At that, she stumbled and nearly fell to the ground.
Kamuro Masumi turned around, her face full of disbelief, and stared at Tanaka Yukishin.
Again... First he tricked me by keeping the network off, and now he's using information recorded by the school's cameras...
You bastard! I'll take you down with me!
She twisted her body, drew back her right hand gripping her student ID terminal, then hurled it at that loathsome bastard after winding up and putting all her strength into the throw.
Then she gathered herself and ran with all her might.
I'm going to kill you, **.
As she ran, she picked up speed. Her clothes and skirt fluttered in the wind with a rustling sound, and her hair streamed behind her.
At some point, her hairband had come loose.
Tanaka Yukishin caught the student ID terminal as it flew toward him and slipped it into his pocket. He turned sideways to dodge the flying kick.
Kamuro Masumi leaped high and put too much force into her kick, slamming straight into the tree from earlier and making its trunk sway.
Leaves drifted down all around them, and the boy and girl looked like a scene from a painting.
Too bad there was no one around to admire it.
"Don't resort to violence. You can't beat me anyway."
Standing behind Kamuro Masumi like a shadow, Tanaka Yukishin leaned down and whispered in her ear.
Unexpectedly, the girl, with her senses on high alert, reacted extremely quickly.
She struck backward with both elbows, then swung her right leg up like a curved blade, adding a headbutt for a four-pronged attack.
Unfortunately, her movements weren't pretty, and they were no use either.
Tanaka Yukishin was faster than she was.
He lightly tapped the ground with his foot, and his body slid backward several meters as if he were on wheels.
After putting some distance between them, Tanaka Yukishin stopped.
"Kamuro, you really do make me happy."
"I know you're able to turn me down so firmly because you don't have enough right now. You haven't experienced the weight of those things for yourself, and you don't have them."
"But that's all right. I'll keep watching you."
"I hope you can still keep up that energy of yours after a while."
Kamuro Masumi stood expressionless, like a broken doll that could no longer make a sound.
She had no idea which of the words coming from that scumbag in front of her were true and which were false.
Or what kind of malice might be lurking beneath the truth.
All she knew was that he enjoyed playing with her emotions.
She was scared.
Forget it. I'll just drop out.
He's a pervert. A normal person like me can't win against him.
With that thought, she quietly watched him.
He'll be so disappointed. Heehee.
This girl really is a little broken now.
Chapter 9: Making the Information Fit
She really isn't going to fight back anymore? She's giving up?
Ah, as I thought, I still don't know how to rein it in. I broke a girl the first time.
But it's all right. The human body is amazing.
If she gets some proper rest, she should recover and be full of energy again.
I'd better comfort her so she doesn't do anything rash and drop out.
With that in mind, Tanaka Yukishin resorted to a few less-than-civilized methods.
Over the past ten years or so, through extensive practice, research, and use, Tanaka Yukishin had gained a certain understanding and mastery of the various effects of mental power.
He had also developed several abilities centered around mental power.
One of them was especially suited to the situation at hand.
It was called [Heart Sound]—by mixing an output of mental power into his speech, Tanaka Yukishin could make his words affect the listener's mind, producing effects such as suggestion, agitation, increased persuasiveness, increased affinity, and increased allure...
Of course, he hadn't used it when he hunted Karuizawa Kei earlier.
Otherwise, he wouldn't have been confused.
"Kamuro, you were the one who made the mistake first, and that's why someone threatened you. Why would you attack a polite, gentlemanly guy like me?"
She didn't want to deal with the person in front of her, but for some reason she really wanted to argue back.
Maybe he just got on her nerves.
"Polite and gentlemanly means holding a girl's weakness over her and then demanding she satisfy your lust?"
"You really are shameless."
Tanaka Yukishin was very satisfied with the girl's response.
As long as she reacted, that was enough. The rest could be left to time; it would heal everything.
"Maybe I expressed myself poorly. What I really meant was this: I told you earlier that I had underlings back in junior high, didn't I?"
...An expression mistake? Underlings?
She thought back. He had, in fact, said that.
Kamuro Masumi nodded.
But what did that have to do with his words and actions?
Was he going to make her conscience agree with his behavior and words just now?
The very idea was laughable. If he could really twist right and wrong like that, she'd stick with him for the rest of her life.
Completely unaware that she'd just made a promise to herself, Kamuro Masumi fixed her beautiful eyes on the boy, waiting to see how he would clear his name.
"So when I said earlier that I wanted you, what I actually meant was that I wanted you to be my underling. You'd work for me for the next three years—running errands and doing things for me."
"I don't know why you reacted so strongly to something like that, or why you described it as satisfying my lust."
Tanaka Yukishin looked completely innocent, his eyes filled with sincerity as he gazed at Kamuro Masumi like a white lotus in full bloom.
Fine, fine, I got the wrong idea. You're a boy who tells a girl, 'I want you,' and then says I got the wrong idea!!!
She opened with a sneer, then went all out.
Kamuro Masumi was ready to tear into him.
"Fine, very good, excellent. I got the wrong idea... Heh, I got the wrong idea!"
"A boy who can talk about the Wan-Yin Series invites a girl to a quiet, deserted place."
"Leaving aside what you meant when you said you wanted me, the fact that you've toyed with me over and over—is that what you call being a polite, gentlemanly guy?"
"Well, I've certainly learned something new."
Tanaka Yukishin waved a hand, signaling the girl not to get too worked up.
His tone remained gentle, gentle enough to make her realize one thing.
"But you were the one who insulted me first. That's why I responded the way I did. Respect goes both ways. You understand that, don't you, Kamuro?"
"Everyone who's ever known me—teachers, classmates, family, friends—has given me the same assessment. They all say I'm an astonishingly polite and gentlemanly boy."
"Think carefully about what I said and did earlier, Kamuro. Before you insulted me, did I do anything excessive or inappropriate?"
His words were like a mirror, reflecting her heart. As she recalled what had just happened, it seemed that apart from expressing himself poorly, the man really hadn't picked a fight with her.
But if I admit that, wouldn't it mean I'm a dirty-minded girl?
It's not my fault, either. A boy was holding a girl's weakness over her, started by asking her to go somewhere quiet, and then said he wanted her.
Any other girl would have thought the same.
Could I really have been wrong?
Impossible. Absolutely impossible. Think again. There has to be a flaw.
How could he be completely beyond reproach?
But it wouldn't be surprising if a demon who enjoyed toying with people's hearts could pull it off.
No! No!! No!!!
I'd just been utterly crushed and decided to drop out. How did I suddenly start talking back?
Was I unwilling to accept it? Was I angry?
Those feelings had vanished without a trace when I was in that state.
Then why did I...
Was he guiding my thoughts? Or... hypnotizing me?
Kamuro Masumi stared at Tanaka Yukishin with a complicated look, her thoughts a tangled mess.
With just a few simple sentences, he had pulled her thoughts along as easily as moving her own arms.
The truth behind his gentle expression made her shudder.
"I understand. Let's add each other. If you need something in the future, contact me. I'll do it."
She took a deep breath, then let it out.
Since she wouldn't have to lose her chastity... since she wouldn't have to..., running errands was fine. She could count herself lucky.
The two of them then added each other's accounts using their student ID terminals and saved each other's contact details.
After they parted, Tanaka Yukishin savored the pleasure the girl had given him while reflecting on his own shortcomings.
He had thought she would blurt everything out only if he pushed further.
Instead, she'd blurted it all out right away.
His skill was still too shallow; he hadn't quite mastered the art.
Still, he'd gained a lot, and he would surely put it to good use next time.
When he returned to the convenience store, the people inside had changed.
After making a show of browsing around, he stopped in front of the free supplies.
He picked one up and examined it. Tanaka Yukishin had assumed the free item would be a rejected product from some major brand, discarded and recycled to make use of the resources.
But it turned out to be a brand he didn't recognize.
And the materials and standard specifications looked pretty good.
It shouldn't have been impossible to sell.
After picking it up, looking it over, and putting it down several times, he made another round of the shelves.
That should be enough. The cameras recorded me examining it in detail.
Next stop, the cafeteria.
It was almost noon now, and more and more people were gathering by the cafeteria.
Ignoring the girls chatting nearby, Tanaka Yukishin could hardly wait to fill his stomach.
Just inside the entrance, he saw a reddish iron frame with something resembling a poster hanging on it. It was a guide to the cafeteria.
[Cafeteria Level 3]
Before you continue