Hentai King System

”O-of course I do! More like, you don’t know her, Rigel-san…? She crushed her opponent in the second round earlier. You should have been watching too…”

Char’s voice was a little high, colored with excitement. At that reaction, which could be taken as either respect or awe, Rigel raised an eyebrow just slightly.

”Hm? I thought I was watching properly next to you, but I didn’t check the names. Is this Aria person famous or something?”

The way he muttered while shrugging was carefree and without tension.

While staring straight at him, Char began speaking quietly, yet with heat in her voice.

”She’s a talented girl from Class S third-year who also serves as Discipline Committee chair. Her nickname is ’Seven Treasure Sword, Condemnation Execution Aria.’ On top of swordsmanship that draws out the full performance of famous blades, she can apparently use some kind of unique magic as well… Those who lose to her confess their sins as if submitting completely, and then they are condemned…”

There was even a kind of respect in the way she spoke. Like a bard telling a legend. Rigel felt the seriousness packed into every part of her story and slowly nodded.

”Heh…”

A short murmur of interest. But there was more than simple curiosity in that voice.

(Seven Treasure Sword, huh… Probably the one I thought looked interesting in the earlier match. I welcome a toy that actually has some fight in it, but a flashy match in the third round is outside my calculations. I might need to move that matter up a little. And she’s sitting right next to me now.)

Waves of thought turned calmly and quickly. When Rigel’s eyes narrowed, several assumptions and developments had already been simulated inside him.

Char called out to him with energy.

”L-let’s do our best! Aria-san with the Condemnation Execution title is a strong opponent, but you’ll be fine for sure, Rigel-san!! You haven’t done any evil deeds that would get you condemned either!”

Clear trust seeped through those words. More than grounded confidence, it was something like the passion unique to a girl who wanted to believe in his victory.

”Yeah!”

Rigel answered shortly, but that single word carried resolve and determination. Of course it did. He was a rapist with a record that might as well be a hundred offenses. He could not afford to take that mysterious unique magic that forced people to confess their sins. What he needed was an overwhelming win.

”…By the way, the actual third-round matches are tomorrow, right?”

”Yes, that’s right.”

”It’s a little early, but how about dinner together starting now?”

At the unexpected invitation, Char froze for an instant. Color slowly rose in her cheeks, and her eyes swam.

”J-just the two of us!?”

”Yeah. You want to rest up for tomorrow too, right? Besides, I have a little something I want to talk about.”

The proposal was far too natural, and far too sudden. Rigel wore his usual smile, but Char sensed something implied behind it. Even while confused, or rather because of that, she gave a small, definite nod.

After dusk.

They climbed the stairs laid with a red carpet and were shown to the second floor of the restaurant Claviere. It was a private room prepared only for special customers, complete with a balcony that looked out on the night view.

When the heavy door closed quietly, all the noise receded. The night view spreading across the entire window looked as if a jewelry box had been overturned, and the city’s lights colored the two of them in silence. The classical tablecloth left a high-quality feel under the fingers, and the gold-rimmed tableware arranged neatly on top of it seemed to whisper that this night was a special one. Overhead, a small chandelier scattered delicate light, and that brilliance softly reflected off the curves of the glasses, drawing faint rainbow-like wavers.

”Are you nervous? You’re stiff, Char.”

Rigel’s voice was soft, and at the same time had a light, joking ring. But at that remark Char’s shoulders jumped.

”…Y-yes. I am nervous.”

While answering, Char quietly straightened her back. She put a hand to her chest and became aware that her heartbeat had grown just a little faster. Her gaze dropped to the table, and her white fingertips gently traced the handle of the fork. A faint flush colored her cheeks. It was the color of hiding embarrassment, and at the same time proof that she was touching the specialness of this space.

”Well, that can’t be helped. Even for me, this is the first time I’ve brought a girl to a place like this.”

A hint of self-mocking lightness mixed into Rigel’s words. But behind that tone, embarrassment and a little pride peeked through. Perhaps that got through, because Char’s shoulders loosened slightly. The taut air eased all at once.

”…Is that true? Someone like you, Rigel-san, would have come here many times with much flashier people…”

The question held a color that could be taken as either certainty or unease. Char almost closed her mouth, thinking her words had been rude, but Rigel answered at once.

”Do I look like that type?”

”You do.”

”That’s not very flattering.”

The two of them laughed together. Rather than laughing out loud, it was a quiet warmth of sensing the sway in each other’s expressions and smiling softly. There was no technique in the exchange of words, and that was why it was honest. They did not force the distance closed, yet the air between them steadily drew nearer. More than the shop’s presentation, more than the food, the time flowing there was the most luxurious thing of all.

The food was brought not long after that. The moment the silver dome was opened, the scent of herbs and butter filled the space. At that faintly drifting aroma, Char involuntarily held her breath.

”…Amazing. It really… looks delicious. This is my first time.”

Surprise and emotion seeped honestly into those words. The hand holding the fork was as careful as if handling a treasure, and that alone conveyed how much she treasured this moment.

”Right? I wanted to let Char experience more kinds of ’firsts.’”

Rigel said it quietly. Behind the joking tone of his words lurked a deliberate ambiguity. Spoken in a gentle manner, it was wrapped in a veil as if hiding something. A faint shadow of something wicked floated there, but Char did not notice.

In her world, it was unmistakably romantic. Her cheeks dyed scarlet again, and the hand holding the fork stopped. She herself felt, with some confusion, a gentle heat spreading deep in her chest.

”…You’re unfair sometimes, Rigel-san.”

The voice that leaked out carried an emotion unrelated to the meal.

”Unfair?”

”Because you say things like that so naturally. It’s against the rules.”

At those words Rigel laughed softly and tilted his glass. The deep red swayed under the light.

”Then this dinner might be nothing but fouls.”

The moment those words fell, a ripple like a small stone dropped on water spread deep in Char’s chest. Inside the joking ring there was a kindness that was hard to dislike, and it lingered strangely in her heart. Every time his eyes turned toward her, something important seemed to be laid bare, and Char forgot to blink.

Suddenly a night wind blew in gently. Char’s gaze was drawn straight to the night view. The lights of the city spreading in the distance looked as if countless fragments of someone’s memories were twinkling, and they even felt a little nostalgic.

At that scenery Char involuntarily held her breath small. Deep in her heart she felt something that had been tightly tied come loose all at once. While carefully picking up an emotion that seemed ready to rasp in the back of her throat if she tried to put it into words, she spoke.