Chapter 18
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 18
Chapter Title: 2.10 Nanami's Misunderstanding
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It was close.
Really, really close.
Hoo! Damn!
I'm breaking out in cold sweat!
"Nanami. You aren't hurt anywhere, are you?"
"Uh...... Y-yeah."
Nanami looked up at me with a dazed expression.
She seemed completely unable to grasp the situation.
"Naibusu, why are you......?"
"To save you, why else?"
"......You were......worried about me......?"
"Of course I was worried!!"
Frustrated by her denseness, I ended up yelling.
"Ah......"
Nanami flinched and blinked in surprise.
How worried I'd been! As Yuuki's future partner, the precious Nanami! What if she'd gotten hurt? She needs to take better care of herself!
I had a lot I wanted to say, but I could only grumble inwardly.
Nanami seemed to be in deep shock.
She looked like she needed immediate hospitalization.
"Well, just rest here for a bit."
"Ah, yeah......"
I propped Nanami up against the wall and turned back toward the trash heap.
He was brushing back his weirdly grown bangs and smirking smugly.
"Heh. So the white knight on his steed turned out to be Naibusu? Ah, not on a white horse—you are the white horse, huh? Heh."
"What kinda lame joke is that?"
Honestly, I almost snorted.
It was a racist jab that worked because I'm half-white.
If he weren't such a sadist, I might've even laughed.
"Oh, right. Weren't you in our class too? Your name was Nobu...... Nobuhiko?"
"It's Lieutenant Shuji! Don't call me by that name!"
"......Lieutenant?"
Lieutenant out of nowhere?
That lieutenant I knew?
"It's been ages since you retired, and you're still going on about lieutenant?"
"Once a Japanese soldier, always a Japanese soldier! A rank once earned never fades!"
"......Ah. Okay then."
I thought he was just a chuunibyou, but he's a legit lunatic.
He must've done pretty well to make lieutenant during the Great Catastrophe.
Seems like that trauma hit him hard.
Poor guy.
"Step aside, Naibusu. I have no intention of harming a fellow soldier."
"Who says you're my fellow soldier? We've never even fought together."
If we had fought side by side, he'd know who I am.
And if he knew me, he wouldn't act like this.
"If you don't get out of the way, I'll have to kill you too."
Nobuhiko raised his fist threateningly.
Reasoning's pointless.
"Guess not. Time for you to take a beating."
They say the cure for a mad dog is a stick.
I rolled up my sleeves and approached Nobuhiko.
"Naibusu, be careful! Shuji's punches aren't normal!"
Nanami's worried warning.
But that was none of my concern.
"Hup!"
Nobuhiko twisted his hips and threw a punch.
A liver blow aimed at my side.
His fist drilled toward my ribs like an awl.
-Thwack!
That fist thudded into the spot below my ribs.
A sharp pain shot through my organs.
"Wh...... Why......?"
—You were gonna feed this to Nanami?
"Bite down."
I slapped the palm of my hand across Nobuhiko's dazed, upturned face.
-Wham!!
A sound no human face should make rang out.
Nobuhiko sprayed blood and broken teeth as he flew back like something out of a cartoon.
-Thud, thud, splat.
He bounced off the floor three times before slamming into the wall.
"I said bite down."
Looks like he's done eating solids from now on.
Ah, whatever—he's dying soon anyway.
"Guhii......"
I approached Nobuhiko, who was pinned to the wall and out of it.
"Uh, uh, wha, whaa?"
What're you even saying?
His teeth were all over the floor, so his speech was a mess.
"Can't hear you."
I stood over the sprawled Nobuhiko.
And drew Moonlight, sheath and all, to thresh him.
"You." Thwack. "Ugh!"
"Mommy." Thwack. "Eek!"
"Don't." Thwack. "Guh!"
"Hit." Crunch. "Aaaagh!"
"Women," Thwack. "Kuh!"
"I." Snap. "Hic!"
"Told." Thwack. "M-Mom!"
"You." Thwack. "Krrgh!"
"You." Thwack. "Idiot!"
"Moron." Crunch. "Ugh!"
"Ah!" Thwack. "Nooo!"
"Hoo~."
After beating Nobuhiko until my anger subsided.
I let out a big sigh, expelling the heat building inside me.
I've been pretty stressed lately.
Feels good now.
Nobuhiko's limbs were twisted in unnatural directions, trembling on the floor like a roadkill mouse.
Might've gone a bit overboard. There's that saying about corpse manner.
"Na-Naibusu! Stop!"
......Ah.
I'd completely forgotten Nanami was watching.
I could claim self-defense up to the first slap since he hit me first, but everything after was definitely excessive.
Nanami can't see this. What now?
Nanami was staggering toward me.
"That's...... enough now. I'm...... fine......"
"Huh?"
???
What're you talking about?
I hit him 'cause I wanted to.
Whether you're fine or not doesn't matter.
"Even if Nanami forgives you, I don't."
"......Ah...... Yeah......"
Nanami blushed and bowed her head hesitantly.
??What the hell??
What's there to be embarrassed about here?
Hmm.
She must've taken a hard hit to the head.
She needs to see a doctor ASAP.
More importantly, shouldn't she rest now?
She's wobbling too much.
If she falls......
"Ah."
See?
I rushed over and caught Nanami as her legs tangled and she started to collapse.
Thankfully, I grabbed her before she hit the floor.
"Be careful. You could get hurt."
"Th-thanks......"
This situation......
Feels kinda familiar......
"Ah."
"Ah!"
-Squelch.
My hand had grabbed Nanami's breast, of all places.
I could feel her healthy chest vividly through her thin uniform.
......Goddamn trash game!
Enough with these tropes already! How many flags are you gonna cram in?!
I hurriedly helped Nanami stand and pulled away.
"Sorry, Nanami. It wasn't on purpose. But if it bothered you, feel free to hit me until you're over it. No— just hit me without thinking!"
I bowed my head sincerely to Nanami in apology.
A sub-char like me touching Yuuki's heroine?
If I weren't the culprit, I'd have cut my hand off.
"......No...... I-It's, fine. I d-didn't really mind......"
"Huh?"
"I mean! Not that! Naibusu didn't mean to! You were just trying to help!"
"Uh...... Y-yeah. Glad you understand."
But you're really just gonna forgive me like that?
Normally, you'd slap a guy in this situation, right?
Hmm......
I'll take this secret to my grave.
For Yuuki's mental health, at least.
"Guh...... Uguuu......"
Meanwhile, Nobuhiko groaned from where he lay like a rag.
The mind emanating from Nobuhiko.
It's not like he wasn't pitiful, if you listened.
Lieutenant Shuji (lol) might not have turned out this twisted if he'd been born into a normal family in a normal world.
But that doesn't justify his actions just because he had a tragic past.
He wasn't the only one conscripted during the Great Catastrophe. Yuuki and I were too.
And we all lost family back then.
Despite the same misfortune, Yuuki stayed true to her justice as a goody-two-shoes, and I held to my pure love ideals.
Sadism can't be rationalized, no matter the circumstances.
Anyway, this is awkward.
Can't finish him off with Nanami watching.
Should I call the student council president to clean up and take him out while she's at it?
"Na-Naibusu, thank you. For saving me......"
"No big deal. It was the right thing to do. More importantly, I'm just glad you're safe, Nanami."
"......Yeah......"
Her demeanor was so meek, it was hard to believe she was the same Shiina Nanami I'd seen earlier today.
Hmm. That blow must've rattled her good.
Hope there are no lingering effects.
It won't affect producing Yuuki Jr., right?
"Um, Naibusu."
"Hm?"
Nanami spoke up with a resolved expression.
Is she about to get serious?
"If it's okay with you, Naibusu...... About what I said earlier today, if I think about it again...... It might be...... okay......"
?? What we talked about earlier?
What did I even say to Nanami today?
=Help Yuuki who's getting bullied.
-Then will you hang out with me instead of Akane?
=Get lost!
That was the gist, right?
So Nanami's accepting my offer?
For Yuuki's sake?
......As expected of Nanami.
So noble.
She's so dazzling I can't even look at her face.
Nanami. I will make your pure love happen.
"Nanami. Yuuki's fine now."
"......Huh?"
"You don't need to do that. I'll protect and support her from now on. You don't have to worry about a thing."
"Ah...... Yeah."
I'll support their relationship and protect her from bullying too.
Nanami blushed happily—or shyly?—and bowed her head at my words.
But I wasn't done.
As a sub-char, I had to advise the pure love heroine, Nanami.
"And Nanami. From now on, value yourself more. You're not the kind of girl who can just casually bet herself."
Who knows what other trash will happen in this trash world.
So I wanted Nanami to embrace her role as the pure love heroine.
We—me and Yuuki—don't want her sacrificing herself for "Yuuki's sake."
I'd rather die first.
"You're far nobler than you think. Never say that kind of thing to any guy but me."
This time it was okay since it was me, but if it'd been anyone else, Nanami would've met a horrible end.
Nothing like that can happen to the girl I've picked for Yuuki.
Nanami went silent as a clam at my firm words.
Her upturned gaze trembled.
Her breathing and pulse were rapid.
She might really be sick.
—Heart failure.
Nanami really should go to the hospital ASAP.
"Nanami. When you get back, go straight to the hospital for a full checkup. Definitely."
"......You're not...... coming with me, Naibusu......?"
Huh? Me?
Wouldn't she need a guardian for that?
"......Sorry. I'd love to walk you back, but I have someone else to deal with first."
The final boss was still around.
A mind from nearby—probably the pool.
It was far too relaxed to belong to the woman who'd trapped two girls.
......Akane.
In our society, we call that water torture, not a game or bet.
"So Nanami, sorry, but could you go to the hospital alone?"
"......Naibusu......"
Don't linger— just go to the hospital already.
I phrased it as nicely as I could, but then Nanami suddenly grabbed my hand.
......Huh?!
Caught off guard by the surprise attack.
I froze with my hand in Nanami's grip.
"Naibusu. Akane's more dangerous than she looks. So please...... come back safe."
She whispered like a prayer, clasping my hand in both of hers.
I know better than anyone how dangerous Akane is.
Nanami didn't need to worry.
But...... who's coming back to who?
As I floundered for a response, Nanami leaned in closer.
No way.
-Mwah.
A soft sensation pressed against my cheek, right next to my lips.
I turned to stone.
"The next one...... I'll give you when you come back safe......"
Her face beet red, she pulled away with a pop.
"Na-Na......?"
While I stammered, speechless.
Nanami bolted out like she was fleeing.
Leaving that mind behind.
She dashed out of the changing room like a mountain goat scaling a cliff.
"......Na-Nanami?"
It was like her earlier wobbling weakness had been a lie.
......Huh?
Haaaah?!
Shiina Nanami!!
Aren't you supposed to be Yuuki's official wife?!
Why are you doing this to me?!
Why'd you get corrupted by this trash game too?!
Trash game!
Taking away my last hope!
Damn it! Damn it all!!
Come back, Nanami—!!
"......Haaah......"
I let out an empty sigh.
What the hell am I even doing?
What was the point of rushing here like an idiot to save Nanami......
Haa~.
......Whatever.
This isn't the time to slack off.
-Slap.
I smacked both my cheeks to snap out of it.
"......Akane."
—Finally, it was time to settle things with Akane.