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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Nekorune
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*Whirr!*
The automatic doors at the front of the apartment building slid open. Chinami emerged, shoulders slumped, shuffling her feet. Renka, who had been checking the time, looked up at her and smiled.
“You’re up? I almost called you. You would’ve been in trouble.”
“Yes… Sorry… I didn’t sleep well last night…”
“Were you looking at limited-edition Momo-chan goods again?”
“No… I was just… thinking about a few things…”
“Really…? Let’s head to the station. We’re going to be late.”
“Okay… But Renka, aren’t you hungry? Want a sandwich? I brought some from the table.”
Sandwiches from Chinami’s place? They were bound to be slathered in peach jam.
“I’m fine. I had a quick bite.”
“Oh…? Have some more.”
Chinami rubbed her eyes, trying to wake up, and offered the sandwich. Renka waved her hand dismissively.
“I’m full.”
“You’re full after a quick bite?”
“Well, it’s morning… Anyway, nothing happened yesterday, right?”
Renka abruptly changed the subject. But…
“Yesterday…? Yesterday… Yesterday…”
Chinami’s reaction was a little strange. She repeated the same word, and her pupils suddenly dilated.
“Whoa…!? Yesterday…?”
Her face flushed crimson, her eyes darted around, and her fingers fidgeted. Observing her friend’s unusual behavior, Renka asked again, with a hint of suspicion, “Chinami…? I asked if anything happened…”
“N-n-nothing happened…”
Her reaction would be suspicious to anyone. Renka’s fists clenched at Chinami’s stammering reply.
“Chinami… Don’t tell me you and Matsuda…”
“What!?”
“…”
Chinami’s shocked reaction at the mention of Matsuda’s name confirmed Renka’s suspicions. She stopped dead in her tracks, her eyes narrowing. Matsuda must have done something perverted to Chinami. Convinced of this, Renka met Chinami’s gaze.
“Chinami. Can you tell me in detail? What did you do yesterday?”
“…I-I had a massage…”
“What kind of massage?”
“An oil massage…”
An oil massage… She’d said she had the same kind of massage last time, too. But her current reaction suggested that something unspeakable had happened during yesterday’s massage.
“Th-that’s why I’m so tired today…”
Renka gulped at Chinami’s words. She stared at her friend, noticing the shyness in her voice and expression.
‘Hmm…?’
Chinami showed no signs of distress. On the contrary, she looked like something good had happened. Like when she managed to snag a limited-edition Momo-chan item.
Renka wondered if she was misreading the situation. Was she being overprotective? As naive as Chinami was, she wasn’t foolish enough to fall for Matsuda’s smooth talk…
Or had Chinami acquiesced to, or even consented to, something Matsuda had done? Was that why she was making that face?
Then what exactly had they done?
She was curious. But if it was what she suspected, it was probably best not to ask.
“Renka… Matsuda didn’t force me to do anything…”
Chinami’s voice, though trembling, was earnest. Renka’s expression softened slightly.
“Really?”
“Yes… We just… strengthened our bond as master and disciple…”
“A bond…? You didn’t do anything… indecent, right…?”
“What do you mean, indecent things?! You worry too much.”
“Then why is your face so red?”
“Gah…!”
“See?! Even now, just by talking about Matsuda…”
“Hmm…! Renka. Nothing you’re worried about happened. So isn’t that okay…?”
It wasn’t okay. Renka felt like Chinami was falling deeper and deeper into Matsuda’s clutches. She wanted to press for details, but she’d been feeling like she was suffocating Chinami lately, and she hesitated, worried about invading her privacy.
‘This is driving me crazy…’
It seemed clear that what Renka was worried about hadn’t happened. She could tell by looking into Chinami’s eyes. She was telling the truth.
Shouldn’t that be enough?
That being said, Matsuda was still unsettling… But she would let it go for now. She needed to talk to Matsuda, too.
Renka nodded.
“Alright…”
Chinami beamed and patted Renka’s back.
“See? Put aside your suspicions about Matsuda and try this sandwich.”
“I told you I already ate…”
“Oh, come on…!”
Chinami offered the sandwich with a stern expression. Renka chuckled and, unable to resist her cute friend’s insistence, opened her mouth.
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[Are you at school?]
A text from Renka. It was the first time she’d initiated a conversation. What was it about? It was probably about yesterday. I had no idea how much Chinami had told her.
[Yes.]
As soon as he sent the reply, another text from Renka arrived.
[Can you come to the back of the cafeteria? I need to talk to you.]
It was a request, not a demand. So she wasn’t angry? I’d have to go and see for myself.
After excusing myself from Miyuki, I left the classroom and headed to the spot Renka had indicated. She was there, pacing back and forth with her arms crossed. Spotting me approaching, she strode towards me and asked point-blank,
“What did you do yesterday?”
“I was with Master.”
“So what did you do with Chinami?”
How much had Chinami told her? They were close, but she probably hadn’t mentioned the climax. In that case, I should be vague and try to subdue Renka’s aggressive tone.
“A massage.”
“Was it really just a massage?”
“Yes. I gave her a massage, and then I took her home. Her legs were weak, so I walked her to her door. That’s all.”
“…Really…?”
“That’s what I said. Are you Master’s mother or something?”
“What…?”
“Why do you keep trying to control her?”
“Hey…! Control her?! You know how Chinami is. She’s kind and innocent. If you… no, I mean… um… anyone would be worried about her around someone with a strange, lewd aura, wouldn’t they?”
It was understandable that she’d think that way. Especially since I’d made that suggestive wish to her before. Her attitude was only natural. I should be grateful she wasn’t being even harsher.
She’d trailed off just now, probably meaning to say, “Anyone would be worried about her being around someone like you.”
She was getting tame after a bit of training. My good little slave… How commendable.
But her language was still rough. I needed to teach her a lesson.
“So, you’re saying I’m the one with a lewd aura?”
My low voice made her falter slightly.
“Wh-what…? Does that hit a nerve…? You can’t say it’s a good thing… pushing someone that hard…”
My previous wish must have left quite an impression on her, judging by her rambling. The lingering master-slave dynamic probably contributed to her reaction as well.
“Who did I push? You?”
“Y-yes…! Forcing your weird preferences on me…”
“It was a wish.”
“Even if it was a wish… Don’t you think there’s a line?”
“Did you respect boundaries when you made me work for free, captain?”
“That’s…! You said you didn’t want to get paid…!”
“The uncles offered to pay me because I worked hard. You never intended to pay me in the first place.”
“How do you know what I intended?! And what do you mean, the uncles…? Are we cousins or something…?”
Hmm… A twisted love between cousins… That was a little… just a little arousing. Maybe I should incorporate that into a role-playing scenario later.
I chuckled at Renka’s protests and shrugged.
“Well, the uncles liked me.”
“…”
She had nothing to say to that. It was true that the twins liked me.
Annoyed by my nonchalant attitude, Renka bit her lip. What if she hurt her pretty lips? I wanted to kiss them better.
“What? Are you upset?”
“Of course I am…!”
“That hurts… But Renka.”
“What…!”
“You look pretty today.”
“Wh-what…?”
She looked shocked, even horrified, by my casual compliment. Did she hate it that much? That really hurt.
She looked around, expressing her disgust with her whole body, and scowled.
“Are you crazy…? Did you hit your head or something…?”
Still, compared to the training camp, I felt our relationship had progressed significantly. It was progress in a slightly different direction, and the bitterness was only barely diluted with a spoonful of sweetness, but still.
“Come on, I meant it sincerely, and all you say is that I hit my head…? I’m disappointed.”
“Disappointed?! Don’t play with me…!”
The conversation had shifted its focus entirely to us.
“Is it really something to get this angry about?”
“…Y-you’re trying to threaten me again, aren’t you…!?”
“Why would you think that?”
“Y-your voice got lower…! I can sense your killing intent…!”
“To be able to sense killing intent just from my voice… That’s amazing. Are you a manga character?”
“Ugh…!”
Hmm… The mixture of annoyance, frustration, and anger on her face was arousing. When should I use the last wish? I wanted to train her all day long… I’d have to see how things played out. I ought to call on her before her inner slave completely disappeared.
“If you’re done, can I go? Class is about to start.”
Renka flinched at my words and checked the time on her phone. She sighed and nodded.
“Fine… Go. We’ll talk later.”
“You can text me.”
“…Just go.”
“You take care too.”
“I never said to take care.”
“Thanks, I will. See you later.”
I grinned, waved, and walked away from the dumbfounded Renka. She probably wanted to warn me not to mess with Chinami, but she ended up getting played instead.
Renka was surprisingly naive.
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Thanks for the chapters Neko