I was Reincarnated as the Scum Older Brother of the Protagonist in a Romance Battle Game, But I don't want to Die, so I'll do my Best - Episode 27

After finishing the last day of training, as I was returning to my room in the Aru building, Mashiro suddenly stopped in front of me as if she’d just thought of something.

“Joji, dinner’s going to be a bit late. Go change and take a bath first.”

With just that, she scurried back towards the main building.

I was a little curious, but after the same waterfall training, my legs were wobbly. I’d struggled to walk back to my room, waddling all the way.

Though I still felt a significant gap in our abilities, I felt a sense of fulfillment for having tried my best.

Returning to the cottage, I quickly changed and headed to the open-air bath behind the main building…

The large bath was reserved for me again today, and I felt so liberated that I ended up swimming in the tub.

“Kitano-sama… This is a gift from the young lady.”

“!? Kaizuka-san!?”

While I was playing around, doing the breaststroke in the tub, Kaizuka-san stood at the changing room door holding something.

“I’ll leave it here. Please bring the empty container back.”

Kaizuka-san placed a small tray on a rock by the door and then left.

“…What is it?”

On the tray was a cloudy, white drink with a sweet aroma… Amazake.

“Amazake, huh~ Oh, this smells like cherry blossoms… It’s a lovely scent~”

As I soaked in the tub, I brought the steaming hot amazake to my lips, and the scent of cherry blossoms spread through my nose.

“It feels like all my fatigue is just blowing away…”

I enjoyed the last open-air bath at Genbu training ground, savoring the full moon and starry sky.

After my bath, on the way back to my cottage, Kaizuka-san called out to me.

“Dinner will be ready soon. Once you’ve put your belongings away, please come to the main hall.”

“Understood.”

Not wanting to keep them waiting, I quickly got ready and headed to the main hall in the main building.

“Joji, sit there.”

Mashiro, who usually waited for me already seated, was carrying trays for some reason.

“Ah, Mashiro, let me help you too.”

“No, it’s fine. Joji, just sit.”

Mashiro said she didn’t need my help and disappeared into the kitchen with an empty tray in hand.

“What’s going on today? You’re even wearing an apron…”

After waiting for a while, Mashiro returned to the hall with Kaizuka-san, both carrying trays.

“Here, Joji, please.”

Mashiro presented a tray in front of me, so I took one bowl… It had a lid, so I couldn’t see what was inside.

Mashiro placed her own bowl on her tray and sat down, still wearing her apron.

“Okay then, let’s eat.”

“Let’s eat!”

Tonight’s dinner consisted of mushroom rice, eggplant and bamboo shoot tempura, an assortment of pickles, and for soup… wild vegetable clear soup.

I first took a sip of the clear soup… slurp…

“Mmm, delicious… It’s a gentle flavor…”

“Mmm, good.”

Mashiro beside me looked happy. As I wondered, Kaizuka-san said,

“Mashiro-sama herself prepared today’s meal, using the wild vegetables and mushrooms she gathered from the mountain.”

“What!? Mashiro!? That’s amazing!! It’s really delicious!”

I was surprised. To be able to taste the home cooking of Mashiro… my favorite heroine… I was overcome with emotion. The official settings hadn’t mentioned whether Mashiro was good or bad at cooking.

However, she had said something about making the bento she ate when we first met, so it seems her individual characteristics are more deeply explored and refined in this world compared to the Demon City Tokyo 1999 setting.

“Mmm, I made it for you, Joji. Feel free to have seconds.”

Mashiro, a little shy, gave a small V-sign with the hand holding her chopsticks. She was cute in the game, but in this reality, she was even cuter, beyond compare.

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After dinner, I insisted on helping with the cleanup… That night,

Knock, knock, knock♪

A rhythmic knock on the door to my room. I figured it was Mashiro, and opened the door.

“Yo.”

Mashiro greeted me by extending her right index finger to her forehead and pointing it at me. In her left hand, she was holding a bundle.

“What’s up? So late at night.”

“Mmm, well, I brought them all this way and we haven’t played with them yet.”

With that, Mashiro placed the bundle on my bed and took out its contents.

“Mmm, there’s a lot.”

I saw playing cards, UNO, board games, Othello, etc., scattered across the bed.

“So that big luggage was for this~”

“Mmm, I figured Joji would bring manga.”

Mashiro seemed to know me well; she’d seen right through my actions… She seemed laid-back and gentle, but she wasn’t to be underestimated.

“Are we going to play all of these right now!?”

“Mmm, yes, yes, yes, Joji… I won’t let you sleep tonight.”

Mashiro gave a V-sign with a devilish smile, her lips curving upwards.

“No, for a young man and woman, saying that on a bed at night usually means something else!”

“Mmm, stop grumbling, shuffle the cards.”

I was handed a brand new deck of cards. I opened the seal and meticulously shuffled the fresh deck, then asked,

“Mashiro, what do you want to play?”

“Mmm, I don’t know.”

“Huh!? You brought cards and don’t know how to play them!?”

“Mmm, it’s not just cards; I don’t know any of them. Joji, teach me.”

Mashiro’s Ryuseigan eyes sparkled as she leaned towards me, her shoulders shaking with excitement.

“Alright then, how about blackjack… The rules are………………………………………………………..and that’s pretty much it. A spade ace and a spade king, making 21, is the strongest.”

“Hehehe, I’ve learned the rules. I see a path to victory. Easy win.”

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“Gahhhhh…”

“Hey, Mashiro, seriously, let’s play something else! I’m tired of blackjack~”

Mashiro threw her hand, which clearly exceeded 21, onto the bed.

“One more time. I’ll win this time.”

(This girl… She could just use her Ryuseigan to read my mind…)

That night… just as Mashiro had declared, I didn’t get a wink of sleep until morning.