Inui looked at me with an air of anticipation.
She had once told me that what Momo needed wasn’t the validation of countless others, but rather just one person whom she could be absolutely certain was on her side.
And if this gaze meant anything……
“Could it be…? Am I that ‘one person’?”
It wasn’t vanity; from the flow of the conversation, I sensed that she expected as much.
Even so, a flush of embarrassment heated my cheeks, and Inui watched me with a look of quiet approval.
“Yes. It’s not merely that you are sexually promiscuous; it seems you have a positive influence on the women around you.” / “That’s a stretch.”
“Excessive modesty can sound like sarcasm, you know?”
After saying this to gently admonish me as I gave a wry smile, she continued.
“The most noticeable ones would be Yomikai-san and Yume-kyai-san, wouldn’t they? Yomikai-san, for instance, had become so skilled at reading the room that she seemed suffocatingly constrained, but now it feels like I see her laughing from the heart.”
…I see. It seems she wasn’t just speaking in generalities.
Shion was conscious of how she carried herself.
Things had gotten considerably easier after I met Shoushi in my new grade, but it seemed like making things work within the closed confines of a classroom took a significant amount of effort.
Shion’s ability to remain free from jealousy despite her immense popularity was likely due to her subtle consideration for others and her apt handling of social situations.
Even after joining our group, she still seemed to worry about lacking combat ability, but it appeared that she had gained confidence through her definitive role as head cook and her ‘ability to detect lies,’ which proved useful at critical moments.
If Shion has learned to laugh with all her heart, and if my presence contributed positively to that, then it is truly a delightful thing.
“Dyumai-sama, due to your earnest nature, you used to find human relations burdensome. However, it seems that now you hold affection for me regardless of profit or loss, debt or credit. You must have done something that erased your resistance to building deep connections.”
It is true that Ioreina was a lone wolf type who did not try to get friendly with us.
I fondly recall how she used to be careful and hesitant in various ways, mindful of settling debts and favors.
But through gradually deepening our interactions, and specifically when I rushed into danger to save her life, I believe I was able to dismantle the walls she had erected.
“Fujutsuki-sama also seems happy. She could be described as a variant of the ‘doting type,’ but surely that doesn’t mean it works with just anyone. By meeting you, she must have acquired the core that was missing from her life.”
Roar had originally worked at a maid cafe, but it seemed that was merely a way to stave off hunger, as she lacked an ‘ideal Master.’
She certainly recognized a certain ‘Master-quality’ in me, and has faithfully served me ever since.
Of course, for me she is a dear comrade and lover, but precisely because of that, I wanted to treat her as the maid she desires to be.
“Ironwood seems to have been under the impression that she was a disliked person, but she’s clearly acclimated to your party. It must be because someone affirmed her appeal to her. And it seems you’ve all built a relationship strong enough for her to believe in that affirmation.”
Fukaho had often been shunned precisely because of his earnestness.
But through spending time with me and the others, he seemed to have come to accept his seriousness and his intelligence as just one of his rare personal traits.
“Kanie-san had feelings for you from the start, so there’s no doubt in her happiness that their love was realized. There’s no need to say it about Kohayashi, your childhood friend. As for the harem situation, she seems to receive it as a joy of having her charm recognized. Honestly, what a magnanimous girl.”
Indeed, Shoushuu had been looking out for me even when we were just spending time in the classroom.
But if I had stayed on Earth, she might have simply graduated as a friend, holding back due to the relationship between me and Chiyu.
Now that it’s come to this, I’m glad I came to understand Shoushuu’s feelings.
As for Chiyu, it is exactly as said.
If she hadn’t rallied the women and pushed the harem dynamic forward, our party would have taken a very different shape than it does now.
“Regarding Tanbi-sensei and Shoube-san, things seem to be in transition.”
It was an observational keenness as if she had been watching our lives all along.
Indeed, there had been developments in the relationship between Luminous-sensei and Unme.
“Genshu seems a bit frustrated, but I suppose that’s partly because she’s such a passive person. Since you’ve become the master of this harem, why don’t you just take the initiative and make a move on whoever catches your eye? …Well, that’s probably meddling too much on my part.”
Conversation with Genshu had indeed been increasing slightly of late, but he was correct that they hadn’t managed to bridge the gap as effectively as he had with Shiina.
It wasn’t necessary to force every interaction into a romantic context, but perhaps, as their leader, he should have been paying more attention to the dynamics.
“I don’t think I ever really spoke to Inui much at school, but he sure was an impressive guy.”
“Nonsense. That’s just something you notice if you take a moment to observe. …No, I suppose that’s excessive modesty on my part. Correction: I am the lowest of the low, with human observation as my hobby.”
“No, don’t be silly, nobody thinks that.”
When he laughed off her comment as a joke, she smiled and agreed, “Just kidding.”
For example, even when the people involved think they’re hiding it, subtle shifts in physical distance can sometimes make their pairing obvious to those around them.
Inui’s observational skills felt like an enhanced version of that trait.
With eyes that didn’t miss minute changes, he could apparently discern his classmates’ shifting emotions with the same clarity as if they were written on their hands… or so it seemed?
The more he thought about it, the more impressive the ability appeared.
“You really pay attention to the people around you, don’t you? For me, there were plenty of classmates in my class whose faces and names didn’t match up, which was a real pain.”
“You were quite deliberate about keeping a low profile in class, weren’t you?”
It seemed he had been observing me too.
“Being told that makes it sound pretty cool, but honestly, I just don’t really stand out.”
Momo talked to me occasionally, and with a cute childhood friend around, people did take notice of those things, but there was nothing particularly special about me myself.
“However, on this desert island, you’ve been remarkably active. It’s a natural right for someone to take pride in excelling at sports or academics, but I think you should feel just as proud of your achievements here.”
Inukai looked straight into my eyes as she said it.
“Ah, thanks.”
Having words like that said to me certainly made me blush.
It was thanks to everyone’s cooperation, but I suppose I should have a little bit of confidence in myself.
“You’re welcome.”
Inukai smiled softly.
But looking at her like that, I felt a certain doubt creep in.
“Inukai, did you join this conversation not just for Momo’s sake, but with the intention of talking to me as well?”
“Oh? Why do you say that?”
“I think you really are worried about Momo, but considering that, you’ve been talking to me quite a long while. So I just wondered.”
「Fufu, so it was unnatural after all, wasn’t it？」
She gave an affirmative reply along with a smile, showing no intention of sweeping it under the rug.
“It’s not like that, but…”
「No, it’s fine.
You’re right—part of why I cut into your conversation with Momo was because I really wanted to talk to Kouno-kun.」 「May I ask for the reason?」
「Oh, is it strange to be interested in the King of this island, the very one who has even captured Naruka’s heart?」
I had thought there were no witnesses besides Serina at the time, but perhaps this girl had also seen the instant I kissed Naruka.
Watching my face flush with heat with eyes that treated me as tenderly as one might look at a kitten, she laughed, 「Just kidding.」
「I was genuinely curious, though.
After all, your moves were unexpected.」 「Unexpected?」
「When I join a group, it’s my habit to check their roles.」
The term “roles” wasn’t one I was familiar with, but I felt I understood what she meant.
「Like, who is the lead and who is an extra in the classroom?」
「Something like that. Everyone worries about it a little, don’t they? But I find myself wanting to know the details.」
「It certainly was unexpected for one of the class extras to shine on a desert island, though.」
“It would be difficult to call you a background character, given the numerous connections you’ve formed with girls in so many different situations.”
“No… that was just a coincidence…”
I had assumed that, within our class, I was close only with Shouko and Chiiru.
Yet merely having any contact at all involved several people: Fukami, Genchu, and Kagebayashi.
Admittedly, calling me a mere extra might have been an understatement, considering how lucky I was to cross paths with so many beauties.
Then again, just how much did Inukai actually know?
“I initially expected this life on the desert island to be far more brutal. I imagined everyone’s mental state deteriorating, the boys trying to solve everything through force, the girls with abilities resisting them, multiple factions emerging, and many students suffering greatly.”
“Aah… that scenario certainly was a possibility.”
In fact, I had also worried about interpersonal conflicts at first.
Perhaps precisely because he harbored those fears from the start, Inukai had chosen his Tame ability.
The power to turn local creatures into allies.
“Yes. The ones who prevented that outcome were you two leaders: Sumika-san and Kukino-kun.”
“Seiō was quick to gather the girls, wasn’t she? I’d heard she used that initial event to recruit teammates, but it must have been a real ordeal.”
They had been forcibly rounded up in one location for the event, so finding their classmates themselves wasn’t exactly an issue.
But once it was over, they were dumped back where they’d started from.
Reassembling the group must have been a nightmare.
If it had been us, we could’ve relied on Mashiro’s sense of smell… Wait, hold on?
“Could she have used the scent of a beast she tamed afterward to track down the girls in her class?”
Her eyes widened slightly at that before breaking into an impressed smile.
“I did help with that part, yes. But Shippuu-san, who’s fast on foot, and Momo’s clones were also active members.”
“I see.”
While we were scrambling to grab light orbs, apparently that much effort went into forming the Seiō group.
That would mean Seiō had assessed her teammates’ abilities during that time frame and arranged the details for their reunion.
It seemed some members, like Lougha or Yona, weren’t found, but even accounting for that, it was impressive efficiency.
“Seiō-san’s role hasn’t changed since the classroom days. It’s tremendous, certainly, but not unexpected.”
Whether in the classroom or on the desert island, Seiō had been the one keeping the girls together.
If anything, his influence over the girls had only grown since arriving on this desert island.
“I just got lucky in my case.”
“Perhaps. But if it continues, then that luck itself is a capability of yours. There has never been a successful person who was not blessed by fortune.”
The fact that he had held Chiya’s hand in his dream allowed them to teleport together.
That was the first instance of luck.
That Shouko had teleported along with the handkerchief she happened to have borrowed from him, that she chose the Mofumofu Summoning ability, and that he let the summoned Mashiro sniff the scent on the handkerchief so that she came to his side alongside Shiine.
This was the second instance of luck.
The fact that he had managed to rescue Fukaho just as she was being chased by a boar.
That was the third instance of luck.
And if you kept counting, there would be no end to it.
He couldn’t say he was always lucky, but he certainly hadn’t been short on fortune.
“Guess that’s true.”
“And naturally, mere good luck isn’t enough to sustain success. Even if Professor Tsunoi’s teleportation served as the catalyst, everyone is grateful for your role in calming down the boys.”
In reality, his goal had been to check on the safety of every classmate and make a deal with them, but it was also true that he had used Chiya’s calm to settle most of the male students.
“You were an inconspicuous boy in class. On the other hand, some individuals were saved by your actions. And seeing your performance on this desert island, as well as the changes in the girls who became your lovers…”
Inui narrowed her eyes, looking at him.
“Seeing what?”
“You must be one of those people who truly shine only when pushed into difficult circumstances. You likely displayed this same nature in your everyday life, but I suppose it is fair to say you radiate even more brightly outside the ordinary.”
“True worth…”
“I am enjoying myself. Not a single young man I have encountered before was capable of doing anything unpredictable. But I could not have predicted the leap you just made.”
Inukami’s eyes were burning with an intense, wild light.
Like a child gazing up in awe at a hero.
No, it was nothing so endearing.
Rather, it resembled the gaze of a great bandit who has finally discovered the location of a legendary treasure.
It was a light that shone brilliantly yet remained deeply sinister.
“Predictable people offer a sense of safety and monotony, but those who defy expectations stir the heart, wouldn’t you agree? Perhaps I simply have a fondness for individuals who cannot be contained within the boundaries of my thoughts.”
“I-I see…”
Not knowing how to respond, I gave an ambiguous nod.
I had thought I was being praised, only to realize she was placing unexpected expectations on me.
“Mm-hm. Which is probably why I can’t entirely let go of Momo, either. After all, you never quite know how she’ll act in any given moment.”
Inukami smiled, and just as if her previous gaze had been a lie, her expression reverted to its usual state.
I quietly breathed a sigh of relief.
“Hey, Sousuke~! How long are you going to keep flirting with Nene?”
Whether it was a call for help or just a greeting, it served as a lifeline.
The irritated voice belonged to Shousi.
When I turned my gaze toward them, Shousi and several others present were glaring at me with flat, unimpressed eyes.
“Well, I apologize for the lengthy interruption. I think it’s time we returned His Majesty to his lovers.”
”……It was good that we could talk.”
“Same here. If you don’t mind, let’s keep being friends in the future too.”
Judging by this situation, Inukai would remain on the desert island.
Her power is something I can rely on, so it’s a relief to think about what lies ahead.
She was an incredibly strange person, but there had been value in our encounter.
Hearing my actions described by a third party made me feel as though I could now view my own deeds objectively.
While being careful not to become arrogant, perhaps it was fine to acknowledge my own efforts.
“Sousuke~!”
Shousi puffed out her cheeks cutely.
“I’m coming now.”
Giving a light wave in the direction where Shousi stood, I closed the distance between us.
Carrying a slight sense of pride, wondering if my presence had contributed, even just a little, to us reaching this celebratory party today.
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