chapter 21

My objective changed .

And now it is to make Tameiki-san praise me more and to make her smile .

I still do have a sub-objective I want to achieve before the training ends and that is to slip into Tameiki-san’s bed .

It’s not like I’m messing around .

That is also part of the process of getting stronger .

In short, I have set more goals for the same original purpose .

After I returned, I rested for an entire day, then I restarted the training .

Even though I said that she let me rest, it’s not like she let me inside the camp house; I had to spend the night outside, sleeping in a sleeping bag, but Tameiki-san released a ‘gravity field’ around me, so I was finally able to get some real sleep .

However, I was still very tired and my body felt endlessly heavy .

Later, I even took a shower .

Tameiki-san boiled some water for me .

Even though it was a hellish hot bath and I had to endure the piercing pain caused by all the wounds on my body, I felt rather refreshed afterwards for my body was finally clean .

I threw away the tattered tuxedo I was wearing and changed into some same size clothes that Tameiki-san kept for me inside the camp house .

And so, my training entered a new stage .

The second stage started with Tameiki-san’s questions .

About my ability .

Like how far can I hear, how strong a sound can I release, what are the things I learned during these ten days and so on .

Since I didn’t really know yet what was the range of my hearing and the power of the sounds I could release, I gave her a broad answer to the first two questions .

I really could hear any kind of sounds .

About how strong a sound I could release, I actually didn’t quite know . All I could answer was that I could release a powerful shockwave .

And about what I learned during the past ten days .

As I answered this question, I couldn’t suppress the smug expression on my face .

Yes, it is unbelievable, but, before I became aware of it, I learned how to sense the sounds through my skin .

Since my sense of hearing was now sealed, if I didn’t achieve something like this I couldn’t have possibly survived the survival challenge .

Anyway, Tameiki-san praised me for developing the ability to sense the sounds through my skin .

With this, it has become quite easy to sense the presence of others .

After I answered a few other questions, Tameiki-san told me the purpose of the second stage of my training, and that was “To become able to turn on / off my ability” .

The abilities such as mine which have a deformed type of invocation, are called permanent abilities .

A permanent ability is a burden on the body, even though you wouldn’t normally realize it, and not learning to turn it on and off would shorten your life span or so it seems .

But if you train hard enough you should be able to turn it on and off at will .

When you turn it off, you become exactly like a person who doesn’t have any ability .

Also, when you become able to turn it on and off, the cost performance and the quality of the ability become better and higher .

“So, what concrete things must I do in order to turn my ability on and off at will?”

“Practice . Give it some time and you’ll gradually learn how to switch the state of your ability .

However, in your case, you’ll have to master the on – off switching with a slightly different method . Within three days . ”

A slightly different method .

Judging by Tameiki-san’s words, she’ll make do something absurd yet again .

I’m sure of it since she demands me to master it within three days .

As I kept vigilant, Tameiki-san fetched a mat from inside the camp house and placed it on the ground, then she sat there in a seiza position .

“Take off your shoes and come here . ”

What does she plan to do?

What is she going to do to me?

I continued to stay vigilant, but since Tameiki-san’s command was absolute, I obeyed her .

“Lie down here . ”

I moved towards the mat and Tameiki-san pointed at her lap .

I was shocked .

“A lap pillow!?”

“Shut up . Do it already . ”

“Yes . ”

Eh? Eh?

Why? Why a lap pillow?

I was in a state of confusion but I, nonetheless, placed my head on her thighs and I stretched my body on the mat .

I felt a violent throbbing in my chest .

Just what the heck is she going to do to me?

I stared at Tameiki-san’s stomach region when I felt something like a syrup poured into my ear .

Then, the foreign feeling in my ear was removed .

That’s right, she took off the earplug .

“Ooh!”

Since my sense of hearing suddenly returned completely, I raised my voice in spite of myself .

Amazing .

I can now hear the sounds so clearly .

“While we’re at it, I might as well clean your ears . ”

“Eh!? For real!?”

“Quiet . ”

Just what is your goal, Tameiki-san!?

My tension went up because of the sudden ears clearing situation .

Moreover, it felt really good .

…… .

Hmm? This is bad……

I’m getting sleepy……

“Wake up . ”

She rather harshly slapped me on my cheek and I woke up .

Drool crusted one corner of my mouth .

I then realized that I ended up drooling on Tameiki-san’s trousers too .

“I-I’m sorry . I drooled……”

“Sigh…… .

Don’t worry about it and turn the other way . ”

I did as she told me to .

Then, she took off the other earplug and started to clear my other ear; after that, the one hour of supreme bliss ended .

I reluctantly parted with Tameiki-san’s thighs and stood up .

Amazing . I can hear every single sound .

Tameiki-san’s heartbeat . The rustle of trees . The flap of a bird’s wings, flying high in the sky .

The roars of magical beasts .

The earth’s pulsations .

“The truth is I wanted to make you wear these earplugs for an entire month, but you don’t seem to need them anymore . ”

“And what are we going to do now?”

To be honest, there wasn’t really necessary to take them off even though they weren’t needed anymore .

There must be a reason behind taking those earplugs off .

“For now, you’ll use your ability up to its limit . ”

“I see .

I will forcibly enter the off state of my ability .

I can’t do it . ”

I turned around and started to run, but Tameiki-san stopped the chase in a moment with a single swift attack .

“Don’t run . ”

“I tell you, I will really die this time .

Roll taught me that if I use my ability up to its limit, there’s a high chance that I would actually die . ”

“It has nothing to do with it . Just do it . ”

“What will you do if I die?

Everything will be lost, right?

Let’s clear the second stage with the take-my-time-to-learn-it strategy . ”

“I’ll be troubled if you die . Therefore, don’t . ”

This person is saying some unreasonable things!

“I have faith in your ability to do this . ”

…… .

Damn it……If she looks at me like that, I’ll be troubled .

It makes it hard for me to betray her expectations now .

“Ah, I get it……I just have to do it, right?”

“Good boy . That’s the spirit . ”

Tameiki-san said and smiled slightly as she brushed my hair .

I really wanted her to stop these gestures and facial expressions since they always startle me .

This was the second time I saw Tameiki-san’s smile .

I already got accustomed to her sour look and her gentle side, but, in spite of all this, I really wanted her to smile more .

If you praise someone’s smile, that person will smile more for you .

My good-looking best friend once said this .

Though, this might only work for good-looking guys……

Good, I should just try and see how it goes .

Nothing bad should happen when praising people .

“Tameiki-san, you are extremely charming when you smile . Although, you almost never smile . ”

“………, ……… . Is that so?”

…… . . Hmm? Is she actually acting shy?

Even though it was for a mere instant, but I didn’t overlook the strange light in Tameiki-san’s eyes .

“Since you are a very beautiful woman, I think that you should smile a bit more .

You’re such a beautiful person after all…… .

Besides, I thought about this for a long time, but your hair looks very silky . ”

I saw that it was working so I pushed it even further .

I then listened carefully to Tameiki-san’s heartbeat and I realized that it was pulsing a little faster .

I looked at her face and saw that her ears had turned a little red .

As I thought……She’s feeling shy……!

Moreover…… . It appears that she’s the type of person who becomes weak against praise!

However .

The fact that Tameiki-san is quite a kind person is not actually known inside the Anonymous, and it seems that she doesn’t even speak that much with other members .

Even Roll commented once that Tameiki-san keeps a bit of a distance from them .

“You shouldn’t…… . mock me too much……”

Tameiki-san turned away from me, looking like she couldn’t endure it any longer .

This is an unexpected side of her .

I imagined that she would ward off my praise words with her cool beauty attitude, but she actually turned out to be truly adorable .

I found Tameiki-san’s unforeseen weakness, and my training motivation spiked up .

I’ll give my best .