Chapter 403: Declaration of War #2
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 403: Declaration of War #2
“Where should I park?”
-Just... park in the parking space.
Her slightly trembling voice came through the car's speakers.
Finding the tense, though not overly so, tone of Renka's voice incredibly cute, I asked again.
“Here? In this rectangular lot?”
-Yeah...
“Is it really okay? Won't your parents park here when they get home, Captain?”
-What are you talking about?! Are you planning on staying until my parents get here?
“What, you want me to just see your face and leave?”
-Aish...! Just park there!
“Alright, alright. No need to get so worked up.”
-You son of a...
I quickly ended the call before Renka could let loose a stream of curses and parked the car in the designated spot next to the main gate, just as she'd said.
The space was wide, so I parked right up against the side, leaving more than enough room for another car.
This way, her parents shouldn't have any trouble parking.
When I got out of the car, Renka was there to meet me.
She stood in front of the main gate, arms crossed, staring at me.
The white t-shirt and tight shorts she was wearing were subtly arousing.
“Why did you park like that?”
Looking at the car parked so close to the side, Renka commented. I answered with a nonchalant expression.
“So your parents can pull their car in when they arrive.”
“Well... couldn't you just pull out and then pull back in?”
“Pull what out and put what back in?”
“What are you talking about? The car... Hey...!!”
Renka, her face flushing at the insinuation, shrieked.
I chuckled, walked over to her, and patted her on the back.
“I just thought it would be a hassle for your parents to have to call me to move the car.”
“....Right.”
“Yep. By the way, did you tell your parents I was coming?”
“Yeah.”
“Good. Can I come in now?”
“I never said you couldn't.”
“Why are you so prickly today?”
“Shut up. Just follow me.”
Turning away sharply, Renka opened the gate to her house.
The gate swung inward without so much as a creak, revealing a garden.
Several times larger than the one at my house, the garden had a few small, landscaped trees.
Beside them were flowerbeds in bloom—it was an impeccably well-kept garden.
I followed Renka along a neatly laid stone path, past a light-colored wooden veranda, and stopped in front of the main door.
Renka glanced at me before opening the door, and I stepped cautiously inside.
“This is my house. You're not welcome.”
Despite her words, the inside of Renka's house had a scent that matched its traditional exterior.
It was the woody smell you'd expect from a timber-frame house, a refreshing scent that seemed to clear the mind.
The lighting had a reddish-orange hue, and since it was late evening, the atmosphere was also somewhat dim.
The interior was old-fashioned but had a classic charm, and the size was just right for a small family.
Overall, it was exactly as I had imagined.
“Your house is really nice.”
Renka snorted at my comment as I looked around the well-organized home.
“It's not that great.”
“Well, I think it is.”
“Whatever. Want some water?”
“Yes, please. So, where's your room, Captain?”
“Over there.”
Renka, who had been about to open the fridge, pointed to a room in a corner, a little ways from the living room.
A lone nail stuck out above the door caught my eye.
“What did you have hanging there?”
“What?”
“On the door.”
“Oh... that? I had a nameplate there when I was a kid.”
With that look on her face, no one would believe she was talking about a nameplate.
Wasn't it more likely an anime character holding a sign that said, 'Please Knock'?
It was a reasonable suspicion.
“Wh-what? You don't believe me?”
Renka chided, seeing the knowing look on my face.
I gulped down the glass of water from the table and simply responded with a grin.
At that, Renka pressed her lips together and fell silent.
She seemed at a loss for what to do. I was the guest in her house, but it felt like our roles were reversed.
“When are your parents coming home?”
“I-I don't know! Don't get any weird ideas...!”
“I haven't had a single weird idea. Why do you keep saying that?”
“What do you mean you haven't?! You were just teasing me about pulling in and out...!”
“That was just a joke. Can I see your room, Captain?”
At my words, Renka sucked in a sharp breath.
Her eyes darted around, and her face turned pink like the peaches Chinami loves. She seemed to be expecting something lewd to happen.
Either that, or she hadn't managed to hide all her merch. It had to be one of the two.
“You've seen the house, so you can go now.”
I wasn't sure what I'd done to be kicked out already.
I came here with the intention of greeting her parents, too.
Ignoring Renka's ridiculous demand, I started walking toward her room.
Renka quickly darted in front of me, blocking her door.
Finding the sight of her holding the doorknob tightly with both hands behind her back incredibly adorable, I asked.
“What are you doing?”
“You can't come in my room...”
“Still haven't hidden all your anime merch?”
“Th-that's not it...!”
“Then what is it?”
“I mean... do you really have to go in?”
It seemed like this was the first time she'd ever invited a guy into her personal space, and she had no idea what to do...
In that case, I'd have to help her out a little.
With that thought, I took a bold step toward the stiffly standing Renka.
“Eek...!”
As she leaned her head all the way back, I reached my arm around her waist, placed my hand over hers on the doorknob, and pressed down.
Click.
The door opened.
As soon as it opened, the faint scent of blueberries tickled my nose. I stepped forward, practically pressed against the bewildered Renka.
“Hey...! Wai... Hngh...!?”
Patting the flustered Renka's butt, I entered her room. The first thing I saw was a single bed covered with a light navy-blue duvet.
The blanket and pillow were the same color, which suited Renka perfectly.
“Smells nice.”
“.....”
With a look that was somewhere between shame and embarrassment, and an expression of resignation, Renka plopped down on the bed.
I sat down naturally beside her, unable to hide a smile as I spotted the display case in the corner of the room.
It was clearly a figure case, but there was nothing inside.
Proof that it was too much trouble to move the large case, so she'd just taken out the figures.
Even the bookshelf next to her small desk was empty.
It was probably filled with manga.
“What are you smiling about...?!”
Renka snapped at me as I looked around the room, which obviously showed signs of things being hidden.
Unable to hold it in any longer, I let out a soft laugh and said.
“Did you really need to clean up? I already know all about your tastes, Captain.”
“....Shut up.”
Letting her curse, born of having nothing left to say, go in one ear and out the other, I placed my hand on the fluffy pillow next to me.
The texture was crisp as I ran my hand over it; it seemed she'd changed the pillowcase, too.
Did she have one with a character on it and swap it out because I was coming?
No, probably not. She must have just changed it to be tidy.
“Your room is cozy.”
At my softened voice, I heard a faint gulp from Renka's throat.
If I put a hand on her chest, her heart would probably be racing.
“....It is. Wait... I need to use the bathroom... Don't touch anything...!”
“Alright.”
“Promise me...!”
“I said I got it.”
After making me promise, Renka shot up from her seat and left the room.
She seems really nervous. Cute.
I let out a small chuckle and fiddled with my phone, when—
Bzzz-!
[Matsu.]
A message from Hiyori came in right on cue, and I gave a dry laugh.
She doesn't even call me Matsumatsu anymore.
I wonder if she'll just start calling me 'Ma' eventually.
[What.]
[What were you doing at the academy earlier?]
[An oral inspection.]
[An oral inspection, really?]
[Yep. And I got to satisfy some of my desires while I was at it.]
[You're into that?]
[It's one of my many tastes. Where are you now? Out?]
[Yeah. I'm with my friends.]
[Don't wander around too much.]
[I'm not wandering, I'm sitting down right now?]
[That's not what I meant.]
[Hang out with me this week.]
Mhm. Getting to enjoy a date with my heroine every week...
This is a happy vacation. I guess a life of debauchery isn't just a fantasy.
Though, there's still the most important mountain to climb before I reach true debauchery.
[When?]
[Anytime. Whenever you're free.]
[Sounds good.]
[Kay.]
Seeing Hiyori's reply, which clearly showed her good mood, made me feel refreshed as well.
After exchanging a few more words with Hiyori, I put my phone away. Just then, Renka came back into the room, her bangs slightly damp, and I tilted my head.
“Did you wash your face?”
“....Yeah.”
“Why?”
“I was sleepy.”
“I don't think so.”
“It is, so stop letting your imagination run wild.”
Her voice was back to her usual tone; it seemed she'd calmed down a bit.
Renka sat down next to me, leaving a little space between us. I gazed at her and asked.
“Are your parents coming home late?”
“Why do you ask...?”
“If they're not here in about two hours, I was thinking we could do what you're hoping for, Captain.”
“Wh-what am I hoping for?! And they'll be here before then...!”
She was on high alert again, just like before.
She washed her face for nothing.
“That's a shame.”
“What's a shame?! Thinking about things like that even here... you're real trash, you know that?”
“Why do you keep calling me trash?”
“Because you are trash! What you did to that underclassman at the main gate today... her name's Asahina, right?”
“And? Was I not supposed to?”
My completely unfazed retort left Renka's mouth slightly agape.
But only for a moment. Her eyes widened as far as they could possibly go when she heard my next words.
“They're all mine.”
“Wh-what...?”
“I said, they're all mine. You, Captain. Master. Miyuki and Hiyori. All of you.”
“What kind of crazy...”
Is Renka the first one I've revealed my true ambitions to?
Her reaction is so typical of her.
I gently took the waist of the dumbfounded Renka and pushed her down onto the bed.
“W-wait...!”
And then, as she freaked out and pushed against my chest, I half-forcefully pressed my lips to hers.