Editing Kämpfer:Volume 10 Chapter 3


Volume 10, Chapter 3  


    I unpacked my belongings in my assigned room. It was a Western -style room, furnished 

with a bed and a simple table. There was a lamp on the nightstand. Oh, and there was even a 

wardrobe and a toilet. It looked like a hotel, after all. It was a shame th ere wasn't a 

bathroom.  


    Anyway, I threw my bag on the bed. I'd been planning to head straight to the interview 

room, but then something else struck me.  


    I opened my bag and pulled out a stuffed animal.  


    "Oh, how are you?"  


    "...Not really."  


    "You're really unforgiving,"  


    the Seppuku Tiger grumbled.  


    "Being locked up in such a cramped place, and forced to stay still all the time. A human 

would have sued long ago."  


    "Chemical fibers don't have the right to sue."  


    And even if an animal wanted to sue, it would probably be against the manufacturer that 

produced them.  


    "Anyway, I'll let you out first. Just stay here."  


    "That's fine... So, is this Sakura Kaede's house?  


    " "Yes. I heard it used to be an inn."  


    "Eh—. It feels like I've been here before, but it also feels like I haven't."  


    "Do stuffed animals travel?"  


    If that's the case, the world is almost over. I moved the Seppuku Tiger to my pillow and left 

the room.  


    When I reached the old conversation room, the girls had already arrived.  


    The room, adorned with crystal chandeliers, looked more like an aristocratic salon than a 

conversation room. This must have been the taste of the previous owner. There were also 

luxurious -looking chairs and tables, and for some reason, even a sofa. The re was an LCD TV. 

And a pool table.  


    "Public table?"  


    I blurted out. A pool table certainly seemed like a staple of wealthy families. Could this 

family be interested in it, too? If it were a ping -pong table, it would be a hot spring inn.  


    "Does Natsuru play pool?"  


    I shook my head after hearing Shizuku's question.  


    "I don't know at all."  


    "I'll teach you later. Please sit down now  


    ." This woman even knows table tennis? What else can't she do?  


    Because the table is round, we sit in pairs facing each other. Across from me is Kondou 

Mikoto, but she still looks away. What is she so nervous about?  


    Shizuku spoke up. As the older one, she naturally took on this role.  


    "Let's discuss it now. We have to make things clear while Sakura Kaede is away,"  


    I asked hesitantly.     "Is it not okay with  


    Sakura Kaede here     ?" "That's right." "So, maybe Sakura Kaede is secretly planning 

something?"     "Of course,"     Shizuku's answer was incredibly succinct. She must have been 

on high alert since arriving here.     Shizuku and Sakura Kaede are chil dhood friends, but her 

way of thinking is completely free of personal feelings. She never lets friendship influence 

her judgment of the current situation. Meanwhile, my love for Sakura Kaede is something I'll 

never let go of, no matter how long it takes. S hizuku and I are truly worlds apart. This is proof 

that I am far superior to Shizuku in terms of liking others.     This is also one of the reasons 

why I feel like this guy is CG. After all, you are friends. It's not a superior -subordinate 

relationship in the military. But Shizuku takes this way of thinking for granted.     "I want to 

eliminate as many suspicious elements as possible."     It must be very hard for Sakura Kaede 

to have such a friend. But Shizuku is a great helper to us now.     "Sakura Kaede  behaves as 

usual, as if nothing has happened to us. We had such a fierce battle not long ago. Akane even 

shot her in the chest."     "That bullet...hit the target."     Akane began to shrink. It seemed 

that once she recalled what she did in bulldog mode, she would fall into self -loathing.     "But, 

she doesn't look injured..."     "Yes. But it was definitely Sakura Kaede. It was Sakura Kaede 

who Akane shot, and it was Sakura Kaede who greeted us.     " "You can tell that...?"     "Yes, 

because we're childh ood friends. They must be the same person."     This line of reasoning 

matched my own. Even I could see it, let alone Shizuku.     "I think only her personality 

completely changed. And it seems her internal organs were strengthened as well."     "But, 

when  we became Kämpfer, we still shared our memories. Although our personalities were a 

little..."     Her voice trailed off, perhaps because she was considering her own situation. 

When Akane entered bulldog mode, her brutality would put even a gangster to sha me.     

Although I didn't say anything, I had a different opinion about her statement about 

"memories still being shared.     " "I think Sakura Kaede and Kämpfer are different beings."     

While not a firm statement, her tone was quite certain.     Shizuku's intuition was never 

wrong. As I've said before, this guy's intuition is based on a wealth of experience. Everyone 

present knew this.     But couldn't you have considered your words a lit tle more? The 

database should be able to deduce that ordinary Sakura Kaede is deeply in love with me.     

Well, even if I said it out loud, she'd only scorn me, so I'd better keep it to myself. Akane 

seemed to have more questions.     "If it's not Kämpfer,  then who is it..."     "I don't know. But 

judging by the rapid healing of wounds, it seems she has a special ability."     "Such an 

ability?"     "Can't we transform into Kämpfer too? Our bodies would become stronger, too. 

It's not surprising if you think  about it that way."     Indeed, once transformed into Kämpfer, 

one becomes less susceptible to injury, and wounds heal faster. Fortunately, I've never 

broken a bone, but after all, I've never been in danger of one. As for her recovery ability from 

illness , I don't know.     "But even the bullet wounds have disappeared, which means her 

metabolism is more active than ours."     "Who knows?"     I replied.     "And her strength 

should have increased, too."     "..."  








































































    A brief silence descended upon the room. Kämpfer's physical abilities surpassed those of 

an average person, but Sakura Kaede's were even better. He wielded both a sword and a gun. 

This was truly unusual.  


    There were indeed Kämpfers who wielded two weapons, Shizuku being one of them. He 

could wield two chained daggers. The girl I'd fought with before, whose name I couldn't 

recall, also wielded two pistols. But Sakura Kaede possessed not just one, but two  

weapons—unheard of. Was it simply because she possessed twice the strength?  


    "And it seems she's been in battle many times. If it were just double the strength, we'd 

have the advantage, but her experience would make her a real challenge."  


    "Where did she gain that experience?"  


    "Who knows? Perhaps she fought in places we don't know. Fighting against seasoned 

warriors is just as tough."  


    This guy, however, seemed unfazed.  


    In short, I knew something extremely troublesome was about to happen. And I knew 

Sakura Kaede was becoming truly terrifying. At the Kämpfer Festival, bullets and swords 

might fly. It's like a Tarantino movie.  


    Ugh, why do I act so indifferent? I should realize I'm also involved. I can't seem to find any 

tension. Am I getting senile?  


    "...Let's have tea,"  


    Akane said, standing up and grabbing a tea set. Even the tea set is ready. Coming to my 

senses, I'm genuinely thirsty. I've been talking all this time and haven't even had a drop of 

water.  


    Akane brewed the tea. An alluring aroma filled the room. She used high -quality tea leaves, 

not tea bags. Amazing!  


    She placed the tea in front of everyone.  


    "Thank you," Shizuku said,  


    sipping elegantly. Drinking tea without making any noise is another skill this woman 

possesses. For context, she seems to be able to walk silently, too. Although Shizuku herself 

asks, "What good is there in being able to do this?" I think I should make  use of this skill to 

make a living, perhaps working in a haunted house.  


    "...Though what I just said has caused everyone to feel uneasy,"  


    Shizuku placed the teacup on the tray.  


    "But there's more to it than that."  


    What else?  


    "About the white Kämpfer.  


    " "Ah..."  


    I couldn't help but let out a silly sound. Speaking of which, the evil Sakura Kaede did say, 

"Bring the white one here too."  


    "I wonder if they've arrived yet?"  


    "I haven't seen them, so maybe they haven't arrived yet,"  


    I replied.  


    "There's no sign of anyone else at the entrance."  


    "They're not necessarily lurking in this house,"  


    Shizuku bluntly refuted my argument.  


    "They might be nearby. If they're too far away, there's no point."  


    "Do we have to fight them too?"  


    "Of course."  


    "Sakura Kaede...is the evil Sakura Kaede with them?"  


    "Yes."  


    A gloomy atmosphere instantly enveloped us.  


    No matter how you look at it, this is too much. There are already some very troublesome 

people. There are also four people on the other side, so they won't be outnumbered, right?  


    "...Isn't there anything more cheerful to talk about?"  


    "No, but there are only so many dull topics."  


    "I want something cheerful."  


    "Want to listen to rakugo? I can perform right here if you don't mind."  


    It was surprising, but on reflection, it wasn't surprising. This guy's dream is to be a rakugo 

artist. He might even practice alone at night. The idea of a woman suited to black magic 

receiving special training in rakugo is creepy in another sense.  


    "No, no need to bother,"  


    I replied. Shizuku looked a little regretful. Ah, does she really want to perform?  


    "Now's not the time to laugh."  


    "Laughter is a good thing."  


    "Compared to that...there's no hope for our future. All we can understand right now is that 

our situation is extremely unfavorable."  


    "That's true. On reflection, it might be a bit rash to accept an invitation so easily to come 

here."  


    Saying something like that right now is giving me a headache. Even though it was Sakura 

Kaede who invited me.  


    I stared at Shizuku and said.  


    "I thought the president had anticipated this.  


    " "Indeed."  


    "If that's the case, why bother coming?"  


    "It was bound to happen sooner or later anyway. Might as well get it over with."  


    This desperate thinking is truly remarkable. I think humans generally prefer to postpone 

bad things, but this girl loves to deal with them quickly. It seems she's the type to quickly 

finish her summer homework and move on to other subjects. Things like  that should be put 

off until the last minute, then tackled with the help of others. If it were me, I'd just look for 

my friends' homework and copy it.  


    "So, the president is planning..."  


    Akane, who had been listening to our conversation until then, finally spoke.  


    "Are we going to put it all off here?"  


    "Of course,"  


    the president replied without hesitation.  


    "Things like this should be put to rest as soon as possible,"  


    she added briefly.  


    A brief silence followed. Everyone sipped their tea in silence.  


    So many thoughts swirled around...how could I express them? Unfortunately, all I was 

thinking about was "I need to go to the bathroom."  


    I'll wait a little longer in the bathroom. I've also been seriously considering how to deal 

with Sakura Kaede. She's my crush, after all. Although our relationship has recently hit a 

rough patch, I don't think I've fallen out with "ordinary Sakura Kaed e." 


    My place in that person's heart is probably just that of an ordinary male friend. I've made 

this point numerous times. What's troubling me is how to proactively close the gap between 

us. It would be best if I could find a way to make the evil Sakura Ka ede disappear, leaving 

only the normal Sakura Kaede. But even then, our relationship still hasn't progressed at all. It 

means everything we've been working on is down the drain.  


    So should I just give up? Hmm, that won't work either. Because Sakura Kaede is a gentle 

beauty. And I don't have a connection with other girls.  


    Hmm? Connection with girls? Then I suddenly remembered. Oh no, I've been confessed to. 

Isn't it true that I have a connection with girls?  


    Ah, this is really a headache. Sakura Kaede won't change her mind about me, my childhood 

sweetheart is so pushy, and the student council president looks like a computer drawing.  


    Isn't there a girl who's more understanding? Preferably one I like.  


    I like... isn't there one?  


    While I was thinking about all this, the teacup was empty. Did I drink it all without realizing 

it? 


    "There's no point in nagging about it in silence,"  


    Shizuku suddenly said. I was startled. Did she see what I was thinking? Even Shizuku, after 

all, could do something like that... maybe she could actually do it.  


    "Let's do what we can in advance. Just by discussing things like this and coming to a 

consensus, the results will be very different. Also, Kondou Mikoto,"  


    Shizuku called her in a slightly forceful tone. Kondou Mikoto's heart sank.  


    "W-What is it?"  


    "Please stop caring so much about Natsuru -kun."  


    "I, I don't...care about him..."  


    Kondou Mikoto stubbornly refused to look at me, but her body was shrinking.  


    Shizuku's tone was like she was scolding a subordinate who had made a mistake. She had a 

very "student council president" vibe.  


    "Don't deny it. Have you said a word since you entered this room?"  


    "I think... I did..."  


    "No, not at all. No one can predict what will happen next. Sakura Kaede might have turned 

evil. White Kämpfer could attack at any moment. So we all need to communicate and work 

together to find a solution. If you keep being so blunt, it'll bother us."  


    "That's... not the case! I just haven't said anything because there's nothing to say."  


    "Please stop lying,"  


    Shizuku retorted bluntly.  


    "I'm not forcing you to close the gap between you and Natsuru -kun, but you should forget 

about it for now."  


    "I'm not..."  


    "Do you really need to be so worried after a confession?"  


    After hearing Shizuku's words, Kondou Mikoto blushed with embarrassment, and Akane 

jumped up from her chair in surprise.  


    "Wha... what..."  


    "Kondou Mikoto confessed to Natsuru...? Is that true!?"  


    No one answered Akane's question. But everything was written on Kondou Mikoto's face. 

Akane seemed to understand it all the moment she looked at her expression.  


    "You suddenly confessed to Natsuru..."  


    "That's not something to be so surprised about,"  


    Shizuku said nonchalantly.  


    "I confessed too."  


    This time, not only Akane was surprised, but even Kondou Mikoto was taken aback. My 

reaction was the same, even at the mention of it.  


    "President!?"  


    Akane pronounced the word "President" strangely. But then again, if I had spoken, I'd 

probably have done the same.  


    "Have you confessed!"  


    "Yes. I told Natsuru -kun, 'I like you, please go out with me.'"  


    This guy spoke so calmly, as if he were saying, "I'm just going to the convenience store." Is 

confessing to you the same as finding a lost ten -yen coin on the street?  


    Akane looked back and forth between me and Shizuku, shaking her head with an unusual 

speed.  


    "Well, well, well, then, what's Natsuru -kun's answer..."  


    "I haven't gotten an answer yet,"  


    Shizuku answered simply.  


    "We agreed that he'd give me an answer once this matter was settled. Kondou Mikoto 

must be in the same situation, so he's worried."  


    Kondou Mikoto's face grew redder and redder. Akane murmured, "Is that so..."  


    "...Why does the president seem so nonchalant..."  


    "I'm concerned too."  


    How could you possibly be concerned?  


    "Every time I talk to Natsuru -kun, my heart races. I can't even meet his gaze."  


    That's impossible. Don't you always look people in the eye when you talk? People like you 

will never be nervous.  


    Not only me, but Akane also looked skeptical, as if saying, "You liar."  


    "B-but Natsuru -kun and I already have an appointment. In fact, I was planning on having 

Natsuru -kun meet his parents. And I was thinking about telling them we were dating..."  


    Eh. No way, are we... dating?  


    Akane's face flushed, but unlike Kondou Mikoto, she stared at the president without 

flinching. In that respect, she didn't look like the weak -kneed girl with glasses.  


    "I just had a temporary setback at the anime store. That incident is over."  


    "Me and Natsuru -san already kissed."  


    "Me too. Even Kondou Mikoto..."  


    "He even touched my breasts..."  


    "I was even pushed down and nearly assaulted once."  


    "If that's the case, Natsuru -san and I have done even more outrageous things,"  


    Akane said confidently. Lately, she seemed less nervous around Shizuku.  


    "My relationship with Natsuru has taken a step forward."  


    "...Is that so?"  


    And it was Shizuku who backed down first, a highly unusual sight. The student council 

would be shocked if they saw her.  


    "I'll let it go for now. After all, Natsuru will give me an answer once this matter is settled."  


    "That's not certain,"  


    Akane's voice was filled with confidence.  


    "I might take advantage of my stay here to deepen my relationship with Natsuru -san."  


    "Huh?!"  


    I was surprised. Akane was using ambiguous terms because she probably had some 

concerns.  


    No, that's irrelevant. What matters is what she meant by "deepening the relationship." Is 

she talking about that kind of thing? This is my first time.  


    "Ah, Akane...!"  


    It was Kondou Mikoto, not Shizuku, who yelled. I'm losing control of the situation. Just let 

it go.  


    "What are you planning to do with Natsuru?"  


    "Well, you can't say that out loud."  


    "That's... not right!"  


    Kondou Mikoto finally came to her senses.  


    "I, I too..."  


    "Isn't that the case of striking first?"  


    "I also helped the president to knock Natsuru down!"  


    "Eh... what good did you do?"  


    "What does it matter?"  


    "Of course it matters! Because Natsuru is dating me!"  


    "It should be me! I've already confessed!"  


    Kondou Mikoto, fully recovered, yelled at Akane. Though Akane was a weaker version of 

herself with glasses, she refused to give in. I could only silently pray that this typhoon would 

soon pass.  


    Shizuku didn't join in the argument. Instead, she stared intently at the door.  


    "That's enough. Be quiet, just like usual."  


    Her voice, though low, carried a sense of intimidation. Not only Akane and Kondou Mikoto, 

but even I involuntarily straightened up.  


    The door opened. Sakura Kaede walked in.  


    "Sorry to have kept you waiting. I was busy with a package that arrived... Here are some 

snacks."  


    Sakura Kaede carried a tray filled with a variety of snacks: cream cakes, cheesecakes, and 

unidentified confections adorned with various fruits.  


    "S-Sorry for your trouble,"  


    I thanked her stiffly.  


    "Thank you, Sakura Kaede,"  


    Shizuku said, unfazed. I'm used to it, but what's wrong with this guy?  


    "I also prepared tea... Oh, no!"  


    Sakura Kaede placed the tray on the table and covered her mouth with her hand. 

Suddenly, she seemed to remember something.  


    "I forgot something. Please enjoy yourselves."  


    With that, she left the room again.  


    The sound of footsteps faded away.  


    "That was really dangerous,"  


    Shizuku said.  


    "If she overheard our argument just now, it would be really hard to hide it."  


    "But I think the president will find a way..."  


    Akane said. And I felt the same way.  


    "Anyway, please stop fighting over Natsuru -kun.  


    " "Is Natsuru already mine?"  


    "You're so clueless... Well, do as you please. But on the other hand, please don't let your 

guard down. A fight could break out here at any moment."  


    Shizuku's implication was that we had to be extra cautious. And that's true. Always 

preparing for the worst isn't just a slogan for the police or the military. Besides, we're the 

Kämpfers, a group of people who exist to fight.  


    "Got it? And in front of Sakura Kaede, try to act normal. Stay calm until that girl's 

personality changes."  


    "But I'm not very good at acting..."  


    "Please do your best."  


    That doesn't even consider me. Damn it. So I just had to go through with it, thinking back 

to my time working at the "quasi -maid cafe."  


    "I have another suggestion,"  


    Shizuku said.  


    "During a battle, perhaps constant instructions will be necessary."  


    "Wouldn't it be enough for the president to take charge?"  


    Akane said. I agree with that. Kondou Mikoto should be the same way, too. Shizuku  


    continued, picking up where Akane left off.  


    "That's what I mean. If I were addressed as president, I might not be able to react 

immediately. And adding 'classmate' after my name would be troublesome. So, from now on, 

please let me address you by your names. Call Akane, Akane. Call Kondou Mikoto,  Mikoto. 

That'll make the battle easier."  


    It's like a football game. They say that when a split second of judgment can determine 

victory or defeat, there's no time for honorifics. It's certainly similar to our current situation.  


    Kondou Mikoto asked.  


    "Then, can we also call the president, Shizuku?"  


    "Sure. That way, we'd be partners."  


    Hearing that, my nervousness seemed to ease a little.  


    Partners? I see. Being eloquent is Shizuku's specialty, too. The seemingly meaningless 

argument from earlier seemed to be gradually subsiding.  


    "So, you should call me Shizuku too,"  


    she said, her gaze fixed on me.  


    "Got it, Natsuru?"  


    Everyone present, myself included, only then realized we'd been tricked.  


    Sakura Kaede returned shortly afterward, beaming. A smile truly suits you.  


    "Are the cakes good?"  


    Sakura Kaede asked.  


    "I made them all."  


    "These?"  


    I asked without thinking. The colors are beautiful, the presentation is stunning, and the 

flavor is delicious. I'd always thought they'd been bought from some store.  


    "Yes, I've been working on them since morning to entertain everyone."  


    Ah, so that's why she couldn't come pick us up. As expected of Sakura Kaede. She'll 

definitely make a great bride. Both women can cook, but Shizuku and Sakura Kaede are 

worlds apart.  


    She even replaced the tea leaves for the tea and brewed it fresh. She's truly meticulous.  


    Sakura Kaede sat down on a chair.  


    "It feels like a dream to be with everyone like this."  


    "That's too much."  


    Shizuku didn't mention the previous conversation.  


    "Didn't I stay in your apartment for a night?"  


    "But Natsuru -kun wasn't here then. It'd be nicer to have more people around."  


    "There are a lot of viscera there."  


    "There's hardly any here, because I want to keep them in the collection room in my 

apartment."  


    It's probably because I can't feel at peace unless they have a place to keep them. It would 

really make Sakura Kaede happy if she were to be protected by viscera. I'm the type who 

leaves things scattered around; I'm not good at organizing.  


    I even keep my textbooks on the first and second floors, and searching for things is one of 

the reasons I'm late.  


    "By the way, what did you get back?"  


    "Oh, this."  


    Sakura Kaede brought a notebook to the table. It was A5 size, not too big.  


    It wasn't a viscera notebook. Sure enough, it was because of the collector's mentality that 

she couldn't bear to use it. Instead, she put a sticker of a drowned sea oyster on it. Indeed, 

the novelty of a marine creature drowning did attract a little at tention.  


    "Here, I wrote down the names of people who've been to my house. It's so I can 

remember them later."  


    "Like a guestbook."  


    "Sakura Kaede, that's strange."  


    "It's just like the notebooks you see at hostel houses. Can I take a look?"  


    Shizuku took the notebook from Sakura Kaede and flipped through it.  


    "Just the names, okay?"  


    "I'd be happy if you could give me a little extra. Oh, Natsuru -san, you should write yours 

too."  


    Sakura Kaede smiled at me.  


    "No problem."  


    "It's so nice to have guests leave notes in this notebook. When you're older and take it out 

and look at it again, you might cry with nostalgia."  


    Wow, that's like a girl's dream. I was thinking about writing it down without leaving any 

evidence or fingerprints. It would be unmanly of a man not to help her.  


    Shizuku began writing. She wrote so fluently, without stopping.  


    "Yes, Natsuru -san, please."  


    Wow, she called me by my name in front of Sakura Kaede. Of course, Sakura Kaede looked 

nonchalant. Ah, because she still thought I was dating Shizuku.  


    The notebook was open, a fresh page on top. "Shizuku Sangou" was written in the top left 

corner. The date was written at the back, but no special message.  


    Still, the handwriting is beautiful. Maybe she's really into calligraphy or something. I can't 

write straight, so I'd never be able to write this well. And I can't even balance the left and 

right.  


    I wrote "Seno Natsuru" on top. Damn, it's crooked as expected. If I had to say anything, it's 

terrible.  


    When it was Akane's turn, Shizuku spoke up.  


    "Sakura Kaede, do you have any replacement black tea leaves?"  


    "Oh, sorry, is the flavor off?"  


    "Yeah, it's pretty bland."  


    "I'll get a new one."  


    Sakura Kaede walked out, teapot in hand. Shizuku checked and suddenly snatched the 

notebook from my hand.  


    "Hey, what are you doing?"  


    "Everyone, look here."  


    Shizuku flipped to the previous page. We leaned over to look at the notebook.  


    The place she showed us was signed "Midori Kuzuhara."  


    "It's a cute name."  


    "Not that, do you know who this is?"  


    "...This."  


    "It's the girl from the student council, the one with the twin guns, Kämpfer."  


    "Huh?"  


    I glanced back at the signature. Actually, I remember that person's last name was 

Kuzuhara, but I didn't know her name. Since she was on the student council, Shizuku must be 

right.  


    Sakura Kaede said, "Anyone who comes to my house will have a record left." That meant 

Kuzuhara had been here, too. And what happened next?  


    "Well..."  


    Akane began tremblingly.  


    "That Kuzuhara -san, after she fainted, it was indeed the president... Shizuku who moved 

her away."  


    "I wish you could just call me by my name."  


    "I'm sorry... what happened after that?"  


    Speaking of which, Shizuku moved her to some unknown place. What exactly happened?  


    Kuzuhara disappeared after that. The teachers and students weren't pretending to be 

ignorant; it seemed they had no idea of her existence from the beginning. Since she never 

existed in the first place, her disappearance wouldn't cause a stir. Her paren ts were worried, 

but they didn't seem to realize the extent of it.  


    "She didn't do anything serious."  


    If that were the case, then she must have done something truly drastic.  


    "She just threw her away."  


    "Huh?! Where?"  


    I was startled. This isn't like throwing away pornographic books. It used to be popular to 

just dump them on the riverbank, but I recommend pretending nothing happened and 

throwing them in the trash can in front of a convenience store.  


    "She threw them inside the school."  


    "Inside the school? Is that okay?"  


    "It's not a good idea, but I left them somewhere inconspicuous. When I went to check the 

next day, she was gone, even though I knew she'd disappear."  


    "How did you know?"  


    "My senior was the same way."  


    The senior was the one who taught Shizuku everything about Kämpfer. I'd never met her, 

so I didn't know what she looked like. But I knew at least Shizuku admired her deeply.  


    "It seems she really did disappear somewhere. This signature of Kuzuhara's here might be 

the only proof she's still alive."  


    The words weighed heavily on my mind after she said that. We didn't say anything 

unnecessary.  


    "If we lose, it will probably be like that."  


    She really didn't want it to be like that.  


    Needless to say, everyone fell silent. The heaviness of the atmosphere permeated her 

body. Can't she say something cheerful?  


    Kondou Mikoto reached out and flipped through the notebook.  


    "There are some other names."  


    "Yes."  


    "Are they all Kämpfers?"  


    "There should be ordinary people too, but I don't know what the proportion is."  


    "Maybe."  


    Kondou Mikoto handed the notebook to Akane. Akane flipped through it quickly and wrote 

her name in it. Then Kondou Mikoto did the same. Just as she finished, Sakura Kaede 

returned.  


    "I brought tea and cake, but if you eat too much, you won't be able to eat dinner later."  


    Sakura Kaede even brought new tea sets. I helped her because I had to put them on the 

table.  


    "Ah, Sakura Kaede, you said we should stay here, just the three of us?"  


    "Yes,"  


    Sakura Kaede replied with a smile.  


    "Because then the guest rooms are full. One room per person. If the woman, Natsuru, is 

here too... you can stay in my room,"  


    Sakura Kaede said shyly. That was the right reaction for me.  


    Sakura Kaede joined in the conversation, but her words lacked any altruism.  


    Even then, Sakura Kaede barely glanced at me. Please give me some more of your smile. 

Shizuku and the others don't need to pay any attention to her.  


    Since dinner was almost time, we decided to go back to our rooms.  


    "Excuse me, could someone please help me with dinner?"  


    "Well, I'll do it..."  


    Akane volunteered. She's a good cook, I guess.  


    Sakura Kaede and Akane went downstairs. Shizuku went back to her room. Then I decided 

to go back to my own.  


    "Um, Natsuru,"  


    I was called. I turned around to look.  


    "I want to talk to you before dinner. Is that okay?"  


    It was Kondou Mikoto who said it.  


    Akane led me to the kitchen. The kitchen was on the first floor, connected to the living 

room, which also served as a dining room.  


    "Wow..."  


    Akane exclaimed.  


    "It's huge..."  


    The kitchen in this house was as large as a dining room kitchen, with a sink and a gas stove 

along the wall, and even a special deep -frying machine for chicken. That huge pipe was the 

exhaust fan.  


    Everything was made of stainless steel, old, polished to a shine.  


    "Isn't it great?"  


    Sakura Kaede said with a hint of pride.  


    "When we bought this guesthouse, we thought about tearing it down, but we decided to 

keep it. This way, even with a lot of guests, we can still provide meals."  


    "It would be tiring to do it alone."  


    "So, having your help, Akane, is a real help."  


    They immediately began preparing. The main course was chicken and vegetables, along 

with corn soup. Then, they prepared bread and rice according to individual preferences.  


    They pulled the chicken and vegetables from the refrigerator, which was as large as a 

restaurant's. The electricity bill seemed quite high.  


    "Akane, is there anything you're not good at?"  


    Sakura Kaede asked, handing her an apron. Akane shook her head.  


    "No."  


    "Then we can divide the work. I'll cook, and you'll handle the prep."  


    "Okay,"  


    Akane understood. They both donned aprons and began cooking. Because they were both 

skilled, the process went smoothly. They were more like skilled chefs than high school 

students.  


    The kitchen echoed with the sounds of a gas stove igniting and water running.  


    "Does Natsuru have any likes or dislikes?"  


    Sakura Kaede asked. Akane thought for a moment.  


    "I don't think so."  


    "What about you, Akane?"  


    "No, I guess. She doesn't like slippery things, though."  


    "That's great. Does Kondou Mikoto?"  


    "I don't think so at all. She says she can even eat insects."  


    Sakura Kaede made a surprised expression.  


    "Eat insects..."  


    "She even laughed when I said, 'You're really good.'"  


    Akane was also taken aback when she first heard it. Because Kondou Mikoto had been in 

harsh environments for so long, it didn't seem to bother her at all. Even snakes and tree 

roots were no problem. But she seemed to want to roast them over the fire.  


    "Shizuku is also good at cooking...is Kondou Mikoto too?"  


    "Yes, but I think Kondou Mikoto...and Mikoto would definitely make curry rice."  


    "She loves curry, right?"  


    "Mikoto does, but Natsuru seems troubled by it."  


    "I like curry too. There aren't many people who hate it, I guess."  


    Even so, Mikoto's behavior was out of character.  


    Natsuru described her with exaggerated words like, "That girl doesn't have blood flowing 

through her body, but curry sauce." But it was still quite believable.  


    "Does Kondou Mikoto often cook for Natsuru?"  


    "It seems... so."  


    Using such an ambiguous statement, she really does sound a bit womanly. If it were me, I'd 

make him dishes besides curry, too. Akane thought to herself.  


    "Natsuru and Kondou Mikoto are childhood friends,  


    right?" "Yeah, they've been together since they were little..."  


    "Natsuru is really popular."  


    "Actually, very popular."  


    That's why I put in a lot of effort, Akane muttered to herself. Shizuku and Mikoto are both 

overdoing it. Natsuru isn't just admiring Sakura Kaede, it's more like a barrier. But Sakura 

Kaede can sometimes change.  


    "Sakura Kaede, after that..."  


    Akane turned around and was stunned. Sakura Kaede, who had been preparing until a 

moment ago, was gone. The kitchen knife and half -cut vegetables were just there, gone.  


    "...Sakura Kaede?"  


    She wasn't in the kitchen.  


    Kondou Mikoto and I went outside. It was Kondou Mikoto who said, "Outside is nice." 

Then the woman said nothing. We quietly exited through the back door instead of the front. I 

knew it right away, but this house has a truly enormous grounds. There's even grass and 

trees, and a swimming pool.  


    It's okay to go swimming there, right? There aren't any sharks  


    around, are there? It's already evening, so it's getting a little dark. It'll be dark soon. The 

chirping of insects must be quite pleasant. (Higurashi) Even if we're mistaken, there's no wolf 

howling in the distance.  


    We stopped under a tree. Of course, this is also part of this family.  


    Kondou Mikoto and I stood face to face.  


    We were talking, but not face to face. Kondou Mikoto's eyes were looking down. For some 

reason, she refused to look up. Of course, I was too nervous to speak.  


    We were finally outside, and now this was happening between us. It would be pointless to 

continue like this.  


    At least I should have spoken first. But Kondou Mikoto had called me out, so she should 

have been the first.  


    But she said nothing. There was nothing I could do. So, I had to start the conversation. 

Honestly, I didn't have much to say.  


    I took a breath. Why was she doing this? Never mind. Anything would do. Get ready...  


    "Um..." "Um..."  


    Kondou Mikoto said the same thing. Ah, is this guy going to speak now too? Damn.  


    And then neither of us spoke. Was it bad timing, or was there something else going on?  


    "Ah... ah, no... no, I'm sorry."  


    My voice seemed to recede into my stomach, and my tongue was knotted.  


    "Sorry to interrupt you. Um... you go first."  


    "I, I... I didn't mean to interrupt you. Um, Natsuru... you go first."  


    Kondou Mikoto held out her hand. Are you the cable car guide?  


    "Ah, no, I don't have anything to say..."  


    "Me too..."  


    "Hey, you invited me out."  


    Sure enough, this keeps any conversation going. I'm starting to feel hungry.  


    "It's almost dinner time, let's wrap it up."  


    "That's it. That's it."  


    Kondou Mikoto made a fist for some reason. Was she going to hit me? Or was she 

unconsciously concentrating?  


    I remembered back in kindergarten, she always walked around with her fists clenched, 

punching. The boys were all afraid of her.  


    "...Um."  


    What?  


    "Um... I, I confessed."  


    "What do you mean I confessed or didn't? You did it, didn't you?"  


    And I was the one being confessed to. That was the only thing I couldn't give in to.  


    "Yes, that's right... At that time I said it's okay to wait for the answer, right..."  


    "Ah, yes."  


    Not only Kondou Mikoto, but Shizuku also said the same thing. It's fair for now. It's just 

that the student council president seemed very natural.  


    "I know that, but I haven't been sleeping well recently. I've been thinking about the 

confession I made to you, Natsuru."  


    Although I was also worried, I slept well. This guy really acts like a girl.  


    "And then, whether I'm asleep or awake, my mind is full of things about you, Natsuru... 

Because of this problem, I can't even look you in the face now. When I talk to you like this, 

my heart beats so hard, and my face feels like it's going to spit fire ..." 


    "Yeah..."  




    It's only times like these that you shouldn't just agree with others.     If you say something 

you shouldn't, you'll be looked down upon for the rest of your life. "I was thinking, if you say 

okay, Natsuru, maybe we could go on a date somewhere. Like, somewhere in Mexico to 

chase some kind of monster..."  


    "..." 


    It's weird not to say that now.  


    "I was thinking today too, whether I should meet up with Natsuru before I go back... No, 

Shizuku's watching me for something. And... there's no need to worry about Akane, and I 

don't know what you're thinking, Natsuru."  


    "Even someone like me has given a lot of thought to today's situation."  


    "... Is that true?"  


    "... Of course."  


    "It sounds a bit like you're talking about Sakura Kaede... And, well... I kept thinking about 

something on the train."  


    "Are you thinking about digging somewhere again? Be careful of infectious diseases."  


    "Don't be ridiculous, now's the only time to talk about that."  


    What? Are you thinking I might be assassinated here? Or kidnapped or something? It's way 

too exaggerated. You've watched too many TV dramas.  


    "Well, well, well..."  


    Kondou Mikoto hesitated, hesitating to get to the point.  


    "What?"  


    "Please don't treat me like a fool after you've said it, okay..."  


    "No, go ahead."  


    "It might sound a bit cowardly, but I hope you can stay friends even if you dump me, 

Natsuru..."  


    Kondou Mikoto's voice seemed to fade away, yet it was clear at the same time.  


    "Although I like you, Natsuru, I'd be happy for us to just be friends, so..."  


    Kondou Mikoto lowered her head.  


    "Please."  


    This was uncharacteristic of Kondou Mikoto. But even I understood her determination.  


    Objectively speaking, a woman bowing her head before a man must be asking for money 

or having her confession rejected. But the reality was quite the opposite. And then, I couldn't 

treat her like a fool.  


    "I understand, Mikoto."  


    "Really..."  


    "Why do you doubt me?"  


    "I don't think you're a liar, Natsuru, but you're not very smart either."  


    "I won't deny it now. We agreed to stay friends forever."  


    "Really?"  


    "Of course."  


    Kondou Mikoto's expression suddenly brightened. Then she patted her chest 

exaggeratedly.  


    "That's great... I was just wondering what I'd do if you rejected me."  


    "But I haven't confessed yet."  


    "Well... but it doesn't matter anyway, because I can accept it."  


    That's good. I should say I feel more at ease.  


    I looked up at the sky. The stars appeared. It was completely dark, and the lights in Sakura 

Kaede's house were on.  


    "Let's go home, Mikoto."  


    "Okay."  


    I went home first. But I went out the back door. I decided not to, because I didn't want 

anyone to see me.  


    That would be awkward.  


    In fact, Natsuru was leaving alone at this moment. Kondou Mikoto  


    was about to follow him, but she wasn't as cheerful and lively as usual, and she felt a little 

shy. 


    Just then, a voice came from behind her.  


    "Um..."  


    Although the voice didn't reach Natsuru, Kondou Mikoto heard it clearly.  


    She turned around and saw a blurry figure appear in the courtyard.  


    "Um, Kondou Mikoto."  


    Sakura Kaede appeared in the middle of the courtyard from nowhere. It didn't seem like 

she came in from the back door, nor did she feel like she came in from outside. There was 

not even a sound of footsteps, and no matter how hard she thought, she coul dn't 

understand.  


    "...Sakura Kaede."  


    "Yes."  


    Sakura Kaede's smile was the same as always. But that expression made her look as if she 

was ready to get close to her at any time.  


    "What's the matter?"  


    "I'm sorry, I just saw what happened between you and Natsuru."  


    Kondou Mikoto was a little unhappy.  


    "That's not a good hobby."  


    "Kondou Mikoto is so cute, she looks like a girl."  


    "Because I am a girl."  


    Sakura Kaede walked over slowly. Of course, there was no sound of footsteps. For some 

reason, Kondou Mikoto couldn't take her eyes off her.  


    "Have you confessed to Natsuru?"  


    "That's true."  


    "What's going on?"  


    "...I haven't gotten an answer yet."  


    "That's a shame."  


    Sakura Kaede suddenly paused, but her smile remained. Indeed, because she was a 

beautiful girl, she felt a sense of healing. She folded her hands behind her back.  


    "But, Kondou Mikoto, you don't think you'll get the answer you want, do you?"  


    "What are you talking about!"  


    Kondou Mikoto shouted.  


    "Why are you suddenly saying that to me? I've always liked Natsuru, too. Don't give me 

any unnecessary trouble! I'd give up if Natsuru rejected me, but I don't want to be judged!"  


    "Natsuru likes me."  


    "Look at me, he's not into someone like you."  


    "He's not into you. He's into me, Sakura Kaede."  


    "You're not Sakura Kaede, you're someone else using her body!"  


    Kondou Mikoto jumped back, putting some distance between them. This reflex was honed 

while fighting the smuggling organization in the rainforest.  


    Then, she gently pressed her wrist.  


    "You may look like Sakura Kaede, but you're not Sakura Kaede. How dare you fool me?"  


    "Oh, you told the truth,"  


    Kondou Mikoto scowled, while Sakura Kaede looked nonchalant. But the tension between 

them only grew.  


    The Ring of Promise on her right wrist began to glimmer.  


    "This is a great opportunity. I will make it known to the world who you are and what your 

purpose is."  


    The light of the bracelet began to expand, and Kondou Mikoto's body was surrounded by 

light. This was about to become Kämpfer.  


    "This is, no way."  


    The sentence ended with a tone as if adding a red heart, and then Sakura Kaede stretched 

out the hand hidden behind his back, holding a doll in his hand.  


    It was the Strangled Dog from the visceral animal series. This was Kondou Mikoto's thing. 

When did Sakura Kaede get it?  


    The eyes of the Strangled Dog were shining, but it was not light, but a dark color like the 

bottom of a well.  


    Kondou Mikoto reflexively wanted to close her eyes, but she was still a step too late, and 

her consciousness was swallowed by the eyes of the Strangled Dog.  










==Translator's Notes==
This chapter was translated from the Chinese translation of the original Japanese text.
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