Miss Heir wasn't very kind to me.

Chapter 235, Section 10: "May the gods protect us!"

The next morning, Masumi turned off her alarm clock, yawning frantically as she said goodbye to her bed.

I got up, washed my face, tidied myself up, and took out the clothes I would wear today from my luggage.

He yawned constantly during each segment, and for some embarrassing reasons, he had slept very poorly last night.

Taming a spoiled kitten can be quite a hassle.

Just as Masumi finished packing her luggage, she suddenly heard someone knocking on the door.

"You can just come in."

"excuse me."

Rinne opened the paper door and walked into the room, behaving as usual.

"Good morning."

"Well, good morning."

Masumi's mind wasn't fully clear yet; her brain was all sticky and tangled together, so she just mumbled a response and stared at the beautiful girl who appeared at the door.

She was wearing an apricot-colored turtleneck sweater and light-colored women's jeans.

Despite its strong mass-produced style, when paired with the heiress's great figure, even the strongest mass-produced style is automatically filtered into a sense of sophistication.

The fitted knit sweater accentuated her beautiful body lines, while the tight-fitting trousers made her hips appear fuller, creating a picture-perfect silhouette.

...Gazing at her like this, the alluring and seductive body that had been vaguely revealed from under her yukata last night suddenly appeared in Masumi's mind like a phantom.

No! No! Masumi shook her head desperately, trying to banish it from her mind.

"What's wrong with you? Why did you suddenly make such a disgusting move?"

"No, that's nothing."

She remained calm and composed, completely unable to imagine what had happened last night.

Masumi couldn't help but wonder how this heiress could be so nonchalant.

No! Wait a minute, maybe everything last night was just a hallucination he had while drunk...

That's right, if that's the case, then there's no problem.

"...I lost my composure last night, I'm very sorry."

After Rinne finished speaking, a faint blush appeared on her ears, and she stared intently at Masumi.

Wow~ It really wasn't an illusion.

At this point, what would be the correct response?
"Rinne doesn't need to apologize. Uh, I'm the one who should apologize, since I did... that kind of thing to you..."

Even though the air conditioning was on and the air in the room wasn't hot, my body felt like it was on fire.

"Ah."

Rinne nodded expressionlessly, then lowered her gaze guiltily, letting out a soft murmur:
"……Thanks."

"Eh."

"My appearance... must be giving you a lot of trouble."

"No, that's not the case."

Masumi shook her head vehemently in denial. No healthy adult male would find this troublesome.

"Yeah."

Rinne rested her hand on her chin, her fist slightly clenched.

The air fell silent.

Masumi couldn't help but feel embarrassed that she "couldn't say anything".

The heiress sighed, as if to fill the momentary silence, and said:

"However, you don't have to be so accommodating to me next time, and I won't be happy with that kind of... indecent way of comforting you."

...Rinne in her cat form was actually quite happy, Masumi thought to herself.

Moreover, it's not a difficult task at all; it's as easy as the TV commercials claim, "You can do it with just a tap of your finger!"

Suddenly as if realizing something, Masumi blurted out, "Next time?"

"..."

Rinne blushed with embarrassment and spoke in a voice barely audible.

"...There won't be a next time."

"Oh, oh..."

That's a real shame.

Such an adorable contrast, though too many times might cause aesthetic fatigue, can rightfully become a blessing if its appearances are controlled properly.

If Masumi were the author of the light novel "Reality," she would definitely try her best to squeeze out its commercial value.

However, considering that he is the male protagonist and not the author, the one who should be drained should be someone else, so Masumi wants to say: the more the better!

No, no, it's better to balance work and rest.

Unable to know the complex emotions Masumi was going through, Rinne, after calming herself down, reminded her:

"Oh, and remember to go to the restaurant for breakfast."

"Oh well."

◇

"Huh? Where's Mio?"

When I arrived at the restaurant for breakfast, I didn't see Mio.

"I'll go call her."

Just as Rinne stood up from her chair, Mio arrived late.

"Good morning, Masumi, and everyone."

She tied her honey-gold hair into a ponytail and wore a black shirt with white wide-leg pants.

"Mio is late."

"Yeah, I overslept a little."

Mio replied with a smile.

That being said, she was in a radiant state at the moment, as if she had shaken off all her troubles, and her expression was very refreshed.

Masumi wisely refrained from delving into the matter.

The six travelers gathered at a restaurant for breakfast.

Breakfast offers a choice between traditional Japanese and Western-style dishes, and Masumi and her group opted for the former.

Plates of food were laid out on the table.

Grilled rice balls, oyako nichi (chicken and egg stew), daiyaki (grilled pork), steamed pork and cabbage from Joshu, boiled vegetable noodles, sashimi with konjac, and miso soup with lots of konjac.

Gunma Prefecture is an important producer of konjac and wheat in the island nation. Its local cuisine makes good use of local ingredients, and although the dishes are simple and unrefined, the taste is by no means lacking.

Masumi, a resident of Kobe, was very satisfied with the breakfast.

Wow, this looks delicious!

After expressing her innocent and carefree thoughts, Mami immediately smiled broadly and used her chopsticks to pick up a slice of pork and put it in her mouth.

Wow, it's so soft!

She stuffed delicious food into her mouth one after another, making her cheeks puff up like a rabbit stuffed with feed.

The knitted sweater, stretched high, had a plump, bouncy feel, like a rabbit, swaying slightly as she ate heartily, incredibly elastic and soft.

"Hmm~ I feel really good today!"

Asami stretched and said, "She is well-proportioned, slender, and radiant."

"It must be the effect of the snake wine I brought."

She nodded deeply, satisfied. After hearing her words, three cold gazes locked onto her.

"Hey, Masumi-kun, Rinne-chan, and Mio-san, why are you all looking at me like that?"

Mami, with a radish in her mouth, shrank her shoulders slightly in fear.

"……nothing."

For some reason, the three of them tacitly looked away.

After enjoying a delicious local breakfast, everyone prepared to leave the hot spring inn and set off for sightseeing.

As they left the restaurant, Masumi and Mio brushed past each other.

"Chirp~"

She placed her fingertips on her rosy lips and blew him a kiss from an angle only Masumi could see.

The lips, resembling those of a flower bud about to bloom, give a vibrant and beautiful impression.

Last night's excitement almost rekindled her senses, so Masumi quickly looked away and stared at the patterns on the wall to dispel any evil thoughts.

"Masumi-nii, what's wrong?"

Sensing something amiss, Qian'ai asked.

"fine……"

Hey! You guys! Get out of here!

Mami waved to them.

"understood--"

◇

The first stop on the sightseeing tour is Ikaho Onsen Town.

This hot spring street has a long history. Its main street, the stone steps, is said to have been built during the Warring States period, but the stone steps we see today were renovated in the 1980s.

This leads to the classic philosophical question, "The Ship of Theseus".

A ship gradually decays over time, leading people to constantly replace it with new parts.

If that's the case, is this still the original Ship of Theseus?
If so, what is the reason? If not, when did it stop being like that?

Unlike her sentimental self, Masumi's childhood friend is a simple and cute girl who doesn't think about so many unnecessary things.

"What high stone steps!"

Qian Ai looked up and gazed into the distance, sighing as she exhaled a soft, warm breath.

"It's a bit like Benzaiten Nakamise-cho in Enoshima," Mio commented.

How many steps are there?

“365 floors,” Rinne replied.

"many!"

After expressing her thoughts, Mami tilted her head as if she realized something.

"Is there some significance to this number?"

The heiress nodded.

"Yes, it symbolizes 365 days a year, and also means to bless the hot spring street with prosperous business every day."

Masumi also spoke up:
"At the top of the stone steps is Ikaho Shrine. Climbing to the top will give you a panoramic view of the entire hot spring town. Let's head there."

"Uh-huh."

"Let's go!"

The girls were full of energy.

Along the 365 stone steps, hot spring hotels, restaurants, snack stalls, souvenir shops and other shops line both sides, with various fragrances wafting everywhere, and tourists bustling about.

"Chihiro likes to look over there; there are beautiful girls wearing yukatas."

"That's great! I also want to wear a yukata and play in the hot spring town."

"Aren't you cold dressed like that?"

Masumi couldn't understand why girls would rather freeze until their skin turned red in the cold in pursuit of beauty.

"Hey, is it because Masumi-kun is too afraid of the cold?" Mami teased him.

"That's not the case."

"Masumi, if you feel cold, you can hold my hand."

Mio made a rather unassuming gesture, extending her hand.

"It's better to keep it in your pocket for warmth~"

Rinne interjected at this moment, squeezing her body into the gap between the two.

Mio's face darkened, but the next moment her lips curved slightly, forming a mischievous arc.

"Oh my, the kitten really goes to great lengths to get human attention."

"..."

Rinne's expression turned cold.

Mio continued her pursuit with a playful tone:
"I much preferred your docile and affectionate demeanor last night to your current hissing, kitten-like appearance."

"last night?"

Hearing their conversation, Chia and Mami couldn't help but cast curious glances at each other.

"Did something happen to Rinne last night?"

"Nothing happened."

Rinne spoke in a cold voice, her clear, amethyst-like eyes seemingly enveloped in icy coldness.

When Chiai and Asami saw this expression, they were so frightened that their voices and shoulders began to tremble.

"Oh, those souvenirs in that glass window over there are so pretty! I'll go take a look!"

"Wait for me, Mami-nee! I'm coming too!"

Under the powerful gaze of the heiress, the two women fled in panic.

Mio chuckled and mocked her, "Hey, you're definitely not cute looking like this, Miss Kitty."

"Don't think that seeing someone else's weakness will make you strong and superior."

"How could that be? I'm just particularly concerned about the weak Rinne."

"There's no need for Mio to worry. The weak me of the past is dead."

Rinne and Mio continued their bickering, each offering their own opinion.

Masumi sighed heavily and shook her head repeatedly.

"Masumi... a steamed bun..."

Haiyue stopped in front of the stall selling hot spring steamed buns.

"Would you like some moonflower?"

"Mmm...I want to eat..."

So Masumi bought six servings of hot spring buns.

“Delicious~”

"So sweet."

"Yeah, it's delicious."

The origin of hot spring steamed buns is said to be in the Ikaho region. They are made with hot spring water to make the dough and filled with red bean paste. The outer skin is thin and soft, and the texture is soft, sweet and sticky.

After eating the hot spring buns, the six of them continued walking towards the top of the stone steps.

Browse the souvenir shop.

"This towel with Gunma-chan soaking in a hot spring printed on it is so cute."

Qian'ai picked up a towel with a cartoon pony printed on it and said.

"It seems that Rinne prefers Hagiwara Sakutaro's poetry collection."

The poet was born in Maebashi City, Gunma Prefecture. His representative works include free verse such as "Cat", "Cat Town", "Blue Cat", "Black Cat", "Cat Willow", and "The Corpse of a Cat".

Visit restaurants and cafes.

"This pork chop restaurant has a very high online rating."

"My waist feels so fat."

"What about the ramen shop next door? They specialize in rich back fat."

"Wouldn't that make it even greasier?"

We chatted and laughed all the way, and finally reached the top of the stone steps.

Ikaho Shrine.

A white torii gate stands tall, with a shimenawa (sacred rope) hanging from its top, and gohei (imperial coins) fluttering gently in the wind.

This prefectural shrine is located near the source of Ikaho Onsen and enshrines two deities, Sukunahiko-no-Mikoto and Ōki-no-Mikoto.

The former is regarded as the god of hot springs and medicine, while the latter is the god who brings blessings in marriage, childbirth, and money.

"Childbirth..."

Mami rested her chin on her hand, lost in thought.

"I see. When I climbed up, I saw a phrase on the steps: 'Before reaching the shrine, I accumulated countless H-words.' So that's what it meant."

Masumi gently shook her head: "I don't think there's any connection between the two."

The response to the declining birth rate shouldn't have come to this.

"Alright! Let's make a wish to the gods!"

Since they were already there, the group stopped in front of the prayer hall, tossed in a 5-yen coin, and performed two bows, two claps, and one more salute.

“Let’s write ema (votive plaques), Masumi.”

Mio smiled broadly, holding the ema she had just bought, with the Chinese characters "Kaiyun Shi Shou" written on one end.

"Hey, I don't think it's the right time to write this kind of blessing yet."

"It's about being prepared for a rainy day."

"That's not how you use that word."

"I hope that my connection with Masumi will be blessed by all the gods of this land."

After being rejected by Masumi repeatedly, Mio puffed up her cheeks and sullenly scribbled on the ema with an oil-based pen.

Masumi glanced over without making a sound.

"Kissing" "French kiss" "Bathing together" "Overlapping together as if born" "Normal" "○○" "○○" "○○" "○○"

This wasn't a wish to the gods; it was her complete plan!
Masumi watched with a pounding heart.

If Ōki no Mikoto truly intends to fulfill Mio's wish, shouldn't I now find Sukunahiko no Mikoto and pray for His blessing to give me an iron-strong body?

"Sigh, there's only a small space; it's not enough to write anything down."

She sighed, put the ema (votive plaque) covered in writing into her coat pocket, and put it away with an indifferent expression on her face.

"Huh? Aren't you going to hang it up?"

Masumi asked instinctively.

"My happiness with Masumi doesn't need to be witnessed by outsiders," she said firmly.

"Oh."

"Moreover, I would feel embarrassed if others saw this kind of content."

Mio ran her fingers through the ends of her hair, straightened a strand, and twirled it around her fingertips, blushing shyly as she spoke.

If you're shy, why write it at all?

Masumi didn't want other worshippers to see this plan either; it would be shameful even if it wasn't signed.
"Alright, let's move on to the next attraction."

She smiled and reached out her hand to Masumi.

(End of this chapter)