Chapter Text
The day started like any other.
Light streamed in through the half-drawn curtains, highlighting the velvet carpet laying bare at her feet. The window, which had been dutifully pried open with the utmost care and precision, allowed the fresh scent of an autumn breeze to pervade the room.
Dull black eyes watched her as she fluffed the remaining wrinkles out from the blazer that had been laid out for her. The pupils continued to stare at her in silence. A quietness so revering that, for any other observer, they would seem to not exist.
As she picked up the final accessory, a bright red ribbon, a comb began to flow softly through the black locks of her hair. It skillfully traced its route with great efficiency, not once going over the same area more than a single time.
Not a word was uttered between her and the sharply dressed maid. This was their routine, after all. It had been for many years upto this point.
In a silence that could only be described as mystifying, the ribbon was swiftly tied into place around her neck. The feeling of the comb soon after vanished, and all that was left was the image of her own reflection as a mirror was held up towards her face.
With a curt nod, the mirror took its leave.
“Ayano.”
The sudden words broke the silence. The maid, as though unprepared for this, slightly jumped as she responded.
“What is it, Yuki-sama?”
The dull black eyes peered back at her through a backdrop of curiosity and anticipation. No doubt she must be wondering, ‘have I done something wrong? Did I forget anything?’
For a servant, the silence following the call to their name can indeed feel like an eternity itself. And it is precisely for that reason that Yuki does not respond immediately. She licks at the corners of her lips to wet them. She allows the atmosphere to build quietly.
The wind blows calmly through the window. The curtains flap silently with it. A maid waits with bated breath, hands poised as if ready for even the most dire of commands.
“From this day forward…”
Yuki draws the tip of her finger along an invisible arch, allowing it to stop when it faces Ayano head on. The maid nodded in quick motions. Her anticipation grows. Her sense of awe along with it.
“No… from this moment on, please document every event that transpires in this life of mine! Whether that be as insignificant as the breakfast I ate, or as grandiose as being elected student council president… I vow that from here on, all will learn to idolize the name of Suou Yuki…”
There was no response after that, but of course, that’s to be expected. After such a thought provoking statement, who wouldn’t be left gawking–no, adamantly stunned in pure reverence, that there would be no room for further comments.
Indeed, Yuki had planned for this well, up to every second of silence leading up to this moment from the time she woke up.
Her feet shift towards the window, paying no heed to the fact that the maid in front of her was currently shocked into a momentary transfixture of raw admiration.
Her shadow cast a long trail across the room. Today… today would be a momentous day.
Suddenly–
“I-I see… what should I record your deeds on, Yuki-sama?”
The veil of mystique was shattered.
“Ayano… don’t ruin the moment.”
Perking up at her master’s words, Ayano quickly voiced an apology and silently left the room, no doubt in search of a pen and paper to capture the previously radiant moment.
Yuki, for her part, grinned as she faced the morning sunrise.
Yes… today, finally, I will begin my main quest of conquering the world…
As she turned from the window, she gave one last ‘hmph’ as she exited her room.
And yes, that was, in fact, a scene she had re-enacted from the manga she stayed up reading late last night.
○☆○☆○
Her first order of business was visiting the student council room.
Despite it being a rather prestigious school, it was still a highschool, meaning most students tended to show up a half hour before classes were to start. The student council, of course, was an exception to this, being the evident role models and figureheads in the community whom everyone looked up to.
Still, even by student council standards, Yuki tended to show up early. If anyone were to ask her why, well, she could just go with the excuse that she had some work to finish. Being a candidate for the next student council president was a grueling job, and associated with it was a workload that far outweighed the mental capacity of most students in her year.
Indeed… life was rough being both the successor to a worldwide renowned family, and a student council candidate at one of the most prestigious schools in the country.
“Ayano, next one please.”
“Yes, Yuki-sama.”
Of course, the excuses couldn’t be farther from the truth.
“Ooh! A heroine who, under the pretense of saving her family’s legacy, is forced to marry into a wealthy benefactor only to actually fall in love with said hero at the end of her journey?! A typical trope… but when executed correctly…!”
Her eyes quickly scanned the pages of content, giving it a quick evaluation.
“Hm… it lacks subtlety, and the characterization is a bit bland, but it deserves a chance. Ayano, put it on my reading list and pass me the next one.”
“Yes, Yuki-sama.”
In truth, while she always told her family that student council work forced her to arrive early, in actuality that work more often than not ended up being evaluations of various different manga series for her to binge at night or on weekends.
Important work? Well… it’s important to her, so it counts, right?
“Ayano, why are you writing your own thoughts into my biography? Are you trying to confuse the reader?”
“Ah, my apologies, Yuki-sama.”
It is, in fact, dearly important work indeed.
Of course, one might then ask, ‘why not stay at home in the comfort of her room instead?’ And the answer is just as obvious.
By coming to school early, she remained in the good graces of her mother and grandfather, who had high regards for her academic performance. And, since the only witness to her misdeeds was Ayano herself, there was no chance that her actions might be found out.
All while getting to enjoy the otaku lifestyle she cherishes so~.
Yes, it was truly a ‘two birds with one stone’ type of situation.
“Hm… do we have any more action oriented ones? Recently the romantic series have all devolved into boring tropes and nonsense. About half of these girls just scream ‘kyaa!’ as soon as they have their hand touched! So tame! Where's all the action?!”
“Understood, Yuki-sama. Unfortunately we do not seem to have any at the moment. I’ll make a note of it for your next order.”
Hearing a sudden footstep, Ayano’s eyes flicked towards the door.
Two… no… one…
“Yuki-sama.”
“Yes, yes…”
As if she already knew, Yuki dropped her feet from the desk and began pulling out binders and notebooks from her backpack. Meanwhile, Ayano pulled out a small feather duster and dusted off the dirt from where Yuki’s shoes had been on the desk.
All in all, in under five seconds the piles of manga had been successfully stowed away, and both Yuki and Ayano were seated at the table working on their respective homework assignments.
Just then, the door twisted open.
“Good morning, President.”
“Good morning.
“Oh, Suou-san, Kimishima-san, good morning. You’re here early again, huh?”
Yuki smiled kindly as the tall figure—the current student council president, Kenzaki Touya—entered and placed his belongings on his main desk.
“Yes, it was a clear morning so we decided to come to school early today. Now that the term has started again, it’s best to complete our assignments as early as possible before we become busy with student council work again.”
“Yes, yes, you’re right… ah, I wish I had such drive and foresight when I first entered highschool. Planning ahead is paramount to ensuring your school life journey remains unhindered by burdens and pains.”
Seeing him reach into his backpack and take out a stack of documents that couldn’t have physically fit in there, Yuki blinked at the seemingly self-directed words.
Ah, he’s talking about himself?
“But Touya-san, you managed to become the student council president, did you not? Surely that required a great deal of foresight, considering the number of competitors you would have had…”
“Ah… competitors? I know this is a prestigious position and all, but to speak truthfully, I hadn’t had a lot of people come to me to try and sabotage my place in the election. I’m not ignorant to the fact that it happens, but if you were to review my election campaign, I’m quite certain that I faced less adversity compared to the runner-ups.”
“Ah… I see.”
“He’s right. Touya-kun’s election path was practically blessed with goodwill and fortune. Why, anytime I heard someone badmouth him, it was almost guaranteed that they wouldn’t be seen the next day! Added to that, the closer it got to the election, the majority of supporters of Touya-kun drowned out the remaining negative ones.”
A girl with short black hair, who had just now entered the room and walked over to stand beside Touya, said with a firm and proud smile.
“Aw, Chisaki-chan…”
Watching them embrace, Yuki suddenly felt inclined to leave the room out of politeness.
I see… Sarashina-san is truly a force to be reckoned with. Although, maybe I could incorporate that kind of methodology into my election campaign as well…
Taking a glance over at Ayano, who had been quietly observing the exchange while working on her homework, Yuki spoke.
“Ayano.”
“Already done, Yuki-sama.”
“Wow, that was fast. Could it be that you’re writing down my thoughts as well?”
“Of course, Yuki-sama. Every detail must be captured, as you requested.”
“Fufufu…”
As for the possibility of using Ayano as an assassin to eliminate potential threats, well, that was something to be discussed between the two on a further date in the future.
“Woah, I didn’t say assassin! What, are you trying to get me incriminated this early on?! We haven’t even gotten to the third scene yet!”
“Ah, my apologies Yuki-sama.”
Not an assassin. More like… perhaps a hitman?
Glancing up at Yuki’s blank stare, Ayano dutifully tucked her journal away for now.
Just then, Yuki’s expression returned to its composed ‘ojou-sama mode’ at the sound of the door opening. Then, in walked a pair that would have had any boy in the school begging for attention. It was, in fact, a sight so splendid that even Yuki, who had been surrounded by attractive people as a result of her privileged upbringing, could not resist but to stare.
Damn, those boobs…
The pair of Maria Kujou and Alisa Kujou was certainly a stunning sight, regardless of the observer’s gender. Their foreign features were, by large, a possible delicacy in Japanese culture, which could not hope to compete with their curvaceous figures. At least, not outside of a manga or anime standpoint.
Fortunately, Yuki had long since mastered the art of observing with respect.
“Good morning Masha-san, Alisa-san.”
“Oh, Good morning Yuki-chan~.”
“Good morning…”
Her gaze remained on them as they took their seats at the table. Maria opted to sit beside her, with Alisa beside Ayano.
Just as Yuki was about to strike a conversation, it was Maria who blurted out first.
“Ahh, Yuki-chan looks cuter than usual today! Please, could you perhaps help your senpai a little?”
Maria suddenly reached out and grabbed Yuki’s hand, which had been resting on the table, and held it in front of her chest. Yuki, who was temporarily stun locked at the move, averted her gaze from the obvious sight.
“W-Wha? Ah, I-I’m not sure I understand.”
“Please ignore her. Masha stayed up late watching a scary movie last night even though I told her to go to bed. She was still scared even after waking up, and she’s refused to let go of my hand until just now.”
You’re kidding, right?
But the look of Alisa’s annoyed face told her that she was, in fact, not kidding.
“Ouu~! Alya-chan didn’t even offer me any comfort when I woke up in the middle of the night! Aren’t little sisters supposed to keep their siblings company when scary things happen? That’s how it’s supposed to work, right? Hic– but Alya refused to look at me nicely and even said ‘you brought this upon yourself’ instead!”
“I think you have that backwards… shouldn’t the older sister comfort the younger one in times of need?”
“Ouu… Alya-chan is so mean…”
Seeing the characteristic banter of siblings, Yuki felt a little envious. Well, it’s not like she wouldn’t have her turn eventually.
Putting on a strangely reassuring smile, she properly grasped Maria’s hands with both of her own and spoke.
“There, there, Masha-san. Scary movies aren’t too bad. Really, when you think about the premise a bit, the holes in the storyline usually make it less scary. Ah, have you maybe watched any behind the scenes footage of how they made the film? Usually that helps since you can see that everything in the movie is scripted, like the special effects and costume design.”
At the seemingly genuine advice, Maria hopped her chair closer and pulled Yuki in for an even firmer embrace. Though, as she tended to hug others this way, this ended up with Yuki’s surprised face plummeting to be a few inches away from Maria’s chest.
The blazer helped to conceal her size, but Maria, who had been generously endowed like Alisa, seemed to bounce with every slight movement. To a trained eye, it was perhaps like watching a beach ball being splashed around at a waterpark.
Ah… so, is it finally my time to depart? I did not think I would meet God so soon…
“Yuki-chan…! Hm, yes! One day, when we watch a scary movie together, please be there with me! You know how to give much more comfort than Alya-chan ever did! Ah, maybe, w-would you like to be my little sister instead of Alya-chan?”
The logical side of Yuki was fortunately still paying attention.
“Ah… I don’t think that would work. For one, I’m not Russian…”
【Well, it’s not like Masha acts very Russian either…】
Alisa, who seemed to murmur this in Russian, looked less annoyed at Maria’s antics, but was still somewhat exasperated.
Yuki, for her part, was enjoying the feeling of having her head patted while being given the glimpse that would only exist in a manga setting.
Ah… if this is what it’s like being Masha-san’s sister, fufufu… sorry Onii-chan, looks like you’re going back to being the family heir.
“Seriously Masha, you can let go of Yuki-san now. Can’t you see she’s struggling to breathe? Even her eyes are rolling backwards…”
At Alisa’s voice, Maria hesitantly loosened her grip with a small frown and a pout.
Yuki sat back up and without delay, Ayano had materialized from thin air beside her. Feeling a cloth softly pressing against the still-heated parts of her face, Yuki took the outstretched water bottle from Ayano’s other hand and took a drink.
“Are you alright, Yuki-sama?”
Seeing that Maria and Alisa had gone onto their own conversation, Yuki nodded.
“I have emerged one step closer to enlightenment. Prayer level, plus one. A religious victory is imminent.”
Ignoring her master’s strange words, Ayano nodded as if in agreement and continued her previous task of cleaning up Yuki’s appearance.
The liveliness of this student council group was one Yuki was still getting accustomed to. Back in junior high when she and her brother were the president and vice president respectively, most of the students on the student council were seemingly there for their own whims and pleasures. Sure they all took part in hosting the same events and planning the same festivals, but aside from that, there wasn’t really an air of ‘camaraderie’ like there was here. Albeit, the current student council was also much smaller as well, so perhaps that could have played a role in it.
Ah, well, she wasn’t opposed to the idea of having more friends and allies. Wasn’t that one of the greatest strengths in diplomacy, either way?
Shaking the strangely observant thoughts out of her head, Yuki closed her binder as she heard the familiar footsteps of their last member.
At that, she couldn’t help but grin.
“Good morning.”
“Ah, good morning Kuze-kun.”
“Good morning, Masachika-kun.”
“Oh, good morning.”
Her eyes briefly interlocked with her brother’s. From that one glance, she told him everything he needed to know.
(I have seen the fruits of the holy Mary.)
(... what the hell are you talking about?)
As if needing more clues, Yuki gestured towards Maria. And of course, being the teenage boy that he was, Masachika immediately understood her intentions.
The blank stare he sent her was childishly amusing. If not for Alisa, who had stood up to greet him, Yuki might have even prodded and teased him a bit more with this information. But alas…
Oh, my dear Onii-chan…
Seeing as Touya was wrapping up his work, thereby signifying that the student council meeting was just about to begin, Yuki cleared her throat.
“Ayano.”
“Yes, Yuki-sama?”
“Please review my agenda for today. If possible, I would like to finish my work early so that I may take some time to rest afterwards. Ah, but don’t worry if you cannot accommodate it.”
“Right away, Yuki-sama. I’m sure I can make it work for you.”
Answering with a nod, Yuki readjusted her position as the remaining members took their seats at the table. It’s not like she was getting lazy or anything, it’s just that with the recent debate and event planning and homework, well, it left her a bit more drained than usual. Added to that, it was still only Monday.
“Alright, now that everyone’s here, we can begin the meeting…”
Taking a deep breath, Yuki reaffirmed her resolve.
The tale of Suou Yuki… was just beginning.
○☆○☆○
“Yuki-sama, please drink more to refresh your electrolytes.”
“Battery level… forty percent…”
At the faint, if a bit exaggerated, voice, Ayano nearly dropped the sports drink she was holding in shock. Instead, she merely sat it aside on the table before rising to her feet.
“I see… please, wait here. I will be back with something more nourishing for you to eat and drink.”
“Yes… please do…”
Yuki lazily waved an arm at the departing maid, though whether it made any difference was questionable. Really, it’s a wonder that she was able to make it through her morning classes intact. Being caught napping during class would have been detrimental to her family name, and without permission to occupy herself with the manga on her phone, it was a hard fought victory making it out of the first part of the day unscathed.
Of course, part of that success was because of Ayano, who had been instructed to pinch her everytime it seemed like Yuki was about to fall asleep. Really, what a dutiful maid she was to obey such an order, without the slightest hint of reprimanding or fear.
A bland figure, one resembling her older brother, seemed to appear in her head. He rolled his eyes uselessly.
“Well maybe if you didn’t stay up all night reading manga, you would’ve been more prepared to stay awake.”
Hmm? You’re one to talk… I seem to recall hearing whispers about the lazy, unmotivated student sitting at the back of your class up until recently. What happened to him, huh? Did he transfer away?
“... touché.”
Now shoo, you level one goblin! I’m trying to take a nap.
“Ah, but you forgot. The goblins are an ancient race that secretly hide their true levels to fool dimwitted adventurers like–”
Before her brother’s tirade could continue, Yuki flicked him out of her mind, enjoying the uncharacteristic scream of “yaahhh!” as he flew away.
Ah, the student council room’s sofa was much comfier than she expected. Taking a break in here might not have been such a bad idea after all. But then again, if she accidentally fell asleep as the next class started…
No, Ayano would wake her up by then.
Er, but then, what if someone walked in and saw her lounging about on the couch? Her public image that she upheld was, to put it bluntly, a far cry from that kind of grotesque, delinquent behaviour. If Ayano were here, she could serve as an observer and provide an early warning for these kinds of matters.
What a reliable girl that maid was.
Although Ayano would certainly return within a few minutes, Yuki opted to sit up properly on the off chance that someone were to visit. Though, even with her arms crossed and her back resting against the seat cushion, she found herself steadily dozing off every now and then.
“Zzz…”
“!”
As if by reflex, the moment the door opened, Yuki’s eyes snapped back open as well. Well, it was hardly a surprise she would be interrupted eventually.
“Ah! Oh, sorry, did I disturb you?”
Alisa, ever the one to show sympathy, albeit sometimes awkwardly, and even towards her fellow presidential competitor, had just entered and was standing there with the uncertain gaze of ‘should I leave…?’ Well, considering the lights were turned off as well, that was the obvious conclusion.
Yuki masked her yawn as a chuckle and shook her head.
“No, no disturbance at all, I was just resting in between my classes. Please come in, and pardon my intrusion. You must be here to draft the budget prediction for this month, correct?”
As if feeling self conscious because of Yuki’s overly pleasant tone, Alisa took a seat at the table with a small smile.
“Yes, it was something the President wanted to have done as soon as possible. Seeing as I had a bit of spare time, I thought I would get a head start on it for now. Don’t worry, I should be done and out of here soon.”
“Oh, no, take your time. Those kinds of calculations are prone to oversight, especially with the number of clubs and committees we have. Please, take your time.”
“Ah, I see. In that case, thank you.”
Watching as Alisa dove into the stack of documents they had filed away in the shelves, Yuki sighed.
Ever since the results of their debate, it seemed Alisa had grown cautious of Yuki. In truth, they hadn’t interacted a ton before then either, but now it seemed she was treating her no closer than one does an acquaintance from the next class over. That is to say, it felt like they’d grown farther apart more than anything.
Well, the reason for that wasn’t too surprising. After all, in the words that Masachika had told her, and the conversations she had eavesdropped on, Alisa had social skills rivaling that of a hikikomori.
In other words, none.
Although her performance at the debate might indicate otherwise, public speaking and personal relations were still two very different matters. Being good at one didn’t necessarily lead to a correlation with the other, despite common conceptions.
For a person like Alisa, who had stolen the debate victory while positioned as the dark horse, it was sensible to assume she’d be feeling a bit more cautious around those she may have angered.
Yuki, of course, harbored no such ill-will.
It simply wasn’t in her nature to embellish those feelings. And besides, she’d seen and experienced far worse atrocities in her life and came out relatively unscathed.
So, as much as it would be fun to toy with that feeling residing in Alisa’s heart, the temporary amusement was far overshadowed by a bitter distaste. Being enemies with Alisa was not appealing at all. The unnecessary stress was enough of a reason to prove that, but Alisa wasn’t a bad person at all either.
Though she had no intention of interrupting Alisa while she was working, Yuki knew that she would have to be the one to bite first in this situation.
“So, what does Alisa-san like to do for fun?”
Alisa, who definitely was not expecting to have a conversation, perked up with an uncertain gaze.
“Eh? Ah… to be honest…”
Typically when someone struggles to list their hobbies, it’s because they either think the other party will consider it embarrassing, or they don’t have an abundance of hobbies to begin with. Seeing the type of person Alisa was, her initial reaction wasn’t too surprising.
A fair number of students at this high school would opt to put ‘studying’ as their number one pastime, so it wasn’t strictly unusual in itself.
“Well, I don’t have many activities that I regularly partake in aside from studying. I suppose… sometimes I like to bake things with my sister, or watch movies with my family on weekends. I guess, I’m a bit boring in that aspect… erm, how about Yuki-san? What do you enjoy doing?”
The obvious answer was flicked from her mind.
“Ahah, well I’m about the same actually. Most of my time is spent studying, either with my tutors or working on student council activities. Sometimes I do like to go shopping though, if only to get some fresh air. By any chance, are you a fan of scary movies as well, like Masha-san?”
“Well, I wouldn’t say I’m a fan… and neither is she, for that matter. The practical effects tend to draw you out of the immersion if done poorly, just like you said, and the only reason to watch it is if you have someone who wants to watch it with you. Really though, every time I tell Masha not to put one on, she ends up captivated by the character designs and we have to sit through to the end…”
“Oh my, that does sound like a bit of trouble…”
Yuki chuckled at the thought of the overly affectionate girl being tempted by the boxart of various well known horror films.
It’s no different than an otaku inspecting covers at a manga store in that sense.
Standing up, Yuki locked eyes with Alisa as she stepped over to the opposing end of the table.
Ah, it seems she’s still wary of me even after that opener.
Sensing this, Yuki took a seat.
“Alisa-san, about the debate…”
“I know that that’s what you want to talk about, and… I’m sorry…”
Peering at Alisa, it was clear she didn’t even know if she should be apologizing in the first place. Her kind hearted nature couldn’t resist, since she likely still saw Yuki as a friend, but as a rival in a competition? Apologies had no place there.
“Don’t apologize, you did what you thought was best for your election. I can’t blame you at all for that. I’m not angry, not even in the slightest, so please don’t feel so uncomfortable around me, ok? If anything, perhaps I should apologize for having brought you onto that live broadcast without preparation.”
This time, it was Alisa’s turn to smile.
“Oh, but you already apologized for that, didn’t you? You didn’t really do anything wrong… and besides, at that time, you showed me your conviction, and managed to make me see the flaws in my own resolve in the process. And as I said before… I still want to be friends, despite being your direct competitor for the presidency.”
Yuki smiled happily, but behind that was a rather dumbfounded expression.
Eh, she didn’t realize I was just playing her? Did Onii-chan not tell her? What the… aw, maybe he was looking out for me after all~. Well, can’t let that go to waste.
“Likewise. Say, why don’t we each lay our past deeds to rest, then? From now on, we consider each other as official friends. Well, aside from future election topics of course, in which case we are rivals, but outside of that let’s remain as friends, okay?”
Yuki held her hand open for a handshake, which Alisa happily accepted.
“I would also like that very much.”
In the face of Alisa, who at the moment looked fairly relieved and in brighter spirits, Yuki’s attention was slowly drawn elsewhere.
Alisa’s hand was evidently very smooth and supple. In size, it might have been just a bit bigger than Yuki’s, and her skin just a bit lighter in tone due to her heritage.
Yes, it was a hand befitting one of the most beautiful girls in their year.
Yuki immediately wondered if her breasts would feel the same level of softness.
“You had such a good moment going there imouto. Did you have to ruin it?”
The annoyed looking image of her brother stared at her again from her mentel recesses.
Oya, oya, are you saying you wouldn’t think the same way? Look, I’m doing the world a favor by skipping past all the lazy dialogue of "kyaaa!" and "uuwwoo!" and entering straight into the hand-holding phase! Feast your eyes, for this is how one can establish meaningful progression!
“Wait, are you going for the yuri route? No, aside from that, is Alya even your type to begin with?!”
Fufufu… I sense a hint of jealousy from you, my dear Onii-chan. Don’t worry, you’ll get your time in a later scene.
“What do you–”
Before the irritated looking figure could continue, Yuki flicked him out of her head.
Back in reality, Alisa sat back and stretched her arms over her head.
“Ah, keeping track of all these proposals and requests is tiring. I mean, the work itself isn’t very complicated, but when all the different committees and clubs are asking for different things…”
“I agree, it can be a bit of a hassle sometimes. Speaking of, I have a bit of experience with that kind of work from junior high, so if you would like me to help with anything, please feel free to ask me.”
“Aha? Really? Oh, thank you for the assistance. In that case, can I ask about…”
Yuki smiled as Alisa, who had seemingly overcome her nervousness towards her, pointed out some evidently incomplete documents. While it was clear what items the clubs were requesting, some forms were altogether missing, or even altered in such a way that one would think ‘is this even allowed?’
Ah, well, what’s wrong with helping a fellow friend out? Certainly no ulterior motives here…
As if on queue, her phone buzzed with a message from Masachika that said plainly, ‘are you sure about that?’
Flipping it over, Yuki returned her focus to helping Alisa.
After a few minutes of chatting, a sudden low rumble made its way into their ears. Alisa, seemingly sitting up self-consciously, bashfully smiled as she glanced away.
“Sorry, it looks like I got a little carried away. I forgot I still haven’t had lunch yet…”
“Oh, it’s quite alright. To be honest, neither have I…”
Yuki turned to peer out the door.
Come to think of it, Ayano has been gone for a while now, hasn’t she? What could that prideful maid be doing?
Sitting back, Yuki crossed her arms.
“Ayano.”
“Yes, Yuki-sama?”
Appearing at the door holding what appeared to be a brown paper bag, Ayano suddenly made her appearance known.
“Oh, were you standing there this whole time?”
“Yes, it looked like Master and Alisa-sama were having an important conversation, so I did not want to interrupt.”
“Hm, I see.”
“Seriously? I wouldn’t say drafting a budget prohibits entry…”
Ayano nodded as though on instinct. From the bag she was holding she pulled out some takeout boxes that looked strangely like those offered at the cafeteria. Taking care not to disturb their work, she placed one each in front of Alisa and Yuki.
“Pardon my delay. Please, enjoy your meal.”
“Oh, you brought one for Alisa-san as well! Very thoughtful, Ayano.”
“O-Oh, really? For me? You didn’t have to, ah, do you want me to pay you back, Kimishima-san?”
“There is no need. I thought it would be rude if I returned with something only for Yuki-sama. Do not worry about repayment, Alisa-sama. Please, enjoy.”
Ah, what a dutiful maid indeed.
“Oh… in that case, thank you. I will make sure to treat you next time.”
Inwardly chuckling at how the two could awkwardly get along, Yuki broke apart her chopsticks and began to eat. Alisa soon followed in similar motions.
“By the way, Yuki-sama, the coffee machine was out of order today. Please accept this sports drink to help you revitalize yourself instead.”
Ahhh…
Staring blankly at the cool blue container, Yuki couldn’t help but think.
Another sports drink again…
○☆○☆○
The qualities of a small apartment contains its own charms, even compared to a luxury manor often preferred by the higher class of society. It’s more convenient, for one, having to walk less to move from room to room. The proximity of others was also an upside. Others could be alerted with a loud yell, rather than having to call for them with a bell or buzzer. In fact, the events of ‘walking in on another person while they are busy’ tend to become so common that letting your guard down for even a moment can lead to completely unexpected consequences!
Yes, for it is here where any such indulgence can be laid bare for all the world to see!
Here, in such a place of finite fortitude, that shame can be callously tossed out the window with no regrets.
A truly splendid place indeed.
“Is this to your liking, Yuki-sama?”
“Yes Ayano. Please continue.”
Lying on her back, Yuki crossed her arms as though in deep thought. Although her face remained rigid, giving her the appearance of a sage in deep meditation, the subject of her thoughts was, in fact, on the comfortability of the breast pillow that Ayano was giving her at this very moment.
“Understood, I will do my best.”
Unprompted, the dutiful maid settled her hands on Yuki’s shoulders and even began to give her a light massage. Although the position could be considered a bit awkward, Ayano somehow had the skill to maneuver herself in such a way that it felt natural.
Ahh… what a long day. This is exactly what I needed…
Indeed, a day filled with near limitless boredom as her classes reviewed concepts she was already familiar with, along with conversations with her beloved, adoring fan base truly was enough to wear down the rest of her energy levels. Thankfully it was still early on in the term, meaning no big events were planned to happen yet, and so she could take it easy for a while longer.
Hmm… on that note, perhaps I should get started planning on my election campaign sooner this time… I'm sure Alya has already begun making moves, after all.
With these thoughts in mind, she made a few mental notes about people to reach out to and topics to bring up, before raising a hand to pet the maid underneath her.
“Well done, Ayano. With this, you have brought me great joy and optimism for our future endeavors.”
“Of course, master. You may use me as you see fit anytime.”
What a masochistic maid she is.
“In that case, can you go prepare the bath for us? No rush, you can take your time.”
“Of course. I will begin making dinner afterwards as well for when you are finished.”
With that, Ayano somehow managed to slip out from her position, leaving a phantom of a breast pillow in her place.
Raising a hand, Yuki reached over to pluck the journal from the table beside her. Her grin widened as she recounted the day’s successes.
Ah, the start to my world conquest. Day one, even early on my journey, I was greeted by the fruits of the holy Mary. I reacquainted myself with Alya, and we agreed to schedule some time for a hangout in the future. My popularity status at school is still at an all time high, and to end the day, I spent some quality time resting on Ayano’s breasts. Yes, that sounds like a successful day, but… it is missing something…
As if on cue, the door opened.
“Fufufu… welcome home my dear onii-chan. You have just now triggered the ‘walking in on another person while they are busy’ event. Would you like to move forward or do you want to reroll?”
“Ah, I forgot you were coming today. Let me reroll for a chance to evade this encounter.”
“Very well. You roll a 2d6 for a chance of evasion but, oh, what is this?! Snake eyes! You failed the roll and must press onward.”
“Hmm, I think you forgot to add the +3 modifier from my sneak skill. Since you’re inexperienced, I’ll forgive you if you roll again.”
“That’s funny, your character sheet doesn’t mention that bonus. Could it be that you’re a mimic?”
“Only someone who knows about the existence of mimics would make such a claim. How can I trust that you’re who you say you are either?”
“I see, that means we’re at an impassé. I suppose we’ll have no choice but to dual to the death in the imperial arena. What do you choose as your weapon?”
“A fork. And you?”
“A spoon. And, by virtue of the chef’s decree, I have already won.”
“Clap clap Bravo.”
Watching as Masachika placed his school bag on an empty chair and a plastic bag he was carrying on the kitchen counter, Yuki hopped off the sofa and skipped over to him. Taking advantage of his unawareness, she leapt onto has back, swinging her arms around his neck and wrapping her legs around his stomach.
“Ack! Hey! What are you doing?! You’re gonna make me drop something!”
“Pfft , I’m obviously recharging my energy levels after a long day. What kind of silly question is that, onii-chan? Hmm, I smell a suspicious scent on you too. Were you out with Alya-san again?”
“Hey, don’t make it sound like I wet myself! And yeah, we went to a coffee shop after school to talk about student council things. I brought back some pastries too. Do you want some?”
Masachika gave her a wary side eye as she just chuckled.
“Oh, being treated by my brother for once? This is new! Yes, please feed me onii-chan! I’m all yours for tonight!”
“Don’t make it sound like I mistreat you or something! And get off of my back first too, otherwise you’re not getting any of it.”
“Uwwah~... onii-chan is gonna make me go to bed hungry… what a terrible sibling you are…”
“Enough, enough, just get off and you can have as many as you’d like, okay?”
Feeling like Masachika might be reaching his limit, Yuki tapped his shoulder twice to signify for him to let go. At once, her feet dropped to the floor and she struck a pose, one eye closed with her tongue sticking out towards a pointed finger.
“Hehe~! The charms of the younger sister prevails once again! I’m charming, right? Aren’t I the most charming sister there is, onii-chan?”
“Yes, yes, the most charming there ever was. Enjoy the snacks.”
With that, he dropped a cookie into her outstretched hand, which she immediately took a bite of.
“Where’s Ayano? Isn’t she normally with you?”
“Ah, she’s preparing the bath for us right now. I told her to take her time.”
“No thanks, you can go first. I’ll bathe after you’re done.”
“Fufufu… still so shy, aren’t you? It’s fine, I really don’t mind if we do it together.”
“Say one more word and I’ll ask Ayano to eat the rest of the pastries while you watch.”
“Ah, that’s a threat? That was a threat, right?”
Masachika only shook his head lightly as he wandered back to the living room sofa, where he collapsed onto one of the cushions. Yuki, of course, sat beside him.
“Speaking of,” she continued, half a cookie in hand as he grabbed the TV remote. “What were you talking to Alya-san about? School ended a while ago, so it must have been quite a discussion.”
“It was mainly about school assignments really, and student council work, nothing far from the usual. She mentioned you, though, and that you spent time with her over the lunch break. She sounded pretty happy to be honest.”
“Ahh, that’s good. I was a bit worried I might’ve come off a bit more forward than usual, but it seems that’s not the case.”
“What prompted you to meet her anyway?... you’re not trying to gain some underhanded advantage, are you?”
At the remark, Yuki couldn’t help but scoff in disbelief.
“Is it so wrong to want to preserve my friendship with Alya-san after the whole debate? I know you might not care for that kind of thing, my dear brother, but I value relationships more than you might think.”
Seeing her brother’s wary eye, no doubt trying to evaluate any scheme of hers she might have in place, Yuki laughed again. After a moment, Masachika relaxed as well, having found nothing amiss.
“I see. In that case, thank you for talking to her so openly. Alya… struggles with maintaining friendships still.”
“No worries, no worries! Besides, as the dutiful little sister, I must evaluate her worthiness if she wants to have a chance of courting my brother.”
“Hey… is that what this is about? Nevermind, please leave Alya alone from now on. And stop getting weird ideas about us!”
Holding up the last remnant of a cookie, Yuki taunted him as though to say “you see this? It represents my feelings about that!” before finishing it off.
From the corner of her eye, she noticed a sudden movement as Ayano returned.
“Welcome back Masachika-sama. Yuki-sama, the bath is ready for use. You and Masachika-sama can enter when you are ready.”
“Very good, Ayano.”
“Unfortunately I will have to decline your offer, Ayano. This sister of mine seems to have lost the capacity for decency.”
“Siblings bathing together has never been indecent.”
“It is now that we’re not six years old anymore.”
Letting the two squabble a bit more, Ayano swiftly moved across the room to retrieve the journal on the table, before standing in the corner to avoid obstructing the TV.
No doubt intrigued by this, Masachika was the one to ask.
“Are you keeping a journal, Ayano?”
Ayano quickly nodded.
“Yes, Yuki-sama requested that I record the contents of her day to day activities from now on. In her opinion, it will serve as guidance for readers striving to imitate her achievements.”
“Muhahaha… yes, all will bask in the name of Suou Yuki when they hear about my great deeds! The journey of this protagonist has just begun–!”
Her speech was quickly interrupted by a sudden pillow to the face.
“Yes, I get it. Go stroke your ego in the bath before it gets cold, otherwise you’ll inconvenience Ayano by having to remake it.”
“It would be no inconvenience to me at all.”
“...”
Setting the pillow down, Yuki shook the floaters from her eyes before taking a glance between the two. Seeing Masachika staring back at her, her arms and feet moved automatically as she dove at him for a hug. The force knocked the wind out of him as he spoke in exasperation.
“Hey! Look, if you’re not gonna go, I’ll go first!”
Yuki ignored his response, in favour of snuggling her head against his chest.
“Loading… loading… hm, done! Battery level, one hundred percent!”
“Ah, I see. So this is the more efficient way…”
Disregarding Ayano’s strange murmurs, Yuki took a few more seconds to enjoy the embrace, and the few headpats she received, before ultimately letting go and bouncing back to her feet.
“Alright! Full charge: achieved! It is time for my grand exit!”
“Oi, look where you’re going! Don’t trip on the way out!”
Hearing her brother’s worried voice call after her, Yuki only giggled.
And now… the day is complete.