Vol 1 Chapter 4 (1/2)

Chapter 4 - A Fictitious Dinner

(1)

“Will you… go out on a date with me?”

Was what Charl had said With flushed cheeks and an upward glance

Thinking he had heard wrongly— wishi+ng he had heard wrongly— Raishi+n confirmed her request

“—Huh?”

Whether it was an attenantly spoke,

“Is your head as bad as your face? I asked you to go out on a date with me”

Having received a considerable verbal attack, Raishi+n felt dazed

Trying to co to catch a slippery eel

“After school today, clear your schedule Got that?”

The first to react was Yaya While turning pale and started tre all over,

“W… W… While he appreciates the fact you came all this way to invite him, Raishi+n already has plans after school He doesn’t have the tio out with you”

“It’s fine I’ll make room in my schedule”

Yaya ground the fragments of the broken cup in her hand into smaller pieces

“W-well then, I should go I’ll see you later at the lecture hall”

With the innocence and aardness of two people who had just started dating, she hurriedly left

Watching her aard figure retreat, Raishi+n let out a yawn

“What’s up with her? Giving —“

A violent chill suddenly passed through him

For a brief rim reaper was about to separate his head fro around, he saw Yaya’s hair rising into the air, wriggling like she was medusa

“W-wait a minute… calest prime number you can think of… please?”

A second later, a wail of agony echoed throughout the tortoise dormitory

“… You really are a boisterous man Is your brain infested with roundworms?”

Being strangled, just before his vision turned completely dark, Raishi+n’s consciousness was jolted back by the sound of a fa him

Perhaps she came to her senses, or the appearance of soo of Raishi+n’s windpipe

Oxygen rushi+ng into his starved lungs, Raishi+n turned to face the owner of the voice

Standing there was a bespectacled fe her was a beautiful boarding mistress Unlike Charl who had audaciously walked in, Lisette had obtained permission to visit the male dormitory

Without even so e envelope with a businesslike attitude

“… What is this?”

“Is it not obvious if you think about it? Or has your brain been completely eaten by roundworms?”

“Why are you so fixated with roundworms?”

Lisette threw hi back to her businesslike manner

“The contract between you and the disciplinary committee— also, all the material we have on Cannibal Candy”

(2)

It was half past three It was a little before classes were scheduled to end

Although he still had a lecture re, he had skipped out of class at Charl’s insistence

Seeing hiotten out of nowhere, Charl eyed him suspiciously

“Why are you all beat up? Did you have a scuffle with a lion or so?”

“Don’t worry about it It’s just Diana being jealous”

“Such an incomprehensible man

“You’re the incoht Thanks to Charl’s whim, Yaya was clearly in a bad mood Even now her pupils were unnaturally wide, and as dark as a bottomless lake

“Well whatever Come with me”

Charl lead the alking out of the lecture hall As usual, Sight, it made him look oddly adorable

After exiting, Charl continued walking without stopping for a break Leaving the main street, they searched behind the technical vocations building, inside the grove, and the inside the backyard

NoEven though they chose paths with no signs of anyone traversing the

All too quickly, two unproductive hours passed

Street lights in the vicinity had been lit, and the setting sun had disappeared behind the walls

With Yaya releasing killing intent, the situation was beco

Charl looked like she wasn’t going to give up yet Arriving at a deserted path where the reht before, she gave him an order that reeked of false pride behind it

“Raishi+n, walk back and forth along this path ten— no, twenty times”

“… Is this some sort of charm?”

“Don’t be absurd It’s obvious you’re going to be a decoy”

Her ansas as he expected Fed up, Raishi+n let out a sigh

“Even if Cannibal Candy does appear, it’ll be ok since I’ll defeat it So just relax and let yourself be attacked Now go!”

“I refuse Besides, Cannibal Candy only coht”

“— Where did you hear that from?”

The source was the disciplinary committee Yaya had translated the documents that Lisette had passed to him, and that was how Raishi+n had come into possession of that particular bit of information

According to the docuht till dawn

Furthermore, he had never attacked automatons two days in succession before

In other words, whatever Charl was planning to do was practically useless

“That’s just what the normal people believe It’s because of that biased way of thinking that the disciplinary committee and security haven’t been able to produce results It’s not necessarily true that he won’t start attacking in successive days, or not appear at this time”

“… That’s another way of looking at it, I guess”

Raishi+n scratched his head, deeply troubled Charl was extremely fired up about this At this rate, she would force hi

It looked like he wasn’t going to be able toa plan, he decided to approach the problele

“By the way, didn’t you say ere going out on a date?”

Charl stared at him blankly,

“Aren’t we on it right now?”

“Don’t be stupid There’s no way so like this can be considered a date”

“S-stupid? You called ers at someone, four of them point back at you!”

“I get it Simply put, you have no friends, don’t you?

“What— I— you—“

“You’ve barely o to for help so you had to ask me”

He hit the nail on its head Ever so slightly, tears formed in Charl’s eyes

“Don’t act so s I don’t need to take your know-it-all attitude, you pervert!”

“Let’s go on a date— trickingreat distance I al me as a pervert You really are a piece of work for a lady”

“I was only trying to help you It’sme of other stuff is uncalled for”

“Huh, so you knew aboutFelix up on his offer?”

She fell silent It appeared she did know She had probably overheard it from somewhere or another

If that was the case, then—

Raishi+n stole a glance at Yaya To be honest, he was reluctant to do what he was about to…

“That’s enough of playing detective It’s time to start the date proper”

Charl stiffened up upon hearing Raishi+n’s words Yaya froze as well

“Don’t speak such nonsense so freely I’m a busy person, and I don’t have the time to play around with you”

“Weren’t you the one who said ‘Let’s go on a date’? Or is the Belew household a faes on their words?”

He hit her where it hurt Charl’s shoulders shook with vexation

“F… fine Let’s go somewhere then”

“Good In that case, let’s go into the city”

“The city— you mean outside the academy…?”

“Obviously Since the sun has already set, there’s nothing to do inside the academy”

A panicked look crept into her eyes Suddenly beco very hesitant, she looked down at her feet

“But if we go into the city, then Sigmund…”

“You idiot Since we’re going on a date, our automatons won’t accompany us”

“Uu… Sig!”

“Hhtless”

Spreading his four wings, he flew up from Charl’s head

“This is a good chance Enjoy yourself”

“You traitor!”

It looked like he received her guardian(?)’s consent Raishi+n forcibly grabbed hold of Charl’s hand, pulling her along as they walked out of the academy

(3)

Yaya’s face turned a ghastly shade of white as she watched the two of them depart with their hands intertwined

The tree she was leaning on let out a creak The next moment, she had crushed the tree like it wasit into two

Staggering like a zoate

“Wait, Yaya”

Biting on to her black hair, Sigmund yanked her back

“Let go Let go of me!”

“Did you forget? Automaton from the academy cannot venture out into the city”

He nodded his head in the direction of the prison-like gates

“Look Caet you”

Like he said, there were things glea within the eyeports

It was the cold flash of steel It was obvious they had already trained their sights on her

“I’ve heard the caraduates on their payroll So not only would you have to contend with rifles, you would also be up against puppeteers I can guarantee you’ll end up being destroyed”

“But…”

“Think carefully If you kick up a fuss here, it will only cause problems for your master”

It was a blow more effective than an actual bullet

Yaya flinched, then sank to the floor

With both hands covering her eyes, she began to weep

“Don’t cry Why don’t you have a little more faith in your master?”

“Uu… Faith…?”

“I have lived for close to 150 years now I have observed n of lust in his eyes He isn’t going after Charl”

“… Really?”

“Although, e are usually pretty promiscuous— that is a fact of life”

Yaya began to cry again Strangely, her tears see to the earth with a clink

“Oh boy… the way you’re acting up means this matter is on an entirely different level from simple fidelity to you, huh?”

Sig in front of her, he started to talk like he was lecturing a novice

“We are different from humans Even if you look the same, have the same functions, have as little difference to thee the fact that you will never be human”

“Yaya… already knows that… “

“Autoy supplied to them from their controllers You could say the relationshi+p between them is like a row fond of their owners… but I think you’re taking it too far Why are you so persistent when it comes to him?”

“That’s… well… i-it’s s-so I cannot say”

Fidgeting in eround That action was extremely human-like

“Does it have sooal?”

“That’s…”

“Who is he exactly? Why is he so fixated on the Night Party?”

“Well…”

“Attacking us wasn’t his true intention But if he illing to go that far, it ht Party What is it? It doesn’t seem like he’s motivated by ambition or self-interest”

‘I can’t go into details, but…”

She hesitated for a second Then she solemnly muttered

“Raishi+n is out for revenge”

“… Hm At any rate, the both of us are currently without our masters”

Flapping his wings, Sigmund landed atop Yaya’s head

“That means we have to watch out for Cannibal Candy, or else—“

“Eh—“

As the darkness of night around themund’s eyes lit up like a cat’s

(4)

“As expected of the Machine City Even at this hour shops are still open for business”

Walking along the lit streets, Raishi+n cheerfully spoke

The sun had already set, but the streets were still bustling with life The streets were still filled with human traffic, and stores and restaurants were still croith custo outlets, jewellery stores, stores that sold ic arts, as well as shops that handled automata

“Hey, you two students! Couys a discount!”

They were assailed on both sides by the voices of the shopkeepers Raishi+n chuckled,

“Wow, they’re friendly to Orientals as well”

“That’s only because you’re wearing the academy uniform”

Charl, who had been in a badrebuttal

“Exchange students are rich They’re VIPs in the shopkeepers’ eyes”

“I don’t exactly hate that At least, it’s more believable explanation than compassion or charity”

“Hmph… That’s a rather cutthroat outlook”

“I’m a realist, you know”

Suddenly, Charl ducked her head and stealthily hid behind him

Walking towards them was a red faced man

While he looked a little inebriated, it wasn’t like he was drunk out of his mind

“… What’s wrong?”

“I-it’s nothing”

Although having said that, it was clear she was anything but calm

Abruptly, a bunch of kids laughed behind them, and Charl jumped at the sound

Raishi+n stopped, co Charl with the hustle and bustle of the city

“… Haaaa”

“W-what’s that haaaa supposed to ”

“In short, you’re feeling helpless since Sigmund’s not around”

He hit the ain Charl suddenly fell silent

“That’s normal for puppeteers But don’t worry You’ve already seen how strong I aht?”

“… That’s why I’uarantee you’ll try to me back”

“You really don’t trust uess I reap what I sow”

With a wry laugh, he started walking again Charl hurriedly chased after hi, she reminded hihed at the thought

“D-don’t just go off like that Where are you planning on going anyway?”

“I was thinking of walking along the ays Yaya was ht scenery is supposedly very beautiful”

“… Hmph, that is so clichéd If that’s the best you can cory”

“Alright If that’s the case, let’s go grab a bite”

“So we’re going back to the dormitories?”

“Don’t be such a wet blanket Let’s find a place with a good atmosphere and eat there”

“N-no way!”

It was a strong refusal, but al so

“This month… I see financial difficulties…”

“If you’re worried about ht out my wallet today, so I can treat you”

“Eh—<>

Charl’s eyes sparkled

An instant later, she had snapped out of it, turning her head aith a ‘hmph!”

“I refuse to accept charity from a pervert like you”

However— her sto its opinion by ru loudly

Charl turned visibly red, and started s Raishi+n

“Insolent buffoon~!”

“… Eh, me? How is this my fault?”

“For ivable…!”

Finally, with a hint of desperation and some tears in her eyes, Charl declared loudly

“Fine I get it I’ll have you treat hly”

Twentythe ay

They were seated on the balcony of the second floor

The light reflected off the ay could be seen clearly The building’s interior was a ood i too pretentious

For appetizers, they had uncured ham mariné While Charl chewed on her food, she stared at Raishi+n’s hands as if she was seeing so curious

“I’ve heard that the japanese have terrible table ly, you’re very normal”

“For your infor a fork”

“You drink your soup by bring the bowl to your lips and sipping? That’s so noisy”

“There’s nothing wrong with slurping miso soup, it’s just a different culture Don’t speak ill of another country’s customs”

With so particularly malicious, the dinner continued

Next, a clear soup with a strong sht to the, but Charl see “There there, it’s not for everyone”

While waiting for the meat dish, their eyes met

She was staring at hi

“What’s up?”

“Nothing”

“You should be more honest Please feel free to speak your mind, my lady”

He jokingly used polite speech He thought that would finally get her to talk… although that wasn’t the case Charl hesitantly opened her mouth,

“… Why did you ask me out?”

“You were the one who asked me out”

“No I’ lunch”

She averted her eyes The tip of her nose turned faintly pink, soly cute

While a bit taken aback by the question, Raishi+n ed to answer

“Why, you ask— I suppose I was just going with the flow”

“Going with the flow? What a foolish answer”

Contrary to being discontent with his answer, Charl gave a little laugh, not as dissatisfied as he thought she would be

“You really are a reckless person Not only did you challenge uts to then ask to have lunch with ”

“I thank you for your words of praise”

“I have a question for this idiot”

“Ask away, my lady”

“Why did you target my entry qualification?”

At that point, the waiter brought the at it they could sense the tenderness It had been grilled to a beautiful colour, and the fragrant sauce alone whetted their appetites

After the waiter had placed their plates on the table, Charl waited for hi

“There are a hundred entrants in the Night Party There should have been easier opponents for you to target”

“… If it were someone I could defeat easily, there would be no point”

“To hty Party executive committee take notice of you?”

“No… Well, I guess there was that too, but that wasn’t it”

Knife in hand, he searched for the right words He wasn’t good at explaining things

Just like Charl had said, in order to appeal to the executive coreater effect

Even if he did win his fight, there was no guarantee that he could obtain an entry qualification that way Beating up countless Benchwarht Party… if he had done it that way, he would have failed

However, Raishi+n’s reason for seeking out a stronger enemy wasn’t just because of that

“I thought to s to take his place For et an entry qualification through brute force see So I felt like I had to take some sort of risk, or it would be unfair… Well, I mean, either way it would still be unfair”

Raishi+n struggled to express hiave up

“Sorry I guess I myself also don’t really understand why I did it By the way, this is delicious”

“… I thought you were sohts I couldn’t get a hold off”

Her eyes half opened, Charl spoke in an astounded tone

“But it looks like you weren’t even thinking Your thoughts were just flapping about in the wind like a piece of laundry There’s no way I could have read a person like that”

“That’s about right Is that all you want to ask?”

“One ? It’s side his puppet”