I'll Spare Your Life

Kamuro Masumi froze, then widened her eyes, looking at him with a mixture of irritation and amusement. "How underhanded. This is the first time I've met someone who threatens people with that kind of attitude."

After a few seconds of silence, seeing that Kazami was still looking at her expectantly, Kamuro finally gave in helplessly. "Fine, fine, I'll agree." It wasn't that I was too softhearted. This guy threatened me into it.

Kazami silently scored the girl in his head: tsundere rating, 99.

Noticing him staring at her with a very strange look in his eyes, Kamuro couldn't help frowning. "What's with that look?"

"I'm happy! Thank you, Lady Kamuro!"

He couldn't exactly say what he was really thinking, or everything he'd just accomplished would go down the drain.

Suddenly being thanked made Kamuro a little shy, but she still kept up her front.

"I only agreed to teach you to draw. Don't expect me to patiently guide you through everything step by step. If your drawings are ugly, I won't spare your feelings. I'll tear into them."

"No problem, no problem!" Kazami readily agreed. "As long as I can learn to draw from Lady Kamuro, I can take even the harshest criticism."

With his plan a success, Kazami felt very pleased with himself. He'd done a good deed. And it seemed he possessed the astounding wisdom of a strategist, too.

Looking at his scheming expression, Kamuro couldn't shake the feeling that she'd been too hasty. She shouldn't have agreed.

Time flew when people were focused on something. A week had passed since Kazami had last asked Kamuro to teach him to draw.

On Sunday afternoon, Kazami Saku packed up his art supplies, picked up a large bag filled with sketching paper and pencils, and arrived at Kamuro Masumi's apartment door at precisely the agreed time.

He raised his hand and pressed the doorbell, and a ding-dong rang out inside. After a short wait, the door opened, but he wasn't given any time to react.

Before he could open his mouth to greet her, a handful of fine white table salt flew straight at him. Salt scattered through the air, coating Kazami Saku's face and body.

What kind of new welcome ceremony is this? Throwing salt at people? What an enthusiastic reception.

Kamuro Masumi stood in the doorway, holding a large bag of salt in one hand while continuing to throw salt at Kazami with the other.

Kazami raised a hand and wiped the salt off his face. "You're going way too far! Who opens the door and throws salt in someone's face? I'm a proper guest who came specifically to see you today, not some demon you need to exorcise."

And she even went out of her way to buy an extra-large bag of salt. Do points grow on trees?

The welcome ceremony was certainly unique, but Kazami was still invited inside.

Kazami looked around the room. Well, all he could say was that it was a very girly room, with a faint fragrance, too.

The only disappointment was that there weren't any clothes hanging out to dry on the balcony. Light novels really were full of lies. Since she knew in advance he was coming, of course she'd tidy everything up.

Noticing Kazami's eyes roaming around, Kamuro clenched her fist at him. "Hey, do you really think it's okay to look all around my room?"

Kazami waved a hand in explanation. "Don't get the wrong idea. I was just admiring how tidy it is."

Kamuro clicked her tongue. "Isn't that normal? It's not like it'd be as messy as you boys' rooms. All right, let me see the homework I gave you."

We're checking homework already? Shouldn't we make a little small talk first? Kazami clutched his chest. "Kamuro, you have no idea how many tears I've shed, tossing and turning every night without you! The moment I heard news of you, I couldn't sleep all night. Look, even my skin's gotten worse. I've aged like an old granny!"

Kamuro Masumi stared expressionlessly at his exaggerated performance, her gaze completely unmoved. "You really do love joking around."

Lately, apart from when that little devil Sakayanagi handed out assignments, they basically saw each other every day. They'd even met that morning. It hadn't been more than four hours since they'd last seen each other.

Such a dismissive, cold assessment. Miss Kamuro really is heartless.

Kazami Saku could only take out his finished artwork and proudly present it to Kamuro, his face full of expectation for praise. "Take a look! I've been studying and practicing hard these past few days, staying up late specifically to finish the homework you assigned me. Go on, appreciate the fruits of my labor!"

He was brimming with confidence. After all, he had Drawing Lv. 3, bolstered by an experience bar that was more than halfway full. His drawing skills definitely qualified as impressive. Surely that would earn him at least one compliment.

Kamuro Masumi leaned forward, her gaze landing on the paper. Then her pupils contracted slightly, and for the first time, a distinctly stunned expression appeared on her face.

"I... this is the first time you've shocked me on so many levels." Kamuro's tone was complicated, full of speechlessness. "An ordinary person really couldn't produce a drawing like this."

Hearing that, Kazami Saku was delighted and proudly raised his chin. "You really know your stuff. Color combinations have always been the most important thing in painting. My colors are bold and striking. They'll definitely catch a passerby's eye in an instant. The artistry is off the charts!"

The boy was still basking in self-admiration when, before he could enjoy the praise, the scene before him abruptly changed.

Riiip-

The crisp sound of tearing paper suddenly rang out.

Expressionless, Kamuro Masumi reached out, grabbed the corner of the paper, and swiftly tore the entire drawing to shreds. Snow-white scraps fluttered down onto the table, instantly becoming a pile of waste.

Kazami Saku stared at the scene before him with wide, disbelieving eyes. "Wait, Kamuro, what are you suddenly doing?!"

"How could you show something like this to anyone?" Kamuro was utterly speechless. Who on earth gave you that confidence? It was indeed bold, as Kazami had said, but bold was all it was.

Kazami protested, "Why couldn't I?"

Seeing that Kazami actually dared to question her, Kamuro pointed at the scraps scattered across the floor. "Good thing trash like this can still be burned. Why are all your drawings so...?"

Uh...

That really was a problem. After a long silence, Kazami finally muttered a quiet defense. "Well... I think it's talent. An inborn artistic instinct."

It's all Ike's H Book Appreciation's fault. It even leveled up recently, so without realizing it, I just... ahem.

"The style might be a little outrageous, but I really did take my homework seriously!" Kazami Saku sought praise from Kamuro. "I finished my tutoring homework on time. Shouldn't my teacher give me a little reward?"

Kamuro Masumi took a deep breath, suppressing her speechlessness. "As for a reward, I'll spare your life."

Kazami Saku: "..."

I'd rather not have that reward! What kind of reward is based on sacrificing me in the first place? I've suddenly realized Miss Kamuro is pretty vicious, too. Advanced Nurturing really did recruit all the bad-tempered girls.

But Kushida, and Class B's Ichinose, from what my classmates say, are both very gentle, kind people. Could they be bad-tempered, too? I can't tell at all. Are they hiding it too well?