Astral Online: Cursed by the Demon Lord to Become the Strongest Beautiful Girl, I Rapidly Grow and Dominate with Cheat Skills Despite Being the Weakest Profession - Chapter 198

Chapter 198: The Prophecy and the Songstress’s Resolve

Several days had passed aboard the ship, and though we were only two days away from arriving at the Sea Kingdom, things had grown strange between Laura and me.

To be specific, we were at a point where we couldn’t even exchange greetings. She was intentionally avoiding me, yet kept glancing over from the shadows.

It seemed she wanted to say something but found it difficult after being rejected.

Sensing this awkward atmosphere, I gathered my courage and approached her, if only to say hello.

“Sorry!” she blurted out, her face bright red, before fleeing as if her life depended on it.

But not long afterward, I’d find her watching me from a distance again, leaving me to spend my days on the ship constantly aware of Laura’s gaze.

“What am I supposed to do about this…?” I muttered to myself after wrapping up yet another day of battling large monsters with the team.

In combat, she still coordinated as smoothly as before, but the moment I tried to speak to her, she’d run off.

Given the situation, I couldn’t exactly ask Kuro or Inori for advice on this one.

With no other options, I was left to simply wait.

(But if this goes on, it won’t be good…)

If we entered the battle against the Great Calamity ?Asmodeus? with things unresolved, any slip-up could lead to a disastrous outcome.

My attempt to reach out had failed spectacularly, and a second try seemed doomed to end the same way.

(…This whole thing is partly my fault, too. If we’re running out of time, maybe I’ll just have to be a bit forceful and get her to talk to me.)

But even if I did manage to corner her, what would I say?

Since I was the one who rejected her, anything I said could just make things worse.

As I pondered this while fishing, someone sat down beside me.

With my perception skill always active, I didn’t need to look to know who it was.

It was Kuro’s mother, Arisa.

“Hello, Sora-kun.”

“Oh, Arisa-san.”

“You look like someone troubled by the attentions of a princess you turned down.”

“To be honest, even though I brought this on myself, it’s getting a little overwhelming…”

She chuckled. “Being a popular young man isn’t easy, huh?”

“Yeah… I’m not even sure why she’d like someone like me in the first place.”

I replied with a wry smile, and Arisa stretched her arms and legs, looking amused as she responded.

“After all, Sora, you’re always standing at the front, fighting to protect everyone. Strong, cool, and dependable—those are qualities that girls are naturally drawn to.”

“Really?”

“Yes. From what I’ve observed, Laura seems like the classic dreamer princess type. …Well, in any case, you don’t need to worry about her. I’m sure she’ll come to talk to you sooner or later.”

“…I hope so.”

I turned the handle of my fishing rod, feeling a tug, but I’d hooked only an old boot, a worthless junk item. Somehow, it seemed to symbolize my run of bad luck, and I felt a bit uneasy.

After tossing it into a nearby trash bin and casting my line out again, I relaxed under the warm sunlight, letting my thoughts drift when—

“Oh, see that distant island over there? I used it as a base of operations. I think this is where we first met.”

“Wait, really?”

“Yeah, I recognize the layout of the islands. I’m certain of it.”

“…So this is where I lost to Iblis, and you saved me, Arisa-san.”

Though it hadn’t been that long ago, it felt nostalgic, as if it were a distant memory. I smiled wryly and thanked her again.

“Arisa-san, thank you for everything. Without you, this journey would have failed a long time ago…”

“You’re welcome. But if you want to thank someone, save it for the cute little mage, Emrys, from the Land of Light, ?Aureole?. She’s the one who directed me to this area.”

“Emrys…?”

I tilted my head, unfamiliar with the name, and Arisa winked as she explained.

“Actually, I wasn’t there by chance that day. Just after parting from Haruto, Emrys sent me a message, asking me to stay around here because you and your group were in danger.”

“…I see. Then, if I ever visit the Land of Light, I’ll have to thank Emrys, too.”

As I continued fishing, I found myself wondering what the Land of Light was like. Based on the other places I’d visited, it surely had a theme centered on light, and imagining it made me think of a brilliant, radiant kingdom.

I considered asking Arisa for more details, but I didn’t want to spoil the mystery. In a fantasy world, exploring new places without expectations was always more fun.

As I reeled in a rather sizable fish, daydreaming about this unknown kingdom, Arisa spoke up again.

“By the way, this is your third ring, isn’t it?”

“Huh…?”

In a quiet, almost unexpected voice, she asked a question I hadn’t anticipated. I was so focused on my fishing rod that I fumbled, dropping the fish back into the sea. I looked over at Arisa, who was watching me seriously.

After a moment, I decided to double-check, in case I’d misheard.

“You mean… an angel’s ring?”

“Yes, the four rings you and your friends have been gathering.”

“…Right, so far, we have the ‘Emerald Ring’ that Kuro holds, the ‘Ruby Ring’ that a close friend who isn’t here carries, and the ‘Sapphire Ring’ that I still have. That makes three in total.”

“So, that means you’re only one ring away from having all four.”

“That’s correct. …Is there something significant about that?”

As I looked at her, puzzled by her meaningful words, Arisa calmly explained her reason for bringing it up.

“Along with the message, Emrys also asked me to deliver a prophecy to you. The message says—”

Arisa touched the air, opening her friend list, then accessed Emrys’ message. With a wary glance around, she spoke in a quiet voice.

?When the four rings are gathered, the angels chosen by God shall pass judgment upon the tainted souls.?

“The angels chosen by God… will pass judgment on tainted souls…”

“I don’t know what exactly will happen, but her prophecies are known to come true. It might be wise to be cautious, both here and in the real world.”

“…Understood. Thank you for sharing such important information.”

Angels passing judgment on tainted souls, whether it would be an event in the game or something more ominous occurring in real life was unclear. But at this point, nothing would surprise me anymore, not after that chaotic battle with the giant monsters in the real world.

“Well, that’s everything I needed to tell you. Now then, Sora, looks like it’s time for a little reconciliation.”

“Huh, wha—ahh!”

Before I knew what was happening, Laura tackled me from behind, causing me to lose my balance and fall into the sea with her. Fortunately, it was a resting period, and thanks to Arisa’s presence, no monsters were around.

As I surfaced, holding onto Laura, I wondered what exactly she was thinking.

“Phew! Sora-sama! I’ve decided not to give up!”

“Uh… what?”

With a determined expression, Laura looked at me, her resolve shining through. I was left speechless, unable to hide my confusion.

“Lady Inori taught me! She said that love means never giving up! That even if I’m rejected, it’s important to keep trying!”

“……”

“So I’ve thought about it, Sora-sama! After spending these past few days watching you, I’ve come to the conclusion that I won’t give up! Even if you already have someone in your heart, please allow me to continue liking you!”

“…Laura, I—”

Even with her feelings so clearly expressed, I couldn’t respond to her affection in the way she hoped. Just as I opened my mouth, Laura placed her finger on my lips, silencing me.

“Please don’t say anything. I already know your answer. This is my selfish desire.”

“Laura…”

“And if you’ll allow it, I’m even willing to be a second wife.”

I was so taken aback by her words that I couldn’t think of a retort. I just let out a deep sigh, releasing my mixed emotions.

“Honestly, I’m surrounded by girls who are incredibly persistent.”

“I’m sorry, but I just can’t help it. I really love you.”

With that, Laura looked at me with the brightest smile, a smile so radiant I found myself unable to meet her gaze directly.