All posts by Estelulu

President of the Shitposting and Sometimes Translation Club, and twice-convicted Suzuhara Lulu shill.

Side Story – Bizef Forkranz’s Past

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It’s been six hundred years, since the last chapter release…


Side Story – Bizef Forkranz’s Past

I had been dead inside.

Up until I had met an angel…

It was she who had given me the strength to live again.

Back then, I was called the hope of the Royal Capital’s Adventurers Guild.

Once, I had been the leader of a gang of troublemakers back in my hometown.

I was 15 and fearless, living in a rural town with less than a thousand people.

There was little in the way of fun there, so the brats around my age all dreamed of making a name for themselves in the faraway Capital.

I wasn’t any exception, and I had a lot more confidence in myself than your regular kid.

Nothing was an impossibility.

Even if there was something I couldn’t do now, I would definitely be able to in the future!

It was a baseless confidence that never left me.

Not to say that I was weak.

In fact, I was definitely strong enough to become an adventurer.

After I joined the Guild it seemed to be success after success for me and I quickly climbed the ranks.

I was only twenty when I reached C-Rank.

Now that I thought about it, that was my peak as the adventurer called Bizef.

As was natural, this earned me some jealousy. People tried holding me back.

Worse yet, I was the insolent type, so my relationship with my peers only got worse as the years went on.

On magic beast exterminations they left me out. On bandit supression missions they fed me false info. In the end, I was even ambushed by some fellow adventurers. How was I supposed to raise my rank when everyone was against me like this?

I fell into a slump, hard.

The promising adventurer who was the youngest C-Rank soon found his peers catching up.

And before long he was just another adventurer.

Even though the rate that he had been rising was the 10th fastest in Guild history.

It was unadulterated humiliation for me.

But all that had really happened was that I’d become ordinary.

If only I’d had the broadmindedness to accept that I had been less of a big deal than I’d thought.

Unfortunately I was too proud to do that.

Instead I vowed to myself that I would make a comeback.

To gain merit I went on dangerous missions, one after another. As long as it would get me ahead of my foes, I pulled outrageous stunts and made them work.

Because of my behaviour, my already small circle of friends pulled away from me.

Back then I hadn’t noticed though because I was always looking upwards.

Instead, I started to see enemies all around me. Eventually people started calling me Bizef the Mad Dog.

I think it was around that time that I began my weapon collection. It might have been a consequence of those feelings of betrayal, but I used the power of money to gather powerful armaments.

People would betray you, but a weapon never would. Since I couldn’t rely on people, I would have my weapons protect me instead, or so I reasoned…

But living a life where you relied only on your weapons and nobody else? The world wasn’t so soft that it would allow it.

One day I fell into a trap set by hostile adventurers and suffered a serious wound while on a mission to kill a man-eating white chalk tiger.

I came out of it badly injured. They said that even potions and healing magic couldn’t guarantee a full recovery.

The adventurer’s livelihood depends on his body. I had no choice but to quit.

I cursed my life.

There was nothing left. Only a mountain of debts.

What was I supposed to do, I wondered.

Only halfway through my twenties and already forced to retire. The days that followed were a blur to me. I had hit rock bottom.

It took a few months before anything changed.

It occurred to me that I was going to starve to death. I at least needed the money to eat.

So I picked myself up enough to look for a job.

I was a deadbeat, sure, but a former C-Rank adventurer was nothing to sneeze at.

The jobs came one after another. A bodyguard for a merchant caravan. A fencing instructor. But although I went from one job to the next, none of them rose my spirits.

And little wonder, because for all the praise they heaped on me for my experience, in their hearts they looked down on me for falling.

Eventually I was fed up with it all and accepted a job as a guard in the rural outskirts instead. Not that there was actually much work to do in the peaceful countryside.

Still, boring as it was, a job was a job. I didn’t care as long as I was getting paid. And the quicker I got out of the rotten Capital, the better, in my opinion.

So I arrived there. Beruga Town.

A peaceful place in the countryside, far away from the Royal Capital.

Surrounded by thick forests and farms.

If you wanted to put it kindly, it was peaceful, but to a city-dweller it was the boonies.

It hit me just how far I had fallen.

Yes, I had wanted to get away from the Capital, but this was the middle of nowhere.

If I had to say something, I suppose the food was good, but that was about it.

I was going to work long enough to make some money, and then I was going to go somewhere else.

At least that had been the plan.

One day a pair of children came into the guard station.

I think they might have been around ten. One had blonde hair, while the other’s was silver, and together they looked around in curiosity.

This was why I couldn’t stand the countryside.

The guard station was a serious place, not somewhere you could wander into for fun.

“You two, you’re not supposed to be in here without a reason!”

“W-We’re sorry!” the blonde one immediately apologised.

It wasn’t like I enjoyed on picking on children. All the more if they were cute and good-natured, so the next time I spoke it was a little softer.

“If you understand then you should go home.”

“Ah, please wait. My name is Tilea. This is my sister, Timu. Might you be Bizef-san?”

“Well, yes…?”

“Ummm~ Is it true that you were an adventurer?” asked the little blonde, eyes glimmering in excitement.

Ah, this again…?

I know that children couldn’t help it, but having this brought up just to sate their curiosity was a pain.

“…It was a long time ago, kid. Anyhow, this isn’t a place you can enter without permission. Go home, go home,” I said, a little irritated.

It was always hard to stay calm when my past was brought up. I knew it was cruel to take it out on children, but I couldn’t help it.

The stern expression I was making would be enough to scare her away.

I wondered if I’d be chased out of town for this. Perhaps the nickname ‘Mad Dog Bizef’ would spread to this tiny town as well.

That was fine, I thought resignedly. It wasn’t like I’d be here for long.

“Sooooo coool! This is my first time meeting an adventurer, you know! Could I have your autograph!?”

I was left totally bewildered.

It was the complete opposite of all the scorn I had faced all this time.

I began to wonder how long it had been since somebody had looked at me with respect in their eyes…

She wasn’t just flattering me either.

I could tell. This little girl was earnestly praising me.

She wasn’t like all the others who were polite on the outside but were sneering on the inside.

I had spent so long with those sorts that I had… forgotten… this feeling.

The time I hunted my first magic beast.

The time I protected my comrades from a wolf pack.

The time I crushed a bandit gang and rescued a kidnapped girl.

I had been praised for those.

There had even been parents crying tears of gratitude.

It was thanks to this feeling that I had continued to forge onwards despite my weakness.

In the end I was so overjoyed with the blonde girl’s reaction that I spent hours regaling her with tales of my adventures.

The basics of magic, my life in the Capital, fights with bandits or with a man-eating shark… It wasn’t the kind of content that girls would usually find interest in.

Despite that, this girl just listened, rapt.

……

………

……………

“Mmn, mmn, and then?”

“Honestly I thought I was a goner. But my sword made it just in the nick of time and I managed to break out of the circle of wolves.”

“Fuee, that’s incredible… Could it be that that sword on your hip is the same one?”

“It is, actually. I take good care of it even now.”

“U-Ummm, would it be okay if I touched it?”

“Sure, but just be careful. It’s dangerous, Tilea-chan.”

Any other day I’d have thought it madness to hand my sword over to a stranger. But the way she praised me so earnestly was cute enough that I just agreed.

Tilea-chan held the sword up and tried to take a stance, but she couldn’t quite get it high enough.

I saw her arms tremble as she took quick breaths. A bit heavy for a kid.

Not a surprise considering it was a greatsword that even adult men would find trouble with, to say nothing of a young girl like her.

But it brought a smile to my face to see her do her darndest to swing it.

“Haah, haah, haah. It’s no good. I-I just can’t hold it up.”

“Hahaha, that’s no surprise. This is what you’d call a greatsword. You wouldn’t be able to without training.”

“Haah, haah, it seems not. Then Bizef-san, could I see you swing it instead?”

“Why not.”

She handed it back, so I cut audibly through the air a few times.

“Whoa, that’s amazing. That sound too. So this is an expert.”

“I’m actually quite out of practice. My swings used to be a fair bit sharper.”

I suddenly realised that I’d gone from trying to kick her out to performing for her.

But her eyes just had that effect on me.

“Oneechan, it’s getting late.”

“Ah, you’re right. Look at the time.”

“Right? I’m hungry~”

“Ehehe. Sorry, Timu. I just got caught up in Bizef-san’s stories.”

Unlike Tilea, her silver-haired sister Timu didn’t seem to have much interest in the stories of an adventurer. That was the more normal reaction for a girl.

Tilea-chan was a special case in that regard.

“We’ll be leaving now, Bizef-san. Would it be all right if I came and listened to your stories again?”

“Of course. You’ll always be welcome here. I had a lot of fun too, meeting a girl as interesting and adorable as you.”

She beamed a little abashedly in response. What a pure kid.

Before she left though, her expression turned serious.

“Bizef-san?”

“What is it?”

“Have you given up on adventurer?”

“Yeah. It’s a shame but… I can’t anymore.”

Even after my injuries healed, I couldn’t move the way I wanted. Simple jobs were one thing, but difficult jobs like I used to take were beyond me now.

When I explained it to her, Tilea-chan’s expression turned mournful.

It was uncomfortable to see.

“Ah, it’s nothing for you to worry about, Tilea-chan. It’s something that happened a long time――”

“Thank you very much!”

“Eh!? W-What’s wrong?”

“You’ve been protecting us all this time. You even got badly hurt because of it. So, thank you very much!”

Tilea-chan bowed deeply to me, her sister following suit.

“I-It’s not something you need to thank me for. It was my job, and it’s not like I saved everybody.”

“That’s not true. My family runs a restaurant. My dad said that the reason we have our ingredients is because the adventurers are working hard to hunt them. That they were stopping bandits and hunting dangerous magic beasts to protect everyone else. It’s because of hard-working adventurers like you that we can live the way we do, so――”

Before I knew it I had wrapped her in my arms.

It was what I had been searching for ever since my retirement…

It was what I had wanted, all this time…

Not retirement money, not job prospects, but the words she had just told me.

*

*

For the next few years, Tilea-chan would occasionally visit to listen to more of my stories.

Not once did she get bored of them, listening to every story with glittering eyes.

Her passion for adventurers was undeniable.

For a while I had even considered teaching her the basics if she had the talent and drive.

In the end though, I decided it was better for it to remain a passion.

The life of an adventurer was filled with hopes and dreams, yes. But ambition also bred toxicity.

I didn’t want her to experience that.

Besides, the girl herself was already resolved to pursue her dream of being a chef, and she had the talent for it too. It seemed like a day didn’t go by without her skill improving.

Even your average professional from the Capital was no match for her these days. In my opinion it was better that she follow her dreams of being a cook instead of getting tangled up in dangerous professions like adventuring.

Tilea-chan.

She was a fantastic cook, a beauty that lit up the room, the one I owed for saving my spirit, and the person that I loved.

It was a gradual thing over these last 6 years, but my feelings seemed to grow by the day.

Plenty of other men here had their eyes on her too, but I crushed every one of them.

Tilea-chan was too precious for these hicks.

She had no idea of course, but it was actually a fairly common occurance.

I was sitting in the guard station with George and the others, thinking things through.

Was now the right time?

I ought to confess to her soon…

“Bizef-san, did Tilea-chan make that?”

“Yeah, I got it off her as thanks the other day.”

This dish was called ‘nikujaga’.

Nikujaga. A Japanese dish of meat, potatoes and onion stewed in sweetened soy sauce.
Nikujaga. A Japanese dish of meat, potatoes and onion stewed in sweetened soy sauce.

It looked and tasted incredible. Everyone else in the room was staring enviously.

You aren’t getting any.

“It looks amazing. Even though she’s such a great cook and a beauty too, how come nobody is going after her?” said one of my colleagues.

“She’s a beautiful, filial girl. You’d expect her to have had a boyfriend or two by now, right?” agreed another.

“I’ve lived in a few towns now, but there’s never been a girl as cute as Tilea,” yet another praised.

Hmph, obviously!

As if the girl I loved could be anything less.

It’d be a problem if they lumped her in with the rest.

“Great at cooking, a personality like the sun, and a stunner too. On top of that, she’s a great person. I bet all the youngsters are after her.”

“Idiot, big bro Bizef’s already sent them off to the afterlife,” laughed George.

“Oi, oi, that’s slander,” I said.

How would he take responsibility if some weird rumours ruined her impressions of me.

“What do you mean slander? The other day didn’t you threaten that kid who tried to make a pass at her?”

“T-That was… The guy was just being too frivolous about it so I taught him a lesson,” I countered.

“I see now,” somebody nodded. “So that’s why Tilea-chan doesn’t have a boyfriend. So Bizef-san was the culprit.”

“Kuh, that’s not it. I’m just genuinely worried about Tilea-chan and…”

“Haha, it’s fine. That girl definitely likes you too,” he replied.

“S-Seriously?”

“Of course!” added another. “Don’t you see the way her eyes sparkle when she listens to your stories!”

“T-That is true…”

“Bizef-san, you’d better invite us to the wedding ceremony,” another joked.

“Y-Yeah.”

Tilea-chan liked me?

I mean I had an inkling, but it seemed so much more certain after hearing others say it.

Even after the others left to do their jobs, I couldn’t stop grinning like an idiot.

In the end I had to slap myself when I heard somebody enter.

Somebody who seemed to be shouting, actually.

I strained my ears, and seemed to hear Tilea-chan.

After promptly heading to the entrance, it turns out my suspicions were correct.

“Bizef-san! Bizef-san! Bizef-saaan!”

Tilea-chan was frightened!

What had happened, exactly?

Still, nothing was impossible for the man named Bizef. Bandits, magic beasts, armed with my skill and courage I’d crush anything that got in the way.

After all, this was my chance to show her my appeal as a man!

With some difficulty I managed to suppress my grin before heading towards her.

“Why if it isn’t Tilea-chan. You don’t look too good. What’s wrong?”

“S-, Something outrageous has happened. I-, it’s a disaster. It’s a disaster!”

“Disaster?”

“Y-, Yes. S-, Somebody’s using a dragon to attack――”


See Chapter 17 – “Illusion magic, how fearsome!” for Tilea’s side of this incident, and the downfall of Bizef-san (‘s already slim chances with Tilea).


We have a new manga project.

From back alley brawls to bashful bonds, two former-delinquents face their next fight: long-term relationships.

During her high school years, Takebe was the top dog at her school. But with her old friends now living as happy riajuu, Takebe was faced with an impending sense of crisis.

Takebe thus resolved herself to quit delinquency, but the result of that was a fated meeting with her old rival, Soramori. Losing a fist-fight against Soramori, for some reason or other Takebe was now dating her.

What kind of relationship did the two of them have back in high school? And would Takebe ever manage to graduate from delinquency…!?

Chapter 1-1
Chapter 1-2
Chapter 2-1
Chapter 2-2
Chapter 3-1
Chapter 3-2
MangaDex


<Previous Chapter | Imouto | Next Chapter>

Reika-sama – 222

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If it’s not on there, please feel free and ask. I only get annoyed at questions when the same one has been asked 10+ times, and by then I’ll have updated the FAQ. Thank you for your consideration, guys!


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https://www.japanvisitor.com/kyoto/bloody-ceilings
^ short but interesting read

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anne_Boleyn
^ longer but even more interesting read


A rumour had formed around the fact that I was seen constantly getting into Kaburagi’s car.

‘Kaburagi-sama and Reika-sama went home together today.’

‘This morning, Kaburagi-sama told Reika-sama not to forget about their promise after school.’

This was horrible.

Since this was all Kaburagi’s fault, even if by some chance he came to blame me for it this time I was going to bite him back.

Seriously though, it was actually so depressing having these unfounded love stories being told about yourself.

“Gosh, Reika-sama. When did this happen?”

“I’ve always thought that you’d be a great match for Kaburagi-sama.”

“Say, Reika-sama, won’t you tell us what kind of chats you’ve been having with him?”

“Waah! Me too, me too!”

At lunch, the girls pestered me for love stories with stars in their eyes.

What kind of chats, you ask? Mostly about Kaburagi’s ridiculous romance, and lectures on how commoners live.

Did you know, girls~? Kaburagi wanted to light up fireworks for his confession, and he gave a girl he wasn’t even dating yet a handmade ring with their initials carved into it~

“We shared a car because I had some business with him, but nothing like what you girls are imagining, all right?”

“Ehh? But people saw him take your hand too.”

Probably that time I really didn’t want to go, he got tired of my trudging, and then dragged me away by the arm.

“Perhaps it was the time he pulled me forward because I was walking too slowly. I doubt it was more than that.”

“I heard that the two of you seemed to be talking quite cordially with each other.”

“About studies, I suspect.”

Like that time I suggested textbooks and workbooks as a present, or the time Kaburagi told me about his library date.

The girls seemed put out by my boring explanations, but who was going to take responsibility if these baseless rumours drove the boys even further away from me?

Right now I still had the faint hope that somewhere in this school at least one boy secretly had a crush on me.

Since I recently rid myself of that unlucky poem anthology my love life was definitely going to get better from here.

“Kisshouin-san, I’ve gathered the free time plans from the boys.”

Satomi-kun came my way with the papers for the class trip. I had already collected the same forms from the girls.

“Shall we hand them in then?”

“I can go by myself, you know?” he suggested, being considerate of the fact that I was chatting with my group.

“No, that is fine. Let us go together.”

And so we left for the Student Council in order to hand in the plans that everyone had for their free day.

Most people were going to the same places anyway, though.

Serika-chan and the others waved us goodbye.

“Where are you girls going on your free day?” Satomi-kun asked me.

“We plan on seeing a musical.”

“Oh? Quite a few people are doing that. Which one you watching?”

“The Phantom of the Opera,” I replied.

“The one with the falling chandelier?”

“Yes. And where might you going?”

“We’re gunna watch a soccer match.”

I see. So that was what the boys were interested in.

We were going to Europe after all.

Where else would the Kemari Dainagon and his friends go?

“My mum wants me to buy some stuff for her though. It’s pretty bad.”

“My.”

“I mean I looked at the shopping list but didn’t really get it, so some girls agreed to let me tag along when they’re going to each brand’s shops.”

Oh my god, this guy already had a plan to spend time with girls on his free day…!

Damned Satomi, I’m so envious.

This was an overseas class trip, okay?

Moriyama-san said there was this boy in her own class trip, and after visiting temples and shrines, and eating dango and just hanging out together they ended up dating.

As for me, far from having a boy in my own group, none of them would even talk to me.

So lonely.

I was supposed to be in a co-ed school, so how come I had been surrounded by girls since primary school?

It’s not like I was wearing a t-shirt telling the boys to keep a polite distance or anything.

“By the way, Kisshouin-san, have you heard of the ghost of the London Tower?”

“That sounds scary, so please stop talking.”

Talking about ghosts was liable to attract them, you know.

“Ehhh~ Doesn’t it get you excited though? Apparently Anne Boleyn appears with both her head and without it.”

“It does not. Let us change the subject. How many coins are you planning to toss into the Trevi Fountain?”

Satomi-kun was definitely the sort to go look at the blood ceilings of Kyoto, wasn’t he?

Hiiee~ Scaryy.

As we made our way to the Student Council room, the two of us continued chatting about what sights we wanted to see or what foods we wanted to try.

“Excuse me, we are here to submit the plans for the free day.”

“Thanks for your work.”

Besides Fellow Stalking Horse, today there were also two other boys and Wakaba-chan present.

It must have been rough having to come here even during their lunch breaks.

“You working hard, Mizusaki?”

“So-so. You doing your job as class rep properly?”

“Obviously, bro. Look, I’m even running errands at lunch time, right in front of your eyes. Show a bit more appreciation why dontcha.”

“As if.”

The two of them seemed to be good friends from the way they bantered.

“Oh? What are those cookies?” Satomi-kun gestured towards a clear bag filled with cookies atop the President’s desk.

“Takamichi brought them in.”

“Takamichi-san did?”

Wakaba-chan’s handmade cookies!?

“I baked some cookies yesterday, so I thought I’d bring them in for everyone~” Wakaba-chan explained with a cheery smile.

“Ah, so that’s how it is. Can I have one too? I’ll keep quiet about you guys snacking in the Student Council Room.”

“Ahaha, help yourself~”

He picked one up and took a bite.

“It’s great. You’re really good at this, Takamichi-san.”

That was the daughter of a cake shop for you.

“Would you like one too, Kisshouin-san?” she offered without worry, so I accepted without hesitating.

“Thank you. I think I would.”

They were chocolate cookies, delicious and sweet with just a hint of bitterness.

Maybe I could learn to bake cookies next.

Putting that aside though, the people in the room seemed a bit taken aback by my casual show of eating one.

Oh, so that’s what it was.

Nobody else here was aware that Wabaka-chan had already won over my stomach.

“That was delicious. Thank you.”

I wanted another one but I thought better of it.

Afterwards we were given some things to look out for during the free day and then we left the room.

Hmmm~

Judging by what I’d seen, it didn’t seem like her first time bringing her homemade food to the Student Council.

If Kaburagi knew, he’d definitely be jealous~

In terms of time spent with her, Fellow Stalking Horse was overwhelmingly in the lead.

Can you turn this around, Kaburagi!?

*

*

That night I called Wakaba-chan, which made for a good chance to thank her for the cookie too.

“It was crunchy and amazing. Would it be all right if I came over again to learn how to make them?”

“Of course. You’re welcome any time. The other day with the teppanyaki was fun, wasn’t it? The meat you brought over was delicious!”

“Huhu, it was.”

That was a fun day~

I even got so relaxed that I called her Wakaba-chan a few times.

“Do you often bring snacks to the Student Council Room?”

“Sometimes. Everyone’s so busy after school that we often run late enough to get peckish.”

Tomoe-senpai used to eat quite a few snacks too.

How nostalgic. Back then he was still growing after all.

“A special privilege of the Student Council, I see.”

“Ahaha. Oh, that reminds me. The manual from the other day is finished now.”

“Oh! How was it?”

“Apparently it’s been quite useful to new students. We guessed right about there being a lot they didn’t know.”

“I see. That is good news then.”

“A few of them had already brought convenience store lunches to school though. After all, it’s normal in other schools.”

“Quite.”

Everyone did it in my old life.

“I’ve been wondering if the students at Zui’ran have even ever tried a convenience store bentou before.”

“Hmmm~ I wonder.”

At the very least I don’t think the Internals had.

I often bought onigiri though. There were lots of types, but in the end I’d just choose salmon~

“Ah, but the other day I went to a fast food joint with Kaburagi-kun!”

Oh!? We were talking about this now!?

“My, with Kaburagi-sama?”

“Yeah. We were studying at a library, right? And then we went out for a little break but there weren’t any restaurants that suited Kaburagi-kun.

“I was wondering what to do when suddenly he asked me, ‘Is this place fine?’ and suddenly walked right into a fast food shop. I was sooo shocked. I was sure that people from the Pivoine had never even step foot in one before!”

Mn, you’d be right.

Kaburagi had only had his first time a little while ago.

“It seems like he goes there quite often. Apparently he normally orders the burgers, but goes for seasonal items when they appear.”

“Ohh~?”

“I thought Kaburagi-kun only ate at like 3-star restaurants. Who would’ve thought he ate fast food. I was really surprised. Apparently he started because he wanted to see what the rest of society was like.”

Ah, he stole my line about “life experiences” didn’t he. Damned Kaburagi.

“I mean I know we’ve been going to the same school, but I always thought of him as living in another world. I didn’t think he was so normal. I feel a little closer to him now.”

“I see.”

Oohh, so the plan to raise her familiarity worked then. Go me. Good advice, me!

“Anyway, Kaburagi-kun called me a little while ago to talk about the class trip. I mentioned that I wanted to go to some famous sweets stores, and he offered to take me. We ended up planning to go together. What do you think, Kisshouin-san…?”

“Haah!?”

Kaburag! What the heck was he doing this time!?

I know I told him to research her likes but I never told him to force his way into her free day!

“I… You must have your own plans as well. If he is bothering you, then I think you should turn him down clearly.”

Ahh, that idiot, that idiot…

If he got himself hated it was nothing to do with me.

“Mmmm, he’s not botheirng me at all. I’m actually glad that he offered.”

“Eh!?”

Now that was a surprise!

I mean, Wabaka-chan had to have had her own plans with her friends, right?

“What about your friends, Takamichi-san?”

“Ah, well you see, my other friends are all going to go shopping. I’m not really that interested in brand clothing, so I was planning on going to the famous confectioners and cake shops instead.

“I had actually planned to go on my own, but since it’s going to be my first time overseas, walking on my own is going to be a bit scary, right? I mean I don’t really understand the tip system, and…”

“I see.”

“I told Kaburagi-kun, so he suggested that he come along. I know he offered, but I’d feel bad about making him spend his free day accompanying me. He has to have places he wants to visit too, after all…”

Places that Kaburagi wants to visit?

As if that stupid disciple of mine had anywhere he’d want to see more than spending his free day with Wakaba-chan.

“…I truly wonder about that. Kaburagi-sama has been to Europe countless times before, so I doubt he has anywhere left he really wants to go.”

“You think so?”

“Quite. Besides, Kaburagi-sama has quite a sweet tooth, so perhaps he wanted to go as well.”

“I see. Then do you think it’d be okay to accept…? You know, Kaburagi-kun said that there was a dolce shop in Rome that he recommended. When I heard him say that I honestly really wanted to go!”

“Eh-, dolce…!?”

My heart skipped a beat.

The protagonist of ‘You Are My Dolce’ suddenly using that word?

I almost dropped my phone.

Being a sweet-tooth, in the manga the Emperor had compared his love to sweets(dolce).

And now the real-life Emperor was inviting Wakaba-chan to go try some together.

Was this a sign that things between these two were about to pick up their pace!?

Uhyohh!

I didn’t really understand why, but I was just so excited right now!

“If you want to go, then by all means go! Dolce! What a great idea! Dolce!

“Y-Yeah, thank you…”

I was still in high spirits after we hung up, when a message from Kaburagi arrived.

‘We’re going to be spending our free time in Paris and Rome together!’

‘I wish you luck!’ I replied.

Are you going to say ‘You are my dolce’ to her one day!?

Are you!?

Kaburagi!

*

*

After sleeping on it and coming back to my senses, I sent him some advice.

‘Do not do anything too ostentatious. Do not draw attention from other Zui’ran students. Do not try to keep her with you longer than she wants to stay.’

I hoped this trip went well.


We have a new manga project.

From back alley brawls to bashful bonds, two former-delinquents face their next fight: long-term relationships.

During her high school years, Takebe was the top dog at her school. But with her old friends now living as happy riajuu, Takebe was faced with an impending sense of crisis.

Takebe thus resolved herself to quit delinquency, but the result of that was a fated meeting with her old rival, Soramori. Losing a fist-fight against Soramori, for some reason or other Takebe was now dating her.

What kind of relationship did the two of them have back in high school? And would Takebe ever manage to graduate from delinquency…!?

Chapter 1-1
Chapter 1-2
Chapter 2-1
MangaDex


Also reposting some fan art just because.


By Firi the translator.


By Elly on discord.


Also it’s not fanart, but Ved is to blame for this.


<Previous Chapter | Imouto | Next Chapter>

Reika-sama – 221

Everybody, please check the FAQ first before asking me questions.
If it’s not on there, please feel free and ask. I only get annoyed at questions when the same one has been asked 10+ times, and by then I’ll have updated the FAQ. Thank you for your consideration, guys!


Join the Evil God Army on discord!
https://discord.gg/0uufyDAsTZXQaMz1


Please contribute: http://kenkyokenjitsu.wikia.com

Also, thank you to Starcakez, Passerbyc, and the others editing the wiki!


The following Monday, no sooner had I reached the entrance to the school building did Kaburagi approach me.

“Don’t forget our promise to meet after school,” he said, sounding a little more excited than usual.

Okay, okay.

Kaburagi had gone on a library date with Wakaba-chan yesterday.

In the evening I received a message from him that read,

‘I went to the library today. I’ll tell you the rest in person, so let’s meet after school in the usual room.’

I suppose it must have gone a lot better than last time.

What an open book…

*

*

“You’re late, Kisshouin!”

Incapable of hiding his good cheer, that was the first thing he said to me when I arrived at the conference room.

Knowing him, he wanted to talk about it so badly that he couldn’t help himself.

I was still taking a seat when he began recounting his Sunday with great gusto.

“Learning from my previous mistake, this time I suggested going to a local library. That way we wouldn’t meet Mizusaki by accident.”

“My~”

“So the two of us managed to study together without any interlopers. Unlike the previous library though, this one didn’t have a café, so after a while we ended up going outside for a break.”

“Ohh~”

“The problem was that there weren’t any good cafés outside. What the place did have was a fast food chain.”

“My~”

“So that was when I said it: ‘How about here?’ Takamichi was shocked. But as a man who’s already passed the fast food test, I walked in without hesitation.

“Obviously I upgraded my order to a meal. This time I went with a limited time offer.

“Did you know, Kisshouin? Fast food chains do this thing where they bring in special meal sets for a limited time.”

Yes, I do know.

Didn’t we see the ads last time?

“Naturally I asked for tomato sauce. And guess what? Takamichi forgot to ask for tomato sauce with her fries. That was when I suggested that we share mine.”

By now, Kaburagi had become unable to suppress his smile.

“After all, I’m generous, not a hogger like you. Takamichi thanked me and said ‘Since there’s only one, let’s use it carefully.’ Then I said ‘Yeah’ and the two of us ate it little by little…”

Wow, you’re smirking real bad, Kaburagi.

“Since I got the tomato sauce even though you had to ask for it, Takamichi thinks that I’m familiar with fast food. ‘I had no idea people like you came to these places too,’ she said. So I said, ‘Yeah, sometimes.’

“It was actually only my second time though. I have to say I handled myself pretty well. We talked a lot more than usual after that. Since we weren’t allowed to talk much at the library we talked all the more about what questions we found hard, or how we were doing at school. It was great.

“Before I knew it, we’d been in that store for over an hour. When it was time to head back to the library, Takamichi laughed and said ‘We talked too much.’

“Then she gave me a mint. It was so sweet…”

“Ohh~”

I guess it was extra sweet because he got it off the girl he liked.

This kid already had one foot in the world of maidens.

“Oi, Kisshouin! Are you even listening? What’s up with your responses!?”

“I most certainly am.”

You were just talking about how your library date with Wakaba-chan was a huge success, right?

Good for you~

“I think going to that fast food place was the right move. Takamichi laughed a lot too.”

“Perhaps she was more relaxed than usual because it was an environment she was used to. I imagine she also felt closer to you after finding out that you supposedly frequented the place.”

“Yeah, I think so too.” Kaburagi gave a large nod.

“Well what good news that turned out to be for you. Please keep at it. Well then, was that all you needed me for?”

Maybe after showing my face at the Salon for a bit I’d head to the clubroom.

I needed to come up with a plan to mingle with our new members as the club president.

“What are you talking about? I was just about to get into the main agenda.”

“Eh?”

“The reason I closed the distance between us this time was because I matched myself to her lifestyle. That’s why I’m planning on learning more and more about the life of a commoner. Next is the family restaurant.”

Guh. I was getting a bad feeling about this…

Kaburagi shot vigorously out of his chair.

“Let’s go, Kisshouin! To a family restaurant!”

I knew it!

*

*

I tried in vain to tell him that I had plans, and was dragged away to a faraway family restaurant.

“A family restaurant is the same as a regular restaurant, so you did not have to do this…”

“Come on, don’t be like that. Aren’t you my strategist?”

“I have no recollection of accepting such a shady position…”

Strategist? Are you kidding me?

Our relationship is one of master and disciple, okay!

As you’d expect of him, Kaburagi paid me no heed at all and instead examined the menu with great interest.

Listen to me, already.

I ended up ordering a doria.

A doria is a rice-based gratin dish, effectively endemic to Japan.

Kaburagi asked for the steak meal set. Like a kid who learnt a new word and was bursting for a chance to use it.

There was a moment of shock when he found out that drinks were self-serve at family restaurants, which led to a lot of curiosity about the drinks dispenser.

Wha-, are you a kid or something? You’re only meant to take one drink at a time!

There was a short wait when we returned to our table before the food arrived.

Doria was amazing.

You had to eat it little by little if you didn’t want to get burnt though.

“…It thought this last time too, with the hamburger, but this meat is different from what I’m familiar with,” Kaburagi muttered after a bite of his steak.

No kidding.

The meat you’re familiar with probably comes from the winning cow at an agricultural fair, with a pedigree that goes back a hundred generations or something.

“There are all sorts of meat in this world.”

“I see…”

That was all he had to say, and he continued his meal in silence.

“By the way, apparently Takamichi studies every day on the train. Aren’t trains packed, though? So instead of trying to study in that cramped environment, I’m thinking about suggesting to her that I start driving her between home and school from now on.”

“That is an absolutely horrible idea.”

Not another one of his stupid suggestions…

“Why? This is for her sake.”

What do you mean ‘her sake’?

It’s obviously that you just want to spend more time with her outside of school.

“Takamichi-san has her own routine and her own way of living. It may be that she even studies better on the train. There are many people in this world who study better during transit. Your suggestion might actually bother her.”

“…Can’t you be in transit in a car instead?”

“So even though you go out of your way to pick her up from her house and ”
“Can you really see her happily studying without a care as you sit in silence right next to her, after having gone out of your way to pick her up right from her home? I know you have driven her to school a few times. Do you ever recall her pulling out a textbook and start reading?”

“No…”

“You see? Most people would be unable to. If Takamichi-san herself said that she was struggling it would be one thing, but if not then stop meddling with her life. You understand?”

“Alright…”

He gave a reluctant nod.

Was there any need to look so depressed…?

This guy never came up with anything good, did he.

“Well, onto the next topic then. I wanna go with her to somewhere besides a library. Where’s a good place?”

“Hmmm, well it certainly depends on the preferences of the girl in question. Being brought to somewhere you have no interest in would simply be a study in boredom, after all.”

“That makes sense.”

“What if you brought up our class trips, subtly probe her interests, and begin looking for places based on that? It would also make for a conversation that is not about studying.”

“That’s a great idea! I’ll try it right away!”

“Whether you are messaging them, or giving them a call, please take a moment first to consider other party’s circumstances first.”

“That’s all you ever say. I told you already, I’ve got it.”

If you got it then who was it that dragged me to a family restaurant just now!?

Anyway, since the Emperor had successfully cleared the Family Restaurant dungeon, it was now time for us to leave.

“Besides being made for commoners, these family restaurants aren’t all that different from regular restaurants.”

I told you that at the start!

But well, since we were already here, I took the opportunity to show off a technique that Kaburagi had definitely never seen before.

We brought our receipts to the register.

“I would like to pay separately.”

Splitting the cost is a thing that people do, okay? Don’t forget it.

*

*

The 23rd of April was the La Diada de Sant Jordi.

Men gave women roses, and women gave men a book.

Truly a holiday that smelt of a secret cabal of bookstores and florists.

Naturally, I wouldn’t let this chance escape me.

“Kaburagi-sama, please take this.”

“What’s going on?”

“Today is the La Diada de Sant Jordi. It is customary to give books to your friends, family, lovers, or benefactors.”

Along with some book that I picked out at random, I returned the unlucky poem anthology that had been sealed in my storehouse.

I did it!

“What the hell!? If you knew about it then why didn’t you tell me earlier!? Aaah! I completely forgot! I missed such a good chance!”

Dashing out of the salon, Kaburagi sprinted off to a florist.

Don’t forget to think about the number of flowers~


<Previous Chapter | Imouto | Next Chapter>

Reika-sama – 220

Everybody, please check the FAQ first before asking me questions.
If it’s not on there, please feel free and ask. I only get annoyed at questions when the same one has been asked 10+ times, and by then I’ll have updated the FAQ. Thank you for your consideration, guys!


Join the Evil God Army on discord!
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Please contribute: http://kenkyokenjitsu.wikia.com

Also, thank you to Starcakez, Passerbyc, and the others editing the wiki!


Fujiwara no Narimichi was a Major Counselor (Dainagon) during the latter half of the Heian period.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daij%C5%8D-kan#Council_of_State

Narimichi was famous for his god-like skill of Kemari (Japanese ancient ball kicking game), and a legend states that he made a round trip on the balustrade/railing of the Kiyomizudera stage, all while kicking a ball.
As such, he is sometimes known as the Kemari Dainagon (Kemari Advisor).


Tokugawa Tsunayoshi was a Tokugawa Shogun.

Owing to religious fundamentalism, Tsunayoshi sought protection for living beings in the later parts of his rule. In the 1690s and first decade of the 18th century, Tsunayoshi, who was born in the Year of the Dog, thought he should take several measures concerning dogs.

A collection of edicts released daily, known as the Edicts on Compassion for Living Things told the populace, among other things, to protect dogs. An apprentice was even executed because he wounded a dog.

Over 50,000 dogs were deported to kennels in the suburbs of the city where they would be housed. They were apparently fed rice and fish which were at the expense of the taxpaying citizens of Edo.

Therefore, he earned the pejorative title Inu-Kubō (The Dog Shogun).


The new 1st years were starting to look for a club.

If the Handicrafts Club wanted to thrive, what it needed was to secure new members.

I was going to show off Minami-kun to try and get some male members in.

Plenty of men worked in fashion and clothing so there had to be a few boys in Zui’ran that were interested in handicrafts.

I didn’t know where they were hiding, but I was going to snatch them all!

Or so I had thought, but it didn’t go as well as I wanted.

Wondering how the other clubs were doing their recruiting, I went over to the Soccer Club.

On the sports field, they were having a competition to see who could juggle the most times, which everyone was having a lot of fun with.

Hmm, so they were going for the thing where you gave newcomers a taste of the club, huh?

The 1st years seemed to be rather enjoying it.

In the end, the person who won the competition was the President of the Soccer Club.

Hmmmmm~ So he was actually the most skilled, then.

Even now, the president was effortlessly juggling the soccer ball as the spectators clapped ‘go, go, go, go’.

Walking over, I joined in and clapped along too, but the moment our eyes met he tripped over his own feet and dropped the ball.

My, my~

What a shame.

Ah well, you did your best, buddy. Clap clap clap.

No sooner had I started applauding did he entirely ignore the ball in favour of running over to me.

Ah, was he here to thank me for cheering for him?

“Are you here to get dirt on me again…!?”

“Oh my, what a terrible case of persecution complex! All I wanted to do was see how your club was doing, and this is how you treat me…”

So mean~ So cruel~

And from your phrasing, can I take it to mean that there’s still some dirt on you to use?

I leant around him to get a good look at his club members.

Oh my. Were those boys from my class that I spied?

So they were in the Soccer Club?

I waved at them.

Ah-, they ran.

Suddenly, the President of the Soccer Club took a step to the side.

In other words, so that he was right in front of me.

By the time I got to have another look, the club members were long gone.

Tsk.

“What my club was doing?”

The President of the Soccer Club was looking at me dubiously.

“Why, yes. I happened to be passing by when I noticed how much energy there was, so I simply wandered over. I must say that you are exceptional at juggling. No wonder the presidency went to you. I was very impressed. Why, it was though I was watching the Kemari Dainagon reborn.”

“Kemari Dainagon…”

Apparently in the Heian era there was a Dainagon who was an expert at kemari, and he juggled a ball as he made a lap of the Kiyomizudera stage guardrail from on top of it.

Kiyomizu-dera (清水寺), officially Otowa-san Kiyomizu-dera (音羽山清水寺), is a Buddhist temple in eastern Kyoto. Great place to visit, btw.

They even called him the Football Saint for that, but in my opinion being so obsessed about kemari that you’d dare yourself to juggle as you balance on the railings to a 13 metre drop actually makes you a Football Idio-…

Wait, no, no. Being so whole-heartedly dedicated is something to respect. Yeah.

“For your next challenge, I personally recommend that you try walking on the gym room balance beams as you juggle the ball.”

Soccer Club President, go forth and become the Kemari Dainagon of the modern age!

Even though I praised him, and even graciously offered some advice, the Kemari Dainagon just tried to shoo me away.

“You’re scaring all of my club members. I’m begging you, please go back to your own club. Here, please take this.”

In the end he even gave me a sports drink.

Oi, Kemari Dainagon. Don’t think you can appease me with just a bit of protection money.

In the end I went to look at how the other clubs were doing.

The majority just did as normal while the new students watched.

The Choir Club invited their guests to sing along, which seemed like a lot of fun.

In the Go and Shogi Club, they played a few rounds together.

Yeah. The places that got the 1st years involved tended to do a lot better.

And since training often brought cheering fangirls, one of the sports clubs was even luring in 1st years with women.

Speaking of which, the Chief of the Casanova Village had once been in this very club…

As I was walking along, I dropped by the Judo Club for a peek, only to find Nonose-san calling out to Iwamuro-kun.

“Takashi-kun, I’ll leave a towel here, okay~?”

Ta ka shi ku n?

Maiden No. 2, don’t you have something to report to your Guru?

Spywork done, I decided it was about time to head back to my own club.

I had just started walking back when I bumped into Birdbrain Katsuragi.

Oh right, this guy was a new student as well.

The moment he realised who I was, his face turned sour.

“I thought I told you to stay away from Enjou-san.”

He was speaking to a third year, and that was the first thing he said, huh?

Since he had no manners, I simply ignored him and moved on.

“Oi!”

“Pardon me. I have no time to spare on birdbrains that cannot even manage a greeting~”

Leaving a parting line, I ohohohoho’d away.

“Enjou-san already has Yuiko-san!”

Stop making a fuss, you noisy thing.

How many times are you going to repeat that the moment you see my face?

“My, what true love for your dear Yuiko-san~ How gallant of you~” I mocked.

Birdbrain flushed and was at a loss for words, so I just left him and quickly made my way.

Tsk. Things were going to get annoying with that guy around.

If he had any complaints, he could take them to Enjou.

*

*

Our recruitment efforts had previously amounted to explaining our club activities, and showing the 1st years around the club room.

However, after the new information I got from scouting, we were now incorporating activities so the guests would get a taste of what our club was like.

In front of the clubroom we placed a poster that read,

‘Free workshop currently available. Try your hand at handicrafts!’

Since it needed to be something simple, we decided that the course would involved making their own pocket tissue case.

We weren’t exactly 100% sure about the pocket tissue case, but at least the program showcased the atmosphere of our club to the visiting 1st years. Plus, it also made it easier for them to ask us questions, and by the time the course was over they were comfortable enough to chat about things besides the club activities too.

“I can’t believe we overlooked a trial program. As expected of you, Reika-sama.”

“Thanks to you, we’ve been getting more visitors than last year.”

“Even a few boys.”

“Should we have a corner for something similar during the School Festival, Reika-sama?”

Showered in praise from my club members, I smiled happily to myself as I counted the application forms.

Looks like I had Kemari Dainagon to thank.

*

*

I decided to grab some more application forms before we ran out, so I found myself heading to the Student Council Room.

Fellow Stalking Horse was inside, working with the other members.

They seemed rather busy, actually.

Wakaba-chan was wearing thimbles and flipping through what seemed to be balance sheets, using her other hand to tap rapidly at a calculator. It was rather incredible to see.

So this was the rumoured calculator technique of Takamichi Wakaba!

“Need something?” Fellow Stalking Horse asked from his seat.

I let him know what I was there for.

“Ah, hang on a moment.”

He got up to grab some for me.

Hmmm~

Why did it feel like a section of the room seemed to be on guard against me?

Did they see this as a trespass because I was with the Pivoine or something?

Fellow Stalking Horse came back with the forms for me.

“Is this enough?”

“Yes, this much is plenty. Thank you.”

On the contrary, it would be great if we could actually get enough recruits for all of these.

“By the way, Kisshouin, there’s something I’d like to show you if you have the time.”

“What might that be?”

“President!” One of the others jumped out of their seat. “You’re letting her know!? Isn’t that as good as showing our hand to the enemy!?”

Eh? What was this?

“Kisshouin is one of their most reasonable members, so it’s fine.”

Having reined in his subordinate, Fellow Stalking Horse held out a piece of paper.

“Here, have a look.”

‘Manual for Dealing with the Pivoine’

“A lot of the new Externals mess up in their interactions with the Pivoine. That’s why we thought a manual would be good.”

“My.”

I didn’t see why they shouldn’t.

Usually it fell to the class representative or an Internal Student to subtly teach the newcomers, but it was hardly comprehensive.

As a result, it wasn’t uncommon to see some External breaking out in a cold sweat after making a mistake.

Even the Internal Students had trouble sometimes deciding how much they could say.

“We’ve had something like this before, but parts of it were vague and unhelpful, so this time we clarified and itemised it all. What do you think?”

“It sounds like a good idea. Will you be providing these to all of the External Students?”

“No, just the class representatives. I don’t think it would be a good idea to hand these out, so they can pass the word on instead.”

“I see.”

The things on that list were unspoken rules rather than official ones, after all, so it wouldn’t do to leave evidence.

Fellow Stalking Horse looked at the manual with an ambivalent smile.

“Personally, I don’t know how I feel about the Student Council being the spearhead for a manual that promotes preferential treatment of the Pivoine. Takamichi was the one who argued that without the manual, it would be the Externals getting the short end of the stick.”

Wakaba-chan!?

Come to think of it, most of this manual was identical to the letter that I gave Wakaba-chan, the one with the list of things to be careful about.

I looked towards her, still clicking away at her calculator, and hearing her own name she looked up in my direction as well and flashed us a smile.

“In your opinion, is there anything missing, Kisshouin?”

“Let me see… Hmmm… Do not sit in the reserved Pivoine seats. Do not casually abandon decorum with the Pivoine. Give way if you come across them in hallways. Do not step on peony flowers nor handle them roughly while on school grounds…”

“Is she the Dog Shogun or something…?” somebody whispered.

“My, that was a good one!” I smiled affectionately at him like he was a dear friend, but he suddenly looked downwards and fell silent. My~

Since the contents of the manual were basically the same as my own thoughts, there wasn’t much to add.

“I think this is fine as it is. Going into too many trivialities would become its own problem, after all,” I told Fellow Stalking Horse. “What if instead of leaving it as a manual for dealing with the Pivoine, you incorporate it into a list of customs endemic to Zui’ran as a whole? Things to watch out for that you would not have to in other schools. I think you would get less backlash that way.”

“I see. That might be a good idea. As it is now, it’s a bit too blunt about the special treatment that the Pivoine get. Still, customs that you’ll only find in Zui’ran, huh? Like what?”

“I have one! The ban on gumboots!” Wakaba-chan suddenly offered, shooting her hand up energetically.

“Is that something you’d really put in the manual…? I don’t think anybody but you would have done that anyway, Takamichi.”

“No way!”

“I’m serious. Come on, you should have noticed it from the fact that there’s no exclusive Zui’ran version of it.”

“Ehhhh. Then how about no running in the hallways, or not taking the stairs two at a time then?”

“Takamichi, there are rules against those in normal schools too.”

“Ehhhh.”

The two of them seemed to be getting along really well.

This…

“Then what is one of Zui’ran’s special customs?” asked Wakaba-chan at a loss.

Suddenly all eyes were on me again.

“Let me see… For example, a note that only the girls are to use ‘gokigen’yoh’, perhaps.”

“Ohh~! I see~!” clapped Wakaba-chan.

“As almost everyone here entered Zui’ran during middle school or high school, what if you wrote down a list of what you were taken aback by when you first began?” I suggested.

“I see. Let’s try that. Any ideas, guys?” asked Fellow Stalking Horse.

“Homemade Valentine’s chocolates are frowned upon.”

“Why is that?”

“Beats me. I guess to avoid food poisoning?”

“I have one! The ban on using promotional towels with company logos on it!”

“Takamichi-san, the issue there isn’t some custom, but that you have no hope left as a girl.”

“Ehhhh.”

“Still, I can see some of the boys doing that, so maybe we’ll put it in anyways.”

“Bowing in front of the school gates.”

“Isn’t that actually in the school rulebook?”

“The ban on conbini bentou.”

“That’s an important one.”

“It is, isn’t it. I stood out so badly during my first few lunches because of that.”

“I have one! The ban on wearing raincoats!”

“Takamichi, I think that’s just you.”

“Geez, Mizusaki-kun. I’ve never worn one either, okay?”

Good luck, guys~

With my application forms in hand, I left the Student Council Room.

 


<Previous Chapter | Imouto | Next Chapter>

Reika-sama – 219

Everybody, please check the FAQ first before asking me questions.
If it’s not on there, please feel free and ask. I only get annoyed at questions when the same one has been asked 10+ times, and by then I’ll have updated the FAQ. Thank you for your consideration, guys!


Join the Evil God Army on discord!
https://discord.gg/0uufyDAsTZXQaMz1


Please contribute: http://kenkyokenjitsu.wikia.com

Also, thank you to Starcakez, Passerbyc, and the others editing the wiki!


I-I’m back for real this time…? Next chapter is over half done already…


Conbini, or Japanese convenience stores, are a lot more convenient than those elsewhere in the world.

From a wide selection of foods both hot and cold, to make-up or domestic goods, or even ATMs, they are closer to ubiquitous and fun-sized supermarkets than anything else.

Like, they are actually convenient. You could probably live on just conbini purchases for a month or two if you weren’t too fussed about your health.

Famiresu, or Japanese family-friendly restaurants, are casual restaurant chains that provide a wide selection of cheap-ish but decent meals, somewhere between the pricing of fast food and a regular restaurant.

Saizeriya in Shibuya. It is an Italian food family restaurant chain.

“The truth is a bitter pill to swallow.”

That was the first thing Kaburagi said to me after calling me to the usual conference room.

“Pardon me?”

“What you said to me that day. They were too painful and harsh for me to accept on the spot.”

“I see…”

Well, he did seem to have suffered quite a blow.

I mean, I even started to feel a bit guilty about it.

Mentally, I was just a squishy blancmange, but perhaps Kaburagi wasn’t much better.

Blancmange is a sweet dessert commonly made with milk or cream and sugar thickened with gelatin, cornstarch or Irish moss (a source of carrageenan), and often flavoured with almonds.

“But as much as I wanted to, I couldn’t in all honesty deny it… After a night of thinking about it, I was forced to accept that you were completely right. I’ll admit it. I’ve been using Yurie as the basis for my decisions.”

“I see…”

So he spent the whole night thinking in that state…?

I’m sorry.

Even though I was the one who said that to you, I was fast asleep around that time.

But I was really impressed that he managed to acknowledge his own faults.

That was his only good point for you; being earnest and honest.

“I’ve spent my whole life with Yurie… I haven’t ever looked at any girls besides her, so I don’t know anything about them. I think Aira might be the only exception, but the two of them have basically the same taste to begin with. That’s probably why.”

“Right.”

“Since Yurie liked it, Takamichi would probably like it too. That was the way I was thinking.”

“Yes…”

Kaburagi hung his face in shamed frustration for a moment, but quickly lifted his head.

“But Kisshouin.” He met my eyes with a serious gaze. “The one I love right now is without a doubt Takamichi.”

“…!”

Y-Yeah.

Even though it wasn’t me he was talking about, being stared at like that and hearing things like ‘the one I love’ was setting my heart off like a jackhammer.

In the end I had to avert my eyes in a panic.

That was too much stimulation for a person from the Forever Alone Village.

Guh, one day even I would have something like…!

“Kisshouin. She and I have completely different ideas of normal high school life, don’t we?”

“I believe so. She attended public schools until she entered high school. That upbringing is completely different to what a Pivoine member would experience.”

“So that’s how it is…” he nodded. “Then in that case, I’ll learn about her way of life and her way of thinking.”

“I certainly do not see why not.”

That was basically the first thing anybody did. Learning more about the person they liked, I mean.

“But there’s a problem.”

“Yes?”

“I have no idea what this ‘normal high school life’ is supposed to be to her.”

That’s where we had to begin?

I suppose it made sense.

He was His Majesty the Emperor, after all.

As if he had any idea where to even begin learning about the way a commoner lived.

Actually, I wondered how much he even knew about how regular people lived.

“Kaburagi-sama, have you ever been to a conbini?” I asked him tentatively.

“Don’t take me for an idiot.” He grew a little sullen. “I’ve obviously done at least that much.”

“Then have you ever been to a fast food joint?”

“Fast food? I’ve… never tried any…”

“What about a family restaurant?”

“…I haven’t.”

A sheltered rich boy, as expected.

Apparently the look I gave him had illustrated what I thought of that, because he suddenly snapped at me.

“What!” he demanded. “Have you ever been to one!?”

What was this guy saying? Of course I had.

Just who did he think he was talking to?

Reika’s Cheeseburger Rankings was a thing, you know.

Some people thought of ‘cheeseburgers’ as all the same, but the actual burger could vary wildly from shop to shop.

Cheeseburgers. They can vary wildly from shop to shop (lol).

Otherwise I wouldn’t have had to spend so many days in the field investigating.

“I’ve almost never eaten junk food.”

I see.

Junk food is an old friend to most commoners, you know?

And standing in front of you is the Junk Food Queen!

“Weren’t you raised pretty much the same way? How come you’ve been to those kinds of places before?”

“Because everything is valuable life experience,” I answered.

Good joke, me.

The real reason was just because I liked them~

“Then Takamichi’s been to eat fast food too?”

“I would certainly think so.”

She didn’t seem like the type to fastidiously avoid it, meaning that she probably did have it sometimes.

“Is that so. Alright then. In that case, please take me to a fast food joint right away!”

“Hah!? Right now!?”

“Yeah. Let’s strike while the iron is hot. I need to know right now. Come on, let’s go.”

Eh!? Why did I have to…!?

“Could you not simply ask somebody else? Why me?”

“You’re the only one I know that’s ever been to one of those places.”

“You must be joking. It is just fast food; you definitely know others who have been. Actually, Takamichi-san certainly qualifies. Why not use this opportunity to have her take you? A little date of sorts. A perfect fit for a normal high schooler.”

“No. I don’t want her to know that I’ve never been before. If I ever go with her, I want to be able to smoothly lead.”

What the heck kind of stupid pride was that?

“Does she really need somebody to lead her in a fast food store?”

“Just trust me. I’ve got to scout the location before a date. Let’s go.”

“I actually have cram school today…”

“Then we just have to hurry before your cram school starts. Hurry up and get ready.”

This guy…

This was the same guy who promised earlier to be more considerate, right?

On the other hand, he didn’t look like he’d be easily convinced to back down.

Were we going to be going in our uniforms like this?

I was worried we’d stand out.

And what if somebody we knew saw us?

“Then we should at least pick somewhere further away where we will not bump into classmates.”

“Why?”

“The rules say that we are only to go to lessons or cram school right after school, you know?”

“…And who exactly would stop us?”

Yeah~ Good point.

I couldn’t imagine anybody with the guts to tell off the Emperor of Zui’ran just for stopping by a fast food place after school.

Besides, plenty of other people couldn’t be bothered to go home and change before going shopping or eating anyway.

“It would not be good for others to know that the daughter of the Kisshouin family has been to a fast food restaurant! And our uniforms are too eye-catching!”

Did he have any idea how much care I’d taken not to get caught all this time!?

As if I was going to let all my efforts go to nothing thanks to this stupid disciple!

Plus, the biggest problem was that being seen with him would start weird rumours!

“Hmm… Alright.”

“And please avoid telling anybody else about this.”

“Fine.”

He had better mean it.

I wouldn’t allow anyone to get in my way.

Still, I supposed I could go with him for today. After all, I was a bit harsh to him that day.

And that was how I ended up getting in his car to head to a far away fast food joint.

*

*

We had ourselves dropped off near a train station, and walked into a nearby fast food restaurant.

All over the place were students from other schools.

“Oi, Kisshouin! Teach me how to order!” he whispered to me.

“You simply line up at the counter and tell them what you want when it is your turn.”

“I see.”

Kaburagi complied and lined up in a queue.

He seemed to be standing there rather arrogantly, but a closer inspection revealed that he was actually staring at the menu up top.

Gosh, did this guy stand out.

Everybody was looking at us.

Some of the girls were taken with Kaburagi and began whispering furiously, but the guy himself paid them no heed and kept his gaze nailed to the menu.

It was normal for Kaburagi to ignore the girls around him, but this time it seemed to be out of a genuine focus on the menu.

Eventually it was our turn.

Kaburagi ordered an iced coffee and a hamburger.

“Would you like fries with that? It would upgrade your order to this meal set,” suggested the employee.

Kaburagi’s eyes swam about, suddenly overwhelmed.

I tugged on his sleeve to snap him out of it.

“Since we are already here, why not?” I suggested to him.

“Good idea,” he immediately agreed.

In the end I got a cheeseburger meal as well.

Trays in hand, the two of us went to find somewhere to sit on the second floor.

“This was cheaper than expected…” Kaburagi muttered to himself in awe.

Well yeah.

But when he took a sip of the iced coffee, he grimaced.

“This is really watered down,” he said.

“That is how they are,” I replied.

There was no use in expecting anything out of the drinks from these places.

I took a sip myself of my oolong tea and unwrapped my burger.

After watching me, Kaburagi copied my actions before taking a bite.

“I see.”

He seemed to come to some sort of realisation before nodding to himself in admiration.

Kaburagi looked around.

“There are a lot of high schoolers here…” he muttered.

“It is the right price for a small snack after school,” I explained. “It is also another chance to spend more time with your friends.”

“I see…”

“If you feel a little more hungry than that, usually you would head to a family restaurant instead, or if you are a boy, then perhaps a ramen stall.”

“I see…”

Kaburagi went back to his chips.

French fries were good stuff~

I never went to a fast food place without ordering chips, you know?

Naturally there was a Reika’s Chips Ranking as well.

French fries were my favourite.

I took a mouthful of fries as well.

Oops, nearly forgot.

I opened up my tomato sauce.

Tomato sauce was essential to french fries, after all.

Kaburagi’s eyes widened.

“Oi! What the heck is that!?” he demanded.

“Tomato sauce,” I answered primly.

After dipping a chip in, I carried it into my mouth.

Kaburagi began searching his own tray.

“Why? Why doesn’t my tray have done!?”

“If you do not ask while ordering, they will not give you any.”

“Why didn’t you say it for me!? I didn’t hear anything about this!”

“Oh, did you want some?”

Kaburagi glared at me in vexation.

Huhu.

I paid him no mind and continued to eat my sauce-covered french fries.

Yummyy~

Tomato-sauce covered french fries are so good.

“…Let me borrow that.”

“Out of the question.”

If he used some too, there wouldn’t be enough for me.

I was one of those types who had to have tomato sauce with her chips.

“Then couldn’t you go get some for me too?”

“No. Why do you not go yourself?”

Going up and down those stairs was a pain.

“…I still haven’t had enough experience with fast food restaurants to go by myself.”

“What in heavens are you talking about?”

“…There are so many people lining up. Should I really join the queue just for tomato sauce?”

“You can simply ask from the side of the counter.”

“But the staff are so busy. It’s too hard for me,” he shook his head.

Then just give up.

“Aren’t you a bit too cold?”

“A painful mistake is the best lesson. From now on, will you ever forget to order tomato sauce again? This is a learning experience.”

Isn’t that great, Kaburagi?

You’ve learnt something else about fast food chains.

Kaburagi just looked at me bitterly as he chewed on his hamburger.

It occurred to me again that His Imperial Majesty Emperor Kaburagi was sitting next to me, chewing on a cheeseburger from a fast food joint.

This was beyond the wildest dreams of anybody from Zui’ran.

And to think that he’d be so lost in here too.

“Anyway, I think I’ve mostly grasped how these fast food joints work.”

“How naïve.”

“What?”

I took a sip of my tea before replying.

“Unlike this store where your food is mostly prepared beforehand, there are fast food places where they begin cooking after you order.”

“What did you say!?”

“In those cases, they give you a ticket and you have to wait until the cooking is done.”

“Is such a thing even possible…!?”

“They may all be ‘fast food’ stores, but each one has their own characteristics, and most importantly, their own menus. You would be making a grave mistake if you thought today was all there was to it.”

Kaburagi looked thunderstruck by my revelation.

Fwohfwohfwoh! The commoner’s way of life has profound depths!

After we finished our meals, we stood up from our seats.

Oi, Kaburagi.

This guy was actually just going to up and leave.

Your throw your own rubbish away here, dude.

This isn’t the time to be going “I see…” and nodding to yourself.

You better take notes on everything you remember from today.

Because I’m not going to teach you again, okay!?

“Next is the family restaurant,” he announced.

Go by yourself!


Amazing burger advertisement.


<Previous Chapter | Imouto | Next Chapter>

Turf War – Chapter 30

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It’s been six hundred years, since the last chapter release…


Chapter 30 – Edim and the end of the Fiend

As I listened to the pale Ortidiot outline the situation, my face took on a similar hue.

Apparently Dryas-sama had told Tilea-sama that the mission would be a guaranteed success.

It wasn’t strange, if you considered our capabilities.

Neither I nor he could have guessed the extent to which Ortidiot would sabotage me.

At any rate, the point was that Dryas-sama would lose all credibility as our strategist if I failed to complete my mission.

It didn’t need to be said what kind of end Ortidiot and I would meet as a result…

Ortidiot was one thing, but I hadn’t done anything wrong.

I activated my telepathy.

『Dalf, urgent transmission to all units. All other objectives are put on hold. Locating the Fiend takes precedence.』

『Yes, milady. I will relay your orders to all officers.』

『See that you do. All forces are to prioritise the search!』

『By your will.』

Done with my instructions, I ended the transmission.

Ortidiot failed in negotiations, so we couldn’t count on Bernande-sama’s intelligence network.

And since Ortidiot himself was useless, I could only rely on my own power.

I was pinning my hopes on the vampire network spread across the Capital, and Jayjay’s knowledge of the underground waterways.

All that was left was…

“Edim! Edim!” Ortidiot suddenly interrupted.

“…Yes, sir?”

Please give me a break. I didn’t expect him to be helpful, but couldn’t he at least stay out of my way?

“Edim, what are you lazing about for!?” he roared. “Didn’t you hear what I said about the Chief of Staff? At this rate we won’t see the morning sun! Hurry up and work!”

He sounded suitably anxious thanks to the pressure.

Stop freaking out, already. You’ll make me panic too.

“Please calm down, Ortissio-sama. My kin are presently searching the Capital. We will sniff out the Fiend before long. I am certainly not idling about, so rest assured.”

“And how long is ‘before long’!? It had better be before the sunrise. If it isn’t done by then, don’t think you’ll get off easy!”

“Yessir. I intended to find him before the dawn, and am doing my utmost to make that a reality.”

“Really? You’ve already let us all down once before. Show me the proof that you’ll definitely find him. Well? Come on! Show me!”

“E-Even if you ask me for ‘proof’…”

Where the hell was I supposed to find something like that?

Just how stupid was this guy?

“What are you dilly-dallying about for? I knew you couldn’t be relied on. Since it’s come to this, I should just level the area and smoke him out.”

Mana gathered around his right hand as he formed a number of magic bullets.

Concentrated magic bullets that spanned as much as 50 centimetres in diameter.

He really meant to level the area.

Ortidiot raised his arm high and made to swing it down.

Ahh, goddamnit! Why did he always…!?

This was just going to make things harder again!

“Please stop! There is a high chance that the Fiend is using the waterways,” I exclaimed. “If you carpet bomb the place then we’ll never find him! Besides which, using a method like that would only draw attention and make the search even harder!”

“And what makes you so sure about that!” he demanded. “Do you think that we have time to scour each of those little tunnels? How are you planning on taking responsibility if we fail!?”

T-There was no reasoning with this guy…

He was being ridiculous.

If I went with his ideas then our chances of success would just get lower and lower.

What was I to do?

How could I persuade him?

As I was lamenting his spinelessness, somebody called out to him.

“So here you were, Ortissio.”

It turned out to be Mühen-sama and Muram-sama.

For what reason had the commanders of the 1st and 3rd divisions appeared here together?

Ortidiot seemed to be feeling suspect as well, dispelling his magic bullets.

“What are you two here for? I’m busy right now. I’m about to undertake an incredibly serious mission,” he said, questioningly.

“We’re here on a mission as well.” They each took a spot on each side of Ortidiot as though surveilling him.

“Oi, what’s the meaning of this? I just told you that I’ve got a serious mission. I don’t have time for you guys.”

“Ortissio, we have been instructed to detain you until daybreak. Come quietly.”

“Haah? Why…? I see. So it’s that damned Chief of Staff again! Are you two fine with following that guy? Don’t you feel any anger at being ordered around by that newborn upstart!?”

“Ortissio, Dryas-dono is the Chief of General Staff. Our superior. Besides which, the one who decided on this was Tilea-sama. Are you rebelling against her decision?”

“N-No, I’m not. That’s not what I…”

The moment her name was brought up, Ortidiot lost all sense of composure.

He must have been terrified of being accused of treachery.

After all, it would make him a repeat offender.

They would execute him without mercy.

“At any rate, it falls on us to remain with you until dawn. Do not attempt to escape,” warned Mühen-sama.

“D-, Damn that bastard! I was given a mission of great importance…”

“This one wonders why you cannot fulfil your duties with us here.”

“It’s vexing and stifling. Stop causing me trouble,” Ortidiot demanded.

“Listen here. We were given a mission to detain you. You are the one causing us trouble,” argued Mühen-sama.

“Y-You dare!? Do either of you understand just how serious this situation is!?” Ortidiot raged.

Well, there went my shackles.

I would leave him to them while I withdrew from here.

The first order of business was getting a grasp of the situation.

So far, nobody had approached any of the city gates.

I was certain that the Fiend was still in the city.

If we scoured the city we would eventually find him.

The real challenge was our battle against the time.

Periodically I would communicate with Dalf, Cass, Jin, and Jayjay, in order to narrow down our search.

In the periods in-between, my vampires were searching left and right for our target.

It finally happened a few dozen minutes since the search began.

An incoming transmission from Dalf.

『Dalf? Have you found him?』

『No, but there is something I wish for you to hear, milady.』

『Well?』

『Every member of the Evil God Army below the division commander level has taken formation outside the city. Even members far away are converging on the Royal Capital.』

『W-What did you say!? Are those supposed to be reinforcements? But Ortissio-sama said that the mission would be conducted with only our current forces…』

『They appear to be taking separate movement from the units assigned to prevent the Fiend from escaping. If anything, it appears that they are blocking the entire city.』

The entire city? Every member…?

!?

Don’t tell me!

『Dalf, are they taking formation at each of the city entrances?』

『Exactly so. It appears that they do not intend to let a single ant escape.』

I-, I knew it.

This was a Bazooka Call[Magic Bullet Salvo Fire]…

Only the Viceroy, General Commander, and the Chief of General Staff had the right to order one.

Besides Tilea-sama, nobody could stop this once the order was given.

It was volley fire from every member of the army below the division commander level.

Tens of thousands of magic bullets from the monsters in our army.

It would turn the Royal Capital into a wasteland where nothing would grow again.

W-What a terrifying person D-Dryas-sama was…

It seemed that if our mission failed, he intended to kill not just the Fiend but all of us as well.

Haha, this was insane.

Whether or not the Royal Capital would be annihilated was resting solely on the results of this mission.

I suppose this just showed how angry Dryas-sama was.

Usually he was the very picture of calmness, always picking the most efficient ways of doing things. For him to choose a course of action like this… I could only say it was because of his strong devotion towards Tilea-sama.

I had no time to waste.

If I didn’t quickly find the Fiend, I would have no future.

■ ◇ ■ ◇

Haah, haah, haah…

Fuck, why must an aristocrat such as I sneak through the sewers like this!?

In the dim, dirty, underground passage, Gordon was running as fast as his legs would take him.

To begin with, what the fuck was that vampire girl!?

Breaking into my estate out of the blue, slaughtering skilled subordinates by the dozen! And apparently even Nyger, my most reliable servant, was killed by that girl. The fact that he hadn’t teleported and caught up to me is proof of this.

The demon race… Half a year ago they attacked this city. I had heard that the country’s forces somehow drove them off, but…

Damned Public Security Force. If you were going to kill them off, then you should have finished the job!

As he ran, he began cursing up a storm.

Everything was fun and games just a few days ago…

The reigning monarch, King Arcudas III, had originally exiled Gordon from the country.

Although Gordon was an influential noble, there was no ignoring the punishment for his numerous misdeeds.

In the end, Gordon had been driven to spend the rest of his days under house arrest in some rural backwater.

There, Gordon had spent day after day in resentment and gloom.

The women were poor.

The food was poor.

The longer he spent there, the closer he came to exploding.

Gordon was unresigned to spending the rest of his life in a hole like that.

He slew some of his retainers for fun, and turned women into toys, but none of it improved his mood.

So there he stayed, stewing in anger and depression until half a year ago when something changed.

The result of the demonic raid on the capital was the annihilation of the Public Safety Force, and a plummet in the dignity and authority of the royal family.

From that moment on, Gordon began sending spies out to gather information.

Before long, he received a report that the King, once stern and driven in his governance, had now become an empty shell.

Sensing his chance, Gordon returned to the Royal Capital of his own accord, yet no rebuke came from the King.

Truly, the attack from the demons had taken a toll on him.

Gordon himself had heard about how the Public Safety Force, created under the personal oversight of the King himself, had been massacred almost to a man.

Of course, all Gordon felt was mocking satisfaction, having once been on the receiving end of the power of the royal family.

Gordon began suppressing his old political enemies, and threw the King’s loyal protégé, Remilia, into gaol.

With everything in place, Gordon had gathered up numerous beauties and was just about to vent his years of frustrations into their bodies when this happened!

Gordon had been forced to escape with only the clothes on his back, so his assets were all back at the estate.

Worse, the expensive mercenaries he hired had all been killed.

Accursed demons! You could have at least done some good and attacked the royal family instead!

Nyger was not with him, but it was for these kind of crises that he had needed Nyger.

Instead, Nyger’s subordinates, his household guard, were guarding junctions of the waterways.

Right now they were all he had left besides what he was wearing.

Remember this. I’ll definitely be back to make you pay for this! he thought darkly, swearing to himself that he would return to the Royal Capital to return this suffering in multitudes.

Despite his dark determination, however, he was beginning to wonder how long he had to run for.

He had made countless turns already, simply trusting to follow the directions his subordinates had given.

But was everything okay?

“Oi, when the hell do we reach the gates? Find me a shortcut or something, I’m tired!

“My sincere apologies. We have sent out scouts to each of the four city gates in order to find a safe route. Please bear with it a little longer.”

“Fuck, and just how long is a ‘little longer’? It smells in here. I want to be free of this place right this minute.”

The nature of the tunnels being what they were, the stench around them was pervasive.

Worse yet, the running had led to no small amount of splashing, so his trousers were stained with sewage and muck. It was truly an unbearable state of affairs.

“Gordon-sama, I’ve just received reports of a suspicious group of some kind. Please endure this until we can confirm your safety.”

“Kuh! I need a woman to fuck or I’ll go crazy. You lot, go bring me some,” Gordon demanded.

“That is too risky, Sir,” the guard protested. “What would we do if news of your location leaked?”

“Worry not. When I’m done with them I’ll kill them. I just want to have a little fun while I’m waiting. If that’s all, then go bring me some!”

“S-Sir…”

“My mood is very poor right now. I trust that I needn’t explain what will happen if I hear any more backtalk?”

“U-Understood. I’ll have some brought for you this instant.”

Sensing his mood, Gordon’s subordinates immediately made themselves busy.

Gordon sat down with a thud, irritated.

As filthy as the ground was, Gordon was exhausted.

Before long he placed his head in his hands and lay down.

I could have been in bed, indulging in beauties right now.

This is all that vampire girl’s fault. What a waste. So many beauties I hadn’t gotten around to yet. Probably all dead by that vampire’s hand by now. I should have just had them the moment they arrived at my estate. It feels like my prey got snatched away now.

And tomorrow morning I was supposed to have had that village girl, Tilea. I was looking forward to that little gem too. Easily one of the top three women I’d have ever abducted.

If I’m not to have her, then it would be better for her to die to that vampire.

As he gnashed his teeth in vexation, he heard the sound of footsteps.

Probably his men coming back.

Gordon rose to a seated position, and looked towards the sound.

As expected it was his men.

More importantly, there was also a girl.

“We’ve returned, Gordon-sama.”

“Too slow,” he chided.

“Our utmost apologies. It was difficult to stay in hiding, and it took a while to find somebody you’d be happy with,” the man apologised.

“Look at our situation. Even I have some sense,” Gordon scoffed. “I can endure settling for somebody a bit more base, for now at least.”

“…”

“Why have you fallen silent for? Bring her forward!” he demanded, and his men complied.

As he cursed his slow and dimwitted subordinates, Gordon noted that being a hair’s breadth away from death all this time had made him even lustier.

Perhaps the threat of death had provoked some biological imperative to have offspring.

At this point, Gordon would have happily devoured a bumpkin girl. Even if she begged or screamed, he was determined to have her.

A cruel smile crossed his face as he reached out to disrobe her, but then he stopped.

Mn!? Come to think of it, this is strange. This girl should have been forcefully taken, so why isn’t she screaming or crying?

This time, he gave the girl a closer look.

The gloom in the tunnels obscured the details, but from what he could tell, her face was pretty enough.

Gordon thanked his good luck.

She was so pretty in fact, that had circumstances permitted he’d have taken her with him alive.

“You can consider it a great honour for a low-born girl like you to be――”

“I’ve finally found you.”

“Hiie!”

T-That voice… He knew that voice.

And those clothes… as well as that face…

Why hadn’t he realised earlier?

I-It’s the vampire giiiirl!

“Y-Y-You lot, i-i-it’s a demon,” he stammered fearfully. “She’s a vampire! Drive her back!”

Nobody seemed to notice.

“What are you doing!? Hurry up and――”

“Edim-sama, please excuse us.”

“It’s fine. Return to Dalf for orders.”

“Yes, milady.”

W-What just happened…?

Just a second ago these men had meekly obeyed him.

What was this complete change of face?

Gordon watched as they obeyed the vampire girl, leaving him behind.

“W-, Why…?”

“No great mystery. Those men are my kin.”

“K-, Kin!? No…”

This was the special ability that vampires had, Gordon had heard. After being sired, the new vampire would submit to their sire.

According to the rumours, even the most loyal person was no exception.

“You really ought to get a grip on that lust of yours. I suppose it worked in my favour this time, but even I don’t know what to say to that,” she said, a little dumbfounded. “You’re literally running for dear life, and yet that mind of yours can still think about abducting women…”

“Shut uuuuup!” he bellowed.

Trying to bury his fear with anger, Gordon drew his sword and struck at the vampire.

But as it came down upon her, she simply grasped the descending blade before crushing it with the same hand.

“Wha-!?”

“What pathetic technique.”

Appearing to be more horrifying than ever, the vampire girl took a step towards him.

There was a pressure emanating from her that he hadn’t felt earlier that night.

Nyger had been right.

During their first confrontation, she had been weakened.

S-, So this was the true power of the demon race…

“Hiie, s-stay away!”

“You petty types never know when to give up and die.”

I-I’m going to be killed…

Drenched in cold sweat, Gordon’s teeth chattered uncontrollably.

This vampire girl had defeated Nyger.

Nyger, who some regarded as humanity’s strongest.

There was not a chance in hell that Gordon could beat her.

Trying to resist would still end in his brutal death.

Having come to that conclusion, Gordon immediately threw his head onto the floor.

“P-Please have mercy. I will become your servant, my lady. You can have my money, anything you want, just please spare my life.”

How could he accept dying here?

Even if he had to lick her feet, he’d survive this.

Even being turned into one of her kin or whatever would be fine.

So long as he could keep existing, nothing was off the tables.

“When people begged you just like this, did you spare them even once?”

“M-My sincere apologies. I’ve turned over a new leaf. From today onwards, I’ll dedicate my life to helping society.”

“…That sounds awfully suspicious.”

I see…

Despite being a demon, apparently this girl was just another deluded hypocrite.

In that case, this makes things easy.

To appeal to that ‘better nature’ of hers, all he needed to do was lie.

“I-It’s true. I can sense your great anger at my misdeeds, my lady. The truth is that it was my subordinate, Nyger. I couldn’t go against his threats and was forced into this. I know that some of the blame rests upon me, for being unable to go against my servant. But that――”

“Enough, enough already. Your stupid excuses are starting to remind me of a retarded superior of mine, so just stop it already.”

“I-, I’m not just telling excuses. It’s true.”

“I just told you to stop. I only mentioned your victims as practice in pretending to have a human heart. Apparently you bought it.”

“Huh?”

What on earth was she saying? A human heart?

Gordon couldn’t tell what she was thinking.

“Basically, the farce ends now.”

“D-Does that mean that you will spare me?”

“Look, whether you repent or not is nothing to do with me. All that matters is that my lady wants your head. It doesn’t matter to me if you’re a saint or a devil.”

“T-That can’t be. Please, please find it in your heart to have mercy. If you aren’t angry at me, then please give a chance to explain myself to your lady. Please, please――”

Not angry!? Gordon, do you know how much trust I’ve lost because of you? Tilea-sama, Dryas-sama, even my most beloved Camilla-sama, just how much face do you think I’ve lost in front of them!?” she demanded, eyes wide and crazed, promising murder.

Her face, which he had found pretty not moments ago, was warped into the visage of a devil.

Gordon realised now that no words could change her mind.

I’m… going to die…

The bloodlust emanating from her was a certain portent of his doom.

“Hiie, s-save me!”

Gordon broke into a run, but…

“Gyaaah!”

Something sharp had sent his right leg flying, leaving nothing but a stump below the base.

“It hurts, it hurrts, ugoaah! F-Forgive me, forgive me! Save me, somebody save me!”

Her fury would consume him like a fire.

Gordon’s remaining leg trembled as terror permeated his being.

The vampire girl smiled as she licked the blood from her hand.

She watched Gordon for a while, before suddenly grabbing his head.

“Geez, you’ve really caused me a lot of trouble!”

“Hiigyaaaaaaah!”

The expression on her face was the most frightening one yet.


Also, Arousing Imouto Scans is coming back out of hibernation.


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