Volume 1 Chapter 7/8 – Accidental Exposure/ Searching for Presence

I got too carried away enjoying my long-awaited bath and forgot that just before, when I was undressing in the changing room, my stepsister had somehow peeked in.

Why would she do that?

Although I was puzzled, it was late today, and she was probably just worried about me. But I want her to be reassured; all bruises are gone thanks to healing magic.

Look how clean it is.

As if showing off, I slowly did a full turn in my underwear.

◆

“Phew. Feels like I’m coming back to life.”

Soaking in the bathtub, I muttered to myself.

Forgive me for not acting quite 15. It’s been about a month since I last had a bath.

Over there, without many forms of entertainment, only meals, baths, and brothels were sources of relief.

Because there was nothing else to do, only my cooking skills and skills as a companion to prostitutes improved. And since brothels usually came with baths, I naturally started going frequently.

I couldn’t arrange for pure baths as it depended on the party members. Maybe that’s why it took five years to defeat the Demon Lord. Maybe that’s an exaggeration.

But when was the last time I had a bath alone? Just me in this small space.

…It’s not so bad.

“I could die happy now.”

It truly was a grueling battle with the Demon Lord. Perhaps because of the confining space of the bathroom or the long-missed steam, I found myself faintly recalling that last fight.

It feels like it was just a few hours ago. I really thought I was going to die. No, I did die? Or was I killed? No, I was resurrected.

“Ah.”

Normally, after battles, adventurers and warriors would head out into the night to cool off.

I had to do that to avoid making moves on my party members, who were mostly scantily clad after fights.

And now.

“What should I do?”

My libido isn’t settling down.

It feels awkward to take care of it myself now.

But leaving it be isn’t really an option either…

It doesn’t seem like it’s going to resolve on its own.

No choice. Maybe I’ll just go for it. I might be worn out to the point of not being able to do it myself anymore, but maybe because my body is still 15, it could be sensitive enough to handle on my own… Ha!

“What is this…”

This might be the most shocking thing today. More than the soy sauce, more than the pepper, even more than the Demon Lord battle.

“My Son is Too Sensitive and It’s Seriously Painful.”

Kind of sounds like a light novel title, doesn’t it? Or not.

I can’t stop my hand.

I might not even need a plot for this.

Feeling the danger, I stepped out of the bathtub momentarily.

After all the brothels I’ve been through, this me…

Toward the end, I was ready for anything, this me…

What is this body? Terrifying benefits of leveling up. Or experience.

“Uh, ah, ahhhh!”

Ah, I’m making noise. Ah, this is bad, this is amazing!

“Kyosuke! Are you okay?”

“Ah!”

Suddenly, my stepsister burst into the bathroom!

I reflexively turned my whole body toward her!

My hand… won’t move away!

Come on, reflexes, do your job and move it!

No use! Can’t move it!

I immediately clamped down on the base!

But it seems it was futile against a 15-year-old’s libido!

The hero has fallen…

◆

As soon as it was over, I curled up, still trembling from the after-effects, and exhaled.

“Ha, ha, ha.”

Wow, the body of a 15-year-old… felt like it could expel my soul…

No wonder so many boys look so bloodshot…

But more importantly, what do I do now?

What should I say?

What can I say?

And I’m not really at fault here, am I? As a brother, definitely at fault… but what would me from five years ago say?

As I hesitantly opened my eyes, I saw my stepsister’s feet. She hadn’t left the bathroom yet.

Come on, get out.

I timidly raised my gaze.

My stepsister was a mess.

I once had a request from a village to slay a monster the size of an elephant that looked like a sea cucumber.

The white gelatinous substance it spat out had a mild magical disorienting effect, weakening magical potency and physical enhancements, so we fought while avoiding it.

The sea cucumber kept spewing its goo when slashed, making it impossible to dodge everything. Its slippery skin made it hard for blades and magic to penetrate, and the fight dragged on because of its annoying resilience despite not being very strong.

After we finished, the shrine maidens were covered in the goo, just like my stepsister now, staring blankly with a dazed expression…

“What is this?”

“What do you mean ‘what’?”

You’re a high schooler, you understand, right? You know but still make me say it. Expert level.

…I remember now, she came in worried.

“…Just get out, okay? I’m fine.”

“!!”

When I told her abruptly, she clicked the door shut and scrambled out.

“Phew…”

I wiped the sweat from my brow with the back of my hand.

No, not ‘phew’.

I haven’t completed any quest.

Maybe this was the first time I got caught. Before being summoned, I hardly ever did it, I think.

After dad died, there was always someone around, so I had little time alone, and it wasn’t really on my mind.

“Ah, what to do?”

The thought of my stepsister finding out is just too dreadful.

I looked up at the bathroom ceiling and muttered softly.

◆　◇　◆

“…”

“…”

Only the clinking of cutlery resonated. Mihane silently ate the breakfast I prepared, without commenting on it.

Toast and scrambled eggs. Salad and milk. Simple, but tasty. The pepper and mayonnaise I added to the scrambled eggs were irresistible. However, yesterday’s high spirits had subsided, and she quietly savored the meal.

The atmosphere was awkward.

We hadn’t seen each other since last night.

The last camp before the final battle with the Demon Lord. Even then, I slept soundly, but last night, I hardly slept at all. I wonder why I was so sleepy back then. Well, never mind.

After yesterday’s mishap, I left the bath a bit later, drank some cold milk, and returned to my room.

The taste was mild but delicious. Right, this is how it should be. Filled with the blessings of modern society, I lay down on my bed.

Maybe it was because of the night after the Demon Lord battle. Perhaps because I had completed a big task, I felt sleepy right away, but then my stepsister came.

To be precise, she was in front of my room’s door.

I hadn’t used magic for detecting presences, but I could still sense someone nearby. It was like that during the bath too. Realizing this, I noticed that Mihane was pacing back and forth between my room and hers.

She would stop abruptly in front of the door, then after a few minutes, pretend to go back to her room, then come back again. Stop, return. She kept repeating this mix of feints and returns.

I didn’t sense any murderous intent, so I don’t think she was angry, but it was disturbing nonetheless.

As someone who prefers to resolve concerns quickly, especially as a returnee from another world, I’ve never encountered a quest like a stepsister pacing in front of my room because of being splashed on.

There’s no such request in the guild either.

Especially since it’s my first day back. I wonder how I, the past me, would have reacted. Trying to remember that feels off somehow. Even pretending to go to the toilet to encounter her, I still didn’t know what to say.

After all, being splashed on like that was a first for me, even including my time in another world.

In that world, since reproduction was central, doing anything like splashing would have led to scorn for wasting precious seed. There’s no value outside of conception there.

I had been relying on contraceptive magic too.

“Today, we’re going to school together.”

“…”

As I was contemplating all this, her first words after the splashing incident were these… Alright. This will work! We’ll just let it fade into ambiguity. Got it, Mihane, no, stepsister!

“What? Don’t you want to?”

“…It’s not that I don’t.”

Though she didn’t say we’d go together, perhaps that was the impression I gave.

Honestly, I want to slowly return to the normal pace of life. A cooldown period, maybe?

After all, it was just yesterday I fought the Demon Lord, right? Even if I slept for a night, I’m probably still agitated.

I had adjusted my peak battle readiness for the Demon Lord fight, so my heart hasn’t settled down yet.

I’m afraid I might reflexively become a random attacker. I don’t want to ride the train. I’d rather have another day off.

Actually, I just want to be alone. I want to explore my hometown after five years. Specifically, I want to snack around at convenience stores. I want to compare different flavors. I’d like to skip and go to a super bathhouse.

Ding-dong

As I was thinking about this, the intercom rang. Reflexively, I used magic to detect presences.

“What’s going on so early in the morning?”

“…Ah.”

“Do you know something?”

“…No.”

Frowning, as I didn’t move, Mihane took the intercom but quickly hung up.

It was Aika, of course. Makes sense. These two always had a bad relationship.

“You better come later.”

“Understood.”

“Leave at the last minute.”

“…Understood.”

Mihane hurriedly prepared and left.

I closed my eyes and pondered.

Today is Friday. Tomorrow should be a day off.

“Alright.”

I guess I’ll take a break today.

Despite my desire to meet my childhood friend from five years ago, using search magic reflexively is scary.

A cooldown from Friday to Sunday. I’ll take sick leave due to burnout syndrome. I immediately called the school, took off my uniform, changed into sweats, and dove into bed.

Goodnight.