Chapter 29 : This is a part of the plan

Viscount’s Manor, Schiller’s Bedroom
“Phew, this is the last bottle!”

Schiller drank the last bottle of magic potion and collapsed onto the floor, his body spread out like a star.

Like a machine, he repeated the cycle of [Body Enhancement], [Freeze], and [Frozen Domain].
Looking at the several skills that had risen to LV5, his heart was filled with satisfaction.

It seemed that level five was a watershed moment; his current overall level could no longer allow the skills to continue leveling up.

At this moment, [Freeze] could do more than just turn water into ice; it could now actively freeze a person’s little finger or a small part of their body.

When paired with [Frozen Domain], the effect would be even greater.

“It really wasn’t easy!”

Along the way, Aileen seemed to have brought him food and tea.

‘I don’t want to go back to reality…’

After seeing Sheryl’s favorability that day, he hadn’t had a quiet moment to think.

If Sheryl’s route was closed, the protagonist would not go on to vanquish the Demonkin on her route.

And that Demonkin was an existence that would destroy the world if left alone.
For Schiller, vanquishing a Demonkin was simply too fantastical a task.

Even his own father, known as [The Unbeaten], might not be able to defeat a Demonkin.

“But, there’s still a chance to change things.”

In the game, if players chose the wrong options, favorability would decrease, sometimes even leading directly to a bad ending.

“In other words, I just have to avoid the correct answers!”

Although he didn’t know what the correct options were, the wrong ones were usually obvious.

What would happen if I deliberately choose the wrong options?

Although there was a certain risk, the rewards were also huge.

“Take a gamble, turn a bicycle into a motorbike!”

Thinking of this, Schiller’s face couldn’t help but light up with joy.

“Heh heh, I’ll let you witness my ‘shrimp-headed man’ skills!”

“I’m not bragging, but I once left a junior speechless in three sentences.”

And on top of that, there’s this book!

Schiller rolled over and picked up the book Celia had forcefully shoved on him yesterday: “How to Capture a Tsundere Young Lady for Steel-Willed Straight Men (Celia’s Handwritten Edition)”.

For Schiller, this book was a godsend.

“As long as I do the opposite of what the book says, I’ll definitely be able to effectively lower her favorability!”

“Heh heh heh…” Schiller let out a dark smile.

After speaking, he began to study with a resolute gaze.
As a massive amount of text entered his mind, he had never felt so learned.

‘The universe, it turns out, is made of Yuri… and the speed of Yuri is constant…’

‘I could probably have a chat with Einstein!’

At this moment, Schiller was absolutely certain that his plan would succeed.

Sheryl was sipping tea in the courtyard, bored.
Her etiquette was becoming increasingly perfect, and she was now sipping elegantly with her pinky raised.

Her graceful figure was like a silver-white fairy descended upon the mortal world.
Her mere presence made the scenery here picturesque.

The etiquette Schiller taught her had become so ingrained in her bones that it was now an instinct.
From that point on, her daily demeanor was no longer beast-like; she had shackled herself with what was called etiquette.

However, she didn’t find it uncomfortable, because it was a command from her “family,” a request from her family.
Because it was Schiller’s command, she was willing to change.

“Aileen, is Schiller still not out yet?” Sheryl put down her teacup and looked at the maid beside her.

“Yes, Lady Sheryl.”

“Hmph~” Sheryl stood up, bored.
She had some theories as to why Schiller had been avoiding her.

“But, he didn’t refuse me either!”

“He’s not hiding from me, is he?! I’m going to drag him out!”

Having been neglected for two whole days, Sheryl could no longer bear her loneliness.

Sheryl resentfully rolled up her sleeves, preparing to go upstairs and grab him.

“Ah, ah, Lady Sheryl! H-how could that be!” Aileen, who had been ordered by Schiller to stop Sheryl at all costs, was at a loss for words, frantically searching for an excuse.

Ignoring Aileen’s cries, Sheryl walked straight past.

‘Even if I was a bit excessive, he can’t treat me like this!’

She stomped a few steps angrily, then spun around in a panic.

“Aileen! Is my hair messy? Are my clothes neat?” The girl shyly confirmed with the maid again and again.

Aileen gazed at Sheryl’s cascading hair, her blushing clavicle, and the faint girlish scent she exuded. Even she couldn’t help but be stunned.

“Uh! It looks very nice, Lady Sheryl, Young Master will definitely be charmed…”

Aileen blinked, only then realizing her slip of the tongue.

‘I promised Young Master I would stall her!’ she thought, helplessly following behind Sheryl.

“Ah!”

At the corner, Sheryl seemed to bump into someone, and she winced, curling up in pain.

“Who is it, how dare… Young Master!” She was about to scold the person, only to find Schiller standing there.

His expression was resolute, seeming to carry a certain confidence.

“Are you alright? Lil?” He extended his hand to Sheryl and pulled her up.

“Oh, oh… I’m fine.”

Sheryl looked at Schiller with teary eyes.

“Hey, why have you been ignoring me?!” Her aggrieved voice was laced with an indescribable sadness.

The girl’s ponytail swayed, bobbing up and down with its owner’s dissatisfaction.

“…”

“Hey! Say something.” This time, her voice was tinged with tears. “I, I was so scared, scared that you’d suddenly ignore me…”

“Sorry Lil, I just, needed some time to sort out my feelings.” Schiller gently stroked her hair, a gesture that made her earlobes turn red.

Beside them, Aileen was making “wah wah!” sounds and covering her eyes, but she would occasionally peek through a small gap.

“Hmph! It was my fault too, this time!”

Just hearing Schiller’s voice, feeling his presence, his touch, made her heart pound.

‘I want to feel more of his presence,’ the girl thought, ‘but my mind will definitely go strange.’

“Hmph, don’t, don’t keep stroking it, my hair will get messy.” Sheryl pouted at him, but made no move to refuse.

“Lil, You are my family, so it’s okay, right?” Not only did Schiller not stop, he intensified his actions, even taking a lock of her hair and sniffing it.

“!!!!” Sheryl froze like a puppet, then steam rose from her blushing face. She felt something strange rise from the pit of her stomach. If this continued, if this continued, things would get weird!

“I, I, you, you, waah!”

“Sorry! Schiller, I need to go back to my room!”

The girl quickly ran away, her face red.

Watching the girl’s retreating figure, Schiller let out a confident laugh.

“Success, my plan, my plan succeeded!”

Schiller looked confidently at the top of the girl’s head.

Six and a half silver roses were in full bloom.

“…”

Appendix:

How to Capture a Tsundere Young Lady for Steel-Willed Straight Men

Part One:
Tsunderes often say the opposite of what they mean, so it’s important to adopt an evasive posture! In other words, use the method of a dense protagonist (very important).

Part Two:
Say to her, “I don’t like you, go away, I don’t want you anymore!” As a tsundere, she will definitely understand what you mean. These are words that must be said, be sure to say them out loud! (Strongly recommended by Celia)

Part Three:
When she gets shy, pretend you don’t see it. Tsunderes like the gentleness of a herbivore protagonist. Gentleness is very important! (Absolutely must not get this wrong!)

If all the above methods fail, please give up, Master. After all, it seems Master has no talent for capturing women… (This line of small text was selectively ignored by Schiller.)