I Need to Get Away from Her (2)

TL/ED: Lolz

“Whoa…”

 

Returning to the accommodation after the bath, I took out the paper I had put in my pocket.

 

[Special Connection! (1 use)]

 

"What on earth does this mean?"

 

The mysterious paper that was included with the special reward item.

 

It was an item I had never seen during my gameplay.

 

I couldn't understand its meaning.

 

I didn't even know how to use it.

 

I couldn't discern whether it was a bad item or a good one.

 

Therefore, I hesitated to discard it recklessly.

 

Still, I could make a few guesses.

 

"If it's only one use, it's usually an item or a skill."

 

Elements with usage restrictions were usually items or skills.

 

The problem was that I had never heard of a skill called 'Special Connection'.

 

The content itself was strange. A special connection.

 

It felt awkward to call it an item, and it was ambiguous to consider it a skill.

 

'Could it be a new change introduced in the second playthrough?'

 

If that were the case, it was natural that I didn't know about it.

 

However, logically, there was no reason to add changes to a special item.

 

In the end, I decided to keep the paper.

 

Could a special item have a negative effect?

 

I believed that no matter how thoughtless the game company was, it would not be that vicious.

 

'No, thinking about it, maybe it's better not to believe.'

 

Despite briefly forgetting, the developers had already disappointed the expectations of many gamers multiple times.

 

Perhaps they had trolled even with special items.

 

"No, that can't be...?"

 

Feeling uneasy, I couldn't just discard it.

 

In the end, I put the paper back into my pocket and returned to the inn.

 

"I'm back."

 

"Oh, you're back already!"

 

As I opened the door, Erina was waiting for me.

 

Having finished the bath, she approached me and hugged me.

 

Suddenly burying her face, she began to regulate her breathing.

 

"...Why are you doing this all of a sudden?"

 

"No, it's nothing."

 

As if nothing had happened, she continued the hug.

 

Even though she liked me, approaching so unreservedly felt strange.

 

I gently pushed her away and started to organize my belongings.

 

Erina expressed disappointment but continued to smile warmly.

 

"Let's eat first. I've already ordered the food!"

 

I happened to be hungry. She urged me with a look that said, "Hurry up."

 

Following Erina, I left the room and went downstairs.

 

A table in the corner was set with food.

 

"Here it is."

 

On a large plate was steak.

 

There was soup and water to soothe the cold inside, and bread to soothe the mouth.

 

It was enough to fill me up for dinner.

 

"It's my favorite food."

 

Now that I think about it, there was a line in the protagonist's dialogue saying that she liked boar meat stew.

 

'It's really just as I know it.'

 

Although Erina had become somewhat familiar and comfortable to me, sometimes I couldn't believe she was real.

 

How would it feel if a self-made doll suddenly came to life?

 

Every time I looked at her, I felt a strange mix of emotions.

 

Seeing her favorite food, Erina grabbed a fork with an excited expression.

 

Cutting the meat and taking a bite, her face was filled with a happy smile.

 

"Aren't you eating? Should I cut it for you?"

 

"No, I'll eat it myself."

 

I cut a reasonable piece and brought it to my mouth.

 

Unexpectedly, the meat was tender.

 

When I tasted the soup, a warm feeling rose.

 

It was much tastier than the fruits and rabbit meat from the forest.

 

"Delicious. It's worth eating."

 

"Really? I'm relieved!"

 

Seeing me enjoy the meal, Erina, feeling more at ease, continued eating with a cheerful heart.

 

However, even during the meal, my mind was not at ease.

 

I had been busy organizing things to do in the capital.

 

First and foremost, what needed to be decided was my class.

 

Shielder, Swordsman, Priest, Archer.

 

They were the same as the classes present in other fantasy worlds.

 

It was not an exaggeration to say that most of the future was determined by the class.

 

Without a class, stats would increase randomly by 1.

 

However, things changed after obtaining a class.

 

The shielder focuses on stamina and strength. The priest emphasizes wisdom. The archer prioritizes agility.

 

Adjustments to stats corresponding to each class are made.

 

The importance of a class in terms of growth was significant.

 

"Do you have any concerns, by any chance?"

 

Erina, who was cutting her steak, suddenly put down her fork.

 

It seemed strange as I stopped speaking without uttering a word.

 

'Come to think of it, Erina chose the role of a knight.'

 

Erina, inspired by a female knight, naturally chose the knight class.

 

And as the story progressed, she even reached the top class called 'Hero'.

 

However, following Erina and choosing the knight class would be inefficient.

 

If there are identical classes in the party, efficiency decreases sharply.

 

Therefore, it was advantageous to distribute roles appropriately.

 

"Erina."

 

"Yes?"

 

"What role should I take among adventurers?"

 

As Erina heard my question, she started poking her steak with the fork.

 

She was lost in thought, staring at her favorite wild boar dish in front of her.

 

Although I asked in a somewhat casual tone, she seemed to be contemplating with a serious expression.

 

After pondering for a while, Erina made a determined expression and spoke.

 

"How about being a priest?"

 

"I don't like that."

 

I immediately shook my head. Becoming a priest was out of the question.

 

It was the worst class that I had excluded from the beginning.

 

"I absolutely don't want to be a priest."

 

"Why...?"

 

"I want a class that can at least survive alone."

 

It was not just a matter of preference.

 

Among all the classes, the priest was considered the worst, to the point of being called trash.

 

Priests mainly buff allies to provide assistance or debuff enemies to hinder their movements.

 

Of course, looking at the buff skill itself, it wasn't bad.

 

In fact, it could be considered quite good and useful.

 

But becoming a priest was an entirely different issue for me.

 

Giving buffs to allies and debuffing enemies were the only things I could do.

 

There was nothing else that could be done.

 

"What about being a healer?"

 

"I don't like that either."

 

Comparatively, it was slightly better than being a priest.

 

But it was only slightly better; in reality, there was hardly any difference from being a buffer.

 

Healing teammates and blocking monsters with protective spells were the only things I could do.

 

There was nothing I could do other than rely on my colleagues from behind.

 

Surviving alone was also impossible.

 

Of course, there were classes that combined healing and combat, but I didn't want to take the difficult path.

 

'Above all, because there is a healer I have already decided on.'

 

Companions. In a game where solo play was impossible, having a healer in the party was essential.

 

Of course, I also gathered companions in the first playthrough.

 

I thought about the comrades who accompanied Erina.

 

'Archer. And healer.'

 

The best companions I found through strategies on the Internet.

 

The two people in my memory, they would undoubtedly be of great help.

 

'It's a bit regrettable that we can't meet right away.'

 

Both companions could be recruited in the mid-game.

 

Until then, Erina and I had to overcome challenges together.

 

Anyway, considering the future companions and planning the party with Erina, I had to decide on classes.

 

For example, having two healers in the party would be inefficient.

 

Or, if all companions take on frontline roles, the efficiency of battles would decline significantly.

 

Since Erina's companions had become mine as well, I needed to carefully think about party composition.

 

"Do you have any roles in mind?"

 

In truth, I had a class in mind from the beginning.

 

If I had to fit into the preconceived party, there was a position that suited me best.

 

"How about a shielder?"

 

It's a safe choice, but it's the class with the highest growth potential.

 

The strategies weren't too different from Erina's class, the knight, so I had a rough idea.

 

It also had good synergy when forming a party with companions.

 

Two front-line and two back-line positions. It could create the most standard party.

 

However, Erina's expression stiffened at my answer.

 

"A shieler...?"

 

Her eyes began to shake as she looked at me.

 

She set down the fork she was holding.

 

The fork made a sharp sound as it collided with the plate, resonating through the inn.

 

Simultaneously, the atmosphere around us froze.

 

For a moment, it felt like the temperature had dropped.

 

"Don't do it."

 

"Huh?"

 

"Absolutely not a shielder."

 

"Why are you suddenly saying that?"

 

"Just don't become a shielder, no matter what."

 

I never expected Erina to oppose this so seriously.

 

It was bewildering and unexpected.

 

But she didn't seem angry with me.

 

"Why should I avoid becoming a shielder?"

 

Erina didn't immediately respond.

 

After hesitating for a moment, she whispered in a small voice.

 

"A shielder is too dangerous. There's a high chance of losing your life, and if you make a mistake, I might not be able to protect you."

 

Somewhere, laughter could be heard.

 

Some people around us had overheard our conversation and burst into laughter.

 

Especially the men next to us were openly mocking us.

 

Continuing the conversation while ignoring them.

 

"I haven't decided yet, I was just considering it."

 

"Still, absolutely no shielder."

 

Of course, Erina wasn't entirely wrong.

 

A shielder, who had to block enemies at the front, inevitably took on the most dangerous role.

 

'If only I had specialized in certain stats from the beginning, I wouldn't be struggling with such decisions now.'

 

Currently, my highest stat was magic power.

 

But strength and stamina weren't bad either.

 

Agility was a bit lower, but overall, my stats were well-rounded.

 

In other words, I had decent stats for any class.

 

"I'll think about it a bit more. We still have time."

 

"Sure. Take your time. It would be a big problem if you died for no reason.”

 

The words weren't spoken by Erina or me.

 

A large man from the nearby table stood up.

 

When I turned my head, I met the eyes of the burly man and his companions.

 

Without realizing it, we had drawn attention from the people around us.

 

The man was clearly mocking me.

 

The surrounding gazes toward Erina and me became disdainful.

 

"Hey, miss. Let me give you a piece of advice."

 

Erina narrowed her eyes and turned her head away, showing clear reluctance.

 

Ignoring her clear refusal, the man continued tapping the table with his glass.

 

"When choosing a companion, always go for the strong ones. I've seen groups fall apart over trivial differences in strength."

 

'What a ridiculous guy.'

 

I wasn't surprised or tense at the disturbance caused by the troublemaker.

 

Instead, I thought the man would approach us.

 

A situation where troublemakers pick a fight in the inn.

 

If it were the early stages, it would undoubtedly be an event we must face.

TLN: If words are overlapping and the like, our bad, plugin update messed up site and we are incompetent when it comes to web development. Site update maybe next week, no promises, got to learn web development or at least how to WordPress correctly. >_<

Access 10 Chapters ahead of the Novelupdates release on our Patreon. <3