The Greatest Demon Lord Is Reborn as a Typical Nobody - Volume 4 - Chapter 2

DAY 2

Rush Hour! Women Incoming!

Even with all that went down, our first day of the school trip had come to an end.

The students entered the inn and found their assigned three-person rooms before gathering for dinner and taking their baths.

It was time for bed.

“Good night, Miss Ireena and Miss Sylphy.”

“Night.”

“I’m pooped!”

The lamp light went out, shrouding the room in darkness. Ireena and Sylphy tucked themselves in. Ginny pulled the blankets over her head.

“Zzz…! Zzz…! Whoa! Lydie! That’s not the Demon Lord’s head! That’s a pineapple!” Sylphy sleep-shouted between snores after immediately knocking out.

Ginny could already tell this would be a sleepless night.

“…Are you awake, Miss Ireena?”

“…I don’t think anyone can sleep through this.”

“True. Should we try reducing the noise?”

About 15 minutes later…

“GAH…AAAH! BAH! BLERGH!”

““Yeah…no.””

Nothing had worked: gagging her, blocking her nostrils, scribbling on her face… Everything had made the problem worse.

“Sigh. I guess we just have to deal,” Ginny lamented.

“…Let’s stay up until we can fall asleep.”

They nodded and began to make small talk. Even though it seemed they were at odds all the time, they had no reason to get heated without Ard.

…Just as long as he wasn’t involved…

After two hours, there was nothing more for them to talk about…until Ginny finally broached the forbidden subject.

“Hey, Miss Ireena. Do you have a crush on anyone?”

“It wouldn’t feel like a sleepover without that question.” Ireena chuckled sarcastically, falling into silence.

She didn’t need to say anything. Ginny made no attempt to press her.

They started chatting about their romantic experiences that didn’t involve the guy in question—everything from their first loves to their ideal partners.

Eventually, though, it all circled back to him.

“I just can’t find it in myself to cosign your dream. Just the thought of a harem makes me sick.”

“I doubt we’ll ever see eye to eye on the matter.”

“…I just don’t get it. How can you be okay with other girls hanging around your crush?”

“I don’t think one person is enough for him.”

Ginny had thought she was certain about this…but something in her heart made her unsure.

“Gosh. If you’re actually okay with that, then I don’t have anything else to tell you. Except for one thing: This is the one time I won’t let things go your way.”

“Right back atcha,” Ginny replied.

The conversation started to die out, leaving them heavy with drowsiness.

Even with Sylphy causing a racket, they might have been able to sleep now.

“Let us save this for another time.”

“’Night.”

Ireena and Ginny closed their eyes, and the commotion started fading further away…until Ginny let her consciousness slip away completely.

When she came to her senses, Ginny was standing in a forest. There was a warmth that made her feel as if she’d landed in a fairy tale.

The place was far from normal.

The sun in the sky had a chiseled face and a smile that was way too bright.

The bugs in the forest chirped in a peculiar way.

Dum. Du-du-dum-dum.   Dum. Du-du-du-du-du-du.  

Dum. Du-du-dum-dum.   Du-du-du-du-du. Dum.  

This blaring chorus rang through the air as small animals danced madly on their hind legs.

“…This is a new kind of nightmare.”

Ginny frowned. She just wanted to wake up. Despite trying every means available to her, though, she couldn’t manage to rouse herself.

“Oh, jeez. What am I supposed to do now?”

With the chorus of bugs and dancing animals in the background, Ginny crossed her arms.

“Hyuck-hyuck-hyuck. Hello, little lady. Would you like an appl—”

“I’m good.”

“Let me finish, buzzkill!” someone barked back, kicking the ground in rage.

…Surprisingly, it wasn’t an old woman in a black cloak.

“Why are you in my dream, Lady Verda?”

Verda. One of the former Heavenly Kings and legendary troublemaker.

“Heh-heh. Even though this seems like a dream, you aren’t dreaming, Ginny. I’ve entered your subconscious for a certain plot… Hey! Listen to me! Stop climbing that tree!”

“I thought I might wake up if I jumped.”

“Jeez! I can’t believe you’d even try! I mean, you barely know where we are! You should fear the unknown! Holy shit! Even I’m surprised. Modern humans are out of their damn minds!”

“Says you… Anyway, how can I help you?”

“Oh, right. I veered off on a tangent… Let’s get down to business.” Verda broke into the creepy smile that was constantly gracing her childish face.

She lifted her right hand toward the sky, her palm facing up. It immediately began to shine.

“Whoopsie. Wrong one.”

Ginny watched as a sacred sword or something materialized and Verda chucked it to the side.

Her palm began glowing again…and a few moments later, a tiny bottle appeared in her hand. It was filled to the brim with a clear liquid.

“What’s that?”

“Something you’re dying to have. A love potion.”

Ginny raised a brow. “A love potion? …Don’t need it.”

“Oh, really? I can practically see your heart on your sleeve.”

“…What do you mean?”

“Don’t you want to be everything to Ard?”

Ginny went silent. If Verda had asked her earlier, she would have immediately retorted it was impossible! Now, though, something was stopping her.

What was it?

Verda seemed to be listening to Ginny’s internal monologue, flashing a wide smile and answering for her.

“Because you finally found some confidence, Ginny. You used to be a negative Nancy before you met him. Even after you became acquainted, things didn’t immediately change. You had a weird way of approaching things. By that, I mean your harem.”

Ginny tried to argue, but realized she had nothing to say. After all, she couldn’t refute Verda’s assessment.

“It was all because you were dunking on yourself. You never thought you’d be enough for him. You didn’t let yourself think you could be the only object of his affection. There was no way. You used to think backward, but now…things have changed.” Verda pointed at Ginny. “You’ve grown in body and soul. More than anyone else. More than Ireena, your rival. That’s why you’ve stopped hating yourself…and you’ve been freed from those strange thoughts.”

Verda approached slowly. “You’re not who you used to be,” she whispered. “That’s why… You have the right to make him yours and become his everything.”

What a sweet temptation. It certainly didn’t make her feel bad about herself.

But…she just couldn’t bring herself to admit this.

“I don’t intend…to make him mine. He should be a lover to…everyone. And I think…I’m most attracted to him…when he’s surrounded by other girls.”

It sounded like Ginny was just stringing random words together. None of it seemed to come from her heart. Verda gave voice to the shadows of doubt that she’d clearly recognized.

The corners of Verda’s mouth curled up, as if she could read Ginny’s mind. The scholar held out the small bottle in her hand.

“Well, it’s up to you. No harm in taking it. Right?”

Do I take it or not? Ginny hadn’t made up her mind, but her body started to answer honestly for her.

Before she could stop herself, her left hand went for the bottle as if drawn to a lure…and accepted the love potion.

“Nice choice.” Verda smirked like a witch from a fairy tale. “Okay! Now that that’s out of the way, allow me to lay out the rules!”

“What rules?”

“My love potion isn’t your run-of-the-mill snooze fest. It won’t work just by chugging it! If you want the other person to love you back, you gotta follow the rules! I’ll only say them once, so listen carefully!”

“Um, oh, okay.”

Verda began rattling off the steps.

PREREQUISITE ACTIVITIES

Number 1: You must drink half of it yourself!

Number 2: You must complete any of the three Basic Actions within 12 hours!

Number 3: You will be given one point per completed Basic Action listed as follows.

Once you have three points, the potion will work its magic! Please note the exception related to Action Number 3! Details as follows.

BASIC ACTIONS

Number 1: Make your target say “love” in any way! It doesn’t have to be in the romantic sense.

Number 2: Kiss your target!

Number 3: Make the target drink the potion directly! If successful, you’ll earn all three points in one go!

“With that out of the way, we’ll commence a fair fight. Follow the code of sportsmanship and engage in a battle for love! See you around!”

As soon as she started to wave, Ginny began feeling woozy. Verda knew it wouldn’t even take three more seconds before she woke up.

“Oh! Shoot!” Verda swore. “I forgot to tell you! There are hidden rules to the Basic Actions—”

But Ginny’s consciousness cut off midsentence.

“N-ngh…,” groaned Ginny, furrowing her brow.

When she slowly blinked her eyes open, she realized she was no longer in the strange forest, but back in her assigned room at the inn.

“Was that…a nightmare…? It had to be a dream… I find it hard to believe the real Lady Verda would understand my true feelings…,” she murmured to herself.

Just then, she noticed a strange sensation in her hand. Ginny slowly withdrew it from under the covers.

“This is…”

Her fingers gripped the small bottle Verda had given her in the dream. The clear liquid swished in the darkness.

“I…,” whispered Ginny, her voice melting into the night.

Before she realized it, she found herself recalling their conversation.

* * *

You’ve been freed from those strange thoughts…

Don’t you want to be everything to Ard?

…Verda had hit the nail on the head.

Ever since she’d met Ard, Ginny had grown in mind and body after experiencing a series of unbelievable events.

Gone was that weak, pessimistic girl.

Deep in her heart, she had let herself acknowledge…that she wanted him to notice her.

I want him to look only at me.

I don’t care if we’re surrounded by the riffraff. As long as I always come out on top.

“…All I need for my wish to be granted is this potion,” Ginny said, gulping as she stared at the tiny bottle. “…But I won’t use it.”

There was true grit in her voice.

If she used the love potion, it would be all too easy to steal his heart. Ginny wasn’t weak enough to employ this spineless tactic, though. Her pride wouldn’t allow it. She would use her own charm to capture his heart. It was part of her identity as a succubus, passed down for generations.

“Apologies, Lady Verda, but I need to decline your offer.”

Ginny got up to toss the potion away.

“N-ngh…,” moaned Ireena in the bed next to her as she slowly opened her eyes.

For a few moments, Ireena shifted under the covers before sitting upright. She must have needed to use the bathroom or something.

Ginny didn’t think anything of it…until…

“Hm? What’s that bottle?”

“A-ah, this is—” Ginny scrambled to come up with an excuse.

Before she could think of something, Ginny’s eyes caught a glimmer in the dark coming from Ireena’s hand.

It was…a small bottle filled with the love potion.

“M-Miss Ireena…! I-is that bottle…?!”

“…I guess I wasn’t the only one who dreamed about Lady Verda.”

For a few moments, all they could do was breathe and take in the situation before they sat down on their beds across from each other. Befuddled, they clutched their little vials.

Silence hovered over them…until Ireena nervously piped up.

“What should we do?”

After a little sigh, Ginny decided to share her thoughts. “I’m getting rid of mine.”

“Yeah?”

“Obviously. What satisfaction would I get out of being loved this way?”

“I hear you.”

“I want him to choose me on his own. Don’t you agree?”

“I’m totally with you.”

“Only a coward would use this potion to steal his heart.”

“Exactly. I don’t have anything else to say.”

“Miss Ireena. Let’s throw these out together.”

“No thanks.”

………

……

…What did she just say?

“U-um, I must have misheard you.”

“Which part?”

“Ah, well… I thought I heard you say, ‘No thanks.’”

“Uh-huh. What about it?”

“What?”

“What?”

“…Let’s clear this up. I don’t intend to use the love potion. It’s the coward’s way, after all. And you agree…right?”

“Right.”

“Then…you know what we need to do about these bottles. Are we going to use them? Let’s say it together… No.”

“Says you, and you have every right to choose that path. But don’t force your decision on me.”

“…That’s not what I’m trying to do. Didn’t you just agree with me? Don’t you think it’s pathetic to use this potion?

“Yeah.”

“And what would be the logical thing to do?”

“Throw it away, I guess.”

“You do understand! Okay. Let’s get rid of them!”

“Nah.”

“Why not?!”

“Why wouldn’t I use it? With this, Ard will only have eyes for me. That would be a huge weight off my shoulders. Nothing you dangle in front of him will tempt him anymore, and I won’t have to be annoyed by you. It’s perfect.”

“…Please wait just a second.”

Ginny’s head was starting to pound. She pressed her temples.

“Don’t you have any pride? Won’t that break your heart? You just said you knew it would be pathetic. Then why would you choose to use it?”

“Well, yeah, it would hurt my pride. And my heart. I wouldn’t want to use it if I had another choice. But…”

“But?” Ginny repeated.

Ireena sighed, forming a belligerent smile. “If this crushes your plans, my pride can go to the dogs.”

Ginny’s cheek twitched involuntarily as she processed this challenge.

…Right. This had always been the case.

Such was the nature of their relationship.

They weren’t necessarily on bad terms, but…they refused to compromise once their minds were set on something. Until this issue with Ard was resolved, nothing would change.

“Hey, Ginny. I don’t know how you feel about me, but I think…”

“Oh-ho. Don’t bother. I feel the same way.”

They snarled at each other, sharing the same sentiment.

She’s my enemy!

“Miss Ireena. I’ve always hated you. After all, you’ve always been his…favorite. You’re lounging in the place that I want to be.”

“Yeah? Well, I hate you, too. You keep wedging yourself in between me and Ard. You’re the most annoying person in the world.”

Heh-heh-heh.

Hee-hee-hee.

Though chuckles poured out of their lips, their eyes shot death glares at each other.

“I’ll take you down, Miss Ireena.”

“I’m gonna crush you, Ginny.”

The curtains rose, commencing a bloody battle between two maidens in love with the same man.

Early that morning, the students started waking up and filling the inn with chatter.

Ginny and Ireena each held their love potion to their lips, downing exactly half of it.

READY? START!

A dialogue box popped up above their heads.

“I hope you won’t regret the next twelve hours.”

“Oh, please. I’d bet my life I’ll beat you!”

Victory will be mine. Both girls wore the stern look of a general heading to war.

After that, they shook Sylphy awake and headed for the cafeteria side by side. The other students had already made their way to the dining hall…

“Good morning, Ard!”

Ireena dashed forward as soon as she caught sight of him, like a happy puppy welcoming her master.

“Good morning, Ireena. You’re in a good mood as always.”

“Uh-huh! Because I’m with you!” Ireena grabbed his arm with a smile as bright as the sun…and pressed up against him.

His arm was squished and squashed between her breasts…as if she was trying to show off to Ginny.

This is normally where I’d grab his other arm and turn up my charm…but not now.

Miss Ireena. You’ve made a poor choice.

Ginny intentionally kept her distance from Ard as they ordered breakfast and brought full trays back to their table. Even as they went to put them down, Ireena remained glued to him.

“Hey, Ard, can I sit next to you?”

“Of course.”

“Yay! Thanks!” Ireena planted her tray, inching close enough to rub shoulders with him.

…Then she looked at Ginny and snorted.

She’s clingier than usual. She’s trying to provoke me.

How pathetic. The race has just started, and she’s already made major miscalculations.

Ginny sat across from Ard with Sylphy.

“…Is something wrong, Ginny?”

“What?”

“Um, nothing. It’s just that you usually…”

Ard must have picked up on the fact that she wasn’t sitting next to him.

She answered him with a smile… “Oh. I just want to sit here today. It gives me the perfect view.”

…because she could respond appropriately to any situation.

If she were on the offensive, she would glue herself to his side, too, because it would give her an advantage to catch him saying “love,” kissing him, or making him drink the potion.

However…offense wasn’t the only part of the game. Defense was just as important in this equation.

In that case, Ginny was in a prime position. By maintaining a moderate distance, she could keep an eye on her opponent. Ginny could react instantly if Ireena exhibited any suspicious behavior, and she could switch to the offensive if the opportunity presented itself.

The biggest downside was that she couldn’t go in for a kiss…but this was part of her elaborate scheme.

I’ll start with Basic Action Number 1…and focus on getting him to say “love.”

My opponent will let her guard down if it’s obvious I can’t kiss him. That’s when I’ll go for a surprise attack and plant one on him! Even though this distance doesn’t make things easy, I have my ingenuity.

The key is balancing offense and defense.

In that regard, Ireena was in the worst possible position.

Even though Ireena was in the perfect spot for offensive action, Ginny had placed her in check. Her advantage meant nothing if she couldn’t score points.

You’ll pay for provoking me, Miss Ireena. Ginny smirked.

Something about her attitude must have touched a nerve…because Ireena immediately made her move.

“Hey! Ard! Look!”

“At what?” Ard asked, turning away.

Ireena immediately yanked the bottle from her cleavage, and in one fluid motion, she popped off the lid, ready to dump it on his plate.

Basic Action Number 3… She was going in for the kill.

But Ginny refused to let that happen.

“Oh! A fly—” With a small smile, Ginny grabbed a knife…and threw it at Ireena’s fingers without hesitation.

“!!” Ireena managed to dodge it on instinct, but she didn’t succeed in drugging him.

The knife whizzed past the students across from them, lodging into the wall with a zing. They went pale, but Ginny couldn’t care less.

“…? Um, Ireena? What did you want me to see? …Hello? Earth to Ireena. Are you listening?” Ard asked.

Ignoring him, Ireena glared at Ginny.

“Hee-hee-hee. Maybe it was a figment of your imagination,” Ginny suggested. “I don’t think you got a wink of sleep because Miss Sylphy was snoring all night.”

“Huh?! Wa-was it that bad?” Sylphy whimpered.

The vibe was still mild, but something was brewing between Ireena and Ginny—something violent and murderous.

…A cycle unfolded of Ireena trying to drug Ard and Ginny wedging herself between them. It took about eight attempts before Ireena seemed to realize this endeavor was fruitless and switched tactics.

“Hey, Ard! Wasn’t yesterday just the worst?”

“Yes. The world was nearly destroyed, after all…”

“But you saved all of us! You were so cool. I got goosebumps when you delivered your finishing line to Healing Ireena. Can you say it again?”

“Hm? …What did I say?”

“Come on! Don’t you remember? You looked at her and said you were going to yank her by her…”

“Hips?”

“Nope! Here’s a hint: It starts with the letter ‘L.’”

“An ‘L’? Oh. I said—”

“ ‘—Lower back,’ right?” Ginny interrupted.

Ireena slammed her head on the table.

“I-Ireena?”

“…It’s nothing.”

Ginny remained perfectly composed even as Ireena glared at her. After all, she’d just given the wrong answer. The correct response was “love handles.”

Ireena’s switched to Action Number 1…but that won’t do her any good, because I’m ready to keep fending her off.

It was a war of wits.

“Hey, Ard! I know it’s early to start thinking about winter break, but do you have any plans?” Ireena asked.

“Hmm… I think I’ll go home for a short while. It’s been a long time since I enjoyed village life.”

“I think I remember hearing it’s surrounded by mountains,” Ginny added.

“I used to hunt in those mountains all the time.”

“If it’s snowing…won’t you get cold?”

“Hm? Well…then I can just wear a pullov—”

“AAAAAAAACK!” Ireena screeched, clinging onto Ard for some reason and cutting him off.

“Wh-what’s wrong?”

“…Nothing. I could just…feel it.”

“Feel what?!”

Ginny chuckled in her head. You’re so obvious, Miss Ireena. You were so close to making him say “pullover.”

But Ginny had seen through Ireena’s plan and tried to seize it for herself.

Even though she’d failed, Ginny had figured out the trick to completing Action Number 1.

Hee-hee-hee. You don’t understand a thing about Action Number 1, Miss Ireena.

The key is predicting your opponent’s next steps—finding out where they want to take the conversation or how you can catch them off guard. It tests your deduction and improvisational skills. That’s the name of this game.

The strategy is easy: Be a closed book and weaponize her topics to get him to say it. It’s about being resourceful, and that’s…my forte.

Ginny’s lips curled as she planned her next move.

“Oh yeah. Did you hear the news about that actor, Ard?” Ginny asked.

“About Reybach?”

“Yes. Weren’t you shocked? I never imagined the esteemed performer basically lived in a pig sty!”

Ireena’s face lit up when Ginny broached this subject. She knew her next move!

What an open book.

“Totally. I was stunned!” Ireena exclaimed. “I didn’t peg Reybach as slov…”

“Slov…,” Ard started

“…Slovenly!” Sylphy shouted.

“…Sylphy, you’re getting spanked later.”

“Why?!”

“Enough of that. Anyway, I was floored. He may have been a mess in his personal life, but his performances were stellar,” Ginny said.

“Tell me about it. As an actor, he’s belov—”

“PLERGH!” Ireena dove at Ard like a wild animal and used her entire body to cut him off.

“Wh-what’s with you, Ireena?”

“…Oh, you know. I saw a feral plergh and got startled.”

“What in the world is a feral plergh?” Ard asked, understandably confused.

Ireena broke out in a sweat.

Ginny was the only calm observer. Oh dear. I almost had him… He was just about to say “beloved”…but she thwarted me.

She hasn’t gotten a good read on me, though. Her panicked responses prove that.

As long as I keep trying to get him to say the unexpected…she’ll fail sooner or later.

And then I’ll score my first point…!

Ginny skillfully employed the art of conversation to mess with Ireena. The succubus intentionally dropped hints for the young elf but kept shifting the topic away when Ireena got too close. The fake-outs were starting to drive Ireena crazy…

“BLERGH?!”

“O-ow! I don’t think my elbow joints can take that, Ireena!”

Ireena had started injuring Ard. Everything was going according to Ginny’s design. At this rate, she would score the first point.

Confident in her approach, she continued pestering Ireena…

“AY-YO!”

“Ouch! That soup is burning hot!”

…and Ireena’s behavior was starting to border on the extreme.

“HI-HO!”

“Yow?! You got p-p-pie in my eye!”

Meanwhile, Ard was beginning to hate his predicament.

She’s a tenacious one. I didn’t expect Miss Ireena to be this stubborn…

Ginny needed a final push to give her an edge.

Ireena scraped chunks of pie off Ard’s face, wiping him down with a handkerchief.

“All better. I’m sorry, Ard.” Ireena gave him a big hug for whatever reason.

“It’s all right… That aside, Ireena, you’re acting…”

Something rocked Ginny’s entire body.

Time stretched on forever.

One phrase flashed in her mind.

…Lovey-dovey.

…Damn it! Ginny whipped around toward Ireena, who stared back at her.

Her smirk was enough to tell Ginny this had been her plan all along.

It suddenly dawned on her.

S-she got me! It was all an act! She wanted me to block her attempts at Action Number 3. She toyed with me for Action Number 1! Miss Ireena played dumb to accomplish her true goal!

It explained the excessive PDA. Ginny had thought it was to provoke her. It never crossed her mind that the act might be contrived.

Why had she missed it?

…Because Ginny had arbitrarily decided Ireena was below her.

She didn’t think the elf stood a chance against her mind games.

“Heh-heh.” Ireena narrowed her eyes and laughed.

Ginny swore she could read her thoughts:

They always warn against being too sure of yourself. ‘A cornered fox is more dangerous than a jackal.’ Haven’t you heard that saying?

When it comes to intelligence, I’m the fox, which makes you the jackal. But even a fox will rack its brains when it’s cornered.

You didn’t anticipate that, though. Your ego got in the way…and basically spoon-fed me a point!

Those confident eyes made Ginny wince.

Shit. Ard was already opening his mouth. There was no time to stop him.

She was going to lose. The point would go to Ireena. A single point, but an incredibly important one. Ginny would have to stomach that…and accept that Ireena was better at everything than her.

That would signal the end for her. If she spiraled out of control, the tide would shift in her opponent’s favor.

“How should I put it?” Ard asked.

No. Stop. Don’t say anything else.

Please!

No-no-no-no-no-no-no-no-no-no-no-no-no-no-no-no-no-no-no…!

“You’re acting…very assertive.”

…………

………

……

…

It felt like the silence would never end.

“Ugh! I’ve had it!” Ireena slammed her fist on the table with tears in her eyes.

She was the first to accept the reality of the situation.

“What’s wrong, Ireena? D-did I say something…?” Ard worried.

As Ginny watched Ireena take her frustration out on the table, it finally hit her.

“Hee-hee-hee. Justice prevails once again…!”

She had no idea why she said this.

At the moment, though, she was euphoric.

Ginny sipped a spoonful of soup. “Delicious…! Divine…! Want some, Ard? Miss Ireena? Though I suppose we have completely different tastes.” Ginny did her best to suppress a giggle.

“Grr!” Ireena bit her lower lip.

It was the anguished cry of failure. Her expectations had been crushed, and neither of them had managed to score any points. What an amazing feeling.

“Is the soup that good?” Ard picked up his spoon, startled by Ginny’s mood.

She watched him from the corner of her eye.

Phew… The luck of the draw. I never thought he would call her “assertive.” Seems the Demon Lord is on my side! The fate of this battle lies with me!

It’ll take Miss Ireena some time to recover from that one…!

She’ll find no fortune this time around!

There is no way she could possibly recover from—

Ginny was certain of her victory…

Ard spooned the soup into his mouth…

ACTION COMPLETED!

IREENA SCORES ONE POINT!

The dialogue box appeared above their heads.

“……What?”

“Are you all right? Ginny? Um, Ginny? Can you hear me? Hello? Anyone home?”

Ard waved a hand in front of her, but Ginny couldn’t see him.

How…did Miss Ireena score that point?

…When?

“M-Miss Ireena!!” Ginny barked, facing her enemy.

What did you do? Did you plan to fail earlier to get this point now?

But Ireena didn’t look triumphant. In fact, she appeared downright confused.

Even the victor had no idea what had just gone down.

Was this part of her act?

She wasn’t that good of an actress.

…Then, how did this happen?

How did Ireena earn that point?

This mystery was starting to chip away at Ginny’s psyche.

The end of breakfast meant the official start of the second day.

They kicked it off with group activities, the same structure as the previous day. Each class visited their assigned sites to enjoy old Kingsglaive.

During these activities, Ginny and Ireena were still locked in battle, but they weren’t attempting to complete any more Actions after the morning’s events. Instead, they were theorizing what had happened, and both were absorbed in their own thoughts.

As quickly as they’d started, the group activities for the day came to an end, which meant it was time for them to break off into smaller teams.

It was just before noon. Six more hours left.

“Sorry, guys! I need to take care of some business, so I need some alone time,” Sylphy announced, hurriedly trotting off on her own.

Under normal circumstances, her sudden exit would have raised some brows.

Their current priority, though, was…figuring out what had happened this morning.

“Where do you want to go?” Ard asked.

“Your choice, Ard!”

“Wherever you want to go, Ard!”

Though nothing about their conversation was unusual, their behavior told another story.

Ginny maintained her distance three steps behind Ard. Ireena did the same, refusing to be attached to his hip so she could keep an eye on Ginny.

“Um, guys? Please don’t take this the wrong way, but…you’re both really far away. And I don’t think I’m making this up.”

“I’m good!”

“Perfectly fine.”

“…With what?”

They weren’t even listening to him anymore, though. They were lost in their own worlds.

How to Turn On the Effects of the Love Potion… Or “How to Turn Him On” for short.

For this, we must choose from three Basic Actions.

Action Number 1: Make the target say “love.”

Action Number 2: Kiss the target.

Action Number 3: Make the target drink the potion directly.

For the first two options, we must successfully complete them thrice. The last option is the only exception, but it’s also the most obvious, which means Miss Ireena can block all my attempts at it.

…But when Miss Ireena scored, she didn’t fulfill any of the necessary conditions. What happened?

Ginny recreated her conversation with Verda.

Just as she was waking up, Verda had said, “There are hidden rules to the Basic Actions.”

Miss Ireena must have completed one to get that point.

What was the hidden rule?

Ginny started replaying the events in her head.

Ireena had earned the point when Ard sipped his soup.

I’m curious about that soup…and his spoon. I imagine it has to do with the latter.

Just before he took a sip, Ireena was slamming the table. That must have mixed up their spoons.

As a result…Ard gave her an indirect kiss, which must be the hidden rule…!

Ireena must have reached the same conclusion. Gone was her antagonistic glare.

Even though I’ve discovered this loophole, nothing has changed if she’s realized it, too. It means she knows to block any indirect kisses. I guess I shouldn’t bother trying this method.

…I thought this game was all about strategy and deception…but I guess it comes down to creativity. The one to puzzle out and weaponize these secret advantages will win!

All the other mind games are the cherries on top. I need to be more aggressive in my approach…!

Ireena must have been on the same page.

On their way to the next location and on site, they tried to play out their unique strategies.

“I GOT YOU!”

“DIDN’T THINK SO!”

Was this coincidence or fate?

“Help, I’m falling! I might accidentally kiss Ard—”

“Ah! My hand slipped! Watch out! It’s going to smack your face, Miss Ireena!”

“Yeek?!”

They kept coming up with the same ideas and countering each other. That meant they couldn’t test out their new theory. They were only wasting time.

A standstill, huh, Ginny thought, biting her nails as they traveled to their next destination. I need to devise an unforeseen attack. Otherwise, she’ll continue to foil me.

But any crafty scheme would mean nothing if it isn’t part of the rules.

…I have to change my approach. I need to remain one step ahead of my opponent.

I need to take a gamble…and put all my chips on a single plan…!

It only took a second for Ginny to find another tactic, and she immediately began laying its foundation.

“Oh! I’m feeling faint!” Ginny announced, sinking to her knees on the cobbled road.

She was seconds away from touching the ground.

“G-Ginny?! Are you all right?!” Ard swiftly supported her dainty body.

Ireena’s eyes flared. Any funny business, and I’ll crush you.

But Ginny didn’t shrink back, boldly moving forward with her plan.

“I-I’m fine. I may be slightly anemic…” Ginny hid her face from Ireena, whispering to Ard. “…If…I…please…roll…”

“What’s that supposed to—”

“I’m already feeling better. Sorry for worrying you!”

Ginny separated herself from Ard, flashing him a bright smile. Ireena seemed to have her suspicions, but…it was unlikely she’d guessed Ginny’s intentions.

The groundwork is done. All I can do is wait, Ginny prayed, reengaging in their battle of blockades.

Even though they’d discovered this new rule, the two girls were focused on tripping each other up…and no one had succeeded in scoring another point.

This, however, was still part of Ginny’s plan.

It’s about time. She’s starting to lower her guard to my earlier actions.

It’s now or never…!

Ginny closed the distance between them. She was aiming for a kiss…but not on the lips. Her target had a greater surface area: his torso.

Action Number 2 says to kiss your target…but with no specified location. Meaning I can score a point with any area. That could be another hidden rule!

But a simplified plan with reasonable doubt…allowed the enemy to get one step ahead.

“Did you think I’d let you?” Ireena asked, easily blocking her.

Just as the succubus drew near her target, Ginny was hammered by a gale of magic that blasted her away.

An unforgiving attack…

…but exactly what Ginny wanted.

“I-Ireena?! Wh-what’re you doing?!” Ard shouted.

“…I felt something gross in the air.”

“What does that even mean?” Ard turned his attention on Ginny. “A-are you all right? Are you hurt?”

“…I’m fine.” With a smile, Ginny looked into his eyes…then promptly glanced to the side. “Having fun, Miss Ireena?”

“Yeah. I had a flash of inspiration.”

Ireena’s arms were crossed, and her feet were planted firmly on the ground. Ginny’s eyes narrowed as she crawled along the earth.

“Um. What’s with the tension? Why are you looking at each other like that?”

They both ignored Ard.

“What do you mean by ‘a flash of inspiration’?”

“Um, could you please answer my question—?”

“I’ll tell you since you’re dying to know! I found a certain way to win!”

“Wait… Ireena. Win what?”

They froze him out of the conversation.

“What is it?”

“I used to think the same way as you: that the one to ‘turn him on’ would win.”

“Turn what on?”

“But I was wrong the whole time.”

“Hello? Can you hear me? You’re not listening at—”

“I’m not like you, Ginny! I’ve got two options!”

As the cold-shoulder treatment continued, Ard started feeling self-conscious.

Not that the girls noticed.

“What two options?” Ginny asked.

“Your only choice is to ‘turn him on’ first! But I can just wait out the clock!”

“…Huh. And this is your strategy? Cool. It’s been hard to turn him on with you in the way. If time runs out, you’ll have succeeded in stopping me. But…” Ginny giggled when she saw the triumphant look on Ireena’s face.

“What’s so funny?”

“Hee-hee. You just have no clue. I find you so hilarious… You’re pathetic, Miss Ireena.”

Ireena frowned, twisting her lovely face.

Ginny smirked at her. “You’re the one who challenged me, yet you consider running away a victory? It’s as if…you’ve admitted your defeat.”

Ireena’s face flushed.

Ginny’s smile seemed to widen. “Oh, Miss Ireena. You realized you couldn’t beat me, hence this choice. You only want to play this game while you’re ahead, and now that things are looking bad for you, you’re ready to call it quits. How sad. Hee-hee.” She chuckled haughtily.

Ireena’s cheek twitched…but she managed to hold back her anger, electing to straighten her back and proudly cross her arms instead.

“Who cares what you think?! I win regardless. Too bad, so sad. You’ll never beat me, Ginny! Aha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha!” She let out a fit of laughter.

She knew how this would end. All she had to do was wait.

“I’ll prove you wrong right now.” With a crescent smile, Ginny turned to Ard. “Hey, are you ready to start?”

“…Can you see me now? Have you stopped ignoring me?” Light returned to Ard’s sad eyes.

Ireena looked nervous.

She has no idea. She’s studying my next move! Ginny thought to herself.

Nonetheless, Ireena’s eyes were bright with the confidence that she could put a stop to anything.

Except there was one thing she couldn’t have guessed.

“Okay, Ard. Come here. Like I told you before.”

Ginny wasn’t the actor in this situation.

It was…Ard Meteor.

Ginny waved him over…and he got on the ground to…

“…Rollover?! …Oh no!”

By the time Ireena realized this, it was far too late.

Ard reached Ginny’s feet…

ACTION COMPLETED!

GINNY SCORES ONE POINT!

Ginny had earned her point.

An instant later, Ireena’s eyes grew wide, and her knees sank to the ground.

“N-no way…! That’s…!”

“Wh-what’s wrong, Ireena?” Ard asked.

“Hee-hee-hee. How unsightly, Miss Ireena.”

“Can you stand up on your own?” he asked.

“Ginny…! You’ve been planning this all along…!”

“Not really. It just occurred to me. I didn’t know if it would work. It was a gamble.”

“…And I’m back to receiving the cold shoulder. Very cool,” Ard sulked, but no one seemed to care.

Ginny displayed an easy smile. “I got him to act out the word love instead of saying it. I thought it might be another one of those secret rules. Obviously, I could only test it out to see if I was right. I got lucky this time…but that isn’t the important takeaway. I was able to execute the plan in my head. Do you get it now?”

“Ngh!” Ireena gnashed her teeth.

Ginny’s smile broadened. “You thought the game would be in a standstill when we both switched to defense. But you were wrong. You can outmaneuver your opponent with full use of your intellect. In this battle, at least. This score proves my point…and another thing.”

Ginny raised a finger to direct at her enemy.

“There is no certain path to victory, Miss Ireena. Capisce?”

All Ireena could do was groan. In this game, Ireena couldn’t win just by blocking Ginny. She needed to keep an eye on Ard, too…which Ginny had realized…and Ireena had not.

Her path to victory was a castle built on sand.

“Grrrr…! This doesn’t mean you win! We still have three hours! Your little tricks won’t work on me anymore!”

“You’re such a sore loser. I think this is an important lesson for you: Your dreams are over when you give up, but with persistence…they’ll come true someday.”

“Got it. I am persisting, Ginny,” Ard begged. “Please stop ignoring me.”

“A resilient spirit will bring you victory.”

“I commend your heroism, but this is so cruel. I mean, look! You’re being mean to me! Right now!” Ard protested.

Ginny and Ireena glared at one another, gearing up for their climactic battle…!

Kingsglaive was home to many tourist attractions. The strangest of all was the ocean in the middle of town. It was a vestige of the ancient world.

Kingsglaive had served as the battleground of a war between the Demon Lord and one of the Evil Gods. It had been a struggle of life and death.

One attack from the Evil God had been enough to split the continent in half. Ocean water had flooded the great divide, creating the city’s unusual terrain. Sandy beaches faced the waters, and it was a popular summer destination.

This day was no different. People came in droves to enjoy the summer sun.

But in the evening, the beach was completely deserted. It was like the earlier crowds had been some kind of mirage.

No audience meant no casualties.

It was the perfect place for their final battle.

“Wh-what do you think, Ard?”

“W-well, I think you look lovely,” he told Ireena as blood rushed to his head.

“Take a look at me, Ard. How is this swimsuit?” Ginny asked.

“I-I like how bold it is?” He kept looking away, refusing to make direct eye contact with either of the girls…

…because the swimsuits in question were very risqué.

Ginny wore one that was crimson and high-cut. It was basically just straps. Her white skin was on full display…including her plush butt and sightly breasts.

Ireena’s swimsuit was equally racy. Her white micro-bikini top and thong left almost nothing to the imagination. It barely covered the essentials, leaving her thick ass completely exposed.

However, they hadn’t selected these swimsuits for his enjoyment.

“Um… I… I don’t know where to look.”

“Hee-hee-hee. If that’s the case…,” Ginny started.

“It’s the perfect time for a blindfold!” Ireena cried.

Their unbelievable chests closed in on Ard, and then…the girls blindfolded him.

“Oh. Are you going to spin me around? Is this where I smash a watermelon with a baseball bat? I know it’s a summer pastime, but…”

There was no watermelon.

It was never about breaking a watermelon.

“Okay, Ard. Open up your mouth nice and wide,” Ireena prompted.

“A-Ahh. Like this?”

“Uh-huh. Now, I want you to cover your ears.”

“…Um, what are we playing?”

“Don’t worry about it.”

“I have a bad feeling about—”

““Don’t worry about it.””

“…Seriously?”

Nevertheless, Ard obliged, even though he looked miserable.

Eyes blindfolded. Mouth wide open. Ears covered.

Without sight or sound, he had no clue what they were up to.

Then, he sensed no one around him at all.

“…I think we’re ready.”

“Let’s get this show on the road.”

They backed away from Ard and faced each other.

Their bodies felt light, unrestricted by their school uniforms. This was the reason for their swimsuits. The closer to nude, the more fluid their motions. To prepare for this moment, they needed to eliminate all other factors.

They were ready to fight…literally.

No more time for logic and reason. This was going to be a violent smackdown.

“We should have done this from the beginning,” Ireena said.

“Uh-huh. This is as straightforward as it gets.”

They had one hour left and two points each. In the end, they had chosen a resolution that was pure in every sense of the word.

“The winner of this duel can make Ard drink the love potion. That’s the plan, right?”

“No objections. After all…I’m going to win this one.” Ginny’s smile was almost insulting.

Ireena snarled at her.

“Giga Flare!!”

“Windstorm!!”

Their high-level spells canceled out each other’s attacks, creating a violent shock wave.

It was time for a showdown between two maidens in love with the same man.

“TAKE THIS!”

“AS IF!”

They were evenly matched. The stalemate must have vexed the girls because their bickering intensified.

“ARD IS MINE!”

“NO! HE’S MINE!”

They had gone berserk in this magic battle, casting high-level spells that carved out craters on the beach, but neither was winning. Meanwhile, the war of words between the aggravated girls was nearing its climax…

“I CAN LIST MORE THINGS ABOUT ARD THAT I LIKE THAN YOU!”

“NO! ME!”

This started a fight over who could heap more praise on her crush.

The compliments had reached more than a hundred…

“Hff-hff. Looks like…you’re out of magic.”

“Says…you.”

Magic was no longer an option, but so what?

Didn’t they have their own arms and legs?

“Here I come, homewrecker…!”

“Bring it, musclebrain…!”

They pounced on each other for the catfight of a lifetime.

These were budding young ladies, though. Punching and kicking was out of the question.

“Owie! Wat oor ou oing?!”

“Hee-hee-hee! What stretchy cheeks you have!” Ginny laughed, pinching Ireena’s face.

“Take dis!”

“Glerck?!”

“Ha-ha-ha! Little Miss Piggy!” Ireena squealed, shoving her fingers up Ginny’s nose.

Honestly? A fight between kids might have been more mature.

Still, they were bound to get exhausted after a protracted period of this.

“Huff…Hff… Why don’t you just… give up…?!”

“No… You…!”

Both were pushing their limits. Even their catfight had failed to give either of them an edge.

In the end, the difference between victory and defeat would come down to mental stamina…

NOT.

It’s almost time…! Ginny steeled herself, observing Ireena and stepping forward.

Ireena had used all her energy and was covered in wounds…but Ginny had some power to spare.

This wasn’t coincidental… It had been her plan all along.

“Haaah!”

“AAAH?!”

Ginny crouched to execute her leg sweep, sending Ireena tumbling to the ground. She didn’t even have the energy to pick herself up. Ginny saw this window of opportunity and fished something out from between her boobs.

It was the love potion.

“What?! No way! You can’t possibly…?!”

“Oh, but I am…!” Ginny popped off the lid and launched it toward Ard’s open mouth with her last shred of energy.

“Hey! Ch-cheater!” Ireena barked.

“According to who? Call me a strategist!”

This was the final phase of Ginny’s scheme. No self-proclaimed intellectual would agree to participate in a barbaric duel. The whole altercation had been an elaborate ruse to deceive Ireena and clear Ginny’s path to certain victory: Action Number 3!

“Miss Ireena! You can’t even move! Which means I wi—”

“Don’t think this is over yet!” Ireena broke past her physical limits, cutting short Ginny’s verbal victory lap.

She leaped to her feet. Who could say where this energy came from? Ireena whipped out her vial from her cleavage and yanked off the lid.

“Heh! Don’t even bother,” Ginny said. “Even if you throw it now, it would never reach him in—”

“HIYA!” Ireena belted, letting go of the bottle.

Ard, however, wasn’t her target. The vial…dropped in front of her foot, which she drew back to deliver a kick.

“What?! Oh…! Our legs are three times stronger than our arms…!” Ginny observed. “B-but mine will still reach him before yours! And that’s a fact!”

“Nuh-uh! See for yourself!”

Every last shred of ardor was directed at their projectiles.

““COME ON!””

The vials went whistling through the air and…entered Ard’s mouth at the same time.

“BLERGH?!” Ard gasped as the foreign objects flew in his mouth.

In the next moment, he gulped.

His Adam’s apple undulated up, then down.

“Who made it in first…?!”

The girls looked on with bated breath…until the judge handed down the verdict.

BOTH CONTESTANTS HAVE COMPLETED AN ACTION.

THIS GAME IS A DRAW!

THE CONTEST IS NULL AND VOID!

Null and void.

In other words…there was no winner or loser.

The two absorbed this news.

“Hee-hee.”

“Hee-hee-hee-hee-hee.”

““HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA!””

Ireena and Ginny howled with laughter. Who knew who started laughing first? They had depleted all their energy and were left without an ounce of strength in their bodies.

That was why huge smiles settled on their faces even after they’d fought to the bitter end.

“Ginny.”

“Miss Ireena.”

Their battle had been a desperate one. Now that it was over, they had newfound respect for each other.

“There’s no messing with you.”

“Right back at you. I’d expect no less, Miss Ireena.”

They stepped in for a hug, gushing over each other’s strategies.

“Phew. I’m getting hungry.”

“Me, too. Want to buy something from one of the food vendors?” Ginny suggested.

Under the glow of sunset, the two beamed as they walked along the beach.

The battle between the maidens had come to a close.

No winner. No loser.

Just two happy girls.

“…Can someone please tell me what’s going on?”

No one was around to hear Ard beg for an explanation on the empty beach.