At this point, Lucas had well and truly dug himself into a pit.
Raiden Ei's response had undoubtedly tossed the ball back into his court. Now that she had agreed, if he were to go back on his word, this woman—who already had quite the temper—would definitely not let him off easily.
"Three minutes," Lucas, experienced as he was, quickly came up with a way out. He raised three fingers and said, "And during those three minutes, no matter what I do, you're not allowed to resist. Otherwise, it counts as breaking the deal."
Three minutes?
Raiden Ei didn't have much experience with such matters, but based on common sense, three minutes... shouldn't amount to much.
She consoled herself—it's like getting bitten by a dog. Since she'd already been bitten, whether it was one minute or three, it probably didn't make much difference.
"Fine… I accept." Raiden Ei nodded and closed her eyes. "But if you dare lie to me, I will absolutely not forgive you… mmph!"
Lucas moved quickly, his actions smooth and practiced.
In contrast, the seemingly mature and composed Raiden Ei had no experience in this realm whatsoever. She was swiftly caught up in Lucas's rhythm. Her body instantly stiffened, like a puppet, allowing herself to be handled without resistance.
Just… endure it! It'll be over soon!
Damn it, why does this feel so strange...
T-Tongue…
Lucas sneered inwardly. She could even tolerate this?
It seemed that in this simulation, Raiden Ei and Kujou Sara really were quite close friends.
But of course, everything so far had just been the appetizer.
Lucas slowly raised his hand. A few seconds later, Raiden Ei's eyes suddenly snapped open. Without saying a word, she shoved Lucas away, then raised her hand and slapped him hard across the face.
Smack! A crisp sound rang out in the dim woods, startling a few resting night crows that took off flapping into the sky.
"Pleh…" Lucas spat out a mouthful of blood, rubbing his cheek as he said, "President, you really don't hold back. If you'd hit any harder, I might've lost a couple teeth…"
"To think you looked refined on the outside… but would stoop to such vulgar acts!" Raiden Ei clutched her chest, her face flushed red. "Didn't you say it would just be a kiss? Why did you touch my—"
"I never once said it was just a kiss. Looks like you really don't understand," Lucas said, the bright red imprint of her fingers still visible on his cheek. He raised his wrist and checked the time. "Two minutes and forty-three seconds. What a shame, President—you didn't hold up your end of the deal. The transaction's void."
Raiden Ei was fuming.
So he got the kiss, the touch, and now this?
Seeing the purple-haired girl flustered and speechless, Lucas couldn't help feeling a petty satisfaction. After all, only in the simulator could he get away with bullying this high-and-mighty woman even a little.
If this were reality, he'd probably already be sliced into sashimi and served on a plate.
"Fine, fine!" Raiden Ei turned to leave. "I'll tell Kujou everything that happened today. That way, she'll see you for what you really are."
"Be my guest," Lucas said casually as she walked away. Then, out of nowhere, he called out, "But if you ever wanted to date me, President… I might consider it."
"Keep dreaming!" Raiden Ei snapped, not even looking back.
"What a farce…" Lucas looked down and glanced at his still-restless other self, muttering, "Looks like this body isn't entirely without emotion after all."
[Exiting Immersive Mode]
[Entering Text Mode]
[You didn't know whether Raiden Ei told Kujou Sara about what happened between the two of you, but after that day, Kujou Sara never approached you again.]
[However, your troubles weren't over. Raiden Ei had clearly taken a grudge against you. While she couldn't openly go against you due to her position, it was easy enough for her to cause small inconveniences using her authority as student council president.]
[Of course, compared to the bullying you endured in the past, the little tricks Raiden Ei pulled were nothing more than childish pranks. They had little to no effect on you.]
[Age 22: During university, not only did you complete all required courses, but you also earned several degrees. From every angle, you were undoubtedly an elite.]
[During this time, while focusing on your academics, you also began collecting information and data on the students who had once bullied you. Thanks to your abilities, this wasn't difficult.]
[As for Kamisato Ayato, even with his legs crippled, he still graduated successfully and inherited his family's business. Without working legs, his status still attracted many willing to serve him like beasts of burden.]
[However, with both legs essentially paralyzed, Kamisato Ayato had likely lost his ability to have children. Perhaps it was because of this that he showered excessive affection on his only blood relative—Kamisato Ayaka.]
[That same year, Raiden Ei graduated. This should've been good news for you, yet for some reason, it left you with a strange feeling of loss.]
[Age 23: You graduated with outstanding grades. Many companies and enterprises extended offers. With your numerous degrees, you were qualified for countless positions. Becoming a teacher was just one of many options.]
[Yet, you chose to join a middling company. The reason was simple—one of your former bullies happened to work there. You designated him "Mr. D."]
[Also simple: just thinking about those people's names made you sick. Or maybe, scum like that didn't even deserve to have names.]
[Even after all these years, Mr. D hadn't changed much. His personality remained the same—he still bullied newcomers under the guise of seniority, using any excuse to order them around.]
[But after you joined, he didn't recognize you. Naturally so—over the years, you'd been adjusting your physique to better disguise yourself. You were no longer the scrawny, hunched boy huddled in the corner. More importantly, you were "dead." No one would believe that a dead person could come back to life.]
[To lower Mr. D's guard, you put on an act of being meek and easy to bully—and as expected, he fell for it without question, frequently ordering you around.]
[What you didn't expect, however, was that even someone like him somehow held a decent job, had been promoted to manager, and was even married.]
["You know, looking at you always reminds me of a classmate from back in school," Mr. D said one afternoon during lunch break while puffing on a cigarette. "Always hunched in the corner, gloomy as hell."]
[A strange pang jolted through your heart, but you kept a fawning smile on your face and asked, "So? What happened to that student?"]
["Dead. Jumped off a building. What a loser," Mr. D frowned and said. "The principal at the time paid a few of us hush money to bury him and keep things quiet."]
[You smiled and said, "At least that poor guy was laid to rest."]
["Are you an idiot? That's hilarious. Who the hell would waste energy burying that kind of trash? We just dumped the body. With any luck, some wild dogs probably ate him up," Mr. D laughed, slapping your shoulder. "Then we took the money and went partying. Tch, we could use more of those useless scumbags offing themselves—maybe we'd get more payouts."]
[You couldn't help but find it ironic. If he hadn't left your corpse exposed like that, reviving might've been much more difficult.]
[Just then, a curvy female coworker strolled over, gave Mr. D a wink, and said, "Manager, I've thought about what you mentioned last time… I'll be waiting in the break room."]
[Yes—on top of bullying new hires, Mr. D also used his position to "harass" attractive female colleagues. Until now, none had fallen for it, but this time, he seemed to have struck gold. He slapped your shoulder again and chuckled, "Looks like I'm in luck. Want me to record a little something for you to enjoy later?"]
[You shook your head and feigned innocent confusion. "But sir, aren't you married? Isn't this kind of thing… not okay?"]
["Even if I fool around, that woman wouldn't dare say a word," Mr. D snuffed out his cigarette and walked away. "Hold the fort for me at work, hehe…"]
[As you watched him leave, a playful smile crept across your face.]
[That's right—from the moment Mr. D patted your shoulder, he had already fallen into the illusion of "Mirror Flower, Water Moon." That female coworker? She was nothing more than a hallucination conjured by your ability.]
[Mirror Flower, Water Moon is powerful, but its activation conditions are strict. Only when the target's guard is completely down, or their mind is in collapse, does it have the highest success rate.]
[That's why you'd spent so much time loitering around Mr. D—waiting for the moment his guard was fully lowered.]
[Soon, a scream rang out from the shared office. Calmly, you walked over to the scene. Mr. D had removed his pants and was standing on a desk, thrusting wildly at the wall where the company president's photo hung, shouting filthy obscenities all the while.]
[The surrounding coworkers stared in stunned disbelief. Of course, many had already begun filming. Some among them were even past victims of Mr. D's abuse.]
["Hahaha! What's wrong? Impressed?! I've wanted to do this forever!!" His deranged laughter echoed through the office. You knew that within hours, this grotesque and absurd scene would go viral—and the man who once ruined others' lives would soon have his own shattered.]
[Just as expected, Mr. D was quickly fired. His wife divorced him, and the video racked up millions of shares within hours. No company would ever hire him again. After all, what CEO would want to see their own portrait turned into that?]
[Revenge brought you joy—but this was only the beginning.]
[Age 24: You went on to track down the others who once bullied you. Based on the severity of their past cruelty, you dealt out punishment accordingly.]
[You never laid a finger on their bodies. Instead, you destroyed their lives using other means.]
[G-san, the delinquent girl who once took pleasure in tormenting others, was now married and a housewife. Back then, her favorite thing was dragging victims into the girls' restroom and bullying them, sometimes forcing them to drink unidentified liquids.]
[Apparently, her husband—immersed in work—couldn't satisfy her appetite for thrills.]
[So when you knocked on her door pretending to be a door-to-door salesman, you quickly also knocked down her defenses. Not only that, you introduced her to numerous "handsome" men who could fulfill her seemingly bottomless desires.]
[One time, you brought four or five "pretty boys" to her home while her husband was at work. She welcomed them without hesitation, knowing full well her husband would be working overtime that night.]
[And so, when her husband received an emergency call and returned home early, what he found was five or six filthy, stinking homeless men surrounding his new wife, who looked like an overstuffed cream puff.]
[Yes, under your Mirror Flower, Water Moon, those vagrants appeared to her as dashing and charming men. That video, of course, topped the charts on numerous secret websites for some time.]
[Age 25: In just two to three years, you had avenged yourself on almost every one of your past tormentors. Their endings were hardly any better than Mr. D or G-san's.]
[Just like a fine dish is saved for last, the final name on your revenge list remained—Kamisato Ayato.]
[He had since inherited his family business and was now a young and successful man. Even with his lower body paralyzed, he remained someone many envied.]
[Naturally, using Mirror Flower, Water Moon directly on him was unrealistic. So from the start, you set your sights on his beloved little sister—Kamisato Ayaka.]
[She had enrolled in the same high school her brother once attended. As for you, you had recently received your admission letter from Inazuma Public Academy.]
[By now, Kamisato Ayaka had grown into an elegant and graceful young lady, much like her older brother Kamisato Ayato once was—she seemed to shine no matter where she went.]
[As for you, without any effort, you became the advisor for the class Kamisato Ayaka belonged to.]
[To be honest, deep down, you somewhat hoped that Kamisato Ayaka, like her brother, would be someone who appeared kind on the outside but was secretly rotten within. That way, when it came time for revenge, you could feel a little less guilt.]
[Unfortunately, contrary to your expectations, Kamisato Ayaka truly seemed to be as pure as she appeared—clear and transparent like crystal. At the very least, you couldn't find a single flaw on her.]
[Still, you knew you wouldn't give up your revenge just because of that. You were never a good person to begin with. In order to get revenge on Kamisato Ayato, you wouldn't hesitate to sacrifice anyone.]
[You had several years to slowly plan. Before you could settle on a specific scheme, you decided to first draw closer to Kamisato Ayaka. Naturally, in order not to reveal your intentions, you kept playing the role of a gentle, understanding, and empathetic advisor.]
[This school, just like ten years ago, was a place that wore a holy and immaculate facade but hid filth everywhere. Bullying incidents showed no signs of decreasing.]
[Back when you were a student, you could never understand—did the teachers and school leaders truly not know that these heinous events were happening right under their noses?]
[Now, standing in their shoes, you understood—they knew all along. But in order to protect the school's reputation and avoid offending the children of the powerful, they chose to turn a blind eye.]
[Even the teachers who once wanted to stand up for justice would eventually give up after countless futile efforts, slowly being assimilated by the system.]
[In the end, whether student or teacher—or any figure within any hierarchy—no one wanted to be the black sheep. Those who dared to stand up only existed in fantasy.]
[Age 26: A year passed in the blink of an eye, and you had successfully gained the students' trust. You knew them all like the back of your hand—especially Kamisato Ayaka. If she were to be destroyed, Kamisato Ayato would surely collapse as well.]
[She followed nearly the same path as her brother—became class president, joined the Kendo Club, and performed exceptionally. The only difference was that she had few friends and didn't form a clique like Kamisato Ayato had.]
[To have more chances to observe and approach Kamisato Ayaka, you even became the Kendo Club's advisor.]
[At the start of the semester, a new student transferred into the class—a girl with an intense aura, bearing a distinctly masculine name: Raiden Kunikuzushi.]
Raiden Kunikuzushi?
Scaramouche?
What's going on?
In reality, Scaramouche was a puppet created by Raiden Ei.
But with the simulator's setting, there shouldn't be any fantastical elements like that… Could it be something like a clone or android? No, that would be sci-fi. Doesn't fit either.
[Even in Inazuma, the surname "Raiden" was quite rare. Looking at this twin-tailed, pretty girl before you, a long-forgotten face surfaced in your mind—Raiden Ei.]
[Ever since graduation, you'd lost all news of her. To be honest, with your abilities, it wouldn't be hard to investigate her, but you held yourself back. You knew there was never going to be anything between the two of you, so why stir up unnecessary trouble?]
[Fortunately, Raiden Kunikuzushi quickly integrated into the class and even seemed quite popular. However, you sensed in her the same "aura" that Kamisato Ayato had. You faintly felt they… might be the same kind of person. People who appeared excellent on the outside, but were deeply jealous and could not tolerate being outshined.]
[Opportunities always come suddenly. What you didn't expect was that Raiden Kunikuzushi also joined the Kendo Club. Like Kamisato Ayaka, she had solid foundational skills. The difference was, Raiden Kunikuzushi's swordsmanship was like thunder—forceful and unstoppable—while Kamisato Ayaka's was like solid ice—tight and impenetrable.]
[Their skills in the Kendo Club were evenly matched, but you could see that Raiden Kunikuzushi was clearly unconvinced by Kamisato Ayaka.]
[Just in time, an interschool Kendo competition was approaching. Each school's Kendo Club would select a representative to compete, so you organized an internal selection match.]
[As expected, Raiden Kunikuzushi and Kamisato Ayaka made it to the final round. Their strengths were evenly matched, so no clear winner emerged—but in the end, you still chose Kamisato Ayaka.]
[Upon hearing she wasn't selected, Raiden Kunikuzushi's eyes revealed complex emotions—disappointment, confusion… but most of all, resentment and unwillingness. The moment you saw that gaze, you knew your goal was already halfway complete.]
[Sure enough, not long afterward, Kamisato Ayaka suddenly let out a scream in the classroom. A rat scurried out of her schoolbag in panic and ran frantically around the room. Raiden Kunikuzushi stomped on it, smashing it into pulp, then asked with concern, "Are you alright, Miss Kamisato?"]
[That expression—it was exactly the same as Kamisato Ayato's feigned warmth from back then!]
[You didn't handle the incident right away. But after school, you called Raiden Kunikuzushi into the office.]
[Entering Immersive Mode]
"May I ask why you called me here?"
Standing before Lucas was a doll-like girl with exquisite features, but her gaze remained cold and sharp.
"Miss Raiden, how do you feel about life at school?" Lucas used his usual opening line.
"I'm not sure. What exactly do you mean?" Raiden Kunikuzushi replied with a smile.
"As your counselor, I naturally care more about your everyday life—for example…" Lucas fixed his eyes on hers. "Bullying incidents?"
Raiden Kunikuzushi paused briefly, then laughed and said, "How could that be? Do I look like the kind of coward who'd be easily bullied?"
"You obviously aren't," Lucas shook his head and said, "I meant—have you ever... bullied others?"
"What… what kind of joke is that?" Raiden Kunikuzushi seemed to try hiding her tension behind a smile. "I'm a good student, you know."
Lucas sneered and cut to the chase. "Good students don't go around stuffing rats into their classmates' schoolbags."
At that, Raiden Kunikuzushi's expression finally darkened a little. "I didn't do anything like that."
"Oh?" Lucas took out his phone and played a video—on the screen was Raiden Kunikuzushi stealthily carrying a rat cage and entering the classroom when no one was around. "How do you explain this, then?"
"You… you were filming me?" Raiden Kunikuzushi exclaimed in shock.
"This was captured by the surveillance camera," Lucas shook his head. "Don't worry, no one else has seen it yet. I've already deleted the original footage."
Seeing the undeniable evidence, Raiden Kunikuzushi instead let out a cold laugh. "That's right, I did it. So what? It was just a little prank. Writing a self-reflection or admitting fault, I don't care…"
"You're wrong," Lucas shook his head. "That's not my goal."
Raiden Kunikuzushi seemed to realize something and instinctively stepped back two paces. "Are you trying to blackmail me with this video? I didn't expect someone who looks so decent to be such a filthy lowlife…"
Why did Lucas feel like he'd heard that line somewhere before?
"Sorry, I have zero interest in brats like you," Lucas tilted his head slightly. "I just wanted to tell you…"
Raiden Kunikuzushi snorted coldly. "Just wanted to tell me not to do such horrible things to my classmates, right? I knew it. I really hate people like you—always pretending to be righteous…"
Maybe because her true colors had already been exposed, Raiden Kunikuzushi stopped pretending and revealed her real attitude.
From Lucas's experience, students this brazen were either reckless by nature—or had someone powerful backing them.
Clearly, she was the latter.
"No, I just wanted to tell you…" Lucas said coldly, "Next time you do something like this, be more careful. Don't leave behind evidence. And putting a rat in someone's schoolbag? That's way too low-level. Thumbtacks, garbage, or a dead cat would've worked much better. Did you really think a girl like Kamisato Ayaka, with that personality, would be frightened by a measly rat?"
Lucas's words left Raiden Kunikuzushi confused. She muttered, "I… I don't quite get what you mean. Are you… teaching me how to bully classmates?"
"As a counselor, how could I possibly do something like that?" Lucas showed a strange smile. "These are just hypothetical examples of what you might do. And one more thing…"
He decisively deleted the video from his phone. "The most important thing is—don't leave behind evidence."
Raiden Kunikuzushi was very clever. Naturally, she picked up on what Lucas was really saying. She smiled and said, "Looks like we're on the same side, then. But I'm curious… why are you letting me get away with this? Do you really hate that Kamisato girl?"
"It's not her I hate—it's her brother. He once bullied a friend of mine and drove them to suicide," Lucas said blankly. "I just want him to feel the pain of watching someone precious to him be bullied."
That so-called "friend" might have referred to Lucas himself, or to the illusionary "Shoko" created by Mirror Flower, Water Moon. Or perhaps even to the gentle and kind version of Kamisato Ayato that once existed in Lucas's mind.
"In that case, we're allies," Raiden Kunikuzushi extended a hand toward Lucas. "I'll bully that little girl, and you… just keep turning a blind eye."
Lucas didn't take her hand. He simply said flatly, "Don't go too far. Otherwise, even I won't be able to protect you. Go on—staying here too long might arouse suspicion."
Raiden Kunikuzushi awkwardly retracted her hand and turned to leave. Lucas could still faintly hear her murmur—"All crows under heaven are black."
Indeed, in her eyes now, he was no different from those teachers who turned a blind eye out of fear of trouble.
Lucas turned to the side and casually opened a student file. Raiden Kunikuzushi's records immediately appeared before him.
Her previous school had been a very prestigious private academy. Her grades were excellent, and she was athletic and well-rounded… But the reason for her transfer? Expulsion. And the grounds for expulsion were encrypted with special protection.
Of course, for someone as skilled as Lucas, cracking that sort of thing was nothing. Before long, he decrypted Raiden Kunikuzushi's student file.
The reason for expulsion from her previous school was—campus violence that caused a female student to suffer a mental breakdown and attempt suicide.
This didn't surprise Lucas. In fact, he had expected it all along.
What truly shocked him was another piece of information in the file.
Under the "Parent or Guardian" section was written: Raiden Ei.
Same name?
No—"Raiden" was an extremely rare surname. The odds of two people sharing both given and family name were practically nonexistent.
But Raiden Ei was clearly about the same age as Lucas. How could she possibly have a daughter this old? Unless she had given birth around the age of ten… which was simply impossible no matter how you looked at it.
After thinking it over, Lucas still dialed Raiden Ei's number.
After a burst of traditional Inazuman music, a familiar yet cautious voice came from the other end: "This is a private number. Have you called the wrong person?"
"Excuse me, are you Raiden Kunikuzushi's guardian?" Lucas lowered his voice and said, "I'm her counselor."
"Sorry," Raiden Ei replied, "Did she cause trouble again at school?"
Clearly, she was already used to her "daughter" getting into trouble.
"Don't worry. She's been doing very well," Lucas smiled. "No need to be nervous—this is just a simple check-in call."
There was a brief silence on the other end of the line before the voice finally said, "Of course. May I ask what the issue is?"
"As far as I know, the parent section on the student file lists only the mother's name. May I ask, are you a single mother?" Lucas probed. "Apologies, I know this is a rather personal question, but in order to better understand the student's situation, I hope you don't mind answering."
"That child's biological mother is my elder sister, but she passed away in an accident a few years ago. So now I'm responsible for taking care of her," Raiden Ei replied. "But I've watched her grow up since she was little. To me, she's no different than my own daughter."
For some reason, hearing this explanation caused Lucas to unconsciously breathe a sigh of relief.
"Miss Raiden, you truly are a remarkable woman," Lucas said with admiration. "As an educator, I'll do my best to support your daughter as well."
"Thank you," Raiden Ei replied in a voice that was almost devoid of emotion. "If anything happens at school, you can always reach me through this number."
"All right," Lucas smiled. "In that case, I won't keep you any longer."
After hanging up, Lucas remained silent for a moment before a meaningful smile slowly crept onto his face.
It seemed… things were starting to get even more interesting.
[Exiting Immersive Mode]
[Entering Text Mode]
[With your tacit approval and "support," Raiden Kunikuzushi's actions began to grow increasingly audacious.]
[It had to be said—she was indeed a genius when it came to school bullying. Unlike Kamisato Ayato's straightforward use of violence, bullying among girls tended to be far more hidden and insidious.]
[The first step Raiden Kunikuzushi took was to dismantle the few friendships Kamisato Ayaka had, isolating her and cutting off her support.]
[Of course, her boldness couldn't have flourished without your enabling. You frequently covered for her, whether intentionally or not, removing any worries she might have had. This relationship made Raiden Kunikuzushi grow increasingly trusting of you. But rather than seeing you as an ally, she likely just viewed you as a useful lackey.]
[As for Kamisato Ayaka, while she didn't show any outward signs, it was clear to you that her state had changed compared to before.]
[Truthfully, with her status and background, she normally wouldn't be an easy target for bullying. But unfortunately, the one she had offended was Raiden Kunikuzushi. Her mother—more accurately, her adoptive mother, Raiden Ei—was currently the power behind the Inazuman megacorporation "Tenshukaku." This was precisely why Raiden Kunikuzushi could act with such impunity. Even if she caused major trouble, she could easily transfer schools.]
[More importantly, Kamisato Ayaka probably hadn't told her family about what had been happening. Given her personality, she likely didn't want others knowing she was isolated, and even more so didn't want her brother to worry.]
[According to your many years of observation, whether a student becomes a target of bullying has little to do with their background. In fact, children from wealthy families are sometimes even more prone to being bullied. In reality, as long as someone is different from the rest, they're likely to be attacked. That's right… the black sheep is shunned precisely because its color is different from the white flock.]
[Finally, during one of the Kendo Club's activities, Raiden Kunikuzushi escalated the bullying. During a sparring match with Kamisato Ayaka, she actually broke Ayaka's protective gear, and her heavy wooden sword struck Ayaka's arm directly.]
[Proper protective gear shouldn't be so easily damaged. You knew full well that Raiden Kunikuzushi had tampered with Ayaka's armor beforehand, which was why it had shattered.]
[To outsiders, it looked like a simple accident. But to Kamisato Ayaka—who cared deeply for her gear and sword—she must have already realized it had been sabotaged. She had simply chosen to endure it.]
["Everyone, don't panic. Kamisato-san, I'll take you to the infirmary. The rest of you, please continue practicing." You helped the injured Ayaka leave, and out of the corner of your eye, you saw Raiden Kunikuzushi stick out her tongue at you mischievously.]
[At the infirmary, once Ayaka was settled in, you solemnly asked, "Kamisato-san, I feel like something's been off with you lately. Have you encountered any problems? If so, you can talk to me—I'll help you."]
[However, Kamisato Ayaka merely shook her head and smiled. "Nothing at all. Thank you for your concern."]
[As expected, getting close to Kamisato Ayaka's heart wasn't going to be easy. You didn't intend to pressure her further—doing so would only arouse suspicion. So you nodded and left the room… only to run straight into Raiden Kunikuzushi, who had been waiting outside.]
["Her arm injury must be pretty bad, right?" Raiden Kunikuzushi said with a smile. "She won't be lifting a sword for a while."]
["Physical injuries don't mean much to her," you replied coolly. "You know perfectly well—she's not that easy to break."]
["This is just the beginning," Raiden Kunikuzushi turned and waved casually. "The fun stuff… is just getting started."]
[It had to be said—even someone as calculating as you couldn't help but feel a chill at the look on her face. Was that really the expression a student should wear?]
[That day after school, you decided to secretly follow Kamisato Ayaka—not to protect her, of course, but to ensure Raiden Kunikuzushi didn't take things too far. After all, if your revenge against Kamisato Ayato wasn't delivered by your own hand, what meaning would it have?]
[Just as you suspected, in order to conceal her injured arm, Kamisato Ayaka hadn't asked her driver to pick her up. And as she passed through an alley, she was suddenly surrounded by four thugs.]
[Entering Immersive Mode]
[Mission Objective: Earn Kamisato Ayaka's Trust]
"Yo, little lady," Thug A glanced at a photo in his hand and sneered. "You must be the young lady from the Kamisato family, huh?"
Though Kamisato Ayaka was always calm and composed, her injured arm made her visibly tense. She instinctively stepped back two paces and asked, "Sirs, is there something you need?"
"Not much," Thug B grinned. "We just wanna have a little fun with you."
Even with Kamisato Ayaka's pure and straightforward personality, she could still see the disgusting filth and lechery in those thugs' eyes.
In truth, with her usual ability, dealing with these lowlifes would have been a trivial matter. But now, with a serious injury to her arm, she could not even manage basic movement, let alone draw a sword to defend herself.
"I still have matters to attend to and am afraid I don't have the leisure to play with you all," Kamisato Ayaka said calmly. "Please don't make things difficult, or else…"
"Or else what?" Thug D rubbed his hands together as he stepped forward, grinning. "This is a real good deal—get a hefty sum and have our way with a pretty schoolgirl. Boss, you going first?"
This time, the simulator's background was not the fantastical world of Teyvat. Kamisato Ayaka did not have a Vision. At most, she was just a regular girl with good swordsmanship. Trying to fend off four strong men while injured—it was simply impossible.
Hiding in the shadows, Lucas naturally understood the situation immediately.
These four thugs were no doubt hired by Raiden Kunikuzushi, and their goal... was to take away Kamisato Ayaka's purity.
He hadn't expected it—this was the kind of ploy that only showed up in old J-dramas from over a decade ago.
But he had to admit, the plan was extremely vicious. For someone Raiden Kunikuzushi's age to devise such a meticulous setup... was quite something.
If she really succeeded, Kamisato Ayaka's life would be ruined. This was no longer school bullying—this was a full-fledged crime.
Still, if the girl his precious sister were violated and destroyed, for Kamisato Ayato, that would surely be a devastating blow.
Pity those thugs—completely unaware of the truth—thinking Kamisato Ayaka was just some spoiled rich girl and that they could walk away unscathed. They had no idea that someone like Kamisato Ayato would track them down and make their lives a living hell.
"So? What do you think?" Just then, a teasing voice came from behind Lucas. "Not a bad plan, huh?"
The speaker, naturally, was Raiden Kunikuzushi.
However, her after-school appearance was completely different from how she looked at school. Without her uniform, her trendy and eye-catching outfit sparkled with enough studs to weigh a couple of pounds. Her ears were pierced, her wrists wrapped with mismatched bracelets—anyone who saw her might mistake her for a bassist in an underground band.
Who knew what Raiden Ei would think if she saw her daughter dressed like this?
"This is your plan?" Lucas asked flatly.
"That's right!" Raiden Kunikuzushi said proudly. "Well? If you want in, you can join us too. Don't worry—the ones who'll take the fall in the end are those four idiots…"
Lucas narrowed his eyes slightly. "What exactly are you saying?"
"Oh, don't play dumb with me," Raiden Kunikuzushi stepped forward and jabbed a finger into Lucas's chest, letting it trail downward, her face twisting into a mocking smile. "Isn't Kamisato Ayaka's brother your enemy? If you could personally ruin his little sister… heh, what could be more satisfying revenge than that?"
But Lucas stepped back two paces and turned around. "That kind of revenge… is too boring."
Seeing his reaction, Raiden Kunikuzushi exclaimed, "What are you doing? Wait…"
Meanwhile, the four thugs had already cornered Kamisato Ayaka in the alley. The alley wasn't exactly deserted, but even when passersby noticed what was happening, they simply walked away quickly.
Clearly, no one wanted to get involved in trouble.
"Come on, let's have some fun…" Thug D grabbed Kamisato Ayaka's collar. She quickly dodged, but with a rip, her sleeve tore open, exposing a section of her snow-white arm.
The thugs, who had never seen such a beauty before, could no longer hold back. Thug D even licked his lips and reached for Kamisato Ayaka's chest again—but just then, a hand firmly gripped his wrist.
There was no need to ask who it was—it was Lucas.
"You bastards…" Lucas said coldly. "What do you think you're doing to her?"
"Who the hell are you?" Thug A pulled a butterfly knife from his waistband and flipped it around with some flair before sneering, "Stay out of this, or else—bang!"
Before he could finish speaking, Thug D suddenly turned and snatched the knife from his companion. Without giving him a chance to react, he stabbed it straight into the man's stomach, then pulled it out and stabbed again with force.
His eyes were glassy as he chanted, "Kill you… kill you…"
That's right—he had been hit with "Mirror Flower, Water Moon." Just as Lucas suspected, these guys had weak wills and were easily hypnotized.
The stabbed thug quickly began to bleed profusely. Intestines soon spilled out after the blood. The other two thugs, terrified by the gruesome sight, immediately turned and fled. Lucas grabbed the thoroughly shaken Kamisato Ayaka and whispered, "Come with me!"
Kamisato Ayaka was utterly stunned—like a puppet whose strings had been cut. Lucas led her out of the alley as the screaming behind them faded into the distance. He didn't care if those thugs lived or died—things like this happened in this city almost every day.
Lucas turned to look—Raiden Kunikuzushi, who had been hiding in the shadows, merely frowned and disappeared.
Beside him, Kamisato Ayaka was still trembling. It took her a while to calm down slightly. Just as she was about to speak, she suddenly bent over and began dry heaving—clearly, the scene earlier had been too much for a girl her age to bear.
Lucas gently patted her back and said softly, "It's okay now, Kamisato-san. It's all over."
Only then did Kamisato Ayaka look up, tears already brimming in her eyes. She nodded and said, "Thank you… counselor. But, why were you here?"
"I just happened to be passing by. I rent an apartment nearby," Lucas smiled. "I'll contact your guardian now and have them take you home."
Just as Lucas pulled out his phone, Kamisato Ayaka suddenly grabbed his wrist, a trace of panic flashing in her eyes. "P-Please… don't tell my family about this."
As expected...
Lucas smiled inwardly. He had already guessed that Kamisato Ayaka most likely didn't want anyone else to know about this, but on the surface, he put on a worried expression and said, "But if you don't go home, where will you go? Wandering outside like this, in your current condition, is very dangerous..."
Kamisato Ayaka hesitated slightly, then spoke with a bit of shyness. "I… I can go to your place for now, can't I?"
"My place?" Lucas frowned slightly. "That might… not be very appropriate."
A hint of disappointment passed through Kamisato Ayaka's eyes. She murmured, "You're right. If a student goes to a counselor's home and it's discovered... it'll surely affect your reputation."
With that, she touched her sleeve that had been torn off and gave an embarrassed smile before turning to leave.
"Wait a moment!" Lucas suddenly called after her, his tone soft. "I only said it wasn't convenient because the place is a bit messy... As your counselor, I can't just let you wander the streets. Come with me. At the very least, let me help fix your sleeve."
At his words, a flicker of joy appeared in Kamisato Ayaka's previously dim gaze. She quickly nodded and followed Lucas's steps.
Meanwhile, hiding in the shadows with her back against the wall, Raiden Kunikuzushi gnawed on her fingernail and muttered, "Just what is this guy trying to do?"
...
Because he'd constantly changed jobs for the sake of "revenge," Lucas had also frequently changed his residences. But given his income, this wasn't an issue at all. In fact, he owned multiple places simultaneously—ready to vanish into any "foxhole" when needed.
This so-called "just nearby" apartment was, of course, one of the homes Lucas had prepared in advance. And sure enough… it had now come in handy.
"Come on in," Lucas said as he opened the door. "I live alone, so things might be a bit casual..."
"Woof!"
Before he could finish, a sleek-coated medium-sized dog darted out of the room and leaped into Lucas's arms, wagging its tail affectionately.
"Okay, okay, I'm home now, aren't I?" Lucas rubbed the dog's head and smiled helplessly. "Oh right, I forgot to tell you—I keep a dog."
"What a cute Akita," Kamisato Ayaka finally showed a hint of a smile after having looked worried the entire time. "What's its name?"
"Hina," Lucas replied. "She's a little girl, but even rowdier than a male."
"Can I pet her?" Kamisato Ayaka asked with hopeful eyes.
"Of course," Lucas smiled. "She loves people."
As expected, Kamisato Ayaka and Hina hit it off quickly. For girls her age, it was hard to resist a cute dog.
Indeed, raising Hina was part of Lucas's "plan." In previous revenge operations, there were many occasions when he had to bring women home. Having a pet dog always served as a convenient excuse.
On the other hand, a dog could lower a woman's guard. Most people didn't believe a bad guy would be capable of raising a pet so affectionately.
Even someone as cautious as Kamisato Ayaka couldn't escape that instinctive assumption.
As for the name "Hina," Lucas could only treat it as a coincidence. If it had been a male dog, perhaps it would have been named Gorou.
Still, having a resistance army "dog" this eager to lick the lady of the Yashiro Commission... it felt kind of weird.
"You should go take a shower first," Lucas pointed to the bathroom. "I'll find something for you to change into."
At the moment, Kamisato Ayaka's clothes were not only torn at the sleeve, but her face was also a bit dirty from crying. Given her love for cleanliness, of course she wanted to shower as soon as possible. But the thought of bathing in a grown man's apartment still made her feel somewhat uneasy.
However, considering that the counselor had protected her and even brought her home despite the potential damage to his reputation, it would be impolite of her to remain overly guarded. She nodded and said, "O-Okay… sorry for the trouble."
Soon, the sound of running water came from the shower, and a blurred silhouette could be seen through the frosted glass.
Although it was just a silhouette, the graceful figure and bathing motions were already more than enough to stir the imagination.
"Hina, good job," Lucas patted the dog's head with a meaningful smile. "I'll give you a nice reward later."
Twenty minutes later, Kamisato Ayaka stepped out of the steamy bathroom. Her usual high ponytail was now flowing down over her shoulders, water droplets trickling from her long hair, giving her the look of a water lily emerging from the bath.
Even someone like Lucas, who had been with plenty of women, was slightly stunned for a moment. But after a brief daze, he quickly nodded. "Looks like that outfit fits you pretty well."
"But..." Kamisato Ayaka looked puzzled. "Why do you have women's clothes in your apartment? Could it be…"
"They belong to my girlfriend." Lucas answered without hesitation. "She has a similar build to you."
"I see... so you have a girlfriend." For some reason, Kamisato Ayaka seemed a little disappointed after hearing that, though she still politely asked, "She must be a wonderful person."
"Yeah, she was gentle, cute, and full of justice..." Lucas said calmly. "Unfortunately, she passed away a long time ago."
"H-How could that be?" Kamisato Ayaka instinctively covered her mouth and murmured, "That's so tragic..."
"Yeah. Like me, she was bullied for years while in school. We promised to jump together," Lucas said, touching his chest with a bitter smile. "But I guess… I don't know if I was too lucky or too unlucky—she left, and I survived alone."
"That's impossible..." Kamisato Ayaka said in disbelief. "You're so amazing. Everyone at school likes you… how could you have ever been bullied?"
Seeing the look on Kamisato Ayaka's face, Lucas knew that the fish... had taken the bait.
The persona he had crafted—an animal lover, a man of upright integrity, and someone grieving a lost girlfriend—had further lowered Kamisato Ayaka's guard. If her wariness of him was initially around eighty to ninety percent, it had now dropped to below fifty.
Although he didn't have any special ability to see things like "alertness meters," his rich experience gave him more than enough confidence.
Of course, the next step was the most important one—eliciting sympathy.
"If you don't believe me, then take a look for yourself." Lucas unbuttoned his collar and slowly took off his shirt.
At first, the shy Kamisato Ayaka averted her gaze slightly, but soon, the bashfulness in her eyes was replaced by shock.
Lucas's body was covered in scars, large and small—burn marks from cigarette butts, cuts from sharp objects. Clearly, whoever had inflicted these wounds was very "skilled"—they had made sure to leave marks only in places that would be covered by clothing, so no one else would notice.
Only now did Kamisato Ayaka understand why, despite the scorching heat of midsummer, he insisted on wearing long-sleeved uniforms.
Watching the expression in the girl's eyes, Lucas sneered inwardly. Kamisato Ayato, Kamisato Ayato… you probably never imagined that the scars you left on me would one day become the very "weapon" I use to win over your most beloved little sister, did you?
"T-That's just… too much!" Even someone as gentle as Kamisato Ayaka couldn't help but show anger on her face at this moment. She muttered, "What kind of person could do something so vile?"
Why, your brilliant brother, of course.
Lucas quietly put his shirt back on, looked Kamisato Ayaka straight in the eyes, and said, "It's precisely because I've been so badly bullied that I can truly empathize with others who are being bullied. Kamisato, I can tell… that you're also going through the same thing right now, aren't you?"
Kamisato Ayaka was slightly startled, then as if making up her mind, nodded. "I'm already… at my limit. I don't know what I should do anymore."
"Don't worry, Kamisato," Lucas said gently. "I will always stand with you. You can always trust me."
Just then, a ringtone suddenly chimed. Kamisato Ayaka hurriedly pulled out her phone. Even though it was just a brief moment, Lucas caught a glimpse of the word "Onii-sama" (Brother) on the screen.
However, rather than answering immediately, Kamisato Ayaka hesitated as she stared at the ringing phone.
"What's wrong?" Lucas asked, pretending not to know. "Aren't you going to answer? It's probably your family calling, right?"
"Yes… It's my brother," Kamisato Ayaka said with a frown. "He's probably urging me to come home. But today… I don't want to go back. In my current state, he'll definitely notice something's off."
Logically, she should have revered her brother, but Lucas noticed a trace of complicated emotion in her eyes.
"I understand." Lucas held out his hand. "Let me answer it."
Kamisato Ayaka seemed hesitant. "But…"
"I told you," Lucas smiled. "You can trust me, remember?"
Only then did Kamisato Ayaka, as if steeling herself, hand over the phone to Lucas.
"Ayaka?" came a familiar yet distant male voice from the other end. "Why aren't you home yet?"
"Hello, you must be Kamisato Ayaka's older brother?" Lucas lowered his voice and said, "I'm her counselor, and also the manager of the Kendo Club."
There was a slight pause on the other end before the man asked, "May I ask what this is about? Why is her phone with you?"
"It's like this," Lucas replied with a smile. "The Kendo Club is having a group training retreat today. Kamisato was very eager to attend but was afraid you wouldn't approve, so she asked me to call on her behalf."
"I see," Kamisato Ayato said. "Group training, huh… More like an excuse for students to stay out and have fun together, isn't it?"
Lucas said, "That's not entirely wrong. But your sister just achieved excellent results in the interschool competition. If she didn't participate in this retreat, it might… make her seem antisocial."
Kamisato Ayato was silent for a moment before responding, "Being antisocial isn't good. In that case, I'll leave Ayaka in your care."
At that moment, Kamisato Ayato was seated in his home office. Though his legs were disabled, he was now equipped with highly advanced prosthetics—mainly to conceal his condition rather than for actual function.
"Shang," he called out.
A subordinate in a black suit quickly entered the room. "What are your orders?"
"Look into the background of Ayaka's counselor and the Kendo Club manager," Kamisato Ayato said calmly.
"What's the big deal?" Shang said obsequiously. "It's just a bit of legwork—"
Before he could finish, he felt a sharp pain in his forehead. A heavy inkstone had struck him squarely, blood spurting from the wound.
"How many times have I told you?" Kamisato Ayato snapped. "Never use that word in front of me."
"I understand. I'm very sorry!" Shang clutched his forehead and hurried out, terrified he'd made yet another misstep and angered his temperamental boss.
That word Kamisato Ayato regarded as taboo, of course, was "leg." Though he always pretended to be unfazed, deep down, he was still painfully self-conscious about his disability.
...
"It's done." Lucas handed the phone back to Kamisato Ayaka. "You don't need to go home tonight. But… do you have somewhere you can stay? Like a close friend's place?"
Kamisato Ayaka shook her head sadly. "I used to have a few friends, but after I started getting bullied, they began to distance themselves. But I don't blame them. If they stayed close to me, they'd probably be targeted too."
What a kind-hearted child.
Is she really Kamisato Ayato's biological sister?
"If you don't mind, you can stay here tonight," Lucas said. "I'll sleep in the living room."
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