Chapter 150 – The Queen Has an Idea
<span style="font-weight:400">Days after the strange weather phenomenon of dark, swirling clouds appeared above Tsukiji, we still hadn''t found a single clue as to what it was. I ordered every subus living in the neighboring cities to keep an active eye out, but not so much as a single trace of Tamamo''s whereabouts had been unearthed yet. Now, after an entire weekend of restless searching, Monday hade. Mio and I were due back to school to face the music.
<span style="font-weight:400">That being the entire school and public knowing that subus exists.
<span style="font-weight:400">"I dunno what the big deal is. So that cat''s outta the bag. That just makes fucking whoever we want easier," Mio said, shrugging as she scarfed down a bowl of cereal from across the kitchen table to me.
<span style="font-weight:400">"Mio, no vulgarity at the dinner table. It''s bad manners," Hatsumi scolded her.
<span style="font-weight:400">My sister cooked me an omelet, but I had zero appetite gazing at her wonderful cooking. Too full of anxiety to eat anything.
<span style="font-weight:400">"My bad~ Still getting used to these new rules." Mio rolled her eyes.
<span style="font-weight:400">Hatsumi sat down next to me and sighed. No longer a subus, she was back to her usual self, house reeking of lust and being the domestic housewife-sister she always wanted to be.
<span style="font-weight:400">After returning the de of the First Temptress to me, Hatsumi lost the ability to drain sexual energy directly from the sword. She would have eventually starved out of the principle of not wanting to be intimate with other people, so transforming her back was the only option.
<span style="font-weight:400">We were one less greater subus down, but it had to be done unless we wanted to risk Hatsumi frenzying. At which point, that would mean having an evil yokai and powerful subus on the loose.
<span style="font-weight:400">One side effect to Hatsumi bing human again was that she was trying to control her lingering desires to a manageable state. So Mio and I had to keep our own horniness in check for her sanity''s sake.
<span style="font-weight:400">"Any word on our parents, sis?" I asked.
<span style="font-weight:400">"Nothing…" Hatsumi shook her head. "I''m honestly worried. What if they haven''t called because they''re on their way home? That''s thest thing I want. Our life up until now has been so peaceful, too. But now, with everyone knowing that subi exists…"
<span style="font-weight:400">Mio wolfed down her bowl and belched out loud.
<span style="font-weight:400">"Wish we could do something, but we can''t anymore. It''s too out there in the open, and no amount of charming folks is gonna set ''em back to factory settings. Reminds me of the time during the war, me and a couple of ss charmed an entire regiment of light elves to think we were one of them. It was working! Up until we got too horny and started having orgies in the middle of the night, then theirmander realized what we were because no respectable light elf fucks before marriage."
<span style="font-weight:400">Hatsumi and I simply stared at Mio.
<span style="font-weight:400">"What? Oh, right. No horny. Sorry!" she apologized, then went to fill her bowl with more cereal.
<span style="font-weight:400">I put a hand on top of Hatsumi''s. I felt the trembling of over twenty years of trying to live up to our parents'' expectations, failing, and having to raise me in their ce. All that I was and currently am, I owe to Hatsumi.
<span style="font-weight:400">"If they really areing home, then boy do I have a lot to say to them. <i><span style="font-weight:400">We</i><span style="font-weight:400"> have a lot to say to them," I offered her a reassuring smile.
<span style="font-weight:400">After breakfast, Mio and I headed straight for school, but as we were walking along the usual route there, some people began looking our way.
<span style="font-weight:400">"Excuse me!" An older man who looked to be on his way to work ran up to us. "You''re the subus from the video, right?"
<span style="font-weight:400">"Uh, I—"
<span style="font-weight:400">Before I could get a word in, a young woman intercepted us.
<span style="font-weight:400">"C-Can I get a moment to talk to you?"
<span style="font-weight:400">Most people were minding their own business. However, fellow students from Tsukiji whom we used to walk side by side to school with were gathering in mass.
<span style="font-weight:400">"If they know we''re subus, we might as well fly, right?" Mio suggested, leaping into the air.
<span style="font-weight:400">The act drew a bunch of eyes and made things worse, attracting more attention to us than before. Now students were racing over to try and hit on us.
<span style="font-weight:400">"Great." I sighed, then sprouted my wings to fly away from the crowds.
<span style="font-weight:400">"Saeko, Mio! Wait!" they shouted to our backs.
<span style="font-weight:400">"We''re just trying to get to school!" I yelled.
<span style="font-weight:400">It wasn''t any better <i><span style="font-weight:400">at</i><span style="font-weight:400"> school. Arger group of students was waiting at the gate like they were expecting to run into us. The instant they saw us, they started hollering and moring to get our attention.
<span style="font-weight:400">"The window!" I pointed.
<span style="font-weight:400">We flew up to the window and identally startled Rika, who was watering potted nts along the sill. Rubbing her eyes, she unlocked and opened the window.
<span style="font-weight:400">"Saeko? Mio? What are you two doing flying up here?" Rika asked, but quickly noticed the stampeding students. "Oh. That''s why."
<span style="font-weight:400">Inside our ss, which was currently only partially upied by the punctual students with their jaws dropped, provided a momentary respite since they didn''t seem as interested in what we were.
<span style="font-weight:400">Suddenly, bursting through the door, an artbook in one hand and drawing pencil in the other, was Kaede. Breathing heavily and covered in sweat, she marched into our ss to confront me and Mio.
<span style="font-weight:400">"Hey, Kaede… I can exin—"
<span style="font-weight:400">"I can''t believe you two are subus! That''s the coolest thing in the world!" Kaede eximed.
<span style="font-weight:400">"Eh?" I was at a loss for words.
<span style="font-weight:400">She let the stuff in her hands drop and grabbed both of mine. "During our school trip, remember? I thought there was something off! After you saved me from falling down the cliff. I knew there was no way we could have survived. That''s why I started imagining you as a subus, and it turned out to be true! If this is really you, I want to draw it— yes! That obscene body, perfect for my doujins!"
<span style="font-weight:400">"So <i><span style="font-weight:400">that''s</i><span style="font-weight:400"> why you drew me as a subus?! And… I''m sorry, Kaede. I didn''t mean to hide this from you or anyone. It''s just that I wanted to keep this part of my life a secret," I exined.
<span style="font-weight:400">"Don''t be sorry! It''s thanks to you that I found the courage to break up with my boyfriend. You and Mio gave me so much inspiration to do what I love. I also received a letter that my debut manga is going to be featured in a popr magazine, too! I''m really d to have met you!"
<span style="font-weight:400">Mio put an arm around mine and Kaede''s shoulders.
<span style="font-weight:400">"See? Good fortunes can still happen!"
<span style="font-weight:400">After Kaede''s artwork got soaked from her misfortune of falling into the river, I thought I wouldn''t be able to look her in the eyes anymore. Now here she was, one of my friends, thanking me.
<span style="font-weight:400">It was easy to forget that, even though so much had gone wrong, there was just as much that had gone right. Like Kaede getting her manga being one step closer to being serialized. If that wasn''t good fortune, then—
<span style="font-weight:400">Wait…
<span style="font-weight:400">Good fortune.
<span style="font-weight:400">If we''re to defeat Tamamo, then we need tobat her misfortune with good fortune. She thrived on despair, on making people miserable. It was where she drew strength from.
<span style="font-weight:400">Both doors of the room slid open again, filled to the brim with students who were at the threshold to the ssroom. I thought we were going to get mobbed again until a shiver ran up my spine. The sound of a single set of heavy footfalls stomped their way down the hallway. Everyone outside abruptly nced down where they hade.
<span style="font-weight:400">"Get. To. ss!" a threatening voice boomed.
<span style="font-weight:400">"It''s Prez! Run!"
<span style="font-weight:400">They made a run for it in every direction, some entering the room to quickly take a seat and freezing up when Hitomi showed up at the door. A temple bulged on the side of her head.
<span style="font-weight:400">"Saeko, Mio. Your subus identity bing public knowledge has been a real headache." She sighed.
<span style="font-weight:400">"S-Sorry…" Mio and I said at once.
<span style="font-weight:400">"Thank you, Hitomi. I''ll take it from here." Sensei entered as Hitomi and Kaede left. The homeroom teacher whom I had known since my first year at Tsukiji High, walked to the front of ss and turned to us. "Would you and Mio like to reintroduce yourselves?"
<span style="font-weight:400">"Probably for the best…" I quietly mumbled, steeling myself for the worst.
<span style="font-weight:400">As we lugged our feet to the front, everyone''s eyes were searching for more than just answers. It was so quiet, I could hear the beating hearts. Standing in front of the ssroom was like the first day of the first school year all over again, where everyone was a stranger to me, and I was a stranger to everyone.
<span style="font-weight:400">However, Kana and Rika were also in ss. Both of them knew our true identities already. The smiles they gave were reassuring and calmed my nerves.
<span style="font-weight:400">"Everything you''ve seen and heard is true. I, Saeko Ito, am a subus. No, I haven''t always been like this," I said
<span style="font-weight:400">The ss erupted with surprised gasps.
<span style="font-weight:400">"And no, I don''t n on fulfilling your subus fantasies."
<span style="font-weight:400">The boys in the ss erupted in disappointed sighs.
<span style="font-weight:400">"But she might." I thumbed over to Mio.
<span style="font-weight:400">Then they erupted into cheers.
<span style="font-weight:400">"Since we''re being honest, I like S&M y, pegging, and being the dominatrix. Hope we can continue to get along." Mio grinned.
<span style="font-weight:400">One male student almost leapt out of his seat, arms primed to shoot up in cheers, but seeing the others around him ufortably tugging on their uniform cors and clearing their throats, he sat back down.
<span style="font-weight:400">"I hope we can continue the rest of the school year normally as ssmates," I added solemnly.
<span style="font-weight:400">A couple of students suddenly raised their hands, but our homeroom teacher shut them down.
<span style="font-weight:400">"No, they''re not taking questions," Sensei began. "I''m just as surprised as everyone else by Saeko and Mio, but let''s all be respectful of them, and of <i><span style="font-weight:400">me</i><span style="font-weight:400">, who has to get through today''s lessons even though the entire school''s probably more interested in subus being real. So save your excitement for lunch and afterschool."
<span style="font-weight:400">"Sorry, sensei," I whispered.
<span style="font-weight:400">"Don''t worry, Saeko. As long as you''re not using some subus magic to get good grades, we won''t have a problem. Even if you did, I''m not paid enough to care," he half-jokingly said.
<span style="font-weight:400">Thankfully, the ss behaved well enough tost until lunch as expected. As soon as the bell rang, everyone leapt out of their seats to strike the iron while it was hot.
<span style="font-weight:400">"Saeko, you''re really a subus!"
<span style="font-weight:400">"Please be my girlfriend. PLEASE!"
<span style="font-weight:400">These were among the manyments thrown my and Mio''s way when they crowded our desks. I knew this was going to happen. Even students from other sses dropped by to see. If they hadn''t stewed on this revtion for the past few days after we were first discovered, it probably would have been worse.
<span style="font-weight:400">However…
<span style="font-weight:400">"Guys… I''d like to get off my desk… " I tried to raise my voice to no sess and was only assailed by mostly sexualments.
<span style="font-weight:400">Finally, I hit my breaking point when I couldn''t hear myself think anymore, so I leapt out of my seat and everyone backed away a step. That same fear they had of me when I lost control of my emotionsst time was written all over their faces.
<span style="font-weight:400">I nced past some of the boys'' shoulders to find Kana quietly eating in his seat, avoiding attention. An idea hatched in my mind to get at least all the male students off my back.
<span style="font-weight:400">"There''s one more thing I need to confess," I began to the countless gulps and burning stares. "I''m already in a rtionship."
<span style="font-weight:400">Everyone gasped so hard some of them might have swallowed their tongues.
<span style="font-weight:400">Off to the side, I heard Kana choke on his sandwich and turned to look at me. He was violently shaking his head, half choking on a mouthful and drawing a hand gesture across his neck.
<span style="font-weight:400">Sorry, Kana. But I really needed them off my back.
<span style="font-weight:400">"Mio is not actually my cousin. She''s my girlfriend," I confessed.
<span style="font-weight:400">Kana breathed a sigh of relief.
<span style="font-weight:400">"We''re also in a rtionship with Kana," I added.
<span style="font-weight:400">Every single head turned directly to Kana, and all the boys red with blood in their eyes.
<span style="font-weight:400">"KANA, YOU BASTARD!"
<span style="font-weight:400">"HOW DARE YOU BE SO LUCKY!"
<span style="font-weight:400">Kana went wide-eyed with shock and terror. As it became his turn to be swarmed for answers, Mio and I seized this opportunity to slink out of the ssroom to head to the infirmary.
<span style="font-weight:400">"You looking for Yumi and them, right? I''m gonna go find Hhan. Gotta talk to her about something," Mio said.
<span style="font-weight:400">"About you being a subus?" I asked.
<span style="font-weight:400">Smiling, she scoffed. "Nah. Hhan already knows. One of the first humans I told a while ago."
<span style="font-weight:400">Mio sprinted away without exining any further. I figured I could just ask her about itter.
<span style="font-weight:400">I paused as soon as I opened the door.
<span style="font-weight:400">"Yo, guys! What''s gi?" Hana waved from the desk normally upied by Naruse.
<span style="font-weight:400">The pink-haired helion was in her full subus form, not even in school uniform at school. She was in the middle of tinkering with a sybian machine.
<span style="font-weight:400">"What are you doing here? Where''s Naruse or Yumi?" I asked.
<span style="font-weight:400">"Dunno about Naruse, but Yumi''s out expanding the search for Tamamo all the way to Okayama. Shit''s getting hairy. We''re all getting the heebie-jeebies from the swirling butthole in the sky," Hana said.
<span style="font-weight:400">"Oh, god… Please, don''t refer to that thing in the sky as a butthole… I can''t get the image out of my head now."
<span style="font-weight:400">Hana turned on the sybian machine, causing it to vibrate like crazy. However, something sparked and sputtered which made it stoppletely. Disappointed, she put the machine away somewhere under the desk.
<span style="font-weight:400">"Saeko… I just wanted to say, I''m sorry," Hana said as genuinely as possible that I thought I had misheard.
<span style="font-weight:400">"Come to think of it, this is the first time I ever heard such a sincere apology from you. Is there a punchline waiting at the end of this?" I joked.
<span style="font-weight:400">"Hey,e on! I''m trying to be serious here! This disaster is only because I told Bea about your world. I know I''m the reason Kana got possessed, your god-husband grounded, and pooping outta the butthole!" She pointed out the window behind her.
<span style="font-weight:400">I rolled my eyes and sat down across the desk.
<span style="font-weight:400">"You''re trying to be serious, and thest word out of your mouth is ''butthole''? If we''re looking for someone to me, we can all point to the demon lord. At the end of the day, I also made choices that I regret. What''s important is that you''re helping set things right, Hana. Besides, in a way, I have you to thank for finding earth. Otherwise, Mio wouldn''t havee and changed me into a subus. We were all able to meet <i><span style="font-weight:400">because</i><span style="font-weight:400"> of you!"
<span style="font-weight:400">Hana, who had her face buried in both hands, peeked out between her fingers. That sad look, worn away by my words, shed with the slight curve of a troublesome and happy grin. She suddenly leapt onto the desk, fists on her waist and t chest puffed out.
<span style="font-weight:400">"Heh. Well, if you put it that way, I guess I really don''t have anything to be sorry for!" Hana nodded to herself.
<span style="font-weight:400">"Okay, you''re not out of the water just yet…"
<span style="font-weight:400">"Yeah, yeah. I know." She jumped off andnded gingerly on her feet, knocking off a couple of papers from the desk. "So, whatcha needed Yumi for? Bet I can help!"
<span style="font-weight:400">Hana was technically the undisputed, oldest subus among us. Even though she wasn''t of greater status, she possessed the strength of one. Come to think of it, I always confided in the others before I did her. Taking the appearance of an elementary school student didn''t exactly inspire confidence with regards to age and wisdom.
<span style="font-weight:400">"I was thinking we were going about fighting Tamamo all wrong. Subus aren''t really fighters. We''re supposed to take more creative approaches to tackling a problem, right?" I asked, recalling the story Mio told me and Hatsumi during breakfast.
<span style="font-weight:400">"Sure." Hana nodded. "Going down with fisticuffs didn''t really work out against that foxydy. You got something else in mind?"
<span style="font-weight:400">"Tamamo gets stronger the more misfortune there is. We should be countering the only way we subus know how— by having sex with people. To a lot of lonely bastards out there, sex might as well be scoring the lottery. It should weaken her enough that we can fight her on even footing, then Kanaes in to deal the final blow."
<span style="font-weight:400">"Ooooh! I getcha. Your world already knows we''re real, so we might as well use that to our advantage. What say we call in the cavalry?" she said, reaching the same conclusion as I did.
<span style="font-weight:400">Bring more subus into the world. That was how we were going to fight back against Tamamo and yokai.
<span style="font-weight:400">Hana left school to inform other subi of my ns. Meanwhile, I was left ruminating on just how crazy this idea was. Bringing a horde of subus into this world? Exactly what Beatrice did. However, unlike her, I intended to protect my world.
<span style="font-weight:400">As I left the infirmary, someone was racing down the hall towards me.
<span style="font-weight:400">"Saeko!" Kameshiro shouted to me from down the hallway.
<span style="font-weight:400">"Oh, boy…"
<span style="font-weight:400">I made a full 180 to go the other way.
<span style="font-weight:400">"Wait!" He sprinted ahead to block my way, panting as he skidded to a stop.
<span style="font-weight:400">Folding my arms, I waited until he caught his breath to continue.
<span style="font-weight:400">"What do you want? I''m busy, you know?" I said.
<span style="font-weight:400">"Just hear me out! We''re all gonna graduate soon, and I just wanted to apologize for all those times I got on your nerves. From the bottom of my heart, I''m <i><span style="font-weight:400">really</i><span style="font-weight:400"> sorry! Before the year ends for us, I was just hoping to get that off my chest. We got off on the wrong start, so it''d be nice if we can get along."
<span style="font-weight:400">"Sure. We can try to be friends," I offered. "But that still doesn''t mean I''m going to have sex with you."
<span style="font-weight:400">"WHY?!" Kameshiro cried.
<span style="font-weight:400">Bingo. I had a feeling it was never about being friends. He just wanted to get into my pants after learning that I was a subus. In fact, that''s all he had been doing since I became a girl.
<span style="font-weight:400">"I don''t care. I''ll be as pathetic as I need to. I want to have sex with you so bad!" Kameshiro dropped to his knees and scraped his forehead against the floor.
<span style="font-weight:400">"Sorry, not interested."
<span style="font-weight:400">As I was about to walk away, I noticed a ghostly spirit attached to the top of his head that wasn''t there before. It wriggled like a worm trying to burrow out of the ground, but in Kameshiro''s case, his head.
<span style="font-weight:400">A yokai? I couldn''t be sure, but there was only one way to find out.
<span style="font-weight:400">"You know what? I changed my mind," I said.
<span style="font-weight:400">Kameshiro lifted his head, filling with hope.
<span style="font-weight:400">"R-Really?" he asked.
<span style="font-weight:400">I let my human form drop to show him my true subus appearance.
<span style="font-weight:400">"The infirmary''s empty right now, so why don''t we take a step inside?"