For a first encounter, that move had been a bit… rude.
But Allen had done it deliberately. Part of it was, admittedly, a little flirtatious.
But more importantly—
If this kept going, it would turn into a romcom about a cocky blonde player. And while he had once adored Roxy—spamming "Blue Mama" all day back in his old life—the reality before him was this:
Allen needed to rely on his knowledge of the novel, his prophetic insight, to safely insert himself into the major events of Mushoku Tensei.
He needed to get close to Roxy, yes—but he also needed to keep a proper distance.
In this world, where information lagged and communication was mostly face-to-face or by letter, relationships were simpler. That's why Rudeus's cheesy internet pickup lines and shallow romantic tricks always hit so hard.
Absurd, but true.
In the blink of an eye, Allen changed his expression to something darker. He mimicked Roxy's stern demeanor, raising his sword-like brows and staring sharply at her forehead.
"Of course, if there really was a red mana eye on your forehead—before you got the chance to eat me, I probably would've taken your head off. After all, we're standing… a bit too close."
"A single slash is all it would take, don't you think?"
He glanced sideways at the headless corpses of the four monsters.
Roxy instinctively followed his gaze—and shivered.
That's right. She was a mage, and yet she'd just tried to threaten a swordsman at close range.
It hit her all at once: she had just separated from Rudeus, and when she encountered this boy who looked young, her instincts naturally reverted to how she'd acted around Rudeus.
But this wasn't Rudeus. And this boy was not some harmless child.
He was an adventurer—wandering the woods at night where monsters roamed freely. He had instantly drawn his blade and decapitated four monsters, and cleaved apart her overcharged Water Ball at point-blank range.
The precision and control he'd shown…
It surpassed most A-rank adventurers she had met.
Intermediate swordsman? No—that wasn't enough. He was very likely advanced level.
Thinking this, Roxy immediately tried to stand and create some distance.
But as her eyes passed over Allen—
She paused.
In the span of a breath, Allen had straightened up and adopted a noble's polite posture. With his right hand extended and head bowed, he performed a formal gesture of gratitude.
Roxy could see the fine hairs on the back of his neck.
Through his actions, he expressed the opposite of his earlier words: there was no hostility in him at all.
"Forgive me. No more jokes. Truly—thank you. Even if I did split the Water Ball, it was still your spell that saved my life."
He even used respectful language.
Roxy blinked, then sat back down with her hands resting on her knees.
That one push-and-pull exchange from Allen had reset the tone. The atmosphere between them returned to something more formal.
Back to the main conversation.
"…What's with all that earlier talk? And how do you know about the Migurd tribe?"
Allen removed his sheathed blade from his belt and laid it flat between them to show he had no intent to fight. Then, pointing to the scabbard, he looked up and fibbed:
"As you saw, the sword technique I used earlier put a serious strain on my body. If you hadn't been there, and I'd been wounded, another monster drawn by the fire could have finished me off."
"As for the Migurd tribe… well, all swordsmen dream of wielding legendary blades."
"Even though I'm still young, I've read North God Hero Chronicles. Those enchanted blades with special effects—most of them were forged by demon-smiths, like Yurian Harris."
"To learn more about him, I read a lot of books about the Demon Continent. That's how I came to recognize different demon tribes."
Roxy fell silent.
"…But if I hadn't cast my spell, you wouldn't have needed to push yourself so far. Compared to the monsters, it was my magic that seemed more dangerous. After all, you couldn't immediately tell whether the source of that sudden magic in the forest was friend or foe, right? That's why you reacted quickly—eliminating threats and showing off your strength to deter whoever cast it. Am I wrong?"
Allen blinked in surprise.
Roxy had resumed her usual cool half-lidded expression—but there was no hostility, no suspicion in her tone. She sat properly, arms resting on her knees, her duck-squat stretching the fabric of her robe just enough to show she was relaxed and serious.
She understood.
Years of adventuring across the Demon Continent and Milis Continent had sharpened her instincts. Her anime version might've been extra moe for merchandising, but the real Roxy had razor-sharp judgment.
Allen smiled slightly.
"You're not wrong. But facts are facts—your spell was cast with the intent to save me, not to harm. That's why I didn't retaliate. And when I fainted, you healed me. That kindness was genuine. I owe you for that."
Roxy narrowed her eyes slightly, leaning in with a faintly aggressive posture as she stared at him.
Then, after a long pause, she pointed toward the Doomsday Boar's body.
"…Your fainting spell… was fake, wasn't it? To see if I meant any harm."
"You lay flat on your back—ideal for drawing your blade quickly. If I had done anything shady, my head might be right there with theirs, huh?"
Allen froze.
Crap. She saw through me. He hurried to explain.
"Well, that—that was a reflex—"
He was immediately cut off.
"It's fine. I could tell you weren't being defensive anymore when you got back up. And your thanks just now—those were sincere."
"Being cautious is part of surviving as a solo adventurer. You're still young, and already this alert. That's impressive. I've gotten soft these past years… I needed the reminder."
She tugged at her blue bangs, glancing at her staff nearby. Her voice softened.
"…Though, that silver tongue of yours—definitely makes you a proper adventurer."
Allen stared at her.
In that moment, he truly felt her quiet charm.
Not just beauty. Not skin-deep.
She was genuinely kind.
Feeling that, Allen gazed seriously at Roxy.
She must've felt it, because she tilted her head slightly, puzzled by his intense stare.
Then she heard it—a firm, youthful voice at her side:
"Thank you. But I have to disagree about the silver tongue part. Maybe everything I said after I 'woke up' sounded like flattery to you—but I meant every word."
Roxy blinked in surprise.
[Reminder to host: Repeating affection gain with Roxy won't grant additional rewards. However…]
Allen immediately waved his hand to dismiss the system before it fully formed.
"So I can't even express sincere gratitude without you calling it grinding? Get out of here."
Roxy paused for a moment, watching his weird gesture. A small, subtle smile appeared at the corner of her lips.
"So… calling me 'Mama' earlier—was that sincerity too? Seems more like teasing me for being short. But I get it. On the Asura Continent, no one expects a demon to be wandering around. Small body, mature voice—it's suspicious."
Allen: Get a grip, Blue Mama. That tone isn't "mature." You're a Migurdian with a 200-year lifespan. If anything, you're biologically still a teenage girl. Your brain's still developing too. Don't even get me started on demons and their intelligence stat.
While he was thinking, Roxy cleared her throat.
"…Don't call me Mama. I have a name."
Allen nodded obediently.
"Then may I ask your name?"
"Roxy Migurdia. And yours?"
"…Allen."
Allen paused. He glanced at Roxy—her midnight-blue eyes held nothing but sincerity.
Screw it. I've lied enough for one night. No more lies to her.
Later, he'd give her a few pointers. Given her personality, even if she reached the capital and heard rumors, she'd be discreet.
After a slight pause, Allen gave her his full name.
"Allen Borea Greyrat."
(End of Chapter)
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