Hiding behind the corner, Koushi listened to Shido's practically sexually harassing remarks and Origami's incomprehensible "I can," raising the internal alarm to the highest level.
Just thinking about Shido's terrifying combat style—where "marriage" served as an auto-attack (AA) and "smelling the gym clothes" was a normal attack (NA), forming a terrifying combo of AA interspersed with NA—...
...and realizing that Fraxinus might very well use this strategy for "conquering Chinatsu" in the future, a shiver ran down his spine, leaving him covered in goosebumps.
(No! I absolutely cannot let this slide! I must throw a bucket of cold water on him right now to make him sober up! For the sake of my future psychological well-being, I must severely settle the score with him!)
Having made up his mind, Koushi took a deep breath, adjusted his expression, and pretended he had just been passing by and coincidentally overheard a shocking piece of gossip.
He abruptly leapt out from the corner, his face etched with "shock and contempt," and his trembling finger pointed at the still-dazed Shido:
"Itsuka Shido!!!"
This powerful roar instantly shattered the eerie atmosphere in the hallway, drawing the attention of both Shido and Origami.
Shido flinched in shock. When he realized it was Koushi, all the color instantly drained from his face, and he stammered, "Se- Koushi?! When... when did you..."
"When did I arrive?"
Koushi snorted coldly, crossed his arms, and scrutinized Shido up and down with the gaze one reserves for scum.
"Right when you were saying those perverted, near-sexual harassment comments to Tobiichi-san! I heard everything!"
He didn't give Shido a chance to explain, speaking rapidly, launching into an assault like a barrage of cannon fire:
"You despicable Itsuka Shido! I never would have guessed! You act like such a nice guy normally, but you're so wild behind the scenes? You just 'proposed marriage' to Tama-sensei, and now you're confessing to Tobiichi-san?"
"Your speed at switching partners is too fast! Are you some kind of time management master? Or do you feel a special sense of accomplishment from simultaneously pursuing a teacher and a classmate?!"
"N- No! Koushi, listen to my explanation! That was..."
Shido was sweating profusely, desperate to explain that it was training, yet unable to expose Fraxinus. He was completely incoherent.
"Explain? What is there to explain!" Koushi wasn't listening at all. He ramped up the attack, his face showing an exaggerated expression of disgust.
"And the target is Tama-sensei! Hey, hey, Shido, if I'm not mistaken, even though Tama-sensei is cute, her actual age is almost thirty, right?"
"You actually like the type that is 'very old but looks like a loli'? I really didn't see that coming, Shido! You're actually a hidden lolicon?! Do you have such unique tastes?!"
"A lolicon?! I am not!!!" Shido wailed, feeling his social credit being fiercely dragged through the mud by Koushi. "That was just... just..."
"Just what? Just practice? Practice being a scumbag and a lolicon?"
Koushi pressed closer, his gaze sharp.
"What kind of things were you saying to Tobiichi-san?'Smelling the gym clothes'? You actually said something like that out loud? Do you want to go drink tea at the police station?! I really should record this on my phone and send it to the Disciplinary Committee!"
As he spoke, he glared at Shido with a look of disappointment, yet he was roaring with laughter internally.
(Yes! That's it! Shame him ruthlessly! Let him know he can't just spout nonsense like that! Let's see if he dares to casually use 'marriage' and 'perverted comments' as ultimate moves again!)
However, just as Koushi thought his "settling of scores" was about to succeed and make Shido deeply reflect, Origami, who had been silent the entire time, poured a ladle of hot oil onto the raging scene with her calm, steady voice:
"It's fine."
Koushi and Shido were stunned simultaneously and looked toward Origami.
Origami still wore her usual expressionless face, but her eyes looked exceptionally seriously at Koushi as she clearly repeated, "If it's Shido, it's fine."
She paused, seemingly organizing her thoughts, then added an even more explosive statement: "Whatever he says, whatever he does, I can accept it."
Koushi: "..."
Shido: "!!!"
Koushi (Internal): (W- What the hell! Master! Origami Master! I know you're dying to throw your underwear right in Shido's face! I know you've probably already decided what to name your future children!)
(But! Could you please not interrupt me right now! I'm performing crucial cooling treatment on him! You're aiding and abetting evil, dammit!)
Shido, meanwhile, was completely dumbfounded. He looked at the "righteously indignant" Koushi, then at the "matter-of-fact" Origami, feeling like he was caught between two different dimensions. His brain had completely overloaded, and he had lost all linguistic function.
Koushi looked at Origami's "unwavering" gaze and Shido's almost fainting appearance, knowing that his "cooling" plan had completely failed, and might have even achieved the opposite effect.
(It's over... Not only did I fail to cool things down, but it seems I just added fuel to Shido's romantic luck... Origami Master, you're completely counterproductive!)
He weakly held his forehead, feeling like he had executed a fierce series of moves only to find himself standing exactly where he started, having accidentally healed his opponent in the process.
(Forget it, forget it... I'm tired. Let the world burn.)
(Shido, you're on your own. If you really get arrested as a pervert later, don't blame your brother for not warning you!)
Koushi silently complained internally and decided to give up. He glared fiercely at Shido, his eyes seeming to say,
"Suffer the consequences of your own actions," then he snorted coldly, turned around and walked away without looking back, leaving Shido and Origami staring blankly at each other in the hallway.
This "settling of scores" operation ended with Koushi's complete defeat (and possible assist).
Not only was Shido's "direct approach" not curbed, but thanks to Origami's divine assist, its future became even more unpredictable.
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