Ever since she was little, she'd been given painkillers to block her senses, and she had acquired congenital analgesia... That really would make it hard to feel alive.
He wondered whether Asagami Fujino had developed appendicitis yet. How was he supposed to help her cure her inability to feel pain? Could simply awakening her talent and turning her into a magical girl solve it?
"Okay, President."
Hearing Hachiman's words, Asagami Fujino's expression didn't change. She simply nodded lightly.
"Let's head into the convention first. We can talk more after we get back about why you wanted to join the Service Club."
Seeing that, Hachiman didn't dwell on it any longer.
Although he really wanted to understand Asagami Fujino's situation, this wasn't the right place. Besides, she'd already transferred here, so there was no need to rush.
"Fujino, Yui, let's follow the president."
Yukinoshita Yukino looked at Hachiman, who was clearly concerned about Asagami Fujino, hesitated for a moment, then nodded and led Yuigahama Yui and Asagami Fujino behind him.
Although Asagami Fujino had said something shocking and seemed a little unusual, there was no denying that she was an exceptionally graceful beautiful girl.
Although the former demon-hunting Asagami clan had gone bankrupt and fallen into decline, the branch Asakami family still had considerable wealth, so Asagami Fujino could also be considered a young lady.
Hachiman seemed to have plenty of experience dealing with troubled young ladies like her.
It felt... as though Asagami Fujino would become Hachiman's loyal dog just like Ichinose Ayano.
Fortunately, she, her older sister, and her mother had all worked together to make this happen. They were allies with Asagami Fujino.
Even so, she couldn't imagine how Asagami Fujino, whose emotions barely fluctuated and who was even colder than herself, would ever show that kind of expression toward Hachiman.
"I really want to crack your skull open and stick electrodes into your hippocampus! Hwahahaha..."
A pink-haired beautiful girl stood in one corner of the cosplay area, wearing a brown coat over a white shirt with a red necktie, striking a strange pose while shouting chuuni lines.
Besides her, many other cosplay enthusiasts in bizarre costumes were striking all kinds of poses for photos.
Perhaps because of Iris and the others, isekai-themed cosplay was the most common. Aside from beautiful girl cosplays, there were also dragons, knights, monsters, and other fantasy mascot suits.
However, Hachiman only took a quick glance to notice that, compared to the crowds pouring into the convention hall, there really weren't that many people staying outside in the cosplay area.
"Lumilia, Marin, what do you think?"
After briefly looking around the cosplay area outside and casually taking a few photos, Hachiman and the others slowly walked into the convention hall, chatting as they experienced the event.
"It's kind of surprising. So everyone does cosplay outside? Then what about inside?"
Lumilia was in high spirits, but she was quite surprised to see the cosplay area outside the venue.
Because Marin was so passionate about cosplay and had even wanted to hold a private convention with her at the club, she'd assumed there would be huge numbers of cosplayers.
She hadn't expected the cosplay area of such a large convention to be outside. Although there were some rather revealing costumes, there were even more funny and bizarre characters.
"There are cosplayers inside too, but not gathered together like outside. It'll probably just be individual circles dressing up."
"Mhm... Every convention has different rules. Original works, doujin, male-oriented, female-oriented, they all have different focuses and restrictions. I haven't been to that many conventions either, but I've heard some even ban cosplay."
Kitagawa Marin explained to Lumilia while looking at the crowds around them, all of whom completely ignored their group.
"It looks like Juju-sama didn't come this time either. Seems she really won't appear in person and only posts a little cosplay online. Hopefully she'll keep her promise and come to our private convention tomorrow."
"If we're holding our own private convention, then naturally we can be much bolder with the cosplay. To keep things from getting too monotonous, we could also invite some circles that create doujin works or original works. We can cosplay their characters and act out the stories for a truly unique cosplay convention."
Thinking about the unbelievable scenes at their private convention that could never be shown publicly, Kitagawa Marin couldn't help getting excited, a blush appearing on her fair cheeks.
As someone who often played eroge, she had a high tolerance for that sort of thing. Now that she'd experienced it with Hachiman so many times, she instead felt that their absurdly intimate relationship with Hachiman was super, super, super, super amazing.
Not everyone in the club liked cosplay, but everyone could play different characters, act out scenes from doujin books with Hachiman, and have fun together. Wasn't that basically the same as the club's late-night party themes?
They only needed to have a cosplay party theme once in a while. With so many club members participating, they wouldn't have to worry about the limitations ordinary fans faced, they could do whatever they wanted.
Hearing Kitagawa Marin openly discussing how the club would hold parties in front of everyone, Ijichi Nijika, who had come along today because there was no training scheduled, couldn't help covering her burning red face. She secretly glanced at Miura Yumiko out of the corner of her eye, worried she might get the wrong idea.
Miura Yumiko, on the other hand, felt fine. She had always thought she'd dragged her good friends Nijika and Marin into this.
Although Marin and Nijika had partly misunderstood the relationship between her and Hachiman, if she hadn't dragged Marin and Nijika into "bullying" Hachiman together, their relationship with him would never have become what it was today.
As long as Marin and Nijika were enjoying themselves, she wouldn't feel as though she'd dragged her two good friends into a pit of fire.
Walking alongside them, Yamada Ryo watched Kitagawa Marin excitedly making the final plans for the private convention and quietly wondered whether she should invite the bands she knew.
Although they weren't important enough to be guest performers, they could probably work as performers for the private convention, just like the idols who had performed at the idol agency's concert last time.
First she'd see which band Hachiman liked best, then ask him for a budget.
The shy and introverted Gotou Hitori stayed close beside Kita Ikuyo, keeping her head lowered and her eyes darting around.
If she were beside Hachiman, she felt she'd have a full sense of security.
But there were just too many girls around Hachiman. She was already panicking. By the time she squeezed in, she'd probably be completely overwhelmed.
The only comforting thing was that they were traveling inside an invisibility illusion barrier. Unless they deliberately stepped outside its range, the people around them couldn't see them at all, greatly reducing her fear of strangers.
'I-If every girl around Hachiman joins a Service Club activity with me, then maybe I wouldn't be afraid anymore...'
Sensing the "malicious intent" behind her, Raphiel, who was hugging Hachiman's arm tightly between her soft, full breasts, turned to look at the timid Gotou Hitori and blinked.
'This girl... appearances really are deceiving...'
'She actually dares covet me?'
The socially anxious and introverted Gotou Hitori naturally didn't have the courage to drag anyone down herself.
But Kessoku Band had Yamada Ryo, who had absolutely no shame.
Seeing Raphiel clinging so intimately to Hachiman's arm, she immediately knew Raphiel's relationship with him wasn't ordinary.
She wasn't planning to drag anyone down herself. She just wanted to witness Raphiel and the others being intimate with Hachiman.
Mm... As long as she confirmed that everyone had become "good friends" with her best friend Hachiman in bed, then she probably wouldn't be afraid of them anymore.
Before Gotou Hitori could keep wondering how she might see the great boss Raphiel fall onto Hachiman's bed, she suddenly saw two figures quietly squeeze in from behind. One silver-haired figure directly pounced onto Hachiman's back.
"Guess who I am?"
Hachiman was looking around the booths with Raphiel and Lala when his vision suddenly went dark and warm breath brushed against his ear.
Feeling the touch behind him, Hachiman, whose eyes had been covered, thought for only a moment before saying,
"It's Charlotte, right? Or should I say, Char?"
"You guessed it immediately?"
Hearing Hachiman's immediate answer, Charlotte of the Principality of Hazerlink released the hands covering his eyes. Her soft, full breasts left Hachiman's back as she covered her mouth in surprise.
The last time, she'd only served Hachiman together with La Folia beneath the office desk. She hadn't even practiced the magical girl awakening ritual lying on the desk like Saegusa Mayumi and Shiba Miyuki.
She'd thought that even if Hachiman remembered her, he'd need to think for a while. She never expected him to say her name almost without hesitation.
"How did President Hachiman recognize Charlotte? Her voice? Her scent? Or... her size and softness?"
La Folia, who had come with Charlotte, looked equally astonished by Hachiman's accuracy, her expression turning slightly strange.
She had asked Vice President Yukinoshita Haruno about the Service Club and also learned about the blindfold game the club had once played.
Originally, she'd thought Hachiman was simply familiar with the members' bodies because he helped them day and night.
Now that she'd personally seen Charlotte identified so easily, she realized it wasn't merely practice making perfect. Hachiman truly could understand their bodies after just a single day.
"I've heard boys all like girls with big breasts. Is that really true?"
Hearing the implication in La Folia's question, Charlotte's cheerful, sunny face turned bright red. She gently bit her rosy lower lip as she looked at Hachiman.
Although she was bold and passionate toward the person she liked, she still seemed too reserved in front of Hachiman.
"You two weren't waiting here for us all this time, were you? If you wanted to come with us, you only had to say so. It would've been easy to teleport over together."
Hachiman simply smiled and changed the subject, talking instead about Charlotte and La Folia waiting here in ambush.
What else could he do? It wasn't as though he could deliberately guess wrong.
If a complete stranger suddenly attacked him from behind like that, his body would naturally counterattack and immediately "grab" the other person's vital spot.
Since Charlotte hadn't triggered his Ultra Instinct reflex, it was obvious she was one of their own. With just a slight touch, he could quickly identify Charlotte from the familiar size, shape, firmness, and softness.
Well... Even so many poor students had become top students under his teaching aura. Naturally, he remembered every bit of data about the club members' bodies.
If they'd received his assistance often enough, then even blindfolded, just smelling Charlotte's scent would be enough for him to know who she was.
"Charlotte and I hadn't planned to come at first, but this morning we saw Miss Mayumi and the others busy with Sobu High's expansion project. Since we had nothing to do, we came here to look around."
Seeing that Hachiman didn't intend to continue the embarrassing topic, La Folia immediately raised the takoyaki in her hand with a smile before handing it back to Charlotte.
"We've already walked around for a while and bought some food that looked pretty tasty."
"Mhm! This tako... yaki... I think it's really good. President Hachiman, would you like one?"
Charlotte took the small tray of takoyaki, hesitated, then picked one up with a wooden skewer and held it to Hachiman's mouth with a smiling expression.
Given how close they already were, feeding him mouth-to-mouth would have been even more intimate.
But she'd already been quite intimate by attacking him from behind just now, so she held herself back from doing anything even bolder in front of everyone.
"Mm, it's pretty good. When we hold our own convention, let's not forget to prepare some snacks too."
Hachiman bit into the takoyaki Charlotte offered him, nodded with a smile after swallowing it, and reminded Lumilia and Kitagawa Marin.
Takoyaki, taiyaki, and crepes were all very common snacks. Still, they really did taste good, many girls liked them, and they were perfect for eating while walking around.
"Princess Charlotte, could you come take over for me and let me have a little rest?"
Seeing this, Raphiel suddenly released Hachiman's arm and blinked at Charlotte.
"Really? Then what about you, Miss Raphiel?"
Seeing Raphiel let go of Hachiman, Charlotte was immediately tempted, but she still looked hesitantly at Raphiel and the girls around Hachiman.
Although she'd already half-served Hachiman in the student council office and was also a princess, strictly speaking she was only the princess of a principality. Within the Service Club, that status really wasn't particularly noble.
"Of course. Hachiman isn't just my Hachiman. He's everyone's Hachiman."
Seeing Charlotte had no objections, Raphiel directly pulled her over and pushed her against Hachiman.
She hadn't come here just to offer herself to Hachiman as a benefit. If the girls around Hachiman could be the ones embracing him, then let them do it.
Gabriel and Vignette wouldn't actively draw the girls around Hachiman closer, so she'd do it herself. Then they'd see whether Gabriel and Vignette fell first, or she did.
"Charlotte, you accompany President Hachiman first. Later it'll be everyone else's turn to walk around while holding onto President Hachiman."
Already somewhat tempted herself, La Folia smiled in agreement.
If Charlotte didn't hug him, how could she? If she didn't, how could everyone else?
Thanks to the place Raphiel had given up, everyone now had a perfectly legitimate excuse to take turns. Surely the more shy girls who were too embarrassed to take the initiative would also be delighted.
"Thank you! I'll treasure this opportunity. It'll be your turn soon too, La Folia!"
Pushed against Hachiman, Charlotte gladly accepted Raphiel's kindness. She squeezed his arm into her chest and then boldly kissed him.
This time, members of great families like the Saegusa and Yotsuba families weren't around, so she didn't need to worry so much.
But after kissing him, she suddenly remembered the silent Lala on Hachiman's other side and quickly looked over.
"Um... Princess Lala..."
"Just call me Lala. Charlotte, don't worry. It's okay. I understand how you feel. I really like kissing Hachiman too."
Watching them play around with Hachiman, Lala grinned and also kissed him on the cheek. Her pink tongue lightly brushed across his face, her eyes filled with love.
"I remember you and La Folia haven't joined the club's service games yet. We're having the private convention over the next two days, so make sure you come."
Maybe this was the love Mom had talked about. She simply couldn't leave Hachiman.
After falling in love at first sight, she realized that her feelings for Hachiman only kept growing stronger. Every day she liked him even more, and the moment she saw him, all her worries disappeared.
Because she understood so deeply what it felt like to be unable to leave Hachiman, she also understood how impossible it was for everyone else to restrain their feelings for him.
"Okay. Thank you, Lala."
Charlotte let out a sigh of relief. Looking at Lala, who was hugging Hachiman together with her, her opinion of Lala improved greatly.
The alien Princess Lala really was much easier to get along with, and unlike the elf princess Iris, she didn't give people such overwhelming pressure.
"All right, let's keep looking around the booths ahead. We can buy some souvenirs too. Doujin books, games, anything you like."
Hachiman looked at the two of them getting along and understanding each other without saying anything. Under everyone's shy, helpless, and envious gazes, he returned each of their kisses.
In fact, Charlotte and Lala had very similar personalities, and even their experiences were somewhat alike.
[T/N: Before I start, LEAVE A REVIEW, NOW! Ahem! So, this month's review is up in both my p@treon and d!scord. I talk about what will happen to the works going forward and it matters if you don't want your favorite fanfic to get axed. D!scord invite is in my WebNovel profile. Have a great day~]