“Friend.”
Cass savored the word as if chewing it, his face blissful as he stroked his chest.
Siloque, your friend is so weird…
Why does he look so effeminate?
Beiren’s attention returned to Siloque, putting on a professional smile:
“This is the Health Room, a place for patients, not anyone’s territory. Please don’t treat it as some private public space you can come and go as you please.”
“Actually, I have Yuyu Syndrome. I’m seriously ill, so please, Teacher, don’t provoke me.”
“………….”
Beiren’s eyelid twitched several times.
Cass awkwardly apologized to the School Nurse, then was pushed by Siloque, and the two took off their shoes and sat on the bed.
“Siloque, do we really have to do this here? The Library or somewhere would work too, right?”
“It’s related to tomorrow’s duel. Besides, I like this place.”
Because someone I like is here.
“Uh…?”
Though Cass didn’t understand, he still sat upright, his posture very proper; Siloque sat cross-legged, relaxed.
“You don’t have to sit so formal. It makes me nervous just looking at you.”
“S-sorry.”
Cass clumsily tried to imitate Siloque’s sitting posture but couldn’t get used to it and eventually returned to sitting properly.
Siloque simply let him sit however was comfortable.
Cass went back to sitting upright.
“I never thought I’d have a water-length meeting like this one day. I always hated meeting scenes in anime…”
“Siloque, what did you say?”
“Nothing. Anyway, let’s get started—about tomorrow’s match with Cliff. First, tell me about Bried, Kersey, and yourself—your current level, skills, and talents.”
“Okay.”
Cass pressed a hand to his mouth, thinking:
“Bried, Lv12, talent [Velocity Layering], one skill ; Kersey, LV11, talent [Pain Sharing], two skills and . I’m…”
“LV16, talent [Friction], one skill .”
“Mm, you knew, Siloque.”
Cass smiled faintly.
Judging from the current level, it was barely enough.
Now Siloque confirmed that their current progress matched his expectations.
Bried could control her sprint to make turns within about 40 meters, and the skill reduced the stiff state caused by using [Velocity Layering], letting her quickly use her talent again.
Kersey’s was mainly for illumination, but it could reveal other things too…
According to the first playthrough plot, Cliff would reach LV12 and become a match opponent.
Now, he’d entered a small branch of the second playthrough line, receiving help from the Evil Demon Society, making the difficulty a bit higher.
“By the way, there’s something I’m not sure if I should tell you.”
“Say it.”
“Mm… Before, you told me if Kersey and Bried asked where I got the information, just say ‘the teacher taught me’.”
“Yeah, what about it?”
Cass scratched his face, troubled:
“It doesn’t affect the duel, but they have a serious misunderstanding about you.”
Cass explained how the two had mistaken Siloque for a perfect superwoman.
“Oh, let them think what they want.”
“Eh? You’re not mad at me?”
“What’s there to be mad about? I asked you to say it. I don’t interact with them anyway. Let them misunderstand however they like.”
“If it were me, I’d be mad… I almost thought I was spreading rumors.”
“The original meaning of words can be distorted after passing through many hands. Don’t mind it.”
“Oh, oh… Siloque, you’re so broad-minded.”
Cass sat even straighter.
His gender had been misunderstood so many times already.
A few more misunderstandings, even being seen as a super-beauty, didn’t matter.
I’ve let it go…
He tried to convince himself, but black lines covered his face.
“Let’s put that aside for now. Back to the duel—first, this morning you fought Cliff. You should’ve felt he’s different now.”
Cass nodded:
“Hertanid said he absorbed power from me.”
“Exactly. He was given power by a member of the Evil Demon Society—most likely someone named Genolo, a talkative bitch.”
“Ah——? Evil Demon Society?!”
Hearing this, Cass looked as if he’d bitten bitter gourd.
“So, Siloque, if you knew, why didn’t you… no, without evidence, you can’t catch Genolo, right?”
“You get it.”
In fact, Siloque had only considered Cliff being approached by a member of the Evil Demon Society as a low-probability possibility.
Even who would approach him was uncertain.
In the game, there were three possible Evil Demon Society members Cliff could meet.
Each had different reasons for targeting Cliff, and the meeting locations varied.
Siloque opened the memo function on his ring and recorded the name “Genolo.” Above that name, he wrote “Myut.”
This woman hadn’t appeared yet—whether that was good or bad, who could say.
“Cliff’s talent has upgraded now. Through his active contact, he can absorb experience, stamina, and magic. So don’t let him or the vines he creates touch you.”
“Also, he can manifest his talent as thorn armor, which spreads from his abdomen over his body. This process takes a bit of time.”
“Defense and attack power further increase. The thorns on the armor can cause instant paralysis on contact with skin.”
“The ‘Experienced Battle Gauntlets’ Genolo gave Cliff increase his toughness and attack power the longer he attacks, and combined with his current talent effect, fighting a prolonged battle puts you at a disadvantage.”
“Speaking of which, one of his second playthrough vine upgrades also adds a chanting effect. If you intentionally lose, you can unlock the ‘Crown Bearer’ achievement… No, no, what am I thinking?”
Siloque quickly shut down that unnecessary, dangerous train of thought.
The more Siloque explained, the more complex Cass’s expression became.
“Wait, can Bried and I really defeat someone like this?”
“Aren’t you aiming to be the strongest? Are you afraid of just this?”
“No.”
Cass smiled, a bit excited.
“With an enemy like this, winning will be even more fun.”
It wasn’t forced bravado.
Cass was truly unafraid.
“I’m not scared to challenge alone—just a bit worried about Bried and the others… But Siloque, you definitely have a way to win, right?”
“I have a Plan A.”
“Once you’re in the match, I can bet Cliff’s first move will be to activate his talent, using vines to bind your actions. His fully deployed can even add a degree of stealth.”
“Don’t panic.”
“Before entering, have Kersey prepare to activate . While this skill can’t fully break stealth, it can reveal low-level hidden enemies like Cliff.”
“Cass, you find Cliff’s exact location, and have Kersey use [Pain Sharing] as needed to hinder Cliff’s actions. But remember, this talent only works within the line of sight—you know that.”
“Have Bried stay beside Kersey.”
“If within three turns you can lure him into revealing an opening, have Bried, who’s been guarding Kersey, deliver a fatal blow and finish it quickly.”
“Also, if there’s a lot of smoke, don’t rush in recklessly, and definitely don’t say things like ‘did we win?’—remember to finish safely.”
If the opponent were a monster, Siloque could predict things more accurately.
Cass listened, dazed, his mouth half open:
“Okay… Okay, Siloque, you really thought this through. Let me calm down.”
Cass pressed his forehead, digesting Siloque’s words.
Siloque paused, then went to pour two glasses of water.
“I’m saying this because I want you to know that Cliff isn’t as strong as you imagine. All this is just the theoretical maximum. Even if I can predict 99%, the remaining 1% of uncertainty could overturn everything in actual combat, so—”
“Adapt to the situation. I understand, Siloque.”
After hearing Siloque’s analysis, Cass felt filled with confidence and drank the warm water.
Come to think of it, Siloque even made Myut flee in panic before.
A mere Cliff, boosted by borrowed power, couldn’t possibly be invincible.
“Alright. I’ll send you a document with the remaining plans BCDE and some key points. Go to class now.”
“Ah… Okay, as expected of you.”
Cass smiled bitterly, rubbing his forehead, fully convinced by Siloque.
Ding ling ling.
No sooner had Siloque finished speaking than the class bell rang on time.
Did he calculate even this?
As Cass admired Siloque’s precision, Siloque’s next words proved Cass was overthinking it:
“Oh, what a coincidence. The timing’s perfect. Cass, help me ask for leave. Just say I’m too tired and unwell.”
“.Oh… Speaking of which, Siloque, you’re really not going to class? I’ve seen you skip a lot before too.”
“As long as I pass the exams and maintain daily attendance, I can graduate. No problem.”
Siloque was already typing comfortably on the bed with his ring.
Seeing Cass still there, Siloque signaled with his eyes:
Anything else?
“Hey, Siloque…”
Cass lowered his head, nervously swallowing, licking his lips.
“Say it.”
“If this time, I can defeat Cliff…”
[So noisy… Cassia, your heartbeat is too loud. It’s disturbing my rest.]
Ignoring Hertanid’s complaint in his mind, Cass tried to stay calm: “Would you, um, maybe, go out on a date with me?”
Ah ah ah ah—!
He stuttered out of sheer nerves!
Siloque kept typing on the ring:
“Grind monsters in the Dungeon?”
“I don’t mean that kind. I mean, just hanging out together like normal friends…”
As he spoke, Cass clutched the bedsheet tightly, the wrinkled fabric reflecting his tangled thoughts.
Siloque looked troubled.
“What’s fun about going out with me? Go find your girlfriend.”
“Eh? I—I don’t have a girlfriend?”
“None? Looking this handsome and being the protagonist, and you don’t have one?”
“What protagonist… I couldn’t possibly…”
Siloque looked even more puzzled than Cass.
He crossed his arms, falling into deep thought—then suddenly clapped his hands.
“I get it.”
“Get… get what?”
Siloque muttered softly:
“You haven’t noticed you’re being liked. So, being oblivious is also necessary for a harem, I see, yes, yes…”
“Um, Siloque? What are you saying?”
“Heh.”
He patted Cass’s shoulder.
“?”
Siloque exuded the confident aura of ‘I’m a grade ahead of you’.
“I’ll think about going out. If you can beat Cliff.”
“Really!?”
“I said I’ll think about it.”
“It’s a promise! No backing out!”
“Hey, hey, don’t shout so loud. We’re done here, go to class already.”
Cass slid off the bed. Before leaving, he said again:
“It’s a promise!”
“Yeah, yeah, win against Cliff first, then we’ll talk.”
“Mm! I’ll give it my all. Ah, Teacher Gewina, sorry for bothering you.”
Cass bowed.
Siloque waved dismissively. Cass quietly closed the Health Room door behind him.
At that moment, Siloque frowned, realizing something belatedly.
Wait, making a promise before battle?
Did I just set a defeat FLAG?