Outside the slums, Natsuki Subaru rushed to the small bridge like a whirlwind, his mood exceptionally bright.
He had originally thought his fate would be that of a useless nobody, doomed to live miserably in this world. Just as he was being brutally beaten by those thugs and about to fall into despair—
A breathtaking silver-haired, red-eyed girl appeared before him and rescued him in his moment of crisis.
Afterward, he had even taken a knife for her. Unexpectedly, that act triggered a goddess-like blessing, making Natsuki Subaru feel that he must have been chosen by this mysterious and unfathomable girl.
With her help, perhaps he might even reach the pinnacle of life.
"Ha! I'm the man destined to become the protagonist of this world. I definitely am!"
As Natsuki Subaru's delusions deepened, he stood outside the slums shouting foolishly into the air, spouting embarrassingly chuunibyou lines.
At the same time, his favorability toward Shendu steadily increased. He believed that the silver-haired girl would surely become his hope for the future.
[Ding~ Natsuki Subaru favorability +95. Current favorability: 95.]
As expected, Natsuki Subaru's favorability toward her was the highest. When Shendu received the system notification, she froze for a moment.
Could it be that that chuunibyou kid is thinking along some strange lines?
Inside the stolen goods warehouse, Shendu had just converted a large amount of gold coins in the surrounding area. After finishing her instructions to Old Man Rom, she heard the system notification and could not help feeling slightly puzzled.
However, as long as things did not go too far, she did not care to bother with it.
"Thank you, Lady Shendu. I will certainly carry out your orders."
Receiving so many gold coins left Old Man Rom inwardly shaken. It would be a lie to say he was not worried. But upon hearing that Shendu would send people to assist him, he felt somewhat reassured.
Of course, the fighting strength of those in the slums was limited. Shendu intended to prepare a backup plan and establish her own forces, so after making the arrangements, she lightly swept her slender hand through the air.
In an instant, a pale violet magic circle formed. From its center, a scroll dropped and landed in Shendu's hand.
"Old Man Rom, keep this scroll safe. When the time comes, my servants will tell you what to do."
"Yes, Lady Shendu!"
Old Man Rom respectfully accepted the scroll.
Naturally, the scroll given by Shendu was no ordinary item. As long as he followed her instructions, even an ordinary person could wield power comparable to that of a mage.
Watching Shendu's actions, Emilia felt somewhat confused, unable to understand why she had made such arrangements for Old Man Rom.
However, being kind by nature, she still believed Shendu was not a bad person. Otherwise, she would not have taken such risks to save her.
Moreover, the important insignia had been recovered. Nothing could make her happier than that.
After everything was arranged, Shendu stepped onto the magic circle beneath her feet and released her subordinate, Akane. Before Akane could feel happy for long, Shendu pointed at Old Man Rom and assigned her a new task.
"Akane, I've already told Old Man Rom the plan. Make sure this matter is handled properly."
"Yes, Master. Remember to come visit me often."
Hearing Shendu's command, Akane felt somewhat helpless, but she did not resist.
Afterward, Shendu and the others cleaned up the aftermath, burying those who had been killed by Elsa one by one.
Witnessing such a cruel scene filled Emilia's heart with guilt. She felt that it was all her fault that such a tragedy had occurred.
After burying the bodies, Emilia prayed in the darkness for an hour. That night, the group found a random place to rest.
...
The next morning, under Old Man Rom's warm hospitality, they enjoyed a hearty breakfast. After finishing, Shendu led Emilia and the others outside.
Upon leaving the slums, Shendu stopped in the middle of the road. Looking at the silver-haired half-elf before her, she prepared to wave goodbye.
At her level, as long as she remained near Emilia, she should still be able to trigger the corresponding storyline. Therefore, she did not insist on staying constantly at Emilia's side.
After all, she had already raised Emilia's favorability to 80. If Emilia encountered trouble, she would most likely come looking for her.
What should I do? How can I persuade them to stay?
Bathed in sunlight, Emilia gazed at the silver-haired, red-eyed girl before her. She felt conflicted, wanting her to stay but too embarrassed to say it.
Just as Emilia was struggling internally, Shendu spoke first.
"Emilia, I'm very glad to have met you. If fate allows, we'll meet again in the future."
Even in her current state, Shendu still admired the silver-haired half-elf. Kind and adorable, she was completely her type.
"Please wait, Sister Shendu!"
Seeing that Shendu was about to leave after saying those words, Emilia somehow found the courage to grab one of her arms, refusing to let her go.
Though between two beautiful girls, such closeness did not seem strange.
"What is it, Miss Emilia?"
Hearing Emilia's plea, Shendu stopped and looked at her with feigned confusion.
"Um... Sister Shendu, since you're a traveler, you probably don't have a place to stay. Why not live with me for now? I can also explain the situation of the entire kingdom to you."
Emilia mustered her courage. Her small face flushed slightly as she said this, staring expectantly into Shendu's crimson eyes.
"All right! Felt, what do you think?"
Shendu readily accepted Emilia's kindness. Staying by her side did not seem like a bad idea.
"Hehe, I'll just listen to Big Sister. Whatever Big Sister wants me to do, I'll do it."
Felt gave a playful smile and expressed her thoughts.
Only Natsuki Subaru was completely ignored, as if he were transparent. The supposed protagonist could only wear an awkward expression.
But soon, he comforted himself and recovered through sheer delusion—another form of spiritual victory.
"Then let's head to the royal capital. I have a place to stay there."
Emilia was overjoyed. Excitement shimmered in her purple eyes. Being able to keep Shendu by her side felt like an incredible stroke of luck.
"No problem."
Shendu did not refuse. With Felt and Natsuki Subaru, she strolled unhurriedly along the streets of this other world, taking in its customs and scenery. It was surprisingly interesting.
Having arrived in this world, Shendu had successfully completed the first step of her plans. Next, by following Emilia, she would likely become involved in all sorts of major events.
Thinking of this, Shendu found herself rather looking forward to the life ahead.