Ephemeral Ability Reflects the Heart

「Six but four… that means that in addition to [Pain Reduction], Izumi-kun’s [Mind-reading] also had an additional function, right?」

「Yes」

Chihiro nodded in response to Maria’s question.

Saturday night. During dinner, they talked about what had happened in the secondary ssessment, and when they had just finished eating, they talked about it.

Surely, this is probably the most interesting part for everyone present.

Today, not only Aika but also Hana came to the apartment. After the girls finish cleaning up the dishes, the conversation resumes.

「The completely new ability, as Maria said, is [Pain Reduction]. It can be turned on or off, and the rate of relief is fifty percent」

Also, the [Sleep Enhancement] multiplier is about three times.

For [Domination], there is no limit to the area of effect of the control ability. The limit is ten people. The support and penalties to the subject of control did not directly enhance their abilities, but affected their mental and biorhythms to make them better or worse. 

『This [Domination]? This ability is quite tricky. If everything goes well when one is under the control of Chihiro-kun for a long time, it will affect one’s feelings』

『You mean like an addiction?』

『It’s not that bad. If they get used to it and then the effect is removed, they’ll probably fall into a severe mood slump』

The longer you use it like that, the harder it becomes to stop.

Suzu was also warned him that he should not distribute it lightly to the people around him.

「So, if you’re concerned, I can remove it…」

「No. It was originally designed to “bind” us, wasn’t it?」

「Hmm. I’ll leave it like this too. It’s okay if it’s not removed forever, right?」

Maria and Riko’s reactions are as expected.

Aika thought about it for a while and then agreed with them.

「…Yeah. I don’t mind either」

That left Hana.

She’s a lesbian and has a lot of problems with Chihiro, how will she react? This is the most difficult point to read.

The girl smiled thinly and her pretty lips twitched.

「I’m good too, just like this」

「…Are you sure?」

「Yes. I feel better with it on. I think I’d go crazy if you removed it.」

…Does she understand that this is dangerous?

As for Chihiro, it was more convenient than being told to remove it, so he agreed.

「Also, about the new function of [Mind-reading]. This is not an additional activation like the previous [Emotion Amplification], but is something that can be used by switching it with the normal [Mind-reading]」

He hadn’t noticed this, because it doesn’t work unless he switch it consciously.

After all Chihiro’s mind-reading is passive and he can’t choose the emotions he reads, so it was even harder to notice.

「So, what happens when you switch it?」

「…Well. It’s kind of a weird effect」

He clammed up.

This is something that takes a lot of courage to talk about.

But the listeners don’t seem to care about that, and Hana urges him to explain without hesitation.

「Just tell me quickly, please. I’m curious」

「…Okay」

Chihiro nodded, took a light breath, and told her.

「I can see a person’s “sexual desires” as an image」

「…...」

The living room fell silent.

「Sexual…」

「Desires?」

「You mean, you can see what kind of erotic things a person wants to do?」

「…I guess you could say that」

Note that the restriction that he will only be able to know what someone want to do while he is making eye contact with them. Also, [Emotion Amplification] is activated.

In other words, it has the power to uncover the hidden sexual desires of the person he is looking at, and make him/her aware of it.

In return, the other person will know that it was Chihiro who looked into their mind.

「If you do it to anyone but us, you’ll be killed」

「…Right」

Actually, he can’t complain if they come to kill him.

So, he wonders if there’s an easier way to use this ability.

As he screams for the umpteenth time, Hana chuckles and says.

「That’s good. It’s a great ability for training」

「Well, that’s true」

The person who accepts this mind-reading is probably quite open-minded, even without training.

Maria tilted her head when she heard that.

「Then, why don’t we try the experiment ourselves?」

「Maria-chan, it’s written on your face that you’re looking forward to it」

「It’s just your imagination」

Well, it doesn’t take a mind reader to see the glint in her eye.

「Well… It’s good, but I don’t think it’s going to work on Maria」

「What do you mean?」

「I think it’s faster to try. Well… then」

He makes eye contact with Maria.

As he feels her shame-filled arousal, he imagines a switch being flipped in my brain.

Fuuuhh…

For a moment, the urge disappears from his chest. Instead, the image appears in his mind instead of his chest.

A painting, each one depicting a different play. They fill the dark room in the blink of an eye, and before he has time to reach for one, he gets a throbbing headache.

He then hurriedly flips the switch and looks away, the images disappear, and the headache subsides.

Sigh... Maria sighs.

「...I see. I have so much to play with」

「Yeah. I guess my brain can't keep up with all the images」

This is also warned by Suzu.

『Be careful of girls who only think about erotic things. You might get a flat tire if you can't take in the image. ...To be honest, if you find a girl like that, I think using the frontal ability will be enough』

This advice is right on the money, although Suzu may not have been aware of Maria's existence.

He was told that he would be able to choose one of the images once he got used to it. At least until then, Maria would have to wait.

「But that's not much of an experiment. ...Can someone please do that for me?」

Maria looks at the others each other in confusion.