Chapter 130: Deepening Misunderstandings A lavish party where everyone gathers after a fierce match.
Classic.
The current students and transfer students were mingling and laughing, pulling that "we fought our hearts out, so now we're buddies" move that shonen manga loves so much.
It's nice to see them getting so close in just a single day.
Unfortunately, I wasn't part of that circle.
Damn teachers—if they were going to do this, where does that leave me?
Of course, as August said, people aren't actually holding a grudge or bullying me just because of one match. They're drinking with me and talking to me casually enough.
But how should I put it?
They have this sense of camaraderie from trying to catch me? A shared experience? Because of that, people who noticed each other during the match tend to cluster together.
As a result, groups naturally formed, and I was left enjoying the party solo, belonging nowhere.
"Wallflower?"
"Wallflower, my ass. I'm a flower on a high peak. I'm so damn impressive that no one dares to approach me."
"Still as positive as ever, I see."
Masayoshi chuckled, placing a plate of food in front of me to share.
Seeing Rio join us a moment later, it wasn't that they came because they felt sorry for me being alone; they just couldn't fit in elsewhere either, could they?
"Couldn't find a spot?"
"…I came because I felt pity for you."
"Couldn't find a spot, huh?"
"… …"
Rio gave a silent affirmation.
Since they only picked the aces from each class to keep the numbers even, there were plenty of transfer students they hadn't even spoken to yet. Unless you're a total social butterfly, it's hard to wedge yourself into an already established group.
"Yahoo~ Yeon-woo, you were a total mess again today! It was fun."
Mary joined us with a bright smile, accompanied by Yukina.
While only glasses filled with booze were on display, Jade appeared from somewhere carrying a massive bottle the size of a thigh and started pouring drinks.
It was the usual crew, but gathering like this in a place like this felt fresh.
"May I join you?"
"Miss Fei! Sit here."
Rio quickly cleared a spot next to him, but the North Star sat down next to Yukina instead.
…Are you aiming for Yukina?
"Today's match gave me a lot to learn. To think you'd use the rules like that… I was so impressed by your wit."
Don't lie to me. "Impressed"? You were cursing me out the moment the match ended.
The North Star played the innocent act, putting on a refined front.
"Fei, you can speak casually. At Yggdrasil, classmates speak informally regardless of age."
"Is that so? Then feel free to be comfortable with me too. I saw you during the match; you were great."
The North Star smiled softly, taking Mary's lead.
"Yeah, just speak casually."
"…Right. I will."
What's with the temperature difference between how she treats Mary and how she treats me?
The North Star glared at me for a split second before forcing an awkward smile, holding back since we were in public.
August-san? There's someone right here who's still salty about losing once. This isn't what you told me.
Regardless, the North Star naturally blended in with us, putting effort into getting close to Yukina's group.
She responded gently whenever the Comedy Duo chimed in, but she had an incredible skill for fluidly shifting the topic back to Yukina. What's scarier is that even though they were being sidelined, the Comedy Duo didn't even realize it.
"All the pretty girls are gathered right here."
Ugh, for real—why are you coming over?
That "Under-the-Bed" bastard approached us, flashing his white teeth.
"Everyone's having fun, so why are you all sipping drinks so gloomily? Come on, I'll show you a good time."
True to his nature as an NTR character, he didn't spare a single glance for the Comedy Duo, ignoring them entirely as he reached out to the women.
Specifically, toward Yukina.
This piece of shit really wants to die.
The North Star, who was also targeting Yukina, looked murderous, and while Under-the-Bed found the reaction strange, he spoke with overflowing confidence.
"Isn't this table boring? I—"
"Get lost, you Under-the-Bed bastard."
At my words, Under-the-Bed froze. He slowly turned his head to look at me.
Look at those nasty eyes. It makes me want to poke them with my finger.
"Under-the-Bed? What does that mean?"
Jade, who couldn't care less about Isaac, tilted her glass and asked what the nickname meant.
I can't believe she doesn't know something so simple.
"Have you ever looked under your bed at night before you go to sleep?"
"…Lately… I don't really remember doing it, but I did it often when I was a kid. I was a coward and thought there might be a monster."
"What do you see when you look under there?"
"…Nothing?"
"Exactly. It's so damn pitch black you can't see a thing."
"… …"
My friends who were with me, and the people nearby, all glanced at Under-the-Bed the moment I finished speaking.
The area around us went silent in an instant, making the distant chatter sound like background noise.
"Whoa…"
"No, that's not right. That's racist."
"Shut up. Did I call all Black people 'Under-the-Bed'? I called that guy 'Under-the-Bed'."
"It's the same thing."
"No, it's not. I call Tatsuki 'Tatsuki,' don't I? Only that guy is 'Under-the-Bed'."
The Comedy Duo looked at me with expressions of disbelief, and the people around us looked at me with disgust.
I don't throw those kinds of racist insults at Tatsuki, the buff Black guy from Class A.
I'm only doing it to this guy because he's aiming for my Yukina.
However, since Under-the-Bed hadn't actually done anything yet, I didn't have much else to insult him for.
As Under-the-Bed stood there frozen, glaring at me, his older sister Kaira approached.
While everyone's faces tensed up, Kaira stood next to the rigid Under-the-Bed and looked down at me.
"Pfft—"
After locking eyes with me for a moment, Kaira burst into laughter and started slapping Under-the-Bed's shoulder.
"You got completely owned. This is the first time I've seen him speechless. You've got quite the silver tongue, don't you?"
"It's as good as my face."
"So, am I 'Under-the-Bed' too?"
"No, you're Kaira. Nice to meet you, though I saw your face plenty during the match."
Satisfied that I called her by name, Kaira sat down between the Comedy Duo.
"I won't bite. Or are you guys racist too?"
"A-Ah, no. It's not that. We were just surprised…"
"It's a joke. You guys are funny."
As the Comedy Duo scrambled back in panic from her touching their shoulders, Kaira made a joke and then picked up the glass Masayoshi had been drinking from, draining it in one go.
"Isaac, no matter how you look at it, it doesn't seem like you're welcome here. Why don't you just leave?"
"…Kaira, are you crazy?"
"Do I need to remind you whether I'm crazy or not?"
When Kaira flashed a hint of bloodlust, Under-the-Bed clicked his tongue, gave me one last glare, and left without a word.
Under-the-Bed had been beaten by his sister since they were kids. Every time he caused trouble, Kaira would get angry and punish him in their parents' stead, but since Under-the-Bed was an NTR character by nature, he was beyond fixing. Now that they were both adults, they were bitter enemies who found the fact that they shared blood disgusting.
Kaira laughed as she watched Under-the-Bed walk away, then turned her head toward me.
"Sorry. We're related, but he's a piece of trash. But… you seem to know him well?"
"I don't know him, but I know the women who've suffered because of him."
"Ah, I see. Then I understand your attitude."
When I gave her the excuse I'd prepared, Kaira nodded in agreement.
Then, she took over the conversation, telling the curious onlookers about Under-the-Bed's atrocities.
Since he was a piece of trash that couldn't be redeemed, the expressions of the kids changed by the second as Kaira detailed his deeds, eventually turning to pure disgust.
Even with his reputation dragged through the mud like this, that bastard still manages to seduce women somehow.
Anyway, I'll be keeping a constant eye on him; the moment I see a hint of him interfering with me or Akito, I'm going to crush him.
Our carefree protagonist, Akito, was enjoying himself surrounded by people, just like a protagonist should.
Most of the heroines from the Heroine DLC were part of that group.
He's doing well. Yeah, keep gathering those heroines and save the world.
Since things seem to be flowing well over there, I just need to keep Under-the-Bed in check.
After spending some time drinking, I headed to the restroom.
After emptying my bladder, I looked up at the night sky on my way back.
This place definitely has factories and air conditioners running full blast, so why is the night sky here so brilliant?
I was looking up at the sky, which I marveled at every time I saw it, when someone approached me.
"Um…"
Thinking it might be that Under-the-Bed bastard, I tensed up and was about to pull out my stick, but I stopped when I saw Chika's face.
"Oh—you feeling healthy now?"
"…Thank you."
"It was part of the mission, so it was only natural."
Even though I spoke as if it were no big deal, Chika fidgeted, unable to meet my eyes.
I guess she still has memories of trying to rape me.
If those memories came back once she regained her senses, it must be hard to bear. Yeah, I get it.
Even if she was drugged, the fact that she was rubbing her crotch against my cock and shaking her breasts doesn't just disappear.
Chika looked like a shy girl, hovering and checking my reaction before finally managing to speak.
"That… just forget everything that happened then."
"Okay. I'll forget it."
"Huh? Really?"
"…You told me to forget it."
"No, I thought… you would definitely make some weird demand or try to piss me off…"
Yeah, I can see exactly what kind of image you have of me.
"I shouldn't tease you about stuff like that. It wasn't of your own will."
"… …"
"What? Why that face?"
"No… I just didn't think you were capable of saying something so righteous."
You're being a bit too honest, aren't you?
If you keep that up, I might actually do what you said.
Chika stared into my pure, handsome eyes for a moment, then let out a sigh and burst into laughter.
"Then I feel like an idiot for worrying about it this whole time."
"You are an idiot."
"You said you wouldn't tease me!"
"I can tease you about this."
Chika and I bickered back and forth.
Her attitude toward me really has softened a lot compared to the beginning.
Having grown close through our constant involvement, Chika's energy suddenly dropped mid-conversation, and her expression darkened.
Ah, right. Her "darkening" event was still in progress.
"You're amazing… even more than me…"
"What are you talking about? You jealous?"
"I am."
Chika looked up and met my eyes.
Her golden eyes, devoid of any lies, were beautiful as she stared at me clearly without looking away.
"Why are you so amazing?"
"Is that a compliment or a genuine question?"
"It's a question. No matter what I do, nothing seems to be within my reach, but you grab everything effortlessly and always stay ahead. You're different from a plain girl like me."
Akito!!! What the hell are you doing!!
Instead of running around banging heroines, pay some attention to Chika!!
The childhood friend position is the first to leave if you don't give them attention! You're an eroge protagonist, haven't you even played games like this?!
I suppressed my boiling frustration and looked at the pitiful Chika before turning my head.
"You aren't plain."
"No, I'm plain and weak. All I know how to do is charge in like an idiot. But now, even that isn't enough."
So she is aware that she charges in without thinking.
Surprisingly, she has some self-objectivity.
"You have talent. And you're in the middle of growing."
"Yukina is stronger than me."
"So?"
"What do you mean, 'so'—"
"Everyone's growth rate is different. A kid called a top prospect might suddenly stop growing, or someone said to have no talent might suddenly become one of the 12 Zodiacs. Well—you can't generalize stuff like that. If plain losers believe that and work hard, they usually still fail in the end anyway."
"… …"
"The problem is the bastards who spout that nonsense and say, 'Don't give up! If you work harder, you can achieve your dreams!' while acting like total shits next to you."
"…That's not really comforting, is it?"
Chika looked at me with a blank expression.
"Did you think I was going to comfort you? You don't even want to be comforted."
"… …"
"What I'm trying to say is that you aren't plain, and you have talent. There are definitely plain people even at Yggdrasil. Like Rio, or someone like Rio, or just Rio."
"You're harsh on Rio. Aren't you friends?"
"Being friends and an evaluation are two different things. And it's the same for how I evaluate you."
Chika stared at me vacantly.
"I, the guy who effortlessly handles everything and stays ahead just like you said, am guaranteeing it. You're a bit weak right now? Don't sweat it. You're going to become strong."
You're one of the top five strongest characters among the heroines.
In fact, if a player grinds with their teeth clenched, you can become stronger than Yukina, and there are even users who've beaten the final boss with just you alone.
When I looked at her with eyes that held no lies, Chika blinked for a moment, staring blankly, before suddenly jumping up.
"I-If you're going to give comfort, don't just say whatever! Say it properly! Who would believe you!"
Chika let out a shriek and then fled as if running away.
I tell her she has talent, and she still acts like that.
Still, that tsundere-like reaction was a real treat.
Wait? Tsundere?
Chika, who had run at full speed, stopped in a deserted area.
Her breath came in ragged gasps and her heart was thumping wildly, but it wasn't just because she had run as hard as she could.
'You're going to become strong.'
Yeon-woo had said that while looking at her with eyes that held not a shred of deceit.
The man who always caused trouble and was never serious had looked at her with eyes more serious than ever before, telling her she would become strong.
More than Akito, who was always by her side, more than her father, who was always demanding, he believed in her more.
As the image of Yeon-woo's face from just moments ago surfaced, Chika's cheeks flushed a deep red.
'This is crazy… what's wrong with me…?'
It felt similar to when she was drugged.
Could it be that the treatment wasn't done properly? Or that the effects of the drug were still lingering…?
Chika was confused as her body kept heating up.
On top of that, the memory of rubbing her body against Yeon-woo while drugged came back to her, making her face turn even redder.
"Chika? Is something wrong?"
"Huh?"
Of all people, she ran into Akito, the one she least wanted to see right now.
Chika, who had secretly liked Akito, was incredibly flustered to have him see her while her heart was fluttering because of Yeon-woo.
Her face hardened into a stiff expression according to her emotions, and Akito, seeing that expression for the first time, was also taken aback.
"Ah…"
"Did Yeon-woo come this way?"
"Huh? No, I didn't see him. H-He must be somewhere else. Ah, I have to go get a drink. See you inside."
Chika fled once again.
Akito watched her retreating back for a moment before turning his head to look in the direction Chika had come from.
Something had definitely happened in the basement.
He hadn't asked anything out of consideration for Chika, but she had been noticeably strange ever since that incident.
Just what had happened…?
After thinking for a moment, Akito began walking in the direction she had come from.
And there, he came face-to-face with Yeon-woo, who was alone.
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