I Reincarnated as a Villain of an RPG, But I Want to Survive - CH 95

95　The snake who yearned for the dragon

「That woman is……!?」

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Extremely suspicious

In the imperial castle, a woman is hiding while peeking at the room Grey Ryuuga is in

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In term of ages, she’s about 20?

That’s a delicate age, hard to say she’s a young girl or a full-fledged woman, but that action……or rather, that behavior(?) is quite thoughtless so I have the impression that she’s still a young girl

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It feels like she’s younger than how she looks, I think?

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Anyway, I wanted to pretend not to see her strange action, but the place she’s peeping is Grey Ryuuga’s administration office so I can’t just close my eyes

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If something happens later, I don’t want to be questioned 『Why didn’t you do anything?』

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It’s self-protection

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With those two words, I decide grab the chestnut from the fire (1)

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「Hey you」

「Yesh!?」

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Perhaps she didn’t noticed my presence, the woman was shocked more than necessary as she jumped right out of the hiding place

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Why didn’t she notice me?

Just a while ago, I left Grey Ryuuga’s administration office, where she has been peeping?

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「T, t, t, this is, Jirat-sama! I’m sorry for greeting you late!!」

「That is fine, but……」

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To jump right out and straighten herself just by seeing me, is she from this empire too?

Otherwise, there’s no reason for her to be in this castle……!?

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However, despite the crude manner of peeping, her outward appearance is gorgeous, reminding me of a young lady (ojousama)

Her hair is blond and curly too

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It’s increasingly hard to guess who she is

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「Ah……, excuse me but you are……!?」

「Yes! I am called Anastasia, belong to the imperial elite guard! I’m just an unimportant, worthless person who doesn’t need to be remembered by Jirat-sama, one of the empire’s strongest Twelve Apostles!」

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No, aren’t the imperial elite guard the elites among the elites, personally picked by the emperor?

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They have the second highest position in the empire, after the Twelve Apostles

Being in the elite guard means she has considerable abilities, but why is she doing something that can be mistaken as a stalker’s?

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「Jira, I have finished my work too, so let’s go home together……are?」

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At that time, Forte, one of my wives, appeared

Moreover, at this questionable timing too!?

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「No, it’s wrong!? I’m not wooing her!?」

「You don’t need to be so desperate……!? It has been a while, Anastasia-sama」

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What!?

My wife greeted this mysterious stalking girl!?

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They are acquaintances!?

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「Well, you see, I was an elite guard before joining the Twelve Apostles. She was my colleague at that time」

「You are too courteous! The current fourth rank of the Twelve Apostles Ulforte-sama and me is like heaven and earth! Please follow the hierarchy order!」

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A strange person who is obsessed with order?

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「That’s why I know her very well. To think she’s in front of Grey Ryuuga-sama’s administration office, her affection is getting worse, isn’t it? That’s why I didn’t doubt Jira at all」

「Is that so……!?」

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While feeling relieved, a new question appears in my mind

She was infatuated with Grey Ryuuga?

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That’s why she watched over his room……？

That’s such a warped expression of love？

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「It can’t be helped. Anastasia-sama has been in love with Grey Ryuuga-sama ever since she joined the elite guard, but without being able to confess, the Twelve Apostles was formed and his status was raised, she herself was left behind in the elite guard……」

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Ah

The Twelve Apostles selection meeting two years ago

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「I also wanted to pass the selection to stay by Grey Ryuuga-sama’s side, but such wish didn’t come true……!! It can’t be helped since my abilities are still lacking」

「That’s not true. Anastasia-sama’s abilities are among the tops of the elite guard! Although her strength was surely in top 10, it was really strange that she wasn’t chosen to join the Twelve Apostles, which has 12 spots!」

「……said the perpetrator who defeated me, but please don’t mind」

「I’m sorry!?」

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That reminds me, in the selection meeting war, didn’t Forte and Saraka beat their former colleagues in the elite guard?

She was also one of them, huh?

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「Ulforte-sama don’t need to be worry. In order to make the empire stronger, the twelve strongest people were chosen as the Twelve Apostles. Not being selected just means my ability wasn’t sufficient. Please don’t let your personal feeling affect you」

「But……!?」

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You love him, right?

That prince?

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So your affection was warped to the extent of doing stalker-like actions?

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「Anastasia-sama’s family is a high-ranking noble of the empire, so she has received strict training ever since she was young. That’s why she has cultivated enough power to be selected to join the elite guard」

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That story really fit the “power is supreme” doctrine of the empire

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「During my time in the elite guard, she didn’t discriminate me although I was a half-hostage. If a person like her becomes Grey Ryuuga-sama’s princess then the empire will be peaceful……」

「T, that is not possible! That is too much for a weak person like me, who wasn’t even chosen to join the Twelve Apostles! I already feel like I’m not worthy to stay by Grey Ryuuga-sama’s side with that alone, and yet he was confirmed to have imperial bloodline recently, and soon he would become the new emperor, carrying the empire on his back……! I’m becoming more and more unfit for him!!」

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Anastasia-san is cornering herself

Such a sad love

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If she passed the selection meeting and joined the Twelve Apostles, she would have more hopes, and yet……

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And then, I remembered

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The enemy executives, the Twelve Apostles in the original 『Beast Fantasy 4』

There were some differences in the roster in the game I played in my past life with one currently in this world

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Perhaps it’s the butterfly effect caused by me, who was reincarnated here……

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Those poor people who should have been chosen and yet dropped out should be as below

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Fifth rank Anaconda. Sixth rank Blaufenex. Eighth rank Keithbunny. Ninth rank Rushboar. Tenth rank Gillyhorse

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Those people’s ranks were emptied out and replaced by Rei and Seki

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Among them……, uhm……

……This is!?

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Fifth rank Anaconda

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The two characters 『Ana』 match Anastasia-san’s name

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In the game 『Beast Fantasy 4』, the Twelve Apostles’ fifth rank Anaconda is a formidable enemy that stands in the way of the player

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Its beast power is 『Snake』 (2)

As it was the fifth rank, it was quite strong. It caused lots of troubles for player = brave Sero with its powerful attacks

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Due to its snake motif, its bind attack that stops the character’s actions is troublesome

Bind is not considered a bad status so there’s no method to recover. If the character is caught then there is no other choice but to wait until it’s released at random (3)

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Speaking of which, the Anaconda on the screen was in beast mode so I don’t know her human form……, but it gave off a gorgeous impression like the lady in front of me……?

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……Would she use the ojou-sama-ish coiling hair to bind the enemy?

If she received the 『Snake』 beast piece

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「That’s not true! There is no one more fitting to be the future queen than Anastasia-sama! This fourth rank Ulforte will support you with my full power!!」

「Is, is that so?」

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Our Forte, who is already a wife, is supporting an unmarried woman

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But, thinking about it, Anastasia-san was unlucky

Fifth rank is a high rank, so even if there were more members joining, it would still be a miracle that she was pushed out of top 12

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Zelimgaia and Kuwasally weren’t involved in the original game but also joined the Twelve Apostles here

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……。

That reminds me

Who received the 『Snake』 beast piece instead of her?

……。

…………Eh?

「Hey hey Forte……!?」

「What!? Right now, I’m teaching Anastasia how to be connected with one’s sweetheart from my own experience」

It’s just brute forcing in your case though?

Leave it behind……!

「Who is the current holder of 『Snake』 beast piece?」

「Haa? Why are you asking, Jira? Forgetting the name of your Twelve Apostles comrades would hinder your work!」

I agree with Forte

But it can’t be helped as I can’t remember his name so I have prepared to be scolded

Then, Forte replied with some unbelievable words

「Hmm, the 『Snake』 of Twelve Apostles, in other words, the sixth rank? The sixth rank is……!」

Forte stopped for a while……

「……Who?」

(1): self-protection = 保身 (2 words), grab the chestnut from the fire = endanger oneself for someone else

(2): gender is not disclosed yet, so I use “it”

(3): similar to pokemon game (especially gen 1), wrap/fire spin/clamp/… are not considered status (sleep, paralyze, poison,…)