Chapter 83

Holding the letter containing the secret that his mother had given him, Xiaoming stood at the classroom door and took a deep breath.

"Ah, junior..."

Senior Kasumi fidgeted her lips and pulled on my sleeve.

I am the only one who knows her true identity.

It seems she can't talk about the betrayal order because of Lin's presence beside me.

"Lin, I'm sorry, but I have to go from here."

"That's..."

Lin's eyes wavered slightly, then quickly calmed down.

"Though I don't like it personally... Since Senior Hoshino seems to have her reasons. Fine, I'll let you off this one time. But you must repay this debt, Kim Deok-sung."

"Sure."

The debt is probably just a suggestion to go on an outing together.

How predictable.

I can easily do that in my spare time.

The rain, which had been falling, was gradually stopping.

"Fine, then I'll step aside."

Lin, who had secured my promise, left.

She usually acts all sorts of ways, but why is she acting like this today?

My curiosity was short-lived.

"Ah, junior..."

Suddenly, Kasumi threw herself into my arms.

A sudden hug attack.

I'm flustered.

Why is she acting like this?

"I... What should I do now... Junior... Sniff."

Senior Kasumi buried her face in my chest and sobbed.

"Ugh, making a woman cry, what a disgrace to a man!"

"Give her a tight hug! Wiping away a woman's tears is also a man's job!"

"Making such a cute girl cry, you should apologize for the rest of your life! You!"

"Now, it's time to accept her feelings!"

My head hurts.

It's as if they all have delusions of grandeur.

'Fucking hell.'

Because of the people around, and to calm Kasumi down, I can't just push her away.

I sigh.

This place is like a goddamn light novel world.

*

On the way back to the dormitory, Lin smiled while looking at her phone's wallpaper.

The photo taken with him on the Ching Shui stage came into view.

Thump.

Lin's heart beats.

When it rained, he took off his dress shirt and gave it to her, just like he did at the interim school when he handed her his shirt.

Lin buries her nose in the sleeve of the white dress shirt draped over her shoulder.

His scent, mixed with the smell of rain, seems to linger at the tip of her nose.

Lin's face turns red.

"Still, I really like you, Kim Deok-sung. I don't want to lose you."

She caresses the phone screen.

The only person who saw her for who she was is him.

The only one who worried about her not using physical attacks, remembered the taste of the onigiri she made, and praised her clumsily prepared tour guide.

How can she give up her feelings for him?

'No matter what, I will take your heart. Even if it means throwing myself at you.'

Lin closes her eyes.

Though he told her to restrain herself, Lin knew.

The only strength and greatest weapon she could offer was physical attacks.

'As repayment for the debt, I should ask him out on a date.'

Lin's face turns red.

A date alone with him.

Her heart is already racing.

While her mind was filled with hundreds of fantasies, the bus arrived at the dormitory.

Lin, who had just come to her senses, got off the bus and entered the hotel.

In the hotel lobby.

Thanks to Shuou Hero Academy renting the entire hotel, all the guests were students.

The first person she met upon entering the hotel was...

"Hey, cow. How was your time with the master? Of course, it can't compare to when Eri-ling ascended the adult's staircase."

Nishizawa Eri, with a smug smile.

And.

"You two, what kind of incomprehensible conversation are you having? It's suspicious."

Olivia, the platinum-blonde-haired tsundere princess, pouted.

Lin, who saw the two of them, blinked.

Nishizawa's eyes widened when she saw the white dress shirt draped over Lin's shoulder.

"What's this, cow? That dress shirt. Don't tell me..."

Huh.

Lin smirks.

"Do you understand now, ironing board? This is the shirt Kim Deok-sung covered me with. That's not all; we also took a commemorative photo together on the Ching Shui stage."

Lin proudly holds up her phone.

Nishizawa Eri's eyes waver when she sees the wallpaper on Lin's phone.

"What? Cow? You dared to take a photo with the master on the Ching Shui stage?"

Nishizawa's heart sinks.

This can't be happening.

She feels embarrassed, remembering how she had rejoiced as if she owned the world after a small incident at the deer park.

"Ugh..."

Nishizawa bites her lip.

Jealousy wells up inside her.

"I wanted to take a photo with the master too..."

Nishizawa's hands tremble.

The master is kind.

So, she wants more.

She wants more love.

Nishizawa Eri thinks this while biting her lip.

Nishizawa bows her head and fidgets with her dog collar.

"Master..."

She wishes he would bind her more.

She wishes he would take everything from her.

Nishizawa Eri thinks this while slumping her shoulders.

Olivia is equally shocked by the photo.

"Wait a minute, Shinohara! How dare you engage in such indecent behavior without the permission of your exclusive maid!"

"Princess, who doesn't even know her own heart, stay out of this. This Shinohara Lin will now put all her efforts into winning his love. Don't get complacent just because you're a step ahead. Bonaparte."

"Love rival...?"

Shinohara Lin's eyes waver.

Nishizawa Eri's gaze turns to Olivia.

Olivia's face turns bright red under the two women's gazes.

Olivia clenches her eyes shut and shouts.

"Y-Yes!! W-What's wrong with that?"

Thump, thump.

Olivia's heart beats.

She likes Kim Deok-sung.

Olivia has acknowledged and accepted her feelings, but confessing them to others is a different matter.

Nishizawa Eri's eyes turn to Olivia.

"Princess, you've acknowledged your feelings?"

"......If not for a fool like me, he would never find a wife and would end up a lifelong bachelor... So, I have no choice but to take care of him as his exclusive maid!!"

"A fitting answer for Bonaparte."

"Sh-Shut up!!"

Olivia, who has acknowledged her feelings, is a formidable opponent.

Shinohara Lin swallows her words and quietly buries her nose in the sleeve of the shirt.

"......If it comes to this, Eri-ling, no, I also have to be serious."

To not fall behind the other rival.

Nishizawa Eri clenches her fists.

The three women's fiery gazes intersect.

*

In his arms, Kasumi cried.

She cried as much as she wanted, endlessly.

She confessed while crying.

"Junior. I don't want to be alone... I can't go back to being alone..."

After meeting Kim Deok-sung.

After meeting Mako, Eri, Lin, and Olivia, Kasumi had discovered the happiness of being together.

Their first meeting was the worst, but Kim Deok-sung, who had promised to save her, was someone she loved.

Olivia, who was not honest but subtly caring and affectionate.

Lin, who acted like a cool and aloof beauty but had low self-esteem.

Eri, who became a fool in front of Kim Deok-sung but was cold to others.

Mako, who was timid but spoke her mind.

All of them were her precious juniors and friends.

She couldn't go back to being alone.

She didn't want to lose them.

"I can't... I... But I'm scared..."

She couldn't reveal her true identity.

She would be hated as a traitor.

She would be pointed at.

She would be alone again.

She couldn't bear such a future.

"Junior... Junior..."

She could feel Kim Deok-sung's body heat.

His warm, solid chest pressed against her cheek.

She didn't want to lose him.

She didn't want to lose him.

She didn't want to be a puppet of the league and harm him.

She wanted to stay in his arms forever.

She felt happy.

Paradoxically, Kasumi felt this way.

"If only time could stop right here..."

Kasumi utters her wish.

"Stop crying. It's embarrassing. People are looking. How many times do I have to say this today?"

A gruff voice reaches her ear.

"Sniff... What should I do?"

"I don't know what's going on, but we shouldn't talk about it here. Let's move to a different place."

*

I take Senior Kasumi out of Ching Shui.

A teahouse in Sannenzaka.

We sit in a private room.

After hearing all of Senior Kasumi's story, I finally understand the entire situation.

"I see."

My prediction was correct.

The betrayal order came at almost the same time as in the original story.

The content is the same.

To meet with Ryosuke Maruyama.

Of course, with the changes from the original, there's no guarantee it will go as planned.

'To prepare for unexpected variables, I need another helper who knows the situation besides me...'

The first person who comes to mind is the first-year members.

They are a significant force.

But to deal with any unexpected situations, they are not enough.

I need a helper with more authority and power.

'There is only one person in the training group who fits this condition.'

Aris Saijou, the student council president.

I have to use her here.

Otherwise, I can't overcome this obstacle.

Fortunately, this is a kind world, so if I explain Kasumi's situation, Aris will understand.

The problem is convincing Senior Kasumi, who is in a mental breakdown.

I sigh.

First, I need to calm her down.

I speak in a calm voice.

"Senior. I understand your situation."

"Junior. What should I do?"

Kasumi wipes her swollen eyes and asks.

"Listen carefully. There is only one way. Here... You need to explain your situation to the student council president and ask for her help."

"To the student council president...? Explain my situation...? Junior... This... This..."

Kasumi's face hardens as expected when she hears my words.

Of course, from her perspective, it's like a bolt from the blue.

"Junior. No... I'll be hated... I won't be forgiven... This... This..."

But I can't back down here.

I need the student council president's cooperation.

Actually, to convince Senior Kasumi, I don't need a particularly brilliant argument.

This is a light novel world where emotions come before reason.

If I use the light novel's characteristic irrational trust—do you trust me? Don't you trust me? I trust you—then I can convince her as easily as a snake climbing a fence.

Since this is the kind of world it is.

The problem is my limbs, which have to deliver these words.

I take a deep breath, prepare myself, and call out to Senior Kasumi.

"Senior."

"Y-Yes. Junior..."

She looks at me with trembling eyes.

"Do you trust me?"

In response to my words, Senior Kasumi answers in a trembling voice.

"Yes. I... I trust you, Junior. You're a bad guy, favoring the knight princess, dreaming of a harem king, and a black sheep, but... you're kind... I trust you."

Still a wobbly answer.

But the important point is that she trusts me.

Now it's time to use the magic of irrational trust.

"Then, just this once, please follow my advice. Senior, I will explain your situation only to the student council president in a three-way meeting. I promise that you won't be harmed or unforgiven in the process."

I throw the decisive line at her.

"Promise..."

Kasumi fidgets with her fingers.

Her hesitation shows that the persuasion is already over.

All that's left is to wait.

Irrational trust is the best.

"Fine. I'll make the promise. I trust you, Junior... So, let's make a pinky promise, Junior."

Kasumi extends her pinky.

Again with this?

Suddenly, PTSD from the club room hits me.