Academy SP 〜An Ex-Mercenary Reincarnated as a Mob in a Gal Game. I Ditched My Bodyguard Job to Enjoy High School Life, but When the Ultra-Rich Heroines Were About to Get Killed, I Stepped In… and Somehow Built a Harem Powerful Enough to Control Japan〜 - Chapter 106, 107 & 108

Suiran Kousaki Route

Chapter 106

Side: Yuuji

『Last night, in Adachi Ward, Tokyo, skeletal remains were discovered in an apartment under demolition. The body is believed to be that of an adult male. Police are treating it as a possible crime and plan to conduct an autopsy to determine the identity of the deceased and the cause of death.』 

It was July.

With the sound of cicadas beginning to fill the air, a pretty unsettling piece of news was playing on TV.

“An apartment, huh… Yeah, that’s gotta be a family member who did it.”

Lying around lazily, I bit into an ice pop.

It was probably a big case, but it had nothing to do with me.

…At least, that’s what I thought.

『Breaking news just in. According to multiple sources within the ruling party, Prime Minister Hiiragi has reportedly decided to step down. The Seiyuukai has been facing increasing internal pressure for his resignation over alleged ties between the Kirishima conglomerate and the yakuza group Satsuroukai, as well as issues involving undisclosed funds—』 

The sudden update made me freeze.

“…Seriously?”

The shock left me completely stunned.

Before I knew it, the ice pop in my hand had melted.

“What the hell… why now…?”

That news hit me like a bolt out of the blue—completely unexpected.

If my memory was right, Prime Minister Hiiragi’s resignation was supposed to happen during the Suiran Kousaki route of the gal game Academy SP, in our third year of high school.

That’s why I’d been staying quiet and watching things play out…

But ever since I reincarnated, the routes have been changing way too much.

“…Figures. At this point, there’s no way I can just ignore it.”

I finished off the now-melted ice pop in one go.

—Guess I’ve got no choice.

Because this route…

…Is a bad ending.

The route where Suiran Kousaki dies.

〇

A few days later—

“Alright!”

I slapped my cheeks a couple of times.

Today might be the day Suiran Kousaki dies—
I had to stay sharp and avoid that bad ending no matter what.

With that in mind, I headed into the living room—

And my “new life” parents said this to me.

“Yuu-kun! It’s finally tomorrow!”

“…Huh? What is?”

“What do you mean ‘what’? Your birthday, of course! You’re turning sixteen this year, right?”

“Wait—what!?”

Mob character Yuuji Takahashi… my birthday is tomorrow!?

I had no idea—I’m such a background character, it never even came up…

“Ahh… our little Yuu-kun is already sixteen… time really flies…”

My mom in this life had tears glistening in her eyes.

“Thank you… for being born.”

Those warm words hit me harder than I expected.

(…No one’s ever said that to me before.)

“Hey! Mama! You’re getting emotional too early! His birthday’s tomorrow!”

My dad said that with a gentle smile.

“You’re right. Sorry. Yuu-kun, we’ll celebrate properly tomorrow, okay!”

“Yeah! Yuu-kun, don’t make any plans for tomorrow!”

I didn’t know what to say, so I just scratched my head.

“…Yeah. Got it.”

That was all I managed to reply.

They looked a little worried seeing how low-energy I was, but I brushed it off and stepped out through the front door.

(…I think I’m happy.)

But I couldn’t shake the feeling that I had stolen this life—the life of Yuuji Takahashi, a background character.

It felt like I was taking someone else’s happiness for myself.

Do I really deserve—
To have my birthday celebrated?

Me… who’s just been living this second life so casually.

〇

—10:24

Yushu Girls’ Academy was attending the “International Youth Forum,” held on an entire reserved floor of a luxury hotel in Tokyo.

It was an annual school event—basically, young people from all over the world gathered in Japan to interact and exchange ideas.

“Man, the conglomerate daughters Japan is so proud of are insanely popular, huh~”

The one making that laid-back comment next to me—of course—was Wakita.

We stood a little off to the side, watching Sara, Ririko, and Ayaka.
The three of them were deep in conversation with youths from different countries, discussing global affairs and future prospects.

“Right now, Sara-san’s talking to a British noble, you know? Ririko-san’s with the son of an Indian billionaire, and Ayaka-san’s with the heir of a German automotive company. Seriously… they live in a completely different world.”

“Yeah, no kidding,” I shrugged.

By the way, all of them were speaking in English.
They’d probably been trained since they were little—every one of them sounded like a native speaker.

“By the way, Yuuji, can you even keep up with their conversations~? You were barely passing your midterms and finals, remember~?”

Wakita gave me a teasing look.

I almost flicked his forehead—but relax.

My English is just fine.

“Don’t underestimate me. I can handle everyday conversations just fine!”

“Reeeally~? …More importantly, Yuuji, are you okay with this?”

“Hm? With what?”

“The guys they’re talking to right now—looks like they’re being pretty aggressive, don’t you think?”

Wakita smirked as I glanced over at the three of them—

…And yeah, he had a point. They were definitely being pursued hard.

Questions like, “What do you do on your days off?” “Come visit my country sometime,” “Can I get your contact info?”

—Yeah, all three of them were getting pretty obvious advances.

“Nowadays, conglomerate daughters have a lot more freedom in love than before~. At this rate, they might just ignore you completely and end up in some huge international marriage with ultra-rich elites, you know~?”

Wakita was clearly trying to provoke me.

Like, if I kept acting indecisive like this, they’d drift away—

…Yeah, yeah. Whatever.

“That wouldn’t be so bad, right? If that’s what makes them happy, then that’s fine.”

“……………………”

Wakita looked completely unimpressed.

“…Yuuji, aren’t you trying to distance yourself from them?”

As sharp as ever.

“Hey, Yuuji—”

Just as Wakita was about to say something—

The three of them came back over to us.

“Phew… talking nonstop like that really wears you out~”
“…Yeah. And they almost got me to exchange contact info too.”
“Honestly. Even if it’s a social event, it’s still part of high society. They should show some restraint.”

…Huh? So nothing really happened in the end?

Just as I thought that, they suddenly turned to me.

“Ah, Yuuji! Don’t worry, okay!? I turned down all the date invitations!”
“…Some guy tried to touch my shoulder too, but I dodged it smoothly.”
“Hmph. A man tried to put his hand on my waist, so I twisted his wrist properly.”

Ayaka… one wrong move and that turns into an international incident…

While I was thinking that, I suddenly realized—

I was completely surrounded by them.

“I’m devoted to Yuuji only!”
“Same here. I can’t think about anyone other than Yuuji-kun!”
“Of course, me as well. You have nothing to worry about.”

Faced with that, all I could manage was—

“Y-Yeah…”

A completely helpless response.

Wakita nudged me with his elbow.

“Man, you’re as popular as ever, Mr. President!”

“Give me a break…”

And you’re still fully committed to that ‘best friend of the gal-game protagonist’ role, huh…

Still… Sara, Ririko, and Ayaka—

They always express their feelings to me like this.

Honestly… it makes my heart race.

Even though I had already made up my mind—

My resolve was starting to waver.

I was supposed to keep my distance from them—

I had decided not to get involved any deeper…

“(Excuse me.)”

At that moment, I heard a language that felt strangely nostalgic.

When I turned around, there was a blonde girl.

She looked about our age.

“(Are you students from Yushu Girls’ Academy?)”

Sara, Ririko, Ayaka—and even Wakita—looked at each other.

“…That’s French, right?”
“No idea, I only understand English…”
“I can speak a little German, but…”
“Yeah, I don’t understand it at all!”

Watching everyone panic a bit, I rolled up my sleeves.

(Alright… time to show off a little.)

“(Yes, we’re from Yushu Girls’ Academy.)”

The moment I spoke in French, everyone froze in surprise.

“(Oh, thank goodness! Someone who understands French! I’m not very good at English…)”

“(I get it. Other languages can be tough. It’s been a while since I’ve spoken French too, so I wasn’t sure if I’d get my point across…)”

“(Not at all! You’re very good at it!)”

“Heh… haha…”

The blonde girl and I chatted smoothly, both smiling.

…Yeah, people here really do carry themselves with a certain elegance.

“““Muuu…”””

…Oh.

The stares from behind me hurt.

If I get too friendly with other girls, this is definitely going to come back to bite me later.

Well, it’s not like I’ve done anything wrong…

…Anyway, back to the point.

“(So, what can I help you with?)”

“(Ah—right, sorry. Actually, I have a close friend who attends Yushu Girls’ Academy. She’s supposed to be here, but she’s not at our meeting spot…)”

“(I see. Then what’s her name?)”

“(Her name is—)”

Right then—

“(Anne! Sorry I’m late!)”

A Japanese girl ran up and jumped into the blonde girl’s arms—

Speaking French far more fluently than I ever could.

—Thump.

My heart suddenly pounded.

…Ah. So she’s the one that girl was looking for.

But still… the real thing really is different.

The heroine I used to like the most in the gal game—

Seeing her up close—

Her black hair, softly waved and falling to her shoulders.
Her forehead, revealed through neatly parted bangs, full of quiet confidence.
And—
That striking, curvy figure…

“(Suiran—!)”

Like something straight out of Western culture, the two hugged tightly, laughing and bouncing around in excitement.

“(Where have you been!?)”
“(Sorry, sorry! I was talking with Joshua and Giru just now!)”

It was probably a long-awaited reunion.

After chatting excitedly for a bit—

Suiran Kousaki turned her gaze toward me.

—Smile.

“……………………!”

For some reason, she looked at me like she was sizing me up… and gave me a soft smile.

Then, in French, she asked—

“(So you’re the rumored… Yuuji Takahashi-kun?)”

Chapter 107

Side: Yuuji

Suiran looked at me with a gaze that felt like she was testing me—yet at the same time, she seemed to be enjoying it.

…Wait, she knows my name?
And why is she speaking in French…?

Well, whatever.

“(Y-Yeah, that’s me… but what do you mean by ‘rumored’?)”

“(I’ve heard you’ve been protecting the Four Great Conglomerate daughters this whole time.)”

“(Huh?)”

“(And that you’re incredibly strong, too.)”

Suiran tilted her head slightly, staring straight through me.

“(That much has reached my ears, you know~)”

“(I-Is that so…)”

“(Of course… I’ve heard about the Tosa Family as well.)”

“(!?)”

That caught me completely off guard.

Don’t tell me… she knows about what happened with the Tosa Family too?

Even the police don’t have the full picture of that incident—and yet, here she was, casually bringing it up.

“(Fufu… you’re overreacting. Are you more honest than you look~?)”

“(N-No… it’s not like that…)”

What is this…?

There was a kind of cuteness in the way she looked up at me—but at the same time, her eyes felt like they were judging me… weighing me.

It was… oddly unsettling.

I could feel sweat forming.

“(Still, I’m curious~. Why are you so strong? If the information I’ve heard is right, your strength is almost… unreal. What kind of training have you been through~?)”

“(Nothing special… just normal workouts and stuff…)”

“(Hmmm~?)”

Suiran smiled sweetly as she stepped closer.

A faint, perfume-like scent brushed past my nose.

For a fifteen-year-old, she carried an almost unbelievable charm—enough to make my heart skip a beat.

But what she said next hit even harder.

“(By the way… your French is pretty unique.)”

“(Huh?)”

“(It’s standard French, sure—but your slang is unusual. French is spoken in over thirty countries, and it changes depending on the region. Canada, Africa… they all have their own variations. But yours… doesn’t quite match any of them.)”

She crossed her arms, lightly touching her cheek with her index finger as she continued.

“(That simplified style of French… it’s designed so people from all over the world in a certain organization can communicate easily. Basically, a kind of universal communication method.)”

…Crap.

“(That organization would be—the French Foreign Legion.)”

…Crap.

“(So… were you part of it?)”

…Crap.

“(If that’s the case… it would explain your strength, though~)”

…Crap, crap, crap.

“(So… did I get it right?♡)”

W-What is this girl…?

And seriously—how much does she know about French…?

“(N-No way… I’m only fifteen, you know? There’s no way I could’ve joined the French Foreign Legion. Haha…)”

“(Hmmm? Well, yeah, I guess so! I looked into it, but there was no record of you enlisting—or even traveling to France♡)”

“(Hahaha! Right? Glad you understand…)”

…Wait, huh!?

You looked into it!?

“(Fufufu♡ You’re so easy to read—it makes you really fun, Yuuji Takahashi-kun♡)”

“(H-Haha… thanks…)”

“(Let’s have another fun chat sometime♡)”

With that, Suiran waved goodbye, then linked arms with her French friend and walked off toward another group.

I pulled out a handkerchief and wiped the sweat from my forehead.

(Damn it… getting completely thrown off by a girl half my age… how pathetic am I…)

When I turned around—

…Oh crap.

The three conglomerate daughters were standing there with their arms crossed, glaring right at me.

“Looks like you were having quite a good time, huh~ Yuuji?”
“…Chatting all nicely in French, huh~? Must be nice~?”
“……………………”

Ayaka, in particular, was staring me down with a seriously intense expression.

Meanwhile, Wakita casually patted my shoulder.

“Yep… Yuuji, you never fail to live up to my expectations!”

“No, that’s not it! It’s not like that!”

Seriously… this guy’s always trying to turn things into a full-blown harem situation…

“Well, still… Suiran Kousaki’s aura really is on a whole different level, isn’t it?”

Wakita slung an arm over my shoulder and nudged my gaze toward her.

“The Kousaki conglomerate—its history goes way back. After the Edo shogunate was established, the Kousaki family, originally a samurai house, gave up their warrior status and became wealthy merchants. From there, they built up massive wealth and power. If Hagoromo, Aketo, and Kirishima rose to prominence in the Meiji era as newer conglomerates, then the Kousaki group might as well be called the oldest conglomerate in Japan.”

Hearing that, I looked at Suiran again.

And somehow… she felt even more overwhelming.

Like a girl already perfectly formed as a woman—while also carrying the weight of a long, ancient lineage behind her.

Even now, people from all over the world were gathering around her.

That natural charisma only made her stand out even more.

“What sets the Kousaki conglomerate apart isn’t just its long history—they’ve also been deeply involved in politics.”

“Yeah. Officially, Suiran Kousaki’s father is the head of the family, but the one who really holds power is her grandfather—the ‘advisor,’ Chouichirou Kousaki. And he’s also the Secretary-General of the ruling party, Seiyuukai.”

By the way, the Secretary-General is the one who actually runs the party—basically the real top.

Especially Chouichirou—he’s known as a “power player.”
They say a single word from him can decide who becomes the next party leader of Seiyuukai.

Being from a conglomerate background, he’s often labeled things like “dictator,” “shadow shogun,” or “behind-the-scenes fixer.”

Well… that’s just how the public sees him, though.

“Hm?”

Wakita tilted his head.

“Yuuji, you seem pretty knowledgeable about Suiran-san. You were like that during the entrance ceremony too.”

“Eh?”

“Well, I mean, it’s understandable you’d be interested… especially with those impressive—uh, presence she’s got… mufufu…”

Oi, idiot—that’s not it!
Don’t get the wrong idea…

…Though, yeah, it’s true she was my favorite heroine.

“““Muuuuu…”””

See? Sara, Ririko, and Ayaka are all puffing their cheeks now.

And somehow, I’m the one who’s going to get blamed for this…

“But honestly, Kousaki-san feels kind of untouchable—even for us other conglomerate families. It’s like she’s just on a completely different level intellectually.”

“…Yeah. She’s beautiful, sociable… and how many languages does she even speak? English, French, German, Chinese… she can probably talk to people from anywhere in the world.”

“Tch…! I was supposed to take first place on the entrance exams…! Suiran Kousaki…!”

Ayaka’s the only one getting weirdly competitive here…

Well, to be fair, “beauty and brains” really does fit—Suiran Kousaki is on another level in both looks and intelligence.
And the fact that she doesn’t even seem to try just makes her feel even more gifted…

“People like her are probably destined to marry someone from the nobility—like a duke-level family or even royalty.”

“…Yeah, exactly. So—”

Before I knew it, Sara and Ririko had each grabbed one of my arms—and weren’t letting go.

“So at the very least, pick from among us, okay~?”
“…Yeah. Don’t go expanding your options any further, got it~?”

They really hammered that in.

Man… this is a problem.

Because I’m fully planning to get deeply involved with Suiran Kousaki to stop her bad ending route…

“……………………”

Then, Ayaka suddenly shot me a sharp glare.

Before I could react, she grabbed me by the collar—

“Takahashi. Come with me.”

And just like that, she dragged me out of the venue.

W-Wait, what!? Are you taking me out to beat me up or something!?

That’s what I thought—but Ayaka spoke with a serious expression.

“What were you talking about in French with Suiran Kousaki earlier?”

“Huh? It was just… nothing important…”

“Don’t dodge the question. Even in French, I didn’t miss it. —She mentioned the Tosa Family.”

Chapter 108

Side: Yuuji

Ayaka… so she did hear it.
No wonder her expression suddenly turned so serious back then…

“I didn’t go into that much detail.”

I told her everything I had talked about with Suiran Kousaki—without hiding anything.

Ayaka placed a hand on her chin, thinking.

“Most likely, information about the Tosa Family leaked to the Kousaki conglomerate from somewhere.”

“Huh?”

“Takahashi, you understand that the Seiyuukai is in major turmoil right now, don’t you?”

She was probably referring to the news about Prime Minister Hiiragi stepping down.

“They’ll be holding a leadership election soon. In other words, they’re deciding the next Prime Minister.”

“Exactly. There are two candidates stepping forward. One is Mamoru Senba, a dove. The other is Hideo Mayuzumi, a hawk. And the biggest issue at stake is—Japan’s policy toward the United States.”

As we already knew, in this world, Japan’s relationship with the U.S. was extremely strained.

Japan had stayed out of World War II, but the U.S. had constantly pressured them afterward, warning them not to get ahead of themselves.
Because of that, public opinion carried a strong sense of distrust toward that superpower.

“Senba, the dove, wants a more cooperative approach with the U.S. But Mayuzumi is aggressively anti-American—almost to an extreme. Their views are completely split. And that divide doesn’t just exist in politics. According to various surveys, the Japanese public is just as divided on how to deal with the U.S.”

Ayaka crossed her arms, her expression serious.

“Personally, I don’t like Senba’s wishy-washy approach. Do you know about America’s ‘AJP’?”

“Hm? AJP…? What’s that?”

I’d never heard of it before.

“AJP—short for ‘Anti-Japanese Party.’ Literally, the ‘anti-Japan party.’”

“An anti-Japan party? That’s… a pretty blunt name.”

“It’s an extremist group formed by Americans who see Japan—economically and militarily—as a threat. Most of its members are tied to the military, and it’s far too powerful to just be called an ideological group.”

“An ideological group…?”

…Hold on.
I’ve never seen or heard of something like that in the original story.

Well, since Academy SP is set in Japan, maybe an American group like that just never showed up…
Is this one of those hidden background elements…?

“Right now, Japan dominates global market share in areas like semiconductors. Americans who fear that influence have gathered together and are spreading extreme rhetoric online. Some even say things like, ‘Just drop a nuclear bomb on them!’—that’s how far it’s gone.”

Ayaka shook her head in frustration.

“America right now is insane. Saying things like dropping a nuclear bomb—as if it’s nothing… something humanity has never even used in real combat… it’s completely mad…”

…I see.

In this world, Japan never suffered nuclear attacks…

What a strangely fortunate timeline.

“Anyway, the U.S. has been pressuring Japan in both trade and military matters. I think Japan should at least take a firm stance. —At the very least, that’s how people from the Kirishima conglomerate see it.”

…Yeah, that sounded exactly like something she’d say, growing up in a family tied to the defense industry.

Honestly, I couldn’t really say which side was right or wrong.

But one thing was clear—

In this world too, the U.S. stood at the top.

And having a country like that as an enemy instead of an ally… was a terrifying thought.

Maybe it’s because I used to be a mercenary, but when it comes to military matters, I look at the balance of power very realistically.

To put it bluntly, even in this world, Japan probably shouldn’t provoke the U.S.

In my previous life, Japan had made a reckless move—but in this world, it managed to hold back.

I’d rather not see it repeat that mistake…

“Still, at this point, it’s basically a given that the dove, Senba, will become the next leader.”

Ayaka said it firmly, as if there was no doubt.

“That’s because the one backing him is—Chouichirou Kousaki, the Secretary-General.”

“Suiran’s grandfather…?”

“Yeah. With just a single word from him, votes will gather around Senba. The power of the Kousaki conglomerate is overwhelming. Even the Kirishima conglomerate—despite running the Ministry of Defense—can’t match them politically.”

“…So even among conglomerates, there’s a hierarchy.”

“The Kousaki family has been influential since ancient times—they even had a say during the Tokugawa shogunate. —Anyway, they’re the kind of people who will do whatever it takes to seize power. Especially when it comes to information strategy, they’re on another level. They’ve probably already uncovered everything—like how I was kidnapped by the Tosa Family, and how Ashioka-san of the Satsuroukai dealt with them afterward.”

Which meant—

They could use that as leverage against the Kirishima conglomerate if they wanted.
Maybe it was already being used in political maneuvering.

“Well, I’m not trying to get into politics here. Just… be careful around Suiran Kousaki.”

Ayaka’s eyes were completely serious.

No—maybe there was even a hint of fear in them.

“Lately, the Kousaki conglomerate has been trying to seize power in a rather forceful way. Because of that, they’re being hated quite intensely by the public. …And yet, Suiran Kousaki acts like it doesn’t bother her at all. Honestly… I have no idea what she’s thinking.”

“……”

“Just… don’t get close to that woman.”

With that, Ayaka suddenly grabbed my hand tightly.

H-Hey!?

“Hey… Takahashi…”

She looked at me with moist, wavering eyes.

Wait… since when could you make a face like that!?

(But even if you say that…)

I glanced toward Suiran Kousaki, who was standing across the venue.

(It’s true—she carries an aura like a princess who keeps commoners at a distance. But… that’s not really what she’s like.)

Just then, a man approached her.

“—Lady Suiran.”

A tall, sharp-looking, handsome guy.

With refined features and a slightly narcissistic air, he knelt smoothly and extended his hand toward her.

“My apologies for interrupting your time, but it seems it’s about time for your next engagement…”

Hearing that, Suiran let out a faint breath—

But the very next moment, she smiled brightly.

“Alright. Thank you for letting me know—Morimiya-kun.”

That guy—was none other than Shin Morimiya, the greatest rival of Academy SP’s main protagonist, Shirou Amagaya.

Lately, Suiran had been away on overseas trips and barely showed up at school, and he was always by her side—so even seeing him like this felt kind of rare.

Behind him, a large group of students—probably half of the Academy SP—trailed along.

“Sorry, where was the location again?”

When Suiran asked, Morimiya answered calmly.

“Yes. Chiba Prefecture—Makuhari Messe.”

“Got it. Let’s go then.”

Saying that, Suiran took Morimiya’s hand.

They looked just like a princess and her knight.

“Huh. Those two actually look pretty good together!”

For some reason, Ayaka seemed pleased seeing Suiran with Morimiya.

“That man, Morimiya—I got curious and looked into him a bit. Turns out he’s the son of that major security company, ‘Morimiya Guard.’ And they’re also under the Kousaki conglomerate. He’s practically a man born for the sole purpose of protecting Suiran Kousaki!”

…Yeah, that wasn’t wrong.

Morimiya’s existence really did revolve around Suiran.

I understood that.

And it’s not like I’m stepping in because I don’t want my favorite heroine ending up with another guy or anything like that.

I just—want to protect Suiran’s life.

“Hey, Ayaka.”

“Hm? What is it?”

“You said Suiran Kousaki and the others are heading to Makuhari Messe—what’s going on there?”

“Oh, that. Right now, that place is hosting important figures from all over the world. The reason is simple—our Kirishima conglomerate is holding a ‘Weapons Expo’ to showcase our latest military technology.”

(—I knew it!)

A jolt ran through my entire body.

“Most likely, Suiran Kousaki will be accompanying her grandfather, Chouichirou, making rounds to greet all those VIPs. Being the granddaughter of the Secretary-General isn’t easy… I wanted to attend too, but I was told to prioritize my studies. Honestly, I’m kind of envious of how needed she is by her family—”

“—Sorry, Ayaka. I’ve got something I need to do.”

Saying that, I started walking.

One step. Then another.

Behind me, Ayaka sounded shaken.

“W-Wait, Takahashi!?”

As I moved closer, Morimiya and Suiran both turned toward me, clearly wondering what I was doing.

(—This is it. It’s definitely happening.)

(The bad ending route for Suiran Kousaki is progressing.)

This event only appears if the protagonist chooses Suiran Kousaki’s route and fails to raise her affection level enough by the third year of high school.

The situation goes like this—

―――――――――

One day, during the forum, Shirou Amagaya—who was acting as Suiran’s bodyguard—was challenged by Shin Morimiya when they were about to head to the next weapons expo.

“I am the one worthy of protecting Lady Suiran!”

Amagaya hesitated… but in the end, he accepted the challenge.

And then—

He lost.

Once he lost that fight, Suiran was effectively taken by Morimiya, and Amagaya was removed from the bodyguard role.

“As I thought, you’re not suitable. Excuse me.”

Suiran looked slightly disappointed, but still—

“I guess it was too much for you, Amagaya. Sorry for dragging you around all this time.”

And just like that, she left with Morimiya.

After that—

Suiran Kousaki gets killed.

―――――――

(Amagaya isn’t even here… and Morimiya is already acting as her bodyguard from the start. There are some differences from the original story—but there’s no way this guy can fully protect Suiran.)

So what do I do?

Simple.

I just have to do the opposite of what happens in the original.

“What is it? You are… hmm, sorry, who were you again?”

Shin Morimiya spoke politely, but there was a clear hint of mockery in his smile.

“Yuuji Takahashi-kun…?”

Suiran looked at me with curiosity.

…Alright.

No need for stiff introductions here.

“I’ll get straight to the point.”

“Hm?”

“—Let me handle Suiran Kousaki’s protection.”

The moment I said that, Morimiya’s eyes twitched.

“…Is that supposed to be a joke?”

“I’m not joking.”

I threw out the very line he was supposed to say in the original story.

“—I’m the one who’s worthy of protecting Suiran.”