"Who's going down first?"
Kaguya asked softly.
"I'll go first."
Hayasaka stepped forward without hesitation; if Kaguya had a need, she would naturally support her with all her might.
Kaguya nodded slightly and said, "Then Hayasaka, you go down first."
"Okay."
Hayasaka let out a light breath, gripped the rope with both hands, walked to the edge of the cliff, and began to descend cautiously.
This Spy Maid had received professional spy training and was highly skilled; a mere cliff less than ten meters high was easily descended to the bottom.
"I'm down."
Hayasaka released the rope and called out upwards.
Natsuki shook his head and sighed, "What a pity."
Hayasaka looked over in confusion: "What is Natsuki-kun regretting?"
Natsuki said, "If you had slipped just now, I could have caught you."
Hayasaka: "..."
Catch your big head, ghost!
You actually hope someone slips, are you an idiot!
Hayasaka was about to retort when she suddenly remembered something, quickly covered her skirt with both hands, her pretty face flushed, and said with a dangerous smile, "Natsuki-kun, did you see anything just now?"
Natsuki nodded and said, "I saw it."
Hayasaka's smile on her pretty face froze, and she couldn't help but lightly spit out, "Peh!"
Asking if you saw anything was giving you a way out, how could you shamelessly nod and admit it!
Hayasaka tightened her pretty face and said disdainfully, "When a girl is descending, it's a bit inappropriate for a boy to stand below, don't you think, Natsuki-kun?"
Natsuki spread his hands and said, "Actually, the light was a bit dim, so I couldn't see very clearly."
Hayasaka couldn't resist the urge to retort: "…How much clearer do you want to see?!"
This Spy Maid took a deep breath, her pretty face stern, and reminded him in a low voice, "Since Natsuki-kun is dating Kaguya, then be serious. You don't want to disappoint Kaguya, do you?"
"..."
Upon hearing this, Natsuki's gaze immediately became subtle.
"Natsuki-kun's eyes are so strange…" Hayasaka lightly furrowed her delicate brows, vaguely feeling that she had said something she shouldn't have, and whispered, "Is there a problem?"
"I have no problem." Natsuki shook his head, "The one with the problem is actually you."
"Hmm?"
Hayasaka crossed her arms over her chest, raising an eyebrow as she looked over.
Natsuki said meaningfully, "Hayasaka-san, you are sixteen years old this year, your birthday is… you grew up living with Kaguya, your job is a personal maid, you are indifferent to small animals, and you like watching stress-relief videos, especially videos of hydraulic presses crushing various objects."
"There's an inconspicuous scar on your right wrist, from when you accidentally cut yourself while secretly eating snacks as a child…"
"Wait, wait a minute!" Hayasaka's eyes widened, and she finally couldn't help but shout, "How do you know?!"
She had never even told Kaguya about the shallow scar on her wrist, so how did this man know?
It must be mind-reading!
Natsuki shook his head and said, "I really don't know mind-reading."
"You still say you don't!" Hayasaka vigilantly took two steps back, "You already know what I'm thinking!"
Natsuki spread his hands innocently and said, "The reason I know is because you once told me."
Hayasaka frowned and said, "I don't remember at all… And why would I tell you these secrets?"
Natsuki looked at Hayasaka, showing no intention of hiding the truth, and smiled, "Of course, because we're dating."
"Impossible!" Hayasaka denied it instantly, shaking her head quickly and saying, "Absolutely impossible!"
She and Kaguya had grown up together and knew Kaguya's personality very well. Although Kaguya had no dating experience, she was actually extremely possessive and would never tolerate her boyfriend cheating once she started dating someone.
As for her secretly dating Kaguya's boyfriend behind Kaguya's back… that was even more impossible!
It's not like there were no other men in the world; she would absolutely never do such a thing!
Natsuki whispered, "I have proof."
Hayasaka's gaze was wary, and she had already labeled Natsuki as frivolous and unrestrained:
"Where's your proof?"
Natsuki pointed and said, "The proof is on you."
"Hmm?"
Hayasaka looked down at her body.
Natsuki said in a low, lingering tone, "In your current memory, Hayasaka, you should be an A-cup, right?"
Hayasaka lightly bit her silver teeth and said, "What do you mean?"
Natsuki lowered his voice and said, "Just feel for yourself and you'll know."
"…"
Hayasaka bit her lip, subconsciously raised her right hand, pressed it to her chest, and then opened her eyes in disbelief.
It… it got bigger…
In her memory, she and her Lady were both flat-chested, and she drank a lot of milk, but they never grew. When she went out, she always stuffed some sponge pads to avoid being exposed.
But at this moment, Hayasaka could clearly feel the full sensation from her palm.
Her previous small 'plains' had now become molehills; they no longer felt ordinary.
"W-why is this happening?"
Hayasaka subconsciously murmured, her gaze involuntarily falling on Natsuki.
When gossiping with other girls at school, some girls said that once they had a boyfriend, letting him massage them really had a growth effect.
C-could it be…
"That's right," Natsuki smiled, "It's me."
"Impossible!" Hayasaka instinctively shook her head and denied, "I would never snatch a man from my lady!"
"…"
As she spoke, another girl rappelled down.
"Hahaha, I'm down!"
Chika jumped to the ground, hands on her hips, and proudly lifted her chin, saying triumphantly, "I thought I'd run out of strength halfway, but my arms are super strong, and I don't feel sore at all!"
Natsuki looked at Chika and said:
"Because your memories were just blocked; your bodies are still the same. As long as you believe in yourself, you can easily lift 300 pounds."
"Really?" Chika's eyes sparkled, and she enthusiastically rolled up her sleeves. "Natsuki, come over, I'll try to lift you."
Natsuki spread his arms and said:
"You can try."
"Heave-ho~"
Chika walked behind Natsuki, unhesitatingly wrapped her arms around his waist, then gave a heave-ho, used her arms, and actually lifted Natsuki with ease.
"Eh, eh, eh, I actually lifted him?"
"It feels like I haven't even reached my limit; it's so easy."
"I'm actually this amazing, hahahaha!"
Looking at the triumphantly smiling Chika, Hayasaka lightly raised her delicate eyebrows, feeling inexplicably uncomfortable.
Something's not right.
Even if Chika was usually carefree, that was only relative to other girls. At school, she had never had intimate contact with boys. Why did she embrace a boy so unhesitatingly just now?
Are the two of them too close?
"And my Lady…"
Hayasaka looked up towards the top of the cliff and saw Kaguya looking down, but she had no reaction to her boyfriend being hugged by Chika.
"Could it be…"
Hayasaka widened her beautiful eyes, and a new guess surged into her heart.
Could this guy be involved with other girls besides me and my Lady?
Damn it!
A cheating scumbag!
Everyone should punish him!
To be fair, the cliff wasn't actually very high. Girls with a bit more courage, like Yukinoshita and Haruno, could descend by themselves, but those who were timid couldn't.
"Shoko, why don't you go down first?"
Juju walked to the edge of the cliff, feeling a dizzy spell, and her voice trembled slightly.
Komi's performance was even worse; her small head was shaking like a rattle drum. Since childhood, she had never even ridden a bumper car, let alone climbed down a cliff directly.
"…Let the President come up instead."
Kaguya gently shook her head, grabbed the rope, and slid down from the edge of the cliff, her movements light, graceful, and neat.
"Kaguya is amazing!"
Chika's eyes sparkled as she exclaimed softly.
"You can all do it once your memories are restored." Kaguya clapped the dust from her hands and looked at Natsuki. "President, please go up and help."
Natsuki nodded and pointed, saying:
"That spot looks good; it can serve as a cave shelter."
The girls at the bottom of the cliff looked in the direction he pointed, all showing confused expressions.
"Where's the cave?"
"Why don't I see it?"
"I don't see it either."
"…"
"Because it hasn't been dug yet," Natsuki said as he took out several miner's picks. "One for each of you; you can start digging the cave."
"…"
Looking at the miner's picks in their hands, all the girls except Kaguya, whose expression was normal, were speechless.
"Eh, eh, eh, Natsuki-kun wants us to dig the cave ourselves?" Chika widened her eyes. "Impossible, that kind of thing is simply impossible!"
"Believe in yourselves, it's completely doable," Natsuki said casually. "The trope of jumping off a cliff, discovering a cave, and finding a secret martial arts manual inside is long outdated. Everyone should be self-reliant and dig a cave with their own hands. Besides, natural caves are definitely full of snakes, insects, rats, and ants, and you wouldn't want to be roommates with bugs, would you?"
Yukino covered her forehead with her right hand, unable to resist complaining:
"Even if you say that, it's impossible for just a few of us to dig out a cave, right?"
"Actually, it is possible to dig it out." Kaguya hugged her chest with her right arm and said softly, "Everyone's strength has actually surpassed human limits; you'll know once you try."
"You all start digging first," Natsuki waved his hand. "I'll go up and bring the seniors down."
Taking out a grappling hook and throwing it upwards, Natsuki easily reached the top of the cliff.
"Natsuki-kun!"
Tsubame immediately breathed a sigh of relief, and Juju and Shoko also hurried over.
Earlier, Kaguya had left them and descended the cliff alone. The girls were very anxious, thinking they had performed too poorly and would be abandoned. Now that Natsuki had come up, they all felt relieved.
"Senpai, Juju, Shoko, and also Aoi…" Natsuki's gaze swept over the girls remaining on the cliff, and he beckoned, "Aoi, you come first."
Although his daughter's memories were blocked, she still had an instinctive trust in Natsuki. Hearing him, she quickly nodded and ran with small steps to stand in front of Natsuki.
Natsuki reached out and scooped his daughter into his arms, instructing:
"Aoi, close your eyes. Only open them when I tell you to."
"Mhm, mhm."
His daughter nodded quickly.
Natsuki didn't bother with the rope; instead, he held his daughter and walked directly towards the edge of the cliff.
"Eh, eh?" Tsubame immediately panicked and quickly said, "Natsuki-kun, you forgot the rope!"
Natsuki stood at the edge of the cliff and turned back, saying:
"No need for a rope; I'll just jump down directly."
"That's too dangerous, isn't it?" Tsubame immediately covered her lips, her voice filled with uncontrollable worry. "Jumping from such a high place, no matter how you think about it, is too dangerous."
"Don't worry, Senpai," Natsuki reassured her, "Wouldn't I know whether it's dangerous or not?"
Tsubame bit her lip: "But Aoi is still young…"
The reason she stayed on the cliff and didn't slide down was to take care of his daughter.
Natsuki pondered for two seconds and suggested:
"Then Senpai, you jump first?"
"Eh?"
"I'll hold Senpai and jump down first. Once Senpai confirms it's safe, I'll come back up for Aoi."
Tsubame hesitated for a moment, then quickly nodded in agreement:
"…Then I'll go first."
It's just a daughter, yet you're willing to take such a big risk, Senpai, you're too kind!
Natsuki put his daughter down, spread his arms towards Senpai, and said seriously:
"Senpai, come here."
"…"
Tsubame's pretty face flushed slightly, and she hesitantly walked in front of Natsuki.
Natsuki reached out his right arm and swept her into his embrace in a princess carry.
"Ah…"
Tsubame let out a soft gasp and instinctively wrapped her arms around Natsuki's neck.
"T-too high…" Tsubame peered down, feeling dizzy, her voice trembling slightly as she considered retreating. "Maybe we should…"
"Jumping off the cliff now. Please fasten your seatbelt, Senpai."
Natsuki smiled slightly, took a step, and jumped off the cliff.
"Ah ah ah ah ah!"
Tsubame frantically closed her eyes and couldn't help but shriek.
Thud!
Natsuki landed steadily on the ground.
"Senpai, we've arrived," Natsuki looked down at Senpai. "You can get off now."
Tsubame's eyelashes trembled slightly, her arms tightly clasped around Natsuki's neck, not daring to open her eyes.
It wasn't until Natsuki set her down and her feet touched the solid ground that Tsubame finally let out a long breath and relaxed.
"Senpai, take a rest," Natsuki rubbed Senpai's small head. "I'll go up and get the others."
"Y-you go…"
Tsubame exhaled, her right hand covering her chest. While her legs felt weak, she could clearly feel her heart pounding fiercely and rapidly in her chest.
Jumping off a cliff with a boy without any protective measures—she had never experienced such intense excitement in her life before.
She should have been extremely scared, but for some reason, Tsubame felt that, besides the tension and excitement, there was also an indescribable anticipation and impulse, as if she wanted to do it again…
At the same time.
Natsuki had already returned to the top of the cliff. This time, he chose to bring his daughter down the cliff and entrust her to Senpai's care, then returned to the top of the cliff again.
"Only the two of you are left." Natsuki clapped his hands and looked at Juju and Shoko. "Who wants to go first?"
Juju pointed and said softly:
"Let Shoko go down first."
Komi quickly shook her head, indicating refusal.
"It seems Shoko doesn't want to go first," Natsuki said seriously. "Juju, you go first. Shoko can wait a little longer."
Komi parted her lips, then suddenly realized that if Juju went down first, she would be left alone!
Earlier, on the sunken cruise ship, this boy she didn't know at all had k-kissed her…
Recalling being forcibly kissed earlier, Komi's pretty face quickly flushed, and she began to worry if she would be taken advantage of if she stayed till the end.
But with her communication disorder, she couldn't bring herself to ask Juju to switch places, so she could only watch Natsuki pick up Juju and jump off the cliff.
A moment later.
Natsuki climbed back onto the cliff and looked at the black-haired the the timid girl, smiling as he approached her step by step, saying:
"Shoko, now it's just us left."
Facing Natsuki's approach, Komi nervously covered her chest and retreated step by step, only to trip over something and fall backward.
Natsuki was quick to react, grabbing the the timid girl and sternly saying:
"Watch your step, don't get hurt."
Komi quickly apologized: "S-sorry..."
But her voice was too faint, sounding like a mosquito's hum, inaudible to anyone with poor hearing.
"When apologizing, you need to show sincerity," Natsuki said with a smile, "How about this, kiss me once, and I'll forgive you."
"Eh?"
Komi looked up in a fluster.
Natsuki raised his right hand, pointed to his cheek, and said:
"If you actively kiss me, it only needs to be on the cheek. If I take the initiative, it won't just be a kiss on the cheek."
"..."
The the timid girl's pretty face was crimson, too nervous to speak, she could only shake her head frantically.
"Kiss me quickly," Natsuki said sternly, "If you don't make a choice in ten seconds, I'll make the choice for you."
In the real world, the the timid girl had already been trained to be quite obedient, kissing his cheek when told to, but now it was completely different.
Starting from scratch to train her again was still quite interesting.
"No, don't..."
Komi pleaded pitifully in a low voice.
"I can't hear you," Natsuki said sternly, starting the countdown, "Ten, nine, eight..."
As the countdown ticked by, Komi quickly grew flustered, her eyes darting left and right anxiously, hoping someone would come to save her.
Unfortunately, no one came.
The the timid girl was like a lamb that had wandered into a grey wolf's den, pitiful, weak, and helpless, without even the thought of resisting.
"Three, two, one..."
Hearing the countdown end, Komi, in her urgency, finally mustered her courage, quickly stood on tiptoe, kissed Natsuki's cheek, then quickly lowered her head, with steam billowing from the top of her head.
"You only kissed me after the countdown ended, it's too late," Natsuki said sternly, "Shoko, it seems I need to teach you proper time management."
Hearing this, Komi's body trembled slightly, and she couldn't help but look up, gathering her courage to softly call out:
"Your t-taking advantage of..."
"That's right," Natsuki couldn't help but smile, "I actually like taking advantage of Shoko the most."