Chapter 39
“….”
“….”
Maron and Elettra's icy silence.
“….”
“….”
For some reason, Lucy and I were silent, like a pair of criminals.
In the silence, I took the collar off Lucy's neck.
Clatter.
Rustle, rustle.
Maron opened her mouth.
“You put it on right away.”
“…Uh, yeah.”
Maron had seen the Water God Seia give it to me, after all.
“You could've told me if you wanted to use it right away. I was right there the whole time, too.”
Elettra spoke up as well.
“Looks like you two were planning to have a nice time. You even prepared chocolates?”
“No, those were brought by some other women.”
“….”
“….”
“….”
“Sorry.”
Whatever it was, I must've really fucked up.
〈Next Compliment Recommendation (LV.3)〉
‘Ah!’
Maybe it'll give me something?
This recommendation feature had gotten me into plenty of trouble, but it had also helped me get out of a lot of tight spots.
It was thanks to this that I got away from Hildet, the Abyssal Cult's third-ranked member and the embodiment of Pride.
Maybe if I complimented one of these three, I could get out of this predicament—
【Unable to identify target】
Bzzzt.
Click.
‘?’
No.
Not “click.”
Hello?
Nothing to recommend?
Ding!
【Unexpected Quest Appeared!】
〈Let's Just Stay Alive〉
Objective: Survive for 24 hours
Reward: Your life
Huh?
Am I actually fucked?
——————
“They should be here soon….”
Two professors were waiting for a cadet in the academy's faculty meeting room.
One was Kadisha, and the other was Silon.
And the person they were waiting for was—
Knock, knock.
“Come in, Mr. Everchess.”
Gilliam Everchess.
The cadet who'd been making a commotion at the academy ever since he enrolled: delinquent, womanizer, and… lately, it seemed like he kept collecting more and more titles.
Professor Kocha Silon swallowed nervously.
“Excuse me.”
Creak.
But when Gilliam walked in, Kadisha and Silon both promptly forgot what they'd been thinking.
“…What happened to your face?”
“Hmm.”
Gilliam sat down and folded his arms.
“Professors.”
“?” “??”
“Do you think there's such a thing as deserving to get beaten in this world?”
At those words, the same thought crossed both professors' minds.
‘Looks like Everchess did something to get the ever-loving shit beaten out of him.’ ‘H-has the time finally come for Mr. Everchess to face the consequences of his actions?’
But.
They were dealing with a cadet as professors, after all.
Even when asked whether there was such a thing as deserving a beating, they had to answer in principle.
“I suppose I have to say that no one deserves to be beaten in this world.”
However.
They made it abundantly clear that they didn't really believe that through their tone, word choice, eyes, and gaze.
Gilliam nodded solemnly.
“As expected, there isn't such a thing as deserving to be beaten in this world.”
“….” “….”
What was this? Was he trying to prove that this was exactly the kind of thing that deserved a beating?
“But this time, I do feel like I deserve a beating.”
“….” “….”
Their curiosity grew.
What on earth had he done?
And who had beaten him?
But was it all right for professors to pry into a cadet's personal life? Probably not.
“What on earth did you do?”
Resisting curiosity was as painful as holding in a trip to the bathroom.
Don't hold back. Let it all out.
“Oh, it's nothing much… I just, for certain reasons, got caught putting a collar on someone.”
If that wasn't a big deal, what was?
Did he have to get caught committing an actual crime?
No, putting a collar on someone could be a crime, depending on the circumstances and context. Should they report him to academy security right now?
“But they got the wrong idea.”
What sort of misunderstanding could he have caused?
And what would the correct understanding even be?
“…They got the wrong idea, right?”
We want to ask you that!
“I… see.”
Kadisha made the wise decision.
She realized that if they held on to him until they got a satisfactory answer, the night would be over before they were done.
“Everchess.”
She got to the real reason they'd called him here.
“Do you happen to have the ability to prophesy?”
Asking so bluntly wasn't an elegant way to speak.
But right now, there was no time for that.
“What? No.”
“…I see.”
Gilliam didn't seem to be lying.
‘He doesn't know himself, either.’
In truth, the faculty were already more or less convinced of it.
That Gilliam Everchess possessed the ability to prophesy.
Once could be a coincidence.
But it had happened twice already.
For no apparent reason.
Just like that.
He'd shown up with exactly what they needed to get through a crisis.
If so, the most reasonable theory was that he had the ability to prophesy.
Besides.
“It seems that only you can clear the temple we found this time, too.”
The temple of Seia, one of the Seven Gods.
Even when others, including Kadisha and Silon, said they wanted to take on its trials, the statue gave the same response every time.
Bring the one who gathers stars.
“Is that so?”
Everchess didn't seem very surprised.
Had he prophesied this, too?
“All right, then. You must be tired. I'm sorry we called you in during the night. You may go back now.”
“….”
“What's wrong?”
“No. Um. Well.”
Awkward.
Uneasy.
“I don't really want to go back right now. I think they've set a trap for me at home.”
What on earth had he seen before running away from home?
“By the way, Professors, sorry to ask this out of the blue.”
“?” “??”
“Do you two happen to have a Fate Star?”
Flinch! F-flinch!
“…I-I don't.” “N-no, I don't have anything like that!?”
“Is that so? Sorry for asking.”
Thunk.
After Gilliam left.
Kadisha and Silon looked at each other.
“….”
Interpretation: Why did he just leave?
“….”
Interpretation: I… have no idea?
“….”
Interpretation: So you have a Fate Star…? You too, Professor Silon.
“….”
Interpretation: P-Professor Kadisha, you too….
A sidelong glance.
Glance, glance.
“Oh, professors.”
Startled!!
Startled-startled!!
“Is there somewhere a cadet could spend the night?”
A little while later.
The academy's resident healer and professor of recovery magic.
A woman known for her black stockings, dark blue hair, and dark circles under her eyes.
Professor Mella of the infirmary crossed her legs and shot me a sidelong glance.
“So that's why you came to the infirmary.”
“Ah, yes. But I really am a little injured, too.”
“Where?”
Professor Mella placed her hand on my face.
“Hmm, you are injured. What did this to you?”
“This on my face is from a collar.”
“…Who carries a collar around?”
“Ah, I sort of ended up with one.”
“You lunatic.”
“Didn't you call me a lunatic last time, too?”
“I suppose I did. Everchess, how many girlfriends do you have?”
“None.”
“You fucking lunatic.”
“Did you just swear at me outright?”
“I suppose I did.”
Professor Mella shook her head and placed a hand on me.
“This will sting.”
Mana flashed from the professor's hand.
“Oh.”
“Do you happen to be the type who feels pleasure from pain?”
“I'm not.”
I could feel the bruise on my face disappearing.
“Could you treat the other areas, too? My back and upper arms got hit pretty badly as well.”
“Then sit over there.”
Professor Mella had me sit on an infirmary bed and drew the curtains.
“Your upper body?”
“Yes.”
“Then take off your shirt.”
I took off my uniform jacket and the shirt underneath.
“No.”
“Huh? Aren't I supposed to take everything off?”
“…I, guess so. T-turn around.”
Professor Mella's hand touched my back.
“…You have more muscle than I expected.”
“I've gained some lately.”
While buying stats with points.
Especially increasing my strength had made a big difference.
“This doesn't look like it was just one or two people who hit you.”
“Three people hit me.”
“….”
“Why did you suddenly go quiet?”
Professor Mella's fingers moved slowly across my back.
“….”
“Professor?”
“Ah, ah, um. S-sorry.”
“No, I'm sorry for making you work this late.”
“….”
Sting!
“Ow!?”
“Sorry. It's the treatment.”
“Is that so…?”
For a while, only recovery magic continued in the silence.
Every time it stung, I could feel the bruises fading.
‘She's an odd person, but her skills are definitely the real deal.’
〈Next Compliment Recommendation (LV.3)〉
【Target: Mella Tonishika】
Recommended line: 「You really are a genius…」
Mood: Admiration that slipped out unconsciously
Target's traits: The eldest daughter of a ■■ who yearns to be special
Some of the target's traits were obscured, so I couldn't see them.
‘So it's not just the goddess I can't see things about; I can't see some things about everyone.’
Anyway.
“You really are a genius….”
“Hmm? What did you just say?”
Recommended line: 「It's nothing」
“It's nothing.”
“….”
【The target is experiencing euphoria】
<Praise Points: +500(15300→15800)>
This person really was dying to hear someone call her a genius.
She gave me 500 points without even a multiplier.
‘The next goal is probably 50,000 points.’
To buy the four-star skill Water Severing (斬水).
Thanks to Maron, I'd made it into the 45,000-point range, but then the system forced me to buy the 30,000-point Next Compliment Recommendation LV.3.
‘How much do I have left until my goal… 34,200 points?’
At first glance, it seemed absurd.
But.
‘I have plenty of multipliers now.’
Maron, Elettra, and Lucy.
All three had a ×3 multiplier applied by default.
If I focused on one person and showered her with compliments, I could reach 50,000 points in no time.
‘The problem is.’
Lately, I haven't been getting the chance to do that.
“This is a dilemma….”
“What is?”
“I want to focus on one woman and compliment her, but it hasn't been working out.”
Pause.
“…Are you actually a lunatic?”
“So up until now, were you insulting me while thinking I was a fake lunatic?”
Ah.
Come to think of it.
“Professor.”
“Hmm?”
“Do you have a Fate Star, too?”
Flinch…!!
“I-I don't.”
“Is that so? That's a shame.”
“…You're disappointed?”
Slowly.
Professor Mella's hand stroked my back.
“If I did… what are you planning to do?”
Professor Mella's breath touched my back.
Like someone with a cold, I could feel the heat of her breath.