Chapter 472

"She only expects you to grow up; she never said she'd refuse to become your wife if you don't, right?"

Orsted asked.

"Roxy hasn't said that, but I know what she likes is someone taller than her, who looks at least older than her, a bit more mature, not someone with a child's appearance like me now."

In their time together, the demon girl would occasionally speak of her hopes and imaginings for his future appearance.

"When you grow up, I'll sit on your tall, sturdy legs, rest my head on your chest, and listen to the heartbeat inside."

"If you want to do that, you can do it right now; I don't mind."

"Sitting on your lap right now would be too weird; you should rest your head on my lap instead."

That was a bright summer afternoon, an interaction between the two reading books under the academy's tree shade.

"Ah~"

Orsted sighed and asked, "Can you use forceful means to make the other party submit obediently?"

"No."

Broly glared at the Dragon God, then directly gave a negative answer.

"What about using deception?"

Orsted acted as if he hadn't seen Broly's glare and continued questioning.

"That is a method, but I don't want to deceive Roxy."

"Didn't you deceive her before?"

Orsted was referring to the matter of deceiving the demon girl into becoming a guard.

"It was only when we first met; deceptive capture strategies don't make me feel bad.

However, when I want to formally invite Roxy to join my Crystal Palace and become my wife, I don't want to continue using deceptive means.

That is the wrong thing to do, something that could make her unhappy."

Looking at Broly, Orsted could more or less understand the boy's thoughts.

The more a person values sentiment and loyalty, the more easily they are bound by them.

Once, he and Perugius were friends, but after learning the Dragon's Secret Treasure inside Perugius was the necessary key to opening the World of Nothingness, Orsted rarely had much close interaction with Perugius in other loops.

The reason was none other than fear that after investing massive emotion, one day he would be unable to bring himself to kill Perugius.

And he, who bears the Dragon Race's hatred, is already like this; even more so for a boy with a purer, blunter personality.

In just two short years of interacting with that Migurdia demon girl, Broly now doesn't even want to do things achievable through simple deception.

"Since you don't want to deceive her, what do you intend to do?"

Orsted asked.

Broly thought for a moment, then answered: "I'll come clean with Roxy, tell her I can't grow up in this world, and then ask if she's willing to accept a me who won't grow up."

"What if she refuses?"

"Then I can only accept that result; in the next loop I won't come disturb her, I'll continue a new search journey — there are still some places in this world we haven't been to, aren't there?"

Orsted glanced at the boy and said from the heart: "Broly, you're even more open-minded than I imagined."

"Orsted, don't joke; if Roxy really refuses me, I'll definitely feel bad for a long time."

"But no matter how bad you feel, you still won't force Roxy Migurdia, right?"

"I just think her being able to live happily is more important than her agreeing to join the Crystal Palace and become my wife."

Hearing this, Orsted's heart was somewhat moved; he only hoped that demon girl in this loop would be sensible.

Otherwise, in the next loop he'd have to increase the intensity on her — for example, guide her to dislike tall, more mature-looking opposite sexes, make the girl like Broly's type of little shota.

"Mm~"

"What's wrong, Roxy?"

In the single Teacher Dormitory, the white catgirl asked the demon girl; Rene had her own dormitory but always loved coming to Roxy's Teacher Dormitory to mooch.

"Nothing, just suddenly felt a bit cold."

Roxy rubbed the goosebumps on her arm, and while answering the catgirl's question, she also looked doubtfully at the tightly shut window.

"It's summer already, and you're still cold?"

The catgirl was a bit puzzled.

"Could it be someone cursed you?"

She said jokingly.

At this, Roxy's complexion turned serious.

"Hey, I was just joking."

"But it's not impossible, right? Lanreta was cursed by someone before."

"Eh, who's Lanreta?"

"My former roommate before you and I became roommates."

Roxy answered.

"Oh, that tall, big gal!"

The catgirl remembered; Roxy's former roommate was less a female mage and more a female warrior type of robust woman, the sort who's better with a sword than a staff.

"Do you know purification magic for curses?"

The white catgirl leaned over and asked.

"No, I plan to go find someone who can tomorrow."

"Find who? If I recall correctly, those who can examine and remove curses are mostly Milis Religion priests, and those guys look down on us as other races."

"But there are still exceptional people."

"For example?"

"For example, Filia."

"This name, I feel like it rings a bell somewhat."

Rene fell into deep thought, as if wanting to dig something out from her empty head, like excavating a memory.

"A Millis Religion believer who privately provided treatment services to other races, I heard she is now an Apprentice Priest at the Sharia Milishion Sub-church."

Roxy said, and Filia also counted as her friend; her healing magic was still learned from the other party back in Second Grade.

Next Day, Roxy made an appointment to meet her old acquaintance; after Apprentice Priest Filia checked the demon girl's body, she gave her reply: "Roxy, you indeed show signs of being cursed."

"Eh, I really was cursed?"

Roxy widened her eyes; she had only come to check carefully, never expecting to actually get a confirmed answer from Filia's mouth.

"Yes, but it's a bit strange; the traces of this curse are very shallow, simply as if it was just cast yesterday, and moreover, according to my judgment, this should be a curse that only launches upon fulfilling some condition; Roxy, do you have a suspected target?"

Filia asked seriously.

"I don't have a suspected target; can this curse be solved?"

Orsted, whom she had seen again at Broly's house two days prior, surfaced in Roxy's mind.

And that silver-haired guy brimming with dangerous breath was well worth suspecting.

But after all he was Broly's friend, so Roxy could only keep this suspicion buried in her heart and asked Filia before her.

"I can try casting Purification Magic on you."

Filia spoke, and used Purification Magic on the demon girl.

However, her strength was far too weak.

Even a curse-like effect produced merely by a thought Orsted raised was not something she could solve.

"I'm very sorry; the person who cast this curse likely has strength far above mine; I cannot solve the curse on you."

"It's fine; I'll think of a way to solve it myself."

At this, Roxy thanked Filia and left with a heavy heart.

【What to do, should I tell Broly about this, but would Broly think I'm picking a fight with his friend, but is the person who cursed me really Broly's friend, wait, is it even that person who cast the curse, that's still unknown, no, that person is very suspicious, the probability of them casting the curse is high, but Broly seemed to have told me he appears suspicious because of a curse...】

Just as Roxy's thoughts were complex, wondering whether to tell Broly about her encounter with the curse, she ran into the Saiyan boy, who also wore a heavy-hearted look, right at her Teacher Dormitory front door.

"Broly, why are you here?"

【Could it be he knows about the curse?】

Roxy couldn't help but think.

"Roxy, I have something I want to tell you."

Broly's mood was somewhat nervous; he didn't know if Roxy would refuse him.

"Coincidentally, I also have something I want to tell you."

Roxy also said; she felt she still had to explain the situation to Broly.

After all, what if that terrifying man named Orsted was actually using Broly?

"Eh, what do you want to say?"

"My matter isn't urgent; you speak first."

"Say it here?"

Roxy reacted, hurriedly opened the dormitory door, and welcomed the boy inside.

"Actually, I came to ask if you are willing to become my wife."

After entering, Broly took a deep breath and asked Roxy.

"Ah?!"

Hearing this, Roxy froze, her face involuntarily turning a bit red.

"Didn't we agree to wait until you grow up a bit more, then talk about this?"

"Roxy, I can't grow up anymore."

Broly said with his head lowered.

"Hm?"

The demon girl looked over with some confusion.

"The Secret Technique my friend brought back for me didn't work, and I'm about to run out of time."

Broly meant this loop's time was about to end, but he didn't explain in detail, letting Roxy, who had just learned she was cursed, associate it with other things.

"Are you leaving this world?"

The demon girl's voice trembled somewhat as she asked.

"Uh, counts as it."

Time reversal also counted as leaving this loop's world; Broly nodded.

"And before leaving, I came to ask if you are willing to accept me, who can no longer grow up in this world, as your wife?"

Broly asked.

"Of course; if you're unwilling, I won't force you either; we'll just pretend we never knew each other, and I won't come disturb you again."

Though he said this, the boy's face revealed a worried, apprehensive expression afraid of rejection; Roxy could see it completely.

The curse matter was completely unimportant at this moment; the demon girl now only wanted to know what exactly had happened to the boy, why he suddenly spoke such words sounding like his days were numbered.

"Never knowing each other is impossible, because we already know each other; I will forever remember your kindness to me.

As for whether you grow up or not, what does that have to do with whether I accept you?"

"But you said you like people who look older than yourself, who look more mature."

"Ah, so that's why you had a worried look, standing at my room door waiting for me.

"You're worried that I'll refuse you because you never grow up?"

Roxy asked, and Broly nodded.

"You're overthinking this, Broly. I can tell you right now — whether you're an adult or a child, it won't obstruct me from accepting you.

Simply because I, Roxy Migurdia, have already fallen for the boy who intruded into my life uninvited, the one who's been unconditionally good in every way to this demon girl."

Roxy spoke these words without a shred of hesitation, then extended her left hand toward the boy before her.

"If you don't believe me, you can take out the Ring of Crystal Love right now and put it on my ring finger."

"Ah, okay!"

Broly belatedly snapped to it and hurriedly took out the Ring of Crystal Love, sliding it onto the demon girl's ring finger.

"Now I'm already your wife. Tell me — what exactly happened that made you say time is running out."

Roxy asked with some nervousness, and Broly scratched his head; things had gone so smoothly that his worry felt like useless effort.

Still, he answered Roxy's question, telling the demon girl about the Crystal Palace, and about Orsted's ability to turn back time.

Roxy had expected to hear from Broly about an incurable terminal illness or an unsolvable curse, but the result...

"So it's really the Crystal Palace that keeps you from growing up in this world, and your stay duration in this world is almost up — and if I don't agree to become your wife, you'll have Orsted turn back time?"

"Right."

Roxy rubbed her temples; the information Broly had narrated was a bit overwhelming, leaving her momentarily unsure where to begin.

After spending some time organizing her somewhat chaotic thoughts, Roxy picked an angle she cared about and asked: "So you weren't good to me for no reason — you were only good to me because the Crystal Palace designated me as a capture target?"

Hearing this, Broly hesitated a bit, but still nodded and gave an "Mm."

【Roxy Migurdia's Happiness Value decreasing, currently 1120 Happiness Value points】

The Crystal Palace promptly sent a prompt about the Happiness Value drop, but Roxy felt saddened by this premeditated capture operation.

Because this meant that in the midst of pure feelings, something like self-interest had been mixed in, making the demon girl feel that the feelings between her and the boy weren't quite so pure anymore.

"What would happen if I refuse you?"

"I'd be very sad."

"You wouldn't, after time rewinds, use some other method to capture me as a target again?"

Roxy raised her voice and asked.

"No, I wouldn't."

"Why?"

"Because you refused."

"Haha, what kind of reason is that?"

"Roxy, you being able to live happily is more important than joining my Crystal Palace and becoming my wife."

"Hmm, is that your capture rhetoric?"

Roxy averted her gaze, dodging Broly's sincere gaze directed at her.

"No, I'm just telling the truth. Perhaps our acquaintance originated from the Crystal Palace, but the you of now is already a very close friend of mine."

"Not a capture target?"

"You are a capture target, but also a friend. And if you refuse, then we're just friends. After time rewinds, we might only be left with a stranger relationship where I know you but you don't know me."

Broly's words tightened Roxy's heart; the idea of becoming strangers with the boy was something she absolutely refused.

Upon realizing this point, Roxy discovered that she merely disliked the Crystal Palace — not Broly.

"Broly, let me ask you — if there were no Crystal Palace, would you still be good to me?"

"I don't know, but if we never knew each other, I probably wouldn't actively show goodwill to a stranger, unless..."

"Unless what?"

"Unless you, Roxy, encountered something bad, and I just happened to run into it, and you still sought help from me — only then might I help you."

Roxy: "..."

Thinking it over carefully, these two years did seem to confirm it — at the academy, aside from being unconditionally good to herself, Broly really was somewhat cold toward others, but if someone requested his help, as long as it wasn't too troublesome, he would help.

"Then what about the current me? If I'm no longer the capture target acknowledged by your Crystal Palace, would you still be good to me?"

Roxy posed another hypothetical scenario question, but if she weren't a capture target, Broly wouldn't even have been able to have any intersection with her.

"I would."

Of course, Broly didn't think too much about it — if it's the current Roxy, even if the demon girl lacks the capture target identity acknowledged by the Crystal Palace, Broly would still be good to her; the only difference is he just wouldn't be that proactive about it.

【Roxy Migurdia's Happiness Value continuously rising, currently Happiness Value 1121, 1122, 1123...】

Roxy discovered she couldn't quite suppress the smile at her mouth corners, and her impression of the Crystal Palace improved all at once.

From an interested thing (crossed out) that intervened in her and Broly's feelings, it became an excellent thing (confirmed without doubt) that let the boy find her and have intersection with her.

【Eh, strange, why is Roxy still calculating Happiness Value?】

Right at this moment, Broly noticed this strange point.

【Because the Host has not yet issued a formal invitation to join the Crystal Palace to Roxy Migurdia.】

The Crystal Palace gave a response message.

When Roxy had Broly bring the ring, what she thought in her heart wasn't becoming the boy's wife, but worry over the reason the boy said time was running out — so it wasn't judged by the Crystal Palace as actively requesting to join, therefore Broly didn't receive the notification.

"Roxy..."

"Mm, what is it?"

"Can you promise me one more time — when I ask you whether you're willing to become my wife?"

The Saiyan boy said to the demon girl in a negotiating tone.

"Eh?"

"The Crystal Palace's judgment had a bit of a problem — you're not my wife yet."

Roxy: "......"

(Chapter End)