Chapter 133

The semester exams were over, and all that remained was the vacation. But that didn’t mean we could just sit around waiting foolishly for the end-of-term exams to come. We had enjoyed a little break, and now it was truly time to get to work.

For that reason, there was a particular place I needed to visit first. So, finding myself back at a school room that seemed like it had been long neglected, I stopped to take a breath before stepping in.

In a romantic visual novel, if the protagonist does nothing, the only result that comes is a bad ending. And while the heroine might stay passive and expect the protagonist to solve everything, I had no intention of relying on the protagonist’s help, even at the risk of being pursued by them.

Favorability: -100.

Even though Kim Ha-neul’s favorability was fixed at the lowest point of -100, receiving help a few times wouldn’t suddenly skyrocket it up to +100. However, since there was a way to make it possible, my role as the heroine opposite the protagonist remained certain despite the -100 favorability.

Thus, in order to avoid being pursued by someone and achieve the true ending, I could not rely on Kim Ha-neul but had to act proactively. Still, to be honest, I couldn’t just blindly jump into the main storyline without at least having a vague sense of it.

What I had grasped was a problem involving the government of this country.

To avoid being branded as some kind of rebel faction akin to a revolutionary of Busan, I decided it was better not to make unnecessary moves until they took the first step.

So, what could I do currently?

The answer had been set from the start.

If discussions with the homeroom teacher could restore lost memories of my school days and point the way forward, there was only one system I could actively engage in from my prior experiences.

The request system.

While semester exams like the one just finished were defenses to uphold my status as a “genius” and the position of a sub-heroine,

the request system felt more akin to an offense, where my personal connections with other heroines would be forged through my direct involvement.

“Initially, I didn’t know why making connections with other heroines was necessary…”

But now that I’d learned the secret behind my protection, the purpose of this system was clear.

If my protection allowed me to borrow other supernatural abilities through fraud, the places to farm those abilities would be connected to my previous lover and the student council.

Just like how in RPG games, adventurers’ guilds offer requests that serve to grow the character but may also tie directly into the main story,

in this world related to games, the request system was inevitably connected to the main storyline from the very beginning, while also helping me grow.

After hearing from the true owner of this body about the “real” use of my protection, I came to understand, though it was tardy in a way—still, the fastest time to act is when you think you’ve waited too long. So, it wasn’t entirely too late.

Knock. Knock.

My assumptions were not wrong.

Having concluded my train of thought, I knocked on the door and entered without hesitation.

Inside was the vice-president, dressed neatly in black, with the request board placed prominently.

A quick glance at the board and I noticed it looked quite different compared to last time.

With as much time having passed without me handling requests, it was natural that many had been resolved and new ones had come in.

“Hi…?”

“Wow, it’s been such a long time since I last saw you. I thought you were just so fed up with helping others with their requests that you decided not to show up anymore.”

I was, in fact, busy. Busy as can be… However, during crucial moments like before the exams, important requests typically come in. The guilt of having been so absorbed in studying that I wasn’t available lingers slightly.

This place was originally only accessible for members of the student council to resolve requests, but I was granted an exception because of my connection to the president.

“Exams were hectic.”

“…Yes, I see. Since lunch break is almost over, you need to hurry.”

Of course, everyone here was equally occupied during the exam period.

Still, her eyes showed a flicker of hesitation before her lips gave the all-clear to resume accepting requests.

Her tone felt slightly more distant than before, though it made sense, given I hadn’t been consistent in handling requests despite my privileged knowledge of other students’ affairs.

After her words, I looked at the board for the first time in ages, and the familiar windows re-appeared in front of me.

[NEW Request 1 – People keep tormenting me. It started with chalk dust being thrown at me, but now they are stealing my textbooks and even my shoes. Could you possibly help? {A request to form a bond with one of the outcast-type heroines.}]

[Request 2 – The students who were bullying my arrogant junior have vanished one by one. Could you check if they’re dead? If not, could you also find out what the junior did to make them disappear? {A request to connect with one of the delinquent-type heroines.}]

[Request 3 – Lately, there’s someone I want to confess to, but because they already have a partner, I’m hesitant. Is there anyone who could help me with this? {A request to forge a bond with a random romance-seeking heroine.}]

Naturally, after handling the first request, no recommended ones appeared. Reading through them, I smirked, knowing I had only one real option.

The second request sounded like it involved finding the trouble-making delinquents who had been tormenting me—eliminated. I had no clue where they disappeared to either.

As for the first, accepting it as someone with a bad reputation could worsen the requester’s torment.

In the end, only one request remained. Knowing both male and female romantic psychology, having lived as a male before, it was evident to me that this kind of romance request was within my wheelhouse.

“I’ll take this one.”

“Ah, well… okay. I’ll inform the requester separately, but if you could stay after classes end, the requester might come see you directly.”

It seemed like she was subtly urging me to leave, so I complied and quickly exited.

*

This locked room, containing highly personal students’ requests, was restricted to student council members, even if someone was inside already. However, Erica’s entrance without any objection was made possible because someone had permitted her, likely aware she was already here.

“Alright, you can come out now. Why are you still hiding?”

Still seated at the desk when Erica walked in, the vice president stood and addressed the woman hiding under the desk.

Of course, it wasn’t like the two were engaged in anything risqué when Erica came in, nor had they forgotten to lock the door.

The woman who had hidden beneath the desk to avoid Erica was none other than the student council president, who had approved her entrance but shied away from facing her directly.

The president, now emerging from beneath the desk, lightly dusted off her clothes.

Her actions, dignified and characteristic of the president, might have seemed admirable, whereas ducking under the chair for refuge from Erica’s gaze might appear amusing to an outsider.

To the vice president, who respected the president, this wasn’t comical but was rather a matter of concern.

“Could Erica have noticed? Standing still when someone arrives, and then rushing them out…”

The suspicion arose that Erica might have refrained from directly acknowledging the president out of shyness, not due to oversight.

The vice president, who remained seated trying to shield the president, hadn’t budged, and one might speculate that Erica could piece together the clues to deduce someone had assisted the president’s hiding.

Given Erica’s intellectual prowess, having achieved 100% scores in every exam until this last round, this seemed plausible.

“No, she wouldn’t have noticed. She’s rather focused on her own priorities. Probably just checking requests and leaving, like last time.”

But the wiser of the two shook their head, refuting the vice president’s suspicions. After all, school exams test memory and comprehension, not pure wisdom.

Not that Erica was dumb—it’s just that understanding this situation wasn’t something Erica needed to know. Even if clues were passed directly in front of her, she would likely miss them.

The president, who hid beneath the desk the moment Erica entered, was the very person who couldn’t bear to let others think Erica was foolish.

Perceiving the still-complicated relationship between them, the vice president restrained themselves from sighing and asked,

“So, what will you do? The man the requester wanted to confess to was you. The requester, a fellow member of the ‘student council,’ aimed to call you for a consultation and intended to confirm your genuine intentions about starting a relationship through a dating consultation.”

The girl, who had a bond with the president, had taken on the very request intended to call out the president.

The vice president attempted to intervene the moment Erica selected it but ultimately relented after a nudge from the president to allow Erica’s choice.

“If they truly intended to call me, they should have clearly specified that. The fault lies with them for not doing so.”

The requester possibly assumed the president would understand the intent via “wisdom” and thus didn’t specify it. Yet, the president’s statement meant if they really wanted her called, they should have been explicit.

Accepting this reasoning without questioning, the vice president texted the requester, informing them to visit Erica’s class after school to find the request handler.

Deliberately omitting Erica’s name, no confirmation of the handler’s identity was made in the reply, even after receiving a polite “thank you.”

This was now the requester’s fault!

Deciding that, the vice president followed the president’s directive and resolved no longer to hold their phone.