When my brain started working again I was sitting blankly in the toilet with my memory after I ran away from Ludi wiped clean. It seems there's some commotion outside.
I remove the muffler on my face and wrap it around my neck.
"Seems like I did something bad at the end."
Why did I do such a Eroge-protagonist-like thing. To slip and fall face first into a girl's chest, isn't that something an Eroge-protagonist would do? What a third-wheel like me should do is getting beat up by the heroines after doing such a sexual harassment. And while he got sent flying, a proper third wheel character must also peek at the heroine's panties as well.
That is what Takioto Kousuke should be doing.
Her white panty was nice though...
Wait, what am I thinking? Let's change the subject.
I'm glad I saved them. Even though I think it will cause a lot of problems in the future, I still don't regret saving them. If I didn't do anything back then, I would regret it for the rest of my life.
Still,
"It surely will cause a lot of changes to the scenario, huh......."
Comparing the timeline of this incident to the game, the story still hasn't even started yet. Since the story will begin a day before the entrance ceremony there is still more than a week left. But there's a high possibility that the change I made this time will make a huge impact to the story.
In the first place, Ludi will enter the school a little after the semester has started. She will immediately cause a certain event to happen and will fight alongside the protagonist's party.
.....But I doubt that will be the case this time.
The reason she was unable to attend the academy from the start of the school year was stated in the game as [family reasons], but it most likely related to the incident just now. The incident itself was something that already happened so it is still possible that the scenario will stay the same as well.
"The possibility of the scenario changing because I saved them exists as well though."
The game's Ludi held a lot of respect for Hanmura Marino. There is no mistake that it is related to when she was saved by her. It might not be the main reason but it should still be considered a factor.
Since I ended up saving her this time, I wonder how the result will be like. In the worst case she might return to her country without attending the school. She is a strong character since she is one of the main heroines. If she entered the protagonist's party she will certainly become a reliable force.
"Well, I can't do anything about that......Rather, it would be more constructive to think about the future........"
I learned many things through the fight this time. First is my weakness. When I was using shield to protect them I can't get a hold of the situation around me at all. It was like having a thick black umbrella blocking all of my vision, I can't see the enemy's location at all.
Is it possible to construct a wall without obstructing my vision?
"Normally that wouldn't be possible, but this is a world of magic........"
If skills existed then something like [Mind Eye] or [Clairvoyance] might be useable. The Mind Eye can be acquired at that place where senpai guide the protagonist to later in the story. Fortunately the owner of that place is Marino-san so my first goal is to acquire that skill first.
..........If my luck is good then I can meet her again too.
Well, the next thing is long range attack. My ability is weak at long distance. Very weak in fact. Although I already noticed my weaknesses from the beginning this incident made me understand the importance of long range attack in the last battle. If there are stuff lying around I could grab and throw it but if there's none I will most likely become a sitting duck.
It might be a good idea to carry something like a bow, a gun or even a shuriken with me. If I use enchantments on items that I throw the power should increase and it should make up for my weak point.
"That might be good huh."
It is a perfect way for a mana tank like me whose only good point is his enchant magic to fight. Let's confirm the most suitable weapon for me at the academy and focus on its training. I need to consult with my wallet first though.
"My only obstacle is.....money huh....."
Just when I already spent most of my money, I ended up leaving the most expensive stole I purchased with Ludi.
I won't go back to retrieve it though.
"My identity might get expose after all...."
I hid my face with the muffler so she can't see it, but do I have to act like I don't know anything about this incident? Impossible. It is only a matter of time before Ludi enters the school and notice me. Since my way of fighting is very unique after all.
"To not make her notice I can't ever fight in front of Ludi. That's my only option. If she eventually found out then I will think about what to do afterward ..."
Should I dogeza? Well, at that time I will have her return my stole too. Come to think of it I gave away my stole in place of her skirt but there were tablecloths lying around too, right? why didn't I think of that? No crying over spilled milk, huh.
Well, I will manage, since I already sent the spare one to the new house.
"Ah, what time is it now? I have to meet up with Marino-san soon......!?"
I hurriedly took out my smartphone and checked the screen. However, I wasn't able to confirm the time.
"Ah, AReRe.....that's weird."
There's a huge crack on the smartphone I just bought. I try pressing the power button but there's still no response.
———
I was able to get in touch with Marino-san after a day has passed. Since the meeting place was sealed off I couldn't go and meet her and I can't do anything since my smartphone was already broken. It seem Marino-san also tried to contact me but she couldn't reach me.
"I'm really glad you're safe."
We were somehow able to meet up thanks to the hotel's staff. I did asked the receptionist Nee-san to contact her several times. The receptionist didn't contact her for me in the end but it seems like she got notified and we somehow able to meet up.
"Our sincerest apologies, we will compensate the accommodation fee for you."
"No, it's okay. I didn't spend much since I stayed at a Manga Cafe, I still have the leftover living expenses I got before too."
When I said that, Marino-san glanced at the prostrating man. Standing next to the man is the receptionist whose body is all curled up.
Apparently Marino-san seems to be furious. Well, it seems she rented a suite(JPY450,000) to surprise me, but I ended up staying the night at a Manga Cafe (JPY1,480). I didn't say it out loud but I did want to try staying in the suite here though.
The mistake came from the fact the we only reserved the room with Marino-san's name. And unfortunately I can't stay at such a luxurious hotel alone since I am still a student. That's why it's not weird for the staff to act that way, in the end they had done nothing wrong.
In the first place the hotel can't treat those incident as if it didn't happened. there was an explosion at the cafe next door and there was even a magic fight in one of the hotel's halls after all.
"As the great-grandson of the chairman and grandson of the director you know. he is ..................."
"It's okay it's okay, Marino-san let's leave it at that......It is natural for the hotel staff to protect their client's privacy, right? Their response wasn't wrong."
It seem Takioto Kousuke really has the blood of a great family running through his veins.
I interrupt Marino-san while being surprised by my own circumstances. Apparently my maternal relatives are among the top executive of the conglomerate.
These two people seem like they could collapse at any moment, their faces are pale and the woman is already shaking a little.
"Right....sorry. You guys, take care of the clean up here."
Saying so, Marino-san and I leave the hotel. Since there was an explosion at the cafe and terrorist attack at the hotel they're still not open for business. We planned to have a meal here at first but since they're closed we decided to head to the nearby restaurant instead. Well, it really can't be helped, but.........
"What's wrong. Why are you looking like that?"
"No, it's just that I didn't expect to be picked up by a limousine......"
Please stop with this rich people treatment. Suddenly picked up by a limousine and even accompanied by tough-looking sunglasses guys in a suit. I never receive such treatment before arriving at this hotel.
"It was the hotel side that said [By all means, Please allow us to escort you], you know. They seem like they want to do this no matter what."
Well, there was that terrorist incident just yesterday, It's natural that they can't have a person from the Hanamura family walk around without a guard. Rather if I am the hotel's staff I would be the one to arrange the limousine myself.
The cafe's surrounding is filled with police officers, the media and a lot of onlookers, if you look from the distance it would like a normal town though.
The place is full of people and there are many people with shopping bags in their hand. What a peaceful scenery.
"Hey, Kousuke-kun"
I took my eyes off the car window and look at Marino-san. She is touching her bracelet with the magic catalyst installed inside with some serious expression. It's like she was ready to release a spell at anytime.
"What is it?"
"You see, yesterday not just at the cafe there was also a terrorist attack at our hotel too.....you already know that right?"
Of course, I know that. I was there after all.
"Kousuke-kun, you said your phone broke because you were near the cafe when it exploded, right?
But actually it wasn't because the explosion at the cafe, but because you were caught up with the terrorist at the hotel instead. Am I wrong?"
I unintentionally bit my lips. Indeed it was like that. I can't lie to her, but I will avoid telling her the important details.
"......I was there, but I don't know whether It broke at the cafe or the hotel."
I was wondering how to answer but I decided to confirm her story. It was a decision made by weighting between the merit of lying to her or telling her the truth.
"Right, Actually I already confirmed that with the footage from the surveillance camera."
So you already confirmed it!? Isn't this just a bait then? What would happen if I lied?
"Kousuke-kun, Why didn't you tell me?"
How should I answer this? There are a lot of reasons, but I can't tell her the most important one. Something like "I saw an Eroge heroine that took care of me( in a lot of ways) in a pinch and I jumped in without thinking" I can't tell her that, right?
".....I thought that you would be angry."
"I am certainly angry, but from what I heard, didn't you save the girls from the terrorists? You did a good thing, right?"
This is bad, if Ludi and Claris were questioned and if they were to check the surveillance camera footage then they would know that it was me. Considering the event, I want to avoid meeting her before we enter the school. But if Marino-san talk to her then there's a possibility that she will realize my identity.
Okay, let's not touch the dangerous topic and grasp how much Ludi knows about me.
".....I followed a suspicious person on my own and got into a fight without contacting you .....since I've put myself into danger,....I thought you would be angry."
"So you do understand...I told you to not overdo it and contact me didn't I !?"
While smiling she was pulling me in and doing a grinding attack on my head. It didn't hurt as much as I thought though.
"............ But you did well."
Saying so, she stopped her attack and hugged me while patting my head.
"It was really a fine play. Did you know, that girl you saved, she was the second daughter of the Emperor of the Trefle Empire, you know."
"Hmm......Ehhhhhhh!"
Or so I pretended to be surprised. Of course I already know that kind of thing. Did you know how many ending I have seen? I already know she likes pickles and that she always sprinkle salt and pepper on her fried egg or that she is very weak in the morning and even her fetish.
"Fufu, are you surprised?"
"Yes I am, but is it okay to tell me such important details?"
Disclosing the information of the victim. Certainly I was there so it was okay to tell me, but it is also an information that she doesn't really have to tell me too. I did not intend to hear it here, if she didn't tell me I would bury this matter deep inside my heart. It will pop out someday though.
"Actually I was hesitating to tell you.......... But I have decided to tell you everything from now on."
From now on, huh.
"What do you mean?"
"It still not set in stone yet, so I will tell you the details a little bit later......but first, I think we have arrived."
The car stops and a muscular man opens the door for me. I thanked him and proceed inside with Marino-san.
After I looked inside the opened sliding screen I involuntarily swallowed my breath. It was a room I had only seen from television. It was a high-class Japanese style room. The first thing I saw was a golden folding screen. On that folding screen, a beautiful crane was smoothly drawn on it with a sakura branches and flowers drawn next to the crane.
Diagonally behind the screen there's an alcove displaying a expensive-looking vase with pictures of sakura branches drawn on it. If you break one you would be billed at least a few millions, no doubt about it.
You can also see a beautiful garden through a paper sliding door. Next to the splendid pine tree, there is a pond with water so clear you can see the bottom of the pond and you can also see brightly colored carps swimming in it. The clearness of the water could make you mistake that the carps are swimming through the air.
Just by sitting and looking at the landscape here could probably (Financially) kill you in several hours.
I wondered how much I have to pay to have lunch here.
We sit in the seat in front of the folding screen. Soon after, a clerk in Japanese clothes prepared teas and served it to us.
This kind of place, it is a place I will never even consider coming.
"Well, let's continue where we left off."
I was drunk in the atmosphere so I didn't pay attention, let's nod along for now. Rather, if I know we would come to such a place I would at least put on a suit or my school uniform. Right now my current clothes is really out of place.
While we are eating, I told her why I was in such a place with some lies mixed in the story. Marino-san was nodding to my story while letting out "hmm" sounds
"Hmm, I see. In the end you did see Ludivine-chan's panties and even grabbed her chest, right?"
"I would like you to not skip the part where I was helping her and pick up on the small details though."
"But isn't that the most important part?!"
Marino-san's voice is slightly louder.
Well, certainly if you sort it by the seriousness then it could be said that it is on a level of picking a fight with the head of state, it was "Ludi" chest I touched after all.
"But, that was an accident."
If I was asked whether I wanted to touch it or not then of course I want to touch it and if I can solve this with a dogeza then I would. But that was an accident. I didn't like forcing myself on others in the first place.
"....Well, I did see you tripped over the table's leg but....you sure that was not intentional?
"IT'S NOT !! "
When I said that, the Marino-san's stiff expression melted away and she returned to her slightly gentle expression.
"Then it's all good. You see, those girls, Ludivine-chan and her guard seem like they wanted at least say thank you, you know."
"Guard?"
"The elf you touched her butt."
That was true but, could you stop putting it like that? Of course that firm butt was easily coming to my mind. But since Ludi is an elf too, I was confused for a moment.
"...It's hard to show my face to her, so can I just indirectly receive it?"
"That won't do. Since Ludivine-chan will be coming to our school, you know."
"Ehh–really?!"
I already know that. In the school she was even called the wind princess because of her beautiful appearance and skill in magic. If it wasn't Ludi, I might not intervene in the first place.
"Yes, how is it? Surprised?"
Seems like I am really good at acting. Marino-san is nodding while absolutely enjoying herself right now.
"Yes....to think that she would attend the same school. What should I do? I did touched a bunch of things I shouldn't touch so it's kinda hard to show my face now....."
"It's fine, they seem to mind it a little but they weren't angry. They were the ones that told me they want to thank you in the first place."
Well, if it's not like that I will be troubled. If they were really angry and said something like "Take responsibility" she wouldn't be satisfied until I commit seppuku.....probably, I started becoming afraid of her. Next time I meet her, should I call her your highness?
Well, we will meet when the semester starts at the earliest anyway. There's still time. Let's take my time and come up with an appropriate response. This matter will be postponed for now.
Yup yup, I nod while sipping my soup.
"So, I planned to bring her to our house soon, keep that in mind, okay."
"Cough Cough Cough..................."
While I was choking,Marino-san's words registered in my mind.
Eh, seriously?
——-