Infinite Stratos - Side Story 3 Read online

  ◇

  It was an orange memory.

  “I, Ichika, here.”

  “What is it, Rin? Why are you so formal?”

  After school, during the dusk of orange, there was only two people in the orange classroom, facing each other as they sat at the orange table.

  Both of them were wearing the school uniform of Nanatsuno Middle School. Ichika was wearing the Gakuran, while Rin was wearing the sailor uniform.

  “We, well. I was thinking if I should change my hairstyle. What do you think?”

  Squirming about, Rin asked in a manner completely different than usual.

  Wanting to know Ichika’s response, the timid girl’s heart made her eyes float up.

  “Eh? Why? That hairstyle suits you, Rin.”

  “Eh, really!?”

  Rin smiled like a flower blooming.

  Full of joy, Rin played with her ponytails.

  “Re, really? I see, so it suits me well. Ehehe…♪”

  “? Such a strange person.”

  “Who, who are you calling strange!?”

  “Wah wah!? St, stop it! Stop kicking me!”

  “Wha, what what what!?”

  DOKADOKADOKADOKADOKA!!

  “GYYAAAAHHH—!!!”

  “Fu, fuu…what now…idiot…”

  Rin still remembered what was said that evening.

  She definitely would not forget about it.

  The memory of the orange love—

  ◇

  (Un...)

  Having woken up, Rin looked at the clock on the wall. It seemed that she had slept for about 2 hours.

  “Ichika...is he around?”

  “What's wrong?”

  Ichika immediately came out after he was called.

  (He really kept me company me all the time...)

  Her heart felt really unbearable.

  But this felt as sweet as a forbidden sweet poison, full of allure.

  “We, well...I got a lot of sweat on me, so I was hoping you could wipe my body...”

  --This, eh!?

  Unbelievable words came out from her mouth.

  (Wha, what am I saying!?...is, isn't it weird? It's weird, right!?)

  DOKI DOKI. Her heart beat wildly again.

  Though she wanted to control the Red Hare Horse that was rampaging, it didn't go well.

  “So, so I say...wipe my body...”

  “No, that's—”

  “Di, didn't you say that you would do anything?”

  “No, even then, that's—”

  “S-Shut up shut up shut up! You're my slave! Listen to me!”

  Blushing really hard, Rin flailed as she said that.

  Ichika looked troubled as he scratched his head, and forced himself to nod his head.

  “Slave or what, really you...haa, never mind. Fine.”

  --Eh? Eh?

  Though it was shocking of her to say that, it was even more shocking to hear Ichika agree with it.

  But now, it meant that the embarrassment was on Rin.

  Either way, she had to take her clothes off and reveal herself if she needed to wipe her body.

  (U, uuwaah...wha, what...I just said it out of impulse. Thi, this, this means that I have to strip here...show, show my naked body in front of Ichika...)

  The more she thought about it, the more she felt that it was shameful.

  Seeing that even the ears had dyed red, Rin hurriedly hid inside the blanket.

  “...”

  “What's wrong?”

  “No, nothing at all! Turn over there, idiot!”

  Then, she forced herself and threw the pillow.

  Grabbing the pillow with his right hand and putting it down at Rin's waist to support her, Ichika walked to the bathroom to wet the towel.

  (Wh, what, wasn't that kind of gentle...)

  She shook her head around to shake that giggling expression of hers.

  (Why, why did I say such a thing...)

  It was already past the level of being bold.

  (I, I wasn't treated as a weirdo...)

  No matter how shocked or lost Ichika was, he wouldn't use that as a reason to label her as weird. She knew that.

  But because this was IS Academy, the girls are as much as what the term implied. Amongst that, getting first place in affection level with Ichika would be the tough question.

  (Bu, but, what is it...do, don't tell me...that idiot Ichika would treat me as someone of the opposite gender...)

  Rin swallowed her little expectations and anxiety with her saliva, and put her hand on her pajamas.

  (Uu, at least I should have some breasts...)

  I can't think about this.

  Though she does beat out Laura by a little in terms of the size, Laura, who's almost void in that aspect, was daring enough to go naked and snuggle into the bed— that was really bold.

  In other words, she had to go to this extent or further.

  (More than that, what should I do...what...)

  Tick, tick...she undid her buttons.

  As she wasn't wearing underwear in the first place, she just undid her buttons, and her breasts were revealed.

  (Uu~...)

  Realizing the small size of her breasts again, she felt pitiful and angry.

  “I tried lots of ways...”

  “What ways?”

  “AHHHHHHH!!?”

  Rin nearly jumped up in shock the moment she heard Ichika's voice from behind. No, she jumped up softly.

  “Wha, what now? Why are you so loud out of a sudden?”

  “Do, don't, don't stand behind me like that!?”

  “Why? Am I some kind of assassin?”

  “S-Shut up shut up shut up!!”

  No, you're the noisy one. Ichika thought as he held Rin's head.

  Just like that, Rin went completely silent out of embarrassment.

  “Then, I'll wipe from the back.”

  “Nn, un...”

  With her upper body naked, Rin covered her breasts and turned her back on Ichika.

  As it felt exceptionally alluring, Ichika's heart started to beat wildly.

  However, Rin couldn't see Ichika's reaction as her back was facing him.

  And at the time, Rin didn't have the luxury to observe him like this now.

  “...”

  “...”

  Clak clak clak...

  Ichika and Rin didn't say anything as time passed by.

  Unlike the comfortable silence from before, it was now a delicate silence for both sides.

  (Ahh, my back...feels so good...)

  The icy towel wiped the skin comfortably.

  Everytime it touched the warm body gently, Rin would curl up slightly due to the numbing itchiness and ecstasy.

  “Mn...ahh...”

  “Oi, oi, stop making such strange sounds.”

  “U, un...sorry.”

  “No, it's not really something you need to apologize about...”

  “...”

  “...”

  In the end, they continued the silence, and three minutes later, the wiping was complete.

  “Do, done.”

  Ichika's pitch felt like it was higher, as his heart was racing because of the unexpected act of Rin.

  “...”

  “Rin?”

  “...The front too...”

  “Eh?”

  “The, the front...well, wipe it...”

  “Wha, what are you saying!?”

  “It, it's alright, right...or, you hate girls with small breasts...?”

  “Tha, that's not the point, right...”

  Ichika was at his wits end on hearing the slight trembling in Rin's voice.

  She was not someone who would say this normally.

  What's going on? Thinking this, he felt that he couldn't leave Rin alone like this.

  “Ahh, really. I got it!”

  “Eh?”

  “In exchange, you can't get angry! You can't hit me or kick me!”

  “Wh, what are you treating me as...”
>
  Rin argued back, but her voice was soft.

  Keeping her back at Ichika, Rin secretly glanced behind and moved the hands covering the breasts.

  Of course, Ichika couldn't see them directly from behind.

  But, Rin's face went all red as she bit her lips, since she felt embarrassed about having to reveal herself completely.

  (The, source of this heat...source of this heat...source of this heat...)

  While thinking about that, Ichika's hands gently went around to her front.

  (He, he touched them...Ichika, he touched them, my breasts...)

  Her heart was beating so wildly it went erratic. Right now, she was worried that her heartbeat got revealed.

  But before Rin could get emotionally ready, Ichika's hands touched her breasts through the towel.

  “!!...”

  “...”

  The irritating silence happened again.

  Rin couldn't take this rock-gnashing-like feeling and opened her mouth.

  “The, they're small, right...”

  “Tha, that's not true...well,...they're nice to touch.”

  “Pervert...”

  “Shu, shut up.”

  That exchange went around between Ichika and Rin as they blushed and continued with the wiping.

  …

  ……

  ………

  “The, then, seems like things are okay now. I'll go back to my room then.”

  “U, un, thanks.”

  Rin put on her clothes again and snuggled back into the blanket. She couldn't look at Ichika in the eyes due to the embarrassment.

  But at the same time Ichika was looking up at a corner of the ceiling when he was talking to Rin.

  “Bye then.”

  Ichika hurriedly left the room.

  Rin managed to take of glimpse of Ichika as he left, and he was as red as her now.

  (He's blushing, which means, he realized...)

  --I'm a girl.

  “...Ehehe.”

  Rin smiled happily as she used her hand to cover her rapidly beating chest, DOKI DOKI.

  And then, she got taken into a gentle slumber by the sleep monster.

  (I love Ichika...I won't lose to anyone. I won't.)

  With this oath of love, girl, pursue forward, and run towards the battlefield—

  Chapter 2: Cecilia's Chapter--Noblesse Oblige

  In the middle of summer, Ichika was walking alone under the hot and intense summer sun.

  “Un, I finally managed to get to the street in front of the station, and I already planned to go out with Kazuma and Dan.”

  Muttering to himself that he failed so badly, Ichika continued to walk on aimlessly.

  (Mn, what do I do now…it’s a rare chance to go to the game parlor, isn’t it? Guess not. It seems that I spent a lot of money on some unimportant stuff…)

  A thorough explanation behind this scenario would have to involve the girls around Ichika.

  Houki, Cecilia, Rin, Charlotte and Laura. As he went out to play with these five girls, his high school funds vanished in a puff of smoke.

  (But really, other than Houki, everyone’s a representative cadet. It can’t be helped that the government’s giving money.)

  Ichika may have let the girls treat for the first time, but he would politely decline if it was twice or more.

  It was because Ichika would pay like this that those five girls developed feelings for him that would not fade.

  (Hn…?)

  Suddenly, someone ran over from the other side.

  Even in the middle of the street that was crowded with people walking around, that figure stood out amongst them.

  The bright blond hair extended to below her waist, glittering under the sunlight.

  And as she walked over, that swaying posture dazzled under the sun as much as ever.

  She was wearing a super high-class summer dress, and the high quality lace immediately attracted attention.

  It just so happened that Ichika knew this eye-catching person.

  “Cecilia!?”

  “I, Ichika-san!?”

  Most likely, she came running in from somewhere, since she was breathing so hard.

  Cecilia first checked on her surroundings, and then found a photo booth beside a convenience shop.

  “Ichika-san, over there!”

  “Eh? Uwah!? O, oi! Why are you dragging me!?”

  “Hurry!”

  Cecilia aggressively showed her personality, and Ichika was dragged together into the cramped space.

  “…”

  “Erm…”

  Ichika found himself side by side with Cecilia in that narrow space, and the close distance made his heart race.

  (Uu... That’s really a nice smell…is, is that perfume?)

  Ichika started to lose himself to the high-class perfume that gave a slight aroma, and the humidity in the cramped space made Ichika start to sweat like crazy.

  “Ce, Cecilia, what’s wrong? Who’s chasing you?”

  “Eh, ehh…well, a group of men dressed in black…”

  “That’s really an interesting development. Just like a movie.”

  Ichika joked around to hide his awkwardness of them being stuck together.

  But he shut up on seeing Cecilia’s gloomy expression.

  (Uu…can’t stand it. Really…)

  ◇

  (Fuu…seems like we got away.)

  Cecilia pat her chest a few times, and turned around to check the current situation.

  (I, I just followed through the momentum…ahh, but, but, being alone with Ichika-san in such a tight space.)

  On realizing this, she blushed. It was not because of the summer heat that her body temperature to rose, but her forehead started to sweat too.

  (I, I’m not reeking of sweat, right…? I feel that the perfume should be enough…)

  A maiden in love would be afraid of letting the man she likes smell her sweat, and she would feel like dying if that happened.

  (I want to avoid that no matter what!)

  But even so, they were packed inside the narrow space of the photo booth. Right now, there was no space for both of them to even cross their legs. The smell, the body temperature, the breathing, they could feel them all.

  (What do I do now?)

  DOKI DOKI! The chest cried loudly as the body temperature and heart rate went up critically.

  “I, I say, Cecilia.”

  --DOKI!?

  “Wha, what is it?”

  She subconsciously answered without thinking.

  Perhaps finding it too embarrassing, Cecilia used her hand to cover her mouth.

  “Well—I guess. Should, shouldn’t we get out?”

  “Eh, tha, that…”

  “Well, it’s really hot…”

  “Yo, you’re right…”

  Though her feelings as a girl were playing with her as she didn’t want to go out.

  But Cecilia, who suddenly backed away, rolled her eyes around at other direction and muttered.

  “Is, is it because of the smell…?”

  “Smell?”

  Though she was just muttering, they were close together in an intimate position. Cecilia’s words were heard by Ichika, and because of that, she blushed so thoroughly that even her ears went red.

  “No, never mind. I do worry about the smell though…”

  “U…”

  “Is that perfume? It sure smells nice.”

  “It, it’s nice!?”

  “Eh, ah, yeah.”

  “So, I see!”

  The next moment, Cecilia’s face brightened.

  And then, she started chatting away.

  “I’m using the L'Ireal number 15 perfume today! Fufu, as expected of Ichika-san, you have quite the good taste.”

  Once her mood got better, Cecilia started regaining that confident master mood.

  But in such a close distance, they got swallowed by the hot breath.

  And Ichika blushed about this as he pulled Cecilia’s hand... br />
  “Let’s get out, Cecilia.”

  “Ah, okay.”

  Cecilia nodded on instinct as she was shocked.

  Her head went blank as her hand was held, and she and Ichika went outside the photo booth.

  “Well, Cecilia. Who was chasing after you?”

  “Erm…”

  Cecilia stuttered, unable to say it out.

  Seeing her like that, Ichika felt that it was better not to dwelve too deep into it.

  “Mn, well. It’s not that I need to understand, but where should we hide—”

  Ichika continued to stare at Cecilia.

  That serious look scared Cecilia.

  (Do, do I look weird somewhere…? Do, don’t tell me that my hair got messy when I ran away…?)

  “Your outfit.”

  “Eh?”

  “It’s too eye-catching. See, everyone’s looking at you. They’re probably thinking ‘what sort of ojou-sama is that’.”

  On hearing these words, Cecilia looked at her clothing.

  Though her attire of the summer dress didn’t feel out of place, the quality, the design, they all looked really high class.

  Not to mention, it would be worth more than 1 million yen.

  “You just need to change clothes.”

  “But I, I don’t have any clothes to change to now.”

  Hm~ Ichika folded his arms to think of a solution, and suddenly clapped his hands.

  “Let’s go buy some.”

  “Eh?”

  “It’s near the shopping district here. How about it?”

  Ah. Saying till there, Ichika suddenly panicked as he rummaged through his wallet.

  And his face went white after seeing the contents.

  “So, sorry…I’m a little shorthanded…”

  “No, there’s no need for that! I’ll pay for it myself! I’m Cecilia Alcott, the English cadet and head of the Alcott family, you know?”

  ‘’I brought my credit cards!’’ After saying that, she pulled them out. There was practically an unlimited amount of them, and she even had the unlimited black card, one of the less than 10 cards in the world.

  On a side note, such card could even buy mansions worth billions or theme parks. However, without either the fingerprint identification, the cornea identification, the pulse identification, the voice identification and signature identification, it couldn’t be used. It was really an amazing thing.

  “Well, Cecilia, I don't think there’s a shop that accepts that card.”

  “Eh? Why?”

  “We’re just going to a normal clothing shop.”