Chapter 42
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 42
Chapter Title: 5.4 Managing Hina's Friends
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Morning.
The rain that had started falling yesterday was still coming down today.
I thought it was just a passing shower, but apparently not.
I walked through the rain with a gloomy mood weighing on me.
Umbrellas were a hassle.
And what happened with my sister yesterday lingered in my mind like a stubborn thorn.
I knew there was no point in dwelling on it.
But I couldn't let it go—I was dragging it around like dead weight.
And it wasn't just my sister nagging at me.
"Haa."
I let out a sigh in front of Yuuki's house.
Something had happened with Sana-san, Yuuki's mother, yesterday too.
She had tried to fulfill her promise to do something "nice" for helping Hina, and I'd summoned superhuman willpower to escape her temptation.
It wasn't that I disliked it. If anything, I admired Sana-san. I even felt respect for her devotion to her children.
That's exactly why I couldn't do something like that to her.
Defiling a mother by holding her kids hostage?
That was straight out of a pervert's playbook.
How could I face Yuuki and Hina after pulling something like that?
I deserved praise for resisting such a lethal temptation.
...But.
Even so, I was gradually falling.
I'd overcome the temptation yesterday, but if the same situation arose again, could I fend it off?
How long could I hold onto my reason?
"Fuu."
-Ding-dong.
I pressed the doorbell and let out a deep sigh, as if expelling all my inner turmoil.
I couldn't face Sana-san with such a sullen look.
She'd surely connect it to yesterday and start worrying unnecessarily.
I forced a smile onto my face.
"Come on in, Naibusu."
"Hello! Sana-san!"
"It's really pouring out there, huh? Come inside."
"Pardon the intrusion!"
Sana-san greeted me today with her usual radiant smile.
Her mature allure made my heart skip a beat without thinking.
My brain naturally recalled the sight of Sana-san's naked body from before.
Don't think about it. Don't even fantasize about tainting Sana-san, Naibusu.
I barely chased the lewd demon from my head and managed a natural expression.
"Sana-san, you're as beautiful as ever today!"
"Oh my. Thank you, Naibusu."
Mind Rune: 『Naibusu saying things like that. What does he mean? Is it a hint related to yesterday...?』
Ugh. I overdid the "natural" act and came off suspicious instead.
"Yuuki must be jealous having such a beautiful mom!"
I added that to cover, but Sana-san's face visibly darkened at my words.
Mind Rune: 『Poor Naibusu. He seems tough on the outside, but he must miss his parents a lot deep down. Is there something I can do for him?』
Oh no.
How do I fix this one?
It felt like anything I said would only make it worse.
"Naibusu!"
As I agonized, Hina shot between me and Sana-san like an arrow.
She spread her arms protectively in front of Sana-san, blocking me off.
"Get away from Mom! You pervert!"
"Oh my."
Hina glared at me with furrowed brows.
Mind Rune: 『He's trying to do something naughty to Mom too, just like he did to me!』
How did she know?
But if it was naughty stuff, I'd already done it—with way more intensity than with Hina.
Not that what I did to Hina even counted as naughty.
Sana-san smiled awkwardly at Hina's outburst.
"Sorry, Naibusu. Hina's still a bit immature."
But I was actually relieved by Hina's interruption.
Things had been getting awkward with Sana-san.
"Whoa! Hina! You're cute as ever today!"
I slipped my hands under Hina's armpits, where her arms were spread, and hoisted her up like a child.
"Kyaa! What are you doing, you pervert! Put me down!"
"Hahaha! Even when you're mad, you're cute, Hina!"
"Die!"
-Thwack.
"Gek."
"Oh my!"
Hina's kick landed squarely on my chin.
I set her down and toppled backward.
"Naibusu! Are you okay?"
Sana-san hurried over and stroked my bruised chin.
Her Recovery Rune kicked in.
Of course I'm fine. I'm pretty tough, after all.
"Ow ow ow...."
But to brush off the awkward situation, I pretended it hurt.
"Mom, don't bother with him. He's faking it—it doesn't even hurt that much."
How did she know?
Still, Hina, violent heroines aren't popular these days.
Try being a bit kinder, like your mom.
"Hina, that's no way to treat your brother's friend."
"Hmph!"
"Sana-san, I'm fine. It was my fault."
"But...."
Thanks to that, I got some of Sana-san's tender care.
As I put on this childish skit, Yuuki came out.
"...Naibusu? What are you doing on the floor?"
"Eek."
Yuuki looked puzzled at me sprawled in the entryway and Sana-san tending to me.
Yuuki knew my true nature, of course. She could tell getting knocked down by Hina was an act.
"Hey, Yuuki!"
I sprang up and threw an arm around Yuuki's shoulders.
"Got your bloomers? You won't get away with forgetting them again like last time, you know."
Hm? Something feels off.
Is it because she's smaller now?
The sensation against my arm was different, even though I hooked her the same way as before.
"Uh? Y-Yeah. I brought them."
Yuuki flustered at my sudden buddy-buddy act.
And Hina tried to wedge between us again.
"You pervert! Get away from big sis!"
Hina grunted, trying to squeeze in.
"Oh, Hina, wanna join too? Yuuki, arm around Hina as well."
I slotted Hina in the middle and threw arms around both their shoulders.
Yuuki gave a wry smile and draped an arm over Hina's shoulders too.
"You pervert! Let go! Get lost!"
"Hahaha! The one calling others perverts is the real pervert! Alright, Sana-san, we're off!"
"Have a good trip, everyone."
Sana-san waved us off with a smile as we left the entryway on (mostly) good terms.
Of course, the shoulder-hooking didn't last.
It was raining outside the door.
Three umbrellas walked side by side.
Me on the left, Yuuki on the right, Hina in the middle.
This was our standard formation whenever Yuuki or I walked with someone.
A natural setup to protect whoever ended up in the center.
"Pervert. I really hate you. I'll walk alone starting tomorrow."
"Heh heh. I know you'd secretly be sad if I really didn't show up. You're just shy, Hina."
"What? Even your thoughts are pervy. Big sis, don't hang out with a guy like that. He smiles to your face but plots something shady behind your back for sure."
"Haha. Naibusu wouldn't do that. And Naibusu, don't tease Hina too much."
Yuuki smiled and shot me a knowing glance.
I nodded back as if to say I got it.
And hey, I don't plot—I scheme organically.
At the next corner, as expected, a strange guy was waiting for us.
"Kurosaki?"
He wore the academy uniform, so probably a student.
But neither Yuuki nor I let our guards down.
"Huh? Kayama?"
Hina reacted like she knew him.
What? He really was a student?
I got spooked for nothing.
"What a coincidence. Headed to the academy?"
"Yeah. Me too."
Coincidence my ass. We all knew he'd been waiting.
"Hello. I'm Kayama Shinji, in class with Hina. You're her big sister, right?"
"Ah, yeah. Hi. Kurosaki Yuuki."
Mind Rune: 『Whoa~! That's Kurosaki's big sis? Awesome! The rumors were true! But...』
He pretended not to, but scanned Yuuki up and down.
Mind Rune: 『Eww! What's with this delinquent?』
His face soured when he saw me.
"Oh, hi? And who's that...?"
"Just some delinquent passing by."
"Hey, delin...?"
"Kayama, ignore him. He's nobody."
"Hina, that's harsh. After all we've been through."
"Hmph."
"Haha."
And just like that, Kayama slyly joined our group.
"Kurosaki—no, calling you by family name might confuse you with your sister? Can I call you Hina too?"
"Huh? Sure?"
Kayama was smoothly closing the distance with Hina.
It'd been a while since I'd seen a character with motives this obvious.
As I pondered what to do, I folded my umbrella and slipped under Kayama's.
"H-Hey?"
Mind Rune: 『What the? Why's this guy acting all buddy-buddy suddenly?』
I hooked arms with the flustered Kayama and said to Yuuki,
"Yuuki. You and Hina go on ahead. I need to talk with this guy."
"Oh? Got it."
Quick on the uptake, Yuuki took Hina and left.
In the original story, Hina hangs with bad friends, goes astray, and messes up her relationship with her brother.
I didn't know if Kayama was one of those bad friends from the original. They were nameless extras.
And I figured I'd already nipped Hina's delinquency flag when I spanked her.
But that didn't mean I could slack on managing her friends.
This was supposed to be Yuuki's role, but her intimidation factor had tanked since becoming a girl. No harm in me stepping in.
"Naibusu! What are you gonna do to my friend?"
"N-Naibu...?!"
Mind Rune: 『Naibusu! This guy's Naibusu Winzer?!』
Terror washed over Kayama's face.
Oh. So he knew me. That makes this quicker.
Mind Rune: 『This guy's a pain anyway—perfect. Dump him on Naibusu.』
"Naibusu! Don't kill him! Big sis, say something to Naibusu!"
Hina didn't like Kayama much either and half-jokingly warned me.
Yuuki, knowing it wasn't entirely a joke, gave a wry smile.
"Naibusu, go easy. And Hina, don't worry too much. Naibusu doesn't kill just anyone. Right?"
"Of course. I don't wanna kill unless I have to."
Mind Rune: 『I'm dead dead dead dead!』
I sent Yuuki and Hina ahead first, then dragged Kayama into the alley.
He followed meekly without protest.
"Kayama."
"Y-Yes, sir?!"
Kayama stood at rigid attention, tense as could be.
Good—he seemed reasonable.
"Kurosaki Yuuki is like a sibling to me. And her little sister Hina's like a little sister to me too. You get what I'm saying?"
"Yes, sir! I won't touch Kurosaki—absolutely!"
"Good. If everyone just acted like proper students, no one would have to die. Such a shame."
"H-Hic!?"
Kayama's face went ghost-white at the sight of Moonlight's blade drawn from my bag.
"I don't wanna kill Hina's friends either. You get my feelings, right?"
"Yes, sir!!"
"Alright. Go on."
"Yes!! Thank you for sparing me!!"
Kayama even handed me his umbrella before sprinting off into the rain.
He must've been terrified. I had no idea how he knew me, but my delinquent rep came in handy sometimes.
Twirling the umbrella he'd lent me, I whistled my way to the academy.
Perfect—mine was too small anyway.
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