Volume 5 Chapter 2 Plans for Winter Break
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
Today was the last day of the second semester.
The closing ceremony was over. After the homeroom teacher finished the final announcements and left the classroom, the whole place relaxed at once. The students immediately split into small groups, talking excitedly about what they would do next.
My own group gathered around my desk, leaving their bags at their seats. They wanted to check my plans first.
”Lord Minoru, what will you do after this?” Yurina asked, her voice full of its usual quiet devotion.
Before I could answer, Chifumi cut in playfully.
”There’s somewhere I want to go~. Let’s all go together~!”
”Huh? Weren’t we all supposed to go straight home today?” I asked, looking between them.
”Before we break up, we should really talk about our trip~,” Chifumi insisted with a soft giggle.
Risa was supposed to use this winter break to go see her mother. Instead of making her go alone, we decided we might as well all go together. Even though it started as an excuse to get Risa to visit her, the idea of a long trip was genuinely exciting.
In the 13th District1 where we lived, snow was almost unheard of. The climate was warm — we would be lucky to see even a few centimeters of snow pile up once a year. Just thinking about going somewhere covered in white made me feel happier. As someone with no real experience of heavy snow, it felt like a beautiful, magical winter wonderland.
I was not very good at winter sports myself, but I figured it would still be fun if someone taught me. Either way, I was actually looking forward to it.
”So you’re saying we’re going somewhere to talk about the trip right now?” I said.
”That’s right~,” Chifumi chirped.
While we were talking, Ryota walked over and called out to me.
”Hey. You heading home already?” Ryota asked, leaning against the next desk.
”Yeah. We’re about to go plan our vacation,” I replied.
”I see. What about our thing? Still good to go?” Ryota murmured, lowering his voice.
”Let’s see…” I muttered.
I glanced sideways at Chifumi and the others.
For the past two years, Ryota and I always set aside a day during New Year’s to hang out, just the two of us. But this year, we were both leaders of our own groups. We needed to work with our members about our free days.
”Let’s go ahead with the plan. We’ll have to find time to settle the dates and details. I’ll call you tonight,” I told him.
”Got it,” Ryota nodded.
With that settled, Ryota led his group out of the classroom.
Miss Yamada, Miss Nagase, and the rest of his crew said goodbye to my group before leaving.
Soon after Ryota and his group were gone, Risa shot me a suspicious look.
”What was that? Do you have something going on with Okuma?” Risa asked, crossing her arms.
”Well, sometimes a guy just wants to hang out with his bros, you know?” I reasoned.
”Cut the crap. You’re always hanging out with us anyway,” Risa countered flatly.
”That’s different. This is a completely separate thing,” I insisted.
”Is it something you can’t tell us?” Risa pressed, narrowing her eyes.
”It’s not that I can’t tell you, but…” I trailed off.
What was up with her? She was pushing much harder than usual today. Yurina spoke up, backing Risa up.
”You have a history of past offenses, Lord Minoru, which is why Risa is worried,” Yurina explained softly.
”Past offenses…?” I blinked.
”During summer break, you took Miss Asari and spent the whole day with Okuma… doing, well…” Yurina murmured, fidgeting with her hands.
Yurina trailed off delicately, and Asari shifted in her seat, looking uncomfortable.
The combination of Asari and Ryota finally reminded me. She was talking about the secret hideout thing2.
Back then, I ended up secretly pampering Asari behind Risa and the others’ backs. Risa was clearly worried I was planning to pull the same kind of stunt again.
”Don’t worry. It’s nothing like taking one specific person along. It’s purely a guys’ day out,” I assured them.
”Just guys… Lord Minoru, don’t tell me you swing that way too…?” Yurina gasped, her cheeks flushing slightly.
”I don’t know what kind of wild fantasies you’re cooking up in that head of yours, but let me make it very clear: I have zero interest in men,” I snapped back quickly.
”O-Oh, of course! That makes sense!” Yurina squeaked, her voice rising.
Yurina, oddly enough, looked a little disappointed.
The only reason I ever pampered your backside was because it belonged to you. I had absolutely no interest in a man’s rear. To drive the point home, I reached down and gave her rear a light, teasing touch.
Twitch! Yurina’s posture instantly straightened like an arrow.
Before her expression could fully turn into her usual spoiled-cat look, I quickly pulled my hand back. No more rewards for now. This was the limit for acceptable touch in a classroom.
”Well then, shall we go~?” Chifumi asked merrily.
Chifumi and the others completely ignored my obvious public mischief, quietly going back to their seats to gather their things.
It was rare for no one to call me out on it. But the reason for everyone’s slightly unnatural behavior became clear soon enough.
We arrived at a karaoke box right in front of the station.
Chifumi didn’t even stop at the front desk to check in; she just walked straight to the back.
At this point, a terrible feeling hit me. And of course, my worst fears came true.
When she swung the door open, Manaka and her crew were already waiting inside, dressed in casual clothes.
”Sorry to keep you waiting, Manaka~!” Chifumi waved.
”We only just got here ourselves,” Manaka replied with an elegant smile.
Risa and Asari showed almost no reaction at all, accepting Manaka and the others’ presence as if it were the most natural thing in the world. So it was another case of keeping me completely in the dark. I gave up. Or rather, I had simply accepted this kind of treatment as my reality.
”Come on, Minoru~. Hurry up and get inside~,” Chifumi urged, tugging my sleeve.
”There’s a spot open right here,” Manaka added, gesturing to the sofa.
Chifumi and Manaka patted a space between them that looked barely wide enough for one and a half people.
With no choice, I sat down exactly where they pointed. While Asari and the others started ordering drinks and snacks for everyone, Yuu and Yui immediately picked some songs and started singing.
”Can we actually discuss any real vacation plans in a place this loud?” I shouted over the music.
”There is no need to worry. It is not a problem,” Manaka assured me smoothly.
Manaka snapped her fingers, and the loud singing suddenly sounded very far away.
Spatial Mastery… she had learned to make very fine adjustments to her magic.
”I have set the boundaries so that only a faint murmur of the singing leaks outside the area around our seats. It should not feel strange to anyone else,” Manaka explained.
”I see…” I muttered, impressed.
I would have to check the exact effects of her Sky-Decoration Sorcery when I went to the bathroom later.
But before that, there was something else I wanted to confirm. The exact reason why these childhood friends of mine had gathered here in force. Though, I already had a pretty good guess.
”Since you guys are here, I take it you want to join our trip, just like you did during summer break?” I asked dryly.
”As expected of Minoru. I appreciate how quick you are to understand,” Manaka replied, her eyes crinkling with amusement.
I had turned toward Manaka, keeping my tone deliberately full of gentle mockery, but she didn’t push back or act overly polite. She simply gave a perfectly natural, serene smile. As she looked straight back into my eyes to answer, it was frustrating to admit, but… she was incredibly cute.
Just as I found myself at a loss for words, our ordered drinks arrived. We all raised our glasses for a fresh toast.
As the music picked up again in the background, Chifumi leaned her weight against my back, whispering directly into my ear.
”Come on, we all went on a trip together over the summer, didn’t we~? Since we went through all the trouble of becoming such good friends, I thought it would be wonderful if we could all go together for the winter trip too~,” Chifumi murmured close to my cheek.
”How does your brain jump from ‘good friends’ to ‘let’s force our way along’? I could question you for an hour about that logic,” I grumbled back.
”Eww~? Minoru, you’re so naughty~,” Chifumi teased, giggling behind her hand.
”Hey, what part of what I just said had even a tiny bit of indecency in it?” I demanded.
”Because~ whenever Minoru says he’s going to question me, he always uses something dirty as an excuse~. It’s just a natural guess based on your track record~,” Chifumi countered playfully.
When Chifumi put it that way, I couldn’t exactly deny it. After all, just the other day, I had literally fought a fierce, intimate battle with her while interrogating her, completely ignoring that her aunt was right downstairs.
”I am well aware that the two of you share an… excellent relationship within the group as Demon Lord and Witch. However, we are also present in this room right now. I would greatly appreciate it if you could show a little self-control,” Manaka chided, a polite but firm smile on her face.
”Okaay~,” Chifumi sang out.
”…Got it,” I mumbled, clearing my throat.
Chifumi agreed to Manaka’s complaint without a single bit of resistance. Finding myself cornered in a two-against-one situation, I had no choice but to behave.
”Now then, what is the verdict? Minoru, will you give us permission to join?” Manaka asked, her eyes fixed on mine.
”…Yeah, fine. I don’t mind. You can come,” I sighed, throwing my hands up.
”Thank you very much,” Manaka said, offering a refined nod.
Manaka gave a perfectly elegant bow from her seat.
The surrounding crowd (excluding Yui and Yuu, who were still lost in their music) had been hanging on my words, and they let out a happy cheer. Putting Sawa and Mitsuki aside, even Risa and her core group looked visibly relieved.
”Which means next up is settling the location and dates~. Take it away, Risa,” Chifumi directed.
”Right, here is the current hotel reservation status,” Risa announced, opening her bag.
Prompted by Chifumi, Risa pulled several sheets of paper from her bag. There were a few loose pages covered in scribbled notes, along with a separate set of copied documents for the whole group. A black-and-white, printed travel plan was passed around to everyone in the room.
”The Highland Resort, Tsukise Hotel… Wait, is this a hotel owned by the Naruse Merchant Guild?” I noted aloud, reading the header.
In response to my question, Risa began her explanation.
”Exactly as Minoru said, the Tsukise Hotel is a place funded directly by our Naruse Merchant Guild. It’s the peak end-of-year season with huge booking numbers, but we managed to get a single, massive luxury cottage for large groups. It’s big enough to hold everyone sitting in this room. Check the papers I handed out for the details,” Risa said proudly.
The document described a huge, large-scale cottage separate from the main hotel building, completely surrounded by thick trees for deep immersion in nature. It was two stories, with a massive open-air hot spring bath and an attached private sauna. What the… this was amazing.
”How did you even manage to book a place like this? It must have been an absolute nightmare,” I remarked.
”My dad had originally reserved it in advance just in case something came up for work. He managed to pull some strings and transfer the reservation to us,” Risa explained with a small shrug.
”We’re going to have to thank your dad properly…” I murmured.
”He’s currently away on a long-term business trip. The earliest we can speak to him directly… is after the New Year,” Risa added.
Apparently, her father usually worked out of the Imperial Capital office of the Naruse Merchant Guild. Sounds like tough work.
”So, about the dates, I’m looking at the 26th to the 29th,” Risa continued, pointing to the schedule.
”A three-night stay, huh? Sounds good to me,” I agreed.
The second page seemed to show the rough schedule. For those joining for the full time, the exact meeting spots and leaving points were clearly marked. Since people had their own family duties during the year-end and New Year holidays, joining part-time was also fine. The event was set up to be as flexible as possible.
In my family’s case, our only real tradition was the rice cake pounding event on the 30th, but other than that, my schedule was wide open. Joining for the whole time would not be a problem at all.
”Since we also need to arrange plane tickets and travel plans, I’d appreciate it if you could tell me your planned dates as soon as possible. I’ve written my phone number on the very last page of the plan, but you can also just reply through Chifumi,” Risa said, looking over at the other group.
In response to Risa’s request, Manaka spoke up for the Shisei High School members.
”Understood. I will gather everyone’s replies and send them over together. By the way, is there a strict limit on the total number of people?” Manaka asked.
”The cottage is literally big enough to hold everyone in this room, so you don’t need to worry,” Risa assured her.
”To be completely honest, I am thinking about bringing a couple of extra members. Two new girls joined my group starting in the second semester. They are not here today, but I was hoping they could join us as well,” Manaka revealed.
”If that’s the case, then sure, that’s completely fine. Two more people will not be a problem at all,” Risa nodded.
”Thank you so much,” Manaka said gracefully.
Come to think of it, she had mentioned something along those lines back during the school festival. I wondered what kind of girls she had recruited.
As if reading my thoughts, Manaka turned her gaze back toward me.
”They are definitely girls you already know, Minoru,” Manaka teased softly.
”People I know…? You mean, from our old junior high?” I asked, raising an eyebrow.
Girls who had not gone to specialized private academies? The places I could have met anyone outside of Chifumi’s circle or Ryota’s crew were very limited. The only people who came to mind were a handful of girls I had worked with during club activities or committee duties.
”You will find out soon enough,” Manaka smiled mysteriously.
”It’s a surprise! ☆” Chifumi added with a wink.
Having finished her song, Yuu joined the conversation. Judging by both her and Sawa’s expressions, they did not seem bothered by the idea of extra members. If that was the case, the list of possibilities narrowed down a lot.
”Forget about all that☆ Here you go, Minorun☆ You’re next☆” Yuu chirped with a bright, energetic toss of her head.
A few names flashed through my mind, but Yuu pushed the microphone toward me as if to say any more prying would be rude.
I have not even picked a song, though.
Just as the thought crossed my mind, Risa’s song ended, and an intro I recognized began to play.
”Minoru～. Let’s sing together～” Chifumi called out with a sweet, rhythmic lilt.
It looked like Chifumi had snuck in a duet for us. Before I could even wonder When did she manage that…, she grabbed my arm and pulled me to my feet.
”Over here～” Chifumi added, her voice trailing off in a melodic sing-song.
She guided me to the open space in the room. I had no choice. I would love to say I was about to bless them with my beautiful voice… but I am not a gifted singer. Honestly speaking, I am terrible. On a karaoke scoring system, I usually get about seventy points.
I was at a level where I could fiercely fight for the bottom spot with Sawa—the worst singer among the girls—meaning I was just barely on the right side of tone-deaf. Chifumi, on the other hand, averaged over ninety. Talk about the gap between guys and girls. Or rather, the huge gap between introverts and normies.
”Great jobー” Risa offered, clapping her hands lazily.
”Minoru-sama, you were wonderful,” Yurina murmured, her head bowing slightly in respect.
After finishing the song, I sank into the empty space between Risa and Yurina, getting words of comfort from both sides. It left me feeling a bit mixed. The next one to grab the microphone was Manaka.
”Well then, please excuse me…” Manaka announced, her tone perfectly measured and polite.
Manaka began to sing. It was a famous song by a well-known female singer-songwriter. Her voice was crystal-clear, like glass. Is she literally an angel?
While everyone was completely captured by Manaka’s singing, the door suddenly swung open.
”Helloー!” a loud male voice boomed through the room.
At the sound of the shout, I glanced over, wondering if we had ordered something. A male student wearing the District 13 High School uniform opened the door and peeked into the room. Behind him stood several other male students who looked like his friends. They were clearly not employees.
”Ah?” Mitsuki growled, a sharp, low grunt escaping his throat.
I heard Mitsuki, who was sitting closest to the door, let out a low, quiet grunt.
Manaka glanced at the intruders for a single moment, but completely ignored them after that, continuing to sing without stopping.
”Tch… Oh… Sorry about that. Wrong roomー” the leader muttered, clicking his tongue in annoyance.
The guy swept his eyes across the room, clicked his tongue, and pulled back out, slamming the door shut behind him without ever stepping inside.
”What was up with those guys? Talk about a mood killer,” Mitsuki spat, his face twisted in irritation.
”Should we kill them? Kill them?” Yuu squeaked excitedly, her eyes flashing.
”It’s too much of a pain… just drop it,” Sawa sighed, waving a dismissive hand.
Sawa was trying to calm Mitsuki and Yuu, both of whom were completely angry. Judging by Sawa’s expression, she seemed pretty annoyed herself, but she stepped into the role of peacemaker given the situation.
As for those male students—while it was possible they genuinely entered the wrong room… they were probably trying to hit on girls. And the very low-class type at that.
This place generally had good manners with its customers. I had never run into a situation like this before. I guess when the end of the year comes, these kinds of loud, annoying crowds start crawling out.
Manaka’s beautiful voice had attracted some nasty pests. Since Manaka and the others in line of sight from the door were in casual clothes, the guys probably tried to call out to them without realizing they were sorcerers3 at a glance.
But once they peeked inside, they saw the rest of us wearing the District 13 High School uniform and realized they were in deep trouble. It was not hard to imagine them panicking. As a result, they ended up throwing out that kind of attitude… which was honestly a bit too much. To put it bluntly, it was disgusting.
That said, going out into the hallway now to make things worse sounded like a huge hassle. Maybe back in the day, but now, you cannot just pick a fight because you are angry, or challenge someone to a duel and cut them down without punishment. Besides, the moment had already passed, so it would just look pathetic.
In that sense, the group of guys who retreated before I could even move were actually pretty smart.
Well, if you ignore the fact that they were doing something completely, hopelessly stupid.
”What happened? Why did you back off?”
”…It’s a sorcerer group. There were guys too.”
”Seriously!? That’s bad news.”
”No kidding. Let’s get out fast… wait… looks like we’re fine. Nobody’s coming out.”
”I caught a glimpse, and there were nothing but weak girls inside. A bunch of introverts. We totally lucked out.”
”It’s all thanks to this Uniform. Safe, lol”
”Lol”
From somewhere further down the hallway, I could hear them talking trash about us. How was I hearing voices that were supposed to be whispered in secret? No way… I looked over at Manaka, and saw her looking back at me meaningfully while continuing to sing. Was she using her air-shaping sorcery to send the sound so only I could hear it? Was she telling me to go deal with these disrespectful punks?
”Next up, let’s try this room.”
”Make sure there aren’t any sorcerers inside first.”
”Mm. We’re good. Different Uniform.”
”Alright, let’s go!”
My silent hope that they would not cause trouble and just go home quietly went completely unanswered; the group from earlier had apparently attacked a completely different room.
”Helloー!!”
”Wh-what is it? Who are you people?”
”What High School do you girls go to?”
”Excuse me… please don’t just barge in here!”
”Come on, what’s the big deal? Let’s have some fun together.”
From the sounds leaking through, the girls sounded genuinely scared. …Let’s just say I officially have a reason to pick a fight now. Let’s go with that.
”Excuse me for a moment,” I muttered, pushing myself up from the couch.
”Hmm? Sure thingー” Chifumi replied, shifting her legs to the side.
As I pushed myself up, Chifumi cleared the path for me.
Manaka watched me move with a gentle smile playing on her lips. I wonder just how much of this was dancing right on the palm of her hand…?
Leaving the room, I saw the male students gathered around the entrance of a certain room further down the hallway.
The moment they saw me, I saw them frantically scramble inside and pull the door shut.
”……”
I thought things through as I walked. Now then, what should my first line be? I did not want them hitting back with a weak excuse, and dealing with cheap tricks sounded like a drag. …For starters, I guess I will just copy exactly what they did to us.
The sounds from inside my target room were still coming right into my ears. If the girls had shown even a hint of interest, I would have let it go, but they sounded genuinely terrified. In that case, there was absolutely no reason to hold back.
I gave the door a double-tap knock and threw it open without waiting for a reply.
”Helloー” I announced smoothly, stepping over the threshold.
Four girls looked back at me with scared expressions, thinking another intruder had joined. There were also four guys who had made themselves at home, chatting them up. Each one seemed to have picked a specific target.
”I have business with the guys hereー. Could all the guys come outside so we can have a little chat? Oh, you girls can just stay right there, okay? Sorry about thisー” I said, my voice completely relaxed.
I gestured toward the hallway, telling them to get out.
”Ah? The hell do you want out of nowhere?” the leader sneered, stepping forward aggressively.
The biggest guy in the bunch—probably the leader of this little pack—opened his mouth. His voice was full of pure irritation. Excellent, keep it coming~. Actually, it was not excellent at all.
”Just get outside,” I repeated, my tone dropping lower.
”Why the hell should we listen to a word you say?!” the leader barked back, his chest puffing out.
The leader shot back aggressively. The girls looked terrified by the guy’s harsh tone, wondering what kind of violence was about to start.
”Your side was the one messing with my group first. I heard you talking trash. I’m telling you to show some honesty here. You would not want to show these girls your pathetic side, right?” I countered, keeping my eyes locked on his.
”Hah!?” the leader scoffed, a vein throbbing on his temple.
Though to be completely fair, this whole situation of trapping innocent girls between myself and these guys was already pretty pathetic. I made an effort to command them calmly.
”Just get out. Do what I say while I’m still being nice. Got it?” I said, my expression going completely blank.
”Stop screwing around!” the leader roared, refusing to move.
Even so, the guys did not move. How troublesome.
”Fine, I get it. In that case, the guys can stay. Girls, would you mind stepping out for a moment?” I asked, turning toward the huddle of female students.
”Huh? …Ah, okay…” one of the girls stammered, quickly gesturing for her friends to get up.
At my words, the four girls exchanged glances. One of them turned her face toward me, nodded, and then tried to get everyone to stand up and move out.
”Wait a damn minute…!” one of the cronies shouted, lunging forward.
One of the guys reached out a hand toward the girls, only to snap it right back with a sharp pop sound. It was because I sent a bit of static electricity through him using my sorcery.
The girls quickly scurried out of the room. Only the four guys remained.
”Now then…” I began, cracking my knuckles slowly.
There were plenty of things that needed to be said. But first, we had to start with this. I pointed my finger straight down, giving an order.
”Alright, dogeza (kneel and bow in apology),” I commanded coldly.
”………”
There was one guy looking at me with a gaze intense enough to kill if looks could kill, and another who could not quite hide his trembling, hesitant attitude. The remaining two were simply studying the situation. The level of nerve among the four of them varied wildly. It made their chain of command very clear.
”If you do not give me a straight apology, I will not be able to let this go either, you know,” I remarked, adjusting my uniform collar.
”Same goes for us,” the leader growled, holding his ground.
The leader with the intense glare refused to drop his arrogant posture. He had the most composed expression out of all of them. I could easily guess what was running through his head right now.
The uniform these guys were wearing belonged to District 13 High School. In other words, he was trying to act like a sorcerer and a Strong-Male (Tsuyo-Osu)4.
It was common knowledge that Strong-Male (Tsuyo-Osu) individuals did not clash with each other. Since I was also wearing the District 13 High School uniform, these guys understood that I was a Strong-Male (Tsuyo-Osu) as well. His confidence was likely born from the assumption that neither side would want to make this a big incident… well, let’s go ahead and push him on it.
”Are you completely brain-dead, picking a fight with Strong-Females (Shoji’s group members)5 who belong to an actual group?” I asked, narrowing my eyes.
”We’re sorry about that,” the leader muttered, his eyes darting toward the floor.
Maybe because the girls were no longer around, the leader offered a blunt apology.
”And what exactly is that apology for?” I pressed, stepping closer.
”I did not realize they were Strong-Females (Shoji’s group members) from your group. My bad,” the leader grunted, his arms crossing over his chest.
The leader’s words were still dripping with attitude. Was he actually sorry for what he did at all?
”If that’s the case, you know there is a proper way to show it, right? Dogeza,” I repeated, my finger still pointing firmly at the carpet.
”…We have our own pride to think about. We cannot do that. You should be able to understand that much, right?” the leader argued, his teeth gritted tightly.
From outside the room, the girls were watching our standoff with bated breath.
He seemed to be overly aware of their presence.
”Sigh… your pride, huh,” I muttered, shaking my head.
”Let’s just settle this peacefully, man,” the leader suggested, a smug edge creeping back into his voice.
Seeing my reaction, the leader started getting cocky again. The faint smirk on his face was incredibly annoying.
”I do not see any reason to let this slide peacefully, though. If I do not get you guys down on your knees apologizing, my own pride will not survive. You get that, right?” I countered, my voice flat.
”That’s why I’m telling you we can’t do it. You get it, right?” the leader sneered, copying my wording.
He threw my own logic right back at me. Oh wow, I think I am about to snap.
The three followers around him chimed in with their agreement, and the whole group of guys instantly got their aggressive posture back. This confidence came from the absolute certainty that things would not get to the point of sorcery being used inside this room. Unfortunate for them.
”Let me ask you guys one question. Why are you cosplaying as students from our High School?” I asked, a sharp smile spreading across my face.
At my question, every single one of their faces went pale.
The leader, trying to keep up his stance of resistance, played dumb.
”The hell are you talking about?” he stammered, his bravado slipping away.
”Cut the crap. You guys are just Plain-folk (ordinary people without magic power)6, are not you? Even if you put on our Uniform and lie about being a Strong-Male (Tsuyo-Osu), I can tell instantly,” I exposed coldly.
”No, we’re—” another boy tried to protest.
”What year? What class? Let’s hear it,” I demanded, cutting him off instantly.
”……”
The boys fell into complete silence. I could see drops of sweat forming on the leader’s forehead. Well, of course they could not answer.
”Would you rather drop into a dogeza right here and finish this, or would you prefer I turn this into a big, official incident?” I gave them the final choice.
”…We are deeply sorry!!” the four of them shouted together, dropping instantly.
The four of them instantly changed their attitude, dropping into a dogeza at lightning speed. As the guys pressed their foreheads tightly against the floor, the sound of the door clicking open echoed. Immediately afterward, a bright flash lit up the room.
When I spun around, Chifumi was standing there taking a picture of us with a disposable camera.
”Hey, come on now…” I sighed, burying my face in my hand.
Chifumi immediately ducked back out into the hallway.
”…If you ever pull a stunt like this again, it will not end anywhere near this nicely. Get lost,” I commanded the kneeling figures before turning on my heel.
”……”
The losers pulled themselves up and slunk away, a faint hint of hostility still lingering behind their pathetic, groveling expressions. If you want a piece of me, I am right here.
I had dealt with that absolute punk—the one who had been lying about being a sorcerer just to pick up girls—with extreme, maybe even overly generous leniency. Honestly, I would have been well within my rights to strip him of his District 13 High School uniform and throw him out of the place completely.
Maybe I should come up with a smoother way to handle these kinds of situations in the future.
Taking a deep breath to calm myself, I stepped out of the room to tell the girls waiting outside that it was safe to come back in. That was when I noticed Chifumi chatting with them.
”What’s up, Chifumi?” I asked.
”Ah, Minoru. I was just talking to Ishimoto-san,” Chifumi replied.
”Ishimoto-san…?” I muttered.
Taking a closer look, I realized she was an old classmate from my junior high days. I had not noticed her earlier because my attention was completely fixed on those guys. The nod she had given me before leaving the room must have been because she recognized me.
”Tatemiya-kun, it’s been a while,” Ishimoto-san said.
”Oh, h-hey. Long time no see,” I stammered.
When a girl suddenly acts friendly with me, it always makes my heart race. I am a closet introvert8 to the core, after all.
”Thank you. You really saved us,” Ishimoto-san added.
”It was no big deal. Honestly, I should be apologizing for dragging you into that mess. I am just glad you are safe,” I replied.
Just then, Manaka appeared.
”Since we are all here, why do not you guys join us?” Manaka suggested warmly.
And that was how, for reasons I could not understand, the four of them ended up joining our huge karaoke party. Chifumi, Risa, and Manaka would have to work out the details of our upcoming trip at a separate time.
Still, packing this many people into a single room made even a large party suite feel incredibly cramped. I was the only guy in a sea of girls. I had assumed that adding more people to the mix would mean fewer turns at the microphone for me, but to my surprise, they kept inviting me to sing duets with them very often.
In the end, we kept going until it was almost everyone’s curfew before finally calling it a night.
Well, tomorrow is the start of the holidays anyway. There is nothing wrong with letting loose a little bit.
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Summary:
Minoru settles secret year-end plans with Ryota during the final day of the semester before his main harem group leads him to a local karaoke venue. There, he discovers Manaka and her faction have already orchestrated a collaborative merge for the upcoming winter resort holiday. While reviewing the booking details provided via Risa’s merchant guild connections, Manaka drops a hint about introducing two familiar new members to the trip, leaving Minoru standardly outmaneuvered by their collective foresight.
Moving outward from a lively karaoke gathering, Minoru spots a problematic group of delinquents attempting to intimidate girls in a separate lounge room. Stepping in under the authority of his academy uniform, he systematically breaks their psychological bravado and shifts the leverage balance completely. The target boys fall into a complete panic when their fraudulent identities are exposed, leaving their ultimate social standing permanently vulnerable to further discovery.
Slunking away in defeat, the group of high schoolers exits after Minoru’s surprisingly lenient intervention. Minoru steps out to recall the waiting girls, only to discover his former junior high classmate, Ishimoto-san, standing among them. An awkward yet friendly reunion quickly transforms into an overwhelming social gathering when Manaka spontaneously invites the newcomers to a karaoke session, leaving the introverted protagonist completely outnumbered as an unresolved holiday vacation approaches.
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Trivia:
The 13th District is heavily implied to have a temperate, maritime climate where sub-zero weather and noticeable snowfall are exceedingly rare phenomena.
Minoru and Ryota have a strict established tradition of setting aside a day specifically for male-only bonding during the transition into the New Year.
The hidden villa or hideout event from summer vacation involved Minoru secretly favoring Asari, a secret that Yurina and Risa discovered or strongly deduced.
Manaka’s execution of her Spatial Mastery has become remarkably fine-tuned, enabling localized acoustic dampening within a crowded city karaoke booth.
The Tsukise Hotel is an exclusive destination directly backed by the massive corporate network of the Naruse Merchant Guild.
Risa’s father is permanently based at the high-stakes Imperial Capital corporate office, keeping him physically detached from his family’s daily activities.
Minoru describes his singing accuracy as hovering right around seventy points on automated evaluation setups.
Manaka utilizes specialized sound magic through walls or air pockets to feed external corridor talk directly to Minoru.
The District 13 uniform holds enough social and institutional authority to deter standard street harassment.
True Tsuyo-Osu figures follow a strict internal understanding to avoid unprovoked open conflict with one another.
Chifumi routinely carries a functional disposable analog camera to spontaneously archive key social situations.
The boys who were kicked out were specifically wearing uniforms from District 13 High School.
Minoru didn’t recognize Ishimoto-san initially because he was too focused on confronting the male troublemakers.
Ishimoto-san had actually nodded at Minoru before he left the room, indicating she recognized him first.
The detailed planning for the upcoming trip is exclusively being handled by Chifumi, Risa, and Manaka, bypassing Minoru entirely.
Minoru expected his turn to sing to decrease, but the girls actively countered this by forcing him into frequent duets.
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Translation Notes:
Notes:
• T – A first-year student at District 13 High School who has recruited K and N from East Middle into his group.
• A – A student from South Middle School described as an idol who has been recruited into R’s high school squad.
• M – A first-year student at District 13 High School and the childhood friend of Anonymous Student 0006, described as an atavistic strong-female who looks plain but possesses significant power.
• Minoru – A lean, black-haired student sorcerer and dungeon-exploring leader with adult memories secretly controls Aberrations via space magic and an iron whip. Pragmatically cynical yet firmly authoritative, this closet introvert handles a drama-filled harem of aggressive schoolmates (including Mai, Risa, and Mitsuki) while acting as their tactical “Master,” mana tank, and hidden Demon Lord.
• Yurina – A stoic, black-haired Plain-folk student and Kendo vanguard wielding a katana with powerful Severing Sorcery. Wearing an apron, cat ears, collar, and tail, she devotedly plays a cat obeying Lord Minoru, whom she reveres with intense romantic misunderstandings. Polite yet serious, this dungeon explorer is Chifumi’s childhood protector, dislikes the Komoda group, and struggles with exam anxiety.
• 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.
• Chifumi – Minoru’s long-haired childhood friend and romantic partner is a scrawny, first-year honor student, vanguard, and Lead Majo who wields water/ice magic and a spear. Masking her sharp intellect with a bubbly, playful persona, she coordinates group events and loves dressing as a witch. She constantly teases Minoru with innuendos, hiding their intense mana-replenishing bond from her mother.
• B – A student originally from North Middle School who was added to S’s group.
• Risa – A tall, well-endowed Naruse merchant student raised as Plain-folk, whose father is a guild executive. A disciplined Onibara practitioner and Shooting club member, she uses a grenade rifle and magic pistols against Variants. Minoru’s protective, submissive childhood friend and servant, she cooks and plans group vacations alongside Chifumi and Manaka, while remaining wary of Komoda.
• R – A first-year student at District 13 High School who has successfully built a squad and added multiple girls, including M and A, into his group.
• S – A first-year student at District 13 High School who has taken B from North Middle into his squad.
• Ryota – A loyal, outgoing middle-schooler, this male student shares a close masculine friendship and plans separate activities with classmate Minoru. A group leader with ‘Great Bear’ stamina, this well-connected sorcerer heads a ‘Strong-Female’ squad and acts as spokesperson for the Tsuyo-Osu circle. He knows Mitsuki, uses the Nagase house as a hideout, and trains at a small shrine dungeon.
• N – A student from East Middle with an eccentric personality who entered National High School due to complex family circumstances and used herself as leverage to negotiate a protective agreement for K.
• Nagase – A gentle, obedient female student with a large, soft physique, she belongs to Ryota’s group, interacts with Minoru’s circle, and manages the Handicrafts club’s accounting. Best friends with Asari, she relies deeply on her for guidance. Meanwhile, her mother supports her involvement with a group of Strong-Males and acts as a judge for games played in their home.
• Yamada – A female student with the family name Rana. She belongs to Ryota’s group and interacts with Minoru’s circle.
• Okuma – The family name of Ryota.
• Asari – A serious, tall, long-haired, and curvy (E-cup) Kasakura first-year and honor student, she is a dungeon explorer who trains at the Dojo. She is close to Mari and Nagase, and is Minoru’s devoted partner, who previously pampered her secretly over summer vacation. A defensive vanguard using Crystal Wall sorcery for aerial footholds, she embraces Halloween and willingly joins the breeding ritual.
• Manaka – An elegant, aristocratic beauty from Shisei High, this resilient Kuga family sorcerer has a translucent, angel-like voice and uses high-level spatial and sound magic. An authoritative, high-class leader, she manages her own faction with strict goals. Formerly in Mitsuki’s group, she now advises her childhood friend Minoru, following a complicated relationship that improved over the summer.
• Yui – One of the Futami twins and Yuu’s sister, this private school student has short hair with a white lock and pink/black attire. Minoru’s childhood friend and a supportive member of Manaka’s circle, she is a blunt, low-tension Onibara disciple in the Shisei group who uses knives and curse arts to manifest Clams. Highly objective, steady, and dry, she sings energetically at karaoke but was eaten by the Phantom.
• Yuu – Energetic and bubbly, this Futami twin is Mai’s older sister, Yui’s younger sister, a member of Manaka’s circle, and part of the Mid-guards. Marked by her expressive gestures and striped, high-leg swimsuit, she loves meat, enthusiastically sings karaoke, and playfully pushes a mic toward Minoru. Supportive yet aggressive, she follows her sister in combat before being eaten by the Phantom.
• Mitsuki – A tall, dark-skinned, athletic Oni girl and blunt transfer student who is a wealthy Sumo club member, Witch, and top assassin candidate. Shrouded in black, she initially fights the protagonist with a Kanabo and recovery sorcery before surrendering. As Minoru’s clingy childhood friend and rival, she left Manaka’s group for his, direct and relieved to join his winter trip. She uses aerial footholds.
• Sawa – Voluptuous and bespectacled, this private-school student and original Shisei member is in Manaka’s circle. An IT-savvy gamer using internet slang, she is Minoru’s pragmatic childhood friend who reads him bluntly and helps with chores. Relieved to join his winter trip, this Onibara disciple acts as a detective and karaoke peacemaker, knows Mitsuki, and enjoys fishing away from water.
• Naruse – The Naruse family, an old-money sorcerer lineage and wealthy merchant guild tied to Risa and her relatives, maintains a prestigious yet understated presence. They reside in a modest private estate featuring an integrated family dungeon and a dojo smaller than the Onigahara family’s.
• Shisei – An acquaintance involved in high-profile activities.
• K – A student from East Middle who followed N to National High School out of care, successfully remaining pure through N’s protection until a misunderstanding involving Anonymous Student 0008 led to her capitulation.
• Shoji – A conspicuous, top-ranked male transfer student in a distinctive white uniform who leads an independent exploration group and treats diving as a change of pace. Encountered by Minoru, this tower-conquering protagonist associates with Kotoha’s group and links with other curriculum students. He maintains a dry, direct demeanor, often baffled by others’ intense focus on dungeon mechanics.
• Ishimoto – An old junior high school classmate of Minoru who acknowledges him with a nod before he leaves the room and later thanks him for his help.
• Tatemiya – The prestigious Tatemiya family plays a central role in the group’s social dynamics. Their name references the household where the protagonist Minoru, Kotoha, and his witches return to live, bond, and interact.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
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