Chapter 102: Natural is the worst enemy.

Translator: Soafp

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[Natsuko PoV]

My name is Noguchi Natsuko. I’m like an ordinary high school girl you can find anywhere. Currently, I’m using my phone during class, which might make me look like a delinquent to someone who doesn’t know what’s going on. However, that’s not the case.

In our class, we are allowed to use our smartphones during class time for preparations related to the cultural festival. Right now, I’m researching the going rates for a maid cafe to figure out what we should do for our class. The teacher seems to have a policy of giving us complete control, and he told us to report any problems if they arise. He seems to value our initiative.

Now, when Sensei leaves, students naturally start fooling around or dawdling, and our class is no different.

“Hey, how about a match?”

“It’s not the time for that right now; it’s time for cultural festival preparations.”

“True. Then, we’ll have a match after we finish our work.”

It seems like they’re planning some sort of contest between Maguro and Fried horse mackerel, also known as Kuroda-kun, is refusing and making a chain with paper.

On the other hand, there’s Gindou-san…

“As expected of Izayoi-kun! You’re doing it right!”

“Kuroda-kun’s pushiness is still impressive.”

“I’m the Izayoi first, after all!”

Her likability keeps rising, and it’s almost like it’s getting too high. I hope she won’t get too carried away and start doing things like stabbing people with a knife because she’s “jealous.”

While thinking about such things, we continue to work diligently. Our class is filled with high-spec students like Kimchika-kun, Maguro-kun, Gindou-san, so everything moves incredibly fast. Kimchika-kun took care of getting the costumes, decided on the budget in a matter of minutes, and assigned positions in seconds. It’s unbelievably efficient.

However, Kuroda-kun was muttering, “Although Kohaku-san is going to be a maid, this budget seems too low. It feels like it’s missing seven zeros.” But we’ll accept it as part of the cultural festival. Well, if there’s extra time, then…

“Now, it’s time for our match! With this card game!”

“Haa, fine.”

Kuroda-kun lets out a sigh as he sets up the card game with Maguro-kun. What on earth are they doing at school?

The match begins. Both of them are setting up their decks, and even brought playmats…

“I summon the Divine Dragon Volga!”

Maguro-kun plays some glittering card. I don’t really understand, but the boys in the class are watching their match with intense interest. From what I’ve heard, this card game is very popular and has even been adapted into an anime, enjoyed by kids and adults alike. Many of the boys in our class seem to be fans.

“Hoh, he summoned Volga here…”

“He deliberately played it at this timing…”

“Now, how will he deal with it?”

Hmm, what’s with this atmosphere? The boys are using words that sound like they’re discussing something significant, but I have no clue what’s going on.

“I’ll end my turn without attacking.”

“Daring not to attack… Is he looking ahead or just making a bad decision?”

“But this was a good moment to attack. Fried horse mackerel must be confused right now.”

No, seriously, what’s with these explanations? Didn’t he just leave that monster as a potential blocker? I mean, I don’t know the rules, but…

“The atmosphere of those boys…”

“Do you understand something, Gindou-san?”

“They’re like the commentary characters that appear in battles in the anime that Izayoi-kun and Karen-senpai watch.”

“They were just fooling around, weren’t they?”

I’ll never understand these occasional antics of the boys. While I’m pondering this, it’s Kuroda-kun’s turn. He raises a card dramatically and performs some kind of act before summoning.

“The concept of a dragon that’s your arch-nemesis during gym class and on curry days. I summon the Inflammation Dragon – Common Cold Dragon!”

He slams the card onto the playmat with so much force it’s like he’s playing a menko game. Why did he speak like that before summoning?

“Don’t tell me, that’s his secret weapon…”

“So you had it hidden too… But to summon that dragon, you have to destroy one monster during the summon.”

“But that summoning performance… It’s so painfully relatable…”

While everyone, including the boys, is still surprised, Kuroda-kun sends a card that was originally already summoned to the graveyard.

“I met the summoning conditions with the Mini Dragon.”

Oh, that poor little dragon…

“Ugh, he summoned the Inflammation Dragon – Common Cold Dragon here…”

“Furthermore, when the Inflammation Dragon – Common Cold Dragon is summoned, you can use a special card unconditionally. I activate the Extra Magic Card ‘Snot Breath Released from the Dragon’ unconditionally. This allows me to destroy your Divine Dragon. And then, I activate the special-purpose Extra Magic Card ‘Mom Bought Pudding That’s Somehow Sweeter Than Usual’ unconditionally. This increases the Common Cold Dragon’s attack by +3000… Now, for the attack… It’s an attack with a total attack points of 7000…”

“I lose…”

What are you guys even doing? I’m baffled. But it seems like Kuroda-kun won, and that day, Maguro-kun said he’d change his deck. Kuroda-kun’s smug expression…

There’s no one normal in this class except for me… Well, it’s fun, so it’s all good.

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[Moegi PoV]

“My name is Kikawa Moegi. Right now, I’m preparing dinner. I’m setting out chopsticks and small plates on the dining table at his house. It’s not just me; everyone is helping.

Today’s dinner was prepared by Aoi-chan. It’s nikujaga (a Japanese meat and potato stew) and cabbage rolls. It might seem a bit cliche, but I doubt Aoi-chan had that intention.

Today, something feels off about my usual dinner arrangement. Normally, Kohaku-chan sits beside him, and Karen-chan sits on his other side, right across from me. But today, for some reason, Aoi-chan is sitting next to him, and everyone else is in different seats from our usual positions. It’s not like we have assigned seats or anything, but… this is…

By the way, Mel-chan seems to have sensed something and said she’ll eat later, heading back to the lab.

“Um, Aoi-Senpai … why are you sitting there?”

“What do you mean?”

“Well, you see, normally, I sit next to Izayoi-kun, but today, it’s different, isn’t it?”

“Right…”

“I was wondering why that is…”

“Why, indeed… I didn’t really think about it… It just happened naturally…”

“Eeh? That’s….”

Kohaku-chan seems a bit puzzled. With the new seating arrangement, Kohaku-chan and Karen-chan are sitting next to each other today. Karen-chan is also tilting her head in confusion.

“Anyway, let’s eat before it gets cold.”

“Umm… well, yes. Let’s eat it as it is today… Just for today.”

“No, it can’t be, right? No flags raised, right?”

Kohaku-chan emphasizes “just for today,” indirectly suggesting that tomorrow is for me. On the other hand, Karen-chan sends a suspicious look in Aoi-chan’s direction. I can’t help but wonder if this is the beginning of a new chaotic situation… and at the center of it all, he…

“…”

She definitely noticed Aoi-chan’s change, right? Uhh, what should I do… it’s like there is a rift between them right now. If Aoi-chan makes a certain move here, it would truly become a chaotic situation.”

But because the food might get cold, we all start eating. Aoi-chan sits next to him and talks to him while looking into his eyes.

“How is it? Is it delicious?”

“Eh? Y-Yeah, it’s really good!”

“I made it for you, so I’m glad you like it… Actually, I wanted to make curry or fried chicken, but I’ve made those recently, so I went with this menu.”

“I see… Thank you so much!”

“Yeah. Eat as much as you want, and feel free to have seconds…”

“I-I will!”

Eeh? Why is she being so upfront? Is she making a move now? Well, it might be too hasty to call it a move. Others, besides me, are still unsure whether Aoi-chan is trying to appeal to him or not.

“”Nom nom, gulp…“”

Their suspicious glances are locked onto him and Aoi-chan. He seems to have noticed, but Aoi-chan hasn’t. And when his plate runs out of cabbage rolls, she takes it and serves him more.

“Here you go. Keep eating…”

“T-Thank you.”

He takes the seconds she serves and Aoi-chan watches him closely. She’s looking at him, and she’s not eating anything herself.

“Um, aren’t you going to eat?”

“I haven’t seen you eat yet…”

I can’t tell if this is natural or intentional; however, I can’t make a judgment. But finally, Kohaku-chan and Karen-chan make their moves in response to her behavior. Karen-chan’s sarcastic comment is like a referee’s announcement. And Kohaku-chan stops Aoi-chan like a referee would.

“…..Izayoi, you harem protaganist”

Karen-chan’s sarcastic remark. And Kohaku-chan, like a referee, intervenes.

“W-Wait a second!”

“What is it?”

“Um, Aoi-Senpai … isn’t this a bit… overly deliberate?” (Kohaku)

I never expected Kohaku-chan to say that… and neither did Karen-chan. She sends a slightly annoyed look towards Kohaku-chan, but they seem to share the same sentiment.

“What do you mean?”

“First of all, what’s with this menu? Cabbage rolls and nikujaga… Can you please tone down the perfect wife act?”

“I didn’t really think about it…”

“And also, ‘I’ll get you seconds,’ ‘Have some more,’ it’s a bit too obvious, don’t you think? That’s my specialty!”

“I don’t really understand what Kohaku is saying…”

Is it okay to say things like “specialty” and such? Kohaku-chan? You’re keeping the fact that you’re acting deliberately cute a secret, right? Saying that in front of him, she accidentally lets out something she shouldn’t.

However, Aoi-chan’s reaction to this… Could she really be naturally clueless? Is it possible for someone to be both clueless and crafty? If that’s the case… a bombshell might be about to drop…

“Kohaku, let’s calm down. We’re eating.”

“I-I am calm! It’s just that if I don’t this, our characters overlap, and my presence gets overshadowed! Please don’t steal my identity!”

“I don’t really get it, but… is it because Kohaku’s specialty is being deliberately cute, you shouldn’t do that?”

“That’s right. Deliberately cute is my specialty… I mean, no! Izayoi-kun, I don’t calculate and act deliberately cute! It’s just that I’m naturally a good wife with a good personality, so my actions are always like this!”

Oh, she realized she dug herself into a hole. Kohaku-chan’s panicked expression. And Karen-chan also seems to be in a hurry.

“A heroine who’s unaware? Does that even exist? But everyone’s unfair! I can’t be honest and have lovey-dovey moments with Izayoi… Let me have more of those!”

Her anger seems to be directed somewhere else. And after this, a ruthless and deliberate battle of cuteness will be held.

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