"We, we're going to be discovered!"
Chika covered her mouth and quickly blinked to signal.
"Leave it to me."
Natsuki gave her a reassuring look.
He was still planning to find some excitement; he wouldn't expose their office romance on the very first day!
"Use this."
Natsuki secretly took out the leg attachment device and handed it over.
"Eh?"
The situation was urgent. Chika couldn't afford to think too much. And without Kaguya's shadow skill to attach, she could only quickly transform into a leg attachment.
Thump.
Chika's figure vanished into thin air, leaving only the leg attachment and scattered clothes on the floor.
Immediately after, Natsuki raised his right hand and lightly snapped his fingers.
Snap!
Time Stop!
Everything in the Student Council suddenly solidified, as if time had been frozen in amber. The clock on the wall stopped ticking, and even the tiny dust particles floating in the air were distinct.
Natsuki unhurriedly bent down, picked up the leg attachment, equipped it on himself, and then put away Chika's clothes. Although Time Stop could only last for three seconds, completing all of this was no problem at all.
"Eh, what was that sound just now?"
Kashiwagi asked in confusion.
Natsuki replied without changing his expression,
"I didn't hear anything. Kashiwagi, are you hallucinating?"
"No way…"
Kashiwagi spoke while bending down to look into the recessed space under the desk, then let out a soft, "Huh?"
"Huh, Chika-chan is really not here?"
Natsuki said nonchalantly:
"I told you Chika just went out."
"Strange… Did I really remember wrong?"
Kashiwagi pursed her lips, still a bit unwilling to give up. While picking up the leg attachment, she continued to search for clues. Her gaze swept over Natsuki's body, and she suddenly saw an indescribable situation. Her small face flushed slightly, and she quickly averted her eyes, then stood up, her voice a little flustered:
"I must have remembered wrong. I thought Chika-chan was playing hide-and-seek… President, you must be busy, I'll head out first."
She didn't see wrong; the President clearly had a strange reaction!
The problem was that Kaguya and Chika were both absent, and it was just her and the President in the office. Why would the President have a reaction?
Could it be that he had feelings for her?
Too much!
Absolutely too much!
The internet says that boys are inherently lewd. No matter if it's a girl they like or not, as long as the other person is cute, they will think of inappropriate things. It turns out it's absolutely true!
Natsuki said casually:
"You have dark circles under your eyes. Remember to get some good rest and don't stay up late."
"The President's tone of voice sounds like an old uncle." Kashiwagi subtly took two steps back, increasing the distance, then complained, "I haven't been resting well lately, always having some strange dreams…"
"Hmm?"
Hearing this, Natsuki couldn't help but raise an eyebrow slightly:
"Elaborate on the situation."
More and more Strange Tales and eerie phenomena are invading from the parallel apocalyptic world. Any abnormal situation must be treated with heightened vigilance.
After all, she is the Student Council's Accounting Clerk. If there is danger, he certainly cannot let it go unchecked.
Kashiwagi blinked, not expecting Natsuki to dig into the details. She pursed her lips and whispered:
"It's nothing really… I mainly dreamt that on school, it must have been when everyone just enrolled, at the entrance ceremony, the President actually confessed to Kaguya-san, Chika-chan, Tsubame from the upper grades, and also Hayasaka, and Marin from the next class, all at the same time. Then we were all cheering below the stage, saying the President was the Harem King."
"What's going on…"
Natsuki narrowed his eyes slightly upon hearing this.
At the opening ceremony, he confessed to Chika and Kaguya in front of all the teachers and students, becoming the school Harem King—that should have been something that happened in the parallel apocalyptic world. Why would Kashiwagi dream of it?
Wait.
Natsuki suddenly remembered something else.
Earlier in the dungeon, Hayasaka had said that she also had similar dreams, and Marin and others had agreed. There should clearly be a connection there.
A flash of lightning crossed his mind, and Natsuki suddenly thought of a possibility.
Last night during the dream encounter, Miko from the other world had said that people with strong spiritual senses might be able to perceive information from other worlds in their dreams.
In other words, the Kashiwagi in front of him is one of these so-called people with strong spiritual senses?
"The President's expression looks so serious… What are you thinking about?"
Kashiwagi tilted her head and asked.
"Nothing." Natsuki shook his head, pushing the thought to the back of his mind. Things he could think of, the experts at the Strange Tales Management Bureau could certainly think of too, so he didn't need to worry about it. "You go play first."
"Goodbye, President."
Kashiwagi waved her hand, turned lightly, and left.
Natsuki exhaled softly, quickly focused, and began to process the tasks at hand at double speed. His movements were swift, and the tip of his pen almost left afterimages.
In just ten minutes, everything was completed.
"Done."
Natsuki closed his fountain pen, put Chika's clothes into his backpack, then picked up the backpack and walked out of the Student Council office, heading directly to the highest floor's restroom.
Since it wasn't yet time for school to start, the highest floor of the teaching building was basically deserted, and the hallway was exceptionally quiet.
He walked into the restroom.
Natsuki went to a corner, found a yellow 'Under Maintenance' sign, placed it at the restroom entrance, then washed his hands and stepped into the innermost stall.
As Natsuki removed the leg attachment, secretary Chika, without a stitch of clothing, quickly appeared in the stall.
"President, why did it take you so long to let me out?"
Chika hid in the corner, quickly covering her body with her hands.
Natsuki said seriously:
"Kashiwagi was still in the office. If I let you out, you would have been discovered."
"F-Forgive the President…" Chika's pretty face was flushed, already sensing the situation was not good. "President, quickly give me my clothes."
Natsuki took half a step forward and whispered:
"The clothes are in the backpack, but if you want them, you have to agree to one request first."
Chika's pretty face turned even redder, and she stammered:
"What does the President want to do?"
"Secretary Chika should know what I want to do, right?" Natsuki took another half step forward, raised his right hand, and cornered secretary Chika against the wooden wall, his gaze burning, "Since you left the dungeon until now, it's been a week since I've touched Chika-sama."
"It hasn't been that long…" Chika retorted softly, "And the President just kissed me."
Natsuki said:
"Then let me kiss you for another hour, then I'll let you out."
"No, an hour is too long." Chika's pretty face was flushed, and she tried to dodge, but the restroom stall was only so big, there was nowhere to hide. "This is the restroom, won't we be discovered?"
Natsuki reached out and pulled secretary Chika into his arms, whispering:
"School hasn't started yet, and this is the highest floor of the teaching building, so no one will come. Plus, I put an 'Under Maintenance' sign at the restroom entrance, so I guarantee we won't be discovered."
Chika looked pitiful, trying to play the emotional card:
"W-What if someone hears us?"
"That is a problem…" Natsuki nodded, took out a white towel, and held it in front of secretary Chika, "Bite on this."
Chika immediately puffed out her pink cheeks and huffed:
"I don't want to bite on something like that, it's not comfortable at all… And doing that kind of thing in school is just too terrible, isn't it?"
"It is indeed terrible." Natsuki didn't deny it, "But…"
Natsuki lowered his voice and said:
"But it will definitely be very nervous and exciting."
Chika: "…President, you pervert!"
"…"
Secretary Chika, like a lamb entering a tiger's den, had nowhere to escape. Fearing discovery, she could only reluctantly and obediently comply… It must be said, being at school was indeed very nervous and exciting; secretary Chika's reactions were completely different from usual.
An hour later.
The two finally left the restroom. Natsuki walked ahead, feeling refreshed, while secretary Chika's steps were soft, and she had to lean on the wall. As for what happened during that time… please await the extra chapter.
What followed needs no further words.
Kaguya had already completed most of the Student Council work in advance. Natsuki spent half a day there and finished all the remaining tasks. Next was to wait for the official start of school.
Around noon, Natsuki offered to treat them again, taking Kaguya, Chika, and Kashiwagi, the four of them, to a barbecue restaurant near the school for a big barbecue meal, then they each went home.
After bidding farewell to the three girls, Natsuki took out his phone, sent a message to Mitsui in advance, and then boarded the train.
The journey was uneventful.
Natsuki quickly arrived outside the Foreign Minister's villa.
"Natsuki-kun."
Under the bright sunlight, Mitsui, dressed in a professional suit with a neat ponytail, was already waiting expectantly.
Natsuki walked up to her and smiled:
"I just finished up, and came right over."
After a brief exchange of greetings, Natsuki, led by Mitsui, walked into the villa.
"Tsk~"
As soon as he entered, all sorts of Evil Spirit came into view: female Wraith with heavily swollen abdomens, construction workers with distorted limbs as if they had fallen from a great height, and Evil Spirit whose forms were completely distorted, and so on. The entire place was a Haunted House.
"You didn't use Evil Spirit Exorcism yesterday?"
Natsuki turned to look at Mitsui and asked in a low voice.
Mitsui shook her head slightly, a bitter smile appearing on her pretty face, and whispered:
"I already used it… These are the Evil Spirit that gathered again today."
"Tsk~"
Natsuki couldn't help but let out a soft click of his tongue.
No wonder his mother said that every capitalist's hands are stained with sin and blood. That statement was indeed correct.
These Evil Spirit were all gathered in the Minister's house, which obviously had something to do with him. If all the evidence of his crimes were found, it would probably be enough for ten death sentences.
But these had nothing to do with Natsuki.
He was not a righteous hero, nor did he have any intention of punishing evil. His only purpose in coming was to eliminate Strange Tale.
"You… can see me?"
A slender female Evil Spirit with her tongue sticking out tilted her head to look at Natsuki, her voice hollow and ethereal, filled with despair and malice.
"Staying in a place like this for a night, it would be strange not to have dark circles under your eyes."
Natsuki complained while decisively activating the [Evil Spirit Exorcism].
The next second.
Within the aura's range, invisible, transparent flames immediately ignited on the bodies of all the Evil Spirit.
Amidst the ethereal and malevolent screams that only players could hear, the nearby Evil Spirit were quickly swept away.
"Phew…"
Mitsui let out a soft sigh of relief.
Staying with so many Evil Spirit for an entire day, she had to admit, the psychological pressure was considerable. Forget about sleeping, she didn't even dare to close her eyes.
"Natsuki-kun, there are still quite a few Evil Spirit upstairs…"
Mitsui said softly.
Natsuki waved his hand:
"Lead the way."
"…"
Natsuki, with the [Evil Spirit Exorcism] aura activated, and led by Mitsui, quickly swept through the entire villa, eliminating at least a dozen Evil Spirit during the process.
"Natsuki-senpai."
"Thanks to you."
"Finally, we can breathe a sigh of relief."
The Strange Tales Management Bureau personnel naturally weren't just Mitsui. There were several others responsible for close protection. Now, seeing Natsuki clear out the Evil Spirit in the villa, they all came forward to express their gratitude and greet him.
After a round of pleasantries, Natsuki quickly met the protected child, a petite girl with a bob haircut and a small canine tooth at the corner of her mouth, who looked somewhat familiar.
"Eh, Natsuki-senpai?" the junior high girl excitedly called out first.
Natsuki hesitated, "You are?"
"I'm Moeha-chan's good friend," the junior high girl said happily, "Moeha-chan tells us every day that Senpai is a super wonderful person."
Goodness, she was actually his junior high junior.
However, Natsuki quickly felt relieved after a moment's thought.
Shuchiin Academy was originally an aristocratic academy. It was only in recent years, with reforms, that it began to admit commoner students. As the daughter of the Minister of Foreign Affairs, attending an aristocratic academy was natural.
"I was just chatting with Moeha-chan..." the junior high girl said happily, "Senpai, come in and sit down. I'll contact Moeha-chan."
Natsuki thought about it and didn't refuse. After all, personnel from the Strange Tales Management Bureau were already in the room.
This little girl was still young and clearly unaware of how terrifying Strange Tale were. After leading Natsuki into the room, she scurried to the computer and sat down, then her fingers flew across the keyboard, sending a video chat invitation.
A moment later, the video call connected successfully.
"Ayaka-chan, you said you saw Natsuki-senpai?" Moeha's voice came from the computer.
"Senpai is right next to me," the junior high girl lifted her chin proudly, "Senpai, come here, come here."
Natsuki reluctantly stepped forward and walked into the camera's view.
"Eh, eh, eh?" Moeha's eyes instantly lit up, "It really is Senpai!"
Natsuki raised his hand to greet her, "Moeha, good afternoon."
"Eh, Senpai seems to have lost some weight..."
Moeha spoke while bending over and leaning closer to the computer.
Moeha should have been resting at Fujiwara. She was wearing a cute rabbit pajama suit. As she bent over, the rabbit pajamas became somewhat revealing, almost popping out.
"Moeha-chan, you're exposing yourself!" the junior high girl quickly reminded her.
"Ahhh!" Moeha snapped back to reality, quickly covered her chest with both hands, and sat up straight, her small face flushed, "Senpai, Senpai didn't see it, did he?"
"I didn't see anything," Natsuki said without changing his expression, "However... next time you video chat with someone, don't bend over, and especially don't lean close to the computer."
"I wouldn't!" Moeha's pretty face was crimson, as if on fire, "Because it's Senpai, I wanted to see clearly. If it were anyone else, I wouldn't even video chat with them."
The junior high girl giggled, "Moeha-chan talks about Senpai in front of us every day. Could it be that she likes Senpai?"
Moeha immediately panicked, stammering, "No, no such thing, Ayaka-chan, don't talk nonsense!"
Natsuki sighed silently.
Junior high was indeed a carefree age.
The two little girls chatted and giggled for a while, then quickly quieted down.
"Senpai..." Moeha bit her lower lip, her eyes worried, and whispered, "Since you appeared at Ayaka-chan's Fujiwara, something very serious must have happened, right?"
Natsuki didn't hide anything. Moeha was a firsthand witness to the Strange Tale incident and clearly understood how terrifying Strange Tales were. He softly said, "Your friend, Ayaka, encountered an anomaly..."
The junior high girl beside him chirped, "Senpai can just call me Ayaka."
Natsuki nodded slightly and continued, "It's very dangerous."
Ayaka murmured softly, "I don't feel anything. My body is normal, not a single strange feeling, and no matter where I go, someone follows me. Even when I go to the restroom, they don't let me close the door. It's so troublesome..."
"Ayaka-chan, don't take it lightly," Moeha's expression was serious, and she bit her lip, "You could really die if you're not careful. When I encountered the Strange Tale, I saw many deceased people."
"..." The junior high girl was startled and finally stopped talking.
Moeha's tone was worried, "Senpai is so wonderful, he can definitely eliminate the Strange Tale and help Ayaka-chan, right?"
Natsuki calmly said, "Since I'm here, I'll naturally do my best to help Ayaka."
"That's good..."
"..." There were also two female staff members providing twenty-four-hour personal protection in the room, so as long as they weren't alone in an enclosed space, there was no need to worry about someone knocking on the door.
Natsuki spoke a few more words with the two junior high students, then left the room to discuss countermeasures with Mitsui.
"Natsuki-kun, you're out?" Mitsui was sitting on the sofa, propping her chin with her right hand, taking a nap. Hearing footsteps, she quickly opened her eyes.
Natsuki sat down beside her and asked, "The expert team should have already formulated countermeasures, right?"
Mitsui said softly, "According to the information Natsuki-kun provided, the sub-entity of [Evil Neighbor] exists in physical form. We can temporarily capture it instead of directly killing it on the spot."
"The rule of [Evil Neighbor] is to borrow life. For them, it should be something quite important."
"Once the capture is successful, the Strange Tales Management Bureau will have death row inmates responsible for triggering its rules, thereby luring other sub-entities to come, and ultimately catching them all in one fell swoop."
Mitsui spoke eloquently, explaining the entire plan, and softly said, "Of course, there are also two backup plans... Does Natsuki-kun have anything else to add?"
"No," Natsuki shook his head. Specialization has its place, and he didn't think he alone was smarter than the entire expert team. He only said, "It's best to take action at night."
By night, Natsuki could use his domain expansion, which would be safer and more secure.
Mitsui naturally wouldn't refuse, "Okay."
As for the death row inmates whose fates were decided in a few words, no one cared.
It was well known that Japan had not abolished the death penalty system, and death row inmates did exist. However, those who were sentenced to death were inevitably heinous criminals, and even being cut into a thousand pieces would not be excessive.
Natsuki naturally had no sympathy for these people; he would only spit on them and then stomp on them twice.
"There's one more thing..." Mitsui raised her hand to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear and softly said, "After expert analysis, perceiving other worlds through dreams should not be a unique phenomenon. According to Natsuki-kun, it's actually a psychic perception phenomenon."
"Based on this, an expert proposed a hypothesis: What is the standard by which the game selects players?"
Natsuki raised an eyebrow slightly, "The selection standard is also psychic ability?"
"It's very possible," Mitsui nodded gently, "After all, each time a random dungeon is opened, the game only selects a few players, not everyone in the area. There must be a selection standard."
It must be said, this inference made a lot of sense. The game's selection of players clearly followed some kind of rule.
Mitsui continued, "The Strange Tales Management Bureau is currently verifying this point. If it's confirmed to be true, then perhaps the player base can be rapidly expanded in the future, no longer requiring invitation letters or other special items..."