"I'm really worried about you and your master. You should be much stronger… always strive to train harder and achieve greater heights, only then you will be safe. I can help you, train you, but only if no one can see us. Turns out I'm a stepping-stone villain in this world, you know? I'm not supposed to have any role besides it and leave the scene only as a vague memory, a cautionary tale for trying to achieve power at all cost, no matter how self-destructive…That's why… yeah… I'm much better suited for being a negative motivation. You and your master should dislike me greatly, hate me, even. For your master, I think I'm already there. As for you…"
"Nraaao!"
Rotsard breathed out and lowered his gaze as he explained, but by the end of it, Polaris let out a growl of objection and started clinging to the bleached-blond-haired youth's chest, while shaking and letting out more growls as it was desperately nuzzling up to him.
There was no reason to bother that cute baby with his actual plan. The less others knew about him, the better.
"…awwwm, sweetie, you absolute cutie, you… Don't cry…"
Rotsard immediately hugged the bear cub as if it was the most precious thing in the world and murmured, overtaken by how adorable it was, both in looks and in actions.
"You have to be brave, you know? I will have to be mean to you too, but only to help you adjust to facing those very, very bad things you will have to face together with your master. Monsters and deofols… those won't be nice even to such a cute child, and even if they will act like they are, they will only be trying to trick you and ambush you…"
Rotsard said while the little cub trembled in his arms, nuzzling with even more power as if just wanted to stay hidden, coddled forever… but that wasn't an option for it.
…for some reason, Polaris wasn't the fae that appeared in the story that the deofol read to Rotsard. It was quite a big change, but for some reason the deofol never appeared anywhere within Rotsard's vision as it did when there was something that could test Rotsard's resolve and urge him to change something.
It was quite obvious to him that the deofol would instantly appear to mock and laugh in his face if some outside factor caused the future to change, rendering all of his efforts worthless.
That would certainly break Rotsard's spirit.
But deofol's absence meant one thing…
…it was all still within the path the story should take for the world to be safe…
Alas, that also meant that this adorable little cutie of a bear cub would have to face all the enemies and challenges that the world would throw at the future hero.
Having a baby fae so clueless, innocent, and lovingly trusting was… just what Rotsar expected of a being like a deofol to do for entertainment.
Despite posing the immense danger, at least a being like a deofol was predictable… although that predictability did not lessen how dangerous it was in the slightest.
How many clever people thought they could outsmart even the lesser deofols, not to mention higher ones, for their own benefit and ended up deofolized and put down like frenzied animals after completely losing their minds?
…well… in a way, Rotsard was going to join their ranks…
…if his plan fails, but with how things were going, his confidence was growing…
"...my noblesse oblige…"
The bleached-blond-haired youth ended up staring into the distance as he muttered to himself in a somber voice…
"Nrao…?"
"Oh! Sorry, I just… Unfortunately, we can't stay here forever. It's time to get you back to your master and finish the duel."
Polaris' worried growl made him snap out of it, and Rotsard declared while standing up.
With the change of stance came the need to change the way Rotsard held the baby fae, opting for grabbing it by the scruff of loose skin around the back of its neck.
"...I will have to hold you like this for a bit… is… umm… it doesn't hurt, I hope…?"
"Nnrao!"
He asked, feeling very guilty about holding the little cub like some bag, but Polaris let out a reassuring and even slightly happy growl.
Did… did it remind it how its parents would carry it around back when it was an actual animal?
"Oh, thank goodness.. Now then, remember to do your best aiding your master, sweetie~"
Rotsard breathed out in relief and then faced his ice wall with a smile, making his illusion on the other side appear to rush to his position, leading the frantically attacking Justin right to him.
"Let's actually start this short performance."
He said, lightly jumping in the air, matching his illusion and…
*****
"HAAAA!"
*CRASH*
As the future hero swung down, the ice wall created by the bleached-blond-haired youth for defense shattered in pieces, slowing Justin down just enough for his sword to barely miss.
But it wasn't all good for Rotsard either. With how close he was to getting hit, he seemed to panic and stumble, letting go of Justin's contracted fae in the process.
"Polaris!"
The future hero called out, lunging after the golden bear cub with no regards to exposing himself to any potential counterattacks. Luckily for him, the chase has finally get to the bleached-blond-youth, and he began showing signs of exhaustion and missed the opportunity completely.
Clearly desperate, Rotsard began launching the ice blocks that granted him the win so many times before, but Justin, now recovered and with Polaris, roaring fiercely, surely for revenge and nothing else, clinging to his arm, countered or dodged them all, even using some of the ones that appeared behind him as stepping stones…
"...he's better than others at least, but is this supposed to be enough…?"
Unbeknownst to anyone, Rotsard let out a worried sigh, unable to properly judge whether the real Justin matched the strength of his character from the story.
"POLARIS! LEND ME YOUR STRENGTH!"
By climbing the blocks, Justin ended up high above the field and roared, raising his sword for his signature overhead downwards slash.
"..."
"N-nraaaao!"
…funnily enough, his contracted fae hesitated… at least until Rotsard down below nodded his head towards it with a serious expression, causing it to let out an only slightly hesitant combative growl.