Returnee from Another World - Zetro Translation

Chapter 77: Crocodile Tears

“It’s a tempting offer, but I’ll pass,” I said after a brief moment of hesitation.

I’d gone this far to save Kyouka Amasawa—I wasn’t about to ruin it now. There was no way I’d go along with Yukari Higuchi’s proposal and touch Kyouka here. But Yukari, it seemed, hadn’t expected my refusal. Her face froze in shock, as if she couldn’t believe my answer.

“What? You don’t care what happens to Kyouka-san?” she asked.

“That’s not what I said. I’m saying I’ll take on her debt instead,” I replied.

“B-But you’re just a high schooler, Kaburaki-kun. Where would you get that kind of money?” Yukari stammered.

“I’ll beg my parents if I have to. I know it sounds weird coming from me, but my family’s pretty well-off. If I tell them I need it for something important and bow my head, they’ll probably cough up the 8 million yen. I’m a good kid, you know—my parents trust me,” I said.

It wasn’t a complete lie, but it was a stretch. My parents are wealthy, sure, but 8 million yen isn’t pocket change. No normal parent would just hand that kind of money to their high school son, no matter how much he begged.

But that didn’t matter. The money was mine to begin with, so no actual transaction was needed. The plan was to cancel the debt anyway. All that mattered was whether Kyouka bought into this exchange between me and Yukari. She didn’t have to be fully convinced. The key was recreating the memory’s scene. If she later questioned why the debt vanished for no good reason, we’d chalk it up to luck. There’s no way she’d suspect I orchestrated it all. Still, knowing Kyouka’s personality, she’d feel burdened by me saying this. I didn’t want to go this route, but…

“No, Shuu-kun! This is my problem!” Kyouka protested.

“Kyouka, I’m your boyfriend, aren’t I? You expect me to stay quiet in a situation like this? I was waiting for you to open up, you know,” I said.

“That’s…” she faltered.

“Either way, I can’t leave this to you anymore. Sorry, but I’m stepping in,” I said.

I nearly snapped at Yukari for going off-script, but I couldn’t lose it here. I’d left the details to her, aside from the debt cancellation. Getting mad at her now would be unfair.

The real question was why Yukari suggested this. I didn’t think she was defying me or trying to mess with me. Her shocked expression showed she genuinely expected me to say yes. She probably thought, like with Shoko Oishi, she was setting up an easy chance for me to have Kyouka. Given how I usually handle women, it’s a fair assumption. Using Orc Semen on Kyouka likely fueled her misunderstanding. I only used a small dose, but in large amounts, it could turn even a virgin into a sex-crazed mess. The [Lust]’s pink around Kyouka now was probably from that. I didn’t use it to drown her in pleasure—it was to hedge my bets on recreating the memory. I’d guessed Akuzawa Hitoshi’s drug use wasn’t critical to the memory, but I wasn’t certain, so I tried to mimic his actions as closely as possible.

This mess was my fault for not clearly explaining the plan to Yukari. Her proposing a sex show as a reason to cancel the 8-million-yen debt wasn’t that strange. The excuse for Kyouka’s release didn’t need to be airtight—I planned to play it off as a rich person’s whim. My mistake was not spelling that out.

But how could I explain it to Yukari? That Kyouka, my first love, holds a special place unlike other women? I couldn’t bare my soul like that, no matter who it was. Besides, it’s not some sappy emotion.

It’s more like obsession over a woman I failed to claim. I can’t say I don’t love Kyouka, but my drive feels more rooted in that. Maybe I just wanted to prove I’m still human by having a sweet romance with her.

Without my feelings, Yukari’s actions might be the rational choice. Kyouka’s like her mother, Mizuki Amasawa—reckless. Maybe using aphrodisiacs or anything to make her obey would’ve been better. Yukari probably saw my efforts as needlessly complicated. Whether it’s her natural personality or the Lesser Vampire Transformation, she prefers straightforward solutions—she even said I overthought Akuzawa’s issue.

But honestly, it’s meddlesome. If I just wanted Kyouka under my thumb, I’d have done that from the start. The memory issue was real, but that came up after I recalled it. Before that, I just wanted to enjoy a playful romance with her in high school. It’s not like I’m desperate for pure love. If the memory plan failed, I’d considered using pleasure to break her, and I’m not that opposed to aphrodisiacs now.

Still, rushing to sleep with Kyouka here would be a mistake. Following Yukari’s proposal would only warp our relationship going forward.

“You’re rejecting my offer?” Yukari asked.

“Yeah. I don’t care if it’s to help Kyouka—I’m not your spectacle,” I said.

“I see. So you’re a rich kid who can handle 8 million yen,” Yukari said.

“That’s the gist. I’ll deal with the money, so let Kyouka go,” I said.

“Well, I’m not particularly attached to Kyouka-san, so I don’t mind letting her go. I’ll just ask James Masuda to send a replacement,” Yukari said.

“Then—” I started.

“But are you sure? Having sex here would erase the 8-million-yen debt. You don’t need to take it on yourself,” Yukari said.

“That’s none of your business. Just let Kyouka go,” I cut her off, my voice sharp with irritation.

I wasn’t truly angry—just trying to stop Yukari from misreading me further. She was probably trying to make the story add up, but to me, it was nothing but a nuisance.

“Just kidding, Kaburaki-kun. Don’t get so mad,” Yukari said.

“Who wouldn’t get mad? I don’t know who you are, but what’s fun about toying with me and Kyouka?” I asked.

“Just passing the time. Fine, I’ll return Kyouka-san to you. And you don’t need to take on her debt,” Yukari said.

“What? What’s that mean?” I asked.

“I planned to cancel the debt the moment I called you here. Though I wouldn’t take responsibility if you broke up with her from the shock,” Yukari said.

“So you’re satisfied with this exchange and will cancel her debt?” I asked.

“Satisfied? Not quite. It didn’t go as I expected,” Yukari said.

“I don’t get it. What were you trying to do?” I asked.

“I told you—passing the time. Honestly, I bet on you dumping Kyouka-san,” Yukari said.

“Whatever, if it’s just for fun, fine. You’re really canceling her debt, right?” I asked.

“Hold on. It’s here somewhere… Ah, this.” Yukari pulled a sheet of paper from a bedside drawer, showed it to me, and started tearing it up. “This is Kyouka-san’s mistress contract. Believe me now? If so, get out. I’m done here.”

Kyouka stood there, dumbfounded, clearly unable to process the situation.

“Got it. Kyouka, I’ll wait by the entrance. Get dressed, and let’s go,” I said.

“O-Okay…” she mumbled.

Kyouka seemed utterly confused, but that was fine. The memory issue should be resolved. Still, I think I need to adjust how I handle her going forward. Like Mizuki, she’s the type to depend on someone. That someone needs to be me, not her family. With that thought, I walked toward the hotel room’s entrance.

◇

“I’m putting it in,” I said.

Kyouka nodded silently at my unilateral declaration.

We were both naked, entwined on the sofa in my apartment.

Her large, elongated breasts. Inverted nipples. A slender body with faint tan lines. A small, pretty pink omanko despite her tall frame. All of it was what I’d failed to claim before.

After leaving the hotel, I brought Kyouka straight to my place. We barely spoke, sitting awkwardly on the sofa. I started undressing her immediately. She flinched but understood what was coming.

Was the Orc Semen still working? Her pussy was wet enough to skip foreplay. I positioned my dick and thrust in.

I decided to make Kyouka Amasawa mine, no questions asked.