NOVEL NEXT I have no thoughts. Because I really don’t have any thoughts. To be more precise, I’m consciously trying to clear my mind of any thoughts.
Sharing a bed with a woman who can be confidently declared superior in looks compared to any celebrity I’ve ever seen in my life. The only way someone could take this lightly is if they’re either gay or part of the top 0.01% of alpha males.
But I’m neither! I’m seriously freaking out!
Honestly, it’s incredibly uncomfortable for me, who usually sleeps straight, to lie on my side because of my wings. And if I end up face-to-face with Nagisa, there’s no way I’m getting any sleep. I might even get caught secretly staring at her face and cause some major misunderstandings.
Ah, but that doesn’t mean I see Nagisa as an object of desire. With the thing below gone, I feel a little liberated from sexual urges. I guess it feels more like I’m appreciating a work of art purely from an aesthetic standpoint.
Well, since Nagisa is so pretty, it’s only natural that my heart flutters when I look at her, right? I just hastily try to justify it.
Anyway, since I don’t understand women’s psychology, I’m not really sure how a same-sex person would react if they were wide awake staring at their own face. From the perspective of a normal heterosexual male, it’s a situation too creepy to even imagine.
Moreover, seeing that most students in the Blue Archive universe are in ‘teacher-loves-me’ mode, it’s safe to assume they all have heterosexual defaults. So, doesn’t that mean Nagisa probably feels similarly? I cautiously predict.
Of course, it goes without saying that I need to avoid situations like discovering my childhood friend of ten years is actually gay and then cutting ties. If my relationship with Nagisa goes awry, I can only imagine how twisted the main story will become because of me. I have zero interest in deviating from the main plot, and any variables that arise would be a nightmare to deal with.
Eventually, unable to bear this pressure anymore, I turned onto my back, but as I did, I realized it was the same for Nagisa. Every time I fidgeted because of my position, our wings brushed against each other. I’d never had this kind of sensation before, and it still tickles a bit, making it feel genuinely strange.
…Hah, by now Nagisa must be peacefully sleeping, right? It’s not like this is her first time sharing a bed with Mika, and she probably doesn’t realize it’s someone different.
Damn it, at this rate, I’ll really be unable to sleep tonight. Please, calm down, heart. After somehow managing to calm my mind, I shut my eyes and started counting the number of roll cakes flying in the sky.
Roll cake one… roll cake two…
Wait, what the heck?! Am I seriously losing it? I don’t know what’s gotten into my head. If Mika saw someone counting roll cakes instead of sheep, she’d probably think, ‘Oh, that’s a bit…’ and run away.
In the end, I gave up on sleep altogether and started pondering my role in the main story.
Without a doubt, one of the most significant characters in the Eden Treaty arc is Mika. It’s basically Mika’s antics that drive most of the events in that arc.
Mika ultimately walked down the path of destruction, but I have no intention of doing the same. Since I’ve been possessed by the princess, I have to aim for a happy ending. That way, even if I have to return to my original world, the princess can be happy. If I can’t go back, then it has to be a happy ending for my sake too.
For now, I’ve identified three major elements that are crucial at this point.
First, the case of Yurizono Seiya’s disappearance.
Second, Mika’s abhorrence of Gehenna.
Third, being the host of T-party, which is a position I never expected.
First off, the matter of Seiya is entirely up to me to figure out. If I simply assume nothing has happened to Seiya and everything can go smoothly because of that, then there’s no reason not to pick that option. However, the year-long disappearance of Seiya and the fact that Nagisa assumes the host position during this time raises concerns.
What if a huge turning point arises due to changes stemming from this, causing unexpected complications in the story?
Knowing the general direction in which the story flows up to a point is my greatest weapon. While Mika’s body is a powerful weapon due to its high fighting capability, that’s only after I’ve fully adapted to it.
The closer the story aligns with the original, the more I can guide it toward the ending I desire. However, the closer it gets to the original, the more unsatisfactory the ending will be for me.
To be frank, it’s absolutely insane to simply ask Arius to deal with Seiya for my own comfort. Just because Seiya survived in the original doesn’t guarantee she will this time too. If something happens to Seiya, that burden will entirely fall on me. I have no confidence in being able to bear such guilt and live with it.
I desperately want to ensure that… no matter what happens, Seiya remains unharmed. But I don’t have much time. It seems the moment when the student council president pursues the Eden Treaty isn’t too far off.
In any case, I need to keep mulling over this issue. If I don’t think it through, I could end up making an extreme choice that leads to irrevocable consequences.
Next up is Mika’s abhorrence of Gehenna. This is truly the root of all evil. Simply establishing friendly ties with Gehenna could lead to a much brighter future.
However, I also worry that meeting Gehenna students might cause Mika to go berserk. I’m not sure how much Mika’s aura affects me, but if the hatred for demons originating from the archangel Mikael also seeps into me, then there’s no solving that issue at all.
So please, just let that not happen. If I end up encountering Hina and suddenly lose control, it could worsen the situation significantly. It’s hard to say who would win or lose based solely on the setting, but since I’m the one controlling Mika’s body, Hina might have a higher chance of winning.
On top of that, the friendly relationship with Arius Squad? I don’t know if that’s possible, and honestly, I don’t have much confidence in that either. But if I succeed, the returns could be pretty significant.
Finally, there’s the fact that I’m currently the host of T-party. This is a huge variable and also quite a tricky position to handle.
If I officially start discussing improving relations with Gehenna, it wouldn’t be surprising for the hardliners from the Pater Faction to move to impeach me. Supporting Nagisa, who will eventually take power, could be seen as political suicide.
But if I don’t support Nagisa, how would I deal with her trust issues later? Having experienced it for myself, it seems she truly has a kind heart, and frankly, I don’t want to see Nagisa suffer.
I’m also already getting a headache thinking about having to bear the political machinations of Trinity’s higher-ups. An average guy in his twenties doesn’t know a thing about politics! Why does this bizarre world where highschool girls tear each other apart politically even exist…?
Still, there are surely many things I can do by taking advantage of my status as the host of T-party. Figuring out which actions would yield the greatest benefits and which actions to reject to prevent future harm is the first hurdle to tackle.
Honestly, if what I mindlessly did comes back to bite me like a boomerang, turning Blue Archive’s ‘bright and wholesome’ into ‘dark and unhealthy,’ the one who’d have to clean that mess up would be the teacher. But if the original Mika could manage the mess she created, then surely the teacher would deal with it somehow, right?
Or at least, that’s what I thought. But that seems a bit too devoid of conscience. Although, considering the students who cling to that guy, maybe a little suffering isn’t too bad.
While I was wrapped up in all this endless thinking…
“Mika…?”
“Eek?!”
“Oh, I’m sorry to startle you. I couldn’t sleep, and I noticed you were awake, so…”
I genuinely thought I might be dying from shock. Seriously, I hadn’t been moving at all; how did she notice I was awake…
Damn, I completely forgot that students have that sixth sense. Ah, Halo…!!
“Uh, no. I was just a little surprised, and I couldn’t sleep either. Um, do you think it’s because I kept tossing and turning…?”
“It’s not that. I just feel a bit unsettled… Looks like I’ve already slept too much today. I thought I’d quietly read to not disturb you, Mika.”
“Eh? What’s that? If Nagisa doesn’t plan on sleeping, then I won’t either.”
Before I knew it, Nagisa and I had turned to face each other in bed. I felt like I would die from the pressure, but Nagisa probably felt nothing of the sort? So envious.
And to be honest, if Nagisa just moved out of the bed, I’d probably fall asleep right away. The truth is that she’s a huge reason I’m not able to sleep.
But if that really happens, it would mean I’d be kicking her out of the bed. If I’m going to do that, it’s just more comforting to stay awake together. Tomorrow… I guess I can survive on energy drink power?
“…You’ll be tired at the academy tomorrow, won’t you?”
“It’s more like, what about you, Nagisa?”
“Right, I guess that’s true…”
Nagisa chuckles softly, covering her mouth with her hand. Seeing her like this really fits the classic lady character trope.
“Hey, Mika. Can I tell you an old story?”
“Eh? An old story…?”
“I thought hearing about past events might help jog your memory a bit.”
“Ah…”
What should I do? To be honest, I feel so guilty. Just because she tells a story doesn’t mean the Mika she knows is coming back right away.
I can’t tell Nagisa the truth, and it feels weird to refuse her suggestion. Would it be best just to listen to her story attentively?
“Sure, go ahead. Actually! I really want you to tell it.”
What can I say? I didn’t want this, but it’s now a burden I must carry. I just hope this gentle-hearted girl doesn’t get hurt.
“Actually, this might not be a particularly interesting story. I’m not great at storytelling… But this is a story from when we were in kindergarten.”
While she claims her storytelling isn’t that great, I never felt bored while listening. Just seeing the smile on Nagisa’s face as she reminisced about the past made me feel her story was worth listening to.
The next day, on the commute to school, Trinity students caught sight of Nagisa and me leaning on each other, dozing off, and rumors started swirling that we were dating. However, I personally stepped in to firmly deny it. For whatever reason, it seemed Nagisa was also acting passively, but I guess she felt I was taking care of things?