Ch.42 Mahiro's Complaints. Being Thought of as a Crazy New Guy

"Uumu, this is quite... chaotic."

Entering the venue, which could only be described as a den of iniquity, I found myself in... pure chaos ja.

As I said earlier, there are only crazy people here.

However, upon closer inspection, it seemed that their abilities were being carefully controlled, and everyone was having a great time.

Fuumu... strong.

"Oh? Oh, oh! Are you the new patient?"

As I entered the venue and was looking around near the entrance, someone suddenly called out to me.

Looking in that direction, I saw a beautiful girl with long black hair standing there, a woman who could only be described as a quintessential Japanese beauty.

"Umu. Ouka Mahiro ja."

"Shiizaki Mikuto. Nice to meetcha!"

"Likewise, 'tis a pleasure to meet you. ...So, what is going on here noja?"

"Well, it's kind of like a party trick."

"Is that not a bit too far-fetched to be called a party trick?"

"Well, of course, we're using our abilities, after all! Also, um... what should I call you?"

"You can call me Ouka or Mahiro, it matters not. May I call you Mikuto?"

"You're more than welcome! So, I'll call you Mahirto."

"Understood ja."

Looks like I have already made a friend.

I see. She looks like a beautiful girl on the outside, but she's actually a guy on the inside. From the outside, the contrast is quite something. After all, she looks like a refined, traditional Japanese woman, so when she speaks in such a high-energy, masculine tone, 'tis quite something.

Could it be that I, too, have this kind of gap?

"Aight, Mahiro, let's head over there for now! Everyone's been waiting for ya!"

"Seems like it. Well then, let us go."

"Ou! By the way, we've got a newcomer with quite a strong personality. Like a Noja-loli."

"Do not mind this way of speaking. I have been like this since kindergarten."

"That's even stronger."

Fumu. As I suspected, this tone of voice is strange.

Well, at least besides me, old folks are also speaking like this.

"Okay, let's go to the front."

"Umu."

Mikuto goes ahead, and I follow her.

Based on our height difference, we look like a high school student and an elementary school student, so it seems like the younger sister is following in her older sister's footsteps.

However, anyone shorter than me is probably younger than a second-grader in elementary school.

...Well, there are people out there who are taller than their age, so in the worst-case scenario, I might lose to a first-grader.

"O~i, the new guy we've been waiting for is here!"

As Mikuto raised her voice so that everyone around her could hear, the noisy commotion instantly stopped.

Then, the people around me stared intently at me, as if they were appraising me.

...Muu, I an not very good at being the center of attention.

Anyway, I know what they want.

Maybe I should introduce myself.

"Ouka Mahiro ja. I have only recently developed the symptoms, so I would appreciate it if you could teach me a lot of things. I look forward to working with you all."

After my brief self-introduction,

"""OOOOOOOO~~~~~~~~~~~~HHHHHH!"""

Along with exclamations of admiration, applause erupted.

"So this is what it's like to see a new comrade after so long!"

"I see, a noja-loli..."

"This one also seems to have a strong personality."

"I wonder how old she is?"

"Is this one a cute style?"

From what I can see, I seem to be quite well-received.

If I had not been welcomed after all this, it would have been really tough for me.

Anyway, it looks like I will be able to fit in well.

◇◆◇

While being asked various questions by the people who had gathered and developed the symptoms, I wandered around the venue freely and without restraint.

To be honest, 'tis quite a chore to greet everyone, so I am just doing it casually.

"Phew, there are a lot of people with high tension here, huh."

"Well, that's because of the stress buildup."

"Mikuto, was it? Are you not going to join in on the complaining session?"

"Well, you know, it's a senior's duty to teach newcomers various things, right?"

"Fumu. I see. You are a good guy."

"Haha, I get that a lot."

A cheerful laugh and tone of voice that does not match her appearance.

'Tis a strange thing.

"Hey Mikuto-kun! Long time no see!"

"Hey, Toshio. It's been a month."

The one who spoke to Mikuto was a beautiful high school-aged girl with dark eyes and orange hair.

Also, how do I say this, her chest is huge.

Is it about the same size as Mizuki's?

"Mu? Mikuto, who is this guy?"

"Oops, nice to meet you, Ouka Mahiro-kun! I'm Fujima Toshio! A second-year high school student and I'm a doujinshi artist! Nice to meet you!"

"Umu, pleasure to meet you ja. Is it alright if I call you Toshio?"

"OKOK! Then I'll call you Mahiro-kun."

"Umu, I look forward to working with you."

She is quite energetic, but she does not seem like a bad person. In fact, she seems like a fun person.

"Toshio, what happened to the other two?"

"Oh, Shou-chan and Taine-chan? I think they'll be here soon."

"Mu? Are there still two more people?"

"Yeah. Actually, we had another friend who was supposed to come, but she had an urgent matter to attend to today and couldn't make it. Well, she's a busy person, after all."

"Yeah, yeah. Iyo-kun has a lot of work to do. It must be tough, especially since she's still a student."

"A student working? Who is this Iyo person? Is she some kind of idol?"

If she is a student and her job is busy, it does not seem like she is doing a typical part-time job.

In that case, it seems likely that she is working in the entertainment industry.

"Close. She's kind of... almost a celebrity, I guess."

"Hohou."

"She's a bit of a unique person in terms of her abilities. She's an incredibly cute girl, both inside and out, but at the same time, she's incredibly innocent. She has absolutely no knowledge of sex."

"Do such people actually exist?"

""They do.""

"Hohou."

She seems like the complete opposite of me.

I am a little interested now.

"Oh, by the way, here's a picture of that girl."

The photograph she handed me showed a beautiful girl with silver hair and blue eyes, sporting a gentle smile.

She gives off the impression of being kind to everyone.

By the way... Fumu. They are big, huh? Or rather, are they even bigger than Mizuki's?

But……

"Fumu... Silver hair and blue eyes, huh? Quite my type."

I quite like her appearance.

Silver hair is really nice, is it not?

"Oh, Mahiro's interested in Iyo too? This girl's incredibly dense, you know."

"Hou, dense, you say? I do not particularly admit it, but I am often told I am dense."

"Hee~, well, then you two might actually get along surprisingly well."

"How so?"

"Well, when I tell Iyo that she's dense, she says, 'I'm not dense. I'm actually pretty perceptive.'"

...Muu. She is saying the same thing as me.

Fuumu, I am getting more and more curious to meet her.

Perhaps we could become good friends.

"Sorry, sorry I'm late~"

"Sorry, I'm just late."

"Oh, they're here. Mahiro, these two are Shou and Taine, the ones we were talking about earlier."

The two men introduced were a handsome man with a slender, model-like physique, blond hair, and blue eyes, and a beautiful boy with dark brown hair and androgynous features, the kind that might be described as a "trap" (a boy who looks like a girl).

Fuumu. So, it seems that when people contract this disease, they become handsome men and beautiful women.

In fact, everyone in the venue are exceptionally good-looking.

'Tis a strange thing ja.

"Nice to meet you, I'm Koshiba Shou. You can just call me Shou."

"I'm Kawano Taine. You can call me Taine or anything else."

"Ouka Mahiro ja. You can just call me Mahiro. A pleasure to meet you."

Is this what happens when a former woman develops the condition?

To be honest, this is the first time I have seen it.

Well, to begin with, this is the first time I have ever seen anyone other than myself exhibit these symptoms.

"It's interesting that the new person is a noja-loli."

"Yeah. I'd heard that high school students the same age as me would be coming, but I was still really surprised."

Shou and Taine said this, looking at me with interest.

"What ja, you guys are also second-year high school students?"

"That's right. We're all second-year high school students. Although, there are only about nine other high school students here in the venue."

"Mu, is that a small amount?"

"That's a small number. Well, to be precise, it's just that the rest wouldn't come to the gathering, so there are actually a few more people!"

"Is that so? And how many people in Japan have been infected noja? I do not know that much."

From what I can see, there are more than a hundred people in this venue.

There are approximately 1,000 cases worldwide. That number may fluctuate slightly, but it should be around that figure.

However, I do not know the details.

I wonder how many there are in Japan.

"I heard there are 150 people."

"Fumu, that is 15% of the total. Surprisingly a lot."

"Well, this is the country with the highest number of cases in the world, after all! Researchers are saying that it's a mystery."

"I see."

When I asked around, I was told that Canada had the second-highest number of cases, roughly 40 people.

'Tis only a third of Japan's cases, but apparently that is still on the higher side; in fact, Japan is the one that is unusual.

I had assumed that there would be more large countries like the US, Russia, and China... but I guess size matters not?

"Okay, let's stop the serious talk and I'd like to hear your story, Mahiro."

"Mine? But what should I talk about?"

"Well, I'm talking about complaining, complaining."

"Fumu, complaining it is."

Now that she mentioned it, this place is being used a place for complaining.

Well then, I guess I will try complaining too.

"Umu, then let us talk."

To be honest, I do not think they will find my story interesting, but if they want to hear it, I will tell them.

Actually, I want to vent too.

...'Tis like a life where heaven and hell are all mixed together.

◇◆◇

I do not usually complain much, but this time, perhaps because I had let loose, the words just flowed out of me surprisingly easily.

Well, 'tis all just complaints about the current situation... or rather, grievances about my husbands.

"So, you see... I am living a pretty damn tough life, in a way."

I concluded my speech with those words.

Perhaps because I was speaking with such concentration, when I looked around, I noticed that a large number of people—or rather, all the people in this venue who had contracted the illness—were listening intently.

"...Mahiro, is that story for real?"

"'Tis for real ja."

"...Are your husbands men?"

"They are women. All four of them."

"So... that means you got married to four women in about a month after developing the disease?"

"That is how it is. It has been a real pain because of it. All four of them have very strong personalities... Huh? What is wrong? Everyone look stunned..."

"""Nononono! That's way too intense after just one month!"""

"Mu, really? I thought this was pretty normal..."

"""Absolutely not!"""

I got vehemently denied by everyone.

...Apparently, the situation I am in is quite strange.

"Seriously? This new guy is insane."

"...I never imagined she was already married to four women."

"Here! I have a question for Ouka-san!"

"Umu, what is it ja?"

"Are those brides cute?"

"Cute, is it? Yes. They are cute. I do have a photo we all took yesterday, but..."

"Oh, you have photos? Well, try connecting them to that projector over there. You can project them."

"Is that so? Well, I will give it a try."

Searching for related equipment in the surrounding area did indeed bring up an entry for the projector in this room.

I tap it and select the photo I want to display. Then, point it towards the front...

"""I see... a harem of beautiful girls. And it's yuri."""

Everyone said that after seeing the photo.

Fumu, it seems those girls are indeed considered beautiful by the general public.

Well, they are all just plain cute, so that is to be expected ja.

"Mahiro, you're surrounded by so many beautiful girls, what are you complaining about?"

Toshio asked, tilting his head.

The others seemed to agree with that question, nodding in agreement.

So, I let out a sigh and began to explain the reason.

"...Just think about it normally. Now that I am a woman, there is no such thing as a 'sage mode' noja, right? If I am attacked by four girls at once at night, well... you know? And they even hold me down so I cannot escape. If I am attacked continuously in that state, I could easily die. Or rather, 'tis really painful. If you still cannot nderstand that... well, try to imagine it. I know this might sound graphic, but 'tis like having a (Piiiiii) in your private parts, then a (Dogooooon!) and then having a (Zukyuun!) inserted into your (Uryeeee!) and being left like that for a considerable amount of time noja, you see what I mean?"

"""Wow...that would kill you."""

"Right? That is basically it ja. 'Tis unreasonable to expect me not to complain about it ja."

When I said that, everyone present looked at me with incredibly sympathetic eyes.

...I know not why, but I am genuinely happy to receive this sympathy.

Kengo and Yuya also sympathized with me, but sympathy from someone who has undergone the same TS Syndrome really touches the heart...

"Well... what can I say? I'll listen to more of your complaints."

"...Sorry."

As Mikuto patted me on the shoulder and spoke in a gentle voice, I felt like I was about to cry.

This is beginning to feel like I am being comforted and about to cry...

"...But it would not be fair if I was the only one complaining, so let me hear Mikuto and the others' complaints too. You guys must have something to complain about as well, right?"

"Mahiro, you're such a nice guy."

"Not really. 'Tis not good to talk about yourself the whole time, after all. Besides, 'tis boring, is it not?"

(((It's already pretty interesting in many ways...)))

I am somewhat aware that things have gotten pretty crazy, but it would not be fair if I were the only one talking.

In that case, 'tis only natural to listen to their complaints.

"Come on, I'm hungry. Let's grab something to eat and talk."

As he said this with a smile, Mikuto and the others nodded, smiling as if to say, "Oh well, here we go again."

Fuumu, before going in I thought this might be some kind of rogue's den, but it looks like there is nothing to worry about.

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