Chuunibyou Demo Koi ga Shitai! Volume 4 Chapter 2

Considering I spent this long on chapter 2, and chapter 6 is over twice as long…

As always, if they are any grammar mistakes, or if someone sounds “off”, please feel free to point them out.

Also, I've made it so that Dekomori exclusively refers to herself in the third person – I've updated the volume 3 pdf accordingly. If I do slip back into first person for her, please feel free to point that out as well.

Chapter 2: Contractee Showdown! Yuuta VS Dekomori-death!

It was not fine.

While I did have an excuse - it was an undeniable fact that I had, for a brief moment, honestly thought that it was fine for Rikka stay like this, as I reasoned that such a Rikka was also cute.

I anguished over that fact alone in the cla.s.sroom.

By the way, Rikka wasn't in this cla.s.sroom - after advancing to second year, our cla.s.ses got shuffled. And so, having been moved to cla.s.s 2-1, I was separated from Rikka.

With the exception of what was known in my former cla.s.s as the Summer Trio (Nibutani, Sasa, and Miyoshi), everyone who I was good friends with, such as Isshiki, was in a different cla.s.s from me.

Such was the sad reality I lived in… Furthermore, by some mysterious stroke of fate (perhaps it was an eternal connection), I had been seated next to Nibutani the entire time - the days of her finding an endless number of faults with me continued…

As for Rikka, she had been placed in the same cla.s.s as Shichimiya and Kazari-chan, cla.s.s 2-2. It seemed that she was having a lot of fun.

Honestly, I was seriously envious of her.

Anyway, that aside for now - no, wait. It suddenly occurred to me: it could very well be the fact that it was her new surroundings that had caused her to change.

That after having changed cla.s.ses, the change in environment caused Rikka to change - but if that were the case, isn't it strange that it's happening "now" rather than a little while ago, when she first changed cla.s.ses?

In that case, that line of thought was also a little patchy.

Hmm.

Then, what was the cause!?

Or rather, I keep running into the big question, "Did that Rikka really choose stop having chuunibyou?" We've been together for a year now, but I've yet to see her acting like this. Not even once.

Not even for an instant.

No matter what the situation was, Rikka was always the chuunibyou-infected Rikka.

That Rikka: would she suddenly choose to stop having chuunibyou?

No.

From my point of view, I didn't think that could be the case at all.

Much like the present Rikka, I too was a person who had, in their past, been infected with chuunibyou.

And in my opinion, the moment where a person decides it is time to stop being infected with chuunibyou comes for everyone.

However, the decision to stop is always accompanied by a "cause".

It was the same for me as well: although I had a variety of "causes", the big "cause" known as the high school entrance exams was what led me to stop.

Surely, Rikka must have encountered some kind of cause too - if that's the case, then there definitely was a need for me to investigate about it.

But, to do that, I'll need to identify the cause first.

So that's why, during first period.

During P.E - the joint cla.s.s between cla.s.s 2-1 and cla.s.s 2-2.

I decided to observe Rikka.

❖

"Whwhwha, what should I be doing?" "Ow… it hurts…" "Hm? Which one is our goal?" "Wow! That's a foul~!" "Eh!? The opposing team got a point? Well then, how many points do we need to for a comeback?" "Everyone's like a dog, woof woof." "Why is there no referee?"

Of all things, those were the words that came out from Rikka's mouth.

There were all things that even I had come to think Rikka would never say.

No, but the fact of the matter is that Rikka had indeed said all that. Then again, perhaps this Rikka was a fake.

Or more precisely, perhaps this was the hidden personality Itsukchan[1]? If that's the case, then her behaving like this is pretty chuunibyou-ish.

In the past, there was that brief period of time where Kuzuha had declared, "In me, another me - Momiji[2] - exists," wasn't there? Could this be something similar?

Is it not the case that Rikka was doing something similar here?

Hah… Let's stop trying to escape from reality.

If Rikka really had a setting like that, she would have revealed it a long time ago.

Oh, and by the way, we were currently playing a game of "ultimate".

At our school, P.E worked on a selective system, with "ultimate" or "creative dance" being our choices for the first semester. Since Rikka chose ultimate without hest.i.tation (she probably made her choice just off the name), I copied her and also chose ultimate.

I wanted to be in the same cla.s.ses as Rikka as much as possible!

And it was a sport that both s.e.xes could enjoy together!

At any rate, the Rikka who was in this sort of state was currently giving it her all in this close game of ultimate.

Hmm, the Rikka who was struggling like that was also quite cute.

d.a.m.n, this illness of mine where I declare "Rikka's cute" when I let my mind wander - back to the main topic.

If it were the usual Rikka, she would say "This is Devilish Truth Stare's power!" and become the most active girl on the field, freely making use of her innate outstanding reflexes.

For her to become this incompetent after unexpectedly lost her powers: who could have guessed? No one.

It was sort of like proof that the Devilish Truth Stare really did give Rikka powers.

But, well, if Rikka didn't have chuunibyou, would she have been an ordinary girl like this?

A girl who talked normally, laughed normally, and got along with the rest of the girls in her cla.s.s normally.

She may have yearned for it after viewing her new surroundings - it was possible that she was "moving on", no, "evolving".

This line of thought, that she's "evolving" - this may just possibly be it.

But most importantly, Rikka appeared to be enjoying herself more than usual.

I wasn't sure if that really was the case, or if it just seemed that way in my mind.

Regardless, there was one thing that I was certain of: Rikka was nothing but cute.

❖

In the end, I didn't reach a conclusion on the "cause" investigation. Although my observation of Rikka ended with my chronic illness getting worse (the people around me began to make fun of me for having my eye on Rikka all the time), I did manage to gain something from it.

I learnt that watching Rikka acting normal from afar wasn't bad.

Although it didn't look like she was going to revert back to how she was before, perhaps… With that sliver of hope in mind, I hurried over to Rikka when the cla.s.s ended.

"Well, Rikka? Does it feel like your powers are starting to come back?"

"Nope. Not at all. But, it's fine! I'm full of energy!"

"O-oh… But, it seemed to me that you didn't move around as much as you usually did…?"

"Hmm, maybe that too was an ability."

"It truly is amazing! It is isn't it, the Devilish Truth Stare!"

We did the exact same exchange for the second time today.

Wait no, it wasn't just the way she talked this time - its influence on even her physical abilities was enormous!

"Amazing? It's the strongest."

It's the strongest.

Those words of hers felt tacked on and failed to give off a very strong-ish feeling - nevertheless, I was able to make good discovery.

Rikka's usual tone was what gave her boasts that "strongest" feeling.

"Well then, Yuuta, I'm going to go get changed. See you soon."

"Ah, sorry, sorry. Then, I'll see you soon."

Fatigued from ultimate, Rikka's steps were rather shaky as she headed towards the girl's changing room alone. Given her current state, I wanted to accompany her until she got there. As expected, however, the girl's changing room wasn't a place that I could go to.

Resigning myself, I too began moving towards the boy's changing room.

But still: until today, I've never seen Rikka in that sort of state before.

Usually at the end of P.E, she looked as if she hadn't strained herself at all.

Although seeing her like that worried me, it could just be the case that the loss of the Devilish Truth Stare was throwing her off.

That feeling of not having that thing that you've always had - it may have been throwing her off both physically and mentally.

It wouldn't surprise me if an accident were to occur to her.

An accident.

Although Rikka had told me that it disappeared this morning, if it was the case that an accident had happened recently - it must have been something that happened yesterday.

The day prior yesterday, Sat.u.r.day - nothing unusual had happened, I think. Unless it was the case that I had missed that "something".

Yesterday - if I remember correctly, Rikka had said something about a "Black Committee" - as I was thinking that, as if to cancel out that thought of mine, something suddenly collided into my back.

I felt an impact, or rather, a sharp pain.

It was uncouth of me, but reflexively shouted, "Gah!"

Although the impact was great to the point that I was about to collapse on the spot, I somehow managed to keep myself upright.

The inside of the school building - not the sort of place that I would want others to see my unsightly collapsed figure.

But, what the heck was that? To find out, I turned my head around.

What I saw - it was the figure of my uppercla.s.sman who had flopped down on the ground magnificently, Dekomori.

The figure of her collapsed on the ground - it was no exaggeration to say that it looked truly splendid. Still, from the way she glared at me - it would not have been strange if she had killed me with just her eyes.

"What are you doing, Dekomori…?"

"Ah, it's Dark-something-or-other. You were there-death?"

"You were scowling at me just now, weren't you! Or rather, weren't you the culprit who attacked me from behind!?"

"Is this heresy-death?"

"It certainly is true that I'm currently being treated as a heretic - wait, don't treat me as one!"

"What a low-level retort… It definitely is Dark Flame Master-death. However, for even Dekomori's Super Inazuma Drop Kick to deal no damage-death: Dekomori is impressed-death."

"You drop-kicked me!? Just what sort of grudge do you hold against me!?"

Being drop-kicked hurt: it caused a sharp pain to flash through my body.

Still, for her to have drop-kicked me so nicely… And in such a public place too.

Even though she was wearing a skirt. Even though she was a young heiress.

Yes.

Dekomori Sanae - the young heiress of the Dekomori conglomerate.

As for why a lady of her stature had decided to enrol into this strange (in both the good and bad sense) school: naturally, it was only because of the fact that the person that she respects and admires from the bottom of her heart, Rikka, attended this school.

The rich had so much freedom.

I was green with envy.

And, she was also the only undercla.s.sman I had. Needless to say, Dekomori was the only one who joined that weird (in both the good and bad sense) club of ours.

While there had been others who had came to trial out our club (in a sense, I guess they were victims), wihout exception, all of them had fled.

I thought that this outcome was only natural.

After all, there were only a limited number of people that could keep up with Hideri-senpai's eccentricity.

Although I had followed up on them afterwards, those first years who came to trial the club - they may have been traumatised. By the strange rainbow-coloured person that exists among the third years. Those poor souls.

That's why Dekomori was the only undercla.s.sman that I had (to be frank, I've always wanted to have an undercla.s.sman. Having one made me happy).

Pulling myself together, I readied myself to treat her with the kindess of an uppercla.s.sman.

Even though I got drop-kicked, I resolved myself to not get angry.

"…Well, I guess I too have days where I want to successfully drop-kick someone. So, did you need me for something?"

"Huh? You have days like that-death?"

Gracefully, Dekomori slowly got up.

As expected of a young heiress.

And, that is absolutely right. It's utterly unbearable when such days come around.

"In addition, there's nothing that Dekomori would need from you, Dark Flame Master!!! Your only saving grace is that your presence is so thin that you get overlooked when you do something…!"

As she said that, Dekomori skilfully coiled that Mjölnir Hammer that she was so proud of (it was just her twin-tails) around my arm. As if to say, "You will not escape."

It looked like it'd hurt Dekomori if I pulled my arm back though…

"Wait, you're still dragging out that setting!? Also, something like that isn't the case at all!"

"Lies-death! The photos from last year's cultural festival and sports festival! It has been confirmed that you do not appear in them at all, not even once-death!"

"Don't say that, stop it!"

It was not the truth!

In things like the play, I more or less was in a leading role!

Let's stop saying things that make me sad!

"It doesn't really matter if you appear or not-death!"

"If that's true then don't bring it up! I'll cry!"

"Dekomori's the one who wants to cry here-death! Hey, you b.a.s.t.a.r.d, what did you do to Master-death!?"

"Eh, huh, I didn't do anything!"

I unintentionally stuttered.

I somehow managed to push back against Dekomori. Still, the way she pressed me was so intense that I might even start to think that I'm actually at fault if she kept pressing me like this.

"Lies-death! When Dekomori… this morning, when Dekomori went to greet Master like usual-death… Master… Master…!!! She had such an unladylike appearance!!!"

"An unladylike appearance…"

I guess to Dekomori, Rikka's current appearance appear rather unladylike.

Still, her choice of words felt a little…

I wonder if it had to do with her speaking ill of her Master.

"It must have been because of you-death!!! It could be no one else but you!!! DEATH-DEATH!!!"

After having said all that, Dekomori immediately hopped into fighting stance.

The situation was as dangerous as it looked.

While the current situation - an undercla.s.sman had coiled her twin-tials around my arm - was already bad enough as it is, if things became violent: even if our school was a rather strange school, it wouldn't be surprising if Dekomori ended up getting suspended.

To stop that from happening as her uppercla.s.sman, I guess that I'll need to give in a little.

It's a bit saddening though, since I'm predicting that I'll be getting abused one-sidedly.

If only I could divert her attention somehow - although it was a bit late, but right as I thought that, I noticed something unusual.

Dekomori was different from usual. Her twin-tail weapon was different.

"O-oh, what's this? Dekomori. That's new. The flower-patterned drawstring bag that you have on. It's cute; did you get it from Rikka?"

"Ah, you noticed-death?"

Dekomori looked a little happy.

Operation Diversion, great success!

"In the case of a flower pattern, the devotee should, of their own accord, praise Dekomori extravagantly by say, 'This in the language of flowers means…'-death."

"Now I wish I hadn't noticed!"

What do you mean by devotee!

I mean, you do have a lot of admirers, but still!

As for why she had her admirers: her appearance is still that of a beautiful girl, that Dekomori.

By the way, in regard to that flower on the flower pattern - it was a flower that everyone knows, the lily[3]. Of course, I wasn't well versed in the language of flowers, so I had no idea what that meant.

"Huh? Then, that means you were trying to distract Dekomori-death? That's not going to work-death."

"T-that's it. Violence is no good. It could end up getting you suspended from school. Rikka would be sad if you get suspended, wouldn't she?"

"Tch… That's true-death…"

"Furthermore, look. There are people watching."

Like I've said many times before, we were currently inside the school building - at the front entrance, to be precise.

Although it was the short break between the first and second period, there were still quite a few people around. They were all probably in a similar situation to me and were coming back to the main building from P.E or something.

This scene just now was exactly what was being exposed to the public.

The gazes of the people who had pa.s.sed us just now hurt.

I could constantly feel the far too specific "What are these guys doing so early in the morning?" gaze stabbing into me.

"Tch. Guess it can't be helped-death. Dekomori didn't plan on using it since it's still in the prototype phase, but…"

"Eh?"

"Watch-death! This is Dekomori's power! Daydream System - start! Vanishment this world-death!"

As Dekomori said those words - the world changed.

I didn't mean that metaphorically - the world literally changed.

Until just now, we were at the entrance of the school building - now, however, we were in a traditional j.a.panese place.

I was alone with Dekomori in this mysterious place.

"Hu-huh!? What just happened!?"

"Hmph. This is Dekomori-Corporation-developed Daydream System-death! Where ideals and delusions manifest in reality - in other words, this could be said to be a world created by Dekomori-death! This is a place that's safe from the public's eye-death!"

"What is this super technology!? Or rather, is it okay for you to be showing something like this at school…?"

"It's fine-death. The Dekomori Corporation's power is tremendous-death, ge-heh-heh."

"Stop laughing right now!"

She matches the arrogant rich person stereotype, laughing like that right now.

Still, to think that what that Dekomori had said previously, that "Dekomori's ability is the power to move between the 2D and 3D realm-death!", had finally become real…

That ability - or perhaps I should say, that technological strength - of hers.

The rich are amazing.

Although I had found VR impressive and had thought that a world driven by VR would come in the near future, seeing all this made me think that said near future had invaded the present already.

"The principles behind this system is similar to the ones involved in the practical applications of VR-death. It's sort of like Dekomori's thoughts is being shared to you as a VR s.p.a.ce-death. Since it is necessary to specify the s.p.a.ce, Dekomori's bodyguards needed to enclose Dekomori and Dark Flame Master together just now with a specialised machine that they were carrying."

"You really do have things like bodyguards… But still, it's rather complicated, so I don't quite understand…"

"That's because you're an idiot-death."

"That's not… Well, it's not like I can deny that I'm not smart though. Still, why a traditional j.a.panese place?"

"Because a traditional j.a.panese place makes Kyoto Prefecture - a place which, Dekomori believes, fills Master with joy - come to mind-death."

"Certainly, a traditional j.a.panese place does make one think of Kyoto Prefecture, and certainly, Rikka likes Kyoto, but a traditional j.a.panese place and Kyoto Prefecture are two completely different things!?"

And in addition to what's already been said!

This place is Osaka Prefecture! Osaka City! This seems more like a love of your hometown!

"Ge-heh-heh, it's just a virtual world-death."

"Isn't that convenient…!"

"Well, on the topic of loving one's hometown: don't forget, Dark Flame Master, that you too wanted to visit Dekomori's home-death. Dekomori is prideful of all the local wonders-death."

"Well, that's true, but…"

…Although it was a little on the outskirts, this place was indeed Osaka.

In addition, the Dekomori family mansion was super famous.

Even if you didn't want to boast, your house is treated as a very famous landmark, Lady Dekomori.

"Ge-heh-heh, and since the area around Dekomori's house is all Deko-owned land, from here on out you can look forward to the mansion being expanded even further-death!"

"I wonder if it even can get any more extravagant… Or rather, don't talk about the surrounding land like it's state-owned land or something."

"No no, the thing is, the Dekomori family actually does own the land-death. The area around here - including this school, as a matter of fact - is mostly Deko-owned land-death. That's why, to commemorate Dekomori's enrolment into this school, Dekomori was thinking about changing the name of the school to "Super Dekomori Academy"-death."

"Eh, but I don't want to go to a school called that! You absolutely can't!"

As I said that, Dekomori laughed and responded with "Gehehe, kidding-death."

While there were things I wanted to praise her for in regard to her laughing, such as the improvements she had made in terms of when she chooses to laugh and what she is laughing about, it was still a little problematic. Since Dekomori was a rich person, it made it impossible to tell whether she was joking or not. Please be more careful about the things you say.

"That too is something that you should not be concerned about-death. The unpleasant remarks will be blacked out later-death."

"I                                                                         "
"What is the Dark Flame Master saying all of a sudden-death!? What dangerous remarks-death! Unpleasant-death! Terrible-death!"

"But I'm not saying anything unpleasant or terrible!"

Or rather, what kind of unpleasant remark even follow after an "I"?

"           -death."

"Your remarks have also become unpleasant!?"

"Oh! That was rude of Dekomori-death."

Dekomori apologised.

Since she had apologised, it seems that she really did make a dangerous remark…

Not that I've said anything bad.

"Still, this really is like a world out of an anime or something. With this place resembling traditional j.a.pan, it feels futuristic yet nostalgic."

"Futuristic yet nostalgic? Dark Flame Master… Your chip is broken-death."

"What chip!?"

"Well, Dark Flame Master is correct in saying that this world is like something out of an anime-death. Since 'making an unrealistic world a reality' is this system's goal-death. This is completely unrelated, but speaking of anime: isn't it strange that people say things like 'at least watch until the 3rd episode' when it comes to anime-death?"

"That really was completely unrelated!"

But, well, that is something that I hear quite often.

It's a phrase that you don't really hear when it comes to stuff like movies.

Then again, I'm not sure how I'd feel if I heard someone say 'just watch the first 30 minutes' in regard to a movie.

"Isn't that a strange way of promoting it-death? If it's interesting from the very first episode, then when promoting it, you should be telling people to watch until the very end-death!"

"…That certainly is true."

"And so, no matter the anime, everyone should watch until the very end-death! Right-death?"

"…And who are you to be saying all of this?"

But, then again, I do agree with what Dekomori was saying.

I too think that there are a surprising amount of works in this world that make you go, "It's the best!" when you watch it until the very end.

"Ah! It's not the case that Dekomori enjoyed this stupid conversation with the Dark Flame Master-death! Dekomori must defeat Master's enemy-death!"

"But it felt like your aim had changed… or to be more precise, it felt like you had fun talking with me."

"Huh!? From a conversation with a b.a.s.t.a.r.d like you!? D-Dekomori did not have fun-death!!!"

Dekomori was very upset.

She was visibly fl.u.s.tered.

"Dekomori was careless-death… Dekomori will just say this is a mistaken memory-death…"

"You're going to say that it's fake!?"

"And then, by erasing Dark Flame Master's memory - it's perfect-death!"

As she said that, Dekomori unfastened the Mjölnir Hammer that had been coiled around my arm this whole time (I completely forgot that it was there too) at last.

Then, brandishing that hammer as is -

"Mjölnir Hammer - memory erasure mode!"

Upon saying that, it seemed that her ideals had changed reality - what used to be merely her hair, Dekomori's Mjölnir Hammer, underwent a transformation. It transformed into a super enormous hammer that would erase my memory - no, my very existence itself - for sure if it hit me.

"Generic Mjölnir Hammer-death!!!"

"Why does that sound like something anyone could use!?"

You wanted to say 'Genesis' or something, didn't you!?

"Grr… shut it-death! Disappear, along with your existence-death!!!"

"You said you were going to erase my memory, but as expected you were looking to kill me weren't you!!!"

Before I had been able to shout that out, Dekomori had already leapt towards - no, already soared into the sky.

This too seemed like the result of her ideals and delusions changing reality - Dekomori easily surpa.s.sed 5 metres in height with her leap.

Still, for something like this to occur, just what kind of system was this!?

Will I even be okay if I get hit by that?

Even though it's such an enormous hammer?

Even though it's been brought down at me from such an extremely high place?

The answer is - I had no idea. But what I did know is that I didn't want to get hit!

And so!

"Tch. As expected of someone named Dark Flame Master-death."

I utilised the system.

My ideals and delusions changed reality - on the spur of the moment, I took off the indoor shoes that I had on and defended myself with them.

It seemed that choice of mine was correct - a dark flame shield appeared promptly to intercept that enormous hammer.

"This is the Dark Flame Barrier."

"That name, it's lame-death."

"Shush! Unlike you, I don't have the talent to name things!"

"However-death."

Dekomori sneered as she said that.

"Did you know-death? That twin-tails are known as twin-tails because of the twin-death?"

"Wh"

Even before I was able to express my surprise, the twin fragment appeared right beside her - another king-sized hammer flew towards me as if she was playing Daruma Otoshi[4].

It's hopeless - I thought.

The instant that I had thought that.

The world had once again completely changed.

The current world - the real world.

We were back where we started - inside the school building, at the entrance.

After that, Dekomori struck my cheeks with her twin-tails (of course, it was just hair, and not something like the Generic Mjölnir Hammer) as if she was mashing a potato. Naturally, it wasn't particularly painful.

"Hu-huh?"

I checked my surroundings.

There was no one else around.

I was now doubtful as to whether or not I really did return to reality.

"About five minutes-death. If you dreamed - were you able to dream a lot-death?"

"Don't say a 'did you have a nice dream?'-ish sort of thing!"

I was pulled back to reality immediately!

"Ge-heh-heh. Relax-death, this is reality-death. As for why there's no one around - it's because the break has already ended-death."

"Seriously!?"

But this year, I was aiming for the perfect attendance award!

After all, last year I had skipped out on a good number of cla.s.ses…

Sigh.

"In addition, up until just now, Dekomori's bodyguards had been busy clearing this place of people-death. Fun fact: a bystander would likely think 'what dangerous people' upon sighting Dekomori's personnel."

"You're that conscious of public attention!?"

"Well, Dekomori is a member of the Dekomori family - it would be troubling if Dekomori was seen behaving like that-death."

"Eh…? Isn't it already too late for that?"

I'm pretty sure that a person who suddenly drop-kicks someone as a joke would be thought of as a 'dangerous person'…

I think that after this, the only people that would join this club would be dangerous people.

"There's no need to worry-death. Dekomori is an honour student-death. Therefore, people would think, 'Ah, for even Dekomori-san to drop-kick someone: that must have been a dangerous guy, right?'-death. And when this honour student is late-death: 'Dekomori-san must have been late because of that dangerous guy, right?' All the fault will be falling to you-death."

"Can you stop involving me in everything!?"

I don't want to be considered a dangerous person, nor do I want to be late.

Although, as for being considered a dangerous person - I had a feeling that ship had long sailed.

Thanks to the 'help' of a certain uppercla.s.sman.

"However, about five minutes seems to still be the limit-death."

"Yeah but still, I did seriously think that I was going to die."

"Are you an idiot-death? You don't die in ideals and delusions-death. That's right - people die in reality-death."

"Don't add that last part on so naturally as if it you had just said something obvious!"

"Right - Dekomori said it because because it was obvious-death. It was just a VR s.p.a.ce-death. Just because it looked like it doesn't mean that our ideals and delusions actually got materialised in reality-death. We're not Real-Booting[5] or anything-death."

"Well, I guess that's true."

"Dekomori is in the midst of developing this for Master-death, so this was a good trial-death. Thank you very much for your cooperation-death, test subject no. 1. Err, so why were the two of us talking again-death?"

Dekomori - seemingly in confusion - tilted her head.

It seemed that she seriously couldn't remember.

"Well, see, Rikka's powers have disappeared, and it's been troubling me as well -"

"AAAH! That's right-death! Taking a step forward for the sake of Master♪ made Dekomori so happy that she forgot-death! You d.a.m.n b.a.s.t.a.r.d, how dare you play the test subject card-death!"

"What does that even mean!? Did you mean to say playing the victim card!?"

"Why did you take away Master's powers-death!"

"…I don't have such an ability! Calm down, calm down: I wanted to have a chat with you about this as well!"

"Death-death…!"

"Don't make such a strange voice. See, I too don't know why it happened. That's why - ah! I should go consult with everyone about this."

"Everyone!?"

"Ah, no, just with Hideri-senpai and them."

"Hmph. With Rainbow-senpai?"

Making a complete 180, Dekomori went from being full of rage to wearing a face that looked as if she had been convinced.

Her allegiance (?) to Hideri-senpai was a mystery to me.

When she joined the club, she had apparently confessed to Rikka, "As a Dekomori, Dekomori has seen all sorts of people - but Dekomori never seen a person as dangerous as this-death. It is Dekomori's opinion that it would be best for us to obey her unconditionally-death."

Although it could very well just be that Dekomori was simply just fearful of Hideri-senpai…

Still, Hideri-senpai certainly did seem to be part of the elite and extraordinary portion of humanity who could have a large influence on others - she's likely had a large influence on me too, after all.

Even so, it's not like I've pledged my alligence to her like Dekomori seemed to have had.

By the way, Hideri-senpai had also taken quite a fancy to Dekomori, saying, "To be serious in attaching a drawstring bag to your twin-tails every morning, isn't that very interesting! That's not very normal, we like it."

By thinking of it like that, I too couldn't help but be amazed by Dekomori.

Imagining her cheerfully attach those drawstring bags of hers every morning - it certainly was very cute.

"Huh, so it'll be a club activity-death. Not bad, for one of Dark Flame Master's ideas -death."

"…You sure love your club activities, Dekomori."

"If it weren't for you being there, Dekomori would love club activities even more-death."

"Why so bitter all of a sudden?"

"Dekomori is vexed when the Dark Flame Master is there-death…"

Dekomori corrected herself cutely.

Wait no, but the implication behind the words didn't change at all. Why did she even bother correcting herself!

"Dark Flame Master! In our next break, call everyone to an emergency meeting-death! Is that understood, you punk-death![6]"

"…Understood, Dekomori-san."

"Good-death."

It wasn't clear to me if she was satifised because I consented to calling for an emergency meeting, or because I attached the honorific to her name. Nevertheless, a ma.s.sive smile could be seen on Dekomori-san's face as she left this place.

It seemed the somehow, the positions of who the uppercla.s.sman and undercla.s.sman were had gotten reversed.

Well, it wasn't like that was a problem or anything.

Still, I did manage to take away at least one thing from that long conversation with Dekomori. While it was kind of sad that I had been only able to take away one thing for certain from that long conversation - what I did take away was important.

Rikka had told even Dekomori that her powers had disappeared.

For her to not have her powers even when I'm not around, it can only mean that.

That is - that the Devilish Truth Stare had really disappeared.

Just what exactly was happening with Rikka?

My feelings of anxiety only grew stronger.

Also.

What would be a good excuse for being late…

[1] A pun lost in translation. Here, Yuuta makes the connection between Rikka (六花) and Itsuka (五花).

[2] Another pun. Here, the connection is made between Kuzuha (樟葉), which when translated directly means "camphor leaves", and Momiji紅葉, which when translated directly means "maple leaves".

[3] In j.a.panese, Lily is p.r.o.nounced 'yuri', which, incidently, is also the slang for girls' love.

[4] A traditional j.a.panese game that is usually played with a 5-piece daruma doll. The aim of the game is to see how many of the bottom pieces one can knock out before the daruma topples over.

[5] A term from the visual novel Chaos;Head: the ability of Gigalomaniacs to trick people to thinking delusions are real.

[6] A reference to the 1988 animated film Akira, .

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