InsomniaWL
patreon
Chapter 173 — Absolute Treasure!
🕑 Added 2025-07-14 16:17:01 +0000 UTCNagami strolled leisurely down the hallway.
The apartment complex Kotori had built using Ratatoskr’s “borrowed” funds far exceeded the standards of ordinary civilian housing—almost rivaling the dorms used by Valkyries at St. Freya Academy.
Naturally, there were still plenty of unoccupied rooms.
Yet Honjou Nia chose the one farthest away from everyone else, claiming that artistic creation demanded peace and quiet.
With Shido and Kotori out handling the spatial quake and Kurumi looking to mooch some free "time," the ever-generous Nagami didn’t mind being left behind—especially after receiving so many… benefits.
After all, he too was freeloading off Kurumi, in a sense.
And given that this whole operation was more for his amusement, he hadn’t brought Inori Yuzuriha along either.
“Nia, how’s the progress going?”
Nagami gently turned the doorknob and pushed open the door, stepping in quietly so as not to disturb the creative flow of the artist inside.
The room was sparsely furnished, barely worth mentioning—except for the piles of scattered paper covering every surface.
Many pages were filled with sketches unmistakably modeled after him in various anime-style designs.
“You’re here, Nagami!”
Despite the dark circles under her eyes, Nia’s hand didn’t stop moving. It was clear she hadn’t slept all night.
Her delicate face looked worn and tired, with faint bloodshot streaks in her eyes.
Her messy, silvery-gray hair was clearly uncombed, and her wrinkled pajamas clung loosely to her figure.
Her soft shoulders and pale, flawless collarbone were fully exposed, her porcelain skin glowing subtly under the sunlight.
She was sprawled across a bedsheet laid out on the floor in a completely unladylike position, seemingly mimicking the pose she was drawing.
Her long, slender legs were intertwined in an elegant twist, their curves and lines drawn with such grace that they could’ve been sculpted by a master artist.
“You know, you really don’t have to pull all-nighters like this…”
For a moment, Nagami felt a twinge of guilt—as if he were a ruthless CEO exploiting an overworked employee.
But then he remembered—when has a capitalist ever felt guilt?
Carefully stepping around the sea of sketches on the floor, Nagami made his way to where Nia was drawing.
“No! No! NO!”
Even with her dark circles, Nia’s beautiful face radiated passion as she wagged her finger with dramatic flair.
“There’s no way I could sleep—not when I’ve inherited the will of so many great artists before me!”
With a solemn expression, she patted a towering stack of very questionable-looking artbooks next to her.
“I’m standing on the shoulders of giants, you know!”
These were recreations Nagami had made from his previous life—some of the most iconic and top-ranked doujinshi from that infamous N website.
The art style was elite.
The content was legendary.
A true treasure trove for any otaku.
Of course, there were too many to name individually—best not to get accused of padding the word count.
Thanks to this priceless gift, Nia’s already sky-high affection for Nagami was on the verge of exploding.
If this were Date A Live, he’d easily have enough favorability to seal her Spirit powers right now.
And in fact, he actually could do it—by analyzing the traits that allowed Itsuka Shido to seal Spirit powers, and then recreating them using the logic of the void within himself.
But there was really no need.
The same method would also let him absorb Spirit powers like Shido did—but mimicking others too closely would weaken his own abilities.
It wasn’t worth the tradeoff.
Squatting next to Nia, Nagami picked up the page she was coloring and admired it right in front of her.
“Daaamn... As expected of Souji Honjou-sensei! This art style! These characters! Though… some parts are a bit unrealistic.”
He gave her a sideways glance, eyes drifting from the page to Nia’s exposed neck and delicate collarbone…
Then looked back at the drawing.
On the paper: a radiant Kurumi Tokisaki in a pure white bridal gown, standing next to an equally beautiful Nia—also in a wedding dress.
Reality had denied this scene, but fantasy would bring it to life.
Nia’s pale hand was shown tugging at a tightly stretched bustier that couldn’t quite contain her generous curves.
“Real life is tragic enough. Can’t you let me have some fun in my drawings!?”
Nia yanked the page back with no shame whatsoever, completely unapologetic.
She continued working on the figure standing between them—Nagami himself.
“Even if you’re the only one who’ll ever see this doujin, it’s still a culmination of everything I’ve absorbed from the greats. I will make it perfect!”
“Master Souji, do your best! I’ll always be your most loyal supporter!”
Nagami put down the finished pages she’d already colored.
He didn’t dare keep looking—
A masterpiece of history was being born before his eyes, but there was no way in hell he’d ever share it with the chaotic masses of the internet.
This was for his eyes only.
And that felt…
Amazing.
“Nia, seriously though—make sure you rest. Your health comes first. It’s okay to take a break once in a while.”
Nagami leaned down slightly.
With his left arm supporting the backs of her slender, well-toned legs and his right arm wrapped around her soft, bare shoulders, he effortlessly lifted the girl into a princess carry.
“You need to get some sleep first.”
His voice was gentle—like a breeze in spring, full of warmth and care.
How could he, of all people, let his personal doujinshi artist burn herself out?
“W-Wait! At least let me finish that one page!”
Ah…
If only Kurumi had this kind of work ethic...
“Nope. You’ve been drawing all night. Now it’s time to rest.”
Cradling the girl carefully in his arms, Nagami laid her down on the bed and said something no one would’ve ever imagined coming from a guy like him:
“Don’t worry. Remember how I told you I’m from another world?”
He smiled.
“Those doujins I gave you? That’s just the tip of the iceberg.
My mind’s stocked with countless more—classic isekai manga, hot-blooded shounen, sci-fi, romance—you name it. Enough to keep you busy for years.”
Based on how much content he’d consumed in his past life, Nagami estimated she could be drawing for a good several years nonstop.
The moment those words left his lips, Nia froze.
Her voice stopped.
Even her breathing halted.
She stiffened in his arms like a statue, not daring to move, as if afraid she’d imagined what he just said.
“C-Classics from another world… that I can read for years!?”
Her voice suddenly exploded with energy.
Nia didn’t even notice that Nagami had started helping her out of her hopelessly wrinkled pajamas.
Instead, the instant her clothes slipped off, she grabbed both his shoulders with surprising strength.
“Is it true!? Is it really true!? Is it REALLY TRUE!?”
“Of course it is. And any story I personally recommend? Guaranteed to be top-tier.”
“Aaaaaahhh!! Nagami! Nagami! I freaking LOVE YOU!!”
“You—mmph!”
Whatever Nagami was about to say was silenced as the ecstatic Spirit girl pressed her lips against his, cutting him off entirely.
Her lips were soft—unreasonably soft—like the finest marshmallow on Earth.
Nagami could feel her joy pouring into him, her excitement radiating through that impulsive kiss.
So he closed his eyes and accepted it, not resisting.
At this close distance, he could catch a faint, sweet scent coming from her body, wrapping around his senses like a warm blanket.
“You know… if you keep this up, that doujin story of yours might actually become reality.”
He gently pulled away, staring into her eyes with a smoldering gaze.
“A-Ahem! I’m going to sleep now!”
Maybe it was the tone in his voice, or the rising tension, but Nia’s face immediately turned bright red.
Realizing what might have happened if she hadn’t stopped herself, she quickly dove under the covers, only her blushing cheeks poking out.
If Inori had randomly shown up just now, Nagami honestly wasn’t sure if he’d have been able to restrain himself.
It wasn’t just the girl’s soft body or those sweet lips—it was also that doujin she’d been drawing that had nearly fried his brain from sheer stimulation.
If it weren’t for the fact that his precious artist really did need rest…
He’d absolutely have let her gain some “real-life experience.”
Taking a deep breath, Nagami exhaled slowly and turned to leave the room.
Behind him, Nia watched his retreating back with a thoughtful look in her eyes.
Her doujin…
…might need a few small edits.
