Reincarnated as the Promiscuous Protagonist in a Netori Game, Only to Find the Heroine, My Step-Sister, Already Threatened to Be a Submissive Slave~ Liberating the Slave and Planning to Leave Home, Yet Unexpectedly Becoming Loved by My Step-Sister~ - Chapter 22 - Is the Childhood Friend the True Heroine?

Chapter 22 – Is the Childhood Friend the True Heroine?

“Now, it’s done~”

We came to a beauty salon recommended by Iroha.

Although it was already late and we didn’t have a reservation, they let us in specially.

“Wow… I-Is this…is this me …!?”

Mayoi, sitting on the set chair, opened her eyes wide in astonishment as she looked into the mirror. Her eyes were no longer hidden.

“Ahaha, first of all, we need to start with your appearance~”

“It’s amazing…! Wehehehe…”

“Yes, yes, But inside you’re very introverted… Well, we’ll do something about that later.”

People don’t change that easily. Especially when it comes to one’s inner self, no matter how much they try to conceal it, the flaws eventually show.

If someone were to have a complete personality swap, just like my case, it would indeed be an entirely different situation.

“But do you feel a little more confident now~?”

“Confident?”

“You have the ability to be cute. I guarantee it.”

“Y-Yes…! Teacher!”

The two of them seem to have completely opened up and are laughing together. Mayoi still appears a bit reserved, but Iroha’s gentle demeanor seems to be helping with that.

“U-Um…!”

“Yes, yes, get going now~”

“!!! Yes!”

Mayoi got up vigorously and ran towards me, who was sitting in a chair at the end of the room.

“—Ahh!”

Just like that, she fell down.

“Y-Yura-chan! Are you okay!?”

“U-Ugh… I-I’m fine… Gghhuuu…”

As expected, her air of absent-mindedness hasn’t changed.

But she stood up resolutely with her nose bright red and staggered toward me.

“U-Um, Takuma-san… P-Please look at me…”

“Y-Yeah…”

Her pitch-black hair, which had grown excessively long and messy, had become medium-length hair that reached her collarbone. Her bangs were swept aside, barely covering the eyes, allowing her sparkling gaze to be clearly seen.

That alone seems to diminish Mayoi’s gloomy aura and make her seem brighter.

In addition, the ends and the back of her hair are curled inwards, creating a cute and neat look.

The Mayoi now has a good sense of innocence.

“W-What do you think…?”

Mayoi was hesitant to make eye contact with me, but I found her gesture cute.

“…I think you look good.”

“R-Really!? T-Then, please hold me right this moment—Bufu!?”

When Mayoi tried to say something outrageous in public, I hurriedly covered her mouth.

“…What?”

Iroha was puzzled. But it seems she didn’t hear that.

“W-What are you doing…? When you suddenly do something like that, something so intense and overwhelming, it makes me all excited…♡”

“Shut up, stupid. Don’t say things like that in public.”

“U-Ugh… B-But…”

“You still have more to learn from Iroha, don’t you? We’ll talk more then.”

“Yes…”

Once you accomplish a task, you feel a surge of confidence. It’s a common thought pattern among introverts.

I need to be very strict with Mayoi here.

But really… She’s become so cute…

It seems that a girl can change so much in an hour or so.

The day may not be far off when her make-up, clothes, and inner self get boosted.

When that happens, the boys at school definitely won’t leave Mayoi alone… And seeing her transformation with just a haircut, I don’t think it’ll be that long.

Eh…?

For some reason, there was a slight uneasiness in my chest.

“What are you fawning over at~?”

Iroha came up to us and gently asked.

“I-I’m not fawning!”

“Eh~? But you were staring at Yura-chan a lot, weren’t you? You were looking at her really intensely.”

“That’s not true. I’m leaving. You’re disturbing the shop.”

“Yes!”

Since Mayoi didn’t have a lot of money, I had no choice but to pay for her. For some reason, she was extremely moved. Her eyes sparkled as she looked at me.

The three of us then left the shop together.

Mayoi, who appeared in my field of vision, seemed like a completely different person.

I guess I’m just being hit by that gap now…

……

…

It was late, so I decided to drop the two off.

First, we arrived at Mayoi’s house, which was close by, and then parted ways.

“Oh, are you walking me home too~?”

“Well, just in case.”

“Eh~ I’m so happy~”

Walking alongside Iroha, our strides naturally matched.

Somehow, my body knows.

“Well, I feel like having Takuma around is much more dangerous, though~”

“Oi.”

“Haha. Are you going to pounce on me? Are you? I’m cute in my own way~ I won’t complain if you pounce on me~”

She’s claiming to be cute herself, huh…

When I looked at her bitterly, Iroha laughed happily.

“Well, if Takuma were to pounce on me, I’d mercilessly kick him between his legs~”

“Don’t. Just imagining it is making me shudder.”

“Is it really that painful?”

“It hurts. It really kills you. So don’t do it unless it’s a real crisis.”

“Un~der~stood~”

We finished the nonsense.

Surprisingly, my childhood friend seems to have a strong sense of chastity.

After a few moments of silence, Iroha giggled and smirked.

“What’s wrong?”

“It’s nothing~ It’s just that my childhood friend still thinks of me as a non-capture heroine~”

“……?”

“But I’m fine with being just that~”

No, no, no, I personally believe that childhood friends are solid capture targets! Eroge without a childhood friend heroine is just plain terrible! Just the absence of a childhood friend heroine can demotivate me. If they’re not a capture target, I’ll be seriously furious (that’s my personal opinion, though).

“So my relationship with Takuma right now is not so bad. As a friend that is.”

However, the childhood friend next to me seemed strangely accepting of the situation.

If I were to liken it to an eroge, it would seem as if Iroha were locked in a specific route. Like the true heroine who appears only after capturing all the other heroines and unlocking the grand route.

It seems plausible and scary at the same time, but perhaps this life of mine only happens once.

“Ah, that’s right~ Give me your contact details~”

She poked me on the side with her elbow.

Originally, did we not exchange contact information…?

Out of all Takuma’s relationships, this childhood friend seems to be the one whose reality is the most opaque.

I took out my phone and exchanged contact details.

“Ah, I have to exchange contact details with Mayoi too.”

I had completely forgotten about it.

Perhaps even now, she’s sending her naughty selfies to my old contact detail….

“Then I’ll give you Yura-chan’s~”

“Really? Thanks. Anyway, just when did you two exchange contacts…?”

“Earlier of course~ She’s my cute, cute pupil~ We’re going to talk a lot tonight.”

I could see Mayoi being frightened by the sudden phone call.

I bet she’s not very good on the phone. I used to be scared of it myself until I started working.

Talking to Iroha would by itself improve Mayoi’s communication skills.

At that point, we arrived at Iroha’s house.

It was near the old Tsukishiro house, as we had known each other since childhood.

“Thanks for today. And for Mayoi too.”

“It’s okay, it’s okay~ I had fun too~”

Waving her hands in front of her chest, Iroha didn’t seem to really be bothered.

“See you. Let’s meet again sometime for fun~ My childhood friend, Takuma-kun~”

“Yeah, see you later.”

That’s how we parted ways.

This type of casual relationship with Iroha feels comfortable for me because I don’t have to be uptight.

……

…

“You’re late, Nii-san.”

When I returned home, as expected, Tsumugi was smiling.

She was cooking dinner and wearing an apron. She looks like a newlywed wife.

“Ah, um, I think I contacted you…”

I was bored at the beauty salon, so I contacted Tsumugi to tell her I would be home late.

The reason I gave was to study.

“Yes. I’m glad you contacted me properly.”

But, Tsumugi added,

“It’s still late, isn’t it?”

“Y-Yes…”

“I really wanted to meet Nii-san as soon as possible. I was very, very lonely.”

“T-That’s… Sorry.”

It seems that I’ve made Tsumugi feel lonely.

I bowed my head obediently.

“Nii-san will be getting a big serving.”

“Huh?”

“Nii-san’s meal today is mega big.”

“O-Ooh…”

“I think it should be super big after all…”

“It’s getting even bigger…!?”

It seems that my little sister’s stress will be relieved by the amount of food she serves.

“Please eat a lot, okay? If you can’t finish it…”

“I-If I can’t finish it…?”

“Us siblings will take a bath together♪”

Taking a bath with my little sister who’s not related by blood…!

I can’t! That’s a crime!

“Ggh…”

It seems that I have to rely on Takuma and this stomach again…