Episode 48 — Maidens’ Oath
～ Part 1 ～
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She couldn’t deny that there was impatience in her heart.
After all, she couldn’t confess her feelings when they were still humans, neither could she now that they came over here. Meanwhile, Utsurogi Kyousuke was rapidly getting closer to Himemizu Rin and it became even more difficult to confess.
While that may be true, it was still a fact that the thought of having to use «Temptation» existed. Not that she wanted him to turn around so much so that she would use such an unfair mean, distorting his feelings. Generally, she didn’t think of doing something like forcibly pulling Kyousuke and Rin apart. Because Kyousuke when being together with Rin seemed to really enjoy himself.
But still, one moment. Just a moment only, if he turned toward her.
She, as a succubus, was going to contribute to the class from now on as well. She probably couldn’t afford to work as an attacker by means of Chaos Magic like always. That had never been the proper characteristic of a dream demon. The battle from now on would intensify, once it became a free-for-all, the effect of «Temptation» – temporarily enlisting the enemies as allies – would be tremendous.
The time when she had to use it would eventually come.
She had already knew that there were people evaluating her as «playing innocence» from the human days.
Sakuma too, didn’t plan to put on airs as pure hearted that much. Nevertheless, she would absolutely feel shy about using «Temptation» on just any and everyone. So she didn’t use it until now. Naturally, she thought that using this to make Kyousuke turn her way was outrageous.
Still, she would have to use it eventually.
She would have to use «Temptation» on monsters she had never seen and/or never talked to.
In that case, at least the first time would better for the person she liked.
What boosting Sakuma’s heart at the end was such a thought.
Okama Kaoru said that he had never used «Temptation» to drop the person he liked, neither did he plan to use it. That was definitely more correct. Nevertheless, he didn’t deny Sakuma’s way of doing things, he was also supporting her. He even taught her when she said she didn’t know how to use «Temptation».
Although she would have given up if he did told her that way of using it was no good.
In the end, with Kaoru’s help, Sakuma had decided the first opponent to use «Temptation» on to be Utsurogi Kyousuke.
She knew that it might have been an act of trampling down his heart.
She also knew that its effect wouldn’t last forever.
She was going to suppress its power to the minimum. She didn’t think to erase Rin’s image from his heart even for an instant. Perhaps he wouldn’t even turn around to her.
Even so, the first «Temptation» was better to use on Kyousuke.
«It’s fine, Sachi. First of all, make the opponent look into your eyes.»
Kaoru had lectured her so about the procedure to use it.
«Well, actually, it’s not really necessary to make him look. However, it’s important to make the other party strongly aware of your existence. It’s still fine if you’re confident with words. But making him look is most certain.»
She had a feeling that she had never once look directly at Kyousuke’s face ever since the human days.
Kyousuke now was a skeleton. An ominous, hair-raising, empty human skeleton. Still, one would understand that it was Kyousuke if they looked at him directly. It seemed that there was something called visual field within the eye sockets that had become empty. Just that she was a little anxious that her own figure didn’t projected inside his pupils.
But if possible, she wanted to look directly at him once when he was still human. Same as herself, Utsurogi Kyousuke had always been difficult to be said as bright, but that tender looks alone, she remembered. Still, looking at him directly now, she just couldn’t superimpose that figure of Kyousuke and Kyousuke as of now.
«You must not be shy. You too must look directly at him, and whatever you say, if you set your heart on wanting to make this kid in front of you yours, ‘Temptation’ should be naturally invoked. Only, if your thought is too strong, you won’t be able to suppress its power, so you have to properly be aware of that.»
Sakuma Sachiko continued to look at Kyousuke.
I want Utsurogi Kyousuke. To be precise, I want his heart. I’m not saying all of its, neither is it forever. However, even just a moment, just a little bit….
“Sakuma,”
Since the skeleton in front said so, her shoulders unintentionally shivered.
“Ah, yess…”
“I’m looking into your eyes, but … what’s the matter?”
“Ehh…? Ah, eh…?”
The skeleton had no expression. But she could feel his voice was a little bewildered.
At least, she couldn’t think that the effects of «Temptation» had appeared. Was it not effective? Or else she couldn’t invoke it? Sakuma didn’t understand well. Was the strength of her thought being too weak the cause? Or else a more different reason?
But strengthening her thought more than this might thoroughly snatch away Kyousuke’s heart, she was scared to speak of it even if the effects were only temporary. Sakuma’s «Temptation» experiment – without getting any results – was put to stop here.
“Ehh, eh, I mean…. That didn’t particularly have any deep meaning. Umm…”
Maybe, just maybe, it’s about that.
Phase 2 ability «Brainwashing Strengthening» that had been discussed a little bit before. She had heard it was something that spread the effective range of «Temptation». It was said that without that activated, «Temptation» wouldn’t work on the same sex, and depending on the monster species, it wouldn’t exert any effect at all.
“Is it nothing? It seems stopping speaking in the middle like that isn’t the best.”
“That, that’s right…. Sorry…”
But there was also no way she could say something like «I was trying to brainwashing you just now».
Yes, it was brainwashing. «Temptation» received benefits from «Brainwashing Strengthening» which strengthened mental manipulation type abilities. That is to say, it was splendidly brainwashing. She had been trying to do that to Kyousuke just now. For her selfish emotions. Just for the mere feelings of the first one being him was better.
If putting that into words, her self-hatred would be very severe.
Right now she was even thinking that it was good that it had no effects on him.
Ahh, but surely, this feeling too is temporary.
Sooner or later, when the story of her having to use «Temptation» on someone came up again, Sakuma would once again think about her first time. She would absolutely hate it if it was some monsters somewhere that she neither liked nor anything.
Then, how about getting the consent of the person himself at least?
“Utsurogi-kun.”
“Sure, what is it?”
Just once is okay, please be ‘Tempted’ by me.
She could just say that few words. If it was no good, then give up. Could she give up? Truly? Her consciousness went round and round, swirling into a vortex inside her head. In the first place, wasn’t this no different whatsoever from the «Love Confession» that she was thoroughly scared of and didn’t say it so far?
Scared of being rejected. Scared of being turned down. Scared of him shaking his head.
“Fine, fine weather we have today!!”
The heck was that?
The heck was that cliched way of glossing things over?
Wasn’t there some other better way of saying?
“That’s right. Since I heard that the maritime caravan was set adrift by a storm, I was worry, but it’s good that it’s sunny.”
“Yeah…”
Kyousuke, touching the edge of the deck, gazed out at the ocean. The waves were calm. In his view spread the wide horizon.
“Then, the truth is?”
“Ehh?”
Taken by surprise, Sakuma unintentionally raised her face.
“Surprised? Since I too, am annoyed at being told various things such as not being able to understand human’s heart, empty, hollow, etc. I have been following Ryuzaki’s example and practicing seeing through the thought of the other guys.”
Kyousuke, turning his skull around, looked over here.
“Since even I have known Sakuma since the library, I thought you’re hiding something. Was it a hit?”
“…No.”
Sakuma laughed a little and lied a second time.
“Really. I still have a long way to go…”
As expected, it was good that «Temptation» wasn’t effective. Even now she seemed like being crushed by the feelings of guilt. Like this, somewhere in her heart, she couldn’t even enjoy the ‘casual conversation’ with him she had been eagerly looking forward to.
I should properly declare it someday. It’s better if Kyousuke is my first. Let’s ask him again after properly harden my resolve. Since it’s not fair to talk only to Kyousuke, let’s properly talk to Rin too. No, may be I better talk to Akira too?
I may be refused. Even supposing I get their consents, it won’t change the fact that it is unnecessary interference to Utsurogi Kyousuke’s heart. Surely Rin too won’t feel too good about this. If anyone among them refuse this, let’s give up.
Give up,
Give up, then do what?
At that time, can I cleanly try to use «Temptation» on other monsters I absolutely know nothing about? Would I be able to feel like wanting to make the other party whom I don’t even like mine?
“(Let’s think about it at that time.)”
Sakuma Sachiko shut her eyes and quietly thought so.
Anyway, «Temptation» might not work on Kyousuke as of now. It might be necessary to raise her power up to Phase 2. This was her own problem. The time to face herself was going to come soon.
She might possibly procrastinate the problem, but Sakuma somehow had no choices but to postpone the feeling of wanting to «Tempt» Kyousuke.
“Advance at very slow speed! Real–ly slow–ly!”
Gofunkawahara’s cheerful order resounded within the cabin. Ryuzaki, arms crossed, was looking in front.
In the form of chasing after the merchant ship of the maritime caravan, the heavy cruiser branch school had departed as well. Because the leading ship was a sailing ship, they would be advancing considerably slowly. Fortunately, entertainment had been enriched with video games and board games obtained in the old castle, so the students didn’t seem troubled with killing time.
The students still had many duties such as sending wind to the sailing ship, calming the waves with water attribute spirit magic. Since they had almost zero knowledge in moving the ship – to be precise, on sea – they had no choices but to steadily execute the things they heard from Welkano-shi.
“Well, I guess there’s also the memo Kogane left?”
“Ahh, more or less…”
Presently, the ‘Memo’ Ryuzaki kept had ascended to a considerable number.
The number one helpful about knowing about this world, Selena’s Memo’.
Written about Phase 2 abilities or Red Moon, ‘Akai’s Memo’.
And then written by Kogane Yoshiki when remodeling the heavy cruiser, ‘Kogane’s Memo’.
This Kogane’s Memo was currently the only evidence that he had existed within this class. This Memo that had been written by making the best use of his military nerd knowledge had many unnecessary information, but it wasn’t so boring as a reading material, as a result, that memo about navigation that used to be ‘unnecessary information’ was going to be helpful after this.
“Then, Ryuzaki. What kind of country is this Albadanba we’re heading to?”
“As far as I’ve heard, it seems to be an Allied Nations made by gathering several island countries. One country per island … well, there’s also islands with several countries as well though, it has a parliamentary system that the chieftains over there discuss and decide the country’s policy.”
It probably feels like a southern country such as Micronesia or Polynesia, Ryuzaki was thinking. Since it was out of the Empire’s dominated region, they would probably be able to get their stay approved if Welkano-shi group properly guided them.
What worrisome was that the part about being out of the Empire’s dominated region’ would satisfy the conditions for Red Moon’s activity base as well. According to Akai’s story, it seemed that there were blood kins that had infiltrated to this world close to 10 years ago in order to solidify their foundation for activities, but it seemed that she didn’t know until the part of where those were.
They would be on the sea several days after this, a few weeks if long.
Supposing their movements were sensed by Red Moon, it might very well develop into a navel battle with them.
“(Well, there’s no choices but to pray we won’t bump into them, is it…?)”
Ryuzaki, with arms crossed, gazed out at the ocean and thought so.
To be continued…
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