Chapter 57

Feeling the pressure increase on his back, Natsuki quickly said:

"Whoa, careful there! That's a bit too much force. Be gentler," Natsuki winced, surprised by the strength behind Kaguya's hands. He'd always seen her as a refined young lady, but clearly, there was more to her than met the eye.

Then again, it made sense. Kaguya Shinomiya wasn't just book-smart; she was trained in Kyudo, Aikido, and Karate. Her fighting skills probably outclassed most guys, so naturally, she had some real strength.

The only downside might be that she didn't have the best stamina. As for her... smaller chest, well, maybe some people found that appealing.

"Kaguya, darling, don't stop now," Mrs. Kaguya's soft and elegant voice encouraged from the side, sounding genuinely pleased. "You've got just the right amount of pressure. I can tell Natsuki's enjoying it."

Natsuki felt his face heat up, but before he could respond, there was a sudden knock on the door.

Kaguya quickly got up, adjusting her skirt as if nothing had happened, and went to answer it.

"Morning, Kaguya-chan!" Fujiwara Chika's cheerful voice broke through the quiet. She was her usual bubbly self, full of energy, especially compared to the ever-stoic Miko.

"Good morning," Kaguya replied, nodding politely. Her eyes then fell on the girl standing next to Chika.

The newcomer had long, waist-length blonde hair, a school uniform that she wore loosely, tied at her waist, and a black choker around her neck. Her nails were painted with an exaggerated design, and she had an undeniable presence, one that screamed 'hot girl.'

"Hi there," the blonde girl said confidently, not at all fazed by Kaguya's cool demeanor. She smiled brightly, placing one hand on her hip and flashing a peace sign beside her eye with the other. "Nice to meet you. I'm Kitagawa Umi. Looking forward to getting to know you!"

"Umi-chan is not just in the same school, but we're the same age too! Isn't that awesome?" Chika explained excitedly. "So I thought it'd be fun if Umi-chan joined us for our morning meeting."

Seeing some students passing by in the corridor, Kaguya opened the door wider. "…Come in, we can talk more inside."

The two girls stepped into the classroom, quickly spotting Natsuki.

"Oh hey, Natsuki-san!" Umi waved enthusiastically. "I didn't know we were schoolmates. What a small world!"

But then her eyes landed on the translucent figure of Mrs. Kaguya, and she froze, concern flashing across her face. "Hey, are you okay, Sister Shimizu?"

Chika was worried too. "You look way worse than last night. What happened?"

Mrs. Kaguya, seated gracefully on the sofa, gave them a reassuring smile. "Don't worry, Natsuki-kun is just replenishing my magic."

"Magic replenishment?" Umi echoed, turning to Natsuki with wide eyes. "Wait, what?"

After a quick exchange of glances, it was clear that the hot blonde was no stranger to this kind of situation.

"Don't get any weird ideas," Natsuki said calmly, turning back to the others. "This is just a serious magic replenishment."

"What's so serious about it?" The blonde smirked, licking the corner of her lips playfully. "I want to see."

Curiosity isn't always a virtue!

"It's not like Saber's magic replenishment," Chika explained, trying to clarify. "It only requires..."

As the others chatted away like a close-knit group, Kaguya silently bit her lower lip.

This isn't fair. I started all of this—whether it was the games or cleaning the classroom—so why are they ignoring me now?

"Wow, lying down and getting stronger? What an awesome ability—I want it too!" Kitagawa added, hands on her hips. "But with my bad luck, I haven't pulled anything good from a blind box yet."

The blonde, without a hint of shyness, took off her indoor shoes and grinned. "Natsuki-san, let me help you recharge your energy."

Before Natsuki could respond, a cold voice cut through the air.

"That won't be necessary."

Kaguya stepped forward, her tone icy. "I can handle it."

"Huh?" The blonde blinked in surprise, then leaned in to whisper to Chika. "Are they dating?"

Kaguya's long, slightly curled eyelashes fluttered as she maintained her calm and collected demeanor. "We're not dating."

"Then why can't I help?" the blonde asked, genuinely puzzled.

"…"

Seeing Kaguya's silence, Natsuki decided to step in. "You're too heavy. I'm worried my back might not hold up."

"That's mean!" Kitagawa puffed out her cheeks in protest, leaning forward slightly. "I only weigh 50 kilograms!"

Natsuki's vision blurred for a moment, as a flash of white caught his eye.

How could she only weigh 50 kilograms? That can't be right!

"Anyway, let's wrap it up for today," Natsuki said, slipping on his school uniform. "Let's open the blind boxes and head back to the classroom. I still need to study for the exam."

Thanks to the energy recharge from Kaguya, Shimizu had regained enough strength to hold out until she got home.

But in the end… no one came out on top.

All four of their blind boxes contained strange-looking trinkets, and none of them unlocked any skills.

"What reward did you get for clearing Midnight Subway last night?" Chika asked curiously. "All I got was game coins."

Natsuki shrugged. "Fifty game coins and a badge."

"I really don't want to take this test," Chika confessed, uncharacteristically worried. "I haven't studied properly at all. What if I fail?"

"The only way to ease that worry is with good food," Natsuki remarked dryly. "We ate so much delicious stuff in Chinatown yesterday. Even if I fail today, it was totally worth it."

"You knew we had a test today, but you still played around all day yesterday? Why didn't you study?" Chika blinked, as if trying to make sense of his logic. "Actually, that does make some sense…"

As they left the activity room, Natsuki felt a gaze on him. He turned to find Kaguya standing there, her expression a mix of hesitation and something unspoken.

"Natsuki-kun, is something wrong?" she asked, her face quickly returning to its usual composed state.

"No, nothing." Natsuki shook off his confusion. Maybe he was just imagining things.

Mrs. Kaguya, watching her daughter closely, suddenly smiled, clearly pleased with something.

"I'm heading to the classroom," Kaguya said, locking the door behind her and quickening her pace.

"What about today, Ms. Shimizu?" Natsuki asked, turning to Mrs. Kaguya.

"I'd like some freedom today," Mrs. Kaguya replied, her tone almost pleading. "Natsuki-kun won't refuse, right?"

"As long as you don't pull any pranks or bully anyone."

"Don't worry, I'm an adult," Mrs. Kaguya assured him with a bright smile, making a playful peace sign. "Why would I ever bully little Kaguya?"

You already said it...

"...As you wish," Natsuki sighed, deciding it was best to stay neutral. After all, it wasn't his problem if someone else's mother decided to mess with her daughter.

Even though Natsuki could technically force Mrs. Kaguya back into the guardian spirit space, he didn't intend to. The lady before him wasn't just some mindless game NPC; she was a sentient individual with her own emotions and will.

Becoming a guardian spirit might have been an accident, but Natsuki wasn't about to treat her like a tool. The golden rule was simple: treat others as you'd want to be treated. Mutual respect and equality were the foundation of any good relationship.

......…..

Back in the classroom, Natsuki took his seat while Mrs. Kaguya, with her hands clasped behind her back, moved over to where Kaguya was seated.

"So happy~" Mrs. Kaguya beamed, taking the empty seat next to Kaguya. "One more thing checked off my bucket list—attending class with little Kaguya."

Kaguya just stared, a blank expression on her face. "Class hasn't even started yet, Mom, so it's a bit early to say that."

Undeterred, Mrs. Kaguya leaned in, glancing over Kaguya's shoulder. "Your handwriting is beautiful, Kaguya," she remarked with a nod of approval. "But it's still not as good as mine."

Kaguya's competitive spirit flared instantly. She turned her head slightly, eyeing her mother with a mix of defiance and curiosity.

The super competitive girl was back online.

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Author's Corner:

Sorry, I haven't been feeling well lately and couldn't post today. Going forward, I will be posting at this time.

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