Unlike Hero's Party, which has multiple heroines, the game I was in only had one.
Isabelle.
Mars's childhood friend and the girl he had a crush on.
The story was simple.
Mars, who dreamed of becoming a knight, sets off on a journey on his coming-of-age day to gain experience. He is joined by Isabelle and the son of a baron he happened to befriend.
Along the way, they meet two more companions: the now-indispensable blond tanned thug, and a disgustingly fat, balding old man.
And so, the five of them continue their journey.
Now, up to this point, it seems like a typical NTR story.
So what part of it pissed me off so much?
There were two reasons.
First, during my first playthrough, I was cuckolded without even realizing it.
What does that mean?
The first time you play, it unfolds like a normal RPG. You go on adventures, build friendships, and act all lovey-dovey with Isabelle. Then, late in the game, a crisis strikes.
Monsters invade the city.
The party fights their way through the monsters, trying to escape. In the chaos, a burning building collapses. Mars throws himself forward, taking the hit for Isabelle, who was about to be crushed.
With monsters closing in, Mars is trapped under the rubble in a desperate situation.
I naturally assumed Isabelle would help him.
But guess what? The bitch looks at the protagonist with a guilty expression, says a single "I'm sorry..." and turns her back on him.
As I was staring blankly, wondering what the fuck was happening, the other companions each said a word to the protagonist.
-Don't worry, I'll make sure Isabelle is happy. Rest in peace.
-This is what happens when you can't even keep your own woman in check~
-Pfft... Pffthahaha...
Just like that, his companions and Isabelle turn their backs and run away. The protagonist dies, killed by monsters without knowing why, and the first playthrough ends.
I think that's when I threw my monitor.
Unable to contain my surging rage, I screamed my lungs out. It wasn't long before Leah subdued me, though.
Anyway, after that hollow ending to the first playthrough, the hidden truth is revealed when you start the second.
First off, the baron's son and Isabelle were already kind of a thing before the journey even began. Of course, the baron's son used his status to more or less force the situation, but a thing is a thing.
Then, she is "broken in" by the blond thug they meet on their journey and raped by the balding old man.
But what really drove me insane was how the game went into excruciating detail with the psychological descriptions.
As she gradually, "unavoidably" gives her body to them, she thinks things like, 'This is for Mars's sake...' and 'Mars would be sad if he knew...'
Crazy bitch.
In any case, even while having wild sex with the three of them, she acts all prim and proper in front of Mars. She acts shy when holding his hand and blushes when he kisses her on the cheek.
And then at night, it's back to fucking the other guys' brains out.
Ah, for fuck's sake!
Why are you doing it with them when you could just do it with the protagonist?!
Fine, I get how she feels.
She doesn't want to show her shameful side to the person she likes, or something like that.
But you know what?
You stabbed me and Mars right in the heart.
With a huge fucking sashimi knife!
I loved you, you fucking bitch!
"...And that's what happened. Cloud, this is my friend, Isabelle."
While I was lost in my memories, Mars finished explaining the situation.
"Hello. I'm sorry for screaming earlier. I was just so surprised... Um... It's nice to meet you?"
Isabelle held out her hand.
I calmed my boiling insides.
Right, she's not that bitch yet.
For now, she's still an innocent kid.
I smiled and replied to her greeting.
"Get lost, pink-haired slut."
Fuck that. People don't change.
*
'...Just who is that guy?'
Isabelle thought back to the Cloud she had seen yesterday. She had wanted to thank him for teaching Mars, but he had abruptly told her to get lost, calling her a "pink-haired slut."
When she asked what that meant, he had simply replied that it was a term for people like her.
'Still, why would he tell a complete stranger to get lost like that?'
Isabelle grumbled to herself as she walked up the hill. She was curious about what Mars was learning.
Yesterday, he'd told her to get lost, so she had no choice but to leave. But today, she planned to watch, even if she had to hide.
'Let's see, what are they doing... Huh...?'
Isabelle's eyes widened.
She rubbed them again and again, but the scene before her didn't change.
What she was seeing was real. She immediately ran out from her hiding spot.
"What are you doing?! Stop!"
"Isabelle?"
At the sound of her voice, Mars turned his head. The wolf seized the opening and lunged with its jaws wide open.
"Aah!"
Isabelle squeezed her eyes shut.
She couldn't bear to watch the horrible scene that was about to unfold.
'...?'
But strangely, she didn't hear Mars scream.
She slowly opened her eyes.
Cloud was holding the wolf by the scruff of its neck, stopping it in its tracks.
Mars stood before him, watching with a look of wonder.
Isabelle stared blankly at the scene for a moment.
What the hell. How can a person lift a wolf?
Then, she snapped out of it and strode forward.
"What do you think you're doing?! Making Mars fight a wolf? That's dangerous!"
"I don't talk to pink-haired sluts."
"What did you say?"
"Mars, you explain it to her."
Mars awkwardly scratched his cheek and began to explain to Isabelle.
"Ah, well... Cloud said that even if you learn techniques, your body won't move the way you want in a real life-or-death situation. So we're doing some practical training right now."
"But that's too dangerous...!"
"It's fine. You saw him restrain the wolf, right? It's actually safer to do this while Cloud is here."
Isabelle bit her lip at Mars's explanation.
She didn't like it, but he was right. As long as Mars dreamed of being a knight, the day would come when he'd have to fight monsters.
If his body froze up then and he couldn't use his skills, his life would be in danger.
So it was better to practice now, while it was safe.
"Haaah... Okay. I underst—wait, why are you using a wooden sword?"
"Huh? Oh. Cloud told me to beat the wolf to death with a wooden sword."
"Wh-What?!"
Isabelle was horrified.
She could understand gaining real combat experience.
But beating a wolf to death?
A wolf was a fearsome beast that even a strong village man with a blade couldn't guarantee victory against.
And he was supposed to kill it not with a real sword, but a wooden one?
"That doesn't make any sense!"
"Uh... I thought it was crazy at first too, but it's actually not so bad. After fighting one wolf for a while, I'm not as tense, and it's good practice for my techniques."
Isabelle was at a loss for words at Mars's awkward smile.
If he himself said it was effective, what could a third party say?
Just then, Cloud spoke with a displeased expression.
"Pink-haired slut. Go back now. Otherwise, I will stop teaching Mars."
"Cloud?! That's a bit..."
Mars looked back and forth between Cloud and Isabelle, fidgeting anxiously.
Seeing this, Isabelle sighed.
She felt like she was making things difficult for Mars.
"Fine. I'll go. But promise me one thing. No matter what, don't let Mars get hurt. If you do, I won't bother you two again."
Isabelle offered her own compromise.
But Cloud shook his head firmly.
"I don't make promises with pink-haired sluts."
"Aaargh! Why are you really doing this to me?!"
Isabelle finally let out a scream of frustration.
"Mars. The pink-haired slut is too loud. Tell her to be quiet."
"Um... Isabelle? I'm sorry, but could you please be a little quieter..."
Isabelle felt like crying.
*
It was around sunset when Mars finally beat the wolf to death with the wooden sword. He wiped his sweaty face with his arm, breathing heavily.
After his breathing calmed down a bit, he collapsed onto the ground.
He was exhausted from moving all day.
Cloud came and sat down next to him.
"How was it? Your first time killing a wolf."
Is that really the first thing you say to someone who's exhausted and resting?
'Don't people usually say 'good job' or something?'
Mars gave Cloud a weary look before sighing and relaxing his expression.
Come to think of it, this was just how he was.
"I was scared at first. I was so tense my body wouldn't move properly."
When the wolf growled, baring its sharp teeth, he felt like his heart had stopped.
"But then I managed to hit it once, and that one time became two, and two became three, and before I knew it, I wasn't scared anymore."
A fighting spirit, not fear, filled his chest. The wolf's cold eyes and sharp fangs no longer frightened him.
"I see. Good work."
Cloud grinned and patted Mars on the back. Mars, seeing praise from the usually stingy Cloud, smiled brightly.
"Oh, right. I've been meaning to ask. Why do you hate Isabelle so much?"
It was one thing to dislike someone based on a first impression. But Cloud's attitude toward Isabelle was too extreme for that.
Mars couldn't help but wonder why.
Cloud looked at Mars and said, "Didn't you like her?"
"Wh-What?!"
Mars was flustered by the sudden, direct question. What followed was a jumble of words too clumsy to be called a sentence. It took him a while to calm down.
He nodded in affirmation.
"...Yes, that's right. I like Isabelle."
"Then isn't it a good thing for you that I hate her? Honestly, I'm pretty good-looking, aren't I? If I'd taken an interest in her, it would've been over for you. You wouldn't have even had a chance."
Cloud made a slicing motion across his neck with his hand.
Mars found him incredibly arrogant, but he couldn't say anything because it was all true.
Compared to the moderately handsome Mars, Cloud had the face of a nobleman.
Honestly, Mars had even felt a sense of relief when Cloud had been hostile toward Isabelle.
As Mars was feeling a pang of bitterness, Cloud looked at the sunset and began to speak.
"...I had a childhood friend like Isabelle, too."
Mars realized this was the answer to his question. He listened to Cloud's words with a serious expression.
"I was an orphan. I lost my parents when I was so young, I can't even remember their faces."
Mars's eyes widened.
He never would have guessed that Cloud was an orphan like him.
"You know how kids can be innocent, but also cruel? I was bullied by the other village kids because I didn't have parents."
"..."
"The one who reached out to me then was my friend, Neria. She was the village chief's granddaughter, and she always looked out for me and helped me."
Since she was the village chief's granddaughter, the other villagers couldn't say anything to her. Cloud chuckled at the fond memory.
"I liked her. I mean, how could I not? She was the only one who cared for me when everyone else ignored me. Was it even possible not to fall for her?"
Mars gave a small smile and nodded as if he understood completely. Isabelle had been the same for him.
"You know what? Neria's dream was to be a knight, just like you. It was too big a dream for the granddaughter of a small village chief."
"..."
"But Neria didn't give up. She always practiced her swordsmanship and saved up money to buy a sword. She was serious about it. So I decided to follow her. I liked her, and I wanted to be with her."
Mars continued to listen quietly.
"After a desperate struggle, I finally earned the right to stand by her side. We set off on an adventure. We fought monsters, met all sorts of people. And then, we met a certain man."
Mars saw it.
The moment Cloud mentioned "a certain man," his face had contorted for a split second.
But he quickly returned to a neutral expression and continued the conversation.
"That man was incredibly skilled. Honestly, he was much stronger than me. He wanted to travel with us, and we readily agreed."
That was a mistake, Cloud muttered.
"As our journey continued, the two of them started getting closer. In dangerous situations, Neria relied on him more than me. It hurt my pride, but what could I do? It was true that I was weaker."
A deep sense of defeat was etched on Cloud's face.
Mars couldn't help but swallow hard. Someone stronger than Cloud, a man whose skill he couldn't even begin to fathom...
It was a stark reminder of how vast the continent was.
"But I thought it was okay. I believed Neria and I were bound by a bond stronger than the one she had with him. You ever feel that way with that Isabelle girl?"
"Honestly, I do feel that way sometimes."
If he were to get married someday, his wife would definitely be Isabelle.
Mars was certain of it.
"Turns out, that was all a delusion."
"...What?"
It felt like he'd been hit over the head with a hammer.
Before Mars could process it, Cloud continued.
"It was one night. A night I just couldn't fall asleep. I was thinking of going for a walk when I noticed that guy wasn't in the bed next to mine. I wondered where he'd gone, and as I was about to look for him, I heard a strange noise from the next room. That was Neria's room. A terrible thought dominated my mind. Believing it couldn't be true, I gently opened the door."
Mars gulped.
"But the worst premonitions are always right. What I saw through the crack in the door... was Neria, sucking that man's dick."
As he finished, Cloud's expression was a mix of many emotions.
Sadness. Anger. Betrayal. Emptiness.
It was a cocktail of every negative emotion a human could feel.
Seeing that look, Mars couldn't breathe for a moment.
"C-Cloud..."
"Ah... sorry, I guess I got too caught up in it. It happened a long time ago, but I still get like this just thinking about it."
Cloud looked embarrassed and scratched the back of his head.
"Anyway, because of that, I couldn't bring myself to look at that Isabelle girl kindly. She was just as pretty as Neria, you see."
"..."
"Hey, lighten up. This is just my story. It could be different for you, right?"
"...Yeah."
"Jeez, look how heavy the mood's gotten. I shouldn't have said anything. And now we have to say goodbye in this gloomy atmosphere."
Mars, who had been looking downcast, widened his eyes.
"Goodbye?"
"Yeah, you punk. I can't stay here forever."
"W-well, that's true, but... can't you stay just a little longer?"
"Nope. To be honest, I'm already a little late."
With a small laugh, Cloud took a money pouch from his coat and tossed it to Mars. Catching the heavy pouch, Mars tilted his head.
"What's this...?"
"It's about 2000 gold. Use it to go to the swordsmanship guild in a nearby town and learn some skills."
"2000 gold?!"
Mars exclaimed in shock, staring at the pouch in his hand.
He'd never even held 100 gold in his life, and now he was being given 2000!
Mars's hand holding the pouch trembled.
He shook his head and tried to hand it back to Cloud.
"I-I can't take this. I can't pay you back."
"How can a guy who wants to be a knight get scared over a mere 2000 gold?"
"But still..."
"Pay me back when you succeed. When you succeed!"
The dark expression on Cloud's face was gone. He was smiling brightly like his usual self as he patted Mars on the back.
Mars couldn't help but smile back as if he had no other choice.
"Okay, I'll pay you back when I succeed."
"Make sure you do. And don't die."
He gave Mars a few more pieces of advice, then turned and left. Mars waved enthusiastically, seeing him off.
When Cloud was finally out of sight, Mars's expression darkened.
It was because of the story Cloud had told him.
'Cloud is handsome.'
Not just handsome, but extremely handsome.
He was also taller than average and had a good build. He was a skilled adventurer and wasn't poor.
And his personality was beyond question.
He was someone who had taken care of Mars, a complete stranger, to this extent.
'...And yet, his love was unrequited.'
He had devoted himself to the woman he loved, but his love was not returned.
This was Cloud, a man who lacked nothing.
If that happened to Cloud, what would happen to him?
Mars, who was less handsome, less skilled, poor, and had a worse personality than Cloud.
What about him?
"Mars! Is that guy gone? Can I come up now?"
Just then, Isabelle, the girl he had a crush on, peeked out.
She was as lovely as ever.
But Mars's gaze as he looked at her was complicated.
*
I didn't stop by this village to take Mars with me.
Of course, if I took him along and trained him, he would grow quickly, but...
'That could actually be poison.'
What is a protagonist?
Isn't it someone who overcomes the harsh trials that fate throws at them and forges their own path?
But what if I took Mars with me and changed his path to suit my own whims?
'He wouldn't be a protagonist anymore.'
Just an extra, or a supporting character with a bit more screen time.
That's why I'm not taking Mars with me.
As a protagonist, he has to forge his own path.
All I can do for him is offer a few pieces of advice and slightly alter the tragic path he's heading down.
'My lie must have created a triangle in Mars's heart.'
Hoping that the triangle has grown larger by the next time we meet, I set off.