Chapter 210: Unparalleled Peak!

This book signing event lasted a whole day!

By the end, Himekoji even suspected his mind was fuzzy.

Several later readers felt eerily familiar—like he’d signed their books already.

Plus, there was a sneaky masked guy he almost mistook for his editor…

Yup, working non-stop must’ve fried his brain.

Himekoji glanced down at his nearly swollen hands and sighed helplessly.

“Man, what even is this day?”

…

“Good luck, Himekoji-kun.”

White hairband, black tights, tall figure.

As evening neared, the final attendee arrived: Kasumigaoka Utaha.

Finally, the last one! Wrap this up and head home!

Himekoji felt a flicker of excitement.

…

Kasumigaoka arrived earliest yet stayed firmly at the line’s end.

Himekoji had noticed this all along.

“Not tired? You queued the whole day.”

He shook his head, stood up, and offered his chair.

Not out of gentlemanly manners—his rear had gone numb from sitting all afternoon.

“Sit.”

He pointed at the chair.

“Sit?”

Kasumigaoka tilted her head, feigning confusion.

“Shouldn’t we do something else first?”

“Signing?”

To Himekoji, Kasumigaoka was the real author. A fake like him signing her book felt… awkward.

Still, he took the Bunko edition from her.

“Plus hand-holding, hugging, and kissing.”

“You sound just like Akiko!”

Himekoji couldn’t help complaining.

“Akiko? Ah, your Imouto? Impressive.”

Tucking her hair behind one ear, Kasumigaoka softly chuckled.

What exactly was “impressive”?

Her praise bugged Himekoji slightly.

Wait—how did she know about his Imouto?

He couldn’t recall telling her.

As if reading his mind, Kasumigaoka explained:

“That ‘Pervert Himekoji has an equally pervy Imouto’ went around school the day she transferred.”

“…”

Flustered, he changed subjects:

“Why’d you queue last all day?”

“Because you stood first in line at my signing.”

Oof, the flashback!

Back when Himekoji hadn’t embraced his “Pervert” status, he’d boldly gone to her event…

He’d rather bury that cringey memory forever.

“What’s that got to do with this?”

“Everything.”

Kasumigaoka flopped into the chair.

“My legs ache, Himekoji-kun.”

She slightly lifted one leg—encased in dark tights, sleek and fleshy.

“Hey! Even if you pull that ‘massage me NOW’ face—no way! This is a public bookstore!”

Her teasing, “wanting” gaze shot through him. Suddenly, memories of that wild night in Wagou City flooded back. Face burning, he stepped back.

“Pfft!”

As expected, she laughed.

“What pervy thoughts fill your head? I said nothing, Himekoji-kun!”

Right, right—you win every argument.

He wouldn’t fight Kasumigaoka, the “Evil God” who lived for teasing.

…

[Ding!]

But while Himekoji stayed chill, the System intervened!

[Mission Triggered!]

[Kasumigaoka’s Unparalleled Peak Foot Massage Package!]

[At her next signing event, hide beneath the table…]

Beneath the table?

Hold up—what’s with those trailing dots?!

[…You know what to do.]

“Unparalleled Peak” my foot!

[Reward: Unparalleled!]

[Penalty: Peak!]

…

Perhaps by some twisted synergy…

Both Himekoji and Kasumigaoka flushed bright crimson.

Himekoji was angered by the System. Kasumigaoka…

Huh? Why was Kasumigaoka suddenly blushing?

Himekoji found it baffling.

But he couldn’t worry about that right now—the mission was important!

Himekoji absolutely refused to understand what the “peak experience” in the punishment really meant!

“Ms. Kasumi, your next Book Signing Event…”

“Ah, Ji-ji-kun, your Book Signing Event was quite successful.”

Just as he opened his mouth to ask his question, he was swiftly countered by her “Topic-Changing Technique.”

“It was alright. More importantly, Ms. Kasumi, when will your next signing be…”

“You loved being liked by so many readers, right?”

Cut off again!

“Liked? If they knew what I’m really like, they’d probably just hate me.”

Himekoji chuckled bitterly and shook his head.

As he shook it, he suddenly remembered his mission—

“Never mind that. Ms. Kasumi, about your next Book Signing Event…”

“So what are you really like?”

The girl suddenly looked at him with a serious expression.

Her demeanor was so intense that Himekoji froze for a moment.

“The real me?”

He thought about it subconsciously.

“Per…”

Pervert.

That was the first answer that popped into Himekoji’s mind. But after uttering the first syllable, he just couldn’t force out the second.

Even though he’d long since faced reality… even though he’d accepted himself as he was…

…He still probably felt a bit unwilling inside.

“Per?”

Kasumigaoka pressed, almost confrontational.

Everyone already knew the answer, yet she had to ask him.

Fine then. He’d admit it.

Himekoji took a deep breath—

“Per…”

“No, you’re not.”

A girl’s finger suddenly pressed against his lips.

The second syllable, on the verge of escaping, was forced back down.

Kasumigaoka had stood up somewhere along the line, standing right before him, so close.

“When a glass cup is filled with milk tea, people say ‘that’s milk tea.’ When the same glass cup is filled with Essential Balm, people then say, ‘that’s Essential Balm.’ It’s only when the cup is empty that people finally see the cup.”

“When our hearts are filled with knowledge, wealth, power, achievements, prejudice, or whatever else… we are no longer ourselves. Often, having everything, we still cannot have ourselves.”

Kasumigaoka stared intently at him.

After a long pause—

“Is that so? But… I don’t really have anything yet.”

Himekoji couldn’t help but look away.

Knowledge? A hollow reputation as the top of his grade?

Wealth? He was still just a broke guy.

Forget about power, achievements, prejudice, and other such things.

“Ji-ji-kun, how greedy you really are.”

…