Inuuma looked at me as if expecting something.
She had said that what Momochi needed was not countless affirmations from others, but just one person she could be absolutely sure was her ally.
And this look meant…
“Could it be that you’re the one person she needs?”
She wasn’t being delusional; she was reading that I was hoping for that to be the case.
Even so, she looked at me with a pleased expression as my cheeks heated up from embarrassment.
“Yes, you’re not just promiscuous, but you seem to have a positive influence on the women you’re with.” “You’re exaggerating.”
“Excessive modesty can come off as sarcasm, you know?”
She said that to me as if scolding me, then continued.
“The most obvious examples are probably Yomai and Muuka-san. Yomai used to look like she was suffocating from reading the atmosphere, but now she seems to be laughing from the heart.”
…I see, she doesn’t seem to be just saying that off the top of her head.
Shion had been concerned about her own performance.
Since meeting Shouko after advancing to a higher grade, it seems things have gotten easier, but she had been putting in a lot of effort to get along well in the closed space of the classroom.
Although she was popular, she didn’t become a target of jealousy, probably because she was able to be considerate and respond appropriately.
Even after joining our group, she seemed to be gaining confidence from her role as the chef and her ability to tell lies, despite worrying about her lack of combat skills.
If Shion can now laugh from the heart and if my presence has been a positive factor in that, then that’s a wonderful thing.
“Mr. Maboroshi, you seem to have done something that blew away her resistance to building deep relationships, as she used to find human relationships troublesome due to her conscientious nature. Now she seems to be showing you goodwill without any regard for gain or loss.”
Seina was indeed a lone wolf type who didn’t try to get along with us.
It’s nostalgic to remember how she used to hesitate because of the concern for settling debts.
But as we gradually interacted and when I jumped to save her life, it seems like I managed to tear down the walls she had been building.
“Fujin-san also looks happy. She’s a variant of the ‘servant type,’ after all, and she can’t be happy with just anyone. Meeting you must have given her the core she was missing in her life.”
Loa originally worked in a maid café, but it was like a hunger-staving act because she didn’t have an ‘ideal master.’
She truly found the qualities of a master in me and has been faithfully serving me ever since.
Of course, she’s an important friend and lover to me, but that’s why I wanted to treat her as a maid as she wished.
「It seems that Yashiro thought of herself as an outcast, but she fits in well with your party. Someone must have acknowledged her charm, and you all have built a relationship where she can believe in that acknowledgment.」
Deep Ho had been misunderstood because of her earnestness.
But as she spent time with me and my friends, she seemed to have come to accept her earnestness and wisdom as unique traits.
「Kwan Ah originally had feelings for you, so there’s no doubt that her love has been fulfilled and she’s happy. As for her childhood friend, Ichiyama, there’s no need to mention her. Regarding the harem, she too accepts it as a joy of being acknowledged. Truly, she’s a broad-minded girl.」
Indeed, Shouko had cared about me ever since we were in class.
But if I had stayed on Earth, she might have held back from getting involved with Chiyou and graduated as just friends.
Now, I’m glad I got to know Shouko’s feelings.
As for Chiyou, that’s exactly right.
If she hadn’t gathered the women and promoted the harem, our party would have taken a different form.
「As for Tanbi-sensei and Shoubu-san, it seems they’re in the middle of a change.」
She seemed to have observed our lives as if she had been watching us all along.
Indeed, there had been some progress in the relationship between Lumina-sensei and Rinme.
「It looks like you’re frustrated, but that’s partly because she’s shy. Since you’re the master of the harem now, if you like someone, why don’t you take the initiative and make a move? …But that’s none of my business, isn’t it?」
I have been talking with Himucho more recently, but it’s true that I haven’t been able to get as close to her as I did with Shion.
Not everything has to be about love, but as a leader, I should probably pay more attention.
「I didn’t talk much with Inugai at school, but he’s quite the person.」
「That’s not true. Anyone could see that much with a little observation. …Actually, that might be an overstatement. I’m just a lowly scoundrel who finds human observation amusing.」
「No one thinks that way.」
I laughed it off as a joke, and she smiled and said, “It’s a joke.”
For example, even if the couple tries to hide it, a slight change in their distance can make others realize they’re a couple.
Inugai’s observational skills seem to be an enhanced version of that.
If you have eyes that don’t miss even the smallest changes, you can understand your classmates’ emotional changes as clearly as if they were written on their faces…?
Thinking about it again, it seems like an amazing ability.
「You really pay attention to your surroundings. I had a hard time matching faces with names in class.」
「You were trying not to stand out in class, weren’t you?」
She had apparently been watching me too.
「When you put it that way, it sounds cool, but I was just someone who didn’t stand out in class.」
I was occasionally talked to by Shouko, and had a cute childhood friend, so there were times when I attracted attention, but I didn’t have anything special about me.
「But on this desert island, you’ve been doing amazing work. It’s only natural for those who excel at sports or academics to be proud of their achievements. And the same goes for you; you should be proud of your accomplishments on this desert island.」
Usagi-ko looked straight at me and said. 「Ah, thank you.」
When she said that, I couldn’t help but feel embarrassed.
It was thanks to everyone’s cooperation, but maybe I should have a little more confidence. 「You’re welcome.」 Usagi-ko smiled gently.
That made me wonder about her.
「Did you join the conversation not just because of Momo, but also because you wanted to talk to me?」
「Oh, why do you think that?」
「I think you’re really worried about Momo, but you’ve been talking to me for a long time, so I thought maybe there was something else.」
「Heh, so it was unnatural, huh?」
She gave a smile and a nod, with no intention of lying. 「It wasn’t like that, though.」
「No, it’s fine. As you said, I interrupted your conversation with Momoyo because I wanted to talk to you.」 「May I ask why?」
「Oh, is it strange to be interested in the king of this island, who even captivated you, Shinou?」
I thought that was the only time Senri had been a witness, but did she see me kiss Shinou as well?
She looked at me with eyes that a cat might use to watch its owner, and laughed, saying, “Just kidding.”
「I was really interested, though. Because your actions were unexpected.」 「Unexpected?」
「I usually make sure to confirm the roles of everyone in a group.」
I didn’t know what she meant by “roles,” but I thought I understood what she was trying to say.
「Like who’s the main character and who’s the background characters in a classroom?」
「Yes. Everyone cares a little, but I can’t help but want to know more.」
「It’s indeed unexpected for a background character in class to become active on an desert island.」
「Calling you a mob character would be difficult, wouldn’t it? You’ve had connections with many girls in various situations.」
「No… It was just a coincidence…」
I thought I was only close to Shouko and Chiyu in class.
But just having had connections with them, I had already interacted with multiple girls, including Shinpo, Genju, and Kageboku.
Indeed, I might have had more than the average amount of contact with beautiful girls to be considered just a mob character.
Come to think of it, how much does Inuuke know?
「I initially thought this life on the desert island would be more brutal. I imagined everyone’s spirits would be worn down, the boys would try to solve things with force, the girls with abilities would resist, and several factions would form, causing many to suffer.」
「Yeah… That was a possibility.」
I was actually worried about interpersonal conflicts at first.
Maybe that’s why Inuuke chose the taming ability.
The power to make the local wildlife your allies.
「Yes. You two, Shouko-san and Kouno-kun, prevented that from happening.」
「Joumyou had already gathered a bunch of girls, right? I heard he used the first event to recruit his team, but it must have been tough.」
Since we were forced to gather in the same place for the event, it wasn’t hard to find classmates.
But once the event ended, we were sent back to where we originally were. It must have been difficult to regroup.
If it were us, we could have relied on Mashiro’s sense of smell… Wait, though?
“Did you use the sense of smell of the tamed beasts to find the girls in your class after the event?”
She opened her eyes slightly wide and then smiled in amazement.
「…I did help out for sure. The rest was thanks to Shippuu’s speed and Momo’s clones, too.」 「I see.」
While we were busy trying to get the light balls, it seems that the formation of the Seiou group had some difficulties.
If that’s the case, then Seiou must have managed to get a grasp on her teammates’ abilities and coordinate their movements within that short time.
Some of them, like Roa and Serina, weren’t found, but even considering that, it was still an impressive feat.
「Seiou’s role hasn’t changed from the classroom. It’s intense, but not unexpected.」
Seiou was the leader of the girls both in the classroom and on the island.
Rather, his influence over girls had increased since coming to the desert island.
“I was just lucky.”
“That might be true. But if it continues, then even your luck is a skill. No successful person can be without luck.”
Dreaming of holding Senyuu’s hand, and transferring together with her. This was the first stroke of luck.
Having a handkerchief that Shokko borrowed from me transfer with her, Shokko choosing the fluffy summoning ability, and having Shokko bring the handkerchief’s scent to the summoned Mashiro, who came to me with Shion. This was the second stroke of luck.
Rescuing Shinpo while she was being chased by a wild boar. This was the third stroke of luck.
Counting them off, there would be no end.
I couldn’t say I was always lucky, but I had certainly been blessed with many strokes of luck. “Maybe.”
“And of course, just being lucky isn’t enough to keep succeeding. Although your transfer was the catalyst, everyone is grateful for your efforts to calm the boys down.”
In reality, confirming the safety of all classmates and making a deal was the goal, but it was true that many boys had been calmed by Senyuu’s pacification.
“You were an inconspicuous boy in the class. On the other hand, some of them were saved by your actions. And seeing your performance on this desert island and the changes in the girls who became your lovers…”
Inugai narrowed her eyes and looked at me. “Seeing…”?
「You shine the most when you’re up against a challenge, don’t you? I suppose you were like that in your everyday life as well, but it’s as if you shine even more in extraordinary situations.」 「Your true value…」
「I’m enjoying myself. All the guys I’ve seen before never did anything unexpected, but I couldn’t predict your sudden leap.」 Her eyes were shining brightly.
It was as if she were looking up at a hero.
No, it wasn’t that cute.
It was more like a great thief who had just discovered the whereabouts of a treasure.
It was a dazzling yet eerie light.
「Predictable people give you a sense of security and boredom, but unpredictable people give you a sense of excitement, don’t they? Maybe I like people who don’t fit into my thoughts.」 「I, I see.」
Not knowing how to respond, I nodded vaguely.
I thought I was being praised, but it turned out she had unexpected expectations of me.
「Yes. That’s why I can’t help but feel a bit unsettled when I don’t know how Momo will act in a given moment.」
She smiled and seemed to have returned to her usual self, as if the look in her eyes had been a lie. I let out a sigh of relief.
「Yo, Sōsuke! How long are you going to be all lovey-dovey with Nene?」 A voice of salvation, perhaps.
That sulky voice belongs to Shouko.
When I look over, Shouko and a few others who were with her are glaring at me.
“Ah, I’m sorry for taking so long. It’s about time I returned the king to his lovers.” ”…It’s nice to talk to you.”
“I’m glad too. If you’d like, let’s be friends from now on.”
From the looks of it, Inugai will be staying on the desert island.
Her strength is reliable, so I’m grateful to think about the future.
She was a strange person, but I did gain something from her.
Hearing it from a third party, I felt like I could see my actions objectively.
Perhaps I could acknowledge my efforts while being careful not to become arrogant. “Sousuke~!”
Shouko is puffing out her cheeks cutely. “I’m coming.”
I wave lightly in her direction and head over to her.
I wonder if my presence had some influence in being able to celebrate this wrap-up today, and I feel a little proud of myself.
Thank you very much for this month.
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