Baka-Tsuki - User contributions [en]

User talk:Zero2001

2012-10-29T00:35:48Z

Sab: /* Messages */

'''Archives:''' [[/Archive 1|1]]

==Punctuation==
===Somewhat interested in Punctuation Changes===

How does the bytes work for those anyway? From what you did on IS, the apostrophes for Microsoft Word uses more space than wordpad. Can you explain that to me? Thanks--[[User:Teh Ping|Teh Ping]] 15:19, 29 May 2011 (UCT)

The types of punctuation used formally were: …‘’“” . I used the characters ... and ' and " to replace them. The thing is,
that every type of character has an id set to it in the form of a combination of bits (01010101). This is done because bits,
bytes, kilobytes, megabytes, etc, is how data is stored. In other words " does not equal “ or ” in the storing language.
However in English they would mean the same thing. " occurs earlier in the storage character table than “ or ” therefore it
has a smaller id. Thus space can be saved by using it. My advice is to either stop using MSWord and use WordPad or TextPad
editor. OR... first write in MSWord then take it to TextPad and then use the find and replace functions to switch the above
characters. You can also use FoxReplace addon if you are using Firefox but that's just a little more complex in initializing
the settings but the result is that the replacement process becomes fully automated (It's a major pain if you make a mistake
though, if you don't exclude pages you need to, then the replacement could affect something you did not wish it to). The final
way is to use this site's own search and replace function. [[User:Zero2001|Zero2001]] 15:41, 29 May 2011 (UCT)

Personally, I use the FoxReplace method. So there might be ''rare'' cases where something unintended was changed. I apologize for that. [[User:Zero2001|Zero2001]] - [[User_talk:Zero2001|Talk]] - 00:37, 4 June 2011 (UCT)

BTW, … and ... actually do not have any differences in the bytes used. I tried replacing them in an Oreimo chapter, but 0 bytes
changed. [[User:Kira0802|Kira]] 14:08, 6 July 2011 (UCT)

Hmm. I suspected as much. Basically that means that the … character is equivalent to three fullstop(.) characters.
[[User:Zero2001|Zero2001]] - [[User_talk:Zero2001|Talk]] - 16:49, 6 July 2011 (UCT)

===FoxReplace Method===
If you are using FireFox ([http://www.mozilla.com/en-US/firefox/fx/?ref=logo download here]). All you have to do is install the [https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/foxreplace/ FoxReplace addon]. After that open Notepad and copy the following line into it:

<nowiki>{"version":"0.13","groups":[{"urls":["-http://www.baka-tsuki.org/*Sword_Art_Online*","-http://www.baka-tsuki.org/project/index.php?title=User*","http://www.baka-tsuki.org/*&action=edit*","http://www.baka-tsuki.org/*&action=submit*"],"substitutions":[{"input":"“","inputType":"text","output":"\"","caseSensitive":true},{"input":"”","inputType":"text","output":"\"","caseSensitive":true}],"html":false},{"urls":["-http://www.baka-tsuki.org/*Talk:*","-http://www.baka-tsuki.org/project/index.php?title=User*","http://www.baka-tsuki.org/*&action=edit|","http://www.baka-tsuki.org/*&action=submit|"],"substitutions":[{"input":"…","inputType":"text","output":"...","caseSensitive":true},{"input":"‘","inputType":"text","output":"'","caseSensitive":true},{"input":"’","inputType":"text","output":"'","caseSensitive":true},{"input":"<!—","inputType":"text","output":"<!--","caseSensitive":true},{"input":"<<","inputType":"text","output":"«","caseSensitive":false},{"input":">>","inputType":"text","output":"»","caseSensitive":false},{"input":"ï","inputType":"text","output":"i","caseSensitive":true},{"input":" ","inputType":"text","output":" ","caseSensitive":true},{"input":"i","inputType":"wholewords","output":"I","caseSensitive":true},{"input":"[ \\t]+\\n","inputType":"regexp","output":"\\n","caseSensitive":false},{"input":"❤","inputType":"text","output":"<big><big>♥</big></big>","caseSensitive":false},{"input":"<3","inputType":"text","output":"<big><big>♥</big></big>","caseSensitive":false}],"html":false}]}</nowiki>

Save the file as PuncReplace.json ('''Note:''' make sure the file extension is JSON). Open Firefox then FoxReplace Settings and click Import. Select the file to load. The Replacement settings will load into FoxReplace. Whether you overwrite or append is your choice.

'''Note:''' These are the settings I use for replacement. After loading you can change then from Foxreplace Settings box. It's difficult to do it otherwise so it's better to do through the options box. Since Vaelis doesn't like to have typewriter quotes thus SAO has been excluded from that. Examine settings after loading to understand. You can choose which links to allow changes in and which links to exclude.

Click the "Okay" button and after that whenever you edit or see the preview of the edits the FoxReplace addon will automatically make the appropriate substitutions. Good Hunting! [[User:Zero2001|Zero2001]] - [[User_talk:Zero2001|Talk]] - 17:10, 6 July 2011 (UCT)

===Stuttering===
Everyone should be warned. Stuttering is denoted differently in Japanese and English. In Japanese stuttering is denoted by '''comma''' or three dots. Whereas in English stuttering is denoted by '''hyphen''' or three dots. The reason is to ensure that the <big>'''I'''</big> in stuttering words like <big>'''I-I'''t</big> aren't mistaken with the self reference word <big>'''I'''</big>. There are other similar instances as well. Since '''commas''' would allow for such mistakes to happen thus '''hyphens''' are used instead. Such conflicts do not occur in Japanese (due to watashi, boku, etc instead of in English where <big>'''I'''</big> can be confused since most stutterings are of words that start with <big>'''I'''</big> or similar circumstances, <big>'''A'''</big> is another one). [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stutter#Primary_behaviors See here.] Take care to properly translate thus. [[User:Zero2001|Zero2001]] - [[User_talk:Zero2001|Talk]] - 12:37, 9 February 2012 (CST)

==Messages==

If its not too much trouble, can you change the template nav on Toaru Majustsu no Index from Spin-Offs to Side Story's? Well this is not an urgent matter so its fine if its done within a month or so. --[[User:Hiro Hayase|Hiro Hayase]] 15:32, 3 September 2011 (CDT)

Alright then, thanks. -[[User:Hiro Hayase|Hiro Hayase]] 23:16, 3 September 2011 (CDT)

I have just received the green-light from Teh Ping, you're free to make the changes at any time now. -[[User:Hiro Hayase|Hiro Hayase]] 00:55, 4 September 2011 (CDT)

I talked it over with him on Animesuki forums, but I told him to message you later about implementing the changes since you need a direct confirmation. -[[User:Hiro Hayase|Hiro Hayase]] 21:03, 4 September 2011 (CDT)

Yup, I gave Hiro Hayase the green light--[[User:Teh Ping|Teh Ping]] 23:14, 4 September 2011 (CDT)

On Infinite Stratos. Young Japanese women or school girls usually say "Ehhh~" just to sound cute or in a cutesy manner in Japanese societyespecially in conversations between fellow woman. So its better to keep them in most cases in IS. It's staying true to the author's original intent since "Whaaat" isn't very cute sounding for the most part, although it does fit in the sentence. -[[User:Hiro Hayase|Hiro Hayase]] 22:01, 7 September 2011 (CDT)

Thanks, please do that then. -[[User:Hiro Hayase|Hiro Hayase]] 01:08, 8 September 2011 (CDT)

Can I ask you help me change all these unnecessary got's in IS? The got's are far to numerous and could easily be replaced to was, were, get, become, became, and etc. Except in dialogues since grammar doesn't matter much there. I don't think it changes the meaning if you change it. -[[User:Hiro Hayase|Hiro Hayase]] 19:05, 17 September 2011 (CDT)

Agreed, two heads are better than one. Let's do as you proposed then. -[[User:Hiro Hayase|Hiro Hayase]] 22:41, 17 September 2011 (CDT)

Zero, I've just logged in now and saw this wonderful template you created. It's very handy. Thank you so much! sorry for saying thank you so late.
BTW, I've just uploaded a chapter. It's shown in the collapsable Nav Template. My questions are:
1. Is there a link where I can go directly to the Nav rather than clicking it from the msg you left on CSR?
2. What edits do I need to make so that on the main page of CSR, it's shown that the chapter has been uploaded? (I did the usual edit but the chapter - vol 15, Ch1 - is still red in colour)
I'm terrible with computer codes and stuff. Thanks in advance for the help!
-[[User:Blewin|Blewin]] 21-10-11

Just so you know, the incomplete template is not obligatory for translators to use. They can choose to use it or not, the liberty is up to them. --[[User:Hiro Hayase|Hiro Hayase]] 19:00, 6 July 2012 (CDT)

Umm. which one are you taking about? [[User:Zero2001|Zero2001]] - [[User_talk:Zero2001|Talk]] - 19:13, 6 July 2012 (CDT)

The one for Heavy Object. Volume 3 Chapter 1. --[[User:Hiro Hayase|Hiro Hayase]] 19:16, 6 July 2012 (CDT)

Ah the '''incomplete''' template. What's wrong with me telling them to use it? If they don't want to they can just ignore my comments. Simple. But seriously I don't think it's nice not to be forewarned that the chapter isn't complete. I read it to find that it's incomplete or get confused when it seems complete and it isn't. It's happened more times than I remember. So, your choice. You may ignore my comments and leave the posting of the template to me, or take a few seconds of you time to write a single line of easily recallable code. But I don't think I did a bad thing my telling them to use it. I've seen what happens when you don't and it's not pretty. Believe it! [[User:Zero2001|Zero2001]] - [[User_talk:Zero2001|Talk]] - 19:23, 6 July 2012 (CDT)

Regardless, if you take a closer look upon the page, there are up to 17 parts in it and 4 parts done while the rest are blank, if a viewer looked at the page then they would be able to infer that it's incomplete. The way you're phrasing this argument really makes it seem arrogant, once again its a matter of choice. This topic has already been discussed in the past on the forums, the compromise was to leave it to the translator. I would prefer you use diplomatic language on a public forum such as this, since it is not like your facebook status. --[[User:Hiro Hayase|Hiro Hayase]] 19:48, 6 July 2012 (CDT)

I'll keep that in mind. I'll ask more diplomatically from now on. [[User:Zero2001|Zero2001]] - [[User_talk:Zero2001|Talk]] - 01:45, 7 July 2012 (CDT)

I already copied and saved the entire script on my machine now, plus the JP script of this SS is already circulating on the internet for a while too, so it's just matter about who is going to do it. As for myself, I have yet to finish reading Alicization web version, so I would prefer to avoid spoiling myself translating it. As for google translate for JP to EN, it might be okay searching single word, but translating entire sentence will give wrong meaning most of the time, so I don't think it's good enough. I heard Atlas is currently best, but I can't comment about it, you could try by comparing its result with the human translated script and judge by yourself.

I do plan to translate Cradle of the Moon once I finished reading Alicization arc if by then it was still untranslated, however, the Alicization arc is massive so I don't think it'll be soon. -- [[User:BeginnerXP|BeginnerXP]] - [[User_talk:BeginnerXP|Talk]] 13:05, 16 July 2012 (CDT)

I saw your edit notes on Caliber SS about HolyCow being new and would like to make some corrections: First, while he doesn't active lately, he joined here since 2006 and contributed to many projects as translator, so he knows what he's doing. Second, he has supervisor rights on the wiki. -- [[User:BeginnerXP|BeginnerXP]] - [[User_talk:BeginnerXP|Talk]] 04:46, 23 July 2012 (CDT)

Hi nice to meet you, I am seeing you are very popular here, I am just wondering when you will finish the currents Translations for Chrome Shelled Regios and When you'll begin to translate volumes 16 to 20? [[User:Sylkud|Sylkud]] 16:30, 25 July 2012

Sorry, I honestly wasn't trying to do that. Ah, can't argue with that... Thank you very much. -/-[[User:User753|User753]]-[[User talk:User753|Talk]]- 12:55, 29 July 2012 (CDT)

Sorry, forgot to sign back there 'cause I was watching anime. I'll be careful next time. -:- [[User_talk:Lan013|Lan013:Talk]] 08:54, 7 August 2012 (CDT)

Excuse me, there's a need to do a mass replace in SAO project, and do it manually would take me many hours, as you're using FoxReplace, would you mind changing all instances of "Knights of the Blood" to "Knights of Blood" in all volume, and Cradil to Kuradeel in volume 1, please? -- [[User:BeginnerXP|BeginnerXP]] - [[User_talk:BeginnerXP|Talk]] 01:10, 8 August 2012 (CDT)

Thank you very much, that should be good enough for now. About JP name of KoB, we just discussed about it in forums, please check the SAO term&names thread. -- [[User:BeginnerXP|BeginnerXP]] - [[User_talk:BeginnerXP|Talk]] 17:24, 8 August 2012 (CDT)

No, it was manually find & replace, so that's why I need help from someone who could do it more efficiently, my primary browser is Safari so I can't use FoxReplace either. -- [[User:BeginnerXP|BeginnerXP]] - [[User_talk:BeginnerXP|Talk]] 14:14, 9 August 2012 (CDT)

Thank you. This is my first time translating Accel World, so I'll probably be relying on your editing to fix the mistakes I miss. I'll try to adjust my translating to suit this series as quickly as possible. --[[User:Eternal Dreamer|Eternal Dreamer]] ([[User talk:Eternal Dreamer|talk]]) 10:33, 24 August 2012 (CDT)

I was originally saving edits at the end of my session, however after experiencing someone else editing the same text under me and then having to spend a further 1.5 hours re-integrating the two altered text streams, I prefer more regular saves and it should hopefully mean anyone else editing under me will be in a different area of the text -- [[User:Drake|Drake]] - [[User_talk:Drake|Talk]] 14:45, 27 August 2012 (BST)

Well, it was the 1.5hrs that was spent within the conflict page with two text boxes, doing pretty much as you explained (other than the history page part; I will have to check that out) there were a lot of changes!. I read and edit in the edit page then save immediately reopen the edit page and use the find function to take me directly back to where I was; it's a simple process for me, but if it create problems for other users then I can save less often. If however your concern is my perceived ill-use of my time, then i think I'm OK as I am... Cheers :) --[[User:Drake|Drake]] ([[User talk:Drake|talk]]) 09:16, 27 August 2012 (CDT)

Oh oops, my bad. Say, if the paragraph talks about the game mechanics, would it be in the present or past tense? Are there other SAO-only rules? --[[User:IShiney|IShiney]] ([[User talk:IShiney|talk]]) 17:15, 3 September 2012 (CDT)
Thanks for the clarification! I'll stick to the non-tense grammar/typo edits then, just to be extra-safe. :P --[[User:IShiney|IShiney]] ([[User talk:IShiney|talk]]) 19:16, 7 September 2012 (CDT)

Aah, thanks a lot. Sorry for bothering you - [[User:SATRIA|SATRIA]] ([[User talk:SATRIA|Talk]]), 4 September 2012 (CDT)

Hey, can you create a nav template similar to kikou shoujo for [[Hyakka_Ryouran_Samurai_Girls|this]]? Thanks in advance.--[[User:Hayashi s|Hayashi s]] ([[User talk:Hayashi s|talk]]) 05:24, 15 September 2012 (CDT)

If you have to shorten it, then use hyakka ryouran. I think it's more recognisable under that title--[[User:Hayashi s|Hayashi s]] ([[User talk:Hayashi s|talk]]) 08:42, 16 September 2012 (CDT)

Well, I didn't leave because I wanted to. Anyway, I'm doing nothing this week to try to get used to the new life regime, and sort my stuff up. --[[User:KuroiHikari|KuroiHikari]] ([[User_talk:KuroiHikari|Talk]] | ) 19:05, 21 September 2012 (CDT)

Ahahahaha, thanks for that tip. I looked at already and I was really grateful for that page. Without it, I would have never figured out the names of the characters or the special terms this light novel uses. Thanks for everything! --[[User:Vermiculo|Vermiculo]] ([[User talk:Vermiculo|talk]]) 21:16, 29 September 2012 (CDT)

Same here, I also look forward to work with you too, Thank you for everything you have done for me. --[[User:Vermiculo|Vermiculo]] ([[User talk:Vermiculo|talk]]) 05:55, 30 September 2012 (CDT)

Just curious, what are you gonna do with the [ ] like brackets in Heavy Object? [[User:Undesco|undesco]] ([[User talk:Undesco|talk]]) 13:10, 30 September 2012 (CDT)

Eh, I didn't even remember where they are. I read it before you made the color change. The [] were used for radio transmissions if I remembered correctly, so I wondered what are you going to change it with in future novels (if more appears). [[User:Undesco|undesco]] ([[User talk:Undesco|talk]]) 14:13, 30 September 2012 (CDT)

I haven't read other that used []-like bracket tho. But maybe I did misread them because I distinctly remembered that "( )" were used for whispers. Sorry for troubling you. [[User:Undesco|undesco]] ([[User talk:Undesco|talk]]) 15:21, 30 September 2012 (CDT)

Sorry for the extra work in SAO, but out of interest what was wrong with the edits? I thought replacing “” with " was meant to reduce space so just tried to help since I ended up changing one, then sort of just steamrolled through the rest. I might be applying such changes to Campione in the future so I would help to understand where I technically went wrong — was it with the 's? --[[User:Drowzycow|Drowzycow]] ([[User talk:Drowzycow|talk]]) 10:25, 2 October 2012 (CDT)

Could I bother you to put a 'Preview Script' templatey thing on top of Cradle of the Moon? My translation right now is very, very raw, and I don't want people to assume it's the final product. - [[User:Shichiya|Shichiya]] - [[User_talk:Shichiya|Talk]] 09:53, 18 October 2012 (CDT)

Thanks Zero! I didn't know that, but I'll keep it in mind if I edit anymore or work on any other wikis. [[User:Sab|Sab]] ([[User talk:Sab|talk]]) 19:35, 28 October 2012 (CDT)

==Idiffer's Beta Files ==
what do u mean by "stay in my personal userspace"? that nobody will see it?--[[User:Idiffer|Idiffer]] 17:43, 3 August 2012 (CDT)

ok, i'll do that from now on. thanks for the tip.--[[User:Idiffer|Idiffer]] 06:17, 4 August 2012 (CDT)

i don't know how exactly it's done, but yeah i've noticed it a few times. but unless adding in the talk page somehow requires one button like the signiture without the talk page, then i highly doubt i'll be using it. it's not that hard to go to the talk page of a person you want to leave a message to.--[[User:Idiffer|Idiffer]] 11:08, 4 August 2012 (CDT)

okay, i'll try it out sometime in the near future then. again, thanks for the info.--[[User:Idiffer|Idiffer]] 13:25, 4 August 2012 (CDT)

== En/Em dashes ==

Is there the need to space all the em dashes? [[User:Kira0802|Kira]] ([[User_talk:Kira0802|Talk]]) 19:10, 7 October 2012 (CDT)

I felt there was a need. It gives off a proper feeling that way. Otherwise it just looks like two words being joined together like with the hyphen. I didn't like the look of that. [[User:Zero2001|Zero2001]] - [[User_talk:Zero2001|Talk]] - 01:38, 8 October 2012 (CDT)

User talk:Kira0802

2012-10-28T18:43:31Z

Sab:

==Hidan no Aria==

===English===
Are you going to continue translating Volume 2 in the near future? Otherwise, I want to finish up v2c2 : ) [[User:YoakeNoHikari|YoakeNoHikari]] 13:53, 26 March 2011 (EDT)

I have put HnA on hold. But since your speed is amazing, I think that it's better if you continue. Also, with all the work I have...

Well, go on! After all, there's still a lot of volumes left. If you take V2ch2, then I'll maybe take HnA V5.
[[User:Kira0802|Kira0802]] 10:45, 26 March 2011 (EDT)

Alright thanks for the go ahead, I'll do my best. [[User:YoakeNoHikari|YoakeNoHikari]] 19:09, 26 March 2011 (EDT)

----------------

'''Re: V3'''

Alright, thanks a lot :) - [[User:YoakeNoHikari|YoakeNoHikari]] 07:44, 1 May 2011 (UCT)

Actually, do you want to finish V6C1. - [[User:YoakeNoHikari|YoakeNoHikari]] 08:08, 2 May 2011 (UCT)

----------------

Can you go back translating volume 8 of Hidan no Aria [ENG] which hikari left??.. [[User:Just4fun|Just4fun]] 21 May 2012

Ohh ok its alright... oh by the way.. can you translate it after the exam period?? [[User:Just4fun|Just4fun]] 21 May 2012

----------------
So which one are we using? GIV or G IV, GIII or G III? It's not on the terminology page yet, I actually prefer using GIII and GIV. --[[User:Hiro Hayase|Hiro Hayase]] 15:24, 3 June 2012 (CDT)

Alright I'll keep it that way from now on, since it seems easier on you. XD --[[User:Hiro Hayase|Hiro Hayase]] 15:38, 3 June 2012 (CDT)

===French===

:Dear Kira, can you please tag this new Alt. project with the <pre>{{Warning:ATP}}</pre> So that I can find and evaluate it. Thank you!

[[User:Onizuka-gto|Onizuka-GTO]] 16:23, 6 May 2011 (UCT)

Are you translating HnA in the passe composse or the imparfait, so i know what to check for while editing?

Most of the time, I use the 'passé simple' to describe, as well as present. When Kinji is speaking to himself or to someone else, I use the 'passé composé' and when it is to mark a simultaneous action to a past tense word, united by a subordination conjunction, I use the 'imparfait', as well as in descriptive lines. [[User:Kira0802|Kira0802]] 01:02, 10 May 2011 (UCT)

ok. I'm still learning francais, so some accent marks might be wrong, but i should be able to help out in some cases. - Bzk

Oh, no problems, me too. [[User:Kira0802|Kira0802]] 01:07, 10 May 2011 (UCT)

* Ça te dérange si je continue la traduction française de HnA ? Il n'y a pas l'air d'avoir des traducteurs actifs pour le moment... Je me demandais aussi si par hasard tu avais un peu commencé la traduction des chapitres suivants (en français) ? Ah oui, j'ai modifié la présentation sur le chapitre 1 (j'ai rajouté les 1., 2., etc pour faciliter la lecture). Je peux les enlever si ça te plait pas :) [[User:Monoratique|Monoratique]]
* Ok ok ! Je ferais de mon mieux :) Merci ! N'hésite pas à changer si tu vois des problèmes ! [[User:Monoratique|Monoratique]]
* Aaaah, tu ne le dis que maintenant >__<' Ok, pas de problème, mais je le ferais petit à petit :) [[User:Monoratique|Monoratique]]

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Salut. J'ai terminé et tenu compte de tes conseils, peut-tu aller voir le chapitre que j'ai traduit et me dire ce que tu en penses, stp?
[[User:Rixlanchy|Rixlanchy]] 19:59, 24 November 2011 (UCT)

== Kore wa Zombie desu ka? ==

Could you please specify which text is for which pic? --[[User:Darklor|Darklor]] 15:35, 20 March 2011 (EDT)

Done, but I don't know how to place a pic beside the text... [[User:Kira0802|Kira0802]] 15:40, 20 March 2011 (EDT)

Are you still doing this? You're registered and the changes have been pretty recent, but you're inactive and your user page says it's a previous work. Can we open this up for other people, or do you still have plans for it? --[[User:Saganatsu|Saganatsu]] 18:26, 3 June 2012 (CDT)

== Infinite Stratos ==

Hmmm, since she's Chinese, I like Huang Ling Yin too. Lingyin is okay too, but since the others often call her with just Ling or Ling-san, I prefer the separated version of Ling Yin.--[[User:Kuroi shinigami|Kuroi shinigami]] 23:09, 30 March 2011 (EDT)

Ichika calls her with Chelsea-san. Cecilia doesn't add any suffix when calling Chelsea --[[User:Kuroi shinigami|Kuroi shinigami]] 11:22, 2 April 2011 (EDT)
-------------------
'''IS'''
I would love to get the IS RAWS from you, thank you so much! - Desodus

-------------------

Yea, I'm going to do the whole vol 6. Should be done in around 1 more month I think. About vol 7, this is still not official, but ___________ from AS forum PMed me saying he will try translating vol 7. Not sure if he's already done some of it yet or not. Just PM him in AS forum to confirm. --[[User:Kuroi shinigami|Kuroi shinigami]] 04:06, 29 June 2011 (UCT)
-------------------
'''New Info that might be useful for IS V4 C1'''

See my talk page. I added new data on interwiki links to the reference section. It should solve the problem of the strangeness of the external links. [[User:Zero2001|Zero2001]] - [[User_talk:Zero2001|Talk]] - 21:36, 13 July 2011 (UCT)

==== IS vol 4 chapter 4====

It's strawberry shortcake, rare cheesecake, and a pear tart. --[[User:Kuroi shinigami|Kuroi shinigami]] 14:26, 19 July 2011 (UCT)

"The thing that Ichika brought out after saying that is a game named Barbarossa." No idea what kind of board game that is though lol --[[User:Kuroi shinigami|Kuroi shinigami]] 13:55, 22 July 2011 (UCT)

First one is "Subishi(this is SFX, change accordingly)!, Houki, who hold out the object (in question), answered.". The part in parentheses is optional, as in my interpretation of the situation.

Second one is actually one big sentence with the previous line. I'll translate it as a whole. "Houki hung her head, but everyone, including Ichika, is making an expression that thinks [why an oil field?] at Houki's incomprehensible answer." --[[User:Kuroi shinigami|Kuroi shinigami]] 14:31, 25 July 2011 (UCT)

==== IS format ====

I don't mind. The link is to make reading easier after all, so change the format as you like to make it more easy to read. --[[User:Kuroi shinigami|Kuroi shinigami]] 14:34, 25 July 2011 (UCT)

As long as the reader benefits, I don't mind the changes, but I would prefer to be kept in the loop regarding stuff like format changes. It has been good work for now though.--[[User:Teh Ping|Teh Ping]] 15:06, 25 July 2011 (UCT)

------------------------------

Yeah, sorry about that. It's just that I usually correct everything to the style of Webster's dictionary since it's the end-all be-all of English, and words like rumour never have the -u. If you don't want me to do that in the future, let me know and I won't :). --[[User:yFSC|yFSC]] 04:45, 6 April 2011 (EDT)

== Rental Magica Names ==

Hm... I know Wikipedia calls her Adelicia and that's why I went with it at first, but in the very beginning of volume 2, there is a letter signed in English by Adilisia and her name is spelled "Adilisia Lenn Mathers." In the end I decided to just go with what Sanda-sensei wrote, since he is kind of the author.--[[User:Amazing Buffalo|Amazing Buffalo]] 19:50, 15 May 2011 (UCT)

== Punctuation ==

I've added some info, check out my talk page. [[User:Zero2001|Zero2001]] - [[User_talk:Zero2001|Talk]] - 17:24, 6 July 2011 (UCT)

== Marimite ==

Merci beaucoup pour ton message ! Oui, je vais créer une page spéciale pour les suffixes et autres, je ne pensais pas que j'écrirai autant de notes :D Ma traduction et mon orthographe ont encore des progrès à faire, mais je vais faire de mon mieux ! J'ai enfin terminé de traduire le premier chapitre, et ça m'a pris un temps fou, je ne pensais pas que ça prendrait tant de temps ! Merci pour les conseils en tout cas, ça m'encourage ! Et bon courage à toi ! :] [[User:Monoratique|Monoratique]] 16:25, 9 July 2011 (UCT)

+ Merci beaucoup de faire l'éditeur ! :) Ça doit pas être sympa de passer après moi ^_^' En fait, j'ai tendance à poster le texte sans le relire avec beaucoup d'attention, et après je le relis quelques jours plus tard sur BT, c'est pour ça qu'il reste des grosses fautes et des phrases mal tournées -_-' Oui, ''sakura'' , c'est OK. En fait, j'ai l'habitude de tout franciser (pareil pour la pâte de haricot rouge...) mais c'est pas toujours utile, je pense. Bref, encore merci ! ^_^ [[User:Monoratique|Monoratique]] 09:45, 31 July 2011 (UCT)

+ Oui, oui, il est ''enfin'' terminé même si je fais encore quelques retouches ^^ [[User:Monoratique|Monoratique]] 03:50, 6 December 2011 (CST)

== [[Help:Japanese SFX]] ==

I added a page for consultation on japanese sfx, etc. Use it for understanding. [[User:Zero2001|Zero2001]] - [[User_talk:Zero2001|Talk]] - 00:03, 21 July 2011 (UCT)

== Reply ==
Sorry that I have been inactive these past 1-2 months. This summer has turned out to be much more busy for me than I had initially expected. Hopefully, I'll be able to put some time to go over this during the last month of my summer break.

Also, I'm curious: Why did you skip to translating Chapter 4 of Volume 4? Was Chapter 2 of it not translated into Chinese or something?

(Regarding previous incident that I did to Vaelis' talk page) Sorry. That's the worst mistake I had done on this site (and ranked top 10) I did during this ten ye-...this year. T_T-/-[[User:User753|User753]]-[[User talk:User753|Talk]]- 19:24, 2 August 2012 (CDT)

== Something to think about ==

[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Link_color#Making_links_appear_a_different_color_just_for_you Here]... Well what you do with this info is up to you. Use it or ignore it both are fine. of course you can also paint the links black if you want like I've done on [[IS:Volume6 Chapter3]]. I think that is the best option. [[User:Zero2001|Zero2001]] - [[User_talk:Zero2001|Talk]] - 19:03, 24 July 2011 (UCT)

== Campione ==
==== Campione Edits ====

Sorry, but I don't know Japanese. Even English is my second language. For edits I used google translator along with denshi jisho online kanji dictionary and the text version of Campione raws. Just for one sentence I waste too much time. So I will have to decline.--[[User:Hariseldon|hariseldon]] 18:44, 4 August 2011 (UCT)

=== Campione! Guidelines ===

Yeah, no problem.
Good chance for me to set down set phrases and terms which can be brought through the works. Is there anything in particular that you want to see? [[User:Alexoconnel|Alexoconnel]] 05:30, 26 September 2011 (CDT)

==== Re: Campione! Terminologies discussion ====

Right, thank you very much. I'll change those at the earliest opportunity. As for the Campione! guidlines, I've been coming up with some basic ones, and they should be up soon as well.

On another topic, any news on the problem with signing up? [[User:Alexoconnel|Alexoconnel]] 00:43, 5 October 2011 (CDT)

I finally managed to sign up for the forum; so I'll be using the resources there as much as I can. Thank you very much yet again!!! [[User:Alexoconnel|Alexoconnel]] 21:30, 7 October 2011 (CDT)

== Boku wa Tomodachi ga Sukunai ==

==== Rika chapter? ====

Are you planning on continuing the Rika chapter? I don't mind taking over it if you don't mind :3

[[User:HolyCow|HolyCow]]

I'll take that as a yes then? XD

23:26, 14 November 2011 (CST) [[User:HolyCow|HolyCow]]

== from jima ==

its harder than i expected to translate but if someone has those chapters already i have no problem at all in letting them post´em since i also want to see the page move forward; thanks for the call i´ll try whith another chapter and hope for your help in latter cleanings and some advising( and i think ill start doing some deep translating job since the znt final series for anime have already started airing) let´s keep up the good work.

== Kikou Shoujo wa Kizutsukanai ==

==== Prologue ====
I was just wondering if the prologue was completed or not, since it says it is on the Registration page but on the prologue page it says it isn't. :) [[User:Stellarroze|Stellarroze]] 08:35, 7 April 2012 (CDT)

Okay. :) There's another potential translator then, that's great. Do you know when he/she will start? [[User:Stellarroze|Stellarroze]] 09:49, 7 April 2012 (CDT)

== Blanking pages? ==

Hey Kira--

I just looked at all the pages that I've been to recently, and I'm not seeing any blank ones, and looking at the recent changes page the changes I've made were only +/- a couple hundred...If I did delete any pages that certainly wasn't the intent. Can you point me to any blank pages you found? I'd be glad to fix the problem. Thanks! [[User:Starkiller4299|Starkiller4299]] 20:13, 16 April 2012 (CDT)

EDIT: Ok, so I went back to extended recent changes...I see now what you're talking about. >.< I think I know what the problem was...I do a lot of my reading (and therefore grammar nazi editing) on break at work. This means 5 minute here, 10 minutes there, sometimes with an hour or three in between. And sometimes the page times out in that interval, which of course you don't know about until you hit 'submit'. My guess is that the page, for whatever reason, got deleted during one of those time outs. I've never seen blanked pages before though--and it's really annoying, because I've learned to semi expect it and do a copy/paste dump into a txt file before hitting submit so I don't lose my changes. And I usually double check the page (gotta scroll to the bottom to go to the next page, right?). Thanks for letting me know about the issue; I'll definitely keep an eye out for it in the future!

==page for personal use==

i can try... and why is everyone interested in pages i create for myself only? (forgot that i'm supposed to reply here...)

--[[User:Idiffer|Idiffer]] 17:00, 17 April 2012 (CDT)

== Accel World ==

I had translated directly from the book I bought which is Volume 1 : Chapter 6 that I done. Which is in CN version. For the novel.... -- [[User:Jinxiang|Jinxiang]] - [[User_talk:Jinxiang|Talk]] 09:20, 14 May 2012 (GMT+8)

It's from Mainland China. Simplified Chinese but I noticed that they use alot of wrong words... -- [[User:Jinxiang|Jinxiang]] - [[User_talk:Jinxiang|Talk]] 09:27, 14 May 2012 (GMT+8)

So you're saying that nothing wrong is with my Translation skills? Just that lots of details are missing stuffs like that? -- [[User:Jinxiang|Jinxiang]] - [[User_talk:Jinxiang|Talk]] 09:43, 14 May 2012 (GMT+8)

Ahhh.... Yes... It's different in description and more details are added. No wonder Xplorer30 said that it's lacking of details. Mmmm... Seems like I will translate it from there. Thanks for the source! -- [[User:Jinxiang|Jinxiang]] - [[User_talk:Jinxiang|Talk]] 09:52, 14 May 2012 (GMT+8)

Thanks Kira! But I'd rather quit editing if I'm just going to get complaints from several people on my talk page every time I do something wrong. [[User:Sab|Sab]] ([[User talk:Sab|talk]]) 13:43, 28 October 2012 (CDT)

== SAO ==

=== English ===
I don't like going behind other peoples back that much. I'm trying to convince him through discussion. Lets see how that goes. [[User:Zero2001|Zero2001]] - [[User_talk:Zero2001|Talk]] - 22:26, 15 May 2012 (CDT)

=== French ===

Tu es sûrement au courant, mais j'utiliserai ta version du Prologue avec celle de MaerisCrisis, je verrai laquelle est meilleure.
Je peux compter sur toi en édition ? Surtout sur le 16.5 (ouais, je suis sérieux) ? -[[User:Misogi|Misogi]] 22:03, 26 Mai 2012 (GMT+1)

Pas de souci pour le site, j'ai déjà envoyé un mail afin d'informer leur staff. -[[User:Misogi|Misogi]] 14:31, 28 Mai 2012 (GMT+1)

J'ai reçu une réponse par mail, et je crois qu'on t'a informé de tout ce qu'il fallait mettre à jour sur le site. Ou alors c'est quelqu'un d'autre qui s'en charge, ça j'en sais rien. -[[User:Misogi|Misogi]] 16:00, 29 Mai 2012 (GMT+1)

SAO licencié chez Wakanim. Source : Communiqué presse. Voilà une grosse news pour le site SAO France. -[[User:Misogi|Misogi]] 21:26, 5 Juin 2012 (GMT+1)

== Re: Projects moved ==

Sorry about late reply, I have been absent for a while.

Well, thanks for the effort. I actually didn't plan to put those there before I start working on them properly, but what the hell, let them be now. By the way, you didn't put word "Lietuvių" (Lithuanian in Lithuanian) on those wikilinks, so I edited them to match the others, ok? Later. --[[User:Soryusu|Soryusu]] 21:40, 27 July 2012 (CDT)

== Hello. New member here. ==

Sorry to bother you but zzhk introduce you to me. I wanted to learn and help with some Chinese translation, and zzhk suggest that I learn the basic from you and help you? I am bilingual in Chinese and English so I could help with translating Chinese to English or vice versa. Thank you and hope to hear from you soon. Cheers~ Kanziel~

I have a few questions.Firstly if I want to translate a work, I add my name in the registration page and then just start on the work? Or ask project supervisor or something. Secondly, I have to go find my own source to translate or is there a website where we get the raw? Thirdly, after translating, I just post it here or show some editor? Thank you. Cheers~ --[[User:Kanziel|Kanziel]] ([[User talk:Kanziel|talk]]) 01:15, 2 October 2012 (CDT)

I have found a project that seems interesting and I hope to help translate the work. Saiunkoku Monogatari,彩云国物语. I want to try translating it to English but how should I get started? Cheers~ --[[User:Kanziel|Kanziel]] ([[User talk:Kanziel|talk]]) 08:53, 2 October 2012 (CDT)

I have already started on the prologue so where do I post it or do I submit to an editor first? Cheers~--[[User:Kanziel|Kanziel]] ([[User talk:Kanziel|talk]]) 20:36, 2 October 2012 (CDT)

Yo, Kira! This is Hitsun, reporting for duty, sir! XD [[User:Hitagi Tsundere|Hitagi Tsundere]] ([[User talk:Hitagi Tsundere|talk]]) 9:03, 9 October 2012 (GMT+7)

Mimizuku to Yoru no Ou: Chapter 1

2012-10-09T20:28:38Z

Sab:

==Chapter 1 - The Suicidal Mimizuku and the Human-Hating King of Night==

Mimizuku awoke to the sound of birds chirping off in the distance. The light unexpectedly entered her eyes, and she blinked several times.

"Are you awake? Are you awake? Human child. Human girl."

Little by little, a voice filled her ears. Its speech was broken, and it was very hard to understand.

''Human girl.''

Like a reflex, Mimizuku relaxed the muscles around her mouth and let a laugh slip out.

"I'm not a human. I'm Mimizuku," she answered hazily, as if responding to the voice of a dream.

"Oh."

She then heard a rustling noise, like the wings of a bat.

"Are you not going to scream? Astounding. I know the mannerisms of humans well."

"Scream?" Pushing the palms of her hands against her eyes, she repeated the word, like a parrot.

"For not shrieking just from seeing me: I commend you," the voice said as Mimizuku lifted her head and grasped the shape of its origin.

However, the distance between the voice's origin and her sanpaku eyes was so small that the creature's body looked larger than any of the huge surrounding tree trunks. She took in the blackish-blue hue of its body, which obstructed her entire field of vision. It had two straight wings like a bat, and its body looked somehow human, however its torso was extremely muscular, and from each side of its body sprang two thin, prominent arms.
Two milky white horns stuck out from its forehead, and its mouth was split straight across like a nutcracker. In its mouth were a set of yellowed teeth, between which protruded a red tongue. The sheer redness of its mouth stood out quite flamboyantly. It had a mane of hair like maize leaves, and its eyes were such that the direction in which they were pointing was impossible to determine from looking at them.

It was certainly a frightening, fantastic figure. However, Mimizuku did not think it was so scary. She had never been scared of anything before.

"... Are you a monster?" Mimizuku asked, slightly tilting her neck to the side.
"I am," the strange figure nodded, its voice shaking the air.

Mimizuku, with no change in attitude, asked, "Will you eat me?"

"I will not eat you." An instant reply.

"Awww... how disappointing..." she tapered off.

The beautiful creature she saw last night wouldn't eat her, and now this monster, which looked like it would be more willing to eat her, refused to do so as well.

"Human girl. Do you wish to be eaten?"

"Yes! Yes, I do! But hey! I'm no human girl, I'm Mimizuku, MI-MI-ZU-KU." She threw her arms and legs into the air like a child having a tantrum, causing the shackles on them to shake and jangle. "Why? Why? Why won't you eat me?" Mimizuku punched the monster's tough skin several times in protest. However, Mimizuku was weak, and the monster didn't budge in the slightest. Then, he arched his back, and suddenly flapped away.

"Huh?"

Mimizuku watched as the monster's form became more or less the size of a chicken, and his true, modest height became clear to her.
The monster shook his body and, flapping his wings, flew up into the sky. He looked down at Mimizuku so that their eyes met. Their conversation continued.

"The Ieri in this forest never eat humans. Even now, as you ask me to eat you, I refuse."
Mimizuku suddenly went still. Ieri. She had heard that somewhere before. Somewhere deep in her memory were humans who also called the monsters Ieri.
With his broken way of speaking, the monster could not make Mimizuku understand his explanation. Though she understood the words, his accent made them seem to her like words from the language of some far-off country.

Like words she had never heard before.

"Why?"

It was because the monster was much smaller than Mimizuku, of course. She would probably be far too much for him to eat. But Mimizuku remembered the much larger monster she had seen, who was just the right size to devour someone like her. She asked this monster about him.

"Because, because because. You met the King of Night," the monster responded. "I cannot associate with any person which the King of Night has let go of."

"King of Night?"

"Yes, the King of Night. He who possesses the moon-eyes, he is the absolute governor of this forest."

His manner of speech betrayed deep reverence for the one whom he was speaking of. Mimizuku raised her head upon hearing his words.

"Oh, him, the one with the pretty moon eyes!" She grinned as she spoke. Eyes like the moon. There was no mistaking it. They had twinkled just like the real things. Mimizuku could still remember.

"What's with that guy?"

"He did not eat you?"

"Nope."

No matter how many times she had told him, he wouldn't eat her, so she eventually fell asleep at the roots of a nearby tree. She was able to sleep well among the scents of dirt and water wafting from the ground.

"If the case is that, then in this forest, this forest of night, there is no monster who will let you be eaten by them," the monster declared.

"I see..." Mimizuku nodded. She didn't really understand why though. In any case, if that big guy wouldn't eat her, then it didn't seem like any of the other monsters would be willing to, either. But that was bad. She had gone through so much trouble coming all the way here.

"Well then, I'm just gonna have to get eaten by him somehow."
Still unsteady from just waking, Mimizuku tottered back and forth as she stood up. But it seemed like she had shared her sleeping area with a number of others, as the blood in her legs was congested, and they were blue and numb. She tumbled back onto the roots like a fruit falling from a branch.

"What are you doing?"

"Eh, I think I'll sleep a little longer. You don't mind, do you?"

"It is your choice, but..."

The monster fluttered down and stopped right before Mimizuku's eyes.

"Young lady, you are strange."

"Strange? Maybe I am, but don't call me 'young lady.' My name's Mimizuku..."

"Mimizuku. That is the name of a nocturnal bird."

"Yeah, that's right."

"It is a good name."

Mimizuku, clearly flattered, let out a little giggle. ''Have I ever felt this happy?'' she
thought to herself.

"Mr. Monster, what's your name?"

"——＊——"

"Huh? Sorry, can you say that again?"

"It is no use. Human ears cannot grasp the name of an Ieri."

"Well then... what should I call you?"

"Call me whatever it is you like. Do all humans name themselves after animals
that they like?" The monster crossed his arms.

"Um..."

''He's not a human, though'', Mimizuku thought. She pondered for a bit, but not too deeply, before she gave a cheeky grin and said,

"Okay, I got it. How about 'Kuro'?"

"'Kuro'? The color of night..." Kuro nodded. His acceptance of the name made Mimizuku happy. Smiling, she raised the upper half of her body.

"Mimizuku. The grass is cutting you and causing your blood to flow out." Kuro reached out with his bottom-left arm and felt Mimizuku's cheek.
Mimizuku, covered in mud and cuts, simply responded with an "Oh, is that so?" If she touched her wounds, bacteria would enter and definitely cause an infection. She knew that much. But it was all right.

Grabbing onto a nearby branch, Kuro swung onto Mimizuku's head. It was strange; she couldn't feel his weight on her head at all.

"Mimizuku."

"Hm?"

"These numbers on your forehead, are they a magic spell?"

"Oh, those?" Mimizuku gave her forehead a couple of cheerful pats.
Peeking out from behind the bangs of her tawny hair were three numbers.

"I'm number three hundred thirty two," Mimizuku truthfully responded.

"What does that mean?"

"It's my number."

"Okay. But I do not understand." Kuro's response was also truthful.

"Are you angry?"

"I am not really angry, no," Kuro answered quietly. As ever, Mimizuku's heart began to beat faster.

''Am I dreaming?'' she thought for a moment. It felt strange from the very beginning. Kuro's words were words she had never heard before.

Just a little strange.

"Hey, Kuro, it's strange somehow."

"What is strange?"

"Why, are you being so nice to me?" Mimizuku asked as she stepped barefoot through the grass and the foliage. The skin on the bottoms of her feet was becoming tougher, even a pointed stone wouldn't have been able to cut them.

"I am nice?" Kuro replied contrarily.

"Yes! You're very nice," Mimizuku said, cracking a hearty smile. The chains around her ankles became tangled in the roots of a tree, and her footing became unsteady.

"Gah!"

However, her face didn't hit the ground. Just before impact, a strange sound rang. Mimizuku, who was facing forward, rebounded like a spring, and tipped backward so much that it seemed like she would fall over the other way.

"W-w-waah!"

She regained her posture in a hurry.

Somehow, she had been saved. She didn't really understand what had happened, but there was a sound like grumbling in her ears.

"I believe such an action could be considered 'kind.'" Kuro was laughing.

"Just now, was that you, Kuro?"

"Aye. It was indeed!"

"Why?" Stopping her feet, eyes upturned, she looked at Kuro. She could only see a bit of Kuro's wings in her field of vision.

"Do I need a reason? I see, humans are those sorts of creatures." To those words, Mimizuku slowly shook her head, being careful not to jeopardize Kuro's balance

"I suppose Mimizuku does not understand the matters of people. I would like to know why as well. If there is a certain way in which one must be kind, I would like to hear it."
Mimizuku heard the grumbling sound again. It seemed like that was Kuro's laughter. It hurt her ears.

Suddenly fluttering down from Mimizuku's head, Kuro appeared before her eyes and spoke.

"I want knowledge."

"Knowledge?"

"I like to know things. No matter how many books I read, I simply cannot demystify humans. You are a human. Thus, It would please me to observe you."
Mimizuku blinked emotionlessly a few times and thought about Kuro's words.

''How does he read with eyes like that?''

Whatever.

''Kuro wants to know about humans. Mimizuku is a human. It's because I'm a human that Kuro is being nice to me.''

Mimizuku groaned as she pondered.

''I think I'll stop saying to Kuro that I'm not a human.''

"Kuro! I get it! I understand! That's surprising..."

"Hoho. What has Mimizuku understood?" Kuro asked with interest, returning to Mimizuku's head.

"Even if I'm a human, there are still people who will accept me. It's kind of strange."
She walked forward. She lifted her feet with each step so as to not get the shackles above her feet caught in anything. From above her head came the sound of feathers flapping.

"I am not a human, but... you are truly a strange one." Kuro spoke with a brooding, ponderous tone.

"Ehehe..." Mimizuku laughed.

She felt very happy.

The forest called "The Forest of Night" was awash with foliage, and the drifts of leaves blowing in the wind made it seem as if the forest was sobbing convulsively. Occasionally, a sound like a bird flapping its wings could be heard, but when Mimizuku looked up, no animal presence could be seen. From afar, Mimizuku thought she could hear the sound of someone breathing, but she could never see any other monsters anywhere.

It was Kuro who volunteered to guide Mimizuku, who would have otherwise walked alone. Mimizuku felt a great surprise at this, but she had no way of expressing her feelings in words.

With Kuro on her head, she proceeded through the forest. The shackles at her feet made a loud jingling noise as she walked.

"There aren't many other monsters here, huh..."

For a forest that was supposed to be full of monsters, it was very different from what she had imagined it to be. She let out a sigh.

"It is because of the path you are taking," Kuro said from atop her head. "During the day, Ieri do not usually come to the riverbank."

"I see..."

As she walked along the side of the river, she swayed left and right. Suddenly, she kneeled down and put her hands into the water. Feeling the coldness of the running water, she rubbed her hands in it several times to wash them. The forest waterway flowed melancholically, and the water was incredibly transparent.

Then, without moving her face forward, Mimizuku splashed the river's water across her head.

Kuro fluttered backward in a panic.

"Mi, Mimizuku!"

"Ahh..."

Mimizuku raised her soaked face and bangs.

"Oh, sorry Kuro," Mimizuku said in monotone while wiping her mouth with rough, sweeping gestures. "Uugh, my face hurts!" Mimizuku scowled.

"What? But did you not drink water?"

"Yeah, I did."

"If the water is seeping into your wounds, maybe it would be best to scoop it out."

Mimizuku then stared fixedly at her own hand. The hand was dangling because of weakened muscles, and it was still sparkling wet from being washed.

"Hm?"

She squeezed it and let go several times.

"Yeah..."

Tilting her neck slightly to the side, Mimizuku suddenly stood up.

"Alright Kuro! Let's go!"

Kuro mumbled an affirmation and flew back on top of Mimizuku's head. Seemingly forgetting about what they were just talking about, Mimizuku began to speak about something else.

"So, where is the 'King of Night?'"

"Straight along this way..."

Kuro rustled his wings and looked at Mimizuku.

"Do you really want to go to him, Mimizuku?"

"Do I really what?" Mimizuku responded, not understanding Kuro at all.

"You said that he told you to leave. If you expose yourself to his sight again, you can no longer consider yourself alive. When you incite his outrage, you might be turned to ash in an instant, or dissolved into water."

"Could I get eaten?"

Light filling her murky sanpaku eyes, Mimizuku truly wished that she would be eaten.

Kuro stared at her motionlessly for a moment, and then raised his upper right arm.

"It is your choice. If that is what you want, then you may go, Mimizuku. If the opportunity arises. If fate allows it, if the world allows it. It may also be that we meet again."

"Aren't you going too, Kuro?"

Kuro laughed at Mimizuku's question.

"I have not been called for."

''Is that how it works?'' Mimizuku thought. ''Maybe so.''

So he can't go if he isn't called upon. I think I know what he means. Mimizuku smiled.

"Well then, I'm gonna go."

The forest opened up its gaping green mouth. However, Mimizuku didn't think it was scary. Alone, she stepped forward into the forest.

Leaving Kuro behind, Mimizuku proceeded into the forest unhesitatingly, her shackles ringing as she went. She didn't find it disheartening that Kuro could not accompany her anymore. After all, she had traveled the long road to the forest all by herself. All that time, Mimizuku wished to be alone.

She walked forward, jangling her shackles. When she arrived at a wall of vines entwined around some trees, she forced her way through them and suddenly arrived in a large, open area.

"Waah..." Mimizuku let out involuntarily.

In the middle of the forest, there was a huge, run down mansion. However, that was a not what stole Mimizuku's eye. In front of its door was a pitch-black wing, smoother and more beautiful than a crow's. With a relaxed motion, it swayed upward.

There, Mimizuku came face to face with the King of Night for the first time.

The strains of sunlight breaking through the crevices of greenery revealed the form of the monster called the "King."

Mimizuku let out an involuntary yelp. Her teeth chattered meagerly, and her body shivered as if paralyzed.
It wasn't fear. It wasn't trepidation. She didn't know of those things. The pathways of nerves in her brain had long since been rewired against those feelings.

"Ah..." Opening her mouth halfway, unable to utter a word, she simply let out a small sound.

"Ah..."

''What do I say? What should I say?''

''That's right. I have to tell him to eat me.''

She had to say it.

"Why have you come?"

The King of Night's thin lips barely moved as he spun his cold words. His voice was frank and sharp, like an unsheathed blade.

Being stared at by those eyes, with that glare that would have frozen any normal person solid with terror, Mimizuku only received a slight jolt of surprise.

''Ohhh?''

The eyes sparkled.

''They're silver.''

Just like the moons from the night before, the King of Night's eyes now glittered in that silvery white color.

''The color of the moon,'' Mimizuku thought. ''The color of the moon, in broad daylight.''

It was different from how she remembered it, but not so much that she could mistake it for something else. Before her were surely the two small moons, shining the same light as they had before.

"So pretty..."

She let out a little gasp. Hearing it, the King of Night made an unpleasant scowl. Complicated tattoo-like patterns extended from his eyes to his cheeks.

''It's beautiful'', Mimizuku thought.

"Leave. Go back to your own place. Human girl." His words betrayed murderous intent.

Even so, Mimizuku did not hesitate in her response.

"I don't have any place to go back to," she said loudly. No one had raised his or her voice in opposition to the King of Night before.

"I don't have any place to go back to. From the very beginning, I've never had a place I could call home...!"

Because they would hit her. Because they would do nothing to her but cause her pain. Mimizuku wanted so much not to think of that place as home.

Mimizuku wanted to think that it would be better to return to any place but that one.

"Hey! Don't call me a human! I'm Mimizuku! My name's Mimizuku!" She yelled it out to the point that she became dizzy. She was used to it by now, but she felt unsteady.

Her knees gave way, and she fell kneeling onto the ground.

"Hey, eat me."

Her vision gradually began to go gray. ''Do I have to sleep?'' she thought. She wanted to continue entreating the King to eat her, but her body wouldn't do as she told it to. ''I have to sleep.''

''Your body has suffered much, and you must sleep. Someone was speaking to her.''

''Ooooh... This is strange... I wish I could drink some water...''

"Please... eat me... King of... Night..."

Mimizuku toppled over on the grass supinely, arms extended out. The two midday moons looked toward her.

"I beg you... please eat me..."

The shackles on her arms grew heavy, and her arms fell to the ground.

''Oh, those white moons, the King of Night's eyes are so beautiful,'' was all Mimizuku could think of as a drowsiness that made her feel like she was sinking into a swamp assailed her. She closed her eyelids.

''No... I want to open my eyes again,'' Mimizuku thought, her consciousness fading. It was strange. Whenever she went to sleep, she would usually hope that she never woke up again.

''If I could just see those two moons once more, I don't care if I ever open my eyes again.''

Feeling as though someone was calling her name, Mimizuku gently lifted her eyelids.

The sky was red with the sunset. The moment she comprehended the thought, something came fluttering down from above.

"Gyah!"

She unthinkingly croaked like a frog.

Propping her upper body forward, she looked at the thing that had come from the sky. Upon seeing it, her eyes almost literally popped out.

There were chocolate-vines and crimson morning glory vines among other fresh fruits she had never seen before. They all plopped down like a mountain falling from the sky in front of Mimizuku.

She gaped and looked upward. Flapping before her against the light red sky was Kuro. He was at a distance where he seemed large enough that Mimizuku could easily hug him.

"Kuro!" Mimizuku yelled. She then tried to move her arms, but was overcome by a confusing feeling.

"Eh, ah, what's this?" Mimizuku asked Kuro, pointing at the fruits burying her.

"Why, it is just what it looks like."

Kuro tossed a live fish into the air with both of his upper arms, cut its tail so that it was the same size as him, and placed it down his pomegranate-like mouth. He swallowed it whole, and then he spoke.

"Might you be hungry? Mimizuku."

"Eh, eh, eh?"

Mimizuku was incredibly confused.

"Hm? Are these... mine?" She pointed to the fruits.

"Yes. I wonder if humans could do with fish?" Kuro flew down beside Mimizuku, grabbed a tree branch, and used it to spear a fish.

He drew several circles in the air with it in a splendid fashion, and the fish was suddenly engulfed in flame. Mimizuku was surprised and taken aback, but the fire just as soon grew calmer, and a savory aroma began to hang in the air. Strangely, the tree branch didn't seem the slightest bit singed. Seeing the results, Kuro nodded, satisfied.

"Here." He held the fish out to Mimizuku.

"H-huh?"

She received it gratefully. However, Mimizuku did not entirely grasp what was happening, and she seemed to still be in a dreamlike state. Despite not understanding, she put the fish into her mouth. Her instincts taking over, she greedily devoured it. The inside was somewhat rare, but the flavor didn't matter to Mimizuku. Whatever she could eat was good enough for her.

''Have I eaten something like this before?'' The thought seemed to sweep over the back of her head.

"Tell me one thing Mimizuku. Does a dead fish not try to run away?" Kuro asked, rustling his wings. Mimizuku listened as she ate the whole fish, all the way to the eyes, grinding the meat to shreds in her mouth.

"Hey, Kuro. Why are you here?" Mimizuku looked around the vicinity. She was still in front of the King of Night's mansion. The King himself, however, had gone off somewhere, as she couldn't see him anywhere.

"Hmph," Kuro responded. He crossed his upper arms. "It is hard for me to say as well."

He then flew back up into the air and tapped on Mimizuku's head.

"Fate has given you leave. Was it nocturnal luminescence that allowed you to make it? Indeed, it is hard to say. That is why I must ask you, Mimizuku."

Mimizuku blinked a few times.

"Not discounting death, do you wish to remain here? Mimizuku."

"Eh, is it really alright if I stay?" Mimizuku spoke in a loud, joyful voice. "Hey, Kuro! Is it really alright for me to stay?"

"I will not promise any good to come of it. You might be killed tomorrow. Is that okay with you?"

Mimizuku smiled at Kuro's words and flopped onto the ground once again.

Having eaten so much food so quickly, her stomach was starting to ache.

"You know, Kuro..." Mimizuku smiled and held out her arms. Her shackles rang as if singing.

"My only happiness would come from being eaten by the King of Night," said Mimizuku, chuckling happily.

And then, the suicidal horned owl sighed gently.

"Ah, I could die happily like that."

Mimizuku smiled.

"Hmph." Kuro gave a slight nod. "You are quite miserable," he sighed.

Mimizuku didn't understand his words, so she just laughed cursorily.

"Hey, Kuro."

"What? Mimizuku."

"The King of Night is beautiful, isn't he?" Mimizuku said happily.

Kuro was unsure of how to respond.

"Of course. He is a king, after all."

Mimizuku let out a chuckle at his words again.

The curtain of night spread across the forest of monsters.

''Oh, the King of Night's eyes have changed to gold,'' Mimizuku thought absentmindedly, straining her eyes at the heavens.

''So this is what happiness is like.''

<noinclude>
{| border="1" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" style="margin: 1em 1em 1em 0; background: #f9f9f9; border: 1px #aaaaaa solid; padding: 0.2em; border-collapse: collapse;"
|-
| Return to [[Mimizuku to Yoru no Ou|Main Page]]
| Back to [[Mimizuku to Yoru no Ou: Prologue|Prologue]]
| Forward to [[Mimizuku to Yoru no Ou: Chapter 2|Chapter 2]]
|-
|}
</noinclude>

User:Sab

2012-10-09T08:07:13Z

Sab:

Sab says: :S

Please feel free to contact me through my talk page if you have any questions about why I made an edit. I'd be happy to discuss the reasons with you. I also have plenty of grammatical resources that I can link to you if you're a non-native English speaker or a fellow editor who needs help.

I'm currently editing Accel World, but if you have a project that needs an editor, please leave a message.

OreShura: Volume 1 Chapter 3

2012-10-09T08:04:19Z

Sab: /* Chapter 3 - Girlfriend V.S. Childhood friend = Mayhem */

===Chapter 3 - Girlfriend V.S. Childhood friend = Mayhem===

The news of Matsuzu Natsukawa spread without much assistance throughout the entire school by the next day. Such fearful propogation power, or should I say infectivity. Whoever hooked up with whoever, whoever got dumped by whoever, these sorts of stories can be heard ten miles away as soon as it happens. Not because Natsukawa has been spreading the good word everywhere, but because the passion of romance believers by far go beyond of catholics of the medieval ages.

Speaking of which, perhaps Natsukawa did have a hand in this. After all, if rumors cannot spread effectively, she wouldn't have the need to start a pseudo-confession to protect her "barrier" to begin with.

Every recess or break we have, people from other classes rush over to observe me. "So it's that guy?" "Seems very normal" "You really can't figure out the tastes of rich girls." Just these unscrupulous comments, I already begin to understand Natsukawa's feelings. This is certanly very hard to bear with.

Yamamoto of the soccer club requested to shake my hand for the second time in this month.
"If you don't give Natsukawa happiness I will never forgive you yo!"

Oh, Yamamoto-kun. You are too dazzling.

If I could, I'd love to offer you with the right of Natsukawa's happiness. I really do.

-- Speaking of which, hurry up and assist me! I beg of you!

That day, at the end of school.

"Learn to accept reality, Eita-kun"
said the Masuzu beside me with an ojousama's attutide.
"Just like that Yamada classmate said, let's work together for my happiness"

"Only your happiness!!!!"

Oh and also, it's not Yamada, but Yamamoto. Regardless this has nothing to do with the topic.

We choose not to take the main roads but a longer route with less people. Although slightly longer, we have little choice. It's relatively better than to walk home under jealous surveys and irritating whispers.

Masuzu clapped her hands together.
"Speaking of which, Eita-kun."

"What?"

"From now on, since we'll be spending a rather long period of time together after school every day, don't you think we should better spend this period of time?"

".....Sure, that'd be more constructive."

The journey Masuzu and I take is from the school all the way to the convenience store on Third Street. The distance is about 1.5 kilometers, around 20 minutes of walking distance.

Arguing each day for these 20 minutes isn't exactly a good use of time. We should try and make it more meaningful, certainly by working together.

"And, what suggestions do you have?"

"Well that's of course.... buying something to eat, going somewhere to play for a while"

"That seems rather interesting. But spending each day like this would seem a bit......"
More importantly, I do not want to reduce the time I spend studying, in addition to the burden of washing clothes and making dinner. Therefore I should waste as little time and money as possible.

"Then I guess we should just stick to chatting."

"Like the sweet lovey-dovey talks between boyfriends and girlfriends eh?"

"......lovey-dovey talks eh"

"......lovey-dovey talks"

Goosebumps appeared on both Masuzu's arms and mine.

"No way."

"Impossible."
I spat on to the ground.

Masuzu straightened her hair.

"Thinking carefully, there's no need to stick with those kind of lover's talk"

"True, after all it's just all play act"

"As long as it's something we can talk about. Such as say the TV shows we've seen yesterday, that's a common topic."

"Understood. Let's begin from there then."

Masuzu cleared her throat.
"Eita-kun. Did you watch yesterday's 'Criminal Hunters'?"

Ho. This person sure knows how to make a good discussion topic. That's my favourite TV show.

"Of course. Oh, that last scene was the most memorable! You know, the scene where his partner gets shot by the fugitive, then out of nowhere he pulls out a cigarette, then saying 'bastard, didn't you know I was quitting'. That line was incredible! It really makes you look forward to the next episode! The kind of feel where he has gone through all sorts of pain in life. There are too little dramas like such nowadays! The best show ever! The best show ever!"

Masuzu lowered her head uncomfortably.
"That.... I never planned to make such a deep conversation"

"....oh, is that so"

"Besides, I was never interested in that show"

"Then why the heck did you ask me?!"

This bitch.....

You made me waste my passionate emotions.

"What I originally planned was to make a point that topics with Eita-kun seems rather lacking, and attempted to begin with a popular TV show"

"Well looks like topics between us is very lacking indeed, I'm sorry!"

"An inadequate life can be aided with food and money, but what can an inadequate topic be aided with?"

No matter what I can never leave "topic poverty" in her eyes.

Unhappily, I said
"What about common hobbies or things we like?"

"And what would Eita-kun's hobbies be?"

"Hmm? Hmm...."

Suddenly asked directly, it does seem hard to answer.

My hobbies.... what would they be. I guess it all ends in cooking?

"When listing please exclude peeking up the shirts at staircases and stealing panties these two--"

"Did I ever have these two hobbies!!"

Masuzu took two step backwards with a shocked expression
"D-don't tell me it is not a hobby but a way of living already?!"

"Like I said, there's no such thing!"

"I'm really sorry. Looks like I injured Eita-kun's most pure impressions towards panties. How about as an apology I let you see my...."
Masuzu bit her lips as if regretful, then began pulling up her skirt.

"Waaah--! Waaah--! Ahhh----!"

"Please don't yell loudly. I'm also clarifying your previous suspicions of 'not wearing them'."

A group of elementary school kids and chatting housewifes gave me cold stares.

......Why look at me!?

You crazy people, why am I the conspirator here?!

"Today's underpants is rather bold. Not only does it have flowery sides, at the very ends of it it is actually transparent..... if I were to know I would be harassed like this, I should have worn underpants more suitable for a highschool student"

"Stop talking as if I'm the bad guy!!!!"

"For your information, it's black"

"Black she said!!!!!"

Her skirt was slowly being lifted up, revealing her long slender legs.

I couldn't help but form white foam in my mouth.

Her white dazzling legs.

It's of one's who hasn't gone out much.

Smooth and sturdy, there's something that slightly triggers you, letting people unconsciously look forward to what comes next. Ahead of here, lies black--

Masuzu let go of her skirt making it flop.

All that could be seen was the clean linings, the skirt then gently falling downwards, once again covering her legs.

Masuzu stuck out her tongue.
"Even if you're my 'boyfriend', it's only been two days since we've started dating. I'm not that shameless you know."

"I don't know about that...... shameless...."
I knelt down on the pavement, helpless and weak.

I was fooled with......

The pure emotions of a highschool student was toyed with.....

"Get up, Eita-kun. Our happy times together have just begun."

Certainly, we have not even reached halfway of our journey.

And yet already it is a horrible nightmare.

"Stand up like a man, and let's head forth to our bright enjoyable conversation!"

".....maybe"
I wiped my tears off.

Well, they say the more you feel like this, the more you should have an optimistic view towards a revolution.

"Then let us start another topic~"
Masuzu cleared her throat,
"Eita-kun, did you watch 'Criminal Hunters' yesterday?"

"Yeah. I did."

"What do you think about it?"

"Hmrph-- rather interesting I guess?"

"You watched that kind of amazing show and yet that's all the comments you can give? How lame."

"You- you, are you messing with meeeeee--!!!!!"

"Arg, such a headache. No matter what we talk about we'll never be able to have a good conversation"

"Then that's your problemmmm--!!!"

At this moment.

"Ho-holding hands and such, indecent! Too indecent!"
Chiwa pointed towards us, her face completely red.

Her backpack was rising and falling in sync to her deep breaths, I assume she just ran full speed from school to here.

But holding hands? No we aren't.

Just as I was thinking like this, before I knew it Masuzu was hugging my left arm tightly. What on earth is she thinking.

"Ei-kun, th-this, what is, is is all this?!"

This person seems to be after us because of the rumors of me and Masuzu.

Chiwa hates it when I hide things from her. Even if it's a good thing she'd then angrily say "How unexpected". If it's a bad thing then she'll angrily say "Why didn't you talk to me".

I wonder if this falls into the good category of the bad category.

I guess overall it's good?

Making a girlfriend is something that deserves to be congratulated?

But wait, her reaction is --

"Getting popular before I do, Ei-kun is acting to arrogant here--!!"

Uh.

Why am I always the punching bag.

"Ohh Eita-kun, who is this little kid right here?"
Masuzu acted as if only noticing the precense of Chiwa a moment ago, asking with her head slightly tilted.

"I, I'm not little! It's just that you're too big!"

"Ok ok ok. Which elementary school are you from again?"

"I'm not an elementary school student!!! Moreover I'm wearing the same uniform as you are!"

"Oh I see. Are you a fan of Eita-kun?"

"Who'd be a fan of him!"

"Then are you a member of the anti-Eita society?"

"Is there only two extremes in your head?!"

"Then who are you exactly?"

Chiwa for some reason announced confidently
"I. Am. Ei-kun's. Child. Hood. Friend. Chiwa Harusaki!"

"Just because you are a childhood friend you believe you are entitled to do such kind of violent actions?"
Masuzu winced her eyes, as if trying to pierce through Chiwa just by looking.
"Entering the space of a romantic date between a couple after school, don't you think that it is deserved to be kicked by a horse to death?"

Oh classmate Masuzu, is this a date now.

For some reason I feel like I was scolded all the way as "panty thief" or "lame boring person" and whatever....?

"....Ei-kun! Why didn't you tell me about making a girlfriend!"

Seeing the difficulty in her opponent she turned her anger towards me.

"That.....I'm sorry"
I naturally apologised.

Masuzu suddenly joined in
"Oh my, being together with Eita-kun requires the permission of classmate Harusaki?"

"Damn right! I've spent so much time with Ei-kun, we grew up like brother and sisters! Some random girl who's just gotten to know Ei-kun for two months, who do you think you know about him!"

"Then what do classmate Harusaki know about Ei-kun?"

"I know everything about Ei-kun! Just like how in grade 3 he put milk in the school lockers intentionally letting it go bad, like how he calls our class teacher Yoshioka 'mama', and also in that marathon after stepping on some poop he was called the 'poopy roller', everything about him!"

"My my, now I know more about such fascinating events"
Masuzu listened carefully with her eyes shining, even doing notes to Chiwa's blabbering.

I just............... have a sudden urge to kill myself.

"Therefore, you must first go through me if you want to date Ei-kun!"

Masuzu held two corners of her skirt and did a little bow, saying elegantly
"I apologize for not greeting first beforehand. I, Masuzu Natsukawa is now dating Eita Kido. If you will be so kind to bless us both, I am enternally grateful."

"....."

"Eita-kun, let's continue our date shall we?"

Natsukawa grabbed my left arm and was just about to leave, when suddenly Chiwa grabbed my right arm.

Chiwa pouted as if a kid losing her toy, and glared at Masuzu with hatred.

"Is there something else you want?"

"I don't want it"

"Hmm?"

"Ab--solutely not! I do not want Ei-kun to be with someone like you!"

My right arm was being tugged over, a seeming high chance of being ripped off.

"Owowowow! Chiwa, let go!"

"Then I shall accept your challenge. I dare you to come put out the blazing love between us."

"Like I said oww!"

This is such a tragedy.

Neither Chiwa nor Masuzu gave way. The two of them pulled my from both sides, just like a tug-of-war.

"Look, Eita-kun is already crying out in pain. As a caring childhood friend, why don't you let go of him?"

"No, you should be concerned about your boyfriend and let go of him!"

Eventually, Masuzu could not defeat the Kendo trained arms of Chiwa. Masuzu lost balance and pushed me over. Like so, I tripped over some obstacle on the pavement.

"Ahhhhh--!"

I went head first into a pile of garbage, while Chiwa and Masuzu who had let go beforehand were completely safe and sound.

That's too cunning. Tears and pains are always from the men.

"Huh--! So what if you're in love! I'll find my own handsome boyfriend! Definitely become popular!!!"

Like a kid who had just lost a game and could only make verbal threats, Chiwa disappeared after saying this sentence.

Masuzu beamed her angel like smile, watching me piled in garbage from above.

"Hohoho, Eita-kun is too popular"

I don't want to care about any of you!

That night Chiwa didn't come for dinner. So much for making her favourite hamburgers.

I texted her, and quickly recieved a reply with only one word.

"Traitor"

Traitor hurray.....

----------

Eita Kido

First year Highschool student. Real dull. Character of the punchbag character.

Most favourite motto is "when there's a will, there's a way".

OreShura: Volume 1 Chapter 3

2012-10-09T08:03:58Z

Sab:

===Chapter 3 - Girlfriend V.S. Childhood friend = Mayhem===

The news of Matsuzu Natsukawa spread without much assistance throughout the entire school by the next day. Such fearful propogation power, or should I say infectivity. Whoever hooked up with whoever, whoever got dumped by whoever, these sorts of stories can be heard ten miles away as soon as it happens. Not because Natsukawa has been spreading the good word everywhere, but because the passion of romance believers by far go beyond of catholics of the medieval ages.

Speaking of which, perhaps Natsukawa did have a hand in this. After all, if rumors cannot spread effectively, she wouldn't have the need to start a pseudo-confession to protect her "barrier" to begin with.

Every recess or break we have, people from other classes rush over to observe me. "So it's that guy?" "Seems very normal" "You really can't figure out the tastes of rich girls." Just these unscrupulous comments, I already begin to understand Natsukawa's feelings. This is certanly very hard to bear with.

Yamamoto of the soccer club requested to shake my hand for the second time in this month.
"If you don't give Natsukawa happiness I will never forgive you yo!"

Oh, Yamamoto-kun. You are too dazzling.

If I could, I'd love to offer you with the right of Natsukawa's happiness. I really do.

-- Speaking of which, hurry up and assist me! I beg of you!

That day, at the end of school.

"Learn to accept reality, Eita-kun"
said the Masuzu beside me with an ojousama's attutide.
"Just like that Yamada classmate said, let's work together for my happiness"

"Only your happiness!!!!"

Oh and also, it's not Yamada, but Yamamoto. Regardless this has nothing to do with the topic.

We choose not to take the main roads but a longer route with less people. Although slightly longer, we have little choice. It's relatively better than to walk home under jealous surveys and irritating whispers.

Masuzu clapped her hands together.
"Speaking of which, Eita-kun."

"What?"

"From now on, since we'll be spending a rather long period of time together after school every day, don't you think we should better spend this period of time?"

".....Sure, that'd be more constructive."

The journey Masuzu and I take is from the school all the way to the convenience store on Third Street. The distance is about 1.5 kilometres, around 20 minutes of walking distance.

Arguing each day for these 20 minutes isn't exactly a good use of time. We should try and make it more meaningful, certainly by working together.

"And, what suggestions do you have?"

"Well that's of course.... buying something to eat, going somewhere to play for a while"

"That seems rather interesting. But spending each day like this would seem a bit......"
More importantly, I do not want to reduce the time I spend studying, in addition to the burden of washing clothes and making dinner. Therefore I should waste as little time and money as possible.

"Then I guess we should just stick to chatting."

"Like the sweet lovey-dovey talks between boyfriends and girlfriends eh?"

"......lovey-dovey talks eh"

"......lovey-dovey talks"

Goosebumps appeared on both Masuzu's arms and mine.

"No way."

"Impossible."
I spat on to the ground.

Masuzu straightened her hair.

"Thinking carefully, there's no need to stick with those kind of lover's talk"

"True, after all it's just all play act"

"As long as it's something we can talk about. Such as say the TV shows we've seen yesterday, that's a common topic."

"Understood. Let's begin from there then."

Masuzu cleared her throat.
"Eita-kun. Did you watch yesterday's 'Criminal Hunters'?"

Ho. This person sure knows how to make a good discussion topic. That's my favourite TV show.

"Of course. Oh, that last scene was the most memorable! You know, the scene where his partner gets shot by the fugitive, then out of nowhere he pulls out a cigarette, then saying 'bastard, didn't you know I was quitting'. That line was incredible! It really makes you look forward to the next episode! The kind of feel where he has gone through all sorts of pain in life. There are too little dramas like such nowadays! The best show ever! The best show ever!"

Masuzu lowered her head uncomfortably.
"That.... I never planned to make such a deep conversation"

"....oh, is that so"

"Besides, I was never interested in that show"

"Then why the heck did you ask me?!"

This bitch.....

You made me waste my passionate emotions.

"What I originally planned was to make a point that topics with Eita-kun seems rather lacking, and attempted to begin with a popular TV show"

"Well looks like topics between us is very lacking indeed, I'm sorry!"

"An inadequate life can be aided with food and money, but what can an inadequate topic be aided with?"

No matter what I can never leave "topic poverty" in her eyes.

Unhappily, I said
"What about common hobbies or things we like?"

"And what would Eita-kun's hobbies be?"

"Hmm? Hmm...."

Suddenly asked directly, it does seem hard to answer.

My hobbies.... what would they be. I guess it all ends in cooking?

"When listing please exclude peeking up the shirts at staircases and stealing panties these two--"

"Did I ever have these two hobbies!!"

Masuzu took two step backwards with a shocked expression
"D-don't tell me it is not a hobby but a way of living already?!"

"Like I said, there's no such thing!"

"I'm really sorry. Looks like I injured Eita-kun's most pure impressions towards panties. How about as an apology I let you see my...."
Masuzu bit her lips as if regretful, then began pulling up her skirt.

"Waaah--! Waaah--! Ahhh----!"

"Please don't yell loudly. I'm also clarifying your previous suspicions of 'not wearing them'."

A group of elementary school kids and chatting housewifes gave me cold stares.

......Why look at me!?

You crazy people, why am I the conspirator here?!

"Today's underpants is rather bold. Not only does it have flowery sides, at the very ends of it it is actually transparent..... if I were to know I would be harassed like this, I should have worn underpants more suitable for a highschool student"

"Stop talking as if I'm the bad guy!!!!"

"For your information, it's black"

"Black she said!!!!!"

Her skirt was slowly being lifted up, revealing her long slender legs.

I couldn't help but form white foam in my mouth.

Her white dazzling legs.

It's of one's who hasn't gone out much.

Smooth and sturdy, there's something that slightly triggers you, letting people unconsciously look forward to what comes next. Ahead of here, lies black--

Masuzu let go of her skirt making it flop.

All that could be seen was the clean linings, the skirt then gently falling downwards, once again covering her legs.

Masuzu stuck out her tongue.
"Even if you're my 'boyfriend', it's only been two days since we've started dating. I'm not that shameless you know."

"I don't know about that...... shameless...."
I knelt down on the pavement, helpless and weak.

I was fooled with......

The pure emotions of a highschool student was toyed with.....

"Get up, Eita-kun. Our happy times together have just begun."

Certainly, we have not even reached halfway of our journey.

And yet already it is a horrible nightmare.

"Stand up like a man, and let's head forth to our bright enjoyable conversation!"

".....maybe"
I wiped my tears off.

Well, they say the more you feel like this, the more you should have an optimistic view towards a revolution.

"Then let us start another topic~"
Masuzu cleared her throat,
"Eita-kun, did you watch 'Criminal Hunters' yesterday?"

"Yeah. I did."

"What do you think about it?"

"Hmrph-- rather interesting I guess?"

"You watched that kind of amazing show and yet that's all the comments you can give? How lame."

"You- you, are you messing with meeeeee--!!!!!"

"Arg, such a headache. No matter what we talk about we'll never be able to have a good conversation"

"Then that's your problemmmm--!!!"

At this moment.

"Ho-holding hands and such, indecent! Too indecent!"
Chiwa pointed towards us, her face completely red.

Her backpack was rising and falling in sync to her deep breaths, I assume she just ran full speed from school to here.

But holding hands? No we aren't.

Just as I was thinking like this, before I knew it Masuzu was hugging my left arm tightly. What on earth is she thinking.

"Ei-kun, th-this, what is, is is all this?!"

This person seems to be after us because of the rumors of me and Masuzu.

Chiwa hates it when I hide things from her. Even if it's a good thing she'd then angrily say "How unexpected". If it's a bad thing then she'll angrily say "Why didn't you talk to me".

I wonder if this falls into the good category of the bad category.

I guess overall it's good?

Making a girlfriend is something that deserves to be congratulated?

But wait, her reaction is --

"Getting popular before I do, Ei-kun is acting to arrogant here--!!"

Uh.

Why am I always the punching bag.

"Ohh Eita-kun, who is this little kid right here?"
Masuzu acted as if only noticing the precense of Chiwa a moment ago, asking with her head slightly tilted.

"I, I'm not little! It's just that you're too big!"

"Ok ok ok. Which elementary school are you from again?"

"I'm not an elementary school student!!! Moreover I'm wearing the same uniform as you are!"

"Oh I see. Are you a fan of Eita-kun?"

"Who'd be a fan of him!"

"Then are you a member of the anti-Eita society?"

"Is there only two extremes in your head?!"

"Then who are you exactly?"

Chiwa for some reason announced confidently
"I. Am. Ei-kun's. Child. Hood. Friend. Chiwa Harusaki!"

"Just because you are a childhood friend you believe you are entitled to do such kind of violent actions?"
Masuzu winced her eyes, as if trying to pierce through Chiwa just by looking.
"Entering the space of a romantic date between a couple after school, don't you think that it is deserved to be kicked by a horse to death?"

Oh classmate Masuzu, is this a date now.

For some reason I feel like I was scolded all the way as "panty thief" or "lame boring person" and whatever....?

"....Ei-kun! Why didn't you tell me about making a girlfriend!"

Seeing the difficulty in her opponent she turned her anger towards me.

"That.....I'm sorry"
I naturally apologised.

Masuzu suddenly joined in
"Oh my, being together with Eita-kun requires the permission of classmate Harusaki?"

"Damn right! I've spent so much time with Ei-kun, we grew up like brother and sisters! Some random girl who's just gotten to know Ei-kun for two months, who do you think you know about him!"

"Then what do classmate Harusaki know about Ei-kun?"

"I know everything about Ei-kun! Just like how in grade 3 he put milk in the school lockers intentionally letting it go bad, like how he calls our class teacher Yoshioka 'mama', and also in that marathon after stepping on some poop he was called the 'poopy roller', everything about him!"

"My my, now I know more about such fascinating events"
Masuzu listened carefully with her eyes shining, even doing notes to Chiwa's blabbering.

I just............... have a sudden urge to kill myself.

"Therefore, you must first go through me if you want to date Ei-kun!"

Masuzu held two corners of her skirt and did a little bow, saying elegantly
"I apologize for not greeting first beforehand. I, Masuzu Natsukawa is now dating Eita Kido. If you will be so kind to bless us both, I am enternally grateful."

"....."

"Eita-kun, let's continue our date shall we?"

Natsukawa grabbed my left arm and was just about to leave, when suddenly Chiwa grabbed my right arm.

Chiwa pouted as if a kid losing her toy, and glared at Masuzu with hatred.

"Is there something else you want?"

"I don't want it"

"Hmm?"

"Ab--solutely not! I do not want Ei-kun to be with someone like you!"

My right arm was being tugged over, a seeming high chance of being ripped off.

"Owowowow! Chiwa, let go!"

"Then I shall accept your challenge. I dare you to come put out the blazing love between us."

"Like I said oww!"

This is such a tragedy.

Neither Chiwa nor Masuzu gave way. The two of them pulled my from both sides, just like a tug-of-war.

"Look, Eita-kun is already crying out in pain. As a caring childhood friend, why don't you let go of him?"

"No, you should be concerned about your boyfriend and let go of him!"

Eventually, Masuzu could not defeat the Kendo trained arms of Chiwa. Masuzu lost balance and pushed me over. Like so, I tripped over some obstacle on the pavement.

"Ahhhhh--!"

I went head first into a pile of garbage, while Chiwa and Masuzu who had let go beforehand were completely safe and sound.

That's too cunning. Tears and pains are always from the men.

"Huh--! So what if you're in love! I'll find my own handsome boyfriend! Definitely become popular!!!"

Like a kid who had just lost a game and could only make verbal threats, Chiwa disappeared after saying this sentence.

Masuzu beamed her angel like smile, watching me piled in garbage from above.

"Hohoho, Eita-kun is too popular"

I don't want to care about any of you!

That night Chiwa didn't come for dinner. So much for making her favourite hamburgers.

I texted her, and quickly recieved a reply with only one word.

"Traitor"

Traitor hurray.....

----------

Eita Kido

First year Highschool student. Real dull. Character of the punchbag character.

Most favourite motto is "when there's a will, there's a way".

OreShura: Volume 1 Chapter 3

2012-10-09T08:03:09Z

Sab:

===Chapter 3 - Girlfriend V.S. Childhood friend = Mayhem===

The news of Matsuzu Natsukawa spread without much assistance throughout the entire school by the next day. Such fearful propogation power, or should I say infectivity. Whoever hooked up with whoever, whoever got dumped by whoever, these sorts of stories can be heard ten miles away as soon as it happens. Not because Natsukawa has been spreading the good word everywhere, but because the passion of romance believers by far go beyond of catholics of the medieval ages.

Speaking of which, perhaps Natsukawa did have a hand in this. After all, if rumors cannot spread effectively, she wouldn't have the need to start a pseudo-confession to protect her "barrier" to begin with.

Every recess or break we have, people from other classes rush over to observe me. "So it's that guy?" "Seems very normal" "You really can't figure out the tastes of rich girls." Just these unscrupulous comments, I already begin to understand Natsukawa's feelings. This is certanly very hard to bear with.

Yamamoto of the soccer club requested to shake my hand for the second time in this month.
"If you don't give Natsukawa happiness I will never forgive you yo!"

Oh, Yamamoto-kun. You are too dazzling.

If I could, I'd love to offer you with the right of Natsukawa's happiness. I really do.

-- Speaking of which, hurry up and assist me! I beg of you!

That day, at the end of school.

"Learn to accept reality, Eita-kun"
said the Masuzu beside me with an ojousama's attutide.
"Just like that Yamada classmate said, let's work together for my happiness"

"Only your happiness!!!!"

Oh and also, it's not Yamada, but Yamamoto. Regardless this has nothing to do with the topic.

We choose not to take the main roads but a longer route with less people. Although slightly longer, we have little choice. It's relatively better than to walk home under jealous surveys and irritating whispers.

Masuzu clapped her hands together.
"Speaking of which, Eita-kun."

"What?"

"From now on, since we'll be spending a rather long period of time together after school every day, don't you think we should better spend this period of time?"

".....Sure, that'd be more constructive."

The journey Masuzu and I take is from the school all the way to the convience store on Third Street. The distance is about 1.5 kilometres, around 20 minutes of walking distance.

Arguing each day for these 20 minutes isn't exactly a good use of time. We should try and make it more meaningful, certainly by working together.

"And, what suggestions do you have?"

"Well that's of course.... buying something to eat, going somewhere to play for a while"

"That seems rather interesting. But spending each day like this would seem a bit......"
More importantly, I do not want to reduce the time I spend studying, in addition to the burden of washing clothes and making dinner. Therefore I should waste as little time and money as possible.

"Then I guess we should just stick to chatting."

"Like the sweet lovey-dovey talks between boyfriends and girlfriends eh?"

"......lovey-dovey talks eh"

"......lovey-dovey talks"

Goosebumps appeared on both Masuzu's arms and mine.

"No way."

"Impossible."
I spat on to the ground.

Masuzu straightened her hair.

"Thinking carefully, there's no need to stick with those kind of lover's talk"

"True, after all it's just all play act"

"As long as it's something we can talk about. Such as say the TV shows we've seen yesterday, that's a common topic."

"Understood. Let's begin from there then."

Masuzu cleared her throat.
"Eita-kun. Did you watch yesterday's 'Criminal Hunters'?"

Ho. This person sure knows how to make a good discussion topic. That's my favourite TV show.

"Of course. Oh, that last scene was the most memorable! You know, the scene where his partner gets shot by the fugitive, then out of nowhere he pulls out a cigarette, then saying 'bastard, didn't you know I was quitting'. That line was incredible! It really makes you look forward to the next episode! The kind of feel where he has gone through all sorts of pain in life. There are too little dramas like such nowadays! The best show ever! The best show ever!"

Masuzu lowered her head uncomfortably.
"That.... I never planned to make such a deep conversation"

"....oh, is that so"

"Besides, I was never interested in that show"

"Then why the heck did you ask me?!"

This bitch.....

You made me waste my passionate emotions.

"What I originally planned was to make a point that topics with Eita-kun seems rather lacking, and attempted to begin with a popular TV show"

"Well looks like topics between us is very lacking indeed, I'm sorry!"

"An inadequate life can be aided with food and money, but what can an inadequate topic be aided with?"

No matter what I can never leave "topic poverty" in her eyes.

Unhappily, I said
"What about common hobbies or things we like?"

"And what would Eita-kun's hobbies be?"

"Hmm? Hmm...."

Suddenly asked directly, it does seem hard to answer.

My hobbies.... what would they be. I guess it all ends in cooking?

"When listing please exclude peeking up the shirts at staircases and stealing panties these two--"

"Did I ever have these two hobbies!!"

Masuzu took two step backwards with a shocked expression
"D-don't tell me it is not a hobby but a way of living already?!"

"Like I said, there's no such thing!"

"I'm really sorry. Looks like I injured Eita-kun's most pure impressions towards panties. How about as an apology I let you see my...."
Masuzu bit her lips as if regretful, then began pulling up her skirt.

"Waaah--! Waaah--! Ahhh----!"

"Please don't yell loudly. I'm also clarifying your previous suspicions of 'not wearing them'."

A group of elementary school kids and chatting housewifes gave me cold stares.

......Why look at me!?

You crazy people, why am I the conspirator here?!

"Today's underpants is rather bold. Not only does it have flowery sides, at the very ends of it it is actually transparent..... if I were to know I would be harassed like this, I should have worn underpants more suitable for a highschool student"

"Stop talking as if I'm the bad guy!!!!"

"For your information, it's black"

"Black she said!!!!!"

Her skirt was slowly being lifted up, revealing her long slender legs.

I couldn't help but form white foam in my mouth.

Her white dazzling legs.

It's of one's who hasn't gone out much.

Smooth and sturdy, there's something that slightly triggers you, letting people unconsciously look forward to what comes next. Ahead of here, lies black--

Masuzu let go of her skirt making it flop.

All that could be seen was the clean linings, the skirt then gently falling downwards, once again covering her legs.

Masuzu stuck out her tongue.
"Even if you're my 'boyfriend', it's only been two days since we've started dating. I'm not that shameless you know."

"I don't know about that...... shameless...."
I knelt down on the pavement, helpless and weak.

I was fooled with......

The pure emotions of a highschool student was toyed with.....

"Get up, Eita-kun. Our happy times together have just begun."

Certainly, we have not even reached halfway of our journey.

And yet already it is a horrible nightmare.

"Stand up like a man, and let's head forth to our bright enjoyable conversation!"

".....maybe"
I wiped my tears off.

Well, they say the more you feel like this, the more you should have an optimistic view towards a revolution.

"Then let us start another topic~"
Masuzu cleared her throat,
"Eita-kun, did you watch 'Criminal Hunters' yesterday?"

"Yeah. I did."

"What do you think about it?"

"Hmrph-- rather interesting I guess?"

"You watched that kind of amazing show and yet that's all the comments you can give? How lame."

"You- you, are you messing with meeeeee--!!!!!"

"Arg, such a headache. No matter what we talk about we'll never be able to have a good conversation"

"Then that's your problemmmm--!!!"

At this moment.

"Ho-holding hands and such, indecent! Too indecent!"
Chiwa pointed towards us, her face completely red.

Her backpack was rising and falling in sync to her deep breaths, I assume she just ran full speed from school to here.

But holding hands? No we aren't.

Just as I was thinking like this, before I knew it Masuzu was hugging my left arm tightly. What on earth is she thinking.

"Ei-kun, th-this, what is, is is all this?!"

This person seems to be after us because of the rumors of me and Masuzu.

Chiwa hates it when I hide things from her. Even if it's a good thing she'd then angrily say "How unexpected". If it's a bad thing then she'll angrily say "Why didn't you talk to me".

I wonder if this falls into the good category of the bad category.

I guess overall it's good?

Making a girlfriend is something that deserves to be congratulated?

But wait, her reaction is --

"Getting popular before I do, Ei-kun is acting to arrogant here--!!"

Uh.

Why am I always the punching bag.

"Ohh Eita-kun, who is this little kid right here?"
Masuzu acted as if only noticing the precense of Chiwa a moment ago, asking with her head slightly tilted.

"I, I'm not little! It's just that you're too big!"

"Ok ok ok. Which elementary school are you from again?"

"I'm not an elementary school student!!! Moreover I'm wearing the same uniform as you are!"

"Oh I see. Are you a fan of Eita-kun?"

"Who'd be a fan of him!"

"Then are you a member of the anti-Eita society?"

"Is there only two extremes in your head?!"

"Then who are you exactly?"

Chiwa for some reason announced confidently
"I. Am. Ei-kun's. Child. Hood. Friend. Chiwa Harusaki!"

"Just because you are a childhood friend you believe you are entitled to do such kind of violent actions?"
Masuzu winced her eyes, as if trying to pierce through Chiwa just by looking.
"Entering the space of a romantic date between a couple after school, don't you think that it is deserved to be kicked by a horse to death?"

Oh classmate Masuzu, is this a date now.

For some reason I feel like I was scolded all the way as "panty thief" or "lame boring person" and whatever....?

"....Ei-kun! Why didn't you tell me about making a girlfriend!"

Seeing the difficulty in her opponent she turned her anger towards me.

"That.....I'm sorry"
I naturally apologised.

Masuzu suddenly joined in
"Oh my, being together with Eita-kun requires the permission of classmate Harusaki?"

"Damn right! I've spent so much time with Ei-kun, we grew up like brother and sisters! Some random girl who's just gotten to know Ei-kun for two months, who do you think you know about him!"

"Then what do classmate Harusaki know about Ei-kun?"

"I know everything about Ei-kun! Just like how in grade 3 he put milk in the school lockers intentionally letting it go bad, like how he calls our class teacher Yoshioka 'mama', and also in that marathon after stepping on some poop he was called the 'poopy roller', everything about him!"

"My my, now I know more about such fascinating events"
Masuzu listened carefully with her eyes shining, even doing notes to Chiwa's blabbering.

I just............... have a sudden urge to kill myself.

"Therefore, you must first go through me if you want to date Ei-kun!"

Masuzu held two corners of her skirt and did a little bow, saying elegantly
"I apologize for not greeting first beforehand. I, Masuzu Natsukawa is now dating Eita Kido. If you will be so kind to bless us both, I am enternally grateful."

"....."

"Eita-kun, let's continue our date shall we?"

Natsukawa grabbed my left arm and was just about to leave, when suddenly Chiwa grabbed my right arm.

Chiwa pouted as if a kid losing her toy, and glared at Masuzu with hatred.

"Is there something else you want?"

"I don't want it"

"Hmm?"

"Ab--solutely not! I do not want Ei-kun to be with someone like you!"

My right arm was being tugged over, a seeming high chance of being ripped off.

"Owowowow! Chiwa, let go!"

"Then I shall accept your challenge. I dare you to come put out the blazing love between us."

"Like I said oww!"

This is such a tragedy.

Neither Chiwa nor Masuzu gave way. The two of them pulled my from both sides, just like a tug-of-war.

"Look, Eita-kun is already crying out in pain. As a caring childhood friend, why don't you let go of him?"

"No, you should be concerned about your boyfriend and let go of him!"

Eventually, Masuzu could not defeat the Kendo trained arms of Chiwa. Masuzu lost balance and pushed me over. Like so, I tripped over some obstacle on the pavement.

"Ahhhhh--!"

I went head first into a pile of garbage, while Chiwa and Masuzu who had let go beforehand were completely safe and sound.

That's too cunning. Tears and pains are always from the men.

"Huh--! So what if you're in love! I'll find my own handsome boyfriend! Definitely become popular!!!"

Like a kid who had just lost a game and could only make verbal threats, Chiwa disappeared after saying this sentence.

Masuzu beamed her angel like smile, watching me piled in garbage from above.

"Hohoho, Eita-kun is too popular"

I don't want to care about any of you!

That night Chiwa didn't come for dinner. So much for making her favourite hamburgers.

I texted her, and quickly recieved a reply with only one word.

"Traitor"

Traitor hurray.....

----------

Eita Kido

First year Highschool student. Real dull. Character of the punchbag character.

Most favourite motto is "when there's a will, there's a way".

OreShura: Volume 1 Chapter 1

2012-10-09T08:00:58Z

Sab:

===Chapter 1: Highschool Life begins in Mayhem===

Harusaki Chiwa.

Freshman. Childhood friend of Eita.

A bit dumb. Was in the kendo club.

Favourite line is "feel free to eat as much as you wish."

It wouldn't be quite suitable for me to say this, but I am "anti-romance".

Romance this sort of thing, is nothing but a mirage. It's a disease. If you don't believe me take a look at couples giggling every now and then in front of everyone. It's annoying to whoever sees them, praying for them to leave. As for their reasons to flirt in public? That's because this is the real romance, unmasked: Morphine emitting everywhere in the brain, making them lose their shame and all. My attitude towards these people? I always put up with it because I don't care. But when it comes to myself, it's another topic. For me, even if it were not in public, I will never do such shameless moves.

Of course, if I told anyone about my thoughts like this, they would probably chuckle and reply
"There's no need to pretend to be strong"
"Is this the excuse of an unpopular person amongst females?"

Huh. Me, unpopular amongst females? What a joke. I have a history of being confessed to. Nostalgic, those times in the kindergarten..... Forget it, those past glories? Who cares.

But really. If other people gave me a reply like this, I would fully understand. It sounds just as bad as college dropouts saying "schdule my a**" - lack of persuasive power. Not having a single bit of romance in my entire life so far, saying anything casually like that would sound nothing more than the sour grapes of jealousy.

Which pretty much sums up why I don't tell anyone about it, but it IS truly how I feel. And the people who taught me to think like that were my parents.

The story of how my parents got together: they met; they fell in love; they got married. Just like every other love dramas on the television. Throughout childhood I was bombarded with them talking about the ups and downs of their love story. Then in junior high, I was subjected to their endless fights. One day as I was about to go into high school, they both left to seek the "real one" for them and disappeared forever from my eyes, leaving only a letter entrusting me to relatives and a power of attorney to their house as funds for unsettled expenses.

- You - Are - All - Bastards

Me and my hatred to my parents and romance itself was to the degree of using "Hakata Salt's" advertising techniques.
(Note: Lyrics in the [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=99PeKqs81Ak Hakata Salt commercial] are sang syllable by syllable.)

Of course, my sensible logic tells me not all parents are like mine. On the contrary, people falling blissfully in love, getting married, form the majority. Though say my logic is sensible, I still would not "fall in love blissfully just to show you!" or any other kind of similar urges. After all, without romance, life can still go on. Won't make much of a difference not doing pointless stuff. Besides, I don't have the time either.

I have my own ambitions. My target is to get into National University's medical faculty and become a doctor.

Getting into the medical faculty would mean a considerable amount of expense, and I simply cannot give any more trouble to my current guardian '''Saeko-san'''.

'''Kiryū Saeko''' is my father's sister; in other words, my aunt. She is my benefactor who takes care of me, here to clean up my parent's mess. Originally she thought of selling this tattered house to raise money, but putting my feelings of attachment in this house into account, she eventually moved in and settled down with me together. If it weren't for '''Saeko-san''', I would have been moved else where to some unknown relative a long time ago. Therefore, I have decided to repay this debt to '''Saeko-san''' one day, definitely.

My highschool is called Haneyama Public Highschool (short form Hane High). In this school, we have one policy that goes like this: the school will award talented students with good conduct a place at National University (with scholarship). And That's what I'm aiming for.

After entering high school, for the first semester I have already been ranked the first in my year. To a person whose results were in the fairly low district for the entire junior high, this is a staggering feat. I have no intent to slow down, and will continue working hard to keep my grades up.

Which is why, I have no time to spare on romance.

Therefore, I have sworn myself to the following laws:
#Studying comes first!
#No romance! Romance alert!
#But don't let others believe I'm gay because of the 2nd rule

As long as I follow these laws, my high school life will be perfect!

Yet.

Yet, even for a person like me, have an attached girl. The so called fate of a childhood friend.

Well, why shouldn't I begin the story from her then.

It was the end of May, an incident that happened some day when students were about to change into summer uniforms. Because of work, '''Saeko-san''' is often away from home. A reason why I have to do all the housework alone. Dinner; vacumming the floor; hanging clothes dry; all part of my work. In the eyes of others, this may look very extraneous. True. But only at beginning. But now, chores have even become one of my hobbies. Especially making dinner, not only can it directly reflect your results, it is also an useful skill in life.

It was almost dusk, half past five. I threw all the washed clothes into the dryer, about to step outside for ingredients for dinner. Before that, I have to prepare rice and started pouring rice into the cooker, when suddenly, short energetic cries of "Urg!" and "Hah!" came next door.

"What the heck? Hmm....?"

After finishing last touches and setting the rice cooker into position, I walked down the hallway into the courtyard. Not very big, around the size of the area of 3 hanging racks, less than ten or more steps to my neighbour's fence. Across the short fence separating both houses, I could see a person dressed in sportswear and skirts, waving her bamboo blade around. I called out and greeted "Hey-- Chiwa--"

Chiwa stopped her exercise and turned around, sweat sparkling in the sunlight of what was remaining of the sun.

"Hi--Ei-kun! What's for dinner?"

Heh, thinking about food from dawn til dusk.

"Why are you doing practices with your sword?"

"I guess because there was a sword lying around?"

"....."

According to my calculations, this person will become addicted to mountaineering activities in the near future.

"I thought you gave up a long time ago?"

"The Kendo club was what I gave up. Despite many persuasion from my seniors, I finally severed my ties with them."

"Did you give up because of your health conditions? Now you're practicing again, won't it...."

Harusaki Chiwa smiled. "No problem. I had a body check last week and my doctor said if it were exercises, then I'd be fine~"

"....really?"

"Really~ really, Ei-kun loves to worry~"

Chiwa had been practicing kendo from elementary school up til the 2nd year of junior high. Instead of practice, one could say, buried her head in kendo. She even came 4th in the province-wide group competition, 2nd in personal competition. Her unfavourable height and strength didn't have much affect on her performance, even aiming for the national-wide competition next summer.

But then, the 3rd summer of junior high.

Just as the date for the competition was approaching, Chiwa got involved in a traffic accident.

While the Kendo club was jogging for training, a cargo from a passing by truck coincidentally fell off, crushing Chiwa below it.

Her whole body suffered serious injury, the damage to her waist was even worse.

After a large surgery, Chiwa spent her last summer of junior high in hospital.

Although after this Chiwa have worked hard for rehabilitation, now that the after effects does not affect her daily life, extreme social activities like kendo is out of the topic.

But Chiwa didn't complain at all, accepting everything silently.

To a person like me who never joined much social activies, we won't be able to imagine what it feels like for Chiwa. But in my point of view, Chiwa definitely lost an important part of her life.

".....Don't push yourself too much. The waist, like how it's written, is the most important part of the body."
(Note: In Japanese [and Chinese], the word waist is combined from two parts: body and important)

"Eh--?" Chiwa winced her eyes as if contemplating something, "Ei-kun seems especially kind today? Don't tell me it's because you want to see my underpants?"

--?!

"Wh-who wants to see yo-your u-u-u"

Such a failure. Stumbling over something so trivial.

"Oh my. Ei-kun must have reached the age where he is interested in these things. Is the word 'underpants' too stimulating for you?" Chiwa giggled happily.

Chiwa took a twirl like a ballerina. The short white skirt was lifted by air, revealing her long, slender, healthy legs. Of course, the underpants stayed out of sight. .....But still I couldn't help but get slightly exicted. Such a failure.

"Wh-who wants to see your childish underwear!"

"Huh, you don't have to insist, you know~"

Curse her.... such a fun-loving little kid. A mature grown up like me have no common language with her!

"Forget it. I'm going out to buy ingredients for dinner."

"Oh, wait! I'm going with you!"

"Don't. If you go, you always make additional expenses."

"I won't nag for snacks this time! I promise!"

Lies....

Everytime she sneaks chocolate and gum and whatnot into my shopping cart.

Whatever. Even if I refused, this kid will tag along.

"....you have 3 minutes. Hurry up!"

"Yes, sir!"

Really. How can such a small little body be so energetic.

From our home to the "'''Marutoku'''" shopping mall is around a ten minutes trip.

Chiwa was dressed up in jeans skirts and a sleeveless shirt.

It is only May yet already sleeveless.... I don't know whether to call her out-going, or lack of a sense of seasons.

"And, Ei-kun, what are you having tonight?"

"Hmm? Um..."

Through the intelligence received from the flyers this morning, the recipe is all set.

"Japanese-styled taro with fish miso soup and Soybean Sargassum salad"

Chiwa made an expression as if the end of the world have come "Wh-what about meat?!"

"Don't you know? Beans are called the 'Vegetarian's meat'."

"....Lately Ei-kun and my mother sound alike"

Chiwa's parents are workaholics, plus their workload is heavy, usually they don't come home until late night. Since my aunt '''Saeko-san''' also seldom comes home, dinner is almost always eaten between me and Chiwa.

Entering into the shop, we quickly grabbed all the special priced objects. A sudden scent of curry came from the corner of the shop. Looks like they're trying to sell a new instant curry.

"Oh, siblings shopping together? If you don't mind, would you like to try some?" Wearing an apron, the saleswoman showed a professional smile.

Since small, both of us have always been mistaken as siblings. Although only during Grade 3 to Grade 4 did Chiwa's height exceed mine, I have always been taken as the younger brother in our pseudo sibling relationship. Between you and me, I have always taken this as the shame of my life. On the bright side, Chiwa's height also stopped growing since grade school.

"Then, excuse me~~"

Well, no thanks for me. Chiwa, of course, couldn't care less about me, and reached out for the paper plates. Though her arms look short, they can extend to an incredible length when reaching for food.

"Here you go. There's two tastes here to try out, heavy and light!"

I guess there's not much choice but to taste as well.

.....Well, that wasn't so bad.

'''Saeko-san's''' snacks storage is close to going out of stock. Why not, I thought. Two would be too many though.

"May I ask which taste is better selling?"

"Huh?"

"Which curry is sells better? I'll have one of that."

With a slightly awkward expression, the saleslady pointed to the light curry, whereas Chiwa placed a heavy tasted curry into my shopping cart.

"Hey, Chiwa"

"It's for '''Saeko-san''', no? This one tastes better~"

The saleslady made a muffled laugh.

Huh. Who made you my mother.

On the way home after lining up and paying, I couldn't help but say
"Chiwa, please don't interfer with my logical decisions"

"Lo~gi~cal Decisions?"

"Compared to your tongue, I'd rather trust the choice of democracy"

"That won't come into use at all. My taste is the same as '''Saeko-san's'''."

"You won't be able to prove it"

Chiwa shrugged exaggeratedly
"Ei-kun surely changed a lot in this field. In junior high you weren't so addicted to talking sense."

"Well that's normal isn't it. We are high school students after all"

"ehh, but I like the clumsier Ei-kun better-- you were hilarious"

"You." Slightly pissed, "You never change, still at the stage of junior, no, no difference from a gradeschool child"

"Wh-what. I've grown" Chiwa puffed out her chests.

.....Umm, that? Nope. Not so far, at least.

" 'The late growth of breasts due to immaturity' -- If I became a doctor, I would definitely invite you as a test subject for my thesis "

"P-pretending to be very smart! I'm still 3 months and 10 days older than you!"

"It only further proves your immaturity if you even think that matters"

"S-such arrogance! H-how, how dare Ei-kun!!"

Haha, a complete victory from my side. Sadly, defeating Chiwa isn't exactly something to brag about.

And so, we returned home and I began preparing dinner swiftly. Fish itself is sold in slices, so roasting it shouldn't be too hard. More importantly was the Japanese styled taro. It needs to be kept shaking such that it won't get burnt.

As for Chiwa, she pouted on the sofa hugging her knees, calling out "Ei-kun is an idiot", "Stupid", "Muffled pervert" and all sorts of names.

Can't believe such a sporty girl can take these things so personally. Looks like there's only one thing to do.

"Hey, Chiwa"

"Huh. I hate Ei-kun the most"

"There's some bacon in the fridge, do you want me to fry it in soya-sauce?"

"Yay! Ei-kun I love you!"

"....."

Love bought with 100 grams of bacon.

If treated specially, it only costs ¥59.....

I mixed all the vegetables into one big bowl and placed it on the table. Although it looks less attractive, we seldom separate the vegetables into single dishes, but instead we eat it directly from one big bowl. Soon it became a habit. Moreover, I have less plates to wash this way.

The two of us ate, going through all sorts of unimportant subjects.

"That reminds me--"

"Reminds you of what??"

"In mangas or in drama TVs, female childhood friends tend to cook"

"That's right"

"Then why is our characters switched?"

Chiwa looked at me a bit confused "Eh? Did you want to eat my cooking?"

"......Nnnnever mind."

I was suddenly reminded of myself collapsing from the food she made once. That was a bubbling roasted steak sweetened to the fattening degree. Because we didn't have red wine, we had carbonated grape juice (0% natural) as substitue. When asked of the motive for her crime, Chiwa replied "they both look pretty much the same anyways" and "Besides, I'm sure it would taste better with something carbonated"

The less a person knows how to cook, the more likely he would be to invent crazy recipes.....

"Say," Chiwa garbled while chewing bacon, "There's a girl called Natsukawa Masuzu in Ei-kun's class?"

"Oh, I guess"

Then with a sudden spurt of energy "That girl is incredible! Just like a princess! Even boys in our class are talking about her, so I took a look today. I was shocked! Her hair is silver, her eyes are blue, like some European offspring or somewhere else! I also heard she is super rich!"

"Umm, I guess--" I answered vaguely.

"And she's super popular! Only two months into school, already according to sources, the number of confessions she's had have already exceeded two digits! I originally thought it was a made up story from nosy person, but after seeing her today, I am almost certain of it! Two digits!"

"Ohh--" I agreed vaguely.

"Oh, Ei-kun isn't interested? Or did you already give up because she is out of reach?"

"Not really"

I have to agree, Natsukawa-san is very pretty indeed, but it has nothing to do with me. Besides, for some reason, I have a dislike towards her. Although I've had a few conversations with her.... it always feels like she's hiding something under her acclaimed looks. Should I say, I can't read her thoughts, or is she too unpredictable.

"Anyhow I don't really like her"

"....is that so"
Chiwa nodded a few times.

"Hoho, today's dinner taste very good"

"Oh that, I just cooked it like every other day"

I wonder what was the reason that made her feel happy. Just bacon is enough to cheer her up?

After dinner, the two of us gathered bowls and chopsticks. Afterwards I started preparing for tomorrow's courses while Chiwa took some manga from the mountainous piles stored in '''Saeko-san's''' room and started reading at the sofa.

'''Saeko-san''' works at some game production company. Occasionally she does work like writing scripts, drawing graphics, even coding and music, in short she does a lot. The company makes galgames and love games directed to girls.

Perhaps it's because of work, '''Saeko-san''' acts like this at home
"Eita, mor~ning~! Are you used to highschool life? Are there any cute girls you've fallen for?"

"No progress at all with Chiwawa? Settings like this kind of childhood friend is usually a highway to HAPPYENDs, what have you been doing all the time?"

"When you're in bed with a girl you have to watch out for her impression-- If you focus too much on a single girl and forget about others, some day bad news will spread!"

Who would be in bed with a girl. You think I'm some oil monopoly king in Arabia?

--Anyway, don't pay too much attention to these stuff.

For purposes of gathering information for work, '''Saeko-san''' has tonnes of bishojo mangas. Reading these mangas have recently become a daily habit of Chiwa's.

"Hey, the tea's ready, I'll put it down right here"

"....."

Chiwa was motionless. She turns like this whenever in the world of manga.

Looks like she's especially focused today.

".....Sniff" Chiwa grabbed a tissue from the tissue box and wiped the corner of her eye with it while blowing her nose. "It would be nice if that happened to me just once."

"Happen what?"

"A romance like this."

"How's it like?"

"You read, you read"

I flipped the pages of the manga Chiwa handed to me. The two childhood friends both had their own lovers, but one day both of them noticed their love towards each other, then after many many difficult obstacles, the two of them eventually became lovers forever-- you get the idea.

"How cliche." I commented. "Besides, childhood friends are pretty much like brothers and sisters, they won't become lovers"

"Is that so? I thought there's some fact to it."

"Only works in stories. Let's take us as an example, one look and you see how it's impossible in real life."

"................."

??

I was expecting a "You've got a point-- That is certainly impossible--" or some similar response..... but she turned out to be silent.

"Y-you've got a point-- That is certainly impossible--"

Ah, here comes the expected response.

Perhaps she's only too tired from her kendo exercise? Maybe I should add more meat in dinner next time.....

"Take, taking the childhood friend setting aside, this kind of romance, or I should say this kind of sweet, or wait, this kind of complete devotion in romance, doesn't seems so bad. Besides, I'm already a highschool student."

So that's why.

It's a good thing to want to devote fullying into something as replacement of Kendo, just that --

"So, what do you want to do then?"

"I want to become popular!"

....well that was direct.

"Fancied by many males, after experiencing many ups and downs, finally settling down with a normal male who has been supporting her silently all the time -- This is what I should experience at least?"

".....ha. Ohhh"

How should I put it, feels just like what a book called "Chihuahua Mood for Saucy Love" would be about.

It sounds a bit depressing coming from a friend who's been growing up with her since small, but....

"You should give up. It's still too early for you."

"Huhhhh?"

"First of all, just the word 'popular' is impossible. I've never seen you do make up. Moreover, I doubt you have lots of clothes?"

"C-clothes, I have a lot! I have 5 workout suits!"

I totally understand her anxiousness in wanting to refute my statements, but in reality, she's just digging her own grave.

"Plus, you never really cared about how other males look at you? A while ago you were playing soccer with the males in the sports grounds without even changing to sports clothes. Annd, you sit with your legs crossed, when you're in a skirt you always shake your feet around"

Having her worst habit pointed out, Chiwa stopped moving her legs. Just so you know, she was moving her legs rythmatically all along.

"And I don't have to tell you about how you go on the rooftop in nothing but a towel on your body, hands on hips, gulping down milk in one go. The Asakura's auntie even jokes 'Chiwa-chan looks exactly like my father', so she said"

The two ponytails from the two sides of her head began trembling.

The Asakuras is our neighbour across the street. Their grandpa was an coach, sometimes even attenting fitness contests. He's a bearded old guy covered in muscles.

"Anyway, you are a sports girl from head to feet, just like how they say 'Brawn but no brains'. In reality, the way you analyse things is by brute force, facing it directly, guided by power. In addition, you always think like a child, I can't really tell how you look like a highschool student......"

"Idiot"

"......??"

"Ei-kun is a giant idiot!!!!!!"

Ah, there she blows.

"Ei-kun is a jerk! Jerk jerk jerk jerk! How would you know until I try! I'm not brawn but no brains! I'm not a child!"

"....."

Thrashing her arms and legs around on the sofa, I really want to see her to prove me wrong.

When I realised I did go a bit overboard, it was already too late. The damage is done.

"Forget it. I've decided," Chiwa stood up from the sofa, "From tomorrow onwards, I will become a person in love!!"

".....??"

"Not only will I be in love, I will become super popular! If Chiwawa-chan gets serious, even Natsukawa Masuzu won't stand a chance!"

Well good luck on that, I said.
"Do you know how to draw males' attention? Even abstractly?"

"I'll begin learning right now!"

"Annd where exactly will you be learning from?"

"With this!"
Chiwa held up the bishojo manga in front of my face
"'''Saeko-san''' once said, bishojo manga is the bible of love. Therefore I must study well, remember it well, practice it all day long, and win a prize in a competition!"

"Competition whaa.....?"

The stance of a girl warrior.

"Let's say....this" Chiwa flipped to a heroine on some random page in the manga, "Look at the eyes of this heroine, looook at them! Don't you find them adorable? If I make the same look, I will definitely become popular with males!"

".....Ummm......."

The heroine's eyes was half the size of her face.

And there was a lot of glitter in her eyes.

How the heck do you plan to imitate that.....

"A while ago, a girl next to my desk was reading a magazine 'Pachi Lemon'. It also wrote that 'if you look at boys from below, it will make you cute and popular!' It seems looking people from below is the secret technique. Oh, I'm very talented in hitting people from above in Kendo!"

"......"

Definitely brawny but not brainy.

"I won't tell you otherwise anymore. As for the things I said, I'm sorry. Please consider it again"

"What! What are you talking about! Besides Ei-kun has never been in love! You've never had a crush on anyone!"

"Oh? Do you?"

".....H-how's that possible! Ei-kun you big idiot!"

So I was scolded. What's wrong with this person.

"I'll begin practising now. Lend me these books, will you"
Chiwa carried a pile of Bishojo mangas with both hands.

"Ei-kun, byebye~ around a week later I will become Super popular, by that time you'll realise 'Chiwa-chan is such a perfect female', but it'll be too late!"

"What a pity-- What a pity"
And so, I sent Chiwa out of my door.

A week later.

In my class 1A, a rumour like this started to spread: class 1E's Harusaki Chiwa became super popular, and was called out by boys--

Like hell it is.

In reality, the rumour was that Chiwa was called by the school counselor's office. In short--
"She stared with bloodshot eyes at boys in her class"

"She'd sometimes stare with blank eyes"

"Nonetheless it's terrifying"

You get the idea.

I even heard that Chiwa's mother had come to school to talk as well.

I guess I should probably roast more meat for her tonight.

"Wahh.... I followed the instructions on the mangas, yet why am I not popular?" Chiwa swallowed the juicy meat with her own tears, talking to herself.

"--Ah!"

"What now?"

"Don't tell me.... I am too cute to handle?!"

Moe.

--------------------
Pachi Lemon's April Edition, Special Support for freshmen Guide

Cuteness & Popularity measure of female High School students!

Reply to student "Cute Chiwawa"

*Q1: You wake up in the morning and greet yourself in the mirror. What did you say?
*A1: I'm hungry!

*Q2: He laughs at your new haircut! What do you do?
*A2: Cut Ei-kun's eyebrows off as revenge

*Q3: Your male friends tells you about his troubles about love. How did you encourage him?
*A3: Let's run 50 laps around the sports ground!

*Q4: You have a date at the restaurant with your boyfriend. What did you order?
*A4: A big piece of meat!

*Q5: You accidentally overslept. Although in a hurry, your hair keeps curling up and won't stay flat~ (tears). What do you do?
*A5: Instead of this, what's for breakfast??

Your Cuteness & Popularity score: 5/100

Editors of Pachi Lemon: There is still a long way from being cute and popular. Why don't you try going on a diet?

User:Sab

2012-10-09T07:59:04Z

Sab:

Sab says: :S

Please feel free to contact me through my talk page if you have any questions about why I made an edit. I'd be happy to discuss the reasons with you. I also have plenty of grammatical resources that I can link to you if you're a non-native English speaker or fellow editor who needs help.

I'm currently editing Accel World, but if you have a project that needs an editor, please leave a message.

User talk:Koakuma

2012-10-09T07:48:13Z

Sab: /* Accel World */

== Accel World ==

Hi there, Koakuma. I'm very sorry for reverting your hard work on Chapters 1-3, but please remember, if you're going to make major changes to a chapter (this includes altering sentence structure, changing tenses, etc.), it should be done in small edits.
[[User:Sab|Sab]] ([[User talk:Sab|talk]]) 02:30, 9 October 2012 (CDT)

I'm sorry, I didn't mean to discourage your editing. Accel World does need quite a bit of work, but if you could make the changes incrementally, it's much easier to recheck them later.
[[User:Sab|Sab]] ([[User talk:Sab|talk]]) 02:48, 9 October 2012 (CDT)

User:Sab

2012-10-09T07:44:19Z

Sab:

Sab says: :S

Please feel free to contact me through my talk page if you have any questions about why I made an edit. I'd be happy to discuss the reasons with you. I also have plenty of grammatical resources that I can link to you if you're a non-native English speaker who needs help.

I'm currently editing Accel World, but if you have a project that needs an editor, please leave a message.

User talk:Koakuma

2012-10-09T07:30:58Z

Sab:

User talk:Koakuma

2012-10-09T07:30:10Z

Sab: /* Accel World */ new section

User talk:Magykalman

2012-10-09T07:25:14Z

Sab: /* Oda Nobuna */

== '''Updates''' ==

Aey! So hi guys. Just a before-hand reminder: Will be preparing for EOY Exams starting 24th September to 19th Oct. Will be inactive during this period. No edits or translation will be done, but talks can still continue. Will check board but not start work. After Exams, I think work will speed up really fast. :D -- [[user:Magykalman|Magykalman]]

== Campione ==

There's no need to ask for permission. You simply have to post your name under "'''Editors'''" on its main page and there...you are a part of it. :D --[[User:Chancs|Chancs]] ([[User talk:Chancs|talk]]) 12:33, 6 September 2012 (CDT)

That's not quite right. At least for Campione, the editor-section on the project page is for the editors with a decent amount of contributions. I tend to purge it from time to time. Still, you can just start editing and once you've done enough, you'll become an "official editor" sooner or later anyway. Not that it changes much.--[[User:Kadi|Kadi]] ([[User talk:Kadi|talk]]) 12:56, 6 September 2012 (CDT)

Okay I'll take note of that. Thanks for the advice! :D but may I ask you what by means is "decent"? Sorry kinda new to this community... Thx... --[[User:Magykalman|Magykalman]] ([[User talk:Magykalman|talk]]) 8:00 7 September 2012 (CDT)

Changing typos in 10 lines total and disappearing is not enough. Nukie's been doing a few lines for every part zzhk translates for Campione, and he keeps doing it, so I gladly keep his name on the list. Taking part in the Campione discussions on the forum and becoming a part of the community there is also a welcome sight. We always need ideas, opinions, feedback for terminology.--[[User:Kadi|Kadi]] ([[User talk:Kadi|talk]]) 20:48, 6 September 2012 (CDT)

Ah that I know. So can I start work ASAP? As in starting from volume 1 and editing from then on. Really liked the anime series, so wanted to have a good look into the light novel. :) but just a note, can you post the forum Page here for me to bookmark it? Thx a lot. :D
--[[User:Magykalman|Magykalman]] ([[User talk:Magykalman|talk]]) 12:20 7 September 2012 (CDT)

Yes you can start right away. [http://www.baka-tsuki.org/forums/viewforum.php?f=63 Campione Subforum]. About the questions on my talk page: Yes you can make such changes, but I don't even see much of a difference in flow and actually, if that's all you change I prefer the current version. Why don't you try finding a solution that improves the flow more? "whether it's now or then", while slgihtly better, loses the "development from the past to the present"-nuance though... Second question: Magi are afraid of campione, knowing their power. They also call them kings and as usual with kings, their whims can be devastating, all the more so with devil kings who are... how do I explain devil king...~~--[[User:Kadi|Kadi]] ([[User talk:Kadi|talk]]) 05:31, 7 September 2012 (CDT)

LOL okay thx for the explanation of a Magi! XD --[[User:Magykalman|Magykalman]] ([[User talk:Magykalman|talk]]) 18:50 7 September 2012 (CDT)

== Oda Nobuna==
Some of the sentences need tweaking, I'll have a go through them when I am free. Also try and keep the sentence tense the same. For example I noticed you changed 'become' to 'becoming'. I am undoing the updates as of now.

Kcan. Just that I thought that it would be better. ^.^ it's okay if you changed it back. But erm...who are you? --[[User:Magykalman|Magykalman]] ([[User talk:Magykalman|talk]]) 15:32 7 September 2012 (CDT)

Oh yeah. Means I stop editing for now? --[[User:Magykalman|Magykalman]] ([[User talk:Magykalman|talk]]) 15:40 7 September 2012 (CDT)

Nah, it's good that you're doing it, but each series has a different style required for editing. I'll approve your edits once I have a go through them, I have been extremely busy over the past week due to RL stuff --[[User:Akuma|Akuma]] ([[User talk:Akuma|talk]]) 05:05, 8 September 2012 (CDT)

Okie. ^^ will get back after finish translating a chapter of Denpa. :) And good luck to your RL stuff. :D
--[[User:Magykalman|Magykalman]] ([[User talk:Magykalman|talk]]) 20:35, 8 September 2012 (CDT)

Actually I think it is still needed, unless you change "helmet" to something else. For example, if you change the order of "helmet" and "armor" in the sentence, "She wasn't wearing helmet or any armor" would be incorrect, but "She wasn't wearing a helmet or any armor" would be correct. You could also change it to "She wasn't wearing any armor or her helmet" or add another modifier. This would also apply to any other singular noun that Nobuna might have. Plural nouns would be okay without an "a". For example, "She wasn't wearing any armor or gear" would be okay because "gear" can be plural and refer to multiple items, but "She wasn't wearing any armor or sword" would require an "a" or the change of "sword" into "swords". A noun like "helmet" in the sentence does not require a modifier like "a" if it is a proper noun like a person's name, if it's a plural noun like "helmets", or if it's a mass noun like "information". Sorry for the long wall of text, we can ask Akuma or someone if we still disagree on this.
[[User:Sab|Sab]] ([[User talk:Sab|talk]]) 11:05, 23 September 2012 (CDT)

Ah hi there. Sorry it took me so long to reply. Kinda busy this period. It's okay. I don't mind the long wall of text. And I'm also not arguing with you for the sake of 1 letter. But I think it would still be better to ask from a higher personal or seek higher guidance. I mean, I can say it -- I'm not all that good in English, it's not my first language, so I think it would be better to seek guidance. But can you wait till 18 Oct when I'm back to write to Akuma or someone else? [[User:Chancs|Chancs]] ([[User talk:Chancs|talk]]) maybe? He is very good. :D Cause apparently I wouldn't be in. :( And thanks to even take the time to write that long wall of text :D that shows that you really care. :D p.s. Why not become an editor for real? :D --[[user:Magykalman|Magykalman]] 21:39 25 September 2012 (UTC+8)

Hi again, sorry for my delay in replying as well. Sure, we can wait until you're back, just remind me or I'll probably forget about doing it. I can't scan my grammar textbook for you, but I can link you some additional information on why I made the change if that would help.
P.S. I'm already editing Accel World; if an admin adds me to a project, that's fine, but otherwise I don't really care whether I'm credited as a project editor or not :S
[[User:Sab|Sab]] ([[User talk:Sab|talk]]) 02:24, 9 October 2012 (CDT)

== Oreimo ==

Hi Magykalman! I noticed that you registered to translate volume 3 of Oreimo. However, do you know that volume 3 is already translated by [http://oreimothetranslation.wordpress.com/ NanoDesu]? And he's translating volume 4 right now. I suggest if you want to translate Oreimo to jump a few volumes like Kevadu. Well, no one will stop you if you want to redone the translation though. [[User:Arczyx|Arczyx]] ([[User talk:Arczyx|talk]]) 00:32, 8 September 2012 (CDT)

Ah hi there. Sorry bout that I didn't know that someone was translating volume 3 afterwords. Cause since nobody translated and registered for the the afterwords section, I decided to translate it. Sorry bout that. [[user: Magykalman|Magykalman]] (13:44 8 September 2012
P. S. Oh yeah and can I do volume 7 then? Thx.

You can do it. But you just drop note to the project supervisor on the Wiki and/or the forum (PM) for the smooth approach. --[[User:Chancs|Chancs]] ([[User talk:Chancs|talk]]) 01:30, 8 September 2012 (CDT)

Okay sure thanks a lot! :D - - [[User:Magykalman|Magykalman]] 14:52 8 September 2012

== Denpa Onna to Seishun Otoko ==

Sure, you just need to edit to be an editor. The project probably just needs more chapters to be approved. And of course, you are free to translate it if you wish to. Just register the chapter you are translating on the registration page so there won't be any redundant work done. --[[User:Zephyrus|Zephyrus]] ([[User talk:Zephyrus|talk]]) 03:24, 8 September 2012 (CDT)

Um...So I think I'll leave chapter 2, 3, 4 of Volume 1 to you and translate from then onwards? :D --[[User:Magykalman|Magykalman]] ([[User talk:Magykalman|talk]]) 20:31, 8 September 2012 (CDT)

From what I can gather from the Japanese version,淑女车, チャリンコ(charinko), refers to bicycles with bells, since they write the ringing of bells as 'charin'. So i believe that there are probably no good replacements for the term, and it will suffice to just write it as a bike/bicycle. --[[User:Zephyrus|Zephyrus]] ([[User talk:Zephyrus|talk]]) 08:50, 10 September 2012 (CDT)

Ah okay! Thx alot. ^^ --[[user:Magykalman|Magykalman]] 22:30, 11 September 2012 (CDT)

==Sakurasou no Petto na Kanojo==
What is this? --[[User:Darklor|Darklor]] ([[User talk:Darklor|talk]]) 03:03, 14 September 2012 (CDT)

? What do you mean? O.O -- [[user:Magykalman |Magykalman ]]

User talk:Magykalman

2012-10-09T07:24:17Z

Sab: /* Oda Nobuna */

== '''Updates''' ==

Aey! So hi guys. Just a before-hand reminder: Will be preparing for EOY Exams starting 24th September to 19th Oct. Will be inactive during this period. No edits or translation will be done, but talks can still continue. Will check board but not start work. After Exams, I think work will speed up really fast. :D -- [[user:Magykalman|Magykalman]]

== Campione ==

There's no need to ask for permission. You simply have to post your name under "'''Editors'''" on its main page and there...you are a part of it. :D --[[User:Chancs|Chancs]] ([[User talk:Chancs|talk]]) 12:33, 6 September 2012 (CDT)

That's not quite right. At least for Campione, the editor-section on the project page is for the editors with a decent amount of contributions. I tend to purge it from time to time. Still, you can just start editing and once you've done enough, you'll become an "official editor" sooner or later anyway. Not that it changes much.--[[User:Kadi|Kadi]] ([[User talk:Kadi|talk]]) 12:56, 6 September 2012 (CDT)

Okay I'll take note of that. Thanks for the advice! :D but may I ask you what by means is "decent"? Sorry kinda new to this community... Thx... --[[User:Magykalman|Magykalman]] ([[User talk:Magykalman|talk]]) 8:00 7 September 2012 (CDT)

Changing typos in 10 lines total and disappearing is not enough. Nukie's been doing a few lines for every part zzhk translates for Campione, and he keeps doing it, so I gladly keep his name on the list. Taking part in the Campione discussions on the forum and becoming a part of the community there is also a welcome sight. We always need ideas, opinions, feedback for terminology.--[[User:Kadi|Kadi]] ([[User talk:Kadi|talk]]) 20:48, 6 September 2012 (CDT)

Ah that I know. So can I start work ASAP? As in starting from volume 1 and editing from then on. Really liked the anime series, so wanted to have a good look into the light novel. :) but just a note, can you post the forum Page here for me to bookmark it? Thx a lot. :D
--[[User:Magykalman|Magykalman]] ([[User talk:Magykalman|talk]]) 12:20 7 September 2012 (CDT)

Yes you can start right away. [http://www.baka-tsuki.org/forums/viewforum.php?f=63 Campione Subforum]. About the questions on my talk page: Yes you can make such changes, but I don't even see much of a difference in flow and actually, if that's all you change I prefer the current version. Why don't you try finding a solution that improves the flow more? "whether it's now or then", while slgihtly better, loses the "development from the past to the present"-nuance though... Second question: Magi are afraid of campione, knowing their power. They also call them kings and as usual with kings, their whims can be devastating, all the more so with devil kings who are... how do I explain devil king...~~--[[User:Kadi|Kadi]] ([[User talk:Kadi|talk]]) 05:31, 7 September 2012 (CDT)

LOL okay thx for the explanation of a Magi! XD --[[User:Magykalman|Magykalman]] ([[User talk:Magykalman|talk]]) 18:50 7 September 2012 (CDT)

== Oda Nobuna==
Some of the sentences need tweaking, I'll have a go through them when I am free. Also try and keep the sentence tense the same. For example I noticed you changed 'become' to 'becoming'. I am undoing the updates as of now.

Kcan. Just that I thought that it would be better. ^.^ it's okay if you changed it back. But erm...who are you? --[[User:Magykalman|Magykalman]] ([[User talk:Magykalman|talk]]) 15:32 7 September 2012 (CDT)

Oh yeah. Means I stop editing for now? --[[User:Magykalman|Magykalman]] ([[User talk:Magykalman|talk]]) 15:40 7 September 2012 (CDT)

Nah, it's good that you're doing it, but each series has a different style required for editing. I'll approve your edits once I have a go through them, I have been extremely busy over the past week due to RL stuff --[[User:Akuma|Akuma]] ([[User talk:Akuma|talk]]) 05:05, 8 September 2012 (CDT)

Okie. ^^ will get back after finish translating a chapter of Denpa. :) And good luck to your RL stuff. :D
--[[User:Magykalman|Magykalman]] ([[User talk:Magykalman|talk]]) 20:35, 8 September 2012 (CDT)

Actually I think it is still needed, unless you change "helmet" to something else. For example, if you change the order of "helmet" and "armor" in the sentence, "She wasn't wearing helmet or any armor" would be incorrect, but "She wasn't wearing a helmet or any armor" would be correct. You could also change it to "She wasn't wearing any armor or her helmet" or add another modifier. This would also apply to any other singular noun that Nobuna might have. Plural nouns would be okay without an "a". For example, "She wasn't wearing any armor or gear" would be okay because "gear" can be plural and refer to multiple items, but "She wasn't wearing any armor or sword" would require an "a" or the change of "sword" into "swords". A noun like "helmet" in the sentence does not require a modifier like "a" if it is a proper noun like a person's name, if it's a plural noun like "helmets", or if it's a mass noun like "information". Sorry for the long wall of text, we can ask Akuma or someone if we still disagree on this.
[[User:Sab|Sab]] ([[User talk:Sab|talk]]) 11:05, 23 September 2012 (CDT)

Ah hi there. Sorry it took me so long to reply. Kinda busy this period. It's okay. I don't mind the long wall of text. And I'm also not arguing with you for the sake of 1 letter. But I think it would still be better to ask from a higher personal or seek higher guidance. I mean, I can say it -- I'm not all that good in English, it's not my first language, so I think it would be better to seek guidance. But can you wait till 18 Oct when I'm back to write to Akuma or someone else? [[User:Chancs|Chancs]] ([[User talk:Chancs|talk]]) maybe? He is very good. :D Cause apparently I wouldn't be in. :( And thanks to even take the time to write that long wall of text :D that shows that you really care. :D p.s. Why not become an editor for real? :D --[[user:Magykalman|Magykalman]] 21:39 25 September 2012 (UTC+8)

Hi again, sorry for my delay in replying as well. Sure, we can wait until you're back, just remind me or I'll probably forget about doing it. I can't scan my grammar textbook for you, but I can link you some additional information on why I made the change if that would help.
PS. I'm already editing Accel World; if an admin adds me to a project, that's fine, but otherwise I don't really care whether I'm credited as a project editor or not :S
[[User:Sab|Sab]] ([[User talk:Sab|talk]]) 02:24, 9 October 2012 (CDT)

== Oreimo ==

Hi Magykalman! I noticed that you registered to translate volume 3 of Oreimo. However, do you know that volume 3 is already translated by [http://oreimothetranslation.wordpress.com/ NanoDesu]? And he's translating volume 4 right now. I suggest if you want to translate Oreimo to jump a few volumes like Kevadu. Well, no one will stop you if you want to redone the translation though. [[User:Arczyx|Arczyx]] ([[User talk:Arczyx|talk]]) 00:32, 8 September 2012 (CDT)

Ah hi there. Sorry bout that I didn't know that someone was translating volume 3 afterwords. Cause since nobody translated and registered for the the afterwords section, I decided to translate it. Sorry bout that. [[user: Magykalman|Magykalman]] (13:44 8 September 2012
P. S. Oh yeah and can I do volume 7 then? Thx.

You can do it. But you just drop note to the project supervisor on the Wiki and/or the forum (PM) for the smooth approach. --[[User:Chancs|Chancs]] ([[User talk:Chancs|talk]]) 01:30, 8 September 2012 (CDT)

Okay sure thanks a lot! :D - - [[User:Magykalman|Magykalman]] 14:52 8 September 2012

== Denpa Onna to Seishun Otoko ==

Sure, you just need to edit to be an editor. The project probably just needs more chapters to be approved. And of course, you are free to translate it if you wish to. Just register the chapter you are translating on the registration page so there won't be any redundant work done. --[[User:Zephyrus|Zephyrus]] ([[User talk:Zephyrus|talk]]) 03:24, 8 September 2012 (CDT)

Um...So I think I'll leave chapter 2, 3, 4 of Volume 1 to you and translate from then onwards? :D --[[User:Magykalman|Magykalman]] ([[User talk:Magykalman|talk]]) 20:31, 8 September 2012 (CDT)

From what I can gather from the Japanese version,淑女车, チャリンコ(charinko), refers to bicycles with bells, since they write the ringing of bells as 'charin'. So i believe that there are probably no good replacements for the term, and it will suffice to just write it as a bike/bicycle. --[[User:Zephyrus|Zephyrus]] ([[User talk:Zephyrus|talk]]) 08:50, 10 September 2012 (CDT)

Ah okay! Thx alot. ^^ --[[user:Magykalman|Magykalman]] 22:30, 11 September 2012 (CDT)

==Sakurasou no Petto na Kanojo==
What is this? --[[User:Darklor|Darklor]] ([[User talk:Darklor|talk]]) 03:03, 14 September 2012 (CDT)

? What do you mean? O.O -- [[user:Magykalman |Magykalman ]]

Kamisama no Memochou:Volume 5 Chapter 1

2012-10-06T20:02:20Z

Sab:

==The Origins of Hanamaru’s Soup==

This was the third case that I encountered after becoming an assistant detective— In other words, it occurred after the Angel Fix uproar. As it happened when I had just started to record the cases, it was really hard to name that incident appropriately. The whole case was like the thin noodles of ramen tangled with the straps of a bra. Even though it didn’t take a long time, it was extremely confusing and idiotic. I changed the title to the aforementioned only because of Alice’s criticism that the earlier names were too lacking and tasteless.

A lot of things did indeed happen in this period of time, but speaking from the results, it was actually just a story that happened before the ramen soup was completed.

<center>*</center>

The Yamanote Line and other private railways converged untidily at the large station near Hanamaru Ramen. One could find the shop in a dead alley with bad airing between short buildings just six minutes from the station on foot. As soon as night fell, salarymen would gather here, crowding up the shop in an instant, while the leftover customers would have to claim foldable chairs or overturned crates outside the shop— that was how the shop was.

Although the owner’s skills improved substantially recently, it was still really hard to say that the shop’s ramen was ‘tasty’ even in politeness. One of the reasons that this shop could still barely continue its business in such bad conditions was because the ice cream that the owner made due to personal interest was exceptionally scrumptious, and another was because the owner’s breasts were really large. Well, that was what I personally think, anyway.

Min-san, the owner of the ramen shop, was a young woman. Standing in the kitchen, she kept her long hair in a ponytail, her chest wrapped in a sarashi, and a long apron tied around her waist, covering the tank top she was wearing. Nobody knew Min-san’s real name and age. A rude customer once asked for her age, and she promptly beat the person up. An even ruder customer asked for the size of her bra, and she said ‘I don’t buy these things’, and beat the person up. And I had to wash bowls and cut onions beside such a person, earning a daily pay of 700 yen with my life on stake.

Speaking of which, I would occasionally think of this— Is working under a person whose name you don’t know really in line with social norms? The school rules stated explicitly that part time jobs were forbidden, so I never mentioned this at school, and added with the fact that both of my parents weren’t at home, while my sister who was in charge of looking after me was a permissive person, she didn’t have anything to say even if I didn’t return for two days— To put it bluntly, nobody actually cares who I work for at all.

This was what Alice told me when I mentioned this to her.

“I do not know Master’s name as well, but I know her father’s name. Her father was Hanada Masaru, the exact same name as the 66th [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Makuuchi#Yokozuna yokozuna], it seems. At first, he planned to use his name directly as the shop’s name, but someone said that the name sounded weak, and so he removed the tones of ‘da’ and ‘sa’ <ref>The pronunciation of very weak in Japanese is dasai</ref>, thus forming the current name ‘Hanamaru’— that is how things are said to be, but I cannot affirm to its validity.”

On the third floor of the building with the ramen shop, there was a room with a signboard saying ‘NEET Detective Agency’, while the owner of the room was this strange girl who called herself Alice. The room had air-conditioners going strong in all seasons, while the walls were full of computers and equipment. The low hum of machines functioning shrouded the whole room. A large bed was at the center of the room, while the girl who wore teddy-patterned pajamas, had long black hair and large doll-like eyes, Alice, usually sat on the bed with her slender legs extended.

I got to know Alice because of the incident that happened in winter. From that time on, I was in charge of sending ramen to the picky hikkikomori girl’s room, making her eat them all up. Unknowingly, it seemed to have turned into my daily routine as well.

“Why do you only know her father’s name?”

I estimated the time for Alice to finish her ramen, took out a can of Dr. Pepper and handed it to her while asking.

“Why? Because he is the person who signed the rental contract! Of course his name is on the contract.”

“…… Contract? Oh…… So Min-san’s dad is the owner of this building?”

So that’s why a ramen shop that had long got out of fashion was here…… Just when I finally understood slightly, Alice spoke:

“No no, I am the owner of the building.”

I nearly fell on my back.

“Why are you so surprised? If I am not the owner, can I still modify the room and install surveillance cameras as I like? You’ll know this just by using your brain a little.”

Giving me a disdainful look, Alice shrugged and pointed at the sixth small monitor arranged by her bed. The monitor was connected to the high-functionality surveillance cameras recording at all times that were set up around the building. Indeed, disregarding those in her own room, setting these things outside the room as she liked was a bit overboard……

“Seriously, you really lack common sense of the community.”

You as a hikkikomori don’t have any right to say that! But I couldn’t talk back, and thus stayed mute.

“Strictly speaking, I did not sign the contract with Hanada Masaru-shi directly as well. He was already living here when I took over the building with illegal means.”

You took over the building with illegal means……? Then I think it’s better not to ask how.

“…… Which means, you kept living on the rent for the rooms, huh?”

I nodded in understanding. After all, I thought that the source of income for this hikikomori girl was a mystery from a long time before. However, Alice immediately flew into a rage when she heard my words.

“What sort of rude comment was that! The rent for the building is directly deposited into the account of the legal owner, and I never even touched it! I just required an office! Although I know that your brain of sponge will not comprehend this no matter how many times I speak of it, let me speak of this once again— I work as a NEET detective, and earn a considerable amount of pay as a detective!”

“Sorry, it’s my fault, I apologize!”

Seeing that an empty Dr. Pepper can was about to fly over, I hurriedly covered my head and maintained a low position. The girl in pajamas is really a prideful (self-proclaimed) detective.

“Actually, it is fine with me even if I don’t collect rent for Master’s store, but she is a prideful ramen shop owner as well. Even if we don’t know each other’s true names, we still respect each other very much. That is why I allow her to meaninglessly continue depositing rent into the account of a shell company.”

Speaking of which, I don’t think I know Alice’s real name either. I just heard that her name was Yuuko……

“Even so…… With your capabilities, aren’t you able to find out Min-san’s real name with just a little investigation?” I asked randomly while looked at the machine rack that loomed so tall behind her that they almost covered the whole wall.

“She never spoke of her name, which means she has no intention of letting me know. Don’t you even know the concept of privacy?”

“A person who steals files from other people everywhere online doesn't really have the right to say that to me……”

“That is all the more reason I cannot investigate! Even in her room, the NEET Detective can still search the whole world. Before such a detective, every personal message is like a naked body. That is why I must decide on a boundary that I must follow with my strong will.”

“You don’t say……” You’re saying it like it’s real.

“Of course, there is some privacy that I do not respect. For instance, the names of the anime that you rented at Tatsuya<ref>Japanese video rental company</ref> yesterday are all in my grasp. Although I cannot say that it’s bad taste, the standard of moral ethics is really baffling as people under eighteen are actually able to rent videos with such content……”

“GYAAAH, you wait just one minute!”

In a huge shock, I frantically grabbed the edge of the bed.

“Is my personal privacy really that meaningless!”

“Didn’t you rent the videos along the way when you went out yesterday to buy things for me? I only started investigation because you came back too late. This is an evident case of laziness while on duty!”

“Ngh…… But you didn’t have to check out even the contents!”

“If I did not investigate the contents thoroughly, I would have been unable to berate you effectively!”

“Aren’t you just looking for a fight? And how was I lazy while on duty! Is even going out on errands for you my job as well?”

“Is that wrong? From a long time ago, the job of an assistant detective was already to run errands for the detective and being bullied by the detective to reduce the detective’s stress!”

I weakly fell onto my knees. That’s right, I’m indeed this person’s assistant. Although I had no other choice due to various circumstances, currently, I regret it very much— and I don’t have a pay as well.

“You’re getting better at talking back recently, so it’s worth it for me to bully you. I’m really happy, you know! After all, you’re the only person who visits me here everyday like this.”

While saying that, Alice rested her chin on her raised kneecaps, her words completely unsuited with the innocent smile on her face. Seeing her look, I couldn’t say anything more as well.

<center>*</center>

Late that night, I packed away the portiere and lowered half of the steel gate. When I was noisily washing the plates and bowls, Min-san walked in from the kitchen door while carrying a cardboard box.

“Narumi, stay here for tonight.”

“…… What?”

“I’m changing the soup for the ramen. We’re going to cook soup the whole night!”

The cardboard box fell onto the desk with a ‘thud’. Inside, there were onions, carrots, dried mushrooms and thick rib bones. After that, Min-san took off her tank top, leaving only her sarashi on her upper torso— She entered battle mode.

“Um…… But I still have to go to school tomorrow……”

“You can stay at my place for the night. I already called your sister. She even said that this will save her a meal’s worth of money!”

What’s wrong with this diplomacy without regard for the party concerned!

“Is it possible…… that you’re asking me to go to school tomorrow directly from here? No no no, how can this be possible……”

“That’s fine, you can bathe at my place.” Min-san said while pointing at the door exiting the kitchen. The interior of the ramen shop connected directly to her room. Erm…… But it’s inconvenient in a lot of ways for young men and women to stay together under a roof for a night…… Can you please not do this, Aneki!

“…… Why are you changing the soup all of a sudden?”

I asked cautiously. Min-san stopped peeling the onions and glared at me.

“Do you remember the customer who came in at about eight tonight and ordered miso ramen? The one on the chair at the side.”

I pondered for a moment and remembered the customer that she spoke of.

“The one wearing shades?”

“That’s right. I saw him at the shop for the first time last week. It’s the third time this week.”

“Well aren’t you clear about this……”

“That guy ordered soy sauce, salt-flavored and miso ramen in turn, but he actually left them alone after just one mouthful. Although I don’t know what person he is, but an action like that is just plain challenging me!”

If he thought that it was bad after just a mouthful, he shouldn’t have came back again. That person was indeed rather mystifying, but how did she see that as a challenge?

However, I did not have any room for rebuke. After all, I owed Min-san too much, and even if that weren’t so, this person wouldn’t have talked things over with me nicely as well. After all, she was an action-type person who would first beat people up to shut them up.

I sighed and took out a new soup pot from under the desk to wash it.

<center>*</center>

It was already late night when I heard that noise. I was sitting before the large pot that was stewed by a gentle fire, weakly stirring the ingredients inside.

I raised my head and looked around the dark ramen shop. The aroma of the rib bones soup was almost suffocating, and only sounds of showering water came from behind me. Min-san handed me the job of looking after the pot when she went to bathes, but I started to doze off during that time.

An odd noise rang out with the sound of water once again. At first, I thought that it was Min-san’s footsteps— but the sounds of the shower did not stop, and the direction of the noise wasn’t right as well.

The sound came from the deepest part of the corridors, the direction of the front door—

And it was approaching the sounds of showering?

I was shocked. In the house— someone else was there.

I lightly rose from the round stool, took off my shoes and walked towards the dark corridors, exiting through the kitchen door. An orange light was lit a few steps in front. It came from the bathroom. Apart from that, there was a shadow blocking the light from the bathroom, stirring at the entrance of the changing room.

I was in too much shock to remember that the wall was just behind me, and took a step back without further thought. With a ‘thud’, a light impact came behind me. A sound of something falling came by my foot as well. It was a beer bottle— and not waiting for me to remember the fact, the shadow already jumped.

“…… W- Who’s there!”

As though blasted away by my voice, the shadow almost flew away. The footsteps were devoured by the darkness in the corridors in an instant. The sound of the front door being roughly pushed open broke the spell. I finally came to my senses and chased the silhouette.

The door was still open. Outside, it was the parking lot at nighttime. The light of the streetlights barely shone in the space surrounded by buildings at three sides, and the silhouette just now had long disappeared without a trace.

He escaped. I weakly knelt on the cement floor of the entrance. What person was that? A thief?

“— What’s wrong?”

Sounds of speaking suddenly rang behind me, and I hurriedly turned around in shock, but instead stumbled into a sitting position on the floor.

Min-san’s face was just before me, a red flush on her skin after her bath. As she bent down to look at me with only a towel on, those breasts…… Um…… Wouldn’t it be harmful for your health if you keep things of that size wrapped in a sarashi? No, now isn’t the time to think about that, I have to calm down.

[[Image: Kami05 027.jpg|thumb]]

“Well….. W- Why don’t you put on some clothes first?”

“Nn? But it’s really hot recently!”

Stop fanning yourself by pulling on the towel before your chest!

I first locked up the front door before pushing Min-san into the corridors to explain what happened just now.

“…… A thief?” Min-san wiped her hair with a raised eyebrow. “I don’t even have anything valuable to steal over here!”

Shouldn’t you be more concerned of your own safety? Someone actually barged in while you were stark naked! This person really didn’t have any sense of danger……

“Anyway, we’ll have to do some investigations. And also, please lock the front door well!”

“I did lock it! And besides, nobody even uses the door over there.”

That’s true. If so, where did that guy come in from?

“Ahhhhh!” Min-san suddenly cried out when she returned to the changing room.

“What happened?”

Her eyes burning with the flames of fury, Min-san rushed out and finally crashed into me.

“My sarashi that I left there to dry disappeared!”

<center>*</center>

The next afternoon.

“Narumi? You look really bad. Didn’t you sleep?”

Tetsu-senpai asked the instant he saw me cleaning up the road in front of the ramen shop.

“…… Really? I was sleeping through every period……”

Recently, I kept thinking of why I go to school.

“Just hurry up and drop out! It’ll be a miracle if you can move up successfully.”

Although I was rather unwilling to admit it, Tetsu-senpai was right. After all, I barely went to school during the third semester, so it was not easy at all for me to pass the make-up exam that was like a raging hurricane.

“You can always ask me if you want to know how to drop out! After becoming a NEET, you can sleep until noon everyday, and that’s better for the health as well!”

“It seems like senpai is healthy every day……”

Tetsu-senpai dropped out of the high school I am currently studying at three years ago. It is said that he was once a boxer. This person had brown skin, a thick chest, while his exposed arms were unbelievably muscular. I met him for the first time in November last year, and he was in this short-sleeved get up through the whole winter. The few people who usually haunted the ramen shop were usually oblivious to the seasons when it comes to their clothing, and senpai was one of them.

“Master, I’m starved today, so I’ll gobble up even failed works! Anything good to eat?”

Tetsu-senpai triumphantly strolled into the ramen shop that was in preparation stage and there still weren’t any customers, but ran out immediately after being roared at by Min-san: “SHUTUPANDGETOUTYOUJOBLESSBUMINDEBT!”

“…… Say, she seems to be in a particularly bad mood today. Did anything happen?”

Senpai hurriedly pulled me to the special seat made of worn out tires, gasoline tanks and plastic baskets for beer that was at the back of the ramen shop and continued his questions.

“And also, why is Master’s sarashi blue today? What’s that?”

“Ah— That? I heard that it was a piece of cloth left over from the portiere. Well, her sarashi went missing.”

Tetsu-senpai tilted his head in puzzlement, and I had no other choice but to explain things that occurred the day before. After hearing my words, an expression that was between a wry smile and confusion surfaced on his face. It was rather strange.

“I say, that person…… probably wasn’t a thief, but a stalker, isn’t he?” He said, “ If he wanted to steal something, he would’ve ran off when he heard sound of water from the bathroom. Not only run away, he would’ve probably be afraid of coming in if he saw lights in the bathroom, wouldn’t he?”

That sounded reasonable.

“Did you see his face?”

“It was rather dark in the house that time……”

Judging from build, it was probably a man.

“Master, did he sneak a peek in the bathroom?”

Tetsu-senpai poked his head through the kitchen backdoor.

“No matter how dense I am, I would have noticed if someone was peeking from the door, okay!”

“Shouldn’t that count as failing to peek? But why would he steal a sarashi of all things?”

“Yeah, when you mention it……”

Min-san’s hands that were cutting the cabbage suddenly stopped. She raised her head to stare at thin air.

“My sarashi going missing seemed to have happened last week as well. I even thought that I mistakenly threw it away that time.”

Wait a minute. That means—

Tetsu-senpai and I met gazes. At these times, senpai’s movements would be especially quick. He immediately took out his cellphone and started dialing.

“…… Is this Alice? Yeah, it’s me. Have you heard of Master’s issue? Not yet? Is that so, uh huh……”

He quickly explained the entire matter.

''‘I understand. Call Major and Hiro over right away. Tell Master to come over to the office when the two of them reaches.’''

After saying that, Alice hung up.

<center>*</center>

“Vice-admiral Fujishima, it’s been a while! I heard that you’ve successfully advanced in your education, is that true?”

After thirty minutes, those were the first words that Major spoke to me when he reached Hanamaru Ramen on his scooter. And the Vice-admiral Fujishima that he spoke of would be me.

Although Major was the same age as Tetsu-senpai, he was of a much smaller stature than I, and his skin was white and smooth like that of a primary student. That day, he was wearing his camouflage shirt and hat with baggy military trousers that had loads of pockets. A pair of goggles-styled glasses hung on his neck.

“Vice-admiral Fujishima, I’m so disappointed in you! Getting red in five subjects is an incredible chance! Not having any experience of staying the year will set you back on being an excellent NEET!”

“No, I'm not planning to be a NEET at all!”

“What are you talking about! Vice-admiral Fujishima, you don’t have any choice other than being a NEET in the future, you know that as well, don’t you?”

“Yeah yeah, hurry up and get upstairs! Alice is asking for you.”

Major’s butt was kicked by Tetsu-senpai, and he reluctantly walked into the gorge between the buildings, clambering up the emergency stairs. I could only sigh. For some reason, these people kept thinking of pulling me into the path of a NEET. Having school attendance that barely passed the school rules and five subjects to retake for the semester finals— does my future really look so dim to the others like this? Perhaps that’s exactly it in the others’ eyes, huh? But that was a given.

“It’s best if Master and Narumi goes as well.”

Hearing Tetsu-senpai’s words, Min-san and I glanced at each other, some distance apart.

“Why must I go as well?”

“You’re the victim! And Narumi’s the eyewitness! You might notice something if you see the video recording. Just leave the shop to me!”

“I’m making a new soup!”

“Which one is more important, your own safety or the soup?”

“The soup, of course!”

Seeing that a mystifying fight was about to occur, I hurriedly wedged myself between them.

I explained to Min-san that it probably wouldn’t take a long time and finally convinced her to head to Alice’s office with me.

Major sat on the cramped space before the bed with his laptop computer open, and was talking to Alice about something. The moment we stepped into the room, Alice immediately raised her head.

“Why hello there, Master. It’s been a while since you came to my house…… Waaa!”

Min-san unhesitatingly walked to the bed and pushed Major away, extended her arm to pass through Alice’s armpits and raised her small body.

“W- What are you doing! Hurry up and put me down!”

“Why didn’t you grow at all? Did you really eat everything obediently? I even secretly put some more meat in them lately!”

“What? That is just too despicable! Everyone has a size suited for themselves, so don’t think that you can increase their volume just by adding carbohydrates!”

Alice struggled frantically with her feet bare, but since she was a weak hikkikomori, she was still raised high in the air for quite some time.

“Whatever, I’ll slowly increase the portion for the food after this anyway. Narumi, you’re in charge of making her eat them all up!”

With that, Min-san finally put Alice down on her bed, while Alice puffed out her cheeks in displeasure.

“So? What did you call me up for?”

“We’re searching for the images recorded by the surveillance cameras.” Major answered while his eyes were still glued to the monitor. “You said that there was a thief before this as well, didn’t you? How long ago was that?”

“A long long time ago! Do you still have a record of something that happened such a long time ago?”

“We have records of the latest two months!” Major answered triumphantly. It was said the surveillance camera system was made by Alice and Major.

“Hmm…… When was that again? I seem to recall that it was last week……?”

“It’ll take a long time if you can’t remember it. After all, it’s really hard to determine a range for the search on the screen.”

“Ah! I remember now! It was the day when the guy with shades came for salt-flavored ramen. That night, I went back to the shop again to try making soup after washing my clothes, and it went until late night.”

“The guy with shades? Who’s that?”

“Oh nothing, just a customer who annoyed me somewhat.”

That was how Min-san answered.

I suddenly felt a sense of strangeness.

The intruder— assuming that the one who stole the sarashi the first time was the same one— had twice broken in on a night when the peculiar customer who ordered ramen but only ate a mouthful showed up.

What sort of relationship existed between the two? No, the man with shades was rather stocky. I thought back on the thief that I saw in the darkness. Although his facial features couldn’t be clearly seen, from his overall silhouette, it was indeed quite far apart from that customer.

“Didn’t it happen on Thursday?” “What time did that happen?” “God knows!” Can you recognize that person from the video?” “You didn’t film the shop, how do I know?”

Min-san poked her head out from behind Major while muttering.

“The entrance of Min-san’s house and the shop…… wasn’t filmed?” I tried to ask Alice.

“Didn’t I already say this? I respect personal privacy a lot. Besides, these surveillance cameras are here to prevent uninvited guests from coming to my house, so nothing is filmed except for the road outside and the area near the stairs.

Alice shrugged.

In the end, the recording was only seen about once before Min-san’s limited patience was used up. Nothing of value was discovered. Thus, she left Major and went back to the shop.

“Why you, who gave you permission to eat it?”

In the kitchen, Tetsu-senpai was holding a steaming bowl, causing Min-san to explode the instant she saw him. So Tetsu-senpai cooked some ramen to eat…… Oh please, and you actually put so much chashu!

“What matter does that make! Just treat it as my pay for taking care of the shop.”

“It matters a whole lot! And you actually ate my new work? I haven’t even tasted it myself!”

Tetsu-senpai lightly evaded Min-san’s lashing fists, finishing up the food in the bowl in an instant. As expected of an ex-boxer.

“Thanks for the meal!”

“Blast……”

After kicking Tetsu-senpai out of the kitchen, Min-san took out two new bowls, poured soy sauce soup and broth, making two bowls of soup.

“Narumi, you try it as well.”

“Ah…… Okay.”

I moved to the outer side of the counter and sat down by Tetsu-senpai’s side. After that, I picked up the spoon and swallowed a mouthful.

“…… Hmm—“

The fresh taste of kelp and fragrance of dried mackerels immediately spread out in my mouth, so it wasn’t really bad. But even though it wasn’t bad……

“How is it? Say it clearly!”

It was really a taste hard to comment on. Min-san picked up the bowl for a sip as well, and her mouth immediately bent into a へ.

The one who first broke the silence was Tetsu-senpai.

“If you’re aiming at a Japanese flavor…… Your old man made it better.”

Min-san’s shoulders shook visibly. As she had her head lowered with a bowl in her hands, the expression on her face couldn’t be clearly seen.

“This new soup is probably made in imitation of your old man, isn’t it? I think the previous soup tastes better.”

Min-san neither got angry nor rebuked him, but just poured away the soup in the bowl. I was rooted to my original spot, and could only look at the expressions of the two in turn.

Her old man’s soup?

Min-san wasn’t a talkative person, but she once talked to me about her father as well. I heard that her father suddenly left her daughter and the ramen shop, disappearing just like that. Because of that, Min-san gave up on her dream to become an ice cream chef, choosing to inherit Hanamaru Ramen instead.

It was a long time after that when I came to the shop. That was why I could not know what kind of taste the soup had when Min-san’s father was the chef there.

“— Narumi, what do you think?”

My gaze fell on the amber soup in the bowl, and I raised my head to look at Min-san after that.

“The taste doesn't seem well-matched…… But that might be because I was looking at the process of its production, so I just had this feel that I could recognize the ingredients inside.”

But there wasn’t any ‘ramen soup’ feel.

“Is that so……”

Min-san pursed her lips in slight self-deprecation, took down the large pot from the stove and poured the whole pot of soup and ingredients away. For a moment, the kitchen was filled with thick puffs of heat.

“So I just can’t make it as good as my old man’s! And I never asked for the recipe and method as well……”

While stuffing the remains of the soup into a plastic bag, Min-san said while shaking her head.

“But my old man probably never thought I would take over the shop as well……”

“So that’s why?”

“Ever since I entered a confectionery school, he seemed to have given up already, and never mentioned the matter at all. He probably thought that it didn’t matter any more. Both me and the shop, we didn’t matter to him anymore……”

It didn’t matter anymore……

So that was why he suddenly left everything and went missing? Well, I can’t say that I’m really clear of the process of Min-san’s father going missing as well.

“He might just come back one day!”

Tetsu-senpai muttered. Min-san smiled while shaking her head.

“He won’t come back anymore! It’s already been five years. He might not even remember me anymore. Or he might have died long ago!”

That was the first time I saw Min-san wearing a lonely expression.

<center>*</center>

That night, when the seats in the shop were all full and the customers were bursting out of the shop, Hiro-san hurriedly rushed into Hanamaru Ramen.

“I heard that Min-san got targeted by a stalker?”

A customer nearly stood up, another nearly spat out his ramen, while another spilled his teacup. Min-san’s hand that was holding the kitchen knife stopped, and she stared blankly at Hiro-san, who was standing at the shop entrance.

That day, Hiro-san was wearing a beige blazer with a Polo shirt and a single-colored tie. As usual, his trendy get-up was completely out of place in the ramen shop far away from the busy districts. Actually, this person was just a NEET who was the same age as Tetsu-senpai and Major.

“…… What are you talking about? Hurry up and scram to the back. Don’t bother the customers over here.” Min-san said in annoyance.

“Isn’t Hiro-san a bit late?”

Major just left Alice’s office and poked his head in from the backdoor.

“Sorry, I was driving the ladies who were drinking with me last night back to Chiba, and just came back. Ah! Sheesh, so Tetsu is here as well?”

Hiro-san said while moving to the back of the ramen shop.

Three sides of the dark space behind the ramen shop was surrounded by buildings, while there were gas tanks, old tires, plastic baskets and a wooden stand that was a replacement for a table there. It had long turned into the gathering spot for NEETs.

“So the idiots are all here?”

Min-san shook her head somewhat unhappily. But since they were customers as well, I pushed the back door open and took their orders.

“Narumi, why don’t you sit down as well! We’re starting our tactical meeting.”

“Ack!”

Tetsu-senpai pulled my apron and forced me to sit down on the gas tank.

“But…… I still have to work……”

“As there was a limited number of surveillance cameras, we just couldn’t get a clear image……”

Completely ignoring my protests, Major started to explain by himself. Hiro-san and Tetsu-senpai leaned forward as well, staring at the laptop computer on the center of the wooden stand.

“I’m checking out a silhouette that kept loitering near the ramen shop these two weeks. He always appeared at night, about one in the morning.”

“But his face couldn’t be seen?”

“Well, the distance was too far, and the light was too dim!”

I took a look from behind at the video taken as well. Videos of the surroundings of the building appeared in a few windows, and almost all of them were so dark that they were really unclear. Only the legs of the person spying in the shadows of the opposite building shone on by the streetlights could barely be seen, or a few unnatural shadows moving in the darkness.

“Is that really the stalker?” Tetsu-senpai asked.

“Hiro-san, you understand stalkers very well, don’t you?”

“Of course! Night club ladies and those in the ‘special’ profession always face them! I even met a few stalkers directly when I stayed at women’s houses before this as well.”

As expected of a gigolo.

“Min-san, have you ever received any silent phones recently? Or did you see anything strange in your mailbox?”

Hiro-san directed his question into the kitchen through the backdoor. Say, if there were really such obvious movements, Min-san should have realized that there was a stalker no matter how dense she was. Just when I was thinking that, Min-san answered directly:

“Silent phones? Ah…… I’m getting those quite often recently.”

What did you say?

“And also…… I found a lot of my photos in my letterbox as well.”

That reeks of a stalker no matter how you look at it! I could almost hear everyone doing tsukkomis in their hearts. Seriously, why does this person ignore abnormal situations like this completely?

“W- Wait a minute, you said photos…… What kind of photos are they?” Hiro-san started to get anxious.

“Nn? Nothing really……. Just some photos of myself working in the shop or going out to buy stuff occasionally! Who on earth would take photos like this? There are really some strange people who would really do meaningless things like this.”

“It seems like the opposing party’s stealthy photo-taking skills aren’t much…… Hmph! An unprofessional stalker!”

Major muttered to himself somewhat triumphantly. Can you please not feel triumphant because of things like this!

“Oi, you bunch of jobless bums, hurry up and let Narumi come back for his work if you’re not ordering! There’s almost a hill of cutlery here now!”

Min-san roared.

“But we can’t pretend we don’t know anything in such a situation……”

Hiro-san lowered his voice. He was right, it was already an obvious criminal act.

“Do we need to call the cops?” Major asked somewhat unhappily.

“A stalker doesn’t count as a stalker if the party concerned didn’t notice him, does he?”

“So that’s why the few of us have to think of something!”

“But that person doesn’t seem like she would give us a request! She doesn’t feel like she’s a victim at all, does she?”

These people who took pride in being hardcore NEETS— although they would be bored to death without a job, they would only take action when they received a request. Or else, they would rather mutter in a dark alley, cocking their ears to listen to the voice of the city.

Thus, the gazes of the three naturally focused on myself.

Ah, here we go again……

Now that I think of it, that time, I still wasn’t accustomed to my role as an assistant detective, and seemed to be always given troublesome jobs. (Um, why does that still seem to be the case right now?)

I returned to the kitchen with the gazes of the trio outside completely focused on my back. I picked up the sponge and started to clean the bowls in the sink while asking softly.

“Erm…… Min-san……”

“What!”

Min-san was staring at the ramen dancing in the water with a solemn gaze.

“Wouldn’t it be better if you request Alice and the three to look into this?”

“Look into what?”

“And you’re asking me what to look into…… Didn’t your house get broken in recently?”

“I’ll lock the doors and windows properly! If they can still break in even so, wouldn’t beating them up suffice?”

I could only sigh. As I saw Min-san knocking out four drunken thugs looking for trouble with my own eyes, I knew that the reasoning of ‘a woman living alone will often encounter dangerous situations’ could not convince her.

So what should I do?

I pondered for some time and finally steeled myself to speak.

“…… Your sarashi…… Wasn’t it stolen?”

Min-san’s brows furrowed when she heard those words when she was piling up a small hill of onions and bean sprouts.

“Right now, the offender must be using the sarashi in disastrous matters.”

“Huh? What kind of disastrous matters?”

“…… Say, something like picking it up and sniffing it?”

Min-san’s expression changed visibly.

“Shut up! Why are you saying such disgusting things!”

“Sheesh! So the thief only stole her sarashi?” a frequent customer with his face red because of the consumption of two bottles of beers started to laugh. As the shop was quite small, even conversations in a low voice could be clearly heard by the customers on the counters.

“So that’s why you’re wearing a sarashi with color?”

Another frequent customer on the neighboring seat stared at Min-san’s breasts.

“That’s true……. Stealing a thing like that, it can’t be used in any way other than sniffing it……”

“For me, I’ll sniff it as well.”

“If it’s Min-san’s, count me in.”

After gulping down alcohol, the drunken customers started to say so one after another. Min-san cried out with her face green:

“Why are everyone saying that! Shut up, it’s really gross!”

“I……” want to sniff too— I nearly said that out loud with them, but fortunately stopped myself in time. I won’t do something like that. Of course not.

After that, Min-san stayed silent, but would occasionally lower her head to look at her breasts while cooking ramen. It seemed like my words had an effect on her.

But I really couldn’t say it was something to show off for.

Min-san only muttered while keeping the poached eggs in a container when the customers on the seats gradually left, and the peak hour of business passed.

“…… I get it already! If you can find a way, do whatever you like!”

Just when I was about to forward the words to them after opening the door, Tetsu-senpai, Major and Hiro-san had long stood up energetically. Hiro-san held his cellphone by his ear and was happily talking on the phone: “Oh, Alice? Yeah, it’s me. Min-san gave us the request. Yeah, we’re starting right away…… Yep, yep, we’re counting on you then.” Seriously, so these loafers kept eavesdropping with their ears perked up?

Anyway, the NEET Detective Squad started moving just like that. That was on the second night after the incident happened.

<center>*</center>

Speaking of which, though they started their movements, I didn’t have any particular task. I still had to go to the ramen shop after school as usual, stay up to accompany Min-san who was making a new soup, send food to Alice, and being bullied by her along the way.

“It’s natural that an assistant detective is like this! The word ‘useless’ is included in its definition as well.”

Alice said such overboard things without even batting an eyelid.

“And also, do not think that you can contribute anything to the world. Perhaps you care for this world very much, but this world actually does not particularly care for you.”

Holding a can of Dr. Pepper, Alice waved her sockless legs on her bed while sneering at me.

“That thought is really too much……”

I leaned my back on the side of the fridge and sat on the floorboards while stirring the vanilla ice cream with cranberry sauce in the paper cup, muttering to myself in despair.

“But this is the truth! Humans can only grow after learning about this. Well, many people do not realize this in their whole lives, dying in vain just like that as well……”

If so, continuing to be an innocent child seems fine as well. Speaking of which, why must my life be criticized by a hikkikomori NEET like this?

“It’s okay, Narumi. Even if everything else in this world ignores your existence, only I will still be worried for you.”

Those words really couldn’t help but make people’s hearts accelerate, but Alice continued after that:

“After all, if you do not come here anymore, I will have to get the Dr. Pepper from the fridge by myself.”

I sighed and leaned my head on the fridge.

“You can pick a better way of saying things if you want to console me. Do I really have nothing else that I can do?”

“I was not consoling you, but merely describing the truth. That’s right, hand the ice cream over after you finish stirring it!”

I somewhat unhappily handed the paper cup containing ice cream to Alice. The girl in pajamas really had weak arms, as the action of stirring the hard ice cream with a spoon was enough to make her breathless.

“Try thinking of the conditions that God bestowed upon you that Tetsu, Major and Hiro does not have. Please do use your brain sometimes.”

Conditions that the three did not have, and was only owned by me.

I thought for awhile and thought of something.

“…… Only I am working at the ramen shop?”

“Exactly. Which means, you are the closest with the target that we are protecting. Well, although you had next to no effect when the intruder appeared last time…… That is why I am telling you to keep your ears peeled, eyes open and focus on washing the dishes. If you notice anything or see any strange people, tell me immediately.”

After that, I remembered the odd customer in shades that only came ate a mouthful after ordering miso ramen who came to the shop on the day the burglar appeared. Speaking of which, it seemed like I had not mentioned that to Alice yet.

“Although this might be somewhat unrelated—“

When I spoke of the matter, Alice’s brows immediately twitched.

“You…… Why did you not speak of this earlier! Your denseness makes me speechless. The decay of protons is fast compared with the speed of your brain moving. On what basis do you judge that the person is irrelevant to the matter? How do you know without further investigation? If you continue to keep your mouth tightly closed like a clam……”

“I’m sorry……”

If I left her alone, I would probably get a twenty minutes scolding, so I could only interrupt Alice and apologize, while she immediately turned her head around to face the monitor.

“Anyway, I will have to search first. Although a recording of the shop premise does not exist, he should be captured on a surveillance camera when he enters or exits. As we can lock on to a date and time, things will be much simpler.”

<center>*</center>

It was already over five in the evening when I left the detective agency and returned to the lower floor. Min-san was about to flip the wooden sign on the door with ‘In Preparation’ to ‘Open Now’, while by her side was Major, who was unusually early. He knelt on the floor, holding a peculiar gadget that looked like a mini magnifying glass, checking out the sliding door of the ramen shop entrance.

“Major, what are you doing?”

“Investigating the invasion route of the criminal.”

''It takes a thief to catch a thief,'' the words suddenly floated into my mind.

“He didn’t come in from the shop, because I was sitting right over there that time.”

I pointed at the counter.

“You were probably dozing off while sitting there, weren’t you?”

Min-san was spot on, and I could only shrink my neck.

“Hmm, he would probably be filmed on the surveillance camera if he came in from the front, so it’s actually quite impossible. But to be sure, it’s best if we check it out.”

Major spoke while standing up.

“The door at the back didn’t have any sign of being pried open as well…… Min-san, have you ever dropped your keys?”

“But all of my keys are here.”

“Then perhaps he came in from the windows? How puzzling…… Vice-admiral Fujishima, did the suspect immediately throw the front door open and scarper? Did he take a long time to open the door?”

“Well……” I tried hard to recall the situation that night. “He did indeed open the door to run away right away.”

“If one chose to climb in from the windows, an expert of illegal infiltration like me will definitely affirm a route of escape, that is common sense. But to a guy who’s spying on people when he couldn’t even take photos without permission…… It’s hard to imagine that he has such intelligence!”

Hey hey hey, I won’t pretend I never heard that, you know? A person like you…… actually avoided capture up till today, you’re just too lucky.

“In any case, let’s strengthen the security first! We can start by pasting anti-theft film and installing an anti-theft bolt on the windows. It’s safer to change the lock of the front door as well.”

“The front door?”

Min-san crouched through the counter to return to the kitchen and frowned when she was tying up her apron.

“The lock of the front door…… can’t be changed.”

“Why? Even though the lock didn’t have any signs of being pried open, such an outdated spring lock is still very unsafe!”

“Just don’t. Do whatever you want with the windows, just don’t touch the front door.”

Min-san’s tone was rather stern. Major and I exchanged glances. Why? Was it because she didn’t want to deal with it due to being troublesome? But the landlady was Alice, so we didn’t need to tell her all of the details at all. Besides, wouldn’t it be fine just to hand it all to Major?

“Narumi, prepare to start work!”

“Ah, okay.”

I only rushed into the kitchen in a fluster when Min-san started to roar at me.

<center>*</center>

That night, I was still accompanying Min-san in her quest to make a new soup. It felt like I didn’t go home for a whole week already. I had almost forgotten what my sister looked like.

Late night, only the low hum of the ventilator could be heard in the kitchen. The Rishimi kelp (specially for business, the type that’s cut into thin strips) had long been half used up, as she had to use a whole pot of kelp to stew her new soup.

“…… It stinks of seaweed.”

After adding some soy sauce, I sipped a mouthful of soup and immediately expressed my thoughts. Min-san’s expression clouded over, but it seemed like she felt unsatisfied as well, so she did not get angry.

“The taste of kelp seems more obstructive now. Would it be better if we don’t add in dried mushrooms?”

“Is that so?”

“It feels less and less like soup for ramen. Did the ones made by your father taste like this?”

I only realized my mistake after asking, and could only sneak a peek at Min-san’s expression. Her gaze was full of confusion, like a cheetah mistakenly kept in an elephant zoo. It was the first time I saw her with an expression like that.

“Actually I don’t really remember them now.” Min-san said while showing a slightly lonely smile. “Before this, I kept making ice cream and would get into fights whenever I meet my old man, so I didn’t eat his ramen often at all.”

“It’s already nice that you can squabble with him. I don’t even have any impression of having spoken to my dad at all.”

“Hmph!” Min-san smiled coldly. “So you want to change dads with me? Let me tell you, that guy always acts impulsively! Once, he suddenly said that he felt like fishing on a Saturday night, and then dragged me to run all along to a beach at Chiba……”

“R…… Ran all along?”

“He’s an idiot who likes to work out!”

Min-san said while narrowing her eyes in nostalgia.

“Why…… Now that I think back on it, maybe he just didn’t know what to say to me? My mom died quite suddenly as well. It just feels like…… he only started to be more oppressive when only the two of us were left.”

Hearing those words, I suddenly realized that Min-san’s circumstances were quite similar to that of mine. My mother passed away long ago, and my father turned strange after that as well.

“Even though he knew that I didn’t like it, he still forced me to follow him everywhere. If it’s not a snowy mountain somewhere around, it would be a super faraway island.”

“That’s probably because…… he was lonely, huh?”

When the words came out, Min-san suddenly showed a gentle smile.

“That might be so! Men are really stupid. Won’t saying it out be fine!”

I thought that nobody was harder than frankly expressing our own troubles. That was one of the facts that I learnt using a whole winter.

“Actually going missing all of a sudden as well…… Then why did he insist that I had to inherit the ramen shop before this! In the end, he just thought that it didn’t matter what I did!”

With her hands on the chopping block, Min-san lowered her head. Did she still resent her father?

Or perhaps— she actually wants to see him again?

My gaze fell on the large amount of kelp swimming in the pot. His father’s soup— Min-san couldn’t inherit its taste.

Perhaps because she realized my thoughts, Min-san raised her head.

“Enough about my old man, he’s irrelevant to this matter. It’s just because the appraisals on his ramen’s taste wasn’t bad.”

Min-san smiled faintly and poked my forehead.

That moment, the ringtone of ‘Colorado Bulldog’ rang. It was Alice.

'' ‘Come over to the office for a moment. I have something to confirm with you.’ ''

I looked at Min-san. She said : “It’s fine, just go. I’m going to take a bath after clearing away the stuff.”

“I’ll go right away.”

I answered. After that, I put away my phone.

“I’ve watched all of the recordings and noticed something peculiar.”

On the bed in the detective agency, Alice told me with her back on me while typing on the keyboard.

“Regarding the strange person with shades that we mentioned before this, he did indeed come to the shop last Thursday and Monday the week before, correct?”

“Yep.”

Alice turned over and pointed at the six monitors arranged on the floor by the bed.

“But the surveillance camera did not capture such a person at all. Did you mistake the date? I even checked out the recordings one day before and after as well.”

“…… Eh? Why’s that?”

“That’s what I want to ask you! From the recordings, I lifted the features of the men in the shop. You can confirm if the person is among them.”

Alice waved at me. Although I was somewhat nervous, I still clambered onto the bed, approaching her side. One of the monitors displayed a full screen of portraits.

“These are the customers who came to the shop these few days. Do not miss anything. It is possible that the person put on his sunglasses only after he entered the shop.”

I repeatedly looked through the portraits of the tens of people for about half an hour. As they were images lifted from a recording, some people were not facing the camera, and the quality was rather rough as well, so it was quite hard to identify anyone.

“…… I don’t see that person.”

“Is that so? Fine, I shall trust your eyes and ears for now. After all, you barely have any other strengths. Your good eyesight and hearing might be gifts from God to you.”

Oh, shut up.

“However, there is something that I am puzzled about.”

“Didn’t you say that there aren’t any surveillance cameras directly facing the interior of the shop? Besides, that person could avoid the other surveillance cameras deliberately while entering and exiting.”

“Although it is not impossible, people who can do so must clearly know the positions of the six surveillance camera. Regarding the installation of the cameras, I only told the tenants of the building. Basically, it is not likely for outsiders to know of this.”

''But…… It’s possible that he just wasn’t filmed on coincidence, isn’t it?'' Alice seemed to have seen through my naïve thoughts, and she spoke:

“I shall consider the possibility. I just feel that this matter is not like a simple theft, so the inability to attack actively is very vexing. Currently, I can only ask Hiro and Tetsu to help keep an eye open, and ask Major to strengthen the security measures. The lock of the front door was just an ordinary spring lock, so it will be easy to pry it open if one wishes to do so.”

“But Major said that there weren’t any signs of it being pried open after he checked it out. Does any other people have keys to Min-san’s house?”

“I have a spare key on me over here, and Master should have two there instead. Why are you looking at me with this gaze? Are you perhaps suspecting someone of stealing the spare key from me?”

“No…… Not really, I’m just thinking of the possibility……”

“Please do not look down on the security system of my room. Bringing Persephone back from the underworld will be easier than taking the spare keys away from me.” Alice said while puffing out her flat chests triumphantly. “But still, changing the lock will be more appropriate. Didn’t Major say that he could do that already?”

“That’s true……” I thought back on Min-san’s odd reaction that time. “But Min-san wasn’t willing to do it, so we couldn’t change the lock.”

Alice’s eyes completely lost its color in an instant. Then, her large eyes widened even more.

“…… I see…… So that’s why. I understand now.”

Alice nodded by herself, as though she just realized something.

“So that’s why things are like this…… The door was open in the first place. The surveillance camera didn’t manage to film him as well. So that’s why…… Hmm……”

“…… What is is? Did you think of something?”

“Yes, I have understood everything.”

The detective proclaimed thus directly. I was dazed, and could only stare at the side of the doll-like face.

Understood…… everything?

“What…… happened?”

“Just that. The features of the case have surfaced more or less, oh……”

Seeing that I was about to open my mouth once again, Alice suddenly pressed her index finger on my lips. I was shocked, and reflexively swallowed my questions while taking a large step back.

“Do not ask now. I have once said, the NEET Detective can grasp the truth even when she is on this bed, but that is the truth, but not the facts.”

“But—“

“And there is another thing. Unfortunately, the truth that I have just obtained is completely unhelpful to the victim, Min-san. And telling her would cause her to scold you as well. Hoho…… Facing the people happily living below the sunlight, the messenger of the dead is helpless to the extent of despair, because we can only dig out words that were lost.”

Alice’s gaze moved away from my face.

The helplessness of facing the world.

The shadow of fate in Alice’s heart— I once got a glimpse at it during my previous cases as well. But she didn’t need to be so self-berating even with such a small matter, did she? At least, that was what I personally thought.

She extended her small hands and covered her eyes, staring at blank air while muttering:

“That is why…… You must call me when you catch the criminal. I must once again reaffirm if I am able to muster whatever courage I have to step out of this castle, touching this world with my own hands, and to turn the truth to facts through questions and the answers of the criminal.”

After a long time, Alice finally turned around to face me.

“This is a promise.”

Those eyes looked wet because of the overflowing of tears.

I stayed silent for some time, and finally lightly held the hand that Alice extended.

<center>*</center>

About eight that night, the man in shades appeared in Hanamaru Ramen for the fourth time.

That afternoon, I played handball for two consecutive hours during P.E period, and I rode my bike to a handicrafts shop to buy new cloth to be used as Min-san’s sarashi before my part time job started, so I was tired to half death when I returned to the shop. It just had to be on this kind of day that there were a lot of customers. The customers sitting outside ordered beer and fried dumplings one after another, so I didn’t notice for a moment that the man was already sitting on a temporary beer crate seat.

“…… Ah, welcome.”

It felt like my gaze met the guy in shades’ directly. The man before my eyes was about fifty something. He was stout as a bear, while his shoulders and chest were quite muscular as well.

When I sent iced water to him, I only managed to control the trembling of my hands after a huge effort.

“Sesame ramen!”

The man ordered ramen in a rough voice.

Back in the kitchen, I signaled to Min-san, and she immediately nodded, signifying that she already noticed long ago.

What kind of person was he?

After sending him the sesame ramen, I originally wanted to continue staring at him nonchalantly, but there were just too many customers in the shop, so I couldn’t manage to notice so much at all.

I poked my head out of the backdoor to take a look at the area near the emergency backstairs, but only saw Hiro-san texting on his cellphone, sitting on the gas tank by himself.

“What is it?”

Hiro-san noticed me and shifted his gaze form the liquid plasma screen. I tried to tell him that the man in shades was in the shop with only my physical movements.

Hiro-san glanced at the front of the shop from the corner of the building and seemed to have understood. He nodded and said in a small voice:

“Got it, I’ll keep an eye on him. I’ll tail him after he’s done as well.”

After about five minutes when I was sending a large bowl of chashu ramen to the customers outside, the man had long disappeared. There was only a bowl of barely eaten sesame ramen and 800 yen coins left on the beer crate.

Hiro-san was missing as well.

Geez, what kind of person was that? What sort of relationship does he have with the stalker as well? Or did he come for a different purpose? I couldn’t help but get startled at my own thoughts. Although I wasn’t doubtful of Hiro-san’s stalking skills— after all, I myself had experience of being tailed by him as well— that person was extremely good at it. However……

If there wasn’t only one stalker? I heard that there were some situations of criminal organizations as well. He might not even be a stalker, but appeared for a more deplorable motive……

I still couldn’t rid the meaningless delusions in my mind when I cleared away the empty bowls and was washing my hands full of bubbles. Although I was at Min-san’s side, I could only look at the others taking actions.

After about an hour, Hiro-san returned to the ramen shop. That time, the crowd of customers had already returned, while the shop turned much quieter.

“I’ve been had! He gave me the slip.”

Hiro-san sat down on the gasoline tank, pounding on his thigh with clenched fists. After that, he raised his head to look at me and said in a small voice:

“That guy might just be a professional.”

“…… Professional? What kind of professional?”

“I’ve once tailed a professional private detective. It made me think of the situation that time when I was tailing that guy today…… Blast! Even though I’m so familiar with this area that I can go around in a circle with my eyes closed…… That guy must have discovered me. If not, he wouldn’t have especially waltzed into [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tokyu_Hands Hands], slipping away from another side exit!”

I couldn’t help but recall the maze-like floor plan of Tokyo Hands.

“In the end, I was given the slip after a large circle when we reached the station again. Ahhhhh, blast, how unfortunate!”

“What kind of person ''is'' he?”

“That’s what I want to know!”

Why would such a person be interested in Min-san? I was already unclear of everything, and couldn’t help but start feeling rueful towards Alice, who looked all-knowing but wouldn’t tell anything.

“In any case, let me call Tetsu and Major over first!”

Hiro-san said while taking out his cellphone.

“That guy appeared two times before this, and there was a thief twice. Perhaps the thief will appear tonight as well.”

That moment, the prelude of ‘Colorado Bulldog’ suddenly blared from the phone Hiro-san was holding.

'' ‘It’s me. You lost the guy in shades?’ ''

“You saw it huh. Was he caught on camera?”

'' ‘No, he avoided being filmed perfectly. I only saw Narumi say something to you with his face green, and then you scuttled away, so I guessed if it was so.’ ''

This person is still so uncomfortably sharp. Speaking of which, the surveillance cameras still couldn’t film him? Is it possible that he really had a way to avoid the cameras?

Or was it because he was indeed as Hiro-san said, a ‘professional’?

“And also, the thief might appear tonight as well, so I’m planning to call Tetsu and Major over……”

'' ‘No!’ ''

Alice unhesitatingly interrupted Hiro-san’s words.

“Why!”

Hiro-san raised his voice as well.

'' ‘And you still ask why? If the three of you hide in a dark spot with your eyes sparkling, the prey definitely won’t fall into the trap!’ ''

“Even so, we can’……”

'' ‘Like the thief’s previous entry, just leave it to my assistant, who is currently in a daze by your side. He is a very good mosquito light. If my assumption is correct, everything will end tonight.’ ''

Just when Hiro-san was about to say something else, she hung off.

Hiro-san glared at his phone for some time, snapped his phone closed and spun it in his hands, then sighed magnificently in the end. After that, he raised his head to look at me.

“— And there you have it. All the best!”

Hiro-san patted me on the shoulders, infecting me with his sigh as well.

<center>*</center>

Eleven in the night, after business hours ended. Once again, only Min-san and I were left in the kitchen full of steam.

“Sesame ramen won’t do as well huh……”

Min-san sat on the round stood, muttering to herself with her shoulders slumped. Sesame ramen was a popular new flavor that appeared this year, and was the masterpiece Min-san was most confident in so far. However, the man in shades still stopped eating after only a mouthful.

“Um…… Well…… But that man was really just too suspicious! Perhaps he didn’t leave them just because it tasted bad, and maybe he didn’t come to the shop to eat ramen at all?”

I frantically consoled Min-san. Compared with the previous ones, the taste of the sesame ramen wasn’t really so bad that she would need to despair over it.

“That doesn’t matter at all! It’s completely irrelevant to the man in shades, I’m the one who’s feeling unsatisfied.” Min-san said while shaking her head. On the small stove, a large number of kelps were swimming in the steaming hot soup bowl.

“…… Is it better to stew the kelp soup longer? Or would changing the ratio to 4:1 be better? Changing the other ingredients to sesame oil and onions…… Not putting the whole chicken but just the bones…..?

Min-san continued to murmur about how she should mix and match the many ingredients and suddenly stood up.

“I’ll go take a bath first to clear my mind.”

Seeing her take off her hairband holding her hair in a pony tail and swing her hair, my heartbeat couldn’t help but accelerate, nearly making me stand up.

“What are you blushing for?”

“Eh? Ah, n- nothing. Oh yeah, please be careful, because there might be strange people lurking around.”

“That doesn’t matter at all! I’m leaving the soup in the pot to you.”

Min-san disappeared from the kitchen after leaving the words. That person really thought nothing except for ramen…… A young girl saying ‘I’ll go take a bath’ (even when there isn’t any special meaning) will have a bad effect on teenagers! Can you please think for me albeit slightly?

I shook my head, flinging away the idiotic thoughts and continued sitting on the chair.

Similar to that night, I was the only one in the kitchen once again.

I heaved a deep sigh.

All the lights in the shop were switched off. The only radiance that came in view was the blue flame of the small gas stove.

Only the boiling sound of the soup and the dull noises uniquely owned by the gas stove of the restaurant could be heard. Not long after that, sounds of the shower came from behind as well.

After dimming the stove flame, the noise of the pot got even smaller. Then, I closed my eyes.

''Narumi, only your powers of hearing is okay. So, you don’t need to approach the front door, just take note of the sounds from the surroundings''— I recalled Alice’s words.

Mosquito lamp.

Deliberately making people feel that security was lax to lure the criminal into the trap. As for why— this was what Alice said:

''Because I have questions for the criminal. To solve the mysteries that complicate the world, that is why I do so—''

I put my hand into my pocket, grabbing the thing about the size of a cellphone.

Finally— my ears and the edge of my consciousness registered a faint noise.

The sound of the front door opening.

How odd— I couldn’t help but think. Why didn’t I hear the sound of the door unlocking? But now, I don’t have any time to feel surprised for such a small matter. Some slightly drifting footsteps— the pitter-patter footsteps, as though someone was unsteadily walking on the wooden floorboards on tiptoe, gradually approached, while my heartbeats accelerated along with it as well. Is it okay with me alone? What if he had weapons on him? One step, two step…… I could clearly hear the footsteps getting nearer to the sound of water in the bathroom. After that, the footsteps stopped, and at that moment, I could almost see the silhouette of the criminal extending his hand towards the bathroom handle.

I sprang up and rushed into the corridor. Through the rays of light that came through the foggy glass of the bathroom door, I could see the unsteady silhouette turn around, flustered. I rapidly took out that thing from my pocket and threw it at the silhouette, and immediately turned around to face him with my back, shut my eyes and closed my ears.

A colossal sound that almost uncovered my hands blasted there, while blinding white light spun away the whole darkness in the corridor in an instant.

It was a Stun Shell that Major carefully concocted.

<center>*</center>

“You’re just plain harassing the neighbors!”

Min-san swung her steel fist down on my skull, and then added another hit on Major’s head, as he looked quite delighted that his trusty handmade weapon had such a great effect. Due to her threatening aura, even Tetsu-senpai and Hiro-san reflexively flinched.

The criminal hunt ended in an instant. Rushing in from the front door, Tetsu-senpai defeated the criminal in one punch, tying him up with the wire Hiro-san provided with no further trouble. My pain only started when Min-san ferociously dashed out of the changing room with only a towel wrapped on her.

“People not in the know thought that it was a gas explosion! Can’t you people have a slight bit of social common sense!”

“That’s not it…… Min-san, don’t be so agitated! The Stun Shell will only cause a large bang and lights to throw the target off balance for a short period of time. It is purely used for threatening purpose, and does not have power to harm……”

“Shut up! That isn’t the main problem, is it?”

Major’s head was pounded once again.

“Why do you always do such things……”

Having only a towel on her after just finishing her bath, Min-san started a long lecture with such careless attire. I could only shrink on the corridor floorboard like a tortoise, secretly questioning Hiro-san behind me.

“Um…… Wasn’t it said that you guys don’t need to supervise today?”

“Alice did say so…… But we couldn’t just leave things like this! We were really worried……”

Hiro-san answered in a small voice.

“So we kept you on surveillance through binoculars from the neighboring building.”

''Well aren’t your reactions quick''— I couldn’t help but think so, and at the same time totally understood the fact that I was completely untrusted.

Min-san’s complaints were like an everlasting rain, but was suddenly interrupted by the voice of a girl.

“— Master, please stop just right there!”

Everyone looked at the front door almost at the same time.

With teddy bear pajamas and black hair almost reaching the floorboards floating along the wind— a girl stood outside the open door.

“…… Even you came? Seriously, what a commotion!”

Min-san glared at Alice while saying sarcastically.

“You really caused a huge stir. I could hear it even from the third floor. Narumi always forgets to get me, so I could only come down by myself. Master, sorry for intruding.”

Alice said while stepping into the corridor.

“What did you come for!”

“Master, please do not forget the case that you entrusted to us. I am here to conclude the case. I have only two things to ask the paralyzed stalker over there, and what happens after that is none of my concern.”

That moment, moans came from below Tetsu-senpai’s butt, and we finally remembered the man’s existence.

“…… Kimura Tomio, hmm, thirty…… thirty eight? It says that he’s the head of a Development Department. Wow, what a bigshot!”

Hiro-san fished out an employer’s ID from the tied up man’s pocket and read out the information it contained.

“But I never heard of this company…… What does it do?”

Tetsu-senpai interrupted and asked.

“You don’t know? They’re a super famous lingerie manufacturer! This person is a designer of lingerie. I’ve bought some from them as gifts for other people!”

I lowered my head to look at the middle-aged man that was currently squashed beneath Tetsu-senpai’s butt. With his sleek face, healthy skin color and strangely child-like gaze, it was really hard to see that he was already thirty-eight.

This guy was obviously not the man in shades. Not only was their face shapes and build completely different, the man also had a suit that looked extremely expensive on him.

“P…… Please, c…… can you not inform my company of this matter?” Kimura Tomio-san pleaded in extreme subservience. “I have a reason for it as well……”

“A stalker saying that he has a reason……?”

“I’m not a stalker! I…… I just want to look at how that female looks in private……”

Even though his back was pressured, causing his body to arc in agony, Kimura-san continued to stare at Min-san, who was still only in a towel, with an uncomfortably passionate gaze. Min-san stuck out her tongue in apparent disgust.

“You look like a stalker through and through!” Tetsu-senpai kept poking Kimura-san’s head with sparse hair.

“You’re just blaming us for your actions……” Major said.

“No! Actually, my aim was not to stalk her. As my objective was already completed, I swear that I will never do such a thing ever again! I swear! So please……”

“What kind of rubbish did you say just now! Wasn’t you the one who stole my sarashi?”

“That was for a reason as well…… AHHHH! THAT HURTS! Nghh…….”

“Do you want to die, stalker? Why don’t you shut up already!”

“Tetsu, wait!”

Seeing that Tetsu-senpai was almost snapping Kimura-san’s neck, Alice’s words caused him to loosen his hand. Alice walked to my side and squatted down, matching Kimura-san’s gaze. It was as though the lewd gaze that contained a slight heat licked Alice who was wearing pajamas, making even me feel like landing a punch on his face. However, Alice seemed to be completely unconcerned, and calmly asked:

“One of the questions that I wish to ask you is regarding this. Why did you steal the sarashi? Tell me the truth according to its importance, and you might be dealt with in an appropriate manner.”

Kimura-san’s eyes widened, as though stupefied by Alice’s arrogant tone that was in sharp contrast with her young appearance, and only spoke slowly after that:

“Because…… I- I wanted to see how that lady looks without a sarashi!”

…… What?

At the same time when everyone was stupefied, Kimura-san continued in a sincere tone:

“I am a designer, and I hope that you will treat me as a designer of lingerie who has artistic upbringing. Listen well, lingerie can support the delicate body of a female, while the delicate body of a female can highlight the finer points of lingerie— that is my belief. I hope for everyone to wear lingerie with an ideal design suitable for herself, that is my vision as well. I believe that nobody can be my rival in custom making lingerie. The common man might not believe it, but I will know the size and design that is most suitable for her as long as I see her body.”

…… Knowing the size just by a look?

“You can see it? Even through clothes? Then do you know the size of my jeans?”

Hiro-san asked in curiousity.

“But of course. It’s 31-2 of London Slim, correct? However, the crotch area of the jeans is actually higher than you imagine, so you should buy a female version two sizes larger, or custom make it.”

“Ngh!” Hiro-san was shocked into standing.

“This oji-san looks like the real thing!”

“Hurry up and tell us why you stole my sarashi!”

The impatient Min-san stepped on Kimura-san’s head.

“Just wrapping it with cloth will not do! That will cause the breast to change shape, an attire that goes against the nature of the human body, so it just won’t do. Ever since I saw you, who were in the midst of shopping, I kept feeling heartbroken as you treat your cup size bestowed upon you by God so carelessly! To release your beauty, I have understood that my mission is to design wonderful lingerie for you!”

Min-san stayed rooted with her mouth open.

This person…… is an idiot. Just an incurable idiot, actually coming over to steal just because of this……

“Which means, I have just grasped the shape of your breasts. They are 70 below 95 above, G cup, and is known in our industry as a miraculous shape at the level of Taj Mahal, and is even the most precious of all mankind!”

Kimura-san stared at Min-san’s well-endowed breasts with his blood-laced eyes, and cried out as well.

“I have to get back to my company to design! P…… Please, let me go for this reason, and please don’t mention this to my company……”

“…… I remember now. This guy is the idiotic customer who asked for my breast size before this.”

Min-san’s voice was so weak that it was like a sigh. I started to remember as well. So he was the idiot that time……

“Were you behind the silent phones and Min-san’s photos?” Hiro-san asked gently.

“It…… It was done by me. But I really didn’t mean any harm, and just wanted her to know what she looked like without wearing proper lingerie……”

My head hurt all of a sudden, please don’t say anything anymore……

Under the extremely awkward atmosphere in the house, only Alice’s voice was cool as usual.

“Then, another mystery is solved. Lastly, I have another thing to ask.”

Squashed beneath Tetsu-senpai’s butt, Kimura-san shook.

“Instead of saying that I am asking you, it is more like a confirmation. As to how you broke in the house……”

Tetsu-senpai, Major and I were all startled and raised our heads. Indeed, that was the most basic question of this whole matter.

“Wh…… What broke in? The front door wasn’t locked at all.”

“What are you talking about? I did lock the front door!”

When Min-san was about to roar, she was stopped by Alice’s raised hand.

“Tell me the truth. You keep this house on surveillance almost every night, so you probably planned to peek from the windows when Min-san took a bath, whenever you had the chance, didn’t you? However, sometimes, an even better opportunity arose— someone just opened the door and entered the house before your very eyes. Is that correct?”

Kimura-san’s eyes widened in surprise.

“That…… That’s right, but how…… how did you know?”

“Oi, what’s wrong with this?”

Alice continued to coldly ignore Min-san’s questions.

“Of course, you thought that the person was Master’s cohabitant, didn’t you? Thinking that he only returned late at night, and always carelessly forgot to lock the door. You thought to yourself that it was a chance of a lifetime, and thus snuck easily into the house through the front door, planning to peek directly outside the bathroom. In the end, it was just too hard to pull off, and thus you could only run away after stealing just the sarashi— and it happened thus not once, but twice.”

“Why…… Why are you speaking as though you saw the whole process?”

Kimura-san’s face paled.

“Hoho……. However, that person was not living with Master at all! In fact, he was an intruder like you.”

“What?”

“He didn’t forget to lock the door, but just left the door unlocked to leave a path open so that he could escape at any time.”

“Oi! Alice, you explain things properly to me!” Min-san roared by my ears. “You mean to say that that guy broke in even before this stalker?”

“That is indeed so. Isn’t that right?”

Seeing Alice smile at him, Kimura-san could only nod frantically.

“Wait a minute, if so, is the other person still hiding in the house?”

Tetsu-senpai asked a scary question, but Alice shook her head while smiling.

“It is most probable that he already left when we caused such a large hustle. After all, that sly and thorough guy could evade all of y surveillance cameras, and even gave Hiro the slip as well.”

“Was it the man in shades?”

I couldn’t help but interject.

“Who else can it be?”

“Oi! Alice, I don’t get what you are talking about at all. Speaking of which, who was that guy in shades anyway? Why did he keep leaving after eating a mouthful of ramen, and even snuck into my house?”

Alice stood up and immediately spoke after turning around to face Min-san:

“I heard that you were not willing to change the lock of your front door.”

“…… Ah?”

“So that is the answer. Master, your choice was correct.”

“What are you talking abo……”

Half through her words, Min-san froze with her eyes wide.

“Ah…… No, but……. How can this be? Even though he……”

Min-san muttered incoherently. She leant against the corridor wall with a look of disbelief, sliding onto the floor in a sitting position.

Alice bent down and gently patted Min-san’s shoulders.

“Why do I feel like we don’t understand what you guys are talking about at all……? More importantly, how do we deal with this idiot?”

Tetsu-senpai spoke, while Kimura-san gave an odd shriek beneath him.

“I do not have anything else to ask him anymore. I shall leave him to you. It is up to you to decide, even if you wish to cook him for dinner.”

“What do you mean cook him for dinner……”

“Please, I…… I’ll pay you however much you want, so please don’t call the police! Okay? I beg of you!”

Tetsu-senpai, Hiro-san and Major gathered with looks of disinterest and discussed for awhile. In the end, Hiro-san finally slapped his thigh forcefully.

“Oji-san, we have something to ask you……”

“What…… What is it?”

“You can know the size of their lingerie just by looking at their figure, right? What if……. I’m saying what if. What if that person was a girl with completely nonexistent breasts? Can you see that even so?”

“Of course I can! In truth, something like ‘nonexistent breasts’ is completely impossible. There only exists the common man who does not know how to admire the beauty of slightly smaller breasts. Wearing lingerie correctly can release the beauty of the breasts’ shapes itself—“

“And if she is wearing pajamas, can you see it as well?”

“But of course.”

Hiro-san and Tetsu-senpai came to a consensus with just an exchanged look.

“Hmm…… Kimura-san, to be honest……. We have a request to ask of you, and if you are willing to comply, consider this matter forever buried in the depths of our hearts.”

“Rea…… Really? I will do anything!”

“Well…… Anyway, it’s somewhat inconvenient over here, so let us talk outside!”

Carrying Kimura-san’s thin body’s left and right side respectively, Hiro-san and Tetsu-senpai dragged him out of the front door just like that.

Only lukewarm air remained in the house.

“…… What are they going out to talk about?”

Alice’s head tilted in puzzlement, while I troubled over whether I should explain it to her…… Or would it be safer not to explain? But that wasn’t the main point……

“Alice, I still can’t understand what happened.”

“As I thought so.”

“What as you thought so!”

“Let us have a look at the shop. I think the answer should already be placed there.”

A tumbler was placed on the table in the kitchen. Major was the first person to notice it.

“This is……!”

Looking strangely excited, Major picked up the tumbler wrapped in a sunflower yellow cover. I did not have any impression of having seen that object before. There shouldn’t have been something like that tumbler in the kitchen just now.

“Isn’t this a tumbler for use of the American land army! Hmm…… And it isn’t a fake as well!”

You can actually see if it’s a fake? As expected of a military otaku…… Um, no…… The thing is, why did this thing appear here?

“Give me that!”

Min-san changed into her casual attire of a tank top and jeans, and after entering the kitchen along us, she snatched away the tumbler Major was holding after that.

She poured the contents of the tumbler into a bowl. Puffs of steam wafted from the amber liquid.

“…… Soup?”

Min-san raised the bowl to her lips with trembling hands and gulped down a mouthful.

“After five years of not tasting Hanada Masaru’s soup, how does it feel?” Alice asked while sitting on the stool with her hands around her knees.

…… Hanada Masaru?

After putting down the bowl, Min-san’s eyes seemed to be faintly glimmering with tears.

“…… Haha……”

Unclear words poured from her lips.

“Indeed, this is the taste my old man cooked out…… Even so…… It isn’t as tasty as I imagined!”

Hanada Masaru— Min-san’s father.

That……. That guy in shades……. was Min-san’s own father…….? How can that be? Why?

“Master, that is just because you were hoping that your father cooked it better than you.”

“Shut up! Idiot!”

Min-san fell on the stood by Alice’s side.

“What the heck! Going missing all by himself, coming back just to send this thing to me? What was that guy thinking? Is he an idiot? What a joke!”

“Shouldn’t he have his own reason for doing so? Well, it is indeed hard to imagine. What follows are my own baseless guesses. He is probably accepting a vigorous special training, doing plastic surgery so that even his own daughter couldn’t recognize him, and even avoiding all of the cameras so that he wouldn’t be filmed…… But doing all that just to come back here.”

“…… Plastic surgery?”

I couldn’t help but gasp.

First going missing, then going for plastic surgery? Wouldn’t he have completely turned into another person then? What sort of reason would require him to do things to this extent? No matter how I thought, such a reason was just too unreasonable.

“It doesn’t matter to me what reason he had!”

Min-san said in annoyance.

“Since he already came back, then just drop me a word! What was he being so secretive for? Coming back just to laugh at the ramen I make?”

Just then, I suddenly recalled Alice’s words.

'' ‘I heard that you were not willing to change the lock of your front door.’ ''

'' ‘So that is the answer. Master, your choice was correct.’ ''

I finally understood what those words meant. Min-san was waiting for the other person who was holding the keys to come home, so that was why she was so firm in refusing to change the lock.

In these five years— she were always waiting.

Major picked up a spoon and secretly scooped up a mouthful of soup.

“Wow…… This really is the taste of Hanamaru’s ramen from before!”

I picked up the bowl as well. Thick fragrance of the kelp and dried mackerel wafted from the soup, and was so clear that it allowed people to see the pattern of the base of the bowl. Containing a mouthful of soup in my mouth, a nostalgic taste spread out, giving me the feeling of watching a black and white movie.

However……

I still thought that the current Min-san’s soup was tastier.

I secretly looked at the side of Min-san’s face. She had her head lowered, looking like she was crying, but she looked like she only had her eyes closed as well. I barely knew how her relationship with her father was in the past, and was thus unable to console her easily.

Even so—

I didn’t think that this was the only reason her father came back. To tell her that the taste of her own food was better? A sample to let her remake the taste of the past? I think those weren’t the reasons.

Although I didn’t know what reason Hanada Masaru was willing to abandon the past him completely for, he was definitely once a prideful ramen chef like her daughter now. If so, he must have realized long ago that the Hanamaru ramen right now isn’t worse off than it was in the past.

A chef definitely won’t deceive his own sense of taste.

That is why……

There should be something that we have not found.

I breathed in deeply and stood up.

“…… Narumi? What is it?”

I drove my usually dense brain on with all my power, Alice’s voice almost lost at the back of my mind. When did Hanada Masaru sneak in the kitchen? After I stepped into the corridor when I noticed the stalker, he shouldn’t have had the chance to go in. As the corridor was a straight line, there weren’t corners for him to hide at all. If so, the only chance for him to sneak into the kitchen was when I switched off all the lights in the shop. When I was concentrating on listening to the footsteps of the stalker, Hanada Masaru was already in the kitchen.

I checked out the kitchen backdoor, and finally noticed that the door was not locked! That strengthened my belief that my assumptions were not wrong. He slipped away through here while there was a commotion in the corridor. If so, if he left anything here, he would definitely put it in this shop. Where would it be? Min-san and I had long since become extremely familiar with the shop, and could navigate it freely even with our eyes closed. If there were anything unfamiliar at visible positions, we would definitely notice it immediately. But he probably didn’t have time to hide the thing at hard to find places, and besides, hiding it at somewhere people can’t find would be meaningless.

Where is it—

There was a spare stove on a table in a corner of the kitchen, while cardboard boxes with kelp stuffed inside was below it. I stopped before the cardboard box.

I pulled out the box— I was indeed right. The kelp that had been half used-up increased.

“…… Narumi? What in the world are you doing?”

I ignored Alice, who was approaching my side, and took out the bundled up kelp and stacked them on top of the table.

Finally, I saw what was hidden below.

“Min-san!”

Even I noticed that my voice was full of excitement. Min-san raised her head and looked at me with a gaze of confusion.

“This weren’t bought by you, were they? All of them are materials we never used before!”

Min-san stood up from the stool as though she was shocked, pushed aside Major and Alice who were sneaking peeks at the cardboard box, and then looked into the pile of kelp.

“…… Hah? Ah!”

Min-san’s voice sounded like old air squeezed out from the base of her body.

“…… It’s [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pollicipes_pollicipes Turtle’s Claw]! And there’s…… dried abalones? These scallops are really big! What type are they?”

The cardboard box containing kelp was stuffed full of rare ingredients. Min-san took them all out one by one to check them out and arranged them by her feet.

“That blasted guy, he never used any of these at all……”

The addresses, numbers , company names and other information, probably names of vendors were written on the plastic bag stuffed full of various ingredients.

“His writing is terrible as usual, who knows what he’s writing!”

Min-san wiped her swollen eyes with the back of her hand, but laughed out loud.

“His personality is terrible as before, deliberately hiding it at a place like this, wanting us to discover them only after finishing up the leftover kelp……” Alice smiled in slight sarcasm as well. So he planned to let Min-san continue on trying out using kelp to cook, being mistaken to the end?

“He was like that from before.” Min-san said. However, when she took out all the ingredients and saw the bottom of the box, she couldn’t say those annoyed words anymore. I could see that she was biting her lips, frantically trying not to let something flow out.

There was some untidy writing on the base written with marker pen—

‘Next time, let me try out the ice cream you made as well!’

<center>*</center>

In the end, my ‘Life Staying At Hanamaru Ramen’ continued for about a week. Although I said that I was staying there, actually I almost never slept at all, because I had to take turns taking care of the pot of soup on the stove along with Min-san. Each ingredient that Hanada Masaru-san sent had its own specialties and wasn’t easy to cook, and so we usually had to use a few days to do mistakes. The stench of the Turtle’s Claw was particularly hard to clear away, but those hardships weren’t in vain.

On the evening of the Wednesday next week, I finally returned to my house. “Who are you? Can you not break into other people’s house as you like? I’m calling the police!” Not only did my dear sister make a dig at me like so, she never even prepared dinner for me. Because of that, I could only fill my belly with cup noodles with tears that night.

No matter how you look at it, the whole incident was completely meaningless to me, so that was the obvious outcome.

However, at least the souvenir I brought back especially— Hanamaru Ramen’s new soup, was greatly praised by my sister, causing her lose all anger at me the following day.

“I went to the place you’re working part time at for ramen before……”

She made a startling comment once more. I was completely unaware of such a fact. When did she go? Before I went there to work part time?

“The taste right now is much better!”

“But you can still taste that it’s from the shop, can’t you?”

“Yes, I can.”

It was a taste that Min-san came up with after five whole years. Even though its features had changed, the most important thing was never lost.

<center>*</center>

It would never be more perfect if the story ended just here. However, there was still more to this incident.

That day, after the club events at school ended, I went to Hanamaru Ramen somewhat earlier. As soon as I entered the kitchen, I saw Min-san looking at something in her hands.

“Hello, Min-san…… Is anything the matter?”

“Hmm? You came at just the right time……”

Min-san shoved the thing in her hands in my face, scaring me into stepping back reflexively. It was what seemed to be a rather high class silk bra.

“…… Um…… This…… Well…… Where did you get it from? Why would something like a bra appear?”

“That’s what I just received from the mail. Since it was tightly wrapped up, I haven’t the faintest clue what it was! And when I unwrapped it, it was actually something like this. What in the world do I use this for?”

I took a closer look at it. The bra before my eyes was just so small that it wouldn’t be able to bear Min-san’s large breasts no matter how it tried to. To be exact, it was a delicate mini bra that was far smaller than the usual standards.

“I’ll give this to you! That can probably be used as an eye mask, so it’s really convenient if you’re feeling sleepy in class!”

“My high school life will be totally ruined if I do that. Speaking of which, who sent this thing to you?”

“Who knows. It wasn’t written on the package.”

The mystery was only solved when I sent dan-dan noodles to Alice’s office at night.

“Oh? It’s you. Just at the right time.”

Alice waved to me on the bed, a bra in her hands as well

“Tetsu and Hiro sent me this just now, saying that it’s a gift. I only realized that it was actually such a thing when I opened it. What do you think this means? I am completely clueless.”

There was a bra of a large size in Alice’s hands, so large that it could contain a whole melon. I used up all my energy just trying to contain my sigh.

“I have no use for something like this. Let it be a present for you! You can use it as a waist bag.”

Was it Kimura Tomio or Hiro-san and Tetsu-senpai who made a mistake with the contents of the parcels, I wonder? I don’t know, and don’t want to know. In the end, the only one who could correct this mistake was only me, but I really didn’t have the energy for it.

Due to the above reasons, a pair of high class brassieres that are like the ratio of Venus and Mercury were slumbering in my wardrobe.

And when my sister noticed the two bras after that, there was a huge commotion as well. However, that would be a story for another time.

<references/>

<noinclude>
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|-
| Back to [[Kamisama no Memochou:Volume 5 Prologue|Prologue]]
| Return to [[Kamisama no Memochou|Main Page]]
| Forward to [[Kamisama no Memochou:Volume 5 Chapter 2|Chapter 2]]
|-
|}
</noinclude>

Mimizuku to Yoru no Ou: Chapter 1

2012-10-03T21:50:15Z

Sab: /* Chapter 1 - The Suicidal Mimizuku and the Human-Hating King of Night */

==Chapter 1 - The Suicidal Mimizuku and the Human-Hating King of Night==

Mimizuku awoke to the sound of birds chirping off in the distance. The light unexpectedly entered her eyes, and she blinked several times.

"Are you awake? Are you awake? Human child. Human girl."

Little by little, a voice filled her ears. Its speech was broken, and it was very hard to understand.

''Human girl.''

Like a reflex, Mimizuku relaxed the muscles around her mouth and let a laugh slip out.

"I'm not a human. I'm Mimizuku," she answered hazily, as if responding to the voice of a dream.

"Oh."

She then heard a rustling noise, like the wings of a bat.

"Are you not going to scream? Astounding. I know the mannerisms of humans well."

"Scream?" Pushing the palms of her hands against her eyes, she repeated the word, like a parrot.

"For not shrieking just from seeing me: I commend you," the voice said as Mimizuku lifted her head and grasped the shape of its origin.

However, the distance between the voice's origin and her sanpaku eyes was so small that the creature's body looked larger than any of the huge surrounding tree trunks. She took in the blackish-blue hue of its body, which obstructed her entire field of vision. It had two straight wings like a bat, and its body looked somehow human, however its torso was extremely muscular, and from each side of its body sprang two thin, prominent arms.
Two milky white horns stuck out from its forehead, and its mouth was split straight across like a nutcracker. In its mouth were a set of yellowed teeth, between which protruded a red tongue. The sheer redness of its mouth stood out quite flamboyantly. It had a mane of hair like maize leaves, and its eyes were such that the direction in which they were pointing was impossible to determine from looking at them.

It was certainly a frightening, fantastic figure. However, Mimizuku did not think it was so scary. She had never been scared of anything before.

"... Are you a monster?" Mimizuku asked, slightly tilting her neck to the side.
"I am," the strange figure nodded, its voice shaking the air.

Mimizuku, with no change in attitude, asked, "Will you eat me?"

"I will not eat you." An instant reply.

"Awww... how disappointing..." she tapered off.

The beautiful creature she saw last night wouldn't eat her, and now this monster, which looked like it would be more willing to eat her, refused to do so as well.

"Human girl. Do you wish to be eaten?"

"Yes! Yes, I do! But hey! I'm no human girl, I'm Mimizuku, MI-MI-ZU-KU." She threw her arms and legs into the air like a child having a tantrum, causing the shackles on them to shake and jangle. "Why? Why? Why won't you eat me?" Mimizuku punched the monster's tough skin several times in protest. However, Mimizuku was weak, and the monster didn't budge in the slightest. Then, he arched his back, and suddenly flapped away.

"Huh?"

Mimizuku watched as the monster's form became more or less the size of a chicken, and his true, modest height became clear to her.
The monster shook his body and, flapping his wings, flew up into the sky. He looked down at Mimizuku so that their eyes met. Their conversation continued.

"The Ieri in this forest never eat humans. Even now, as you ask me to eat you, I refuse."
Mimizuku suddenly went still. Ieri. She had heard that somewhere before. Somewhere deep in her memory were humans who also called the monsters Ieri.
With his broken way of speaking, the monster could not make Mimizuku understand his explanation. Though she understood the words, his accent made them seem to her like words from the language of some far-off country.

Like words she had never heard before.

"Why?"

It was because the monster was much smaller than Mimizuku, of course. She would probably be far too much for him to eat. But Mimizuku remembered the much larger monster she had seen, who was just the right size to devour someone like her. She asked this monster about him.

"Because, because because. You met the King of Night," the monster responded. "I cannot associate with any person which the King of Night has let go of."

"King of Night?"

"Yes, the King of Night. He who possesses the moon-eyes, he is the absolute governor of this forest."

His manner of speech betrayed deep reverence for the one whom he was speaking of. Mimizuku raised her head upon hearing his words.

"Oh, him, the one with the pretty moon eyes!" She grinned as she spoke. Eyes like the moon. There was no mistaking it. They had twinkled just like the real things. Mimizuku could still remember.

"What's with that guy?"

"He did not eat you?"

"Nope."

No matter how many times she had told him, he wouldn't eat her, so she eventually fell asleep at the roots of a nearby tree. She was able to sleep well among the scents of dirt and water wafting from the ground.

"If the case is that, then in this forest, this forest of night, there is no monster who will let you be eaten by them," the monster declared.

"I see..." Mimizuku nodded. She didn't really understand why though. In any case, if that big guy wouldn't eat her, then it didn't seem like any of the other monsters would be willing to, either. But that was bad. She had gone through so much trouble coming all the way here.

"Well then, I'm just gonna have to get eaten by him somehow."
Still unsteady from just waking, Mimizuku tottered back and forth as she stood up. But it seemed like she had shared her sleeping area with a number of others, as the blood in her legs was congested, and they were blue and numb. She tumbled back onto the roots like a fruit falling from a branch.

"What are you doing?"

"Eh, I think I'll sleep a little longer. You don't mind, do you?"

"It is your choice, but..."

The monster fluttered down and stopped right before Mimizuku's eyes.

"Young lady, you are strange."

"Strange? Maybe I am, but don't call me 'young lady.' My name's Mimizuku..."

"Mimizuku. That is the name of a nocturnal bird."

"Yeah, that's right."

"It is a good name."

Mimizuku, clearly flattered, let out a little giggle. ''Have I ever felt this happy?'' she
thought to herself.

"Mr. Monster, what's your name?"

"——＊——"

"Huh? Sorry, can you say that again?"

"It is no use. Human ears cannot grasp the name of an Ieri."

"Well then... what should I call you?"

"Call me whatever it is you like. Do all humans name themselves after animals
that they like?" The monster crossed his arms.

"Um..."

''He's not a human, though'', Mimizuku thought. She pondered for a bit, but not too deeply, before she gave a cheeky grin and said,

"Okay, I got it. How about 'Kuro'?"

"'Kuro'? The color of night..." Kuro nodded. His acceptance of the name made Mimizuku happy. Smiling, she raised the upper half of her body.

"Mimizuku. The grass is cutting you and causing your blood to flow out." Kuro reached out with his bottom-left arm and felt Mimizuku's cheek.
Mimizuku, covered in mud and cuts, simply responded with an "Oh, is that so?" If she touched her wounds, bacteria would enter and definitely cause an infection. She knew that much. But it was all right.

Grabbing onto a nearby branch, Kuro swung onto Mimizuku's head. It was strange; she couldn't feel his weight on her head at all.

"Mimizuku."

"Hm?"

"These numbers on your forehead, are they a magic spell?"

"Oh, those?" Mimizuku gave her forehead a couple of cheerful pats.
Peeking out from behind the bangs of her tawny hair were three numbers.

"I'm number three hundred thirty two," Mimizuku truthfully responded.

"What does that mean?"

"It's my number."

"Okay. But I do not understand." Kuro's response was also truthful.

"Are you angry?"

"I am not really angry, no," Kuro answered quietly. As ever, Mimizuku's heart began to beat faster.

''Am I dreaming?'' she thought for a moment. It felt strange from the very beginning. Kuro's words were words she had never heard before.

Just a little strange.

"Hey, Kuro, it's strange somehow."

"What is strange?"

"Why, are you being so nice to me?" Mimizuku asked as she stepped barefoot through the grass and the foliage. The skin on the bottoms of her feet was becoming tougher, even a pointed stone wouldn't have been able to cut them.

"I am nice?" Kuro replied contrarily.

"Yes! You're very nice," Mimizuku said, cracking a hearty smile. The chains around her ankles became tangled in the roots of a tree, and her footing became unsteady.

"Gah!"

However, her face didn't hit the ground. Just before impact, a strange sound rang. Mimizuku, who was facing forward, rebounded like a spring, and tipped backward so much that it seemed like she would fall over the other way.

"W-w-waah!"

She regained her posture in a hurry.

Somehow, she had been saved. She didn't really understand what had happened, but there was a sound like grumbling in her ears.

"I believe such an action could be considered 'kind.'" Kuro was laughing.

"Just now, was that you, Kuro?"

"Aye. It was indeed!"

"Why?" Stopping her feet, eyes upturned, she looked at Kuro. She could only see a bit of Kuro's wings in her field of vision.

"Do I need a reason? I see, humans are those sorts of creatures." To those words, Mimizuku slowly shook her head, being careful not to jeopardize Kuro's balance

"I suppose Mimizuku does not understand the matters of people. I would like to know why as well. If there is a certain way in which one must be kind, I would like to hear it."
Mimizuku heard the grumbling sound again. It seemed like that was Kuro's laughter. It hurt her ears.

Suddenly fluttering down from Mimizuku's head, Kuro appeared before her eyes and spoke.

"I want knowledge."

"Knowledge?"

"I like to know things. No matter how many books I read, I simply cannot demystify humans. You are a human. Thus, It would please me to observe you."
Mimizuku blinked emotionlessly a few times and thought about Kuro's words.

''How does he read with eyes like that?''

Whatever.

''Kuro wants to know about humans. Mimizuku is a human. It's because I'm a human that Kuro is being nice to me.''

Mimizuku groaned as she pondered.

''I think I'll stop saying to Kuro that I'm not a human.''

"Kuro! I get it! I understand! That's surprising..."

"Hoho. What has Mimizuku understood?" Kuro asked with interest, returning to Mimizuku's head.

"Even if I'm a human, there are still people who will accept me. It's kind of strange."
She walked forward. She lifted her feet with each step so as to not get the shackles above her feet caught in anything. From above her head came the sound of feathers flapping.

"I am not a human, but... you are truly a strange one." Kuro spoke with a brooding, ponderous tone.

"Ehehe..." Mimizuku laughed.

She felt very happy.

The forest called "The Forest of Night" was awash with foliage, and the drifts of leaves blowing in the wind made it seem as if the forest was sobbing convulsively. Occasionally, a sound like a bird flapping its wings could be heard, but when Mimizuku looked up, no animal presence could be seen. From afar, Mimizuku thought she could hear the sound of someone breathing, but she could never see any other monsters anywhere.

It was Kuro who volunteered to guide Mimizuku, who would have otherwise walked alone. Mimizuku felt a great surprise at this, but she had no way of expressing her feelings in words.

With Kuro on her head, she proceeded through the forest. The shackles at her feet made a loud jingling noise as she walked.

"There aren't many other monsters here, huh..."

For a forest that was supposed to be full of monsters, it was very different from what she had imagined it to be. She let out a sigh.

"It is because of the path you are taking," Kuro said from atop her head. "During the day, Ieri do not usually come to the riverbank."

"I see..."

As she walked along the side of the river, she swayed left and right. Suddenly, she kneeled down and put her hands into the water. Feeling the coldness of the running water, she rubbed her hands in it several times to wash them. The forest waterway flowed melancholically, and the water was incredibly transparent.

Then, without moving her face forward, Mimizuku splashed the river's water across her head.

Kuro fluttered backward in a panic.

"Mi, Mimizuku!"

"Ahh..."

Mimizuku raised her soaked face and bangs.

"Oh, sorry Kuro," Mimizuku said in monotone while wiping her mouth with rough, sweeping gestures. "Uugh, my face hurts!" Mimizuku scowled.

"What? But did you not drink water?"

"Yeah, I did."

"If the water is seeping into your wounds maybe it would be best to scoop it out."

Mimizuku then stared fixedly at her own hand. The hand was dangling because of weakened muscles, and it was still sparkling wet from being washed.

"Hm?"

She squeezed it and let go several times.

"Yeah..."

Tilting her neck slightly to the side, Mimizuku suddenly stood up.

"Alright Kuro! Let's go!"

Kuro mumbled an affirmation and flew back on top of Mimizuku's head. Seemingly forgetting about what they were just talking about, Mimizuku began to speak about something else.

"So, where is the 'King of Night?'"

"Straight along this way..."

Kuro rustled his wings and looked at Mimizuku.

"Do you really want to go to him, Mimizuku?"

"Do I really what?" Mimizuku responded, not understanding Kuro at all.

"You said that he told you to leave. If you expose yourself to his sight again, you can no longer consider yourself alive. When you incite his outrage, you might be turned to ash in an instant, or dissolved into water."

"Could I get eaten?"

Light filling her murky sanpaku eyes, Mimizuku truly wished that she would be eaten.

Kuro stared at her motionlessly for a moment, and then raised his upper right arm.

"It is your choice. If that is what you want, then you may go, Mimizuku. If the opportunity arises. If fate allows it, if the world allows it. It may also be that we meet again."

"Aren't you going too, Kuro?"

Kuro laughed at Mimizuku's question.

"I have not been called for."

''Is that how it works?'' Mimizuku thought. ''Maybe so.''

So he can't go if he isn't called upon. I think I know what he means. Mimizuku smiled.

"Well then, I'm gonna go."

The forest opened up its gaping green mouth. However, Mimizuku didn't think it was scary. Alone, she stepped forward into the forest.

Leaving Kuro behind, Mimizuku proceeded into the forest unhesitatingly, her shackles ringing as she went. She didn't find it disheartening that Kuro could not accompany her anymore. After all, she had traveled the long road to the forest all by herself. All that time, Mimizuku wished to be alone.

She walked forward, jangling her shackles. When she arrived at a wall of vines entwined around some trees, she forced her way through them and suddenly arrived in a large, open area.

"Waah..." Mimizuku let out involuntarily.

In the middle of the forest, there was a huge, run down mansion. However, that was a not what stole Mimizuku's eye. In front of its door was a pitch-black wing, smoother and more beautiful than a crow's. With a relaxed motion, it swayed upward.

There, Mimizuku came face to face with the King of Night for the first time.

The strains of sunlight breaking through the crevices of greenery revealed the form of the monster called the "King."

Mimizuku let out an involuntary yelp. Her teeth chattered meagerly, and her body shivered as if paralyzed.
It wasn't fear. It wasn't trepidation. She didn't know of those things. The pathways of nerves in her brain had long since been rewired against those feelings.

"Ah..." Opening her mouth halfway, unable to utter a word, she simply let out a small sound.

"Ah..."

''What do I say? What should I say?''

''That's right. I have to tell him to eat me.''

She had to say it.

"Why have you come?"

The King of Night's thin lips barely moved as he spun his cold words. His voice was frank and sharp, like an unsheathed blade.

Being stared at by those eyes, with that glare that would have frozen any normal person solid with terror, Mimizuku only received a slight jolt of surprise.

''Ohhh?''

The eyes sparkled.

''They're silver.''

Just like the moons from the night before, the King of Night's eyes now glittered in that silvery white color.

''The color of the moon,'' Mimizuku thought. ''The color of the moon, in broad daylight.''

It was different from how she remembered it, but not so much that she could mistake it for something else. Before her were surely the two small moons, shining the same light as they had before.

"So pretty..."

She let out a little gasp. Hearing it, the King of Night made an unpleasant scowl. Complicated tattoo-like patterns extended from his eyes to his cheeks.

''It's beautiful'', Mimizuku thought.

"Leave. Go back to your own place. Human girl." His words betrayed murderous intent.

Even so, Mimizuku did not hesitate in her response.

"I don't have any place to go back to," she said loudly. No one had raised his or her voice in opposition to the King of Night before.

"I don't have any place to go back to. From the very beginning, I've never had a place I could call home...!"

Because they would hit her. Because they would do nothing to her but cause her pain. Mimizuku wanted so much not to think of that place as home.

Mimizuku wanted to think that it would be better to return to any place but that one.

"Hey! Don't call me a human! I'm Mimizuku! My name's Mimizuku!" She yelled it out to the point that she became dizzy. She was used to it by now, but she felt unsteady.

Her knees gave way, and she fell kneeling onto the ground.

"Hey, eat me."

Her vision gradually began to go gray. ''Do I have to sleep?'' she thought. She wanted to continue entreating the King to eat her, but her body wouldn't do as she told it to. ''I have to sleep.''

''Your body has suffered much, and you must sleep. Someone was speaking to her.''

''Ooooh... This is strange... I wish I could drink some water...''

"Please... eat me... King of... Night..."

Mimizuku toppled over on the grass supinely, arms extended out. The two midday moons looked toward her.

"I beg you... please eat me..."

The shackles on her arms grew heavy, and her arms fell to the ground.

''Oh, those white moons, the King of Night's eyes are so beautiful,'' was all Mimizuku could think of as a drowsiness that made her feel like she was sinking into a swamp assailed her. She closed her eyelids.

''No... I want to open my eyes again,'' Mimizuku thought, her consciousness fading. It was strange. Whenever she went to sleep, she would usually hope that she never woke up again.

''If I could just see those two moons once more, I don't care if I ever open my eyes again.''

Feeling as though someone was calling her name, Mimizuku gently lifted her eyelids.

The sky was red with the sunset. The moment she comprehended the thought, something came fluttering down from above.

"Gyah!"

She unthinkingly croaked like a frog.

Propping her upper body forward, she looked at the thing that had come from the sky. Upon seeing it, her eyes almost literally popped out.

There were chocolate-vines and crimson morning glory vines among other fresh fruits she had never seen before. They all plopped down like a mountain falling from the sky in front of Mimizuku.

She gaped and looked upward. Flapping before her against the light red sky was Kuro. He was at a distance where he seemed large enough that Mimizuku could easily hug him.

"Kuro!" Mimizuku yelled. She then tried to move her arms, but was overcome by a confusing feeling.

"Eh, ah, what's this?" Mimizuku asked Kuro, pointing at the fruits burying her.

"Why, it is just what it looks like."

Kuro tossed a live fish into the air with both of his upper arms, cut its tail so that it was the same size as him, and placed it down his pomegranate-like mouth. He swallowed it whole, and then he spoke.

"Might you be hungry? Mimizuku."

"Eh, eh, eh?"

Mimizuku was incredibly confused.

"Hm? Are these... mine?" She pointed to the fruits.

"Yes. I wonder if humans could do with fish?" Kuro flew down beside Mimizuku, grabbed a tree branch, and used it to spear a fish.

He drew several circles in the air with it in a splendid fashion, and the fish was suddenly engulfed in flame. Mimizuku was surprised and taken aback, but the fire just as soon grew calmer, and a savory aroma began to hang in the air. Strangely, the tree branch didn't seem the slightest bit singed. Seeing the results, Kuro nodded, satisfied.

"Here." He held the fish out to Mimizuku.

"H-huh?"

She received it gratefully. However, Mimizuku did not entirely grasp what was happening, and she seemed to still be in a dreamlike state. Despite not understanding, she put the fish into her mouth. Her instincts taking over, she greedily devoured it. The inside was somewhat rare, but the flavor didn't matter to Mimizuku. Whatever she could eat was good enough for her.

''Have I eaten something like this before?'' The thought seemed to sweep over the back of her head.

"Tell me one thing Mimizuku. Does a dead fish not try to run away?" Kuro asked, rustling his wings. Mimizuku listened as she ate the whole fish, all the way to the eyes, grinding the meat to shreds in her mouth.

"Hey, Kuro. Why are you here?" Mimizuku looked around the vicinity. She was still in front of the King of Night's mansion. The King himself, however, had gone off somewhere, as she couldn't see him anywhere.

"Hmph," Kuro responded. He crossed his upper arms. "It is hard for me to say as well."

He then flew back up into the air and tapped on Mimizuku's head.

"Fate has given you leave. Was it nocturnal luminescence that allowed you to make it? Indeed, it is hard to say. That is why I must ask you, Mimizuku."

Mimizuku blinked a few times.

"Not discounting death, do you wish to remain here? Mimizuku."

"Eh, is it really alright if I stay?" Mimizuku spoke in a loud, joyful voice. "Hey, Kuro! Is it really alright for me to stay?"

"I will not promise any good to come of it. You might be killed tomorrow. Is that okay with you?"

Mimizuku smiled at Kuro's words and flopped onto the ground once again.

Having eaten so much food so quickly, her stomach was starting to ache.

"You know, Kuro..." Mimizuku smiled and held out her arms. Her shackles rang as if singing.

"My only happiness would come from being eaten by the King of Night," said Mimizuku, chuckling happily.

And then, the suicidal horned owl sighed gently.

"Ah, I could die happily like that."

Mimizuku smiled.

"Hmph." Kuro gave a slight nod. "You are quite miserable," he sighed.

Mimizuku didn't understand his words, so she just laughed cursorily.

"Hey, Kuro."

"What? Mimizuku."

"The King of Night is beautiful, isn't he?" Mimizuku said happily.

Kuro was unsure of how to respond.

"Of course. He is a king, after all."

Mimizuku let out a chuckle at his words again.

The curtain of night spread across the forest of monsters.

''Oh, the King of Night's eyes have changed to gold,'' Mimizuku thought absentmindedly, straining her eyes at the heavens.

''So this is what happiness is like.''

<noinclude>
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|-
| Return to [[Mimizuku to Yoru no Ou|Main Page]]
| Back to [[Mimizuku to Yoru no Ou: Prologue|Prologue]]
| Forward to [[Mimizuku to Yoru no Ou: Chapter 2|Chapter 2]]
|-
|}
</noinclude>

User talk:Magykalman

2012-09-23T17:44:22Z

Sab: /* Oda Nobuna */

== '''Updates''' ==

Aey! So hi guys. Just a before-hand reminder: Will be preparing for EOY Exams starting 24th September to 19th Oct. Will be inactive during this period. No edits or translation will be done, but talks can still continue. Will check board but not start work. After Exams, I think work will speed up really fast. :D -- [[user:Magykalman|Magykalman]]

== Campione ==

There's no need to ask for permission. You simply have to post your name under "'''Editors'''" on its main page and there...you are a part of it. :D --[[User:Chancs|Chancs]] ([[User talk:Chancs|talk]]) 12:33, 6 September 2012 (CDT)

That's not quite right. At least for Campione, the editor-section on the project page is for the editors with a decent amount of contributions. I tend to purge it from time to time. Still, you can just start editing and once you've done enough, you'll become an "official editor" sooner or later anyway. Not that it changes much.--[[User:Kadi|Kadi]] ([[User talk:Kadi|talk]]) 12:56, 6 September 2012 (CDT)

Okay I'll take note of that. Thanks for the advice! :D but may I ask you what by means is "decent"? Sorry kinda new to this community... Thx... --[[User:Magykalman|Magykalman]] ([[User talk:Magykalman|talk]]) 8:00 7 September 2012 (CDT)

Changing typos in 10 lines total and disappearing is not enough. Nukie's been doing a few lines for every part zzhk translates for Campione, and he keeps doing it, so I gladly keep his name on the list. Taking part in the Campione discussions on the forum and becoming a part of the community there is also a welcome sight. We always need ideas, opinions, feedback for terminology.--[[User:Kadi|Kadi]] ([[User talk:Kadi|talk]]) 20:48, 6 September 2012 (CDT)

Ah that I know. So can I start work ASAP? As in starting from volume 1 and editing from then on. Really liked the anime series, so wanted to have a good look into the light novel. :) but just a note, can you post the forum Page here for me to bookmark it? Thx a lot. :D
--[[User:Magykalman|Magykalman]] ([[User talk:Magykalman|talk]]) 12:20 7 September 2012 (CDT)

Yes you can start right away. [http://www.baka-tsuki.org/forums/viewforum.php?f=63 Campione Subforum]. About the questions on my talk page: Yes you can make such changes, but I don't even see much of a difference in flow and actually, if that's all you change I prefer the current version. Why don't you try finding a solution that improves the flow more? "whether it's now or then", while slgihtly better, loses the "development from the past to the present"-nuance though... Second question: Magi are afraid of campione, knowing their power. They also call them kings and as usual with kings, their whims can be devastating, all the more so with devil kings who are... how do I explain devil king...~~--[[User:Kadi|Kadi]] ([[User talk:Kadi|talk]]) 05:31, 7 September 2012 (CDT)

LOL okay thx for the explanation of a Magi! XD --[[User:Magykalman|Magykalman]] ([[User talk:Magykalman|talk]]) 18:50 7 September 2012 (CDT)

== Oda Nobuna==
Some of the sentences need tweaking, I'll have a go through them when I am free. Also try and keep the sentence tense the same. For example I noticed you changed 'become' to 'becoming'. I am undoing the updates as of now.

Kcan. Just that I thought that it would be better. ^.^ it's okay if you changed it back. But erm...who are you? --[[User:Magykalman|Magykalman]] ([[User talk:Magykalman|talk]]) 15:32 7 September 2012 (CDT)

Oh yeah. Means I stop editing for now? --[[User:Magykalman|Magykalman]] ([[User talk:Magykalman|talk]]) 15:40 7 September 2012 (CDT)

Nah, it's good that you're doing it, but each series has a different style required for editing. I'll approve your edits once I have a go through them, I have been extremely busy over the past week due to RL stuff --[[User:Akuma|Akuma]] ([[User talk:Akuma|talk]]) 05:05, 8 September 2012 (CDT)

Okie. ^^ will get back after finish translating a chapter of Denpa. :) And good luck to your RL stuff. :D
--[[User:Magykalman|Magykalman]] ([[User talk:Magykalman|talk]]) 20:35, 8 September 2012 (CDT)

Actually I think it is still needed, unless you change "helmet" to something else. For example, if you change the order of "helmet" and "armor" in the sentence, "She wasn't wearing helmet or any armor" would be incorrect, but "She wasn't wearing a helmet or any armor" would be correct. You could also change it to "She wasn't wearing any armor or her helmet" or add another modifier. This would also apply to any other singular noun that Nobuna might have. Plural nouns would be okay without an "a". For example, "She wasn't wearing any armor or gear" would be okay because "gear" can be plural and refer to multiple items, but "She wasn't wearing any armor or sword" would require an "a" or the change of "sword" into "swords". A noun like "helmet" in the sentence does not require a modifier like "a" if it is a proper noun like a person's name, if it's a plural noun like "helmets", or if it's a mass noun like "information". Sorry for the long wall of text, we can ask Akuma or someone if we still disagree on this.
[[User:Sab|Sab]] ([[User talk:Sab|talk]]) 11:05, 23 September 2012 (CDT)

== Oreimo ==

Hi Magykalman! I noticed that you registered to translate volume 3 of Oreimo. However, do you know that volume 3 is already translated by [http://oreimothetranslation.wordpress.com/ NanoDesu]? And he's translating volume 4 right now. I suggest if you want to translate Oreimo to jump a few volumes like Kevadu. Well, no one will stop you if you want to redone the translation though. [[User:Arczyx|Arczyx]] ([[User talk:Arczyx|talk]]) 00:32, 8 September 2012 (CDT)

Ah hi there. Sorry bout that I didn't know that someone was translating volume 3 afterwords. Cause since nobody translated and registered for the the afterwords section, I decided to translate it. Sorry bout that. [[user: Magykalman|Magykalman]] (13:44 8 September 2012
P. S. Oh yeah and can I do volume 7 then? Thx.

You can do it. But you just drop note to the project supervisor on the Wiki and/or the forum (PM) for the smooth approach. --[[User:Chancs|Chancs]] ([[User talk:Chancs|talk]]) 01:30, 8 September 2012 (CDT)

Okay sure thanks a lot! :D - - [[User:Magykalman|Magykalman]] 14:52 8 September 2012

== Denpa Onna to Seishun Otoko ==

Sure, you just need to edit to be an editor. The project probably just needs more chapters to be approved. And of course, you are free to translate it if you wish to. Just register the chapter you are translating on the registration page so there won't be any redundant work done. --[[User:Zephyrus|Zephyrus]] ([[User talk:Zephyrus|talk]]) 03:24, 8 September 2012 (CDT)

Um...So I think I'll leave chapter 2, 3, 4 of Volume 1 to you and translate from then onwards? :D --[[User:Magykalman|Magykalman]] ([[User talk:Magykalman|talk]]) 20:31, 8 September 2012 (CDT)

From what I can gather from the Japanese version,淑女车, チャリンコ(charinko), refers to bicycles with bells, since they write the ringing of bells as 'charin'. So i believe that there are probably no good replacements for the term, and it will suffice to just write it as a bike/bicycle. --[[User:Zephyrus|Zephyrus]] ([[User talk:Zephyrus|talk]]) 08:50, 10 September 2012 (CDT)

Ah okay! Thx alot. ^^ --[[user:Magykalman|Magykalman]] 22:30, 11 September 2012 (CDT)

==Sakurasou no Petto na Kanojo==
What is this? --[[User:Darklor|Darklor]] ([[User talk:Darklor|talk]]) 03:03, 14 September 2012 (CDT)

? What do you mean? O.O -- [[user:Magykalman |Magykalman ]]

User talk:Magykalman

2012-09-23T16:15:57Z

Sab: /* Oda Nobuna */

== '''Updates''' ==

Aey! So hi guys. Just a before-hand reminder: Will be preparing for EOY Exams starting 24th September to 19th Oct. Will be inactive during this period. No edits or translation will be done, but talks can still continue. Will check board but not start work. After Exams, I think work will speed up really fast. :D -- [[user:Magykalman|Magykalman]]

== Campione ==

There's no need to ask for permission. You simply have to post your name under "'''Editors'''" on its main page and there...you are a part of it. :D --[[User:Chancs|Chancs]] ([[User talk:Chancs|talk]]) 12:33, 6 September 2012 (CDT)

That's not quite right. At least for Campione, the editor-section on the project page is for the editors with a decent amount of contributions. I tend to purge it from time to time. Still, you can just start editing and once you've done enough, you'll become an "official editor" sooner or later anyway. Not that it changes much.--[[User:Kadi|Kadi]] ([[User talk:Kadi|talk]]) 12:56, 6 September 2012 (CDT)

Okay I'll take note of that. Thanks for the advice! :D but may I ask you what by means is "decent"? Sorry kinda new to this community... Thx... --[[User:Magykalman|Magykalman]] ([[User talk:Magykalman|talk]]) 8:00 7 September 2012 (CDT)

Changing typos in 10 lines total and disappearing is not enough. Nukie's been doing a few lines for every part zzhk translates for Campione, and he keeps doing it, so I gladly keep his name on the list. Taking part in the Campione discussions on the forum and becoming a part of the community there is also a welcome sight. We always need ideas, opinions, feedback for terminology.--[[User:Kadi|Kadi]] ([[User talk:Kadi|talk]]) 20:48, 6 September 2012 (CDT)

Ah that I know. So can I start work ASAP? As in starting from volume 1 and editing from then on. Really liked the anime series, so wanted to have a good look into the light novel. :) but just a note, can you post the forum Page here for me to bookmark it? Thx a lot. :D
--[[User:Magykalman|Magykalman]] ([[User talk:Magykalman|talk]]) 12:20 7 September 2012 (CDT)

Yes you can start right away. [http://www.baka-tsuki.org/forums/viewforum.php?f=63 Campione Subforum]. About the questions on my talk page: Yes you can make such changes, but I don't even see much of a difference in flow and actually, if that's all you change I prefer the current version. Why don't you try finding a solution that improves the flow more? "whether it's now or then", while slgihtly better, loses the "development from the past to the present"-nuance though... Second question: Magi are afraid of campione, knowing their power. They also call them kings and as usual with kings, their whims can be devastating, all the more so with devil kings who are... how do I explain devil king...~~--[[User:Kadi|Kadi]] ([[User talk:Kadi|talk]]) 05:31, 7 September 2012 (CDT)

LOL okay thx for the explanation of a Magi! XD --[[User:Magykalman|Magykalman]] ([[User talk:Magykalman|talk]]) 18:50 7 September 2012 (CDT)

== Oda Nobuna==
Some of the sentences need tweaking, I'll have a go through them when I am free. Also try and keep the sentence tense the same. For example I noticed you changed 'become' to 'becoming'. I am undoing the updates as of now.

Kcan. Just that I thought that it would be better. ^.^ it's okay if you changed it back. But erm...who are you? --[[User:Magykalman|Magykalman]] ([[User talk:Magykalman|talk]]) 15:32 7 September 2012 (CDT)

Oh yeah. Means I stop editing for now? --[[User:Magykalman|Magykalman]] ([[User talk:Magykalman|talk]]) 15:40 7 September 2012 (CDT)

Nah, it's good that you're doing it, but each series has a different style required for editing. I'll approve your edits once I have a go through them, I have been extremely busy over the past week due to RL stuff --[[User:Akuma|Akuma]] ([[User talk:Akuma|talk]]) 05:05, 8 September 2012 (CDT)

Okie. ^^ will get back after finish translating a chapter of Denpa. :) And good luck to your RL stuff. :D
--[[User:Magykalman|Magykalman]] ([[User talk:Magykalman|talk]]) 20:35, 8 September 2012 (CDT)

Actually I think it is still needed, unless you change "helmet" to something else. For example, if you change the order of "helmet" and "armor" in the sentence, "She wasn't wearing helmet or any armor" would be incorrect, but "She wasn't wearing a helmet or any armor" would be correct. You could also change it to "She wasn't wearing any armor or her helmet" or add another modifier. This would also apply to any other singular noun that Nobuna might have. Plural nouns would be okay without an "a". For example, "She wasn't wearing any armor or gear" would be okay because "gear" can be plural and refer to multiple items, but "She wasn't wearing any armor or sword" would require an "a" or the change of "sword" into "swords". Sorry for the long wall of text, we can ask Akuma or someone if we still disagree on this.
[[User:Sab|Sab]] ([[User talk:Sab|talk]]) 11:05, 23 September 2012 (CDT)

== Oreimo ==

Hi Magykalman! I noticed that you registered to translate volume 3 of Oreimo. However, do you know that volume 3 is already translated by [http://oreimothetranslation.wordpress.com/ NanoDesu]? And he's translating volume 4 right now. I suggest if you want to translate Oreimo to jump a few volumes like Kevadu. Well, no one will stop you if you want to redone the translation though. [[User:Arczyx|Arczyx]] ([[User talk:Arczyx|talk]]) 00:32, 8 September 2012 (CDT)

Ah hi there. Sorry bout that I didn't know that someone was translating volume 3 afterwords. Cause since nobody translated and registered for the the afterwords section, I decided to translate it. Sorry bout that. [[user: Magykalman|Magykalman]] (13:44 8 September 2012
P. S. Oh yeah and can I do volume 7 then? Thx.

You can do it. But you just drop note to the project supervisor on the Wiki and/or the forum (PM) for the smooth approach. --[[User:Chancs|Chancs]] ([[User talk:Chancs|talk]]) 01:30, 8 September 2012 (CDT)

Okay sure thanks a lot! :D - - [[User:Magykalman|Magykalman]] 14:52 8 September 2012

== Denpa Onna to Seishun Otoko ==

Sure, you just need to edit to be an editor. The project probably just needs more chapters to be approved. And of course, you are free to translate it if you wish to. Just register the chapter you are translating on the registration page so there won't be any redundant work done. --[[User:Zephyrus|Zephyrus]] ([[User talk:Zephyrus|talk]]) 03:24, 8 September 2012 (CDT)

Um...So I think I'll leave chapter 2, 3, 4 of Volume 1 to you and translate from then onwards? :D --[[User:Magykalman|Magykalman]] ([[User talk:Magykalman|talk]]) 20:31, 8 September 2012 (CDT)

From what I can gather from the Japanese version,淑女车, チャリンコ(charinko), refers to bicycles with bells, since they write the ringing of bells as 'charin'. So i believe that there are probably no good replacements for the term, and it will suffice to just write it as a bike/bicycle. --[[User:Zephyrus|Zephyrus]] ([[User talk:Zephyrus|talk]]) 08:50, 10 September 2012 (CDT)

Ah okay! Thx alot. ^^ --[[user:Magykalman|Magykalman]] 22:30, 11 September 2012 (CDT)

==Sakurasou no Petto na Kanojo==
What is this? --[[User:Darklor|Darklor]] ([[User talk:Darklor|talk]]) 03:03, 14 September 2012 (CDT)

? What do you mean? O.O -- [[user:Magykalman |Magykalman ]]

User talk:Magykalman

2012-09-23T16:10:53Z

Sab: /* Oda Nobuna */

== '''Updates''' ==

Aey! So hi guys. Just a before-hand reminder: Will be preparing for EOY Exams starting 24th September to 19th Oct. Will be inactive during this period. No edits or translation will be done, but talks can still continue. Will check board but not start work. After Exams, I think work will speed up really fast. :D -- [[user:Magykalman|Magykalman]]

== Campione ==

There's no need to ask for permission. You simply have to post your name under "'''Editors'''" on its main page and there...you are a part of it. :D --[[User:Chancs|Chancs]] ([[User talk:Chancs|talk]]) 12:33, 6 September 2012 (CDT)

That's not quite right. At least for Campione, the editor-section on the project page is for the editors with a decent amount of contributions. I tend to purge it from time to time. Still, you can just start editing and once you've done enough, you'll become an "official editor" sooner or later anyway. Not that it changes much.--[[User:Kadi|Kadi]] ([[User talk:Kadi|talk]]) 12:56, 6 September 2012 (CDT)

Okay I'll take note of that. Thanks for the advice! :D but may I ask you what by means is "decent"? Sorry kinda new to this community... Thx... --[[User:Magykalman|Magykalman]] ([[User talk:Magykalman|talk]]) 8:00 7 September 2012 (CDT)

Changing typos in 10 lines total and disappearing is not enough. Nukie's been doing a few lines for every part zzhk translates for Campione, and he keeps doing it, so I gladly keep his name on the list. Taking part in the Campione discussions on the forum and becoming a part of the community there is also a welcome sight. We always need ideas, opinions, feedback for terminology.--[[User:Kadi|Kadi]] ([[User talk:Kadi|talk]]) 20:48, 6 September 2012 (CDT)

Ah that I know. So can I start work ASAP? As in starting from volume 1 and editing from then on. Really liked the anime series, so wanted to have a good look into the light novel. :) but just a note, can you post the forum Page here for me to bookmark it? Thx a lot. :D
--[[User:Magykalman|Magykalman]] ([[User talk:Magykalman|talk]]) 12:20 7 September 2012 (CDT)

Yes you can start right away. [http://www.baka-tsuki.org/forums/viewforum.php?f=63 Campione Subforum]. About the questions on my talk page: Yes you can make such changes, but I don't even see much of a difference in flow and actually, if that's all you change I prefer the current version. Why don't you try finding a solution that improves the flow more? "whether it's now or then", while slgihtly better, loses the "development from the past to the present"-nuance though... Second question: Magi are afraid of campione, knowing their power. They also call them kings and as usual with kings, their whims can be devastating, all the more so with devil kings who are... how do I explain devil king...~~--[[User:Kadi|Kadi]] ([[User talk:Kadi|talk]]) 05:31, 7 September 2012 (CDT)

LOL okay thx for the explanation of a Magi! XD --[[User:Magykalman|Magykalman]] ([[User talk:Magykalman|talk]]) 18:50 7 September 2012 (CDT)

== Oda Nobuna==
Some of the sentences need tweaking, I'll have a go through them when I am free. Also try and keep the sentence tense the same. For example I noticed you changed 'become' to 'becoming'. I am undoing the updates as of now.

Kcan. Just that I thought that it would be better. ^.^ it's okay if you changed it back. But erm...who are you? --[[User:Magykalman|Magykalman]] ([[User talk:Magykalman|talk]]) 15:32 7 September 2012 (CDT)

Oh yeah. Means I stop editing for now? --[[User:Magykalman|Magykalman]] ([[User talk:Magykalman|talk]]) 15:40 7 September 2012 (CDT)

Nah, it's good that you're doing it, but each series has a different style required for editing. I'll approve your edits once I have a go through them, I have been extremely busy over the past week due to RL stuff --[[User:Akuma|Akuma]] ([[User talk:Akuma|talk]]) 05:05, 8 September 2012 (CDT)

Okie. ^^ will get back after finish translating a chapter of Denpa. :) And good luck to your RL stuff. :D
--[[User:Magykalman|Magykalman]] ([[User talk:Magykalman|talk]]) 20:35, 8 September 2012 (CDT)

Actually it is still needed, unless you change "helmet" to something else. For example, if you change the order of "helmet" and "armor" in the sentence, "She wasn't wearing helmet or any armor" would be incorrect, but "She wasn't wearing a helmet or any armor" would be correct. You could also change it to "She wasn't wearing any armor or her helmet" or add another modifier. This would also apply to any other singular noun that Nobuna might have. Plural nouns would be okay without an "a". For example, "She wasn't wearing any armor or gear" would be okay because "gear" can be plural and refer to multiple items, but "She wasn't wearing any armor or sword" would require an "a" or the change of "sword" into "swords".
[[User:Sab|Sab]] ([[User talk:Sab|talk]]) 11:05, 23 September 2012 (CDT)

== Oreimo ==

Hi Magykalman! I noticed that you registered to translate volume 3 of Oreimo. However, do you know that volume 3 is already translated by [http://oreimothetranslation.wordpress.com/ NanoDesu]? And he's translating volume 4 right now. I suggest if you want to translate Oreimo to jump a few volumes like Kevadu. Well, no one will stop you if you want to redone the translation though. [[User:Arczyx|Arczyx]] ([[User talk:Arczyx|talk]]) 00:32, 8 September 2012 (CDT)

Ah hi there. Sorry bout that I didn't know that someone was translating volume 3 afterwords. Cause since nobody translated and registered for the the afterwords section, I decided to translate it. Sorry bout that. [[user: Magykalman|Magykalman]] (13:44 8 September 2012
P. S. Oh yeah and can I do volume 7 then? Thx.

You can do it. But you just drop note to the project supervisor on the Wiki and/or the forum (PM) for the smooth approach. --[[User:Chancs|Chancs]] ([[User talk:Chancs|talk]]) 01:30, 8 September 2012 (CDT)

Okay sure thanks a lot! :D - - [[User:Magykalman|Magykalman]] 14:52 8 September 2012

== Denpa Onna to Seishun Otoko ==

Sure, you just need to edit to be an editor. The project probably just needs more chapters to be approved. And of course, you are free to translate it if you wish to. Just register the chapter you are translating on the registration page so there won't be any redundant work done. --[[User:Zephyrus|Zephyrus]] ([[User talk:Zephyrus|talk]]) 03:24, 8 September 2012 (CDT)

Um...So I think I'll leave chapter 2, 3, 4 of Volume 1 to you and translate from then onwards? :D --[[User:Magykalman|Magykalman]] ([[User talk:Magykalman|talk]]) 20:31, 8 September 2012 (CDT)

From what I can gather from the Japanese version,淑女车, チャリンコ(charinko), refers to bicycles with bells, since they write the ringing of bells as 'charin'. So i believe that there are probably no good replacements for the term, and it will suffice to just write it as a bike/bicycle. --[[User:Zephyrus|Zephyrus]] ([[User talk:Zephyrus|talk]]) 08:50, 10 September 2012 (CDT)

Ah okay! Thx alot. ^^ --[[user:Magykalman|Magykalman]] 22:30, 11 September 2012 (CDT)

==Sakurasou no Petto na Kanojo==
What is this? --[[User:Darklor|Darklor]] ([[User talk:Darklor|talk]]) 03:03, 14 September 2012 (CDT)

? What do you mean? O.O -- [[user:Magykalman |Magykalman ]]

User talk:Magykalman

2012-09-23T16:05:27Z

Sab: /* Oda Nobuna */

== '''Updates''' ==

Aey! So hi guys. Just a before-hand reminder: Will be preparing for EOY Exams starting 24th September to 19th Oct. Will be inactive during this period. No edits or translation will be done, but talks can still continue. Will check board but not start work. After Exams, I think work will speed up really fast. :D -- [[user:Magykalman|Magykalman]]

== Campione ==

There's no need to ask for permission. You simply have to post your name under "'''Editors'''" on its main page and there...you are a part of it. :D --[[User:Chancs|Chancs]] ([[User talk:Chancs|talk]]) 12:33, 6 September 2012 (CDT)

That's not quite right. At least for Campione, the editor-section on the project page is for the editors with a decent amount of contributions. I tend to purge it from time to time. Still, you can just start editing and once you've done enough, you'll become an "official editor" sooner or later anyway. Not that it changes much.--[[User:Kadi|Kadi]] ([[User talk:Kadi|talk]]) 12:56, 6 September 2012 (CDT)

Okay I'll take note of that. Thanks for the advice! :D but may I ask you what by means is "decent"? Sorry kinda new to this community... Thx... --[[User:Magykalman|Magykalman]] ([[User talk:Magykalman|talk]]) 8:00 7 September 2012 (CDT)

Changing typos in 10 lines total and disappearing is not enough. Nukie's been doing a few lines for every part zzhk translates for Campione, and he keeps doing it, so I gladly keep his name on the list. Taking part in the Campione discussions on the forum and becoming a part of the community there is also a welcome sight. We always need ideas, opinions, feedback for terminology.--[[User:Kadi|Kadi]] ([[User talk:Kadi|talk]]) 20:48, 6 September 2012 (CDT)

Ah that I know. So can I start work ASAP? As in starting from volume 1 and editing from then on. Really liked the anime series, so wanted to have a good look into the light novel. :) but just a note, can you post the forum Page here for me to bookmark it? Thx a lot. :D
--[[User:Magykalman|Magykalman]] ([[User talk:Magykalman|talk]]) 12:20 7 September 2012 (CDT)

Yes you can start right away. [http://www.baka-tsuki.org/forums/viewforum.php?f=63 Campione Subforum]. About the questions on my talk page: Yes you can make such changes, but I don't even see much of a difference in flow and actually, if that's all you change I prefer the current version. Why don't you try finding a solution that improves the flow more? "whether it's now or then", while slgihtly better, loses the "development from the past to the present"-nuance though... Second question: Magi are afraid of campione, knowing their power. They also call them kings and as usual with kings, their whims can be devastating, all the more so with devil kings who are... how do I explain devil king...~~--[[User:Kadi|Kadi]] ([[User talk:Kadi|talk]]) 05:31, 7 September 2012 (CDT)

LOL okay thx for the explanation of a Magi! XD --[[User:Magykalman|Magykalman]] ([[User talk:Magykalman|talk]]) 18:50 7 September 2012 (CDT)

== Oda Nobuna==
Some of the sentences need tweaking, I'll have a go through them when I am free. Also try and keep the sentence tense the same. For example I noticed you changed 'become' to 'becoming'. I am undoing the updates as of now.

Kcan. Just that I thought that it would be better. ^.^ it's okay if you changed it back. But erm...who are you? --[[User:Magykalman|Magykalman]] ([[User talk:Magykalman|talk]]) 15:32 7 September 2012 (CDT)

Oh yeah. Means I stop editing for now? --[[User:Magykalman|Magykalman]] ([[User talk:Magykalman|talk]]) 15:40 7 September 2012 (CDT)

Nah, it's good that you're doing it, but each series has a different style required for editing. I'll approve your edits once I have a go through them, I have been extremely busy over the past week due to RL stuff --[[User:Akuma|Akuma]] ([[User talk:Akuma|talk]]) 05:05, 8 September 2012 (CDT)

Okie. ^^ will get back after finish translating a chapter of Denpa. :) And good luck to your RL stuff. :D
--[[User:Magykalman|Magykalman]] ([[User talk:Magykalman|talk]]) 20:35, 8 September 2012 (CDT)

Actually it is still needed, unless you change "helmet" to something else. For example, if you change the order of "helmet" and "armor" in the sentence, "She wasn't wearing helmet or any armor" would be incorrect, but "She wasn't wearing a helmet or any armor" would be correct. You could also change it to "She wasn't wearing any armor or her helmet" or add another modifier.
[[User:Sab|Sab]] ([[User talk:Sab|talk]]) 11:05, 23 September 2012 (CDT)

== Oreimo ==

Hi Magykalman! I noticed that you registered to translate volume 3 of Oreimo. However, do you know that volume 3 is already translated by [http://oreimothetranslation.wordpress.com/ NanoDesu]? And he's translating volume 4 right now. I suggest if you want to translate Oreimo to jump a few volumes like Kevadu. Well, no one will stop you if you want to redone the translation though. [[User:Arczyx|Arczyx]] ([[User talk:Arczyx|talk]]) 00:32, 8 September 2012 (CDT)

Ah hi there. Sorry bout that I didn't know that someone was translating volume 3 afterwords. Cause since nobody translated and registered for the the afterwords section, I decided to translate it. Sorry bout that. [[user: Magykalman|Magykalman]] (13:44 8 September 2012
P. S. Oh yeah and can I do volume 7 then? Thx.

You can do it. But you just drop note to the project supervisor on the Wiki and/or the forum (PM) for the smooth approach. --[[User:Chancs|Chancs]] ([[User talk:Chancs|talk]]) 01:30, 8 September 2012 (CDT)

Okay sure thanks a lot! :D - - [[User:Magykalman|Magykalman]] 14:52 8 September 2012

== Denpa Onna to Seishun Otoko ==

Sure, you just need to edit to be an editor. The project probably just needs more chapters to be approved. And of course, you are free to translate it if you wish to. Just register the chapter you are translating on the registration page so there won't be any redundant work done. --[[User:Zephyrus|Zephyrus]] ([[User talk:Zephyrus|talk]]) 03:24, 8 September 2012 (CDT)

Um...So I think I'll leave chapter 2, 3, 4 of Volume 1 to you and translate from then onwards? :D --[[User:Magykalman|Magykalman]] ([[User talk:Magykalman|talk]]) 20:31, 8 September 2012 (CDT)

From what I can gather from the Japanese version,淑女车, チャリンコ(charinko), refers to bicycles with bells, since they write the ringing of bells as 'charin'. So i believe that there are probably no good replacements for the term, and it will suffice to just write it as a bike/bicycle. --[[User:Zephyrus|Zephyrus]] ([[User talk:Zephyrus|talk]]) 08:50, 10 September 2012 (CDT)

Ah okay! Thx alot. ^^ --[[user:Magykalman|Magykalman]] 22:30, 11 September 2012 (CDT)

==Sakurasou no Petto na Kanojo==
What is this? --[[User:Darklor|Darklor]] ([[User talk:Darklor|talk]]) 03:03, 14 September 2012 (CDT)

? What do you mean? O.O -- [[user:Magykalman |Magykalman ]]

User talk:Magykalman

2012-09-23T16:03:29Z

Sab: /* Oda Nobuna */

== '''Updates''' ==

Aey! So hi guys. Just a before-hand reminder: Will be preparing for EOY Exams starting 24th September to 19th Oct. Will be inactive during this period. No edits or translation will be done, but talks can still continue. Will check board but not start work. After Exams, I think work will speed up really fast. :D -- [[user:Magykalman|Magykalman]]

== Campione ==

There's no need to ask for permission. You simply have to post your name under "'''Editors'''" on its main page and there...you are a part of it. :D --[[User:Chancs|Chancs]] ([[User talk:Chancs|talk]]) 12:33, 6 September 2012 (CDT)

That's not quite right. At least for Campione, the editor-section on the project page is for the editors with a decent amount of contributions. I tend to purge it from time to time. Still, you can just start editing and once you've done enough, you'll become an "official editor" sooner or later anyway. Not that it changes much.--[[User:Kadi|Kadi]] ([[User talk:Kadi|talk]]) 12:56, 6 September 2012 (CDT)

Okay I'll take note of that. Thanks for the advice! :D but may I ask you what by means is "decent"? Sorry kinda new to this community... Thx... --[[User:Magykalman|Magykalman]] ([[User talk:Magykalman|talk]]) 8:00 7 September 2012 (CDT)

Changing typos in 10 lines total and disappearing is not enough. Nukie's been doing a few lines for every part zzhk translates for Campione, and he keeps doing it, so I gladly keep his name on the list. Taking part in the Campione discussions on the forum and becoming a part of the community there is also a welcome sight. We always need ideas, opinions, feedback for terminology.--[[User:Kadi|Kadi]] ([[User talk:Kadi|talk]]) 20:48, 6 September 2012 (CDT)

Ah that I know. So can I start work ASAP? As in starting from volume 1 and editing from then on. Really liked the anime series, so wanted to have a good look into the light novel. :) but just a note, can you post the forum Page here for me to bookmark it? Thx a lot. :D
--[[User:Magykalman|Magykalman]] ([[User talk:Magykalman|talk]]) 12:20 7 September 2012 (CDT)

Yes you can start right away. [http://www.baka-tsuki.org/forums/viewforum.php?f=63 Campione Subforum]. About the questions on my talk page: Yes you can make such changes, but I don't even see much of a difference in flow and actually, if that's all you change I prefer the current version. Why don't you try finding a solution that improves the flow more? "whether it's now or then", while slgihtly better, loses the "development from the past to the present"-nuance though... Second question: Magi are afraid of campione, knowing their power. They also call them kings and as usual with kings, their whims can be devastating, all the more so with devil kings who are... how do I explain devil king...~~--[[User:Kadi|Kadi]] ([[User talk:Kadi|talk]]) 05:31, 7 September 2012 (CDT)

LOL okay thx for the explanation of a Magi! XD --[[User:Magykalman|Magykalman]] ([[User talk:Magykalman|talk]]) 18:50 7 September 2012 (CDT)

== Oda Nobuna==
Some of the sentences need tweaking, I'll have a go through them when I am free. Also try and keep the sentence tense the same. For example I noticed you changed 'become' to 'becoming'. I am undoing the updates as of now.

Kcan. Just that I thought that it would be better. ^.^ it's okay if you changed it back. But erm...who are you? --[[User:Magykalman|Magykalman]] ([[User talk:Magykalman|talk]]) 15:32 7 September 2012 (CDT)

Oh yeah. Means I stop editing for now? --[[User:Magykalman|Magykalman]] ([[User talk:Magykalman|talk]]) 15:40 7 September 2012 (CDT)

Nah, it's good that you're doing it, but each series has a different style required for editing. I'll approve your edits once I have a go through them, I have been extremely busy over the past week due to RL stuff --[[User:Akuma|Akuma]] ([[User talk:Akuma|talk]]) 05:05, 8 September 2012 (CDT)

Okie. ^^ will get back after finish translating a chapter of Denpa. :) And good luck to your RL stuff. :D
--[[User:Magykalman|Magykalman]] ([[User talk:Magykalman|talk]]) 20:35, 8 September 2012 (CDT)

Actually it is still needed, unless you change "helmet" to something else. For example, if you change the order of "helmet" and "armor" in the sentence, "She wasn't wearing helmet or any armor" would be incorrect, but "She wasn't wearing a helmet or any armor" would be correct. You could also change it to "She wasn't wearing any armor or her helmet" or add another modifier.

== Oreimo ==

Hi Magykalman! I noticed that you registered to translate volume 3 of Oreimo. However, do you know that volume 3 is already translated by [http://oreimothetranslation.wordpress.com/ NanoDesu]? And he's translating volume 4 right now. I suggest if you want to translate Oreimo to jump a few volumes like Kevadu. Well, no one will stop you if you want to redone the translation though. [[User:Arczyx|Arczyx]] ([[User talk:Arczyx|talk]]) 00:32, 8 September 2012 (CDT)

Ah hi there. Sorry bout that I didn't know that someone was translating volume 3 afterwords. Cause since nobody translated and registered for the the afterwords section, I decided to translate it. Sorry bout that. [[user: Magykalman|Magykalman]] (13:44 8 September 2012
P. S. Oh yeah and can I do volume 7 then? Thx.

You can do it. But you just drop note to the project supervisor on the Wiki and/or the forum (PM) for the smooth approach. --[[User:Chancs|Chancs]] ([[User talk:Chancs|talk]]) 01:30, 8 September 2012 (CDT)

Okay sure thanks a lot! :D - - [[User:Magykalman|Magykalman]] 14:52 8 September 2012

== Denpa Onna to Seishun Otoko ==

Sure, you just need to edit to be an editor. The project probably just needs more chapters to be approved. And of course, you are free to translate it if you wish to. Just register the chapter you are translating on the registration page so there won't be any redundant work done. --[[User:Zephyrus|Zephyrus]] ([[User talk:Zephyrus|talk]]) 03:24, 8 September 2012 (CDT)

Um...So I think I'll leave chapter 2, 3, 4 of Volume 1 to you and translate from then onwards? :D --[[User:Magykalman|Magykalman]] ([[User talk:Magykalman|talk]]) 20:31, 8 September 2012 (CDT)

From what I can gather from the Japanese version,淑女车, チャリンコ(charinko), refers to bicycles with bells, since they write the ringing of bells as 'charin'. So i believe that there are probably no good replacements for the term, and it will suffice to just write it as a bike/bicycle. --[[User:Zephyrus|Zephyrus]] ([[User talk:Zephyrus|talk]]) 08:50, 10 September 2012 (CDT)

Ah okay! Thx alot. ^^ --[[user:Magykalman|Magykalman]] 22:30, 11 September 2012 (CDT)

==Sakurasou no Petto na Kanojo==
What is this? --[[User:Darklor|Darklor]] ([[User talk:Darklor|talk]]) 03:03, 14 September 2012 (CDT)

? What do you mean? O.O -- [[user:Magykalman |Magykalman ]]

Mimizuku to Yoru no Ou: Chapter 1

2012-09-22T06:56:23Z

Sab: /* Chapter 1 - The Suicidal Mimizuku and the Human-Hating King of Night */

==Chapter 1 - The Suicidal Mimizuku and the Human-Hating King of Night==

Mimizuku awoke to the sound of birds chirping off in the distance. The light unexpectedly entered her eyes, and she blinked several times.

"Are you awake? Are you awake? Human child. Human girl."

Little by little, a voice filled her ears. Its speech was broken, and it was very hard to understand.

''Human girl.''

Like a reflex, Mimizuku relaxed the muscles around her mouth and let a laugh slip out.

"I'm not a human. I'm Mimizuku," she answered hazily, as if responding to the voice of a dream.

"Oh."

She then heard a rustling noise, like the wings of a bat.

"Are you not going to scream? Astounding. I know the mannerisms of humans well."

"Scream?" Pushing the palms of her hands against her eyes, she repeated the word, like a parrot.

"For not shrieking just from seeing me: I commend you," the voice said as Mimizuku lifted her head and grasped the shape of its origin.

However, the distance between the voice's origin and her sanpaku eyes was so small that the creature's body looked larger than any of the huge surrounding tree trunks. She took in the blackish-blue hue of its body, which obstructed her entire field of vision. It had two straight wings like a bat, and its body looked somehow human, however its torso was extremely muscular, and from each side of its body sprang two thin, prominent arms.
Two milky white horns stuck out from its forehead, and its mouth was split straight across like a nutcracker. In its mouth were a set of yellowed teeth, between which protruded a red tongue. The sheer redness of its mouth stood out quite flamboyantly. It had a mane of hair like maize leaves, and its eyes were such that the direction in which they were pointing was impossible to determine from looking at them.

It was certainly a frightening, fantastic figure. However, Mimizuku did not think it was so scary. She had never been scared of anything before.

"... Are you a monster?" Mimizuku asked, slightly tilting her neck to the side.
"I am," the strange figure nodded, its voice shaking the air.

Mimizuku, with no change in attitude, asked, "Will you eat me?"

"I will not eat you." An instant reply.

"Awww... how disappointing..." she tapered off.

The beautiful creature she saw last night wouldn't eat her, and now this monster, which looked like it would be more willing to eat her, refused to do so as well.

"Human girl. Do you wish to be eaten?"

"Yes! Yes, I do! But hey! I'm no human girl, I'm Mimizuku, MI-MI-ZU-KU." She threw her arms and legs into the air like a child having a tantrum, causing the shackles on them to shake and jangle. "Why? Why? Why won't you eat me?" Mimizuku punched the monster's tough skin several times in protest. However, Mimizuku was weak, and the monster didn't budge in the slightest. Then, he arched his back, and suddenly flapped away.

"Huh?"

Mimizuku watched as the monster's form became more or less the size of a chicken, and his true, modest height became clear to her.
The monster shook his body and, flapping his wings, flew up into the sky. He looked down at Mimizuku so that their eyes met. Their conversation continued.

"The Ieri in this forest never eat humans. Even now, as you ask me to eat you, I refuse."
Mimizuku suddenly went still. Ieri. She had heard that somewhere before. Somewhere deep in her memory were humans who also called the monsters Ieri.
With his broken way of speaking, the monster could not make Mimizuku understand his explanation. Though she understood the words, his accent made them seem to her like words from the language of some far-off country.

Like words she had never heard before.

"Why?"

It was because the monster was much smaller than Mimizuku, of course. She would probably be far too much for him to eat. But Mimizuku remembered the much larger monster she had seen, who was just the right size to devour someone like her. She asked this monster about him.

"Because, because because. You met the King of Night," the monster responded. "I cannot associate with any person which the King of Night has let go of."

"King of Night?"

"Yes, the King of Night. He who possesses the moon-eyes, he is absolute governor of this forest."

His manner of speech betrayed deep reverence for the one whom he was speaking of. Mimizuku raised her head upon hearing his words.

"Oh, him, the one with the pretty moon eyes!" She grinned as she spoke. Eyes like the moon. There was no mistaking it. They had twinkled just like the real things. Mimizuku could still remember.

"What's with that guy?"

"He did not eat you?"

"Nope."

No matter how many times she had told him, he wouldn't eat her, so she eventually fell asleep at the roots of a nearby tree. She was able to sleep well among the scents of dirt and water wafting from the ground.

"If the case is that, then in this forest, this forest of night, there is no monster who will let you be eaten by them," the monster declared.

"I see..." Mimizuku nodded. She didn't really understand why though. In any case, if that big guy wouldn't eat her, then it didn't seem like any of the other monsters would be willing to, either. But that was bad. She had gone through so much trouble coming all the way here.

"Well then, I'm just gonna have to get eaten by him somehow."
Still unsteady from just waking, Mimizuku tottered back and forth as she stood up. But it seemed like she had shared her sleeping area with a number of others, as the blood in her legs was congested, and they were blue and numb. She tumbled back onto the roots like a fruit falling from a branch.

"What are you doing?"

"Eh, I think I'll sleep a little longer. You don't mind, do you?"

"It is your choice, but..."

The monster fluttered down and stopped right before Mimizuku's eyes.

"Young lady, you are strange."

"Strange? Maybe I am, but don't call me 'young lady.' My name's Mimizuku..."

"Mimizuku. That is the name of a nocturnal bird."

"Yeah, that's right."

"It is a good name."

Mimizuku, clearly flattered, let out a little giggle. ''Have I ever felt this happy?'' she
thought to herself.

"Mr. Monster, what's your name?"

"——＊——"

"Huh? Sorry, can you say that again?"

"It is no use. Human ears cannot grasp the name of an Ieri."

"Well then... what should I call you?"

"Call me whatever it is you like. Do all humans name themselves after animals
that they like?" The monster crossed his arms.

"Um..."

''He's not a human, though'', Mimizuku thought. She pondered for a bit, but not too deeply, before she gave a cheeky grin and said,

"Okay, I got it. How about 'Kuro'?"

"'Kuro'? The color of night..." Kuro nodded. His acceptance of the name made Mimizuku happy. Smiling, she raised the upper half of her body.

"Mimizuku. The grass is cutting you and causing your blood to flow out." Kuro reached out with his bottom-left arm and felt Mimizuku's cheek.
Mimizuku, covered in mud and cuts, simply responded with an "Oh, is that so?" If she touched her wounds, bacteria would enter and definitely cause an infection. She knew that much. But it was all right.

Grabbing onto a nearby branch, Kuro swung onto Mimizuku's head. It was strange; she couldn't feel his weight on her head at all.

"Mimizuku."

"Hm?"

"These numbers on your forehead, are they a magic spell?"

"Oh, those?" Mimizuku gave her forehead a couple of cheerful pats.
Peeking out from behind the bangs of her tawny hair were three numbers.

"I'm number three hundred thirty two," Mimizuku truthfully responded.

"What does that mean?"

"It's my number."

"Okay. But I do not understand." Kuro's response was also truthful.

"Are you angry?"

"I am not really angry, no," Kuro answered quietly. As ever, Mimizuku's heart began to beat faster.

''Am I dreaming?'' she thought for a moment. It felt strange from the very beginning. Kuro's words were words she had never heard before.

Just a little strange.

"Hey, Kuro, it's strange somehow."

"What is strange?"

"Why, are you being so nice to me?" Mimizuku asked as she stepped barefoot through the grass and the foliage. The skin on the bottoms of her feet was becoming tougher, even a pointed stone wouldn't have been able to cut them.

"I am nice?" Kuro replied contrarily.

"Yes! You're very nice," Mimizuku said, cracking a hearty smile. The chains around her ankles became tangled in the roots of a tree, and her footing became unsteady.

"Gah!"

However, her face didn't hit the ground. Just before impact, a strange sound rang. Mimizuku, who was facing forward, rebounded like a spring, and tipped backward so much that it seemed like she would fall over the other way.

"W-w-waah!"

She regained her posture in a hurry.

Somehow, she had been saved. She didn't really understand what had happened, but there was a sound like grumbling in her ears.

"I believe such an action could be considered 'kind.'" Kuro was laughing.

"Just now, was that you, Kuro?"

"Aye. It was indeed!"

"Why?" Stopping her feet, eyes upturned, she looked at Kuro. She could only see a bit of Kuro's wings in her field of vision.

"Do I need a reason? I see, humans are those sorts of creatures." To those words, Mimizuku slowly shook her head, being careful not to jeopardize Kuro's balance

"I suppose Mimizuku does not understand the matters of people. I would like to know why as well. If there is a certain way in which one must be kind, I would like to hear it."
Mimizuku heard the grumbling sound again. It seemed like that was Kuro's laughter. It hurt her ears.

Suddenly fluttering down from Mimizuku's head, Kuro appeared before her eyes and spoke.

"I want knowledge."

"Knowledge?"

"I like to know things. No matter how many books I read, I simply cannot demystify humans. You are a human. Thus, It would please me to observe you."
Mimizuku blinked emotionlessly a few times and thought about Kuro's words.

''How does he read with eyes like that?''

Whatever.

''Kuro wants to know about humans. Mimizuku is a human. It's because I'm a human that Kuro is being nice to me.''

Mimizuku groaned as she pondered.

''I think I'll stop saying to Kuro that I'm not a human.''

"Kuro! I get it! I understand! That's surprising..."

"Hoho. What has Mimizuku understood?" Kuro asked with interest, returning to Mimizuku's head.

"Even if I'm a human, there are still people who will accept me. It's kind of strange."
She walked forward. She lifted her feet with each step so as to not get the shackles above her feet caught in anything. From above her head came the sound of feathers flapping.

"I am not a human, but... you are truly a strange one." Kuro spoke with a brooding, ponderous tone.

"Ehehe..." Mimizuku laughed.

She felt very happy.

The forest called "The Forest of Night" was awash with foliage, and the drifts of leaves blowing in the wind made it seem as if the forest was sobbing convulsively. Occasionally, a sound like a bird flapping its wings could be heard, but when Mimizuku looked up, no animal presence could be seen. From afar, Mimizuku thought she could hear the sound of someone breathing, but she could never see any other monsters anywhere.

It was Kuro who volunteered to guide Mimizuku, who would have otherwise walked alone. Mimizuku felt a great surprise at this, but she had no way of expressing her feelings in words.

With Kuro on her head, she proceeded through the forest. The shackles at her feet made a loud jingling noise as she walked.

"There aren't many other monsters here, huh..."

For a forest that was supposed to be full of monsters, it was very different from what she had imagined it to be. She let out a sigh.

"It is because of the path you are taking," Kuro said from atop her head. "During the day, Ieri do not usually come to the riverbank."

"I see..."

As she walked along the side of the river, she swayed left and right. Suddenly, she kneeled down and put her hands into the water. Feeling the coldness of the running water, she rubbed her hands in it several times to wash them. The forest waterway flowed melancholically, and the water was incredibly transparent.

Then, without moving her face forward, Mimizuku splashed the river's water across her head.

Kuro fluttered backward in a panic.

"Mi, Mimizuku!"

"Ahh..."

Mimizuku raised her soaked face and bangs.

"Oh, sorry Kuro," Mimizuku said in monotone while wiping her mouth with rough, sweeping gestures. "Uugh, my face hurts!" Mimizuku scowled.

"What? But did you not drink water?"

"Yeah, I did."

"If the water is seeping into your wounds maybe it would be best to scoop it out."

Mimizuku then stared fixedly at her own hand. The hand was dangling because of weakened muscles, and it was still sparkling wet from being washed.

"Hm?"

She squeezed it and let go several times.

"Yeah..."

Tilting her neck slightly to the side, Mimizuku suddenly stood up.

"Alright Kuro! Let's go!"

Kuro mumbled an affirmation and flew back on top of Mimizuku's head. Seemingly forgetting about what they were just talking about, Mimizuku began to speak about something else.

"So, where is the 'King of Night?'"

"Straight along this way..."

Kuro rustled his wings and looked at Mimizuku.

"Do you really want to go to him, Mimizuku?"

"Do I really what?" Mimizuku responded, not understanding Kuro at all.

"You said that he told you to leave. If you expose yourself to his sight again, you can no longer consider yourself alive. When you incite his outrage, you might be turned to ash in an instant, or dissolved into water."

"Could I get eaten?"

Light filling her murky sanpaku eyes, Mimizuku truly wished that she would be eaten.

Kuro stared at her motionlessly for a moment, and then raised his upper right arm.

"It is your choice. If that is what you want, then you may go, Mimizuku. If the opportunity arises. If fate allows it, if the world allows it. It may also be that we meet again."

"Aren't you going too, Kuro?"

Kuro laughed at Mimizuku's question.

"I have not been called for."

''Is that how it works?'' Mimizuku thought. ''Maybe so.''

So he can't go if he isn't called upon. I think I know what he means. Mimizuku smiled.

"Well then, I'm gonna go."

The forest opened up its gaping green mouth. However, Mimizuku didn't think it was scary. Alone, she stepped forward into the forest.

Leaving Kuro behind, Mimizuku proceeded into the forest unhesitatingly, her shackles ringing as she went. She didn't find it disheartening that Kuro could not accompany her anymore. After all, she had traveled the long road to the forest all by herself. All that time, Mimizuku wished to be alone.

She walked forward, jangling her shackles. When she arrived at a wall of vines entwined around some trees, she forced her way through them and suddenly arrived in a large, open area.

"Waah..." Mimizuku let out involuntarily.

In the middle of the forest, there was a huge, run down mansion. However, that was a not what stole Mimizuku's eye. In front of its door was a pitch-black wing, smoother and more beautiful than a crow's. With a relaxed motion, it swayed upward.

There, Mimizuku came face to face with the King of Night for the first time.

The strains of sunlight breaking through the crevices of greenery revealed the form of the monster called the "King."

Mimizuku let out an involuntary yelp. Her teeth chattered meagerly, and her body shivered as if paralyzed.
It wasn't fear. It wasn't trepidation. She didn't know of those things. The pathways of nerves in her brain had long since been rewired against those feelings.

"Ah..." Opening her mouth halfway, unable to utter a word, she simply let out a small sound.

"Ah..."

''What do I say? What should I say?''

''That's right. I have to tell him to eat me.''

She had to say it.

"Why have you come?"

The King of Night's thin lips barely moved as he spun his cold words. His voice was frank and sharp, like an unsheathed blade.

Being stared at by those eyes, with that glare that would have frozen any normal person solid with terror, Mimizuku only received a slight jolt of surprise.

''Ohhh?''

The eyes sparkled.

''They're silver.''

Just like the moons from the night before, the King of Night's eyes now glittered in that silvery white color.

''The color of the moon,'' Mimizuku thought. ''The color of the moon, in broad daylight.''

It was different from how she remembered it, but not so much that she could mistake it for something else. Before her were surely the two small moons, shining the same light as they had before.

"So pretty..."

She let out a little gasp. Hearing it, the King of Night made an unpleasant scowl. Complicated tattoo-like patterns extended from his eyes to his cheeks.

''It's beautiful'', Mimizuku thought.

"Leave. Go back to your own place. Human girl." His words betrayed murderous intent.

Even so, Mimizuku did not hesitate in her response.

"I don't have any place to go back to," she said loudly. No one had raised his or her voice in opposition to the King of Night before.

"I don't have any place to go back to. From the very beginning, I've never had a place I could call home...!"

Because they would hit her. Because they would do nothing to her but cause her pain. Mimizuku wanted so much not to think of that place as home.

Mimizuku wanted to think that it would be better to return to any place but that one.

"Hey! Don't call me a human! I'm Mimizuku! My name's Mimizuku!" She yelled it out to the point that she became dizzy. She was used to it by now, but she felt unsteady.

Her knees gave way, and she fell kneeling onto the ground.

"Hey, eat me."

Her vision gradually began to go gray. ''Do I have to sleep?'' she thought. She wanted to continue entreating the King to eat her, but her body wouldn't do as she told it to. ''I have to sleep.''

''Your body has suffered much, and you must sleep. Someone was speaking to her.''

''Ooooh... This is strange... I wish I could drink some water...''

"Please... eat me... King of... Night..."

Mimizuku toppled over on the grass supinely, arms extended out. The two midday moons looked toward her.

"I beg you... please eat me..."

The shackles on her arms grew heavy, and her arms fell to the ground.

''Oh, those white moons, the King of Night's eyes are so beautiful,'' was all Mimizuku could think of as a drowsiness that made her feel like she was sinking into a swamp assailed her. She closed her eyelids.

''No... I want to open my eyes again,'' Mimizuku thought, her consciousness fading. It was strange. Whenever she went to sleep, she would usually hope that she never woke up again.

''If I could just see those two moons once more, I don't care if I ever open my eyes again.''

Feeling as though someone was calling her name, Mimizuku gently lifted her eyelids.

The sky was red with the sunset. The moment she comprehended the thought, something came fluttering down from above.

"Gyah!"

She unthinkingly croaked like a frog.

Propping her upper body forward, she looked at the thing that had come from the sky. Upon seeing it, her eyes almost literally popped out.

There were chocolate-vines and crimson morning glory vines among other fresh fruits she had never seen before. They all plopped down like a mountain falling from the sky in front of Mimizuku.

She gaped and looked upward. Flapping before her against the light red sky was Kuro. He was at a distance where he seemed large enough that Mimizuku could easily hug him.

"Kuro!" Mimizuku yelled. She then tried to move her arms, but was overcome by a confusing feeling.

"Eh, ah, what's this?" Mimizuku asked Kuro, pointing at the fruits burying her.

"Why, it is just what it looks like."

Kuro tossed a live fish into the air with both of his upper arms, cut its tail so that it was the same size as him, and placed it down his pomegranate-like mouth. He swallowed it whole, and then he spoke.

"Might you be hungry? Mimizuku."

"Eh, eh, eh?"

Mimizuku was incredibly confused.

"Hm? Are these... mine?" She pointed to the fruits.

"Yes. I wonder if humans could do with fish?" Kuro flew down beside Mimizuku, grabbed a tree branch, and used it to spear a fish.

He drew several circles in the air with it in a splendid fashion, and the fish was suddenly engulfed in flame. Mimizuku was surprised and taken aback, but the fire just as soon grew calmer, and a savory aroma began to hang in the air. Strangely, the tree branch didn't seem the slightest bit singed. Seeing the results, Kuro nodded, satisfied.

"Here." He held the fish out to Mimizuku.

"H-huh?"

She received it gratefully. However, Mimizuku did not entirely grasp what was happening, and she seemed to still be in a dreamlike state. Despite not understanding, she put the fish into her mouth. Her instincts taking over, she greedily devoured it. The inside was somewhat rare, but the flavor didn't matter to Mimizuku. Whatever she could eat was good enough for her.

''Have I eaten something like this before?'' The thought seemed to sweep over the back of her head.

"Tell me one thing Mimizuku. Does a dead fish not try to run away?" Kuro asked, rustling his wings. Mimizuku listened as she ate the whole fish, all the way to the eyes, grinding the meat to shreds in her mouth.

"Hey, Kuro. Why are you here?" Mimizuku looked around the vicinity. She was still in front of the King of Night's mansion. The King himself, however, had gone off somewhere, as she couldn't see him anywhere.

"Hmph," Kuro responded. He crossed his upper arms. "It is hard for me to say as well."

He then flew back up into the air and tapped on Mimizuku's head.

"Fate has given you leave. Was it nocturnal luminescence that allowed you to make it? Indeed, it is hard to say. That is why I must ask you, Mimizuku."

Mimizuku blinked a few times.

"Not discounting death, do you wish to remain here? Mimizuku."

"Eh, is it really alright if I stay?" Mimizuku spoke in a loud, joyful voice. "Hey, Kuro! Is it really alright for me to stay?"

"I will not promise any good to come of it. You might be killed tomorrow. Is that okay with you?"

Mimizuku smiled at Kuro's words and flopped onto the ground once again.

Having eaten so much food so quickly, her stomach was starting to ache.

"You know, Kuro..." Mimizuku smiled and held out her arms. Her shackles rang as if singing.

"My only happiness would come from being eaten by the King of Night," said Mimizuku, chuckling happily.

And then, the suicidal horned owl sighed gently.

"Ah, I could die happily like that."

Mimizuku smiled.

"Hmph." Kuro gave a slight nod. "You are quite miserable," he sighed.

Mimizuku didn't understand his words, so she just laughed cursorily.

"Hey, Kuro."

"What? Mimizuku."

"The King of Night is beautiful, isn't he?" Mimizuku said happily.

Kuro was unsure of how to respond.

"Of course. He is a king, after all."

Mimizuku let out a chuckle at his words again.

The curtain of night spread across the forest of monsters.

''Oh, the King of Night's eyes have changed to gold,'' Mimizuku thought absentmindedly, straining her eyes at the heavens.

''So this is what happiness is like.''

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| Back to [[Mimizuku to Yoru no Ou: Prologue|Prologue]]
| Forward to [[Mimizuku to Yoru no Ou: Chapter 2|Chapter 2]]
|-
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</noinclude>

Hyouka:Volume 2 Chapter 1

2012-09-22T06:21:05Z

Sab: /* 1 - Let's Watch a Movie Preview! */

== 1 - Let's Watch a Movie Preview! ==

There was a saying that all men are created equal. At the same time, it was also said that nobody is born perfect. If both of these phrases were valid, then the order of heaven would be unenforceable. As a person's value would change depending on the region they're from, one cannot just dismiss their values entirely. Let alone being born perfect, just being born with one talent is difficult enough. While the common folk may be envious or jealous of geniuses around them, for me their talents are just a part of our daily lives, so I don't see what the fuss is all about.

It was the end of the summer vacation. I was having such a conversation with my old mate Fukube Satoshi, who nodded in agreement with my thoughts.

"Exactly. For the past 15 years of my life, I haven't seemed to be the sort to possess any talents at all. There's a saying that great talents mature late, but that sounds more like working hard through nurture rather than talent. So I guess wishing for some talents is a distant dream for us."

"Well, geniuses are geniuses for a reason. If we common folk could obtain their talents, then we wouldn't need to be envious of them."

"My, longing for the life of common folk now, aren't you, Houtarou? ... If it's you, then..."

Satoshi then casually quipped, "I think you're actually quite talented."

I had no idea what he was talking about. As I gave a puzzled look, Satoshi chuckled and said, "I know very well that I'm not the talented sort, but the same cannot be said about you, Houtarou."

"Wha?"

As his manner of speaking was usually filled with jokes, I thought a little about accepting the good parts of what he just said at face value. I had two rebuttals to make, firstly, "If I had to say it, I think it's premature of you to call yourself a normal person. Aren't you pretty good at collecting vast amounts of knowledge?"

Satoshi shrugged his shoulders.

"Well, I guess, even if it sounds like bragging. Though I wouldn't go so far and say that I'm good enough at winning quiz shows. The knowledge I learned isn't that vast."

Really?

Anyway, second rebuttal, "If I wasn't not a normal person, then there's no way I could observe people."

"Then I won't say anything more. Though I still have reservations about you not having any talents."

"Where have you ever seen me using my talents anyway?"

"Hmm, where, huh?"

After pretending to think, he pointed his finger towards Kamiyama High School.

"There."

"The school?"

"No, the Geology Room, AKA the Classics Club room... You were simply amazing in solving the 'Hyouka' incident. Truth be told, I never expected you to be that good. That's why I said I'm having reservations about you not being talented based on that," He said while smiling. In contrast, I looked bitter.

The "Hyouka" incident. It was not a criminal incident, neither was it civil. "Hyouka" was the name of a series of essay anthologies published by the Classics Club, a mysterious organization which Satoshi and I belonged to. The reason why the anthologies were named as such cannot be explained in a few sentences, and for very good reason as well. Thanks to such a reason, I was involved in all sorts of bothersome events. And Satoshi was commenting on my role in such events.

He continued, "The one who solved all that was you."

"Now you're exaggerating. I was just lucky."

"Lucky, huh? I wasn't talking about how you think of yourself, but how I see you."

He can say such haughty stuff with such a calm tone. As I was used to his manner of speaking, I was hardly annoyed.

Besides being an old mate, Fukube Satoshi is also a good rival. As a guy he was short in stature, and his weak-looking appearance could easily be mistaken for that of a girl if seen from afar. However, he is actually quite spirited, especially when pursuing things that interest him. So much so that he would prioritize that over other things that are considered "necessary" by everyone else. He is always seen carrying a smile and a drawstring bag. As he swung the drawstring bag around, he asked, "By the way, what time is it now?"

"Check your own watch."

"It's inside my bag, it's too bothersome to take it out," he tapped at his bag and said. Satoshi considered carrying a wristwatch around too troublesome, and would prefer to check the time via his cellphone.

"I'm the one that's feeling bothersome here."

"'If I don't have to do it, I won't. If I have to do it, hurry up and finish it.' Right?"

Satoshi smiled while poking fun at my motto. I checked the time on my wristwatch and corrected him, "It's 'If I have to do it, make it quick.' ... Anyway, it's just past ten."

"Do you really have to memorize every word of that? It's not like it's some grandiose motto or anything. Wow, is it ten already? We'd better hurry. Chitanda-san may be able to forgive us for being late, but it's Mayaka I'm scared of."

With that I agree. Ibara Mayaka can be very scary when she's angry. I don't know if Satoshi knows this or not, but I have a feeling Chitanda Eru's the same as well. As Satoshi picked up his speed, I followed suit.

Crossing the crosswalk, we came upon the school gates. It was a typical day in Kamiyama High, where there are students everywhere despite it being a school vacation.

The courtyard was filled with students either in uniform or casual wear. The music from the musical clubs could be heard playing. Besides the courtyard some sort of large monument was being erected, probably some attraction devised by some club. Even though it was summer vacation, Kamiyama High School was still filled with students full of energy, as all were preparing for the Cultural Festival.

The total number of students attending Kamiyama High School numbered about a thousand. The school provided curriculum for university entrance exams as well as having a lively club activity scene. If you excluded the exalting Cultural Festival, Kamiyama High was just a normal school like any other. The campus contained three buildings; the General Block which houses the regular classrooms, the Special Block with their special purposes classrooms, and the Gymnasium. The Classics Club room was located in the Geology Room on the fourth floor of the Special Block.

Amidst the singing of the Chorus Club and A Capella Club from the courtyard, we hastened our pace. As Satoshi said, my motto was "If I don't have to do it, I won't. If I have to do it, make it quick." To put it simply, I was an "energy saver". Such a lifestyle was totally different to those that go all out in these student activities like the Cultural Festival. Though I wasn't in the mood to think about such things now.

From the entrance, we headed towards the corridor leading to the Special Block. A long painting from some club could be seen placed on the side of the staircase to dry as we climbed them, taking four steps at a time, which was quite exhausting. As it was late summer, I took out my handkerchief to wipe my sweat as we entered the Geology Room.

We were at once greeted by someone yelling, "You're late!"

Standing firmly in the centre of the room like a guardian god was none other than Ibara, the actual person in charge of overseeing the publication of the Classics Club anthology "Hyouka", with whom I have a long acquaintance.

Ibara Mayaka. While we were not exactly intimate with each other, for some reason we just couldn't avoid seeing each other all the time. While she had grown since primary school, she still had a childish-looking face despite being a high school student. Despite her appearance, she was actually quite strict. Besides being unforgiving to mistakes made by others, she was even more demanding towards herself. The reason for her wrath was simple, as it was agreed that we were supposed to meet up here at ten in the morning.

Maintaining her guardian god stance, Ibara spoke, "Fuku-chan, explain yourself."

Satoshi's smile became stiff as he said, "Well, we couldn't use our bikes today..."

"You should have known that already!"

By the way, while people were free to come to Kamiyama High School via bicycle during summer vacation, as the bicycle park was currently under maintenance, it was unusable.

"Get a grip already, Fuku-chan! You still haven't handed in your manuscripts!"

Satoshi spread out his hands as he struggled to protest, "W, wait a minute Mayaka! Isn't Houtarou late as well?"

Ibara turned to look at me, and upon meeting my gaze, turned back towards Satoshi.

"Who cares about Oreki?"

... Double standards, huh?

The reason Ibara paid so much attention to Satoshi was because she had a crush on him. And she herself made no attempts to hide this. On the other hand, Satoshi had been evading her advances to this day. As to when they started all this, I had no idea.

Anyway, the Classics Club was made up of four members: myself, Satoshi, and Ibara, as well as the President, Chitanda Eru. Though right now Chitanda was nowhere to be seen.

"That's double standards!"

"What're you talking about? There's no double standards."

I interrupted their meaningless exchange and said, "Hey, Ibara, Chitanda's absent as well."

"How can I have double standards... Huh? Chi-chan? That's right, she still hasn't arrived. That worries me."

"I see, indeed it's not double standards," Satoshi muttered.

"Yeah, it's triple standards."

Unusually, Ibara replied while smiling.

As if on cue, a silhouette was seen silently opening the door and entering the room. It was Chitanda.

Chitanda Eru. With her long, dark hair and frail-looking figure, she gave the look of an elegant lady. And that was a fact, as she was the daughter of the Chitanda Clan, which owned vast tracts of farmland within a corner of Kamiyama City. However, in contrast to her graceful nature were her large eyes. To me, those were what represented her the most. If Ibara was a child in appearance, then Chitanda was a child due to her incredible curiosity to every mystery she ever encountered. Yet she was intelligent despite such a childlike nature, which made it all the more difficult to cope with her.

The clock pointed to half past ten. Chitanda bowed deeply and said, "I'm very sorry for being late."

Chitanda hardly ever looked this unkempt. While not strictly punctual, it was rare to see her late. Ibara must have been thinking the same thing as she asked Chitanda without blaming her, "Did something happen?"

"Yes. A little bit. I was having a long conversation just now."

What conversation? We won't know if you don't elaborate. That said, Chitanda continued before I could ask.

"I'll explain later about what conversation I was having."

What's she up to? I have a bad feeling about this.

"Hmm... Oh well, let's get started then."

The reason the Classics Club was gathered here today was to hold a meeting concerning the publication of the club anthology "Hyouka", which included what design and fonts to use, how to arrange the articles and what paper to print on. While it would have been better if I had just suggested to let Ibara handle everything, she probably wouldn't allow it, as she reasoned that since we have all contributed our money and manuscripts, it's only fair that we take part in compiling the anthology as well. I didn't exactly want to do this, but then I don't have anything better to do during summer vacation anyway.

Ibara took out a few paper samples from her bag and began speaking.

"This is the highest quality paper that our budget could allow, while this is the cheapest. They're very different, and not just in appearance, but how the ink appears on them..."

As she began explaining, both Satoshi and Chitanda listened with enthusiasm. While I felt like a piece of rotting wood on the mountain<ref>Oreki seems to be referring to the idiom "枯れ木も山の賑わい" which means “even the dead trees contribute to the mountain’s prosperity”. It carries the meaning "even things that seem useless have their uses" and also "something seems useless only because we don't know what its use is". Oreki is probably comparing himself to the tree from this idiom, saying that he is useless, or that he doesn't know what his use is in this situation.</ref>, I still made an effort to listen, so that Ibara wouldn't get mad.

The editorial meeting was over sooner than expected, just under an hour after it began. Ibara had written down the items which had been approved in her note, which she would then relay to the publishers. Being an editing supervisor sure sounds tough, so I placed my palms together in gratitude of her hard work.

It was now afternoon. While we were free to go home, we decided to stay and have lunch, having just bought some boxed lunches from the convenience store. As I took my boxed lunch worth less than 400yen out of my shoulder bag, the other three followed suit.

As he peeled the film wrapping around his rice ball, Satoshi spoke without addressing anyone specifically.

"So, when's the anthology gonna be published?"

The one who should have an idea as to how to answer that question was of course Ibara, who grumbled as though saying "As if I could remember exactly when" and said, "We should have the sample copy by early October, but we won't be getting the actual copies until just before the Cultural Festival."

It was now late August, a week to go before summer vacation ends. It would become bothersome to continue writing when classes resumed in September. As an energy saver, I do not like to leave work undone as it's inefficient. It is of course better to get it finished as soon as possible. Anyway, we've still got plenty of time.

The sound of Chitanda opening the lid of her boxed lunch could be heard. For girls her age, boxed lunches would usually be small and contain food as simple as small snacks. Though her box was just as small, the food it contained looked quite filling: Stewed butterbur, sweet omelettes and minced meat. Before taking out her chopsticks, she asked nonchalantly, "By the way, are any of you tied up this afternoon?"

As I was never the sort with anything better to do anyway, I do have time to kill. Naturally, I shook my head. So too did Ibara.

"I've got to take these notes to the publisher, but it won't be until this evening."

Satoshi thought for a while,

"I was thinking of heading to the Handicraft Club to see if I could help out. I haven't gotten my hands on sewing equipment for some time now. Besides, it's been a while since I hung out with the Student Council committee. But why not?"

As all three of us were in agreement, Chitanda looked as though she was the happiest person alive. Seeing her smile, I suddenly had a bad feeling. Though I wouldn't go so far say this was based on experience, I was just apprehensive of trouble, that's all.

As she placed her chopsticks down, she said with vigour, "Then, let's watch a preview!"

Preview?

I had no idea what she was talking about. Did something happen which I have no knowledge of? Without thinking, I turned to look at Satoshi, who simply shook his head to indicate he too knew nothing. Ditto for Ibara, who looked puzzled.

"Chi-chan, what preview are you talking about? A movie?"

"Yes... Umm, it's not really a movie, but more like a videotaped movie."

Videotaped movie? Surely she means home-made movie.

"Is it with the Movie Studies Club?"

Chitanda shook her head.

"Not really."

"Then, the Home Movie Studies Club?"

''Stop being stupid, Satoshi.'' Both Ibara and I stared coldly at his smiling face, though he continued smiling as usual and said, "I'm sure it exists! If there exists a Classics Club, surely a Home Movie Studies Club would exist as well."

Satoshi dispelled his joke right away, true to his motto of "Jokes are to be made on the spot, so too are misunderstandings to be dispelled right away." If he says it exists, then it probably does exist. This was not something to be surprised about, as Kamiyama High School does have a huge variety of arts-based clubs out there.

But still Chitanda shook her head.

"It's not that either. It's an exhibition movie made by Class 2-F."

"Wow, a class exhibition."

Ibara nodded in admiration.

"Don't think my class would have the energy to organize their own exhibition, as everyone is busy with their own clubs."

Indeed. Even for my class 1-B, no one made any proposals to organize something for the Cultural Festival in the class's name, as everyone was tired out by their own club activities. Besides, holding an exhibition would be quite a huge task. Come to think of it, this would make Satoshi pretty amazing, as he's busy with the Classics Club, Handicraft Club, and Student Council.

"Some Class 2-F students belonging to various sports teams decided they too want to take part in the Cultural Festival. As I know someone from Class 2-F, I was invited to their movie preview in order to ask for my opinion of it. How about it? Are you interested?"

"Yeah, I'll come!"

Satoshi agreed without even batting an eyelid. Then again, anything that interests him would elicit such a reaction.

Ibara raised her brows slightly and asked, "What kind of movie is it?"

"Umm, I hear it's a mystery movie."

That answer was enough to satisfy Ibara.

"Sounds entertaining. Sure, I'll come as well."

"I thought you hated artistic movies, Mayaka,"

"I don't dislike them... This one's made by people with an interest in movies, after all."

Indeed, no one would think along the lines of wanting to watch a movie made by people who just "want to take part in the Cultural Festival".

Now, what about me?

To be honest, I'm not exactly that interested in movies. I've never felt like watching any movie, whether it was arthouse movies or blockbuster movies. As to why that is, I'm not too sure myself. Probably something to do with watching movies being too time-consuming, I was told that I'm missing half the fun of my life as a result. I don't exactly hate watching them, and there were some movies which I was fond of...

Anyway, guess I'll go home.

Before I could speak, Chitanda cheerfully opened her mouth.

"Then it's decided! We're all going then!"

"No, I..."

"Actually, besides myself, I was told to bring three more people along with me. I was thinking that there are three of you here in the Classics Club; the number is just right."

She's not even listening.

Smiling mischievously, Satoshi pointed his thumb at me and said, "Chitanda-san, Houtarou seems to have something to say."

"Oreki-san, you're coming, right?"

Ugh.

"... Aren't you?"

Argh.

Why was it that I could never figure out how to handle Chitanda every time? No matter what kind of responses I thought up beforehand, she was bound to make me go. Of course I could have chosen to just turn her down without feeling guilty, but the problem was I could find no reason to refuse her.

I shrugged my shoulders in resignation. Whatever, there was nothing for me to do even if I went home now anyway.

The Audio/Visual Room had its curtains drawn, blocking out the light of the setting sun from outside, turning the room dark.

From within that darkness a female student emerged suddenly. The reason for such an illusion probably had something to do with the navy blue dress she was wearing, which blended well with the darkness.

Chitanda called out to her.

"I've come as you requested me to."

She walked towards us, and it was only then I could make out her features.

Her height was similar to Chitanda's, perhaps a bit taller, while her figure was slim. Her eyes were slightly raised and small, and her face looked refined. It wouldn't be too far off to describe her as pretty, though to me she felt more stern than pretty. While it was hard to determine whether she was a year older than us, there was a sense of majestic solemnity exuding from her. Rather than a high school student, she felt more like a stereotypical police officer or teacher... no, more like a female Self Defense Force officer, with a rank no lower than Major. Speaking in a calmingly soft voice, she said, "Ah, so you've come."

She looked at each one of us and continued, "Welcome. You have my thanks for taking the time to come."

Chitanda slowly introduced us one by one.

"This is Ibara Mayaka-san, Fukube Satoshi-san and Oreki Houtarou-san. Like me, they're all members of the Classics Club."

The girl seemed to give a rather ambiguous expression as we were being introduced. I couldn't tell if she was smiling or looking depressed. But she soon reverted to her previous expression and bowed to us.

"Pleased to meet you... My name is Irisu Fuyumi."

As she introduced herself, Satoshi reacted at once and raised his voice in exaltation.

"Ah, just as I thought, you're Irisu-sempai! I knew I'd seen you somewhere before."

"Your name is Fukube Satoshi-kun, right? I'm sorry, but have we met before?"

"You attended the meeting for the Cultural Festival Organizing Committee during the end of June, right?"

"I can't quite remember, did something happen?"

Regardless of whether she really forgot or was playing dumb, Irisu answered as such. Satoshi continued cheerfully, "I saw the way you resolved the conflict between the musical clubs and the drama clubs. Truth be told, I was amazed! Since then I've always wanted to meet with you at least once!"

"Ah, now I remember," she replied bluntly, "I didn't do anything particularly special then."

"No, really, you were great. I still remember it now; three times you urged the chairperson to duly restore order at once so members could voice their opinions without interruptions. The conflict was sorted out in less than five minutes as a result. I virtually gave a standing ovation in the bottom of my heart, as Irisu-sempai felt more like the chairperson back then."

If Ibara was not the sort to give compliments, then it was also rare for Satoshi to give praise to someone in such an over the top way. Now here's the interesting part, how would Irisu Fuyumi react to such a compliment? I listened intently as I wondered.

Yet despite Satoshi's gaze of admiration, she hardly reacted much and said, "Is that so?"

"Irisu-san, you did say you weren't that interested in what happens around school, right?" Chitanda asked, to which Irisu nodded.

"Fukube-kun was part of the Committee on my behalf as club president, so that meeting probably did happen. So please don't be too startled by his words."

"I see. I wasn't really startled though."

Satoshi looked dejected as she said that. Ibara then asked Chitanda, "Chi-chan, how are you acquainted with her?"

"Irisu-san? ...Our families are quite close to each other. Irisu-san would often look after me when I was younger."

So the Chitanda Clan does have people to hang out with as childhood friends, that sure is some luxury the Oreki Clan couldn't afford. They sure are a prominent clan. Come to think of it, was Irisu's clan also just as famous? I'm not quite sure myself. Anyway, it probably doesn't concern Irisu Fuyumi herself.

"Anyway,"

Irisu returned to the subject at hand, and showed us the object she was holding in her hand. The rectangular object seemed to be a video cassette.

"You have been invited today to watch this tape. As I'm sure you've heard from Chitanda already, this video is a movie made by my class. My wish is for you to watch the movie and give us your honest feedback."

"We look forward to doing so."

So said Chitanda.

Seemed like a real movie preview, alright. But what for? As the question popped in my head, I asked, "Is that all we have to do?"

Irisu looked straight at me with her grim gaze. Feeling the pressure from her gaze, I continued, "Just watch, and then provide feedback?"

"Is that so strange?"

"Even if we really do give our critique, you're not going to amend the movie, are you? Surely a preview is mainly for the purpose of advertisement, where you ask people to spread the word about your movie, isn't it?"

For some reason, Irisu nodded as though satisfied.

"A good question. Indeed, there's no point in just watching this movie. I will answer your question, but it would be better if you could first watch the movie. Shall we?"

Hmm, something didn't feel right. But due to her efficient answer, I said no more.

Upon seeing my agreement, Irisu continued, "We have yet to give this movie a name. For now it simply goes by the working title 'Mystery'. When the video ends, there's something we would like to ask of you, for that purpose, we wish for you to watch it first."

This time it was Ibara's turn to speak.

"If it's called 'Mystery', then is it a detective movie?"

"It wouldn't be wrong to call it that."

"Then may we take memos during the movie?"

"Of course. Do write as many details as you see."

That said, we left all our stuff in the Geology Room. As Ibara was about to ask if we could go back to get our bags, Satoshi spoke.

"I'll do the memo taking then."

And duly took out a notebook from the drawstring bag that he always carries along... I didn't know he'd brought that inside as well.

Irisu looked at her simply designed silver wrist watch and said, "Now, let us start. Please take a seat."

As suggested, we took the seats nearest to us. Satoshi opened his notebook while Irisu headed towards the control room. Before entering the iron door, she turned to us and said, "Enjoy the movie."

As she closed the door, a mechanical sound could be heard. A white screen slowly descended before us. We duly sat upright and leaned as far back as possible.

By the way, Irisu sure didn't prepare enough for this preview. She should at least have provided us with some popcorn.

A movie whose title had not yet even been decided should normally not exist. Yet an image appeared before us. It was none other than Kamiyama High School, which we were all used to seeing. It showed a classroom with tables and chairs lined up tidily. A look outside the window showed that the time was during sunset.

A narrator began to speak in a husky male voice.

''"It all began when a group of determined students from Class 2-F decided to participate in the Kanya Festival in order to leave behind memories of their high school life. So they held a meeting one day after school to decide what to do."''

By the way, "Kanya Festival" is the nickname for the Kamiyama High School Cultural Festival, though we in the Classics Club do not call it as such. As for the reason, that's another long story.

A group of students then appeared on the screen. Six of them in total, seated around tables arranged facing each other. This must be the meeting scene that the narrator just mentioned. The camera then showed each person while the narrator introduced them with their names.

First off was "Kaitou Takeo", a muscular male student who looked as though he belonged to some martial arts team. Sporting a crew cut, he was the tallest of the six students.

Second was "Sugimura Jirou", a slim looking student and the only bespectacled male student. Perhaps due to having the camera pointed at him, he couldn't remain steady.

Third was "Yamanishi Midori", a girl with tanned skin and dyed brown hair going down to her shoulder. Though a few seconds elapsed between various shots of her, her hair seemed to have grown a bit already.

Next was "Senoue Mamiko", a short girl with a slightly wide girth. Rather than plump, it might have something more to do with her round face instead.

Following her was "Katsuda Takeo", a guy with rather good looks. Though his hair was dyed reddish, he felt like more of the serious sort of student.

Finally, "Kounosu Yuri", a plain-dressed girl who looked quite relaxed despite having the camera facing her. She was the shortest of all the girls.

As their names were being introduced, Satoshi quickly scribbled them down in his notebook. Most of the name spellings were guessed as they weren't written on the screen.

After the introductions, the next scene showed the bespectacled Sugimura speak.

''"How about we visit the Narakubo area?"''

''Ugh'' Ibara could be heard groaning. I knew how she felt, since the guy was reading his lines in a deadpan manner.

''"The Narakubo area?"'' asked Yamanishi, whose hair length varied depending on the scene. The red-headed Katsuda replied, ''"I think I've heard of that area, it's in Furuoka Town, if I remember correctly."''

''"Exactly, it's an abandoned mining village. It was born during the mining boom, though there's hardly anyone there now."''

It was deadpan dialogue all the way, but that was to be expected. Chitanda did say these were people from sports teams who wanted to take part in the Cultural Festival, after all. Can't really expect them to perform like the Drama Club.

The well-built Kaitou raised his arm to speak.

''"Research in an abandoned village, huh? Sounds good to me."''

''"It would be good to go there once, as it does have an appeal that makes it worth visiting. A village with a history worth one's lifetime, that sounds interesting."''

Yamanishi's line here was slightly better as she imbued it with some emotion. It's probably her genuine feeling about the place. Meanwhile, the round faced Senouchi responded with an equally good performance, ''"The material may sound interesting, but it's an abandoned ruin, isn't it? Not exactly my type of place."''

Kounosu, who wore a downcast look all this time, interjected, ''"I know how to get to Narakubo... It's deep within the mountains. If we walk from the nearest bus stop, we'll get there in about an hour."''

''"Eh~"''

Yamanishi didn't sound too pleased. She's probably the character that complains a lot. On the other hand, Kaitou looked rather relaxed.

''"We should be able to handle it if it's just an hour. We could ride bikes there, and even have a picnic while we're there."''

''"Then it's decided. Our exhibition for the Cultural Festival will be a research into the history of the Narakubo area."''

Sugimura then gave a dissenting opinion, citing that just covering an abandoned village isn't interesting enough. He was backed by Yamanishi, who preferred to go somewhere else. Senoue suggested it could be fixed by presenting the story from an interesting perspective. When asked how it could be done, Sugimura suggested covering it like an adventure story, but was rejected for being too traditional. Kounosu then suggested covering the occultish aspect of the area, which was approved for being interesting. Though Sugimura countered that more research would be needed as there were hardly any ghost stories from that area. What followed was an awkward series of give and take between the classmates as they debated heatedly amongst themselves on which ideas to adopt and which to reject. That was the main flow of this initial scene. As the scene blacked out, the narrator spoke again.

''"A week later, the group headed towards the Narakubo area in Furuoka Town."''

As the screen faded back in, the school scenery was replaced by that of a mountainous forest amidst the midsummer heat. This was no doubt the Narakubo area.

I knew where Furuoka Town was. It's about 20 kilometers north of Kamiyama City. It was once a prosperous town due to a rich deposit of lead or some other metal in the mines nearby, but like any other town that solely relies on one industry to prosper, it has since fallen into hard times once the mine was exhausted. But what of the Narakubo area?

That was the topic Ibara and Satoshi were discussing.

"Fuku-chan, you heard of Narakubo?"

Unsurprisingly, Satoshi of course knew.

"Yup, it used to be the main mining area for the Furuoka Mines. While getting there is inconvenient, at its height it was pretty prosperous."

He then went on to list a few famous enka<ref>[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enka Wikipedia]</ref> singers.

"... These were the sort of celebrities that they managed to invite to perform in the area."

Ibara looked a little surprised. So did I, for the names Satoshi listed were quite prominent.

"However,"

As Satoshi was about to continue, Chitanda cut him short.

"It's about to start."

As the picture moved along the dense forest, it showed a group of students. Naturally they were in their appropriate casual wear for such hot weather. Each carried their own rucksack, though we had no idea what was inside of them.

Yamanishi stood upright and said, ''"Sure is hot. We've been walking for some time, are we there yet?"''

Sugimura replied, ''"Almost. About five minutes, I guess."''

''"That's what you said a while ago. Darn, it's so hot, I'm tired already."''

''"Well, you're not the only one who's hot, so hurry up and keep walking."''

So said Kaitou. And they all began to walk again, with the camera following them.

The Narakubo area indeed looked like it was situated deep within the mountains. While there were signs of human activity along the road, they were largely covered up by the forest. Amidst the bushes one could occasionally catch a glimpse of the streets of Furuoka Town below the mountains. While the road was paved, one could see signs of damage. The asphalt on the pedestrian sidewalk looked as if it was about to come off in pieces the size of fists. Whether it was due to such poor walking conditions, the camera constantly shook as it moved along. If the actors were amateurs, then so was the cameraman. Even a layperson like me could tell the camera work looked unusual, resulting in a hard to see visual.

The shot then cut to another angle from behind the group. Before long, Sugimura, who led the group, straightened his glasses and pointed ahead.

''"We're here. That's Narakubo!"''

Everyone followed Sugimura's gaze, including the camera, and a basin within the mountain was shown. On top of the basin was a ruin.

For someone living in a modern city, to think that such a ruin could exist 20 kilometers from where I lived felt surreal. There were many single houses scattered with broken windows and roofs in disrepair. Some were virtually collapsed. If this place was the ore mine, then these houses would be the miners' houses. Disregarding any signs of human presence, these houses were now surrounded by a thick layer of ivy. An enamel signboard could be seen under what used to be a shophouse, further emphasizing the loneliness of the deserted townscape. I see, Sugimura's words weren't made up, this place was indeed worth visiting.

The camera panned quickly across such scenes. Maybe it had something to do with the cameraman's inexperience, or perhaps it was done to conceal the actors' crappy performances. At any rate, the next visual shown was quite intense.

Even the actors looked stunned by the scenery. As the camera faced towards what they were seeing, someone could be heard whispering ''"Wow"''. I had a feeling that line wasn't scripted.

But then, the scripted dialogue resumed once again.

''"I see. This is a good place to collect material,"'' Said Katsuda, who took out an instant camera from his pocket and began snapping away. Senoue took a notebook out and began writing. After a brief pause, Kaitou began instructing in a loud voice, ''"Anyway, we need to find a place to stay for the night. We'll start with the research after that."''

''"How about there then?"''

Kounosu pointed to one of the ruins in Narakubo. As the camera moved to where she was pointing, a large building could be seen, seemingly a theatre.

''"We should be safe from the rain if it's there."''

''"I see. Then let's go."''

The six of them then began to walk down the slope, and the scene faded out.

Upon fading in, the screen now showed the entrance of the theatre. The group stood before its two glass doors and looked up at the building. The camera panned up towards its dirty walls. Looking diagonally upwards, the theatre felt surreal.

The camera then returned to the group, where Kaitou opened the glass door, and each of them followed him into the theatre. The last one to enter was Kounosu, with her eyes looking down. She muttered, ''"For some reason, I have a bad feeling about this."''

She then entered the theatre, and as the six of them entered the darkness within, the scene ended.

Both Satoshi and Ibara raised their voices unexpectedly. Satoshi looked delighted, while Ibara looked displeased.

"Aha, a mansion mystery, huh?"

"Hmph, just a mansion mystery?"

The next scene resumed within the mansion... sorry, I mean theatre. As there would be no electricity in an abandoned village, it was dark inside the building. Compared to the silhouettes of the buildings outside, which could be clearly seen under the summer sunlight, the visual inside was difficult to see, though not bad enough to not be able to make out the actors' faces. The flooring was made of stone, as their footsteps could be heard knocking on it as they walked.

''"It's full of dust...,"'' Yamanishi muttered as she swept the dust off her clothes and fiddled her hair. The blurry visuals probably had something to do with it actually being dusty. Walking beside her, Katsuda looked up and said, ''"Seems like the building's still sturdy enough."''

Senouchi, still holding the notebook in her hand, turned and asked Sugimura, ''"They've got quite the theatre built in these mountains, haven't they?"''

''"The ore mine was profitable, after all. In the past anyway. And it's exactly because the mine is so deep in the mountains that they decided to build something like this to entertain themselves."''

''"Ah...,"'' whispered Satoshi, who had an interest in such trivia, and said to me, "Now they're saying something interesting."

It's not as if we were expecting some interesting dialogue to begin with anyway.

Kaitou then stamped his foot, creating a loud noise that echoed across the hall. As I wondered what was going on, the camera zoomed in on something besides their feet, which seemed to reflect what little light there was. It looked like some shattered glass.

''"While we're going to stay here for the night..."''

Kaitou raised his brow and continued, ''"It's probably not safe right here, with all the glass shards around."''

The camera then moved around. While it was hard to see, if this was the theatre, then they would be in the entrance lobby. From there, one could see the second floor, as well as two flights of stairs and one room. Once again, the camera moved up to show the second floor. It seemed the lobby was surrounded by an atrium. Sugimura and Katsuda then spoke respectively.

''"Guess we'll have to find somewhere suitable for sleeping then."''

''"You're right, before it gets dark."''

Nodding in agreement, Kaitou looked around and said, ''"Let's split up to search then. Is there a map we could use?"''

''"How about this one?"''

Kounosu beckoned them to come to the side of the entrance, and the movie cut to the next shot.

The following shot showed a map of the theatre which Kounosu was looking at. As it was dark and hard to see, someone should have shone some light on it with a torchlight.

"Aha, a map!"

Satoshi exclaimed gratefully and began to copy that map into his notebook. Though the details were hard to read, as the screen was big, the words were still legible. As the map was shown for about 30 seconds, Satoshi was able to finish copying in time.

[[Image:Hyouka_vol_02_-_004-005.jpg|thumb]]
As shown on the map, the theatre was composed of two storeys. In front of the entrance was the entrance lobby, where the group was right now. Next to the lobby was the office. Going further in was a wall with a set of doors, which led to a hall, and naturally a stage at its end. On both sides of the hall were two corridors, with two control rooms on each side. At the end of those two corridors were the backstage areas. On the right side of the audience hall was the "Right Stage" and on the left, the "Left Stage".

Two flights of stairs on either side of the lobby led to the second floor. The stairs on the right led to the lighting room, with lighting equipment from its side to shine down onto the stage. Above the office was the equipment room, and opposite the lighting room was the audio room. As both sets of stairs led to the same place, it was possible to get to the equipment room via both sides.

The map was also what the group should have seen.

The screen then panned towards Kaitou as he spoke.

''"Then let's split up and have a look inside."''

''"Won't that be dangerous?"'' asked Katsuda.

''"There's nothing but ruins here, what's so dangerous about it?"'' asked Kaitou.

Senoue then asked, ''"But, if we're going to enter the rooms, won't we need a key?"''

Kounosu answered in place of Kaitou, ''"That won't be a problem. There's bound to be one..."''

She then entered the office next to the lobby. Incredibly, the office door itself wasn't locked. The camera followed Kounosu into the office, where she looked around two to three times, before noticing a keybox hanging by the wall.

''"Here we go."''

She then exited the office with one set of keys, leaving the other set inside the box, which the camera remained fixed on. Though the lighting was dark, on the key holder was clearly written "Master Key".

''"With this, we should be able to look around the building."''

Kounosu returned to the hall and showed the set of keys to Kaitou, who nodded and took out one key from the set.

''"Then, let's each take one and see if we can find any rooms that we could stay in. It doesn't matter if we end up in separate rooms. Also have a look for rooms where it's safe to start a fire or clear from any other danger."''

Everyone then took one key from the set held by Kounusu, and before long, all the keys were taken.

"You know," Satoshi said while smiling, "Realistically, who would ever think of everyone splitting up and moving on their own in such a situation?"

"Isn't entering an abandoned house in a ruin unrealistic enough? So what's wrong with this scene?"

Satoshi smiled even more, "Nope, nothing's particularly wrong. Since if they didn't split up, we would have no mystery. We're guaranteed one, after all."

"In other words,"

"Something is about to happen soon. I'll bet one cheese dog with you that by the time they're all gathered, they'll be one person short."

Sitting next to Satoshi, Ibara looked at me with a grim stare. She was probably saying, ''Stop talking about irrelevant stuff and watch the movie already!'' ... Even though I wasn't the one that started the conversation.

The screen then showed each member checking the map to find the room their key leads to, and disappearing into the darkness of the building one by one. First it was Kaitou, followed by Sugimura, Yamanishi, Senoue, Katsuda and Kounosu. No one was left inside the lobby. The screen continued showing the empty lobby for a little while before cutting off.

Within the darkness, the narrator spoke again,

''"It was here that the incident happened."''

"Figures," said Satoshi.

''Shut up!'' Ibara glared at us again.

The next scene opened at the entrance lobby.

Again there was nobody.

Kounosu was the first to return from the stairs on the right.

She was followed by Yamanishi, who came out of the left corridor.

Katsuda too emerged from the left corridor, who then asked the two that arrived before him, ''"So? How did it go?"''

Yamanishi replied with a sulky expression, ''"It was full of shattered mirror pieces. It's unusable without anything to sweep them away."''

Kounosu too shook her head.

''"I see. It's the same here."''

Senoue then descended from the stairs on the left. As she approached them, she made an 'X' with her hands to motion that her search was also unsuccessful.

Katsuda looked upwards, and the camera duly followed his gaze. Thereupon, the equipment could be seen via the atrium. After showing the window of that room for an unusually long time, Katsuda could be heard shouting upwards, ''"Sugimura, how goes your end?"''

Sugimura stuck his head out from the window and shouted, ''"Though it's surprisingly pleasant inside, there's not much we could use to make fire with."''

''"I see. Anyway, come down first."''

''"Okay."''

Sugimura promptly came downstairs. There were now five people in the lobby. It seemed all but one of them had returned. I see, so the "victim" has been decided. Yamanishi spoke.

''"Where's Kaitou-kun?"''

Katsuda shook his head.

''"Since we're all here, let's go look for him. I think he headed that way, right?"''

He pointed toward the right corridor. The rest all nodded in turn. With Katsuda leading, the group entered the right corridor, with the camera following them. As they went deeper, the light went dimmer, and before long, nothing could be seen.

Someone turned on a hand torch and illuminated a door in front of the corridor, which Katsuda opened. It was a control room, with a line of mirrors and a bunch of abandoned costumes scattered around. There was no one inside.

''"That's strange."''

''"Could he be in the backstage area?"''

Heeding that suggestion, they all went deeper into the corridor, which was even darker.

The hand torch was turned on again, where a door leading to the Right Stage was shown with a sign saying "Staff Entry Only". Katsuda tried turning the doorknob, but it wouldn't open.

''"What's wrong?"''

''"It won't open. Maybe it's locked."''

''"What do we do?"''

''"... There's another set of master keys in the office, can someone go get them?"''

Without knowing who was being addressed, someone went running off. The sound of footsteps overlapping could be heard; it sounded like two people had run off to get the key. The next cut showed the door lock being turned opened by the key, and the group entering upon opening the door.

Inside the Left Stage was a window. As the curtain was drawn open, the sunlight outside shone in. And in the centre of the sunlit room, someone was lying down on the floor. Naturally, it was Kaitou.

''"Kaitou!"''

Sugimura rushed towards him, followed by Katsuda. Sugimura knelt down before Kaitou and tried to lift Kaitou up, when he felt something in his palms. The camera moved to show what was within his palms. While it was hard to see with so little light, it seemed that Sugimura's palms were quite stained. He muttered, ''"Blood..."''

Someone screamed. The camera turned to face the three girls standing by the door. Yamanishi was lost for words as she covered her mouth, Senoue held her hands together, while Kounosu gripped her fists. Blood stains were flowing out from the abdomen of the collapsed Kaitou, whose eyes were closed. It was just as well, as his crappy performance would have been exposed if he chose to have his eyes opened. The camera then panned towards Kaitou's side, which showed his arm being severed. Probably some prop. The dark lighting helped raise the tension as the camera slowly revealed within the severed arm was the key that Kaitou had taken with him.

''"Ahh..."''

Someone gasped while watching the scene. It was Chitanda.

Back to the movie, Katsuda yelled, ''"Kaitou! Dammit! Somebody help!"''

He quickly stood up and headed toward the window to try and open it, which was designed to be opened while pulling upwards. But as the window had not been used for so many years, it didn't seem to be able to open. Katsuda pressed his hands against the window frame and used his full strength to pull the window upward, which created a loud squeaking noise. Upon finally opening the window, he stuck his body out and looked outside. The camera showed what was outside the window - nothing but a thick layer of wild grass.

Katsuda returned inside and headed toward the stage. The screen suddenly went dark while going from the illuminated room into the dark stage; it was clear it was following Katsuda, who ran straight toward the Left Stage, where he came to a stop. The door connecting the Left Stage and the left corridor was blocked by some boards of squared timber.

''"No way..."''

The screen faded to black.

And then,

The movie seemed to have ended right there.

"......"

We waited for a little longer, but the screen didn't come back on.

"Huh, it's over?" Ibara whispered in an annoyed tone.

"...... Seems so."

As if on cue, upon Satoshi's response, a mechanical sound was heard, followed by the screen being drawn upwards. As though trying to stop the screen from withdrawing, Chitanda stretched her arms forward pitifully.

"Eh? Eh? But it's not over!"

"Maybe they're having some technical difficulties?" I said to her, though a voice from behind instantly replied, "No, that is incorrect."

As we turned around, Irisu had already exited the control room and stood behind us, holding the videotape in her hand.

"The tape indeed ends here."

She said in a calm tone. Of course she would know exactly when the tape ends. Satoshi asked, "So, is that the end of the story, if that's where you intended it to end?"

"Of course not."

Then it means that this tape was incomplete. I've never heard of a movie preview where people are invited to watch a movie that has yet to be completed.

Muttering under my breath, I asked, "Would you please care to explain what's going on? This 'preview' isn't gonna end here, is it?"

Irisu was constantly looking at me as she nodded.

"Of course not. But before that, I would like to hear something from all of you... What did you think of the movie you just saw? In terms of its cinematography?"

We exchanged glances with each other. I didn't know about Chitanda, but I was sure the rest of us were in agreement. Ibara replied on our behalf, "To be very honest, we thought it was crudely done."

That answer was to be expected.

"That was what I thought as well... You may probably have known this already, but the Kanya Festival is a festival mainly for the arts-related clubs. There was no place for activities by individual classes. However, our class was not content with that. We could not enlist the help of people with the required skills, as they're already busy with their own club activities, but despite that, we still decided to make something of our own. We merely wanted to show people the result of our passion and hard work."

She described such a bitter reality in a plain manner devoid of any emotion.

However, were they satisfied with just that? As I was thinking, Irisu spoke again.

"I thought this was good enough, as everyone is enjoying what they're doing and making something of their own. Even though the end product will end up being laughed at, they wouldn't be too concerned at all, as they're easily satisfied. I know it's quite silly, so I would please ask that you turn a blind eye to how crudely they made the movie."

"So it doesn't matter whether it's crudely done or not?"

Irisu nodded in answer to Ibara's question.

"It's not really too much to ask, is it? If it's well made, they would also be satisfied on a different level. Yet the essence of their objective remains the same... Now, what do you think would happen if something calamitous occurred during the making of the movie?"

After thinking for a while, Satoshi replied, "The movie wouldn't be completed."

"Exactly. And we are not satisfied with that. However, we cannot complete the movie. As you have seen, the location for the movie is quite unique, and we could only go there to shoot during summer vacation."

"Are you having some problems with the cinematography?" Chitanda asked anxiously.

"While that's a problem as well, I'm sure they can sort that out eventually. Taking into consideration our traveling budget and script progress, our schedule was to film on location twice. According to our plans, we should be going once again this Sunday to complete the movie."

"But something else happened?"

Faced with my cold remark, Irisu responded truthfully, "Yes, we never expected assigning work to an unskilled amateur would create such strain. When we all decided on making a movie, it was agreed that it would be a mystery movie. However, we had no one capable of writing such a script. Only one person amongst us had any experience writing stories; her name is Hongou Mayu. She had some experience writing manga, so we entrusted her to come up with a script for a one-hour movie."

For someone who's never written any stories before, I had no idea how tough such an assignment was, though I noticed Ibara raising her brow. She too had experience writing manga, so she's probably sympathizing with Hongou.

"Hongou was amazing. She had managed to come up with a script despite not having any contact with mystery novels before. However, she was at her limit, and by the time she wrote up to the part where you saw in the movie, she collapsed."

Collapsed, meaning she's not alright. Chitanda gasped and asked, "What happened to her?"

"Gastritis from stress, a form of depression. Though it's nothing serious, it's not possible for her to continue her task, so we're seeking out a replacement writer."

Sounds like replacement on the battlefield.

"You're not seriously asking us to do that, are you?"

Taking over the role of screenwriter for them?

Irisu laughed softly and said, "Oh, no. We wouldn't impose on you so far. I merely invited you to a preview, and would like to ask one question of you... Who did you think was the killer?"

Come to think of it, the movie didn't seem to have anyone resembling a detective character despite this being a mystery movie. That was probably one of the reasons why the movie couldn't make any progress. The second reason was probably due to every actor being assigned similar screen time, resulting in the audience being unable to determine who will play the detective. However... While I was still far from convinced, Ibara was the first to reply.

"But Sempai, surely the movie must include scenes for us to deduce who the killer is before we could guess?"

Irisu shook her head and said, "You need not worry about that. Hongou said she had already written the outline of the resolution before she collapsed, and we should be able to get that part filmed in time."

Satoshi inquired further, "But if it's a script written by a beginner in detective fiction, surely she would have left clues before coming to the resolution, or it would seem quite awkward."

"That has also been taken care of. She managed to put in everything her wits had to offer. She did say she did some research into detective fiction after all. I believe she stayed true to both Knox and Chandler's Ten Commandments and Van Dine's Twenty Rules."
<ref>[http://www.writingclasses.com/InformationPages/index.php/PageID/303]
[http://www.thrillingdetective.com/trivia/triv116.html]
[http://gaslight.mtroyal.ca/vandine.htm]</ref>

Chitanda looked puzzled at the mention of the Ten Commandments; I probably did as well.

"Ten Commandments? As in 'Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain'?"

Why did she have to quote such a minor Commandment of all Commandments? Satoshi answered confidently at Chitanda's question, "No, that's Moses' Ten Commandments. We're talking about Ronald Knox's Ten Commandments of Detective Fiction here, rules like 'No Chinaman must figure in the story'. Hongou-san must have studied those rules to ensure fair play - giving the audience a fair chance at solving the mystery."

Why can't a Chinaman appear in a story anyway? Does their appearance, no matter how entertaining it is, have something to do with politics or some other issue? Then again, these rules are often seen in science fiction as well... Though I don't think it has anything to do with fair play. I wonder if I could find the answer if I researched Knox?

As I was pondering these questions, Irisu concluded, "In other words, all the clues have been shown... so who do you think the killer is?"

Asking us to figure out who the killer was in an abandoned village deep within the mountains, huh? This sounds ridiculous.

Satoshi, Ibara and Chitanda all exchanged glances with each other.

"Who, you're asking me? That's kind of hard. Conclusions cannot be made from the database."

"You're right, I'm not confident I'll be able to solve this myself... Though I do suspect a few things."

"Um, is Kaitou-san confirmed dead already in the movie?"

Upon asking all the questions they wanted to ask, they all turned to look at me at the same time. I could feel my back drooping slightly as their gazes were fixed upon me. I tried to turn my eyes beyond their glare and said, "... What?"

"Nothing, I was just thinking this was perhaps a job for Houtarou."

Satoshi smiled impudently as usual.

"What job are you talking about?"

"The detective, of course."

I could totally imagine what sort of expression I was making then, which Satoshi was quick to describe.

"You look as though you don't like that."

I nodded silently. As a normal high school student and fervent energy saver, there's no way I would ever get myself involved in anything out of the ordinary. I feel troubled by being so overestimated. In response to my expression,

"It probably means you weren't paying enough attention to the movie," Chitanda interrupted with her voice raised, "So why don't we watch it one more time?"

Is she serious?

As though sensing my thoughts, Irisu intervened and said, "I'm just asking you for an opinion. You don't have to be too serious about it."

"Is that so? Then I think Yamanishi's the killer."

Chitanda turned her head to me and asked, "How come?"

"Because she had a terrible attitude?"

"Oreki!"

Ibara scolded me with a sharp voice, though I was hardly intimidated. Ibara's only scary when you've truly made a serious mistake, but I was not exactly wrong with my guess here.

"Then Katsuda, he looked quite muscular."

Satoshi sighed and crossed his arms.

"Hmm, you don't seem to be too eager about this? Even I feel like saying 'Stop saying strange stuff already'."

It's not exactly strange, but that itself won't do, as they don't seem to be convinced. I decided to confirm something with Irisu.

"Can I ask you something?"

"Go ahead."

"Why are you asking an outsider like us? If this question was conceived by Class 2-F, surely it ought to be figured out by someone from Class 2-F as well?"

As with before, Irisu nodded and replied, "We did discuss this question amongst ourselves, though we wish to receive more suggestions from outside. No matter what theories we proposed, we were still clueless in answering it. Like I said before, only those with the necessary skills can do the job required."

"Not even you could do it?"

"Unfortunately, no. More than anyone, I too would like to figure out who the killer is. Moreover, I have to take care of the filming operation, so I'm quite short on time here."

"In that case, why didn't you start anew with something other than mystery then?"

It was starting to become like a cross-examination. For the first time, Irisu lowered her eyes, though she still maintained her stern voice.

"I was not present in the original planning stages, as I happened to be in Hokkaido for the past three weeks. I only heard about the problem from the director upon returning to Kamiyama, and it was only the day before yesterday that I agreed to try and solve this problem. If I had been involved from the beginning, I would not have agreed to make a mystery movie."

''Then it has nothing to do with you, does it? You're just doing it out of pity for your classmates.'' ... Though that's what I thought, naturally, I couldn't say that out loud.

So I modified my question a bit.

"Secondly, why us? I know you're acquainted with Chitanda, but it seemed like you had intended for us to come all along. There are about a thousand students in Kami High, why did you specifically choose the Classics Club?"

"Well, it's given that I knew Chitanda personally,"

We probably came because of that, as she knew Chitanda would probably be interested in it. Irisu then met my gaze and continued, "Furthermore, you are present."

"Me?"

That was a surprising answer. I could sense Chitanda, Satoshi and Ibara looking at me. Though it was mainly down to luck, those involved in investigating the "Hyouka" incident all seemed surprised at how it was solved. But how did an outsider like Irisu find out about that?

Irisu slowly explained the reason, "I have heard much about you from three people: The first is Chitanda here, the second is someone from outside the school, while the third is Toogaito Shouji. I'm sure you've met him before."

"Who?"

"Oreki! How can you forget!? He's the Wall Newspaper Club President!"

Oh! Him. Now I remember. Upon mentioning his name, I suddenly felt daunted.

Toogaito was a third year whom I crossed paths with before. To put a long story short, I managed to obtain knowledge of a dirty secret of his and used it to my advantage to blackmail him. It's not something I'd like to recall too much. Irisu seemed to be able to read my thoughts as she said, "Don't worry. Toogaito does not think badly of you at all."

Well then, do tell him I bless his good soul.

"When I realized there was no one else who had the skills to finish the story, I immediately thought of you. If it was you, you might be able to play the role of the 'detective'."

"......"

"That's amazing, Houtarou! Your talents are being recognized!"

I glared at Satoshi for his teasing before returning my gaze to Irisu and sighed. Me? A detective? I gave my honest reply.

"I feel quite uneasy to have such expectations placed on me."

Surprisingly, Irisu was quick to withdraw her stance.

"You're right."

She sighed and continued, "I was merely making a gamble while deciding to invite you to watch the preview, in the hope that the problem could be solved as soon as possible. But I was indeed naive... I apologize for causing you such distress."

She bowed upon saying that.

"Is there anything else you'd like to ask?"

In awe of her vigour, even if I had any further questions, I was left speechless.

Upon confirming there were no more questions, Irisu quickly wrapped things up.

"Then this ends the preview. Thank you for coming."

However, the story did not end here. I had totally forgotten the presence of a certain person. Indeed, it was none other than Chitanda Eru, the very incarnation of Curiosity itself, who would go to all lengths to solve every mystery the universe had to offer.

As Irisu was about to turn away, Chitanda called out to her, "Please wait!"

"... Is something the matter?"

"Um, then how would the story end? What's going to happen next?"

Irisu said as she turned back around, "We don't know, we're still working on it. But you must be prepared to accept that it may never be finished."

"That would be terrible."

Terrible? ... Well, Irisu's feeling terrible as well. Chitanda then stepped up her reasoning.

"Irisu-san, if what you said was true, then it would be a pity if the movie could not be completed. I don't want that to happen."

Well, neither does Irisu, but even if you say that...

"Besides, besides,"

I started to raise my brows worryingly. This was bad, something was about to happen. Irisu probably made the right choice in picking Chitanda to solve her problem.

"Why did the screenwriter Hongou Mayu-san, upon being entrusted with the role, decide that the role was so important that she worked till she collapsed? ... I'm ''really'' curious about it."

Standing beside me, Satoshi spoke.

"Houtarou, whether it's as a 'detective' or whatever, don't you think we have insufficient data needed to solve this?"

"Indeed."

"That means we'll just have to gather the clues ourselves, right?"

It's not as easy as it sounds.

Yet upon hearing that, and this was probably Satoshi's plan all along, Chitanda quickly turned towards us with great vigour and said, "Oreki-san, let's do this! We must find out what Hongou-san's legacy was!"

"Hongou's still alive."

Irisu calmly corrected her, though I had no idea whether our lady heard that.

Satoshi spoke once again.

"Mayaka, how goes the progress for the anthology? You think we could take time off for a week to solve this?"

Ibara replied with a sour look, "The only one not making any progress is you, Fuku-chan. I've pretty much finished my alloted segment already."

"N-now, don't sweat the small stuff."

Ibara then added as though muttering, "I too would like to see this movie completed. Despite its poor cinematography, I never thought images of abandoned villages would look so stunning."

As for me...

I really was no good at dealing with Chitanda. Since it had come to this, even if I had refused, I would not have be able to escape from her. If I had tried to escape, I would merely end up expending lots of energy, which would be a waste. And I hate wasting energy.

But, this time...

I just didn't feel like accepting Irisu's offer to play the role of "detective". Despite my energy saving motto, this time my reason was altogether different. I didn't know whether the other three realized it or not, but even if they did, I decided to ignore them as I said coldly, "Let's say we accept this challenge. What if we fail? Do we have to bow apologetically on all fours to the dissatisfied members of Class 2-F?"

For starters, we were not members of the Detective Fiction Study Club. We're members of the Classics Club, a club whose activities were yet to be known. For me, I firmly believed that solving the "Hyouka" incident was mainly due to luck. As Irisu's offer promised little in return, why should we bear the burden of taking care of Class 2-F's project?

Chitanda felt as though she had had a bucket of water poured on her upon hearing these harsh words. Ibara felt like rebutting, and was about to open her mouth.

It was at this perfect timing that Irisu decided to offer a compromise.

"Then, we will not ask you to play the role of 'detective'. As there are also people in my class that would like to take on that role. Instead, what do you think if we ask you to act as 'observer' and decide whether their deductions make sense?"

An observer, huh? If it's to determine whether someone is the killer or not, then that role would be akin to judge and jury. If that's the case, our burden would be considerably lighter.

As an energy saver, my urge to turn down this offer had increased, though it was probably not enough to convince Chitanda, whose eyes were beginning to tear up.

So I said reluctantly, "We can do that, I guess."

Upon hearing that, Chitanda smiled again, while Ibara crossed her arms, Satoshi gave me a thumbs-up, and Irisu bowed her head in admiration. Darn, I got dragged into something bothersome again. Oh well, I sighed in my heart and thought, if all we had to do was sit and listen, then I could do that.

... By the way, for an instant, upon raising her head, Irisu looked as though she had just successfully accomplished something. Was that my imagination?

==Translator's notes and references==

<references />

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| Forward to [[Hyouka:Volume 2 Chapter 2|2 - "The Murder in the Abandoned Village of Furuoka"]]
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OreShura: Volume 1 Chapter 1

2012-09-22T06:16:08Z

Sab: /* Chapter 1: Highschool Life begins in Mayhem */

===Chapter 1: Highschool Life begins in Mayhem===

Harusaki Chiwa.

Freshman. Childhood friend of Eita.

A bit dumb. Was in the kendo club.

Favourite line is "feel free to eat as much as you wish."

It wouldn't be quite suitable for me to say this, but I am "anti-romance".

Romance this sort of thing, is nothing but a mirage. It's a disease. If you don't believe me take a look at couples giggling every now and then in front of everyone. It's annoying to whoever sees them, praying for them to leave. As for their reasons to flirt in public? That's because this is the real romance, unmasked: Morphine emitting everywhere in the brain, making them lose their shame and all. My attitude towards these people? I always put up with it because I don't care. But when it comes to myself, it's another topic. For me, even if it were not in public, I will never do such shameless moves.

Of course, if I told anyone about my thoughts like this, they would probably chuckle and reply
"There's no need to pretend to be strong"
"Is this the excuse of an unpopular person amongst females?"

Huh. Me, unpopular amongst females? What a joke. I have a history of being confessed to. Nostalgic, those times in the kindergarten..... Forget it, those past glories? Who cares.

But really. If other people gave me a reply like this, I would fully understand. It sounds just as bad as college dropouts saying "schdule my a**" - lack of persuasive power. Not having a single bit of romance in my entire life so far, saying anything casually like that would sound nothing more than the sour grapes of jealousy.

Which pretty much sums up why I don't tell anyone about it, but it IS truly how I feel. And the people who taught me to think like that were my parents.

The story of how my parents got together: they met; they fell in love; they got married. Just like every other love dramas on the television. Throughout childhood I was bombarded with them talking about the ups and downs of their love story. Then in junior high, I was subjected to their endless fights. One day as I was about to go into high school, they both left to seek the "real one" for them and disappeared forever from my eyes, leaving only a letter entrusting me to relatives and a power of attorney to their house as funds for unsettled expenses.

- You - Are - All - Bastards

Me and my hatred to my parents and romance itself was to the degree of using "Hakata Salt's" advertising techniques.
(Note: Lyrics in the [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=99PeKqs81Ak Hakata Salt commercial] are sang syllable by syllable.)

Of course, my sensible logic tells me not all parents are like mine. On the contrary, people falling blissfully in love, getting married, form the majority. Though say my logic is sensible, I still would not "fall in love blissfully just to show you!" or any other kind of similar urges. After all, without romance, life can still go on. Won't make much of a difference not doing pointless stuff. Besides, I don't have the time either.

I have my own ambitions. My target is to get into National University's medical faculty and become a doctor.

Getting into the medical faculty would mean a considerable amount of expense, and I simply cannot give any more trouble to my current guardian '''Saeko-san'''.

'''Kiryū Saeko''' is my father's sister; in other words, my aunt. She is my benefactor who takes care of me, here to clean up my parent's mess. Originally she thought of selling this tattered house to raise money, but putting my feelings of attachment in this house into account, she eventually moved in and settled down with me together. If it weren't for '''Saeko-san''', I would have been moved else where to some unknown relative a long time ago. Therefore, I have decided to repay this debt to '''Saeko-san''' one day, definitely.

My highschool is called Haneyama Public Highschool (short form Hane High). In this school, we have one policy that goes like this: the school will award talented students with good conduct a place at National University (with scholarship). And That's what I'm aiming for.

After entering high school, for the first semester I have already been ranked the first in my year. To a person whose results were in the fairly low district for the entire junior high, this is a staggering feat. I have no intent to slow down, and will continue working hard to keep my grades up.

Which is why, I have no time to spare on romance.

Therefore, I have sworn myself to the following laws:
#Studying comes first!
#No romance! Romance alert!
#But don't let others believe I'm gay because of the 2nd rule

As long as I follow these laws, my highschool life will be perfect!

Yet.

Yet, even for a person like me, have an attached girl. The so called fate of a childhood friend.

Well, why shouldn't I begin the story from her then.

It was the end of May, an incident that happened some day when students were about to change into summer uniforms. Because of work, '''Saeko-san''' is often away from home. A reason why I have to do all the housework alone. Dinner; vacumming the floor; hanging clothes dry; all part of my work. In the eyes of others, this may look very extraneous. True. But only at beginning. But now, chores have even become one of my hobbies. Especially making dinner, not only can it directly reflect your results, it is also an useful skill in life.

It was almost dusk, half past five. I threw all the washed clothes into the dryer, about to step outside for ingredients for dinner. Before that, I have to prepare rice and started pouring rice into the cooker, when suddenly, short energetic cries of "Urg!" and "Hah!" came next door.

"What the heck? Hmm....?"

After finishing last touches and setting the rice cooker into position, I walked down the hallway into the courtyard. Not very big, around the size of the area of 3 hanging racks, less than ten or more steps to my neighbour's fence. Across the short fence separating both houses, I could see a person dressed in sportswear and skirts, waving her bamboo blade around. I called out and greeted "Hey-- Chiwa--"

Chiwa stopped her exercise and turned around, sweat sparkling in the sunlight of what was remaining of the sun.

"Hi--Ei-kun! What's for dinner?"

Heh, thinking about food from dawn til dusk.

"Why are you doing practices with your sword?"

"I guess because there was a sword lying around?"

"....."

According to my calculations, this person will become addicted to mountaineering activities in the near future.

"I thought you gave up a long time ago?"

"The Kendo club was what I gave up. Despite many persuasion from my seniors, I finally severed my ties with them."

"Did you give up because of your health conditions? Now you're practicing again, won't it...."

Harusaki Chiwa smiled. "No problem. I had a body check last week and my doctor said if it were exercises, then I'd be fine~"

"....really?"

"Really~ really, Ei-kun loves to worry~"

Chiwa had been practicing kendo from elementary school up til the 2nd year of junior high. Instead of practice, one could say, buried her head in kendo. She even came 4th in the province-wide group competition, 2nd in personal competition. Her unfavourable height and strength didn't have much affect on her performance, even aiming for the national-wide competition next summer.

But then, the 3rd summer of junior high.

Just as the date for the competition was approaching, Chiwa got involved in a traffic accident.

While the Kendo club was jogging for training, a cargo from a passing by truck coincidentally fell off, crushing Chiwa below it.

Her whole body suffered serious injury, the damage to her waist was even worse.

After a large surgery, Chiwa spent her last summer of junior high in hospital.

Although after this Chiwa have worked hard for rehabilitation, now that the after effects does not affect her daily life, extreme social activities like kendo is out of the topic.

But Chiwa didn't complain at all, accepting everything silently.

To a person like me who never joined much social activies, we won't be able to imagine what it feels like for Chiwa. But in my point of view, Chiwa definitely lost an important part of her life.

".....Don't push yourself too much. The waist, like how it's written, is the most important part of the body."
(Note: In Japanese [and Chinese], the word waist is combined from two parts: body and important)

"Eh--?" Chiwa winced her eyes as if contemplating something, "Ei-kun seems especially kind today? Don't tell me it's because you want to see my underpants?"

--?!

"Wh-who wants to see yo-your u-u-u"

Such a failure. Stumbling over something so trivial.

"Oh my. Ei-kun must have reached the age where he is interested in these things. Is the word 'underpants' too stimulating for you?" Chiwa giggled happily.

Chiwa took a twirl like a ballerina. The short white skirt was lifted by air, revealing her long, slender, healthy legs. Of course, the underpants stayed out of sight. .....But still I couldn't help but get slightly exicted. Such a failure.

"Wh-who wants to see your childish underwear!"

"Huh, you don't have to insist, you know~"

Curse her.... such a fun-loving little kid. A mature grown up like me have no common language with her!

"Forget it. I'm going out to buy ingredients for dinner."

"Oh, wait! I'm going with you!"

"Don't. If you go, you always make additional expenses."

"I won't nag for snacks this time! I promise!"

Lies....

Everytime she sneaks chocolate and gum and whatnot into my shopping cart.

Whatever. Even if I refused, this kid will tag along.

"....you have 3 minutes. Hurry up!"

"Yes, sir!"

Really. How can such a small little body be so energetic.

From our home to the "'''Marutoku'''" shopping mall is around a ten minutes trip.

Chiwa was dressed up in jeans skirts and a sleeveless shirt.

It is only May yet already sleeveless.... I don't know whether to call her out-going, or lack of a sense of seasons.

"And, Ei-kun, what are you having tonight?"

"Hmm? Um..."

Through the intelligence received from the flyers this morning, the recipe is all set.

"Japanese-styled taro with fish miso soup and Soybean Sargassum salad"

Chiwa made an expression as if the end of the world have come "Wh-what about meat?!"

"Don't you know? Beans are called the 'Vegetarian's meat'."

"....Lately Ei-kun and my mother sound alike"

Chiwa's parents are workaholics, plus their workload is heavy, usually they don't come home until late night. Since my aunt '''Saeko-san''' also seldom comes home, dinner is almost always eaten between me and Chiwa.

Entering into the shop, we quickly grabbed all the special priced objects. A sudden scent of curry came from the corner of the shop. Looks like they're trying to sell a new instant curry.

"Oh, siblings shopping together? If you don't mind, would you like to try some?" Wearing an apron, the saleswoman showed a professional smile.

Since small, both of us have always been mistaken as siblings. Although only during Grade 3 to Grade 4 did Chiwa's height exceed mine, I have always been taken as the younger brother in our pseudo sibling relationship. Between you and me, I have always taken this as the shame of my life. On the bright side, Chiwa's height also stopped growing since grade school.

"Then, excuse me~~"

Well, no thanks for me. Chiwa, of course, couldn't care less about me, and reached out for the paper plates. Though her arms look short, they can extend to an incredible length when reaching for food.

"Here you go. There's two tastes here to try out, heavy and light!"

I guess there's not much choice but to taste as well.

.....Well, that wasn't so bad.

'''Saeko-san's''' snacks storage is close to going out of stock. Why not, I thought. Two would be too many though.

"May I ask which taste is better selling?"

"Huh?"

"Which curry is sells better? I'll have one of that."

With a slightly awkward expression, the saleslady pointed to the light curry, whereas Chiwa placed a heavy tasted curry into my shopping cart.

"Hey, Chiwa"

"It's for '''Saeko-san''', no? This one tastes better~"

The saleslady made a muffled laugh.

Huh. Who made you my mother.

On the way home after lining up and paying, I couldn't help but say
"Chiwa, please don't interfer with my logical decisions"

"Lo~gi~cal Decisions?"

"Compared to your tongue, I'd rather trust the choice of democracy"

"That won't come into use at all. My taste is the same as '''Saeko-san's'''."

"You won't be able to prove it"

Chiwa shrugged exaggeratedly
"Ei-kun surely changed a lot in this field. In junior high you weren't so addicted to talking sense."

"Well that's normal isn't it. We are high school students after all"

"ehh, but I like the clumsier Ei-kun better-- you were hilarious"

"You." Slightly pissed, "You never change, still at the stage of junior, no, no difference from a gradeschool child"

"Wh-what. I've grown" Chiwa puffed out her chests.

.....Umm, that? Nope. Not so far, at least.

" 'The late growth of breasts due to immaturity' -- If I became a doctor, I would definitely invite you as a test subject for my thesis "

"P-pretending to be very smart! I'm still 3 months and 10 days older than you!"

"It only further proves your immaturity if you even think that matters"

"S-such arrogance! H-how, how dare Ei-kun!!"

Haha, a complete victory from my side. Sadly, defeating Chiwa isn't exactly something to brag about.

And so, we returned home and I began preparing dinner swiftly. Fish itself is sold in slices, so roasting it shouldn't be too hard. More importantly was the Japanese styled taro. It needs to be kept shaking such that it won't get burnt.

As for Chiwa, she pouted on the sofa hugging her knees, calling out "Ei-kun is an idiot", "Stupid", "Muffled pervert" and all sorts of names.

Can't believe such a sporty girl can take these things so personally. Looks like there's only one thing to do.

"Hey, Chiwa"

"Huh. I hate Ei-kun the most"

"There's some bacon in the fridge, do you want me to fry it in soya-sauce?"

"Yay! Ei-kun I love you!"

"....."

Love bought with 100 grams of bacon.

If treated specially, it only costs ¥59.....

I mixed all the vegetables into one big bowl and placed it on the table. Although it looks less attractive, we seldom separate the vegetables into single dishes, but instead we eat it directly from one big bowl. Soon it became a habit. Moreover, I have less plates to wash this way.

The two of us ate, going through all sorts of unimportant subjects.

"That reminds me--"

"Reminds you of what??"

"In mangas or in drama TVs, female childhood friends tend to cook"

"That's right"

"Then why is our characters switched?"

Chiwa looked at me a bit confused "Eh? Did you want to eat my cooking?"

"......Nnnnever mind."

I was suddenly reminded of myself collapsing from the food she made once. That was a bubbling roasted steak sweetened to the fattening degree. Because we didn't have red wine, we had carbonated grape juice (0% natural) as substitue. When asked of the motive for her crime, Chiwa replied "they both look pretty much the same anyways" and "Besides, I'm sure it would taste better with something carbonated"

The less a person knows how to cook, the more likely he would be to invent crazy recipes.....

"Say," Chiwa garbled while chewing bacon, "There's a girl called Natsukawa Masuzu in Ei-kun's class?"

"Oh, I guess"

Then with a sudden spurt of energy "That girl is incredible! Just like a princess! Even boys in our class are talking about her, so I took a look today. I was shocked! Her hair is silver, her eyes are blue, like some European offspring or somewhere else! I also heard she is super rich!"

"Umm, I guess--" I answered vaguely.

"And she's super popular! Only two months into school, already according to sources, the number of confessions she's had have already exceeded two digits! I originally thought it was a made up story from nosy person, but after seeing her today, I am almost certain of it! Two digits!"

"Ohh--" I agreed vaguely.

"Oh, Ei-kun isn't interested? Or did you already give up because she is out of reach?"

"Not really"

I have to agree, Natsukawa-san is very pretty indeed, but it has nothing to do with me. Besides, for some reason, I have a dislike towards her. Although I've had a few conversations with her.... it always feels like she's hiding something under her acclaimed looks. Should I say, I can't read her thoughts, or is she too unpredictable.

"Anyhow I don't really like her"

"....is that so"
Chiwa nodded a few times.

"Hoho, today's dinner taste very good"

"Oh that, I just cooked it like every other day"

I wonder what was the reason that made her feel happy. Just bacon is enough to cheer her up?

After dinner, the two of us gathered bowls and chopsticks. Afterwards I started preparing for tomorrow's courses while Chiwa took some manga from the mountainous piles stored in '''Saeko-san's''' room and started reading at the sofa.

'''Saeko-san''' works at some game production company. Occasionally she does work like writing scripts, drawing graphics, even coding and music, in short she does a lot. The company makes galgames and love games directed to girls.

Perhaps it's because of work, '''Saeko-san''' acts like this at home
"Eita, mor~ning~! Are you used to highschool life? Are there any cute girls you've fallen for?"

"No progress at all with Chiwawa? Settings like this kind of childhood friend is usually a highway to HAPPYENDs, what have you been doing all the time?"

"When you're in bed with a girl you have to watch out for her impression-- If you focus too much on a single girl and forget about others, some day bad news will spread!"

Who would be in bed with a girl. You think I'm some oil monopoly king in Arabia?

--Anyway, don't pay too much attention to these stuff.

For purposes of gathering information for work, '''Saeko-san''' has tonnes of bishojo mangas. Reading these mangas have recently become a daily habit of Chiwa's.

"Hey, the tea's ready, I'll put it down right here"

"....."

Chiwa was motionless. She turns like this whenever in the world of manga.

Looks like she's especially focused today.

".....Sniff" Chiwa grabbed a tissue from the tissue box and wiped the corner of her eye with it while blowing her nose. "It would be nice if that happened to me just once."

"Happen what?"

"A romance like this."

"How's it like?"

"You read, you read"

I flipped the pages of the manga Chiwa handed to me. The two childhood friends both had their own lovers, but one day both of them noticed their love towards each other, then after many many difficult obstacles, the two of them eventually became lovers forever-- you get the idea.

"How cliche." I commented. "Besides, childhood friends are pretty much like brothers and sisters, they won't become lovers"

"Is that so? I thought there's some fact to it."

"Only works in stories. Let's take us as an example, one look and you see how it's impossible in real life."

"................."

??

I was expecting a "You've got a point-- That is certainly impossible--" or some similar response..... but she turned out to be silent.

"Y-you've got a point-- That is certainly impossible--"

Ah, here comes the expected response.

Perhaps she's only too tired from her kendo exercise? Maybe I should add more meat in dinner next time.....

"Take, taking the childhood friend setting aside, this kind of romance, or I should say this kind of sweet, or wait, this kind of complete devotion in romance, doesn't seems so bad. Besides, I'm already a highschool student."

So that's why.

It's a good thing to want to devote fullying into something as replacement of Kendo, just that --

"So, what do you want to do then?"

"I want to become popular!"

....well that was direct.

"Fancied by many males, after experiencing many ups and downs, finally settling down with a normal male who has been supporting her silently all the time -- This is what I should experience at least?"

".....ha. Ohhh"

How should I put it, feels just like what a book called "Chihuahua Mood for Saucy Love" would be about.

It sounds a bit depressing coming from a friend who's been growing up with her since small, but....

"You should give up. It's still too early for you."

"Huhhhh?"

"First of all, just the word 'popular' is impossible. I've never seen you do make up. Moreover, I doubt you have lots of clothes?"

"C-clothes, I have a lot! I have 5 workout suits!"

I totally understand her anxiousness in wanting to refute my statements, but in reality, she's just digging her own grave.

"Plus, you never really cared about how other males look at you? A while ago you were playing soccer with the males in the sports grounds without even changing to sports clothes. Annd, you sit with your legs crossed, when you're in a skirt you always shake your feet around"

Having her worst habit pointed out, Chiwa stopped moving her legs. Just so you know, she was moving her legs rythmatically all along.

"And I don't have to tell you about how you go on the rooftop in nothing but a towel on your body, hands on hips, gulping down milk in one go. The Asakura's auntie even jokes 'Chiwa-chan looks exactly like my father', so she said"

The two ponytails from the two sides of her head began trembling.

The Asakuras is our neighbour across the street. Their grandpa was an coach, sometimes even attenting fitness contests. He's a bearded old guy covered in muscles.

"Anyway, you are a sports girl from head to feet, just like how they say 'Brawn but no brains'. In reality, the way you analyse things is by brute force, facing it directly, guided by power. In addition, you always think like a child, I can't really tell how you look like a highschool student......"

"Idiot"

"......??"

"Ei-kun is a giant idiot!!!!!!"

Ah, there she blows.

"Ei-kun is a jerk! Jerk jerk jerk jerk! How would you know until I try! I'm not brawn but no brains! I'm not a child!"

"....."

Thrashing her arms and legs around on the sofa, I really want to see her to prove me wrong.

When I realised I did go a bit overboard, it was already too late. The damage is done.

"Forget it. I've decided," Chiwa stood up from the sofa, "From tomorrow onwards, I will become a person in love!!"

".....??"

"Not only will I be in love, I will become super popular! If Chiwawa-chan gets serious, even Natsukawa Masuzu won't stand a chance!"

Well good luck on that, I said.
"Do you know how to draw males' attention? Even abstractly?"

"I'll begin learning right now!"

"Annd where exactly will you be learning from?"

"With this!"
Chiwa held up the bishojo manga in front of my face
"'''Saeko-san''' once said, bishojo manga is the bible of love. Therefore I must study well, remember it well, practice it all day long, and win a prize in a competition!"

"Competition whaa.....?"

The stance of a girl warrior.

"Let's say....this" Chiwa flipped to a heroine on some random page in the manga, "Look at the eyes of this heroine, looook at them! Don't you find them adorable? If I make the same look, I will definitely become popular with males!"

".....Ummm......."

The heroine's eyes was half the size of her face.

And there was a lot of glitter in her eyes.

How the heck do you plan to imitate that.....

"A while ago, a girl next to my desk was reading a magazine 'Pachi Lemon'. It also wrote that 'if you look at boys from below, it will make you cute and popular!' It seems looking people from below is the secret technique. Oh, I'm very talented in hitting people from above in Kendo!"

"......"

Definitely brawny but not brainy.

"I won't tell you otherwise anymore. As for the things I said, I'm sorry. Please consider it again"

"What! What are you talking about! Besides Ei-kun has never been in love! You've never had a crush on anyone!"

"Oh? Do you?"

".....H-how's that possible! Ei-kun you big idiot!"

So I was scolded. What's wrong with this person.

"I'll begin practising now. Lend me these books, will you"
Chiwa carried a pile of Bishojo mangas with both hands.

"Ei-kun, byebye~ around a week later I will become Super popular, by that time you'll realise 'Chiwa-chan is such a perfect female', but it'll be too late!"

"What a pity-- What a pity"
And so, I sent Chiwa out of my door.

A week later.

In my class 1A, a rumour like this started to spread: class 1E's Harusaki Chiwa became super popular, and was called out by boys--

Like hell it is.

In reality, the rumour was that Chiwa was called by the school counselor's office. In short--
"She stared with bloodshot eyes at boys in her class"

"She'd sometimes stare with blank eyes"

"Nonetheless it's terrifying"

You get the idea.

I even heard that Chiwa's mother had come to school to talk as well.

I guess I should probably roast more meat for her tonight.

"Wahh.... I followed the instructions on the mangas, yet why am I not popular?" Chiwa swallowed the juicy meat with her own tears, talking to herself.

"--Ah!"

"What now?"

"Don't tell me.... I am too cute to handle?!"

Moe.

--------------------
Pachi Lemon's April Edition, Special Support for freshmen Guide

Cuteness & Popularity measure of female High School students!

Reply to student "Cute Chiwawa"

*Q1: You wake up in the morning and greet yourself in the mirror. What did you say?
*A1: I'm hungry!

*Q2: He laughs at your new haircut! What do you do?
*A2: Cut Ei-kun's eyebrows off as revenge

*Q3: Your male friends tells you about his troubles about love. How did you encourage him?
*A3: Let's run 50 laps around the sports ground!

*Q4: You have a date at the restaurant with your boyfriend. What did you order?
*A4: A big piece of meat!

*Q5: You accidentally overslept. Although in a hurry, your hair keeps curling up and won't stay flat~ (tears). What do you do?
*A5: Instead of this, what's for breakfast??

Your Cuteness & Popularity score: 5/100

Editors of Pachi Lemon: There is still a long way from being cute and popular. Why don't you try going on a diet?

OreShura: Volume 1 Chapter 1

2012-09-22T06:14:47Z

Sab: /* Chapter 1: Highschool Life begins in Mayhem */

===Chapter 1: Highschool Life begins in Mayhem===

Harusaki Chiwa.

Freshman. Childhood friend of Eita.

A bit dumb. Was in the kendo club.

Favourite line is "feel free to eat as much as you wish."

It wouldn't be quite suitable for me to say this, but I am "anti-romance".

Romance this sort of thing, is nothing but a mirage. It's a disease. If you don't believe me take a look at couples giggling every now and then in front of everyone. It's annoying to whoever sees them, praying for them to leave. As for their reasons to flirt in public? That's because this is the real romance, unmasked: Morphine emitting everywhere in the brain, making them lose their shame and all. My attitude towards these people? I always put up with it because I don't care. But when it comes to myself, it's another topic. For me, even if it were not in public, I will never do such shameless moves.

Of course, if I told anyone about my thoughts like this, they would probably chuckle and reply
"There's no need to pretend to be strong"
"Is this the excuse of an unpopular person amongst females?"

Huh. Me, unpopular amongst females? What a joke. I have a history of being confessed to. Nostalgic, those times in the kindergarten..... Forget it, those past glories? Who cares.

But really. If other people gave me a reply like this, I would fully understand. It sounds just as bad as college dropouts saying "schdule my a**" - lack of persuasive power. Not having a single bit of romance in my entire life so far, saying anything casually like that would sound nothing more than the sour grapes of jealousy.

Which pretty much sums up why I don't tell anyone about it, but it IS truly how I feel. And the people who taught me to think like that were my parents.

The story of how my parents got together: they met; they fell in love; they got married. Just like every other love dramas on the television. Throughout childhood I was bombarded with them talking about the ups and downs of their love story. Then in junior high, I was subjected to their endless fights. One day as I was about to go into high school, they both left to seek the "real one" for them and disappeared forever from my eyes, leaving only a letter entrusting me to relatives and a power of attorney to their house as funds for unsettled expenses.

- You - Are - All - Bastards

Me and my hatred to my parents and romance itself was to the degree of using "Hakata Salt's" advertising techniques.
(Note: Lyrics in the [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=99PeKqs81Ak Hakata Salt commercial] are sang syllable by syllable.)

Of course, my sensible logic tells me not all parents are like mine. On the contrary, people falling blissfully in love, getting married, form the majority. Though say my logic is sensible, I still would not "fall in love blissfully just to show you!" or any other kind of similar urges. After all, without romance, life can still go on. Won't make much of a difference not doing pointless stuff. Besides, I don't have the time either.

I have my own ambitions. My target is to get into National University's medical faculty and become a doctor.

Getting into the medical faculty would mean a considerable amount of expense, and I simply cannot give any more trouble to my current guardian '''Saeko-san'''.

'''Kiryū Saeko''' is my father's sister; in other words, my aunt. She is my benefactor who takes care of me, here to clean up my parent's mess. Originally she thought of selling this tattered house to raise money, but putting my feelings of attachment in this house into account, she eventually moved in and settled down with me together. If it weren't for '''Saeko-san''', I would have been moved else where to some unknown relative a long time ago. Therefore, I have decided to repay this debt to '''Saeko-san''' one day, definitely.

My highschool is called Haneyama Public Highschool (short form Hane High). In this school, we have one policy that goes like this: the school will award talented students with good conduct a place at National University (with scholarship). And That's what I'm aiming for.

After entering high school, for the first semester I have already been ranked the first in my year. To a person whose results were in the fairly low district for the entire junior high, this is a staggering feat. I have no intent to slow down, and will continue working hard to keep my grades up.

Which is why, I have no time to spare on romance.

Therefore, I have sworn myself to the following laws:
#Studying comes first!
#No romance! Romance alert!
#But don't let others believe I'm gay because of the 2nd rule

As long as I follow these laws, my highschool life will be perfect!

Yet.

Yet, even for a person like me, have an attached girl. The so called fate of a childhood friend.

Well, why shouldn't I begin the story from her then.

It was the end of May, an incident that happened some day when students were about to change into summer uniforms. Because of work, '''Saeko-san''' is often away from home. A reason why I have to do all the housework alone. Dinner; vacumming the floor; hanging clothes dry; all part of my work. In the eyes of others, this may look very extraneous. True. But only at beginning. But now, chores have even become one of my hobbies. Especially making dinner, not only can it directly reflect your results, it is also an useful skill in life.

It was almost dusk, half past five. I threw all the washed clothes into the dryer, about to step outside for ingredients for dinner. Before that, I have to prepare rice and started pouring rice into the cooker, when suddenly, short energetic cries of "Urg!" and "Hah!" came next door.

"What the heck? Hmm....?"

After finishing last touches and setting the rice cooker into position, I walked down the hallway into the courtyard. Not very big, around the size of the area of 3 hanging racks, less than ten or more steps to my neighbour's fence. Across the short fence seperating both houses, I could see a person dressed in sportswear and skirts, waving her bamboo blade around. I called out and greeted "Hey-- Chiwa--"

Chiwa stopped her exercise and turned around, sweat sparkling in the sunlight of what was remaining of the sun.

"Hi--Ei-kun! What's for dinner?"

Heh, thinking about food from dawn til dusk.

"Why are you doing practices with your sword?"

"I guess because there was a sword lying around?"

"....."

According to my calculations, this person will become addicted to mountaineering activities in the near future.

"I thought you gave up a long time ago?"

"The Kendo club was what I gave up. Despite many persuasion from my seniors, I finally severed my ties with them."

"Did you give up because of your health conditions? Now you're practicing again, won't it...."

Harusaki Chiwa smiled. "No problem. I had a body check last week and my doctor said if it were exercises, then I'd be fine~"

"....really?"

"Really~ really, Ei-kun loves to worry~"

Chiwa had been practicing kendo from elementary school up til the 2nd year of junior high. Instead of practice, one could say, buried her head in kendo. She even came 4th in the province-wide group competition, 2nd in personal competition. Her unfavourable height and strength didn't have much affect on her performance, even aiming for the national-wide competition next summer.

But then, the 3rd summer of junior high.

Just as the date for the competition was approaching, Chiwa got involved in a traffic accident.

While the Kendo club was jogging for training, a cargo from a passing by truck coincidentally fell off, crushing Chiwa below it.

Her whole body suffered serious injury, the damage to her waist was even worse.

After a large surgery, Chiwa spent her last summer of junior high in hospital.

Although after this Chiwa have worked hard for rehabilitation, now that the after effects does not affect her daily life, extreme social activities like kendo is out of the topic.

But Chiwa didn't complain at all, accepting everything silently.

To a person like me who never joined much social activies, we won't be able to imagine what it feels like for Chiwa. But in my point of view, Chiwa definitely lost an important part of her life.

".....Don't push yourself too much. The waist, like how it's written, is the most important part of the body."
(Note: In Japanese [and Chinese], the word waist is combined from two parts: body and important)

"Eh--?" Chiwa winced her eyes as if contemplating something, "Ei-kun seems especially kind today? Don't tell me it's because you want to see my underpants?"

--?!

"Wh-who wants to see yo-your u-u-u"

Such a failure. Stumbling over something so trivial.

"Oh my. Ei-kun must have reached the age where he is interested in these things. Is the word 'underpants' too stimulating for you?" Chiwa giggled happily.

Chiwa took a twirl like a ballerina. The short white skirt was lifted by air, revealing her long, slender, healthy legs. Of course, the underpants stayed out of sight. .....But still I couldn't help but get slightly exicted. Such a failure.

"Wh-who wants to see your childish underwear!"

"Huh, you don't have to insist, you know~"

Curse her.... such a fun-loving little kid. A mature grown up like me have no common language with her!

"Forget it. I'm going out to buy ingredients for dinner."

"Oh, wait! I'm going with you!"

"Don't. If you go, you always make additional expenses."

"I won't nag for snacks this time! I promise!"

Lies....

Everytime she sneaks chocolate and gum and whatnot into my shopping cart.

Whatever. Even if I refused, this kid will tag along.

"....you have 3 minutes. Hurry up!"

"Yes, sir!"

Really. How can such a small little body be so energetic.

From our home to the "'''Marutoku'''" shopping mall is around a ten minutes trip.

Chiwa was dressed up in jeans skirts and a sleeveless shirt.

It is only May yet already sleeveless.... I don't know whether to call her out-going, or lack of a sense of seasons.

"And, Ei-kun, what are you having tonight?"

"Hmm? Um..."

Through the intelligence received from the flyers this morning, the recipe is all set.

"Japanese-styled taro with fish miso soup and Soybean Sargassum salad"

Chiwa made an expression as if the end of the world have come "Wh-what about meat?!"

"Don't you know? Beans are called the 'Vegetarian's meat'."

"....Lately Ei-kun and my mother sound alike"

Chiwa's parents are workaholics, plus their workload is heavy, usually they don't come home until late night. Since my aunt '''Saeko-san''' also seldom comes home, dinner is almost always eaten between me and Chiwa.

Entering into the shop, we quickly grabbed all the special priced objects. A sudden scent of curry came from the corner of the shop. Looks like they're trying to sell a new instant curry.

"Oh, siblings shopping together? If you don't mind, would you like to try some?" Wearing an apron, the saleswoman showed a professional smile.

Since small, both of us have always been mistaken as siblings. Although only during Grade 3 to Grade 4 did Chiwa's height exceed mine, I have always been taken as the younger brother in our pseudo sibling relationship. Between you and me, I have always taken this as the shame of my life. On the bright side, Chiwa's height also stopped growing since grade school.

"Then, excuse me~~"

Well, no thanks for me. Chiwa, of course, couldn't care less about me, and reached out for the paper plates. Though her arms look short, they can extend to an incredible length when reaching for food.

"Here you go. There's two tastes here to try out, heavy and light!"

I guess there's not much choice but to taste as well.

.....Well, that wasn't so bad.

'''Saeko-san's''' snacks storage is close to going out of stock. Why not, I thought. Two would be too many though.

"May I ask which taste is better selling?"

"Huh?"

"Which curry is sells better? I'll have one of that."

With a slightly awkward expression, the saleslady pointed to the light curry, whereas Chiwa placed a heavy tasted curry into my shopping cart.

"Hey, Chiwa"

"It's for '''Saeko-san''', no? This one tastes better~"

The saleslady made a muffled laugh.

Huh. Who made you my mother.

On the way home after lining up and paying, I couldn't help but say
"Chiwa, please don't interfer with my logical decisions"

"Lo~gi~cal Decisions?"

"Compared to your tongue, I'd rather trust the choice of democracy"

"That won't come into use at all. My taste is the same as '''Saeko-san's'''."

"You won't be able to prove it"

Chiwa shrugged exaggeratedly
"Ei-kun surely changed a lot in this field. In junior high you weren't so addicted to talking sense."

"Well that's normal isn't it. We are high school students after all"

"ehh, but I like the clumsier Ei-kun better-- you were hilarious"

"You." Slightly pissed, "You never change, still at the stage of junior, no, no difference from a gradeschool child"

"Wh-what. I've grown" Chiwa puffed out her chests.

.....Umm, that? Nope. Not so far, at least.

" 'The late growth of breasts due to immaturity' -- If I became a doctor, I would definitely invite you as a test subject for my thesis "

"P-pretending to be very smart! I'm still 3 months and 10 days older than you!"

"It only further proves your immaturity if you even think that matters"

"S-such arrogance! H-how, how dare Ei-kun!!"

Haha, a complete victory from my side. Sadly, defeating Chiwa isn't exactly something to brag about.

And so, we returned home and I began preparing dinner swiftly. Fish itself is sold in slices, so roasting it shouldn't be too hard. More importantly was the Japanese styled taro. It needs to be kept shaking such that it won't get burnt.

As for Chiwa, she pouted on the sofa hugging her knees, calling out "Ei-kun is an idiot", "Stupid", "Muffled pervert" and all sorts of names.

Can't believe such a sporty girl can take these things so personally. Looks like there's only one thing to do.

"Hey, Chiwa"

"Huh. I hate Ei-kun the most"

"There's some bacon in the fridge, do you want me to fry it in soya-sauce?"

"Yay! Ei-kun I love you!"

"....."

Love bought with 100 grams of bacon.

If treated specially, it only costs ¥59.....

I mixed all the vegetables into one big bowl and placed it on the table. Although it looks less attractive, we seldom separate the vegetables into single dishes, but instead we eat it directly from one big bowl. Soon it became a habit. Moreover, I have less plates to wash this way.

The two of us ate, going through all sorts of unimportant subjects.

"That reminds me--"

"Reminds you of what??"

"In mangas or in drama TVs, female childhood friends tend to cook"

"That's right"

"Then why is our characters switched?"

Chiwa looked at me a bit confused "Eh? Did you want to eat my cooking?"

"......Nnnnever mind."

I was suddenly reminded of myself collapsing from the food she made once. That was a bubbling roasted steak sweetened to the fattening degree. Because we didn't have red wine, we had carbonated grape juice (0% natural) as substitue. When asked of the motive for her crime, Chiwa replied "they both look pretty much the same anyways" and "Besides, I'm sure it would taste better with something carbonated"

The less a person knows how to cook, the more likely he would be to invent crazy recipes.....

"Say," Chiwa garbled while chewing bacon, "There's a girl called Natsukawa Masuzu in Ei-kun's class?"

"Oh, I guess"

Then with a sudden spurt of energy "That girl is incredible! Just like a princess! Even boys in our class are talking about her, so I took a look today. I was shocked! Her hair is silver, her eyes are blue, like some European offspring or somewhere else! I also heard she is super rich!"

"Umm, I guess--" I answered vaguely.

"And she's super popular! Only two months into school, already according to sources, the number of confessions she's had have already exceeded two digits! I originally thought it was a made up story from nosy person, but after seeing her today, I am almost certain of it! Two digits!"

"Ohh--" I agreed vaguely.

"Oh, Ei-kun isn't interested? Or did you already give up because she is out of reach?"

"Not really"

I have to agree, Natsukawa-san is very pretty indeed, but it has nothing to do with me. Besides, for some reason, I have a dislike towards her. Although I've had a few conversations with her.... it always feels like she's hiding something under her acclaimed looks. Should I say, I can't read her thoughts, or is she too unpredictable.

"Anyhow I don't really like her"

"....is that so"
Chiwa nodded a few times.

"Hoho, today's dinner taste very good"

"Oh that, I just cooked it like every other day"

I wonder what was the reason that made her feel happy. Just bacon is enough to cheer her up?

After dinner, the two of us gathered bowls and chopsticks. Afterwards I started preparing for tomorrow's courses while Chiwa took some manga from the mountainous piles stored in '''Saeko-san's''' room and started reading at the sofa.

'''Saeko-san''' works at some game production company. Occasionally she does work like writing scripts, drawing graphics, even coding and music, in short she does a lot. The company makes galgames and love games directed to girls.

Perhaps it's because of work, '''Saeko-san''' acts like this at home
"Eita, mor~ning~! Are you used to highschool life? Are there any cute girls you've fallen for?"

"No progress at all with Chiwawa? Settings like this kind of childhood friend is usually a highway to HAPPYENDs, what have you been doing all the time?"

"When you're in bed with a girl you have to watch out for her impression-- If you focus too much on a single girl and forget about others, some day bad news will spread!"

Who would be in bed with a girl. You think I'm some oil monopoly king in Arabia?

--Anyway, don't pay too much attention to these stuff.

For purposes of gathering information for work, '''Saeko-san''' has tonnes of bishojo mangas. Reading these mangas have recently become a daily habit of Chiwa's.

"Hey, the tea's ready, I'll put it down right here"

"....."

Chiwa was motionless. She turns like this whenever in the world of manga.

Looks like she's especially focused today.

".....Sniff" Chiwa grabbed a tissue from the tissue box and wiped the corner of her eye with it while blowing her nose. "It would be nice if that happened to me just once."

"Happen what?"

"A romance like this."

"How's it like?"

"You read, you read"

I flipped the pages of the manga Chiwa handed to me. The two childhood friends both had their own lovers, but one day both of them noticed their love towards each other, then after many many difficult obstacles, the two of them eventually became lovers forever-- you get the idea.

"How cliche." I commented. "Besides, childhood friends are pretty much like brothers and sisters, they won't become lovers"

"Is that so? I thought there's some fact to it."

"Only works in stories. Let's take us as an example, one look and you see how it's impossible in real life."

"................."

??

I was expecting a "You've got a point-- That is certainly impossible--" or some similar response..... but she turned out to be silent.

"Y-you've got a point-- That is certainly impossible--"

Ah, here comes the expected response.

Perhaps she's only too tired from her kendo exercise? Maybe I should add more meat in dinner next time.....

"Take, taking the childhood friend setting aside, this kind of romance, or I should say this kind of sweet, or wait, this kind of complete devotion in romance, doesn't seems so bad. Besides, I'm already a highschool student."

So that's why.

It's a good thing to want to devote fullying into something as replacement of Kendo, just that --

"So, what do you want to do then?"

"I want to become popular!"

....well that was direct.

"Fancied by many males, after experiencing many ups and downs, finally settling down with a normal male who has been supporting her silently all the time -- This is what I should experience at least?"

".....ha. Ohhh"

How should I put it, feels just like what a book called "Chihuahua Mood for Saucy Love" would be about.

It sounds a bit depressing coming from a friend who's been growing up with her since small, but....

"You should give up. It's still too early for you."

"Huhhhh?"

"First of all, just the word 'popular' is impossible. I've never seen you do make up. Moreover, I doubt you have lots of clothes?"

"C-clothes, I have a lot! I have 5 workout suits!"

I totally understand her anxiousness in wanting to refute my statements, but in reality, she's just digging her own grave.

"Plus, you never really cared about how other males look at you? A while ago you were playing soccer with the males in the sports grounds without even changing to sports clothes. Annd, you sit with your legs crossed, when you're in a skirt you always shake your feet around"

Having her worst habit pointed out, Chiwa stopped moving her legs. Just so you know, she was moving her legs rythmatically all along.

"And I don't have to tell you about how you go on the rooftop in nothing but a towel on your body, hands on hips, gulping down milk in one go. The Asakura's auntie even jokes 'Chiwa-chan looks exactly like my father', so she said"

The two ponytails from the two sides of her head began trembling.

The Asakuras is our neighbour across the street. Their grandpa was an coach, sometimes even attenting fitness contests. He's a bearded old guy covered in muscles.

"Anyway, you are a sports girl from head to feet, just like how they say 'Brawn but no brains'. In reality, the way you analyse things is by brute force, facing it directly, guided by power. In addition, you always think like a child, I can't really tell how you look like a highschool student......"

"Idiot"

"......??"

"Ei-kun is a giant idiot!!!!!!"

Ah, there she blows.

"Ei-kun is a jerk! Jerk jerk jerk jerk! How would you know until I try! I'm not brawn but no brains! I'm not a child!"

"....."

Thrashing her arms and legs around on the sofa, I really want to see her to prove me wrong.

When I realised I did go a bit overboard, it was already too late. The damage is done.

"Forget it. I've decided," Chiwa stood up from the sofa, "From tomorrow onwards, I will become a person in love!!"

".....??"

"Not only will I be in love, I will become super popular! If Chiwawa-chan gets serious, even Natsukawa Masuzu won't stand a chance!"

Well good luck on that, I said.
"Do you know how to draw males' attention? Even abstractly?"

"I'll begin learning right now!"

"Annd where exactly will you be learning from?"

"With this!"
Chiwa held up the bishojo manga in front of my face
"'''Saeko-san''' once said, bishojo manga is the bible of love. Therefore I must study well, remember it well, practice it all day long, and win a prize in a competition!"

"Competition whaa.....?"

The stance of a girl warrior.

"Let's say....this" Chiwa flipped to a heroine on some random page in the manga, "Look at the eyes of this heroine, looook at them! Don't you find them adorable? If I make the same look, I will definitely become popular with males!"

".....Ummm......."

The heroine's eyes was half the size of her face.

And there was a lot of glitter in her eyes.

How the heck do you plan to imitate that.....

"A while ago, a girl next to my desk was reading a magazine 'Pachi Lemon'. It also wrote that 'if you look at boys from below, it will make you cute and popular!' It seems looking people from below is the secret technique. Oh, I'm very talented in hitting people from above in Kendo!"

"......"

Definitely brawny but not brainy.

"I won't tell you otherwise anymore. As for the things I said, I'm sorry. Please consider it again"

"What! What are you talking about! Besides Ei-kun has never been in love! You've never had a crush on anyone!"

"Oh? Do you?"

".....H-how's that possible! Ei-kun you big idiot!"

So I was scolded. What's wrong with this person.

"I'll begin practising now. Lend me these books, will you"
Chiwa carried a pile of Bishojo mangas with both hands.

"Ei-kun, byebye~ around a week later I will become Super popular, by that time you'll realise 'Chiwa-chan is such a perfect female', but it'll be too late!"

"What a pity-- What a pity"
And so, I sent Chiwa out of my door.

A week later.

In my class 1A, a rumour like this started to spread: class 1E's Harusaki Chiwa became super popular, and was called out by boys--

Like hell it is.

In reality, the rumour was that Chiwa was called by the school counselor's office. In short--
"She stared with bloodshot eyes at boys in her class"

"She'd sometimes stare with blank eyes"

"Nonetheless it's terrifying"

You get the idea.

I even heard that Chiwa's mother had come to school to talk as well.

I guess I should probably roast more meat for her tonight.

"Wahh.... I followed the instructions on the mangas, yet why am I not popular?" Chiwa swallowed the juicy meat with her own tears, talking to herself.

"--Ah!"

"What now?"

"Don't tell me.... I am too cute to handle?!"

Moe.

--------------------
Pachi Lemon's April Edition, Special Support for freshmen Guide

Cuteness & Popularity measure of female High School students!

Reply to student "Cute Chiwawa"

*Q1: You wake up in the morning and greet yourself in the mirror. What did you say?
*A1: I'm hungry!

*Q2: He laughs at your new haircut! What do you do?
*A2: Cut Ei-kun's eyebrows off as revenge

*Q3: Your male friends tells you about his troubles about love. How did you encourage him?
*A3: Let's run 50 laps around the sports ground!

*Q4: You have a date at the restaurant with your boyfriend. What did you order?
*A4: A big piece of meat!

*Q5: You accidentally overslept. Although in a hurry, your hair keeps curling up and won't stay flat~ (tears). What do you do?
*A5: Instead of this, what's for breakfast??

Your Cuteness & Popularity score: 5/100

Editors of Pachi Lemon: There is still a long way from being cute and popular. Why don't you try going on a diet?

Boku-H:Volume 1 Prologue

2012-09-21T19:23:50Z

Sab:

“You are telling me that a “unique-user” was found?”

Lisara Restole put the tea cup on the glass-table without making a sound. She looked up slowly and then said it to the small build girl who is sitting front of her.

“It must be a joke.”

“Ara, isn’t this rooibos tea from the human world? Fufu, it’s delicious.”

The girl drinks the tea as if she didn’t hear her.

“Cule, I’m having a serious discussion?”

Lisara stares her with sharp eyes, but the girl smiles.

“Ara, I’m sorry. This is a good tea, so I couldn’t resist.”

The small build girl called Cule smiles like a blossomed flower. She’s from the House of Zeria which is a relative of House of Restole which is a noble house amongst noble house. She’s wearing a dress with detailed prints and she is adorable like a doll. For Lisara who is the heir of House of Restole, Cule is her cousin who is younger than her, but more than that she is a adorable little sister to her. Because of that. Lisara’s expression change to a bitter smile.

“But I don’t think it’s true that there is a unique-user that isn’t noticed by Restole central.”

“I do not know whether it is true or false. That’s because Cule(I) have not gained the qualification of being a grim reaper. I just happened to hear Otou-sama talking about it.”

Cule twirled her brunette hair with her finger and she is a bit sulk.

“That’s why I thought rather than Cule, Onee-sama will know more about it. That’s because Onee-sama graduated the first-class grim reaper in 2nd place.”

“That has nothing to do with it. Even I still haven’t been dispatched to the human World yet.”

“It can’t be helped since it’s Onee-sama. Since you are the heir of Restole, you are required to make a pact with a human who is suitable rather than commoners who are lying around.”

“I see. So for someone to be suitable for me, you brought the rumour about that unique-user to me then.”

Lisara made a small laugh and then drank the tea.

“Thank you Cule. Lots of things happened with the House of Zeria in the past, but I’m happy about the friendship I have with you.”

“You are making me shy about friendship. Cule think of Lisara-oneesama is Cule’s real Onee-sama you know?”

“Fufu. I feel the same way Cule.”

Cule make a sound of happiness with that word. While looking at Cule who is like her little sister, Lisara rests her chin on her hand.

“House of Zeria….. Certainly Cule’s uncle is at the position where he can get information about it. If I can, I definitely want to make a pact. But I’m not sure if this case will come to me.”

“Ara, are there anyone more suitable than Onee-sama who is the next head of house of Restole?”

“Cule, you may not know but my position isn’t certain yet. The talk about me being the next head isn’t something which is decided yet. And there are lots of people opposing about it.”

“Is that true……?”

Cule looks down and stirs the rooibos tea with a spoon. Lisara probably can’t see it, but Cule must have a sad expression on her adorable face.

You do not have to worry that much about it Cule. I, Lisara Restole, can pass through any small obstacles like that. So don’t worry much about it, okay?”

“Lisara Onee-sama…… Ah.”

Cule looks up while having the spoon left inside the tea cup in bad manners.

“Let’s take it first then Onee-sama!”

OreShura: Volume 1 Chapter 2

2012-09-21T17:56:24Z

Sab: /* Chapter 2 - Confession from a Classmate ends in Mayhem */

===Chapter 2 - Confession from a Classmate ends in Mayhem===

During the same time while Chiwa sank before she even sailed, there was another person who continued scoring high on the records.

She is Natsukawa Masuzu.

Entering June, the number of people confessing to her is still endless. Rumours go that the number of times she was confessed to has surpassed 50. According to them, the litigant expressed "she had no intention to be with anyone". Despite so, the people confessing continues to flock towards her.

From the above situation, it is almost certain that Natsukawa has become a famous person in school, but in reality she is almost always alone. In class or during recess, she'd always be in her seat reading. She goes home immediately after school. In the beginning, some males in the class occasionally tried to hit on her, but a de facto treaty was soon made ? "Single sided attacks on Natsukawa is banned in the classroom". Soon it became in a steady state of watch but no touch. As for the girls, they try to distance themselves with her. Girls popular with boys stated that "Us commoners dare not be together with ojou-sama! (translation: we are not as cute as you)" and rejected her. As for the common looks female company, they announced that "Natsukawa and us are in two completely different worlds (translation: extravagants should go play with extravagants)" and discriminated her. This is the perfect proof of how being over popular is not a good thing, I should really go lecture Chiwa on this.

On the first day of June, I was given a seat next to Natsukawa. For me, I am completely uninterested in this matter, but am very pleased to be placed in the second column from the windows, last row in class. It's a very comfortable place where I can lie down and rest, but it seems that my thoughts did not reach the rest of my class. That is, as far as I understand from all the jealous glares I get. Being rejected once but not giving up, Yamamoto, a member of the soccer club even came to me for a handshake, saying "I believe you are a true gentleman!". Since it would be also quite troublesome being trusted like this, I temporarily refused his handshake request. Next day, in the class legends started to spread that "Natsukawa is also Kido's target" and whatnot. Sensing danger, I hurriedly went for the handshake.

I should clarify here, I am not scared or what. Because this is very important, I'd want to repeat this again. I am definitely not scared. I am only displaying the spirit of peaceful coexistence, the so-called Love&Peace. Oh, forget love, it's Peace&Peace.

.....Though say just now I was like a excited little gradeschooler in front of a camera, let's just leave it here for now. In conclusion, all I want is to cut waves like butter, aiming for the university place and recommendation. Naturally, love lies in the "wave" category, much less Natsukawa this kind of celebrity ? don't joke with me. That's why I tell you, Yamamoto and the other males, you are all worrying for nothing!

"Is that so, then that really sounds bad" hearing my situation out, my classmate Yui Kaoru slowly nodded his head.

It is currently lunch hour, Kaoru and I joined our desks and began eating lunch.

I was having a homemade bento. With less appetite, Kaoru's lunch only consisted of a crab bread and a juicebox.

"From the point of view of those kids, being able to sit next to Natsukawa-san is really something to admire about."

Kaoru always uses "those kids", "them" and similar pronouns to call classmates. It doesn't sound irritating either. I guess it's due to his good conduct and his neutral looks and solid attitude to address things. Whether it's between males or females, Kaoru is pretty popular.

"If Eita's seat was put up for an auction, I believe you should be able to get a good amount of money."

"When the auction comes, remember to call me. I'll be the first to get rid of it"

Ah~ it is so hard to be at peace of mind these days. These kind of normal conversations are always the best.

As a conversation partner, Kaoru could not be any better.

Our friendship began since Grade 9. From our daily convesations he fairly knows of the situation of my family and Chiwa, but he never does unnecessary research, the perfect balance between friendship and privacy. He totally deserves the title of being the Relationship Master.

"compared to this, I am more worried about Chiwawa-chan"

"What about Chiwa?"

"Once Chiwawa-chan has decided on something, she will keep going forward for it. I'm afraid she won't give up until she becomes super popular"

"But these things can't really be achieved through plain effort. It's not Kendo" I said while munching on the potato and meat from yesterday's leftover.

Mmm, after one night the flavour is perfect. It would have been great if I made Chiwa a bento as well.

"Personally, I think that Chiwawa-chan only needs to act like a normal girl, she should become very popular that way"

"That's right. If she doesn't talk or move, maybe boys will start going for her"

"No, I don't mean a statue...."

Well, her looks isn't so bad, so maybe it's exactly like how we said.

"But Chiwawa-chan was confessed to during junior high"

"By whom?"

"The captain of the male Kendo club. It was pretty big news back then, didn't you know?"

First time I've ever heard of it.

In junior high both male and female Kendo clubs were very strong. Especially the captain of the male Kendo club, who was excellent in both sports and studies. I heard he later went to the best private highschool in of this province. He shouldn't look too bad, I guess.

Hmm? so Chiwa also has a past like this.

"But, I never heard about her dating anyone."

"Of course you didn't. She rejected him"

"Why would she give up such a great chance"

"....Fuuu" Kaori made a deep sigh.

"What's wrong?"

"Oh nothing. I just thought that these should be your honest thoughts from the bottom of your heart."

"Of course. I don't joke around"

"I know. That's because Eita is a very, serious, person"

What.... are you trying to say something else?

"If Chiwawa-chan really turn super popular, I'm afraid she'll have other problems by then."

"What problems? Is she going to reject other people again? That's not possible. It's different from last time"

She's only doing this because she wants a boyfriend, no

.....wait. Is it really like that?

She did say that she wanted romance like the bishojo mangas, but I don't think she ever said anything about a boyfriend....

hmmm.....

"I really have no idea what is going on inside Chiwa's head"

".....oww, oww, owww" Kaoru shrugged.

The 5 minutes preparation bell signaling the end of lunchtime rang.

That day, after school.

"Kido-kun, how would you like to go home with me today?" Natsukawa suddenly asked me so. The whole classroom fell into shock.

But no one could be more shocked than me.

What does this mean?

Why me? This is too sudden, isn't it.

Slightly flustered, I unconsciously took my books that were already in my bag out again. I must have heard it wrong? Yes, these words must have came from the guy sitting behind me. That's right, that must be it.

But when I turned around, there was nobody.

.....Well of course, this is the last row after all.

"So? Shall we go home?" Natsukawa stared down at me.

.....damn. I'm not so easily tricked,

Natsukawa is certainly a beauty. Just those blue eyes and silver hair is enough to attact everyone's attention. Since her looks is very proper as well, not only does she looks very adorable when she smiles, it also gives an easy-to-approach and gentle feel. Even a well-made puppet can hardly keep up with her. The amount of detail the maker gave her himself is fabulous. If she were to dress up in a skirt, even if she claimed herself to be a princess from a foreign country, I'm sure plenty of people will believe it.

But so what? Back in my mother's days, she was also called the beauty of the town. Beautiful women cannot be trusted.

I should respond as cold as possible, rejecting her like scum!

Glaring at Natsukawa, I told her directly
"That that, that, actually, say, I, today, something to do!"

Curses.....

"Something to do" is the ultimate excuse.

".... Is that so. That's a shame"
Natsukawa replied politely, then left with a "I'll be going first".

Phew, that sure was tense.

I wonder what's with this sudden invitation?

Although we do exchange a few words because of how we're neighbours in class, that is barely sufficient to go home together.

Probably a beauty's sudden urge. By tomorrow she'll definitely forget all about me.

Life just has to prove me wrong.

The second day, then the third day, Natsukawa continued to invite me to walk her home.

"What are your intentions?" I couldn't help but ask Natsukawa with a small voice, just so I won't catch the attention of the entire class.

Natsukawa tilted her head in a cute way and repeated
"intentions?"

"Is this some kind of truth or dare game? Or perhaps I'm on candid camera with your friends hiding in some corner? I'm not so easily tricked!?"

Natsukawa smiled. Sure is one deadly smile indeed.
"I, can I say it?"

"S-say what?...."

Don't go for it! Keep calm.....

"The reason why I want to go home with you, it's ok even if I say it right here?"

"That's what I was asking all along"

"That is.....b-"
Natsukawa suddenly stopped. Her eyes shifted as if hesitating, then looked at me with wet eyes
"Becaus-, I love you"

The air in the classroom froze.

My mind was blank. Difficultly, I uttered one word
".......huh?"

"I'm head over heels in love with you"

"Wait, I'm not sure I understand you...."

"You make me go crazy"

"That's even harder to understand!"

"It's because you are very attractive"

"yes I get it, but things are even worse now!"

Cries spread out through the classroom. There were "Ahhh--" screaming girls, there were frantic murmurs between some, there were also faces of nothing but disbelief. The Yamamoto I mentioned before crumbled to a kneel on the ground like a pitcher having thrown a decisive homerunner -- except that this guy is from the soccer department.

"Seems like we have caused a lot of disturbance" Natsukawa smiled shyly.

Suddenly placed under this situation, I have no idea what to do.

"I think we shouldn't stay here for long, or rumors will start spreading"

If you were to worry about that, then it's already too late.

"Take me anywhere with you~" she seemingly recited a line from some romance drama TV show.

Although this line could not be more unreal, when if came from her, it sounded as if she meant it. Maybe it's because of her looks after all?

--what's wrong with you beauties, you disgust me!

In the end I still acted according to her words.

Oh life~

"Now's not the time to sigh 'oh life~'!"

"What's wrong?" Natsukawa, who was walking beside me asked. "Compared to voicing your inner thoughts, it would be not to speak at all~, otherwise you will seem very suspicious~. You should be more considerate of me who's walking next to you right now~"

"Then don't stick next to me, hurry and go home by yourself!......"

Since both Natsukawa and I walk to school, the two of us are walking in the direction opposite to where the station is. This is the best case out of the worse case I guess. If we had to take the train home, I would have broken out in cold sweat from the glares of eavesdropping classmates in the same carriage.

After walking into some less populated roads of one of the residential areas and confirming there's no one around, I urged
"About time you told me everything"

"tell you about what?"

"why you made that kind of lie"

"What lie did I make?"

"The confession. How you 'love' me, it's all a lie right"

Hearing so, Natsukawa widened her eyes
"How rude......it took me so much courage to confess, but you think I'm lying?"

"That's right"

"You think I actually despise you?"

"....right"

"Actually despise seeing you, despise being with you, how my neighbour is a ridiculously, completely, stupid idiotic -- virgin --, pretending to be all high and mighty but in reality a coward-- you think these are how I really feel towards you?"

"that, no"

What's with this woman. She's an entirely different person from the quiet and behaving Natsukawa in class.

"--since you have already seen though me, I might as well tell you the truth"

I didn't expect Natsukawa to give up so easily.

"Like you said, that confession was in fact a lie. As expected of Kidou-kun, looks like I was right, you are different from the other males"

".....hrmph"

This sort of praise certainly makes me somewhat grumpy, reminding me of my unpleasant memories.

"Well, where should I start first--"
Staring at the clear and fresh nightfall, Natsukawa gave a big yawn.

I watched her beautiful hair wave behind her back, waiting for her to continue.

Right this moment.

A rather strong breeze blew past us, lightly lifting up her skirt.

Originally I expected to only be able to see her thighs, but this wind surprisingly revealed everything under the skirt in broad daylight.

In other words--

"......not.......not wearing.......?!"

What should be there, wasn't.

At where thighs end, you should be able to see that, but there's nothing here.

.....Sigh, there's no need to be secretive using synonyms.

Underpants. Shorts. Panties. Undies.

Though a variety of names, no such cloth existed under her skirt. None.

Nononono, waitwaitwaitwait, calm down calm down. It's still too careless to jump to conclusions right now. Maybe it's just out of sight.

Just the right degree of wind such that I won't be able to see at this angle-- maybe just that. Although her skirt is already at its highest position possible, this does not necessarily imply "can't see equals not there". This explainations certainly sounds much more reasonable.

But what if she really didn't wear any.

That would be bad.

Knowing such an important secret, how should I keep it?

.....no, I should think outside the box, I should use a doctor's psychological perspective to determine which case it actually belongs to. How would I expect Natsukawa Masuzu to be? Wear underpants? What kind of underpants would she wear then?

--This sure is challenging.

As a lady returning to her home country, what kind of underwear would they wear?

Those which even non underpants specialists would feel "looks very high-class!" kind of underpants? Can't imagine how. Those which makes people think "as expected of a returnee" "that's so international" kind of underpants? Hard to imagine either. Speaking of which, underpants are exotic to begin with.

Or is it an unconvectional Japanese style?

What would a Japanese style underpants look like?.....Diapers? Cloth? No, this doesn't seem realistic either. This way, my image of this mysterious beauty Natsukawa Masuzu will come crashing down?

--then, we have little choice but to make this conclusion:
None!

Is that so bad?

There are no more competitions between the cotton faction nor the silk faction, nor are there any conflicts between patterned faction and single-coloured faction. Even the decision to wear underwear or not when dressed in yukatas wouldn't be enough to be to cause a argument-- isn't this exactly the Peace&Peace I hoped for! The world is very peaceful these days.

Come, let us chant together once more!

"No--"

"I'm wearing it"
A small smile from Natsukawa debunked by theory.

"I'm wearing"
She repeated with a doubt-unsparing tone.

"Mmm, then that would be very troublesome"

"Why?"

"The Earth will be destroyed because of the third world war"

"It it will, then so be it"
Natsukawa replied casually.
"Any world where it's acceptable to suspect your classmate of not wearing it deserves to be destroyed"

"The world is destroyed because of me......?!"

Becoming the worlds largest sinner, I don't think I'm up for it.
"Sorry. I was thinking too much."

"Very well. I like honest people."
Natsukawa smiled. I feel as if being toyed around in her hands.

".....speaking of which, what were we originally taking about"

"We were at why I needed to make a fake confession to you"

"It's a long story--" with this opening, Natsukawa dived directly into the subject, "there are always males after my hand, I'm sure Kidou-kun knows about it, right?"

"Rumors about the number of times you have been confessed to has reached two digit numbers, then yes"

"For your information, I have been confessed a total of 58 times in two months"

"That's almost once a day"

That's just like a scenario from a manga.

"It may sound like an luxurious problem, but I am annoyed to my limit. Every single day boys from other classes and seniors will surround and watch me, just like observing a koala. There are even foolish gambles on who will win my heart. There's always some groundless rumors about me, not a single good thing."

"You don't have friends? Mates from junior high?"

"Nope. Since the age of 7 I have been living overseas. Returning home only happened recently in March."

Is that so. That sure is a difficult situation to be in.

"Why don't you just get along with somebody?"

"And who could this 'somebody' be?"

"Just pick one from those confessing to you. As soon as you become boy and girlfriends, the other people will automatically back off won't they"

".....ho"
Natsukawa winced her eyes, literally sparkling.
"Boy and girlfriends?"
As if spitting alien objects accidentally entering her mouth, Natsukawa said.
"Why do I have to be on the same level as these trash? Treating love as the most valuable thing to worship, tributing every Chrismas or Valentines' day, giggling 'hohohohahaha' like idiots. I see no reason that leaves me no choice. Love is an amazing thing? Why the hell do people kill because of emotional disputes then? Why are there so many husbands and wives getting a divorce as soon as they marry? Why are there always children abandoned by parents?"

A dim flame burned within the crystal clear eye of Natsukawa.

"You should understand, Kido-kun. Love is not such a perfect thing to have-- at least not everyone can unconditionally praise. If you want to be in love, by all means. No thanks here. 'Finding the feeling of a heart jumping'? 'Love more deeply'? 'Going for the girl of my dreams this summer'? Waste of time. To me, this is no different from the persuasions of a religious cult. Except that this religion is called 'Love'-- it's the worse religion on Earth!"

Natsukawa's spiteful tongue, I have heard before, but this one seemed to be different in nature. This speech was full of genuine hatred towards love.

.....creepy.

"Oh, I get it"

Wiping off the sweat on my palm to my trousers, I nodded and concluded
"Therefore you 'confessed', right?"

Natsukawa's expressions seemed to calm down
"As expected of the top student of our grade, learning so quickily saving both of us time"

In short, this means:
If she manages to make a boyfriend, all the never ending confessions will finally come to an end. But since Natsukawa doesn't want any love, she sought out for a person willing to act as her boyfriend -- end of story.

"But, why me?"

"Because you're just like me, no?" Natsukawa poked at my chest with her long thin fingers, "I quickily noticed how little interest you also show in love.... I could even say hatred. When talking to friends, you quickly change the subject when it is in the red light, even your responses become vague and hasty, isn't that so? I'm not sitting next to you for such a long period of time for no reason"

"You, you are quite observant"

"At the beginning I even thought you were gay"

"......"

I take back my words. Observant my ass.

"Which is why I officially make a request to you, Kido-kun. Please become my 'boyfriend'."

Hm, at least now I understand everything.

As an anti-romance myself, it couldn't be more suitable to be her boyfriend.

Yet....

"I refuse"

Natsukawa slightly tilted her head
"It's only boyfriend in name, all you need to do is to escort me home each day? Since we both walk in the same direction, it shouldn't be too much trouble"

"Uh-uh. Other males will be jealous of me, females will gossip. I may even be called out and be beaten up by your fans"

"You really know how to worry. It'll make you bald, you know?"

"Perfect. I've been collecting hair tonic and wig company's messages"
Alwasy think in the worse possible case - Kido's way of doing things.

"--we may be more alike than you think"
Natsukawa smirked.

This smile was different from the smiles she've shown so far, it carried much more meaning to it.

"You, you're afraid of balding as well?!"

"No, I meant how both of us likes to worry. I've also had my worries if this 'boyfriend' request was rejected. These things are hard to say. If rumors were spread around carelessly...."

"Who do you take me for? I'd never do such things"

"Of course I believe in you. Just that as someone who likes to worry, I always hope everything goes to plan....... which is why, Kido-kun"

Natsukawa suddenly brought her face closer. Her breathing was even closer.

Those two blue eyes look at me as if they were about to suck a person in, freezing my entire body.

"To become a candidate for 'boyfriend', other than the factor that they have to be uninterest in romance, there is another important criteria. Do you know what would it be?"

"ye-yes?"

Her sweet shampoo scent made my nose a little bit ichy.

I was feeling dizzy.

"Kido-kun, the other critera is that -- he must never betray me. There is no one but Kido-kun who is able to fulfil this criteria. I plan not to let Kido-kun escape easily"
Although quiet as a whisper, her extraordinary face makes it very captivating.

Natsukawa took a small step backwards and faced me with her back, then took out a slightly dimmed yellow notebook from her own bag.

"What's in that dirty notebook?"

Natsukawa didn't reply, but opened the notebook and started reading instead.

"April, 21st. Sunday. Sunny. I went to 'Imamura' shop to purchase a pair of fingerless gloves, but was told by a worker with an unbelievable expression they don't have any. This products of this shop are so incomplete. Or maybe they're out of stock because it's too popular? I want to buy them as soon as possible, then run as hard as I can on the chilly streets"

".....huh?"

What's up with her. Suddenly reading all these stuff.

Fingerless gloves? Those gloves without fingers?

Is there anyone who still wants that kind of things?

"April, 22nd. Monday. Today a sudden downpour came as I was going home. Although I had my umbrella with me, I still came home all wet. I like rain, it can cleanse all the dirty sins on my body...."

Nonono, a cold is all you'd get. Besides, "cleanse all the dirty sins on my body" (smile), who do you think you are.

"April, 23rd. Tuesday. Cloudy. On my way home, Chiwa asked me 'Why are you carrying firecrackers on your body?'. I replied 'then how do you plan to respond to a terrorist attack?'. Chiwa was completely refuted by my words. Women are so shallow."

Bwhahahaaaa, dumbass! Rather than worring about a terrorist attack, why don't you first worry about your brain! Besides, how are firecrackers going to repel terrorists? Can't you see that Chiwa is wordless from your stupidity--

"ISN'T THIS MY NOTEBOOK--!!!!!!!"

Natsukawa turned around and smiled.
"Correct. This is Kido-kun's diary from junior high."

"HOW DID YOU GET YOUR HANDS ON IT--!!!!!"

"Bought it from the old bookstore in front of the station. ¥525 (tax incl.)"

"Impossible!"

"It's true. The diary was inside the 'Illustrated Animals Encyclopedia (special ver.)' box. The shopkeep was fairly old, I'm afraid he didn't realise this being placed on the shelves."

--Certainly, I placed my diary in the box of my gift for getting into gradeschool. But that box should be stored safely inside my cupboard right now.

Wait, is that so?

Maybe I accidentally sold it along with the animal book during the 2nd-hand book sale?

Nonononono, that's impossible. I removed the animal book out of the box back then. But, eh?

"Refusing to embrace reality is a very foolish thing to do, Kido-kun"
But the diary Natsukawa waving in front of me was unmistakably mine.

"Quite the child during junior high? It's drasticly different from the top student you are now. Or perhaps deep inside you're still the same?"

"Give, give it back!"

"Unlikely"
Natsukawa turned around with agile.

"Hurry and give it back! There's a lot of bad things inside that diary!!!"

"Rest assured. I have already scanned everything and stored it inside my computer"

"Huhhhhhhhhhh?!"

"Though all necessary antivirus and firewalls are installed, there's still a chance it could accidentally leak out. The web is very fearful.....I've heard if you upload it to the internet, it will last there forever"

I knelt down on my knees.

They say your sights turn black when in despair....looks like it's real.

In front of my eyes was pitch black.

Over.

My life is all over--

"Then, I'd like to hear you answer again"

As the absolute dominator, queen Natsukawa's commanding voice came down from the skies.

"Kido Eita-kun, will you by my 'boyfriend'?"

".......de-demon.....!"

"ah, there seems to be something wrong with my ears. Could this be the premonition of a computer virus attack?"

"Yesyesyesyesyesyesyesyes! I'll do it! I agree to become Natsukawa-san's 'boyfriend'!"

"Then from now on please call me Masuzu"
Masuzu slyly winked.

She looked so adorable. How enraging.

"Let's go home together again tomorrow. I love you, Eita-kun~"

Back then, when my parent's relationship were still ok, when I was still in a common family like everybody else-- which means the me before entering highschool, had a completely opposite way of seeing things.

Wants to attract attention.

Wants to be different from other people.

In general, I liked some minute (I personally think awesomeness) fashion trends, wanting to exhibit "the me living under an extraordinary life", showing off all sorts of weird postures copied from animes and mangas.

Later on, I heard that this is the so called "Grade 8 illness".

The me different from other people?

An unusual me?

How foolish.

You have no idea how valuable it is to be average.

Being able to eat an average meal, go to school on an average day, accompanied by an average family--

You have no idea.

Back home, the first thing I did was to turn the cupboard inside out.

".....gone....."

The illiustrated animal encyclopedia I onced loved was gone.

All the indian elephants, the white palmed gibbon, Japanese marmoset, all of them gone.

Which means that woman was telling the truth--

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHH--"

And so began the intriguing "boyfriend-girlfriend" relationship between Natsukawa Masuzu and me.

--------------------------
Masuzu: Speaking of which, did you manage to buy those gloves in the end?

Eita: ......I made my own from work gloves

Masuzu: Ohhh....

Eita: Then used a red marker and wrote the word "DESTROY" on the back of it

Masuzu: Ohhhhhhhh......

Kaze no Stigma:Ignition Volume1 Chapter 3

2012-09-20T05:57:26Z

Sab:

The Metropolitan Police Department Special Data Organization.

That is, at the present time, the only evil spirit repellant organization owned by the Japanese Government. But, that combat ability is low, to speak plainly. To the extent that even to call oneself “war potential” is ridiculous.

Consequently, on the occasions when unmanageable incidents occurred, it has been decided to seek cooperation from private practitioners who excel in battle. And at the top of that collaboration list, it was the name of the Kannagi household.

“Ke-Kerberos?”

“That’s right. However, we don’t have positive proof.”

The Room Monitor of the special data organization, police superintendent Tachibana Kirika nodded very calmly in response to Kannagi Ayano who was overcome with surprise and repeated the answer.

She is a beautiful woman who gives off such a charm that doesn’t appear likely on a police officer, in her middle twenties.

Being almost the ideal example of the “Adult Woman”, gifted with both beauty and intelligence, whereas Ayano is still a young girl in the middle of”development”, she can’t help but harbor an inferiority complex toward the other party.

Glaring at Kirika, Ayano shouted, almost groaning.

”What the heck is the gatekeeper of hell doing at a place like this?”

“How would I know? If I heard from the beast itself?”, Kirika lightly eluded Ayano’s question.

Kerberos- the bronze gates that tower at Hell’s entrance, and the demon dog, known to have three heads, who is guarding those gates.

Since that suddenly appeared in the world, approximately two hours passed. The place of appearance was above the Pacific Ocean, approximately fifty kilometers from Boso Peninsula[1].
Tearing up space, Kerberos appeared from hell, dashed across the sea surface, landed on Boso Peninsula and came out at Tokyo Bay.

Without looking aside, the demon beast simply rode fast in a straight line. At the end of that line there was the capital of Japan, Tokyo.

For the sake of preventing the beast from landing in Tokyo, the practitioners from Materials Regulation Room, led by Kirika, intercepted it on the shore of Tokyo Bay. Because the beast was confined at the expense of raising their entire power, a collaboration request was issued, the other party being the Kannagi household.

Because the household deemed the incident as a serious one, they sent Ayano, the next suzerain and the successor of Enraiha and Yagami Kazuma, the wind practitioner in the role of assisting her. Thus, this is why before long they arrived.

Roughly explaining the vicinity’s　circumstances, Kirika firmly said:

“At any rate, we can’t help but prevent it from disembarking near Tokyo. Although I don’t understand where Kerberos is aiming to go, I have no doubt that just by granting it passage through, the city will receive serious damage.”

Now when the demon beast was made to land on Boso Peninsula in the Chiba Prefecture, if someone were to overlook this place from high above, maybe it would see a long cylindrical line across the peninsula.

This doesn’t mean Kerberos carries out destruction activities on purpose. But when a phenomenon consisting of an enormous mass rivaling that of a whale runs at high speed, that thing in itself is a calamity.

The buildings placed on the demon beast’s course have been crushed, houses stepped on and the town itself literally divided into parts.

If the supernatural phenomenon would be revealed, the public would be thrown into panic, but thanks to the influence of the miasma Kerberos emits, the recording equipment such as video cameras and the like are projecting nothing but a thick fog, maybe be the only silver lining of this dark cloud.

As long as no records remain, is possible to provide as many explanations as one likes. It’s likely that later something along the lines “local tornado outbreak” will be made.

“That is why, do your best. Ah, I think you know this but don’t kill it. Please repel it with an amount of injuries that it won’t die from.”

If they were to kill the hell watch dog, there will be the danger of the spirits of the dead overflowing in the present world. Therefore, it’s not like Kirika’s point can’t be understood, but…

“If you’re thinking about it as someone else’s problem, you can say that feeling at ease, right?”In response to Ayano’s truly unhappy grumble, Kirika displayed a smile full of trust.

“If it’s you two I’m thinking you can undoubtedly do it.”

She slightly shifted her eyes, turning to the man who was smoking cigarettes without giving indication that he was participating in the conversation.Without being perturbed by abruptly being brought up as a subject, the man, Kazuma casually shrugged his shoulders.

“You’re the client. I’ll follow your indications.”

“Thank you. Saying it like that you saved me.”

“You’re welcome.”

For some reason, both of them exchanged a parent-like smile. Ayano raised her eyebrows at a steep angle. Grasping Kazuma’s hand, she said in a dangerous voice.

“Look, let’s go quickly! Today I must return as soon as possible!”

“What? There’s some TV show you must watch no matter what?”

“As if I have something like that!”, Ayano retaliated sharply and continued with a mournful expression: “Because Yukari said she picked up a puppy, I want to go and see it.”

“…”

Both of them turned en masse towards Ayano with an utterly amazed expression. Kazuma, as a representative, revealed his thoughts.

“……Again this person is splendidly intermingling public policy with private interest.”

“WRONG!”

Ayano let her other hand plunge aiming at the fine point of Kazuma’s jaw. Of course, an instant before the impact he grasped her fist tightly.

“Both of you, you are able to say such easygoing remarks just because you don’t know how scary that girl is underneath the “natural airhead” part.”

Although screaming, Ayano began reflecting on the conversation from a few hours ago which even now remembering makes her head hurt.

“I picked up a puppy ♡ “

That day, since morning, Shinomiya Yukari was in a very good mood.

Shoulder length curly hair and a soft facial expression always smiling, a girl usually without an air of tension, today her screws seeming even more slacken than usual.

Faced with a Yukari who, whether was in class or not, emitted sounds such as “ufufufu” and “tehehehe” and the like, repeatedly laughing and reminiscing, Ayano together with another close friend, Kudou Nanase started investigating. Cross-examining an evading Yukari, slippery as an eel, they managed to pull out an answer at lunch break.

“Oh, he’s so very cute...”

Once she opened her mouth nobody could stop her. While they could do nothing but listen, Yukari started talking about the cuteness of the dog in the smallest details.

“He’s still this small and his fur is glossy black.”

“Hmmm…”

“A, is that so...”

Ayano and Nanase threw the appropriate words in conversation in an indifferent manner, exchanged glances and sighted. They started whispering in a low voice.

“Good grief, since she was making such a merry face I imagined something different. I even thought you had your first sexual experience.”

“With whom?”

“Well if it’s Yukari, don’t you have a feeling she would likely do it with some guy she met for the first time just because she is pleased with him? “

“Indeed, because she’s similar to a kid living through its senses”

Ayano earnestly nodded in assent.

Meanwhile, Yukari was going on and on, boasting about the puppy. They lent an ear listening without any particular intention.

“What’s more, his eyes are as red as a ruby.”

“Oh?”

“On the tail he has no hair but instead is covered with tiny scales.”

“Hey!”

“Sometimes he’s breathing fire from his mouth.”

“Wait a second!!”,Ayano and Yukari both shouted with matching, clear voices.

“What’s the matter?”

“Don’t ask me what’s the matter! What sort of puppy is that thing!?”

“Eh......but, no matter how you look at it’s a dog? It whimpers, among other things.”

“Does a dog breathe fire?”

Together with Ayano’s exclamation, Yukari’s complexion changed as if she became aware of something.

“T-then, don’t tell me...”

“That’s right, the animal you picked up is…”

“The Japanese wolf - Canis lupus hodophilax, which we were told it became extinct?”

“That’s so wrong!” Shouting as always, Ayano grabbed Yukari by the collar, letting anger taking it’s natural course.

“If it’s the Japanese wolf, it can breathe fire!? Do you seriously believe that!?”

“Ayano-chan it hurts! Calm down!” For some reason, without showing any signs of pain, Yukari soothed Ayano with a smiling face. Naturally, it didn’t have effect and until Nanase came between them, Ayano continued shaking the girl.

“Oh, get a hold of yourself.”

While wedging oneself in the space between those two to pull Ayano apart, Nanase asked Yukari.

“Still, you seriously didn’t think it was odd?”

“But, there are human beings spouting fire therefore why would dogs doing it be weirder, right?”

“……Ah, I see.”

“Wait a minute.” With a low tone as if crushing something to death, Ayano interrupted their conversation. She glares at both of them with a half open eye.

“Who is that particular human being spouting fire?”

“Ayano-chan.”

“I’m not spouting it! Nanase you too shouldn’t agree so easily!” Ayano shouts at her heartless (supposedly) friends, but none showed signs that they were paying attention.

“Still......”

“Right”

As a matter of course they nodded to each other in a similar fashion.

“B-both of you are......” Although full of resentment towards the girls who don’t know true friendship, Ayano returned to the real issue at hand.

“Anyway, a living-like thing who breathes fire doesn’t exist in the realm of nature! What you found is the offspring of a demon beast!”

“…Demon beast?” Drawing closer to Yukari, with her head slightly bent to one’s side, Ayano, in order to terrify her, said: ‘That’s right. It’s a dangerous thing, absolutely. If you’re being negligent because it’s just a child, it can chew your head.”

“……”

For a brief period Yukari thought over Ayano’s words and then she waived her hand laughing.

“It’s going to be fine. It became really emotionally attached and besides he’s really cute.”

“Ah, she really doesn’t get it!” Ayano shouted, being greatly perplexed.

“And, oh well, it became like this....’

“W-what a u-unique friend, huh.” After Ayano slovenly brought the story to a finish, Kirika made the questionable comment with a stiff smile.

“Let me see, it that’s the case, our organization can deal with the above mentioned Yukari-chan. So you can relax.”

“That’s not good.” It was an immediate reply. Faced with an unexpected response, Kirika lightly opens her eyes wider.

“Why?”

“Assuming you would send your subordinates, it doesn’t seem likely Yukari would obediently hand the demon’s offspring over. In that situation, securing the demon beast would take priority over Yukari’s will, right?”

“We wouldn’t do things like trying to cause harm to one of Ayano-chan’s friends.”

“Still not good. If you try meddling with Yukari I won’t forgive you.”

Closing the argument after the one-sided declaration, Ayano shifts her attention to the man who until then gave his undivided attention to the consumption of cigarettes, just because all this was none of concern.

“Because that’s the case, today we’re settling it with a swift attack and go home. Understood?” Her quiet tome shows a clear determination that denies any objection.

The tip of the flame sword Enraiha was thrust out too quick for the naked eye to follow, as if hinting: “if you slack off I’m going to freaking stab you.”

However, Kazuma was not the kind of person to back down because of that. With an obstinate man-eater smile, frivolous and with a lax expression, he says:

“Don’t say stuff like that. I don’t like to push myself. It’s one of those things bad for one’s health, right? “

“……”

Silently, Ayano increased her grip on Enraiha. The signs of an explosive situation that give hair-raising shivers fill the surroundings.

“Calm down Ayano-chan.” Without a moment’s delay Kirika forced her way in the space between these two. With her seemingly casual behavior she held down Ayano’s hand holding Enraiha, carefully paying attention to it.

“You want to end this quickly, right? Now it’s not the time for a split among friends.”

“...…This guy, he’s not my friend.”

In spite of talking back with a sulky tone, Ayano reluctantly drew back her sword. On the way to the battlefield, she asks a question without particular interest in hearing the answer.

“Kerberos, huh. I wonder, did the dead escape or something?”

“Well…”, Kazuma answers in a seemingly disinterested manner. “It doesn’t matter what the reason is. What matters is to beat it up so badly it will go back to the entrance of Hell.”

“…You make it sound so simple”

The opponent is Kerberos – one can confidently say its existence is top class among all other demon beasts, its status different from the norm.Of course it’s not a being easily summoned by the likes of men. Such a thing, why did it appear in the present age devoting itself to endless atrocities？ While trying to come up with an answer, Kazuma‘ｓ legs suddenly stopped.

“Is this the place?”

“Yeah, it’s gonna appear from the front” Even if it’s an empty parking lot, it’s spacious enough to play a soccer game. Beside it, a strange upside-down-pyramid-like building was built.

“The evacuation is finished. You don’t have to hold back”, Kazuma instigated the girl unsheathing Enraiha, with a broad sneer on his face. Without responding, Ayano set her eyes on the empty space in front of her. Before their eyes… the space became loose.

The space separating the two dimensions connected in a firework-like show, bits of light flickering and scattering. From inside the downpour of light, darkness penetrates, burning.

“GAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!”

Biting and tearing the loose space with all its might, three heads appear. And then, the body.

“……”

At a loss for words, Ayano raises her eyes in blank amazement. It’s big. Its height exceeds five meters. A magnificent physique that easily supports three heads. Its six eyeballs, bloody red, shed a grim light. Its fangs bared, it breaths out an incandescent heat. Kerberos recognizes there two’s existence and their power. The crimson eyes overlook them and the distinct intent they carry. That is, “an enemy” that must be defeated.

“Ugh……”

“GAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!”

The demon beast howled once again. From those three mouths, together with the roar, jet-black flames gush out.

“……!”

Without time to dodge, Ayano and Kazuma were engulfed in the flames of hell. Kerberos overlooks from his high place and without taking the time to confirm the results, jumps over the sea of flames.

“GYAUUUU!”

An immaterial fist was thrust from bellow, hitting the demon beast’s jaw during the jump. From underneath the large built body spinning in the air, the Hell fire is scattered by the wind.

“Honorable guest visiting so suddenly, don’t be in such a hurry will you? ”

From the middle of the vanishing black flames, the taunting words can be heard. While dispersing the remains of the flames in the same manner, Ayano involuntary smiles broadly.

''Good grief, this guy…''

Looking next to her, as expected, is a fearless smile. Contrary to his words, his childish smiling face, full of mischief says in capital letters: “I’m gonna provoke you with everything I’ve got.” With a devil-may-care attitude, always impetuous, the kind of man you absolutely can’t put your faith in.

''Despite this, why do I feel so relaxed when this man is around? It’s impossible to lose; I naturally thought so, if we are together.''

“Come, let’s finish this and go back, Kazuma!”

Aiming at the beast’s huge body, Ayano stepped into its territory with all her strength.

“GAAAA!”

But the fireballs are sliced by the beast’s claws. Even so, their purpose was to buy time until sword distance…

“Waa!”

Because she was slipping too close to its foreleg. Kerberos fired a killing blow from right overhead.

“Eh?”

Ayano opened her eyes wide. Enraiha’s blade was drawn expecting to hit the target but it was held-back – literally – by Kerberos’s fangs. She expected fire resistance as the demon beast breathes fire but there is no indication of receiving damage from the edge clad in flames.

Kerberos stopped her movement. And now, the other party still has another two heads and limbs to ...

''This is bad…''

“You fool, fall back!”

“GAAAAAAA!”

Together with the rebuke, Kazuma released wind blades and the demon beast roared. The shock-wave that accompanied the thunder-like roar counterbalanced his attack.

“As expected from Hell’s watchdog. This is pretty good”

“This is not the place for admiration!” , screamed Ayano while retreating, slipping into a state of confusion.

“What to do? Do you have a plan? ”

“Plan? Not particularly. We’ll win if we do it like we always do”

“You say like usual, but my attacks have no effect”

“Idiot”

Kazuma relentlessly rejected Ayano’s complaints.

“No effect? As if! If you are stopped by claws and fangs you will endanger your body. To what purpose do you think Enraiha is shaped like a sword? ”

“Ah…”

If you think about it, that’s correct. It’s not like the demon beast rendered the attack useless. It just intercepted it with fangs and claws. If you notice that you can form countless counter-attacks.

“I – I got it!”

“Then go already!”

To a shouting Ayano trying to hide her embarrassment, Kazuma urges her forward with an impatient hand gesture. Although that rudeness made her cheeks puffy with anger, she starts running towards Kerberos.

“Now then...”

While closely looking at Ayano’s retreating figure and the demon beast, Kazuma is probing the opponent for a breach. As for the situation, Ayano’s is somewhat better. If things go like this, there will be no need to cover for her.

Now what we have to do is send it back to Hell by causing it enough damage without killing it. That shouldn’t be so difficult – Kazuma truthfully thought so.

Without having to wait for it, the opportunity came.

Ayano’s slash was a faint and with the sole of her hand, hit Kerberos’s jaw. That big contrast was similar with a baby knocking an elephant off its feet. Even if it was a surreal spectacle, Kazuma didn’t lose this ideal opportunity and fired wind blades aimed at the beast’s head, still thrown back. The careful aimed blow half-sliced the left head.

“GAAAAAA!!”

From the wound that reached as far as the cervical vertebrae, fresh blood erupted almost like a fountain.

“Look, the blood is red”, while murmuring so carefree, Kazuma lands next to Ayano.

“Well then, normally after receiving such an amount of damage, it should try to escape” Halfway through the speech, he looked up at the demon beast and sighted. “But for some reason, it seems unlikely”

“Yeah”

Despite having one head cut, the beast’s fighting spirit didn’t abate. The four eyes’ glow and radiance looked down at these two with a boiling killing intent. Furthermore, the left head which hanged down up until now was raised triumphantly. Inhaling very deeply, it breaths out fire. And then……

“Wha…?”

Ayano opened her eyes full of shock. The left head, severed as far as the trachea gushes out jet-black flames even from the wound.

“GAAAAAA…” the beast’s head was engulfed in flames for a moment.

“S-Self-destruction…?”

“No, that’s wrong” Kazuma responded in a bitter, groan-like tone. “Perhaps it serves as a styptic”

“Huh?”

Ayano stares at the demon beast’s head. Surely, for the sake of stopping the hemorrhage the wound, together with the head, should be carbonized. If the purpose was to stop the blood, then the goal is achieved. But even so –

“It’s going that far?”

“Shit…This is bad … a do or die resolution… we’re walking a tight rope”

Kazuma grumbled, seemingly unpleased from the bottom of his heart. To burn one’s head – even if there are three of them – for the sake of accomplishing one’s purpose, that’s the way this demon beast moves.

Even if they consider the fact that a demon beast is capable of taking such actions, Kazuma and Ayano can’t help but prepare themselves.

“No option but to kill”

“……yeah”

With dry voices they decided the plan. Being half-hearted didn’t work. As long as the beast is alive, it can’t be stopped. There are no options besides killing it.

“GAAAAAA!”

Kerberos took the initiative. With the explosive power characteristic of beasts, it reduced the distance between them in a flash.

Kazuma dodged it’s swung down talon blow with a water like movement. With those blood-shot eyes full of determination, Kerberos swings his claws, with a movement so fearless, it doesn’t seem it just lost one head.

“GRAA……WA?”

But the movement suddenly stopped. Kerberos restrains its half-way swung down limb and very seriously and longingly looks at something behind Kazuma.

“…….?”

Kerberos pushes Kazuma aside and makes his way through the trees behind with his claws.

“Kyuuuuun….” A barely perceptible feeble whine. The black puppy that was there, apparently late at getting away, tries to conceal itself by shrinking its body as much as possible.

“GRRR….”

After staring at that puppy for a short while, Kerberos looks away with a howl full of sadness. The dragon-skin tail feebly hangs down, coiling on the ground.

“Ah…you don’t say…” watching that appearance, a certain reasoning flashed lightning-fast through Ayano’s brain. She thought it wasn’t possible but almost at the same time she strongly felt it was the only explanation possible. If it’s that girl…

“Kazuma!”

“What?”

“I’ll retreat for five minutes or so I’m leaving this to you! Don’t kill it until I come back!” Ayano one-sidedly informed him and ran off without waiting for a response.

After she put a few hundred meters between them, she takes her telephone hidden at the shelter. When the other person picked up, she started speaking, without waiting for a reply.

“Yukari, do you hear me?...”

Approximately four minutes afterwards, she returned to the battlefield. Apparently Kazuma did as she said because the damage inflicted on Kazuma didn’t increase – on the contrary it apparently decreased.

“Does it regenerate?”

On the other hand, Kazuma shifted his attention on Ayano and asked, refreshed:

“Did you go to the toilet or something?”

Disregarding his frivolous talk, she pushed the telephone screen before his eyes.

“What?”

“I made Yukari send me a photo of the puppy she picked up”

“Why would you do such a …” Kazuma watched the screen with an indifferent – look but after a few seconds and blinks he started scowling at the perspective. The photo of a “sitting” dog(?)

It was basically a dog but the tail peaking from behind was growing scales. The eyes were deep crimson. But the round pupils, too big for its face, gave it a cute look instead of an atrocious one. To match his eyes, a bright red choker was fit around its neck.

“So that’s the reason” Kazuma sighted and focused on Kerberos, in order to compare them. And then, abruptly, he called the name of a woman not present.

“Kirika”

It was a call who shouldn’t have reached. But in the same manner a reply came.

“What?”

This is a type of skill that carries one’s voice along with the wind called “Spiritual Calling” For a practitioner of Kazuma’s magnitude it’s easy to carry sounds separated by several kilometers and to gather the other party’s response.

“Can you get in touch with Shinomiya Yukari’s house?”

“……huh?”

After only a few seconds of indecision, Kirika was positive. Kazuma ignored the girl next to him, arching her eyebrows with discomfort and continued:

“Secure her immediately and bring her here”

“What do you mean?”

“Apparently its parent is here”

Even transmitted from a far-away place, the loss-for-words atmosphere can be felt. After a full ten seconds of unbroken silence a voice oozing weariness got through.

“Good grief… The lost puppy causes a lot of trouble. Wait thirty…no twenty minutes”

“Hurry”

After cutting off the transmission, Kazuma raised his eyes at the demon beast towering before him. Indeed, its totally motivated face stands out, looking this way.

“Forget about understanding through words but…Ayano, can’t you explain it out intentions? With your wild instincts or something”

“As if that’s possible!!”

Approximately eighteen minutes after.

“It arrived? With an unusual fatigued expression, Kazuma sighted. Immediately the sound of a helicopter’s rotor reached Ayano’s ears.

“That?”

“Yeah, go and fetch it.”

“Ok”, Ayano nodded meekly without taking offense at the rude order. “Hold on just for a bit longer”

Reluctant to even give a response Kazuma waived his hand instead of saying “Just go already”.

With a little bitter smile Ayano started running towards the already descending helicopter. It landed squarely in the middle of the road. That fact in itself is trivial but regarding the young lady that appeared from inside, holding down her skirt fluttering in the wind, as one would expect, Ayano can’t let it pass.

“Why are you here Yukari?”

As for the staff members of the Special Data Organization, they couldn’t be so stupid as to bring an ordinary person on the battlefield. But she is here right now. When cross-examined, Yukari said with a somehow smiling face:

“I made a little wish and I was brought along”

“A wish, you say…” In front of the bewildered Ayano the figure of a man appears from the helicopter, peeking with an hesitant face. Its grim features, after recognizing Ayano’s look, started explaining or rather vindicating before the question was even asked.

“I – I swear that no rude behavior towards this girl…”

“…that’s enough”

Ten minutes have already passed. Ayano negligently waved her hand, stopping his explanation.

“You’re the victim. I get it. If you’re not going to complain latter, you can return.”

“Y – yes!” the pilot nodded with a narrow-escape-from-dead expression.

After seeing off for a brief moment the helicopter, that drove off in the same direction it came from, Ayano aimed at Yukari a stern gaze.

“You, did you threaten him? By using my name?”

“I think that speaking style can ruin one’s respectability”, although pouting, sharpened lips and all, Yukari didn’t deny Ayano’s words. “All I wanted was to make sure Candy was reunited with his mother.”

“Candy?”

“This pup. Look”

Yukari unbuttoned her collar and from there a black something crawled out. It was imprisoned inside her clothes and seemed to be suffocating because it started focusing very hard on breathing, putting its tongue out. Needless to say, that was the “puppy” Yukari picked up – the young child of Kerberos.

In front of Ayano, staring intently and at a loss for words, Yukari says while grinning:

“Cute, isn’t he?”

“Kyau!” Tickling its throat, Candy comfortably closed his eyes and barked. It became attached.

But naming a living thing, whose mouth is packed with fangs instead in spite of being a puppy, “Candy”, it seems the girl didn’t harbor any reserve towards it. If it would be just that it could still be understood, but after being informed that the pup is actually a demon beast why would she enclose it next to her bosom? In all possible ways, Yukari’s sense was eluding Ayano’s comprehension.

“Fine” Setting aside various questions, Ayano holds out her hand in front of Yukari.

“Anyway, hand that thing over. I’m going to return it”

“No” Yukari immediately replied.

“……excuse me, Miss Yukari?” with a delicate, stiff smile, Ayano stretches her hand even further.

“Don’t say such selfish things and hand in over.”

“If I say no it’s no.” Yukari took a step back embracing Candy, who crawled out of her bosom, in order to protect him.

“YU – KA – RI!”

Towards the friend who suddenly became unreasonable, Ayano growled with pressuring tone.

“I don’t have time to play games with you. If you don’t hurry up and give it to me, we don’t know what might happen.”

“I know that”

“If you know then – ”

“I’ll be the one to hand it over” Watching Ayano whose voice became more and more stern, Yukari flatly declared.

“What?”

“This pup, I’ll be the one who personally hands it over to his mother”

After several seconds of silence, Ayano started shouting with a shriek-like voice.

“Of course I’m not going to allow you to do such a dangerous thing!”

“I’ll do it no matter what!!” Yukari retaliated with a scream that wouldn’t lose to Ayano’s.

“I’m the one who picked this puppy! That’s why I’m the one who has to take it to where his mother lives! And because it’s dangerous I can’t leave it to anyone else! ”

“……”

To this girl who argued so vehemently that tears started to accumulate in her eyes, Ayano didn’t find any persuasive words. It would be so easy to snatch it away from her…

“It can’t be helped” Although recognizing that this way of thinking is so naïve, she let it go. “It’s really dangerous so follow my instructions exactly, all right?”

“Yeah”, nodded Yukari with a sparkly smile.

Taking Yukari’s hand Ayano once again returned to the battlefield, where Kazuma and Kerberos confronted in silence. Running out of patience, Kerberos is trying to reduce the distance between him and Kazuma, who just stands there relaxed.

That development suddenly stopped. The brute’s glance pierces Kazuma and reaches Candy, embraced by Yuukari, who stands there behind him.

A silence that seemed to have stopped time, flew.

“GRRRR….”

“……”

Yukari took Kerberos’s twisted, lowered gaze directly. Just because of that, her entire body shivers, making a rattle sound, almost overpowering her mentally, but for a civilian maybe admiration should be expressed for her emotional strength.

Yukari started walking towards the demon beast, a gulp ringing in her small throat.

“Ah……” Although Ayano wanted to follow, for some reason or another her legs stopped, feeling it would be more difficult, going together.

With a detached attitude Kerberos overlooked Yukari. She stopped at its feet and raised Candy, who until that point was curling on her chest, overhead.

“GRRRUU…” Raising a vaguely satisfied growl, the demon beast lowered its head and received Candy skillfully, taking the choker with the tip of its fangs. But…

“Uuuu…..”

Yukari didn’t let go of Candy. Because both the girl and the beast didn’t back off, Candy’s body started to stretch.

“Yukari, stop it…” Ayano started panicking toward such an act that exceeds even recklessness. Yukari doesn’t have any sort of strength, she’s just ordinary, if Kerberos feel like it, it could crush his existence with one finger.

“Kazuma…” Looking at Kazuma in order to request salvation, he bluntly states.

“Impossible, at this distance the beast has the advantage”

“Auuuuu...what is that girl thinking…”

Sparing a sidelong glance at the groaning Ayano, the beast and the girl continued pulling. But before reaching a conclusion, the “rope” approached its limit.

“Kyuuuu…” the moment the painful sound was raised, both parties simultaneously let Candy go.

“Ooh, an Oooka Decision[2]” , mutters Kazuma openly expressing his admiration.

“I’m telling you that’s not the problem…” returns Ayano in an amazed voice.

Both of them are completely left out of the event.

Yukari promptly caught the falling Candy. At the warm sensation from inside her arms, she expressed a soft smile full of relief. But in the next moment, the choker Yukari gave Candy, was torn from its neck and fell.

“Ah…..”

Looking at the sharply slit choker on the ground, severed by Kerberos’s fang, the girl scowls with a sad look.

“Is that so…As I thought, you’ll be happiest together with your mother.” Muttering with determination, once again Yukari presented Candy to Kerberos. This time she delivered Candy obediently, without struggle.

“Candy…… will we meet again?”

“Kyuuun….”

Candy, snugly sitting inside Kerberos’s mouth responds to Yukari’s voice with the sad cry. They stared at each other – but time relentlessly moves on, Kerberos returns and starts walking toward the beach. Until that figure disappeared, Yukari sees off her “one day” pet in silence.

Confirming that everything is over, Ayano gradually relaxes and approaches Yukari.

“Good grief, don’t be so rash. You’re shortening my life span ”

“Sorry.” Apologizing Yukari’s gaze quickly returns to the sea, at the spot the demon beasts disappeared.”It’s really gone…”

“Did you like that pup so much?”

“Yeah, that’s part of it…” Yukari shifts her attention to Ayano, more exactly towards the hand holding Enraiha, and says with a dreamy voice:

“Because Candy is a demon beast, someday he will grow as big as his mother right?”

“……Probably, but I don’t know how many years it will take”

“If that’s the case, when Candy is as big as a cow or a horse, I thought I can be a demon beast user and fight together with Ayano-chan”

“......” That moment Ayano seriously became dizzy. The world shakes irregularly and a feeling of dread gives her gooseflesh, as if the earth crumbles from underneath her feet. Enduring the impulse of wanting to escape from reality, Ayano firmly sizes Yukari’s shoulders.

“Yukari, don’t think about such stupid things.”

“Is it impossible?”

“Yes. Absolutely” Ayano says very strongly.

It would be impossible to entrust her back to a human like Yukari, whose train of thought she cannot comprehend. Using persuasive words until exhaustion, Ayano becomes aware Kazuma is starring at her with an amusing look on his face.

“So that’s what you call friends gained through common interests?”

“Wait! I can’t let that pass”

“Ah – what do you mean Ayano-chan”, asks Yukari tangling with a pissed off Ayano.

“Ah – no, it’s not like that… Kazuma, where are you going?”

“Don’t try to deceive me. Ayano-chan do you hate me?”

Behind Kazuma’s back, who turns back, ignoring them, how long will these two continue to fight?

[[User:Ayame|Ayame]] 14:55, 14 July 2012 (CDT)

[1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/B%C5%8Ds%C5%8D_Peninsula

[2] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C5%8Coka_Tadasuke

Kaze no Stigma:Volume2 Chapter 1

2012-09-19T16:26:24Z

Sab: /* 1 */

== Chapter One - Banquet for Victory -The Chosen Ones- ==
=== 1 ===
It was a common occurrence.

You could say it’s something that had become a part of their lives.

However, Yukari and Nanase could both sense the tension.

A tension that was hard to ignore.

“Didn’t I say so already? You girls definitely won’t be bored. I know a great club! I just need to show my face for us to get in.”

“Come on! Let’s go! What fun is there to be had with only girls?”

As the two exchanged glances, a group of men with weak appearances made a vulgar speech in a flippant manner. They didn’t look too bad, but their idiotic speech and actions showed no class at all.

In simpler terms, they were trying to pick the girls up.

It was a common occurrence.

Even though their appearances may have differed, the three were beautiful girls that made one’s eyes light up. They knew exactly how to deal with such pick-up artists. Or at least they did, until now.

“...”

Suddenly, the third girl, who had not spoken a word until now, began to move. She slowly raised her head and looked into the eyes of the man in front of her.

“That place is frequently visited by idols, stars, and models! We have many such friends, and if you are interested, we can introduce them to you...”

Glared at by cold eyes that chilled to the bone, the originally glib man was unable to speak another word.

“Get lost.”

“...Yes.”

The men left pitifully. Yet the girl did not even look at them and instead put on an unchanging, cold expression and left as if nothing had happened.

“...Ayano.”

“What’s wrong?”

The girl, Ayano Kannagi, seemed rather displeased, and turned her head with those words.

“You seem to be really harsh to the people who’ve tried to pick us up recently.”

“It’s just your imagination.”

Ayano replied, straying from the point.

“But...”

Yukari lifted her head to look at Nanase with pleading eyes.

Nanase nodded and said, “Yup, you’re really overdoing it recently. Let’s take last time for example: you actually used the corner of your schoolbag to hit the guy’s temple.”

“Ah, that one was really scary. The whites of his eyes showed, and blood was flowing from his ears and nose–”

“...Does it matter, anyway? We called an ambulance for him.”

Nanase looked hard at the moody Ayano and slowly closed in on the main point.

“Ayano, something happened between you and a guy, didn’t it?”

“Wh–what... What are you talking about?!”

The sudden question left Ayano unable to hide the stir in her heart.

“Hehe~”

Nanase gave off a smile deep with meaning.

“You, a girl with a father-complex, finally seem to be starting to show interest in guys other than your father.”

“I am not a father-lover.”

Ayano swiftly regained her composure, and said strongly, “I’ve just never met a guy better than my father. That’s all.”

“...”

Nanase met Yukari’s eyes, as if to say “What a headache,” and sighed.

“I admit, your father is indeed a mature and relaxed middle-aged man, but you cannot possibly find that kind of feeling in a young guy, right?”

“That’s not true. Father was young once too, so as long as I find someone similar–”

Halfway through, she shut her mouth and frowned, as the conversation had somehow reminded her of that detestable man.

Seemingly difficult to approach, yet uncommonly relaxed – a person undoubtedly qualified to be compared to her father.

He was not like Juugo at all. Indeed, he was the total opposite.

But... he was very powerful. Not just his strength, but his entire existence. In that sense, he was comparable to Juugo, the strongest man that she knew–

“Aya---no~”

Hearing the call rife with laughter, Ayano, who had stopped moving, returned to her senses.

“You are thinking of the guy you like right now, aren’t you?”

“Of... Of course not! That kind of guy!”

“What kind of guy?”

Having been asked such a question, Ayano lost her strength for a moment.

“Nanase... Even you...”

“Be honest! It’s such an interesting topic. I bet even Yukari won’t let it go easily either, right?”

“That’s right. That’s right.”

Yukari nodded happily. Ayano stared at her two friends who intended to extract every single detail with antagonistic scrutiny.

Yukari Shinomiya and Nanase Kudo. They were both students of Seiryo Academy, where Ayano studied, and also her best friends – even though there were times when she wondered about the friendship between them.

Yukari’s shoulder-length, beautiful hair moved up and down like waves, her face always showed a gentle smile, and her speech was slightly slow. It was unclear whether she should be considered “mellow” or just “slow.” Regardless, from this description, you can probably imagine that she is a laid-back person.

In contrast, Nanase’s hairstyle was a refreshing, blunt bob. She seemed casually calm, and her swift movements and tone showed no sign that they belonged to a girl, giving people an unsettled feeling, making her the type to receive a lot of chocolates on Valentine’s Day.<ref>In Japan, girls are the ones who give out chocolate on Valentine’s, so the implication here is that Nanase is popular with other girls.</ref>

These two girls were opposites no matter how you look at it, but what was truly remarkable was that when they teased Ayano, they exhibited perfect harmony in their cooperation – although to Ayano, this was something unbearable.

“Come on. Tell us. What kind of person is he?”

“I already said there is no such person! By the way...”

Ayano stared at Yukari with accusing eyes.

“Aren’t we going to eat some cake now?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

“Then why are we on this road?!”

In the direction which Ayano pointed her finger stood a long row of accommodations designed for a very specific purpose.

Just as with a haunted house in a backcountry area, though there was nothing particularly odd about their appearance, they possessed an atmosphere unlike that of a normal hotel.

That’s right. For, as the three (except for a certain someone) were chatting happily, they had unintentionally come to the entrance of a street of love hotels.

Having realized that they were arguing in a special area, Ayano couldn’t help but blush. But Yukari’s smile did not change at all.

“This is a short-cut.”

“Even so, this kind of place...”

“Don’t worry. No one would think that we are going to play 3P.”

Ayano’s face carried a pained expression as she looked at this innocently smiling friend who had just said something very shocking.

“You... Don’t use that cute face to say something so shocking, okay?”

“Kay~ But this kind of thing is nothing compared to your normal behavior.”

“... What do you mean by that?”

Against Ayano’s squinting eyes, Yukari put on her usual smiling face. Though she may have looked easy-going, she was definitely not on the losing side.

Ayano, who realized that she was at a disadvantage, decided to forcefully end the conversation.

“Anyway, let’s not walk this way. Let’s go another way!”

“Geez, you are so squeaky clean.”

“Squeaky clean? That doesn’t even need to be said! This kind of hotel, whose only use is for people to share a bed – who knows what the people going in are thinking?!”

Ayano sounded violent and scowled angrily at the love hotels as though they had killed her father, when suddenly, her expression froze.

Yukari and Nanase followed Ayano’s line of sight. What lay there was...

“As agitated as always.”

A man and a beautiful lady, sticking closely together, walking out from the hotel street.

His age appeared to be about twenty-something, with an upright face that could be considered handsome, but his expression seemed to be rather sloven. A light smirk appeared on his mouth, forcefully pulling his grade down thirty percent.

“You should at least think about where you are.”

The man made fun of the dumbfounded Ayano and continued to speak.

“You're already a high school student. It’s about time you knew what shame is...”

The man before her eyes was Kazuma Yagami. This was the man who Ayano hated most. As for the woman beside him, she had never seen her before. In addition, this was a love hotel street.

Having caught up to this point, Ayano’s brain, which had finally returned to a normal temperature, suddenly began to heat up. Gripped with an inexplicable fury, Ayano shouted, “You... What are you doing in a place like this?!”

“...Ayano?”

Yukari and Nanase shared a puzzled look, looking at their friend who had suddenly fallen into a rage. Neither pair of eyes showed any indecision, and they seemed to be asking simultaneously, “What is she talking about?”

It wasn’t a question that needed to be asked. Just as Ayano had said, there is only one thing to do in a love hotel – even if there are many different ways and methods of doing it; there is basically only one reason to be there.

On the other hand, Kazuma, who had drawn Ayano’s rage upon him, simply showed a light smile, as usual.

“Asking me what I am doing... Ah, it is so hard to say it out loud~ ♥”

He acted shy, daintily using his hand to cover his mouth as he spoke.

At that moment, the dozens of logic-related neural synapses in Ayano’s brain snapped all at once.

Feeling the furious spiritual energy coming from Ayano, Yukari and Nanase couldn’t help but move back. But even when engulfed in such a strong murderous intent, one that even normal people would notice and fear, Kazuma and the woman beside him did not change the relaxed smiles on their faces.

The woman ignored Ayano’s furious eyes as if they were nothing. She put her lips close to Kazuma’s ear and asked, “This girl, is she your girlfriend?”

“Kirika... That joke isn’t funny at all!”

After such a semi-derogatory question, Kazuma answered with an irritated look. Listening, Kirika glanced at Ayano and laughed lightly.

(...! This darn woman–!)

Seeing the seemingly taunting attitude of this person, Ayano viewed Kirika as an “enemy.” As if seeking a weak spot, she sized up Kirika from head to toe. But...

(Argh...)

Though slim, she had a good figure filled with femininity.

From the angle of a “woman,” Ayano had no way to compete.

Ayano was also a rare beauty, but her state of maturity was far below Kirika’s. Future development or hidden potential had no effect now. Because in a battle in the real world, current capabilities decide everything.

Even so, if her opponent were just someone who devoted all nutrients – even those that should go to the brain – into her breasts and hips, Ayano would not concede defeat.

But Kirika was different. Those thin, long eyes of hers carried the light of wisdom, clearly indicating that she was not just some vulgar woman who only knew how to fawn on guys.

Slightly older than Kazuma, she looked as if she was around twenty-five. From the way she could casually face up to Ayano’s killing intent as if it were not there, she was clearly not an average businesswoman. Maybe they were in the same trade?

Ayano bore the silent torture of inferiority and continued to glare at the two with angry eyes.

“Kazuma?”

Kirika accepted Ayano’s eyes generously and held her body even more closely against Kazuma’s arm. Rather than a demonstration of love, this action seemed more like she was trying to hang on tightly.

“Should I arrest you for lewd acts against an underage female?”

“Don’t be like that.”

Kazuma seemed very displeased.

“She is just a distant relative. I’ve done nothing, nor have any intentions of doing anything.”

“Then why is she angry?”

“She’s always angry. Just ignore her.”

“Oh~”

Kirika looked towards Ayano once more, her face showing a smile with deep meaning. Ayano noticed, her mind tangling in an instant.

[[Image:Kaze no Stigma vol 02 017.jpg|thumb]]

“I think it would be better to explain.”

“There’s no need for that. It’s too troublesome. Let’s go!”

Upon saying this, Kazuma pulled Kirika and walked away. As his eyes meet Ayano’s, he put on a serious expression and warned Ayano, “Go back quickly! This is no place for children.”

Kazuma walked past Ayano with ease, who was so angry her whole body was trembling. As the two sides passed one another, Kirika looked at Ayano before departing in an utterly relaxed manner. Those eyes, filled with sympathy, totally enraged Ayano.

Yukari remained where she was, silently sending off the close pair with her eyes. She looked to the side and coincidentally met Nanase’s eyes.

At that moment, silence was golden. The two exchanged bitter smiles, and as if they had discussed it much earlier, looked towards Ayano who still had not turned back.

“So that’s it.”

Nanase nodded heavily.

“No wonder you were so harsh to those people who tried to pick us up.”

“That’s right. It is really tough to like someone like that.”

“But what a surprise. I never thought Ayano would like flippant guys like that.”

“...You two...”

Ayano turned slowly.

In a gentle, but equally chilling tone, she answered, “What are you two talking about?”

“What else?”

Yukari answered straightforwardly.

“Ayano, you like that guy right? Although it looks one-sided.”

“You... What makes you two think that way?”

“Just think about your reaction just now. No matter how we look at it, it is the reaction of ‘a jealous girl seeing the guy she likes getting snatched away,’ right?”

“There is no such thing! It is definitely not that way!!”

Ayano shouted out, blushing. Her voice was so loud it almost seemed to reach as far as the eye could see.

“Ayano, you’re too loud.”

Ignoring Yukari’s warning, Ayano furiously continued to say, “Why would I like that kind of lowlife?! That is the type of person I hate most in this world! If I could have, I would have sliced him into pieces!!”

“Then why are you angry?”

Yukari rebutted with a calm voice.

“If you really didn’t like him, then it wouldn’t matter who he sleeps with, right? What would there be to be angry about?”

“That... That’s because... That...

...I just cannot bear to see someone like Kazuma sleep with that kind of beauty! They are not at all compatible!”

Ayano gripped her fist tightly and tried her best to explain, as the other two looked at her with cold eyes.

(What do you think?)

(She doesn’t seem to be lying... Could it be that she hasn’t even realized it herself?)

(If that’s the case, then she’s not just slow – there’s something completely wrong with her...)

(But... that is just like Ayano.)

(Yeah, that’s true)

“You two! Don’t whisper among yourselves right in front of me!”

Having gotten shouted at by Ayano, Nanase swiftly straightened her body. Following this, she used a very serious expression, like someone who is faking marriage just to grab a hold of the password to a credit card, in order to say, “Ah. Okay, okay. I get it, you really hate that man.”

“Yup, completely understood.”

Yukari chimed in instantly. They were indeed Ayano’s best friends, their actions matching flawlessly.

Ayano’s expression revealed her continued suspicion.

“...Really?”

“Of course.”

“Fine then.”

Ayano nodded, though her expression still showed displeasure. After everything had come to an end, and the two of them had given a sigh of relief–

“Ah, that is the girl. Mr. Hanagi.”

Those guys had chosen the worst possible time to appear.

“These are the ones?”

The man they called Hanagi pointed his finger towards the three and said...

“You guys were scared off by these three girls?”

“Because the girl in the middle has a really scary stare...”

“That girl is really arrogant. Please teach her some manners, Go-san!”

The men who were saying these things were the punks, numbers one and two (temporarily named), who had been driven off by Ayano earlier. It seemed that because they had been rejected so vehemently by Ayano, resentment had arisen, and so they had found someone to help them take their revenge!

– They don’t come any lower than that.

“We invited you so nicely to have some fun, and yet you told us to ‘get lost.’ That was really rude. Now apologize.”

“...”

Ayano stared at the group of men, her eyes indicating that they were unworthy even of notice. Seeing those ice cold eyes, punks numbers one and two couldn’t help but retreat several steps, though Hanagi showed no sign of fear.

“That trick of yours won’t work! Hanagi-san knows Shaolin fist techniques!”

“Please do it! Go Hanagi-san!”

Numbers one and two cowered behind Hanagi and continued to shout. Ignoring the two who were merely relying on Hanagi’s strength, Ayano stared at Hanagi alone.

As they had mentioned, the man before her eyes seemed to have undergone a certain level of training. As he wore only a thin, sleeveless sweater under his leather coat, his protruding muscles could be clearly seen. It was a body specially made for combat.

“For a woman to be so arrogant, that’s why you are having such an unlucky encounter. Don’t try to go against men from now on.”

Hanagi reached his hand out in a rough manner, intending to grab Ayano’s chin to lift her face.

At the instant his fingertips touched her chin, Ayano moved swiftly.

She angled her body and moved forward, while at the same time dodging Hanagi’s hand. Ayano cleanly swung her bent left arm into Hanagi’s defenseless chest.

Ayano’s elbow struck the lower region of Hanagi’s earlobe, where his jaw was. This was a sudden, full-force attack and a powerful strike that even contained ''ki''. It would not have been surprising if his jaw had fallen off of his face.

Hanagi’s body flew into the air in a spiral. His legs, which had left the ground, tangled together like twisted bread and subsequently splayed outwards with reactive force.

Hanagi’s body kept on spinning, and after a sickening three and a half round rotation, he naturally had a failed landing – his whole body flattened against the outer wall of a hotel.

Splat.

A wet sound propagated along the entire street. This was definitely not a sound made by a human body. If a freshly slaughtered piece of flesh, with blood still dripping, were smashed into a wall, it would probably make this kind of sound.

Several seconds after Hanagi has been hammered into the wall, he fell to the floor like a flattened cockroach.

On the red bricks of the hotel wall, a fluid even more red than the bricks formed an eerie human figure.

“Uh... Uh~”

Seeing Hanagi, blood pouring out of seven holes and his body twitching, Nanase drew a cross towards the sky. Beside her, Yukari placed her hands together and closed her eyes to pray.

“Huh... Huh huh...”

“Hanagi-san...”

The remaining two guys gave voice to pitiful cries in tones that had reached the utmost limit of fear.

Ayano silently walked past the two men, who were unable to move their feet, and could only stand there like idiots.

She fired off two kicks at lightning speed. The tip of her foot hit right in the center between the legs of the two men.

“Argh!”

“Wah!”

The tip of her pointed shoe hit the pelvis, while the most important part was struck heavily. Ayano contemplated the two, now rolling on the ground in pain with a pink foam of blood and spittle coming from their mouths, with disgust.

“How dirty!”

“Ah– Please send an ambulance over. There are three heavily wounded people.”

A cold voice came from behind. Behind her, Nanase was using a public phone to contact 911. She read out the number of the phone booth to inform the other party of the location.

“Please be quick. One of them doesn’t seem likely to make it.”

After that, she hung up, ignoring their inquiries for her name. This action could be said to be very well-trained since the reason she didn’t use her own cellphone was to avoid leaving any trace.

“So, have you vented your anger?” Nanase asked Ayano calmly.

“...I didn't do it on purpose.”

Ayano pouted and replied unhappily, but the two did not believe her.

They had known very well since the beginning that she had just been redirecting her anger at Kazuma. If she had not met Kazuma earlier, Ayano would not have been so cruel!

But there was one thing they did not understand. Nanase leaned in close to Yukari’s ear and quietly asked...

(By the way, is that guy really that good?)

(Hmm... I feel that he is above average, but...)

He did not seem like a man that would make Ayano feel jealous. That was their opinion.

For though they had known Ayano for a long time, they still did not know what the Kannagis did for a living, nor of the power that was within their bloodline.

They would still have a few days to wait before witnessing for themselves the true power of Kazuma.

=== 2 ===
“Has Kazuma still not arrived?”

“Why are you asking me?”

Ayano replied to the Soushu’s, Juugo’s, question in a sour tone of voice. She appeared to have drunken some alcohol, and her gaze seemed blank.

Stared at by his daughter, who was radiating malcontent, Juugo blinked.

“What is it between you and Kazuma?”

“Nothing.”

Ayano slammed the wine cup on the table with a bang.

“I hate that guy! I don’t want to see his face or hear his name ever again! That sort of guy can just go have a good time with some old woman!”

“...So that is it.”

Juugo could roughly guess what had happened and decided not to probe any further.

“In celebration of the annihilation of the Fuuga clan!”

“Cheers to Hyoue who is now roasting in hell, suffering for all eternity!”

“Cheers!”

Vulgar toasts like this one abounded. Everyone seemed exuberant, and the air was filled with the sound of cups clinking in toasts.

The cause for celebration was something that had happened about a week ago.

The subordinates of the Kannagis, the Fuuga clan, had suddenly revolted. The leader of the Fuuga clan, Hyoue Kazamaki, had allowed his son Ryuuya to be possessed by a powerful ''youma'', and many of the Kannagis had been killed.

The ones who had fought them were Ayano and Ren, practitioners of the Kannagi main family, and Ren’s brother, Kazuma Yagami, who had been exiled due to his ineptitude as an ''En-jutsushi'' and had eventually become a ''Fuu-jutsushi''.

After a fierce battle, the three had finally defeated Hyoue and Ryuuya. On the fourth day following, that is, that evening, a banquet for their victory was being held.

The banquet was unlike any before it. Just about every member of the Kannagi family able to attend was in attendance. They had all joyfully joined the banquet and were now raising their cups in celebration of the annihilation of their hated enemy.

This reaction came as no surprise. For these people, who claimed to be the strongest, Hyoue and Ryuya, had been existences who could not be permitted.

The fact that they had been able to possess a ''youma'' beyond their powers was in and of itself unforgivable. Furthermore, they had been of the Fuuga clan, a group of low level ''jutsushis'' who they had stepped on for a long period of time.

For them, to fear weaklings like the Fuugas to the extent that they had had to go into hiding was a humiliation that could never be vindicated.

However, since the Fuuga clan had been completely destroyed, that shame, if not erased, was at least forgotten. In their joy, it wasn’t at all odd for them to be going somewhat overboard in their celebrations.

“Hmph! For those dogs to forget who had raised and fed them and to even go so far as to bite their masters’ hands! Those ungrateful bastards!”

“How dare they resist us? We, who are blessed by the Spirit Lord! What an outrage!”

“Cheers to the Fuuga clan’s demise!”

“Cheers!”

All around the tables, cups met, and everyone downed their cups in one go.

Just as the banquet was approaching its climax, Kazuma appeared.

“Kazuma-san has arrived.”

As the servant made his announcement, all noise in the hall came to an abrupt halt.

Amidst the silence, a youth walked through the paper door the servant had opened and stepped into the hall with a confident swagger.

Unfriendly eyes gathered upon this youth who walked in without a word. Just for the record, among the glares, the one which bore the greatest hatred was Ayano’s, but let’s leave that matter aside for now.

Actually, it was not without reason that this man was so despised. The Kannagis had had over fifty ''jutsushis'' before the battle with the Fuuga clan, and yet there were only a few more than thirty present at the banquet. The total dead and wounded amounted to more than twenty.

Seven were dead, the rest injured with varying degrees of severity. Those seven had been attacked by Ryuya – the only ones attacked by Ryuuya.

In other words, the majority of the casualties were the work of Kazuma. Everyone gathered here had family members who had been sent to the hospital by Kazuma. Under such circumstances, it was only natural that they didn’t wear smiles to welcome him.

Their hateful glares glanced off of Kazuma, who acted as if they weren’t even there. His attitude served only to increase their hatred for him.

This was the sort of feeling you get from being looked down on by someone whom you had looked down on in the past. Needless to say, Kazuma completely ignored their presence. He seemed to consider them beneath contempt. No matter how much Juugo tried to defend him, the negative feelings toward Kazuma only strengthened further.

Kazuma nodded toward Ren, the only one who smiled at him, and then bowed before Juugo.

“Sorry I’m late.”

“I don’t mind at all. I am the one who forced you to join us.”

Juugo smiled, forgiving Kazuma’s tardiness, and told Kazuma to sit beside him. In short order, wine and hors d’oeuvres were placed before Kazuma’s eyes.

“Welcome back, Nii-sama!”

Ren ran over and hugged his brother’s arm tightly like a spoiled puppy. Kazuma didn’t stop him. On the contrary, he reached out his hand to caress his brother’s head. But he didn’t give the customary reply, “I’m back.”

Because, for a long time now, this place had not been Kazuma’s, that is, Kazuma Yagami’s, home.

Ren didn’t seem to notice Kazuma’s thoughts and served him diligently.

“Ah, let me pour you some wine.”

“...Okay.”

Kazuma lifted the cup with his hands but put it back on the table without drinking a single drop.

Ren questioned hesitantly, “Nii-sama, why not have a drink?”

“I’m not thirsty.”

Ren looked at the untouched food.

“...Won’t you eat something?”

“I’m not hungry.”

“...”

Ren felt puzzled and lifted his eyes to look at his brother.

Kazuma continued to look straight ahead, ignoring Ren.

“Erm... Err...”

Just as Ren began to panic, thinking he had done something to anger his brother, a big hand was placed lightly on Ren’s head.

“...Nii-sama?”

The direction of Kazuma’s gaze hadn’t changed, nor did he speak. In spite of this, the feeling of that warm hand was enough to satisfy Ren. Leaning against his brother’s body, Ren closed his eyes and showed a peaceful smile.

To Kazuma, the Kannagi residence was still enemy territory. Not only would he not eat any food placed before him, no matter how relaxed the others might look, he wouldn’t let his guard down even for an instant.

That is why Kazuma noticed immediately when a young woman approached him.

He deliberately didn’t move, observing her as if nothing untoward was happening, waiting for her to take action.

The young woman was around twenty and was wearing a kimono. She seemed to be used to wearing one, for her actions were not the least bit awkward.

Her hairstyle, rather than being a blunt blob, was more of a round and simple [[Kaze_no_Stigma:Volume2_Translator%27s_Notes#hairstyle|hairstyle]] with its sides cut evenly. Together with small, cute cheeks, she was a beautiful Japanese-style woman that would make you think of the outdated appellation “[[Kaze_no_Stigma:Volume2_Translator%27s_Notes#yamato_nadeshiko|Yamato Nadeshiko]].”

Seeing the girl kneeling before him bow deeply, Kazuma said with a hazy expression, “If I recall... You are Ogami...”

“My name is Misao Ogami. I’ve been ordered to take care of Kazuma-sama. If you have any needs, please just inform me.”

“...Oh?”

Kazuma used his fingertips to hold Misao’s chin and lift up her face.

Looking at her nervous expression, Kazuma smiled and asked teasingly, “Even at night?”

Faced with such a direct intimation, Misao blushed and her eyes shifted downward. Even though she was embarrassed, she didn’t try to escape from Kazuma’s hand. She murmured in hardly a whisper, “If... that is your wish.”

Seeing that Misao didn’t resist, Kazuma’s face closed in even more. At that moment, Kazuma, as if repelled, suddenly leaned back.

A ray of red lightning pierced the air where Kazuma’s head had just been. With a loud thunk, something embedded itself in the pillar behind him.

“You despicable piece of shit! Get your dirty hands off her!”

Needless to say, the furious girl with the incomparable rage was Ayano. Kazuma didn’t even bother to look at her, but instead turned his head back.

A long, thin red stick was now embedded in the pillar – Ayano’s chopstick.

The chopstick possessed no sharp point, and yet it was half-sunken into the pillar. Guessing at the strength with which she must have thrown it, Kazuma laughed.

Ayano stalked toward Kazuma and raised her hand for a karate chop, aiming at Kazuma’s hand, which had been on Misao’s face the entire time. Seeing a chop that carried the strength to break thirty tiles, he quickly removed his hand.

Ayano had murder in her eyes as she scowled at Kazuma, who had a smile on his face, and then slowly walked next to Misao.

“Misao, what are you thinking! Why ruin your life for scum like that?!”

“Huh... Ermm... Sorry.”

Faced with such an aggressive aura, Misao couldn’t help but apologize. Seeing such a happy scene, Kazuma purposely put on a hurt expression.

“Why are you making me sound so bad?”

“I was just telling the truth, wasn’t I? You already have a girlfriend. How dare you still lay your hands on other girls?! You jerk!”

“Girlfriend? I don’t have a girlfriend.”

“Liar! That one earlier...”

“If you mean Kirika, we’re not in that kind of relationship. She is just–”

“Just your sex friend, right?”

Ayano finished Kazuma’s sentence in an eerily gentle tone. Even though her face showed a smile, upon closer inspection, her temples were pulsing with anger.

Observing her expression, Kazuma smiled at her comprehension, and said, “Yup, you could put it that way too.”

Violent spiritual energy burst forth from Ayano’s entire body, and her body subconsciously entered battle mode.

“Ayano-sama.”

However, she was stopped just before she could erupt. Confronted with Misao’s appeal, Ayano was reluctantly forced to restrain her murderous intent.

“Please, don’t be angry. It was Kazuma-sama who avenged my brothers. To repay that debt, this sort of thing is nothing...”

“You should be grateful to me instead!” Ayano said proudly.

“This guy only fought because it was his job! We’ve already paid him enough to reward him! There’s no need to thank him. You have a problem with that?”

This last line was, of course, directed at Kazuma.

“Nope, that is largely true.” Kazuma admitted frankly.

“I don’t know what this fiery lass did that you should be grateful for, but at the very least, there is no need to thank me. Leaving Masato and Takeshi aside, you can consider half of the blame that Takeya died to be mine.”

Upon such a shocking statement, a commotion erupted around them.

After making so much noise, it was only natural that they had attracted notice. Their bickering had become the center of attention, and to hear such an alarming statement made everyone prick up their ears and listen quietly.

“What do you mean?” Ayano asked in a sharp tone.

Kazuma brushed off her intensity like a thick-skinned willow tree brushes off the wind and smiled.

“Even though the one who killed him was Ryuuya, he had already been defeated earlier by me. Ryuuya only cut the unconscious Takeya apart. Well, I guess that even if he had still been conscious then, the result wouldn’t have been any different.”

Kazuma said this nonchalantly and shifted his eyes back to Misao. He faced the bowed-down Misao, whose expression could not be seen, and reassured her gently.

“So, you see? There’s no need to be so courteous. How about taking that out of your sleeve?”

[[Image:Kaze no Stigma vol 02 039.jpg|thumb]]
At the instant Kazuma finished his sentence, Misao suddenly moved. Her foot forcefully stomping on the tatami, she pulled out the dagger which had been hidden in her sleeve all along.

“Ah... Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!”

Screaming wildly, the dagger gripped tightly in her fists, Misao jumped into Kazuma’s chest.

For a moment, everyone remained completely motionless. Though everyone in the hall had witnessed the scene, it appeared that they were unable to comprehend its implications in time and were at a loss for what to do.

Misao and Kazuma both just sat there without flinching, like a pair of intimate lovers, the two in a silent embrace.

“Ka... Kazuma?”

Ayano’s quivering voice called out the name of the man she hated most.

He did not reply.

“Kazuma?! Ans... Answer me quickly! Kazuma! Kazuma!!”

“What?”

Kazuma suddenly raised his head and answered as if nothing had happened. Using his fingertips to pinch the dagger that should have been in Misao’s hands, he raised it before his eyes and waved it.

“...!”

Maybe because of her relief, Ayano fell to the floor, still in shock, and shouted loudly, “If... If you heard me, you should have at least made a sound! I’d thought that you’d died!”

“Is there anything troubling to you about my death?”

“That... That...”

Ayano was momentarily unable to speak. She tried her best to stop all the blood in her body from gathering at her face, while at the same time working hard to come up with a rebuttal.

“I... I don’t want Misao to become a murderer.”

“That makes sense.”

“That’s right!”

(...?)

Ayano nodded in agreement, but felt that Kazuma’s reaction seemed off somehow. At the same time, she couldn’t say with certainty what was wrong about it.

Ignoring Ayano, who was puzzling over this, Kazuma placed his eyes on Misao, who had fallen on him.

“So are you still angry?”

“...!”

Misao forcefully pushed herself off of Kazuma and used the momentum to jump backward. She put a little distance between them and stared at Kazuma with eyes full of hatred.

But Kazuma didn’t seem to mind those eyes at all. He calmly broke eye contact with Misao and passed the dagger in his hand to Ayano.

“Take it.”

“Ah, okay.”

She took it reflexively and then looked closely at the dagger.

The blade of the dagger was about ten centimeters long. It would serve well for peeling apples and not much more. There didn’t appear to be any poison on it either.

(...Did she really think that a fruit knife could kill Kazuma?)

What a foolish action. Ayano bitterly regretted her earlier display of anxiousness.

At that point in time, the others were finally emerging from their shock. However, none stood up to arrest Misao because all of the people in the branch family felt the same way.

(What about Father?)

Ayano looked toward Juugo.

“What is the matter?”

“What do you mean by ‘What is the matter?’ Don’t just look. Do something.”

“Hmm...”

Juugo looked at the scene of the crime with cold eyes.

“Kazuma.”

“Ah?”

“If you do not wish to deal with her, shall I punish Misao for you?”

Even though his tone seemed calm, its meaning was clear. “If you want to kill her, just do it.” Juugo was usually kind and well-tempered, but he was not so kind as to forgive someone who had just attempted murder.

Kazuma’s reply was totally unexpected.

“I don’t think this goes so far as to require punishment. Nothing happened. Just let her go!”

Upon hearing this reply, Juugo revealed a surprised expression, and Ayano’s puzzled look could be clearly seen.

Ayano finally realized why she has been feeling that something was off. Misao was still alive. That alone was something which didn’t make sense.

On the battlefield, Kazuma wouldn’t have cared about anything else. Even if it was just a little girl, even if she was not moving of her own free will or if she was being threatened or manipulated, Kazuma wouldn’t have gone easy on her.

Given Kazuma’s habits, after he had dodged the attack, no, the instant the dagger had been drawn, Misao’s head should have landed on the floor.

(But this... What was going on?)

Filled with questions, Ayano began to look at the two.

Misao looked pale and weak. Though her eyes still bore hatred, it seemed that she did not have the strength to act again.

Her area of expertise was in defending seals and providing support from behind; she was not a ''jutsushi'' who fought on the frontline. Although her abilities were not weak, her personality was simply not suited to battle, let alone killing.

This may even have been the first time she had directed a knife at someone. Her mentality of avoiding causing harm was no different from a normal person’s. Just now she had acted on impulse, but after her failure, she didn’t have the ability to try again.

Kazuma lowered his head and looked silently at Misao. Those eyes carried no warmth, but neither did they show coldness.

(This is too abnormal, too weird! And... this makes me feel very unhappy!)

“What is the meaning of this–?”

“So be it. Since you have said as much, I have no reason to punish her either.”

Juugo interrupted Ayano, who had lost her composure, and came to a simple conclusion.

“But we cannot allow you to stay here either. Go back and reflect on this for a while!”

With that, he ordered someone by his side to take Misao away. Misao struggled to get rid of the hands that were about to catch her.

“Why?!”

Ignoring the man who seemed troubled by her struggling, Misao stared at Kazuma and shouted, “Why did Nii-sama have to die?!”

“Because he was too weak.”

Kazuma replied very bluntly.

“...!!”

The hall was filled with rage in an instant. Misao was not alone in feeling that Kazuma has caused deaths in the family. To these people, Kazuma’s words had gone far beyond their ability to tolerate.

“You asshole...!!”

Ayano stood up, her face flushed red with anger. She placed her hands on her hips and glared at Kazuma.

“What the hell is wrong with you! Can’t you differentiate between what can and cannot be said?! What do you mean by ‘because he was too weak?’ Don’t joke around! Is it because you have become strong that you have forgotten what it was like to be weak?!”

Kazuma showed Ayano, who continued to lecture him, no sign of remorse at all. Instead, he looked at her coldly.

“Looks like you still don’t understand.”

He then looked around at the people who were staring at him angrily.

“Why are you all putting on the look of a victim?”

“What... What do you mean by that?”

Kazuma’s eyes swept across the room once more. All he saw were puzzled yet angry expressions. Again confirming that no one had understood what he meant, he sighed.

“I don’t think you guys have ever wondered why the Fuuga clan revolted.”

“What do you mean by why... Of course it was to awaken their God!”

“No.”

Kazuma rejected this flat-out.

“That was just a means to an end, just one of the powers they needed to rise against the Kannagis.”

“Why don’t you tell us the reason then?” Ayano asked without even thinking.

Kazuma gave Ayano a contemptuous look.

“...These people of the Fuuga clan were definitely not a group of useless waste. Instead, they were even rather skilled ''Fuu-jutsushi''. Their combat abilities might have been very weak, but the inherent characteristics of wind are not suited to battle in the first place.”

In terms of attack power, among the four main powers – earth, water, fire, and wind – wind was the weakest.

This was because it was the lightest.

No matter how fast they might be, light attacks did not possess the strength to kill with one blow.

I believe that everyone has had the experience of being cut by a piece of paper before. With enough speed, and if timed well, even a flimsy piece of paper can become a blade. And yet, it can only cut the surface of the skin. A slash without weight is unable to cut off flesh and bone all in one go.

The weight of water and earth is far beyond that of wind, and fire possesses a large amount of energy. If they were to fight against these powers, a ''Fuu-jutsushi'' would have to summon and control several times more spirits than they would.

Precisely for this reason, the role ''Fuu-jutsushis'' played was to use the wind’s mobility to search and to track, as well as to control the surrounding air while providing battle support. The Fuuga clan could actually have been said to have been a typical example of wind practitioners.

“The Kannagis were born with combat abilities, and the Fuugas excelled at information gathering and battle support. To provide for the other’s inability, to coexist peacefully and equally, that should have been the way that they interacted.”

Out of the corner of his eye, Kazuma observed Juugo, who was showing a bitter expression. He was the only one there who understood the truth of Kazuma’s words.

“Unfortunately, you, who only know how to use raw power as a standard, looked down on the Fuuga clan, who had no combat abilities. But without the Fuuga, you would not even have known where the enemy was!”

“What you are trying to say is... because we have always looked down on the Fuuga, we deserved to be killed by them?” Ayano pouted unhappily.

But Kazuma shook his head in denial.

“I never said that what you did was wrong. The strong are always right; that is the unequivocal truth.”

“But then...”

“But as you execute your right to crush the weak, you must also bear the burden of being crushed by people even stronger. Even if you are killed, you can have no complaints as this is the very thing you have done.”

“...!”

Ayano’s expression changed drastically. She seemed to have understood what Kazuma was trying to say.

“Just because the Fuuga clan was ‘too weak,’ that was why you all looked down on them. Just because ''you'' are ‘too weak,’ that is why you were crushed by Ryuuya. It is a very simple thing to understand.”

This was not a question of who was right and who was wrong. Since both sides believed in the “law of power,” in the end, only the strong survived. That was all.

“If you people have acknowledged everything that you have done toward the Fuuga clan, then the Fuuga clan can also only acknowledge what they did to you. To crush the weak, does it not allow you to be crushed by those even stronger? Just who do you think you are?”

This merciless accusation reached the ears of everyone present like the roar of thunder, but it failed to touch their arrogant hearts.

“This, I am unable to accept.”

A voice of disagreement emerged from a place very close to Juugo’s seat of honor.

“Kazuma-san, your argument seems to have neglected one very important fact.”

The man spoke in a vicious and unrelenting tone. He was Masayuki Ogami, the head of the Ogami family, and Misao’s father. But he did not seem to care at all about his daughter, who had her head lowered and was keeping quiet.

“The value of our lives is definitely not equal. We, the Kannagis, are blessed by the spirits – a chosen clan! Yet you put us and the Fuugas, those lowlifes, on the same level. That is very appalling. Not to mention, it...”

He stared furiously at Kazuma, as if Kazuma was the killer of his son.

“Not to mention, it gives those scum the right to kill us!”

Hearing Masayuki’s words, Kazuma answered with a calm smile.

“Who is it that was chosen?”

“...What?”

“Those words. Why don’t you wait until you have power like Ayano’s before saying them! To hear a weakling boasting about his bloodline, how pathetic! It is as if you have nothing else to boast about except your bloodline.”

“You... You asshole...!”

Masayuki instantly became agitated. In comparison, Kazuma’s mocking tone still hadn’t changed.

“By the way, you should be thanking Hyoue instead!”

“?”

“He helped you to get rid of Masato, who was a nuisance in your eyes. At the very least, go burn some incense and pay your respects!”

“...! You...! What did you just say...!”

When Masayuki Ogami’s younger brother, Masato Ogami, had been alive, he had been known as the strongest practitioner of the branch family. Everyone knew that had he not left his home to train because he had hated fighting with his brother over the succession, he would have been the one to lead the family.

Seeing the shaken Masayuki, Kazuma said as if taunting him.

“It ''is'' a nuisance to have a younger brother better than you, isn’t it?”

“Damn... Damn you, you asshole!!”

Masayuki’s face changed color as he shouted. He stood up from the tatami, and with blood red eyes, stared murder at Kazuma.

This time, there was an almost palpable tension between the two. The killing intents around the room formed a whirlpool and gathered around Kazuma, who was still sitting in his original spot.

At that moment, Ren, who had been leaning against Kazuma’s shoulder, moved. He wriggled his upper body, his whole body stuck on Kazuma in a tight embrace. He looked as if he was trying to stop Kazuma and lacked the strength to do so.

Seeing this, a question went through Ayano’s mind.

(This kid... Since when did he become so quiet?)

Even when Misao had attempted to stab Kazuma, she had not heard Ren’s voice. No matter how much faith he had in his brother’s strength, it was unnatural for him to not so much as cry out.

Under everyone’s stare, Ren’s upper body slowly slid down along Kazuma’s body. He placed his face on Kazuma’s leg, and after a few seconds like this...

“Hmm... Nii-sama...”

“So he is asleep!” Ayano couldn’t help but say.

Before the blissful sleep-talking, the originally tense atmosphere dispersed in an instant.

“...”

His bloodlust gone, Masayuki sat down once more. His expression was solemn, but he no longer was in the mood to maintain his anger.

Masayuki’s reaction did not matter to Kazuma, as he had not cared from the beginning.

“Soushu.”

“...Yes.”

Juugo understood everything very well, and because of that, his voice sounded abnormally bitter.

“It is impossible to dream of these guys reflecting upon this. But please do not forget, it is the Kannagis’ arrogance that sparked this fight. If there are no changes, the same thing will just repeat itself.”

“...I understand.”

“Good.”

Kazuma lifted Ren’s head and placed him on Ayano’s leg.

“Kazuma?”

“There is nothing left for me here. I am going back.”

With this sentence, Kazuma left the residence without looking back.

<noinclude>
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|-
| Back to [[Kaze_no_Stigma:Volume1_Epilogue|Volume 1]]
| Return to [[Kaze_no_Stigma|Main Page]]
| Forward to [[Kaze_no_Stigma:Volume2_Chapter_2|Chapter 2]]
|-
|}
</noinclude>

OreShura: Volume 1 Chapter 0

2012-09-19T05:50:17Z

Sab: /* #0 Childhood Friend's Confession Mayhem */

==#0 Childhood Friend's Confession Mayhem==

<pre>

Flowers In Both Hands:

For example, getting hold of two great things at the same time.

Also refers to a man getting hold of two girls at the same time.

(From the Digital Daijisen)

</pre>

'''--- In my case, even though they are flowers, they are more like flower sparks!'''<ref>'''Pre-chapter:''' This section explains the proverb: 両手に花. See [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daijisen here] for Daijisen. </ref>

----


It was during afterschool hours in early June, right after a seasonal change of clothing.

I was standing on the rooftop of the darkening school premise.

Before me, was a girl of the same grade as me.

Harusaki Chiwa.

I've been hanging out with her since grade one, in other words, she's the so-called childhood friend.

High school year one. Age fifteen.

Her short stature reached up to only my shoulders. The two sides of her long hair were fastened with ribbons, resembling the ears of a dog. Her round, large eyes, for some reason, were innocent-looking like those of a puppy. Her skirt, with some evidence of it still being new remaining, fluttered in the wind.

Tiny.

Cute.

But '''deplorable'''.

Firstly, her eyes were deplorable.

Attached to an inverse triangular shape, they were bloodshot. Seems like she could kill with her gaze. Those upturned eyes were glaring at me, who stood facing her.

And then, the air around her was deplorable.

Her veins were showing on her temples. ''Haah, haah'', she panted like a beast. Her violent aura was as much as to say, ''I just stabbed a person. Doesn't make a difference if I make that two. Aah? Nii-chan''.


However I looked at it, she was too tensed up.

That tensed up Chiwa pointed her tiny finger towards me,

"I-I'm going to con-confesshyu!"

"......"

Right at the beginning, this fella had bitten herself.

"Even when I talk about confessing, I'm not talking about ''I actually failed!'', or ''The person who ate the shortcake was me!''."

Will anyone actually take the trouble to call me up to the rooftop to talk about these things?

"The confession I'm talking about, i-is, a, l-love confession."

I heaved a large sigh.

As I squinted my eyes from the rays of the setting sun, I calmed myself.

"I got it. Let me hear your feelings."

"Ha-Hahi!"

''Suuhaa, suuhaa'', Chiwa took a few deep breaths.


"...... can you wait for a while?"

"What now?"

"Wait for a while, just wait for a while."

Chiwa went to the entrance of the rooftop to retrieve the belongings she had left there.

What she took out from the leather bag, was a [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shinai Shinai].

By the way, Chiwa is not a member of the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kendo Kendo] club. While she did Kendo until grade nine, she didn't carry on in high school.

But yet, she adopted a middle stance with the Shinai she had brought for some reason.

"Alright, I'm set!"

"No, you aren't!?"

"But, I feel calmer with this."

Indeed, her nervousness had left her.

Her expression also became relaxed.

"Hnnnnn! Somehow, I can feel my tension swelling up! Prepare yourself!"

"Hey, isn't this a confession? A love confession right!?"

My body sensed danger and I backed off.

"That's right, it's a confession. Ki-eeeeee!"

In a splendid manner, Chiwa shuffled her feet forward and closed in.


"W-wait wait! What kind of girl would brandish a Shinai while confessing!?"

"Don't sweat it. Even my Sensei from before had said, ''don't fuss too much over the form''."

Of course I would fuss over! It's my life here!

"B-but, didn't you give up the sword right? Aren't you going to walk the path of romance? Didn't you say that you want to have a love life like those in [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sh%C5%8Djo_manga Shoujo manga]!"

I desperately tried to persuade her.

To think that a love confession could be this dangerous......

"...... I got it."

Chiwa lowered her Shinai.

"Sorry. Let's redo it. I'll get it right this time."

Chiwa stiffened herself and looked up at me.

Her black eyes were gooey looking like those of a puppy.

Her soft-looking hair were fluttering in the wind.

Her small hands grasped her skirt and then released them.

...... uhn, high quality indeed.

From her appearance, it was quite unbelievable that she has no boyfriend up till now.

"Erm, hey. Ei-kun<ref>'''Ei-kun:''' Ei is pronounced as 'A' as in 'Area'. </ref>......"


Ei-kun.

That's how Chiwa addresses me, Kidou Eita.

''It's embarrassing so please stop'', I've told her umpteen times, but she didn't even till today.

"Ei-kun, I can still remember the time when you were in grade four...... while carrying your lunch to the classroom, you fell and got smeared with curry, and as a result, you got the nickname '''Careless Indian'''."

"...... aah."

Hahaha.

That was a good old "story that was still funny to date" to bring up between the two of us.

"I know that in grade five, when you couldn't hold it any longer, you dashed into the women's toilet, and consequently, for the entire second term, you were called '''Women's Toilet Overdrive'''."

"Gufu......"

I clutched my stomach and my knees buckled to the ground.

That, that nickname...... is unbecoming for a joke you know, Chiwa.

"And during summer vacation in grade six, you hid the pornbook, '''Doppyun Serenade'''<ref>'''Doppyun Serenade:''' If you really want to know the actual reference, google "どっぴゅんセレナーデ". It may be NSFW (not safe for work). You have been warned. Honestly I've never seen it before, so I know not its contents. I swear. </ref>, which you picked up from under the bridge, in a puppy's kennel,"

"Please stoppppppppppppppppppppppp! I beg you, forgive meeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!"


I'm already.

I'm already on the verge of tears.

Dug out.

My dark history has been dug out......

"I really love the Ei-kun who did all these."

"Stop lying!?"

What kind of maniac hobbies do you have?

With a seemingly perplexed look, Chiwa said,

"What do you mean by lying? I really......"

"What are you planning to do by exposing my past? Is there a confession that deals out such level of mental damage?"

"But it's the manga that said that this will go well! '''This fella can actually remember all these things to such an extent!''', '''Because, I've been always watching you ☆''', it said."

No......

While I don't know the contents of that manga, words like 'women's toilet' and 'Doppyun Serenade' shouldn't appear in it.

"Anyway, it's a love confession right? You should be praising my strengths right? Such as, ''You're always studying earnestly''. Or like ''You topped the level in the recent mid-terms right''."


''Hm'', Chiwa folded her arms and looked away.

"Because all that is boring."

"What do you mean by boring! Isn't it the duty of a student to study!"

"I prefer the idiot Ei-kun in middle school though."

"I even took such great pains to become your practicing partner, so what's with that attitude!?"

"What's with that belittling look! Even when you're younger than me!"

"Only by three months and ten days right! How long are you going to act like a big sister, this '''Deplorable [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chihuahua_(dog) Chiwawa]'''!"

And at that moment.

"That should be enough, both of you."

A girl stepped out from the shadow of the water tank.

Her long silver hair danced in the wind.

She gazed at us with her clear, blue eyes.

Her skin was white like powdered snow, and her lips were lustrous looking like cherries.

With foreign blood mixed in, her fairy like beauty --- if Chiwa is said to be 'ordinary cute', then this fella can be said to be 'incredibly beautiful'. A princess who hogs many treasures that many girls would be unable to lay their hands on, no matter how much they wish for them.


My classmate Natsukawa Masuzu.

''Fuu'', she breathed out as she tilted her head,

"Is it really impossible for Eita-kun to be the practicing partner of a love confession, I wonder?"

"That's why, I already said that right from the beginning, didn't I!"

--- and so, well.

In short, the series of confessions just now was all a 'play'.

The conceited Chiwa who loves to act tough and has a muscle-filled brain, was now practicing for the sake of becoming a "Super Popular" girl with a love life like those found in Shoujo manga. Training. Learning through an experience.

And I was pulled into the role of the partner for that special training arranged by Masuzu.

If I am to go into the details of how things had become so complicated bit by bit ---

"What a shame, Harusaki-san. Even after I went to great lengths to lend you my boyfriend."

Masuzu winked as she clung onto my right arm.

''Biki'', veins popped out from the temples of Chiwa,

"Th-that is my bad, Natsukawa Masuzu. What's so good about Ei-kun, I totally! Don't get it!"

That's right.


It's unbelievable, but this incredibly beautiful girl, Masuzu, is my girlfriend.

...... well, she's not just any 'girlfriend' though.

But it's a secret from Chiwa.

"If you can't comprehend the charm of Eita-kun, then your dream of becoming super popular will just remain a dream, you know?"

While giving a sidelong glance to Chiwa, Masuzu pressed against me even closer.

"O-oiy! Don't get so close to me, it's stifling."

"You're so shy as always. I also like that about you."

This......

Don't get ahead of yourself, Masuzu.

I'll definitely not yield to the allure of a woman.

Your hair doesn't smell good!

Your breath against my ear doesn't feel ticklish!

Not to mention that your soft and squishy bulges are not tooouching my arm!

Uwah.

Ooorh.

"Ei~kun?"

[[Image:Oreshura v01 015.jpg|thumb]]

I returned to my senses from my brief moment of reverie.

Biting her lower lip, Chiwa glared at me with her upturned eyes.

Scary......

Who was it, the one who gave this fella the nickname, 'Chiwawa'.

She's a [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tosa_(dog) Tosa] however you look at her right?

"Don't you, don't you, don't you make out in front of me!"

"But, we're a lovey dovey couple. A lovey dovey couple. A lovey dovey couple."

Why did you say it three times!?

"Hm. It's not good to lie, Natsukawa Masuzu. Lovey dovey? Where? Ei-kun is breaking out in cold sweat, isn't he? However you look at it, he's being pressured right!"

No, the main cause behind my cold sweat is because of the pressure from the rage you're emitting.

...... but I didn't say that.

Life is precious.

"Oh. Isn't this modesty part of the charm of Eita-kun? You're still a child, and won't be able to understand though."

With her eyes shining mischievously, Masuzu enthusiastically entwine her arms around mine.


Chiwa's face became increasingly more drawn.

"A-aren't you the one with a strange preference?"

"Oh. I don't want to hear that kind of comment from a person who still likes to wear teddy bear panties even when she's already in freshman year."

No no.

The time when Chiwa wore such panties was when she was in grade four you know.

There's no way she's still wearing,

"Wh-wh-wh-wh-what's wrong with that!?"

Wai.

She self-destructed ---

"Because, I like teddy bears......"

On seeing the tearful eyes of Chiwa, ''Oh dear'', Masuzu began shaking her head,

"As much as you may like them, you can't attract the attention of gentlemen you know?"

"I-I've never thought of attracting them with my panties! Besides, I'm not a pervert!"

"Nope. As a lady, to ensure that we are always ready when our beloved invite us to spend the night together, we must constantly have our best lingerie on us."

"In that case, teddies will do as well right! They are cute right!"


"That will only be forgivable if you are an elementary school student. Just as one would expect, a high school student has to battle it out with '''black'''. --- Right? Eita-kun?"

"Eh?"

She directed that to me?

"Eita-kun, what you love is the black color that can bring out the sexiness of an adult right?"

"Teddies are cute right? It suits me right?"

Masuzu's smiling face, Chiwa's teary eyes; both of them sidled up to me.

I scratched my temple,

"No, if the other person is either of you, regardless of your lingerie, I will pass."

"Aah?"

"Huh?"

"...... nothing."

I kept quiet after feeling their glares fixated on me with their intimidating eyes.

It's only during times like this that they are totally in sync huh.

"Jeez Eita-kun, you're surprisingly curt today, aren't you? You can just be like always, going <nowiki>'</nowiki>''Masuzu-chan's opanchu<ref>'''Opanchu:''' I don't feel like translating this term because I don't know how to translate it nicely. Opanchu is essentially a view of a girl's undies usually with the <20+<# lining visible, and is often used as a fan service device. I supposed it's a contraction of something which I didn't bother to research. If you don't understand leetspeak of the censored word. You can look at [http://www.google.com.sg/search?q=%E3%81%8A%E3%81%B1%E3%82%93%E3%81%A1%E3%82%85&hl=en&prmd=imvns&source=lnms&tbm=isch&ei=oRiETqLPF62XiAfrrMyHDw&sa=X&oi=mode_link&ct=mode&cd=2&ved=0CBcQ_AUoAQ&biw=1280&bih=673 these pictures] and [http://www.pixiv.net/tags.php?tag=%E3%81%8A%E3%81%B1%E3%82%93%E3%81%A1%E3%82%85 these pixv drawings] which are NSFW (not safe for work). You have been warned. Maybe you're talking about pantyshots? -idiffer</ref>! What will today's be like? Yahoo!''<nowiki>'</nowiki> while you roll around on the ground, you know?"


"I've never done anything like that before right!?"

"E-Ei-kun, you always do that kind of thing!?"

"Like I say, I didn't!"

"Denied the perpetrator."

"Who are you calling perpetrator!? Even as a joke, is that something you would say to your boyfriend!?"

"...... I'm sorry."

Masuzu apologized meekly.

"Those wicked words were not what I truly meant. It's bad habit I picked up --- so to speak, a folly of my youth."

"What's that?"

Masuzu spoke as she lowered her eyes.

"When I was in middle school, there was a time when I aspired to be like the character of a certain manga. A wicked tongue beauty with an air of bewitching sexual appeal floating around her. Wanting to become someone like that, I mimicked her mannerisms and way of speaking. And it was that which remains in me."

"...... hahaa. I see."

Well, it's not like I don't understand.

I also, a long time ago, had aspired to be like the nihilistic antagonist of a [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sh%C5%8Dnen_manga Shounen manga], and had mimicked his way of speaking and mean actions. Even though I was really a squib who can't even litter.


"Therefore, there is really no deep meaning behind my wicked words. So just let them pass without taking them too seriously ok, Mr Half-Price Bento <ref>'''Half-Price Bento:''' This is actually a reference to [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ben-To Ben-To] LOL! </ref>."

"What's with that nickname!?"

"It means you are someone who goes for foodstuffs that are on the verge of expiring."

"Seems like there's an incredibly deep meaning to it!"

How can I let that pass without taking it too seriously?

It's impossible no matter how tolerant one is right......

"Ei-kun. What in the world do you like about this woman? Don't tell me you are a masochist?"

Asked Chiwa with her watery eyes.

"Well? I really...... have no idea myself......"

I gazed into the distant setting sun, and could only leave my body to the raging wind.

"It's really simple, Harusaki-san."

Masuzu grinned.

"What Eita-kun really wants is just my body."

"I beg you, stop talking alreadyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy!"

--- this is well, something like that.


A story of me getting caught up in a place where mayhem reigns.

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| Back to [[Ore no Kanojo to Osananajimi ga Shuraba Sugiru:Volume 1 Illustrations|Illustrations]]
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| Forward to [[Ore_no_Kanojo_to_Osananajimi_ga_Shuraba_Sugiru:Volume 1 Chapter 1|Chapter 1]]
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==Translator's Notes and References==
<references/>

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Kaze no Stigma:Ignition Volume1 Chapter 4

2012-09-18T19:12:01Z

Sab:

'''Haunted holiday'''

“Ah, what fine thing did I find ♡?”

Pushing her way, almost sprinting, through the crowd of people, who at the eastern entrance of the Shinjuku Station doesn’t die out even during working days, the lady muttered so with a delightful expression.

This particular day, after practically no free time since the beginning of the new school term, Kannagi Ayano was in an extremely good mood. That figure, lightly stepping forward, showing a soft smile is so lovely, to the extent that it would be impossible to conceive that such a body contains a tremendous combat ability.

The season is light spring. The sunlight is worm, the people are lightly dress, that sort of day.

Ayano put on a bolero on top of her dress, her outfit excluding a novel, high-class lady appearance. Her figure – lovely because of her cleanliness and tidiness – just by standing there resembles a painting, drawing hot glances from the mesmerized men.

However, those glances, always unpleasant, didn’t damage Ayano’s mood. If it’s now, even player-wannabes would call out to her in an over familiar manner, maybe she wouldn’t show those men the depths of Hell. I repeat again, Ayano is in a very good mood.

-At the very least, a few more seconds.

“………ua!?”

Before 10 minutes have passed since leaving Alta Ayano received a strong hit from the side. She immediately retreated a few steps in order to subdue the impact. Although she somehow avoided falling down, the paper bags she was holding hit the ground.

“what are you doing – uh!?”

The instant she started shouting at the aggressor, her face became stiff. Before her eyes is a smiling, beautiful woman in the middle of her twenties she met a few times before. Her thoughts stopped by an ominous premonition, Ayano can only stare dumbly at the woman.

“Y – You…”

“Good day to you, Ayano-chan!”

Facing a petrified Ayano the woman greets her with an out of place cheerful salute.

“This may be sudden, but I’m leaving it to you”

The white finger indicates something behind Ayano. The three running men she saw instinctively turning her head around – every one of them were two meters tall.

“W-Wait….what is happ…”

With exquisite timing, a bewildered Ayano is pushed forward by the shoulders. Almost like falling forward she comes forth and realizes, standing in front of these men to protect another woman, that she has fallen to a new low.

“Just stop it alr…”

While Ayano was flaring up in a rage, shouting, her eyes fell at the feet of the three men. The change of her complexion was absolute.

“Ah…w-wait a minute!”

Naturally they didn’t stop.

The feet of the men step on the paper bags spread on the road almost as if taking careful aim to do so. The shoes, probably thirty centimeters long, tear off the paper bags trampling on the wrapping paper.
The white skirt hidden inside was smudged with distinct black shoe marks. The silk blouse was a total loss. The sound of accessories being transformed in junk can be heard. With a strange sound, something snapped inside her head.

“Y ...You...”

In front of the young lady’s anger, even the animosity towards the woman is forgotten. Towards the men who ruined the shopping’s results, the power of Ayano’s retort is similar to a hurricane. A charge full of force was placed on the fist driven into the stomach of the man in the middle.

Critical hit.

You can tell the shock pierced through the stomach, penetrating as far as the back. Ayano drew near to the remaining two, interposing between them. With no hesitation, she approached the left one first.

Evading the large strike she used his arm for a judo shoulder throw. Even if he was an amateur, the man’s defense wasn’t breached even as he was falling down. This much damage should be fine – he should walk again – in a week or so.

While she was turned the other way, the last man attacked. Without even turning back she jumped toward him and just before touching him she moved her leg, twisting her body ninety degrees while pushing out her elbow. By kicking her hind foot, the speed increases to max and by concentrating all her kinetic energy she thrusts her left fist in the pit of the stomach. There was a strong backlash.

It was practically a certain kill. The large built man flew ten centimeters and collapsed like a doll, whose threads have been cut.

“Well – ”

With a sidelong glance at the fallen men, Ayano slowly turned back. That glance, no matter how you look at it, was more cold than what a hoodlum deserves.

“Will you explain?”

“I don’t mind but...”

However the woman wasn’t perturbed. Receiving the villainous glare without hesitation, with a smiling face, she points her finger forward a second time.

“It’s not over yet”

Simultaneously, the sound of the defeated men getting up can be heard.

“...............hm!?”

Astonished, Ayano looks over her shoulder. It was an impossible thing. The degree of damage can’t be compensated by something like durability or will-power.

Judging from a biological point of view, for humans the result is absolute immobilization if such a powerful strike in such a place is applied.

However, in reality sure enough the men were resurrected. Trying to grasp the reason Ayano stares at them.
The men’s bodies call to mind the transparency of dead bodies. One was only bones. Another one was a pitch-black corpse. And the last one – was a warrior dressed in armor.

Starring at the decomposing body clad in worn-out armor, Ayano mutters in blank amazement.

“These guys there’re possessed......you!!”

Unintentionally forgetting about the crisis right in front of her, she turns around. She shouts, letting anger take its natural course:

“A public servant using a civilian to do his work!”

“Well – don’t say that. Look look! they’re coming from behind.”

Certainly this was not the place for carefree quarrels. The men, possessed by the spirits of the dead, drew near for a second time.
A bothersome opponent. Because spirits don’t feel pain and so on, hitting them or kicking them has no effect. If you don’t inflict enough damage to kill and then destroy their joints it seems you cannot permanently immobilize them.

Through physical means, that is.

“...........”

A deep inhale and then exhale.

Stimulating the entire body’s power by this one sequence, flexibly concentrating all consciousness in both palms, the contours of her wrists warp.

The pale gold heat haze enveloping the girl’s wrists disturbs the course of light.

Before her eyes is the skeleton corpse possessed man. Staring at Ayano with stagnant pupils, like those of rotten fish, he raises both arms overhead, rejecting the nuisance.

“Haa!”

Ayano hit with both palms at full power that virtually empty body. It was a double palm strike. Via those palms, a golden brightness was pumped into the man’s body. While his entire body was glowing in the golden light, the man bent backwards, as if suffering from electric shock.

“Giiiii.................”

During the soundless scream, the spirit of the dead was separated from the man’s body.

“I’m not letting you escape!”

From Ayano’s palms the golden light gushed out, changing to a violently rushing stream. The light that hit him increased by far its density and radiance , transforming and manifesting itself as a golden flame, thoroughly burning the departed soul, without allowing resistance.

She repeated the process twice again.

“............fuuuu”

After cleansing the three spirits through fire, Ayano took a light breath.

From behind indifferent applauses can be heard.

“<<Well done!>> it’s what I’d like to say now but you really took your time. Weren’t purification flames supposed to destroy only evil?”

“I’m sorry for being so inexperienced”

Turning her body the other way, Ayano replied with a very threatening tone.

The wicked spirits called Youma – because the devilishness that holds resentment towards the world of men exists – it can be said it was inevitable that in order to resist, men have obtained power.

The girl’s name is “Kannagi” Ayano. Manipulating purification flames able to destroy evil – she is the daughter of the En-jutsu family known as the strongest. But then Ayano herself, can’t be helped but be called very inexperienced. Even if she possesses mighty power, she has yet to learn the art of perfect control.

Not to hurt the people depending on them and to purify only the possessing spirits – such a deed is possible only for the girl’s father – Juugo and her uncle Genma.

As for Ayano, one can say with confidence such high-class techniques are outside her reach.

Therefore, her plan consisted of the following: before materializing her power as flames she is releasing it as a “heat” that won’t damage the human body, continually knocking out the departed souls that try to escape.

As a matter of course, this is a reckless and difficult operation. Taking s much time for the likes of departed souls, it can’t be helped that the famous Kannagi name could be distrusted, on account of such rumors.

However, Ayano has no intention of taking such criticism obediently. She thought so from the bottom of her heart: “this woman” has no right to complain.

“Will I receive some sort of explanation, I wonder...”

She started cross-examining, including enough drive for the other party to understand that depending on the answer, this isn’t over.

“...Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department’s Special Data Arrangement, Miss Police Officer Tachibana Kirika?”

Calling her especially by the overlong job title, as a matter of course this is a form of harassment. The Chief of the country’s one and only government organization for vanquishing evil, the person on the position of protecting the nation from spiritual disasters, isn’t it absurd to drag civilians in her troubles? This is why.

“Well – don’t say that. You’re not someone unrelated”

But the woman, Kirika was very composed. Being spoken to by this beautiful woman so over familiarly, Ayano answers in a freezing tone:

“What are you saying? To the likes of you, what else could I be except for an unrelated person? I’m fed up with your impertinent talk. Give me an explanation.”

“Well, that’s fine...”

Being questionably evasive, Kirika shifts her focus forward, behind Ayano.

“If I were to tell you that’s not all, would you get angry?”

“........tch!”

Forcefully turning around, Ayano observes. Drawing near unnoticed, a crowd of men and women of all ages undoubtedly possessed by the spirits of the dead. There were roughly thirty of them. In the middle of this bizarre atmosphere the pedestrians that happened to be present by chance become noisy.

But one man among them – what was he thinking – stood in front of the assailants.

“Stop it! You guys – ”

Seeing a beautiful woman and a beautiful girl being attacked, it seems he thought to make himself to look better. It seems he has some sort of knowledge. But –

Bokyatsu!

The character manipulating the departed souls removed the limits of the bodies and some mediocre martial arts can’t win any sort of battle. Both his arms standing on guard broke his own chin, and the man flew through the air, thoughtlessly screaming.

Watching the convulsing man vomiting blood, pedestrians started to shriek. By mixing people who wanted to run away and people who, on the contrary had burning curiosity, chaos occurred.

The only calm people were those involved – the assailants and the assaulted.

Staring at the attackers getting close, in spite of mowing down the people who got in their way, Kirika asks:

“Can you exorcise them all like you did earlier?”

“Absolutely impossible” stated Ayano without hesitating for a moment.

“The sensitivity required for tuning the necessary caloric value is preposterous and for so many opponents gathered, I should burn half of them.”

“That’s dreadful”

Imagining the gruesome spectacle, Kirika murmured in a monotonous tone.

“Well then, should we run away?”

“Do your best then”

Kirika is suspiciously watching over Ayano’s “this is none of my business” reply.

“Will you not help me?”

“I didn’t receive such a commission. If you live through it, call me later and explain the situation”

With those words Ayano tries to leave but watching the crowd blocking her path, she scowls.

“Hey! The one you’re aiming at is right there”

Of course the spirits don’t answer. The possessed flesh moves with a somewhat supernatural ability, wiggling, and with no hesitation and killing intent faces Ayano.

“.........what is this?” a doubtful Ayano. The answer comes from the back.

“Ah, as I thought”

“What exactly is <<as I thought>>?”

To the enquiring Ayano, her glace fixed on the spirits of the dead, Kirika answers with a smiling face.

“Don’t you thing it must be difficult to control so many spirits of the dead at once from a distance? So, beside the comments given I thought that maybe they can move autonomously. For example, <<unconditionally execute anyone who is standing in your way>> or something”

“............Y – O – Uuuuuuuu!!”

Showing the vein on her temple, Ayano started screaming:
“You planned on forcefully dragging me into this from the start, right? You stinking official!!”

For this reason, before explaining the circumstances, she involved Ayano in battle – for the sake of the enemy recognizing Ayano as an obstacle, so that she wouldn’t be able to run away.

“Don’t get so angry. In troubled times we are of equal status don’t you agree?”

But without showing any timidity, Kirika winked at the angry Ayano.

“Y...You...”

Although glaring at the very annoying woman, it was all too late. She was already dragged unknowingly in the turmoil’s upheaval or more likely at the core of it all.

“I’ll remember this!”

Replacing the boiling anger with flames, Ayano swung downward her right hand. The blaze slapped into the ground changes in a wall of fire, blocking the way before these two.

“DAAAAAAAA!?”

Being scared of the purifying flames, the attackers back off. Ignoring the screams of the ordinary people unfortunately involved, Ayano turns back and run.

“We’re running away!”

“I thank you for your cooperation. As I thought the voluntary cooperation of civilians is the secret for early settlements.”

“Be silent for a little bit, you public servant failure!”

Leaving behind boos somewhat filled with anguish both of them managed a speedy flight.

“Ha...ha...for the time being we’ve done it right?”

“So it seems...”

Hiding themselves in a deserted, empty building, Ayano and Kirika muttered so, greedily devouring oxygen. As one would expect a thirty minutes sprint at full power was very demanding. Both of them were short of breath.

“By the way, I think it’s time you start explaining these circumstances”

“Ah that’s right. I forgot”

Seeing Kirika clap her hands, truly having forgotten to explain, Ayano sends her way a somewhat cynical, bitter smile.

“Even so, there’s not much explaining to do. If I were to say it in a few words, it’s only a matter of settling scores.”

“Settling scores?”

“Yes. In this business, it’s only natural to incur various people’s enmity. Particularly some puny organization like the Special Data Arrangement who does whatever it wants with the power of the State. The criticism can be severe, in various ways”

“Hmmm...Well, that may be true...” Ayano nodded vaguely.

The girl’s family can be considered the industry’s leader so she doesn’t really get the sorrows of this type of puny organization.

“I know, right? I got used to it but this time we came across a big-shot, sort of.”

“Big-shot?”

“Yes. Do you know Ghost Tamer?”

“.....I heard that name somewhere”

Ayano tried to remember, but it didn’t come out easily.

“If it’s Ayano-chan I’m sure that you heard about him before. He’s a celebrity”

“That so? ... well it’s impossible for a necromancer who can simultaneously manipulate thirty spirits of the dead to be nameless.”

This doesn’t apply just for necromancers, increasing the number of techniques controlled at the same time, the degree of difficulty jumps through the window. As for necromancers, they are considered first class when they can control ten bodies at the same time.

But Kirika revealed an even more frightful fact:

“That is just the beginning. Regarding the validation made to the best of our abilities, the maximum number he can control is one hundred and twenty.”

“One hundred and twenty!?” Ayano screamed with bulging eyes.

But at the same time, that absurd number made her remember that abominable incident.

“Say...you don’t say Ghost Tamer is... the one three years before in San Francisco...”

The desire to be wrong that fills Ayano’s question is heartlessly destroyed by Kirika.

“Yeah, that’s the one...”

“Uaa....” with an unpleasant feeling, from the bottom of her heart Ayano groans.

Ghost Tamer – despite being a necromancer he uses killing curses, possessing suitable humans and using them, its forte is a technique consisting of using physical means to kill its targets, different from a shaman, different from an assassin – a “curse assassin”

The incident that made him world-wide famous happened three years ago. For the sake of killing a certain mafia boss he made one hundred and twenty people, possessed by the spirits o the dead, to hold bombs and attack the target in a very special way.
The casualties exceeded three hundred. It is said that the body fragments of the manipulated people, after being gathered in plastic bags, didn’t amount to 3% of the total.

“Another troublesome one appeared...”

With all her strength, Ayano unpleasantly puzzles over it. It’s as if an unrelated person all of a sudden turns into an assassin – that element of surprise and the almost infinite amount of supplies is the Ghost Tamer’s forte.

Because this is a metropolis, there is abundance of departed souls but also of human hosts. There is also the problem of the possessed humans who have been killed. The deceased can be captured by Ghost Tamer and turned into a new departed soul, possessing other humans in order to attack the target. In order to stop the domino effect there is no choice but use a high ranking white magic that can exorcize all of them in one go.
Only if such a thing was possible, though.

“What do we do next?”

Needless to say, Ayano is not capable of such things. The girl’s power is not suited for such sensitive operations.

“There is that....”

To Ayano, demanding for a counter plan, Kirika tilted her head to the side, with a troubled appearance.

“The moment I found Ayano-chan, I thought all my troubles are gone...”

She is fleetingly looking at Ayano and then a deep sigh. At this “I can’t use her attitude” Ayano is pissed.

“What about you? You can’t perform spirit exorcism is spite of being an Onmyoji?”

“Of course I can. I’ve done it for thirty bodies or so but then I ran out of charms”

“That so...”

Onmyoji is based on the general principle of the cosmic dual forces, Yin and Yiang, and they can use a mighty power. But the restriction is that in order to put the technique in operation, charms must absolutely be used. In this industry there is a well known verse, sang from ancient times.

“Charmless Onmyoji, ordinary man, right?” Ayano hums spontaneously, Kirika retorts with coolness:

“It doesn’t rime”

“You’re noisy!”

“Well, anyway”

Unusually restraining herself before exploding, Ayano makes the conversation advance.

“This is a stalemate. Can you think of something?”

“Well...” Kirika slowly opens her mouth:

“If it’s just the two of us, we can’t win in this situation. If that’s the case, we have no choice but to call reinforcement”

“Who? One of your subordinates?”

“Wrong. We know someone much more reliable, am I right?”

“Ah, that one?”

Because Ayano and Kirika don’t have many common acquaintances, she quickly understood who it was.

Certainly, ability wise he was the most reliable man. '''Ability wise'''

“........fine, will you call him?”

To Ayano who reluctantly agreed, Kirika sends a meaningful smile.

“.......what?”

“Err, nothing in particular. Then, please get in touch with him”

“Why me!?” Ayano unintentionally shouted. “It’s better if you call him, right? Because you two have a much more ''friendlier'' relationship!”
The first time Ayano met Kirika, she and Kazuma were leaving the red-light district, arms linked. That’s why Ayano firmly believes these two have “that kind of relationship.”

“That’s not true. It it’s Ayano-chan, he’ll answer the phone. So, please?”

“............................”

Even if this doesn’t mean she believes Kirika’s words, Ayano gave up on resisting, taking out the mobile phone. As a matter of course, she has his number.

''It’s just for work! It’s really just that!''

She dialed it, they talked a few times before –

“What?”

Maybe because he knows it was Ayano, or maybe he does it for everyone – anyway, the voice reaching Ayano’s ears is excessively self-important.

“Ah, Kazuma? I have a favor – ”

“I refuse”

The answer comes back lightning fast. For a short while Ayano is silenced but she corrects herself in a low voice:

“I have a job request”

“Say it”

“................”

Still on the phone, Ayano throws a sidelong glance at Kirika, glaring at her.

''Hey, is this what you call a good answer?''

Although she didn’t say it loud, her twisted expression said it all. Not caring about it, Kirika encouraged her in a small voice: “Keep going!”

Giving up the investigation, Ayano concentrates her attention on the conversation with Kazuma.

“You see...” she explains, summarizing the situation.

Surprisingly, Kazuma quickly understood.

“Even though I think we can end it by killing them all, but since there is money in this, I don’t mind playing around with them. So, where are we meeting?”

“Ah, well.....”

Ayano considered her current surroundings. But without deliberating too much, she answered:

“Tee hee hee, I don’t know. Somewhere in Shinjuku. Will you search ♡?”

She tried to be as lovely as possible. But – it was useless.

“Haaaaaaaaaaaaa”, an endless, deep sigh reached her ears. And then.....

“Did your brains go bad or something!!”

“Kyauu!?”

Because the angry roar explodes close to her ear Ayano involuntarily throws out the phone. Kirika skillfully caught it just before falling on the ground.

“Hey, it’s wrong to bully girls, you know?”

“.....Kirika, why are you there?”

From the mobile phone now in Kirika’s hands, Kazuma’s questioning tone can be heard. Throwing a sidelong glance at Ayano, listening attentively, Kirika moves the conversation forward.

“This was my work from the start. So it’s fine to bill me for the job. So, where are you? Your home? The one in Yokohama? Really – please hurry. Yeah, please. Well then... ”

Kirika settled the conversation at once, hang up and returned the telephone to Ayano. She received it with a blank facial expression.

“As I thought it turned out well because you did the talking, right?”

“I wonder...”, Kirika responds to Ayano, who looks displeased, with a mature smile full of composure.

For some reason or another, feeling she is losing the mental battle, Ayano changes the subject.

“So, are we hiding until Kazuma gets here? If he’s in Yokohama, no matter how fast it still takes time.”

“That’s right, it would be ideal if circumstances allow, but.....”

In the middle of her words, Kirika shifts her attention inside the hallway. Almost simultaneously, so does Ayano. Looking at the ceiling, deploring, she corrects herself with a delicate expression:

“It would have been ideal...”

“You’re everyday behavior must be very sinful, am I right?”

Standing up Ayano is brushing off the dust from her skirt.

Without having to wait for them, they appeared in the front. With a rotten, fishy smell and fixed eyes, the man – a company worker – is of course possessed by the spirits of the dead.

“Good grief – it can’t be helped...”

Lightly kicking the floor, Ayano’s silhouette vanished in a blur. Swiftly rushing in, her high speed movement is like she can leap over time restrains. Instantly plunging into the man’s chest she thrusts her elbow, using the force of the rush. Through the blow, purification power is pumped into his face. The golden radiance doesn’t allow any escape and the spirit dwelling on the man is burned to nothing.

“Oh, that did the trick”

“That so? He’s kind of burning”

Overlooking the man emitting fumes from here and there, Kirika says a touching, silent prayer.

“Don’t concern yourself with minor details!”

“Minor, huh?”

She has lots of things to say to this girl, but now it’s not the time to fuss over it. Chasing the already running Ayano, Kirika breaks into a forceful run.

“....I’m not letting you escape.... ”

In one of the rooms from a certain hotel in Akasaki, Ronald Wallace murmured so, in a heavy, low voice.

Aquiline nose – white hair – the name Ghost Tamer is appropriate; the old man’s appearance is that of an evil sorcerer come forth from fairy-tales. That figure gazing at the crystal ball is terrifying.

“You can’t get away..........no matter how you struggle.....”

Watching the women, reflected in the crystal ball, running around, trying to escape, Ronald laughs. That was because he knows victory is certain.

The net completely encircling them – there is no target whose technique can exorcize more than a hundred organized departed souls. Of course, not even the Enjutsushi who stumbled in the middle of it.

There is just one flaw. Following Ronald’s will manipulating the spirits and finding his location. The only way is to strike at him. But –

“The Enjutsushi whose only merit are combat abilities and the Onmyoji trying to escape with all her might, can you do it?.....”

With absolute confidence, Ronald sneered. Even the Enjutsushi’s flames are not scary if the person can avoid them. Departed souls and the like are after all pieces who have no choice but to do his work as a substitution.

“Perhaps capturing the Enjutsushi’s soul could be fun. If it retains even a small portion of the power it has alive, maybe I can use it. ”

“Stop it. That one’s is probably really hard to manipulate”

That answer reached his ears much too natural. Searching for the rebuttal words, Ronald turned around in terror.

A hundred and eighty degrees rotation, a body suspended in the air.

Since the head’s rotation doesn’t stop, approximately after another rotation, the balance is destroyed, the dead falls down and crashes.

Ronald – climbing in the revolving world finally recognizes the situation. The revolving universe. But someone tramples down on the head and the spinning stops.

“What’s more...”

Looking up with disgrace and humiliation, in the field of vision is reflected a man’s face, showing a cynical smile.

“I’ve decided I’m the only one allowed to play with her AND that’s the law of this country, you know!”

With these words the sensation of Ronald’s last moment was the smashing of his cranium and his consciousness faded into darkness.

The headless body, standing erect, spurts out fresh blood as if remembering.

At the same time....

Ayano and Kirika were trapped in a desperate crisis. It is evening in the Imperial Garden of Shinjuku. The surroundings are flocked with more than a hundred possessed bodies. There is no way to escape.

“.......what are we going to do?” Ayano groans in a worn-out voice but Kirika either has no way out.

At such a troubled time, almost like aiming for it, the cell phone’s ringtone can be heard. Kirika fetched it really fast and stated shouting.

“How long do you plan to take Kazuma!? We’re at our limit!!”

A contrastive, hatefully calm voice can be heard.

“It’s over. Everything”

“No it’s not! Right now we are in the middle of being attacked by nearly a hundred spirits!”

“.........Oh?” Kazuma’s voice is surprisingly serious. From the other side of the phone, a silence filled with confusion can be sensed.

“Hey....”

“Ah, I got it. Even if the practitioner dies, the last order passed down is still effective. I see.”

The only one impressed is Kazuma because Kirika asks him in a low voice:

“I’m so glad you cleared the puzzle. So, how do you get here?”

“How, you ask...where are you now? Shinjukugyouen? That’s impossible. It’s totally outside m range. I’ll get there in twenty, thirty minutes so wait there”

“We can’t wait that long! We’re already under pressure. It’s fine with you if Ayano-chan becomes a mass murderer?”

“Tell her this. If she dares to die, she can choose her favorite method for when HER PARTNER is going to kill her............Ah, that’s right. She’s there. Get her on the phone”

“Eh?”

“Put Ayano on the phone” Kazuma plainly repeated.

Kirika peeked at Ayano’s situation. She has already started the fight. For the time being, even if she is adjusting to the non-fatal amount, in reality it seems she has no choice but to minimally go easy on them, because the sound of blows is pretty severe.

While making appropriate judgment on the enemy, a telephone is pushed before her eyes.

“From Kazuma. He wants to talk to you.”

“I’m busy now!” Ayano shouted without taking it.

“Although I can see that wouldn’t it be better to take it? We’re not getting anywhere this way”

“...................”

Ayano snatched the telephone totally annoyed. While beating down the enemies with her free hand, her left hand holds the telephone to her ear. That instant, as if intentionally, Kazuma’s voice can be heard.

“Hey, feeling well?”

In addition to being very agitated, Ayano couldn’t endure it and her reason flipped out.

“Huff.....don’t mess around you fool! U – Until now....what have you...done.....”

Because of fatigue and anger, her breath was disturbed and her mouth didn’t work well.

As for Kazuma, he replied in a refreshing and calm voice:

“If you raise your voice like that, it feels like one of those dangerous phone calls <<Wifey, the color of today’s underwear is...>>”

“Y........Youuuuuuuuuu!!”

With rage enveloping her mind, Ayano stroke down the nearby enemies with that violent emotion. There was the smell of something burning, but right now she doesn’t have time to worry about such things.

“Remember this! I’ll kill you! I’ll definitely kill you!! There won’t be any ash left by the time I’m finished with you!!”

“Uh huh”

“Just you wait! When the time comes I’m not letting you off even if you burst into tears!”

“Uh huh”

“....................”

Kazuma doesn’t say anything only some half-hearted replies.

Because there is no feedback Ayano regains her cool very quickly. Remembering the current state of affairs, she sobers up in one breath, informing him:

“Although I believe you know, I’m extremely busy right now. If you have no business with me, I’m hanging up”

“W – Wait. Let’s talk a bit more”

Surprisingly, Kazuma wanted to continue the telephone call. Without understanding his intention, Ayano looks into it, perplexed.

“Talk, you say... about what?”

“Anything will do. Just continue on like just now, talking about idiotic things like idiots.”

Speaking of too much, because of that excessive comment, a huge vein shows on Ayano’s temple. Because she was groping the telephone tightly, an ominous, recognizable sound can be heard.

“Y ....You low life rascal....! I hate you the most! You should try and learn something from Ren’s charm, even if it’s just a little.”

“Yeah yeah, is that so......fine, I caught you”

“What?”

Without minding the bewildered Ayano, Kazuma one-sidedly said:

“GO!”

“What are you – huh?”

The wind gently swirls. In some respects already familiar with it, Ayano suppresses the questioning words.

The light blue radiance fills the surroundings. That is without doubt the color of purification. The supreme power cleansing all evil.

Aoooooooo.......

When those bodies are flooded with purification wind, the departed souls raise cries of pain. From the humans they cling to, they are being torn off, no resistance permitted.

“.......No..... this is......”
R
esistance and the like, there wasn’t any from the beginning. The thoughts raised by the departed souls were shots of joy, congratulations on their liberation. The spirits released from the Ghost Tamer’s curse, by their own will dissolved the possession and accepted the power of purification.

The shapes of the dead spirits changed from the gruesomeness in the moment of death to those when they were alive. The healed spirits’ contours morphed, while floating with content smiles, being reduced to balls of light returning the Heaven.

The countless light balls, while dancing, run beyond the sky. That fairytale-like spectacle, Ayano looks it up, simply amazed.

“Amazing....”

A murmur from the back. When turning around, Kirika speaks with a bitter smile.

“How to say this...a scene ridiculing the efforts of mediocre people. This doesn’t seem like the work of men”

“True. But that doesn’t mean he didn’t put great effort into it, don’t you think?”

“Well, that may be true. By the way, you didn’t hang up, did you?”

Although asking, Kirika plunders the telephone before hearing the answer.

“Hello. Everything is finished. If you can do it, do it faster. What’s all that crap about being outside range – huh?”

Unexpectedly Kirika raised her voice in hysterics, and glared at the phone like it was the enemy of her ancestors.

“That so? Well then, thank you very much! Ciao!!”

With a shout that raised the corners of her eyes she roughly hanged up. And then with a gaze, for some reason, packed with a certain something, she is staring at Ayano.

“W – What........?”

In front of such an emotional new Kirika, different from her usual calm self, Ayano involuntarily shrinks away.

But together with a solemn, long breath Kirika releases her anger, promptly recovering her calmness.

“I hanged up but....did you have something to say to him?”

Because for one reason or another she is overpowered in the mental battle, Ayano asks in a sulky tone:

“..........Not particularly. What are you trying to say?”

“Words of gratitude among other things”

“Don’t joke around!” Ayano shouts, furiously grasping her fists tightly.

“Why would I, to such a guy!? He is dismissing people just when they think of dismissing him, he is mocking them, doing as it pleases him, turning them into toys!”

“That’s all the same thing”

“Next time I meet him, I’m definitely stabbing him with Enraiha.”

Without hearing Kirika’s retort, Ayano is thoroughly excited.

“you’re not honest with yourself” mingled with a sigh, Kirika murmurs so.

The girl in front of her eyes and the absent man – she is facing these two.

Kazuma’s words from a while ago are resurrected in her ears.

It was true that he was outside range. But –
“Because of Ayano’s voice, even if we’re separated by a hundred kilometers, I can get through”, he continued.

''Good grief, he’s speaking so fondly of her.''

For a second time she is focusing in Ayano. Without knowing to what extent and how carefully she is being protected, she is shouting abusive words even now.

But surely, to notice that warped, twisted love it seems unreasonable. Nevertheless, she has no intention of helping her.

“I’m not going to tell you. Realize it yourself, dumb bunny”

Turning her back on the girl, with an ill-natured look, Kirika murmured so.

[[User:Ayame|Ayame]] 01:47, 21 July 2012 (CDT)

OreShura: Volume 1 Chapter 1

2012-09-18T05:53:37Z

Sab: /* Chapter 1: Highschool Life begins in Mayhem */

===Chapter 1: Highschool Life begins in Mayhem===

Harusaki Chiwa.

Freshman. Childhood friend of Eita.

A bit dumb. Was in the Kendo club.

Favourite line is "feel free to eat as much as you wish."

It wouldn't be quite suitable for me to say this, but I am "anti-romance".

Romance this sort of thing, is nothing but a mirage. It's a disease. If you don't believe me take a look at couples giggling every now and then in front of everyone. It's annoying to whoever sees them, praying for them to leave. As for their reasons to flirt in public? That's because this is the real romance, unmasked: Morphine emitting everywhere in the brain, making them lose their shame and all. My attitude towards these people? I always put up with it because I don't care. But when it comes to myself, it's another topic. For me, even if it were not in public, I will never do such shameless moves.

Of course, if I told anyone about my thoughts like this, they would probably chuckle and reply
"There's no need to pretend to be strong"
"Is this the excuse of an unpopular person amongst females?"

Huh. Me, unpopular amongst females? What a joke. I have a history of being confessed to. Nostalgic, those times in the kindergarten..... Forget it, those past glories? Who cares.

But really. If other people gave me a reply like this, I would fully understand. It sounds just as bad as college dropouts saying "schdule my a**" - lack of persuasive power. Not having a single bit of romance in my entire life so far, saying anything casually like that would sound nothing more than the sour grapes of jealousy.

Which pretty much sums up why I don't tell anyone about it, but it IS truly how I feel. And the people who taught me to think like that were my parents.

The story of how my parents got together: they met; they fell in love; they got married. Just like every other love dramas on the television. Throughout childhood I was bombarded with them talking about the ups and downs of their love story. Then in junior high, I was subjected to their endless fights. One day as I was about to go into high school, they both left to seek the "real one" for them and disappeared forever from my eyes, leaving only a letter entrusting me to relatives and a power of attorney to their house as funds for unsettled expenses.

- You - Are - All - Bastards

Me and my hatred to my parents and romance itself was to the degree of using "Hakata Salt's" advertising techniques.
(Note: Lyrics in the [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=99PeKqs81Ak Hakata Salt commercial] are sang syllable by syllable.)

Of course, my sensible logic tells me not all parents are like mine. On the contrary, people falling blissfully in love, getting married, form the majority. Though say my logic is sensible, I still would not "fall in love blissfully just to show you!" or any other kind of similar urges. After all, without romance, life can still go on. Won't make much of a difference not doing pointless stuff. Besides, I don't have the time either.

I have my own ambitions. My target is to get into National University's medical faculty and become a doctor.

Getting into the medical faculty would mean a considerable amount of expense, and I simply cannot give any more trouble to my current guardian '''Saeko-san'''.

'''Kiryū Saeko''' is my father's sister; in other words, my aunt. She is my benefactor who takes care of me, here to clean up my parent's mess. Originally she thought of selling this tattered house to raise money, but putting my feelings of attachment in this house into account, she eventually moved in and settled down with me together. If it weren't for '''Saeko-san''', I would have been moved else where to some unknown relative a long time ago. Therefore, I have decided to repay this debt to '''Saeko-san''' one day, definitely.

My highschool is called Haneyama Public Highschool (short form Hane High). In this school, we have one policy that goes like this: the school will award talented students with good conduct a place at National University (with scholarship). And That's what I'm aiming for.

After entering high school, for the first semester I have already been ranked the first in my year. To a person whose results were in the fairly low district for the entire junior high, this is a staggering feat. I have no intent to slow down, and will continue working hard to keep my grades up.

Which is why, I have no time to spare on romance.

Therefore, I have sworn myself to the following laws:
#Studying comes first!
#No romance! Romance alert!
#But don't let others believe I'm gay because of the 2nd rule

As long as I follow these laws, my highschool life will be perfect!

Yet.

Yet, even for a person like me, have an attached girl. The so called fate of a childhood friend.

Well, why shouldn't I begin the story from her then.

It was the end of May, an incident that happened some day when students were about to change into summer uniforms. Because of work, '''Saeko-san''' is often away from home. A reason why I have to do all the housework alone. Dinner; vacumming the floor; hanging clothes dry; all part of my work. In the eyes of others, this may look very extraneous. True. But only at beginning. But now, chores have even become one of my hobbies. Especially making dinner, not only can it directly reflect your results, it is also an useful skill in life.

It was almost dusk, half past five. I threw all the washed clothes into the dryer, about to step outside for ingredients for dinner. Before that, I have to prepare rice and started pouring rice into the cooker, when suddenly, short energetic cries of "Urg!" and "Hah!" came next door.

"What the heck? Hmm....?"

After finishing last touches and setting the rice cooker into position, I walked down the hallway into the courtyard. Not very big, around the size of the area of 3 hanging racks, less than ten or more steps to my neighbour's fence. Across the short fence seperating both houses, I could see a person dressed in sportswear and skirts, waving her bamboo blade around. I called out and greeted "Hey-- Chiwa--"

Chiwa stopped her exercise and turned around, sweat sparkling in the sunlight of what was remaining of the sun.

"Hi--Ei-kun! What's for dinner?"

Heh, thinking about food from dawn til dusk.

"Why are you doing practices with your sword?"

"I guess because there was a sword lying around?"

"....."

According to my calculations, this person will become addicted to mountaineering activities in the near future.

"I thought you gave up a long time ago?"

"The Kendo club was what I gave up. Despite many persuasion from my seniors, I finally severed my ties with them."

"Did you give up because of your health conditions? Now you're practicing again, won't it...."

Harusaki Chiwa smiled. "No problem. I had a body check last week and my doctor said if it were exercises, then I'd be fine~"

"....really?"

"Really~ really, Ei-kun loves to worry~"

Chiwa had been practicing kendo from elementary school up til the 2nd year of junior high. Instead of practice, one could say, buried her head in kendo. She even came 4th in the province-wide group competition, 2nd in personal competition. Her unfavourable height and strength didn't have much affect on her performance, even aiming for the national-wide competition next summer.

But then, the 3rd summer of junior high.

Just as the date for the competition was approaching, Chiwa got involved in a traffic accident.

While the Kendo club was jogging for training, a cargo from a passing by truck coincidentally fell off, crushing Chiwa below it.

Her whole body suffered serious injury, the damage to her waist was even worse.

After a large surgery, Chiwa spent her last summer of junior high in hospital.

Although after this Chiwa have worked hard for rehabilitation, now that the after effects does not affect her daily life, extreme social activities like kendo is out of the topic.

But Chiwa didn't complain at all, accepting everything silently.

To a person like me who never joined much social activies, we won't be able to imagine what it feels like for Chiwa. But in my point of view, Chiwa definitely lost an important part of her life.

".....Don't push yourself too much. The waist, like how it's written, is the most important part of the body."
(Note: In Japanese [and Chinese], the word waist is combined from two parts: body and important)

"Eh--?" Chiwa winced her eyes as if contemplating something, "Ei-kun seems especially kind today? Don't tell me it's because you want to see my underpants?"

--?!

"Wh-who wants to see yo-your u-u-u"

Such a failure. Stumbling over something so trivial.

"Oh my. Ei-kun must have reached the age where he is interested in these things. Is the word 'underpants' too stimulating for you?" Chiwa giggled happily.

Chiwa took a twirl like a ballerina. The short white skirt was lifted by air, revealing her long, slender, healthy legs. Of course, the underpants stayed out of sight. .....But still I couldn't help but get slightly exicted. Such a failure.

"Wh-who wants to see your childish underwear!"

"Huh, you don't have to insist, you know~"

Curse her.... such a fun-loving little kid. A mature grown up like me have no common language with her!

"Forget it. I'm going out to buy ingredients for dinner."

"Oh, wait! I'm going with you!"

"Don't. If you go, you always make additional expenses."

"I won't nag for snacks this time! I promise!"

Lies....

Everytime she sneaks chocolate and gum and whatnot into my shopping cart.

Whatever. Even if I refused, this kid will tag along.

"....you have 3 minutes. Hurry up!"

"Yes, sir!"

Really. How can such a small little body be so energetic.

From our home to the "'''Marutoku'''" shopping mall is around a ten minutes trip.

Chiwa was dressed up in jeans skirts and a sleeveless shirt.

It is only May yet already sleeveless.... I don't know whether to call her out-going, or lack of a sense of seasons.

"And, Ei-kun, what are you having tonight?"

"Hmm? Um..."

Through the intelligence received from the flyers this morning, the recipe is all set.

"Japanese-styled taro with fish miso soup and Soybean Sargassum salad"

Chiwa made an expression as if the end of the world have come "Wh-what about meat?!"

"Don't you know? Beans are called the 'Vegetarian's meat'."

"....Lately Ei-kun and my mother sound alike"

Chiwa's parents are workaholics, plus their workload is heavy, usually they don't come home until late night. Since my aunt '''Saeko-san''' also seldom comes home, dinner is almost always eaten between me and Chiwa.

Entering into the shop, we quickly grabbed all the special priced objects. A sudden scent of curry came from the corner of the shop. Looks like they're trying to sell a new instant curry.

"Oh, siblings shopping together? If you don't mind, would you like to try some?" Wearing an apron, the saleswoman showed a professional smile.

Since small, both of us have always been mistaken as siblings. Although only during Grade 3 to Grade 4 did Chiwa's height exceed mine, I have always been taken as the younger brother in our pseudo sibling relationship. Between you and me, I have always taken this as the shame of my life. On the bright side, Chiwa's height also stopped growing since grade school.

"Then, excuse me~~"

Well, no thanks for me. Chiwa, of course, couldn't care less about me, and reached out for the paper plates. Though her arms look short, they can extend to an incredible length when reaching for food.

"Here you go. There's two tastes here to try out, heavy and light!"

I guess there's not much choice but to taste as well.

.....Well, that wasn't so bad.

'''Saeko-san's''' snacks storage is close to going out of stock. Why not, I thought. Two would be too many though.

"May I ask which taste is better selling?"

"Huh?"

"Which curry is sells better? I'll have one of that."

With a slightly awkward expression, the saleslady pointed to the light curry, whereas Chiwa placed a heavy tasted curry into my shopping cart.

"Hey, Chiwa"

"It's for '''Saeko-san''', no? This one tastes better~"

The saleslady made a muffled laugh.

Huh. Who made you my mother.

On the way home after lining up and paying, I couldn't help but say
"Chiwa, please don't interfer with my logical decisions"

"Lo~gi~cal Decisions?"

"Compared to your tongue, I'd rather trust the choice of democracy"

"That won't come into use at all. My taste is the same as '''Saeko-san's'''."

"You won't be able to prove it"

Chiwa shrugged exaggeratedly
"Ei-kun surely changed a lot in this field. In junior high you weren't so addicted to talking sense."

"Well that's normal isn't it. We are high school students after all"

"ehh, but I like the clumsier Ei-kun better-- you were hilarious"

"You." Slightly pissed, "You never change, still at the stage of junior, no, no difference from a gradeschool child"

"Wh-what. I've grown" Chiwa puffed out her chests.

.....Umm, that? Nope. Not so far, at least.

" 'The late growth of breasts due to immaturity' -- If I became a doctor, I would definitely invite you as a test subject for my thesis "

"P-pretending to be very smart! I'm still 3 months and 10 days older than you!"

"It only further proves your immaturity if you even think that matters"

"S-such arrogance! H-how, how dare Ei-kun!!"

Haha, a complete victory from my side. Sadly, defeating Chiwa isn't exactly something to brag about.

And so, we returned home and I began preparing dinner swiftly. Fish itself is sold in slices, so roasting it shouldn't be too hard. More importantly was the Japanese styled taro. It needs to be kept shaking such that it won't get burnt.

As for Chiwa, she pouted on the sofa hugging her knees, calling out "Ei-kun is an idiot", "Stupid", "Muffled pervert" and all sorts of names.

Can't believe such a sporty girl can take these things so personally. Looks like there's only one thing to do.

"Hey, Chiwa"

"Huh. I hate Ei-kun the most"

"There's some bacon in the fridge, do you want me to fry it in soya-sauce?"

"Yay! Ei-kun I love you!"

"....."

Love bought with 100 grams of bacon.

If treated specially, it only costs ¥59.....

I mixed all the vegetables into one big bowl and placed it on the table. Although it looks less attractive, we seldom separate the vegetables into single dishes, but instead we eat it directly from one big bowl. Soon it became a habit. Moreover, I have less plates to wash this way.

The two of us ate, going through all sorts of unimportant subjects.

"That reminds me--"

"Reminds you of what??"

"In mangas or in drama TVs, female childhood friends tend to cook"

"That's right"

"Then why is our characters switched?"

Chiwa looked at me a bit confused "Eh? Did you want to eat my cooking?"

"......Nnnnever mind."

I was suddenly reminded of myself collapsing from the food she made once. That was a bubbling roasted steak sweetened to the fattening degree. Because we didn't have red wine, we had carbonated grape juice (0% natural) as substitue. When asked of the motive for her crime, Chiwa replied "they both look pretty much the same anyways" and "Besides, I'm sure it would taste better with something carbonated"

The less a person knows how to cook, the more likely he would be to invent crazy recipes.....

"Say," Chiwa garbled while chewing bacon, "There's a girl called Natsukawa Masuzu in Ei-kun's class?"

"Oh, I guess"

Then with a sudden spurt of energy "That girl is incredible! Just like a princess! Even boys in our class are talking about her, so I took a look today. I was shocked! Her hair is silver, her eyes are blue, like some European offspring or somewhere else! I also heard she is super rich!"

"Umm, I guess--" I answered vaguely.

"And she's super popular! Only two months into school, already according to sources, the number of confessions she's had have already exceeded two digits! I originally thought it was a made up story from nosy person, but after seeing her today, I am almost certain of it! Two digits!"

"Ohh--" I agreed vaguely.

"Oh, Ei-kun isn't interested? Or did you already give up because she is out of reach?"

"Not really"

I have to agree, Natsukawa-san is very pretty indeed, but it has nothing to do with me. Besides, for some reason, I have a dislike towards her. Although I've had a few conversations with her.... it always feels like she's hiding something under her acclaimed looks. Should I say, I can't read her thoughts, or is she too unpredictable.

"Anyhow I don't really like her"

"....is that so"
Chiwa nodded a few times.

"Hoho, today's dinner taste very good"

"Oh that, I just cooked it like every other day"

I wonder what was the reason that made her feel happy. Just bacon is enough to cheer her up?

After dinner, the two of us gathered bowls and chopsticks. Afterwards I started preparing for tomorrow's courses while Chiwa took some manga from the mountainous piles stored in '''Saeko-san's''' room and started reading at the sofa.

'''Saeko-san''' works at some game production company. Occasionally she does work like writing scripts, drawing graphics, even coding and music, in short she does a lot. The company makes galgames and love games directed to girls.

Perhaps it's because of work, '''Saeko-san''' acts like this at home
"Eita, mor~ning~! Are you used to highschool life? Are there any cute girls you've fallen for?"

"No progress at all with Chiwawa? Settings like this kind of childhood friend is usually a highway to HAPPYENDs, what have you been doing all the time?"

"When you're in bed with a girl you have to watch out for her impression-- If you focus too much on a single girl and forget about others, some day bad news will spread!"

Who would be in bed with a girl. You think I'm some oil monopoly king in Arabia?

--Anyway, don't pay too much attention to these stuff.

For purposes of gathering information for work, '''Saeko-san''' has tonnes of bishojo mangas. Reading these mangas have recently become a daily habit of Chiwa's.

"Hey, the tea's ready, I'll put it down right here"

"....."

Chiwa was motionless. She turns like this whenever in the world of manga.

Looks like she's especially focused today.

".....Sniff" Chiwa grabbed a tissue from the tissue box and wiped the corner of her eye with it while blowing her nose. "It would be nice if that happened to me just once."

"Happen what?"

"A romance like this."

"How's it like?"

"You read, you read"

I flipped the pages of the manga Chiwa handed to me. The two childhood friends both had their own lovers, but one day both of them noticed their love towards each other, then after many many difficult obstacles, the two of them eventually became lovers forever-- you get the idea.

"How cliche." I commented. "Besides, childhood friends are pretty much like brothers and sisters, they won't become lovers"

"Is that so? I thought there's some fact to it."

"Only works in stories. Let's take us as an example, one look and you see how it's impossible in real life."

"................."

??

I was expecting a "You've got a point-- That is certainly impossible--" or some similar response..... but she turned out to be silent.

"Y-you've got a point-- That is certainly impossible--"

Ah, here comes the expected response.

Perhaps she's only too tired from her kendo exercise? Maybe I should add more meat in dinner next time.....

"Take, taking the childhood friend setting aside, this kind of romance, or I should say this kind of sweet, or wait, this kind of complete devotion in romance, doesn't seems so bad. Besides, I'm already a highschool student."

So that's why.

It's a good thing to want to devote fullying into something as replacement of Kendo, just that --

"So, what do you want to do then?"

"I want to become popular!"

....well that was direct.

"Fancied by many males, after experiencing many ups and downs, finally settling down with a normal male who has been supporting her silently all the time -- This is what I should experience at least?"

".....ha. Ohhh"

How should I put it, feels just like what a book called "Chihuahua Mood for Saucy Love" would be about.

It sounds a bit depressing coming from a friend who's been growing up with her since small, but....

"You should give up. It's still too early for you."

"Huhhhh?"

"First of all, just the word 'popular' is impossible. I've never seen you do make up. Moreover, I doubt you have lots of clothes?"

"C-clothes, I have a lot! I have 5 workout suits!"

I totally understand her anxiousness in wanting to refute my statements, but in reality, she's just digging her own grave.

"Plus, you never really cared about how other males look at you? A while ago you were playing soccer with the males in the sports grounds without even changing to sports clothes. Annd, you sit with your legs crossed, when you're in a skirt you always shake your feet around"

Having her worst habit pointed out, Chiwa stopped moving her legs. Just so you know, she was moving her legs rythmatically all along.

"And I don't have to tell you about how you go on the rooftop in nothing but a towel on your body, hands on hips, gulping down milk in one go. The Asakura's auntie even jokes 'Chiwa-chan looks exactly like my father', so she said"

The two ponytails from the two sides of her head began trembling.

The Asakuras is our neighbour across the street. Their grandpa was an coach, sometimes even attenting fitness contests. He's a bearded old guy covered in muscles.

"Anyway, you are a sports girl from head to feet, just like how they say 'Brawn but no brains'. In reality, the way you analyse things is by brute force, facing it directly, guided by power. In addition, you always think like a child, I can't really tell how you look like a highschool student......"

"Idiot"

"......??"

"Ei-kun is a giant idiot!!!!!!"

Ah, there she blows.

"Ei-kun is a jerk! Jerk jerk jerk jerk! How would you know until I try! I'm not brawn but no brains! I'm not a child!"

"....."

Thrashing her arms and legs around on the sofa, I really want to see her to prove me wrong.

When I realised I did go a bit overboard, it was already too late. The damage is done.

"Forget it. I've decided," Chiwa stood up from the sofa, "From tomorrow onwards, I will become a person in love!!"

".....??"

"Not only will I be in love, I will become super popular! If Chiwawa-chan gets serious, even Natsukawa Masuzu won't stand a chance!"

Well good luck on that, I said.
"Do you know how to draw males' attention? Even abstractly?"

"I'll begin learning right now!"

"Annd where exactly will you be learning from?"

"With this!"
Chiwa held up the bishojo manga in front of my face
"'''Saeko-san''' once said, bishojo manga is the bible of love. Therefore I must study well, remember it well, practice it all day long, and win a prize in a competition!"

"Competition whaa.....?"

The stance of a girl warrior.

"Let's say....this" Chiwa flipped to a heroine on some random page in the manga, "Look at the eyes of this heroine, looook at them! Don't you find them adorable? If I make the same look, I will definitely become popular with males!"

".....Ummm......."

The heroine's eyes was half the size of her face.

And there was a lot of glitter in her eyes.

How the heck do you plan to imitate that.....

"A while ago, a girl next to my desk was reading a magazine 'Pachi Lemon'. It also wrote that 'if you look at boys from below, it will make you cute and popular!' It seems looking people from below is the secret technique. Oh, I'm very talented in hitting people from above in Kendo!"

"......"

Definitely brawny but not brainy.

"I won't tell you otherwise anymore. As for the things I said, I'm sorry. Please consider it again"

"What! What are you talking about! Besides Ei-kun has never been in love! You've never had a crush on anyone!"

"Oh? Do you?"

".....H-how's that possible! Ei-kun you big idiot!"

So I was scolded. What's wrong with this person.

"I'll begin practising now. Lend me these books, will you"
Chiwa carried a pile of Bishojo mangas with both hands.

"Ei-kun, byebye~ around a week later I will become Super popular, by that time you'll realise 'Chiwa-chan is such a perfect female', but it'll be too late!"

"What a pity-- What a pity"
And so, I sent Chiwa out of my door.

A week later.

In my class 1A, a rumour like this started to spread: class 1E's Harusaki Chiwa became super popular, and was called out by boys--

Like hell it is.

In reality, the rumour was that Chiwa was called by the school counselor's office. In short--
"She stared with bloodshot eyes at boys in her class"

"She'd sometimes stare with blank eyes"

"Nonetheless it's terrifying"

You get the idea.

I even heard that Chiwa's mother had come to school to talk as well.

I guess I should probably roast more meat for her tonight.

"Wahh.... I followed the instructions on the mangas, yet why am I not popular?" Chiwa swallowed the juicy meat with her own tears, talking to herself.

"--Ah!"

"What now?"

"Don't tell me.... I am too cute to handle?!"

Moe.

--------------------
Pachi Lemon's April Edition, Special Support for freshmen Guide

Cuteness & Popularity measure of female High School students!

Reply to student "Cute Chiwawa"

*Q1: You wake up in the morning and greet yourself in the mirror. What did you say?
*A1: I'm hungry!

*Q2: He laughs at your new haircut! What do you do?
*A2: Cut Ei-kun's eyebrows off as revenge

*Q3: Your male friends tells you about his troubles about love. How did you encourage him?
*A3: Let's run 50 laps around the sports ground!

*Q4: You have a date at the restaurant with your boyfriend. What did you order?
*A4: A big piece of meat!

*Q5: You accidentally overslept. Although in a hurry, your hair keeps curling up and won't stay flat~ (tears). What do you do?
*A5: Instead of this, what's for breakfast??

Your Cuteness & Popularity score: 5/100

Editors of Pachi Lemon: There is still a long way from being cute and popular. Why don't you try going on a diet?

Kaze no Stigma:Ignition Volume1 Chapter 4

2012-09-17T06:05:01Z

Sab:

'''Haunted holiday'''

“Ah, what fine thing did I find ♡?”

Pushing her way, almost sprinting, through the crowd of people, who at the eastern entrance of the Shinjuku Station doesn’t die out even during working days, the lady muttered so with a delightful expression.

This particular day, after practically no free time since the beginning of the new school term, Kannagi Ayano was in an extremely good mood. That figure, lightly stepping forward, showing a soft smile is so lovely, to the extent that it would be impossible to conceive that such a body contains a tremendous combat ability.

The season is light spring. The sunlight is worm, the people are lightly dress, that sort of day.

Ayano put on a bolero on top of her dress, her outfit excluding a novel, high-class lady appearance. Her figure – lovely because of her cleanliness and tidiness – just by standing there resembles a painting, drawing hot glances from the mesmerized men.

However, those glances, always unpleasant, didn’t damage Ayano’s mood. If it’s now, even player-wannabes would call out to her in an over familiar manner, maybe she wouldn’t show those men the depths of Hell. I repeat again, Ayano is in a very good mood.

-At the very least, a few more seconds.

“………ua!?”

Before 10 minutes have passed since leaving Alta Ayano received a strong hit from the side. She immediately retreated a few steps in order to subdue the impact. Although she somehow avoided falling down, the paper bags she was holding hit the ground.

“what are you doing – uh!?”

The instant she started shouting at the aggressor, her face became stiff. Before her eyes is a smiling, beautiful woman in the middle of her twenties she met a few times before. Her thoughts stopped by an ominous premonition, Ayano can only stare dumbly at the woman.

“Y – You…”

“Good day to you, Ayano-chan”

Facing a petrified Ayano the woman greets her with an out of place cheerful salute.

“This may be sudden, but I’m leaving it to you”

The white finger indicates something behind Ayano. The three running men she saw instinctively turning her head around – every one of them were two meters tall.

“W-Wait….what is happ…”

With exquisite timing, a bewildered Ayano is pushed forward by the shoulders. Almost like falling forward she comes forth and realizes, standing in front of these men to protect another woman, that she has fallen to a new low.

“Just stop it alr…”

While Ayano was flaring up in a rage, shouting, her eyes fell at the feet of the three men. The change of her complexion was absolute.

“Ah…w-wait a minute!”

Naturally they didn’t stop.

The feet of the men step on the paper bags spread on the road almost as if taking careful aim to do so. The shoes, probably thirty centimeters long, tear off the paper bags trampling on the wrapping paper.
The white skirt hidden inside was smudged with distinct black shoe marks. The silk blouse was a total loss. The sound of accessories being transformed in junk can be heard. With a strange sound, something snapped inside her head.

“Y ...You...”

In front of the young lady’s anger, even the animosity towards the woman is forgotten. Towards the men who ruined the shopping’s results, the power of Ayano’s retort is similar to a hurricane. A charge full of force was placed on the fist driven into the stomach of the man in the middle.

Critical hit.

You can tell the shock pierced through the stomach, penetrating as far as the back. Ayano drew near to the remaining two, interposing between them. With no hesitation, she approached the left one first.

Evading the large strike she used his arm for a judo shoulder throw. Even if he was an amateur, the man’s defense wasn’t breached even as he was falling down. This much damage should be fine – he should walk again – in a week or so.

While she was turned the other way, the last man attacked. Without even turning back she jumped toward him and just before touching him she moved her leg, twisting her body ninety degrees while pushing out her elbow. By kicking her hind foot, the speed increases to max and by concentrating all her kinetic energy she thrusts her left fist in the pit of the stomach. There was a strong backlash.

It was practically a certain kill. The large built man flew ten centimeters and collapsed like a doll, whose threads have been cut.

“Well – ”

With a sidelong glance at the fallen men, Ayano slowly turned back. That glance, no matter how you look at it, was more cold than what a hoodlum deserves.

“Will you explain?”

“I don’t mind but...”

However the woman wasn’t perturbed. Receiving the villainous glare without hesitation, with a smiling face, she points her finger forward a second time.

“It’s not over yet”

Simultaneously, the sound of the defeated men getting up can be heard.

“...............hm!?”

Astonished, Ayano looks over her shoulder. It was an impossible thing. The degree of damage can’t be compensated by something like durability or will-power.

Judging from a biological point of view, for humans the result is absolute immobilization if such a powerful strike in such a place is applied.

However, in reality sure enough the men were resurrected. Trying to grasp the reason Ayano stares at them.
The men’s bodies call to mind the transparency of dead bodies. One was only bones. Another one was a pitch-black corpse. And the last one – was a warrior dressed in armor.

Starring at the decomposing body clad in worn-out armor, Ayano mutters in blank amazement.

“These guys there’re possessed......you!!”

Unintentionally forgetting about the crisis right in front of her, she turns around. She shouts, letting anger take its natural course:

“A public servant using a civilian to do his work!”

“Well – don’t say that. Look look! they’re coming from behind.”

Certainly this was not the place for carefree quarrels. The men, possessed by the spirits of the dead, drew near for a second time.
A bothersome opponent. Because spirits don’t feel pain and so on, hitting them or kicking them has no effect. If you don’t inflict enough damage to kill and then destroy their joints it seems you cannot permanently immobilize them.

Through physical means, that is.

“...........”

A deep inhale and then exhale.

Stimulating the entire body’s power by this one sequence, flexibly concentrating all consciousness in both palms, the contours of her wrists warp.

The pale gold heat haze enveloping the girl’s wrists disturbs the course of light.

Before her eyes is the skeleton corpse possessed man. Staring at Ayano with stagnant pupils, like those of rotten fish, he raises both arms overhead, rejecting the nuisance.

“Haa!”

Ayano hit with both palms at full power that virtually empty body. It was a double palm strike. Via those palms, a golden brightness was pumped into the man’s body. While his entire body was glowing in the golden light, the man bent backwards, as if suffering from electric shock.

“Giiiii.................”

During the soundless scream, the spirit of the dead was separated from the man’s body.

“I’m not letting you escape!”

From Ayano’s palms the golden light gushed out, changing to a violently rushing stream. The light that hit him increased by far its density and radiance , transforming and manifesting itself as a golden flame, thoroughly burning the departed soul, without allowing resistance.

She repeated the process twice again.

“............fuuuu”

After cleansing the three spirits through fire, Ayano took a light breath.

From behind indifferent applauses can be heard.

“<<Well done!>> it’s what I’d like to say now but you really took your time. Weren’t purification flames supposed to destroy only evil?”

“I’m sorry for being so inexperienced”

Turning her body the other way, Ayano replied with a very threatening tone.

The wicked spirits called Youma – because the devilishness that holds resentment towards the world of men exists – it can be said it was inevitable that in order to resist, men have obtained power.

The girl’s name is “Kannagi” Ayano. Manipulating purification flames able to destroy evil – she is the daughter of the En-jutsu family known as the strongest. But then Ayano herself, can’t be helped but be called very inexperienced. Even if she possesses mighty power, she has yet to learn the art of perfect control.

Not to hurt the people depending on them and to purify only the possessing spirits – such a deed is possible only for the girl’s father – Juugo and her uncle Genma.

As for Ayano, one can say with confidence such high-class techniques are outside her reach.

Therefore, her plan consisted of the following: before materializing her power as flames she is releasing it as a “heat” that won’t damage the human body, continually knocking out the departed souls that try to escape.

As a matter of course, this is a reckless and difficult operation. Taking s much time for the likes of departed souls, it can’t be helped that the famous Kannagi name could be distrusted, on account of such rumors.

However, Ayano has no intention of taking such criticism obediently. She thought so from the bottom of her heart: “this woman” has no right to complain.

“Will I receive some sort of explanation, I wonder...”

She started cross-examining, including enough drive for the other party to understand that depending on the answer, this isn’t over.

“...Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department’s Special Data Arrangement, Miss Police Officer Tachibana Kirika?”

Calling her especially by the overlong job title, as a matter of course this is a form of harassment. The Chief of the country’s one and only government organization for vanquishing evil, the person on the position of protecting the nation from spiritual disasters, isn’t it absurd to drag civilians in her troubles? This is why.

“Well – don’t say that. You’re not someone unrelated”

But the woman, Kirika was very composed. Being spoken to by this beautiful woman so over familiarly, Ayano answers in a freezing tone:

“What are you saying? To the likes of you, what else could I be except for an unrelated person? I’m fed up with your impertinent talk. Give me an explanation.”

“Well, that’s fine...”

Being questionably evasive, Kirika shifts her focus forward, behind Ayano.

“If I were to tell you that’s not all, would you get angry?”

“........tch!”

Forcefully turning around, Ayano observes. Drawing near unnoticed, a crowd of men and women of all ages undoubtedly possessed by the spirits of the dead. There were roughly thirty of them. In the middle of this bizarre atmosphere the pedestrians that happened to be present by chance become noisy.

But one man among them – what was he thinking – stood in front of the assailants.

“Stop it! You guys – ”

Seeing a beautiful woman and a beautiful girl being attacked, it seems he thought to make himself to look better. It seems he has some sort of knowledge. But –

Bokyatsu!

The character manipulating the departed souls removed the limits of the bodies and some mediocre martial arts can’t win any sort of battle. Both his arms standing on guard broke his own chin, and the man flew through the air, thoughtlessly screaming.

Watching the convulsing man vomiting blood, pedestrians started to shriek. By mixing people who wanted to run away and people who, on the contrary had burning curiosity, chaos occurred.

The only calm people were those involved – the assailants and the assaulted.

Staring at the attackers getting close, in spite of mowing down the people who got in their way, Kirika asks:

“Can you exorcise them all like you did earlier?”

“Absolutely impossible” stated Ayano without hesitating for a moment.

“The sensitivity required for tuning the necessary caloric value is preposterous and for so many opponents gathered, I should burn half of them.”

“That’s dreadful”

Imagining the gruesome spectacle, Kirika murmured in a monotonous tone.

“Well then, should we run away?”

“Do your best then”

Kirika is suspiciously watching over Ayano’s “this is none of my business” reply.

“Will you not help me?”

“I didn’t receive such a commission. If you live through it, call me later and explain the situation”

With those words Ayano tries to leave but watching the crowd blocking her path, she scowls.

“Hey! The one you’re aiming at is right there”

Of course the spirits don’t answer. The possessed flesh moves with a somewhat supernatural ability, wiggling, and with no hesitation and killing intent faces Ayano.

“.........what is this?” a doubtful Ayano. The answer comes from the back.

“Ah, as I thought”

“What exactly is <<as I thought>>?”

To the enquiring Ayano, her glace fixed on the spirits of the dead, Kirika answers with a smiling face.

“Don’t you thing it must be difficult to control so many spirits of the dead at once from a distance? So, beside the comments given I thought that maybe they can move autonomously. For example, <<unconditionally execute anyone who is standing in your way>> or something”

“............Y – O – Uuuuuuuu!!”

Showing the vein on her temple, Ayano started screaming:
“You planned on forcefully dragging me into this from the start, right? You stinking official!!”

For this reason, before explaining the circumstances, she involved Ayano in battle – for the sake of the enemy recognizing Ayano as an obstacle, so that she wouldn’t be able to run away.

“Don’t get so angry. In troubled times we are of equal status don’t you agree?”

But without showing any timidity, Kirika winked at the angry Ayano.

“Y...You...”

Although glaring at the very annoying woman, it was all too late. She was already dragged unknowingly in the turmoil’s upheaval or more likely at the core of it all.

“I’ll remember this!”

Replacing the boiling anger with flames, Ayano swung downward her right hand. The blaze slapped into the ground changes in a wall of fire, blocking the way before these two.

“DAAAAAAAA!?”

Being scared of the purifying flames, the attackers back off. Ignoring the screams of the ordinary people unfortunately involved, Ayano turns back and run.

“We’re running away!”

“I thank you for your cooperation. As I thought the voluntary cooperation of civilians is the secret for early settlements.”

“Be silent for a little bit, you public servant failure!”

Leaving behind boos somewhat filled with anguish both of them managed a speedy flight.

“Ha...ha...for the time being we’ve done it right?”

“So it seems...”

Hiding themselves in a deserted, empty building, Ayano and Kirika muttered so, greedily devouring oxygen. As one would expect a thirty minutes sprint at full power was very demanding. Both of them were short of breath.

“By the way, I think it’s time you start explaining these circumstances”

“Ah that’s right. I forgot”

Seeing Kirika clap her hands, truly having forgotten to explain, Ayano sends her way a somewhat cynical, bitter smile.

“Even so, there’s not much explaining to do. If I were to say it in a few words, it’s only a matter of settling scores.”

“Settling scores?”

“Yes. In this business, it’s only natural to incur various people’s enmity. Particularly some puny organization like the Special Data Arrangement who does whatever it wants with the power of the State. The criticism can be severe, in various ways”

“Hmmm...Well, that may be true...” Ayano nodded vaguely.

The girl’s family can be considered the industry’s leader so she doesn’t really get the sorrows of this type of puny organization.

“I know, right? I got used to it but this time we came across a big-shot, sort of.”

“Big-shot?”

“Yes. Do you know Ghost Tamer?”

“.....I heard that name somewhere”

Ayano tried to remember, but it didn’t come out easily.

“If it’s Ayano-chan I’m sure that you heard about him before. He’s a celebrity”

“That so? ... well it’s impossible for a necromancer who can simultaneously manipulate thirty spirits of the dead to be nameless.”

This doesn’t apply just for necromancers, increasing the number of techniques controlled at the same time, the degree of difficulty jumps through the window. As for necromancers, they are considered first class when they can control ten bodies at the same time.

But Kirika revealed an even more frightful fact:

“That is just the beginning. Regarding the validation made to the best of our abilities, the maximum number he can control is one hundred and twenty.”

“One hundred and twenty!?” Ayano screamed with bulging eyes.

But at the same time, that absurd number made her remember that abominable incident.

“Say...you don’t say Ghost Tamer is... the one three years before in San Francisco...”

The desire to be wrong that fills Ayano’s question is heartlessly destroyed by Kirika.

“Yeah, that’s the one...”

“Uaa....” with an unpleasant feeling, from the bottom of her heart Ayano groans.

Ghost Tamer – despite being a necromancer he uses killing curses, possessing suitable humans and using them, its forte is a technique consisting of using physical means to kill its targets, different from a shaman, different from an assassin – a “curse assassin”

The incident that made him world-wide famous happened three years ago. For the sake of killing a certain mafia boss he made one hundred and twenty people, possessed by the spirits o the dead, to hold bombs and attack the target in a very special way.
The casualties exceeded three hundred. It is said that the body fragments of the manipulated people, after being gathered in plastic bags, didn’t amount to 3% of the total.

“Another troublesome one appeared...”

With all her strength, Ayano unpleasantly puzzles over it. It’s as if an unrelated person all of a sudden turns into an assassin – that element of surprise and the almost infinite amount of supplies is the Ghost Tamer’s forte.

Because this is a metropolis, there is abundance of departed souls but also of human hosts. There is also the problem of the possessed humans who have been killed. The deceased can be captured by Ghost Tamer and turned into a new departed soul, possessing other humans in order to attack the target. In order to stop the domino effect there is no choice but use a high ranking white magic that can exorcize all of them in one go.
Only if such a thing was possible, though.

“What do we do next?”

Needless to say, Ayano is not capable of such things. The girl’s power is not suited for such sensitive operations.

“There is that....”

To Ayano, demanding for a counter plan, Kirika tilted her head to the side, with a troubled appearance.

“The moment I found Ayano-chan, I thought all my troubles are gone...”

She is fleetingly looking at Ayano and then a deep sigh. At this “I can’t use her attitude” Ayano is pissed.

“What about you? You can’t perform spirit exorcism is spite of being an Onmyoji?”

“Of course I can. I’ve done it for thirty bodies or so but then I ran out of charms”

“That so...”

Onmyoji is based on the general principle of the cosmic dual forces, Yin and Yiang, and they can use a mighty power. But the restriction is that in order to put the technique in operation, charms must absolutely be used. In this industry there is a well known verse, sang from ancient times.

“Charmless Onmyoji, ordinary man, right?” Ayano hums spontaneously, Kirika retorts with coolness:

“It doesn’t rime”

“You’re noisy!”

“Well, anyway”

Unusually restraining herself before exploding, Ayano makes the conversation advance.

“This is a stalemate. Can you think of something?”

“Well...” Kirika slowly opens her mouth:

“If it’s just the two of us, we can’t win in this situation. If that’s the case, we have no choice but to call reinforcement”

“Who? One of your subordinates?”

“Wrong. We know someone much more reliable, am I right?”

“Ah, that one?”

Because Ayano and Kirika don’t have many common acquaintances, she quickly understood who it was.

Certainly, ability wise he was the most reliable man. '''Ability wise'''

“........fine, will you call him?”

To Ayano who reluctantly agreed, Kirika sends a meaningful smile.

“.......what?”

“Err, nothing in particular. Then, please get in touch with him”

“Why me!?” Ayano unintentionally shouted. “It’s better if you call him, right? Because you two have a much more ''friendlier'' relationship!”
The first time Ayano met Kirika, she and Kazuma were leaving the red-light district, arms linked. That’s why Ayano firmly believes these two have “that kind of relationship.”

“That’s not true. It it’s Ayano-chan, he’ll answer the phone. So, please?”

“............................”

Even if this doesn’t mean she believes Kirika’s words, Ayano gave up on resisting, taking out the mobile phone. As a matter of course, she has his number.

''It’s just for work! It’s really just that!''

She dialed it, they talked a few times before –

“What?”

Maybe because he knows it was Ayano, or maybe he does it for everyone – anyway, the voice reaching Ayano’s ears is excessively self-important.

“Ah, Kazuma? I have a favor – ”

“I refuse”

The answer comes back lightning fast. For a short while Ayano is silenced but she corrects herself in a low voice:

“I have a job request”

“Say it”

“................”

Still on the phone, Ayano throws a sidelong glance at Kirika, glaring at her.

''Hey, is this what you call a good answer?''

Although she didn’t say it loud, her twisted expression said it all. Not caring about it, Kirika encouraged her in a small voice: “Keep going!”

Giving up the investigation, Ayano concentrates her attention on the conversation with Kazuma.

“You see...” she explains, summarizing the situation.

Surprisingly, Kazuma quickly understood.

“Even though I think we can end it by killing them all, but since there is money in this, I don’t mind playing around with them. So, where are we meeting?”

“Ah, well.....”

Ayano considered her current surroundings. But without deliberating too much, she answered:

“Tee hee hee, I don’t know. Somewhere in Shinjuku. Will you search ♡?”

She tried to be as lovely as possible. But – it was useless.

“Haaaaaaaaaaaaa”, an endless, deep sigh reached her ears. And then.....

“Did your brains go bad or something!!”

“Kyauu!?”

Because the angry roar explodes close to her ear Ayano involuntarily throws out the phone. Kirika skillfully caught it just before falling on the ground.

“Hey, it’s wrong to bully girls, you know?”

“.....Kirika, why are you there?”

From the mobile phone now in Kirika’s hands, Kazuma’s questioning tone can be heard. Throwing a sidelong glance at Ayano, listening attentively, Kirika moves the conversation forward.

“This was my work from the start. So it’s fine to bill me for the job. So, where are you? Your home? The one in Yokohama? Really – please hurry. Yeah, please. Well then... ”

Kirika settled the conversation at once, hang up and returned the telephone to Ayano. She received it with a blank facial expression.

“As I thought it turned out well because you did the talking, right?”

“I wonder...”, Kirika responds to Ayano, who looks displeased, with a mature smile full of composure.

For some reason or another, feeling she is losing the mental battle, Ayano changes the subject.

“So, are we hiding until Kazuma gets here? If he’s in Yokohama, no matter how fast it still takes time.”

“That’s right, it would be ideal if circumstances allow, but.....”

In the middle of her words, Kirika shifts her attention inside the hallway. Almost simultaneously, so does Ayano. Looking at the ceiling, deploring, she corrects herself with a delicate expression:

“It would have been ideal...”

“You’re everyday behavior must be very sinful, am I right?”

Standing up Ayano is brushing off the dust from her skirt.

Without having to wait for them, they appeared in the front. With a rotten, fishy smell and fixed eyes, the man – a company worker – is of course possessed by the spirits of the dead.

“Good grief – it can’t be helped...”

Lightly kicking the floor, Ayano’s silhouette vanished in a blur. Swiftly rushing in, her high speed movement is like she can leap over time restrains. Instantly plunging into the man’s chest she thrusts her elbow, using the force of the rush. Through the blow, purification power is pumped into his face. The golden radiance doesn’t allow any escape and the spirit dwelling on the man is burned to nothing.

“Oh, that did the trick”

“That so? He’s kind of burning”

Overlooking the man emitting fumes from here and there, Kirika says a touching, silent prayer.

“Don’t concern yourself with minor details!”

“Minor, huh?”

She has lots of things to say to this girl, but now it’s not the time to fuss over it. Chasing the already running Ayano, Kirika breaks into a forceful run.

“....I’m not letting you escape.... ”

In one of the rooms from a certain hotel in Akasaki, Ronald Wallace murmured so, in a heavy, low voice.

Aquiline nose – white hair – the name Ghost Tamer is appropriate; the old man’s appearance is that of an evil sorcerer come forth from fairy-tales. That figure gazing at the crystal ball is terrifying.

“You can’t get away..........no matter how you struggle.....”

Watching the women, reflected in the crystal ball, running around, trying to escape, Ronald laughs. That was because he knows victory is certain.

The net completely encircling them – there is no target whose technique can exorcize more than a hundred organized departed souls. Of course, not even the Enjutsushi who stumbled in the middle of it.

There is just one flaw. Following Ronald’s will manipulating the spirits and finding his location. The only way is to strike at him. But –

“The Enjutsushi whose only merit are combat abilities and the Onmyoji trying to escape with all her might, can you do it?.....”

With absolute confidence, Ronald sneered. Even the Enjutsushi’s flames are not scary if the person can avoid them. Departed souls and the like are after all pieces who have no choice but to do his work as a substitution.

“Perhaps capturing the Enjutsushi’s soul could be fun. If it retains even a small portion of the power it has alive, maybe I can use it. ”

“Stop it. That one’s is probably really hard to manipulate”

That answer reached his ears much too natural. Searching for the rebuttal words, Ronald turned around in terror.

A hundred and eighty degrees rotation, a body suspended in the air.

Since the head’s rotation doesn’t stop, approximately after another rotation, the balance is destroyed, the dead falls down and crashes.

Ronald – climbing in the revolving world finally recognizes the situation. The revolving universe. But someone tramples down on the head and the spinning stops.

“What’s more...”

Looking up with disgrace and humiliation, in the field of vision is reflected a man’s face, showing a cynical smile.

“I’ve decided I’m the only one allowed to play with her AND that’s the law of this country, you know!”

With these words the sensation of Ronald’s last moment was the smashing of his cranium and his consciousness faded into darkness.

The headless body, standing erect, spurts out fresh blood as if remembering.

At the same time....

Ayano and Kirika were trapped in a desperate crisis. It is evening in the Imperial Garden of Shinjuku. The surroundings are flocked with more than a hundred possessed bodies. There is no way to escape.

“.......what are we going to do?” Ayano groans in a worn-out voice but Kirika either has no way out.

At such a troubled time, almost like aiming for it, the cell phone’s ringtone can be heard. Kirika fetched it really fast and stated shouting.

“How long do you plan to take Kazuma!? We’re at our limit!!”

A contrastive, hatefully calm voice can be heard.

“It’s over. Everything”

“No it’s not! Right now we are in the middle of being attacked by nearly a hundred spirits!”

“.........Oh?” Kazuma’s voice is surprisingly serious. From the other side of the phone, a silence filled with confusion can be sensed.

“Hey....”

“Ah, I got it. Even if the practitioner dies, the last order passed down is still effective. I see.”

The only one impressed is Kazuma because Kirika asks him in a low voice:

“I’m so glad you cleared the puzzle. So, how do you get here?”

“How, you ask...where are you now? Shinjukugyouen? That’s impossible. It’s totally outside m range. I’ll get there in twenty, thirty minutes so wait there”

“We can’t wait that long! We’re already under pressure. It’s fine with you if Ayano-chan becomes a mass murderer?”

“Tell her this. If she dares to die, she can choose her favorite method for when HER PARTNER is going to kill her............Ah, that’s right. She’s there. Get her on the phone”

“Eh?”

“Put Ayano on the phone” Kazuma plainly repeated.

Kirika peeked at Ayano’s situation. She has already started the fight. For the time being, even if she is adjusting to the non-fatal amount, in reality it seems she has no choice but to minimally go easy on them, because the sound of blows is pretty severe.

While making appropriate judgment on the enemy, a telephone is pushed before her eyes.

“From Kazuma. He wants to talk to you.”

“I’m busy now!” Ayano shouted without taking it.

“Although I can see that wouldn’t it be better to take it? We’re not getting anywhere this way”

“...................”

Ayano snatched the telephone totally annoyed. While beating down the enemies with her free hand, her left hand holds the telephone to her ear. That instant, as if intentionally, Kazuma’s voice can be heard.

“Hey, feeling well?”

In addition to being very agitated, Ayano couldn’t endure it and her reason flipped out.

“Huff.....don’t mess around you fool! U – Until now....what have you...done.....”

Because of fatigue and anger, her breath was disturbed and her mouth didn’t work well.

As for Kazuma, he replied in a refreshing and calm voice:

“If you raise your voice like that, it feels like one of those dangerous phone calls <<Wifey, the color of today’s underwear is...>>”

“Y........Youuuuuuuuuu!!”

With rage enveloping her mind, Ayano stroke down the nearby enemies with that violent emotion. There was the smell of something burning, but right now she doesn’t have time to worry about such things.

“Remember this! I’ll kill you! I’ll definitely kill you!! There won’t be any ash left by the time I’m finished with you!!”

“Uh huh”

“Just you wait! When the time comes I’m not letting you off even if you burst into tears!”

“Uh huh”

“....................”

Kazuma doesn’t say anything only some half-hearted replies.

Because there is no feedback Ayano regains her cool very quickly. Remembering the current state of affairs, she sobers up in one breath, informing him:

“Although I believe you know, I’m extremely busy right now. If you have no business with me, I’m hanging up”

“W – Wait. Let’s talk a bit more”

Surprisingly, Kazuma wanted to continue the telephone call. Without understanding his intention, Ayano looks into it, perplexed.

“Talk, you say... about what?”

“Anything will do. Just continue on like just now, talking about idiotic things like idiots.”

Speaking of too much, because of that excessive comment, a huge vein shows on Ayano’s temple. Because she was groping the telephone tightly, an ominous, recognizable sound can be heard.

“Y ....You low life rascal....! I hate you the most! You should try and learn something from Ren’s charm, even if it’s just a little.”

“Yeah yeah, is that so......fine, I caught you”

“What?”

Without minding the bewildered Ayano, Kazuma one-sidedly said:

“GO!”

“What are you – huh?”

The wind gently swirls. In some respects already familiar with it, Ayano suppresses the questioning words.

The light blue radiance fills the surroundings. That is without doubt the color of purification. The supreme power cleansing all evil.

Aoooooooo.......

When those bodies are flooded with purification wind, the departed souls raise cries of pain. From the humans they cling to, they are being torn off, no resistance permitted.

“.......No..... this is......”
R
esistance and the like, there wasn’t any from the beginning. The thoughts raised by the departed souls were shots of joy, congratulations on their liberation. The spirits released from the Ghost Tamer’s curse, by their own will dissolved the possession and accepted the power of purification.

The shapes of the dead spirits changed from the gruesomeness in the moment of death to those when they were alive. The healed spirits’ contours morphed, while floating with content smiles, being reduced to balls of light returning the Heaven.

The countless light balls, while dancing, run beyond the sky. That fairytale-like spectacle, Ayano looks it up, simply amazed.

“Amazing....”

A murmur from the back. When turning around, Kirika speaks with a bitter smile.

“How to say this...a scene ridiculing the efforts of mediocre people. This doesn’t seem like the work of men”

“True. But that doesn’t mean he didn’t put great effort into it, don’t you think?”

“Well, that may be true. By the way, you didn’t hang up, did you?”

Although asking, Kirika plunders the telephone before hearing the answer.

“Hello. Everything is finished. If you can do it, do it faster. What’s all that crap about being outside range – huh?”

Unexpectedly Kirika raised her voice in hysterics, and glared at the phone like it was the enemy of her ancestors.

“That so? Well then, thank you very much! Ciao!!”

With a shout that raised the corners of her eyes she roughly hanged up. And then with a gaze, for some reason, packed with a certain something, she is staring at Ayano.

“W – What........?”

In front of such an emotional new Kirika, different from her usual calm self, Ayano involuntarily shrinks away.

But together with a solemn, long breath Kirika releases her anger, promptly recovering her calmness.

“I hanged up but....did you have something to say to him?”

Because for one reason or another she is overpowered in the mental battle, Ayano asks in a sulky tone:

“..........Not particularly. What are you trying to say?”

“Words of gratitude among other things”

“Don’t joke around!” Ayano shouts, furiously grasping her fists tightly.

“Why would I, to such a guy!? He is dismissing people just when they think of dismissing him, he is mocking them, doing as it pleases him, turning them into toys!”

“That’s all the same thing”

“Next time I meet him, I’m definitely stabbing him with Enraiha.”

Without hearing Kirika’s retort, Ayano is thoroughly excited.

“you’re not honest with yourself” mingled with a sigh, Kirika murmurs so.

The girl in front of her eyes and the absent man – she is facing these two.

Kazuma’s words from a while ago are resurrected in her ears.

It was true that he was outside range. But –
“Because of Ayano’s voice, even if we’re separated by a hundred kilometers, I can get through”, he continued.

''Good grief, he’s speaking so fondly of her.''

For a second time she is focusing in Ayano. Without knowing to what extent and how carefully she is being protected, she is shouting abusive words even now.

But surely, to notice that warped, twisted love it seems unreasonable. Nevertheless, she has no intention of helping her.

“I’m not going to tell you. Realize it yourself, dumb bunny”

Turning her back on the girl, with an ill-natured look, Kirika murmured so.

[[User:Ayame|Ayame]] 01:47, 21 July 2012 (CDT)

Kamisama no Memochou:Volume 2 Chapter 1

2012-09-16T23:13:12Z

Sab:

One day in the spring holidays, a client suddenly appeared at the NEET Detective Agency, an odd Thai girl who was always unusually excited.

The bag that her father left behind after disappearing was filled with a hefty sum of money— two hundred million yen.

The girl’s request was— “Please save my dad.”

The young NEET detective, Alice, who wore pajamas and wouldn’t take a step out of her room and I, as her assistant, borrowed the power of Tetsu-senpai, Major and Hiro of the NEET Detective Squad to start our investigation. Even the leader of the juvenile delinquents, Yondaime was dragged into it, the matter developed into an unexpected direction—

This is the second episode youthful NEET- Teen Story that was somewhat unbearable, somewhat funny but also with a hint of courage.

''Narumi Fujishima''

Until last year, I was still an ordinary high school student.

Due to the incidents that occurred during last winter, my whole third semester was ruined.

Even so, I still managed to advance to second year, just like a miracle, but I still couldn’t follow what the teachers taught, and failed in almost all of my exams. When I finally came to my senses, my tragic life was already at the edge of a cliff.

I knew that I couldn’t just become a useless bum, so I put in more effort and accepted two part time jobs.

One of them is a worker at a ramen shop, while the other is…… a detective’s assistant.

……. It seems like I might have chosen the wrong place to have a part time job, and one of my employers is a NEET too.

Furthermore, NEETs walk all around at the place where I work, everyone trying to bully me into being a NEET.

As for who they are—

''Alice''

This girl is a NEET detective, and is one of my employers.

She’s a hikikomori that almost never went out, so her way of ordering people around is quite impolite.

She thinks that a detective’s assistant (me) is just a useful vacuum machine that can talk.

Being physically weak, she can’t live by herself but she is good at arguing; whenever I complain even a bit, she immediately gives me a five thousand times scolding.

Really, why must I do things for this fellow?

Actually, I’m not really sure myself, but if I’m not at her side, she probably won’t even eat her meals properly……

''NEET Detective Squad''

Surrounding Alice’s side, the group of people at the boundary of society who would not lose to Alice.

No matter what difficulties they encountered, they still wouldn’t give up, wouldn’t turn back and wouldn’t work; those are their principles. Sigh~ I really can’t stand this.

''Tetsu-senpai''

He studied at my school a few years ago and dropped out, and is now an unbeatable pachinko master.

He learned boxing before and has acute vision like a superman but it is only used to bet on slot machines.

Although he’s quite reliable sometimes, his view of money is absolutely terrible.

''Major''

Although he looked like that, he is definitely a university student, and an unbelievable military otaku.

Has programming skills that even university professors admire, but it is only used on wire tapping and taking photos secretly.

''Hiro''

Though he is often mistaken as a model, he’s actually just a gigolo who stays at women’s houses.

Has an appearance that makes people want to look twice at him and speaking skills that are like mellow wine, but they are only used to hit on girls.

He made many women cry for him before, and really might be stabbed somewhere some day.

''Min-san''

The boss that opened a ramen shop below the detective agency, my second employer.

She’s one of the rare normal people around me. She kept taking care of me, so I really couldn’t raise my head in front of her.

Her temper is quite terrible, so I’m somewhat afraid of her, and that’s why I can’t say that her ramen is actually not really good.

''Yondaime''

The leader of juvenile delinquents in the town, and has a deep connection with the people in the detective squad.

He’s very foul-mouthed and impatient, but I’ve heard that he’s very good at taking care of people, even better than the guys in the detective squad.

His hobby is sewing, and he has professional-level skill. I might be killed by him if I accidentally said that out, so I dare not mention it to anyone.

''Meo''

On the first day that I started to work at the ramen shop, I was ordered around by Alice as usual, and was having doubts about my life. On that boring Saturday afternoon, she appeared before me.

She’s a girl who gets excited abnormally easily, and had lived in Thailand. Also, she even asked the detective agency for help.

Although I’m a detective’s assistant, I was still taken aback…… I really didn’t think that someone would actually have a request for us.

I originally thought that it wouldn’t be anything big since she looked for the NEET detective.

In the end—

She brought a Boston bag that was stuffed full of reality—

Two hundred million yen.

That amount of money could just mess up anyone’s life.

Meo said: “Please save my dad.”

And so— the matter started to develop.

Developing towards an unexpected, heartbreaking darkness.

Miracles can happen once to anyone, but when it happens, they never notice.
*from "My Name Is Shingo" by Kazuo Umezo.

==Chapter 1==

A small portion of people misunderstood that the twenty third district of Tokyo is just a city full of buildings from north to south, and I was one of them before I moved here. In reality, the only place where there are skyscrapers piercing the skies is the area near to the station, while flat, short houses surround the place. The asphalt road that was uneven because of the subsidence of the land, the smelly rivers that were emitting a pungent, sour odor, and the cultivated fields that I’m not sure if anyone is tending to and the high school that I’m going to, all of these are in a two kilometers radius of that area; but it was just separated by a street, the radiance of the neon lights couldn’t be seen anymore.

Though Hanamaru Ramen Shop is also at a place five minutes from the station, it is also surrounded by broken down buildings, one of the shops that is shrouded in darkness. It is just a small shop that has only five tables in it, aside from the occasional drunken people going inside the shop at night, I almost never see anyone going into the shop in the daytime.

So my employment test was held on the thirty first of March in the spring holidays, at about one thirty in the afternoon when there was nobody in the shop.

“Listen, if even a little thing spills out, don’t you even think that I’ll pass you.”

Min-san said while piling trays onto my hands; and bowls that were still puffing out white smoke were placed on the tray. She’s the young owner of the Hanamaru Ramen Shop, with her long hair tied into a ponytail, wearing a T-back vest and showing her fit shoulders. White sarashi is used to bind her breasts. It really isn’t hard to see that she went for body building classes, and is really not a person that a physically weak high school person can go against. But I still couldn’t help but retort:

“Erm…… Why am I doing a thing like this for my employment test?”

“Don’t you know how many bowls you’ve broken before!? You’re just not concentrating enough! So if you can get all of these to Alice safely, I’ll hire you.”

I once helped the shop to do things like washing the dishes and serving them, I caused great losses at the same time. Actually, I should really thank the kind Min-san for giving me a chance by testing me.

“Ready, start. The time limit is five minutes.”

“There’s even a time limit!?”

Being glared at by Min-san, I could only carefully walk out from the kitchen backdoor.

Alice lives in the eighth room on the third floor of the same building in Hanamaru Ramen Shop. You could reach it after walking up the stairs and then going about five meters in the direction of the corridor, using not even one minute when going there from the shop on the first floor.

But at this moment, I used two seconds just to walk up a step, so my back was soaking wet when I reached the signboard with ‘NEET Detective Agency’ on it.

As both of my hands were holding trays, I could only press the doorbell with my elbow. Nobody answered, but only a blue light flashed.

“Alice, please, open the door for me.” I begged.

‘…… Just enter yourself. The door isn’t locked.’

The impatient voice of a young girl came from the other side of the intercom.

“I can’t use my hands, I’m holding two trays.”

‘You could just place them on the floor!’

“No, it would definitely fall down.”

‘What are you talking about? It’s just placing the tray on the floor, don’t you even know how to do such a simple thing?’

“There’s a tray on my head too!”

Hearing my tragic shout, the door finally opened. A young girl stuck her head out of the door. She had long, black hair that flowed to the ground, large eyes that could sparkle, and wore pajamas with cute pictures of bears on it that showed her pale, sickly skin.

“…… Are you performing an acrobatic stunt?”

My hands were holding a tray each, and there was another on top of my head. Cooly looking at the trays that I was holding while trembling, Alice said in an annoyed voice:

“This scene is actually quite interesting. I feel like taking a commemorative photo of this and showing it to Tetsu, Major and the others. They would be delighted. I’ll get my digital camera, and you just maintain your current posture.”

“No, that’s not important!” I frantically called Alice who was about to walk into the room: “Anyways…… Erm…… Can you please help me take it?”

I used my gaze to point at the shaky tray on top of my head, but Alice shrugged.

“Please think of the difference in height between you and I, and of my arms. Isn’t that just impossible? Just walk into the room and find somewhere to place it! Remember to take off your shoes first. If you dare to spill anything, I’ll have you in charge of cleaning the place until you wax the floor.”

As usual, Alice was still being merciless.

I could only maintain the posture of my upper body, lightly take off my shoes, walk to the table in the small kitchen, place the trays on my hands on it and then lightly take down the tray on my head. I heaved such a huge sigh that my soul almost came out, and I felt like curling up on the chilly floor in this air-conditioned room.

“…… Ah, Master? Mnn, Narumi just came.” The sounds of Alice and Min-san talking on the phone came from the room: “…… No, I don’t think he spilled anything. You’re so kind, Master. If it were me, I would just tell him to take buckets and not bowls.”

This girl really does like to joke around. While complaining in my heart, I placed the three bowls on the same tray and served it to the bedroom.

Three walls in the room are covered with racks that are as tall as the ceiling, and some odd machines are placed on it, while countless wires tangled together around them. A large bed is placed in the middle of the room, while teddy bears of various sizes and types are littered on the carpet; Alice sat in the middle of it, like she was surrounded by a sea of bears.

“You’re not asking me to eat all three, are you?”

Alice glared at the bowls that I served her. Not only is this pajamas-clad girl picky and have a tiny appetite, every time I have to put in a lot of effort so that she finishes all the food. A small amount of different-flavored ramen were placed in the three bowls.

“Perhaps Min-san thought that I would spill one or two.”

“Why didn’t you spill them? You’re even so slow that you wouldn’t notice when a praying mantis stops on your nose too!”

Why am I scolded even for this…..?

I pulled out the moveable table that was like the ones in a hospital ward, placed the tray onto it and pushed it in front of Alice:

“Just choose a bowl that you like, I’ll eat the other two.”

The pajamas-clad girl looked so closely at the bowls that her face almost fell into them, observing each bowl in detail.

“I would like the ramen to be lighter.”

She looked at me with a pleading expression.

“I heard that all of them are new creations, so I don’t know how’s the taste.”

“Ngh—”

After wavering for a long time, she finally chose the bowl with a clearer soup. But after she took a sip, she couldn’t say anything.

“What is it?”

“…… so sour.”

Sour? The ramen is sour?

Ah! When I think about it, Min-san is indeed making odd ramen these days.

“Uuu…… I’ve been tricked by the color of the soup. I’m too careless, there’s actually such a trap in it.”

Alice’s eyes were full of tears, but she still placed one noodle after another into her mouth.

“These two seems to be more normal, do you want to change?”

I held my portion of the ramen while sitting in front of the bed. But Alice glared fiercely at me with her tearful eyes:

“How could I trust a person who can eat the bowl of noodles as if nothing had happened!? I chose this bowl myself, so if I listened to your advice and changed it, but still don’t like it, wouldn’t I be in a bigger predicament? How would you compensate for my reservations then?”

I originally wanted to rebuke her: It’s just a bowl of ramen, nothing special, but after seeing Alice sucking in the noodles while going ‘Uuu— Uuu—‘, I really felt that she’s quite pitiful, so I shut my mouth. I speedily finished the two bowls of ramen and walked to the small kitchen.

Opening the door of the fridge, I saw that the fridge was full of 350ml red cans of Dr. Pepper. I took out one of them and handed it to Alice. Recently, I’ve learnt the subtleties of opening the can first before handing it to her. Alice snatched the can from me with trembling hands and drank it to the finish.

“Uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu.”

Alice breathed out deeply, becoming relieved as if her brain had melted. She continued: “Narumi, get me another two cans .” and swung her empty can around. The eating habits of this pajamas clad girl are terrible, and she almost lived on Dr. Pepper. Being said that my sense of taste shouldn’t be tasted by a person who drank unhealthy drinks while eating ramen really is unpleasant.

“Humans can only live while supporting each other, I strongly feel I agree with this statement at this moment. Good thing you’re at my side.”

Alice said after finishing her ramen and her third can of Dr. Pepper, crawling into the mat while smiling at me. For such a sudden movement to happen, I was shocked and almost spilled the bowl with my elbow. Calm down. This fellow would always say these meaningful things once in a while, and besides I haven’t even been supported by Alice before. No…… Well, I can’t really say that, but how should I say it?

“That’s right, you said that you want to work at Hanamaru, so what brought you here today?”

Alice said, with her head sticking out of the mat.

“I can assure you that you’re a person that lacks any wish to work from the day you were born, so you don’t need to trouble Master just to prove this.”

“I don’t need these assurances.” It’s more like you’re deciding on my life randomly. “I really think that Min-san has too much work, and it’s more convenient for me to work here.”

“Convenient?”

“Then I could come here almost every day.”

Because of the case that Alice solved this winter, I’m now Alice’s assistant. Although Alice is a detective, she’s still a hikikomori who doesn’t go out or meet society, and I’ve never seen other clients having any requests for her. So the job of an assistant is usually to help to carry food and Dr. Pepper, and also to be bullied by Alice. Compared with this, it might be better if I find some other place to work at, and wouldn’t waste time so much.

“Hmph! I didn’t even know that you were that passionate about your work as an assistant.”

You’re the one who told me to come everyday!

“Anyhow, not many people are willing to work at the ramen shop with such meager wages at this time, so it’s a help to Master, at least. But as soon as Ayaka’s out of the hospital, you’ll get fired at once.”

My hands that were collecting the bowls stopped.

As I was unable to immediately respond to the name that Alice mentioned suddenly, I gazed at the soup in the bowl and turned my head away to look at the bed.

“What’s wrong? Aren’t you just planning to work there until Ayaka returns?”

“No…… Mnn, erm…… I’ve never thought about that before. Because……”

Ayaka.

She jumped down from the top of the school building at the start of this year, and is still lying on a bed in the hospital, in a coma. She’s my classmate, and also my only friend. It’s just that she wouldn’t talk right now, and couldn’t walk around.

Ayaka who’s like that…… would she still come back?

“The doctors said too that there’s still a chance, didn’t they? And weren’t you the first person to hear that?”

“It’s not wrong, but……”

I did some research myself too. If Ayaka’s current condition continued for three months and above, it would be called a continuous block of consciousness— people in a vegetative state. If the doctors deemed that there’s no chance of recovery, most hospitals would force their family to handle the necessary procedures for exiting the hospital. Although there were cases of recovery, most of them just recovered to the extent that they could use their facial expressions to convey their emotions, or use their mouth to eat food, that’s it.

If she could return to her normal life, THAT would be a miracle.

“You don’t believe that miracles can happen?”

“Alice, so you believe in them?”

“Of course. Miracles can happen once to anyone, it’s just that most people don’t notice it when it happens.”

I’m not sure who said that, but it’s a really stupid way of thinking. Telling me that miracles would never happen might make me feel better. If things go that way, doesn’t it mean that the miracle of Ayaka and I has already been used up during the time that we spent on the rooftop, and things couldn’t be turned back anymore?

“It doesn’t matter. Since it happened the first time, it would happen a second time. Believe it!” A woolen mat was on Alice’s shoulders, and she smiled while hugging her knees. “ Rainfall in the Sahara Desert, the Golden Gate in the United States and the Taj Mahal in India, test tube babies that are given birth after their parents pass away, Jimmy Hendrix and the Tower of Babel, all of them are miracles, miracles and miracles! So there would be one day when all of mankind would become friends with each other.”

I still can’t understand what’s with Alice’s habit of using allusions, but I still forced out a smile to answer her.

“Our meeting is one, the fact that you are willing to come here is another, and even the fact that you didn’t spill any of the bowls and safely brought the bowls up here is one— all of them are miracles.”

“…… Well, wasn’t that smooth.”

I stood up. That’s right, since I’ve passed the employment test, I should hurry up and get to where Min-san is! I can start work from today.

As I was about to walk out of the room with the three bowls and trays, Alice halted me:

“Master said in the phone just now……”

“What did she say?”

“She said, you must put the bowls on your head when you’re going back too.”

“I’ve never heard about that!”

<center>*</center>

Even so, saying that encountering other people is a miracle is quite a nice way of putting it. Especially to Alice, a hikikomori, while I’m about the same, as we would feel uncomfortable after speaking to a stranger for over twenty seconds.

The people who I've met in the past had some influence on me, more or less, and it’s because of this that I’ve not fallen to even lower depths right now. Though I didn’t become a decent person because of this, and I just lived groggily until my sixteenth year. In the wilderness that is filled with limitless possibilities, if I really lived up till now because of meeting other people, then these flags in my life are really precious— although I don’t really think that those are anything to be thankful for.

So the girl that I met right on the day when I started working after passing Hanamaru’s employment test, would probably be a miracle too?

The girl appeared at about three in the afternoon, when I was melting pieces of chocolates using the double boiling method in the kitchen. Min-san stood further inside, and was using an electric blender to blend egg white and make meringue. The true selling point of Hanamaru is actually the ice cream that is even tastier than the one made by a professional dessert chef. The sweet smell that fills the whole shop caused the whole shop to become unlike a ramen shop, and there was nobody on the seats anyway.

And it might be because of this reason, the girl that kicked open the door while saying “Sorry for bothering you!” stared for awhile after seeing the scene in the shop. She seriously stared at the steel pan that was filled with chocolate for two seconds, and then took two steps back to reconfirm the portiere in front of the shop.

She was a striking girl who had coffee-colored skin. She looked about one or two years younger than me, and her hair that reached her chest was casually tied into two braids. White words were printed on the blue shirt that she wore, it seemed like words used by a minority race; while very, very short Denim pants were on the lower part of her body. The girl’s legs were long and slim, if she said that she just swam past the Pacific Ocean to the Tokyo Bay, I might have really believed her. A coffee colored Boston bag was slung on her shoulder, and it felt somewhat uncoordinated on her.

[[Image:Kamisama no memochou vol02 025.png|thumb|''When our gazes met, the girl clapped her hands together , said ‘Sawasdee’ and nodded her head slightly.'']]
When our gazes met, the girl clapped her hands together , said ‘Sawasdee’ and nodded her head slightly. I subconsciously answered her with the same sentence. Eh…… Where is she from?

The girl reconfirmed the words on the portiere hanging on the door and asked:

“Erm, are these words supposed to be read as ‘Hanamaru’?”

Her pronunciation of Japanese was quite accurate. But the question suddenly made me feel somewhat guilty, and I could only hide the steel pan filled with chocolate beside the sink and answer:

“Well…… Probably?”

“Probably!?” the Boston bag on her shoulder almost fell down. "Sorry, I’m not really good at reading kanji.”

Huh? Is there even a kanji on there?”

“Oh? Then how should you read this?”

The girl pointed at a corner of the portiere and asked.

“…… That’s a drawing of Naruto.”

“So you read this as ‘Naruto’ huh? Japanese is really deep……”

“Not really……”

“That’s odd, or did I just mistake the place? I’ve heard that it’s a shop owned by an understanding, beautiful big sister.” The expression on the girl’s face seemed troubled, and she looked around repeatedly.

“Mnn, then it’s probably not this shop. Min-san is not understanding at a— OUCH! That hurts!”

Min-san who walked out of the kitchen vigorously knocked on the back of my head.

“What are you doing, why did you lie to her?”

Min-san pushed me, who was hugging the bump on my head, away and put on her apron:

“Welcome. It’s still business time right now, so please have a seat!”

“Ah, sorry, I’m not here for ramen.”

And then the unbelievable words came out from her mouth.

“I’ve heard that there’s a detective agency above the ramen shop.”

Min-san and I looked at each other.

That was the first client of the NEET Detective Agency that I came into contact with.

<center>*</center>

“It’s rare that we have a visitor. Narumi, give her a can of Dr. Pepper too.”

Although she never did offer me cans of Dr. Peppers (I don’t really want them, either) , Alice told me to give the girl a can. She kneeled on the mat, probably because she thought that it was courteous when dealing with visitors?

As she was about to step into the air conditioned office, the girl hesitated in front of the door because of the coldness of the room; while after she walked into the room and saw Alice’s appearance, she was so surprised that her jaw fell open, the Boston bag on her shoulder dropping onto the floor. What an easily read girl.

“…… You’re the detective?”

“I’m a NEET detective. I’m Alice, and my assistant standing there is Naru…… Uwaaa!”

The girl supported both of her hands on the bedside and stuck her face close to Alice. She observed Alice in detail in an extremely short distance, and seemed like she was sniffing the smell of Alice’s pajamas.

“Wh- What are you doing?”

“Can I hug you?”

“What nonsense are you talking about!?” Alice pushed the girl away with her whole face red and stepped back a few steps.

“Sorry, because I’ve never seen a detective like this, so……”

“So what? A client should behave like a client!”

“Can’t I? What about just a hug?”

“I’m not a doll!” Alice used the dolls nearby to build a wall and went back further to the direction of the bed.

“Really, Ayaka and Master are also like that, why do girls like to hug me so much? It’s so incomprehensible.”

No, I can understand why it’s like that. But I didn’t want to change the topic, so I didn’t speak.

“Hurry up and reveal your identity and the contents of your request. You aren’t here to play, are you?”

Alice said at the other side of the dolls while pouting.

“Ah, that’s right!” the girl shifted her elbows away from the side of the bed and said: “I’m Meo.”

When she was pronouncing her name, the tone of ‘Me’ was prolonged, while the end of the ‘o’ was closer to the tone of ‘u’, a pronunciation that isn’t present in Japanese. Next, she placed her hands on the two sides of her head and waved, just like the ears of an animal.

“Meo? Is that your name?” I couldn’t help but chip in.

“Yes, it means cat.”

“You’re from Thailand, right?” After Alice finished saying that, Meo’s eyes immediately widened:

“You know it? As expected from a detective.”

“It’s just Thai. What does that have to do with being a detective?”

“The way that Thai people gave names is so strange.”

Her name meant ‘cat’, is this a common thing in Thailand?

“Narumi, it’s called cheuulehn in Thai, and it means nickname. Most people in Thailand call people by their nicknames, because the names of some people are too long. Their culture doesn’t really care about names, and it’s said that hiding one’s true name could protect them from danger. As they didn’t want to be caught by the devil, they would intentionally give names of animals or arrange meaningless tones for a name.”

“So it can protect us from danger?” Meo said in surprise: “I didn’t even know that.”

…… Are you really a Thai?

“I came to Japan when I was about five, so I’m not too clear of things in Thailand.”

“Ah, so that’s why your Japanese is that good.”

“I learnt Japanese from my dad, and the big brothers who live in the same block as us. There are many ladies from Philippine and China there, but the big brothers there are mostly Japanese.”

“Mnn? You aren’t staying at the ‘Hello Palace’, are you?”

“Whoaaa, Miss Detective knows everything!”

Meo supported herself on the bedstead, her legs fidgeting non-stop.

“No, Hiro told me once before, he said that there’s a unique worker’s hostel there. What a small world this is.”

“Ah, I’ve heard of this detective agency from Hiro-san.”

Hearing Meo’s words, Alice and I looked at each other. So that’s how it is. Now we have some idea of what’s happening.

“A big sister from China live next to me, and Hiro lived there for a month or so too. It’s probably some time last summer? He taught me a lot of Japanese, and said that his job was difficult, and is called being a gigolo.”

“A gigolo is not an occupation!”

I unintentionally shouted out loud. Hiro is one of the NEETs who always hang out behind Hanamaru Ramen Shop, and is also a gigolo who always stays at women’s houses. What strange Japanese did he teach Meo?

“After that, Hiro was found by the security and was chased out. He told me when he left: If I have any problems, I could just ask for help at Hanamaru Ramen Shop.”

“So that’s how it is.” Alice sighed and shook her head: “Well, just ask Hiro to come over later, I have something to ask him. Anyhow, tell me about your problem first! That’s your reason for looking for me, right?”

After Alice finished speaking, Meo’s cheery expression suddenly clouded over.

“About noon, I received a phone call from dad.”

Meo sat in front of the bed and started to explain:

“He suddenly told me ‘Get the bag in the safe and look for a safe place to hide.’ I was really confused about the situation, but dad’s voice sounded really fierce, so I could only obediently listen to him……”

“This is the bag in the safe.” Meo pointed at the Boston bag at my foot and said.

“Mnn, it’s so heavy that it made me exhausted.”

“Did you try to contact your father?”

Meo’s expression clouded up even more:

“He told me not to contact his company, don’t go home temporarily, and then I couldn’t reach his phone anymore. Although he told me to hide, I didn’t really have any place to go to, so I remembered the detective agency that Hiro-san told me to go to.”

“What is your father’s name? What is his job?”

“His name is Kusakabe Masaya, he’s working at a company called Hello Corporation.”

Alice knotted her brows.

“I think Hiro mentioned this name before. He said that a yakuza man and his daughter lived next to him, probably those are you guys.”

“He’s not a yakuza anymore.”

…… not one anymore?

“I think he entered the gang when we were at Osaka, but he said that he got out of the gang already.”

A yakuza delinquent who exited his gang suddenly called his phone to hide, and to bring a big bag of luggage. This situation is unusual.

I looked at the Boston bag again— there wouldn’t be a bomb inside, would there?

“Have you seen what is inside?”

“No.”

“Then……” Alice lowered her voice, and shifted her foot from her bed to the floor. “If you don’t mind showing me, then please open the bag. But I need to tell you two, opening the bag is like pressing a switch, and you can’t turn back anymore.”

Meo and I looked at Alice at the same time. She still likes to suddenly say incomprehensible things that people don’t understand.

“…… A bomb wouldn’t be inside, would it?”

Meo and I asked at the same time. Alice’s lips curled upwards and shook her head:

“What do you think the thing that made the most people die in the world? It’s not a bomb or a poison, but information— the people who know must die. Even so, I still need to know what happened to your father before I could help you. If you are firm about this, then open it.”

It was as though I could hear the sound of Meo swallowing her saliva. The room was filled with an smell that was hard to describe— I really can’t differentiate the smell at that moment, was that the smell of danger? The smell of desire? Or is it what they call—

“Uu…….”

“Uwaa…….”

Meo and I made a shocked noise at the same time. There were countless Yukichi Fukuzawas staring at us from inside of the dark bag , and the bag was stuffed messily full of wads of cash. Although I knew that the atmosphere of money that was spread in the air was just an illusion, it was still the first time that I saw that much— probably about a hundred million in cash, so I couldn’t help but feel slightly drunk.

Meo’s mutterings broke the silence.

“…… Why is there so much money……”

“Is your family so wealthy that you have so much savings?”

“Our family is not rich!”

“Has this bag always been kept in the safe?”

After interrupting, I immediately realized that it was a stupid question. If the bag was always in the safe, how would Meo know about it? Meo closed her eyes, used her index finger to massage her temple, giving out a ‘Mnn—‘ sound and said after that:

“Sometimes, I would see dad bring the bag from his company….. Ah, I think it’s on each payday. I just felt: Wow, dad has so much wages! That’s so awesome.”

Who would have that much pay anyways!

“Alice, would this be the company’s money……”

“There is a possibility.”

A father who suddenly vanished told his daughter to hide with a hefty sum of cash, he’s probably hiding somewhere himself…… And this guy was once a yakuza too.

“That’s bad, should we call the police?”

I said lightly beside Alice’s year. Meo seemed to have heard my words, and walked slowly towards me while holding onto the bedstead.

“What do you mean? How’s my dad?”

“Nothing……” I couldn’t answer her for a moment, and stared at Alice.

“Your father might be involved in a crime.”

Hearing Alice’s words that were said in my stead, Meo’s expression suddenly froze.

“I think it’s better if we just tell the truth— your father might have cheated the company’s money, and ran away because his plan failed.”

“My dad would never do that!”

Meo forcefully pushed the dolls away and leapt onto the bed, grabbing Alice’s shoulders and shouting loudly.

“Please calm down, I’m just saying that there’s this possibility. Since your father told you not to get near your house or the company, that means that he doesn’t want anyone to know where you are, and there’s no news about him either—“

Meo seemed to ignore Alice’s words. She jumped down from the bed, grabbed the Boston bag and rushed to the entrance.

“Narumi!”

Not waiting for Alice’s words, I rushed over and caught hold of Meo’s shoulders. I, who was usually somewhat slow, could actually take action reflexively, I, myself was somewhat surprised too.

“Let go of me! Freak! Pervert! Old lecythus man! Machikane Fukukitaru! Nagoya chicken meat!”

Where on Earth did you learn these odd vocabularies? And you even pretended to be bad at Japanese ! Is it Hiro? Hiro must have taught them to her! And the ones she mentioned last aren’t even used to scold people! Ouch! Blast, don’t scratch me! Calm down! Stop fidgeting!

Although I was worried that the walls wouldn’t filter noise perfectly due to them being too thin, but I still caught hold of Meo and shouted in her ears:

“CALM DOWN! You don’t even know where your father is, so what can you do if you go out?”

“I’m going to look for him! My dad is not a thief!”

“What could you do even if—“

“Let go of me—“

Her shouts then (probably) changed to Thai, so I really couldn’t understand what she said. In addition, she was struggling frantically, and really stretched me to my limits as I wasn’t too strong.

“Meo, have you forgotten about what your father told you?”

Alice’s loud voice came from behind us. Hearing her words, Meo froze instantly.

“Didn’t he tell you to hide? I am sure that he’s in some sort of trouble right now, and might even put your life into danger. If you just rushed out, wouldn’t that be a waste of your father’s effort?”

“…… But!”

Meo twisted her body and escaped from my hand. I could tell that she was crying.

“It’s best if you just called the police, better than you rushing around like a deer in headlights.”

“…… Call the police?”

Meo’s face clouded over.

“Don’t call the police, dad told me not to call the police too. Those people always do mean things just because of the difference in skin color. The people in our building have permits too…..”

Meo’s tone suddenly became solemn, like she turned into another person.

“……. What happened?”

I tried to observe Meo’s expression, but she only shook her head violently:

“Because dad was once a yakuza, so that’s why he’s being suspected, that must be why.”

Suddenly hearing the cruel fact, I could only stay silent.

To people from south-east Asia, Japan is indeed not a country that they could live in comfortably. Take myself as an example, for instance, I’ve just heard that Meo’s father was once a yakuza, and I immediately thought that he would steal his company’s money. It’s somewhat ill-conceived, but—

Don’t call the police? Even telling her something like that, is there really something that couldn’t be spoken of?

“That’s why I have to look myself.”

“You don’t even know where he is—“

“Turn around and look over here. Shall I remind you who’s the person in front of you right now?”

Alice suddenly said.

Looking back, Alice had got off her bed and was standing at the entrance of her bedroom, with her back to the light that was emitted by the countless monitors behind her.

Being interrupted while speaking, I heaved a small sigh, then left Meo leaning beside the table of the small kitchen. I couldn’t say anything to Alice who had gotten off her bed.

“Miss Detective……”

“I’m not just an ordinary detective, but a NEET detective. Even if I stay huddled up in my bed, I can search through the whole world and find out about the real truth.”

Meo kneeled on the floor, tearfully staring at Alice for awhile. Nobody spoke. Although I wanted to say something, I couldn’t think of anything to say. Between a client an a detective, there’s no room for a mere assistant to interfere— Alice was not looking at me, but her expression said just that.

“Can you find my dad?”

Meo’s voice sounded like she was choking.

“Is that your request?”

Alice’s tone of speaking was still as cool as a cucumber.

“If a NEET detectives accepts a case, he would search for the truth after going through three thousand worlds to look for an answer. If there’s no request, I’m only one of the countless windows that couldn’t speak.”

Meo wiped away the tears in the corner of her eyes with the back of her hand.

“I’m giving you a request—“ She said clearly: “Please save my father.”

A relieved expression was shown on Alice’s face, and I think I know why she felt like that. The hikikomori detective could only come in contact with the outside world through cases. If there’s no official request, she could only save the information alone on her bed. Alice’s loneliness, and her fear of being unable to help out with anything although the world continues to change, I have heard of all of these during the incident last winter.

But—

I really couldn’t stand aside without saying a thing.

“Are you really planning to solve this on your own without telling the police?”

Meo and Alice looked at me at the same time, but the first to answer was Alice:

“A detective must act according to his client’s wishes.”

While Meo just shook her head vigorously . I sighed again and scratche my head.

“So what if there’s really a crime…….”

“Dad is not a bad person.”

Stop that, I get it already! But he could be involved in a crime even if he’s not a bad guy! I just hope that Alice would not face something dangerous.

But Alice said coolly:

“I’ve already decided to accept the case, so there’s no room for you to interfere.”

A dizzy spell came upon me. This guy is serious, and doesn’t even care that other people are worried about her.

“Think properly, why are you actually staying here?”

“……. Isn’t it to serve food and Dr. Pepper for you?”

“If you really think that way, then you should hurry up and leave in my disdain.”

That’s what you said before! I wanted to say that but restrained myself. I sank into a temporary contemplation: No matter what, a detective’s assistant exists just to aid a detective, and not to worry about the detective. Even so……

That made me think about the incident that occurred last winter. At that time, I was to absorbed in my own thoughts and didn’t notice, actually Alice and the others aren’t just relying on the power of the police and were still doing dangerous jobs. Probably Alice, Tetsu-senpai and the others are already used to these dangerous things?

Ah— so that’s why.

I’m not really worried of Alice. I’m just worried that I can’t follow their footsteps. To be exact— I couldn’t follow them at all. It’s because I don’t have knowledge, contacts or even talents.

Actually all of this doesn’t mean anything, it’s just that I’m cowardly.

“…… Sorry.”

Meo looked upwards beside me with an uneasy expression while Alice looked coldly at me while sitting on the bed. Paranoia started to form in my heart, and it felt like they were trying to tell me, a pawn, to shut up. I could only hide behind the fridge, showing only half of my body.

“The- then…….” I felt that aggrieved when I started to say: “If we’re accepting the request, I have a condition.”

“Why are you giving a condition?”

“No, it’s because……” Alice’s gaze was like the freezing wind on February, tearing people to shreds. “Since Meo’s father wanted her to hide, what should she do after this?”

Meo shook her head non-shop: “I never thought about it.” You should think about it first!

“It’ll be troublesome if she rushed out like just now, so if we can’t ensure Meo’s safety, we can’t accept the request.”

Meo looked at me doubtfully, her eyes fluttering. Searching for an ex-yakuza would probably be hard, but if it’s just looking for a safe place for a girl, I should be able to help with that. I looked guiltily at Alice’s expression.

“Are you imagining despicably that you could just use Meo’s safety as a shield on times of need, and then we can just give up on searching for Kusakabe Masaya?”

“Of course not!”

Well, maybe a bit…… Why is this fellow always so sharp?

“Forget about it, you’re not wrong. Meo, so it’s settled.”

“…… How is it settled?”

“You just say that you wish to be protected, or I’ll hand you to the police.”

“Wh- Why does this feel like a threat?”

“I’m not threatening you, this is a necessary precaution to look for your father. So now you have three choices. First, you can just go back. Second, call the police. Third, hand it to us.”

Meo stayed silent while hugging her Boston bag for a moment, then kneeled down and said:

“Please take care of useless ol’ me in the future!”

…… Where did she learn THAT? Really, who taught her these things? Was it Hiro? It’s Hiro, isn’t it?

“So— Narumi, you’ve started this, so hurry up and complete your mission?”

“Huh?”

“Didn’t you say that we should hide Meo? There should be some empty rooms at Master’s place, so you go ask her!”

“Ask Min-san?”

Min-san lives at the ground floor of an apartment just behind her ramen shop. Since her father disappeared, she had some rooms empty. If we want to hide Meo, it would be suitable there. But…… Must I be the one to ask her?

<center>*</center>

“Why didn’t you just call the police?”

Min-san didn’t even look at me when she answered, but just continued to cut the celery in her hands. I didn’t know what to answer her all of a sudden, and Meo stuck her head from the kitchen back door, an uneasy expression on her face. I turned around and looked at her, then stared at Min-san again.

“Well…… There are a lot of reasons.”

“What reasons?”

“Ngh……”

I told Min-san about the disappearance of Min-san’s father and him telling Meo to run away, but how could I tell her about the next part?

“You’re expecting me to give her shelter without giving me a reason?”

When I think about it, it does seem like I’m asking for a mile when I just took an inch.

“Forget it, my dad’s room is still collecting dust anyways, just sleep there for now.”

…… Huh? She agreed just like that?

“Erm…… I might give you some trouble.”

Meo’s voice that was full of uneasiness came from my back. Min-san turned her head over only when she heard Meo’s voice, and she said:

“Don’t you mind, if there’s any problem I’ll beat up Narumi first. The room’s a bit dirty, but you can use it as you like, as it’s empty from the start anyways.”

“She said that……” I turned my head over to look at Meo. Her face that had the color of coffee ole was immediately lit up with a smile.

“Thank you, Min-san.”

“But you’ll only get ramen for your meals. Narumi, get a blanket for her from the storeroom in my room.”

“Ah, alright.”

Thus, I brought Meo from the back of the kitchen to Min-san’s house. Min-san ordered me quite naturally, and I didn’t think much about it— but is it really okay for me to go in and out of a girl’s room like this?

Min-san’s father abandoned his daughter and the ramen shop and went missing until now, so his room is now being used as a storeroom, and it was stuffed full of bookracks and cardboard boxes that were once used to fill foodstuff. I randomly stacked together the cardboard boxes that were used to fill dried fish for soup, and finally managed to clear up some space so place the mattress. Meo stood in front of the door with her Boston bag slung on her back, curiously looking around the room and said:

“Is it really okay? It seems like someone is using the room.”

“But you have nowhere else to go, right? And you can’t go home too……”

Meo’s expression turned gloomy, and I hurriedly continued:

“I’ll go check out your home later. And Alice knows a lot of busybody oddballs, so don’t worry!”

As I was about to leave Meo there and walk out of the room, She grabbed the sleeve of my shirt.

“…… Hmm? What is it?”

“Everyone is so kind, Min-san, Miss Detective and also Mr. Assistant……”

Kind? Me?

“I’m really sorry for just now, making trouble all of a sudden. So you were just worried of me…… Thank you.”

I couldn’t say a word for a moment. Actually I wasn’t worried about Meo, so her direct gratitude made me feel somewhat flustered, not knowing what to say.

“I’m just feeling somewhat jealous. Hiro-san kept showing off to me, saying that he’s a homeless gigolo, but he has Hanamaru. Because there’s a beautiful and gentle Mother here, although she only knows how to cook ramen for him.”

I really don’t want a scary mother like Min-san…… the thought suddenly surfaced in my mind.

“Then what is your mother doing right now, Meo?”

Though it seems to be too late for this question, nobody asked this before anyways. Meo’s expression suddenly froze. She lowered her head while sitting on the Boston bag on the floor, then raised her head to look at me.

“…… Mother…… she died due to an illness not long after she came to Japan.”

I gasped. The strange thing is, the girl beside my foot smiled. Her smile was like fog on a summer morning, hiding a faint sorrow.

“It doesn’t matter, I’m still living with the big sisters in the same building.”

People look lonelier when they smile, that was what I learnt from the winter this year.

Though we might be able to find Kusakabe Masaya after calling the police, Meo might have to be all alone after this— I’ve only understood the fact at this moment.

But then, what should we do? I have no idea. If we really could locate Kusakabe Masaya, if he really did take part in a crime, what should Alice do?

As for me— what should I do?

“What’s wrong, Mr. Assistant?” Meo looked up from below at me, who had shut my mouth and was not speaking. As I couldn’t meet Meo’s eyes, I turned my head to the other side and said:

“Nothing. Sorry for asking these strange questions.”

<center>*</center>

Not long after that, Hiro appeared at the ramen shop on about five in the evening.

“I’ve heard that Me-chan is here?”

The person who ran into the shop was a tall, nineteen year old man, and he wore a beige denim jacket and a pair of white silk khaki pants. I’ve never seen anyone more suited for wearing white clothes, including male artists. His appearance was like a model or a hustler, but he’s actually just a NEET, and also a gigolo.

“Ah, Hiro-san!”

Meo, who was eating ice cream in the kitchen, poked her head out.

“So you’ve finished work?”

“Being a gigolo is a job that requires creativity, so our working time is more flexible.”

“Hiro, get over here. I want to make you unable to embarrass the Japanese anymore!”

Min-san glared at Hiro while holding a kitchen knife, scaring him so much that he rushed out of the shop and hid in the alley behind the ramen shop. The back door of the Hanamaru Ramen Shop kitchen was located between two buildings. There, it was stacked full of worn out tires, large flipped over steel buckets, plastic buckets and wooden stands that were used as tables. It’s the best place for the NEETs to gather.

Although it’s the time when I should prepare for opening time of the shop, since there’s nothing much to do, I walked out of the kitchen backdoor to look for Hiro; Meo followed me outside too , for some reason.

“Alice told me about the situation on the phone……” Hiro said while sitting on the plastic bucket. “But I’m still not sure about some parts of it.”

I nodded.

“How much money is in the bag?”

Hiro looked at Meo who sat beside him.

“Hmm, I don’t know. I didn’t count……”

“Seeing as there’s so much, I’d wager that there would be about a few hundred million yen.” I answered for Meo.

“Is Me-chan that rich?”

Meo shook her head frantically.

“That’s true! The company isn't big, and you even live in the same area as the people who left home to look for a living.”

“I think it’s the money of their company?”

“Money of their company? Then how could he get out so much? And it’s cash, to boot!”

“This…… that is…… that……” I really don’t know how to answer. “Alice seemed to have found out something just now, that Meo’s father is one of the Directors of the company. If that’s true, then isn’t there a possibility?”

“…… Even if we say that he pocketed the company’s money, does the company even earn that much anyways? I remember that the financial status of the company isn’t really that good.”

“What does ‘pocketed’ mean?”

Meo’s expression was truly innocent, and caused Hiro and I to be unable to answer her for a moment. I could only choose a more suitable way of answering:

“Erm…… That means using his position to take away the company’s money.”

“You’re saying that again, Mr. Assistant! My dad would never do that!”

Meo kept hitting my arm with her face red. Hiro tried to be the peacemaker at this moment, and forcefully caught hold of Meo’s shoulders.

“Are you really sure that he wouldn’t do that?” he asked in a solemn tone.

“Absolutely.”

“Do you trust him that much?”

Medo nodded so vigorously that her neck almost snapped into half.

“Mnn, I get it.” Hiro’s voice regained its gentleness. “Trusting people is Me-chan’s job, doubting people would be our job. There are many things that we can’t be sure of if we don’t doubt it, so just let us handle this nasty job!”

Hiro met Meo’s gaze for awhile, and then showed her a gentle smile.

Meo hesitated for awhile, then nodded.

This guy is really good— I suddenly felt that. To be frank, I wasn’t too sure about Hiro’s statement at that moment, but he always had a way to make people calm down. He probably always uses this talent on indecent things, right? He’s a public enemy for women.

“No matter what, we must still check out the condition of the company and Meo’s family.”

“Hiro probably knows the location of the building, right? And know the people there.”

“Ah— me? The security there already remembered my face, and I’ve already deleted the phone number of my ex-girlfriend.”

When I think about it, he had been chased out by the security. Then what should we do now?

Hiro stared at me silently.

Meo stared at me without saying a word too.

This is……

“Should…… I go?”

“There’s no choice, there’s nobody else.”

“I don’t mind going, but I’m currently at work.”

“What? At work?”

Hiro’s reaction was really too exaggerated, and really hurts my fragile heart. I tapped the words ‘Hanamaru’ printed on the black apron.

“Mnn, Narumi, you’re working here? Really? Why? Becoming a NEET isn’t an illness, so don’t mind it, you don’t need to force yourself to get therapy.”

I’m telling you I’m not a NEET!

“And you don’t even look like you’re working right now.”

Being said that, it made me speechless, because the truth is as Hiro have said.

“So what are Tetsu-senpai and Major doing right now?” I frantically changed the topic.

“I’ve just called Tetsu, he’s at the Tokyo Racetrack.”

Ah, to today is racing day. Since it’s the spring holidays right now, I even forgot what day it is today.

“He said that he lost the money used for taking the train on his last match, so he’s walking back. Really, he could just go bet at WINS, why does he need to specially run to that place that haven’t even started racing?”

The hopeless gambler…… Wouldn’t it take at least four hours for him to walk from there to here?

“I couldn’t find Major too, perhaps he’s playing a survival game?”

“Can’t I go after I finished work?”

“She works at night, so she’ll be out if you don’t go now.” Hiro said. I sighed. It’s like there’s a pair of invisible hands controlling me, not letting me work. I know, I know! I’ll go right now.

I walked back into the kitchen and asked lightly to Min-san who was concentrating on scooping out the dregs in the steaming pot.

“Erm……”

“You’re skipping work the first day at work? You really have some guts!”

Min-san said without even looking at me. Probably she heard our conversation just now.

“So- sorry, just pretend I didn—“

“There’s no difference, since we’re so free right now. But you’re fired if you’re not back by seven!”

Hiro lent me a jacket and a pair of cool glasses before I set off. Perhaps those have been given to him by his ex-girlfriend at that building?

As I was about to bring my bike from the alley to the main road, I faintly heard the conversation between Min-san and Meo from the shop”

“Meo, would you like to work in my shop?”

“Eh, that won’t do, I’m working at a Thai restaurant right now…… Ah, but I’m on leave these days, so I might be fired…….”

“Just tell me if you change your mind, I’ll fire Narumi instantly.”

That’s just too much…… She’s so cruel. While suppressing my sorrowful feeling, I pedaled towards the road that was dyed red by the setting sun.

<center>*</center>

Pedaling from the southern exit of the station towards the slope, I turned right after passing through the post office. I got lost between a middle school and an embassy, and went back and forth on the same road for quite a few times, then I realized that the four storey building that was about as big as the school building further to my left was a collection of residential rooms, which is also my destination – Hello Palace. I stopped at the roadside, staring blankly on my bike with my jaw open. I’ve heard that the people who live here are mostly women foreigners from south-east Asia, and thought that it’s just a broken down apartment with seven or eight people squeezed in a six tatami room. I actually had that kind of prejudice, how impolite of me.

So that I wouldn’t be noticed, I parked my bike at a corner of a building that couldn’t be seen from the guardroom.

When I stopped my bike, the large amount of cash that Meo brought suddenly surfaced in my mind. It’s too unusual, what if it really involved a crime? The police haven’t came to Meo’s house yet, have they? If so, I’ll just act dumb.

I took out the pair of glasses that was used for ornamental purposes and put it on.

The guards’ restroom was beside the entrance of the building, and there was nobody in there. But for some reason I naturally started to walk on tiptoe, so what’s the difference between me and a person who sneaks into other people’s houses? I could only console myself that I’m not doing anything, and walked to the forth room of the third floor. The words ‘Kusakabe’ were written on the signboard. Not even a person could be seen there, and that made me a bit more relieved. I pressed the doorbell, waited for about three minutes but there wasn’t any answer; so I turned the handle and found that the door was locked.

Actually, Meo handed me the keys to her house, but I really don’t feel like going in. If I was spotted, I really couldn’t explain why I have the key.

It couldn’t be helped, I could only press the doorbell of the room next to it, the house of the person that Hiro once lived in. After about twenty seconds, the door opened a crack, and a young woman was standing behind it.

“Hi……”

She sounded rather sleepy. The lady wore a baggy T-shirt printed full of simplified characters and a pair of shorts, her long hair tied up messily with a rubber band. Although she didn’t have any make up on, I could see that she was a Chinese beauty with a great figure.

“……. Who are you?”

“Ah, so- sorry!” Was she sleeping just now? “Do you know Kuwabara Hiroaki-san?

When I mentioned Hiro’s name, the woman’s eyes finally focused.

“Hiro? Eh? …… Ah, that jacket……”

“Erm…… Meo is at my place.”

The woman’s brows suddenly twitched, then speedily shut the door before I even finished speaking. After that, the sound of her removing the chains on the door came, and then this time, the door was opened wide.

“Ah— Mnn— I’ve heard about it, wait for awhile, I’ll get it here.”

Eh? Wa- Wait a sec, what’s with this situation?

When I was supporting the door, the woman walked into the room and took out a coffee colored paper bag.

“You can it this directly, but it’s even better after you heat it.”

With my brain in a muddle, the paper bag was stuffed roughly into my hands.

“Eh, ah, erm……”

I’m still not sure what was happening, but the girl hugged me all of a sudden. I immediately felt that she wasn’t wearing lingerie, causing me to freeze. At this moment, she said quietly in my ears:

“I can’t talk to you here, so just pretend you’re just here to get the bag, go home for now!”

I immediately came to my senses. The girl then let go of me, and said to me with a tone like a salesman: “Say hi to everyone for me!” then pushed me out and closed the door.

I was left alone in the corridor with the weight of the paper bag in my hands.

Can’t talk to me here?

Does that lady know of Meo’s current situation? But what did she mean by can’t talk to me here? Did she mean that there’s someone in her room, and it’s bad for our conversation to be overheard?

I couldn’t make head or tails of the matter from the start, but I still followed what she said, took the bag and left ‘Hello Palace’ obediently.

After walking out of the entrance, I immediately tore open the bag. There was a small bun in the bag, while a business card was placed on it— ‘Exotic Pub, Shanghai Love’. The logo on the card was a shining pink, while the name on it was a name written in romaji: Rin. There was also a sentence written below the name in an untidy scrawl—

Wait for me behind the shop at 4.00 am.

It was written on the card that the pub’s business time was until three thirty at night, so does that mean she’s asking me to wait until she finished work? But why did she use so much effort to act out that play just now?

I placed the business card into my pocket, walked to my bike parked at the side of the road and suddenly felt a chill on my back.

I really shouldn’t stop, and I should just ride my bike and leave ASAP; but I stopped walking because of that feeling. I saw two silhouettes from the corner of my eyes, and they were walking towards me from the direction of Hello Palace.

One of the men was wearing a grubby leather jacket, while the other wore a purple flowery shirt that had zero fashion sense, with curly hair on top of his head. I pretended not to notice and sped up. When I reached the shadow of the building, I felt the chill on my back again.

“Oi, you over there!”

One of the men shouted. Just like that, my intuition told me that these two are definitely not people to mess with. This is bad, I should really escape double quick. Just as I was about to ride away on my bike, the footsteps behind me quickened. I raised my head, only to see that the two men were horribly close to me.

“Kid, don’t move!”

Almost reflexively, I raised my hands and threw the bag that I was holding to them, then hurriedly pushed my bike down the slope and jumped onto my bike. I don’t know what happened with the bag, but I could hear the furious roars of the men coming from behind. I was afraid that they would quickly chase me down and grab my collar, so I accelerated the rate of my pedaling, rushing down the slope without even pedaling and sharply turned right as soon as I reached the road. A car flew by my side, leaving behind only the loud sound of the horn.

I steered clear of the main road and circled around the alleys that I didn’t really know that well, and I only stopped and looked around after I reached the four line lane(?) .Of course, the two people are already gone. I gasped for breath, trying to slow down my breathing and my heartbeat, and I felt bouts of pain coming from my lungs.

Who are those two anyways?

The reason that I wanted to run away was not only because the men’s actions gave me a bad premonition, the attitude of the Chinese onee-san caused me to be suspicious as well.

I took out my phone.

“…… ah, it’s me.”

‘How was it? Did you see Yi Ling?’ Hiro asked.

“Erm….. Ah, yes, I did see her.”

So that’s why— her name is Yi Ling, that’s why her nickname is Rin. While thinking of these meaningless things, I adjusted my breathing rate and answered:

“Meo’s house is under surveillance.”

Hiro, who was at the other side of the phone stayed silent.

“They might be yakuza. Hiro, you should really tell Meo not to go out.”

‘Got it. Things are really not that simple, we might need to ask for Yondaime’s help……’

I told Hiro that I’m going back right now, and hung up.

We might need to ask for Yondaime’s help. Although there’s this possibility, I really don’t wish for things to turn out like that. When the shonen yakuza leader of the juvenile delinquents start to take action, it would be hard to prevent bloodshed from occurring.

But my premonitions are the most accurate in these bad situations, and of course it’s the same this time, too.

<center>*</center>

The Hotel Street at four in the morning felt like an insomniac patient who couldn’t sleep, its eyes swollen and bloodshot. Walking along the curved road on the slope, pillars of streetlights were towering over two sides of the road, illuminating the signboards with fee and service content written on it; the side view of a hotel that looked rather blurred due to the blue and pink rays of light shining on it was visible further up the slope.

Walking alone in this place at night, it felt like I would get crushed by the psychological pressure soon, so I forced myself to focus on the fees written on each hotel. I’m not sure if it’s because of the strong competition, there’s a lot of mystifying side services. It looks like not only each hotel provided a microwave, Dreamcast was written on some of the signboards! What type of couples are they trying to attract, anyways?

I came here once before during that incident, but I don’t really have much of an impression of it anymore. There really aren’t much people at these places at this time, so it was extremely quiet.

Climbing onto the slope after walking out of the Hotel Street, I walked to an inconspicuous pub on the road. This place is away from the dazzling grandeur preferred by the young people, a street that exists for the sake of ojisans (probably).

According to Hiro, due to the special revision of the industrial law, the pubs on the streets have decreased, and have now almost disappeared or have changed to providing various services for the hostels nearby..

The pub that’s like an endangered species, ‘Exotic Pub, Shanghai Love’, was just at the corner of the street. Having electric lights that are modeled on oil lamps and an arc-shaped door, it feels just like a pub that any grown man could go. The pink neon lights weren’t too flashy , and it didn’t feel like it’s a suspicious shop. Is this really an indecent place? But the signboard says that it’s a pub.

I looked at the time on my phone, the date had advanced a day, becoming the first of April. It’s now three forty five in the morning, that’s early.

A middle-aged man passed by my side, accompanied by a woman wearing a low-cut shirt, and it looks like she’s occupational. Seeing the two walk to Hotel Street at the same time, I squeezed into the cramped alley beside the shop and hid.

Just at that moment, I remembered the scene when I returned to Hanamaru in the evening. I showed the card given to me by the Chinese onee-san— Yi Ling san, to Hiro and told him about what occurred. Hiro showed me an awkward expression and said: “I think it’s better if I go. You probably won’t be able to go out that late, right?” Maybe his experience of breaking up with Yi Ling-san wasn’t too good?

Although I was worried that they would feel awkward if they met, but the main reason that I went was that I wanted to go. If I need to trouble Hiro for such a simple matter, then I’m truly useless.

To be honest, sitting on the separator of the charged parking lot, I was somewhat regretting my decision to accept this request. What if I were caught by the police and to accept counseling? They’d probably inform the school, right? And I ran out without even telling my sister, what am I doing……

“Waited for a long time?”

Suddenly hearing the voice of a woman, it startled me so much that I nearly fell down. I raised my head to have a look, and I saw Yi Ling-san wearing an extremely short mini skirt that would be almost invisible in the morning streets and a light beige jacket. She bent down slightly and looked at my face:

“Sorry, are you okay? It’s so late right now. I originally thought that Hiro would come.”

“Hiro’s because…… erm……”

“I know, he didn’t want to come, right? Can you help me beat him up for me next time?”

Yi Ling-san said while smiling.

“It’s not that convenient talking out here, I think it’s better if we go to a restaurant.”

She dragged my hand and started to go forward. All of her actions were overly natural. Though I still felt uneasy, I could only follow her obediently.

Then I slowly realized something— the way that Yi Ling-san was walking was somewhat unnatural. You won’t notice if you don’t look closely, but her back was a bit bent when she walked, and the steps that she took didn’t match.

“Erm…… Are you sick? Or do you have a stomachache?”

“Eh? You can see that?” a wry smile was shown on her face. “Well, since I’m still the bread and butter of the shop, only my face wasn’t beaten up.”

“Huh……?”

“I’ve heard that you ran away, didn’t you? That wasn’t good— I even pretended that I knew you very well too, in the end I had to put in a lot of effort to explain, but they didn’t even believe me.”

“Er…… Were they the ones with the leather coat and the curly hair?”

“Correct. Those two are the racketeers of our shop, and they’re monitoring the building to see if Meo comes back.”

Racketeers?

“They’re yakuzas who collect protection rackets. I really don’t know what they would do, so remember to tell Meo, don’t come back here for the moment.”

They’re indeed yakuza. But why are yakuzas looking for Meo? When I wanted to continue asking, a voice suddenly came from my back:

“Sorry for the wait.”

“Who is this child?”

When I turned my head around, I saw two women who were dressed similarly to Yi Ling-san going past the buildings, and were walking to us.

In the restaurant during late night, at a the innermost table of the smoking area that didn’t have any other customers there, I was surrounded by three onee-sans who work at a pub, and I sat among them with my body curled up. Yi Ling-san asked while eating a large bowl of tekkadon: “So who are you, actually?”

There were also a hamburger set meal, clam spaghetti, tomato soup, French fries and a whole lot more food on the table, causing me to be rather shocked because of their astoundingly big appetite. The three of them were rather slim, how could they eat that much food?

“What’s your relationship with Meo? Are you Hiro’s friend?”

Hua-san, who seems to have came from Taiwan, asked in a rapid fire tone.

“Middle schooler? High school?” the onee-san who seems to have came from Philippine interrupted, asking more questions.

“Ah, I’m a high schooler.” Do I even look like a middle schooler? Though I HAD been misunderstood sometimes. “Erm…… It’s hard to say…… Have you heard of the detective agency in the same building as the ramen shop?”

“Oh—“ Yi Ling-san nodded and said: “I’ve heard of it, I think the detective’s a girl, right? What’s she like?”

“What’s she like, huh……”

Actually I don’t really know Alice that well, and I don’t even know what age is she.

“She’s a small, delicate girl who’s about twelve or thirteen, wears pajamas and is cooped up in her room every day. Though she’s quite malicious, her skill of using the computer should be quite good.”

“Really, she’s that young!? How does she count as a detective then, it’s so mystifying.”

With an annoyed expression on her face, Yi Ling-san stayed silent for quite some time. Then, she relit her cigarette, breathed in deeply and then puffed out a large amount of smoke.

“She’s really that young? Isn’t she a detective?”

“Mnn, being a detective should be a self-proclaimed.”

It should be normal when people have this reaction when they learn about Alice, right? The thought suddenly flashed through my mind. But aren’t they being a bit too surprised?

“So that’s how it is, I actually lost to that…… Uwaa, so Hiro is a lolicon! That’s so hurtful……”

She muttered while looking at the ceiling, while the contents of her mutterings really couldn’t be ignored. What does she mean? Does Hiro…… No, how is that possible?

“Yi Ling, you should just forget about that gigolo.”

Hua-san patted Yi Ling-san’s head, meant as a consolation but was pushed away by Yi Ling-san, and then she continued to ask:

“So Hiro is still helping that detective. Does that mean that Meo is there as well?”

“Ah….. yes.”

This afternoon— no, it’s on yesterday— I explained shortly how Meo went to the NEET Detective Agency, and while thinking about it, I really feel that it was really a long day.

“Is the place where Meo is staying at safe?” Jennifer said.

“Mnn— It’s probably quite safe.” If Min-san agrees to help , she is quite reliable.

“Meo is just like our daughter……” Jennifer continued: “I originally hoped to marry someone like Kusakabe-san, and then give birth to a child like Meo.”

“Didn’t your husband get addicted to drugs? He’s quite a match for you!” Hua-san said sarcastically at a side.

“I’ve told him to stop, and Kusakabe-san helped me to beat him up already.”

“But he haven’t found a job, have he?” Yi Ling-san frowned.

“Just tell him to get lost after getting the permanent resident visa!”

The conversation started to stray towards a direction that I couldn’t comprehend, and was mixed with bits of English, Chinese and Filipino. While feeling pressured, I drank my iced coffee with a straw.

“Meo doesn’t know what happened to Kusakabe-san, too?” Yi Ling-san steered the topic back to the main point.

“Nope.” I shook my head, and explained about the phone call from Meo’s father.

“I wonder what Kusakabe-san did……”

“Maybe he got into trouble with Tabara-gumi? But didn’t he leave the gang from Osaka already?”

“Those guys came to the shop just now. Our shopkeeper is an old friend of Kusakabe-san’s from Kansai, so he kept being badgered, and was asked if he’s keeping something for Kusakabe-san. Of course, he didn’t say anything. Hmph!”

The money is indeed the company’s— no, perhaps it belongs to yakuza?

I decided not to tell them about the bomb-like amount of money in Meo’s hands. People who know must die— I thought about what Alice said while interrupting them:

“Erm……”

I felt that my palm was sweating, but I must get this thing clear.

“Is the Hello Corporation…… How should I say this, a criminal company? Or yakuza?”

“Impossible!” The three instantly denied it.

“Then who in the world is looking for Meo?”

“I said that it’s the racketeers from Tabara-gumi. It’ll be troublesome if people make trouble in our business, so we hire yakuza racketeers. But those people are too avaricious, recently quite a lot of shops stopped working with them, but our shop…… It can’t be helped, there’s too many foreigners.”

This made me even more muddled up about Hello Corporation. They have connections with yakuza, opened a pub, and even rented some nice accommodations for their female foreign workers.

“Although I’m not that clear about it……” Yi Ling-san continued: “But those who are in our profession, more or less would have some connections with that side of the people. Hello Corporation. Hello Corporation provides labor services, and they even provide Japanese classes for us.”

“The pay is quite good too.”

“But we owe people quite a lot of money at first. Even if we send the money home, half of it would probably be taken away.”

“This is just an act of extorting money out of us.”

“There’s no choice, because it’s because of the help given by the guild that we can stay in Japan.”

“Guild?” I asked. Topics that I don’t understand crop up one after another, and I almost couldn’t follow it anymore.

“Hello Corporation is a cooperative guild that is formed from teams of women who work here, Kusakabe-san is the guild master, so he lives with us. Besides making it easier for us to get visas, the guild would also introduce marriage partners and so on.”

I noticed something odd from Yi Ling-san’s explanation…… Wait a sec!

“Isn’t this what they call a fake marriage……?”

Jeniffer and Hua-san laughed out loud at the same time and said:

“Well, we live together as well. If we don’t live in harmony, we can’t pass the visa check.”

“But how would this work out in the future? If Kusakabe-san is caught……”

“If a delinquent replaces him, I might not continue to work anymore. If it weren’t for Kusakabe-san, I really couldn’t deal with all this a long time ago……”

“Yi Ling, you’re still single anyways, so it doesn’t matter……”

The three ignored my presence and started to talk about solemn matters. I listened to their conversation from far away, and started to stir the ice cubes in my glass while relaxing somewhat. Not only was I unable to find out anything about Meo’s father, the outrageous topics that followed made me even more muddled up.

The incident that happened last winter was even simpler than this. Strictly speaking, it’s just that some people reaped the evil fruit that they sowed. But it’s different this time.

Can Alice handle this?

The horizon of the night sky was somewhat blue when we walked out of the restaurant. It was already near dawn. There weren’t anyone besides us on the sidewalk, but even at this time, the cars and truck were still busy on the road.

“That’s right, I forgot to ask what’s your name.” Yi Ling-san said.

“Ah, I’m Fujishima. Fujishima Narumi.”

“How do you write that?”

Yi Ling-san took out her phone, so I typed out my name on it.

“Oh— so it’s Ming Hai.”

Hearing someone reading out my name in Chinese— I feel that I’ve read something like that in a manga somewhere.

And so, Yi Ling-san and the others exchanged phone numbers with me while standing in the streets.

“Ming Hai, so you’re helping by the detective’s side too?”

“It seems that I’m her assistant.”

I, myself, feel embarrassed when I say that.

“Really? Then if you find Kusakabe-san, please save him. He should know yakuzas better than us, so it’s improbable for him to make trouble himself. He probably did what he did because of some pressing matters.”

Is that really so? If he knows of a way to stealthily take the company’s money but would not get noticed, the people who can do that would probably still do that— I thought while nodding.

“Really, why didn’t Kusakabe-san escape back to Thailand with Meo.”

Jeniffer muttered to herself.

“Yeah, although we’ll be troubled if he isn’t here, but looking at the situation right now, we can’t bail at all……”

“Narumi, tell Kusakabe-san if you see him……”

Hua-san held my hand and said:

“He’s working too hard at Hello Corporation, tell him to escape to somewhere else!”

“Really….. huh?”

“It’s best if he takes the ashes of his wife back to Thailand too……”

It was like cold water was splashed all over me. I looked at Yi Ling-san’s face.

Meo’s mother died in a foreign country.

“I’ll leave Meo to you.”

The three said so, gave me a hug each and then left.

After Yi Ling-san and the others left, I sat on the fence alone and stared blankly at the morning sky. I just felt that the sleepiness locked in my chest couldn’t be released, and couldn’t creep into my brain. Looking downwards, I could only see the slope that descended in a straight line from the southern exit of the station, and the city lights that were threatening the night sky along the slope.

The matter is utterly out of my comprehension, and it gave me a bad premonition. What should we do? Never would I have thought that both our client and the person that we’re searching for would be wanted by the yakuza. What could I do to help in this matter? Thinking back on the scene when the yakuza were chasing me— ahh, it’s impossible. If I meet them next time, I’d probably run away too.

Why did Alice hire me as her assistant? She was just following the flow at first, I understand that. But what about after the Angel Fix incident ended? I, myself, told Alice that I wanted to continue to be her assistant, and she accepted too. So what expectations do she have for me? I don’t know.

The noisy cries of a flock of crows surrounded me and bugged me. It wouldn’t be any help if I continue to ponder about this.

Anyways, this is my first official job since I became Alice’s assistant.

Could I still stay by Alice’s side— that would depend on this time.

During the incident that happened during the winter, I actually didn’t help out with much. Even so, Alice still said that I’m her assistant; no matter how much she abused me, she didn’t really abandon me. So I could only cling onto the small, hopeless possibility.

It’s the same even now.

I can only do what I can do.

Jumping down from the fence, I patted away the sand on me and took my first step on the sidewalk.

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| Back to [[Kamisama no Memochou:Volume 2 Illustrations|Volume 2 Illustrations]]
| Return to [[Kamisama no Memochou|Main Page]]
| Forward to [[Kamisama no Memochou:Volume 2 Chapter 2|Chapter 2]]
|-
|}
</noinclude>

Chrome Shelled Regios:Volume1 Chapter1

2012-09-16T17:53:58Z

Sab: /* Chapter 1: School begins */

===Chapter 1: School begins===

''It's been a month since we parted ways and I've finally reached Zuellni. I got here just in time for the opening ceremony. There were five bus changes before I got here; living in a single city back then, I never realized how hard traveling could be. Getting to another city isn't easy, since all cities move according to their own desires. I never understood why the ancient alchemists made the cities self-aware. But now I see that it was done so they could avoid filth monsters and protect us. I understand that now.''

''During the trip, some filth monsters passed by my bus. Their cruel and dangerous appearance was horrifying. The thought of being attacked on a bus with no way to escape was enough to make all my hairs stand on end.''

''But don't worry, our bus didn't get attacked. I think our driver was quite the professional. He stopped the bus for three days to avoid discovery. At that time, my heart ached. It's scary enough to be attacked by the filth monsters. Compared to that though, it would have been worse if the bus was damaged and marooned on this dry and scarlet earth. That would've been a death sentence. Even so, in the end I reached Zuellni safely.''

''I'm writing this letter in my dorm room. It's a double, but luckily I don't have a roommate. I've never had a room all to myself. I'm really happy about this.''

''How are you doing over there? Getting used to your new life?''

''I just realized that I still don't know your address. I'll send the letter to your school. I hope it gets to your hand safely. It'd be great if you could include your new address in your response. After all, the head wouldn't want to see my letters going to the orphanage now.''

''Well –''

''I wish eternal peace for your new life and the city you're standing on.''

''To my dear Leerin Marfes,''

''Layfon Alseif''

<center>◇</center>

The mobile cities, Regios, are spread across the world in their myriad forms. From the basic, standard form that provides everything necessary for human survival, to forms that specialize in specific areas.

One of those forms is the Academy City.

Zuellni – Academy City Zuellni.

The school buildings in the center of the city provided facilities for all study areas.

Large groups of students were heading for the great hall, which was large enough to accommodate all students inside.

Dressed casually, General Studies students walked as they chatted with friends.

Uneasy smiles sat on the faces of Agricultural and Mechanical Engineering students, who weren't used to the uniforms they hadn't put on in a long time.

The Alchemy and Medical students wore dirty white coats on top of their uniforms.

The Military Arts students, unlike the others, marched towards the hall with heads held high.

Students with different characteristics were all swallowed into the hall.

The purpose of this autonomous city was to exist for and be used by its students. Today, it was holding an entrance ceremony to welcome its new first years.

But it looked like the ceremony would be delayed.

An hour later.

[[image:CSR vol01 021.jpg|thumb]]

Layfon stood with a confused expression on his face.

"Anyway, shall we sit down and talk?"

"Ye-Yes!"

Having given a tense answer, he still couldn't sit on the sofa as requested.

The student before him sat at a large business desk. Unlike Layfon, he had an air of maturity about him. Silvery-white hair framed an elegant face bearing a gentle expression, but his calm silver eyes seemed to be judging Layfon.

That piercing gaze of his caused Layfon to dart his gaze around in panic. Through his shoes, he could feel the softness of the carpet beneath him. The sofa and table used for meetings sat before him. Bookshelves lined one of the walls, filled with informative scrolls.

Before Layfon entered this room, he's seen a plaque with the words "Student President" carved into it next to the doors.

"I haven't introduced myself yet. I'm Karian Loss, a sixth year student."

Students were enrolled for six years in Zuellni, so Loss was in the highest grade.

And he was also the Student President.

The person in charge of this school.

"I'm Layfon Alseif."

With a straight back, Layfon clearly delivered his name. He felt cold sweat beading his forehead.

Karian smiled.

They were alone in the room.

"I wasn't planning on punishing you."

The voice tinged with a bitter smile helped Layfon to calm down. He'd been tense the whole time, as he had no idea why he had been summoned to this room.

"First, let me convey my gratitude. Because of your help, none of the new students were injured."

The opening ceremony was canceled because of a commotion.

Two Military Arts students, coming from enemy cities, had met by chance before the ceremony, resulting in the commotion. They went from staring to quarreling and eventually to fighting.

Military Arts – Different special powers that were born to protect humanity from harm on this polluted earth.

The Military Arts is the area that fostered such special power users.

If people fought each other seriously using such powers, worse coming to worst, even normal students could have suffered injuries or been killed. In Karian's eyes was genuine gratitude.

"The new rule that only allows new students to be armed after half a year is because some of them don't understand where they now are......This is unbearable. It's a huge amount of work for me to settle things every year.

But, there were still people who used weapons. Sometimes a single fight could turn into a battle that would draw blood.

To the Student President who had been smiling bitterly but talking in a straightforward and frank manner, Layfon could only respond confusedly.

"Speaking of which, a General Studies student who managed to outdo Military Arts students. You must have some skills in the Arts area, don't you?"

"It's just a hobby. Um......"

Silence from the Student President made Layfon swallow.

"If yours is just the level of a hobbyist, then we ought to increase our admission standards for the Military Arts course."

''The news about the fight between Military Arts students at the opening ceremony had spread to new students in other courses. New students arriving at Zuellni constituted a diverse background. Besides the students getting involved in the fight, there were foreigners whom nobody liked. The dangerous atmosphere spreading out from the Military Arts center was influencing students from other courses.

The rioting atmosphere also affected the General Studies area. Students closer to the fight scene bumped and crashed into each other while escaping, igniting the adolescent anger sleeping in male students.

Just when everything was about to get out of hand, a huge noise echoed throughout the hall.

Immediate silence followed, and all eyes turned to the source of that noise.

Where the two students who started the commotion lay immobile on the floor with Layfon standing between them.''

"That was just luck. They were blinded by anger and didn't even notice me."

"Yes, yes."

Karian happily nodded at Layfon's excuse. He was smiling with his face, but not his eyes. Again, Layfon felt the Student President had seen through him.

Honestly, this wasn't a comfortable feeling.

While bearing the pressure that he felt would force him into some dangerous place, Layfon attempted to end this conversation.

"Since I haven't done anything wrong, I'm returning to class."

"You can't!"

Karian prevented Layfon from turning his back to him.

The short denial halted Layfon's footsteps.

"As I said, I've no intention of punishing you, Layfon ''Wolfstein'' Alseif."

The title in between name and surname caused Layfon to raise his eyebrows.

"......What does that mean?"

"I don't care if you continue to play the fool. Here's a suggestion. Layfon Alseif, how about changing from General Studies to the Military Arts?"

"What?"

"Luckily, there are now two empty slots in Military Arts thanks to those two troublemakers. We have a rule here preventing students from bringing the issues of their home cities into the academy. Those who signed the contract and broke it during the opening ceremony don't have the right to be fighters. The blame for the riot is on them, so I've already banished them in the form of their 'voluntary withdrawal' from the course."

"No, please wait."

The two students were not important to Layfon.

"I don't plan to change majors."

He clearly conveyed his opinion. To switch to the Military Arts......don't kid him.

"I came here to study General Studies."

"Military Arts is a study area too. No, no matter what course you're in, General Studies is compulsory till third year. Even if you pick General Studies, you still have to specialize in something after three years, so you aren't learning different things by switching."

"The problem doesn't lie there."

"So what is the problem?"

Faced with that question, he found his breath being caught in his throat.

"......I have no interest in Military Arts."

"I see," Karian gave an exaggerated nod. It was clearly an act. The expression in his eyes hardly changed, just a twisted curve of happiness.

"Besides I'm on a scholarship. I've already applied for a job and studies. I've got to work in my spare time. I won't have enough energy left for Military Arts."

"I see. That's a good argument."

Karian was only agreeing with his mouth. He didn't look persuaded at all.

He took out a document from a drawer.

"Um, Layfon Alseif, D-Rank scholarship, part-time work and studies. Your job is to clean the Central Mechanism Chamber......I see, this is a taxing and time-consuming job. Do you know that the cleaning takes place while the city rests from after sunset to past midnight? A lot of working students hate cleaning there. It's hard work and the hours are terrible. Do you get it? The pay isn't too bad, but the work is toilsome. Every year, numerous students apply to work somewhere else, or leave the academy for not passing the scholarship assessment. And the scholarship you have is D-Rank. Have you ever considered that you'll be spending all of your pay on school fees?"

"Yes, it's just as you said."

"Frankly, won't it be hard to pass six years like that?"

"I'm confident in my physical strength."

Karian's smile changed. Karian was full of smiles in Layfon's eyes, and something that felt like a favorable feeling towards Layfon came through.

"Ah, perhaps you're right. You should have confidence in your physical strength. That's exactly why I wish you would change to Military Arts."

"What for?"

"Do you know of the Military Arts Competition between Academy cities?"

"......Nope."

Karian spoke without any disappointment in Layfon's lack of knowledge, "To put this simply, the Competition takes place once every two years."

Layfon could guess what Karian was getting at.

"This is a habit of cities. I've no idea what the alchemists were thinking, but cities fight for territory every two years. What's more interesting is that they only compete with the same type of cities......I could only say that the cities were made too well."

Although the cities were fighting for territories, it was actually the people living in the cities who carried out the fights.

"Sure, it's called the Military Arts Competition, but in reality, the competition is the same as......the wars that takes place between normal cities."

War. Layfon's expression turned grim.

"Of course, our goal is to conduct a student-like all-encompassing fight. The Alliance of Academy Cities supervises every fight. Non-lethal weapons are used. Swords are sheathed. Anesthetic bullets are used. But since it's a war, there's no much difference between what the winner obtains and what the loser loses. It's not as tragic as a real war, but the ending is the same."

"Is this the city's......life?"

"Yes," Karian nodded.

Cities have awareness. They're alive. They need food to keep on surviving. Even though they are machines, they need energy to maintain their functions.

The source of a city's life......is their food, a type of metal called selenium.

"Selenium is a metal born after the earth became polluted, and so it's easy to obtain. To put it simply, you can probably find it by digging at the earth over there. But that's a dangerous action with filth monsters around. Besides, we can only obtain pure selenium from mines with a certain level of energy."

So, the winner took possession of the mine and the loser lost it. While increasing the prosperity of their own piece of land, people were reducing the lifespan of another piece of land.

"When I first entered the Academy, Zuellni had three mines. Now it's down to one," Karian sighed.

Meaning Zuellni had lost in the last two competitions and its Military Arts level was much lower than the neighbouring cities.

"It's doubtful on how much pure selenium we can mine from that remaining mine. I plan to send some alchemists over to investigate the next time our city nears it."

"In other words, if we lose the next time, there's no backup plan?"

"Exactly. The cities determine the topic of the upcoming Competition. We can't not participate."

'If we lose......' Just the thought made Layfon shiver.

Even if a city loses all of its mines, its functions won't stop because it has an emergency reserve of selenium.

But that could only delay the inevitable for a short time.

The city would die. Humans would have lost space to live. Once a city dies, it returns back to the earth. People can't salvage it.

To have a city die of starvation was the same as its people dying of famine.

Thinking of that, a sudden shiver shook Layfon's cold body. The city he had just arrived in would die. He didn't have much of a link with this Academy, but the possibility of the city dying was terrifying.

When a person was young, if he found out that the city he lived in could die, he'd have been scared enough to tremble all over. That experience would be the same for everyone.

Hearing that the fear he felt in his childhood could become reality, Layfon felt he really was like his childhood self, trembling all over.

But, even so......

"I......"

To fight...... I can't do that.

Yes, let's say that.

With determination, he lifted his gaze, preparing to refuse the Student President watching him from the desk.

But, the words wouldn't come.

The Student President watched Layfon.

The smile on Loss' face had disappeared. The emotionless expression appeared to be too calm. This contrasted with the icy gaze of his pinning Layfon.

To the breathless Layfon, Karian spoke, "I'm graduating this year. As long as this remains an academy city, no one can stay here after graduating. This means once I graduate, I'm not linked to this place anymore. But I really like the academy. Don't you think it's sad to lose your favorite thing even though you can never set foot on this piece of earth?"

"It's natural to want to protect what is precious. For one who goes mad with love, don't you feel that it's their fate to reach their goal with whatever means possible?"

A light smile appeared on the countenance of the Student President. Just that. It was his way of joking in a solemn situation.

"Your scholarship will be raised to Rank A. All your fees will be waived. You will only need to earn for your living. If you aren't keen on fashion, you won't need to spend much, so you don't have to force yourself to clean at the Central Mechanism Chamber. Is that all right?"

Rationality told him not to nod.
But his instinct howled for him to nod.

And then, Layfon left the room with swaying steps, holding a Military Arts uniform that had somehow been placed into his hands.

<center>◇</center>

A few minutes after weakly closing his door, there came impatient knocking on his door.

"Come in."

It was a girl in Military Arts uniform. A girl with short, golden hair. A girl with determination and resolution.

"Sorry for intruding."

A pair of sharp eyes rested beneath neat and thick eyebrows. Those eyes watched the Student President with challenge. The sound of the harness clasped around her waist accompanied her every step. What was inside the harness was not a sword, but two rod-like things. The threads on the harness indicated she was a third year student.

The girl stood straight before the desk and her gaze met the Student President's.

"I'm a third-year in Military Arts, Nina Antalk. I heard you're looking for me?"

"Yes, I'm looking for you."

Karian smiled.

"What is it about?"

"Have you found enough members?"

The sudden question caused Nina to furrow, but she checked her attitude and replied, "Not yet."

"Yes, I thought so too. You haven't yet sent me the report on your team members since the day you took the application form. The opening ceremony ended. If you don't hurry up and produce your team member list, you won't be able to participate in the next City competition. In that case, you'll become the lowest-level soldier in the next round of platoon competitions."

"Excuse me, Student President. Hasn't the opening ceremony been delayed?"

"It's been cancelled thanks to other schedules. It's a shame. I won't call everyone to the hall again. Because of this year's Military Arts competition, there are lots of things to do."

Nina's face fell. She kept silent.

"I think it's enough to observe the new students at the opening ceremony. What do you think?"

"No one is suitable. Everyone was affected too much by the atmosphere. You can't tell what'd happen in a battle. I want someone who can observe calmly without getting caught in the confusion."

Nina had been watching the entire commotion today. Every new Military Arts student was affected by the two who started the whole thing. Violent expressions on their faces said they wanted to join in and make the mess even bigger.

To get caught up by the enemies like that was the same as digging their own graves.

"Is there really no one suitable?"

Nina didn't reply immediately. Her confused gaze moved up and down.

"No......"

In her hesitation floated up the image of the new student. The one who suppressed the two troublemakers without anyone knowing. He suppressed the center of the commotion to prevent the violent emotions from spreading, and at the same time, he exaggerated his act to threaten people who were caught up in the commotion. She found his response very certain.

But......

"He's in General Studies."

That new student wore the uniform of General Studies. This way, he couldn't participate in the competition.

But the Student President smiled happily.

"Yes, that was true, until now."

"......What does that mean?"

"He's just transferred into Military Arts."

A disapproving expression appeared on Nina's face.

"I can't waste such good material."

"So you ignored his wish?"

"I didn't ignore it. I showed him the highest level of sincerity. He should be quite satisfied with it."

"Really?"

Nina understood how hard the Student President's attitude could be. Last time during the Student President election, Karian wasn't nominated, yet at the time when he gloriously became a candidate, he had waged a rare intelligence fight with his opponents, causing them to all lose.

"It doesn't matter what the truth is. What do you think now that he's in Military Arts? That's the only answer I want to know."

"What is it to be? At this rate, you won't have enough members. Do you plan to experience the same shame as before, but now as a low-ranked soldier?"

Nina clenched her teeth together.

"I have no such intention."

"Then what should you do? I think the answer is clear."

Karian slid a document on the desk to Nina. It was a resume with the name "Layfon Alseif" written on it. The document was clearly in the structure of a resume, along with a close-up photo of Layfon.

"Please excuse me."

Having taken a glimpse of the document, Nina turned her back to Karian and left the room. He smiled at the back of the girl who didn't give him a reply.

Alone once more, Karian took out a new document and laid it beside Layfon's resume. It was also a resume, but with the name Nina Antalk on it.

"If things go well, this will become the strongest team. The problem is how to operate it......" he murmured. He didn't look cheerful at all.

<center>◇</center>

On the way back to his classroom, Layfon changed into the new uniform in a health clinic he found. The Student President threatened him that if he continued to walk about not in uniform, he'd be considered as committing a fraud.

Holding the uniform of General Studies, he entered the classroom to collect his bag. From a uniform he hadn't gotten used to yet to another unfamiliar uniform...... He wasn't yet familiar with this uniform, but it gave him an intriguing feeling.

Also, the new uniform fit him perfectly.

"Damn, this must have been planned!"

Walking in the corridor, Layfon couldn't help but curse out loud. His height and weight were standard for a male of his age, but his right arm was slightly longer than his left. His General Studies uniform had been fixed to cater for that difference, but how could the Military Arts uniform given to him on a spur of the moment decision be such a perfect fit?

Meaning – the truth can't be changed.

"Why......How did they find out?"

Anxiety filled him. He came here to major in General Studies, to seek a world that had nothing to do with Military Arts, but on the first day of his arrival, he had once again stepped into that world he wanted to leave behind.

"Ah Ah! Why didn't I refuse him? I'm such a coward......a coward!" Layfon shouted.

Only the opening ceremony was on today, so nobody was in the corridor. Without considering, he shouted again, "How should I have put it? That Student President's too scary! What kind of gaze was that? It really terrifies me. How could I have resisted that type of person?"

Having let it all out, Layfon arrived at his classroom. Ah, meaning his classroom would be different now. But the Student President didn't mention that at all? What should he do? Layfon opened the door.

The door opened and the scene inside the room entered Layfon's sight.

"Ah!"

That sound came through.

There were still students in the classroom.

"Look, look. He really is in Military Arts. Yeah~~ It's my win. I'm lucky --!"

One of the girls jumped up in excitement. Chestnut colored hair, tied into two tails on each side of her head shook with her movement.

Only three girls were in the room.

Their curious gazes were glued closely to Layfon without reserve. Layfon halted his steps.

"Why! Wasn't he wearing a General Studies uniform? That was deceptive," said a red-haired girl. She wore the same uniform as Layfon's. And like Layfon, the empty harness swayed around her waist.

"I don't have a General Studies uniform. Hey, just what is that about?" she questioned him as if she was bringing him to account.

"Uh, something happened......"

"So? Do you mean I don't get that uniform 'cause I'm not cute? Is that it?"

Even if you ask me that, I can't do anything about it. As for the girl, she was more handsome than cute. Compared to the General Studies uniform designed for cuteness, Layfon thought the sharp edges of the Military Arts uniform suited her better.

But the girl was dissatisfied.

"Wait a moment, Nakki, calm down. You're causing trouble for Mei-chi," the girl with two tails concluded. The red-haired girl paused as if she had thought of something, then she moved aside for the other girl.

"That's right. Hurry up, Meishen."

With one hand on the back of the third girl, the red-haired girl moved her to stand in front of Layfon.

[[image:CSR vol01 043.jpg|thumb]]
The third girl had long hair streaming past her shoulders. She looked shy and gentle. Her face facing the ground, she seemed afraid. Her eyebrows curved as if she was about to cry. Her face was faintly red.

"Uh, thank......thank you very much." Just saying that seemed to take all of her energy. The black-haired girl hid behind the red-haired girl, her face reddened.

"Sorry, she's always been this shy. Even so, she still wants to thank you for saving her at the opening ceremony, right?" said the girl with two tails.

The black-haired girl buried her face into the back of the red-haired girl.

Layfon had no recollection of that ever happening. He only recalled pushing away those people about to get caught in the fight. He might have saved her during that time.

The red-haired girl sighed. "This child......yes, I haven't introduced myself yet. I'm Naruki Gelni in the Military Arts."

"I'm Mifi Rotten. The one playing hide-and-seek is Meishen Trinden. We're both in General Studies. The three of us came from the Transit City Joeldem. Do you know of it?"

"Yes, it's the center where roaming buses gather. I passed through on the way here. I'm Layfon Alseif, from the Lance Shelled City, Grendan."

"Oh, that was where Military Arts was born. No wonder you're so strong."

"No, that's not it......" Layfon replied vaguely. Just when he thought of how to explain it......

"Ah, don't just stand there and talk! I'm hungry. Let's find something good to eat."

"Again? Do you have to make a map of this area too?"

"Of course! Maps for food, fashion, territory......so long as it can be drawn, I'll do it. Since I'll be here for six years, I don't want to lose out by not having a map. Ah! It's my hobby to gather intelligence. If you want to know something, just ask me. Even if I don't know, I'll investigate it and find out."

"Yeah, I'm hungry......besides, I've something to ask you, like the thing you're holding."

With a pair of sharp eyes, Naruki looked at the General Studies uniform that Layfon was holding.

He didn't even get a chance to speak. They decided it for him then.

"Uh, well......look. This is troubling for Meishen. And you said she's shy."

"......I'm ok with it," Meishen said from behind Naruki's back.

"Ok. That's decided."

And that was decided.

<center>◇</center>

The location was then changed to a coffee shop close by. The coffee shop was made of red bricks and designed not to stand out too much. Since it was already past lunch time, the shop was nearly empty. The four of them somehow managed to catch up to lunch time special. While eating, Layfon explained why he was transferred to the Military Arts – he didn't mention that he was forced to transfer.

They were eating dessert.

Only Layfon wasn't eating, instead drinking juice.

"Oh, I was worried that Academy City only had healthy food for students. It's great that my worry was unfounded," Mifi said with satisfaction, her mouth filled with cake.

"This really is worth drawing a map for."

"And I was wondering what a city operated by students was like. Who'd have thought it would be quite organized," Naruki said with admiration.

In reality, many shops lined the roads heading from the dormitories to the school, but because it was an Academy City, most of the shops were closed during class hours. Once classes finished, the shops were full of people. These shops were managed by senior General Studies students who studied Commerce or Management. Other students came here to work as employees.

The food was made by seniors in Gastronomy.

"There's a Police Department and a Court here too. I'll try applying to the Police."

"Nakki's dream is to be a policewoman."

"Yes."

"As for me, the newspaper. Since it's related to publishing, I'll try to find somewhere that publishes news. What about Mei-chi?"

"......Somewhere that makes dessert."

"Then you'll have to find somewhere with delicious food. Uh, eating while you walk......watch out so you don't get fat."

"You're pretty red right now, aren't you?"

"Urg, what was that? It's because Nakki's all sweaty from exercising. You smell~~"

"Psh, that's the smell of youth."

"Agh, I don't get you."

The conversation expanded, and Layfon watched it all with a distant feeling. Those three were from the same city. From their conversation, it seemed they already knew each other before coming here. Shut outside the intimate conversation, Layfon sipped his juice.

Mifi suddenly directed a question at him. "That's right. Where'll you be working, Layton?"

"......Layton?"

Startled at the unexpected name change, Layfon opened his lips with juice still inside his mouth. He almost spilled it all.

"Yeah, Layton. That's easier to say, isn't it?" Mifi said cheerfully.

"Nakki, Mei-chi, Layton, and I'm Mi-chan. Is that ok?"

"You didn't give the names a good thought. Coming back to this, my nickname's the same."

"It's boring to think up a nickname for myself. Besides, if I say "Just call me Mi-chi~", doesn't that sound revolting?"

"Revolting. At least I wouldn't want to be friend with that person."

"Exactly. Then that's ok. So Layfon is called Layton now!"

"That can't be helped. Then we're counting on you from now on, Layton."

"Yeah, Layton, Layton~"

"......Layton."

Even Meishen was calling him by that name. For some reason, Layfon felt like he had come from a really far away place. Where was this place? Just in which dimension was he lost in?

Till now, none of his female friends had ever called him like that. Even his closest friend Leerin would only call him by his first name. For his nickname, she just called him "Lay."

Layton......Layfon was dumbfounded.

"So, where will you be working at, Layton?"

He could only answer the question, since he knew it wasn't possible to resolve the name issue.

At this moment, no words came to him.

Speaking of which, somebody just said Layfon's scholarship had been upgraded, so it didn't matter if he didn't go and work.

"Don't tell me it's all right if you don't work?"

"No, I've still got to work," Layfon shook his head. "I'll be working in the mechanical department."

All three girls burst out with "Wow" and frowned.

"Why such a hard working job?"

"I heard you need lots of strength for Military Arts. This kind of lifestyle will damage your body. Are you sure about this?"

"......Won't that be very tiring?"

All three girls expressed their worries. Layfon could only smile bitterly.

Even he knew it'd be hard work. But it was dangerous to rely fully on the Student President. If something happened and he had to oppose the Student President, his scholarship might be cancelled. It'd be the worst case scenario to be left without money, unable to continue his studies.

"Yeah, but that can't be helped. I'm an orphan. I don't have anything else besides the scholarship."

He thought the way he put it was natural and inconspicuous.

But the word "orphan" caused the three girls to widen their eyes. Embarrassed, their uneasy gazes darted around.

"Ah~~ I see. Sorry. Do your best."

"Yeah, if it's anything I can do, I'll help out."

"......Me too."

"It's ok. Don't think about it......"

Their attitude made him feel troubled.

"I don't find that particularly hard. I feel troubled when I'm pitied."

Even so, Mifi and Meishen exchanged a glance, their faces full of anxiety. From his previous experiences, Layfon knew it wasn't possible to make them understand it right away, so he wasn't bothered by their reaction.

"Ok, I get it. I won't worry about it." Naruki nodded immediately. Her quick response was a surprise to him.

"Uh? What? Did you say you wouldn't think too much about it?"

"Yeah, that's right."

It was clear that Naruki wasn't just talking about it. She meant it. Layfon nodded hesitantly, then he couldn't hold it back anymore and laughed.

"What?"

"Nothing. It's just that you act like a big sister."

"What did you say?"

Naruki frowned, but Mifi agreed.

"Ah, I understand. I understand. Nakki's got that feel about her. She's cool."

"......And she's popular with lots of girls."

"Yep, she always receives lots of presents and love letters."

"Well, I'm troubled by that. I've never known what to do with them."

Although she said so seriously, Layfon laughed again.

(The atmosphere feels good.) Layfon thought as he laughed. Although what he experienced at the opening ceremony was a setback for him, from his conversation with the girls, it felt as if he was now back on track.

"Uh......excuse me."

A voice broke through the laughter.

As their eyes found the owner of the voice, everyone couldn't help but held their breath.

[[image:CSR vol01 053.jpg|thumb]]
Standing beside the table was a girl. The silvery hair hanging down to her waist shone as if to reflect the light of the coffee shop. She had snowy white skin and a heart shape-like lower jaw. A peek just inside her collar was a delicately small neck and a kind of a dangerous charm. Long eyebrows trembled above slightly lowered gaze of those silver eyes.

A girl who was as beautiful and delicate as a doll.

No one noticed she was wearing the uniform of Military Arts.

The first to finally notice was Naruki.

"Aren't you a grade older than us? Do you want something?" Naruki said.

Layfon realized the color of the threads on her harness was different from his own. From the harness hung a long thin rod like thing.

"Are you Layfon Alseif?"

Silvery eyes caught Layfon's image.

"Yes."

"I've something to tell you. Could you come with me?"

"......Okay."

Layfon stood up naturally, compelled by that voice to obey.

The girl turned her back to leave the coffee shop. Layfon would have followed behind just like that, but he returned to the seat. He took his bag and from his wallet, left some change on the table for his juice.

"Sorry, I gotta go."

"Sure. Then go." Naruki said on behalf of her two still silent companions.

"Yeah. But, just what......"

Wordlessly, Layfon rushed after the silvery girl.

The bell tied to the coffee shop door swung out crisp notes as Layfon passed. Thinking back on how confused Layfon appeared to be, Naruki smiled bitterly.

"Wh......What just happened?" Mifi muttered.

"Of course he's been targeted after that elegant performance at the opening ceremony."

Mifi didn't understand what Naruki's just said. She looked at her friend with questions on her face.

"Isn't there a different badge on that Senpai's chest pocket?"

"Yeah, really?" Mifi frowned.

"......It's a silvery round thing?"

"Yes."

Meishen did see it.

"......There's the number 17 on it."

"A badge that only people belonging to a platoon would have."

"A platoon......what is that?"

"To put it simply, they're the official candidates in the Military Arts course. It carries the additional meaning of a fighter with high level of skill."

"Um......yes?"

Naruki explained. "They're the core teams in the Military Arts competition. Underneath the General headquarter are the platoons......They're called commanding teams. Beneath them are the larger teams, and those take charge of people who don't belong to any teams, meaning, normal Military Arts students like me......"

"Wow, if that's the case, then it's like climbing all the way up to the top." Mifi said, clapping her hands.

"But it's not that easy in there."

"Why?"

"Didn't I mention it? That badge holds the meaning of a high level fighter. Students belonging to a platoon must excel in certain area, from commanding ability to the control of psychokinesis. Mostly, they specialize in a certain weapon. Besides the individual skills that are judged, the strength of how well an entire team does is also assessed. Whether a person can work in a team is also evaluated. As such, there's competition going on between teams for the ranking list. In other words, it's a fight in between students at the academy. During those fights, if a team doesn't perform well, the worst situation is it'd be disbanded. Official candidates turning back to normal students. Fighters normally have strong self-esteem. If one returns to being a normal student, other people would say he's fallen from the clouds to the bottom of a valley......no one can take that kind of a setback. His life in the Academy would become too painful to bear."

Naruki glanced at the door that Layfon had just left through. No new customers had entered. The bell remained solemn.

"......Layton said he's going to clean in the mechanical department," Meishen said.

"Ah, that will be tiring for him!" Mifi said. "Will he be all right?"

"Yeah, it should be quite smooth for him." Naruki could only give such an answer. She washed down the last piece of cake with red tea.

<center>◇</center>

What Naruki said to the other two at the coffee shop also came to Layfon's ears, but from the terrifying girl with golden hair.

The beautiful, silver-haired girl took Layfon deep inside the first year dormitories, it was a certain building with an old and worn out feel about it.

Layfon was taken to one of the rooms and was greeted by a terrifying girl with golden hair.

"I'm Nina Antalk, the captain of the seventeenth platoon," the girl said firmly.

The room Layfon was in had been split into two by a huge wall, so the space was only twice as large as a normal classroom. On the wall were hung many different types of weapons.

Including Layfon, there were five people in the room.

The first person was the girl Nina Antalk, standing right before Layfon. Next was the girl who took Layfon here. The beautiful silver-haired girl had moved immediately to a corner after having entered the room.

The rest were two male students. The taller boy lay lazily in a corner. The other wore a dark green working suit that was stained with engine oil and some other type of machine related liquid.

Nina gave the confused Layfon an explanation about the platoon.

Layfon half listened, with his mind somewhere else.

"Do you understand?"

"Ah, yes."

Turning his gaze back to Nina, Layfon gave her a quick answer without really meaning anything he had just said.

"Then why was I called here?"

Layfon understood everyone here was an official candidate.

But, that was all he knew.

Nina didn't explain why Layfon was here.

Half of Nina's eyebrow trembled as if it had the cramps.

"I understand from your explanation that everyone here is an elite. But, if that's the case......because of that, I don't get why I, as a first year student, was called here," Layfon said, trying to mediate the atmosphere. Nina closed her open mouth, her shoulders moved as if she was breathing deeply, then she opened her mouth again to speak.

But before that—

"Buahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!"

The tall male student burst out laughing from his position.

"Sharnid-senpai!" Nina said loudly, her shoulders trembling in anger.

"Gahaha! Ha~heehee......Ah, my stomach hurts! Nina, it's your fault. All because you beat around the bush and gave the new student there an opportunity to pretend he was a fool."

"Um!"

Nina clamped hard on her teeth.

"Heh!" Sharnid jumped up, watching Layfon in a flippant manner.

"I'm Sharnid Elipton, a fourth year. I'm a sniper."

"Ah, nice to meet you."

"Well, let me explain clearly in place of our captain. Layfon Alseif, we asked you to come because we need the right number."

"Huh?"

"Hey, hey, hey. Stop pretending. Everybody saw your performance at the opening ceremony. The excuse of you being a new student and not having enough skill won't work. You've already proven your skill. We thought you were good, so we want you in our team."

Sharnid gave Nina a meaningful glance.

Nina cleared her throat and stood before Layfon again.

"Layfon Alseif. I order you to become a member of team seventeen. No refusal will be accepted. The Student President has already given permission and formally proposed for your application. Either way, for those who are in the Military Arts, they're not allowed such a feeble action as refusing to enter a platoon."

What a resolute speech. Nina's unyielding attitude meant Layfon had no way to run.

"We'll now conduct a test to see which position you're best suited for in the platoon."

Nina took out the two rods from her weapon harness. She pointed at Layfon with the rod held tightly in her right hand.

"Choose whatever weapon you like!"

Perturbed by the seriousness in Nina's eyes, Layfon turned to examine the weapons on the wall.

The price of free school fees......what an A grade scholarship.

<noinclude>
{{Regios Nav|prev=Chrome_Shelled_Regios:Volume1_Prologue|next=Chrome_Shelled_Regios:Volume1_Chapter2}}
</noinclude>

OreShura: Volume 1 Chapter 3

2012-09-16T07:22:23Z

Sab: /* Chapter 3 - Girlfriend V.S. Childhood friend = Mayhem */

===Chapter 3 - Girlfriend V.S. Childhood friend = Mayhem===

The news of Matsuzu Natsukawa spread without much assistance throughout the entire school by the next day. Such fearful propogation power, or should I say infectivity. Whoever hooked up with whoever, whoever got dumped by whoever, these sorts of stories can be heard ten miles away as soon as it happens. Not because Natsukawa has been spreading the good word everywhere, but because the passion of romance believers by far go beyond of catholics of the medieval ages.

Speaking of which, perhaps Natsukawa did have a hand in this. After all, if rumors cannot spread effectively, she wouldn't have the need to start a pseudo-confession to protect her "barrier" to begin with.

Every recess or break we have, people from other classes rush over to observe me. "So it's that guy?" "Seems very normal" "You really can't figure out the tastes of rich girls." Just these unscrupulous comments, I already begin to understand Natsukawa's feelings. This is certanly very hard to bear with.

Yamamoto of the soccer club requested to shake my hand for the second time in this month.
"If you don't give Natsukawa happiness I will never forgive you yo!"

Oh, Yamamoto-kun. You are too dazzling.

If I could, I'd love to offer you with the right of Natsukawa's happiness. I really do.

-- Speaking of which, hurry up and assist me! I beg of you!

That day, at the end of school.

"Learn to accept reality, Eita-kun"
said the Masuzu beside me with an ojousama's attutide.
"Just like that Yamada classmate said, let's work together for my happiness"

"Only your happiness!!!!"

Oh and also, it's not Yamada, but Yamamoto. Regardless this has nothing to do with the topic.

We choose not to take the main roads but a longer route with less people. Although slightly longer, we have little choice. It's relatively better than to walk home under jealous surveys and irritating whispers.

Masuzu clapped her hands together.
"Speaking of which, Eita-kun."

"What?"

"From now on, since we'll be spending a rather long period of time together after school every day, don't you think we should better spend this period of time?"

".....Sure, that'd be more constructive"

The journey Masuzu and I take is from the school all the way to the convience store on Third Street. The distance is about 1.5 kilometres, around 20 minutes of walking distance.

Arguing each day for these 20 minutes isn't exactly a good use of time. We should try and make it more meaningful, certainly by working together.

"And, what suggestions do you have?"

"Well that's of course.... buying something to eat, going somewhere to play for a while"

"That seems rather interesting. But spending each day like this would seem a bit......"
More importantly, I do not want to reduce the time I spend studying, in addition to the burden of washing clothes and making dinner. Therefore I should waste as little time and money as possible.

"Then I guess we should just stick to chatting."

"Like the sweet lovey-dovey talks between boyfriends and girlfriends eh?"

"......lovey-dovey talks eh"

"......lovey-dovey talks"

Goosebumps appeared on both Masuzu's arms and mine.

"No way."

"Impossible."
I spat on to the ground.

Masuzu straightened her hair.

"Thinking carefully, there's no need to stick with those kind of lover's talk"

"True, after all it's just all play act"

"As long as it's something we can talk about. Such as say the TV shows we've seen yesterday, that's a common topic."

"Understood. Let's begin from there then."

Masuzu cleared her throat.
"Eita-kun. Did you watch yesterday's 'Criminal Hunters'?"

Ho. This person sure knows how to make a good discussion topic. That's my favourite TV show.

"Of course. Oh, that last scene was the most memorable! You know, the scene where his partner gets shot by the fugitive, then out of nowhere he pulls out a cigarette, then saying 'bastard, didn't you know I was quitting'. That line was incredible! It really makes you look forward to the next episode! The kind of feel where he has gone through all sorts of pain in life. There are too little dramas like such nowadays! The best show ever! The best show ever!"

Masuzu lowered her head uncomfortably.
"That.... I never planned to make such a deep conversation"

"....oh, is that so"

"Besides, I was never interested in that show"

"Then why the heck did you ask me?!"

This bitch.....

You made me waste my passionate emotions.

"What I originally planned was to make a point that topics with Eita-kun seems rather lacking, and attempted to begin with a popular TV show"

"Well looks like topics between us is very lacking indeed, I'm sorry!"

"An inadequate life can be aided with food and money, but what can an inadequate topic be aided with?"

No matter what I can never leave "topic poverty" in her eyes.

Unhappily, I said
"What about common hobbies or things we like?"

"And what would Eita-kun's hobbies be?"

"Hmm? Hmm...."

Suddenly asked directly, it does seem hard to answer.

My hobbies.... what would they be. I guess it all ends in cooking?

"When listing please exclude peeking up the shirts at staircases and stealing panties these two--"

"Did I ever have these two hobbies!!"

Masuzu took two step backwards with a shocked expression
"D-don't tell me it is not a hobby but a way of living already?!"

"Like I said, there's no such thing!"

"I'm really sorry. Looks like I injured Eita-kun's most pure impressions towards panties. How about as an apology I let you see my...."
Masuzu bit her lips as if regretful, then began pulling up her skirt.

"Waaah--! Waaah--! Ahhh----!"

"Please don't yell loudly. I'm also clarifying your previous suspicions of 'not wearing them'."

A group of elementary school kids and chatting housewifes gave me cold stares.

......Why look at me!?

You crazy people, why am I the conspirator here?!

"Today's underpants is rather bold. Not only does it have flowery sides, at the very ends of it it is actually transparent..... if I were to know I would be harassed like this, I should have worn underpants more suitable for a highschool student"

"Stop talking as if I'm the bad guy!!!!"

"For your information, it's black"

"Black she said!!!!!"

Her skirt was slowly being lifted up, revealing her long slender legs.

I couldn't help but form white foam in my mouth.

Her white dazzling legs.

It's of one's who hasn't gone out much.

Smooth and sturdy, there's something that slightly triggers you, letting people unconsciously look forward to what comes next. Ahead of here, lies black--

Masuzu let go of her skirt making it flop.

All that could be seen was the clean linings, the skirt then gently falling downwards, once again covering her legs.

Masuzu stuck out her tongue.
"Even if you're my 'boyfriend', it's only been two days since we've started dating. I'm not that shameless you know."

"I don't know about that...... shameless...."
I knelt down on the pavement, helpless and weak.

I was fooled with......

The pure emotions of a highschool student was toyed with.....

"Get up, Eita-kun. Our happy times together have just begun."

Certainly, we have not even reached halfway of our journey.

And yet already it is a horrible nightmare.

"Stand up like a man, and let's head forth to our bright enjoyable conversation!"

".....maybe"
I wiped my tears off.

Well, they say the more you feel like this, the more you should have an optimistic view towards a revolution.

"Then let us start another topic~"
Masuzu cleared her throat,
"Eita-kun, did you watch 'Criminal Hunters' yesterday?"

"Yeah. I did."

"What do you think about it?"

"Hmrph-- rather interesting I guess?"

"You watched that kind of amazing show and yet that's all the comments you can give? How lame."

"You- you, are you messing with meeeeee--!!!!!"

"Arg, such a headache. No matter what we talk about we'll never be able to have a good conversation"

"Then that's your problemmmm--!!!"

At this moment.

"Ho-holding hands and such, indecent! Too indecent!"
Chiwa pointed towards us, her face completely red.

Her backpack was rising and falling in sync to her deep breaths, I assume she just ran full speed from school to here.

But holding hands? No we aren't.

Just as I was thinking like this, before I knew it Masuzu was hugging my left arm tightly. What on earth is she thinking.

"Ei-kun, th-this, what is, is is all this?!"

This person seems to be after us because of the rumors of me and Masuzu.

Chiwa hates it when I hide things from her. Even if it's a good thing she'd then angrily say "How unexpected". If it's a bad thing then she'll angrily say "Why didn't you talk to me".

I wonder if this falls into the good category of the bad category.

I guess overall it's good?

Making a girlfriend is something that deserves to be congratulated?

But wait, her reaction is --

"Getting popular before I do, Ei-kun is acting to arrogant here--!!"

Uh.

Why am I always the punching bag.

"Ohh Eita-kun, who is this little kid right here?"
Masuzu acted as if only noticing the precense of Chiwa a moment ago, asking with her head slightly tilted.

"I, I'm not little! It's just that you're too big!"

"Ok ok ok. Which elementary school are you from again?"

"I'm not an elementary school student!!! Moreover I'm wearing the same uniform as you are!"

"Oh I see. Are you a fan of Eita-kun?"

"Who'd be a fan of him!"

"Then are you a member of the anti-Eita society?"

"Is there only two extremes in your head?!"

"Then who are you exactly?"

Chiwa for some reason announced confidently
"I. Am. Ei-kun's. Child. Hood. Friend. Chiwa Harusaki!"

"Just because you are a childhood friend you believe you are entitled to do such kind of violent actions?"
Masuzu winced her eyes, as if trying to pierce through Chiwa just by looking.
"Entering the space of a romantic date between a couple after school, don't you think that it is deserved to be kicked by a horse to death?"

Oh classmate Masuzu, is this a date now.

For some reason I feel like I was scolded all the way as "panty thief" or "lame boring person" and whatever....?

"....Ei-kun! Why didn't you tell me about making a girlfriend!"

Seeing the difficulty in her opponent she turned her anger towards me.

"That.....I'm sorry"
I naturally apologised.

Masuzu suddenly joined in
"Oh my, being together with Eita-kun requires the permission of classmate Harusaki?"

"Damn right! I've spent so much time with Ei-kun, we grew up like brother and sisters! Some random girl who's just gotten to know Ei-kun for two months, who do you think you know about him!"

"Then what do classmate Harusaki know about Ei-kun?"

"I know everything about Ei-kun! Just like how in grade 3 he put milk in the school lockers intentionally letting it go bad, like how he calls our class teacher Yoshioka 'mama', and also in that marathon after stepping on some poop he was called the 'poopy roller', everything about him!"

"My my, now I know more about such fascinating events"
Masuzu listened carefully with her eyes shining, even doing notes to Chiwa's blabbering.

I just............... have a sudden urge to kill myself.

"Therefore, you must first go through me if you want to date Ei-kun!"

Masuzu held two corners of her skirt and did a little bow, saying elegantly
"I apologize for not greeting first beforehand. I, Masuzu Natsukawa is now dating Eita Kido. If you will be so kind to bless us both, I am enternally grateful."

"....."

"Eita-kun, let's continue our date shall we?"

Natsukawa grabbed my left arm and was just about to leave, when suddenly Chiwa grabbed my right arm.

Chiwa pouted as if a kid losing her toy, and glared at Masuzu with hatred.

"Is there something else you want?"

"I don't want it"

"Hmm?"

"Ab--solutely not! I do not want Ei-kun to be with someone like you!"

My right arm was being tugged over, a seeming high chance of being ripped off.

"Owowowow! Chiwa, let go!"

"Then I shall accept your challence. I dare you to come put out the blazing love between us."

"Like I said oww!"

This is such a tragedy.

Neither Chiwa nor Masuzu gave way. The two of them pulled my from both sides, just like a tug-of-war.

"Look, Eita-kun is already crying out in pain. As a caring childhood friend, why don't you let go of him?"

"No, you should be concerned about your boyfriend and let go of him!"

Eventually, Masuzu could not defeat the Kendo trained arms of Chiwa. Masuzu lost balance and pushed me over. Like so, I tripped over some obstacle on the pavement.

"Ahhhhh--!"

I went head first into a pile of garbage, while Chiwa and Masuzu who had let go beforehand were completely safe and sound.

That's too cunning. Tears and pains are always from the men.

"Huh--! So what if you're in love! I'll find my own handsome boyfriend! Definitely become popular!!!"

Like a kid who had just lost a game and could only make verbal threats, Chiwa disappeared after saying this sentence.

Masuzu beamed her angel like smile, watching me piled in garbage from above.

"Hohoho, Eita-kun is too popular"

I don't want to care about any of you!

That night Chiwa didn't come for dinner. So much for making her favourite hamburgers.

I texted her, and quickly recieved a reply with only one word.

"Traitor"

Traitor hurray.....

----------

Eita Kido

First year Highschool student. Real dull. Character of the punchbag character.

Most favourite motto is "when there's a will, there's a way".

OreShura: Volume 1 Chapter 1

2012-09-16T07:10:43Z

Sab: /* Chapter 1: Highschool Life begins in Mayhem */

===Chapter 1: Highschool Life begins in Mayhem===

Harusaki Chiwa.

Freshman. Childhood friend of Eita.

A bit dumb. Was in the Kendo club.

Favourite line is "feel free to eat as much as you wish"

It wouldn't be quite suitable for me to say this, but I am "anti-romance".

Romance this sort of thing, is nothing but a mirage. It's a disease. If you don't believe me take a look at couples giggling every now and then in front of everyone. It's annoying to whoever sees them, praying for them to leave. As for their reasons to flirt in public? That's because this is the real romance, unmasked: Morphine emitting everywhere in the brain, making them lose their shame and all. My attitude towards these people? I always put up with it because I don't care. But when it comes to myself, it's another topic. For me, even if it were not in public, I will never do such shameless moves.

Of course, if I told anyone about my thoughts like this, they would probably chuckle and reply
"There's no need to pretend to be strong"
"Is this the excuse of an unpopular person amongst females?"

Huh. Me, unpopular amongst females? What a joke. I have a history of being confessed to. Nostalgic, those times in the kindergarten..... Forget it, those past glories? Who cares.

But really. If other people gave me a reply like this, I would fully understand. It sounds just as bad as college dropouts saying "schdule my a**" - lack of persuasive power. Not having a single bit of romance in my entire life so far, saying anything casually like that would sound nothing more than the sour grapes of jealousy.

Which pretty much sums up why I don't tell anyone about it, but it IS truly how I feel. And the people who taught me to think like that were my parents.

The story of how my parents got together: they met; they fell in love; they got married. Just like every other love dramas on the television. Throughout childhood I was bombarded with them talking about the ups and downs of their love story. Then in junior high, I was subjected to their endless fights. One day as I was about to go into high school, they both left to seek the "real one" for them and disappeared forever from my eyes, leaving only a letter entrusting me to relatives and a power of attorney to their house as funds for unsettled expenses.

- You - Are - All - Bastards

Me and my hatred to my parents and romance itself was to the degree of using "Hakata Salt's" advertising techniques.
(Note: Lyrics in the [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=99PeKqs81Ak Hakata Salt commercial] are sang syllable by syllable.)

Of course, my sensible logic tells me not all parents are like mine. On the contrary, people falling blissfully in love, getting married, form the majority. Though say my logic is sensible, I still would not "fall in love blissfully just to show you!" or any other kind of similar urges. After all, without romance, life can still go on. Won't make much of a difference not doing pointless stuff. Besides, I don't have the time either.

I have my own ambitions. My target is to get into National University's medical faculty and become a doctor.

Getting into the medical faculty would mean a considerable amount of expense, and I simply cannot give any more trouble to my current guardian '''Saeko-san'''.

'''Kiryū Saeko''' is my father's sister; in other words, my aunt. She is my benefactor who takes care of me, here to clean up my parent's mess. Originally she thought of selling this tattered house to raise money, but putting my feelings of attachment in this house into account, she eventually moved in and settled down with me together. If it weren't for '''Saeko-san''', I would have been moved else where to some unknown relative a long time ago. Therefore, I have decided to repay this debt to '''Saeko-san''' one day, definitely.

My highschool is called Haneyama Public Highschool (short form Hane High). In this school, we have one policy that goes like this: the school will award talented students with good conduct a place at National University (with scholarship). And That's what I'm aiming for.

After entering high school, for the first semester I have already been ranked the first in my year. To a person whose results were in the fairly low district for the entire junior high, this is a staggering feat. I have no intent to slow down, and will continue working hard to keep my grades up.

Which is why, I have no time to spare on romance.

Therefore, I have sworn myself to the following laws:
#Studying comes first!
#No romance! Romance alert!
#But don't let others believe I'm gay because of the 2nd rule

As long as I follow these laws, my highschool life will be perfect!

Yet.

Yet, even for a person like me, have an attached girl. The so called fate of a childhood friend.

Well, why shouldn't I begin the story from her then.

It was the end of May, an incident that happened some day when students were about to change into summer uniforms. Because of work, '''Saeko-san''' is often away from home. A reason why I have to do all the housework alone. Dinner; vacumming the floor; hanging clothes dry; all part of my work. In the eyes of others, this may look very extraneous. True. But only at beginning. But now, chores have even become one of my hobbies. Especially making dinner, not only can it directly reflect your results, it is also an useful skill in life.

It was almost dusk, half past five. I threw all the washed clothes into the dryer, about to step outside for ingredients for dinner. Before that, I have to prepare rice and started pouring rice into the cooker, when suddenly, short energetic cries of "Urg!" and "Hah!" came next door.

"What the heck? Hmm....?"

After finishing last touches and setting the rice cooker into position, I walked down the hallway into the courtyard. Not very big, around the size of the area of 3 hanging racks, less than ten or more steps to my neighbour's fence. Across the short fence seperating both houses, I could see a person dressed in sportswear and skirts, waving her bamboo blade around. I called out and greeted "Hey-- Chiwa--"

Chiwa stopped her exercise and turned around, sweat sparkling in the sunlight of what was remaining of the sun.

"Hi--Ei-kun! What's for dinner?"

Heh, thinking about food from dawn til dusk.

"Why are you doing practices with your sword?"

"I guess because there was a sword lying around?"

"....."

According to my calculations, this person will become addicted to mountaineering activities in the near future.

"I thought you gave up a long time ago?"

"The Kendo club was what I gave up. Despite many persuasion from my seniors, I finally severed my ties with them."

"Did you give up because of your health conditions? Now you're practicing again, won't it...."

Harusaki Chiwa smiled. "No problem. I had a body check last week and my doctor said if it were exercises, then I'd be fine~"

"....really?"

"Really~ really, Ei-kun loves to worry~"

Chiwa had been practicing kendo from elementary school up til the 2nd year of junior high. Instead of practice, one could say, buried her head in kendo. She even came 4th in the province-wide group competition, 2nd in personal competition. Her unfavourable height and strength didn't have much affect on her performance, even aiming for the national-wide competition next summer.

But then, the 3rd summer of junior high.

Just as the date for the competition was approaching, Chiwa got involved in a traffic accident.

While the Kendo club was jogging for training, a cargo from a passing by truck coincidentally fell off, crushing Chiwa below it.

Her whole body suffered serious injury, the damage to her waist was even worse.

After a large surgery, Chiwa spent her last summer of junior high in hospital.

Although after this Chiwa have worked hard for rehabilitation, now that the after effects does not affect her daily life, extreme social activities like kendo is out of the topic.

But Chiwa didn't complain at all, accepting everything silently.

To a person like me who never joined much social activies, we won't be able to imagine what it feels like for Chiwa. But in my point of view, Chiwa definitely lost an important part of her life.

".....Don't push yourself too much. The waist, like how it's written, is the most important part of the body."
(Note: In Japanese [and Chinese], the word waist is combined from two parts: body and important)

"Eh--?" Chiwa winced her eyes as if contemplating something, "Ei-kun seems especially kind today? Don't tell me it's because you want to see my underpants?"

--?!

"Wh-who wants to see yo-your u-u-u"

Such a failure. Stumbling over something so trivial.

"Oh my. Ei-kun must have reached the age where he is interested in these things. Is the word 'underpants' too stimulating for you?" Chiwa giggled happily.

Chiwa took a twirl like a ballerina. The short white skirt was lifted by air, revealing her long, slender, healthy legs. Of course, the underpants stayed out of sight. .....But still I couldn't help but get slightly exicted. Such a failure.

"Wh-who wants to see your childish underwear!"

"Huh, you don't have to insist, you know~"

Curse her.... such a fun-loving little kid. A mature grown up like me have no common language with her!

"Forget it. I'm going out to buy ingredients for dinner."

"Oh, wait! I'm going with you!"

"Don't. If you go, you always make additional expenses."

"I won't nag for snacks this time! I promise!"

Lies....

Everytime she sneaks chocolate and gum and whatnot into my shopping cart.

Whatever. Even if I refused, this kid will tag along.

"....you have 3 minutes. Hurry up!"

"Yes, sir!"

Really. How can such a small little body be so energetic.

From our home to the "'''Marutoku'''" shopping mall is around a ten minutes trip.

Chiwa was dressed up in jeans skirts and a sleeveless shirt.

It is only May yet already sleeveless.... I don't know whether to call her out-going, or lack of a sense of seasons.

"And, Ei-kun, what are you having tonight?"

"Hmm? Um..."

Through the intelligence received from the flyers this morning, the recipe is all set.

"Japanese-styled taro with fish miso soup and Soybean Sargassum salad"

Chiwa made an expression as if the end of the world have come "Wh-what about meat?!"

"Don't you know? Beans are called the 'Vegetarian's meat'."

"....Lately Ei-kun and my mother sound alike"

Chiwa's parents are workaholics, plus their workload is heavy, usually they don't come home until late night. Since my aunt '''Saeko-san''' also seldom comes home, dinner is almost always eaten between me and Chiwa.

Entering into the shop, we quickly grabbed all the special priced objects. A sudden scent of curry came from the corner of the shop. Looks like they're trying to sell a new instant curry.

"Oh, siblings shopping together? If you don't mind, would you like to try some?" Wearing an apron, the saleswoman showed a professional smile.

Since small, both of us have always been mistaken as siblings. Although only during Grade 3 to Grade 4 did Chiwa's height exceed mine, I have always been taken as the younger brother in our pseudo sibling relationship. Between you and me, I have always taken this as the shame of my life. On the bright side, Chiwa's height also stopped growing since grade school.

"Then, excuse me~~"

Well, no thanks for me. Chiwa, of course, couldn't care less about me, and reached out for the paper plates. Though her arms look short, they can extend to an incredible length when reaching for food.

"Here you go. There's two tastes here to try out, heavy and light!"

I guess there's not much choice but to taste as well.

.....Well, that wasn't so bad.

'''Saeko-san's''' snacks storage is close to going out of stock. Why not, I thought. Two would be too many though.

"May I ask which taste is better selling?"

"Huh?"

"Which curry is sells better? I'll have one of that."

With a slightly awkward expression, the saleslady pointed to the light curry, whereas Chiwa placed a heavy tasted curry into my shopping cart.

"Hey, Chiwa"

"It's for '''Saeko-san''', no? This one tastes better~"

The saleslady made a muffled laugh.

Huh. Who made you my mother.

On the way home after lining up and paying, I couldn't help but say
"Chiwa, please don't interfer with my logical decisions"

"Lo~gi~cal Decisions?"

"Compared to your tongue, I'd rather trust the choice of democracy"

"That won't come into use at all. My taste is the same as '''Saeko-san's'''."

"You won't be able to prove it"

Chiwa shrugged exaggeratedly
"Ei-kun surely changed a lot in this field. In junior high you weren't so addicted to talking sense."

"Well that's normal isn't it. We are high school students after all"

"ehh, but I like the clumsier Ei-kun better-- you were hilarious"

"You." Slightly pissed, "You never change, still at the stage of junior, no, no difference from a gradeschool child"

"Wh-what. I've grown" Chiwa puffed out her chests.

.....Umm, that? Nope. Not so far, at least.

" 'The late growth of breasts due to immaturity' -- If I became a doctor, I would definitely invite you as a test subject for my thesis "

"P-pretending to be very smart! I'm still 3 months and 10 days older than you!"

"It only further proves your immaturity if you even think that matters"

"S-such arrogance! H-how, how dare Ei-kun!!"

Haha, a complete victory from my side. Sadly, defeating Chiwa isn't exactly something to brag about.

And so, we returned home and I began preparing dinner swiftly. Fish itself is sold in slices, so roasting it shouldn't be too hard. More importantly was the Japanese styled taro. It needs to be kept shaking such that it won't get burnt.

As for Chiwa, she pouted on the sofa hugging her knees, calling out "Ei-kun is an idiot", "Stupid", "Muffled pervert" and all sorts of names.

Can't believe such a sporty girl can take these things so personally. Looks like there's only one thing to do.

"Hey, Chiwa"

"Huh. I hate Ei-kun the most"

"There's some bacon in the fridge, do you want me to fry it in soya-sauce?"

"Yay! Ei-kun I love you!"

"....."

Love bought with 100 grams of bacon.

If treated specially, it only costs ¥59.....

I mixed all the vegetables into one big bowl and placed it on the table. Although it looks less attractive, we seldom separate the vegetables into single dishes, but instead we eat it directly from one big bowl. Soon it became a habit. Moreover, I have less plates to wash this way.

The two of us ate, going through all sorts of unimportant subjects.

"That reminds me--"

"Reminds you of what??"

"In mangas or in drama TVs, female childhood friends tend to cook"

"That's right"

"Then why is our characters switched?"

Chiwa looked at me a bit confused "Eh? Did you want to eat my cooking?"

"......Nnnnever mind."

I was suddenly reminded of myself collapsing from the food she made once. That was a bubbling roasted steak sweetened to the fattening degree. Because we didn't have red wine, we had carbonated grape juice (0% natural) as substitue. When asked of the motive for her crime, Chiwa replied "they both look pretty much the same anyways" and "Besides, I'm sure it would taste better with something carbonated"

The less a person knows how to cook, the more likely he would be to invent crazy recipes.....

"Say," Chiwa garbled while chewing bacon, "There's a girl called Natsukawa Masuzu in Ei-kun's class?"

"Oh, I guess"

Then with a sudden spurt of energy "That girl is incredible! Just like a princess! Even boys in our class are talking about her, so I took a look today. I was shocked! Her hair is silver, her eyes are blue, like some European offspring or somewhere else! I also heard she is super rich!"

"Umm, I guess--" I answered vaguely.

"And she's super popular! Only two months into school, already according to sources, the number of confessions she's had have already exceeded two digits! I originally thought it was a made up story from nosy person, but after seeing her today, I am almost certain of it! Two digits!"

"Ohh--" I agreed vaguely.

"Oh, Ei-kun isn't interested? Or did you already give up because she is out of reach?"

"Not really"

I have to agree, Natsukawa-san is very pretty indeed, but it has nothing to do with me. Besides, for some reason, I have a dislike towards her. Although I've had a few conversations with her.... it always feels like she's hiding something under her acclaimed looks. Should I say, I can't read her thoughts, or is she too unpredictable.

"Anyhow I don't really like her"

"....is that so"
Chiwa nodded a few times.

"Hoho, today's dinner taste very good"

"Oh that, I just cooked it like every other day"

I wonder what was the reason that made her feel happy. Just bacon is enough to cheer her up?

After dinner, the two of us gathered bowls and chopsticks. Afterwards I started preparing for tomorrow's courses while Chiwa took some manga from the mountainous piles stored in '''Saeko-san's''' room and started reading at the sofa.

'''Saeko-san''' works at some game production company. Occasionally she does work like writing scripts, drawing graphics, even coding and music, in short she does a lot. The company makes galgames and love games directed to girls.

Perhaps it's because of work, '''Saeko-san''' acts like this at home
"Eita, mor~ning~! Are you used to highschool life? Are there any cute girls you've fallen for?"

"No progress at all with Chiwawa? Settings like this kind of childhood friend is usually a highway to HAPPYENDs, what have you been doing all the time?"

"When you're in bed with a girl you have to watch out for her impression-- If you focus too much on a single girl and forget about others, some day bad news will spread!"

Who would be in bed with a girl. You think I'm some oil monopoly king in Arabia?

--Anyway, don't pay too much attention to these stuff.

For purposes of gathering information for work, '''Saeko-san''' has tonnes of bishojo mangas. Reading these mangas have recently become a daily habit of Chiwa's.

"Hey, the tea's ready, I'll put it down right here"

"....."

Chiwa was motionless. She turns like this whenever in the world of manga.

Looks like she's especially focused today.

".....Sniff" Chiwa grabbed a tissue from the tissue box and wiped the corner of her eye with it while blowing her nose. "It would be nice if that happened to me just once."

"Happen what?"

"A romance like this."

"How's it like?"

"You read, you read"

I flipped the pages of the manga Chiwa handed to me. The two childhood friends both had their own lovers, but one day both of them noticed their love towards each other, then after many many difficult obstacles, the two of them eventually became lovers forever-- you get the idea.

"How cliche." I commented. "Besides, childhood friends are pretty much like brothers and sisters, they won't become lovers"

"Is that so? I thought there's some fact to it."

"Only works in stories. Let's take us as an example, one look and you see how it's impossible in real life."

"................."

??

I was expecting a "You've got a point-- That is certainly impossible--" or some similar response..... but she turned out to be silent.

"Y-you've got a point-- That is certainly impossible--"

Ah, here comes the expected response.

Perhaps she's only too tired from her kendo exercise? Maybe I should add more meat in dinner next time.....

"Take, taking the childhood friend setting aside, this kind of romance, or I should say this kind of sweet, or wait, this kind of complete devotion in romance, doesn't seems so bad. Besides, I'm already a highschool student."

So that's why.

It's a good thing to want to devote fullying into something as replacement of Kendo, just that --

"So, what do you want to do then?"

"I want to become popular!"

....well that was direct.

"Fancied by many males, after experiencing many ups and downs, finally settling down with a normal male who has been supporting her silently all the time -- This is what I should experience at least?"

".....ha. Ohhh"

How should I put it, feels just like what a book called "Chihuahua Mood for Saucy Love" would be about.

It sounds a bit depressing coming from a friend who's been growing up with her since small, but....

"You should give up. It's still too early for you."

"Huhhhh?"

"First of all, just the word 'popular' is impossible. I've never seen you do make up. Moreover, I doubt you have lots of clothes?"

"C-clothes, I have a lot! I have 5 workout suits!"

I totally understand her anxiousness in wanting to refute my statements, but in reality, she's just digging her own grave.

"Plus, you never really cared about how other males look at you? A while ago you were playing soccer with the males in the sports grounds without even changing to sports clothes. Annd, you sit with your legs crossed, when you're in a skirt you always shake your feet around"

Having her worst habit pointed out, Chiwa stopped moving her legs. Just so you know, she was moving her legs rythmatically all along.

"And I don't have to tell you about how you go on the rooftop in nothing but a towel on your body, hands on hips, gulping down milk in one go. The Asakura's auntie even jokes 'Chiwa-chan looks exactly like my father', so she said"

The two ponytails from the two sides of her head began trembling.

The Asakuras is our neighbour across the street. Their grandpa was an coach, sometimes even attenting fitness contests. He's a bearded old guy covered in muscles.

"Anyway, you are a sports girl from head to feet, just like how they say 'Brawn but no brains'. In reality, the way you analyse things is by brute force, facing it directly, guided by power. In addition, you always think like a child, I can't really tell how you look like a highschool student......"

"Idiot"

"......??"

"Ei-kun is a giant idiot!!!!!!"

Ah, there she blows.

"Ei-kun is a jerk! Jerk jerk jerk jerk! How would you know until I try! I'm not brawn but no brains! I'm not a child!"

"....."

Thrashing her arms and legs around on the sofa, I really want to see her to prove me wrong.

When I realised I did go a bit overboard, it was already too late. The damage is done.

"Forget it. I've decided," Chiwa stood up from the sofa, "From tomorrow onwards, I will become a person in love!!"

".....??"

"Not only will I be in love, I will become super popular! If Chiwawa-chan gets serious, even Natsukawa Masuzu won't stand a chance!"

Well good luck on that, I said.
"Do you know how to draw males' attention? Even abstractly?"

"I'll begin learning right now!"

"Annd where exactly will you be learning from?"

"With this!"
Chiwa held up the bishojo manga in front of my face
"'''Saeko-san''' once said, bishojo manga is the bible of love. Therefore I must study well, remember it well, practice it all day long, and win a prize in a competition!"

"Competition whaa.....?"

The stance of a girl warrior.

"Let's say....this" Chiwa flipped to a heroine on some random page in the manga, "Look at the eyes of this heroine, looook at them! Don't you find them adorable? If I make the same look, I will definitely become popular with males!"

".....Ummm......."

The heroine's eyes was half the size of her face.

And there was a lot of glitter in her eyes.

How the heck do you plan to imitate that.....

"A while ago, a girl next to my desk was reading a magazine 'Pachi Lemon'. It also wrote that 'if you look at boys from below, it will make you cute and popular!' It seems looking people from below is the secret technique. Oh, I'm very talented in hitting people from above in Kendo!"

"......"

Definitely brawny but not brainy.

"I won't tell you otherwise anymore. As for the things I said, I'm sorry. Please consider it again"

"What! What are you talking about! Besides Ei-kun has never been in love! You've never had a crush on anyone!"

"Oh? Do you?"

".....H-how's that possible! Ei-kun you big idiot!"

So I was scolded. What's wrong with this person.

"I'll begin practising now. Lend me these books, will you"
Chiwa carried a pile of Bishojo mangas with both hands.

"Ei-kun, byebye~ around a week later I will become Super popular, by that time you'll realise 'Chiwa-chan is such a perfect female', but it'll be too late!"

"What a pity-- What a pity"
And so, I sent Chiwa out of my door.

A week later.

In my class 1A, a rumour like this started to spread: class 1E's Harusaki Chiwa became super popular, and was called out by boys--

Like hell it is.

In reality, the rumour was that Chiwa was called by the school counselor's office. In short--
"She stared with bloodshot eyes at boys in her class"

"She'd sometimes stare with blank eyes"

"Nonetheless it's terrifying"

You get the idea.

I even heard that Chiwa's mother had come to school to talk as well.

I guess I should probably roast more meat for her tonight.

"Wahh.... I followed the instructions on the mangas, yet why am I not popular?" Chiwa swallowed the juicy meat with her own tears, talking to herself.

"--Ah!"

"What now?"

"Don't tell me.... I am too cute to handle?!"

Moe.

--------------------
Pachi Lemon's April Edition, Special Support for freshmen Guide

Cuteness & Popularity measure of female High School students!

Reply to student "Cute Chiwawa"

*Q1: You wake up in the morning and greet yourself in the mirror. What did you say?
*A1: I'm hungry!

*Q2: He laughs at your new haircut! What do you do?
*A2: Cut Ei-kun's eyebrows off as revenge

*Q3: Your male friends tells you about his troubles about love. How did you encourage him?
*A3: Let's run 50 laps around the sports ground!

*Q4: You have a date at the restaurant with your boyfriend. What did you order?
*A4: A big piece of meat!

*Q5: You accidentally overslept. Although in a hurry, your hair keeps curling up and won't stay flat~ (tears). What do you do?
*A5: Instead of this, what's for breakfast??

Your Cuteness & Popularity score: 5/100

Editors of Pachi Lemon: There is still a long way from being cute and popular. Why don't you try going on a diet?

OreShura: Volume 1 Chapter 1

2012-09-15T05:55:02Z

Sab:

===Chapter 1: Highschool Life begins in Mayhem===

Harusaki Chiwa.

Freshman. Childhood friend of Eita.

A bit dumb. Was in the Kendo club.

Favourite line is "feel free to eat as much as you wish"

It wouldn't be quite suitable for me to say this, but I am "anti-romance".

Romance this sort of thing, is nothing but a mirage. It's a disease. If you don't believe me take a look at couples giggling every now and then in front of everyone. It's annoying to whoever sees them, praying for them to leave. As for their reasons to flirt in public? That's because this is the real romance, unmasked: Morphine emitting everywhere in the brain, making them lose their shame and all. My attitude towards these people? I always put up with it because I don't care. But when it comes to myself, it's another topic. For me, even if it were not in public, I will never do such shameless moves.

Of course, if I told anyone about my thoughts like this, they would probably chuckle and reply
"There's no need to pretend to be strong"
"Is this the excuse of an unpopular person amongst females?"

Huh. Me, unpopular amongst females? What a joke. I have a history of being confessed to. Nostalgic, those times in the kindergarten..... Forget it, those past glories? Who cares.

But really. If other people gave me a reply like this, I would fully understand. It sounds just as bad as college dropouts saying "schdule my a**" - lack of persuasive power. Not having a single bit of romance in my entire life so far, saying anything casually like that would sound nothing more than the sour grapes of jealousy.

Which pretty much sums up why I don't tell anyone about it, but it IS truly how I feel. And the people who taught me to think like that were my parents.

The story of how my parents got together: they met; they fell in love; they got married. Just like every other love dramas on the television. Throughout childhood I was bombarded with them talking about the ups and downs of their love story. Then in junior high, I was subjected to their endless fights. One day as I was about to go into high school, they both left to seek the "real one" for them and disappeared forever from my eyes, leaving only a letter entrusting me to relatives and a power of attorney to their house as funds for unsettled expenses.

- You - Are - All - Bastards

Me and my hatred to my parents and romance itself was to the degree of using "Hakata Salt's" advertising techniques.
(Note: Lyrics in the [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=99PeKqs81Ak Hakata Salt commercial] are sang syllable by syllable.)

Of course, my sensible logic tells me not all parents are like mine. On the contrary, people falling blissfully in love, getting married, form the majority. Though say my logic is sensible, I still would not "fall in love blissfully just to show you!" or any other kind of similar urges. After all, without romance, life can still go on. Won't make much of a difference not doing pointless stuff. Besides, I don't have the time either.

I have my own ambitions. My target is to get into National University's medical faculty and become a doctor.

Getting into the medical faculty would mean a considerable amount of expense, and I simply cannot give any more trouble to my current guardian '''Saeko-san'''.

'''Kiryū Saeko''' is my father's sister; in other words, my aunt. She is my benefactor who takes care of me, here to clean up my parent's mess. Originally she thought of selling this tattered house to raise money, but putting my feelings of attachment in this house into account, she eventually moved in and settled down with me together. If it weren't for '''Saeko-san''', I would have been moved else where to some unknown relative a long time ago. Therefore, I have decided to repay this debt to '''Saeko-san''' one day, definitely.

My highschool is called Haneyama Public Highschool (short form Hane High). In this school, we have one policy that goes like this: the school will award talented students with good conduct a place at National University (with scholarship). And That's what I'm aiming for.

After entering high school, for the first semester I have already been ranked the first in my year. To a person whose results were in the fairly low district for the entire junior high, this is a staggering feat. I have no intent to slow down, and will continue working hard to keep my grades up.

Which is why, I have no time to spare on romance.

Therefore, I have sworn myself to the following laws:
#Studying comes first!
#No romance! Romance alert!
#But don't let others believe I'm gay because of the 2nd rule

As long as I follow these laws, my highschool life will be perfect!

Yet.

Yet, even for a person like me, have an attached girl. The so called fate of a childhood friend.

Well, why shouldn't I begin the story from her then.

It was the end of May, an incident that happened some day when students were about to change into summer uniforms. Because of work, '''Saeko-san''' is often away from home. A reason why I have to do all the housework alone. Dinner; vacumming the floor; hanging clothes dry; all part of my work. In the eyes of others, this may look very extraneous. True. But only at beginning. But now, chores have even become one of my hobbies. Especially making dinner, not only can it directly reflect your results, it is also an useful skill in life.

It was almost dusk, half past five. I threw all the washed clothes into the dryer, about to step outside for ingredients for dinner. Before that, I have to prepare rice and started pouring rice into the cooker, when suddenly, short energetic cries of "Urg!" and "Hah!" came next door.

"What the heck? Hmm....?"

After finishing last touches and setting the rice cooker into position, I walked down the hallway into the courtyard. Not very big, around the size of the area of 3 hanging racks, less than ten or more steps to my neighbour's fence. Across the short fence seperating both houses, I could see a person dressed in sportswear and skirts, waving her bamboo blade around. I called out and greeted "Hey-- Chiwa--"

Chiwa stopped her exercise and turned around, sweat sparkling in the sunlight of what was remaining of the sun.

"Hi--Ei-kun! What's for dinner?"

Heh, thinking about food from dawn til dusk.

"Why are you doing practices with your sword?"

"I guess because there was a sword lying around?"

"....."

According to my calculations, this person will become addicted to mountaineering activities in the near future.

"I thought you gave up a long time ago?"

"The Kendo club was what I gave up. Despite many persuasion from my seniors, I finally severed my ties with them."

"Did you give up because of your health conditions? Now you're practicing again, won't it...."

Harusaki Chiwa smiled. "No problem. I had a body check last week and my doctor said if it were exercises, then I'd be fine~"

"....really?"

"Really~ really, Ei-kun loves to worry~"

Chiwa had been practicing kendo from elementary school up til the 2nd year of junior high. Instead of practice, one could say, buried her head in kendo. She even came 4th in the province-wide group competition, 2nd in personal competition. Her unfavourable height and strength didn't have much affect on her performance, even aiming for the national-wide competition next summer.

But then, the 3rd summer of junior high.

Just as the date for the competition was approaching, Chiwa got involved in a traffic accident.

While the Kendo club was jogging for training, a cargo from a passing by truck coincidentally fell off, crushing Chiwa below it.

Her whole body suffered serious injury, the damage to her waist was even worse.

After a large surgery, Chiwa spent her last summer of junior high in hospital.

Although after this Chiwa have worked hard for rehabilitation, now that the after effects does not affect her daily life, extreme social activities like kendo is out of the topic.

But Chiwa didn't complain at all, accepting everything silently.

To a person like me who never joined much social activies, we won't be able to imagine what it feels like for Chiwa. But in my point of view, Chiwa definitely lost an important part of her life.

".....Don't push yourself too much. The waist, like how it's written, is the most important part of the body."
(Note: In Japanese [and Chinese], the word waist is combined from two parts: body and important)

"Eh--?" Chiwa winced her eyes as if contemplating something, "Ei-kun seems especially kind today? Don't tell me it's because you want to see my underpants?"

--?!

"Wh-who wants to see yo-your u-u-u"

Such a failure. Stumbling over something so trivial.

"Oh my. Ei-kun must have reached the age where he is interested in these things. Is the word 'underpants' too stimulating for you?" Chiwa giggled happily.

Chiwa took a twirl like a ballerina. The short white skirt was lifted by air, revealing her long, slender, healthy legs. Of course, the underpants stayed out of sight. .....But still I couldn't help but get slightly exicted. Such a failure.

"Wh-who wants to see your childish underwear!"

"Huh, you don't have to insist, you know~"

Curse her.... such a fun-loving little kid. A mature grown up like me have no common language with her!

"Forget it. I'm going out to buy ingredients for dinner."

"Oh, wait! I'm going with you!"

"Don't. If you go, you always make additional expenses."

"I won't nag for snacks this time! I promise!"

Lies....

Everytime she sneaks chocolate and gum and whatnot into my shopping cart.

Whatever. Even if I refused, this kid will tag along.

"....you have 3 minutes. Hurry up!"

"Yes, sir!"

Really. How can such a small little body be so energetic.

From our home to the "'''Marutoku'''" shopping mall is around a ten minutes trip.

Chiwa was dressed up in jeans skirts and a sleeveless shirt.

It is only May yet already sleeveless.... I don't know whether to call her out-going, or lack of a sense of seasons.

"And, Ei-kun, what are you having tonight?"

"Hmm? Um..."

Through the intelligence received from the flyers this morning, the recipe is all set.

"Japanese-styled taro with fish miso soup and Soybean Sargassum salad"

Chiwa made an expression as if the end of the world have come "Wh-what about meat?!"

"Don't you know? Beans are called the 'Vegetarian's meat'."

"....Lately Ei-kun and my mother sound alike"

Chiwa's parents are workaholics, plus their workload is heavy, usually they don't come home until late night. Since my aunt '''Saeko-san''' also seldom comes home, dinner is almost always eaten between me and Chiwa.

Entering into the shop, we quickly grabbed all the special priced objects. A sudden scent of curry came from the corner of the shop. Looks like they're trying to sell a new instant curry.

"Oh, siblings shopping together? If you don't mind, would you like to try some?" Wearing an apron, the saleswoman showed a professional smile.

Since small, both of us have always been mistaken as siblings. Although only during Grade 3 to Grade 4 did Chiwa's height exceed mine, I have always been taken as the younger brother in our pseudo sibling relationship. Between you and me, I have always taken this as the shame of my life. On the bright side, Chiwa's height also stopped growing since grade school.

"Then, excuse me~~"

Well, no thanks for me. Chiwa, of course, couldn't care less about me, and reached out for the paper plates. Though her arms look short, they can extend to an incredible length when reaching for food.

"Here you go. There's two tastes here to try out, heavy and light!"

I guess there's not much choice but to taste as well.

.....Well, that wasn't so bad.

'''Saeko-san's''' snacks storage is close to going out of stock. Why not, I thought. Two would be too many though.

"May I ask which taste is better selling?"

"Huh?"

"Which curry is sells better? I'll have one of that."

With a slightly awkward expression, the saleslady pointed to the light curry, whereas Chiwa placed a heavy tasted curry into my shopping cart.

"Hey, Chiwa"

"It's for '''Saeko-san''', no? This one tastes better~"

The saleslady made a muffled laugh.

Huh. Who made you my mother.

On the way home after lining up and paying, I couldn't help but say
"Chiwa, please don't interfer with my logical decisions"

"Lo~gi~cal Decisions?"

"Compared to your tongue, I'd rather trust the choice of democracy"

"That won't come into use at all. My taste is the same as '''Saeko-san's'''."

"You won't be able to prove it"

Chiwa shrugged exaggeratedly
"Ei-kun surely changed a lot in this field. In junior high you weren't so addicted to talking sense."

"Well that's normal isn't it. We are high school students after all"

"ehh, but I like the clumsier Ei-kun better-- you were hilarious"

"You." Slightly pissed, "You never change, still at the stage of junior, no, no difference from a gradeschool child"

"Wh-what. I've grown" Chiwa puffed out her chests.

.....Umm, that? Nope. Not so far, at least.

" 'The late growth of breasts due to immaturity' -- If I became a doctor, I would definitely invite you as a test subject for my thesis "

"P-pretending to be very smart! I'm still 3 months and 10 days older than you!"

"It only further proves your immaturity if you even think that matters"

"S-such arrogance! H-how, how dare Ei-kun!!"

Haha, a complete victory from my side. Sadly, defeating Chiwa isn't exactly something to brag about.

And so, we returned home and I began preparing dinner swiftly. Fish itself is sold in slices, so roasting it shouldn't be too hard. More importantly was the Japanese styled taro. It needs to be kept shaking such that it won't get burnt.

As for Chiwa, she pouted on the sofa hugging her knees, calling out "Ei-kun is an idiot", "Stupid", "Muffled pervert" and all sorts of names.

Can't believe such a sporty girl can take these things so personally. Looks like there's only one thing to do.

"Hey, Chiwa"

"Huh. I hate Ei-kun the most"

"There's some bacon in the fridge, do you want me to fry it in soya-sauce?"

"Yay! Ei-kun I love you!"

"....."

Love bought with 100 grams of bacon.

If treated specially, it only costs ¥59.....

I mixed all the vegetables into one big bowl and placed it on the table. Although it looks less attractive, we seldom separate the vegetables into single dishes, but instead we eat it directly from one big bowl. Soon it became a habit. Moreover, I have less plates to wash this way.

The two of us ate, going through all sorts of unimportant subjects.

"That reminds me--"

"Reminds you of what??"

"In mangas or in drama TVs, female childhood friends tend to cook"

"That's right"

"Then why is our characters switched?"

Chiwa looked at me a bit confused "Eh? Did you want to eat my cooking?"

"......Nnnnever mind."

I was suddenly reminded of myself collapsing from the food she made once. That was a bubbling roasted steak sweetened to the fattening degree. Because we didn't have red wine, we had carbonated grape juice (0% natural) as substitue. When asked of the motive for her crime, Chiwa replied "they both look pretty much the same anyways" and "Besides, I'm sure it would taste better with something carbonated"

The less a person knows how to cook, the more likely he would be to invent crazy recipes.....

"Say," Chiwa garbled while chewing bacon, "There's a girl called Natsukawa Masuzu in Ei-kun's class?"

"Oh, I guess"

Then with a sudden spurt of energy "That girl is incredible! Just like a princess! Even boys in our class are talking about her, so I took a look today. I was shocked! Her hair is silver, her eyes are blue, like some European offspring or somewhere else! I also heard she is super rich!"

"Umm, I guess--" I answered vaguely.

"And she's super popular! Only two months into school, already according to sources, the number of confessions she's had have already exceeded two digits! I originally thought it was a made up story from nosy person, but after seeing her today, I am almost certain of it! Two digits!"

"Ohh--" I agreed vaguely.

"Oh, Ei-kun isn't interested? Or did you already give up because she is out of reach?"

"Not really"

I have to agree, Natsukawa-san is very pretty indeed, but it has nothing to do with me. Besides, for some reason, I have a dislike towards her. Although I've had a few conversations with her.... it always feels like she's hiding something under her acclaimed looks. Should I say, I can't read her thoughts, or is she too unpredictable.

"Anyhow I don't really like her"

"....is that so"
Chiwa nodded a few times.

"Hoho, today's dinner taste very good"

"Oh that, I just cooked it like every other day"

I wonder what was the reason that made her feel happy. Just bacon is enough to cheer her up?

After dinner, the two of us gathered bowls and chopsticks. Afterwards I started preparing for tomorrow's courses while Chiwa took some manga from the mountainous piles stored in '''Saeko-san's''' room and started reading at the sofa.

'''Saeko-san''' works at some game production company. Occasionally she does work like writing scripts, drawing graphics, even coding and music, in short she does a lot. The company makes galgames and love games directed to girls.

Perhaps it's because of work, '''Saeko-san''' acts like this at home
"Eita, mor~ning~! Are you used to highschool life? Are there any cute girls you've fallen for?"

"No progress at all with Chiwawa? Settings like this kind of childhood friend is usually a highway to HAPPYENDs, what have you been doing all the time?"

"When you're in bed with a girl you have to watch out for her impression-- If you focus too much on a single girl and forget about others, some day bad news will spread!"

Who would be in bed with a girl. You think I'm some oil monopoly king in Arabia?

--Anyway, don't pay too much attention to these stuff.

For purposes of gathering information for work, '''Saeko-san''' has tonnes of bishojo mangas. Reading these mangas have recently become a daily habit of Chiwa's.

"Hey, the tea's ready, I'll put it down right here"

"....."

Chiwa was motionless. She turns like this whenever in the world of manga.

Looks like she's especially focused today.

".....Sniff" Chiwa grabbed a tissue from the tissue box and wiped the corner of her eye with it while blowing her nose. "It would be nice if that happened to me just once."

"Happen what?"

"A romance like this"

"How's it like?"

"You read, you read"

I flipped the pages of the manga Chiwa handed to me. The two childhood friends both had their own lovers, but one day both of them noticed their love towards each other, then after many many difficult obstacles, the two of them eventually became lovers forever-- you get the idea.

"How cliche." I commented. "Besides, childhood friends are pretty much like brothers and sisters, they won't become lovers"

"Is that so? I thought there's some fact to it."

"Only works in stories. Let's take us as an example, one look and you see how it's impossible in real life."

"................."

??

I was expecting a "You've got a point-- That is certainly impossible--" or some similar response..... but she turned out to be silent.

"Y-you've got a point-- That is certainly impossible--"

Ah, here comes the expected response.

Perhaps she's only too tired from her kendo exercise? Maybe I should add more meat in dinner next time.....

"Take, taking the childhood friend setting aside, this kind of romance, or I should say this kind of sweet, or wait, this kind of complete devotion in romance, doesn't seems so bad. Besides, I'm already a highschool student."

So that's why.

It's a good thing to want to devote fullying into something as replacement of Kendo, just that --

"So, what do you want to do then?"

"I want to become popular!"

....well that was direct.

"Fancied by many males, after experiencing many ups and downs, finally settling down with a normal male who has been supporting her silently all the time -- This is what I should experience at least?"

".....ha. Ohhh"

How should I put it, feels just like what a book called "Chihuahua Mood for Saucy Love" would be about.

It sounds a bit depressing coming from a friend who's been growing up with her since small, but....

"You should give up. It's still too early for you."

"Huhhhh?"

"First of all, just the word 'popular' is impossible. I've never seen you do make up. Moreover, I doubt you have lots of clothes?"

"C-clothes, I have a lot! I have 5 workout suits!"

I totally understand her anxiousness in wanting to refute my statements, but in reality, she's just digging her own grave.

"Plus, you never really cared about how other males look at you? A while ago you were playing soccer with the males in the sports grounds without even changing to sports clothes. Annd, you sit with your legs crossed, when you're in a skirt you always shake your feet around"

Having her worst habit pointed out, Chiwa stopped moving her legs. Just so you know, she was moving her legs rythmatically all along.

"And I don't have to tell you about how you go on the rooftop in nothing but a towel on your body, hands on hips, gulping down milk in one go. The Asakura's auntie even jokes 'Chiwa-chan looks exactly like my father', so she said"

The two ponytails from the two sides of her head began trembling.

The Asakuras is our neighbour across the street. Their grandpa was an coach, sometimes even attenting fitness contests. He's a bearded old guy covered in muscles.

"Anyway, you are a sports girl from head to feet, just like how they say 'Brawn but no brains'. In reality, the way you analyse things is by brute force, facing it directly, guided by power. In addition, you always think like a child, I can't really tell how you look like a highschool student......"

"Idiot"

"......??"

"Ei-kun is a giant idiot!!!!!!"

Ah, there she blows.

"Ei-kun is a jerk! Jerk jerk jerk jerk! How would you know until I try! I'm not brawn but no brains! I'm not a child!"

"....."

Thrashing her arms and legs around on the sofa, I really want to see her to prove me wrong.

When I realised I did go a bit overboard, it was already too late. The damage is done.

"Forget it. I've decided," Chiwa stood up from the sofa, "From tomorrow onwards, I will become a person in love!!"

".....??"

"Not only will I be in love, I will become super popular! If Chiwawa-chan gets serious, even Natsukawa Masuzu won't stand a chance!"

Well good luck on that, I said.
"Do you know how to draw males' attention? Even abstractly?"

"I'll begin learning right now!"

"Annd where exactly will you be learning from?"

"With this!"
Chiwa held up the bishojo manga in front of my face
"'''Saeko-san''' once said, bishojo manga is the bible of love. Therefore I must study well, remember it well, practice it all day long, and win a prize in a competition!"

"Competition whaa.....?"

The stance of a girl warrior.

"Let's say....this" Chiwa flipped to a heroine on some random page in the manga, "Look at the eyes of this heroine, looook at them! Don't you find them adorable? If I make the same look, I will definitely become popular with males!"

".....Ummm......."

The heroine's eyes was half the size of her face.

And there was a lot of glitter in her eyes.

How the heck do you plan to imitate that.....

"A while ago, a girl next to my desk was reading a magazine 'Pachi Lemon'. It also wrote that 'if you look at boys from below, it will make you cute and popular!' It seems looking people from below is the secret technique. Oh, I'm very talented in hitting people from above in Kendo!"

"......"

Definitely brawny but not brainy.

"I won't tell you otherwise anymore. As for the things I said, I'm sorry. Please consider it again"

"What! What are you talking about! Besides Ei-kun has never been in love! You've never had a crush on anyone!"

"Oh? Do you?"

".....H-how's that possible! Ei-kun you big idiot!"

So I was scolded. What's wrong with this person.

"I'll begin practising now. Lend me these books, will you"
Chiwa carried a pile of Bishojo mangas with both hands.

"Ei-kun, byebye~ around a week later I will become Super popular, by that time you'll realise 'Chiwa-chan is such a perfect female', but it'll be too late!"

"What a pity-- What a pity"
And so, I sent Chiwa out of my door.

A week later.

In my class 1A, a rumour like this started to spread: class 1E's Harusaki Chiwa became super popular, and was called out by boys--

Like hell it is.

In reality, the rumour was that Chiwa was called by the school counselor's office. In short--
"She stared with bloodshot eyes at boys in her class"

"She'd sometimes stare with blank eyes"

"Nonetheless it's terrifying"

You get the idea.

I even heard that Chiwa's mother had come to school to talk as well.

I guess I should probably roast more meat for her tonight.

"Wahh.... I followed the instructions on the mangas, yet why am I not popular?" Chiwa swallowed the juicy meat with her own tears, talking to herself.

"--Ah!"

"What now?"

"Don't tell me.... I am too cute to handle?!"

Moe.

--------------------
Pachi Lemon's April Edition, Special Support for freshmen Guide

Cuteness & Popularity measure of female High School students!

Reply to student "Cute Chiwawa"

*Q1: You wake up in the morning and greet yourself in the mirror. What did you say?
*A1: I'm hungry!

*Q2: He laughs at your new haircut! What do you do?
*A2: Cut Ei-kun's eyebrows off as revenge

*Q3: Your male friends tells you about his troubles about love. How did you encourage him?
*A3: Let's run 50 laps around the sports ground!

*Q4: You have a date at the restaurant with your boyfriend. What did you order?
*A4: A big piece of meat!

*Q5: You accidentally overslept. Although in a hurry, your hair keeps curling up and won't stay flat~ (tears). What do you do?
*A5: Instead of this, what's for breakfast??

Your Cuteness & Popularity score: 5/100

Editors of Pachi Lemon: There is still a long way from being cute and popular. Why don't you try going on a diet?

Zero no Tsukaima:Volume3 Chapter5

2012-09-13T20:09:49Z

Sab: /* Chapter Five: The Arsenal and the Royal Family */

===Chapter Five: The Arsenal and the Royal Family ===

The Albion air force’s arsenal was located in the outskirts of its capital, Londinium, in the town of Rosyth. Before the Revolutionary War (which is what the Reconquista call the civil war that had just ended recently), that place used to be called the Royal air force’s arsenal. And thus, there were all sorts of buildings. The numerous buildings with massive chimneys were used for manufacturing iron. Next to them were piles and piles of timber used for ship constructions and repairs.

The large red brick building was the control center. The three colored flag of Reconquista could be seen fluttering proudly. But the thing that stood out most was the large battleship which seemed to reach the skies.

The Lexington, the flagship of the fleet, was anchored and covered by a cloth, similar to a large tent, to protect it from rain. The warship stretched across two hundred meters, and was placed on top of a large wooden board so that it could be remodeled as soon as possible.

The king of Albion, Oliver Cromwell, was observing the construction along with some attendants.

“What a big, dependable looking ship. With a ship like this, doesn’t it feel like we can rule the world, chief rigger?”

“You speak too highly of me.”

The chief rigger appointed to the fleet led by the Lexington, Sir Henry Bowood, replied half heartedly. He was on the Reconquista’s side and was the commander of the cruisers during the revolutionary war. Credited with destroying two enemy ships, he was promoted to chief rigger of the Lexington. He was to assume the position of captain when the remodeling was completed. It was one of the customs of the Albion air force.

“Look at those big cannons!”

Cromwell pointed at the cannons on the side of the ship.

“These new weapons are like the symbol of trust I have placed upon you. These were made by gathering Albion’s alchemists. They have an extended body, which according to the calculations…”

The longhaired woman next to Cromwell replied, “They have a firing range of approximately 1.5 times that of the cannons used on Tristain and Germania warships.”

“Thank you, Miss Sheffield.”

Bowood looked at Sheffield. She emitted a somewhat cold atmosphere. She was around her mid-twenties and wore a neat, thin black coat. He had never seen such a weird appearance. She wasn’t wearing a mantle… was she even a mage?

Cromwell nodded with satisfaction and patted Bowood on the back.

“She’s from Rub' al Khali. She designed these cannons from the technology she learned from the elves. Her insights in technology… do not follow our magic arts. She possesses knowledge of technology that is new to us. You should get to know each other.”

Bowood nodded in a bored manner. He was actually a royalist, but he strongly believed that soldiers should not get involved in politics. In other words, he was a purely militaristic person. The fleet commander, who outranked him, had joined the rebel army, and so he had no choice but to participate in the revolutionary war as a captain of the Reconquista fleet. For him, who had exerted his utmost for the sake of upholding Albion's tradition - Noblesse oblige, a noble duty, Albion was still a mere kingdom. Cromwell was someone despicable who had just seized power and the throne.

“There probably isn't a fleet on Halkeginia that can match the power of our Royal Sovereign fleet now,” Bowood had purposefully called the fleet by its old name. Noticing his cynicism, Cromwell smiled.

“Mr Bowood. The Royal Sovereign no longer exists in Albion.”

“True. However, if you attend the wedding ceremony with these new cannons, I’m afraid it will probably be seen as a vulgar demonstration of power.”

Cromwell, the first holy king and president of the council of nobles, and the cabinet ministers of The Republic of the Holy Albion (Albion’s new name) were to attend the wedding ceremony of the Tristain princess and the prince of Germania. They were to travel by the Lexington fleet.

Bringing new models of weapons for a visit of good will would be seen as something along the lines of gunboat diplomacy.

Cromwell replied casually, “Ah yes, I haven’t explained the scheme for this 'good will visit' to you, have I?”

“Scheme?”

Another conspiracy? Bowood felt a headache coming.

Cromwell softly whispered in Bowood’s ears.

“What?! I haven’t heard of such a disgraceful act in all my life!”

“It’s all a part of military movements,” said Cromwell, uncaringly.

“Didn’t we just recently sign a non-aggression treaty with Tristain! In Albion’s long history, we haven’t broken a single treaty!” shouted an enraged Bowood.

“Mr. Bowood. I shall not forgive you for any further political criticisms. This is something that the council has decided upon and approved. Do you plan on going against the council? Since when did you become a politician?”

With that, Bowood was speechless. To him, soldiers were swords and shields that did not object. They were the faithful watchdogs of the country, and proud ones at that. If it was a decision from someone of higher rank, then they could only follow those orders.

“You will soil our country’s name throughout Halkeginia. Our country will be known for cowardly breaking treaties.” Said Bowood, disturbed.

“Soil the country’s name? All of Halkeginia shall be ruled under our Reconquista flag. When we regain the holy lands from the elves, no one will care about such trivial matters.”

Bowood drew close to Cromwell.

“Breaking a treaty is something trivial? Do you plan on betraying even your own country?!”

A nearby man pulled out his wand and restrained Bowood. Bowood could recognize the face hidden underneath the hood.

“Y-Your highness?” a shocked Bowood whispered.

The face was of Prince Wales, who had died in battle.

“Captain, I wonder if you would be able to say those words to your once superior officer?”

Bowood dropped down to his knees. Wales reached out his hands and kissed Bowood. He became pale. Those hands were as cold as ice.

Cromwell walked out with his attendants. Wales also followed suit. The only one left was Bowood, standing still, shocked. Wales, who had died, was living and moving. Bowood was a triangular mage in the water arts. Even he, an expert in water magic, which governed the composition of living things, had not heard of a spell that could bring life to someone once dead.

Perhaps it was a golem? No, that body was filled with life. Being a user in the water branch, he knew perfectly well the flow of water inside living things, including that of Wales.

It was definitely an unknown form of magic. And Cromwell could control it. He remembered a convincing rumor he had heard, and started to shake.

That the holy king Cromwell could control “Void”…

Was that just Void magic?

…The legendary “Zero” branch of magic.

With a shaking voice, Bowood whispered, “…What the hell is he planning to do to Halkeginia?”

Cromwell spoke with the noble walking alongside him.

“Viscount, join the Lexington fleet as the commander of the dragoons.”

Under a feathered hat, Wardes’ eyes gleamed.

“Are you telling me to keep an eye on him?”

He shook his head, rejecting Wardes’ presumption.

“That man won’t betray us. He’s too stubborn and straightforward, which is why we can trust him. I’m just lending him your power, seeing as you led the magic defense squad once. Have you ever ridden a dragon before?”

“No. But there is no beast in Halkeginia that I cannot master.”

Cromwell smirked in agreement. He suddenly turned to Wardes.

“Viscount, why do you obey me?”

“Do you doubt my loyalty?”

“Not at all. You yield such fine results yet you have no requests.”

Wardes laughed lightly. He touched the artificial hand that was put on him recently.

“I only want to see the thing your Excellency will show me.”

“The holy lands?”

Wardes nodded.

“I believe what I’m searching for lies there.”

“You ‘believe’? You really don’t have any desires, do you.” Said Cromwell.

Cromwell was originally a clergyman, but he didn’t have a speck of faith in him. Wardes cast his eyes downwards on an old silver locket. Inside was a drawn portrait of a beautiful woman. His heart, which always appeared cold to people around him, started to warm up. After looking at the small portrait, he whispered, “No, your Excellency. I’m a man who desires the most in this world.”

Meanwhile in Henrietta’s room, inside the royal palace of Tristain, servants were busy sewing the wedding dress Henrietta was to wear. Marianne, the queen, was also there. She watched with a smile while her daughter was dressed in a pure white dress. However, Henrietta's expression was like that of ice. When the servants sewing asked her things about the sleeves and the position of the waist, she simply nodded. Watching her daughter in that state, Marianne dismissed the servants.

“My dear daughter, you don’t seem well.”

“Mother.”

Henrietta buried her face in her mother's knees.

“I understand you don’t want this wedding.”

“No, it’s not that at all. I’m a happy person. I’m able to marry. Didn’t you once say that a woman was happy if she got to marry?”

In contrast to her words, Henrietta’s beautiful face became miserable and she started crying in grief. Marianne patted her daughter’s head gently.

“You have someone you love?”

“I had someone I loved. It’s like I’m flowing in a very fast river. Everything has passed by me. Love, kind words… nothing remains now.”

Marianne shook her head.

“Love is like the measles. If you cool down, you will forget about it.”

“How can I possibly forget…”

“You are a princess. You must forget what you must forget. The people will be uneasy if they see you like this.” Said Marianne in an admonishing tone.

“What am I marrying for?” Henrietta asked sadly.

“For the future.”

“For the future of…the country and the people?”

Marianne shook her head.

“It’s also for your future as well. Cromwell of the Reconquista, who’s in control of Albion, is an ambitious man. According to what I’ve heard, he has control over ‘Void’."

“Isn’t that the legendary branch of magic?”

“Yes. If it is the truth, then it would be dreadful, Henrietta. Having too much power corrupts people. Even though we have a non-aggression treaty, a man like him won’t just look down at Halkeginia from the skies obediently. It’s better for you to be in a powerful country, like Germania."

Henrietta embraced her mother.

“…Forgive me Mother for being so selfish.”

“It’s alright. Love is everything at your age. It’s not like I don't understand.”

They embraced each other tightly.

<noinclude>
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| [[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume3_Chapter4|Back to Chapter 4]]
| [[Zero_no_Tsukaima|Return to Main Page]]
| [[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume3_Chapter6|Forward to Chapter 6]]
|-
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</noinclude>

OreShura: Volume 1 Chapter 3

2012-09-13T19:22:00Z

Sab: /* Chapter 3 - Girlfriend V.S. Childhood friend = Mayhem */

===Chapter 3 - Girlfriend V.S. Childhood friend = Mayhem===

The news of Matsuzu Natsukawa spread without much assistance throughout the entire school by the next day. Such fearful propogation power, or should I say infectivity. Whoever hooked up with whoever, whoever got dumped by whoever, these sorts of stories can be heard ten miles away as soon as it happens. Not because Natsukawa has been spreading the good word everywhere, but because the passion of romance believers by far go beyond of catholics of the medieval ages.

Speaking of which, perhaps Natsukawa did have a hand in this. After all, if rumors cannot spread effectively, she wouldn't have the need to start a pseudo-confession to protect her "barrier" to begin with.

Every recess or break we have, people from other classes rush over to observe me. "So it's that guy?" "Seems very normal" "You really can't figure out the tastes of rich girls." Just these unscrupulous comments, I already begin to understand Natsukawa's feelings. This is certanly very hard to bear with.

Yamamoto of the soccer club requested to shake my hand for the second time in this month.
"If you don't give Natsukawa happiness I will never forgive you yo!"

Oh, Yamamoto-kun. You are too dazzling.

If I could, I'd love to offer you with the right of Natsukawa's happiness. I really do.

-- Speaking of which, hurry up and assist me! I beg of you!

That day, at the end of school.

"Learn to accept reality, Eita-kun"
said the Masuzu beside me with an ojousama's attutide.
"Just like that Yamada classmate said, let's work together for my happiness"

"Only your happiness!!!!"

Oh and also, it's not Yamada, but Yamamoto. Regardless this has nothing to do with the topic.

We choose not to take the main roads but a longer route with less people. Although slightly longer, we have little choice. It's relatively better than to walk home under jealous surveys and irritating whispers.

Masuzu clapped her hands together.
"Speaking of which, Eita-kun."

"What"

"From now on, since we'll be spending a rather long period of time together after school every day, don't you think we should better spend this period of time?"

".....Sure, that'd be more constructive"

The journey Masuzu and I take is from the school all the way to the convience store on Third Street. The distance is about 1.5 kilometres, around 20 minutes of walking distance.

Arguing each day for these 20 minutes isn't exactly a good use of time. We should try and make it more meaningful, certainly by working together.

"And, what suggestions do you have?"

"Well that's of course.... buying something to eat, going somewhere to play for a while"

"That seems rather interesting. But spending each day like this would seem a bit......"
More importantly, I do not want to reduce the time I spend studying, in addition to the burden of washing clothes and making dinner. Therefore I should waste as little time and money as possible.

"Then I guess we should just stick to chatting."

"Like the sweet lovey-dovey talks between boyfriends and girlfriends eh?"

"......lovey-dovey talks eh"

"......lovey-dovey talks"

Goosebumps appeared on both Masuzu's arms and mine.

"No way."

"Impossible."
I spat on to the ground.

Masuzu straightened her hair.

"Thinking carefully, there's no need to stick with those kind of lover's talk"

"True, after all it's just all play act"

"As long as it's something we can talk about. Such as say the TV shows we've seen yesterday, that's a common topic."

"Understood. Let's begin from there then."

Masuzu cleared her throat.
"Eita-kun. Did you watch yesterday's 'Criminal Hunters'?"

Ho. This person sure knows how to make a good discussion topic. That's my favourite TV show.

"Of course. Oh, that last scene was the most memorable! You know, the scene where his partner gets shot by the fugitive, then out of nowhere he pulls out a cigarette, then saying 'bastard, didn't you know I was quitting'. That line was incredible! It really makes you look forward to the next episode! The kind of feel where he has gone through all sorts of pain in life. There are too little dramas like such nowadays! The best show ever! The best show ever!"

Masuzu lowered her head uncomfortably.
"That.... I never planned to make such a deep conversation"

"....oh, is that so"

"Besides, I was never interested in that show"

"Then why the heck did you ask me?!"

This bitch.....

You made me waste my passionate emotions.

"What I originally planned was to make a point that topics with Eita-kun seems rather lacking, and attempted to begin with a popular TV show"

"Well looks like topics between us is very lacking indeed, I'm sorry!"

"An inadequate life can be aided with food and money, but what can an inadequate topic be aided with?"

No matter what I can never leave "topic poverty" in her eyes.

Unhappily, I said
"What about common hobbies or things we like?"

"And what would Eita-kun's hobbies be?"

"Hmm? Hmm...."

Suddenly asked directly, it does seem hard to answer.

My hobbies.... what would they be. I guess it all ends in cooking?

"When listing please exclude peeking up the shirts at staircases and stealing panties these two--"

"Did I ever have these two hobbies!!"

Masuzu took two step backwards with a shocked expression
"D-don't tell me it is not a hobby but a way of living already?!"

"Like I said, there's no such thing!"

"I'm really sorry. Looks like I injured Eita-kun's most pure impressions towards panties. How about as an apology I let you see my...."
Masuzu bit her lips as if regretful, then began pulling up her skirt.

"Waaah--! Waaah--! Ahhh----!"

"Please don't yell loudly. I'm also clarifying your previous suspicions of 'not wearing them'."

A group of elementary school kids and chatting housewifes gave me cold stares.

......Why look at me!?

You crazy people, why am I the conspirator here?!

"Today's underpants is rather bold. Not only does it have flowery sides, at the very ends of it it is actually transparent..... if I were to know I would be harassed like this, I should have worn underpants more suitable for a highschool student"

"Stop talking as if I'm the bad guy!!!!"

"For your information, it's black"

"Black she said!!!!!"

Her skirt was slowly being lifted up, revealing her long slender legs.

I couldn't help but form white foam in my mouth.

Her white dazzling legs.

It's of one's who hasn't gone out much.

Smooth and sturdy, there's something that slightly triggers you, letting people unconsciously look forward to what comes next. Ahead of here, lies black--

Masuzu let go of her skirt making it flop.

All that could be seen was the clean linings, the skirt then gently falling downwards, once again covering her legs.

Masuzu stuck out her tongue.
"Even if you're my 'boyfriend', it's only been two days since we've started dating. I'm not that shameless you know."

"I don't know about that...... shameless...."
I knelt down on the pavement, helpless and weak.

I was fooled with......

The pure emotions of a highschool student was toyed with.....

"Get up, Eita-kun. Our happy times together have just begun."

Certainly, we have not even reached halfway of our journey.

And yet already it is a horrible nightmare.

"Stand up like a man, and let's head forth to our bright enjoyable conversation!"

".....maybe"
I wiped my tears off.

Well, they say the more you feel like this, the more you should have an optimistic view towards a revolution.

"Then let us start another topic~"
Masuzu cleared her throat,
"Eita-kun, did you watch 'Criminal Hunters' yesterday?"

"Yeah. I did."

"What do you think about it?"

"Hmrph-- rather interesting I guess?"

"You watched that kind of amazing show and yet that's all the comments you can give? How lame."

"You- you, are you messing with meeeeee--!!!!!"

"Arg, such a headache. No matter what we talk about we'll never be able to have a good conversation"

"Then that's your problemmmm--!!!"

At this moment.

"Ho-holding hands and such, indecent! Too indecent!"
Chiwa pointed towards us, her face completely red.

Her backpack was rising and falling in sync to her deep breaths, I assume she just ran full speed from school to here.

But holding hands? No we aren't.

Just as I was thinking like this, before I knew it Masuzu was hugging my left arm tightly. What on earth is she thinking.

"Ei-kun, th-this, what is, is is all this?!"

This person seems to be after us because of the rumors of me and Masuzu.

Chiwa hates it when I hide things from her. Even if it's a good thing she'd then angrily say "How unexpected". If it's a bad thing then she'll angrily say "Why didn't you talk to me".

I wonder if this falls into the good category of the bad category.

I guess overall it's good?

Making a girlfriend is something that deserves to be congratulated?

But wait, her reaction is --

"Getting popular before I do, Ei-kun is acting to arrogant here--!!"

Uh.

Why am I always the punching bag.

"Ohh Eita-kun, who is this little kid right here?"
Masuzu acted as if only noticing the precense of Chiwa a moment ago, asking with her head slightly tilted.

"I, I'm not little! It's just that you're too big!"

"Ok ok ok. Which elementary school are you from again?"

"I'm not an elementary school student!!! Moreover I'm wearing the same uniform as you are!"

"Oh I see. Are you a fan of Eita-kun?"

"Who'd be a fan of him!"

"Then are you a member of the anti-Eita society?"

"Is there only two extremes in your head?!"

"Then who are you exactly?"

Chiwa for some reason announced confidently
"I. Am. Ei-kun's. Child. Hood. Friend. Chiwa Harusaki!"

"Just because you are a childhood friend you believe you are entitled to do such kind of violent actions?"
Masuzu winced her eyes, as if trying to pierce through Chiwa just by looking.
"Entering the space of a romantic date between a couple after school, don't you think that it is deserved to be kicked by a horse to death?"

Oh classmate Masuzu, is this a date now.

For some reason I feel like I was scolded all the way as "panty thief" or "lame boring person" and whatever....?

"....Ei-kun! Why didn't you tell me about making a girlfriend!"

Seeing the difficulty in her opponent she turned her anger towards me.

"That.....I'm sorry"
I naturally apologised.

Masuzu suddenly joined in
"Oh my, being together with Eita-kun requires the permission of classmate Harusaki?"

"Damn right! I've spent so much time with Ei-kun, we grew up like brother and sisters! Some random girl who's just gotten to know Ei-kun for two months, who do you think you know about him!"

"Then what do classmate Harusaki know about Ei-kun?"

"I know everything about Ei-kun! Just like how in grade 3 he put milk in the school lockers intentionally letting it go bad, like how he calls our class teacher Yoshioka 'mama', and also in that marathon after stepping on some poop he was called the 'poopy roller', everything about him!"

"My my, now I know more about such fascinating events"
Masuzu listened carefully with her eyes shining, even doing notes to Chiwa's blabbering.

I just............... have a sudden urge to kill myself.

"Therefore, you must first go through me if you want to date Ei-kun!"

Masuzu held two corners of her skirt and did a little bow, saying elegantly
"I apologize for not greeting first beforehand. I, Masuzu Natsukawa is now dating Eita Kido. If you will be so kind to bless us both, I am enternally grateful."

"....."

"Eita-kun, let's continue our date shall we?"

Natsukawa grabbed my left arm and was just about to leave, when suddenly Chiwa grabbed my right arm.

Chiwa pouted as if a kid losing her toy, and glared at Masuzu with hatred.

"Is there something else you want?"

"I don't want it"

"Hmm?"

"Ab--solutely not! I do not want Ei-kun to be with someone like you!"

My right arm was being tugged over, a seeming high chance of being ripped off.

"Owowowow! Chiwa, let go!"

"Then I shall accept your challence. I dare you to come put out the blazing love between us."

"Like I said oww!"

This is such a tragedy.

Neither Chiwa nor Masuzu gave way. The two of them pulled my from both sides, just like a tug-of-war.

"Look, Eita-kun is already crying out in pain. As a caring childhood friend, why don't you let go of him?"

"No, you should be concerned about your boyfriend and let go of him!"

Eventually, Masuzu could not defeat the Kendo trained arms of Chiwa. Masuzu lost balance and pushed me over. Like so, I tripped over some obstacle on the pavement.

"Ahhhhh--!"

I went head first into a pile of garbage, while Chiwa and Masuzu who had let go beforehand were completely safe and sound.

That's too cunning. Tears and pains are always from the men.

"Huh--! So what if you're in love! I'll find my own handsome boyfriend! Definitely become popular!!!"

Like a kid who had just lost a game and could only make verbal threats, Chiwa disappeared after saying this sentence.

Masuzu beamed her angel like smile, watching me piled in garbage from above.

"Hohoho, Eita-kun is too popular"

I don't want to care about any of you!

That night Chiwa didn't come for dinner. So much for making her favourite hamburgers.

I texted her, and quickly recieved a reply with only one word.

"Traitor"

Traitor hurray.....

----------

Eita Kido

First year Highschool student. Real dull. Character of the punchbag character.

Most favourite motto is "when there's a will, there's a way".

Zero no Tsukaima:Volume1 Story1 Chapter3

2012-09-12T06:27:37Z

Sab: /* Chapter Three: Legend */

===Chapter Three: Legend===



Mister Colbert, a teacher who had dedicated twenty years to Tristain Magic Academy, was by now a mainstay figure.

His Runic name was "Colbert the Flame Snake," and, naturally, he was a mage specializing in fire magic.

Since the Springtime Familiar Summoning a few days ago, he'd been concerned about the commoner boy that Louise had summoned. Or more precisely, he'd been concerned with nothing but the runes that had appeared on that boy's left hand. They were rare runes indeed, so for the last few nights, he'd confined himself to the library and had been researching various texts.

Tristain Magic Academy's library was located in the same tower as the dining hall. The bookshelves were unbelievably tall, about thirty mails in height, and the way they were lined up against the walls was a spectacle to behold. And rightly so, since this place was crammed with the history of everything following the creation of the new world in Halkeginia by the Founder Brimir.

Colbert was now in a section called "Fenrir's Library" that only teachers were allowed entry to.


The ordinary bookshelves, to which students had free access, didn't hold any answers that could satisfy him.

He Levitated up to an out-of-reach shelf and scanned it intently for a particular book.
His efforts were rewarded as his gaze fell upon the title of the book.
It was a very old text which held descriptions of the familiars that had been used by the Founder Brimir.

His attention was focused on one particular paragraph written in it, and as he read on in fascination, his eyes grew wide.
He compared the book with the sketch he'd made of the runes on the boy's left hand.

"Ah!" he gasped in surprise. At that moment, he lost the concentration necessary for maintaining his Levitation and almost fell to the floor.

Holding the book in his arms, he hurriedly descended to the floor and ran out of the library.

His destination was the Headmaster's Office.

<center>* * *</center>

The Headmaster's Office was located on the topmost floor of the tower. Sir Osmond, the current Headmaster of Tristain Magic Academy, was sitting with his elbows propped on his elegantly built sequoia  desk, looking unbearably bored as he shook his white beard and hair.


Idly plucking out nose hairs, he slowly murmured "hrm" and pulled open a desk drawer.
From inside he procured a smoking pipe.
Miss Longueville, the secretary who had been writing something at the other desk placed to the side of the room,
waved her feather quill.

The pipe floated into the air and landed in Miss Longueville's palm. Sir Osmond muttered dejectedly, "Is it fun taking away an old man's little pleasures? Miss, um..."

"Managing your health is also part of my job, Old Osmond."

Sir Osmond stood up from his chair and walked up to the cool and collected Miss Longueville. Stopping behind the seated lady, he closed his eyes, his expression grave.

"If the days keep passing by so peacefully, figuring out how to spend time is going to become a rather big problem."

The wrinkles etched deeply on Osmond's face were only hints to the history of his life. People guessed him to be a hundred years old, even three hundred. But his true age no one really knew. It's possible he himself didn't remember anymore either.

"Old Osmond," Miss Longueville spoke up without taking her eyes off the feather quill that was scribbling away on the parchment.


"What is it? Miss..."

"Please stop saying you have nothing to do as an excuse to touch my bottom."

Sir Osmond opened his mouth slightly and began walking around in tottering steps.

"Please also refrain from pretending to be senile whenever a situation goes bad," Longueville added calmly. Sir Osmond sighed deeply. It was the sigh of a man bearing the weight of many troubles.

"Where do you think the ultimate truth may be? Haven't you ever wondered that? Miss..."

"Wherever it is, I assure you, it's not underneath my skirt, so please stop sneaking your mouse under the desk."

Sir Osmond's face fell, and he murmured sadly, "Mótsognir."

From under Miss Longueville's desk scurried out a little mouse. It dashed up Osmond's leg and perched on his shoulder, twitching its tiny head. He fished out some nuts from a pocket and held one out to the mouse.

"Chuchu," the mouse chittered, apparently pleased.


"You're my only truly trustworthy friend, Mótsognir."

The mouse began nibbling on the nut. It disappeared quickly, and the mouse chittered "chuchu" once more.


"Ah, yes, yes. You want more? Very well, I shall give you more. But first, I would ask that you report back, Mótsognir."

"Chuchu"

"I see. White and plain white too, hrm. But Miss Longueville should really stick to black. Wouldn't you agree, my cute Mótsognir?"

Miss Longueville's eyebrows twitched.

"Old Osmond."

"What is it?"

"The next time you do that, I'm reporting it to the palace."

"Kah! Do you think I could be Headmaster of this Academy if I was scared of the palace all the time?!"

Sir Osmond flashed his eyes wide and yelled angrily. It was an impressive display, completely unexpected of a frail-looking old man.

"Don't get all prissy just because I peeked at your underwear! At this rate, you'll never get married! Haa~~ To be young again~~ Miss..."

Old Osmond began stroking Miss Longueville's bottom without hesitation.

Miss Longueville stood up and wordlessly kicked her boss around.

"Sorry. Stop. Ow. I won't do it anymore. Really."

Old Osmond covered his head and cowered. Miss Longueville breathed heavily as she continued kicking Osmond.


"Ack! How can you! Treat a senior! In this way! Hey! Ouch!"

This "peaceful" moment was interrupted by a sudden intrusion.

The door was thrown open with a slam, and Colbert rushed inside.

"Old Osmond!"

"What is it?"

Miss Longueville was back at her desk, sitting there as if nothing had happened. Sir Osmond had his arms behind him, and turned to face the visitor with a serious expression. That was certainly a quick recovery.  

"I-I-I have some big news!"

"There is no such thing as big news. Everything is but a collection of small events."

"P-P-Please take a look at this!"

Colbert handed Osmond the book he had been reading just before.

"This is "The Familiars of the Founder Brimir," is it not? Are you still going around digging up old literature like this? If you have time to do that, why don't you think up some better ways of collecting school fees from those slack nobles? Mister, err... What was it again?"

Sir Osmond cocked his head.

"It's Colbert! You forgot?!"


"Right, right. Now I remember. It's just that you talked so fast I never really caught it. So, Colby, what is it about this book?"

"Please take a look at this also!"

Colbert then handed him the sketch of the runes on Saito's left hand.

The moment he saw that, Osmond's expression changed. His eyes took on a solemn light.

"Miss Longueville, would you please excuse us?"

Miss Longueville stood up and left the room. Osmond spoke only after he confirmed she was properly outside.

"Explain this to me with every detail, Mister Colbert..."

<center>* * *</center>

It was just before lunchtime when they finally finished tidying up the classroom that Louise had made a mess of. As punishment, using magic to clean up had been forbidden, so it had taken considerable time to finish. But then again, Louise couldn't really use most spells anyway, so it hadn't affected her much. Mrs. Chevreuse had regained consciousness two hours after she'd been caught in the explosion, and while she did return to class, she didn't give any more lectures on Transmutation for that entire day. It would seem she had been rather traumatized.


Having finished tidying up, Louise and Saito headed to the dining hall for lunch.
Along the way, Saito made fun of Louise over and over. After all, it was Louise's fault that he'd had to do all that manual labor just now. It was Saito who had carried over the new window glass. It was Saito who had moved all the heavy desks. And of course, it was Saito who had wiped the soot-blackened classroom clean with a cloth. All Louise had done was wipe down a few desks, and reluctantly at that.

''I have to sleep on the floor. The food sucks. And on top of that, I have to wash underwear. (Not that I've done it yet.)''

With all that mistreatment from Louise, there was no way Saito could keep quiet about her new-found weakness. He teased Louise like there was no tomorrow.

"'Louise the Zero.' Now I get it~ That's just perfect~ Rate of success is zero. But a noble despite that... wonderful!"

Louise didn't say a word, which only roused Saito further.

"Transmutation! Ah! Kaboom! Transmutation! Ah! Kaboom! Oh, I screwed up! Only 'the Zero' screws this up!"

Saito danced circles around Louise like this, raising his arms every time he said "kaboom," mimicking an explosion. It was quite a detailed performance.

"Mistress Louise. This humble familiar has made a song for you."

Saito said, bowing his head respectfully. Of course, it was an empty gesture, a complete mockery.

Louise's eyebrow was twitching furiously. She was on the verge of blowing her top, but Saito was too absorbed in his excitement to notice that.


"Why don't you go ahead and sing it?"

"'Lou-Lou-Louise is such a hopeless case~ A magician that can't even use magic! But that's all right! Because she's a girl...'" 

Saito held his stomach as he burst into laughter.

"Bwahahaha!!"

He was laughing at his own joke. Perhaps he was just as hopeless.

<center>* * *</center>

When they arrived at the dining hall, Saito pulled out a chair for Louise.

"Just remember, my lady. Don't cast any spells on the food. Just imagine the mess if it exploded."

Louise took the seat wordlessly. Saito was feeling thoroughly satisfied, having got one back on the rude and arrogant Louise with his putdowns. Even the usual excuse for a meal didn't bother him as much.

While the meager soup and bread he got served was still painful to behold, it was a pretty even trade-off for getting to laugh so much earlier.

"Right then, Founder someone-or-another. Your Highness the Queen. Thanks a bunch for the crappy food. Itadakimasu."

As he went to eat, the plate was snatched away.

"What are you doing?!"


"Th-th-th..."

"'Th-th-th'?"

Louise's shoulders shook angrily, as did her voice. Somehow, she'd managed to reign in her overflowing fury until they'd arrived at the dining table. Probably so that she could bestow an appropriate punishment.

"Th-th-th-this familiar, how dare it say s-s-s-such things to its m-m-m-master?"

Saito realized he'd gone too far.

"I'm sorry! I won't say any more, so give me back my food!"

"No! Absolu~~tely not!"

Louise screamed, twisting her cute face in rage.

"One meal cut for every time you've said 'Zero!' And that's final! No exceptions!"

<center>* * *</center>

In the end, Saito left the dining hall without having eaten anything.

''I shouldn't have been so sarcastic about it...'' But it was too late to regret.

"Haa, I'm starving... Damn..."

Clutching his stomach, he leaned one hand on a wall.

"Is something the matter?"


He turned around to see a normal-looking girl in a maid's outfit carrying a big silver tray, looking concernedly at him. Her black hair was neatly adorned with a headband, and her freckles were cute.

"It's nothing..." Saito waved his left hand.

"Are you by any chance the one who became Miss Vallière's familiar...?"

It seemed she noticed the runes inscribed on Saito's left hand.

"You know me?"

"A little. It's become quite a rumor, you know, that a commoner was called by the summoning magic."

The girl smiled sweetly. It was the first carefree smile Saito had seen since he came to this world.

"Are you a mage too?" Saito asked.

"Oh no, not me. I'm a commoner, just like you. I serve the nobility here by doing domestic duties."

''I'm actually from Earth and not a commoner, but it's probably useless to try explain.'' Saito decided to just introduce himself.


"I see... Well, I'm Hiraga Saito. Nice to meet you."

"That's quite a strange name... I'm Siesta."

At that point, Saito's stomach grumbled.

"You must be hungry."

"Yeah..."


"Please follow me this way."

Siesta walked off.

<center>* * *</center>

Saito was led to the kitchen located at the rear of the dining hall. Lots of large pots and ovens were lined up inside. Cooks and other maids like Siesta were busily preparing food.

"Please wait one moment, okay?"

Siesta had Saito sit on a chair placed in the corner of the kitchen and disappeared hastily into the back.

She soon returned with a bowl full of warm stew in her hands.

"This is some stew made from the leftovers of the nobles' meals. If you don't mind, please eat this."

"Can I?"

"Yes. It's only the staff meal though..."

Her kindness was touching. This was completely different from the soup that Louise had given him. He scooped up a spoonful and brought it to his mouth. ''Delicious. I'm going to cry.''


[[Image:ZNT-page083.jpg|thumb]]
"This is so good~!"

"That's great. There's plenty if you want seconds, so take your time."

Saito ate the stew as if in a dream. Siesta stood watching him, smiling sweetly all the while.


"Weren't you given anything to eat?"

"That girl went and took my plate away when I called her 'Louise the Zero.'"

"Oh no! You shouldn't say things like that to nobles!"

"Noble schnoble. Getting all high-horsed just because they can use magic."

"You must have a lot of courage..."

Siesta looked at Saito with an expression of amazement.

Saito gave Siesta back the empty bowl.

"That was really tasty. Thanks."

"I'm glad you liked it. Feel free to visit whenever you're hungry. If you don't mind having whatever we're having, I'd be happy to share."

Such a kind offer. Saito was even more touched.

"Thanks..."

Saito suddenly broke out in tears, surprising Siesta.

"Wh-what's the matter?"

"No... It's just that it's the first time anyone's been so nice to me since I came here... I got a bit emotional..."

"Th-that's an exaggeration."


"It's not. If there's anything I can do for you, just tell me. I'll lend a hand."

He wasn't particularly interested in something like washing Louise's underwear, and would much rather help this girl instead.

"In that case, please help me serve the desserts."

Siesta said with a smile.

"Okay," Saito nodded enthusiastically.

<center>* * *</center>

Lots of dessert cakes were arranged on a big silver tray. Saito carried the tray, while Siesta picked up the cakes with tongs and served them one by one to the nobles.

One mage in particular stood out. He had curly blonde hair, wore a frill-trimmed shirt, and looked rather self-important. There was a rose stuck in his shirt pocket too. His friends around him were poking all kinds of fun at him.

"So, Guiche! Who're you going out with now?"

"Who's your lover, Guiche?"

So it seemed the prideful mage was called Guiche. He gently raised a finger to his lips.

"'Go out?' I hold no one woman in such special regard. After all, a rose blooms for the pleasure of many."

''This guy's likening himself to a rose. An egotist like this is far beyond help.'' He was the kind of narcissist that made onlookers more embarrassed than himself. Saito glared at him, hoping he'd just die.


At that moment, something fell out of Guiche's pocket. It was a small glass bottle with a purple liquid swirling inside it.

''I don't really like this guy, but I should still tell him he dropped something.''

Saito called out to Guiche.

"Oi, you dropped this bottle from your pocket."

But Guiche didn't turn around. ''This guy's ignoring me!''

Saito passed the tray to Siesta and bent down to pick up the bottle.

"I said, you dropped something, playboy."

He placed it on the table. Guiche shot Saito a dirty look, and pushed the bottle away.

"This is not mine. What are you talking about?"

Guiche's friends then realized where the bottle came from and raised a loud commotion.

"Ooh? That perfume, isn't that Montmorency's?"

"Yeah! That vivid purple color is the perfume that Montmorency only mixes for herself!"

"So to have something like that fall out of your pocket, Guiche, means that you're going out with Montmorency now, right?"


"No wait, listen to me. I'm saying this for the sake of her reputation, but..."

As Guiche was about to say more, a girl, who wore a brown cloak and had been sitting at the table behind them, stood up and walked over to Guiche's seat.

She was a cute girl sporting chestnut-colored hair. According to the color of the cloak she wore, she was a first year student.

"Guiche-sama..."

And with that, she started crying uncontrollably.

"I knew it, you and Miss Montmorency are..."

"They’re misunderstanding. Katie, listen. The only person I hold in my heart is you..."

But the girl called Katie slapped Guiche's face as hard as she could.

"That perfume you dropped from your pocket is more than enough proof! Goodbye!"

Guiche rubbed his cheek.

At this point, a girl with tightly rolled hair stood up from a seat further down the table. Saito recognized her as the girl who'd had the argument with Louise when he was first summoned to this world.

Wearing a severe expression, she approached Guiche with quick clipped steps.


"Montmorency. This is a misunderstanding. All I did was accompany her on a long trip to the forests of La Rochelle..." Guiche said, shaking his head. While he was pretending to remain composed, a drop of cold sweat ran down his forehead.

"Just as I thought! You've been making moves on that first year, haven't you?!"

"Please, Montmorency the Fragrance. Don't twist your rose-like face in anger like that. It saddens me to see it!"

Montmorency grabbed a bottle of wine that was on the table and poured its contents out audibly on Guiche's head.

And then...

"You liar!"

She yelled and stormed off.

Silence fell upon the hall.

Guiche pulled out a handkerchief and slowly wiped his face. Shaking his head, he spoke dramatically.

"It would seem those ladies do not understand the meaning of a rose's existence."

''Yeah, and you just keep trying that,'' Saito thought, as he took the tray back from Siesta and began walking off.

Guiche called him to a stop.


"Stop right there."

"What now?"

Guiche spun his body about on the chair and crossed his legs with a flourish. It gave Saito a headache to see such arrogance exude from every action.

"Thanks to you thoughtlessly picking up some bottle of perfume, the reputation of two ladies has been damaged. How will you take responsibility?"

Saito replied in an exasperated tone.

"Hey, it's your fault for two-timing."

Guiche's friends burst out laughing.

"Exactly, Guiche! It's your fault!"

Guiche's face flushed crimson.

"Listen, server. When you put the bottle of perfume on the table, I pretended not to know anything, didn't I? Would it have hurt to be a little bit tactful and just go along with it?"

"Whatever. Either way, your two-timing would've been blown anyway. And also, I'm not a server."

"Hmph... Ah, you are..."

Guiche snorted, as if looking down on Saito.

"You must be the commoner summoned by that "Louise the Zero." To have expected a noble's wits from a commoner was completely my mistake. You may leave."


Saito snapped then. Pretty boy or not, there was no way Saito was just going to stand there quietly taking all this from such a conceited narcissist. He couldn't help but make one inflammatory comment.

"Shut up you over-pretentious bastard. Why don't you go suck on roses for the rest of your life?"

Guiche's eyes narrowed.

"It would seem that you don't know the proper etiquette for addressing a noble."

"Unfortunately, I come from a world where there are no such people as nobles."

Saito raised his right hand and spoke imperiously, mimicking Guiche's actions.

"Very well. Then I shall teach you a lesson about respect. A perfect way to relieve some stress." 

Guiche stood up.

"How amusing."

Saito bared his teeth and growled. ''First, I didn't like this guy right from the start. Second, he's going out with two fairly cute girls - though neither are as cute as Louise. And last, he made a fool of me.''

''That's more than enough reason for me to fight. And while I'm at it, I'll hit him a couple more times on Louise's behalf. After all, she's still a girl!''

"You wanna do it here?"


Saito said. Despite being taller than Saito, Guiche was the lanky type and looked rather weak. Playboys are said to be lacking both money and power. Saito wasn't particularly strong himself, but he didn't think he'd lose.

Guiche turned in the other direction.

"Are you running away?"

"Don't be stupid. I can't taint the dining table of nobles with the blood of a commoner, can I? I'll be waiting at [[Talk:Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume1_Story1_Chapter3#vestri|Vestri]] Court. Come once you're finished delivering those cakes."

Looking excited, Guiche's friends stood up and followed him off.

One person remained though, as if to make sure Saito didn't run away himself.

Siesta gazed at Saito, her entire body quivering. Saito spoke with a grin.

"It's all right. There's no way I'll lose to that weakling. Some noble, huh?"

"You... You're going to get killed."

"What?"

"If you truly anger a noble..."

Siesta dashed off in a hurry.

''What was that about?'' Saito muttered. ''Is that guy really that strong?''

Louise ran up to him from behind.


"Hey! What do you think you're doing?! I saw all that!"

"Yo, Louise."

"This is no time to be "yo"-ing me! How can you just go promising duels like it's no big deal?!"

"But that guy was really irritating me..."

Saito said indignantly.

Louise sighed and shrugged disappointedly.

"Apologize to him."

"Why?"

"If you don't want to be hurt, go and apologize. If you do it now, he might forgive you."

"Are you kidding! Why do '''I''' have to apologize?! He insulted me first! And besides, I was only being helpful..."

"Just do it."

Louise fixed Saito with a firm look.

"No way."

"So stubborn... But you know what? You can't win. You'll be badly injured. Actually, you'll be lucky to come back alive with just injuries."

"I won't know that unless I try, right?"


"Listen, a commoner can never beat a mage!"

"So where's this Vestri Court?"

Saito walked off. The friend of Guiche's that had been watching Louise and Saito's exchange pointed with his chin.

"This way, commoner."

"Aaah, jeez! Really! Why does this familiar keep going off and doing stuff on its own?!"

With that, Louise chased after Saito.

<center>* * *</center>

Vestri Court was the central garden situated between the Wind and Fire elemental towers. Being located to the west, the Court didn't receive much sunshine, even in the middle of the day, but it was the perfect place for a duel.

Right now... the place was packed with people who had heard the rumors.

"Gentlemen! It's a duel!"

Guiche lifted his artificial rose high, eliciting a loud cheer from the crowd.

"Guiche is going to duel! His opponent is Louise's commoner!"

''I have a name too y'know...'' Saito thought bitterly.

Waving his arms about, Guiche acknowledged the cheering.


And then, as if finally noticing Saito's presence there, he turned to face him.

Saito and Guiche stood in the middle of the Court, glaring intently at each other.

"First of all, I commend you for coming here instead of running away!" Guiche remarked in a sing-song voice, as he twirled his rose.

"Like anyone would run away!"

"Right then, let us begin," said Guiche.

''Less talk, more action.'' Saito rushed forward. ''Fights are won by whoever gets in the first strike!''

''It's roughly ten paces to where Guiche is. I don't care much for nobles or mages; I'm just going to crush that arrogant nose of yours down to size!''

Guiche watched Saito with a leisurely smile and flicked his rose.

A petal floated down as if dancing in the air...

And became the armor-clad shape of a female warrior.

Its height was about the same as a person’s, but it appeared to be constructed from some hard metal. Under the pale sunlight, its skin... its armor gleamed.

It stood stoically in Saito's way.

"Wh-what the heck is this?!"


"I am a mage, therefore I fight using magic. Surely you have no complaints?"

"Wh-why you..."

"I guess I forgot to mention earlier. My Runic name is "the Bronze." Guiche the Bronze. Accordingly, my bronze golem "Valkyrie" shall be your real opponent."

"Eh?"

The warrior-shaped golem charged towards Saito.

Its right fist impacted heavily with Saito's stomach.

"Harg!"


Saito groaned and collapsed to the ground. Not at all surprising, considering he'd been gut-punched by a bronze fist.

The golem looked down on Saito emotionlessly.

He couldn't stand up through the pain. ''I guess this is what it feels like to be hit by a pro boxer,'' he thought.

"What, over already?"

Guiche sounded dissatisfied. From the mass of people, Louise burst out.

"Guiche!"

"Oh, Louise! My bad. I'm just borrowing your familiar for a bit."

Louise shook her long hair and yelled angrily at Guiche.


"That's quite enough! And besides, dueling is strictly forbidden!"

"Only dueling between nobles is forbidden. Nobody has forbidden duels between commoners and nobles."

Louise was at a momentary loss for words.

"Th-that's because nothing like this has ever happened before..."

"Louise, do you like this commoner?"

Louise's face burned an angry scarlet.

"No! Don't be ridiculous! It's just that I won't put up with having my familiar beaten up before my eyes!"

"...Wh-who's being beaten up? I'm just fine."

"Saito!"

Seeing Saito was up again, Louise practically screamed out his name.

"...Hehehe, you've finally called me by my name."

Louise was trembling.

"You understand now, right? A commoner can never beat a mage!"

"...I was a little careless, that's all. I'm all right, so step back."

Saito pushed Louise back.


"What's this? I didn't think you could stand up again... Maybe I went too easy on you?" said Guiche, provoking Saito further.

Saito walked slowly towards Guiche. Louise followed him and grabbed his shoulder.

"You need to stop! Idiot! Why are you still standing?"

He shook her hand off his shoulder.

"Because he pisses me off."

"He pisses you off? Look, there's no embarrassment in losing to a mage!"

"Shut up," Saito muttered as he kept taking unsteady steps forward.

"Eh?"

"Really, you're starting to get on my nerves too... I know next to nothing about mages or nobles, but to me you're all the same bunch of ego-inflated brats. Just what's so brilliant about magic? Idiots."

Guiche watched Saito with a faint smile painted on his face.


"The more you try, the more pointless this becomes."

Saito's characteristic fighting spirit flared, and he uttered a short growl.

"That was nothing. Your little statue, it's too weak."


The smile fell away. The golem's right hand lashed out to strike Saito's face. He caught the blow square on the cheek and was knocked to the ground.

Blood dripped from his broken nose.

Trying to stem the blood flow, Saito was taken aback.

''Crap... So this is a mage's power. I've been in a few fights here and there, but that punch was like nothing else I'd received before.''

Despite that, he rose shakily to a stand. Guiche's golem mercilessly sent him flying once more with a kick.

He got up again. And was struck down again.

Over and over, the process was repeated.

The eighth punch connected with Saito's right arm. There was a sick snapping noise.

Unable to see out of his swollen shut left eye, he checked his arm with his right eye. It was bent at a wrong angle.

While Saito stared blankly at his arm, the golem came over and planted a foot on his face.

His head hit the earth hard, and he lost consciousness for a moment.

When he came to, he could see Louise's face framed by a backdrop of blue sky.

"Please. Just stop now."


Louise's hazel eyes were wet with tears.

Saito tried to speak, but the pain in his chest from the repeated blows was hard to overcome.

Regardless, he concentrated his willpower and managed to croak in a hoarse voice.

"...Are you crying?"

"I am not! Who would cry here? Anyway, this is enough. You did very well. I've never seen a commoner like you before."

His broken arm throbbed with agony. Saito grimaced.

"That... hurts."

"Of course it hurts! That's obvious! Just what were you thinking?"

Tears ran down Louise's face and fell on Saito's cheek.

"You're my familiar, understand? I'm not going to forgive you for any more stupid acts."

Guiche's voice called out to the pair.

"Are we quite done yet?"

"...Hold your horses. I'm just catching my breath."

"Saito!"

Guiche smiled, and flicked his rose. This time, the petal transformed into a sword. Guiche grabbed it and threw it in Saito's direction. The blade point stabbed into the ground not too far from where Saito lay.


"If you're still willing to continue, then take that sword. If not, all you need to say is a simple "I'm sorry." Then I can just forgive you and be done with it."

"Don't insult him!"

Louise yelled, standing up. But Guiche gave no indication that he had heard her and kept talking.

"Understand? The sword. In other words, a weapon. It's the very least you commoners will need if you want to take revenge against us nobles. So as I said, if you're still up for it, take that sword."

Saito reached out for the blade with his right hand. But with that arm broken, he couldn't put much strength in his fingers.

His hand was stopped by Louise.

"No! There is absolutely no way I'm letting you do this! If you take that sword, Guiche won't show any mercy!"



"I can't go back to my world... Which means I'm stuck living in this one, right?"
Saito muttered, almost to himself. He didn't look at Louise.

"That's right. So what about it?! Right now that doesn't matter!!"

Louise held his right hand tightly. Saito declared in a clear strong voice.

"I don't mind being a familiar... I can take sleeping on the floor... I don't care if the food sucks... Washing underwear? I'll do that too. It's not like I really have a choice."


Saito paused there and curled his left hand into a fist.

"But..."

""But..." What?"

"I will not bow to anyone against my will!"

Drawing on his last reserves of strength, Saito forced himself to a stand. Pushing Louise aside, he grabbed the blade stuck in the ground with his left hand.

In that instant...

The runes inscribed on that hand began glowing brightly.

<center>* * *</center>

Let us change locations for a moment and return to the Headmaster's Office.

Mister Colbert was fervently explaining everything to Sir Osmond about the commoner boy that was summoned by Louise at the Springtime Familiar Summoning... About how he was concerned about the runes that had appeared on the boy's hand as proof of the contract between him and Louise... And that when he had gone to find out more...

"You reached the Founder Brimir's familiar Gandálfr?"

Osmond intently examined Colbert's sketch of the runes on Saito's left hand.


"Yes! The runes that appeared on that boy's left hand are exactly the same as the runes that were inscribed on the legendary familiar Gandálfr!"

"So, your conclusion?"

"That boy is Gandálfr! If this isn't big news, then what is, Old Osmond?"

Colbert stood up as he wiped his balding head with a handkerchief.

"Hrm... Certainly, the runes are the same. But for an ordinary commoner boy to become Gandálfr just by having the same runes... I wonder how that could've happened."

"What shall we do?"

"However, it is probably too early to be making definite claims."

"That's true."

Sir Osmond drummed his fingers on the desk.

There was a knock on the door.

"Who is it?"

From behind the door came Miss Longueville's voice.

"It's me, Old Osmond."

"What is it?"


"It seems there are some students dueling at Vestri Courts. It's causing quite a commotion. A few teachers have gone there to try and stop it, but their attempts are being impeded by the sheer number of students."

"For heaven's sake, there's nothing worse than nobles with too much free time in their hands. So, who's involved?"

"One of them is Guiche de Gramont."

"Ah, that idiot son of Gramont. Skirt-chasing must run in the family, considering his father's even more of a womanizer. I wouldn't be surprised if the boy knows every girl in school. And his opponent is?"

"...Well, it's not a mage. I've been told it's Miss Vallière's familiar."

Osmond and Colbert exchanged a look.

"The teachers are requesting to use the "Bell of Sleep" to stop the duel."

Osmond's eyes glinted like a hawk's.

"Ridiculous. There's no need to use such an important artifact just to stop a children's fight. Leave them be."

"Understood."

Miss Longueville's footsteps disappeared down the hallway.

Colbert swallowed audibly and verbally pressed Osmond.

"Old Osmond."


"Hrm."

Sir Osmond waved his staff and a big mirror set in the wall began scrying the situation at Vestri Courts.

<center>* * *</center>

Saito was surprised. The moment he grabbed the sword, all the pain in his body disappeared.

He realized the runes on his left hand were glowing.

And then...

''My body feels as light as a feather. I could almost take off and fly.''

In addition, the blade he held in his left hand felt so familiar that it seemed like an extension of his body.

''That's strange. I've never even touched a sword before...''

Seeing Saito with the weapon in hand, Guiche smiled coldly.

"Firstly, let me congratulate you. I'm honestly quite impressed that a commoner would come this far against a mage."

With that, he twirled the rose in his hand.

''That artificial rose must be his wand. Really, how vain can you get?''

Saito was astonished that he even had the leisure to think such things.

''I was beaten up so badly just now. What in the world happened to me?''

Guiche's golem attacked again.

''Stupid tin can.''

The statue modeled in the shape of the mythical Valkyrie came towards Saito in what seemed like slow motion.


''What the hell,'' Saito thought.

''I got kicked around like a rag doll by '''this''' crawling junk pile?''

Saito leapt into action.

[[Image:ZNT-page105.jpg|thumb]]

At the sight of his golem sliced in two as though it was a lump of clay, Guiche uttered a tormented moan.

The two halves of the golem each struck the ground with a resounding "clang."

Meanwhile, Saito bolted towards Guiche in a whirlwind of action.

Panicking, Guiche waved his rose wand wildly. Petals danced, and six new golems appeared.

Altogether, seven golems were Guiche's full arsenal. Never had he thought that a mere commoner could be a match for even one.


The golems surrounded Saito and sprang at him all at once.

And just when it looked like they had him, five of them were slashed apart. It had been so fast that nobody even saw the blade, making everyone wonder just what kind of superhuman ability this was.

The remaining golem promptly dashed over to guard Guiche.

But it too was taken down by an unseen sword-stroke.


"Hiii!!"

A kick to the face sent Guiche sprawling to the ground.

He saw Saito leap at him.

''I'm gonna die!'' he thought, as he shielded his head.

Something made a loud "thunk"...

When he timidly opened his eyes again...

Saito had driven the blade into the ground just to the right of Guiche's head.

"You want to continue?"

Saito asked.

Guiche shook his head furiously. He'd totally lost any will to fight.

And in a failing voice he said,

"I... I yield."

Saito released his hand and walked away.

He could hear rowdy cheering from the audience such as "Whoa, that familiar is awesome!" or "Oh man, Guiche lost!"

''I... won?''


''How?''

Saito's thoughts were in a haze.

''...Just what happened to me?''

''I was getting knocked around so mercilessly.''

''And then, the moment my hand touched that sword, my body felt like a feather. The next thing I knew, all of Guiche's golems were in pieces.''

''I didn't even know I could use a sword.''

''I don't quite understand it, but whatever. I won somehow, and that's that. I'll think about it later. Because right now, I feel really really tired. I want to sleep.''

He could see Louise running over to him.

'Hey, I won!' he wanted to yell, but his knees buckled.

The feeling of fatigue overwhelmed him, and he could feel his consciousness drift far away. Saito collapsed.

As she saw Saito begin to teeter, Louise ran faster to try and support him, but she didn't quite make it. Saito toppled over onto hard ground with a heavy thud.

"Saito!"

Louise shook him. No, it seemed he wasn't dead.


"Guu..."

She could hear snoring. Instead, he was sleeping.

"He's asleep..."

Louise looked thoroughly relieved as she let out a sigh.

Guiche stood up and shook his head in amazement.

"Louise, just what is this guy? All of my Valkyries were so easily defeated..."

"He's just a commoner."

"There's no way my golems could have lost to "just a commoner.""

"Hmph. Wasn't it just because you were weaker?"

Louise went to lift Saito up, but unable to properly support him, ended up falling down with him on top of her.

"Aaah, jeez! You're so heavy! Idiot!"

One of the students amidst the crowd cast a Levitation spell on Saito.

Louise began to gently push Saito's floating body away. She needed to take him back up to her room and patch him up.

With the corner of a sleeve, Louise dabbed at her eyes. He looked so in pain, so pitiful, she couldn't help but cry. He'd become so strong all of a sudden when he grabbed the sword, but if it hadn't been for that, he really might have died.

Right now, that was more important than Saito winning. ''I bet this idiot thought it probably wouldn't matter if he died. Going around being so headstrong like that, when you're just a commoner...''


"You're just a familiar, so why do you keep doing stuff on your own?!"

Louise yelled at the sleeping Saito. Her relief was quickly being replaced by annoyance.

<center>* * *</center>

Sir Osmond and Colbert finished watching the entire event via the Mirror of Far-Seeing. They exchanged another look.

"Old Osmond."

"Hrm."

"That commoner actually ended up winning..."

"Hrm."

"Guiche is only a first level Dot  mage, but even so, he shouldn't have been beaten by an average commoner. What amazing speed! I've never seen a commoner like him before! There's no doubt that he's Gandálfr!"



"Hrmm..."

Mister Colbert urged Osmond.

"Old Osmond. We should report this to the palace immediately and ask for instructions..."

"There will be no need for that."

Sir Osmond nodded sternly, ruffling his white beard.


"But sir! This is the biggest discovery of the century! A Gandálfr reborn in the modern world!"

"Mister Colbert. Gandálfr was no ordinary familiar."

"Exactly! The familiar used by the Founder Brimir, Gandálfr! There was never any description of its appearance, but it's said to have been created specifically for the purpose of protecting the Founder Brimir during his spell incantations."

"Correct. Founder Brimir's incantations were especially long... However, that made his spells very powerful. And as you know, mages are most vulnerable while spell casting. Gandálfr was the familiar that he used to protect himself in those times of vulnerability. Its strength..."

Colbert eagerly cut in at this point, looking extremely excited.

"It could annihilate an army of one thousand all by itself! Ordinary mages were said to be no match for it!"

"So, Mister Colbert."

"Yes?"

"That boy, he really is just an average commoner, right?"

"Yes. No matter how I looked, he was just an average commoner. I even confirmed it with a Detect Magic spell when Miss Vallière initially summoned him, but he was still a genuine average commoner."

"And who was it that turned him into a modern Gandálfr?"


"That would be Miss Vallière, but..."

"She must be a very talented mage, I take it?"

"Not at all. Rather, one might say she's ''un''-talented..."

"A puzzling duo to be sure."

"Yes."

"So how did an average boy contracted by an untalented mage become Gandálfr? What an utter paradox. I just can't see where the ends meet."

"Indeed..."

"In any case, there is no need for us to hand over Gandálfr and its master to those fools at the palace. Give them a toy like this and they'll just cause another unnecessary war. Court advisors have too much free time on their hands and like fighting far too much."

"O-oh, I see. I apologize for overlooking such important matters."

"I will take responsibility of this case myself. You will not speak of this to anyone else, Mister Colbert."

"Y-yes! I understand!"

Sir Osmond took hold of his staff and turned to look out the window. He immersed his thoughts in the far reaches of history.

"The legendary familiar Gandálfr... Just what kind of form had it taken before, I cannot help but wonder."


Colbert murmured as if dreaming.

"Gandálfr was said to be able to use any weapon to take down its enemies..."

"Hrm."

"So it must have at least an arm and a hand, I think."

<center>* * *</center>

The morning light woke Saito up. His body was wrapped all over in bandages.

''That's right.''

''I got into a duel with that Guiche and got beaten up really badly...''

''Then I pulled off some miraculous win using that sword...''

''And I fainted.''

He was in Louise's room. For some reason, he'd been sleeping in Louise's bed too.

Louise herself was sitting at a table and sleeping soundly with her head on it.

His eyes fell upon the runes on his left hand. When those runes had been glowing, his body had felt as light as a feather, a sword he had never held before felt like an extension of his arm, and he had sliced up Guiche's golems like nothing.

Right now, those runes weren't glowing.

''What exactly was that, I wonder...''

While he stared at his left hand curiously, there was a knock on the door before it opened.


It was Siesta. The commoner girl who had fed him stew at the kitchen. She was in her usual maid outfit, complete with the headband adorning her hair.

She looked at Saito and smiled. On the silver tray she carried was some bread and water.

"Siesta...?"

"So you're awake now, Saito-san?"

"Yeah... I..."

"After all that, Miss Vallière had you brought up here to sleep. She had to get a teacher to cast a spell of healing on you too. It was quite serious."

"Spell of healing?"

"Yes. It's magic to help treat injuries or illness. You didn't know?"

"No..."

Saito shook his head. It confused Siesta that Saito didn't know some of the basic terminology, but she wouldn't get anywhere by not saying anything.

"Miss Vallière paid for the reagent that was required for the healing spell, so don't be concerned about it."

His silence was a clear indicator that he was concerned about the money.

"Did that reagent cost a lot?"


"Well, it's certainly not something a commoner could pay."

Saito made an attempt to get up, but cried out in pain.

"Ouch!"

"Ah, you shouldn't move! Your injuries were so severe even the healing spells couldn't completely fix them! You still need to take it easy!"

Saito nodded and lay back on the bed.

"I brought you some food. Please eat."

Siesta placed the tray by Saito's bedside.

"Thanks... How long was I asleep for?"

"Three days and nights straight. Everyone was worried you wouldn't wake up."

"Everyone?"

"All the kitchen staff..."

Siesta cast her eyes down shyly.

"What's the matter?"

"Um... I'm sorry. That I ran away that time."

She was talking of how she had run away in fright when Saito had gotten Guiche angry at the dining hall.


"Don't worry. It's nothing to apologize about."

"Nobles were always so scary to us commoners, since we couldn't use magic..."

Siesta suddenly raised her head. Her eyes sparkled brightly.

"But I'm not so scared anymore! I was so inspired, Saito-san! You won against a noble, though you're a commoner!"

"Really... Haha."


''Although I really have no clue how I actually won.''

Somewhat embarrassed, Saito just scratched his head. Then he realized he was using his right arm, which had been broken. It looked completely fine. It still ached a bit when he moved it, but it seemed the bones were whole again.

''Wow, so this is magic.'' Saito thought in slight admiration.

''...I guess it is something to be proud about.''

"By the way, did you tend to me all this time?"

"Oh no, not me. It was actually Miss Vallière..."

"Louise did?"

"Yes. She changed all the bandages and wiped the sweat from your face... She didn't sleep one bit, so she must be exhausted."


As she slept, Louise's breathing was even and gentle. There were heavy dark circles under her eyes though.

''Her sleeping face is always so adorable. It's so doll-like.''

''So she '''can''' be nice sometimes,'' he thought. Suddenly her side profile looked intensely cuter.

Louise's eyes flickered open.

"Fuaaaaaaaaa~~"

She made a great big yawning stretch, and then her gaze fell upon Saito, who was sitting on the bed blinking in surprise.

"Ara. You're awake."

"Y-Yeah..."

Saito cast his eyes downward. He figured he should thank her.

"Um, Louise."

"What?"

"Thanks. And I'm sorry I made you worry."

Louise stood up.

And drew closer to Saito.

Saito's heartbeat accelerated.

''Is she going to say something like "good job, you were really cool out there" and maybe kiss me?''


But that was not to be.

Louise pulled away Saito's blanket and grabbed him by the scruff.

"If you're better now, get out of my bed!"

Still holding him by the scruff, Louise pulled Saito out of the bed.

"Wah! Ow!"

Saito tumbled to the floor.

"Hey, I'm still an injured person!"

"If you're well enough to complain, you're well enough for anything else."

Saito stood up. His body still objected, but it was nothing he couldn't put up with. Still, she could've let him sleep for a little bit longer.

"Uh, in that case, I will take my leave now..."

Siesta left the room wearing a crooked smile. Or more precisely, she fled the room.

Louise threw a mountain of clothes and underwear at Saito.

"Ack!"

"That's the laundry that's piled up while you were asleep. Once you're done with that, clean up the room. Hop to it!"

"Um, you know..."


Louise glared fiercely at Saito.

"What? Just with something like beating Guiche, did you think you'd be treated differently? Did you think you'd be congratulated? Are you an idiot?"

Saito looked resentfully at Louise.

He decided to take back his earlier thought about her being cute.

Still... the way Louise sat on her bed swinging her legs was an undeniable level of cuteness beyond this world.

Her long strawberry blonde hair rippled. Her hazel eyes twinkled with mischief. She was rude, arrogant, and selfish, but try as he might to deny it, her appearance was enchanting.

Raising a finger triumphantly, Louise declared.

"Don't you forget! You're my familiar!"

<noinclude>{{Nav|{{FULLPAGENAME}}|{{ZnT List v1}}|Zero no Tsukaima}}</noinclude>

OreShura: Volume 1 Chapter 2

2012-09-12T06:08:28Z

Sab: /* Chapter 2 - Confession from a Classmate ends in Mayhem */

===Chapter 2 - Confession from a Classmate ends in Mayhem===

During the same time while Chiwa sank before she even sailed, there was another person who continued scoring high on the records.

She is Natsukawa Masuzu.

Entering June, the number of people confessing to her is still endless. Rumours go that the number of times she was confessed to has surpassed 50. According to them, the litigant expressed "she had no intention to be with anyone". Despite so, the people confessing continues to flock towards her.

From the above situation, it is almost certain that Natsukawa has become a famous person in school, but in reality she is almost always alone. In class or during recess, she'd always be in her seat reading. She goes home immediately after school. In the beginning, some males in the class occasionally tried to hit on her, but a de facto treaty was soon made ? "Single sided attacks on Natsukawa is banned in the classroom". Soon it became in a steady state of watch but no touch. As for the girls, they try to distance themselves with her. Girls popular with boys stated that "Us commoners dare not be together with ojou-sama! (translation: we are not as cute as you)" and rejected her. As for the common looks female company, they announced that "Natsukawa and us are in two completely different worlds (translation: extravagants should go play with extravagants)" and discriminated her. This is the perfect proof of how being over popular is not a good thing, I should really go lecture Chiwa on this.

On the first day of June, I was given a seat next to Natsukawa. For me, I am completely uninterested in this matter, but am very pleased to be placed in the second column from the windows, last row in class. It's a very comfortable place where I can lie down and rest, but it seems that my thoughts did not reach the rest of my class. That is, as far as I understand from all the jealous glares I get. Being rejected once but not giving up, Yamamoto, a member of the soccer club even came to me for a handshake, saying "I believe you are a true gentleman!". Since it would be also quite troublesome being trusted like this, I temporarily refused his handshake request. Next day, in the class legends started to spread that "Natsukawa is also Kido's target" and whatnot. Sensing danger, I hurriedly went for the handshake.

I should clarify here, I am not scared or what. Because this is very important, I'd want to repeat this again. I am definitely not scared. I am only displaying the spirit of peaceful coexistence, the so-called Love&Peace. Oh, forget love, it's Peace&Peace.

.....Though say just now I was like a excited little gradeschooler in front of a camera, let's just leave it here for now. In conclusion, all I want is to cut waves like butter, aiming for the university place and recommendation. Naturally, love lies in the "wave" category, much less Natsukawa this kind of celebrity ? don't joke with me. That's why I tell you, Yamamoto and the other males, you are all worrying for nothing!

"Is that so, then that really sounds bad" hearing my situation out, my classmate Yui Kaoru slowly nodded his head.

It is currently lunch hour, Kaoru and I joined our desks and began eating lunch.

I was having a homemade bento. With less appetite, Kaoru's lunch only consisted of a crab bread and a juicebox.

"From the point of view of those kids, being able to sit next to Natsukawa-san is really something to admire about."

Kaoru always uses "those kids", "them" and similar pronouns to call classmates. It doesn't sound irritating either. I guess it's due to his good conduct and his neutral looks and solid attitude to address things. Whether it's between males or females, Kaoru is pretty popular.

"If Eita's seat was put up for an auction, I believe you should be able to get a good amount of money"

"When the auction comes, remember to call me. I'll be the first to get rid of it"

Ah~ it is so hard to be at peace of mind these days. These kind of normal conversations are always the best.

As a conversation partner, Kaoru could not be any better.

Our friendship began since Grade 9. From our daily convesations he fairly knows of the situation of my family and Chiwa, but he never does unnecessary research, the perfect balance between friendship and privacy. He totally deserves the title of being the Relationship Master.

"compared to this, I am more worried about Chiwawa-chan"

"What about Chiwa?"

"Once Chiwawa-chan has decided on something, she will keep going forward for it. I'm afraid she won't give up until she becomes super popular"

"But these things can't really be achieved through plain effort. It's not Kendo" I said while munching on the potato and meat from yesterday's leftover.

Mmm, after one night the flavour is perfect. It would have been great if I made Chiwa a bento as well.

"Personally, I think that Chiwawa-chan only needs to act like a normal girl, she should become very popular that way"

"That's right. If she doesn't talk or move, maybe boys will start going for her"

"No, I don't mean a statue...."

Well, her looks isn't so bad, so maybe it's exactly like how we said.

"But Chiwawa-chan was confessed to during junior high"

"By whom?"

"The captain of the male Kendo club. It was pretty big news back then, didn't you know?"

First time I've ever heard of it.

In junior high both male and female Kendo clubs were very strong. Especially the captain of the male Kendo club, who was excellent in both sports and studies. I heard he later went to the best private highschool in of this province. He shouldn't look too bad, I guess.

Hmm? so Chiwa also has a past like this.

"But, I never heard about her dating anyone."

"Of course you didn't. She rejected him"

"Why would she give up such a great chance"

"....Fuuu" Kaori made a deep sigh.

"What's wrong?"

"Oh nothing. I just thought that these should be your honest thoughts from the bottom of your heart."

"Of course. I don't joke around"

"I know. That's because Eita is a very, serious, person"

What.... are you trying to say something else?

"If Chiwawa-chan really turn super popular, I'm afraid she'll have other problems by then."

"What problems? Is she going to reject other people again? That's not possible. It's different from last time"

She's only doing this because she wants a boyfriend, no

.....wait. Is it really like that?

She did say that she wanted romance like the bishojo mangas, but I don't think she ever said anything about a boyfriend....

hmmm.....

"I really have no idea what is going on inside Chiwa's head"

".....oww, oww, owww" Kaoru shrugged.

The 5 minutes preparation bell signaling the end of lunchtime rang.

That day, after school.

"Kido-kun, how would you like to go home with me today?" Natsukawa suddenly asked me so. The whole classroom fell into shock.

But no one could be more shocked than me.

What does this mean?

Why me? This is too sudden, isn't it.

Slightly flustered, I unconsciously took my books that were already in my bag out again. I must have heard it wrong? Yes, these words must have came from the guy sitting behind me. That's right, that must be it.

But when I turned around, there was nobody.

.....Well of course, this is the last row after all.

"So? Shall we go home?" Natsukawa stared down at me.

.....damn. I'm not so easily tricked,

Natsukawa is certainly a beauty. Just those blue eyes and silver hair is enough to attact everyone's attention. Since her looks is very proper as well, not only does she looks very adorable when she smiles, it also gives an easy-to-approach and gentle feel. Even a well-made puppet can hardly keep up with her. The amount of detail the maker gave her himself is fabulous. If she were to dress up in a skirt, even if she claimed herself to be a princess from a foreign country, I'm sure plenty of people will believe it.

But so what? Back in my mother's days, she was also called the beauty of the town. Beautiful women cannot be trusted.

I should respond as cold as possible, rejecting her like scum!

Glaring at Natsukawa, I told her directly
"That that, that, actually, say, I, today, something to do!"

Curses.....

"Something to do" is the ultimate excuse.

".... Is that so. That's a shame"
Natsukawa replied politely, then left with a "I'll be going first".

Phew, that sure was tense.

I wonder what's with this sudden invitation?

Although we do exchange a few words because of how we're neighbours in class, that is barely sufficient to go home together.

Probably a beauty's sudden urge. By tomorrow she'll definitely forget all about me.

Life just has to prove me wrong.

The second day, then the third day, Natsukawa continued to invite me to walk her home.

"What are your intentions?" I couldn't help but ask Natsukawa with a small voice, just so I won't catch the attention of the entire class.

Natsukawa tilted her head in a cute way and repeated
"intentions?"

"Is this some kind of truth or dare game? Or perhaps I'm on candid camera with your friends hiding in some corner? I'm not so easily tricked!?"

Natsukawa smiled. Sure is one deadly smile indeed.
"I, can I say it?"

"S-say what?...."

Don't go for it! Keep calm.....

"The reason why I want to go home with you, it's ok even if I say it right here?"

"That's what I was asking all along"

"That is.....b-"
Natsukawa suddenly stopped. Her eyes shifted as if hesitating, then looked at me with wet eyes
"Becaus-, I love you"

The air in the classroom froze.

My mind was blank. Difficultly, I uttered one word
".......huh?"

"I'm head over heels in love with you"

"Wait, I'm not sure I understand you...."

"You make me go crazy"

"That's even harder to understand!"

"It's because you are very attractive"

"yes I get it, but things are even worse now!"

Cries spread out through the classroom. There were "Ahhh--" screaming girls, there were frantic murmurs between some, there were also faces of nothing but disbelief. The Yamamoto I mentioned before crumbled to a kneel on the ground like a pitcher having thrown a decisive homerunner -- except that this guy is from the soccer department.

"Seems like we have caused a lot of disturbance" Natsukawa smiled shyly.

Suddenly placed under this situation, I have no idea what to do.

"I think we shouldn't stay here for long, or rumors will start spreading"

If you were to worry about that, then it's already too late.

"Take me anywhere with you~" she seemingly recited a line from some romance drama TV show.

Although this line could not be more unreal, when if came from her, it sounded as if she meant it. Maybe it's because of her looks after all?

--what's wrong with you beauties, you disgust me!

In the end I still acted according to her words.

Oh life~

"Now's not the time to sigh 'oh life~'!"

"What's wrong?" Natsukawa, who was walking beside me asked. "Compared to voicing your inner thoughts, it would be not to speak at all~, otherwise you will seem very suspicious~. You should be more considerate of me who's walking next to you right now~"

"Then don't stick next to me, hurry and go home by yourself!......"

Since both Natsukawa and I walk to school, the two of us are walking in the direction opposite to where the station is. This is the best case out of the worse case I guess. If we had to take the train home, I would have broken out in cold sweat from the glares of eavesdropping classmates in the same carriage.

After walking into some less populated roads of one of the residential areas and confirming there's no one around, I urged
"About time you told me everything"

"tell you about what?"

"why you made that kind of lie"

"What lie did I make?"

"The confession. How you 'love' me, it's all a lie right"

Hearing so, Natsukawa widened her eyes
"How rude......it took me so much courage to confess, but you think I'm lying?"

"That's right"

"You think I actually despise you?"

"....right"

"Actually despise seeing you, despise being with you, how my neighbour is a ridiculously, completely, stupid idiotic -- virgin --, pretending to be all high and mighty but in reality a coward-- you think these are how I really feel towards you?"

"that, no"

What's with this woman. She's an entirely different person from the quiet and behaving Natsukawa in class.

"--since you have already seen though me, I might as well tell you the truth"

I didn't expect Natsukawa to give up so easily.

"Like you said, that confession was in fact a lie. As expected of Kidou-kun, looks like I was right, you are different from the other males"

".....hrmph"

This sort of praise certainly makes me somewhat grumpy, reminding me of my unpleasant memories.

"Well, where should I start first--"
Staring at the clear and fresh nightfall, Natsukawa gave a big yawn.

I watched her beautiful hair wave behind her back, waiting for her to continue.

Right this moment.

A rather strong breeze blew past us, lightly lifting up her skirt.

Originally I expected to only be able to see her thighs, but this wind surprisingly revealed everything under the skirt in broad daylight.

In other words--

"......not.......not wearing.......?!"

What should be there, wasn't.

At where thighs end, you should be able to see that, but there's nothing here.

.....Sigh, there's no need to be secretive using synonyms.

Underpants. Shorts. Panties. Undies.

Though a variety of names, no such cloth existed under her skirt. None.

Nononono, waitwaitwaitwait, calm down calm down. It's still too careless to jump to conclusions right now. Maybe it's just out of sight.

Just the right degree of wind such that I won't be able to see at this angle-- maybe just that. Although her skirt is already at its highest position possible, this does not necessarily imply "can't see equals not there". This explainations certainly sounds much more reasonable.

But what if she really didn't wear any.

That would be bad.

Knowing such an important secret, how should I keep it?

.....no, I should think outside the box, I should use a doctor's psychological perspective to determine which case it actually belongs to. How would I expect Natsukawa Masuzu to be? Wear underpants? What kind of underpants would she wear then?

--This sure is challenging.

As a lady returning to her home country, what kind of underwear would they wear?

Those which even non underpants specialists would feel "looks very high-class!" kind of underpants? Can't imagine how. Those which makes people think "as expected of a returnee" "that's so international" kind of underpants? Hard to imagine either. Speaking of which, underpants are exotic to begin with.

Or is it an unconvectional Japanese style?

What would a Japanese style underpants look like?.....Diapers? Cloth? No, this doesn't seem realistic either. This way, my image of this mysterious beauty Natsukawa Masuzu will come crashing down?

--then, we have little choice but to make this conclusion:
None!

Is that so bad?

There are no more competitions between the cotton faction nor the silk faction, nor are there any conflicts between patterned faction and single-coloured faction. Even the decision to wear underwear or not when dressed in yukatas wouldn't be enough to be to cause a argument-- isn't this exactly the Peace&Peace I hoped for! The world is very peaceful these days.

Come, let us chant together once more!

"No--"

"I'm wearing it"
A small smile from Natsukawa debunked by theory.

"I'm wearing"
She repeated with a doubt-unsparing tone.

"Mmm, then that would be very troublesome"

"Why?"

"The Earth will be destroyed because of the third world war"

"It it will, then so be it"
Natsukawa replied casually.
"Any world where it's acceptable to suspect your classmate of not wearing it deserves to be destroyed"

"The world is destroyed because of me......?!"

Becoming the worlds largest sinner, I don't think I'm up for it.
"Sorry. I was thinking too much."

"Very well. I like honest people."
Natsukawa smiled. I feel as if being toyed around in her hands.

".....speaking of which, what were we originally taking about"

"We were at why I needed to make a fake confession to you"

"It's a long story--" with this opening, Natsukawa dived directly into the subject, "there are always males after my hand, I'm sure Kidou-kun knows about it, right?"

"Rumors about the number of times you have been confessed to has reached two digit numbers, then yes"

"For your information, I have been confessed a total of 58 times in two months"

"That's almost once a day"

That's just like a scenario from a manga.

"It may sound like an luxurious problem, but I am annoyed to my limit. Every single day boys from other classes and seniors will surround and watch me, just like observing a koala. There are even foolish gambles on who will win my heart. There's always some groundless rumors about me, not a single good thing."

"You don't have friends? Mates from junior high?"

"Nope. Since the age of 7 I have been living overseas. Returning home only happened recently in March."

Is that so. That sure is a difficult situation to be in.

"Why don't you just get along with somebody?"

"And who could this 'somebody' be?"

"Just pick one from those confessing to you. As soon as you become boy and girlfriends, the other people will automatically back off won't they"

".....ho"
Natsukawa winced her eyes, literally sparkling.
"Boy and girlfriends?"
As if spitting alien objects accidentally entering her mouth, Natsukawa said.
"Why do I have to be on the same level as these trash? Treating love as the most valuable thing to worship, tributing every Chrismas or Valentines' day, giggling 'hohohohahaha' like idiots. I see no reason that leaves me no choice. Love is an amazing thing? Why the hell do people kill because of emotional disputes then? Why are there so many husbands and wives getting a divorce as soon as they marry? Why are there always children abandoned by parents?"

A dim flame burned within the crystal clear eye of Natsukawa.

"You should understand, Kido-kun. Love is not such a perfect thing to have-- at least not everyone can unconditionally praise. If you want to be in love, by all means. No thanks here. 'Finding the feeling of a heart jumping'? 'Love more deeply'? 'Going for the girl of my dreams this summer'? Waste of time. To me, this is no different from the persuasions of a religious cult. Except that this religion is called 'Love'-- it's the worse religion on Earth!"

Natsukawa's spiteful tongue, I have heard before, but this one seemed to be different in nature. This speech was full of genuine hatred towards love.

.....creepy.

"Oh, I get it"

Wiping off the sweat on my palm to my trousers, I nodded and concluded
"Therefore you 'confessed', right?"

Natsukawa's expressions seemed to calm down
"As expected of the top student of our grade, learning so quickily saving both of us time"

In short, this means:
If she manages to make a boyfriend, all the never ending confessions will finally come to an end. But since Natsukawa doesn't want any love, she sought out for a person willing to act as her boyfriend -- end of story.

"But, why me?"

"Because you're just like me, no?" Natsukawa poked at my chest with her long thin fingers, "I quickily noticed how little interest you also show in love.... I could even say hatred. When talking to friends, you quickly change the subject when it is in the red light, even your responses become vague and hasty, isn't that so? I'm not sitting next to you for such a long period of time for no reason"

"You, you are quite observant"

"At the beginning I even thought you were gay"

"......"

I take back my words. Observant my ass.

"Which is why I officially make a request to you, Kido-kun. Please become my 'boyfriend'."

Hm, at least now I understand everything.

As an anti-romance myself, it couldn't be more suitable to be her boyfriend.

Yet....

"I refuse"

Natsukawa slightly tilted her head
"It's only boyfriend in name, all you need to do is to escort me home each day? Since we both walk in the same direction, it shouldn't be too much trouble"

"Uh-uh. Other males will be jealous of me, females will gossip. I may even be called out and be beaten up by your fans"

"You really know how to worry. It'll make you bald, you know?"

"Perfect. I've been collecting hair tonic and wig company's messages"
Alwasy think in the worse possible case - Kido's way of doing things.

"--we may be more alike than you think"
Natsukawa smirked.

This smile was different from the smiles she've shown so far, it carried much more meaning to it.

"You, you're afraid of balding as well?!"

"No, I meant how both of us likes to worry. I've also had my worries if this 'boyfriend' request was rejected. These things are hard to say. If rumors were spread around carelessly...."

"Who do you take me for? I'd never do such things"

"Of course I believe in you. Just that as someone who likes to worry, I always hope everything goes to plan....... which is why, Kido-kun"

Natsukawa suddenly brought her face closer. Her breathing was even closer.

Those two blue eyes look at me as if they were about to suck a person in, freezing my entire body.

"To become a candidate for 'boyfriend', other than the factor that they have to be uninterest in romance, there is another important criteria. Do you know what would it be?"

"ye-yes?"

Her sweet shampoo scent made my nose a little bit ichy.

I was feeling dizzy.

"Kido-kun, the other critera is that -- he must never betray me. There is no one but Kido-kun who is able to fulfil this criteria. I plan not to let Kido-kun escape easily"
Although quiet as a whisper, her extraordinary face makes it very captivating.

Natsukawa took a small step backwards and faced me with her back, then took out a slightly dimmed yellow notebook from her own bag.

"What's in that dirty notebook?"

Natsukawa didn't reply, but opened the notebook and started reading instead.

"April, 21st. Sunday. Sunny. I went to 'Imamura' shop to purchase a pair of fingerless gloves, but was told by a worker with an unbelievable expression they don't have any. This products of this shop are so incomplete. Or maybe they're out of stock because it's too popular? I want to buy them as soon as possible, then run as hard as I can on the chilly streets"

".....huh?"

What's up with her. Suddenly reading all these stuff.

Fingerless gloves? Those gloves without fingers?

Is there anyone who still wants that kind of things?

"April, 22nd. Monday. Today a sudden downpour came as I was going home. Although I had my umbrella with me, I still came home all wet. I like rain, it can cleanse all the dirty sins on my body...."

Nonono, a cold is all you'd get. Besides, "cleanse all the dirty sins on my body" (smile), who do you think you are.

"April, 23rd. Tuesday. Cloudy. On my way home, Chiwa asked me 'Why are you carrying firecrackers on your body?'. I replied 'then how do you plan to respond to a terrorist attack?'. Chiwa was completely refuted by my words. Women are so shallow."

Bwhahahaaaa, dumbass! Rather than worring about a terrorist attack, why don't you first worry about your brain! Besides, how are firecrackers going to repel terrorists? Can't you see that Chiwa is wordless from your stupidity--

"ISN'T THIS MY NOTEBOOK--!!!!!!!"

Natsukawa turned around and smiled.
"Correct. This is Kido-kun's diary from junior high."

"HOW DID YOU GET YOUR HANDS ON IT--!!!!!"

"Bought it from the old bookstore in front of the station. ¥525 (tax incl.)"

"Impossible!"

"It's true. The diary was inside the 'Illustrated Animals Encyclopedia (special ver.)' box. The shopkeep was fairly old, I'm afraid he didn't realise this being placed on the shelves."

--Certainly, I placed my diary in the box of my gift for getting into gradeschool. But that box should be stored safely inside my cupboard right now.

Wait, is that so?

Maybe I accidentally sold it along with the animal book during the 2nd-hand book sale?

Nonononono, that's impossible. I removed the animal book out of the box back then. But, eh?

"Refusing to embrace reality is a very foolish thing to do, Kido-kun"
But the diary Natsukawa waving in front of me was unmistakably mine.

"Quite the child during junior high? It's drasticly different from the top student you are now. Or perhaps deep inside you're still the same?"

"Give, give it back!"

"Unlikely"
Natsukawa turned around with agile.

"Hurry and give it back! There's a lot of bad things inside that diary!!!"

"Rest assured. I have already scanned everything and stored it inside my computer"

"Huhhhhhhhhhh?!"

"Though all necessary antivirus and firewalls are installed, there's still a chance it could accidentally leak out. The web is very fearful.....I've heard if you upload it to the internet, it will last there forever"

I knelt down on my knees.

They say your sights turn black when in despair....looks like it's real.

In front of my eyes was pitch black.

Over.

My life is all over--

"Then, I'd like to hear you answer again"

As the absolute dominator, queen Natsukawa's commanding voice came down from the skies.

"Kido Eita-kun, will you by my 'boyfriend'?"

".......de-demon.....!"

"ah, there seems to be something wrong with my ears. Could this be the premonition of a computer virus attack?"

"Yesyesyesyesyesyesyesyes! I'll do it! I agree to become Natsukawa-san's 'boyfriend'!"

"Then from now on please call me Masuzu"
Masuzu slyly winked.

She looked so adorable. How enraging.

"Let's go home together again tomorrow. I love you, Eita-kun~"

Back then, when my parent's relationship were still ok, when I was still in a common family like everybody else-- which means the me before entering highschool, had a completely opposite way of seeing things.

Wants to attract attention.

Wants to be different from other people.

In general, I liked some minute (I personally think awesomeness) fashion trends, wanting to exhibit "the me living under an extraordinary life", showing off all sorts of weird postures copied from animes and mangas.

Later on, I heard that this is the so called "Grade 8 illness".

The me different from other people?

An unusual me?

How foolish.

You have no idea how valuable it is to be average.

Being able to eat an average meal, go to school on an average day, accompanied by an average family--

You have no idea.

Back home, the first thing I did was to turn the cupboard inside out.

".....gone....."

The illiustrated animal encyclopedia I onced loved was gone.

All the indian elephants, the white palmed gibbon, Japanese marmoset, all of them gone.

Which means that woman was telling the truth--

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHH--"

And so began the intriguing "boyfriend-girlfriend" relationship between Natsukawa Masuzu and me.

--------------------------
Masuzu: Speaking of which, did you manage to buy those gloves in the end?

Eita: ......I made my own from work gloves

Masuzu: Ohhh....

Eita: Then used a red marker and wrote the word "DESTROY" on the back of it

Masuzu: Ohhhhhhhh......

OreShura: Volume 1 Chapter 3

2012-09-11T05:42:59Z

Sab: /* Chapter 3 - Girlfriend V.S. Childhood friend = Mayhem */

===Chapter 3 - Girlfriend V.S. Childhood friend = Mayhem===

The news of Matsuzu Natsukawa spread without much assistance throughout the entire school by the next day. Such fearful propogation power, or should I say infectivity. Whoever hooked up with whoever, whoever got dumped by whoever, these sorts of stories can be heard ten miles away as soon as it happens. Not because Natsukawa has been spreading the good word everywhere, but because the passion of romance believers by far go beyond of catholics of the medieval ages.

Speaking of which, perhaps Natsukawa did have a hand in this. After all, if rumors cannot spread effectively, she wouldn't have the need to start a pseudo-confession to protect her "barrier" to begin with.

Every recess or break we have, people from other classes rush over to observe me. "So it's that guy?" "Seems very normal" "You really can't figure out the tastes of rich girls." Just these unscrupulous comments, I already begin to understand Natsukawa's feelings. This is certanly very hard to bear with.

Yamamoto of the soccer club requested to shake my hand for the second time in this month.
"If you don't give Natsukawa happiness I will never forgive you yo!"

Oh, Yamamoto-kun. You are too dazzling.

If I could, I'd love to offer you with the right of Natsukawa's happiness. I really do.

-- Speaking of which, hurry up and assist me! I beg of you!

That day, at the end of school.

"Learn to accept reality, Eita-kun"
said the Masuzu beside me with an ojousama's attutide.
"Just like that Yamada classmate said, let's work together for my happiness"

"Only your happiness!!!!"

Oh and also, it's not Yamada, but Yamamoto. Regardless this has nothing to do with the topic.

We choose not to take the main roads but a longer route with less people. Although slightly longer, we have little choice. It's relatively better than to walk home under jealous surveys and irritating whispers.

Masuzu clapped her hands together.
"Speaking of which, Eita-kun"

"What"

"From now on, since we'll be spending a rather long period of time together after school every day, don't you think we should better spend this period of time?"

".....Sure, that'd be more constructive"

The journey Masuzu and I take is from the school all the way to the convience store on Third Street. The distance is about 1.5 kilometres, around 20 minutes of walking distance.

Arguing each day for these 20 minutes isn't exactly a good use of time. We should try and make it more meaningful, certainly by working together.

"And, what suggestions do you have?"

"Well that's of course.... buying something to eat, going somewhere to play for a while"

"That seems rather interesting. But spending each day like this would seem a bit......"
More importantly, I do not want to reduce the time I spend studying, in addition to the burden of washing clothes and making dinner. Therefore I should waste as little time and money as possible.

"Then I guess we should just stick to chatting."

"Like the sweet lovey-dovey talks between boyfriends and girlfriends eh?"

"......lovey-dovey talks eh"

"......lovey-dovey talks"

Goosebumps appeared on both Masuzu's arms and mine.

"No way."

"Impossible."
I spat on to the ground.

Masuzu straightened her hair.

"Thinking carefully, there's no need to stick with those kind of lover's talk"

"True, after all it's just all play act"

"As long as it's something we can talk about. Such as say the TV shows we've seen yesterday, that's a common topic."

"Understood. Let's begin from there then."

Masuzu cleared her throat.
"Eita-kun. Did you watch yesterday's 'Criminal Hunters'?"

Ho. This person sure knows how to make a good discussion topic. That's my favourite TV show.

"Of course. Oh, that last scene was the most memorable! You know, the scene where his partner gets shot by the fugitive, then out of nowhere he pulls out a cigarette, then saying 'bastard, didn't you know I was quitting'. That line was incredible! It really makes you look forward to the next episode! The kind of feel where he has gone through all sorts of pain in life. There are too little dramas like such nowadays! The best show ever! The best show ever!"

Masuzu lowered her head uncomfortably.
"That.... I never planned to make such a deep conversation"

"....oh, is that so"

"Besides, I was never interested in that show"

"Then why the heck did you ask me?!"

This bitch.....

You made me waste my passionate emotions.

"What I originally planned was to make a point that topics with Eita-kun seems rather lacking, and attempted to begin with a popular TV show"

"Well looks like topics between us is very lacking indeed, I'm sorry!"

"An inadequate life can be aided with food and money, but what can an inadequate topic be aided with?"

No matter what I can never leave "topic poverty" in her eyes.

Unhappily, I said
"What about common hobbies or things we like?"

"And what would Eita-kun's hobbies be?"

"Hmm? Hmm...."

Suddenly asked directly, it does seem hard to answer.

My hobbies.... what would they be. I guess it all ends in cooking?

"When listing please exclude peeking up the shirts at staircases and stealing panties these two--"

"Did I ever have these two hobbies!!"

Masuzu took two step backwards with a shocked expression
"D-don't tell me it is not a hobby but a way of living already?!"

"Like I said, there's no such thing!"

"I'm really sorry. Looks like I injured Eita-kun's most pure impressions towards panties. How about as an apology I let you see my...."
Masuzu bit her lips as if regretful, then began pulling up her skirt.

"Waaah--! Waaah--! Ahhh----!"

"Please don't yell loudly. I'm also clarifying your previous suspicions of 'not wearing them'."

A group of elementary school kids and chatting housewifes gave me cold stares.

......Why look at me!?

You crazy people, why am I the conspirator here?!

"Today's underpants is rather bold. Not only does it have flowery sides, at the very ends of it it is actually transparent..... if I were to know I would be harassed like this, I should have worn underpants more suitable for a highschool student"

"Stop talking as if I'm the bad guy!!!!"

"For your information, it's black"

"Black she said!!!!!"

Her skirt was slowly being lifted up, revealing her long slender legs.

I couldn't help but form white foam in my mouth.

Her white dazzling legs.

It's of one's who hasn't gone out much.

Smooth and sturdy, there's something that slightly triggers you, letting people unconsciously look forward to what comes next. Ahead of here, lies black--

Masuzu let go of her skirt making it flop.

All that could be seen was the clean linings, the skirt then gently falling downwards, once again covering her legs.

Masuzu stuck out her tongue.
"Even if you're my 'boyfriend', it's only been two days since we've started dating. I'm not that shameless you know."

"I don't know about that...... shameless...."
I knelt down on the pavement, helpless and weak.

I was fooled with......

The pure emotions of a highschool student was toyed with.....

"Get up, Eita-kun. Our happy times together have just begun."

Certainly, we have not even reached halfway of our journey.

And yet already it is a horrible nightmare.

"Stand up like a man, and let's head forth to our bright enjoyable conversation!"

".....maybe"
I wiped my tears off.

Well, they say the more you feel like this, the more you should have an optimistic view towards a revolution.

"Then let us start another topic~"
Masuzu cleared her throat,
"Eita-kun, did you watch 'Criminal Hunters' yesterday?"

"Yeah. I did."

"What do you think about it?"

"Hmrph-- rather interesting I guess?"

"You watched that kind of amazing show and yet that's all the comments you can give? How lame."

"You- you, are you messing with meeeeee--!!!!!"

"Arg, such a headache. No matter what we talk about we'll never be able to have a good conversation"

"Then that's your problemmmm--!!!"

At this moment.

"Ho-holding hands and such, indecent! Too indecent!"
Chiwa pointed towards us, her face completely red.

Her backpack was rising and falling in sync to her deep breaths, I assume she just ran full speed from school to here.

But holding hands? No we aren't.

Just as I was thinking like this, before I knew it Masuzu was hugging my left arm tightly. What on earth is she thinking.

"Ei-kun, th-this, what is, is is all this?!"

This person seems to be after us because of the rumors of me and Masuzu.

Chiwa hates it when I hide things from her. Even if it's a good thing she'd then angrily say "How unexpected". If it's a bad thing then she'll angrily say "Why didn't you talk to me".

I wonder if this falls into the good category of the bad category.

I guess overall it's good?

Making a girlfriend is something that deserves to be congratulated?

But wait, her reaction is --

"Getting popular before I do, Ei-kun is acting to arrogant here--!!"

Uh.

Why am I always the punching bag.

"Ohh Eita-kun, who is this little kid right here?"
Masuzu acted as if only noticing the precense of Chiwa a moment ago, asking with her head slightly tilted.

"I, I'm not little! It's just that you're too big!"

"Ok ok ok. Which elementary school are you from again?"

"I'm not an elementary school student!!! Moreover I'm wearing the same uniform as you are!"

"Oh I see. Are you a fan of Eita-kun?"

"Who'd be a fan of him!"

"Then are you a member of the anti-Eita society?"

"Is there only two extremes in your head?!"

"Then who are you exactly?"

Chiwa for some reason announced confidently
"I. Am. Ei-kun's. Child. Hood. Friend. Chiwa Harusaki!"

"Just because you are a childhood friend you believe you are entitled to do such kind of violent actions?"
Masuzu winced her eyes, as if trying to pierce through Chiwa just by looking.
"Entering the space of a romantic date between a couple after school, don't you think that it is deserved to be kicked by a horse to death?"

Oh classmate Masuzu, is this a date now.

For some reason I feel like I was scolded all the way as "panty thief" or "lame boring person" and whatever....?

"....Ei-kun! Why didn't you tell me about making a girlfriend!"

Seeing the difficulty in her opponent she turned her anger towards me.

"That.....I'm sorry"
I naturally apologised.

Masuzu suddenly joined in
"Oh my, being together with Eita-kun requires the permission of classmate Harusaki?"

"Damn right! I've spent so much time with Ei-kun, we grew up like brother and sisters! Some random girl who's just gotten to know Ei-kun for two months, who do you think you know about him!"

"Then what do classmate Harusaki know about Ei-kun?"

"I know everything about Ei-kun! Just like how in grade 3 he put milk in the school lockers intentionally letting it go bad, like how he calls our class teacher Yoshioka 'mama', and also in that marathon after stepping on some poop he was called the 'poopy roller', everything about him!"

"My my, now I know more about such fascinating events"
Masuzu listened carefully with her eyes shining, even doing notes to Chiwa's blabbering.

I just............... have a sudden urge to kill myself.

"Therefore, you must first go through me if you want to date Ei-kun!"

Masuzu held two corners of her skirt and did a little bow, saying elegantly
"I apologize for not greeting first beforehand. I, Masuzu Natsukawa is now dating Eita Kido. If you will be so kind to bless us both, I am enternally grateful."

"....."

"Eita-kun, let's continue our date shall we?"

Natsukawa grabbed my left arm and was just about to leave, when suddenly Chiwa grabbed my right arm.

Chiwa pouted as if a kid losing her toy, and glared at Masuzu with hatred.

"Is there something else you want?"

"I don't want it"

"Hmm?"

"Ab--solutely not! I do not want Ei-kun to be with someone like you!"

My right arm was being tugged over, a seeming high chance of being ripped off.

"Owowowow! Chiwa, let go!"

"Then I shall accept your challence. I dare you to come put out the blazing love between us."

"Like I said oww!"

This is such a tragedy.

Neither Chiwa nor Masuzu gave way. The two of them pulled my from both sides, just like a tug-of-war.

"Look, Eita-kun is already crying out in pain. As a caring childhood friend, why don't you let go of him?"

"No, you should be concerned about your boyfriend and let go of him!"

Eventually, Masuzu could not defeat the Kendo trained arms of Chiwa. Masuzu lost balance and pushed me over. Like so, I tripped over some obstacle on the pavement.

"Ahhhhh--!"

I went head first into a pile of garbage, while Chiwa and Masuzu who had let go beforehand were completely safe and sound.

That's too cunning. Tears and pains are always from the men.

"Huh--! So what if you're in love! I'll find my own handsome boyfriend! Definitely become popular!!!"

Like a kid who had just lost a game and could only make verbal threats, Chiwa disappeared after saying this sentence.

Masuzu beamed her angel like smile, watching me piled in garbage from above.

"Hohoho, Eita-kun is too popular"

I don't want to care about any of you!

That night Chiwa didn't come for dinner. So much for making her favourite hamburgers.

I texted her, and quickly recieved a reply with only one word.

"Traitor"

Traitor hurray.....

----------

Eita Kido

First year Highschool student. Real dull. Character of the punchbag character.

Most favourite motto is "when there's a will, there's a way".

Omae o Otaku ni Shiteyaru kara, Ore o Riajuu ni Shitekure!:Volume 1 Chapter 1

2012-09-10T06:09:06Z

Sab: /* Chapter 1 */

==Chapter 1==


"Tina is going sing this song for her beloved Onii-chan, so I want you to listen to it!"

On the display of the TV, was a 2D [[Omae o Otaku ni Shiteyaru kara, Ore o Riajuu ni Shitekure!:Glossary#Bishoujo|Bishoujo]] saying cute lines with a blushing face. Immediately after that line, a light melody started playing.

"Hey, when will this get interesting?"

The Bishoujo beside me twirled her hair around her finger in boredom as she watched the moving pictures with the corner of her eye.

"You were the one who said you wanted to watch it, so stop playing with your hair and pay attention to it! If you don't pay attention, you're going to miss an important scene, you know!"

The anime had been running on the TV display for merely fifteen minutes.

"How can such an anime, with just children singing and dancing, have any important scenes?"

Said the Bishoujo while she played with her hair languidly...... though it sounds good if I call her one. With over-luxurious fake eyelashes, thick makeup, brightly permed hair and flashy nails.


The female of the human species, known as gal, was there. Her appearance completely didn't match the transformation idol anime aimed at little girls, "Lovely Idol Tinker ☆ Tina", currently running on the TV screen.

"Hah ~...... it's because this anime is said to be what Suzuki-kun is into now that I went to borrow it from TSUTAYA<ref>'''TSUTAYA:''' A chain of rental shops and bookstores. [http://www.tsutaya.co.jp/index.html Here's how the online store looks like]. </ref> though, but what does Suzuki-kun find interesting about this anime?"

"Say that only after you have at least finished one full episode."

We were in the AV room and it was after school hours.

Since this was the only place we could watch a DVD, I, Kashiwada Naoki, and the gal in front of me...... Koigasaki Momo, were watching a rented anime DVD here without even getting permission from the school.

"It has been incredibly boring for the past fifteen minutes. Hey, can you explain what's the attraction of this anime. Summarize it in thirty seconds. Since you're an [[Omae o Otaku ni Shiteyaru kara, Ore o Riajuu ni Shitekure!:Glossary#Otaku|Otaku]], you should be able to do that right?"

"No, it's not like I'm a [[Omae o Otaku ni Shiteyaru kara, Ore o Riajuu ni Shitekure!:Glossary#Lolicon|Lolicon]], so I can't tell what's the attraction in this anime...... You were the one who didn't want to watch this alone and forced me to watch it with you right!"

"Eh, hey, are you insinuating that Suzuki-kun is a lolicon? Can you please seriously stop that kind of allegation!"

"I'm not insinuating, the fact is, he is a lolic...... gweh."


I felt my neck getting constricted from my necktie that was getting tugged real hard.

"Huh!? What did you just say!?"

After getting my breath back, I could see some passing students passing by the door from the window. Furthermore, it seemed like they were looking at us.

"Geh! Do people actually pass by here! Don't tell me they can see us watching anime from outside......? If they realize that I'm watching an anime after school, won't my Otaku secret be found out!"

Upon my clamoring, Koigasaki suddenly pressed the 'Stop' button and stopped the DVD.

"Aah, this is really boring. Can't be bothered with it."

She took out the DVD and put it inside its case.

Saved......! With this, my Otaku secret is safe......

If I got found out here, then all the trouble I took to hide my Otaku self ever since entering high school would go down the drain.

Koigasaki must have seen how upset I was and gave up watching for my sake. My, doesn't she have some unexpected good points?

As I was feeling a brief moment of relief,

"Hey, Koigasaki...... what's that......"


Koigasaki took out another DVD from her bag.

"I also borrowed this from TSUTAYA. This is an anime that both you and Suzuki-kun are into right? Didn't you help me ask him about it? You can be quite useful at times. This better be interesting though!"

My jaw dropped on seeing the anime title on the surface of that DVD.

"Stop! Just not that anime! I mean, you should at least watch this at home!"

"If I watch it at home, it'll be terrible if my family suddenly comes into my room right, impossible."

"It's even worse if you watch this in school duh!"

At the end of my futile attempts to stop her, the anime started playing on the TV screen.

Right at the outset, a bunch of Bishoujos appeared on the screen.

"Wh-What's this......"

Koigasaki froze instantly as she looked at the screen.

This anime could be said to be challenging the limits of a [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Free-to-air Free-To-Air] channel, an [[Omae o Otaku ni Shiteyaru kara, Ore o Riajuu ni Shitekure!:Glossary#Moe|Moe]] erotic late night anime. On top of that, the DVD was a revised edition that was even more erotic to the extreme.

The childish girly anime earlier was many times much more preferable.

"What's this! Are you an idiot!? Otakus are gross! No, not just gross, but disgusting! To like this kind of anime...... I seriously can't believe these Otakus!"


With her face beet-red, Koigasaki threw the remote control, makeup pouch, and drink carton pack in her hands towards me.

"Ouch! What the hell are you doing! Wait, turn the thing off, turn it off!"

While bearing the attacks from Koigasaki, I frantically pressed the 'Stop' button on the remote control and stopped the anime.

"Jeez, this is really terrible! I didn't borrow such kind of anime......"

"Who's the terrible one, you hysterical woman! It seems really impossible for you to become an Otaku if you have such a repulsive reaction towards such an anime!"

I suddenly snapped and threw my rage on Koigasaki.

"What's that, why did you say it's impossible......?"

Koigasaki's expression contorted suddenly on hearing my words.

"Just be more cooperative! Didn't you say that I shall help you become a [[Omae o Otaku ni Shiteyaru kara, Ore o Riajuu ni Shitekure!:Glossary#Riajuu|Riajuu]], and you'll help me become an Otaku so that I can get closer to Suzuki-kun right! We have an agreement right! Don't you dare tell me you've forgotten about it!?"


That's right, we are indeed bonded by such an agreement.

Aah, how did things turn out this way......

Even though I just want to enjoy my peaceful high school life......

And if luck is on my side, I hope to get a cute, conservative girlfriend and become a Riajuu.

But instead...... nobody would have been able to imagine that my high school life was turned upside down by this violent, sweet (LOL) gal.

Everything started after I met this girl, when my high school life ended up getting messed up......
<noinclude>
 
----

==Translator's Notes and References==
<references/>
 
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| Back to [[Omae o Otaku ni Shiteyaru kara, Ore o Riajuu ni Shitekure!:Volume 1 Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
| Return to [[Omae o Otaku ni Shiteyaru kara, Ore o Riajuu ni Shitekure!|Main Page]]
| Forward to [[Omae o Otaku ni Shiteyaru kara, Ore o Riajuu ni Shitekure!:Volume 1 Chapter 2|Chapter 2]]
|-
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</noinclude>

OreShura: Volume 1 Chapter 3

2012-09-10T05:03:16Z

Sab: /* Chapter 3 - Girlfriend V.S. Childhood friend = Mayhem */

===Chapter 3 - Girlfriend V.S. Childhood friend = Mayhem===

The news of Matsuzu Natsukawa spread without much assistance throughout the entire school by the next day. Such fearful propogation power, or should I say infectivity. Whoever hooked up with whoever, whoever got dumped by whoever, these sorts of stories can be heard ten miles away as soon as it happens. Not because Natsukawa has been spreading the good word everywhere, but because the passion of romance believers by far go beyond of catholics of the medieval ages.

Speaking of which, perhaps Natsukawa did have a hand in this. After all, if rumors cannot spread effectively, she wouldn't have the need to start a pseudo-confession to protect her "barrier" to begin with.

Every recess or break we have, people from other classes rush over to observe me. "So it's that guy?" "Seems very normal" "You really can't figure out the tastes of rich girls." Just these unscrupulous comments, I already begin to understand Natsukawa's feelings. This is certanly very hard to bear with.

Yamamoto of the soccer club requested to shake my hand for the second time in this month.
"If you don't give Natsukawa happiness I will never forgive you yo!"

Oh, Yamamoto-kun. You are too dazzling.

If I could, I'd love to offer you with the right of Natsukawa's happiness. I really do.

-- Speaking of which, hurry up and assist me! I beg of you!

That day, at the end of school.

"Learn to accept reality, Eita-kun"
said the Masuzu beside me with an ojousama's attutide.
"Just like that Yamada classmate said, let's work together for my happiness"

"Only your happiness!!!!"

Oh and also, it's not Yamada, but Yamamoto. Regardless this has nothing to do with the topic.

We choose not to take the main roads but a longer route with less people. Although slightly longer, we have little choice. It's relatively better than to walk home under jealous surveys and irritating whispers.

Masuzu clapped her hands together.
"Speaking of which, Eita-kun"

"What"

"From now on, since we'll be spending a rather long period of time together after school every day, don't you think we should better spend this period of time?"

".....Sure, that'd be more constructive"

The journey Masuzu and I take is from the school all the way to the convience store on Third Street. The distance is about 1.5 kilometres, around 20 minutes of walking distance.

Arguing each day for these 20 minutes isn't exactly a good use of time. We should try and make it more meaningful, certainly by working together.

"And, what suggestions do you have?"

"Well that's of course.... buying something to eat, going somewhere to play for a while"

"That seems rather interesting. But spending each day like this would seem a bit......"
More importantly, I do not want to reduce the time I spend studying, in addition to the burden of washing clothes and making dinner. Therefore I should waste as little time and money as possible.

"Then I guess we should just stick to chatting."

"Like the sweet lovey-dovey talks between boyfriends and girlfriends eh"

"......lovey-dovey talks eh"

"......lovey-dovey talks"

Goosebumps appeared on both Masuzu's arms and mine.

"No way."

"Impossible."
I spat on to the ground.

Masuzu straightened her hair.

"Thinking carefully, there's no need to stick with those kind of lover's talk"

"True, after all it's just all play act"

"As long as it's something we can talk about. Such as say the TV shows we've seen yesterday, that's a common topic."

"Understood. Let's begin from there then."

Masuzu cleared her throat.
"Eita-kun. Did you watch yesterday's 'Criminal Hunters'?"

Ho. This person sure knows how to make a good discussion topic. That's my favourite TV show.

"Of course. Oh, that last scene was the most memorable! You know, the scene where his partner gets shot by the fugitive, then out of nowhere he pulls out a cigarette, then saying 'bastard, didn't you know I was quitting'. That line was incredible! It really makes you look forward to the next episode! The kind of feel where he has gone through all sorts of pain in life. There are too little dramas like such nowadays! The best show ever! The best show ever!"

Masuzu lowered her head uncomfortably.
"That.... I never planned to make such a deep conversation"

"....oh, is that so"

"Besides, I was never interested in that show"

"Then why the heck did you ask me?!"

This bitch.....

You made me waste my passionate emotions.

"What I originally planned was to make a point that topics with Eita-kun seems rather lacking, and attempted to begin with a popular TV show"

"Well looks like topics between us is very lacking indeed, I'm sorry!"

"An inadequate life can be aided with food and money, but what can an inadequate topic be aided with?"

No matter what I can never leave "topic poverty" in her eyes.

Unhappily, I said
"What about common hobbies or things we like?"

"And what would Eita-kun's hobbies be?"

"Hmm? Hmm...."

Suddenly asked directly, it does seem hard to answer.

My hobbies.... what would they be. I guess it all ends in cooking?

"When listing please exclude peeking up the shirts at staircases and stealing panties these two--"

"Did I ever have these two hobbies!!"

Masuzu took two step backwards with a shocked expression
"D-don't tell me it is not a hobby but a way of living already?!"

"Like I said, there's no such thing!"

"I'm really sorry. Looks like I injured Eita-kun's most pure impressions towards panties. How about as an apology I let you see my...."
Masuzu bit her lips as if regretful, then began pulling up her skirt.

"Waaah--! Waaah--! Ahhh----!"

"Please don't yell loudly. I'm also clarifying your previous suspicions of 'not wearing them'."

A group of elementary school kids and chatting housewifes gave me cold stares.

......Why look at me!?

You crazy people, why am I the conspirator here?!

"Today's underpants is rather bold. Not only does it have flowery sides, at the very ends of it it is actually transparent..... if I were to know I would be harassed like this, I should have worn underpants more suitable for a highschool student"

"Stop talking as if I'm the bad guy!!!!"

"For your information, it's black"

"Black she said!!!!!"

Her skirt was slowly being lifted up, revealing her long slender legs.

I couldn't help but form white foam in my mouth.

Her white dazzling legs.

It's of one's who hasn't gone out much.

Smooth and sturdy, there's something that slightly triggers you, letting people unconsciously look forward to what comes next. Ahead of here, lies black--

Masuzu let go of her skirt making it flop.

All that could be seen was the clean linings, the skirt then gently falling downwards, once again covering her legs.

Masuzu stuck out her tongue.
"Even if you're my 'boyfriend', it's only been two days since we've started dating. I'm not that shameless you know."

"I don't know about that...... shameless...."
I knelt down on the pavement, helpless and weak.

I was fooled with......

The pure emotions of a highschool student was toyed with.....

"Get up, Eita-kun. Our happy times together have just begun."

Certainly, we have not even reached halfway of our journey.

And yet already it is a horrible nightmare.

"Stand up like a man, and let's head forth to our bright enjoyable conversation!"

".....maybe"
I wiped my tears off.

Well, they say the more you feel like this, the more you should have an optimistic view towards a revolution.

"Then let us start another topic~"
Masuzu cleared her throat,
"Eita-kun, did you watch 'Criminal Hunters' yesterday?"

"Yeah. I did."

"What do you think about it?"

"Hmrph-- rather interesting I guess?"

"You watched that kind of amazing show and yet that's all the comments you can give? How lame."

"You- you, are you messing with meeeeee--!!!!!"

"Arg, such a headache. No matter what we talk about we'll never be able to have a good conversation"

"Then that's your problemmmm--!!!"

At this moment.

"Ho-holding hands and such, indecent! Too indecent!"
Chiwa pointed towards us, her face completely red.

Her backpack was rising and falling in sync to her deep breaths, I assume she just ran full speed from school to here.

But holding hands? No we aren't.

Just as I was thinking like this, before I knew it Masuzu was hugging my left arm tightly. What on earth is she thinking.

"Ei-kun, th-this, what is, is is all this?!"

This person seems to be after us because of the rumors of me and Masuzu.

Chiwa hates it when I hide things from her. Even if it's a good thing she'd then angrily say "How unexpected". If it's a bad thing then she'll angrily say "Why didn't you talk to me".

I wonder if this falls into the good category of the bad category.

I guess overall it's good?

Making a girlfriend is something that deserves to be congratulated?

But wait, her reaction is --

"Getting popular before I do, Ei-kun is acting to arrogant here--!!"

Uh.

Why am I always the punching bag.

"Ohh Eita-kun, who is this little kid right here?"
Masuzu acted as if only noticing the precense of Chiwa a moment ago, asking with her head slightly tilted.

"I, I'm not little! It's just that you're too big!"

"Ok ok ok. Which elementary school are you from again?"

"I'm not an elementary school student!!! Moreover I'm wearing the same uniform as you are!"

"Oh I see. Are you a fan of Eita-kun?"

"Who'd be a fan of him!"

"Then are you a member of the anti-Eita society?"

"Is there only two extremes in your head?!"

"Then who are you exactly?"

Chiwa for some reason announced confidently
"I. Am. Ei-kun's. Child. Hood. Friend. Chiwa Harusaki!"

"Just because you are a childhood friend you believe you are entitled to do such kind of violent actions?"
Masuzu winced her eyes, as if trying to pierce through Chiwa just by looking.
"Entering the space of a romantic date between a couple after school, don't you think that it is deserved to be kicked by a horse to death?"

Oh classmate Masuzu, is this a date now.

For some reason I feel like I was scolded all the way as "panty thief" or "lame boring person" and whatever....?

"....Ei-kun! Why didn't you tell me about making a girlfriend!"

Seeing the difficulty in her opponent she turned her anger towards me.

"That.....I'm sorry"
I naturally apologised.

Masuzu suddenly joined in
"Oh my, being together with Eita-kun requires the permission of classmate Harusaki?"

"Damn right! I've spent so much time with Ei-kun, we grew up like brother and sisters! Some random girl who's just gotten to know Ei-kun for two months, who do you think you know about him!"

"Then what do classmate Harusaki know about Ei-kun?"

"I know everything about Ei-kun! Just like how in grade 3 he put milk in the school lockers intentionally letting it go bad, like how he calls our class teacher Yoshioka 'mama', and also in that marathon after stepping on some poop he was called the 'poopy roller', everything about him!"

"My my, now I know more about such fascinating events"
Masuzu listened carefully with her eyes shining, even doing notes to Chiwa's blabbering.

I just............... have a sudden urge to kill myself.

"Therefore, you must first go through me if you want to date Ei-kun!"

Masuzu held two corners of her skirt and did a little bow, saying elegantly
"I apologize for not greeting first beforehand. I, Masuzu Natsukawa is now dating Eita Kido. If you will be so kind to bless us both, I am enternally grateful."

"....."

"Eita-kun, let's continue our date shall we?"

Natsukawa grabbed my left arm and was just about to leave, when suddenly Chiwa grabbed my right arm.

Chiwa pouted as if a kid losing her toy, and glared at Masuzu with hatred.

"Is there something else you want?"

"I don't want it"

"Hmm?"

"Ab--solutely not! I do not want Ei-kun to be with someone like you!"

My right arm was being tugged over, a seeming high chance of being ripped off.

"Owowowow! Chiwa, let go!"

"Then I shall accept your challence. I dare you to come put out the blazing love between us."

"Like I said oww!"

This is such a tragedy.

Neither Chiwa nor Masuzu gave way. The two of them pulled my from both sides, just like a tug-of-war.

"Look, Eita-kun is already crying out in pain. As a caring childhood friend, why don't you let go of him?"

"No, you should be concerned about your boyfriend and let go of him!"

Eventually, Masuzu could not defeat the Kendo trained arms of Chiwa. Masuzu lost balance and pushed me over. Like so, I tripped over some obstacle on the pavement.

"Ahhhhh--!"

I went head first into a pile of garbage, while Chiwa and Masuzu who had let go beforehand were completely safe and sound.

That's too cunning. Tears and pains are always from the men.

"Huh--! So what if you're in love! I'll find my own handsome boyfriend! Definitely become popular!!!"

Like a kid who had just lost a game and could only make verbal threats, Chiwa disappeared after saying this sentence.

Masuzu beamed her angel like smile, watching me piled in garbage from above.

"Hohoho, Eita-kun is too popular"

I don't want to care about any of you!

That night Chiwa didn't come for dinner. So much for making her favourite hamburgers.

I texted her, and quickly recieved a reply with only one word.

"Traitor"

Traitor hurray.....

----------

Eita Kido

First year Highschool student. Real dull. Character of the punchbag character.

Most favourite motto is "when there's a will, there's a way".

Ginban Kaleidoscope:Volume1 Chapter2

2012-09-09T07:51:42Z

Sab: /* II - When It Rains... It Pours. */

=== II - When It Rains... It Pours. ===

<Ah, good morning.>

......I can't remember ever being so terrified upon awakening. Even though the night passes, it seems the nightmare has a continuation.

"......so you were also asleep?"

<More like, when you fall asleep, I also automatically......>

......last night, in the end, it seems I fell asleep in my sweats.

Today and tomorrow are consecutive school holidays. Though I might be possessed by a ghost, I must train.

......first is early morning running. It's my daily routine.

A short program's 2 minutes and 40 seconds, a free program's 4 minutes. The physical strength required of a figure skater is considerable, so even though it's painful, everyone works hard at stamina training everyday. But, if you can excel at it, ultimately it makes possible high-difficulty jumps and multiple step sequences, in short, a denser program. It leads to good scores.

Soft skin like white peaches, gracefully slender limbs, and overwhelming beauty. Owing to those, I am known as Princess Tazusa.

Belying that delicate and lovely figure, I also possess an abundance of stamina. Though there's no sense in getting hung up on one's talent. Thus I can't be skipping out on running, but.......

<This morning air is quite refreshing, isn't it?>

"If only you hadn't spoken, it would be."

With that, I am running with all my might and starting to breathe hard. I realize it, but....... If I think about it, the fatigue is shared.

"You're like some new species of parasite. Shall I take you to some scientific society?"

I know that however I sharpen the edge of my verbal abuse nothing will change, but I guess this is also my personality. Since yesterday, depending on how you count, I've easily spoken more than several hundred insults, and I run my usual course while continually adding more.

A pleasant sweat begins to cover my entire body. But, at the moment I realize a certain truth......, it suddenly changes into a damp, cold sweat.

Sweat is bad. Later, it will be really bad. But I can't just not train.......

"I can't take it! This is a living hell!"

<......what is this all of a sudden? Try putting yourself in my position a little...>

"What did you say? Whose fault is it that I can't take a bath?!"

......I did it again. The elderly runner passing by me looks over in surprise.

<You're on track to get reported to [[Ginban_Kaleidoscope:Volume1_Translator's_Notes#119|119]].>

Before yelling at Pete, let's look both ways, and front and back, and make sure there's no one there.......

In an instant I come up with this motto, and etch it in my mind.

"Yes indeed. While I'm at it, shall I have you removed by a brain surgeon or something?"

<It's impossible. It will just damage your memories or something...>

"If you stay for 100 days, my mind will surely collapse anyway!"

......from the roadside trees nearby, a flock of crows noisily take flight.

<center>* * *</center>

Usually in figure skating, you make one short program and one free (long) program per season.

In 2004, the world-famous Russian coach Evgenia Gilcleft stated that she would like to create a program for Sakurano Tazusa, Japan's newly minted star who had proven her value by ascending the podium in the junior championships.

Coming just as I was stepping up from junior to senior, catching the eye of a famous coach like her had a big effect.

Both Coach Takashima and I were very interested, leaving to Gilcleft the free program, and during summer break we flew to Russia so I could be coached down to the tiniest gestures. And then.

The program to J. Strauss II's waltz received high marks from the judges. In the Japan Championships, on which was riding the two tickets to the 2005 World Championships, I was defeated by Japanese champion Shitou Kyouko, but I made it to 2nd place and achieved my goal.

However, just before the event, Shitou's injury was discovered. In a rush, the alternate skater stepped onto the stage of the World Championships, but both her preparation and skill were lacking, and she dropped out in the preliminary round.

Then there was I, making my debut. Though my results in the preliminary round had been so-so, I was extremely nervous during the short program, falling twice and dropping a significant number of places. Nor was I able to make a recovery during the free, ultimately ending up a disappointing 17th place.

The proven talent Shitou, who had made it to 6th pace in the 2004 World Championships, and young Sakurano, whose improvements were remarkable. The Japan Skating Federation's prediction was that, with the efforts of us two the number of representative spots for next year's Olympics would expand to 3, but with Shitou's injury that became impossible.

Even by myself, if I had made it into the top 10, we would have kept our 2 spots. The shock of not even achieving our bottommost target was, unsurprisingly, large......

And then, the awaited Olympic season.

The one remaining representative spot in women's singles is contested, centering on two people: the beautiful and popular Shitou Kyouko, and the even more beautiful Sakurano Tazusa, me----

Anyway, that is how the current situation developed.

Actually, even though I am skating Gilcleft's program again, I definitely was not feeling optmistic. Maybe because she had overestimated my genius, I thought the level she required was too high for me. But with Coach Takashima's and Director Mishiro's presuasion, I grudgingly consent. In addition, this season, we've decided to go with Gilcleft creations for both short and free......and as expected, I have yet to master these difficult progrms.

At a time when I am seriously starting to panic, to be possessed by a pervert-like Canadian.......

<center>* * *</center>

At my rink, I am the only one who has even the chance of making it to the Olympics that are 3 months hence.

Everyone, beginning with Coach Takashima and Mika, is mindful of me and removes any unnecessary pressure. Even Youko has taken basically that attitude. But.......

Sometimes, there comes someone to disturb that peacefulness.

"Sakurano-san. Have you cleared the challenge from last time?"

......age: mid-fifties. Nicknamed "[[Ginban_Kaleidoscope:Volume1_Translator's_Notes#Sarcastic the Third|Sarcastic the Third]]", she is the Figure Skating Federation's Department Chief, General Director Mishiro Yukie.

She has the most authority with respect to selecting the representative, and in order to observe potential candidates, i.e. in order to see me, she occasionally makes her way to Crystal Garden. ......to be honest, she's a smoky, shady middle-aged lady.

She covers her slim 170cm figure with name brands. Her thickly applied cream and eyeshadow are probably also quite famous, but they are nowhere near enough to transform her sallow, past-its-prime face. Though she might not be beyond saving if she did something about her thin gold-rimmed glasses.

"Yes, don't worry. I will show you now."

Seeing me turn belligerent so quickly, Coach Takashima looks uneasy. ......though this is typical.

Sending a glance intended to slightly provoke, I show her the skating sequence for which, after last time's competition, the director presented me with sarcasm-laden advice. In the middle of this season's program, just during the part where I gracefully show off in front of the judges, it would be bad if I scraped the ice strangely and made a grinding sound.

You may not be able to guess from my whole-bodied floating elegance,...... but as part of my personality, I hate losing. After being told I suck, I didn't quietly withdraw but rather practiced with all my might.

"It seems to have improved a bit. Perhaps just barely at the level where the judges can watch without being bored."

"Why thank you."

Of course, this stinking old hag... that is, the director, understands full well my personality, which is why she dangles such sarcasm in front of me.

"Then again, your expression is entirely rigid as usual. Watching you skate, I mistake you for a Buddhist statue or something and feel the urge to pray. Though your personality is terrible you somehow have a pretty face, so how about smiling a little more?"

......in response to the director's increasingly vicious sarcasm, I feel my cheek begin to twitch. Why am I surrounded by so many unpleasant people?

"By the way, it seems you have been referring to me as 'sarcasm the third' or something like that......"

......who? Who gave me away?

"Since I'm here, I'll take the liberty of responding. How about 'plaster mask'? When I was young, something similar was quite popular."

......I try to press my lips together into a flat line, but even I know that it its twitching. A forced smile is about my limit.

"In any event. Even among judges, there is no one who will award points to a sour-faced Oriental. As it stands now, your chances of being chosen as representative are exceedingly low. Though I wouldn't mind being spared the trouble of making a decision."

"......I understand."

Putting aside the vector of my emotions, I can't but recognize that the director has a point.

"Takashima-san. Please take it upon yourself to speak to her as well. It would be a great loss otherwise."

Director Mishiro shifts her gaze from me and my discouragement to Coach. Really, I have to be grateful.

"Yes, of course....... I am always telling her."

"I am counting on you, truly."

After boiling my insides more than usual, Sarcasm the Third leaves the rink.

"That old hag! Who is she calling plaster!"

"The director is entirely correct. You have the skills, so unless you smile it is a loss. ......but, I suppose I've already told you many times."

"......I get it, I get it."

Yes. I get it in my mind. In order to compete on the world stage, it won't fly to say it's because I'm shy.

<Is there some reason?>

"Shut up."

......if I could naturally burst into a big smile, how nice it would be. But that is probably a stunt I will never be capable of.

<center>* * *</center>

Unable to stop it, I dash to the bathroom a second time, but if I have to do the other thing again----

That kind of unprecedented despair and fear is driving me to actions that defy understanding.

For vampires, garlic.

For Pete, tomatoes.

......but I was foolish. Going on a buying spree, without thinking of the refrigerator's capacity. Placing before me the more than 84 tomatoes I bought at the supermarket, I am really at a loss.......

"Hey. Are you giving up skating and switching to eating contests?"

I am spotted by an annoying one.

"No. It's for nutritional balance..."

"Piling tomatoes mountain-high, how is this 'balance'?"

......too true. Suddenly I can't speak.

"I understand buying up toilet paper during the oil shock, but what kind of shock are tomatoes for?"

......I'm being told off by a third grader in elementary school. It's quite unsightly, and where did she learn that kind of thing in the first place?

"Lately, you've really been acting as if a screw in your head is loose. Could it be..."

"I was thinking I'd like to eat a lot of tomatoes, so I bought them. Is that so bad?"

[[Image:Ginban v01 - 065.jpg|thumb]]
......what an unproductive dialogue. But it is overwhelmingly painful.

"They'll go bad before you can finish eating..."

"It'll be fine! I'll eat them all!"

Really, everything sucks!

For the moment, I grab a tomato in each hand and, ignoring the screams echoing inside my head, bite into them.

......I ate 12 tomatoes in one go, but it is not enough to get rid of evil spirit Pete.

For things like gymnastic, rhythmic gymnastics, and figure skating, daily restraint and control of body weight is a most important matter. Therefore, ruining one's diet is a development anyone would want to avoid.......

Moreover, I haven't changed my underwear since yesterday. I washed my face and hair in the sink and brushed my teeth, but...... I couldn't wash or brush away the built up stress.

<......um. It may be my imagination, but I feel itchy.>

"I won't step into a bath, even in hell."

I recognize the reality that dark clouds hover over the probability of my expelling Pete, but.......

<You'll just cause dirt to stick...>

"You're the one who's sticking!"

<That's mean!>

......the catch in his accent conveys the depth of his anguish.

<Can't you wear a swimsuit?>

For a moment...... my heart moves, but that just makes me all the more stubborn.

"Why should I have to!"

<No really, I am thinking of you...>

"I see your intentions clear as day! Even if maggots hatch, I absolutely won't show you!"

Yes. If it came to a swimsuit, it would be like... bare skin.......

Like I could do it, even in hell!

However, as I pass the second night full of worry, the best of the plans I desperately come up with...... is to take sleeping pills and have someone wash my body for me while I am deeply asleep.

But Coach Takashima is a man,...... and there's no way I could explain, and if we're not careful, Coach could get arrested for indecent behavior. More importantly, no idiot would put such a plan into practice.

"Ahh, when will this hell end..."

<center>* * *</center>

Day 3.

With the aftereffects of eating all those raw tomatoes yesterday, the worst possible scenario is beginning acquire the taste of reality.

As if heartless, my abdomen begins to swell. Of course, its contents drive my thoughts toward a yet unseen world, and I'm not talking about pure, innocently smiling angels, either.......

On the surface, I show untiring tenacity, but instinctively I am beginning to give up. Even a dozen tomatoes were not enough to exterminate the evil spirit known as Pete Pumps.

In that case, I need to be prepared for the X-Day that will come----

"No......! I believe in miracles."

<There was never a chance of that in the first place...>

"This is a once in a lifetime thing! It's a humiliation with a legacy the world over! With a guy like you who has zero delicacy, my..."

I suddenly stop.

"Really! Rather than ''that'', if I could just excrete ''you'' out, how nice that would be!"

<Wha......!>

Exploding from that response, an insult beyond my own imagining...... even Pete is speechless.

Even ''I'' think it was a mean thing to say, but I can't deny that it improved my spirits.......

<What a person! Really, what a person you are!>

What I sense from that voice is complete scorn. I start to reconsider.......

<Someone like you will be single all your life, no mistake! You treacherous, spiteful, ill-natured maggot-woman! You're the world's biggest bitch!>

"......what, did you say?!"

The fangs of self-reflection instantly vanish, and the superseding anger.......

Lead me to a life-or-death decision----

"I'll make a boiled octopus out of you!"

My destination is, the bathroom.

<center>* * *</center>

"......ah."

......could this be, that world?

I see a field of flowers.......

"Tazusa?"

......ahh, it seems it was the pattern on my comforter.

"Tazusa, are you awake now?"

".....I guess I'm alive."

I'm lying on my bed. Next to me are Coach Takashima and my sister. Before my eyes, that is, on the ceiling, is a poster of a straw-hatted comic hero that I like.

<......you big idiot.>

At that voice echoing in my head...... I can't help but heave a resigned sigh.

If I heat myself to the point of passing out, I might chase this guy out. So thinking, I soaked in 46°C hot water for a long time...... but, in the end, it seems it had no effect.

I held on until I thought I would die, but...... ahh, the heartlessness of it all.

"Tazusa. It's alright. Just rest and don't worry about anything."

Turning my gaze back, on Coach's face I see...... the tolerant smile of a teacher who is sure that he has grasped the troubles of his student.

......for a second time, I take a deep breath.

"Let me say this."

"It's alright, so..."

"Be quiet and listen."

......perhaps because all the blood rushed to my head, my speech is frustratingly inarticulate. Even as I am fed up at the idiocy of having to repeatedly explain that I am sane, I cut Coach off with both hands.

For me, Sakurano Tazusa, to be thought of as the skater who mentally snapped because of Olympics pretensions. That alone I cannot abide.

"All of my words and actions these past 2, 3 days have a reason. I can't explain right now, but I will someday. Coach, you will absolutely come to understand. I am completely normal."

"Though I don't think there's anything normal or silver about boiling yourself in the bathroom of the peaceful Takashima house." '''(!)'''

...well, ''I'' didn't particularly think I needed this brat worrying about me...

"And in your school swimsuit, too. Well, from a normal person's perspective of wanting to hide her scrawny, washboard-like body, I guess you've grown up a little..."

"Now, Youko."

Since my usual energy has evaporated, it is Coach who ends up reining her in.

"So, what then? Are you saying that your perfect example of eccentric behavior just now has a logical reason behind it?"

"Yes."

......Coach presses his face up to my nose.

"Now listen, Tazusa. With mental illnesses, self-awareness of symptoms..."

"Coach!"

Fiercely raising my listless body, I put strength into my voice.

"See here. Whether it be the Olympics or something else, the great Tazusa would never lose to the pressure. You should know that."

......if this were a drama, at this point the main theme would play, and even Coach would give in, that's how it would develop.

I had thought those words would be a trump card, as it were, but it seems I was mistaken. It takes a full 2 hours after this to shake off Coach's questioning. Moreover, I am ordered to rest in bed until tomorrow.

<center>* * *</center>

Day 4 of being possessed by Pete.

Finally able to mostly ignore the churning in my abdomen, I sit at the breakfast table and consult the morning paper. There, in part of the sports column, I see familiar names.

Figure skating, Director Mishiro, Shitou Kyouko, and, myself, Sakurano Tazusa.

---Concerning the prospects of Shitou and Sakurano, the two of whom are battling to be the women's figure skating singles representative at the Turin Olympics: the federation's director, Ms. Mishiro, is of the opinion that, if a difference between the two skaters becomes apparent by the end of the Grand Prix Series, they may tentatively select a representative without waiting until the National Championships---is what it says.

The Grand Prix Series consists of a total of 6 competitions.

For me, Skate America and the NHK Trophy which is held in Japan. Shitou will appear in the German competition and also the NHK Trophy.

In each competition, skaters are awarded points in order starting from first place. At the end of the 6 competitions, the 6 people who have the most points have the right to participate in the comeptition known as the Grand Prix Final.

But I completely lost during Skate America, receiving 0 points. Even if I win the NHK Trophy, I have basically no hope of making it to the Final. In contrast, Shitou has already twice in the past made to this gathering of the world's top 6. And it seems well within the realm of possibility this time, too.......

Guessing from how quite a bit of space is devoted to Director Mishiro's statements, my and Shitou Kyouko's battle must be a hotter topic than I imagined.

I hear quiet footsteps descending the stairs.......

"Good morning, idiot elder sister."

My cheeky brat of a 9 year old sister sits down across from me, still rubbing her eyes.

"Good morning, Youko-chan. Are you picking a fight this early in the morning?"

<Ahh, how beautiful is sisterly love.>

......since yesterday, I have entered a cold war situation with this perverted ghost. But if I yell at him here, Coach and Youko will say things again.

<But then, since her blood sister is such a strange, simple-minded person, I can sympathize...>

"----ta (x2)!"

I shriek repeatedly.

I'd intentionally hit my kneecap against the corner of the table with all my might. In order to shut this ghost up.

After overcoming the pain, before my eyes are Youko and Coach exchanging glances. In particular, my sister looks at me while raising both palms, shaking her head sadly, and shrugging her shoulders. ......what a skillful child.

<That hurt!>

The protest echoes in my head, but with no indication he'll take back calling me simple-minded...... one more blow!

"Ai (x2)!"

The pain this time brings tears to my eyes, but Pete's moan soothes me......

<Get a grip! You sh*ttank woman!>

"----gh!"

Just now, what did he......?

My eyes roll from the shock.

"......''what'' tank...?"

<It seems at least your volume is big...>

"Sh*ttank woman, is it----?!"

Due to my rage, my fists rattle the dishes on the table as I leap to my feet. The chair I send flying with my behind topples over.......

"I'll kill you...! I'll crush you!"

Youko, who's facing me, cowers in fear and clings to Coach. Passing by them, I savagely open the refrigerator door----

"Don't stop me! Coach!"

"Please stop, Tazusa! If you want to enter an eating competition, I'll let you!"

"Let me do thissssssss----!"

......Coach's desperate restraining controlled the spasms of a tomato-poisoning patient.

That's what I heard afterwards.

<center>* * *</center>

By the time I arrive home from school, my intestines are suffering from unheard-of pressure.

Since that nightmare, my dignity has been destroyed time and time again by this vulgar ghost. The final door is just barely sealed by the stubbornness of my guardian deity.

But, when this is released, there's no guarantee I won't crumble such that not even a millimeter-sized fragment is left.

"Uugh...!"

I feel a pressure in my abdomen, accompanied by a tiny amount of heat, and I unconsciously stagger. If I were to count, it'd be just about 5 days. During which I've held back all solid waste. It certainly breaks my previous lifetime record by a lot. The problem is...... this is still ongoing!

I've never in my life experienced constipation like this. Of course. My beautiful self----

<Ow...!>

This time it's the pervert-ghost in my head who's groaning.

I suddenly want to cry. I've long gone beyond what's pitiful.

"I can't take this anymore...... kwah...!"

I press my stomach with both hands. Or should I say, I calm it.



"Why are you at ''your'' limit?! Besides, I've told you countless times..."

<Beauties do not cr*p. I got it! I got it, so please get to the bathroom!>

"For what purpose?"

<Isn't it obvious! To cr*p!>

......it seems he's having trouble even smoothing over the illogicality. At least I've managed to share with Pete this sense of being on the verge of breakdown.

Moreover.

<Ahh, come on. No more......>

"Perchance did you eat something bad or something?"

Though I wouldn't know. It seems some urgent phenomenon is occurring......

"Uugh, wah wah!"

......a 5-car Siberian super-express train!

Impossible, absolutely impossible! Whatever barricade is put up, it can't stop me.

<Oi, plea-.... ahh, I'm done for!>

Both feet pounding the floor, I make a dash.

"What is it? What is my idiot sister up to this time?"

Youko sticks her head out of her bedroom doorway, but...... seeing her agitated sister with a forehead covered in sweat, even Youko is rendered speechless.

While knowing the consequences, I convert the last of my resistance into energy, and...... finally.

Having broken through the best of my resistance, I act on a lady's instinctive modesty and grab the MD Walkman on my desk, put on the headphones, and set it to full volume. Shoving aside the dumbfounded Youko, I dash from my room and dive into the bathroom with godlike speed, pulling down my underwear at the same time.

I abandon myself to the magnificent strains of Beethoven's 9th Symphony, 4th movement, the Ode to Joy.

I release it all----

<center>* * *</center>

"......this is the worst."

......once I realize that muttering is my own, I put it a little more strength and give voice to it again.

"Really the worst. All of this......"

It seems I'm still normal. Suddenly acquiring aphasia from the shock...... not even anything like that.

Only, even though the performance is long over, I have forgotten to take off my headphones, and I remain seated, half-dazed, on the toilet.

Although the accumulation of about 5 days is now on the other side, the cruel memories are not washed away.

I shake my head 2, 3 times and nonchalantly stand up. Since the moment of breakdown, easily 15 minutes have passed.

<Um......>

As if addressing a sleeping tyrant, Pete cautiously breaks in.

"What now?"

<Just... I was wondering, is it alright not to put on your underwear...>

"----gh!"

......suddenly enraged, I head straight for the refrigerator. I fill my stomach with tomatoes.

<noinclude>
{| border="1" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" style="margin: 1em 1em 1em 0; background: #f9f9f9; border: 1px #aaaaaa solid; padding: 0.2em; border-collapse: collapse;"
|-
| Back to [[Ginban_Kaleidoscope:Volume1_Chapter1|Chapter 1]]
| Return to [[Ginban_Kaleidoscope|Main Page]]
| Forward to [[Ginban_Kaleidoscope:Volume1_Chapter3|Chapter 3]]
|-
|}
</noinclude>

Ghost Hunt:Volume3 Chapter1

2012-09-09T05:32:05Z

Sab: /* 1 */

==Chapter 1 - School==

===1===

The next day was Sunday. It was a fine, autumn day, with the wind blowing gently and a clear sky hanging above. The heat wasn't as intense as it normally was.

I looked outside the window beside my desk. There were three papers spread out on my desk. Yesterday, we got three requests, and I think another one is coming. They're all piling up. One was a request to exorcise a ghost, another to exorcise a fox spirit, and then one about a poltergeist.

"Why is all this happening?"

I casted a doubtful look onto the papers and noted the name, "Yuasa High School." Yuasa High School is an all girls private high school near Tokyo. One of my junior high friends went there, so I knew about it. It's supposed to be a strict school. It wasn't the best academic girls school around, as it was quite lenient with grades.

Yesterday, we got three requests from students in that school.

...What's happening there.

It's not just one problem either.

<center>* * *</center>

"Naru-chan."

I could hear the sound of the door opening, followed by a rough voice.

That voice...came from a former monk. That guy is always using the office as a coffee shop.

"Yo! Mai-chan, how are you feeling?"

Bou-san (Takigawa Houshou, 25 years old, a former monk) waved at me, a bright smile on his face.

I responded angrily, saying yes, everything's fine.

I looked at him when he entered. Black hat, black sunglasses, black everything. Except for the hot pink t-shirt he was wearing beneath his coat.

Bou-san, did you forget that you're supposed to be a monk?

"Give me some ice coffee," he commanded as he slumped onto the couch. "Please, the vending machine's too far away."

"If you're that tired, then you should be panting right now."

"Don't be so mean. I had a lot of work today."

Bou-san also mentioned a paranormal case that he was asked to investigate— To put it simply, he wanted to talk about it with us.

"It's work-related? Really?"

My voice was full of uncertainty as I spoke.

"It's true, it's true. That's why I want ice coffee."

Okay, okay. I guess I have no choice—

I went to the kitchen and poured the ice coffee into a glass cup. Ice coffee is Bou-san's favorite (and he'd take ice coffee even on a cold day). I continued to prepare it for him.

"Even so, what's up with the getup?" I asked him.

I eyed Bou-san's lavish outfit suspiciously from top to bottom.

"Ah—Today I had a concert."

"A concert!"

Oh, so you're not just a monk? I see. But this isn't useful for an exorcist.

"A concert, you know. This isn't just a fancy getup."

"Oh."

Bou-san took his jacket and hat off and flung them away. (Hey, you.)

"I was in a baku apu bando."

A what?

I'm drawing a blank.

"Back" meaning..."back." And "band" meaning...um, a "music band"? ...Then that must mean...

"Whaaaaaaaat!!"

A back-up band!

"Things at work suddenly got busy—some idol who couldn't sing called us in."

"Um, hello?" I said loudly.

"What?"

"What does a...backup-band do?"

"What...*sigh*. Should I have just exercised instead of coming here?"

No, well, but then.

"So you play an instrument?"

"That's right."

"...Got it. A percussion instrument like a mokygyo (wooden fish instrument)?" I asked.

"Um, well."

"Ah, or a bamboo flute?"

Bou-san pointed to a big, black case on the floor.

"I'm a bass player."

Huh! What?!

"Um...and you're sure it's not a shamisen (asian guitar)?"

"You...when were you born anyway? It's just, you know, a bass guitar! Come on, girl."

"Okay."

"I don't think I've said this before, and even if I do it doesn't really matter, but I'm a professional bassist, get it? I know I might not look it."

.........

"I'm a musician with my own studio. I have my own band, but the lead singer isn't very good. Anyway, I'm here because I want some advice from Naru-chan."

.........

Bou-san, are you done now? You don't need to get all in my face about it.

"Why are you doing that! How come you're performing in concerts—!!"

I couldn't help but yell out. *huff huff*

"I have the freedom to do so."

"Didn't you live in Mt. Kouya?"

"I did. I lived in a temple. My parents wanted me to be a monk, but I wasn't allowed to listen to the music I liked in the mountain. I couldn't listen to any of the CDs. And well, that's why I decided to leave. Get it?"

"...I get it... But—"

Bou-san waved my question away.

"There are so many demands in this industry. Curses, ghosts, and everything else. Before, people would ask me to pray for them if anything bad happened, so now, being a monk is like a hobby for me. Do you have any other questions?"

"...No."

Wow, I'm still shocked.

"There's no prejudice in this profession. Monks lock their doors, listen to others, and even go disco dancing. One of my friends, who's also a monk, is a practicing gynecologist as well. It's just something you'd take to your grave."

After a pause, Bou-san continued, "...So, there's something I want to share with you."

"Huh?"

While Bou-san was talking, Naru came out into the main room.

"...You two are obnoxiously loud..."

I felt like frowning at the monk. Man, he's not fun. This monk is an exorcist. He's the enemy of normal people. If Naru's in his office, drinking tea leisurely, Bou-san will make me, the employee, engage in small talk with him and therefore not concentrate on my actual job.

But, Bou-san is just that kind of person. He doesn't care at all. For him, it's just water off a duck's back.

"Yo."

What kind of greeting is that. He raised his hand, then waved.

"Today we were talking about work."

"No kidding."

Naru looked pale as usual.

"I mean it. It sounds like a complicated case, so I thought I'd borrow your knowledge."

Naru took a seat beside Bou-san, and I placed the tea in front of them.

"A complicated case?"

"Yes. —Mai-chan, come here for a sec."

Heh, heh.

===2===

"Actually—this a request from a fan of my band. She's a high school student from Tokyo..."

"Band?"

Bou-san repeated what he told me to Naru. After he heard the news, Naru looked surprised too, though his reaction wasn't stupid like mines. After saying that, Bou-san continued his announcement like a TV newsman.

"It's a request from one of my fans, Taka. She's a high school student, and there're some weird things happening at her school. I have a bad feeling about it."

Naru was silent and attentive.

"That girl said that there's a desk in her room that's cursed. In the past three months, the people who've sat in that desk all had accidents."

"...This sounds cliche," Naru remarked.

"You can't say that. This situation is different, because four people had the exact same accident."

"...Didn't Japan have the highest amount of accidents in history this year?"

"I thought you'd say that. But unfortunately, that's not the case. This isn't a simple traffic accident. All four of them were dragged by a train. Their arms got caught in the door. And this happened to all four of them. In the past nine months, the seating arrangment changed three times, and four different students have sat there. One person was injured slightly, but the other three sustained large injuries. Well, fortunately no one died. Don't you think this is strange?"

Naru's hard gaze showed that he was deep in thought.

"And that's not all. One of the girl's teacher used an art prep room, but then a ghost showed up and the teacher was sent to the hospital. He's still vomiting blood, but no one knows why."

My voice felt stuck in my throat.

"That's strange," I choked out.

"You think so? There seems to be a lot of strange incidents happening at that school. It's not just a simple ghost story. There seems to be other accidents and illnesses going on in ther school. That girl also said..."

Strange incidents...

Suddenly I remembered the piece of folded paper in my breast pocket.

"Hey, Bou-san. Is the school 'Yuasa High School'...?"

Bou-san looked surprised.

"What...? It is Yuasa High School. How did you know?"

Ehhh?!

I hastily pulled out that paper from my pocket and showed it to Naru and Bou-san.

"Yesterday we had three requests! All from Yuasa High School!"

Bou-san snatched the piece of paper.

"This request..."

"Naru rejected them, but I took their contact information in case you or John wanted to help."

"Was that fan of yours Itou Kiyomi?"

"Her friend saw someone do Kokkuri, and now she's possessed by a fox spirit. In the second request, Miura Satoko said a ghost touched her, and now she's having liver problems. And in the third request, a poltergeist showed up in a club meeting."

"...What do we do?" Bou-san groaned.

It's strange. For so many incidents to happen at one school. And in such a short time period too.

"It's not just a coincidence," Bou-san declared.

Naru didn't respond. He just quietly gazed ahead.

"Naru-chan, what should we do? Are you just going to ignore this?" Bou-san asked.

Naru appeared to be thinking.

"We should contact them."

That's the way to go!

Right when I was about to use the phone, the door opened. A guest is here.

"Um..." the guest muttered.

An old gentleman came into the room.

Since I was standing the closest to the door, the man handed a business card to me.

"Noboru Mikami, principal of private school: 'Yuasa High School'" read the card.

"There have been a number of strange incidents happening at my school, so I was wondering if I could request an investigation."

After hearing the principal, we couldn't help but exchange looks.

===3===

A private school, Yuasa High School.

Something is happening at that school. Something strange.

We went to Yuasa High School on Monday. Before proceeding with the investigation, we wanted to hear the staff's and students' accounts of the incidents. Naru and I went inside the school. Lin-san (real name unknown, age unknown, though presumably in the late 20's, Naru's assistant) went around and got some information already. —Wouldn't someone have seen one of those incidents in order to start the rumors?

Since Bou-san also received a request from this school, he went there as well. And so "Shibuya Psychic Reasearch" and Bou-san represented separate entities.

It was a typical school. It wasn't old, but it wasn't new either. It wasn't wide, but it wasn't narrow either. It seemed like there was an adjacent building that used to be part of the student union. But now it's old and rotting, so now they're in the middle of demolishing it.

When we arrived at the school, we saw the PE teacher teaching softball to the students.

The PE teacher saw the principal with us. Afterwards, Principal Mikami was waiting for us in the main office. Naru introduced me and Bou-san to the principal. Even though all he said was, "This is my assistant."

"I'm Gosokurou-sama. Nice to meet you."

Then the principal introduced us to a middle-aged teacher.

"This is our student advisor, Yoshino-kun. He helps the students. If there's anything you need, please don't hesitate to ask."

Yoshino-sensei bowed lightly. His bad complexion made him appear nervous.

"Anyway, there have been a lot of accidents and illnesses lately," the teacher said, "one-fifth of our staff is on leave, and this has been a hindrance to our classes. The same thing is happening with the students... In any case, the strange rumors have spread not only to the students, but also to the teachers. Everyone seems to be losing it. —Well, it'll be better if you could hear the complaints from the affected people themselves. Since you've requested it, I have prepared a small conference room for you to use. You can use this room as your base. If you need anything else, feel free to ask me."

"I've informed the students and teachers about this and told them they could see you after school in this room. But I don't know how many people will come."

"Feel free to investigate the school however way you want. You can do whatever you believe to be convenient here. I give my best regards to you," the principal said.

Naru bowed slightly. "You can leave it to us, sir."

After we left the principal's office, Yoshino-sensei guided us through the school. Then he lead us to the room designated as our base.

"Here it is," the teacher announced.

Yoshino-sensei looked back at us. His eyes rested on the tallest figure, Bou-san.

"Are you the leader?"

We heard him say.

"No, no. The leader's over there."

Bou-san pointed at Naru.

Ah, Bou-san finally got him to understand.

Yoshino-sensei turned to look at Naru. Then an uneasy expression appeared on the teacher's face.

"Well...I also have something to talk to you about."

...It all happened in a flash.

Naru calmly looked at the teacher, then nodded.

"I'll listen. ...Did it happen here?"

I looked at the door. Above it was the nameplate, "Small Conference Room".

"...I see."

Yoshino-sensei opened the door. There was a big table inside, along with a white board and a small shelf. It looked unused. (Though that's what you'd expect from a conference room).

Naru carefully scanned the room.

Yoshino-sensei encouraged us to enter.

"Tell me the details," said Naru.

Yoshino-sensei looked back at us, the lines on his face reflecting his uneasiness.

"...Well, the thing I've wanted to talk about was..."

Naru nodded.

"We will protect our client's privacy. You don't need to hide anything from us. By all means, please tell us the details."

Yoshino-sensei nodded. His forehead was covered in sweat.

"Um... I hear knocking sounds at night."

"Does this happen in your house?"

"Yes, at first it was. It's a soft sound, but I woke up anyway even though I'm a heavy sleeper. It's a knocking sound on the windows and doors... And then when I checked it out..."

Yoshino-sensei became hesitant. Naru silently prompted him to continue.

"Nobody was there. I looked through the curtains and saw a hand knocking on the door. A thin, white, feminine hand. After I see it, the hand stops and the sound is gone. At first I thought I was just seeing things, but then the knocking goes on every night..."

"Is it just a knocking sound?" Naru asked as he took down notes.

"Yes, just a knocking sound. I was scared. There were times when I didn't want to go home, so I went out at night. But it's the same wherever I go. Whether it's in the bar, or at midnight, or just in the vicinity, I always hear that knocking sound. If I don't open the door or window, then it just keeps knocking until the morning. ...Recently I haven't been getting enough sleep."

No wonder. So that's why Yoshino-sensei has bags under his eyes.

Naru nodded.

"...That's what I thought. So does anyone else hear this sound?"

"Yes. My family hears it too, but they don't really care."

"I see." After muttering to himself, Naru turned around and faced Bou-san.

"Bou-san, make some mantras."

After saying that, he turned to face Yoshino-sensei.

"We will give you a cleansing tag to seal off the evil spirit. Never open the window or door at night. And please refrain from walking by yourself at night. The knocking sounds may continue, but don't worry. ...We will have to investigate more."

"...Okay."

Bou-san left the room to write the mantras. Afterwards, Yoshino-sensei took the charms and bowed. Then he left the room, his back turned against us.

"...That was sudden. What do we do now?" Bou-san asked.

Naru shrugged and looked at his watch.

"If we wait, class will end soon," Naru replied. "We can let the students come in and tell us about the incidents. It's almost the end of the day."

===4===

The first group who came to the conference room included Itou-san, the girl who came to SPR earlier. Her friend had been possessed by a fox spirit. She looked nervous.

Naru told the six girls who came to sit down as he prepared the tape-recorder.

"I want to confirm the incidents that occured here," he said.

As Naru spoke to Itou-san, all the others became nervous.

"As I recall, your friend has been possessed by a fox spirit. Is that right?"

"...Yes."

"Is she here today?"

"No, she has been staying home for a long time now. Her mother won't let her leave the house even though she seems to be healthy now."

Itou-san looked back at her friends for confirmation, and they nodded.

"Please tell me the situation again."

Itou-san repeated the story. The group of girls murmered agreements, and we were able to get a better grasp on the story than from what we heard in the SPR office.

One day that girl just suddenly did something really strange. Her unusual actions (jumping onto a desk, running around the classroom, and then crying and laughing aloud) became worse (bad-mouthing others, proclaiming prophesies, just a lot of things that didn't make sense). In the end, she jumped into the pool on a cold day, and then she swallowed sand, pebbles, and chalk.

"Did she hurt anyone?" Naru asked.

"No, she didn't."

"I see. —You said she was possessed by a fox spirit. Why do you think so?"

"That's because..."

Itou-san looked back at her friends. Somebody...

"That's because she said so herself," one of the girls said.

"Yeah," another girl agreed.

After we heard the details, that girl seemed to have said her friend was possessed by a fox spirit.

Naru lightly tapped his desk with his finger.

"Well, at the time we thought nothing of it. When someone's at that state, wouldn't you think she's sick? Wouldn't it be a good idea to take her to a neurologist?"

The group of girls started to whisper to each other. Eventually it was Itou-san who answered.

"It's because...she said, 'I am Oinari-san's servant, the white fox'. And she started acting strange after we played Kokkuri-san last month."

"Kokkuri-san... With paper and...what else? Glass? Goblets? Did you use any of those?"

"No, we used a pencil. We wrote five characters onto the paper with a pencil."

"...I see. It sounds quite simple. Did you have fun with it?"

"Yes." Keiko-san nodded.

"Nothing else was strange, but... Kokkuri-san didn't return, and we didn't make fun of him either. But, as we were leaving, she said something weird."

"She told us she felt like she was possessed. She complained that her shoulder felt heavy."

"That's right. She started acting strange the very next day."

"Yeah."

The girls started to talk amongst themselves again.

"...Okay. Where did you do Kokkuri-san?"

"In the classroom. First year, room three."

Naru looked up at the rough map of the school, which was on the board. He was clearly contemplating something.

"Please write down your friend's name and contact number. I will investigate this throughly."

===5===

After Itou-san left, the next group, which included Kugayama Minori-san, came in. A student who looked slightly younger than me, and a student who looked older than me, came in as well.

"Your request regards a...poltergeist in a classroom," Naru stated.

"Yes...erm, about that."

Kugayama-san nodded nervously.

In the track and field team, strange things happen in the dressing room. Lockers are toppled over, and equipment get scattered all over the floor.

"Then our equipment stopped working too."

"Did you not think that someone was trying to sabotage the team?"

"We thought so, at first."

"Of course, we thought someone was just up to mischief. We changed the key to the locker room. But there was nothing wrong with the key. One night, we even stayed by the locker room to catch the culprit, but no one came."

"I see. Yes, that is strange."

The other student nodded in agreement.

"But when we looked away for a moment, the shot puts, which were in boxes, were lined up perfectly beside each other on the floor."

"...I see."

Naru nodded slightly.

Well, that's definitely a poltergeist. I wonder if it rearranged those mechanical parts. I guess we'll find out.

"Are poltergeists behind all these things?"

"I don't know..."

Kugayama-san bowed her head. She seemed to have forgotten what he was about to say.

After Kugayama-san left, Satoko Miura's group came in next.

Although Bou-san and I began to feel this to be tedious, Naru persistently questioned the people who entered.

"So you are...Miura-san?"

"Yes."

Surrounded by friends, Miura-san had to stand on tip-toe to show us where she was.

"Please listen. It seems that someone got possessed."

"Yes...we'll see."

She started to act strange after she did Kimodameshi last month.

"There's a 'closed warehouse' in the gym. Several years ago, the caretaker of the warehouse died. Since then, there are rumors that strange things have been happening there."

The other girl picked off from where the previous girl had stopped.

"We did Kimodameshi after we finished our tests."

"Okay."

"We told hundreds of ghost stories there, and nothing strange ever happened. Except for this kid."

The girl pointed at Miura-san.

"I felt really bad."

"In the daytime, I'll see strange shadows. Since then, the strange figures will return the very next day."

"Please elaborate," Naru's said.

"Yes. Um, say I'm using the sink, okay? And then I see a figure. The mirror...reflects the wall, and even though it's odd, there will be a strange shadow on the wall. The weird part is there's also a rope on the wall, and it's in the shape of a noose."

The shadow seemed to be everywhere. It's always reflected on a nearby wall.

"Man, I have a bad feeling about this."

"That's it, then."

The next, plump girl opened her mouth.

"Didn't Ei-chan get hospitalized? I had a bad feeling about that."

After saying that, the girl spoke to Naru.

"Yeah, Ei-chan is hospitalized now. After we did Kimodameshi together, ghosts of children have been showing up at her desk. After a few days, Ei-chan had to go the hospital because there was a puncture in her stomach."

"You're kidding..." I murmered.

"It's true. She would suddenly feel frozen in the middle of class, and when she looked down, she'd feel something touching her stomach. So...when she bent down and looked into her desk, she'd see a hand stretching out, massaging her stomach."

We all screamed.

"She thought it was weird because the ghost would often massage her stomach, but then disappear soon after. She told me that when I visited her yesterday."

...Oh.

Tapping his finger on the table, Naru was thinking again. He crossed his arms, a hard expression on his face as he faced Bou-san. Naru looked like he was about to leave.

===6===

But then Miura-san's group returned. Sighing, we were tired out when the last group, including Takahashi Yuuko, came in.

One of the seats in her class is cursed. The last person who sat there was dragged by a train.

I was surprised that someone as cute as Takahashi-san was a fan of Bou-san's band. It didn't go with his slouchy style.

Takahashi-san faced me. Then Bou-san shook hands with her, a crooked smile plastered on his face.

"You really came—" she said in adoration.

"Seems like it."

Then Bou-san introduced us.

"That handsome guy over here is the president of "Shibuya Psychic Research", Shibuya. And the little girl over there is his assistant, Taniyama."

"Nice to meet you." Takahashi-san smiled mischieviously.

"Same here."

"I want to hear the entire story."

Bou-san turned around to look at Naru, who continued to speak.

"Is the person involved in that accident here today?"

I looked at the group of eight in front of us.

"She's here."

Takahashi-san indicated a girl in the back.

"I'm the second person to get in an accident, but..."

"I wanted to say the story back then, but," the girl hesitated for a moment.

"It happened when I tried to get off the train. Well, I was getting out of the train, right? As I was leaving the train, someone tugged my arm. It was really forceful. My arm got stuck in the door, and the train started moving, so I ran to keep up with it. There was nothing else I could do, right? Anyway, I fell and was dragged along the platform. This went on for five meters before the train stopped."

Her shoulder was dislocated, and her leg broke. She removed her cast last week.

"Did anyone see you get dragged by the train?"

"About that."

Everyone turned to look at the girl.

"There weren't many passengers on the train that day. No one was near the door when my arm got stuck."

Naru scribbled down some notes.

"What time was it?"

She reported the time the incident happened, as well as the situation of the other victims. After answering the questions, Naru went on:

"Do you know why these accidents happen to people who sit in that desk?"

The girls exchanged doubtful looks.

"We don't know...right?"

They whispered to each other.

"...I see. Thank you."

He shut his binder with a slam. Then Naru turned around to face Bou-san.

"I want to see the desk."

"Ah, well, I'll show it to you."

Takahashi-san's hand shot up into the air.

The girls brought us to Takahashi-san's classroom. It was classroom 2-5.

The classroom was on the second floor in the south wing of the school. The cursed desk was near the window.

"Over there."

After she said that, Naru walked over to the desk. As he touched the desk, his dark eyes narrowed.

"Is anyone sitting here now?"

Takahashi-san shook her head.

"Nope. The last person who sat there is in the hospital now."

"Was the desk ever moved?"

"No, it has always been over there."

Naru was contemplating.

After a while, he looked satisfied and left the desk.

"I heard that your teacher was behaving strangely."

Takahashi-san nodded again.

"That's right. He said he saw a ghost in class, so now he's not coming to school. He wasn't the type to believe in them either. But now he's in the hospital. They say that he still sees ghosts in his hospital room, and that he's suffering from Neurosis."

...Hmph.

"Okay... Thank you."

Naru placed his hand on his chin. This was an expression he often showed when he was thinking.

Two teachers were waiting in the meeting room when we returned. One teacher said he saw ghosts in the car mirror when he drove.. The other said that he felt like someone was following him even though no one was.

In addition, the two said they often heard eerie sounds.

...There're so many things going on here. What do we do?

===7===

Anyway, after we finished the inquiries, I was able to make tea for everyone.

Principal Mikami told us we could use his set of tea. And that's why I'm here right now, making tea, while Bou-san's being so rude as to fling himself onto a chair and prop his feet onto the table.

"That lax guy," I mumbled under my breath.

"Isn't this really bad?" I asked.

Bou-san nodded, a look of mischief on his face.

"Look at the sheer amount of incidents that occur here."

I looked at the notes that Naru took.

"...There's no way this is happening. Just thinking of exercising them all by myself makes me dizzy. Geez."

He let out an exaggerated sigh and then looked at Naru.

"Naru-chan, can you think of a one-time solution of exorcising all the evil spirits here?"

"Blow up the school and all the people involved," Naru murmered in an irritated tone.

"Oh, that does work. But then we'd have to make this school off-limits for a long time afterwards. Though that definitely is a way to solve this problem in one shot."

Hey you—

"Well, I guess. ...We'll have to divide the exorcisms up between everyone. But don't you think that this could all be a prank by someone?" Bou-san remarked as he faced Naru.

"Maybe so..."

"Huh?" I blurted out.

Bou-san frowned. "You. I thought you'd know. There's no doubt this will be difficult. Certainly, there're a large amount of incidents, but none of them are serious."

Naru looked doubtful.

"Don't you think that this is an abnormal amount?"

"...That, well..."

Naru's eyes, eyes darker than night, wandered the room.

"If none of the accidents are fabricated, then there must be a reason behind them," Naru stated.

...That's right. Footsteps and knocking doors, all of the incidents are strange. Furthermore, for all this to happen in one school is even more odd.

"I understand what you mean... But, what do we do? The client did request an investigation, so how about we first try to find the cause behind all this?"

After hearing Bou-san, Naru changed his facial expression several times. He seemed to have mixed feelings about the case.

"...I'm not so sure of the implications here. However, this doesn't look good. Reinforcements will be necessary."

Bou-san's tone was sarcastic as he spoke to an aggravated Naru:

"Are you calling Masako too?"

In an instant, Naru's expression became incomprehensible. It's the kind of face you'd make when you put something in your mouth, thinking it'll be sweet, yet it turns out to be sour. That kind of face.

"Why do you hate Masako?"

It seems like Naru doesn't like Hara Masako (16 yrs old, medium, beautiful person) much. He's strangely quiet when the subject changes to Masako, so it makes me wonder if she's using his weakness.

"Depending on the situation, it might be good to get advice, y'know?"

A huge grin spread across Bou-san's face.

"I can't see myself living a life off of other people's advice, can you?" Naru retorted.

Waved away with money.

Bou-san's expression was bitter.

"That was bad," Bou-san grumbled.

"Don't mention it," Naru added.

<center>* * *</center>

We finally finished the investigation for today. Tomorrow, we will meet up at the school and continue our work.

I wonder what conclusion we will arrive at. Us ghost hunters, that is. Naru and his assistant, Lin-san, Bou-san, the priestess Ayako (Matsuzaki Ayako, presumably 23 yrs old), the medium Masako, and the priest John (John Brown, 19 yrs old, Australian).

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| Return to [[Ghost Hunt|Main Page]]
| Forward to [[Ghost Hunt:Volume3 Chapter2|Next Section]]
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</noinclude>

Ghost Hunt:Volume1 Chapter1

2012-09-08T19:26:07Z

Sab: /* 1 */

==Chapter 1 - Pressure Falling==

=== 1 ===
　The following day had nice weather and the sakura trees on the road to school were forming a beautiful white tunnel.

　Along with the nice weather I, for some reason, was feeling better too. In the morning, when I saw the sky clearing away and the sun rising, I suddenly felt myself full of energy, and went to school earlier than usual.

　I was passing through the tunnel of roadside sakura trees on my way to school when I suddenly felt like seeing the old school building.

　The old school was standing on the opposite side of the sports ground facing the new one. A wooden, half-demolished building. A building that had many bad rumors going around about it. Everyone considered it a haunted mansion.

　Are the rumors true?

　I decided to go.

　Maybe it is true. Being abandoned for a long time, the windows are clouded in dust. More than half of them are broken so one could see the gloomy inside of the school beyond them.

　Dark hole openings in the windows. I feel something different from these holes, like they belong to another place, a different world than the one I know.

　A distorted tiled roof. Half of the building is covered in a blue sheet. That originally beautiful blue color is soiled too, deeply ruined.

　I approached the old school building.

　The entrance way has an old-fashioned door with a glass window, which is clouded and broken too. A transparent vinyl put there is looking rather lonely.

　I peeped in through that window.

　Inside the entrance way the color of dusk is dominating. A rattly shoe shelf disposed to the faint light is standing there like a gravestone. A terrible amount of dust. A spider's nest. Its threads are dusty too. A completely dilapidated building.

　Broken glass is scattered on the floor, something that looks like an old bowl, and other garbage is all over the place. Ruins. Dilapidated building. A haunted house. An old school building of bad rumors.

　Peeping in, I suddenly notice a strange thing inside the entrance way.

　What could it be?

　A black machine.

　Pretty big, looks like a video camera. Set on top of a tripod.

　Why is such a thing here I wonder, I have to make sure what it is.

　Spontaneously, I put my hand on the door knob.

　A very dusty and rough sense of touch.

　The door opened with a very unpleasant creak to let me inside.

　I entered right after the door opened. As I thought, it's a video camera. It can't be... someone lost this?

　I got closer to the camera.

　Why would there be a camera?

　This thing totally puzzles me. It's like seeing a car stopped in the middle of the living room of a friend's house.

　Er, what is this?

　Just when I stretched my hands towards the video...

"Who is it?"

　A man's sharp voice.

　In that ex-school building of bad luck. In that dark entrance way, inside that completely dilapidated building, there just when I saw a strange thing and felt curious...

　At that time all of a sudden I hear a voice, it's impossible not to get surprised.

　Of course I was surprised. Not just surprised. I literally jumped back. While jumping I unintentionally crashed into the almost collapsed shoe shelf.

　At that moment the shoe shelf swayed turning around.

　On my vision's edge I see a man's figure standing at the door.

　I try to avoid the shoe shelf that was inclining towards me for the second time.

　At the spur of the moment I trip and fall and the shoe shelf collapses grazing my uniform skirt, on top of that it directly hits the video camera... I take an innocent breath　...that surprised me...

　Huh, I thought I was going to get caught in.

　Taking a breath of relief, I turned to face the man just like a rogue would in front of two monks.

　Not good.

　Now it is completely broken. The previously broken shoe shelf. And the man is lying on the floor.

"Are you alright?"

　I rushed over to him. And at the same time heard a voice.

"What's wrong?"

　A man's voice.

　The one who rushed over here from the door is the exchange student who made me unrest from yesterday. Shibuya. Today he isn't wearing a uniform either. He is as black as ever.

　He ran over to check the collapsed man near me.

"Lin?"

　Does he know him? Saying that, he notices me, giving me an intense look.

"What happened?"

"Ah, that's……"

　Just when I was about to answer the fallen man raised his body.

"Are you hurt?"

　Shibuya asks him.

"Yes..."

　He mutters.

　 Below the long forelock that is covering the upper part of his face, there is a red line flowing down.

　 My voice gets nervous.

"……Did you cut yourself somewhere?"

　The blood falling from his chin is forming a circle of dots on the floor.

　What should I do!

"I am very sorry! I was surprised and..."

　I quickly try to give him a hand, but Shibuya stops me.

　Using his perfectly calm hands, he is checking the state of the fallen man's injury.

"It's a small cut... Anywhere else?"

"I am alright."

　The injured man gets up. He bends a little when his weight gets to his legs.

"Can you stand?　How are your legs?"

"……Everything is okay."

　But still he has quite a sickly look on his face. A thick layer of sweat is running down his forehead.

　Not knowing what to do, I just stand there nervously.

"I am really sorry. But suddenly hearing your voice I was totally surprised..."

"He already told you, it's okay", Shibuya says in a cold voice.

　I counter with an even colder look.

"We met yesterday, didn't we?"

"That's right."

　But is it alright for me to give him such a grave look? After all this man got injured because of me getting surprised.

"That's right, but what's more important now is, is there a hospital or a doctor nearby?"

"Right after the school gate..."

"Take me there."

　Saying this, Shibuya supports his friend with a shoulder.

　I also try to help him, but he puts off my hand with his arm.

　What's with this guy!

　Glaring at me he says: "I'm fine. Your help is unneeded."

　...This guy.. what's with his attitude. In the first place all this happened because you scared me like that. And I, like a kind person, lent you a hand...

"Lin, can you walk?"

"Yes, I am okay."

　Shibuya takes a look at me.

"What's your name?"

"Taniyama..."

"Then, Taniyama-san, I will be alright from here on, you can return to the classroom."

"But.."

"I should let you know that the school bell just rang."

　Heh?

　I got up early and I'm still late?

　Getting up early, being scared to death, these two guys almost freaking me out and on top of that I'm late for school?

　Ah, I should have never approached the old building.

　As I thought, that place was full of bad luck!

=== 2 ===

　Even though I ran in all my haste I was totally late for school. And as if to finish me off, the teacher had to scold me in front of the whole class... it couldn't get any worse. Thanks to this I was in a bad mood throughout the whole day.

　School ended.

　And when I was about to go home, Keiko and the others gathered around my desk.

"Hey, Mai, are you going home?"

"Why?"

"Weren't we going to meet with yesterday's exchange guy?"

"Shibuya?"

"Yes, let's meet him."

　Don't joke around. I don't want to see that guy's face for a while.

"I'm going home." 　I make it clear to them that I won't go.

"Whyy?　Mai... you've changed."

　Even Michiru nods.

"What a weirdo you are. That guy's got the godlike coolness, don't you think so?"

　No, I don't. They are too excited.　I, too, think he's got a pretty face, but that's all.

　Recognizing me as a weirdo, Michiru says,

"Well, that's fine. The lesser rivals, the better."

"That's right. We'll be the only ones to enjoy his enchanting eyes."

　Keiko is really happy.

"You really don't want to come?", Yuuri adds in mistrust.

"Are you sure?　You were quite interested yesterday."

　With these words Michiru smoothed down her uniform, having nothing more to say.

　Keiko too gives up on me and changes the topic.

"But I was really surprised yesterday. The atmosphere was so tense wasn't it?　I thought that ghosts had appeared for real."

"Me too."

"Today, we'll tell stories again."

"But where? We won't get in the right mood here. What about we borrow the A/V room again?"

　You're really into it, aren't you?

"Yeah, it isn't dark enough here. The A/V room? The school's mixer room."

"That sounds okay."

　...Just when they were talking about this...

"Wait a minute."

　The voice we hear is that of our class rep, Ms. Kuroda Naoko.

　Somehow, she always looks nervous. It's been half a month since I entered this school, but I still haven't even talked to her.

"Ah, Kuroda-san, good-bye." Yuuri turns to her with an innocent smile.

"It isn't goodbye. What were you talking about just now?"

　Ms. Kuroda seems to be in a bad mood.

　But we didn't insult you or anything.

　Then I replied, "We're going to tell ghost stories today. That's what we were talking about."

　Keiko poked me.

　I feel Ms. Kuroda's murderous intent.

　What's with her?

　At exactly that moment, Shibuya shows his face from the door.

"Is Taniyama-san here?"

　Ms. Kuroda turns to his direction.

"What year are you?　What are you doing here?"

"Ah, I had an arrangement with these girls..."

"Arrangement?　About the ghost stories?"

"That's right...?"

　Hearing Shibuya's answer, Ms. Kuroda turns at us without fail.

"Didn't I tell you to stop doing this?!"

...Ah?　What's with this girl?

　She angled her eyes.

"No wonder I've been having headaches since this morning."

"Ha-a?"

　I incline my head doubtfully. What is she talking about?

"Taniyama-san, I am sensitive to spirits. I have headaches when a lot of them gather. I am having headaches today. Spirits have definitely gathered here."

"……Ha-a……"

"Didn't you know?　When you tell ghost stories spirits gather. These are mainly low-level spirits. But even if they are low-level ones, when a lot of them gather they attract stronger spirits. You will be in trouble if that happens."

"..Haa..."

　……WHAT'S WITH THIS GIRL?

"So you shouldn't think of telling ghost stories as 'fun'."

　Then she turns to Shibuya.

"It would be quite troublesome if senpai did it too. I'd have to do an exorcism," Ms. Kuroda says that with a thoughtful expression.

　Shibuya shrugs his shoulders.

"Isn't it just your imagination?"

"That's why people who can't sense spirits are annoying." Her tone is persistently intense.

　Shibuya looks at her with a strong intent.

"You, if you really can sense them then do you sense something from the old school building?"

"Old school building?　Ah, it seems spirits of those who died during the war are gathering there." Ms. Kuroda says quickly.

"Died during the war……?"

"Right. I often see a man's shadow looking at me from the windows and it looks like a man from the war"

"Hee, which war?"

"Of course, the World War II. During the war there was a hospital on that place. The spirits of the dead nurses can be seen there. It had been air-raided once. Therefore a lot of injured spirits can be seen too"

"Awesome."

　Shibuya says with a sarcastic smile.

"I didn't know this was a hospital during the war. I heard that this school was here since pre-war days. And before that there was a medical faculty, wasn't there?"

　……A really hard personality……

　Ms. Kuroda bends her mouth. Then her face gets red.

"I woudn't know such a thing. Anyway, I've seen them. A person unable to sense them wouldn't understand."

　Ms. Kuroda doesn't give up until the end.

"The school principal is bothered that the ex-building's demolition failed and was complaining.

　Are you here to exorcise it?"

"...it isn't so simple。We'll do it when possible."

"I see.", 　Shibuya responds coldly, and turns to us.

"Since here is no good, let's go elsewhere?"

"It's still such a thing!"

　Ms. Kuroda snaps at Shibuya with incredible force.

　But Shibuya completely unconcerned comes to us making Keiko and the others restless again.

"Let's……"

　This extremely timid voice is Yuuri's.

"Let's put it off for today?"

"I agree...I'm not in the mood for it."

　Keiko loses her enthusiasm too.

　What's happening? No one is even looking at him, they will miss a chance for intimate experience with their cool senpai.

　But still Michiru says, "...Shibuya-senpai, sorry. After all..."

"I see." Shibuya nods in assent. "Then some other time."

　Saying that, he raises his hand. Looking at the seemingly-pleased Ms. Kuroda he says, "You are satisfied too, right?"

"...What are you talking about?"

"It's okay if you don't know. ――Taniyama-san, please." Shibuya invites me.

　Keiko and the others throw a surprised glance at me.

"What is it?"

"Do you have a spare minute?" He says with a smile on his face. Keiko and company cannot notice his negative expression. My back is being watched reproachfully while leaving the room.

=== 3 ===

"Who's that girl?" Shibuya asks me while walking in a brisk step before me, where is he taking me I wonder.

"I don't know. Today was the first time I spoked with her. She seems suspicious to me for some reason."

"Yeah. Is she really a medium?" He asked with a thoughtful expression.

"Well, she said it herself, didn't she? By the way, is the person from this morning alright?"

"About that." Shibuya turns to face me with his cold, indifferent expression. "He sprained his left ankle. It is apparently in very bad condition, so he won't be able to stand for a while."

"……Oh……I'm really sorry……" I say this, but still I wonder if I really should be apologizing to him. "Well……is he an acquaintance of yours?"

"Wasn't it obvious?" Shibuya glances at me with ridicule in his eyes.

"What kind of acquaintance?" I ask.

　He was giving me a strange feeling. That guy from the morning was over the hill no matter how you look at him. That same person was talking to his partner, the seventeen-year-old Shibuya, in a polite manner, while on the opposite side Shibuya was always talking in an excessively rude way. Isn't this a reversal?

　Shibuya replies with his peaceful voice in a casual manner.

"Assistant."

　Oh. What an arrogant assistant this is. Would you normally talk to your master in such a rude tone?

"Your boss seems to have a rather strict personality." I say this with a grain of sarcasm. I don't know if it was a sprained ankle or a broken bone, but I had already relieved myself from that responsibility by lending him a hand. "But it wasn't only me who was responsible for your master's injury. He was the one who surprised me--"

"It's the opposite."

The opposite? What is? I didn't surprise him for sure.

Shibuya speaks curtly--"I am the boss. He is the assistant."

　Eh!?

　EEEEHH?!

　……What the heck? This is a serious matter.

　A seventeen year-old using an adult for his assistant?　What in the world is this guy?

　I stare at Shibuya with an "are you serious" expression.

　He looks at me with all his pale glory.

"My assistant being unable to move is troubling. Don't you think you have a responsibility to take on, Taniyama-san?"

"Hey, don't joke around! Just to make things clear, I'm a victim too. Not only was I startled to death, but I was late for school."

All the world's cold is gathered inside his eyes.

"He was hurt. And how are you?"

"...That is... I'm pretty lively."

"Moreover, the camera was broken."

Ah, that video camera. Now that I think about it, it fell really badly. And it's a fragile precision instrument...

"Lin...I mean, my assistant, tried to prevent you from touching it, which lead to our current situation."

"That is……really……" A really bad situation. That was inevitable. It wasn't my fault. Even if I say so, it doesn't feel like he'll understand.

"I would have liked for you to pay compensation for the camera, but……"

Compensation!?　Are you joking!

"It isn't like I broke it intentionally!"

"Didn't they teach you not to touch other people's stuff without permission?"

……But……I felt like "why in the world is there a video camera in such a place"..

"And, how much is the compensation……?"

What Shibuya estimated was an unbelievable sum of money. Such a great cost that only exists in dreams.

"Cut it out with the jokes!　Why is that video camera so expensive?!　This can't possibly be true!"

"That video camera was a custom-made, produced in Germany. Would you like to see the certificate?"

Foreign order. Custom-made, at that.

My eyes went black.

What am I going to do?

Shibuya said, "If you don't like this..."

……What?　I can apologize for not being able to pay!

"Would you mind taking the place of my assistant?"

"By this……You mean I'll be working as your assistant?"

"Exactly."

"I'll do it."

I'll do it, be it an assistant's job or a maid's job.

Shibuya nods his head in agreement.

At the same time I asked him a sudden question.

"By the way、what kind of work are you doing, Shibuya-san?"

Second-year, high school student. 17 year-old student, has an assistant, using an incredibly expensive camera. What the hell is he doing?

"Ghost Hunt."

"Haa!?"

"Or in other words、ghost extermination. We've come here to investigate the old school building by the request of the principle. We are called 'Shibuya Psychic Research'."

"Pusai..kkiku... risaachi?"

"Haven't you taken any English lessons?"

I have. Well, excuse me. For being bad at English.

"A psychic phenomenon investigation service. And I am the head of it."

　Wha……Whaat.

　Head, this fellow, with the social standing of a 17 year-old!

　Not only that, but what...?　Investigation of the old school building?　Psychic phenomenon investigation service!?

　This is a joke, right!?

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| Return to [[Ghost Hunt|Main Page]]
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</noinclude>

Ghost Hunt:Volume1 Chapter1

2012-09-08T18:55:35Z

Sab: /* 1 */

==Chapter 1 - Pressure Falling==

=== 1 ===
　The following day had nice weather and the sakura trees on the road to school were forming a beautiful white tunnel.

　Along with the nice weather I, for some reason, was feeling better too. In the morning, when I saw the sky clearing away and the sun rising, I suddenly felt myself full of energy, and went to school earlier than usual.

　I was passing through the tunnel of roadside Sakura trees on my way to school when I suddenly felt like seeing the old school building.

　The old school was standing on the opposite side of the sports ground facing the new one. A wooden, half-demolished building. A building that had many bad rumors going around about it. Everyone considered it a haunted mansion.

　Are the rumors true?

　I decided to go.

　Maybe it is true. Being abandoned for a long time, the windows are clouded in dust. More than half of them are broken so one could see the gloomy inside of the school beyond them.

　Dark hole openings in the windows. I feel something different from these holes, like they belong to another place, a different world than the one I know.

　A distorted tiled roof. Half of the building is covered in a blue sheet. That originally beautiful blue color is soiled too, deeply ruined.

　I approached the old school building.

　The entrance way has an old-fashioned door with a glass window, which is clouded and broken too. A transparent vinyl put there is looking rather lonely.

　I peeped in through that window.

　Inside the entrance way the color of dusk is dominating. A rattly shoe shelf disposed to the faint light is standing there like a gravestone. A terrible amount of dust. A spider's nest. Its threads are dusty too. A completely dilapidated building.

　Broken glass is scattered on the floor, something that looks like an old bowl, and other garbage is all over the place. Ruins. Dilapidated building. A haunted house. An old school building of bad rumors.

　Peeping in, I suddenly notice a strange thing inside the entrance way.

　What could it be?

　A black machine.

　Pretty big, looks like a video camera. Set on top of a tripod.

　Why is such a thing here I wonder, I have to make sure what it is.

　Spontaneously, I put my hand on the door knob.

　A very dusty and rough sense of touch.

　The door opened with a very unpleasant creak to let me inside.

　I entered right after the door opened. As I thought, it's a video camera. It can't be... someone lost this?

　I got closer to the camera.

　Why would there be a camera?

　This thing totally puzzles me. It's like seeing a car stopped in the middle of the living room of a friend's house.

　Er, what is this?

　Just when I stretched my hands towards the video...

"Who is it?"

　A man's sharp voice.

　In that ex-school building of bad luck. In that dark entrance way, inside that completely dilapidated building, there just when I saw a strange thing and felt curious...

　At that time all of a sudden I hear a voice, it's impossible not to get surprised.

　Of course I was surprised. Not just surprised. I literally jumped back. While jumping I unintentionally crashed into the almost collapsed shoe shelf.

　At that moment the shoe shelf swayed turning around.

　On my vision's edge I see a man's figure standing at the door.

　I try to avoid the shoe shelf that was inclining towards me for the second time.

　At the spur of the moment I trip and fall and the shoe shelf collapses grazing my uniform skirt, on top of that it directly hits the video camera... I take an innocent breath　...that surprised me...

　Huh, I thought I was going to get caught in.

　Taking a breath of relief, I turned to face the man just like a rogue would in front of two monks.

　Not good.

　Now it is completely broken. The previously broken shoe shelf. And the man is lying on the floor.

"Are you alright?"

　I rushed over to him. And at the same time heard a voice.

"What's wrong?"

　A man's voice.

　The one who rushed over here from the door is the exchange student who made me unrest from yesterday. Shibuya. Today he isn't wearing a uniform either. He is as black as ever.

　He ran over to check the collapsed man near me.

"Lin?"

　Does he know him? Saying that, he notices me, giving me an intense look.

"What happened?"

"Ah, that's……"

　Just when I was about to answer the fallen man raised his body.

"Are you hurt?"

　Shibuya asks him.

"Yes..."

　He mutters.

　 Below the long forelock that is covering the upper part of his face, there is a red line flowing down.

　 My voice gets nervous.

"……Did you cut yourself somewhere?"

　The blood falling from his chin is forming a circle of dots on the floor.

　What should I do!

"I am very sorry! I was surprised and..."

　I quickly try to give him a hand, but Shibuya stops me.

　Using his perfectly calm hands, he is checking the state of the fallen man's injury.

"It's a small cut... Anywhere else?"

"I am alright."

　The injured man gets up. He bends a little when his weight gets to his legs.

"Can you stand?　How are your legs?"

"……Everything is okay."

　But still he has quite a sickly look on his face. A thick layer of sweat is running down his forehead.

　Not knowing what to do, I just stand there nervously.

"I am really sorry. But suddenly hearing your voice I was totally surprised..."

"He already told you, it's okay", Shibuya says in a cold voice.

　I counter with an even colder look.

"We met yesterday, didn't we?"

"That's right."

　But is it alright for me to give him such a grave look? After all this man got injured because of me getting surprised.

"That's right, but what's more important now is, is there a hospital or a doctor nearby?"

"Right after the school gate..."

"Take me there."

　Saying this, Shibuya supports his friend with a shoulder.

　I also try to help him, but he puts off my hand with his arm.

　What's with this guy!

　Glaring at me he says: "I'm fine. Your help is unneeded."

　...This guy.. what's with his attitude. In the first place all this happened because you scared me like that. And I, like a kind person, lent you a hand...

"Lin, can you walk?"

"Yes, I am okay."

　Shibuya takes a look at me.

"What's your name?"

"Taniyama..."

"Then, Taniyama-san, I will be alright from here on, you can return to the classroom."

"But.."

"I should let you know that the school bell just rang."

　Heh?

　I got up early and I'm still late?

　Getting up early, being scared to death, these two guys almost freaking me out and on top of that I'm late for school?

　Ah, I should have never approached the old building.

　As I thought, that place was full of bad luck!

=== 2 ===

　Even though I ran in all my haste I was totally late for school. And as if to finish me off, the teacher had to scold me in front of the whole class... it couldn't get any worse. Thanks to this I was in a bad mood throughout the whole day.

　School ended.

　And when I was about to go home, Keiko and the others gathered around my desk.

"Hey, Mai, are you going home?"

"Why?"

"Weren't we going to meet with yesterday's exchange guy?"

"Shibuya?"

"Yes, let's meet him."

　Don't joke around. I don't want to see that guy's face for a while.

"I'm going home." 　I make it clear to them that I won't go.

"Whyy?　Mai... you've changed."

　Even Michiru nods.

"What a weirdo you are. That guy's got the godlike coolness, don't you think so?"

　No, I don't. They are too excited.　I, too, think he's got a pretty face, but that's all.

　Recognizing me as a weirdo, Michiru says,

"Well, that's fine. The lesser rivals, the better."

"That's right. We'll be the only ones to enjoy his enchanting eyes."

　Keiko is really happy.

"You really don't want to come?", Yuuri adds in mistrust.

"Are you sure?　You were quite interested yesterday."

　With these words Michiru smoothed down her uniform, having nothing more to say.

　Keiko too gives up on me and changes the topic.

"But I was really surprised yesterday. The atmosphere was so tense wasn't it?　I thought that ghosts had appeared for real."

"Me too."

"Today, we'll tell stories again."

"But where? We won't get in the right mood here. What about we borrow the A/V room again?"

　You're really into it, aren't you?

"Yeah, it isn't dark enough here. The A/V room? The school's mixer room."

"That sounds okay."

　...Just when they were talking about this...

"Wait a minute."

　The voice we hear is that of our class rep, Ms. Kuroda Naoko.

　Somehow, she always looks nervous. It's been half a month since I entered this school, but I still haven't even talked to her.

"Ah, Kuroda-san, good-bye." Yuuri turns to her with an innocent smile.

"It isn't goodbye. What were you talking about just now?"

　Ms. Kuroda seems to be in a bad mood.

　But we didn't insult you or anything.

　Then I replied, "We're going to tell ghost stories today. That's what we were talking about."

　Keiko poked me.

　I feel Ms. Kuroda's murderous intent.

　What's with her?

　At exactly that moment, Shibuya shows his face from the door.

"Is Taniyama-san here?"

　Ms. Kuroda turns to his direction.

"What year are you?　What are you doing here?"

"Ah, I had an arrangement with these girls..."

"Arrangement?　About the ghost stories?"

"That's right...?"

　Hearing Shibuya's answer, Ms. Kuroda turns at us without fail.

"Didn't I tell you to stop doing this?!"

...Ah?　What's with this girl?

　She angled her eyes.

"No wonder I've been having headaches since this morning."

"Ha-a?"

　I incline my head doubtfully. What is she talking about?

"Taniyama-san, I am sensitive to spirits. I have headaches when a lot of them gather. I am having headaches today. Spirits have definitely gathered here."

"……Ha-a……"

"Didn't you know?　When you tell ghost stories spirits gather. These are mainly low-level spirits. But even if they are low-level ones, when a lot of them gather they attract stronger spirits. You will be in trouble if that happens."

"..Haa..."

　……WHAT'S WITH THIS GIRL?

"So you shouldn't think of telling ghost stories as 'fun'."

　Then she turns to Shibuya.

"It would be quite troublesome if senpai did it too. I'd have to do an exorcism," Ms. Kuroda says that with a thoughtful expression.

　Shibuya shrugs his shoulders.

"Isn't it just your imagination?"

"That's why people who can't sense spirits are annoying." Her tone is persistently intense.

　Shibuya looks at her with a strong intent.

"You, if you really can sense them then do you sense something from the old school building?"

"Old school building?　Ah, it seems spirits of those who died during the war are gathering there." Ms. Kuroda says quickly.

"Died during the war……?"

"Right. I often see a man's shadow looking at me from the windows and it looks like a man from the war"

"Hee, which war?"

"Of course, the World War II. During the war there was a hospital on that place. The spirits of the dead nurses can be seen there. It had been air-raided once. Therefore a lot of injured spirits can be seen too"

"Awesome."

　Shibuya says with a sarcastic smile.

"I didn't know this was a hospital during the war. I heard that this school was here since pre-war days. And before that there was a medical faculty, wasn't there?"

　……A really hard personality……

　Ms. Kuroda bends her mouth. Then her face gets red.

"I woudn't know such a thing. Anyway, I've seen them. A person unable to sense them wouldn't understand."

　Ms. Kuroda doesn't give up until the end.

"The school principal is bothered that the ex-building's demolition failed and was complaining.

　Are you here to exorcise it?"

"...it isn't so simple。We'll do it when possible."

"I see.", 　Shibuya responds coldly, and turns to us.

"Since here is no good, let's go elsewhere?"

"It's still such a thing!"

　Ms. Kuroda snaps at Shibuya with incredible force.

　But Shibuya completely unconcerned comes to us making Keiko and the others restless again.

"Let's……"

　This extremely timid voice is Yuuri's.

"Let's put it off for today?"

"I agree...I'm not in the mood for it."

　Keiko loses her enthusiasm too.

　What's happening? No one is even looking at him, they will miss a chance for intimate experience with their cool senpai.

　But still Michiru says, "...Shibuya-senpai, sorry. After all..."

"I see." Shibuya nods in assent. "Then some other time."

　Saying that, he raises his hand. Looking at the seemingly-pleased Ms. Kuroda he says, "You are satisfied too, right?"

"...What are you talking about?"

"It's okay if you don't know. ――Taniyama-san, please." Shibuya invites me.

　Keiko and the others throw a surprised glance at me.

"What is it?"

"Do you have a spare minute?" He says with a smile on his face. Keiko and company cannot notice his negative expression. My back is being watched reproachfully while leaving the room.

=== 3 ===

"Who's that girl?" Shibuya asks me while walking in a brisk step before me, where is he taking me I wonder.

"I don't know. Today was the first time I spoked with her. She seems suspicious to me for some reason."

"Yeah. Is she really a medium?" He asked with a thoughtful expression.

"Well, she said it herself, didn't she? By the way, is the person from this morning alright?"

"About that." Shibuya turns to face me with his cold, indifferent expression. "He sprained his left ankle. It is apparently in very bad condition, so he won't be able to stand for a while."

"……Oh……I'm really sorry……" I say this, but still I wonder if I really should be apologizing to him. "Well……is he an acquaintance of yours?"

"Wasn't it obvious?" Shibuya glances at me with ridicule in his eyes.

"What kind of acquaintance?" I ask.

　He was giving me a strange feeling. That guy from the morning was over the hill no matter how you look at him. That same person was talking to his partner, the seventeen-year-old Shibuya, in a polite manner, while on the opposite side Shibuya was always talking in an excessively rude way. Isn't this a reversal?

　Shibuya replies with his peaceful voice in a casual manner.

"Assistant."

　Oh. What an arrogant assistant this is. Would you normally talk to your master in such a rude tone?

"Your boss seems to have a rather strict personality." I say this with a grain of sarcasm. I don't know if it was a sprained ankle or a broken bone, but I had already relieved myself from that responsibility by lending him a hand. "But it wasn't only me who was responsible for your master's injury. He was the one who surprised me--"

"It's the opposite."

The opposite? What is? I didn't surprise him for sure.

Shibuya speaks curtly--"I am the boss. He is the assistant."

　Eh!?

　EEEEHH?!

　……What the heck? This is a serious matter.

　A seventeen year-old using an adult for his assistant?　What in the world is this guy?

　I stare at Shibuya with an "are you serious" expression.

　He looks at me with all his pale glory.

"My assistant being unable to move is troubling. Don't you think you have a responsibility to take on, Taniyama-san?"

"Hey, don't joke around! Just to make things clear, I'm a victim too. Not only was I startled to death, but I was late for school."

All the world's cold is gathered inside his eyes.

"He was hurt. And how are you?"

"...That is... I'm pretty lively."

"Moreover, the camera was broken."

Ah, that video camera. Now that I think about it, it fell really badly. And it's a fragile precision instrument...

"Lin...I mean, my assistant, tried to prevent you from touching it, which lead to our current situation."

"That is……really……" A really bad situation. That was inevitable. It wasn't my fault. Even if I say so, it doesn't feel like he'll understand.

"I would have liked for you to pay compensation for the camera, but……"

Compensation!?　Are you joking!

"It isn't like I broke it intentionally!"

"Didn't they teach you not to touch other people's stuff without permission?"

……But……I felt like "why in the world is there a video camera in such a place"..

"And, how much is the compensation……?"

What Shibuya estimated was an unbelievable sum of money. Such a great cost that only exists in dreams.

"Cut it out with the jokes!　Why is that video camera so expensive?!　This can't possibly be true!"

"That video camera was a custom-made, produced in Germany. Would you like to see the certificate?"

Foreign order. Custom-made, at that.

My eyes went black.

What am I going to do?

Shibuya said, "If you don't like this..."

……What?　I can apologize for not being able to pay!

"Would you mind taking the place of my assistant?"

"By this……You mean I'll be working as your assistant?"

"Exactly."

"I'll do it."

I'll do it, be it an assistant's job or a maid's job.

Shibuya nods his head in agreement.

At the same time I asked him a sudden question.

"By the way、what kind of work are you doing, Shibuya-san?"

Second-year, high school student. 17 year-old student, has an assistant, using an incredibly expensive camera. What the hell is he doing?

"Ghost Hunt."

"Haa!?"

"Or in other words、ghost extermination. We've come here to investigate the old school building by the request of the principle. We are called 'Shibuya Psychic Research'."

"Pusai..kkiku... risaachi?"

"Haven't you taken any English lessons?"

I have. Well, excuse me. For being bad at English.

"A psychic phenomenon investigation service. And I am the head of it."

　Wha……Whaat.

　Head, this fellow, with the social standing of a 17 year-old!

　Not only that, but what...?　Investigation of the old school building?　Psychic phenomenon investigation service!?

　This is a joke, right!?

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