by Ko Hiratori
I had just broken up with my second boyfriend, and my first ex was a pain in the ass who showed up again, and there was all this drama. Right in the middle of that, my big sister got pregnant.
My sister is pretty, but her head isn’t screwed on quite right, so I guess she got involved in this college sex club, and it wasn’t like she could tell our parents. Right then, one of her friends showed up and said he would lend her the money she needed.
It was so nice to have a dependable acquaintance supporting her that my sister trusted him completely, so I thought he was a super good person and trusted him, too.
We were really panicking at the time. My sister had no plan, and I couldn’t do anything for her on my own.
He seemed like a savior.
“Open your mouth. Drink it down and don’t spill any.”
“Dude, don’t do that. It smells weird when you go to kiss her then.”
“Uh, it’s weirder that you’d wanna kiss this kind of girl.”
So he lent us the money and got rid of my ex for me. Then all that was left was to figure out how to pay him back, and that’s when he said, “Let’s do some work together.” He invited me to be an escort.
Refusing didn’t seem like an option, and I trusted him—I liked him—so I did it.
I didn’t really know what the going rate was, so I just did as I was told and met the guys he introduced me to on LINE, slept with them, went out with them, and got paid several thousand yen.
I thought it was a pretty easy job, so I proactively arranged for the twice-a-week arrangement to go up to three times, and I thought I was paying back the debt with the money I earned.
Then, when I found out how much he was taking off the top, I complained. But since the only evidence of the crime was on my end, they ended up threatening me.
I got scared and asked my parents what to do, and they got so mad at me. We had a relative who knew how to deal with legal stuff and the police, so it got sorted out, but I paid for it anyhow when weird rumors started going around. My parents let me go to a private high school that was pretty far outside our school district.
I restarted in a place where I didn’t have any friends. Surrounded by unfamiliar faces, I had to build relationships from scratch.
I felt like I was in another world back then, too.
“Hahh, hahh, this girl’s great. Her skin’s so taut.”
“Isn’t it kinda weird? The commander whipped her ass so much, and it’s still so smooth!”
“She’s a country slut; they’re made to go the distance. We should fuck her too, let’s go!”
Some of the rumors from middle school followed me, but I just pretended I had no idea what all that was about and acted cute and cheerful.
And I was cute, so I started going out with a boy two years older than me almost right away. My girl friends and my boyfriend introduced me to their friends, so I expanded my social network and made more and more friends.
Positive, attentive, politically correct.
I thought only of how to make people like me and I took on the role of getting everyone going. I laughed at what other people laughed at and made fun of what other people made fun of. At the same time, I was careful with what I said IRL and on LINE so I wouldn’t make enemies.
I had decided that I would definitely have fun in high school, so I didn’t want to mess up my relationships, and I took my cheerful-girl image seriously so no one would believe the few whispered rumors that were left.
Because if I turned around, my past frightened me. I didn’t want my friends to laugh at me for the stuff I did back then.
What was Chiba calling me? Something about a paste or something?
He’s really such an idiot.
“Hey, move your hips more! You’re doing this for your friend, aren’t you?”
A person’s worth is decided in ways that they can’t do anything about.
All you can do is decide how you’ll live your life regardless of your worth.
So, Chiba.
If you came here and told me again that you got strong to protect me, I’d never make fun of you ever again.
But that’s not going to happen.
＊
On the third day, I was supposed to be able to go home, but as expected, that was a lie.
Still, it was less the army’s fault than the weather’s. It had been raining hard since morning, and up at the front a few kilometers to the north, the monsters were going wild, so the rotation was postponed.
Since it’s raining like this, maybe the silver-haired man will be at the shop tonight.
The thought made me miss the brothel.
I was worked hard all day long there, but I liked working. There were a dizzying number of things to get done, but it was fun to see myself becoming capable of doing more.
Every day I thought this other world was the worst, and whenever anything horrible happened I thought of my old world, but now the memories that cheer me up the most are of that lively pub atmosphere.
I can’t believe it could be true, but did I get hooked on being a sex worker?
At least, I felt like working at that shop—where I’d drink with guys and listen to them brag about their exploits, generous guys would tip when I made them laugh, and I’d score a regular if the sex was good—I felt like it was worthwhile.
And yeah, if my parents found out, I’d get knocked into who knows what kind of other world, but I like that atmosphere of competing to provide quality service as a sex worker way better than endlessly doing these boring soldiers in this awful place.
Lupe with her warm smile was there, and Shequraso, who was so cool and messy and good at singing. Madam with her formal demeanor, Sumo’s kindness, the ultra-sophisticated silver-haired man, and the accidental Carp fan.
Even in this world, I’d found a place to go home to.
I dunno if I’m hooked on it or not, but at least I know there are people waiting for me.
This is no time to be getting ground down to nothing in a place like this!
“All riiight!”
“Whoa, what?”
I hadn’t actually spoken properly in quite a while, so it sort of hurt my throat, but it perked me up.
I pushed over the soldier doing a horrible job bonking me and got on top.
“Sir, could it be you’re not accustomed to women? Perhaps you’re not confident in your thrusting technique? If you like, I can give you a lecture.”
“Uh, err, what are you...?”
“Okay, clap your hands, please! I’ll dance to the rhythm of your choosing.”
“Wait, no, why are you suddenly so—”
Just then, the door to my fuck room slid open and Dekasquad Commander Bisque declared, “Time’s up. The rotation orders came in. The monsters are temporarily withdrawing. We need to switch up to the front now and prepare for nightfall. Hurry up and get ready.”
“Yes, sir!”
The young soldier shoved me off of him and stood to salute.
Watching him scramble to pick up his clothes and rush off, Mr. Bisque chuckled.
“What a pity. We have to let you go now.”
I wrapped my tattered dress around me and said, “Thank you,” with a smile.
I made it. I did the hell out of that sex work.
“...Haru, are you by any chance immortal?” Mr. Bisque grinned at me. As usual, his eyes weren’t smiling, though. “Three days, and there were probably a lot of pretty unreasonable guys, but you’re still kicking.”
“I have my youth, after all.”
I wouldn’t lose to the likes of you.
Mr. Bisque leaned against the door, watching me get dressed. “I really don’t want to let you go,” he said playfully.
Shut up. I’m going home. To the pub.
“I’m saying this because my work here is done now. You’re the absolute worst. Please don’t go anywhere near Shequraso ever again.”
Mr. Bisque raised his eyebrows in surprise, which was rare for him,
but then smiled the unconcerned smile I’d grown to expect.
“Okay. I won’t.”
He told me he would have liked to give me a ride back, but he didn’t have time.
Naturally, I didn’t want a ride, anyhow.
I was fine to walk back. So there.
“Oh, right, right.” Mr. Bisque made a show of stopping me like he’d remembered something.
A cold, smiling face. A face so emotionless it gave me the chills.
Then he pointed in the opposite direction of the exit.
“Take Shequraso with you when you go.”
I ran down the hall of the huge building, opening every door as I went.
I called her name. I searched, shouting over and over.
Outside the windows, the soldiers began their march. Raising their voices to proclaim their righteousness, stomping their boots.
In a dimly lit room in the back, something moved. The little light there reflected off orange hair.
“...Shequraso?”
A swollen face. Fat lips.
When I said her name, she turned eyes that wouldn’t open toward me and murmured, “Haru?”
Her voice was hoarse when she asked, “What are you doing here?” and she started to cry.
“Ahhhhhhhhhhh!”
I kicked through the window and screamed after the soldiers.
“I’m gonna fucking kill youuuuuuu!”
＊
I put Shequraso on an old horse that had been left behind in the stable and looked around for a hospital.
I only had one friend to count on, but luckily she was at the first hospital I found.
“Miss Haru...?”
Kiyori was shocked to see me standing there sopping wet with Shequraso on my back, but when I said, “Please take a look at her—hurry,” she immediately nodded.
Her face went pale when I put Shequraso down on the bed.
“Sh-She’s gonna be okay, right? You can save her, right? She’s my friend!”
“...I’ll try.”
Kiyori pursed her lips and aimed her palms at Shequraso’s body. Then she said a short spell, and her hands began to glow.
Shequraso’s eyebrows twitched. She groaned softly.
“Shequraso...”
I was so relieved, my knees gave out and I dropped onto my butt on the floor.
Phew. She’s okay, now, right?
“Kiyori will have you fixed up in no time, so...hang in there, Shequraso...”
Kiyori’s glowing palms roamed over Shequraso’s body.
When she reached her chest, Kiyori furrowed her brow, and Shequraso bent her neck back and groaned.
“I’m going to clean up her face.”
She took her shining hands and made circles over Shequraso’s face, like she was caressing her. Little by little, the swelling went down, and her face went back to normal.
“It’s Shequraso’s face... She’s so pretty...”
High cheekbones, a slender nose—she was a true beauty. This was the face of my beloved Shequraso.
“Miss Haru...” Kiyori called out to me in a heavy voice...
...as her hands moved over Shequraso’s chest.
“Please talk to her. Your voice should still be able to reach her now.”
“Huh?”
“This will be the last conversation she’ll have. Please chat with her in a kind, fun way so she’ll feel hopeful about going to Heaven. Relax and take your time.”
“W-Wait a minute. What are you saying?!”
But her face is so gorgeous.
We’re finally somewhere we can feel safe.
“Fix her! I know you can! Even just fixing her injuries is fine!”
“Even with her injuries fixed, she’s too weak. Her heart has finished its role. Heaven is beckoning her now.”
“No! Fix her! Fix Shequraso!”
“Miss Haru, don’t shout. Please see her off in peace, so she can rest with a smile.”
“How could I possibly? Do you know what they did to her? She’s like this because those guys... How can I smile?!”
“Haru, listen!”
It made me gasp, her raising her voice at me like that. Then she explained.
“...This is what we do in this world. God gives those who smile a warm welcome. Talk to her about something fun, so she won’t be anxious about what’s to come. You need to make her laugh so she can show God a hopeful smile. So smile, Haru, please smile!”
My throat trembled, and I just couldn’t.
I was so disappointed and so sad, but I didn’t want to shut down those emotions.
Still, I smiled. I remembered my time with Shequraso and forced myself to.
“Uh, umm...Shequraso, do you remember how annoyed Madam was when we first put that bench out in front of the shop? Then once we were always eating our lunch there she would sometimes bring us little cakes and things, right? I think she wanted to hang out with us. But it was only a three-seater bench, you know? That was our spot. I feel kind of bad for her, but what could we do?”
Shequraso’s hand was cold. Those lips she used to sing in that amazing voice of hers were dry.
But she was still so pretty. I wanted a face like hers.
“Hmm, maybe I’ll tell you about this. It was supposed to be a secret, so don’t tell Lupe. We said the three of us were going to have a hot pot party, right? I was going to have you guys try my home town’s famous dish, dark hot pot. And this hot pot, it’s a no-holds-barred death match. First you make the room totally dark, then everyone can put in whatever ingredients they want. The thing is, then, that whatever you grab, you have to eat. Hee-hee. I’m not telling you what I was planning on putting in!”
I only talked about the fun stuff—things the three of us had laughed about, things that would happen in the future.
We got along so well. I was so happy I made friends in this world. I love you. And I’m so thankful, too.
So...
“...Haru.”
Shequraso murmured my name, her voice hoarse.
“Y-Yeah! It’s me. I’m here!”
Her lips moved so feebly. Her fingers lightly grasped my hand.
“...Come...to my wedding...”
I thought my heart would stop.
Bisque’s cold face and Shequraso’s tears overlapped in my mind, and I thought I was going to scream.
But I smiled. I smiled with all my heart.
“F-For sure! We’ll throw you a huge party!”
Shequraso smiled and then...she slipped into a quiet sleep.
Kiyori held her light over Shequraso’s forehead and, in a soft voice, started to pray.
I buried my face and sobbed. I cried for the first time.
When I came to this world and got into this job, I knew I’d feel miserable if I cried, so I decided I wouldn’t, but this was too much.
“Ahhhhh! Shequraso! Shequrasooooo! I hate this! Nooooo!”
We were miserable, and so, so pitiful.
So I couldn’t hide those feelings anymore. If things got hard, I would cry.
And I would get mad. I should have been furious. I wouldn’t put up with their shit anymore. I would never forgive them.
I thanked Kiyori, asked her to take care of things, and went outside. The rain had picked up even more, and the night was hazy. Even so, the horse I’d ridden over had waited for me.
Kiyori came after me. “M-Miss Haru! Where are you going?”
“I’m going to find them.”
I didn’t want to show her my face the way it was, so I didn’t turn around.
“But why? What are you going to do?”
Then she looked at the reins in my hand, puzzled.
“...You can ride a horse?”
Yep.
Women in this world didn’t ride horses, but I could do it no problem.
I had never even touched one in my old world, but they warmed up to me right away and ran how I wanted them to.
Now I’m capable of that much. And I can use a sword, too.
“It seems like you already figured it out, Kiyori, so I’ll just tell you. Chiba and I were brought here from another world, like you thought. Probably by this world’s God, to defeat the demon lord. That’s why Chiba is stronger than the average guy and why I’m still fine after going through the same thing Shequraso did.”
Not that that easy-going god actually told us what to do.
If he doesn’t take Shequraso to the best seat in Heaven, I’ll seriously kill him.
But today, for the first time, I had to be a little grateful to him—for making the goofy rules of this world.
“God gave Chiba and me cheat skills.”
Scream
I headed straight north and arrived at a deep forest.
The horse was nice and walked quietly. Rocking along on its back, I couldn’t get Shequraso’s singing out of my head, and I cried the whole time.
It was still raining. So my tears didn’t stop, either.
I plodded along the trail of magic lights, until, “Halt!” A soldier stopped me.
“Huh...? What are you doing all the way out here?” he asked.
It was the one who used to have the fluffy hair. Now his head was shaved, and he gave me and my horse a dubious look.
Then he smirked. “You’re hilarious! Didn’t get enough, ’ey? Look at you, riding a horse even though you’re a chick.”
It’s thanks to your skill, Equestrian Ability +80.
Back when your hair was still soft and you were boasting about how good you are on horseback while we had sex, I had a little bit of a thing for you.
“What’s that?”
I got off the horse, drew the sword at his hip, and, before he could even react, stuck it into his chest.
The unpleasant sensation remained in my hand, but I shut down the discomfort in my mind.
Deactivate Level Bind.
I unleashed my true combat level and skills that I had been controlling with the skill the chokey dude had.
The sword slipped easily through the Ex-Fluffy Hair’s back.
“Ahhhhhhgh!”
His life evaporated as a fountain of blood spurted out of his back.
When I pulled the blade out, blood flowed out of his chest, too, and Fluffy Hair sunk face-first into a puddle.