[……Haahhh…… Haahhh…… Y- Yuzuki-san.]

  [……Senpai? Are you…… alright?]

  When I called out to her even as my breathing turned rough, Yuzuki-san helped while she gently spoke to me.

  Drops of sweat trickle down her slightly tanned skin, and Yuzuki-san’s large chest bounces.

  Her healthy, well-toned body emphasizes her larger than average breasts and her well-toned buttocks, and combined with Yuzuki-san’s slightly ragged breaths, she looks really stunning.

  [……Sorry…… I’m already…… at my limit……]

  [T- That’s too fast…… A bit more…… Just a bit more…… Please do your best.]

  Heat envelops my body as if my temperature has risen several degrees, and that heat is rushing straight towards me and greatly exhausting my body.

  Biting my lip hard, I willed my trembling body, which seems to be reaching its limit, to move.

  Receiving Yuzuki-san’s words of encouragement, I tried becoming the embodiment of endurance, as I desperately endure the pain on my lower body.

  But even so, I’ve already reached my limit…… my breathing is already ragged, and I feel as if all my strength will disappear if I relax, but it feels as if my body itself is wishing to be released from this suffering.

  [……Senpai…… A bit more…… okay?]

  [……U- Unnn…… I’ll do…… my best.]

  Her flexible fingers touching my body, I could feel encouragement along with her heat transmitting towards me.

  I’m trying to keep my mental strength together as if I’m about to collapse, I mustered the last of my strength……


  [……N- No more…… I- I’m going to die……]

  [We’ve only been running for about 5 kilometers though? As far as I’m concerned, I’d like to go several times over this but……]

  [No, you’re mistaken for asking me something like that…… Ahh, my side hurts……]

  [Fufufu.]

  In contrast to me, who sits down limp and breathing had turned heavy, Yuzuki-san still looks lively.

  I guess this really shows the difference between our habits…… Nghh, it really hurts.

  [A- Anyway, I’ve really become frailer……I feel like I could go a bit further than this……]

  [What with those words that stink like an old man? Besides, you do realize that we still have to get home, right?]

  [……Can’t we just teleport?]

  [That’s no good!]

  The reason why I’m so tired is because I remembered that I haven’t been exercising since I came to this world, which isn’t exactly good for my health, so I thought I’d better get some exercise.

  And since there was Yuzuki-san, who runs every day, so I asked if I could run with her…… but I turned like this.

  No, I feel like I could go for 10 kilometers if I’m just jogging…… But while I try to keep up with Yuzuki-san’s speed, it feels like I’m running in a marathon.

  Well, those people in the track-and-field club are amazing. Her basic endurance is totally different, and even though Yuzuki-san didn’t slow down her face, she seemed to be matching up with me…… It’s quite shameful to be completely outrun by a girl 5 years younger than me.

  Incidentally, Yuzuki-san suggested that we take it slow at first, but my pride as a man did its work and told her that it was okay…… This is why I looked like this now.

  Yuzuki-san isn’t using Body Strengthening Magic. According to her, “If I use that, then running would lose its meaning.”. I guess that’s the fastidiousness of a track-and-field athlete…… I’m using it though……


  I- I guess I’ll forge my body a bit more from now on…… At least until I could properly run……


  [Here, Senpai.]

  [Unnn? Arehh? A honey lemon?]

  [I made it with the ingredients from this world, so that might be called different instead, but the taste and some other stuff were the same.]

  [Thanks.]

  I gratefully accepted the pseudo-honey lemon that Yuzuki-san offered me.

  The sweetness and sourness soak into my tired body and makes me feel like I can still do my best as long as I want to do it…… Even if it’s quite impossible……


  [Arehh? Speaking of which…… Where did you get this from?]

  [Fufufu, you’ve finally noticed huh? Ta-dah!]

  [Whoa, isn’t that a magic box? You’ve also got one, Yuzuki-san!?]

  [Ehehe, Lilia-san gave it to me…… Apparently, it’s because “she has lots of money because of Kaito-san”.]

  Yuzuki-san proudly takes out her magic box.

  Apparently, it was given to her by Lilia-san as a gift because she got lots of money…… but what did she mean when she said it’s because of me? Ahh, I see, it must because of the jewel Isis-san gave her huh……


  Seeing Yuzuki-san talking with a smile on her face is somehow making me feel better.

  [I see, good for you. That must be why you looked so happy the whole time.]

  [Eh? Ah, no, I was happy because…… Senpai came running with me…… You see, it’s more fun to run with someone rather than just running along, right?]

  [I see…… Arehh? Aren’t you running together with Aoi-chan?]

  [As for Aoi-senpai…… She’s more of a high jumper. She doesn’t really go along with me when it comes to long-distance running.]

  Although Yuzuki-san and Aoi-chan are on the same track-and-field club, it seems that they’re participating in different events.

  [Rather than that, Senpai!]

  [Unnn?]

  [What’s with you, how long are you going to call me Yuzuki-san?]

  [……Eh?]

  [Before I knew it, you’ve been calling Aoi-senpai with “Aoi-chan” instead…… In that case, please call me by my name, Hina, too.]

  Suddenly bring her face closer to me, Yuzuki-san asked me to call her by her name.

  It’s true that if I only call other people by their name, she might feel uncomfortable.

  [Errr, then, I will start calling you Hina-chan.]

  [Yes!]

  When I called her by name, Hina-chan nodded with a big smile on her face. I felt like my reflexively slacken seeing her puppy-like appearance.

  Taking a break while chatting with Hina-chan for a while, when I’ve regained my strength, Hina-chan stands up.

  I don’t know if she really enjoys running or not, but she started running while looking behind towards me, saying “Let’s quickly go”……


  [Wait, Hina-chan!? Watch your step!]

  [Eh? Kyaaahhh!?]

  [Hina-chan!?]

  There is no such thing as concrete in this world, and the ground isn’t as clean as it is in Japan.

  The ground underneath Hina-chan’s feet, which she was about to run to, is rising, and when I hurriedly called out to her, it was already too late and she stumbled and fell.

  [Are you okay?]

  [Y- Yes…… Somehow—– Nggh!?]

  [Hina-chan!?]

  [Ah, I’m sorry. I think I twisted my ankle.]

  It seems that Hina-chan twisted her ankle, probably because she fell in a pretty strange position.

  [I- I’m alright. If it’s just this much, I can still walk.]

  [No, no, you shouldn’t push yourself.]

  I hurriedly stopped Hina-chan, whose expression twisted in pain, from standing up even as she had a brave smile on her face.

  H- However, what should I do…… I can’t use any kind of Recovery Magic. But that doesn’t mean I can just let her walk around with twisted feet.

  After thinking about it for a while and not coming up with any particular plan, I squatted down in front of Hina-chan.

  […..Senpai?]

  [Anyway, I’ll be carrying you, so get on.]

  [Eh? B- But……]

  [You shouldn’t walk around with your feet like that.]

  [U- Understood…… Errr, excuse me then.]

  [!? ]

  Hina-chan seemed to be perplexed when I said that I would carry her while squatting down, but after a little while, she laid on my back.

  H- However, this is…… more intense than I imagined.

  Feeling my face slightly blush as I felt the large bulges pressed against my back, I get up and started walking slowly while trying my best to be free from obstructive thoughts.

  [……Senpai……]

  [Just be patient for a bit, when we get back to the mansion, they’ll heal you back to tip-top shape……]

  [No, that’s not it……]

  [Unnn?]

  [……Couldn’t you just use your Teleportation Magic……]

  [……Ahh.]

  I’ve been thinking about this lately…… Could it be that I’m actually an idiot? I think it’s more like my field of vision is getting narrower when I’m shaken, but I feel like my way of thinking has been becoming more rigid.

  [I’m sorry, it slipped out of my mind…… Then, I will start the Tele—– [ Please wait! ] ———-Eh?]

  Hina-chan told me to use my Teleportation Magic Tool but…… for some reason, Hina-chan stopped me.

  [Errr, ummm…… If it’s okay with you, Kaito-senpai…… Can I ask you to carry me like this for a bit longer?]

  [Eh? U- Unnn. I don’t really mind……]

  [……Thank you very much.]

  I feel like it would be better if we get her treated as soon as possible, but if she wants to keep it that way…… I guess I shouldn’t use Teleportation here huh.

  With that in mind, as I start to walk back, Hina-chan is clinging more strongly than before.

  [……Senpai, am I heavy?]

  [No, you’re surprisingly light.]

  Her scent wafts in with her whisper, it was quite strange how girls don’t smell like sweat compared to men, or rather, even their sweat somehow seems to smell nice.

  She really is lighter than I imagined, making me realize once again that who I’m carrying behind my back is a girl.

  [Senpai’s back…… It’s big.]

  [Unnn?]

  [Yes…… I wanted a gentle older brother, just like Kaito-senpai.]

  [Unnn? Isn’t the President kind?]

  Hearing Hina-chan, who for some reason, speaks to me in a relieved tone of voice, I ask her back as I move my feet forward.

  [Not at all. My family is so strict that we don’t even have a chance to hang out with each other.]

  [Hmmm. It’s true that the President seems to be the type of person who would be strict on himself and to others.]

  [It’s quite unbalanced, isn’t it? Both of my parents are very strict, so I feel like I should balance that out and be as kind as to balance it out with my brother……]

  [Ahaha, indeed.]

  Hina-chan, who has been complaining about her family, somehow seems to be having fun and doesn’t seem to dislike them at all.

  So, once again, the strength she’s using to cling to my back becomes stronger, and Hina-chan continues in a somewhat fawning tone.

  [Senpai…… I’m sorry for causing so much trouble.]

  [No, you don’t have to be bothered if it’s only something like this.]

  [……I was really happy to be running together with you…… Will you run with me again?]

  [Of course, I needed to work on my strength a little more after all.]

  [You’re right, you’re not very strong.]

  [Ugghhh……]

  [Fufufu.]

  Hina-chan, who puts her face on my shoulder and happily smiles, feels like a cute little sister I want to protect.

  Firmly carrying Hina-chan behind my back, I felt more strength in each of my steps compared to before.

  [Senpai, isn’t it difficult?]

  [It’s alright, I’m fine if it’s just something like this.]

  [……However, you’d be doing this for 5km, you know?]

  [Ugghhh…….]

  Somehow, it feels like the distance back home is getting absurdly far away when you put it in concrete numbers.

  N- No, It will be alright. It’s just 5 km…… Isn’t that just an hour’s walk away? Let’s do our best, me!

  [……I’m a guy after all. I have to show everyone how cool I am every once in a while.]

  [……What are you talking about…… Senpai has always…… been cool.]

  Feeling Hina-chan’s warmth as she seems relieved while leaning her body on my back, I feel encouraged by her warmth, taking another step forward.

  Dear Mom, Dad——- Hina-chan is always a cheerful and energetic girl, but she also has a more sensitive side than others, making me feel like she’s a girl younger than me. I enjoy spending time with her who gives me her straightforward trust, and somehow, I think that if I had a younger sister—— She would be someone like her.

  **********

  {Author’s Notes}

  It was the template event for the kouhai, piggyback riding.

  Serious-senpai: “……I’m going back to my parent’s house.”


  Next Chapter: “The Baby Dragon’s Return”


  T/N: 34/209