Miss Heir wasn't very kind to me.

Chapter 272, Section 7: "Who came up with such an evil torture method!?"

February 9th, Thursday, a rare day off, but it was an overcast day unsuitable for going out.

Shelley once wrote in his poem, "If winter comes, can spring be far behind?"

That being said, Kobe's winters remain bitterly cold.

Thanks to the heated stove, spring arrived earlier in Masumi's room; rather, it was filled with an atmosphere as if spring had arrived.

The reason is easy to guess.

"So, today's project is—a questionnaire survey in the Valentine's Day special issue of the magazine!"

Ms. Asami held up a magazine and loudly announced the theme.

What is that plan like?

Masumi asked from a position with her back to the door. This position wasn't ideal, as the cold wind from the corridor would seep in through the gap in the door that wasn't closed tightly.

Whenever this cold wind gently brushed the back of his neck, he couldn't help but shiver.

But that's good, Masumi thought. She couldn't indulge in the illusion of springtime; she had to stay clear-headed and calm at all times.

"It's a collaborative project between the Kobe municipal government and the private sector that Ms. Shiratori recently participated in. She was responsible for writing the part about young people's views on love."

"I see. But I remember Shiratori was a writer for a food magazine, wasn't she? When did she start expanding her business into romance?"

"That's because Masumi-kun has a narrow perspective!"

Asami raised her finger and began to speak eloquently.

"For couples in love, there is no food more delicious than each other."

"...For some reason, I can understand."

Masumi sighed.

"Ok?"

Asami tilted her head in surprise, revealing her snow-white skin that stretched down her neck to her collar, her breasts so full they were almost overflowing.

Beside her were three other girls with varying reactions.

Rinne slightly averted her gaze, but a faint blush appeared on her ears. Umizuki touched her lips expressionlessly, while Mio combined the two.

Her cheeks were flushed with a blissful infatuation, and her fingertips gently touched her lips, as if she were savoring something.

Ms. Mami was completely bewildered, so she simply gave up on arguing and began to explain in detail:
"Ms. Shiratori took this job for the payment, but she's troubled by her lack of dating experience, so she hopes we can provide some assistance within our capabilities..."

So that's how it is.

How cruel it is to ask people who have never been in a relationship to write about love!

However, on the other hand, in the group "For Me, Become the Strongest Novelist (Burning Flame emoji)!!!" that Masumi joined, a significant proportion of the authors who create romance light novels are virgin authors who have never been in a relationship.

How can this be explained?

While listening absentmindedly to Mami's explanation, Masumi glanced at the documents Rinne handed her.

The project is called "Romantic Kobe Between Mountains and Seas," and the level of effort put into it is as if the person responsible for writing the proposal had given up on it after receiving the assignment, spent all their time eating and drinking, and only remembered the work a few hours before the deadline, and just came up with it on a whim.

The project aims to revitalize the Kobe region and boost the city's sluggish dating and marriage rates among young people...

"...Huh~ By the way, Rinne is also interested in this kind of project?"

Masumi looked at the heiress's reaction with surprise.

"Please continue reading."

With Rinne's indifferent voice, Masumi turned to the next page.

...For this reason, the project has partnered with matchmaking agencies, wedding consulting firms, and amusement parks, aquariums, planetariums, and other venues suitable for couples to date in the city, and will be featured in the magazine.

"Coffee shops are also popular dating spots. Starry Night's customers have always been mostly women, so I signed up for this project."

Rinne explained slowly and methodically, "As expected of the heir, she's very reliable in this regard," Masumi thought to herself.

"In that case, let's get started as soon as possible."

Masumi put down the proposal and said, "It's a day off, why do we still have to work?"

But since it's just work done huddled around a kotatsu table, it shouldn't be considered a burden.

"Wait a minute," Mami replied calmly. "There's still one member who hasn't arrived yet."

◇

Six mugs were placed on the table on a plastic tray. Rinne poured black tea and coffee into the mugs and then served them to each person in turn.

"Thank you, Rinne! A kotatsu table is so warm!"

Qian'ai rubbed her hands together in the rising steam from the surface of the black tea, then covered her mouth with her palms overlapping.

The face, reddened by the cold, gradually softened and returned to a different kind of rosy color.

"The last member was Chia."

Masumi took a sip of coffee and said calmly.

"What kind of expression is that, Masumi-nii?!"

Qian Ai puffed out her cheeks and protested in dissatisfaction.

"What are your complaints about me being a member?"

No, that's not true.

Faced with her angry childhood friend, Masumi hurriedly denied it.

"I just thought they would find a girl with a lot of dating experience to help them."

"Hey, do Asami and the others know those kinds of people?"

"...I don't think we know each other. After all, as the saying goes, birds of a feather flock together—"

"Don't underestimate me, Masumi-kun!"

Mami interrupted Masumi by poking his cheek with her finger and retorted decisively.

"Although I've never been in a relationship, I have a lot of experience with Galgames~ You could say I have a very detailed understanding of the psychology of men and women in love."

"Oh."

Don't argue with her at times like this.

"Let's not delay! Let's begin now!"

Asami unfolded another stack of documents, which were questionnaires.

"Publishing the survey results in a magazine is such a convenient way to get things done," Masumi remarked.

"why?"

Qian Ai tilted her head, not understanding what was going on.

"Isn't data obtained through questionnaires very meaningful?"

"Well, there's no need to investigate the views on love among islanders. Women look at annual income, and men look at youth, that's about it."

As soon as Masumi finished speaking, Mami chopped her on the nose.

"This is so gloomy, Masumi-kun! This survey isn't as superficial as 'What annual income do you hope your romantic or marriage partner will have?' Shiratori-san even said she'd write a serious column based on the results~ I'm sending out the survey now."

All five people except Mami received their own questionnaires.

"Isn't Asami-nee participating in the investigation?" Chiai asked.

"Hmph~ This time I'm the referee who's not involved."

Asami crossed her arms over her chest with an exaggerated, theatrical gesture and let out a triumphant murmur.

"What kind of judge is needed for a questionnaire survey?"

"Ahem, let's put aside the small talk and start with Ms. Mio, who seems the most eager to try—"

"I see."

Mio nodded, her delicate features overflowing with emotion, seemingly expressing the joy of "That's great!"

It seems this is the moment she realized her dream, since it's related to love and marriage.

She lowered her head expectantly, and the words on the white paper came into view.

Q: Which of the following behaviors by your boyfriend with other women are unacceptable to you? ① Holding a girl's hand ② Touching a girl's feet
"What kind of question is this!?"

Mio was stunned, then slammed her hand on the table in dissatisfaction.

"Well, Ms. Mio, please calm down."

Mami gave her a flattering smile and gently patted her shoulder to comfort her.

"Ms. Shiratori said that this is the era of hype! Simply asking about 'your requirements for your partner's career' or 'your anxieties about the relationship' like before won't grab anyone's attention."

"This issue has been overhyped," Masumi sighed.

Indeed, one shouldn't have any expectations for a questionnaire from a shameless writer who turns a food magazine into a "male model photo shoot".

On the other side, Mio held her head in her hands, lost in deep thought.

"...What should I do? Which is more serious, Masumi holding Rinne's hand or Masumi touching Rinne's foot?! Which is more unacceptable?!"

"Wait, why did my name suddenly appear?" Rinne frowned.

"...This makes it easier to empathize and imagine."

After answering subconsciously, Mio continued to lower her head, her eyes devoid of any light, and repeatedly opened and closed her lips.

"Holding Rinne's hand, touching Rinne's feet... Ugh! Why! Why did you have to make me see such a cruel scene..."

"Um, Mio," Masumi said, rubbing her forehead, "You don't need to seriously consider this kind of question—"

Mio suddenly raised her head and stared at him with a terrifying look.

"Is Masumi trying to tell me not to mind this kind of thing, to calmly accept you and Rinne being all lovey-dovey, and to see you and Rinne holding hands and toes?"

"That's not true! Besides, what kind of weird position is that!?"

Masumi deeply understands the meaning of "a bird that doesn't sing won't be targeted by a hunter" (Note: a Japanese proverb, similar to "trouble comes from the mouth").

After much internal struggle, Mio finally made her decision.

"...Touching her foot, it's also possible that she accidentally twisted her ankle when they went out together, and then he checked her injury, right? Yes! That's right! That's exactly it, it's pure compassion without any personal feelings involved! Just like how you would treat an injured stray cat!"

She convinced herself of this.

Rinne frowned: "I'm not a stray cat."

"Next question." Mio finished the question that had shaken her, her face expressionless, and looked at the next line.

Q: Which of the following behaviors of your boyfriend with a woman are unacceptable to you? ① Your previous choice ② Sharing a bed with a girl.

"...!"

Mio's eyes widened in disbelief.

"Masumi...sleeping in bed with Haiyue!?"

"I told Mio not to use specific objects as references."

"What on earth is going on!? Holding hands with Rinne, sharing a bed with Umizuki..."

Mio trembled all over, then immediately began her self-persuasion mode:
"...The two holding hands might have been just because they almost tripped, right? Yes! That's right! That's exactly it, it was pure compassion, without any personal feelings involved! Just like how she would treat a moon jellyfish that had wandered into the city's waterways!"

Stop it now! If you continue like this, your bottom line will keep sliding into the abyss as you convince yourself to do so.

……

No, it's better not to stop.

Masumi thought to herself, for some ulterior motive.

"Alright, Masumi-kun, don't just stand around doing nothing!"

Mami patted the questionnaire in front of Masumi with a grin.

"Well."

Masumi lowered her head, and the question on the white paper came into view.

Q: What behaviors from a girl would you resist: ① asking her to put on pantyhose ② asking her to take off pantyhose.

"..."

About half an hour passed in this way.

There were only five questions, but I was so conflicted about each one.

"Okay, now let's read out the results of the questionnaire survey."

Asami collected everyone's questionnaires, cleared her throat, and said...

"First of all, it's Ms. Mio's view on love."

Mio's eye twitched slightly.

"According to the questionnaire results, as long as Masumi-kun does not have intimate relationships with other girls in front of her, she can allow Masumi-kun to touch the other girl's feet, hold her hand, share a bed, and even have a child."

"What an incompetent wife," Rinne said indifferently.

“Don’t use my name directly,” Masumi protested.

Mami ignored his protest and continued speaking.

"Next up is Rinne."

"..."

Rinne lowered her eyelashes quietly.

"According to the survey results, as long as Masumi-kun is wholeheartedly in love with Rinne, she can accept that Masumi-kun may be temporarily wavering in his will and slightly succumb to his desires when other girls show interest in him."

Even if Masumi-kun stays home all day smoking, drinking, and not working, and then hits Rinne with an empty beer can after a long day at get off work, saying, "Just leave me alone! Having such a successful lover makes me feel so useless. Please, just disappear!", Rinne would still choose to stay by his side.

"Masumi-nii... is he a hopeless good-for-nothing?" Chiai was dumbfounded.

"Just tell them not to use my name directly."

"Then there's Koizuki, and the result of her survey is... she wants to do everything that's on the questionnaire to Masumi-kun."

Masumi's heart skipped a beat.

Why is this part omitted?

"Because it's kind of embarrassing to say it out loud...hehe!"

"Don't try to fool me!"

"Ahem, next up is Chia Ai—"

"No ah ah ah ah!"

Qian Ai covered her ears and shook her head desperately.

"This isn't my true thought, don't read it aloud!"

"Hey, don't be shy." Asami wasn't about to let the embarrassed girl off the hook, and said teasingly:
"What Chiai most wants to do with Masumi-kun is—"

"Yes?"

"Yes--"

Asami deliberately kept everyone in suspense, drawing out the sound.

"If you keep me in suspense any longer, I'll spank you."

"No! I'll tell you right now!"

Mami looked terrified and hurriedly said:
"The thing Chihiro most wants to do with Masumi-kun is—kiss, a kiss of love."

"..."

"Gone?"

Masumi asked instinctively.

“That’s all.” Mami nodded.

What should I say...

As expected of a childhood sweetheart, she's so innocent.

Why is everyone's reaction so lukewarm?!

A thousand loves cannot believe it.

"because……"

Looking at her stammering childhood friend, Qian'ai suddenly thought of a possibility.

"Ah! Could it be that you all had even more inappropriate physical contact with Masumi-nii than this?!"

"..."

The world is quiet.

"Ahem! I hereby declare today's survey a complete success!"

Mami stepped in to smooth things over.

"No! This isn't over yet!"

Qingmei slammed her hand on the table in dissatisfaction.

"Finally, what behaviors of everyone do Masumi-kun do you not find objectionable?"

Upon hearing this, all the girls turned to look at him, and even Qian Ai stopped being shy.

"..."

Sweat dripped from his temples as Masumi listened intently to Asami reading out what sounded like a final verdict against him.

"...Oh, I see."

After Mami finished reading, the girls in the coffee shop had different expressions.

"This is terrible," Masumi thought with utter despair.

—Who came up with such an evil form of torture?!

◇

In the stillness of the night.

“Well done, Ms. Mami.”

In her room, where she was all alone, Mami was on the phone with someone.

"Oh dear, with my quick wit, it's no big deal~ Speaking of which, shouldn't I, Miss Rugu, deliver on my promise of reward?"

"Of course."

On the other end of the phone, I smiled slightly, as if from ancient times.

"The limited-edition acrylic standee set from the Tokyo: Love Begins at the Inherited Cafe collaboration with Miyakojima Tourism... The name is quite long, isn't it? This is it, right?"

"That's right!"

Mami nodded vigorously, her expression like a puppy being dangled in a steak.

"The standee limited to the event has a different expression than the one sold at the general store. Mami's drunken expression while holding Awamori sake is just too cute!"

(Note: The pronunciation of "茉美" is the same as "麻美".)
Asami's eyes lit up, and her tone was excited:
"You're amazing, Miss Ruko! Because they're so rare, I couldn't find a complete set, whether it's the Coal Stov or Suruga-ya. I never imagined that Miss Ruko would have one."

"It just so happens that I have a friend whose family owns a pawnshop. It's just a coincidence."

I casually remarked, "Like the ancients, I am a thousand years old."

"Don't worry, I've already sent the package to the coffee shop. However, since it's quite far, please be patient and wait a little longer, Mami-nee~"

"No problem! If you find any other rare merchandise, please be sure to contact me. I am Miss Rugu!"

"Then we'll see if Miss Mami faithfully fulfills our secret alliance agreement."

I said meaningfully, as if from ancient times.

"..."

After a moment of silence, Mami tentatively asked:
"Speaking of which, has Miss Rugu ever said to anyone else, 'Let's both trap him together'?"

"No, I only extended an invitation to Ms. Asami regarding the collaboration."

On the other end of the phone, I denied it immediately without even thinking.

"so."

"Okay, then please take care of me from now on, Ms. Mami. Let's work together to win over Masumi~"

The call ended with my voice, as alluring as a thousand years old.

(End of this chapter)