Volume 3 Chapter 1 Summer Vacation Begins
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
With the first semester over, summer vacation had officially begun.
Now I was at home, feeding the creatures in the tank set up beside Doma while my mind drifted back to the last few days.
Yesterday, we had our final grade announcements and three-way parent-teacher conferences. At my sorcerer high school, those meetings were almost always attended by mothers.
My grades landed in the teens for the year, thanks to a perfect score in dungeon training and high marks in most of my lecture-based classes. My history, geography, and economics scores were admittedly low, but math, physics, and chemistry carried me hard. Thank you, previous life.
As for the rest of my group, the ranking went Chifumi, me, Asari, Risa, then Yurina. When did Chifumi even find time to study? That had been a mystery for years.
The teachers had no complaints, only the usual polite encouragement to keep up the good work, and my mother left in high spirits.
I, on the other hand, could not celebrate quite that easily.
The first-semester grades decided the difficulty level of the dungeons we would have to explore starting next term. With results like ours, our group would probably be assigned a high-difficulty dungeon even though we were only first-years.
For the simulated dungeon in the first term, we had adjusted the difficulty by strengthening the apparitions wandering inside, which meant Chifumi and I could handle the special variants without too much trouble. Next term, however, we would probably be thrown into a dungeon that relied on sheer numbers. With our smaller mana pools, that was going to hurt.
I had been thinking through countermeasures, but matching last term’s grades would be difficult. I had set the bar too high for myself, had I not?
I should have been satisfied with an above-average grade, but it was too late for regrets now. …Well, I was sure it would work out somehow.
After I returned to the Tatemiya residence, I had dinner with my family in the main hall. The other group members were not there, since they were all wrapping up the end of term with their own families.
Snap, snap. The clicking sound pulled me back to the present.
Inside the tank, Tempura was waving its claws, demanding more food.
”You worked hard too, huh?” I said. “All right, all right. Eat up.”
I sprinkled in the food and watched it graze, feeling a strange little sense of peace. It had been ten years since I got this guy. It was the backbone of my current firepower, a reliable, battle-tested shrimp apparition, and I would be relying on it even more from here on.
Buried somewhere in the sand of the same tank was a clam, though I could not see it right now. It was a large one I had gotten from Asari’s father. They had been living together for a week without any problems, and since Tempura was one of the most docile1 apparitions I owned, putting them in the same tank had clearly been the right call.
I was wondering how to spend the rest of my day when the black rotary phone rang. Smartphones had not exactly become common in this world yet.
”Yes, hello?” I answered.
”Is this the Tatemiya residence?” a voice asked.
”Speaking… Wait, Ryota?”
”Minoru?”
”Oh. What’s up? You rarely call.”
”Yeah, just wanted to check something. You got time today?” Ryota asked.
”I do. What’s going on?”
”Wanna hang out? I’ve got something I want to do.”
”Sounds good. A movie? Or maybe… I haven’t been fishing in a while.”
”That’s fine, but I want to do something we’ve finally become eligible to do this year,” Ryota said.
”Oh?”
”And, well, we happen to have the right girls for it, too…”
We talked through the details, and it sounded interesting enough that my empty afternoon vanished before I knew it. After confirming the meeting place, I hung up.
I left the house before noon and stopped by Chifumi’s place first.
”What’s up~?” Chifumi asked.
She greeted me with a surprised look, probably because I had dropped by on a day meant for private rest. I explained that Ryota had invited us out.
”Got it~ I’ll let Risa-chan and the others know~” Chifumi said.
”Thanks. I appreciate it.”
With that handled, I headed to the station and hopped on the train. It was crowded enough that every seat was taken, and after about fifteen minutes, I got off at the station before the one closest to school.
Asari was waiting by the ticket gate. Today she had gone for a clean-cut librarian look, with a long dress and a small pochette that suited her in an adorable way. Now that she had lost weight, the style might not be to everyone’s taste, but it was definitely to mine.
”Yo,” I said.
”Hello,” Asari replied.
I had meant to arrive early so she would not have to wait for me, but she had beaten me there.
”Um… I didn’t want to make you wait…” Asari said.
”Thanks. Let’s grab some lunch first.”
”Yes.”
We ate at a fast-food place in front of the station, sitting side by side on the second floor as we looked out the window.
”By the way, you’re pretty good at cooking, right? That clear soup you made was delicious,” I said.
”Oh, it was nothing… Chifumi-san is much better.”
”But you have your own specialties, don’t you? I’d love for you to make one of those for me sometime.”
”Ah… yes… um, if you don’t mind something simple… sure, next time.”
She agreed with a happy look, and once I saw her first-date nerves starting to fade, I moved to the main topic.
”Are you okay with today? Did you hear what we’re doing?” I asked.
”Um… yes. Mari-chan told me. I’m a sorcerer, too, so I understand.”
”Right. Do not push yourself, okay? Just try to act natural.”
Nagase Mari-san was in Ryota’s group, and she was also Asari’s childhood friend. Apparently, the two of them had been exchanging a lot of information lately.
”All right, let’s go.”
”Yes.”
Just as we were leaving our seats, I noticed a huge man walking up to the second floor. Before I could think, our eyes met.
The man grinned when he saw me, so I stood up from my chair and waited as he approached. Somehow, it felt a little awkward.
”Koki-san, it’s been a while,” I said.
”Yo, Minoru. Long time no see,” Koki said.
Onihara Koki was a second-year student at District 13 High School, known as the Second-Year Ogre, and he was the top student in our school’s current second-year class. Since we had gone to the same elementary and junior high school, we had known each other for a long time.
He stood nearly two meters tall and had the sort of “ogre-like” build people talked about in fairy tales: ripped, muscular, and sturdy all over. Even so, his face was handsome, which made him an incredibly attractive man by the standards of this world. Even now, people around us were staring.
”I heard the rumors. The first-year dungeon training was brutal, right?” Koki asked.
”The difficulty settings were insane. It was quite an ordeal.”
”Hah! I figured if anyone could handle it, it was you. You guys had the fastest clear time, didn’t you? As expected.”
He smacked my shoulder hard enough that I felt it through my whole body. His hand was massive.
”You do not seem to have changed either, Koki-san.”
”You know it. Everything’s going smoothly. …So? Is this one of your members?” Koki asked.
Koki-san’s gaze shifted to Asari, who stood beside me.
”Yes. This is Kasakura Asari, who recently joined our group.”
”Nice to meet you. I’m Onihara Koki, a second-year.”
”Ah, yes! I’m Kasakura Asari. Nice to meet you too!” Asari said.
Asari hurried to stand and bow.
”What is this? A date for you two today?” Koki asked.
”Something like that. We have somewhere to be.”
”I see.”
”Oh, if you want this spot, feel free to use it.”
”Thanks.”
”I-I’ll clear my spot too. Please, go ahead,” Asari said.
”Sorry for the trouble, you two,” Koki said.
Asari cleared her trash and wiped the table clean. Koki-san placed his tray where I had been sitting, then turned to the person behind him.
”Mitsuki, you take that spot,” Koki said.
Mitsuki?
The girl who stepped out from Koki-san’s shadow was tall and short-haired. There was only one person Koki-san called Mitsuki: his younger sister, Mitsuki. She was one of my childhood friends, and now she was a first-year at Shisei, attending school alongside Manaka and the others.
But she looked nothing like the Mitsuki in my memories.
She was huge. She had already been tall when she graduated junior high, but back then she had still been shorter than me. In the few months since, she had shot past my height, which meant she had to be close to one hundred ninety centimeters.
Her short hairstyle was the same, but her body had changed completely.
She was big in a way that made me stare before I could stop myself. She used to have a build closer to Koki-san’s, but now her frame was more like Asari’s. She had always been busty with a curvy backside, and that part had not changed. The issue was her midsection, which had created a total “breast curtain” look under her T-shirt. With distressed jeans and a tiger-print shirt, the whole style hit exactly my type.
”…”
Mitsuki sat in Asari’s former seat without saying a word and ignored me. From her profile alone, I could tell she was in a terrible mood.
”Mitsuki, long time no see,” I said.
”You too, Minoru,” Mitsuki said.
She did not face me. Instead, she only shifted her eyes my way and sucked on her straw. The gesture was exactly like the Mitsuki I knew whenever she was sulking, and for some reason, that put me at ease.
”Can you believe how much weight this girl lost? You’d be shocked if you heard how much she dropped after entering Shisei,” Koki said.
”Brother, shut up!” Mitsuki snapped.
”I tried to treat her to a big meal today, but she’s barely eating a thing.”
While Koki-san’s tray was piled high with burgers, Mitsuki had only one on hers.
”So? It’s none of your business,” Mitsuki said.
”I’m just saying, people will laugh if an Onihara girl looks like that. You need to put on some meat.”
”You’re so annoying. Mind your own business.”
”Minoru, Mitsuki’s acting like this because you weren’t there for her,” Koki said.
The target shifted to me. Koki-san obviously knew I was the one who had “thrown away” Mitsuki. Since he was fiercely protective of his sisters, it was only natural for him to vent, and all I could do was apologize.
”I’m sorry.”
”…Sorry. I didn’t mean to blame you,” Koki said.
Koki-san seemed to realize he had gone too far and apologized. That only made me feel worse for making him worry.
”Anyway, even if you guys aren’t in a group, try to hang out with Mitsuki sometime. I don’t know if it’s stress or what, but look at her midsection. See for yourself. As her brother, I’m worried.”
”Moo! Stop it! How embarrassing!” Mitsuki shouted.
Mitsuki was furious as he ruffled her hair and messed with her head, though she did not try to brush him away. She probably knew it was pointless to fight him on raw strength.
It had been a while since I had seen the two of them interact, and honestly, it was kind of heartwarming.
”Um…” Asari said.
Asari spoke up timidly, and I realized I still needed to introduce them.
”Mitsuki, this is Kasakura Asari. She joined our group at high school.”
”I’ve heard. …Onihara Mitsuki. I’m this idiot’s childhood friend and this moron’s sister. Nice to meet you.”
”I’m Kasakura Asari. It’s a pleasure.”
Maybe she felt a little better after that, because Mitsuki stood up and exchanged greetings with Asari properly. She was still a tomboy, and her smile carried the same traces of the Mitsuki I remembered. Once again, I was reminded of how high-caliber all my childhood friends were.
”If this guy ever does anything horrible to you, don’t hesitate to call me. I’ll beat him up for you,” Mitsuki said.
”Haha… Minoru-san is very kind, so I’m sure it’ll be fine… but I’ll keep that in mind,” Asari said.
Mitsuki seemed to have her own feelings about me, but she treated Asari surprisingly well. The two of them even exchanged phone numbers.
”Oh, Minoru, do you have somewhere to be?” Koki asked.
”Ah, yes, it’s about time. We should get going. See you, Koki-san, Mitsuki.”
”Yeah. See ya.”
”…See you later, Minoru,” Mitsuki said.
With Koki-san prompting us, we decided to head out. Mitsuki said goodbye to me too. We had meant to leave the shop earlier, but getting caught up in the conversation had pushed our schedule, so we were running a little late. Still, we could make it if we hurried.
”Asari, let’s go.”
”Yes. …Excuse me, then.”
”Yeah.”
”Bye-bye, Asari-chan,” Mitsuki said.
We parted ways with the two of them and left the shop. As I felt their gazes behind us, we hurried through the shopping street in front of the station.
Surprisingly, Asari was the one who spoke first.
”The Onihara siblings… they’re amazing. Especially the brother. He was just like the rumors said… The air around him as a sorcerer is different, somehow.”
”Can you tell? His aura as a powerhouse is incredible. He’s exactly the talented person you would expect, maybe even better.”
”I can. I feel overwhelmed by the difference in our levels.”
”Yeah, tell me about it.”
Koki-san was definitely going to become a top-tier sorcerer.
”And Mitsuki-san, she’s…” Asari said.
”Yeah. My childhood friend. There was a chance we would go to the same school, but we ended up on different paths.”
”I see…”
It had to be complicated for Asari. She might have thought I saw her as a replacement for Mitsuki.
”But… that’s why I was able to join your group, Minoru-san. …I’m a little grateful for that,” Asari said.
She said it so cutely, fidgeting as she spoke, that it felt almost unfair.
I took Asari’s hand.
”Ah…♡” Asari sighed.
”Come on, let’s hurry to our destination. Can you lead the way?”
”Yes, this way!” Asari exclaimed.
Still holding hands, we let Asari lead us away from the station and into the residential district.
—
Summary:
Minoru begins his summer vacation by reflecting on his high academic performance and group dynamics while tending to his apparitions. He meets Ryota to plan a new activity and proceeds to meet Asari for a date. The outing is interrupted by an unexpected encounter with the Onihara siblings, Koki and a transformed Mitsuki, before the couple continues toward their planned destination.
—
Trivia:
Tempura, the shrimp apparition, has been with Minoru for ten years.
Mitsuki’s physical appearance has drastically changed due to growth and lifestyle changes since entering Shisei.
The “breast curtain” is a specific aesthetic detail describing Mitsuki’s current look.
Minoru feels conflicted about his high grades because they set a high bar for future dungeon assignments.
—
Translation Notes:
Notes:
• Chifumi – Minoru’s 15-year-old childhood friend is a scrawny, long-haired frost/water mage and elite witch from a Sorcerer bloodline. A brilliant, bubbly, and sharp-witted facilitator, she manages the group’s communications, kitchen, and intimacy schedules. While devoted to Minoru, her airy charm masks an observant, suspicious nature as she probes secrets, maintains diplomatic ties, and leads as his scout.
• Yurina – A refined, black-haired student and disciplined vanguard in Minoru’s group, she balances high-precision sword skills with piano talent. As a Plain-folk combatant specializing in severing sorcery, she is stoic yet prone to performance anxiety. Despite her slender frame, she has a voracious appetite, remains loyal to her team—notably Chifumi and Risa—and is nearing her physical unlocking limit.
• Asari – A tall, long-haired first-year student from the Kasakura lineage, this defensive sorcerer specializes in barrier magic like Silicic Armor. Formerly one of the Free Girls, she is now a dedicated, diet-conscious member of Minoru’s group. Observant and modest, she shares a close bond with Mari and Nagase, training rigorously under her master’s guidance while seeking personal growth.
• Risa – A sharp-tongued, long-haired gyaru sorcerer, she is an analytical combatant who wields firearms with tactical precision. Once disruptive, she is now a rational member of Minoru’s group who balances a confrontational attitude toward underperformers with devoted submissiveness to him. A Plain-folk descendant, she is deeply invested in the group’s image, intimacy, and achieving Unlocking.
• Yuri – A cheerful and energetic first-year student at Higashi High who is a classmate of Shibuya and an acquaintance of Kibe Yurina from their middle school days. A girl known for being aggressive toward Hayato and displaying overt favoritism.
• Tatemiya – The family name of the protagonist (Minoru), and Kotoha.
• Tempura – A pistol shrimp apparition residing in the annex, this entity acts as both a pet and the core source of Minoru’s shock sorcery. Under the protagonist’s subjugation, it manifests as a formidable creature capable of generating powerful, destructive shockwaves.
• Ryota – A loyal, outgoing middle schooler in Minoru’s class, this competitive leader of a “Strong-Female” squad is known for high stamina and his “Great Bear” reputation. A well-connected sorcerer who treats the Nagase household as a personal hideout, he acts as a strategic spokesperson and logistics expert. He is a keen observer of social dynamics who enjoys supporting his peers and miracle body lines.
• Minoru – A black-haired, pragmatic student and sorcerer in a world of inverted beauty standards, this protagonist hides his identity as a shock-wielding Devil. A detached, strategic leader, he manages his party of four brides and subordinates through contracts and growth potential. Possessing knowledge from a past life, he studies dungeon lore and uses his power to subjugate and command apparitions.
• Mari – A former member of the Free Girls and childhood friend of Asari. She possesses an impressive physical build and resides in a typical suburban home.
• Nagase – A female student with a large, soft physique and a gentle, obedient personality. She is best friends with Asari and has a deep reliance on her for guidance. A mother who supports her daughter’s involvement with a group of Strong-Males and acts as a judge for games played in her home.
• Koki – A powerful second-year student known as the Second-Year Ogre. He is nearly two meters tall with a muscular build and a handsome face, serving as a prominent figure at the high school.
• Onihara – The family name of Koki and his sister Mitsuki.
• Kasakura – The family name of Asari and her father.
• Mitsuki – Koki’s younger sister and a first-year student at Shisei. She was once a childhood friend of Minoru, though her appearance has recently shifted toward a taller, curvier physique.
• Manaka – A former student linked to the Tatemiya house, she is the leader of the five Initial Strong-Females who established a school social hierarchy. Though she shares a childhood history with Minoru, she has since separated from his circle and maintains an independent identity from his current group.
• Kuga – The family name of Marin.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
Thanks for reading.
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