I Want to Completely Avoid Troubled Girls, but It Seems I’ve Reincarnated as a Background Character in the Most Dangerous Yandere Academy - Chapter 39-40

Chapter 39: Issei Is Busy Playing in the Water

During this swimming session, someone almost drowns.

…That’s the kind of incident that typically occurs on the route of “The Most Dangerous Yandere Academy.”

I kept a watchful eye on the girls, nervous about whether some trouble might arise.

It wasn’t guaranteed that the incident would happen, but in the many loops Ruriko had gone through, it occurred quite often.

This time, I should assume it might happen again.

“Yahhoo!”

Meanwhile, my classmates, including the “Four Great Beauties,” were fully enjoying the sea.

Yu, who had been physically restraining me, apparently got bored and let me go.

So, what am I doing now?

“This could turn out to be a castle.”

“Let’s just pray no big waves come.”

I was building a sandcastle with Ruriko. It might seem like a childish activity, but it was surprisingly fun.

Since I couldn’t move around much to keep an eye out for trouble, I thought this would kill time. But childhood pleasures, it seems, aren’t so easily abandoned.

“They say that to leave the dragon’s eyes unfinished ruins the whole picture.”

“Yeah.”

“Even the smallest mistake at the end can cause big problems, you know?”

“A warning, huh? Based on experience?”

“Exactly. Like when I locked you up to keep you all to myself—it was a sort of insurance policy.”

“Hey, just so you know, kidnapping is never justifiable.”

“I’ve reflected on it, so don’t push me further, okay?”

Hearing that, I couldn’t bring myself to argue further.

“This time, I’d really like for something irregular to happen.”

“You don’t want someone to drown, right?”

“Of course not. Peace is the best thing for everyone.”

“Absolutely.”

Her response was filled with a strong sense of agreement.

Having repeated the loop many times, Ruriko had seen countless tragic routes. Constant resets would wear down anyone’s sanity.

I could understand her desire for peace and a normal life.

While I was thinking about this, Ruriko finished the castle.

It was impressively detailed, so much so that it wouldn’t look out of place in a diorama. She had taken this child’s play quite seriously.

“I need to take a picture quickly!”

Saying that, she left the shore and headed toward the tent.

While she was away, I kept watch over the sandcastle.

But just as Ruriko started heading back, a strong wave rolled in. The castle, built safely far from the tide until then, was swallowed up and collapsed in an instant.

“Oh no.”

Ruriko’s first words upon seeing the destruction were just that.

“Sorry, I couldn’t protect it.”

“I was so sure it’d be fine… My time spent on it, back to zero again.”

She was stunned, her mouth agape like her soul had left her body.

“I didn’t think you were that serious about it.”

“Even knowing it would eventually break, I at least wanted to preserve it in a photo.”

“Well, at least it’s etched clearly in my memory.”

“It wasn’t completely pointless. Yes, that’s what I have to tell myself!”

She seemed to be forcing herself to accept the situation.

“We don’t really have time to rebuild the castle now.”

“Since we’re here, Ruriko, why don’t we try something else?”

After focusing so much on the sandcastle, we hadn’t really done much playing in the water.

What about the rest of the “Four Great Beauties”?

Yu and Kana were splashing seawater at each other, screaming playfully while hurling insults as usual.

Joining in, Rukawa Hyouka was using a massive water gun, probably supplied by her butler.

As the others splashed water with their hands, Hyouka’s gigantic and powerful water gun felt ridiculously unfair.

She seemed to have brought an array of “weapons,” with various items scattered across the beach.

“Should we join them?”

“Maybe we should. If someone’s going to drown, one of the Four Great Beauties seems like a likely candidate.”

Rather than watching from a distance, we decided to approach and keep a closer eye on them.

“Hey, everyone, we’re joining in!”

I called out to the three, leading Ruriko along.

“Great, I was hoping you’d join us. Watching you two building that sandcastle so cozily stirred a lot of feelings in me, you know.”

From Yu’s jealous tone, I could already tell I was in for it.

“If we’re doing this, we’re going all out. It’s crucial for the success of my experiments with you, Issei-kun.”

Kana, as usual, was obsessively focused on her experiments.

“Everyone has their reasons, but I’ll do whatever it takes to win.”

“You go way too far, Rukawa.”

“Do I? It’s simply a survival skill in a competitive world. There’s nothing strange about that.”

If you’re taking that approach, then we won’t hold back either.”

“Go get them, Issei-kun!”

I grabbed one of the smaller water guns, likely among the weapons Rukawa had brought.

Heading to the sea to fill it, I found myself under relentless attack. Rukawa’s powerful water gun, Yu splashing seawater, and Kana joining in—it was an all-out assault.

—

Chapter 40: Entering the Special Route

The water play began just as the swimming period was about to end.

While we splashed seawater at each other, some classmates had already started packing up.

We should have followed suit and gone back, but the mood had picked up, and everyone thought, “It’s fine if we get scolded a little for going overtime.” So, we continued.

The weapons Rukawa prepared were distributed to the rest of us. At this point, it wasn’t just a simple water fight; it had turned into an all-out water battle.

“Take this! Super Water Gun Attack!”

The one enthusiastically firing the water gun was Yu. It was a pressurized type that delivered a decent impact when it hit.

“This thing is practically cheating!”

“Says the one carrying quite the weapon themselves.”

“I can’t deny that.”

I was holding a bucket. Scooping up seawater in one go, I splashed it with a loud splash. It took time to fill, but its power in one shot was unmatched.

Of course, I wasn’t reckless enough to unleash its full force on the Four Great Beauties, so I held back. Even then, the bucket’s sheer brutality couldn’t be ignored.

“By now, isn’t everyone completely soaked? Including me,” Yu said.

She was right.

After throwing seawater at each other for so long, we all smelled faintly of salt.

“In that case, there’s no problem if we keep going. After all, we’re already salty!”

The energy was through the roof. It was as if she couldn’t resist having this much fun.

Seeing her like that, the rest of us—including me—decided to go all out while we still could.

I ran toward the sea to fill my bucket with as much seawater as possible.

Dodging attacks from water guns and water balloons, I picked up speed to reach the water.

“Ah!”

In my haste, I failed to push off the sand properly and tripped.

The empty bucket I was holding flew into the air. It traced an arc and fell toward the sea.

“Crap!”

At this rate, the bucket would be swept away by the waves. Panicked, I stepped into the water to retrieve it.

That was a mistake.

While I floundered, the bucket drifted farther away. Every time I tried to catch up, the distance grew.

“Damn, this is bad.”

My feet, which had been touching the ground, could no longer reach unless I stretched. As that happened, my pursuit slowed down, and retrieving the bucket became increasingly difficult.

Even so, I pressed on, thinking that once I recovered the bucket, everything would be fine.

Just as I was about to reach it by stretching my hand—

“Uh-oh.”

Stretching my body to its limit, I cramped my leg.

The worst possible timing. My feet couldn’t touch the ground, and the pain made it hard to return.

Struggling with the pain, I became increasingly unstable.

At this rate, I was going to drown.

“Somebody, help me! Please!”

I shouted as loudly as I could, but no one noticed because of the distance.

I shouted several more times, and finally, someone noticed.

But by then, I was already drowning.

Come on, this isn’t how it’s supposed to go.

Out of all my classmates, I never imagined I’d be the one to drown. I’d completely let my guard down. I was too focused on protecting others, assuming I was safe myself.

Regretting it now wouldn’t change anything. All I could do was wait for rescue.

Through the swaying vision between the sea and land, I could see everyone approaching.

That was the last thing I saw before my consciousness began to fade. Even though I didn’t want to die, I sank into the pain in my leg and the suffocating pressure.

“Issei-kun, are you okay?”

“Uh… huh…”

I had drowned in the sea and lost consciousness.

Did I die again? No, that didn’t seem to be the case. The pain in my leg lingered slightly, and the suffocating pressure from being underwater was fading.

The voice speaking to me was probably Ruriko.

I could hear other voices expressing concern—both male and female.

When I slowly opened my eyes, I realized I was surrounded by many people.

“I…”

“You’re safe now, Issei-kun.”

“Thanks to everyone, huh?”

“Yes. Honestly, I wasn’t sure what would happen for a moment.”

Ruriko’s tone carried a mix of worry and frustration.

If I hadn’t been saved, it would have been a bad ending for Ruriko.

If that had happened, everything would start over from zero, and I’d never meet everyone here again.

My life wasn’t just mine to risk.

“I’m sorry, Ruriko. It was my carelessness.”

“It’s fine. As long as you’re alive, that’s all that matters. You can’t leave before me, okay? No more risky stunts.”

“Understood.”

I could only nod.

The beach staff and teachers had also gathered. Naturally, I got an earful. They said it was good I survived, but it could have been a disaster.

To check my health, I was taken to the hospital.

Ruriko and some others rode with me in the ambulance.