Special Chapter 3:

"I love Rogied Diflute!"

"I love Rogied Diflute!"

"I!!!"

"...love Rogied Diflute!"

Three thunderous confessions echoed from a second-floor inn window, shouted by a yellow-haired girl leaning out.

She was unbelievably cute, especially with her pink, blushing cheeks cranking her adorableness to max.

Below, strolling pedestrians froze mid-step, craning their necks up at her.

Her face flushed deeper red. She yanked her head back inside, slammed the window shut, and slumped against it, gasping hard.

"Hah—ah—hah—ah—"

Her chest—heinously flat—heaved violently. She gritted her teeth, glaring at the other person in the room.

A boy. A boy so girlishly pretty, he out-cuted her.

Profession: Hero. Title: 【Savior】.

So much time had passed since their last parting.

This time, after a miraculous street reunion, Anjerite dragged him wordlessly into her room, pinned him on her bed, excitedly stripped off her top, and pressed her hands to her chest.

"Listen, Rogied..." she began.

From under her skirt, she pulled out something rigid.

"Truth is..."

"I really love playing Old Maid."

She produced a Sornton Empire card deck—but this set had no Joker.

The Joker was replaced by the Empress.

The Violet Orchid Empress, symbolizing humanity’s highest class 【Emperor】.

Kianna Heinkeksfield.

Anjerite didn’t know this "Violet Orchid Empress," yet a fierce aversion burned in her gut.

That’s why she’d bought this deck, calling the Empress card the "Joker."

"To hell with you, Kianna!" Anjerite thought fiercely. Then she yanked up the dazed Hero pinned beneath her.

Next, they started playing Old Maid.

"If I win," Anjerite declared, "you strip naked and dance a silly belly dance for me!"

The Hero nodded confidently. "If I win, you open that window and shout three times to the street: ‘I love Rogied Diflute.’ Deal?"

"...Why must I love you?" Anjerite’s cheeks flushed slightly. She crossed her arms with a huff.

The Hero shrugged. "Then why must I strip and dance a ridiculous strip tease for you?"

"...Rogied! Have you learned to sass me after just days apart?!"

"Not days. Months. Years. I’ve met plenty—worse than you, more unreasonable. I’ve cracked the code for handling people like you~"

"...Name them." Anjerite drew her sword.

A starter Temple Knight Sword. Technically usable by any Knight class.

Low level requirement. Pathetic stat bonuses. Only a faint 【Light】 glow made it vaguely decorative.

But why did Anjerite still carry it?

Her waist held a clearly high-tier Knight blade.

The yellow-haired Holy Knight blessed by the goddess. The new heroine with the divine title 【Golden Light】—loyal Anjerite.

The girl who’d slashed through thorns for love to earn the goddess’s audience now seethed inexplicably.

She pressed the Temple Knight Sword to the Hero’s neck—then subtly pulled it back, fearing she’d nick him.

—There. Safe zone. Won’t hurt Rogied.

Anjerite nodded, satisfied—until she spotted the Hero’s faint smirk. She stomped her feet. "Wah-wah-wah!"

—What’s that look?! Like he sees right through me! Why?!

"Keep staring, and I’ll chop your head off!"

"If you’d even scratch me, you wouldn’t be my kind-hearted Anjerite," the Hero said softly.

Anjerite gritted her teeth, yelled "Ah!", and sheathed the sword.

She plopped onto the floor, ripping the card packaging open.

"Hmph... you know me so well... you always guess my thoughts..." she muttered.

"What’d you say?"

"Nothing! Shut up."

"...No ‘long time no see, I missed you’?"

"...I won’t say it."

"Then I will."

The Hero spoke—and in Anjerite’s flustered gaze, he hugged her tight.

So tight, as if terrified to lose her again.

"I... missed you so much, Anjerite... Seeing you again... I’m so happy. So happy. So happy..."

"I..."

"Don’t talk. Just let me hold you."

So they held on.

Anjerite wrapped her arms around him too. The Hero rested his chin on her head.

His weight pressed down—but she didn’t want him to move.

—Fine. Just this once. Really.

Five minutes? Three hundred seconds? The Hero finally loosened his grip.

Both had reddened eyes.

A snot bubble dripped from Anjerite’s nose.

Flustered, she fumbled for her handkerchief—but a hand holding a stranger’s cloth wiped it away.

—Ugh... Why does this feel like the most romantic moment ever? Am I broken?

"Cards?" the Hero smiled.

Anjerite nodded shyly. "Mm... go easy on me, okay..."

A girlish tone?

She didn’t know—she just wanted Rogied to yield. The more he did, the more she mattered to him.

Would he?

"Joker~" The Hero spread his empty hands. Anjerite held the last Joker card.

He gently patted her petrified head. "Go on~ Shout ‘I love Rogied Diflute’~ Go on!"

"...Can I skip..."

"Nope. Impossible."

"Then... different words? Please..."

"Denied." He crossed his arms.

Anjerite glared. "Why won’t you let me!"

"Why should I? I don’t wanna strip and dance like a fool for you."

"...Bastard!"

She sprang up, stomped to the window, and threw it open.

Outside, a crowd swarmed the streets—peak shopping hour.

Anjerite’s confidence wavered. She glanced back.

The Hero whistled innocently.

"So this is a Holy Knight? A promise-breaker~~~"

"Y-you-you-you!!!" She kicked her shoe at his face.

The Hero yelped.

Anjerite faced the crowd below.

Eyes shut. Deep breath.

Then—

The confession she’d bottled up for ages, with no chance to spill.

Now, finally free.

So happy. Super happy.

"I love! Rogied Diflute!"

"Super love!"

"Super! Super love!!"

"Love!! Love! Love! So love! So—"

"Enough."

Arms lifted her from behind. A head nestled on her shoulder. A warm, androgynous whisper:

"I love you too... Anjerite Snake... I’ve loved you forever..."

"But."

"Your chest is still so flat..."