Chapter 52
Chapter 52
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 52
Chapter Title: Resolution - Reina
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“Hng...!”
Harumi's body trembled all over.
“Th-this is, um! Y-you know! Why I did it!”
The type to mess up and then make excuses, huh?
“A goodnight kiss, right? Some kind of upper-class etiquette. You were thanking me for helping you out so much by saying sweet dreams?”
I made an excuse for her, trying to keep things from getting too awkward. Harumi's eyes went wide, then she nodded vigorously, like that was exactly what she'd meant to say.
“Y-yeah! H-hehe! Of course!”
But she couldn't hide the pounding of her heart.
“Thanks to you, I think I'll have sweet dreams. Goodnight, miss.”
“...Yeah.”
She slipped under the covers, hiding half her face. Only her eyes peeked out, a crescent moon gleaming in them.
“Hee...”
I pulled the blanket corner up from the foot of the bed and draped it over her. She leaned toward me ever so slightly, just enough not to notice.
The room fell silent.
And in that silence, the frantic thumping of Harumi's heart soon settled into a relaxed rhythm.
Tomorrow's tasks ran through my mind. The Academy Director's office. The Kurogami family.
I should get some sleep too...
Harumi was snoring softly in my arms, a cute little snore that just made me think, She's asleep. She hadn't done it last time, but now that she was, it seemed like she felt safe sleeping nestled against me.
But it was time to separate.
Chirp chirp!
The sun was already up outside.
Mesui usually arrived at the Academy Director's office around 10 a.m.
I checked my smartphone clock. It was already past 9:30. If I wanted to time my visit with her arrival, I needed to get moving. I tried gently prying Harumi off, but it wasn't easy.
“Uwa... Uu...!”
She whined and wrapped her limbs around me tight. After sleeping alone for so long, she'd finally found a cuddle partner that made her feel secure—she didn't want to let go.
Squeeze♡
Our bodies pressed closer.
She was still half-asleep and oblivious, but honestly, this position was pretty lewd.
Lying on her side facing me, her lower leg slipped between mine, and her upper leg hooked around my waist. Probably her way of clinging even tighter.
“Mm...? Ueh...?”
She nuzzled against me, then suddenly seemed to notice something and cracked her eyes open.
“It's so haaard... What's this...?”
Morning wood. Every healthy guy gets it.
My body's gone way beyond just healthy—it's at a superhuman level—so of course my dick was standing at full attention like a steel rod. And Harumi was old enough to know about male physiology, so she'd probably figured it out by now. Where exactly she'd been rubbing her crotch just moments ago.
“Hic...!? Th-this...”
“Morning, miss.”
“Y-yeah! Mm...!”
Her trembling gaze dropped to my lower abdomen. My dick stood proud in the sunlight, its outline clear as day. Exposed to such intense stimulation right after waking, Harumi snapped fully awake in an instant.
“What should I do about this?”
What do you mean, what should you do?
Stroke stroke♡
“D-does this feel good?”
O... Oh...!
Maybe it's because this world's birth rate is so low they allow polygamy. The girls here were different from my old world. They seemed way more tolerant of guys' sexual urges.
Of course, this was special because Ren, Saki, and Harumi all had strong feelings for me. But still, offering to handle morning wood right after our first kiss yesterday? That was some seriously open-minded thinking.
Knead knead...♡
“L-like this, right...?”
Harumi's small hand brushed the tip of my glans.
I wanted to whip it out right then, but I'd be late to the Academy Director's office. I'm not premature... and once I got into some deep skinship with Harumi, I'd want to savor it as long as possible.
“Hoo... You don't have to do that, miss.”
I swallowed my regrets and just stroked her head, but she pouted, looking dissatisfied.
“But! I wanna help with something too...”
Good girl.
Such a good girl!
The perfect diligent heroine.
“I'm happy you care about me, miss. But I've got morning plans, so I need to head out soon.”
“Ah!? Really? Uu... Okay.”
Damn, what a shame.
Her 'Trust' was only Level 3, a step below 'Loyalty,' but still a high relationship rank. She might've gone all the way. Tsk.
Oh well, no big deal. Things with Harumi were smooth sailing. Honestly, just footing that 5 million yen hospital bill could skyrocket her affection. Not because she's materialistic, but because someone helping her when she was at rock bottom would hit her hard emotionally.
As I got up to grab my bag, Harumi snuck up behind me and hugged my waist.
She's gotten so bold.
My guess? This wasn't 'lover's affection'—more like a needy puppy craving touch. Harumi had been that lonely.
“...When will you come again?”
Her voice sounded a bit gloomy.
She wouldn't suddenly go dark and turn yandere, would she...?
I still need to do Fukuren. That'd be a real problem. Nah, no way.
“Weekends might be tough. So, next Monday?”
Harumi hesitated a moment, then brightened her expression and voice.
“Mm! Hehe. See you next week!”
I patted her head and left the room. Through the still-open door, I saw her waving with a beaming smile.
“It's the Academy Director.”
“Door's open.”
The door to the office slid open smoothly.
I was startled the moment I stepped inside. Kurogami Reina was already there, head bowed low, standing against the wall.
Not in her usual slutty outfit, but in proper academy uniform, hair neatly tied back.
And in front of her sat someone in a men's kimono, posture ramrod straight on the sofa.
Even though I'd been here yesterday, the eerie discomfort must've been because of that man. My nape prickled, throat scratched.
“Ah. Perfect timing, Sanghyeon.”
Mesui waved me over from her dedicated chair. Tension flickered across her face, subtle but there. Then the man on the sofa spoke.
“You're... Nishikiyo's nightmare?”
What middle-schooler edgelord nickname is that? Japanese people love giving each other those.
“If you mean the punks I beat to a pulp, yeah, that was me.”
I replied curtly, still pissed at the Kurogami scum.
The man, who'd been staring straight ahead, slowly turned to look at me.
“I see. I'm Kurogami Ruiichiro.”
In that instant, his gaze pierced right through me.
Chills erupted instantly.
This had never happened before.
Ever since possessing this ridiculously special 'protagonist' body, I'd felt like a predator among herbivores. People, especially guys, always looked at me with unease or fear. Some hid it with bravado, others avoided me outright.
But this man's eyes held no emotion.
Not hostility or fighting spirit.
Like sharply honed steel. Inorganic gaze. Whether he was trying to read me or defend his yakuza pride with a staring contest, I couldn't tell—but he stared long and hard.
I can't win.
Not physically. If I went all out, no one could beat me. But in this battle of auras, I couldn't gain the upper hand.
It wasn't about chickening out or being overwhelmed. His eyes felt utterly inhuman.
Like facing a sword tip halted right before your eyes.
You can't win a staring contest with a tool made for killing. The concept doesn't even exist.
This guy had probably killed countless people.
As the room's air chilled rapidly, Ruiichiro slowly closed his eyes.
“...Impressive.”
He raised a hand.
“Reina.”
Calling his daughter, who stood behind him with her head bowed. Had the family punished her? Her face was pale, but her eyes still flashed defiance. Then his chilling voice slid into her ear, cold beyond measure.
“Kneel before him.”