Chapter 208: Chapter 188 : Comparison (Part 4.2)

[You...fine, let's get it over with,] Charlotte said after a several-second grumble.

She wasn’t thrilled about the prospect but regening on a deal she herself had made wasn't an option in Charlotte's mind. Embarrassing or not, she would follow through with her words, for that's what any future Merchant Pillar would do. Before that though, she had the venue cleared out of everyone except Ralf and her, for obvious reasons.

Ralf traded his sword for a gun and took his rightful place atop Charlotte’s backside. Stepping on her, lightly, he aimed the barrel towards her posterior. He didn’t immediately shoot and instead released a light hum as he appreciated the view.

While doing so, a certain thought crossed his mind and he decided to place a disk-shaped force absorption barrier at the end of the barrel, its purpose being to rob most of the bullet’s momentum.

Charlotte read his intention and her chest warmed up in appreciation, briefly forgetting her gripes at her current circumstances.

Ralf pulled the trigger, staining Charlotte’s right ass cheek red, though, unlike last time, it didn’t hurt at all. The Onic Master moved to let off some appreciative words but was stopped by Ralf’s second shot, and continued to be tongue-tied as he continued to unload.

*Splat* *Splat* *Splat*

The Transmigrator stopped on the fifth shot as an idea struck him, even exclaiming at his eureka moment. He had his telekinesis clean up the black fabric at places and then conjured a Psi object Charlotte couldn't readily identify.

'What the hell is that...'

It was a rather large, curvy contraption that had intricate and stylish patterns on it. The Onic Master was confused by it, but this confusion quickly cleared after the object was dropped atop her butt. Its purpose became apparent, it was a stencil.

'...ah! This guy...what a cheeky bastard.'

On the receiving end of this treatment, Charlotte's face turned more incredulous by the second. Using her Second Sight, Ralf's cheery smile as he worked his magic was captured and so too was the nearly complete panty that was painted onto her black pants. Going back and forth, the Onic Master's expression and emotions were thrown into a whirl.

"You said you liked them in red, well viola, custom-made undies, no need to thank me,” Ralf said, eyeing his completed work with a satisfied gleam in his eye. He spent a few more seconds appreciating the artistry on display before pulling back. “Okay, all done.”

Charlotte didn’t leave her position, still amidst a fierce wrestle of emotions. In the end, her desire for revenge won out. Turning her head Ralf’s way, she said, “It didn’t work out today, but know this, I’ll have my revenge in time.”

“Mm, this sounds familiar," Ralf said, scratching his temple with an innocent look on his face.

“Don’t worry, this is the last time you’ll hear it,” Charlotte said, moxie echoing in her voice.

“Now that would be a shame. Don’t stop, please continue with your attempts, if nothing else, they’re most entertaining,” Ralf’s eyes became crescents as he said, smiling delightfully.

“Grrr, you, just wait…I’ll get you back.”

Ralf watched her get worked up with a radiant expression. He then floated the gun away before spreading his arms.

“You want a hug?”

“I want my daily payment,” Ralf corrected. “I won’t accept it besides now.”

“You, you’re unbelievable, you know that. After humiliating me, you’ll have me hug you, you’re really messed up, Ralf.”

“Pretty much, yeah. So, what will it be?”

Charlotte answered with her body. Getting up, she strode over, her each step faster than the last, and enveloped him in her arms.

The two fell into silence as they went from each other’s throats to each other’s chests. The ‘payment’ required only five seconds, but even after ten, the pair continued to embrace each other, tightly, both relishing in the other’s warmth and touch.

After a while, Ralf broke the silence.

“Lane, Skye, Yuki, Violet,” he started, reciting his friends’ names, his voice leaking affection with each syllable spoken. “Visiting their training sessions was an eye-opening experience. I had high expectations coming in, but even those were blown away. Turns out my friends are even more amazing than I expected.”

He gave his words some air, and then after squeezing Charlotte lightly, he continued his train of thought. “Not just them, you too, Charl. You’re pretty amazing yourself. Strong, intelligent and beautiful on top of that, you’ve got it all and then some, a true triple threat, “ he said genuinely. “Your future is bright…so much so that Mira and Val would be blinded if they tried peeking into it."

A sweet smile bloomed on Charlotte’s face at the words, though with their cheeks side by side, the expression remained hidden from Ralf. Still, the subsequent squeeze told him all he needed to know.

“Ralf…if you think these words are enough to drop my grudge, you’re wrong, just letting you know.”

The Transmigrator's lips curled up as he held back a head shake. “I would expect no less and hope for no less either. Don’t bury the hatcher, rather, swing it my way. You’ll miss but at least it’ll make for a good show,” Ralf pulled away at these words, before flashing a cheeky smile.

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Charlotte’s annoyed look returned in an instant at the sight. Ralf couldn’t get enough of it, even walking backwards to maintain visual contact.

“Charl, I’ll be off, got everything I wanted and more. As a tip for your splendid service...here," he said and threw the chocolate ball he had retrieved from his coat.

"This won't get you off the hook either," Charlotte said, but her face couldn't help but soften at the gift. It was her own brand, which only made it better in her eyes.

Ralf flashed another smile, before finally turning on his heel. "See you shortly, Charl, oh, and don't wash that paint off. Don't ruin my masterpiece."

'It's already a masterpiece, idiot.' Charlotte thought with a smile as she watched Ralf's figure disappear from her sight.

Now alone, the smile quickly faded from her face. A strange feeling welled up in her as she continued to stare at the corridor her vexing friend had vanished into. One two three, her daze extended to nearly twenty seconds before she finally came to, a telepathic link extending towards her.

[We're scheduled to go another ten minutes, but I won't push it. Up for it or do you want to call it a day here?]

[No, let's do it. I need something to clear my mind,] Charlotte replied to her PA, and felt an array of Psi signatures springing to life, most likely belonging to the waiting Assistants.

Charlotte welcomed them, she needed a distraction, badly. With the need calling her, her gaze drifted to the chocolate ball candy she had been given. Thinking its sweetness could unscramble her thoughts, she unwrapped the candy with her telekinesis before plopping it into her mouth.

"Mmm..."

The explosion of sugar worked as intended, briefly freeing her from her mortal burdens. By the last lick, her mental cogs were once again rotating and her usual balance had returned. But said balance was shortlived as, after taking a few steps forward...

*Boom*

"Huh!?"

***

After leaving Charlotte's training hall, Ralf roamed a bit, before seating himself on a wooden bench overlooking a small artificial lake. Psi barrier protecting him from the downpour, he and Ray discussed their findings from their visits.

[[It’s exactly as I imagined,]] Ray said. [[In a straight-up fight, Lane is the only one we can reliably beat, and even then we’d have to work for our victory. Charlotte and the rest are just out of our league as we are now.]]

Ralf agreed. [[Yeah. Hopefully, we level up soon, at least before the mid-year tournament arrives. Facing them as a Rank 3 would be a no-contest. Ray, what are your thoughts on the exact rankings?]]

Ray’s answer came at once, having already given the topic much deliberation. [[From the bottom to the top, it’s Lane, then us, then Charlotte, then Skye, then…I’m not too sure between Yuki and Violet. The latter has the elemental advantage and a lot more techniques, but Yuki’s Psi talent is absurd and she seems like a better fighter overall.]]

[[You don’t think brother Skye could beat them?]]

Ray paused at the 'brother' term before saying, [[Most likely not. Skye’s powers are just as broken as the two ladies, but he’s just not a fighter at heart. If he was, then I’d say it's a coin flip between the three Mimics.]]

[[Mm, my thoughts exactly. I'm interested to see if he develops into one or not, who knows. Either way is fine. Anyways, I’m going to head to the hotel, I’m sure somebody is there by now. Want to stick around...or maybe even officially introduce yourself?]]

[[...I’ll pass, got too much on my plate at the moment. Have fun though.]]

Following the words, Ray snapped the Mental Link.

Ralf slung back on the bench and let out a long sigh; his other self was to him what he was to others, a headache at times.

Reclining back, the Transmigrator looked to the dark blanket above, eyes searching for a gap somewhere as he longed for what lay on the other side. He didn’t find what he was looking for. And even without the rain’s obstruction, no such gap would be found on this day. Ralf didn’t lose heart though, for he knew, it was temporary, that in time, the clouds would clear and the Academy would be blessed with a warmth unlike any other.

After lingering in his thoughts a bit more, Ralf headed to the hotel. True to his expectations, he found Skye and Lane already present, hanging out. He joined the fray, and at the request of Lane, summoned the regular Psi games, allowing Skye to experience them for the first time. It was a downgrade from what he was used to, still, the air Mimic had fun nonetheless.

Thirty minutes later, the trio of ladies arrived, Charlotte shocking everyone with her level-up, becoming the third Rank 6 of the class. Ralf was the least shocked of the group but the most incredulous, especially after learning about the 'how'.

Always the bridesmaid, never the bride, he couldn't help but think. He relayed his discovery to Ray, who smiled bitterly as similar feelings passed through him.

Still, bitter feelings felt, Ralf was truly happy for Charlotte's rank up; he loved seeing his friends succeed. Lane and the others were even more joyful at the news, for similar and dissimilar reasons. With Automatic Aura, Charlotte could now keep the telepathic connection running even while unconscious, allowing the group to access Babel for even longer. It was a cause for celebration, and so the group did just that, celebrating the rank-up in jubilation for hours on end.

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