When I Started Capturing the Academy Princesses, Things Turned into a Battlefield - V2 Chapter 34: A New Hime 6

Chapter 34: A New Hime 6

Time flew by after the culture festival, and before I knew it, the second semester was already winding down.

Final exams? Finally over.

My grades slipped a little compared to midterms…

But honestly? That’s because my brain had been way too busy thinking about love instead of textbooks.

Next year’s the big college entrance exam, so I really need to get my act together.

“This is it! The moment of truth has finally arrived!”

That day, I was walking around school with Ayane.

Normally, there’s no way I’d be caught dead hanging out with her on campus.

But today was different.

Today was the day they were announcing the new lineup for Hime 6.

With the culture festival and finals behind us,

This was the last big event of the year—

The results of the Himegasaki General Election.

And for me?

This might’ve been the most important event of them all.

Depending on how it played out…

Everything I’d done up to now might end up being for nothing.

“N-No worries! There’s no way I’m not getting picked!”

“…You better get picked. I’ll be seriously screwed if you don’t.”

“Y-You’re right! I will… right!?”

Even Ayane couldn’t keep her cool today.

Usually, she’s all cocky and loud and impossible to deal with—

But when the pressure’s on, she unravels fast.

I watched her crumble, somewhere between exasperated and entertained.

“It’ll be fine. Probably.”

“‘Probably’?! That’s not exactly reassuring, you know!”

“I did exactly what you told me. Played my role. Courted the Princesses. If you still don’t make the cut, that just means you weren’t charming enough. If you lose, take the L and move on.”

She immediately shot me a glare sharp enough to cut steel.

“You sure talk big. Aniki, do you really understand what’ll happen if I don’t make it into the Hime 6?”

“If that happens, I’ll just have my girlfriend comfort me.”

“Whoa, listen to this guy! Turns into a normie and suddenly he’s all smug and sassy!”

Say whatever you want. I regret nothing.

“Alright, come on. Let’s check the results already.”

Dragging along a very jittery Ayane, I made my way to grab a fresh copy of the school newspaper—just printed by the Journalism Club.

…If I’m being honest, this was actually the first time I’d ever held one.

Up ‘til now, I’d only heard about the Hime 6 rankings through gossip and online chatter.

I never cared enough to go straight to the source.

“Okay, let’s see how it went.”

“Wait! Hold on a sec! I’m still mentally preparing myself!”

“Doesn’t matter. Results aren’t gonna change just ‘cause you’re panicking.”

Ignoring Ayane and her emotional breakdown, I opened up the newspaper.

There it was, in big, bold print: the top ten names, along with their total votes.

I started reading from the top.

From Rank #6 and up, each girl had her name, an official-sounding title, and a short blurb from the Journalism Club.

Rank #6: Arisa Hikawa (2nd Year, Class C)

Title: The Ice Queen

“Holding steady in the same position as last year, our all-powerful and untouchable Student Council President reigns once again!

Beloved by all and feared by many, the frostbitten queen who rules Himegasaki Academy still holds the throne with her signature icy charm!”

Rank #5: Ayane Kanbara (1st Year, Class A)

Title: God’s Beloved Kitty

“Making her debut in the Hime 6 rankings, it’s none other than Ayane-chan!

With her irresistible charm and hyper-cute energy, she clawed her way into the spotlight.

Her now-iconic cat-ear hood from the culture fest sent fans into a total frenzy—earning her this divine nickname.”

Rank #4: Misuzu Tsuchiya (2nd Year, Class B)

Title: Earth Goddess

“Our graceful queen of calm and elegance secures her throne once more.

With that flawless figure and soothing aura, she’s basically a walking spell of tranquility.

Whether it’s charm, class, or quiet strength, the Goddess has it all—and the Hime 6 wouldn’t be complete without her.””

Rank #3: Tsubasa Shiranui (2nd Year, Class B)

Title: The Fiery Princess Prince

“Leaping into the Top 3 with fiery flair—the Princess-Prince takes center stage!

Always a favorite among the girls, her recent friendly chats with the guys have been turning heads.

That rare glimpse of softness under her cool demeanor? Instant knockout.”

Rank #2: Yukina Kazama (2nd Year, Class A)

Title: The Wind Fairy

“The breezy, carefree Fairy rides a gust of popularity straight to second place!

With her sweet, laid-back vibe and that jaw-dropping maid outfit from the culture fest, she’s charmed both hearts and headlines.

Turns out, there’s real magic in that easy smile of hers.”

Rank #1: Kanon Hikawa (1st Year, Class A)

Title: The Ice Princess 

“The shining new star of Himegasaki Academy takes the crown!

For the second term running, the Hikawa sisters reign supreme in the Hime 6!

Once known for her quiet, little-sister sweetness… lately, she’s been surprising fans with flashes of big-sis confidence—rumor has it, a certain someone helped bring that side out.

Her fans? Absolutely losing it over the glow-up.”

When I saw the final results, I let out a deep, heavy breath—like I’d been holding it in for weeks.

“――――!”

Right next to me, Ayane was practically vibrating with excitement.

Bouncing up and down like a wind-up toy, she looked so much like an over-caffeinated kitten that for the first time, I thought—

Yeah, maybe “God’s Beloved Kitty” isn’t such a stretch after all.

She hopped around in silent, squeaky celebration for a second—

Then finally shouted,

“We did it, Aniki!”

“Yeah! We totally did!”

We high-fived like a couple of overexcited grade-schoolers.

It’d been ages since I’d seen her this happy.

No—this radiant.

And just like that… it was over.

Really, actually over.

All the stress slipped from my shoulders like melting snow.

That long, chaotic, and unexpectedly heart-throbbing ride through my so-called “Princess Conquest Life”…

Had finally come to an end.