Astra Scans

 

Chapter 16: Happy and Fun Times "Can I sit next to you? It's fine, right? There's no one else here." Mashiro sat beside me, holding a bread roll she bought from the school store. I forced my still-tense body to move, trying to act normally as I opened my mouth to speak. "Y-Yeah. Let's eat together." “Haha, Ryusuke, don’t be so nervous. You were talking normally with me yesterday.” Mashiro laughed cheerfully. I couldn’t bring myself to look directly at her. I was still bewildered by the way Mashiro, who seemed like a completely different person from yesterday, looked now. The transformation from a gyaru to a classic black-haired beauty was so shocking that it still felt like a dream. As I spaced out, lost in these thoughts, Mashiro peered into my face and smiled softly. Even that small gesture was incredibly cute. For a villain like me to become close to the world’s most beautiful girl, surpassing the protagonist, Fusekawa Yorito, seemed impossible, yet i...

  Chapter 15: A New Resolution I was recalling what had happened yesterday. On our way home from school, Mashiro had asked to walk with me. However, determined to escape my fate as a villain and avoid my ruin, I had harshly told her, "I can't stand you," wanting to distance myself from her, who was also a villain. It was to protect her from the catastrophic future that awaited us. I told her this, feeling guilty. I said I was not fond of gyarus and actually preferred pure and innocent girls, which Mashiro, being the opposite, did not fit. Mashiro’s expression clouded upon hearing my words. Seeing her like that, I was overwhelmed with guilt. Still, I convinced myself it was necessary to avoid the disastrous future. But then, Mashiro mischievously smiled and said, “Just wait, Ryusuke. I’ll overcome what you dislike.” Not understanding the true meaning of her words, I could only tilt my head in confusion as she bid farewell and left. That was yesterday. And now—Mashiro, as i...

  Chapter 14: The Most Beautiful Girl Third period P.E. ended without any incidents, and I didn’t end up getting close to Fusekawa Yorito, the protagonist. Reo really had a knack for handling things. He managed to keep just the right distance between me and Fusekawa Yorito while talking to me friendly as a friend. With this, it seemed possible to keep my distance from Fusekawa Yorito while getting closer to Reo. I could see a glimmer of hope in my quest to escape my role as the villain. As the morning classes ended, lunchtime arrived. Today, too, Fusekawa Yorito, the protagonist, took his lunch and headed to the rooftop with the heroines. Reo went off to another classroom with his friends from the basketball club. Left with the other background characters, I decided to have my lunch in the classroom. I spread out the handmade lunch that was wrapped in a lunch cloth on my desk. Having prepared it early this morning, it looked delicious. Now, what should I start with? Should I go for...

  Chapter 13: Kizaki Reo While the other students desperately passed the ball around, Kizaki Reo single-handedly played like three people. The moment he got the ball, he moved swiftly, dodging defenders, and driving in for a layup. Every time he scored, the gym erupted in cheers. If the girls were here, there would have been screams of excitement. Kizaki Reo's play was that impressive and cool. "Shindo-kun!" "Y-Yeah!!" Receiving a pass from Kizaki Reo, I dribbled towards the goal. However, I was blocked by the opposing team, and instinctively stepped to the side. The defender missed, and Kizaki Reo immediately cut in behind me. I passed the ball to him, and he fluidly shot towards the hoop. The ball arced through the air and swished through the net, drawing more cheers from our classmates. Kizaki Reo continued to dominate, leading our team to a decisive victory. Breathless and drenched in sweat, I left the court and slumped against the gym wall. Kizaki Reo, a fi...

  Chapter 4 - Adele Heights (4) “Nothing ever goes as planned, does it?” After Anastasia, one of the heroines, approached me, I hurriedly left the lecture hall and was now walking behind the shaded part of the academy. It was partly because I wanted to avoid running into any heroines while wandering around, and partly because I had something to test. A unique ability characteristic that came to mind during the lecture. With a duel coming up soon, I needed to figure out how to use this ability to avoid any issues with my grades. From what Kyle had said, it seemed the matchups were already decided, but there was no one around to confirm it with. Anyway, I came to this secluded part of the academy because I wanted to test an ability that I wasn’t sure I could control. It would be a big problem if I accidentally involved someone else. “Adele’s ability is… Assimilation, wasn’t it?” One of the most fraudulent abilities among the strongest swordsman of the Academy is this Assimilation abi...

 Chapter 12: Chance Time The first period of math and the second period of English went as planned. The teachers continued to harass me, trying to make me skip school like yesterday. However, I effortlessly answered every question they threw at me and behaved like a model student, unlike the delinquent character I'm supposed to be. Even on my second day of reincarnation, the reactions around me hadn’t changed, but this consistent behavior would surely have a positive impact eventually. Before the third period gym class started, I changed into my gym clothes while observing Kizaki Reo from a distance. His silver hair was dazzling, and his cheerful demeanor while chatting with classmates made him a picturesque figure. Meanwhile, the protagonist, Fusekawa Yorito, was unusually alone. The heroines are not around him. The girls are scheduled for outdoor track activities, so they aren’t in the gym, reducing the chances of any romantic developments. I also considered the likelihood of an ...

  Chapter 11: The Next Move The seat by the window in the back was just as dazzling today. "Yorito-san, would you like to go to the beach with me this weekend? My relatives have a private beach, and they invited me to come." "Miyuki-senpai, that sounds great. It's been getting hot lately, so a trip to the beach might be fun." "Hey, no fair! I want to come too, Yorito!" "Of course, Karen. I wouldn't leave you behind." "Yay! I'm looking forward to going to the beach with you, Yorito!" "Hey, Yorito-kun, you didn't forget about me, right?" "How could I forget, Yuna? You're coming with us too." "Hehe, you're so kind, Yorito-kun." "Alright, let's all have a blast. Swimming in the day, and BBQ and fireworks on the beach at night. Doesn't that sound fun?" "That sounds wonderful. Let's all join my relatives at their private beach this weekend." The protagonist,...

  Chapter 3 - Adele Heights (3) "Although it is not normally permitted, seeing a student desperate to avoid failing makes me want to help, even if it means facing difficulties." It was a lie. The professor’s eyes, peeking through his round glasses perched on his nose, curved into crescent moons, anticipating my embarrassment. The corners of his mouth raised to his ears. The facial muscles revealing his emotions were the evidence. "Alright, let's begin the translation test. Considering this is a retake, I will give you only 30 minutes." Just as he had floated the test scores in the air earlier, the professor took out another piece of paper and conjured a strange-shaped magic circle in mid-air. The geometric pattern, with lines spreading like branches within a sphere, endlessly repeated. ...and then it started to slowly morph and change shape. It was a high-level, adaptive magic circle designed to address the problem of being unable to quickly respond to changes i...