Tentacle Monster Reincarnation: I Will Protect the Heroines

――I carried Grace to Zero Ko’s room and laid her on the bed. Zero Ko moved with quick, efficient movements, pulling out medical supplies from the closet like it was the most normal thing in the world. But the fridge was almost empty, so she shrugged, grabbed her wallet, and headed for the door.

”Senpai Chijima, I’ll be right back—sports drinks, jelly, that kinda thing. Keep an eye on her while I’m gone, okay?”

”Eh, sure, no problem...”

”Are you really okay with leaving a girl you’re not related to alone in your room?” I asked.

She just grinned.

”Nn~... safer than you think? More like ’erotic but harmless’ safe. I don’t think I’d do anything irreversible.”

She winked, flashed that same mischievous smile, and bounced out the door.

Yeah, she really had the distance wrong with guys. I knew guys were basically animals—people swore they’d never fall for it, but the second they did, it was instant two-punch defeat.

In this room I was the only one who could move freely. So the thought slipped out: ’Maybe checking the closet for a second is safe...?’

”...Well, yeah. I’ll earn that trust.”

I almost glanced at the ”Tentacle Punching Sacred Knight” image blog, but I caught myself and exhaled slowly, forcing my desire back down. I was garbage who couldn’t hold out against lust. I wouldn’t let that filth rub off on someone who trusted me.

”Ugh...”

In the quiet room, a pained moan echoed.

On the bed, Grace had curled up to protect her abdomen and was muttering in her sleep.

”No... not... that...”

I clenched my teeth so hard it hurt.

I knew I was useless. The frustration burned hotter than the tentacle suit on my body. In the usual isekai stories, the protagonist would have come up with some brilliant solution and saved her in seconds. They understood her trauma better than she did, right? They could calculate the perfect fix every time.

But my previous world had skipped straight over those ”good ending” plots. I’d only ever read the bad ones—Sacred Knight vs Knight, the scenes, the flowchart for her falling into darkness. I even remembered thinking, ”Her thighs would be better than her chest.” I couldn’t think of a single way to help the girl right in front of me.

——I came here to save her, even if my own life was falling apart.

She had tried to get rid of me for Leas’s sake. The fact annoyed me, but... I still thought she’d been desperate to protect someone important.

So I wanted to save her. I wanted to save her.

”Painful... it hurts... Brother... please save me...”

She reached out with trembling arms. Hesitant, scared, exhausted. She knew she had no right to ask for help.

”I’m not your brother, but just endure it for a while.”

The words made me angrier. I grabbed the hand she was stretching toward me.

Leas had been the same—self-punishing, too pessimistic. She should’ve lived more lightly. Of course she had a guilt complex for not protecting the princess. I’d ignored the original story and only chased the ecchi scenes, but even I knew that if the real protagonist had beaten Alter, the game wouldn’t have started. She had failed. She had lost. And this was the result.

So... her heart had probably been broken a long time ago.

But she still kept performing her role.

As Sacred Knight. As the knight who protected the princess.

She was gluing together the broken pieces of her heart, pretending it was her old self. This time for sure—she wouldn’t lose anyone again.

——Even in the original game, hitting Leas right after she fell to darkness would have shattered her mentally in one go.

The game balance had been messed up by letting her fight against a Monster Villain unit that was supposed to be stronger than her. When I was playing, I’d cheered, ”Finally I can see the Sacred Knight ecchi scene!” but right now I felt nothing but guilt.

——”It’s fine.”

I whispered while gripping her hand.

Is this okay? I’m no good at this. Someone more experienced should’ve saved her. Someone better. But there was no one else. So I’d do whatever I could.

Was I messing up? That anxious voice in my head wouldn’t shut up. But Grace’s breathing had finally become steady. Maybe... maybe this was enough.

So—

”Come back soon, you little junior...”

——You’re too heavy for one person.

◇

Actually... Zero Ko had been outside the front door for a while.

She’d crept back quietly so she wouldn’t make noise—mainly to make sure Chijima wasn’t doing anything weird.

She’d said she wouldn’t do anything irreversible, but she still wondered if he might do something a little strange. It was a rude thought, but it was her usual one. So when she thought she saw something odd, she planned to surprise him lightly, then go to Spring Wind-sensei and pretend he was a pervert who broke into the girls’ dorm and tried to steal underwear.

But—

”——It’s fine.”

She’d seen the scene up close: Grace moaning in pain, reaching out, and Chijima holding her hand. And he’d done it so earnestly, so desperately, like he was trying to make sure Grace could sleep safely.

(I’ve noticed you’ve changed a lot lately, senpai.)

When she first entered, Zero Ko had thought he was just a normal, harmless guy. That had been correct. Her impression of him was still ”not the kind who acts like a boyfriend while playing around.” Honestly, his favorability rating was low. Just a senpai she could chat with casually—Chijima Takete, that was all.

But recently she’d upgraded her impression. It wasn’t that he was hot, or that she was falling for him. It was just that his actions had become serious.

She remembered that when Leas had turned into Sacred Saber and was in danger, Chijima had helped her. And because of that, maybe Chijima himself was starting to change. With that thought, Zero Ko smiled.

From her perspective, the one fighting the hardest for justice was Leas. She thought, ’If someone as close to me as Leas’s senpai is starting to change because of Leas’s efforts, then I should push myself too.’ Free and easy, everyone, free and easy, me too!

(Well... but—)

She peeked at the senpai who was still muttering, ”Come back soon...” and remembered the moment Grace collapsed. Zero Ko was Sacred Knight, Leas’s junior. The letter and photo had definitely reached her. So Grace had been trying to hide her weakness in front of her.

Leas had asked what kind of person she was. She knew about Sacred Knight. She couldn’t show her weak side. But... if it was Chijima...

Maybe she could let out a little groan in front of him.

He wasn’t related to Sacred Knight. He was just a normal guy. He and Leas were friends, but he didn’t know they were Sacred Knights, so he didn’t have to force himself to act strong.

(A casual conversation at a family restaurant about Leas-senpai’s senpai— that should be just enough.)

She wanted to talk to him as a normal girl named Grace Wayne, not as Sacred Knight. That’s what she thought was necessary.

So in the entrance, she crouched down, took out her phone, and sent a quick message:

”Senpai Chijima! Sorry! I found out the nearby store was sold out, so I had to run a little farther! If you wake up, please take out some tea from the fridge!”

She sent it fast and quietly.

”——What the—? Ah, damn it, Zero Ko...!”

Her frantic voice came from near the bed. She quickly clasped her hands together in prayer.

”Senpai, I’m sorry! I’ll definitely make it up to you later...”