NOVEL NEXT chapter 98
98
Chapter 6: The False Idol 1, Gift Aptitude Test
The False Idol arc begins.
At last, she makes her appearance.
†
The Gift Aptitude Test.
An experiment to see if the power of the Gift resides in you, involving a blood test and placing your hand on something like a crystal.
By performing these two actions, the presence or absence of a Gift is determined.
And if the power of a Gift is discovered, enrollment in the “Gift Academy” becomes mandatory.
In our country “Japan,” there are Gift Academies from the first to the eighth.
Incidentally, those who graduate from this middle school are destined to enter the fifth Academy.
“What? Me, I have a Gift!? No way! I don’t know anything about this!”
Takeru is astonished to find his blood test positive for Gift ownership, revealing the power of a Gift.
Well, that’s to be expected…
If you were negative, the whole story would go haywire.
After all, I tried using a Gift on Takeru, but it was neutralized.
He undoubtedly possesses the power of the “Anti-Gift.”
Mostly, it’s used in a meta way through “Command Domination.”
“Wait, what!? Hideyori has a Gift too!?”
“Ah, yeah…”
“We’re a pair now.”
“That’s right.”
Takeru looked incredibly happy.
This was supposed to be the predetermined course of events the moment my previous life’s memories returned.
“……….Turns out I’m positive too.”
“Risa…”
“Brother… Don’t worry about it…”
Risa Jumonji.
It was mentioned in the game that she also possesses a Gift.
Well, my brother is a Gift owner, and when there’s a Gift owner in the family, it’s likely to be the case.
…However, her Gift is never touched upon in the original work; its content remains unknown.
Sakuramatsuri, the producer and scenario writer of “Breaking the Chains of Sorrow,” mentioned the following on social media:
“I did set up Risa’s Gift, but there was never an opportunity to use it. Risa hardly had any role after the second installment,” and so on…
The official setting for Risa was tossed aside.
That second-rate scenario writer, Sakuramatsuri.
“Risa, are you aware that you have a Gift?”
“…Yes, I am… But it’s not a good ability, so don’t worry about it.”
“I’d rather you not touch upon it too much. Risa kind of hates her own Gift…”
“…Understood.”
As a fan, the desire to know about Risa’s undisclosed Gift is strong, but I’ll respect the Juumonji siblings’ wishes and refrain from mentioning it.
I understand the circumstances of wanting to keep a Gift hidden.
I’m one of those people too.
…But here’s the problem.
“Eh? I have a Gift?”
“…………”
It becomes clear during the aptitude test that Emi is a Gift holder.
This is an unexpected development.
Indeed, in the original story, it was mentioned that Sasaki Emi is a Gift holder.
However, the real Akechi Hidetoyo explained, “Emi has a Gift because I’ve been constantly using my Slave Gift on her. She’s become a pseudo-Gift holder from being exposed to my Gift too much.”
In other words, since I haven’t been using the Slave Gift on Emi constantly, I thought she would test negative.
I did use my Gift on Emi when we first met, so I wondered if that could trigger her becoming a Gift holder.
However, Tanigawa Sakiya, who was exposed to my Gift when I cured her cold, tested negative.
Meaning, just being exposed to a Gift doesn’t make one a holder.
Therefore, it can be considered that Emi was already a Gift holder in the original story, regardless of whether Hidetoyo used his Gift on her or not.
Lately, there have been too many developments I’m unaware of in the game, and it’s causing me to panic.
By the way, Eien-chan and Tsugaru are both definitely negative.
The Gift Academy allows anyone who wants to learn about Gifts to take the exam, not just Gift holders.
When I asked Tsugaru, “Wouldn’t it be better for you to avoid the Gift Academy if you don’t want to get involved in incidents?” he replied with a serious face, “No, if there’s a cute heroine waiting, of course I’ll go to the Gift Academy.”
I’m envious of Tsugaru, who’s purely enjoying his reincarnated life.
“So, I have a Gift, huh?”
“What kind of ability do you think Juumonji-kun’s Gift has?”
“How about a protagonist’s privilege? A lucky Gift that saves you no matter what.”
“Brother, you’re quite lucky, after all. Maybe there’s a chance.”
The group gets excited discussing Takeru’s Gift.
That person really does have the protagonist’s privilege…
He’s the central figure in this world, that person.
“But it’s amazing that Hidetoyo-san is also a Gift holder!”
“Right, that’s true…”
Eien-chan’s eyes sparkled as she looked at the notification of my Gift ownership results.
It’s complicated to be regarded with such respect by Eien-chan, a victim of my Gift.
People in this world are inevitably drawn to the presence or absence of Gifts.
Do they yearn for Gifts like Sakuya?
Or despise them like Master?
“Gifts? I couldn’t care less. I’m only interested in the heroine.”
It’s rare to find someone like Tsugaru who has no interest in Gifts at all.
Well, since he’s not from this world, I can very well understand his feelings.
“Ugh, only Hideyori and Emi are exempt from exams… I’m so jealous…”
Sakuya, who yearned for a Gift and turned out to be negative for Gift aptitude, looked enviously at the test results.
“I’m aiming for the Gift Academy too.”
“I’m also targeting the Gift Academy.”
“Of course, I’m aiming for the Gift Academy as well.”
It seems Sakuya, Eien-chan, and Tsugaru are all aiming for the Gift Academy through their exams.
It looks like it will follow the flow of the original work to some extent.
…Wait a minute.
What was Sakuya doing in the original work?
There’s a chance she existed as a background character in the school life…
Since she yearned for a Gift, maybe she did go on to the Gift Academy?
I’m genuinely curious about her, who doesn’t appear in the game.
†
Regarding Emi and Risa’s Gifts, both have been foreshadowed in the main scum game for using Gifts.
Whether it will be addressed or not is unknown, but it’s mentioned to avoid being called an afterthought.