This Novel is not my Novel

"Ríolíkin. For someone who's been subdued and tied up, why are you so calm?"

"Well, I've done the job I was supposed to do, haven't I?"

"The job you were supposed to do?"

"You heard it too, Lord Karvaldr, didn't you? Her Royal Highness the Princess told me to hold you all back so you couldn't chase after her."

It was utterly absurd.

To think he'd say such a thing when he'd tried to run away the moment he realized Reisir was trying to subdue him.

What's more—

"You're the one who got caught."

"Still, the result is the same either way, isn't it?"

—he even said something so carefree.

Looking at him, I couldn't tell whether I should call him shameless or simply short-sighted.

"...How could it possibly be the same? With you out, the only ones left on the Teal Team who can fight are Her Royal Highness, her familiar, and Pret. Who among them could possibly stop Reisir? And even if we assume they could team up to face Reisir, do you think the rest of our team would just stand by and watch?"

"Ah...?"

"So even if we fail to take your ribbon, your team has to take the risk of rescuing you from us. Do you still think the result is the same?"

"Uhhhmm... I guess not."

Yet even as he answered, not a hint of crisis could be seen on Ríolíkin's face.

All I could do was let out a deep sigh and say this.

"The reason we tied you up isn't because we lack the power to break your 【Armor of Protection】. We could, but you'd be badly injured if we did. This was for your own safety."

"Ah... I suppose so..."

Even though I didn't mention anyone by name, Ríolíkin's gaze, as he nodded in agreement, was fixed on the original protagonist.

It was a relief that I didn't have to explain how strong Reisir was and build him up myself.

"What do you think this means?"

"That you care about me, Lord Karvaldr...?"

Did he pick up this nonsense from Reisir?

I was so dumbfounded that I was left speechless.

It was the original protagonist who continued the conversation in my stead.

"It means that if this were actual combat, you wouldn't be tied up alive like this. You would have been dead long ago."

"Gasp...!!"

Finally realizing the seriousness of the situation, Ríolíkin gasped, his face showing his shock.

And Reisir, wearing a deeply displeased expression, furrowed his brow as he looked at him.

I could assure you that this wasn't because he found Ríolíkin pathetic.

It must be because of his anger toward Fjodora, who gave Ríolíkin the absurd directive to stop all of us and then ran away.

Furthermore, Reisir didn't know that Fjodora had been acting to lure us into a trap.

It was perfectly natural that he couldn't hide his antipathy toward her.

Even I find it hard to defend her actions this time...

Even if Fjodora had acted this way because she judged that we would deal with Ríolíkin appropriately and then chase after her, if she was going to take on the leader role, she should have considered it from all angles before giving the directive.

It is only right to consider not just the potential benefit of a strategy, but also the risk one must bear in case of failure.

To think that her opponent would move exactly as she wished.

What foolish arrogance was this?

Perhaps she wasn't being arrogant.

Perhaps the original author's design was for Vigdís and me to chase Fjodora, fall into a trap, and have our ribbons snatched by Pret.

There was also the possibility that we had reached this current situation because I suggested that we not chase her and Reisir accepted it.

Even so... No, that's all the more reason I can't overlook this problem.

If Ríolíkin performed this kind of role several times, he would eventually become a victim of the "Leave this to me and go on ahead. I'll catch up soon" death flag.

The only one who can spout lines like that and actually catch up to their comrades safely is a protagonist character.

Therefore, Ríolíkin needed to be on alert.

He didn't even seem to know what Fjodora's real strategy was, judging by how satisfied he was, thinking he'd done his part even though we hadn't chased Fjodora.

Ríolíkin has a simple personality and hates using his head. If she was going to use a strategy like this, she should have told him in advance to stall us for a bit and then let us go...

Even if it had been an impromptu strategy, by utilizing her wind-manipulating Ether Attribute Ability, she could have secretly explained the plan to Ríolíkin alone.

And yet, Fjodora didn't do so.

I know they say you must deceive your allies to deceive the enemy, but...

That didn't apply to every situation.

Especially with a strategy like this, she absolutely should have shared her true objective with Ríolíkin.

"So this... Should I, perhaps, bring this up with her...?"

His tone was laced with hesitation, and he even added the adverb "perhaps."

He seemed to know it was something worth doing, but didn't have the nerve to bring it up since the other party was royalty.

"I think it would be better to talk to her about it, even if you don't complain angrily. Won't that help Her Royal Highness realize that she shouldn't use a strategy like this so carelessly?"

"Is this really a matter of whether she realizes it or not? She knew Ríolíkin couldn't handle all of us alone, but she still ordered him to stop us, didn't she? She just sacrificed Ríolíkin for the sake of victory! It's a good thing this is only training, but if it were actual combat..."

"Isn't the purpose of training to prepare in advance so that situations like this don't happen in actual combat? Perhaps she wasn't treating it as real practice at all, or maybe she overestimated Ríolíkin's ability."

I could feel Reisir's emotions growing more intense.

So, when I laid out various assumptions to calm him down, I saw the expression of the protagonist of someone else's novel turn sour in real time.

Did he feel unpleasant because I wasn't agreeing with his feelings and it seemed as though I was siding with Fjodora?

Just as that concern surfaced in my mind, Reisir let out a snicker and said,

"I can't tell whether you're being lenient with Her Royal Highness or simply looking down on her..."

After all, depending on the interpretation, what I had just said could mean that Fjodora had forgotten this was combat training and was approaching it like a game, or that she was incompetent and couldn't even properly grasp her own team member's abilities.

...It could be heard that way.

It made sense that I would get such a reaction.

In any case, it doesn't seem like he's disappointed or dissatisfied with me...?

Just as I felt relieved by that fact—

"Ah?!"

Suddenly, an urgent cry burst from Vigdís's lips.

When I reflexively turned my head in her direction, I saw a teal light fading away.

Then, a teal light appeared in the distance, and Fjodora, wearing a teal ribbon around her neck, emerged from it.

Looks like she's already been to the starting point.

Since there was no reason to rush back, I doubted she had wasted Ether using 【Spatial Leap】.

I conjectured that the Teal Team's starting point wasn't too far from here.

"Vigdís, did you lose your ribbon?"

"No...! I kept hold of the knot, so thankfully, it wasn't taken."

Thankfully, it seemed Vigdís hadn't let her guard down and had remained tense, prepared for a surprise attack.

But her attitude would have been visible to the opposing team as well.

Which was why—

"Lord Karvaldr, I shall take your counsel to heart."

—those words flowed from Fjodora's lips.

But I tore my gaze away from her and quickly turned to look at Ríolíkin.

"Huh...?"

In that brief moment when my attention was diverted, Ríolíkin had escaped his restraints.

He wore an expression as though he didn't know the reason himself.

As you can tell from this sentence, the one who voiced their confusion with "Huh...?" above was not me, but Ríolíkin.

"Yor, attack the area around Ríolíkin!"

"Nyaooo!!!"

Yor created a large number of Aether Arrows and scattered them around Ríolíkin.

At that, something moved in a flash, as though a section of space itself had been copied and shifted, and hid behind a tree.

As you readers may have noticed, that something was undoubtedly Pret, who had concealed their appearance with the 【Disguise】 skill.

"Senior, what are you doing?! Hurry up and grab your weapon and shield!!"

"O-oh... Nem...!"

As though he had crawled through the bushes, Pret popped his head out from behind the tree next to the one he had just hidden behind and shouted.

Ríolíkin answered impulsively, scrambling to his feet to grab his shield and mace.

So the strategy was for Fjodora to step forward and draw our attention while Pret approached and freed Ríolíkin from his restraints...

Setting aside the fact that we hadn't researched a way to snatch Ríolíkin's ribbon, it wasn't as though I hadn't expected a situation like this, yet I had taken my eyes off Ríolíkin?

Just as I realized my mistake with a start and lightly bit my lower lip—

"Karvaldr, why are you making that self-reproachful face? You weren't the only one who wasn't paying attention to Ríolíkin."

The protagonist of someone else's novel said as much while studying my expression.

Hearing that made me feel as though it really wasn't my fault.

Right... In a situation where not only has Fjodora returned, but Ríolíkin has also been freed, there's also this protagonist of someone else's novel trying to leisurely proceed with an influence event.

Compared to that, simply turning my head in response to Vigdís's cry could hardly be considered having my attention diverted.

"Is this really the time to be worrying about that kind of thing?"

"Why is it 'that kind'..."

"I'm telling you to quickly use your Ether Attribute Ability on the opposing team!"

The protagonist of someone else's novel showed signs of launching into a long-winded speech, as though to continue his influence event.

So I quickly cut him off and shouted urgently.

However, in a world with a status system, shouting, "Hurry up and attack Her Royal Highness the Princess with your lightning ability!" would have been a deeply disrespectful act.

So I had to put it a bit more indirectly.

Still, I thought the original protagonist would understand.

"Uh, what...?"

"Do you have anything other than lightning?"

"No!!"

I had no idea what this foolish conversation was about.

Reisir even missed his chance to attack.

Since one of the advantages of a lightning ability was its speed, if he had fired it before Fjodora could prepare, he could have landed a direct hit.

"Mr. Ríolíkin. You shouldn't just stand there either. Go mark Mr. Reisir."

"Reisir is much stronger than me. I mean, if this were actual combat, I'd definitely die..."

Fjodora, who had appeared in a different location with her 【Spatial Leap】 skill, gave Ríolíkin an order.

At that, instead of arguing recklessly, Ríolíkin hesitated and protested in a timid, whispering voice.

Thankfully, it seemed he'd properly taken the warning to heart.

"...I was planning to have Lausa fight alongside you as well."

"Ah! Is that so?"

Was it because she couldn't leave Reisir unmarked?

Looking somewhat troubled, Fjodora reassured Ríolíkin by saying she would assign Lausa to him.

Only then did Ríolíkin raise his shield and charge toward Reisir.