Sakurai originally thought he wouldn't encounter Kaguya Shinomiya today.
Just like polar bears in the Arctic will never meet penguins in the Antarctic.
What, you're saying they can be air-freighted to meet each other?
Sorry—there are no penguins in the Arctic, and no bears in the Antarctic. It's impossible for them to meet!
"Kaguya-san, your last-minute cramming ability surprises me."
By the bookshelf, Sakurai glanced at the book in Kaguya Shinomiya's hand.
A collection of past exam questions—a handwritten copy compiled by some diligent senior and left in the Library. A hidden gem, really. He was impressed she'd found it.
What surprised Sakurai Saki even more, however, was today's Superpower.
[You have received a task: Kiss (Part 3)]
[Embrace Kaguya Shinomiya's slender waist and kiss her lips—using an adult's kissing style.]
[Reward: Time Stop Device]
[You have received a task: Yukino Yukinoshita Wants to Hit Someone After Hearing This]
[Mock Kaguya Shinomiya's bust size, at least three times.]
[Reward: Obedience Candy]
Sakurai Saki would do neither of these tasks.
He wouldn't mock a woman's physical flaws for no reason. Well—calling it a flaw might be a bit harsh, but Kaguya Shinomiya's bust size was pitifully small. That was simply objective fact.
As for the kissing task—Sakurai felt that kind of thing was reserved for Chika and Ai-chan. He had no interest in other girls.
The next second, the tables turned.
[You have received a task: Kiss (Part 4)]
[Kiss Shinobu in her loli form for at least 10 seconds.]
[Reward: Stamina +5]
Hmm? This task is quite simple.
Given a vampire's shame tolerance, kissing Shinobu shouldn't be too difficult, right? After all, he'd bathed with her countless times. They'd bared themselves to each other more times than he could count.
"Shinobu, Shinobu—this is Sakurai. Respond if you hear me!"
"Ha Code name Shinobu is sleeping right now. Does My Lord have something?" Her voice was thick with sleepy grumpiness.
"Please kiss me! For at least ten seconds!"
"You... are you an Italian man?! Ki... kissing and such!"
Sakurai could vividly imagine her blushing expression.
"No?"
"Of course not!"
Then forget it.
Later.
No—he wouldn't do it later either. Embracing her petite body and kissing a blonde loli was too perverted.
Even for him.
Kaguya Shinomiya was flipping through the past exam questions when she heard a sound. She turned her head, tucking a few strands of hair behind her ear.
She wasn't wearing a hairband today. Her black hair cascaded like a waterfall of ink, and her expression was cold yet captivating.
Sakurai preferred her long, straight black hair look.
Kaguya in ice-queen mode was far more interesting than her current self. The Kaguya Shinomiya with a hairband had significantly less bite—her sharp tongue was dulled, and Sakurai found that boring.
He wasn't a masochist. He'd just grown accustomed to someone's sadistic personality; when she suddenly changed, it felt wrong.
"Sakurai General Affairs—could you please remove your vulgar gaze?" Kaguya said coldly.
She closed the practice book, her posture dignified, her uniform immaculate.
"I'm looking at the book in your hand," Sakurai replied, puzzled. "What's vulgar about that?"
Women don't need a reason to insult someone.
To simplify: women don't need a reason to insult someone.
They're truly terrifying creatures. Are they all so shameless?
"Getting aroused by someone else's practice book," Kaguya said, preparing to leave with the book under her arm, "it seems I need to revise my judgment of your sexual orientation. Don't worry—even if Sakurai General Affairs has a fetish, I won't discriminate against you."
She hadn't taken more than a few steps when a familiar voice rang out from the side.
"Oh, isn't this Auntie?"
Shijo Maki appeared from behind the bookshelf, leaning against it with practiced ease. After a few seconds—perhaps realizing that leaning on the bookshelf wasn't ideal, as it might disorganize the books—she straightened up.
Her movements were fluid and natural, exuding the unmistakable aura of a minor character.
Auntie? Sakurai caught the keyword.
He knew Shijo Maki and Kaguya-sama were related—but he hadn't expected the generational gap to be this huge!
How many generations apart were they, exactly?
"Sakurai-kun, Shijo-kun and I are relatives," Kaguya explained stiffly.
"Yes, Auntie-sama." Maki was like a farmer who'd caught a sheep and frantically sheared its wool. She seized Kaguya's sensitive spot and relentlessly pressed her advantage.
Kaguya's cheeks flushed. "Shijo-kun, that title—"
"Our seniority is just like that! Auntie-sama!"
"Yes!" Kaguya gritted her teeth. "Indeed, those from the branch family must be respectful to those from the main family."
"Oh my, Auntie-sama—are you angry? Wrinkles are almost appearing on your face."
Shijo Maki finished speaking, then noticed Kaguya's expression had turned completely cold. In the middle of summer, Maki felt chills run down her spine.
She quickly turned to Sakurai for help:
"Sakurai-kun, Auntie-sama is so scary!"
Kaguya suppressed her rage, her voice trembling with barely contained fury: "Shijo-kun, what are you doing here?"
"Don't you know, Auntie-sama? I'm good friends with Sa-chan!" Shijo Maki covered her mouth and snickered. "Speaking of which—you've worked with Sa-chan in the Student Council for almost a year, and you're still calling him by his last name."
"Auntie-sama's social skills are so weak."
Upon hearing this, Kaguya Shinomiya turned to Sakurai with a strained smile. "Sa..."
After one syllable, she found she couldn't force out the next.
'Saki.'
It was too embarrassing! Was calling someone by their given name really that embarrassing?
Kaguya had never known before!
"Alright—if you can't say it, then don't." Shijo Maki wore a triumphant expression, tilting her head slightly as she proudly walked to Sakurai's side and took his hand, preparing to lead him to tutor the Five Sisters.
Unfortunately, dumbasses number one and four couldn't make it today—only three had arrived.
Nakano Ichika's career was booming, so her studies could only be left to fate. Passing should still be possible.
"Who says I can't!" Kaguya Shinomiya retorted stubbornly.
Shijo Maki turned back and mocked: "Auntie-sama, just give up!"
The two walked off toward the study room together.
Kaguya Shinomiya hesitated for a few seconds—then followed.
She wanted to see exactly what Sakurai Saki was doing in his daily lessons.
[You have received a task: Quintuplets]
[Conquer the Nakano Five Sisters—not one can be missed!]
[Reward: World Modulation Mode]
[You have received a task: Kiss (Part 5)]
...
[You have received a task: Kiss (Part 6)]
[Kiss Nino, requiring her to initiate it.]
[Reward: Seven-Day Interdimensional Travel]
...
[You have received a task: Kiss (Part 7)]
...
He felt that if this continued, he would become a kissing maniac.
Moreover, this Superpower would last for seven days. It was hard to imagine how many girls would end up on the kissing list in the task log by the end of it.
Sakurai felt this thing was like the system in some harem light novel—where you have to add every beautiful girl you see to your collection, without any consideration for whether the girl is willing or not.
"Nino-kun, what's wrong?" Sakurai snapped back to reality, noticing Nino was also spacing out.
"Nothing," Nino whispered.
Love was in her heart, but hard to express.
How could she alleviate this restlessness in her heart?
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