Vol 2 Chapter 1 (1/2)

Chapter 1 - Every Day is a Bothersome Day

Part 1

Recently, Kusanagi G.o.dou began setting off from home forty minutes

earlier than usual.

He originally had a habit of getting up early for a run, but this was not the

reason he had to move his schedule earlier. In fact, he could have just

changed his morning run to the evenings.

It was nearing the end of June, and plum rain had continued every day in

the monsoon season for at least half a month.

But today was a much awaited sunny day. G.o.dou put on his light running

shoes at the entrance and prepared to set off.

The last time he left home without needing an umbrella was many days

ago. As his thoughts reached this point, a sudden greeting was heard from

behind.

”Good morning, Onii-chan. You're quite early again today... Are you going

to that person on the way again?”

A voice that should have been very cute to listen to, but currently had a

strange threatening tone.

Turning his head back, G.o.dou saw his younger sister s.h.i.+zuka appearing

at the doorway with a sneer.

”Every single morning, meeting the blonde lover at some place and then

going to school together. I am surprised by your earnest diligence,

Onii-chan.”

”Ah... please don't misunderstand. Erica is not my lover or anything like

that.”

In response to her older brother's denial, the sister snorted with a sneer

and ignored it.

”Aya, really? Onii-chan is two-timing Mariya-senpai and Erica-san at the

same time. It really seems like... So who is the main wife and who is the

backup? Or do they play both roles!”

”Don't blindly believe those strange rumors. You're talking as if I was the

kind of man who made women his playthings!”

”It's like this, there's no smoke without fire. The gist is the female friend

sleeps in every day, so each morning you have to go to that female friend's

home to wake her up. Isn't that strange? Couldn't one just use an alarm

clock to wake up?”

It really was exactly as s.h.i.+zuka described it.

G.o.dou nodded deeply, and at the same time, felt troubled as to how he

could describe the peculiarities of the young lady Erica Blandelli.

It had already been a month since he began sharing the same cla.s.sroom

as Erica.

The only day she arrived at the cla.s.sroom on time and before lessons

began was the first.

Henceforth, she was late every single day. It was a good day if she arrived

before homeroom ended.

In the most severe cases, she would casually stroll into the cla.s.sroom after

lessons had begun for an hour or two, and greet G.o.dou as if nothing had

happened — right in front of all the cla.s.smates and teachers.

”Good morning everyone. You're all early today as well... Aya, why is

G.o.dou's face so terrible, what happened? Aha, you must be unhappy that

you weren't able to see my face until now. I also wanted to see the

adorable you earlier, which is why I rushed here. But then it ended up

being this late, is it acceptable?”

Completely shameless and speaking total rubbish, she approached

G.o.dou's side.

The stares from the rest of the cla.s.s were painfully stabbing away at

G.o.dou.

(Especially the boys. If those glares were knives, then G.o.dou would have

been shredded into a thousand pieces by now.)

G.o.dou made a decision as he tried to push away Erica who was leaning

tightly against him. No sacrifice would be too great, if this woman would

only come to school on time properly.

The result was, visiting Erica's room and going to school together became

a daily routine.

...Perhaps, it is precisely because I am going to school together with that

fellow that I am being misunderstood? This question had entered G.o.dou's

mind.

Shrugging off the jeering gaze of the sister who saw him off, G.o.dou left the

house.

Erica's new residence was a luxury apartment on Hongou Street, roughly

five minutes of walkina distance away. They lived on the tenth floor of a

twelve-story 2LDK.

As usual, G.o.dou called using the intercom at the entrance.

”Yes, may I know who is it?”

”Good morning, Anna-san, it's me, Kusanagi.”

”Ah, G.o.dou-sama, thanks for your efforts every day, please enter.”

The high pitched voice — bright, clear and outgoing — clearly conveyed the

cheerfulness of the speaker through the intercom.

Pa.s.sing through the door, G.o.dou took the elevator up to the destination

floor. To G.o.dou, who had always lived in a simple detached house, it felt a

little uncomfortable each time he entered and exited the luxury apartment

that was protected by a security system of automated locks.

Pressing the bell at the door to Erica's unit, the door immediately opened.

”Good morning, do please come in.”

The one who came to receive him was Arianna Hayama Arialdi.

The apprentice mage at the ”Copper Black Cross” magic a.s.sociation, as

well as the a.s.sistant and personal caregiver (basically the maid) of the

Templar Knight Erica Blandelli — the one who held the t.i.tle Great Knight.

She was the servant in charge of all domestic ch.o.r.es in this apartment.

”Doesn't today's great weather make one so happy? Lately, due to the

cloudy or rainy days, I have been feeling troubled by the laundry not

drying.”

Arianna gave a refres.h.i.+ng smile as she welcomed G.o.dou inside.

A face that seemed younger than her nineteen years of age, and gave an

impression of great cleverness and competence... However, the truth was

much more unfortunate, for she is a cla.s.sic case where ”one cannot be

judged by appearances.”

”So Anna-san, has that fellow Erica woken up today?”

G.o.dou hastily asked as he was brought to the living room.

Though he already knew Erica had no ability to get up by herself, G.o.dou

still tried to harbor some hope.

”Probably, I heard some noises just now from the direction of the bedroom.

Ah, if you wish, would you like a Cappuccino while you are waiting? If

you're hungry, perhaps you'd like a little soup from yesterday, if you don't

mind.”

Anna asked with a smile as cute as a lily.

A pure smile that warmed you from the heart. A girl who can smile like that

surely cannot fall into misfortune.

As G.o.dou thought to himself, he glanced into the distance at the pressure

cooker sitting on the electric stove in the kitchen.

A bad feeling.

Perhaps a bias created by first impressions. But maybe noticing danger is

a warning imparted by the instincts of a Campione. One should avoid

danger as much as possible.

”I already had breakfast at home, so I'll pa.s.s on the soup.”

A perfect answer.

Of course, at an age of a healthy appet.i.te, G.o.dou's stomach can surely

handle a second breakfast without issue. However, the exception is a

particular product of Anna's cooking.

...It was about a month ago, the first time visiting this room.

To serve G.o.dou, the guest of her mistress Erica, Arianna had offered her

personal cooking.

Handmade spaghetti with cream sauce, thinly sliced cheese and ham,

bread with added sausage and vegetables, appetizers of fresh slices of

raw fish and cold cuts — all of them tasted excellent, and were most

satisfying. However, the exception was the final soup presented on a dish.

”I'm dieting currently, so I'll stop here.”

Erica, who had been eating heartily mouthful by mouthful, suddenly put

down her knife and fork.

Despite her slim figure, her appet.i.te greatly exceeded a normal male.

Although it felt really suspicious, G.o.dou could not find a reason to refuse

this soup colored a strange shade of red, so he had taken a small sip.

All the adjectives of the j.a.panese language could ”hardly describe it,” so

G.o.dou gave up.

That's the kind of taste it was.

An indescribable taste. Simple adjectives of sour, sweet, bitter or spicy,

etc, did not suffice, and one simply couldn't imagine what kind of

ingredients went into making it.

Inevitably, G.o.dou had s.h.i.+fted his gaze to Erica, who returned a malevolent

smile.

(Didn't I mention it before, that one needs to be careful with Arianna's

cooking?)

(If, if that's the case, then, at least give a warning.)

As she communicated with G.o.dou by exchanging glances, Erica drank her

after-meal Espresso with an air of nonchalance.

Remembering the lesson he had learnt, G.o.dou accepted only the

Cappuccino this morning.

Calming himself, G.o.dou waited for Arianna to return from the master

bedroom.

...But she came back immediately.

”Sorry, G.o.dou-sama. Erica-sama only woke for a moment to say she had

'no mood to get up from bed without the kiss of the prince, and that G.o.dou

should have been brought here earlier...' ”

Arianna seemed pitiful as she reported that Erica had gone back to sleep.

G.o.dou furrowed his brow.

Of course, he never expected that girl to get up so simply. Even if he

offered a morning call service from his home, that fellow would have simply

hung up the phone on him.

Was there really no other way but to enter the room and wake her up?

”That fellow always creates a ch.o.r.e for others in the morning — ”

G.o.dou complained as he left the living room and intruded into Erica's

bedroom.

The mistress of this home was peacefully sleeping away with light

breathing noises, wrapped in the blanket on the bed.

”You really went back to sleep, didn't you...”

The room's interior condition gave G.o.dou a shock as he entered.

Completely unlike the living s.p.a.ce of a girl living in the 201 0's, it was a

room full of books and antiques.

Amidst paperbacks were popular magazines, as well as ancient books in

English, Italian, Latin, Chinese and all sorts of different languages on the

book shelves above. Though neither CD nor MP3 players were found,

there was an extremely old record player.

They were arranged neatly, but surely it was not through the owner's

efforts.

Most likely, it was Arianna who cleans up. As if to support this hypothesis,

scattered all over the floor beneath the bed were the clothes probably

taken off last night.

A t-s.h.i.+rt and shorts, as well as a few sc.r.a.ps of water-colored cloth — one

piece, two pieces.

What is this combination of cloth?

G.o.dou cannot imagine anything good out of it, and tells himself to stop

paying attention to it as he neared the bed.

”Hey, Erica, you're going to be late if you don't get up. This is no good.”

G.o.dou shook the girl's body, trying to wake her.

Martial artists in certain swordsmen novels often possess the ability to

wake up when approached in their sleep, but clearly this mage and genius

swordswoman is devoid of this skill. She probably would explain it as

”presumably because there was no change in killing intent.”

”...Let me sleep a little longer. I was up till 4am last night watching Bruce

Lee videos, and am still very sleepy. Please, I'll kiss you later, ok? G.o.dou.”

Erica said this without even opening her eyes.

This Italian girl surprisingly turned out to be a fan of the great kung fu star.

To have studied these videos from that era to such a degree.

”No way. You shouldn't be watching those things when you have school,

get up quickly. How about I watch the Die Hard trilogy with you on the

weekend?”

”Bruce is not enough, you need to add Jet Li as well.”

At least she was finally conscious, and greeted G.o.dou h.e.l.lo.

”Jackie Chan and Chow Yun Fat together as well, get up, time for school.”

”Yes, getting up right away, G.o.dou sure is bad. You're probably the first

boy who ever got me out of bed by force... Hey, I'm getting up, come give

me a morning kiss...”

Getting up from bed was the only time when Erica lost her usually

dominating and confident demeanor.

Like a child, speaking as if she wanted to be spoilt.

As G.o.dou answered her while he pulled away the blanket wrapped around

her — he froze completely. The pale white neck and the naked back were

entirely revealed.

Due to sleeping with her back turned, it was fortunate that the front could

not be seen.

However, because the curvaceous body part — whose lines from the waist

to the b.u.t.tocks are like an artistic drawing — was going to be revealed,

G.o.dou frantically covered her once again with the blanket.

”E-Erica... You, you're not properly dressed?”

”I did wear clothes. I don't sleep nude you know, it's just that around the

time of dawn I couldn't go back to sleep so I took them off... No problem, I

did put on perfume... Just like that actress from before — ”

Erica got up all of a sudden.

At the same time, the blanket began to slide off the clearly unclothed upper

torso, and her bountiful cleavage was revealed from below.

G.o.dou immediately caught the falling blanket.

”Erica, put on some clothes! Please! Please put on your clothes first!”

”Yes — then, first let's wear... the underwear in the second drawer from the

bottom, G.o.dou can pick whichever ones you prefer...”

To G.o.dou who just heard a terrifying sentence, Erica smiled faintly.

A different smile from the usual devil's smile, it was a true and innocent

smile. Perhaps because she had just risen from bed, the crafty witch was

acting a little more honest.

Frightened by this fresh feeling, G.o.dou continued to beg.

”Don't joke around, choose it yourself!”

”Still lacking in ambition eh? Ah, help me take out the ones I was wearing

yesterday, did they fall on the ground?”

”Those are underwear. Is it really ok to leave them somewhere that men

can see?”

”It's fine if it's G.o.dou, for you are special. Even seeing my naked body is

totally fine for you.”

”No way, that is completely out of the question. An-anna-san, please could

you bring something for Erica to wear? Please, quickly!”

To Erica's words which made G.o.dou panic, Arianna calmly smiled and ran

over.

G.o.dou's recent mornings pretty much all felt like this.

Part 2

The high school division of Jounan Academy, Year 1, Cla.s.s 5.

Here was the cla.s.sroom of Erica and G.o.dou, and by the way, the two were

neighbors.

Actually Erica was originally seated much further away, but on the first day

she transferred, she suddenly gave that speech.

A month ago, during homeroom in the morning.

The foreign student from Italy had introduced herself with perfect

j.a.panese.

Afterwards, Erica, who had been seated next to a window, began smiling

as she hummed proudly to herself. Then she proceeded to casually walk to

G.o.dou's seat and suddenly announced.

”First of all I must make this clear, I, Erica Blandelli have already promised

my future to someone, and that is this person, Kusanagi G.o.dou. — hoho,

from today onwards we will always be together, G.o.dou.”

As she delivered those words, she deftly embraced G.o.dou who

desperately wanted to flee, and kissed him upon the cheek.

Elegantly capturing G.o.dou who had been on alert — this must surely count

as a miraculous skill — Erica then began to give a speech.

Two people in love, who cannot be separated even for a moment.

And so she hoped for cooperation to obtain her rightful seat belonging by

his side.

”There can be no place for me to sit except beside Kusanagi G.o.dou.

Would you help us who are in love, and accept such willfulness?”

G.o.dou was shocked that Erica made such a request.

No, no matter how you look at it, that is totally unreasonable. One was truly

speechless at this choice of action.

The surrounding cla.s.smates all suddenly left their seats, and started to

reorganize themselves to accommodate Erica's seating request. Even the

teacher had nothing to say.

At that time, Erica must have been using magic similar to hypnosis.

And so it came to be, the two of them were seated next to each other, and

their relations.h.i.+p was officially recognized within the cla.s.s.

”Hey G.o.dou, let's go for lunch, Arianna prepared sandwiches for me

today.”

Erica joyfully said as the bell rang for the lunch break. G.o.dou immediately

began to feel his body being pierced by vast amounts of murderous intent.

— It's that guy Kusanagi again, we see this every single day!

— Ch! Our Erica, why would she go with that guy!

— If this level of hate can become a murder weapon, I, I will be able to kill

this guy!

— You boy, even h.e.l.l is too mild for you!

”Hey! Erica, why don't you try having lunch with other girls for once? I will

go to the school cafeteria.”

Pressured by the indescribable stress, G.o.dou attempted to offer a

suggestion.

The dark aura exuded by the surrounding boys has been intensifying

through each pa.s.sing day.

Jealousy, hate, revulsion, murderous intent, enmity. If a measuring device

existed to quantify these negative emotions, who knew what values would

be recorded in this cla.s.sroom?

”What are you talking about? Even for the girls, everybody supports us.

Don't ruin the mood with such words.”

G.o.dou sighed at Erica's simple response.

Erica Blandelli's political and negotiation skills can truly be horrifying.

She was definitely not a person with a good att.i.tude at receiving others. In

fact, the first time she met G.o.dou, she was mostly arrogant and cold.

However, as long as she willed it, she can be a diplomatic expert who gets

along well with anyone.

She possessed beauty and elegance beyond the daughters of high cla.s.s

families, extraordinary eloquence of speech, social strategy which neither

compromised nor created conflict, first impressions convincing others that

she was a special existence, and exceptional charisma fitting for a leader.

If a person of such a disposition were to get serious, no high school

student in j.a.pan would be her match.

Even when her character is so p.r.o.ne to doing as she pleased, Erica's

actions have not garnered any ill talk behind her back. G.o.dou truly

admired this accomplishment.

The trouble was this — Erica's total disregard for hiding her affections

towards a specific boy was greatly problematic.

Due to the well wishes of the girls, as well as the anger of the boys, hate

and admiration had combined to double the pressure on G.o.dou.

”But then, it would be nice to have lunch outside once in a while. Since

today's weather is fine, how about the central courtyard? To go to the

benches there, wouldn't that be great?”

”Sorry, only that choice is impossible, let's eat in the cla.s.sroom.”

G.o.dou immediately answered to the smiling Erica.

The central courtyard was where not only high school students but many

middle schoolers pa.s.sed by, especially during the lunch break. One must

avoid such attention seeking actions at all costs in a place seen by so

many people.

”Then how about as usual, I'll go buy the drinks, what do you want?”

”Tea then, the non-sweet type.”

Alternating between buying drinks and bread was the agreement they had

decided beforehand.

As Erica left to fulfill her turn to buy drinks, G.o.dou began to prepare the

area for lunch.

Laying out the napkin and placing the lunchbox on it, there were Italian

cold cuts, sandwiches containing ham and vegetables, as well as olives in

plastic containers, apples, etc.

A lunch prepared by Arianna, full of European style.

Recalling the first time when Erica just moved here, the memory remains

fresh in G.o.dou's mind when he lectured Erica for planning on bringing wine

and champagne bought from the hotel as drinks for lunch.

”What's the matter, Takagi?”

Since the boy who sat behind him seemed to be saying something, G.o.dou

ventured to ask.

G.o.dou was already quite tall, but Takagi was taller still, reaching nearly

185cm in height. He should be in the Kendo club.

”G.o.dou, let me share with you some good news. Right now, all the boys of

our Cla.s.s 5 are enduring the acc.u.mulation of rage and hate towards your

atrocious acts, as if ignoring our existence...”

”I'm sorry, but the one ignoring others is Erica, not me.”

”Ch! Whenever you talk about yourself, you always think you are in the

right! You think you're so special — fine, if you're going to be that way, we

will take emergency measures.”

Takagi spoke decisively.

Why? He — no, including him, all the boys staring at G.o.dou had their eyes

full of strong determination, it's almost like those of two boxers in an

undecided match, dodging each other's attacks and waiting for an

opportunity to counterattack.

”Emergency... measures?”

”Yes. We will fight poison with poison. If you won't heed the feelings of us

men, then we will retaliate with the appropriate measures! ...To be frank,

we already sent someone to report to the other cla.s.s next door.”

”Why the cla.s.s next door... Could it be!?”

”Ho, you realized it. But it's too late. We tried to avoid this until now

because it hurts us too. But in order to torment you, we dare to walk the

path of pain.”

As Takagi gave a speech full of heroic sacrifice, she arrived.

Mariya Yuri of the First Year, Sixth Cla.s.s.

G.o.dou's sister s.h.i.+zuka's uppercla.s.sman at the tea ceremony club she

belonged to, the one who represented the j.a.panese wizardry world, and

the Hime-Miko whose appearance never failed to catch G.o.dou's attention.

As she entered the door to Cla.s.s 5, G.o.dou found her walking over to him.

”Kusanagi-san, may I borrow a moment of your time?”

”Yes, yes, what is it?”

The number one top beauty in the school alongside Erica, was asking with

a sharp glare.

Her beauty was like sakura flowers blossoming quietly on the mountain

side, and felt neither arrogant nor ostentatious.

One could easily fall into obsession just by watching her.

”I am reminding you precisely because this is inappropriate. I am in a

different cla.s.s, and cannot report you to the discipline committee...

However, the students in this cla.s.s only hope you will not ignore them.”

”Uh, umm...”

In front of Yuri who spoke persuasively with reason, G.o.dou had a face full

of panic. This beautiful miko-sama was truly hard to handle. Once she

started lecturing, one would inevitably start listening respectfully.

”I heard that every day during lunch, Kusanagi-san and Erica-san are

doing that... is... is it called flirting? Speaking intimate words lacking in

caution. This is a school, don't you think you should save those for a more

appropriate time and place?”

”We weren't flirting! Only having lunch together!”

”Obviously lying. Due to this, Cla.s.s 5 is so troubled that they are almost

crying... The one with me just now mentioned it. Something like 'Kusanagi

is treating all the boys who don't have girlfriends as fools by flirting with

Erica every day. We must all be concerned, and so forth.' And spoken

tearfully too.”

Behind Yuri, who was lecturing with righteous anger, were...

The boys in the cla.s.s, all of them watching the cornered G.o.dou with

malevolent smiles. Those evil expressions fully betrayed their feelings.

— Hehehe, as expected, G.o.dou cannot defy Mariya.

— But then, to be tricked by that awful acting, and to come to this

cla.s.sroom specifically, isn't Mariya coming personally for G.o.dou after all?

— d.a.m.n! Unacceptable! Why do such good things only happen to that

guy?

— How enviable. I also want to get to know the Mariya-san ”who has no

interest in boys” and be lectured by her.

— Oh! Look, Erica is back, let the show really begin.

”Ah, it's Yuri? It's rare to see you here during lunch?”

Holding drink cartons of oolong tea and orange juice, Erica had returned to

the cla.s.sroom.

”You want to join us for lunch? As long as you don't disturb G.o.dou and my

fun, you're welcomed.”

”Unfortunately, the reason I am here is to obstruct you two.”

Erica and Yuri silently faced off with strong determination.

These two are truly incompatible in personality. Whenever G.o.dou was

getting teased by Erica, Yuri always expressed disapproval if she

happened to witness it.

Ever since the first time they met, the same type of situation had unfolded

countless times.

The problem was that this mostly happened in school, in full view of a

substantial number of the high school and middle school students.

”Ohoh, it's the battle between the mistress and the wife.” ”It must be time

for G.o.dou to confess his sins.” ”Kusanagi that fellow, when did he start

getting so close to Mariya?” ”Idiot, the two of them must be childhood

friends.” ”Is that so? So because Mariya failed to recognize her feelings for

Kusanagi, the result was the intrusion of Erica from Italy!?” ”Choosing

between the j.a.panese legal wife Mariya, and the Italian mistress Erica,

what an ultimate dilemma!”

Sigh, the cause of this misunderstanding has its reasons.

Perhaps due to nationality, most people would think that Yuri and G.o.dou

knew each other first. However, the truth was the opposite, but jumping to

conclusions could be a scary thing.

”...This feels a bit noisy.”

”You still don't seem to understand what I am saying, why don't we change

locations? To the roof then, a less conspicuous location.”

Noticing the people around Yuri discussing all sorts of theories excitedly,

G.o.dou made a proposition.

It was already impossible to converse in such an environment, and G.o.dou

gave Erica a look. Truly expected of a comrade, she immediately

understood and neatly wrapped up the food on the table.

G.o.dou took the hand of the miko-sama who seemed to be in a trance, and

walked towards the cla.s.sroom exit.

”Ah?” While Yuri realized with surprise she was being led walking by the

hand, Erica had caught up.

— Recently, trying to eat lunch casually has become impossible.

G.o.dou complained in his mind as he bolted out of the cla.s.sroom like an

advanced attack party.

Part 3

It was quite chaotic on the roof during lunch.

A few people were eating lunch in groups, while others were playing ball. It

was rather lively.

Unlike the cla.s.sroom, G.o.dou and his group would not attract attention

here.

”Should have come here from the start, finally some peace and quiet.”

”If it's just two people eating lunch normally, then it could be quiet

anywhere, do not blame the reason on others.”

Yuri continued to oppose vehemently to G.o.dou who had made the correct

choice in location.

She had also picked up her own lunchbox along the way when they

pa.s.sed by the 6th Cla.s.s.

”Today's weather is great, and being outside makes one feel at ease. Isn't

this nice?”

Erica began to eat her sandwiches while speaking indifferently.

By the way, Arianna had prepared equal portions for both Erica and

G.o.dou. Incommensurate with her slim figure, Erica's appet.i.te was extreme.

”...So, how do Kusanagi-san and Erica-san usually eat lunch?”

Yuri's lunchbox, on the other hand, was a normal girl's portion.

As to her holding of the chopsticks, they were used in a most elegant

manner. Perhaps she was well taught from a young age.

”Usually I am being ha.s.sled by Erica while being talked about by others.”

”What ha.s.sling... Really, there are mountains worth of boys who want to

eat lunch with me.”

To Erica who sighed as she spoke, G.o.dou was staring at her with eyes of

resentment.

In reality, to this date, there had been quite a few people who tried to

intrude in between the two of them. However, every time they were driven

away by Erica who always guessed their intentions.

... Since she was a girl, they could not lose their temper and scold her.