Vol. 4 Chapter 3 – Sink or Swim
by PinkPanther“Ryousuke-kun, your way of walking looks weird… did something happen?”
On the morning of the closing ceremony, while they were on their way to Momozono Academy, Mina spoke up with a worried tone.
He had accidentally fallen forward in the bath and smashed his proudly standing son against the floor, so Ryousuke felt he was actually recovering pretty fast considering what happened.
After all, this morning his son had cheerfully told him, 『I am totally fine already, Daddy!』and stood tall again. Although the pain had made him wake up earlier than usual…
“Are you really alright?”
“Yeah, I just messed up a bit. It is almost healed already.”
Without explaining exactly where and how it hurt, Ryousuke smiled at Mina.
A little behind them, Lisara and Kyuru were whispering things like『He is covering it up』and『He is absolutely covering it up』but he decided to ignore them.
In the first place, if they were going to talk about keeping secrets, those two were just as guilty as Ryousuke.
At breakfast the three of them had unanimously decided not to tell Mina that her soul was being held captive by Galdabroeg.
Even if they told her, nothing could be done about it, and they judged that it was better not to burden her with strange anxieties.
“By the way, Kyuru.”
Behind Ryousuke the whispering started again.
“What is it, Onee-sama?”
“You were awfully quiet this morning. Have you already given up on attacking him?”
“Oh my, could it be that Onee-sama was sticking around in front of Ryousuke-san’s room?”
Being questioned in return made Lisara fluster and confused.
“Eh, ah, um, you see… well…”
“You really are a person with too much free time. Or perhaps you just do not want Kyuru to touch him.”
Kyuru grinned wickedly.
“Touch him, I… I simply… about you…”
“Who knows, fufufu.”
“Kyuruuuu.”
“Well, I had no intention of doing anything this morning anyway. After all, with that spectacular fall of his, it did not seem like he would be of any use.”
“U, of use… ahahaha.”
Lisara scratched her cheek and let out a dry laugh.
“But well, it seems he is fine now. Honestly, when it comes to life energy… Ryousuke-san is, how should I say it, incredibly strong in that particular area.”
“That is true… if only some of that talent had gone to other parts of him.”
That was none of their business and that was Ryousuke’s opinion about what he overheard.
Even so, he was satisfied with the life he had. Even if he was called Erosuke, he was living a fulfilling high school life.
After all, at the coed Momozono Academy, half of the students were girls.
He never lacked anyone to fantasize about.
Clenching his fist tightly, Ryousuke suddenly felt a little sad.
“What’s wrong?”
Mina, walking beside him, had a puzzled expression on her face.
“Ah, no, it is nothing.”
“Hmm. Somehow today, Lisara, Kyuru-chan, and Ryousuke-kun… all feel a little strange.”
As expected of Mina, who unlike Ryousuke possessed spiritual power far above normal people, had excellent grades, a cute appearance, and big breasts. Her intuition was sharp.
“R, really? Maybe you are just imagining it, ahahahahaha.”
And Ryousuke, who had spiritual power below that of a normal person, bad grades, a questionable appearance, and average athletic skills. Even the way he tried to cover it up was terrible.
“Hehe, if Ryousuke-kun wants to keep it a secret, I do not mind. When the time comes for you to tell me, I know you will tell me.”
Mina smiled with complete trust. Honestly, Ryousuke could not understand why she trusted him this much… but with her smiling like that, all he could do was nod.
“Yeah, I will do that.”
“Okay.”
Mina’s face lit up with happiness.
“My my, you two look close this morning.”
“Well, we are childhood friends.”
Lisara answered without showing any particular emotion.
“Well, if Onee-sama is fine with it, then that is fine.”
Kyuru shrugged her shoulders playfully, then trotted over to Ryousuke’s side with light steps and suddenly linked her arm with his.
“W, wh, what are you doing?”
“Hmm, seeing you and Mina-san getting along so well made me a little jealous.”
“E, eeeeh!?”
Mina let out a shocked cry.
“U, um, Kyuru-chan, you, uh, no way.”
“Calm down, Mina. Kyuru, enough with the teasing. I can take it, but Mina is too honest for that.”
Ryousuke gave a bitter smile and tapped Kyuru lightly on the head.
“Well then, what if it were actually true?”
Kyuru rubbed the spot where she had been tapped and looked up at Ryousuke with a sly grin.
But Ryousuke only gave another bitter smile.
“I am not falling for that.”
“Hmm, how boring.”
Kyuru pouted and released his arm.
“Kyuru-chan…”
“Kyuru…”
Unlike Ryousuke, Mina and Lisara did not have bitter smiles on their faces as they watched her.
While they were talking like that, the school gate of Momozono Academy came into view.
Even though there had been that stupid uproar called the End of Term Test Break Festival, this was their first proper day of attending school in a week. And starting tomorrow was summer vacation.
Around the school gate, the lively chatter of students was already filling the area.
Except for one spot.
There was a strangely quiet space where the noisy groups of students avoided as they passed.
“Good morning, Lisara-kun. Your beauty is shining again today. It truly matches you, the one worthy of being Momozono Academy’s solitary handsome jewel, Tamano Hikaru.”
From behind a bouquet of red roses he held, Tamano flashed a sparkling smile.
Tamano Hikaru, a third year one grade above Ryousuke and the others, was the heir of an extremely wealthy family. He really was handsome, his grades were excellent, and he even became the captain of the boxing club through skill alone. At first glance he was a perfect superhuman.
However, on the inside he was a pervert just like Ryousuke, disappointing in many ways, and his spiritual power was even below that of an average person.
“If only you would stay solitary for the rest of your life.”
Without even stopping, Lisara walked briskly past the roses at his side.
“Come on now, do not be so cold. You are as beautiful as these red roses. Of course you would have thorns.”
He moved to stand in front of her, shamelessly spouting lines that made your teeth hurt.
“Listen, Senpai…”
“Oh, you do not have to say anything. My heart already belongs to you. So your heart belongs to me. Yes?”
“There is no way that is true.”
Lisara replied with an exhausted tone.
“Furthermore! If you accept my feelings right now, I will offer a special end of term celebration sale!”
Tamano desperately clung on.
“Wait, is that something you are supposed to put on sale?”
“Well, that senpai’s feelings… they seem pretty cheap anyway.”
Kyuru responded to Ryousuke’s doubt with an utterly blunt remark.
“Ah, I know. A three month free pass to the local ramen shop, included as a bonus!”
“Ryousuke, let us just go.”
“And… oh, then how about a high class restaurant!”
Lisara did not give him another glance and walked away. Ryousuke and the others followed behind her with bitter smiles.
But then—
“Enough. I am Tamano Hikaru, one of the top ranked eccentrics of the school, one of the Eight Weirdos, the Pink Boxer. I cannot back down like this.”
It was a title given to the eight strange individuals whom Momozono Academy was proud of.
Incidentally, Ryousuke also ranked in, under the nickname Erosuke.
“Even if it takes force, I will at least make you accept this rose!”
“You seriously think you can beat me?”
A ferocious light flashed in Lisara’s eyes.
“Hmph. I know very well that I cannot beat you in real ability. But tell me, in front of this crowd, do you think you can actually do anything?”
Tamano laughed as he bounced lightly with boxing footwork.
Once, he had been tricked and used by Kyuru, then thrown away like a rag. Because of that, he was one of the few at the academy who knew that Lisara and Kyuru were Shinigami.
“Um, can I say something?”
At Ryousuke’s voice, both Tamano and Lisara turned around.
“Even if you are a senpai, starting a fight in a place like this is a bad idea, right?”
“…Ah.”
Tamano let out a foolish sound at Ryousuke’s point.
“Knew it, he was not thinking at all…”
“D-do not be ridiculous. I was thinking. Umm… after she accepted the roses, I would use a remote controlled device to spray her with sleeping gas, and while she was asleep, I would abduct her… then look at her sleeping face, or sleep next to her, or give her a lap pillow, you know, that kind of well planned after success part!”
He was a hopeless senpai…
“If I had to choose between perverts, Ryousuke is still the safer one…”
“Right?”
“Hey, that was not a compliment.”
Even so, Lisara’s expression as she looked at Ryousuke was not displeased.
“Gu… guuuhh, I am getting mad—!”
Tamano stomped the ground.
“Eh…?”
His target was Ryousuke. Ryousuke had no experience with martial arts. Thanks to recent events he had gained some courage, but there was no way he could react in time.
“Ryousuke!”
From Lisara’s position she could not possibly make it, but still she ran—
“Huh?”
Ryousuke was unharmed.
Instead, Tamano was the one flipped over onto his back. Even Tamano himself stared blankly, not understanding what had happened.
“The reverse of the number six is nine. The reverse of nine is six. Since he likes sixty nine, he is good at flipping things over…”
The voice was low and muttered.
“S-Sugiura!”
Tamano cried out in shock as he scrambled to get up.
Sugiura—Sugiura Mei, a third year of Momozono Academy. He loved the number sixty nine, and since he scored sixty nine points on every test, he was known as Number Sixty Nine, one of the Eight Weirdos.
His lean, toned body was hunched like a cat, and he stared gloomily at the ground.
His hair was messy and his expression was hard to read.
“It is bad if someone gets hurt.”
He muttered again in a low voice.
“Tch. Ryousuke-kun, I admit I was the one who got jealous and upset. But you see, the one who is supposed to massage Lisara-kun’s chest to make it grow is me. I refuse to hand that role over to— guh!”
Lisara’s bag hit him clean in the face, dropping Tamano to the ground.
And before anyone could even thank him, Sugiura had already disappeared.
※ ※ ※
A closing ceremony is basically a dull and unbearably boring ritual with no stimulation.
You listen to the principal’s speech that only makes you yawn, return to the classroom, and finish homeroom. The only thing with even a bit of excitement is the report cards being handed out.
“Well, not like it has anything to do with me.”
He already knew the numbers on his would be neither catastrophic enough to require remedial lessons, nor good. If he had the kind of parents who nagged him, he would have to care about it more even though he hated it, but with his parents overseas and not coming back for a while, Ryousuke felt no attachment to the piece of paper.
Amid the screams and cheers going up around the classroom, Ryousuke folded his arms. Honestly, grades were the least of his concerns right now.
He glanced at Mina, who sat in front of him.
Her report card was probably good as always. She showed no reaction and calmly looked forward.
When he glanced to the side, Lisara—whose grades at a human world school should matter even less than his—was staring at her report card with burning intensity.
Passing by her was Iria, returning from the teacher’s podium with her own report card.
“…Tch.”
She glanced at Lisara’s card and clicked her tongue. Apparently she had lost.
Those two were really the type who obsessed over rankings and results.
As Ryousuke zoned out, letters suddenly appeared on top of his desk.
There is something to discuss. Come to the equipment shed. Kyuru.
A concise, businesslike message flowed smoothly across the surface.
For Ryousuke, who had nothing better to do, the proposal was not bad. The problem was… Lisara and Iria were both completely absorbed in their report cards.
All obstacles appeared to be gone.
‘Well, Kyuru probably would not attack me on school grounds… yeah, probably not.’
With a faint sense of unease, Ryousuke raised his hand and said he needed the restroom.
Anyone could tell from his face that he was not desperate at all, but the one in charge was Ranbashi-sensei.
A teacher with the appearance of a child, the mentality of a child, and on top of that a drinker. In short, an irresponsible teacher. As expected, she approved it almost automatically, and leaving behind Mina, who looked suspicious, Ryousuke slipped out of the classroom.
Ryousuke walked quickly down the hallway during homeroom, where not a single student could be seen.
“Toilet?”
It was Sugiura. Still hunched over, still staring at the ground as he walked.
“Y, yes. Um… thank you for this morning.”
“Injuries are… bad.”
Sugiura responded with that, then walked in the opposite direction.
“I really do not get that senpai…”
After watching his back disappear for a brief moment in blank confusion, Ryousuke headed toward the equipment shed shared by the high school and middle school.
The area around the equipment shed was one of the spots on campus few people ever approached.
Especially on the day of the closing ceremony, there was no gym class, so it was safe to say almost no one would come.
“I do not want to get locked in again.”
Ryousuke entered the shed and wedged a bat in the door so it would not close completely. He had bitter memories of being trapped in here once before.
“What are you doing?”
“If I do this, I will not have to worry about getting locked in.”
He answered Kyuru, who was sitting on top of a balance beam, swinging her legs.
“You worry about such strange things.”
“Well, a little.”
“Hmm.”
Kyuru responded with a disinterested-sounding nod. Ryousuke sat cross-legged on the mat lying in front of her.
“So, what did you call me here for?””
“Where is Lisara Onee-sama?”
“Staring at her report card with Iria. She did not even notice me leaving the classroom.”
“Hehe, as always. It is pointless to obsess over grades in a human-world school.”
Kyuru sighed with exasperation.
“Well, she is always serious about things. How about you then?”
“Do you think I did poorly?”
“This is why smart people are such a pain…”
“Now then, let us get to the main topic.”
Ignoring the slumped Ryousuke, Kyuru leaned forward.
“It is about Mina, right?”
“Correct. Or rather, what else could it be.”
“Yeah. For me, this is much more important than report cards.”
At Ryousuke’s response, Kyuru nodded deeply.
“So, is there any other way?”
“Besides her first time?”
“Yeah, besides that.”
“Do you really think we would conveniently find some other method?”
“Well, no, but… oh, right. What if we informed the Restall family headquarters?”
Kyuru shook her head at Ryousuke’s suggestion.
“There are indeed very powerful Shinigami in the Restall family. Shinigami so strong that even Onee-sama could not match them, with power on par with Galdabroeg.”
“If that is the case—!”
“They each have their own duties. And more than anything, neither Kyuru nor Lisara Onee-sama could possibly accomplish the feat of avoiding Galdabroeg’s surveillance and making contact.”
Kyuru said this and let her shoulders drop helplessly.
“We are all being watched by Galdabroeg. The moment we tried to contact the Shinigami world, that man would notice.”
“He can monitor that much?”
“If we want to protect Mina-san, we have to assume he can. And also—”
She swallowed her words and shifted her awareness around the area.
“What is it?”
“Just as I thought…”
“Just as you thought?”
“It cannot be helped that Ryousuke-san cannot sense it, but yes. We are being watched even right now.”
“You are kidding.”
“I am not kidding. It feels like his surveillance has grown stronger since we entered the school building… There really is no choice but to do what he told us.”
Kyuru gave a resigned bitter smile, then let out a soft 『Ei』and hopped down from the balance beam, landing right in front of Ryousuke.
She rummaged around in her pocket and took out a compact mirror and lipstick.
“W, wait, you are not—”
“I am exactly that. At this point, there is no method left except having your first time. Ah, there it is. Now…”
Kyuru opened the folding mirror and leaned in close, beginning to apply lipstick.
“U, um… watching you put on lipstick is strangely sexy, considering it is you.”
The thought slipped out before he could stop it. Kyuru froze, the lipstick halfway applied, and glared sharply at him.
“S-sorry.”
Ryousuke reflexively bowed his head, and Kyuru gave a small shrug. She did not seem truly angry.
“Alright, preparations are complete.”
She snapped the mirror shut and tossed it back into her pocket along with the lipstick.
“Hold on, wait, wait.”
“What is it?”
“Are you seriously saying this, not joking?”
“Of course I am.”
Kyuru answered calmly as she loosened the ribbon at her chest with a smooth motion.
“Wait, hey, stop!”
“Oh, I forgot. Ryousuke-san prefers it when the uniform stays on, right? In that case, should Kyuru just take off her underwear first?”
“No, that is not what I meant!”
“You are so stubborn. Coming this far and you, a man, are backing away?”
Her tone left no room for argument.
Ryousuke was troubled. If it were like before, with Kyuru attacking him or seducing him in strange ways, he could handle it. But being confronted directly, seriously, with a straightforward demand for his first time… he honestly did not know what to do.
And worst of all, Kyuru was right. With no alternative way to save Mina, he had no choice but to agree to the condition. It was not illegal, it was not about stealing something, and it was not harming anyone.
And the girl in question—who should be the victim in a situation like this—was the one accepting it and pushing forward.
Ryousuke had no logical argument strong enough to push her away.
Even so—
“Hmm, I suppose it would be better if I took off my skirt.”
Kyuru popped open the hook and let her skirt fall.
She had beautiful legs.
Not like Lisara’s powerful, springlike legs, but soft looking ones with a lingering hint of youthfulness.
Her panties had a bit of lace and a more mature design.
“I had Caesar help me this morning with a spell to make these. They are, well, my battle panties.”
“You are way too prepared!”
“I have been saying that from the start.”
Kyuru slipped her hand inside her uniform jacket, reaching behind her back.
Her fingers moved around and there was a little snap.
“D-d, don’t tell me that sound was your b, b, bra…?”
“Correct♡”
Smiling sweetly, Kyuru slipped one arm out of her uniform sleeve, then the other. When she finished, a bra fell softly onto the mat.
She had taken it off while still fully wearing her uniform.
“Hehe, not that I studied by reading your dirty books or anything.”
With a glossy smile, Kyuru wrapped her arms around Ryousuke’s neck, embracing him. Like a snake coiling itself, she pressed closer and closer…
Ryousuke now had Kyuru’s chest right before his eyes. With her ribbon and buttons undone, her uniform hung loosely, and the cleavage freed from the constraint of a bra peeked boldly into his vision.
Ryousuke’s upper lip stretched with a silly grin—
“N, nooo!”
He forced his gaze away, like ripping off a strip of tape, and turned his head aside.
“Oh my, you can look as much as you want, you know?”
“N-no, uh… I am a guy, you know, so if you keep doing that, my… my self-control…”
“That is why I am saying you do not need to hold back.”
“Even if you say that… ugh, uu…”
His eyes flickered back to her chest. Even if still developing, Kyuru’s breasts were nicely rounded, unlike Lisara’s.
There was a soft-looking cleavage right there.
With her shirt hanging open, the view of that cleavage kept peeking out, over and over again.
“G-gnununununu…”
“It is for freeing and saving Mina-san from Galdabroeg. There is nothing to hesitate about.”
Kyuru released her right arm from around Ryousuke’s neck.
“What are you— what are you going to do?”
“I am going to help out the cowardly Ryousuke-san♡”
Smiling and winking, Kyuru grabbed Ryousuke’s wrist with her right hand and lifted it up.
“Eh, wait, hang on, don’t tell me—”
“Hehe, I will make you the first man to touch Kyuru’s chest.”
“Wa—!”
Without mercy, she pressed Ryousuke’s hand to her own breast.
His heart tried to resist with its noble spirit.
But his instincts and body were honest.
The nerves connecting his brain and body were overridden by his own highest command center, his instincts, and his hand was carried straight to Kyuru’s breast.
His fingertips touched the uniform fabric.
Just one more step, and he would touch her bra-less chest through the uniform—a miraculous treat.
But—right at the moment he was about to touch it, Kyuru’s movements stopped. Once again, Ryousuke’s body was not resisting.
So the reason they stopped could only be Kyuru.
“…………”
For a moment, just an instant, Kyuru had an expression that was not pain, but something like a desperate resolve.
In that instant, Ryousuke’s instincts, the highest command center inside him, moved.
He moved his hand by his own will.
He did not grope.
He shook off Kyuru’s hand and pushed her shoulder, moving her away from him.
“No, Kyuru.”
He gave the order.
“Wha—”
“Because you are scared deep down, aren’t you? I… yeah, I love girls, I love them so much it is unbearable, and I am a pervert, and a lecher, and Erosuke, and a hopeless pervert, but even so, I am still a gentleman. And I am a man.”
At Ryousuke’s words, Kyuru looked at him suspiciously.
“You call yourself a pervert twice and you are a man, so I do not think there is anything you should hesitate about.”
“No. It is because I am a pervert and a hopeless girl-lover that I cannot accept a girl who is forcing herself. Kyuru, you are definitely black-hearted and you have done all sorts of things, but… to me, girls are treasures. Something precious I want to treat with care.”
“…………”
“So I do not want to see you force yourself into having your first time with me, regret it afterward, and end up hurting yourself.”
“Ryousuke-san…”
“And do not get the wrong idea. It is not like I do not want my first time with you, or that I do not want to graduate. In fact, just the little glimpses of cleavage earlier had my crotch in full fever mode. Actually it is still in fever mode. But still…”
Feeling a little embarrassed, Ryousuke scratched his head.
“It is just… I have a line I cannot cross.”
“Haah, honestly.”
Kyuru plopped down in front of him.
“I guess you really are a hardcore girl-lover.”
Sitting in a typical girlish pose, Kyuru scratched her cheek. For some reason, she looked slightly flushed.
“So then, Ryousuke-san, the girl-lover, refuses his first time with Kyuru… and what do you plan to do about Mina-san? That man is a pervert and looks down on humans. Mina-san’s soul will be destroyed.”
“Eh…”
He had not thought about that at all, crushed by the moment’s emotions.
“You really do not think about anything… Listen, Kyuru cares about Mina-san too. Our time together has been short, but even Kyuru cannot match that girl’s kindness. That is why Kyuru decided that, to protect Mina-san, she will do whatever she must. That is Kyuru’s decision.”
“A decision, huh.”
The word decision weighed heavily. Now that it was pointed out, Ryousuke realized he had not made any decisions at all.
He just kept saying he wanted to protect everyone, and did whatever he could in the moment to avoid hurting Kyuru.
“I am too soft.”
“Too soft?”
Kyuru blinked in surprise at the unexpected words.
“You are willing to sacrifice yourself to protect Mina. The fact that I have been avoiding making any decision at all… that is way too soft.”
“…I do not fully understand, but basically you mean you have finally decided to have your first time.”
“No.”
Saying so, Ryousuke scratched his cheek and looked up at the ceiling. He knew very well how stupid the words he was about to say sounded, and it was embarrassing.
“Well… I am going to fight Galdabroeg.”
In front of him, Kyuru’s eyes widened and she stared blankly at Ryousuke.
“W-what?”
“Do you even understand what you are saying?”
“Well, more or less.”
“More or less? There is no way you can win against a Shinigami with the title of Stanza. Do you understand what Stanza means? It is a special title only given to Shinigami who have performed exceptional deeds or possess extraordinary power, and because of its rarity, it is never revoked even after death. It is that special.”
“Yeah, I remember something like that being mentioned.”
“Something like that… Galdabroeg is officially Stanza number sixty-nine out of a hundred. But—”
“Most of the Stanzas are filled with dead Shinigami, so there are hardly any openings, right?”
“Exactly. Even though up to six can occupy the same rank, it is almost all corpses. Among the living, there are only a few Shinigami who hold a Stanza. That is Galdabroeg. You cannot possibly win. Even during the courage test, he only left because he chose to, not because we drove him off.”
Kyuru desperately rattled off her words, and Ryousuke smiled gently.
“I know. I mean, no matter how much this—”
He placed a fist on his chest.
“Even if I borrow Gram’s power, it probably would not give me much of a chance.”
Ooooon—deep in his soul, Gram vibrated with displeasure. If I could go all out, I would never lose. That was the message. Ryousuke gave a wry smile at Gram’s attitude.
“This guy says he would not lose if he could fight at full power.”
“That may be true. Among the Old Five, the weapons said to exist since before the world was remade by Broken Sword Gram—Yellow Dusk Nagel—Gram is the most violent. If it unleashed its full power, not even gods or dragons could compete. But that is—”
“Yeah, I am not a Shinigami or a Singular One or anything. So I cannot win.”
“If you know that—”
“But see, Galdabroeg wants to know about me, right? Not in a homo way, but out of curiosity.”
“Well, whether he is homo or not is a little questionable, but yes, he is interested in the secrets of your soul.”
“And he is using Mina as a hostage for that. So, in the end, I am the one who should go. If I get lucky and win, great. Even if I lose, he will just examine me directly, right?”
Ryousuke spoke easily, without forcing himself.
Of course, there was fear—fear that he might get his butt violated—but even so, rather than worrying about Lisara or Kyuru forcing themselves to lose their virginity, or Mina being a hostage, or any other girl suffering, this was much simpler.
Ryousuke gently patted the shoulder of Kyuru, who was now looking down.
“Well, that is how it is, Kyuru. Put your underwear back on and your skirt too. You are making it hard for me to know where to look.”
“………no.”
Kyuru mumbled quietly. It was so soft he almost could not hear her.
“What is wrong?”
“I said, no.”
“No? Oh, it is hard to get dressed with me here. I will turn to the wall then.”
“That is not it!”
Kyuru suddenly shouted so loudly that Ryousuke’s eardrums rang.
“O-oh… what is with you all of a sudden?”
Kyuru lifted her face and stared straight into Ryousuke’s eyes. At some point, her eyes had turned red.
“Ky… Kyuru?”
“You really are… a lecher, a pervert, an idiot, a clown, a pervert, a pervert, and on top of that you are so gen—”
Kyuru swallowed the last word and instead glared sharply at him.
“Kyuru will not allow Ryousuke-san to go fight Galdabroeg.”
“A-allow? Hey now, I do not exactly need your permission.”
“I reject it.”
“Reject it? Do you have another plan then?”
Kyuru shook her head left and right, but—
“I do not care. I do not want it.”
She was acting like a stubborn child.
“Come on, Kyuru—uwa!?”
Just as Ryousuke tried to reason with her, Kyuru suddenly threw herself into his chest.
“H-hey, um, K-Kyuru-san?”
Before he could even get flustered, Ryousuke was simply confused, unable to grasp what was happening.
“It is unfair.”
“Unfair? What is?”
Kyuru did not answer. She stayed silent for a while, then muttered softly.
“…If I backed down after such a decision, the name of the Zeria family would cry.”
Having a girl cling to his chest for the first time in his life, Ryousuke scratched his head, not knowing what to do.
“Uh… I still do not understand how any of that is unfair.”
“It is after the fact.”
“Huh?”
Kyuru looked up at Ryousuke and made a declaration.
“In any case, Ryousuke-san will have his first time with Kyuru here.”
“No, that is—”
“Listen carefully, Ryousuke-san.”
“Y-yes.”
Her tone brooked no refusal, and he nodded instinctively.
“It is true that Kyuru does not exactly want her first time to be with a pervert like Ryousuke-san. But Kyuru may not be from the Restall family, yet she is still a young lady of the Zeria branch family.”
“Do people really call themselves young ladies… normally?”
Kyuru ignored his comment completely.
“And the future of a young lady like Kyuru is pretty much decided.”
“…Decided?”
“Yes. A political marriage with an influential family. That is the obvious outcome.”
Kyuru stated it firmly.
“…Seriously?”
“Yes, it is common sense in the Shinigami world. So if things continue as they are, Kyuru will marry someone she does not love—someone she might not even have met before and spend her first night with them.”
“Kyuru…”
“That is why, even if it is not with someone I love, even if it is not true love, it is a hundred times—no, ten thousand times better to have my first time with Ryousuke-san, who I have met and gotten along with, than with a complete stranger. It is a really simple logic. Even Ryousuke-san should be able to understand at least that much.”
Despite her defiant and strong tone, her reddened eyes now glistened with tears.
Naturally, Ryousuke’s heart began to pound.
Could he really stop himself after hearing all this?
If he turned her down after coming this far, wouldn’t that just hurt her even more?
If he truly cared about her, maybe sometimes he needed to take a step forward.
“Ryousuke-san… please.”
The lipstick on Kyuru’s lips sparkled because of the gloss.
DOKKIN—his heart felt like it had been pierced.
Because, somehow, she looked so seductive. Her face was still childlike, but her lips alone were adult, and… at this point, he just could not stop anymore.
“Ky-Kyuru.”
The hand that had been scratching his head slid around Kyuru’s back—and then, thud, there was a sound of something falling over.
“Eh?”
Ryousuke and Kyuru both let out similar noises, then turned at the same time toward the sound by the entrance of the equipment shed.
—Mina had fainted and collapsed on her back.
Beside her, Lisara was standing, staring at the floor. Her long red hair hung down toward the floor as well, making it impossible to see any expression on her face.
“O-Onee-sama… hello.”
Cautiously, almost as if testing the waters, Kyuru greeted her.
The only reply was an eerie, complete silence.
Unable to bear it any longer, Kyuru leaned in and whispered to Ryousuke.
“Ryousuke-san, tag—you’re it.”
“Ehh, me!?”
“Now is the time to show your manliness. To protect this frail girl, Kyuru!”
“You—don’t just say stuff like that when it suits you… damn it.”
Half giving in, Ryousuke spoke to Lisara.
“Did homeroom already end?”
Lisara’s shoulder twitched.
“Fufufufufufufufu…”
It was a laugh so ominous it sounded like it came from the depths of hell.
“Uhh, are you mad that we skipped class or something?”
Lisara raised her right hand in front of her.
“Come, 《Carnun Pladur》…”
Flames gathered at the center of Lisara’s palm, and two snake-like fire streams lifted their heads. The flame snakes shuddered once, then spiraled in opposite directions—forming a shaft of pitch-black.
At the tip, the fire snake opened its mouth wide, dripping with fiery saliva, and spat out a jet of red-black flames.
There was a scythe.
It looked exactly like the scythe humans imagine a Shinigami would carry.
As Lisara gripped the handle, the scythe—Carnun Pladur—shook with delight.
“Hey, wait, that’s going way too far!”
Ignoring Ryousuke’s panicked cry, Lisara slowly advanced, gripping Carnun Pladur one step at a time.
“This is…”
Kyuru spoke in a low voice.
“W-What is it?”
With a grave face and voice, she declared:
“Lisara Onee-sama is pissed.”
“Anyone could see that just by looking!”
“Ahaha, I thought so—eeek!”
The jaws of the Shinigami’s scythe pressed against Ryousuke and Kyuru’s necks.
“U-um, Onee-sama, Kyuru still does not want to die…”
“Me neither, I have not even had my popular phase yet…”
Kyuru and Ryousuke timidly looked up at Lisara’s face.
Behind her long, hanging red hair, Lisara’s expression was—more terrifying than a Shinigami, she looked like a demon.
“Fufu, fufufufufu…”
Again, that creepy laugh echoed up from the depths of hell.
“You were gone so long after saying you were going to the bathroom, I thought Galdabroeg might have attacked you, so I ran all over the place looking for you—and this is what I find… Ryousuke, you were flirting with Kyuru here all this time. Not even thinking about how worried Mina and I were.”
Lisara gripped Carnun Pladur even harder.
“Eek, you have it all wrong, Onee-sama!”
“Quiet, Kyuru!”
“Yes, ma’am!”
“Ryousuke, I never thought you would turn out to be such a beast.”
“That is not true, Lisara!”
“What do you mean, not true?!”
Lisara snapped her head up and glared at him. Ryousuke looked straight back with confidence and declared:
“I was just about to become a beast. But now, I am so scared I am definitely not a beast anymore. See?”
He glanced down at his own crotch. Lisara and Kyuru followed his gaze.
“Oh, it is true. It was all lively just a minute ago.”
“Right? Lisara, you scared me so much…”
“Ryoouuusuke!”
Lisara raised Carnun Pladur high and brought it down with lightning speed.
“Hyaaaaaa!?”
Thunk. The scythe stabbed the floor right in front of his eyes.
“H-hiiiiii!”
Ryousuke—he was so scared he could not even stand.
Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Kyuru quietly making her escape.
“Hey, you coward!”
“Ryousuke-san, do your best and talk Onee-sama down, okay?”
“That’s impossible!”
“Fufufufufufufu…”
Lisara looked at Ryousuke’s face and let out a bloodthirsty laugh.
“During summer vacation, I am going to drain every last drop of your life energy until you dry up.”
“N-nooo! The summer of high school is supposed to be the most dazzling summer of your life!”
“Shut up, you beast!”
Just as Lisara reached for Ryousuke’s chest, ready to grab him while he was paralyzed with fear, her hand was suddenly caught.
Suddenly, a jet-black hand appeared out of empty space and tightly grabbed Lisara’s arm.
“W-what!?”
“Ku ku ku, Lisara Restall. If you are the heir of the Restall family, you ought to have a bit more composure, do you not think?”
Slowly, as if it were growing from the hand, the whole figure appeared.
His entire body was covered in a material like jet-black leather that fit perfectly, making his well-built physique obvious even under his cloak.
On his head were three twisted, ram-like horns curling back, and his face was hidden behind a mask woven from golden rope.
It was Meiz Galdabroeg, a major criminal in the world of Shinigami, ranked among the Sixty-Nine Stanzas, who now held Lisara’s arm while letting out a low laugh.
“Galdabroeg!”
Lisara tried to pull her arm free—more accurately, Galdabroeg let her go—and stepped back.
“Binding Attire Disurard!”
Using spirit money, she transformed her spiritual power into a form usable by Shinigami and donned the jet-black Shinigami attire formed from dust and scraps.
At the same time as Lisara’s arm was grabbed, Kyuru—already clad in Disurard—scooped up the limp Ryousuke and ran to Mina, who was still unconscious.
Galdabroeg watched all of these actions in silence, not making a single move.
Once things had settled, he raised his right arm in front of his chest with his palm up, and bowed his head in an exaggerated, mocking way.
“It has been a few days, everyone. I am glad to see you well.”
“What are you here for?!”
Lisara barked like she was ready to bite, but Galdabroeg only shrugged as if he were the one offended.
“You were about to ruin the terms of our deal, so I felt compelled to show myself. Honestly, if you drained Kaga Ryousuke’s life energy here, how exactly did you intend to have your first time with him?”
“Ah…”
Lisara clapped her left hand over her mouth. It seemed she had really lost control and forgotten all about that…
“Seriously, you should think things through a bit more.”
Ryousuke could not help but mutter his complaint.
“Wh-what! You are the one sneaking around and flirting in secret, so you are at fault!”
“Is that so?”
“It is!”
She declared it with complete confidence and no evidence at all.
“Now then, judging from the situation, Kyuru Zeria, it seems you have explained things to Lisara Restall and Kaga Ryousuke as well.”
“Yes, I have. Kyuru was never told not to tell them, after all.”
“Hmm, I see. As long as things proceed smoothly, I have no complaints. But it seems I should consider that things are not going smoothly at the moment.”
“Not yet!”
Lisara shouted, lowering her stance and resting Carnun Pladur on her shoulder, blade pointed upward.
“Are you going to fight me? It is true, if you defeat me here, everything would be solved. But do you really think you can win after I beat you so thoroughly before?”
Even though Galdabroeg’s expression was hidden by the mask, his tone made it obvious that he was exasperated.
“Lisara Onee-sama, it is frustrating, but the man is right. I cannot see any way we could win.”
At Kyuru’s words, Lisara nodded slightly, as if to say 『of course』.
“I know that. But if we fight here… Melro’s—meaning Iria and the others’—detection will definitely pick us up. If that happens—”
“Reinforcements will come, eh?”
Galdabroeg finished Lisara’s sentence, even though he was the enemy.
“Yes, exactly. Unlike during the courage test, you did not use the Isolation Island this time and showed up in person because you did not want to be detected by a flashy spell, right?”
“Yes, that’s right. However…”
Galdabroeg shook his head and continued with a sigh.
“I never imagined the proud Restall family—which would not even rely on the royal family—would ever stoop so low as to rely on the likes of Melro, who are nothing but third-rate. You have truly fallen far in the time I have been gone.”
“Hmph, you should use whatever you can. Especially when Mina’s soul is at stake!”
“I see, that is the way of emperors. However, you all are making two mistakes.”
Galdabroeg, perhaps because he was so confident, clasped his hands behind his back like a teacher and looked down at Lisara.
“First, the reason I want to avoid Melro’s detection is simply because it is a hassle. It is not because I fear them. If I and Tyrfing were to go all out, I could take on Melro or any Shinigami in the human world without being at a disadvantage. Well, if I went that far, those troublesome types in the Shinigami world would surely come to capture me. That is what I want to avoid.”
Hearing the name Tyrfing, one of the Old Five, made Gram inside Ryousuke, also one of the Old Five, tremble. Not in fear, but as if demanding to fight.
“Second, you are assuming I would use high-level spells to deal with you all. It looks like that detestable dog, the one whose soul holds the《Dragon-Slaying Ridill》, is not here either.”
Caesar was at home, on guard duty.
“Even so, do you still intend to fight me?”
“…Kuh.”
Just as Lisara was about to retreat under the pressure, Galdabroeg moved. It was so fast, he seemed to almost fall forward, closing the distance like an arrow.
“Yaaah!”
Forced onto the defensive, Lisara hurriedly swung《Carnun Pladur》down.
Gon!
With a hard sound,《Carnun Pladur》was knocked away. Galdabroeg, already inside her guard, had effortlessly struck the shaft with the back of his left hand.
Off balance, Lisara staggered, and Galdabroeg’s palm slammed mercilessly into her stomach.
“Kyaaah!”
Unable to even brace herself, Lisara was blown away, crashing into the equipment shed door and collapsing.
“Ku… kuu…”
She slumped and lost consciousness.
“Hmph, it should not be any serious damage. I made sure of that.”
Galdabroeg straightened his back and brushed off his hand, looking down at Kyuru as if bored.
“U-uuu…《Kalnun Solas》!”
Pale blue flames stretched from Kyuru’s hand and formed a dull-glowing sword—but with a crack, Galdabroeg’s fist smashed it to pieces in an instant.
“N-no waaay!”
“It was not refined enough.”
He shot her a glare, and Kyuru collapsed onto her rear, trembling so much she could not move.
“Now then, what to do with this situation?”
Galdabroeg looked around the inside of the shed.
“I could settle things right here, but… hmm, I did make a promise, at least until today. There is still about half the day left. I suppose waiting is a matter of honor.”
“Wait!”
Finally able to put strength into his legs again, Ryousuke stood up.
“Wait for what? If you are asking for an extension of the deadline, I will not listen.”
Galdabroeg looked Ryousuke up and down with interest as he stood in front of him.
He seemed a bit surprised and intrigued by the fact that a boy who had been unable to stand just a moment before could now face him without fear, wondering what he would say.
“In short, I’m your real target, right?”
“That is correct. My objective now is you… though, just to be clear, not in a homo way.”
He added that in a faintly timid tone.
“Well, that’s a relief. But I still cannot accept it.”
Ryousuke glared at him, frustration in his eyes.
“Cannot accept it?”
“Yeah. If you wanted something from me, you could have just come to me directly from the start. But you dragged the girls around me into this. You even took Mina as a hostage!”
“Oh? Then let me ask. Kaga Ryousuke, what would have happened if I had come to you directly?”
“…Isn’t it obvious?”
For a moment, fear raised its head, but when he thought about the pain of getting girls involved as hostages or first times—his treasures—Ryousuke found the courage to move forward.
“Tonight at seven, let’s settle this in the park behind my house.”
“…………”
Galdabroeg silently stared intently at Ryousuke.
Then, he burst out laughing.
“Ha! Hahahahahahaha! Even if you possess Gram, you’re still just a human, and you’re challenging me to a duel? Hah! This is the best joke I’ve ever heard in my life!”
Ryousuke stared back at him without flinching.
He did not mind being laughed at. Of course they would laugh. Even he knew this was a ridiculous proposal. If he could think of a better plan right now, he would jump at it.
But there was nothing else, so he had no choice.
Still, Ryousuke did not have absolutely no plan.
When he told Kyuru he would go, he did not have any ideas. But now, face to face with Galdabroeg, he saw a possibility.
‘No, calling it a possibility is too much—it’s more like a wish…’
It was the combative will of Gram. Ever since hearing Tyrfing’s name, it had been throbbing, eager for a fight.
And Ryousuke’s own lecherous soul had been thoroughly charged up by Lisara and Kyuru’s relentless attacks yesterday and Kyuru’s finishing blow today.
Because of these two things, he was sure Gram would respond if he called now.
And Galdabroeg was completely underestimating Ryousuke. If that’s the case, there might just be the tiniest chance.
Depending on Gram was pitiful, but Ryousuke was not without hope of victory.
“…Hmm. The look in your eyes tells me you’re not just acting out of desperation.”
While Ryousuke had been thinking, Galdabroeg stopped laughing.
“Very well. I will make sure I can go all out too… I’ll put a strong barrier around that park so nobody detects us, no matter how wild things get.”
Suddenly, there was no trace of condescension left.
Ryousuke’s face turned pale.
Watching Ryousuke’s reaction with amusement, Galdabroeg made his declaration.
“Now, the terms of the duel. If I win, I get to investigate your soul however I please.”
“O-okay.”
“If you win, I’ll release Mina’s soul. Is that enough?”
“…No, there’s one more thing.”
“One more?”
“Gram, the thing stabbed into my soul, belongs to Lisara. Even if I lose, return it to her.”
Galdabroeg stared closely at Ryousuke’s face again.
“Don’t you think that’s a pretty selfish demand?”
“You dragged Mina into this. That’s the least you could do.”
Ryousuke’s words were steady, but his voice trembled just a bit.
“…I can’t tell if you have guts or not. But fine. I accept your terms. Since Lisara Restall is the owner, there will be plenty of chances to take it back anyway.”
With a muffled laugh, Galdabroeg started walking toward the exit.
For now, the crisis was over. Realizing this, Ryousuke’s strength left him all at once, and he fell to his knees.
But—Galdabroeg turned around at the door.
“Let me set one insurance policy, so you all don’t try anything funny.”
“Insurance?”
“You’ll understand when you get home.”
With those parting words, Galdabroeg vanished into the sunlight like a shimmering mirage.
“Insurance… what is he talking about?”
That question would be answered once they brought Mina home—
※ ※ ※
Night—
“Wan…”
Caesar, lying on the sofa, whimpered apologetically.
“It isn’t Caesar’s fault”
Kyuru said gently, stroking his head.
About five hours earlier, after explaining everything to Mina, the group had returned home to find Caesar lying lifelessly in the entryway.
And Ridill was missing from Caesar’s soul.
It had been forcibly pulled out, leaving damage on his soul.
Still, Caesar, being the ultimate dog among dogs, recovered quickly, and now he could even bark again.
Recalling the chain of events, Ryousuke slapped his right fist into his left palm in frustration.
“Damn it, so the insurance Galdabroeg mentioned was Ridill!”
“Caesar’s not the only problem. If Ridill isn’t returned, Kyuru can’t use her《Existence Bond Raise》to stay in the human world. She’ll be forcibly deported to the world of Shinigami.”
Being forcibly deported for not being able to use 《Existence Bond Raise》was a serious humiliation for a Shinigami—one that damaged their status deeply.
“In short, he’s telling us not to call for help from Melro or the Restall family for tonight’s duel.”
Lisara nodded at Ryousuke’s words.
“If you win and he promised not to take Gram, then I think he’ll return Ridill after the duel…”
Lisara glanced at Ryousuke.
“W-what?”
“Haaaa…What a reckless bargain you struck. Even if you might be able to use Gram, your opponent is Galdabroeg. And he’s even putting up a barrier so he can go all out. You don’t stand a chance…”
Lisara let out a long, heavy sigh.
“So, what should we do? Maybe try to avoid the duel and just get Ridill back…”
“What are you saying, Lisara?”
“What do you think? I’m talking about taking Ridill back from Galdabroeg. Somehow, if we could sneak past him and get the main Restall family to send a combat unit…”
Lisara continued talking like it was obvious, so Ryousuke quickly interrupted.
“Wait, what about your promise to Galdabroeg?”
“Listen, there are promises you can keep and promises you can’t. Who in their right mind would send someone to certain defeat?”
Lisara’s voice was laced with anger.
“Then what about Mina’s soul?”
“That’s why, if we get the main Restall family to send a combat team and capture Galdabroeg—”
“Onee-sama, that’s just not possible anymore.”
Kyuru, who had been stroking Caesar, cut in.
“Why not?””
“Because Galdabroeg planted a wedge in Mina-san’s soul and can control it. That means anything Mina-san sees or hears goes straight to him.”
“Ah…”
“Well, obviously, he’d be on guard against that. I never thought it would work anyway.”
Kyuru shrugged.
“Then what do you expect us to do?”
“Um, I…”
Up until now, Mina had been silent, but finally spoke up.
“I do not want to trouble you and Kyuru-chan, so—mmph!?”
Ryousuke and Lisara clamped their hands over Mina’s mouth at the same time.
“We already decided to save you.”
“We already decided to save you.”
Even their lines were almost identical.
“Stop copying me.”
“You’re the one copying me!”
“Pfft, fufufufufu…”
Mina could not help but laugh.
“Alright. I’ll leave everything to you two.”
“Yeah, leave it to us!”
Ryousuke thumped his chest with his fist.
“Saying leave it to us is fine and all, but… what are we really going to do?”
Lisara looked at Ryousuke with exasperation.
“At this point, we might as well count on Ryousuke-san’s pervy soul.”
At Kyuru’s words, Ryousuke gave a cool, nihilistic grin.
“Looks like it’s finally time to show my true power.”
“I’ve already seen more than enough of your perviness.”
Lisara held her head in her hands.
“Um, then… what if you brought a dirty magazine with you?”
Mina’s suggestion made Ryousuke clap his hands and then shake his head.
“No matter how much of a pervert I am, I can’t exactly read porn during a fight…”
“Oh, I thought so…”
Mina drooped in disappointment.
“Hmm, but… bringing something to stir up Ryousuke-san’s pervy soul during battle isn’t a bad idea. For example, Ryousuke-san, what sets off your imagination?”
“Eh… well… let me see…”
Prompted by Kyuru, Ryousuke closed his eyes and thought.
He came up with an answer in a single second.
“Hair.”
“Out of the question.”
Kyuru shot him down immediately.
“W-what! I mean, honestly, if you saw a girl’s—on the battlefield—”
Clatter. Lisara suddenly stood up.
“Uh, Lisara, are you mad?”
Without answering, Lisara stomped out of the room.
“…………Uh.”
“Onee-sama, maybe she went to pull some out for you?”
“Kyuru-chan, does that mean, um…”
“Yeah… I bet she’s getting that hair for him.”
Kyuru’s voice was hoarse. Mina blinked, then turned bright red and lowered her head.
As for Ryousuke, his brain short-circuited from the sudden turn of events…
Five minutes later, Lisara returned as if nothing had happened.
“…………”
Ryousuke wanted to ask what she’d been doing, but he could not get the words out. He could not just ask, Did you really pull out hair? Well, he wanted to know.
He really wanted to know. If possible, he wanted to ask exactly what pose she’d been in while doing it. But if he asked, he was pretty sure she’d punch him.
But he wanted to know. But she’d hit him.
But he wanted to know. But she’d hit him.
After about ten rounds of this inner conflict,
“Take this… with you.”
Lisara thrust a small drawstring bag at him.
“What’s this?”
Ryousuke started to open it, but she stopped his hand.
“Huh, why?”
“Why do you think… it’s embarrassing!”
“U-uoooooooh!”
Now, Ryousuke’s suspicion turned to certainty.
Kyuru and Mina stared wide-eyed at Lisara.
“W-what… you’re the ones who said Ryousuke should bring something to stir up his pervy soul, so I—I just…”
“But still, Onee-sama… ugh, you win this round.”
“Lisara, you’re amazing…”
Shrinking a little under their stares, Lisara mumbled softly.
“I really don’t want to let you go to that duel, but I can’t think of anything else. This is all I could come up with… I just wanted to do something, even if it’s just this much…”
Lisara, uncharacteristically fidgeting, felt Ryousuke put his hand on her shoulder.
Lisara flinched and looked up at him. He met her eyes and said,
“Lisara, I’ll win. Your feelings have fired up my soul!”
Ryousuke nodded firmly.
“Ryousuke…”
Lisara’s eyes glistened with tears.
Ryousuke smiled at her and then started preparing for the duel.