First, I have to consider what sort of problems I might face and what available skill slots I have.

I have both a ranged and close-range offense and defensive skills covered. So I would prefer some means of either escape such as lockpicking or slight of hand. Both somewhat lose their meaning though when I can just learn how to lockpick on my own. Then with this storage bracelet I can just keep a knife and quick pull out anything I need without needing slight of hand.

So instead, I need something to help me find these chips that the quest requires I’ll likely also be in some sort of danger so a stealth skill would help me as well.

Skill Stealth lvl 1

You are slightly harder to detect through none visual senses.

Skill Search lvl 1

Temporarily increase senses by lvl % prolonged usage causes mental strain.

Those should help with searching and finding her once I’m “disappeared”.

Stealth was slightly disapointing since it doesn't really have a given value for me to understand just how much 'slightly harder' means. I test a few things like taking light steps and they are almost silent. But if I'm not trying to not make sound it seems to make more noise. Odd so its something to do with intent?

Putting that to the side start messing with the search skill. It's a bit interesting as it's an active effect kind of like the subskill for swordsmanship. Using it for a bit I get a slight headache. It doesn't really increase my senses all that much at the moment even after some practice in my room i only get one level so I can't tell much of a difference from 2% better hearing.

With the skills selected I signed my name on the nomination. This completes another chain quest, and I don’t receive a new prompt for the next part if there even is one. It gives me another upgrade to the storage space bracelet. I place a medical bag that contains some basic emergency care materials and another throwing knife inside one of the storage slots I gained. I place some food inside another bag and place it in another storage slot. I don’t have metabolism this time around, so I actually need to worry about diet and eating properly. With the last slot I place a lone throwing knife for quick access. It feels like i'm wasting a bit of storage because i could put another bag but I'd rather have fast access to a weapon for an emergency fight.

The next morning, I noticed Miho watching our mailbox, shes poorly hiding behind our neighbors’ hedges. I waved to her with a smile and turned the letter in directly to the mailman.

“YOU IDIOT! WHY?!” she runs up to me and beats her fists on me. Obviously, she planned on taking the letter out once I left. But since I turned it in directly, she couldn’t.

“haha don’t worry I’ve got this.” Gently moving her away. Much to her annoyance at being moved.

“You idiot! You’re going to get yourself killed too…” She still looks upset at me.

But she also knows she can’t stop me, so she just tries her best to help me prepare.

“Why did I have to tell you anyways… Stupid white knight bullshit…” She looks genuinely hurt but doesn’t say anything else as we go to school.

We catch up to each other after class “So, how are you planning to save her once you get captured too?” She pesters me a bit. Her eyes still a bit puffy from crying I don't know if it was the night before or even during class.

“Well first of all what does she even look like? She wasn’t officially a victim, so she didn’t appear for the court hearing like you guys in the video on the news. Heck you never even call her by name you just say 'your old friend'”

“OH! Um, Her nickname is Himiko, she has blond hair, blue eyes and big’ol tiddies." She has a perverted smile at this. "Um yeah…. Here…” she pulls out her phone and flips it to show her screen saver. Sounding like an old man pulling out their porn stash she starts laughing to herself while going through a couple of the images.

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It’s an image of her from half a year ago of the two of them wearing a Btooom! cosplay with a blond girl with blue eyes and massive chest. “Well well well maybe I’ll just save her anyways. Shes quite the beauty.” I raise my eyebrows and give her a smirk. She stomps on my foot hiding herself with her hands. “YOU IDIOT!” she starts hitting me with the phone. It only lasts a moment before she settles down, muttering about how dumb I am.

“Haha jokes aside shes a foreigner, right?” Looking back at the image she has pulled up.

“Haa her birth parents were but her mom remarried when she was young that’s when she met me.” She looks a bit more flustered and a bit down now, probably a bit of an insecurity of hers being compared to her old friend.

“Well alright so that’s what she looks like which means I’ll likely need to defend her from other men.” Her face looks a bit pinched at this. “My plan is simple really get captured. Then escape alongside her.” Nodding to myself with how simple I made it. I’ll of course have supplies and more materials for a plan but that would require telling her about my bracelet and skills… Should I tell her? It's kind of my ace in the sleeve and if no one else knows about it then no one would be prepared for it. But it would also help with her worries about me.

“That’s not much of a plan…” shes looking a bit sad again. Damnit since when did I care about her more than just to finish that stupid side quest? -sigh- it was probably because she was the only one I talked to in such a long time.

“I’ve got a secret I need to show you after class… Do you.... mind… Coming to my place?” I struggle with saying it at first but force out the words in the end quickly. She looks surprised at this. Then concerned and upset. Cycling through emotions rapidly.

“My parents will still be there! Just… it’s something I shouldn’t show here where someone might overhear.” Her emotions seem to fight with herself for a bit before finally coming to a decision.

“hmmmmm fine.” she looks nervous and fidgets around.

“Nothing bad will happen. I will never touch you first. If I do my mom will kick my ass.” She smiles at that. “Unless you ask me too of course.” This makes her smile cramped as she starts hitting me with the phone again.

We head home together after she gives a call to her mom. She seemed really worried until I offered my mom’s phone number. A short while later my mom called me and seemed really excited and told me that they talked for a while, and it was all okay to go.

“So… what are your parents like?” She nervously asks as we walk together. We’ve talked about our families before but not in much detail just mentioning small things. We mostly talked about school and techniques. We mostly avoided talking about personal information.

“Hmm? Oh, they are pretty normal I guess, my mom works as a chef at a restaurant and my dad’s a white collar businessman he sells paper appliances.” She tries to smile at that and listen but its obvious she can’t fake interest.

“That’s…. um interesting I guess?”

I just shake my head chuckling to myself at her attempt. “Not really, they are pretty boring actually, but they are really nice and gave as much support as possible.”

“I mean now that you’ve said it… They sound really sweet though!” she looks away sheepishly.

Its mostly silence for most of our journey there. Some small talk here and there about our parents. I told her about how dorky they are as we finally made it. It’s a small house surrounded by other small houses in a grid pattern.

“Well, here we are, warning my parents are dorks and were really concerned that I hadn’t met anyone until now. So, they might go a little overboard.”

She seems to fidget a bit with her outfit. Seemingly nervous and checking to make sure she looks presentable. It's kind of cute how nervous she is to see my parents.

“haha that’s fine… so long as they don’t go too far.” She looks down at the ground.

As soon as I opened the door, I notice a problem immediately. I was half tempted to just close the door again and leave with Miho and take my chances elsewhere.

My dad is sitting in an armchair with a book in hand and fancy looking purple bath robes. Puffing a fake pipe that he got years ago as a joke while a crackling fire goes on the tv. Oh god why... “Why welcome home son, ah it appears you have a guest dear!” He laughs in a fake accent to his voice to sound posh.

“Oh? Dear it looks like he has some cute company.” Mom looks in from the kitchen shes wearing a full dress. Not exactly appropriate for cooking in.

“MOM! DAD! WHY!” Looking at them both in horror before looking at Miho who seems to be giggling at the whole thing.

“Whatever do you mean son? We are just relaxing in our usual attire.” he takes out the pipe and sets down the book giving me a look.

I look at Miho shes trying really hard to not laugh out loud and is barely containing herself.

“Miho these are my dork parents. Acting all fancy when dad sometimes wears the same clothes for 5 days in a row if he doesn’t have work or mom doesn’t force him to take a shower. That’s my mom who’s stunning no matter if shes wearing a dress or sweats.” Dad I can tease. Mom controls the food of the house. Unless I want to settle for ramen for dinner, I’m not touching that hazard.

“HEY! They those clothes were perfectly clean. I didn’t spill anything on them so they would last at least a week!” dads act breaks. Which also makes mom hide back in the kitchen in embarrassment.

“Well, this way to the gym room.” Mom pokes her head back in to give me a look. “We won’t do anything weird mom! Dad but feel free to come smack me around if she yells for something.” Dad just gives me a thumbs up and mom pokes her head back into the kitchen.

“Alright dear!” Mom calls in. “OH, and dinner will be ready in about an hour! Tomiyo your mother told me you liked shepherd’s pie so I’m making some!” Miho looks a bit embarrassed as we head into the gym alone together. We normally only hang out in a sort of public place together… not really being alone like this it feels a little awkward.