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When you are playing games, don’t you have times when you think your companions are pulling your leg? 

Getting friendly fired, purposely waking up a sleeping enemy, and many others. 

There’s also cases when you try to run away to the other side of the screen, but the screen doesn’t switch or follow. When you wonder what’s going on, it is actually because your companion is in the middle of casting. 

Even though you are using the gauge you worked so hard to fill up in order to activate a strong spell, it doesn’t activate. Wondering why, you look at your side, and there would be other companions who were also using spells on the same enemy, so the spell is waiting in line until those are finished. 

The HP is flashing red now, so you tried to run away, yet your legs stopped. When you search for the reason, it is because your own companion was casting a healing spell on themselves.

There’s countless other cases, but this happens because of things like: you can’t escape while a command is in progress, because you can’t use magic at the same time against the same enemy, characters that are using healing spells can’t move; the systems of the game itself would come into play here. 

They were all things that I doubted they would exist in Nekomimi Neko as well, but I was wrong. 

When you use skills and spells with intense effects, it was discovered that similar phenomenons occurred. 

The prime example of this is the reward of the Blue Bird event, the healing spell: Last Heal. 

Last Heal is a powerful healing spell, and a flashy effect that fits its potency happens. 

I don’t know if it is because of this, but it was discovered that a mysterious phenomenon happened where the character that has been targeted by that spell won’t be able to move a single step from that place, and won’t be able to use skills or spells in that timeframe. 

The visual effect of that spell is a flashy one where a blue bird appears above the caster, but it also has the special trait of throwing complex light effects on each character that is affected by it. 

The truth of it is still not clear, but it was analyzed in the Nekomimi Neko Wiki that maybe it was because ‘it would be difficult for the effects to follow moving characters, so they might have made it so characters can’t move when it is used’. Also, ‘they probably feared the clash of effects from other skills and magic, so they made them impossible to use’.

Well, leaving aside the reason, this Last Heal isn’t only a healing spell, but also a fearsome binding spell that seals the movements of both the user and the target for 30 seconds! 

Just to make this clear, it is simply that it is dangerous to use this spell in front of an enemy, but if you use it at a safe place where there’s no enemies, it is a really effective healing and buffing skill.

But you can also consider it a restraining method. In exchange for healing the target, you stop their movements and buff them, and most of all, this can only be used on characters, so it won’t work against monsters. And so, there’s not much room to take advantage of this, making it more of a joke technique. 

But right now…

In this battle where the objective isn’t to defeat the opponent, there’s no spell as effective as this. 

I calmly asked Hisame who was still confused and flustered by this unknown situation. 

“…Hey, how about we stop this already?” (Souma)

Hisame raised her cat ears and got angry as if that were the natural reaction. 

“What are you saying? There’s no way something like this would…” (Hisame)

“Then try using a skill or spell.” (Souma)

“?! That’s…” (Hisame)

She probably already tried.

Hisame’s cat ears withdraw as if mortified. 

No, you can actually attack normally even if your skills are sealed, but I won’t say it. 

Well, the distance between me and Hisame is short, but short in a normal scenario.

We are a bit too far apart to attack without moving at all. 

“From what I can see, you are also being restrained. If we both can’t do anything, I just have to cut you down the moment this wears off.” (Hisame)

It seems Hisame regained a bit of her composure. She provoked me instead. 

But I obviously have attack means even in this planned state where my skills and spells are sealed. 

No, you could even say everything until now was for the sake of this one hit.

“That’s…!” (Hisame)

Seeing what I brought out, Hisame narrowed her eyes. 

It seems like she has noticed too. 

Even if I can’t use skills and spells, I can still use items. 

And this magic gem is my 3rd and biggest trump card. 

If I use this, I can probably win against Hisame. 

But…

“I actually don’t want to use this on you. Surrender here and promise me that you won’t approach me any—” (Souma)

“Don’t joke around.” (Hisame)

My last warning was shot down by Hisame’s seriously angered voice before I could even finish saying it. 

“Can’t be helped then.” (Souma)

I gave up the peaceful solution. 

I raise the magic gem and make preparations to activate it. 

“I don’t know what you are trying to pull off here exactly, but magic doesn’t work on—” (Hisame)

“If you shoot it normally.” (Souma)

It was my turn to cut off her words. 

And then, as if saying words are no longer needed, I hold the magic gem aloft. 

A memory replays in my head like a revolving lantern. 

The unexpected weak point of Hisame that I saw in a Hisame related event. 

Because Hisame prioritizes speed, her equipment ends up being light. 

When I used the Water spell in the Accessory Shop, the water remained on the ground. 

Hisame would go anywhere, but there were places where she wouldn’t go no matter what. 

Despite having a resistance to water, the orichalcum armor got wet in the bath. 

All those factors obviously lead to one way to defeat her! 

“[Grand Waterfall]!!” (Souma)

I release the spell in the gem with a spirited shout. 

The target is obviously above me and Hisame. 

“What are you trying to…” (Hisame)

Hisame shakes her ears dubiously, but I understand her confusion. 

Grand Waterfall is a spell that washes away enemies with a massive amount of water.

Shooting it above has no point.

—If this world were simply a game world, that is.

But I know. 

After using water magic in this world, even when the attack has been finalized, the water itself remains. 

Thus, the effect of the water spell that was casted above us, the Grand Water spell, ended and the force of it stopped. 

“Wa?!” (Hisame)

The water attack returns to just ‘regular water’ and falls to the ground pulled by gravity!

Even if I directly hit Hisame with water magic, it wouldn’t deal any damage, or she might not even get wet from it. 

But what about ‘normal water’ that has lost its offensive attribute?

“Guh!” (Hisame)

An amount of water that felt as if a giant bucket of water was turned over me and Hisame. 

My vision was blocked for a moment, but the gears in my brain continued turning. 

Hisame prioritized light equipment for the sake of nimbleness. 

Because of this, she only has thin cloth armor, only the Heaven Raiment!

However, because of the Heaven Raiment’s mysterious material’s effect, not only is it light and thin, it is fluffy without showing the lines of the body much, and it doesn’t look transparent on the skin. 

But! 

Now!!

What would happen if she were to get wet from a bucket-load of water?! 

First, the clothes would get wet, and it would stick snuggly onto her skin! 

Stick snuggly onto her skin! 

And then…and then…

No matter how much of a mysterious material it is, it is such thin cloth. 

If it gets wet with such a massive amount of water, it will obviously…obviously…

—Become see-through!!!!!

That’s right, it should be see-through.

It would be strange if it didn’t!

…

Ah, no, it is not like I am trying to get personal enjoyment from her wet figure. 

It is not like my desires are getting bottled-up because of Ringo being so defenseless and it instead makes me feel bad.

This is purely part of my masterplan. 

Do you remember? 

Hisame has a stalwart spirit, unfaltering even when surrounded by hundreds of monsters, but she is an extremely shy person, and she would scream and curl up if she were to show her underwear to others.

That’s the kind of person she is. 

If I were to expose her in her wet figure, I should be able to incapacitate her. 

No, even if I were to lose without incapacitating her, I don’t mind as long as I make her have a bad time. 

—That’s right, my plan this time is: “Challenge Hisame to a serious duel and sexually harrass her so she hates me”!

This is the Anti-Hisame plan I thought of! 

That’s why I opened my eyes wide, and am waiting for the moment when Hisame -the person nicknamed slender queen- appears!! 

And then, finally…

The water stopped flowing and the vision cleared. 

The unexpected sight that was reflected in my eyes was…

(You gotta be kidding me…) (Souma)

My eyes that were widely opened were opened even wider. 

“What’s the point of such a smokescreen…?” (Hisame)

The complaints of Hisame were not entering my ears at all. 

The only thing that came out of my mouth was surprise.

“B-Bullet train…” (Souma)

The mysterious fantasy material couldn’t win against water. 

Her clothes stuck tightly to her body, and the line of her body showed perfectly. 

The Last Heal’s effect is getting slightly in the way, but even with that, I can still confirm her proportions.

(How can this be…?) (Souma)

She wasn’t called Slender Queen for nothing. 

The normal train Ina doesn’t compare at all. 

That figure of hers gives off the style of a bullet train. 

Ringo is by no means a normal train either, but she is no match for the real bullet train. 

…Ah, no, this is not about the body or anything. I am simply talking about their running speed, so don’t misunderstand! 

That said, how was she hiding such engine? 

I was cursing the light effect that was getting in the way as I stared respectfully at her skin…

(Hm? Skin?) (Souma)

I have noticed an unbelievable possibility.

Now that I think about it, when you get the underwear peeking event, Hisame was wearing a different attire from normal. 

But Hisame normally prefers being lightweight, she doesn’t wear anything unnecessary. 

In other words…could it be…? What I saw for just a second there…

(Viva fantasy!!) (Souma)

I covered my burning nose. 

I should have hit the weak point of Hisame, but I feel like I will lose consciousness here and lose at this rate. 

“What…are you doing?” (Hisame)

Hisame doesn’t seem to have noticed her own state yet, but she felt the lecherous presence and her voice carried a dangerous tone. 

This is bad. 

I hurriedly slid my gaze downwards. 

I crossed an unexpected summit, and then passed her belly, waist…

Maybe because she looked slender with her clothes, her body is unexpectedly well built. The slight difference in levels that were formed there hit me unaware, and when I move my gaze even further below…

“What have you been looking at for a while n—aaaaaaaaah?!!” (Hisame)

Hisame followed my gaze, and then she finally noticed. 

I reflexively returned my face to its original position and I made eye-contact with Hisame.

“U-Uhm…ahaha?” (Souma)

I somehow manage to make a strained smile. 

Hisame’s face was visibly warping right in front of me, and then…

“Y-Yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!!!” (Hisame)

A big scream that trumps all screams came out from Hisame as she covered her lower half with both hands and curled up. 

I felt bad for her for a moment. 

But this is exactly how I expected her to react. 

Or more like, the plan would fail if she didn’t dislike it. 

I decided to act strong here and speak to her.

“T-That’s why I told you. I didn’t want to do this, so I war—” (Souma)

“Don’t…don’t look! DON’T LOOK!!” (Hisame)

“No, uhm…it is not like I am looking because I want to, or like…” (Souma)

“No! No!! Don’t look!!” (Hisame)

“As I said, uhm…” (Souma)

“No! Noooo!!” (Hisame)

It doesn’t seem like we can have a talk here. 

Could it be that I am doing something pretty horrible here? -that feeling began pushing into me this late in time. 

I restrained a young girl with magic, and after exposing her body, I one-sidedly observed it. 

When laid out like that, that’s completely the act of a criminal. 

With my spirit completely gone, I diverted my gaze from the wailing Hisame, and kept it to only side-glances. 

While all that happened, the spell ran out, and my body could move freely now. 

I nervously spoke to Hisame who was still hiding her body while crying. 

“Aah, uhm, Hisame? The spell is already gone, so…” (Souma)

I tried to speak to her as kindly as possible, but…

“Hiiih!” (Hisame)

Hisame retreated as if scared, and when she noticed that she could move her body…

“Ah, wait…!” (Souma)

She immediately ran off with speed befitting that of her nickname as Cheetah, and soon disappeared from view. 

“To think it would end up like this…” (Souma)

I mutter this as I pick up her favored weapon, Tsukikage, which she left behind. 

In terms of the flow of events, it is exactly as I planned, but when I actually do it, it really does leave a bad aftertaste.

“W-Well, it is all about the results. The results.” (Souma)

I do think I made Hisame taste a bad experience here, but my life was also on the line here. 

This should have broken the Hisame flag completely, and I doubt she will invite me to her dojo. 

In order to obtain something, you must sacrifice something. 

I forcefully get myself back on my feet and return to where Ringo is. 

“Then, let’s go back, Rin…go…?” (Souma)

*Sususususu!*

When I spoke to Ringo, she moved back with fluid steps and took distance.

“R-Ringo?!” (Souma)

Thinking this was some sort of misunderstanding, I approached her once again and…*sususu* she moved back and isn’t allowing me to get close to her. 

When I looked at her face, I could tell that her eyes were colder than usual and were gazing at me with no emotions. 

(T-This is…!) (Souma)

Cold sweat ran down my back. 

I slowly approached Ringo so as not to scare her away and explained myself. 

“Y-You’ve got it wrong. That was the plan, or like, an action that I had to take. It is by no means because I wanted to see…” (Souma)

“…”

My words rang emptily and Ringo wasn’t responding at all. 

Not only that.

*Pui!*

Ringo faced away as if saying she has nothing to say to me.

(U-Uwaaaah!) (Souma)

I held my head. 

But if I give up here, it will be the end. 

I desperately hang on. 

“W-Wait a moment please! R-Right! I have to confirm whether the Hisame event hasn’t been activated! Ringo, you have to say something or I won’t be able to confirm it!” (Souma)

When I said this, Ringo muttered this without meeting my eyes. 

“…Sexual deviant.” (Ringo)

I died. 

 

I don’t remember how I got back home. 

I was deeply shocked by Ringo’s attitude, and by the time I noticed, I was already on top of the bed with my face buried. 

But the lack of sleep from yesterday must have won me over. I had fallen asleep at some point in time, and…

“…Souma…wake up.” 

The next time I regained my senses was when Ringo shook me up. 

When I raised my head, what was there was the expressionless Ringo.

“What happened?” (Souma)

When I asked her this while half-asleep…

“…Guest.” (Ringo)

Ringo answered briefly. 

Is it my imagination or is her voice sounding strangely cold? Is Ringo still angry? 

“…Said…have a message…” (Ringo)

Ringo adds as if she saw through my inner thoughts. 

I spur my dull head and think.

(Guest and message, huh…) (Souma)

Could it be that the knights have sniffed my trail after 1 whole day of the incident passing? 

I normally would get agitated by this, but that’s not enough to create waves in my heart right now. 

I even think I belong behind bars. 

Everything is a pain. 

“Then, bring them here please.” (Souma)

I said this without much care. 

When I did, Ringo nodded lightly. 

She then went to the door on her own and…

“…Come in.” (Ringo)

She opens the door and welcomes someone. 

Looks like she had let them come all the way to the door without me telling her. 

I was surprised by this and I lifted my face. 

The one who was at the opened door was…

“Poison…-tan…” (Souma)

It wasn’t a knight but a small girl; Poison-tan. 

Despite me calling her with an informal nickname, Poison-tan didn’t show much signs of minding it and ran to me with a big smile on her face. 

(Aah, I see.) (Souma)

And then, I noticed. 

I had asked Poison-tan about the matter of the Bounty Hunting Guild. 

If she came here, I can imagine what this ‘message’ Ringo told me about is. 

Right, nothing out of the ordinary. 

The message that came to the dejected me was simply…

“Onii-chan, Hisame’s house lies to the west of the capital!!” (Poison)

Was simply a message that announced my end. 

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