“That’s not how you do it!”
“Hawawawawa… Oh my gosh, even a girl is surprised!”
Following Rin’s words, it was Evangelin who reacted.
She gasped, covering her mouth with her right hand, her expression quite exaggerated.
Living in a light novel world, I had become somewhat accustomed to the unique over-the-top actions and gestures of Japanese anime, but Evangelin’s antics were on a whole new level of absurdity that I still wasn’t used to.
“To think this perfect hiding could not be detected even by the devilish eye of the Crimson Lotus… Ugh… humans really can be surprising.”
Beatrice, standing next to Evangelin, bit her lip.
When will she ever drop that middle school syndrome speech?
The surprise wasn’t just on this side either.
“This can’t be… Eri, I thought I was on a perfect tail!… I got caught by the master!”
Eri exclaimed, covering her blushing cheeks with her hands.
I mean, how was that a perfect tail? It was more bizarre that they couldn’t catch on.
“To notice such a perfect hiding, it must be the master indeed…!”
Clap.
Next to Eri, Makoto posed with her hands together, looking at me with sparkling eyes.
Upon hearing Makoto, Eri’s face turned bright red.
She touched her dog collar and said, “Makopi’s right. It might’ve been possible because it’s not just anyone, it’s the master! No, the master definitely felt the connection with Eri and searched for her. Truly, the bond between Eri and the master cannot be interrupted by anyone.”
Eri’s face was flushed red.
Felt a connection, huh? What kind of delusion is that?
It’s ridiculous.
“Hmph. Just so you know, I didn’t intend to spy on you or anything! These idiots insisted, and I just followed them as a dedicated maid! I’m here just to keep an eye on you and these fools!”
Olivia said, crossing her arms and glancing our way.
Well, it’s not like Olivia is lying.
Just like the last cherry blossom festival, Eri was much better at tailing.
“So, sisters, with such a shabby disguise, you can’t fool your brother. Hehe.”
Haru giggled, covering her mouth.
The only sane person here has such a dizzying way of speaking.
“Having a day like this, huh? The world must be coming to an end!”
“Kurosawa! That was a pathetic disguise! It was a perfect disguise! No one noticed it during the cherry blossom festival except for Master!”
Eri puffs up her cheeks at Haru’s words.
Seeing this, Haru squints her eyes.
“Eri-chan! How awkward— what a fridge— don’t care, don’t care— what should we do? It’s infuriating, right?”
“Ughhhhh!”
Just as Eri bursts out at Haru’s words.
“Shut up!! Everyone, be quiet!!”
Olivia screams.
At her words, both Haru and Eri zip their lips.
In the now quiet atmosphere.
“Anyway, why did you call us?!”
Olivia shifts the topic.
Her flushed face is visible.
At Olivia’s words, everyone’s gaze turns toward me.
The reason for the call.
Nothing I can’t say.
“I just wanted to take a commemorative photo together. Stop following me around from behind.”
“A c… commemorative photo…?!”
Olivia gasps in surprise at my words.
Her face turns an even deeper shade of red than before.
“Master! You really wanted to take a commemorative photo with the most beautiful girl, Eri-chan, huh! Hehe. Eri-chan usually doesn’t take photos with just anyone! But if it’s you, Master, I can take as many as you want!”
Eri bounces on the spot, excitedly saying this.
“Me too! I want to take a photo with you, my lord!”
Makoto, who was next to Eri, raises his hand in agreement.
“Hehe. Sisters. Drinking kimchi soup is for Deok-Sung oppa! You really want to take a photo with your favorite heroine, the ultra-cute gal little sister Haru, huh! Haru is always welcome!”
Suddenly, Haru pops up from the side.
Jingle, jangle.
The bracelet on Haru’s wrist shakes.
“Hmph. I have zero desire to take a commemorative photo with a fool like you! But if you want it, I’ll take one with the Noble French Princess, Olivia Napoleon Bonaparte! Be grateful! Got it?”
Click.
Olivia raises her hand over her heart and shouts.
It seems like the four over there have all agreed to take the photo.
This time she looks over to the side where Rin, Beatrice, and Evangeline are.
“You guys don’t mind, do you? It’s alright to take it together.”
“To take a photo with the others… I totally agree!”
Evangeline is the first to respond.
True to her belief in positivity and over-dramatic reactions, she sparkles her eyes in a prayer-like pose as she agrees with me.
“Hmph. I have no interest in photos, no matter who I take them with.”
Beside her, Beatrice fiddles with her eye patch and speaks.
If we interpret her middle school language, it roughly means “I want to take it with you.”
As their responses settle down, my gaze naturally shifts to Rin.
“Kuh…”
Rin’s face turns red upon catching my gaze.
She bites her lip and looks down.
“I-I’m fine! Don’t mind me, Deok-Sung.”
Rin waves her hands to dismiss it.
She steps closer and whispers in a voice so small that only I can hear.
“I already took a photo with you earlier…”
Whoosh.
The pleasant scent emanating from Rin brushes against my nose.
The tip of my nose brushes against something.
Rin drifts away from my ear.
“So I’m fine.”
Unlike before, Rin speaks clearly without stuttering.
Eri squints her eyes as she watches.
Tap-tap.
She swiftly approaches Rin, slightly sticking her butt out while clenching her fists and lowering them below her waist, saying,
“What’s up, cow? What secret did you exchange with the Master just now? Suspicious. You didn’t ask for a dog collar, did you?”
“Don’t worry, I didn’t say anything like that, washboard. Hmph.”
Rin laughs at Eri’s jab.
Seeing that, Eri starts circling around Rin, saying,
“Your answer and laugh make you even more suspicious. Tch. Master, the dog collar is for Eri, right? You’re not giving it to the cow, are you?”
Who are you giving what to?
Why are we still fixating on this dog collar?
“So the rumors are true! Every night, you take the harem members for a walk in the park wearing dog collars!”
“Aaaah!”
“Black Beast! So scary!”
I can hear the extras’ voices in my ear.
I have no idea why those damn park walk rumors keep spreading when I’ve never even been for one.
With a sigh, I speak to Eri, who’s pinching the dog collar and looking at me.
“I’m not giving it to anyone but you, so just shut up and sit still for the photos.”
Who else am I supposed to give the dog collar to?
Honestly, I feel like ripping off the one Eri is wearing right now.
Thinking about the misunderstandings caused by that collar… I should’ve just made her do the dogeza back then.
This is why mindless soda doesn’t work.
“Let’s hurry and gather for the picture.”
“Got it! Deok-Sung oppa! Haru is the super nice and absolutely perfect little sister for you! I’ll listen to what you say! I’m different from the older sisters! Nishishishi.”
The first to approach, aside from Eri, who’s already here, is Haru.
“Master! Me too!”
“Hmph…”
Then Makoto and Olivia come up beside us.
Eri, Rin, Makoto, Olivia, Haru, Evangelin, Beatrice.
And me.
That makes a total of eight people.
With everyone gathered, who should I ask to take the commemorative photo?
Should I just ask a passerby?
While I’m mulling this over in my head, suddenly—
Bam.
A familiar figure appears as the gray flash in front of me dissipates.
A businesswoman with striking gray bobbed hair and ash-colored eyes.
It’s Han Seo-Jin.
“I will be in charge of taking the commemorative photo.”
She sets up a tripod and pulls out a DSLR.
Wait, it’s so natural that I didn’t even realize it—why is Han Seo-Jin here?
“Why are you here?”
“Because it is my duty to assist Kim Deok-Sung, no matter when or where.”
Han Seo-Jin speaks in an unwavering tone.
She’s so confident that I feel awkward.
Well, in a way, this might be the most Seo-Jin-like thing about her.
“Ah, right…”
I nod absentmindedly and suddenly recall the time she took commemorative photos at the Versailles Palace in France.
She was the one taking pictures then too, yet I don’t have any photos with her.
For some reason, it feels a little unsettling.
It feels icky.
Isn’t it okay to have at least one commemorative photo with Han Seo-Jin?
“Let’s take a picture together this time, Han Seo-Jin.”
Han Seo-Jin’s eyes widen slightly at my words.
She replies, “Is that really alright?”
“Yeah. It’s fine, so just set the timer and come over here.”
Han Seo-Jin bows her head at my words.
“Thank you, Kim Deok-Sung. Then I will operate the timer.”
After adjusting the DSLR’s timer mounted on the tripod, Han Seo-Jin joins me.
Click, click.
Soon after, the camera shutter goes off automatically, capturing our photo.
And just like that, the commemorative shoot concludes our weekly excursion for that day.
*
After the group tour ended.
Dinner time.
All the students of Shuo Hero Academy gathered at the designated accommodation, the Ryokan.
Since Beppu is famous for its hot springs, the Ryokan we rented entirely was a luxurious traditional Japanese inn complete with a large open-air onsen.
Naturally, the onsen followed the law of light novels, separating the bathing times for men and women, while the onsen itself was a large open-air one.
The students arriving at the Ryokan gathered in groups, chatting cheerfully.
Among them were Eri and Makoto.
At the entrance of the steaming hot spring.
There was a sign indicating the bathing times.
Seeing the clearly marked sign distinguishing men’s and women’s bathing times, Eri’s eyes narrow.
“Makopi.”
“Uh, yeah?”
Eri, dressed in a yukata, smiles.
“Don’t you want to have a mixed bath with the Master?”
Mixed bath.
At those words, Makoto’s face turns bright red.
“A, a mixed bath… That’s…”
Makoto stutters.
Images of the steaming hot spring and herself bathing with Kim Deok-Sung flash in her mind.
Moreover, for Makoto, this wasn’t her first time with a mixed bath.
When she transferred to Shuo Hero Academy dressed as a boy, she had experienced a mixed bath in the large bathhouse.
That memory suddenly resurfaces in Makoto’s mind.
The image of Kim Deok-Sung’s muscular body floats up.
“Honestly, tell me, Makopi. Are you going to hide it even from Eri?”
Poke.
Eri jabs Makoto at the waist.
“Eep! Eri-chan…”
Makoto jumps in surprise and stammers.
Eri is right.
She and Makoto are friends.
This is something she can confess.
“I, I want to…”
She wants to have a mixed bath.
As Makoto honestly admits her desire, she lowers her head shyly.
Seeing this, Eri smiles.
“Great. Since Makopi agreed, now…”
Zoom.
Eri looks around.
Confirming that no one is nearby the bathhouse, she touches the sign.
“If we change the bathing times…”
Just then, someone’s voice is heard behind Makoto and Eri.
“You shouldn’t do that.”
Startled, Makoto and Eri turn their heads.
There stands…
“Kamiyama-san. Nishizawa-san.”
A stoic gray-haired beauty in a yukata.
It’s Han Seo-Jin.
