Chapter: 34. The Goal is to Become a Vase-like Female Lead
“……Brother? Are you okay? Can you still walk?”
“Ha, huh?! Aoi, what are you talking about?”
“The guy who could barely stand just now is trying to act tough?”
“No, no I’m not! I just stood up too long and my legs fell asleep!”
After the hospital reported that a student had awakened their powers, as per the custom of Ark Academy, school personnel would come to take Nagi to Area Zero for a physical examination and ability assessment.
Considering that Nagi was a girl, even if Kanade worried about her, he couldn’t go inside during the physical examination, so he had no choice but to leave her in the company of Aoi, who was also a girl.
In the hospital room.
Nagi, diagnosed to be physically fine, felt a bit shy wearing the blue and white striped hospital gown, so she took it off intending to change back into her school uniform.
However, she soon realized that her school uniform, which she had been wearing before, had become tattered during the attack. Although it could still barely fit, its “battle damage” together with her incredibly striking figure made her look quite alluring.
With no other choice, Aoi called for someone to bring a clean change of clothes.
The two of them could only chat while waiting.
“What was that guy with a blushing face saying just now?” Aoi shot a bewildered glance at Nagi.
“Ha?! That was just acting, of course, acting~”
“Really?”
“Really really. Didn’t you tell me to perform well in front of others? So I just showed off my real strength~”
“Then why did brother look away?”
“Wow~ Just look at the cherry blossom trees! I can’t believe I can see cherry blossoms on an island!”
“(Staring…)”
“W-What?! Aoi, do you not believe me? Look well at my pair of sincere eyes!” Nagi turned her head to look at Aoi as she spoke.
“But all I can see is you looking at me with those infatuated eyes.” Aoi returned her gaze coldly.
“No, no I don’t!”
“If I hadn’t stopped you in time, you would have almost hugged me, wouldn’t you?”
“…….Wow~ It’s a cherry blossom tree~ I can’t believe I can see cherry blossoms on an island~”
“Ugh…..” Watching Nagi escape from reality again, Aoi couldn’t help but let out a gentle sigh.
Although she knew her brother and Kanade were likely in love with each other, regardless of that, such undignified behavior shouldn’t happen before they became a couple. It’s essential to properly instill in her brother the correct views and values regarding women’s chastity.
Otherwise, her brother might end up becoming one of those shameless perverts in the future.
“By the way, brother, when you get checked later, can you manage to conceal your abilities?”
Aoi remembered that Nagi once said she had no powers, and all her abilities came from her familiar.
Aoi hadn’t learned much about this aspect from Ark Academy, so she asked uneasily—
“What’s the difference between ‘one’s own ability’ and ‘the abilities brought by a familiar’?”
“Don’t worry, I’ll handle it well~” Nagi said with a carefree smile.
Seeing Nagi’s relaxed expression, Aoi reluctantly decided to trust her brother.
Although her daily common sense was concerning, she truly was an expert in the field of extraordinary powers.
“And brother….. if possible, I hope you will show your abilities—”
“—as being weaker, right?” Nagi interjected Aoi’s sentence.
“Don’t worry, I know what to do.”
Nagi obviously didn’t want Kanade to see her as some powerful ability user.
Although the plan to be an “ordinary person unaware of the extraordinary world” had collapsed, at the very least, she needed to maintain an image of a “weak and delicate girl,” rather than that of a heroic figure who could single-handedly sweep through an army.
—In short, let’s aim to be a vase-like, non-combatant, nurturing female lead for now.
“Brother, the clothes.”
Before they knew it, the clothes had been delivered to Aoi.
Nagi nervously took the paper bag containing the clothes, peeking inside, only to have her expression fill with confusion.
Seeing this, Aoi explained:
“Because it’s really hard to buy underwear in your size, you’ll just have to wear the original one for now…..”
“I thought you would go get my clothes from the Shiki Pavilion…”
As Nagi spoke, she secretly let out a sigh of relief—
—Thank goodness~
But the next second, she noticed something unusual.
“Then, I’ll step outside for a bit; let me know when you’re done changing—Huh? What’s wrong?”
Just as Aoi was about to leave, Nagi grabbed her.
“Is it that you can’t fit into something?” Aoi asked in confusion. “I’m sure I told her to buy the largest size—”
“—No.” Nagi shook her head in denial regarding Aoi’s question.
“What I meant was… why are they pants and not a short skirt?”
“Eh?” Aoi for a moment thought she had misheard.
“…..Is there a problem? I read in similar manga that at times like this, one would prefer pants over a light, floating skirt……”
“Aoi….. you’re really still too young~” Nagi said dramatically, shaking her head.
Nagi’s reaction only deepened Aoi’s curiosity.
“……Wearing only a short skirt is my last shred of dignity!”
“What kind of dignity is that!?”
“You really don’t understand anything, do you~-”
“Indeed, I completely don’t understand why brother is so fixated on wearing short skirts……” Shouldn’t she be thankful to be able to wear familiar and conservative pants at a time like this?!
“Because wearing a short skirt means my thighs can be exposed, oh!”
“No, no, even if you say it so matter-of-factly, I still can’t understand; what’s going on? Do you have a leg exposure fetish? Although your thighs are long and fair, which definitely suits short skirts, you should know the situation—”
“—Absolutely not! Don’t make me sound like a pervert!”
“No, I think everyone’s preferences are free, but at least recognize the situation……” Aoi replied speechlessly.
“I really can’t help you; since it’s like that, I can only show you myself.”
“?”
“In short, after I change, I’ll call you in—”
With Aoi completely baffled, Nagi pushed her outside.
—What’s going on?
—Is it because brother said goodbye to his past self as a boy that he doesn’t want to wear pants again?
—Does he not want to remember how he felt back then?
“Tch, how careless of me…..” Aoi murmured regretfully.
She had clearly decided to protect her brother, yet she hadn’t taken her brother’s feelings into account on such minor details—
“Okay~”
After a short while.
Nagi’s voice came from the hospital room.
Aoi, holding onto her regretful thoughts, initially planned to apologize to Nagi, but upon catching sight of Nagi’s figure, she froze.
“What’s wrong? Do you understand why I have to wear a short skirt now?” Nagi said with a wry smile, tugging down the hem of her T-shirt in an attempt to cover her waist, but because her front was too ample, it pulled the shirt up slightly.
Her cute face was adorned with a faint blush, symbolizing her shyness.
Aoi, speechless, took out her phone: “Yes, please go get me a skirt right now—”
Clearly in thick denim long pants, yet they were pushed out by her round thighs, making them bulge suspiciously as if they could rip apart with normal movement. The high-waisted design inexplicably turned into a provocative low-waist style, with enticing curves visible, along with a slender waist and suddenly widening hip lines forming a strong waist-to-hip ratio.
Such a sight was incredibly tantalizing, leading Aoi to think that wearing this out would surely tarnish societal morals… no, not just that, this was practically a challenge to the rationality of all mentally healthy men.
In contrast, Nagi’s usual outfit, a skirt that barely covered the tops of her thighs, seemed like a passable look.
—What’s going on with this child? Is she challenging the male rationality with such a sexy and dangerously enticing lower half!?
—————–
As Nagi finally changed her clothes and headed with Aoi to Area Zero of Ark Academy.
Kanade, who remained at the hospital, decided to visit Fuuko.
He had learned from Aoi that it was Fuuko who had used her powers to protect Nagi.
So Kanade wanted to take the time to properly thank her.
According to Aoi, although Fuuko was no longer in life-threatening danger, she was still in a coma.
Visiting her required a lot of procedures in order to enter the intensive care unit.
Just as Kanade was at the front desk filling out the relevant paperwork, he suddenly saw several nurses hurriedly running down the corridor.
……
In the intensive care unit.
Fuuko weakly opened her eyes.
After finally managing to retrieve her consciousness, she found herself in a dimly lit room.
The sky outside was dark.
Tonight was a night without a moon.
The night sky was filled with twinkling, brilliant stars.
The lights from the equipment placed by her bedside illuminated Fuuko’s frail face with a weak glow.
Soon, she noticed that apart from herself, there was another person in the room.
“……Who, who?” Fuuko’s body couldn’t move, and she could only ask in a faint voice.
“Niikawa-san, are you alright?” The other shadow hidden in the room came out, warmly inquiring.
“…..Tsuki…Tsukimi-san?”
“Ah, yes, it’s me. I’m so glad you’re alright, Niikawa-san.”
The latter revealed a relieved smile, and her star-like eyes emitted a light that was hard to ignore.
“…..Tsukimi…..san, why are you….. here…..”
“Because I was worried about you, Niikawa-san, and I wanted to ask you about something.” “Tsukimi Kanade” said as she moved closer to Fuuko lying in bed.
In the corner of the intensive care unit, the faint red light of a surveillance camera indicated that it was functioning normally.
Just as “Tsukimi Kanade” slowly reached out her hand toward Fuuko—
Knock knock.
A knocking sound came from the door behind her.
“Fuuko-san, it’s me, Tsukimi Kanade, I’m coming in now?” Kanade’s voice followed the knocking.
