This Novel is not my Novel

To answer the question from the final sentence of the last chapter, it seemed Reisir didn't understand my actions at all.

No, it seemed like he understood but was intentionally pretending not to.

He kept talking to me during lunch. And now, he was walking beside me on the promenade, rambling on about his thoughts on the book I recommended last Sunday.

It's interesting to listen to, so I'm letting him be for now, but...

Last time, that is, in the early part of Chapter 246.

Sitting on a bench in a quiet spot and petting Yor while brainstorming the plot of 《How a Repentant Villain Saves the World》 was a nice change of pace. It felt like ideas came to me more easily, too.

That's why I planned to make it my lunchtime routine...

If the protagonist of someone else's novel keeps following me around like this every lunchtime, I think a completely different routine from what I planned will form.

And it was just as I was feeling rather troubled by this that it turned out not to be just a feeling, but that an actual predicament had occurred.

"—that part was especially interesting, which part did you— Huh? Isn't that Helga?"

Reisir stopped just as he was about to ask for my own thoughts on the novel and instead looked somewhere and mentioned his childhood friend's name.

Since an excuse to avoid answering had presented itself, in a way, you could say it was a good thing for me.

And yet, there was a reason I described it earlier as a predicament having occurred.

"She was just with some guy..."

I didn't see.

When I listened to Reisir and followed his gaze, I couldn't see any figures. Only the corner of a building came into view.

The original protagonist couldn't have been mistaken. Helga was probably beyond that corner.

With some unknown male student.

This felt like an incident.

And this incident must be the Helga Heroine Event prepared by Author Senna.

Should I stay out of it? No, but if Helga's position is elevated to that of the main heroine, her chances of dying will increase that much more...

Suddenly, the comments that had flooded the original novel, like "[Praying for Helga's 'Heroine Must Die,' nth time]," came to mind.

Unlike the pre-remake version, where she died with the impression of being incompetent, the current Helga had shown that she had outstanding potential.

And she'd decided to drop the pretense that had hindered her from showing a friendship befitting the "protagonist's childhood friend" position.

But the problem is, Helga still doesn't fit the ideal heroine archetype that today's readers prefer.

Either they support the protagonist without fail, thanks to overwhelming power or wealth.

Or they possess an irreplaceable rare skill or a munchkin ability rivaling the protagonist's.

Or they mentally support and embrace the protagonist so firmly that they make the readers think, "It would be big trouble if this character were gone."

If it wasn't one of those cases, they would express their disgust, saying it was obvious she would be of no help and only cause a nuisance.

Or they would leave comments telling the author to stop wasting volume on useless romance and just advance the story.

Of course, not all readers of all novels are like that. But regrettably, the readers of 《NaSE》 had a very strong tendency toward it.

Even Princess Fjodora, who could support the protagonist with power and wealth, couldn't escape the "Heroine Must Die" prayers.

Her status as a member of the Imperial Family and her frustrating personality became an issue.

What's more, even though Banhilda only saw Reisir as a son, when a few readers argued she should be made a heroine, others screamed "Heroine Must Die," pointing out her middle age and previous marriage.

At this point, it felt like whenever a female supporting character appeared, they would find all sorts of faults and flood the comments with "Heroine Must Die."

It felt like it was their own unique culture, so what more was there to say?

If Author Senna hasn't changed serialization platforms, the current readers' tendencies are likely similar to back then... And most of the readers who read the pre-remake version probably followed.

As I was lost in these thoughts, I felt a hand suddenly grab my wrist.

Naturally, the owner of that hand was the original protagonist.

Just as I was about to reflexively shout, "What do you think you're doing?" and shake off his hand.

"Shhh—. Let's follow them quietly. It seems you didn't see, but the atmosphere was unusual."

The protagonist of someone else's novel raised his index finger and said such things.

While I was unable to decide whether I should get involved or not, I kept thinking and accumulating reasons why I had to intervene.

Meanwhile, Reisir seemed to have decided to watch the situation first and make a judgment after debating whether or not to meddle.

I don't know why he isn't going alone and is trying to take me with him, but...

I nodded to show that I understood.

I might have felt differently if this were after Helga had proven her worth to Author Senna's readers.

No, even if she had, I had reached the conclusion that the progression of the heroine event had to be stopped.

At least until the original author stops treating the lives of the characters, including the heroine candidates, so carelessly...

I don't know when that will be, and I doubt such a day will ever come.

Still, once 《NaSE》 reaches its "completion," Author Senna will no longer be able to interfere with this world.

I expect that someday, everyone will gain their freedom and enjoy peace.

"I'm sorry. As you know, I'm currently part of the Special Class for Awakened Ones... I have to focus on my training, so I don't have time to meet anyone."

As I was led by Reisir's hand to the corner of a building, I heard these words.

This voice, with its careful and polite speech and a hint of delicacy, was familiar.

This was clearly the tone and timbre Helga used when she was putting on her pretense.

I hadn't heard the conversation that came before, but it wasn't difficult to infer the situation.

There was only one reason for a male and female student to meet alone and for one to be rejecting the meeting.

"It's okay, I can understand everything. We can just meet briefly during lunchtime like now, or talk before or after dinner. We can even go out on dates on the weekend sometimes."

This time, an unfamiliar male voice was heard.

As I thought, this guy must have confessed, causing Helga to utter words of refusal.

That aside... it doesn't seem like he understands at all, does it?

Not having time to meet someone means, literally, that one cannot make time to meet someone.

But the unknown man spoke as if Helga's time were twice as long as anyone else's.

There was no way I couldn't tell that Helga had gotten tangled up with a really strange person.

"Um... I'm sorry, but I have to train during that time... I have to build my basic physical fitness, learn martial arts and weapon techniques, and practice handling my Ether Attribute proficiently... I really have to use every last bit of time I have."

"But it's not hard to make a little spare time for someone you like, is it?"

"Excuse me...?"

Unlike Reisir, who was peeking his head out from behind the corner, I was just leaning against the wall, listening.

So even though I couldn't see what kind of expression Helga was making, I could tell just how dumbfounded she was.

I could feel it clearly just from her voice.

"I think there's been some kind of misunderstanding, but I don't have feelings for you."

"You knew I called you here to confess, didn't you? And you still followed me to a secluded place like this, yet you say you have no feelings for me?"

I couldn't help but think, What kind of nonsense is this?

She couldn't just abruptly reject him in a place with many watching eyes before he even confessed and cause him public humiliation.

Isn't it common courtesy to consider the other person's dignity, hear them out properly in a place without prying eyes, and then reject them?

No matter how much this was the world of a fantasy novel, I was sure that this kind of common sense wouldn't be different from reality.

Moreover, while the other side of this corner was a place where people's gazes didn't reach easily, right in front of it was a promenade with frequent foot traffic.

Besides, they were next to a building, so if Helga screamed, anyone would come running.

"What do you mean by that...?"

"Besides, you always smiled and greeted me when our eyes met, and you were always happy to do small favors for me."

"I do that much for anyone..."

"You mean you've been flirting like that with everyone, not just me?"

"What?? Why would you interpret it like that...?"

Grievance and irritation dripped from Helga's voice as she retorted.

But instead of getting angry and arguing with him, she suppressed her anger and once again politely expressed her rejection.

"I'm truly sorry if my actions left room for misunderstanding. But I really don't like you."

Helga was in a position where she couldn't readily push away even a bad person, so she had maintained a moderate distance from everyone.

She had even kept her distance from Reisir, who was like family to her.

So I was certain she would never have done anything that could leave room for misunderstanding.

So she really doesn't need to apologize... Even more so now that she's decided to drop the pretense.

And yet, if she was maintaining such an excessively polite attitude, there could only be one reason.

It must be because the other person's family was a house of considerable power and influence.

"Haa... This is so fucking annoying..."

The man's voice, muttered with a sigh, was blatantly filled with displeasure.

I was sure he did it to threaten Helga.

As expected, the man started making an absurd demand in a tone as if he were doing her a great favor.

"I'll forgive you, so just try to start liking me from now on."

"Excuse me? There's no way that's possible, is there?"

"No, it's possible. Because I'm a pretty great guy. I'm quite popular, too."

This situation alone proved he wasn't a great guy, but he was the only one who didn't know it.

Considering he thought Helga liked him, his popularity was probably a delusion of his own, too.

"If you get to know me over a few dates, I'm sure you'll fall head over heels for my charm."

I became curious about the source of that confidence.

It certainly wasn't his personality, so I wondered if it was his face and peeked beyond the corner...

He's just... ugly within the bounds of being average...

If he were definitively ugly, he might have been able to know his place.

I wondered if he was unable to gauge his own level because he had stopped just short of being ugly.

Still, Helga was quite a beautiful woman, as befitting a heroine candidate in the original novel, so if he had any conscience, he wouldn't have dared to even think of confessing.

I had no idea how he ended up losing his conscience.

"I-I'm sorry, but as I said before, I don't have time for that..."

"I guess that time of yours selectively appears and disappears, huh?"

"Excuse me...? What's that supposed to..."

"Last Thursday during lunchtime, you enjoyed tea time with the special class members in the cafeteria, and on Saturday, you went out and had fun outside the academy with your friends. And right now, you're here talking to me. Your excuses should at least make sense."

Putting aside the fact that he was not a reasonable person to talk to, I felt a stalker-like tendency from him and got goosebumps.

I had inwardly hoped this was just a minor incident caused by an extra's impulsive action.

But regrettably, it seemed certain that this man was the villain prepared by Author Senna to advance the "Helga Heroine Event."

Therefore, it would be absolutely impossible for Helga to talk him down and get rid of him.

"And stop playing hard to get with that pretense. Just because I said I like you, do you think you're something special?"

"No, I...!"

"You're just from a baronial family. And a minor one at that, with nothing to its name but a small, insignificant territory."

"That's... true, but..."

"And I'm asking someone like you to go out with me because I like you, right? Then you should just accept it gratefully."

"I-I can't do that. Unless it's someone I like..."

"That's why I said I'd give you time to get to know me by dating me first!"

The villain who had been trying to intimidate Helga with a threatening tone finally raised his voice and began to threaten her.

Now that things had come to this, I couldn't just stand by and watch.

Reisir must have judged it the same way, as he shot out from behind the corner and intervened between the two.

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