How to Survive as a Supporting Male Lead - Chapter 6.2

“Who knows? I just end up crazy, I guess.”

“Do you know anything?”

“I know that I’m handsome?”

“…Just continue.”

“Uh, right. So, what happens next? Oh, at this point, Kallian arrives. I’d sent him off to fight monsters at the northern edge, hoping he’d die. This was strange because the monsters were running amok and I needed someone to clean up the mess.”
“So…”
“Well, he survives and even awakens his powers. That made me his trainer, basically. And then, because I was already mentally unstable, I was no match for the awakened Kallian, so he killed me.”

“But you’re an Archmage, no matter what.”

“There’s a river. When you fall in, you can’t control your magic.”

Iann swallowed dryly. Explaining the location of his own death made him uneasy.

“We were fighting there, and I died.”

“There’s a river like that?”

Derrick’s eyes widened. Iann shrugged, trying to act casual.

“This is the first I’m hearing of it. A river that blocks a person’s magic?”

“It’s not exactly blocking magic. It amplifies it. But for people like me, whose magic is already maxed out, it becomes toxic—forcing us past our limits. It’d probably have a similar effect on divine power or aura, too.”

“Wait, something like that exists, and people don’t know about it?”

“It’s hidden, and the river’s magical surge doesn’t follow a set pattern. It makes sense people wouldn’t know. But you might’ve heard stories—those tales of someone getting stronger after training in freezing water. They call it the Miracle River, or something like that.”

“Oh, right.” 

Derrick nodded slowly. Now that he thought about it, he had heard those tales, passed down like some glittering fairy tale. A story that brought others hope was, for Iann, just a source of worry. Feeling a pang of sympathy, Derrick tossed a blanket to Iann.

“Here, sleep with a blanket tonight.”

“Isn’t that normal?”

Iann tilted his head, puzzled by Derrick’s random kindness, which only made Derrick’s heart ache more. In this harsh world, he thought, only he could look out for this idiot.

“So what’s your actual plan? Just staying pure can’t be the whole thing.”

“Live as a virgin.”

“For God’s sake, Iann.”

Iann’s blue eyes darted around. He felt apologetic towards Derrick, but… that was the plan. And it was, in fact, the most foolproof solution. He decided to explain his grand strategy to Derrick.

“Look, Derrick. Think about it. This all happens because I supposedly fall for the Saintess, right? So if I don’t fall for her, everything should go smoothly.”

“Then why are we even going to fetch the Saintess? Isn’t the plan to bring key players over to our side? According to your logic, we should be avoiding her altogether.”

A sharp point. Iann’s mouth opened and closed in silence, calculating just how angry Derrick might get if he confessed the truth now.

Meanwhile, Derrick’s eyes narrowed with suspicion.

“Wait, are you saying some kind of unavoidable, fated attraction forced you to like the Saintess before even meeting her? That’s why we’re fetching her?”

“What? I haven’t even seen her face. How could I like her?”

“You just said it—destiny, an irresistible pull, that sort of thing.”

“Derrick, lay off the romance novels. Live in reality.”

“You’re the last person I want to hear that from.”

“Look, I see a lot of faces, and I mean a lot.”

It seemed shallow at first glance, but Iann’s standards were steadfast, firm enough to be underscored with a few choice words. Derrick, after a brief frown, relaxed.

“Yeah, I get it. I know you’ve been single all this time because no one’s face has ever measured up.”

“See? So quit worrying.”

Suddenly reassured, Derrick’s eyes drooped as the fatigue of the day crept up on him. His voice, already heavy with sleep, drifted to Iann again.

“So… why are we going to fetch the Saintess, then?”

Iann glanced at Derrick, gauging his mood. With his defenses down, now was the perfect time to come clean.

“To piss off Kallian.”

“…What?”

“Imagine how furious he’ll be when he misses out on the Saintess, right in front of him.”

Derrick’s half-closed eyes snapped wide open.

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