"Aah… finally done!"
I may not be the Host anymore, but the work just keeps piling up. I could probably get away with half-assing my work like the original Mika did, but if I did that, Nagisa might actually kill me. She'd scold me relentlessly for increasing her share of the work.
And I wouldn't have a leg to stand on. I started so many things that when the Host position was passed on, so too was the responsibility. If I were to just ignore it all now… she might really try to stuff roll cakes into every single one of my orifices.
"Mika-sama, are you finally finished with your work?"
"Yup, that's all of it for today☆"
Iroha, who had been lying on the sofa reading a comic book the entire time I was working, asked the question.
If you're wondering why Iroha is in the Tea Party office, which has basically become my personal office, the story goes back to when I went to persuade Makoto about the summer festival and the exchange student program.
For some reason, less than a month later, Iroha had expressed her wish to proceed with transferring to Trinity. She never told me the detailed reason, but if I had to guess, she was probably terrified by the amount of work generated by the summer festival and decided to flee.
Iroha would later confess that while the benefits I offered played a large part in her decision to come to Trinity despite her attachment to Gehenna (to the point where she always carried its school flag), she couldn't deny that she also felt an inexplicable pull toward me as a person. It was a decision that stemmed from a reason completely different from my guess.
At the time, I was still the Host, so the transfer process was completed in the blink of an eye. During that process, Nagisa looked like she had a lot to say to me, and for some other reason, Hanako seemed unusually disappointed.
Overall, aside from her eyes, Iroha didn't look like she was from Gehenna, so she blended into Trinity without much difficulty. Separate from her own dislike of Trinity's atmosphere, it seemed the working conditions were so good that they were worth enduring it.
I heard that not long after Iroha transferred, a large number of the Pandemonium Society members were disgraced, and Makoto was all but forcibly made to join the Disciplinary Committee. Hina said something about working her just as hard as she had made Hina suffer.
As for me, I now had a competent secretary named Iroha, so I was satisfied. And I didn't entirely mind Makoto clinging to me whenever she saw me, whining about why I did that to her. Yes, Makoto really is handsome.
I stood up from my seat, stretched, and walked over to the sofa where Iroha was lying. And then, I dove. I buried my face in Iroha's hair and took a deep breath.
"Oh, my."
"Mmm, you have no idea how much I wanted to do this while I was working. Iroha-chan's fluffy hair really is the best…"
"You could have just slacked off with me from the start, you know."
"No, no. Can't do that, Iroha-chan. If there's someone slacking off, there has to be at least one person working diligently! Otherwise, the balance of the universe would be thrown off…"
"Ugh… that doesn't sound so great. It feels like one person makes the work, and another cleans it up. Hearing that brings back some bad memories."
"Ahaha, you made the right choice coming to work for me, didn't you?"
"Yes, it was the best decision of my life. Nom."
Iroha popped a meringue into her mouth and offered one to me over her shoulder, which I promptly accepted with my mouth. This was so routine now that I hardly felt embarrassed anymore.
"Mmm, this is delicious. By the way, Iroha-chan, did you change your shampoo? The scent is a little more refreshing than usual."
"…I used the same one I always use."
Hmm, what is it? It feels subtly different.
"Hmm… maybe I have a cold?"
"Who knows…? More importantly, Mika-sama."
"Yup yup, what is it?"
Wriggling, Iroha turned her body to look up at me from below. The distance was incredibly close, but I had long since grown accustomed to this level of proximity. While that was mostly Nagisa's fault, there was no denying that Iroha had also played a large part.
Chu.
"Eh, eh?!"
"A reward for my hard-working Mika-sama. Since you didn't come over sooner, it's just one for today, though."
"…"
To be honest, this situation still feels, in many ways, like a dream. While her gender was never confirmed in the original story, it was a male-targeted game, and from the pictures Arona drew, the established theory was that Sensei was male. As such, I had been living with the thought that the students would naturally be heterosexual and that a romance with me was out of the question.
But after I hired Iroha as my secretary, at some point, Nagisa began to actively express her feelings for me. The fact that this happened right around the time Iroha began to subtly seduce me makes it clear that the trigger was the emotion of jealousy.
After Nagisa became more assertive, other students began to show their affection as well, but let's save that story for later. What's important right now is Nagisa and Iroha.
"You're thinking about Nagisa-san again. And with me right in front of you. This won't do, Mika-sama."
Puffing out her cheeks, Iroha expressed her jealousy and intertwined her fingers with mine.
If I were to define the emotion I feel for Iroha, it's the feeling you get when looking at something cute and lovely. Because of that, my expressions of affection are mostly limited to hugging, stroking her hair, and holding her hand.
Iroha, who knows this better than anyone, proactively pushes for what she wants. She does it because she knows I can't push her away.
My identity is now less that of a man, and closer to that of a girl who just happens to have the aesthetic sense of her past life. Because of that, I'm glad that I don't feel any sense of guilt. If I did, I would have pushed away not only Nagisa but Iroha as well, and hurt them deeply.
I couldn't hurt Nagisa, who had lost her most precious friend because of me. I wanted her to be happy, no matter what.
I couldn't push away Iroha, who had left Gehenna and made her nest in Trinity because of me. In the past, it might have been different, but to the Iroha of today, Trinity was nothing more and nothing less than the place where she could be with me.
"I'm sorry, Iroha-chan! I'll be more careful."
"No, I'm not really asking for that. I fully understand what your relationship is. And that it's not something that can be resolved with just a few words… that it's something that shouldn't be resolved."
Iroha lifted our clasped hands to her cheek and gently closed her eyes. Iroha's cheek against the back of my hand was as soft as a newborn's skin.
"So what I wish for is… let's see. To have you think of me, just sometimes, even when you're with Nagisa-san. I think that would be enough."
"Ahaha. To be honest, that's already the case. Yes, it can't be helped."
"I'm glad to hear that… Mwah."
The corners of Iroha's eyes curved into a sly, charming smile. A ticklish sensation spread from where her lips met the back of my hand.
"You don't have anything else you need to do today, do you?"
"Well, there's still chapel and training time left…"
"Chapel is… yes, I suppose that can't be helped. I have to attend today, too. It's a real pain, but if I go with you, Mika-sama, it should be bearable. There are about two hours until chapel, so were you planning to go train in the meantime?"
"Mhm, that's right."
"I don't know how you can live so diligently, Mika-sama… It's hard to believe you were even more intense when you were the Host. If it were me, I would have died of boredom after a few days."
"Ahaha, maybe it's just become a habit? Yes, but now, thanks to you, Iroha-chan, things are much easier! I only need to make sure the Tea Party work is done."
"Then that means you owe me a debt, Mika-sama. In that sense, please skip training today and stay with me. You owe me, so you'll grant my request, won't you?"
A strange magic dwells within a demon's eyes. When I look into those eyes directly, it becomes difficult to refuse their words. Other people don't seem to have this problem, but it's definitely the case for me.
Haruna was the first to notice this, and now Iroha also uses this method from time to time to get what she wants. Since she truly does care for me, she doesn't abuse it recklessly, but when it's for something that doesn't cross the line like this, she doesn't hesitate to meet my gaze.
"Now, let's feel good together. And please pat my head. You must pay your debts, after all."
"Ghk… F-Fine. Okay. But my hand…"
"I won't be letting this go. You can pat my head just fine with one hand. Right?"
Iroha buried her head in the crook of my neck and whispered, her breath sending a chilling yet dizzying sensation across my bare skin. These girls… they know me too well now, and that's the problem. Is it even fair for them to tease me so casually with every little gesture and action?
"Heehee. Being like this, it reminds me of our first—"
"If you say another word, I'm going to Nagisa-chan."
This girl, she's so cheeky, there's nothing she won't say. There's a limit to how sly one should be. She's trying to say something I'm too embarrassed to even mention myself.
"A flustered Mika-sama is lovely too, but your hand is idle. Or is it now my turn to pat you?"
Ah, being patted by Iroha is nice too. But more than that, I feel like I'm forgetting something important…?
Hmm, I don't know. I can't remember at all. I think this might be a big problem. I slowly stroked Iroha's fluffy hair and tried my best to remember what I was missing.
…
...
Ah, I'm screwed.
"Waaah-oh…"
"What's wrong all of a sudden, Mika-sama?"
"I remembered…"
I remembered what day it was.
July 4th… Today is Nagisa's birthday.
"I haven't picked out a birthday present for Nagi-chan yet. What do I do…?"
Normally, I manage my important schedules with my phone calendar, so I would never miss something like this. But ever since I hired Iroha as my secretary, she started taking care of all the minor things for me.
In other words, having a secretary made me lazy.
"Th-This is no time for this! I have to go out and pick a present right now… Hmm, last year I got her the newest model of phone, so how about a tablet this year? But if I just get her a gadget again this year, it'll seem like I didn't put any thought into it. Iroha-chan, do you have any good ideas?"
"Let's see… If you give me just one kiss, I think I might remember something."
"Hey Iroha-chan, I'm being super serious right now…?"
"Of course. As if I wouldn't know how important this is to you, Mika-sama."
With a confident smile, Iroha leaned her forehead against mine and closed her eyes.
"So please, hurry. We'll touch if you just move a little bit forward, you know? If you do, a very good idea might just come to me. There's a saying that you have nothing to lose, right?"
At that moment, I realized that Iroha already had a way to solve my problem. Is it just me, or does Iroha suddenly look twice… no, three times as pretty?
Having a competent secretary really is a must. This is the first time I'm initiating a kiss with Iroha, so it's incredibly embarrassing… but let's just think of it as a reward for my lovely secretary.
Yes, that should work.
I slowly closed the distance. Iroha probably isn't expecting a full-on kiss from the start either. So a light peck should be…
"Ngh…! Mmph…"
If there's one thing I had forgotten, it was the fact that Iroha is always filled with the desire to devour me.
The moment our lips touched, this sly demon lifted her head and ambushed me in return. Startled by the sudden movement, my lips parted, and Iroha's tongue slipped inside.
Having succeeded in prying open the gates, Iroha didn't move hastily. She slowly, skillfully tapped against my tongue, lowering my guard and making me want to respond in kind. Just as she always did.
"Chuu…"
Iroha, who had been chipping away at the dam of my conscience for days, shattered it in a single moment and so easily obtained what she desired.
After our lips parted, our slightly ragged breaths and each other's flushed faces made me anticipate what would come next. But with such an important matter at hand, I barely managed to hold onto the thread of my reason.
"Haaah… That was a wonderful meal. As a reward, I will give you the answer you desired. If you look under that desk over there, you'll find a shopping bag. And inside is a gift I prepared for Nagisa-san, tailored to her tastes."
Wow… Iroha, you really are the best secretary. An office wife who even helps with personal matters is just cheating…!
"I love you, Iroha-chan!"
"I love you too, Mika-sama."
If the story had ended here, a happy ending would have been waiting for everyone.
The only problem is that the world is not so simple.
"You two seem to be having quite an interesting conversation. This is why people from Gehenna are…"
"Hello, Nagisa-san. But this is a little strange. I heard that you cast a vote in favor of the Eden Treaty when it was first discussed, but these days, you fit in so well as a representative of the Pater Faction in Mika-sama's stead that it doesn't feel strange at all."
"I think it's a bit much for you, Iroha-san, who knows the reason for that better than anyone, to be saying such things. Well, let's put such trivial matters aside. What's important is… Mika-san."
"…Yup, Nagi-chan! Uh, how long have you been there…?"
"I have been here since you said you hadn't picked out my birthday present, you terrible person who won't even try to remember her own girlfriend's birthday."
I'm in huge trouble…!
"Nagisa-san, I'll just consider the gift over there as something from me to you. Troublesome things are not to my taste. In that case, I'll be on my way…"
"W-Wait! Iroha-chan, you're betraying me like this?!"
"If I hadn't been caught, it would be a different story, but since I was, it can't be helped. Well then… I'll see you at chapel, Mika-sama."
Iroha left without a single look back.
No, it's not that she didn't look back at all. Just before leaving the office, she turned back and licked her lips. Sly to the very end, Iroha…
But why did you lock the door on your way out?
"There are still two hours left until chapel, aren't there?"
"Huh? Well, yes, but…"
"Then, since Iroha-san was so considerate… I will be receiving my birthday present, right here and now."
"…Eh, eh eh? Nagi-chan?"
Nagisa, who had climbed onto the sofa, looked down at me and began to shed her uniform, one layer at a time.
It seemed that for Nagisa's birthday present, the choice had been made for me. And it was made completely without my consent.