“Cough! S-sorry! Sorry! P-please stop hitting me!”
Behind the academy building, Ken Feinstein was getting a serious beatdown.
The one kicking him in the gut was none other than the game’s protagonist, Emily Epiris.
And there I was, watching like a confused bystander.
[ Ken Feinstein’s immersion level is increasing. ]
As expected from a character in a bullying scenario, Ken’s personality seemed to be coming out the more he got bullied.
Thanks to that, I was enjoying the front-row seat even though I wasn’t feeling any pain.
‘But what on earth is that guy doing?’
I was full of questions.
“What on earth can you even do?! Lose some weight, you pig!”
Emily was stomping Ken with all her might.
Three girls who usually bullied Ken were snickering nearby.
‘Okay, those three I can understand.’
The issue was Emily Epiris.
Just a few days ago, I saved her. She should know that, but instead of being grateful, she was using her rewards to bully him.
I just couldn’t get it.
If I remembered correctly, she was supposed to be just and unable to tolerate injustice…
“Haha, look at you rolling around on the floor like that.”
…What’s going on?
Emily genuinely seemed delighted, blushing and smiling.
“Ugh, I-I’m sorry. Please stop…”
And each time Ken groaned in pain, her smile got even wider.
It was almost like she was enjoying the bullying.
Suddenly, the system displayed a status message for me.
[ System: Emily Epiris’s arousal level is increasing. ]
‘…What the heck is this?’
I checked Emily’s status immediately.
[ Name: Emily Epiris
Unique Skill: Designated Seal
Unique Trait: Sadism
Possessed Trait: Reality Denial LV 1 ]
‘…Sadism? And reality denial?’
What the heck was that?
It was a trait I had never seen before.
Emily was the game’s main character, the character whose stats I had seen the most while playing.
And yet, sadism?
I had never seen such a trait despite my many playthroughs.
“Haha! Cry more, you pig!”
“Ugh, I’m just a foolish pig!”
“Uhoohoo….”
For some reason, the rough-breathing Amelie seemed to be enjoying the pig sounds.
It looked like she couldn’t hold back as she licked her lips and looked down at me.
In the end, she even bit her finger as if trying to hold back pleasure.
What on earth is wrong with you….
Days passed, and Emily continued being the instigator of Ken’s bullying.
The weather was miserable too; it had been rainy for the last few days and whenever that happened, I ended up summoned by Emily.
“You stink, wash yourself. Do you know you smell like sausage when you walk by?”
“Sorry, I-I won’t walk past you.”
“I mean wash yourself and stop walking by!”
Of course, I showered thoroughly every day. It was just my natural scent; what can I do about it?
Yet, I didn’t mind this bullying at all.
Hmm? Am I a masochist? No way.
[ System: You obtained the skill ‘Physical Resistance LV 1’ due to continuous accumulation of physical damage. ]
Wow! I got a skill!
“You foolish pig!”
“Be honored to be stepped on by Emily!”
“What an enormous dirty beast you are!”
[That’s right! You pig! Step on me some more!]
“Eep…!”
As a bystander, I cheered on Emily and her crew even more.
Honestly, it was a bit uncomfortable that the pain lingered after Ken’s immersion moment ended.
But I still gained unexpected benefits.
Physical resistance!
If I level up this skill, it will definitely help with survival…!
[ System: You obtained the skill ‘Mental Strengthening LV 1’ due to continuous accumulation of mental damage. ]
Huh?
[ System: Due to the effect of Mental Strengthening LV 1, Ken Feinstein’s immersion level decreases. ]
Oh no, what the heck…!
“Cough!”
“You foolish pig! Get your act together and lose some weight!”
The pain from my head being stomped down hit me like a ton of bricks.
Damn! Of all times, now! I was enjoying this automated hunting feel!
Suddenly, the acquired Mental Strength skill made Ken’s personality fade back inside.
If this continued, I’d feel all the pain of my body…
‘No, focus. I have to survive!’
But I couldn’t give up. This was a golden opportunity to level up a skill I had gained by pure luck.
If I were to enhance my physical resistance skill through regular battles, it wouldn’t end with just a few wounds.
This was the only chance to safely and efficiently grow my skills.
Come on, hang in there! This is a challenge for Ken Feinstein!
With a determined gaze, I turned my attention back to Emily and her group.
With a confident shout, I declared, “Come on! Hit me harder! Insult me more! Step on me more!”
Physical resistance and mental strengthening, let’s go!
“……”
“……”
What’s going on? Why are they looking at me like ‘…uwaah’?
Only Emily blushed and smiled at my shout.
“…Hah, ahaha.”
She breathed heavily. It was a bit intimidating.
“…Um, Emily. I’m sorry, but I think I’ll bow out here.”
“Yeah, but a perverted pig is a bit much for me.”
“Do as you wish. I don’t really care.”
As the remaining girls made disgusted faces and left, I thought, hold on… don’t leave me behind.
For some reason, I felt like I understood Raphne’s feelings.
“Are you challenging me right now? Hmm? Pig Ken. …Hah, heh, fine. I’ll break you slowly.”
“Eep!”
“…You pig! Lose some weight!”
And just like that, my physical resistance and mental strengthening skills levelled up to level 2.
…。
“…Ken. Is something wrong?”
After Emily the Queen’s training session ended, I found myself at Raphne’s tower.
While having dinner, I wanted to create something using the material from the one-eyed giant I had obtained previous time.
However, Raphne seemed to sense something was off.
“Hmm? Ah, no. Nothing’s wrong. Haha.”
I couldn’t let Raphne, who was already mentally unstable, get further worried.
However, Raphne didn’t believe my words and came closer to me.
“W-wait! That tickles, haha!”
“……”
Raphne started to poke and prod my body, patting me all over.
Aaaah…! Raphne! N-not there…!
“Ken… you have new bruises….”
Raphne looked at me with a shadowed face.
Concern and confusion lingered in her eyes.
I suppose it’s something you can tell at a glance.
“…How did you know?”
She hadn’t lifted my clothes, and smart Emily only stepped on my head without leaving visible injuries on my face.
You wouldn’t know just by looking.
As if sensing my doubts, Raphne was sweating and avoiding my gaze.
“……It’s because I know what it’s like to hit someone.”
Ah, indeed. She was a specialist in this area.
Recalling the moments when she bullied Ken in the past, Raphne wore a rather guilty expression.
She looked like a puppy who had messed up and was floundering about.
She shook her head and looked back at me.
“Ken…! It’s a bit embarrassing for me to say this, but if something happens, rely on me!”
Even though her eyes were darkened and devoid of light, there was genuine concern in her red pupils directed at me.
Unexpectedly, I stared at Raphne with deep interest.
My favorite character was asking me to rely on her.
How touching.
Perhaps her mental strain made her words resonate even more.
However, Raphne seemed to misunderstand my gaze.
“I-I’m sorry, Ken. That was too shameless of me to say, right? Someone like me… you would end up in trouble trying to rely on me, I’m sorry.”
The strong will she showed moments before instantly wilted again.
“No, Raphne. I’m happy that you said that. Thank you.”
She was looking at me, matching her finger with mine, cautiously observing my reaction, and her expression brightened upon hearing my words.
Then she grabbed my hand and said with excitement in her voice.
“Then Ken! If you’re getting bullied at the academy or having a hard time…!”
“Yeah, yeah. You said to rely on you, right?”
I responded with a smile.
“Exactly! If something hard happens at the academy, you can lock yourself here with me!”
Then her face quickly hardened.
“…Uh?”
“Hehe, hehehe, if you’ve gone through something hard at the academy, it’s okay to stay here as long as you want. I’ll do anything for you while you’re here. You won’t have to go back to places like the academy again.”
Raphne’s dark eyes, now overflowing with another wave of madness, swallowed me whole.
“Forget about any hardships. Just let them all go. Stay here, and I’ll make you happy. I’ll help you forget all the tough stuff…”
With her ominous aura, she was delivering an irresistible temptation.
But I had just had a training session with the Queen mere moments ago.
I needed to keep my calm and reached out my hand in front of her face.
“…Uh?”
Then I flicked my finger.
“…Ah!”
Raphne, who was hit on the forehead, covered it with her hand and looked at me with teary eyes.
“If I hole up here, who will lift your curse?”
“…Ugh, I-I was just saying to reassure you….”
No, I meant every word.
“Does that mean Raphne can actually comfort me?”
“Uh?”
I didn’t want to give up on her offer completely. So I came up with a good idea.
If she was my favorite character, it was natural to fantasize about her in my mind every now and then.
I decided to make that dream come true.
“Aah~ this is paradise.”
I let my head rest on the soft comfort of the peach blossoms and savored the feeling of my physical exhaustion melting away.
The sensation of Raphne gently stroking my hair was just heavenly.
“I-is this really okay…?”
“I didn’t get to enjoy any of this last time because I passed out.”
Currently, I was sitting on Raphne’s lap.
My head lay on that soft paradise, soaking it all in.
Just moments ago, I had been subjected to endless insults and violence from the crackpot protagonist.
I could feel my beaten body slowly recovering.
Both my body and mind were healing.
“…Mmnh.”
I wanted to fall asleep like this, but I couldn’t allow myself to drift off just yet.
For some reason, I felt that if I fell asleep here, I wouldn’t be able to leave the tower again.
But even so, being enveloped by Raphne’s soothing scent and warm body made me feel drowsy.
Just a little more recovery, and then I’d do what I needed to do.
At that moment, Raphne, who was stroking my head, mumbled something.
“Hehe, hehe, if Ken becomes obsessively dependent on me like this, then….”
I had a feeling I just overheard something ominous.
But Raphne, I’m sorry. Your plan won’t work.
I just gained the mental strengthening skill through the Queen’s training, you see.
No obsession or dependency debuffs will stick to me!
