Reincarnated in a Shounen Manga - Chapter 200

Chapter 200 - Welcome to Weeb Talk

I woke up to the sound of sad Weeb Music playing in the background, and the smell of junk food. Wis sat in a chair beside my bed, tears streaming down her face as she watched a melancholic anime. Her reaction was both surprising and predictable somehow.

I had planned various ways to reveal my true identity to Wis, but all those plans went out the window. Nevertheless, I needed to take the lead in the conversation.

As I stood up, my body ached, indicating that I had been unconscious for a couple of days. It seemed like a professional had been taking care of me. "How are you holding up?"

Wis turned towards me, her eyes bloodshot as she wiped away her tears. "Not so bad.”

She appeared calm, and not as angry as I had expected. She continued, "You know, for someone who has been lying to their friend for months, I'm surprisingly okay."

Okay, so she wasn’t that calm.

Attempting to explain myself, I said, "If it's any consolation, I was hiding it from everyone. I just wanted some peace and quiet."

She remained cautious, her expression devoid of emotion.

“Of course," she responded curtly.

Normally, I could easily read her thoughts, as her mind usually revolved around anime-related matters. She was usually concerned about the delays in her next anime or similar topics. But as someone who had spent her life hiding her true self from everyone, she was good when she wanted to hide something.

"Would you like to take a walk to clear our heads?" I suggested, hoping for some time to think about what to say next.

"Sure," she agreed.

She left my room, turned off the TV, and I hurriedly got dressed. Surprisingly, I had been bedridden in her house, in a room I recognized. As we walked, the atmosphere felt strange, as our usual banter about her being a weeb and her retorts were absent. Our dynamic had been completely disrupted.

Wis broke the silence, stating, "Just to clarify, I'm not angry. After all, you've saved my life more than once. It's difficult to be mad at someone like that. I can even understand why you did it. Oh, how many times I've wished I could disappear into an anonymous person. How did you manage to pull it off? Vanishing at the peak of your fame must have been challenging."

I smiled, saying, "Let's just say that having the power to kill things that smash mountains with ease, tends to make people more open-minded."

She chuckled and nodded, and then an uncomfortable silence settled between us again. After a few seconds, she confessed, "It feels strange knowing that you're my fiancé. I heard so much about you that I expected you to be one of those cold-hearted guys."

"Hey, life isn't like an anime," I joked. "Aren't the cold-hearted guys the ones girls actually like? All cool and macho?"

"Maybe in anime, but in real life, it's a different story," she shrugged. Then realization dawned on her. "That's why you never seemed scared when I threatened to unleash my monstrous fiancé on you! Damn, I should have seen that coming."

"Yeah, I figured a handsome man like him wouldn't harm a fellow handsome man like me," I smiled. She lightly elbowed me and winced, holding her arm. My body was harder than rocks.

Since I was taller, I placed my hand on her head and ruffled her hair. "There, there, feeling better now? Also, you should know that hitting someone capable of crushing rocks with their fists is kind of foolish."

"Next time, I'll use a knife then," she grumbled.

We reached the corner of the town and climbed up the wall, revealing a vast grassland and my wooden cabin in the distance.

It was undeniably strange, almost like we were on a date. Maybe this arranged marriage thing could actually work out.

"So, are you keeping any more secrets from me?" she asked.

Of course I was hiding a lot. But I still gave her the choice and asked. “Do you want the truth or a lie?”

"A lie," she promptly replied, her smirk revealing a hint of mischief. And she didn't change her answer even after noticing my surprise.

She was definitely an odd girl, and I wasn't referring to her anime obsession. Despite teasing her about it, I didn't mind her being a total nerd. "No, of course not. After all, you're my fiancée, and I would never deceive you."

Wis snorted, attempting to stifle her laughter, then she lay down on the edge of the wall and gazed up at the sky. Concerned she might fall, I stayed close, within arm's reach.

For some reason, she looked at me and triumphantly smiled. "I always thought I'd end up marrying a fat old man for some political alliance. So this isn't too bad."

"Well, we'll all grow old eventually, so that nightmare might come true. Just so you know, when I'm old I'll indulge in heart-attack-inducing meals every day," I said, and she chuckled at my remark.

"Tell me the truth. What do you intend to do with me?" Wis asked, her crimson red hair hiding her eyes, leaving me curious about her true thoughts. But I felt her gaze sharpen, signaling the end of our lighthearted banter.

"I must warn you, the truth may change how you see me," I cautioned.

"I still want to know, for the sake of the friendship that we shared, please tell me. For the first time in my life, I want to hear the truth about where others will lead my life. Don't worry, it isn't the first time I'm being used as a pawn for other people to reach their goals," she said, determination in her voice.

I contemplated the temptation to lie, to sweet-talk her into staying by my side. But I desired an ally, not a puppet, whether as a close friend or a partner.

"With recent events, I've contemplated the benefits of having someone receptive to my suggestions on the throne," I confessed honestly.

"By suggestions, you mean orders, don't you?" she retorted.

"No, I genuinely meant suggestions. I need someone..." I trailed off, realizing I had divulged too much. Her piercing gaze confirmed she knew it too.

"I will pave your path to the royal seat," I began.

"Tell me why," she interrupted. "I may not know you as well as I thought, but I never saw you as someone who would sacrifice lives for power."

My mind whizzed through many thoughts, and possible alternatives. Weighing the cons and pros of what I should do. I was acting as if I were using Prefect Me, but I immediately stopped such thoughts. This was a battle with no perfect answer. Ultimately, I decided to be truthful.

"When I was fifteen, the Demonic Exorcist attacked. To survive him and future calamities, I wagered my remaining lifespan. I bet that I could turn a carp into a dragon within two years," I revealed.

Her eyes widened, her lip quivered. Startled by the revelation, she rose and locked her gaze with mine. "How much time do you have left?"

"Approximately five months, give or take a few days," I replied.

She stood frozen, her mind seemingly elsewhere. Eventually, she slumped against my chest and whispered, "Alright, I'll help you."

I couldn't deny the flutter in my heart upon hearing those words. It wasn't every day a person found someone willing to go ride-or-die with them. Whether our relationship remained that of friends or developed further, it didn’t matter. "Thank you. This means a lot to me."

Unspoken but understood was the fact that I would have to eliminate her siblings. We both acknowledged the inevitability that her path to the throne will be paved in corpses.

"You fool! Do you think I would let you die?" she yelled, slamming her hand against my chest. She winced upon encountering supernaturally hard muscle but continued her rant. "My siblings sent assassins after me, and while I don't hate some of them, we always knew it would end up in a royal battle to decide the successor, as per our family's tradition. So we were never too close. Just make sure not to die."

Unable to resist, a teasing smirk formed on my face. "What are you talking about? I am your monstrously strong and talented fiancé, after all."

"No, I'm serious. If you die, I will kill you," she pointed her finger at me.

"Did you hear that from an anime?"

"...Yes," she admitted, looking at the ground shamefully.

Always so honest, she was my favorite weeb princess. I used one arm to pull her into a hug and whispered, "I promise to create a world where you and I can chill and watch anime without worry, my little princess."

The hug served another purpose: to shield her from the look in my eyes that I doubted I could hide from her.

I was done with being passive and trying to convince everyone to get along. I wouldn't play by the world’s rules anymore.

From now on, I will change the world to play by my rules.