A Princess Carrying a Princess is Perfectly Reasonable, Right?

Come to think of it, the rules stated that one must receive chocolate from the opposite sex, but they never said it couldn't be from a rival.

U Amakusa gave chocolate to Sakayanagi, handing her a 1-0 victory.

One could say this was a victory U Amakusa served up on a silver platter.

One could also say that U Amakusa never intended to win from the very beginning.

"You certainly know how to please a girl."

U Amakusa kneeling on one knee was likely just to make it easier for her to see him clearly.

After all, due to the height difference, Sakayanagi couldn't be bothered to look up at U Amakusa while speaking.

I have to admit, Sakayanagi was in an excellent mood right now.

It was clear that U Amakusa had intended to join the Sakayanagi faction all along, and this gesture was meant to curry favor with her.

However, the fact that U Amakusa had no intention of competing from the start left her somewhat displeased.

"So your target included me as well. I never would have guessed; you've got quite the nerve."

Ambiguous ties with Kamuro, rumors of a girlfriend in the library, and now he's setting his sights on her?

Yet Sakayanagi wasn't angry; U Amakusa had indirectly proven that her charm was indeed that potent.

After all, I am adorable!

"This isn't a matter of nerve. It is my honor to serve Her Highness."

"Hmph, eating from the bowl while eyeing the pot, and now looking at what's outside the table as well. Don't think I'm as easily fooled as they are."

U Amakusa slowly moved the hand holding the white rose closer to Sakayanagi, offering no denial.

"But Her Highness wouldn't look twice at a commoner like me, would she? People naturally yearn for beauty. That is enough for now; let us start with me becoming Her Highness's attendant."

U Amakusa tilted the white rose toward Sakayanagi so she could clearly see the cookie chocolate on it, ripe for the taking.

"Is that acceptable?"

Seeing U Amakusa lower his posture, Sakayanagi felt a sense of delight, and the last shred of her displeasure vanished into thin air.

Sakayanagi chuckled softly: "Heh, a lecherous pervert who actually knows his place. Interesting. I accept. This is your true challenge, isn't it?"

With that, Sakayanagi took the cookie chocolate from the white rose.

Then, right in front of U Amakusa, she unwrapped it and placed the cookie chocolate into her mouth.

She then licked her lips.

"The taste isn't bad."

"That is truly my honor."

U Amakusa kept a close watch on Sakayanagi's expression; he knew the progress bar for conquering Sakayanagi was still a long way off.

The road ahead is long and arduous.

"Then, as my attendant, I now order you not to slack off, be lazy, or eat during class."

"..."

"As one of my people, you don't have to be a model student, but you certainly cannot act like a hoodlum or a troublemaker in class."

"..."

"Do you understand? Break your bad habits. And another thing, you must answer when I speak to you."

"I understand, Your Highness."

Isn't this going to cost me half my life? Classes are so boring.

Sigh... (눈_눈)

Sakayanagi nodded slightly in satisfaction. "As long as you understand. I will arrange a task for you in a while, but for now, your task is what I just mentioned."

"Yes..."

╯▂╰

A miserable U Amakusa felt he had to do something, or he felt his thoughts would remain stifled.

"Then that will be all. You may withdraw."

Having finished the greeting, Sakayanagi issued the order to withdraw.

Sakayanagi didn't take the matter of accepting U Amakusa too seriously; after all, those who followed her were a dime a dozen.

Sakayanagi's true goal was Kamuro.

Her frail body required a close confidante, and U Amakusa was incapable of fulfilling that role.

One could even say that discovering Kamuro's actions and the appearance of U Amakusa were entirely unexpected bonuses.

That confidante had to be female!

Next, Sakayanagi would find Kamuro and use the evidence of her theft to coerce and entice her.

She would make Kamuro her subordinate.

As for what U Amakusa said, Sakayanagi did not believe a single word of it.

If nothing went wrong, Kamuro was completely oblivious to the situation.

If that were truly the case, it would mean U Amakusa was indirectly helping Kamuro as well.

So, what was U Amakusa's goal? It went without saying.

Kamuro had been threatened by U Amakusa with evidence to do some rather unspeakable things.

Of course, it probably hadn't reached that point yet, but it was getting close.

However, this was Kamuro's own doing.

When the time came, Sakayanagi intended to symbolically punish U Amakusa, provided that Kamuro became her subordinate and filed a complaint.

Advanced Nurturing, a school completely out of sync with ordinary institutions, yet its dismissal time was exactly the same.

After dealing with the Kamuro matter, it was time to rendezvous with Majima.

It was currently mealtime.

U Amakusa took out his phone, tapped away for a few seconds, then put it away and looked at Sakayanagi.

Without further hesitation, he made a snap decision, stepped forward to snatch the cane from the little girl before him, and scooped her up into his arms.

She was softer than he imagined, lighter than he expected, and his mind felt clear.

U Amakusa looked at the utterly shocked Sakayanagi in his arms with a straight face and said, "As your attendant, I feel it is necessary for me to escort Her Highness the Princess to dine."

Sakayanagi, who prided herself on her exceptional observational skills, was left completely bewildered by U Amakusa's zero-frame initiation.

Sakayanagi quickly steadied her shocked expression and forced a smile.

No matter the circumstances, she would not lose her elegance.

"This is called insubordination, do you understand? Attendant?"

Put me down immediately if you understand!

"No, this is called close-quarters protection."

U Amakusa continued righteously:

"It is only logical for Her Highness the Princess to be carried in a princess carry."

Sakayanagi: ...

Sakayanagi: I've never seen anyone so shameless.

U Amakusa: You're seeing it today.

"I am ordering you now: put me down!"

By the end of the sentence, Sakayanagi was gritting her teeth; even she was starting to lose her composure.

This lecher!

U Amakusa put on a pained expression.

"Very well."

As soon as the words left his lips, U Amakusa abruptly lowered his arms holding Sakayanagi.

The sensation of a rapid drop made Sakayanagi's eyes widen, and she instinctively grabbed onto the "object" beside her.

This falling sensation was unpleasant.

Sakayanagi now had one hand resting on U Amakusa's shoulder and the other pressed against his chest.

Realizing what had just happened, the forced smile on Sakayanagi's face visibly vanished, and her cheeks flushed a faint red.

Sakayanagi was furious at this moment, yet her hand pressed down on U Amakusa's chest with an involuntary force.

The pressure was so slight that U Amakusa didn't even notice it.

Ever since she first met U Amakusa, everything had been spiraling in directions she never anticipated.

It was the first time she had been held in the arms of a member of the opposite sex; before she could even process the feeling, anger had already taken over.

He was solid, and his warmth was irritatingly intense.

"I'll give you three seconds to put me down."

"I refuse."

Sakayanagi: ☄ฺ(◣д◢)☄

Sakayanagi: I'll kill you!!!

Of course, Sakayanagi was only thinking this; if she actually tried to do it, given her strength, it would just turn into an act of coquetry.

The kind where she would beat on his chest with her little fists.

"Amakusa-kun, sexual harassment carries a five-year prison sentence, you know."

Do you think I'm one of those little girls? I have plenty of str... well, I don't have the strength right now.

But I have plenty of methods.

U Amakusa said with a half-smile, "Minor harassment only carries a penalty of 5 to 15 days. If I could catch a glimpse of Her Highness the Princess's beauty, it wouldn't be a loss."

"There is a saying: to die under the peony flower, one remains a romantic ghost even in death."