Volume 6, Chapter 1: I became a 3rd Grader, Part 1
Recently, I, Yuzu, the evil, soul-devouring Demon hidden in the Kanto district, was beginning to struggle with math cla.s.ses.
I’ve safely become a 3rd Grader.
Ah…… oh, I’m sorry. Why was I having trouble with 3rd grade Math?
Even though I said this before, since I remembered various things I’m still organizing my memories, after all that… I originally thought I was a ‘reincarnator’.
Still, I couldn’t remember much about my true ‘ident.i.ty’. Still, there were ‘memories’ that I couldn’t explain if I wasn’t a reincarnator.
I… Yuzu, had memories of having lived 15 years, around when [Yuzu] was born.
And I had died of illness when I was 15.
Since most of the memories were muddy, even though I had memories of the future, I couldn’t predict the future, and, in fact, it’s already changed quite a lot, so the parts I remembered were useless too.
When I went to elementary school, I should never have been in the same cla.s.s as either Ouji-kun or Kouki-kun. And, as for the grade-schooler, Ouji-kun, I felt like he was supposed to gain weight……
…… Did I do something?
And anyways, how did the talk of an ‘engagement’ with Ouji-kun happen…… It’s troublesome.
By the way, why had I been turned back into five-year-old Yuzu?
I wonder if I’m a ‘rewinder’ instead of a reincarnator… Anyways, the reason that I thought that I was a reincarnator was because I had fragments of memory that I had spent as a [Demon].
Perhaps, after I had died at the age of 15, I had reincarnated as a [Demon].
Even with my fragmented memories, I didn’t think that reincarnation was so easy, but I wondered if my previous life hated dying that much. In other words, was it a reincarnation by sheer fighting spirit?
Why did I become a demon……?
Personality? Is it because of my personality?
Oh, I sidetracked. Well, err… In short, for some reason, Demon-me is living in the body of my previous life before I died…ish?
“……Hmm~”
“……What’re you doing, Yuzu?”
Onzada-kun, who was watching me deep in thought while he was wiping off his sweat, spoke up.
I didn’t like the smell of sweat, but the sweat of a hard-working man was pretty to look at. I understood the feelings of those girls who wiped off the sweat of others in those girls’ comics for about 2 milliseconds.
Onzada-kun was a sixth grader who seems to have been given the okay from his parents to train officially, but, as per usual, we were practicing behind the animal shed.
He’s grown a lot too, and now there’s a considerable height difference. He’s already totally like a full-grown man……
“……Hnn?”
“What’s the matter?”
Before I noticed, I had suddenly touched Onzada-kun’s face. Only one thing to do.
“Tei~”
“Owwoww”
I grasped a single hair and pulled it out.
“Yuzuu, what are you doing?”
“Ah, did a strand of beard hair grow out?”
“What!? My beard finally grew? Don’t pull it out!”
“……While I understand that you’re happy that it grew, please shave.”
“For a man to have stubble, isn’t that wild and cool? Women like Yuzu wouldn’t know.”
“Yeah, I don’t get it.”
But the current Onzada-kun is so smooth.
“Stop moving, you. Are you really a lady? Well, to me, I find that more comfortable. So, strange miss Yuzu, what was it you were groaning about?”
“eh, well~……”
“Are you not going to deny being a strange lady……”
“That’s not a problem…Well, a little while ago… I was thinking about my ‘engagement.’”
“*cough*, E-Engagement?”
Onzada-kun sputtered out his water and started coughing. That was a good reaction. Ah? Was this the first time I’d mentioned it?
“……What so you mean by engagement?”
“It’s a relationship between our families”
Although talk of engagement had come from Ouji-kun’s Nikuno Family, right now that was still ‘pending’.
Hey, we’re still elementary school students…… Wait, Kouki-kun and Kako were also still elementary school students. However, I’d be troubled if I was joined to such an old family. My family’s business was doing well, but it still felt like an ordinary household.
So, when we became junior high students, it becomes possible for us to have both ‘personal’ as well as ‘familial’ relationships, and get officially engaged.
So right now, my position is as Ouji-kun’s fiancée (provisional).
However, while our feelings are there on the ‘personal’ level, the ‘family’ part is most definitely a hindrance. In other words, the connections with the Nikuno Family,
‘[I want to continue to have business relations with Nikuno Ham, you know?]’
That’s what I was told. On my shoulders rested the lives of 500 company employees and their families in the Toukaki company.
Well, Ouji-kun recently has gained more friends, and I think that he’ll be fine because he seems to have become popular.
I wonder if Nikuno-san’s family really just wanted to know the secret to the dieting process that much……
“That’s why, it seems like the decision was ‘postponed’ until junior high.”
“……Isn’t it unpleasant?”
“That’s true…… If I said that I seriously disliked him, I don’t think the other party or Father would force me, but I would be the [Eccentric Mistress] who only thought of her own [Wishes], and it would be dreadful.”
“……But that’s not it.”
“Nn?”
“For Yuzu who’s easy to talk to, as a woman who can diffuse tension just by being around, people would love to have you be with them……”
What’s this, are you praising me? Are you looking for a fight? Am I some loose person?
“Uhmm…… Are you worried about me?”
“Ah, yeah. I said that I would protect you forever. You are weak, so if you stood behind me, I would be relieved.”
Forever… huh. I don’t think I will die at the age of 15 this time because I became a Demon, but how long will I live? Do I even have a life expectancy?
“That’s right… Onzada-kun, do your best.”
As I said that, Onzada-kun, who looked somewhat cranky up until a now, smiled happily and laughed.
“Hehe. I’ll be alright sticking by Yuzu even if you get into terrible trouble. I will bet my life.”
“……ah”
A thin chain floated out of my hand.
Even though it was much thinner than normal… This careless person. It seems he’s not used to being praised, and got carried away as soon as I praised him.
…… This chain is a Demon’s [Contract], right?
Somehow, I don’t have a single ounce of hesitation.
If I let this get carried away any further, it seems like the [Contract] would become disadvantageous to myself.
It can’t be helped. I’ll have to forcibly change the [Contract].
“Well, I will also help Onzada-kun. If you help me, I’ll give you something nice.”
“Something nice……?”
Onzada-kun’s face turned red. Hey, what are you imagining!?
For the contract as it was right now, it would be bad for Onzada-kun if he didn’t protect me perfectly. So by creating this situation where I can get out of it, I will be able to eliminate the dangers to me and to Onzada-kun. Furthermore, I should be able to fine-tune the contract’s compensation.
Fufun~ This is the wisdom of a Demon who has obtained the intellect of a modern person.
“Eh, you don’t need to do anything for me. I swear on my immortal soul.”
“……Ah,”
This fellow……… The chain was dyed black in an instant. Because the word [Soul] was put into it, the contract was completely fixed.
What do I do…… Well, I guess I’ll manage somehow.
And another thing I noticed. There wasn’t just one chain…… If I don’t check it, I can’t rest easy.
“But, something good, huh……”
“Although I said that, some things are impossible, okay.”
“Yup~…… if it’s Yuzu, anything is fine.”
“Appropriate……hah?”
When I picked up the PET bottle of water that Onzada-kun spilt, I smelled something strange.
“Ah, that, huh. Drinking that became a habit when I was doing exorcisms, but I got annoyed when I had to buy it with my own pocket money.”
“Fuuh~n?”
When I gently placed the PET bottle on the ground, I smiled and beckoned Onzada-kun.
“Nn? What”
I softly wrapped Onzada-kun’s cheeks with both of my hands as he approached, gently staring into his eyes and keeping him quiet.
“……O, oi…… Yuzu?”
Really, this person……
I twisted the cheeks of Onzada-kun, whose common sense was misaligned to the limit.
“Owwwwwowowowowwowow!”
“It’s obvious, you idiot!”
The contents are of course OOOO. (TL: Insert clear alcohol of your choice, as the author couldn’t choose)
＊＊＊
Onzada-kun really causes me anxiety. I kept him seated down on the ground and explained it properly. That his judgement was dulled. That it wasn’t good during exercise, and since there was the possibility that he might have broken the building. I explained to him that he should keep it to the level of a single drink after work, and Onzada-kun whose cheeks were swollen nodded obediently.
Because Onzada-kun had really only ever been training, his common sense was weak.
‘[……Sa……ve……me……]’
Several months after I awoke as a Demon, I became able to hear a [Voice].
The voice of a child crying out for help…… Whose voice was that? Where did it come from? I didn’t get any answers even when I yelled out towards the night sky.
It’s a little…… annoying.
And ever since I heard that [Voice], the number of crazy a.s.sailants increased.
Once I saw their eyes I understood. They weren’t in control. They were insane…… they were being manipulated.
These peoples’ heart’s desires were taken advantage of. Their intentions were being controlled.
…… That’s it.
“Aniki, I’m still preparing.”
“Oh, oh, don’t take your time, okay.”
“Fuuuu, the shop is closing soon, Aniki.”
On a certain moonlit night, a pair of strange people were trying to hara.s.s a store at the corner of the shopping district.
These people were not related to the Kuon. They seemed to be related to the stakeholders of another property developer who was taking advantage of the muddy waters that the Kuon family had dredged up by their hand. The scale was much smaller, though.
“Yeah, yeah, I’ll quickly set the fire, did you bring a lighter?”
“Yes Big Brother, I’ll prepare it quickly.”
“Yes, this.”
“Ohoh, how sensible~”
“Big Bro, there’s only the matches from the pub.”
“Ohoh, you idiot, give me the lighter……”
The two of them, stared at the disposable lighter in the Aniki’s hand, and turned their heads to the one who was standing next to them slowly.
“Oy, what is with this brat?!”
“Ah, Aniki”
“Oy, because you’ve seen us, don’t think you can get back safely, now, brat!”
“Aniki is seriously showing off now, awesome.”
…… Uhn, they were surely being manipulated. Surely such people can’t be sane.
They were interesting people, but for the time being, I dumped them into the s.p.a.ce between dimensions. I firmly believe that they would be able to maintain their energetic selves even in a different dimension.
Well, why were the desires of these people to attack these properties being used? After all, I’m not supposed to be here today.
After that was over, while walking about the shopping district at midnight, a ‘presence’ I knew appeared.
“Good evening. You’re right on time, Yuuki-kun.”
“……What were you just doing? …… Yuzu”
Author’s Notes:
That “holy water” has been aged 20 years.
Next time, a study in magic. Will she be able to do it properly this time?