Chapter 8 – Feelings
TL: Cryarc
Editor: Puissansa, Krrizis, Mysterious Editor No.3
Somehow, by riding on the momentum, I"m going to buy a light novel for Asakura-san. Should I casually ask about what book she might want? (Andou)
「Asakura-san, do you have any light novels you"ve wanted to buy or maybe a t.i.tle you"re interested in?」
「Hmmm, they haven"t released the book I wanted to buy yet. It"s the one with serialization for it being decided recently – 『Other World Cheat Swindler (Conman) 』*. Currently I don"t have anything else I"m interested in……
Ah right! Andou-kun, what books are you reading now?」
I might as well use this opportunity to ask what light novel Andou-kun likes. If he doesn"t mind, I"ll ask him to buy it for me. If I do that, after I"ve finished reading the book we can naturally exchange impressions about it! See, I"m a genius! (Asakura)
「M-me? Currently I"m reading this.」
「Which one…… eh, 『Saint of Greed』*? This is, if I"m not mistaken it"s a novel from Narou which has a female protagonist, right?」
「Yep, even though this is about a female protagonist, this is quite interesting. Because she didn"t have any greed, her life was short and she died while regretting that she couldn"t stop conflicts in the world. This time, to erase conflicts from the world she is reincarnated as a demon lord who takes everything from the world for herself and forcefully makes people happy, it"s that kind of story.」
「Hee, it seems surprisingly interesting from the synopsis…… Ne! Is there anything else?」
「Uuh…… ah, umm…..」
Eh? Andou-kun is suddenly panicking, I wonder why? (Asakura)
C-c.r.a.p…… I unintentionally became nervous because Asakura-san suddenly smiled at me. Loners have weak resistance against pretty girls who treats them nicely – at this rate I will fall in love with her…… Even if fall for her, it"s pretty much impossible for the most beautiful girl in school to be willing to date someone like me…… Right now I have to maintain my composure by thinking that it"s impossible!
Fuh, calm down, me…… She is not a pretty girl. Right, she is a gremlin. Gremlin, gremlin, she"s a gremlin…… Alright! (Andou)
「I know right. Next one, even though I"ve only read this recently, it"s interesting.」
Hmm? Andou-kun is returning to his usual self. I wonder what happened just now? (Asakura)
「What is it? 『The Villainess Trains the Prince from Enemy Country』* what is this…… isn"t this a p.o.r.n book……? 」
「It"s not that kind of book! 」
「Sorry sorry, but the t.i.tle is…… 」
「Well… I admit that the t.i.tle is misleading. But, considering that this is for all ages, there is no scene like that at all…… This is a rom-com story about the protagonist who got reincarnated as a villainess inside an otome-game world. To avoid bad ends, she needed to rehabilitate the evil prince from the enemy country with whips, aiming for happy end.」
「Hee, after hearing about the content it seems interesting. But, it looks like Andou-kun reads stories aimed at girls, isn"t that embarra.s.sing? 」
「Embarra.s.sing? 」
「Andou-kun seems unashamed though…… Look, isn"t it awkward to read these kinds of light novels at school? It"s a different matter if it"s just normal light novel, but among the books Andou-kun reads at school there are also those light novels which are definitely aimed at girls based from the cover, with shoujo manga style ill.u.s.trations inside of it too, right? I mean, it"s embarra.s.sing being seen by other people while reading that kind of stuff…… isn"t it? 」
I"ve been curious about that even from way back then…… Rather, that"s the reason why I"m interested in Andou-kun in the first place. I"m too embarra.s.sed to admit that I"m a light novel otaku so at school I"m hiding my hobby of reading light novels. But the first time I saw Andou-kun, he was boldly reading a light novel with the t.i.tle 『Little Sister Will Marry Big Brother!』* in a transparent vinyl cover in cla.s.s alone.
At that moment, looking at him like that shocked me, as if I was struck by thunder 『Eh, if you"re putting a cover on it why are you not hiding the ill.u.s.tration!? 』『Rather, isn"t that embarra.s.sing? 』 and so on. That"s why I wanted to know why he could boldly read light novels in cla.s.s like that. (Asakura)
Even though Asakura-san"s question seems like a mockery…… Most likely, she didn"t mean it that way. I know that by looking at her eyes. The way she looks at me when I"m reading light novels for girls is not the sneering glare used by rotten normies. Instead…… She looks like she"s envious of me who reads it.
So I have to answer this earnestly. (Andou)
「No. I don"t think it"s embarra.s.sing at all. 」
I"ve said it clearly. (Andou)
「Why is it like that? 」
「For example――Asakura-san reads 『Hachinan Tensei』* right? Was that interesting? 」
「Y-yes.」
「Then, if a stranger said 『Hachinan Tensei is so lame-』, how would you feel? 」
「Beat them to death. 」
Even though I asked 『How would you feel?』, she answered from the question of 『what will you do』. As expected of a gremlin. (Andou)
「Ahaha…… But I"m also the same.」
「Eh.」
「If a stranger is laughing at my favorite light novel, I think I will go 『Don"t f.u.c.k with meee! 』 I mean, those guys don"t know how interesting that light novel is, right? I like light novels. Therefore, I think the authors who wrote light novels are 『Awesome』and I never thought reading it is 『Embarra.s.sing』. 」
「After all, the one who knows how interesting that light novel is, is us who read it, so if we thought that it"s 『Embarra.s.sing』 then that means we"re being rude to the author, right? So I"m reading light novels boldly. Resolutely conveying 『The light novels I"m reading are very interesting, you know! It"s not something to be ashamed of! 』like that. 」
「…… I see, you"re right. 」
I wonder how embarra.s.sing I must be. It"s just like what Andou-kun said. Up until now, for the sake of protecting my own pride, I"ve been hiding that I like light novels. As a result of prioritizing such a small pride, I never admitted to Andou-kun that I liked light novels. However, I chose to be ignorant of it and instead indulged in selfishness by thinking things like 『Why is he not noticing me? 』 or 『Talk to me! 』…… (Asakura)
「Ah! Of course, this is only for my own self-satisfaction, it"s not like I"m denying people who hides that they like light novels! After all, we have different circ.u.mstances, such as status and how much we attract people"s attention…… You see, because I"m a 『loner』, what people think about me isn"t that important.」
「Andou-kun, it"s fine. 」
「Eh……? 」
「I"ve decided. I won"t hide it anymore…… I will confess my real feelings only with you. 」
「A, Asakura…… san」
Right, I will say it clearly to Andou-kun that 『I like light novels.』 So I can be in the same position as him…… Properly straighten up and confidently say 『I like light novels! 』
It"s fine…… I can say it. I"ve been practicing this line every night before sleeping because I"m sure I have to say it in the future…… 『I really like light novels, as much as Andou-kun!』 Excellent. (Asakura)
「Andou-kun.」
「Ah, yes.」
A-alright! S-s-s-s-say it…… 『I really like light novels, as much as Andou-kun!』『I really like light novels, as much as Andou-kun!』『I really like light novels, as much as Andou-kun!』 (Asakura)
What is this! Suddenly it"s turning into something dramatic, what will she say to me!? (Andou)
「I really like Andou-kun! 」
「…………Eh?」
「…………Nn?」
Huh, just now…… What was that? (Asakura & Andou)
TL Notes:
『異世界チート詐欺師（ペテン師）』 『Isekai Cheat Sagishi (Petenshi)』
Most likely a reference from this series , a comedy series recommended by Konosuba’s author!『強欲の聖女』 『Gouyoku no Seijo』
Another loose reference from『悪役令嬢は敵国の王子を調教する』 『Akuyaku Reijou wa Tekikoku no Ouji wa Choukyousuru』 I can’t find any reference for this one…『妹はお兄ちゃんと結婚します！』 『Imouto wa Oniichan to Kekkonshimasu!』 An absurd t.i.tle, Andou-kun have nerves of steel reading that in cla.s.s… The premise of little sister marrying older brother is similar with Nakaimo – My Sister is Among Them!『八男転生』 『Hachinan Tensei』 reference of the popular series