A Review Meeting.

Back in their dorm room.

"Ooh-ho-ho-ho! I showed His Highness the difference in class again today!"

"A splendid mini-serves-you-right, Ojou-sama!"

"Right? But Summer — no, Hiiro? Don't you know me a little too well? Thinking back, that was cutting it pretty close today."

Phew, thank goodness His Highness is an idiot; I'm glad he didn't notice. Koleha sighed.

"T-true, as Hiiro I'm supposed to not know Ojou-sama… but that was because Ojou-sama brought up formats!"

"I mean, who would've thought the concept of formats itself would be this vague outside the Nyarlathotep marquisate… The ledgers I saw at the Royal Capital orphanage were at least somewhat proper."

"Merchants tend to be better about those things."

Thinking back, the lines might have been wobbly, Summer recalled from childhood memory.

"I'm from Nyarlathotep lands, and it's fine if Hiiro Inn seems dyed in Nyarlathotep norms too."

"Hmm, will that not give us away…"

"If anything, saying some other domain would make us slip up from ignorance. We don't actually know other places."

"… Well, if it's our own lands, even if someone inquires we can handle it, and it's convenient."

If she lied about being from elsewhere and the lord's scion stuck their nose in, that'd be a pain.

Given Hiiro's beauty, if there were any connection, they'd readily get involved.

"Now then. Hiiro, you'll need to steadily work on ensnaring His Highness."

"… Yes, I'll do my best…!"

"What's with that unmotivated answer? The usual Summer would say, 'I'll do it!'"

"Ah! Well, right now I'm in Hiiro Inn's mindset! I thought being a bit more timid and mousy felt more in character!"

"Oh?"

"That's fine then," she wrapped that up.

"But how are we supposed to ensnare His Highness?"

"Like, um, pressing my body up against him… or something?"

"His Highness avoids contact with women, remember? You two made that weird contract."

"Eh. He still remembers that!?"

"Ah — whoops. I mean, he said, 'My fiancée is jealous, so we have this contract.' He said that at lunch the other day!"

"Ah, the other day… So you're already close enough to make him spill that. Well done, Hiiro."

"Ehehe, it was just by chance."

With her head patted, Summer's face melted into a dopey grin. The Summer within had fully emerged.

"Come to think of it, there was almost no physical contact even in the game."

"Really?"

"Yes. I figured it was a system limitation — touching in VR without tactile feedback would be a turnoff… But perhaps this was the reason? … Hmm."

If so, some other procedure might be needed to ensnare him.

"For non-contact seduction, the standard is the 'all-affirming Heroine' route, perhaps?"

"All-affirming Heroine?"

"Yes. Saying 'I love you' lightly, praising effort even before results, telling him status doesn't matter and he's wonderful as he is—laying it on thick. Like a mother."

"Ah. Sorry. I don't know what a 'mother' is like."

"… Right, you don't. Um, a parent figure?"

"That's Ojou-sama!"

"Somehow I don't think I'm the right reference."

"But Ojou-sama praises me so much! Isn't that a mother!?"

"That's because you produce results. I don't praise incompetence."

"So you acknowledge I'm capable and praise me! Big love!!"

Watching Summer wriggle with pure joy, Koleha sighed in exasperation.

"Alright. I'll play the 'all-affirming Heroine' for you — use it as reference."

"Eh? Ojou-sama will? … Yes! Please!!"

At Summer's vigorous nod, Koleha began her performance.

Without touching, she whispered in her ear.

"Summer. I love you. You always do your best. You're dear to me. But don't push yourself, you getting hurt would make me very sad."

"Hwaw, hwawa…"

"I love your smile. When you smile, I feel so happy too. Could this be… love? Maybe."

"O-Ojou-samaaa…"

"I'd be happy if you could like me, even just a little — Gohah!!"

Suddenly, Koleha choked and collapsed onto the room's bed.

"O-Ojou-sama!? Are you alright!?"

"Impossible. My body rejected it."

To villainess Koleha, the all-affirming Heroine was too opposite.

Like a zombie taking damage from a healing spell, it wounded her soul.

Koleha flopped face-down on the bed.

"So, I exhausted myself this much. Did you get anything from it?"

"… Yes! I received your love loud and clear!! I'll do it!"

"Heh-heh, that's the Heroine I expect…!"

Thus, Summer (as Hiiro) would lay a honey trap on Harks as an all-affirming Heroine.

And the next day after school, though only for a short while, Koleha witnessed Harks flirting with Hiiro. Though they stayed about fifty centimeters apart physically, they looked to be chatting cheerfully and familiarly!

Oh, well done! I must praise her when I get back, thought Koleha, lightly skipping as she headed to the student council room ahead of them. She had work to do.