by Ko Hiratori
Like Miss Haru says, I’m an “annoying woman,” so I get on people’s nerves without realizing it.
Maybe it’s all my fault.
＊
“...I see. Well, young guys can be pretty fastidious.”
“Fastidious? His room was a mess, though.”
“Not like that. I mean they like virgins. There are a lot of guys who will refuse you just for having had sex with another guy.”
When I told Miss Lupe that I’d apparently been dumped, she explained the reason right away.
I guess men are happy to be a woman’s first. Especially young men and old men.
Apparently they get customers at the brothel who prefer virgins, too, so baby-faced Miss Lupe gets asked to pretend it’s her first time. Apparently they like Sisters, too.
This is Kiyori. I’m learning a lot today.
“You wear cute clothes and come off as earnest and naive, so I guess you give the impression that you’re a virgin.”
“Really? There are lots of Sisters with boyfriends, though. Plus many of them, even ones who seem good on the surface, are actually pretty catty.”
“But they’ll still be popular. The way you all dress and talk is so pure. They know how to sell themselves.”
I don’t get it.
If we’re so popular, wouldn’t people assume many of us have boyfriends?
“So it’s not your fault at all, Kiyori. That guy was just a baby. Ahhh. If he were my customer I’d have him so whipped he’d never say anything about the state of my virginity ever again,” Miss Lupe said with a cute, mischievous grin.
I gave her an awkward smile in return. I’m still not used to the gap between her baby-face and her training abilities.
But I’m happy.
It’s great to have friends who will listen to my complaints at times like this.
Although one was missing.
“...Haru said she’s going to be taking some time off.” It seemed like it was hard for her to say, but she smiled.
I apologized for leaving in such a rude way the other day and asked her something that had been on my mind.
“Miss Lupe, do you ever wonder what you’d do if Miss Haru went away?’
I do.
I realize I expect too much from her, but she’s enlightened me about so many things, and to be frank, I respect her. After all, she’s God’s chosen hero.
If she went away, I have the feeling the world might even be in trouble. And even more than that, I think I’d be so lonely I’d want to die.
Miss Lupe probably found it strange that I asked her so seriously with such a pale face, but then she said, “Hmm,” with a smile. “I’d probably cry a ton. I’d sob and sob. But by later that day I think I’d be smiling at customers and having sex. And as I put on the act in front of the customers, I’d gradually forget I was sad. I know because I have a lot of experiences with that. I don’t even remember the face of the first guy I slept with anymore.”
...I started to really hate how stupid I am.
I was only worried about my own feelings, like, “If this happened, I would be sad,” or “I’d hate it.”
It was insensitive of me to ask her something like that right after she lost her dear friend Miss Shequraso.
“So if that day comes, I’ll hope you’ll get really sad and complain in my place. I’ll be in charge of consoling you and listening to your gripes.” Then, with her usual kind expression, she said, “You’re the only friend I have who will remember those things and say them straight out. Don’t you go anywhere, okay?”
I understood why Miss Haru respects her so much.
I wouldn’t mind being whipped if it was Miss Lupe doing the whipping.
“S-Sorry to keep you waiting.”
Mr. Sumo brought out our cute cakes.
He told us it was the new cake for spring. I remembered that I had canceled my portion the other day and apologized.
“I-It’s no problem.” Mr. Sumo didn’t get mad, but just smiled weakly as always.
I’ve heard the story of his bravery from Miss Haru and Miss Lupe, but he really doesn’t strike me as the type who could oppose the guild master’s son.
He makes great cake, though.
＊
I stop by the church once a week to pray.
Lately I’m busy with all the work that gets shoved off on me at the hospital, and I have to start my search for a partner over from scratch, so I might not be able to come for a while. I decided to pray a little longer than usual.
Dear God, please give me luck with work.
Praying for yourself like that is against the rules, so I don’t say anything like that.
“Kiyori, how’s it going lately?”
Another Sister, Miss Hasper, brought her friends over and said hi.
“It’s going,” I answered, almost carelessly.
Miss Hasper seemed to think that was a strange response and raised her eyebrows.
Honestly, I don’t know why she was talking to me. To be frank, I’m pretty sure she and her friends hate me.
So there’s no misunderstanding, I’ll add that for some reason most of the Sisters hate me, so it’s probably not them, but me. Because I’m an annoying woman.
“Hmmm? I thought you would mumble about work, but you’re a bit different now. Is it maybe because you slept with a guy?”
“So you’ve graduated from being so serious? You were always so popular, so you must have found a good catch, huh?”
“She’s probably doing them all. Ah-ha-ha. With that face and that chest, getting guys must be a piece of cake!”
What is all this about? It’s really uncomfortable.
I don’t recall ever doing anything to them. If they’re going to bother me so blatantly, I wish they would at least tell me why they don’t like me. I asked once before, but they just said, “Ask the mirror,” so I gave up.
“I’m sorry.”
I figured if I apologized that would make things better. Then I thought I would leave, but Miss Hasper called out to stop me.
“Kiyori, I heard you want to go into the forest.”
I turned around without thinking.
Miss Hasper is a more experienced Sister who has had a boyfriend and been going to the forest for a long time. That said, I know she doesn’t do it for peace or exploration.
She and her Sister friends go with their adventurer boyfriends in groups of couples to hang out. To let off steam. I don’t think I should have too much to do with them.
But Miss Hasper said something I didn’t expect.
“Actually, Killak is one of our friends.”
“He said he wanted to see you again.”
“Yeah, he asked us to give you a message. He said he would make you his partner and take you into the forest. What do you say?”
What do I say? Honestly, I didn’t trust Mr. Killak very much at that point.
But since I wasn’t a virgin anymore, it would only get harder for me to find a partner.
More than anything, if I didn’t find one soon, I wouldn’t be able to catch up to Miss Haru. It was a really pressing issue for me.
“I-I want to go. My friend went into the forest!”
I clenched my fists and told them my genuine feelings, and they nodded, grinning. “Oh? Okay, then.”
“Don’t worry. We’ll be there too.”
Going with them actually made me even more nervous, but I thought I should try to be optimistic since I was finally going to go on an adventure.
This has been Kiyori.
＊
Registering with the Adventurers’ Guild was far simpler than I expected.
Or rather, the old man at the window hardly looked at the paperwork. Mr. Killak and the others said, “Hurry up, old man,” rudely rushing him, so he just stamped the approval and handed it back.
What? It was this easy?
But my name was on the license. This is Kiyori.
I had wanted a license for so long, but they didn�
��t give me time to bask in those emotions. And I didn’t get to savor the moment of stepping over the adventurer line for the first time, either— they grabbed my hand and pulled me into the forest.
At the entrance there were several torches along the path, so it was bright, but deeper in it got dark and I was scared I would be swallowed up.
This is the demon forest. I’m sure Miss Haru is somewhere up ahead...
“Oh, that’s where the serious ones go.”
“We have girls with us today, so we’re going this way.”
But they tried to take me down a side path. That one was dark, too, but somehow it felt even worse.
“Please wait. I want to go this way. Don’t worry. I brought my holy objects and holy water, I’ve been purified, and I’m at full holy power.”
“Uh, are you serious? That’s hilarious.”
“You don’t need that stuff. We have drinks, so let’s just have fun today.”
“I-I can’t. Sisters who serve God are prohibited from drinking alcohol.”
“Hey, hey, girls. This one’s got some issues.”
“Kiyori, get a clue. You’re just going to ruin the atmosphere if you start acting all serious now.”
“Let’s party, de-virgin’d Kiyori!”
“Please wait, what do you mean ‘party’? We Sisters are meant to use the power of God to assist adventurers in the fight against dangerous demons and—”
“Okay, okay. Assist, right. Let’s assist and unite!”
At the end of the narrow path was a more open area.
There were bottles and food remnants scattered around. For some reason there were even shoes and clothes abandoned there, and it smelled strange. They sat me down and tried to get me to drink. Miss Hasper and the others drank on their own.
I didn’t really care that the others were drinking, but for a Sister, drinking is a foolish act that weakens their powers and their faith.
“Miss Hasper, girls, you shouldn’t! We’re servants of God!” When I shouted, everyone was shocked into silence.
Then they sighed in an exaggerated way.
“Shut up, Kiyori.”
“Why do you always...gotta be such a goody two-shoes?”
“Don’t get on your high horse just because your face is a little prettier than the rest of ours.”
“You think you’re on the side of justice if you act all serious and modest with that face of yours. Our superiors and the men all like you and think you’re cute.”
“You’re not a virgin, anyways! You’re having fun doing whatever, so don’t try to be all holy woman!”
I really don’t understand why Miss Hasper and the others got so angry. I didn’t say anything wrong. Watching all the girls fight, Mr. Killak and the other men smirked.
“Hey, Hasper. Ready to do it?”
Miss Hasper scowled at me for a moment and then said, “Do it.”
The men stood up and surrounded me.
I got the sense that I was really in danger, and I wanted to run away, but they knocked me down in the blink of an eye and a man got on top of me.
Mr. Killak looked down at me with a cruel glint in his eye.
“You reap what you sow, you ugly bitch. We’re gonna get you back on behalf of all the guys you’ve tricked.”
They forced a bottle into my mouth. I choked on the hot liquid that burned as it went down my throat.
“Yeah, drink up! Drink, Sister!”
But they held my head down and poured the alcohol into my mouth. I could barely breathe, so I coughed it up and they all laughed at me. They poured it on my face and hair.
My chest and throat felt hot. I thought I was going to die, it was so bad. But then my head got all fuzzy and my tongue got tangled. I couldn’t even beg for my life.
“Help... M-My chest...”
“Huh? You want me to grope your chest?”
“She’s a nasty one, all right. Strip her, strip her!”
The men violently ripped off my sacred Sister habit.
I was so groggy I didn’t have the energy to resist even though I knew what they were about to do to me. They peeled off my underwear and spread my legs. Then they laughed and poured alcohol down there, too.
“Help me...Miss Hasperrr...”
The girls had turned their backs and were saying mean things about me amongst themselves. “This is divine punishment,” they kept saying. “This is her fault, so what does she expect?” They talked fast, repeating those sorts of things over and over.
What did I ever do to them? Did I really do something that would warrant this?
Someone’s hand groped my chest, and someone’s head moved toward down there. I squeezed the word “help” out of my throat, but maybe because I was so drunk, I couldn’t scream like I wanted to.
I cried and asked them to please at least use luvya grass. But they laughed at that, too.
“You already wanna do it? You’re so funny.”
“That’s Kiyori the Slut for ya!”
“Sorry, I forgot the luvya. Just for today it’s fine without, right?”
“I’ll cum a lot for you, so let’s have fun, Kiyori.”
In utter despair, I was losing hope.
This was the demon forest.
Only horrible monsters could survive here.
Miss Haru. Please come save me, Miss Haru.
“U-Uh? Oh shit. Is this some party zone for the popular kids? Am I interrupting?”
Just then, I heard a voice I recognized talking really fast.
He surprised everyone coming out of the dark like that, but he was even more shocked than they were. He was totally awkward.
Yes, it was Mr. Endless Crimson Rain.
I didn’t even call him, but he came.
When he saw me and all the men holding me down—“Oh my god, it’s even a sex party”—he backed up and put his hands to the ground—he actually bowed down to apologize. He hadn’t even been there five seconds yet.
I shouldn’t have had the wherewithal to think such a thing, but it was such a gorgeous prostration that I couldn’t help but be impressed.
It’s the natural posture of someone who has made a study of how much other people will have to see him prostrate himself in daily life.
After performing that complete prostration, so perfect I wanted to put it in textbooks and teach it to children, Mr. Endless Crimson Rain apologized. “I’m very sorry for disturbing your sex party.”
“...Mr....Crimson... More importantly...”
“...Huh? Is that...Kiyori?”
Mr. Endless Crimson Rain was surprised when he finally noticed me. “Are you serious? Were you filming with that videolator guy? I heard a rumor he stole you.” He said some other things I didn’t understand. “No, hold up. I’m not the type who gets turned on by this kind of thing, so it’s really annoying for it to come out of nowhere. But, huh? Wait a sec. That’s one thing, but... Ah, I got an itch... No, that’s not right. I’m not about to get all excited by being forced to grovel at the scene of an orgy featuring my ex-girlfriend... Huh? What the hell? What is up with me...?”
“P-Please save me... Help...!”
“Huh? Nah, I’m the one who wants to be saved here.”
He is honestly so hopelessly dense and doesn’t listen, and it irritates me, but it occurred to me—with this awful timing—that maybe I was looking in a mirror, and it hurt. A lot.
“What’s with this guy? How lame. What’s he groveling for?”
“Ohh, I know that guy. That’s the C-Ranker Endless Crimson Rain something or other. He started off real strong, but hasn’t shown up lately.”
“Yeah, some guys are like that. Maybe they have a little talent, but they don’t put in the work, so they go nowhere.”
“They underestimate the sword-fighting world, so they get buried. Get outta here. We don’t have any use for pipsqueaks like you.”
“This is the B-Ranker Killak. I’m sure you know who he is. If you get it, then disappear. Quit hanging around.�
��
The men laughed at Mr. Endless Crimson Rain, too.
I was so frustrated I started to cry.
I don’t care anymore, so at least you should run away.
“What’s that?” Mr. Endless Crimson Rain said in a disappointed voice as he looked up. He stood and dusted off his knees. “Sheesh!” he laughed. “A B-Ranker pipsqueak boy? I mistook you for people with actual lives and bowed—my mistake! Agh. So what, now? What are you assholes doing to Legend Innodiator of Roaring Flames, THE Endless Crimson Rain @ Thousand Chiba P’s ex-girlfriend?”
Upon a sudden shift in attitude, Mr. Legend Innodi-something-or-other drew his sword and casually approached.
I had seen all sorts of duels in the arena, but this was the first time I saw men fighting outside. They weren’t holding back. It was a fight for their lives.
I had seen Mr. Endless Crimson Rain in the arena, thought he was pretty strong for an amateur C-Ranker, and followed his progress.
But I learned that he hadn’t been taking it seriously.
The fight was over almost immediately.
But that wasn’t the end of it. Long after they could no longer hold their swords and had lost all will to fight, he was still harassing them.
Mr. Endless Crimson Rain was actually incredibly relentless. I learned that in the arena when he won so simply and shook his opponent’s hand, that was just his business face.
He was totally wicked and tormented them in cruel ways. He picked up bugs with an awful lot of legs and ordered the men to eat them.
Though I didn’t feel any sympathy for them, it wasn’t a scene I particularly wanted to see, either.
At Mr. Endless Crimson Rain’s orders, I borrowed one of the capes of the men who were forced to grovel naked on the ground, put it on, and went over by Miss Hasper and the other girls who were trembling in the corner of the clearing.
“Eek!”
They averted their eyes and looked down.
I asked them why they wouldn’t look at me. “Didn’t you say this was my divine punishment? Didn’t you want to watch?”
Miss Hasper said in a shaking voice, her teeth chattering, “...Th-They said they wanted to do it...so we didn’t have a choice...”
I should be very ashamed of this as a Sister, but the next thing I did was raise my leg and kick her in the face.
“Your divine punishment is coming up next! You better watch out!”