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"It's so hot." Kitagawa Marin raised her right hand, fanning herself, "The weather is muggy and hot, and I sweat as soon as I move. The rainy season is so annoying… I was just shopping with a friend and ran over as soon as I saw the message. I'm so thirsty."
As the Succubus Girl spoke, she looked at the cold drink in Natsuki's hand.
The drink was already half-finished. If she wanted to drink, she should go buy her own!
Natsuki silently handed over the drink: "Want a sip?"
"Yes."
Kitagawa Marin was not polite. She took the drink, gulped down two sips, then exhaled contentedly, her bright eyes looking over and saying:
"Where's Tsubame-senpai?"
Natsuki said:
"In the ward, talking to her cousin."
"In the face of the instinct to be hungry, anorexia is completely insignificant." Kitagawa Marin put her right hand on her hip, "Should I go visit?"
"Not today." Natsuki thought for a moment and said, "We'll see when there's time."
"Alright." Kitagawa Marin nodded, "Can I trigger the dungeon just by walking into the Hospital?"
As the Succubus Girl spoke, she raised her right foot, her girlish black leather shoes clattering on the steps as she walked into the Hospital's main entrance:
"Oh, I received a game notification… My succubus outfit can be put to use again!"
After talking for a while, Juju and Komi walked over together.
"Juju-sama, good afternoon!"
Kitagawa Marin happily went up and hugged Juju.
"Don't touch me." Juju's voice was disgusted, and she tried her best to pull back, "I'm so sweaty, it's boiling."
Natsuki, meanwhile, looked at Komi and said nonchalantly:
"Don't stay up so late at night. Go to bed early. Cultivating immortals is risky, staying up late requires caution."
Komi's pink lips moved upon hearing this, and her flickering, dodging eyes couldn't help but gaze over, a hint of slight grievance flashing across her face.
It was clearly because of him that she stayed up late. He even secretly filmed a video yesterday, how could she possibly fall asleep…
However, after only two seconds of eye contact, Komi quickly couldn't bear it and hurriedly lowered her head, blushing, to look at her toes.
Natsuki sighed regretfully.
Not saying a word was too difficult. Komi in her arrogant state was actually cuter.
Natsuki lowered his voice and said:
"Next time you need help putting on stockings, just tell me."
Komi finally spoke, her voice faint, and she quickly shook her head:
"N-no more!"
Sitting on the sofa and letting a boy kneel and help her put on stockings—she would definitely never do that a second time!
"What no?" Juju's ears twitched, her gaze instantly locking onto Natsuki. She tilted her small face up, her eyes suspicious, "Are you bullying Komi again?"
Natsuki spread his hands and said:
"Why can't it be Komi bullying me?"
"Impossible." Kitagawa Marin put her right hand on her hip and said from the side, "Komi is so well-behaved, how could she possibly bully you?"
From a psychological perspective, well-behaved people are often very tired in their daily lives, so the more well-behaved a person is, the more terrifying they become when they go dark!
"You've developed a deep prejudice against me." Natsuki sighed, "Seeing is believing, hearing is not. If I can produce evidence of Komi bullying me, what would you say?"
"Hmm—!"
The long-haired black-haired girl's eyes instantly widened.
Evidence?
The video recorded yesterday evening?
He said he wouldn't show it to anyone, didn't he?
Liar!
Big liar!
"Impossible." Kitagawa Marin put her right hand on her hip, her voice clear, "Komi would never bully you. If you can produce evidence, I'll do anything you want."
Natsuki said:
"Anything at all?"
"Of course." The Succubus Girl tilted her pretty face up, revealing a slender, snow-white neck, "It's the Kitagawa's Home motto: a word is as good as nine coins, a promise is worth a thousand gold."
Natsuki turned to look at Juju, his tone subtle:
"Juju, what do you say?"
"I…"
A hint of hesitation appeared on Juju's small face.
She was different from Marin; what if she lost the bet and was asked for kisses, hugs, or piggyback rides? What then?
"Juju, agree to him," Kitagawa Marin said from the side. "Komi is so well-behaved; how could she bully anyone?"
(I'm sorry… I really did bully him yesterday afternoon.)
Komi was both guilty and anxious beside him, her pink lips opening and closing, wanting to speak, but too nervous to say anything.
"A bet is a bet," Juju bit her silver teeth lightly, accepting the wager, and then lifted her small face to hum, "Where's the evidence? Hurry up and show it."
"I'll prove it to you now." Amamiya Natsuki turned his head, looking at the little white rabbit who was biting her lower lip in distress, and pointed to his chest. "Komi, punch me twice."
"Hmm?"
Komi looked up in confusion.
"I've recently contracted a terminal illness," Amamiya Natsuki said in a low voice. "It's called 'the disease where Komi doesn't hit me, I'll die.' Komi wouldn't just stand by and watch me die, would she?"
"What is this?" Juju immediately refused. "You're completely fabricating evidence!"
"Exactly, and right in front of Juju and me." Kitagawa Marin clenched her pink fist. "I'll hit you instead of Shoko."
"…"
Watching Amamiya Natsuki being ganged up on by Juju and Marin, Komi quietly breathed a sigh of relief, the corners of her pink lips curving slightly upward into a cute arc.
After talking for a while, a black car drove up, and Shinomiya Kaguya and Fujiwara Chika got out of the car together, accompanied by Maid Hayasaka.
"Chika-chan!"
"Kaguya-san, you're here."
The team had assembled, and everyone went into the Hospital again, quickly receiving the dungeon challenge notification.
"The Hospital, huh…"
The Sheltered Ojou-sama's delicate brows furrowed slightly, her expression serious, clearly recalling the fear she experienced in the painted Hospital once before.
"We've cleared a dungeon related to the Hospital before," Fujiwara Chika said, not afraid at all, but rather with interest. "I wonder if we'll meet Miss Milk Cow again."
Amamiya Natsuki looked at Chika: "Don't jinx it."
Given the wicked deeds you've committed against Miss Milk Cow, if you encounter it again, you'll definitely be attacked!
Perhaps it will be an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, binding you up and making you personally experience the hard work of a Milk Cow!
Amamiya Natsuki silently turned his head to look at the Sheltered Ojou-sama.
Some people, due to hardware limitations, simply can't experience the Milk Cow life.
"Stare—"
Shinomiya Kaguya's gaze shifted, looking over, her arms crossed over her chest, and she asked suspiciously, "Are you thinking about something inappropriate?"
"I'm not, I didn't." Amamiya Natsuki firmly denied. "It's getting late. Let's discuss the preparations for the dungeon first."
"Oh, right, where's Hanamori-chan?" Fujiwara Chika slapped her forehead. "Why haven't I seen her?"
Amamiya Natsuki glanced at the cold-faced maid behind Kaguya, their eyes met, and then he said:
"I've already messaged her. She said she's currently working and will come to the Hospital herself later."
After a pause, Amamiya Natsuki continued:
"On your way here, I explored the Hospital once. It barely meets the Theater simulation conditions. Tonight, you can come to my house, and we can enter the Theater together to familiarize ourselves with the Hospital's layout and environment."
"I still don't know what the Theater looks like," Fujiwara Chika agreed, nodding. "It's decided. I'll tell my mom later that I'm going to Kaguya-chan's house to play today and will stay overnight."
Shinomiya Kaguya: "…"
You always use me as an excuse; why don't you try a different one!
"I'm going too," Kitagawa Marin followed. "Two birds with one stone: studying for the dungeon and reviewing some knowledge points."
The Succubus Girl gave a thumbs-up, a proud smile on her face: "The words I memorized yesterday are like they're engraved in my mind, super useful for never forgetting… Juju, are you and Komi coming together?"
Juju hesitated for a moment, then finally nodded in agreement: "I understand."
The danger of the dungeon goes without saying; it's indeed necessary to familiarize oneself with the environment beforehand.
Anyway, with so many people, there's no need to worry about being bullied.
As for Komi… the little white rabbit simply couldn't say no.
Shinomiya Kaguya pursed her pink lips, then suddenly looked up and asked, "Natsuki-kun, can the Theater be used in the dungeon?"
"It's unclear for now," Amamiya Natsuki looked at Kaguya. "We need to be prepared for it to be unusable… just like Evil Spirit Banishing can't be used in the dungeon."
Considering everything thoroughly prevents one from falling into a passive situation.
"Then it's settled," Fujiwara Chika fiddled with the jet-black bow on her forehead and announced, "Everyone go home first to get a change of clothes, then gather at Natsuki-kun's house tonight."
"…"
The discussion concluded.
Everyone dispersed.
On his way home, Amamiya Natsuki ate a bowl of ramen outside, then went to the supermarket to buy fruits, snacks, and drinks, returning home only after dark.
A light drizzle was falling again, and it was muggy and hot from the walk back.
Amamiya Natsuki took a shower directly, and not long after he finished, the doorbell rang.
"Juju?"
Opening the door, a petite girl holding an umbrella stood at the entrance—it was Juju.
Behind Juju, there was also a nervous-looking Komi.
"You're quite early," Amamiya Natsuki stepped aside, letting them in. "Have you eaten yet?"
"We have," Juju stepped in, glanced at the entrance, and seeing only Amamiya Natsuki's shoes, her steps paused slightly. "…Why are only Shoko and I here?"
"To be precise, you two are the first to arrive," Amamiya Natsuki corrected. "Juju, you're not scared to come in, are you?"
"Who's afraid of you?!"
Juju lifted her small face and strode in confidently.
With Komi by her side, surely she wouldn't be bullied, right?
Amamiya Natsuki then looked at the silent little white rabbit, "Komi, should I get your slippers for you?"
Komi quickly shook her head, swiftly crouched down, and took out slippers from the shoe cabinet, proving with her actions that she didn't need help.
"Why are your clothes wet?"
Amamiya Natsuki's gaze fell on the two girls' clothes, and he couldn't help but raise an eyebrow.
"On the way here, there was a guy on a motorcycle, looked like a biker gang member. When he passed by Shoko and me, he didn't slow down at all," Juju fumed as she spoke. "After getting our clothes wet, he didn't even stop to apologize, just drove off. It's infuriating."
Easy to say; if the biker gang really stopped, you and Komi would be scared instead!
Amamiya Natsuki said:
"Did you bring a change of clothes?"
"I did."
"Then go take a shower now and change your clothes, so you don't catch a cold."
Juju hesitated a bit.
Making me shower right after entering, you're too impatient!
Amamiya Natsuki said earnestly:
"Komi is still watching me outside; it's not just you alone. What are you afraid of?"
"…That's true."
Juju hesitated slightly, then nodded in agreement.
Wet clothes were very uncomfortable to wear; she really wanted to take a shower.
"I'm going to shower first." Juju took out her change of clothes from her backpack, then went to the bathroom, turning to warn, "Don't you dare bully Shoko while I'm gone."
Amamiya Natsuki promised:
"Don't worry, Komi is so well-behaved; how could I bear to bully her?"
Liar!
You were bullying her last night!
Komi looked at Juju's retreating back, wanting to beg her with her eyes not to close the door, but she couldn't.
Bang.
The bathroom door gently closed.
"The door's closed." Amamiya Natsuki turned to look at the little white rabbit, smiling slightly. "Now it's just the two of us."
Komi's black hair trembled, and she quickly lowered her head to look at her toes.
Amamiya Natsuki's gaze shifted slightly downwards, falling on Komi's legs. Under the bright light, the girl's black stockings had a faint sheen.
After a careful look, Amamiya Natsuki quickly said:
"Your stockings seem wet. Do you need my help…"
Komi quickly shook her head, not giving Amamiya Natsuki a chance to help, and hurriedly took off her wet stockings.
Hey, hey, you're too fast!
Take them off when you shower later!
Noticing Amamiya Natsuki's subtle gaze, Komi's face grew hotter. She fumbled to put her stockings back on, but they were wet and wouldn't go on for a while, and soon white steam rose from her head.
"I'll help you… never mind." Amamiya Natsuki quickly stopped speaking. The normal Komi was extremely thin-skinned; he might make her cry by accident. "Take your time putting them on."
But just as he took two steps, a hand suddenly reached out and tugged at Amamiya Natsuki's clothes.
"Hmm?"
Amamiya Natsuki turned to look at Komi.
The girl with long black hair pursed her lips, her pretty face flushed like fire. She glanced at the bathroom door, then took a deep breath, as if having made some kind of decision, her eyelashes trembling slightly as she slowly handed over the stockings in her hand.
Wait, what do you mean by handing over stockings?
Are you asking me to help you put them on?
Amamiya Natsuki was momentarily confused.
I haven't planted a mushroom on you, your actions are too bold now!
It wasn't until Komi looked towards the bathroom that Amamiya Natsuki realized she thought he was going to attack Juju in the bathroom.
"You misunderstood; it's not what you think," Amamiya Natsuki said seriously. "I'm going to the kitchen to wash the fruit and bring it over… You can let go now."
Komi breathed a sigh of relief, then shook her head vigorously.
"Let go."
"You, you let go…" Komi's pretty face was flushed, her voice timid, finally breaking her silent vow for the day. "Those are my stockings!"
join p atreon.com/KeyofStars and become a Sequence: 9 Reader for hundreds of additional chapters and over a dozen stories