Despite the fact that I had no choice, that it was neither a transaction nor an agreement and I could only consent to her demand, she seemed to relax when I went ahead and complied. “Thank you,” she said. Then she detached the box cutter from the inside of my left cheek and withdrew it slowly, more languidly than cautiously. I did sense from the movement of her hand that she was taking care not to scar me inside my mouth by mistake. She retracted the box cutter’s blade. Click-click-click-click. Next, the stapler. “…Ngeek?!” Ka-chunk. I couldn’t believe it. The stapler─had clamped down hard. Then, before I could react to the immense pain, she handily popped it out of my mouth. I crumpled into a ball on the spot. Cradling my cheek, from outside. “Gh…urrk…” “You’re not going to scream? Impressive,” Senjogahara said above me, as if she hadn’t done a thing. Looking down on me. “I’ll let you off at that for today. I hate being so lenient, but you did promise, so I ought to show you some good will.”