What Hard Work and Sweat? She's Obviously Cheating

I must say, Nakano Yotsuba has great hair quality. She takes good care of it, and it feels smooth and soft to the touch.

Fushimi Makoto simply ruffled her hair, watching her happily shake her head in his hands, and said, "Anyway, you are a comrade-in-arms that I acknowledge, and the best gaming partner that I recognize. You don't need to go out of your way to please anyone."

"So what should I do in my daily life?" Nakano Yotsuba asked, her eyes sparkling with confidence.

"You can do whatever you want. As for responding to other people's requests, like I just said, you can let Ichika oversee things for you."

Fushimi Makoto added in a joking tone, "I saw a really funny quote online, but I think it suits you perfectly now: Nakano Yotsuba is second to none."

Nakano Yotsuba a sudden dizziness.

She may not yet understand her own emotions, but there is one thing she does know.

Fushimi Makoto's complete trust in her and his encouragement were simply intoxicating to her.

"I can sense your heart is starting to flutter," Fushimi Makoto joked.

This time, Nakano Yotsuba couldn't hold back; her cheeks flushed rapidly, turning as red as cherry tomatoes.

She quickly lowered her head, no longer daring to Fushimi Makoto's gaze.

However, she still responded shyly, "I'll listen to you."

[Congratulations, host, on completing the mission.]

The system's cold, mechanical voice suddenly rang out.

Fushimi Makoto was taken aback.

This time, things really did turn out unexpectedly well.

Since he has drifted further and further away from being a "normal human being," he has rarely had the thought of quickly completing tasks and getting rewards.

He only guessed that Nakano Yotsuba was helping out everywhere again, and had even injured herself, which was why he was in a bad mood and came over to have a good chat with the girl.

Unexpectedly, the task was completed by accident.

[Mission Reward (Nakano Yotsuba's Effort Aura): Nakano Yotsuba doesn't know which direction to strive in, so her progress is all-encompassing. She's always eager to help anyone who asks. She seems to have a little experience in everything, but only a little.]

[This aura can be activated three times daily. Once activated, anything the host creates will gain a positive attribute due to their efforts.]

What's this?

The aura of crafting props?

Fushimi Makoto was somewhat uncertain.

When he first saw the word "effort," he thought it would make him twice as efficient, but now it seems his guess was completely wrong.

Since things have come to this, let's find an opportunity to verify it.

Fushimi Makoto composed himself and chatted with Nakano Yotsuba for a while longer, making sure he had resolved the girl's inner conflict before they both returned to their classrooms.

Because he had a very good impression on the school leaders and teachers, even when he returned during class and disrupted the atmosphere, the teachers still smiled and let him in.

For the next half of the class, Fushimi Makoto barely listened. He tentatively tore off a piece of paper, activated his Diligence Aura, and casually folded it into a perfectly shaped paper airplane.

Sure enough, the system notification sounded immediately.

[Slightly Rough Childhood Paper Airplane: No matter where you want this paper airplane to fly, it will eventually reach its desired destination.]

[Note: This item embodies your hard work and effort, so it can fly to wherever you want. You can fill in answers during exams to help your classmates.]

Fushimi Makoto fell into deep thought.

Judging from this description, what I made is pretty amazing!

If it's exactly as described in the text, isn't this a conceptual marvel?

He then recalled the Nakano Yotsuba's Effort Aura.

You call this hard work?

There's no denying it; it's blatant cheating, they didn't even bother to pretend!

As for the description in that note...

Okay, okay, so you not only cheated yourself, but you also suggested I help my classmates cheat, right?

[Please note, host, this is all thanks to your hard work and effort; there was no cheating.]

Hearing the system's explanation, Fushimi Makoto could only mutter to himself: 666.

After school, while everyone was still in the classroom, Fushimi Makoto picked up a paper airplane, aimed it at Aota in the first row, and gently tossed it.

The paper airplane drew a beautiful arc in the air and finally landed accurately on Aota's head.

"What is it?"

Aota suddenly felt something strange on his head. Startled, he hurriedly got up and froze when he saw the paper airplane that had fallen from his head.

He turned around in confusion, and Fushimi Makoto waved at him.

"Fushimi, you actually play with paper airplanes? How childish!"

Aota smiled, picked up the paper airplane, and casually tossed it toward Fushimi Makoto, where it landed right in his arms.

"Huh?"

Aota immediately became interested and ran over in a few steps. Just as he was about to reach for it, Fushimi Makoto raised his hand and asked, "Didn't you say paper airplanes are childish?"

The other person immediately chuckled awkwardly, "Well, it's not really childish. The paper airplane you folded looks pretty perfect. Can I borrow it to play with?"

Others witnessed this and jokingly teased, "Aota, are you a child?"

Ten minutes later.

A group of boys chased the paper airplane around the classroom, excitedly shouting, "Okay, okay, it's my turn to play now!"

Even Hayato Hayama was reading a book, was intrigued. Always a sociable person, he called out and joined the group.

The girls watched this scene expressionlessly, wondering if all the boys in their class were actually elementary school students.

How could they do such a thing?

Nakano Itsuki and Yumiko approached Fushimi Makoto, both beautiful girls wearing complicated expressions.

Playing with paper airplanes is something only elementary school students get excited about, in their eyes.

Fushimi Makoto defended the boys, saying, "Haven't you heard the saying that a man is a boy until he dies?"

Yumiko looked at the group of shouting boys and said in a completely calm tone, "They're so immature."

Nakano Itsuki lowered her head and chuckled softly. That was what she thought too, but she was too embarrassed to say it aloud.

Fushimi Makoto then said, "To be honest, I folded this paper airplane."

Yumiko suddenly nodded. "That's not surprising. You're the leader of the boys, and paper airplanes are quite fun."

Nakano Itsuki: "???"

Seriously, don't you get a beating for changing your expression so quickly?!

Chapter 304 Where's the effort and sweat? It's practically cheating!

The club activity room after school.

Despite having created a wildly popular short film, Yukino remained humble and unperturbed. While others around her could not hide their joy when they occasionally mentioned the short film from two weeks ago, Yukino seemed completely indifferent.

She still comes to the activity room to read every day, and if Nakano Ichika isn't in a hurry to film, she'll discuss filming-related matters with her.

As for why she didn't discuss it with Utaha, whom she approved of?

Yukino only recently noticed the strange thing about Utaha; she seemed to have suddenly become close to Eriri Spencer Sawamura.

Judging from their behavior, they seem poised to become best friends who live and eat together.

How did these two become so close?

Yukino enjoys thinking and is good at it.

In the days leading up to the end of the holiday, she remembered Eriri Spencer Sawamura and Utaha's relationship. It was similar to Eriri Spencer Sawamura's relationship with herself; they were friends who could chat, but not that close.

But things are different now.

Yukino can be certain that something happened between Utaha and Eriri Spencer Sawamura.

She pondered for a while, her gaze unconsciously falling on Fushimi Makoto.

Um?

Why is this guy spacing out?

Yukino discovered another anomaly.

Whenever Fushimi Makoto comes to the activity room, he always finds something for everyone to do, ostensibly to "help everyone improve together."

Fushimi Makoto's place in her heart was naturally incomparable to that of Utaha and Eriri Spencer Sawamura.

So she decisively dismissed Utaha's unusual behavior, got up, and sat down next to Fushimi Makoto.

While Fushimi Makoto was pondering the [Diligence Aura], he suddenly caught a whiff of a captivating fragrance. He turned his head and saw Yukino staring at him with an air of nonchalance.

"Is there something on my face?" Fushimi Makoto probably guessed what she was thinking and pretended to be puzzled.

Yukino placed the book on her lap, her thighs pressed together by black stockings. "Is something bothering you?"

No, not at all.

"If not, why have you been spacing out since just now?"

"I'm considering whether we should make a third film."

Fushimi Makoto gave Yukino an unexpected answer.

She paused, a thoughtful expression on her face, and said, "While I don't mind continuing to improve, I feel that if we shoot a new short film so soon, it will be difficult to motivate everyone, and they'll all feel tired..."

As she spoke, her gaze swept quickly across the faces of everyone in the room, and she whispered, "Let's not talk about others, just take Ichika for example. She's currently filming on set, and after filming, she'll have to go with the crew for promotions. It's impossible for her to have time to participate in a new short film anytime soon."

"That makes sense." Fushimi Makoto had only said it casually.

Yukino considered it very seriously. "But if you really want to film it, there's actually another way."

"What method?"

"You should lead everyone. Only then can everyone become as enthusiastic as before," Yukino said meaningfully.

Her words not only made Fushimi Makoto the leader, but also required him to continue using the club's account to negotiate advertising contracts.

With advertising revenue, the group of friends that Fushimi Makoto called upon would have the motivation to fight.

Although Yukino acknowledged the efforts of Fushimi Makoto and his friends, she knew in her heart that friendship, strictly speaking, could also be depleted.

If Aota and the others keep coming to the film crew to help out, their own time will be greatly taken up, and they won't even have time to do what they like.

At this point, if there's advertising revenue, that's fine; at least it gives them some motivation. But if they don't continue negotiating advertising contracts, their enthusiasm will eventually wane.

"I understand what you mean." Fushimi Makoto sincerely praised, "As expected of the Second Miss, she's both strong and beautiful, and she's thought about the future so early."

Yukino smiled and said, "I'm glad you finally didn't use that cliché compliment about how cute I am."

Then she deliberately lowered her voice. "Strong and beautiful? I quite like that phrase."

"In games, beauty and strength are usually paired with tragedy."

"Beautiful, strong, and tragic? Is that how you want to describe me?"

"I never said that."

Yukino didn't take those words to heart. She glanced at Eriri Spencer Sawamura, who was chatting with Utaha, and seemingly to herself, concluded, "Has Sawamura- kun been following your training schedule lately?"

"Why are you suddenly asking this?" Fushimi Makoto curiously.

Yukino said confidently, "Based on my observations of her, she's not the kind of girl who can seriously stick to training. I bet she's already given up along the way."

"You're really amazing, Yukino," Fushimi Makoto praised again.

Eriri Spencer Sawamura did indeed give up exercising for a while.

Even Utaha is one of them.

If he hadn't slipped up a little, those two beautiful girls probably would have already thrown away their plans.

"Looks like I guessed right." Yukino got the answer from Fushimi Makoto's words.

As if she had just remembered something, she said, "Do you need my help?"

"What do you plan to do?" Fushimi Makoto became interested and wasn't in a hurry to tell her the truth.