623 - I Was Genderswapped and Reincarnated as a Villainess, but I’m Making this My Personal Yuri Game

# Chapter 622: "Enjoying the Stalls" "Sakuya-neechan, over here, over here!" "Yes, yes. I'm coming now." With Kaya having joined us, everyone began to move together. It was quite the effort to keep up with Akigiri, who was bounding ahead with excitement. "Oh! That looks delicious!" "We should try that later, too!" The fifth-graders were inspecting the stalls as they walked by. Although they had all eaten breakfast, they were eagerly picking out what they wanted to eat next. Many of them, despite being internal students, came from mixed backgrounds, so they were familiar with such experiences. On the other hand, most of the kids in our group were from the Dojo family and seemed clueless about how to enjoy this festival atmosphere. They gazed at the stalls curiously but weren't relishing them like the younger students. Even the students in my grade have experienced similar festivities like the Tanabata Festival during elementary school. Before these festivals were organized, they might not have understood the various types of stalls or how to enjoy them. But thanks to those experiences, they should at least recognize their existence and have a basic understanding of how they operate, though not necessarily how to fully enjoy them. Perhaps because of their upbringing, they couldn't let go and simply indulge in the festivities. Even I, with my previous life's modest background, found myself unsure of how to navigate a festival in this world. When choosing food, my considerations revolved not around taste but practicality, like whether it's easy to eat or won't make a mess when walking. For us, the behavior expected of a young lady is ingrained so deeply that breaking out of it is challenging. Even if we try to act differently, we instinctively hold back. In my past life, I thought girls who said, "I can't do that~" were just pretending to be innocent. Yet now, here I am. I can't even walk around eating a grilled squid from a skewer. I have to sit down, cut it up with a knife, and eat it piece by piece. "Come to think of it, Seri-chan wasn't like those kids when we first met." "That... might be true." I suddenly remembered Seri, who joined us from a different family, and spoke my thoughts aloud. Seri gave me a somewhat ambiguous look, as if I might've touched on something awkward. "Oh, no! I didn't mean it in a prying way or imply anything strange. It just came out because I thought of it!" I hastily tried to backtrack and clarify, truly without any ulterior motives—just an observation. "Hehe. I know. And there's no bad meaning or reason behind it." Seri replied with a laugh, easing the tension. But still, I couldn't help but think her expression had clouded over for just a moment. Seri is from the same family as Akigiri but not exactly of the same status as the internal students like Dandelion or Kikyō. Although Akigiri is also from their family, his upbringing with the Kōtokui family, distanced from noble society, seems to have rendered him similar to a commoner. Utoki, while being of the Dojo family, is from a branch house unlikely to inherit, hence treated as a commoner. His upbringing might have been aligned with the main family, but... Yet, even Akigiri and the others, while coming from such families, seem to enjoy the stalls like regular children. But Seri never seems to act like a typical child. This wasn't just after joining us—it's been her way since before we met. "I've always been rather shy... During school, I struggled to make friends, often feeling lost on my own. But then Sakuya-chan became my friend... and through her, others did too, so there's no bad meaning in it at all." "Seri-chan..." With a gentle smile, Seri said so. But that's not true, Seri... It was you who helped me when I stood alone, with no friends in the class. You were the only one who acknowledged my greetings, which was such a relief to me… Seri isn't the timid person she claims to be. She was strong enough to be the only one to greet me when the others ignored me. She may seem a bit reserved at times, but that's simply because Seri is a good person who cares about those around her. She's not just a shy, anxious person. "Kujo-sama! Why didn't you invite Suiren too!?" "Huh?" As Seri and I exchanged understanding glances, a tug on my sleeve interrupted us. I turned to see Suiren, cheeks puffed, pulling at my sleeve. "Suiren-chan?" "Why didn't you invite me when you invited everyone else!?" Huh? Why, you ask... Suiren is from the Nijomonryu, and she seems to dislike me. Wouldn't it be strange for me to invite her? "Oh dear, Suiren. See, you're troubling Sakuya-chan." "Kaya-oneesama!" Once Kaya intervened, Suiren released my sleeve, running to Kaya's side with a heavy thump. Whenever Akigiri tackles me, it feels more like a gentle bump, but Suiren's, being a bit plumper, felt more like a full-on thud. Kaya, being slender, staggered in response. "Suiren, have you put on more weight?" "Weight!? ...Well, you see, it’s the stress from not being able to meet Kaya-oneesama..." It seemed Suiren had indeed been overeating due to stress from not seeing Kaya. While it might sound like an excuse, such feelings are hers alone to understand. Still, she's teetering from cute plumpness to genuinely overweight now. Any more, and there’s a danger she might actually be considered just fat. "Once, it was endearing enough, but if you gain any more, you'll truly just be a fatty. I won't walk with you if that happens, so mind yourself." "N-no way~~~!" Kaya remained as blunt as ever, but her intentions were clear. If they let it slide, Suiren might gain weight to an irreversible extent. While excessive dieting in childhood isn't advisable, Suiren's situation is reaching a point where something needs to be done. "Dieting is impossible for me~! Ugh~~~..." For some reason, Suiren was glaring at me. Why is she glaring at me? It's not like I was the one overfeeding her or telling her she needs to diet... "Then, Kujo-sama! Please diet with me~" "Whaat...? Me?" Suiren clung to my arm as if seeking comfort, but her expression was stern. It was more like she was glaring at me than clinging for support. Have I really done something to earn such a disdainful look from her? "I suppose it can't be helped... Sakuya-chan, would you mind accompanying Suiren just a little? It would be good to go to the fitness club once a week. Swimming might be a nice exercise that won't strain her knees, don't you think?" "Eh...?" Going to a fitness club to swim? With Kaya and Suiren together? Gah-hah! Seeing Kaya in a swimsuit... After entering university, Kaya has turned into such a wonderful older sister. If that means I get to see her in swimwear every week, it's not a bad deal. No, it's actually great! "Unlike before, I don't get to see Sakuya-chan often now, right? Please, think of it as a favor to your sister." "Kaya..." That's true. Ever since graduation and leaving the Gokuhoku Society, the opportunities to meet Kaya have significantly diminished. If I left this stunning sister-like Kaya alone, she might get deceived by some bad guy at university! I can't just let this lovely, sheltered lady roam alone. I need to protect her! "Understood! I used to attend the 'Grande' fitness club, so I'll make it work and swim at 'Grande' once a week with you two!" "Thank you, Sakuya-chan." "Although I don't really want to swim, it can't be helped if Kujo-sama insists~" We were supposed to be enjoying the cultural festival together, but Suiren's appearance shifted the conversation to something else. Still, it's okay. I've had less time with Kaya recently, and getting to see her in a swimsuit is a bargain. It will be tough to adjust my schedule, though... "(Well done, Suiren!)" "(Hehe~... Now I get to see both Kaya-oneesama and Sakuya-oneesama in swimsuits all I want~)" It seemed that Kaya and Suiren were getting motivated—or not? Their expressions looked rather blissful, as if lost in a daze. Is everything alright? "Sakuya-chan! What are you doing standing around?" "Come on! Let's go, Sakuya-sama!" "Ah, yes! Let's go, Kaya-san, Suiren-chan." It's a cultural festival, so we can't just stand around chatting all day. We were already lagging behind everyone else, so we hurried to catch up. "Sakuya-chan, what’s this?" "This is a shooting gallery." Satsuki-chan was looking curiously at the shooting gallery stall. Even though it's a cultural festival, focusing only on professional stalls feels off. But during our time in elementary school, there weren't any shooting galleries at the Tanabata Festival. Given she hadn't seen one before, it was natural for Satsuki to be intrigued. "It's really hard!" "Yuzuha, you're terrible! Let me show you how it's done! But wait, I can't hit it either! This thing is rigged!" "Azami-chan isn't hitting anything either." Everyone had started trying out the shooting gallery, but they were struggling to hit the targets. Shooting galleries are deceptively tricky. After all, stalls are a business, and they're always set up in a way that profits the stall owners. "Sakuya-chan seems like she'd be good at this kind of thing." "Eek!? W-what, wha-wha...?" I was flustered when Satsuki-chan suddenly mentioned it. In Momochi-ryū martial arts, "artillery" is, of course, included. I’ve trained with my master in shooting flintlocks, like muskets, as well as quickly assembling and disassembling modern handguns and rifles while blindfolded. I panicked, wondering how Satsuki-chan knew about that. "That's right. Sakuya-chan can do anything, so she'd probably be great at this too." "Sakuya-sama! Please avenge us!" "Alright... Just a little bit, okay?" It's a cultural festival, so we can't just indulge in the stalls the whole time. A little fun with the shooting gallery should be fine, but staying here too long isn't. I'll quickly nab a few prizes and finish up. "Oh! So the young lady wants to give it a go?" "Yes. I'll start with these, please." The base rate was 500 yen for three shots. I had no idea if that was expensive or not, but I ordered three shots anyway. But I couldn't help but suspect it was overpricing for Toka Academy students. Not that I knew for sure. "Oh no! Even Sakuya-sama missed..." The first shot missed. "Close!" The second shot missed too. "I hit it, but..." Though the third shot grazed the target, the prize didn't topple. "Ha ha ha! Too bad, young lady!" The stall owner laughed heartily. But by now, I had the measure of things. Once you understand the characteristics of the gun and the bullets' trajectory, toppling the prizes is no trouble. "Once more." "I don't care if you spend all your allowance, young lady! Here you go." I took the bullets, leaving the gun untouched. The gun was inaccurate, with the bullets being misshapen, causing their trajectory to waver. But watching the three shots was enough. Now, I just needed to aim while considering the characteristics of the gun and bullets. "Oh? Oh? Oh?" "Huh?" "You knocked down all the prizes with three shots!?" With each shot, one prize fell. Although the bullets were weak, accounting for the center of gravity of the target allowed me to knock them down. "Once more." "Heck! Luck doesn't last, young lady!" Again, three shots brought down more prizes. Another set of three, and again the prizes fell. "Those big ones can't be knocked down with such a puny gun, right?" "That's a prize made not to be taken." Without realizing it, a crowd had gathered around. The prizes were now few. There were four left, and these bullets were the last. It was true that a giant prize was out there, appearing impossible to topple with such low-powered shots. But if aimed right… "Whoa! Unbelievable! That giant prize fell!?" "Took down two prizes with one shot on the last set!" With the final three shots, I toppled all four remaining prizes. Using the Momochi-ryū 'artillery' skills, this was morning practice. However—ah! I shouldn't stand out so much! "You've got to be kidding, young lady... Please, give us a break..." "Oh... Um... I don't need the prizes... Let's go, everyone." "Ah! Wait, Sakuya-sama!" "Sakuya-chan, wait up!" Realizing I had drawn too much attention, I hastily fled the shooting gallery, eager to escape. **Previous** **Table of Contents** **Next** Add Bookmark To use the bookmark feature, please log in. Support with Likes (Currently Unavailable) You can support the author with points! 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