Let me be a mob! - Chapter 90- I can help you...
What is a Hero Candidate, and how are they different from general warriors and mages?
Was it because they possessed an attribute different from the norm or was it because they were granted blessings from the five main divinities?
Well, there was that too, but the prominent reason why the Hero candidates were hailed across lands and were held in such high regard by many was something else. Why there were special academies and training camps made just for those who have attained the blessing of Light, was because of a specific motive.
Their unbound and unrestricted growth.
Unlike a normal mage who reaches their limit of abilities after training for twenty or thirty years or a knight who can only attain strong physicality to a certain extent, Hero Candidates grow limitlessly until the beings they are fighting belong to the evil side.
It was a well-known fact that a Hero candidate could surpass the limit of the grading system and become the pillar that humanity always seeks. The shield that could protect them from any and every threat and bring an end to this battle between Humans and Demons.
That was why the second princess Dia von Erienshide was regarded as a prodigy, a talent born once in a century. Dia was not only the single Hero candidate in the royal family but she also held the potential to gain the ability to control the water element.
Back in her homeland, people used to gather in thousands of numbers to congratulate her on her achievements or her birthdays. Her parents were also very fond of her and so were Dia’s siblings.
However…It was all Dia’s ignorance that she wasn’t able to see the hidden malice and jealousy her elder brother and younger sister carried for her.
The eldest child of the kingdom, who should have been the best and only choice for the throne hasn’t received any indication from his father that could conclude his successorship as the next king.
It wasn’t like the first prince was incompetent or weak-willed. Rather he has proven his worth by graduating from an elite academy a year earlier than he was supposed to. It was all because of his intelligence and A-ranked elemental skill that made the first prince the best choice to be the next ruler. However, such a case would only have been so obvious if the royal family didn’t have a daughter possessing the attribute of Light magic.
Dia’s existence not only brought her the chance to become the next ruler but also made the king announce how each of his children would be allowed to prove their worth and claim the throne.
Dia’s elder and younger sister was also now in the race along with the first prince. And it all makes it very much complicated.
On the surface, it seems that no one cares about leadership and power and Dia has the same thought as well since what she desires is a serene life. She never sought wealth or authority and assumed that it must be the case with her siblings as well since they have always shown their kind side toward her. But the reality was different than it seemed.
The first prince thinks that his right to claim the throne has been seized because of Dia. The first princess and Dia’s elder sister was a competitive person in general so she didn’t want to lose out and show how much she was capable of gaining supremacy. And about the younger sister…then there was a complicated past she shares with Dia which pushed the little girl to the spot where she wished nothing more than to crush the second princess.
At this point in time, Dia should be unaware of the true sides of her siblings then her sudden proposal to Jin to become her fiancé…indeed a matter of concern.
“Let me get this straight. You want me to pretend as your fiancé so you can get disregarded by your family and your chances of successorship could come to an end?”
After Jin utilized his command over the wind to create a soundproof barrier around the two, Jin asked in confusion.
Dia kept her gaze forward as they walked down the path that led to the inner section of the dungeon before she stiffly nodded, already realizing how ridiculous she must be sounding.
It was all a lie that she wanted her father to disown her just because she married on her own accord but Dia has resolved herself to take this chance. She wants to spend some time with Jin through any means so she can get to know how she feels about him.
This fuzzy feeling she had always experienced whenever she heard about Jin from Fiona. Why did she feel gloomy and bothered every time she saw Jin with any other woman…Dia wants to understand all of this.
And if possible, she wants to learn how Jin feels about her as well since after what happened last night, her dormant side which Dia always suppressed for the sake of her friend’s happiness, suddenly surfaced and made her restless.
“Haah….Dia….I am not sure what circumstances you are going through and what made you ask me such a thing but you should be a little more conscious about your words. ”
After a brief pause, Jin continued, “You are not just a random commoner civilian nor do you belong to some low-ranking house to get engaged with a man without any legal proceedings and make your father believe that you are engaged. Your father would disregard any claim regarding your engagement the very moment he hears it from you and surely would send troops after me with the role of on-spot decapitation. ”
“!!!” Dia’s feet halted upon hearing his words which made her eyes widen and a chill crawling down her spine. It wasn’t that what Jin said wasn’t making any sense rather because it sounded remarkably plausible.
However, the reason she reacted so strongly to the point where the third-year students also turned to look at them, was because just thinking of such possibility that Jin would get killed made her extremely anxious and terrified.
Jin smiled at the seniors and gestured for them to continue as he took hold of Dia’s hand and also began to walk normally.
Absentmindedly Dia followed his lead without allowing her gaze to move even an inch from his face.
Her heart was racing yet her mind was soon sobered up.
Soon her gaze fell to the ground in evident remorse and guilt.
Jin looked at her ashen self and sighed in concern. She really was too pure to be a princess who soon was going to be surrounded by nothing but darkness.
“Hey, Dia… ” Being urged, Dia slowly turned her head in his direction before Jin continued with a soft smile, “Pretending to be your finance might not be the answer but if you really want to escape this ongoing successorship race, I can help you….well, only if you want. ”
Dia’s crystal eyes shone in astonishment hearing his words as she asked with her pretty eyes turning even bigger, “Really? But why would you, Jin?”
It wasn’t that she was averse to the idea of getting his help rather she felt guilty about taking his advantage.
However, Jin’s following words replaced her previous gloomy emotions with a sense of relief.
“Well…count this as my own selfishness. After all, I don’t want to see my friend sad. ”
They didn’t know when their fingers interlaced and the physical distance neared.
Jin was influenced by the idea of his possible future and Dia was allowing herself to be a little more greedy.
Where this journey of these two individuals would lead them to was something only fate knows…
*****
A/N: – Ah…I am feeling complicated.
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