Chapter 17 The Disappointing Hero Sneaks In
After the car departed, I called out to Takashi, who was sitting in the driver's seat.
"Sorry, I'm feeling a bit unwell... Can we stop by a convenience store? I need to use the restroom."
"Huh? Can't you hold it until we get home?"
"Sorry... it seems a bit difficult."
"Well, can't be helped."
We stopped at a convenience store, and I rushed into the restroom. After locking the door, I activated the [Teleport] skill.
The destination was Takashi's house.
I then took out the 'Universal Key' from the [Item Box] and swiftly infiltrated. After re-locking from the inside, I moved to the living room, which would be the stage for a drinking party.
Activating the [Item Box] again, I stored the 'Universal Key' and took out another item.
It wasn't an item from another world. It was a video camera.
Equipped with night mode, it captures beautiful images even in minimal light. The battery has a large capacity, allowing for continuous recording for an impressive 12 hours.
On the way back from Omotesando, I bought three units of the same model at a Shibuya electronics store, along with three Bluetooth-compatible wireless remotes for this model.
Now, the bluetooth setup is already complete. Press the recording button on the remote, and recording starts immediately.
Next, I activated the [Trap Master] skill.
"Alright... it's here."
I installed a video camera in the gap between the TV stand, which I discovered using my skills.
The [Trap Master] skill not only enhances the ability to create traps and decide where to set them but also makes it difficult to visually detect the set traps through magical interference.
While someone with the [Trap Master] skill or a very perceptive person might notice, it would be challenging for ordinary people, especially those without a sense of danger in modern times, to discern the set traps.
Apart from the living room, one unit was installed in the adjacent Japanese-style room, and as a precaution, one each in the second-floor bedrooms.
The purpose is to record the entire course of the drinking party to be held in this house today.
The required time is approximately three minutes.
I finished my work and used [Teleport] again to return to the convenience store bathroom.
As I got back to the car, Kanae asked me with a worried look.
"Are you okay? Can you drink alcohol?"
You're worried, huh?
That's because if I can't drink, the plan will be ruined, right?
"Yeah, thanks, I'm fine. It seems like I didn't have a stomachache after all."
"Alright, let's go then!"
Takashi, who seemed relieved, shouted and the car left the convenience store parking lot.
After that, we went shopping at the supermarket as planned.
──Well, the farce show is about to start.
* * *
We arranged the food we bought at the supermarket on the table and prepared for the drinking party.
The current time is 07:00 PM.
It should be enough if I can record until 7 in the morning.
The effective distance of Bluetooth is already tested.
It's okay to press it anywhere in this house.
Then, let's start each shooting!
I pressed the remote control in my left pocket one by one, while playing the video on my smartphone with my right hand.
Loud music started to play.
It's to cover up the sound of the video camera starting to record.
"Ah, sorry, the sound was on."
"Come on."
"I'll turn it off, sorry, sorry."
I closed the video and put my smartphone in my pocket.
"Well, let's start with beer."
Takashi, who liked to take charge, put a beer in front of each of us.
"Ah, I, lately my stomach has been bad... I took medicine today, so I'll pass on alcohol. I bought this earlier."
Kanae showed Takashi her barley tea.
...Ah, I see.
I understood in my mind, but I didn't show it on my face or in my voice. Takashi said with curiosity.
"One drink won't hurt, right? You don't seem like yourself, you love alcohol."
It's true that Kanae is a heavy drinker.
Usually, she has the most alcohol among the three of us.
"No, really, I'm fine."
"Come on, it's a rare occasion."
Takashi tried to make her drink forcefully, so I decided to help her out.
"Hey, hey. It's okay, right? Sometimes, it's nice to have a drink between guys."
"But..."
"Sorry, I'll use the bathroom for a bit."
Kanae stood up.
I pretended not to notice the smartphone in her hand, and opened the cap of my beer.
"Come on, let's toast while we can, just the two of us."
"Mm, but you know..."
Is he stupid?
I was annoyed, when Takashi's smartphone on the table vibrated with a notification.
"Look, isn't that a message from your wife?"
Takashi picked up his phone and checked it.
"Oh, it's from my wife. She said she'll be back tomorrow afternoon."
"I see."
As we were talking, Kanae came back from the bathroom.
"Sorry to keep you waiting, did you finish toasting?"
"No, not yet. But yeah, you should avoid alcohol if you're taking medicine. Then Tadayuki, cheers!"
"Cheers!"
Takashi and I raised our beers, and Kanae brought out her tea.
...But seriously, you should have told me beforehand.
You're pregnant, right? You don't drink alcohol, do you?
And Takashi, that's your kid, isn't it?
It's not like it's your first time, you have a son, you should know.
You only realized it after she sent you a message from the bathroom...
...You're hopeless...
Still, I need you to do well, or else my plan will be ruined. Don't make me take care of your schemes, geez. This is so sloppy, I need to do some more preparations.
"By the way, I have something I want to give to Takashi"
"Huh, what is it all of a sudden?"
I took out a package from my bag. It was the same paper bag from Jill Lightning that I gave to Kanae.
"Um, what is this?"
Takashi didn't seem to know this brand.
"Huh, you bought something for Takashi too?"
"Takashi too, Kanae got one too?"
"Yeah, that's Jill Lightning, my favorite brand"
"Brand? Is it expensive?"
I interrupted their conversation with a laugh.
"Well, well, don't worry about the price, just open it"
"Hm? Oh..."
Takashi opened the paper bag and took out the contents. It was a card holder with Jill Lightning's logo on it.
"Takashi is in sales, so you must have a lot of opportunities to hand out your cards, right? That's why I thought this would be nice for you"
"Oh, thanks a lot. I needed a new one since the one I'm using is old."
I know.
I saw it when I borrowed your appearance.
That's why I chose this one.
"By the way... how much does this cost?"
Hehe, Takashi.
You're the type who asks that kind of thing, huh?
Well, it's more manly than secretly looking it up later, I guess.
"A Jill Lightning card holder... isn't it about 40,000 yen?"
"Wow, Kanae bingo. 42,800 yen."
"Huh, this is so expensive!?"
Takashi is surprised when he hears the exact amount.
And I expected that Kanae would create the flow of telling him the price.
"No, I can't accept this..."
"Come on, take it. This is... a sign of my gratitude."
"Gratitude?"
"Yeah, look... Kanae is cute, right?"
"Hey, Tadayuki, what are you saying all of a sudden..."
I say this while looking at Kanae, and she doesn't seem to mind at all - in fact, she looks very happy.
I think she wouldn't have reacted this much before.
And, I'm sure Takashi in front of me feels the same way.
It's not fun, right? Takashi.
"That's why, I, I'm really worried about being away from her. I wonder if she'll cheat on me with another guy. It's a huge relief for me that Takashi is watching over her."
"Well, I guess... maybe that's true, but."
What do you mean, maybe that's true, but?
You're so smug, aren't you?
"So, I wanted to say this because it's you, but I also had some extra income. And I wanted to show you my gratitude for everything."
"Extra income?"
"Yeah, something like that. I made a lot of money from investing. But I won't tell me how much, you know?"
"...Hmm. Well, I'll take it without hesitation, then. Thanks, Tadayuki!"
"Yeah!"
Takashi smiled and thanked me, but──you're not happy inside, are you?
Kanae's happy reaction, too.
That I'm making money, and that I'm giving her expensive gifts.
You want me to be someone you can look down on a little, don't you?
I saw your psychology through the message app exchange with Kanae that I relived.
'He's different from me, a sportsman~'
or
'He's different from that guy who only studies~'
You were trying to appeal to Kanae that you're a superior male in appearance and everything else, right?
What are you going to do? They're disappearing one by one, you know?
The materials that you can look down on me with.
And that will make you lose your judgment.
Huhuhuhuhu.
* * *
As the alcohol progressed, Takashi got a little drunk.
I was drinking too, but I wasn't drunk at all.
I used my skill [Super Metabolism] to break down the alcohol quickly.
Actually, the reason I lost so much weight in just a year was thanks to this skill.
It was a "cheat" way of using it, like in RPGs, where I looped training→eating→[Super Metabolism]→training→⋯⋯ to strengthen my body in a short time.
There was a risk of starvation if I used it for a long time, but it only took a moment to break down the alcohol.
I wasn't very good at drinking in the first place, but it didn't show on my face much, so I could pretend to be drunk while staying sober.
"You guys should get married already."
"Eh, I'm ready to get married anytime, you know."
They both glance at me to see my reaction.
No, this is tough when I said it when sober, seriously. Are they clumsy or what?
Please, do it properly later, okay?
I beg you, already.
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