Chapter 9: I’m so cute, super cute!

Someya Sara: “…”

QAQ.

Me?

She glanced again through the system view at these two ridiculously dangerous people and felt her tiny body wouldn’t even be enough to get stuck between their teeth.

“N-never mind…”

She bit her lip lightly, fingertips trembling where they clutched her skirt.

“I’ll… I’ll just stay a proper useless freeloader. I won’t steal Hoshiori Tsukiyo’s shining moment of noble self-sacrifice.”

“Also, Xiao Nuosang, please turn on pain nullification later… I’m really scared of pain…”
Her voice grew smaller and smaller, pitiful and tiny.

Dead meat!

Hearing those words and seeing its host’s soft, watery, pleading big eyes, Xiao Nuosang mentally slapped itself hard.

Its host was already this pitiful—why even tease her?!

You’re not some elementary school kid—you’re a mature, responsible system. Why keep scaring her for fun?!

You deserve to die!

Beep—

At that moment, a cold electronic voice suddenly rang out.

“Shared vision ending in”

“Five.”

“Four.”

…

『Baby, want to extend shared vision?』 Xiao Nuosang asked.

Someya Sara thought about it and refused.

First, she barely had any points left. Second, shared vision wouldn’t save her from getting beaten—it would only let her watch exactly how she got beaten. Third…

If she protected her head while taking the hits, she probably wouldn’t die.

That was the self-protection rule she’d learned back when she couldn’t pay “friendship fees” or protection money at school and got bullied.

『I-I’m going in!』

With the determination of a soldier marching to certain death, Someya Sara set down the package. Just as she was about to pretend she hadn’t noticed anything and walk into the living room,

Jakui Rinrincho maliciously stretched out a foot and tripped her.

“Wah!”

Someya Sara instantly toppled forward.

Luckily the living room was small and the sofa was right there—she only weakly flopped against Kanzaki Sumire’s legs. It didn’t hurt too much.

As expected… no escape…

Am I about to get beaten to death now?

Someya Sara tragically accepted reality.

.

So dumb.

That was Kanzaki Sumire’s first impression when she saw Someya Sara.

The girl had frozen at the door, misty blue eyes overlapping with the sunset glow. Beautiful, yes, but her long lashes didn’t even blink, and her face was completely blank—like an exquisite Japanese doll.

“She’s an idiot.”

That was Kanzaki Sumire’s most direct thought after observing a little longer.

The girl’s lips were unconsciously pressed together, those sunset-colored eyes blinking lightly as if confused about something.

“Definitely an idiot.”

Now, light-green eyes lowered. Kanzaki Sumire watched the girl who had been tripped by Jakui Rinrincho—silver hair slightly mussed, revealing the soft, fragile nape beneath, trembling slightly like a frightened bunny under her shadow—and thought the same thing again.

“W-who… who is it…”

Of course, our Miss Someya Sara was not actually a dumb idiot. After falling, she quickly asked that question in a weak, soft, utterly confused voice.

The sunset was burning brighter.

Someya Sara was far too close.

Kanzaki Sumire caught the girl’s scent—

warm sweetness from her lips, faint orange freshness, and the summer smell of cheap lemon body wash.

“I-I’m not scared of you!” Someya Sara bravely added. Her warm breath accidentally brushed across Kanzaki Sumire’s wrist.

It’s just a beating!

She—she wasn’t afraid at all!!

Kanzaki Sumire withdrew the hand resting on her leg, leaned forward, and used her still-warm left hand to pinch Someya Sara’s chin.

Then, with nails painted lavender-pink, she applied a little pressure and forced the girl’s head up. Perhaps because the girl’s skin was too pale and sensitive, even that light grip quickly left a faint red circle on her chin.

So dumb.

Scared with pathetically little courage.

Definitely an idiot.

Up this close, Kanzaki Sumire confirmed her thoughts once more.

But when her gaze met those misty, pitiful, innocent yet lifeless blue eyes, Kanzaki Sumire frowned, narrowed her eyes, clicked her tongue in displeasure, and looked toward Jakui Rinrincho.

“Hey, she’s blind?”

.

The oldest and strongest human emotion is fear meow; the oldest and strongest fear is the fear of awaiting fear meow.

Someya Sara was experiencing exactly that moment.

She knew she was about to get beaten, yet they hadn’t started.

QAQ!

She wanted to cry.

And her chin actually hurt a little from Kanzaki Sumire’s grip. That tiny pain only deepened the terror in her heart.

“W-who are you people?”

Even though she already knew these two were villains here to punish her, Someya Sara still pretended to be clueless and asked timidly,

“Y-you’re not… burglars, are you? There’s… there’s nothing valuable in my house.”

Fingers twisting the hem of her clothes, her stammering voice carried a hint of teary grievance—docile and weak. The corners of her eyes had somehow turned damp and red, pitifully obedient.

“Please let me go.”

“Please…”

The girl continued, her warm, sweet breath falling on Kanzaki Sumire’s fingertips like a kitten gently licking—ticklish.

“Who said we’re burglars?”

As she spoke, Kanzaki Sumire pressed a little harder and lifted the girl’s face again. Another red mark naturally appeared on her cheek—bright against the pale skin.

Kanzaki Sumire’s gaze lingered there for a moment. Her lips curved downward slightly, amusement flashing through her eyes as she teased,

“If we were burglars, we’d have grabbed the stuff and run. Why would we stay here wasting words on you?”

Someya Sara: Oh… yeah, that makes sense.

Xiao Nuosang: 『…』

Hey!

Is that really the right inner reaction right now?!

.

Someya Sara is cute.

The kind of cute that screams, “I’m super cute, ridiculously cute—hurry and praise me! If you praise me I’ll become even cuter!”

But because she’s too cute, it really makes you want to know—

If she cried, biting her lip with teary, pitiful eyes, would she become even cuter?

Kanzaki Sumire blamed that urge on those blind eyes. Every time she met those empty yet beautiful blue eyes, she inexplicably wanted to bully her…

“Th-then what do you want?”
While asking, Someya Sara reached out to push Kanzaki Sumire away, trying to free herself.

The girl’s skin was delicate and soft, carrying the warmth of an entire summer.

The instant she was touched, Kanzaki Sumire felt a strange electric current. The next second, her body reacted faster than her mind—she let go as if burned and stood up from the sofa.

She didn’t look at Someya Sara again. Instead, she glared at Jakui Rinrincho as if demanding:

Hey! How did you find her? You sure this little blind girl is the one slandering us online?

Jakui Rinrincho said nothing. She just pushed up her gold-rimmed glasses, curved her lips, and gave Kanzaki Sumire a silent smile—as if reminding her who had sworn to beat the culprit up first the moment they were found.