CH 30.2

The regular test and the ability assessment went smoothly and took a week to finish.

According to the results announced later, Chihiro is promoted from E rank to D rank. His additional ability also evaluated. In addition, his academic performance has also improved slightly.

Riko is now ranked D, and Maria is still ranked C. There is no significant change in their grades, but neither of them is particularly concerned about it. It is natural because their grades are not bad.

Kamishiro remained at rank C without promotion.

Originally, it had been said that it would be a great accomplishment if he could be promoted, but the reaction of the people around him is a bit disappointed, probably due to the prior commotion.

Rumor has it that he had been training hard every day during the test period. Some people whispered that he might have been fatigued because of this, and that he could not perform as well as he wanted in the crucial ability assessment.

Well, Kamishiro laughed and said, "I'll do my best again until the next assessment", but after that, he seemed to be a little depressed.

His promise to Aika, of course, became null and void.

On the other hand, Aika is promoted from D rank to C rank.

One of the reasons is that she is recommended by the doctor of Shibahou Academy. Apparently, the doctor praised her for her quick and dedicated healing when someone was injured near her.

「...On the assessment, the examiner must be talking about her healing Izumi」

「I wonder if that's true」

「Of course, it is. But that's good. It gave her a chance to be recognized」

After this, Aika started to help the school doctor after school sometimes.

She told Chihiro that since she was still an apprentice, she was not allowed to do much, but it was a great learning experience.

「Congratulations, Izumi-kun」

「Thank you. But I'm not there yet. I only got a D rank」

「That's not true. I have to work harder too.」

And with that match, the distance between Chihiro and Aika seems to have shortened a little.

Chihiro's reputation in the class has not changed much, but it has become a little better than before, because of the match with Kamishiro, the improvement of his rank by the assessment, and the fact that Riko, who had been messing around with Chihiro, has become more quiet.

Chihiro also called his mother to tell her about the result of the ability evaluation. Of course, she is pleased with his promotion and asked him how he was doing at school.

『...Yeah. It's tough, but I'm managing it』

As he answered, Chihiro remembered what had happened about a month ago.

Riko had tortured him so severely that he had seriously thought of quitting the school, feeling helpless. But then, Maria had approached him in the rain and made him a proposal he had never imagined.

And so, began the lust-filled days that followed.

There is also victory he had won in the darkness.

And with that, he learned things that the old him had never known. He experienced things he had never experienced before. Then, he lost his ignorance and gained strength and a new self.

He also became less afraid of people's eyes than before.

「I'll try again next time. This time, I'll aim for a C rank」

And having set out on that path, there's no turning back.

So, let's keep going. --tinytranslation.xyz

「...Ah, Izumi, did you finish your call? Then you better stop too. She's thinking nonsense again」

Together with the girl... no, together with the girls.

We will fall.

☆　　　☆　　　☆

At night.

When she picked up her smartphone in response to the ringing in her room, she saw an unusual name on the display.

Thinking it's a good thing she was sleeping alone, she switched the phone to talking mode and the girl, Maria, picked up the phone.

「Hello?」

The caller says a few words and asks Maria what she is doing.

This is not small talk. This is the real deal. The caller knows better than to use words with Maria.

「Yeah. I finally got a [Master]. ...he's nice. He's a little unreliable at times, but he has qualities you don't」

When she says this to the caller in a slightly provocative manner, her voice is filled with displeasure.

It's like a child.

And it made the caller chuckle.

Also, this seems to have offended the caller even more, and the voice coming from the other side of the speaker gets stronger. Not one, but several, young women's voices. The caller must have thought of something during the act and so called her.

On the other hand, Maria felt sorry for the women the caller was dealing with.

Well, they are probably happy even if they are treated carelessly by the caller.

「That's why I'm not coming back. As for my future plans... well, that's up to him. He's in charge of everything, life and death」

The caller said it was crazy.

To be honest, the caller was the last person she wanted to hear that from. Well, Maria is aware that she's crazy, so she doesn't mind if someone else says it to her.

It seems they are both crazy.

「Is that all?」

Maria asked with a sigh, to which the caller simply replied in the affirmative.

「Then, I'm hanging up. Yes, I'll call you if anything happens. ...Goodbye, Nii-san」

The call with his brother lasted only a few minutes.

It would be weeks or months before Maria spoke to him again.

After all, they're both working for a purpose. So, neither of them has the time for idle phone calls.

「Well... I'm not the same person anymore」

Maria says, taking off the negligee she's been wearing.

Then, she picked up the treasure on her desk - which she kept in a handy place so that she could use it whenever she wanted - and slowly wrapped it around her neck so that it wouldn't hurt her.

Ah.

No matter how many times she wears it, she can't get used to it in a good way.

In the ecstasy of her torment, Maria returns to bed naked, curls up lightly, and closes her eyes.

Then, she wonders how much longer she'll be able to live.

With these thoughts in her mind, her consciousness eventually drifts off to sleep.