This Novel is not my Novel

"Logically speaking, I think it's right to abolish the existing strategy. Why wouldn't the opposing team think we're going to aim for Helga's and Senior Lissy's ribbons? Especially since we're three points behind. They'll naturally expect us to target those two and have some sort of contingency plan in place."

"That's true..."

At the original protagonist's remark, Sveinn nodded, showing his acceptance.

And yet, when I was the one talking, he couldn't hide his dissatisfaction and refused to accept it.

Well... Reisir is the protagonist of this world within the novel. Besides, I was the one who ostracized Sveinn first.

So, this kind of discriminatory treatment was to be expected.

But understanding that fact in my head and accepting it in my heart were two different things.

I was in a foul mood.

"And you know, Sveinn. I want you to fight alongside us."

"What...?"

"The other side is fighting without Helga and Senior Lissy anyway, so the number of people in combat will be the same even if you join, right? I thought we'd have an overwhelming advantage... but as you can see, we were annihilated. Now that it's come to this, I think I was too arrogant."

Reisir said this to Sveinn with a bittersweet smile.

The thought that he might be trying to trigger another Influence Event made my already foul mood plummet.

Considering he keeps trying to use an Influence Event on me... does he just keep retrying indefinitely until it works?

It was extremely distasteful.

And yet. No, because of that, a thought suddenly struck me that it might be better to just let this be.

Even if the Influence Event succeeded, it was Sveinn who would be inspired by Reisir.

It wasn't as if Reisir would be inspired by Sveinn.

Once the Influence Event succeeds, there's a chance that Reisir will pay less attention to Sveinn.

Unlike the heroine characters, who periodically needed to show their fluttering hearts to the protagonist.

In a male-oriented fantasy novel, you only needed one scene of a male supporting character being won over by the protagonist.

"Senior Reisir, you have every right to be confident. You have the skill to back it up. The ribbon was only taken because of Senior Karvaldr..."

"That's not it. Karvaldr was actually worried about me, that I'd get hurt while paying attention to him, you know? It's my fault for taking my eyes off the battle, and 'skill' is determined by factoring in all of these elements."

Seeing Reisir flatly deny Sveinn's words and take my side, I felt that things would probably be fine.

Even if Sveinn tried to frame me.

It seemed Reisir would believe in me without wavering.

And if the original author plans to make Sveinn a traitor again this time, regardless of whether the influence succeeds or not, Sveinn will try to put the students of the Special Class for the Awakened in a crisis anyway.

What I had to stop...

was someone losing their life because of Sveinn's betrayal, and Reisir getting hurt by that sense of betrayal.

Isn't my goal achieved if I just stay vigilant so the original traitor can't pull any nonsense, and interfere just enough so the original protagonist doesn't completely open his heart to him?

The more I thought about it...

Rather than being on edge every time I saw Reisir paying attention to Sveinn, and earning the original traitor's antipathy by stepping in to obstruct every Influence Event...

it seemed better in many ways to just watch the protagonist of someone else's novel win Sveinn over this one time.

Thus, instead of cutting in between the two and breaking the flow of conversation...

I simply crossed my arms and decided to quietly watch what the original protagonist would do.

"Anyway, the conclusion is, I want you to help us."

"Senior Reisir, do you think I can be of any help? Even though I might just get my ribbon snatched again without doing anything, widening the score difference even further?"

"Because you've had that experience, this time..."

The original protagonist set a serious mood and was in the middle of continuing the Influence Event with a rather tender expression and voice, but he suddenly paused.

Then, for some reason, the protagonist of someone else's novel glanced at me, watching my reaction.

At this inexplicable action, I tilted my head and frowned.

Reisir then made an awkward face, turned his head back to Sveinn, and finished what he was saying.

"...I think you can do well this time."

A thought came to mind that, for a more dramatic effect, he should have used a more confident expression like 'I believe,' rather than the noncommittal 'I think.'

Besides, he'd suddenly stopped his closing remark to check my reaction, so there was no way the influence could have worked properly.

"If you think so, Senior... then... I'll try my best... I'll be careful not to lose my ribbon so easily this time..."

"Yeah... right. Do your best."

What was with this awkward atmosphere?

They said that if you set the stage for someone, they'd hesitate and mess up even things they usually did well, and that was exactly what happened.

The protagonist of someone else's novel had spectacularly botched the Influence Event.

And that was without me even interfering.

What was I so worried and wary about all this time...?

Flabbergasted, I stared intently at the face of the protagonist of someone else's novel for a moment.

Then, realizing this wasn't the time for that, I uncrossed my arms and threw out a question.

"So, what's the strategy?"

With one more person joining the battle, the strategy naturally had to change.

Though, at best, it would just be about who teamed up with whom to face someone on the opposing team.

That's why I thought an answer would come back immediately...

Why is he hesitating so much?

Just as I started to feel anxious, wondering if he was about to tell me to either accept Sveinn's help or support him...

Reisir opened his mouth.

"I think you already know this, but... the strategy with the highest chance of victory would be for me to rush either Her Royal Highness the Princess or Pret and take their ribbons before Ríolíkin and the princess's familiar can block me, right...?"

Fortunately, it wasn't what I had been worrying about.

I was able to nod and reply with a light heart.

"I suppose so. It's a huge loss of combat power for you to be tied up with Ríolíkin and the familiar, whom you can't even take a ribbon from."

"I see..."

"......?"

I hadn't opposed his opinion, but agreed with it, yet his reaction was extremely lukewarm.

And that attitude was maintained throughout the following conversation.

"In that case, would it be better for you to handle Ríolíkin? He won't be able to go all out against you. Even if not, you're more than skilled enough to just buy time by keeping him in check..."

"No, that's impossible. My attacks are no threat to Ríolíkin while he's using 【Armor of Protection】. If Ríolíkin decides to just ignore my attacks and charge at you, there's nothing I can do. It would be better to have Vigdís, who can directly block him, as the main, and have someone else as support."

"Hmm... I guess so..."

At first, I wondered what on earth was wrong with him.

But as I mulled over the sentence Reisir had first uttered, the one starting with 'I think you already know this,' I was able to realize the reason.

"If you want to keep facing Ríolíkin and Her Royal Highness the Princess's familiar, then just do it."

At my words, Reisir flinched and looked at me with surprised eyes.

From his reaction, it seemed I had hit the nail right on the head.

"In a life-and-death real combat situation, it's right to take the strategy with a guaranteed victory. But in training, where the goal is to gain practical experience, a reckless challenge is more valuable than a safe victory, isn't it? Whether it's to confirm your own limits, or to surpass them and grow to the next stage."

"...Do you really think so?"

Reisir asked me for confirmation in a cautious tone.

He didn't show it on the outside, but it seemed losing his ribbon had been shocking enough to make him lose his confidence.

It wasn't because he couldn't withstand the joint attack from Ríolíkin and Lausa.

It was only because he was startled by Yor's scream and failed to guard his ribbon while checking on my safety.

No. Maybe that's exactly why? He should have been even more focused when someone around him was in danger, but instead his concentration was broken, he lost his ribbon, and made me worry...

Of course, I hadn't been worried about Reisir, but he thought I was.

That's how it was from his perspective.

"Do I look like I'm saying something I don't mean?"

"No."

"Then why ask such a stupid question?"

"Because you were against Sveinn trying for Helga's and Senior Lissy's ribbons again...?"

You had to compare comparable things.

I was so flabbergasted that I was at a loss for words.

But if I didn't say something at this point, it could be misunderstood that I was discriminating between Reisir and Sveinn, and robbing only Sveinn of a chance to grow.

I hurriedly moved my lips and answered.

"I was against it because it was obvious he would just walk into a trap and come back having gained no experience at all. But your case isn't like that, is it? Unlike a trap that can't even be found, Ríolíkin and Her Royal Highness the Princess's familiar are obstacles that you can sufficiently overcome with your abilities."

"Does that mean... you believe I can overcome that obstacle during this training?"

As I faced him, sending me a look full of expectation despite his disheartened expression, it was difficult to flatly deny him.

I felt like I would be trampling on his reviving confidence.

"No, well... it seems you're having a hard time now because you're not used to their joint attack, but you'll gain experience points in real time as you face them...? So this isn't a matter of belief, but more like stating an utterly obvious fact..."

"I see~? So it's an utterly obvious fact, is it~?"

I muttered something that was half explanation and half excuse.

At that, the protagonist of someone else's novel grinned, drawing out the ends of his words and teasing me, as if he'd never lost confidence and fallen into despair.

It was an attitude so infuriating that it bordered on utter ingratitude.

"In any case, that's my thought, but I don't know what the others think, so go check with them. I'm not the only team member, am I?"

In fact, there was no need to check the others' opinions.

Since Reisir was the original protagonist, Vigdís and Sveinn would naturally support his challenge and show their trust.

Even while thinking that, the reason I said it was...

Why else? So Reisir would stop teasing me!

Reisir turned his head with an 'oops' expression and looked at Vigdís and Sveinn.

And those two, as if on cue, poured out lines that bolstered the original protagonist's confidence, saying that Reisir could surely do it.

As if they had been waiting for it.