Chapter 147 The Fool
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
We exited the classroom after finishing our fourth-period class and walked through the connecting corridor. In addition to Hiromi, Akari, Tomoko, and Chikako, the five of us including the transfer student Fujisaki are in the same Class 2-D as me.
”They really have classes here. It’s strangely very nostalgic,” Fujisaki said, wearing the school uniform and looking happy.
”Did your previous school not have classes?” I asked.
”I’ve never heard of a school that holds normal classes even after coming to another world. Perhaps this is the only one, don’t you think?”
”It’s led by the School Management Committee, but I think it’s useful not only for efficiently teaching knowledge about the dungeon but also for everyone’s mental stability,” I replied.
”Ah, I totally get that!” Hiromi chimed in. “I also didn’t know what to do at first and almost panicked, but once the classes started as usual, I calmed down for the time being.”
Chikako agreed, nodding at Hiromi’s opinion. “We were barely taught anything, so we had no choice but to proceed by trial and error.”
”Speaking of which,” I continued, “according to what I heard from Higurashi, Lugia-san said before that they are interpreting the regulations as broadly as possible to create this environment.”
”The Protectorate here is surprisingly kind,” Fujisaki noted, observing the maids who were cleaning inside the school as she spoke. “Where I’m from, it was basically left to chance until the students managed to organize themselves on their own.”
According to Higurashi, the Commander-in-Chief Celestia-san is doing her best while clashing with the home country, so it seems Higurashi’s policy is to Support Celestia-san so she doesn’t get kicked out. Specifically, it seems that just having the numerous students of my class actively bring back items and magic stones from the dungeon will be an achievement.
When we passed through the entrance lobby, which was crowded with students heading to the school cafeteria, and went outside, Himeno and Kanon were waiting.
”Tsuchimiya-senpai!” The two of them waved their hands and ran up to us.
”Kaede-senpai,” Kanon asked, “how was your first class?”
”Everyone was kind, and I was surprised,” Fujisaki said. “It was the first time since I was in Japan that I’ve taken classes, and it was a lot of fun. I’m really glad I came here. I’ve grown fond of this Academy.”
”That’s great!” Kanon exclaimed.
The reason Fujisaki was treated kindly by everyone is that they thought she was being treated terribly as my s*x slave. In exchange, I ended up being subjected to a strict interrogation by everyone. Thanks to that, it was difficult to clear up the misunderstanding. No, since Fujisaki said “it’s not that I hate it,” everyone reluctantly agreed, but I feel like the misunderstanding hasn’t been cleared up. It’s hard to do anything about it since it’s a fact that it became a slave contract through the flow of events.
”Fujisaki,” I muttered, “let’s stop declaring that you’re a s*x slave.”
”My bad,” she replied. “Where I’m from, it’s normal for both men and women to be made into s*x slaves if they become prisoners of war, so I didn’t think it would cause such a commotion.”
”Damn it… my image as an otaku gentleman has worsened again.”
”An otaku gentleman? But everyone was calling Takeru ‘Mad Dog’.”
”That’s because of the gossip articles in the newspaper club!” I insisted. “Everyone has been implanted with the wrong impression, so I’m in the middle of trying my best to restore my image! I want them to know the real me!”
”Hmm. The real you, huh…” Fujisaki sighed. “Well, I think it’s a waste of time, but you can try as much as you like until you’re satisfied.”
What an uncooperative s*x slave!
After that, we went to the Teleportation facility together, and Higurashi was waiting.
”Is Amahara-senpai not coming with us after all?” Higurashi asked.
”Yeah,” I confirmed. “Amahara-senpai is in the middle of preparations and meetings for the representative conference. I’ve dumped it all on Akiyama-senpai and the others, so it’s fine. I’ve taken custody of Amahara-senpai’s Player Card.”
”Alright, then let’s get this over with quickly.”
We headed to the purchase counter. Actually, I had handed over the items and Monster corpses obtained in the trash floor yesterday, but because the volume was so large, I was told to come after noon today. Everyone waited on the sofa, and when Higurashi and I handed the deposit receipt to the counter, we were given the Appraisal results and a list of purchase amounts.
”This really is an incredible amount,” I remarked.
”Is it really okay for even me to receive this?” Higurashi asked. “I wasn’t involved in the trash floor at all this time.”
”Yeah. It’s Fujisaki’s wish that we distribute it among everyone, and if you think about the subjugation operation, you contributed quite a bit, right?”
”I understand. …Oh? The purchase amount is lower than before.” Higurashi let his eyes run over the list, did a double-take, and picked up the document.
”Um, regarding that, allow me to explain,” the lady at the reception said apologetically. “Actually, there were instructions from the Commander-in-Chief, and Takeru-sama and his group will no longer be eligible for the Beginner Support purchase system.”
”The Beginner Support purchase system?” I asked.
”So that’s how it is,” Higurashi noted.
”Yes,” the receptionist continued. “As a beginner’s life support, we had been adding 30% to the purchase price of items other than magic stones and coins for players at the beginner level, but we have received notification that beginner treatment is unnecessary for Takeru-sama and his group.”
”The special provisions written in the pamphlet have been applied,” Higurashi observed. “Well, it can’t be helped.”
”A dungeon pamphlet, huh?” I mused. “It must have been written in the part I skipped because it looked troublesome.”
”Don’t skip it,” Higurashi warned. “It’s a part directly connected to your life. Are you the type of person who signs contracts without reading the terms of service, Tsuchimiya-senpai?”
”Is there anyone who reads that? Anyway, it’s a fact that I’m not having trouble living, so it can’t be helped if that’s the case.”
I’m stuck at Level 1 forever, so I’ll be at the beginner level for a long time to come. As for Fujisaki, she is currently at the Expert Level, and she’s one level away from the Master Level.
”Thank you for your understanding,” the lady said with a relieved business smile. Then, she handed over everyone’s Player Cards that had been kept in custody and had the money deposited.
”Eh! Is it okay for me to receive this much!?” Kanon gasped, holding the balance statement.
”15 million yen per person,” I added, “this is mostly items that Sakichi collected alone, right? Is it really okay?”
”Yes,” Fujisaki said. “I have a contract that says I’m Takeru’s slave, so everything belongs to Takeru. It’s fine for Takeru to do as he likes.”
A slave. It’s better than a s*x slave, but I can’t deny that it still has a brutal ring to it. It’s not good for a gentleman to own a slave. It might be better to dissolve the contract. While thinking about such things, I handed the balance statement to Fujisaki as well.
”Oh, you’re giving me this much too? Ufufu, you could have made a bigger difference. 14,227,800… oh?” Fujisaki frowned and stared fixedly at the document. “One, ten, hundred, thousand, ten thousand… w-wait a minute, Takeru?”
”What’s wrong, Fujisaki?”
”T-this… aren’t the number of digits wrong?”
”There should be 140 million in there, right?”
”140 million!?”
”I donated most of the weapons and potions to the Student Council, so it’s reduced, but I allocated half of the total amount submitted to Appraisal to Fujisaki. I feel sorry even with this, though.”
”Eh eh… I, at most, have only ever managed to save up to about 160,000 yen in balance. Is this really okay?”
She’s really spooked by the huge amount of money she’s never seen before. She would have felt relieved if it was about the same as everyone else, but at this rate, she looks like she’s going to get spooked and refuse to accept it.
”It’s more than okay,” I insisted, “as Chikako said, since you collected most of the items. We thankfully divided half among us. Thank you, Fujisaki.”
”Thank you! Kaede-senpai!”
”Kaede-chan, thank you,” Kanon added.
”Thanks, Sakichi,” Hiromi said.
”U… un…”
Fujisaki’s eyes are darting around, and she’s behaving suspiciously. She’s the type who gets anxious before she can feel happy if the scale is too big.
”Let’s go to the special zone today and look around for furniture to put in our rooms,” I suggested. “We were too busy yesterday and couldn’t see much.”
”Things are surprisingly expensive here, but with this, there’s no need to worry,” Kanon said.
”F-furniture!” Fujisaki exclaimed. “T-that’s right! Alright, I’ll treat you to lunch!”
With Hiromi and Akari’s words, strength returned to Fujisaki’s eyes. Did she recover now that it became a realistic conversation? She’s easy to understand.
After that, the restaurant we entered when we went to the special zone for lunch was an udon shop. It was Fujisaki’s passionate request, but I hadn’t had noodles other than cup noodles for a while, so my excitement went up. As we were split into two tables and slurping Kamo-nan soba, Higurashi, who was sitting next to me, called out.
”Tsuchimiya-senpai. My coat button came loose, so could you share one sewing needle with me?”
”Hmm? I gave you one before, didn’t I?”
”It’s small, so I lost it somewhere.”
”Good grief, can’t be helped.”
When I took out my sewing kit from ‘Storage’ and took out the needle cushion, Higurashi quickly snatched one out.
”Ah! That’s one I’m used to using, so pick another one!”
Why does this girl always accurately rob me of my favorites!?
”Well, well. I’ll give you one fried shrimp, so don’t worry about the small things.”
”What!? Isn’t that the main dish of tempura udon! Are you really sure!?”
”Yeah. I have two, and it’s a token of my gratitude to Tsuchimiya-senpai.”
I had struggled until I was spitting blood over whether to have tempura udon or Kamo-nan soba. If it’s just one sewing needle and a fried shrimp, there’s no help for it.
”If that’s the case, then it can’t be helped. Use it carefully.”
”Yeah, thanks Tsuchimiya-senpai.”
To get fried shrimp for this much, Higurashi is easy. After that, Higurashi returned to the Academy to participate in the representative conference.
* * *
”It seems that Tsuchimiya Takeru has agreed to the discontinuation of the Beginner Support system. The revenue from this purchase is approximately 300 million gal,” Liora reported.
Commander-in-Chief Celestia curled her lips. “Good, good, good. Isn’t this a big turnaround? Even looking at the past ten years, there probably hasn’t been a school that has raked in this much revenue in the first month. I can imagine the frustrated faces of the ministers.”
”Will they be quiet for a while with this?” Judas asked, also relaxing his shoulders as if relieved.
”If they interfere poorly now and the revenue worsens, they will be held responsible,” Celestia replied. “Well, I’m going to pursue it thoroughly and shove various responsibilities onto them as well. Anyway, we can finally take a breath in terms of revenue. While we’re at it, we’ll start smoking out the spies. Trust no one except the subordinates from the 44th Northern Strike Squadron.”
”Yes!”
”It looks like the chicks will manage to overcome their first mountain on their own,” Celestia said, her sharp eyes shining as she let out a daring laugh. “And in the best way possible, too. If I don’t refocus my own energy, I’ll be the one they’re laughing at.”
* * *
A round table was placed in the center of a pitch-black classroom with the blackout curtains drawn. Small orange orbs of light floated in the air, faintly illuminating the cards densely lined up on the table. Kujinami¹ Sekira, wrapped in a robe, sat in a chair and stared intensely at the cards.
(‘At that time, they will leave,’ ‘Inconvenient turmoil,’ the one causing the waves is a ‘new star’.)
Kujinami concentrated her consciousness to read the meaning of the cards. The most important thing was inspiration.
(‘New star’? Another new school?)
”Can you identify it?” multiple voices called out from the darkness.
Straining to see, one could make out several men and women surrounding the round table at a distance. Some sat on desks pushed to the edge, while others stood with their arms crossed, staring intently at the cards on the table. Kujinami silently turned over one of the face-down cards.
(‘Holy War’ card… Could this be, by any chance, Seito Academy?)
Kujinami furrowed her brows suspiciously. The silhouettes surrounding her rustled.
”Seito Academy, you say?” one of the men asked. “That’s the school that teleported in with the ‘Child of God,’ right?”
”But we should have already finished off the ‘Child of God’,” a woman replied.
”But still,” another voice interjected, “aren’t there still SSR-class baleful stars² just lying around there?”
Kujinami opened her mouth while looking at the arrangement of the cards. “In that Academy, besides the ‘Child of God’, there exist the ‘Demon King’, ‘Beast King’, ‘Rakshasa’, and the ‘Queen of Succubi’. All of them are baleful stars that one shouldn’t encounter often, but something similar happened seven years ago when the ‘Child of God’ appeared. They were probably trials given to the still-immature ‘Child of God’. The ‘Child of God’ who overcame them and grew would eventually begin to walk the path to becoming a ‘God’. In other words, they were sacrifices prepared for the ‘Child of God’.”
”But the ‘Child of God’ is gone now,” a woman said with a giggle. “If such monsters all started rampaging at once, that Academy would have a very pitiful time, wouldn’t it?”
”It’s troublesome enough if they survive,” a man grunted, “but we’ve already made our moves, right?”
”Yes,” the first woman answered. “While the ‘Beast King’ was attacking the Child of God, I gave them My card. At that time, they manifested a class Title called ‘King Ogre’, and when I went to see them recently, their monsterization had already progressed. I also gave a card to the Demon King at that time. The two of them will probably clash soon, but at their current level, they won’t be a match for the monsterized ‘Beast King’. If things go according to plan, that Academy should be devoured by the ‘Beast King’.”
”Wow, that’s harsh,” someone whispered.
”But if Seito Academy is rising,” a man noted, “does that mean the ‘Demon King’ survived?”
”It’s hard to believe,” Kujinami said, “but looking at the divination results, that possibility seems high. I don’t think the ‘Rakshasa’ or the ‘Queen of Succubi’ are the types to lead the Academy and take action. That ‘Beast King’ was a useless guy until the end, wasn’t he?”
Kujinami twisted her face as if she had bitten into something bitter.
”An Academy led by the ‘Demon King’…” the first man mused. “This is going to be troublesome. Kujinami, can you look at Seito Academy now?”
”I don’t have much of this month’s resources left, so I can only see it roughly,” Kujinami replied. “Besides, I won’t be able to do the rest of the planned divinations.”
”It doesn’t matter,” the man insisted. “We can’t expect any major developments anyway. I’m more concerned about the movements of the ‘Demon King’. If there’s an opening, I want to finish them off before they grow.”
”Understood,” Kujinami said. “Then I will interrupt the current divination and take a look at Seito Academy.”
When Kujinami held her hand over the table, the cards spread out on the table gathered in one place in an instant, and then automatically scattered across the entire table. All cards were in a face-down state.
”Then, here I go…”
Kujinami followed her inspiration and turned over the randomly scattered cards. A strong sense of déjà vu washed over her; perhaps her hands were turning over the same cards in the same procedure as a month ago. After finishing turning over several cards, Kujinami stopped her hand.
”What is this… What on earth does this mean!?”
”Hey, what’s wrong, Kujinami?” one of the shadows asked.
”Both the ‘Demon King’ and the ‘Beast King’ are alive and well… The arrangement of the baleful stars hasn’t changed since I looked at it a month ago.”
”Does that mean they haven’t fought yet?”
”No, wait,” Kujinami muttered, “the configuration hasn’t changed even though the ‘Child of God’ is gone? Is such a thing possible?”
”It’s strange that the configuration of the monsterized ‘Beast King’ hasn’t changed,” a man observed. “By now, the four baleful stars should have been rampaging, and a storm of chaos and slaughter should have been raging.”
”Don’t tell me,” another voice asked, “the ‘Child of God’ is also alive and well!?”
At the voice, Kujinami shook her head. “No… the ‘Child of God’ is no longer here. I have even confirmed the corpse myself. But the configuration has not changed. It is as if the ‘Fool’ card has fit perfectly into that position, replacing the ‘Child of God’.”
”The ‘Fool’ card?” a man asked. “What do you mean?”
”The ‘Fool’ is functioning as the ‘Child of God’?” Kujinami asked herself. “No, that’s impossible.”
”In the first place,” another chimed in, “the ‘Fool’ doesn’t have any good imagery. Won’t that just spur the chaos?”
A sense of confusion drifted from the faceless group.
”Hey, Kujinami!” a man shouted. “What is happening at Seito Academy!”
”I don’t know… wait… there are few cards left to turn over…”
Kujinami stretched out her trembling fingers and turned over one card.
”This is… the ‘Cooperation’ card!? That’s impossible…! This completely changes the meaning of the configuration! As if the ‘Demon King’ is following the ‘Fool’…!? This is impossible! Baleful stars that should not be compatible… are fighting together!?”
At this moment, Kujinami doubted the Sacred Artifact Card³ she possessed for the first time.
—
Summary:
Celestia monitors the progress of newcomers while a dark cabal conducts divination. Kujinami reveals that the death of the ‘Child of God’ has not disrupted the dark configuration as expected. The emergence of the ‘Fool’ card alongside the ‘Cooperation’ card suggests a major shift in the academy’s future.
—
Trivia:
- The ritualistic nature of the divination process involving orange orbs.
- The history of similar events occurring seven years prior
—
Character Insight:
Kujinami shifts from confident divination to profound doubt as her Sacred Artifact Card reveals a reality that defies her logic.
—
Glossary:
Notes:
• Fujisaki – Black‑haired Level 20 fighter of Akatoriba Academy, in revealing bikini armor with an ample bust and a villainous “akunin‑zura” face. Former assassin who dueled the MC in an abandoned dungeon, now a sword‑wielding vanguard for Takeru’s faction, fearing the monster’s level and taking the “sex‑slave” label to join Seito Academy. A thief‑swordsman of the Fujisaki line — Kaede’s family — whose school was summoned a year ago, possessing great physical ability but despising conflict.
• Chikako – Hano Chikako, a brown‑skinned, brown‑haired free‑spirited gal, is honest and straightforward. She joined the Maekawa Party after being helped before, and now works as a friendly student delivering orders for Asuka.
• Hiromi – She leads the four‑girl squad in the MC’s class, a confident spear‑wielder and Takeru’s companion. With striking silver hair, sharp eyes and a poised stance, she’s the charismatic leader who spots the Beast’s trap and halts Hoshikawa’s chant, and remains a core member of Takeru’s party, constantly concerned for his safety.
• Tomoko – Nishina Tomoko is a shy high‑schooler who looks like an upper‑elementary student. She’s a childhood friend of Satō Akari and a member of the Maekawa group. As a mage, she wields the Nectar Staff, casting high‑tier ice and defensive magic.
• Akari – Satou Akari, known as The Scout, is a slender, cool-eyed woman with long black hair who secretly once led a yakuza clan; she wields the Gift “Master Key” to duplicate keys, disarm traps, and hurl massive monsters unarmed via redirection, all while boasting uncanny luck—she also subtly prevents Tsuchimiya from interfering in confrontations, acting as a quiet but decisive ally to Takeru’s party.
• Chika – Hano Chikako. Brown-skinned, brown-haired gal, and free-spirited. Honest and straightforward. She joined Maekawa Party after being helped in the past.
• Higurashi – Asuka Higurashi, a pale, frail girl battling an incurable disease, commands HQ operations and leads the attack squad with a poker‑face in crises. She’s the protagonist’s girlfriend and tactical ally, mastering Sacred Artifact Card mechanics. The Higurashi name now signals the Academy’s rising power structure and strategic maneuvers.
• Lugia-san – Facility manager who was bribed by the MC with cup ramen
• Lugia – Facility manager who was bribed by the MC with cup ramen
• Celestia – A blonde, navy-uniformed Commander-in-Chief with sharp, cold eyes and a daring, commanding demeanor. As Slaydeal’s leader and School Committee President, this shrewd political strategist treats situations like chess matches, exploiting new smartphones for a hidden edge over rivals while keeping her government in the dark. Driven by national loyalty, she takes an interest in developing newcomers.
• Himeno – She is MC’s first girlfriend—a swift spear‑wielder who brandishes the black spear Izayoi, silver hair flowing, sharp eyes, sleek combat outfit, fierce loyalty, close bond with MC and the team. Formerly a Sacred Artifact Card, now the wielder of Izayoi.
• Kanon – Watarase Kanon is a magician girl with a sparkling staff, wielding Flare Missile magic and often partying with the MC. As a student, she can trigger a Magical Girl transformation that imposes forced perception effects on those around her.
• Tsuchimiya – A hardcore gamer, Academy student, and classmate who recently removed an embedded card from Asagiri before fighting the Beast in a duel.
• Kaede – A transfer student with naturally sharp, predatory eyes that give her the appearance of a villainous executive. She struggles with social anxiety despite her intimidating exterior and was previously held as Takeru’s sex slave.
• Takeru – Ore, a determined youth in simple armor, wields a spear and leads the luring team with Blast and spirit magic, bearing minor lightning resistance. As the party’s protagonist and leader, he recently welcomed Fujisaki Kaede as a comrade, guiding allies and confronting threats.
• Amahara-senpai – Amahara, a Level 7 senior and Student Council President, is regarded as a powerhouse at the Academy. Tall and poised, he wears the council’s formal uniform with a silver pin, exuding authority. Known for mentoring juniors and leading school initiatives, his influence spans both academics and student affairs.
• Amahara – Amahara, a Level 7 senior and Student Council President, commands the seat of honor with serene authority and a powerful presence (haki). Tall and poised in a formal uniform with a silver pin, his long black hair frames a stoic identity. He manages meetings with absolute composure, wielding influence over student affairs while mentoring juniors and leading vital school-wide initiatives.
• Akiyama-senpai – Akiyama Yuuki. The boy in the same class as the MC, who collaborates with Higurashi in the Student Freedom Alliance.
• Akiyama – Akiyama Yuuki, a classmate of the MC, works with Higurashi in the Student Freedom Alliance; his family name, Akiyama, is renowned for frontline Academy activities.
• Liora – Celestia’s sharp, capable assistant, she stands out for her quick grasp of complex technology and her level-headed focus on the political and economic risks surrounding the smartphone deal. With elegant willow-leaf eyebrows and crisp, professional military attire, she carries herself with disciplined precision and quiet competence.
• Judas – The Vice Commander. A senior officer who attempts to maintain an air of deep contemplation, often nodding sagely even when he hasn’t fully grasped the details of a discussion. He is a loyal, if somewhat out-of-depth, subordinate.
• Kujinami – A diviner wrapped in a robe. She possesses the ability to read cards to uncover fates and hidden truths.
• Sekira – The family name associated with Kujinami. The lineage is connected to practitioners of divination and mystical arts.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
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