A pair of very childish slippers lay askew at the edge of the bed.
The girl, hugging a large, beige teddy bear and curled up on the bed, brought to mind a cat slowly raising its tail as it was being petted.
She still hadn't changed out of the sailor uniform she had painstakingly chosen to meet her senpai.
Her small, soft, pale feet pressed against the bedding, the arches of her feet curving like crescent moons.
Her aqua-blue eyes were misty and hazy.
With her right hand pressed to her cheek, Saotome Yukina could feel... her face was now burning hot and red.
The scene from her... meeting with Su-senpai this morning replayed over and over in her mind.
The embarrassing parts, the foolish parts.
It was as if a tiny, chibi version of Saotome Yukina inside her heart was relentlessly waving a wooden sign at her head, scolding her for being so hopeless.
But... the girl with misty eyes sniffed the back of her right hand.
The back of her hand seemed to retain a faint, crisp, sweet-and-sour citrus scent.
"Yu~zu..."
A slightly rising inflection.
Those earnest, crimson eyes seemed to appear before her again.
Yuzu-senpai is such a gentle person.
Her arms tightened their embrace around the beige teddy bear.
It was just that Saotome Yukina felt like she had forgotten something very important.
Creeak—
The dormitory room door was pushed open.
Although she was the young lady of the Saotome family, Saotome Yukina had chosen to live in the dorms to experience the legendary campus life.
A double room, at that.
Of course—
Unbeknownst to Saotome Yukina, her roommate was actually a girl of excellent character and academic standing, carefully selected by the Saotome family.
"Saotome-san, you're back already?"
A voice as melodious as a hymn.
The figure of a girl with golden hair and golden eyes appeared before her.
The girl bent down and neatened the slippers that Saotome Yukina had carelessly kicked aside.
"You look so happy..."
"Did something good happen?"
"Mi... Mira-san." Hugging the teddy bear and hiding most of her face behind it, Saotome Yukina looked at the girl smiling at her.
Standing in the sunlight, the girl looked like an angel.
"This morning..."
"I saw Yuzu-senpai." Although she didn't dare say Yuzu's name directly in front of Su Yuzu, back in the dorm, the girl seemed to have cast off her restraints.
She affectionately called her Yuzu-senpai, Yuzu-senpai.
"And! And!!!"
"When I saw Yuzu-senpai... I... I also received a 「Blessing」."
She raised her right hand.
A small, dancing vortex of water spun on her fingertip.
Saotome Yukina could clearly feel that her ability had significantly improved.
Recalling the morning's events, her already misty eyes grew even more moist, as if they were about to overflow with water.
A 「Blessing」... I can't believe it feels this good.
"That's certainly something to be happy about." The girl looked at the vortex on Saotome Yukina's fingertip with some confusion.
She could sense it.
Saotome Yukina had not received a 「Blessing」.
But... the improvement in the girl's ability was genuine.
She sat down next to Saotome Yukina.
Only after carefully confirming that Saotome Yukina bore no trace of an 「Aberrant's」 aura did she breathe a sigh of relief.
Looking at Saotome Yukina's wide eyes staring at her, the girl gently changed the subject, "Well then..."
"The favor you were going to ask that Su-senpai."
"Did you take care of it?"
"Eh?" Saotome Yukina's smile suddenly froze.
"..." Even without an answer, the girl probably understood what had happened. "You forgot?"
"I... I forgot." Bumping her head against the doll again and again, Saotome Yukina looked utterly miserable.
However... it was as if a little person inside her heart was leaping for joy.
"Tomorrow—"
"I can go see Yuzu-senpai again..."
-
-
-
[Ding—]
[Recollection: Saotome Yukina Favorability +1]
[Favorability Increase Reward Acquired: Girl's Fishnet Stockings.]
[Ding—]
[Stirrings: Saotome Yukina Favorability +2]
[Favorability Increase Reward Acquired: Eighth Dimension * 1.]
[...]
Looking at the 「Operator Development」 interface before her.
A chibi version of Saotome Yukina was rolling back and forth on the bed, hugging a beige plush toy nearly as big as herself.
（≧∇≦）
[Operator: Saotome Yukina]
[☆☆☆☆☆]
[Favorability: 52 (Favor).]
Su Yuzu fell into deep thought.
She had considered that as the starting heroine, Saotome Yukina's favorability would probably be easy to raise, but... Su Yuzu never imagined it would be this easy.
Su Yuzu had no idea what the girl was fantasizing about while rolling around on her bed.
To think she was slowly... winning herself over.
But right now—
She had more important things to do.
She exited Saotome Yukina's development interface.
Su Yuzu looked at the black card with gilded edges in her inventory.
「Basic Combat Records」.
A deep breath—
She recalled the girl's embarrassed state this morning when she used the 「Basic Combat Records」 on Saotome Yukina.
Su Yuzu was fully prepared.
The water temperature in the bathroom was just right.
A change of clothes was ready.
Compared to breaking the curse of Level 0, this 'hardship' was nothing at all.
She tapped the icon of the black and gold card.
[--Use 「Basic Combat Records」?--]
[--Yes--]
There was no more hesitation.
Su Yuzu closed her eyes.
Crunch, crunch—
Completely different from the sensual feeling she had imagined, Su Yuzu only felt as if a perpetually insatiable monster was hidden inside her body.
The monster opened its massive maw, crunched the card to pieces, and swallowed it.
—Her power was rising, but her chest still felt empty.
[Ding—]
[Successfully used 「Basic Combat Records」.]
[Combat Experience increased.]
[Level 0 Psychokinesis User ▇▇▇→Level 1 Psychokinesis User ▇▇▇]
Although she wasn't quite sure what those ▇▇▇ meant.
It probably meant her ability wasn't as simple as just Psychokinesis.
But... Su Yuzu could definitely feel it.
Her psychic power had increased.
Getting stronger was a good thing.
She could finally start to wash away the gossip that came with phrases like 'a prodigy in youth, a disappointment in adulthood'.
She reached out, gently covering the small notebook by her pillow with her hand.
With a flicker of her will.
According to the power level of a Level 1 Psychokinesis User, she should be able to lift the notebook using only her psychic power.
But... a light breeze blew past.
The air suddenly fell silent.
The little notebook didn't move an inch, remaining right where it was.
She... seemed to have failed.
Su Yuzu could clearly feel she had grown stronger, yet she couldn't even lift a notebook.
The girl's fists clenched tightly.
'Maybe it's because I haven't grasped the knack of Psychokinesis yet?'
Su Yuzu could only console herself with this thought.
Forcing her attention away from the notebook, the girl reopened the Operator Development module.
A somewhat heavy metal permit fell into Su Yuzu's hand.
Compared to mere Level 1 Psychokinesis.
The 「Newbie Ten-Pull Headhunting Permit」 was far more important.
It meant a new Operator, which meant a new ATM.
Heck... if her luck was good, she might even pull a six-star rarity Operator.
Before or after reincarnating.
She had always been a certified 'gacha king'.
Reaching out, Su Yuzu gently tapped the 「Newbie Ten-Pull Headhunting Permit」 icon.
[--Use 「Newbie Ten-Pull Headhunting Permit」?--]
She didn't notice.
After her attention had shifted from the small notebook.
The previously flat notebook had suddenly been forcibly twisted 90 degrees at its center.
She clasped her hands together in prayer.
Su Yuzu tapped [--Yes--].
The next second, it was as if a rainbow-colored meteor streaked across her vision.
A golden legendary?
It's rainbow-colored!
[☆☆☆☆☆☆]!!!
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