Kiyohiko: You'll Suffer in My Dream

Dreams were a wonderful thing, especially when you had an imagination as rich as Kiyohiko's.

In his dream, the world had turned upside down.

This was no Butterfly Mansion reeking of disinfectant, but a magnificent palace gleaming with gold. Kiyohiko sat on the throne with one leg crossed over the other, a giant pointer in his hand.

And Shinobu Kocho, who always hid a dagger behind her smile and gave off the air of a "pickled cabbage vat," was kneeling before him, holding a cup of tea with a strange purple vapor rising from it.

"Um... Lord Kiyohiko..."

Shinobu Kocho lowered her eyes, her voice soft and sweet, with none of her usual deviousness. "This Wisteria tea was specially prepared for you... No, wait, it's a punishment game I have to drink myself. Please forgive my rudeness yesterday~"

"Geh heh heh, begging for mercy already, Miss Shinobu Kocho?"

Kiyohiko let out a villainous cackle. He raised a finger and slowly brought it toward Shinobu's smooth forehead.

"For every time you flicked me yesterday, I'll pay you back twice over today! Present your forehead! I'm going to flick you into a unicorn!"

Shinobu Kocho trembled and squeezed her eyes shut. "Boo hoo hoo, please be gentle..."

He drew back his finger, took aim, and fired-

Just as his fingertip was about to touch that fair skin and complete this epic act of revenge.

"Wake! Up!!!"

A roar worthy of a sonic weapon shattered the magnificent palace in an instant.

Shinobu Kocho's face broke apart like glass, and the throne collapsed.

"Waaah! Enemy attack!"

Kiyohiko sprang out of bed like a cat with its fur standing on end, even performing a less-than-perfect Thomas flare in midair before crashing into the wall with a bang.

"Ow, ow, ow..."

Clutching the back of his head, he opened his eyes with a grimace.

There was no palace, and no Shinobu Kocho begging for mercy.

There was only a dimly lit hospital room and a girl with twin tails standing in the doorway, hands on her hips and eyes blazing.

The girl wore the nursing uniform unique to the Butterfly Mansion. Her twin tails bounced with her movements, and impatience was written all over her face: "I'm busy," "don't mess with me," and "get moving."

"Are you a pig?! The sun's already shining on your butt and you're still asleep!"

The girl showed no fear whatsoever that he was a demon. Instead, his refusal to get out of bed made her even angrier. She held a tray bearing a bowl of liquid that gave off a bloody, sweet smell.

"Lady Shinobu is already waiting for you at the training ground! If you're late, you won't be the only one who suffers. I'll get lectured too!"

Rubbing his eyes, Kiyohiko stared in bewilderment at the girl, who seemed to have swallowed a barrel of explosives.

"Wait... who are you?"

He yawned, still not fully recovered from his wonderful dream, his voice full of regret. "My 'revenge on Shinobu' plan was just getting to the good part... Couldn't you have waited two more minutes before yelling? You could've at least let me flick her once."

"Huh? What nonsense are you talking about? Are you still half asleep?"

The girl frowned, strode over to the bed, and set the tray down hard on the bedside table with a sharp clatter.

"I'm Aoi Kanzaki! I'm in charge of the Butterfly Mansion's daily management and patient care! Starting today, I'll be supervising your daily routine!"

Aoi Kanzaki pointed at the bowl of bright red liquid.

"This is the 'special nutritious breakfast' Lady Shinobu specifically ordered prepared for you-fresh deer blood, with... some kind of herbs added. I don't know what, but she said they're good for you. Hurry up and drink it, then come with me to the dojo!"

Kiyohiko leaned over and sniffed it.

Besides the smell of blood, there was indeed a faint herbal scent, and thankfully, there was no stench of Wisteria.

"Aoi Kanzaki... Sunflower Seed?"

[Target detected: Aoi Kanzaki. Current Bond Value: -10]

If Kiyohiko had seen this system notification before, he would surely have jumped up and complained again. But he was used to it now. He would have found it strange if someone he had just met occasionally showed up with a positive Bond Value.

Aoi Kanzaki... I knew there was a girl named Aoi at the Butterfly Mansion. It's been so long since I watched the anime that I almost forgot.

Kiyohiko picked up the bowl and gulped it down, grumbling indistinctly as he drank. "Sunflower Seed, is your voice possessed by a megaphone spirit? That yell just now probably woke up the demons on the next mountain."

"Sh-shut up! Just drink!"

Aoi Kanzaki's face turned slightly red, but she immediately put on a stern expression again. "And don't call me Sunflower Seed! I have a name!"

Watching the short girl, who was so easily riled up, Kiyohiko licked the blood from the corner of his mouth. His mood improved a little.

It was a shame his wonderful dream had been interrupted, but the people at the Butterfly Mansion... or rather, the girls here, all seemed quite lively. Raising their Bond Values probably wouldn't be too difficult.

"All right, all right, Instructor Aoi."

Kiyohiko jumped out of bed and stretched, his joints cracking and popping all over.

In the hallway, Kiyohiko edged carefully along the base of the wall like a gecko.

"Hey, hey, hey, Miss Sunflower Seed, aren't you walking a little too fast? Are you trying to murder me?"

Outside, the sun was shining, birds were singing, and flowers were blooming. But to him, that golden sunlight was like lava pouring down from the sky. Although the eaves shaded the outer side of the hallway, the occasional patches of light that slipped through still made his skin prickle with pain.

"Shut up! Who are you calling Sunflower Seed?!"

Aoi Kanzaki walked ahead of him. Though her words were fierce, her pace had noticeably slowed, and she stayed on the outside, using her petite body to block any light that might reflect in.

"And don't walk against the wall! It was just wiped down. Your clothes will get it dirty!"

"So what if it gets dirty? These hospital clothes aren't my style anyway."

Kiyohiko curled his lip and pointed at the heavy wooden door shut tight at the end of the hallway. "By the way, where are we going? Hell? I smell... a plot."

"It's the dojo!"

Aoi stopped in front of the door and took a deep breath, as if gathering her courage, then turned to stare at Kiyohiko solemnly.

"Listen carefully. Lady Shinobu specifically had all the rain shutters in the dojo closed for you. Not a bit of light can get inside. You'd better go in and accept your special training with gratitude!"

"Special training? Looks more like an execution to me."

Kiyohiko muttered as he walked over at a snail's pace, putting some distance between himself and Aoi Kanzaki.

Aoi ignored his complaints and reached out to pull open the heavy wooden door ahead of him.

"Creak-"

The sound of the hinges turning was especially grating in the quiet hallway.

A chill swept over him.

Only after Aoi Kanzaki had been inside for quite a while did Kiyohiko finally shuffle in.

The dojo was indeed pitch-black, with only a few dim yellow oil lamps flickering in the corners, casting a long shadow from the petite figure in the middle.

Shinobu Kocho stood in the center of the dojo.

She had changed out of her usual signature butterfly haori into dark kendo clothes that allowed her to move freely, giving her a sharp, capable appearance. But what sent a chill down Kiyohiko's spine most was the flawless, signature smile on her face.

And the wooden sword she was lightly tapping against her palm.

"Ara~ Good morning, Kiyohiko."

Shinobu Kocho's voice was as cheerful as if she were greeting an acquaintance she hadn't seen in a long time, if one ignored the atmosphere that put him on pins and needles.

"Did you sleep well last night? I heard you were calling my name in your sleep, and even wanted to flick my forehead? I'm truly... flattered."