Hentai Ouji to Warawanai Neko. Volume 13 Chapter 3

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Run, Steel

Tsutsukakushi Tsukushi was enraged. She had made up her mind to rid herself of her title of ‘Steel King.’ The Steel King does not understand words from overseas. She was a righteous Yamato Nadeshiko¹ of the track-and-field club. She led her juniors, and lived a fulfilling high school life. However, she was more faithful towards her studies than anything else.

If there was a junior who was having trouble in the club, she would give them a word of advice, and if there were a classmate who had trouble with classes, she would look after them. The Steel King was popular within the school, and talked daily with countless people.

She had been confessed to more than once or twice. Every time, she rejected them, saying that she didn’t belong to a single person. This only led to the title of ‘King’ being attached to her.

The King does not understand the hearts of the people. The King is the King, standing a step above the others. Even if the people’s feelings didn’t get through to her, she will care for others. That is what the people thought.

The Steel King was perfect. That was why—

Tsutsukakushi Tsukushi made up her mind to rid herself of the title of ‘Steel King.’

*

It happened during her third year, during the fall. The university exams were planned for a few months later, meaning this was a time for her to focus on her studies. Nobody was allowed to bother her. Everyone who entered the library room currently occupied by the King immediately took care of their business and rushed outside. People were always talking to her in the classroom, on the school grounds, or on the way to school, so this library room was her only safe haven.

“Hm…”

Today, she sat alone at the counter, facing a white wall. She let out a melancholic sigh, but she hadn’t even taken out the King’s reference book from her bag yet. Instead, she had a magazine opened up on the table in front of her. It was filled with bridal pictures. Just how much time had passed since she started looking at me.

“…Me too.” Even though she had only muttered these words, they filled the library room.

In a panic, she glanced around at her surroundings, and let out a sigh upon seeing that nobody was watching her. She returned her gaze to the magazine. The pure white dresses, the lovable tiara, the beautiful flower bouquets, they all had enough impact to draw her gaze. And now that she had given in once, it was unable to return.

“—I want to get married…” This time she spoke more clearly as her intoxicated eyes drifted over the pages.

She wanted to get married. From the bottom of her heart, she wished for it. The King is a child of a human, thus a girl you could find anywhere. Her mother had been stern, kind, and raised her in quite an unrefined way, but she loved her husband nonetheless. The Steel King had seen her own mother wearing wedding attire in pictures from her wedding.

That was probably where her obsession with wedding dresses came from. If there was an option for her to try on a wedding dress, she would head there with her little sister and take pictures all day. If there was a bridal test banquet, she would head there with her little sister and eat food all day. Not many people know that Tsukiko had been banned from one of those for eating a year’s worth of food. “Just please get married and never come again,” said the staff.

There was a time when she would beat up boys at the school in order to protect her lovable little sister. However, that shouldn’t be needed any longer. Tsukiko has reached a mature age, and she’ll be able to stand her ground on her own. There was no reason that should stand in her way anymore. However—

“—Um, club president, do you have a moment right now?” From the back of the library room came a voice.

“Go ahead.” Tsutsukakushi Tsukushi slowly turned around.

Standing there was a male junior of hers. His name was Yokodera Youto. He had average looks, and he was looking at her with a fairly indifferent expression on his face. Imagining the sight of him doing stretches every single day near the pool’s concrete wall, the Steel King couldn’t hold back a smile.

“I’m sorry to bother you doing your studies. It’s about next week’s club practice. Since the weather isn’t looking too great, and the local marathon is coming up close, the sport clubs are having a meeting—” He stopped talking and stared at the table behind the Steel King. “Club president, what is that?” More accurately, he had spotted the magazine, and was blinking in confusion.

“Dowaaaaaaaaah!”

“Gyaaaaa!?”

The Steel King let out a questionable cough and flipped the table over. Her junior’s eyes were wide open in shock as she picked up the magazine, holding it in her arms.

“That was just practice to test my strength.”

“Ahh, I see—Wait, you can’t just half-destroy school property! If you feel the need to pull on something, at least use my precious and slender rascal down there!”

“Your what now?”

“I’m sure that your herculean strength will bring me to new heights…”

“New heights?”

“Ah, no, don’t stretch it any more than that! No, no, please! The tip will pierce the heavens, and my twins down there will turn into elephants!” Yokodera’s body seemed to be quivering in pleasure.

What was he even imagining? His gaze moved up towards the sky, drool coming from his mouth. The Steel King didn’t feel too comfortable watching him like this. However, this happened pretty often. Most likely, he was using his body to express the tyrannical unfairness of the world. The Steel King realized that she had gone too far and reflected on her actions.

“Yokodera, you’ve taught me something yet again…”

“Fuhehe… ehe?” Yokodera seemed taken aback by the smiling King.

He wasn’t just a saint right now. He would support the student council members by bringing chairs when they were hanging posters up high, he’d clean the stairs in front of the wind instrument music club or the tennis club’s court until he could see himself reflected in it. The Steel King often saw him act with consideration towards girls in this school.

“Yokodera. This is merely a hypothetical question. An extremely unlikely hypothetical scenario.”

“Y-Yes, what is it?”

“What would you think… if I said I wanted to get married?” She asked in a natural tone.

Yokodera flashed his white teeth in a big grin as he responded.

“That probably won’t happen!”

“…It won’t happen…” Tsutsukakushi Tsukushi’s expression clouded.

It was too fast of a response. It was too cruel. The junior she had relied on had showed no restraint, which was rare for him.

“Ah, wait, that’s not what I meant! I was just saying that it’ll be pretty difficult!” He frantically waved his hands, trying to explain himself. “See, MaiMai… the vice club president Maimaki, would probably go crazy, don’t you think?”

“Really?”

“Along with her, you have all of your precious childhood friends. They’ll probably protect you from any possible candidate…”

The vice club president he mentioned was one year younger than Tsutsukakushi Tsukushi, and her childhood friend. Around the time she had started attending grade school here, they’d been fighting constantly, and they eventually went on to become friends.

“Even if it’s not to MaiMai’s level, I’m sure that the other club members would be shocked to see you get married. You have an image of a holy and unparalleled Steel King, right?”

“An image…” Tsutsukakushi Tsukushi’s expression grew darker again.

It was impossible for it to not be related to her image. She had known. If anything, she had always assumed that to be the case. As of late, the confessions had stopped coming in, and everyone else was just acting respectfully towards her. The Steel King doesn’t understand the hearts of the people. A King dwells in a societal position far removed from others.

“The King is evil, and all bad things reside with them…” She muttered.

A storm raged in her eyes. Tsutsukakushi Tsukushi was nothing but a normal girl.

“Then again, marrying such girls is what makes us men! Hehe!”

She heard a faint blabbering from Yokodera, but none of that really mattered to her.

“I am tired of being King. I need to live my own life.”

At the same time, her feelings that deeply admired a wedding dress were not calming down. She decided she would throw away her image as the untouchable King and remove any obstacles to her dream of getting married.

*

That evening, Tsutsukakushi Tsukushi prostrated herself in front of her little sister.

“Please grant me three days of freedom.”

Luckily, she had three days off from school starting today. For the first time in her life, she wanted to break free from always being cared for by her little sister and spend time for herself. In that period, she wanted to gather her strength and charm as a woman and throw away the social stigma that she was the reigning King.

“Nee-san…” Tsukiko watched her older sister rubbing her head against the tatami floor.

More than being a girl, you are a university examinee right now, so would you just focus on your studies? She couldn’t bring herself to say these words. She knew just how serious her older sister was studying. And, thanks to her visiting all those bridal viewings and parties, she could always fill her stomach to the brim. Feeling full in her stomach, and happy in her heart, she decided to accept her older sister’s request.

“If anything, are three days enough?” She asked with a serious expression.

Tsukiko figured that she would take longer than that.

“Three days is more than enough!” Tsutsukakushi Tsukushi said with confidence. “I always keep my promises. Three days is more than enough. Though it should be expected that you don’t believe me. However, Maimaki Mai said she would come to my home, so she will be my hostage.”

“Hostage?”

“If I don’t increase my charm as a woman and return here during the third day, you can kill her.”

“Kill her?”

“Please.”

It was quite the odd turn of events.

It was the final night before the three days, a Friday. MaiMai arrived in her pajamas, with her own pillow, clearly excited. This poor child knew nothing of the circumstances until Tsutsukakushi Tsukushi told her.

“I’m a hostage!?” Maimaki Mai blinked in confusion.

The person who had been called in to witness, Yokodera, tilted his head.

“Isn’t killing her going a bit too far?”

“It was just an example. However, Maimaki is a woman. If I were to come home late, she surely has enough determination to be boiled, burned, or squashed.”

“Hugging MaiMai so hard she gets squashed… and even beyond that… Interesting…”

“I am not that determined! Not at all!” Maimaki Mai revolted, but Yokodera quickly tied her up.

“Club president—your feelings, I am moved to tears!” And then, he shook the hand of his beloved senior. “Please make it back in time. We have our local marathon next week. Of course, if it takes longer, then it cannot be helped, and I will do my best in your place. MaiMai and I will… Ehehe… work hard… huehue… So don’t worry about us… Keke.”

“Ohh, Yokodera my friend. You really are a life-saver.”

“Honestly, take your time. We believe in you, so we are ready to climb the stairs to adulthood if it helps you out… Hueheue.”

“Club president! Look at his eyes! His face is unlike that of a human! He’s even licking his lips like he’s looking at dessert!” Maimaki Mai started screaming like she was begging for her life.

However…

“It’ll be fine.”

“What will!? My chastity!? I highly doubt that!”

Tsutsukakushi Tsukushi embraced Maimaki Mai.

“A martyr’s feelings are never for naught.”

“Listen to me! And who are you calling a martyr!? You’re just throwing me into a cage with a wild beast!”

Tsutsukakushi Tsukushi smiled. Maimaki Mai was really good at telling jokes. However, no words were needed between friends.

“Hmmm…” After this, she turned towards her little sister Tsukiko, who was giving Yokodera a suspicious gaze. “Tsukiko, I’ll leave the rest to you.”

“Understood. I will take care of everything here.”

The two sisters exchanged handshakes. Right after, Tsutsukakushi Tsukushi left on her trip.

*

It was the first clear starry sky of the fall. Instead of relying on all-night busses, however, she ran by the shining moonlight. A cab? That just sounded scary. Since she had always been raised close to home, she was unfamiliar with such means of transportation.

The following day, specifically in the morning, she arrived at Narita Airport. The sun had just started to rise, and people were starting to go about their work.

Why did she choose Narita Airport? There were two reasons. Firstly if someone wanted to get married, they’d do it here at Narita. She didn’t know the reason, she only knew that was just how it is. Sadly, Tsutsukakushi Tsukushi didn’t remember that she had been influenced by a TV drama she had watched with her mother at a young age. A man and a woman happened to get into a fight here, and through many twists and turns were reunited here to get married. Ever since she had watched this with her mother, she had wanted to get married here, without knowing that the name of the drama was ‘Divorce at Narita’.

The second reason was because of a special report in the magazine she had read. In this report, it mentioned a ranking with the most popular jobs to win over men, and Tsutsukakushi Tsukushi had memorized the top few. Nursery school teacher, hospital nurse, civil worker. However, there was one that triumphed over all.

“Efu Eey? That should be here, right?”

FA, also known as flight attendant. She didn’t know the difference between a club hostess and a flight attendant. However, she could tell how stylish the people working here at the airport looked. Right when she was admiring their femininity with ferocious eyes, her phone rang. When she had left for her trip, her little sister had forced this onto her.

“What is it?”

“Good morning, Nee-san. Where are you right now?”

She knew that the person on the phone was clearly Tsukiko, without even needing to confirm.

“At Narita Airport.”

Tsutsukakushi Tsukushi answered carefully, but to her surprise, she was neither scolded nor asked for the reason. Instead, she heard a quiet ‘I knew it’ coming from Tsukiko.

“I had your belongings delivered. Please get them at the reception.”

“Belongings?” Tsutsukakushi Tsukushi was confused, but she received no explanation.

“If you find yourself in trouble, please check the contents inside. You should be fine then.” With this, Tsukiko hung up.

At the first terminal of Narita Airport, located on the South wing’s fourth floor, she found the reception desk. On the small counter was the company’s logo, a black cat. However, it wasn’t just any normal cat. It looked similar to something. It was plump, showed a grin, and was holding one arm up as if to beckon someone over. It looked exactly like the Stony Cat statue sleeping on the hill with the single cedar.

Tsutsukakushi Tsukushi blinked and rubbed her eyes a few times. When she looked up again, the same black cat was still there.

“Hm…?”

She lined up at the end of the row of people and waited her turn. It didn’t take long before she arrived at the front and could state her business. After waiting for the employee to finish their paperwork, she received a large boston bag. It took two employees to carry the thing. There was no way a normal girl would be able to carry that. Naturally, the Steel King wasn’t a normal girl.

“Up we go!” With nothing but a faint breath, she put the bag on her shoulder. “Ohhh…”

Like this, she walked away from the line as she swayed left and right. There were a few tourists watching her, taking photos. One of them even commented ‘Woah, Japanese strong girl…’

Would this really help increase her femininity? Doubt started worming its way into her heart when—

“…! ………!” The boston bag on her shoulder started shaking furiously.

…Good gracious, is there a fairy inside?

Tsutsukakushi Tsukushi was a girl who loved fairy tales and fantasy worlds. Even if she could flip a table or could carry a bag like this, she was still a girl on the inside. She set the bag down on a nearby chair and carefully opened it up—

“…Mmm! Mmmmmmmm!?”

—Only to find Yokodera Youto inside, his mouth taped shut. This was proof that karma existed. After tying Maimaki Mai up, he suffered an even worse fate. His hands, feet, legs, arms, and even his eyes and mouth, were all tied up or covered. This was the work of a trained professional.

On top of his quivering stomach was an anonymous postcard, with the words ‘To Nee-san’ written on it. So this was Tsukiko’s doing after all?

…Just what is going on here?

Tsutsukakushi Tsukushi was confused, but she saw an airport employee approaching her. She quickly zipped up the bag again.

“Dear customer, is there something wrong?”

“No, not at all.”

“Have your check-in procedures already been completed?”

“Checkuin.”

“…What is the airline you will be using?”

“Earlain.”

“…Could I have a look at your passport or passenger ticket?”

“What’s a passuporto?”

Confronted by all kinds of unfamiliar words, Tsutsukakushi Tsukushi could only repeat words like a deaf parrot. As the unparalleled and wise sage, the Steel King’s only weakness were foreign words.

“…Um.” The airport employee furrowed her eyebrows but maintained her customer service smile.

She repeated the same questions in English, Chinese, and even in Spanish. At the same time, Tsutsukakushi Tsukushi arrived at a certain conclusion. She couldn’t rely on her own mother tongue forever. It was time to show her progress in English after all these months of studying.

“…No… Attendanto… Ouyay attendanto… goo purizu…” She looked at the flight attendant.

All she wanted was to learn from her femininity. The employee nodded once and smiled.

“²أستطيع أن أرى جواز سفرك؟”

That was as much as she could take. The Steel King looked up at the sky, accepting her fate, when a single piece of paper came flying down. Picking that up, it was a postcard similar to the one she had found on Yokodera’s stomach.

Whenever you’re in trouble, just show the other person this.

Tsutsukakushi Tsukushi saw something written on there beside her little sister’s reliable handwriting.

“Attendanto…” She showed it to the employee.

Apparently, something was attached to it. The employee checked the message and the attachment and glanced up at Tsutsukakushi Tsukushi again. She had no idea what she was being told, but she picked up on a certain word that was being repeated over and over.

“—Athens?”

After thinking about it, her wise brain cells started to work again, and she realized what was going on.

“Yes! Yes!”

“Okay! So your flight will go to Athens, understood!”

“Attendanto!”

“Athens, I see!”

The two of them exchanged an awkward but resolute handshake.

From there on out, things moved along smoothly. Tsutsukakushi Tsukushi was guided all the way to the boarding terminal, handed over the boston bag, showed the passport she found in its outer pocket, was handed some weird papers, and filled out some paperwork regarding her luggage. After finishing all of that procedure, she showed the employee another message and was guided to the gate.

She was greeted by high-class clothing stores offering duty-free articles, along with posh furnishings wherever she looked. She was seeing all of these for the first time. It should be a familiar scenery, since she had flown in to Japan before when she was seven, but back then she was busy thinking about other things.

She looked around like she had come to a foreign country. Her name was called out, and she headed to the machine to show her ticket, and passed through the narrow passage—But then she realized something was odd. She was pushed into an iron bird and crammed into a cramped narrow seat.

“What is this?” The King was visibly confused for the first time.

She did not panic. She merely tried to confirm the situation in a calm manner. The seats inside the plane were split up in a 3-4-3 pattern, and she was sitting on the window side. What kind of situation was this? She had just understood the situation she was in, when—

“…That’s!” The Steel King reached enlightenment.

There was an adult Onee-san approaching her with a smile. She had a scarf around her neck. There was no mistaking it, this was the flight attendant she had been searching for. Since that’s how it was, she needed quick and precise judgment, which caused the King’s neurons to fire like lightning.

This was a flight attendant observation institution!

Here, you could watch them as much as you want, learn from them, and increase your own femininity. Indeed, it was like a gift from heaven. Now that she had thought about it, the employee before talked about ‘Athens!’ and ‘Sightseeing!’ as well. These flight attendants walked along the aisle inside the plane like it was a fashion show, back and forth, between the rows. Tsutsukakushi Tsukushi watched them with glittering eyes.

“Would you like to use this?” A flight attendant offered Tsutsukakushi Tsukushi a blanket, and she nodded several times.

Being considerate like this was surely an important part of her femininity. Finally, after she watched these flight attendants with a sparkling gaze like the child next to her, she heard the sound of the engine revving. When she looked outside the small window, small drops of water covered the glass. This soon turned into pouring rain, and the window started vibrating, which caused Tsutsukakushi Tsukushi to feel a bit worried. However—more than anything, she was tired.

The Steel King might be a King, but she was also but a human being. Running all night was tiring after all. She leaned back against the seat, put the blanket over her shoulders, and copied the smile she had seen from the flight attendant. Soon after, she was visiting the land of dreams.

*

She only woke up after her shoulders were shaken. When she opened her eyes, she was greeted by the archaic smile of the flight attendant. The people around her had diminished significantly, and she was one of the last people in the plane.

“W-What happened…?!” Tsutsukakushi Tsukushi immediately assumed that a tragedy had occurred, and that she was being pressured to leave the plane quickly. “W-What…!?”

And then she suffered from a second shock. She found herself in a foreign country. Even though the season was supposed to be fall, she was met with a warm sunshine, and there were foreign words and letters everywhere. She consulted her phone and saw that it was dead of the night.

“Impossible!”

Judging from the position of the sun, it should be around noon right now. When she tried to call Tsukiko with quivering fingers, the call didn’t go through. No matter who she asked, they all just ignored her with a stern expression. There were people pushing carts around, looking like they were cleaning up bodies, along with others standing in line like they wanted to welcome you to hell.

Naturally, Tsutsukakushi Tsukushi couldn’t read that it said ‘Luggage reception’ in Greek above her head on the billboard.

It looks like I never woke up after visiting the flight attendant observation facility. In other words, I’m going to be put on that conveyor belt and delivered to hell!

…Or so she deduced. Her adventure to learn more about femininity had apparently ended with her being invited to the pits of hell.

“How cruel…”

Right when despair clutched at her heart, all color vanishing from her eyes, she spotted the silhouette of a stony cat. She rubbed her eyes, but there was no mistaking it. There was the boston bag. She had lost track of it at Narita Airport. It was slowly moving towards her from the conveyor belt of hell, like a blessing from the gods.

“W-Wait… wait a second!” She frantically pulled it off the belt, walked a few meters away, and opened the zipper.

“Mmm! Mmmmmmm!”

Naturally, her tied-up junior was still inside.

“Y-Yokodera!”

“—-Mm!? Mguh!”

“Yokdoera, I’m so glad…!” Tsutsukakushi Tsukushi embraced him, breaking out in tears.

She had feared that the world had changed in her slumber, leaving her alone in a wasteland of dead people who couldn’t communicate in proper Japanese. After finding a single familiar face, she felt relief like never before. She clung to her junior like he was a treasure she never wanted to lose again. Like a believer who had found their path in hell.

*

“S-She…! Tsukiko-chan set me up…!” After being freed from the boston bag, Yokodera Youto spoke with a terrified voice, his shoulders quivering.

He rubbed his stiff shoulders, traces of tape residue still on the edges of his mouth.

“Listen to this! She toyed with my innocent boyish heart!”

“Hmm…?”

“Right after you left, when I walked down the hallway, I saw a charming article of clothing lying on the hallway floor. When I went to pick it up with a scream of joy, I suddenly found myself inside a cage. The last thing I saw was Tsukiko-chan holding a bat with a blank expression in her face, making an ominous laugh.” Yokodera said as he took out the article of clothing he was referring to.

It looked oddly like the panties Tsutsukakushi Tsukushi had kept in her closet, but that should be impossible. Why would he go out of the way to pick up her underwear?

“By the way, where are we? Is this Greece? Athens? Why?”

“No idea.” Tsutsukakushi Tsukushi shook her head.

She herself was absolutely lost as well. Even though she would soon be an adult, she felt very powerless in this situation.

“…Don’t worry, club president.”

“Hm…?”

“I might not look like it, but I’m good at using body language. I’ve been trained to negotiate with my physical body in all sorts of situations, so just leave it to me!”

When she saw her junior’s reassuring smile, Tsutsukakushi Tsukiko felt something building up in the corners of her eyes. Whether it be through the strength of the Stony Cat, or through the sanctions of his legal wife, she felt truly glad to have Yokodera Youto at her side. Thinking about it, he always did things for her sake. She had distant memories of this—or even visions that should not be part of her memories.

“Then I’ll go looking for some cute Greek girls that I can pick—Sorry, I mean ask for help, so you can take a rest here, club president.”

“Huh?” Tsutsukakushi Tsukushi’s head shot up.

Yokodera would leave her, and she would be left all alone? Someone as powerless as her will be forced to wait? A sense of despair assaulted her, creeping out from every corner of this foreign country. She grew restless, like dark clouds were filling her chest.

“I’ll be right back, so—”

“…Wait.” She said. She grabbed part of Yokodera’s clothes.

Her junior was the only one she could only rely on right now. If she was cast aside now, she wouldn’t even be able to stay alive.

“C-Club president?”

Her junior was confused, but she couldn’t look him in the eye.

“…Don’t… go…” Her face was downcast, and tears were streaming from her eyes.

She was nothing more but a weeping child. As a King, and as an older sister, she knew that this was pathetic. But she couldn’t hold herself back. All she could do was hold on to her junior’s clothes.

“I’ll do anything, so… Please don’t go…”

“I-I’m not going anywhere, I’m just searching for ways for us to get home!”

“I’ll come with you…” As she looked up at Yokodera Youto, he could see that her eyes were red from the tears.

“…I understand. Let’s go together, and go home together.”

“Yeah…”

Yokodera Youto embraced the sniffing girl strongly. With quivering fingers, she held onto the back of his shirt, rubbing her forehead against his chest. When she felt the warmth of his skin—Thump, she heard something echo inside her chest.

*

The earliest flight they could take back would be later that day. Yokodera had fought hard to get this information from the airport employees, and Tsutsukakushi Tsukushi nodded when he relayed it to her.

“Understood. Let’s wait here then.”

“Really? How about we go stay at a nearby hotel…?”

“There’s no need!”

“But what about food…?”

“I said there’s no need!” She shook her head several times.

What would happen if she were to try a foreign country’s food, let alone sleep in an unfamiliar environment? She most likely would not be able to come back.

“Hmm…” Yokodera made a troubled smile.

He looked at his respected club president, who was nothing but a simple girl who had lost her usual energy.

“Alright, since we’ve gotten permission, let’s go for a change of pace.”

“…Where do you plan on going in this hell?”

“To paradise.” Yokodera winked.

The flight attendant observation facility this time was much narrower, and the trip didn’t last as long. The buildings she saw were much smaller compared to the previous place, which made it seem like this was more of a remote environment.

The Steel King was a wise King. Thanks to her ability to arrive at logical conclusions, she already had a vague guess as to what was going on, but everything after that took her completely by surprise.

—Blue. It was a blue sky with a blue sea. Compared to the Japanese sky and sea she was used to, it had a fundamentally different cobalt blue color to it. It was almost too blue. It overwhelmed her.

“Beautiful…”

From her position atop a reddish-brown stone wall, Tsutsukakushi Tsukushi looked down at the sea below her, and up at the sky above her, at a loss for words.

“This is Santorini island. By plane, it takes around 40 minutes to get here from Athens. The Aegean Sea has probably one of the best resorts you’ll find around here.” Yokodera narrowed his eyes in a comfortable way as he explained the sight in front of them.

Santorini is a crescent-moon-shaped island. If it were connected to the smaller islands around it, it would form a complete circle. In the middle of the circle was the cobalt blue sea. Like a marriage ring, the blue sea and ground and sky all came together. This was the hidden gem of the Mediterranean Sea, you could say.

“There’s the legend of the great continent Atlantis, right? Apparently, the crater Caldera was created after a volcanic eruption, and the Mediterranean Sea poured into this opening.” Yokodera explained, reading from the guidebook in his hand.

In the midst of this, Tsutsukakushi Tsukushi heard a familiar word.

“…You said the ‘Mediterranean Sea,’ right?”

“Indeed. Though more accurately, it’s part of the Aegean Sea, which is perfect for a vac—”

“—The Mediterranean Sea! I heard about that from my mother!” Tsutsukakushi Tsukushi’s face lit up. “So is this Italy!?”

“No, it’s Greece.”

“So it’s Italy, right!?”

“Nope, Greece.”

“Italy!”

“Greece…”

“Itagreece!?”

“…That’s right, it’s Italy.”

“I knew it! My eyes didn’t deceive me!”

When it came to countries outside Japan, the Steel King was practically useless. In her defense, though, Greece and Italy were at least similar to a certain degree, since they were right next to each other and all… Or so Yokodera thought.

“Are you feeling better now, club president?”

“Hm? What are you saying, I’m always brimming with energy!”

“I’m glad to hear that.” Watching the King puff out her chest in confidence, Yokodera nodded to himself.

That’s how things were meant to be. He didn’t want to see a girl crying. He found himself working to counteract those tears. Tsutsukakushi Tsukushi saw her junior’s smile and joined in with one of her own. A comfortable atmosphere enveloped them.

Just how much time had passed?

“Yokodera, thank you for bringing me here.”

“No, it’s okay. I’m just glad that it’s clear weather today.”

“That’s right. It’s great weather, and even better scenery. This will make for some great memories, I’m sure.” Anyone would appreciate such a sight.

Wondering if her parents had seen this same scenery themselves before, she looked around at her surroundings. Then she spotted something.

“…What is that?” She saw a store close to the observatory.

Although she couldn’t read any of the words written on the billboard above it, she could see pictures hanging beside it—pictures that showed wedding dresses. A man wearing a tuxedo and a woman wearing a dress, their arms linked as they looked at the camera.

“Ah, that’s right. There’s another attraction on Santorini island that happens around sunset.” Yokodera beckoned her over and continued his explanation. “It seems to be a wedding tour of sorts. You can borrow the clothes, rent a cameraman and stylist, and take pictures as you walk around the town. Look at the pictures they have on display.”

“…Wedding, you say…?” Tsutsukakushi Tsukushi murmured.

The pages of the magazine she had read forward and back in the library room came rushing back to mind. The beautiful white dresses she had admired for so long were within reach.

I want to do it.

She gulped and closed her eyes.

But can I really ask my junior to go along with it? As the Steel King, can I really give in to such worldly desires?

Plagued by hesitation, the girl looked over at her junior.

“Excuse mi, pleazu letto me knou za detailsu ob your stoa—”

“Yokodera!?”

Her Junior was busy talking with the store employee.

“Y-You… what are you…?”

Firstly, she was shocked to see her junior using better English than she herself could as a college entrance examinee. Then again, if his English didn’t work out, he could always rely on body language, which was why he seemed fairly confident.

“Your little sister asked me to get you to wear a veil like this.”

“Hm!?”

“Since I’m always in your care, let me repay you this time.” Yokodera gave her a teasing smile.

The second shock was that his smile had such an adult charm to it.

“Hmm…”

She had thought of him as a junior, but now he was standing ahead of her. For the Steel King, who was always surrounded by club members or peers, it felt fresh, as well as a bit embarrassing. However, she didn’t know that Yokodera had actually been practicing his English listening and speaking skills by watching videos from overseas late at night. Any perverted actions at home actually brought about an advantage overseas. Yokodera Youto’s communication skill was something to respect, disregarding his intentions.

“Hmmm… mmm…” After grumbling about it for a while, she lined up next to Yokodera.

She glanced at his profile, realizing that her heart had started to race faster than normal.

“M-Mmm… a strange oddity. Hail to the Lotus Sutra, Hail Amitabha Buddha, yakiniku free-of-charge dinner…” She started chanting weird sutras about her deepest desires for food in order to calm herself down.

Her head was trying to decipher the reason for her beating heart.

*

The hair-and make-up artist was a Greek woman who seemed to be in her thirties. Despite knowing that Tsutsukakushi Tsukushi understood none of what she said, she still talked on and on. Tsukushi sat in a small room, getting make-up put on her that she had never seen before.

“Τι όμορφη κυρία είσαι. Επιτρέψτε μου να σας στυλ περισσότερο!”

“…is that so…?”

As she expected, she couldn’t understand a single word the woman was saying. She felt like she was being praised, but that was about it.

“Yokoderaaaa…” She growled like a lion that had been left alone by its pack.

Yokodera was currently being dressed in a different room, waiting for the girl to finish, which was why she couldn’t ask for help. Though there was only one dress prepared for her, she was ready to wear anything as long as she could get out of this place. More than anything, she just wanted to see Yokodera’s face.

After a long period of preparations, she was finally let out of the room.

“Y-Yokoderaaa…”

She ran towards her junior, reaching out with her hands, only to come to an abrupt halt.

“Yokodera!?”

Indeed, he was wearing a tuxedo. His jacket was whiter than all the buildings around him, and he was wearing a blue necktie that looked colored like it was bathed in the sea. His slender yet well-built physique was emphasized by this tuxedo.

“Yoko… dera…” She just repeated herself, like it was a magical charm.

Yokodera didn’t move an inch, either. His gaze was fixated on the snow-white bride in front of him. Her long dress train reached down to her legs. Going up from there, you could see her slender waist, and the silhouette of her well-endowed chest. Beneath the princess tiara, her clear eyes were glued to Yokodera. It was a mixture of devilish purity, as well as prim and proper charm. When you added her makeup on top of that, Tsutsukakushi Tsukushi truly looked like a wife on her wedding day.

“…You’re beautiful, club president. I mean I knew it all along, but I can’t help admiring it again.” Yokodera’s honest impression came out of his mouth.

When she heard this, Tsutsukakushi Tsukushi started blushing all the way up to her ears.

“I-I don’t need you to flatter me like that!”

“I-It’s not flattery! I’m being serious!”

“Enough! Enough!”

“When I saw you for the first time, I thought you were a model! It didn’t help that you were the club president. That only made me admire you more!”

“Waaaaaah!” She hammered her hands, covered in white gloves, against his chest.

Yokodera seemed to be a bit lost on his own end as well, and he kept saying words like ‘beautiful or ‘wonderful’ at her. Both of them knew they were making idiots of themselves in this foreign country, but they couldn’t stop. Basically, they were both embarrassed.

Even when the photo tour started, this sense of distance didn’t grow closer at all. One picture was them standing in the middle of an arranged stone path, another as they walked down the stairs next to the sea, yet another as they looked up at the impressive building of the blue dome, and another standing in front of a high-class hotel’s white wall. No matter how many pictures were taken, the two of them would always force a smile and move as close together as possible without going too far.

“………” The cameraman, a middle-aged man, kept silent the entire time.

Maybe he couldn’t speak Greek, let alone Japanese or English.

“Hm? What? I’m not moving a single step from here!”

“Eh? I have to get closer? That’s a bit…”

He was giving orders with his hands, but had probably reached his limit.

“Woah!?”

He pushed Yokodera on the back, forcing the bride and him together. With the sudden closure of distance, Tsutsukakushi Tsukushi’s breath came to a sudden halt. Instead, sweat started to build on her neck, and she felt her heart beating painfully loudly. She suddenly grew conscious of various parts of her body, causing her to freeze up entirely.

“Club president, I’m sorry…”

“N-No, um…!?”

Yokodera followed the instructions of the cameraman, and put his arms around the bride.

“Hyan!”

“A-Are you okay?”

“Y-Yesh, I’m fine…”

When his fingertips touched her back, she accidentally let out a weird voice. It was a sweet voice, almost like a moan, something she had never heard come out of her own throat before. The silent photographer gave out several other orders, but Tsutsukakushi Tsukushi was already past the point of no return. Her face was burning red, and she cast her face downwards, trying to evade Yokodera’s gaze.

“Club president…”

Feeling her slender waist, and at the same time her well-endowed chest pressed against him, Yokodera narrowed his eyes. It was like he was holding a newborn lion cub in his hands that could only let out inaudible groans.

They found themselves on the main street of Santorini Island, which was rather narrow and full of tourists. It didn’t take long for them to notice this foreign couple, and they raised cheers and voices of congratulation, like they were participants in a full-fledged wedding.

“Bravo…” The previously silent cameraman nodded, and muttered these words with a serious expression on his face.

What if my father was still alive? Then I might have been able to show such a sight to him. This thought drifted through Tsutsukakushi Tsukushi’s mind.

“Tsukasa-san…!?”

Yokodera was the same in a way. He was seeing someone familiar who definitely wasn’t there in the crowd. The father and mother she lost must be here, watching over the marriage ceremony of Tsutsukakushi Tsukushi and Yokodera Youto.

“………”

The two stood still in silence, exchanging glances. Tsutsukakushi Tsukushi thought about staying here, living here. Just staying in this foreign country, as time had stopped, blessed by the people important to her. There couldn’t be anything more blissful—and respectful to her parents.

However, that could not happen. The magic will eventually wear off, just as the sun will always sink. As the setting sun illuminated the white island, the ending of the tour was announced.

“…They told us that we’re about done.” After communicating with the cameraman by using his body language again, Yokodera turned towards Tsutsukakushi Tsukushi.

The shadow created by the sun had a sad vibe to it.

“Our plane will be departing soon, so let’s go back, shall we?”

“Yeah… right…” She nodded, albeit reluctantly.

*

Accompanied by the setting sun, they returned from Santorini to Athens. The plane was stuffed full with the scent of healthy sweat created by everyone’s vacation. In the end, this was reality after all.

“Ah, right. I had this in my pocket the entire time.”

Yokodera took out the frilly fabric he had picked up in the hallway of the Tsutsukakushi Household.

“It almost got picked up by the airport security just now, so I want you to have it back. As a side note, those laces look great! Good taste!”

“Thank you. For even helping me while I’m changing. You really are a considerate man.”

“You really are forgiving, Steel-san…”

Tsutsukakushi Tsukushi accepted her own underwear like it was nothing, and then thought about what she had just said.

Speaking of changing, I’ve been wearing the same clothes ever since last night…

The moment she arrived at that conclusion, she felt her face and entire body burn up.

“Y-Yokodera, could you maybe move a bit further away…?”

“Move away? I mean, I’m already seated right against the window.”

“Just a bit more, please.”

“C-Club president! Don’t push me like that! You’ll squeeze me outside the plane! Are you angry about the underwear!?”

She didn’t even hear what Yokodera was saying. Her heart just continued to beat faster and faster. Her arms and legs were flailing around, all so that she couldn’t look Yokodera in the face.

I want to put on perfume, check my looks in the mirror, put on a change of clothes, and do all sorts of things with him but at the same time nothing at all.

Was the femininity she always wanted really something that could bind her down to such a degree? Could she really say she is still the same after all that? In her head, the image of the Steel King and the image of a weak girl you could find anywhere slowly mixed together.

From the national airport at Athens, they walked for a short while, and then arrived—at the very first Olympics stadium.

This is Greece, the origin of the five rings. All athletes aimed for this holy land. After passing through the tourist gate, they walked down the stadium stairs, and Tsutsukakushi Tsukushi found herself naturally entering a running lane.

“Club president, what are you…?”

Not heeding Yokodera’s voice, she took the posture of a crouching start.

Who am I? Who should I be? Can I become myself? I don’t know anything. I just feel like running. That’s right. Run, Steel King. Run, Tsutsukakushi Tsukushi! Run to deal with your complicated feelings!

Rushing past the other tourists, cutting through the air, Tsutsukakushi Tsukushi turned into a black storm, as the setting sun watched over her.

I can see it. Far in the distance, I can see the Acropolis of Athens. The citadel is standing tall in front of the orange sky.

Using all of her energy, the Steel King just ran. Her head turned into a mushy mess, and her thoughts ceased. But her legs continued to run. Then, at the goal line, she saw someone standing. To her, the silhouette that seemed to possess a cat’s tail looked oddly familiar.

“T-Tsukiko, why are you here?”

“I felt like watching you.”

It was her little sister. Her arms were wide open, and she was standing at the goal. Unable to even understand what her little sister was doing here, Tsutsukakushi Tsukushi merely jumped into her arms and let herself be embraced.

“Good work, Nee-san. Did you have fun?”

“I-I mean, I did, but it also felt like I was having a nightmare at the same time… Yeah, I really don’t understand myself.”

Tsukiko gently caressed her older sister’s cheek. Along with her warmth, she felt a soft sensation.

“Yes, this is a foreign country. A lot of things happened, and you visited a lot of different places. You can take your time thinking about everything.”

As if she understood everything, Tsukiko gently rubbed her older sister’s head.

“Since we’re here together, how about we extend our stay some more? And then let’s look at all sorts of places.”

“…Okay!”

They both embraced each other.

“I really can’t win against Tsukiko-chan.” Yokodera gave a kind smile as he stood on the sidelines.

“You can go back, Senpai.”

“Why!?”

“If you don’t want to be taped to the outside of the plane on our way back, hand over all the panties you have in your pocket right now.”

“Ah, yes.”

“And I want a 3000-page apology by tomorrow.”

“Yes…”

Tsukiko showed no restraint towards Yokodera. However, there was another person, fidgeting. The girl—Maimaki Mai—approached Tsutsukakushi Tsukushi, tears in her eyes.

“Club president, please hit me.”

“Hm?”

“With full strength. Don’t hold back. On my cheek. I doubted you once during these three days. That’s the first time I’ve ever doubted you in my life.”

“Hmmm?”

“If you don’t hit me right now, I don’t even have the right to embrace you.”

“Hmmmm? …Well.”

Just what had happened to Maimaki for these past three days? The Steel King was a bit confused how to react, but she decided to do at least one thing.

“…Thank you, my trusted friend Ma-chan.” She embraced Maimaki with no hesitation.

From the crowd around them came cheers. Yokodera Youto watched them from afar, counting on his fingers.

“Wasn’t the promise that the club president had to come back to the Tsutsukakushi Household, and not that the two of you had to be reunited?”

“Huh?” MaiMai’s voice was filled with confusion, anxiety, and disbelief.

“Since we’re on a trip right now…” Yokodera Youto’s fingers started to move like tentacles, his cheeks slightly red. “She definitely won’t make it in time, so the promise has been broken, right? Club president?”

“Hm, I guess so?”

“Club president? Club president…?” MaiMai started quivering.

Yokodera Youto approached her, putting his hand on her shoulder.

“That means I can do whatever I want with MaiMai, right?!”

“No objections. A woman does not go back on her word.”

“Club presideeeent?!”

Yokodera Youto grabbed MaiMai, dragging her outside the stadium. The two were as close as ever.

Yokodera Youto surely has a lot of other people he gets along with. The time during the wedding tour was probably just a hallucination.

When she thought this, Tsutsukakushi Tsukushi felt her chest tighten up a bit. However, it wasn’t a bad feeling. This emotion is something that should be treasured.

“…It was fun. A truly enjoyable trip, indeed.”

“I’m glad to hear that.” Tsukiko nodded in satisfaction.

“Yokodera. Once you’re done and we’ve gone home, show the pictures we took to everyone. They will all see that the Steel King has died right here.” The Steel King called out to the distant boy.

Even so…

“What are you talking about?” His voice was faint, but definitely reached her ears. “You’ve always been cute, club president.”

Upon hearing this, the Steel King’s face turned bright red.

Intermission 3

“Wachawachawachawachawacha!”

“Stop stop moron idiot no don’t stop!”

Midway through the story, that damned friend of mine jumped on the bench, touching all sorts of sensitive spots on my body. Because I had been pushed down, I couldn’t fight back at all.

“…You… moron…”

“Phew…”

While I was out of breath, gasping for air, my friend finally removed her hands and let out a satisfied sigh. Sheesh, she’s such an idiot. I told her not to do that in public, and yet this is what she does. What kind of hobby is this? Is she a pervert? Is she related to that man?

“Ah, you’re thinking about Ouji-kun again, huh~?” My friend grinned. “Was flirting with him in Greece that much fun?”

“Moron. I’m not thinking about him at all. It wasn’t fun, either.”

“Liar~” She wrapped her baggy long sleeves around me, rubbing her cheeks against mine. “It’s not fair~ If it goes on like this, I’ll have to remove Ouji-kun from the world~” She made it sound so cozy and calm, but what she was saying was quite scary.

Then again, I’m not going to stop her. I have no interest in knowing that pervert any longer. Yokodera should just go rot in hell.

“Sheesh, you’re not honest at all~”

Since I was so lost in thought, I didn’t even hear my friend say that.

Almost a year had passed since our trip to Greece. Club president Tsutsukakushi is a university student by now, and she’ll be studying abroad in Greece starting this summer. Even though she is pretty awful at foreign languages, even though she was so dependent on her little sister, she still chose this path. There must have been an important reason she did this.

I had inherited the position of the next club president from her, but I’ve retired from that myself, since I’m focusing on my own entrance exams. I wonder if I can do it.

“I’m getting hungry, so let’s take a break from studying and have some tea, okay?” My friend brought our bags from the room we had just stormed out of.

Yeah, I don’t think this will work.

“I’ll remove our names from the list, okay?”

“Yup, please do.”

Then again, I’m not much better. Talking with her is just much more fun. She went to the list of names using the private room right now and removed my name as well as hers. Although her real name was ‘Wakamoto Waka’, she used her nickname ‘Cozy-sama’, which was the nickname that perverted bastard used.

“So while we’re having tea, tell me even more stories, MaiMai!” She turned around and clung to me.

Boy she’s close… And the fact that she’s just groping my chest without hesitation… Maybe I should start calling her ‘Cozy-sama’ like that pervert does.

“There’s nothing else.”

“I’m not asking you, MaiMai.”

“Huh?”

“I’m asking your body directly.”

“Gaaah! Stop it already!” I acted like I was angry as I ran away, and she came chasing after me.

As we both giggled, we ran down the hallway.

“I’m gonna catch you~”

“You won’t!”

She reached for my skirt to flip it up, and I hurled my bag at her. I must have hit her pretty badly, and she let out a groan. I just laughed. When we arrived at the first floor, we ran into a group of people. It looked like they were having an animal convention, as they were all holding small to mid-sized dogs.

“Oh, oops—” Cozy-sama stopped in her tracks, clinging to my arm. “No running, MaiMai!” She warned me.

“Aren’t you an accomplice?” I complained with a pout, but Cozy-sama gave a cozy smile in response.

“That reminds me, MaiMai, didn’t you keep a pet for a while before?”

“Yeah, for a short time.”

“But aren’t you bad with pets?”

“There were a lot of reasons.” I just shrugged.

That was the truth. A lot had happened, and it was pretty complicated.

---

1 Basically the ideal Japanese wife, who stays at home, tends to her husband, etc.

2 That is not what she said in the original. I can’t read Arabic, so I just translated ‘Can I see your passport?’