When the Villainous Flame User Trapped in a Time Loop Starts Living Earnestly, Every Female Party Member Turns into a Pervert and Now the World Is in Danger!? - 11

Chapter 11: For Now…

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“Wow! That’s amazing! That kid… And I just saw something rare too! So it really was true that Habiri had a change of heart recently… He’s so passionate now!”

“That boy is incredible. I never imagined he had such power hidden within him. And that man, drawing it out of him through such clumsy acting… He’s no ordinary fool. Awkward, yes, but… He looks interesting.”

“O Lord… Please look upon this. Here lies hope… Two of them.”

It had been a bit of a mess, but for now, just like last time, I seemed to have drawn out Nemeth’s power. The red flames I had created were swallowed and shattered by the light Nemeth unleashed. But… All I felt was unease.

“This… This is my power…?”

It seemed Nemeth hadn’t known about it either. He looked bewildered. But right now, this was really his limit. What should I do? He had been way more incredible before… But now… 

Damn it! Fine! You leave me with no other choice!

“You see? You can do it. Should’ve done it from the start.”

“…Ah… Uum… Se… Senpai!”

Senpai, huh…? He didn’t call me that last time. Ever since this event, he had just called me by name.

Well, I guess that doesn’t mean much anyway…

“Hey, teachers.”

“Hm…?”

“This guy’s got some serious power in him. You sure you wanna fail him?”

“Th-that’s… But… However…”

Right now, it was more important to get his disqualification overturned than to draw out his true potential.

“B-but the rules are rules. He’s already been declared disqualified… If we let him pass now, it would be unfair to the other examinees who were already sent home…”

“Oh yeah? Give me a break! Come on, Headmaster! You saw his power just now, didn’t you?”

“Hmm… Yes, I did, but still… Indeed, this is… But why are you—”

“Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey!? Headmaster, what’s with that reaction too!?”

Huh? Last time, they overrode the rules and passed him on the spot—why not this time? Because he’d already been declared disqualified?

“What are you talking about!? Rules? Fairness? Since when has the world ever been fair!? Lineage, talent, everyone’s different! Why should some stupid formality matter more than actual ability!? It’s crazy not to accept someone who’s shown real skill!”

But no—this wouldn’t do. If they didn’t choose him, the teachers and the students would all be dead in a few months! I had to make sure this guy got through…

“Ufufu, it’s wrong to belittle the exam, but I’m shocked that Habiri is speaking so passionately~”

““““““!!??””””””

“But I agree—it would be a waste to disqualify him just like that.”

At that moment, surrounded by a group of ornate knights, a woman appeared… Ah, right, she had been there last time too…

“Th-this is—!”

“W-what!? Princess Toilette!?”

Her overwhelming presence, divine aura, and a smile that made everyone—young and old, male and female alike—flush red. Her long emerald hair fluttered, and her beauty was matched only by her voluptuous figure—well, not quite on the level of Sword or Magina, but still. She was a princess of this empire, and one of the famed Golden Generation of Miracles.

She was a year younger than me, and we had met a few times at noble gatherings, but at some point, she’d stopped talking to me, even started avoiding me.

Well, can’t blame her, considering what I was like.

『You’re pathetic… You really are. Don’t you feel ashamed of yourself?』

Yeah, she had said that to me once. But today, for the first time, I thought I saw her smile warmly at me as she walked up beside the still-dumbfounded Nemeth.

Now that I remembered, this princess had fallen in love with Nemeth, used her influence to forcibly transfer into his class, and started approaching him. If I remembered right, she eventually ended up as part of Nemeth’s harem—her and all the others gathered around him…

“I came to observe the young talents who will carry the future of our nation—and of humanity itself—but ufufu, since something interesting was happening, I’ve been watching from the beginning. Habiri and this young man here. While I understand the teachers’ point about rules and fairness, as Habiri said, if we’re too rigid about regulations, we risk turning away raw gold that only needs polishing to shine.”

“Y-Your Highness… B-but how are we supposed to—”

“So, let’s do this. Those who failed the initial screening will get a second chance—a revival test!”

“Huh?”

Oh! So that was what she was planning to do! Well, the princess had always been soft-hearted even “before,” and she’d been head over heels for the hero-to-be… 

Come to think of it, what should I do about her this time?

(Oh… Princess Toilette… Even I feel a bit emotional seeing her again… Especially after what happened last time…)

Last time, she had fallen for Nemeth, forcibly transferred into the academy, and later, during the inter-academy competition and events she hosted, she and Nemeth had shined as part of the Golden Generation of Miracles….Only to be killed when the academy was attacked by the Demon Lord’s army.

(Not just me… For Magina and Nemeth-dono too, her death had been a heavy blow. Though… Overcoming that tragedy was what led Nemeth-dono to gain even greater power afterward…)

That was, in many ways, when everything started to change. Even my father and big brother’s story connected back to it. So this time…

“Right, so the additional test will be—”

“Y-your Highness, w-wait, you can’t just—”

“But, who knows? There might still be other hidden talents among those who failed, right?”

So I had to make sure she would stay alive in this life, huh…? Wait, but… The reason that Nemeth and the others became stronger was because of the tragedies that befall them. Overcoming those tragedies were important. They were able to save and protect so many people thanks to that….

Hm? What is this… Maybe because I already know what’s to come, but if I don’t interfere too much, things might go smoothly, just like the previous time loop… And if I do interfere, it might get messy fast…

Still, I wanted to do something about my father and brother. Lately, I started to feel like our relationships might be improving a little…

“So, Habiri, you’re fine with that, right?”

“Huh… Wha-?! Ah, uh, what?”

“Geez, Habiri, weren’t you listening? We’ve decided to give the disqualified examinees another chance a week from now. It’s all thanks to you, for discovering the hidden talent even the examiners couldn’t see!”

While I had been lost in thought, the decision had already been made. The princess smiled brightly, patted my shoulder, and peered into my face.

“Mmhmhm, you seem different, Habiri. I used to find you a bit unpleasant, but today… I think I kinda like this new you.”

“R-really…?”

“You know, your father and big brother have been talking about you a lot lately too. I was curious myself, so I wanted to see you in person. Mmh♪! I think I see you in a new light now!”

She said that with a radiant smile and walked away, looking genuinely pleased. It had been a while since we’d spoken like that. Well, this “second test” development hadn’t happened last time, but at least now Nemeth should be—

“U-um, Senpai!”

“Hm?”

Then, with a look of determination, Nemeth said to me.

“I know this is sudden, and I’m truly sorry to trouble you, but… Please, I want you to—”

—Eh?

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