Re:Zero EX: "School Re:Zero! 3rd Period! (Vainglory IF)"

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This story is an April Fools' project.

First, please read "School Re:Zero! 1st Period!" and "School Re:Zero! 2nd Period!" before proceeding.

This is Re:Zero transplanted into a modern school setting with a complete IF setup.

Although it is a modern setting, the characters' names, hair colors, and so on are accepted as they are without any sense of incongruity.

Since it follows many of the tropes of gal games, it might be a bit much for some.

However, no one becomes unhappy.

With the above in mind, if you have a sense of humor and can forgive the characters being happy, please proceed with that understanding.

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<<School Re:Zero! 3rd Period!!>>

—My awakening every morning usually comes from a sudden impact.

"—Come on, wake up already, I suppose!"

"Honduras!?"

Accompanied by a light voice, an impact that could hardly be called light hit me directly in the stomach. I woke up with a scream, and right before my eyes was my lovely sister's face again today.

"...Morning, Beako. You're pretty, cutie, and lovely today too."

"Of course, that is exactly right, I suppose. Today, as every day, Betty is pretty, I suppose. Now, it's a pleasant morning, so wake up quickly and eat breakfast with me, I suppose."

Beatrice looked down at me with a smug smile while sitting on my stomach. With her light body still on top of me, I nodded, saying, "Alright, alright," and curled up right there.

"Ah! You don't understand at all, I suppose! Going back to sleep! That's the posture for going back to sleep, I suppose!"

"Ugh, understand me, Beako. I want to cherish the time I spend eating with you in this limited life. But, just as much, I want to enjoy this decadent morning time..."

"Muki—! I won't allow that, I suppose! Ni-cha... Subaru! Which is more important to you, Betty or going back to sleep, I suppose!"

"Asking something like a stubborn actress in a daytime soap opera... No, wait, that's an idea!"

"—? What did you suddenly think of... Ukyah!?"

I reached out to the little girl swaying on my stomach and dragged her into the futon. Stroking the head of my sister, who was now tucked snugly against my chest, I involved Beatrice in my warm, decadent second sleep. —This is killing two birds with one stone: my sister and a second sleep!

"With this, Beako can also enjoy a second sleep. Its effectiveness is double the happiness of a normal second sleep... no, it's no exaggeration to say it goes even higher as an exponent!"

"You've started saying stupid things again, I suppose! L-Let go, I suppose! Betty isn't a child anymore who needs to sleep with Subaru, I suppose!"

"Ehh, lately Beako hasn't been sleeping with me, and I'm so looooone-ly... So, I'll take this opportunity to fully ingest some Beatrizine. Sniff sniff."

"Don't sniff me, I suppose!"

The cute Beako struggled in my arms. By the way, "Beatrizine" is a special intracerebral substance I devised that can be ingested by touching or doting on Beatrice. If they don't ingest this, the men of the Natsuki family wither and die. The samples are myself and my father. And so, while playing with my sister like that, ironically, I ended up wide awake.

"Gugu, damn... Was this Beako's strategy? To use her own cute self as bait in a diversionary tactic to separate me from my sleepiness... I've been played..."

"I-I don't know what's what anymore, but just let go, I suppose. Ah, my hair and clothes that I worked so hard on are a mess now, I suppose."

"Don't worry. Even if you're a mess, your charm doesn't fade. There's a beauty in being a mess. Messy Beako."

"You're messy-loud, I suppose!!"

An angry Beatrice hopped off the bed and cutely stuck her tongue out at me. Scratching my head at my sister's tantrum, I stood up and tilted my head. "Huh?" The reason was the clock. Strictly speaking, the time the clock was pointing to. That was—

"Hey now, Beako. You woke me up an hour earlier than usual. You're being quite the scatterbrain. Come on, let's continue the second sleep."

"Don't spread your arms like that, I suppose! It makes me want to jump in, I suppose! That's not it, I woke you up an hour early this morning for a reason, I suppose. That's correct, I suppose."

"You say it's correct, but..."

"Starting this morning, Betty has a meeting for the school trip executive committee, I suppose. So, I'm going to eat breakfast earlier than usual and head to school feeling refreshed, I suppose."

"I see, and I'm being dragged into that... Why!?"

I protested against my drowsy time being interrupted by Beatrice's circumstances, which she stated while puffing out her chest. No matter how cute my sister is, there are things you can and can't do. I am firmly resolved to oppose such selfish ideas.

"My grudge for having my second sleep interrupted is deep. What logic can you use to defeat me? Come on, say it, Beako! Why did you wake up your big brother!"

"Because, if only Betty wakes up early, I won't get to say good morning or goodbye to Subaru, and I can't eat breakfast together, and I'll be lonely, I suppose..."

"Damn! So cute!"

In the end, a siscon had no power to reject his sister's cute wish! To respond to Beatrice's honest feelings, I gallantly got out of bed. It's true that I'm wide awake now, and it's too late to go back to sleep anyway. This is a time where responding to a cute sister's request is a brother's duty—.

"Alright, since it's decided, help me get dressed, Beako."

"Do it yourself, I suppose!"

As expected, she wouldn't go that far. Anyway, since I felt like there had been a mysterious period of stagnation, it was important to properly do the usual routine.

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"Well then, I'll be taking Beatrice-chan with me!"

"I'm being taken, I suppose."

Despite it being early morning, Petra-chan, who had come to pick her up, left with a radiant smile and led Beatrice toward school. The two of them are close friends who do everything together, but it seems they are also on the executive committee for the school trip, and they couldn't hide their sense of freshness at going to school at a different time than usual.

As a brother, I worry about my sister, who has high all-rounder stats but occasionally shows clumsiness, but I feel relieved knowing Petra-chan will fill in the gaps well. With those two as a unit, they could surely take over the world.

"It's a bit lonely for me, but it's also a brother's duty to see off his sister's big moment with a smile... If my favorite can make it to Budokan, I can die happy..."

"Whoa there, you're getting ahead of yourself, son. Our daughter is certainly a lovely girl who wouldn't be out of place center-stage at Budokan, but Papa won't allow that for at least another five years."

My father spoke to me as I stood at the entrance, seeing my sister off with a refreshing smile and slightly teary eyes. My father has a high rate of being half-naked, but on days when someone else's child like Petra-chan visits, he properly wears clothes. His T-shirt had Beatrice's smiling face printed on it; it was an item that allowed him to feel her loveliness by his side even on days when she went to school early.

"Don't worry. On the back, I've properly printed your smiling face from when you were little."

"I wasn't worried about that, and please be careful with the sense of distance from your teenage son. Beako aside, you never know what might trigger a family collapse with a boy this age."

"Don't say such scary things. It's true the smiling face on the back is from your elementary school days, but I love you just as much now that you're a high schooler. You know that, right?"

"I'm told that at least once a day."

It's a family rule in our house to say "I love you" once a day and to tell the people you like that you like them. I respect my father for valuing that, but as a teenage boy, it's a rather difficult rule to follow.

"But saying it to Beako or Mom isn't really embarrassing, so maybe it's just about daily conduct?"

"Hmph, how uncute! So, Beatrice left early, but what about you? You've got plenty of time; want to wrestle with me until Rem-chan gets here?"

"Waking up early just to wrestle with my father? Since when did I become a Hinomaru sumo boy? Still, just spacing out is also a waste... Alright."

It was annoying to follow my father's suggestion, but since I didn't want to spend time on something as fruitless as wrestling with him, I quickly put on my shoes at the entrance. A rare early morning, a rare early wake-up. Since I'm at it, I'll go for a morning stroll.

"They say the early bird catches the worm, so maybe something good will happen."

"I see, a walk. Wait a bit. I'll go change."

"I'm not going with you, Dad! I'm going alone! Go flirt with Mom!"

"Hm, I see. Sorry about that. It feels like you're being considerate."

"Leaving parents alone together isn't called being considerate! Stop acting like you're pushing the back of a classmate who's shy about romance!"

After that uneasy exchange, I dejectedly left the house. Somehow, it was a conversation that made it awkward to return immediately. My parents have been married for about twenty years, but they're a couple whose passion from their honeymoon days hasn't cooled, so they're difficult for their son and daughter to handle. Of course, I'm grateful that my parents get along so well.

"A happy home free of fights... Some say that clashing builds bonds, but nothing beats smooth sailing."

It's my theory that the fewer troubles, misfortunes, and obstacles, the better. So, while the Natsuki family is a very ordinary middle-class family, being blessed with good family relationships and a cute sister is more than enough—it's a hundred percent.

"Gratitude for the miracle of being born in this era, a thumbs-up with my entire existence, the sun shining in the sky lighting up the radiant future, don't block my path, I'm a runaway train."

Oh, my tension rose and I started rapping to myself. I see, waking up early really clears the head. Walking through the streets with slightly fewer people than usual while basking in the cool morning breeze is quite elegant—

"—Ah, good morning, Subaru. What a coincidence to see you here."

"Uhyee!?"

I was startled by the sudden voice just as I had started skipping. And for good reason; there was a possibility my previous rap had been heard, and on top of that, the voice I heard was like a beautiful silver bell. There was only one person in my history who shone brilliantly enough to match that voice.

"E-Emilia-tan? Why do you exist so early in the morning!?"

"Fufu. I know you're surprised, but 'exist' is a bit much. I'm properly carrying out biological activities even when Subaru isn't looking, you know."

"T-That's true. Haha, hehe, I was just surprised, fuhehe..."

Oh no, I laughed like a suspicious person because of the unexpected encounter. However, ignoring my deep reflection, the girl before me—the transfer student Emilia—turned her gentle eyes toward me and smiled like an angel.

She was a girl with long, beautiful silver hair like moonlight and slender limbs. Since she had just transferred, her uniform wasn't ready yet, so she wore her previous girls' academy uniform at school, but not here. A thin shirt and a skirt that flared softly—she was in casual clothes.

"Oh man, your casual clothes are cute..."

"Eh? Really? Thank you. Subaru, those clothes are... umm."

"Ah, this? This is my sweet lovely sister, Beatrice. Isn't she cute? This is her face when she just woke up and her hair was all messy..."

In front of a tilting Emilia, I bragged about the T-shirt I was wearing. The one I was wearing was different from the one my dad had; it was the type with Beatrice's face printed on both the front and back. I appreciate my father's feelings, but when it comes to doting on Beatrice, mixing in the impurities of my own existence is very bad.

"Wow, she's your sister. She's a veeery cute girl!"

"Ooh, you get it? Yes, she's a truly cute sister. She's been a bit rebellious lately, but she used to follow me everywhere saying 'Ni-cha, Ni-cha'... Not to brag, but I raised Beako."

"Eh!? What about your father and mother!?"

"They helped too, of course, but well, even combining the two of them, it's a 7:3 ratio in my favor."

"I see. Subaru, you're a veeery hard worker..."

It was my usual light talk, but thanks to Emilia accepting everything so easily, my tongue was really sliding. Anyway, my initial shock had faded, and I now had the leeway to savor the joy of suddenly encountering a beautiful transfer student.

"By the way, what were you doing, Emilia-tan? You're quite early."

"Me? I was taking a walk. See, I just moved here to transfer, so I don't know this area at all. I have to study for Puck's sake too."

"I see, you're diligent... wait, Puck?"

"Yes, Puck. He's the cat we keep at my house... look, he's over there."

Following where Emilia pointed, I saw a grey furball curled up on a brick wall a short distance away, swaying a long tail. Looking closely, I could see it was a single cat. When the cat noticed my gaze, it turned its round, beady eyes toward me and—

"Yo."

"Eh!?"

"W-What's wrong!? Suddenly making a voice like that..."

Beside me, who was shocked by the sudden event, Emilia was also surprised by my reaction. But I'm the one troubled by her acting like it's normal. Because just now, that cat—

"It talked, right? It said 'yo' to me and raised a paw..."

"Eh? That can't be right. Honestly, saying things like that... even if you try to tease me, I won't be fooled."

However, when I tried to confirm it, Emilia wouldn't listen at all. No, rather, her reaction was the normal one. If Emilia had said, "That's right, Puck talks. It's veeery rare, isn't it?" I wouldn't have known how to handle it.

"Well, it must have been a mishearing or an illusion. Phew, you startled me."

"Right, right. Let's go with that. Subaru wouldn't be happy if Lia was startled or looked at him like he was a weird kid, right?"

"You're talking to me so naturally, you!"

The cat—Puck—who had hopped off the wall, spoke to me while curling up at my feet. Overwhelmed by his blatant inhumanity, I picked Puck up. Puck's paw pad was pressed against my face. What a fluffy feeling.

"For your information, I don't have any special ability to talk to animals. In other words, the weird one isn't me, it's you."

"Well, if Subaru wants to claim that, I won't stop you, but Subaru will be the one looked at strangely. Here, look."

Told that, I looked to my side. Emilia had her dark blue eyes wide open, looking back and forth between me and Puck, who were glaring at each other up close.

"Somehow, it really looked like Subaru and Puck were talking. And Puck isn't acting up at all even though it's his first time being held by someone else, that's rare."

"Is that so? By the way, how did it look to you, Emilia-tan?"

"Eh? It looked like Puck was meowing cutely, and Subaru was saying something with a mean face..."

"My reputation is terrible! I mean, is this for real..."

Judging from Emilia's reaction, it seemed Puck's voice really couldn't be heard by anyone but me. Slipping through my hands as I was shaken, Puck landed gracefully on the ground. Then, while washing his face with his paws,

"Don't worry, it's not like some weird story is going to start because of this. I'm not going to turn you into a magical girl, or grant your wishes, or start talking about the entropy of the universe, so feel free to make a contract with me."

"I'm not making a contract! The word 'contract' is nowhere near 'peace of mind'!"

"Just a joke, just a joke."

Laughing, Puck hopped up into Emilia's arms. Emilia caught Puck's body and stroked his back.

"But I'm glad Puck and Subaru are getting along. I was a little worried."

"Worried? Why?"

"Puck doesn't usually get along with my friends... ah, is it okay if Subaru is my friend? Am I being too forward?"

"No, no, no, not at all! Not at all! In fact, I'm honored to be your first friend. Eventually, I'd even like to aim for a rank-up from the friend position."

"Sorry, I don't really understand what you're saying."

It's my bad habit to say unnecessary things when my tongue starts sliding. Anyway, meeting Emilia like this must be some kind of fate—

"Since you were out for a walk anyway, can I join you? We're both going to school eventually, so let's call this a date."

"A d-date... going out with a boy! It really is!"

"Oh, was it your first time by any chance?"

Seeing Emilia's eyes sparkle, I remembered she was raised in a girls' academy from elementary through high school. For a sheltered schoolgirl, she probably hadn't had many chances to go out with a boy. In that case—

"This is my first time d-dating... what do we do?"

"Wait! If it's Emilia-tan's first date, I want to do it properly! At least, this outfit with my sister's face printed on the front, back, and armpits is not appropriate!"

"Hidden Beatrice-chans in the armpits...!"

In the first place, I'm the type who wants to do things properly if I'm going to consider it a date. If it's a moment that will be carved into my memories, I want to set the stage.

"Thinking about it calmly, I don't have any dating experience either..."

"Is that so? But Subaru seems to get along with everyone in class..."

"No, if it's just simply going out with girls, I do it quite often. I go shopping with my childhood friend Rem all the time, and I'm dragged along for errands by Rem's sister, Ram."

But isn't it too sad to count those kinds of outings with childhood friends? Of course, I've helped with student council errands and gone shopping with Crusch, Ferris, and Anastasia, and I've been dragged around by a grumpy Priscilla when her attendant Al couldn't be found. I've also played with the six beautiful sisters next door—

"Thinking about it that way, I might look experienced from the outside..."

"Your appearance and contents don't match. Yeah, yeah, I get it. Subaru feels like that kind of guy."

"Shut up, you cat! Don't read people's minds!"

I yelled at Puck, who was purring in Emilia's arms. But Puck acted like he didn't hear me, and Emilia gave me a puzzled look. Damn it.

"Agh, anyway, today's walk is not a date. This is a walking date... yes, it's a separate count from a real date. Let's go with that."

"I don't really get it, but if that's okay with you, then fine. So, what should we do?"

"Hmm, let's see. Emilia-tan, you're basically trying to get a handle on the geography around your house while picking out a walking route for Puck, right?"

Thinking calmly, unlike dogs, I don't have the image of cats being walked by their owners, but since she didn't seem to have any doubts about it, I didn't point it out. Now, I was wondering what kind of course to introduce—

"As for me, I'd be happy with a place with a good view and a pleasant breeze. I don't want to exercise much, so avoid places with lots of slopes... Also, according to the Cat Treaty, I haven't greeted the stray cats in this area yet. So, I'd appreciate it if you avoided places that the boss cat has claimed as territory."

"You're giving me very specific orders... no, that's actually helpful."

"Right? It's troublesome when someone says 'anywhere is fine' on a date."

While scowling at Puck's knowing tone, it's easier to narrow down candidates if the selection criteria are strict. And so, the course I chose for my walking date with Emilia was—

"Alright, then let's go to the riverbank. There's a big river flowing right next to it, so it's scenic and feels great."

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And so, with that invitation, we arrived at our town's riverbank. This riverbank, with a famous large river flowing right beside it, is known as a prized spot for the first sunrise of the year, and on weekdays, it's known as a jogging course for fitness-minded youths and seniors.

Of course, there are many people visiting the riverbank for the same purpose as us, and you can see dog owners walking their pets and chatting happily here and there. You can see them, but—

"As expected, I don't see any cat owners..."

"Cats hate having collars and leads put on them, so maybe that's why... but Puck often comes to wake me up saying he wants to go for a walk."

"Heh, is that so?"

"Yep, yep. After all, it doesn't feel like a new day unless I'm with Lia."

Even if the purpose is walking a pet, the details differ, so Emilia looked troubled while holding Puck. Emilia's claim sounded like a pet owner just saying what they wanted, but according to Puck's actual thoughts, it wasn't unrequited. My prejudice that most cats in the world think of their owners as servants seemed to be wrong.

"By the way, even though it's a walk, Emilia-tan has been holding him the whole time."

"—? Yes, Puck doesn't like walking, so I always carry him. But occasionally, when he gets veeery chubby, I make sure he exercises properly."

"I see. Somehow, I had a preconception that once an animal's physique collapses, it can never go back... but you can do that kind of RIZAP thing."

"Well, it's the result of hard work."

"Getting fat was the result of sloth, though..."

I slumped my shoulders at Puck's triumphant face. Well, for now, he's thin, so he doesn't seem to have any intention of leaving Emilia's arms. As long as Emilia doesn't find him heavy, I have nothing to say.

"But isn't it hard to keep holding an adult cat? Puck is on the smaller side, though."

"It's okay. I might not look it, but I'm actually a bit of a strong person. Even at my old school, whenever there was heavy lifting, people would rely on me right away."

"Being called strong by the standards of girls' academy ladies doesn't really..."

Even if she appeals her strength with her thin, white arms, her upper arms look soft, so it's not convincing. For the record, I'm reasonably confident that I'm impressive when I take my clothes off. Most of these problems stem from not being able to see oneself objectively, so I suppose Emilia and I are on equal footing in that regard. And as we were talking like that—

"—Oh? Subaru-kun, what are you doing here?"

I was surprised to be called by a very familiar voice. I didn't even need to turn around to confirm who it was. After all, it was a voice more familiar to me than my own family's.

"Eh? Rem? What are you doing here?"

"I was accompanying Nee-sama this morning. But to think I'd meet Subaru-kun... as expected, Nee-sama's divine favor is outstanding."

"Even if you treat her like a shrine deity, Ram is just your sister."

I gave a wry smile to Rem, who was saying her usual nonsensical things. Standing on the riverbank in her usual way was Rem in cute casual clothes. She often comes over to play on days off, so there's no novelty, but adding the characteristic of a weekday morning suddenly made her look radiant. Hmm, the weekday effect.

"Hey, hey, Subaru. That girl is in our class, right?"

"Hm? Ah, yeah. This is Rem. My childhood friend who's all-around capable at housework."

I felt Emilia poking my back, and I reflected on leaving her out. Then, stepping to the side, I introduced Rem to Emilia. After that,

"Rem, this is Emilia-tan, as you know. We met by chance while she was walking her cat, so we're currently selecting a walking course suitable for a lazy cat."

"I see, so that's how it was. —Allow me to introduce myself again, I am Rem. Subaru-kun and I have been close since the time we shared our first bath."

"Don't lie. The one you shared your first bath with was Nee-sama."

"That's right. I meant we were wrapped in the same swaddling clothes."

"That was also Nee-sama."

Well, I don't know since I wasn't conscious right after birth, but since Rem and I have birthdays about two months apart, I expect that didn't happen.

"Ah, thank you for the polite introduction. I'm Emilia. This is the grey cat, Puck."

"A self-introduction like a delivery service..."

"Wow, what a lovely cat. May I touch him?"

"Of course. Here, Puck, show your belly."

"Can't be helped, nya."

While Puck looked quite pleased as he turned over, Emilia and Rem were giggling and playing with him. Watching them with my arms crossed, I tilted my head.

"Rem, you said you were accompanying Nee-sama, but why the riverbank? What does it have to do with Ram?"

"That's because Nee-sama is currently in special training."

"Special training?"

"Yes."

Rem smiled proudly while tickling Puck's belly with her finger. When Rem brags to someone like this, it's always about Ram or me. Setting Ram aside, being bragged about to others is embarrassing, but since I also brag about Rem when I talk to people, I guess we're even.

"Rem-san's sister is the Ram-san who was in our class, right?"

"Yes, that's right. She is a wonderful Nee-sama, far too good for Rem."

"And Rem's sister-bias is already at the level of a chronic illness, so take what she says with a grain of salt."

"Mou, that's not true."

Rem puffed out her cheeks and turned away. While still turned away, she began to talk about Ram, saying, "And so."

"As Subaru-kun knows, Nee-sama has outstanding athletic ability and is often asked to help out by various clubs... but..."

"Yeah, that's true. I often see her being active in various clubs. The way she handles herself even among boys is a natural talent..."

Ram's unusual trait is that she becomes good at whatever she tries immediately, especially in events that require sense; she's remarkably skilled at anything. So, in that regard, Rem's exaggerated praise isn't entirely wrong.

"So, what happened with the amazing Ram-san?"

"Yes. Since she's such a reliable Nee-sama, she was once again asked to help out a certain club... but she said she wanted to take it seriously, so she started morning training."

"Ram did!? Something so commendable!?"

It was quite a shock—honestly, it was news to me. Originally, Ram felt like someone who lived off her natural talent alone; she's basically haughty, overconfident, and has always produced results to match. So, I thought she was a stranger to anything resembling hard work.

"Besides, she's supposed to be obsessed with taking care of the novelist Roswaal-san right now, right? She even dragged you along to help, didn't she?"

"That's true, but she's working hard on this separately. So, Rem also wanted to support those feelings and made these preparations."

"Wow, amazing. So that's why it's like a picnic."

Behind the enthusiastic Rem, there were picnic baskets, water bottles, a first-aid kit for emergencies, and towel sets laid out on a leisure sheet. Always being perfectly prepared is Rem's virtue, but her flaw of overthinking and preparing unnecessary things was also showing.

"Well, Ram must be satisfied with all this... but for Ram to have to go this far, what kind of club did she agree to help?"

"The girls' judo club."

"Girls' judo club... did our school have one of those? I didn't know."

Even hearing Rem's story, the image of a girls' judo club didn't click for me. Our Lugunica Academy is a school where club activities are quite popular, so they often get decent results in prefectural tournaments and such. So, famous clubs usually reach your ears naturally.

"After all, our Handicrafts Club and Home Economics Club are regulars at the national tournament."

"Heh, is that so? That's amazing... wait! Nationals for Handicrafts and Home Economics!?"

"Oh, were you wondering what they do? For your information, it's quite athletic... it wouldn't be an exaggeration to call them cultural sports clubs. They compete in the speed of running stitches, how many needles they can thread within a time limit, and the precision of setting up a sewing machine..."

Handicrafts can be surprisingly deep when you push the competitive aspect. By the way, our school is a regular at the national tournament, but in most cases, the Handicrafts Club and Home Economics Club participate at the same time and end up crushing each other. We just accept it as a proxy war between the advisors, Frederica-sensei and Clind-sensei.

"Well, the most famous one at our school is the Light Music Club led by Liliana-chan. They even do national tours; they're quite something for an indie band."

"That doesn't sound like club activities at all anymore!"

"Lugunica Academy seems to have loose discipline in that regard, so it's allowed. It seems Liliana-sensei's passion reached Principal Wilhelm."

"The legendary direct appeal where Liliana-chan's teeth-guitar struck Principal Wilhelm's heart... I wish I could have seen it while I was still a student."

Liliana-chan and the Principal might seem like opposites, but since they both share a passion for the things they love, they actually get along quite well. Liliana-chan was apparently so moved by the Principal's stories of his wife that "Sword Demon Love Song" is a very popular song in the Light Music Club's setlist, and a photo of the Principal and his wife is even used for the jacket.

"Anyway, thinking about Liliana-chan is just idle talk, so setting that aside... I get the story about the girls' judo club, but why is Ram training?"

"That is..."

"—To want to know every single detail of Ram's actions, what a lewd man."

"Uhyowai!?"

I jumped at the sudden cold voice from behind. Interrupting Rem's answer and digging directly into my eardrums was my other childhood friend, Ram. Ram, in a hoodie and jogging shoes, was breathing slightly hard as she stared at me with her light crimson eyes.

"So, why is Barusu here? Surely you didn't hear that Ram was training and come all this way just to tease her?"

"I wouldn't do something so idle. As Nee-sama knows, I'm the type who wants to secure every last second of sleep. That's why I chose a school closest to my house."

"Because Barusu chose a school for such a reason, Ram had no choice but to go to that school too... haah. How selfish."

Ram sighed as she wiped a drop of sweat from her forehead with her finger. Behind the exchange between Ram and me, I heard Emilia softly whisper to Rem.

"Hey, why did Ram have to go to the school Subaru chose?"

"That's simple. Because Rem had decided to go to whatever school Subaru-kun went to. And since Rem wanted to attend the same school as Nee-sama, she asked Nee-sama to do so as well."

"I see. ...Wait, so it was Rem-san's selfishness?"

"Yes. Nee-sama is far too kind for listening to Rem's selfishness."

Rem blushed slightly, savoring the feeling of being loved by her sister. As you can tell from the conversation, Ram might seem to act high-handedly, but in terms of actual power dynamics, Rem is overwhelmingly superior in this sisterly relationship. However, Rem's respect for Ram is genuine, so she never tries to use her sister for her own convenience. She's just very clingy.

"Well, setting aside Rem's Rem-ness... it's rare for you to exercise until you're sweating like that. Is Roswaal-san going to do a report on the girls' judo club?"

"Stop linking everything to romance like that, you in-heat brain."

"In-heat brain is going too far!!"

I snapped back at Ram's poisonous words, but she just gave her usual "Hah!" and laughed through her nose. But if it's not about Roswaal-san, it becomes even more confusing. I could only think of Roswaal-san or Rem as reasons for Ram to give her all.

"The girls' judo club has few members, and if the third-years retire after the next tournament, the club won't be able to continue. So, Nee-sama just wants to produce proper results for them as a ringer."

"I see. Ram-san is veeery kind."

"————"

Rem unraveled my doubt, and Emilia clasped her hands in front of her chest at the explanation, while Puck, lying on the ground, nodded in admiration. I see, I was also convinced by Rem's explanation. Ram might look like she treats everyone with a cold attitude, but she's surprisingly deep-hearted.

"...What's with that look?"

"Nothing? I was just thinking, Nee-sama is surprisingly kind... Ouch!!"

A low kick was ruthlessly slammed into the back of my knee! As I fell to my knees, Ram, who had delivered the kick from a perfect stance, pulled her leg back.

"Leg sweep practice. It seems to be showing results."

"If you slam a leg sweep like that, the girls' judo club will be banned from the premises immediately...!"

"Don't worry, the girls' judo club will be disbanded after this tournament anyway. There won't be any lingering trouble."

"What a violent thing to say to hide your embarrassment!"

I was exasperated by Ram's refusal to let her kindness be acknowledged, but I shook my knee and stood up. Yeah, I can still move my leg. Once, when I said too many unnecessary things and took too many low kicks from Ram, my leg swelled up purple and I couldn't stand.

"At that time, I claimed an anaconda that appeared in the garden squeezed my leg..."

"Isn't an anaconda a bit of a stretch? It's not something you encounter in a garden."

"I couldn't say I couldn't stand because my childhood friend kicked me too much."

To be lectured on common sense by a cat, I've really fallen. By the way, after the weekend, Rem, who knew the circumstances, desperately appealed, "An anaconda did it! It wasn't Nee-sama!" so my resistance was in vain.

"So? Setting aside Ram and Rem who is accompanying her, what's with the habitual oversleeper Barusu? And with a cute transfer student too... how lewd."

"Don't jump to conclusions! I woke up early to keep Beako company, and I just ran into Emilia-tan by chance! Pure speculation!"

"Shut up."

"Snake fist!?"

Ram's counter to my protest was a "snake fist," a type of Chinese martial art. It's a terrifying killing art that mimics the movements of a snake, but why she has mastered it is a mystery.

"It's just as Subaru says. I was just walking around the neighborhood and met Subaru. It was a coincidence."

"This is just advice, but is that really a coincidence?"

"Eh, could it be... after all, a duel...?"

"Nee-sama, stop saying unnecessary things! And you're still dragging out yesterday's thing!"

Ram's suspicion aside, Emilia's thought was a complete misunderstanding. As for the background of Emilia mistakenly thinking that I, who gave her a school tour after school, was looking for a timing to pick a fight, please refer to "School Re:Zero! 2nd Period!" Anyway—

"We've spent some time, but as I said, I'm in the middle of showing Emilia-tan around town. Ram and Rem seem busy too, so we'll be going."

"Right. It's a shame, but..."

"—Ah, is that so. It's a shame to say goodbye to Puck-chan too."

Rem looked disappointed as we were about to leave, her eyebrows slightly lowered. Just like with Ram, I'm weak to this face of Rem's. Now, before I could think of an alternative, Ram sighed, "Can't be helped."

"Rem, go with Barusu and the others. Ram will be fine alone."

"Eh... but that's bad for Nee-sama. With all this luggage..."

"These are things Rem prepared for Ram. I won't let a single one go to waste, and I won't think of them as a burden. —I'll just make that Otto over there carry them."

"Ueh!?"

Ram, who had gently stroked Rem's cheek while saying that, pointed down the road. There, a surprised Otto in a jersey was approaching. Apparently, Otto was also on a morning run, and he was wide-eyed at the sudden nomination.

"Um, what have I suddenly been dragged into? Or rather, why are all of you, who aren't even in sports clubs, on the riverbank jogging course at this hour?"

"Don't sweat the details, Otto. I'll leave the luggage to you."

"Ehh!?"

"Thank you, Otto-kun. Please make sure Nee-sama drinks warm tea regularly so her body doesn't get cold. I'm counting on you."

"Wait!?"

"I don't really get it, but Otto-kun, you're veeery relied upon. I think that's a wonderful thing, so do your best."

"Even the transfer student!?"

Leaving the flustered Otto behind, we walked away without explaining. Sorry, Otto. You were born under that kind of star. I think dealing with Nee-sama is tough, but it's your fault for passing by.

"No matter how you look at it, isn't this too unreasonable!?"

"Stop making a fuss and get ready. A man making such unmanly noises... this is already hopeless."

"Even though you're the one making me help!?"

Behind us, the absolute power difference between the oppressor and the oppressed was being demonstrated. Resistance is futile, so Otto should just give up and accept his fate. Even so—

"Even though he's the ace of the soccer club, there aren't many guys who get treated like that..."

For the record, Otto is the ace striker of the soccer club, not a ringer or anything, but I should add that he has none of that aura.

△▼△▼△▼△

"Still, even though it's early morning, I run into acquaintances surprisingly often..."

"Thinking about it that way, the morning hours when I'm usually asleep are like a treasure chest. It makes me feel glad I woke up, and it's veeery fun."

"Emilia-san is very positive. Rem also thinks it's a very wonderful thing."

"Nyaan."

After dumping the task of babysitting Ram onto Otto, the three of us and one cat resumed our walk. We exchanged nods and greetings with people passing by, savoring the joy of sharing a refreshing morning. Fortunately, Emilia didn't seem to be the shy type, and she was getting along well with Rem, who has a rather strong personality. Puck, who was being squeezed between the two of them, was contributing to mediating their relationship.

"So cute... how old is Puck-chan?"

"Umm... I don't really know. Puck has just been by my side for as long as I can remember... I think it's been over ten years."

"If a cat is ten years old, I think that's quite elderly."

"Well, I understand the desire to convert it to human years, but I'll go with the policy of not being open about my age, just think of me as a kind of monster cat."

"I can't think that."

It's troubling to have him casually bring up being a monster cat. However, given that only I can hear his words, there really is a suspicion of him being a monster cat... or a suspicion that I've gone crazy.

"Did I awaken to a new power by taking Beako's hip attacks every morning... Lately, if you're going to get hit by a truck and reincarnate to get power, awakening to power while continuing to catch your sister's butt would be so new it might not be accepted."

And then, a conflict breaks out where many people shed blood fighting over Beako's butt, which played a part in the brother's awakening—"Beako Butt War" begins.

"This is bad, Beako's butt, Beako's butt is going to split in two...!"

"Subaru is saying something weird again..."

"Don't worry. When it comes to his sister Beatrice-chan, Subaru-kun tends to overthink things a bit. But Rem thinks that's also a wonderful part of the sister-loving Subaru-kun. It means he cherishes his sister."

"No, that doesn't mean I'll show my brotherly nature to other people's sisters. I cherish Rem regardless of that."

"Oh, to say you'll cherish me for life, I'm blushing..."

"I didn't say that, I didn't say that."

Rem blushed and started running wild, so I waved my hand in my usual way. As we were talking, I noticed another dog owner passing by and was about to nod. —I realized the owner was a familiar face.

"Wait, isn't that Felt and Reinhard? What are you doing?"

"...Tch, found us."

"Tch" is quite a greeting, but the one who looked truly annoyed at being called out by me was my classmate, the Cinderella girl, Felt. By the way, I don't mean she's an idol or an aspiring idol; the reason Felt is treated as a Cinderella girl (according to my research) is because she's being targeted by a prince. That prince is the beautiful young man standing next to the scowling Felt—Reinhard van Astrea.

Reinhard is a perfect superhuman who excels in both academics and sports, and is one of the most handsome guys in the school, the city, or even the prefecture, but for some reason, he is devoted to Felt. Felt is the one who always looks genuinely annoyed by Reinhard's passionate advances, but—

"A tryst in the early morning. Don't tell me all that behavior at school was just a camouflage..."

"Wha—! No way! I didn't want to say anything because I knew you'd say that! I'm only doing this for Rommy's sake!"

"Rommy is..."

Looking closely, the dog connected to the red lead in Felt's hand barked. It was a fairly large dog, and I felt its power might swing the small Felt around, but it seemed Reinhard was controlling it well. Or rather, what is the relationship between this dog and Reinhard?

"Good morning. You two are classmates too. Reinhard and the close friend Felt-chan..."

"We're not close. What? Even the transfer student sees me that way? Ah, damn it, this is no joke."

Felt scratched her head violently, offended by Emilia's words. Emilia seemed surprised by Felt's overreaction, but Reinhard gave a wry smile.

"Sorry for startling you. Felt seems a bit on edge this morning. She's always like this when I'm around, but she's usually a much kinder girl. I'd be happy if you didn't misunderstand her."

"Are you my mother!? From what perspective are you saying that!"

"Mm, I understand. It's okay. I know that well. After all, this doggy is so attached to her."

Ignoring Felt's protest in between, Emilia smiled while pointing at Rommy, who was snuggling at Felt's feet. In fact, Felt has a foul mouth but is good at taking care of others, and despite her cute appearance, she's a girl with a lot of guts and a manly atmosphere, so she's surprisingly popular among boys. However, most boys quickly back off when they realize Reinhard is in the rival slot. It's like challenging a nuclear bomb to rock-paper-scissors. In other words, it's pointless.

"But how are the two of you related to this Rommy-chan?"

"Originally, Rommy was an abandoned dog. When I found him, Felt and I were on our way home together... and we were wondering what to do. At that time,"

"...My house doesn't have the leeway to keep Rommy. Then this guy said he'd keep him instead. And it'd be weird to just leave everything to him, right?"

"So, I'm having Felt understand the responsibility by having her walk Rommy in the morning or play with him outside on holidays."

"Heh..."

I see, Reinhard took in the abandoned dog they found together, and Felt is helping with the care. And so, they ran into us during their morning walk. It sounds like a heartwarming episode, but—

"Felt, I feel like your outer defenses are being steadily filled in..."

"Don't say it. I've vaguely realized it..."

Currently, Felt is violently rejecting Reinhard's passionate advances, but it's obvious even to an onlooker that she's gradually becoming unable to refuse due to the mere-exposure effect. It seemed like only a matter of time before she fell, a countdown in my mind.

"Lately, Felt has been coming over to our house, so Grandmother is happy that her snacks are worth making. Your impressions are honest and straightforward."

"I'll say something tastes bad if it tastes bad. The only reason I tell the old lady her food is good is because it is good. ...Seriously, I'd hang out at your house all the time if only you weren't there."

"That's a bit of a difficult reaction to handle."

Felt muttered that with deep emotion, but Reinhard could only give a wry smile. From my perspective, it was quite a thing to say, but Reinhard didn't seem bothered; he's a man with a heart of steel. Someone like Reinhard probably isn't used to rejection.

"No matter the reaction, just knowing I'm getting one from Felt makes me surprisingly happy. I'm also surprised to find such a side of myself."

"Well, they say love is blind, and if you try walking a path you've always walked with your eyes closed, it's natural to feel it differently, right?"

"—. I see, that's an interesting opinion. I'll adopt it."

It was just a random remark, but being strangely admired made me feel like I had said something good.

"Anyway! I'm only with this guy for Rommy's sake, out of necessity. Don't get it wrong. Also, don't go spreading it around at school!"

"Alright, alright. I'll keep my lips zipped."

"I'm telling you, that goes for email and LINE too!"

"Tch, you're sharp."

Pressed by Felt, I reluctantly took out the phone I had hidden behind my back. I was planning to secretly share it with everyone in class, but I had no choice here.

"Well then, see you later at school."

"Don't spread it!"

We parted ways with the waving Reinhard and the ever-suspicious Felt. At this rate, the day Reinhard's efforts bear fruit might not be far off.

"It's a bit sad for some reason..."

"Is it the feeling of a friend being taken by a girl?"

"Or perhaps it's because Subaru-kun will lose the bet on how long Felt-san can keep running from Reinhard-san's advances."

"Five points to Rem."

"I did it! I'll write it down."

"Eh! What, what? No fair, no fair!"

Seeing Rem busily writing something in a notebook, Emilia was flustered, wondering what was going on, but it was just a point with no particular meaning that had slipped out of my mouth. It's not like anything happens when you collect them, and I don't remember ever letting her collect them before.

"With this, Subaru-kun points have exceeded 200,000 points in total. I feel a sense of accomplishment."

"I gave you enough points to reach that many!?"

"Wow, what a well-worn notebook... what happens when they're collected?"

"I don't know. But Rem is waiting with a pounding heart, thinking that one day Subaru-kun might give her something surprising for the amount of points she's collected."

"The pressure is immense. I wish you'd told me when it was around 100 points and still manageable."

200,000 points... even if I gave her 5 points at a time, she'd have to have done it 40,000 times to reach that. How long has she been measuring this? And what can I do to live up to 200,000 points?

"How about stroking your head for 10 points?"

"Then you'll stroke my head 20,000 times."

"My neck will snap!"

Since I couldn't say anything careless, I had Rem forgive me by promising to create a point correspondence table next time. However, by my standards, I couldn't really judge what I could do to make the points higher.

"For example, Emilia-tan, what would make you happy if I did it for you?"

"Me? Let's see... ah, I might be happy if we could go for a walk together like today. I think that would be veeery fun. Waking up early in the morning wouldn't be hard anymore."

"E.M.T..."

"Eh? What happened all of a sudden?"

"I don't know. Something warm just overflowed from my lips."

I think I wanted to say "Emilia-tan Maji Tenshi" (Emilia-tan is seriously an angel). It wasn't much of a reference, but as a teenage boy, I was very happy to hear her say that.

"By the way, Rem, what about a morning walk?"

"I would be very happy. However, watching Subaru-kun's sleeping face in the morning is also a childhood friend privilege given to Rem, so it's very hard to tip the scales."

"That childhood friend privilege, who gave it to you? God?"

"God."

"I see..."

It was a force that made me back down, thinking there was nothing I could do if it was given by God. As we were walking like that, I could see the luxurious view of the cherry blossom trees lining the riverbank in the distance—the cherry blossoms were just beginning to bloom, and the full-bloom pink scenery was a feast for the eyes.

"Wow..."

"How is it? It's quite something, right? Around here, it's known as a cherry blossom spot, and when people think of flower viewing, this is where they gather."

"There's also a cherry blossom festival this weekend, so if you'd like, let's go together."

"Is it okay?"

While looking at the frames of the stalls being set up for the festival here and there, Emilia, who was invited by Rem, looked surprised. Seeing Emilia's reaction, Rem and I looked at each other and nodded at the same time.

"Of course." "Was there something bad? Ah, did you have a promise with someone else..."

"N-No, that's not it. It's just, I just transferred here, and I find it mysterious that the two of you... not just you two, but everyone is so kind to me."

Emilia's words were halting and slightly hesitant. Even hearing that, it didn't really click for me. I didn't think I was doing anything particularly kind, and if we're classmates, isn't this normal? Especially with a beautiful girl.

"I think this is pretty normal. Right, Rem?"

"Subaru-kun, who can calmly handle such normal things, is also wonderful. Rem is impressed."

"Even though it's normal!?"

"Pfft."

Hearing Rem's usual reaction, Emilia suddenly burst out laughing. She trembled with the urge to laugh, saying, "I'm going to die, I'm going to die..."

"...Mm, I understand. I'll take you up on your kindness. I'll go to the festival with you."

"That's the spirit!"

I snapped my fingers at Emilia's answer and shouted for joy. The early bird catches the worm. —If there's this much of a reward, waking up early was worth it.

△▼△▼△▼△

Waking up early allowed me to make a promise to go to the festival with Emilia. So, my summary of this morning is that waking up early isn't bad once in a while. However—

"In this class, there's probably almost no one who isn't going to the festival this weekend."

"It is because a group of festival-lovers has gathered. There will be no one who does not show their face. Naturally, Mineself intends to conquer the stalls as well."

"So the Princess says, but it's not easy for me who has to accompany her. For your information, the stomach and intestines of an old man who's reached a good age don't want to be lined up with you youngsters."

The one saying that while clanking his high-performance prosthetic left hand was Al-san. Priscilla, who is also the granddaughter of the chairman of Lugunica Academy, often brings her attendant Al-san to school. By the way, Al-san is a man of many mysteries who has a prosthetic arm and hides his head every day with various headgear. Well, when you talk to him, he's just an ordinary middle-aged guy who's tired of life, so that gap is also one of the reasons he's interesting.

"Still, I'm jealous of you being in the prime of youth from the morning. A cute childhood friend and a beautiful transfer student... if I had been in a class full of such beauties when I was a student, I might have aimed for a chance and had more of a youth."

"Well, I get the feeling. I also felt like I was going to turn into powder every day from a little thing until I got used to the beauty rate of this class."

"What nonsense are you spouting? With Mineself's radiance alone, it would be enough to turn the likes of you into ash. In fact, I do not mind if you turn into ash right now. Well?"

"I mind, so don't!"

I stuck my tongue out at Priscilla, who was saying such grand things while brandishing an expensive-looking fan. For the record, Priscilla is one of the people who contributes greatly to raising the beauty rate of our class, so it's hard to argue with her claim. I'm not so weak as to throw a "you're not a beauty" sour grapes comment at a beauty.

—My morning walk ended, I returned home normally, changed into my uniform, and went to school. If I just say that, it's just a morning scene, but when I try to go to school a bit earlier than usual, I find many things, just like on my morning walk. For example, talking to Priscilla and Al-san like this is one of them.

"But I didn't think Priscilla would be at school at this hour."

"The Princess is actually quite an early riser. In fact, I, who have to accompany her, have been remodeled into a morning person. It's hard to watch late-night anime."

"But there's plenty of streaming now. I'm watching it too, 'Isekai Wanted'."

'Isekai Wanted' is an anime that crossovers various isekai anime. Since it's a crossover of works not by the same author, I think the director in charge is probably dying. I'd like to take this opportunity to praise their hard work. Anyway—

"The cherry blossom festival this weekend... could this be, by any chance, a promise for a full-blown date with Emilia-tan?"

"Ho, a date."

"A man and a woman arranging to go to some kind of event... if that's not a date, what is! Even if it's the result of a group outing, considering this morning's event, it's definitely a date! I'm getting fired up...!"

"What a pathetic state. In the first place, you go out to play with the younger of those twin sisters all the time. With that experience, is it something to be so tense about now?"

It's funny that I'm basically consulting Priscilla about a date, but the conditions Priscilla raised are not helpful at all.

"For your information, Rem is a childhood friend I've been with since kindergarten, you know? Honestly, if it's just a simple outing, we've done it countless times, so it's not a reference."

"That sounds like a very 'ouch' thing to say, but that means this is the first time you're seriously thinking about a date. How fresh."

"Hehe, right? I'm so nervous that something sour is rising from my stomach."

"You, do not dare let that overflow in front of Mineself, understood?"

Closing her fan with a snap, Priscilla lifted my chin with its tip. I was in a "chin flick" state, but it looked good when she did it.

"Strive as much as you can. In any era, a woman loves to watch a man struggle to entertain her. Unless something extraordinary happens, the girl won't feel bad about it."

"Watching the struggle sounds like a wicked woman's values... but was that just encouragement?"

If so, I felt like I had encountered a very rare situation. However, the moment I said that, the temperature of Priscilla's crimson eyes dropped. This is bad, I thought, and I was about to apologize for my slip of the tongue—

"What, what? Were you talking about the festival just now?"

"...A vixen, is it?"

The one who gallantly cut into the conversation was Anastasia, a beautiful girl whose vigorous Kansai dialect felt good today as always. Priscilla frowned unpleasantly at Anastasia's intrusion. The cat-and-dog relationship between these two is very famous in the school, so they are treated as "do not mix" as much as possible. However, the reason why frequent clashes still occur is probably due to the error in personnel placement by the teachers who put these two in the same class.

"Well, no use escaping reality. What's up, Anastasia? You usually don't cut in when I'm talking to Priscilla."

"Well, I usually would, right? But when it's about the festival, I can't miss it, can I? My chamber of commerce is going to set up a lot of stalls, and pre-research and marketing from customers are useful."

Anastasia answered with a wink—the chamber of commerce she mentioned is an association of individual shops and businesses in this area. Anastasia, who loves business and money, frequents the chamber of commerce and runs around day and night with adults for regional revitalization. Her intuition is apparently extraordinary, and it seems the victory road built by Anastasia's maneuvers is hidden behind the successes the chamber of commerce has been achieving in recent years. However—

"I wonder how much of that is true..."

"—. I wonder what that look is. Do you have something you want to say to me?"

Receiving my gaze, Julius, who was with Anastasia with an elegant air, closed one eye. By the way, the previous information about Anastasia was something I heard from Julius, and it's a mystery what kind of praise this guy, who highly evaluates this cute miser, added.

"Lately, the number of young people visiting festivals has decreased, and it's tough for those of us on the organizing side. So, any ideas are very welcome. Even if it's from the weird Princess, it might be of some use."

"As always, an ill-mannered vixen. Is that the attitude of someone asking for a favor? If you wish to hear Mineself's words, start by humbly begging for them. Only then will I decide whether or not to listen to your wish."

"Ah, it's fine, if you don't want to say anything. My main target is Natsuki-kun anyway. The Princess's opinions are just hard for commoners to understand and use."

"To shelf your own lack of understanding and go out of your way to belittle something noble is impressive. That pettiness is remarkable. After all, it is so small that one must strain one's eyes to see it."

They exchanged intense insults and eventually, the final war began. I felt like the start wasn't bad this time, but why does it always end up like this?

"Hmm, it's a mystery. Speaking of mysteries, you not stopping them even though you know it'll turn into a fight is also a mystery."

"Hmm, I see. This is my personal view, but Ana doesn't necessarily hate Priscilla-san. They just don't get along. I think she recognizes her ability. Just as I recognize you in a sense."

"What does 'in a sense' mean? What kind of sense is it, you bastard."

Since there was no way to take it positively, I naturally took a fighting pose. After all, Julius and I are two lines that will never cross. I was a fool for trying to listen seriously.

"Good grief, I can't laugh at Ana like this."

"What are you satisfied with on your own... Oh, the student council top two. What are you two doing for the festival this weekend?"

Ignoring the handsome guy who shrugged and gave a nihilistic smile, I turned to Crusch and Ferris, who were chatting in the seats in front and behind. At my call, Crusch put a finger to her chin and said, "Us?"

"Naturally, we will participate in the festival... but as the student council president, I have a duty to oversee that the students don't go too far. So, I don't intend to be in much of a playful mood."

"Ehh~, that's so lonely. It's a festival, so even if it's too early for yukata, let's dress up properly~."

"Hmm, that's true. Indeed, walking under the full-bloom cherry blossoms in the same clothes as usual lacks freshness. Besides, I also want to see Ferris dressed up under the cherry blossoms. I agree."

"Ehe. Then, I'll prepare Crusch-sama's outfit too."

Crusch pampered the head-over-heels Ferris, but well, they have that kind of incomprehensible relationship, so their usual flirting didn't feel out of place. In the end, more than half of the class was almost certainly participating.

"In our case, Beako... well, Petra-chan or Meili-chan will take care of her. Even if not, I'm more worried about Dad, who will have Beako taken away from him."

"—? You're worried about your father, not your sister?"

Emilia, who had finished her errands at the staff room, came over just as I was expressing my inner thoughts. To her question, I nodded, "That's right."

"In our house, the parents... especially the father, can't let go of his child at all. He tries to bind Beako in every way, so it's hard for me to have her all to myself."

"I see... wait? Did you just say you also want her all to yourself, Subaru?"

"—? Of course, because Beako is my Beako..."

If possible, I'd like to carry her around in my bag without ever leaving her side, but lately, Beatrice has grown too big for the bag and has built her own relationships, so I can't bind her that much. But occasionally, I want her to let me monopolize her.

"It's such a lonely brotherly heart."

"I see. ...But I might understand that feeling a little."

"Eh! Does Emilia-tan also want to eat Beako!?"

"You wanted to eat her!?"

When confronted head-on, I also don't really know what I want to do with Beako. I've heard that cat owners love their cats so much that their expressions of affection become incomprehensible, and I feel like it's close to that.

"So, what did you mean by understanding the feeling?"

"The part about not being able to let go of a child. Actually, my parents also cherish me veeery much... and it's tough."

"Heh, it's tough."

"Even this morning, after I parted with Subaru and the others and went home, it was tough talking about what happened during the walk. They said, 'Next time, you must bring that Subaru-kun, desu!'"

"Desu!?"

The parents seem to have quite a forceful accent. However, Emilia's expression as she said that was soft, so it seems the family relationship is good. Just like our house, it's a good thing for family relationships to be good. Sometimes it's annoying, and I think they should knock before entering the room, but it's a good thing.

"Basically, all my complaints about my home come from my dad..."

"Ah, right. Speaking of which, when I went to the staff room earlier, Frederica-sensei seemed busy, like something happened."

"Heh, I wonder what. Delica-sensei is always busy."

It's mainly due to being in charge of a class full of problem children, but the hardworking and dedicated Frederica-sensei runs around solving problems like a classic school drama. Occasionally being outmaneuvered by Clind-sensei is also part of the routine.

"Still, with Emilia-tan's transfer yesterday, interesting events just don't stop."

"But that's a veeery luxurious thing, isn't it? Having many fun things every day."

"Emilia-tan is a master at finding happiness."

"Really? Fufu, thanks."

As we were talking like that, the bell rang to announce the start of HR. The people in the classroom began to return to their seats, and those from other classes or those who were late to school also took their seats. Today, as every day, everyone was present, and our class had perfect attendance—.

"Hmm? Somehow, there's one extra seat by the window..."

"—Yes, yes, everyone is here."

Before my doubt could be fully voiced, Frederica-sensei appeared, opening the door. Frederica-sensei, who stood beautifully with her back straight as always, seemed to have a hint of fatigue mixed in her voice today.

"Delica-sensei, did something happen? You look a bit low on energy."

"...Natsuki-kun, you notice things well. Even so, I was trying my best to hide it, you know?"

"I'm right in front of the teacher's desk, and Frederica-sensei is a beauty, so I look at your face a lot. Maybe that's why?"

"――――"

When I answered seriously, Frederica-sensei narrowed her emerald eyes and fell silent. Unable to read the intent of that reaction, I whispered to Rem on my right.

"Rem, Rem, did I say something weird?"

"No, nothing comes to mind. You were the wonderful Subaru-kun as always."

"I think the problem is that that is as always, though."

Even though I didn't ask for an opinion, the guy on my left was being noisy with his retort. Anyway—

"Ahem. Anyway, let's move on. Yesterday, Emilia-san was transferred to this class, but actually, I have something to tell you today as well."

"Hey now, what's with that lead-up? Don't tell me, a new character—"

I thought that would be too much of a haphazard or unprincipled way to spice things up, but I tried saying it anyway, riding the momentum. However, hearing my words, Frederica-sensei let out a deep sigh. And then—

"—Unbelievably, that's exactly right, Natsuki-kun."

"Eh, that voice is..."

While I was surprised by the voice I heard, a figure appeared, opening the front door of the classroom. Seeing the figure slowly stepping forward, I was stunned. An outfit that looked like black mourning clothes from top to bottom, and a beauty who wore it with a strangely decadent allure. Her long hair was pure white, having lost its pigment, and a butterfly-shaped hair ornament was very eye-catching. This was also the appearance of an incredibly beautiful woman—

"Echidna-san? The third daughter of the six sisters living next door to me! Isn't that Echidna-san!"

"Thank you for the explanatory line. As Natsuki-kun introduced, my name is Echidna. —Starting today, I will be doing my teaching practicum at this academy."

"T-Teaching practicum—!?"

We were stirred up by Echidna-san, who smiled thinly and bowed on the platform. A student teacher—it's a rare position that gives color to school life with a sense of distance and standing slightly different from classmates or regular teachers. A practicum conducted to obtain a teaching license, in other words, the student teacher is a student, not a teacher, and high school boys can't hide their confusion at the encounter with a woman of an age they don't usually interact with.

"Damn, to think you had such a hidden card... when we had tea together the other day, you didn't mention that at all."

"I thought I'd surprise Natsuki-kun. Besides, if I told you, it might have become known to other students as well. Of course, my main goal was to see your surprised face... were you surprised?"

"Well, I was greatly surprised, but..."

I scratched my cheek in embarrassment at Echidna-san's mischievousness. It hasn't even been a year since Echidna-san and her six sisters moved next door to us, but this older woman seems to like teasing young people with various schemes, and currently, I am the victim of her cute malice. I didn't think she would set it up like this, and I was amazed by her thoroughness.

"Still, with Emilia-tan yesterday and Echidna-san today... you're throwing in surprising and interesting events one after another. As expected of Delica-sensei, an entertainer!"

"Please stop saying it as if I'm the mastermind. Besides, the story doesn't actually end here."

"Heh?"

Frederica-sensei, who put a hand to her head, made me wide-eyed at her words. But the answer to that lack of understanding came directly from the front.

"――――"

With a bang, the same door Echidna-san had entered through opened forcefully. The silhouette that appeared was taller than Echidna-san. It was a tall woman with long brown hair tied back. Dressed in an unfamiliar uniform, she bypassed the platform and stood gallantly with her arms crossed. —For some reason, right in front of me.

"――――"

"Um, excuse me? Who might you be?"

She was a beauty with green eyes and rare red patterns in them, having a strong gaze. She wore her uniform with only one button fastened, exposing a style with a lethal gaze-directing power. She was a good match for Priscilla in terms of modified uniforms, and her style was not inferior to Priscilla's, which tells you how extraordinary she was. However, this sudden glaring was more of a problem for me than that extraordinary body.

I didn't know if she was suddenly going to pick a fight, but since I had just seen an example of a beautiful transfer student who agreed to a duel after school, I didn't know what kind of nonsensical development would occur. I was also worried about the low kick I took from Ram lingering in my knee. And so, in front of me, who was stiffening with such anxiety, the beauty's lips moved.

"—Found you."

"Heh?"

"—Ma-st-er—!!"

"Uwap!?"

Her serious expression changed completely, and the beauty, smiling broadly, hugged me from the front. Then, she pressed my face into her bountiful chest and hugged me tightly.

"Mou mou mou, I've been waiting for the time of our reunion! You've become like this, but I knew at a glance! Master, Master~!"

"Moga moga!"

"Eh? I can't hear what you're saying. But it's safe, secure, and okay. No matter how pathetic Master looks, I'll continue to love you just the same!"

Exposed to the violence of her large breasts, she wouldn't let go of me as I desperately struggled. Or rather, her arm strength was extraordinary, and I seriously couldn't break the lock. I'm going to die at this rate. The cause of death is large breasts.

"—Wait! Who in the world are you! Please let go of Subaru-kun! Subaru-kun is going to die!"

"Mu..."

The one who rescued me from that heaven-hell was Rem, who forcefully grabbed my arm and pulled the beauty away. Rem hugged my right arm tightly and glared at the beauty, who looked dissatisfied.

"What's with you. Don't interfere with the reunion between me and Master."

"You're the one being too sudden! Isn't it pitiful for Subaru-kun? Who are you..."

"I'm Shaula. I'm in the long-distance childhood friend position who met Master when we were little, parted, and made a promise to reunite!"

"—! Subaru-kun's childhood friend position belongs to Rem!"

Suddenly having her position shaken, an angry Rem pulled my right arm. But to counter that, the beauty—who called herself Shaula—pulled my left arm.

"Guaaaaa!!"

Two beautiful girls fought over me, and in an instant, both my shoulders screamed. At this moment, the words "Judgment of Solomon" crossed my mind—the biological mother and the foster mother who love the baby, when they fight over it, which mother lets go of the baby out of concern for it. In other words, the one who considers my body is the one who truly cares for me—

"B-Both of you, calm down! Subaru is going to tear, so don't pull each other!"

"Gyaaaaaaa!!"

Emilia, who couldn't bear to watch me being fought over, joined in to stop them. As a result, my right leg was grabbed by Emilia, and I was about to be torn apart by the gravitational pull from three directions. And as a routine in such a situation.

"In that case, the correct answer would be for me to hold the left leg."

"T-There is no correct answer, Echidna-san, help..."

"Unfortunately, it's difficult for a non-athletic person like me to compete with them. But in terms of the depth of my feelings for you, I don't think I fall behind... how embarrassing to say that."

"Is this the time for that...!"

Echidna-san blushed slightly, but unfortunately, I didn't have the leeway to react to such a small change in her heart. At this rate, I'll be torn in four directions.

"Hang in there, Subaru! I'll help you now!"

"Subaru-kun's childhood friend position belongs to Rem...!"

"Master! I'll have you fulfill the promise we made when we parted...!"

"I'll at least try to prove my feelings for you by not letting go until the end, but what do you think?"

While tasting the pain of my four limbs being twisted off, I saw the hellish picture that should have been happy, where beautiful girls were fighting over me. It was like a premonition of the business of my school life from now on—

"Well, this is Echidna-san, the student teacher, and Shaula-san, the second transfer student in two days. Everyone, please be kind to them so they can quickly fit into the class."

"—Yes!"

The cheerful reply of my classmates overlapped with Frederica-sensei's words, which sounded like she had given up on everything. Feeling that as if it were an event in a far-off world, my consciousness seemed to gradually, gradually drift away to the other side of eternity.

"W-What's going to happen to me from now on...?"

"...I don't really know, but it doesn't look like it'll be anything good."

And the last thing that slipped into my fading consciousness was the muttering of Otto, who had successfully settled into the best friend position of a gal game.

—What's going to happen to my student life!?

<<To be continued in School Re:Zero! 4th Period!>>

The 3rd Period after 4 and a half years since the last 2nd Period! Every year on April Fools' I post an IF route, but as you know, since Arc 6 isn't finished, I couldn't put out any more IF routes! Sorry! Also, in my own image, the IF routes so far have been modeled after the seven deadly sins, so I've already filled them all. School Re:Zero! can be called the "Vainglory Route," so to speak, but I hope it continues little by little!

See you later! When things settle down a bit more, I'll resume updating the main story!