Kämpfer:Volume 8 Chapter 3

Volume 8, Chapter 3  

  When I woke up, I was already in my own bed. It was the room I had originally planned to spend the night in, so there was nothing strange about that.

My upper body rose first. I hadn’t changed my clothes yet. I had planned to wear either a T-shirt or a bathrobe to bed, so why was I still in my day clothes?

It seemed I had fallen asleep that evening. I must have been really tired. I hadn’t done any strenuous exercise, but swimming uses muscles all over the body, so that was probably the reason.

A glance at the clock beside my pillow showed it was already six in the morning. Wow, it was already morning? Bright light filtered through the curtains.

I quietly got out of bed.

“Ah…”

There was movement in the bed next to mine.

“Natsuru-san…?”

“Sorry to wake you.”

“It’s okay…”

Akane peeked out halfway from under the covers.

“Are you feeling better…?”

“You are?”

I tilted my head in confusion.

“Natsuru-san, didn’t you collapse? The president brought you here…”

“When?”

“In the evening…”

“Really?”

I couldn’t quite remember. I vaguely recalled going into the next room, but I had no idea what happened after that. My stomach ached a little—could that be related? I only remembered falling asleep right after coming out of the bathhouse.

“Wake up…?”

“Yeah, I’d like to sleep a little longer.” Anyway, I was already awake. It was still early for breakfast, so I opened the curtains.

The morning sun was dazzling. It would’ve been nice to go for a jog, but I don’t like running. Even if it wasn’t pleasant, I didn’t mind.

“Um… Natsuru-san…”

“Yes?”

“Please don’t turn around.”

“Why?”

“I need to change.”

Oh—right, right. I did as she asked. The sound of rustling fabric came from behind me as I kept staring out the window.

Back at the hot springs, we had been naked together (even though I’m a woman in that form). Compared to that, changing clothes shouldn’t be a big deal. This side of her psychology was truly baffling.

“…Alright.”

She turned around, already dressed for the day. For some reason, she still looked unconvinced.

“…Natsuru-san, you wouldn’t peek at a girl changing clothes, would you?”

I think the transformed Akane had said something similar before.

“Right? I still have my own body, after all.”

I wouldn’t stare at my own body either. I’m currently incapable of such twisted narcissism.

Akane looked up at me.

“If it were Kaede Sakura, would you have looked…?”

“Hmm—I want to, but I can’t.”

She’s my angel, after all. I still hold the belief that it’s best to admire her from a distance, not to touch. I want to peek at her changing clothes, but I also don’t want to. My deification mentality is quite severe.

Akane continued hesitantly.

“Could it be… could it be… if it was the president… you would have looked…”

“Absolutely not.”

I shook my head. How could that be possible? Back at the hot springs, I didn’t even look her in the eye. I had a feeling that if I watched her change clothes, something incredibly unfortunate would happen to me that day—like my house burning down.

“…?”

My face twitched.

“What’s wrong?”

“Nothing… just a headache.”

I felt a sharp pain in my head just now. It happens whenever I mention Shizuku. That girl truly is my unlucky charm.

Akane, probably thinking of me, changed the subject.

“By the way… Natsuru-san, something strange happened in the evening.”

“Is it when I was lying down?”

“Yes… the dolls were in front of the door.”

“The viscera dolls?”

“Yes. They disappeared, so Kondou-san and I went looking for them. Somehow, we found them lying by the door…”

What the hell? I checked where they were. Since I didn’t see them in the room, they must have been in the bag. Pulling out the seppuku tiger, Akane also took out the seppuku black rabbit.

“Get up!”

“…Okay, okay.”

The seppuku tiger opened its eyes. It turned out dolls sleep too.

“Hmm? It’s still so early. What’s wrong with you, Natsuru? You seem so out of shape.”

“So annoying! I heard you weren’t here yesterday?”

“It seems so.”

“Where were you?”

“I don’t know. I don’t remember. I think I fell asleep while chatting with Black Rabbit, and when I came to, I was at the door.”

“Really…”

Just as I was about to accept it, I suddenly remembered.

“Ah! You were in my bag when I went to the hot springs, right?!”

“Really?”

“Yeah! Then what happened? I felt like my bag was lighter. Did you go somewhere?”

“I don’t remember anything.”

Black Rabbit, who had committed seppuku, gave the same answer. He even said, “Natsuru, have you finally lost your mind?” Damn it.

It seemed something happened that I didn’t know about. What was this “something”? It felt like a blank spot in my memory.

I went to the hot springs yesterday, something bordering on sexual harassment happened, then I returned to my room, and after that… I have no idea. I heard I collapsed, and then I woke up in my bed. I’m in no position to talk about seppuku.

No matter how much I racked my brains, I couldn’t think of anything. I don’t have much confidence in my memory.

I’ve never gotten the “Look at this picture for ten seconds, then find the difference” question right. I’ve made countless excuses like, “This picture seems a little crooked.”

I was fretting over this when the phone in the room rang.

“Hey, hey, hey.”

(It’s me.)

It was Mikoto Kondou. She was still so loud, which was oddly reassuring.

(Let’s go get breakfast.)

Was it already that late? It was past seven.

“You’re going to make it, aren’t you?”

(Why do I have to cook for you at the hotel? Are you craving curry so badly?)

“No.”

(I’ll make it for you next time.)

I said, “I’ll go right away, but no curry,” and hung up.

After tidying up, I called Akane into the hallway. The three people from the next room were already outside.

“Good morning, Natsuru-san.”

Kaede Sakura lowered her head politely. I replied, “Good morning.” Kaede Sakura’s politeness was truly one of the most beautiful things about her. Shizuku, on the other hand, looked at me with a complicated expression. What was going on?

On the way to the cafeteria, Mikoto Kondou whispered to me.

“Hey, did you do something to the president?”

“Why are you asking?”

“You collapsed in our room, right? I asked if we should call an ambulance, but the president said it was okay.”

“It’s okay, huh?”

I didn’t feel any discomfort, and the pain in my stomach had long since subsided.

“But when they moved you to your room, the president kept saying, ‘Isn’t it a pity?’”

What the hell? I didn’t do anything to make her feel sorry.

I told Mikoto Kondou it was just Shizuku’s own mindset. With her overwhelming workload at school, it wasn’t surprising she was a little on edge.

Mikoto Kondou cursed, “You’re really uncultured,” but didn’t say anything else.

Breakfast was, as expected, a buffet. Unlike dinner, there weren’t any overly formal dishes. It’s true that only Americans eat steak so early in the morning. Or was that just prejudice?

Entering the cafeteria, I placed my chosen dishes on the tray: rice and miso soup, seaweed and eggs, dried fish and mixed radish, scrambled eggs, sausage. It was a fusion of Japanese and Western, but this was a typical Japanese breakfast.

Kaede Sakura chose toasted bread, Akane had rice and miso soup like me, Shizuku mainly ate fruit and salad, while Mikoto Kondou was the only one yelling, “No curry?” She was hopeless.

Everyone sat down at a table and began a leisurely breakfast.

“I had a really good time yesterday,” Kaede Sakura said as she ate her bread.

“You’re right, though I don’t remember much.”

Mikoto Kondou and Akane had subtle expressions.

“Hey, hey, hey. Kaede Sakura has spoken. Shizuku is still the same. That’s just how she is.”

“Let’s go swimming today too.”

“Sorry, I can’t,” Shizuku said.

“Shizuku, it’s summer vacation now.”

“I have student council work tomorrow. I have to go back and prepare.”

Oh, this woman couldn’t escape the constraints of school even on her days off. It was quite pitiful.

Shizuku was incredibly trusted by everyone at school, so she was always the one solving problems, big and small. The key was that she always handled things well. It was even rumored she had a standoff with the yakuza.

“No… Shizuku, why don’t you stay?”

“No. By the way, Kaede, why don’t you come tomorrow? Didn’t you say you were interested in student council work?”

“I did…”

Kaede Sakura puffed out her cheeks. This was a perfectly normal reaction for someone whose entertainment had been interrupted. Students naturally prioritized having fun.

“It’s a rare opportunity for us all to play together.”

“What a shame.”

“Shizuku, are you leaving your boyfriend here?”

Wait a minute, who are you referring to as boyfriend? It can’t be me, can it? That chef who was just restocking the dishes?

“My boyfriend wouldn’t mind. He might even find peace and quiet without me.”

“Natsuru-san, you’re too cold. You should have asked Shizuku to stay.”

While it was true that I found peace and quiet without her, please don’t spread weird rumors.

“It’s not a boyfriend…”

“Aren’t you going to date Shizuku? I sent a text message to my friends at school saying Shizuku has a boyfriend.”

“Ah——!”

I couldn’t help but scream in shock.

After all, this was the act of a demon. Although there was no real harm, it was still demonic. Could it be that Kaede Sakura was actually the incarnation of a demon? Although that setting was pretty cool, just like characters in comics.

“No, no, no, Kaede Sakura… this is too…”

“Everyone will be surprised if the super popular student council president has a boyfriend.”

Of course, even I was surprised.

But then again, how destructive was this? Akane was stunned, and Mikoto Kondou froze with a bite of cucumber pickles still in her mouth. Who did her friends notify? I hoped it wouldn’t spread.

Shizuku said, “This is a bit of a hassle.”

“Did it bother you?”

“I don’t mind, but Senou-san will be envied.” She might even get killed by those “fan clubs scolded by Shizuku Sangou” and “fan clubs who will kill anyone who gets close to her to protect the sacred Shizuku-sama.” Besides, these were made-up charges. There was nothing between Shizuku and me. I really wanted to go on NHK and prove my innocence to the nation.

But Kaede Sakura completely ignored me and expressed understanding.

“It’s true that Shizuku is very popular.”

“I have no opinion on that.”

“Natsuru-san, if anything happens, please tell me, and I’ll tell those people seriously, ‘Natsuru-san is going out with Shizuku, and you can’t interfere.’”

That’s not the case, wuwu.

What kind of nightmare was this? If this kept going, it might lead to a real relationship, and that was the one thing I absolutely didn’t want. In what world would someone swim into a shark’s mouth?

The cold-blooded student council president remained calm. Did she have any human blood in her veins?

“Well, I have work this time. I’ll stay with my boyfriend next time.”

So forget about boyfriends.

“If you’re interested in the student council, come,” Shizuku said to Kaede Sakura.

“Can I only go tomorrow?”

“I’ll be at school for most of the week, and I have a lot to deal with.”

Busy? Serves you right. My earlier sympathy vanished. This is what you get for casually treating someone as your boyfriend.

Kaede Sakura turned to me.

“Natsuru-san, isn’t the female Natsuru-san coming today?”

Such an abrupt question left me at a loss for words.

“Uh, well, probably not.”

Constantly transforming was too much trouble, and swimsuits and all that were a hassle. Changing into casual clothes in my female form would be even more troublesome. Just in case, I also needed to prepare some women’s underwear, which I was carrying in my bag. If my luggage got checked while I was in male form, I’d be in trouble.

“How could that be? We were just playing together in the bathhouse yesterday,” she puffed out her cheeks. “This and that, I guess it was just me who got raped yesterday.”

Kaede Sakura was still mumbling something like, “I was planning on buying a waterproof camera…” This was terrifying. What would have happened if she’d used that thing in the hot springs yesterday?

“She doesn’t seem to like swimming that much.”

“Is that so… I was thinking of asking her to teach me how to swim?”

Kaede Sakura wasn’t completely incapable of swimming. I guess she just wanted to touch me while I was a woman. What was she planning to do in public?

“Senou-san, what are you doing? Are you still playing?”

Shizuku asked me.

“What should I do…”

“Yes, I know how to play…”

Akane finally got a word in.

“It’s a rare opportunity, let’s swim a little longer…”

“But it’s almost time to check out of the hotel.”

“You can leave your luggage here until this afternoon. Let’s go swimming…”

Mikoto Kondou also said, “I want to swim too!” Well, fine.

“Then let’s swim!”

After saying this, Akane’s face immediately lit up. Was she really that happy?

“Indeed, this is right,” Shizuku said. Why do you have to decide whether it’s right or not?

“Then Shizuku and I will go prepare for tomorrow’s work.”

Huh? It was me who made that sound. Shizuku continued.

“Oh, are you interested in the student union?”

“A little bit.”

“I’m very ruthless with my employees. Maybe I’ll have you come every day of the week.”

I think so. I don’t know much about the student union, but the working conditions there must be so harsh that even “The Lament of Female Workers” would pale in comparison. Kaede Sakura, you’d better get evidence and report her.

“It’s okay,” Kaede Sakura said.

“Then thank you.”

Shizuku was fine, but what about me? What about the happy time I’d had with Kaede Sakura?

“Kaede Sakura, are you going home?”

“I’m sorry, but if Natsuru-san isn’t here, I’ll still…”

“…”

“If you see Natsuru-san, please tell her to come play with me next time.”

Her straightforward words left me speechless. Hmm, was my male self really that different from my female self? I was so enthusiastic watching the fireworks. Hmm? Fireworks? Something poked its head out from the depths of my memory. Oh, what happened? Was it something good? I couldn’t quite recall. Oh, it didn’t matter. I put the dried fish and mixed radish on my rice and devoured it in one gulp.

Mm, it tasted pretty good. Hotels these days are really meticulous even with their buffets. I’ve heard on TV that hotels spend a lot of money on food and beverages.

For some reason, Shizuku kept watching me while I ate.

“Swimming’s fine, but Akane Mishino, be careful about Senou-san.”

“Hmm…?”

Akane tilted her head.

“He has a surprisingly beastly side.”

What was this woman talking about? I always believed I was the reincarnation of a British gentleman.

“Beast… President, did he do anything to you?”

“No, I shouldn’t have.”

That “probably” was suspicious. Well, I didn’t remember much, so it was definitely not true.

“He’s a man after all, so I’d better be careful.”

“If he did anything to me… it wouldn’t be so hard…”

Akane’s heart began to sink. It seemed the trap had been opened again. To her, all of Japan was a bottomless swamp.

My mind was filled with doubts (had there ever been a time when I didn’t have doubts before?). Breakfast was over, and everyone began to prepare to go home.

I took my luggage to the lobby, and after a while, they all came out. The girls were all wearing different clothes from yesterday. Girls rarely wear the same clothes. I’m a man and I’m also very timid, so I wore the same clothes as yesterday. That’s fine.

I left my luggage at the front desk and said goodbye to Shizuku and Kaede Sakura.

“Then we’ll be leaving first.”

“Goodbye.”

Shizuku waved, and Kaede Sakura bowed her head politely. I said, “See you next time,” and watched Kaede Sakura disappear from my sight. Shizuku, get out of here!

“Okay, now that no one’s messing around, let’s have fun!”

Mikoto Kondou said loudly, stretching her arms.

“Hey, hey, hey, what are you talking about?”

This childhood friend turned her head left and right.

“Ah~ My shoulders are stiff. When Kaede Sakura is around, I have to worry about Natsuru. It’d be bad if the Kempfer incident got out.”

“That’s true…”

Akane agreed.

“When the president is around, I can’t beat her.”

“I agree…”

What are you talking about? Nodding so enthusiastically. If you want to criticize Shizuku, that’s totally fine, I’ll join in, but you won’t be allowed to say anything bad about Kaede Sakura.

“Let’s go swimming with Natsuru!”

“Uh… just asking if it means swimming with a guy.”

“That’s nonsense,” Mikoto Kondou said. “Stupid!”

“You’re going to be a guy all day today.”

I breathed a sigh of relief, and at the same time, I felt a little grateful to Mikoto Kondou.

The weather was sunny today—hot but comfortable.

After quickly changing in the locker room, I jumped into the pool. Splash!

Mikoto Kondou dragged Akane around. The theme park was huge, so there was probably a lot to see. Weren’t they going to swim? Were they going to have a marathon?

Anyway, I could finally relax completely after a long time. It was a bit of a shame that Kaede Sakura wasn’t here, but I didn’t expect Shizuku’s absence to be so refreshing.

Many guys kept calling Shizuku “Shizuku-sama,” but I completely didn’t understand what was so great about that woman. Sure, she was beautiful and had a great figure, but she was a monster. I’ve been “raped” by someone like that until now, and there’s no other way to describe it except unfortunate. Can I get my life over again? Give me a reset button?

“Wooo…”

“Thank… Thank you…”

“Are you okay?”

“Yes…”

Mikoto Kondou was such an idiot; she only cared about herself. Her mindset was, “If I’m okay, then no one else will be either.” She was a high school girl roaming around in the desert and rainforest. Most humans couldn’t keep up with her.

Akane and I sat by the pool.

“I’ll teach you how to swim later.”

“Ah… Okay, thank you.”

She half-bowed. She looked like a good girl, a world away from that bulldog girl. But if I put it that way, I’d be a woman.

The two of us just sat there, splashing our feet in the water. It was meaningless.

“Natsuru-san… are you bored…?”

Akane asked a strange question.

“No, I’m not. What’s wrong?”

“Because Kaede Sakura and the president aren’t here, I wonder if it’s boring for you…”

“No, that’s not the case. It’s a shame that Kaede Sakura isn’t here, but it’s great that Shizuku isn’t here.”

“That’s great…”

She sighed in relief.

“I was wondering what I’d do if you said it wasn’t the president…”

“Didn’t I already tell you I’m not interested?”

“When the president brought the unconscious Natsuru-san over here, my heart skipped a beat.”

“Why? Did the president do something to me?”

“No… what if something strange happened in that room…”

“What strange thing?”

“Uh… in bed with the president… something like that,” she muttered, blushing.

“No, no,” I smiled and shook my head. How could I possibly push her down? Even if that was the case, it was Shizuku who held me back, which was too weird. The only possibility I could imagine was that she fought back and I fainted or something. I don’t remember that at all.

“I’m not attracted to those kinds of beautiful women.”

“But she has a nice body…”

“I’d rather sleep with a doll.”

Even more baffling was why she’d called me her boyfriend. It’s not too late now—could you please correct that?

“You two even kissed…”

“Just think of it as a dog bite. You’ll forget it.”

“Is that… what you really mean…”

“Yes,” I said firmly.

Then, Akane, seemingly having made up her mind, spoke.

“Well, then, what do you think of me?”

“?”

“I’ll replace the president, or something…”

“Are you running for student council president?”

“No, I’ll replace the president and become Natsuru-san’s… well… girlfriend…”

The last part of her sentence was almost lost, or perhaps it had already disappeared.

“Girl?”

“Girlfriend…”

“Akane, do you have a girlfriend?”

“No, that’s not true! I mean, please let me be your girlfriend!”

Her sudden, loud words sent me stumbling, nearly falling into the pool.

Fortunately, I managed to catch myself. Akane’s face flushed red, as if she were regretting something.

What’s a girlfriend? It was unusual for the usually timid librarian to say something like that. This was, you know, a punishment game.

“Wait, stop joking.”

“How can you joke about something like that…”

“Huh? This is a punishment game, right? Whose idea was it, Higashida?”

“No…”

Oh, then it seemed she had been coerced by someone quite sinister. This was truly unforgivable.

“Natsuru-kun, didn’t you say I’m your type?…”

“I did say that.”

“So, um, it doesn’t matter if it’s not the president or Kaede Sakura… I also…”

This was really hard to deal with.

My gray brain cells had already seen through this as a punishment game. Seeing how tough Akane was, it was clear that she had been coerced into being tough. She even threatened the girl who would become Kempfer. I smelled a conspiracy.

There really are such wicked people in the world. I’m really angry.

Her face continued to blush, her shoulders heaving. It seemed that she put a lot of effort into saying this. I tried to speak in a gentle voice.

“It’s okay, Akane.”

“Eh…?”

“I’ll do my best to help you, I will.”

“…Does that mean you’re okay?”

“I’ll ask the others too. I’ll definitely find the guy who made such an unreasonable request and make him apologize. I’ve wronged you before then.”

“…I don’t quite understand what’s going on, but I understand, Natsuru-san. You must have made a mistake…”

“The final showdown will come after summer vacation. Until then, let’s forget all these unpleasant moments together.”

“Wow… I want to forget too…”

I declared my resolve, and for some reason, Akane seemed disappointed.

Anyway, that was it. All that was left was to investigate after summer vacation. Bullying such an honest girl was unforgivable.

As I thought about this, looking at the pool—something like a torpedo rushed towards me, riding the white waves.

“Oh my god!”

Mikoto Kondou screamed, slamming into the edge of the pool.

“That hurts!”

She said as she surfaced. I was completely speechless.

“That’s nonsense! Can’t you just turn or stop?”

“That’s more comfortable,” she said with a bright smile. “You’re really a cockroach.”

“Oh my… Akane, you look listless.”

“Nothing…”

“What’s wrong?”

“No…”

“Oh, it’s Natsuru’s fault, isn’t it?”

Mikoto Kondou, who hadn’t heard anything, understood everything on her own. I quickly corrected her.

“No, Akane, it’s because of that awful punishment game…”

“That’s right, it’s all Natsuru-san’s fault…”

Akane muttered. What?

Mikoto Kondou nodded heavily.

“I suppose so. It’s that thing after all. Did he say something hurtful to a girl’s feelings again?”

“I wouldn’t do such a cruel thing.”

But Akane beside me nodded slightly. Eh? Are you trying to defend those who forced the punishment game on you?

“As expected, Natsuru! This idiot is more insensitive than a hippopotamus. How can he possibly understand a girl’s feelings?”

After spouting off, she emerged from the pool.

“Come on, Akane. I’ll buy you some juice,” Mikoto Kondou said, heading for the canteen.

I wanted to protest her slander, but since Mikoto Kondou even bought me one, I let it go. Very good, keep it up.

Seeing that there were chairs with parasols, the three of us sat down.

The sun was still very strong, worthy of being summer.

Akane sipped the orange juice. She was much calmer than before, but she looked at me with resentment from time to time.

Mikoto Kondou also muttered to herself, “How to be a good woman.”

“Sure enough, if we want to fight against the president, we have to be like that—that is, to be a woman with highlights.”

Mikoto Kondou crossed her arms and said. What is a woman with highlights?

“Is it your specialty nonsense again?”

“Don’t think you can say whatever you want just because you are childhood sweethearts.”

“Aren’t you good at tomb raiding, smuggling, and reselling?”

“I only do illegal things occasionally, and I don’t mean these. I mean the kind that can firmly grasp a man’s heart.”

What’s going on? Akane was also nodding there.

“If this goes on, only the president will benefit…”

“We can’t compete with her in terms of figure or allure. We need to catch up in terms of intelligence.”

Akane aside, how about you? This girl’s academic performance is definitely not the best, but then again, if the world were to end right now, this woman would undoubtedly be the one to survive. It’s heartbreaking. Learning and life can’t be mixed.

“Why are you going to fight the president?”

“If I don’t, I’ll be at a disadvantage.”

“What?”

“…I really want to carve your insensitivity into a stone tablet and display it in an art museum.”

Mikoto Kondou, as usual, was full of disparaging remarks.

“Do you hate me that much?”

“So, how do you plan to achieve this goal?”

“Hmm…”

She crossed her arms again, lost in thought.

“You haven’t thought about this before.”

“…What about the student council?”

“Huh?”

The unexpected answer made me groan, and Akane was stunned.

“Joining the student council will make me famous as an elite among high school girls. Maybe sooner or later I’ll be selected as one of the top ten beauties in Star Railway, what do you think?”

“What’s the big deal?”

What’s the point of your theory that “as long as you join a good company, you can be popular with men”? If that were true, so many people wouldn’t be working so hard.

Mikoto Kondou seemed very dissatisfied.

“Natsuru, do you object?”

“Not really. That requires an election,” I asked, and Akane answered.

“If it’s in the form of assistance, it doesn’t matter if there is no election.”

“Oh, that’s it,” Mikoto Kondou clapped her hands like a sumo wrestler.

“Go ahead, sneak into the student council and find the president’s weakness.”

“Hey, your goal has changed.”

“It’s just splitting it in two. That way, even if one fails, there’s still some wiggle room. I never thought I could come up with such a brilliant plan. Akane, why don’t you join the student council?”

“I’m… the librarian…”

She said she couldn’t have a part-time job.

“Although I’m occasionally asked to help…”

“That’s fine. The president will be going to school all the time starting tomorrow, so let’s go too.”

“What do you mean by ‘we’?”

“That includes you,” Mikoto Kondou explained matter-of-factly, explaining the structure of this guy’s brain.

Akane asked hesitantly.

“Well… what about me…”

“Of course you’re included too.”

“…Uh…”

“Got it? Let’s go to school then,” Mikoto Kondou declared loudly. That’s how dictators make decisions, without a second thought for us civilians.

Several days passed.

Mikoto Kondou kept talking about “school, school,” but I ignored her. Why are you still looking for trouble during summer vacation? Besides, dealing with Higashida and the others is so tiring. It doesn’t matter now. I’ll probably tell you all about it sooner or later.

I woke up after a deep sleep. My fatigue from swimming had clearly long since subsided, yet I was still able to sleep so soundly. Could it be a mental issue? After all, I’ve been so exhausted lately. It’s a rarity for a lazy sleeper like me; I’ve been waking up early these past few days. This is a rare summer vacation, so I can’t do it this way. I’ll have to stay up even later next time.

I rolled over and emerged from the covers.

“I’m up,” I said to the doll on the table, but there was no response.

“Hello?”

“…Ah, yes.”

Seppuku Tiger finally spoke. He’d become taciturn since returning from the theme park.

“What were you daydreaming about?”

“Yeah, why? I always find it so cumbersome to talk.”

You’re so lazy, you wouldn’t be so lazy to speak.

“Is your lifespan up?”

“Do dolls have lifespans? It’s just strange. You seem so clear-headed even though you’re daydreaming.”

“That’s contradictory.”

“Maybe there’s some new order.”

“Order… mediator?”

“I’m not sure about that,” Seppuku Tiger’s response was ambiguous.

What new orders could there be at this critical juncture? I was only told to fight, not given any instructions. He didn’t say anything when the white Kempfer appeared.

I shook my head. Nothing’s happened yet, so I’ll just forget it. I want to enjoy this rare vacation in peace. Going to the theme park for a few days always ends in a fight. Okay, what should I do now?

Speaking of which, we were still debating whether to go to school at the pool. On second thought, I don’t want to. Who would want a place like that?

Suddenly, the door on the first floor slammed.

“Hey, hey, hey~ Natsuru!”

It was Mikoto Kondou, and I hurriedly opened the door.

“What are you doing?”

“Good morning, aren’t we going to school?”

I glanced at him, seeing he was wearing a school uniform. Eh?

“Come with me! Don’t tell me you forgot.”

“Come with…”

“Auntie’s here too!”

The girl with glasses peeked out from behind her and nodded slightly. Sure enough, she was in a school uniform too.

“Hurry up and change your clothes too!”

“Shut up! Got it.”

After all this fuss, we’re finally going.

“I haven’t had breakfast yet, wait a minute.”

“Haven’t you? You’re so late.”

“I just got up.”

“I guessed it, so I’m ready.”

Mikoto Kondou smiled as she pulled out a container wrapped in a plastic bag. You could tell what was inside without even looking.

“…Curry?”

“You guessed right~”

Before I could say anything, Mikoto Kondou entered the room. Having no choice but to let Akane in as well, Mikoto Kondou immediately set to work in the kitchen.

“It’s beef curry~”

“Anything’s fine.”

I felt like I’d tried every kind of curry in Japan; I wouldn’t be surprised if it came out as diamond curry or tungsten curry.

“I’m so sorry…”

Akane was embarrassed.

“It’s okay. It’s hard for you to be dragged along by Mikoto Kondou.”

“No… I was saying, if we go today, I should invite Natsuru-san too. I really want everyone to be together…”

Hmm, is she the type who gets uneasy without someone she knows? Is the atmosphere in the student council really different from that of the librarian?

“Will the president be here?”

“It seems she is. Kondou-kun has already called to confirm.”

Is her antagonism towards Shizuku really that strong? What’s the reason? Is it related to me?

Women’s minds are as unpredictable as the sea. Although I can also transform into a woman in appearance, I’m still far from being able to reach her level. Although I feel like if I could reach her level, it wouldn’t be that bad.

“It’s heated up~”

Mikoto Kondou’s voice came from the kitchen, and I started to eat breakfast.

The smell of curry wafted through us as we walked towards school. The smell of curry on my uniform was definitely not my fault.

Arriving at Seitetsu Academy, there was no need to show up in other classrooms, so I headed straight for the Student Council office.

I knocked and opened the door, and Shizuku was there, dressed in her formal school uniform. At the theme park, she was a movie star in a swimsuit, but today she was the capable Student Council President.

“Ah…”

She seemed a little surprised, probably not at seeing me, but at the two people behind her.

“What’s up with you all?”

“Well, I wanted to see the president at work.”

Actually, I didn’t want to come at all.

“It’s me, it’s me, I’m the one who’s got something to do,” Mikoto Kondou raised her hand.

“I want to help the president, and so does Akane Mishino.”

My hand was also raised, which was a tragedy.

Shizuku’s expression remained unchanged.

“I’ve asked Akane Mishino for help a few times, and you, too, Kondou-san?”

“Oh my god~ I want to be a good woman~”

This is getting more and more impressive the more I hear. After all, this woman went to the Amazon with the excuse of “I wanted to see schools of piranhas.” That’s not uncommon for her, right?

“Do you want to join the student council?”

“There’s an assistant position, right? That’ll do.”

“An assistant is just an assistant, after all.”

“But maybe one day you could become the student council president, right?”

“…Anyway, let me get you some tea,” Shizuku quietly interrupted the conversation. I guess her goal was to cool Mikoto Kondou down, but I doubt it would work.

The student council president opened the door to the next room and gave a few instructions.

After a while, a girl came over with a tray of barley tea.

“Please!”

I stumbled.

“S-Kaede Sakura!”

It was Kaede Sakura who brought us tea with a smile. She wasn’t just an assistant, she was a handyman, wasn’t she? Hey, Shizuku, what are you asking her to do? I was about to raise a complaint.

“President…”

“It’s okay, Natsuru-san, I like it.”

She seemed very happy. I’ve heard Kaede Sakura is the selfless type, and I’ve also heard she loves taking care of children.

“I’m happy to help Shizuku, and I need to train myself for the sake of Natsuru-san, the girl.”

That’s a really Kondou-esque excuse, but I don’t think the student council is for that kind of training.

She placed the cup on the table without causing it to fall or tip over. That must be Akane Mishino’s responsibility. Speaking of which, at the maid cafe during the cultural festival, there was a girl who played the clumsy maid, and she seemed quite popular.

The barley tea was iced, which was great. You really shouldn’t be walking outside in the summer.

Shizuku and Mikoto Kondou were talking about student council matters, and I sipped my barley tea without joining in. Thinking it was made by Kaede Sakura, it tasted especially good.

As Kaede Sakura passed me on her way back to the next room, she whispered to me.

“In a while.”

Eh? What?

Turning around immediately, Kaede Sakura bowed and went back to the next room. The other girls didn’t seem to notice she had spoken to me, and no one noticed.

What just happened? What’s going to happen next? Where am I going?

From the depths of my memory, a pair of eyes emerged, a pair of sharp eyes.

“What’s wrong, Senou-san?”

Only Shizuku asked, and I came to my senses.

“It’s okay… I’m sorry.”

“Really? Well, let me get on with it. Student council assistants have almost no work on weekdays, but they get very busy during the cultural festival and sports festival.”

Before I knew it, the conversation had reached this point, and Mikoto Kondou was listening with an attitude that made it hard to tell whether it was enthusiastic or not.

“That’s fine for us.”

“It’ll be in my file, I’m sure it’ll help with the college entrance exams.”

“Forget about the file. Anyway, whether I go to college or whatever, I’m still going to be flying around overseas digging for treasure.”

So why did you join the student council… Oh, to be a good woman, right?

But if you’re trying to emulate Shizuku, that won’t work either. Speaking of that woman, her specialties are biting people’s throats or taming them with harsh words. It’s not just Mikoto Kondou, I hope Kaede Sakura can wake up too.

Speaking of this Akane, she’s really amazing. She even has the excuse of being a library committee member to get away with it, even though she’s been caught now.

“We’ll call you when we need help. We might have to show up here after school.”

“Sure, sure, Natsuru, you did it too,” Mikoto Kondou threw the topic at me. What are you thinking?

“No way.”

“Didn’t you say you wanted it so badly?”

“I never said that.”

“And you cried and said you had to be with me.”

“When did you ever say that?”

Actually, this wasn’t all bullshit. When I graduated from kindergarten, I thought I’d definitely go to the same elementary school as Mikoto Kondou, but then she suddenly announced she was going abroad. I made that childish yet resolute resolution, “From today on, I’m an elementary school student,” but I’m still just a normal kid, so… well, I’ll leave it at that. The rest, I’ll never say.

“Because we’re childhood sweethearts, you should be with me, childhood sweethearts!”

For some reason, she emphasized the word “childhood sweethearts,” occasionally giving Shizuku a smug look.

“What are you doing? Aren’t you going abroad again after graduation? My childhood sweetheart, Natsuru-kun, stays in the country.”

“Senou-kun doesn’t seem to be interested.”

“It’s okay, he’ll listen to me.”

Go away! Why should I obey Mikoto Kondou and help the student council, becoming Shizuku’s subordinate? I’m a free agent. I don’t want to be ordered around by the president.

The timing was perfect, and I stood up.

“Hey, Natsuru, where are you going?”

“To the bathroom.”

Not that I really wanted to, but I had something else to do.

As I left the student union office, Mikoto Kondou was still making unnecessary explanations like, “Natsuru, don’t think he’s saying that, he’s just shy.” She prayed no one would believe her.

I peered down the hallway. Uh, is this the way? I walked down one flight of stairs. While I’d been to the student union office and the library on the bottom floor several times, this was my first time.

I remember half of this floor was the library, and I forgot what the other half was. Even without turning on the lights, the light from the window was enough.

Someone waved at me from the corner, and I breathed a sigh of relief and headed over.

“Sorry, I finally got away.”

“It’s okay.”

It was Kaede Sakura who was there. I trusted her words, “In a while,” and so I came here. Thinking about it, it was incredible that I could even know the floor and the location based on just that one sentence, but I didn’t care.

My heart was beating fast. Being called out by a beautiful woman is natural, but it was Kaede Sakura, even more so. If Shizuku had called out to me, I’d have felt like I was being struck by lightning.

She was smiling, oh, the smile of an angel.

“Uh, what’s up?”

I asked anyway. A man and a woman alone together was definitely a confession, but there was still some etiquette or a chance for conversation.

But Kaede Sakura said something unexpected.

“Natsuru-san, what happened next?”

What? It wasn’t a confession.

“So… playing in the pool?”

“I’m asking about after the hot springs.”

Uh… I remember losing consciousness in the next room. Why can’t I remember anything after losing consciousness… No, I can remember it now.

“Um… I pushed the president down…”

“Ah,” Kaede Sakura beamed, clasping her hands together.

“And then did you make her yours?”

“No…”

Memories of that time gradually returned. Oh, I pushed Shizuku down on the bed.

“Well, it was going smoothly until the middle…”

“…”

“Failed in the end…”

Suddenly, Kaede Sakura’s entire body transformed.

Something like a black shadow appeared on her uniform, momentarily obstructing my vision, but quickly dissipated.

“S… Kaede Sakura!?”

I couldn’t help but cry out. This was force majeure.

The woman before me was completely different from the one I’d always envisioned. Her slightly weak but ever-present smile had transformed into that of a bird of prey, radiating murderous intent. Her eyes were sharp, and the corners of her mouth were raised.

Her hair color and length remained the same, but she seemed to float in a state of zero gravity, her whole body brimming with activity. She, who had embarrassedly said, “I’m not good at sports,” had vanished without a trace.

“Oh shit…”

Oh shit, so handsome.

I’m a believer in the Sakura Cult, approving of everything Kaede Sakura does, but even non-believers would be stunned by her handsomeness. No, it’s really because of the believer’s eyes that she looks like this. Anything goes, and she’s so awe-inspiring that it’s unbearable.

At the theme park, Kaede Sakura exuded a terrifying aura because it was nighttime. She still has that aura now, but combined with her awe-inspiring demeanor, it’s become a completely alluring charm. Don’t games often feature those glamorous, beautiful villains? That’s the feeling.

It’s different from Kaede Sakura’s usual charm, but it feels like this is no longer a concern. A faint current flows through my body.

She turns her head, her eyes piercing me. Oh shit, so touching, it seems like the masochistic streak in me is awakening.

“Natsuru-san…”

Her thin lips called my name. Hmm, it was just like usual, but it felt like my nerves were being pricked and stimulated. It was so pleasant. Um, please scold me if you can.

“Did you fail…”

“Yes, yes…”

“I’ve already asked you to do that…”

Kaede Sakura took a step closer to me.

My heart was pounding. This kind of cold, intellectual beauty was definitely Shizuku’s style, but I couldn’t sense any charm from her. I even wanted to accuse her of rape. Shizuku’s fans must be that thing, or they must have eaten some weird mushrooms.

But this Kaede Sakura was different. She had a very seductive coldness that numbed my heart. I had to be M now. I moved a little closer. What exactly did she want? If she asked me to lick the soles of her shoes, I couldn’t disobey. After licking those shoes, could I take them home?

“Natsuru-san…”

Oh, it’s unfolding just like that time at the theme park. While that time ended in ambiguity, this time it might actually be real. I’m really going to get stepped on, am I? If I’d known it would be so heavenly, I should have done as she said back at the theme park.

“Yes, yes, what can I do?”

I responded. I can’t use honorifics here.

Kaede Sakura smiled faintly.

“…Can you please listen to me again…?”

“Of course,” I nodded several times, answering the question immediately.

“Great… I have a favor to ask…”

“I’ll listen to you, no matter what.”

“So happy…”

Another beautiful smile. So charming, I felt like a loyal dog obeying its master.

“What should I do?”

“It’s simple…” she whispered.

“Go to hell,” I said without thinking, just as I was about to say “yes.”

“Natsuru, what the hell are you doing!”

I turned around, only to be greeted by curses and the soles of shoes.

“Woo-goo!”

With a sound like a water bag popping, I fell facefirst. A flying kick landed right between my eyebrows.

“What the hell are you doing? You want to die? I’ll kill you!”

I didn’t need to look at her face to know that it was Akane in fierce dog mode. She flew over and kicked me.

Stars were shining in front of my eyes. I felt like I was a character in a fighting game, and there were chickens flying around.

“It hurts so much, you idiot!”

I just roared angrily, but of course Akane was completely unmoved.

“Idiots have no right to call others idiots!”

“It’s all because of you kicking me suddenly. I thought I was going to die!”

“Then hurry up and die! You’re still alive!”

This guy’s serious. I can’t handle this. Anything’s fine, but women shouldn’t resort to flying kicks. I saw her panties, and those frilly ones.

The Mastiff girl glared at me like she was glaring at the murderer of her father. She was just glaring at me.

“You scumbag!”

“What are you talking about?”

“You’re getting carried away by that stinking bitch, Sakura!”

“Don’t say bad things about Sakura!”

“You idiot! You almost died!”

“You were the one who wanted to kill me!”

“You idiot, you almost got killed by Sakura!”

It dawned on me that she had said something like “Go to hell.”

Sakura, still radiating a seductive aura, gazed at us and smiled.

“…Hehe.”

I could hear that too; it was a clear challenge, treating us like fools.

I was thinking, “Sakura is so beautiful even now,” but the Mastiff girl was already seething.

“Damn you!”

She waved her arm, and a pistol similar to a Colt appeared in her hand.

“Go to hell! I’ve been pissing you off for ages!”

With a needless confession, Akane pulled the trigger.

With a loud bang, lead bullets were unleashed, but Kaede Sakura dodged them all with a sudden dash. Uwaaaa!

Her right hand flicked slightly, and a massive Japanese sword appeared.

Kaede Sakura swung it down in one breath.

“Uuuuu!”

Akane leaped back, the tip of the sword sinking into the floor.

“You use weapons too?”

Kaede Sakura said nothing, only exuding murderous intent.

“Damn it!” Akane, regaining her balance, was about to raise her pistol, but Kaede Sakura had already rushed in front of her.

“Uuuuuu!”

Kaede Sakura swept her leg, about to swing the steel blade at the unbalanced Akane.

“Sorry if I hit you!”

From behind, a chained dagger flew, one striking the Japanese sword and deflecting its tip, while another swiped a few strands of Kaede Sakura’s hair. Uuuuuu! This is dangerous! One mistake and it could have hit Akane in the face!

Akane cursed, rolling on the ground.

“What if you stab me!?”

“That’s why I apologized first.”

Shizuku, the student council president, emerged from the depths, her black hair a light blond beneath.

“If I hit you, do you think you’ll just apologize and let it go?!”

“Even if you’re injured, I won’t pay for your medical expenses.”

“Give me compensation for mental distress.”

“Is this the time to talk about that?”

I, who had been cowering, finally reacted. By then, Kaede Sakura had already regained her footing.

Seeing Shizuku, she gently moved her left hand, and a pistol, slightly smaller than Akane’s, appeared. A knife in her right hand, a gun in her left—is that even possible?

Kaede Sakura exhaled, like a beast before a fight.

Shizuku was startled.

“Is this… Kaede?”

Even the most cold-blooded student council president would be shocked to see her friend change like this… The moment I thought of that, I realized how naive I was. She quickly drew back her daggers, one to defend her heart and the other to act as a distraction. It seemed her emotions and actions were separate.

And then, Akane stood up. I was kicked away.

“What the hell are you daydreaming about!”

This guy’s roar was more sobering than anything else.

“I’m not daydreaming!”

“Bullshit! You’ll die at this rate! If you die so easily, I’ll kill you!”

What’s with all that contradictory dialogue? Well, thanks to him, I’ve regained consciousness and focused my energy on the wristband in my right hand.

Kempfer, now blue, was unarmed, unlike the other two.

Kaede Sakura was the enemy… I hate to admit it, but if she was, it was three to one. Of course, there were three of us, a significant number difference, but Kaede Sakura remained completely unfazed.

She wasn’t as calm as Shizuku, either. It was like everything was going as she wished.

“Ah, Shizuku,” Kaede Sakura’s tone remained unchanged.

“Confirming our friendship in this situation is like something out of Hollywood. I can’t help but get fired up.”

Shizuku listened calmly. This guy was incredibly insane.

“You seem to be enjoying it, Kaede.”

“To be honest, I do enjoy it. You don’t get to use a katana or a pistol very often, do you?”

“More than that, almost never. Although we use them quite often.”

“Kempfer is tough too. I wouldn’t be able to do it.”

“…From the way you sound, you’re not a Kempfer.”

“Eh!?”

It was me who called out.

Kempfers are meant for fighting, so I assumed all fighters were Kempfers, but isn’t that true?

Looking at Kaede Sakura’s wrists, there were no wristbands, the essential Kempfer wristbands.

She smiled faintly.

“Shizuku, you’re so clever! It’s really hard to deal with you.”

“You’re fighting without wristbands, so it’s only natural to think that way, right?”

“Yeah, that’s right. Then do you know what my goal is?”

Shizuku glanced at me.

“…It’s Senou-san, right?”

“Yes,” Kaede Sakura nodded readily.

“Do you really want to kill him?”

“Yeah, yeah,” she said nonchalantly, something that staggered me. So she was serious.

“Well, I don’t really want to kill him, but if I don’t put him in a situation where he can be killed, he won’t listen to me.”

It’s terrifying, my back goes cold. What’s with this slave trader-like line?

“We agreed to give you a reward, why is it so ineffective?”

I was devastated right there. This sentence is definitely one of the most heartbreaking things I’ve ever heard in my life. My Kaede Sakura, my Kaede Sakura.

Shizuku remained calm, but you’re also quite strange from another perspective.

“When did you agree with Senou-kun? While watching the fireworks?”

“Yes, you know. I ordered him to attack you then.”

So it was an order.

“That really worked. I almost got violated.”

“What a shame.”

“It’s a shame you’re still pure.”

“Shizuku, you’re still a virgin. It would be great if Natsuru-kun could take it from you.”

“If he does it of his own accord, I’d welcome it too.”

Shizuku waved her hands, crossing her daggers as they flew towards Kaede Sakura.

Kaede Sakura dodged the blades by taking a single step back. Shizuku cried out.

“Senou-san, jump!”

“Hey!”

I didn’t know what was going on, but I still jumped sideways.

Almost at the same moment, Kaede Sakura stretched out her left hand and shot at me. It was dangerous. I didn’t even hear Shizuku’s words and I hit her.

“Your bitch!”

Akane fired. Kaede Sakura swung her knife in place, and the bullet hit the blade and fell to the ground.

“Shizuku, I want to ask you something.”

“What?”

Shizuku didn’t lose focus, holding her dagger.

“When did you start to suspect me?”

“…First year.”

“Oh, that was really long ago.”

“When Tamiko-san died. That person taught me a lot about Kempfer, but she was killed. Tamiko-san told me that the viscera doll was given to her by Kaede.”

Who is Tamiko? Someone I don’t know. The viscera doll is the burning lion buried under the tree, right?

Kaede Sakura laughed.

“Well, that person is really not very useful. It’s far inferior to you, Shizuku.”

Shizuku’s attitude suddenly changed. Though silent, he gripped his dagger tightly.

“Are you insulting me?”

“Don’t be angry, I’m praising you.”

“…Even if Tamiko-senpai said that, I didn’t truly doubt my good friend. My doubts only deepened when White Kempfer appeared.”

“More recently.”

“Kaede… you’re either a mediator, or someone very close to one.”

Kaede Sakura neither confirmed nor denied, simply uttering a “huh.” “No comment.”

A murderous aura surged, and despite being alone, Kaede Sakura showed no fear.

There were footsteps behind me.

“Natsuru~ It’s so late, what are you doing?”

Mikoto Kondou appeared. What was that guy doing so leisurely? Everyone’s attention turned to him.

At that moment, Kaede Sakura suddenly leaped up.

Her movement was so powerful that she instantly closed the distance between her and Shizuku.

The katana was swung down.

“Ugh!”

Shizuku’s uniform was torn, but there was no bleeding; she had parried it by a hair’s breadth.

“Mikoto Kondou, transform too!”

Akane roared. It seemed she hadn’t fully grasped the situation, but she was still enveloped in the red light.

Then the dog girl opened fire.

“Natsuru, you fight too!”

Ah, and Kaede Sakura. But it seemed I couldn’t afford to hesitate any longer. Anyway, I cast my magic first.

“Shocking!”

That was Mikoto Kondou’s cry. She was slashing at Kaede Sakura with her own weapon—a sword—along with my fireballs and Akane’s lead bullets.

“…Ahhh!?”

Mikoto Kondou and I yelled almost simultaneously.

Kaede Sakura, despite being outnumbered four to one, managed to parry every attack. She blocked long-range attacks with her katana, fired from close range, and dodged every blade attack. She emerged unscathed, or rather, we were being suppressed.

“Get down!”

Shizuku roared, a rare outburst, and we dropped to the ground.

From right to left, the lead bullets ripped through. It was an automatic pistol, but the bullets fired like a small machine gun.

While the situation was quite dangerous, no one was hurt.

“…Huh,”

Kaede Sakura leaped back without a breath.

“What? It’s no big deal, everyone.”

Wow, that’s more than enough.

“I’m already one against four, I hope you guys can try harder.”

“There’s nothing to be proud of just because you have more people,” Shizuku said, clutching her swords, her mind highly focused and not as calm as usual.

“No matter how many more people there are, Shizuku, it’s still going to be hard for you to win.”

“Kaede, you have the White Kempfer.”

“Oh, you mean them? I hope they can be more useful. It’s like forcing things to happen, it won’t work.”

“They’ll be very disappointed when they hear that.”

“So you’re targeting Shizuku,” Kaede Sakura and Shizuku both turned their eyes to me.

Huh? Targeted… did I do something? I have no recollection of it… that’s out of the question.

Oh, by the way, after the hot spring, I went to Shizuku’s room and pushed her down there. My memory is gradually returning.

“Natsuru, you need to behave better.”

“I’m not that easy.”

“That’s right, hehe.”

Sakura smiled meaningfully and waved her arms.

The pistol and the Japanese sword disappeared.

“That’s all for today. I think we’ll get serious sooner or later,” she turned to me.

“But some things might not happen.”

Then, Kaede Sakura leaped out the window.

There was the sound of shattering glass. Kaede Sakura’s body plummeted from the student union building to the ground.

I hurried to the window, but she was gone.

“This…”

What the hell?

Kaede Sakura suddenly turned evil and attacked us. And she’s not Kempfer, what’s going on?

I looked at Shizuku for an answer.

The student council president shrugged.

“As you see…”

“As I see, doesn’t that mean Kaede Sakura…”

“Not as if, she’s our enemy,” Akane spat out, her words bluntly in fierce dog mode.

“That bitch, she’s finally showing her true colors. Next time I see her, I’m going to kill her.”

“She’s so belligerent! I want to observe for a while,” Shizuku said. Akane’s eyes grew impatient.

“What’s there to observe? Just rush into her apartment and solve the problem.”

“What concerns me is her usual attitude. She never showed any signs of fighting.”

That’s true. When Akane and I fought Kempfer in the library a long time ago, Kaede Sakura was there, but she was just plain scared.

“Has she been hiding it, or does Kaede really not know… I want to find out.”

“That’s too much trouble. Why not just investigate her body?”

“As a good friend, I object to that.”

Hmm, so Shizuku still considers Kaede Sakura a good friend? Of course, even I can’t believe what’s happening.

“Hey, I don’t understand,” Mikoto Kondou approached, sword in hand.

“You attacked without a second thought. Is that really okay?”

“Yes, otherwise we’d both be dead,” Shizuku replied. Such an analysis coming from a good friend is terrifyingly rational.

“Why would Kaede Sakura do that?”

“That needs further investigation.”

Actually, it’s hard to believe such a beautiful woman could become an enemy.

Mikoto Kondou turned her gaze towards me, her eyes unfriendly.

“And she said she was targeting the president or something.”

“Yes, she was, but it wasn’t Kaede who did it directly. She used Senou-san to do it.”

“Natsuru, what did you do?”

I felt a pang of fear. I tried to play dumb, but unlike that morning at the hotel, I already remembered everything.

“No, well, I…”

“Trying to violate me,” Shizuku said casually.

“What the hell—!”

It wasn’t Mikoto Kondou who roared. No, no, no, Mikoto Kondou screamed too, but it was a louder sound.

Something hard pressed against the back of my head.

“Hey, Natsuru! Are you trying to rape the president? Huh?!”

It was Akane who pointed the gun at me. Although I couldn’t see her face, I fully understood her anger.

“Wait, this is a misunderstanding!”

“It’s not a misunderstanding,” Shizuku began to make unnecessary additions.

“I almost got raped!”

The murderous aura behind me swelled, and I immediately doubled over.

With the sound of gunfire, the bullet passed right where my head had been. What a close call! If I had been a moment later, I would have reported to that world.

“Hey, you want to kill me?”

“Bullshit!”

What a woman! She didn’t even deny it. I glanced at Akane. Not only her face, but her entire body was already red.

“People like you dying would benefit society. You don’t understand other people’s feelings…”

I didn’t know the heart of a bulldog.

The muzzle of her pistol trembled slightly. Why was she so angry? Calm down.

“You attacked me right after the hot springs. It was really planned!”

“You were manipulated! I guess.”

“You have evil thoughts too!”

“How could you possibly say that to the president!”

Shizuku’s attitude suddenly changed.

“… You’ve already unhooked my bra, and you still say that?”

“No…”

“Go to hell!”

The lead bullet flew again, and I rolled several times on the ground to avoid it.

Before my eyes, there was a pair of feet. Mikoto Kondou looked down at me and said to Akane.

“Akane, stop.”

“What did you say? Are you trying to cause trouble?”

“I’ll kill you.”

Mikoto Kondou said, slowly swinging her Japanese sword.

“Whoa!”

The steel blade swung down, and I crawled away.

“Where to—!”

“Mikoto Kondou, let me do it!”

“No, I’ll kill it!”

The fierce dogs doubled. I felt like a rabbit being hunted by hounds. At least help me clear up this misunderstanding, so I fled to Shizuku’s side.

But the president ignored me and was about to leave.

“Hey, hey, wait a minute, president!”

“Find a way yourself,” the ruthless words flew towards me.

“If you can push me down with your own will, you can be saved.”

Regardless of the true meaning of these words, I fled the school for nearly two hours after that.

Translator's Notes

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

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