Volume 11 Chapter 35 Shion-chan Gets Softened Up꞉ The Secret Dinner and The Labyrinth Triumph
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
All of us, including Shiori-chan, had gathered at the castle gate entrance to welcome the Labyrinth exploration team back. We usually meet up at the base, but today was special. Just looking at Haruka-chan’s beaming face, you could tell their haul was absolutely fantastic.
”Oh, Takumi-kun! It was amazing, Haruka was!” she gushed, silver hair bouncing like a happy rabbit’s tail.
”Yeah. You can really fire off incredible magic when your gear is set, Date-san,” I acknowledged.
”Even Meruru-san was impressed, wasn’t she? Honestly, the two of you were more than enough,” another commented.
”Not at all. Ginga-kun was wonderfully effective, too,” a voice with a lighter tone than usual piped up.
Their voices were so light and airy. Normally, they’d be so drained they could barely muster the energy to speak, or all I’d hear was complaining and whining. Positive chatter was rare, and their current energy was a huge difference.
I stepped forward to speak with the adorable little witch who was, in fact, a bizarrely exposed bunny… no, I meant the cute mage with the silver hair that bobbed like a rabbit’s ears.
”Welcome back, Haruka-chan. Did you get the Agilaus Staff?”
”Of course I did! We even got two!”
Haruka-chan happily pulled the familiar-looking Agilaus Staff out of her Magic Bag. This staff, which specializes in improving mana efficiency, was the key to rocketing her up the Rankings. It’s like giving a demon a steel club, or a witch a perfect wand.
”With this, we can challenge the Black Dragon on the mid-floors right away. If Meruru-san’s squad goes with us, maybe we can even clear the deep floors!” she enthused.
”If we’re taking on the deep floors, though, we’d really prefer Chisame to come along. If we had a magic defense specialist, Meruru-san would just be a super-powerful, ultra-erotic magic elf otherwise,” Chinatsu-chan chimed in, peeking her head out from Haruka-chan’s shoulder with a perfectly reasonable observation.
The last deep-floor boss was Cartera and the Driven Knight, piloted by the First Emperor. Well, it was only a boss-battle game we played, but still. Speaking of which, what the heck is going on with the Ghost Army? Naje is still alive, but I don’t know when Emperor Quvar opened the Underworld. It’s not a zero-percent chance it could happen again.
”Takumi-kun. Will you approve us for the mid-floors? We’ve got Kanare-san and Kano-kun for physical attacks, too.”
Ah, Suenaga-kun, who’d been sidelined, looked a bit pouty. Well, it’s safer if he concentrates on escort duties from the mid-floors onward.
”Got it. Is the same formation as today okay?”
”Yep. Eris-san took command, so Ginga-kun seemed like he had a really easy time fighting.”
Huh, I thought Eris-san was supposed to be a behind-the-scenes support… but I’d forgotten her bull-headed, charging personality. As long as everyone’s having an easier time, I guess it’s fine.
”Takumi. Let’s go celebrate.”
”Yeah. Time for a celebration.”
”We’re having a banquet!”
”A feast!”
”Yeah, a banquet!”
Whoa, the guys are kinda scary. I promised to treat them to the High-Class Courtesan House tonight, so every eye is glittering. Their vocabulary’s dropped to nothing, too. Settle down, fellas! If you live with your sexual desires hanging out like that, the girls are gonna hate you! I mean, Kandagawa-san already treats me like a dangerous creature!
I just barely managed to keep my reason and speak of the formal celebration.
”Alright, fine. We’ll have a party. I’ve rented out a tavern. Oh, and for the girls, I’ve reserved a fancy restaurant, so you can enjoy some of McGaref’s top-tier, elegant cuisine.”
”Wait, you prepared all that?”
”Do you have enough money?”
”Just because you made a bit of cash, your purse strings are way too loose, aren’t they?”
Even as they commented like that, the girls looked happy. Of course they did. Up to this point, our meals were all about filling our stomachs, nothing more. The gap between that and the blessed world of Reiwa Japan has constantly been wearing down our minds.
”You get it, Nasu-kun.”
”A girls’ night out is much better than a rowdy, low-class racket with the boys at a tavern, right? ¹“
Amidst the excited chatter of the girls, a calm voice asked a question—it was Kano Sayo-chan, the ice magic powerhouse.
”Kou-kun, are you going to that one, too?”
”Ah, yeah. I’ll go enjoy myself with the guys for once.”
Kotaro-kun’s reply sounded forced. The truth is, Kotaro-kun is a big-boob-only kind of guy, and he’d already ordered a busty Onee-san at the High-Class Courtesan House. Even though they’re a couple right now, he and the A-cup Sayo-chan are actually a poor match.
”…I see. Have fun, Kou-kun.”
I know that look. No, Sayo-chan already knows. She knows the true bond between the two of them is familial affection, not the love of a couple.
”Speaking of which, Takumi, you’re splitting up from Ginga, right?”
”Oh, yeah, that’s right. Ginga-kun, let’s grab a meal together for once. Shion-chan, what do you say? Shiori-chan and Lumine-chan will be with us. Oh, and Haruka-chan, too.”
”What a weird combination. Well, if Ginga-kun is moving away from the zoo, that’s fine by me.” Shion-chan deadpanned.
Shion-chan knows. She knows the guys are heading to the brothel for the afterparty. And if Ginga-kun were to join them, she would stop him by force. Because they understand each other, she won’t try to stop this current plan.
”Well, shall we go then? I hear it’s super luxurious! ♡”
”Wow, I’m excited!”
”My stomach is rumbling!”
”Let’s head back to the base and wash off the sweat first!”
The girls walked away, chatting amongst themselves. Watching their retreating backs, I felt a deep, personal need—it might be selfish, but I never want to drag them into a war again. So many of our classmates died in that last one.
The deaths of my classmates… they’ll never just be a number to me.
”Well, then, Yawashi-kun. Please show everyone the way. Liz-san will come to pick you up when the time is right.”
”Got it. I’ll make sure nobody drinks so much they can’t get it up,” he joked, a burst of high spirits making him throw out a casual, vulgar remark.
But Shion-chan only cares about Ginga-kun’s behavior, ignoring the rest. Right now, her expression is as cool as ever, observing me carefully.
”You’re not bringing Aria or Hikari?”
”Nope. Just for once.”
Ginga-kun and Haruka-chan are the leaders while we’re gone. I’ll ask Meruru for support, but I have to explain the situation to them first.
”Where is this restaurant?”
”Ah, it’s one of my ² affiliated places. The security is perfect, so don’t worry.”
”Security? Usually, people talk about the food,” she countered.
Yet, even Shiori-chan was completely composed. If my recollection is correct, at this time, she was still newly adopted and felt a little uneasy. The fact that she can now confidently say ‘one of my affiliated places’ shows how much experience matters.
Once we got to the restaurant, we explained the situation and practically prostrated ourselves, begging Shion-chan to learn coordinate teleportation magic and come with us. Of course, the fact that she was destined to be utterly *crushed* by my sexual appetite was our little secret.
Given Shion-chan’s extremely unique thought process, I figured she’d be surprisingly okay with the deal. The main thing was to keep Ginga-kun from finding out.
”I understand. While Shiori and Lumine’s explanation leaves some gaps, I’ll cooperate if there’s a possibility for Ginga-kun and me to return to Japan.”
”Thank you, Shion-chan.”
”I’m happy, too. Once we get back to Japan, let’s go on lots of dates,” Ginga-kun said, smiling.
Ginga-kun is so pure, isn’t he? And at this point in the timeline, even more so. I can totally understand Shion-chan’s desire to keep him all to herself.
”By the way, I want a reward for my cooperation,” Shion-chan stated.
”What kind of reward?”
”I want to ask Shiori, not Takumi-kun.”
”Of course, I’ll procure anything within my ability,” Shiori-chan promised.
Shion-chan’s lips curled up ever so slightly. Uh oh, that’s the evil, dangerous look. Having known her since elementary school, I can instantly tell. Ginga-kun, I apologize to you now.
”Speaking of which, aren’t they bringing the food yet?”
”Eh, there isn’t any,” Shiori-chan cheerfully replied with a sweet, charming smile, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.
”The food would make it impossible to have a private conversation, wouldn’t it? Come on, Shion, you’re learning magic with me now. Haruka and Lumine, you come too.”
”Wait, you won’t do that squishing thing again, right?” Lumine-chan yelped, suddenly turning pale.
”Don’t worry. That’s what I’m going to do to Shion.”
Seriously? That’s scary, so I’ll pretend I didn’t hear it. But the fact that Shion-chan didn’t even flinch when told she’d be subjected to the same thing as the terrified Lumine-chan… Shion-chan is truly Shion-chan.
And so, the secret meeting was adjourned. For the first time in a while, Ginga-kun and I walked together to the tavern.
—
Summary:
The Labyrinth team returns triumphant, led by an overjoyed Haruka-chan and her new Agilaus Staff, setting the stage for deep-floor challenges. However, the victory celebration quickly splits—the boys, eyes gleaming with anticipation, head for a luxury tavern, while the girls are steered toward an upscale restaurant. This ‘girls’ night’ becomes a secretive, tense negotiation where Takumi and Shiori must convince the cool-headed Shion-chan to cooperate with a crucial teleportation mission, all while keeping the true, risqué nature of the plan a secret from the pure-hearted Ginga-kun. The chapter ends on a cliffhanger of diverging paths and hidden intentions, with the promise of high-stakes Isekai adventure and romantic complications.
—
Character Insight:
This scene highlights the true nature of Shion-chan—she’s not purely logical, but deeply motivated by her possessive affection for Ginga-kun. Her willingness to risk a dangerous teleportation mission isn’t about saving the world; it’s about a chance to secure Ginga, demonstrating that her personal loyalty is her ultimate vulnerability and strength. It reveals her complexity beyond the ‘Ice Queen’ facade, cementing her role in the Harem Fantasy structure.
—
Behind the Scene:
The strategic splitting of the party—boys to the tavern and girls to the restaurant—is a necessary plot device to facilitate the secret discussion with Shion-chan without the emotional interference of Ginga-kun. This arrangement, along with the promise of ‘crushing’ Shion, underscores the protagonist’s morally flexible nature and his ability to use strategic seduction for plot advancement, setting up future adult romance conflicts.
—
T/L:
1 [Note: The Japanese sentence-ending particle *ne* is often used to seek agreement or confirm a statement, here translated as the confirming ‘right?’ to fit the high-school girl chat flavor.] ↩
2 [Note: The word used here, *uchi no*, literally means ‘my’ or ‘our house/company’ and is often used to show personal connection or affiliation, here translated as ‘one of my affiliated places’ to reflect Shiori’s growing confidence and ownership.] ↩
Notes:
• Haruka – Witch of Destruction — Silver-haired, F-cup. Former class vice-president, now a powerful witch. Wields the Agilaus Staff, capable of devastating ritual magic. Became the world’s strongest after acquiring the ‘Dark Emperor of the Abyss’ as a familiar. Exhibits exhibitionist tendencies, often seeking public intimacy with Takumi. Deeply devoted to him, balancing her role as a leader with her desires. First appears in v1c1 Prologue.
• Chinatsu – White Wall — Black hair, B-cup. Adventurous, masochistic, Takumi’s first slave & lover. Master of Asakura-ryu Iaijutsu, wields cursed sword Chisame (blood-powered). 12th-ranked fighter, close to Hikari. First appears in v1c1 Prologue.
• Cartera – Eternal Witch — The First Emperor’s mistress and a resurrected sorceress of immense power. Cruel and seductive, she takes pleasure in destruction and defilement. Her loyalty to the Emperor is absolute, and she shares his desire to end the world. First appears in v9c3.
• Naje – First princess of the Lesta Kingdom and deputy commander. The tragic princess of the Lesta Kingdom who was executed for her country.
• Kanare – The stern battalion commander, who once led Chinatsu, shares a solemn mission, his eyes reflecting battlefield memories.
• Suenaga – Classmate, Kahoru’s customer.
• Suenaga-kun – Classmate, Kahoru’s customer.
• Eris – Rusty’s daughter and commander of the all-female Order of Knights, loyal elf warrior with a widow-like warmth. Mother of Meruru, thus Rusty’s granddaughter, tying three generations to Takumi. Beautiful with short golden hair and armor, she blends practicality with tenderness. First appears v9c12. Reminder: Knightly daughter balancing steel and maternal grace.
• McGaref – Fortress city, adventurer hub.
• Sayo – A Cup. Non-virgin. The younger sibling in the fake-sibling couple.
• Lumine – A human student and Sakasaki Livia’s sister, first seen at McGaref’s gate after a reset to the past, returning from a barren labyrinth run with Nagai Kahoru after their party called them “dead weight.” Takumi meets her there; because she committed suicide in the prior timeline, he and friends watch her; she’s best friends with Kahoru and Date Haruka, and she speaks in hollow aphorisms.
• Shion – Ginga’s GF. Archery, healing.
• Shion-chan – Ginga’s GF. Archery, healing.
• Hikari – 4th Division leader. Stressed, relies on Takumi.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
Thanks for reading.
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