Chapter 91: Take This! This Bomb!
What should be good for the next class?
I used Many Doors and the Tentacle Labyrinth as well, so I wanted to incorporate a solidarity gimmick to foster a sense of cooperation. Something like a task where you had to lift a log together.
Maybe something where you need to focus a magic trajectory coming from three directions into a single point using a mysterious mirror.
Of course, I also hated group projects from my previous life and... I could name dozens of issues that group projects created. But this was a cruel and merciless medieval fantasy world.
It was a world where your life could be at risk if one of your party members got angry in the middle of an adventure. So, the ostensible reason was that they had to try handling a lump of human-burden and getting carried while you’re a student so that they could develop the necessary coping skills later in life.
However, the real intention behind it was an evil plan to bring the spring breeze of youth into the academy.
It was natural for love to bloom when people rubbed off on each other. I would spark romance among my students and try to examine effective boy-meets-girl strategies
That was to fix Irid, a poor young man who had fallen in love with a fictional character.
“So, I’m thinking of adding a 2-person 3-way gimmick... Why is your expression like that?”
"Eut, uh, e-eung? About that...."The Purple Magic Tower Master, a strong candidate for the Troubleshooter of the Year Award, stuttered as she had so much on what she wanted to say that she didn't even know where to begin.
Is she too shy to confidently cast Hug Me like she did when we were at the Magic Tower?
Or maybe she wanted to learn how to master TRPG from zero, but she hesitated to talk about it because of her past failures?
Perhaps she needed to use the restroom?
I waited patiently, like a mother looking at her oversleeping daughter. She would speak when she was ready. All she needed was time.
“So, uhm, like...."
Ten minutes passed.
“Well... you see...."
Thirty minutes passed.
“Uhm... noitsnothing.”
After 1 hour. I couldn't stand Tower Master’s sudden backlash that shoved a lethal amount of sweet potatoes into my mouth, so I rushed at her with eyes flipping out.
Swooooosh.
"HIYAAAAAAAAK-!!"
I rarely forget things once I’ve seen them thanks to the exceptional performance of my brain. So the memory of witnessing Yuna being wrapped around by the Pink-Haired Lesbian Kraken still remained vivid.
As long as I could remember it, replicating it was easy. Though I couldn't use the technique as flexibly as Pink-Haired Lesbian, I successfully restrained Tower Master from behind and threw her onto the bed.
The Tower Master sputtered nonsense as she panicked.
“I, I-I-I h-haven’t, I haven’t taken a shower yet...!"
“I won’t let go of Tower Master, until you confess what you were trying to say earlier.”
"......."
"......??"
Tower Master clamped her mouth shut like a clam.
Since I was restraining her with a back hug, I couldn’t look at her expression. Why is she silent? What kind of expression is... the Tower Master making right now?
Does this silence mean that the strength of the restraints are so weak that she could withstand this much? Is this an unspoken self-claim that... I couldn’t make her tell the truth at this level?
Click.
In my head, the 'Anti-Yuna Switch' turned off in my head, and the 'Anti-Pink-Haired Lesbian Stage 1 Switch' turned on. I couldn’t stand people looking at me funny. If it's a challenge, I will accept it, Tower Master.
My fingers slowly crawled up as they traced the Tower Master’s ribs.
"H-HEUAAAAAAAH-!”
“Spill it! WHAT’S THE NUMBER AND LOCATION OF YOUR ALLIES...!!"
"H-HIEEEK...!!"
It was a game of Chicken. Would I run away before my hands touched Tower Master’s curves, would Tower Master surrender, or would we both meet an explosive end where neither side wins?
When I almost reached the line of PG-15, she surrendered first, right before I shouted to surrender.
"...I, I’ll tell you! I’LL TELL YOU...!!"
“Phew.”
I let go of Tower Master.
After rolling all the way to the edge of the bed, Tower Master sat up and raised her guard with both arms. Her face was already bright red, screaming loudly.
“D-don’t you think you’ve... become too comfortable with physical contact?!”
“Uht...."
Looking back, it certainly might’ve been so. Did my battle of nerves with Pink-Haired Lesbian ruin my judgment? How much ... physical contact was appropriate in the first place?
I looked into the Tower Master’s eyes.
Even though she turned into a tomato, she didn't seem to dislike it. Then wasn’t that enough? The important thing wasn’t that, but rather what the Tower Master was trying to say earlier. Making me wait for an hour deserved retribution.
“So what were you trying to say?”
Urging her with applause, the Tower Master couldn't keep her eyes still and looked around in all directions. She said while clutching the bed sheets.
"...You, You said you’d find the Second Prince a girl. Can you not do it?”
“Are you planning to rebel or something? Or do you hold a grudge towards the Imperial Family?”
“I-it’s not something like that!”
“No wonder you were casting magic without hesitation right in front of the Second Prince.”
“N, NO...!!"
If not, where did this idea come from? That the Second Prince should be left in the swamp of despair known as being ‘Forever Alone’? Could it be that the Tower Master supported the Third Prince instead of the Second Prince?
“Uh...don’t delete them just because I said this, ok?”
“I don’t know what you’re telling me not to delete but I won’t, so just spill it.”
"...Centra is actually alive.”
"......."
I think she’s had a hard time.
Well, how stressed she must’ve been? She already had a soft heart, but after almost breaking three students’ minds must’ve been tough for her, who was so soft that she wouldn’t even hurt a fly.
But fantasy was fantasy, and reality was reality. If she couldn't distinguish between them properly, it would be a big problem. I patted the Tower Master’s head and encouraged her.
“It must’ve been very difficult. However, there are many people who support you in real life... There’s no need for you to rely on fictional characters.”
“N,no it’s not like that! They’re really alive!”
The Tower Master stayed still, perhaps because she enjoyed the headpats. However, at the same time, she still waved her arms around. Perhaps it was because she was angry that her distorted beliefs were being denied. But that simply didn’t make any sense; Centra was just a lump of data with no real body, after all.
I could probably take it outside as a physical hologram. Even so, it doesn't change the fact that she was an AI. Without self-consciousness, it was just a program.
If the Tower Master was saying that she had become self-conscious.
“Then you’re saying that I, who developed such magic, am the greatest genius in history who even blasphemes God.”
“YOU ARE...!!"
“Am I a reincarnated person from another world? At the age of 20, I have accomplished something that would turn the world upside down. Makes sense.”
“You are...?!"
Of course, I’d be happy if my AI became self-aware. Then, Irid could be upgraded from 'a young man in love with a fictional character' to 'a young man in love with an artificial spirit’.
When I imagined that I could see the Irid-Centra couple in real life, my heart raced. But no matter how much I thought about it, I never added such a function.
“Then show me. You have proof, right?”
“Y, yeah.... Follow me, I’ll show you! Also, promise me that you will not delete them, okay...?!"
“Even if everything Tower Master said was a lie, I wouldn’t delete data for no reason, so don’t worry.”
The Tower Master led the way to the simulation room, constantly checking to see if I was following. Her twin tails fluttered as she walked with more force than usual. She was cute today too.
===============================================================
The NPCs chatting with an old man named Abraham in the bunker suddenly froze when they heard the Evil God's voice from the sky.
-So, the NPCs placed here are said to be self-conscious? All right. Well, hello everyone. Can you hear me?
The vicious Evil God... noticed our existence!
Centra, who had a strong background in Resistance work, and Pero, who had survived in the wasteland, both had sharp survival instincts. Their thoughts whirled quickly.
That Evil God who unleashed resets, gender benders, new trials, and all kinds of terrible things into the world. Somehow, the Twin-Tail Goddess was away, or perhaps attacked by the Evil God.
Centra thought.
If the things you thought were just toys suddenly came to life and suddenly became self-conscious? That evil being might 'erase' us and recreate us. We must survive until Yuna the Good Goddess returns!
"......."
"......."
Freeze.
Centra acted as an AI without any power or commands. Pero also remained frozen.
Abraham also demonstrated to the fullest the skill he had steadily accumulated over time. He had heard about and experienced the conflict between the Gods of Good and Evil. There must be meaning in the wise young lady’s actions, standing still as if time had stopped.
Abraham froze without even blinking. Staying still was the specialty of the one who counts stars.
.
-They’re not moving, though.
-Uh, g,guys! It’s okay, to move...!
"......."
Pero flinched. Centra quickly stopped him with a glance. It was the Goddess who repeatedly warned us not to get caught by the Evil God, but to now say that it was ok to move didn’t make any sense.
Then this must be trap set by the vicious Evil God to lure us out...!
We’re not going to fall for it!
"......."
"......."
-You must have had a really hard time, Tower Master.... Should we go back and get some rest? I'll wash your hair too.
-No, n, no, really, they’re rea──
Snap. The voices echoing from the sky stopped. They won. They survived. There was a sigh of relief inside the bunker.
.
“Phew... nobody’s gone, right?”
“It was scary...."
“It looks like I can’t let my guard down, even if death finds me...."
===============================================================
Yuna, the Purple Tower Master, felt it was so unfair that tears came out.
“No, n-, I, I w-was telling t-the t-tru, truth, t-they really, really were...."
“Here, I’ll give you some hot cocoa. Drink this, sleep well, and see you tomorrow. Yes, I believe everything you said. For now, just sleep well...."
“You, YOU DON’T BELIEVE ME AT ALL...!!"
"Now, I'll cover you with a blanket. You've worked hard, so get some rest. I'll even sing you a lullaby with some ASMR...."
I can't be like this. I have to stop the Crazy Wizard's from destroying pure love. I have to stand up and convince him once ag-....
However, the Crazy Wizard's merciless Sleep-Inducing Technique was directly lodged in the Tower Master's eyelids. She was so sleepy that she felt indignant.
“T-They really, really... are...."
Croak.
Yuna fell asleep without being able to achieve her goal.
===============================================================
“Whew.”
I put the panicked Tower Master to sleep for now. I thought she might enter a frenzy due to her shattered beliefs. How did it come to this? Was it because I left the Purple Magic Tower alone...?
I need to embrace her with love. If the Tower Master receives healthy love, she would no longer imprison herself with strange delusions. I should cook her something warm for breakfast tomorrow.
I was getting sleepy too. Sleep is important. For the brain to function properly, adequate sleep for a certain amount of time was essential.
I came into my room, took off my shoes, took off my robe and hung it on a hanger. I also took off my pants. I like to sleep in light pajamas under thick blankets.
And when I took off the blanket that looked extra thick today, Pink-Haired Lesbian was inside, wearing an attire reminiscent of the so-called boyfriend look; a shirt and tie.
"?"
What the fuckity fuck fuck fuck? I reflexively warned Pink-Haired Lesbian, who had crossed the line.
“YOU ARE CURRENTLY VIOLATING THE TREATY...!!"
“Heh.”
I couldn’t even finish the warning. After a brief whirl, I came to my senses and found myself in Pink-Haired Lesbian's arms. Two soft water balloons pressed against my chest. This was an emergency.
Pink-Haire Lesbian's yellow eyes flashed. She growled and whispered in my ear.
“Did you think I wouldn’t do anything even after being attacked first?”
“Wh-when did I...."
Unless my memory had been wiped, I had no memory of launching a preemptive attack... Wait, the Tower Master?
I heard that the Tower Master disguised herself as me when I fell asleep. Then, this fatal misunderstanding came from...! I hastily made an excuse.
“Pink-Haired Lesbian, I swear it wasn’t me. It was the Purple Tower Master!”
“You know it’s meaningless. Even if it wasn’t you, you are still at fault for poor management.”
“THIS IS UNFAIR!! BASELESS SLANDER...!!"
My heart was beating like crazy. I urgently prepared to increase the amount of Self Sexual Desire Suppression Magic layers to three, but Pink-Haired Lesbian struck first.
“Elrelelelele.”
“HEUAAACK!!”
Pink-Haired Lesbian’s tongue licked my ear mercilessly. My concentration was broken, and the magic that I was preparing disappeared as if it had been erased without a trace. So this was what it felt like...!
“I am warning you, do not cast it.”
"......."
“I’ll let up to Layer 1 go, but if you add any more, I’ll start to unbutton.”
Pink-Haired Lesbian tapped her middle button with her finger. I felt a pressure similar to staring at a loaded gun.
Gulp. I swallowed nervously. When Pink-Haired Lesbian unleashes her full power is the moment a great war begins. I still don't know whether my sexual drive suppression magic or her succubus racial traits are stronger.
She quietly declared.
“I’ll forgive you for spending the night like this. It does not matter, even if you cannot… bear it along the way. Our relationship will just change slightly. From regular friends, to master and slave.”
“Do you think you’d be safe after doing something like this, PINK-HAIRED LESBIAN...!!"
“Are you still trying to threaten me even when you are cornered? How laughable. That pride of yours won’t be of any help in this situation...."
Swiiish. Pink-Haired Lesbian's thighs came up on top of mine. It felt like a sharp blade of sexual desire had grazed the nape of my neck. I kept my mouth shut. I was scared just by imagining what kind of position she’d take if I fucked around.
“Actually, it’s not even that big of a penalty. Why don’t you just... sleep? It’s a simple thing.”
“Do you really think that...."
“Goodnight.”
Pink-Haired Lesbian closed her eyes. I wondered if she was actually going to sleep, but her breathing became rhythmic. This motherfucker actually fell asleep. What on earth did the Tower Master do for this to happen?
She wouldn't have stuttered while taking my appearance, right? It’s not like she would’ve hunched her shoulders or tapped her index fingers together like she normally did, right? She didn’t go around advertising, ‘I’m not Crazy Wizard’, right?!
If she at least sincerely tried to imitate me, this wouldn't have happened...!
Does… does that mean that I have to spend the night like this?
The sound of soft breathing. The sound of fabric rustling every time she moved her body. A slight pressure felt through the thin fabric. A subtle fragrance. A distance so close that I could even count the number of her individual eyelashes. The breath that touches the tip of your nose.
A friend, huh....
“...Isn’t this seriously a bit…dangerous...?”
There was no chance that I’d be lucky enough that the Tower Master would wake up, come in, make a fuss, and kick the Pink-Haired Lesbian out of the room. I was stuck spending the night like this.
In the end, I couldn't sleep at all that night.
***
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