Episode 134
"Aba, let's go eat.
I'm hungry."
"Uh, yeah!"
"See you later!"
Since we're at the same school, we'll be able to meet again.
"Dekal."
Just as I was about to leave, Diana called out to me belatedly.
"Huh?"
"……I'm in the same grade too. See you in class tomorrow."
"Sure."
It's something I always feel.
A shy woman is truly a sight to behold.
Provided the condition 'pretty' is met, that is.
Diana, who rarely revealed her feelings so honestly, was quite lovely.
Aba and I parted ways with the girls and headed to the cafeteria.
We paid 3 points for lunch and ordered a menu that was just enough to fill our stomachs.
After all, no matter what I ordered, it wouldn't match Elin's skill, so I'd only be disappointed.
I could have just headed straight to Clam Castle, but eating with a close friend wasn't bad either.
"It was an incredible mission in so many ways. My heart pounding when we entered the hideout. I still can't forget it."
"I felt like the color was draining from my face."
"The culprit was someone who came after you because they liked you, right? Being popular is a big deal too. To think they'd target your life…….
I wouldn't have been able to sleep."
"I was scared that night too. Wondering where they'd jump out from."
But now, I don't think I'd be surprised even if I met them again.
Persuading Seoyeon is also an important issue.
A connection continuing from the modern era. I do feel a special bond.
And she's pretty too…….
"Aba."
It was then.
A well-built man with short hair approached and called out to Aba.
Aba flinched so hard I thought he would jump out of his chair.
"Brother."
Brother? If he's Aba's older brother,
the eldest son of the Roun family, 「Badek Roun」……I think that was his name.
I had really, barely remembered it.
"I heard the news. You completed an emergency mission?"
Badek continued talking one-sidedly, treating me as if I didn't exist while I was eating with them.
"Y-yeah."
Aba put down his spoon and fidgeted nervously.
"A man should know how to handle his own affairs.
Don't become a man who chases after women.
I heard the young lady of the Vanguard family also participated in the mission; you must have led her well?"
"……I'm not sure. Miss Diana is greater than I am, so it's a bit much to say I led her……."
"Look me straight in the eye and speak. When are you going to become a man?"
"……."
Aba was crushed and couldn't say anything.
I banged on the dining table to draw attention.
"Hey.
Can't you see we're eating?"
What do you think you're doing at the dinner table?
"Who are you?"
"Dekal. I'm from an adventurer background."
Since it was obvious he'd mock me once he knew my origins anyway, I stated it plainly without any intention of backing down.
Badek looked straight at me and then scoffed.
"……Aba. Choose your friends carefully.
These pretty boys are like empty wagons making a racket—utterly useless.
These types were a dime a dozen at the front lines. The kind who cries wanting to go home after a few days because monsters are scary."
"Dekal isn't like that."
How can brothers be so different in personality?
I could see him looking down on people at the end of every sentence, and anger welled up inside me.
"I said I'm from an adventurer background. Should I say it again?
Seems like your ears aren't so good. Stop disturbing our meal and beat it."
"……Are you saying this knowing that I am Badek Roun?"
"Badek or Madek, I have no intention of butting into another family's business, but can't you two talk after the meal?
Are you saying this knowing you've ruined my appetite?"
"Kekeke."
Badek laughed unpleasantly.
"Interesting.
Dekal. I'll remember this."
Ugh, I'd rather not be remembered, but something tells me I won't be able to forget this either.
At times like this, I wonder how nice it would be if I could hypnotize myself.
In the end, after Badek left, I took a few more spoonfuls before giving up.
"Sorry. Dekal."
"Why are you apologizing?"
"It's probably my fault that my brother is in a bad mood. He always thought of emergency missions as a cowardly shortcut."
"A cowardly shortcut?"
"A system that gives a leg up to unqualified guys, something that should disappear……."
Ridiculous.
His way of thinking is none of my business, but if he annoys me again, I'll make sure he can't talk back.
I had a strong premonition that, though I rarely hypnotize men, I might end up doing so.
We'd only exchanged a few words, but I could tell he had tremendous pride in the fact that he was a soldier who had fought on the front lines.
He's older than the candidates here and has accomplished things, so he's subtly—no, openly looking down on them.
"Honestly, doesn't it annoy you whenever your brother acts like that?"
"W-what. I don't think that way……."
"What's wrong with being honest between brothers?
Don't you want to give him a hard time?"
"……!!"
Aba's mouth fell open in surprise and he shook his head vigorously.
As if he had never even imagined such a thing.
He even looked around to see if anyone was listening; it seemed his brother's position in the family was considerable.
If innocent, kind Aba was someone who couldn't become the man his brother spoke of,
in my opinion, giving that insufferable brother a piece of your mind seemed like the first step to becoming a man.
"If your brother spouts more nonsense, just fire right back at him.
Once you do it, it's no big deal next time."
"I might get kicked out……."
"If you're right, that won't happen. You must have something you're better at than your brother too."
"Would I? My brother is much stronger than me."
"Did you forget what Diana said?
To have confidence. There are many ways to be acknowledged besides strength."
"……."
Aba fell into deep thought after hearing my words.
"Got it. Dekal. I'll think about it."
Maybe I should stop meddling here.
Aba would understand what I mean.
I don't think I need to go out of my way to put Badek in his place with hypnosis yet.
Besides, I tend to avoid using it for that kind of thing as much as possible.
The most proper use of hypnosis, in my own opinion, is using it for things that turn me on, after all.
My new school life as a Bear Grade begins.
But what changes?
After falling asleep and waking up in the dormitory after a long time, new instructions were displayed on the Soul Panel behind my bed.
It was written out at length, but the summary of the important parts was this:
Unlike Rabbit Grade and Wolf Grade, Bear Grade seems to have no fixed curriculum.
No, rather than none, it would be more accurate to say the parts that can be done autonomously have increased.
Instead of point deductions and gains from class attendance or absences,
Bear Grade candidates move to the 'Main Building,' use whichever facilities they need, take classes if necessary, and raise their scores through periodic evaluations conducted with teacher observation.
So then, after filtering through Rabbit Grade and Wolf Grade,
I suppose from Bear Grade onward, you live in the Melbrit Main Building.
That's where the female candidates of Bear Grade and above would gather.
In effect, the chances of running into all the female candidates I couldn't meet until now had greatly increased.
Thanks to the emergency mission, I could easily reach my goal.
From now on, I want to rapidly increase the number of my women.
Shall we go?
I left my room and entered the Melbrit Main Building.
First floor of the Melbrit Main Building. The foot traffic consisted mostly of Bear Grade and above candidates.
The people entering the main building at this hour could be called humans chosen by Melbrit's selective system.
Whether female or male candidates, they all had faces overflowing with confidence.
I walked straight across the center, and when the stone statue I had seen before caught my eye, I looked up.
"……."
Is it about 13 meters tall?
It's a statue of a beautiful woman. As I stared blankly at it, a fragrance tickled the tip of my nose.
"That statue.
They say it's a carving of the Light God, Ilesia."
I turned my head, and my heart nearly stopped.
She was right in front of me.
The woman who was looking at me under the tree that day. The student council president, Sia.
"I like this statue too."
"……."
Overwhelmed by Sia's beauty, I couldn't get a single word out.
When someone approaches suddenly without warning, I'm too surprised to speak.
Sia was beautiful to that extent. When I met her soft green eyes that even exuded holiness, my body felt paralyzed.
Hypnosis…….
I have to hypnotize her.
It was when I tried to move my right hand.
Sia suddenly placed her hand gently on my wrist, softly blocking me.
Without even looking at my hand, she looked at me.
"Do you know?
That God is watching over everything."
"……."
Did she……just block me?
Having realized my intention?
"Who are you?"
"I'm the student council president of Melbrit, Sia.
And you are Dekal, are you not?"
"……."
I nodded.
"If you have something you wish to say to me, meet me at the library at midnight.
But come prepared."
"Mental preparation……?"
"You mustn't come unprepared."
"……."
A plan……what……?
Sia left behind only cryptic words and departed.
The soft warmth left on my wrist seemed to travel all the way to my heart, prickling at it.
There was definitely something about that woman.
Was she Ilesia, the God of Light?
00:00, the library.
She said “countermeasures,” but I had no idea what she meant.
I was simply confused.
Then the humiliation of having stood there as if briefly bewitched took over my body.
The urge to see that woman pinned beneath me, gasping and moaning, swelled until it felt ready to burst.
"……."
00:00, the library.
I would go today, right away if I had to.
"Why are you standing there like that? With such a scary face."
Someone spoke while looking at me.
A face that resembled Diana’s. But the moment I saw her with her hands shoved into the pockets of her blazer coat, chuckling to herself, I knew who she was.
Tilia Vanguard. Diana’s older sister.
"Did our student council president say something to you?"
"She asked me out on a date."
"As if. Forget a date, it’s the first time I’ve even seen the student council president speak to someone first."
"Then why did you speak to me?"
"It’s your first time in the main building, right? Ah, I heard you were given an emergency order, so is it your second time? Or third?"
"Let’s just call it my first."
Tilia approached with a strangely friendly smile.
"I’ll show you.
How to use the main building. Today, you’re doing combat training with me."
"Combat training……."
She already seemed excited at the thought of a duel.
Given Melbrit’s nature, there weren’t exactly few people who carried their own weapons, but the longsword Tilia wore at her side stood out above all else.
It was frightening, like she might charge in and cut me down at any moment.
"I’m not going to do anything right away. Don’t look so disgusted. It wouldn’t be fun to pick on a kid who doesn’t know anything yet, would it?"
What, was she saying she’d fatten me up before eating me?
It seemed she intended to train me from the ground up.
"Want me to guide you? Hm?"
For a moment, I had forgotten they were sisters.
Seeing a cute side of Diana in Tilia’s playful smile made me flinch.
She acted easygoing like a man, but there was something about her that made me imagine Diana might become like this when she grew up.
"Fine. Please do."
This, too, was a connection.
Now that I had reached Bear Class and could finally meet Tilia, it would be a loss not to enjoy it.
"From Bear Class onward, you don’t need to get too worked up about attending classes.
The facilities in the main building can be used until midnight, so you can use them freely."
"Not bad."
The word “freely.”
At any rate, the fact that I had escaped the pressure of points was good enough on its own.
"Though if you fail the exams, you can be demoted."
……You really struck just as I was starting to relax.
"It isn’t exam season right now, so you can take it easy.
Let’s go to the training hall. It’s the place I use often."
I walked after Tilia.
We went up to the second floor and looked around the other rooms.
I could clearly see that each room was equipped with different facilities.
Tilia turned the corner of the hallway and stopped.
I stopped as well.
"Sister!"
"Diana."
"Where are you going? Ah……."
Diana looked at me and blinked in apparent confusion.
"I’m going to train with Decal. He seemed like he didn’t know anything, so I was showing him around."
"……I see."
Diana wore a rare, gloomy expression.
"You work hard too, Diana."
"Yes."
We passed Diana by.
It bothered me, so I looked back, and Diana was looking at me as well.
When our eyes met, Diana flusteredly hurried away.
……What was that?
If she wanted to come along, she could just say so.
"There are training halls elsewhere too, but this one has the fewest people."
"You’re not looking for a place where you can kill me in secret, are you?"
"Ahaha!"
As if my joke suited her taste, Tilia laughed loudly and slapped me with her palm.
"What are you talking about!
I told you, I don’t hold a grudge anymore. There’s just still something we have to settle."
So she wanted to settle it with a duel, then.
I followed Tilia and arrived at the facility called the training hall.
When I opened the door and went in, there was a shoe rack.
"Take your shoes off before coming in."
"……."
There really was a dojo here.
Perhaps it was to ensure nothing got in the way of movement, but there wasn’t a single obstructive thing in sight.
On one wall was a mirror for checking movements. The walls were lined with all sorts of practice weapons, and several candidates were either swinging weapons on their own or
training together with like-minded partners.
It was truly spacious.
It felt like no one would care even if I suddenly started dancing here.
"Decal. Do you use any weapons?"
"Not particularly."
"Then……."
Tilia chose one of the wooden practice swords hanging on the wall and threw it to me.
I caught it reflexively, but then fumbled, not knowing what to do with it.
She wanted me to fight while holding this?
"I’m a mage.
I don’t need this kind of thing."
"Wouldn’t training in it be even more useful precisely because you’re a mage?"
That was…… not wrong.
I was not used to fighting up close.
I had beaten people one-sidedly a few times by relying on physical ability, but if Seoyeon ever slipped inside my range, I’d be helplessly done in.
Unless someone was protecting me.
Well, if the person ranked fifth said she would train me, should I trust her and give it a try?
"Looks like you’re in the mood now.
Do you want it rough? Or gentle?"
…….
Hearing a woman say that felt refreshing.
"Make it rough."
A man had his pride.
"Urgh, agh!?"
Five seconds later, I was flying.
I flew without even knowing what I’d been hit by, spun once through the air, and sprawled face-down on the floor.
"Kuhuk!"
Embarrassment came before pain.
I couldn’t help being bothered by the candidates training in the distance turning to look this way.
When I got up, Tilia was snickering.
This girl…….