Ch.36Confession Postponed

Well… I couldn’t just wait for Umi forever. I decided to let Umi fight her own battle for now and started doing what I needed to do.

*Click!*

I immediately opened my laptop at the living room desk. Being an old laptop, it took quite a while to boot up.

“Shota. Writing your novel again today?”

Eri asked with a smile.

“Yeah.”

I opened the website right away. The view count was steadily rising at this point. I was even starting to look forward to my first royalty payment.

“Aren’t you going to do your Golden Week homework?”

Eri asked. Uncharacteristically, she had a book open in front of her. But she seemed unmotivated, just twirling her mechanical pencil.

“Already finished it.”

I wrapped it up roughly after hunting with Sasitsu yesterday. If I focus, I can finish it in two hours. Besides, I had studied in preparation for the possession before it happened, so high school freshman material was a piece of cake. My motto was that I’d sleep plenty when I’m dead anyway.

“Shota… you’re surprisingly diligent.”

That’s what Eri said.

“Hmph.”

Honestly, I was happy to be praised for being diligent.

“Oh, by the way. I told my brother about you.”

Eri said.

“Huh?”

Well… I guess it would come up in conversation.

“I introduced you as my future husband.”

Eri said with a silly grin.

“That’s spreading false information. You’ll be punished.”

“It’s not false information, it’s more like defamation through factual disclosure, isn’t it?”

Eri unexpectedly countered with legal terminology.

“Eri…!!! You can actually use difficult words with more than four characters!!!”

I was amazed by that.

“How rude!! Of course I know that much! Legal dramas are popular these days. I saw it there.”

Eri said.

“Ah… right. That’s so like you, Eri. Just watching whatever drama is popular without having your own taste… the epitome of an ordinary person.”

They’re the type of people with no backbone who decide their career path based on whatever drama is trending each quarter. It happened in my time too. When medical dramas were popular, everyone wanted to be doctors or nurses, and when legal dramas were trending, everyone wanted to be lawyers. I remembered secretly laughing at how shallow they were.

“Wow… there it is. Shota’s signature sense of superiority over ordinary people…”

Eri said.

“Sense of superiority?!! You know that phrase too?!!!”

Why is your intelligence suddenly skyrocketing?

“Shota!! You underestimate me too much!!”

Eri, seemingly angry, immediately lunged at me and tried to pin me down.

*Squish!*

Something soft touched me, making me feel embarrassed. To hide my embarrassment, I quickly spoke up.

“Anyway, you said you talked to your brother?”

“Yeah. I told him you’re publishing a novel online. My brother actually works at a publishing company. The one that publishes those otaku novels you write. He said they’re getting into web novels these days too.”

Eri nodded as she spoke.

“Otaku novels, huh…”

It was true, but hearing it so casually from a normal person made me feel deflated.

“I gave him your pen name and the title of your work. I did good, right? It could be good promotion for you.”

Eri calmly stabbed a dagger into my heart.

“AAAAARGH!!! What are you saying!!!”

I immediately shouted.

No!! You don’t reveal someone’s pen name!! That’s murder!! You idiot!!!!

“What? My brother is pretty high up at the publishing company. He might read your novel and think, ‘Hmm… interesting writing. Maybe we should offer a contract.'”

Eri said.

“That’s the kind of development that only happens in manga.”

Right. It was the kind of naive fantasy aspiring writers have.

“So what? My brother already read it once. I did good, right?”

Eri looked at me with eyes demanding praise.

“…No.”

Somehow, I felt like killing myself.

“Tch.”

Eri seemed upset at my response.

Well… she did try to help me, that was true. To comfort her, I vigorously patted her head. That immediately brightened her expression. What an easy person to please.

———

Anyway, I wrote today’s chapter of my novel. My rule was three updates a day. Morning, afternoon, and night. These three time slots generated the most views. That was from experience.

“Shota. Are you done?”

Eri asked, sticking close to my side.

“Yeah.”

Now what should I do? I should probably help Umi with her studies when she recovers. I wonder when Umi will recover.

I glanced at the textbook on Eri’s desk. There was no sign that she had worked on it at all.

“Wouldn’t it be better if you studied a bit? Giving up in your first year of high school is a bit…”

I said.

“I’m going to be Shota’s bride, so I don’t need to.”

Eri openly declared herself a parasite. Well… if it’s a parasite like Eri, I might be willing to be parasitized.

“By the way, you kissed Umi earlier. Do it with me too.”

Eri suddenly threw a tantrum.

“…I’ll do it if you properly do your homework. It’s not good to completely give up on studying.”

I immediately proposed a deal. It would be no laughing matter if she failed her classes.

“Yes! I’ll do it!!”

Eri took the bait eagerly. How badly did she want to kiss me?

“Alright…”

Before I could even finish my response, Eri greedily threw herself at me.

*Smooch-! Chu-! Slurp-!!*

Eri seemed to be aware that Umi and I had shared a deep kiss. She tried to extend the kiss as long as possible, intertwining her tongue with mine.

*Smooch-!*

Being a guy, once we started kissing, I couldn’t help but get immersed in it. While we were lost in the moment, someone barged in.

“What are you doing?!! Seriously!!!”

Umi, furious, tried to separate me and Eri.

Well, that’s the usual Umi. She must have recovered, overcoming her embarrassment.

———-

Anyway, as requested by Ms. Asuna, I taught them their studies.

“Ohhh… I see.”

Umi wasn’t a stupid kid. If I taught her 10 things, she’d retain about 7. That was pretty good.

‘It’s not like she’s aiming for the top ranks anyway.’

The hurdle for average scores was low. It was easy to achieve.

Umi wasn’t bad at studying; she just didn’t study at all.

“Shota. You’re a good teacher.”

Umi said.

“Hmph. There’s nothing I can’t do.”

What am I actually bad at? I really don’t know. I immediately became self-absorbed.

“Shota. It’s cute how you get all proud when someone compliments you.”

Eri said with a smile.

“Ah. I see what you mean.”

Umi seemed to form some strange sense of camaraderie.

By the way, don’t casually call a guy cute in front of him. It’s bad for the heart. Seriously.

Just as the atmosphere was turning sweet, Umi spoke up.

“But you need to answer my confession.”

Umi looked straight at me.

“Shota. You know I love you too, right? It’s too late to just brush this off.”

Eri said.

“…….”

So it’s come to this after all.

But my answer was clear.

“Not now. It’s impossible.”

That’s what I said.

“Why? Such pretty girls are confessing to you!! You should accept even if you have to lick our shoes!!”

Umi immediately grabbed my collar.

“Shota. Are you gay?”

Eri seemed to doubt my sexual identity.

“No… that’s not it. I have things I need to do right now.”

I said with complete seriousness.

That was the truth. During my school years, I needed to somehow save this world from being consumed by the hidden world with Sasitsu. It was something only I could do right now.

“Things you need to do… aren’t you just making excuses?”

Umi looked at me with suspicious eyes.

“I’ll set a specific time frame. Twenty years old. I’ll settle things by the time I’m twenty. After that, I’ll give you a proper answer.”

I declared. This should satisfy them.

“Twenty… that’s three years away. Too long.”

Umi seemed dissatisfied with that.

At that moment, Eri smiled benevolently.

“Ah… Shota. You want to focus on your novel right now, right? You want to achieve something before becoming an adult.”

Eri added her own interpretation to my words.

“It’s okay. I’m a tolerant woman. I’ll fully support your dream.”

Eri smiled brightly. There was a hint of superiority in that smile. The target of that superiority was Umi, emphasizing that she was such a kind and good woman. Eri… is quite cunning.

“Urgh….”

Umi immediately clicked her tongue.

“If you don’t give me a proper answer after you turn twenty… no, if you reject me, I won’t let you off easy.”

Afterwards, Umi gave me a murderous glare.

“…Y-yeah.”

Sasitsu’s advice suddenly came to mind. I remembered his warning that if I didn’t answer properly, I might get stabbed.

“But I understand Umi’s point too. Honestly, waiting three years during the prime of youth is a bit much.”

Eri suddenly said something unexpected. Hey, what happened to your benevolent woman concept?

“R-right?!”

Umi immediately responded to Eri’s support.

“I-is that so…?”

Huh? This isn’t the flow I wanted.

“Honestly… I think Shota should serve and devote himself more to us. That way, we can trust Shota and wait for three years. Frankly, I can’t stand not being lovey-dovey with Shota.”

Eri said.

“……..”

Instead of speaking, Umi immediately took action. She placed something on the desk.

*Thud!*

It was a condom. An object that absolutely did not match the study session situation.

“Um… Umi?”

The moment I spoke to Umi, I realized I had already fallen into a trap.

*Grab!*

Eri immediately restrained me from behind.

“W-wait!! What are you doing!!!”

I immediately struggled.

“I’m not thrilled that your first experience will be with Eri too… but there’s no choice. It’s because Shota keeps playing hard to get…”

Umi, with cloudy eyes, tried to undress me.

“KYAAAAH?!! Stop right now!!! What are you doing?!!”

Feeling my chastity threatened, I struggled.

At that moment, Eri nibbled on my ear and whispered.

“You’ll feel good soon, Shota. If you’re scared, just stare at the stains on the ceiling. Okay?”

Eri said such things while removing my top, and Umi was taking off my pants.

These two have amazing teamwork!!!

“Two crazy women are trying to devour me!! Help!!!”

I desperately tried to call for help!!!

*Smooch!*

However, Eri and Umi were more calculating than I thought. They immediately silenced me with kisses.

“Hey!! Stop moving!! It’s hard to undress you!!”

Umi, already transformed into an avatar of desire, was trying to remove even my underwear.

“Shota… it’s your fault. Always making my heart race. I won’t let you sleep tonight. Just submit quietly.”

Eri also caressed my upper body with her hands while smiling.

“Save me!!!!”

This is serious!!! This is supposed to be an all-ages work!!! It’s turning into adult content!!!

That’s when it happened.

*Ding!*

A message came from Sasitsu.

‘Let’s go hunting today too.’

That message made Umi and Eri come to their senses. The flow was broken.

“Sasitsu…!!”

I had one good friend. If he hadn’t sent that message right then, I would have crossed a river of no return.

“Tch.”

“Tsk.”

Umi and Eri clicked their tongues.

“Well… I’ll be out with Sasitsu for about two hours. You’re both staying over tonight, right? Feel free to go to sleep before me.”

I spoke as innocently as possible while quickly putting on my clothes and heading outside.

Sasitsu… thank you so much!!!

I expressed infinite gratitude to the guardian angel who had protected my chastity.