Chapter 166: Long Evening 4

After I finished having sex with Shion and Roa, I was told that Shouko and Minori were in the library.

“Then I’ll go see them.”

“Yeah. I’m sure they’ll both be happy.”

“Have a pleasant time, Master.”

Shion and Roa saw me off with flushed faces.

As I left the living room and headed for the second floor, I ran into my childhood friend, Chiyu.

Or rather, it seemed she had been waiting for me at the bottom of the stairs.

Still warm and steaming from the bath, my childhood friend had a kind of sensuality I was not used to seeing from her.

“Did your cute childhood friend fresh out of the bath make your heart skip a beat...?”

“Yeah.”

When I nodded honestly, Chiyu put a hand to her cheek.

“You’re making me blush.”

Her expression did not change.

“Advanced Heal. Purify.”

Chiyu cast healing and purification magic on me.

It was almost as though she knew what was about to happen next.

“...Thanks.”

“Mm.”

Chiyu nodded and headed for the living room.

I went up the stairs and headed for the library.

The library was a room open to everyone, so I entered without knocking.

It was fairly spacious. If you pictured a school library, you would not be too far off.

There were many bookshelves and several desks, and the two of them had something spread out across one of those desks.

“Ah, Sousuke!”

“Oh, Sousuke.”

The combination of Shouko, the blond gal, and Minori, the Class Rep, was fairly unusual. Seeing them together in the library was probably a sight that could never have been seen back on Earth.

“I heard you two were in here.”

I spoke as I approached their table.

“Sousuke! Look at this!”

Shouko held up a piece of paper toward me.

It had an illustration of a winged, four-legged beast drawn on it.

It resembled a griffin, but its entire body was covered in something like soft feathers.

It was probably a design influenced by Shouko’s preferences as the holder of the Fluffy Summoning Ability.

“Were you thinking up candidates for a new phantasmal beast?”

“Yeah! Mashiro’s faster when it comes to running, and Micron has more freedom in the air, but this one can do both. That’s what makes it amazing.”

Shouko’s eyes sparkled.

“Yeah. Being able to choose between land and air depending on the situation is a real strength.”

“I’d thought about summoning a Fenrir and having him protect Suou’s group, but what happened today changed my mind. Our companions have to come first, right?”

Shouko’s voice turned serious.

Once again, I understood just how much today’s incident had shocked everyone.

“It’s your power, Shouko. You get to choose.”

“Yeah. That’s why I’m choosing this.”

“I see. Thanks.”

“With this one around, you won’t have to do something like that again, Sousuke. I’m sure of it!”

“I’m

°• N 𝑜 v 𝑒 l i g h t •°

counting on you.”

“Indeed. You may rely on me more and more.”

Shouko nodded grandly, and I laughed.

“How long are you going to keep standing there? Come on, sit down.”

Shouko tugged on my arm and pulled me into the seat beside her.

Even after I sat down, Shouko stayed close, her arm still entwined with mine.

She was usually embarrassed about being affectionate in front of people, so this was unusual.

“...Ahem. I-I’ve been thinking about various things too.”

They had been sitting across from each other, but Minori stood up and moved to the seat beside me.

Her face was a little red. Maybe she was embarrassed by what she had just done.

Unlike Shouko, Minori did not wrap her arm around mine.

Instead, she lightly pinched the hem of my shirt.

That timid little gesture was so like Minori that it was adorable.

“I see. Will you tell me?”

“I thought we should make a plan for what to do if something happens in the future.”

“You mean if something like today happens again.”

“Yes. Today made me realize that we have been relying on you too much, Sousuke.”

“That’s not true.”

“It is. I had not realized how much responsibility you carry. As the leader, you have been taking responsibility for every decision. When our companions’ lives were in danger, you moved without hesitation. It was only when I saw that that I truly understood.”

We had overcome countless crises before.

We had encountered wild animals, fought monsters, and participated in events.

But thanks to our companions and their abilities, we had managed to overcome those situations without too much difficulty.

Everyone had made it through today unharmed, and we had even earned points for defeating monsters.

But the fact that Serina and I might have died if things had gone even a little differently had probably left a strong impression on everyone.

“And I’m helped by all of you too.”

“It is true that making you the leader has kept us united. But it also meant that we left everything to you. Even then, my mind went blank. It was only after you ran off that I finally realized what I needed to do.”

“...”

Comforting Minori did not seem like the right thing to do right now.

“I want to become someone who can support you.”

Even if I told her that she already supported me plenty, it would not mean anything right now.

That was not what she was trying to say.

“Like a second-in-command?”

Minori nodded at my words.

“Yes. It could be vice-rep, adjutant, or strategist. I do not care what we call it, as long as it is something you approve of.”

“That... sounds like a good idea.”

Everyone respected me as their leader, and it was working well.

But there could be times when I was temporarily absent.

It had happened twice today alone.

Shouko was trying to strengthen our ranks so that we would never fall into that kind of danger again.

Minori was thinking about how, in case something happened, everyone could still make the best possible choices even if I was temporarily unavailable.

Their approaches were different, but both of them were thinking about the party.

“Yes. But it would probably be better if the position did not have authority to command everyone during normal times. If it is only a temporary leader role for when you and the others are separated, I think it will be easier for everyone to accept.”

“Ah, I see. If we make someone an obvious number two, people might start thinking in terms of rank.”

“Exactly, Sousuke. So Shion can be the head chef, Roa can handle household matters, and Shouko can oversee the summoned beasts. If we divide things according to each person’s area of expertise, I think we can avoid disrupting the atmosphere of the party.”

It seemed like something we could use not only in situations like today, but also whenever we divided the party.

I could directly give instructions to one group, while the other followed Minori’s directions.

“Thanks for thinking all this through.”

“It’s only because that is all I can do.”

“That’s not true. You help me in so many ways, Minori.”

“Really? Am I useful to you?”

Minori looked up at me anxiously.

“I’d be in trouble without you, Minori.”

When I smiled, she gave me a small, fragile smile full of happiness.

“I’m glad to hear that.”

“Um... I’m here too, you know.”

Shouko’s voice sounded almost sulky.

“Of course. You’re indispensable too, Shouko.”

“...Then that’s fine.”

Her voice still sounded pouty, but when I looked at her face, she was grinning.

Once again, I felt grateful for both of them.

“—By the way, Sousuke.”

“...What exactly were you doing with Chiyu earlier?”

The two of them fixed me with reproachful looks.

“I’m not trying to blame you, okay?”

“Yes. It just... made me feel lonely.”

“We’re your girlfriends too, you know.”

“It’s okay for us to want to be with you too... isn’t it?”

“O-Of course.”

“That’s good. Actually, while you were gone, us girlfriends talked a little.”

“...Before you came here, you had sex with Shion and Roa, right?”

I see. They had discussed it beforehand.

There was no point denying it, so I admitted it honestly.

“Y-Yeah.”

“I knew it. So we thought we’d...”

“W-We thought we’d have sex with you—the two of us together...”

Shouko and Minori.

The gal and the Class Rep.

In the library.

Both of them, cheeks flushed, leaned their faces closer to mine.