Chapter 131: That's None of Your Business Akito locked eyes with Yeon-woo.
Some called him despicable, but he was a man who walked his path with confidence, ignoring such ill repute while demonstrating skills and achievements superior to anyone else.
Akito thought Yeon-woo was incredible.
Contrary to the public's poor opinion of him, he was gentle, pleasant, and possessed righteous convictions—a man Akito could respect and trust with his back.
Or so he thought…
Despite telling himself there was no way, the incident in the basement kept weighing on his mind.
When Chika had screamed in the hospital, Akito had seen the look of pure terror on her face.
She had burrowed under the covers like a small child, struggling desperately.
What on earth could have happened to make the always energetic and confident Chika that frightened?
Since Chika wouldn't give him an answer, Akito was left in the dark.
When curiosity meets a secret and remains unresolved, a person's imagination begins to run wild.
At first, Akito had been fine, but as the secret failed to satisfy his curiosity, his imagination grew increasingly radical.
The corpses of the organization members in the basement proved they had died without even being able to put up a proper fight.
No matter how much Chika had been affected by the drugs, taking them down wouldn't have been difficult for her.
Then, what was Chika so afraid of, and why was she avoiding Yeon-woo?
As known facts merged with his imagination, Akito began to entertain thoughts he normally never would.
But he told himself it couldn't be.
Chika was his childhood friend. Such a thing wouldn't happen to her. Yeon-woo was a smart and kind friend. He wouldn't do something like that.
Really?
When the curiosity born from his worry for Chika asked that question, Akito couldn't answer.
The endless questions and fantasies left Akito in a state of confusion. He shook his head and met Yeon-woo's eyes again.
Yeon-woo tilted his head and asked, "Are you here for Chika? She just left. Did you miss her?"
"…Yeah… I missed her."
Chika had told him she hadn't seen Yeon-woo.
The lie she had told instinctively in her confused state only deepened Akito's misunderstanding.
Yeon-woo frowned at Akito's unusual atmosphere.
What is it…? Did Chika tell him everything?
Just as a misunderstanding began to form in Yeon-woo's mind as well, Akito spoke.
"By any chance… can you tell me what happened in the basement?"
"Huh?"
When Yeon-woo didn't answer and seemed to be contemplating, Akito grew impatient and continued.
"Chika is…! Chika seems so traumatized that she doesn't want to talk about it…"
"Nothing happened."
"Nothing…?"
"Yeah. By the time I got there, Chika had already wiped out almost everyone. I just caught one member. And since Chika seemed to be having a hard time, I gave her a sleeping pill and let her rest. That's it."
Except for the part where she tried to jump him while high on drugs, Yeon-woo told the truth.
However, to Akito, who had already spun countless delusions, it wasn't a convincing answer.
"No, something must have happened. I'm asking because I'm worried about Chika. Please tell me. I'm prepared to hear anything, no matter how shocking."
At Akito's words, Yeon-woo tilted his head and let out a short laugh.
"How annoying…"
"Annoying? Do you have any idea how much Chika is suffering? Do you know how I feel, being unable to do anything for her?"
"I see… You act like you don't, but you're really full of yourself, aren't you?"
Akito's brow furrowed at Yeon-woo's murmur.
"That's none of your business, is it?"
"What?"
"If you're worried about Chika, wait until she's ready to talk."
"But Chika won't tell me, so I—"
"If she won't tell you, then drop it."
Yeon-woo tilted his head aggressively as if annoyed and glared at Akito.
"Ah—because you're worried about Chika? Because you're so worried, you have to forcibly dig up and gouge out the things she doesn't want to talk about? Because you care so much? Because the version of you that worries about Chika is so cool, and you feel like the time you spend worrying is a waste, and being kept in the dark is just so annoying? Who cares about Chika's feelings? You want to know right now."
"..."
"What is it you want to know? No, wait. It's not about what you want to know. What is it you want to hear? Tell me. I'll give you the exact answer you're looking for."
When Akito couldn't say a word, Yeon-woo stood up and brushed past him.
"No matter what you ask, my answer is the same. Nothing happened. Because nothing did happen."
Yeon-woo walked away as if he were disgusted by the very question, and Akito stood there for a long time, unable to even turn around.
Akito, that bastard is seriously annoying.
Then again, even in the game, his weak mental strength was often frustrating.
You could see it just by how indecisive he was with the heroines.
Every day he'd mope about his father, pushing some half-baked philosophy about good and evil while agonizing all by himself.
It wasn't even surprising, considering that not only the story text but even the dialogue options often involved him doubting someone or getting overly emotional.
Dammit, he's braver than anyone when fighting and has the mental fortitude to keep getting up even when he's half-dead, so why is he like this here? Isn't this a consistency error in his character settings?
Complaining wouldn't change anything, though.
If he cares about Chika that much, he should go solve the corruption event she's actually struggling with.
"What took you so long in the bathroom?"
"Taking a shit."
"Ugh—we're drinking here. That's gross."
Listening to Rio's complaints, I sat down and glanced toward where Akito's followers were.
Chika, who was sitting there, met my eyes and looked away in a startle.
Ah… being this handsome is a problem.
First Angelica, and now even Chika has fallen for me.
I'm talented, I'm the most handsome guy in the world, I'm rich, I've got a big dick, and I've got a promising future. With every single charm point checked off, how could women not fall for me?
Still, unlike Angelica, I'm not worried about Chika.
Even if her affinity for me has grown, she's been into Akito since the beginning. Unless I intentionally act like that Under-the-Bed bastard, it should be fine.
The problem is… this short, big-breasted girl walking toward me unsteadily as if she's drunk.
"Yeon-woo."
"Yeah, Angelica. Akito isn't here, though."
"..."
When I mentioned Akito, Angelica's expression turned sour, and she plopped down in front of me.
Since the usually demure and quiet Angelica was acting this way, the Comedy Duo and Yukina's group watched with interest, while the transfer students didn't seem to care much.
Actually, only Kaira didn't care; Bukgeuk-jwa was quickly scanning Angelica's body as if she looked delicious.
Bukgeuk-jwa, if you were a guy, I would have treated you like Under-the-Bed.
Her voluminous pink hair, beautiful eyes sparkling with the same color, and cheeks flushed as if from alcohol enhanced Angelica's "must-protect" charm.
Looking like a small, fragile animal, Angelica hesitated for a moment before looking up at me.
Her pink eyes were steady, as if she had made up her mind.
Please, just don't confess your love.
"Take me with you on the next request."
"...Aren't you part of Akito's fol—I mean, the Research Society?"
"That doesn't matter."
Maybe it was the alcohol, but Angelica spoke boldly without backing down.
No, it does matter… The Research Society is a club in name only; they're Akito's party members.
Sometimes members of the same Research Society go out on parties without Akito, but systematically, that's more like a dispatch for leveling up and gathering materials.
I can't follow the game logic perfectly, but at the very least, I shouldn't mess with the Research Society members.
As I looked troubled, Angelica dropped a bombshell.
"I… left the Research Society."
"What?! When?"
"Ah… to-today…"
When I reacted with shock, Angelica reverted to her usual self, answering flusteredly.
She left the Research Society? And Akito allowed that?
As I stared blankly, Angelica swallowed hard and tried to look confident.
"I… I want to be of help to you, Yeon-woo. I want to be with you. That's why I left the Research Society."
"..."
"Am I… not allowed? I can work hard. I'll do anything."
As she spoke, it sounded more and more like she was pleading.
No… if you leave…
I thought if I kept my distance, the passive Angelica would naturally drift away, but she had a stronger heart than I expected.
"Isn't it fine? I'm an outsider who doesn't know what this Research Society is, how great you are, or what kind of person she is, but someone is throwing away their pride and showing this much resolve."
Easy for you to say when it's not your problem, Kaira.
I'm fighting with the fate of the world on the line here.
As Kaira spoke while tilting her glass, Rio chimed in.
"Angelica is skilled and amazing. Why are you playing so hard to get?"
"If Angelica joins, you're the first one to get cut when the party size doesn't fit, you know?"
"...Th-that's… well… these things… should be done… based on skill… anyway."
Why are you acting tough when it's so unlike you?
Rio looked like he was struggling with his lack of confidence, yet he still told me to accept Angelica.
"We can worry about that when the time comes. Isn't now the time to gather as many members as possible? We were short-handed anyway."
Masayoshi was right, but… you guys aren't exactly fixed members either.
Once the heroines start coming in, you're in a position where you have to step out if you feel like you're in the way.
These guys are acting all cool even though their own spots are at risk.
"Fufu… another member added? It's going to be hard to decide the order."
Excuse me, Mary? You are talking about the party members, right?
You're not talking about sex members, are you? By "order," you just mean the order of missions, right?
I have no relationship with Angelica.
Come to think of it, Mary and Jade aren't even in my party, so she definitely meant sex members.
But I'm the one who decides, so why are you guys acting like she's already been accepted?
I looked at Yukina with a troubled expression.
"It's not for me to decide. It's up to Yeon-woo."
"Honestly, you. Of course it's up to Yeon-woo. But I'm asking what you think. You can at least give an opinion."
When Mary cut in to ask, Yukina met the eyes of the expectant Angelica.
"...The Soul Chain you showed during the tournament. That magic was incredible. If she's with Yeon-woo, Angelica will become three times stronger than she is now."
Well… that's true.
Actually, I was planning to pass on the Soul Chain if Akito and Angelica got together…
But now, even if I give her the magic, the efficiency will be shit because her heart is with me.
With even Yukina speaking positively, Angelica looked at me with eyes full of anticipation.
She really is goddamn cute.
"No."
"...Why…? Is it because I'm too weak?"
Did you get hit with a corruption event too? Originally, getting stronger was the core of Angelica's story, but unlike Chika, it wasn't exactly a "darkening."
"If you leave the Research Society now, Akito won't have enough people. It would be like I'm stealing his party… his teammates."
"You were so bold even when being insulted during the match, yet you worry about such trivial things."
Hey, I have to save the world. It's not trivial.
Kaira let out a smirk and sipped her drink.
"Don't the members change all the time anyway?"
"That's right. In fact, Yggdrasil encourages going on requests with various people."
"..."
Did that bastard Akito ignore Yggdrasil's advice and just hog all the heroines for himself…?
When the Comedy Duo muttered that, Mary agreed.
The atmosphere was such that everyone except me was welcoming Angelica. Just as I was about to quickly say no again, Angelica spoke with a bright face.
"You don't have to worry about that. A lot of people joined the Research Society this time."
"Who? The transfer students?"
"Yes. Five transfer students, and you know Jessica, right? Jessica joined too."
I didn't notice, but was he courting Jessica too?
The one who steals the Source wouldn't be joining now, so if it's the other five…
"It has nothing to do with me."
"Me neither."
Excluding Kaira and Bukgeuk-jwa, that leaves Kkanp, Mamang, Beastkin, and Pauper… who's the last one?
"Did that Under-the-Bed bastard join?"
"Under-the-Bed?"
"Didn't a guy join?"
"Yes, a person named Redick joined."
Look at Akito's initiative. I'm impressed he managed to filter out only Under-the-Bed.
But I can't let my guard down.
There might be others who, like Angelica, suddenly decide to leave.
"So… can't you take me too?"
Angelica looked up at me with eyes full of sorrow and loveliness, like a puppy looking up at a treat.
What would Angelica do if I refused here?
Would she go back to the Research Society?
Knowing her personality, she'd probably refuse even if Akito asked her to come back.
Sigh… I guess I have no choice.
"It's only temporary for now… If you ever feel like it's not a good fit, go back to the Research Society."
"Thank you!"
Angelica hugged me tightly with an overjoyed expression before pulling away, blushing.
Her tiny body felt soft and nice, but I wonder if this is really okay…
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