Hina’s effortless takeover of Makoto’s spot left everyone speechless. What on earth had happened to Makoto to end up like this?
“…Hina-chan?”
With one hand snatching the trophy that Makoto had been holding, Hina exchanged glances with Iroha before passing Makoto along, giving a small nod towards the drone.
“To be honest, it was getting really hard to watch Chairperson Makoto throw a tantrum. And now she’s out cold… I guess it’s the first time I’m feeling grateful to her.”
Uh, hold on… you guys put her to sleep, didn’t you? I don’t know exactly how, though.
“I’ve confirmed the contents of the contract regarding the bet between Chairperson Makoto and Mika. Since Gehenna won, Mika has to accept the results. Just a moment ago, Chairperson Makoto exercised the authority of the victor and declared the start.”
“In other words, the contract stating that Mika will be Chairperson Makoto’s slave is valid until exactly one week from now. But since poor Makoto has gone and fallen asleep… it’s a hassle, but until then, we’ll be responsible for Mika’s safety on behalf of Makoto. This is clearly stated in the contract as well. In the case of Makoto’s absence, I, Natsume Iroha, will hold some authority over this contract.”
…I think there was a clause like that. Considering that at that time, Nagisa’s identity was a secret, it was grouped under T-party’s leader without me.
“Iroha-chan standing in means she intends to drag me into Gehenna no matter what, right…?”
“Yep, pretty much… Hah. This is such a hassle.”
Even while complaining, I could see the corners of Iroha’s mouth creeping upward. The pieces of the puzzle were starting to fit together.
The real reason Hina and Iroha teamed up during the opening match was likely that Hina had subtly diverted the cooperative front they had built for her own selfish desire or promised something in return.
If Makoto had to remain asleep like this for a week, Iroha would be able to legally slack off. Thus, the two of them—Hina, who wanted me, and Iroha, who was taking on the role of the contract’s agent—had ample justification to collaborate.
Even knowing that this would mean I’d end up as Makoto’s slave, Hina worked her hardest to win, driven by a sense of affection. But certainly, her intentions were filled with thoughts of backstabbing Makoto and whisking me away.
It made sense that Hina, putting off her position as the Student Council, had involved the Onsen Development Department and the Gourmet Research Club in the competition. Otherwise, realizing how slim the chances were of winning against Trinity, she would’ve felt compelled to enlist a helping paw, or more specifically, a cat.
But after getting that help, it wouldn’t be surprising to discover later that one of them was actually a cat burglar disguised as a cute kitty.
So, was Haruna involved in this situation or was she lurking as a separate faction aiming for me? I couldn’t be sure.
“Hina-san…”
“Let’s save the thanks for later, Nagisa.”
“…Thanks?”
For a moment, I was taken aback by Hina’s shameless remarks, but I sighed deeply and nodded.
After all, I suppose it was better for me to be entrusted to Hina, who gave consent, rather than rolling as Makoto’s slave.
Though my face certainly revealed my lingering frustration.
“Wah—oh.”
From my perspective, this wasn’t quite the bad deal. Wait, no—if I scrutinize it, this might even be a good deal, right?
Ultimately, I’m released from paperwork with a legitimate reason. Remembering my recent troubles, this is practically a vacation for me.
Given Hina’s highly rational demeanor, she wouldn’t ask for anything unreasonable from me either. So in comparison to being treated as Makoto’s slave, this is literally a heaven-and-hell difference.
Of course, even with the situation as it is, I can’t just shirk all responsibility.
Originally, I was supposed to leave the leadership of FOX Squad and Arius Squad to Nagisa in case I lost the bet. But now that things have turned out this way, I could run things directly without any issue.
Taking everything into account…
Does this mean that losing the bet is actually more beneficial for me?
Then why on earth did I stress about the festival, pushing my kids, and creating all that chaos?
A wave of disenchantment washed over me. Sure, I dodged Makoto’s slave status, but I vividly remembered pouring my heart out in front of thousands, feeling vulnerable. It made me feel like my innards were twisting.
After that, thanks to Hina representing Gehenna, the closing ceremony went smoothly. Hina’s practical and businesslike demeanor truly shines in moments like this.
If I had to voice a personal opinion, I’d say Hina fits the chairperson role of the Manma Battle far better than Makoto.
I almost felt bad for Makoto, but not really—when you strip away the physical power, that became the reality.
By the way, I wonder if Makoto is okay. Even if she’s out cold because of some squirrel’s sleeping potion, which would benefit the whole of Kivotos, it still feels a bit harsh.
*
When thinking about the number of participants for the Fuya Festival, one campfire wouldn’t be enough. So I prepared a total of three at once, and naturally, two of them ended up being occupied by the Gehenna and Trinity factions.
The remaining one gathered members from other academies or kids willing to mingle with those from different schools as I had hoped. So, I naturally headed first to the campfire where Trinity students were hanging out.
“Mika-senpai, you’re shining again today♡”
“Ahaha… How’s your mood today, Mika-senpai?”
“…Urawa Hanako-chan, Hifumi-chan?”
Come to think of it, the number of kids calling me senpai isn’t that many. Aside from Hifumi, Hanako, and Ichika, most refer to me as Mika-san or Mika-sama.
Sometimes there are exceptions like Saori or Azusa, who call me by just my first name… and then there are people like Sakurako or Hiyori who go one step further by adding -chan.
So, I predicted that whoever called me earlier was one of those three, but it turned out to be two.
“Both of you, good to see you! Are you enjoying the Fuya Festival?”
“Yes, of course. Making marshmallows is too dangerous with the fire this big, though. Mika-senpai, did you come here to meet people from Pater or Arius?”
“Well, sort of? I felt like everyone was rather down, so I thought I’d come to comfort them… And since I’ll be heading to Gehenna tomorrow, I figured this might be my last chance.”
“Uhuhuh, that sounds just like you, Mika-senpai. But it’s not like Hifumi and I aren’t feeling pretty down too. If you leave without comforting us, we might harbor a bit of resentment, you know?”
“Ahaha, if you put it that way, I feel like I can’t just say hello and leave. Okay, I suppose I can’t avoid it.”
“Really? Uh-oh… why are you lumping me in with Hanako-chan… and your tone changes when Mika-senpai is around——”
“Oh, Hifumi-chan. What do you mean by that? Isn’t it natural to speak politely in front of your senpai?”
The confused look Hifumi shot at Hanako and Hanako’s frantic attempts to quiet her were, from my standpoint, quite the comedy.
Somehow, Hanako, who had seemingly turned me into an idol, was desperately trying to hide her true self, but unfortunately, it had been a long time since I last saw that side of her.
As I debated whether or not to reveal this truth, I resolved to keep pretending for now. I was genuinely curious about how long I could maintain this act. Personally, I thought it might be hilarious to keep it up until Koharu and Hanako finally meet.
“Uhuh… I don’t really know, but I guess there’s some sort of reason behind Hanako-chan as well. But Mika-senpai, do you remember the promise you made last time?!”
“A promise…? Are you referring to the Peroro merchandise?”
“Yes, yes! That one! There’s a Peroro bed set to be released next month, but it’s a bit tight on my allowance… If it’s not too much to ask, can I use that promise for this? If it seems excessive, you can deduct from two instead, no problem…!”
“Ahaha, I distinctly remember that there were no conditions attached to that promise… Of course, you can! It would be no trouble for me at all. You don’t even need to deduct two.”
“Wow, wow—!”
Honestly, what am I supposed to do about this hardcore Peroro fan?
If I keep taking care of her like this, she might one day not be able to recognize anything without Peroro attached.
“Oh, by the way, I heard a Wave Cat bed is also being released…”
“Ah, really?”
“Ahaha, it’s true. The eyes on the headboard look a bit scary, though…”
Ah, that does sound a bit intimidating. Because it’s based on a cat that stands out with its eyes in the dark, it would definitely startle you if you woke up in the middle of the night to see that.
“Let’s go check it out together next time, Hifumi-chan!”
“Yes, since Momo Friends will be there too…!”
The gaze Hanako shot at me as if waking up a bit felt sharp. But what can I say, Hanako? Even if my feelings for Wave Cat aren’t as strong as they once were, that’s just the truth.
“By the way, how should I comfort our Hanako-chan? I can’t quite think of a suitable method.”
“Oh, you don’t need to do something grand… Could you promise me a signed item later?”
“Eh? Why a signature all of a sudden…”
At my question, Hanako broke into a strange smile. Why did I suddenly recall Wakamo’s “Sign please, I’ll just write down my name, I know nothing about signatures, just sign it for me” request?
“Uhuhuh, I’ve been studying various things recently. According to a book I read, the best time to invest is when no one else has. So…”
Raising her finger, Hanako beamed and spoke nonchalantly.
“If I could just be the first to own a signature from Mika-senpai, I think my mood would improve.”
Ah, come to think of it… that project did exist, didn’t it?
