“Want to bet? Loser buys beer.”

Heike suggesting this first?

Great progress. Seems quite enjoying this situation now.

By the way….

“Beer again?”

“…I was going to say drink while gaming?”

“Hm, yeah.”

I smiled and handed her the ball.

And 30 minutes later, I decided to withdraw that smile.

“At least spare….”

Heike, standing in front of the lane, trailed off and pursed lips.

Honestly, since said tried one or two times when young, inwardly thought all to gutter.

‘Feel sorry.’

Heike, having struck three strikes before and missed once, was greatly disappointed. Seems wanted to cleanly strike the whole this game.

Heike dusted hands and looked at my score written by recorder, said.

“Lukas you really good.”

“Yeah? To me, you seem better?”

I, since often went to bowling alley in 21st century, couldn’t be very bad.

A person who tried one or two times when young and a person who periodically did similar game producing neck-and-neck results, feel how excellent Heike’s athletic nerve is.

Like that, we stuck for about two and a half hours more, only rolling balls. Rather than fun, close to inertia, but since both personalities to see end, not satisfied with slight score difference, concentrating until can clearly beat opponent.

Around 8 PM evening, Heike, vividly emitting her magic power with hand, asked timidly.

“Lukas…. Until when we do…?”

“Don’t know. Shall we stop now?”

I wiped sweat and put down the ball.

During that, recorder came and held out scoreboard to us.

Not familiar with kegling rules, but in all games done so far, I beat her three times, she beat me four times, clearly could know.

Heike opened eyes big and quietly asked.

“I won?”

“Yeah. Congrats, Heike. Let’s come again next time.”

I smiled and patted her back.

No victory desire that much in kegling to feel resentful for losing, even if victory desire arose, not relationship to express that.

Rather wanted to congratulate more actively, but I had no energy for that.

Heike, whether or not, not minding much, walked around here and there with strangely flushed face. Then, bought new beer from counter and held out.

“Drink.”

“Yeah? You said you won.”

“You bought one earlier, so.”

“Hey, Heike. It’s a bet.”

“Drink.”

“…….”

If like this, don’t know why did bet, but if refuse, seems infinite repeat, so I just took the bottle.

As soon as that, Heike suddenly brought up words.

“Now what shall we do?”

Right away go do something again? Was thinking go find cafe moderately.

Only finger and waist health gone, but seems have energy to go around.

I looked at Heike’s eyes, bigger than usual whether fun coming out with me today, and smiled lightly.

Didn’t particularly conscious, but while dealing with some stalker bastard and Pleromas, solving high schooler favorability gaining proposal or something, mind is much easier. Anyway, still just high schooler for now.

‘That favorability still not giving is a bit catching though….’

Also sounds like meaning not satisfied, so more like that.

But thinking Heike voluntarily gave me exactly 1 point favorability so far, prepared for this much. Above all, have to go to end to know.

I smiled and pointed outside.

“It’s time to eat dinner. Want to go to market once?”

*  *  *

“First time coming to market.”

When about an hour passed since stopping by market, Heike said that to me. Already we were at park bench, eating sausages bought from market stalls. Day quickly darkened, we were relying on streetlight.

I shrugged and answered.

“Me too.”

At least this market is first time. Because of status, no occasion to go.

Heike probably same. Fortunately, she isn’t a person arrogant with status, so just excitedly went around. Then, must have spent all money brought. The paper bags lined next to her chair were excessively many.

On the other hand, what I bought was one plate of sauerkraut.

“Why only eat sauerkraut?”

“Not much hungry.”

“Wow.”

She let out soulless exclamation and glanced at me, cast magic to refill beer in empty bottle. Unusually Heike spoke to me first, I thought. Clearly opened mouth to distract my attention.

She expressionlessly gulped alcohol and quietly said.

“Today was fun.”

“Ah, was worrying if perhaps not fun, glad.”

“No, really.”

She slowly smiled.

“Such photos first time taking with you, first time kegling with friend, first time going to market, mom story also first time to you.”

“…….”

I nodded and smiled.

From my position, most not special things all accepted specially to her, confirming that, felt shoulder a bit heavy.

I’m her first friend, shared her numerous firsts. Sharing memories that will remain deeper than other memories, so in front of her, need to be a bit more careful with anything.

Of course, even though gave memory that will remain strong to Heike, favorability not increasing even 1 point is a bit strange. Not that resentful. No obligation for her to show reaction I want, so never had negative thought about Heike’s reaction.

But, now, need to check once the intention of this proposal, not Heike.

‘First, let’s confirm one.’

I opened the probability of change window.

Dawn777

— Until final ending ‘Chapter X. Death’ 596 days 13 hours 03 minutes 13 seconds

— Probability of change: 48.9% (+3.0%p)

‘48.9%.’

Good.

Around here, let’s think slowly.

Indeed, whether the reason she seeks mother is to confirm root of emotion deficiency and want confirmation that it’s okay as is, or to confirm she also has possibility of change, or actually purely want to meet existence called parent instead of uncle indifferent to her, don’t know.

Why when Heike said ‘want to live with mother after graduation’, Narce’s eyes changed as if piercing something, still can’t know exactly.

Only thing I know now is, as much as Narce reacted like that, something in this circumstance, and perhaps that could be a method to prevent Heike becoming a villain in future.

‘Why think like that.’

Isn’t it a leap?

Originally, no basis to think like that, so wouldn’t have put in possibility axis either.

But basis to consider arose.

Did best, but in achieving this proposal, clear limit existed.

After Heike, the next lowest score Ulrike, tried to get close intimately, but from him, getting 4 points was all. Other than that, received scores Heike 1 point, Yulia 2 points.

Already all team members except Heike’s favorability exceeded 5 points. And as can know experientially, in case of stat already high, hard to raise even 1 point with one week time.

Conclusively, this means structurally impossible to clear unless target Heike with favorability close to 0. The system assumed I get favorability from Heike and made this proposal.

Raising Heike’s favorability who doesn’t give me scores means, beyond simply getting close to Heike like today, need to touch her fundamental emotion.

‘Why make such dangerous proposal.’

Isn’t it because related to Heike’s future.

Let’s experiment once.

“Heike.”

“Yeah?”

“If there’s chance to see mother, want to meet even now?”

“Of course.”

Answer without slightest hesitation.

Her gaze became sharp in an instant, unable to find usual indifference anywhere.

I quietly looked at her. She, surprised herself at words unwittingly said, covered mouth then returned to indifferent expression.

“…Anyway, just wish. If I appear in front of mom, mom won’t particularly welcome either… well, honestly don’t care about such reaction, but contracted not to meet, right.”

Instead of answering, I opened the probability of change window again.

Dawn777

— Until final ending ‘Chapter X. Death’ 596 days 13 hours 02 minutes 55 seconds

— Probability of change: 51.9% (+3.0%p)

“…….”

It rose. With just one word, 3%p.

Now, what this proposal tells me became clear.

The proposal is telling me to change Heike’s future.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep