Why Is Everyone in This Dating Sim Trying to Kill Me?!

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Translator: Vine

Chapter Title: Black History Preserved (1)

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It was chilling.

Their gazes flew like daggers and pierced me.

Im Ga-eul and Sophia stared at me, their eyes wide.

Slowly, from top to bottom, their gazes lingered, as if intimately tracing my form.

'…What, what is it?'

Flustered, I instinctively recoiled.

Then, a thought flashed through my mind.

'No way… Is this the Star-Rank Up effect?'

*Velvet School Life!* is a gacha-style mobile game where you collect and raise beautiful girls.

Its structure is designed to earn money by selling attractive characters.

Thus, its target demographic was clear.

And the scenes they wanted to see were also fixed.

Among them, there was one event that drew the most cheers.

That was the Star-Rank Up.

Because my character became stronger?

Of course, that too.

Because Star-Rank Up is a feature that elevates a character's tier by one level, significantly boosting their overall performance.

Indeed, just now, all my stats increased by 10 at once, and a new trait, 'Charisma,' was unlocked, making it fair to say I became an entirely different person.

What's more, my growth limit and potential also increased, so what more needs to be said?

However, the real reason people went wild, beyond all that, was something else entirely.

The 'fan service scene' scheduled for Star-Rank Up.

It was a scene where clothes ripped apart as the character's power strengthened and their body underwent physical evolution.

Of course, since it was an all-ages game, there wasn't any serious nudity,

but it hovered ambiguously on the edge of indecency, which actually spurred imagination even more.

There were many users who were so dedicated that they played VelvetSura just to collect those fan service scenes.

And each fan service scene was shared online via image captures, with comments like 'Oh, wow!' spamming the replies as a given.

'But… I'm the one experiencing it now?'

Naturally, I had never seen Jin Yu-ha's fan service scene before.

I was busy enough raising the Star-Ranks of the characters I *did* train; why would I bother with Jin Yu-ha?

Why would I watch that? My eyes would rot.

With a stiff face, I slowly looked down at my body.

Rip— tear.

The threads that had barely held together finally ripped.

My clothes had turned into complete rags, like a dishcloth.

My upper body was almost entirely ripped apart, so much so that it was hard to find any fabric.

Beneath, my well-trained chest muscles and abs were prominently revealed.

And most importantly, my pants.

'Phew… Thank goodness.'

Looking down, I let out a sigh of relief.

As expected, I suppose it was the conscience of an all-ages game.

Though the fabric on my thighs was torn and the seams were barely clinging on, as if riddled with holes,

the parts that shouldn't be seen were precariously covered near my pubic bone.

'Still, this is kind of messed up…'

Unspeakable complex emotions welled up within me, seeing as I was now recreating a fan service scene that was originally meant for other characters.

'Alright, well, it's just shirtless. It's fine.'

That's what I thought, but…

The people watching didn't seem to agree.

Im Ga-eul's face was flushed crimson, like a bomb about to explode, and she was even bleeding from her nose.

Sophia covered her eyes with her hands.

'But, Sophia… Does covering your eyes with your hands even mean anything?'

You could fit three eyes through the gaps between your fingers.

Anyway, as I scratched my cheek, feeling a bit embarrassed,

Thump.

Thump.

Before I knew it, Instructor Baek Seol-hee, her expression now calm, walked towards me.

She met my gaze without specifically looking at my body.

Twitch.

Baek Seol-hee, who had been staring intently at me, raised an eyebrow.

"...You've grown stronger."

"Yes."

I replied with a firm voice.

"That creature was an enemy even I couldn't fully cut down. Did you deal with it definitively?"

"Yes, definitively. It won't be able to revive."

"...Is that so."

Baek Seol-hee slowly nodded her head.

"Battles fought with one's life on the line always bring growth."

"...Y-yes."

I replied a beat later.

To be honest, it was really nothing special.

Its strategy was already determined from the start, and with Awakened Im Ga-eul's support, I defeated it easily.

But, it felt a bit inappropriate to say that given the current atmosphere.

"Right, prioritizing the hostages' safety, entrusting them to me, and facing that creature alone… As an instructor of Velvet Academy, that is certainly commendable. It was the best course of action. Well done."

However, her voice was too stark and dry to sound like praise.

"...However, as your master, I cannot say the same."

"Huh?"

"Jin Yu-ha, couldn't you trust and rely on me a little more?"

Baek Seol-hee said, casting a silent gaze.

Hmm, through my eyes, which possess a Grade 1 Baek Seol-hee Emotion Analyst certification…

'…Is she disappointed?'

It seemed my master wasn't pleased that I defeated the creature alone.

Well, in reality, the demon was on the verge of descending, and it had hijacked the body of a demon-human, so it's not unreasonable for her to have judged it as dangerous.

It seemed I needed to ease her mind a little.

"I made that choice precisely because I trust you, Master."

"Because you trust me...?"

"Yes. If that dangerous creature had truly emerged into the world, it would be different, but it seemed to have only hijacked the body of a demon-human."

"...That's true."

"That's why I was confident I could hold out. And even if I couldn't, you, Master, are the strongest and most reliable person I've ever known… I had faith that you would return without fail, and without being too late."

At my flattery, the Instructor bit her lip firmly.

Hmm, this is a new pattern I haven't seen before.

I can't tell what kind of expression that is.

"…"

Instead of stroking my head as usual, Baek Seol-hee, who had been staring intently at me,

Flap—

unfastened the cloak draped over her shoulders and placed it over my head.

Then, thud.

She placed a box on my hand.

'Huh? This is… a sword maintenance kit?'

Why is she giving back what I just gave her?

'Is she so angry she can't even accept a gift?'

As I looked up at her with a worried expression,

Baek Seol-hee abruptly turned her back.

"...That was originally mine. I have a new one now, so you should use that item from now on."

As Baek Seol-hee said that, the back of her ears were faintly red.

'Ah, this is a pattern I know. Embarrassment.'

It seemed to be her own way of expressing gratitude.

"Everyone, let's wrap this up. The operation isn't over yet. Our job includes handing over the captured hostages to the Hunter Management Bureau."

Baek Seol-hee said to Im Ga-eul and Sophia with an unconcerned expression.

"...Y-yes."

"...Hehe."

I covered my body, pulling the cloak she had given me tighter,

but Sophia and Im Ga-eul still nodded, their gazes fixed on me.

***

The hostages received another round of treatment from Sophia and were safely handed over to the Hunter Management Bureau.

We submitted our report, received thanks, and even monetary compensation from the Hunter Management Bureau.

A few days later.

Whirrrrrrr—

A full-body massage chair was whirring, but Im Ga-eul was staring blankly into space.

A holographic video was playing before her eyes, but it merely passed by, unnoticed.

She couldn't even muster any interest.

She just…

Haaah—

sighed deeply, flushed crimson, and punched at the air.

A kaleidoscope of emotions played out on her face.

The reason she had become like this since that day was none other than…

First, she had tasted the Black Magic Stone.

Based on its overwhelming output and speed, she had even been able to engage in an equal(?) battle with that terrifying demon-human.

Because of that, her abilities had awakened to a higher level in that moment, and she had no doubt that she would be able to wield such power freely in the future.

But what was this?

She couldn't replicate that power with ordinary top-grade magic stones.

Of course, thanks to that experience, she was now a bit better at handling top-grade magic stones.

But they say a woman who has tasted the Black Magic Stone can never go back to her old ways.

Now, even top-grade magic stones couldn't satisfy her.

"Ugh, where do I get that thing?! I need to see what it even looks like again, then maybe I can find it!!"

That was one thing.

And second.

In that battle, she had been so intoxicated by power that she spouted nonsense without any shame.

'What a nice face— Junior, surprised?'

'I'll take care of this. Junior, just sit there and watch.'

'That's an afterimage.'

'I pretty much get it. Your level... Ahh, how boring.'

Even though she sometimes said things like that normally, they were always jokes or lighthearted quips.

But her self at that time had clearly gone a little crazy.

She had seriously been thinking the crazy thought that *she* was the 'peak' of the world.

"W-what in the world did I even say?!"

Whoosh!

Whoosh!

Whoosh-whoosh!

Im Ga-eul threw jabs into the air, trying to banish the illusions swirling in her mind.

And finally.

Jin Yu-ha's appearance from that time still flickered before her eyes.

She had always known Jin Yu-ha's looks were special.

But the sight she had witnessed then was truly…

Sharp muscles illuminated by pure white light.

And prominent, almost glowing skin.

Lethal and decadent, it was as if she was witnessing the form of a god, not a human.

Gulp—

She involuntarily swallowed.

They say it's normal for women to lust after a man's body, but for *her* to become such a woman!

And the target was even her junior from the same party!

"Yu-ha, Yu-ha is my junior!! I'm, I'm his senior!!"

She babbled these words to herself, but…

The fatal image of Jin Yu-ha she had seen that day had long since been branded into her mind like a searing mark.

"Ehehehehe…"

Even now, whenever she recalled it, a frivolous laugh escaped her lips.

"Ever since then, my eyes keep wandering… I can't even talk to my junior properly! I need to ask him about that black magic stone too!"

This can't go on.

At the very least, she needed to get used to seeing him so she could talk to him naturally.

Suddenly, Im Ga-eul's eyes snapped open.

'Come to think of it, Junior Sophia… She was filming everything, wasn't she?!'

Recalling the camera Sophia had been holding was purely by chance.

Yes, everything was Sophia.

If she went to Sophia, she could solve the three worries plaguing her mind in one go.

The identity of that black magic stone.

Erasing her embarrassing past.

And even that video of Jin Yu-ha…!

Just as she was about to spring up from her seat,

Ding—♬

A notification sounded from the video playing before her eyes.

「 A new video has been uploaded on Channel Utopia. 」

Huh…?