Published at 31st of August 2019 11:44 am

Volume 6, Chapter 03: Unsaid Words

This chapter is updated by NovelFree.ml

Since forever, I couldn’t stay calm when someone was crying.

I just might have been overlapüing myself with that crying someone.

Being bullied at the doujo of my grandfather, blaming my own weakness on my mother, I repeated to vent my anger—Such a weak myself.

I hated this side of mine. It was so pathetic. I couldn’t forgive it. So I shut myself into my room and cried alone.

Because I was always crying like that…I reached out for the crying girl in the park at that time.

That girl had just moved here and had no friends around. She was desperate to join any groups.

But she was a clumsy cry-baby and failed at nearly all games, so she was always teased by everyone and cried because of it. Still, the girl didn’t become discouraged and tried to join into everyone’s group day by day.

…From what I heard later, both her parents were busy with work and only came back home late at night.

Left alone, she must have been lonely. She must have been sad. More so than the bullying, for her it must have been more painful to be alone. She always stayed around everyone.

But, at one point, the girl wasn’t even allowed anymore to stay at their sides.

One day, she was forsaken by everyone and they stopped playing with her. Since that day, she watched the other kids from a corner of the park and shed tears unknown to anyone. When the sun set, she trotted home alone— She repeated her days like that.

Unable to watch it any longer, I called out to the girl with all my might.

“Hey, if you have time, wanna play with me?”

I mustered my courage and asked her out to play.

“Look, isn’t it boring to be by yourself all the time? Let’s go together.”

When I slowly reached out my hand, the girl looked at my hand with wide open eyes. Timidly she reached out for it…but in the end she didn’t took it and dropped her gaze onto the ground.

“…I can’t. It’s no fun being with me…I’m just in the way…That’s what everyone says…”

With tears dwelling up in her clouded eyes, the girls said sadly with a trembling voice.

“…You too, will surely leave me…”

Instantly, I placed a chop onto the girl’s head.

“Ouch! Wh- Why are you suddenly hitting me?”

“Because you’re sobbing some rubbish there. Besides, it’s not for others to decided if it’s fun being with you or not. It’s for me to decide. Now that you get that, let’s play together. No, rather, I’ll play with you. There, twin tails!”

I couldn’t encourage her properly, since I became embarrassed. I playfully grabbed the girl’s long hair and messed around with it.

“H- Huh? Your hair, feels a bit different from Nazuna’s…”

When I was a bit excited—it happened suddenly. The girl started to shed big tears, so I immediately removed my hand in confusion.

Before I could apologize with a hollow voice, the girl shook her head.

“No…I… just… hap… py…”

Leaking a “I’m just happy” with a hard to comprehend crying voice, the girl cried out loudly. I didn’t understand why, but I made the girl cry. I was at a loss what to do—So for first time, I petted the head of a girl besides Nazuna.

Then the girls stopped crying… and showed a smile. Her eyes, still a bit teary, narrowed happily and her small mouth also opened happily. Her smiling face was really cute.

…Now that I thought back on it, this might have been the trigger to my habit of petting people’s heads.

I was happy that the girls stopped crying, so I reached out my hand for her once more with a smile.

“I’m Shinobu. Written with the [Shinobu] kanji from ‘ninja‘. What’s your name?”

“My name is written with the [Sakura] and—”

* * *

The morning of the second day of seaside school. Midway in my dream, suddenly a shrill melody echoed through the room and I wake upon that sound.

Geez, which idiot had his cell phone ringing this early? He ought to think of his surroundings. What time did he think it was?

Due to seeing a dream of the past, I was a bit in a fool mood. Half-asleep, I complained in my heart, but

“Nanjou, your cell is ringing.”

Asada called out to me like that and I finally realized.

That the annoyingly ringing cell phone— belonged to me.

I hastily put my hand on my cell phone and lowered my head to the wreathing rising guys with a “Sorry”, then moved into a corner of the room. While feeling a sense of discomfort, I looked down and saw that it was a call from my mother.

“Hello? What the fuck do you want so early in the morning?”

“…Mh? What are you so angry for? Could it be, you were still sleeping? You’re supposed to take the bus at 8 to a farm today, right? So get up already. Actually, since you participating in the seaside school, wake up early and enjoy the trip.”

“Stop pestering me. What are you, my mom?”

“Yes, I am.”

“…Oh right.”

During our conversation, I awakened completely. Lightly scratching my head, I listened to my mother.

“That aside, Shinobu, the pamphlet said you have free time once you came back from the farm, but do you have any plans in the noon?”

“Not really. I think, I’ll just go to the beach like yesterday….Why do you ask?”

“Se-cr-et <3” Considering it strange, I asked, whereupon a weird cute voice came back through the phone. For now, I could only say one thing. “Think of your age. Age, you hear. There’s a limit to acting out of character!” “…I’ll get you later, so be prepared. I’ll beat you to a pulp. See you.” Leaking a low voice filled with anger, my mother one-sidedly ended the call. What was that? I titled my head and watched my cell phone for a while… After that, like the schedule in the pamphlet said, we students gathered in front of the inn. After a roll-call, we boarded a bus, which took us shaking to the farm. Under the blue sky, a green carpet extended over an inclined plane. Until noon, we had time to look around the farm. The farm also had a petting farm and you could try out milking cows or riding horses. We were free to do what we wanted until our departure, so I moved to the petting farm, invited by Machina. At that time, the nearby girls suddenly raised a piercing voice. They probably saw some cute animal. I faced there with these thoughts, but my assumption was wrong. The girls’ gazes were set on Hijiri riding on a horse. Hijiri was mounting the horse with a straight back and emitting dignity. Supposedly junior girls once after another raised their voices with “Gogyou-senpai~!” or “Look over here~!” and waved their hands, whereupon Hijiri showed a troubled face and then waved back lightly with a smile. Hijiri was gorgeous as ever. No wonder the girls got so excited. When I watched over the girls with that impression, I suddenly met Hijiri’s eyes. Upon that, her dignified expression up till now vanished. “Shinobu-kun~!” Hijiri showed an innocent smile and waved greatly into my direction. Attracted, I also smiled and responded to Hijiri with a small hand wave, but…the glares of the girls hurt me. Their eyes were cruelly cold. Their jealous glares were kind of scary. For now, I thought about brushing it off with a smile, so I gave them an awkward smile, but at that moment, the girls raised a small scream and ran away. …A truly hurtful reaction. “Hey, Shinobu, why are you making such a scary face? These girls were juniors, right? I feel sorry for them.” “…I’m the most pitiful here.” I replied to Machina’s weary regard with a heart-rending feeling. However, apparently Machina stayed unaware of my feelings. She puzzled tilted her head, then jerkily pulled on my sleeve. “Anyway, Shinobu, there are rabbits over there. Let’s go.” “Yeah, let the animals ease my wounded heart.” Giving a nod back, I headed for the enclosure with the rabbits together with Machina, then entering it. There Machina embraced an affectionate white rabbit that came over and raised a lively voice. “Look, look, Shinobu. This one has pretty crimson eyes. Just like Elni.” “Okay, then let’s name it Elni #2.” “It’s body is all soft, fluffy and warm.” “…Uhm, don’t ignore me and give me your usual combo of getting tricked and retorting?” I was a bit sad, so I asked her, but Machina ignored me and smiled. “Why are rabbits just so cute?” “I’m sure they use their cuteness to overcome the survival of the fittest. There also some humans like that. What’s your opinion on that, Machina?” “Ah, that one over there is cute too. Come here~” “….Are you doing that on purpose? Please listen to me.” I once again asked her, but sadly enough, it had no effect. Machina put the white rabbit onto her lap and embraced a brown rabbit now. She said spellbound. “Living surrounded by rabbits must be such a bliss…” “Yeah. I also want to be jostled by bunny girls, even just once.” “Fufu, you’re all fluffy too.” …This was hopeless. Machina didn’t seem to hear me, as she was absorbed in petting the rabbit and rubbing it against her cheek. She was madly in love. “Having fun?” “HopHop♪“ Machina had gone crazy. For whatever reason, she excoriated---No, wait. Of all things, Machina spoke back to the rabbit on my outcall. Still, her innocent smile was as cute as Hijiri’s. When I inadvertently was smitten by Machina’s smile, I could suddenly hear a shutter sound from a camera. I raised my head concerned, whereupon I saw Kaorun, concealing her body with a cardboard box for some reason and holding up a digital camera through a small opening. “---The Maid’s trivia: Rabbits do not have vocal cords, so they make no sounds. Also, throughout the whole year, they are in a ‘rutting’ condition.” Along with her words, Kaorun pressed the shutter once more, then pulled the cardboard over her head and hid her body. “Well then, Snake, I will continue with my peeping shots in the stealth camouflage.” “…That cardboard was supposed to be a stealth camouflage, huh. I see, good taste--- as if! Who are you calling Snake! Instead you should be Snake!” “Throughout the whole year, the rabbits are in a ‘rutting’ condition.” She probably just wanted to say that once more? Kaorun leaked a somewhat happy voice and went away with her body enveloped with the stealth camouflage. …The execution aside, it seemed that Kaorun was fulfilling my request. “Thanks for the photos.” Saying my thanks to Kaorun, I shifted my gaze back to Machina. “HopHop♪“ Machina still was obsessed with the rabbits. There I lightly clapped her shoulder and looked outside the enclosure with a side-glance. “Hey Machina, sorry, but I’m already tired of the bunnies. Can I leave?” “Yes, sure. But be sure to return home by five, Shinobu.” “…What are you, my mother?” Replying with that to the absent-minded Machina, I left the enclosure half-wearily. At that time, I saw Nazuna and Miichan coming closer from ahead. “Brother~!” “Shinobu-oniisan~!” “Yes, yes, I’m the all popular Shinobu-oniisan. I’m busy, so handshakes and autographs later.” For now I gave Nazuna and Miichan, who had come to my side, a suited reply. But Nazuna didn’t seem to care and clung onto my back strongly. “Brother, Brother, I milked Ms. Cow together with Miichan. And you know, afterwards we could drink the milk. It was really good.” “Heeh, maybe I should go there too…” When I said so, Miichan pulled on my sleeve reserved. “Uhm, Shinobu-oniisan, a lot of students are gathering at the milking right now. It is really crowded. There is a long line.” “…I see. Then I’ll give up, since I hate waiting.” I wasn’t interested into milking all that bad. I replied casually, but for some reason Miichan jerkily pushed out both her breasts and opened her mouth with scarlet-coloured cheeks. “I feel sorry for you that you cannot milk the cow, Shinobu-oniisan, so please try to milk my breasts instead.” …This girl sure was saying some surprising things. Inadvertently making a wry smile, I responded joking. “Miichan, thanks for the offer, but…I’ll ask Machina for it.” Just now Machina had come out of the rabbit enclosure with a satisfied expression. I rested my hand on her shoulder and continued with a refreshing smile. “So, Machina, let me try milking your breasts.” “You can’t, Shinobu. I said only once a day.” “Liar! You said thrice a day!” “Geez, can’t be helped then. Today’s an exception--- wait, now that I think about it, why do I have to do such a thing! Besides, there’s no way milk would come out!” Probably because she was so delighted by the rabbits, Machina’s usual retort came later than usual. I wanted Machina to regain her usual sharpness, so I had no other choice, yes, I was left with no other choice. With only half of teasing intentions, I looked at Machina’s breasts with doubtful eyes. “No milk? Now that’s strange. How can you say that with such big breasts? Actually, they’re giving milk, right? Answer truthfully, even if it’s embarrassing.” “…Actually, when I feel good, the milk--- wait, no! I said there’s none coming out! Why are you doubting me! To begin with, the size of the breasts has nothing to do with the milk!” “That’s not true. There are individual differences, but I heard that a woman’s breasts grow bigger in the lactation period. Basically, the reason your breasts are so big is because you’re lactating. There’s no doubt.” “No doubt, my ass! It couldn’t be any more wrong! If you’re that doubtful, then touch them directly and find out by yourself!” …Ah, I kind of got a déjà vu. Machina lead my hands towards her own voluminous breasts and pressed them on them without hesitation--- but that wasn’t all. She herself started to fondle her breasts through my palms. As a result, “Mm…See, Shinobu, there’s…mm… no milk coming out.” her greatly voluminous breasts softly changed shape due to my palms. My fingertips buried in her breasts were pushed back by the elasticity of her breasts and I could get addicting to that sensation. “Hey, Shinobu…Hahn…Are you listening? No milk…mha.. is coming out.” “N- No, if you try a bit harder, it might come out…” Machina’s breasts were soft and warm while the great elasticity gave then an outstanding sensation of touch. Losing my senses, I became entranced and totally forget about cautioning her. Watching me behaving like that with somewhat wet eyes, Machina said with a bewitching voice. “Uhn…Ahn… Shinobu, now you get it---wait, wh- wha- what are you making me do! You tricked me again! Stupid Shinobu! Pervert! Boob Alien!” “It’s just as Machina-chan says! You’re the bad one here, Brother! It’s not manly to do sexual harassment with clever talk! You fail as a gentleman!” “Yeah! Tell him off even more, Nazuna! Also, Shinobu! If you just say that you want to touch them, I, well, wouldn’t mind considering it!” “…S- Sorry. That wasn’t my intention. I just succumbed to temptation…” Scolded by Machina and Nazuna, I deeply lowered my head. Amidst that, Miichan raised an admiring voice totally out of place. “You’re so bold, Machina-oneesan. So mature. I want to follow your example…!” ..Please, don’t. I replied so in my heart to Miichan, who looked at Machina with respect. Afterwards I treated Machian to a soft ice-cream at the nearby store as an apology and bought one for Nazuna and Miichan as well. Then I sat down on a bench by myself and watched absent-minded over the girls happily licking their ice-creams. There, Miichan came over trotting. For no apparent reason, she opened her mouth widely in front of me and put the whole soft ice-cream into her mouth. Then she used the waffle cone as a beak and moved her head lightly back and forth. “Shinobu-oniisan, I’m a pigeon.” “Haha, you’re a funny girl.” “And you are handsome, Shinobu-oniisan. A dirty hero, hard-boiled.” “…Eh? Th- Thanks.” Just what about me was a hard-boiled, dirty hero? I was doubtful, but I said my thanks for now. “Hey, Brother, you can ride a horse over there. Let’s ride Mr. Horse together.” “You aren’t a kid anymore, so go by yourself. I’ll watch you.” “Ehh. I want to ride with you, Brother. I’ll share my soft ice-cream with you if you ride with me.” “Yeah, but I bought you that ice-cream, you know. I would be happy if you didn’t forget about that…” I replied to the pampered Nazuna like that, but in the end I couldn’t turn down the invitation by my cute little sister. So I ended up agreeing to ride a horse together with her. However, while young siblings or a parent with a child might often ride a horse together, it surely was rare for siblings at Nazuna and my age. Watching Nazuna and me together on the horse, the instructor miss softly squinted. “You two sure a close.” “Yeah! My brother is cool and kind, so I love him very much!” “Hey, stop it, it’s embarrassing…” I advised her lightly, but Nazuna showed no sign of guilt and put the back of her head against my head while we still were on the horse. “Borther, Mr. Horse is so cute.” “Yeah, he is. Well, he’s nothing compared to you, though.” To divert my embarrassment, I cracked a joke, which made the instructor miss giggle. …Not good. Not only failed it to divert my embarrassment, it even increased it. Feelings my cheeks getting hot, I clad myself in composure and added. “But you two get overshadowed by the pretty miss there.” “…Uh- Uhm, thank you very much. I’m currently looking for a boyfriend.” The miss happily coloured her cheeks red. But in contrast to that, Nazuna slightly puffed up her cheeks in dissatisfaction. “Geez, you already have Luna-oneechan, so don’t go hit on other girls, Brother. Moreover, you’re playing with me right now, so don’t get distracted.” When Nazuna frowned pouting, the miss giggled again. “You two really are close.” “Yeah! My brother is cool and kind, so I love him very much!” “Enough of that already…” Replying so to Nazuna with a shrug of my shoulders, I recollected myself and continued the ride. Of course we couldn’t ride the horse on our own. So unlike Hijiri’s earlier real horse riding, we just rode on a horse that was led by the instructor miss. But, on top of the horse, my vision was higher than usual and I could enjoy a scenery different from the normal. To be honest, it was quite nice. Making one round on the ground felt really short, so my horse ride ended a bit regretful. But now Miichan asked me “Shinobu-oniisan, please ride together with me as well”, so I once again mounted a horse along with her, as I didn’t really had a say in the matter. Upon that, the miss from earlier called out to me with a smile. “Is this girl your little sister as well?” “No, I’m a candidate for Shinobu-oniisan’s lover.” When Miichan replied so with a straight face, the miss widened her eyes in surprise. “C- Could it by you’re into younger girls? The so-called lolicon?” “No. I’m into older, pretty girls like you, miss.” “…I also prefer younger boys.” The miss fidgeted while affixing her hands onto her cheeks, as she hopefully played along with my joke. But apparently Miichan took the joke seriously. She turned around with her shoulders dropped dejected. She sadly asked with her eyes faintly wet. “Shinobu-oniisan, you have no interest in a younger girl like me? Is that why you are hitting onto the older miss there, even though you’re with me? Is not no fun… being with me?” “No, no, that’s not true. I was just joking around. Don’t make such a face. It’s fun playing with you, Miichan.” “I am glad…” On my words, Miichan grinned. There I made a sigh of relief, but I made the miss giggle again. …I should watch my actions now, so that the miss didn’t giggle again. I had that in mind, but when I returned to the other girls, even Machina brought up a “Let’s ride together” and I was teased by the miss with an “You’re so popular” in the end… While I played with the girls at the farm, the time for our departure drew closer, so we regretfully left the farm behind us and returned to the bus. In the bus I happened to sit again besides Hijiri, but due to the shaking of the bus, I got sleepy and dozed off during my conversation with Hijiri. At that time, Hijiri smiled softly and lightly clapped onto her white thighs. “Shinobu-kun, if you’re sleepy, you can lay down here.” “No, thanks for the offer, but I don’t want to sleep, so I’ll pass. I don’t want to see a dream like yesterday again…” “Dream? Did you have a nightmare?” “No, that’s not it. It was a dream of my childhood.” I added “I don’t really want to remember it” in my heart, but my feelings seemed to show, as Hijiri made a slightly worried expression. Therefore, “You know, all the weird stuff you do as a kid. It’s an embarrassing memory.” I promptly told a lie. That seemed to fool her, as Hijiri faintly smiled and opened her mouth. “I’m sure you were really cute as a kid.” “Mh? I’m still pretty enough now.” “Fufu, yeah. You’re really cute when you smile.” “Like this? Kukekuke.” It was embarrassing, so I tried to make a wicked laughter, whereupon Hijiri trembled her shoulders and quickly averted her eyes from me. “..Th- That surprised me. So intense.” Not honestly calling it “scary” was Hijiri’s kindness. …But, cute, huh. Certainly, just like Hijiri had said, I got the feeling I was often told that as a kid. Back then every day was fun and I played around innocently. Reminded me, from the time I started to attend my grandfather’s dojo again, I was rarely called “cute” again… What would have happened to me if I just had stop going to the dojo back then? If I had lived normally without breaking bones and spitting up blood, what would have become of me? I would have been able to make friends at school, just like Nazuna had said? Would I have been content with such a life if that girl had been by my side?

While such thoughts crossed my mind, a pain welled up in my chest.

That was why I hated remembering the past. I repeated to take deep breaths in my mind to calm down my feelings, when Hijiri talked to me with a smile.

“What were you like as a kid, Shinobu-kun?”

“…Let’s see, a stupid kid obsessed with playing ‘Shinomun, Shinmoun‘ every day, I guess.”

“I knew it, that’s so cute.”

“Might be. A girl I got along well with at that time even propose to me.”

“I- Is that so? What was that girl like?”

“She was negative, cowardly, a cry-baby, couldn’t do anything…”

I began my sentence, when suddenly a certain thought popped up in my head. But I shook it off as impossible and continued.

“She was a very attractive girl with pretty long, black hair.”

“Ehm, does that girl love you even now?”

“I doubt it. I haven’t seen her in a long time and I have changed. I’m sure she won’t recognize me when we see each other again. To begin with, I think…she has forgotten about me.”

No, to be precise, I wanted her to forget me. I wanted her to stay smiling, not concerning herself with me. At least at times where she wanted to cry… I wanted her to cry.

Holding my throbbing chest, I opened my mouth to change the topic.

“That aside, Hijiri, what are you doing in the afternoon? Want to play together?”

“…I’m afraid I have something to do later.”

To do? Ah, her exorcist job.

“Then what about tomorrow? Nazuna also said that she wants to play with you.”

“Is that so? That makes me happy… Yeah, okay, let’s play together tomorrow.”

“Okay.”

Replying with a nod, I then chatted with Hijiri for a while, but in the middle of our conversation, she suddenly pressed her hand onto her mouth like she remembered something. She said sluggish.

“U- Ughn~ Shinobu-kun, I feel sick. Seems I’m carsick—wait, he’s sleeping!?”

Most likely that was another of Kaorun’s seduction plans. I made the first move by falling into a silence, pretending to sleep. Upon that, I heard Hijiri making a small sigh, as she gave up.

However, I could only be at ease for a moment. Suddenly a refreshing, sweet fragrance tickled my nasal cavities and I felt a soft warmth on my shoulder.

I checked on the situation by faintly opening my eyes, whereupon I could confirm Hijiri leaning her cheek against my shoulder with a happy smile.

It makes me nervous, so stop it— is what I would have liked to say, but I was currently in the middle of feigning to sleep. The moment I stopped doing so, Hijiri would resume her seduction.

…Preserving the current situation was the best choice.

Feeling my heartbeat accelerate, I continued to feign to sleep until bus arrived at the inn…

* * *

After eating lunch at the inn, I wanted to head to the beach with Nazuna and Machina, like I had told my mother this morning over the phone.

“I’m all alone now…”

Nazuna was invited by her school friends and Machina by the other girls of our class and went to play. I didn’t want to bother them, so I told the two of them “We can still play together on the last day. Go have fun.’… Like that I had become all alone.

Going to the beach alone was certainly too boring. Not just that, it was also kind of heart-rending. Maybe I should play with Minami like yesterday…

Such thoughts crossed my mind while I walked on the coast. Then I spotted the familiar silhouette of a female.

That female was a trenchant beauty. She wore a black swimsuit like Machina’s and had a good style like a model. But, that person was my mother, Nanjou Tomoe.

…Why was my mother here?

I questioned that, when two guys approached my mother and chatted her up.

They were most likely hitting on her. I thought my mother could handle it by herself. But well, just in case, I should go over…

When I made a sigh and went over, my mother got away from the guys as soon as she noticed me and over-familiar linked her arm with mine.

“Sorry. My company is here, so I have to go now.”

“Eh, don’t say that and hang out with us. He can join us too.”

The guys stayed persistent and showed no sign of withdrawing. Giving them a single glance and shrugging her shoulders, my mother wordless opened the zipper of the hooded sweatshirt I wore and said.

“Seeing this wound… you get it, right?”

Instantly, the guys turned pale and mumbled rude stuff like “Yakuza” and “Yakuza wife”, then left running away.

Making a wry smile, I watched over that with a sidelong glance, when suddenly I suddenly heard, “Shinobu-san~!” “Shinobu~!”, Luna and Elni’s lively voices.

…Eh? Even they came all the way here?

When I turned around surprised, I confirmed Luna in the white bikini from before and Elni in a pink bikini.

…Ahh, their “look forward to tomorrow” might have been something that they slipped out, since they knew about this surprise.

The two came over with a gleaming smile, then clung onto me with attitude without stopping.

“H- Hey, people are watching, so stop it…”

The sensation of Luna and Elni’s soft bodies and their sweet fragrances excited me, but I cautioned them and moving my gaze, I called out to my mother.

“Could it be, the call this morning, was for this?”

“Yeah. Elni wouldn’t shut up about ‘I want to go to the sea’, so I had no other choice.”

When my mother answered with a sigh, Elni tilted her head puzzled with a “Huh?”.

“Sure I said that I wanted to go to the sea, but you were all enthusiastic too, Tomoe-san. You packed your things so happily yesterday, so why are you sighing now?”

Most likely the sigh was my mother way of hiding her embarrassment. Faintly flushing her cheeks and looking sideways, my mother frowned and told Elni.

“…Elni, no allowance for you next month.”

“Ehh!? Why are you angry!? You also said ‘It’s been a while since I played with Shinobu and Nazuna at the sea’, didn’t you!?”

“Okay, no allowance either the month after next.”

“Uwaaaah! Have mercyyy! Anything but thaaaaat!”

…Somehow, my mother was treating Elni rather bad. She also changed her address from “Elni-chan” to one without suffix.

But well, it might not be too bad to have a relationship, where you didn’t need to be considerate.

Actually, Elni was getting an allowance from my mother…

Watching over Elni clinging to my mother half-crying, I gave Luna, who still clung to my arm even now, a piece of advice.

“Now then, it’s time to let go off me, Luna.”

“Do not want to. Please let me stay like this a little longer.”

“…Nothing I can do if you say no.”

Turned by Luna’s cute smile, I could reply like that. But I hoped that my red flags raising heartbeat wasn’t exposed to Luna.

When I raised my gaze to the sky with these maiden-like feelings, the blue sky extended without a single cloud…

Then after we all swam in the sea together for a while, I moved under the parasol that my mother had set up and took a break. When I enjoyed some chit-chat alternating with Luna and my mother,

“Shinobu~!”

Elni, who had disappeared at some point, finally came back.

Looking at her, Elni hugged a big watermelon against her chest while pinching a bat under her right armpit and a folded vinyl-sheet under her left one. Also a white hand towel hang from her shoulders. When she approached me, Elni pushed out the watermelon and showed a smile.

“Shinobu, look at this big watermelon! It’s just as big as Luna’s breasts!”

“M- My breasts are not this big! Right?”

Luna faced my mother for affirmation. However, my mother replied teasingly with a “I wonder” and a smile, then she changed her expression and asked Elni doubtful.

“So, where did you get this bat, sheet and towel?”

“I borrow it from the sea house! This is a good opportunity, so let’s split the watermelon!”

Along with her words, Elni spread the vinyl sheet on the sandy beach and placed the watermelon on it. After that she came running back and held up the towel to me while still smiling.

“You can try at first, Shinobu!”

“…Really? When I or mom start, the watermelon will be split on the first try.”

Smiling boldly, I took the towel from Elni and blindfolded myself.

When I trained in the past, I also got practice from my grandfather “to be able to find in the dark”. Splitting a watermelon was an easy task. With the nearby noise and the faint air stir, I could grasp my surroundings….

“Elni, what are you trying? Stop with the pranks.”

“I, I wasn’t thinking of tickling you or anything. Actually, you can see?”

“Actually I’m a Newtype. I can see you, Lalah— whoops, I mean, I can see you, Elni.”

Cracking a joke like always, I turned to right beside and reached out my hand for Elni.

“C’mon, give me the bat already. After a beautiful spin, I’ll split the watermelon right away.”

“…Shinobu, there’s no point in splitting the watermelon when you can see.”

When Elni leaked a somewhat complaining voice, my mother raised her voice in a follow up.

“It’s okay, Elni. Shinobu is just pinpointing your location on the basis of your footsteps and breathing. He can’t actually see.”

“…I can’t trust that.”

On a rare occasion, Elni replied doubtful, then took both my hands and continued with a serious voice.

“I’ll confirm now if you really can’t see. First crouch down here.”

“Well, okay…”

I would play along until she was satisfied. Like she told me to, I crouched down on the spot. Perking up my ears, I could hear Luna’s faint breathing and I knew that she was right in front of me.

“So, what’s next?”

“Don’t think. Feel it.”

Saying some incomprehensible stuff, Elni got behind my back and suddenly hugged onto me. Her small, yet soft breasts pressed against my back, which completely agitated me. As she aimed for that opening, Elni once again grabbed both my hands. Without time to stop her, she pointed them forward and pushed them out with attitude.

As a result, I felt a soft sensation on my palms along with Luna’s enchanting “Yahn” voice.

These overly elastic round objects that stuck to my palm, but wouldn’t fit in, were…without doubt Luna’s breasts.

The moment I realized that, I hastily removed my hand from Luna’s breasts. Then I slowly loosened the blindfold and timidly checked upon her.

Looking at her, Luna’s cheek were coloured pinkish and her eyes were somewhat wet. This appearance was kind of sexy. Inadvertently my heart started to beat faster while my mother giggle and said teasingly.

“Hey, Shinobu, Luna-chan is making a really pleased face right now. Though I don’t know if it’s because her breasts are just sensitive or because someone touched them…”

“No, I’m sure it’s because I’m a technician. From now on call me the man with the godly hands. With my hands I’ll make you intoxicated and jump while squealing. I’ll give you a momentarily sweet dream.”

I was a bit annoying by getting teased. So I spouted what I thought to be gigolo remarks. Upon my words, Elni, who clung to my back, called out to Luna jokingly.

“Luna, since Shinobu offers it, so why don’t you take this chance and let Shinobu show you heaven? You also want Shinobu to do it, right?”

“Eh? That is, well…”

As to play along with Elni’s joke, Luna pushed out her own melon-big breasts towards me and cast down her eyes embarrassed.

“…Please, make my breasts feel good.”

“Y- Yeah, leave it to me. I’ll teach you what real pleasure is.”

Nodding generously, I got away from Elni and moved behind Luna.

“Eh? From behind? So bold, Shinobu-san…”

Luna’s ears became bright red, but I paid it no mind and firmly grabbed her shoulders.

Instantly, Luan trembled her shoulders lightly in a shiver with just that and timidly said with her cheeks still red.

“Uhm, Shinobu-san, if possible… please be gentle.”

“Sorry, but I can’t promise that. I’m not that mature to stay calm upon seeing these big breasts!”

Along with my words, I gently and carefully— massaged Luna’s shoulders.

“How’s it? Feels good, right? Feel free to squeal all you want.”

“Uhn… I certainly feels good, but… Mm…It is kind…Mfuh… of different…Fuhn…from what I expected…”

For some reason, the natural erotic big sister started to leak a bewitching voice from just having her shoulder massaged. To be honest, I wished she would stop. It made me strangely nervous, geez.

So I complained in my heart, when my mother and Elni sighed together.

“That’s not shy anymore, but incompetent.”

“I’m disappointed in you, Shinobu! Weren’t you a technician with godly hands!?”

“…There seems to be a mistake with the shipping. The godly hands aren’t working properly today. So, I leave the watermelon splitting to you.”

Making a difficult excuse, I passed the watermelon-splitting turn to Elni and after she was blindfolded, I spun her body rapidly to get back at her.

Now her sense of balance was confused and she would have trouble splitting the watermelon.

I secretly smiled in my heart and called out to Elni together with Luna to guide her to the watermelon, but she didn’t listen to anyone and staggered on a direct approach towards me. In front of me, she raised up the bat high.

“Hey, wait! Actually, you can see as well, right!”

“I can’t see. It’s just, that I arrived here as a result of not thinking, but relying on my feeling.”

“…You’re a fearful one.”

When I commented so, Elni faced Luna, who sat besides me, and suddenly shouting a “There!”, she dived into Luna’s breasts just like that. Burying her face in Luna’s big breasts, she started to fondle the ripe fruits.

“Yahn! E- Elni-chan, what are… Ahn… you doing so suddenly…!”

“Mh? This isn’t the watermelon?”

“No, these are obviously Luna’s breasts. What are you doing?”

Switch with me right away— where the words I swallowed down. I retorted and Elni got plainly got away from Luna, putting her hand against her chin.

“…Mhm, seems I was drawn in by Luna’s watermelon breasts.”

“L- Like I said, my breasts are not watermelons!”

“Then melons. High-grade objects. They’re really good.”

Leaving these words behind, Elni ran off by saying “I can tell it’s smell!”, which I couldn’t categorize as either cool or just stupid. Surprisingly enough, she arrived at the watermelon still blindfolded. But on her way she tripped and head-banged the watermelon, which was really awkward. …Well, in the end the watermelon was split perfectly in half, but it certainly must have hurt. After removing her blindfold, Elni’s eyes were teary.

“G- Guys~! It’s so cruel! I nearly split my own head with the watermelon splitting! A watermelon splitting murder case!”

“…Your head is all empty, so it shouldn’t really be a problem if it gets split.”

“Haha, just like my mother said.”

When my mother and I treated her coldly as a little joke, Elni covered her head with both hands and cried.

There Luna and I hastily ran over to her and petted her head. Fortunately, Elni got back to smiling real quick…

Well, while we played around like that, Machina and Nazuna came back, so we spent the day together at the beach until the sun set, like yesterday.

* * *

After playing at the beach, I returned to the inn and lazed around on my bed.

My mother and the girls had gotten a room at a nearby hotel and we arranged to play together tomorrow as well, but now I had nothing to do until the voluntarily recreation started at eight in the afternoon. I was perfectly bored.

I already had an early dinner with Luna and the others. Asada and the other two guys of my room were also out….What should I do?

Maybe I should go take a stroll. Just when I thought of that, I heard my cell phone ringing.

…When I looked at it, it was a call from Hijiri.

Of course I didn’t know what she wanted, but I could kill some time by casually talking with Hijiri, so I picked up the call right away.

“Mnah… Shinobu-kun…Hah… Fuh…”

Through the phone, I heard Hijiri’s sexy and lovely voice.

…Eh? What the? What was going on?

“Hahn… No…Uhn…Stop…You can’t, Kaoru-san…”

Mh? Kaoru-san? Ah, this must be another of Kaorun’s usual pranks.

I realized that right away, but I dared to feign ignorance and opened my mouth.

“…So you two were in that kind of relationship.”

“Eh? What do you mean… Hyan!”

“Hijiri, no need to play dumb. Even for two girls, it’s okay as long as there’s love. Well, therefore, take your time. I’ll call again later.”

“W- Wait! You got the wrong idea, Shinobu-kun! When I called you, Kaoru-san started to bite on my ear and it felt so good— wait, no! I was so surprised that I let out a weird voice!”

“I see, I see. It felt so good that you couldn’t help but leak an erotic voice.”

“…Yeah, actually that’s it. Having my ears touched makes me— wait, no! I was just mimicking Machina-san just now! Please don’t get the wrong idea!”

Even through the phone I could easily tell Hijiri’s flustered condition.

I wanted to tease her a bit, since it was cute, but I better stopped here. It wouldn’t be good to make her cry again. I changed my tone and asked.

“That aside, what’s up? Need something?”

“Ah, yeah. It’s about that devil we talked about. I know it’s whereabouts, so I had a little suggestion for you…”

“A suggestion?”

“You know, you said you were interested in the exorcist training. So would you like to take this chance to observe my job?”

“…Can I? But I’m an amateur. Won’t I get in the way?”

“That’s no problem. I investigated it here again and it really is a low-class devil. You’re strong and Kaoru-san and I are there, so it’s no problem.”

I see. I also had an interest in an exorcist’s job. This might be a good chance.

“Well then, I’ll gladly accept. Thanks.”

When I say my thanks, Hijiri made a small pause then brought up “But, there is just one problem”.

“I had Kaoru-san check up on the devil’s behaviour patterns. Unlike before where it stayed at a single location, it seems it’s frequently going out now.”

“…That basically means, it’s looking for prey?”

The conversation got heavy. When I corrected my tone, Hijiri also responded with a serious voice.

“I believe that change only happened recently. The devil in question might have lost so much power that made it abandon it’s original style. It’s already becoming a rumour, so before there are any victims…I want to strike tonight.”

The rumour Hijiri spoke of probably was the same Minami told me about yesterday— About the ghost appearing at the ruins.

If the guys from class were doing a test of courage there for fun, it was dangerous.

“So, Hijiri, what’s the problem you mentioned?”

“Yeah, it’s difficult to pinpoint it or to erect a barrier while the devil is on the move, so I wanted to strike at it’s shelter, but the time zone for that overlaps with the recreation.”

In other words, the time from eight to ten p.m.

“Only at that time it seems to take shelter. So I can’t change my plans. If you want to participate in the recreation, I won’t force—”

“I’m coming too.”

Cutting into Hijiri’s words, I continued softly.

“You can’t participate in the recreation either, right? It’s only half as fun without you, so I’ll come along with you.”

When I declared so, Hijiri said isolated through the phone.

“…I knew it, you’re sly, Shinobu-kun.”

“You damn natural gigolo!”

…Somehow, I just heard Kaorun’s voice.

For now, I said to Kaorun, who was likely eavesdropping on our phone call.”

“Kaorun, I might look like a gigolo, but actually I’m a dandy.”

“No, you mean incompetent, shy boy. If you had said gentleman like always, I could have let it pass, but this one I cannot. You are far away from being a dandy, Shinobu-sama. Rather than dandy, you are dirty.”

“Such a bitter opinion!?”

“Please do not mimic me. Also, we are meeting up at the nearby woodland path in twenty minutes, so please go to the toilet while you still can. It would be rather troublesome if you become incontinence from the fear during the job.”

“…I’ll spank your ass if you keep making fun of me.”

“I do not mind. It is a satisfaction for me when my bottom gets spanked by you. A reward time for me. I am getting a bit exc—”

The perverted Maid started to run her mouth with weird stuff, but I just ignored her and hung up.

…Just in case, I should go to the toilet, like Kaorun had suggested.

So with that, I first headed for the toilet, then I wanted to meet up with the two as soon as possible, but

“Huh? Where are you going, Nanjou-kun?”

“Recreation is about to start, you know?”

at the worst timing, I ran into Hiiragi-sensei and Minami at the lobby.

It would be easy to lie to them with “I’ll be back real quick”. However, if I told such a lie and wasn’t back in time for the recreation, Hiiragi-sensei would without doubt become worried. She might even go around looking for me.

“I’m going out for a bit. I’ll pass on the recreation.”

For the time being I answered truthfully, but both Hiiragi-sensei and Minami lightly puffed up their cheeks in dissatisfaction.

“Nanjou-kun, where are you going at this hour?”

“To a test of courage. I’ll be back before the curfew, so please don’t worry.”

When I replied to Hiiragi-sensei with a lie, Minami frowned sullen, as she found it doubtful.

“…Is it really a test of courage? I only see you going, Nanjou-kun.”

On Minami’s words, Hiiragi-sensei raised her voice in a sudden realization.

“D- Don’t tell me, Nanjou-kun, you picked up a girl at the beach in the noon and now you’re going to meet here!? You can’t do that! That’s an illicit relationship with the other sex! I need to scold you about the illicitly, but you also need to bear moderation in mind!”

“I’m afraid it’s not a girl, but a guy. We’re meeting up outside.”

To fool here, I told another lie. Upon that, Hiiragi-sensei reddened her cheeks for some reason.

“I- It’s a guy!? Then it’s an illicit relationship with the same sex! I totally love that!”

“Then there’s no problem, I take? I’m going now. See you tomorrow.”

I lightly waved my hand and faced my back to the happily smiling Hiiragi-sensei.

However, Hiiragi-sensei immediately grabbed sleeve firmly.

“Nanjou-kun, wouldn’t you rather play with your teacher at the recreating than doing some test of courage?”

“I wouldn’t.”

“Wh- Why? I’m sure it’ll be a wonderful memory.”

“Don’t need it.”

When I continued to give instant replies, tears dwelled up in her eyes and Hiiragi-sensei shouted.

“Forget it! I hate you, Nanjou-kun! Please don’t ever call me with ‘sensei’ again. We’re strangers now, so please call me ‘Hiiragi-san’!”

Letting go off my sleeve and turning her back to me, Hiiragi-sensei left half-crying.

…I did something bad. Feeling a bit of regret, I called out to Minami.

“Well then, Minami, see you tomorrow.”

“…Are you really going? I told you about it yesterday. That there’s a ghost appearing close by. What will you do if you meet that ghost?”

“Chant a Buddhist prayer at it. I’ll send the evil spirit to Sukhavati.”

Minami didn’t laugh on my joke like she always did.

She just, said with a worried face.

“…Can I came too?”

“No. It’s dangerous.”

“Eh? Dangerous?”

…Damn. I let my mouth slip there. It was strange for a guy to say it was dangerous when he was supposed to go to a test of courage.

After clicking my tongue once in my heart, I dared to continue with a threat.

“…Minami, like I said earlier, it’s going to be all guys. Imagine your erotic self amongst them. You know what they would do to you by taking advantage of the night, right?”

“You called me erotic again! Just what about me is erotic!”

“If anything… your body?”

“Y- You are the perverted one for saying that!”

“Well, I’m a guy after all.”

I couldn’t afford to run my mouth any more. I faced my back to Minami and swiftly left the place…

Then I arrived at the meeting place earlier than arranged, but I could already see Hijiri and Kaorun there.

Hijiri, with the bamboo blade pouch hanging from her shoulder, was somewhat restless. On the other hand, Kaorun, standing besides her, wore a bag on her bag over her maid clothes and looked at a nearby stone monument.

“Sorry, seems I made you wait.”

When I called out to the two of them, Hijiri grinned while Kaorun lowered her head a bit.

“Thank you very much for coming during your busy time, Shinobu-sama. As a sign of gratitude, I will listen to one your request, whatever it will be, after the job, Shinobu-sama. Perverted things are fine as well. Please just say the word.”

“Well then, spin around three times and bark a ‘woof’.”

It was too troublesome, so I just gave a random reply to Kaorun’s joke.

Upon that, Kaorun frowned sullen and suddenly grabbed my shoulder. Then, pressed down on my chest, I was spun three times. Kaorun give a single order with a look from above.

“Now, you lewd beast, howl a ’woof’.”

Why did I have to be told that by her?

“Meow!”

Opposing her order, I raised a cry like Nazuna.

Instantly, Hijiri and Kaorun smiled all alike.

“Shinobu-kun, so cute…”

“Indeed. He is not just Nazuna-sama’s brother for show.”

Along with their words, Hijiri and Kaorun started petting my head.

…Apparently my cry me an unexpected favourable reputation.

However, it was kind of awkward. I quietly averted my eyes from them, whereupon Kaorun said to Hijiri with a small voice.

“Hijiri-chan, I voice recorded that sentence just now. Let us listen to it together later on.”

“Hey, what did you just say?”

“Meow!”

The moment I asked back, my own weird voice came back.

When I faced it, Kaorun was holding a voice recorder in her hand and played the “Meow!” with my own voice, which I didn’t want to hear at all, once more.

“…Please stop it already.”

I couldn’t endure this shame. I covered my face with both my hands.

Resting her hand on my shoulder, Kaorun said urging.

“Shinobu-sama, I apologize to interrupt you during conspiracy of ‘Fufufu, now that it has come to this, I’ll secretly record Hijiri and Kaorun’s voice, then edit it into a file, where they recite obscene words.’, but it is about time we move on.”

“..I’ll hit you if you keep screwing with me. With half my strength.”

“Bring it on—Ahhn!”

When I flicked Kaorun’s forehead for starters, she raised a strangely erotic voice…

Then I proceeded with them on the woodland path and when it started to change into an unpaved gravel path— my field of vision expanded and I could see a ruinous building.

The rumours ruins that Minami spoke of must be this.

When I approached the ruins with a slight bit of nervousness, Hijiri pulled out her Japanese sword from the bamboo blade pouch while Kaorun put down the bag on her back and scrabbled in it.

“…Come to think of it, how did you get that sword here?”

When I looked at the sword in Hijiri’s hand, Kaorun raised her head and opened her mouth.

“I brought it along with me together with some other equipment. I also packed in some sexy underwear, but Hijiri-chan will not wear it.”

Saying somehow regretful, Kaorun pulled out something like a charm from the bag and held it up to me.

“This is?”

“A talisman. It is a kind of a charm, so just having it with on your body, it renders a devil’s attack to half of it’s effectiveness. I mortal human cannot match a devil, so I also equipped one into Hijiri-chan’s cleavage. I believe you also should put it into your underwear or so, Shinobu-sama…”

“I’ll just say thanks.”

Taking the talisman, I didn’t put it into my underwear, but into my pocket.

Upon that, Kaorun frowned lightly, but only for a moment. She got away from me stuck charms on the nearby ground or the walls around the main entrance of the ruins.

“What’s Kaorun doing?”

“She’s preparing a barrier.”

On my question, Hijiri answered softly.

“The interior of the building is the devil’s territory. I don’t think I can erect a barrier by myself. Besides, it’s difficult to span a barrier over a large area alone.”

While saying so, she slowly closed her eyes and suddenly changed her tone in a serious one. Hijiri continued with a “Therefore,”.

“We’re erecting a barrier to lure the devil here. Just entering a barrier decreases the power of a weak devil…I plan to finish this quickly.”

Along with her words, she opened her eyes. Hijiri hard narrowed her eyes sharply and her dignified profile was as beautiful as the Japanese sword in her hand.

Inadvertently I got smitten, but I closed my eyes like Hijiri had and recollected myself with a deep breath.

After that we entered the building with Kaorun, who had finished her preparation, but the interior was dim and I could only seize the surrounding hazily.

There Kaorun pulled out something from her bag again and handed it to Hijiri. Hijiri took it and mumbled something quietly, whereupon the surroundings lightened up.

What Kaorun handed Hijiri was a charm, as a rectangle one floated in the air above us, enlightening the surroundings.

“That’s handy.”

At the same time I mumbled so, Hijiri once more closed her eyes.

“I feel a presence in the back. Let’s go.”

With a short declaration, she walked as the vanguard.

Her dignity surely increased when in battle mode.

I honestly considered her cool, when Kaorun suddenly whispered into my ear.

“Shinobu-sama, I believe Hijiri-chan acts like that because she wants to show off to you. She seems a bit more nervous than usual. That is so cute.”

“…You don’t change at all even on a job.”

“That is what you like about me, is it not?”

“Well, guess so.”

It was too troublesome, so I brushed it off with a casual remark. There Kaorun turned bright red and closed her mouth. From then on, she quietly followed after Hijiri.

I followed Kaorun’s example and continued to walk quietly, when Hijiri suddenly stopped.

Following her gaze, there, beyond a rectangular opening that was once a door, a puppy lay on it’s belly on the ground.

The puppy was as big as a medium-sized dog and was looking at us curiously with it’s round eyes.

“…That is the devil?”

I asked surprised, whereupon Kaorun nodded slightly. And with a prologue of “Previously, when you came over, Shinobu-sama, I told you that a powerful devil was hiding close by, remember?”, she then continued.

“Now this is merely a guess on my part, but that devil was most likely sealed by an exorcists and lost it’s body. But it’s soul still remained. If left alone, it will vanish, but the devil possessed a by-passing animal and took over it’s body….”

Facing the puppy, Kaorun added a “Though that is only limited to animals, since it’s difficult to possess a human as just a soul”.

Still, the puppy in front of my eyes seemed completely harmless to me.

“Quite an adorable devil.”

The moment I said so, the puppy bared it’s teeth and stood up, then started to bulge it’s body in contortion. Peaks raised on both it’s shoulders and out of that pile of meat, two grotesque dog heads formed. It’s body, legs and arms swelled up into muscles.

As a result, the puppy’s size three folded and all traces of it’s adorable features had vanished.

There Kaorun opened her mouth wearily.

“Shinobu-sama, what is so adorable about it?”

“N- No, I didn’t know it could metamorphose like that. I’m sure it got angry, because I called it adorable.”

When I cracked a joke to hide my agitation, Kaorun frowned somewhat dissatisfied for some reason.

“Shinobu-sama, how about you act a bit more scared? I was hoping that you would cling to me while crying ‘Help me, my angel Kaorun!’, you know?”

“I’m not scared of the devil. What I’m scared of is… the human heart.”

“Uwa, it hurts! This person said something hurtful while acting cool!”

Kaorun rudely pointed at me. On the other hand, Hijiri pulled reserved on my sleeve.

“Uhm, Shinobu-kun, Kaoru-san is used to it, but it’s troublesome if you aren’t tense at all. Being overly tense isn’t good either, but could you at least show a bit of tension?”

“Hijiri-chan is right, Shinobu-san.”

Kaorun nodded widely in agreement with Hijiri.

“A moderate sense of tension is important. Because they say that a beast jumps at you once you avert your eyes. Be careful not to avert your eyes from the devil at all cost.”

“But you’re completely looking at me, thus ignoring the beast? Is that okay? Or rather, it got three faces…”

A bit astonished I shifted my gaze back to the former-puppy devil, whereupon I totally met it’s eyes. Being glared at with bloodshot eyes, I certainly felt a shiver running down my spine for a moment. But warding off the faint fear growing in my chest, I didn’t averted my eyes from the devil at all cost, like Koarun had told me.

Despite that, the damn devil happily licked it’s lips and came closer with a howl.

…For some reason, it was heading straight towards me without hesitation.

Instantly, I turned my back to it and started running while calling out to Hijiri and Kaorun.

“S- Seems it’s taken a liking to me, so I’ll go take a stroll with it to the exit. Please take care of the barrier.”

“Eh? Ehh!? That’s dangerous, Shinobu-kun!”

“Hijiri-chan! This is not the time to be disturbed! I will go help out Shinobu-sama, so you take care of the barrier, like he said!”

I heard the voice of a surprisingly serious Kaorun, then she lined up next to me right away. And she said with a casual tone.

“You are so popular with the devils, Shinobu-sama.”

“Yeah, no matter how many of me there were it wouldn’t be enough.”

When I lightly shrugged my shoulders, the howling of the devil from behind got closer. There Kaorun and I jumped to the side at nearly the same time.

Directly after, a sharp wind-cutting sounded echoed. I stood up with a roll and looked, whereupon the devil had placed his four legs on ground where we just stood and spilled drool out of his mouth.

“Catch me if you can.”

Breaking out a cold sweat, I beckoned the devil with my index-finger challenging. At the same time I gave Hijiri a side-glance. She had drawn her sword, which was enveloped by a pale flame.

If I was right, that was the devil exorcising flame— Hi no Kagutsuchi.

Remembering so, I once again started to run with my back to the devil, as to lure it outside.

Needless to say, the devil had better physical abilities. It easily caught up to me, like it or not. Every time it did, I rolled on the floor and continued to difficult escape, but…at any rate, this devil was too focussed on me. Not looking at Hijiri or Kaorun, the devil persistently only chased after me.

“Just how much do you love me? I already told Miichan, I’m not looking for a lover right now, you hear?”

After dodging an attack, I said so with a sigh. There Kaorun stood besides me and opened her mouth with “Could it be”.

“The reason this devil has taken a liking to you, Shinobu-sama, might be Luna-sama’s influence.”

“Luna’s? Ah, reminds me, Hijiri said something similar before.”

For better or worse, a devil caused various influences on a human. In Hijiri’s opinion, Luna was a somewhat strange devil, which made it possible that Luna’s influence changed my constitution into one that easily attracted devils.

When Hijiri had told me about that, I got a talisman from her that prevent being influenced by Luna, but…speaking of, I lost that talisman when I rearranged my room. It should be somewhere in my room when I looked for it, but thinking it would show up again one day, I totally forgot about.

Well, nothing I could do about it now.

I made an excuse in my heart, when the devil came leaping in from the front.

Just like all the times before, I jumped to the side and evaded it. On the other side, Kaorun stopped on the spot, grabbed the front legs of the leaping devil and turning her body, she threw the devil outside with a hammer throw.

…I knew that Kaorun was a hybrid devil, but I didn’t expect her to be this powerful. To think that slender body of hers had so much strength…

I certainly was a bit surprised. Then Hijiri swiftly jumped outside in chase of the devil and Kaorun followed her. Hastily I chased after these two and got outside.

In that moment, what my vision fell on in the plain moonlight was— the figure of my classmate Minami standing still with trembling legs.

For a moment, my breathing stopped. Confusion befell my chest. My heard was in chaos. Why was she…Why was Minami here? Did she follow me?

As soon as I realized that, I had started running before I knew it.

My heart beat rapidly out of nervousness. My gaze was fixed on the devil slowly approaching Minami. I passed by Hijiri and Kaorun and raised my voice.

“Get away already! Minami!”

At the same time the words left my mouth, something passed directly by my head…and a knife pierced the devil’s back.

“Hijiri-chan! Hurry up with the barrier!”

That knife must have belonged to Kaorun. But I had not time to turn around and confirm that. The devil had stopped from the knife attack. I right away got around to Minami and stood in front of the devil to cover for her.

“…Nanjou-kun…”

Due to the fear, her voice trembled gravely and when I looked behind me, Minami had slumped down on the spot. With a pale face, not just her voice was trembling, but her whole body.

In that state it would be difficult to get her ran away by herself. I wanted to carry her into a safe area, but then I wouldn’t be able to dodge the devil’s attack.

In other words, I had no other choice but to stop the devil here.

I shrugged my shoulders and faced the devil.

At that time, a somewhat familiar uncomfortable feeling pierced my body.

Most likely, Hijiri had erected the barrier. When I suddenly looked up, the clouds in the night sky had stopped moving, the wind has ceased— and the devil howled lunatic out of anger. That angry howl shook the atmosphere ripping and another tension ran through my body.

“…What a scary face.”

I cracked a joke with a sigh.

To be honest, I was more or less scared. But I didn’t think that my life was in danger. I had felt more fear in some of the hundreds of matches with other schools.

I should at least be able to cover for Minami.

…But what should I do? I wanted to give the devil a penetration blow like I had given the old man Bram, but I might not be able to move properly while covering for Minami. I better prepared myself to break one or two bones to land an attack on it.

It was without doubt a dangerous situation, but I didn’t feel my life in danger after all. Because

“Shinobu-kun! Get down!”

Hijiri was here. With her here, there was no problem at all.

I responded to Hijiri’s words that came from the sky in front of me right away and hugged Minami to my chest in cover while I turned around.

In that moment, I felt a heat on my back and I could hear the devil’s wriggling voice.

Apparently Hijiri shot Hi no Kakutsuchi from above. When I turned around, the devil’s whole body was enveloped by a pale flame and wriggled around greatly.

Before long the devil’s body gradually grew smaller and when it returned to the original puppy size, the pale flame vanished completely.

Then the devil, who had it’s eyes closed and lay on the side, opened it’s eyes at once and curiously looked around with it’s original puppy figure, slightly tilting it’s head.

“The Hi no Kagutsuchi is a flame that exorcises devil. The devil’s soul was burnt now. The puppy is harmless.”

Hijiri explained so with a somewhat powerless voice, whereupon Kaorun came over. When she stood before me, she made a frown with her pretty eyebrows and said a bit angrily.

“Shinobu-sama, please do not act so recklessly. What would you have done if something had happened? Without Hijiri-chan and my cooperation, it could have been dangerous.”

“Cooperation?”

“It was me, who sent Hijiri-chan flying into the sky. You narrowly escaped death, Shinobu-sama. You are free to praise me.”

“…Yeah, you saved me. Thanks.”

“Shinobu-sama, I do not mind if you not just thank me with words, but also by petting my head— is what I would like to say, but dealing with that girl comes first. We were seen by a ordinary person…”

Kaorun’s “that girl” referred to Minami.

In the end, Minami got to know about Hijiri’s profession.

But I thought it would be okay with Minami. I believed that she, who wasn’t even scared of me, could handle it. But my expectations

“…What, was that?”

evaporated sadly. What I heard through my back was Minami’s trembling voice filled with fear. I slowly turned around.

“H- How… can Gogyou-san…do that?”

Eyes shaking with tear. Strained cheeks. A stiff face.

The moment Hijiri gently reached out her arm, Minami trembled her shoulders in fear and tightly shut her eyes.

Upon that, the extended hand slowly went back and Hijiri forced herself to smile.

“Minami-san, sorry for lying. The reason I participated in the seaside school was to seal that devil from just now. It has been my family’s business for ages to seal devils…”

“…That’s, a lie? It’s just weird. Isn’t it scary? Defeating such a monster, Gogyou-san isn’t human—”

“Hijiri-chan is a human.”

Cutting into her words, Kaorun took out a knife from her pocket and pointed it at Minami.

“Kaoru-san!”

Right away Hijiri raised a voice to stop her. However, Kaorun didn’t respond. While pointing her knife with a sharp glare at Minami, she declared.

“It appears that you are a friend of Hijiri-chan, but I do not forgive anyone that hurts her. Should you tell anyone about today…. please start writing your testament.”

A low voice that made a shiver run down your spine. Along with her words, Kaorun put away the knife and changed her tone in calling out to me.

“Shinobu-sama, Hijiri-chan and myself will now deal with the aftermath. Excuse me, but can I ask you to take care of that girl? The barrier will be lifted right away. Please send her off.”

“Okay.”

When I replied with a firm nod, Hijiri and Kaorun went back together into the ruinous building. On their way, just once, Hijiri turned around and still showed a teary expression. Her back, as she walked away, looked really small to me.

On the other hand, the left behind Minami still trembled her body, even after these two had disappeared, and the fear wouldn’t leave her expression.

So I called out to her as gentle as possible.

“Are you okay, Minami? Can you stand?”

On my question, Minami lightly shook her head.

Like I thought, it looked like she lost the strength in her legs. I turned my back to Minami squatted down on the spot.

“I’ll carry you to the inn, so get on.”

“…Thanks.”

Saying her thanks with a frail voice, Minami leaned her body against my back.

While softly feeling Minami’s warm body temperature on my body, I slowly stood up and started heading for the inn.

I didn’t feel like talking. Also, I didn’t know what to say anyway. Amidst a heavy atmosphere, I just proceeded along the quiet woodland path, when this silence was broken.

“…Your back, has gotten bigger…”

Minami mumbled as talking to herself, then asked timidly.

“Nanjou-kun, you knew about Gogyou-san?”

“Yeah.”

“…You’re not scared?”

“I never did.”

When I said back without hesitation, Minami faintly increased the strength of her hand on my shoulder.

“Could it be, you’re doing the same stuff as Gogyou-san?”

“No, today was my first time. But I’m interested in her job.”

“…Why?”

Her hand on my shoulder trembled along with her word. Minami continued in a small voice.

“That’s not something to involve yourself with, Nanjou-kun. It’s dangerous. You might even die. It’s wrong to have in interest in such a thing.”

“…Minami, thanks for worrying, but I have no plans to back down.”

On this incident, I got to know just how dangerous Hijiri’s job was. I wouldn’t help her with the yin-yang technique. So I at least wanted to help Hijiri in some other way.

“I want to help Hijiri on her job.”

When I declared so sentimental, it happened sudden. Minami tightly clung to my back and trembled her body…Teardrops fell down on my neck.

“…I don’t, want that…”

Suddenly a childish crying voice sounded. It resembled the crying voice I had heard in the past all too much…

“We finally… met.. again…. even when stronger….-chan is… getting farer away…”

On the sobbing crying voice, my heart skipped a beat.

“…I won’t… reach you anymore….”

—Shinobu-chan.

This word shocked me upon entering my ear and shook my memory.

A white hospital room floated in the back of my brain. The sad smile of a girl that didn’t cry at all cost. And my weak self that couldn’t say anything and just cried.

This extremely sad memory filled my chest. I had to say something, yet my head was in turmoil and I couldn’t find suitable words. Despite that I opened my mouth to say something.

“—”

But in the end, no words came out. Unable to even tell the single word sorry, I closed my mouth and continued to walk on like that.

Minami’s quiet crying voice sounded rather loud….

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