Miss Heir wasn't very kind to me.

Chapter 208, Section 10: "Is it wrong to add battle scenes to slice-of-life works?"

A week has passed since then.

A cool autumn day with clear skies.

Masumi felt a little chilly while wearing his workout clothes. After his morning run, he walked into a convenience store on his way back, moving his slightly sweaty body as he did so.

It's the store that will win the grand prize of rice in the future.

Because she was a frequent customer, Masumi had become quite familiar with the foreign shop assistant and learned that he was a trainee from the Philippines.

However, the two maintained a nodding and smiling relationship, neither intimate nor cold.

Well, this must be what they mean by "a gentleman's friendship is as light as water," Masumi thought to herself.

But when I casually mentioned this to Mami last time, this guy teased me, saying:
"Huh? If the shop assistant were a young and pretty high school girl, Masumi-kun's attitude would definitely be different."

Then, mimicking Masumi's tone, he said, "Miss, is there anything I can help you with?"

"Don't make me sound like a lustful monster." Masumi was speechless.

"Besides, I wouldn't stoop to hitting a high school girl, would I?"

"Eh—" Mami sighed meaningfully.

That concludes the background information; I don't want to recall what happened next.

By the way, the clerk on duty at the convenience store today was a young woman.

Early in the morning, the store was empty, except for the young female cashier at the cashier, Masumi, and another slender short-haired girl.

Masumi grabbed a shopping basket, took some wild vegetables, pineapple juice, and Meiji milk from the beverage cabinet, and bought a copy of Weekly Shonen Jump while passing the bookshelf that sells magazines and comics. Then she picked out snacks from the rows of shelves.

Perhaps because winter was approaching, he bought a whole bunch of odds and ends, much like a squirrel stocking up for the winter.

The short-haired girl was also carrying a shopping basket that was clearly quite heavy when she went to pay at the checkout counter.

Masumi walked towards the queuing area, and just then—

A man suddenly darted out from the adjacent shelf area and cut in line.

That's so rude!

Masumi frowned slightly, and was about to speak up when she saw the man take something out of his bag.

That sharp tool, gleaming in the morning light... was a utility knife!

The blade reflected a chilling glint.

"Hey! Hand over all the money!"

He shouted in a slightly trembling voice, his Japanese accent clearly not that of a local.

robbery? !
The short-haired girl turned around in surprise, then took a small step back, looking bewildered.

As for the young female clerk, she was so frightened that she was completely disoriented, sobbing and operating the cash register with trembling hands.

However, the robbers became even angrier when they saw the money she took out.

"What are you holding?! It's all coins! And even some Korean won?! You've been so slow, and this is all you've managed to produce!"

"I want 10,000 yen! Give me 10,000 yen!"

"Waaah, I'm so sorry! I, I... Waaah..."

The girl was so scared and sobbing that her makeup was ruined, making her look quite disheveled.

The short-haired girl next to her didn't dare to make any rash moves either, clenching her fists tightly at her sides.

The robber, of course, didn't ignore her. Holding a utility knife, he staggered closer like a zombie.

"Hey! You woman! You have money on you too, right? Hand it all over."

"Well……"

The short-haired girl picked up her tote bag and used it as a shield, slowly backing away to keep her distance from the robber.

"Didn't you hear me?!" the robber shouted impatiently, "I want you to take all the money you have on you!"

"Okay, I know."

The short-haired girl pursed her lips and began to do as the robber instructed, opening the tote bag.

"You're so slow! Don't try anything funny!"

The robber gave a warning, then turned his attention back to the young female shop assistant.

"And you! Where's the money I asked for?"

"I'm so sorry! I... I took it... Waaah..."

The three people present seemed to completely ignore Masumi's presence.

In this situation, it was impossible to ignore, so Masumi quietly put down her shopping basket and approached as silently as possible.

With everyone's nerves on edge, no one noticed Masumi, who was stealthily approaching the robbers from behind like an assassin or ninja.

"How come there's only this much! Where's the machine over there!" The robber was still dissatisfied when he saw the banknotes on the counter.

"And you, why is there only this much money in your bag! Did you take it all out?!"

The short-haired girl tried to remain calm and said, "This is all the money I have on me, and I've already taken it all out."

"Tsk." The robber squinted at her for a moment, then suddenly said, "Give me your phone! It's the latest iPhone, isn't it?"

“The phone has a GPS tracker. If you steal it, your location will be exposed, and the police will be able to find you immediately,” the short-haired girl tried to convince him.

"I don't care about that kind of thing, give me the phone!"

"No, I can't give you the phone."

The short-haired girl seemed determined, clutching her phone tightly.

"What are you being so arrogant about! You bitch, are you looking down on me?!"

The robber roared angrily, raising the utility knife he was holding high. Perhaps it was just to intimidate, or perhaps he really intended to teach her a lesson.

Suddenly, a hand reached out from the side and grabbed his wrist.

"Ok?"

The robber was taken aback when a tall figure blocked out the light, appearing as if it had emerged from the shadows and stood behind him without him noticing.

In the eyes of the young female shop assistant, it looked like a righteous hero had appeared.

Masumi suddenly grabbed the robber's wrist, her calm gaze meeting the robber's astonished eyes.

This was a man wearing a mask, who looked to be around thirty or forty years old. His features had a distinctly South Asian appearance, and he was more than a head shorter than Masumi.

Taking advantage of the man's momentary daze, the robber exerted force with his arm—spinning in the air like a propeller before crashing heavily to the ground.

"Ugh."

The moment the utility knife fell from her hand, Masumi immediately kicked it far away.

"Damn it, where did this brat suddenly appear from..."

The robber knelt on the ground, supporting his waist with one hand, glaring fiercely in this direction, and said through gritted teeth.

He then muttered to himself in his native language, which none of the three people present could understand, before suddenly standing up.

The female clerk behind the cashier trembled slightly, like a frightened bird.

"..."

Without saying a word, the man glanced at the three of them resentfully, then ran out of the convenience store without looking back.

◇

After the robbers fled, the female shop assistant called the police after being reminded by Masumi and another short-haired girl.

While waiting for the police to arrive, Masumi sent messages to the girls at the coffee shop, but Kurokawa Mio and Rinne arrived even faster than the police.

"Masumi, how are you? Are you hurt?"

Upon entering the convenience store's break room, Kurokawa Mio eagerly grabbed Masumi's shoulders, carefully examining her exposed skin.

"I'm fine, Mio."

"Even if you look fine on the outside, you might have internal injuries. Go to the hospital for a full physical examination."

Kurokawa Mio still couldn't hide her worry.

"I'm really fine, the robber didn't touch me at all."

Masumi comforted the uneasy Mio over and over again.

When the police and the convenience store manager arrived, the female clerk was still shaken and spoke incoherently.

Masumi and the short-haired girl explained the incident to the police, and then the group reviewed the store's security footage together.

While Kurokawa Mio was filled with apprehension, her eyes shone like a sky full of stars: "As expected of Masumi, her movements are so cool."

But Rinne couldn't help but frown.

"It's far too dangerous."

"I'm sorry, I won't do anything that would worry you again," Masumi said sincerely.

Rinne corrected, "It's something that could put you in danger."

Masumi paused for a moment, then smiled and nodded: "Yes, I understand."

"Actually, I have reflected on my behavior just now and feel very regretful."

"What?" Kurokawa Mio asked.

Rinne: "Do you feel that your behavior just now was inappropriate?"

"Ah."

Masumi nodded, a complex emotion suddenly appearing on her face. "I shouldn't have just watched that robber get away."

The colors of emotion on his face peeled away layer by layer, like a mask.

"Eh?"

Mio and Rinne both tilted their heads slightly in confusion.

Masumi explained, "What if he's resentful and asks about the coffee shop to seek revenge on you when I'm not around?"

After calming down, he felt a deep sense of fear whenever he thought about it.

That was the fear of hurting someone important to you.

After hearing his words, both girls remained silent.

After a brief silence, Kurokawa Mio rose from the folding chair and gently put her arms around his shoulders.

"Mio?"

The soft, honey-gold hair that brushed against her cheek and the gentle touch on her head made Masumi's eyes widen, and her body tensed up as she was suddenly embraced.

“I’m so happy that Masumi is so worried about me.”

“...It’s us,” Rinne silently corrected.

"Don't worry, Masumi."

Kurokawa Mio hugged his shoulders tightly, patted his back gently as if comforting a child, and spoke to Masumi in a tender tone:
"If you care, then stay by my side forever."

"……Um."

I should remain vigilant until the robbers are caught.

"You two, that's enough." Rinne sighed coldly, looking troubled. "There are more than just the two of you here."

The young female shop assistant, the short-haired girl, and the two police officers all awkwardly looked away.

Kurokawa Mio rose with a gentle smile and nodded to the people in front of her:
"I'm sorry, Masumi and I are just too much of a couple."

Rinne hesitated, as if she wanted to say something but then stopped.

"Please, please don't mind it."

The young female shop assistant blushed and shook her head, then sincerely thanked Masumi:

"I am truly grateful for your help today, Mr. Miyazawa."

"fine."

For some reason, the short-haired girl kept glancing at Masumi's face with her eyes, seemingly without her noticing.

Only when Kurokawa Mio glanced at her warily did she look away, exhale softly, and say to Masumi:
"Thank you, Mr. Miyazawa."

"Ah."

After accepting the two girls' thanks, Masumi stood up and went to the two police officers.

“I live nearby. If you spot any signs of the robbers, please contact me anytime. I can assist in their capture.”

He spoke to the policeman in a serious manner.

"Oh, oh..."

"Then, I'll take my leave."

With a sense of unease, Masumi and the two girls returned to the coffee shop.

"Excuse me, what happened?"

Upon seeing the three return, Mirai cautiously asked, "Just now, Mio-nee and Rinne-nee both looked extremely shocked."

Masumi let out a soft "Huh?" and glanced discreetly at the heir: she suddenly wanted to see Rinne's expression at that moment.

"..."

Originally, Masumi wanted to give a casual answer to Mirai, but after thinking about it, she decided to tell Mirai everything that happened that morning and remind her to be careful on her way to school.

"Yes, thank you, Mr. Masumi. I will be careful."

Speaking of which, should I send Qian'ai a message to remind her? Her home is in a very safe area of ​​the Central District.

After a while, Haiyue and Mami also came downstairs to have breakfast.

Good morning, everyone!

Asami closed her eyes and yawned, her wavy black hair hanging down in a mess. With each step she took down a flight of stairs, she swallowed another yawn.

Snap, crackle, pop... These onomatopoeic words don't sound like footsteps going downstairs, do they?

I really hope she can dress properly.

"What's wrong, Masumi-kun? Although you often have this expression, I still always care about you."

Asami looked at Masumi's tense expression, then gave a relaxed smile and said lazily.

"This is the gentleness of the goddess Mami."

Masumi sighed, "Although a homebody like you probably wouldn't be in that kind of danger, I should still tell you just to be on the safe side."

……

"No way! It sounds like something you'd hear on a TV news program."

Mami fully regained consciousness and started shouting.

“Convenience store robberies do make the news,” Rinne said casually.

Mami nodded, her gaze fixed intently on Masumi, making the latter feel uneasy.

"What's wrong? You keep staring at me."

"Nothing, I was just thinking, Masumi-kun's combat strength is actually so high."

Asami said, resting her chin on her hand.

"I never got punished for provoking Masumi-kun before, so it seems they were showing mercy and spared my life."

"It was just a calculated move against an unsuspecting girl," Masumi sighed. "Besides, I wouldn't stoop so low as to fight with a girl."

The previous spankings are a separate matter... but what does that count as?

"Don't worry, Masumi-kun."

Mami suddenly patted his shoulder earnestly, "To put your mind at ease, I've decided not to go out for the next week."

"You're a homebody all the time anyway, aren't you?" Masumi said helplessly.

However, Mami's cheerful and unserious demeanor did alleviate his anxiety somewhat. Was she doing this on purpose?

Haiyue gently tugged at Masumi's sleeve.

"Masumi... are you hurt?"

"Don't worry, I'm perfectly healthy," Masumi forced a smile.

"Well……"

Haiyue stared at him expressionlessly for a moment, then suddenly stretched out her long, slender, white hands and lifted the hem of Masumi's T-shirt.

"what?"

"Sea Moon!?" Kurokawa Mio's shrill voice rang out: "What are you doing?"

"Check...the wound..."

Kaigetsu answered slowly, poking Masumi's stomach as she said:

"Masumi's belly... is so hard..."

Asami's eyes sparkled:

"Wow, those are abs! Masumi-kun's workouts in his room haven't been in vain."

Kurokawa Mio: "I want to touch it too!"

Rinne's voice, filled with unbearable frustration, came from the dining table—

"Focus on your meal and don't do anything else."

◇

after breakfast.

Masumi spent the entire morning of the business day in anxiety and worry, until he received a message from the police station at noon, which finally put his mind at ease.

Based on evidence such as surveillance video, the robber who robbed the convenience store in the morning was eventually arrested on charges of attempted robbery and intentional assault.

According to the Metropolitan Police Department's investigation, the robber was a 38-year-old Indian man whose visa had expired and who was illegally staying in Kobe. He would later be transferred to the Immigration Bureau for compulsory detention and then deported.

After learning the details of what happened, Masumi finally felt at ease.

The coffee shop continued operating as usual until 7 p.m.

After closing time, we had dinner.

Even after the incident, Masumi still vividly recalls her morning at the convenience store:
An aggressive robber, a young female shop assistant terrified and completely flustered, and a short-haired girl struggling to remain calm, desperately guarding her phone...

Even in a calm and uneventful daily life, there are occasional ups and downs like this.

Suddenly, Mami's carefree voice rang out from outside the door:

"Masumi-kun! Excuse me, may I come in directly, or should I wait for you to clean up the mess?"

Masumi sighed, "You can just come in."

After speaking, Mami, carrying a tablet computer, pushed open the door and entered.

(End of this chapter)