"Ren, do you have any connection whatsoever to the missing money from the school club funds?"
The principal's question landed heavily on Ren, confirming what he had hoped wouldn't happen. Yet here he was, sitting in this office, being interrogated by the principal.
'I was wrong... But now I'm facing the consequences of my own foolishness.'
Ren remembered the moment his eyes met Aoi's last night the unsettling feeling he had brushed aside. The realization that he could have stopped all of this if he had simply used Eyes of Desire on her back then burned in his chest.
'There's no point whining about what's already happened. What I need right now is a way to get myself out of this situation.'
Ren's focus sharpened as he summoned the System interface in his mind. The skill description hovered before his vision, ready to be activated. He wasn't going to take any more chances after all, carelessness was what had landed him here in the first place.
'Can I use it here? There are multiple people in the room... I might get overwhelmed and drop into a blank state like in the cafeteria... No, it should be fine. It only affects what's directly in my line of sight, and there are far fewer people here than in the cafeteria only four. First, I can tilt my head so Principal Daigo is the only person in my direct view, then try to glean whatever I can from the rest. But won't that look weird and suspicious...? No, this isn't the time to overthink it.'
Time was ticking. Only five seconds had passed since the principal asked the question. Any further silence would do far more damage than looking to the side before answering.
Ren tilted his head slightly to the left, acting confused by the question, his eyes shifting away. For a brief instant, time seemed to freeze. Ren's vision distorted and blurred before snapping back into focus a millisecond later this time accompanied by blue text floating around the principal's head.
Out of the corner of his eye, Ren could tell there were several other boxes floating around the room, rendered in purple and blue, but he couldn't read them clearly. He didn't force it. Instead, he focused entirely on the principal's boxes. Just like when he had used it on Aoi, four blue boxes hovered around Principal Daigo
(Determined to uncover the truth)
(Has noticed inconsistencies in the statements given by the people involved in the case)
(Already suspects Ren)
(Concealing information about the complaint until Ren answers the principal's questions)
In a fraction of a second, Ren processed the information. 'I see... So Aoi really did report me. But I still don't know to what extent she revealed our deal... That's fine. I can work with this much. And for now...' This chapter is updated first at novelping dot com.
Ren's gaze shifted sideways, bypassing the vice principal and landing directly on the two strangers seated opposite him. Instantly, a heavy pressure slammed into Ren's head like a steel plate had been dropped onto his skull. Fighting through the strain, his eyes caught the floating boxes two above each stranger.
To his left, the annoyed man was surrounded by two purple boxes. Beside him, the angry woman was flanked by two blue boxes.
{I can't get enough of looking at those big breasts of hers...}
{What's it gonna feel like to put my dick inside her?}
(Outraged by the blackmail and sexual coercion that happened to Aoi)
(Determined to ensure this pervert goes to jail and close the case)
Ren's mind went quiet. His eyes returned to normal as he focused back on the principal, the flow of time returning to its normal pace.
"Missing money? No, I don't."
"Are you sure about that, Ren?" Principal Daigo spoke without a trace of emotion, picking up a document from his desk and staring at Ren.
"Yes, I don't recall anything like that."
Ren answered flatly. On the outside, he seemed slightly surprised and confused by the line of questioning, but on the inside, he was utterly stunned. Aoi had revealed everything, and this woman in front of him knew about it and was furious.
'From what the principal knows, it seems Aoi shifted the blame for the missing funds onto me. Looking at the angry woman's blue boxes and the way she's dressed, she must be a cop or a detective, and this annoyed man is her partner.'
Ren was losing his grip to a certain extent. Not only had Aoi reported the missing funds, but she had exposed the sexual extortion as well.
'So her story went something like this she claimed I was somehow connected to the theft of the funds and blackmailed her into having sex with me. What a turn of events...'
'FUCK.'
Ren was furious not at Aoi, but at himself for being such an idiot. He had let himself act like a fool, and his carelessness and underestimation of Aoi had placed him on the fast track to a severe criminal charge.
But it wasn't a total dead end. There was a small, critical detail Ren had picked up from Principal Daigo's boxes
(Has noticed inconsistencies in the statements given by the people involved in the case)
That blue box floated back into Ren's mind. Inconsistencies meant nothing was officially set in stone yet, giving him a sliver of hope in an otherwise desperate situation.
'Right now, I just need to get out of this room with the fewest possible losses.'
Following Ren's flat response, the principal exhaled and asked in an emotionless tone, "Then, Ren... yesterday, did you stay late at school?"
'Another direct question no beat around the bush. Judging by this blunt approach, he already has proof that I stayed late, so there's no point lying. I have one use left for Eyes of Desire, and I'm not going to waste it without a good reason.'
"Yes."
This time, Ren's answer was blunt and short, offering no additional information like he usually did. There was no point playing the timid outcast role inside what had effectively become an interrogation room.
The school might not have officially declared that these people were police officers, but Ren knew. In his mind, the principal's office had already transformed into a police interrogation room and every word or action could and would be used against him. He couldn't afford another slip-up.