Chapter 31
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 31
Chapter Title: 4.3 New Way to School
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“Hina! Who are you planning to kill?”
I rubbed the back of my head as I followed the two of them out of the house.
“That's why I survived—if you were a normal person, you'd be dead!”
Hina glared at me with a scowl as I grumbled.
“Hmph. If you've got a problem, try hitting me again!”
“You’re still sulking about getting your butt spanked? I thought we were over it.”
“Hmph!”
Was the chair not enough? Next time, something stronger...
Hina... Are you really trying to kill me?
“Yuuki, say something. Hina’s turning into a violent heroine.”
“I think Naibusu was in the wrong too.”
“Even you, Yuuki?!”
I felt a wave of despair at Yuuki’s prim reply.
Even self-willed Hina at least listened to her big brother.
Now no one could stop Hina...
“By the way, sis, when did you join the Student Council? The President's Guard?”
Hina sure had no trouble calling her “sis.”
I still couldn’t get used to Yuuki being a girl.
“Yeah... Actually, since yesterday.”
“Since yesterday? Out of nowhere?”
Well, from behind, she looked every bit the girl.
Narrow shoulders, slender neckline, waist, hips, legs.
Her walking posture was still a bit awkward.
But purely on looks, she was undeniably female.
Hmm.
...Is Yuuki actually, really a girl?
“Yuuki, are you going to wear a girls’ swimsuit too?”
“Of course! Idiot!”
Hina answered in Yuuki’s place.
“Why get mad? I was just curious.”
“Pervert! You think sis would wear a boys’ swimsuit?”
I glanced at Yuuki’s chest.
I’d felt it when I saw it yesterday, but it was way more womanly than Hina’s—at least.
“Hmm. Yeah, that’d be a problem in its own way.”
“Don’t look! Pervert!”
Hina shielded Yuuki’s chest with her bag.
Yuuki gave a wry smile at Hina.
“It’s fine, Hina. Naibusu really doesn’t mean anything by it.”
“That’s what I’m saying. Your boobs don’t spark any thoughts even if I look. No different from a guy’s chest.”
“What?! You pervert!”
-Thwack! Thwack thwack!
Hina, red with rage, swung her bag wildly.
People are already staring!
“Ow, that hurts, it really hurts. Yuuki! Stop her!”
“This one’s on you, Naibusu.”
Hina finally lowered her bag after beating me to her heart’s content.
“Huff, huff, just one more time, huff, say something like that!”
“Hina, you’re out of stamina.”
-Thwack!
I got hit again for no reason.
It didn’t really hurt.
“So, Yuuki, when did you get the girls’ uniform?”
“I didn’t buy it—President Mizuki gave it to me. Not just the uniform, but the girls’ swimsuit and gym clothes too.”
“The president?”
“Said it was a joining gift for the President's Guard.”
That was unexpected.
I didn’t know the president went that far.
She should take care of me sometime.
“So, Yuu-sis, were you already close with the Student Council President?”
The president was so cool yesterday. And the Guard Captain next to her.
Hina, don’t judge by appearances.
Those people aren’t as great as they look.
The only blemish was that blond behind them.
Hina, you little—! What nonsense!
I’m the ace there!
“No. I’ve barely talked to her. The president’s close with Naibusu, not me.”
“Naibusu?”
Hina eyed me suspiciously.
Suspicious. She must have some dirt on him and blackmailed him.
“...Hina. You’re thinking something weird again, aren’t you?”
“Hmph!”
“That’s too much.”
I slumped my shoulders again at Hina’s cold attitude.
“Hina, it’s true that Naibusu’s close with President Mizuki. He’s the one who got me into the Guard in the first place.”
“Really?”
Even with Yuuki’s explanation, Hina didn’t drop her suspicion.
“Really. You don’t know how much I groveled to help the president. I was crawling on the floor.”
“...Crawling? On the floor?”
A chill crept into Yuuki’s voice.
Oh crap. If she thinks I begged for her sake, she’ll be pissed.
She might quit the Guard right after I got her in.
“No, not in front of the president. There was the Guard Captain next to her.”
“Senior Sinozaki?”
“Yeah, that Senior Sinozaki. I asked her first, but she turned me down. She rolled over me and stomped me flat—no mercy.”
“Well, duh. She wouldn’t help with a favor from someone she’s not even close to.”
Hina pouted from the side.
Hina just wanted any excuse to tear me down.
“Anyway, the president overheard and offered to help.”
Yuuki walked on with a blank expression, silent.
No idea what she was thinking.
“The president’s a good person. She’d help anyone in trouble, even if it’s Naibusu. She’s a role model.”
“What’re you saying? It’s all thanks to my charm. Hina, you should be grateful to me. I rolled up my sleeves, and that’s why it worked out.”
“Hmph. The president did all the work anyway.”
“That’s my network too. In modern society, connections are power.”
“Oh, sure.”
Hina sneered at my complaints.
This cheeky brat!
When could I grab her and spank her again?
No, that might tank her already low affection even more.
At least we could bicker like this normally—count my blessings.
“Oh. Naibusu, over there.”
“Huh?”
Speak of the devil.
President Mizuki and Shinoshino were waiting at the alley entrance.
“Oh, President and Shinoshino.”
The president gave a small wave.
And Shinoshino looked dissatisfied again, somehow.
I hurried over and spoke to the president.
“What’s up? The president walking to school?”
“I was waiting for you two. I have something to say.”
“Something to say?”
How do I put this? The Student Council and Guard aren’t happy with the special treatment for Kurosaki.
Hmm. Well, I already knew that.
I’d overheard the Guard grumbling via Mind Rune at lunch yesterday when the president met Hina.
They just didn’t know Yuuki’s strength.
If the president had something to say, she could’ve just called. Waiting on the street hurts her dignity.
Shinoshino followed the president’s lead as Guard Captain, but personally wasn’t thrilled.
“Hello, President, Guard Captain.”
Yuuki greeted them stiffly.
“Ah, hello!”
And Hina was extremely polite.
If she showed me even half—no, a tenth of that courtesy...
“Hello, Kurosaki siblings.”
The president returned the greeting politely.
Shinoshino just nodded slightly.
That was normal for a senior not close to them.
The overly polite president was the odd one.
“President, what did you want to talk about?”
“Shall we walk and talk?”
The president and Shinoshino led the way, with us behind.
Yuuki looked tense, Hina fidgety.
Normal reaction to suddenly going to school with the Student Council President.
The president spoke first as we strolled leisurely.
“You know that Kurosaki joining the Guard wasn’t the usual process, right?”
“Yeah. More or less.”
The normal process for joining the Guard was pretty involved.
One: Get recommended by a Student Council member.
Two: Pass the review.
Three: Get full Guard approval.
If anyone opposed, you needed guarantors equal to the number of objectors.
Yuuki looked a bit confused at the explanation.
“Ah... Yes.”
She’d never heard of it before. She hadn’t planned to join until recently.
“The only exception is a direct recommendation from the Student Council President. Skips all the hassle. Like with Kurosaki.”
My recommendation was worthless paper to the Guard. Half would’ve opposed outright.
So Yuuki joined nominally on the president’s recommendation.
But everyone knew it was really mine, so the Guard members grumbled.
I’d snuck my friend in using the president’s name.
“That’s caused some dissatisfaction in the Guard. You follow so far?”
“Uh... Yeah. So, if I quit the Guard...”
“It’s not an organization you join and leave on a whim. Quitting over minor complaints would admit the selection was flawed from the start.”
Exactly. Canceling a president’s recommendation undermined her authority.
“So, Kurosaki, I’d like you to go through a review to convince the Guard.”
“Hold on, President.”
“What is it, Naibusu?”
“Is this review the same kind I went through?”
“Yes. Exactly.”
The review was basically a skill test.
Spar with confident Guard members to prove your worth.
I’d fought a bunch, including Shinoshino, back then.
And passed, obviously...
“President, can we keep the reviewers minimal? Ideally just you, me, and Shinoshino here.”
“...Why?”
I glanced at Shinoshino before answering.
“They might be shocked by the skill gap.”
“...Does that mean our Guard is weak?”
“Honestly? Yes.”
Shinoshino’s fist trembled.
Progress that she didn’t butt in.
Or maybe she felt our gap firsthand before.
“How do you compare to Naibusu?”
“I’ve never beaten Naibusu once since the Great Catastrophe.”
Yuuki answered before I could.
“Yuuki, you say that like it’s a badge of honor?”
“It’s the truth. And even without me, no one can beat Naibusu, so nothing to be ashamed of.”
Well, if Yuuki went all out, she’d win maybe 20 out of 100.
Her Rune was pure combat, mine was levels and physicals.
And I knew at least two stronger than me.
“...Fine. Shinoshino, prepare a secret review. Minimal personnel.”
“Understood.”
Shinoshino, don’t glare like that.
This is to protect your honor too.