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Rokujouma no Shinryakusha!? (Light Novel) - Volume 11, Chapter 2: Room 106 That Day
Volume 11, Chapter 2: Room 106 That Day
This chapter is updated by NovelFree.ml
Part 1
March 16, Tuesday
Trying to preserve the beautiful flowers that Theia and Ruth had gotten from Koutarou, they passed straight through room 106 and headed onboard the Blue Knight. As a result, by the time Koutarou came home after taking a detour, the two were nowhere to be seen.
“What are you doing, Satomi-kun?”
“N-nothing much...”
Shizuka called out to Koutarou who was standing by the entrance peeking in. She had met him on the way and the two had gone home together. As of late, she had been spending more time in room 106 than in her own room. Even today she was coming into room 106 without going home first as well.
“You've been acting strange today, did you get into a fight?”
Shizuka who loved gossip leaned forward with her eyes sparkling.
“No, it's not like that, but...”
Koutarou smiled wryly and pushed back Shizuka.
“Oh? That's too bad.”
“Just what are you expecting?”
“A lovers’ quarrel.”
“Landlord-san...”
“Welcome back, Shizuka, Koutarou.”
Kiriha welcomed the disappointed Shizuka and the amazed Koutarou with a smile. She was wearing an apron and was in the middle of preparing dinner with chopsticks in her hands.
“I'm back, Kiriha-san.”
“I'm back.”
Shizuka entered first with Koutarou following her. It wasn't just Koutarou who had said that he was back, but Shizuka did as well, and nobody thought it was strange. She had already blended in with the rest in room 106.
“I'll help too, Kiriha-san.”
After removing her shoes by the entrance, Shizuka reached out to an apron hanging on the wall.
By the way, there were normally three aprons hanging on the wall in room 106. They were for Kiriha, Ruth and Shizuka.
And she of course reached out for her own apron. After quickly putting it on, she lined up by the sink next to Kiriha.
“All that's left is cutting up some vegetables.”
“Then I'll do that. Will you prepare the tea, Kiriha-san?”
“Very well.”
Shizuka washed her hands and began cutting vegetables in place of Kiriha. Thanks to Shizuka, Kiriha was able to ready a tray and put a tea set on it.
She was better at preparing tea than Shizuka was. Shizuka hadn't just switched places with Kiriha because she wanted to help, but she also wanted to drink some delicious tea.
“Oh, so we're having nabe today?”
After finishing putting in what they had bought today into the fridge, Koutarou passed by the two. A big pot was standing on the stove, and Koutarou could immediately tell what was for dinner.
“It's still cold, but it's almost April. I figured we should have some nabe one last time.”
Kiriha stopped what she was doing and smiled. She then lifted the lid of the pot and showed the contents to Koutarou. The miso and Japanese stock created a fragrant smell, spreading throughout the kitchen. Today, it was a mushroom nabe.
“I see, that looks great.”
“Fufu, I'm happy to hear it.”
Kiriha returned the lid of the pot and smiled again. Those was her normal gestures, but her expression and eyes made Koutarou feel her deep love and gentleness.
“Koutarou, could you take the bag in the upper right shelf into the inner room?”
“Okay.”
Koutarou did as Kiriha said and pulled a bag out of the shelf. Inside the bag were rice crackers that Kiriha was planning on serving to go with the tea.
“I'll take this too.”
“Thank you, Koutarou.”
Koutarou took the tray out of Kiriha's hands and moved into the inner room. Kiriha followed after him, a few steps behind.
“Look out, Love Love Heart!!”
“Run away! Hurry!!”
In the inner room, Sanae and Yurika were glued to the TV. The two were so focused that they didn't even notice that Koutarou had come home. Koutarou found that adorable and decided not to call out to them as he wordlessly put the tray down on the tea table.
“I'll leave the rest to you, Kiriha-san.”
“Yes, just leave it to me.”
Making the tea was Kiriha's job. After moving out of the way for Kiriha, Koutarou pulled out a magazine that he had bought while he was shopping with Harumi from his bag and sat down next to Kiriha as she began preparing the tea.
“Here it comes! The combination attack of friendship!!”
“Special Attack! Love Killer Heart Punisher!!”
Koutarou had started out by casually reading his magazine, but he gradually began paying attention to Kiriha. It wasn't like there was any problem with her; in fact, it was quite the opposite, as he began paying more attention to her as there were no problems at all.
“Hey, Kiriha-san?”
“Hmm?”
Koutarou closed his magazine and called out to Kiriha, to which in response she stopped preparing the tea. Since she was in the middle of draining the teapot of the tea leaves, she had time to spare. Koutarou continued after Kiriha turned to look at him.
“Why are you still the same?”
Koutarou couldn't help but be confused.
During Valentine's Day, Kiriha had learned that her first love was in fact Koutarou. But after that, Kiriha had remained the same. She didn't want to be doted on like Kii, nor did she ask him to become her lover. It was almost as if the events during Valentine's Day never happened.
That confused Koutarou. She had been searching so desperately for her first love, Koutarou, but now she showed no signs of it. He had his own problems since he found that Kii and Kiriha were the same person, but despite that, Koutarou couldn't imagine why there was seemingly no change to Kiriha.
“Fufu.”
Kiriha figured out the meaning behind Koutarou's question after thinking for a moment, and she smiled as she put her hand by her mouth. She then drew her mouth close to Koutarou's ear and whispered.
“...That's because if Kii comes out now, you would be troubled, right, Onii-chan? And that's the same for us.”
As Kiriha whispered that, she smiled like Kii. But after she finished whispering that, she separated from Koutarou and returned to her normal, mature, expression.
“The surface invasion is proceeding smoothly. While things are proceeding well, I have to hold down the opposition. So sadly, Kii doesn't have a turn for a while...”
“I see...”
From this short discussion, Koutarou understood what Kiriha meant.
Kiriha-san is prioritizing the People of the Earth over her own feelings...
In the end, Kiriha had the same idea as Theia.
“Besides, Koutarou, judging from your personality, if I was to act on my feelings, it would make you push me away, no?”
“That might be true.”
Kiriha understood Koutarou very well.
There was no way that Koutarou was going to choose a lover amongst the invaders until all of their problems had been resolved. The power balance of the room would change, and their judgement would be clouded by personal feelings. The serious Koutarou wanted to avoid all of that.
“That's why, as long as I act like normal, you will never push me away.”
And since Koutarou wouldn't choose, forcing the matter would only cause him to reject her. In other words, as long as she didn't force the matter, Kiriha could stay by Koutarou's side. That was the decision she had made.
This was the best option for her as it allowed her to continue her invasion while continuing to yearn for Koutarou.
“We will probably start after all our problems are resolved in the future.”
Apart from Kiriha, there were others that also had feelings for Koutarou. And ignoring those feelings and taking actions by herself went against Kiriha's way of doing things. She wanted to wait until everyone had reached the starting line.
“Besides, you know how I feel for you. You will stay where I can reach you. I can see your happy smile, and feel your warmth nearby. What more could I ask of you now?”
For these past ten years, all Kiriha could do was project her feelings from a distance. But now, the person she felt for was right in front of her. They could laugh together and support each other. And that was enough for Kiriha for now.
“Even after everything has been resolved... I still might not choose you, you know?”
“That's true. There's a chance that might happen. However, I won't remain pessimistic.”
Kiriha also had one more reason to not rush her relationship with Koutarou.
Koutarou will most likely not choose anyone, even if all of our problems are resolved. A definitive piece is still missing...
Based on her experience up until now, Kiriha felt like something about Koutarou's approach towards women was lacking. Although she had no proof, since she had a spent a year together with him, she had noticed he had a wall around his heart.
Before she could understand why, pushing her feelings onto Koutarou would only trouble him. So before she did, she would need to find a method of circumventing the wall around his heart.
In other words, nobody possessed the means to become lovers with Koutarou right now. And since she knew that, she was not in a hurry.
“But that's―”
Kiriha's decision was too convenient for Koutarou. Of course, that was the same for Theia and Ruth as well. Regardless of how complicated the matters of room 106 was, even something as ignorant to love such as Koutarou knew that making the girls wait until he could make up his mind was bad.
That's why Koutarou tried to object.
“Stop.”
However, he was interrupted by Kiriha before he could.
“You might not know, but regardless of how low the chances of being together might be, I have a reason to wait for your decision. That's just how worthy of a man you are.”
Kiriha had no intention of stepping down.
Regardless of how low the chances of Koutarou choosing Kiriha was, since she loved him more than ten times the amount a normal person would, she would wait for him.
Kiriha couldn't imagine herself together with anyone but Koutarou. And she believed that Theia and Ruth felt the same way.
“That's just stupid.”
Kiriha would wait, even though Koutarou couldn't choose anyone because of his position. Koutarou would be happy if he could show some goodwill. But on the other side, making Kiriha wait was painful and he felt sorry that he couldn't choose her. Those complex feelings turned into blunt words and escaped from his lips.
“I know. But I am confident.”
In contrast to Koutarou who was worried, Kiriha was full of confidence. She tapped her own chest and smiled at Koutarou.
“Let me tell you the words I told you when we met again in this place, on that day one year ago.”
On the other side of the clothes beneath Kiriha's hand, was an old metallic card. That card was the source of her willpower.
“Kii has waited underground for over ten years.”
“Ah...”
Koutarou's memory was revived.
A year ago, before they knew who of Onii-chan and Kii, Koutarou and Kii had met again in this room.
At that time, Kiriha had threatened Koutarou using almost the same words.
“Fufufu, it means we have waited for 1000 years. But how long will you endure? Half a year? A year? I'll do anything to make you nod your head.”
Kiriha was confident.
After all the problems had been resolved and Koutarou would be able to look at the invaders as women, she would use any means necessary to make Koutarou turn her way.
Together with the feelings and emotions that she had cultivated up until now and the love and bonds she would add onto in the future, she was certain that Koutarou couldn't reject Kiriha and Kii.
“Wahahaha! How foolish, Love Love Heart! There's no use resisting!”
Kiriha was convinced. She was overflowing with confidence, even more so than the villain on the TV, convinced that this warm something connecting Kiriha and Koutarou would bind them for all eternity.
Part 2
As Kiriha had finished preparing the tea, Shizuka also finished preparing dinner while Sanae and Yurika finished watching their anime. They were now all gathered around the tea table.
“Ah, it's rice crackers today.”
“Let's eat!”
Sanae's eyes sparkled. Yurika suddenly grabbed a rice cracker and began eating it before she had even received her tea.
“Don't be so greedy, geez...”
“Yurika, wait!”
Koutarou stopped Yurika with strict words. She was just about to bite into the rice cracker and she glared at Koutarou as her mouth was wide open.
“Eeeeehhh~~~”
“Are you sure you should have such a defiant attitude, Yurika? I don't really care, but is that fine with you?”
“Woof.”
Yurika's body started to tremble from Koutarou's words as she returned the rice cracker.
Yurika had used a portion of her food budget for this week to buy a shoujo manga, so now she was dependent on Koutarou's help. Because of that, Koutarou's position was now far, far above Yurika.
“Good girl. Just stay quiet for a while.”
“Woof!”
Yurika stared at the rice cracker while sitting up straight as Kiriha was placing tea cups out on the table. By the way, there were two cups placed in front of Koutarou. One was his own, and the other was for Sanae when she clung onto his back.
“Paw.”
“Woof!”
“You may eat.”
“Woof Woof!”
Waiting for everyone to get their tea, Koutarou gave Yurika permission to eat her rice cracker. In response, Yurika swiftly grabbed a rice cracker and opened her mouth wide to begin eating.
As Yurika bit on the rice cracker, Koutarou disappointedly dropped his shoulders.
“...Can't you be a little bit more proper, Yurika.”
Lately, it had become Koutarou's job to improve Yurika's manners. He had negligent parts of his own, but he simply couldn't stay quiet as he looked at Yurika.
“You'll be a second year soon, you'll get juniors, you know?”
“Haff fooo hee?”
“Swallow the rice cracker before you speak.”
“Hokahy.”
Yurika picked up her cup and began drinking tea.
“Hwoa!?”
However, as she did, her expression changed.
“Fhaaah!! Hhot hhot hhot!!”
Since the tea had just been poured, it was still piping hot. It burned her delicate esophagus as it passed down her throat. As a result, she spat out some of the tea and began struggling.
“H-Hey, it's tight enough here, quit kicking about, Yurika!!”
“T-Thahts behcause hiths hhot!!”
“Oh geez...”
Koutarou forcibly lifted Yurika and held her in his arms while he headed towards the kitchen. There, he made her drink water to cool down her body from the hot tea.
“Haaah~... I thought I was going to die~~~”
Having drunk the water, Yurika spoke in a carefree way.
“Yurika... why are you always like that?”
But Koutarou spoke in a sorrowful tone.
Yurika could keep it together in an emergency, but when it came to everyday life, she continued to fail wherever possible. Koutarou began to worry for her future. His instinctive preaching was a result of that worry.
“Even if you say that, that right now was Satomi-san's fault.”
“Why was it my fault?”
“It's because you rushed me to drink it. It was not my fault.”
“It was your fault!”
“Oh? Are you done carrying me? Let's return like this~”
“Walk there yourself!”
“Kyaaaa!?”
Koutarou returned to the inner room in a bad mood. Yurika followed behind him, with both of her hands pressing down on her forehead and her eyes tearing up.
“...Satomi-kun.”
“Yes?”
Waiting for Koutarou to sit back down, Shizuka began talking.
“Please continue to forever look after Yurika-chan.”
“Me!?”
“Yes. I don't think anyone else could manage her.”
“Forever!?”
“Yes. If you give up on her, she will probably drift down the wrong path.”
Shizuka was being serious. She had been observing Yurika all this time, and she had reached the conclusion that Yurika was in danger.
Yurika lived a sloppy lifestyle. Sometimes, Koutarou would end up brushing her hair because he couldn't stand it anymore. Yurika's lifestyle was only barely preserved thanks to the serious and responsible Koutarou being by her side. The moment he gives up on Yurika, her life would surely turn awry. At the same time, Yurika's guard around the opposite sex was far too lax, and if it wasn't for Koutarou, Shizuka was worried that Yurika would be caught by some man with bad intentions.
“She's right. I have a right to live too.”
Yurika sat next to Koutarou and nodded.
She also knew that it would be bad if Koutarou was to give up on her.
“I don't want to hear that from you!”
“You're not being honest, Satomi-san~. In reality you love me~ geez~ you're so shy~”
“You bastard, do you want me to seriously hit you?”
“That won't happen. Satomi-san is gentle, so you would never hit―”
The sound of a fist crashing into someone's head rang out in room 106.
“...I-I would like to make amends. I'm so very sorry~”
“As long as you understand.”
“Yes Sir, may I eat a rice cracker?”
“I will allow it private.”
“Hah, I am honored.”
“Satomi-kun...”
Seeing Koutarou easily make Yurika obey him, Shizuka was convinced.
I definitely couldn't do that... I can only entrust Yurika-chan to Satomi-kun...
Shizuka knew that Yurika had stay by Koutarou's side, regardless of who became his lover in the future, or something terrible would happen. So that those who worried about Yurika wouldn't lose their minds, Shizuka vowed to herself that she would convince the person that would become Koutarou's lover to agree.
Part 3
After that, time passed slowly. Since there was still time until dinner was ready, the residents drank tea and chatted, or read shoujo manga, or watched the news on the TV.
“Koutarou, what is that you're reading?”
Sanae hadn't had anything to do for a while, so she had been clinging onto Koutarou's back, but that alone was getting tedious so she peeked at what was in Koutarou's hands.
“It's this.”
“Monthly Professional Wrestling Magazine? So it's about professional wrestling?”
“Yup.”
Sanae used her spiritual energy to manipulate Koutarou's hand to flip the pages. And after gazing at the contents of the magazine, she stopped on a certain page.
“Koutarou, I wanna try this move.”
“The Scorpion Deathlock, huh?”
Sanae wanted to try out a certain wrestling hold.
The Scorpion Deathlock was performed by grabbing the legs of an opponent lying face down, and the bending your body. It was a relatively easy technique to pull off, even for an amateur, so it was an easy technique for Sanae, who knew next to nothing about professional wrestling, to try.
However, putting too much strength into this technique would cause the opponent to lose their breath, so it was important to be careful not to overdo it. But that wasn't a problem for Sanae. If the opponent was in pain, she could tell right away thanks to the change in their aura.
That was yet another reason why this technique would be a good choice for Sanae's first step into the wrestling world. Koutarou quickly agreed with her.
“Sounds fun. Let's try it.”
“Yes!”
When Koutarou agreed, Sanae happily gave him a big nod.
“Okay, Koutarou, lie down.”
“Okay.”
Sanae smiled as she pointed at the tatami. Koutarou followed her directions and laid down on top of it.
“Hehehe~”
Sanae straddled down around the area over Koutarou's waist and peeked at the wrestling magazine lying down on the tea table. She then moved her hands as she began thinking of how the technique was pulled off.
“Sanae-chan, if Satomi-kun has a hard time breathing you have to stop right away, okay?”
Shizuka was well versed in martial arts, so she decided to at the very least give Sanae a warning. She knew of the risks involved in this technique. It was a technique that would cause injuries from time to time.
“Aha, it'll be fine. I won't do it to the point where Koutarou will be in pain.”
However, Sanae had no intention on hurting Koutarou. In fact, she was fine as long as she could stick to him.
As of late, there had been drastic changes in the relationships between Koutarou and the people around him. On the surface, almost nothing has changed, but by looking at their auras, Sanae could see big differences in Theia, Ruth and Kiriha. The auras they were emitting were always gently enveloping Koutarou. Sanae couldn't tell what had caused this change, but she imagined that Theia and the others had deepened their bonds with Koutarou. Sanae couldn’t help but feel envious of them.
She felt like she was being left out, and she felt lonely about it. That was why she wanted to get along with Koutarou just as much as the others did, why she wanted to attract Koutarou's attention by sticking to him during this playful wrestling session.
“Here I go, Koutarou!”
“Yeah, give it all you've got.”
“Ei!”
Sanae held Koutarou's leg and pulled, mimicking the magazine. As a result, Koutarou's body started looking like a scorpion's with his legs as its tail. But even then, Sanae took great care in managing her strength so that she didn't hurt Koutarou.
“How is it?”
“I can feel your back stretching and it feels great. But... I feel like it's a little different.”
Sanae had tried hard, but she was still a girl and an amateur. She didn't have a good grasp on the technique and her hold was weak. The reason for this was because Sanae was using her spiritual energy to pull off the technique. Since the effects were played out the way she recognized them, she had a hard time properly reproducing a technique she wasn't used to.
“You have to interlock the legs.”
“Like this?”
“No, not like that, like this.”
“How about this?”
“Hmm... you're a bit on the way there, but...”
Koutarou tried to tell Sanae how to pull off the technique, but it was hard to explain while he was under her hold.
“Sanae, let's stop for a moment.”
“Okay.”
So Koutarou asked her to undo her hold for a moment so he could properly explain. He believed that would be faster.
“Yurika, Yurika.”
Koutarou beckoned over Yurika who was nearby.
“Yef?”
Yurika stopped reading her shoujo manga and looked up. Since she was eating a rice cracker, her answer came out muffled.
“Could you lend me a hand for a moment?”
“Whaf ish iht?”
Since Yurika had been focused on her shoujo manga, she hadn't noticed what Koutarou and Sanae were doing. She approached the two while still eating her rice cracker.
“Could you lie down on your stomach here?”
“Ish iht somehing pervehed!? Anf in front of Sanae-fan!?”
“Of course not.”
“Then itsh fhine... lihe thif?”
“Yeah, just like that. Thanks.”
“Haa...”
Yurika didn't really understand, but she followed Koutarou's directions. She stretched her body and laid flat, stomach down, on the tatami. There wasn't much she could do with her position like this, so she carefreely continued chewing on her rice cracker.
“Fuah!?”
That was when Yurika was struck with an acute sense of pain. The rice cracker spilled from her mouth because of it.
“W-What is–!?”
Yurika was completely unable to move. The joints in her legs were locked and wouldn't move, and with her legs raised up into the air, her upper body was pushed down, rendering her unable to move. Her arms were free, but despite her best efforts to swing them around, she couldn't escape.
“Ouch, owowowow! Satomi-san, help, it hurts!”
“Like this, Sanae.”
“I see. Like that.”
Yurika, who couldn't understand the situation she was in, instinctively called for Koutarou for help, despite him being the source of her pain. As a result, her pain wasn't alleviated in the slightest as she was used as a guinea pig for Koutarou and Sanae to try their technique on.
“Koutarou, I want to try too.”
“Before you do, you should hang onto me and get a feel for the technique.”
“I see. You're right!...Ei!”
“Gyaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!”
“Sanae, hold back a little.”
“I see. Sorry Yurika.”
“...S-Satomi-shan... i-isn't this a little too much, j-just for skipping on cleaning up the bathroom?”
“Actually, Sanae, you don't have to hold back.”
“Got it.”
“Gyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!”
Sanae was a diligent student, but because of that, it took a while before Yurika was freed from her hell.
After Sanae had properly mastered the Scorpion Deathlock, she began massaging Koutarou's body because she had recalled saying that it felt great feeling his back being stretched when she was trying the hold on him.
“Koutarou, you can't just leave it be until it gets this bad. Your circulation has gotten worse.”
“I got it. I'll let you know the next time I notice.”
“Good, just leave it to this Sanae-chan!”
Sanae massaged Koutarou like she always did. Using her poltergeist, she roughly massaged his muscles while using her spiritual energy to improve the circulation of his spiritual energy.
While Koutarou was receiving a massage, there was someone lying down next to him.
“This... is just too cruel...”
That person was Yurika, who had served as Sanae's training partner. With tears in her eyes, she looked at Koutarou who was right next to her. She had been complaining to him like this for a while now.
“If I knew this would have happened, I would have preferred having something perverted done to me...”
Having had her joints attacked, she was unable to move anything at chest level and below. All she could do was complain to Koutarou.
“I'm sorry, Yurika. We overdid it a little.”
Koutarou was reflecting on his actions. His athletic blood ran wild and he accidentally went too far. Since he had no intentions of hurting Yurika, he honestly apologized.
“If you're going to apologize then please don't do it to begin with!”
But that alone wasn't enough to satisfy Yurika as she continued to complain. Now, opposite of before, Yurika's position was far above Koutarou's.
“That's because you're the only one I can ask.”
The moment Koutarou said “you're the only one”, Sanae's hands unconsciously twitched. However, nobody noticed that minute change. Not Koutarou, and not even Sanae noticed it.
“You didn't ask! You just did it all of a sudden!”
“Really?”
“Yes, really!! And why is it me!? There were many more you could have asked!!”
Yurika moved her arms and pointed at the girls in the room.
In the room were Kiriha and Shizuka, along with Theia and Ruth who had just returned.
When Yurika was put under the Scorpion Deathlock, Theia and Ruth were somewhere else, but both Theia who he often got into fist fights with and Ruth who underwent combat training together with him would be good fits for the job. So adding in Yurika, Koutarou should have had five choices. And amongst them, he had chosen Yurika. She wanted to know the reason for that.
“That's because, everyone else are girls, you know?”
That was Koutarou's answer after he looked at all of the girls in order.
They were all girls of age, so he was reluctant to go out of his way to ask them to be guinea pigs.
And in particular, Theia, Ruth and Kiriha had shown clear affection towards him. He couldn't easily use wrestling techniques on them. Because for better or worse, the atmosphere would become an uncomfortable one.
“I'm a girl too!!”
Yurika was not happy, because it was as if Koutarou was saying that she wasn't a girl. And reacting to Yurika's words, the other girls began intervening.
“Well... if it's Satomi-kun... he wouldn't touch me inappropriately.”
“We wouldn't really mind, right Ruth?”
“Yes. Her highness and I are always doing similar things with Satomi-sama.”
“I don't mind either. Earning a favor wouldn't be bad.”
Shizuka trusted Koutarou based on how he behaved, and she loved martial arts.
And the other three had no reason to turn him down. If anything, they'd prefer to actively help.
It was because the four of them were so positive about it that Koutarou couldn't ask them, but those feelings didn't reach Yurika.
“See, that's what everyone is saying!! So why did you pick me!?”
“That's because you're... how do I put it?”
It was because he couldn't chose the other four that Koutarou had ended up choosing Yurika. But like she said herself, she was also a girl. So there should be a reason for why he had chosen her specifically.
“I demand a detailed explanation!”
“That's because, you're... uh...”
However, Koutarou couldn't think of a reason.
On the surface, she did look like a useless girl, but Koutarou knew that she could be trusted in an emergency. She had been reliable when Maki had gone missing in the snowy mountains. That's why he thought she treasured her friends and worked hard for them.
And from what Koutarou could tell, Yurika had become able to freely use Encyclopedia's magic. As expected, she was serious about magic and she was learning fast. As a result, in terms of Yurika's power, she was starting to catch up to Theia and Kiriha. Right now, she was far from incapable.
On top of that, as Harumi's friend, Yurika had been a great help. She would give advice and go out to play with her. Harumi would always smile when she mentioned Yurika. There was no doubt that Harumi really treasured Yurika.
Knowing that, Koutarou most definitely cared about Yurika. If he hadn't, he wouldn't look after her.
So Koutarou did properly see Yurika as a girl, and he shouldn't really be able to use wrestling techniques on her because he felt like it. Despite that, he had chosen her. As Koutarou thought of this, he realized that not even he understood why.
“...What are you?”
“Please don't ask meee!!”
He couldn't reach a conclusion, but Koutarou did indeed think that he could ask Yurika. That's why he began realizing that the girl called Yurika, was apparently a special existence for him.
I wonder what this means...?
Koutarou tilted his head. But he couldn't understand his own intentions, and the solution to it wouldn't appear for a while longer.
Part 4
“Satomi-san is fundamentally lacking in love towards me!”
“That's not true. That's why I was thinking of making your meal today free.”
“Really!? I knew you were a good person from the day we met!! That's right~, Satomi-san absolutely loves me after all~”
“So help me out with some more wrestling techniques.”
“That's fine~... wait, no, I absolutely refuse!!”
Listening to the angry Yurika and to Koutarou apologizing to her, Theia whispered to herself as she opened the box for today's board game.
“In the end, Koutarou might be the most open with Yurika...”
Her whisper was silent, but it reached the ears of Kiriha who was sitting next her. After taking a sip of her tea that was starting to cool, Kiriha whispered back to her.
“That might be true. Compared to us, his guard around Yurika is surprisingly low.”
Ruth, who was also sitting next to Theia, followed up on Kiriha's words.
“Satomi-sama only ever asks anything of Yurika-sama after all.”
Kiriha and Ruth had noticed the same thing Theia had.
Koutarou was incredibly kind to those he got along with. But that was a one-sided affair, as he never asked for anything himself, apart from simple requests like taking out the trash and the likes. But he had never made any major request. And as far as Theia and Kiriha could tell, the only exception to that was Yurika. She was the only one that Koutarou would ask about something major.
Asking her to be a guinea pig for today's wrestling techniques was just one such example. During their school trip, he had asked her to go skiing with him. And before that, the two had stayed up all night writing manuscripts for a play. There were also many more such examples. Whenever Koutarou made a request like that, Yurika would always be the one he would asked.
“...I'd like to know why...”
Kiriha showed a small smile as she gazed at Koutarou and Yurika, who were still quarreling while lying down on the floor.
Though she wasn't aware of it, Yurika was breaking through the wall around Koutarou's heart. That's why only she was in a special position. Though she still had a bit to go before she completely broke through the wall, Kiriha wanted to know how she was doing it, as it was a wall she had to break through one day as well.
It was at that time that Sanae, who was massaging Koutarou, stopped.
“...Now that I think about it...”
Sanae had heard what Kiriha and the others were whispering about. Since she heard spiritual waves better than she could hear sound waves, as long as a voice had strong feelings behind it, she could hear it even if it was a whisper.
Koutarou has never asks me for anything...
It wasn't until she had heard Kiriha and the others whispering that she first realized that she had only ever relied on Koutarou. Even the massage she was doing right now was something she had asked Koutarou herself. When she thought back on it, that had been the case ever since they met. Koutarou had never asked her for anything important. Even if Koutarou accepted Sanae, he never needed her.
But... Yurika is different... Why...?
When Koutarou used a wrestling technique on Yurika, he was able to naturally do so without any hesitation. And that pointed to a single answer: Koutarou needed Yurika.
I...
Sanae's spiritual energy unconsciously flared up as a result of her wanting to have a stronger bond with Koutarou. If someone that was able to see spiritual energy had been around, they would be able to see that Sanae's spiritual energy wasn't just filling up room 106, but the entirety of Corona House. That was just how deeply, strongly and purely Sanae felt for Koutarou.
“However, Koutarou respects me the most.”
“You sound quite confident, alien princess.”
In contrast to Sanae who was feeling anxious, Theia remained confident. While she pulled out the game board from the box, she smiled as if it was nothing.
“But of course. I am a prideful princess of the Holy Forthorthe Galactic Empire. As long as I am the noblest royal, the strongest knight will obey me.”
Theia no longer felt envious about the positives of others. She was going to make Koutarou turn her way with her own good sides. Theia was going to break through the wall around Koutarou's heart using a different method than Yurika’s.
“That makes sense.”
Kiriha honestly felt like Theia was amazing. She also began thinking that she should do the same. She shouldn't be mimicking what Yurika and Theia are doing, but she should make Koutarou turn her way in the way Kiriha and Kii would.
I might have fallen behind on the start...
Kiriha showed a small bitter smile. While Yurika wasn't aware of it, she was gradually breaking through Koutarou's wall. And Theia was challenging the wall by her own will. At the present, one could say that the two were ahead of her. Kiriha was confident that she could make Koutarou turn to her, but her start had been delayed.
“What is everyone talking about?”
That was when Shizuka returned with a tray in her hand. She had headed to the kitchen to prepare some more tea.
“We were just talking how Koutarou and Yurika were getting along so well.”
“It really does look like it. Just the other day, Mackenzie was wondering if the two of them were going out.”
Shizuka loved this kind of gossiping. That was why Theia and Kiriha's discussion stopped here.
“Koutarou, Sanae, Yurika; since we've gotten more tea, why don't we play one game before dinner?”
Theia called for Koutarou and the others as she spread out the game board on top of the table. At the same time, she laughed with self-ridicule in her mind.
Does this game even have any more meaning apart from entertainment?
In the past, Theia had planned to seize control of room 106 through games. But now, the games no longer had any more meaning apart from just being games. Frankly put, Theia no longer cared if she lost all of her points.
It was important for Theia to not show an unsightly side as a princess of Forthorthe, but she realized that it wasn't important for her to win. And she believed that Koutarou would follow her because of that.
Because of that, Theia's victory itself wasn't important to clear her trial. She had started thinking that it would be ideal if Koutarou won it for her.
That said, Theia wasn't going to back down from a fight. And thinking of Kiriha's circumstances, it wasn't a good idea to throw the game. Because of that, the games continued; it was another way of life for a princess.
“Yeah. Got it. Let's go, Sanae, Yurika.”
“Okay...”
“Satomi-san, please help me up. I can't move yet.”
“What can I do with you...”
“This is your fault, Satomi-san.”
“I know, I know.”
Without a clue of the complex feelings the girls were having, Koutarou carefreely carried Yurika to the tea table.
“Can you sit?”
“I want to lean against the wall.”
“Can you reach from there?”
“You can move the pawns, Satomi-san.”
“Guess it can't be helped...”
Koutarou sat Yurika down by a nearby wall and crawled straight towards the tea table so he would be near her.
“Alright―”
Let's start.
As Koutarou was about to say those words, his view turned dark and he lost his sense of balance.
What!?
He was overcome with a sudden case of vertigo as he was crawling. Having lost his balance, he fell and laid down on the tatami mat.
“Koutarou!?”
“What's wrong!?”
“Satomi-san!?”
The girls shouted out in surprise as Koutarou suddenly fell down. But fortunately, Koutarou was quickly able to recover.
“Mast―Ah... no, Satomi-sama, are you okay?”
Ruth reached out to Koutarou who had collapsed in front of her. Koutarou grabbed her hand and got up.
“Thank you, Ruth-san. I probably only got a little dizzy. It's not a big deal.”
Koutarou smiled at the girls who worried for him.
In truth, his eyes were still spinning a little, but he felt himself recovering. That's why he felt that the girls worrying for him was a bit exaggerated.
“...Koutarou, does that happen a lot?”
Kiriha was especially worried and she looked at him with a very serious gaze.
“It's been a long time since I was last dizzy. I think it's because I was lying down for so long.”
Koutarou himself wasn't particularly worried. He had been lying down since the Scorpion Deathlock and his massage, so he was certain that he had just gotten a little dizzy from getting up too fast.
“You don't have to be so worried.”
“I see... Well, if you say so...”
Despite Koutarou's smile, Kiriha's gaze was still serious, as she thought what might have happened. Koutarou thought that was strange, but since Kiriha had a legitimate reason to worry for his body, he decided not to question it any further.
“Don't scare us like that, Satomi-kun.”
“It seems like you're not trained well enough. We'll have to retrain you.”
“You might have an iron deficiency. Let's have liver or something similar tomorrow.”
“I don't really like liver. But since it would be a waste, I'll still eat.”
“Koutarou, I'll massage you again later.”
Seeing Koutarou acting fine, everyone seemed to ease up. And even Sanae who had shown a complex expression smiled again.
“I'm sorry for scaring you. Now let's start the game. Dinner's waiting after all.”
Like that, Koutarou and the others began playing their game like normal.
They no longer looked like invaders fighting for territory, but like children that had gathered in a house to play.
