Ch.8282. Apologize First, Explain Later

I returned to the dormitory after everything was over.

Even after finishing my cleanup and lying in bed, sleep wouldn’t come.

It wasn’t particularly late, but more than anything, I couldn’t organize my thoughts.

“Haah…”

I sighed to relieve some frustration, but nothing really changed.

I took out the item from my inventory that was causing this frustration and used it.

[Ring of Exploration]

[For those who are naive about the ways of the world.]

[It ‘explores’ your designated target.]

The exact phrases I remembered appeared.

I tested a few other items as well, and they all seemed to display the same descriptions that were written in the game.

Well, that’s not important right now.

“How am I supposed to explain this?”

The important issue wasn’t the bracelet’s performance.

The problem was that I learned something I shouldn’t have known.

‘Why would favorability ratings appear there?’

In the game, you could check how much favorability you’d built with someone through the favorability system.

But strangely, the system I currently had didn’t show the favorability system.

[You cannot check this yourself.]

With a message like that.

But… I didn’t know it would be revealed through this bracelet.

‘So the favorability was steadily increasing even though I couldn’t check it?’

That’s what annoyed me the most. Why was favorability increasing when I couldn’t even check it?

…Wait. Maybe I’m the only one who can’t see it?

Since it says “you cannot check this yourself”… does that mean they can check it instead of me?

If that’s the case, since when?

I agonized over it for a while, but it seemed I wouldn’t know the answer unless I asked directly.

///

The next day. After all schedules were finished, Celia, Alkine, and I gathered at the Student Council Hall.

There wasn’t much to explain—we were there to discuss what had happened yesterday.

Yesterday, I was dragged away for a one-on-one meeting with the dean, so we dispersed without much discussion.

Celia had sent me a message late at night, but I was so unsettled that I couldn’t reply properly and just fell asleep.

“It’s fine, I fell asleep right away too.”

I apologized in case she thought I’d responded half-heartedly.

Normally I wouldn’t have been this considerate, but somehow I felt self-conscious.

They say knowledge is power, but today I wished ignorance was bliss.

I secretly checked their favorability ratings again.

[Favorability: 59/100]

[Favorability: 18/100]

Seriously. I can only sigh looking at this again.

How am I supposed to explain this?

“You’re making the same expression as yesterday. What’s bothering you?”

Celia caught that momentary change in my emotions and asked a sharp question.

She doesn’t even have a mind-reading bracelet, yet she’s so perceptive.

Alright, I might as well come clean and apologize.

With that resolve, I opened my mouth.

First, I explained why I had willingly gone with the Zivchak Family yesterday and what had happened until they arrived.

From needing a certain item to knowing about the forbidden book.

“Putting aside how you knew about all that… it must have been like a bolt from the blue for them.”

“But… they brought it on themselves, didn’t they?”

“You’re so firm about this.”

“I told you before. I’m not nice enough to forgive people who mess with what’s mine.”

“Since when was Ludion yours?”

“It’s just a figure of speech. Why are you so persistent about this?”

The reactions were as expected.

Celia accepted everything without question as usual, while Alkine showed a somewhat more normal reaction.

There was a small dispute about whether he was “mine” or not, but if I paid attention to every little thing, I’d go crazy, so I decided to ignore it.

“Well, that aside. The main point is what comes next…”

“You’re being unusually hesitant? Ludion, you’re acting strange today.”

When I couldn’t speak clearly and hesitated, Celia looked at me with a puzzled expression.

I slightly showed them the bracelet I was wearing on my arm.

“This is that item. I stole it from Trash.”

“I know. I was wondering when you’d explain.”

“Aren’t you both too calm about the fact that he stole it?”

Alkine looked at Celia and me with disbelief, but it couldn’t be helped.

I’m a gamer, and Celia is an imperial princess. We naturally have a very loose concept of property rights.

…Or is that not the issue?

“You both seem strange to me.”

“Who was it that chased after this strange person because she liked him?”

“…Don’t bring that up. My face gets hot and doesn’t cool down easily.”

I was trying to explain the bracelet’s function, but this was making it increasingly difficult.

Feeling like I might never get to explain if this continued, I decided to just get to the point.

“Its official name is ‘Ring of Exploration,’ and when you use it, you can see information about others.”

“Information like…?”

“Stats, characteristics, current emotions or thoughts.”

“Ah~ So that’s why.”

The response was different from what I expected.

I thought there would be a negative reaction—shock or anger.

Celia spoke as if she finally understood something.

“I was feeling good because unusually perceptive Ludion seemed to be matching my mood today, but it was all thanks to that?”

“…No, I haven’t used it today.”

“…Really?”

After checking once yesterday, I felt too guilty to use it on them again.

“Then how did you manage to say only things that would make me happy today?”

“Well…?”

I’m not sure, but maybe the guilt made me more considerate, and that just happened to work out well.

“…Ludion. I hate to say this, but could you be this considerate normally?”

“I’ll try.”

“But you never try to do anything normally.”

What nonsense is that? I do image training every day to maximize my dodge-parry-quick swap reflexes.

Just as an argument was about to break out over this insult to a veteran gamer’s pride, Alkine’s voice cut in.

“Um… I know you two get along well, but aren’t we skipping over something important?”

She was right. Celia had moved past it so casually, but I had just dropped a bombshell.

Reading someone’s emotions and thoughts… was certainly not an honorable act.

In response to Alkine’s sensible question about the main issue, Celia shared her thoughts first.

“I don’t really mind. I don’t think Ludion would use it for anything bad, and I don’t think what I do would change much even if he reads my thoughts. However…”

“However?”

“When I tell you not to use it, absolutely do not use it. Absolutely. As long as you keep that promise, I don’t care whether you read my thoughts or not normally.”

…That’s actually more frightening.

What on earth is she hiding that makes her say something like that?

But I had no choice here.

“I will.”

I could only nod in agreement.

Actually, I had somewhat expected Celia to react this way.

Cowardly as it may be… I already knew her favorability rating.

Honestly, I was more worried about Alkine’s reaction.

After hearing Celia’s answer, Alkine seemed to think for a moment, then quietly spoke.

“I… find it a bit difficult for now. If it’s not absolutely necessary, I’d prefer you not read my thoughts.”

“Ms. Alkine. Are you sure? It’ll be more embarrassing if you change your mind later.”

“Don’t try to persuade her.”

“I’m just concerned.”

Seeing Celia trying to convince Alkine, I quickly jumped in to respond.

“I wasn’t planning to use it carelessly from the start. I’ll do as the president said.”

“Okay. I trust you. But you know…”

“Yes?”

“Can’t you stop using that title ‘president’?”

“What should I call you then?”

“I’d like it if you called me by my name…”

“…If you mean with ‘senior’ attached, I’ll try.”

“That’s enough. Thank you.”

Between her recently casual speech and now caring about how I address her at a time like this—she’s remarkable in a different way.

Anyway, both of them seemed to have accepted the basic function of the bracelet.

…If only that were the end of it. There was still the matter of the favorability ratings.

“There’s one more thing I need to tell you.”

“What else is there?”

I took a deep breath, then carefully called out to the two of them.

“Celia. President.”

“President?”

“…Senior Alkine.”

There was a mistake with the title I had just discussed, but anyway.

After gathering both their attention, I slammed my head on the table.

THWACK!

“W-what? Why are you suddenly doing that?”

“…It’s been a while. You did this on the entrance exam day too and surprised me.”

“Celia, why are you so calm about this?!”

“I’m really sorry!!”

“So what are you sorry for?! You can’t just slam your head down without explaining!”

Unable to find the courage to speak first, I chose to apologize before explaining.

Me with my abnormal behavior, and Celia who strangely liked me despite it.

Only Alkine, caught between us, showed a normal reaction.