Chapter 7

"Detect lies? Psychology? Knowledge of facial expressions and body language? Or a combination of both?"

"None of the above." Seino Rin shook her head. "When I was three years old, I suddenly gained the ability to tell if someone was lying."

"..."

"Unbelievable? I don’t expect others to believe such an unrealistic thing. But since then, I have genuinely detested liars and have always required myself never to do such a thing."

"Do such a thing mean lying?"

"Of course."

This was quite interesting. Watanabe Tetsu asked curiously, "Do you like me?"

Seino Rin held her forehead as if in pain: "Are you a fish? I clearly said I hate liars. Have you never lied, or are you calling yourself not a human?"

"Sorry, just consider this a guy’s curiosity. After all, it’s not every day you hear a girl say she will never lie." Watanabe Tetsu said, "But, no one in this world can avoid lying."

"So, I hate everyone except myself." Seino Rin answered without hesitation.

The sun in Tokyo gradually set, and a flock of crows flew over the school building of Kamikawa High School. The cold expression on the girl’s face showed no hint of joking.

Watanabe Tetsu believed the girl from the bottom of his heart, thinking she was indeed an honest person, someone who never lied.

This feeling was inexplicable, and Watanabe Tetsu suspected he was being charmed by her appearance, leading him to believe such nonsense.

How could anyone never lie? Impossible, humans lie, and they must lie.

"Questions over." Seino Rin opened a hardcover book. "As a regular member, you can stay if you want, but please keep quiet."

"No problem."

The club room fell silent, and Watanabe Tetsu faintly heard the sharp sound of metal, the sound of a metal bat hitting a ball.

The baseball team’s practice had started.

Watanabe Tetsu put the girl out of his mind, took out his textbook, and pretended to study.

[You have a new email]

He opened it.

[Temporary Event: Game Time April 26, 16:03, a girl claiming to see through all lies appears in front of you.]

[Event Content: Successfully deceive her once.]

[Event Duration: One week]

[Event Reward: Mind Reading / One Million Points]

Mind reading?

This should be a daily game, how could there be such a superpower as a reward? The abilities in the store are also ones humans can acquire through learning.

Watanabe Tetsu reopened the [Appendix].

Although he had read the regulations for temporary events, he didn’t remember them, only knowing that there was no penalty for not participating.

...

[250: This game imposes no penalties on players, including for temporary events;]

[251: Special rewards for temporary events are only available during these events and do not refresh in the store;]

[252: The difficulty and danger of temporary events vary, and players are encouraged to participate actively while being cautious;]

[253: The rewards for temporary events are consistent with the difficulty level;]

[254: There are almost impossible tasks in temporary events, but no absolutely impossible tasks;]

[255: Any illegal actions taken by players in the game (including temporary events), including but not limited to kidnapping, threatening, bribing, seducing, or using drugs, are not related to the game, and the consequences are borne by the players;]

...

That’s about it.

This event, with the ridiculous one million points, was clearly an almost impossible task.

Watanabe Tetsu was tempted by the mind-reading ability but didn’t have much hope.

However, did this confirm that Seino Rin could indeed see through all lies? Even if not all lies, it wasn’t something just anyone could deceive with a little effort.

Hate everyone except herself? If true, what kind of feeling is that?

Watanabe Tetsu imagined being surrounded by people he hated... well, that would be less comfortable than spending a lifetime farming in the countryside.

At the end of the school day, when Watanabe Tetsu closed the sliding door of the activity room, he couldn’t help but glance at Seino Rin, who was reading intently.

Born into a prestigious family, beautiful and intelligent, yet with this almost pathological stubbornness.

Pity.

After leaving the Human Observation Club, Watanabe Tetsu first met up with Saito Keisuke, then waited for Kunita Shu, who was drenched in sweat on the playground. The three of them walked to a nearby family restaurant.

This restaurant, named Bava Cafe, was located in a corner of Shinjuku Avenue and was a popular spot for students in the area.

Besides Kamikawa High School, there was also a university-affiliated girls' high school and a regular high school nearby, and the three schools often jointly organized various events.

When the three arrived, the family restaurant was already filled with people. There were families with children and elderly, but most were students in the uniforms of the three schools.

The restaurant offered a wide variety of dishes, from Japanese set meals to Western steaks and international noodles. The prices were reasonable, and you could drink as much as you wanted with any meal.

Watanabe Tetsu ordered soba noodles, Saito Keisuke ordered ramen, and Kunita Shu, who ate a lot, ordered ramen, steak, and fries.

After a few bites, Saito Keisuke said, "Watanabe, how was it being alone with Seino Rin?"

"???" Kunita Shu, with a mouth full of noodles, mumbled indistinctly.

Men’s topics always revolve around these things.

Watanabe Tetsu picked up a bit of soba noodles, rolled them in the broth, and slurped them in. The taste was average, not as good as the noodles his mother made back in the countryside.

After finishing the noodles, he answered the curious duo: "I was hated."

"Did you do something?" Saito Keisuke asked in surprise.

"Just what any human would do."

"Hmm—" Kunita Shu finally swallowed his food, "You made a move? Are you fearless? Even with Seino Rin?"

Just as Watanabe Tetsu was about to explain, he saw a familiar figure at the drink bar.

"I’ll get some drinks." He picked up his cup and stood up.

"Get me one too." Kunita Shu finished his soda in one gulp and handed him the cup.

Watanabe Tetsu held two cups and joined the queue at the back.

In front of him was a high school girl with a model-like figure, a perky butt, and a slender waist. Bored while waiting, she was twirling her hair around her finger.

"Yamazaki, are you eating here too?"

The greeting was lackluster but naturally soft and pleasant, and Yamazaki Komi instinctively turned her head.

It was a handsome boy with a clear and attractive face, also wearing the Kamikawa High School uniform—she would recognize him even without the uniform.

A famous handsome and excellent student from the countryside.

Yamazaki Komi, though she disliked poor people, found his looks very appealing, so she smiled charmingly.

"What a coincidence, Watanabe."

Watanabe Tetsu said happily, "I was just about to introduce myself, worried that Yamazaki might not know me."

Yamazaki Komi, with her transparent nails that violated school rules, placed her hand on her sensuous lips. "How could I not? Watanabe, you’re our Kamikawa heartthrob, causing a lot of discussion among the girls."

"Really? Yamazaki, you’re also a topic of discussion among the boys."

"Really? What do they say about me?"

Most people are curious about what the opposite sex says about them, especially those with good looks, Watanabe Tetsu thought as he looked at Yamazaki Komi.

Except for Seino Rin, she probably wouldn’t have the time or interest to find out what people who dislike her think of her.

Just then, the person in front of him finished getting their drink and left. Watanabe Tetsu lowered his voice and said in a voice that sounded even more pleasant:

"We all discuss how much it would cost to keep Yamazaki as a kept woman, but we don’t know how much it would be per month."