Jobless Reincarnation: Sword, Magic Hat and Romance System

Chapter 20 saw an increase in participation ratings, including friends and names.

Rudy glanced at Hilfi and still looked timid, and couldn't help but purse his lips.

"I'm telling you, if you don't fight back against those guys, they'll just get more and more demanding."

"I can't win."

"The important thing is to have the will to resist."

"Although I'm not really qualified to say that."

"I usually resist when younger children come, but today they have some older kids."

As she spoke, she glanced at Allen.

Allen was far away, and Hilfi's voice was a little soft, so he couldn't hear it very clearly, but that didn't stop him from nodding with a bright smile on his face.

Upon seeing this, Hilfi quickly turned her eyes away, her ears twitching.

Allen's expression suddenly changed as he stood under the tree, frantically waving his hand in front of him as if trying to drive away something unclean.

Rudy didn't notice Allen's sudden strange behavior, but spoke seriously to Sylphie.

"I see~ You heard what Allen said just now, right? If they dare to bully you again, Allen will twist their heads off."

Allen heard this clearly. He had already dismissed the system panel that displayed the changes in favorability in the air, and then glanced at Rudy with a sullen face, and couldn't help but complain.

"No way, you're five years older than me mentally! Standing behind me like that, trying to intimidate me? Isn't magic tricks more impressive than me wielding a knife? Just throw out a giant fireball or firework; you can flirt with girls and scare them at the same time—a win-win situation! Instead, you're standing there cowering."

"Never mind. I also bear some responsibility. This incident happened earlier than expected. Rudy had just escaped from Loki's protection, and the older kids are probably still traumatized. He was humiliated by being tied naked to the school gate in his past life; it's not something he can easily let go of."

Seeing that Hilfi didn't answer but instead peeked at Allen with her head tilted to the side, Rudy helplessly shrugged.

"But you've really had a tough time, being bullied just because your hair color is similar to that of a Spelud."

Upon hearing this, Hilfi shrank back and stammered.

"Don't you guys care?"

"Because my teacher is a demon, I don't know what he said, but it sounds like he never thought you were a Spelud from the beginning. How should I put it, maybe that's the keen observation of a swordsman."

"I see, swordsman."

Hilfi nodded.

Rudy looked at her long ears and asked curiously.

"By the way, you have elven-like ears, aren't you human?"

"No, no, Father is only half long-eared and half human."

"Oh? Where is Mother?"

"Humans, but they have a bit of orc blood mixed in."

Before Rudy could come to any conclusion, Sylphie suddenly began to sob.

"Father, although... I'm not a demon, the color of my hair is different from theirs."

Rudy was a bit dumbfounded, not knowing how to deal with Sylphie, but when he glanced at Allen, who was also a bit dumbfounded under a tree not far away, he suddenly had an idea.

"Don't cry! Allen hates children crying, or he'll chop your head off!"

Allen: ? ? ?

The crying stopped abruptly, and Silphie's expression suddenly turned terrified.

[Hilfie's affection for you has slightly decreased.]

Allen was overjoyed upon hearing this.

"Ah, right! That's it, keep it up, and keep going. Let's get the storyline back on track!"

【.】

Rudy chuckled inwardly as he looked at Sylphie's expression.

"Was your father very strict with you? It seems you're not good at dealing with strict types."

"Yes, my father is scary when he's angry, but he won't get angry as long as I behave well."

"Ah~ Where is your mother?"

"My mother is very gentle."

"Oh, by the way, were you going to deliver food to your father? You were carrying a basket full of bread. Ah, you're all covered in mud, it's all Allen's fault!"

Sylphie, who had just calmed down, immediately panicked again upon hearing these words.

"Ah! I'm so sorry! I'm so sorry!"

Rudy: ? ? ?

Allen: ? ? ? ?

Rudy had a blank expression.

"Why are you apologizing? Never mind. Here's what we'll do: take me to your father's place, and I'll apologize to him properly on Allen's behalf. As for Allen, he's completely bad at building rapport with people. He just stares at you with a cold face and keeps smiling. He's terrifying."

Allen: ? ? ? ? ?

Hilfi nodded, then looked at Rudy hesitantly before turning to face Allen, twisting her fingers together and bowing her head.

"Thank you for protecting me."

Then she looked at Rudy.

"Thank you for washing my hair too."

"But if you do that, you'll be disliked by the other people in the village and won't have any friends. So, just leave me alone from now on. I can manage on my own."

As Hilfi spoke, she was almost in tears, but she stubbornly held back her tears.

Because Allen dislikes babies crying.

Just then, Allen walked over, stretched out his hands and ruffled the hair of both Sylphy and Rudy, then passed by them.

His indifferent voice drifted on the wind.

"Rudy and I won't be friends with them, but speaking of friends..."

Then, without turning his head, Allen held up two fingers and shook them, speaking casually as if coaxing a child.

"Now, the three of us each have two friends!"

Rudy watched Allen's retreating figure, blinked, and then chuckled.

He patted Hilfi on the shoulder, who was staring blankly at Allen, and said in a gentle tone.

"Come on, don't let his fierce appearance fool you, he's actually a very nice person. He helped me before, so his menacing face is just a facade. Don't be afraid."

Hilfi blinked her long eyelashes and gave a heavy "Mmm".

Alan, who was walking ahead, didn't hear what Rudy was saying; he just smiled and waved the dust off his face.

[Your participation score in the Jobless Rebirth event has increased. Current stage: Childhood; Cumulative participation score: 50 points. You have gained the approval of Rudeus and Sylphiete, and won their friendship.]

Behind me came the soft whispers of children carried on the wind.

"I forgot to ask your name."

"Hilu.Fei." The voice was as soft as a mosquito's buzz, and the last syllable was swallowed by the wind.

"Silv, it's a nice name, like a wind sprite."

"Thank you, thank you. Is his name Allen? And what about you?"

"Yes, that monstrous-faced guy is called Allen, and I'm called Rudeus."

"Allen is a good name, like...like a savior who destroys the world."

Rudy: ? ?

"It's clearly me who's praising your name, but your description is quite apt. It would be even more fitting if your last name were Jaeger."

"what?"

(End of this chapter)