Chapter 29: That’s a nice thing to say!

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Translator: Soafp

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The standardized tests had always been a nuisance to me.

They were supposedly meant to assess our academic abilities during student life, but there probably weren't many students who actually liked tests. I certainly didn't.

This time, however, was different.

(I can see it… I can see the answers! Even I can see them!)

That's right—I could see the answers to the test questions.

Not in the sense that I was cheating. I could simply solve the problems with ease.

(This one uses the formula Mari taught me while I was admiring her… And this one uses the formula Saika taught me while I was admiring her…)

You think that's an impure way to remember things? Shut up, shut up!

I hadn't forgotten what they taught me. I was solving the problems while properly recalling what I had learned.

It was just that remembering the lessons also brought back some rather pleasant memories.

“Kukuku…”

I avoided glancing around too much, since I didn't want anyone to suspect me of cheating.

Every now and then, I heard students groaning as they struggled with difficult problems. Most of the class seemed to be having a hard time with the test.

“Kai-kun, touch me more.”

“You're not satisfied yet, are you?”

I continued working steadily, but memories from my study sessions kept flooding back.

Mari and Saika were extremely affectionate while hypnotized. They didn't exactly fight over me, but they were constantly trying to touch me, and they went out of their way to excite me.

“…Phew.”

I finished the test while lost in those thoughts, then turned the paper face down.

I was sitting upright with perfect posture, facing forward. Naturally, my other self was also standing at attention and making his presence known.

“Come on, lunch break…”

Today was Emu's turn to keep me company, so I was already looking forward to it.

After battling through the test while fighting my own distractions, I somehow finished the morning's exams feeling satisfied.

The results were not out yet, but I had a strong sense that I had done well.

“Ugh, this is bad.”

“I'm going to fail… Aaargh!”

Akira and Shougo did not seem very satisfied with their performance. They looked frustrated.

Meanwhile, I happened to make eye contact with Mari, who was surrounded by her friends. She stared at me and moved her lips.

“…How did it go?”

I was pretty sure that was what she had asked.

I answered with my lips alone, slowly telling her that I had done great. She smiled happily.

Mari would probably say that my effort was what mattered most. But I could confidently say that I owed my success to the fact that, while I studied, the girls' figures had been swaying before me like guardian deities.

“Hey, Kai, judging by that expression, you look pretty satisfied.”

“And what was that eye contact with Aisaka? Come to think of it, you went home with Agatsuma before the tests… Don't tell me you studied together!”

“We did.”

“…Traitor.”

“Show-off.”

Kukuku. Say whatever you want. Even your jealousy serves as nourishment for me!

“…”

I could laugh it off because these two were my friends. But I still had to be careful around the popular guys who continued glaring at me.

I didn't think they would do anything too serious, but there was no harm in being cautious. More importantly, I didn't want to make my friends—or anyone else—worry about me.

“Besides, I have a reliable partner with me. I'll be fine.”

I muttered that while touching the smartphone in my pocket.

Yesterday and today, pieces of paper had appeared in my shoe locker every day, carrying messages such as Don't get full of yourself and Disappear, you piece of trash.

But I was in such a relaxed state of mind that they genuinely did not bother me.

“Heh.”

That was why I simply snorted at the people still glaring at me.

I told my friends that I was stepping out for a moment and headed toward an empty classroom.

Emu was already sitting in a chair, waiting for me.

“You're early. I'm usually the one who gets here first.”

I had gotten caught up talking with my friends, but I was normally the first one there, so I was a little surprised.

Emu was clearly under hypnosis. Like Mari and Saika, she also became extremely affectionate in that state.

“Senpai, I missed you.♪”

She rose from her chair and hurried over to embrace me.

Burying her face against my chest and breathing in my scent, she seemed especially adorable—perhaps because she was my junior.

“Emu, take off your clothes and serve me right away. I've been thinking about this all through the test, and I've built up quite a lot of tension.”

“Ah… yes.♪ I'd be happy to serve you, Master.♪”

I had been holding it in all morning, so it couldn't be helped.

I already knew that Emu had an unusually submissive side. But whenever I spoke to her in a commanding tone while she was hypnotized, her expression immediately became soft and dreamy.

Because Emu normally gave off such a composed and cool impression, the contrast was striking. Anyone who saw this side of her might be so shocked that they would collapse.

“…Ahh.”

I sat down and gently stroked Emu's head as she stayed close to me.

“I guess I'm the only one who gets to see you like this. Well, maybe the person who dates or marries you someday would see it too, obviously.”

It was just a passing thought, but I accidentally said it aloud.

“…!”

“Emu?”

She briefly looked up at me.

Her eyes were sharp.

I had no idea what she was thinking, but her grip suddenly tightened. Before I could even react, she overwhelmed me with her strength.

“Um… Emu?”

“…I don't know. Just stay like this.”

“Okay…”

She rEmuined sitting close against me, her arms wrapped around my back and her legs firmly entwined with mine.

Her voice sounded vaguely displeased, but being held by such a beautiful girl still felt wonderful.

“Nice…”

“Compared to Mari-senpai and Agatsuma-senpai, I'm smaller, aren't I?”

“What are you talking about?”

Compared with Mari and Saika, her D-cup figure could be called modest. But for a high-school student, it was certainly more than enough.

She was plenty developed, and I thought she was beautiful exactly as she was.

“Senpai, I like being touched gently like this. I also like it when you're rougher, but I like it when you're simply kind too.”

“Really? I like touching you this way too.”

“I'm happy.♪”

I truly loved being close to Emu, Mari, and Saika.

Everything I said and did was still shameless, but when the girls reacted so happily while hypnotized, it was hard not to become arrogant.

“Emu.”

Even so, I was in a calm, clear-headed state now.

That meant I could notice the slight unease she seemed to be carrying.

“Emu, something is worrying you, isn't it? Tell me.”

“…Yes.”

She then told me everything without holding back.

The man I had sent to the police before had apparently been released on bail. That was what had been troubling Emu.

It was understandable that she would be afraid after the stalker had regained his freedom. Even if she wasn't constantly thinking about it, she could not forget how disturbing it was to know he was out there.

“…If he tries anything again, maybe I should test something.”

“Senpai?”

“Nothing.”

By “test something,” I meant another experiment with the hypnosis app.

I could only hope that the situation never arose. Still, for some reason, I wasn't particularly worried.

I had a strange, inexplicable certainty that the man would never appear in front of Emu again.

“Emu, if anything happens, tell me immediately. If you can't tell me, tell Mari or Saika. Just tell someone. I'll definitely help you.”

“…Senpai.♪”

My desire to protect her was genuine.

You could even consider it an apology for using various tools and methods to tease her out of curiosity—though Emu had been delighted every time.

“Senpai, you're kind and cool. I'm glad I met you.”

“Kind and cool? That's nice to hear. But I only met you, Mari, and Saika because I hypnotized you. I'm just a scumbag.”

Even as I said that, I was still behaving shamelessly and taking advantage of her affection.

“Then I'll put it this way.”

“Hmm?”

“I don't know what this hypnosis really is. But I… no, all of us are glad that you're the one who has this power.♪”

“…!”

Her words struck me hard.

When I looked at Emu's expression, she was still clearly hypnotized, but the eyes she turned toward me were incredibly gentle.

As we stared at one another, our faces naturally drew closer. I shared a slightly longer kiss with Emu.

“…She's glad it was me…”

Even after lunch ended and I returned to the classroom, I kept replaying Emu's words in my mind.

Then the afternoon tests began.

And, naturally, I once again felt confident that I had done well.