When I Started Capturing the Academy Princesses, Things Turned into a Battlefield - V2 Chapter 33: The Himegasaki Festival Finale – The Afterparty of Decision

Chapter 33: The Himegasaki Festival Finale – The Afterparty of Decision

And just like that, the Himegasaki Festival came to an end.

According to the teachers, this year saw the highest number of visitors in school history.

At the very least, it was definitely more crowded than last year.

Sure, there were a few minor hiccups here and there—

But the fact that it all wrapped up without any major disasters?

Yeah, you could call that a miracle.

Once the main event was over, I dove headfirst into cleanup duty.

Last year, the whole “post-festival cleanup” thing didn’t leave much of an impression on me.

But this time was different.

I’d been involved in everything—from prep to execution—

And because of that, there was this strange sense of emptiness lingering in my chest.

That’s how I knew:

This year’s Himegasaki Festival had actually meant something to me.

By the time we finished cleaning, the sun had already dipped below the horizon.

And as if trying to keep the festival spirit alive just a little longer, the afterparty kicked off.

The venue? The gym.

There were comedy skits, student band performances, and excited voices echoing off the walls.

The energy was still sky-high—nobody was ready to let go just yet.

As a side note:

Apparently, they used to hold an outdoor bonfire-style gathering on the sports field in the past.

But safety concerns shut that down.

Too bad—it sounded kind of fun.

“…So the moment’s finally come.”

That quiet, sentimental whisper didn’t come from me.

“It really has been a long road, huh, Hikawa-san.”

“Yes. A very long one.”

“You’ve been waiting for this?”

“In a way, yes. But… I’m nervous too.”

“Totally get it. It’s been like a slow, suffocating descent into emotional doom for a while now, hasn’t it?”

Right now, I was on my way to the rooftop—to give my final answer.

Normally, the rooftop’s off-limits.

But during the Himegasaki Festival, they open it up just for the occasion.

And because it’s usually closed, it ends up becoming a bit of a hotspot during the day.

And wouldn’t you know it—

Just as I was climbing the stairs…

Those two were already waiting for me.

“…Hikawa. Tsuchiya. What are you two doing here?”

I asked, and they both turned to face me.

Their expressions weren’t exactly warm—

More like a mix of irritation and exasperation.

“Well, that’s a rude way to greet us. We came all the way up here just to check on you, now that our student council duties are finally done.”

“Seriously! You could at least try to be a little grateful, you know?”

Pretty sure I never asked either of you to come.

And Tsuchiya—you’re not even in the student council.

“Anyway,” Hikawa continued with a huff,

“We’re here to give you a little pep talk.”

“Yup! We just wanted to see what kind of face our indecisive little Yuma-kun’s wearing right before the big moment.”

Gee, thanks for the insult.

But… I couldn’t even argue with it.

She wasn’t wrong—I had been pretty indecisive.

It’s true that I’d made things harder for all of them,

Tightening the emotional noose one slow pull at a time.

I probably owed them an apology for that.

But…

Now, I’d finally made my decision.

“…You’ve got a good look on your face,” Hikawa said, her tone softening.

“So you’ve chosen?”

I gave her a firm nod.

No more hesitation.

No more running.

“Looks like Yuma-kun’s finally made up his mind. Well, no point making a fuss about it now. All I can do is hope for the best.”

“Same here. It’s frustrating, but… what can you do?”

With that, the two girls walked past me.

“If you were still stuck on the fence, I was ready to knock some sense into you. But looking at you now, I think you’re good.”

“Yeah, you’ve got that ‘reliable guy’ vibe going on today, Yuma-kun.”

And just like that, the two of them walked off.

They said they came to cheer me on,

But let’s be real—that felt way more like a subtle “don’t you dare pick someone else” warning.

Anyway…

No more distractions.

I stood in front of the rooftop door.

From the other side, I could hear voices—

Sounded like everyone was already gathered and bickering about something.

I couldn’t make out the words, but it definitely had the chaotic energy of a full-blown verbal showdown.

Alright… time to go in.

Just as I reached for the doorknob—

I heard footsteps pounding up the stairs behind me.

I turned—

And there she was.

“…Ayane?”

Gasping for breath, Ayane had sprinted all the way up.

And now, she was staring straight at me—

Just as I was about to step into the moment of truth.

“—”

Ayane didn’t say a word.

She just gave me a big ol’ thumbs-up.

I guess that was her version of cheering me on?

For a second, I felt like yelling,

“Whose fault do you think all this is!?”

But honestly—

If I hadn’t gotten dragged into this whole Princess Conquest thing,

I probably would’ve spent my summer stuck in boring-mode like always.

So… yeah.

Kinda hard to stay mad.

Still, no way I was giving her the satisfaction of a reaction.

I ignored Ayane’s goofy thumbs-up and pushed open the rooftop door.

“!!”

The setting sun poured in, casting a warm, golden glow over the four princesses standing there.

Bathed in that soft orange light, the girls looked almost magical.

Like something straight out of an anime opening—

Or maybe even a painting by some legendary artist.

“Well, looks like our protagonist finally showed up.”

“Guess that’s the end of the pointless pre-battle squabbling.”

“…Too bad.”

“Anyway, I totally won the warm-up round.”

As soon as they spotted me, the chatter exploded.

“Oh, come on! Obviously I won!”

“No way, it was clearly me. I completely shut all of you down with logic!”

“…Winner: Kanon.”

“Alright, alright, calm down. Doesn’t matter anyway—‘cause I’m winning the main event.”

…Okay, I take it back.

This wasn’t a painting.

Not even close.

As usual, the princesses were their chaotic, unfiltered selves.

Still, I drew a deep breath—

And met each of their eyes one by one.

This time, with a serious look on my face.

The moment of decision had finally come.

“All right then… it’s finally showtime.”

Kazama—my desk neighbor.

If I chose her, life would turn into a social rollercoaster.

With her sky-high charisma, I’d be swept up in all sorts of wild adventures.

My quiet, gloomy loner lifestyle? Gone.

Sure, I’d get teased and pranked nonstop…

But honestly?

I’d probably be laughing the entire time.

“Bring it on.”

Shiranui—my favorite Vtuber, and the girl behind the screen.

If I picked her, every day would feel like a dream.

To admire your idol… and be loved by them in return?

It’d be surreal.

We’d never run out of things to talk about.

And I’d get to enjoy both sides of her—

The cool, composed Shiranui and her bubbly, chaotic Vtuber self.

A total two-for-one.

“I’m ready whenever you are.”

Kanon—my online wife from the game world.

If I wanted peace and comfort, she’d be the obvious choice.

We’ve been talking in-game almost every day.

I know how she thinks, how she reacts.

And as a couple, I know we’d have a blast gaming side by side—

Laughing, teasing, growing together.

“Yuu-kun… I believe in you.”

Tsukihi—my childhood friend.

She’s been closest to me for the longest time.

She gave me my first taste of love—

Both the sweet parts… and the heartbreak.

We’ve shared so many memories.

And if I chose her, I wouldn’t just be holding onto the past…

I’d be creating something new, with her by my side.

“Let me say this first—my heart’s already made up. So I’m not gonna drag this out with some long speech. Hope you’re all okay with that.”

I made that bold declaration because…

Honestly, if I didn’t, I probably would’ve chickened out.

I know myself too well.

I’m indecisive. Kinda passive.

If even one of them looked at me with teary eyes and begged—

Yeah, I might’ve folded on the spot.

But despite their surprise,

All four of them accepted my words.

“You’ve got that ‘I’m ready’ look now. Totally different vibe.”

“Kanbara-kun’s always had that heartthrob aura, though.”

“…Agreed. Senpai’s definitely cool.”

“Yup yup! You’ve been super cool ever since we were kids!”

I’d spent so long thinking about this.

Asking myself again and again—

What do I really want?

After that last culture festival date, everything became clearer.

Each of them showed me something special.

Something beautiful.

Honestly?

They’re all amazing.

Way too good for someone like me.

But even so…

“…”

I took a deep breath—

And walked forward, one steady step at a time.

Until I stood in front of her.

Then, quietly,

I reached out—

And gently took her hand in mine.

―――――Afterword―――――

Thanks so much for reading all the way through!

The next update will be the final chapter.

The epilogue will be posted on the same day.

Hope you’ll join me all the way to the end!