Kore wa Zombie desu ka? Vol 6 Chapter 2.6

VOLUME 6

Chapter 2: Part 6

I changed into dry clothes and returned to the living room, where I saw that the nabe preparations were already underway.

The portable stove was already lit, but the water had not boiled yet.

“Okay! Time for presents!”

Orito raised his hand with enough force that he almost pulled himself to his feet.

“Yay!” Tomonori also raised both her hands up in jubilation.

“Presents?”

Haruna never really had much interest in the customs of this world, so she distanced herself from Orito and Tomonori while her ahoge wriggled in suspicion.

“In this world, you give the birthday person presents to celebrate their being born into this world.”

“Hueh? T-That’s… no way…!”

Haruna looked like she had just been struck by lightning. She suddenly pointed at herself and spoke frantically.

“M-Me too! I’m gonna celebrate my birthday next year too! Be sure you bring presents!”

This girl… the minute she realized she could get presents…

“Aghhhhhh!!”

Tomonori yelled out, her body slightly bent forwards.

“I also… had a birthday… this year.”

Was that really such a big deal that she had to yell like that?

“You’re an idiot, aren’t you?”

Orito looked down at Tomonori with cold eyes.

Sera coughed loudly, clearly unable to keep herself from b.u.t.ting in for any longer.

“Well then, I’ll go first… well, my present will be the best one though.”

“I don’t think I can let you get away with saying that.”

Sparks flew between me and Sera.

There really wasn’t a point in continuing to have this glaring contest with Sera, so I looked away, and Sera brought out a really fancy-looking box. She handed the box to Yuu.

Can I open it?

“Yes, of course.”

Yuu opened the box, and found a necklace inside. She then closed the box without any change in her expression.

Ha ha ha. Looks like Yuu didn’t really like it. Don’t go off and think that Yuu was the same as any other girl!

“Okay, my turn!”

Orito held out his huge box, which wasn’t even gift-wrapped.

The following words were dancing about on the box:

Make all your troubles go boing boinging away! The Bust-Up Machine Boing X!

S-So d.a.m.n shady… do you really think you can make Yuu’s small b.r.e.a.s.t.s larger with a thing like that?

Yuu took the box emotionlessly, and emotionlessly set it next to her.

That was a natural result. Don’t go off and think that Yuu was the complete polar opposite of every other girl!

“Orito, you’re just the worst…”

Tomonori looked seriously taken aback.

Orito twisted his neck and glared at Tomonori.

“And what exactly did you bring? Huuhh??”

“Tadaa~! It’s that filter-looking thing you see on pressed mackerel sushi! You get a year’s supply!”

“White konbu?” Haruna properly corrected her.

“Yeah, that. Thanks!”

“Eh? Is that stuff actually edible? Whenever I eat mackerel, I always take that filter-looking stuff off before eating.”

Orito mumbled while he readjusted his gla.s.ses.

“You mean white konbu?”

“Yes, that. Thanks, Haruna-chan.”

“Giving a girl white konbu for her birthday is a bit…”

Sera pierced Tomonori with her gaze, causing Tomonori to begin clattering her teeth.

Orito clutched at his chest, and even a zombie like me had to admit that gaze chilled me to the very bone.

Sera wasn’t taking the konbu seriously, but I was a bit panicked. Yuu could be kind of strange sometimes… so it’s possible the gift I had to beat was this konbu.

“Yuu, have this.”

As Sera continued lecturing Tomonori, I pa.s.sed Yuu a mug. It was a cute cup, with a polka-dot pattern made up of animal paws.

I chose this pattern because it resembled the pattern on one pair of Haruna’s panties, and I remembered thinking that this pattern would suit Yuu pretty well.

“You’re always using the same teacup, right?”

Yuu took the mug and immediately started trying to pour tea into it.

“If you want to use it, let’s wash it first.”

Sera stood up and took the mug, stepping over Orito on her way to the kitchen.

Orito took the opportunity to look right up Sera’s denim shorts, causing Sera to click her tongue at him.

If I tried the same thing, she probably would’ve stuck swords in my eyes… but Sera didn’t even kick him once as she walked away.

Vampire ninjas had a law to never kill humans. So, they couldn’t even act when they were being s.e.xually hara.s.sed.

I was kinda jealous.

Thank you everybody. Going through all this trouble for someone like me.

Ahh, I think I’m going to take this memo as a special keepsake.

Sera came back, and we quickly poured hot tea into the mug. Yuu wrapped her hands around the mug and took a drink.

Yuu shut her eyes and continued to drink, when Sera spoke up.

“So, whose present did you like the most?”

Was there really any point in asking? Look, the only present she was actually using was my mug.

Yuu put the mug down on the table and picked up her ballpoint pen.

Can I be honest?

“Of course.”

Yuu seemed a bit at a loss, and just sat there without moving. But n.o.body else said anything either, and we just all sat there watching over her. Seeing that, Yuu leaned forwards slightly, and then…

She hoisted up the Make all your troubles go boing boinging away! The Bust-Up Machine Boing X! box.

It was a grand gesture, not unlike when Link hoisted up the Master Sword.

W-Wait… that was her favorite present? Orito won? Seriously?

“W-What about my necklace?”

Sera couldn’t hide her shock and took out the necklace she had gifted Yuu.

I have a metal allergy.

Even though she was always wearing armor?

“What about the mackerel filter thing I got for you?”

“You mean the white konbu?”

“Yes, that! Thanks!”

It is like castella sponge cake. I cannot eat it.

So she was kind of like Orito in that respect.

“So, what about my mug?”

In the end, tea should be drunk from teacups.

That was a very Yuu-like thing to say.

But, I am truly happy. Thank you, everybody.

Ahh, I just don’t care anymore. She wasn’t smiling, but when we saw that memo, n.o.body could care about the gift compet.i.tion anymore.

And so, the shabu shabu war broke out, and smiles leaked out on both Sera and Haruna’s faces. Orito and Tomonori also entertained us with their sheer ridiculousness.

In the end, Haruna was the one who ended up using the mug.

Granted, that wasn’t too surprising. She did own a pair of underwear with the same pattern after all.

“Oh, actually, there is something on my mind…” Orito started speaking, and everyone else fell quiet.

“What is it?” Sera glared at Orito, and he put a hand to his chest.

“How old is Yuu-chan exactly?”

The world seemed to freeze over around us at that moment.

Come to think of it… how old was Yuu anyways? Tomonori and Sera were also frozen stiff. It seemed that the vampire ninjas knew Yuu’s true age.

“She’s probably two years old or something.”

Haruna didn’t seem to be interested in the topic of discussion, and just said something random. Nah, there’s no way that was right…

Tomonori glanced at Yuu’s face to gauge her reaction, but of course Yuu was as expressionless as ever.

“h.e.l.lscythe-dono’s age is-“

Sera couldn’t finish her sentence.

“Good night.”

We all heard an angelic voice coming from Yuu’s mouth.

And then everybody fell asleep.

TRANSLATOR’S NOTES