The car slowed to a stop at the side of the road after cresting a gentle slope.

Kyoko, still in the driver's seat, turned to look at me.

“—We’ve arrived. This is Sotei Academy, the school you will be attending.”

“Oh, thanks, Kyoko. So, this is my school…”

I gazed at the scenery outside the car window.

The expansive, well-maintained grounds, and the beautiful school building standing proudly in the center.

This place looked…

Huge. The student population must be massive.

It also seemed like the kind of school that rich kids and elites attended.

The name “Sotei Academy” sounded prestigious.

It was a large and elegant school.

Well, that was just my assumption. A sotei assumption? (Note: Sotei can also mean "suitable" or "appropriate" in Japanese)

I needed to take a closer look.

“Kyoko, I’d like to walk around the school grounds. Is that alright?”

“…Certainly.”

Kyoko’s eyes widened in surprise for a moment, but she quickly composed herself and replied in her usual calm tone.

We parked in a nearby lot and started walking around the perimeter of the school.

“Sorry to make you walk with me, Kyoko. Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.”

“You seem to know your way around here. Do you come here often?”

“…Yes, well. And…”

After a brief pause, she added quietly,

“This is my alma mater.”

“…Your alma mater?!”

I blurted out, surprised by her answer.

If we’d gone to the same school, I could ask her about upcoming events and things to look out for, which might help me avoid doom flags!

Kyoko really was a key person in this world!

But for now, I wanted to talk to her, purely as a person.

“Did you enjoy your time here?”

“Yes. I enjoyed it well enough.”

“I see. So, how do you feel about your current job as a maid?”

At that question, Kyoko fell silent.

“Sorry, that was insensitive of me.”

I decided not to press further.

Although dedicated to her work, she couldn’t hide her true feelings when asked directly.

I admired her honesty.

“You know…”

“?”

As Kyoko tilted her head questioningly, I decided to be honest with her as well.

“I really want to enjoy my time at this school. And I want you to enjoy your work as my maid. So, I’ll do my best.”

“…”

Kyoko’s eyes widened, and her mouth opened slightly…

But she remained silent.

Whether I’d hear the rest of that sentence depended on my efforts from now on.

“Well, it’s getting cold, so let’s head back.”

“…Yes.”

We turned back towards the parking lot.

As we waited at a traffic light next to the school,

“I-I told you, I won’t be yours!”

—A girl’s voice reached my ears.

I looked in the direction of the voice and saw a small crowd gathered a short distance away, just past the crosswalk.

The first thing I noticed was the girl—flaxen hair, translucently white skin, large, expressive eyes, and a slender figure. A breathtakingly beautiful girl.

Her smile would surely be devastating, but… right now, she looked distressed.

She was facing a slim young man with blond hair, a leather jacket, and jeans.

It was a classic scene: a sleazy guy hitting on a cute girl.

But… something felt off.

Because surrounding the blond man… were four other girls.

And they were all cute. He had a harem straight out of a light novel.

He must be basking in the attention, thinking, “Good grief…”

He shouldn’t be having any trouble with girls…

“No, seriously, you’d be better off becoming mine now. I’m a rare male, I’m handsome, I’m rich, I’m kind, and any woman who becomes my wife is guaranteed a good life. Right, girls?”

Even though I couldn’t hear the conversation clearly… the blond guy definitely seemed to be hitting on the girl.

And the girls around him seemed to be agreeing… Did they condone his behavior?

What was going on?

Why was he hitting on another girl when he was already surrounded by women?

I was confused.

But…

“Even if you’re a male, I have the right to refuse. So, I’m rejecting your offer.”

“No, no. The fact that you even have the option to refuse is ridiculous. I, a rare male, am telling you that I like you. You should be overjoyed and accept immediately. You could even cry and thank me.”

“! You men are always like this…”

The girl frowned.

If she was this troubled, I had to do something!

“That girl…!”

Kyoko, standing next to me, also noticed the scene. Her expression was unusually grim, her voice low.

“Let’s go, Kyoko!”

“! Y-Yes.”

As the light turned green, we hurried towards the girl.

“Excuse me, can I interrupt?”

“Huh? What do you want?”

The blond man glared at me, his sharp eyes filled with displeasure.

I wasn’t scared.

I knew what I had to do.

Then, I addressed the girl…

“Big sis!”

Huh? Big sis?

The girl, with a look of relief, turned towards Kyoko next to me and called out.

Ah, I see.

She mistook Kyoko for someone she knew.

It was like those scenes in novels and manga where the protagonist appears and says, “This is my girlfriend,” or “Sorry to keep you waiting.”

But realistically, it was easier for her to approach Kyoko, a woman, than me, a man.

As the girl moved closer to Kyoko, I faced the men—or rather, the man.

“Hitting on a girl when you’re already surrounded by so many cute girls… That’s not right. Shouldn’t you cherish the girls you’re with?”

I spoke slowly and calmly, trying not to provoke him while maintaining a villainous tone.

“…Did he just call us cute…?”

“No way.”

“That’s the first time a man has ever said that to me…”

“I can’t believe a man like that exists…”

The girls around him began murmuring.

I didn't understand what they were saying, but… they were probably annoyed with me for confronting the blond man.

“Y-You…”

The blond man seemed taken aback by my words, but he quickly frowned and retorted.

“I-It’s my right! It’s none of your business, even if you’re a guy!”

“If you have the right to choose, so does she. If she’s saying no, you should back off. Persistence just makes you more repulsive.”

“I-It’s none of your business! We’re men! Why are you sticking up for a woman?!”

This guy clearly wasn’t listening.

He was getting agitated, and his words made no sense. Being a man didn’t make him superior.

This couldn’t possibly be the protagonist of this world…

Well, I would just say what needed to be said.

“It doesn’t matter if you’re a man or a woman, bothering someone is wrong! And being a man doesn’t give you the right to do it!”

“!”

I stepped forward and glared at him.

“If you continue to harass her, I’ll be your opponent. But if you back off now, no one gets hurt. The choice is yours. What will it be?”

“…Tch… Let’s go, girls.”

The blond man grumbled and left with the girls surrounding him.

Phew… that was resolved rather smoothly.

“Th-Thank you, big sis! And…”

The girl, still clinging to Kyoko, thanked her, then looked at me.

Why was she still calling Kyoko “big sis” even though the men were gone?

Just then, Kyoko spoke.

“Thank him properly.”

“Oh, thank you very much!”

“Young Master, I would also like to thank you. Thank you for helping my younger sister.”

“Ah, yes… Younger sister?!”

Kyoko had a younger sister?! News to me!

“Wait… you’re that young master…?”

The girl gasped, staring at me with a wary frown.

Kyoko's younger sister…

It suddenly clicked.

This girl… seemed to dislike me!