Chapter 39: Chapter 37: Kenzaki Asuna and Takanashi Kotori

“Haa… Haa… I brought it down, Hiroki…”

Swarms of Goma corpses lay about. At the peak of that mountain of cadavers, the Boss Goma that held the Demon Sword was scattering into light particles.

Learned skills

Counter               Can respond to close-range attacks. Possible to repel blades or even fire.

Reflector             Can respond to long-range attacks. Possible to repel arrows or even lightling.

Righteous Fist    A foundation of the Souma-Style Unarmed Combat Arts. A fist that is fast, heavy.

Acquired skills

Break    Boosts Hit Damage. Deals the enemy a heavy blow.

Berserk                Inflicts Status Ailment Berserk on self. Lose your reason and sense of pain, to gain tremendous strength. [1]

Break, is the same that our Swordsman Hirano had. And Berserk, Meiko doesn’t have this exact one, but it should be like her on Courage and Madness chapter? Hero sure is one hell of a cheat~

Information on the new powers are engraved into my brain. Not only my mind, but my body too has power flowing throughout like I’m leveling up in an RPG.

Even when I’m this beat up, the power just keeps pumping in, it’s even making me a bit worried.

“Nii-san, are you alright!?”

“Yeah, more or less. I’m fine, so please go heal the othe—”

“Just what do you think you’re saying! Look at all these cuts, you’re my top priority here nii-san!”

It’s nothing fatal, so I’m fine though. But there’s some slashing here and there, so it may just look really bloody. Well, it does hurt, but not anything I can’t bear.

“Honestly, you’re always so reckless, nii-san— Healing Light”

Sakura holds up her hands, and a dim, pale light envelops my body. Whoa, what’s this, it’s warm, so nice. It’s like being soaked in a hot spring, but maybe saying that would be rude.

“Looks like, I worried you. It was a pretty ugly fight”

I should really reflect on this. It was a reckless way of fighting with leaving everything to anger. If that Boss Goma, had even a bit of fighting technique, I’d have been cornered in no time. That bastard only relied on its superior strength and the Demon Sword’s sharpness, it merely brute forced its way through battles.

“No, you’d just seen you best friend get eaten. Can’t be helped you lost your cool for a bit— And look Souma, since you got so angry instead, I could see things straight”

“Thanks Asuna, if you weren’t there, I’d be done for. No, that goes for all of you. If any of you weren’t there, I—”

“Nihaha, we’re all comrades in arms, it’s natural we have your back!”

“Right, we won’t be letting Yuuto-kun carry all the burden”

When the fight started, the Boss Goma seemed to have percieved us as dangerous, and immediately made the surrounding standby Goma jump into the fray. It’s only because everyone worked together that we were able to overcome the fierce melee.

Sakura’s arrows of light scattered the Goma, while Class Rep’s ice walls blocked their way. They did their utmost to make sure I could be in a one-on-one against the Boss Goma. Natsukawa-san worked hard in the back, guarding Takanashi-san who isn’t currently able to fight, and Asuna got rid of the smallfries trying to get to me, and occasionally, got a good hit on the Boss Goma too.

We just barely scraped by. A single mistake in our coordination, and it wouldn’t be strange for one of us to be dead… But I’m glad we can enjoy this victory.

“Still, if I didn’t lose my cool, we could’ve had more leeway”

“You can leave moping for later. Right now, just be happy we won. And, let’s pray for Kousaka too.”

I’m made to realize from Asuna’s words. The rage from my fight with the Boss Goma is instantly gone, and replacing it, came the feeling of losing a best friend, only sadness.

“Yeah, you’re, right…”

The vast area we fought at seems to be a so-called Boss Room. At the back of this area, there’s a magic circle used for transport, and it’s set so that you use the core from the Boss Goma to move over to the next area. Using these methods of instantaneous movement, or warping, before using the Divine Gate, makes the premise of a magic circle used for escape much more believable.

Luckily, the place we’re warped to isn’t in the middle of a pack of monsters, but inside a fairy square. There, we could rest, and more importantly, sort out our hearts.

“But still, never thought Holy Enchant had this kind of use”

“Me too, I didn’t think it would go this well”

A sparkling, beautiful katana lay in front of a slightly bewildered Sakura. This is that very same Demon Sword once held by the Boss Goma.

It had been releasing a red aura, and being that strong of a seemingly cursed weapon, trying to touch it only assaulted with terrible chills. Recognizing that, I couldn’t make any proper use of it.

Still, I thought it’d be a waste to throw away such a good blade, so I tried to have Sakura cast Holy Enchant on it since we had nothing to lose…

“Yup, looks all good for now”

I give it a swing, and it’s just a normal— no rather, this katana feels lighter compared to its size, but no other issues. This’ll be useful.

“If the enchant wears off, I hope it stays normal”

“We’ll just cross that bridge when it comes”

That being said, sometime later, the enchantment wore off, and our doubts were cleared.

Speaking from the conclusion, all was well. As if it had been purified, the red aura didn’t come out anymore. The white glow disappearing as Holy Enchant wore off, it looked like a normal katana afterwards. No problem swinging it around. It was no longer a Demon Sword, but simply an excellent blade. It appears that the curse had been completely lifted.

“Asuna, you take it”

“What’s this nonsense now, Souma, aren’t you the one who beat the big bastard? You take it, it’s yours”

“No well, it’s not like I don’t want to, but Asuna, your sword broke in that last fight, right? My sword is still working fine. And I’ve been using this for a while see, I got really accustomed to it, so don’t really want to change it right now”

“B-But you can…”

A manly personality, would be somewhat rude, but Asuna’s upstanding and strict character didn’t allow her to quietly accept it. Having a good grasp of such feelings, the one who came to the rescue was, as expected, our good ol’ Class Rep.

“Look how hard Yuuto-kun is begging you Asuna, just take it why don’t you. We’re all in the same team now, so it’s important to properly distribute the equipment”

“Well, if it’s with my vocation and abilities, I’m sure I can make good use of this katana but…”

“So you can just show us that in our battles to come. I can’t think the dungeon ends here, and we will have to face much more powerful monsters soon enough. So we need to work our Dualwielder Asuna to the bone don’t we. We’re counting on you”[2]

“Fufuh, your flattery is too sweet, I’ll take it then. And, I’ll meet your expectations too”

Looks like Class Rep somehow convinced Asuna.

“Then, Souma, I’ll be gratefully accepting this katana”

“Yeah, you and me, let’s protect everyone”

With most of our loot distribution done, we decided to hear all the details from our new comrades, Asuna and Takanashi-san.

“As you’ve probably noticed in the fight, I’m a Dualwielder”

“Hey hey, how’s that different from a Swordsman? Is it that Two-Sword Style thing?”

“Yeah, exactly”

Natsukawa-san’s simple guess seems to have hit home. I see, she was holding a long and a short sword because of that Two-Sword Style.

“So what happens when you got just one?”

“It’s not like I’m suddenly powerless. Thanks to my vocation, even someone inexperienced as me can show master-class skill”

No, you’ve been strong to begin with, Asuna. She didn’t have the arrogance to call herself master-class, but nonetheless, her skill was much higher compared to the average highschooler.

But that too, is perhaps just as expected of the only daughter of the esteemed Kenzaki clan known for thier sworsmanship. In terms of sword skills, she has recieved training much harsher than myself. Actually, if we had a no holds barred, serious match, I couldn’t say if a well tempered guy like me is guaranteed to win. The match would be decided by luck and other factors. In other words, it’s 50-50. Sword in hand, I believe Kenzaki Asuna to be the strongest highschool girl in all of Japan.

Incidentally, leaving aside strength, Asuna is quite the looker as well. Long-slit, sharp and composed eyes, in addition to a gallant, disciplined visage, makes her popular amongst peers of both sexes. No actually, she’s more of a hot-topic among the girls. Standing at over 5’7”170 cm, the only girls taller than her in class would be Futaba-san and Kizaki-san from volleyball team. Yet, despite her long legs becoming well toned from daily training, her figure draws well defined curves establishing her womanhood.[3]

With a beautiful appearance, and supermodel-like figure, there’s no way Asuna wouldn’t be sought out. It’s natural that Hiroki fell for her. But those intense turf wars between him and his rivals in love, the girls who called Asuna their Onee-sama, was a bit surprising to say the least.[4]

Well, I can’t really say I’m excluded from that sort of carnage either I guess.

During 1st year(10th grade), I had accidentally accepted a challenge from her due to a misunderstanding, and actually ended up winning. She then said, “Now that you’ve beaten me, I’ll accept you as my fiance”, like it was some hidden tradition of the Kenzaki clan, causing a whole other uproar.

It’s kind of absurd deciding about marriage partners from a mere sword match, and the talks of engagements and what not were safely laid to rest. Asuna too would prefer to marry not me, but someone who she actually loves; she should in fact.

Anyway, the girl called Kenzaki Asuna, is an important friend and a girl I get along with well. And presently, she’s also a comrade I can leave my back to.

“Well, having two makes it much easier to use battle arts though. As of now, I’m definitely stronger with two swords than one”

“Uh-huh, that means, we’ve got to get you another good one don’t we”

“We’re lucky enough to get even one this good. The second one, I’ll settle for a rusted sword no problem”

“Hold it right there, Asuna-chan! Now’s the time for Kotori to show her mettle!!”[5]

The one suddenly wedging herself into the conversation is Takanashi-san whom we had protected in the fight just now.

“Kotori, you mean, we can use it?”

“Yep, Sakura-chan and Class Rep said they had some extra core”

I see, understands her partner Asuna. I have not a clue what’s going on.

“Erm, Takanashi-san’s vocation, what was it again?”

“Ahem, lo and behold! For Kotori’s vocation, it is the one, the only—”

“She’s a Sage”

“Waah!? So mean, Asuna-chan! You took my big moment!!”

Cause you were getting cocky, Asuna coldly replies, at whom Takanashi-san started furiously swinging her little arms. The scene brings a smile to the face.

“And, a Sage is?”

“You see~, a Sage, that is someone that~—”

“Yeah, she’s got no fighting ability, but she has a number of useful powers. The novice skills are—”

“Waah! Stop that already!!”

Ancient Language Deciphering: basic      Can read the ancient language. Limited to third-class.

Simple Remodelling        Carry out simplified remodelling. Understanding and Clarification. Disassembly and reassembly.

Sacred Tongue: “Word of Rejection”       Can translate speech with intention into the sacred tongue. Limited to words meaning rejection.

“There’s also one acquired skill”

Mana Analysis   Can see the function of items imbued with mana and analyse them.[6]

Would be the 4 skills possessed by Sage, Takanashi-san.

“And, what do these powers do specifically?”

“See that fountain over there? The fairy square’s fountain actually has a hidden feature. And to use that feature, you have to know how to read the ancient language”

That’d be where Ancient Language Deciphering: basic comes into play.

“That feature being?”

“Like repairing equipment, or making new ones. All we need is some suitable materials and Kotori’s mana.”

Apparently she can find out if those materials are suitable using Mana Analysis. Also, she seems to understand some other things with that skill too, but let’s put that aside for now.

“Lastly, with Simple Remodelling, we can activate the fountain”

“So it’s the fountain doing it and not her skill?”

“We tried that too. Results: with the same weapon and same materials, there’s a large difference in quality. We think that this fountain has a high level Remodelling feature, but we can only use it via the Simple Remodelling novice skill”

Meaning, even if you did the same actions as Takanashi-san, it wouldn’t work unless you have a skill related to remodelling.

“Asuna, I didn’t think you were into games and stuff?”

“No, all this are things Kousaka thought up”

Stepped into a landmine there. My chest hurts. Hiroki, that guy was really into games huh. That reminds me, I never returned that game I borrowed.

“Anyway, the fact of the matter is, with Kotori here, we can repair our weapons and make new ones. Only, we didn’t have much in terms of materials, including cores, until now, and I ended up using rusted swords”

On the other hand, as long as we have the materials, we can make as many powerful weapons as we want. This is a really useful skill in a dungeon where we aren’t guaranteed any supplies.

“And what does Word of Rejection do?”

“It’s somewhat iffy. Apparently, when Kotori says something like stop, or get away, it can stop monsters intent on attacking”

And if she shouts with strong willpower, she can apparently blow them away as well. And not only one, but many at a time. In addition, it’s not only limited to monsters, but ranged attacks like stones or arrows shot at her are also included in things blown away.

It sounds like an amazing magic, but it only works for things aimed at Takanashi-san herself, so she can’t use it for support us in the frontlines. Though the concept of Rejection should be between her and the enemy only, conveniently stopping only the enemy seems to be tough. Worst case, she could accidentally stop an ally mid-battle.

It’s dangerous to use carelessly, so Takanashi-san has been only using it for self-defense.

“I’m guessing she could do more with it when she learns new Sacred Tongues… but right now, we can’t use it in fights at all”

“No, it’s great that she can use for protecting herself. But the real amazing part of Takanashi-san’s power, it’s how she can create new weapons. Right now we’ve got a decent amount of cores, so she can probably make do with those”

“Right, so let’s get Kotori to— huh, Kotori, you’re crying?”

“Uu, Uuu!! Asuna-chan you dummy!!(baka)”

What’s up with her, Asuna and I both tilt our heads, at which point Natsukawa-san swoops in to the rescue.

“Heey Kotori-chan, you can do this. Do that remodel(?) thingy here and you can show Souma-kun your good side”

“R-really~, ehehe, Kotori can get Souma-kun to praise her?”

“Yup, that’s right, he’ll be super happy”

“Really, re~ally… Ehehe, kay, Kotori’s gonna give it her all!”

Wow, I didn’t hear what they were saying, but Takanashi-san seems to have gotten back her motivation. As you’d expected from her close friend Natsukawa-san.

Tell the truth, it’s not like I’m that close to Takanashi-san to begin with. Sakura, Class Rep, Natsukawa-san, Asuna, she’s close enough to all 4 others here to call them by first name, but she hasn’t had much interaction with me. Or rather, it’s because she’s usually in a cicle of girls only.

So for me, Takanashi-san only has an image of a cute, bright and energetic girl. Well, getting to know her, anyone would know that description to be exactly accurate.

Standing as small as Reina, Takanashi-san has a similarly youthful face. Her hairstyle also being twin-tailed. Naturally, her hair color is black, not blond like Reina’s. It really suits her. I shouldn’t say this, but she’s just like a gradeschooler.

But the fundamental difference between her and Reina, that would be in their chest size. The so-called Busty Loli(loli kyonyuu), is the term a friend of mine used. Almost delirously. That, Kotori-chan, she truly possesses the trait fulfilling a miracle of Man’s desires, the Busty Loli. No but, since Takanashi-san is the same age as us, she’s can’t be a loli I think. About the bustiness, that I can’t deny.[7]

Anyway, with a baby-face, along with a bust that doesn’t match her petite figure, she too was a hot-topic in a different meaning from Asuna. With a 100% approval rating amongst the boys to boot.

As for the girls, some jealous of her popularity would call her “sly”, or “conceited”, or “poser“ among other things.

Of course, starting with Sakura, Takanashi-san always had a bunch of reliable friends around her, so there’d been no case of it devolving into bullying. I don’t approve of it, facing one with an appearance as blessed as that of Takanashi-san, I suppose it’s only human to feel some level of ugly emotion.

“Well then, Souma-kun, lend your sword to Kotori please!”

“Yeah, I’ll leave it to y—”

“I forgot to mention, there’s a chance Kotori’s remodelling can fail”

“… What happens when it fails?”

“Naturally it breaks. So bad that you can’t ever use it again”

“Takanashi-san, I change my mind, please do this rusted one first”

“Kay, no problem!”

After that, Takanashi-san cheerfully tossed the rusted sword into the fountain, and began the ritual of remodelling.

As we had just overcome a battle with close to a hundred Goma along with a Boss Goma, it was high time for some well deserved rest. We collected all the comparatively better weapons from the Goma, and since Takanashi-san could repair those, we needed to wait for that too.

Of course, washing the dirt off our clothes and bodies was crucial psychologically as well as hygenically. In other words, it was time for a bath.

“Woah, Sakura-chan, your skin is so pretty~”

“S-stop Kotori, don’t touch me there”

“I’m jealous of Sakura’s figure, but Class Rep has it good too”

“What are you saying Asuna, compared to me, you definitely win”

“No, they’ve gotten bigger again see, honestly, they’re in the way when I’m fighting”

“Not jealous, I’m not jealous at all…”

“What’s wrong Class Rep, are you alright?”

“She’s not you know. Ryouko-chan’s a bit sensitive about that after all”

“About what?”

“Nihaha, of course, it’s about her boobs!”

“Wh-what the, Minami!”

“But Ryouko-chan, you can’t be jealous of Asuna-chan when right here, there someone so much, greater—”

“KyaAAAAAA!?”

“Th-this sheer volume, my hands look tiny!?”

“Minami, enough is enough!”

“Minami-chan you perv(ecchi)!!”

“Nyaha, my bad, you two, I’m sorry! So wait, not there, wai— Kyaaa!!”

Fun-filled voices rung about.

Yes, right now, the 5 girls were in the middle of bathing using the fairy square’s fountain. Naturally, I, being the only guy present, was driven away. It’s of course dangerous to wander around alone in the dungeon, so I’m standing near the entrance to the fairy square facing the wall. If by chance, I were to turn around, I don’t think I would be viewing paradise. The girls are likely washing up on the opposite side so as to be out of view as much as possible.

Nevertheless, I am not so much a fool as to attempt turning around.

“You understand, nii-san? You are absolutely not, to try peeping”/

Sakura had decreed.

I am too, a man. A healthy highschool boy, with the natural urges that come with being one. However, as a man, I’m not stupid enough to want to peep while putting their trust to the test.

Even still, that Sakura being so wary of me, am I really that untrustworthy?

“Nii-san, at times like this, you tend to cause trouble someway or other, so you need particular attention!”

I was reminded as such. Certainly, there was that time like our middleschool field trip, or that time when we went to the beach with some friends, I inadvertantly ended up walking in on them while they were chinging; certainly, those kind of accidental events did happen… but, but still, when she’s so plainly wary of me, as her brother, I’m just saddened.

“Fuuh, tranquility, tranquility”

Challenge accepted, Sakura. I shall now become the noblest of gentlemen. There shall be no case, of me laying eyes on your, or the other girls’ naked bodies.

And, after painfully passing the time, from their voices, it seemed that their washing had come to an end, and they had began dressing up. Alright, I passed the test— I relaxed, but right then,

“KyaAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!”

A scream like the tearing of silk echoes. This is, exactly the same, same as that fearful, despairing cry I heard before facing the Boss Goma. It was Takanashi-san.

Hearing such a tense shriek, my relaxed state of mind switched into that of battle-readiness. It can’t be, did a monster suddenly appeared here in the fairy square? Taking up the sword at my waist, I quickly turned.

“What happenned, Takanashi-sa—nn!?”

“Nooo!! Save me Souma-kuuun!”

There, a teary-eyed Takanashi-san was running to me in white underwear. The almost dazzling soft, porcelain maiden’s skin, and those springing twin hills, they scroched these eyes of mine. As if she’d gotten the wrong size. They seemed close to spilling out.

“Uaah!? Wait, Takanashi-san, your clothes!”

“Fueeen!(crying sound)”

Before I know what was what, I was clung onto by a Takanashi-san in her underwear, being hugged tightly. T-this is bad, I can’t draw my sword like this. No, not that. This soft feeling on this body of mine is, dammit, not that either!

“Please wait, Kotori! Nii-san is over th—”

“Jeez, didn’t I say it’s dangerous to run off like that?”

“Sorry sorry, Ryouko-chan meant well alright?”

As I was bound by Takanashi-san, and had entered a state of complete immobility, new pairs of underwear kept popping into my eyes one after another. Pink, black, sky-blue, the girls appearing in underwear of all these colors, as family, as friends, even if I didn’t particularly like them, they would only appear cuter, more beautiful than any model in fashion magazines.

In other words, Sakura, and Asuna, and Natsukawa-san, these three had appeared before me in their lingerie.[8]

“Kyaa! Nii-san, why—”

“Wh-, S-Souma…”

“Fuee!?”

I guess these three hurriedly tried to chase after Takanashi-san who has suddenly run off. So hurried that they forgot that they too were in their underwear same her her.

“Fueeen, Souma-kuuun, Kotori was, she was soo scaared”

“… Nii-san, what might this be?”

A dangerous air drifts from Sakura all of a sudden. Aah, I wonder why, she’s plainly covering her chest with her arm like girl’s do, but this cute sister of mine, I can’t help but be terrified of her.

“J-just wait Sakura, this is a misunderstanding!”

I shouldn’t have made such blunder. Just that, Takanashi-san had screamed so loudly that I thought it was an emergency. That’s why, being embraced by Takanashi-san in her underwear right now is not from my intention, but by her own free will. I have nothing to feel guilty about.

“Well, I am in fact engaged to Souma, so him seeing me in my underwear… is no b-big deal…”

“Nihaha, Sorry, Souma-kun, you’re not that happy seeing li’l old me right”

With faces red and eyes watery, I can’t feel too convinced you know. Sorry you two, I’ve caused you a lot of shame.

I promise I’ll make it up to you so please… please help stop this dangerous Sakura.

“Wait, calm down Sakura, this is an unforeseen accident. I just—”

“Nii-san you, you jerk(baka)!!”

Aa, so Lux Sagitta, also works without a bow, I thought as I was enveloped in dazzling light.

________________________

[1] Counter & Reflector are as is, simple. 一の正拳 — Ichi no Sei Ken — Righteous Fist. As can be implied, his house is a dojo.

[2] 双剣士 — Dualwielder, only in the sword sense.

[3] I recently found a good reference to the described eyes, like, long-slit, droopy, cat-like etc.

[4] Onee-sama! Tvtropes is a godsend

[5] Kotori-tan refers to herself in the third person~

[6] 古代語解読・序 — Kodaigo Kaidoku: Jo— Ancient Language Deciphering: basic ie. babelfish

簡易錬成陣 — Kani Renseijin — Simple Remodelling ie. magical ‘crafting’

神聖言語「拒絶の言葉」— Shinsei Gengo “Kyozetsu no Kotoba”— Sacred Tongue: “Word of Rejection” ie. fus ro dah

魔力解析 — Maryoku Kaiseki — Mana Analysis… better explanations right after.

[7] An education image(possibly NSFW)

[8] (This is a joke note) If we consider the listing of colors being not randomized, but in the order that the girls appear in, Sakura should be Pink, Asuna → Black, and Minami → light blue. With Kotori obviously being White, we got the official colors of these girls’ pantsu. Yes, this is important. According to this, pantsu can tell a lot about a girl. Well, not irl, but in these trope-ridden web novels, its bound to say at least 50% of their personalities. Furthermore, the fact that only these girls (no Class Rep/Ryouko) appeared at this juncture is, I believe, a literary karma, plot armor type of thing. As for who’s plot armor it’s supposed to be, of course it’s Ryouichi’s. You know, Yuuto (Hero’s) best friend who kicks ass with him. It’s been established that he’s being shipped with Ryouko, so Yuuto cannot have ecchi moments with her. This is because it would turn into a form of NTR. Now, we know how adamant the author is about heroines and NTR, so I’m expecting no such development in the future. And, maybe I’m going off in a tangent here, but this also establishes what sort of girls are accepted in a “Hero’s” harem. With top-tier looks, it’s not big enough to have their characters overlap, they even got different ways of calling him. You’ve got Sakura the incest-bait (that this one guy in the comments keep complaining about) who’s all about that Nii-san, it’s got a level of closeness appropriate for a highschooler sister who’s not afraid to be close to her brother. Minami, the genki girl, and Kotori, the token loli, who go with the normal Souma-kun, they’re not as close, but still top-tier beauties who, dare I say, belong to his harem. Finally, there’s Asuna, the cool one, who makes do with just Souma, no honorific = +closeness, no first name = -closeness, but that’s just because she’s the cool one; calling him Yuuto would be too affectionate for her personality. Now, we all know Sakura’s the winner. Since Yuuto always seems to give her special attention. Even when refering to people in his mind, he designates Sakura separately, like his very own Best Girl. Her pantsu are also pink, so of course she wins. As for black, err Asuna, she’s the dark horse, the closest rival for Sakura, and also has the trait of fiancee and matching activity(kendo). Hiroki being killed off gives the perfect excuse to add her into the harem without hero having guilty feelings. Additionally, Her bold behaviour makes her a fan favorite and she’d be, in another story, the best girl the audiance majority loves. Natsukawa, miss blue ranger, has no chance. She’s the equivalent of the green haired girl who never wins. Her and white, Kotori, just make up the numbers, cause harems are never just 2. Kotori is here for the loli-service… and the oppai-service. Of course, we’ve got Reina, the other loli, who’s allegedly also in the harem with the foreighner-service. But she hasn’t appeared much yet, so I shan’t say anymore. As a final aside, Ryouko who says Yuuto-kun only shows that she’s a close female friend, but someone who musn’t be touched… at least if Ryouichi doesn’t end up dying.