Kämpfer:Volume 10.5 Chapter 3

Volume 10.5 Chapter 3  

    Chapter 3: "Dolls, Seniors, and Me"  

    In a room in a large, apparently lifeless house, Shizuku Sangou opened her eyes.  

    Sunlight streamed in through the gaps in the curtains. It looked like a sunny day today.

How wonderful!  

    Mornings are fair to everyone. Whether you're asleep or awake, the sun will still rise.

Regardless of social disparities, the sun alone is equally blessed by all. It's truly a gift from

heaven.  

    Though the clouds obscured the sun, I couldn't say anything like that. Of course, there are

differences depending on the location. It might be raining a few kilometers away, which

might have something to do with the crop yields. It also varies from cou ntry to country.  

    Thinking of this, she shook her head slightly. What an idiot! A mere high school student

actually caring about the world's weather? Imagination is important, but it's almost time for

school. Today isn't just about studying; there are a lot of things to  deal with. I need to keep

these ridiculous thoughts to a minimum.  

    There are some absurdities, though. I'm in a very awkward position right now. I'd planned

to be a normal high school student, but things are starting to get weird.  

    I got up from bed and stretched my shoulders a little. While they weren't stiff, they still felt

a bit heavy. It would have been nice to have someone to massage them. Unfortunately, I'm

basically living on my own now, having to manage my health on my o wn.

    My father, the man who built our home, has moved in with his lover and isn't home much.

My mother, dedicated to her career, won't be home again, as expected. So, I'm left with

having to do everything myself.  

    Shizuku has always been called an adult. That's because she doesn't have anyone to guide

her, and if she doesn't work hard, she won't be able to survive. Naturally, she's adopted the

mindset of "doing what I can do myself," and her abilities have grown  along with her body. I

only recently learned that dinner was eaten by the family. It's simply because of this family

environment that she's forced to do everything herself. Unconsciously, she's been called the

all-around president, probably because of thi s family environment. Shizuku got out of bed in

a T-shirt and underwear. Then, a voice boomed from the corner of the room.  

    "Good morning, Shizuku -sama."  

    "Yes, good morning." Anyone who saw this would definitely think it was a strange greeting.

The words themselves weren't strange, but the person Shizuku was greeting wasn't a human,

but a stuffed animal made of synthetic fibers.  

    The cat, its entrails exposed, spoke: "It looks like it's going to be a nice day today."  

    "It's sunny."  

    "Shizuku -sama, isn't it time to move me out of here too?"  

    "Just stay there for a while."  

    The stuffed animal named Electrocuted Bobcat uttered these words as a daily ritual... and

the response was always the same.  

    The fact that the stuffed animal could talk was strange in itself. It was a product from a

friend, one of the stuffed animal stuffed animals.  

    A struggling to -do toy company had heavily marketed this as a killer product. And the

disgusting concept had frightened consumers, leading to a shrinking market. Shizuku wasn't

interested in it either, but it was a gift, so she felt bad about throwing it away.  

    While she was working, the electric mountain cat spoke again. Perhaps it would be better

to decorate it somewhere, but it wouldn't be good for her ears or eyes. For this reason, she

kept the doll in a corner of the room.  

    "Have you gotten used to the Bracelet of Promise?"  

    "Not at all."  

    "Battle is absolutely necessary. You must get used to it."  

    Shizuku touched the metal bracelet on her right hand. In fact, she had almost gotten used

to the feeling. Although that didn't make sense to answer the electric mountain cat.  

    She took a uniform off the hanger. But she didn't put it on, instead going to get breakfast.  

    "Shizuku -sama was chosen, becoming Kämpfer," the electric mountain cat said in a female

voice.  

    "You will one day become the strongest warrior, that's what Shizuku -sama is."  

    Shizuku picked up the electric mountain cat.  

    "You always tell me that," Shizuku said, leaning closer.  

    "Why do I have to fight?"  

    "Because it's Kämpfer."  

    "What if I say no?" "Even if I don't want to  

    , I've already started fighting. Shizuku -sama should be able to defeat the enemy."  

    That's how it was. After becoming a Kämpfer, I've fought the Blue Kämpfer several times.

There's no question of consent in these battles, as the opponent would attack unexpectedly.

Naturally, I gradually shifted gears during the fight. It was already l ike this when I realized it.  

    Of course, it wasn't like this at the beginning. My growth as a Kämpfer was due to

someone else.  

    "If it were Shizuku -sama, the Blue Kämpfer wouldn't be a problem," the Electrocat said

happily.  

    "Defeat more people."  

    "...Hey,"  

    Shizuku placed the Electrocat on the bed.  

    "Why did you make me do this?"  

    "Because I was chosen."  

    "I know that. But why? Anyway, why can you talk?"  

    "...I don't know about that," the doll said honestly.  

    "Why can you talk?"  

    "That's my line."  

    "But for Shizuku -sama, I'll do my best. That's the truth."  

    "Should I thank you?"  

    Repeating the same words here and there made me wonder if there was an IC recorder

inside the doll. It probably couldn't be accessed, so if I really wanted to resolve my doubts, I

had to investigate it myself. Ask the person who electrocuted the bobcat  for me, and ask

senior Kämpfer if he will still fight after that. He frowned slightly. What on earth am I thinking

about? I'm just a sophomore in high school. I have to go to school today. If I don't finish

breakfast quickly and go to school, I will be la te. Shizuku put the electrocuted bobcat back to

its original place, quickly changed her clothes and went downstairs.  

    Not late. Although I have never been late before. I have always received the perfect

attendance award since elementary school. Although I have worried about what good this

will do, the position of student council president is just right.  

    "Good morning, president." "  

    Good morning, president."  

    "Good morning."  

    After entering the territory of the girls' department on campus, the students greeted

together. Shizuku answered good morning one by one.  

    "Shizuku -chan, good morning."  

    An exceptionally bright and cheerful voice came, and Shizuku turned around and said with

a little more emotion than her previous answer: "Good morning, Kaede."  

    Sakura Kaede was holding her bag in both hands, smiling as usual.  

    Shizuku and Kaede were childhood sweethearts. Shizuku was a year older than Kaede, but

their tone was the same age. They had known each other since kindergarten, and although

they had left each other at times, their friendship had been rekindled since they entered

Seitetsu Gakuen. It was well known among the students that the two had a good

relationship.  

    Shizuku tried to hide the bracelet from view and grabbed her sleeve. Kaede was

completely unaware.  

    "Shizuku -chan, you're still behaving yourself. You came to school at the same time as usual

today."  

    "It's good for your health if your biological clock is consistent."  

    "I sometimes skip classes and come late."  

    "As the student council president, I can't let you off the hook," Shizuku warned.  

    "If you stop being late, your evaluation will be better. Kaede's grades are pretty good, but

you just need to try not to slack off too much."  

    "Shizuku -chan is so strict," Kaede pouted.  

    "I think it would be better to sleep in a little longer in the morning."  

    "You can sleep as much as you want on your days off."  

    "I get up at the same time on my days off."  

    "That's a sign of good health. You should pay more attention to it."  

    Kaede sighed for a moment, then quickly recovered.  

    "I always feel like when I talk to Shizuku -chan, it's like I'm talking to someone much older

than me."  

    "I'm only a year older than you."  

    "But you speak like an adult."  

    "Real adults are more sophisticated. You can tell by their faces. I'm still a child with so little

life experience."  

    "I don't think a child would say that," Kaede said with a wry smile.  

    The two of them kept chatting like this. Shizuku's was the more polite "Good morning,"

Kaede's was the more friendly "Good morning." Most of the students then looked at the two

as they walked off into the distance. Their gazes weren't filled with curiosity, but rather a

unique blend of longing and envy.  

    It's not their fault. These two are known as the "Two Beauties of Seitetsu." Seitetsu

Gakuen's women's division is packed with beautiful girls. There's even a rumor that boys'

grades drop when they're around pretty girls, so they attend separate classe s instead of

together. Among them, two stand out. Kaede, with her sunny, spring -like warmth and

approachability, and Shizuku, with her cool, intelligent beauty. These two are completely

opposite beauties, yet they bond well. Their popularity is impressive even among the girls

themselves, let alone the boys. Naturally, they draw attention.  

    Shizuku was once considered Seitetsu's most beautiful girl, but this year, with Kaede

enrolling, she's become one of the top two beauties. Whether there will be a third remains

to be seen. Even a brief conversation with these beauties is possible, as b oth men and

women develop feelings for them, leading to a surge in interest. Even more students are

watching from afar.  

    "Good morning, Kaede -chan."  

    "Hello, Shizuku -sama."  

    "Good morning, Sakura -san—"

    "Good morning, Shizuku -sama."  

    They both greeted them. Shizuku's expression didn't change at all, and Kaede was still

smiling.  

    When the conversation was almost over, Kaede finally couldn't help but laugh.  

    "Shizuku -chan's fans, everyone's so respectful. That last person is amazing."  

    "The one who greeted Kaede was like a friend."  

    "It's hilarious how nervous you get talking to Shizuku -chan."  

    "Just saying hello to the student council president makes you so stiff."  

    "That's because she's the president. Because she's the student council president of

Seitetsu Gakuen. Of course."  

    "That's a title only used in school."  

    "But in this city, it's like the chairman of the student council contract meeting."  

    "That's because no one wants to be the president, and it's too troublesome."  

    "Isn't that proof you're recognized?" Kaede laughed.  

    Shizuku never overestimates herself. Of course, she doesn't underestimate herself either,

but she hates the very act of being judged. Instead, she simply hoped to complete her

studies in an ordinary, unremarkable manner.  

    It was simply because she possessed exceptional learning and motor skills, coupled with

her beauty alone, that those around her couldn't allow her to remain obscure. Naturally, she

stood out from the crowd. She was hailed as the student council preside nt because she had

accepted it as her fate. Kaede tugged at Shizuku's sleeve.  

    "Look, look, that girl over there keeps looking at Shizuku -chan."  

    "That's because Kaede is so conspicuous."  

    "She's a fan of Shizuku. She must want to join the student council... There's one over there

too," Kaede pointed innocently. But Shizuku didn't look in that direction. Instead, she gazed

at the dividing line between the girls' and boys' sections. There  stood a female student. Her

intellectual face exuded a quiet demeanor. Holding a hardcover book would suit her

perfectly. Calling her a literary girl would be just the right term.  

    Shizuku bowed her head slightly towards the figure.  

    "Hey... Kaede."  

    "What? Shizuku -chan. Is it about the fans?"  

    "Do you remember the seniors I told you before?" Kaede was stunned by the sudden

question. Then he frowned and began to think.  

    "That... is that someone called Shinomiya?"  

    "Yes. It's Tamiko Shinomiya -senpai."  

    "Hmm -, I vaguely remember the name... what kind of person is she?"  

    "...No, forget it." Shizuku answered. During this time, she was also looking at the dark

corner of the school building. Tamiko only appeared for a moment, and then disappeared as

if completely.  

    "What's wrong?" Kaede looked at Shizuku and asked.  

    "Did you see that person over there?"  

    Shizuku pointed to the school building. Kaede looked over there for a while and shook his

head.  

    "Is anyone there? I don't know."  

    "Senpai, isn't she right there?"  

    "There's indeed an elm tree over there."  

    "She's always reading there. It suits her perfectly. She doesn't read all day, but she's a

serious person, so she'll be back in class soon."  

    "Even more serious than Shizuku?" Kaede asked. Shizuku replied, "Yes." Tamiko was the

first woman Shizuku had called her senpai since she entered the school. She was also the

vice president of her school before she became the student council president.  

    After becoming president, Shizuku left the student council and lived her daily life as an

ordinary student.  

    "What's Shinomiya like?"  

    "She's very beautiful."  

    "Prettier than Shizuku?"  

    "I can't say for sure, but she doesn't seem very popular with the boys."  

    "Is that so?" Tamiko, wearing glasses, looked like an unassuming schoolgirl at first glance.

She wore no makeup at all, her black hair simply tied back without any embellishments,

which only reinforced this.  

    "Is Shinomiya a fan of Shizuku?"  

    "Who knows? I'm a fan of yours, though."  

    "But if you're close to Shizuku, would you join her fan club?"  

    "No... maybe if you were a girl there." Looking closely, she could see several girls in the

shadows of the building, their gazes blazing at Kaede and Shizuku. Kaede turned her head in

that direction. "I know that too. Indeed, I'm a member of the 'Shizu ku Fan Club.'"  

    "Our school has some strange organizations."  

    "Doesn't the boys' department have one too? I think it's..."  

    "It's the 'Shizuku Sangou Scolding Club,' right?"  

    "That's it." Kaede pressed her hand to her mouth and laughed.  

    "Boys, what a brilliant name you came up with."  

    "The idea is nothing special."  

    "Last year, I heard that Shizuku -chan immediately established this organization after she

enrolled. It seems they're patronizing themselves on the back for being the first to recognize

Shizuku -chan. "  

    "As a reward for that, I hope to be scolded... or so they say."  

    "Why don't you give it a try?"  

    Kaede said with a completely childish look in her eyes. Shizuku's expression didn't change

much.  

    "I don't want to be famous for that."  

    Then she quickened her pace. Kaede said, "Hey. I think Shizuku -chan must be an S," as she

followed.  

    The girls' department is very large, and the buildings vary depending on the grade. Once

because: "In order to provide a very luxurious educational environment. "And they secured

such a large piece of land and became famous. As a result, there was only  one boys' school

building next to it. Although it was unfair to the boys' department, they still secured the girls'

department first. When the boys' department was completed, it was very small, which ended

up being a very unsatisfactory situation for both  parties  parties.  

    "Shizuku -chan, I'll be leaving first." Kaede said, waving her hand.  

    Shizuku is now a second -year student, and Kaede is a first -year student. Although they are

childhood sweethearts, they still have to go to class separately.  

    "Kaede, you must go to class well."  

    "I will attend."  

    That's true. Kaede is an excellent student, so there is really no need to remind him.  

    "Shizuku -chan, let's go back together when we go back?"  

    "It depends. Because I have to take a detour to the student union first."  

    "Do you still have work?"  

    "It's work, after all. Although I don't get paid at all, it's just like playing. "  

    Having said that, except for the social interaction between men and women, everything

else in Seitetsu Gakuen is very free, so the student union activities have increased

accordingly, and it is not an exaggeration to say that it is a work department of  a company.

Kaede of course knew about this, so she did not forcefully invite her.  

    "Well, I'll go back first."  

    "That's it."  

    Kaede waved again and walked towards the school building.  

    At the same time as her, the students who admired her moved with her. Kaede is both

beautiful and popular, so of course the students will gather around her. However, there are

also those who think that "the existence of the two beauties of Seitetsu at the same time is

valuable" and are the first to leave, which is really interesting.  

    Most of Shizuku -chan's fans watch from a distance. Those who change the way of greeting

are the courageous ones, and there are also those who are satisfied with just looking at the

footprints.  

    The traditional Seitetsu Gakuen pays great attention to the personality of the students.

Even so, it is not enough to just go to school because of one person. It was a bit excessive to

cause so many people to come and watch. Although Shizuku had no int ention of banning it,

after all, it was one of the few entertainments in the co -educational school. After graduation,

these things would be sealed in memories. This is youth. Well, although  

    as the student council president, it is really a shame to think about these things when she

is only in her second year of high school... After being promoted to student council president

in her first year, there were a lot of chores, and she had consid ered changing assistants many

times. Originally, she should have lived a more girlish life, such as falling in love.  

    Shizuku immediately gave the word that came to her mind She gave up. The thought of

love only brought to mind scenes from movies and TV shows. She couldn't imagine herself

doing anything like that. Perhaps I was destined for love, though I didn't think  so.

    Just thinking about it wouldn't get her anywhere. For now, she'd focus on student council

matters and classes, then maybe go home and move the electrocuted bobcat.  

    She nodded, unnoticed. Then she glanced briefly toward the school building. Of course,

there was nothing there, not even Tamiko. Of course, she no longer existed in this world. As  

    the Red Kämpfer, she vanished after losing the battle. Even if Shizuku remembered her, she

was gone from everyone else's memory. Shizuku turned, her long hair flowing, and without a

single emotion, she walked straight toward the second -grade building.  

    Class was no different from any other. It began and ended just like any other day. It was

only natural that nothing had changed. If the students were suddenly told to run, it would

have been a fire evacuation drill.  

    Today's class was about reviewing the test papers. The English teacher read out, "Shizuku

Sangou, full marks." ", cheers rang out in the classroom. Of course, Shizuku would not hide

her shame by laughing. She always got the highest score. But she never  boasted, she just

took the test paper calmly and sat down at her seat. Everyone in the class knew this, and the

cheers stopped immediately.  

    During lunch break, Shizuku decided to eat lunch in the classroom. It's not that she is used

to eating in the classroom, and during this period of time, she will decide the place to eat

based on her feelings. If there is an emergency, she can only eat and deal with it in the

student union room. There are also cases where she goes to the school cafeteria to buy food,

but today she made a lunch box, so she wanted to eat here. Just as she was about to take the

lunch box out of her bag, a voice came in.  

    "Sangou -san, there is a guest."  

    Near the classroom door, a female student in the class shouted.  

    "Guest?"  

    "A first -year girl. The girl immediately returned to her seat, missing the opportunity to ask

the new visitor. Shizuku, having no other choice, stopped to get her lunch box and stood up.

This kind of thing was becoming quite common. There were very few  people she wanted to

have a long conversation with. Shizuku herself preferred a concise, no -nonsense approach to

expression, so she only shared the necessary information.  

    Besides, many people used to call her "Sangou -kun." But after she became president, few

people called her by her name. Kaede was probably the only one. Being addressed with

honorifics by younger people was natural, but being addressed that way by class mates

always made her feel a bit lonely. And the boys calling her "Shizuku -sama" —was that really a

good thing? When they reached the classroom door, there was no one except the students

coming and going... probably not. Next to the door, a tiny girl, barel y visible, stood out. She

wore glasses and, judging by her headband, must be a first -year. She seemed to be trying to

appear smaller than she was, waiting anxiously. It felt more like she wasn't even in the

second -year building. Shizuku spoke first, "Are y ou the one who needs me?"  

    "Yes, yes," the girl replied, almost leaping.  

    "Yes, I have something to tell the president."  

    "Oh, really?" the girl said, her voice tense.  

    Shizuku had some impression of her.  

    "You are indeed the librarian... Mishima -san, right?" "  

    Yes, her name is Akane." Shizuku answered with affirmation. As the student council

president, Shizuku had frequent contact with the committee members, so she remembered

this girl. She was very weak -willed, so she didn't speak much in the committee. The  only

thing she did well was to express her love for books.  

    Shizuku leaned against the door so as not to block the flow of people in and out.  

    "What's the matter?"  

    "It's a message from the library committee. The budget plan has been sent. Please take a

look and give me a reply."  

    "I see." Why did you come all the way here for such a simple matter? Couldn't you find

another opportunity? "Um, and..." Hesitantly, Akane handed Shizuku something wrapped in

an orange napkin.  

    "What is this?"  

    "It's... a bento." Shizuku looked at the compact bento box.  

    "Did you make it?"  

    "No, no! I don't make this kind of thing... Oh, no, this was made by the library committee

and she said she wanted you to try it..."  

    "She didn't deliver it herself. "  

    Yes... She's always so shy like this." For some reason, Akane shrank back in fear.  

    There were many female students who admired Shizuku, and the female librarian was one

of them. She would always give her the food she was doing cooking practice, or even make

the bento herself, but because she was extremely shy, she never did the most crucial thing,

"handing it over personally." So she would let Akane give it to her casually under the pretext

of planning. Akane was implicated  

    . Although she was a weakling to begin with, she wouldn't refuse someone who asked her

to "give it to her for me." It was really interesting to see who was weaker. Shizuku looked at

the bento box again. Okay, what should she do now? She made the bento herself, but she

couldn't just let her take it back.  

    "Then I'll take it." After deciding to accept it, Akane was visibly relieved.  

    "Thank you."  

    "Is that all?"  

    "Huh?"  

    "No share for you?"  

    "Oh... No, no share for me."  

    "Really? That's a pity. ”  

    “Ha… Hey, Ru, if you put it that way, I can do it… But the president has a lot of fans, and my

cooking is really… Although I’m not without confidence, but as expected… If you want to eat

it.”

    “Just kidding.” Akane said because she was very embarrassed, “I’ll accept it without

hesitation. Also tell the library chairman. Don’t always think about making eye contact with

me during meetings.”  

    “Okay…”  

    Akane lowered her head and said “Excuse me” and ran out as if to escape from here as

quickly as possible.  

    Although the lunch box thing was originally said in a joking manner, did the other party

really think so? Although I know that I am the type who doesn’t joke in everyone’s eyes,

there are still times when I want to talk about it.  

    The problem is, what should I do with the library chairman’s lunch box in my hand.  

    There is also a lunch box on the table that I brought with me, which I made 30 minutes

earlier. I can just throw one of them away, but it is too wasteful and not good for the

environment. According to the order, I should eat my own lunch box first. I m ade my own

lunch box, but what should I do if I do this? It would not be good if I did not return the lunch

box quickly. After thinking it over in my head, I finally decided to eat the librarian's lunch box.

I will put my own lunch box off. Although it mig ht have gone bad if I took it back, I might as

well eat it sometime.  

    I returned to the table and untied the napkin. At first I thought it was very compact, but

what appeared in front of me was a very large three -layer lunch box. They made so much, do

you want me to eat it all? But looking at Shizuku, she still has her o wn portion. When she

was thinking about giving up her own lunch box, someone called her.  

    "Shizuku Sangou. There are guests." Feeling embarrassed, the classmate said it again.

Shizuku put down her chopsticks after she was about to leave and asked, "Who is it this

time?"  

    "First -year Sakura -chan. "It's Kaede. People mostly call her by the character 'jiang',

whether it's her first or last name. This is probably the difference in the degree of intimacy

with others. The friend who is a year younger than her walked into the  classroom by herself,

bowed her head and greeted the classmates. Was this also affected by her easy -going

personality?  

    What was she holding in her hand ?  

    "Shizuku -chan, is lunch break over yet?"  

    "It just started."  

    "Great. I brought the lunch box." Even Shizuku couldn't help but think for a moment, "No

way." She just received the lunch box from the library committee chairman. Kaede picked up

the lunch box in her hand. It looked very heavy, and of course there was  a corresponding

amount of food inside.  

    "Okay, this is it."  

    "This one?"  

    "I bought new lunch boxes. I bought several, and I wanted Shizuku -chan to use them too.

"An innocent smile. Although I knew she meant no harm, what she brought was a lunch box

made of an animal doll with its internal organs exposed. It was characterize d by the animal's

internal organs being exposed, and the words "dried -up African elephant" were written on

the inside. The stomach was divided into two parts. Using extremely realistic internal organs

to hold food was really a far -fetched approach.  

    Kaede said proudly, "Very impressive, right?" "I agree with that." Shizuku replied. But using

this as a lunch box was really a bit... picking up food from an open stomach didn't seem to

increase appetite in any way.  

    "You're so smart."  

    "Want to try it?" Shizuku placed the dried -up African elephant on the side of the table.

Should she say thank you?  

    "Here, do you want me to eat it?"  

    "Of course. I made it, and I'm very confident in it." Of course, Kaede was very good at

cooking.  

    "...At least, I'll accept it for now."  

    "Let's do it this way. Oh, by the way. Shizuku -chan, how's the doll I gave you?"  

    "That's a bit of a stretch for me to answer."  

    She's a collector of stuffed animals with internal organs. Shizuku doesn't know what

triggered her, but she loves them so much that she gives them away to everyone around her,

and now even buys these bento boxes.  

    Shizuku, after all, has a modest aesthetic, so she doesn't find a stuffed animal with its

internal organs exposed cute. But she doesn't want to tell her about this, which is why we

just had this conversation. Because that thing can talk.  

    "Isn't it cute?" Kaede said, completely unquestioning about her taste.  

    "It depends on personal preference." "  

    Don't you already have a very rare stuffed animal, Shizuku -chan?"  

    "Is that so?"  

    "Yes, I told you to pick the one you like, and you picked the one you treasure the most. I

think Shizuku -chan has great taste."  

    The stuffed animal she got was the Electrocuted Bobcat. It's the only one whose selling

point is that its fur stands up after being electrocuted. But its internal organs are exposed. It's

incredible how obsessed she is with that. Incidentally, Shizuku chose this one because it was

the most presentable.  

    "As a decoration?"  

    "Is it for you?" "I guess." She actually placed it somewhere inconspicuous, specifically in

the corner of the room.  

    "Putting it next to your pillow will make you happy."  

    "Kaede feels happy because she did it, so I'm not denying it."  

    "Good things will happen to Shizuku, too."  

    "What kind?"  

    "Getting a boyfriend or something," Kaede said seriously. Shizuku politely denied it.  

    "If that's how you get one, it'd be easy."  

    "Sure. It's like the bond between two people connected by stuffed animal organs."  

    "It feels like the small intestines are replacing the red thread,"  

    Shizuku agreed casually. If placing a stuffed animal next to your pillow could lead to a

boyfriend, that would be awful. It would surely make the beds of teenage high school girls

lively. She'd never even heard of such an urban legend, let alone a stuf fed animal with its

internal organs exposed. She had never considered dating anyone. To be honest, it was a

very low priority. She had to deal with her studies and student council matters first. If I had a

boyfriend, I'd have to make a lot of time for him.  The possibility of neglecting school

relationships was very high, which wasn't something to be happy about.  

    And even considering it now only proved how weak my commitment to love was. The

school's equation of time and socializing was wrong. There were girls in the world who had

these two things in conflict. I could probably do it if I wanted to.  

    But even so, I had no intention of getting a boyfriend. As expected, love was a low priority.

At least, lower than the blueberries in my backyard.  

    "Next to my pillow is a bit difficult," Shizuku said to Kaede. "How about next to my feet?"  

    "That's completely pointless."  

    "Then just put it on any shelf."  

    "That'll do. It'll definitely be cute." Kaede's expression brightened. They might be

childhood sweethearts, but their taste was beyond my comprehension. Shizuku thought.  

    There was nothing she could do. She'd just move the electrocuted bobcat to another

location when she got home. She had a feeling if this continued, she'd rush over to her house

to check it out. And that doll was different from the others, very special.  I have to be careful,

because that thing can talk.  

    "Well, excuse me," Kaede left the classroom. The librarian's lunchbox, left behind, stood in

stark contrast to the organ -stuffed animal stuffed lunchbox. She had to eat everything, and

with the one she'd brought, there were three of them. (There's no other way now, let's just

give up and eat first.) (What if I gain weight...?)  

    Shizuku muttered to  

    herself, despite her inability to gain weight no matter how much she ate. After finishing

Kaede and the librarian's lunchboxes, she didn't want to touch her own. Her stomach was

already full. She had to find another time to eat it.  

    She went to class this afternoon while feeling overwhelmed. It was impossible to be called

on by the teacher first. Saying the teacher was afraid of her was better off saying it was easy

and correct. It was no fun. She only gave it to her when no one c ould answer.  

    After the last class, this happened twice, and she ended with the respectful gazes of the

class. Then it was student council time. She quickly put her notebook into her bag and

headed for the student council room.  

    The student council room and the library are in the same building. Club activities at

Seitetsu Gakuen are also separate for men and women, so only the student council,

committees, and library are shared. Entering the library from the grand entrance and  walking

up the stairs leads to the student council room. But Shizuku didn't go to the student council

room, but to the library counter. The person at the counter was the girl from this morning,

Akane.  

    "Ah, president," Akane nodded gently. "What can I do for you?" "

    Here."  

    Shizuku held out her lunchbox.  

    "I'm here to return this  

    . Where's the library chairperson?" "I'll call her." Akane walked to the back of the counter

and emerged after a moment.  

    "She said she was too shy to come out..."  

    "She's that shy?"  

    "Because she's very shy."  

    How such a person would become the library chairperson, Shizuku had no idea. Student

council chairperson positions are filled by self -appointment or recommendation, so Shizuku

wouldn't ask for anything unless there was a specific reason.  

    Shizuku handed the lunchbox to Akane.  

    "Then could you please give it to her for me?"  

    "Okay. Um... the taste..."  

    "Very filling, in every sense."  

    Then she added.  

    "It would probably taste better if Akane -san made it." After saying this, she left the

counter. She intended it to be a joke, but did she really get the point across? She felt like

there was a commotion on the bookshelf inside.  

    Shizuku looked over there and saw two boys who seemed to be talking about something.  

    "...So, I need a photo of the president. I hope it's in time for this booklet." (by Higashida)  

    "Just take a photo, I'm not interested." (by Natsuru)  

    "Don't say that, we're friends, right?"  

    "I only have eyes for Sakura -san."  

    It seemed like she was talking about something about herself. She was on the other side of

the bookshelf, and her face was invisible.  

    Shizuku returned to the counter.  

    "Do you know the boys over there?" Akane shook her head.  

    "I don't know them, but I come here occasionally to chat in private."  

    The library is a legal place for both men and women, often used as a dating spot for

couples. With a little attention, you can spot them inconspicuously, but seeing two boys

together is incredibly rare.  

    "You don't seem like the type to enjoy reading."  

    "But if you're like that, maybe you'll fall in love someday," Akane said. What an admirable

girl! Perhaps she's like that herself.  

    "I won't forbid talking here, but you should be careful not to get loud and cause a

commotion.  

    " "Okay..."  

    "If you're afraid of boys, should I convey that?"  

    Akane said, startled. "That's the responsibility of the library committee."  

    What a serious girl.  

    To prevent her from accumulating pressure, perhaps I should advise the chairman. Since

she probably won't be able to meet the chairman, I'll probably make him the vice chairman.  

    Shizuku headed towards the student council room this time. Kaede stood by the staircase

railing.  

    "Shizuku -chan." Kaede smiled faintly.  

    "Kaede, what's wrong? Didn't you say you were going home first?"  

    "I was planning to do that, but I wanted to go home with Shizuku -chan. " "She said it with

a look of shyness. Even from a girl's perspective, she looked cute when she made that

expression.  

    "But, I still have student council stuff to do."  

    "Yes, so could you please let me take a look?"  

    "Sure." Shizuku promised. The student council of Seitetsu Gakuen is quite open, and

anyone can come and visit. This was not something that started before, but it became a

publicity activity after Shizuku became the president. Shizuku thinks it is very important to let

students know about the activities.  

    Kaede said, "Shizuku -chan is really kind."  

    It is natural for Shizuku to have such an impression, but it is not something that should be

particularly praised.  

    Going up the stairs, they reached the student council room.  

    There is not only a student council here, but also a large meeting room. It is used for

cultural festivals and other occasions by male and female class committee members to

gather here. This is also a benefit for Seitetsu Gakuen, which has separate mal e and female

schools.  

    Shizuku walked into the student council room. Immediately, a group of people gathered.  

    "President, about the budget for the soccer club."  

    "Signatures for the application form for the use of the library on weekends. "

    The director said they want to discuss something with the president."  

    "The fans said they want photos."  

    From serious matters to trivial matters, there are all kinds of things given to her. Shizuku

handled them one by one.  

    "Leave the budget matters to the accountant. I will sign the documents unconditionally.

Put all the applications together and put them on the table. The director is Mr. Takatsu,

right? He just wants me to join their company, so I will give a phone call  to reject him. As for

photos, it's not possible yet."  

    After hearing the instructions, the members dispersed and returned to their work places,

just like the bridge of a warship.  

    Kaede watched the scene with admiration.  

    "Shizuku -chan... you're amazing."  

    "Not that amazing." Shizuku sat down in her seat.  

    "Anyone can do it if they are in the same position."  

    "Oh -, I definitely can't do it."  

    "No matter how high the position is, it's still a human being. There's also the question of

how much pressure you can withstand and whether you want to do it. "

    Ordinary people don't have this kind of drive..."  

    Kaede said with a rare wry smile. Even so, there is a limit, and if someone doesn't have the

ability, they will not be recommended as the president.  

    When Shizuku entered the school, the position of student council president of Seitetsu

Gakuen was vacant. After the election, no suitable person was found, and there was not

even a candidate. The school was also quite troubled, and it had to ask Shizuk u, who had just

entered the school and had full marks in all subjects, to take the position, and it turned out

like this.  

    She did not resign from the position, but she was not very active in it. Moreover, she had

never thought about belonging to any club or student union, but the school, which had

accepted it and let it go, did not expect her to go this far. The very gran d student union floor

was not often used before Shizuku became president.  

    Shizuku prepared a chair next to her.  

    "If you want to take a look, sit here."  

    "Can you?"  

    "Please. But it's boring. It's mainly paperwork.  

    It's just as she said. She signed the documents that were handed to her and sent them

back, and then she looked at another document. The power of the student council means

translating this onto paper, which means the president's role becomes even great er.

    The student council at Seitetsu Gakuen acts like a buffer, summarizing and organizing

student requests and achieving mutually satisfactory outcomes based on the school's

requirements. While student councils typically only operate as "student self -gover nment,"

this one serves a very effective purpose. This is also Shizuku's achievement.  

    Kaede watched their work.  

    "...Um, what kind of person will succeed Shizuku as president?"  

    "Why do you ask?"  

    "With so much work to do, I imagine the next president will have a tough time."  

    "Probably an election. Or maybe a recommendation."  

    "Will Shizuku recommend?"  

    "Haven't decided yet."  

    Still a second year, yet to decide on her successor.  

    "Prepare a handbook for the next president so he doesn't have to deal with so much."  

    "Will Shizuku also write that handbook?"  

    "If no one else does."  

    Documenting specific action plans requires patience and sensitivity. It would be very

troublesome if they made a mistake, so it was difficult to assign too many tasks to others.

Now that the student union relies on Shizuku's personal abilities in many aspects, it is

necessary to prepare a manual.  

    "I want to come and help out too."  

    "Assistants are always recruited, you are welcome. Or do you want to be the president?"  

    "That's too much." Kaede shook her head.  

    Drinking tea after finishing the paperwork... Impossible. Basically, things are one after

another. And most of them are trivial matters.  

    "Um -, President." A girl who gave people a gentle feeling said. She was the vice president

of the student union, and it felt like there were angels flying around her head.  

    "What's the matter?"  

    "Fans are flocking here."  

    "Kaede's? Or mine?"  

    "Both. They're telling both of us to come out, as if it's a demonstration."  

    Shizuku and Kaede weren't surprised at all. This happens all the time. The student council

room is for both sexes, making it a perfect place for the boys who are confined outside the

barrier during the day, not to mention that Kaede is here now. The in telligence network for

underground club activities couldn't have missed this information, and of course, the girls

wouldn't run away at this time but would make noise in the hallway.  

    The vice -president said hesitantly, as if he were one of the fans.  

    "Because it's the president and Sakura -san teaming up, it will definitely help raise the

profile of the student council."  

    "This isn't a personal commission, it's done to draw attention to the organization."  

    "Putting that aside for now, the one who shows up will publish a doujinshi."  

    "What's that?" Kaede asked. The vice -president seemed very happy.  

    "It's a doujinshi by the president and Sakura -san. It features two beautiful women from

Seitetsu falling in love. It's a turbulent, 18X, perverted affair. The manga research club has

already started production, and all they need to do is show them kiss ing in front of their fans

for publicity. It's sure to be a hit."  

    "Okay, okay. I'll show up for a bit, and you can stop saying that. Your fantasies are over,"

Shizuku said, drowning out the vice president's voice.  

    The vice president said yes as he returned to his seat.  

    "Well, what was that all about?" Kaede asked quietly, demanding clarification.  

    "As you heard, it's just a little extra money for the manga research club. There's an adult

manga club in the underground community, probably to fund activities. Although it's

supposed to be something that high school students shouldn't be allowed to s ee,"

    Shizuku explained frankly. Seitetsu Gakuen, where boys and girls have separate club

activities, is home to a wide variety of informal, underground clubs. While they're all "illegal"

clubs that gather secretly, she's got a handle on them all.  

    "The vice -president... is she a member of that club?"  

    "Not really, but that girl is a bit of a fantasy fan, and her kinks are a bit strange."  

    "A bit strange..." "  

    From a normal person's perspective, she's a pervert. She's supposed to be a nice girl, but

having such a strong interest in SM and sex is definitely not good." Shizuku stood up beside

Kaede, whose face was flushing red. As they approached the student counc il room door, the

commotion outside could already be heard from inside. The door swung open, and cheers

erupted. "  

    Wow, President!"  

    "Shizuku -sama! Shizuku -sama!"  

    "Thank God, thank God." Not only were there girls like fans of an artist, but there were

also boys taking pictures with their cameras at every opportunity, students like those in the

religion class chanting Shizuku's name, and for some reason, there we re also students who

looked like elderly people worshipping Jizo.  

    Shizuku waited for the cheers to subside.  

    "Alright, everyone, that's enough." With just one word, silence descended, like a politician

or a religious leader.  

    "If you keep going like this, you won't be able to work. Can you please go back? I'm not

asking you to hand over the photos you took. Kaede and I have something important to

attend to."  

    "At least stand side by side,"  

    the boy with the camera pleaded. He seemed enthusiastic, but he couldn't agree to that.  

    "That's forbidden. Kaede isn't used to this kind of thing yet." While he said that, there was

something subtly different. She rarely showed any dislike for others. She was actually very

strong, someone who wouldn't be shaken by a photo. That smile must  have a strong mental

strength behind it, and it was amazing how she managed to maintain it. It made me wonder

if she had another personality. Although there was no need to explain it here.  

    After hearing Shizuku's words, they all agreed and went back. It would be fine if it stayed

this way forever, though it wasn't ideal.  

    Only one person said, "A full -body photo of the president is necessary. Preferably from an

overhead angle." "If I can't see it, I'll go back. There's no point in staying here if I can't see

Sakura -san." This rowdy duo remained until the end. One was Hi gashida, the leader of the

underground Bishoujo Research Society, and the other had never been seen. But the voices

were both from the boys who had been in the bookshelves of the library on the first floor.  

    "It's a shame it's over. You won't get anything," Shizuku said to them.  

    "There's no point staying here. Also, please be quiet in the library,"  

    she gently warned. "See, if Sakura -san wasn't here, my trip would have been wasted."

"Talking to the president was a big accomplishment," they said as they headed back. That

school has these idiot students who only care about attracting attention. Thes e two are kind

of amusing, but not really. They're just plain weird.  

    Shizuku returned to her seat. Kaede didn't come over to see what was going on, but

waited.  

    "What a commotion!" she exclaimed, as if it were someone else's business.  

    "It would have been even more impressive if Kaede had shown up."  

    "It sounds like Natsuru -san's voice."  

    "Who?"  

    "Seno Natsuru, my junior high classmate." One of the two who had stayed behind from

earlier seemed to be a fan of Kaede. When she looked at her, her eyes flickered and she

looked away as if she wasn't interested, so she had some impression of her.  

    "Is he a problem student?"  

    "How could that be? No, Natsuru -kun is a good person."  

    "...Then, there shouldn't be a problem." Kaede would always call boys she didn't care for

good, meaning, "harmless, but I have no interest in him, and we can't be more than friends."

Putting them in this group, judging them as good meant they didn't ca re at all.  

    (...That boy named Seno is really pitiful.)  

    I don't know how much they like Kaede, but I have little hope.  

    "How many fans does Shizuku have?"  

    "Who knows? They're probably all here to see Kaede."  

    "You're lying. Shizuku definitely has more."  

    It's probably about 50 -50, even though the number isn't that interested. Of course, she

knew she was becoming an idol, but she hadn't let it make her complacent. There were some

students who were overly envious.  

    Shizuku thought it was a common occurrence during puberty and suppressed it slightly.  

    "By the way, Shizuku -chan, where did you put the thing I gave you?"  

    Kaede asked, her voice piercing.  

    "It's in my room."  

    "Next to my pillow?"  

    "Put it on the box."  

    "Ah—" Kaede pouted.  

    "Put it next to your pillow and cuddle it with you when you sleep."  

    "With something that looks like cooked guts?"  

    It's a stuffed animal, but it has its internal organs exposed. It's a product that children

would inevitably throw away in tears. Would it cause any trouble if the student council

president clung to something like that to sleep? Although, she wasn't af raid at all.  

    "If there's a chance."  

    "You say that, but I definitely wouldn't do it."  

    "Because it's an animal stuffed animal with internal organs."  

    "Isn't it cute?"  

    "I'm a dog person."  

    Actually, she likes cats and dogs equally, but not to the point of doting, and she's never had

one.  

    "You have dog stuffed animals too."  

    "There are dogs with strings wrapped around their heads, right? No thanks."  

    "Then I'll be a dog person with internal organs."  

    Being stared at by those gleaming eyes, Shizuku couldn't say anything out of turn.  

    "...I understand."  

    A rare concession from Shizuku.  

    "I'll make the electrocuted bobcats cuter."  

    "Thank you, I'll make them cuter too. I've bought a lot of their merchandise."  

    "I know." He cut the subject short before she could finish. Kaede has a hobby of collecting

stuffed animals with internal organs, a hobby that's beyond morbid and beyond anyone

else's reach. She has an entire room filled with them, and it feels almost overflowing.  

    "Shizuku -chan, you'll definitely like the electrocuted bobcats."  

    "Maybe in a hundred years."  

    "Maybe they'll even talk."  

    "Kaede, do you like stuffed animals with internal organs so much?"  

    "I love them the most. They're so cute, right?"  

    "You know this is something that's not appreciated in the world, right?"  

    "That's why I gave them away. I want people to know the benefits of stuffed animals with

internal organs."  

    "Giving them to people, regardless of gender, is something only a terrorist would do."  

    "Everyone happily accepted them."  

    "Because they were gifts from Kaede."  

    It wasn't because they liked the stuffed animals, but because they were from Kaede.

Normal people wouldn't refuse a gift from a beautiful woman, and this friend was

completely oblivious to that. Kaede, however, believed that the person had accepted the  

visceral animal stuffed animals because they had learned about their benefits. And she even

insisted, saying that rather than being a collector, they were more like preachers of love.

Wouldn't it be better to join Christianity?  

    Shizuku pulled away from the topic of visceral animal stuffed animals and returned to

work. But there was nothing else to attend to at this moment; everything that needed to be

done was already done.  

    "Oh, right, Shizuku -chan," Kaede said again.  

    "You're not done yet, are you? Electrocuting a bobcat is enough."  

    "No, it's someone who wants to visit the student union."  

    "Isn't the visitor sitting next to me?"  

    "Not me, it's someone else."  

    "You can visit anytime."  

    The student union is open at all times. Except for explicit activities like the fan photo shoot

just now, basically anyone can come.  

    Kaede, for the first time, looked troubled.  

    "Even though it's someone I know, they're not students here. So I'm wondering what to

do." "  

    Students from other schools are fine too."  

    "Junior high school students,"  

    Shizuku thought. It certainly takes a lot of courage for a junior high student to enter high

school. Seitetsu Gakuen doesn't offer a straight -through -high school system, but rather a

unique system of separate schools for both sexes.  

    "Is it a girl who lives nearby?"  

    "She's a friend's sister, so she shouldn't be too far away. " "Is  

    it just a girl? Or with a boy?"  

    "Only one girl."  

    "Then no problem," Shizuku replied. "  

    Tell her you're coming from the girls' department, and I'll let the school know. And don't

wear casual clothes; wear your middle school uniform; it can serve as an ID."  

    "Thank you," Kaede said.  

    "Shizuku -chan is so reliable."  

    "If she can get in with something like this, it's a steal." As the student council president,

she believed it was necessary to spread the word.  

    ...There wasn't much work to do later, not much compared to usual. Perhaps because

they'd announced Kaede's arrival, the others were working hard. Thank you so much.  

    Shizuku and Kaede went back together. First, they told the staff to go back, then closed the

door and other things. Normally, they'd have to make sure the gas was turned off properly,

but thankfully, this was the student council room,  

    so there wasn't that kind of thing. They just had to be careful with the electric kettle and

the plug. They walked out of the library side by side. After school, there wasn't anyone

waiting for them like they'd been that morning. There were people who used super -powered

binoculars to take secret photos, but there was no point in catching them there.  

    "Hey, Kaede. Is the junior high student who's visiting a third -year student?"  

    "Yes," Kaede replied firmly.  

    "He said he was going to take the exam here."  

    "Really? Do you remember? Kaede did the same thing."  

    "Of course I do. I wanted to know what Shizuku -chan's school was like, so I came to visit."  

    "Senior was there too."  

    "Is that so?" "Oh, Kaede was in the third year of middle school, and I was in the first year

of high school."  

    "Is that so?" Shizuku remembered it clearly, thinking back to the past as she walked.  

    About a year ago.  

    Indeed, back then, the two of them had walked home together like this. Kaede, who was

touring the school, kept excitedly saying, "Shizuku -chan is the student council president here!

How amazing!" He refused to let her refute him with a "No such thing,"  and instead

deliberately avoided saying, "No big deal," letting her continue.  

    After the tour, the two of them walked toward the girls' school gate. As expected, Kaede

excitedly exclaimed, "It's amazing that the boys' and girls' gates are different."  

    When they reached the iron school gate, they saw a female student standing there. Kaede

was the first to notice.  

    "Shizuku -chan, someone seems to be there." The sleeves of Kaede's junior high school

uniform were a little short for her. The sleeve of the hand pointing in that direction was

rolled up.  

    "Someone you know?"  

    "Senior, didn't I tell you before?"  

    "She's called Shinomiya -san, right?"  

    "Yes, if it wasn't someone who looked exactly like her." Even though she said that, it still

looked like Tamiko -senpai. With her back to the school gate, her head slightly lowered, her

face bathed in the setting sun, she looked like the young lady she once was.  

    "Are you waiting for Shizuku -chan?"  

    "Who knows?"  

    "I'll go say hello." Regardless of what Shizuku said, Kaede trotted over to Tamiko's side.  

    Tamiko noticed too, and smiled at both Kaede and Shizuku.  

    "Shinomiya -san," Kaede said first, and Tamiko smiled faintly.  

    "Oh, isn't that Sakura -san?" Kaede lowered her head in response.  

    Tamiko already gave off the vibe of a literary girl, and just standing there gave her that

feeling even more. During lunch break, she was often spotted reading under a tree, enjoying

the cool breeze.  

    "Are you waiting for Shizuku -chan?"  

    "I was planning on that," Tamiko said, a bit troubled.  

    "Are you planning on going home together? Then I'll take my leave."  

    "No, it's okay. Let's go home together, three of us,"  

    she said, along with Shizuku, who had caught up.  

    "Okay, Shizuku -chan."  

    "Of course," Shizuku replied.  

    As a result, the three of them walked home side by side. While Tamiko was the eldest,

Shizuku was the tallest, and Kaede was third in both age and height. Kaede, however, was the

one who loved to talk the most, so with her around, there was nothing to worry about. While

she wasn't the best talker, she was the type who didn't like to lose track of the conversation.

And she always kept the conversation going.  

    "...And then, I originally planned to have Shizuku -chan show me around the school, but

she ended up just sitting in the student council room." Kaede said to Tamiko with a slight

smile.  

    "Finally, it's time for her to lead the way, but it's already this late. Lately, she hasn't been

hanging out with me much; she's been busy with school matters."  

    "You're too serious," Tamiko said, also smiling. A beautiful voice like a bell.  

    "Shinomiya -san, have you known Shizuku -chan before?"  

    "Not really. We met by chance while doing student council work. We weren't as close as

Sakura -san."  

    "What kind of impression did Shizuku -chan give you back then?"  

    "No change at all. She felt like a finished product when she first entered school." She said

with a sly smile.  

    "But she's become a little stricter, probably because she's president," Shizuku retorted

tactfully.  

    "I'm doing it the same as usual."  

    "That's true, but a little softer would be better. If you keep going like this, the other staff

members will get nervous."  

    "Everyone's doing a great job." He said something that couldn't be refuted. As expected,

having a senior as his opponent made things a bit confusing. Kaede's enthusiastic questions

probably had something to do with it, too.  

    He changed the subject.  

    "Kaede knows about the senior?"  

    "How?" "  

    They seem very close." Kaede's demeanor remained largely unchanged regardless of who

she was with, but from Tamiko's words, he could tell they knew each other.  

    His friend was instantly convinced.  

    "Yeah. As expected of Shizuku -chan. We've known each other before."  

    "When?"  

    "I came here once, before Shizuku -chan took the Seitetsu exam."  

    "You've done something like that before?"  

    "Because I wanted to know which school Shizuku -chan was going to attend. I didn't visit

then, but I did talk to the student council members." Tamiko smiled and agreed. In other

words, Kaede had known Tamiko -senpai even longer than he did.  

    "But it's been a while since we've talked like this," Kaede added.  

    "Shizuku -chan doesn't talk much about herself, so she didn't know anything about

Shinomiya -san at first." "Even when I try to talk, Kaede keeps talking about her own things."

"Ah, that's too much," Kaede said in a childish tone. "Shizuku -chan won't lis ten to me

because of all the gossip and stuff." "

    When  

    you play with Kaede , isn't it always visceral animal stuffed ... "You can see as many animal

organs as you want at the Hormone Grill." "But I think they're cute." Shizuku couldn't help

but say, "Huh?" Shizuku added, wondering if she had misheard and m isunderstood. "Senior,

it's the animal stuffed animals with internal organs, the ones that can't be sold." "Hey hey... I

think they're cute." Tamiko said shyly. This is indeed embarrassing, Shizuku thought. It's not

just the internal organs, but also the v arious ways of dying. It's a toy that is evaluated as "It

can exorcise demons when placed indoors, and humans must be able to endure it first." If it

were an ordinary person, they would probably reject this thing first. But Senior actually likes

this, this  shock is no joke. "See, Shizuku -chan." Kaede said with a proud look on her face,

"After all, there are still people who understand." "Hey, Kaede, even if we are childhood

sweethearts, there are still limits."  

    "Shinomiya -san's reaction is just normal."  

    It's impossible to overly adore ordinary offal, but Tamiko didn't deny it.  

    "Pink offal is really nice."  

    "...Senpai, if you need to correct your mindset, now's the time."  

    "Don't you agree, Shizuku?"  

    "My sensibilities are the same as everyone else's,"  

    she said in a roundabout way. "It's you who are different." But they didn't care. Their

sensibilities denied it, and so did the market. No matter how they looked at it, they found

these two people strange.  

    Shizuku left them aside and walked away. Kaede and Tamiko were deeply engaged in a

conversation about dirty stuffed dolls. "The way they died is very avant -garde," "The empty

eyes are so cute," and so on. It was completely incomprehensible what they we re talking

about. But Kaede was delighted, as if she had found a kindred spirit.  

    "I have a lot of offal animal stuffed dolls at home," Kaede said to Tamiko.  

    "That's great."  

    "I'll have you over someday."  

    "Thank you, I look forward to it."  

    Both of them looked so happy. At this point, it was unacceptable to say anything negative.  

    Finally reaching the fork in the road, Kaede said goodbye.  

    "Well, Shizuku -chan. Thank you, Shinomiya -san, too. I'm sorry to bother you."  

    "No, it's okay. I think we interrupted Ohsakura -san's school tour, too. I'm so sorry."  

    "No, that's not the case. Please chat with Shizuku -chan later." With that, she waved and

left. For a moment, they both watched her go.  

    "...She's a good kid," Tamiko said softly.  

    "She's Shizuku's childhood friend, isn't she? She's cute and very well -mannered."  

    "If she didn't have such weird interests," she replied. The previous conversation about the

stuffed animals with internal organs still lingered in her mind. Tamiko replied leisurely, "Isn't

that a good interest?"  

    "...Moreover, what do you want to talk to me about, senpai?"  

    They ended the topic of the disgusting stuffed animals and got back to the point.  

    He hadn't agreed to go home with Tamiko, but he wouldn't ask her to go home with him

unless it wasn't something important, which was very different from Kaede.  

    The shorter senior whispered, "Has your bracelet glowed lately?"  

    "...No."  

    "Can you transform based on your own thoughts?"  

    "Yes."  

    Shizuku unconsciously raised the bracelet on her right hand.  

    The Bracelet of Promise is proof of Kämpfer's ability. By glowing, she transforms into a

fighting being and swings her sword. Shizuku was chosen to become Kämpfer because of the

appearance of the electrocuted mountain cat.  

    Its color is red. This is used to distinguish friend from foe, while enemies are blue. Tamiko,

standing next to her, is also red.  

    "Really? It would be very inconvenient if I couldn't transform freely. It wouldn't be possible

to react instantly. I can never forget the feeling of glowing."  

    "...Yes,"  

    she answered honestly. Tamiko is a senior not only in life, but also in Kämpfer. Without her,

it would take quite a while to grasp the situation. She might have been defeated while she

was swaying.  

    Shizuku's respect for Tamiko also implies this.  

    "I think it's about time for the blue guy to come to school, so don't let your guard down."  

    "Hey hey...senpai, are you going to battle again?"  

    Tamiko didn't confirm or deny, just smiled.  

    "Everyone else besides Kämpfer is busy."  

    "If you're going to battle, please be sure to call me."  

    "Don't worry, it's okay. Don't look at me like I've never lost."  

    Then, with a gentle voice, she changed the subject.  

    "...Speaking of which, the visceral animal stuffed animal surprisingly doesn't talk much."  

    "The hit -and-run hippo?"  

    "Yeah. It's lethargic. And we can't feed it."  

    The visceral animal stuffed animal can talk. It's a bonus of becoming a Kämpfer. The self -

proclaimed messenger reveals many things, but also hides many things.  

    Shizuku's Electrocuted Bobcat can talk, of course. I mentioned it this morning. It speaks

loudly whenever I see it, and I want it to shut up.  

    "It gets lonely when it stops talking."  

    "Are you so concerned about it?"  

    "Because the tire tracks are cute," Tamiko said shyly.  

    Because it's being hit by a car as a selling point, the hippo has tire marks on its back. While

it's not necessary to be so particular, it's fair to say the manufacturer has absolutely no

intention of improving it.  

    "I think it's quite charming too..."  

    "If you hate it, don't force it," Tamiko said with a smile.  

    "If it can stop talking and stop fighting, I'll get over it."  

    "..."

    "Ordinary daily life is definitely the best."  

    Shizuku knew Tamiko didn't like fighting. The elm tree near the men's club has pincers, and

she often reads there. She's very assertive after becoming a Kämpfer, but she's still a literary

girl after all.  

    "Shizuku, will you keep fighting?"  

    "I don't know. If fighting can lead to something, I'll keep going."  

    "You're so strong. But there are people who are worried about your health, so don't force

it."

    "Okay..."  

    "Sakura -san will be sad if something happens."  

    "That's right..."  

    "Of course," Tamiko said. Shizuku's friends were always worried about her, and of course

Kaede and Tamiko were too.  

    When I was little, I was said to be precocious. Whether in elementary school or junior high,

people always told me, "Sangou -san is very strong, so he'll be fine." The only people who

were a little worried about me were Kaede and Tamiko -senpai. Of cours e, I don't intend to

become weaker, but I'm grateful that there are people who care about me. "Sakura -san, are

we childhood sweethearts?" "Yes." "  

    Then make a promise with me. Don't make that girl sad."  

    Tamiko spoke in a soothing tone. Yet, there was a strong will within her voice, and Shizuku

sensed it immediately. She replied affirmatively, "I understand."  

    "Then it  

    's a deal." "Yes," Tamiko smiled reassuringly.  

    "Great, Kämpfer isn't alone. I just wanted to know." And there, it felt like the conversation

was over.  

    The sun slowly set, and a long time had passed since she and Kaede parted ways.  

    "Then I'll go back from here."  

    Tamiko walked toward the opposite sidewalk. The light was green, and several cars were

parked within the white line.  

    "Let's go home together later."  

    "Okay. ...Tamiko -senpai."  

    "What's wrong?"  

    "I've been meaning to ask you before. Where did you get the visceral animal stuffed

animals?" "

    Oh, isn't that obvious, Sakura -san?" Tamiko replied calmly. "  

    From Kaede?"  

    "Hey, what's wrong?"  

    "...No, nothing."  

    Tamiko walked toward the sidewalk. Shizuku watched her walk away.  

    ...Then she returned to reality.  

    She looked forward. A path she'd walked countless times before, a path that remained

unchanged, and a friend a year her junior beside her.  

    "What's wrong, Shizuku -chan?" Kaede glanced uneasily.  

    "...Nothing."  

    "That's fine. If you need anything, please talk to me."  

    This friend was gentle. She hadn't changed at all.  

    "Yes, Kaede —"

    Shizuku looked at the unchanged Kaede before her.  

    "If you need anything, please talk to me." "

    Of course. Because Shizuku -chan is trustworthy, isn't that right?"  

    Shizuku thought .  

    While it wasn't quite that busy at noon the next day, it had been busy since the afternoon.

As soon as Shizuku left the student council room, the staff gathered around, carrying various

cases as if they had been waiting. She had been a little hesitant yesterday because Kaede was

there, but today was exactly as she expected. After  

    reviewing the documents, they signed and stamped them. It was like someone from a

company asking for leadership, but this was the student council room at school, and there

was no compensation. Finally,  

    when it was over, the vice -president approached.  

    "Oh, what's up with Sakura -san today?"  

    "She can't come visit every day," Shizuku replied. She hadn't said anything to him anyway;

if anything was wrong, she would contact him.  

    "What a shame! Having both the president and Sakura Kaede in the student council room

is a valuable opportunity,"  

    the vice -president said, lowering her head in regret. She wasn't trying to save money; she

genuinely enjoyed taking photos. In other words, she had a secret photographer in her

family, but he was excellent at providing support, so Shizuku Sangou turned  a blind eye.  

    "Anything else?"  

    "Someone from the board of directors is being very persistent. They want to meet with the

president and take a tour."  

    "Ah," she thought, remembering what happened yesterday —something Sakura Kaede had

mentioned, that the junior high students were coming.  

    "When?"  

    "Tomorrow."  

    "Come here after school tomorrow and tell them."  

    "I see..."  

    Sensing a subtle change, Shizuku lifted her gaze from the documents.  

    "What's wrong?"  

    "President, are you feeling unwell?"  

    "Very well."  

    "Really? Excuse me."  

    The vice -president, who had left her seat and was completely lost, looked at her uneasily.

She understood that.  

    It seemed like she had been seen through. She had been thinking about Tamiko yesterday,

and some of her emotions had come over her.  

    Tamiko Shinomiya had always been a gentle person. She resigned from the student council

because "we just couldn't get along." After becoming Kämpfer, her eyes became bright and

her agility was like that of a wild animal, which made people feel that she  was forcing herself.

After the battle, you could always see that she was obviously tired. This was natural for her,

who didn't like fighting, but she still had to fight. Kämpfer was really a hassle. Shizuku

stopped flipping through the documents. She bega n to think.  

    "Excuse me for a moment?" Shizuku called to the vice -president.  

    "Yes?"  

    "Kaede...can you call Sakura Kaede? I think she should still be at school."  

    "I know, but..." Shizuku said a little troubled, "Her phone is broken."  

    "Then I'll go find her directly. Just bring her here, right?"  

    "Down there, surrounded by books, Kaede should be more comfortable talking."  

    The vice -president stood up, and after a while, Shizuku also walked out of the student

council room.  

    At the counter on the first floor, there was a first -year student wearing glasses. It was

Akane.  

    Akane was reading a book at the counter, and when she saw Shizuku, she lowered her

head in panic.  

    "Yes, President. What's going on?"  

    "Not really. Are there many people at the tables inside right now?"  

    "They're empty. Because not many people use the library..."  

    "We have to do something to increase the utilization rate." The library at Seitetsu Gakuen

is very good, but if students don't use it, it's just a waste. I have to attend the next meeting of

the library committee to give my suggestions.  

    Inside, there was an empty table in the shadow between the entrance and the counter.

Shizuku wouldn't have chosen this place, but once she did, she had no complaints.  

    Shizuku didn't sit down, but waited a little while before Kaede arrived. She still had the

same bright and smiling face.  

    "Shizuku -chan, what's wrong?"  

    "I'm a little lonely. I wanted to see Kaede's face."  

    "Here you go again," Kaede said with a smile.  

    "It's totally unbelievable that Shizuku -chan would be lonely."  

    "It happens sometimes."  

    But even so, she could still get along with Kaede. Shizuku considered this a strength of her

friend, who was a year younger. Kaede was holding a large paper bag. Shizuku looked over

there.  

    "What's that?"  

    "Animals stuffed with internal organs," Kaede replied happily.  

    "I brought them here because I wanted to give them out today. They're in a bag, but

they're all pretty. Shizuku -chan, do you want another one?"  

    "No, I have something to ask you, Kaede."  

    "Okay, what is it?" Kaede sat down on the chair, and Shizuku sat down next to her.  

    "About that animal stuffed with internal organs..." pointing to the paper bag. "Did you give

it to the senior, too?"  

    "Who is the senior?"  

    Shizuku was inwardly shocked. After a Kämpfer was defeated, she would disappear from

this world, and this would also affect people's memories.  

    "Tamiko -senpai who I mentioned yesterday."  

    "Ah, the one Shinomiya gave to the classmate. I think I gave it to her," she replied

immediately, and it didn't differ from what she had heard from Tamiko before.  

    "Do you choose who you give it to?"  

    "Uh-huh, not really. It's a way of saying hello when you first meet someone, and I definitely

give it to someone I'm close to," she answered, considering the situation.  

    Regardless, giving it to someone you've just met is quite impressive. The recipient must be

somewhat troubled. Since it's well -intentioned, it's hard to throw it away.  

    "Why did you give it to your senior?"  

    "Why? Maybe she showed me the way, I guess."  

    "Yes."  

    "Now I give it to seniors too. Since Shizuku -chan has so many fans, I just say please treat

this as Shizuku -chan."  

    "I'm not exposing my internal organs."  

    "To me, Shizuku -chan is as important as my important dolls."  

    It's not exactly a joy to be compared to a hit -and-run hippo, a carcass covered in tire tracks.

Since Tamiko was happy at the time, there was nothing wrong with it. The problem came

later.  

    "Hey, Kaede."  

    "Yes?"  

    "Did you know that doll can talk?"  

    "Hey..."  

    "It can talk,"  

    she asked, staring into her friend's eyes. Intent on not missing a single change. After a

while, Kaede burst into laughter.  

    "Really? What are you talking about?"  

    "How could that be?"  

    "Dolls can talk or something? If that's the case, I've been talking to them all along. They

never answer me when I talk to them." Kaede laughed for a while. The spectacled librarian at

the counter came over to check on the situation. It must have been Kaede's laughter. If she

met her eyes, she would shrink in fear and run away.  

    "Kaede, don't laugh so loudly. It's causing trouble for others."  

    "I'm sorry, but Shizuku -chan, saying something like this, such a fantasy, is unbelievable."  

    "It's not something unbelievable."  

    "I wish it could talk, too. But it's a doll." It was true, just as Kaede had said. However, the

doll did talk.  

    Kaede showed no signs of lying. If she suspected her relatives and friends, her world would

end. Because she had to suspect that the original owner was Kaede, Shizuku could kill them

even if they were relatives or friends.  

    The doll Tamiko received also spoke. When she first heard it, she wondered if there was

something wrong with her ears. Shizuku felt the same way. And those dolls were messengers

that led her to the world of battle.  

    But why did the doll she got from Kaede speak? Was there an exception?  

    "Is it this?" Kaede said.  

    "Hey."  

    "Wouldn't we talk about things like that when we were walking home together?"  

    "Because it suddenly got on my mind."  

    "I thought it was about my boyfriend."  

    "What is that?"  

    "Didn't we talk about boys yesterday? The visceral animal doll must be connecting Shizuku -

chan to a boy."  

    "I'm sure you didn't say that."  

    "So now I'm saying it."  

    "I'd be happy if you could cancel what you said just now."  

    "Shizuku -chan, don't you have any close boys?"  

    Her friend's face showed an eagerness for an answer.  

    Girls love talking about love, but Kaede doesn't really care. But when it comes to Shizuku,

she'll immediately delve into it. In other words, she always wants to know about her friends'

relationships.  

    Shizuku has little interest in love, which is a problem.  

    "I don't need a boyfriend. I don't plan on getting one in the future."  

    "You're so popular, aren't you?"  

    "That and that are two different things."  

    "If it were Shizuku, you could just pick whoever you want, right?"  

    "Same for Kaede."  

    After all, these two were the two most beautiful girls at Seitetsu Gakuen, and there were

plenty of boys who admired them. Kaede, however, kept the same distance from all of them,

and Shizuku had absolutely no intention of getting close.  

    "As for boys, it's fine no matter what."  

    "You don't seem interested."  

    "Yeah. Not interested in boys. Because I'm a yuri."  

    She gave a casual reply, but of course, Kaede wouldn't believe it.  

    "At least, it would be better if you were more serious about it."  

    "Then I was born a yuri."  

    "Shizuku, don't you reject all the love letters you get from girls?"  

    "Even from boys."  

    "You still do?"  

    "Of course."  

    Shizuku had received love letters from both men and women since junior high, ranging

from simple admiration to serious confessions. She rejected them all. She also found ways to

reject those who offered flirtatious hopes.  

    Thanks to this, she was praised as "Shizuku Sangou is both cool and aloof." The person who

admired her became someone who silently protected her from afar.  

    Of course, Kaede also knew this.  

    "I'd probably be happier getting it from a girl than a boy."  

    "You're talking about that again."  

    This friend would occasionally say something like this. It sounded more serious than

Shizuku's, and even more detrimental. While not as serious as Shizuku, she was certainly

popular with the girls.  

    "If she was nice, I might fall for her."  

    "That's about it. I'm a liberal, so I'll give you my blessing."  

    "Then Shizuku -chan, get a girlfriend too?"  

    "It's better than electrocuting a talking bobcat." She casually changed the subject, but

Kaede didn't follow up.  

    "Shizuku -chan, you sound a little weird."  

    "I ate too much at lunch yesterday, and I got sick."  

    "Did anything weird happen?" Though she was smiling, there was also a hint of worry in

her voice; this friend was unfazed.  

    "Sorry," Shizuku said.  

    "I did say something weird."  

    "That's all for me."  

    "That's all for the love talk,"  

    Kaede said regretfully, but Shizuku simply ignored her.  

    "Also, about tomorrow, the visitor Kaede mentioned should be here."  

    "Tomorrow, huh?"  

    "How about we go around together tomorrow?"  

    "Yeah, sure. Is that all?"  

    "Hey, hey."  

    Kaede picked up the paper bag and stood up.  

    "I'll be leaving today. I'm really sorry to bother you, Shizuku -chan."  

    "I'm sorry. I called you over."  

    "If it's for Shizuku -chan, I'll fly over no matter where it is, don't worry."  

    Kaede smiled as usual. If she weren't a collector of visceral animal stuffed animals, she'd

be a perfect girl.  

    As Kaede was about to leave the library, she almost bumped into someone.  

    "Ah!"  

    "Oh, yes, sorry." A boy stepped out from the shadows of the bookshelves.  

    "Natsuru -kun...?"  

    "Ah, Kaede."  

    It was Natsuru Senou, one of the people who had been to the student council room

yesterday. A first -year, indeed.  

    "Sorry, are you hurt?"  

    "No."  

    Natsuru hadn't dodged the collision himself; he had simply moved out of the way, avoiding

a direct collision.  

    "That's great,"  

    Natsuru breathed a sigh of relief. Shizuku watched his movements.  

    There was no way he could be hurt; the timing of his exit seemed perfectly calculated.

He'd been waiting for Kaede from the start, right? Shouldn't he have been a bit smarter?

Acting out a collision scene is completely third -rate.  

    Natsuru looked at Shizuku, sweat gradually forming on his temples.  

    "Um, Kaede, why don't we go back together?"  

    "Natsuru -kun, aren't you going to use the library?"  

    "No... or rather, I don't need the library anymore."  

    After the fake collision was successful, of course, everything was fine.  

    Kaede replied, "Okay, let's go back together," and Natsuru waved his hand in jubilation.  

    He seemed quite devoted to Kaede. It seemed like they'd known each other since junior

high, so this was one way to do it. But one wrong move and he'd be a stalker.  

    Shizuku thought for a moment before revealing Natsuru to her. It was as if she was seeing

through everything he was doing.  

    Natsuru's sweat was increasing at a noticeable rate, as if he'd noticed.  

    "…Natsuru -kun, what's wrong?"  

    "No, nothing... just a little hot."  

    "I'm sweating a lot... but the air conditioning here is really effective."  

    "It only doesn't work on me. It must be some new weapon."  

    Flustered, he didn't even know what he was saying. He pretended to ignore Shizuku and

urged Kaede.  

    "Go back, go back. If you stay here too long, I'll get killed... it'll get really hot."  

    "Okay."  

    Kaede waved to Shizuku and followed Natsuru.  

    From the library entrance, a voice called out, "Next time, get a stuffed animal with internal

organs." It seemed Natsuru had refused, but it wouldn't last. After all, he liked Kaede, and

he'd accept her one day.  

    Shizuku gave a rare wry smile. What a cute boy! While calling him cute might be rude, he

was already shaken by the mere act of bumping into someone and being stared at, and he

was so flustered and stiff. Despite his ordinary appearance, he surprisingly  left an impression.  

    Come to think of it, this is the second time I've mentioned that kid's name. Shizuku

thought about it and gave a wry smile.  

    That day, when she was leaving the student council room, she was the last one out. After

making sure the doors and windows were locked, she went home. Since Kaede and Natsuru

had gone home earlier, she was alone today.  

    It was already getting dark. She was even later than yesterday. While it was natural for

students to spend long hours at school, it was unbearable to keep doing this. It wasn't time

to go out and about anymore, but going home so late was unbearable. Th inking it was just a

duty didn't make it hard, but it was still different from other students. A bitter expression

crossed her face at the thought. Forget about friends, she was actually thinking about a

boyfriend. Maybe it was because Kaede had been talki ng about that a lot lately, so it was

easier to think about it.  

    Shizuku didn't know many men. In junior high, her friends were all girls. That said, she

wasn't withdrawn around boys; nothing had changed. It was just that she wasn't that

intolerable. Kaede seemed a little unhappy about that. She keeps saying things like, "Go get a

boyfriend." And it's going to turn out the same way as yesterday. She said she'd bless you if

you get a boyfriend, but is that really said with good intentions? Or will I really have a

miserable high school life because I'm always on the st udent council? Although I haven't

received much care from her, I should be grateful for her kindness. And since it has come to

this, it wouldn't be bad to ask her to introduce a guy. I know that there are obviously more

guys than I do. Someone like Natsuru  Senou, the guy from before, would be fine.  

    For a moment, Natsuru's face appeared in her mind. Really, what am I thinking? It's not like

I want a boyfriend. I'm sure I'll have that thought when the time comes.  

    Arriving at the school gate, she saw a group of boys and girls, seemingly elementary school

students, playing outside, each holding a balloon. As she watched this scene, Natsuru's face

reappeared in her mind. She didn't know why, but she decided to sea l it away, keeping it

under wraps.  

    Then, suddenly, she heard a popping sound.  

    Since it was right in front of her, she thought it was a gunshot.  

    But it wasn't. It was just the elementary school students popping their balloons. They ran

away, laughing.  

    Her tension was relieved. It was truly dangerous. Transforming in front of children is a rare

experience. What would happen if she reported this to her parents? She wished it had been

a special filming. It was the same thing back then. That day, too, she was walking home when

she heard a sound behind her. It was a clear gunshot.  

    ...The moment she left the school gate, she heard a sharp explosion. Gunshots weren't

something you'd hear in high school; at most, they were the kind you'd hear in movies or on

the news. But for Kämpfer's Shizuku, she'd heard it many times before. And  the sound of

gunfire in a peaceful school meant only one answer.  

    Shizuku dropped her bag in the bushes near the school gate and ran back in the opposite

direction, channeling power into her right wrist. Light enveloped Shizuku and vanished. Her

appearance remained largely unchanged, though the inside of her hair, sw irling in the wind

from her running, shimmered. As a Kämpfer, her physical abilities far surpassed those of an

average person. She ran toward the inner reaches of the women's department, toward the

inner side of the gymnasium. She'd locked onto the locatio n the moment she heard the

gunshots; it must have been right. She skirted behind the unused equipment and saw a

crisscross of bullets and balls of flame, then the elm tree.  

    "Senpai!"  

    Tamiko Shinomiya didn't look at Shizuku. Instead, she released and manipulated several

fireballs.  

    Shizuku's senpai had changed drastically since her transformation. Her gentle image

vanished, replaced by the face of a warrior who had experienced countless battles. Her

height remained the same, but her hair had turned a cool blue.  

    "Ha!"  

    Tamiko, a red Kämpfer, accustomed to combat, now manipulated several balls of fire,

unleashing them in a straight line towards her opponent. I didn't know much about the

enemy. But one thing was clear: it was a woman, since the Kämpfer was restricted t o women.  

    She looked like a girl with short hair, her gun firing wildly, the blue bracelet on her wrist

glowing faintly. In the battle, Tamiko was being dominated, while the blue Kämpfer used

repeated leaps to evade.  

    "Shizuku, support."  

    "Okay."  

    Shizuku circled around the elm tree and launched a pincer attack, potentially defeating her.

Even if she failed, a two -on-one advantage was still in her favor. The enemy landed first, then

leaped with all her might, passing through the barrier between boys and girls.  

    "How naive!"  

    Tamiko's fireball collided with it, but for some reason, it didn't burn. Like a soap bubble.

But it still burst, sending the blue Kämpfer crashing down. ...It seemed so. The girl spun in the

air, kicked the wall, and then approached Tamiko, realizing her attack power was low, seizing

the opportunity to counterattack. Perhaps this was her plan from the beginning.  

    The muzzle of the gun pointed at Tamiko, likely intending to fire at extremely close range,

faster than Tamiko could regain her composure and cast her magic. Unconsciously, Shizuku

extended the dagger at her sleeve, thrusting it straight out to block t he muzzle of the gun.

The enemy girl wavered, and Shizuku manipulated her other dagger, encircling the girl's neck

with the chain. Shizuku yanked, and the girl collapsed, unable to withstand the force. Only

one final blow remained.  

    "Stop, Shizuku," Tamiko commanded. With that, she loosened the chains around her

hands. The girl swung them down and leaped to her feet with all her might. By the time they

realized what was happening, she had already fled.  

    "Senpai..."  

    "It's okay, Shizuku."  

    Shizuku sheathed the dagger into her sleeve, and Tamiko's flames did not reappear.  

    "Aren't you going to defeat her?"  

    "Hmm..."  

    She scrutinized her palm.  

    "Is the magic not powerful enough..."  

    "Yes..."  

    Tamiko remained silent. After a while, Shizuku reluctantly rekindled the conversation.  

    "Is Senpai in bad shape?"  

    "Very healthy, huh? But, as I said, the hit -and-run hippo hasn't been talking much, right?

Perhaps that's related."  

    "..."

    Shizuku wasn't sure what the basis for this statement was, though her Electrocuted Bobcat

was still quite talkative.  

    "Because your attack power has weakened, it's become a tough fight."  

    "Yes, even if you get help from Shizuku, there's a limit."  

    "Could it be that when you let Kämpfer escape just now?"  

    "I became weak too. Of course, it's more than that."  

    Her eyes suddenly grew empty, and at some point, her transformation dissolved.  

    "Just one question: what are we fighting for?"  

    "Is that Kämpfer someone you know?"  

    "No, it's a girl I don't know. She just happened to fight me, so she probably doesn't know

me. But, I don't know if I should defeat that girl."  

    As far as Shizuku knew, Kämpfer was born for war. So defeating the opponent should be a

matter of course. In her normal state, Tamiko can be defeated by any number of blue

Kämpfers. Shizuku also learned a variety of fighting techniques from her.  

    But did she return to her pre -transformation personality because of such doubts? Or did

her power weaken as she said?  

    "We have no idea who turned us into Kämpfers, or for whom we are fighting. Is it really

okay to go on like this?"  

    "But senpai, even if we give up the fight, nothing will change. We will still be attacked by

the enemy."  

    "That should be the case. Although I have doubts, there is no time to seek answers. ...

Shizuku, you said that you wanted to fight and find the meaning of fighting."  

    "Yes."  

    "Hasn't it changed now?"  

    "No. This blindfolded state is not in line with my personality. Escaping from the battle is

also..."  

    "You are really strong."  

    A calm smile appeared on Tamiko's face.  

    "Sometimes I think, isn't it also blissful to not know anything?"  

    "..."

    "There must be people like that."  

    "...Please don't be discouraged. After all, you are the one who taught me the Kämpfer

method."  

    "I don't deserve that kind of praise. It's because Shizuku is capable of doing it."  

    "How could that be?"  

    Tamiko leaned against the elm tree. Gently stroking the bench placed under the tree.  

    "This one is already scarred by the wind and rain."  

    "Just replace it with a new bench. I'll arrange it."  

    "No need. Maybe it's more suitable for it to rot like this."  

    Tamiko smiled weakly. Compared to when she was studying, her expression seemed more

melancholy.  

    "Me too, if it comes to this..."  

    But Tamiko couldn't say any more.  

    With the sharp sound of a gunshot, her chest was pierced.  

    "Senpai... Senpai!"  

    In the distance, the blue Kämpfer was pointing the gun at this side. She did not run away,

but waited from a distance for the opportunity to fire the resurrection shot. And that shot

successfully hit Tamiko.  

    The blue Kämpfer figure disappeared. Shizuku was planning to catch that person no matter

how far she chased her.  

    "No, Shizuku, stop chasing..."  

    Tamiko said, using the bench as support. Shizuku stopped.  

    "That woman is an enemy, she attacked you, senpai!"  

    "It's okay. Didn't I tell you just now? It's not just your attacking power that's weakened,

your heart too..."  

    Shizuku helped Tamiko up. The bloodstains on her chest, once the size of spots, were

spreading.  

    "Tamiko -senpai..."  

    "Shizuku..."  

    She slowly held out her hand.  

    "It's okay to forget about me. But there are always people who care about you. Just

remember that... and..."  

    An incredible smile appeared on her face, which had lost all color.  

    "Shizuku, you have to be strong and live on."  

    "Senpai..."  

    Shizuku felt the strength rapidly drain from Tamiko's body.  

    To meet Kaede at the appointed time, Shizuku headed towards the student council room.  

    The vice -president was already there. She was a nice, ladylike girl, but for some reason,

she had an unusual sexual orientation. Even now, she was browsing the web without

restraint.  

    The vice -president, noticing Shizuku's arrival, stood up and bowed.  

    "Thank you for your hard work."  

    "Well, turn it off before Kaede arrives. Also, if the school finds out, I won't defend you."  

    "I've already tampered with my resume so they can't find it."  

    Speaking of which, someone with strong system management skills joined the student

council, and it was Shizuku who interviewed and let her in. She was only allowed in as a

precautionary measure, and no one was actually active in this area.  

    After taking her seat, Kaede entered, carrying a paper bag.  

    "Shizuku -chan, I brought it."  

    Shizuku glanced at the clock on the wall.  

    "Where is she?"  

    "She's waiting outside."  

    "Let her come in."  

    Kaede walked into the hallway and returned with a young girl.  

    She was a short girl, and since she was wearing an unfamiliar uniform, she probably wasn't

from a nearby school. Her hair wasn't very long, and even in her hand, it didn't hold much.

She had a lovely face, but her expression was a little stiff with ner vousness. Kaede urged her.  

    "That's the student council president, Shizuku -chan."  

    "Nice to meet you," the girl replied politely.  

    "My name is Midori Kuzuhara."  

    "Kuzuhara...?"  

    Shizuku muttered. It felt like she'd heard it somewhere before; someone she knew well

shared the same last name. Kaede smiled.  

    "Shizuku -chan, that's right. She's the librarian's younger sister."  

    "Ah..."  

    Indeed, Kuzuhara was the current librarian, an acquaintance of Kaede's —that was the girl

who was so timid.  

    "Sister, I've been causing you so much trouble."  

    Midori lowered her head again, a truly polite child.  

    "I'm the one who's being taken care of by her. Should I ask your sister to come over?"  

    "No, no. She's shy," Kaede continued.  

    "I did, but the librarian didn't come out. She must be annoying being around her family."  

    "It's the librarian, but that's really bothering you, Kuzuhara -chan. I'll have to talk to my

sister when we get home."  

    Midori understood, and replied, "I'll definitely tell her," with a look of complete

acceptance.  

    "Um, Shizuku."  

    "Yes?"  

    "Although I'm younger than you, can you please let me drop the suffix 'san'?"  

    "I can't say anything rude to a guest."  

    "It's okay. Oh, I'm planning to apply to this school. If I pass, please let me help you in the

student council." She said it very clearly. People in this era are very timid, and many are

silent, but she showed no such signs.  

    "I'm looking forward to it," Shizuku replied.  

    "The student council is always welcome. If that's the case, it's okay to drop the suffix."  

    "Thank you," Midori said politely.  

    Kaede stroked Midori's head and said, "That's great, Midori -chan." Midori blushed slightly.  

    "Then, let's go." Shizuku stood up.  

    "Our school is quite large, so it's best to lead the way early. Is it just the girls' section?"  

    "Yes, it's okay if the boys don't go."  

    "Don't worry about it."  

    "Because I'm not interested," Midori replied.  

    Shizuku first showed her around the library. It was the centerpiece of Seitetsu Gakuen, a

place of pride and honor, comparable to the school cafeteria, and its cleaning was done by

professionals.  

    On the first floor, the same bespectacled library committee member greeted Shizuku and

the others. After asking if the committee leader was there, she replied, "She's locked herself

in there and won't come out at all."  

    Kaede approached the counter.  

    "Akane -san, is the visceral animal stuffed animal okay?"  

    "Yes... yes."  

    "Because the Seppuku Kuro Rabbit hates being alone, you need to talk to it more."  

    "...Okay," she replied, as if giving up. Even so, Kaede was satisfied. Shizuku returned and

asked Kaede, "Did you give it to that kid too?"  

    "Yeah, she happily took it."  

    Or rather, she didn't have the courage to refuse. Beneath her gloomy expression, it was

clear.  

    "The Seppuku Kuro Rabbit is very cute. Those bloodshot eyes are so precious."  

    "Kaede, didn't you explain that to Akane -san?"  

    "Yes. I'm glad you knew." She  

    must have been grinning at the time, describing the characteristic. For Kaede, it was a

charm, but for Akane, it was like an autopsy. Shizuku couldn't help but feel a little sympathy

for Akane.  

    After visiting the library, they went to the student cafeteria, which Midori admired greatly.

Junior high schools don't usually have cafeterias.  

    "The food is delicious, too," Shizuku said, pointing to the menu.  

    "The chef is quite good. I recommend the pork rice."  

    "It doesn't go well with the impression Shizuku gives you."  

    "Really?"  

    I'm not a celebrity who relies on impressions, so spare me the impressions.  

    Then it was on to the various school buildings. The girls' division at Seitetsu Gakuen is

separated by grade, which is quite unusual. Shizuku only showed her the first -year building.  

    "Everyone's in the same grade. This is the first building you'll enter, Kuzuhara -san."  

    Midori looked around the building quietly, first at the classrooms, then out the window.  

    "There'll be surprisingly many people."  

    "...What's that over there, a wall?"  

    Midori said, gazing out the window.  

    "It's a wall."  

    "...?"  

    "That's Seitetsu Gakuen's signature feature, the wall separating the boys' and girls'

divisions."  

    The three of them walked outside.  

    After a while, they were faced with a pure white, high wall. It stretched from the left side

of their field of vision to the right, and was also lined with barbed wire.  

    Midori's expression showed her first hint of surprise.  

    "This isn't just a fence."  

    "I was too worried when I first built the men's section. This is a measure to prevent

students from crossing the line."  

    "So, you can't go in or come in."  

    "The smarter ones are racking their brains to come up with a plan."  

    Several illegal clubs have developed various methods to break through the barrier in order

to allow men and women to interact. If Shizuku doesn't let them go, they'll be dealt with

before the construction is completed. Because she has full control over  the activities of the

underground clubs, they haven't caused any actual damage, so she's left it alone.  

    Midori glanced to the side.  

    "There's a tree, too."  

    "...Yeah."  

    The three of them approached the huge, withered tree against the wall.  

    The elm tree had been planted here a long time ago, and it could be said that it was a tree

that had accompanied the history of Seitetsu Gakuen.  

    "Shizuku -chan, shouldn't there be a bench here?" Kaede asked, looking up at the elm tree.  

    "There used to be. It was removed a while ago because no one was using it."  

    Midori walked towards the base of the tree.  

    "Wait," Shizuku stopped her.  

    "Don't go there, okay?"  

    "What's going on...?"  

    "A little... I'm sorry."  

    In reality, she had no right to stop her. Many others had undoubtedly passed by here

before Shizuku knew. But that was where she had last spoken to Tamiko, a place of

memories. The words of restraint, the terror of it, were Shizuku's only willful impul se.

    "Is there anything there?"  

    "Something."  

    "Shizuku, do you remember anything?"  

    "Yeah, something."  

    Shizuku's memory still lingered: the sound of the gunshot. The fallen body, the rage of

herself trying to catch up with the blue Kämpfer, Tamiko telling her to stop, and the vague

feeling of her warmth.  

    Time is cruel, and memories of insignificant people fade in one's memory. And there's no

need to sympathize with the defeated Kämpfer, for defeat meant nothing.  

    But Shizuku still remembered, and didn't want to forget.  

    The three of them stood there for a while.  

    Midori didn't speak, nor did Shizuku. Kaede, as if concerned, gazed silently.  

    Perhaps each of them was thinking about something different. But the two, sensing

Shizuku's feelings, stayed with her for the time.  

    "...Let's go," Shizuku urged.  

    "And there's the gymnasium and the teachers' facilities. Want to see them?"  

    "No thanks," Midori shook her head.  

    "That's enough. Thank you very much. I'll take my leave now."  

    "On your way home, I'll walk you to the school gate."  

    Shizuku and the others walked towards the gate together.  

    Since Midori had come by train, Shizuku considered walking her to the station, but then

stopped thinking it might be overprotective. She wasn't a child anymore.  

    Crows cawed in the distance, and Midori bowed deeply.  

    "Thank you so much for today."  

    "It's nothing big. You can come anytime. Even when I'm gone."  

    "Next time, during the exams."  

    Midori seemed to be at least following her own rules.  

    "Well, here's a gift for Kuzuhara Midori -chan,"  

    Kaede pulled out of a paper bag, and Midori took it, lost in thought.  

    "Come and see."  

    Midori opened the bag. Shizuku knew what was inside without even glancing at it. What

she took out was an animal stuffed animal.  

    "It's a talisman for the exam, so take good care of it," Kaede said with a grin.  

    This might be rejected. If this disgusting thing were used as a talisman, there might be a

war going on that very day. The safe childbirth amulet or traffic safety amulet bought by

mistake is better than this.  

    But Midori's face flushed.  

    "Thank...thank you, I'll cherish it forever."  

    "I'm so happy."  

    "I actually got it from my admired Kaede. Thank you so much."  

    Midori looked incredibly happy. It seemed like anything was fine as long as it came from

Kaede. The feeling of joy was even more disgusting than the stuffed animal stuffed animals.

There were people like that, too.  

    Shizuku thought it was almost time to stop Kaede, but she decided to just let it go.  

    Then she looked at the stuffed animal in Midori's hand. There were tire marks on its back.  

    "Is that a hit -and-run hippo?"  

    "Ah, Shizuku -chan, you're so smart to know that," Kaede replied with a grin.  

    "It's a hit -and-run hippo. The fact that it got run over by a car is its selling point."  

    "I know that." She remembered it because she and Tamiko had the same one.  

    "Why give it to Senpai... No, why give it to her?"  

    "I think it goes perfectly with Midori -chan," Kaede said, smiling.  

    "I'm sure she'll like it. I won't waste it this time." She stroked the back of the hit -and-run

hippo with a hint of regret. It was about a year later that Shizuku understood the meaning of

Kaede's words.  

     

Translator's Notes

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

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