Chapter 9

“That’s absurd.”

“Absurd to what degree?”

I consider myself intelligent.

Even though I didn’t graduate from college due to tuition issues and some personal conflicts, I actually possess a mind that everyone acknowledges as brilliant.

To the extent that I was always told at work, “Your ideas are incredibly creative.”

My intelligence has been verified by everyone.

However, the brilliance that shone in science fields didn’t seem to have much use in the arts-oriented lessons of this class.

Was I this stupid? No, absolutely not. It’s not me who’s stupid, it’s this body that’s stupid.

But, ultimately, it’s me—not the body—who has to endure being called stupid. And it’s still me who has to attend humbling remedial classes.

After failing to understand anything from the morning lectures, I felt frustrated and laid my head on the desk. Suddenly, a slice of rolled omelet was pushed into my mouth.

“If it tastes this amazing, I might have to make it for you again next time.”

The rich sweetness combined with the soft texture of the egg left an impressive taste. It was a taste I hadn’t even experienced when eating the famous, expensive Japanese-style egg rice bowls at renowned restaurants.

There’s one good thing about being here: being able to eat for free food that, in reality, I couldn’t afford no matter how much money was offered. The downside is that Inna’s favorability increases, which I must endure.

“So, are you not going to go eliminate the queen of the school?”

Before coming to my house, Inna had already prepared a lunchbox. During lunchtime, as she fed me alternately with herself, maintaining her favorability work with me, she asked.

Heroine stories typically progress by overcoming fundamental issues or traumas. If the first step, the queen’s “punishment,” fails, it might twist my own story right from the start.

But—,

“That aside, I feel like my grades are going to tank. What kind of queen is this? I’d rather prioritize my own life.”

I can bear with being called stupid to some extent, but being intellectually inferior to younger students is something I can’t endure.

If I fail the test, it would mean acknowledging that younger students are smarter than me. That is something I absolutely cannot concede.

Anyway, love isn’t something you can control easily. Therefore, considering the worst-case scenario, just like clearing character scenarios, I need to study to a certain degree to avoid the worst possible situation — starving to d*ath if I have to continue living here.

“Still, the one hindering your studies is the queen of the school. Shouldn’t you deal with her before things worsen?”

“With what? A kn*fe?”

“One way could be undermining her reputation so she can’t be called queen anymore, or as you suggested, using physical violence may also work. Declaring outright that you’re not her type might stop her from continuing her covert approaches.”

She’s subtly plotting something sinister, trying to make me personally handle her former lover.

This is a direct sign of how much Inna dislikes the student council president. I, quietly eating the things Inna gave like a baby bird, showed a little curiosity about her story.

“Why do you dislike the student council president so much?”

“…Because she easily took away something I’ve been trying to acquire for ten years.”

Something she’s wanted for 10 years? I’ve only been in this world for less than a day, so I can’t immediately understand what she’s referring to when she talks about things from ten years ago.

But I’ve observed and heard enough that I can make guesses. The thing that Inna, who receives so much favor from many people, craves, might be the only thing the student council president easily took?

“Did you want to be the student council president?”

“Eh, yes?”

“Becoming student council president helps somewhat when applying for college or jobs, so you’ve dreamed of it since ten years ago. That you perceived her taking away your dream, is this not true?”

Her expression clearly showed that she heard something unexpected, but I couldn’t tell if it was because she didn’t expect me to deduce so well or because she was surprised by my wild imagination.

Inna slowed down the feeding motions with the chopsticks she had been using. Clearly, she was deep in thought in response to my question.

“Though I’ve never thought about it that way, it’s true that she easily stole something I considered my dream. Your deduction contributed to that—why I call her ‘student council president’ rather than her name is purely out of mockery. It’s not because I still have lingering feelings for that seat. I did apply for it to spite her. Hmm, do you have anything else you want to ask?”

“One more question. You seem to know my memories aren’t intact yet, so why don’t you ask about it?”

A question casually thrown in an otherwise quiet classroom. This statement could only be made because she was almost sure I had no memories related to our past.

Her response came easily, as if she wasn’t fazed by my sudden comment meant to catch her off guard.

“Hmm, because I figured it didn’t change much from how you normally act—indifferent to people around you like me. And because I know that losing memory doesn’t mean your soul changes or that you’re being controlled by someone else’s ability. As the student council president said, your ability is one that is not interfered with by others.”

Though methods like ‘possession’ or ‘brainwashing’ that drastically change a person’s personality could exist, they definitely wouldn’t work on me—so it’s reasonable to conclude that I’ve simply lost my memory.

At this point, I’m very curious about the superpower I seem to possess, one shared by all heroines.

What kind of power would make everyone who knows about supernatural abilities confident that I can’t be affected by others?

As I rapidly blinked at her, signaling my curiosity about my superpower, she fed me another piece of rolled egg with the chopsticks she had paused using just moments ago.

“We’re childhood friends, but not lovers, so I won’t tell you more than that.”

“Even childhood friends tell each other things like that, right? If you tell me, I’ll designate you as my best friend.”

To compare being close enough to share this information to being romantic partners—what kind of level of closeness are you expecting?

“Calling you a childhood friend makes you a close friend already, so it’s fine. …Besides, if you can’t get a job, I can just support you, so why do you need to study?”

She said it like an attempt to change the subject, but her words made me feel even more motivated to study.

With Inna’s cooking skills, I doubt studying is necessary—she could likely open a very successful restaurant. But I’m different.

To re-specialize in the field I studied before entering this world, I’ll need some kind of certification. Depending on how much money I have, I might even need to find a part-time job.

Since thinking about money will likely reduce study time, I should study as much as possible even when I don’t have a job.

Even in this romantic visual novel world, I feel defeated by the reality that I still need to study.

“When we were in the first year, the student council president and Kim Ha-neul, along with you, all scored 100 on exams. Even if you’ve forgotten, as you, you should at least do average right? So, it’s probably fine if you don’t study. Of course, studying together to go to university might be fun.”

Throughout this, the seductive whisper that studying isn’t necessary keeps tempting me to give in.

However, the reason Inna is tempting me isn’t out of genuine concern for my future but because she thinks she can support me if my future fails.

If I don’t plan to spend my life with her, I shouldn’t succumb to the temptation of not studying.

[Favorability increased by 1. Favorability 25 achieved. Previously the same method was continuously applied. For the time being, Inna’s favorability gain through food will be disabled.]

With her favorability already at 25, I should be wary of Inna. How long have we been here, and yet she’s already at 25?

At this rate, we’ll reach the ending within four days. As if to prevent using the same method repeatedly to charm me, the system message appeared.

Now, I can enjoy her food for free, without worrying about favorability, right? Thinking about it made the chewy rice grains in my mouth feel even tastier.

She woke me up, prepared breakfast, and then went straight to school—this lunchbox must have been prepared before waking me.

Most of the students in the class either went to the canteen, a restaurant, or ate bentos with their friends outside, leaving the classroom nearly empty except for a few. I took the chopsticks from Inna and started eating myself.

[Tip: If the other person acts negatively towards you, favorability may actually decrease. For example, if the queen of the school is believed to be Inna, favorability will immediately drop. However, if the queen is not Inna, favorability could rise sharply. In uncertain situations, it is advantageous to not be certain about the identity of the harmful party.]

A message explaining that favorability doesn’t always increase. The examples provided are strangely specific.

Is this system window aiming for Inna and me to be hostile, or does it want us to become closer?

Or does it simply want me to ponder its intentions by providing such examples?

“Why did you suddenly stop eating? Is my fried rice not good?”

“No, it’s still warm and tastes great. How did you do it?”

No matter how well-preserved it was in an insulated container, it would be difficult to maintain the freshly-cooked texture of each grain. The food she gives me is somehow beyond the realm of normal cooking, and it’s hard to find any faults with it. Unlike the system window, I do have the advantage of being able to ask her directly.

“Um, it’s the impact of my ability to infuse my emotions into food. If I cook with the thought ‘I want others to feel happy,’ then the food reflects those emotions and enhances happiness, making it taste better. Does that make sense?”

Kind of understandable, kind of not. But two things are certain: her ability to use her powers is strangely flexible.

And because the food she creates uses her ability, it could also lead to favorability being boosted faster.

With these two realizations, I began thinking—perhaps this romantic visual novel world didn’t start in the second year like I thought, but from the first year.

The storyline has progressed over a year of everyone honing their abilities, so that explains the high level of mastery.

Choosing the main heroine in a romantic visual novel doesn’t happen until all heroines have been met.

Just because I realized this now, it doesn’t mean it’s too late.

“Good enough if it doesn’t make sense. You’ll understand someday if you keep hanging around me.”

“Why do you assume we’ll keep hanging around?”

I questioned her presumption, as she seemed to take for granted that I would stay by her side, even though we had once had a quarrel and drifted apart.

“It’s because you like what I make.”

She said, picking up food from her own box and bringing it to my mouth with her chopsticks. It was true, so without replying, I opened my mouth and ate another bite.

Everything she offers still tastes delicious.