Chapter 159: Military Advisor Tristan
[June 2nd, night.]
[You and Baobhan Sith studied until very late, only returning to the dorms when the closing time was near.]
[You rub your neck, stiff from bowing over books for too long.]
[When you return to the boys' dormitory, everyone is using the game console to play Nintendo Servant Smash.]
"You're back, Eikou,"
Oberon and the other Knights of the Round Table were sitting on the floor, using the game console connected to a portable screen to play together. On the table beside them were potato chips and soda.
They were pressing the controllers so furiously it looked like sparks might fly out, the in-game battle so intense that they didn't even have time to glance at him.
"Just one day not seeing you and I already miss you so much. Wait for us to finish this match, then you join us, tonight we're planning to play all night!"
"Nah, no, no way…"
As soon as Eikou saw they were inviting him to play, he hurriedly waved his hands,
"I quit gaming already."
Ka-Boom.
Hearing that sentence, the people who were focused on button-mashing instantly froze, the controllers slipping from their hands simultaneously.
"...Mochizuki Eikou from Lostbelt?"
Oberon and everyone turned their heads, looking at him with unfamiliar eyes.
"From Proper Human History," he said. "You're that surprised just because I don't want to play games with you?"
"Did you eat something bad?" Tristan asked sincerely.
"No, I've simply attained enlightenment, I don't want to waste time on these entertainments anymore."
Eikou lifted his head to the sky with deep seriousness,
"I've decided to improve myself. From now on I will develop comprehensively in Morality – Wisdom – Physical – Aesthetics – Labor. From now on, when you guys form a team to play games, don't call me anymore, because I've already grown past the age of gaming."
"Even if you say that…" Gawain commented, "I don't feel you've become any more serious, you're just switching to another way of causing trouble."
"Hmph~"
I have given up the identity of "Pure-love God -- Eikoucles", how could I be joking?
If I want to take responsibility for the girls, I must spend my free time improving myself!
"However," Tristan said, "we just borrowed the game cartridge Dynasty Servants: Origins from Alexander. You're not interested at all?"
"Ah…"
Eikou's eyes immediately lit up, but he quickly shook his head vigorously,
"Listen carefully, never mention such shallow things in front of me again. I am already an adult who has graduated from games and manga, asking me to do summer homework is more meaningful."
"But… we can't beat Lu Bu in it, can you give us a hand?" Gawain deliberately showed a troubled expression, asking for help.
Eikou froze.
"That guy is the main story BOSS, right? You guys are useless, even stuck on the main story. Give it here, let me beat that Berserker—"
He subconsciously took the controller from Gawain, then immediately realized, gasping sharply.
Too dangerous… he almost fell into their trap again, then played with them until midnight!
These bastards want to take advantage of my difficulty refusing others and my fondness for helping people, trying to drag me into their wicked scheme—how insidious!
"No… don't you dare tempt me…"
Eikou said, hurriedly putting the controller down,
"How could I surrender to such cheap electronic entertainment? It's late, I'm going to sleep!"
Then he jumped onto the bed, pulled the blanket over his head, pretending he was already asleep.
"Sir Eikou, what's wrong with you…" Tristan said.
"Ha ha, Sir Eikou, you know, it's normal for him to go crazy once in a while." Gawain laughed.
[About ten minutes later.]
[You really want to play games.]
Hearing the sound of gaming in the dorm, Eikou quietly lifted the blanket, then climbed down from the bed.
"After thinking very carefully, I have now fully attained enlightenment."
Eikou crossed his arms, speaking seriously.
"You attained full enlightenment again?"
"Self-improvement is certainly important, but the bond between brothers cannot be delayed!" he said seriously. "Hurry and give me the controller. I'll just play a little, within ten minutes I'll definitely defeat that disgraceful Berserker!"
"I knew you'd say that, the controller is already prepared for you!"
"Good…"
Eikou took the controller, intending to finish the fight quickly,
"Lu Bu, get out here and die!"
[You thought Lu Bu in "Dynasty Servants: Origins" would be easy.]
[But it took you a full hour to beat him, the difficulty equal to the Souls series.]
[Time gradually reached around eleven o'clock.]
[After struggling to finally defeat Lu Bu, it was finally time to sleep.]
"I can't take it anymore, I really have to sleep…"
Looking at the defeated screen of Lu Bu in the game, Eikou finally let out a sigh of relief and put the controller down.
"Why are you in such a hurry to sleep? Do you have something tomorrow?" Gawain asked.
"Tomorrow I really do have something very important…"
Eikou nodded.
June 3rd — on that day he had promised to go on a date with France Queen Marie.
"Marie from the other class seems to know about what happened last time at the hot spring, and although she didn't threaten me, she still hopes to have a date with me for a day, hoping I can be her boyfriend for one day."
"Just one day as lovers, and everything is cut clean after the date? If it were Lancelot he'd probably love it, being able to date a married woman without getting hunted down by her husband." Gawain said thoughtfully.
"If things could really end cleanly with Marie then it would be fine," Eikou said, "But I know… with my personality it's very hard for me to refuse others, and in the end it will still turn into a messy, unclear relationship…"
Saying that things would end after the date, but he would definitely sink deeper and deeper, then Marie would use all kinds of tactics to lock in the relationship.
In the end, the number of women he has to take responsibility for would increase by one more.
With Marie's methods, it wouldn't be strange at all if after the date she somehow dragged him straight to 'Until You Dry'.
"Sir Eikou, I have a plan!" Tristan suddenly said.
"You also have a plan?"
Eikou looked at Tristan who was making a very earnest expression, but he always felt this guy was extremely unreliable…
"Haizz, I really have fallen so far that I'm willing to listen to even a dog-headed strategist like you… Just say it."
"The method is extremely simple, like this..."
[Tristan leans over and whispers the dating strategy into your ear.]
[...]
[After hearing it, you can't help being startled.]
"Is this even allowed?" Eikou said doubtfully. "Why do I feel like I'll still sink deeper and deeper?"
"It will definitely work. Tomorrow you just do exactly this!"
Tristan said with certainty.
"...Alright, I'll believe you once." Eikou nodded.
[Just like that, you drift into sleep in nervousness and unease.]
[Tomorrow is the day you go on a date with the France Queen, Marie Antoinette.]
[Your goal is to carry out the strategy Tristan gave you. If the plan goes smoothly, Marie might lose interest in you. That way, the troublesome social entanglements you have with women will lose one major threat! The fewer women chasing you, the lighter your pressure, and then you can focus wholeheartedly on pursuing Baobhan Sith.]
[That being said, Tristan's strategy truly makes you extremely uneasy.]
...