While Henry asks inside his heart 'who the hell is this guy?' and sends a suspicious look to him, Brenda breaks a seemingly happy smile and rushes up to him. This is, by the way, is not acting in any one bit.
"I have just done my report to my teacher and is about to return. How about you? Have you done with your work?"
"Yeah, the job from the academy successfully completed"
Looking at Brenda's attitude toward Renya which is more intimate than how Brenda treats him made Henry furrows his brows as he approaches them.
From how Henry looks at Renya, both his looks and appearance are straight in the middle of mediocre. Renya, who he can tell not originated from this kingdom, getting chummy with the girl that had eyes for him (it's definitely his own imagination) and is having fun chatting with her. Seeing this spectacle getting mad and jealous pointlessly is the standard reaction to happen.
"Oi oi you there, who are you supposed to be interrupting my chat with her? Can you please not disturb us?"
"N? is that so Brenda?"
"No. He is just an acquaintance that always annoyingly follows me around"
"Ah, so that's the matter eh? I understand. Brenda is beautiful anyway so thing like this is unavoidable right?"
'Beautiful', hearing those words, Brenda in her silence had her cheeks faintly getting red.
To Renya who was able to draw out such a maidenly expression from Brenda, Henry's jealousy burns up larger as he draws closer to Renya.
"I've been silent and listening to you, aren't you a little bit too over-familiar with her?"
'You've been silent and listening? When?' Renya only replies him back with his puzzled eyes containing those words.
"Listen well alright? I don't know who you are, but she is similar to me, the magician guild Sirkaberia branch's highly talented personnel. Whereas you are just a wanderer or something close to that. You are not a good match for her. If you insisting on following her around, I have my own thinking then"
"Haa... so what are you gonna do to me?"
Renya was astonished to the point of grieving seeing such a template guy. But well this is the first time he had this kind of experience of being entangled with such stupid things so he let Henry do as he pleases. Even more, after seeing Brenda's reaction to that man's word, he already knew that most of it were lies anyway.
"Hoo...? So are you saying you are going to defy my Barkwauss family? Then I will personally rescue Brenda from the clutches of such vulgar people like you. She is an important asset of the magician guild, losing her would make the guild, no, even this kingdom would suffer great losses!"
(Uwaa~ doesn't he feel ashamed saying things like that openly?... Such things as relying on your family name in a situation like this… If it were me, I'd died from embarrassment)
The culture here might not consider that as a shameful thing to do probably. Such kinds of things wherever alternate world you goes to would probably exist just like in the fiction story that he used to read in Japan as Renya calmly analyzes the situation.
Well, there's no other way then, let's go with 'that' plan, as Renya holds Brenda in her waist and brings her closer to him.
When their body snuggled up close, Renya can feel certain parts of Brenda's body hitting against him softly. Renya almost breaks a perverted smile because of it but because of the situation now, he has to hold it no matter what.
"I am still not too familiar with this country so I couldn't recall the name Barkwauss but I assume it is an aristocrat family who holds a peerage right? Is this country have a custom of breaking apart man and woman who loved each other forcefully by using one own house power, Brenda?"
"T-That kind of high-handed way is not welcomed even in the other country also you know? If such thing happened and the truth became out in the open, it will definitely cause troubles"
"I see, seems like it was how it goes 'young master', so what are 'young master' gonna do?"
Renya looks down on Henry while a fearless smile floats on his face.
Renya's face that is filled to the brim with confidence made Henry flinched and made him unable to rebut him.
(Oh man, Who knows that someone like me can make a handsome guy who has money, power, and face at his disposal speechless like this! This kind of feeling is a bit addicting)
For Renya who had climbed up a long way and become a god to have such petty things inside his mind, if Brenda knew about it she will surely get disappointed by it. But Renya can't help it as he was a former human who became a god.
Leaving that matter aside, Henry who receives an unexpected counterattack and got bewildered by it was able to recover fast and once again coming at Renya.
"Y-y-you and Brenda are l-l-lovers!?!?"
Correction, he still not yet recovered by Renya's blow. His face distorts unsightly from the shock, his finger that points to Renya is shaking abnormally, and he just continues shouting.
"Well strictly speaking then is about too... seems to be right yeah? I personally want to advances our relationship nicely and slow step by step but if there is some guy who tries to steal march on her then I also have to put some more effort into a response. But that's all return back again at Brenda on whether she wished for it or not. So what would you like me to do Brenda?"
"Oh my, your opponent is even if it is like that, still an heir of a famous family you know? Do you still want me even if you have to make such kind of people your enemy?"
"Of course I will. If it means that I can be beside you then I will even make a country my enemy if I have to. And of course, I will win"
The two become even more swept by the atmosphere as their words contain more passion in them.
Those words are all came from their true feeling so it has this kind of strange persuasive power inside them.
He increases the power in his hand that boldly holds Brenda. He tries to emphasize more that she is his woman.
(U-mu, Brenda's body has a different feeling of tenderness that is totally different from Floria... especially this slender waist can even win from those which is of a god)
This is what really happens in his mind though. If Brenda knows he will be unable to escape from severe scolding.
And without mercy, Renya deals the final hit. He releases a bit of his divine power.
Releasing his divine power doesn't mean that he suddenly has a halo over his head or other visible changes like that, but it was like an aura that hits directly at one of human basic instinct, fear. Gotten hit by Renya's 'aura', Henry suddenly trembles violently without any clear reason.
"u... a..."
"Well then 'young master', let me ask you one more time, did you have the mettle to face me in order to steal Brenda from me?"
And that's become the last warning from Renya. Receiving the combination of his glaring and his voice that is imbued with divine power, Henry can only scream out loud and run away who knows where.
The way he runs away doesn't have even a little shred of his status as a noble and his dazzling handsomeness. It was such an unsightly escape.
Even Brenda never wards him off as bad as that but she doesn't know why but somehow her heart felt a little bit lighter seeing that scene.
"Thank you Renya. I'm sorry for getting you involved in my personal trouble"
"Don't sweat it, I also want to take off my anger to that idiot"
"E…?"
"When I see him being all over-familiar with you I was kinda annoyed you know. Haah you can just laugh at this god who got bothered by such petty matters"
Renya laughed off his own embarrassment. But that word from him makes Brenda's heart trembled and now she frantically tried to calm herself down.
(C-calm down me! It was his concern toward his party! There must not be any other deep meaning behind it! It was Renya we're talking here about anyway!)
It became unclear whether Brenda was trying to calm down her heart or convince her own heart.
Just when Brenda having trouble from stopping her train of thought that is strongly directed to 'that topic', Renya just gets ahead and continues the talk between them.
"So you have finished your business too right? Then let's go back to the inn together shall we?"
"Y-yeah, that would be no problem, let's go"
With that word, Renya casually takes his hand off Brenda and start walking forward. Brenda who walks beside him somehow felt a tinge of loneliness inside her heart. She feels like there is something missing that made her feel comfortable just now.
Of course, that something is the warmth of Renya's hand that has already separated from her.
(W-what should I do... I just can't calm down...)
She thought about talking about something to help calm her heart but her mind is too jumbled to think of a topic to start a conversation.
In the first place being together just the two of them walking together like this is the first time for her. With her mind still in a mess from her own emotions, her teacher too much information, and the accident that happened earlier just hit her mentality in succession. And that resulted in her mind getting in a state of chaos. Brenda's ability to think has been reduced until it was close to 0.
"Come to think of it, I'm sorry that I can only save you with using such a bad joke a while ago"
"Bad joke?"
Just the moment after she felt relieved because Renya opens up a topic first, she can't understand why Renya apologizes to her. She just can't find any relation with it and feel strange with it.
"Well, just a while ago I kinda proclaimed that Brenda and I are having a special relationship. Won't that would probably make any strange rumor in the magician guild and troubles you in the end?"
"S-Special relationship!? Rumor!?"
"But I can only think of that way to chased him off quickly so..."
"T-that doesn't matter to me, and anyway the guild also don't really care about personal love affair like that"
Brenda was about to blurt out 'even if the gossip did start I don't really mind' but she managed to hold it down and left it unsaid.
But at the same time, she is also curious about why did Renya worry about her like that. In the first place isn't his objective is to create a harem? If he wants to make a harem then he can just make one forcefully. Knowing his power, it was not an impossible task. So why did he? As question rises in Brenda's thought.
"I-in the first place isn't your goal is to… make a harem, isn't it? So why did you have to worry about me?"
"Well, I just feel guilty if that jokes before that I spoke like a truth got spread out and give you trouble. And even more, if you don't really approve of the content. I am alright with the rumor though"
"... Really you are one strange person. Hey, because we're on the topic right now can I ask more? Can you tell me why you don't use force to coercively get a girl? It is bad, but in this world for a man who held some kind of power is it political or his own strength, they rarely put any consideration to the women's side you know? If I had to say the way that Henry, the guy that you ward off before do that is threatening with political power from his family, is what usually happens in this world"
"Well that kind of thing happened too in my world where I was still a human"
There are many people, be it man or woman, that got crazy because they suddenly receive unbalanced high social status and or monetary power. That might be one of mankind's basic weaknesses.
So the question is what about himself who had climbed up and become a god?
While thinking about it a bit deeper, Renya carefully answers Brenda's question.
"Hmm to said it simply, I am selfish, and I want my selfishness to be responded to, kinda like that? In exchange, I think that a person that able to demand their own selfishness is great. Because no matter how much selfishness that I demand, I can still be forgiven for that. That's why what I really seek is not a harem maybe"
"Err... so you mean someone who is on equal ground with you? Even though you are a god and let say the girl is a human?"
"Well, I somehow got a dragon princess too now by the way, but maybe yeah just like you said. Why indeed? It just that is one-sided revered and depended on 'oh god~ please god~' like that made me feel bothered and that kind of thing will always lead to trouble which I should clean up. By myself."
Going with the flow of the mood, Renya tries to express his own feeling regarding what Brenda ask even if he himself thinks that it's not like him at all.
It was maybe because it was the first time Brenda tries to know more about him personally that he felt willing to answer like this. Just maybe.
"I am in the end is a former human after all. I don't need my own religion or belief so I can feel rewarded for my hard work to climb up to become a god. In exchange for that, I just want a connection to another person. And I thought that connection will be even better if it was a relationship between man and woman. In short beautiful girl is justice! Hmm!"
"I. Am. Serious. Here. You. Know?"
That voice was so cold that Renya can't imagine Brenda let out such a voice and give him a scare a bit.
Renya wants to rebut her 'I was also serious with my answer' but he just let it off and continues expressing his feeling. He got a feeling if he messes up here it will definitely be scary afterward so he put all his feeling in his answer.
"No no I'm serious! If I go full with my selfishness but the opposite party doesn't ask anything back, such kind of one-sided relationship is boring you know? If I want such things that will answer all my demands and will fulfill all my desire also will move according to my convenience then I don't even need a human in the first place. I can just create my 'perfect ideal doll' with my god power, isn't it? But I don't want that kind of thing. What I want is the one that can laugh and cry together with me, and also sometimes get angry at me if I do something stupid. That kind of woman is the one that I want to flock me around"
"... I can understand what you say but… against a god who lives at a different realm than us mere mortals, such woman that could answer your wish would definitely, absolutely rare you know?"
"And so says from someone who is one of that definitely, absolutely rare"
"Ugu..."
That is indeed the truth. Not to mention she has gained a precious place in the party as Renya's one and only stopper whenever he is about to go too wild.
"And that is my true honest feeling. Well normally one from such kind of woman is already more than enough but, I am a God and I am also greedy! I want to get such kind of woman, take them as much as my hand can hold then make them accompany me, be beside me forever! That is what my selfishness is, what my extreme desire wants. And the only one that can satisfy it is a harem that goes without saying"
"I don't know whether I should get mad at you or should I praise you for that..."
"Again, that is only my selfishness. To held respect against each other, so let's just crash headfirst with our real feeling, that kind of relationship? I don't demand the other party to reveal all her secrets without exception to me. That is an impossible thing to do as long as one is a human after all. So if the other party listens to my selfishness, then I will also listen to theirs. That is simple but I want someone who can do that to me. And again back to your question, making a woman mine like it was an object using force or my god power is out of the question for me. That's all"
While saying that, Renya smiles innocently like a kid toward Brenda. The sunset shines on that smile made his smiles look even more dazzling than usual.
Brenda can only sigh secretly inside her heart. She felt that she understand another thing about him.
This person, even though he is a being that is more superior than others, he wished for someone that is equal to him even if it was just in the similarity in point of view.
Because he was a human once, he doesn't look down on women and even treated them fairly.
Because he was a human once, he wants someone who looks at the real him and approves him for whatever defect he has.
But to make that wish come true he just went and 'collect' all girls that he likes and make a harem of it is still kinda disappointing in the end. She doesn't really despise it though.
Hearing Renya's answer, a certain image floats in Brenda's mind.
She saw Renya who is frolicking like a kid, Floria who plays together with him with a beaming smile, Elvira who saw the two playing around then come close to them asking to join them, Therese who come close to Renya with her innocence, and she can also see… her own figure who even though seems to be a bit annoyed, blended in inside that loop.
The only sad part is that she can't chase out the thought that the loop she saw there will definitely have more woman members in the future.
But because of the vision that the sunset shows to her, the vision that might be a vestige of the future, she is finally able to sort out her own feeling.
"Fuun, is that so. Then I will give it my all at that thankless role that you mention before"
"Then to reward Brenda who works hard at her role, I will from time to time give my favor. How about it?"
"Whether I wished for it or not... can you give me more time for that answer?"
"Yeah of course. I'll wait until the end of time. I already have my answer ready anyway"
In the end, Brenda can't vent out her anger at her source of confusion a bit while ago. She felt vexed by it but somehow a tinge of red spread in her cheek.
Renya answered her question in such honesty that she can't any longer escape from her feeling. It was just like what her teacher said that she will definitely get ensnared in the close future. To think that what her teacher says to come true this soon, she kinda felt another spur of the vexing moment yet again.
But that might be just fine after all. Before she hangs out the white flag in this man and woman relationship, she was given the time to sort out her feeling first. That is already a great achievement in some way.
Brenda just stays silent and walks beside Renya.
The worries that caught her when she gets out of her teacher's house without her knowledge had already gone off from her mind already.
Omake:
"Mu!"
"What happened Floria-san?"
"Ah, Elvira-san... Just now, I felt that the love power directed to Renya got raised a bit. Someone affection toward Renya must have gotten stronger"
"Renya-sama's today work schedule should be in the academy... so is it Therese-chan?"
"Umm~, I can feel somehow a maiden heart that can't be honest with her own feeling. So it probably coming from Brenda"
"I see, so even the complicated heart of a maiden, when Renya-sama comes, can be completely untangled, is it? Is Renya-sama had such a forte in this kind of field?"
"I don't think so~, it must be because of his thoughtless remark that even though he doesn't aim for anything, getting through Brenda's heart and capture her. Brenda doesn't seem to have any immunity toward that kind of area anyway."
"Fufufu, our husband really is fantastic doesn't he?"
"Of course he is~"
As such, with sound effects from some new mankind race somewhere*, it was an episode where Floria was able to sniff out all the detail of what happening today. But that was for another time.