246 Can't stop laughing.

Kukuku.

Got the younger sister.

Easy.

The moment I used Yamada-kun as bait, the girl broke immediately.

Even though she idealized her older brother emotionally, she clearly understood the gap in power between me and Yamada-kun on a rational level.

"I don't care what happens to me—just don't touch my brother!"

She offered that earnest plea herself.

Going to make her cry.

I, on the other hand, can't stop laughing.

But then it dragged on.

The younger sister's speech about her brother began.

Just like that old man mage's endless monologue before—when a person becomes obsessed with one thing, why does their speech always stretch on like this?

I ended up listening to every word, unable to interrupt.

Even now, her voice echoes in my ears—brother, brother, brother, brother... repeating, repeating, repeating.

Hey—numbness, get to work.

In the end, I heard it all—from the greatness of the elder brother in Chapter One to the elder brother’s eventual ascension to godhood in the final chapter.

The part about the prodigy elder brother in Chapter Seven was somewhat interesting.

Thanks to that, I spent an excessive amount of time before even reaching the main subject.

Timing manipulation—truly fortunate.

As for that great elder brother, I made no move myself, but I did make my younger sister promise four things.

First: no further interference with Natsume.

Second: obtain one of the following skills—humility, compassion, or purity—preferably.

Third: always carry my fragment, the size of a fingertip, and follow its instructions.

Fourth: never speak of me to anyone.

First, I added it just in case—left alone, she might go after Natsume again.

Second, I tried it as a last resort.

After all, dominant skills seem nearly impossible to obtain without exceptional talent.

Sophia might have talent, but honestly, it's questionable whether she can obtain it even so.

So don't expect much—just consider it a lucky break if she does.

Third, to strengthen surveillance further.

With this, there will be no need to act covertly around Yamada-kun.

Instructions will likely be minimal.

There's nothing currently requiring such effort from Sophia.

Should circumstances change, there may come a day when Sophia is asked to do something.

Fourth, a natural precaution.

Sophia’s legs had reached their limit. I handed over the fragment and released her, subtly implying the need to stop pushing.

I also healed her legs—anticipating future utility, as a courtesy.

It would have been possible, like with Natsume-kun, to erase her memories and implant the fragment directly into her brain.

But I decided against it, for no clear reason.

If I must provide a reason, it would be that method likely would not have allowed acquisition of the Dominance Skill.

Dominance Skill—something rooted in desires and thoughts from the deepest part of the mind.

My Pride, Patience, and Sloth—those are the foundations.

Mercy was merely acquired by chance. An exception.

If there were surplus energy floating aimlessly, like with Natsume-kun, the situation would differ. But without genuine desire from the core of one's heart, acquisition of a Dominance Skill seems impossible.

Even if I induced thought through parasitic fragments, the Dominance Skill would not take root.

If my younger sister were to acquire a Dominance Skill, it would likely be Purity or Humility.

Jealousy might also be possible—but that one already has prior claims.

Purity—devoted solely to Elder Brother.

Humility—Elder Brother is the greatest in this world, so I am second or lower.

Yes, achievable. Achievable.

Mercy—pretend it never happened.

Now, after releasing the younger sister, I implanted suggestions upon Natsume, and erased memories from the guards who had fainted during the disturbance.

No one remains who knows about the younger sister's rampage.

Strange. It should have occurred just moments ago in real time, yet it feels as though an immense duration has passed.

Hmm.

This cannot continue.

I must check on the teacher’s condition.

I managed to prevent the teacher’s soul from collapsing.

Prevented, yes—but the damage remains.

Some skills have likely been lost. Status values have undoubtedly decreased.

Most critically, the total soul capacity—unshown in status display—has diminished.

Where do the recoveries come from? From automatic HP regeneration via skill? From MP recovery speed?

Even in a fantasy world, the law of conservation of mass still applies.

A law of soul-energy conservation exists, much like the principle governing physical matter.

If status values are based on soul power, then recovery must also draw from soul power.

Power not reflected in status statistics.

Thus, the master, whose soul power has drastically diminished, cannot recover HP or MP.

The master’s body should be attempting to compensate for the lost soul energy by breaking down its own tissues into usable energy.

In other words, wounds appear without external cause.

As expected, when I checked on the master, she was covered in blood, lying in bed.

Her cheeks were hollowed, her already small frame now even more diminished.

Emaciated as though she had not eaten properly for months, her skin peeling away as if insufficient even after such loss.

A phenomenon opposite to automatic HP recovery, one might say.

It was literally carving away at the teacher’s body.

The teacher’s condition was worse than I had anticipated.

This would result in death without external treatment.

No answer came from questioning why it had reached this point.

The teacher had maintained pride, pretending to be fine, to avoid exposing themselves in a pitiful state before students.

It should have ended with merely wasting away and collapsing.

Instead, the teacher endured through willpower, worsening the condition.

Under normal circumstances, returning this far from the training ground on their own would have been unbearable.

After all, it should have required collapsing on the spot and receiving treatment immediately.

Truly, this person.

Carrying everything alone—overburdening themselves to the extreme?

Typical of the teacher, perhaps.

Administer treatment to the teacher.

Wounds close. Vitality returns to the blood.

The body's anomalies should cease here, even if the power of the lost soul is not fully restored.

Her weight may have decreased slightly, but there is nothing to do but eat to restore it.

Additionally, I will make a small adjustment.

Footsteps.

I depart the room through transference.

Of course, leaving behind the detached segment.

The one who entered the room was Potimas.

Without concern for the sick, he burst open the door and hurried toward the instructor.

Potimas looked down at the teacher with a cold, detached gaze, as though observing an experimental subject. Without warning, he seized the teacher’s head in a firm grip.

“Tch!”

A single click of the tongue.

Remove your hand from the teacher's head.

Heh heh heh, hehaha, hahahaha!

Too bad!

The injury in this incident—perhaps one might call it cunning—had caused a fragment of Potimas’s soul, attached to the teacher’s soul, to vanish completely.

Likely was offered up as a sacrifice.

Hey, are you sorry?

Even a fragment—your soul taken, aren’t you sorry?

And yet, I won’t miss this chance.

I’ve placed a trick on your soul—called protection.

Now Potimas can’t touch you.

And the greatest reason I couldn’t touch Potimas has vanished.

All that remains is to deal with the dominion authority—then I can cast this damn bastard into the abyss.

“U… uuh…”

Oh, teacher’s waking up.

“Did you notice?”

“Potimas? Where… am I?”

“Your own room.”

Still dazed—teacher’s gaze wavers.

“Did Potimas heal me?”

“Ah, yes.”

Dawtō!

Him? You?

Guh—!

It’s painful not being able to speak now!

I’m Potimas!

Potimas glances sharply around—felt my killing intent, perhaps?

Never mind.

I’ll overlook this for now.

You didn’t interfere unnecessarily with the master either.

If you try something foolish—like failing to possess it—you’ll face my punishment.

Fufufu.

I’m looking forward to cutting off its head.

Shiver in anticipation until that moment arrives.