Chapter 236 There’s Always a Catch
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
After a long voyage by sea and land, Sayumi Mineyama and Yukina Yuki finally returned to Keldan from Solis. But something felt off with their classmates.
”Shut up, you weakling! ꐦ” “Hah? I’m obviously stronger!” “Say that again, punk!”
”Useless idiots must flirt with strong guys to survive, huh?” “What?! You’re the one playing cute for guys you like! ꐦ Girls like you are the worst! I’ll crush you! ꐦ”
Having been away, Sayumi and Yukina noticed the tension clearly. The boys grabbed collars, ready to fight. The girls traded sharp insults, escalating to hair-pulling brawls.
The atmosphere was hostile, almost dangerous. Before their teleportation, these classmates were shy and reserved, not particularly close but not this aggressive. Had their newfound Heavenly Gift Skills gone to their heads, intoxicating them with power?
Consulting their mentors, the Knights and Infantry, they were told, “It’s the result of growing as warriors.” Fair enough, but it didn’t sit right. After discussing with Yukina, Sayumi sought advice from Goddess Viness and King Albrecht Grain Vie Alyurein, the Holy King of Alyurein.
”Yes… we’ve noticed some Heroes are struggling with mental stress and no longer heed our requests,” Viness admitted. “We understand. We’ll handle it, so please don’t worry,” she assured them. Relieved, Sayumi and Yukina left the audience.
As the double doors closed, Viness murmured, “My Heroes are perfect…”—unheard by the girls.
* * *
Returning after a sorcery adjustment, the classmates’ aggression had vanished. Sayumi and Yukina sighed in relief.
Viness explained that the pressure of being Heroes, coupled with the fear and stress of battle, likely caused their behavior. “We used healing hint sorcery [T/N: A subtle magical influence] to restore their mental state,” she said.
Looking near tears, Viness added, “I’m so sorry… our shortcomings forced you, who have no stake in this world’s problems, to bear such burdens.
It’s our failure to support you.” Her apology made Sayumi feel guilty instead. The classmates, moved, chimed in: “It’s not your fault!” “Yeah, let’s do this together!” “We can do it!” Their voices united in solidarity.
Viness, touched, said, “Heroes… thank you!
In this hopeless world, summoning people like you is our fortune!” Her eyes remained dry, but the classmates, swept up in the moment, didn’t notice. (Even if they had, the mood forbade pointing it out.)
* * *
That night, in the girls’ shared dormitory, shadowy figures crept in the darkness. Sayumi Mineyama, whose love for canned beef—laced with growth hormones—had given her an unusually curvaceous figure for a 17-year-old, slept soundly.
The figures reached for her ample chest and those of other girls.
”Eek?! Who’s there?!” “Nooo!” “Stop! Where are you touching?!”
Their screams pierced the room.
Other girls, startled awake, lit candles with light magic or flame magic [T/N: Spells for illumination or fire]. The light revealed the culprits: a group of the least popular boys from their class!
Predictably, the girls beat them senseless and bound them with restraint magic [T/N: Magic to immobilize]. Outraged, they shouted, “Gross! ꐦ Die!
ꐦ” “I feel filthy just thinking you touched me! ꐦ” “Ganging up on girls? Pathetic! ꐦ”
Takashi Nishimura, Takafumi Takenaka, and Hiroyuki Mogi—otakus who bonded over adult videos and figurines—sobbed. “It’s not our fault!” “Kimura, Miyasako, and Ooshiro extorted our money!” “We couldn’t afford the red-light district [T/N: A pleasure quarter] and were desperate!” They claimed to be victims.
Their excuses fell flat. “Don’t mess with us! ꐦ Perverts!
ꐦ” “Die! ꐦ” The girls kicked them mercilessly. Even kind-hearted Sayumi, Yuzuki Yuka, Fuuka Ootori, and Marika Sakashita glared with contempt, their usual warmth replaced by disgust at having their chests groped.
Later, Goddess Viness revealed the truth. The war against the Demon King’s army had left the classmates with trauma and stress. The sorcery adjustment seemed successful, stabilizing their emotions.
But it merely redirected their frustrations—girls became materialistic, boys lustful. Viness admitted this was a side effect of hypnosis sorcery and brainwashing magic [T/N: Forbidden magical techniques], not just hint sorcery. Unaware of magic’s darker side, Sayumi and Yukina could only accept it.
* * *
In the holy throne hall, King Albrecht’s wicked laugh echoed, unbecoming of a Holy King. Beside him, Goddess Viness giggled elegantly, hand on cheek, her smile sly.
In a low voice, Albrecht said, “Not explaining why such strong brainwashing magic and hypnosis sorcery were used… you’re devious, Viness.”
”Oh? ♪ You make it sound like I’m deceiving our innocent Heroes,” Viness teased, feigning tears. “I’m a pure goddess! I only ordered mild hint sorcery. If your subordinates mistakenly used forbidden-level magic… what an unfortunate accident! ♪”
Her bright, unapologetic smile dripped with malice. Albrecht mused, “I doubted kids could save the world, but summoning naive teens from another world was brilliant.
Ignorant of our ways, young and clueless, they’re easy to control. They don’t even know what’s being done to them.”
The Heavenly Gift Skills the Heroes believed in weren’t unique—anyone in this world could gain them with enough courage. True Heroes could’ve been empowered if they’d stepped up. But none did.
(Ignorance is terrifying… fools,) Albrecht thought. (We gave them no path but fighting, but great power never comes without cost.)
Heroes were called such for their bravery, a truth the classmates never considered.
Spitting disdain in his heart, Albrecht resolved to keep them ignorant until their dying day. To be continued.
Notes:
• Mineyama – Vice class rep, serious and disciplined.
• Sayumi – Vice class rep, serious and disciplined.
• Sayumi Mineyama – Vice class rep, serious and disciplined.
• Yukina – Sayumi’s friend, a half-Eastern European girl with silver hair and blue eyes, who offers support and expresses concern about the recent events.
• Albrecht – King of the Holy Kingdom of Alyurein.
• Viness – Goddess in the Holy Kingdom of Alyurein.
• Hiroyuki Mogi – art of the otaku trio with Nishimura and Takenaka. Took part in the attempted groping incident, only to be overpowered by the girls and humiliated. He too insisted they were victims of extortion, though their excuses were rejected with scorn. Low-Rank Eroge Gamer.
• Kimura – Delinquent Upper-Caste. Counted among the stronger, more dominant boys. Along with Miyasako and Ooshiro, he extorted money from Nishimura, Takenaka, and Mogi. Their coercion was the reason the weaker trio claimed they resorted to groping the girls at night.
• Miyasako – Cocky Yankee. One of the bullies allied with Kimura and Ooshiro. He targeted the otaku trio for money extortion, exploiting their weakness and desperation. Though not directly caught in the dorm incident, his role as aggressor was central.
• Ooshiro – Hierarchy-Showoff. Part of the same extortion group with Kimura and Miyasako. He pressured Nishimura, Takenaka, and Mogi financially, indirectly driving them into the humiliating assault. Identified as one of the “popular” side of class dynamics.
• Takafumi Takenaka – Another unpopular boy in the same trio, close to Nishimura and Mogi through their shared otaku hobbies. He joined the nighttime assault on the girls’ dormitory, where they were exposed, beaten, and bound. Like the others, he sobbed that stronger classmates had extorted them and driven them to desperation. Doujin-Otaku Weakling.
• Takashi Nishimura – One of the least popular boys in class, grouped with Takenaka and Mogi. An otaku who bonded over adult videos and figurines, he was caught groping girls in the dormitory at night. Later, he claimed Kimura, Miyasako, and Ooshiro had extorted his money, leaving him desperate since he couldn’t afford the red-light district. Perverted Otaku.
• Fuuka Ootori – First appears in Chapter 49 of the story. One of Hiyori Sashima’s best friends, alongside Tokihara Misaki. Fuuka is currently experiencing menstrual pain, which slows her down and causes her discomfort, but she persists in moving forward with her friends. Her blessing makes her a target for those with ill intent, so she relies on Misaki’s combat skills and Hiyori’s barrier abilities for protection.
• Marika Sakashita – The fashionable gyaru who awakened as a Magic Warrior.
• Ootori – First appears in Chapter 49 of the story. One of Hiyori Sashima’s best friends, alongside Tokihara Misaki. Fuuka is currently experiencing menstrual pain, which slows her down and causes her discomfort, but she persists in moving forward with her friends. Her blessing makes her a target for those with ill intent, so she relies on Misaki’s combat skills and Hiyori’s barrier abilities for protection.
• Sakashita – The fashionable gyaru who awakened as a Magic Warrior.
• Yuzuki Yuka – A kind and beautiful girl with chestnut hair, admired as her class’s “Madonna.” She holds the rare Saint class, combining powerful attack spells with healing and recovery magic, always compassionate even toward enemies.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
Thanks for reading.
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