Episode 19
"Young master, it is time for dinner."
"...Yeah."
As evening fell, Kania entered the room carrying food.
"What's for dinner today?"
"It's the sandwich and coffee that you like, young master."
"Is that so?"
If there's one thing that improved after Kania discovered I'm a villain, it's that I can now enjoy the meals she prepares without leaving anything behind.
Kania is exceptionally good at cooking.
She has been skilled at cooking since childhood, and to suit my tastes—which I used to pretend were picky—she researched various cooking methods, resulting in skills that would put most chefs to shame.
"...Is it perhaps not tasty?"
"No, it's delicious."
"Is that so?"
Unconsciously praising her, I looked up in realization, only to find Kania wearing an awkward expression, seemingly finding such treatment strange.
"...Kania, you've always been good at cooking since you were young."
"Me?"
"Yes, so honestly, every time I left food behind to commit evil deeds, it was regrettable."
"...So you weren't leaving my cooking because it tasted bad?"
Having already praised her, I decided to continue complimenting her, and Kania asked with an absurd expression upon hearing my words.
Her appearance was so funny that I almost burst out laughing, but I picked up the sandwich on the plate in front of me and spoke.
"Didn't you know? If you had tasted it yourself, you would have known I was just being unreasonable."
"I did taste it myself, but since you kept saying it was bad, young master, I also thought the food I made was tasteless."
"You've never fed it to anyone else?"
"I didn't have much confidence in my cooking, so I never made food except when you ordered me to prepare meals, young master."
"I see..."
Thinking about Kania making food in the kitchen with her spirits crushed makes my heart ache.
I forced a bright expression and picked up the coffee in front of me.
"...Mmm."
"It's not bitter?"
"You make good coffee too, Kania."
"Really?"
Kania asked with an expression of disbelief, so I answered with a bitter smile.
"Everything harsh I said to you was all lies. Know that."
"...Then, what my younger sister said about my food being delicious wasn't consolation but the truth."
"Yes, that's right."
Thinking it was fortunate she was regaining her self-esteem even now, I continued eating the sandwich, then suddenly recalled the first day I regressed and cautiously opened my mouth.
"Ah, you know that day I flipped over the sandwich?"
"Yes..."
"That was also a lie. I'm truly sor—, ah."
I was about to say sorry to her, but I stopped mid-sentence. According to the scenario I explained to her, I don't even have the right to apologize to her.
"You're sorry?"
When I kept my mouth shut, Kania frowned and asked again.
After quietly watching her appearance, I decided to abandon the brazen attitude I had initially resolved to maintain, and began speaking with my head deeply bowed.
"As I promised last time, since I've done things to you, I won't ask for your forgiveness in the future."
"......"
"Instead, I'll do my best to treat you well from now on."
"...Me?"
"Yes, though I'll still have no choice but to treat you coldly in front of others... when I'm alone with you, I'll do whatever you want."
"...Anything?"
"Yes, anything."
When I spoke with sincerity, she quietly looked at me. Looking at her, I cautiously continued.
"Just think of it as my atonement to you. Of course, since I'm doing this unilaterally, you don't need to accept it, and you can refuse if it's unpleasant."
After saying that, I waited for her answer with an anxious expression, and Kania opened her mouth with her face deeply scrunched up.
"...Do as you please."
"Understood, Kania."
Judging by her answer with an expression that showed no willingness at all, she clearly agreed reluctantly... but I wanted to treat her well even like this.
Of course, I want to treat the other 'main heroines' well too, but the person who suffered the most because of me was Kania, who was always by my side.
Even when dying, she didn't die by another's will but by her own, and even cursed me in front of me—how much must her heart have suffered?
So I'm glad I can treat her well even in this way.
"Kania, by the way, aren't you eating?"
I was about to continue my meal with a slight smile when I suddenly realized I had never seen Kania eating.
"...I only prepared the young master's meal."
"Then, when do you eat?"
So when I asked her when she eats, Kania answered as if it were obvious.
"Until now, I've been snacking on this and that while preparing the young master's meals."
"...What?"
"As I tried to match the young master's tastes... it somehow became a habit."
Hearing those words, I stood up from my seat.
"I'll cook for you."
"...What?"
"I can cook to some extent. Just cut ingredients with a knife and sprinkle some salt appropriately... ugh!"
However, as I boldly tried to step outside, I felt pain throughout my body and had no choice but to sit back down.
"...Are you alright?"
"I'm fine. I'll recover soon."
"Your recovery speed seems too slow for that."
"If I rest well, I'll get better."
When I answered weakly while sitting down, Kania quietly nodded and stood up. Watching her quietly, I saw her pick up the cat doll placed on the desk and cautiously asked.
"Ah, Kania."
"Yes?"
"About that black cat doll on the desk, could I possibly get one too?"
"What do you mean by that?"
"...I actually like cats, you see."
Then Kania started staring at me intensely. Indeed, saying I like cats when I called them unlucky just a few days ago would make anyone react that way.
"Unfortunately, this cat doll is handmade by my younger sister, so there's only one in the world."
"Is that so? Then it can't be helped."
Though I said that, I couldn't hide my disappointment, and after thinking for a moment, Kania opened her mouth.
"If you really want it, I'll give it to you, young master."
"No, there's no need for..."
"I can just ask my sister to make one more."
Saying that, Kania handed me the cat doll with an expressionless face.
"...Thank you."
I tried to refuse if possible, but since it was a grateful doll that raised my mental strength value by 0.3, I accepted the doll after some hesitation.
"Hmm? Why isn't there any sound?"
"What?"
"This doll used to make cute sounds when you pressed its belly firmly..."
"......"
Kania suddenly frowned at my words. I was wondering why she did that, tilting my head, when she spoke in a low voice.
"...Why exactly were you touching that area?"
"Huh?"
"No, that's not it... When did you touch the doll?"
"...Ah."
I ended up mentioning the fact that I had touched her doll without realizing it.
Cold sweat running down my back as I checked her complexion, she was blushing, whether from being angry that her favorite doll had been touched by me or from some other emotion.
"Um... I'm sorry for touching it without your permission. But it was so soft and..."
"........"
"And the cat crying sound was so cute that I unconsciously..."
She looked at me, still blushing, as I started trailing off, and then spoke in a stiff voice.
"That doll is being used for my black magic experiments."
"...For black magic experiments?"
"Yes, I was experimenting with making dolls that move automatically without using special power once set as a medium."
"...Is that so? There was that kind of black magic too."
"Only when first using black magic to set the doll as a medium consumes black magic power, and normally it automatically responds to the black magic power around me and moves without... magic power consumption."
"Wait, isn't that amazing?"
"Of course, since it's in the experimental stage, it breaks down often. Originally, it moves on its own... but I guess it's in a broken state right now."
"I see."
When I pressed the belly with a sullen expression at the news that the cat doll was broken, Kania hesitated before opening her mouth.
"...If it's night when my black magic power becomes stronger, it might be fixed."
"Is that so? That's fortunate."
"Then, I'll see you tonight, young master."
Saying that, Kania went outside the dormitory.
'She went out earlier saying she had something to do... what could it be?'
After briefly worrying about her, I soon guessed that she might be going out of the dormitory often because she knew the truth and didn't want to see my face, and with a sullen expression, I lay on the bed hugging the cat.
"...Right, I have to give life force to Kania tonight too."
When we go to my house next week, I'll have to feed the potion to Kania's younger sister first, putting aside everything else.
.
Time passed and the night deepened.
"Ugh..."
"...Are you alright?"
As I trembled with cold sweat running down, Kania asked with a stiff expression, having lifted her top to expose her belly.
"Not yet, not yet..."
"...Are you sure you're really alright?"
The reason Kania is like that is because I'm currently putting my hand on her belly and infusing life force.
When transferring life force, it's most efficient to directly touch important body parts like a person's belly or heart and infuse it.
So now that my life force has been greatly reduced, to maximize the efficiency of the transfer, I asked Kania for understanding and am touching her inner flesh.
Of course, since I can't touch embarrassing parts like her chest, I'm touching her belly, which is a somewhat less embarrassing area.
"............."
Glancing at Kania's complexion, she was making a quite unpleasant expression with her face continuously stiffened. Indeed, if someone you can't stand is touching your belly, it's natural to feel repulsed.
"...Young master, I think you can stop now."
"Cough! Cough! Haa... It seems so."
However, since Kania would die if I didn't do this, I grit my teeth and tried to continue transferring life force, but the limit came in just one minute.
Originally, if I transferred life force slowly and gently for about 5 minutes, nothing would go wrong, but I'm newly feeling the dreadfulness of the penalty.
"Blood is flowing from your mouth."
"This sometimes happens when healing black magic power with the hero's power. It only happens during treatment, so there's no need to worry."
"...Yes."
"...Then good night, Kania."
"I hope you have a good rest too, young master."
After roughly wiping the blood that had seeped from my mouth, I exchanged farewells with Kania and headed to bed.
'...It's still not moving.'
After briefly looking at the cat doll next to me with regret, I prayed that my body would recover somewhat by tomorrow morning and sought sleep.
.
"...Cough! Cough!"
It seems that rather than recovering, my body condition is only getting worse.
I woke up feeling pain throughout my body along with a cough in the middle of sleep.
"Ugh..."
Checking the alarm clock with groggy eyes, it's still dawn. However, given how much my body aches, it seems I won't be getting any more sleep today.
"Kitty... I'm having such a hard time..."
In such a bleak situation, I made suffering sounds and spoke to the cat doll I had placed next to me.
"Whether it's the system... or the Sun God... they're all despicable guys... you think so too, right?"
".........."
"Is it still broken?"
I cautiously asked the doll a question, but no response came back. I made a crying face and lifted the cat doll, pressing its belly and mumbling.
"If even you stay quiet, I have no one to talk to..."
"........."
"I should have just told Kania the truth... then I could have at least complained about my situation... no, that's not right. If I did that and that poor child feels guilt..."
"...Meow."
"...Kitty?"
I was pathetically complaining while continuously pressing the cat doll's belly when suddenly the cat doll made a small sound.
"Are you fixed?"
"Meow?"
When I asked with my eyes wide open, the cat doll tilted its head and made a crying sound, and the next moment I enthusiastically pressed the cat doll's belly repeatedly and cheered.
"Kittyyyyyy!"
"M, meow... mew! Meow!"
"Don't break down again!"
"Meow! Me, haa... mew!"
"...Hmm?"
But then, a fragile moan was heard from somewhere.
Flustered, I was looking around while pressing the cat's belly, when suddenly the cat doll started struggling.
"S, surprise!"
Startled, I dropped the doll, and the cat doll that fell on my belly shook its body and then started glaring at me fiercely.
"...Ah, it did say it moves automatically, right?"
Recalling what Kania said earlier, I cautiously asked the cat that was now baring its teeth at me.
"By any chance, is it because I touched your belly?"
Then, the doll that was glaring at me fiercely quietly nodded.
"...I see. I'm sorry, really sorry."
When I apologized, not having considered the feelings of a doll whose belly was being touched, the cat doll turned its head and pouted.
'...To implement such an elaborate appearance with just one medium setting. Black magic is truly amazing.'
I was seriously thinking about learning black magic from Kania later when I have time, but then I recalled that black magic and star mana are opposites, so it could be life-threatening, and I dismissed the thought and spoke to the cat again.
"...Kitty, then will you let me touch your belly from now on?"
Then the cat doll nodded with its head turned to the side. It seems quite sulky.
"...Can I touch it gently?"
"......"
"I won't press hard, I'll just gently rub... please let me touch it... okay?"
"...Meow."
In the end, I was able to regain the right to touch the belly only after begging humbly to the cat doll.
I feel a slight sense of defeat, but I can lose to this grateful cat doll that helped restore my mental state any number of times.
"Meow..."
"Hehe... it's soft..."
After petting the cat doll's belly for a while, I felt the pain subside and my eyes grow heavy again, so I fell asleep hugging the cat doll with a happy smile.
That day, I had a happy dream of being surrounded by cats.
.
"...Young master, please be careful."
"...Yeah."
When I woke up in the morning, my mental state was quite clear, perhaps thanks to healing my mind while playing with the cat.
However, my physical condition was still terrible, and I had no choice but to head to the classroom with her support.
"...Hnn."
But something is strange.
Every time I stumble or my hand brushes against her belly, Kania keeps flinching and moaning.
"Kania, what's wrong since earlier?"
"T, there's an error in synchronization and the sensitivity..."
"Hmm?"
"Ah, no... I have an upset stomach."
"...Oh my."
After looking at her regretfully for a moment, I moved away from her and opened my mouth.
"I'll go alone from here."
"What?"
"I can't push you when you have an upset stomach."
"But..."
"I said I'd treat you well unilaterally. I'm fine, so go on ahead."
"........."
When I said that, she suddenly bit her lip hard and started glaring at me.
"...What's wrong? Kania?"
"You don't look very fine."
Saying that, she pointed at my legs that were trembling even though I was standing still.
"...This much is fine. I'm a hero."
"Because you're a hero, you say it's fine?"
Then Kania clenched her fist and asked back.
"Have you been doing everything with such stupid thoughts all along?"
"Shh, someone might hear."
"...I'll go on ahead."
Saying she'd go on ahead in a cold voice, she started walking forward at a fast pace.
'...It's a bit sad.'
It seems that whether I'm discovered as a villain or not, I'm destined to be hated by Kania.
But I need to strengthen my resolve. Because from now on, I have to face the main quest, which is the most important matter for overturning the scenario.
'...Come to think of it, there's still one skill I haven't purchased, right?'
Since we're entering the main quest in earnest starting today, I thought I should prepare fully in advance, so I opened the skill shop and started looking closely at the last remaining skill.
- Villain's Deception Lv1 250pt
Description) Permanently slightly increases the persuasiveness of lies.
'...This is definitely necessary, isn't it?'
Thanks to my experience from the previous round, I've truly mastered deceiving people and acting, but the permanent buff and the effect of increasing the persuasiveness of lies cannot be ignored.
Besides, I'll have to deal with the sharp-witted Princess Klana and my fiancée Serena, called the continent's greatest genius, so buying this unconditionally seems like the right choice.
"...Actually, I'm a woman."
Having purchased the 'Villain's Deception' skill while leaving points to buy the Potential Potion, I told a lie to test the skill's effect.
"...I don't really feel it."
Perhaps because it was too absurd a lie, I didn't particularly feel anything, and I was tilting my head for a moment before heading to the classroom before it got too late, but...
"...Gasp."
".....!"
I discovered Saintess Ferloche standing in front of me with her mouth wide open, and I was so startled I screamed.
"I, I won't go to the cathedral!"
I desperately shouted that, but the saintess inevitably started speaking, and I thought the 'Villain's Intuition' would be activated absurdly again today... but strangely, the system window didn't appear. What on earth is going on?
"Y, y-y you..."
".....?"
"...Were a woman?"
".....What!?"
I was dumbfounded and tried to ask what on earth she meant by Ferloche's foolish statement that followed, but she made a shocked expression, turned around, and ran away.
I didn't even have the strength to chase after her, let alone shout for her to stop, so I slowly moved my feet toward the classroom again and muttered.
"...Is it effective? Or not?"
I don't know if the skill's effect is good or if the saintess is just foolish.
.
"Today, there is one announcement."
After entering the classroom and sitting down, dealing with the noble students appropriately, Isollet came in and started delivering an announcement to everyone.
"There will be a practical evaluation soon."
At those words, the students started murmuring, and Isollet tapped the blackboard to quiet the children and opened her mouth.
"Recently, the frequency of unidentified monsters appearing throughout the empire has increased rapidly. Therefore, the imperial family announced a decree to increase the combat training proportion of the academy."
Hearing her words, I realized that the Demon King had finally started to exert influence on the empire in earnest and swallowed hard.
Meanwhile, Isollet continued speaking while glaring fiercely at the children.
"Therefore, this practical evaluation will be conducted as 1:1 sparring between students."
When those words ended, a brief silence flowed through the classroom.
"You will decide your sparring partner through mutual agreement. If you cannot find a partner, I will assign one arbitrarily."
When she soon established the method for selecting sparring partners, the students started whispering among themselves, and I looked around at them and began eavesdropping on the conversation between Irina sitting next to me and her friend Arianne.
"Irina, let's spar together. I'll hold back appropriately..."
"Arianne, I said I don't need pity."
"What if your grades hit rock bottom? You'll be kicked out to the lower class, and your scholarship too..."
"I said I don't need it!?"
"Irina..."
After the conversation ended and an awkward silence flowed between Irina and Arianne for a while, I looked at them and quietly fell into thought.
'...How should I pick a fight to make Irina's eyes turn?'
To start the main quest 'Commoner Dormitory Attack Incident' in earnest, I need to face Irina Filliad in the practical evaluation.
Why it's 'start' rather than 'clear' is because facing her is the minimum condition for the quest to be established.
And I must lose to Irina, who has a strength stat of only 3 and can't even use basic magic well due to mana depletion from that fight.
And it has to be convincingly so.
As expected of a trash game.