Chapter 20
I blinked at Professor Mela's reaction.
“You're not happy?”
“No. Not at all.”
“You're really not happy?”
“I said I'm not.”
That can't be.
The system said she was happy. It definitely did.
‘What goes through the mind of someone who says they're not happy when they actually are?’
Hmm.
I don't know.
If I knew, I probably would've gotten along better at that female-dominated company, too.
The best thing I could do in a situation like this—
“….”
was simply to stay quiet.
Especially since there were three women behind me, too.
I had no idea what kind of chemical reaction might occur if I carelessly said something weird with several women around.
“…Don't look at me like that. I really wasn't happy.”
“….”
“Oh, honestly….”
Professor Mela turned her face away.
For some reason, her cheeks looked a little red.
“Anyway, back to what we were talking about. So even you don't know why you suddenly got so much stronger, right? I need to run some tests, so cooperate with me. Tomorrow's Saturday anyway.”
“I don't mind, but what does tomorrow being Saturday have to do with it?”
Professor Mela pointed at the bed.
“I'm telling you to stay overnight.”
“Oh.”
“It'll take a while. Are you okay with that?”
“I suppose I have no choice.”
Maybe Professor Mela was doing this because she was bored and had time to spare. No, she was doing it because it had to be done.
Then Professor Mela met the gazes of the women standing behind me.
“It's a medical examination.”
“Yes.”
“Of course.”
“Naturally, that's something only Professor Mela can do.”
“….”
“….”
“….”
“….”
What?
Why was everyone quiet? This was scary.
‘They aren't having a conversation with their eyes somewhere I can't see, are they?’
Even if this was a world inside a romance fantasy, was that really possible?
Nah, that couldn't be.
How could people converse with nothing but their eyes?
——————
After leaving the infirmary, Elettra called out to Maron, who was about to head home.
“Miss Maron.”
“…Yes?”
Maron tensed up. Was the princess really going to use her royal status to threaten her?
But Elettra's expression showed confusion, not anger.
“Earlier… you saw it, right?”
After checking that no one was around, Elettra spread her hands.
A handspan and a half… almost two handspans.
“…Ah.”
Maron understood what Elettra was talking about.
She spread her hands too, matching the length in her memory.
The lengths the two women remembered were nearly identical.
“…Gulp.”
“…Gulp.”
The two women swallowed at the same time.
‘A-are all men this big to begin with?’
‘Usually, they aren't…?’
The two women met each other's eyes again.
“….”
Interpretation: Never tell the other girls about this.
“….”
Interpretation: Of course.
“….”
Interpretation: I know I brought it up, but there probably aren't that many other women after Gilliam, right?
“….”
Interpretation: Who knows? I have no idea either.
“….”
Interpretation: That womanizing delinquent.
“….”
Interpretation: He's an awful delinquent. So why don't you back off, Your Highness?
“….”
Interpretation: You bitch, seriously.
“….”
Interpretation: What do you want me to do about that, you royal bitch?
They exchanged entire sentences without saying a word.
A perfectly ordinary scene in a romance fantasy.
——————
I yawned on the infirmary bed.
“Hwaaaah….”
Actually sleeping here was making me feel strange and restless. I'd grown attached to the dorm cottage after staying there for about a week.
At least it was a relief that I was the only one here.
‘I didn't expect just assigning points to my stats to have this kind of effect….’
They said I needed tests because I'd suddenly gotten stronger.
This wasn't in the original story.
‘I hope the results aren't anything strange.’
I fell asleep while planning what to buy with my points based on the events coming up.
.
.
。
Then, in the dead of night, I woke to the sensation of someone pressing down on my body.
“…?”
Was Professor Mela doing some kind of test while I slept?
Or was it Maron or Elettra resting their breasts on me again…? This was beyond that. It felt like someone had climbed right onto my stomach.
‘Which one of them is it?’
But when I opened my eyes, I realized only half of my guess had been right.
A woman was straddling me—that part was correct.
But she wasn't Maron or Elettra.
A face brimming with cruel mischief.
A witch's hat.
Blood-red hair.
Sharp fangs.
A revealing outfit distinguished by its corset and garter belts.
“Ahaha, you're awake?”
Our eyes met.
At that moment, I realized who she was.
And when I realized who she was, the blood throughout my body turned ice-cold.
‘Hildet of Pride…!’
The third-ranked of the thirteen Guides of the Underworld in the <Abyssal Order>, and one of the four great witches who would bring the world to its end.
In the story of <Astra Radius>, she was a late-game character.
The kind of character whose boss battle wouldn't be implemented until three or four years into the anime-style game's service.
‘Why is this woman here now!?’
Even though her outfit was objectively quite lewd, my heart sank so hard that I didn't feel the slightest bit aroused.
“I came to see which bastard buried our low-ranking members alive, but you're just some green brat?”
Hildet's hand touched my neck, then she lightly drew a fingernail across it.
My skin parted smoothly.
It was so sharp it didn't even sting. The feel of her nail slipping between my skin gave me a deeply unpleasant sense of wrongness, though.
“Ahaha, that sweet scent of blood…♡”
What options did I have for taking on Hildet right now?
Even if I spent every point I had left, could I fight an enemy whose boss battle wouldn't be implemented for another three or four years?
‘…No. I couldn't.’
A sense of crisis washed over me.
I'd faced danger in this world several times by now.
But nothing like this.
If Hildet pressed down with her hand, my head would come off.
That's how overwhelming the gap between Hildet and me was.
A monster whose every stat was an A or S.
No matter how absurdly fast I was growing thanks to my trait, I couldn't beat her as I was now.
‘Am I going to die?’
A chilling realization.
Just as I swallowed.
〈Next Compliment Suggestion (LV.1)〉
【Automatically identifying target→Hildet of Pride】
Recommendation: Cuteness
‘Hah.’
That oblivious automatic compliment suggestion function, even in a situation like this—
‘No.’
The opposite.
There was no way I could fight and defeat Hildet with brute force anyway.
The only way to survive here was to talk my way through it. That automatic compliment suggestion function was my only lifeline.
But there was one problem.
“Anything you want to say as your last words? I'll listen while I drink your blood.”
How on earth was I supposed to compliment a woman who said something like that by calling her cute?
“Cu….”
“Ear? What about my ear?
“You're cute.”
“….”
【The target is happy】
<Praise Points: +20(3200→3220)>
Hildet's face turned vicious, and she grabbed my throat with both hands.
“Ghk…!?”
“Are you out of your mind, you bastard?”
No, fuck!!
Professor Mela during the day and now this woman—why couldn't they just admit they were happy if they liked it!?
‘This won't do. Shop!’
【Shop】
〈Category: Trait Support〉
- Next Compliment Suggestion (LV.2)(3000 points)
I hadn't planned to spend 3,000 points on that right now, but the situation had changed.
【Spend 3000 points to upgrade <Next Compliment Suggestion> from LV.1→2?】
‘Do it!’
〈Next Compliment Suggestion (LV.2)〉
【Target: Hildet of Pride】
Recommendation - Appeal to a woman's desire to be cute
Not recommended - Don't praise her for being strong and dangerous
‘Recommendations and warnings?’
Ah, so from now on, it would tell me what landmines to avoid, too? The range of recommended compliments had gotten much more specific as well.
‘This is really excellent.’
Three thousand points were more than worth it. Then how would it improve at LV.3?
“I'll give you one more chance. Take back what you said before—”
“Y-you! You really are a cute person!!”
“….”
“You may look like nothing but strong and scary on the outside, but inside, you're cute!”
“Who are you to say that? What do you know about me?”
“That's….”
I don't know either. The system told me.
But if I said that, she'd pluck my head off and turn it into a decorative ornament, wouldn't she?
“…I could tell by looking into your eyes.”
“……Hmm.”
Hildet leaned toward me.
“Really?”
Her soft breasts pressed against my upper body. I caught a scent like blood and honey mixed together, enticing and yet seeming to push me away.
“I mean it.”
“You think I'm cute?”
“I really do.”
But could you please ask me that while moving your fingernail away from my neck? I'm going crazy here.
“Specifically?”
“Specifically….”
System? Help me? System? Why aren't you responding?
Ah, fuck. Do I just have to do my best on my own?
“Everything about you is cute.”
“Everything?”
“Yes. I bet you'd be super cute if you acted a little spoiled, too.”
Just say whatever comes to mind, fuck.
“A-acting spoiled? What's that?”
“You deliberately speak in a baby voice and act cute. Like a baby.”
“I can't picture it.”
“For example, something like this. Ooh, oppa, Hildet wants to go night-night.”
“….”
“Could you move your fingernail away?”
“Would you like me to turn your skull into a wineglass?”
“I prefer it the way it is now, holding your brain. But just try it once, okay? I'm sure it'd suit you!”
“…Are you crazy?”
“I guess I am. Since I'm in front of a crazy person anyway, give it a try.”
“…U-um, ooh? Is this how?”
“No, make your words more babyish. ‘Ooh~,’ like that.”
“O-ooh~?”
“That's it. You're deliberately imitating how babies talk.”
“Ooh, oppa… Hildet… did you bonk your head?”
“Aww, so cute.”
Shudder.
【The target feels elation】
<Praise Points: +200(220→420)>
“For real… no, f-for weal? Hildet is cute? If I say it like this, am I cute?”
“There can't be anyone cuter than Hildet in the whole world.”
“…Heh, hehe? Weally?”
【The target feels ecstatic】
<Praise Points: +200(420→620)>