Ch.126Summer, and the Sea (6)

“That bitch… is she a woman?”

Eri’s expression hardened as she spoke.

“Ah…..”

Shotaro looked momentarily embarrassed.

“Tell me.”

Eri said seriously.

“Eri. Why are you like this?”

I immediately tried to comfort Eri, attempting to embrace and kiss her.

“Hmmm…❤”

Great!! It’s working!! But my relief was short-lived. Eri’s face became stern and serious again.

“Shota. I’m not joking. Back off.”

Eri said firmly.

“Eri is scary!!”

She’s usually such a healing-type character!!! When she gets angry, she’s terrifying!!!

“Well… yes, she is a woman. There are many female authors these days.”

Shotaro scratched his head.

“Is she the same age… and a colleague?”

Eri muttered anxiously before speaking firmly to Shotaro.

“Show me her photo.”

Eri gestured with her hand.

“Even so… showing the face of my assigned author so casually…”

Shotaro said with a troubled expression.

“Big brother… do you want to see your little sister get angry?”

Eri glared at Shotaro.

That threat was effective.

“Here. This is a photo taken for the manga contract… satisfied?”

Shotaro obediently opened his phone and showed the picture.

“……..”

Honestly, I was expecting a beautiful girl… but that wasn’t the case.

She was a plain-looking girl with glasses and long, straight bangs.

That’s when it happened.

Tap-! Tap tap-!

Eri immediately started patting my lower body. Almost like Son Goku checking Chi-Chi’s gender…!!!!

“Eri! What are you doing?!”

I cried out in panic.

“Hmph. Shota’s lower body didn’t react. That’s reassuring.”

Eri said with a smirk.

“I’m superior to that woman… as a female.”

Eri declared firmly.

“Eri… where did you learn such bad words?”

I found myself objecting without thinking.

“Anyway, I’m relieved now. Our harem won’t lose.”

Eri said with a smile.

“Y-yeah… that’s good.”

Shotaro sighed in relief.

“But… harem?”

Shotaro repeated the unexpected word.

“Well, never mind that. So the contract is settled. I just need to pack my things this Tuesday, right?”

Eri said in a lighthearted tone.

If the woman in the photo had been beautiful… ugh. I don’t even want to imagine it.

“Yeah. I’ll drive you.”

Shotaro nodded. Phew. Almost had to take public transportation?

Anyway, the business was concluded smoothly.

———

Shotaro calmly watched as Eri and Shota left.

‘Sorry… Eri. There’s something I didn’t tell you.’

Shotaro muttered, squeezing his eyes shut.

‘First of all… that’s how she looked in middle school… she completely changed her image in high school.’

Yes. Now there was no trace of her former self. She had transformed into a gorgeous gyaru-type beauty. Beautiful enough to secretly destroy the authors’ social circle due to romantic conflicts.

‘And secondly… she actually had one more condition.’

A decent-looking man who could be a potential romantic interest—that was the condition. Shotaro… fit that condition. He had an ordinary but muscular build and an attractive appearance.

Shotaro hadn’t mentioned this for fear the contract might fall through.

‘Sorry… Eri!’

From Shotaro’s perspective, he couldn’t afford to lose a major author for the platform.

———

Anyway, Eri and I took the children home. After playing with them and putting them to bed, Eri and I were finally free from childcare.

“Well… I should head back to Shota’s place.”

Eri said in a carefree tone.

“Well… Umi and Taiga might get lonely.”

She was probably going to squeeze me with her jealousy-powered strength.

“And! We agreed to go shopping! I need to pick out a swimsuit!!”

Eri said with a smile.

“Ooh… I’m looking forward to that.”

Honestly, I was extremely excited.

“Yeah… it’s a private beach… so there won’t be any interruptions from others, right?”

Eri mumbled, blushing.

“I’m going to choose one that’s easy to take off.”

Eri said with a smile.

“Eri!! Come here!! Really!!! You’re saying all the right things to make me happy!!”

I immediately embraced Eri and spun her around in a giant swing.

“Kyaa! Shota!! Faster!!”

Eri squealed, hugging me tightly.

———–

At that moment, there was an unexpected person everyone had forgotten about.

Yes, Kujo Madoka.

“I’m thinking of taking everyone on a vacation this summer.”

The president of Kunami, the third-generation Kujo, solemnly announced. Though it was a major corporation passed down for three generations, it wasn’t at all stuffy.

When the oil crisis hit their toy business, they pivoted to publishing, then struck gold with children’s card games. These days, they were a legendary conglomerate with tentacles in mobile game development too.

Incidentally… Kunami was the parent company of the platform where Shota published his work. There was a connection there.

“That’s unexpected. You usually just work during summer.”

Kujo Madoka said, sipping expensive gelato.

“I’ve been hearing good things about you lately, Madoka.”

Madoka’s father said in an awkward tone. Even as the chairman of a corporation, he was always awkward with his daughter.

“You’re being kind to employees… studying diligently. Honestly, I thought I should congratulate you.”

Madoka’s father said.

Then, Madoka’s father stared at her intently. Among the catalysts for a woman’s change, the highest percentage was… none other than a man.

‘Has Madoka… fallen for someone?’

At that thought, Madoka’s father felt his insides twist.

“Madoka… is there someone you like?”

Madoka’s father asked, watching her expression carefully.

“…That’s a secret.”

Madoka blushed and buried her face in her gelato.

That was answer enough.

‘Who is this bastard…’

Suppressing the anger that surged within him, Madoka’s father began to think properly.

Taking the family on a trip after so long… the psychological barriers would come down. He’d ask properly then.

‘If he’s a decent man, I’ll congratulate them… if not…’

There was no need for violence. Social elimination would do. Madoka’s father made this cold resolution.

———–

Anyway, after the meeting with her father, Madoka went to her room. She planned to study her deck a bit, then tackle the dreaded summer homework. Even as a corporate heiress, she couldn’t escape summer assignments.

In fact, she could have used her power to get away with doing it half-heartedly, but…

‘Shota would scold me for that.’

Thinking this, Madoka blushed. She felt a strange heat rising to her bottom. The memory of that pain was firmly imprinted.

“Ufufu. So the young miss has found someone to love.”

Just then, Tina Burst, Madoka’s recently hired bodyguard, said with a smile. She was skilled enough to reach the final four in a fighting tournament, and she was also good at playing with Madoka at her level, essentially serving as a personal secretary as well.

Apparently… she received no living expenses from her home country, so she had to work part-time. A part-time warrior working hard in a foreign country—that was Tina Burst.

“S-someone I love…? Is it that obvious?”

Madoka said, blushing.

“Ufufu. Love is wonderful. I’ve found someone I love too. Every day is exciting.”

Tina said with a smile.

“Don’t you want to… contact him?”

Tina formed a bond of empathy with Madoka.

“Ah… I’m a bit shy…”

In truth, she had already found out all his personal information including his number and address. But… whenever she tried to contact him, she got too nervous.

“Ufufu. How cute.”

Tina smiled sweetly.

“W-well what about you!! Do you contact the person you like often?!”

Madoka exclaimed indignantly.

“Yes. He already has someone… so I’ve solidified my position as the other woman.”

Tina said.

“The other woman? An adult relationship… like in dramas!”

Suddenly, Madoka’s eyes sparkled with light.

“Anyway, Madoka should try contacting the person she likes. I’m sure they’ll be happy.”

Tina said.

“I-I should…”

Madoka nodded.

“Summer vacation… maybe I’ll invite him.”

Madoka was about to consider this but shook her head. Somehow, she felt her father would give Shota a hard time.

And so, the Kujo family decided to go to the private beach owned by Kunami’s web platform subsidiary.

Yes. It was exactly the same place Shota had planned to go.

Everyone’s destination was converging to one place.

———

At that time, at the Saito family dojo.

The Saito family was renowned for swordsmanship and had dojos throughout the country.

The Saito family was filthy rich. An entire artificial island in Tokyo was one big dojo.

There, Thumbs-up Man was bowing his head to Saito Kana. Having apparently given up his vow of silence, he had even removed the tape from his mouth.

“Please… teach me the sword!!!”

Thumbs-up Man shouted toward Saito Kana, abandoning even his concept.

“…You’re a more pathetic man than I thought. Seeking teachings from an enemy.”

Saito Kana muttered, sipping her tea.

“Hmph. I have no interest in someone who can’t even beat the disciples of this dojo. Get lost.”

Saito Kana said.

“Those guys… I defeated them all.”

At that moment, Thumbs-up Man raised his head and spoke. His entire body was covered in wounds.

“Now… only your head remains.”

Thumbs-up Man exuded killing intent toward Saito Kana.

Clack-!

Only then did the door to the private room open.

All 100 disciples training on the artificial island were lying face down, beaten to a pulp.

‘He beat… those guys?’

Saito Kana looked surprised. The elite disciples were quite strong. To think he’d defeat them all… this was unexpected.

“Even so… what are you seeking teachings for? Even abandoning your thumbs-up concept.”

Saito Kana asked.

Clearly… Thumbs-up Man’s spirit had been broken by the overwhelming difference. But now… the flame was starting to burn again.

“Arigiri Shota… I want to fight that guy once… and I want to win!”

Thumbs-up Man shouted with conviction.

‘Is he really popular even among men?’

Saito Kana found this quite uncomfortable.

“Arigiri Shota is my rival, you know? Don’t covet what’s mine.”

Saito Kana waved her hand dismissively.

“Then it’s a competition. Who will become Arigiri Shota’s greatest rival first… isn’t that a good match? So… teach me!”

Thumbs-up Man bowed his head once more.

“Uahahahahahaha!!!!”

What a mess of logic. But it was amusing. Saito Kana immediately burst into hearty laughter.

“Fine. Then I’ll accept you as my disciple.”

Saito Kana said, standing up.

“…!”

Only then did Thumbs-up Man show an expression of gratitude.

“I’ll train you hard starting tomorrow, so be prepared.”

Saying this, Saito Kana contacted her grandfather Tetsu.

“Grandfather… is the Sword Demon’s training ground empty? I’d like to train there.”

Saito Kana said to Tetsu.

It was a notorious training ground that only the Saito family’s disciples could enter. Many people quit kendo after their spirits were broken there.

That training ground… existed in the forest behind the private beach where Shota’s group was going.

Quite ironically, everyone was beginning to converge on the same location.