Vol. 1 Chapter 3.2 – I Came Clean to the Bookstore Girl

As the sky began to grow ominous, Issei managed to return to the mansion before the rain started.

“I’m back.”

“Welcome home, O-bocchama.”

With both hands folded in front of her, Chitose bowed deeply in her maid uniform. As he handed her his school bag and the bag of books he had bought, Issei found himself thinking that just seeing Chitose’s face somehow brought him peace.

“The bookstore again today, I presume? And how did things go?”

“Indeed. The results were excellent. I heard piron several times.”

“Piron?”

“Ah, never mind. It’s nothing.”

The sound piron♡ he kept hearing whenever affection went up was a sensation Issei had arrived at through rigorous personal training.

It wasn’t that the sound literally played—only that it felt like he could hear it when something clicked.

“Dinner will be ready shortly. Would you like your meal first, or a bath?”

“Hmm…”

“Senpai, you’re supposed to add one more! You have to say, 『Or would you like me?』too!”

“Nanako!”

Chitose snapped sharply at Nanako for her teasing.

Her face had turned red.

“What is this—『Or would you like me?』thing?”

“O-bocchama, you do not need to know that.”

“Hmm. I see.”

Issei nodded magnanimously.

“I’ll have tea first.”

Saying that, he sat down on the sofa.

“Yes.”

Chitose replied and moved to prepare the tea.

Nanako followed her—not so much to help as to linger and eye the tea snacks, clearly hoping for leftovers.

“Speaking of which, about tomorrow…”

Issei called out to the maids’ backs as they moved about.

“Yes?”

“Cancel everything.”

“Vert well.”

After nodding, Chitose cautiously added a question.

“…Even the meeting with the foreign minister? Are you sure?”

“Something more important has come up. I’ve made plans to go to the city library with Matsura Shiori.”

“…Excuse me?”

At the announcement, Chitose froze.

Issei looked curiously at her expression.

“Goshujin-sama! That’s a date!”

Nanako blurted out in excitement.

“A date?”

“Goshujin-sama, a date means—”

“I know. But this isn’t that sort of thing. I simply made a plan to go to the library with her—”

“That’s exactly what a date is!”

Chitose shouted.

“By my understanding, a date refers to a man and woman going out alone to a romantic location with sexual intentions. That’s what is defined as a date, is it not?”

“That’s literally what this is.”

“No. I merely want to see her panties. There’s absolutely no sexual intention involved.”

“……”

Chitose fell silent. Nanako leaned in to whisper at her ear.

‘Goshujin-sama… is he… naturally like that?’

‘He genuinely doesn’t get it. …Tch.’

With a sharp twist of her face, Chitose clicked her tongue.

Biku—Nanako flinched in fear.

“What’s wrong?”

“It’s nothing… I was just a little surprised.”

“Surprised by what?”

“I’m just surprised by a number of things… but most of all, by the fact that O-bocchama managed to set up a date.”

“Naturally.”

Issei let out a small fuh through his nose.

Back when it was with the JK, Niko, he’d relied heavily on Chitose’s advice.

But this time, Issei had largely progressed through the route on his own.

Simply buying books day after day was enough to trigger repeated piron♡ piron♡ affection-level-up sounds.

There was no need for guidance. No sense of struggle, even.

“This one’s just too easy, huh.”

“Hmm?”

“I mean… This time it seems to be going very smoothly—that’s what I meant to say.”

When Issei questioned her, Chitose quickly corrected herself.

But something about her demeanor had been off for a while now.

Issei glanced at Nanako, but she was too focused on the tea and snack set on the cart, not even sparing them a glance.

Chitose let out a long sigh, then began pouring the tea.

She stepped it precisely—three full minutes.

“It’s easier for us on the support side when O-bocchama doesn’t go around breaking every flag he raises…”

“Flag? What is that?”

“I don’t think you’d understand, even if I explained it.”

—That again.

Chitose often said things like that when she didn’t want to explain something.

Until now, he hadn’t questioned it deeply. He just accepted it—if Chitose said so, then that’s how it must be.

“Do I… break these『flags』 as you call them?”

“There are times I wonder if you’re doing it on purpose. Like when you stack piles of cash, or scream『show me your panties』as your opening line.”

“Hm?”

“Goshujin-sama~ that’s what they mean by『killing the mood in a hundred-year romance』you know~”

Nanako spoke while chewing on a scone. Chitose promptly smacked her on the head with a sharp beshi.

Nanako’s maid headdress went flying, and she scrambled to retrieve it in a panic.

“Hm…”

Taking a sip of tea, Issei thought it over.

—I don’t understand.

Being upfront about your intentions was a sign of honesty, wasn’t it? Clarifying your objective from the start—that should be considered a sincere act… shouldn’t it? What exactly is wrong with that?

Approaching someone while hiding your true goal seemed far more dishonest to him.

Issei took another sip of tea—and then—

“…!”

At that very moment, something outrageous hit him.

“O-bocchama?”

Chitose asked, watching Issei leap up from his chair with incredible energy.

“I’m going out!”

“Eh? But it’s pouring out there!”

Chitose looked out the window. The sky had been ominous since late afternoon, but now it had become a full-on downpour.

“Then I’ll have the car prepared—”

“No need!”

“Ah! Wait—!”

Ignoring Chitose’s voice behind him, Issei dashed out of the room.

◇

He ran.

He ran.

He ran.

Through the heavy rain, Issei sprinted toward the station. He ran at full speed—heading straight for the bookstore.

By the time he arrived, the store had just barely closed. The shutter was only halfway down, and the lights inside spilled faintly onto the ground beneath.

Issei ducked under the shutter and stepped inside.

“Haa… haa… haa…”

Soaked and dripping with water, he panted heavily, struggling to catch his breath.

“Wh-What happened? O-Oky- Issei-san?”

Shiori looked at the drenched Issei in shock as he appeared inside the store, soaked through.

“D-Did you forget… something? …Is that it?”

“……”

Issei simply stared straight at her.

“Oh no, you’re soaking wet—what should I do? What should I do? Ah, right, a towel—please, use this and dry off—”

Flustered, Shiori pulled out what seemed to be her personal towel and placed it over Issei’s head.

But Issei didn’t care. He continued to gaze straight at her, unwavering.

“There’s something I needed to say to you.”

“Ah—y-yes. …W-What is it?”

“There’s a reason I’ve been visiting this store so frequently lately.”

“Y-Yes…”

Shiori braced herself to listen.

“I wanted to see your panties. That’s why I’ve been coming here.”

“…Excuse me?”

Shiori stared at him, mouth slightly agape.

“I should have told you that from the beginning. That was my mistake.”

Issei bowed his head. It was the first apology he had ever made in his life.

“Umm… So… what you’re saying is… you came to this store… with a pervy motive… is that right?”

“No. That wasn’t my intention. I just wanted to see panties—”

“That’s the same thing. How is that any different?”

Her voice had turned ice-cold. From behind her glasses, her eyes narrowed in disgust as she glared at him.

Issei thought he saw something like a heat shimmer—like steam rising off her body in fury.

“Yes. I see. …I understand.”

“You do?”

Issei felt relieved.

He hadn’t approached her while hiding his true intent. He had simply forgotten to mention it.

Just ten minutes ago, he realized that. So he rushed over—at full speed—to come tell her as quickly as possible.

“I understand. I understand very well now… that you’re a disgusting person.”

“Y…yes…”

Issei accepted the word『disgusting』without resistance.

“Please see yourself out.”

Shiori’s eyes shifted toward the half-lowered shutter.

“Shiori…”

“Don’t call my name. Also, the store is closed. Please leave.”

It seemed she wasn’t going to give him a chance to explain.

“A-Ah…”

Issei bowed his head low and left the store.

Outside, Chitose stood waiting with an umbrella in hand—but Issei walked right past her.

He didn’t take the umbrella. He walked on, letting the rain fall on him.