『Simulation ended!』
Saitou's voice echoed through the training ground, and all the robots stopped functioning. The students who had participated in the simulation looked up at the monitor above.
---
1st: Kamishiro Souma – 45,192pt
2nd: Osaka Mai – 3,150pt
---
"45,000?!"
"Has to be some kind of mistake!"
"That's over ten times the score of Osaka, who's been first place since (enrollment)!"
Voices of astonishment rose from everywhere. Meanwhile, Souma
(If I hadn't focused on defeating every type of enemy, I could have gotten 100,000 points.)
didn't think the score of 45,192 was particularly high.
(Well, it doesn't matter how many points I get. It's not like I get a reward for a high score. More importantly, it was good to understand my actual ability.)
Souma was convinced. He was no longer a dropout.
◇
After leaving the training ground, Souma headed to the elevator bank. It was a large elevator capable of carrying up to 100 people at once. Accordingly, the waiting area was spacious.
"Kamishiro, you're amazing!"
"How did you get 40,000 points? What technique did you use?"
"Were you hiding your true strength all this time?!"
While waiting for the elevator, many students talked to Souma. Even Professor Saitou looked at Souma with interest.
"Well, a bit of this and that," Souma said vaguely.
(I can't just say I got stronger in reality by leveling up in a dream...!)
Unaware of Souma's feelings, many girls crowded around him.
"Kamishiro-kun, let's be in the same party for the formation ceremony!"
"I'm better, Kamishiro-kun!"
"What are you talking about? I'm better than you two!"
Of course, not only girls but also boys invited Souma.
(I never thought the day would come when I'd get invitations for the formation ceremony...)
The formation ceremony is a major event where students form their official parties. The party formed at that time is what the students will stay with until graduation. And after graduation, they will continue to operate as adventurers in that party. Currently, it is a trial period where students form parties with various others in preparation for the formation ceremony.
A ching sound announced the elevator's arrival. As the doors opened, Saitou gestured with his hand and said, "Come on, the elevator is here. Get in, get in."
The students began boarding the elevator. Souma was among them, but
"Oh, right, Professor Saitou."
Souma stopped just before getting on.
"Hmm?"
"I've decided I'll keep working hard at the Adventurer School after all."
"O-oh...! Good...! I'll be expecting great things from you...!"
Saitou's face twitched.
(If they find out I was encouraging a talent like this to drop out, I'll lose my head. That was close...!)
"Hey, Kamishiro—"
"Can I call you Souma-kun from now on?"
Even inside the elevator, Souma was the center of attention. However, there was one girl who watched this scene with displeasure. It was Osaka Mai, who had come in second place in the simulation.
(Today was my best performance...! A score more than ten times higher than mine is impossible...!)
Mai looked at her own hands. She was wearing gloves called Magic Gloves, specialized for magic.
(In next week's party training, I'll be in the same party as Kamishiro Souma. I don't know what trick he used, but I'll expose his fraud there.)
◇
After leaving school, Souma went straight to his part-time job. It was a convenience store in a downtown area of Tokyo. Standing at the register, Souma's face was less lively than it had been at school.
(I'm safe for a while, but if I can't go to Mistoria, my true colors will eventually show...)
Souma was convinced that his activities in Mistoria were not just a dream. He recognized it as more of a second reality rather than a dream.
The problem was whether he could go to Mistoria again in the future.
(Well, if it comes to it, I'll just leave the party and go solo. With my current stats, I could probably dominate until graduation anyway.)
As he was thinking this, a girl one year older than him peered into his face from next to him.
"Oh? What's wrong, Souma-kun? You look unusually anxious!"
Her name was Miyano Yuki, characterized by her pink medium-length hair.
"Well... I suppose I am a bit anxious."
"Are you worrying about money again?" Yuki knew about Souma's family situation.
"This time it's a little different."
"Really? If you need money, just say so anytime! I'll be your sugar mama!"
"Sugar mama? We're only one year apart."
"Don't worry about the details!"
"Besides, you don't have much money yourself, do you, Yuki-senpai? Since you're working part-time at a convenience store."
"Well, that's where you're wrong! My family is super rich! We have so much money it's actually a problem!"
"You always say that, but you take way too many shifts for that to be true. You're definitely lying."
Yuki just laughed it off with an "Ahaha."
"But I do have money from working a lot, you know?"
Yuki pressed her body against Souma, stroked his thigh with a lewd gesture, and whispered in his ear, "Feel free to ask me anytime, okay?"
"S-stop, I might take you seriously!"
"You can take me seriously, you know!"
Yuki pouted and turned away with a "Che." She had taken a liking to Souma and thought, "I want a taste."
◇
After work ended, Souma and Yuki headed to the station together. The downtown area at night had a seedy atmosphere, with suspicious-looking pairs of men and women standing out.
"Look, Souma-kun, that couple!"
Yuki pointed to a couple walking on the other side of the street. It was a middle-aged man in a suit and a young woman dressed in what's called "landmine" fashion.
"That's obviously a streetwalker or a sugar daddy situation! They're probably heading to a love hotel!"
"They might just be father and daughter."
"Wanna bet?" Yuki said with a grin.
"I'm not betting," Souma replied with a wry smile.
"Geez, you're no fun! And here you are with such a hot girl!"
Yuki linked her arm with Souma's.
"H-hey, Yuki-senpai, you're too close...!"
Souma glanced at Yuki. She was dressed quite revealingly. The valley of her ample breasts was visible through her shirt, and her healthy thighs were exposed by her shorts.
"What? Getting excited? You are, aren't you?"
Yuki grinned. Just then, the two passed by a love hotel.
"Souma-kun, I'm feeling kinda tired~?"
A blatant invitation.
"Geez, stop teasing me, senpai."
"I'm serious. Let's rest a bit. I'll pay you for a massage, okay? 10,000 yen for one hour!"
"10,000 yen for one hour...!"
The offer was several times his hourly wage from his part-time job, and Souma's resolve wavered.
(No, but if I go into a love hotel, I won't be able to control myself...! Even now it's pretty hard...!)
Souma squeezed his eyes shut and shook his head.
"I-I can't! That kind of thing...!"
"Ehh? You might never get another chance to be invited by a girl this hot, you know?"
"Still...!"
Souma desperately suppressed his sexual urges. Just then, a group of rough-looking delinquents nearby approached.
"Then hire us!"
"We can give you a much better massage, you know? Hehehe."
The atmosphere changed in an instant.