Chapter 81: I Won’t Let Your Death Be in Vain!

Chuunibyou, acting cute, fooling around—Takanashi Rikka showed absolutely no desire to study.

Himekoji was breaking down inside. If this continued, he really would die in a week!

No good. He couldn’t indulge this little girl’s craziness anymore!

“Ahem, Takanashi—”

“Call me Rikka!”

Himekoji had only just started speaking when the petite girl, puffing her cheeks in dissatisfaction, suddenly cut him off. For some reason, the girl was especially stubborn about how she was addressed.

Left with no choice, Himekoji gave in.

“Rikka.”

“Mm-hmm!”

Only upon hearing what she wanted did Takanashi finally smile, squinting her eyes as she vigorously nodded her head, completely satisfied. She acted like a little girl praised by her elders and given candy—her smile adorable and radiant.

But come to think of it, Himekoji recalled that in the “April is Your Glagame” game, Takanashi’s profile tag clearly read: “expressionless iceberg chuunibyou beauty”.

Yet now, the Rikka before Himekoji Akito showed not a trace of being cold or expressionless. Only the chuunibyou trait remained, carried out to the end, prominent and glaring.

…

“Rikka, these are mere mortal math problems. Even without using the power of the Evil Eye of the Wicked Lord, you should be able to solve them easily, right?”

There were two ways to communicate with a chuunibyou. The first method? Fight first, talk later.

The advantage of this method was obvious—simple and violent.

But the disadvantage was equally obvious—too simple, too violent!

Himekoji chose the other, relatively gentler method here. That was…

To find a way to get onto the same wavelength as her.

In common terms, awaken his own inner chuunibyou.

…

“Hmph, obviously!”

Rikka puffed out her small chest and said this proudly, head held high.

Huh? Seemed she took the bait?

“Good! Let’s not waste time. Start with problem one right away!” Himekoji pressed his advantage.

“No! If I study now, I lose!”

Eh? A sudden reversal?

Just see—

Takanashi clenched her fist, opened her eyes wide, and spoke this utterly defeatist line with determined resolve.

Himekoji was practically shocked speechless by this declaration brimming with fighting spirit!

What was this? That spirit was completely misdirected!

“Hey, Rikka, you’re a student! Your actual duty is to study!”

“Huh? I completely don’t understand what you’re saying, Akito! Our actual duty is clearly to deal with the Demon King living inside you!”

Rikka tilted her head at him quizzically, seeming genuinely confused.

The girl continued:

“So, once we defeat the Demon King, whether we study or not doesn’t matter!”

“That’s not true at all! It matters! It absolutely matters! I’ll die if you don’t study!”

“Akito, you’ve changed.”

Facing Himekoji’s exasperated complaint, Rikka blinked. Suddenly, she lowered her eyelids, a look of loneliness on her face.

“As expected… you really don’t remember anything at all.”

The girl sat hunched on the stool, shivering as she drew her body in.

…

Wait! Why adopt such a serious pose? Acting like I did something wrong…

He instantly felt guilty! Hey!

…

No, no. To get this young lady to study, he actually had to coax her.

Damn it, why did this thankless job have to fall to him?

Complaining was one thing. The next moment, Himekoji decided to go all out!

…

“Ah! My head… it hurts!”

Himekoji clutched his head and thudded face-first onto the table.

“Akito! What’s wrong?”

Himekoji’s acting was passable; at least it fooled a little chuuni easily.

Rikka bought it instantly, seeming quite frightened.

“Akito, what happened? Is it serious? Was the Demon King’s curse triggered again?”

The girl rushed anxiously to his side, squatting by the table to gaze up at him worriedly.

“Ahh… Pain! So painful! My head feels like it’s splitting!”

“What do I do? What do I do?” Takanashi paced frantically beside him.

“I’ll go fetch a priest!”

“It’s no use…”

Himekoji reached out and grabbed her hand, speaking “weakly”—

“D-do you remember… what Hiratsuka-sensei said?”

“N-no, I don’t. Sorry!” Rikka shook her head, frantic.

“She… she said… if I can’t help you improve your grades within a week… then… I will die…”

“I won’t let you die!”

Rikka pressed her lips together, tightly gripping Himekoji’s hand, and spoke with conviction.

…

Huh?

Oh my god? She was so easy to fool?

As he acted, Himekoji suddenly felt a pang of guilt.

Was this… underhanded? Tricking a girl who trusted him so readily like this?

No way! Screw ‘underhanded’! From a certain perspective, this was the absolute truth!

If Takanashi didn’t study properly, he really would die!

So, steeling his heart, he continued—

“You know? Hiratsuka-sensei’s true identity… is actually a minion of the Demon King. Her threats about me dying… aren’t just words… it’s a curse!”

“So… Rikka… save me…”

Himekoji had startling talent—his acting was utterly convincing; he slipped into the role with ease.

The next second, he fixed a look of utter, soul-crushing despair, like shattered glass, upon Rikka. How to describe that look? In that moment, it made Rikka feel like she was the sole lifeline Himekoji had left.

An overwhelming sense of responsibility washed over her!

“So Hiratsuka-sensei is someone like that after all? Don’t worry, Akito, I absolutely won’t let you die!”

Rikka promised this with unshakeable resolve.

Was it a trick of the light? Her serious, determined face seemed slightly… cool?

The very next moment, fighting spirit blazing, the girl snatched up the exam paper.

“I won’t let Akito die! I won’t!”

…

Two minutes later.

The girl’s expression was blank as she lifted her face from the exam paper.

“Akito… I won’t let your death be in vain!”

Takanashi Rikka tightly gripped her pencil, a look of tragic resolve on her face as she uttered this final, decisive line.

Eh? Wait, that’s not right?

This… was different from what she said before!

“I absolutely won’t let you die.”

“I won’t let your death be in vain.”

Only one word difference… But the meaning was poles apart! Hey!

“Akito, your sacrifice is worthwhile! The Organization will never forget the contributions you made for us.”

Eh? Eh? Eh? What nonsense? So you’re decided on my sacrifice? Your decision changed way too fast!

And even if you say “My sacrifice is worthwhile,” forgive me, but I don’t see any worth in it!

“We will remember you forever!”

Enough!

Just how much do you hate studying? You’d rather I die than do one problem?

And what about the promise you made moments ago? The one where you shouted you’d save me?!

Did you feed it to the dogs?

Himekoji Akito broke… once again!

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