"You can't get in, no matter how you think about it, right?"
Looking at the high-up second-floor window, Elf's small face was filled with despair.
"It's definitely possible to get in, it'll just be quite difficult..."
As Sora spoke, he looked around for any tools he could use. Unfortunately, the surrounding area was empty; there wasn't even a single brick.
"Ah, I thought of a way." Elf suddenly cried out softly. She pounded her right fist into her left palm and looked at Sora with sparkling eyes. "Servant, hurry and crouch down."
"Crouch down for what?"
Sora looked over in confusion.
"Idiot Servant, to lend me your shoulders, of course." Elf put her hands on her hips, smugly lifting her chin. "I definitely can't reach it on my own, but as long as I step on Servant's shoulders, it'll definitely be fine, right?"
You've got to be kidding me. You're not wearing anything under that jacket, and you actually want to step on someone's shoulders? How do you have the nerve to ask!
"Aren't you afraid of exposing yourself?"
Sora's gaze dropped faintly as he whispered a reminder.
"Ah..."
Elf's small face flushed red. She hurriedly clutched the jacket around her body, her voice shy.
"N-Never mind after all, it's too embarrassing..."
You dared to wander around outside wearing only underwear, you barely have any sense of shame to begin with!
Sora took a deep breath and began stretching his limbs.
"Let me try."
"Eh?" Elf looked up, her eyes half-expectant, half-doubtful. "Even if Servant is tall, there's no way you can reach the window, right?"
"Don't underestimate a boy's explosive power."
Sora handed the half-price bento in his hand to Elf. He stepped back a few paces to get a running start, then leaped into the air.
"Wow, he jumped so high."
Elf widened her eyes and softly exclaimed.
Two seconds later.
Thud.
Sora landed on the ground with his knees slightly bent.
He had indeed jumped very high, but unfortunately, his palms were just a few centimeters short of the windowsill.
"Once more."
Sora backed up while taking deep breaths to adjust his condition.
After a quick running start, Sora leaped high into the air once again. Unfortunately, he was still just a tiny bit short of the windowsill.
"You can do it, Servant." Elf clenched her small pink fists, cheering him on from the sidelines. "You're just a teeny bit away."
"..."
Sora shook his head without speaking.
Many times, a hair's breadth of a difference was actually a world of difference.
Just like the difference between 12-centimeter high heels and 16-centimeter high heels. The difference seems small, but it's actually enormous. Anyone who wears them knows.
A burst of energy on the first try, a decline on the second, and exhaustion on the third. Sora had failed to grab the windowsill twice in a row. Clearly, this was his limit. Trying a few more times wouldn't result in success.
"Looks like I'll have to use my last resort..."
After hesitating for two seconds, Sora quickly made up his mind.
The experience points gained after purifying a Witch were a good thing. Besides being used to level up skills, they could also be used to increase his character level.
Sora had caught a cold and fever a while ago and hadn't gotten better for several days. So, he tried using his experience points to increase his character level. He discovered that after leveling up, his various physical attributes would improve to a certain extent.
Now the situation was special. He could only use the experience points he had gotten from Angel-sama to upgrade his personal level.
"Two hundred experience points is just enough..."
Sora opened the game panel in his mind, then silently chanted.
Deep Blue, add my points.
As the experience points were poured in, his character level quickly rose from LV2 to LV3.
A series of prompts popped up on the game panel:
[Your character level has increased.]
[Your stamina attribute has permanently increased.]
[Your endurance attribute has permanently increased.]
[Your speed attribute has permanently increased.]
[Your charm attribute has permanently increased...]
Sora closed his eyes and focused his mind. He only felt a tingling sensation all over his body, as comfortable and relaxing as soaking in a hot spring. The feeling of growing stronger was quite joyful.
Unfortunately, the joy only lasted for those short few seconds. His body's reinforcement was quickly completed.
"The experience required to level up has increased again..."
Looking at the experience points needed for the next level-up, Sora shook his head helplessly.
Life is hard, all I can do is sigh.
Just like all idle mobile games, leveling up in the early stages was very easy, but the later stages required exponentially more experience points. His dream of becoming an invincible powerhouse was instantly shattered.
"Servant suddenly feels different."
Elf put her hands on her hips, tilting her head to look at Sora, her beautiful eyes full of curiosity.
"You suddenly look handsomer."
"Your eyes are playing tricks on you." Sora backed up while stretching his limbs, his tone confident. "There shouldn't be any problems now."
Taking a deep breath, Sora quickly got a running start, then leaped into the air.
After his physical reinforcement, he successfully broke past his limits this time. His right hand firmly grabbed the windowsill.
"Servant is so amazing!"
Elf's eyes suddenly lit up. She cheered and trotted forward, using her hands to support Sora's legs.
"I'll help!"
However, the next second, Sora suddenly felt a chill on his legs.
"Hmm?"
Sora looked down and was instantly shocked.
"Where are my pants?!"
How could such a large pair of casual pants just disappear with a 'whoosh'?
Thud.
Sora let go and dropped straight back to the ground.
With his pants suddenly disappearing mysteriously, there was naturally no way he'd be in the mood to continue climbing through the window.
"Hurry up and give my pants back."
Sora glared at the blonde girl with a dark expression.
"I-I'm sorry..."
Elf's small face turned crimson. Her gaze swept over Sora's boxers, and as if frightened, she hurriedly looked away, stammering a shy apology.
"I don't know what happened either, your pants just suddenly vanished... I really didn't make your pants disappear on purpose. I'm incredibly sorry!"
Sora helplessly pinched the bridge of his nose, not doubting Elf's explanation.
His pants probably vanished mysteriously just like Elf's panties; it was highly likely not done on purpose.
The problem is, exactly what kind of side effect makes people's clothes disappear?
And why can it affect others?
"What exactly did you do just now?"
Sora asked in a low voice.
"I-I was just getting ready to help." Elf's small face was red, her gaze wandering. "I saw Servant successfully grab the windowsill and was so happy, so I stepped forward and grabbed your legs, wanting to push you up. And then... and then your pants suddenly disappeared."
Sora carefully recalled the scene of the girl's panties mysteriously disappearing not long ago, and quickly found the common denominator.
Is it physical contact?
Could the side effect of the invisibility ability be that whoever her right hand touches will randomly have an article of clothing sacrificed?
"..."
While he was still pondering, a cold, stern voice suddenly sounded behind the two of them.
"Izumi-san, what are you doing!"
"Ah..."
Elf jumped in fright, hurriedly hiding behind Sora.
Sora subconsciously turned around, looking at the exquisite and cute girl standing not far away, who had waist-length flaxen hair and was carrying shopping bags like an angel.
"No, Shiina-san, listen to my explanation..."
"Please be sure to explain it thoroughly." Mahiru's pretty face was tense, her expression serious. She silently took out her phone with her right hand, her gaze sweeping over the disheveled Sora. "Otherwise, I'll have to call the police."
A teary-eyed, pitiful, weak, and helpless blonde elementary schooler, alongside a fierce-looking Sora with his pants off... no matter how you looked at it, it resembled the scene of a major crime...