Chapter 7 Nawagami-san Just Can’t Hold Back

There was a set of bedding stashed in the corner of the living room—that was my new resting place now.

It was night. Getting ready for bed, I flopped my whole body down onto the mattress with a thud.

"This week is going to be hectic… Inventory cleanup, right? There's the sports festival, and then this weekend is…"

I opened the calendar on my phone and tapped July 12th (Saturday).

'Nawagami-san Birthday—Prepare gift and ice cream cake!'

Right, her birthday. I'd already gotten a request for her gift—she wants a choker.

"She said it turns her on because it feels like a collar... a collar… Hmmm."

Staring at the dim ceiling, I was suddenly reminded of the other day.

The other day—when Nawagami-san became 'Seren-chan,' and I made her my pet.

"No, you know what, that really was too much!"

I tossed and turned, but unable to stand it, I abruptly got up.

I mean, the whole thing is already pretty messed up. The premise that I stand above her as a cold, D.S. Sadist is abnormal. But until now, there was at least a pretext if you tried to find one: handcuffing her so she wouldn't run away from studying, or allowing her to continue a late-night invasion of the bathroom to punish her with the sudden exposure—is that even an excuse? Ah, no, it is! Let’s go with that for now!

With that premise set. What about the pet routine from the other day?

I let her badger me until I finally conceded, and as a result, a Master and a Puppy were suddenly born.

If anything, partway through, I really really entered the zone myself. Even without a reason or excuse, I went so far as to pet and stroke her belly. I'd kind of guessed, but I even discovered that, sure enough, she was super sensitive there, and her skin was incredibly soft.

"Ah, I’m just as much of a pervert as Nawagami-san now… I can’t talk."

Pacing around the dim room, looking at the night view, I prepared my apologies to everyone, especially to Sayuki-san, who should be overseas on business right now… Considering what I’m doing with her sister!

"…Oh, this is unusual. You're usually fast asleep by this hour, Imashino-kun."

And then. My self-justification screeched to a halt at the sound of a voice—a voice from the person who you might call my accomplice.

Looking over, I saw Nawagami-san, wearing my long-sleeved tee and some shorts, yawning lightly.

"You sleep so soundly, it's actually astounding. I’ve occasionally poked your cheek, and you've never once woken up."

"I… I had no idea I was being experimented on like that."

"Yes. But don't worry. I would never, even I wouldn't devise the predictable scenario where I'm attempting something 'down below' and your eyes suddenly snap open, demanding punishment."

"That's not 'predictable' by any stretch of the imagination, you utterly filthy Ojou-sama."

"I know, I am sorry♥… Though to my knowledge, that is a relatively popular scenario."

She didn't deny my final insult and only squirmed happily.

"—…No, actually, I was thinking about it and I feel a little regretful."

"? About what?"

"About Seren-chan. I thought I might have… been a bit too affectionate."

"…………"

I thought she'd passionately tell me it was the best thing ever, so her delayed response was a surprise.

Nawagami-san's expression changed slightly, looking a mix of embarrassed and serious.

"Well, if I'm speaking only from my feelings, it was the 'best' for me."

So it was the best, huh.

"However, I do feel it's a point of reflection that I might have demanded too much from Imashino-kun."

"Eh?"

"I mean, fundamentally, you're only indulging my D.M. heart. The fact that I find it comfortable is only for my convenience. In a way, isn't this just a technical act of selfishness on my part?"

…Well, if I didn't know about her kinks, I don't think I would be doing any of this.

But, being "pushed into it" is absolutely wrong. I decided to do this. It’s also true that I, myself, felt a strange rush when Nawagami-san exposed everything about herself to me.

"Yes, that’s right. Perhaps it’s time for me to learn the command to Stay… no, to learn restraint."

"H-Hold on, aren't you still leaning into the whole pet dynamic?"

"The one who dragged me by the collar wasn’t you…"///

While that tit-for-tat response was typical, it seemed Nawagami-san was struggling with the same conflict I was. In the end, she had a mysteriously resolute expression, as if she'd decided something.

"I understand. Things have gone too far lately, so for a while, I will hide my D.M. tendencies."

"…Heeh."

"D-Don't look at me like that, with that 'Yeah, as if you could' look—I can totally do that!"

Nawagami-san puffed out her chest and declared this grandly to my skeptical look.

"For a time, I'm going to endure. No matter how much I long for Master, I will resist with an iron will and I will absolutely not break. Just like, you know, a strong and resilient female knight!"

With that kind of comparison, I give her thirty minutes.

"In any case, I'll make sure not to trouble you starting tomorrow. Good night!"

With her resolution seemingly firmed up, Nawagami-san took a bottle of water and went back to her room.

"…In the end, I couldn’t tell her."

Meanwhile, I quietly returned to my bedding, lay down, and murmured this to myself.

After seeing that firm resolve… saying 'It’s okay, you don't need to hold back,' was, well, impossible.

As soon as the door to her own room closed, I flopped down onto the floor, collapsing in a heap.

"I said I’d hold back, but I don't think I can…"

I'm seriously close to crying. Because, since I made that declaration, he'll likely keep the S-mask off. And that is, precisely, a natural act of teasing. Ugh, Mastera…

"…N-No, absolutely not! Endure, Seren. Our relationship requires sharp boundaries, for the pleasure to mean anything."

As a test, I shook my head, feeling as though I’d just scraped up the last bit of my courage.

That’s right, he already accepts my perverted nature and satisfies my ambiguous yet concrete D.M. desire—but lately, I've become too needy and I feel like everything between us is short-circuiting.

"I was turned into a pet, and even had my tummy… petted."

Remembering it, I unconsciously rubbed my own stomach. But naturally, the sensation was entirely different.

That one was ticklish, agonizing, but absolutely something I didn't want him to stop, something I craved more of.

"Uu, uugh, uuuhhh~~~~♥♥"

Just imagining it felt like the entire sensation had come rushing back, and a restless link formed between my mind and body.

Oh God, I can't already endure…!

"M-Make me an absolute mess more and more, Goshu—ah."

I think that's why, with all the various parts of my body unconsciously clenching up, I somehow crushed the plastic bottle of water in my hand. It splashed all over my face, and the floor was instantly soaking wet. How strong is my grip strength? (Self-compliment)

However, thanks to that incredibly resilient physical body of mine, I was able to regain some degree of composure.

Restrain, restrain. From today on, I am neither a D.M. nor a pervert, but a wholesome, beautiful, super-girly high school student.

If it's for Imashino-kun, of all people, I can practice self-control. And so…

It must be my imagination that he looked somewhat downcast when he left, as if to say, It’s okay, you don’t need to hold back.

Nawagami Seren's Wholesome and Chaste Lifestyle A Certain Early Morning

"Good morning, Ojou-sama. Wait, are you already up?"

"Yes, as you can see. I'll take a shower after my stretching. Also, could I have some plain boiled water?"

"You're making requests like something out of a v-log of a person living a refined lifestyle…!"

"Of course. For a sound mind dwells within a sound body. This is proof of my seriousness, and my self-control surpasses that of a revered monk."

"I see… It seems I have gravely underestimated Ojou-sama's resolve."

"You don't need to worry about it. Not getting annoyed by such trifles is also a part of who I am now."

"Then—I will refrain from mentioning the candid opinions you shared last night about that anime. All the things Ojou-sama preaches are invariably lewd, but last night's one was particularly egregious."

"…………P-Please do that (shedding tears of blood)."

Nawagami Seren's Wholesome and Chaste Lifestyle A Certain Lunch Break

"Hey, hey, Seren. It's been a while, let's eat lunch together today… Wait, what are you reading?"

"It’s a biography of Georges Bataille. I felt like engaging with the printed word again."

"Whoa~… I don't really get it, but does that mean I can't eat with you, Seren?"

"…No, I don't mind. I'll pause my reading, Atori-san, please come to the seat across from me."

"Eh!"

"Why are you so surprised?"

"Because Seren is being too docile!"

"That's marginally irritating, but I suppose this is part of the endurance, or just a byproduct. Come on, since you invited me, hurry up and come over."

"Yay!… Hehe, I think I’ll sit next to you instead of across."

"…"

"Mm? What's wrong?"

"Ah, it's nothing major. I used to think you were just an impertinent child, but seeing that natural emotional expression and your way of winning people over, I simply reconfirmed that this girl has the inherent wickedness of a 'woman'. Don’t worry about it at all."

"I will worry, and wait, is it really possible for someone's opinion of you to change for the worse like this?"

"And unfortunately, the me of today keeps a strict watch on such indecent behaviors. Understand? Don’t flirt so much with the boys."

"…Ah, it's Seishirou. Hey, if you don't have anyone to eat with, wanna join us, Seishirou?"

"I spoke too soon!"

Nawagami Seren's Wholesome and Chaste Lifestyle A Certain After School

"Agh, this is truly my limit this month, please let me win just one—Nooooo!"

"Hachisuka-san. I know you’re drawing Gacha in the Student Council Room, but please stop that event-level scream as well."

"W-Why, why am I the one getting absolutely nothing like thisss—"

"…Huh? Wait, you're not getting 'absolutely nothing.' That character is a limited ☆5, right?"

"Yes! But I'm drawing 'absolutely nothing'! Because I want a regular character! Not this super lewd girl, I want a handsome guy!"

"…………"

"It's not that I'm not drawn to the attributes of long boobs and a face veil, but the driving passion to continue this kind of game comes from drawing your favorite, doesn’t it… Besides, speaking of pervertedness, my (provisional) favorite is also utterly disgraceful. A Holy Knight dressed in clothes that expose so much cleavage!"

"…You are foolish for even aiming for a specific regular unit, but more importantly, Hachisuka-san."

"Tch… What is it?"

"Don’t shout such things out loud, it’s just crude, you know?"

"I… It should be the right thing to say, but hearing it from Nawagami-senpai makes me unreasonably annoyed!"

True to her boast, the next day, Nawagami-san was significantly different.

Perhaps in her mind, suppressing her desires equated to behaving chastely.

Because from then on, she wasn't melting in her D.M. way or overtly lusting after me…

"Hachisuka-san, you’ll coordinate with the soccer and volleyball club captains to confirm the referee rotation for the day. Imashino-kun, you'll be purchasing the drinks and food for hydration/energy and securing the winner's prizes…"

The Student Council Room was a little cooler in July compared to last week due to the AC setting.

Nawagami-san, holding court on the sofa, was organizing the schedule for the upcoming sports festival. She was, as a continued temporary helper, the most serious about it. And quite frankly, she was also the most efficient.

To prove her efficiency, she even wore a pair of oversized, dark-rimmed glasses.

"…Um, excuse me, Nawagami-senpai♪ Where did you get those glasses?"

"From on top of your desk."

"I knew it! Why are you using them without permission!"

"I felt that wearing something like this makes one look more rational."

"Give an explanation, not a justification! Come on, Seishirou-senpai, tell her off!"

"Eh? Ah, well, your vibe has changed, it’s refreshing, and I think they really suit you."

"I-Imashino-kun… Humph. Don't think a mere compliment like that can shake the me of today."

"They're hopeless, we have to do something about them soon…"

And so, at the moment Miran was giving up on us, even resorting to using a manga meme.

I decided to address the matter I'd been pondering for several days, asking her directly.

"Nawagami-san, about something else."

"What?"

"Would you consider joining the Student Council officially?"

"…"

"As you can see, right now, for various reasons, there are only three of us. It would be a huge help if you would consider it."

After speaking, I quickly glanced at Miran for her reaction—I was met with an obvious look of utter exasperation, but that was it. If she genuinely hated the idea, she would have outright rejected it, so I guessed it was probably fine.

But the vital Nawagami-san remained conspicuously solemn.

"With all due respect, that's too grand a request for someone like me."

"Eh? What's with you all of a sudden? Why the self-deprecating talk?"

"It's not self-deprecating; it's about what's right. The Student Council, even a decaying one, should be staffed by people who serve as role models for the students. How can an 'unruly girl' like me, a habitual latecomer until recently, join?"

"Right, that is very true. Seishirou-senpai, since she says so herself, why don’t we give up?"

"Huh? Don't tell him 'That's not true,' and then at least try to be a bit more insistent, like for thirty minutes!"

"The switch is so incredibly troublesome, and which is it, honestly…?"

To be fair, whether she's actually suitable for a council executive position is something even I couldn't be sure of—but.

"No, no, it's totally fine. You can work out those details after you join."

"Isn't that just steamrolling the process, practically mistress employment?"

"Mistress, you say? Retract that immediately. I will absolutely not settle for a secondary position!"

"She's playing semantic games, and her rebuttal is not what I expected!"

"So…—will you join, then?"

"! ~~~nghh…///"

Nawagami-san was agonized, as if caught between reason and impulse.

However, the current version of her naturally let reason win out, and she stared back at me with a sharp, determined look.

"F-Fine. I suppose I was bored after school anyway (just waiting). I’ll join."

"Really?… Thank you. It helps a lot, and I'm very happy."

When I said that, Nawagami-san didn't reply and merely snorted.

It was almost forcible in the end, but the effort might have been worth it—.

"…Seishirou-senpai."

"Yes? What is it?"

"You said the exact same thing when I joined the High School Student Council."

"Oh? Seriously? Did I?"

"'Thank you for joining, it helps a lot and I'm very happy.' The fact that you use that line on everyone is pretty much the same tactic as a sleazy guy who's dating multiple girls and calls all of them by the same pet name."

"T-That's seriously overstating it, come on!"

"Is that true, though?… I’m disillusioned. In a dating sim game, that would be an unrecoverable save file annihilation mistake."

…Just when I thought things would finally settle down, the place got chaotic again right away.

And considering that was the gentler end of things—that day's after-school session was congested.

The rules dictate that class practice for the sports festival begins a week before the main event.

Therefore, Yuika arrived at the Student Council Room quite late in the evening, right after practice ended.

"I'm exhausted… Haah, this air is so cool."

The sliding door clattered open, and Yuika appeared, in a white T-shirt and utterly worn out.

She walked a few short steps, sat down at her desk, and started guzzling a sports drink she was carrying. She also operated the AC remote, and the cold blast intensified sharply.

"Isn't it too cold, though?"

"Nah, let's just deal with it for a bit."

"Atori-san, may I speak with you a moment?"

Unlike the whispered exchanges between Miran and me, Nawagami-san spoke directly to Yuika.

"Yeah, Seren, what's up?"

"Don't play dumb. Let me put it bluntly: the way you are right now is incredibly sensational."

Don't drop that bombshell the moment she walks in.

"What do you mean, sensational?"

"Look it up in a dictionary later if you don’t understand. As for what, well, everything. The way you tied your T-shirt knot, exposing your midriff, your skin's greasy shine from the sweat mixing with the antiperspirant sheet, the way your hair is messed up that’s unique to intense physical activity… it's all disgustingly explicit."

"Seishirou-senpai. I think that person might actually be a closet pervert."

"H-Haha… (A dry laugh)"

I couldn’t very well tell them she’s actually an open pervert, so I just dodged the comment vaguely.

Meanwhile, Nawagami-san kept on criticizing her like some non-existent Morality Committee member. She demanded Yuika be mindful of how she was looked at, and all in all, every comment was something like, "Who are you to talk?"

"Much to my chagrin, the me of today is dedicated to creating a wholesome environment. As such, the state of disarray you’re in, Atori-san, is absolutely inexcusable."

Nawagami-san declared, adjusting her glasses. She hadn’t given those back to Miran yet.

Yuika, on the other hand, heard all those scoldings and responded with just one word:

"Okay."

"…Do you really understand?"

"Mhm. Mhm."

Looking dazed, occasionally exhaling loudly, she simply ended the conversation.

Something's off.

"For your information, Nawagami-senpai is getting bigheaded because Seishirou-senpai officially scouted her for the Student Council. Speaking of which, didn't you turn down Atori-senpai's offer this past spring?"

"Oh, you did. Yes, nice to meet you… Mhm, mhm…"

She gave minimal attention to Miran's response, just replying with repeated nods.

Recognizing the clear strange vibe, the three of us convened an emergency meeting again in the corner.

"This is weird. When Atori-senpai is around, the room volume never drops below 100 decibels."

"That’s a slight exaggeration, this isn’t a bridge underpass… but she's too quiet, even for someone tired."

"…Didn’t she say she was looking after a hamster? Could it be because it went home or something?"

"It did go home, yes, but I don't recall her being down about it, because she can see it anytime."

Our trio conference was fruitless, and no likely reason came up.

However, it was Yuika again who broke the strangely uneasy silence. As if she’d remembered something, she started rummaging through her backpack. With her hand still inside, she looked at Miran, then Nawagami-san, and finally at me.

"Hey, Seishirou… Will you bind me with this?"

"…H-Huhhhhhh!?!? B-bi, ○×○△☆▼! dhdjgsjo!!"

Nawagami-san looked about to faint from shock at what she heard.

But when I saw the sports tape in Yuika's palm, I immediately understood what she wanted me to do.

"…I can’t do it well myself, you know? You played soccer, Seishirou."

"Well, yeah, I guess so."

"Really tight. I want to feel like I can’t move, please…"

"Can't move at all, she says? Even I don’t make such extravagant requests, mumble-mumble…"

I chose to ignore Nawagami-san’s muttered complaints for now.

In any case, Yuika's low energy was due to the intensity of practice. If I looked closely, she had been nursing her entire leg the whole time she was sitting. Perhaps not being used to club sports resulted in a harsher rebound.

"By that logic, why don't you just go to the nurse's office?"

"I don't wanna. B-Because it’s not that bad yet…"

"…Whatever. Then I guess Seishirou-senpai has no choice but to touch Atori-senpai's bare legs."

Miran spoke with an exasperated air, and an edge that was clearly designed to provoke Nawagami-san.

Frankly, I thought it would be better if she was seen by someone with proper knowledge.

Most importantly, though: even with the Restraint-Buff Nawagami-san was operating under, would she be able to endure watching me bind Yuika—I mean, wrap the sports tape—right in front of her? Wait, she has to endure it, because this isn't kinky at all! This is a completely clinical, harmless procedure!

"Sorry Nawagami-san, is this okay with you?"

"Isn't the one you should be asking permission from different?"

"…………"

When I looked, her body was trembling slightly, yet both her hands were tightly clenched into fists.

However—Nawagami-san flashed a strained, unnervingly brilliant smile with miraculous self-control (?).

"Y-Yes, Hachisuka-san is correct in that y-y-you don't need my permission in the first place."

"Got it. Then I won’t hold back… Come here, Yuika."

"Mhm."

Yuika trotted over when called. Nawagami-san, meanwhile, was completely disregarding her and focusing only on me.

Her expression was still outwardly friendly… but her eyes were saying much more than her mouth.

"Alright, where do you want me to start wrapping?"

"My knee and my ankle. This is just for, like, prevention. You know, right?"

"…I'll start with your knee. Keep your leg straight, at a right angle, okay?"

"Mhm. Nghnn… Ah, wait… That tickles a bit… itai!"

"Did I hurt you? Are you alright?"

"I’m fi-ine… I’m okay, really."

"Mhm, I'll continue then."

"Nawagami-senpai. I really don't want to say this just to kick you out, but…"

"Chocolate, strawberry, black sugar, matcha, milk tea…"

"Don't you think you should hold off on joining the student council after all? This kind of thing happens a lot here."

"Caramel, raspberry… It's alright, Seren. I just have to focus on thinking about ice cream flavors to calm myself down."

"Well, compared to prime numbers, listing ice cream flavors suddenly sounds pretty pathetic."

"Tell me if you feel any discomfort or weird sensations, either while I’m wrapping or afterward, okay?"

"…O-Okay… Haaa… Ah, uhhh… It… hurts!"

"Since you're not practicing again today, I'm going to wrap it pretty tight."

"Right… T-Tie it up super, super tight, that's fine!"

"Agh, I can't do this anymore, the flavors are all blurring together… G-Ghihihihi, gugugu…"

"Isn't that tooth grinding a little intense?"

"More to the point, yes, that’s it… I just need to be a dainty little creature like Atori-san, don't I?"

"Oh no, Nawagami-senpai just started talking nonsense."

"What, so I should have just changed my personality? Then I could have occupied that small-animal position…"

"Calm down, Nawagami-senpai. Besides, your massive ass makes that absolutely impossible!"

"…Did you just mock my best feature? What? Do you want to be beaten senseless right here?"

"Thank God, Nawagami-senpai has snapped back to normal! Wait, what even is this?"

Thanks to my past experience, wrapping her knee in athletic tape went surprisingly well, even if I say so myself.

"Next, I was going to do your ankle. But hey, Yuika?"

"Huuu, huuu… W-What? Is something wrong?"

I noticed she was completely flushed.

Sweat was beading on her forehead, arms, and all over her body, clearly indicating she wasn't her usual self.

"I think you should stop now. Everyone will understand if you just explain."

Yuika shook her head. Seeing that, she immediately looked like she was about to cry.

"Hold on, Imashino-kun, what do you mean, understand? Could it be… Atori-san, too…?"

"Stop it. Why are you suddenly making that horny-female expression, Nawagami-senpai?"

"B-Because Atori-san was just very tightly taped up…///"

Ignoring Nawagami-san, and speaking with the certainty of a layperson, I said clearly to Yuika:

"It’s probably a sprain. You should really withdraw from the sports festival."

"…A sprain??"

"What did you think it was?"

"Uh, well, umm…"

Ignoring the outside world, Yuika broke down into tears, just like a little child.

"Uu, uuu… I-I knew it, it had to be that, right? (Tears)"

"Yeah. Forget your knee, the swelling in your ankle is serious enough that a doctor needs to see it."

"I-I knew they'd say that too! That’s why I didn’t want to go to the nurse's office!"

Yuika sniffled and whimpered. I exchanged eye contact with Miran.

"What idiotic thing are you talking about? Seriously, unless it's the inter-high preliminaries, it's just a damn sports festival, right? Come on, I’ll give you a piggyback. Let’s get you to the nurse’s office."

"W-Well, yeah! But I wanted to be the big star and stand out…"

"Your loud everyday behavior is more than enough to stand out, so it’s fine. Come on, let’s go~♪"

"Feehhh…"

Yuika didn't put up much of a fight and was carried away by Miran.

Now alone—I lowered the AC temperature back to normal and spoke to Nawagami-san.

"As you can see. We’re few in number, but lively, so I don’t think you’ll be bored."

"…………! Hmph!"

"Nawagami-san?! W-What’s with the sudden move?"

Without warning, she suddenly smacked both her own cheeks hard with her hands.

"I had incredibly rude and nasty suspicions about Atori-san…"

"W-What was it, exactly?"

"It was… that Atori-san might have D.M. tendencies like me, and that my taping of her had, perhaps by sheer accident, released her sexual preferences as well…"

"Hey, isn’t your imagination running too wild now?"

"I know it! Even if I have been bottling everything up, it was wrong of me to arbitrarily classify her as a D.M. Judging someone else’s sexuality like that is absolutely unthinkable…!"

Nawagami-san looked crushed, as if experiencing the height of remorse.

And so, I thought.

If that's what happens, maybe there's no need for her to endure so strictly—

"…Yes, that's right. I must atone for this sin by doing something that benefits Atori-san."

Perhaps because of all that self-control, Nawagami-san's mood was still peculiar.

Nevertheless, the way she chose to make amends wasn't that strange.

"I will participate in the volleyball tournament in Atori-san’s place."

"Eh?"

"And I will win. I will deliver the trophy to her…!"

It was nice that a sporty, intense storyline had suddenly started, but… still.

Even if Nawagami-san was athletic, volleyball is definitely a team sport—

Time Flies to the Day of the Inter-School Sports Festival: Women’s Volleyball Final at the Gym

"Hss… Haah… Fft! (The serve pierces the opponent’s court with an amazing trajectory)"

—'Twenty-five to twenty-two, Class 2-A, winning by taking two sets, is the champion—'

"Yes! We won! We won!"

"That was amazing, Nawagami-san! We won because of you!"

"…When I heard Atori was injured, I wondered how things would turn out…"

"Yeah, exactly. And who knew a substitute like Nawagami-san would get so serious about this kind of event."

"She was incredible."

"Yeah, and I'm jealous of how her boobs bounced… Hey, I'm talking about her playing!"

"Even if not quite up to my standards, well done, Seren! I'll treat you to dinner as a reward!"

I, seated on the organizing committee's stage, watched the circle of victory swell.

…She actually won!

By the time the cleanup for the sports festival was finished and I returned home, it was past 7 PM as usual.

After changing into the suit I felt I had now mastered.

"My sincere thanks for your hard work, Ojou-sama. Now, without further delay, allow me to present you with this."

I handed her a set of ten gift certificates for a famous ice cream chain.

"It's a gift Mr. Mononobe sent a few days ago. That should cover quite a large quantity of ice cream."

"Ah, I see. Year after year, Mononobe-san alone is so dutiful…"

"By the way, I will give you my personal birthday present tomorrow, on your actual birthday. Please look forward to it."

"Yes, I understand. I'll look forward to it…"

Despite saying that, Nawagami-san remained sitting on the sofa, not moving an inch.

She had been like this since we got back. Completely burnt out, as if a fire had been put out.

Having exerted herself in such a physically demanding activity, it was understandable that she would be utterly exhausted.

"Heh. Hey, Imashino-kun…"

"Yes, what is it?"

The moment I responded, she gave me an unusually bright smile I’d never seen before.

"Do you know? People have a concept that's like the MP in an RPG, and it only recovers when you watch anime, play games, or especially consume sexy content."

That’s a highly specific concept.

"But you see? I've been enduring, enduring, and then enduring some more lately, haven't I? When that happens, my MP never recovers, and yet I still have to live every day… No, wait, that's wrong. Considering that the richness of the heart recovers by consuming lewd things, maybe it shouldn't be called 'MP,' but 'HP.' I have to write a thesis about this quickly."

I have a terrible feeling that even if she manages to compile it, it will get her expelled from any academic society before she submits it.

"Well, I'll stop the wordplay there. Besides, I chose this myself…"

"The fact that you participated in volleyball instead of Yuika, right?"

"Yes. My hyperactive imagination made me suspect Atori-san was a D.M., and so, as an act of atonement, I forced myself to take this very long detour."

She had managed to deduce the hidden reasoning without me telling her.

"Regardless of the process, I think the result was magnificent."

"…I don't know what to say. Did I really… do a good job?"

Gazing at her reddened hands and arms from the match, Nawagami-san continued to speak in a dampened voice.

"I bet the other students were just thinking, 'Why is this person so serious about this?'"

"That’s not true—No, I mean, is it alright if I have a moment, Ojou-sama?"

She seemed somewhat deflated, but I abruptly moved closer to her.

"The Ojou-sama’s goal might have just been to alleviate your own guilt. But your classmates all appreciated the fact that Ojou-sama was willing to cooperate with the class."

"I doubt that. Besides, I'm not doing this to be thought well of by my peers…"

"Then, how about Yuika? Yes, Yuika must have been overjoyed, of course. She must have been incredibly happy that Ojou-sama tried to cover for her injury."

"…W-Well, that might be true."

"And more than anything. I thought Ojou-sama was genuinely cool."

"Eh?"

"The way you didn't run from an obligation but actively tackled it head-on. That might have been something unthinkable for the Ojou-sama of the past. But the Ojou-sama of today accomplished that incredible feat!"

I raised my voice—rarely for me in a suit—and praised her. Because I wanted to do that for her.

"You really… did an exceptional job, Ojou-sama."

"!! W-Wait, don't be so gentle now. If you do that to me, I’ll… I’ll—!"

Nawagami-san shook her head violently, but all that did was exacerbate the effect.

"There are no openings when you demonstrate talent in the field of athletics as well as academics. I have never seen anyone like you in my life, I'm almost envious. That's how impressive you are."

"If y-you're going to say that, then you, too…"

"And besides, Ojou-sama's birthday is tomorrow, isn't it? You should be treated kindly without condition, and you deserve to be celebrated. Of course, I also prepared the choker you requested."

"A-Ah, auu…///"

"Or would you prefer my usual speech over this formal one?… I genuinely respect you, Nawagami-san, and I feel fortunate to work for someone like you. I'm truly moved."

"A-Ah, aaahh…//////////"

I continued to shower her with words like 'you're great,' 'you're wonderful,' and 'you’ve grown.'

I didn't say anything that I didn't mean. I simply conveyed my positive emotions honestly.

"…*Ah, I can't. I truly can't endure it anymore. This is my absolute limit of restraint!!*♥♥♥"

As a result, though, something snapped.

Like a fraying emotional thread had finally broken, color flooded back into Nawagami-san’s expression right there.

That face—that alluring, sexy look that tells me she's utterly consumed by lust.

"O-Ojou-sama? Wh-What's with the sudden change?"

"What sudden change?! It's because Master is saying such sweet things that I’m—!♥♥"

Looking at her, her body was glistening with sweat, and her uniform and hair were in disarray.

…She looks "sensational," I found myself thinking, applying the very word she had used against me moments before.

"All this intentional teasing has utterly melted my D.M. core until it's a soft, gooey mess!♥♥"

I hadn't intended to tease her, but that’s apparently how she had perceived it.

In any case, the unleashed version of her stood up, briefly left the living room, and came back immediately—clutching a certain object in both hands, returning to my side.

What was it? That storage container.

It was the one holding the collar, the handcuffs, and the other highly sexual items I recognized.

She embraced this obscene jewelry box—her eyes sparkling with excitement.

"You can use anything in here! P-Please, you have to dominate me…!♥♥ I can’t stand it anymore! I want you to command me to do embarrassing things, and, if it’s by Master's hands, I’m willing to accept absolutely anything…♥♥"

Her miserable plea was more than enough to spike my internal temperature.

I had supposedly learned my lesson after the pet play incident.

Going too far is wrong; I, not she, needed to maintain self-control.

I understood that, yet…

The fact that she showed her D.M., perverted side only to me still made me happy.

And it was also true that a part of me wished, I want her to be more messed up—no, I want to mess her up more.

So now, like her, maybe I don't need to hold back either?

"—Seren. You really are a hopeless D.M. pervert and a pathetic creature."

When I took the container from her, she slumped onto the floor.

"I’m so-sorry, I’m so-sorry! I'm a pathetic pervert!*♥♥"

"No, don't apologize. If anything, thanks to that, I've found the resolve to proceed."

I pulled a few items out of the container and held them out as if to show her off.

"You said you didn't have the courage to use these yourself—I’ll ask again: Do you want me to use them?"

She was nodding vigorously, her cheeks flushed, answering my fully switched-on Master persona.

Since she said yes, there was no need for me to restrain myself.

"Eh, agh… Mhnhh…♥♥ Mmghh guuguu♥♥"

An eye mask over her eyes. Handcuffs on both hands. And a ball-shaped gag with a hole over her mouth.

I used the whole casual bondage set on her, ensuring she couldn't run or hide.

"*Mghhh, mghhh!*♥♥"

"You're happy, aren't you? And that makes me happy—When you first suggested I had the talent of a D.S. Master, I wondered what this pervert was talking about. But I guess you had an eye for talent. Because right now, I’m feeling a satisfaction unlike anything before."

A steady trickle of drool was already beginning to fall onto the floor.

I didn't think of it as dirty, not even for a second. In fact, her plight only further fueled me.

Right now, I can think of nothing else but blaming and completely breaking her.

No matter who tries to stop me, I can't hold back anymore.

Because I want to make her, Nawagami Seren, more completely mine—

……………………………….

But I couldn't.

Thump. Suddenly, I crumbled to my knees on the flooring.

Because… right outside the door that led to the corridor. Directly behind Nawagami-san.

An adult woman in a black pantsuit, holding a paper bag, was looking at us.

It was Sayuki-san.

Her expression was emotionless as she looked at us—primarily at me.