Chapter 29: The Dignified King of the Ice Dragon Clan is Actually Going to Work a Part-Time Job? [Volume 2]

Alan was a fortune teller who traveled the continent, renowned for divining fate.
Though he could indeed foresee certain things, the core of his fortune-telling lay in a natural magic passed down through the Alan family: the art of Prophecy.
Unfortunately, due to his own lack of power, Alan could only divine minor matters.

The true reason his readings were famous was simple—he would first use Prophecy to gauge a client’s intentions, and then spin an elaborate story based on their expression.

“Time to pack up.”

A few days ago, heavy snow had blanketed the Royal Capital.
Alan, who had been napping at the time, later learned it was the work of an evil mage intent on destroying the city.
The incident had left the populace shaken, and his business had taken a sharp downturn.

With foot traffic sparse yet again today, Alan decided to close shop early and return to his inn.

Just then, a customer suddenly stormed in, pointed straight at his face, and began scolding him.

“Charlatan! What nonsense were you spouting last time? Do you have any idea how much I suffered because of your prediction?!”

A cute, girlish voice brimming with indignation.

Alan looked up and recognized the girl who had come for a reading some time ago.
He remembered her clearly—silver hair and silver eyes, both exceptionally rare.

“Ah, it’s you, my dear customer. I haven’t seen you in a few days. What seems to be the matter?”

“How dare you ask! Didn’t you say last time that I would… do all sorts of things with my destined person?!”

Thwack!

The silver-haired girl slammed her small hands onto the table.

“My dear customer, did my prophecy come to pass?”

“Hmph… Like hell it did! I did not climb the ‘steps to adulthood’! Anyway, give me my money back!! Or else I’ll go out there and tell everyone you’re a fraud!”

Alan was no stranger to such situations, so he remained unfazed.
He quietly activated Prophecy—and discovered that the girl was indeed troubled by matters of the heart.

Thinking about romance all day at such a young age… really now.
Girls these days… so young, yet so precocious.

Alan’s business smile returned. “My dear customer, allow me to give you another reading.”

“I don’t care, just give me a ref—”

“This time, it’s free of charge. Consider it an apology.”

He placed the crystal ball before her.
Though still grumbling, the silver-haired girl curiously set her hand on it.

“Oh, oh, ooh—!!”

His deliberately mysterious tone and exaggerated expressions hooked her attention instantly.

“Wh-what is it?”

“Congratulations, my dear customer! Today, everything will go as you wish. The object of your affection will take your first time today.”

“What nonsense are you spouting now? I don’t have an object of affection! Stop joking…”

Her over-the-top reaction only confirmed his suspicion—she was absolutely agonizing over love.
Alan decided to give her a little nudge.

“The one you love is quite popular, isn’t he? You could stand to be a bit more proactive and seize the opportunity.”

Her face flushed scarlet.

“I already said I don’t! I’ve never been in a relationship in my life, and I would absolutely never fall for that depraved harem protagonist!”

“I haven’t said who it is specifically.”

“…!”

Oho, she exposed herself.
As expected, girls this age lose all common sense when they’re in love.

Alan chuckled knowingly, which only made the silver-haired girl more flustered.
Unable to stay any longer, she bolted from the shop in embarrassment.

***

“Damn it, damn it! I have too little real-world experience! I got tricked by a charlatan!”

Fiora leaned against a wall, stomping her foot in regret.
How humiliating. I went there to complain, but ended up being teased into running away instead.

“Society is truly terrifying. It’s way too hard for a shut-in like me.”

As for what the fortune teller had said—Fiora wasn’t about to believe a single word of it.

Like Leon? Absolutely impossible. I was just swept along by his smooth talk.
Mhm, that’s it. Definitely.

To reinforce this conclusion, she nodded emphatically.

“Hey.”

Leon appeared out of nowhere, face dark with clear irritation.

“Leon, you were following me.”

“Fiora, what are you doing out here?”

“…Buying a book,” Fiora replied guiltily.

Ever since the incident last time, she’d been grounded and forbidden from going out.
She hadn’t planned on leaving—except today was a very important day.

Her favorite novel, I Never Thought I’d Be Reincarnated as a Female Character, was having a book signing in the Royal Capital.
She’d snuck out specifically for it… only to get caught by Leon.

“Didn’t I tell you not to go out?”

“There are battles in life one cannot avoid. I simply chose not to retreat, that’s all.”

To brave my fear of crowds for the sake of the 2D world—to fight for Teacher Felte’s autograph! This beast in front of me, whose mind is ruled by his lower body, would never understand.

“How dare you be so defiant. I feel like I should punish you a little,” Leon said, his tone dangerous.

“…Huh?”

“Let’s go to work today. I’ll supervise you. You just got your Advanced Mage qualification certificate, so you can take on quests now. We’ll start with the lowest-level one: slime subjugation.”

“I don’t want to!”

Her refusal was instant.
She knew full well that any girl who stayed near Leon would get swept into bizarre, inexplicable situations serving this damn light novel protagonist.

As a loli-type character—and a harem candidate—she was sure she’d be dragged into some ridiculous fan-service scene thanks to his protagonist halo.

Slimes? In those all-too-common plots, they definitely have some special corrosive attack that only affects female clothing.
My outfit would be destroyed in front of this guy! Absolutely not!

“This isn’t about whether you agree or not. Do you know how much I had to pay in damages for you nearly blowing up the Mage’s Guild training ground last time?”

He held up three fingers.

“Three hundred coins?”

“Three million.”

“…!”

“I’m deducting it from your allowance.”

“I won’t have an allowance for the rest of my life then!”

“You get it now, right? So let’s get to work, Your Majesty the Dragon King.” Leon’s tone was merciless. “As I thought, I can’t spoil you too much. Time to break your bad habits.”

“Damn you, depraved harem protagonist…”

With no strength left to resist, Fiora followed Leon to the Adventurer’s Guild to accept quests.
This part-time job promised to be grueling—not only did she have to complete the task, she also had to stay on guard against this depraved man.

Thinking back to the fortune teller’s words, Fiora’s heart fluttered nervously.
She would have to be extremely careful to make sure nothing strange happened this time.