Adopting the Male Protagonist Changed the Genre - Chapter 229

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————

Chapter 229

* * *

Early evening with a dim moon rising.

“Leo, may I come in?”

“Yes, please come in!”

I visited Leo’s room and sat side by side with the child on the bed. And as promised, I explained the current situation without hiding anything.

“…So from now on, I’ll be searching the Barrier Forest together with Cardinal Lionel. Since it’s wide enough to cross the continent, it will probably take several months.”

Until the fairly long story ended, Leo listened attentively without interrupting me even once.

Though my heart ached at that serious expression, I smiled as if nothing was wrong.

Now, enough of the heavy talk.

“Shall we talk about something fun now?”

After returning from the dungeon, Leo and I spent an hour or two before sleep talking about how we had been living during the past year and eight months.

Compared to my mere two months or so, Leo’s stories were endless, and thanks to that, I could trace back Leo’s time that I had lost.

“Belinda, how about we make ‘that thing’ today after such a long time?”

That thing?

When I raised an eyebrow, Leo pointed to the piled cushions and pillows. That alone was answer enough.

Leo and I, immersed in memories, gathered all the cushions and pillows in the room, laid them out, and dragged over a wooden chair of appropriate height to set it up.

However, inside the completed secret base, we ran into the wall of reality.

“It’s a bit… cramped.”

“I think it’s cozy and nice.”

Despite saying that, Leo was curled up as much as possible, unable to even straighten his back properly.

The secret base that was once spacious enough for Leo to roll around in had now become too cramped.

In the end, we agreed to just stick our heads inside the secret base.

“Being an adult doesn’t seem to be all good.”

Leo said wistfully.

The past stories we shared while lying side by side had reached Leo’s thirteenth winter.

Leo’s voice, which had been calm throughout, became a bit slower. With a voice tinged with hesitation, Leo talked about the day he visited the academy while on leave.

“That day, I happened to meet that person.”

That person. There’s only one person Leo refers to so vaguely.

The one who wields a whip, Leo’s first love.

“I ran over to say hello, but when I actually faced them, my heart was beating so fast that I couldn’t say a word. I had so many things I wanted to ask – how they’d been, whether they were doing well at the academy. Still, I managed to say just one thing.”

The situation from that day naturally formed in my mind.

Thirteen-year-old Leo with a face red as a tomato saying:

“I asked them to be friends.”

My heart seemed to bubble up like foam as I imagined that scene, and a warm smile was escaping when—

“But I was rejected in the end.”

The bubbles in my heart popped with little bursts.

“What? They rejected you? You?”

But why! It was just asking to be friends!

I was so heartbroken that I turned to look at Leo, but Leo just stared blankly upward and answered.

“They said they had no intention of meeting me anymore, so there was no point in being friends.”

My goodness, how could they say something so harsh…

Though it was already past, I felt furious inside. But at the following words, I had no choice but to keep my mouth shut.

“I found out later. That day was that person’s last class.”

The Winter Class made up of talented commoners.

Just passing the academy entrance exam was recognition of their ability, but unfortunately, unlike nobles, commoners couldn’t continue their studies on talent alone.

I couldn’t know the details, but that person probably had to quit the academy due to such problems.

“After I learned that later, I regretted it so much. Actually, what I wanted to say that day wasn’t that I wanted to be friends.”

Leo’s head turned toward me.

That day’s disappointment cast a shadow over his clear face.

“Belinda, why is it so difficult to tell someone you like that you like them?”

I was completely speechless at Leo’s question.

Because that was exactly the problem that had been troubling me lately.

But I soon regained my composure and tried to look mature.

I’m an adult. A reliable adult who can answer any of Leo’s questions!

“That’s…”

“That’s…?”

“…would be.”

“Belinda, I couldn’t hear you well.”

I maintained a solemn expression but eventually had no choice but to honestly confess in the voice of an inadequate adult.

“I don’t know either, Leo. I guess that’s just how romance is.”

Silence continued for a while.

“Even when you become an adult, romance is difficult.”

“That’s right.”

We both let out deep sighs at the same time, our eyes met, and without anyone going first, we burst into laughter.

Ah, to think the day would come when I’d lie side by side with Leo talking about romance.

Teasing Leo until his face turned red was just a few months ago for me.

I carefully observed Leo’s features after he had just stopped laughing, then suddenly spoke up.

“Leo, thank you for growing up so well.”

At my words, Leo’s eyes widened. Whenever that childish expression I knew occasionally showed through like this, a corner of my heart ached.

Because I realized the time I couldn’t spend with Leo.

“Belinda, do you remember? A long time ago, you told me that you would make me into a good person.”

Of course I remember.

Leo smiled as if recalling that time and continued.

“Thanks to those words, I was able to grow up like this. I learned that I was a child worthy of Belinda’s love, even if I wasn’t a useful servant, even if I couldn’t prove any value.”

Leo’s firm voice, with no trace of childishness, pierced my heart.

“So although I couldn’t become the strongest Jui-bam-tol in the world, I could become the happiest Jui-bam-tol in the world. It’s all thanks to Belinda. Thank you for saving my world that day.”

Each of Leo’s words took root in my heart.

At least for this moment, without anxiety about the future, only the hope of protecting the child before my eyes sparkled.

Unable to contain the surge of emotion rising up, I stroked Leo’s hair and forehead while whispering.

This was something I could say without any shame.

“That’s what I should say, Leo. Thank you for becoming part of my world that day.”

* * *

The North where spring was ending and early summer was arriving.

As the snow melted and the ground began to show, many Northern knights left the castle to search the forest.

Cesar, Chaser, and Lionel gathered in the castle’s study, spread out a map, and examined every corner of the forest that crossed the continent horizontally.

They were in the midst of sharply debating where and how to search first.

Cesar was the first to sense something strange. His head turned toward the direction where the forest was.

Next were Lionel and Chaser.

“What is this…”

They all rushed to the north-facing window as if they had sensed some ominous sign.

Everyone there looked toward the forest, but only one person, Belinda, stood apart, staring straight ahead.

(!Error!)

Countless error windows appeared before Belinda’s eyes.

Those things flashing with bright red light crackled and disappeared before she could even dismiss the system window.

And a single system window flashed before her eyes.

(!Warning!) A Demon King has been born in the field.

“Demon King…?”

As if responding to Belinda’s whisper, system windows and Quest windows appeared one after another.

(!Warning!) Main Quest will be forcibly initiated.

[Main Quest] Hero’s Mission

A calamity for humanity has been born. Exterminate all demonic beasts Beyond the Forest and close the gate.

It’s okay if you fail. As long as there is hope, there are countless opportunities.

Reward: The one wish you desperately desire

As if it had been waiting for that Quest alone, autumn began to arrive in the Barrier Forest located in the North of the castle.

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————