Chapter 80

The appearance of the student council vice-president was an ill-timed calamity for both those in the restroom and whoever had asked them to go there.

The leader of the group in the restroom, who had gone there at someone else’s request to h*rass Erica, also happened to be the class president of another class. She had no choice but to head to the room of her client.

The teachers were aware that the room wasn’t one of the ones reserved by the school, but when she knocked on the door a few times, it opened to reveal a woman in her pajamas.

Despite already having a room booked by the school, this woman had rented one separately.

Although the school schedule wasn’t over yet, the fact that she had already changed into her pajamas could suggest impatience.

Yet, Nayeju, who knew what the woman, Inna, intended to do after completing the task of bringing Erica to this room, couldn’t help but sneer openly as she looked at her.

“Welcome! Did everything go well?”

Even though it was obvious from her face and the absence of Erica that the task hadn’t gone well, Inna smiled as if she didn’t know any better, seemingly cheerful.

It wasn’t likely that she had expected failure from the start when assigning the task.

Her usual expression was one of a smile, and since the results of the task didn’t deviate from her expectations, she couldn’t stop smiling.

Hating Erica was one thing, but since Nayeju guessed her own failure, she detested Inna’s unchanging, smug smile, making her dive onto the inner bed, ignoring the woman altogether, after considering Erica the most detestable person she knew.

It didn’t concern her that the bed belonged to the private room Inna had rented.

Seeing the woman buried into the bed like a soaked mop, Inna spoke.

“It seems it didn’t go well at all? If you had taken photos, you’d have come confidently, and if you had made Erica use that new skill she’s recently mastered, there’s no way you would have come back in one piece.”

That new ability Erica had recently mastered.

It was a power that could punish others, even if Erica usually only used it for self-defense, albeit one that rendered her incapable of defending herself afterward, making it a weakness as well.

While the intelligence Inna had relayed might not be entirely accurate, outwardly Erica and Inna were fairly close, so it wasn’t too far off to say that Erica had learned a new application of her abilities.

“Why don’t you try doing things yourself if you’re so keen on predicting? You go on talking like that all the time, don’t you? You said you liked both breaking her and watching her break. Your direct involvement would’ve had a higher success rate than me leading the charge.”

While mind control or hypnosis would be better for dismantling someone, the ability the woman waiting in the room possessed was more universally effective.

If the target had secrets they couldn’t afford to be exposed, it could reveal them, or it could exploit any weaknesses they have.

It was a power that could align destiny with one’s will, if destiny truly existed.

If she had taken action herself, there would have been no doubt she could have achieved her desired outcome — surely she could have taken pictures and even made Erica use her new skill.

However, Inna gently shook her head while looking down at the woman buried in the bed with contempt.

“By doing it myself, I’d become her enemy, wouldn’t I? That’s why I asked someone I don’t have much contact with. Since I can’t win against her if she becomes my enemy again. I don’t want to become her enemy again in this situation where the relationship has already reset.”

Win or lose.

If Erica’s defeat condition was destruction, what then was Erica’s victory condition?

The young woman, who had agreed to oppress Erica based solely on the condition of her failure, lifted her head from the bed and looked at Inna, who wanted to ruin Erica but didn’t want to become her enemy.

Looking at her thoughts, she seemed juvenile, but if you knew the depths of her scheming, she was far from innocent.

“Still, thank you for your efforts. Now I know the student council president still hasn’t forgotten about Erica and sent her most reliable ally to guard her. It seems my obsession with Kim Ha-neul wasn’t misplaced.”

Because of her menacing appearance, Erica was feared as a delinquent, but as student council vice-president, her role was to ensure students followed the rules that the president set up.

The president, who was almost like a nobody among students, trusted only the student council vice-president Riki except for Erica.

“I don’t recall you mentioning that I retreated because the vice-president arrived. Did you by any chance plant a spy among us?!”

Lost in thought, forgetting who was in front of her, Na Ye-ju erupted, leaping up in despair at Inna’s behavior.

Watching her, Inna explained gently — if anything, it was closer to an excuse.

“Why do we need the term ‘spy’ when we have the good term ‘friend’? Besides, if your friend is also my friend, then aren’t we all friends? Your friend was just curious and shared a word or two.”

How long would it take to travel from the restroom to the room? Was this what Inna referred to as her friend quickly selling out information instead of a spy?

Na Ye-ju clenched her rage to avoid exploding. It could only be Inna who was trying to bother Erica, who had recently been trying to behave.

Since bothering Erica required help from others, and among them, Inna, who was known as the queen of the school, was the most powerful force.

“I don’t nurture hopes that love with Kim Ha-neul will be reciprocated, and I detest having to rely on only one thing.”

“Why specifically today, though? It would’ve been easier to act under the school’s cover without running into the vice-president. You could’ve spread false information about the vice-president, making it impossible for her to even come.”

You could’ve driven the vice-principal far away by deliberately inducing complaints from students elsewhere.

The student council president might favor Erica, but to maintain her position as president, she cannot show favoritism.

“Why did I choose today? Just seeing Erica among the others made me irritated, so I wanted her to feel the same. They always say lovebirds feel alike, after all. I wanted to share this unpleasant feeling with her as soon as possible.”

Na Ye-ju’s ostensibly rational questioning was answered with Inna’s crazed response.

Understanding that tormenting others through her friends would ensure Erica wouldn’t rely on her, the woman had chosen to use them, thereby showing her own madness clearly.

To vent her frustrations, even the most effective choice was disregarded. If this weren’t madness, then what was?

Regardless of what Na Ye-ju thought about her, Inna laughed, remembering the student council president standing behind Erica, as she had in their days of love.

“Then let’s pretend we are in love, like how the student council president and Erica used to be.”

While pondering ways to torment Erica, Inna delved deeper into her thoughts, ignoring the gaze of Na Ye-ju, who was glaring at her.

The possibility of attack Erica had mentioned to her — how could she use it to her advantage?

*

If the school trip has a highlight, it isn’t a showcase of talent but rather indoor games played while gathered together.

Therefore, dormitory mates are typically from the same class or group. If not, there’s usually a chance midway to exchange rooms with someone else.

Close friends sleeping together could lead to drinking or delinquent behavior. Yet, teachers typically allow it to prevent awkward silences that could become unbearable.

Awkwardness can be resolved by pulling out a smartphone, since the games inside can help forget uncomfortable atmospheres.

However, being too self-conscious under the direct stare of someone made me unable to use my phone, so I looked up and met the art club president, who was staring at me.

“Um, I have something to say, is that okay? It’s nothing major, so if you’re busy, we can do it another time.”

“If you have something to say, feel free to do so anytime.”

“Then, could you take a look at this?”

It didn’t matter as long as she stopped staring at me intently. Her cheeks turned slightly red as she handed over her phone. Inside it was a boy, the boy I suspected to be the protagonist of this world.

“Do you, by any chance, know this person?”

“Um…?”

I instinctively inquired back, responding to the natural formality the girl addressed me with. Everyone knows that the reason this body tried to harm itself was because it lost Kim Ha-neul to the student council president. No, the real reason was the exact opposite — losing the position of the student council president to Kim Ha-neul.

No matter how others interpret it, asking me about my relationship with Kim Ha-neul was unusual. In Han Ye-seul’s case, it made sense. She’s an idol and rarely shows up at school.

However, why didn’t this woman, who as the art club president should have known many people and news about the student body, know this? Was she friendless? Or bullied?

Though I suddenly felt a sense of relatability, my answer remained determined.

“No, I don’t know him well.”

Though I once thought he might become a friend, I don’t call someone a friend if I can betray them for my purpose.

Although the other party might think of me as a friend, the word is kept deliberately ambiguous. If they considered me a friend but I told others otherwise, how heartbroken would they feel?

“I see. That’s disappointing… I had high hopes since I heard you were friends with Kim Ha-neul. Ahh, wait. Should I use the informal speech again?”

“Go ahead and be comfortable. Do what’s comfortable.”

“Yeah! It’s fun to listen!” “We listen better when you’re comfortable too!”

Twins who had appeared around me, already eavesdropping on our conversation. They’re aware that the association supervises ability users from straying too far but don’t know the specific duties of secret agents, so their approach felt somewhat burdensome.

Should I get more involved with the association as I continue living in this world? The woman who claims to be the sibling of this body and tells strange jokes was also an association member, making this connection logical.

…Hmm? Therefore, these two could also serve as sources for information about the sibling of this body, about whom I couldn’t inquire before due to the absence of association members at school, given its connection to the 0th bad ending.

Although they weren’t outright identified as secret agents, indirectly questioning them would be challenging but my own responsibility to figure out.

First of all, let’s start with…

“Then, could you stay still for a moment? I’d like to commemorate us living in the same dorm by drawing one picture.”

Staying still was, in fact, a very challenging task as it meant doing absolutely nothing. I observed the woman raising her large phone and a smart pen, tensing my body to prevent movement as best as I could.

It seemed difficult to earn someone’s favor, but receiving the goodwill of the art club president by staying still for a single drawing didn’t appear too hard.

“Time to go out!” “Let’s go together!”

Although I wanted to wait until the art club president had finished her drawing, it was time for dinner according to the twins, so I stood up with the other dorm residents to head to the meal. I was told the sketch was done.

The meal was apparently well-prepared by the school, much better than the usual cafeteria food, but still nowhere near as tasty as the meals Inna prepared.

Given I had grown accustomed to eating her home-cooked meals since coming to this world, the taste difference was keenly felt.

I want to eat the meat Inna cooks. I want to eat the cabbage and perilla leaves she washes. As if answering my wish, a system window appeared.

[Favorability increase through Inna’s food is now possible again.]