Ophelia von Margeline, the underdog of the Esco World. Commonly known as 『Miss Underdog』.
Miss Underdog is an abbreviation for an Ojou-sama who plays the role of an underdog. And an underdog is a miserable role used to improve the status of the MC.
For example, it is someone who likes to pick a quarrel with the MC by saying, 『Oi, you small fry!』, and is defeated in one punch. Or a cool guy who, after talking about how good-looking and powerful he is, is killed in an instant. Or a popular villainess in a ‘I hope I could become like a certain novelist’-site1.
In other words, they’re a devout offering sacrificed to raise the MC’s status. Commonly known as, the MC’s buff.
Nicknamed 『Miss Underdog』, she, who was loved by the fans, was a hero who dashingly appears when the MC is having a hard time. She appears all of a sudden, loses in seconds, and leaves the words, 『I will remember this!!』.
Even in an easy game such as the Esco World, she remains proud of herself despite having a big weakness and gets beaten the hell out of every time she fights with the MC. With her, any serious atmosphere will turn into a comedic scene, making her really popular as a natural-born comedian. To put it simply, her underdog power was really unparalleled.
She is a what-so-called a typical Ojou-sama type, which can be seen from how she talks very Ojou-sama-like, her unique laugh 『OHHOHOHO!』, and she even had some lines to enhance her underdog-ness when she was about to lose such as 『W-why didn’t my magic work…!』 or 『Kuh… I can’t believe there is a woman stronger than myself….!』.
The necklace she wears, which is an heirloom of the Margeline Family… magic device 『Ophelia of Indulgence』 is a garbage device that surprisingly only has one slot and can’t even cast a decent attribute magic. Her figure who challenged the cheat MC with such a garbage device is more like an MC than the MC herself.
But the figure of her who kept challenging the MC til the end of the game while repeatedly cursing the MC despite the obvious difference in ability, and getting beaten the hell out every time really brought tears to the players’ eyes.
Moreover, depending on the route, she also participated in the human against absolute evil demon war while saying a passionate line such as, 『Fun, to think I will be fighting alongside you… it’s the worst.』. And that figure of her who came to help and was defeated in seconds really evoked the players’ tears and laughter.
She will not reconcile with MC until the very end. As for how I know this, in the normal end, the fate of each character is told in the credit screen, but it is clearly stated that she 『did not acknowledge the MC until the end.』. It was only on the Ophelia route that she acknowledged the MC’s ability (even so, it doesn’t lead to a romantic relationship. Even though it is a Yuri game!! (Crying)).
In a sense, that unsullied attitude might be what made all players sympathize with her. She even got a high rank in the first character popularity alongside the heroines, which became a hot topic among Esco fans.
And such a Miss Underdog was currently standing in front of me, showing off her splendid blonde vertical roll.
“Ara, are monkeys these days unable to talk?”
“….”
Like everyone else, I also like Ophelia as a character.
For a period of time, in the Esco Society (a group of researchers who played the game too much that even made the development team said 『That’s not the game that we know.』), people even showed a biased affection by making 『Blonde Vertical Roll – Training plan』 and made her a cheat character who can kill the MC in an instant.
Anyway, originally, after this, Hiiro would engage in a war of words with Ophelia. It was truly a decisive battle between an underdog and an annoyance.
Hiiro’s main insult was 『Die, vertical rolls!』 while Ophelia’s main insult was 『Die, Man!』. And as such a useless battle of words was held, our MC, Tsukiori Sakura, who came late due to a certain reason will say in her heart, 『I can’t enter the classroom….』. And there, the teacher-in-charge would come in, and the short home room began… that’s what happened in the game. By the way, the broken door isn’t mentioned anymore.
“Hey?! Are you ignoring me?! How about saying something?!”
“…”
The underdog role exists for the sake of the MC.
Which means, if I say something here, I might bring trouble for the MC…. And for the future yuri, I guess I’ll have to choose silence here. Besides, I don’t really remember Hiiro’s lines because I don’t like him, and if I select a line carelessly, it might lead to a strange situation.
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That’s what I judged, but…
Perhaps because she felt belittled by an inferior being such as men, Ophelia grabbed my tie and brought her beautiful face closer.
“If you don’t want to run away while crying like that man just now…. apologize for offending me… Come on, fast!!”
“…”
MC!! Please come quickly!!
While I stood still with such thoughts– someone suddenly grabbed Ophelia’s hand.
As I looked at the one who grabbed Ophelia’s hand, I saw a clean-cut face from the side. There stood a girl with maroon hair, a face that showed her transparent-ness, an overwhelming ruler’s presence, and a kind of aura covering her body.
No, something indeed stood there. It was a lump of magic power.
Oi oi, this girl… terrifying…
Her incredible amount of magic power swirled, generating pale sparks in her surroundings. With her black eyes staring into the classroom, she, who was pretty tall, emotionlessly whispered.
“He is troubled.”
Tsukiori Sakura. The main character of this game, a monster with outstanding growth and capable of handling all kinds of magic devices. Her initial parameters were also overwhelmingly higher than the heroines.
As expected of the main character of an easy game… even the amount of her magic power was high enough to leak even when she was just standing.
“How about you step back?”
She, who happens to be a cool character, said with no expression.
Apparently, as a result of me selecting the option of keeping silent, the story has shifted to the MC trying to help a poor man… as expected of the MC!! Very kind!! Yo!! Someone who robs girls’ mouths the most!! (A praise)
Anyway, for the time being, what should I do?
In order to avoid the death flag, I also have to get involved with the main character to some extent. Thus, let’s pretend to be frightened here.
“P-please stop… I-it’s scary (Monotonously).”
“Look, he is scared.”
“No matter how you look at it, he is trying to provoke me, though?! What’s with you?! Suddenly coming from the side?!”
“Tsukiori Sakura.”
She whispered.
“Tsukiori Sakura…. Hmph, a commoner. I’ve never heard of you either. I am Ophelia von Marge–”
“I don’t care, just step back.”
At that moment, I heard the sound of a patience meter breaking.
“It’s a duel then!!”
She then slams her white glove on the floor.
“I challenge you to a duel!! Accept it fairly!!”
“I can hear you without you saying it twice.”
She stepped back and pulled out her long sword (magic device).
“Alright, anytime.”
“D-don’t make fun of me…!!”
In the noisy classroom, the two walked away from each other in opposite directions to make some distance.
And I held up my magic device next to Ophelia.
“….”
“….”
“Why?!”
“Eh? Ah?!”
Fuck!! I subconsciously went to the Miss Underdog’s side!! No, I mean, the difference in their strength is too much, after all!! And I like this girl!!
“Every one of you, always making fun of me…!!”
“No, it’s not like I made fun of–”
Action.
Trigger, activate, Lux2— Activating the magic, I received the blow aimed at the Miss Underdog.
Ah… shit…!!
Shocked, the MC then widened her eyes, looking at me with a look of wonder.
“Here I go, Tsukiori Sakura! Let’s have a fair due–Ehhhh?!”
Looking at us who were dueling in front of her, the Miss Underdog raised her voice in surprise.
Immediately after that, I sensed the MC from above.
Without hesitation, I parried the blade of Sakura, who kicked up the wall to get momentum and slashed her sword at me. Then, while flip-flopping, she, who landed on the ceiling, began to move at a high speed after kicking the wall, and began to slash at me from all directions.
“No no no no, miss!! The underdog is this one, though?! I just subconsciously reacted earlier!! We’re allies!!”
As I repelled all of her attacks and then– Sakura stared at me in a daze.
“… who are you?”
“Ophelia von Margelina!!”
No, not you.
Having said that with a triumphant face, she then held her necklace and smiled fearlessly.
“And this guy is my exclusive slave!!”
Moreover, she is arbitrary made me her slave. The style of thinking that the winner takes all really made you look like a small fry, you know, Ophelia?
“Come, slave.”
Like that, I was beckoned to come by the smiling her.
“Let’s stop here for now! Giving compassion to a commoner is also the role of a noble, after all! Ohhohoho!!”
Then, while being watched by the MC who looked at me with great interest, I ran into the classroom.