(Chastity Reversed) I'm Sorry, My Lady. I Had Sex With Another Woman Again - Chapter 36: There's No Way I'd Do Something Like That, Right?

“Damn it… Die… Die, just die…”

I, Shia, had run out of the classroom and was crying after witnessing the interaction between Simon-san and Nico.

I didn’t even understand why I was crying.

Was it because I was furious that the person I first loved was being toyed with by an acquaintance I secretly looked down on?

Or was it because I could no longer turn away from my ugly heart that claimed I’d given up on him, while watching them flirt right in front of me?

Or perhaps I was shocked and disappointed in Suberia for not trying to compete against Nico, and in Simon-san for being swayed by someone like Nico?

Or all of the above.

My feelings were so jumbled that I couldn’t think straight. I just huddled there, letting large tears fall onto my knees.

(I can’t take this anymore…)

I was originally against Nico joining the team.

Wealthy, unnecessarily overflowing with confidence, making no effort, and coasting through life on borrowed glory like a spoiled child.

A complete opposite of me. That person who had Simon-san attending to her just because she was Dorothy’s daughter.

I thought there was no way someone like that would continue training every day, but for once, Nico didn’t quit. She really had no sense of reading the room.

…It would have been better if she had quit.

(Ah really, I’m the worst… me)

Really, why do you have to cry over something like this? My body. I’m the one who suffers from this… So stop crying quickly and go to class.

But even if I told myself to stop crying, my body wouldn’t listen. Water overflowed from my bursting eyes, and my lips were caught between my teeth, drawing blood. The more I focused on it, the more tears spilled.

(…Let’s stop thinking for now)

I couldn’t attend class with tears still flowing. I considered skipping for the day, but someone poor like me couldn’t afford such indulgence. If I couldn’t get good grades, I might burden my family.

I curled up my body and waited for the storm of emotions to subside. So that no one would notice I had been crying. So I could return as quickly as possible.

“Are you alright?”

But contrary to my wishes, an irritatingly high voice was directed at me as I kept my face down.

Unable to hide my displeasure, I reflexively responded in a threatening tone, my voice still tearful.

“…What?”

“Ah, sorry. I’m Ichiko. First year, like you.”

When I looked up, I saw a woman’s face with a thin smile. It was frustrating, but she was somewhat cute. With black hair and black eyes that were rare around here, like Simon-san.

Unlike my wide eyes, hers were narrow and slanted.

Her build was skinny, quite slim. Not fat, but the kind of body that might appeal to certain tastes.

Overall, she couldn’t be called exceptionally beautiful, but among the demon races and elves who were considered mostly ugly, she was fairly cute.

She had a somewhat exotic feel. Her race was… human? Probably.

“Actually, I’ve known about you, Shia-san, for a while. When I was looking for a chance to talk, I stumbled upon you here and couldn’t help myself.”

“…I see, and?

I’ll ask one more time, what do you want?”

What’s with this girl?

A chance to talk? Did it have to be now?

This woman had a somewhat mocking atmosphere. It felt like she was picking a fight, making my blood boil.

“Then I’ll get straight to the point. Don’t you hate Nico? …Don’t you want to crush her?”

“……”

But the moment I heard those words, my head suddenly cooled down. Nico? Why was she bringing up Nico…?

No, wait. Crush her, she said…?

“What are you talking about…?”

“Doesn’t it irritate you, even though you’re on the same team? Even today, doing such things in public…”

“……”

The woman who called herself Ichiko raised her hand, showing an exasperated face as if to say “good grief.”

An attitude that mocked Nico, who was supposed to be my teammate. However, I couldn’t respond to that… because what she said was true. I was irritated.

“Sleeping during class, clinging to Simon-san without caring about public eyes… His behavior is excessive. Don’t you think so, Shia-san?”

“W-well, that’s…”

I did think so. I thought so completely. I wanted to nod my head so hard it might twist off.

That’s how much I agreed with what she said.

…Still, Nico was my teammate. Unable to openly criticize, I nodded ambiguously.

“W-well, I suppose, a little…”

“Haha, right?-You’re not wrong, Shia-san. There are actually quite a few people who think that way. People who want Nico, who parasitizes Simon-san, to be expelled!”

“…Huh?”

“We are planning to crush Nico, even crossing class boundaries.”

After saying that, Ichiko took a step closer to me, took both my hands, and continued speaking.

“So, Shia-san. I’d like you to cooperate with us. You, who also hates Nico. That’s my invitation…”

Her eyes sharpened as if to ask “What do you think?” while she showed a smile only with her mouth.

In response to that, I…

(…Huh? What is this person saying?)

I was furious at being looked down upon.

Crush Nico, she said?

I was Nico’s teammate, for heaven’s sake.

True, I disliked Nico, but to betray her, that’s…

“I would never do something like that…”

“Eh? Why not? You’re suffering too, aren’t you? If Nico disappeared, I think a lot of your stress would decrease.”

“……”

That might be… true, but.

But once we became a team, it was different. I couldn’t betray Ginny, and most importantly, Suberia, regardless of how I felt about Nico.

That’s right, so I couldn’t do this…

“Sorry, but I can’t do it.”

“Are you perhaps concerned about Suberia-san?”

“…!”

Ichiko’s question seemed to see through my heart, which had wavered slightly before reaching my answer.

It was so accurate that I unconsciously raised my face and stared at her.

“Don’t you think Suberia-san would be happy about it deep down? Do you think she’s been her energetic self lately?”

“…W-well, it’s true she hasn’t been energetic, but…”

“Then cooperate for Suberia-san’s sake too. If Nico disappeared, wouldn’t everyone be happy?

…Even Simon-san, he’s only paying attention to her because it’s his job, but someone like that, he must dislike her deep down. If you cooperate, everyone can be happy, you know?” 

If Nico disappeared. For Suberia’s sake. For Simon-san’s sake. Such obvious sweet talk. Ichiko whispered words designed to lead me on.

…But even though I knew it was manipulation, I couldn’t strongly deny it. Because I had been thinking the same thing. That if Nico wasn’t around, things would work out better.

“N-no. But that’s wrong… Let me consult with Suberia first, I can’t decide this alone…”

“Ah, no no. It was Suberia who decided to let Nico join, right? She has a responsibility for adding her to the team. She couldn’t openly suggest removing Nico, could she? Nico needs to naturally disappear due to her own foolishness.”

As I tried to leave, Ichiko positioned herself in front of me, blocking my way and continuing the conversation.

As if to say she would be troubled if I didn’t agree.

“…What exactly are you planning to do? Expulsion… That’s not something easily achieved. Even if I helped, it wouldn’t make a difference.”

“Ahaha, that’s not true. Well, I said ‘cooperation,’ which sounds grand, but actually, I don’t expect much from you, Shia-san.”

Ichiko put her arm around my shoulder and leaned in to whisper. Although I found her body heat disgusting, I couldn’t shake off her hand.

“Just a little. Just slack off in the upcoming sports festival. Just make sure you don’t achieve top results in your class. With that alone, the academic exemption will be lost, and Nico, who doesn’t listen in class at all, will be covered in failing grades. And with that, she’s finished.”

“…Just failing grades won’t lead to immediate expulsion, right?”

“Actually, they will. Nico’s parent, Dorothy, is in the middle of divorce proceedings with the husband she’s served for many years. Due to this sudden event, her reputation with the Demon Lord has also fallen, it seems. In such circumstances, if it’s proven that her daughter Nico can’t study at all and isn’t receiving proper education… custody will transfer to him. If that happens, everything falls into our hands.”

These words from her, with their truth unknown.

In the end, I neither agreed nor refused. I just glared at the annoying woman’s face in front of me.

“Well, there’s still time. If you make up your mind, come to the newspaper club. That’s the headquarters of our organization, ‘SFC’.”

She casually patted my shoulder, finally smirked, and left.

“Damn it…”

I had no intention of betraying the team. That’s what I thought in my head. There’s no way I would. Do that.

But in the end.

I couldn’t tell Suberia and the others about “SFC.”