Chapter 346

Arifureta Chapter 346

Arifureta After III   Shizuku’s Wish

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Around noon of a holiday.

A pair of man and woman who seemed to have finished their lunch went out from a restaurant.

「The name of the restaurant is like that, but the taste is normally delicious.」

「It really has everything huh……」

The one who was making a satisfied smile with a sigh was a beautiful girl with black hair tied into ponytail and dignified look――Yaegashi Shizuku. Beside her was Nagumo Hajime looking over his shoulder at the restaurant’s signboard.

Also, ahead of Hajime’s gaze was the arch shaped wooden signboard that decorated the above of the entrance. The name of the restaurant was carved there.

It said “Restaurant   We Have Everything”.

Actually, the current owner of western restaurant Wisteria, the backbone of Sonobe family――Sonobe Hiroshi apparently trained in this restaurant when he was young. The two of them came here out of curiosity.

Just as the name of the restaurant said, it had everything. The owner was like the master of that bar that catered to certain bunch of public prosecutors, he would say 「We have it」 no matter what anyone ordered and served it.

By the way, Hajime contended himself to Shizuku’s exasperated face while giving a try saying 「Grandma’s meat and potato stew」 because he wanted to make the restaurant owner said 「We don’t have it」 but……

In the end, Hajime ended up saying 「I, impossible!? This taste is certainly!」 with his eyes opened wide. It could be easily guessed from that attitude of Hajime. It made Hajime became really curious just who in the world the master of Sonobe Hiroshi was.

Putting that aside, if asked why Hajime and Shizuku were spending their holiday together just the two of them……

「Let’s head to the meeting place now. There is still time until the scheduled time but, this is our first time, so I want to come with time to spare.」

「Even though you said that, it’s only taking photo right?」

Taking photo.

Yes, that was the reason why the two of them were spending their holiday like this. Today Shizuku was going to work as model for a certain fashion magazine.

It seemed the photo was for a pair of man and woman, and Hajime was chosen as Shizuku’s partner……or rather, for Shizuku who wasn’t a pro model, being told to snuggle with other male was something that she firmly refused to do. Rather it was the client who requested her to make an offer to Hajime instead, because her smile would surely look better if she was together with him.

「Even if you said that, I’m still feeling nervous. I want to go there quickly and prepare my heart.」

「Well, if that’s what Shizuku want to do then it’s fine.」

Hajime started walking without looking particularly nervous. Shizuku wanted him to slightly share that thick nerves with her while recalling what happened several days ago.

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「You there-! What’re you doing getting exhausted like that! The enemy won’t care about your exhaustion at all! Do you want to get killed!?」

Inside the dojo of Yaegashi-style, a scolding thundered loudly. The voice’s owner was Yaegashi-style’s instructor――Yaegashi Shuuzou.

Just now Shuuzou raised a violent voice 「ZEAAH」 while throwing a sickle and chain to one of the disciple who was on his knee.

「――Tsu, my apologize, sensei!」

That disciple barely jumped aside to dodge. He said that while throwing shuriken to Shuuzou in a counterattack. At the same time, while still kneeling he used his wooden sword that had steel core inside to block the vertical slash that made him wanted to say 「You’re attacking with the intent to absolutely kill me aren’t you?」 from another disciple who was his training opponent.

The disciple number 2 exerted his strength to the limit while saying to the disciple number 1.

「Die here! Yamasaki-kun-」

He yelled so while launching a front kick. Unnoticed there was a small blade held between his bare foot’s fingers. As expected it completely looked like murder attempt.

「You’re the one that’ll die-, Chief Tsuchi-!!」

Disciple number 1 guarded against the approaching deathly kick with his gauntlet. He used the impact to let out an assassin blade came out with *schwing* sound. Then he thrust toward the crotch of disciple number 2. It seemed he planned to kill his opponent’s life as man.

Disciple number 2 groaned 「Nuuh」 while protecting his son’s life with high speed back step.

「……Fuh, you aren’t half bad anymore, Yamasaki-kun!」

「Haah, haah, thank you very much, Chief Tsuchi! Haa, haa, but let me say one thing-. You got more stamina than me who is in active duty even though you’re already past fifty, are you a monster!?」

「The disciple of Yaegashi at least should be able to do full marathon while humming even when your work is behind the desk!」

「Kuh. The path to become fully qualified is still endlessly long-」

The disciple number 1 and 2 who were making such conversation were actually a young detective and the police chief of the police station that had jurisdiction over this city. The two who belonged under the organization that cracked down on crime yelled 「Die!」 to each other but……

Unfortunately, there was no one in that dojo who would make tsukkomi at such thing.

Yaegashi dojo――it consisted of the front kendo dojo and the dojo to learn the Yaegashi-style sword technique. The dojo for sword technique was also giving martial art instruction for organizations like the police or security firm and the like. It was quite famous in the industry.

There weren’t many people who could became official disciple of such Yaegashi-style, but once someone had become a disciple of Yaegashi-style, deathly training would become like their daily routine irrelevant of their occupation.

And so, even if the chief of police station was trying to kill a young detective, or the opposite where the young detective was trying to kill the chief of his office, it wasn’t strange at all!

「You cannot call this anything else but a mysterious space.」

A reproachful stare was piercing the police duo who was laughing 「Hahahahah」 wit each other.

The one who stood dignifiedly with her hand on her waist and her ponytail swaying was,

「Oh, Shizuku-chan.」

「Many thanks for the service, Ojouyoung miss.」

「Please don’t call it service.」

The “idol of the heart” for the young disciples, and “everyone’s beloved daughter” for the elderly disciples――it was no ne other than Yaegashi Shizuku-ojousama.

「Haa. I think there is no bloodthirstiness like this in the past though……」

「That’s because we didn’t teach you the reverse side of Yaegashi-stye.」

Even though she was only giving instruction as assistant instructor, they talked to her in a way like she was someone atoning for sin behind the wall, making her feeling weary. Her grandfather Shuuzou said that to Shizuku while approaching her. He also gave the command 「Rest!」 loudly at the same time. (TN: Don’t know what is the reference for this)

The disciples sat down on the spot and started taking rest in meditating posture. Shizuku gave a glance to them while asking Shuuzou.

「Reverse side……you mean the ninja thing?」

「It’s not ninja.」

Everyone of Yaegashi family obstinately wouldn’t recognize the “ninja” matter for some reason. For Shizuku, no matter how she looked at it, this was a “ninja group” but……according to Shuuzou, it seemed that to the end it was “only acrobatic that accompanied the sword technique, and they only did a bit of handyman work using that acrobatic”.

「Ojii-changrandpa. At the places that you brought me to before this, there were a lot of people there with terribly familiar family name, like Ig○ or Kog○ though.」

「I told you that it was only a gathering of sword technique dojo association. Their family name also isn’t unusual name.」

「……Everyone was dressed in black though.」

「That was because the place of the gathering was deep in the mountain. The choice of black is inevitable because the stain on the clothes won’t stand out with that.」

「…………Midway it became like deathly battle with each other though!」

「Houses that inherited ancient martial art gathered in one place like that. It’s only natural that they wanted to pit their skill against each other right?」

「Lies! Those people said it clearly! Don’t think that Yaegashi will be able to stay as the leader of the shinobi clan forever, they said!」

「……They have nice sense of humor right?」

「I got my life targeted like it was normal though!? They said 『Yaegashi’s princess! Prepare yourself!』, their killing intent was really fierce though! If that was humor, then the crimes in society can all be considered as humor you know!?」

「……Fumu.」

‘How’s that-, you can’t make anymore excuse right!?’, Shizuku-ojousama threw out all the inside of her heart that had been distressed since the incident from where she was taken deep into a mountain the other day.

Shuuzou put his hand on his chin and made a deeply pondering face, then……

「Those people with intense killing intent, in the end, they were taken care of by you alone though……」

「Wha, what? I didn’t kill them or anything……it was a legitimate self-defense.」

「No, there is no complain or anything. The opposite, everyone was impressed with your strength. Talk of marriage to welcome you as bride into their family no matter what, or for their son to become this family’s son-in-law is flooding here……」

「Perhaps I should cut them all along with their soul just as I thought.」

‘Wait, that’s not it!’ Shizuku noticed that the topic almost got diverted. She glared fiercely at Shuuzou-ojiichan.

The disciples of the dojo were pretending to recover with meditation while thinly opening their eyes and observed the way the talk was going. Shuuzou let out a deep sigh.

‘So you finally give up’, Shizuku thought and sharpened her ear to listen to the truth of her family. But,

「Shizuku. There is no way ninja exist in this age. Stop running from reality already.」

「Okay, Ojii-chan. You’re asking for war aren’t you?」

When she thrust her hand in a ‘come on’ gesture, a black katana flew in by pulverizing the dojo’s wall. The young detective Yamasaki-san got blown away by the impact and he fainted.

By the way, the disciples of Yaegashi-style were treated like family of Yaegashi house, so they inevitably got told of Shizuku’s fantastic circumstance. Even when a black katana came flying, they weren’t shocked because their perception had been chopped off from normality.

Even the police duo prioritized their Yaegashi comrades rather than police rule so there wasn’t any problem. Rather, they were dreaming of the day where they would deal the death penalty to Hajime who stole away their beloved “Ojou” and trained themselves day and night.

Like that, the war of Ojii-chan and granddaughter finally began――

.

.

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「Oi, Shizuku. Why are you in a daze? Do you feel like crashing on a power pole?」

「Hah!?」

Her arm was pulled. When she noticed, she was being embraced by Hajime, with that she returned to her senses. ‘What she wanted to recall wasn’t that!’ she thought and shook her head……「Kyah」 she raised her voice.

There was a power pole right beside her. If her arm wasn’t pulled by Hajime she would be in a crash course with it.

「So, sorry. When I tried to recall the time when I was asked to do this, I got filled with killing intent toward the absurd daily life with the disciples or to Ojii-chan instead.」

「Yaegashi familyy~」

Each time Hajime intruded to their house, he would get attacked by everyone of Yaegashi house as though it was an act that was as natural as breathing. Hajime’s expression looked pained remembering that.

People like police officer in active duty, or lawyer, or SDF officer, even though they were people whose occupation was to protect, they would say 「Nagumo Hajime! Death penalty!」 or the like and attacked to kill. He believed that lot ought to change their occupation.

Or rather, Hajime wanted to make tsukkomi ‘How’s it going with the work of you guys!?’.

*Cough* He cleared his throat once. While heading toward the photo shot venue, Hajime asked in order to change the atmosphere.

「If I remember right, the request this time came from Amanogawa’s mother right?」

「Yes, that’s right. When I was about to duel Ojii-chan, Kouki’s mother――Miya-san came to deliver refreshments and also asked me a request.」

Amanogawa Miya――the empress of the former Yankees. Right now she was working as editor for a famous fashion magazine. Kouki’s mother.

「Refreshments……aa, I see. I was wondering how Amanogawa entered Yaegashi-style that is a ninja group like that behind the scene. So his mother is the one behind it huh.」

「Ah, now that you mentioned it I never told you before. That’s right, before auntie Miya was a disciple of Yaegashi-style.」

Hajime said 「Was?」 and tilted his head. If he remembered right, when he intruded into Yaegashi house, Miya wasn’t among his attackers. She was someone who worked seriously. Unlike a certain police chief and young detective somewhere.

Shizuku continued the story with a wry smile.

「Although I said that, auntie Miya was a disciple only when she was at high school. I’ve never seen auntie training in our home. Though she often come bringing refreshments.」

「Yaegashi-style is a ninja group right? What kind of person Amanogawa’s mother is?」

「Errr, anyway, auntie isn’t a ninja.」

According to Shizuku, it seemed there were two paths in Yaegashi-style. First was the front Yaegashi-style. It was this side that was well-known in the business for giving martial instruction to police, security company, or even military of foreign country.

And then, the other one was the reverse side of Yaegashi-style. According to Shuuzou, it was this side that made use of the acrobatics to do a bit of handyman work. This side was made up from the employees among the disciples working as “handyman” under Yaegashi house’s management.

Fundamentally the people of the front side didn’t know the specific detail of the reverse side. The exception was disciple like a certain police chief, someone who had a job with quite high position at the surface, or disciple who was “handyman at heart” who was mixing in within the society, people like them also knew about the reverse side. Rather they would make use of their position to cooperate with the behind the scene work……

In any case, even though they were disciple of Yaegashi-style, Shizuku and Kouki and of course Miya were disciple of the surface side.

「It seems that in the past auntie Miya was considerably wild but……how should I say it, the bloodline of Amanogawa family seems to have trouble magnet nature from the beginning. Because of that, it seemed that she poked her nose into a bit dangerous incident while she was wandering all over Japan.

「So that guy Amanogawa took after his mother.」

At present her son was in the middle of roaming another world. Not just being a trouble magnet, he even had the disposition of being summon magnet. Far from just inheriting his parent’s nature, he even properly developed it into a version up.

「And, she was already a disciple at that time. Auntie Miya and my mother who was also her friend asked for help from Ojii-chan. It seems that was the start.」

So to speak, Miya who was a child that was unable to trust adult got saved by her Kirino’s friendship and Shuuzou’s magnanimity. With that as the impetus she entered into Yaegashi-style.

「Although, that person, she was plainly strong……. In the end rather than sword, she is better at using metal bat and didn’t master Yaegashi-style. I once saw it……she was able to equally fight someone who was top ranked even among our disciples using metal bat」

「Really, just what is Amanogawa family?  If I trace their family lineage back, it feels like an absurd fact will come out.」

In the end, even after graduating she roamed around in a journey of self-discovery, became a magnet for trouble, and when she went back, she was saying 「Sensei! We are married!」 while dragging the neck of her husband. Before anyone noticed she found a job and displayed her charisma……

It seemed that Kouki entered Yaegashi-style was also because she was worried of such inherent nature of Amanogawa family and Kouki’s own “infatuation to justice”. As expected, if Miya who was free and uncontrolled and lived while practicing ‘I’m not gonna dyed by the color of others no matter what yeah!’ for real was bowing her head over and over, even Shuuzou wouldn’t be able to refuse her.

「Wait, the talk got off course. About that auntie Miya you see, she asked me a request. One of the models who are scheduled for the photo shot today suddenly got sick and hospitalized, so she asked me whether I can be a substitute for her.」

「Why Shizuku?」

「It happened right yesterday, so surely it’s because there’s no time. Also, she said that I’m suitable with the image of model who got sick.」

When Shizuku said that, her cheeks reddened slightly and she averted her gaze.

She was feeling embarrassed not about doing this modeling job itself, but because of the detail of the photo shot.

「That’s……sorry, to suddenly ask you to do this.」

Shizuku fidgeted while saying that with a small voice. Hajime shrugged to that.

「You’re going to model for wedding dress right? I want to see it no matter what so there’s no problem. And more importantly, even if it’s only as a model, it’s irritating if other man is standing beside Shizuku in wedding dress. I’m glad you asked me.」

「……Yes」

Yes, the photo shot this time had such theme. Shizuku too at first absolutely didn’t want to do something like wearing the dress of her dream and snuggled close to other man even though it was a request from Miya. But there Miya too seemed to have read her and she ended up telling Shizuku that it would be okay to do it with Hajime, rather, they should be able to take the photo Shizuku’s bashful smile like that! So please ask him to come by all means! Miya asked.

With that, Shizuku who was a maiden in the inside imagined having a photograph of her in wedding dress and Hajime taken……’I, I should accept it I think! I think!’ she spoke in roundabout way like her best friend in the end while accepting the request.

「But, I’m feeling bad for Yue and others.」

「You’ll have dinner at my home today. Prepare yourself to get thoroughly questioned there.」

「Hajime is already prepared with Kaori and others pressing you saying ‘me too me too’ aren’t you?」

Hajime and Shizuku chuckled together. Shizuku was pondering that perhaps she should buy some kind of present for Yue and others who guessed her feeling and pleasantly sent her out with Hajime.

While they were doing that, the venue came into view.

It was a large building that was used not only for wedding ceremony, but also for various events. There was also a church inside.

Its corridor of thick stone pillars was beautiful, the appearance of the building’s entrance was like an art museum. They advanced toward it.

Hajime let out a small smile seeing Shizuku who was gradually getting nervous……

He suddenly stopped walking. They were in the middle of the stair in front of the entrance. The place where line of pillars was lining up at both sides.

「What’s wrong Hajime――wait……」

Shizuku turned a questioning face to him, but she immediately noticed the cause. Her face now looked like she had a really painful headache. Hajime also looked the same.

「Oi, come out right away.」

It was like a scene in movie. That scene where the main character said 「How about you come out already」, and then the enemy would come out while clapping and saying 「I’m amazed you noticed」 with a suspicious smile.

*Clap clap clap*

「I’m amazed you noticed, senpai.」

It was exactly like the template.

However, the one who came out wasn’t a spy or an assassin from some unknown country, but the kouhai-chan from the organization Soul Sister.

「Shizuku, let’s go.」

「Yes, let’s go.」

After sending a reproachful gaze at the twintail kouhai-chan who was making a bad face for some reason, Hajime and Shizuku sighed together and then they started walking while ignoring her.

「Ah, wait senpai! Please don’t ignore me! Or rather, I won’t let you bring Onee-sama with you!」

Kouhai-chan wouldn’t let them pass in a stance that was like saying ‘Kabaddi kabaddi!’.

Even so Hajime wouldn’t get along with her and kept ignoring her, but kouhai-chan laughed 「Fuh」 and created a circle with her index finger and thumb. She put the fingers into her mouth and whistled.

*Piiii* A high-pitched voice rang out. Right away, dozens of soul sisters crawled out from the shadow of the pillared corridor.

「You guys, are really idiot.」

「Ju, just because it’s holiday……how many of you will gather until you’re satisfied?」

Their exasperation reached the extreme here……toward the two of them,

――We won’t hand over, Onee-sama in her finest hour to the like of Nagumo-senpai

A voice that sounded like it resounded through space reached them. It wasn’t the voice of kouhai-chan.

From deeper in the pillared corridor, a person came with steady footsteps and amazing atmosphere――

「Mizuki-chan……so even you are here.」

「Even Endo’s little sister is here huh.」

The soul sisters reverently lowered their head at the entrance of the organization’s Don――Amanogawa Mizuki, Kouki’s little sister. Beside her was a girl pushing up her glasses with an atmosphere that was completely like a strategist, Kousuke’s little sister――Endo Manami was also there.

「Onee-sama! Please rethink this again! If you go through something like marriage ceremony with the wild beast there……you’ll get pregnant!」

「What in the world are you yelling on the street!?」

Mizuki-chan sharply pointed her finger at Hajime as though to say ‘There is only one truth!’ and carried out a bothersome act that was disguised as an advice. The soul sisters vehemently agreed 「That’s right, that’s right! It’s just as the president said!」 in splendid harmony.

All the passerby were looking at them with a dumbfounded expression.

「Haa, Mizuki-chan. Did you hear about this from auntie Maya?」

「No, Onee-sama. For some reason Okaa-san was acting suspicious, so I borrowed her smartphone and investigated!」

「Amanogawa family is strange in various ways as expected.」

Shizuku couldn’t deny Hajime’s impression. Seeing the little sis who was displaying an astounding sense of smell only when it came to Shizuku which told her 「Okaa-san, she smell like she is hiding something about Onee-sama……」 made her could do nothing except letting out a dry laugh.

「Anyway! Onee-sama, we won’t let you pass here! We soul sisters won’t recognize something like a marriage with Nagumo-senpai no matter what! We’re going to vomit blood!」

「It’s not marriage ceremony, it’s just model photo shot so calm down. Even if it’s not with Hajime, it will be a photo shot with unknown male model anyway you know?」

「There won’t be any problem if I dressed as man――」

「Wait president, that kind of stealing a head start is in violation of the third article of soul sisters’ ironclad rule though?」

「Mizuki-chan, do you want to cause an insurrection?」

Kouhai-chan’s eyes that were like wild beast pierced President Mizuki. Next Manami-chan was sending her a terribly cold unblinking gaze.

Soul sisters――even if their school or grade was different, or even when the prefecture they were living at was different, if it was for the sake of Onee-sama then they was a group that would display a power of solidarity of steel. But at the same time, if it was for the sake of Onee-sama then it was a mad group that would carry out betrayal or cleansing……without hesitation.

「A, anyway! I won’t recognize someone like Nagumo-senpai! ……Even though if it’s Onii-chan, then I would be able to become Onee-sama’s true little sister-in-law and there won’t be any problem……how could he let Onee-sama got taken away-. Stupid idiot Onii-chan」

Surely Kouki was sneezing hard at the other world right now. He was receiving the unreasonable insult from his little sister.

「Now, my fellow kindred souls! We’ll take back our beloved Onee-sama from this demonic senpai!」

‘Aye-aye ma’am!’ The soul sisters charged with that. This was truly a troublesome matter.

And so, Hajime-san prepared an example.

「Ah!? Let me go-, senpai!」

The one who got captured was Kouhai-chan. She was pinioned from behind and struggled frantically but, she couldn’t escape from Hajime-senpai’s binding.

「You girls, go back home obediently now. If you don’t……」

Hajime’s sharp eye glint caused Mizuki and the rest of the soul sisters to gulp.

「If, if not then what? If it’s for Onee-sama’s sake then soul sisters won’t flinch even in front of death――」

「This’ll happen.」

A groan 「Muguu!?」 came from kouhai-chan. Looking closer, an ampoule was put into kouhai-chan’s mouth. She was forced fed some kind of liquid!

「Sto, stooop~, don’t make me drink strange thiinggg~」

「Ora, don’t spit it out. Do you want me to thrust it deep into your throat huh?」

The exchange gave an extremely dangerous impression. If Hajime didn’t secretly place a group of arachne-san at the surrounding to lay out recognition obstruction barrier, polices would be rushing here in the blink of eye.

In the end, kouhai-chan couldn’t win against the demonic senpai and got forced to drink something. She tried to raise a complaint with tearful eyes……

「Yo, you brutish senpaiii! Just what did you make me drink……hau!? My, my stomach……」

「It’s working right? Don’t worry, it’s not harmful at all to the body. Rather, after you let out what need to be let out because of this lovely medicine, your intestine will become healthy as though it has been reborn.」

「Demooon-, you demonic senpaiiiiiii-!! Hahih, it, it’s coming out!」

Kouhai-chan was desperately enduring something while standing pigeon-toed.

No matter how anyone looked at her, she was forced to drink laxative. By the way, this was also one of 108 demon king harassments, “If you give up, it’s over for you”――it could be easily guessed what would be over.

Shudder ran through everyone. A man who forcefully made his female kouhai to drink lazative――Nagumo Hajime.

When his cold eyes looked around, the soul sisters simultaneously took a step back. ‘This guy, ain’t sane……’ Their eyes were saying that.

Hajime poked at the stomach of kouhai-chan who was trembling with tearful eyes. Kouhai-chan was yelling 「Stooop~, stupid senpaiii~, idioooot~, next time I’ll put trash inside your shoe rackkk!」.

「Ora ora, what’re you gonna do? Is it alright if you cause a sad incident at this kind of place? Your so called comrade is in great pinch here see? Oo?」

「Thi, this demon-! Beast! Pervert!」

「Amanogawa little sis. Do you want to become healthy so much like that?」

Mizuki-chan stiffened from the great inhumanity. Manami beside her strongly insisted 「President! We should withdraw here! Before the assault captain’s dignity become unrecoverable!」.

Kouhai-chan was the assault captain and intelligence office of the soul sisters, a main battle force who was enrolled in the school of the demon senpai and always stood ready for battle. No matter how many times she was repelled, she would resurrect like an immortal bird and faced the great enemy with unyielding fighting spirit. She was a top brass that was hard to come by. It would be regrettable to let her die here.

Mizuki-chan who lost any way to make a move sent a gaze that asked for help from Onee-sama.

Honestly speaking, she thought Hajime was overdoing it, but it would be extremely troubling if they got kept here by the soul sisters, so Shizuku did her best to avert her gaze. Mizuki let out a frustrated voice 「Kuh」 and fell on her knees.

Hajime who took it as the defeat of the soul sisters caressed the stomach of kouhai-chan who was trembling with empty expression while saying 「I, I can’t, hold on……senpai, I’ll have you take responsibility, for this……」. It was as though he was saying ‘Pain, pain, go away~’.

「……E, eh? My stomach doesn’t hurt?」

「That’s great. You can choke in tears from my kindness, kouhai.」

The stomachache vanished as though it was a lie. And then, the ominous grumbling sound from the stomach that kept ringing vanished. Kouhai-chan’s expression became refreshed as though light descended from heaven and enveloped her whole body.

Also, Hajime caressing her stomach was just a diversion. The true reason the stomachache vanished was because the arachne-san that popped out its face from Hajime’s sleeve injected the antidote into kouhai-chan.

「Ora, if you don’t want to become a tragic victim in an incident that will make you don’t want to walk outside anymore, then go back home right away, all of you.」

Kouhai-chan got carelessly tossed away. Mizuki and others glared at Hajime resentfully, however, they were terrified by Hajime’s demonic deed so they quietly vanished into the shadow of the pillars.

「This is my revenge-」

「Cut it out.」

Kouhai-chan pretended to leave before launching a water pistol attack with a high speed turn. Her aim was the crotch of the hateful senpai! Tremble in shame from getting thought as peeing in the pant! That must be her intention, but it was easily dodged and furthermore she ate an iron claw on her face and struggled.

Next Hajime tied her twintail into a reef knot, in addition she wrote a long sentence of 「I’m a bad child. Please punish me as you like no matter who you are」 on her face with permanent marker.

「Re, remember this-! Senpai you idioot~, idiooot~」

Kouhai-chan finally escaped quickly. Mizuki and Manami waited for her but……

「Recently, I have this thinking……you, aren’t you looking a bit happy when you got bullied by Nagumo-senpai?」

「Pre, president!? What disgusting thing you’re mentioning!?」

「Ah, I also think so. When I looked at you I thought, she looks like she’s having fun in senpai’s care isn’t she.」

「Wro, wrong! Manami-chan, don’t say such terrifying thing!」

An unbelievable thing was pointed out to her with fixed stare from them. Doubtful eyes from soul sisters stabbed on kouhai-chan. Even after she escaped from demon king Hajime, this time an inquisition from her kindred souls was waiting for her.

After the girls were gone from their sight, Hajime recovered the arachnes and dispelled the barrier.

「Can you believe it? That girl is older than Amanogawa little sis and Endo little sis even if she looked like that you know?」

He said such thing in amusement.

「Haa, Hajime. You too, you’re actually having fun teasing that girl right? You said before that she is like Shia in the past.」

Shizuku replied in exasperation.

Like that they entered into the venue and finally it was time for work.

Hajime finished changing first and observed the photo shot of the other model pairs. Other than the pair of Hajime and Shizuku, there was also other pairs wearing various type of clothes being photographed, so another pair was also sitting nearby Hajime.

The female staff helping with coordinating the clothes and other female models were strangely sending their gaze to Hajime.

It must be because of his peculiar atmosphere that was unlike other male model. His bearing has gone passed being calm, instead it should be expressed as “being cool and composed”. They were half overwhelmed by it. Their cheeks were somewhat red.

Then, at that time,

「Ah, Hajime」

A quiet and really shy voice reached him. When Hajime looked over there,

「I, it’s embarrassing, just as I thought. It feels like it’s me who is being worn by the dress……」

There was pure white Shizuku there.

The skirt had design like flower petals dancing in the wind overlapping by several layers. It spread out dreamily. A ribbon was wrapped around her waist, but it further emphasized Shizuku’s waist that was already lean even at normal time.

Her hands that were covered in white long gloves were entwined fidgetingly in front of her body. Her figure was so lovely that Hajime spontaneously felt like hugging her tightly.

In fact, Hajime wordlessly walked toward Shizuku and hugged her while being careful to not crumple the dress.

「Wa, wait Hajime!」

Due to the place they were at, gazes gathered at Shizuku with her entrance. Hajime’s action also caused even the cameraman to stop working and let out an admiring voice 「Oo」. Shizuku was going bright red it looked like she would explode.

「My bad. I can’t help it, my mind got blown away a bit.」

「Tsu, she, sheesh-」

That impression was more eloquent than anything. Shizuku couldn’t say anything in front of Hajime’s gaze that was meltingly sweet, but she was unable to hide her happiness and her lips couldn’t stop grinning. She couldn’t meet his gaze to hide her shyness.

A sweet atmosphere that should be expressed as ‘containing sugar content that would destroy your palate’ was spreading through the photo location. The female camp blushed when they got hit by that atmosphere. They were sending the two somewhat envious gaze.

「Err, could it be, the two of you are going out?」

A male model who was on standby near Hajime was glancing really hard at Shizuku while asking with an expression that looked as though he was betting his hope.

「Eh? Ah, yes, that’s right.」

「I, is that so……yeah, well, that’s how is it huh.」

The male model nodded while smiling bitterly at Shizuku’s answer.

Hajime shrugged and said.

「My bad but, I won’t yield this position as her partner. If someone other than me is standing beside Shizuku, then I’ll have to reproduce that one movie scene.」

「Movie scene?」

The male model tilted his head. Perhaps because they were gathering attention, the other people were also looking puzzled. Hajime shrugged his shoulders and said.

「The bride kidnapping and elopement scene.」

「Ahaha……I see.」

The male model’s bitter smile deepened along with a comprehending expression.

And then, Shizuku said 「Don’t say such embarrassing thing!」 with a small voice while hitting Hajime’s arm. That appearance caused everyone there to watch smilingly.

After that, they discovered the existences of Yue and others who were actually slipping between the staffs. When Myuu yelled 「Papa! Shizuku-oneechan!! That’s really lovely nano!」, the location was swallowed into a whirlpool of chaos with the thinking of 「They have child!?」. Even so the photo shot somehow ended even through all that.

It seemed the magazine received great evaluation. Talk to become model flooded Shizuku and Hajime. Of course, they asked Maya to refuse all of those for them.

And then after quite a long time since then.

「……Fufu」

It became a daily routine for Shizuku to stare at the bouquet of artificial flower the female staff of the photo shot secretly presented to her that was written with 「It looks like you’ve a lot of rival but, do your best」, and the photo with Hajime that she received.

It went without saying that her happily smiling expression heightened the intensity of the disciples’ training.

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AN: Thank you very much for reading this every time.

Thank you very much too for the thoughts, opinions, and reports about misspelling and omitted words.

Actually I planned to post this chapter as the special chapter for Christmas at 25 December.

I didn’t make it in time, so I posted it today (sweat)

The episode of Kouki’s mother appeared briefly at volume 9 when Kouki entered the dojo, so there is also the implication of adding on the content slightly to match the release of the book.

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