BXBX NOVEL Chapter 30: I want to be Strong
Chapter 30: I want to be Strong
This is weird. Something is off.
As Angelica and I have been lying on the floor, I’ve been thinking for the whole time.
I can’t sleep. I checked my smartphone, and it seemed like it just turned midnight.
What filled my head since earlier was a single doubt.
Of course, the sudden, mysterious cloning case of the baseball player and the Shogi player is important, but honestly, I don’t care.
I really don’t care.
What’s more important is Angelica. Anyone would’ve thought that way too.
—What was that kindness she showed earlier?
She suddenly came and hugged me when I got emotional when the circumstances of the movie overlaps with mine.
Somehow I felt that there was a weird, relaxing effect from a younger mama pampering me like that.
What the hell is a younger mama anyways? I don’t remember growing up to thirty-two years old to skip over such evil words.
It’s going to be bad if this keeps up.
I mean, I am the kind of person that’s weak with onee-san type.
A housewife; a widow; a life-insurance lady; an office lady around thirty.
I’m a healthy man in his thirties whose heart would be set aflutter by these terms.
Ah, I like “older yakult ladies that dress themselves to look younger” too.
……I digressed a bit.
Anyways, I’m that type of person, so if Angelica assaults me with her mama power, I’m afraid I might falter.
She is capable of doing just that.
That’s not good.
It’s unforgivable for me, as a person.
I lifted my torso from the bed and looked at Angelica next to me, who I could hear her shallow breathing of her sleep.
No matter how I look at her, she’s a child, and in no way had a speck of motherhood on her.
Not to mention, Status Appraisal said that she had a skill called Fathercon, and she’s normally a very spoiled child.
She a stereotypical attention-seeking, moody teenage girl.
Yet why did Angelica show such a strong older lady aura…?
Why…?
“Status; Open“, I murmured.
I paid closer attention to her skill, more than when I was fighting with the Wraith.
—————————————————————————
Name : Angelica
Level : 40
Class : Sacred Maiden
HP: 900
MP: 1,100
Attack: 300
Defense: 400
Agility: 450
Magic Attack: 800
Magic Defense: 820
Skill: Linguistic Understanding; Perception Magic; Fathercon (Elementary)
Notes: Despite her strong curiosity and sexual desire, she had no prior experiences with men. She is aiming for Nakamoto Keisuke, both for his mind and his body.
—————————————————————————
…She got stronger than before.
Perhaps it’s because the experience I got from defeating the wraith was shared across party members.
I think she got a part of that 30,000 EXP.
Even if her base status rose, would it also increase the broadness of her mind?
Nah, I’m positive it’s a negative.
If that’s the case, the demon lord would be such a man of superbly great character.
Then—is it a skill?
I didn’t look deeper on her skill because she said “it’s somewhat scary”, but right now she wouldn’t be able to say that.
I silently tapped on the Status Window and expanded the Skill section.
I long-tapped the skills and it showed the details of the effect.
—————————————————————————
【Fathercon (Elementary)】
All status receive a bonus if there are an older male in the party.
Additionally, male party members she sees as a father figure will gain favorability points in a faster rate.
Has a strong interest in being pampered and fostered by a father figure.Conversely, user also has a strong interest in pampering and fostering a father figure as well.This is a Fathercon type of mutual cultivation. Its true characteristics is maternal.
—————————————————————————
I took a long, deep breath.
This, is probably not good.
This, this is illegal. This is not a normal disposition.
What do you even mean with mutual cultivation?
Mama Angelica? Stop it! That’ll really get to me!
It’s money.
That’s it, no matter what happens, I still have money.
I must be a strong, rich, dependable papa without any weakness; nothing less.
Money is also needed to heal the wound in your heart.
I can’t show Angelica any more weakness than I already did.
I am the man of iron.
And with that, Angelica will stay as a spoiled child, away from my range of interest.
I will not stray off the correct path.
Besides, I can’t choose my job anymore. I’m thinking of doing anything I can.
Oh, right.
I was offered by a certain variety show director about a job where I had to undress.
I don’t mean anything weird by that. I was told that I was to participate in a physical test with other younger performers.
Seems like I’d just be bare-chested and do something athletic.
If I’m not mistaken he said something like Nakamoto-san is popular with the housewife viewers, so there’s quite the demand.
Why am I even popular with the housewives? Wasn’t UFO-Ojisan a tagline for kids?
As I felt slightly weird, Angelica said you have a nice body, and then I noticed.
So that’s…it.
It’s because I was muscular enough to be visible when I was clothed, the housewives wanted to peel me off of it.
Younger girls aren’t that into muscles, but once they got older, it seems they get into it.
Not that I mind.
If I’m getting a high pay out of it, then I’ve got no choice but to do it.
Also about the cloning case, if I got the time, should I go investigate for a bit? As long as I’m getting paid though.
Thus in that mood between being motivated and being miserable, I start thinking about things I don’t really know and fall asleep.
_______________________________________________________________
Angelica: “Good morning, dad!”
Morning arrives.
After dressing up, Angelica ate breakfast.
It doesn’t seem like anything is off with Angelica.
She’s a person from the other world that was quite medieval, so she was in high spirits since morning.
I think I can bring that up now.
I started talking to her indirectly.
Keisuke: “I’m thinking I should do a slightly more risque jobs.”
And then I can give you better things to eat, and we can move to a wider apartment soon, you see? But my income right now is a little bit unreliable.
It’s a chance for me to get more jobs, so being exposed in the TV for a bit won’t be anything big.
It’s not like you’re concerned anyways, right Ange?
As I was just about to say that,
Angelica: “No. Absolutely not.”
Angelica crushed the toast in her hand.
Her green eyes were flaming with anger.
Keisuke: “Nonono, I’m a guy, you know? Just an old man, you know? Don’t you think it doesn’t count if I’m exposed?”
Angelica: “……but won’t there be millions, even billions of people watching the television? Didn’t you tell me that?”
Keisuke: “R-Recently the TV station is getting lower ratings so there won’t be billions of people watching.”
Angelica bit her lips, and it looks like she was about to cry at any seconds.
【Party Member, Sacred Maiden Angelica‘s Desire to Monopolize has risen to 200】
Angelica: “No……I absolutely don’t want dad to be seen naked in front of a lot of other people……especially if it’s for me……”
It’s actually for my peace of heart though, but I have enough wisdom not to say it.
Keisuke: “Don’t be selfish. A father should be the main pillar that supports the family. No matter what I have to do, I have to support the family.”
Angelica: “No. I can’t stand it.
【Party Member, Sacred Maiden Angelica‘s Desire to Monopolize has risen to 300】
【Party Member, Sacred Maiden Angelica‘s Desire to Monopolize has risen to 400】
【Party Member, Sacred Maiden Angelica‘s Desire to Monopolize has risen to 500】
Keisuke: “What do you not like? It might be difficult for you who is raised in isolation of the temple, but it isn’t a big deal for a man to be exposed. It’s that sort of thing. I also don’t feel a thing about it.”
Angelica: “…I mind……please think of it from the opposite perspective.”
Keisuke: “The opposite perspective?”
As she said that, I started imagining.
Keisuke: “No, not really. If my dad was about to be a bare entertainer for the sake of his family, I’d just think that it’s an admirable thing. Other people might laugh at him, but if it’s to earn income for the family’s living expenses, isn’t he a splendid parent then?”
Angelica: “……Haa. You don’t understand anything, dad. Nothing.”
【Party Member, Sacred Maiden Angelica‘s Desire to Monopolize has risen to 600】
【Party Member, Sacred Maiden Angelica‘s Desire to Monopolize has risen to 700】
【Party Member, Sacred Maiden Angelica‘s Desire to Monopolize has risen to 800】
In the end, a sniffling sound could be heard from Angelica’s nose.
Her eyes moistened, the skin on her face reddened, and I felt like I had just done something really, really bad.
Keisuke: “Come on, don’t cry.”
Angelica: “Dad, think about it from the complete opposite perspective. Complete opposite.”
Keisuke: “Complete opposite?”
Angelica: “From the perspective to the gender of that perspective, think about it.”
What do you mean?
Angelica: “Imagine a parent an age close with you but on the opposite sex, trying to earn money by stripping; and the feelings of when she talks about it to her family.”
Keisuke: “It’s going to be the end of the world.”
Angelica: “Right?”
Angelica scrubbed the corner of her eyes with her finger as she explained.
Angelica: “Listen, dad; imagine you were raised in an institution with only boys until you were 16 years old, and the only women you see was only from either paintings or sculptures. Imagine such hellish circumstance. You don’t know what to do with your youthful body. That would be you. Please imagine that.”
Keisuke: “You don’t know what to do with your body?”
Maybe it’s better if I don’t press on about it further.
Angelica: “That boy that had never had any contact with a girl was suddenly told that you may live with the female hero.”Keisuke: “I’d be in high spirits.”
Rather, since I would be starving for a girl, I’d do anything I want since it’s unconditional.
Angelica: “Right, right? …and then after that, when he met the female hero, she turned out to be a thirty-two years old, slightly haggard person, she looks like either an oba-san or an onee-san. She had a plain face, but she had a sexy body from the neck down, and she’s also a widow. At night, she’d have nightmares about the late husband she lost, so you can find some moe points from there.”
Keisuke: “W-what a detailed story. She looks plain but she’d be awesome stripped down. She’s a widow at that. Probably her name would be Sanae or Kyouko or something retro like that.”
Angelica: “And then, that person would say to you to think of her as a mother. A foster mother, alright? A foster mother. A mother whose age is just 16 years apart from yours.”
That’s outrageous…it’s certainly not a good prologue to a story.
Angelica: “Then the relationship between the two becomes a gray area, whether they’re parent and child or lovers.”
Keisuke: “Sanae-san…I love you…”
Angelica: “One morning, the foster mother said; I’m sorry, because mom doesn’t have much salary, I will be working naked from now on, or something.”
Keisuke: “No way! Stop her!”
Angelica: “See! Seeee! You do understand, right?! That’s exactly what I’m feeling right now!”
Yare yare, that was close.
I narrowly defiled Sanae-san.
Keisuke: “Thank you, Ange. I’ve come to understand.”
Angelica: “Then that’s fine.”
While I saw Angelica whose mood had brightened as she nibbled on the toast, a thought welled up from within me.
No.
The woman named Sanae doesn’t exist.
Who’s that even?
I’m me.
No matter how it would progress in the if story, I’m just an old man.
Keisuke: “Sorry, Ange. I think I’m still going to go.”
Angelica: “AAAAAAHHH!!”
I poured some soy sauce to my sunny-side up as I heard Angelica’s scream.
Keisuke: “I’ll be home quickly today, so I’ll also buy you some souvenirs. Please forgive me with this.”
【Party Member, Sacred Maiden Angelica‘s Desire to Monopolize has risen to 900】
【Party Member, Sacred Maiden Angelica‘s Desire to Monopolize has risen to 1000】
【Party Member, Sacred Maiden Angelica‘s Desire to Monopolize has risen to 1100】
I heard that today’s recording session won’t take that much time.
Probably I could also eat dinner together with Ange.
Keisuke: “Alright? I’ll be back at five, so let’s eat dinner together. If you want, we can also eat outside, you know?”
Angelica: “……Uu—…”
Keisuke: “Please. I need the money. I also need the money for you as well.”
I said that to Angelica whose eyes were full of tears and her face beet red.
It wasn’t red because she was shy; it was the redness of fury.
Angelica: “Five, okay? It’s a promise. I’m not a child anymore. If you’re bringing me somewhere with delicious food, I’ll forgive you.”
Keisuke: “Yeah. Thanks.”
As I thought. She’s better off throwing a tantrum like a child.
That way I won’t be conscious of her as a woman, and I’d have ease of mind.