Chapter 8: The Loyalty of Seishuin Ena
Pushing open the door to the Service Club room, Hikigaya was stunned by what he saw. The satisfaction he'd just felt watching a certain normie get owned completely vanished in the face of this absurd scene.
There was a sleeping bag on the floor—someone was clearly inside it, with their head sticking out.
Even though the person's back was to him, that long, shiny, beautiful black hair was all too familiar to Hikigaya. Even if recognizing people by their hair was unreliable, the sword lying next to her at least gave it away—there was definitely no second blade like that in all of Japan.
That's right. Lying there like a corpse wrapped in a sleeping bag was none other than Seishuin Ena.
Had she been sleeping here since last night? Didn't she already have a place in Chiba?
At least the windows were properly closed.
The real question was: why did she think this was a place she could sleep...?
But this girl… she wasn't even asleep! Did she really think whispering to herself wouldn't be heard?
And what was that mumbling anyway—stuff like "Ena, you're brave," "You're the bravest," repeating over and over—what the hell…
Hikigaya closed the door and walked over to the sleeping bag, his face full of dark lines.
"I mean, what the hell are you doing?"
The muttering suddenly stopped. Just a tiny pause later, he actually heard slow, rhythmic breathing—like someone genuinely asleep.
Hikigaya's face turned green.
The hell!? Don't push me!
His slapping hand was already itching!
But hey, she was a comrade, after all. Hikigaya decided to be the bigger person and give the girl a chance.
So, he circled to the other side of the sleeping bag, crouched down face to face with her, and snorted, "Had enough fun yet?"
The girl still didn't open her eyes…
Your fluttering eyelashes have totally given you away, okay?
Fine, let's see how long you can fake it!
Hikigaya grinned sinisterly, and with a thought, the air in the room suddenly seemed to thicken.
If Ena had opened her eyes then, she would've seen the moisture in the air rapidly gathering and flowing straight into her sleeping bag!
This ability, which Hikigaya stole from Osiris, would one day be classified as a highly destructive natural-disaster-level power by the Council of Sages in Greenwich, Europe.
But right now, he was using it just to mess with someone—a serious case of using a cannon to kill a mosquito.
As the water vapor in the sleeping bag increased, Ena could no longer keep up the act.
Her training was indeed harsher than most priestesses. She often did ascetic practices like abstaining from grains, pushed her physical limits to hone her sword skills, and trained her spiritual "empty mind" state to boost her summoning power.
But that didn't mean she found it comfortable to sleep inside a damp sleeping bag.
Not even when pretending to sleep.
"Ugh, stop it! Ena's super uncomfortable!"
She huffed and opened her eyes angrily.
Only to get a flick on the forehead from Hikigaya.
"If you're uncomfortable, then get up already," he said.
At the same time, with a mere thought, all the moisture in the room and sleeping bag vanished.
"You're seriously the worst sadist ever," Ena pouted. "Can't even give a girl a moment's peace. I've been nervous and worried this whole time about what I have to do next."
"Though I have no idea what you're planning…" Hikigaya twitched, "Could you at least consider where you are? This is a school room—anyone could walk in at any moment. Imagine what people would think if they saw you sleeping here like this."
"Relax. Ena put up a protective spell ages ago to keep people away," she said nonchalantly.
No wonder he felt a flow of magical energy when he walked in!
This girl seriously had no guilt about monopolizing someone else's clubroom for her naps!
Ziiip…
Before Hikigaya's dumbfounded eyes, Seishuin Ena unzipped the sleeping bag.
She was wearing a camisole and what could only be called panties—thin material that almost revealed her bare skin.
Still, the pink flush spreading across her cheeks betrayed her inner turmoil.
"Sadistic Hikigaya-kun," she said, "I have something really important and serious to tell you now. Please, listen carefully."
"Drop the 'sadistic' part, will you? And seriously, do you think this is your house?"
"Because Hikigaya-kun… no, because boys like confident and sexy girls, don't they? Anyway, just hear me out!"
Ena crawled out of the sleeping bag and sat formally in seiza in front of Hikigaya with a graceful posture.
From this angle, the view was even more intense…
Seishuin Ena had a delicate figure, embodying the overwhelming beauty of the female form. Her limbs and waist looked so slender they could snap with a little force, yet the parts that showcased femininity had stunning curves—this contrast created a breathtaking silhouette, delivering a strong visual impact to Hikigaya.
Hikigaya had normal preferences, and like most young men his age, was brimming with desire toward the opposite sex.
If it weren't for his rigorous Yomi-style training and the fact that he had faced gods twice, forging his will into iron, he probably would've hugged this girl without hesitation and blurted out a ridiculously dumb confession.
This, right here, is what they mean by "Don't be scared, just go for it."
Now Hikigaya had a much deeper understanding of those six words.
"Though I think I have some idea already… fine. Speak. I'm listening."
Hikigaya looked at the never-before-so-attractive Ena with a hint of regret in his eyes and spoke.
He felt that, sometimes, as long as certain things remained unsaid, everyone could keep getting along as friends.
Maybe that was a kind of emotional cleanliness.
But once it was said, he wouldn't keep holding himself back. Hopefully, Ena understood that.
"Thank you for understanding. Then…"
Ena took a deep breath, and then, in a prostrated pose, bowed down to Hikigaya.
"Hikigaya-kun, from today onward, I will loyally accompany and serve you as a maid. If you'll allow it, please bestow the eternal favor of your house upon the Seishuin family. Let us follow you on the path of the conqueror. Please accept this loyalty of mine at all costs."
The hell is this!? A softcore R18 film!?
Conqueror? Who the hell does she think I am, Nobunaga!?
And seriously—what kind of high school student talks like this!? Are you some ancient noble!?
Is this her way of saying she wants me to take the Seishuin family on a murder spree!?
Hikigaya's eyes were having the time of their life, but his ears were suffering deeply.
Pretty sure this girl pulled this same crap on that scumbag in the anime. Judging by his expression, his reaction must've been the same as mine: a thousand alpacas stampeding across his soul.
Speaking of that tsundere scumbag… damn, almost forgot. Gotta seize the chance! If this is an isekai, he could exist as well! That dude's probably from Tokyo—don't back down, take him out! That Persian shota war god in the anime didn't even look that tough!
Ever since he took down Osiris, Hikigaya felt his self-confidence skyrocket.
This wasn't like the first time he got into a power struggle—there were no backups. He'd done it all himself, fair and square.
Wait, hold up—we're getting off track. This isn't the time to be rambling…
But just as Hikigaya was about to switch expressions, the door suddenly slammed open.