Chapter 172: You Look Pretty Today
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 172: You Look Pretty Today
“The vanguard isn't a position for a beginner like you, Junior. It's the second most important position after the captain, so they always put a really strong kendo practitioner there.”
Chinami said, munching on a slice of peach she had brought.
She was repeating the exact same thing Renka had said.
It meant their opinions on the importance of the vanguard and captain positions were identical.
“Is that so?”
“Usually, yes. Would you like a peach?”
“Yes, please.”
“Here you go.”
Chinami rummaged through the airtight container, which had a picture of Momo-nim on it, with a small plastic fork, speared the largest slice, and offered it to me.
As I popped it into my mouth in one bite and chewed noisily, a giggle escaped Chinami's lips.
“It's nice to see you eat so well. You might even gain some weight.”
“If I become a pig, you'll have to raise me, Master.”
At my words, a blush spread across Chinami's cheeks.
She seemed to have interpreted it as a rather lewd double entendre.
“P-Please refrain... It's not right to say such things in a place like this, where someone might hear...”
Listening to her, I was sure of it.
I was just making an innocent joke... but it seems Chinami is slowly becoming a pervert, too.
No, maybe it's more accurate to say her true nature, hidden deep inside, is awakening.
Feeling a little awkward, I licked my lips to get rid of the lingering taste of peach, then wiped the shy Chinami's lips with my finger.
Then, before Chinami could say a word, I brought my finger to my own mouth and sucked off the peach juice I'd wiped away.
“Hyeek...!”
Startled enough to jolt, Chinami covered her eyes. The sight of her pressing her palms firmly against her eyelids was cute.
The Momo-nim container resting on her tightly pressed knees acted like a prop, making her seem even more adorable than usual.
At this rate, I wonder if I'm going crazy for Momo-nim, too.
“J-Junior...! Such an indecent act...”
I let out a small laugh at Chinami's grandmotherly choice of words, grabbing her wrists and pulling them down from her face.
“What's so indecent about it?”
“I-I don't know...! That's not what's important right now! This is the time to think about our strategy for the tournament and focus on training...! How can you be fooling around like this...?!”
“I was listening. But you were the one who offered me a peach and then complimented me on how well I was eating.”
“.... Was I? W-Well, anyway, let's start again. Really... sigh...”
Chinami fanned her flushed face with her hand, letting out a strange little sound.
After a moment, she seemed to have calmed down a bit and continued.
“So, I think it's best to launch a preemptive strike the moment the match begins. You take your stance and then strike straight down.”
Right. First strike wins. That's important.
“I see.”
“However, your unity of spirit, sword, and body isn't precise enough, so there's a high chance your opponent will block your attack and counter. At that point... just a moment...”
Chinami pushed the Momo-nim container to the side of the bench and stood up.
She then clasped her hands as if holding an imaginary shinai, hopped back, flicked her wrists, and looked at me.
“That's when you take half a step back like this and execute a retreating strike, aiming for your opponent's wrist. Do you understand?”
“Your explanation is so clear, Master. It's easy to understand.”
“Huhu... You're too kind. Practice this attack and counter whenever you have time before the tournament so it becomes second nature.”
Her pride swelling from the compliment, Chinami sat back down and started eating peaches again.
I stared at her and asked.
“Is that all I need to practice?”
“Of course, we'll be practicing other fundamentals as well.”
“Understood.”
“Yes.”
“Yes.”
“.....”
“.....”
“.... Why are you staring at me like that?”
“I want a peach, too.”
“Ah, I'm sorry. I ended up eating all by myself.”
She hurriedly offered me a peach.
Seeing the apology written all over her face, I could tell she hadn't meant to eat them all by herself.
It's a funny but sweet situation. This isn't so bad either.
* * *
Clack-!
Renka and Tetsuya clashed their shinai and quickly retreated.
Unlike Renka, who maintained her center of gravity and held her stance without wavering, Tetsuya lost his balance and staggered.
Not missing the opening, Renka took a large step forward with her lead foot and launched another attack.
“Men!”
Thwack-!
With a heavy thud, the third-year senior who was refereeing raised his flag.
“Ippon!”
Having allowed the head strike and given up a point, Tetsuya tapped his own innocent mask a few times and headed to the center of the boundary line.
There, he and Renka touched the tips of their shinai in a salute, then retrieved their swords and stepped outside the boundary line, meeting each other's eyes.
“Good work. You're much better than yesterday.”
Renka's praise after the simple match.
Tetsuya, who was grunting and struggling to take off his mask, said.
“Not at all. I still have a long way to go.”
“It's best to have a lot of matches before the tournament. That's how you build practical experience. Come here. I'll help you with your mask strings.”
“Ah, yes. Thank you.”
Hah... fuck.
I'm over here bustling around working, and that fucking bastard is just casually getting waited on by Renka.
Why is Renka taking care of a loser like that?
And to do it without my permission... Since when does a slave have free will?
She needs to be disciplined. I'll have to punish her.
“Captain! Can you come over here for a second?”
When I called out to Renka in a fairly loud voice, she flinched and her gaze shifted toward me.
“What?”
“There's something I need to tell you.”
“.... Wait a minute.”
Renka shot me a suspicious glance before meticulously untying Tetsuya's mask strings and finally approaching me.
“What is it...? Is there a problem?”
“No problem. Just help me out. Let's fold these towels together.”
I moved about half the towels over to Renka's side, and she let out a scoff and crossed her arms.
“Are you crazy? Isn't this a little too shameless, even for you?”
“Let's fold them together.”
“No. Why should I?”
“I said, let's fold them.”
“Don't be ridiculous...! I'm teaching the others right now...!”
“Together.”
“.... I'm leaving. Do it yourself.”
“Go on, if you think you can.”
“What's stopping me?”
“Then go.”
Did my meaningful tone work?
Renka flinched and her eyes darted around.
She seemed anxious about what I might find fault with this time.
“D-Did I do something wrong to you...?”
Of course you did. It was wrong to touch Tetsuya's filthy body in front of me. It was wrong to smile at him. It was wrong to talk to him, and it was wrong to be kind to him. Everything was wrong.
“Plenty.”
“W-What do you mean, plenty? Is this about me calling you a liar?”
“Hurry up and fold.”
I gently coaxed Renka with a smile, and when she bit her lower lip and finally placed a hand on the top towel of the pile, the corners of my mouth lifted.
“Are you doing this against your will?”
“Because you threatened me...!”
“It wasn't a threat.”
“Shut up...! Just let me fold in peace...!”
“Alright.”
Normally, I would have focused on Renka after the threesome, but this is a slightly awkward time to ask the shy Chinami about our next encounter...
So, I think it might be a good idea to trigger a dedicated event for Renka while I'm at it.
It won't take long anyway, so I should get a few things done in my spare time.
I've thought this before, but to capture multiple heroines at once, you're supposed to run all over the place.
What kind of event could happen if I meet her outside the academy during the winter?
The first things that come to mind are related to subculture.
I've used it once or twice already, so it's a bit cliché, but it has the highest probability of triggering an event.
Among those, the biggest event would definitely be Comiket.
However, the date for that event is fixed for the end of December, so it's impossible to move it up.
I want to train her body and mind to some extent before then, but what would be good?
I also want to reveal just enough for her to suspect that I'm the one sending her messages on AniShare.
Let's find a way, keeping her hardcore otaku nature in mind.
“Hey.”
Lost in thought, I turned to Renka when she called out.
“What is it?”
“Fold the towels properly. They're all crooked. It looks like you're not even trying. What are you thinking about that you can't even focus?”
“The ones you folded are crooked, too, Captain.”
“Is there something wrong with your eyes? Where are they crooked?”
“This corner is sticking out right here.”
“Are you comparing them to yours? Don't be ridiculous.”
“Aren't you the one being ridiculous, Captain?”
“Am not!”
Renka acted prim and proper.
Wanting to change the dissatisfied look on her face, I glanced around.
All the club members were focused on their own tasks.
Tetsuya was... receiving instruction from one of the seniors participating in the tournament.
Practically no one was paying attention to me and Renka.
Confirming this, I called out to Renka.
“Captain.”
“Don't call me that.”
“Are you going to come interrupt me and my Master again today if we're alone?”
“What are you talking about...? When did I ever interrupt? I was just trying to help with the manager's duties.”
“Let's just say that's true. But... Captain.”
“I told you not to call me that! Get to work. Work...!”
“Don't be nice to other people.”
“.... Huh?”
“It's annoying.”
“.... What are you saying?”
Renka blinked a few times.
Seeing her dumbfounded expression, it seemed she didn't understand what I'd said.
Should I have just said outright that I was jealous, not annoyed?
No, unless she's an idiot, she should be able to understand this much.
She might not get it now, but she'll probably figure it out later when she's eating dinner at home or lying down to sleep, mulling over the context of our conversation.
Instead, I'll add another line to make an impact.
Something to make Renka chew on this conversation.
With that in mind, I glanced at the innocent-looking Renka and said casually, as if it were nothing.
“It's nothing. But you look pretty today.”
“W-What...? What did you say...?”
At the blatant compliment about her appearance, Renka's jaw dropped.
Her face, all the way to her ears, turned red in an instant.
Satisfied with her reaction, I gave a toothy grin and started folding towels again without another word.