[Ding ding ding ding ding!]
[★★★★★]
[...]
Following the crisp notification sound, the world before Su Yuzu seemed to transform into a pitch-black sea, with the distant sky taking on a sorrowful gray hue.
Snowflake-like fragments constantly drifted down from the sky, falling into the sea's surface.
Then, as they neared the water, they were ignited, turning into scattered red fireflies that dyed the horizon where sky met sea the color of brilliant fireworks.
With her hands bound behind her back, the girl stood barefoot upon the surface of the sea.
The girl wore a carp-patterned dress nearly identical to the aberrant attire she had on when she fell.
Only, this carp-patterned dress was now a deep, carmine red.
The carp-patterned dress shamelessly exposed the still somewhat juvenile curves of the girl's chest, as well as... a radiant red line of light that split vertically downward from the junction of her collarbones, all the way to her lower abdomen.
That was humiliation—
And also a brand.
And also a contract.
Unlike the pantyhose or black over-the-knee socks that were practically standard for Aberrants.
Soga Ishikawa Kiyomi's pair of slender, straight, and fair legs were displayed completely bare before Su Yuzu.
Her toes pointed lightly on the sea's surface.
The girl's chin was slightly raised, revealing a proud expression, her crimson eyes fixed on Su Yuzu—
The image froze.
"I am Soga Ishikawa Kiyomi."
Her tone was as arrogant as when Su Yuzu had first met Soga Ishikawa Kiyomi, but in the next second...
"Eek!!!"
"No, that's not it. Although Kiyomi is a citrus, it's true..."
"I... I'm not inviting you to taste me."
"Wait!"
"Sobs..."
The arrogant tone of voice collapsed in an instant, and the girl's voice became a slightly trembling whimper, one that even sounded like she was biting her knuckles to hold it back.
[Operator: Soga Ishikawa Kiyomi]
[★★★★★]
[Level 20 - Wide-Area Mental Interference User]
[Talent: Bombardment Domain]
[Inherent Ability: Nightmare Singer]
[The young lady of the Soga Ishikawa family, a first-year student at Keigunen Private Academy, and a victim of the 'Insight' project. A seemingly arrogant girl, but... it seems the chain on her collar has already been grasped.]
[Initial Favorability: -5 (Submission)]
[The Dominator's Brand: An absolutely loyal servant. You need not worry about her betraying you.]
[...]
It was a somewhat pleasant surprise.
Su Yuzu truly hadn't expected Soga Ishikawa Kiyomi to also be a precious 'wild' five-star Operator.
On second thought, it made sense.
Mihou Sakai, after all, was an outstanding student who had been admitted to Keigunen Private Academy on merit, relying on her own hard work and talent.
Barring any accidents, the combination of 'Body Restoration,' 'Perfect Execution,' and 'Unyielding Will' was enough to ensure the girl would grow into a Valkyrie capable of standing on her own.
And... Soga Ishikawa Kiyomi.
As the young lady of the Soga Ishikawa family.
Although Soga Ishikawa Kiyomi's 'Mental Interference' ability was far inferior to Soga Yura's 'Mind Control'.
But... comparing Soga Ishikawa Kiyomi to that monster Soga Yura was already a compliment to the girl.
What's more, Soga Ishikawa Kiyomi's ability wasn't just simple 'Mental Interference'.
It was the more powerful 'Wide-Area Mental Interference' with a broader range.
The girl was a five-star Operator.
That was perfectly reasonable.
Although... she was an Abyss-Attribute Operator, just like little Mihou Sakai.
Su Yuzu checked the new achievement she had obtained, 'Sailing the Abyss'.
[You are standing on the edge of a cliff, the pitch-black abyss right below your feet.]
The game always described the process of Aberration as falling into the abyss of aberration—the so-called 'corruption.'
The Abyss was practically synonymous with Aberration and Catastrophe.
Was it saying that she was on the verge of Aberration?
The more Abyss-Attribute Operators she recruited, the closer she got to the Abyss?
Su Yuzu didn't understand.
She just silently swiped open the achievement system and the Operator Index.
She looked at Soga Ishikawa Kiyomi, who was lying on the hospital bed, staring at her eagerly.
Soga Ishikawa Kiyomi's favorability toward her was '-5'.
The favorability status was 'Submission'.
Su Yuzu wasn't surprised.
Rather... after everything that had happened yesterday... and last night, the fact that Soga Ishikawa Kiyomi's favorability was only '-5' was already a miracle.
She reached out her hand, slightly crooking her fingers.
Soga Ishikawa Kiyomi immediately arched her body with effort, bringing her chin to Su Yuzu's hand and allowing Su Yuzu to gently scratch the sensitive soft muscles of the girl's slender neck and chin, just like teasing a kitten.
Yes, very submissive.
Just like she was... taught in the dream.
A hint of grievance seemed to flash through her carmine eyes before quickly vanishing.
Soga Ishikawa Kiyomi was truly terrified.
But... as Su Yuzu gently caressed her, she felt an urge from the bottom of her heart to comply, to squeeze out a whimper like a kitten's.
The pride of being the young lady of the Soga Ishikawa family made the girl bite down on her lower lip with all her might, refusing to let the whimper escape.
Su Yuzu pulled her hand back.
Soga Ishikawa Kiyomi's arched body collapsed back onto the hospital bed.
Her carmine eyes stared blankly at the ceiling, the bed's blanket rising and falling with each of the girl's breaths.
Just a little more... and she would have lost control of herself.
The girl's entire reaction was laid bare before Su Yuzu's eyes.
To be honest... it was very interesting.
However, she was thinking about another problem.
Was it really right for her to give Soga Ishikawa Kiyomi hope?
Once an Esper undergoes Aberration, they lose their potential for growth.
Unless... they break through their shackles.
But Soga Ishikawa Kiyomi had only just reached Level 20.
To break through, who knows how many 'Combat Records' she would have to consume.
Right now, all she had on hand were 'Basic Combat Records'.
According to Su Yuzu's speculation.
She would have to wait until she was promoted to the First Sequence before she could obtain more advanced 'Combat Records'.
For Soga Ishikawa Kiyomi, who had already entered the Second Sequence, 'Basic Combat Records' probably only had the effect of a brief thrill.
She had given her hope.
But the arrival of that hope... seemed to be a long, long way off.
Looking at the girl lying listlessly on the bed and staring at the ceiling, Su Yuzu gently tapped 'Develop'.
In any case.
Today's interest still needed to be collected.
Soga Ishikawa Kiyomi, who had just relaxed, never imagined... that Lady Fate would launch a surprise attack at this very moment.
"Mmph..." A pitiful sound escaped as the girl nearly sat up straight on the bed.
But it was fine~
Right now, her legs were too weak to even sit up.
"—Regarding the Matter of How I Was Too Mortified to Continue Being Mortified."
But... hope surged anew in Soga Ishikawa Kiyomi's eyes.
Even if it was just a tiny nudge.
She felt it.
In the warm current of the 'Blessing', her power, which she had once believed to be fixed and unable to advance for the rest of her life, had slightly... just slightly inched forward.
There's still hope!
There's still hope!
"Get some rest." The 'demon' who dominated Soga Ishikawa Kiyomi revealed a smile.
Because of the joy from just receiving the 'Blessing'.
This demon, in her eyes... actually seemed a little gentler.
The girl sitting sideways in the sunlight with a gentle smile was like... an angel.
"Oh, right." The angel's lips curled up, thoughtfully reminding Soga Ishikawa Kiyomi.
"Remember to change into a new hospital gown."
"Be careful not to catch a cold."
Looking at Su Yuzu's upturned lips, Soga Ishikawa Kiyomi's own lips trembled so much she couldn't even bite them.
She really is a demon after all!
________________________________________
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