Editing Kämpfer:Volume 2 Chapter 1 (section)

=== Monday - School Day ===

No matter how leisurely Sunday rolls on, Monday will eventually arrive. I always figured a little delay wouldn't cost me anything, but the world just doesn't work the way I want it to. I wonder what politicians are up to. Without relying on my smashed alarm clock, I used incredible willpower (it seems strange to say this myself) to crawl out of bed and wash my face. Strangely enough, just doing this completely sobers me up. It's a habit I've had since childhood, like a conditioned reflex.

I changed into my uniform and was just thinking about having yogurt for breakfast when I heard a knock on the front door.

For a moment, I thought it was Akane again, but this time the knock was rude. Sunday knocks sounded polite, but this one sounded like a rock drill at a roadside construction site. Who on earth could it be?

Knock, knock, knock, knock. I rushed to open the door, treating it like a talking drum.

"I'm coming —who's from where?"

"Good morning, Natsuru!"

Standing there was a high school girl with short, sparkling hair.

Her cheerful tone and demeanor, her eyes sparkling like something out of a manga, her lively demeanor so brisk she had no idea what depression was.

I stared at her intently, wondering if I knew anyone this pretty.

"Let's go to school together."

She was wearing a Iron Star Academy High School uniform. So that was it. That gave us a reason to go to school together, but why me?

The girl had her hands on her hips, an angry expression on her face for some reason.

"It's me, it's me!"

"...What?"

"What's that face of yours? Your childhood sweetheart has returned home, and you've already forgotten about her."

"...Ah —!"

I jumped up.

"Mikoto!"

"That's right."

Kondou Mikoto smiled at me.

<br><br>

I've known this girl since we were little. She's a year younger than me, and our connection started in kindergarten. Normally, you'd call this kind of relationship childhood sweethearts, but unfortunately, I don't think so.

Actually, her parents are both academics, constantly traveling around the world, and this girl follows them everywhere.

Normally, if parents move so frequently, they'd want to keep their children in one place, so they don't move around. But Mikoto went along just because she thought it was fun. In third grade, she took a three-month leave of absence. When she returned, she had a snake on her hand —a massive five-meter-long boa constrictor. It caused a huge commotion in the classroom, and the teacher was hospitalized from the shock. She was called to the principal's office, and unknowingly, a giant spider popped out of her hand, frightening both the principal and the dean of discipline to the point of fainting. I heard the case was even reported to the Board of Education.

She attended Iron Star Academy High School like me, but she didn't attend classes properly. Then, she suddenly dropped out, saying she was traveling to the Middle East, supposedly to join in on a ruins excavation.

"...When did you come back?"

"The day before yesterday..."

Mikoto said with a grin.

"We were almost finding our excavation target, so I came back."

"You haven't changed at all! I wish your uncle and aunt had come with you."

"I'm not a child anymore. You live alone in Natsuru."

"That's true."

My parents were transferred far away for work, and while I had the freedom to live freely, my diet was a mess.

"Then let's go to school together."

"Wait, school?"

"Yes, Kondou Mikoto is officially back at Iron Star Academy High School starting today!" For some reason, she gave me a military salute.

So, that's the transfer student Akane was talking about. Well, I'm not sure if she's even a transfer student, really.

Mikoto pulled me firmly.

<br><br>

We walked towards school together. It's been ages since we've been to school together. I think I went to school with her quite often in junior high. That being said, Mikoto often got into trouble, so it was tough. For example, we suddenly tried to destroy a hornet's nest, and the angry bees kept following us. In the end, we basically had to run away to school. So, you could call it "going to school together because we're close friends."

I stole a glance at Mikoto and saw she seemed to be humming a song.

"You seem to be in such a good mood."

"Because I haven't been back to Japan in ages —"

"Is that so?"

"Yeah, Natsuru too. You were surprised to see me getting prettier, right?"

What are you talking about?

She's definitely getting prettier, though. She's more of a kawaii type<ref name="kawaii">'''Kawaii''': Japanese for "cute" or "adorable."</ref>, but she seems more feminine than before she went to the Middle East. Being feminine in high school is no small feat.

"What did Natsuru do while I was gone?" She did everything. It was all stuff I couldn't talk about.

"…Nothing."

"Really —"

Mikoto kept staring at me.

"Nothing?"

"Yeah."

"Do you have a girlfriend?"

"Poof!" Even though there was nothing in my mouth, I couldn't help but spit it out. It wasn't just choking; I almost thought my stomach was going to back up. "How could I possibly have a crush on someone like that? Who do you think I am?"

"Don't be so proud of something so bizarre, okay? You're so unpopular with girls, aren't you?"

"Even I wouldn't tell you."

"What's up with that hot girl from Seitetsu? Is her name Sakura Kaede?"

"Don't talk nonsense. She's a top beauty."

"Is Mount Fuji that high?"

"As high as Mount Everest."

<br><br>

That being said, the distance between Sakura Kaede and me has narrowed dramatically lately, almost rapidly. It's all because Sakura Kaede has fallen in love with me. Normally, this would be cause for celebration, with firecrackers and visions of a rosy, happy life after graduation. However, there's a reason I can't truly rejoice. Sakura Kaede has fallen in love with the female version of me.

In other words, she's in love with the me that's become Kämpfer. People might call this homosexuality or lesbianism, but Sakura Kaede doesn't seem to mind. It's me, on the other hand, who's troubled. Nothing in this world can go as planned.

Although I'd successfully evaded Sakura Kaede's request for a relationship, I couldn't let it go any longer. It had become one of my many worries.

"Just go for it and try."

"You'll definitely fail. That would be disastrous."

But failure presupposes a male appearance.

"Proactive guys are more popular."

"I'm afraid of getting hurt. My heart is more fragile than glass, you know."

Mikoto isn't rude, but rather straightforward. She can make a quick judgment on other people's problems. However, love-related troubles are usually quite troublesome, making them unsuitable for discussion. On the contrary, even if we argue, she doesn't hold grudges, making her the perfect friend.

"What nonsense are you talking about? You're just a coward. It has nothing to do with glass, okay?" Damn it, how dare you call me a coward? I should show you what I look like as Kämpfer... Never mind, it's just a woman.

Mikoto was startled, then burst into laughter.

"I see —so Natsuru doesn't have a girlfriend, sweet, sweet."

"What do you mean sweet, sweet?"

"I saw you were lonely, so I was just trying to comfort you."

"You're younger than me, and you dare to say that!"

Being comforted by a girl a year younger than me is like putting my face on the ground. But I'm not a very handsome face anyway, so let's not worry about that for now.

"What's age got to do with it? I'm your childhood sweetheart."

"You're always flying around abroad. How can we be childhood sweethearts if we don't see each other often?"

"What's the big deal? We're childhood sweethearts anyway."

Mikoto was walking with a skipping pace. She was really energetic.

(...Hmm?)

I looked back.

"What's wrong?"

"...Nothing." It felt like someone was there, but it must be my imagination.

Just as I was trying to convince myself that, the bracelet on my right hand began to glow.

"...Oh no!"

I hurriedly covered my sleeve with my hands. Mikoto seemed completely oblivious.

This was a sign of transformation. I didn't know if it was my own will or if there were other Kämpfers nearby. As I mentioned before, since my experience points are currently hovering around, I occasionally undergo random transformations.

There's no time to explain myself now. I can't turn into a girl in a place like this. Mikoto will definitely think I'm a pervert. She's called me a pervert before, but I don't want to be called a pervert.

"...? What's wrong with you, Natsuru?"

"Uh, nothing..."

The bluish-white light gradually became impossible to ignore. Oh no, this is bad.

But in the next instant, like the receding tide, the bracelet's light vanished again.

I carefully looked at it, but nothing had changed. Of course, I still looked like a man.

I let out a long sigh.

"What? Why are you sighing like that? You're so weird! I'm not a pervert. Is this weird? What am I talking about?"

As we approached the school gate, I waved softly.

"Bye."

"Huh? Saying goodbye?"

She looked displeased. We weren't children anymore. How could we be together forever?

"The girls' gate is over there."

Iron Star Academy High School is very strict about men and women interacting with each other. As I mentioned before, the boys' and girls' sections are separate, and even the gates are separate. Plus, there are Gestapo-like<ref name="gestapo">'''Gestapo''': Refers to Nazi Germany's secret police, used here metaphorically to describe the strict school enforcement staff.</ref> staff patrolling the school, instantly scrambling to separate any suspicious couples they see together. I'm already exhausted from what I just did, and if I keep talking to this guy, I'll probably run out of energy.

"If you don't want to get caught, then hurry up."

"Hmph —then you have to have lunch with me."

"Idiot, you'll be shot if you get caught."

"Then we have to go home together."

"No way."

"Then I'm going home!"

"...I got it," I said casually, but that was impossible. The surveillance after school was even stricter than during the day, and there was a reward system for informing on others, creating a tight network to keep those without boyfriends or girlfriends on the lookout for each other. The resentment from those without the opposite sex was terrifying. If anyone dared approach Sakura Kaede, I'd definitely report them. It felt like living in a dictatorship.

Mikoto waved, "Bye," and I waved back. The tumultuous morning was finally over, and I could finally relax. Bye!

After watching Mikoto leave, I checked my bracelet. Sure enough, there was no movement at all. What the hell was going on? Was there an enemy nearby, or was it just a random transformation? Why did it suddenly stop mid-transformation? Forget it. Worrying any longer will make me bald. With so many worries, as serious as my country's debt problem, there's a high chance I'll end up bald. I'll probably worry about that later.

Feeling a little relieved, I headed for the boys' school gate.

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