I Was Sent to an All-Female Frontline Unit to Get Rid of Some of the Trouble, but the Most Beautiful Girls Who Are Rumored to Hate Men Love Me So Much That I Have a Hard Time at Night - Chapter 64: Encounter With Narcissus (2)

Chapter 64: Encounter With Narcissus (2)

Elena threw words of rejection at the blond man.

Everyone behind us opened their mouths and started talking.

“Hey, what was that?”

“No way…”

“Why did he think he could ask Elena-senpai out like that?”

“It makes me sick!”

“Men other than Teraward-kun are just so weird…”

They spoke at the same time, so I only caught that it was a commotion.

They weren’t saying anything bright but rather dark words.

The man didn’t seem to notice, as if the word “no” wasn’t in his dictionary.

He tilted his head and spoke.

“No…? Oh, you’re not in the mood for dinner?”

“It’s not about dinner; I’m saying it’s impossible to eat with any man other than Finn—”

The man interrupted Elena’s words and spoke loudly.

“Pardon me! You and the beautiful women of the frontline unit behind you are so stunning that I forgot to introduce myself!”

After interrupting Elena, he continued in a lamenting tone.

“How could you accept a dinner invitation from someone unknown? You had to refuse out of courtesy. I deeply regret making you go through the ordeal of refusing my dinner invitation because of my oversight… But this is all because of your beauty. Please forgive me.”

He suddenly invited Elena to dinner and now apologized…?

I felt confused, unable to follow the conversation.

Elena, standing beside me, made her eyes even colder.

Her eyes looked ready to attack if the man weren’t an ally.

But as a soldier, Elena unconsciously suppressed her hostility or killing intent in front of someone she felt antagonistic toward.

The man didn’t seem to notice and spoke confidently.

“I am the next top force of the Luvankrum Empire’s military, and as you can see from this jacket, I’m from a duke’s family… My name is Narcissus. We’ll have a long relationship, so remember me well… Though, having met me, I doubt you could forget me. Heh.”

Narcissus, the man, swept his hair to the side.

This man was the next top force of the Luvankrum Empire’s military?

I hadn’t seen him fight, so I couldn’t say for sure.

But at this point, I didn’t feel the same presence from him as I did from Elena, Sephia, or Norn.

As I felt this, Narcissus spoke to Elena again.

“Now you have no reason to refuse my invitation, right? Let me ask again… As noble and splendid beings, how about dinner together tonight? If dinner’s not your mood, perhaps lunch or a play—”

“I already said it’s absolutely impossible. If you don’t have military-related business, can you leave already?”

“What… Leave… quickly…?”

Elena’s words, spoken without hiding her disgust, made Narcissus repeat them haltingly, as if they weren’t in his dictionary.

He spoke with slight agitation.

“Was my introduction lacking? Or do you doubt that I’m from a duke’s family or that I’ll soon be a top force like you? If so, let me explain: this clothing can only be worn by someone from a duke’s family. Anyone else wearing it to fake status would be punished immediately… But I’m not punished. That proves I’m from a duke’s family. Next, I’ll prove I’ll soon be a top force like you—”

“Don’t you understand words? I’m saying if you have no military business, get out of my sight.”

“Get… out…?”

Narcissus seemed at a loss for words for a moment.

He stammered but spoke.

“I see, I see. It’s natural you can’t be honest in a place where others, including your unit, might be watching… Then, how about you?”

Narcissus next spoke to Sephia.

“You’re Sephia Chevalier, right? The Chevaliers, an old swordsmanship family… My family’s trade is completely different, but spending time together as nobles isn’t a bad idea, is it?”

“I must decline.”

“N-No, I understand. You just can’t be honest in this setting… Then, how about you, Norn—”

“Spend time with a beast who can’t even listen? You’re joking, right?”

“Beast…? Me, a beast…?”

Narcissus’s voice trembled, and he turned his back to us.

He took a hand mirror from his pocket and started murmuring.

“Heh… Even if they’re just not being honest, calling me a beast is bold. Still… no matter how many times I look, I’m splendid. I see myself in the mirror daily, yet I never tire of it… Why am I so— No, let’s save that for later. First, I must take care of business… Heh.”

Narcissus swept his hair to the side, put the mirror back in his pocket, and turned to us.

The agitation on his face had vanished.

“I’ll stop trying to invite you all here. That wasn’t the main point today anyway.”

Narcissus turned to me for the first time and spoke.

“Are you the trainee, Finn Teraward?”

“Yes.”

“I see…”

Narcissus observed me briefly.

Though he was an ally, I instinctively braced myself under his gaze.

I suppressed my presence—not in terms of aura, but in terms of skill.

After that brief observation, Narcissus raised the corners of his mouth and spoke.

“Do you know about the magic tournament in a few days?”

“I heard a bit about it after arriving in the city.”

“That’s enough. Then this will be quick. This year’s magic tournament has an interesting twist… It’s called an Expert Match.”

An Expert Match…?

“Until now, soldiers couldn’t join the magic tournament, but this Expert Match is an exception, pitting soldier against soldier. The goal is to provide a reference for those who want to fight in the future.”

“I see…”

I could vaguely imagine it, but since I had few chances to see soldiers fight each other before joining the military, this might be a good initiative.

I thought about the news as if it were someone else’s business.

“But here’s the thing…”

Narcissus continued, moving dramatically as if on a theater stage, and spoke to me.

“I want you to fight me at the magic tournament.”