I Picked up a Corrupted Heroine (The Secret Boss), and When I Spoiled Her, She Became Uncontrollably Affectionate With Me - Chapter 13-14

Chapter 13: The Witch of the End Wants to Sleep Together Even on the Business Trip

“Why is the protagonist here…”

I froze in front of the shop.

Why this place of all places? Running into him here is just a coincidence… right?

“Is something wrong?”

Sia tilted her head curiously.

“N-No, it’s nothing. Let’s go inside quick.”

It would be weird to avoid it on purpose, so I took Sia into the shop with me.

“Welcome~ Two people, right? I’ll show you to your seats.”

They seated us a little away from the protagonist’s group.

At this distance I can’t make out what they’re saying.

“Still though…”

I looked over at the protagonist’s companions.

He had a female swordsman and a female mage with him. Both were main characters from the game.

Then a question popped into my head.

…Where’s Alicia?

If they’re eating together as a party, Alicia should be here too, right…? I was looking forward to seeing my favorite character in person.

“…Is there some deep reason?”

“—Yeah, I wonder. Ignoring me right in front of you to stare at other women must mean there’s some really deep reason, huh?”

“!? ”

A terrifyingly low voice spoke up. I quickly turned around—there was Sia smiling brightly. But her eyes weren’t smiling at all.

Seeing that creepy look on her face, a cold sweat ran down my back.

“Ah~… um, this is…”

“Even though I’m right here, you’re that interested in those people? What’s going on exactly?”

“Ah… no, it’s nothing. They just looked familiar, that’s all.”

“If that’s all, then fine…”

Sia looked down for a second and twisted her lips.

“…Did something happen?”

“Actually… I don’t really want to get involved with them. I…”

Sia paused for a moment—

“—I’ve already found a new place and things I want to do. So I don’t want to be tied down by the past…”

“…?”

I didn’t really get what she meant.

Sia has some connection to the protagonist? …Does that mean she’s actually a named character in the game!?

“…Just kidding. The real reason is I didn’t want you looking at other people when I’m right in front of you! Come on, let’s pick the pasta already?”

“O-Oh…”

Sia took out the menu and stared at it.

Just kidding? Was it really a joke…? Or did it have some meaning—

“—I’ll go with the shrimp pasta. What about you, Vice Guild Master?”

“Ah, um… I’ll take the salmon pasta.”

I picked the first one that caught my eye.

After that I called the server and placed the order.

“Two of those pastas please.”

The server nodded while writing it down—

“Anything else?”

I was about to say no. Right then—

“—Then one wine please!”

“Sia!?”

Out of nowhere, Sia ordered alcohol.

“You just messed up with drinking the other day…”

“Hehe, it’s fine. One glass won’t cause any problems.”

“You sure…?”

“I’m sure. Want one too, Vice Guild Master? I think it’ll go great with the pasta.”

“W-Well… just one then.”

It’d be weird if only she got one, so I ordered too.

But is Sia really going to be okay? The alcohol content in wine is way higher than fruit wine…

“—That’s all for the order. Please wait a moment.”

The server went back to the kitchen and quickly brought the wine.

“—Let’s make a toast.”

“Yeah. So—cheers.”

“Yes! Cheers to our bright future!”

We clinked glasses with a nice clink.

I took a small sip of wine.

“…Wow! This wine is delicious!”

“It really is!”

The wine tasted pretty great. I had high hopes for the food too.

The only thing worrying me was… Sia getting drunk. She’ll be fine… right?

――◇――◇――◇――

“Ehehe, Asta…! Give me a hug…!”

“…Well… I kinda saw this coming… but yeah, here we are…”

In the end, Sia got drunk. And it was even worse than last time.

She kept saying the wine was good and ordered a few extra glasses.

“Sia, can you walk?”

“Nope…”

“Figures.”

Her words were all slurred. No way she could walk.

No choice. I crouched down in front of her.

“I’ll carry you to the inn, so hop on.”

“Really…? Asta, you’re so nice~”

“Yeah yeah.”

Still, why does she start calling me “Asta” when she’s drunk? I’ll ask her next time.

I carried Sia on my back and walked to the inn.

I laid her down on a chair in the lobby and went to the counter.

“Excuse me. I have a reservation.”

“Yes, Asta, right? Here’s your room key.”

The staff handed me a single small key.

…One?

“Huh? Shouldn’t there be two rooms…”

“No? The reservation was for one double room…”

“…Eh.”

No way. You’ve got to be kidding me!?!?

That Guild Master probably booked a double room to save money, didn’t he!?

“W-What do I do…”

A guy and girl around the same age sharing one room in the middle of the night. And one of them is completely drunk.

This is definitely bad…!

I held my head in my hands.

—

Chapter 14: The Witch of the End Reveals Her True Identity

“W-What do I do…”

I let out a deep sigh after stepping into the double room.

“For now… I’ll get Sia to bed…”

I looked around for the bed to lay her down… but then I saw it.

“—A king-size bed for two!?”

The bed was a huge king-size one made for couples. Wait… seriously?

“That Guild Master! What the hell is he thinking…!”

When I get back, I’m never letting him off the hook…!

I clenched my fist tight.

“Anyway…”

I had to figure out what to do right now.

I looked over at Sia sleeping peacefully in my arms. …Okay, I’ll give her the bed.

I can sleep on the sofa… That should keep things from going too wrong.

“Why did I let Sia drink at a time like this…”

When she wakes up, she’ll probably be really confused since she won’t remember anything. Ugh… Tomorrow is gonna suck.

“I’ll worry about tomorrow when it comes…”

I was pretty tired, so I wiped myself down a bit, turned off the lights, and lay down on the sofa.

My mind started to drift off peacefully—

“—Asta…! Why are you sleeping on the sofa?”

“Geh!?”

A frog-like croak jumped out of my mouth.

No… Sia had actually climbed on top of me and was pressing me down.

“W-Why are you awake…”

“Ehehe, I woke up when you put me in the bed…!”

“Then why are you on top of me…?”

“Because… it looked sad that you were sleeping alone on the sofa. The bed is way too big for just me, so why don’t we use it together?”

Sia stared at me with her red eyes from super close up. Her clear gaze felt like it could see right through me, and I couldn’t help but shrink back.

“No, that’s… I feel like it would be bad…”

“Why? I don’t mind at all.”

“I mean, isn’t it obviously bad!? A guy and a girl sleeping in the same bed… If something happens by mistake, it’ll be a big problem…”

“You’re not the kind of person who would make that kind of mistake. And… even if something did happen, I wouldn’t mind.”

“!? ”

Is she teasing me? Or is she actually inviting me!?

There’s even a saying about how a man should feel ashamed if he doesn’t eat the meal set before him. So here—

…No, I can’t do that.

I have Saint Alicia in my heart. I won’t give up unless she actually marries the protagonist.

I’ve been chasing her this whole time. No way I’m giving in to temptation here.

“Come on, let’s sleep together.”

“…Sorry. Sia, I can’t sleep with you.”

I stared straight back into Sia’s red eyes.

This time she was the one who shrank back a little.

“Like I said before… I already have someone I like. So… I can’t sleep in the same bed with another woman. I’m sorry.”

“…I see.”

After saying that, Sia looked down and went quiet.

Ah… I probably hurt her. She worked up the courage to invite me even though she likes me, and I just shot her down.

I peeked at Sia’s face a bit.

“—Ah… hic…”

Tears were floating in Sia’s eyes.

The tears rolled down her cheeks with small sobs and wet my own cheek.

“…I’m sorry.”

I don’t even know who said those words.

My chest was so full of guilt that I couldn’t tell.

Sia slowly stood up.

“—Ah, huh? I got too drunk and said weird stuff, didn’t I… It didn’t mean anything deep, okay? I just wanted a little human warmth, that’s all… Please don’t worry about it.”

She said that and went back to the bed.

Even I could tell her words were a lie. But… I couldn’t say anything.

I shouldn’t say anything. I don’t have the right to comfort her while she’s crying.

“…I’m sorry.”

I apologized again and closed my eyes.

I’ll just forget about today. It’s probably better for her that way too.

I tried not to think about anything and fell asleep.

“—I still can’t give up after all.”

“Huh?”

In that moment, a floating feeling hit me. I opened my eyes in confusion about what was happening—Sia’s face was right in front of me.

She was holding me in her arms.

“Hey, Asta.”

Her wet red eyes looked at me with so much love. I heard someone swallow hard. The next second.

“I like you.”

“!? Sia…”

I had a feeling it was coming. But… I never thought she actually liked me and would confess.

“Why…”

The question slipped out before I could stop it.

“Hehe, that’s because I like you so, so much. …No, I just realized it now. That I like you.”

“Now…?”

“Yes. I simply wanted to sleep with you, Asta, so I invited you to the bed. But then you thought I was seducing you… and you rejected me so harshly.”

“Eh…?”

No way… I thought, and looked at her face, but she didn’t look like she was lying.

So… it was all my misunderstanding!?

“Uh… s-so that’s what it was! Then… sorry.”

“Well, it was a situation that was easy to misunderstand, so it’s my fault. And—I’m glad I got to know my own feelings because of it.”

“…Huh?”

Sia slowly spoke to my confused self.

“Until now, I just wanted to be with you. And I wanted to make you happy… That’s all. I never even thought about dating you. But—”

Sia smiled at me.

This must be what they call a wicked smile.

She slowly continued.

“—Now, after you rejected me and I cried, I finally realized. I like you. I want all of you.”

“Sia… But I—”

“I know. But I absolutely won’t give up.”

“…I see.”

After saying that, Sia slowly reached out and gently stroked my cheek.

“—So, you’re going to forget everything that happened today, okay?”

The next instant.

“<Manifestation: Witch of the End>”

Black darkness wrapped around Sia’s whole body.

What appeared from inside was a silver-haired girl with blue eyes, more beautiful than the moon. I know her.

No—it’s way more than just knowing.

“—Saint… Alicia…!?”

The person I’ve been longing for this whole time… was right there.

She had been by my side all along. Did I just turn down a confession from the girl I like!?

“Asta, I’m sorry.”

The next moment, space twisted and a huge black arm appeared from the void.

“Arm of… Greed.”

One of the witch’s powers that can steal everything from the target. Is she corrupted…!?

“…”

While I was still confused, the black arm started to wrap around me.

This is bad, if it keeps going—

“Wait! I—”

The words I tried to say got blocked by the black arm.

The black arm covered me, my mind grew foggy, and before I knew it, I lost consciousness.

“—I absolutely… absolutely won’t give up!”

I thought I heard those words at the end.