She gritted her teeth, raised her chin, and adjusted the collar of her nightgown.
"S-since everyone is so eager..."
Kikakujō Mary took a step forward, raising her voice slightly.
"Then I suppose I can graciously agree to..."
"All right, stop pretending. Come here."
Sitting on the edge of the bed, Haimo beckoned to her, cutting her off.
"Ugh!"
Kikakujō Mary choked, all her prepared lines catching in her throat.
Her cheeks flushed instantly, the redness spreading from her ears down to her neck.
In the end.
Kikakujō Mary could only toss the dictionary she was hugging, as thick and heavy as a brick, onto the bed.
It landed with a dull thud.
The mattress bounced twice.
Then she strode up to Haimo.
"Fine, I'll take it off! Who's scared of whom?!"
Kikakujō Mary looked as though she were marching to her execution.
But.
Despite her loud declaration.
When her hands actually reached the ties at her nightgown's collar, her fingers stiffened, and her movements slowed.
The blush on her cheeks did not fade; instead, it burned all the way to her ears.
"..."
The room was so quiet that only the rustling of fabric could be heard.
At that point.
Kikakujō Mary closed her eyes and tugged her nightgown down.
It slid down her shoulders and bunched around her waist.
Bracing her hands on the edge of the bed, she climbed onto it somewhat clumsily and lay facedown.
Unlike the previous women, warriors who had spent years pushing their bodies to their limits.
Kikakujō Mary's back lacked that taut, muscular definition, instead displaying softly rounded curves.
Her fair skin gleamed delicately in the lamplight, with a thin layer of fat beneath the skin around her shoulder blades lending her the softness of someone raised in comfort.
It suited her status as a pampered young lady.
Haimo straddled her.
Kikakujō Mary's body went rigid, and her hands clutched the sheets beneath her.
"Drip."
Blood gathered at Haimo's fingertip and fell.
The crimson droplet touched her pale back and instantly sank into it.
Red light flared.
Intricate patterns spread and intertwined across the girl's softly rounded back before settling into place.
The light faded.
Haimo picked up the parchment beside him and copied the information from her back onto it.
[Name]: Kikakujō Mary [Race]: Human [Level]: Lv.1 [Ability scores]: Strength: I0 / Endurance: I0 / Dexterity: I0 / Agility: I0 / Magic: I0 [Development abilities]: None [Magic]: None [Skills]: "Noble Judgment," "Elegant Dance Steps"
Haimo glanced at the skill field and raised an eyebrow slightly.
"Interesting."
Skills: "Noble Judgment" Increases attack speed and accuracy when using rapier-type weapons. When attacking a previously struck location a second time or more, attack speed stacks. The number of stacks depends on [Dexterity]. Stabbing an opponent's nerve clusters inflicts intense pain several times greater than that of a normal attack, restoring mental energy according to the degree of pain inflicted. "Elegant Dance Steps" Slightly increases evasion rate while moving with specific dance steps during combat. Each successful evasion also increases the accuracy of the next attack and slightly stacks its damage.
Then.
Whoosh-
With astonishing speed, Kikakujō Mary pulled up the nightgown bunched around her waist and wrapped herself tightly in it, covering her exposed skin.
Haimo handed her the parchment.
She sat cross-legged on the bed, gripping the parchment tightly as she stared down at its text.
Her eyes gradually widened.
"This..."
"These are my skills?"
Kikakujō Mary's voice began to tremble.
Then.
She suddenly raised her head, her eyes sparkling with excitement.
"Well, Lord God? These are amazing skills, aren't they?"
Kikakujō Mary held the parchment up in front of Haimo, practically radiating Praise me! Praise me!
Seeing this, Haimo smiled helplessly, nodded, and pointed at the parchment.
"They really are two powerful skills."
"And they complement each other exceptionally well."
"Combining them gives you a deadly weapon."
"The Rapier Fencing you specialize in already emphasizes combining footwork with thrusts."
"Inflicting extreme pain on your enemies restores your mental energy."
"Which means..."
"The longer a battle lasts and the more your enemies suffer, the more energized your mind becomes, and the better your condition gets."
"So."
"You can use Elegant Dance Steps to move around the battlefield."
"Then use your sword to sever their hand tendons and pierce their flesh and nerves."
"Make the most of your talent for crippling your opponents."
"Crippling them?"
Kikakujō Mary murmured to herself.
It sounded a little sadistic.
But...
Why do I feel this strange excitement inside?
"All right."
"Having two skills this powerful should put you more at ease. Go on back."
"Yes!"
At Haimo's words, Kikakujō Mary nodded vigorously, straightened the slightly disheveled collar of her nightgown, and hopped off the bed, clutching the parchment tightly.
Then she strode back to the others.
However.
As she passed Onigawara Rin.
Kikakujō Mary deliberately paused.
With her chin held high and her lips curling upward, she glanced at Onigawara Rin out of the corner of her eye.
"Hmph."
Then she gave a short, unmistakably boastful snort.
The provocation needed no explanation.
Watching Kikakujō Mary's smug retreating figure, Onigawara Rin felt the corner of her eye twitch.
This girl...
Is she trying to show me up?
Judging by how well Onigawara Rin knew Kikakujō Mary.
She was surely thinking, I've already obtained incredibly powerful skills. Keep hesitating, and just wait until I leave you in the dust.
"..."
At that thought, Onigawara Rin let out a long breath.
She closed her eyes and steadied her somewhat hurried breathing.
When she opened them again.
The last trace of hesitation in her gaze had given way to resolve.
Since I've already come this far.
Since I've already decided to change.
Then there's no reason to back down now.
Onigawara Rin stepped forward.
She untied her sash with both hands.
Rustle-
Her already rather short nightgown slid down her body.
Without the slightest pause, Onigawara Rin bent forward, climbed onto the bed, and lay facedown.
Her back was not rounded like Mary's.
Nor did it have Zan Zan's explosive muscular definition.
Instead, its contours were more understated.