Kämpfer:Volume 4 Chapter 2

    Volume 4, Chapter 2  

    For the next few days, nothing unusual happened. I spent most of my time in the boys'

section, lazily attending classes.  

    After the cultural festival, most of the classrooms felt deflated. While most classes could

still tighten the screws and restore things to their original state when they needed to work

hard, our second -grade class, Class 4, had a screw that broke and c ouldn't be fixed. As a

result, our grades plummeted, and it was common knowledge that they couldn't improve.  

    Of course, we didn't panic, even dozing off in class at three times our usual rate to combat

it. All the teachers were mortified, even Mr. Nakazawa must have been.  

    My own school life, as both a boy and a girl, continued, of course. Habits are truly

terrifying, and I had no hesitation in changing gears. The physical burden, however, was still

immense. Also, the boys' and girls' classes have different schedules, wh ich can be tiring. I

spent more time in the boys' department for this very reason; it's definitely easier to be a

boy.

    One day during lunch break, I was stopped in the hallway by the idiot general Higashida.  

    "Hey, Natsuru. Special advisor," he said. The special advisor was my position in the

Bishoujo Research Society. Unknowingly, I was given the job because I knew the secrets of

the girls' department. This kind of information comes up when you're attendin g school as a

girl.

    "What are you doing?"  

    "The Bishoujo Research Society is having a meeting right now."  

    "I'm not going."  

    I took the initiative. I didn't want this guy stealing my precious private time.  

    "Don't worry, only some of the top officials are present."  

    "What are top officials?"  

    "No matter if it's the men's or women's division, only those who are selected can do it.

Even if it's you, you're not qualified yet, although I think you will be recognized sooner or

later."  

    It's okay to always be unqualified.  

    "And why are you looking for me?"  

    "We are compiling a beauty pageant photo album, and we are still discussing the

publishing format. Today's meeting is also about this, and we want to hear your opinion."  

    "Huh? What is it?"  

    "We are discussing whether to make it full color. Full color is beautiful but the cost is very

high. Black and white is cheap but boring. What do you think we should do?"  

    "Whatever you want to do...just do whatever you want."  

    "Readers' needs are important."  

    Is that something a high school sophomore would think?  

    Higashida also explained the progress of the photo book production, how difficult the

shoot was, and so on.  

    "Then why don't you just ignore the profits? The budget is sufficient anyway."  

    "The original plan was to increase the budget by selling photo books, so we can't ignore it.

Besides, there's a real need for color photos, and there are many people who say, 'I finally

took them, so of course I have to use them.'"  

    "So, it's up to you guys."  

    "Just that statement alone won't get approved by the management."  

    So what the hell is the management?  

    I pressed my temples.  

    "Ah... that's the way to go. There's a greater demand for color photos, right?"  

    "Because everyone's here for that."  

    "For the photo album, why not just put black and white photos to reduce costs, and then

give color photos as an appendix to people with special needs? If they make reservations,

you can make money, right?"  

    "That's it!"  

    Higashida clapped his hands.  

    "You're worthy of being a special consultant. This way, you can meet the demand and

make money. Leave it to me to recommend you to the top position."  

    Please forgive me, I was regretting giving you such a serious suggestion.  

    Higashida kept praising me. Normally, being praised should feel good, but the more this

guy praised me, the more depressed I felt. Why?  

    "Natsuru, I have something to ask you."  

    Higashida looked around and took out a photo from his pocket.  

    At first glance, it was a landscape photo with buildings, huh? Isn't this Seitetsu Academy?  

    "Take a good look at this corner. I stumbled upon it while I was looking for a cute girl."  

    I moved my eyes closer and found a girl wearing the uniform of the girls' department.  

    Because the photo was small, the face shape was not very clear, but I knew that the hair

was blonde.  

    "Are there girls like this in our school...?"  

    I finally asked the question.  

    "Right, there are absolutely no blonde girls in our school. The etiquette there is much

stricter than in the boys' department."  

    Seitetsu Academy is famous for its strict rules on communication with the opposite sex.

The girls' department also has strict rules on clothing and hairstyle. If you dye your hair

blonde, you will be expelled on the street.  

    The school claims it's trying to preserve its tradition as a school for young ladies, but it's

often criticized for being out of date. The girls are also trying their best to skirt the

boundaries, and their offense and defense are more interesting than  a Hollywood movie.  

    "Natsuru, you're familiar with the girls' club, right? Do you know this girl?"  

    "...No, I don't."  

    "She's wearing a uniform, so she'll probably be a hot topic."  

    "I've never heard of her."  

    It's true; this is the first time I've seen a blonde student. The girls' club uniform is very

popular among some enthusiasts, and it fetches high prices online. It's possible she's not

actually a high school girl, but intruding on campus like this woul d still be a hot topic.  

    "Could she be a transfer student from overseas?"  

    "If there's a girl like that, not just us, but all the boys won't let her go."  

    That's true. If the "blonde beauty" gets out in the boys' club, the boys will rush out faster

than hounds. Although whether she is a beautiful girl is still unknown.  

    Higashida crossed his arms, worried.  

    "...As the Bishoujo Research Society, we still want to confirm this mysterious girl."  

    It's good to have a spirit of inquiry, no matter what it is.  

    "Well, good luck."  

    "Let me know if you have any information."  

    "I know,"  

    I replied perfunctorily. I will definitely forget about this.  

    It's all Higashida's fault for wasting so much of my time. I walked out of the school building

and went to the library. The destination was the student council office.  

    There were very few people in the library.  

    I'm planning to find a shadow transformation. Lately, I've been transforming into a girl in

the library. Transformations require me to hide behind tall bookshelves. I'm not the only one

who thinks this way. It's also used to keep in touch with couples or pass on exam

information. Taking advantage of the fact that there aren't many people here, I've heard that

some unconventional couples have done harmonious things here, and "Seitetsu Academy

Dark History Vol. 4" mentions this as an extreme example.  

    Hiding in the shadow of the innermost bookshelf, I was about to exert force on my right

wrist.  

    "Natsuru!"  

    I jumped back and saw Sakura Kaede there.  

    She looked guilty.  

    "I'm sorry, did I scare you?"  

    "No, no...it's okay."  

    I managed a smile through the sweat. Danger —if I get caught, I'm doomed.  

    "Sakura Kaede, why are you here?"  

    Sakura Kaede chuckled.  

    "I'm looking for a cooking book."  

    Indeed, she was holding a Taitele cooking book. Did this library even have books like that?  

    "I want to practice cooking."  

    "Practice..."  

    "We have guests coming to our house."  

    "I heard Sakura Kaede is great at cooking..."  

    "Because I don't want to fail,"  

    Sakura Kaede said sheepishly.  

    "They're important guests."  

    I was touched. Sakura Kaede has actually gone this far. She's truly a goddess born from a

gentle flower. I'm the happiest man in the world to be able to talk to such an angelic person.  

    "Thank you very much,"  

    I said, feeling moved.  

    "You really don't have to go to that lengths... I'll happily eat anything cooked by Sakura

Kaede, even if it's microwave food. Really, don't force yourself. I'll wash all the dishes, Sakura

Kaede, just watch TV..."  

    "Huh?"  

    Sakura Kaede tilted her head.  

    "Well... what are you talking about? The guest you're talking about isn't Natsuru..."  

    "...Ah"  

    Oh no, I was too emotional and made a mistake. Sakura Kaede didn't invite me, but the

female version of me.  

    She looked at me with pity. She must be thinking I'm an overly self -conscious villain.

Woohoo...  

    "I'm so glad you like my cooking..."  

    Sakura Kaede spoke as if she was talking to a patient.  

    "But this time, all the guests are girls. Boys are not allowed to enter."  

    "Uh... well... no..."  

    I was too embarrassed to speak clearly.  

    "Well... well... Sakura Kaede, who went to your house? I don't really care, it's just..."  

    What am I talking about? I already know who went to her house, and after all, I was the

guest.  

    Sakura Kaede didn't seem to notice anything was wrong and told me immediately.  

    "The girl, Natsuru, and Shizuku... ah, Natsuru, could it be that you..."  

    Her expression became serious. Eh? Did I say something to make her angry?  

    "Is your target that Natsuru classmate?"  

    ...

    Sakura Kaede was serious.  

    "I haven't forgotten that we're rivals. You want to investigate and stop us, right? You're

going too far."  

    No, no, no, how should I put it? As for the male, I'm happy to pay attention to you, or

rather, I'm already targeting you. But as for the female, it's a bit...  

    "I'll take care of her, serve her, and eventually we'll definitely go out."  

    "..."

    "So, no boys allowed."  

    If I told her that the two Natsuru were actually the same person, it would be easier.  

    Sakura Kaede is very loyal in love. I used to wonder if that was the case, but now it's

confirmed. If she likes the female me, no one else would even glance at me. Having a strong

sense of chastity is beautiful, but it's very troublesome when it happen s to me.  

    She nodded at me and went to the library counter. She must have wanted to make many

improvements based on that book to complete the dish. Although she is a woman, it is a kind

of comfort to be able to taste it.  

    After I recovered, I looked around again to make sure that no one was around. Then I

pressed the wristband and turned into a woman.  

    I walked through the hall with a poker face, took a picture of my ID card and passed

through the library door.  

    I ran around the campus in the female Natsuru.  

    I didn't plan to go to Class 4, Grade 2 now. It would definitely not be a good thing. I will go

sooner or later, but there is a risk that my accounting classmates will persuade me to "invest

in uranium futures trading."  

    I went to the teacher's office to show my face, leaving the impression that I had been there

to the homeroom teacher who was addicted to handheld games, and then turned around.

Then we headed straight to the library.  

    We climbed the stairs and showed up at the student council office.  

    As soon as I saw Shizuku, I told her, "There are a lot of guests at Sakura Kaede's house."  

    Shizuku didn't remain speechless, but instead looked at me calmly.  

    "Could it be Akane?"  

    "Yeah."  

    I nodded vigorously.  

    "Threatened?"  

    "...Yeah."  

    That was a really shitty answer.  

    Shizuku's eyes flashed with contempt.  

    "How shameful."  

    "She's so violent."  

    "Even if she acts violently, she's still a girl. Why don't you be gentle with her?"  

    "No, Akane is a fierce dog at heart. She'll bark and bite like a dog. I don't want to be bitten

again."  

    Not only had she shot me, but she'd actually bit me.  

    So Shizuku stared at me.  

    "What I'm referring to is before the transformation."  

    "...Huh?"  

    Sorry, I don't understand what you're talking about.  

    "You're so dull."  

    "What?"  

    "...Well, I don't mind."  

    Hmm...I feel like I'm being played a monkey.  

    "Sure, if Akane wants to come, that's fine. I'll tell Sakura Kaede about it. She's very

hospitable, so she won't refuse."  

    "But Akane and Sakura Kaede don't have a good relationship."  

    "Let Natsuru handle this small issue."  

    "...Me?"  

    "A man's responsibility."  

    Eh—why is it my responsibility?  

    She seemed to be writing something while talking to me. I took a sneak peek and it

seemed to be related to the men's club.  

    "It's about the men's club's illegal underground activities department,"  

    Shizuku said calmly.  

    "The Bishoujo Research Society is very annoying. The color photo album is too much. Tell

Higashida not to go too far."  

    Wow, do you even know this? If it's come to this, it seems someone from the Student

Council is lurking in the Bishoujo Research Society. Hey, Higashida, you're being manipulated

there.  

    By the way, even I, the advisor, know about this. She hasn't said anything, but the fact that

she's bringing this up suggests she does.  

    I said, as if making an excuse,  

    "Don't say that. It's just a photo album, so you should just turn a blind eye."  

    "If this information, including the photos, gets out, I'll be in trouble. If it gets sold to the

public, it'll be troublesome."  

    I'd heard that the Seitetsu Academy list was being traded for a lot of money. Actually, I just

heard my accounting classmate say, "You can make a lot of money with this."  

    "I took a look at the brochure."  

    You really have.  

    "There are so many mistakes. It's unacceptable that such public information as a birthday

is wrong. You'd better correct Natsuru's information. The blood type is wrong."  

    By the way, how do you know my blood type? Did I tell you that?  

    "...In that case, the president's information must be wrong too."  

    "Yes, it says 'dumb people' under the type of boys I hate."  

    "You hate that kind of guys, right?"  

    "If I have to say, the type I don't like is boys who are not good at kissing."  

    I couldn't help but think of the beauty pageant and my face was getting hot. What are you

talking about?  

    Shizuku was very calm.  

    "Natsuru likes girls who are good at kissing?"  

    "You idiot...!"  

    "It doesn't matter if I'm not good at it?"  

    "That's not the case...!"  

    "It seems I'm not qualified. What a pity."  

    She said it without looking at all regretful. No, was she really regretful? I don't know.  

    I quickly changed the subject.  

    "Speaking of that visit to Sakura Kaede's house..."  

    "Oh," Shizuku said.  

    "Is this more important than kissing?"  

    "It's not important or not..."  

    "Kissing is not important?"  

    "That's why I say, Sakura Kaede..."  

    "I think Sakura Kaede should like boys who are good at kissing more than boys who are not

good at kissing."  

    "It's not about being good or not..."  

    "You might kiss Sakura Kaede one day, so don't you think you should be more careful?"  

    "Stop talking about that..."  

    "Is it okay if you don't talk about Sakura Kaede? Then who will you kiss?"  

    I'm sorry, I'm really sorry, please don't bully me anymore.  

    I don't know if it was a sneer or a sarcasm, but Shizuku kept her eyes on this topic and

talked. No, she seemed to be enjoying it, after all, she was S. Why am I so miserable? I was

kissed by Shizuku, I'm the victim. This is an abuse of the power of th e student council

president, I sue you.  

    I took a deep breath and adjusted my mentality.  

    "Hey... well, it's like this. Is it okay if we go to Sakura Kaede's house and mind our own

business?"  

    I knew Sakura Kaede's address by heart, but this was my first time actually going there. My

dream was that Sakura Kaede invited me and took me to her house.  

    Shizuku finally stopped bullying me.  

    "So you want to meet beforehand."  

    "Yeah."  

    "Sure. Bring Akane along too. She won't know the way around."  

    "That's fine then."  

    I didn't say anything else and prepared to leave the student council office.  

    Shizuku then said,  

    "You owe me this, too."  

    Of course, I pretended not to hear her. If I hesitated, I didn't know what would happen.  

    After we left, I realized I forgot to mention the Seppuku Tiger doll. Well, forget it, we can

talk about it later.  

    After leaving the student council office, I noticed I'd been rubbing my lips.  

    For some reason, I felt incredibly down.  

    I went downstairs to the library's first floor and realized I was hungry. It was lunchtime,

after all.  

    I'd thought about heading back to the men's section to eat, but then I realized I hadn't

brought anything with me. I've always loved sleeping in, but today I finally pulled off a six -

minute nap. I set my newly purchased alarm clock and woke up ten minu tes before it was

supposed to go off, but I'd already hit the "sleep for five more minutes" button six times in a

row. The alarm only went off once, but I'd woken and fallen back asleep precisely every five

minutes. When I finally woke up, I was overwhelme d with an indescribable feeling.  

    I knew full well that the world, especially the teachers, wouldn't recognize my greatness,

so I didn't pack a lunchbox or buy bread on the way to school, but headed straight to school.

Truly, great people are always cornered by the mundane world.  

    In a nutshell, it was "hungry and with nothing to eat." So, I had to either buy something at

the canteen or eat in the cafeteria.  

    The cafeteria was the best. The boys' cafeteria had one, but it was as eerie as a medieval

torture chamber, and the zombie -like old man who cooked the food kept chattering. There

was even a rumor that "eating there will make you immortal, wandering thi s world forever."

It is said that in order to dispel the unfounded negative rumors, all the school staff went to

the cafeteria to eat, but afterward everyone was silent and did not mention the matter again,

which made it more credible.  

    So I got up and headed to the girls' cafeteria. What was on the lunch menu today?  

    Akane wasn't in the library; it wasn't her shift today.  

    Just as I was about to leave, something moved in the corner of my vision.  

    "...?"  

    It was actually a person, and since it was a library, it wasn't surprising that there were

people around. But that movement was really strange, like it was hiding and secretly

observing me.  

    (Could it be a girl who likes me and wants to give me a love letter...)  

    I wasn't self -conscious enough to think that, but it still concerned me. I tried to get closer.  

    I peeked behind the steel bookshelf (I bought a new one because Akane and I had

damaged the old one). It looked like someone was there, but they immediately hid behind

another shelf.  

    "What the hell..."  

    I grumbled as I walked towards the inner bookshelf, but they disappeared again.  

    It moved to the back of another bookshelf. I walked over quickly and saw that it was still

not there.  

    I knew someone was there because of the footsteps, but who could it be?  

    I ran and looked behind the bookshelf, but it seemed that the other party also ran and hid

on the other side.  

    "...Damn it"  

    If that's the case, then come on. When I was in elementary school, I chased the guy who

put mud in my schoolbag for a whole day, and finally flooded his mailbox as revenge. Thanks

to this incident, I was given the unpleasant nickname "Rattlesnake".  

    I could vaguely see feet from the innermost bookshelf.  

    "Is it there!"  

    Sprint with all my strength, this time I must see your true face.  

    "Who is it!?"  

    I took a quick look, but there was no one, what?  

    The next moment, I noticed that the bracelet on my right wrist was emitting a bluish -white

light.  

    "Hahahahahahaha!"  

    A strange laugh came from above my head. Judging from the voice, it was a woman, but is

this a place for you to laugh? The library should be quiet.  

    Looking up, I found a girl standing on the bookshelf.  

    "Hahahaha, you're in trouble!"  

    It was a blonde student. It was the girl that Higashida mentioned in the photo. There was a

Japanese sword with a black scabbard hanging on her waist.  

    On her wrist was that bracelet, which was red in color. She was an enemy.  

    "You were lured here so easily. The blue one is really an idiot!"  

    What do you care?  

    "It's really useless to have such a guy as an enemy. It's just like a dirty doll."  

    She put her hands on her hips and laughed.  

    I didn't look directly at her because her skirt was so short, and if I looked up I'd see inside.

And it was black, by the way. Wow... so bold.  

    The girl, oblivious to this, mused.  

    "I'm your enemy, the Kämpfer, your opponent. A fair fight with me... huh...?"  

    The girl bent down and looked at me closely.  

    "...a female Natsuru!"  

    Did you just realize it now?  

    "So you're the enemy, huh? No wonder I felt something was off the top of my head the

moment I saw you! That's perfect! While it might hurt to beat up another Kämpfer, I won't

feel guilty about beating you!"  

    What kind of thinking is that? Even self -centeredness has its limits.  

    The girl lightly... seemingly unable to do so, she jumped up roughly and landed roughly. It

was a far cry from the gorgeousness; it felt like a loud bang.  

    Drawing out my Japanese sword, it flashed in the fluorescent light.  

    But I was scrutinizing the girl's face.  

    "...Kondou Mikoto?"  

    The girl before me panicked.  

    "I, I'm not Mikoto!"  

    "No, it's Mikoto."  

    "It's not Mikoto, I set it up that way!"  

    Then it couldn't be Mikoto, but it was Mikoto.  

    So, it's Kämpfer after all! It seems the dirty doll talking isn't just a mental thing, and it's an

enemy.  

    Mikoto shook her head, shrugged off my words.  

    "Stop talking nonsense! Go to hell!"  

    She raised her sword. By the way, has this guy ever practiced kendo?  

    "Watch out!"  

    "Wow!"  

    The sword swing looked amateurish, but it was Kämpfer's power after all. It cut through

the air at an inhuman speed.  

    I quickly dodged backward.  

    "Don't run away!"  

    "Impossible!"  

    Mikoto stopped moving suddenly.  

    "...your voice is so hoarse."  

    "That's..."  

    "It feels like it's similar to the Natsuru style. I'm not happy!"  

    "Because..."  

    Just as I was thinking about whether I should tell her the truth, the knife swung again.

Dangerous, dangerous.  

    A steel bookshelf fell down, cut in two by Mikoto. Wow, I wonder if Shizuku will add

another one.  

    I moved to the shadow of the books falling like an avalanche.  

    "Stop right there!"  

    I jumped onto another bookshelf before Mikoto came over.  

    "Ah! You actually imitated me!"  

    It's not your idea. Climbing onto bookshelves is not just for cats.  

    "Get down here! I saw your underwear! You have a bit of shame, don't you?"  

    Do you have the qualifications to criticize others?  

    I jumped from one bookshelf to another. I couldn't stay here any longer. I was hungry, and

if I was still dazed, Mikoto would chop me.  

    It was much faster than running under the bookshelves. After becoming a Kämpfer, my

motor nerves improved. I could easily complete the jumps that would normally make me

hesitate. Goodbye Mikoto~  

    But I was thinking too simply.  

    "Stop right there!"  

    The blonde Mikoto ran towards me, yelling, brandishing her Japanese sword, slicing

through the bookshelves as she ran in a straight line.  

    "Wow!!"  

    The bookshelves behind me collapsed one by one, like something out of a movie.  

    The library grew noisy, and yes, a girl was jumping between the shelves, and the

bookshelves behind her were collapsing one by one.  

    "Natsuru! I won't let you get away!"  

    "I won't let you succeed!"  

    Flames shot out from her shoulder, extending like a snake's tongue.  

    "You're so naive!"  

    Mikoto swung her sword, and the flames dispersed in mid -air and vanished.  

    I wanted to fire again, but hesitated. If I wasn't careful, I'd start a fire, which would be

disadvantageous to me here and advantageous to her.  

    Now I had no choice but to run. If I escaped to the men's section, Mikoto wouldn't be able

to catch me. Just when I thought of this, I realized that there were almost no more

bookshelves for me to jump from. Oops.  

    I jumped to the floor, and at the same time, the steel bookshelf broke into pieces.  

    On the other side of the bookshelf, Mikoto appeared.  

    "I got you!"  

    The voice was so loud. There was a staff member there, but this guy didn't care. Is it

because she lacks the self -awareness to say "I'm making a scene in the school library"? Oh, I

remember she seemed to say that she also shouted "This was stolen, and this too!" in the

British Museum.  

    "This time, you will understand!"  

    Are you kidding? After rolling to avoid the tip of the knife, I decided to use the same tactics

as when fighting Shizuku.  

    Release a fireball and hit it at the ceiling.  

    The flames burned the detector installed on the ceiling, and so...  

    Alarm bells blared, and sprinklers everywhere activated simultaneously, spewing water like

waterfalls.  

    "Ah!"  

    Mikoto, caught in the act, screamed. "Now's the time."  

    I stood up and ran as fast as I could.  

    "Ah—stop right there!"  

    No one's waiting for you! I ran to the school gate.  

    By the time I got home, it was already quite dark.  

    This was the second time there'd been a disturbance in the library, so the school was

conducting a very strict investigation. After all, even the sprinklers were activated.  

    All the boys were being investigated. It was a biased view that only boys would do such a

stupid thing. It was a bit of a prejudice, but there was something to it.  

    The school's investigation was over for now, and the culprit remained unknown. Natsuru

from the girls' club was a suspect, but she had an alibi and was cleared of all charges. As for

the other "mysterious blonde girl," her very existence was questioned .

    It was actually Shizuku who provided my alibi. She said, "She was with me the whole time."

Since it came from the top student at Seitetsu Academy, the story became more plausible,

and the case ended with "the culprit still unknown." But why did she lie  about me?  

    It seems Shizuku has noticed my involvement. The only person who would do something

like that is me, during my battle with Kämpfer. We haven't seen each other since that

incident, so I wonder if I owe her this.  

    I went out once, unmasked myself, and entered the boys' school openly through the gate.

This led to suspicions like, "Did you escape during lunch break?" But there was nothing I

could do about it.  

    They even called me in for an investigation, so I got home late.  

    Akane wasn't waiting for me in the room today, but I summoned her.  

    "...Did something like this happen..."  

    She said, holding a coffee cup in both hands. This is theoretically my room, but she seems

to be quite used to it and is very relaxed.  

    "The library was closed suddenly, and everyone was talking about what happened..."  

    "Sorry, it was my fault."  

    I lowered my head.  

    Akane was very frustrated, because she loves books very much, she must feel very sad. I'm

so sorry.  

    "...And then, the enemy Kämpfer appeared, right."  

    Seppuku Tiger spoke.  

    "Well, she was wielding a Japanese sword."  

    "Oh~ She used a sword."  

    "Same as Shizuku."  

    The only difference is that the student council president has two short swords, and she

only has one, but it's very long.  

    "Do you know the true identity of that person?"  

    "Yes, it's Kondou Mikoto."  

    Not only the Seppuku Tiger, but also the dejected Akane raised her head.  

    "As expected..."  

    The man and the tiger sighed at the same time. It didn't seem to be a big shock. In some

ways, it was just as expected.  

    "Kondou Mikoto, it's red..."  

    Akane said.  

    "You're right, it's shiny."  

    "What else does it look like?"  

    "Blonde hair... I think. Her personality is the same as usual, but her emotions are very

high."  

    That's why she can chop down the bookshelf so calmly. That unhesitating attitude is

probably worthy of respect.  

    "That Kondou Mikoto girl, how is she doing in the women's department?"  

    Akane shook her head lightly.  

    "No... After class, she met with Masumi Nishino, but they were all talking about beauty

pageant photo albums, the Girls' News Club, and the Bishoujo Research Society..."  

    These two organizations are probably clashing over the distribution of profits. Later, I

heard that Class 4, Grade 2 of the Girls' Department was also involved, apparently trying to

expand the market with the supplementary maid photo album. But only th e accounting

students knew about this underground channel, so after all, there must have been a conflict.  

    "Really... Is there any way to confirm Kondou Mikoto's situation?"  

    "I don't know..."  

    "That guy, as usual, really scared me."  

    The only change was her hair color, just like Shizuku.  

    "She must have thought it through before doing the Kämpfer thing..."  

    "Who knows? I've never heard of her having any troubles."  

    Didn't she boast, "Don't worry!" when she had to cross the border without a visa,

passport, or cash? Instead of just accepting her fate, I think she might actively try to

intervene.  

    "..."

    Akane said, her expression serious,  

    "I don't really want to... fight Kondou Mikoto."  

    "After all... we knew each other and were friends, but now we're enemies. This is so sad...

is there nothing we can do..."  

    Moisture welled up in her eyes. She was truly a gentle girl, second only to Sakura Kaede in

gentleness.  

    Thinking calmly, it was indeed a tragedy. It was like family members were forced to

separate in East and West Germany and had to confront each other with guns. Although we

used guns, magic, and swords.  

    To Akane, she was a friend, but to me, she was a childhood sweetheart. That guy wielded a

Japanese sword so skillfully, but I couldn't attack her seriously because of this.  

    "It would be nice to talk to her..."  

    "Yes..."  

    The air grew heavy, and when...  

    "Hey~~Natsuru~~!!"  

    A loud voice came from outside the window.  

    There's no need to look, mention Cao Cao and she's here.  

    "I'm coming up!"  

    There's no point in stopping her, this guy has excellent unlocking skills, and the door lock

will be opened in three minutes. Look, I thought I heard the metal sound just now and she's

already running up the stairs.  

    "Yeah~!"  

    She opened the door with a cheerful expression.  

    "Natsuru, did you eat well - um?"  

    Kondou Mikoto turned her head.  

    "Akane? You come here often lately."  

    Aren't you too? Akane nodded silently.  

    We were all silent, and of course Seppuku Tiger didn't say anything.  

    Kondou Mikoto's expression was very puzzled.  

    "What are you doing? You're not talking."  

    "..."

    "Are you unhappy because I came? What, are you bullying me?"  

    No, no, no, I'm just embarrassed by your innate cheerfulness.  

    Besides, everyone was a little emotional just now, so it was hard to look directly at Kondou

Mikoto. Akane seemed a little too emotional, covering her eyes with a handkerchief.  

    Of course, Kondou Mikoto wasn't the type to notice such things. She sat down on the

tatami, legs crossed.  

    "Hey~ Hey. Hey, I have something I want to ask you."  

    "...What is it?"  

    "Do you know Kämpfer?"  

    "Huh!?"  

    I jumped up from my seated position in surprise. Akane's glasses flew off at her words.  

    "Hey what?"  

    "No, that... Kämpfer...?"  

    I asked in shock.  

    "Hmm, it seems to exist for battle. I think I was chosen, hahaha~"  

    Hahaha, you little fool, we are idiots for getting emotional about you. This guy really has

no worries. Even if all humans in the world were wiped out and I was the only one left, it

seems I could still happily recall funny things.  

    "Uh... how did you become...?"  

    "That thing talked. See, it's the Suffocating Wild Dog. After I brought it home, it suddenly

started talking. It seems I didn't hear it wrong before. I was startled and then I heard it telling

fairy tale -like stories."  

    "You, you just believed it...?"  

    "I believed it because I transformed and became blonde."  

    "You don't feel any sighs or sadness..."  

    "No,"  

    she replied quickly with a smile. It's good to be optimistic.  

    Akane was still very surprised, holding the glasses she picked up in a daze. I understand

how you feel.  

    "And then, Natsuru, don't you have a dirty doll here too?"  

    "Hmm... over there."  

    A Seppuku Tiger sat on the table, and I didn't know if it was my imagination, but I felt it

shudder.  

    "That tiger, can't it talk?"  

    "Uh..."  

    Sweat spurted down my back.  

    If I told her it could talk, Kondou Mikoto would definitely ask, "Are you a Kämpfer, too?"

And then, the color would be the enemy, meaning friend or foe. At this rate, this place would

inevitably become a battlefield.  

    "No..."  

    "Can it talk?"  

    "Uh..."  

    I stammered, but Kondou Mikoto understood.  

    "Well, it can't talk, can it?"  

    "Yeah, yeah."  

    "A talking doll is unheard of, hahahaha."  

    That's unheard of, and I've experienced it before you.  

    I patted my chest to calm down, and Akane put on her glasses with peace of mind. But she

still seemed to be shaking, and put her glasses on the wrong way three times.  

    "You, are you here just to talk about this?"  

    "Yes."  

    It was as if she was saying "It's natural."  

    "What..."  

    "Ah~ You don't believe it, right? How about I transform now and show you."  

    "No need."  

    If you transform, we will be tricked into transforming too, and then it will end up as a

battlefield.  

    "Believe me."  

    "I believe, I believe you so don't transform."  

    "It's amazing, your whole body is wrapped in light and your hair turns blonde. Although

your clothes won't be torn~"  

    "That doesn't matter."  

    Kondou Mikoto stared at me closely.  

    "...I'll transform for you to see now."  

    "Don't transform!"  

    I hurriedly stopped her.  

    "I believe, I believe you so don't transform here."  

    "...Well...well, forget it."  

    She didn't look like she accepted it, but she didn't transform anyway. Akane also breathed

a sigh of relief, and the silence lasted for a while.  

    I asked tremblingly,  

    "Kondou Mikoto, what did Kämpfer fight for?"  

    "I don't know."  

    Quick answer, that's right, we don't know either.  

    "I fought during the day, with the blue Kämpfer."  

    "...Oh...?"  

    "Ah, you don't believe it?"  

    "I believe you."  

    The opponent in the battle is me.  

    "Well, that girl can shoot fire from her hands. Just like a magician, is it some kind of water

art show? In daily life, it seems that it can only be used to light gas. Does she really want to

fight with that?"  

    "..."

    Ignoring my somewhat disappointed look, Kondou Mikoto smiled.  

    "Well, I fought her, but she escaped. You're such a smart girl, aren't you?"  

    "I'm so sorry."  

    "Huh? What?"  

    "Nothing."  

    Kondou Mikoto shut up, then continued, teasing us.  

    "And then, the enemy, Kämpfer, is a famous figure."  

    "...famous figure?"  

    "Yes,"  

    Kondou Mikoto smirked.  

    "Want to know?"  

    "No need."  

    "Oh, don't you want to know?"  

    Kondou Mikoto kept hinting, "Just ask me," but I wasn't interested, because that was me.  

    "You want to know, right?"  

    "I already said no need."  

    "Just say 'Please tell me, Mikoto -sama.'"  

    "Who can tell me?"  

    If it's 'Please tell me, Sakura Kaede -sama,' you can say it as many times as you want. I'll

even lick the inside of Sakura Kaede's shoes. I'm not an M, but I'm an exception for Sakura

Kaede. There are many boys like that. I even met one who YY licked t he ground wherever

Sakura Kaede walked.  

    Kondou Mikoto puffed her cheeks and turned her head away.  

    "Then I won't tell you."  

    "Then forget it."  

    "Hmph."  

    You already said that, so don't tell me that. I want to ask you something else.  

    "Regarding the topic just now, you really don't know the reason for Kämpfer's battle?"  

    "...Even though I said I don't know."  

    Kondou Mikoto seemed unhappy, but she still answered.  

    "Ah...but it said we must win the battle."  

    "Who doesn't like to lose?"  

    "No, what's the point of saying winning will save the world...huh? The country or the

world?"  

    Kondou Mikoto tilted her head, and Akane and I also had questions in our heads.  

    This was the first time we'd heard of this. We were told to fight but not given a reason.

This was the first time I'd heard about what happened after the battle.  

    "What else... what was it? I think I was in charge of surveillance."  

    "Isn't it about fighting?"  

    "They were monitoring us while defeating the enemy. They said there might be a traitor.

What a hassle."  

    "...Is it okay for you to tell me all this?"  

    "It's okay. No one will take it seriously."  

    She laughed again. No, no, no, they will take it seriously. But no matter how I think about

it, this traitor is Shizuku. This student council president is a conspirator who wants to find out

the true identity of the mediator. Her words, "If we strike f irst, they might send someone to

monitor us," have actually come true.  

    "Um... and, did the doll tell you who to monitor?"  

    "What, Natsuru? You're so interested?"  

    Kondou Mikoto glared at me, and I said with a silly smile,  

    "Oh, well, it's okay. I quite like how she's pinched like a manga."  

    "I don't read manga, and it's not very clear. It says that since there's no clear evidence,

everyone on our side is a suspect."  

    "If the enemy is defeated, then everyone on our side is a suspect..."  

    "In a way, it's clear."  

    That's what I said, but it's very troublesome. If I had to shoulder such a mission, I would

have thrown the Seppuku Tiger onto the highway to be run over by a truck out of exhaustion

and pressure. If it were Akane, she might have been hospitalized.  

    "Yeah~ But it seems like I've had a valuable experience. I'm so happy."  

    How optimistic are you?  

    "Kondou Mikoto, you've always been like this."  

    "Don't you think it's interesting? It's even more exciting than being chased by leopards in

Africa while searching for Neolithic fossils. If I had lived a normal life, I would never have had

such an experience."  

    To say it so openly is nothing short of amazing. Only people like this can survive to a

natural death in such a stressful modern society.  

    Kondou Mikoto glanced at the clock.  

    "It's time for dinner, Natsuru. You were planning to eat fast food or takeout anyway."  

    "Yes."  

    "I'll make it for you."  

    Kondou Mikoto smiled proudly.  

    "Where are the ingredients..."  

    "I've already bought them."  

    She's so kind. Akane also wanted to stand up.  

    "I'll help too..."  

    "Ah~ No need, Akane,"  

    Kondou Mikoto forcefully stopped her.  

    "You always make it, but today I have to."  

    "It's not going to be grilled lizard or skewered snake meat or anything like that, is it?"  

    "You want that?"  

    "No."  

    "Those taste good, too."  

    "Anything ordinary will do."  

    Kondou Mikoto had lived overseas for a long time, especially in uncultivated areas, so she

could eat wild ingredients with ease. She once proudly boasted about eating raw rhinoceros

beetle larvae.  

    She came down the stairs, and Akane and I finally breathed a sigh of relief.  

    "Huh..."  

    "It's Kondou Mikoto after all."  

    "Yeah, no secrets, that's just her style."  

    Even though she has no secrets, we still need to hide it. Let me repeat that Kondou Mikoto

and I are enemies, different colors of Kämpfer.  

    "Should we tell the president about this?"  

    The one who asked this was Seppuku Tiger. Is it because my shoulders are sore from all the

pretending to be a doll, clattering? Actually, it's the doll.  

    "Yes, we should tell her."  

    "But if we tell her, Kondou Mikoto will be dealt with."  

    "Ah...that's true."  

    There's a precedent.  

    What color it is has nothing to do with Shizuku. If she judges that this person is in the way,

she will do it without hesitation, without even blinking an eye. It's useless for Akane and I to

stop it, or it's more likely that we will be dealt with toge ther.  

    "Keep silent..."  

    Akane asked.  

    "Hmm..."  

    I replied,  

    "Let's not tell the president, and don't tell Kondou Mikoto. Let's buy time and think about

what we can do."  

    "Yeah..."  

    Akane seemed to accept it, though it was just a matter of getting by. The always joking

Seppuku Tiger agreed, "That's it."  

    Then, a loud voice from downstairs shouted,  

    "Dinner time~!"  

    So we went downstairs to the living room. Curry was on the table, along with some pickles

and some water.  

    I was disappointed, literally,  

    "...Curry."  

    "I didn't make it last time, so I have to this time."  

    What are you so proud of? You're still puffing up your chest.  

    "Don't you like curry, Natsuru?"  

    "I do, but every time you come to my house, it's curry, right? Curry curry curry curry, and

occasionally ramen."  

    "Curry is delicious, so it's okay."  

    "You always eat curry in restaurants wherever you travel, don't you? Don't you want to try

local specialties?"  

    "Because you can't eat curry abroad. You can't have curry udon in the Amazon."  

    Kondou Mikoto grumbled with a pointed lip. Even though it's your personal experience,

why are you always being so extreme? I've never been abroad.  

    "I worked so hard to make this... I'll eat it, then."  

    "I'll eat it, I'll eat it."  

    They sat down on the chair, dipping their spoons into the water in their cups. Wow, this

really is a restaurant.  

    Everyone said, "I'm eating!" and began to eat.  

    I mixed the soup into the rice and slid it into my mouth. It tasted… hmm.  

    Kondou Mikoto stared at me.  

    "How was it?"  

    "… ordinary."  

    There was no other adjective to describe it. It tasted a bit different from the ones I'd get at

a restaurant, at home, or at a fast food restaurant. How should I put it… curry rice.  

    "What… tell me something else?"  

    "It's really ordinary."  

    "That's not what I meant."  

    Kondou Mikoto seemed displeased, not eating herself but visibly puffing her cheeks.  

    Akane, who was sitting next to me, tugged at my sleeve.  

    (Natsuru… you better praise her…)  

    (Why?)  

    (Why… because… because…)  

    (But it tastes just ordinary.)  

    (Forget about that, just praise her.)  

    (Really?)  

    (Really…)  

    Akane ended her conversation with me and happily began to eat her curry with a smile on

her face.  

    "The food that Kondou Mikoto cooked is delicious."  

    Kondou Mikoto's expression instantly brightened.  

    "Really? Thank you~ Oh~ I'm so glad Akane finally understands this flavor. It wasn't in

vain~"  

    As bright as a lightbulb that was turned on and off, Kondou Mikoto started eating. Akane

kept saying, "It's delicious."  

    "... Kondou Mikoto."  

    I felt alienated, so I said.  

    "Why?"  

    "I think it's quite delicious."  

    "Go to hell."  

    Such an excessive answer.  

    I could only eat curry in a very subtle, or rather completely excluded, state. Kondou Mikoto

and Akane chatted casually. Is it really the fate of men to be persecuted by women?  

    I had no choice but to reach for the remote control and turn on the TV. The news was on.  

    The national weather forecast ended and the local news began.  

    The person reading the manuscript was the abbess who had recently been having an affair

with the president of an IT company. For a while, this woman was described in a women's

magazine as a demonic woman, and any man involved with her would go bankrupt  one after

another. I remember that her ex -husband, who divorced her, was imprisoned for corruption.  

    There were rumors that she sucked men's wealth to gain beauty.  

    "...The urban hot spring facility that opened at the station a month ago has become

extremely popular. Tonight's special episode is about the resort's return to the city."  

    The theme song sounded, and the CG -processed logo rolled back and forth.  

    "...This one is at the nearby station,"  

    Kondou Mikoto said, holding a spoon. Hey, how uneducated.  

    "Yes..."  

    Akane said. The two of them were watching TV without realizing it.  

    "Look at that building, it's not the one that was under construction a while ago."  

    "Now that you mention it, it seems like that time has come..."  

    I've passed by it a few times. Originally, there was a picture of a big brother in work

clothes, with his head lowered, saying "I'm sorry for the inconvenience." Then, maybe he

thought it didn't matter, as if he was saying "I still won't apologize~" an d it disappeared. It

turns out that it was built.  

    "An urban hot spring..."  

    I murmured. It's what's called a SPA, right? I remember this place was originally a

bathhouse.  

    "Why don't you go and have a look on your next day off? It's nice to be beautiful."  

    "It must be very beautiful, it's fresh out of the oven..."  

    A conversation between two girls. It's just as easy as talking about bread, well, it doesn't

matter.  

    At this time, Akane asked me,  

    "Natsuru... Speaking of the day off, I remembered..."  

    "Huh?"  

    Akane hesitated for some reason.  

    "Um... um, aren't we going to Sakura Kaede's house this time?"  

    "Yeah."  

    "Um... um... should I bring any weapons... a kitchen knife or something..."  

    What is this girl talking about?  

    "No, I don't think so."  

    "But, but I have decided to protect Natsuru from Sakura Kaede, and I would feel uneasy if I

don't bring a weapon... but I don't have any weapons at home, so maybe buying a metal

baseball bat would be a better idea..."  

    Wait, what are you trying to do to Sakura Kaede?  

    I thought it was a joke, but it turned out to be quite serious. She even asked, "How should I

attack if I fight Sakura Kaede?"  

    "I, I... don't have much strength. Would a sneak attack be better... If I attack from behind,

wouldn't a hammer be better than a metal bat...?"  

    "Wait a minute, why is it based on a fight with Sakura Kaede?"  

    "Because we don't know what Sakura Kaede will do to Natsuru..."  

    She said that, but why did it turn into a fight or even murder? This girl is unexpectedly

sinister.  

    Akane seemed to have made a big decision and was very serious.  

    "So a hammer won't work...?"  

    "That's not what I meant..."  

    "Then I'll go to the hardware store and buy a nail gun...!"  

    Hey, you're getting more and more extreme.  

    Then she went on to talk about shovels, hammers, and wrenches, finally delivering a

dangerous line: "I don't want to start a fire because it would injure the neighbors, but if I

have to..." In the Edo period, arson was punishable by hanging one's body on a prison door,

and in modern society, even committing robbery, murder, and arson seems to carry the

death penalty.  

    "What? Are you guys going somewhere to play?"  

    Kondou Mikoto asked.  

    "Hmm."  

    "Are you going to Sakura Kaede's house?"  

    "Yes..."  

    "Oh, then Natsuru can't go."  

    "What? I'm the one invited."  

    "You're bragging!"  

    Kondou Mikoto's expression made her say that even boasting requires careful planning.  

    "I'm not bragging..."  

    "How could a guy like you be invited? That person might be very friendly, but no boy can

get close to her, right?"  

    "Ah..."  

    I couldn't help but open my mouth. That's right, it was me, the girl, who was invited. I had

overlooked it because it was just a casual chat. I made the same mistake I made when I was

talking to classmate Sakura Kaede. Really, I really can't improve.  

    Kondou Mikoto looked at me suspiciously.  

    "What? Were you really invited?"  

    "No... No. I was just fantasizing about it."  

    I answered stiffly, and Akane followed suit with a silly smile.  

    "Yes, yes... I'm the only one going..."  

    "Oh, I'm so jealous of Akane, so I fantasized about going together..."  

    "... What a lonely man you are!"  

    Kondou Mikoto sighed speechlessly. She was so arrogant.  

    "It's because you're always talking about Sakura Kaede and Sakura Kaede that you're like

this. What's the point of being rich? You can't survive just by imagining things."  

    "What imagining? You..."  

    "Why don't you find a girl next to you?"  

    Who are you referring to?  

    You're really just eating at a buffet and talking without restraint, as if I'm a villain. But I

can't tell her the truth.  

    I have no choice but to whisper to Akane.  

    (You don't need to bring weapons)  

    (Really...)  

    (Really? Just buy some snacks...)  

    (Hey... Poisoned...?)  

    (Don't say the same thing to the girl in Class 4!)  

    Are you affected? Akane.  

    Kondou Mikoto turned off the TV after the news ended, and I was still watching. Then give

me the remote control.  

    "Are you free next weekend, Natsuru?"  

    "I think so."  

    "Oh~ I'm planning to go with Masumi Nishino and the others. Are you coming too?"  

    "No, we're going to karaoke or something."  

    "What do you mean by 'at least'? It's rare for them to invite you."  

    How could one not have a bad feeling when Kondou Mikoto and Masumi Nishino were

going out together? If they weren't going to karaoke, they'd be peeping into other people's

homes, or looking for couples' cars parked in the park, and then they'd be peepi ng anyway.  

    And I was going to play at Sakura Kaede's house, so of course I couldn't go with you.  

    "I was just sleeping at home that day."  

    "Sleeping again? You really do love naps."  

    "It doesn't cost money and it helps you regain your strength. It's a win -win."  

    "It's not a game... well, forget it, just sleep."  

    I replied with an "oh." Now that she's just become Kämpfer, is she still in the mood to play?

She's really a woman without a sense of crisis.  

    I winked at Akane, meaning that we should talk about going to Sakura Kaede's house later,

and then I wolfed down the cold curry rice.  

    The next day at school, my stomach felt heavy since morning. Because Kondou Mikoto

made too much curry, I had curry for breakfast. There was still some left in the pot, so dinner

was scheduled to be curry again. Tomorrow it's curry, and the day after t omorrow it's curry.

I'm going to eat curry for a while. Indians don't eat that much curry, right?  

    The boys' second grade class four was all discussing the "library collapse incident" that

happened yesterday. The collapse was too exaggerated.  

    Of course, the main person at the center of the discussion was Higashida. This guy

generously shared information he'd gotten from who knows where.  

    "It seems like two women are fighting over one man,"  

    this idiot said as if it were real, and the audience erupted in "oohs."  

    "A first -year girl and a second -year girl got into a fight over a boy. I heard the first -year girl

even pulled out a Japanese sword and started slashing."  

    True or false, I tried my best to pretend I hadn't heard.  

    "A Japanese sword... is that real? It's just a rumor,"  

    Hanzawa expressed doubt, but Higashida denied it outright.  

    "It's real. Judging from the cuts in the collapsed bookshelves, it was caused by the blade. I

heard it was snapped in two with a clean, crisp movement."  

    "The library's steel bookshelves are practically destroyed, right? Could a Japanese sword

have cut through them like that?"  

    "That's a question, but people are wondering if that girl has the strength of a gorilla."  

    It's probably true. Transforming into a Kämpfer would certainly increase her strength.  

    "So who was the boy who was kidnapped?"  

    "It's still a mystery. Right now, the news department of the men's and women's

departments, the channel department that collects legends of Seitetsu, and the gossip

research club are all working hard to investigate, but there's no clue."  

    Hanzawa and other spectators were saying things like "I see," "What a pity," and "Which

happy family is this?" It's not like they were fighting over a man, you'll never find him in your

lifetime.  

    I didn't join in on the topic. Although Higashida has been inviting me, if I had joined rashly,

I might have accidentally let the truth out.  

    At this time, classmate A walked in from outside the classroom and approached my desk.  

    "Hey, Natsuru."  

    I don't know why he spoke in a low voice, "Are you catching a cold?"  

    "There's a guest."  

    "Who is it?"  

    "A guest."  

    "So I'm asking who you are."  

    "You'll know when you get there."  

    I was forcibly taken away.  

    We walked out to the hallway, and there was our student council president, Shizuku.  

    "What... President?"  

    "What 'what'?"  

    Shizuku crossed her arms over her chest and looked at me. She had something hanging

around her neck, which must have been a pass. If she was a celebrity, she could have gotten

in just by looking good, but at a time like this, she would have definitely followed the rules.  

    Was it just a mental issue? Her eyes were cold.  

    "Uh... What's up?"  

    "..."

    She narrowed her eyes and glared at me. The student who called me poked me on the

back.  

    "Hey, how can you talk to the student council president?"  

    "What do you mean?"  

    "This is Shizuku -sama... the student council president. You should have some manners!"  

    This guy actually called her Shizuku -sama. Are you a member of the "club that was scolded

by Shizuku -sama?"  

    But I had no idea what Shizuku was trying to say. I'm used to it, but to the boys in the

men's club, Shizuku is like a goddess.  

    But it's too shameless to still be polite after such a situation.  

    "...What are you doing?"  

    The boys around me exploded when they heard my inconsiderate or even rude words.

Looking closely, I saw that the corridor was full of bachelors who wanted to see Shizuku even

for a moment. A semicircle formed with Shizuku and me at the center.  

    "Of course there's something."  

    Shizuku said coldly,  

    huh? Why did this adult look so angry? Her tone was as calm as usual, but I felt that there

was some emotion in it now.  

    "So what is it..."  

    "Come with me."  

    She turned around without waiting for my answer.  

    I walked behind her through the corridor and down the stairs, and there were a lot of boys

following behind me.  

    After leaving the school building, she raised her chin as she was wondering "Where should

I go?"  

    "Come to me."  

    "Where are you going?"  

    "Never mind, just come here."  

    I did as she said. The men behind me started to make a noise, and someone shouted

"You're actually on the same page as Shizuku -sama!" It seemed like they were really saying it.  

    She didn't think anything of what I said, or perhaps she didn't want to do that.  

    We started walking.  

    "So where are you going?"  

    "I don't have a destination, I just want to talk."  

    What the hell. Shizuku was literally walking around the boys' campus, and the boys behind

her were also walking around.  

    "...About the library."  

    "It would be very troublesome for me if I caused such a commotion."  

    "Hey, what are you talking about..."  

    I tried my best to play dumb, but it didn't seem to work.  

    "The sprinkler was activated by the flame, and the bookshelf was cut by the blade.

Natsuru, are you trying to say that you have nothing to do with this?"  

    "I don't understand what you are talking about..."  

    "The bookshelves in that library were all newly purchased. Not only the new ones, but the

old ones were also chopped down. Because of the sprinkler, all the books got wet, and the

library has to be closed for a while because it needs to be cleaned and rebuilt. Where do you

let the students who are studying for the exam go? The repair costs can be withdrawn from

the special expenses of the student council, but there is a limit."  

    "Uh...well..."  

    "And if I didn't testify that 'she was with me', the female Natsuru would be a suspect, do

you understand?"  

    "No...this..."  

    "Do you understand?"  

    "...Sorry."  

    I raised the white flag in an instant. Shizuku is the best at being aggressive, and honestly, I

can't learn it even if I want to.  

    "I hope you can be a little understanding of me."  

    "..."

    I was speechless.  

    The people following behind were still saying things like "You actually talked to the

president", "So jealous", "Natsuru can go to hell", etc., but Shizuku was mad at me.  

    Shizuku's tone was still the same as always.  

    "So who are you fighting with?"  

    "...Huh?"  

    "Your opponent. You're not going to tell me it's not a fight between Kämpfer."  

    "Well..."  

    I couldn't answer. Actually, I could, but I wasn't sure how Shizuku felt about Kondou

Mikoto, so I couldn't bring myself to say it. This woman is so cold -blooded. While I'm no

Seppuku Tiger, I also think my childhood sweetheart might be killed.  

    "What's wrong?"  

    "Uh... well..."  

    "Who are you fighting?"  

    "Hehe..."  

    Shizuku, trying to brush it off with a smile, glared at me and said,  

    "Then I'll hook you."  

    "Huh?"  

    "I'll hook your arm."  

    Without waiting for a reply, Shizuku's right arm forcefully hooked around my left.  

    "Hey hey hey hey hey!?"  

    It wasn't just me; the bachelors behind me cried out in grief as well.  

    "Shizuku -sama... actually did that..."  

    "Can you please forgive me, Natsuru!"  

    "What did you make the student council president do!"  

    Is it my fault!? Why why why why!?  

    The gang behind me cast murderous glances at me. This must be the unchanging rule for

single high school boys: "Erase the things you don't believe from your memory and rewrite

them to make them reasonable." It was rewritten as me forcing Shizuku.  

    "Walk properly."  

    "But, but..."  

    "Don't look back."  

    Shizuku pressed her chest against me, and my heart raced in response. It was similar to the

situation at the "quasi -maid cafe," but this time it was more direct, and now I was the man.  

    I racked my brains to find a way out of this predicament.  

    "Hey, this school doesn't forbid this kind of socializing..."  

    "If you don't tell anyone, no one will know."  

    Are you still the student council president if you're like this?  

    "Then tell me, who are you fighting with?"  

    What kind of torture is this?  

    "You don't have to answer, but if I let go now, I don't know what the boys behind me will

do."  

    Ah—so you're just walking around the boys' campus? You're really thoughtful. This isn't a

torture, it's a threat.  

    "The end justifies the means. My strategy will change depending on which Kämpfer you're

fighting. Tell me."  

    "Uh... um..."  

    "Let's talk it over. When a man and a woman are arm in arm, the man should be the one to

bring up the topic."  

    "Uh..."  

    "Just treat it like you're on a date with me. Be a bit more talkative."  

    "..."

    I can't do that.  

    "Ah..."  

    Shizuku's voice became a little stiffer, and the strength with which she hooked me also

increased. Huh? Did your pride get hurt?  

    "Look at me."  

    I did as I was told, and wow, there was an expression in front of me that looked like dry ice.  

    "You're not going to say anything?"  

    "..."

    "If you're not going to say anything... I'll take your lips right here."  

    Well, please forgive me on this one.  

    You've already stolen my first kiss, and if you take my second kiss (is there such a thing)

too, I won't have anything to give to Sakura Kaede.  

    Besides, if this happens, the boys whose murderous indignation has skyrocketed from just

now will riot. Just try to let them see Shizuku's kissing scene, they will go berserk and kill me

before they pass out. It doesn't matter who initiates it, I'm jus t evil. If I saw Sakura Kaede's

kissing scene, I would riot too, so it's understandable.  

    "No... this... I wanted to refuse..."  

    "It would be rude of me to refuse, but please forgive me this time. Tell me, who are you

fighting?"  

    "..."

    "Who?"  

    "..."

    "Is it better to hit you instead of kissing you?"  

    "I... I know..."  

    I couldn't handle it anymore, so I confessed the situation about Kondou Mikoto.  

    Shizuku was not surprised, nor did she sigh. She just nodded slightly.  

    "It turns out that it was Kondou Mikoto who received the bouquet."  

    "Didn't Sakura Kaede give out dirty dolls in the preparation room? What happened to

those?"  

    "It doesn't seem abnormal, but of course it's possible."  

    What a trouble! Does this mean that there is a possibility that another Kämpfer will appear

in this school?  

    I carefully asked the question that concerned me most,  

    "What are you going to do... to Kondou Mikoto?"  

    "What do you want me to do?"  

    "I hope you don't."  

    "Impossible."  

    Shizuku spoke without hesitation, and my opinion was instantly rejected. Ah... after all, I

shouldn't have told this woman.  

    "Looks like we need to come up with a plan. Although I won't tell you yet."  

    "Do you want to kill Kondou Mikoto?"  

    "Don't get me wrong, I have no plans to defeat her, at this point."  

    "Really?"  

    "Yes, I can get information through Kondou Mikoto, and I can also get information through

Sakura Kaede. So I won't defeat her."  

    "Really..."  

    "Satisfied?"  

    Not really. In other words, if I find out what I need to know, I might be able to defeat her.

Well, it seems the current danger has been averted.  

    Shizuku continued,  

    "But if Kondou Mikoto attacks, it will be different. I will not show mercy."  

    Her voice was cold again, and I answered reflexively,  

    "That... there's nothing I can do."  

    "Good boy,"  

    I glanced at Shizuku beside me.  

    "She's the Red Kämpfer, my enemy. But if she's against the president, I'll help Kondou

Mikoto fight you."  

    I'll be frank. No matter what, we're childhood sweethearts. The same can't be said for the

years we've been together with the third -year classmate I barely talk to.  

    Shizuku sighed... no way.  

    "It's quite impressive if you insist."  

    "Hmph."  

    "Looks like there's something missing from your chance to be mine."  

    "What?"  

    "Anything."  

    She let go of my arm, and the murderous aura behind her faded a little.  

    "I've asked everything I wanted to ask, thank you."  

    "You feel threatened."  

    "It's good that it ended peacefully."  

    "Really?"  

    My heart is beating like crazy. If it stops, are you going to give me a heart massage?  

    Ding -dong, ding -dong, the ringtones echoed throughout the boys' and girls' campuses. It's

the signal that "classes are about to start."  

    Shizuku left me and walked towards the girls' department.  

    "That's it, don't be late this Saturday."  

    "I'm late, right?... Hey, are you just going to abandon me here?"  

    The bachelors stared at me fiercely, as if they were ready to eat me. Their murderous

intent was a little less intense, but there was no doubt that I would be torn into pieces or

beheaded.  

    Shizuku's answer to this question was as useless as ever.  

    "If I'm lucky, I'll be saved."  

    It was true. When I finally reached the classroom after dodging the bachelors' attacks, I

almost wanted to believe in a miracle.  

Translator's Notes

This chapter was translated from the Chinese translation of the original Japanese text.

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