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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 13
Chapter Title: An Awkward Bedfellow
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Kirie. His backstory, as described in **, went something like this.
He was abandoned by his parents as a newborn and raised by a master who would later become the head of the Mage Tower.
Kirie’s master adhered to a rather unique method of teaching his disciples: strict gender segregation.
‘Well, I suppose it’s not that surprising. Older folks can be quite conservative.’
For reference, many mages were the type to train in seclusion in some remote mountain valley, and his master was one such mage.
Naturally, Kirie’s small world, studying under such a master, was filled exclusively with men.
Therefore, it was only natural that when he became an adult and was about to leave his master’s side for the wider world, he developed a peculiar worry.
“I don’t know how to act around women…!”
Of course, that was inevitable. The number of times he had interacted with a woman in his life could be counted on one hand.
Yet, out in the world, half the population was female.
He agonized over it until his head felt like it would explode, then sought help from a senior disciple who was very knowledgeable about the secular world.
The senior disciple kindly taught him everything from beginning to end on how to treat women, and a confident Kirie left the Mage Tower.
There was just one huge problem: that senior disciple was a notorious womanizer.
The art of wooing women, as taught by a notorious flirt.
Kirie, now a promising court mage summoned to all corners of the kingdom, diligently put his senior’s teachings into practice. And the result…
‘It’s not hard to guess what happened.’
Being kind is one thing. But Kirie ended up being overly affectionate even to the many women he had no intention of dating.
Furthermore, he couldn’t even gauge what level of kindness was appropriate to show a member of the opposite sex he wasn’t interested in.
Handsome, competent, and endlessly kind. At this point, wasn’t it tantamount to walking around with a sign that said, ‘Please fall for me’?
It didn’t take long for the rumor to spread that Kirie the court mage was the greatest womanizer in the land.
He himself realized something was wrong along the way, but he had already built up an image and couldn’t suddenly stop being kind.
And what’s more, he still found women difficult. In short, he was the type who couldn’t refuse a request from the opposite sex.
Just look at him. Even now, wasn’t he trembling like a herbivore before a predator, wary of me?
I spoke in the gentlest voice I could muster to reassure him.
“Hmm, so to summarize what you’re saying, Kirie, you’re under a curse.”
“Y-Yes. Th-That’s right…”
Kirie stuttered excessively, watching my reaction.
His purple eyes darted around wildly.
He seemed afraid that I would immediately react with, ‘How can I believe such a ridiculous story, you pervert!’
“It’s certainly a difficult story to believe, but I can’t imagine a court mage, and the prized pupil of the Master of the Mage Tower at that, would lie to me.”
“Does that mean…”
“Yes, I believe you, Kirie. It’s a bit embarrassing, but I will offer you my bed.”
Joy spread across Kirie’s pale face.
“Thank you! Thank you so much! How can you be so considerate!”
He grabbed my hand impulsively, then flinched and quickly pulled his own away.
“I-I’m sorry. I was overcome with emotion and committed a great discourtesy…”
“No, it’s fine.”
“It’s not fine. How could I do such a thing to you, my lady.”
Watching the flustered Kirie, I smiled to myself in amusement.
‘So innocent. Adorably innocent~’
Such an intense reaction just from holding hands. It was a different kind of cute from Yugen.
The surprising charm of a character I thought was a womanizer turning out to be innocence personified!
In fact, many readers of **, myself included, expressed deep affection for Kirie after his secret was revealed.
“Um, by the way.”
I became a little curious about the specific nature of my affection.
“What does the voice of the curse you hear say? I’m just curious.”
“Uh, um, well…”
Kirie’s face instantly turned red. His ears blushing crimson, he exclaimed tragically.
“I-It’s too obscene! I couldn’t possibly tell a pure person like you, my lady!”
What was he talking about? Did I leave some kind of lewd comment in the sacred comments section?
I hope it didn’t paint me as some shameless pervert. At most, it would have been something like, ‘Kirie, come to bed. This big sister will teach you everything from A to Z!’
‘Well, for Kirie, even that might fall into the category of obscenity.’
Reasonably convinced, I led Kirie to the bed.
“Well, it’s getting late. You should get some sleep.”
“Thank you.”
“Wait, before that!”
“Yes?”
“Do you have any strange sleeping habits? For example, do you rotate 360 degrees in bed…?”
“Not particularly.”
“Or do you attack reflexively if someone touches you in your sleep?”
“I just wake up normally.”
“Wow, what a relief.”
I nearly had to repeat that nightmare all over again.
“Now, lie down next to me.”
As I spoke, already lying in bed, Kirie mumbled and glanced at me.
“My lady, I swear. I am not a shameless man who is blind to gratitude. I do not harbor even a shred of ulterior motives toward you.”
“Ah, yes.”
“Absolutely! I have absolutely no ulterior motives! I mean, I don’t feel that way at all!”
“I get it, so stop talking and come here.”
*I’m* full of ulterior motives for you, but you aren’t for me. Right. I see…
After reassuring me several more times, Kirie snapped his fingers.
His clothes then changed from the robe mages usually wear to pajamas.
Seeing him change clothes without exposing any bare skin, magic really was wonderful.
And for the record, I wasn’t disappointed at all. Not one bit!
“I am much obliged.”
Kirie walked over slowly and gently lay down.
However…
“Um, Kirie.”
“Ah, you can just call me Kirie.”
“Alright, Kirie.”
“What is it, my lady?”
“I’m not going to eat you, so please relax.”
Kirie, whose body was quite sturdy for a mage, was curled up as small as possible, clinging to the very edge of the bed.
He was in such a precarious position that it looked like he might fall to the floor at any moment.
“No! I’m comfortable like this!”
He looked uncomfortable from every angle.
‘Does he hate the idea of touching me that much?’
I felt a little hurt, as if I were something filthy, but I soon shook off the needless thought.
What did it matter? Compared to Raynerd and Yugen, Kirie was a much better companion.
“…Hk.”
Except for the fact that he was getting on my nerves by flinching every time I tossed and turned.
Hoping to ease his tension, I struck up a conversation.
“How should I put this… you seem quite different from the image I had of you.”
“Me?”
“Yes, I heard you were someone who handles the opposite sex skillfully.”
“…Rumors and reality are often different.”
He replied in a voice thick with awkwardness.
“I suppose my conduct reflects on my master, so I try to maintain an ideal image. Though I’m not sure where it went wrong, my current reputation isn’t exactly pristine.”
Where did it go wrong? It was wrong from the start, you fool. He never should have asked that womanizing senior disciple for advice in the first place.
However, instead of scolding him, I decided to try following the laws of romance.
A male lead candidate shows a moment of weakness? This was an irrefutable opportunity to advance the relationship.
“Kirie.”
I met his eyes and spoke.
“You don’t have to force yourself to be someone you’re not.”
A gentle smile graced my lips.
“Even I, who knows so little about you, can tell one thing for sure. You’re a good person just as you are.”
Plausible words of advice flowed smoothly from my mouth.
“Look. Even now, you’re being considerate enough to make sure I’m not scared. So I think it’s okay for you to be a little more comfortable.”
“…My lady.”
Kirie called my name quietly.
“Yes, Kirie.”
I waited for Kirie’s response, harboring a secret hope.
According to the classic romance fantasy formula, this was the part where Kirie would think, ‘What! This person I thought was a villainess has such a human side to her?’ and see me in a new light.
‘In the novel, the female lead Aila said something roughly similar to this to win Kirie’s favor.’
Having been reincarnated into a novel, it’s a desire any avid romance fantasy reader would have to at least build good relationships with the handsome male characters, even if becoming lovers is too much to ask…
‘Huh?’
But Kirie’s reaction was a bit strange.
“I-I see. Thank you for thinking well of me.”
He avoided my gaze with an awkward expression.
What was that? Such a lukewarm reaction. This was strange. According to my vast romance fantasy data, he should have been moved or at least blushed bashfully.
But Kirie reminded me of myself on my first day at a new job, squirming with awkwardness as a boss I’d just met lectured me for hours with advice straight out of a self-help book.
Then again, perhaps this was a more realistic reaction. While I had built up a one-sided sense of intimacy with him, a character from a novel, from Kirie’s perspective, wasn’t I someone he had just met this afternoon?
‘And a woman at that, whom Kirie finds difficult!’
It was understandable that he would be bewildered when such a person suddenly showered him with praise and life advice.
Ah… I guess the female lead is the female lead, and I’m just me.
Having become the woman who acted overly familiar with someone she’d just met, I swallowed the rising wave of embarrassment.
‘If you’re going to reincarnate someone, you should at least give them the female lead role! Why are only these parts so realistic!’
Reincarnating into a romance fantasy novel is definitely not as easy as it seems.
