Just as Kushida was about to blow up, Xia Mu's next words made the coldness on her face instantly fade.
"Aw, I really feel for you!"
"You're so kind. You must have done a lot of things you didn't want to do for other people!"
Xia Mu pounded his chest with one hand, looking utterly heartbroken.
"So he was just worried about me..."
Kushida's mouth twitched. Why was this guy always so dramatic?
Then again, how could he possibly have discovered the other side of her she kept hidden?
"It's okay. I'm happy to help my classmates!"
"That includes you, Xia Mu. As long as it makes you happy, I can do all sorts of things for you."
Kushida spoke gently. Before her true nature had been exposed, she really had been a little angel.
"But..."
Xia Mu reached out and put his hands on Kushida's shoulders. "Don't you think you're exhausted? Being ordered around by everyone, like a slave..."
"So, really, you could try being yourself more. Is being liked by everyone actually all that great?"
Kushida wanted to refute Xia Mu, but suddenly she felt that his words had an inexplicable power to persuade her.
His eyes seemed unfathomably deep, glowing with a faint, sacred light.
That was true. She'd worked so hard, yet all she'd gotten in return was that bitch Horikita Suzune's cold attitude.
And Hirata had taken some of the attention she'd earned, too.
Was there really any point in doing all this?
What did she get out of it?
[Correction progress for Kikyo Kushida: 13%/100%, reward: +10 Skill Points]
Seeing the system notification, Xia Mu couldn't help feeling pleased. He kept going. "So..."
He placed both hands on Kushida's shoulders. His eyes were like a bottomless whirlpool, drawing in her thoughts. "You don't have to stand out too much. Just be yourself."
"Even if you're dazzling and everyone likes you, you still end up with nothing. You just wear yourself out, don't you?"
[Correction progress... Skill Points +12!!]
"I..." Kushida wanted to say something, but no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't find a reason to argue with Xia Mu.
Why did everything he said feel right?
"You're tired too, aren't you?"
"No matter how people treat you, you always smile, just for their fleeting gratitude and affection."
"Let all that go, and do whatever you want with me!"
"I'm sure the real Kushida is just as adorable!"
[Correction progress for Kikyo Kushida: 35%/100%, Skill Points +10!]
"Xia Mu..."
Kushida shuddered. That was right. If she let everything go and went back to being herself, would she no longer have to put on an act here?
Maybe she'd feel freer and more comfortable if she let her true nature out.
"See? What I said makes a lot of sense, doesn't it?"
Xia Mu racked his brains. He'd already used up everything he could think of to persuade Kushida, and now his mind was blank.
"Mm-hm!"
"What you said makes a lot of sense, Xia Mu. I'll think it over carefully!"
Kushida nodded firmly. At that moment, she felt Xia Mu was like a divine being guiding her, and everything he said was right.
Xia Mu glanced at the system and saw that her progress hadn't increased. He tried saying a few more things about what it took to be popular.
Like getting harassed from time to time, and having to deal with all sorts of trouble.
But Kushida remained unmoved. Even though she was under his hypnosis and psychological suggestion, her correction progress didn't increase.
Her desire to become the most popular girl in school was simply too strong.
"Forget it. I've already made back what I spent, anyway."
Xia Mu sighed softly and gave up.
He picked up his clothes from the ground and put them on.
But Kushida was still caught in his hypnotic hold.
"Snap."
"Hey, wake up."
Xia Mu snapped his fingers and called to her softly.
"Huh?"
Kushida shook her head and came out of her hypnotic state.
What had just happened to her!?
How had she somehow taken that idiot's words to heart?
But...
He really had made a lot of sense. So why was she thinking this way?
She was the kind of girl who felt terribly uncomfortable when someone disliked her.
"Xia Mu, thank you for..." Kushida started to say.
But Xia Mu rubbed his hands together with a lecherous grin. "Kushida, does what you said earlier still count?"
"W-what?" Kushida froze.
"Um..." Xia Mu grinned and pointed at Kushida's chest. "Let me touch your boobs."
"..." Kushida fell silent.
Any hint of goodwill she'd felt toward Xia Mu vanished at once.
"T-today's not a good time." But she wasn't the kind of girl who went back on her word.
It was getting late. "I-I should get going. See you tomorrow!"
Kushida pointed toward the sun sinking below the horizon, then fled the rooftop as if escaping.
There was absolutely no way she'd let someone as filthy as him touch her boobs.
Only after Kushida had gone did the lecherous grin gradually fade from Xia Mu's face.
"Kushida, I hope you mend your broken heart soon and find your resolve again."
"When you do, I'll come back and get some more Skill Points from you."
With his hands in his pockets, Xia Mu left the rooftop.
He'd already earned back what he'd spent learning the Hypnosis skill. From here on, he'd have to take it slow.
On his way back, Xia Mu ran into the chubby guy he hadn't seen in days.
He had heavy bags under his eyes, a gloomy expression, and looked utterly haggard.
Clearly, the past few days hadn't gone well for him.
Even so, he forced himself to perk up and bragged to Xia Mu.
Xia Mu didn't call him out.
He knew the situation in Class C even better than the chubby guy did. The guy had clearly realized that this school was unlike any he'd attended before.
The extent to which the teachers let the students do as they pleased was like night and day compared with other schools.
"Haha, Xia, I never thought that after you'd always crushed me before, you'd end up in Class D after coming to this school."
The chubby guy hooked an arm around Xia Mu's neck, his smile a little forced. "But I ended up in Class C. I guess my talent and potential are greater than yours."
Then he patted Xia Mu on the shoulder. "I'm going to keep working hard. Once I make it to Class B or Class A, I'll take you along for the ride!"
With that, he hurried off.
The chubby guy had always been a slacker, ever since they were kids. Over the past few days, he'd become unusually motivated.
The environment changed people.
Xia Mu shook his head and headed for the library.
Shiina had arrived at the library early again today, quietly reading.
Today, she wore her hair in twin tails tied with red ribbons. She'd changed into black stockings, and her short skirt was pressed against the chair. Her long, graceful legs had a mysterious allure.
Perhaps sensing that familiar gaze, she looked up as if on instinct and met Xia Mu's eyes.
Xia Mu waved to her and sat down beside her.
This time, Shiina moved from the seat across from him to his right, then pulled out a new book. "You should have finished the one I recommended last time. Try this one!"
As she came closer, the fresh, sweet scent of her perfume drifted into Xia Mu's nose.
He could even see a wide expanse of Shiina's pale collarbone just by turning his head.
"Okay."
Xia Mu took the book. Sitting close together, they read and chatted from time to time.
"Xia Mu, what kind of books do you usually like?"
"Uh, I don't have your refined taste. I mostly read web novels."
"Everyone has different interests. That's understandable. Tell me the titles and I'll look them up online when I get home."
"I'd like to read some Huaxia novels, too."
"Sure. I'll recommend a really sweet one."
"Okay!"
"Dragon Clan"
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