Is It Tough Being A Friend? Volume 2 Chapter 1 Part2

This chapter is sponsored by Patron supporter: LongCat26

Finals suddenly ended, and now it was summer vacation.

Oumei High School, the school I go to, is in some form, a school centered on preparing students into university. Supplementary lessons await those that get failing grades, but I somehow managed to get what was precisely the average score for all subjects. Minegis.h.i.+, the homeroom teacher, said “It seems like these courses are hard for you,” to me, but that just gives me joy from having lived up to my reputation as a character that lacks individuality.

(Now I've got time to spare. I have to immediately get rid of this “Evil Spirit” at all costs…)

In order for me to return to my original position, I cannot be Taotie's vessel. I have to become an ordinary person with no power.

The protagonist's friend is a symbol of the daily life part…they're not supposed to get involved with the battle parts of the main storyline. They're not supposed to be an “overpowered” combatant or supporter in supernatural battles.

(Hey, summer vacation is longer than a month. I can definitely figure out how to avoid being the final boss!)

However, that outlook was naive.

It turned out that I wouldn't get some spare time.

It was the evening of when the closing ceremony for the first semester finished. I got a cruel message from Ryuuga on my phone. The contents of the letter were disheartening, all the while being interspersed with a lot of emojis.

‘To Ichirou. Summer vacation starts tomorrow! Your cute girlfriend is eager to see you!'

…Due to that, I spent my first day of the summer vacation visiting the Hinomori residence.

Though it pretty much kills my enthusiasm, I can't reject an invitation from the protagonist. In this world, Ryuuga's circ.u.mstances take priority over everything.

──Within Hinomori Ryuuga's body dwells the guardian deity, the “Yellow Dragon,” that's how the story of this protagonist goes.

On the surface, Ryuuga looks like “an ordinary high school boy,” but in the shadows, that person fights the “Apostles of h.e.l.l” as a righteous hero that protects the peace of this world. Beforehand, I saw Ryuuga as my star, and had a strong pa.s.sion for “wanting to be this person's close friend.”

I kept on devoting myself to that, starting from the beginning of high school, and then I was able to openly acquire that position. I secured myself as the cla.s.sic “foolish, carefree friend.”

However, Hinomori Ryuuga had even more hidden side. That's right, she's a girl.

The strong, graceful, cool boy that the heroines fell in love with was actually a heroine herself──

Furthermore, for some reason, she chose me as her companion for doing “lovers training.”

“Ichirou, welcome!”

Once I reached the grandeur home that was like a samurai residence, I was greeted with this the moment I opened the sliding door entrance.

Inside, a girl with a maid uniform popped out, and energetically placed herself onto my arms.

I caught her in a panic, which accidentally became a princess carry. I caught the faint fragrance of shampoo from her hair fluttering right in front of my nose.

“H, hey Ryuga, I'm still at the entrance. Doing this isn't good!”

“It's fine. n.o.body can see us from the streets.”

The Hinomori residence is certainly one of the larger, more prominent homes in this neighborhood. The front gate is st.u.r.dy like a stronghold, the yard is also terrifyingly vast, and there are pine trees standing close together. With these conditions, people wouldn't be able to peek in on us.

Even so, she's jumping the gun a bit by showing up with this outfit on already…

“Ehehe. Today, I'm Ryuuga the maid.”

“Don't just arbitrarily add ‘-chan' to your name.” (TLN: I generally omit honorifics in my translations, if you haven't noticed. Ryuuga added the -chan honorific to her name when proclaiming herself as a maid)

“So today, you're the boss, Ichirou.”

“Stop giving me roles. I'm getting traumatized.”

“Then, the master it is.”

While in my arms, Ryuuga spoke with a friendly grin.

Her thighs visible beneath her frilly skirt were dazzling. Her eyes were big, her eyelashes were long, and seeing her this close once again reminded me that she's a girl. Her pet.i.te lips were adorned with light pink lip balm.

(Alright. I don't sense Taotie's presence…)

I have some peace of mind in that regard. I suppose I could call this a silver lining in the dark cloud, it seems that the ill will of the “Evil Spirit” is completely gone right now.

It's hidden to the point that even Ryuuga doesn't notice. Though, Ryuuga completely didn't notice the “Evil Spirit” that was dwelling within the sister that she lived with either.

(I heard that if an apostle trains, they can erase their ill will…come to think of it, the apostle that was disguised as the karaoke shop manager wasn't found out right away.)

Not knowing my inner thoughts, Ryuuga still held a good mood while in my arms. Her E cups, which were normally tightened by a saras.h.i.+, were now released from their restraint and enjoyed some freedom.

Also, the side of her b.r.e.a.s.t.s are in contact with me right now. This is disturbing my sense of reason…How incredible these Dragon b.r.e.a.s.t.s are.

“Now then Master, please escort me to my room like this. Be gentle and well-mannered.”

“What kind of maid are you even supposed to be?”

“Thanks for the retort.”

I don't think I need to explain this, but she's not a maid, of course. Her parents are taking a long-term trip overseas, so she's effectively the head of this house right now.

This is just cosplay, a hobby of Ryuuga's. Hidden within the closet of her room are many more “girl's costume sets.”

As an aside, my personal favorite is the bunny girl costume. When Ryuuga shakes her hips left and right, the round tail also shakes at the same time…it's a sight more spectacular than a full moon. The incredible Dragon Hips. Err, Rabbit Hips.

(n.o.body at school would ever believe that Ryuga was doing private cosplay shows.)

…The guardian deity of the Hinomori household, the “Yellow Dragon,” was originally supposed to be inherited by a boy. So in the case of only girls being born, the successor is raised as a boy.

Ryuuga's life has been shaped by such a ridiculous rule.

While I'm at it, my life has also been shaped by it.

“So, Ichirou. Are there no incidents with your body after what happened?”

Ryuuga asked this after we headed into her room and flirted a bit.

Ryuuga suddenly took a worried expression, and looked at my face. She was still sitting on my lap though.

“Ah, it's the same as always.”

“Your chest doesn't suddenly tighten? You're not filled with a strange power? You don't have an aura coming out of your body?”

Ryuuga's questioning has become a routine thing now.

Two weeks ago, I took a blow from the “Evil Spirit” Hundun's wave attack, and was sent to the hospital. I was fine without any problems thanks to Taotie, but it really would be no laughing matter if I had died.

Though I was uninjured, it seems that Ryuuga still doesn't feel rea.s.sured. I suppose that's inevitable given how I was released from the hospital on the second day.

The result of that is──she's somehow beginning to have thoughts like “Perhaps Ichirou is someone who has unusual abilities?”

“I've heard about it from s.h.i.+ori and the others. Ichirou, you're able to put up a fight against the apostles, right?”

“Well, um…”

“You repelled someone from the upper echelons, right?”

“A, about that mater, I unfortunately don't have any memories about it…”

I decided to pretend that I have no memories of the entire final battle in part one and how I messed up during it.

I also wanted to have my setting be so that I forgot about Ryuuga being a woman and about the battles with the “Apostles of h.e.l.l” as well, but…it'd be impossible to deceive them that much. I still regret those things even now.

“I think you really do have some kind of ‘power,' Ichirou. I can't imagine an ordinary person being able to take an “Evil Spirit's” attack like it was nothing.”

“C, couldn't it be that I didn't actually get hit? What if I was just blown away by the wind pressure?”

“Hmm~you definitely got hit.”

While on my lap, Ryuuga disagreed while puffing her cheeks.

“I was really scared at that time, you know? If you died back there…well, it's not possible for a minor to be a widow, actually.”

“Since when were we registered as a family?”

I immediately asked her what she was thinking. She put me into a husband role without my permission.

I still haven't given up on returning to being your friend. Even though I've kinda been enjoying your cosplay recently, I still want to have the “close friend position” to the very end.

Currently, I'm taking up the boyfriend role, though. Or rather, the final boss role.

“T, that's crueeel! This conversation we're having is the kind only a pair of lovers would make!”

Maid Ryuuga pouted her lips and made a displeased expression in response to my cold reply.

Speaking confidentially, I still don't know why she chose me. There are plenty of others out there, like the ikemen. There are even dobermans out there that are cooler than me.

“Just be my fiance! Here, I'll propose!”

“Y, you don't need to be that hasty. We're still high school students, and look, you still have your important mission of defeating the remaining ‘Evil Spirits'…”

“Of course my mission is important, but even marriage is important. I'm a child of the Hinomori household, so I definitely must have a child.”

“I understand that, but…”

“The probability of the baby's father being you isn't zero, Ichirou.”

“A baby…!”

We discuss this topic every now and then, but what kind of things is she learning from this? There's already “training work” out there for making a baby!

Furthermore, the baby would inherit traits from the ominous Kobayas.h.i.+ household! It'd make them the best vessel for an “Evil Spirit”! Most of all, if the baby resembles me, then it won't be a beauty at all!

“Calm down, Ryuga. You're parents likely won't accept a guy like me!”

Though I was frantically trying to argue with her, Ryuuga shook her head and said “It'll be fine,” with a smile.

Can't something be done about this embracing posture we're in? This room is as s.p.a.cious as a cla.s.sroom, so why do we have to be so close to each other…? Is it because of my boyfriend role?

“Actually, I talked with my father on the phone a while ago. It was to report the defeat of the “Evil Spirit” Hundun.”

“Huh?”

I heard that Ryuuga's parents were still in China, investigating the “Evil Spirits.” That's the continent where the four friends and the guardian deities for Ryuuga and the others originally came from.

Her father couldn't control the “Yellow Dragon” no matter how much he trained, so it seems he tearfully made Ryuuga the successor at an early stage. It must have been heart-wrenching having to make his own daughter shoulder such a fate at a young age.

“During that time, I talked to him about you, Ichirou. I said ‘There's someone who knows that I'm a girl,' and then I said ‘I'm secretly going out with that person.'”

She seriously introduced me as her boyfriend before I even knew about it.

“After that, he said ‘If you defeat all of the ‘Evil Spirits,' it's okay to have him be part of the family after high-school graduation.'”

I got permission to get married into the Hinomori household before I even knew about it.

…Not good. My escape route is steadily being closed off. At this point, it'll be very difficult to both avoid being the final boss, and also return to having a friend position.

Actually, she's being really serious about this! This isn't at the level of “lovers training” anymore! If she marries the current me, she's going to have an “Evil Spirit” on her plate!

“Hey, Ichirou. Can I ask you one thing?”

While my face turned stiff, Ryuuga looked up at me.

“Ichirou…is it okay if we make you a son-in-law?”

“T, that's kind of…this really has gone beyond the level of training, I──”

“Really?! I'm glad! Father and I were both worried about that one thing!”

Ryuuga didn't listen to what I was saying, and immediately embraced me.

Then, of all things, she gave a kiss on the cheek.

Now that's straight-up foul play, that act paralyzed me. Just wait a minute. Stop the cameras. Let's pretend this didn't happen!

“Hey, stop this! If Kyouka sees this kind of thing, it'll be very troublesome!”

“Kyouka's, at the library, so it's fine. She's finis.h.i.+ng her summer vacation homework early over there. She won't come back until noon.”

“It's almost noon! It's only the first day of summer vacation, she's definitely going to come home earlier than usual! Things might turn awkward at the dining table!”

“Ehehe. ‘Hinomori Ichirou' is a pretty lovely name, isn't it?”

“Who are you calling Hinomori! Think about the disparity there is between that name and Ichirou!”

“What if we named the child ‘Hinomori Shouhei' if it's a boy, and ‘Hinomori Motoko' if it's a girl?”

“No! Stop giving them ordinary names! At least do ‘Hinomori Atlas,' ‘Hinomori Athena,' or something!”

“Eh~I don't like those.”

…After that, we spent several more minutes flirting around.

Perhaps finally having her fill, Ryuuga separated from me. This “heroine that's into love” matter is really overwhelming.

(It's only been like this for the first day of summer, and my body already feels terrible…)

When I'm not supporting her, the usual Ryuuga is normally cool. Her gallant figure when she knocks down the “Apostles of h.e.l.l” with her immense fighting strength is just like a very hero.

That kind of Hinomori Ryuuga is the kind of protagonist I like to see…

“Don't worry, Ichirou. I've been keeping a watchful eye on the movements of the ‘Apostles of h.e.l.l.' I'll continue to patrol around the town during summer vacation.”

There, Ryuuga finally started a serious conversation.

When Ryuuga and the others were beating down the “Evil Spirit” Hundun, a majority of the apostles were also eliminated. However, they weren't fully exterminated, and there are still a few survivors lurking within the town.

The apostles are looking to revive their next ruler, so they're searching for the next human to act as a vessel──perhaps I'm not on their radar at all because they're only picking good-looking people.

“My father said it's very likely that the rest of the four fiends are lying dormant in this vicinity. My ancestors have sealed away ‘Evil Spirits' many times before at this location…that would be this town.”

“I, I see.”

“In his final moments, the 'Evil Spirit' said something. He said ‘Sooner or later, the other three rulers will revive.' I will definitely defeat all of them…and then fulfill the Hinomori household's mission for this generation.”

Hinomori's face turned into that of a boy's.

Right. I'd prefer it if you were like this. That gallant expression, and that powerful glint in your eyes are what originally made you appealing, not wearing things like maid outfits.

“Surely, they're waiting for the opportune chance to revive the next ‘Evil Spirit'…just where in the world is it hiding?”

Hiding right here.

“What kind of being is the next ‘Evil Spirit?'”

A pretty disappointing one. I'm talking about the “Evil Spirit,” that is.

“Well, no matter. There's no point thinking about such things. I'll just have to do my best with the lovers training right now so that I can be with my precious Ichirou!”

Unfortunately, Ryuuga soon returned to being a girl. She got onto my lap again, and resumed flirting with me.

“Ichirou, pat my head.”

“L, like this?”

“Poke my cheeks.”

“L, like this?”

“Now cuddle me.”

“L, like this?”

“Ahahaha. That's ticklish~.”

…Though we do just this much physical contact each and every time, my mind of steel has decided “never to touch Ryuuga on my own accord.”

That's my dignity as sub-character Ichirou. No matter how much flirting happens, and no matter how much my nether region tells me to, I will never get swept away by any erotic developments. I will not touch the b.r.e.a.s.t.s, bottom, or thighs.

The female protagonist should be kept clean.

I'll leave it to the doujins.h.i.+s for “doing this” and “doing that” to Ryuuga. (TLN: Doujins.h.i.+s are self-published works, usually manga or novels, that are often fan-works of already existing franchises. In many cases, they include 18+ content.)