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"President, Kaguya, why are you two walking slower and slower?" Fujiwara Chika stood in front, waving, "Hurry up, hurry up."
"…"
Miss tightly clutched her skirt with both hands, her pretty face flushed, and she stammered, unable to speak.
She couldn't speed up.
It was her first time not wearing underwear, and in an environment with so many people like a summer festival, how could she possibly speed up? Being able to continue walking uphill was already quite good.
Amamiya Natsuki looked at Miss and whispered, "Do you want me to carry you up?"
"No." Shinomiya Kaguya quickly shook her head, "Absolutely not."
Her clothes weren't a yukata, just a normal skirt. Having him carry her would only increase the chances of exposure, wouldn't it?
"Then I can only hold your hand." Amamiya Natsuki extended his right hand.
Shinomiya Kaguya bit her lower lip with her pearly teeth, placing her soft hand into Amamiya Natsuki's. With her other hand, she desperately clutched her skirt, her pretty face flushed, and she cautiously stepped onto the stairs.
(Hold steady.)
(Don't panic.)
(According to Murphy's Law, what you fear most will happen. As long as I pretend nothing is happening, I won't encounter any danger.)
It must be said that Miss's psychological resilience was quite good.
Although she was initially overflowing with shame, her pretty face flushed crimson, and she couldn't move her feet, after walking for a while, she gradually calmed down. Although there was still a blush on her pretty face, she at least no longer showed a guilty expression that would arouse suspicion.
"Very good." Amamiya Natsuki said softly, "We'll be at the shrine soon."
"Mm."
Shinomiya Kaguya softly hummed in response, looking at the nearby shrine, and quietly breathed a sigh of relief, her palms already sweating.
Finally, they were almost there.
These short few hundred meters felt as long as a chasm.
However, just as Miss relaxed her guard, danger suddenly struck.
Bang!
Two mischievous children were chasing and playing, passing by Shinomiya Kaguya, and accidentally bumped into her.
Shinomiya Kaguya felt her skirt sink, and then it was pulled upwards. She immediately felt her vision go dark and the world spin.
Oh no.
This was the main entrance of the shrine, brightly lit like day, and the steps at the entrance were full of tourists. Her skirt was actually… in such a place.
Just as the shame of social death surged, the next moment, Shinomiya Kaguya felt herself being embraced, and at the same time, a hand pressed down on her skirt.
Smelling the familiar scent of Amamiya Natsuki, the Young Lady couldn't help but feel relieved, tears welling up in her eyes.
"Why are you running around?"
Amamiya Natsuki frowned.
It wasn't a pervert who bumped into Kaguya, but two elementary school students chasing and playing at the shrine entrance, about seven or eight years old, wearing short-sleeved shirts and shorts, with tanned skin. They looked like native children of the Island.
Facing Amamiya Natsuki's questioning, the two elementary school students nervously took half a step back. They probably realized Amamiya Natsuki and Kaguya's tourist identity, and their courage quickly surged back. One of the elementary school students mumbled:
"It wasn't us who bumped her; she was just walking too slowly."
"That's right, she couldn't even walk as fast as us."
Amamiya Natsuki raised an eyebrow, about to speak, but Shinomiya Kaguya had already calmed down. She turned her head to look at the two elementary school students behind her, crossed her arms over her chest, and a dangerous expression, like looking at ants and insects, appeared on her pretty face. She tilted her head and smiled faintly:
"Heh heh… you two are truly adorable."
So, so scary!
Facing Shinomiya Kaguya's 'kind' smile, the two mischievous children felt incredibly frightened. They couldn't help but tremble and quickly bowed to apologize.
"We're sorry!"
Smile: perfect score.
Amamiya Natsuki looked at the Young Lady with the kind smile and inwardly gave a thumbs-up.
Even high school students would shy away from Kaguya when she showed that smile, so dealing with elementary school students was naturally a piece of cake.
Amamiya Natsuki looked down and asked:
"Who bumped into whom just now?"
"We're sorry… we weren't looking where we were going and accidentally bumped into this beautiful older sister."
Facing the danger at the top of the food chain, the mischievous children also became well-behaved.
Shinomiya Kaguya's gaze fell on the candied apples in the hands of the two elementary school students. The kind smile on her face quietly receded, and she straightened her pretty face, saying:
"Don't run around on the mountain path from now on, understand?"
"Un-understood…"
The two mischievous children nodded obediently.
Shinomiya Kaguya then waved her hand and said:
"You can go now."
The two mischievous children felt as if they had been granted a great pardon and ran away in a flash.
Shinomiya Kaguya bit her lip, turned to look at Amamiya Natsuki, and whispered:
"Just now…"
"Don't worry, I used Time Stop just now. I guarantee no one saw it," Amamiya Natsuki whispered. "Actually, it was the candied apple that stuck to your skirt."
Shinomiya Kaguya slightly furrowed her delicate brows and softly said:
"Hurry to the restroom."
Amamiya Natsuki agreed, handed the Skin Card to the Young Lady, and then waited.
A few seconds later.
Shinomiya Kaguya emerged from the restroom, biting her lower lip and covering her skirt.
Amamiya Natsuki looked at Kaguya and whispered:
"No cubicle?"
"There were too many people inside!" Shinomiya Kaguya couldn't help but complain. "The line had already extended outside the restroom, with over a dozen people. It would take at least half an hour to wait."
Amamiya Natsuki said:
"In that case, we can only find a quiet, secluded corner… How about that cherry blossom grove?"
Shinomiya Kaguya's eyes widened when she heard this, and she covered her skirt with both hands: "Ri-right outside?"
Amamiya Natsuki whispered:
"If you don't go, try to hold on for half an hour?"
"..."
The Young Lady fell silent.
Hold on for another half an hour… impossible, absolutely impossible.
In fact, as the shame gradually faded, the suppressed side effect once again gained the upper hand, and Shinomiya Kaguya couldn't help but want to take off her clothes.
"Let's go," Amamiya Natsuki saw the Young Lady's expression and knew Kaguya's choice. He turned and walked towards the small grove. "We'll be quick."
"..."
Shinomiya Kaguya bit her lip with her pearly teeth and followed Amamiya Natsuki step by step, her pretty face flushed red as she entered the cherry blossom grove.
The two, one in front and one behind, arrived at a corner of the cherry blossom grove.
There were no lights in the corner, but there was a crescent moon above, casting down a clear, watery glow.
Amamiya Natsuki stopped and looked at Kaguya, whispering:
"You change your clothes. I'll stand guard nearby."
"Mm…"
Shinomiya Kaguya took a deep breath and eagerly equipped the Pure White Bride Skin Card.
The next second.
The Young Lady, dressed in an ordinary shirt and skirt, transformed into Kaguya, the Pure White Bride holding a bouquet of flowers.
Moonlight like water.
Bathed in the moonlight and starlight, the bride-to-be's charm almost reached the human limit, causing Amamiya Natsuki to fall into a daze.
"President~"
Seeing Amamiya Natsuki staring blankly, Shinomiya Kaguya's rosy lips curved slightly upwards, and she softly said, "You can leave now."
"Wait a moment."
Amamiya Natsuki regained his senses, took out his phone, and snapped many photos. Only then, satisfied, did he walk out of the grove and head straight for an inconspicuous corner.
"Come out," Amamiya Natsuki stopped. "There are many mosquitoes in the bushes."
Rustle.
The bushes gently rustled, and a Spy Maid quietly jumped out. Who else could it be but Hayasaka?
"I already applied mosquito repellent all over before coming up the mountain, so I'm not afraid at all," Hayasaka Ai stepped up to Amamiya Natsuki, raised a hand to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear, and whispered, "What are Pervert Senpai and the Young Lady doing running into the small grove?"
Even Chika could notice Kaguya's abnormality, so Hayasaka Ai, who was constantly secretly observing Kaguya, naturally couldn't have missed it. After Amamiya Natsuki and Kaguya left the group, she naturally followed them without hesitation, indeed able to protect Kaguya's safety at all times.
Amamiya Natsuki sat on a bench next to the bushes and casually said:
"You can guess."
"Hmm…" Hayasaka Ai sat next to Amamiya Natsuki, extended a slender finger, and gently tapped her lips. "Could it be that Pervert Senpai couldn't control his inner beastly desires and wanted to make a move on the Young Lady?"
Amamiya Natsuki distorted open a bottle cap and took a sip of his drink, then retorted:
"If I couldn't control my beastly desires, do you think you would have been able to leave the tent that night at Forest Camp?"
"Pfft!"
Hayasaka Ai's pretty face flushed red, and she couldn't help but softly scoff, then glared at him and whispered, "Pervert Senpai, hurry and tell me, what exactly happened to the Young Lady, and why did you two go into the small grove?"
To avoid being discovered, Hayasaka Ai didn't get too close on her own, so as not to be found by Kaguya.
Amamiya Natsuki revealed the information:
"Your the Young Lady is E-lucky. After drinking the Witch Potion, she had another side effect."
"Eh?" Hayasaka Ai was startled and urged, "What kind of side effect?"
"That was free information just now," Amamiya Natsuki said slowly. "What the specific side effect is, that's paid information."
"Tch." Hayasaka Ai crossed her arms over her chest, naturally knowing what 'paid' meant. "Did Pervert Senpai kiss the Young Lady just now?"
Amamiya Natsuki truthfully said: "No."
"Then never mind," Hayasaka Ai said with regret. "Completely uninteresting."
Hey, hey, your preferences are getting weirder and weirder!
Amamiya Natsuki silently took out his phone, opened a photo he had just taken, and handed it to Hayasaka Ai.
"So, so cute!"
This photo was taken from a low angle, capturing not only Kaguya but also the moonlight and starlight behind her. Kaguya in the photo seemed to be radiating light, sacred and inviolable.
Hayasaka Ai's eyes lit up, and she eagerly said:
"President, send me the photo."
Amamiya Natsuki put away his phone and shook his head, refusing:
"Sorry, this is a paid photo. Please pay first."
"Tch."
The Spy Maid's eyes showed disdain, but… the Young Lady in the photo was exceptionally beautiful, and she really wanted it.
Hayasaka Ai raised her hand to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear, then leaned in and kissed Amamiya Natsuki's cheek: "Is that enough…?"
"Not nearly enough."
Amamiya Natsuki wrapped his arm around the Spy Maid's slender, easily-grasped waist and pulled Hayasaka directly into his embrace.
"President, don't hold me, it's so hot."
Hayasaka Ai spoke words of disdain, but her body was quite honest. Her arms subconsciously wrapped around Amamiya Natsuki's neck, and then she slightly tilted her pretty face upwards and closed her eyes.
After teasing Maid Hayasaka for a while, the two quickly separated. The Young Lady was still in the grove, so it was impossible to fully enjoy themselves.
"President, quickly go check on the Young Lady," the Spy Maid panted softly. "Don't let the Young Lady encounter any danger."
"Mm," Amamiya Natsuki released Maid-chan. "You be careful."
Back in the grove, Kaguya was standing quietly in the corner, with about half of her Pure White Bride skirt already stained black.
"President?"
Hearing footsteps, Shinomiya Kaguya turned to look.
Amamiya Natsuki stopped a few meters in front of Kaguya and stated his identity:
"We are already married in the instance…"
"That's enough, President, you don't need to say anymore!" Shinomiya Kaguya quickly called out to stop him.
Amamiya Natsuki walked up to Kaguya and asked:
"How's the side effect?"
"It should be fine now. There's still a little bit of impulse left," Shinomiya Kaguya pursed her pink lips. "I feel like it's okay."
Amamiya Natsuki nodded and said:
"Then try putting away the Skin Card."
"Mm."
Shinomiya Kaguya gently nodded, silently willed the Skin Card to be put away, and the Pure White Bride instantly disappeared, her original clothes reappearing on her body.
Amamiya Natsuki said, "How is it?"
Shinomiya Kaguya closed her eyes and carefully felt it. At this moment, a gentle breeze happened to blow, lifting the young lady's hair and skirt.
Amamiya Natsuki subconsciously looked over, and a hint of pure white entered his eyes.
"Ugh—"
Shinomiya Kaguya quickly covered her skirt, her pretty face flushed as she glared over.
Amamiya Natsuki said seriously, "The light is too dim. I didn't see anything."
Even though you drank the potion, the dim light shouldn't prevent you from seeing clearly!
Shinomiya Kaguya covered her skirt with one hand and pointed outwards with the other, puffing out her cheeks, "President, get out!"
"..."
Amamiya Natsuki walked outside the forest and waited silently. After a short while, the young lady finally walked out. From her steady footsteps, he knew that she no longer had any weaknesses.
"Let's go," Shinomiya Kaguya said, clasping her hands over her lower abdomen and looking straight ahead, "Let's meet up with Chika and the others."
To be safe, Chika and the others hadn't gone far. Shadow Chika was leading the team, conducting reconnaissance within the shrine.
Seeing Amamiya Natsuki and Kaguya approach, Fujiwara Chika's eyes lit up, and she happily said, "Kaguya, are you alright now?"
"No problem," Shinomiya Kaguya nodded lightly, "Don't worry."
Amamiya Natsuki looked at Shadow Chika and softly asked, "Chika, have you found anything?"
Shadow Chika's voice was calm as she said, "There are five shadows in the shrine. Those five shadows are gathered together, and they seem to be plotting something."
Amamiya Natsuki raised an eyebrow upon hearing this, "You didn't approach rashly, did you?"
"No," Yukinoshita Yukino said softly, holding her hands across her chest, "I stopped Chika-chan from getting close."
"That's good," Amamiya Natsuki breathed a sigh of relief, "From this afternoon until now, the number of shadows we've encountered hasn't been many. They are basically all the upper class of the Island, and they are very likely connected to each other. Now that so many shadows have gone missing, it must have attracted their attention, and there might even be 'secret codes' or something similar."
At this point, Amamiya Natsuki looked at Chika and instructed, "Next, be careful and don't act alone."
Shadow Chika tilted her head and said, "...Is President worried about me?"
Amamiya Natsuki said, "Of course I'm worried about you."
Shadow Chika opened her arms: "I want a kiss."
"Stare—"
Shinomiya Kaguya's gaze shifted, looking over.
"Cough," Amamiya Natsuki pretended not to hear and continued, "It's already nine o'clock. According to Marin's previous statement, the shadows should take action when tourists descend the mountain."
After a pause, Amamiya Natsuki softly said, "Let me reiterate the action plan. The target, Yote, is a member of the shadows and seems to be a high-ranking member. He will definitely appear in tonight's operation."
"We will first observe in secret. If we can ambush the target, that would naturally be best."
"If the target doesn't appear, then we will eliminate other shadows to force him to appear."
Yukinoshita Yukino held her hands across her chest and softly said, "There are still some doubts that haven't been clarified... According to Chika, the shadow mother body is injured, and its reproductive capacity is limited. It cannot infinitely give birth to shadows. Therefore, the native residents on the Island who have been replaced by shadows are all important figures... If that's the case, why were almost all of us replicated?"
"It does seem a bit illogical," Amamiya Natsuki nodded, "Logically, we are just ordinary tourists, not qualified for a full replication by the shadows."
Shadow Chika, Shadow Marin, Shadow Tsubame, Shadow Juju, Shadow Shoko... and the shadow of himself mentioned by Marin, it all feels a bit strange.
Fujiwara Chika raised her hand and said, "Could the game be behind this?"
"Probably not," Hayasaka Ai gently shook her head, "If the game were behind it, there would be no need to set up a fog in the shadows' minds."
"There's one more thing," Shinomiya Kaguya softly said, "It seems one bottle of the Witch Potion is missing."
Amamiya Natsuki looked at the young lady: "What?"
"When I checked my backpack just now, I found that one bottle of potion was missing from inside," Shinomiya Kaguya said softly, "You can check your backpacks."
Currently, everyone only possessed one type of Witch Potion, which was the Night Potion that allowed them to see in the dark. As manufacturers of the potion, they naturally had ample supply. Each person's backpack contained five bottles of Night Potion, and the effect of one bottle could last for several hours, so more than that was unnecessary.
Hearing Kaguya's words, everyone began to check their respective backpacks.
Fujiwara Chika exclaimed, "Eh, I only have three bottles of the Witch Potion left. I drank one just now, so there should still be four bottles. How did one go missing... Did I remember wrong?"
Hayasaka Ai lightly furrowed her delicate brows and said, "I remember very clearly that when I came from Tokyo, I put five bottles of potion in my backpack. Now there are only three bottles left as well."
Yukinoshita Yukino opened her eyes and softly said, "I also only have three bottles."
"Everyone seems to have mysteriously lost one bottle of potion!" Fujiwara Chika's eyes widened, "Could it have been secretly taken by the game?"
Amamiya Natsuki raised an eyebrow and said, "Send a message and ask Senpai and the others how many potions they have left."
"I'll ask."
Fujiwara Chika quickly took out her phone and sent a message.
A moment later.
Fujiwara Chika looked up and said, "How strange, Senpai, Marin, and Juju all said they have five bottles of potion in their backpacks... It seems only we are missing one bottle of potion? Why would this happen?"
The few of them sat together, pondering the reason, but unfortunately, they couldn't find an answer.
If the game were to 'secretly take' potions, there's no reason why Senpai and the others would have all their potions in their backpacks.
Unfortunately, Amamiya Natsuki would only receive a prompt if he saw something specific. Since he only noticed that a bottle of potion had vanished into thin air, no prompt appeared.
At this moment, Shadow Chika suddenly stood up and calmly said, "They've started to move."
join p atreon.com/KeyofStars for advance chapters | Every 100 powerstones=1 extra chapter | Report issues @discord.com/GVBdncd9Wr | 16 novels being updated, I can't read all comments