Spring break—a whirlwind of magical training and a visit to the Yukihiro estate—had finally reached its final day. As the cherry blossoms began to give way to fresh green leaves, I found myself faced with one last holiday challenge.
"Karaoke, huh?"
"That's right! We haven't really had a chance to hang out with Axel-kun this whole break. It would be a tragedy for Madoka to miss out, wouldn't it? Every spring break needs at least one romantic memory..."
Thwack!
Madoka produced a handmade paper fan out of thin air and brought it down hard on the back of Misa's head. Sakurako watched the display with a mischievous glint in her eyes. It was the usual chaos from the Cheerleader Trio.
I had to wonder, though... since when did karaoke count as a "romantic memory"?
"Ouch, ouch... Jeez, Madoka! You're the one who got the discount coupons in the first place!"
"That's beside the point! I never said a single word about inviting Axel-kun!"
"Oh? In that case, I guess we shouldn't have invited him?" Misa teased.
"Nyahaha. Madoka just needs to be more honest with herself," Sakurako chirped.
"Sakurako, you too?! Ugh, fine! Yes, I did think it would be nice to go out with Axel-kun at least once during the break! But listen up! I am nothing like the Class Rep, got it? Keep that in mind!"
"Yeah, yeah. Well, being able to say it out loud is a step in the right direction, I guess," Misa said, pulling a ticket from her skirt pocket and fluttering it in front of me. "So, what do you say, Axel-kun? Want to go to karaoke with three beautiful older girls?"
"I don't mind. But I've never actually been to karaoke before. I don't know much about music."
Since being reincarnated as Axel, I'd poured every ounce of my being into snapping death flags and surviving. I hadn't exactly had the luxury of leisure time. Besides, karaoke isn't nearly as much of a cultural staple overseas as it is in Japan.
"Wait, seriously? What a waste! Well then, today marks Axel-kun's first-ever karaoke experience!"
Misa grabbed my arm and practically dragged me out of the room. I suppose I should be grateful that Ayaka, Chizuru, and Natsumi weren't around. Though, knowing Chizuru, she'd probably just watch with that polite "Ufufu" smile rather than exploding like the Class Rep would.
"Alright, we're here!"
Misa led us to a karaoke box near the station, a few stops away from the girls' dorm. It was the final day of break, so the place was packed. While Misa and Madoka handled the check-in, I scanned our surroundings. Despite being in Mahora, the place looked like a perfectly normal karaoke establishment.
"I guess an eight-hour session is fine, right?"
I was about to agree until Misa's words actually registered.
"Hold on. Eight hours?"
"Hm? Yeah. That's pretty standard, isn't it?"
"No, it's only 'standard' for people like you!" Madoka snapped, rubbing her temples. She was clearly the "straight man" of this trio—the voice of reason who had to endure the whims of her more eccentric friends. I could sense a kindred spirit in her, much like how people felt about Ayaka: "The Class Rep is a good person, but..."
After a round of "persuasive" negotiations—mostly involving Madoka's fist—the session was cut down to five hours. It was just past 10:00 AM, so we'd be out by 3:00 PM.
"Here you go, Axel-kun."
The moment we entered the private room, Misa shoved a microphone and the remote into my hands.
"I believe I mentioned this is my first time."
"Don't worry about it! We just want to see... or rather, hear what you can do! Come on, what are you gonna sing?"
I flipped through the thick songbook on the table. At a glance, I didn't recognize a single modern track—or at least, none that I knew from this life. As I leafed through the pages, I finally spotted a classic I remembered from my previous existence and punched in the code.
The intro began, and I stepped up onto the small stage, mic in hand.
"Uh... hmm... how do I put this? It's... subtle?"
That was the verdict on my life's first karaoke performance. Madoka looked at me with a conflicted expression, while Misa and Sakurako shared a wry smile.
"I mean, you aren't bad. Definitely not. But you aren't exactly 'good' either. It's just... subtle?"
"Ahahaha!" Misa laughed. "So the brilliant, athletic Axel-kun finally has a weakness! Honestly, it's a relief. If you were a perfect 'Superman' at everything, it would be a little intimidating."
Superman, huh...
I tilted my head at the thought. I certainly didn't feel like a perfect human. My abysmal tolerance for alcohol was a fatal flaw—though, in this child's body, that wasn't exactly something that was going to come up anytime soon.
"Alright, next up! Witness the beauty of our voices! Listen to my song!!"
Misa declared her entry without even looking at the songbook—she clearly had the numbers memorized. A popular chart-topper began to play. As much as she bragged, her voice really was beautiful.
"Whoa, as expected of Misa. She's not in the Chorus Club for nothing," Madoka muttered.
"Chorus Club?" I asked.
"Oh, didn't you know, Axel-kun? Misa is in the Chorus Club on top of the Cheerleading Club."
"I see. That explains it."
I found myself genuinely enthralled by her voice until she finished. She turned a bright shade of red as we clapped, which was a rare sight. Seeing the usually flirtatious Misa get genuinely embarrassed was quite refreshing.
"My turn next~! Honyaraba!"
Sakurako jumped up, inputting her number with practiced ease. The song was a TV drama theme I'd heard while watching television with Natsumi and Chizuru. Her voice wasn't as technically polished as Misa's, but it was brimming with an infectious energy that perfectly captured her personality.
"She's good... her voice makes you feel energized just listening to it."
"Ah, so you noticed too, Axel-kun?" Misa said, smiling as she munched on some Pocky. "Sakurako's technical skill is average, but she pours so much emotion into her singing. I've told her she should join the Chorus Club too; technical skills can be taught, but that kind of raw feeling is rare."
"Nyahaha~. But I've got my hands full with cheerleading and lacrosse!" Sakurako chirped, returning to the table and taking a celebratory gulp of soda.
"Well, you can't force someone to join a club," Misa shrugged. "Anyway... it's time for the main event. Madoka, it's your turn. Why don't you try to knock Axel-kun out with that husky voice of yours?"
"Knock him out? Misa, really..."
Despite her complaints, Madoka punched in a code without looking at the book. She was clearly a regular here.
"Ugh, following you two is such a nightmare," she sighed.
The music started, and I blinked in surprise. It wasn't a pop hit or a drama theme; it was a Western song—an English track that even I recognized.
"Western music?"
"Yep. Did you know Madoka is actually a huge fan of Western tracks?" Misa explained, handing me a French fry.
Madoka's voice was slightly husky for a girl, and it matched the English lyrics perfectly. She wasn't as technical as Misa or as emotive as Sakurako, but her performance left a powerful, lingering impression on me.
"Well... that's that," Madoka said, giving a small, polite bow as the song ended.
"Compared to Misa and Sakurako, I'm probably not much, but..."
"Not at all. That was a great performance," I said.
"Really? You think so?"
Madoka gave a shy, pleased smile at the compliment. Misa and Sakurako watched her with that same "knowing" look they usually reserved for the Class Rep.
"See? He liked it, Madoka!"
"Ooo-woo! Get it, girl!"
"Hey! Stop it, both of you!"
Madoka raised a fist to chase them, but Misa dodged and ducked behind me, practically pulling me into her lap.
"Misa! Let go of him!"
"Heh heh. 'Tsundere Kugimi' has been defeated!"
"Don't call me 'Kugimi'! And I'm not a tsundere!"
Ignoring Madoka's protests, Misa picked up a French fry from the table and held it out to me.
"Here, Axel-kun. Say 'Aaah'~"
"..."
I realized that if I didn't just eat the thing, this situation was never going to end. It was exactly like that time with Lemon.
"Aaah..."
I sighed internally and opened my mouth.
"Hyah?!"
Misa let out a startled yelp. My aim was slightly off—or hers was—and I ended up catching her finger along with the fry. The brief sensation of my tongue brushing against her skin made her squeak. For someone who usually acted like a mature "older sister," it was a remarkably cute sound.
"Misa! Don't make weird noises! And Axel-kun, that was sexual harassment!" Madoka barked.
"I mean, it wasn't exactly intentional..."
"Exactly!" Misa chimed in, her face flushing. "Sexual harassment only counts if the woman dislikes it, right? So it's fine. I didn't dislike it at all!"
Madoka stared at Misa, a single bead of sweat rolling down her cheek. "Misa... don't tell me you're..."
"What? What is it?"
"Misa, your face is beet red," Sakurako pointed out.
Madoka looked horrified. "So you were the Class Rep's kindred spirit all along?!"
"What?! No way! I mean, sure, Axel-kun's tongue was a bit... electrifying, I'll admit, but my 'strike zone' is... wait, huh?"
Misa trailed off, falling into deep thought. I used the opportunity to scramble off her lap and return to my own seat.
Madoka and Sakurako shook themselves off and dove back into the karaoke. The awkwardness didn't last, and we spent the full five hours enjoying—or being forced to enjoy—the music. We ordered lunch from the menu, and I discovered the simple joy of karaoke-style yakisoba for the first time since my reincarnation.
As a side note, when I returned to the dorms that evening, I found that a rumor about "Prince Negi" had begun to circulate. But that's a story for another time.
[Character Status]
Name: Axel Almar
LV: 38 | PP: 625
Melee: 262 | Ranged: 282 | Skill: 272
Defense: 272 | Evade: 302 | Hit: 322
SP: 462
Ace Bonus: SP Boost (Enhances Slime performance via SP)
Growth Type: All-Rounder / Special
Terrain Rank: Air: S | Ground: S | Sea: S | Space: S
Spirit Commands:
Accel, Effort, Focus, Direct Hit, Awaken, Love
Skills:
EXP Up, SP Boost, Telekinesis Lv.10, Attacker, Gunfight Lv.9, In-fight Lv.9, Morale Limit Break,
Geass (Grey), Magic (Fire, Shadow, Summoning).
Kill Count: 376
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