Ch.253Final Exams and Field Trip Preparations (2)

“No lovey-dovey stuff for three whole days.”

I said with a smile.

“Th-three days…!”

Umi muttered, gulping hard.

After final exams, the usual period for unwinding and celebrating is three days. Losing out on lovey-dovey events during that time was quite a significant loss.

“If you all want to win at love, then study. That’s what I’m saying.”

I stated firmly.

“Ugh… I never thought Shota would resort to such high-level blackmail.”

Eri clicked her tongue.

“Hey. What do you take me for?”

I gave Eri a sidelong glance.

“Ufufu. Three days? I can easily endure that.”

Tina said coolly with her arms crossed.

“Wait. Are you planning to fail before we even start?”

I found myself challenging Tina without thinking.

“Tina! You’re a foreigner! Aren’t you good at English?”

Umi asked.

“Thinking all foreigners are good at English is a mistake. Europeans would get angry hearing that.”

Tina replied.

“I’ll help if there’s anything you don’t understand.”

I sighed and rolled up my sleeves.

“I’m actually pretty good at studying.”

Thanks to having played through Korea’s hellish entrance exams twice before my possession, I knew high school material fairly well.

“Shota… do you dislike girls who aren’t smart?”

Umi asked hesitantly.

“No. Intelligence doesn’t matter. As long as a girl is pretty and sexy, that’s enough.”

I stated bluntly.

In my original world, such a statement would get me beaten to death by people deeply concerned with women’s rights, but I said it coolly. Honestly, men implicitly agree with this.

Anyway, this was an otaku world, so there weren’t any radical feminists around. This place was a kind of utopia for me. This is… freedom of speech!!

“But I think exams are also part of youth. Working hard together and sharing the moment when we all achieve results—that’s what completes our youth.”

That’s what I said.

Both the difficult moments and the good ones need to be shared to create lasting memories.

“If you don’t even try to study and retreat from the front lines, you’ll regret it later.”

That’s what I told them.

“Hmm… okay.”

At those words, Umi picked up her pen.

“Fufu. Shota is actually looking out for us in his own way, isn’t he?”

Eri smiled as she opened her textbook.

“Good. I’ll be writing, so ask me if you need anything.”

I opened my laptop, and we all began our study session together.

———-

The writing contest was going very smoothly. I was maintaining my position in the top five. At worst, even if I couldn’t win first place, I could at least get an honorable mention.

Plus… our homeroom teacher suddenly started climbing up from the 50th rank. She was now back in the top 10.

‘I see. So she just switched to a mindless head-patting pure love story.’

I reached that conclusion after skimming her latest chapter.

Our teacher was currently busy with her love life, and drawing from that experience, she simply changed her approach to a one-on-one pure love story. That kind of writing sells too. It serves as a healing element for people living in our harsh modern society.

“Just try to catch up.”

I said with a haughty expression.

“What are you so smug about?”

Mika interjected from beside me.

Anyway, it was a cycle of writing one chapter, studying, writing another chapter, and studying again.

In between, I would help my girlfriends whenever they asked about something they didn’t understand.

Then, Eri clapped her hands and said:

“Oh! By the way! Shota, there are snacks in the kitchen. Could you get them? I’m starting to crash from low blood sugar.”

Eri said.

“Hmm. Sure?”

I agreed, but felt something suspicious.

Usually when I try to get up, Eri immediately makes me sit back down and handles household chores herself. Something about the privileges of being the first wife.

Well, she might be tired from studying.

“Alright.”

I stood up and headed straight to the kitchen.

“Where are the snacks…?”

Well, they’re probably in the upper cabinet. Yeah, that’s it. Where we keep the ramen.

*Click*

I opened the door.

And there, crouched inside, was a blonde-haired girl.

“KYAAAAAAAAAAH!!!”

I screamed loudly without thinking. Holy shit!!! It was like a famous horror movie. The Grudge!!! The Grudge!!!

“Oppa… don’t scream. It’s just me.”

The one crouching in the cabinet was Madoka. As she spoke, she was munching on dry instant ramen. Madoka… maybe because she’s been coming to our house quite often, she’s developed a taste for cheap snacks.

“M-Madoka? What are you doing in there!!! Come out right now!!! More importantly, how long have you been there?!”

I said to Madoka.

“Eri unnie let me in secretly while you weren’t looking.”

Madoka said.

Ah… Eri had excused herself to go to the bathroom while we were studying. She must have snuck Madoka in then!! Eri! You cunning girl!!

“Madoka is disappointed in Shota oppa.”

Suddenly she was speaking formally.

“O-okay. Madoka…! Just come out first! Let’s talk outside, okay?”

I tried to get Madoka out of the cabinet somehow.

“I heard you went on individual dates with your girlfriends. I was waiting for my turn… but it never came around to me. It was slower than new hero releases in Heroes of the Storm.”

Madoka said.

“Wait. Madoka… how do you even know about Heroes of the Storm…?”

No matter how hungry you are, you shouldn’t eat poop. Madoka…!!

“I played it briefly when I traveled to America.”

Madoka said.

“Oppa. Am I not your girlfriend but just someone you play around with?”

Madoka stared at me intently.

“N-no, that’s not it!!”

I cried out loudly.

“Then go on a date with me too!”

Madoka said.

“Yes! I will!! Specially…! Right!! Two days including the weekend!! How about that?!”

I’d get an earful from my girlfriends, but I had no choice if I wanted to appease Madoka’s anger.

“Yes!! Great!!”

With that, Madoka’s anger immediately dissipated. Right after, Madoka jumped down from the cabinet and threw herself into my arms.

And so, I decided to spend the weekend with Madoka.

My angry girlfriends immediately objected to having their weekend taken away, but Eri somehow managed to persuade them.

“Eri… thank you.”

While soaking in the bath with Eri, I spoke to her.

“Madoka is a necessary member of our harem. We need to treat her well.”

Eri said with a chuckle.

“Ah. So that’s how you see Madoka?”

I said, embracing Eri.

“Honestly… the novel business is unstable, right? And your goal of becoming a kendo athlete is the same. In the end, Madoka is the only one who could be our financial support. In the worst case, becoming Madoka’s kept man and living off her is also a possibility…”

Eri immediately brought up adult concerns.

“Eri!!! You scary girl!!!!”

I immediately punished Eri. She’s surprisingly calculating…!! This girl!

——–

Anyway, time passed in a routine of kendo practice and exam studying after school.

Monster hunting… was reduced to once every three days. It couldn’t be helped. The monster population had dwindled. We needed to go around once every three days to maintain their numbers. This is sustainable development…!!

And then the weekend came.

“Oppa. Let’s spend two days together at the hideout.”

As soon as Saturday morning arrived, Madoka dragged me along.

“Okay… but Madoka… could you let go of my collar? I’m not going to run away.”

I said.

Madoka was gripping my collar tightly with her small hand.

“No. You haven’t given me your trust. So I won’t either.”

Madoka said with somewhat clouded eyes.

“Madoka… I’m sorry!!!”

I immediately hugged Madoka.

“That’s better. Now, let’s go.”

Madoka nestled right into my arms. I was like a kangaroo with a baby kangaroo in its pouch.

Anyway, I headed to the hideout, which was like my second home.

But… there were more than ten people in front of the hideout.

Yes, they were aliens. And they looked extremely shabby.

But they seemed familiar.

“You guys!! Aren’t you Kirtan’s subordinates?!”

I said to them.

Yes, they were crew members of Kirtan’s pirate gang.

“Ah. Mr. Shota. The captain told us you’d be coming here, so we’ve been waiting.”

The navigator said, rubbing his cactus-like face.

“Uh… but?”

There was a certain smell.

The black rubber shoes I saw as a child… the ramen episode… the smell of poverty…!!

“You… know our ship was damaged, right? Repairs are no problem, but… we’ve run out of our food supplies. We’ve reached the point where we need to consider making a living on Earth. Hehehe.”

One of the pirates said with a laugh.

“We… would like to ask for some help…”

The navigator said in a seemingly embarrassed tone.

“Damn it!!! They’re ramen beggars!!!!”

I couldn’t help but recall the nightmare episode from my childhood.

“We have advanced technology from space!!! If we release a little technology on a backward planet like Earth, we could become rich!!”

The pirates shouted loudly.

“Yes!! Are there any uninvented inventions?! We’ll make them for you!!”

The pirates immediately prostrated themselves at my feet.

“Go away!!!! I’ll listen to you later!!”

I tried to push them away.

“Aish!! It has to be now!!!! We haven’t eaten all day!!”

The pirates were desperate.

“The captain has forbidden looting, so we’re in trouble!!! Honestly, we don’t know how to make money except by looting!!”

“That’s nothing to be proud of!! You idiots!!”

While we were arguing like this:

“Madoka.”

Someone walked toward us.

It was Mr. Kujo.

“Ah. Father-in-law!”

I immediately greeted him respectfully.

“Who’s your father-in-law!”

Mr. Kujo got angry.

“Dad!!! This is a private date between oppa and me! Don’t be so tactless and show up!”

Madoka immediately got angry.

“Th-that man might lay his hands on our daughter!!”

Mr. Kujo seemed to have secretly followed Madoka out of concern.

“Dad, I really hate this!!”

Madoka demonstratively nestled into my arms.

And Madoka looked at me with pleading eyes.

Despite Mr. Kujo’s piercing gaze… I reluctantly patted Madoka’s bottom.

Seeing that sight, fire shot from Mr. Kujo’s eyes. I’m scared. Really…

“But… who are these guys?”

However, Mr. Kujo soon turned his attention to the aliens. He’s not even surprised to see aliens. This guy.

Anyway, thanks to that, Mr. Kujo’s attention was diverted.

“It’s a long story…”

I mumbled hesitantly.

“Tell me.”

Mr. Kujo’s words carried weight.

In the end, I explained the situation. While patting Madoka’s bottom.