Their romance storyline only begins on the second playthrough?

Chapter 47 is merely a necessity for socialization.

Rhodes remained silent.

Upon closer reflection, it seems he has fallen into a fixed mindset.

He's stuck in a pattern where everything has to be solved by him.

Because this task was given by Professor Merrick, and Professor Merrick would die because of it, he believed it was important to safely bring Ivina to the Academy.

But after Ivina suggested attending the coming-of-age ceremony, he followed Ivina's line of thought and discovered that there was actually a simpler solution to all of this.

As we all know, besides our own efforts, there is always another way to solve problems.

The witch is hunting down Phillips's men, and Phillips's men are hunting down the witch.

Phillips' predicament stemmed from what Professor Merrick called "insufficient information."

But here's the problem: he already knows how many witches and how many fourth-tier powerhouses will be coming to the Duke's mansion, so why can't they turn around and launch a [Demon Hunting Operation]?

"Yeah..." he murmured twice.

Merrick couldn't come to protect Ivina simply because she couldn't leave the academy for too long, but if she was just coming for a few days to participate in the witch hunt, there wouldn't be any problem at all.

That was once the [Calamity Spirit], a powerful being who had ascended to the fifth level. It was a monster that Cecilia and the others could not contend with without the remnants of the Demon God and the seal.

If Merrick hadn't felt guilty towards Cecilia, how could she have died?

His eyes flickered slightly.

"I see."

At that moment, Rhodes stretched out his palm. "Can I pat your head again? Some people like to be patted, and some people don't."

"Huh...? Whatever, whatever you want." Ivina's ears turned a little red.

Rod placed his palm on her head and gently stroked it.

"If you want to participate, then participate. I'll go with you."

Yes.

Since Ivina is going to participate in this coming-of-age ceremony, and since Cecilia is going to ruin it...

So why not settle all old scores and new grievances at the coming-of-age ceremony?

At the coming-of-age ceremony, successfully get Ivina to bravely step onto the stage, kill the troublemaking witches, and uncover the unknown truth about Cecilia—the truth about why she wanted him to save Ivina.

"Really...? You knew there was danger..."

"It's nothing. I just need to kill them to increase my strength."

Ivina's words of emotion instantly caught in her throat.

Rhodes's words... are really not moving.

Can you stop always putting your own interests first, you jerk...

However, Cecilia was right after all.

He has a way of dealing with the problem as long as he makes the request.

Ivina's lips curved into a faint smile, but it quickly faded away.

But that's never the problem.

[I need to kill them to increase my strength.]

What if, at the moment the truth is revealed, she is no longer the one he is protecting, but rather "them"?

This is the real problem, isn't it...?

His choice, his choice—

"I mean, what if I'm actually a really, really bad person? After all, you're being so nice to me now because you want to take me away from the Duke's mansion. You don't even know me."

Ivina asked this question in a light voice, but it carried a heavy burden of emotion.

Rod paused slightly and looked at the girl.

At this moment, the girl twisted her fingertips together shyly. Her disabled and bound left eye made her appear so fragile and pitiful.

He remained silent for a long while, his eyes fixed on Ivina:

"Are you stupid?"

"Huh?"

Rhodes extended his finger and flicked Ivina's forehead.

"What, what are you doing!"

I won't answer that question right now.

"Why...?" Ivina asked sullenly, sounding a little unhappy.

"I will only answer your question after you have actually done something really bad and tried to kill me."

"Huh?"

"So you want to kill me? Otherwise, don't ask me that question."

In that instant, Ivina was speechless.

"Oh……"

"However, since you've chosen to participate in the coming-of-age ceremony, it means you've agreed to my goal, right?"

"After all, if you don't want to leave the Duke's mansion, you're unlikely to want to make any changes."

"Ah, yes... I guess so," Ivina nodded a couple of times, a little embarrassed.

After all, if she really admitted that she made the change just to be Rhodes' friend, wouldn't that make her seem cheap?

She stubbornly insisted:

"It's not that I'm changing because I want to be your friend! It's just that I wanted to change, and since I happened to become your friend, I thought I'd do a better job as well..."

"I understand. So starting tomorrow, I will begin to help you connect with people better, and help you successfully step onto the stage of your coming-of-age ceremony, and finally take you out into the world."

"Unnecessary thoughts..." Ivina turned her head away. "But thank you anyway."

Rod laughed:

"Alright, you'll catch a cold if you sleep sitting there." He shifted his position and patted the empty space next to the bed. "Come on up and sleep."

"Huh?" Ivina froze, looking like a silly roe deer.

But then, suddenly, she realized what Rod had said—

Let's sleep together?

She was already a little uneasy because her attempt to kiss him had failed, so what was Rod trying to do now?

No, that's not a good idea...?

Friends would never sleep in the same bed, right?

However, the more she thought about it, the more her heart stirred with desire, and the hormones made her pale throat bob slightly.

This is almost an inevitable law in the world.

The more somber and friendless a person is, the stronger their essential physical desires become.

My body felt slightly warm, and my toes started to wiggle.

Can--

She managed to restrain herself and said coquettishly,

"Hey...! What are you trying to do! Friends can't sleep in the same bed!"

"What are you thinking? I just need to go out and take care of some things, so I thought I'd let you sleep here."

"Huh...?"

"I broke through because I hunted that witch, and now I need to consolidate my aura."

"Ah, I see." Ivina awkwardly looked away.

"Holy crap, wait a minute! You've already reached the third level of advancement?" Ivina suddenly realized and cursed.

"Be civilized."

"...Oh. You've advanced three times?"

"It was just luck. I didn't expect the energy provided by the demon I killed would be so high."

Ivina's mouth gaped open in shock.

"Just how high is your energy conversion efficiency? You were only at the second-level intermediate energy level, right? You reached the third level just by hunting down a witch?"

Even if she's incredibly strong, the average person's absorption efficiency couldn't possibly break through to the point of advancing three times.

"You know quite a lot," Rhodes chuckled. "You're just a little more talented."