After
that, the final announcement of the results is brought up to the closing
ceremony. Well, since the distribution of scores for each event had been
announced, it could be figured out based on the distribution of scores just
before the event... but even those who took the trouble to figure it out are
not so naive as to say it out loud.
After
a few words of appreciation from the principal, the announcement is finally
made.
『Announcement!
The winner is Team C!』
*whoa*
A
cheer went up from Class C of each grade. On the other hand, Class A and Class
B are disappointed.
『The
winning team will receive a prize of 1000 yen worth of coupons for the school
cafeteria and purchases』
As
soon as the prize is announced, the mood in the hall turned to "Oh,
yeah...", which is quite amusing.
After
the closing ceremony, the students cleaned up and left the school.
The
next day is not a vacation, but still the closing ceremony. The school's
management policy is that the ceremony will be over in half a day, so students
are encouraged to drag their tired bodies along.
**a
☆ ☆ ☆
「Good
work. Well, I'm glad we won」
「Yes.
Although I don't intend to be so attached to the result, it feels much better
than losing」
After
coming home, they change their clothes and gather in the living room.
Riko
and Maria, the women, seemed to be in a good mood after the sports festival.
Chihiro, however, while smiling at them, is not in a happy mood.
「What,
Chihiro? Are you still worried about Takatsuki-san dumping you?」
「...Don't
say it clearly」
It's
not that she can't see through him, but she knows. Because Riko and Maria must
have heard that exchange.
「It
can't be helped. Takatsuki-san is a human being, she has her own likes and
dislikes」
「...Yeah」
Of
course.
But
he just can't keep up with his feelings.
And
as he thinks about it, he starts to feel depressed again. But he shakes his
head lightly and tries to change his mind.
「Did
Takatsuki-san really dump Izumi-kun?」
Maria
tilted her head with a look of uncertainty.
「That...」
"Of
course she dumped me", Chihiro's thought.
But
feeling uncomfortable to say it himself, Chihiro kept his mouth shut.
However,
by chance, Aika refused to even choose Chihiro. If that wasn't a rejection,
what was it?
「That's
it. Why did Takatsuki-san choose a person she didn't want to choose? If she
didn't want to choose, why didn't she leave you out from the start?」
Maisaka
was chosen because he was "just right". After all, Maisaka's
personality is not likely to be misunderstood by either himself or others. It's
a good choice for an on-the-spot partner.
If
so, it would have been better to mention Maisaka's name from the beginning.
"Hmm",
Riko groans and raises her hand.
「Maisaka
is actually her true love, and she didn't want you to know it」
「...Stop
making assumptions that you yourself don't believe」
「Oh,
you caught me」
Riko
sticks her tongue out at Chihiro.
「I
mean, Maria, I didn't think you'd be so obsessed with the subject of love」
「I'm
not obsessed, I'm just wondering. Nishizaki-san, do you have any doubts about
her behavior?」
「Yes」
Riko
nodded her head easily.
She
smiled and looked meaningfully at Chihiro.
**b
「But
I'm not going to tell Master」
「Eh?」
「That's
good. If she's going to ignore you, why don't you just screw her? She might be
more forgiving than you think」
「...No,
no no」
Chihiro
tried to imagine it for a while, but it didn't seem realistic at all.
Then
Riko chuckled and dropped the subject of Aika.
「Anyway.
How about "this" stuff?」
She
flipped up her clothes to reveal a mark that looked just like Maria's.
「It's
rather nice, this one」
「Yes.
It's working better than I thought」
Maria
nodded at Riko's comment.
「Is
that so?」
Chihiro,
on the other hand, is not feeling it.
This
was because the mark only affected Maria and Riko, not Chihiro himself.
And
the only things he could verify beforehand were the conditions under which the
ability would be activated and the conditions under which the effect would be
applied. Although he did not know how the effect would work.
「Yes.
I feel like I've been able to exert 10 to 20 percent more strength than usual」
「Me
too. I felt strong when I made the illusion」
And
so, here's the summary of what has been learned.
The
condition for activation is that the subject is in physical contact with
Chihiro. The subject must swear to obey Chihiro. When activated, a mark will
appear on the subject.
The
subject, who has the mark, receives a boost to all actions. To be precise, it
is not an enhancement, but rather a sort of forcible raising to a "good
state".
Chihiro
can also restrict the actions of the bearer of the mark at will. Riko, who
participated in the verification, testified that her action seems to become
sluggish.
The
mark cannot be removed by Maria and the others. But it can be removed at will by
Chihiro's thought, and it can be reapplied by performing the first step again.
「Is
it named [Command] or something?」
「How
about [Ruler's Blessing]?」
「Well...
I'll go with [Domination] for now」
It's
a pompous name, but it can't be helped since [Command] has a slightly different
meaning.
The
ability to strengthen others, not oneself.
「Still,
it's a little hard to use」
The
target of the effect is too limited to be of much use.
Chihiro
is having trouble deciding whether or not to show it in the ability assessment.
「I
wonder?」
But
Maria tilted her head.
**c
「The
essence of this ability is not in how easy it is to strengthen a person or how
much it is strengthened the person. Rather, it's the opposite」
「The
opposite?」
「Yes,
the opposite」
Maria
opens her arms and hugs herself. Stronger, and stronger.
「Once
I surrender my heart to you, you will bind me for life. If I defy you I'll have
to spend the rest of my life under the curse of your control」
「The
curse of domination」
「Chains,
if you want to call it that」
After
said that, Maria removes her hand from her body, and this time touching her
neck.
「Once
chained, I have no choice but to devote my life to my intended master. It's the
best proof of loyalty, don't you think?」
Chihiro,
who hears that, felt a thrill of immorality run down his spine.
As
if guided, he looked into Maria's jet-black eyes. Naturally, she desired
Chihiro's fingers, tongue, and everything.
Perhaps
it was because they had been together so many times before.
Chihiro
let himself be assaulted by the urge with a concrete image...
「Master」
Riko's
thin fingers grabbed Chihiro's wrist.
Not
to stop him, but...
「Please
don't make me the one who's left out...」
Chihiro
smiled and nodded in response to her indirect plea.
Thanks for reading...
