Chapter 12
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 12
Chapter Title: 3. Let's Collect Some Praise Coupons
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"Neria. I've peeled the apples."
"Alright."
The so-called ceiling system. Praise coupons.
This tiny slip of paper that Neria had suddenly prepared came with some unexpected perks.
Of course, it wasn't anything like guaranteeing a 4-star pull after hitting the 10-pull button.
"Is there anything else you might need?"
"Something else? Hmm. Nothing comes to mind right now... Oh, a rabbit-shaped apple."
"Is that so... Like last time with the errands, or annoying housework, or..."
"...Hold on. Are you so eager just because you want to grope my chest again?"
"...Pretty much, yeah."
"Huh..."
I'd naturally escaped from that prison cell of a setup.
Being cooped up with nothing to do but fiddle with my phone, cut off from Neria, wasn't ideal for fulfilling my Rehabilitation Support Department duties. Now, I was in peak condition.
...To put it plainly, it was a lot easier to butter her up now.
"Hey, couldn't you just grope your own? Yours are flat and boring anyway."
"It's not that they're boring, but my role is to help you get interested in sex, Neria. Ultimately, I want you blasting mana everywhere. So the chest is just a stepping stone."
"...Hearing the details makes me even more annoyed."
"Ahaha... But once you get used to sex, it feels really good, so please consider it positively..."
"No thanks. Even when you groped me last time, it wasn't that great."
"......"
Didn't you cum pretty easily back then?
I desperately wanted to grill her on exactly what happened that day, but unfortunately, my opponent was Neria.
Right now, even if she claimed '1+1=3,' I'd have to laugh it off. So I let it slide.
Social life is so damn tough.
"...I-it really wasn't that good, okay?!"
"What did I say? I was just sitting here quietly."
"That's why I'm saying it! Shouldn't you argue back like, 'No way it didn't feel good!' or something?"
"It was your first time, so maybe it wasn't good—or worse, maybe it was unpleasant. Why should I argue so passionately...?"
"Th-that's... Ugh..."
The stories that followed were the same.
This hard-to-please witch would spit out some weird claim and then clamp her lips shut.
Me passionately arguing back against Neria? What kind of twisted logic was that?
Is there some rule that it has to feel good no matter what?
Standing right next to her, I could even see her lips puffing out stubbornly.
Watching Neria like that, I started noticing the down jacket she was wearing. It looked stuffy.
That thing must be hot as hell.
Time to change the subject. I figured I'd ask.
"Are you planning to keep that jacket on the whole time?"
"...Y-yeah."
Her tone sounded a bit off.
But if it was her trying to one-up me... well, whatever.
Nothing too weird, so I let it pass.
"Must be sweltering. Wouldn't that black jersey you usually wear be better? I'm getting hot just looking at you."
"It's in the washer."
"Washer? Did you spill something?"
"...Your hand touched it. Your hand. So I washed it. Why? Got a problem?"
"Ah, from when I groped your chest..."
"...Hmph. Squeezing and kneading over my clothes that much..."
I had been pretty persistent with her breasts back then. Gotta admit what I did.
For starters, Neria was a witch.
Witches' beauty was famed as nation-toppling, so yeah, I was mesmerized.
Her personality was childish and immature, but her development was surprisingly decent.
Not huge, but enough to draw the eye naturally.
From my position, it was basically a natural disaster.
...But still.
"If you washed it right away, wouldn't it be done drying by now—washing and all?"
That didn't explain why she was buried in this puffy jacket now.
Our thing happened in broad daylight.
Even if she washed it right after, it would've been done yesterday, with plenty of time to dry.
Be honest.
You're just embarrassed, aren't you?
"Neria?"
"...Huh? What?"
"Still not dry?"
"Y-yeah. That's why I'm wearing this. You think I like this outfit?"
"......Hmm."
"Ugh... The laundry room's right there. Go check yourself."
"No need. If you say so..."
"I said go check!"
"...Got it."
When I probed a little, Neria stammered.
Up to then, I thought I was right on the money, but surprisingly, she confidently pointed to the laundry room.
Dryer rack must be there too.
She was so sure, no way it was a lie.
And on a side note, even the Water Witch uses a washing machine.
With that small realization, I casually headed to the laundry room.
"......"
"S-see? Right? It's not dry yet, so I'm wearing this. Confirmed...?"
Sure enough, a black jersey hung on the drying rack in the laundry room—damp, not quite wearable yet.
Not soaking, but still awkward to put on.
I saw it with my own eyes, so no complaints from me to begin with, and even less now.
She just washed it late, that's all.
Deep night or this morning, something like that.
That was it.
Except.
"...St-stop staring and look away already!"
"...I didn't see anything."
"You totally did!!"
Neria's pure white underwear was hanging right next to it, like it was washed together.
A stark white bra in an obvious size,
and matching panties,
dangling limply next to the black jersey.
Thwack—Neria smacked my arm and shoved me back toward the kitchen.
Since I'd brought a fruit basket instead of just apples, they ran out quick.
If Neria hadn't shoved some at me saying eat up, they might've lasted longer—but she threatened deductions if I didn't.
Our team leader, another witch, always seemed so relaxed and laid-back, so why was Neria such a tyrant...?
I knew it was just their personalities shining through, but I grumbled anyway.
"...Hey. Got nothing to do?"
As I cleared the empty fruit plate, Neria spoke up.
Still hiding under that down jacket, she looked sweltering.
"Nope? Every time I've come to your place, I've just been stuck in that cell reading comics."
"...Hmm. Yeah. What about going to other witches later or whatever?"
"That'd be fine too. Right now I'm assigned only to you, so I could stay here 24/7. Team leader approved it."
"No. I refuse. Creepy. Go home when it's time."
"Anyway, anything you want me to do?"
"Yeah. There is."
Music to my ears.
My current praise coupons were at 1.2 points (fried rice +1, apple peeling +0.5, peeking at underwear -0.3). I desperately wanted to fill the remaining 8.8 somehow.
Neria spoke to me as I flashed my best smile.
"Be my chair."
"Pardon?"
"For gaming. Be my chair."
"Pardon?"
Not because I didn't understand Korean.
I just couldn't grasp her intent.
Using me as a chair—didn't that mean the position from yesterday, when I fondled her breasts?
...Thinking further, maybe on all fours like a footstool.
Nah, no way.
"Hmm. Too hard for a perverted boy lost in dirty thoughts?"
"No, uh... You mean that position from yesterday, right?"
"Yep. That one."
"Ah..."
See? Told you it was yesterday's.
But then my head filled with question marks.
Shouldn't I be the one begging for this?
I never expected her to suggest it first.
Do I have some hidden talent as a chair...?
"Don't wanna?"
"No, I'll do it."
Logic aside, it was an opportunity I couldn't pass up.
As I set the plate in the sink and agreed, Neria beckoned and led me to her room.
"Come in. Don't step on my pad like last time."
Second time here since yesterday.
Entering Neria's room, I carefully scanned around, avoiding the floor.
Simply put, less like a girlfriend's room I'd seen a few times, more like a gaming high school boy's den.
Gamepads and Nintendo controllers rolling on the floor. Huge TV. Monitors on the desk caught my eye one by one.
Dual monitors are standard these days, but she had four.
Did she really need that many? Owner's call, though.
I kept quiet, naturally.
"First, sit on the bed. Gotta grab something."
"Got it."
She told me to sit on the bed again, so I had a tiny, really tiny hope—but it fizzled as she grabbed her gamepad.
Bonus: head up comfortably, and the TV's right there.
The one she turned on by fiddling with the mini-dock for the screen.
In other words,
"Hey. Move a bit left."
"...To line up with the TV?"
"Yeah."
"...Neria, mind if I ask why you need me for this...?"
"Computer chair's too close 'cause of the bed. Sitting on the bed makes the TV too high."
"...Aha."
She really meant to use me as a chair replacement.
"But I'll give you 2 points after. Good?"
No sexy vibes here, then.
Just numb legs at the end, probably.
...But 2 points for this short time?
"...Got it."
At that moment, I nodded without a second thought.