Chapter 44

Episode 44: Demand and Preferences

Gata Toraku considered Na Takikai his first friend at the academy.

Born into a prestigious family but deemed a failure, Toraku had been cast out and arrived at Mikage Academy with nothing but the clothes on his back.

With some help from his childhood friend Mihaya, he managed to survive, but it was already common knowledge throughout the academy that he was an incompetent failure.

There was no way anyone would join him in exploring dungeons.

Even Mihaya began to distance herself from him, worried about causing trouble, when Kei appeared.

“――Are you Gata Toraku?”

This boy was the complete opposite of Toraku—confident and self-assured.

That was Na Takikai.

It wouldn’t be wrong to say that his current situation has been shaped by Na Takikai.

The contract with Lutra, the reversal of his reputation at Mikage Academy after defeating the third son of the Na Takikai family—all of it was thanks to him.

Or rather, should we say her?

(He really is a girl…)

The day before asking Miroku, a girl, for questions, both Toraku and Mihaya were informed by Rinka about the true identity of Na Takikai.

Apparently, this person was none other than the mysterious S-Rank adventurer currently causing a stir in the academy city: Solciera.

While Toraku was skeptical upon hearing this, Mihaya seemed to accept it right away.

She must have recognized something familiar within her.

And thus, the one left bewildered was Toraku.

“What does Lutra think?”

“People are people. I don’t care about gender.”

Just an hour ago, his partner had dismissed him so casually, leading him to confront her directly.

“What’s wrong? You look as if you’ve seen something unexpected. Wasn’t it exactly as you expected?”

“Yeah…”

Kei sighed exasperatedly. It seemed like she was waiting for Toraku to speak.

“…Why do you dress as a man?”

“Because it was necessary.”

“…You’re also a Demon’s Gear contractor, aren’t you?”

“Yes.”

“…Why did you contract with Demon’s Gear?”

“Because it was necessary.”

“…Today’s weather is nice, isn’t it?”

“Yes.”

(I can’t do this! I don’t know what to talk about…)

Realizing that his friend, whom he thought was male, was actually the famous Beautiful Girl causing a sensation, his mind was spinning.

Though he had much more to say, simply becoming aware of her as a girl rendered him speechless.

(Looking at her like this, she’s incredibly beautiful… No, that’s not right! This isn’t it!)

Bathed in sunlight, she seemed different from their previous encounter, possessing a strange transparency.

She looked as though she belonged to a world just beyond his reach, fragile and ethereal, like she might vanish if touched.

(Kei has long eyelashes… Her skin is flawless, and her hair―)

As he observed her, their eyes suddenly met.

Her doll-like, expressionless gaze fixed intently on Toraku.

Startled, he quickly averted his eyes.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to stare.”

Toraku apologized, and Kei chuckled softly.

“Fufu, sorry. Your reaction was amusing.”

Contrary to her image as Solciera, Kei smiled like an ordinary girl.

Then, using magic to shorten her hair to its usual length, she said in a tone Toraku knew well, “How’s this?”

“Don’t get too tense. You’re embarrassing yourself.”

“Haa, sorry.”

Seeing Kei revert to behaving like a male student, Toraku let out a breath.

Just as he was about to change the subject, he noticed Kei sitting beside him.

“Eh!?”

“What’s wrong? You’ve been surprised all along. Can’t you even talk properly? Or maybe―”

Kei leaned closer, her face inches from his, and grinned mischievously.

“Are you still thinking about my appearance? …You’re unexpectedly shy, aren’t you?”

“Ngh…!”

For Toraku, this felt like encountering something entirely unknown.

A type of girl he had never encountered before.

Especially since this girl was someone he had previously known as a male friend, which only added to his confusion.

“I’m still Na Takikai that you know so well. Or have you forgotten that already?”

“I remember, of course.”

Toraku nodded firmly, his gaze unwavering despite his earlier fluster.

“I want to help the Kei I know. That’s why I came to meet you like this.”

“Help me?”

“Yes. I’m also a Demon’s Gear contractor. I might be able to help you.”

Upon hearing this, Kei hesitated mid-sentence, then fell silent for several seconds before smiling faintly.

“In that case―”

Kei took Toraku’s right hand and placed it against her neck.

Her neck was white and delicate, seemingly breakable.

Before Toraku could stop her, she deftly positioned his hand around her neck and placed her own hand over it.

“If I told you to kill me, would you do it?”

“…Huh?”

Toraku couldn’t process what he’d just heard.

All he could sense was the warmth of her life transmitted through his right hand.

If he applied force now, the girl in front of him would surely die.

Realizing how dangerous his current action was, Toraku hastily withdrew his hand.

“Haa… Haa… Kei?”

Ignoring his panic, Kei gently traced the spot where his hand had been with her fingertips.

Then she smiled—the same smile she used as Na Takikai.

“Just kidding, baka.”

With that, Kei stood up from the bench.

Seemingly uninterested in further conversation, she turned her back to Toraku and started walking towards the exit.

“…Wait, Kei. What you just said―”

Determined not to let her leave, Toraku stood up quickly and reached out his hand.

As if anticipating this, Kei stopped and turned around, raising her voice theatrically.

“Oh, by the way, remember when Mihaya stripped me at the amusement park? Did you see that?”

“Wha―”

Kei questioned, turning around.

“Did you see it?”

“…Sorry.”

Toraku bowed his head sincerely.

Although he hadn’t thought about it until now, upon reflection, it amounted to seeing part of a girl’s naked body.

Without making any excuses, Toraku maintained his respectful bow.

“Nah, it’s fine. There’s fake magic for situations like that.”

It seemed Kei wasn’t looking for an apology, as she turned back to Toraku with a carefree smile.

“Actually, I couldn’t use that fake magic just now. It’s pretty tiring.”

“R-Really?”

Watching Toraku’s wandering gaze, Kei continued.

“…Didn’t you suspect I was a girl before coming here?”

Caught red-handed.

That’s why he had initiated this conversation—to confirm his suspicions.

And he could safely say his purpose had been achieved.

However, the girl in front of him seemed unsatisfied.

“Then―why don’t you check?”

“Eh… EHH!?”

Toraku shouted loudly and instinctively took a step back.

In response, Kei took a step forward.

Worse yet, her hand was already reaching for the buttons of her male uniform jacket.

“It’s not like anything will disappear. Stop being so worked up.”

“But, bu-but wait! I already believe you! The longer hair earlier was enough proof!”

Despite Toraku frantically waving his hands in refusal, she showed no signs of stopping.

Having undone the jacket buttons, Kei proceeded to unbutton her shirt.

“It could just be cross-dressing, right?”

“That’s ridiculous! There’s no way someone like Kei would do something so absurd!”

“Still, who knows? Why don’t you check? Go ahead.”

One button after another came undone.

Trying to stop her, Toraku realized it was too late.

After undoing the last button, Kei spread her shirt open, visible only to Toraku.

“Wait, wait!”

Despite his protests, his exceptional dynamic vision clearly captured what lay beneath the shirt.

What he saw was… a male undergarment.

“Ahh…”

“As you can see, it’s hard to tell through the uniform. But now, it’s obvious, right?”

True to Kei’s words, there was no unnatural bulge where there shouldn’t be.

(Hmm? Wait, isn’t this getting dangerous…?)

Pushing aside the growing realization, Toraku sighed in relief.

He couldn’t afford to let his mind become any more unsettled.

As if sensing his inner turmoil,

Kei leaned close and whispered in Toraku’s ear.

“What exactly did you expect to see… pervert?”

“No, I’m not like that!”

“Then don’t ever speak to me again.”

Re-buttoning her jacket, Kei turned around and walked away.

Stunned, Toraku barely noticed his inner pocket vibrating.

Realizing it was a call coming from the smartphone Linca had recently given him, he answered without fully processing his emotions.

“―Got played perfectly, huh? Though I guess it was quicker than expected with Toraku.”

It was Linca’s voice.

Her usual tone sounded oddly comforting right now.

“…Yeah.”

“Hmm? She’s avoiding you, isn’t she? Just like my younger self, she’s putting up a mask and building walls between herself and others. Everything she’s doing follows the teachings of Silver Twilight perfectly. Especially the last part—she’s targeting pure-hearted boys like you specifically. It was textbook stuff.”

From start to finish, Kei had completely controlled the conversation.

Everything had been a lie.

From the very beginning, Kei had no intention of having a genuine dialogue with Toraku.

“How was it?”

“Yeah. Just as Linca said. Kei is a girl, and she doesn’t expect anything from us right now.”

Though steeped in falsehoods, there was undeniable resignation in her words.

Toraku sensed desperation in her every gesture.

“I’m not strong enough to be of help to her now. Her decision to contract with Lutra probably stemmed from necessity alone. Anyone could have done it—not just me.”

Kei viewed him not as Toraku the individual, but merely as a contractor.

Through this, Toraku keenly realized his own immaturity.

“I need to grow stronger. So she’ll notice us again. So someday I can reach out to her.”

“…You’re truly amazing, Toraku. That’s the spirit.”

Linca paused briefly before continuing.

“Oh, and by the way…”

“We were watching you two from the rooftop, you know?”

“I didn’t notice… Wait? Us? Who else?”

“That’s right. Me, Lutra, and… Mihaya.”

The last name was called out with unusual emphasis.

Simultaneously, Toraku understood what Linca was implying.

“At first, we were holding back. But when she exposed her chest… Oh, we completely lost it. Yeah, yeah.”

“I didn’t look at her chest!”

“It was shadowed from our angle, so we couldn’t see well either. Still… good luck defending yourself! We’re at a hospital anyway, so even worst-case scenarios are manageable!”

“This is a huge problem! …Wait a minute!”

Suddenly sensing a menacing aura,

Toraku immediately fled in a direction opposite from the source.

Soon after, a shout echoed behind him.

“Wait, you idiot! What did you make that girl do!”

“I don’t know! Kei just did it on her own!”

With Lutra absent, Toraku and Mihaya’s physical capabilities were ranked purely based on their explorer skills.

Until Toraku was caught—three seconds remained.