prefer smaller builds…

But as for me, I like them big!

“…Endo-san, is the real reason you saved me because of my… chest?”

“N-no, not at all! I swear!”

The reason I saved Ariel was purely out of sympathy.
She’s the heroine of the game, after all. It wasn’t about any ulterior motives.

…Well, okay, maybe I had a tiny ulterior motive in wanting to study her Light Magic.

“Anyway! Let me make one thing clear! I’m absolutely not looking at you in that way!”

“So, if I said you could touch my chest freely, would you do it?”

“Of course, I’d touch it. That’s only natural.”

Startled, Ariel instinctively crossed her arms over her chest and took a step back.

I quickly tried to explain myself.

“No, no, wait! I mean, if someone offered, wouldn’t anyone take them up on it?!”

“…Sure.”

“Look, I’ll sleep on the sofa in the living room. You can use the bedroom. If you’re worried, I’ll even lock the door for you.”

“…I was just joking. I trust you, Endo-san.”

Ariel smiled softly, and it was disarmingly cute.

That one little smile reminded me that she really was the heroine of this story.

She’s almost too precious to touch.

Then again, even if she is the game’s heroine, by the standards of my past life, she’s still a minor.
Even if she’s a beautiful girl with assets comparable to melons, it’s wrong to think of her that way.

Stay strong, Endo. Keep your instincts in check.

Suppressing my desires with sheer willpower, I changed the subject to discuss what was next.

“Alright, Ariel. Since you’re going to be my apprentice…”

“…Yes?”

“…I have no idea what I should teach you.”

“…What?”

Ariel gawked at me, her mouth slightly open in disbelief.

“So, uh, is there anything you want to learn? Anything you’d like to do?”

“…In that case, could you teach me how to make that weapon of yours?”

“Nope. That’s my secret weapon. If I teach you how to make it, anyone could replicate it. I’ll tell you when I’m on my deathbed.”

“…Then there’s nothing in particular I want to learn.”

“Nothing at all?”

“Nothing.”

And thus, an awkward silence fell between us.