Chapter 128 Yukari-san’s Hobbies
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
I’d finally finished the groundwork to infiltrate nearly every major hub in the Imperial Capital.
There was one spot I’d been dying to see: the library. The Imperial Capital Library boasts the largest collection of records in all of Japan. My personal pastime involved digging through records to find the most absurd anecdotes born from our world’s skewed gender ratio. History is usually strange, but the legends that made the cut here were enough to make even the locals scratch their heads.
There were accounts of a thousand Eves holding a battle royale for a single Adam, only for the “blessed” survivor to be saved by a thousand-branched phallus. There were tales of alchemists wasting their entire lives trying to brew an elixir of immortality from a man’s first smegma. Then there was the monk who tried to achieve enlightenment by plugging his crotch with a stone to seal away his lust, only to be mocked by a passing male and commit suicide in a fit of hysterical horniness.
It was pure, unadulterated surrealism.
Regardless, that could wait until tomorrow. I had a more pressing matter to attend to.
Inubou Yukari.
I’d been neglecting her. Since I lacked any standard way to reach her, I decided to use my Psionic Power¹. I wasn’t worried about revealing my abilities; I had no interest in espionage, so I wasn’t a threat to her. Whether the information I gathered helped or hindered Kujukuri was irrelevant to me now. I had no desire to play kingmaker in some petty town rivalry, and I doubted she did either.
The reason I’d ghosted her for two weeks-despite our promise to meet-was that I’d been busy navigating the red tape of the Imperial Guard² to get formal permission to see her.
Well, that and the fact that I’d previously scared the life out of her by pretending to be a ghost. I felt a pang of guilt knowing I’d probably left her room cluttered with useless “anti-spirit” charms. I waited until she was alone in her private quarters to reach out, hoping to avoid any awkwardness.
It was a catastrophic mistake.
”What even is this? ‘The Myoo of the Open Crotch: Spread Your Thighs, Find Your Fortune.’ ‘The Vajra of the Prostrate Posterior: Ward Off Evil and Boost Your Man-Luck.’ ‘The Bodhisattva of the Rigid Pillar: Align Your Fortune’s Flow’…”
”Noooooo!” Yukari shrieked.
”Yukari-san, let’s be real. This is just trashy,” I said.
”Nooooo! Stop! Stop it!” she wailed.
”Quiet down,” I muttered.
I had manifested right in the center of Inubou Yukari’s private room.
And I was standing face-to-face with a collection of the tackiest “good luck” charms imaginable. She was screaming because I’d startled her, but I was the one truly shocked by the sheer evolution of these paranormal trinkets.
I was greeted by a forest of phallic charms. There were statues of naked men and women in various “blessed” poses and literal 1:1 scale replicas of genitalia enshrined everywhere. The sheer atmospheric pressure of the room was suffocating. It felt like the air was polluted with pure desperation.
As exorcism tools, they were undeniably effective. I already wanted to leave.
Yukari was a mess, her twin-tails whipping around as she panicked.
”Don’t look! Please, just don’t look!” she cried out.
”Seeing an ‘abalone’ rendered with this much anatomical detail actually makes me feel a little sick,” I said, pointing at a gold-plated custom piece. “This had to be expensive. Your taste in furniture is officially the worst.”
”Wait, hold on! Why are you even here!?” she yelled, finally finding her voice.
Apparently, women in this world have a category of items they never want men to see. Gold-plated genitals are objectively gross… or at least, they aren’t what anyone would call “classy.” It would have been easier to swallow if she’d claimed they were some kind of dangerous, cursed artifacts.
”I developed Psionic Power while I was wandering the dungeon,” I explained. “It lets me teleport to women I have an affinity with. You’re on the list, Yukari-san. Don’t worry, no one else can see me.”
”That doesn’t mean you can just barge in! I haven’t prepared the room or finished cleaning!” she snapped.
”I didn’t exactly want to see this either,” I replied. “But I had to say something. What’s with that massive poster? Is that a candid shot of me?”
”It’s not… it’s not like I took it myself!” Yukari stammered. “It was being sold on the black market! I thought it would be a tragedy if I didn’t rescue it!”
My face-rendered in grainy black and white-covered an entire wall. Yukari was vibrating with anxiety.
”Is that so?” I said, giving her a flat look.
”Don’t look at me like that!” she pleaded. “I just happened to see it in the market and thought I was lucky-I mean, I thought it shouldn’t exist! It was expensive, but I bought out the stock! And… and putting it up was just because I felt bad about throwing it away!”
”Sure,” I said.
”Believe me!”
”I believe you. I’m just disappointed,” I muttered.
It looked like a fan poster for a pop idol, snapped from a distance. I had no idea there was a market for this. Looking closer, the background was covered in hand-drawn heart symbols. I also noticed some spots where the paper had been wet, dried, and wrinkled.
I didn’t want to know what she used it for.
The rest of the room was just as skewed. Honestly, the decor was more alarming than the posters.
”This room really screams ‘you,’ doesn’t it?” I observed. “Pink and white striped wallpaper, frills, ribbons… a Western jewelry box and a porcelain cupid vase. Very Rococo. You’re clearly into the ‘fancy’ aesthetic. And then, out of nowhere: genital sculptures, empty beer bottles, mahjong tiles, and a record collection.”
”Please stop,” she whimpered. “Don’t narrate my life…”
The furnishings were trying too hard to be “girly,” resulting in a space that felt like the dorm room of a very lazy, very confused college student. We clearly didn’t share the same sensibilities.
”I mean, I guess the posters are socially acceptable,” I said, looking around the faux-French court. “In this society, it’s normal for a woman to become a stalker-level fan of a man she’s been with.”
I’d learned that the private rooms of the Imperial Guard were usually disaster zones. I’d been playing dumb, but I knew Maggot had jars of my hair and fingernails, and the Cult Slut’s room was packed with creepy Buddhist icons. Yukari was just a different flavor of the same madness.
Looking at my own face on that wall, I wondered if women in my previous life felt this same soul-crushing dread when faced with unwanted obsession. If I hadn’t already been desensitized by Maggot, I might have bolted. God bless my attendant; she’d hardened my heart for this moment.
”Don’t cry,” I said. “Everyone has their hobbies.”
”You saw it all… my life is over,” she sobbed. “A cute room like this doesn’t suit me at all, does it?”
”You’re calling this room ‘cute’? I want to untangle that logic, but I’m afraid of what I’ll find,” I replied.
I had to give her credit for the effort, even if the pink interior was a bridge too far. She looked up at me with red, watery eyes. I decided to offer a little comfort.
”Our tastes in decor might not match, but I still like you, Yukari-san. Don’t let it get to you.”
”Really? Thank you… but you’re right. It doesn’t suit me. I know society doesn’t get my love for ‘cute’ things. I’m still living the dream of a little girl playing with her dollhouse. I love flower fortunes and moon signs… I’ll be honest. I even have a little doll of you. Let me show you! It lives in the bottom drawer of this jewelry box-“
”Stop. Right there. Too much information,” I said, cutting her off.
I didn’t want to see a single thing more. My stomach was already turning just looking at the battered teddy bear in the corner that had clearly seen better-and probably weirder-days. She was nearly twenty and still rocking twin-tails; I should have seen the “obsessive fan” signs coming.
”My roommate doesn’t like it much either…” she added quietly.
”Wait, this isn’t a single?” I asked.
”No. We guards don’t get that kind of luxury. I share this with a junior from my unit.”
”That’s… wow.” I couldn’t even find the words.
Sharing a room this deep in the Uncanny Valley³? I looked at the one corner of the room that was actually normal and felt a wave of genuine pity for the poor girl living there. Her tiny slice of sanity was barely holding its own against the tide of pink frills and gold-plated anatomy.
We were currently in the subterranean levels of the Imperial Capital. Unlike their masters, the Imperial Guards weren’t allowed to stay in the surface hotels. They lived underground like the rest of the working class. At night, they were packed into hold-like quarters like third-class passengers on a steamer, only to crawl back to the surface every morning like worker ants.
In a town designed for male tourists, the “unpleasantries” of female labor were hidden away to keep the view pristine.
Yukari had been here for three months. Her job was to infiltrate high society, moving through the capital like a shadow to gather intel for her master. She was also trying to use this “vacation” to build bridges with the Zaibatsu⁴ to gain an edge in the looming wars back home. It was the secret war of women, hidden beneath the leisure of men.
Curious and deceptive-the quintessential traits of an Inubou Guard.
I’d spied on their town before. It felt like an old British port town, where every street corner doubled as an intelligence outpost. They were the first to jump ship during the Kazusa conflict. Some called it being adaptable; others called them turncoats. They were a weak territory surrounded by enemies; they’d learned to survive by clinging to whoever was strongest.
Once, Inubou was a powerhouse, famous as a refueling station for the Pacific fleets. But the Great War’s tsunami had wiped out the harbor. Now, defense was handled by Guam and Iwo Jima, leaving Inubou to rot.
They were fallen nobility. Nouveau riche with no riches left. Now they survived by smuggling and playing both sides. Japan would probably be better off if the town were wiped off the map entirely.
”There, there. Come here. I’ll give you a hug,” I said.
I pulled Yukari into a hug, letting her cry it out.
Our social backgrounds don’t matter.
Women are fragile, lonely creatures. You have to touch them, hold them, and reassure them constantly.
”Ah… ugh… I’m not some pet, you know,” Yukari-san whispered.
”My dog bit me the other day,” I replied. “It made me realize how vital it is to maintain the right distance. In your case, Yukari-san, I think I let us drift too far apart. I’m sorry I left you alone.”
Then again, too much contact is its own poison; it breeds separation anxiety.
”I was worried,” she murmured, her voice breaking. “More than I can put into words… I really was. ugh… hng…”
”There, there,” I said quietly. “Let it all out. Don’t bottle up those emotions.”
And just like that, she began to sob. It’s true that excessive contact makes a woman dependent on a man. They fall into a pit of separation anxiety⁵ where being left alone is agony-they whimper, they bark, they turn feral… okay, maybe not that far. That’s just the pet manual talking.
”You’re really alive… this isn’t a dream, right?” she asked.
”It’s okay. I’m right here. I’m not going anywhere,” I promised.
”Because… if you had gone somewhere far away, I thought… maybe if I died too, I could go to you. That’s all I’ve been thinking about. As long as I have you… if only you’re here… waaaaah!”
I didn’t find the dampness of her tears disgusting. I felt like I was dealing with a small child-or perhaps I was remembering a girlfriend from years ago, someone I’d spent hours comforting during her emotional low points. To be honest, it was a strange mixture of both.
For twenty minutes, I simply held her through the wordless sobbing.
Lately, I’ve started to feel like there’s a limit to the affection a woman can take from a man. If you give too much, too recklessly, you’ll destroy her life. It’s like a madman losing his mind after looking directly into the face of God. Once you have known the love of heaven, you are destined for a fall from paradise. To be blunt, she’s had a hundred times more conversation with me than a normal woman has with a man in an entire lifetime. I suspect that’s starting to mess with her head.
After that bit of armchair psychology, we caught each other up on recent events. I apologized for the “ghostly pranks” I’d pulled, but she forgave me instantly. She actually seemed happy about it. Men really have it easy sometimes.
Yukari-san told me she had to work during the day. Since maintaining my Psionic Power⁶ was wearing me out anyway, I promised to come back and visit later.
* * *
So, “later” arrived, and I returned.
The “good luck” charms had vanished from her room. The cute trinkets had multiplied, though, and that poster was still up. I wonder why.
”I’m back!” I announced.
”So you weren’t just a hallucination brought on by exhaustion,” she said, looking up. “Welcome. Would you like some coffee?”
”It’s been a while since I’ve seen you act so normal. Anyway, I can’t exactly drink in this state, so I’ll pass,” I said.
”I see. In that case, I’ll help myself,” she replied.
Yukari-san had found her footing again. She didn’t ask for details about my powers, so I didn’t offer any. Her private room was cluttered with organized stacks of work documents. There were herbal sleeping pills scattered on the desk. When I realized a good portion of her insomnia was probably my fault, I lost the urge to drag her straight to bed.
Besides, her junior colleague might come home at any moment. It would be too cruel to let a stranger walk in on Yukari-san masturbating naked on a mahogany bed that screamed “teenage girl’s fantasy.”
I sat on the edge of the bed and talked to her back as she opened a bag of coffee beans. She lit a small copper roaster, and a warm orange glow filled the room.
”Hard day at work? You’re back pretty early,” I noted.
”Yes. There hasn’t been a day I’ve looked forward to coming home more than today,” she admitted.
She’d clearly busted her tail to finish her duties. Unlike me, she isn’t in the Imperial Capital⁷ for a vacation. As an Imperial Guard, being here is probably more stressful than being back home.
”You were just out there working. What does an Imperial Guard actually do in the Capital day-to-day?” I asked.
The heavy emotional stuff was out of the way, so I moved the conversation to her job. She answered without turning around, her twin tails bouncing slightly every time she moved. It was mesmerizing.
”It’s basically outside sales. We fulfill the Master’s wishes. That’s the same for any Guard… but in our case, we’re scouting social events for Lady Dora. We gather intel, we plan strategies. It’s all for her future advancement,” Yukari-san explained.
Being an Imperial Guard through and through, Yukari-san beamed when she spoke about her mistress.
”So it’s a ‘climb to glory’ kind of story?”
”We’re reaching for the rainbow above the clouds. Lady Dora will definitely get noticed. She can be a bit… intense, but she’s a wonderful person. Not just us, but the whole of Inubou-town is rooting for her,” she said.
”The guys from my hometown are something else. Using a high-ranking person as a foot in the door with big corporations… I guess it serves the town’s interests, too. The man is essentially the product,” I said.
”Must you put it like that? You really need to find some dreams of your own,” Yukari-san said, looking back at me with an exasperated face.
”Anyway, what’s the point of getting close to these people? She’s already engaged,” I pointed out.
”Part of the goal is to help her forget that. Soon, her ‘s*xual duties’ will begin, and she’ll be tied to the new house in our hometown for the rest of her life. This is a kind of runaway-one last escape before she’s locked in a narrow cage,” she explained.
Most of the youth come here for the same reason: to get close to the upper class. They dream of a better life in the Capital. It’s the same story as their previous lives.
”That’s why everyone is so desperate. This trip is the last chance for a Master to change their destiny-whether they were a good student or not. But what about you? Why did you decide on the Imperial Capital?” she asked.
”Because it was close,” I replied.
”You sound like an old lady picking a grocery store because it’s nearby…”
”Well, traveling far is a pain, and they said the security here was good. People say it’s safe anywhere for a man, but I’ve never really bought into that,” I said.
”I see… I suppose I can’t blame you for that,” she murmured.
There was a soft clink of ceramic. Yukari-san, looking slightly troubled, set a cup of coffee on the side table in front of me. The aroma of the heated beans bloomed. The hot water for the siphon came straight from a tap in the wall. Convenient. If you traced the pipes back, they probably ran through a heat exchanger all the way to Svarog⁸.
”Here, this is for you,” she said.
”I told you, I can’t drink it.”
”I used a heavy grind and made a strong drip. Even if you can’t taste it, I thought you might at least enjoy the fragrance.” She gave me a gentle smile.
”You drink it, Yukari-san,” I insisted.
”You don’t want it?”
”It’s not that. Just take it.”
”Fine… agh, bitter!” She took a sip of the mud-like brew and immediately made a face.
”Mph.”
”Mnn-!?”
I didn’t miss the opening. I stole her lips while she was distracted.
”…Caught you off guard,” I whispered.
”Nn… wait… nku… mmn…!”
It had been so long since I’d felt that soft, moist sensation. Her lips were glossy, like a child’s. When I licked her tongue, I could taste the coffee. It was rough and fragrant. I swallowed a bit of liquid-saliva, coffee, it didn’t matter. We stayed locked together until the flavor finally faded away.
Her panicked heartbeat eventually slowed to a steady rhythm. We stayed like that for a while. Finally, when the scent was gone and we were both breathless, I let her go.
”That was dirty of you. But I suppose that’s just who you are,” she said.
”You’re cute, Yukari-san.”
”…Don’t look at me. I’m not fit to be seen right now.”
To hide her embarrassment, she started telling me about her hectic life in the Capital. She never offered me a second cup, though the invitation was always there. And I knew I could take it whenever I wanted.
* * *
It turns out that for an average Imperial Guard, squeezing a master into high society is a nightmare. Many of these kids are already engaged to some local bigwig they’ve never met, so they dream of ditching their partners for a better catch in the city. It’s unfaithful, sure, but considering these are arranged marriages with zero affection, it’s hard to judge. Most of it is pure fantasy, but the Guards give it their all anyway. If they actually succeed, the Master might get married back home as planned but spend their life as the mistress of some tycoon.
The Guards act like talent agents. They scramble through the city, joining local communities to find parties they can sneak into. They bleed their family estates dry, begging for more money to stay in the Capital, or trying to convince their Master to give up before the debt swallows them.
Yukari-san and her group had a rough start. They didn’t understand the rules of the Capital and were rejected from every dinner and event. They’re only surviving now by using old, local tricks. They’re currently scraping by with corporate tours and low-level tea parties hosted by the Kazoku⁹ nobility. She spends her days terrified of her Master’s selfishness, even though that same pushiness is the only thing getting them noticed.
”It wasn’t our group, but one Imperial Guard was killed this month,” she said. “They offended the Kazoku at a party.”
”That’s grim…” I muttered.
Apparently, an Imperial Guard was executed because of their Master’s mistake.
”If you disrespect a high-ranking noble, they’ll kill you for it,” she warned. “A man got angry because he didn’t like the food and threw hot tea at a Count. They say it was a bloodbath.”
”Wow. He actually did that?”
Just because the nobles are “refined” doesn’t mean they don’t have tempers. They might be delighted by a man’s tantrum, but they still demand blood. The rage just doesn’t target the man himself.
”Oh, what a naughty boy. Fufufu. I wonder who his tutor is? You there. The tutor. Death penalty.”
It was entirely possible. It was a workplace where your nerves stayed frayed 24/7. A thousand rules. Sudden monsters. A 100-to-1 competition for a sliver of reward. High society was just another dungeon. My route was different, but the path for a “normal” man seemed just as hellish.
”Are you sure you should be telling me all this inside info?” I asked.
Yukari’s information security was a total joke. I’d bet anything she gathered all that intel just by sprinting around town like a local gossip.
”Either way,” she admitted, “if you actually had the balls to spy on me, there’s nothing I could do to stop you.”
”Now that you mention it, I guess that’s true,” I said. “Sorry for constantly peeking into my life without an invite. Seriously, my bad.”
”Well… it was a shock, and definitely not what I’d call a good time,” Yukari replied. “I was terrified, thinking you were a ghost or something. But now? I feel pretty great. It’s actually kind of an honor to know I could be a source of ‘comfort’ for a guy.”
Yukari had this look in her eyes – just pure, deep affection. There wasn’t a shred of resentment in her. Which, of course, just made me feel like even more of a scumbag. I felt like I should just gouge my eyes out and be done with it.
”Besides,” she continued, “you’re so checked out of the whole ‘high society’ scene that you aren’t even a rival to Lady Dora.”
That was fair. Our paths were never going to cross anyway.
I still felt a bit weird about the double standard regarding her feelings for me, but seeing a woman working her tail off and looking so happy doing it for her master… well, that outweighed the guilt. No complaints here. I was curious how she reconciled all that internally, but it didn’t feel like a boundary I should just go stomping over. If she took my prying as an accusation, things would probably get ugly fast.
”I’ve got zero interest in cozying up to the corporate elites,” I told her, “but I’m finding my own ways to enjoy the ‘upper-crust’ perks of this town.”
Then it was my turn to regale her with my misadventures in the Imperial Capital¹⁰. When I started venting about my legendary ten-match losing streak of being kicked out of high-end shops, she just went silent.
If I’d seen someone pulling stunts like that in my previous life, I’d have cut ties immediately. But if I don’t start turning these disasters into comedy routines, I’m never going to survive this. Shame only starts to evaporate once you’ve got enough people laughing at it. Though, for a girl, I guess this probably sounded more like a straight-up tragedy, so maybe I should’ve kept my mouth shut.
”That is… incredibly bold,” Yukari said, looking a bit exasperated. “No, that’s not the right word. It’s like you’re completely immune to public pressure – or just totally detached from common sense. Even a woman wouldn’t usually pull that crap. Let alone a man.”
She showed me some sympathy, but she looked mostly exhausted by my existence. She was getting way more used to my weirdness than anyone else.
”I’m reflecting on it, believe me. I’m wiped,” I said. “But hey, thanks to all that, I’ve pretty much mastered the ‘High Society Etiquette’ for the Capital. Tomorrow, I’m planning to hit up the library in Nagata¹¹.”
”Wait. You mean the National Diet Library?” she asked. “I mean, yeah… as a man, you can get in there without any special clearance or ‘Privilege’ status.”
”What’s with the face?” I asked. “You’re looking at me like I’ve grown a second head.”
”Like I’ve grown a…”
Yukari looked legitimately shook. The light literally drained from her eyes. I gave her a few soothing pats on the head, and she eventually came back to life. I’ve been feeling nothing but pity for her for a while now… surely she’ll get over it soon?
”That place houses the Ministry’s strategic analysis records for every single town,” she explained. “Even the exploration logs for every dungeon in the Empire are kept there. With my salary, I could never afford the ‘Privilege’ to access that info.”
”For real? Damn, that place sounds legit,” I said.
”You were going to go there without knowing any of that?”
”Yeah. Pretty much just to kill time.”
”That is so you…” Yukari muttered.
Her expression shifted into something bitter – and intensely envious. Apparently, the barrier for entry for women at that library is insane. Meanwhile, for me, it’s basically free. The ultimate “Guy Discount¹².” 100% off.
”I’m surprised you’re even into books, though,” she said. “What are you looking for? Some specific manual?”
”Hey, rude. I might not look it, but I’m actually into… uh, joke books? No, wait – I mean history and mythology and stuff,” I replied.
”How do you even mix those two things up?!”
Yukari gave me a classic judgmental side-eye. Those cute eyes were full of suspicion now. Yeah, I definitely should’ve poked my eyes out earlier.
After that, I just hung out while she organized her documents. In the process of her moving around the cramped space, I got caught in a series of “tragic accidents” – getting squeezed between her thighs or upper arms, or finding my face buried in her backside. Basements are small, dangerous places. And every time we made physical contact, Yukari looked like she’d won the lottery.
She also gave me the lowdown on the Inubou Town dungeons. You can hit two different spots there, but one of them has this “urban fantasy¹³” vibe – it’s full of modern elements I recognize. That’s probably why Yukari talks like a modern person. I actually caught a glimpse of it once while I was in my spirit form… it was the kind of world that makes your skin crawl. Like a dull ache you can’t scratch. I think anyone who visits would get why immediately.
Once the work was done, we just wasted time – lounging on the bed, sharing kisses that tasted like coffee, and letting me mess around with her breasts. It felt like hanging out at a friend’s place. Total “degenerate college couple” vibes.
When we finally ran out of things to talk about, I started playing with her twin-tails. I tried wrapping them around my crotch like pubic hair, expecting a lecture, but she just gave me this sweet smile. It actually made me feel like an even bigger idiot.
…Damn, Yukari. You’re good.
”I-I’m so happy right now,” she whispered.
”I’m glad something this stupid makes you happy. Honestly, I’m the lucky one here,” I said.
”Seriously, where did a kid like you even come from?”
”Another world.”
”Stop talking nonsense!” she laughed.
”Hey, in my world, they have surgery to chop your junk off and turn you into a girl.”
”Eep!”
Yukari was soaking up the peace of our reunion, and I was surprisingly comfortable with her – probably because her ethics are pretty skewed for an Imperial Guard.
”Anyway, make sure you practice these lines before I come back,” I told her. “‘You disgusting, bottom-feeding isekai trash. Aren’t you ashamed to be alive, getting off on a girl young enough to be your daughter? You’re literal human garbage.’ Throw in some creative insults too, okay?”
”I… I don’t even understand why, but… if that’s what you want…” Yukari said.
And so, the tribulations of Yukari – my “convenient woman” from out of town – continue. Until her fragile mental state is back in one piece, I figure I’ll keep giving her all the physical affection she needs to feel safe.
That’s how the exorcism gear slowly vanished from her room, only to be replaced by a growing pile of my stuff.
I wonder why…
—
Summary:
The Protagonist uses his Psionic Power to teleport into Inubou Yukari’s private room in the Imperial Capital’s underground. He discovers her embarrassing room decor, which clashes ‘girly’ Rococo frills with obscene ‘good luck’ charms and stalker-like posters of himself. After a panicked confrontation, he comforts a sobbing Yukari, acknowledging the harsh life of the Imperial Guards.
The protagonist reunites with Yukari-san in the Imperial Capital. They share an emotional moment where Yukari reveals her deep loneliness and dependency. Later, Yukari explains the brutal reality of being an Imperial Guard, where servants are executed for their master’s social blunders in the high-stakes noble society.
The protagonist spends an intimate afternoon with Yukari, an Imperial Guard. They discuss the societal imbalances of the world, specifically the ‘Guy Discount’ that allows him free access to the National Diet Library while she is barred. The chapter concludes with a mixture of domestic lounging and the protagonist setting up a future roleplay scenario where Yukari insults him for his ‘isekai’ nature.
—
Trivia:
- The Protagonist’s ‘ghost’ prank is why Yukari’s room is filled with exorcism charms.
- Yukari is nearly twenty but dresses in a much younger style (twin-tails).
- Imperial Guards live in harsh, cramped underground conditions while their masters live in luxury.
- The town of Inubou is essentially a fallen port town surviving on espionage.
- The posters of the protagonist are ‘practical use’ items with disturbing stains.
- The Protagonist has a list of women with whom he has ‘affinity’ for teleportation.
- Yukari-san is taking sleep medication due to stress/insomnia.
- The protagonist is currently in a state where he cannot consume food or drink (spirit/energy form).
- Imperial Guards are essentially social talent agents for their ‘Masters’.
- Male commoners are treated as ‘commercial products’ or ‘idols’ in this society.
- The ‘Kazoku’ nobility system is lethal; execution is a standard punishment for servants.
- Yukari’s master, Dora-sama, is already engaged and this trip is her final ‘runaway’ act.
- The ‘Urban Fantasy’ dungeon contains modern elements the protagonist recognizes from Earth.
- Yukari’s speech patterns are influenced by the proximity to this modern-styled dungeon.
- The protagonist has a ‘ten-match losing streak’ of being kicked out of high-end shops in the Capital.
- Exorcism tools in Yukari’s room are being replaced by the protagonist’s personal items, signifying her acceptance of his ‘ghostly’ presence
—
Character Insight:
Yukari reveals a deep insecurity about her personal tastes not matching her ‘hard’ occupation as an intelligence officer. The Protagonist shows a mix of clinical detachment (comparing her to his other followers like Maggot) and genuine pity, eventually choosing to offer physical comfort despite the ‘grossness’ of her room.
Yukari-san shows a extreme level of vulnerability, revealing her separation anxiety and willingness to die if the protagonist is gone. The protagonist shows a mix of guilt (causing her insomnia) and detached analytical observation of the social system.
Yukari shows a willingness to overlook her professional duties and the protagonist’s oddities for the sake of companionship. The protagonist displays a ‘slacker’ attitude but is strategically using his gender-based privileges to gather high-level intelligence at the library.
—
Behind the Scenes:
The ‘Reverse Chastity’ trope is used here to flip the typical male ‘otaku’ room discovery into a female one, highlighting the gender-role reversal of the world’s power dynamics.
The text explores the ‘male as commodity’ trope, inverting traditional gender roles regarding social climbing and agency.
The ‘Guy Discount’ is a sharp satirical take on gender-based access in historical or fantasy settings, often a trope in ‘isekai’ stories to explain the protagonist’s rapid advancement.
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TL Notes:
Notes:
• Yukari – Dora’s imperial guard, the one who hide in MC’s wardrobe. Twintail. A girl known as the ‘spy girl’ from Inubou-machi with trademark twin-tails, and a small hair whirl (crown of head).
• Psionic Power – Mental energy concept in Chapter 35’s lecture. Trash-san teaches it to strengthen the protagonist’s mind after dungeon ordeals.
• Dora – Antagonistic, older-looking male student with short hair, from an unnamed rural town. Former bully.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
Thanks for reading.
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