35 Walking Trap (1/2)

Editor: Crembo

-Afternoon, My House, Simulation Room-

-My POV-​

I looked at the image in the mirror.

”… She looks cute…”

*Facepalm*

”… Might as well imagine myself when I'm jacking off…”

*Double facepalm*

”… I need to stop…”

After cringing over my own existence, I refocused my attention on the mirror in front of me.

I saw a girl with tanned skin and shoulder-length black hair looking back at me. She wore a frilly red kimono with a white flower motif and a purple hakama over it. Because she put her hakama above her waist (as the dress code says females should), you would probably think she was female. And, well, you would be wrong.

”… I can't believe this is actually happening to me.”

The 'girl' in the mirror was actually me, but despite how girly I looked and how high pitched my voice was, I still had my original sex. Which meant I had become a trap.

”…”

I clasped my hands together, put them below my waist, and started fidgeting.

”… I-I like you, Arah-kun…”

Again, I slowly put my trembling hands to my face, and muffled a scream of agony.

It all started this morning.

Since a new month had arrived, and I was sure that no important events would happen this month, I took a Challenge Quest.

[Please go inside the Simulation Room to apply Challenge Conditions]

To be honest, I was a little worried when I read it, but I followed it nonetheless.

And then, it happened.

[”Woman” Among Women]

[User's original voice and appearance will be altered to become more womanly while still having a male reproductive organ. In short, you will become a trap.]

[Survive until 1 month has passed]

[Warning: User can only wear girly clothes.]

[Warning: User needs to interact with at least 5 Touhou Characters per day, or this Challenge will be deemed failed. We will notify the User as they fulfill the quota.]

[Optional: User never discovered to be a Male for the duration of the Challenge.]

As I read the information, my clothes started feeling loose, my arms looked thinner, and my voice sounded different.

I cursed; I was cursing the system for an hour.

After I calmed down, I started analyzing the Challenge.

And that's how I ended up in this situation.

”So basically, I just need to become not-Arah and act like a girl. The reason why the system wanted me to go inside this room was because of the optional condition, which leads me to believe that there's a peeping tom inside the house.”

I sighed.

”It's Ran, it's definitely her. I need to do something about this, but how do I do that is the question.”

I started thinking.

”System.”

[House Enchantment: Dimensional Isolation: 10,000 IP, confirm payment?]

”Ugh, let's hope the optional reward is worth it because I'm using points to keep up the guise. Yes.”

[Applying Enchantment]

I sighed again.

”Hope it can block Yukari too.”

I glanced at my new look in the mirror.

[Red Cherry Kimono: Add-ons: +Defense Up, +Magic Defense Up, +Durability Up, +Vitality Up, +Vitality Regeneration, +Mana Up, +Mana Regeneration, +Air Conditioning, +Self-repair: 3,010 IP]

[Purple Hakama: Add-ons: +Self-repair: 305 IP]

[Combat Boots: 5 IP]

[Combat Gloves: 5 IP]

”…Something's missing… Oh yeah.” I realized something.

[Rose Hairpin: 5 IP]

I placed the hairpin on the right side of my head.

”Done. If you're in Touhou, a head accessory is a must. Except Raiko. I don't know why ZUN didn't put any head accessory on her.”

I looked at the other accessories I had on my fingers, beneath the combat gloves.

[Female Scent Ring: 300 IP]

[User's scent will be replaced with a female scent.]

[Presence Replacement Ring: Magic Entity: 2,000 IP]

[User's presence will be replaced with that of a Magic Entity]

”This should fool anyone that can smell or sense me.”

Also, I bought new abilities.

[Magic: Flight]: 10,000 AP.

[Magic that lets the user take flight]

[Enchantment: Strength]: 10,000 AP.

[Enchantment Magic that imbues something with additional Strength. Effect varies by enchanted object and how much mana the User has poured into it.]

[Enchantment: Endurance]: 10,000 AP.

[Enchantment Magic that imbues something with additional Endurance. Effect varies by enchanted object and how much mana the User poured into it.]

[Enchantment: Agility]: 10,000 AP.

[Enchantment Magic that imbues something with additional Agility. Effect varies by enchanted object and how much mana the User poured into it.]

[Brawler Lv.1 -> Lv.5/Max]: 32,000 AP.

[User's Stamina Usage is decreased and User's Endurance and Strength steadily increase whenever User is in a fight.]

[Level up, 71 -> 72]

I tested flight by floating around for a while before I landed back on the floor.

”Perfect.”

I picked those items and abilities because of the background story I picked for my new look.

My name is Bara Api, it means 'Embers of Fire' in English. I'm a magic entity that was contracted by Arah to become his assistant. As of right now, he's in the middle of a breakthrough in an experiment so he sent me to gather Magical Materials for him.

My main ability is Pyrokinesis, my sub is Enchantment Magic. I enchant my body and start bludgeoning things using my fists. I fly using Flight. Not Quadra Wings, not Telekinesis, but Magic: Flight.

My master only lent me his waist pouch to gather the materials for him, if someone wants something, I need to tell him first before doing anything.

… That's it, I think.

Oh wait, don't let anyone touch my pepe because it's still there, or just don't let them touch me in general. And I probably should act more girly now.

”…”

I did a cute pose and started smiling at the mirror.

”Kyaa!! Arah-kun so cool!!”

orz

… I swear to god, there must be some kind of mind control going on right now.

-Afternoon, Forest of Magic-​

'Now, the problem is, who should I visit?'

I thought that through as I walked along the forest road.

'I can think of several Touhou characters that I could interact with peacefully, and all I need is to choose just 5 people.'

While I was still thinking where I should go, I sensed something from the wood.

I investigated it, and then I found something interesting.

A pupa, a giant insect pupa on top of a tree.

[Lv.25 Lord of Insects, Wriggle Nightbug]

”Well, aren't I lucky to find one right away. Hello!” I waved at it.

It didn't respond.

”… Well, of course she doesn't respond, she's in a pupa, what did I expect?” I felt disappointed.

[1/5 interaction]

I blinked.

'… Does that even count as interaction?... You know what, I'm gonna take it, I'm not gonna question it any further.'

I smiled.

”One freebie getto daze!” I pumped my fist in the air. ”Onto the next one.” I walked to my next destination.

-Afternoon, Forest of Magic, Kourindou-​

I could see a store in a forest clearing as I gradually walked closer to it.

The store had a Chinese style red roof, concrete walls, and a wooden door and sign. The store had a corridor beside it that connected to another building, a warehouse.

The Japanese usually have a warehouse separated from their main building; they build it 2 stories high, and only have 1 entrance door and 1 small window on the 2nd floor.

Every part of the store's walls, including their warehouse, had plenty of Japanese posters stuck on it. There was also a lot of junk scattered around the store, especially in front of the warehouse. This was the first time I've seen so many TVs in one place besides an electronics shop.

”I'm gonna be surprised if the TVs still work after they were covered by all that snow.” I said after I saw the scattered TVs on the ground.

There was a reason why I didn't want to come to this place. Rinnosuke is a dude, and why would I want to visit a dude if there's a ton of cute girl all around Gensokyo, it's unthinkable.

”Enchantment: Speed.” I imbued a buff to my body.

I stood in front of the store's door and started to smile.

I raised my knuckles to the center of the door.

*KNOCK-KNOCK-KNOCK* I knocked hard thrice.

'Ding-dong-dash bitches!!'

I immediately turned around and started running away from the building.

'Hehehe, the System didn't specify what they mean by interact, so I just need to abuse it as much as I can.' I thought.

[3/5 interaction]

'…Hm? 2?' I slowed down my run and turned my head back to look at the door.

It was still closed.

'Did he have a customer or something? Meh, it's not like I care, two more to go.'

I picked up my pace and got the hell away from that place.

-Late Afternoon, Misty Lake-​

I arrived at the largest body of water in Gensokyo. To reach it I had to either go through the Human Village or walk around it, and I chose the former.

To be honest, I was a little tense when I walked inside the village. I did receive glances from people, but in the end, nobody decided to stop me or do anything similar. Words are sharper than a sword; I much prefer punching some asshole than getting talked about behind my back.

And here we are, in Misty Lake.

I walked along the frozen lake, sensing for any magical signatures while searching along the ground.