Published at 26th of March 2019 12:07 am

Volume 19, Genius Go Road

The scene before her made Nina's go completely still, dazing her for a long time.

Why had things become like this?

One week, the Student Council had suddenly announced plans to hold a 'festival'. During the preparation period, various stores, clubs, and various interested people had quickly made preparations for the 'festival'. Acting, dancing, and music-related clubs enthusiastically rushed out to the city's various theaters and roads in order to find space for their activities, and other clubs also got involved in this battle. In order for the Student Council members ran around everywhere to mediate, and the Architecture Department students were working day and night to construct parking and other necessary furnishings.

The students who sat back and relaxed were all excitedly discussing what they would wear that day, or what guys or girls they wanted to deepen their relationships with.

That noisy week passed in the blink of an eye. Karian announced the official start of the festival, and that had been yesterday…………………… at least it should have been.

"…………Why?"

Nina mumbled again.

This was the store that Sharnid came to often.

Nina couldn't think of why would she be in this store that partially counted as underground. The store was in a state of private use, and she couldn't find the female owner in any corner of the store, never mind behind the bar.

Also.

"Why?"

Nina mumbled again.

After looking at the people lying on the bar, floor, and tables, Nina mumbled that. Sharnid and Harley were fallen on the floor, and Layfon was moaning with a green face on the bar. Felli, Naruki, Meishen, and Mifi were folded over on the sofa around the seating area.

Turning her head to look behind the bar, she could only see Leerin sitting blankly on the floor.

Everyone appeared to be in a state where she couldn't tell whether they were sleeping or unconscious.

A sharp pain arose from her head, and Nina rubbed her temple.

She tried digging up her memories, but the pain stopped her, and her brain couldn't turn freely because of it.

"Urrgh……"

After moaning, Nina noticed that her mouth was very dry. Correct, whether she had woken up or become conscious, she had only opened her eyes because her mouth was dry.

Nina rubbed her temple while taking the glass cup placed by the bar - the place that she had just been sitting. The top of the bar was covered by glass cups filled with the remaining drinks, and there were also leftover dishes surrounded by the cups.

"Ugh……"

After drinking the liquid in the cup, Nina felt that her head became even more painful. She didn't know what had been inside, but the beverage had become warm because the ice cubes inside had melted, so the taste had become quite strange.

No, come to think about it, what kind of drink was this in the first place?

She could see a fridge inside the bar, and Nina walked over to find water to drink. Leerin was sitting on the floor, and the sound of her pained breathing entered her ears. After crossing over her body, Nina took some water from the fridge, and then poured it into her throat.

The water seemed as if it cleansed the annoying things from her head, and Nina felt that her headache had become slightly less painful.

After drinking a bottle of water, Nina took out another bottle, and sat back in the place that had been her original location. This time, she sipped silently while trying to rid herself of the pain deep inside her head.

"Well, why did things become like this?"

After murmuring this, Nina was assaulted by her headache as she dug through her memories.

Right…… The Student Council President had announced that the 'festival' had begun, and then……

◇

……The sudden 'festival' made Layfon have a sort of confused feeling.

It had only been a week since the Student Council President had announced this. With only a week, all of the preparation work had been easily completed.

Vendors lined up with Zuellni's largest road - Sanaji Avenue - as a center, and other activities also took place on other roads.

"Having everybody work on preparations as soon as it's announced is something that only a city whose residents are all students could do."

Sharnid explained this. Even so, Layfon couldn't keep up with such rapid changes.

Layfon blankly stared at the sea of people around Sanaji Avenue. The number of people hadn't increased. The people here would go to school every day.

"What are you doing?"

After being asked this, Layfon turned around. Felli stood there.

"Huh? Felli, aren't you not participating in the activities today?"

Today was the first day of the 'festival', so the platoon training was halted, and replacing it was a movie-watching activity that Sharnid had proposed.

"Nn, of course I'm not going."

The movie they were going to see was 'Psychokinesis Girl - Magical Magnet Hunter Felli' that the seventeenth platoon had acted in not long ago, and it was obvious without saying that Felli would never go watch that film.

"Uh, then……"

Things were clearly like that, so why would she appear in this place where everyone had gathered?

"My classmate has a stand nearby, so I'm coming over to see."

While Layfon scratched his head and showed a confused expression, Felli said this.

"Ah, that's how it is."

"……Does your class not have any stands?"

"My class doesn't…… Ahh, Ed said that he wanted to participate in the eating contest."

"Oh, that guy."

"Felli, does your class have any stands? Ah, if your classmate has a stand, that means……"

"No, the stand is her club's."

"Oh……"

As the two talked, Layfon clearly felt that she was becoming increasingly impatient, so he became very anxious. In the end, he couldn't really figure out what Felli wanted to do.

"……I can't believe you want to go."

After sighing deeply, Felli stared at Layfon.

"……Huh?"

"I'm talking about the movie. I think that film doesn't have any value."

"It's indeed very embarrassing."

Layfon had never watched himself on a big screen, but that sort of feeling was indeed very embarrassing. It felt like it would suit the style of the energetic Sharnid, who hadn't participated in the acting, better. Though he thought this, the other people who had participated in the acting - like Nina and Leerin - wanted to go, so Layfon had no reason to refuse.

"Huh, but you're very slow."

"How can you say that…… I would still feel embarrassed."

"Whatever, it doesn't matter."

Felli didn't want to hear Layfon's reasons, and suddenly pulled his hand.

"Huh?"

"You'll get found by other people here, so just come with me for today."

"Huhh? But we already promised to……"

"You don't have any reason to purposefully go over to get embarrassed, right?"

Being glared at, Layfon couldn't say any words of opposition.

Felli pulled Layfon to a somewhat strange-looking booth. The room looked like a tent, and the lights inside were dim. Layfon hadn't had time to pay attention to the signs hung outside, so he didn't even know what kind of store this was.

"Ah, Felli-san, you came."

A voice with a ghastly air made Layfon jump.

There was only a candle lighting the tent, and that candle had a bone as a candlestick. The melting candle was firmly fixed on top of the bone, seeming as if it had already been stuck there for many years.

The person making a 'huhuhu' laughing noise was a girl wearing a black robe that covered her from head to toe.

"The atmosphere is very outstanding, Eri-san."

"Really? Huhuhu, everyone turns back as if they were escaping, why is that?"

"Because they're scared."

Felli's merciless words surprised Layfon. However, the robed girl who had been called Eri didn't seem bothered at all.

"Huh - If it's not this much, won't it be missing the atmosphere for divination?"

"You would be enough to make that atmosphere. Thanks to these small decorations and the lighting, you look like the devil pressing someone to sign a contract."

Layfon didn't really understand Felli's comparison. But, other than the table with the bone candle on it, there was also a large crystal ball and cards with mysterious pictures painted on them. Other than this, there were also disturbing pictures and words affixed behind her.

"A devil……"

Felli's words made Eri show an intoxicated expression.

"So, this place is a fortune-telling store?"

The situation hadn't progressed at all, and he couldn’t understand what was going on, so Layfon tried asking a question. It was almost the arranged meeting time, so maybe Nina and the others were already waiting for Layfon. Thinking this, Layfon felt bad, but he also didn't think Felli would permit him to go over.

But Layfon felt confused as to whether he was happy or not about this……

"Yes--"

Eri slowly responded.

"Huhuhu, in that case, do you want to have your fortune told?"

"Uh……"

"It doesn't matter whether or not your fortune is told. Fortune-telling is no different from talking to someone else about your life. It's enough if those words can improve your mood."

"It feels like you'd only be able to predict misfortunes."

"Seers and diviners are different."

Then, Eri loudly explained the differences between seers and diviners, but Layfon had no way of understanding what she was saying. Even Felli didn't plan on understanding Eri's explanation.

In that period of time, several people stuck their heads into the tent, but when they saw there were already customers…… no, probably because they saw Eri's gloomy-looking appearance as she spoke in front of the crystal ball, their faces stiffened and they left the area.

"Then, do you want your fortune told, or do you not?"

"Ah, why don't you tell it?"

Felli's words made Eri's tense face relax.

"Who wants their fortune? Felli-san or Layfon-san?"

"Tell Layfon's fortune."

"Huh? Why me?"

"Because if I want a fortune-telling I can get it anytime."

"But you always refuse me every time."

Felli ignored the surprised Layfon and gave a look to Eri that made her shut up.

"Uh, okay. Then Layfon-san, please sit."

"Nn…… Okay……"

Under Eri's instructions, Layfon sat down in front of her.

"Then, what kind of fortune do you want told?"

"Uh……"

Layfon tried thinking.

…………There wasn't anything in particular to foretell.

Felli standing behind him seemed to be thinking of something.

"Then uh, I'll just divine what's going to happen today."

But Eri spoke first, and the atmosphere she gave off completely reversed, as she began shuffling the cards with extremely fast movements.

After letting Layfon choose a card from the shuffled deck, Eri placed the card facedown in front of Layfon. Next, Eri placed the cards one by one around the crystal ball in a mysterious order. To Layfon, this method of ordering seemed to have some kind of rules, but it also seemed disorderly. With many images arranged in front of him that were completely different from those on the cards that his classmates played games with, Layfon could only feel perplexed.

"Nn, nn, nn--"

Eri waved her hands, and not long afterwards collected the cards with another method that seemed both like it had rules to it and didn't, and moreover she carefully checked the pictures on the cards as she collected them.

Finally, she turned over the card that Layfon had chosen, and then carefully looked at the picture on it.

"Well-- huhuhu, um--"

……Why had she laughed in the middle?

Layfon had a bad premonition.

"Well, I'll announce the results."

"What do you mean, announce the results……"

She used such a confusing method……

However, Eri seemed completely unconcerned about that kind of thing, and looked at the cards remaining in her hand while explaining:

"First, after you leave here, please go to the rabbit building and find somewhere around there to eat lunch. Your lucky object is a green drink. Afterwards, please go to 'Hipshot Ball' to play. When evening comes, I believe that you will need only to follow the hands that guide you to keep from going wrong. Ah, Felli-san's lucky object is a red drink, and her object of destruction is a black drink."

"……What kind of thing is an object of destruction?"

"You'll know when the time comes. Also, Layfon-san."

"Ah, yes."

Being gazed at by Eri from underneath her dark robe made Layfon feel a bit tense.

"Be a bit cheerful."

Eri asked him to be a bit cheerful with that kind of tone, but she didn't sound cheerful at all.

◇

Layfon didn't really understand what Eri had talked about.

"Uh, what should we do now?"

So after leaving the tent, Layfon didn't know what he should do. Right now was already time for the movie to begin airing, and Nina and the others should have gone over. Since he had already missed his appointment today, Layfon didn't have anything to do.

"First, let's go to the rabbit building."

Felli seemed also to have nothing to do.

"But, what does that so-called rabbit building mean……"

"You'll see it after you pass 'Hipshot Ball'."

Layfon knew 'Hipshot Ball', it was an entertainment center a small distance from here.

In the end, the two of them decided to go there first.

As to which building was the rabbit building, the answer emerged quickly.

"Ah, it's this, right?"

After noticing that building, Layfon extended his hand to point at it. Two thin and long balloons were affixed on the not-very-tall building. They seemed to be balloons advertising whatever activities were going on inside the building, and they looked like rabbit ears.

Layfon looked at the clock tower for a second. The time right now was excellent, and though it was a bit early to eat lunch, it wasn't too early.

"I can eat lunch already, what about you, Felli?"

"No difference."

Though there were no festival booths nearby, there were unexpectedly many restaurants. Other than the restaurants, there were many clothing or jewelry stores clustered here, along with grocery stores. Hipshot Ball was an entertainment center that had just opened this year, and the surrounding stores had sprung up as if coordinating with it. In other words, this was a new downtown.

As Layfon though about what to choose, lunchtime slowly approached.

"Incredible."

Layfon had decided which store to go to with some difficulty. When they entered, Felli was already very unhappy.

"Sorry."

Layfon shrank back his body while apologizing.

Felli wanted Layfon to decide where to eat. Layfon had looked at the dishes while trying to check Felli's preferences, but because of that he had been slow in making a decision. While he was being hesitant and indecisive, people had begun flowing into every store, and the two of them had also missed the opportunity to enter because of this. Felli didn't want to go to a restaurant full of people, and as their options became fewer, when Layfon finally managed to find a restaurant without too many customers, the time had already become quite late.

"The reason your pressure is insufficient really is because of your lack of determination."

Layfon's body shrank even smaller when Felli said this with a cold tone.

"Have you decided what you want~ ……Ah."

After the waitress walked over and asked this, the two raised their heads in unison. The face that had appeared in front of them was one they had been acquainted with before.

"……You're from Captain's dorm?"

"Right right right, I'm Selina!"

"Ah, hello."

Layfon felt that he had seen this person.

"I've invested a bit into this store. So when I have time I come to help like this."

"Oh, is that so."

Felli showed a completely uninterested expression, but Selina wasn't concerned at all.

"Right~ Since you guys are Nina's friends, do you want to try a new dish for me, though it's only juice. If you try this drink for me, today's meal might as well be on the house."

"It's fine with me."

Led by the word 'free', Layfon nodded his head. Felli wasn't in a good mood so she refused the proposal, but Selina didn't seem bothered at all.

The thing she carried over with a smile was - a green drink.

"Can I ask what this is……?"

"It's a (partially) vegetable juice~"

"Did you just add something in a whisper?"

"It's your imagination, your imagination. Come come, drink it all!"

"Oh."

Since she was someone Nina knew, this cup of beverage wouldn't be poisoned. For the moment, Layfon drank a sip……

"Ah……"

Moving from his tongue to the back of his mouth and spreading along his throat, the sweet and cool feeling surprised Layfon.

"It's very good."

"Nnnnnn. Go ahead, drink it all, I can give you refills!"

"Okay."

Like that, Layfon downed the drink……

When he put down the cup, his vision became pitch-black.

At the same time as Layfon put down the cup, his forehead also crashed heavily into the table.

"…………Huh?"

Even Felli had been unable to predict this situation, and she could only blankly look at that scene.

"What did you make him drink?"

Selina calmly inspected Layfon's pulse, and Felli glared at her with a sharp look.

"Ahaha~ It's just a small experiment!"

"…………"

Felli silently took out her Dite from her bag, and Selina grabbed her hand with an unexpected speed.

"What are you doing~?"

"Nothing, but first I want to call the police."

"This definitely won't be bad for Felli~"

"What do you mean?"

Selina still held back Felli's hand, and Felli looked back and forth at her face and Layfon who was still sprawled on the table.

"This is a masculinity-awakening juice~"

"Ah?"

Felli didn't understand what Selina was saying.

"I inspected Layfon's brain matter~ It'll make him become more manly~ Or you could say that I awakened his masculinity~ Or sexual attraction~ Those kinds of things were increased with one gulp~"

"What are you trying to say?"

"I just wanted to invent a way to break down the walls inside people's hearts, and a drug that would make him coolly enjoy sexual intercourse with girls~"

"As expected, I still need to call the police."

"You~ don't~"

Rustle.

Just as another dispute arose between the two of them, a sound suddenly arose.

Layfon had straightened himself.

"Huh, what happened?"

"……Ah, nothing."

Felli sighed, gingerly putting her Dite back into her bag, and at the same time moving her gaze.

In the corner of her vision, Selina lightly made a fist.

"Hahaha, you're really weird, Felli."

Lay……Layfon was laughing.

He laughed with a hearty expression, and it felt like his eyes were glowing, and even his teeth seemed like they were flashing.

"……Layfon, uh……"

"Why aren't you calling me Fon Fon?"

Unimaginably, Layfon asked this. Selina who was listening from the side covered her mouth with an 'oh my'.

"If Felli doesn't call me Fon Fon, that name will be dead."

"…………"

(What is this person saying?)

Until now, Felli had always naturally called Layfon 'Fon Fon', but she had some sort of feeling right now as if that would be a very embarrassing action.

"Felli."

"Um……"

"Come on, Felli."

"Umm……"

The current Layfon had a somewhat radiant expression unlike normal, nor did he have the menacing air he had when he fought. His expression was extremely normal, but his look was very tender, and he wore a smile filled with confidence, staring straight at Felli.

He clearly had the same skeleton and the same figure along with the same face, but the difference was this great.

"Come on……"

"…………Fon Fon."

"That's great."

Layfon smiled at her. Felli had a feeling as if she had been humiliated, so she lowered her face.

"Why do you lower your head, my Felli, Come, let me see your beautiful face."

"Wah…… ah……"

(E……Eri-san……)

The day before, she had run into Eri at school, and she had said 'If you bring Layfon over to my place tomorrow, I'll lend you a hand', and Felli had agreed to that proposal. Eri had said she would tell Felli's fortune, so Felli only needed to bring Layfon to Eri's place and she would use that pretense to go on a date with him. That was the situation - Felli had thought. Well, Eri had also planned for that.

But, just as Eri's fortune had predicted, this store had truly brought a green drink and things had become like this.

(I hate you.)

Felli cringed under Layfon's pure gaze without the slightest bit of ill intent while cursing her robe-wearing friend.

However, if she knew she was being cursed, Eri would instead be very happy. On the other hand, she couldn't make the madly staring Layfon in front of her disappear even doing that.

The time it took for the food to arrive at the table was long enough to scare her.

Moreover, it was the same even after that.

"Then, next let's go to Hipshot Ball."

"No, it's way too stupid to act like the fortune says, so maybe we shouldn't?"

"Are you unhappy being with me?"

"No, that's not it, it's not like that."

"In that case, don't concern yourself with a fortune, don't you want to go have fun with me?"

"Um…… Al……alright……"

"Then let's go."

Save me.

Like that, the two of them played the namesake game of Hipshot Ball, a game where they used metal balls to knock over pins……

Crash…… roll roll roll.

"There are still pins left."

"Don't worry, leave it to me."

Crash, rattle rattle rattle!

"Well done."

"Haha (sparkle)."

"Ah……haha……ha……"

"I'll teach you how to throw it."

"P……Please……do."

Layfon guided Felli carefully and closely. He stood close behind supporting Felli, his hand overlapping over her smaller hand. Layfon's breath tickled her ears, and Felli turned her head to look behind, and his pure and innocent eyes also looked back at her.

"What is it?"

"N……nothing……"

"Hahahaha, you're weird, Felli."

"Ahaha……hahaha…………"

Save me.

And then, it became evening.

After setting out from Hipshot Ball, the two of them rested a bit, and then played other games…… With that, it became evening……

"It's about time to go back."

The weary Felli only managed to say those words resolutely after gathering her entire body's strength. If it were the normal Layfon, he would definitely end the activities here.

However, today's Layfon was completely different from normal, an even his personality was different.

"Do you want to eat dinner together?"

"Eh?"

"Felli……"

However she looked at it, he had a look of 'just dinner won't be enough to satiate me', and Felli's entire body froze.

Until now, they had just proceeded according to the fortune's results. An object of destruction - Hadn't Eri said those words? Felli didn't know what it could destroy, but at the least it could definitely destroy something about this situation.

Guiding hands, where were the guiding hands?

"Huh - - Isn't that Felli-chan?"

They appeared.

"Ah, what are you doing in this kind of place!"

"Ah, Layfon!"

When she turned around, there were Nina and the others with Sharnid in front - the seventeenth platoon members - along with Leerin, and Naruki's friends Meishen and Mifi as well. Had everyone relocated after watching the movie?

"Layfon! What did you do after ditching us!"

Leerin reached out her hand to point at Layfon's chest, and Layfon grabbed her hand.

"What!"

She showed a surprised look because his face had suddenly drawn close.

"I'm sorry, Leerin. Though you're very important, Felli looked far too lonely."

"Huh? Ah……wah……Huh?"

Leerin became confused in an instant, and her entire body went rigid.

The other members who saw this scene had similar reactions. Nina had originally planned on also berating him from behind Leerin, but now she just showed an expression as if she had seen a ghost and stood stock-still behind her.

I've had enough.

Felli began feeling depressed.

She had only gotten everyone involved in this trouble.

◇

The scene changed, and they were now in the underground bar that Sharnid frequented and that they had held a celebration in before. Today the female owner seemed to be away resting, so she wasn't in the store. But Sharnid and she had a connection, so he borrowed the key, and everyone was able to enter the store.

They couldn't let Layfon stay in a normal store in his current condition, so everyone had come here.

"This is a good opportunity."

Mifi's whispered words made Meishen's face go red.

Everyone had already heard the chain of events from Felli's mouth. Because he had drank that cup of green juice, Layfon had become this unusual.

Right now, Leerin was making some food behind the bar, and Layfon was talking to her. She wore a dissatisfied expression and ignored Layfon's words. Nina and the others were sitting on the other side of Meishen and them, surrounding the weary Felli and talking about something.

"By op……opportunity, you mean……"

On the road here, Layfon had quietly spoken flirtatious words that he normally would never say to all of the female members, and he hadn't even let Dalshena go. She had dropped the words 'how uncomfortable', and then returned.

Maybe Dalshena's attitude was the best way of dealing with this kind of situation.

However, if they just let Layfon go and let him do whatever he pleased until the effects of the juice disappeared, what kind of things would happen? Layfon had been active in the platoon matches, so he had many fans. There were many girls who only knew Layfon during competition and didn't know his normal self. Supposing Layfon's sweet words managed to trick those girls, what kind of drama would unfold?

"We can't tie him up until the effects disappear either."

Naruki murmured this with a bitter smile, and actually, before they had arrived at this store, she had already sneakily tried to see whether she could do that.

But, Layfon had quickly noticed her presence.

And moreover, he had grabbed Naruki's hands and quietly murmured 'I'd actually like to tie you up for a night', so Naruki had been unable to do anything.

"It feels like we've released a wild beast. If his judgment has been impaired, he might become a sex offender."

Perhaps thinking of the scene just now, Naruki shivered, and then drank the beverage in her hand with one gulp.

"So I said that this is a good opportunity."

Mifi was still pushing that matter. Meishen didn't know why, but Naruki was looking at Mifi with a dirty look.

"What I mean is, what is done cannot be undone."

"As I thought."

Mifi said this, and quickly brought Naruki upon her.

"I knew you were talking about that kind of thing. You want your own friend to do such an impure action?"

"What are you talking about. Mei-chan likes Layton, so she's quite okay with it."

"The order of things is very important."

"If she's concerned about such a thing, she won't be able to capture Layfon. There's open warfare and deception, and girls are deception. Every move is allowed, whether it's a feint, surprise ambush, or a nighttime visit."

"Okay, okay. If you want to say that kind of thing, wait until after you've succeeded with it."

"That's no fun--"

Just then, Meishen finally understood what Mifi was talking about, and her face became even redder because of it.

Mifi continued being naughty.

"As long as you make something happen before the effects of the juice disappear, and then present it to Layton after he wakes up, it'll be enough. It's the 'scene under the blankets the next morning' move. And if you say something like 'that was great' when the other party wakes up, it would be even more terrific."

"Nn, Mifi should really change to the editorial department, because she's already been led astray."

"That's no fun--"

Scene under the blankets the next morning?

Felli who had a reaction to those words raised her head.

By the table, the serious-faced Nina, smiling Sharnid, and Harley who looked like he wanted to laugh but couldn't were discussing things.

"What's wrong with it, maybe we should just let him be comfortable? If you don't want him to find arbitrary girls to deal with his desires, then you should take the field yourself."

"Why did it become that kind of topic!"

Nina quietly got angry. Her face was red.

"That person didn't prepare anything like a neutralizer, did she?"

"Even if she did, would it be enough?"

"Harley, can you make an antidote?"

"I'm a materials major, I can't do things like medicine."

"It should be fine to just let him be comfortable. What, if you don't like doing it when he's under the influence of a drug, then just go for a second round when he returns to normal."

"Hey…… Why can your mouth only let out those kinds of things!"

"Because that's the easiest way."

"I need to properly correct your morality!"

"Don't think my Magnum Bomb is that easy to block!"

"Hey, what are we actually talking about?"

Harley's helpless voice made Felli expel the conversation around the table from her thoughts.

What she should be cautious of were the people sitting around the other table.

They were talking about something like scenes under the blanket the next morning. Though the person who said it wasn't Meishen, Felli was still very concerned about how Meishen would respond after hearing such a thing, or what actions she would take.

A scene under the blankets next morning with that girl's body as a weapon…… was really frightening.

(Maybe I should tell everyone.)

Maybe the changing situation had made her feel confused, but she was unable to make calm judgments.

Felli looked at Layfon. He was sitting at the bar alone, talking to Leerin who was making dinner for Felli and the others. He was saying flirtatious words that he had spoken to Felli first, but Leerin kept a displeased expression.

After seeing that, she shouldn't have to worry about Leerin.

Felli thought this, but……

"Leerin, I really want to eat your breakfast every day."

"Enough is enough, stop it, alright?"

Felli saw Leerin say this, but when she raised her face, her face was quite red.

She was also very dangerous.

This wouldn't do.

Felli stood up.

Meishen also stood up.

"…………Um."

"…………Ah."

No, she seemed to have been forced up.

"Ah, Leerin, I'll come help."

After being forcefully pushed from behind by Mifi, Meishen said this, and then moved towards the bar.

"Mei-chan, you're the cutest when you wear an apron."

"Auu!"

The kitchen was on the other side of the bar, and Meishen was naturally preparing to wear the apron that was hung there, but her face went red because of those words, and her body even froze.

She had to think of something. Felli thought this, standing blankly in the middle of the store.

If this went on, everyone - all of the females present in the store, would be assaulted by Layfon's poisonous fangs. Though Nina's face was red because of Sharnid's words, maybe in her heart she felt that it might be okay. Even the angry-looking Leerin was very dangerous. As for Meishen, she was currently the most dangerous person.

Everyone might try a 'scene under the blankets the next morning' move.

She hadn't done anything to deal with that.

She had to think of something.

But, what could she do?

The object of destruction.

A black drink.

Right. Before they had come here, hadn't she been thinking about that? The object of destruction could definitely destroy many things. That was certain. It could destroy the danger zone surrounding Layfon, it would definitely destroy it, and maybe it was even true that it was targeted at it.

In that case.

Felli looked around the interior of the store, looking for a place with drinks. She couldn't find any drinks in the area that customers would walk around in. On the other side of the bar, behind Leerin, she could see a fridge with drinks, and actually she had long since noticed that. This was a place that sold liquor, so there were various types of liquor placed on the wall.

But, the so-called black drink shouldn't mean liquor, right? According to Zuellni's laws, no one here had reached drinking age.

Felli entered the kitchen, walking past the two people who were currently making food, and then advancing towards the fridge. Meishen used the knife with stiff movements.

"Aah, Is Felli also going to cook for me?"

Felli had decided to take action quickly, and she had originally planned to ignore everything, but Layfon's voice made her stop moving.

"That makes me happy."

Layfon said those kinds of words without embarrassment. What was that feeling creeping over her back, was it a feeling of terror that made her uncomfortable, or……

(But, because of this kind of situation……)

Felli felt her heart waver, so she looked at the fridge as if to throw off such a feeling.

……It wasn't there.

It wasn't inside. The things inside were all water or fruit juice, and there were neither red nor black drinks. In that case, she would go look at the bottles arranged on the wall - but there weren't red or black drinks there either.

"Sharnid!"

Felli shouted.

"Oh?"

"……Are these all the drinks?"

"There's a private repository inside."

Sharnid used his hand to point somewhere, and there was indeed a passageway there.

Felli rushed inside quickly.

Many bottles were placed in orderly arrangements in the cold air, and this method of storage meant that this place was a liquor storeroom.

"A wine storage room."

In her hometown, her father's wine had also been stored with this kind of method.

"In other words, there's only wine here?"

Felli creased her brow.

However, if there was wine, then she could indeed find a 'red drink'.

"Maybe this is the lucky object?"

In that case, that thing was definitely inside this wine bottle.

"But, even so……"

Felli glanced at the wine inside of the bottle. The label attached to the bottle expressed the vintage and age - that kind of thing was pretty much the same in every city. Roughly three percent of the Academy City population was legally permitted to drink, and if that were true, it wasn't such a good thing for the wine industry to be thriving in the Academy City. Of course, there had also been wine trafficking in Felli's hometown, so this wine definitely wouldn't be wasted.

In this wine storage room, there were bottles of vintage wine from more than fifty years ago.

Wine could be separated into red and white types.

But, there shouldn't be any black drinks here, right? Though there were wines that had been named 'black' wines, those were in the end just very concentrated red wines.

No……

"Got it."

That thing seemed to have been hidden, placed in a corner of the storage room. Felli could see through the bottleneck and behind it, since the bottle was translucent. The liquid sitting inside was a deep red wine that definitely couldn't be distinguished from black.

"……It's this."

Felli reached her hand out to it, and just then-

"I'll help you."

A voice suddenly came from behind her, and Felli almost jumped from fright.

"Lay……Layfon."

"It's only the two of us here right now, so why don't you call me Fon Fon, Felli?"

He used a sweet tone, saying this almost in a whisper.

"Why did you come here?'

"Because it would be heavy if Felli came to get drinks for everyone herself, right? So of course I'd come to help."

"Ah……"

Right. The owner of this store wasn't here, so not only did they have to prepare food themselves, but drinks as well. Somehow, Felli had become the person burdened with preparing drinks for everyone.

"If Felli's delicate hands were hurt by something heavy, I definitely wouldn't be happy."

After saying this, Layfon brought Felli's hand to his face.

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhh!

In order to wake up the part of her self that was beginning to float away, Felli screamed as loud as she could in her mind. Layfon's current state wasn't normal, and if he moved as he was, it wouldn't be surprising for someone to have come chasing after him. The fact that it hadn't happened meant that Layfon had used Sakkei when he was following after Felli.

In order to capture Felli with sweet words.

He was serious, Layfon was seriously trying to seduce Felli, and have a 'next-morning scene under the blankets'.

Felli was willing to admit that she was very persistent towards Layfon, and those feelings even made her feel a sense of competition with Meishen who clearly liked Layfon. When Leerin had come to Zuellni, she had the same feelings.

But, still - even so. Layfon was currently being misled by a drug, and Felli wouldn't feel happy about being seduced by the current him.

"Felli……"

His hand rested on Felli's waist, and his glowing eyes looked towards her as if drawing Felli in.

No good, if this went on it would truly be bad.

Aah, but. Ahh, but!

The lucky object, the red drink, was here.

She couldn't be seduced by Layfon who had gone out of control because of the drug. But, if it were the second round - Sharnid's vulgar murmurs endlessly filled her brain. A scene the next morning under the blankets, and then the second round. That way……

No no no!

Even that way, wouldn't she lose the valuable first time to the drug?

"It's a masculinity-awakening juice~"

For some reason, Selina's voice sounded in her head. At the time, Felli hadn't seriously listened to her words, but for some reason, that explanation sounded in Felli's mind right now, and she tried to understand its meaning.

"I inspected Layfon's brain matter~ It'll make him become more manly~ Or you could say that I awakened his masculinity~ Or sexual attraction~ Those kinds of things were increased with one gulp~"

……Meaning, that cup of juice had eliminated Layfon's slowness towards women, making him able to act?

In other words, though his actions were outrageous, the foundations governing his actions hadn't changed?

If it were that way, then the actions appearing in front or her now - Layfon's actions towards Felli - weren't betraying his subconscious?

"Felli…… how about it?"

Layfon strengthened his arm around Felli's waist. Felli was pulled over, and his clear eyes slowly drew close.

Aah, how about it.

She involuntarily thought about it…… She almost thought so.

"No no no."

Felli spoke unconsciously.

That interpretation was just a pretense produced by Felli's desires. On the road here, and when he had been in the store, he hadn't only whispered sweet words to Felli, but had also done that to other girls, right?

It was already enough.

Truly enough!

She had been exhausted by this situation, so-

"Felli?"

"Fon Fon, can you bring these drinks to everyone?"

After Felli said this coldly to the somewhat puzzled-looking Layfon, she pointed to the black drink in the corner of the wine cellar.

It was already enough.

Might as well let everything be destroyed.

◇

Incidentally, though that black wine brewer's recipe had spread outside of its city, its brewer's concept was an experimental substance with overly strong contents to 'get people one hundred percent completely drunk', so not even a bottle had been sold, and it was received poorly even in Zuellni.

It had been called 'Wicked Devil'.

The shop owner didn't even plan on letting customers drink that wine, and only held it as a collectible.

◇

"…………"

Nina stopped rubbing her temple and trying to dig through her memories.

She couldn't think of anything after Layfon had missed watching the movie with everyone. The memories after that were unclear and blurry like smoke, and Nina felt that if she continued thinking, she would think of many unbearable memories.

"Sometimes there are situations where it's fortunate to forget. Nn, oh well."

For some reason, a strange sweat emerged on Nina's back. As if to chase away that sweat, Nina gulped down the rest of the water, and then laid back down on the table without even looking at the faces of the others who looked like they were having nightmares.

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