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>>3050851
“But more on this later, for now, I would just like to enjoy the stars.” The Captain exhaled, sitting back into his armchair as he gazed upon the clear night sky. “Kurokawa, head back to the hall and finish your meal.”

“Captain, are you sure you’re good alone?”
“The opioids are finally kicking in. I’ll be fine.” The Captain turned and gave me a playful smirk, before returning to a more serious demeanor. “Remember, what we discussed here is strictly between the two of us.”

“Understood. Have a good night, sir.”
I saluted him before leaving the man alone as ordered.

“Where’s Suwabe-dono?”
Those were the first words that greeted me as I returned from the balcony. Considering the overwhelming information that just flooded into my mind earlier, I could not be happier that it was my two friends who were waiting for me at the end of this staircase.
“He wanted some privacy on the balcony.” I told Satoru, turning around for one last glance at the viewing platform. “ He’s alright for now, I guess.”

“Did he say anything?” Yanagi inquired curiously with a concerned look.
“Well…”

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>>3050855
“This is strictly between the two of us.”
The Captain’s words rang in my head as I searched for an answer. With the nature of our conversation earlier, I cannot share information with anyone, even with the two of them.

“He’s worried about our actions attracting unwanted attention from foreign powers with influence over this part of the world.” I decided to withhold details and answered with a half-truth.
“Understandable.” Satoru nodded in agreement. “I'm sure all the big players would want their hands on the Yamato once the word gets out. Our actions back in Kure must’ve made international headlines.”
“That...that’s a bit worrying.” Yanagi tensed up while she watched our exchange.

“Certainly. but there’s nothing we could do about it for now.” I walked aside my two friends with a shrug and waved at them to come down the stairs and head back to the banquet hall. “It’s better for us to enjoy while we can.”

As my foot landed on the first-floor corridor, however, I found myself greeted by the all too familiar voice-

“Subaru-kun!” The Valkyria emerged from the opposite direction in her lily white yukata. As expected, her immediate next course of action was to lock me into a tight, inescapable bear hug. “Where have you been? Is the Captain okay?”

“Ma...Margaret-san?”
Slowly, I felt my body being lifted off the ground amidst her tight embrace. Margaret’s approach has always been rather aggressive, but the magnitude and force this time was much greater than what she normally exerted. She held on so tight even the mundane action of holding my head up to look at her in the face proved to be difficult.

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>>3050862
“Miss Denisov, could you move over a little, please?”
And once again, Akane rescued me from another one of these tight spots.
“Ah, I’m sorry, Akasaka-san.” Margaret lets go and stepped to the side, freeing up ample space for Akane to pass through while carrying a visibly drunk person on her shoulder…is that Mori?

“I’m not drunk! I’m naaaaaaattttt…”
Only an absolutely shitfaced individual would deliver such a denial and in such a specific fashion. Osamura Mori draped over Akane’s back like a trophy from a hunting session, his yukata as skewed as his mind at the moment. The man had so much to drink that he was barely capable of forming a sentence, let alone walk on his own.
“Now, now, darling, I know you’re fine as you are” Akane whispered seductively into the poor drunk’s ear, softly running her free hand over the scientist’s slightly drenched cheek. “But wouldn’t you like to spend the rest of the evening with me… in private?“

“Oh Rissssseee… hic.”

Invigorated by ‘Rise’s invitation, Mori tried to bring his face closer to his female companion’s for a kiss, only to almost trip over in the process.

Shaking her head, Akane immediately reverted back to her normal self as she pulled Mori’s stumbling body back, preventing him from falling over clumsily.
“Yeah, these things happen.” She made a sour face and tugged the intoxicated researcher away.
Well...I'm surprised she’s still putting up the gig.

“Let me give you a hand.” Having caught up to my steps, Satoru offered the burdened Akane with some much-needed help, one she gladly accepted without a second’s thought
“Thanks.” She handed over the near-unconscious man. “We’ll take him back to his room, I’ll lead the way.”
With one swing, Satoru lifted Osamura over his shoulder. He made a gesture for Akane to go forth before turning back to address me with a sly grin.
“I’ll see you later.”

Ah, I see… he was just finding any excuse to get away from a maelstrom, one that I’m primed to face.

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>>3050865
“Subaru.” Yanagi decided to cut in, arms crossed and eyes fixated on Margaret. “Didn’t we plan to do something earlier?”
Wait a minute, when did that happen?
“Are the two of you going somewhere?” Margaret questioned innocently, still clinging to my arm like it was a purse. “May I come as well?”

Yanagi’s brows twitched ever so slightly.

>"I... I don't remember there was something like that."
>Have Margaret tag along
>Leave the scene with Yanagi
>Stay around with Margaret, there are some matters that need to be addressed/probed.
>Write in.

>>3050865
>Leave the scene with Yanagi

>>3050871
>"I... I don't remember there was something like that."

>>3050871
>Stay around with Margaret, there are some matters that need to be addressed/probed.

>>3050871
>Stay around with Margaret, there are some matters that need to be addressed/probed

>>3050871
>Have Margaret tag along

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>>3050943
>>3051946
“Ah yes, go there first, Yanagi. I’ll catch up later.” I told my friend, much to her disappointment.
But really, what exactly was this ‘something’ the two of us were supposed to do? I never remembered Yanagi telling me anything about it.
“Fine, take your time.” She responded in a rather discontent tone, then blitzed past us with a tight strut, not even sparing us a second glance.

“Is she okay?” Margaret looked over, concerned by how things turned out. “If it’s something urgent, we can save this for later.”
“She’ll be fine,” I remarked, still trying to figure out my friend’s intentions. While I probably should have gone with Yanagi, there were matters that really need to be addressed at this moment.

“Margaret-san, has your brother given any orders for us in this operation?”
Asking her about the treasure directly was not feasible by any means. If she knew about the secret, she won’t be revealing anything, and if she didn’t, she would know about it by then.
“I will power the Yamato, while Kurokawa-kun and the others sail it to our destination.” Her answer came immediately, almost as if it was rehearsed.

It was an answer, but not to the question that I was trying to ask.
“Did he give us any specific orders to fulfill along the way?”
“Um…” She trailed off, unsure of what to say. “Brother Konstantin hasn’t notified me of any new ones yet.”

“New ones?”
“Brother usually sends me messages of our next destination and objectives each time we complete our current ones.” She answered, pondering while placing a finger under her chin. “The previous one was seizing this battleship and reaching Formosa. Why ask?”
“Curiosity, I guess.” I muttered, carefully treading my words to not raise suspicions. “Your brother saved our lives and practically masterminded this whole operation, yet we barely heard from him nor know what he wants to achieve.”

“That’s just how Brother Konstantin works.” The Valkyrur smiled warmly at the mention of her beloved family member.
“Unlike me, Brother was cursed with a frail body from birth, and therefore has to rely on his wits alone to take on the challenges of the world.”
I am not quite familiar with the current Denisov head, but a poor health does probably explain why he conducts most deals through a proxy. The practice likely stuck with him even after his health got better.
“Please be rest assured, Brother Konstantin knows exactly what he is doing!” Margaret reassured me with a confident smile. “His plans have always worked, after all.”

Except, that was exactly what I feared all along.

>What if he ordered, say, for you to do something against your will?
>How do you keep in touch with each other?
>Do you receive messages besides ones related to the operation?
>Write in

>>3052654
>How do you keep in touch with each other?

>>3052654
>How do you keep in touch with each other?
>Also what if he ordered you to take the battleship somewhere we didn't want too?

>>3052654
>How do you keep in touch with each other?
So the Valkyria's actual role is a kill switch to eliminate us once the Empire deems our crew expendable? If that's the case we should find ways to intercept those messages before its relayed to her.

>>3052654
Supporting >>3052757

>>3052850
It's the usual case of the antagonist exploiting their Valkyrur for his own gains while conditioning her to be slavishly loyal to him.
It wouldn't be far fetched that Margaret was an 'adopted' family member and not actually related to her brother by blood.

>>3052654
>What if he ordered, say, for you to do something against your will?

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>>3052724
>>3052757
>>3052850
>>3053004
“How do you two keep in contact?”
“Through high-frequency radio broadcast.” Much to my surprise, the Valkyria gave me the information without any additional effort. “It was a system specially designed for extremely long-distance transmission. I can receive the broadcast even when sailing on the Yamato.”
“I see, so… it’s possible to talk to him then?”
Margaret crossed her arms and furrowed her brows as if she came across a hard question. “Unfortunately, the unit I have is only a receiver. However, whenever we reached our destinations, I will send a telegraph message to my brother.”

She opened her eyes, beaming with enthusiasm again.
“But if Subaru-kun has any questions, I can send a message on your behalf!”
Inquiring these matters directly with the furtive Konstantin? While I am somewhat tempted to give it a try, I’m not so sure if the replies I received would be truthful or entirely fabricated. Moreover, there is the question with where Margaret’s loyalty lies.

“What if our planned course of actions conflict with your brother’s plan?”
“Why would that be?” Margaret tilted her head, puzzled by my question. “Brother Konstantin will inform us of the next destination. Unless you mean… a sudden change of course? That might happen depending on enemy activity on the way, but the overall objectives should stay the same.”

That was an answer, but not to the question I was trying to ask.
“And if his objectives are not aligned with our best interests?”
“Don’t worry, Subaru-kun, that won’t happen.” She gently caressed me from behind. “Brother wouldn’t do that. It’s not his style!”

If my understanding of a traditional family from the Empire was anything to go by, she was no doubt subject to her brother’s authority as the family patriarch.
Yet my interactions with Margaret has made apparent that her fondness for him goes beyond the respect for his status, to the point of holding him in higher regards than their father. While I know little of Margaret’s interactions with her family, Konstantin appeared to have earned her wholehearted admiration, and by extent her unconditional trust.

In other words, if her brother orders her to eliminate us, she would more likely than not carry out the order without a second thought. As terrifying as that may be, it also shed doubt over another character of hers which I could not get my mind around.

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>>3055872
“One last thing, Margaret. About your… amicable approach.” I tried to sound as not as blunt as possible. “Has it something to do with your brother’s wishes as well?”
“Of course!” The Valkyria answered with a nod, without a second of hesitation. “Brother has always said to keep your friends close!”
Despite Margaret’s light-hearted tone and warm embrace over my shoulders, her words only sent shivers down my spine. I find it alarming that her brother would use such idiom for a motto while intentionally omitting the latter part.
“I’m not quite sure how friends are made, so I looked to Sister Vione for inspiration. She was more adept at handling people than Brother.”

And now it was her sister. Considering how Margaret’s upbringing limited her social interactions to little more than her immediate family members and little else, that was probably the only person she could’ve turned to.

“She once said: ‘Treat your comrades as you would your family, and they will stand by you even in the darkest hour’” Margaret continued, lightly swaying from side to side. “So I took that to heart!”
The answer I received made me equally confused as worried. Margaret’s whole image could be little more than a facade put up just for the sake of her mission, but her attitude said otherwise. It may as well also be another veneer to hide her true intentions, yet at the same time, her actions all felt… genuine.

“Margaret-san, you sure do have a loving family,” I concluded.
What could I say, the more I try exploring this rabbit hole known as the Denisov Family, the more I find myself staring at an even deeper road into the abyss.
If that wasn’t bad enough, this same abyss may end up devouring me one day.

“Subaru-kun, we can pay them a visit one day!” The Valkyria whistled happily, oblivious to how her family actually looks from the standpoint of an outsider.
Yeah, that might be one invitation I’m likely to turn down.

With a short farewell, Margaret and I went our separate ways for the night. Dinner had long since passed, the dining hall all but cleared of people and food. Luckily enough, I never had the spare appetite anyway, not after what transpired in the last hour and a half.

>See what Tewi was up to, haven’t seen her since dinner started
>Find Yanagi, she obviously had something in her mind when she left earlier
>Take the rest of the night off by properly relaxing in a secret, secluded onsen a bit farther away from the inn.

>>3055872
Whelp, Fucking rip that then. Gotta tell the Old man I guess.


>Find Yanagi, she obviously had something in her mind when she left earlier

>>3055883
>Find Yanagi, she obviously had something in her mind when she left earlier

>>3055883
>Take the rest of the night off by properly relaxing in a secret, secluded onsen a bit farther away from the inn.
It's late, better finish up the shore leave with something that's actually relaxing.

>>3055888
To be fair, the Valkyria waifu almost always comes with the full package of shitty boss/guardian/crown prince. The difference here is that Konstantin is still helping us out for now.
Gotta watch out for Igor though.

>>3055883
>Take the rest of the night off by properly relaxing in a secret, secluded onsen a bit farther away from the inn.

>>3055883
>See what Tewi was up to, haven’t seen her since dinner started

>>3055883
>Take the rest of the night off by properly relaxing in a secret, secluded onsen a bit farther away from the inn.

>>3055883
See what Tewi was up to, haven’t seen her since dinner started

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Standing in the hall, I finally had the chance to reminisce on all that has transpired today: memories of my father, Captain Suwabe’s conditions, the ‘tamatebako’, and the mysterious abyss that is the Denisov Family...
The influx of information I received this single day has way exceeded my expectations, leaving my mind a muddied puddle and my body about as fatigued as going through full days of combat.

Thankfully, there was a perfect remedy for that.

This onsen inn, unbeknownst to many, possessed a medium, secluded onsen some yards away from the inn and into the forests up the mountain. This was the “Forest Spring”, originally made for customers who desired a closer kinship with nature. Its secretive location, along with the distance one has to travel in order to reach the spring, unfortunately, did not make it among the inn’s more popular choices.

Careful not to become the center of attention again, I from the side door, then proceeded to hike up the hill. Hiking up a rather old road, I delved deeper and deeper into the forest.

The deep summer night of Formosa’s forests was brought to life by an orchestra of frogs and crickets singing their love songs. Though the moon was not visible today, my road was lit up by another species of small animal, also participating in this grand theater of the mating season.
Formosan fireflies illuminated the deep forests with their own unique glow. When the moon was not around, they were the ones to provide guidance through the dark. However, their appearance also signified something else.

“There you are.” I murmured under my breath at the sight of a faint trail of rising steam, giving my destination a clear marking. This small, secluded bathhouse had the appearance of a cottage in the middle of a vibrant wilderness. Seemingly constructed entirely from bamboo, it blended effortlessly into the flavored scenery.

The inner workings were just as quaint as I remembered it to be. The bamboo-walled changing room definitely wasn’t as large or detailed as the one in the inn but was still nevertheless well maintained throughout the years. Each of the “bamboo lockers” formed into unique honeycombed shape, adding to the one unique design this place had.

Undressing, I headed towards the showering area, which was just as, if not, more simple than the dressing room. With just a couple of stone stools each corresponding to their supposed shower, this part of the cottage was completely out in the open, right next to the onsen.

And now, with everything prepared and no one to disturb me this time, I could finally enjoy the solitary onsen trip that I so longed for…

“...Ha!”
Was… was that someone’s voice?
“Ah!”
It came again, the sound much clearer than before…
Looks like I’m not the only one here after all

>Investigate, that voice sounded oddly familiar
>Ignore, it’s possible to enjoy the moment despite such turn of events
>Leave, it might be better to come back later

>>3059392

>Investigate, that voice sounded oddly familiar

>>3059392
>Investigate, that voice sounded oddly familiar
Must be our sister then

>>3059392
>Investigate, that voice sounded oddly familiar
This can only end in embarrasment

>>3059392
>Investigate, that voice sounded oddly familiar

>>3059392
>Ignore, it’s possible to enjoy the moment despite such turn of events

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I wasn’t a big fan of events popping out of nowhere and potentially spoiling my day, but at this point, I found myself slowly becoming desensitized by these interruptions. It was probably for the better too, considering what potentially lies beyond.

Besides, that voice sounded oddly familiar.
Out of curiosity, I decided to investigate its source. I took a small towel from the pile and wrapped it around my waist, then stepped into the steaming pool. This pool was about the same size as the main bath of the inn, with a major difference: the latter was constructed to mimic a natural environment, whereas this pool was built directly on a natural hydrothermal deposit, coincidentally crossing paths with a nearby stream.

The combination meant the bath was as natural as it can get: a pool of perfectly temperate onsen amidst large chunks of volcanic rock dotted underneath the heated water. The downside of minimal modification, however, was the uneven flooring, with certain surfaces being more slippery than the others from the onsen’s corrosive nature. Its high temperature, mixed with the cool, crisp air of an early Spring night created a thick steam which blanketed the whole bath and its surroundings.

Unfortunately, a combination of this and the general poor visibility made any rash movement a safety hazard. On the other hand, the thick steam also made moving about undetected possible, which was all that mattered here.
Trekking carefully within the hot pool, I focused on pinpointing the noise’s exact location. With each step I took, the sound became more pronounced, and gradually, I found myself listening to its more detailed contents.

The dominant voice was by no doubt feminine and fairly high-pitched. But curiously did not have a rhyme to the sound, alternating sporadically between muffled squeals and soft grunts. Considering how morally bankrupt sneaking up on a bathing female is, I decide it would be best to keep my distance and attempt to solve the mystery without getting any closer.

Eventually, I managed to pinpoint the source of this strange voice, and by scanning the area spotted a silhouette behind a nearby rock.
Imitating an ambushing crocodile, I soaked myself shoulder deep into the steaming waters while taking cover behind another rock, a vantage point to observe the point of interest. While I could only see so much from the thick steam, I could at least make out the general form of the person in question. Her figure was no doubt feminine, with slender limbs, narrow shoulders, curvy body and a stature shorter than myself, assuming she’s standing. Instead of using the rock as a backrest, however, she was facing directly towards it, her arms extended forward, and her whole body leaning onto the rugged crag.

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>>3061562
My first thought was someone who might be having an upset stomach, perhaps had a little too much to drink or simply spent too much time in a hot bath. Being presumably the only one around, such an incident would warrant a call for help.

Yet right before I did so, I notice some form of support wrapping around her waist. Upon closer inspection, she appeared to be bobbing slightly up and down in a rhythmic motion.

Wait, the soft grunts, the motion, and the implications…
No. Noooo, that can’t be right. She couldn’t possibly be-

“Aaanh“

A sudden breeze following the incredibly sensual moan immediately confirmed that ‘couldn’t possibly be’ in my mind. The steam cleared for a brief moment, revealing the full frontal view of the curvy, fair-skinned young lady with an arm wrapped around her waist…
Akane?
Yes, she was none other than Akane Akasaka, right in the middle of a passionate lovemaking session with who I can only assume is her ‘lover’ sitting right behind the rock at a position I cannot directly see.

For a split second, I felt that our eyes crossed, before the steam once again blurred the line of sight. The shock from first time witnessing such… sight in close proximity aside, I can feel the blood rushing into my head with a mixture of excitement, awkwardness, and utter disbelief.

My head was instantly filled with a million questions about the scene right before me.
Why is she here?
How did she know about this place?
How far is she taking this ‘gig’ with Osamura? Could she be serious?
Is this was what she meant by ‘spending time in private’ earlier?
Doing such things in a quasi-public location like a bath?
The more I thought about it, the less sense it made.

While part of me has the primal intrigue to stay behind and further observe, the more sound part of my head has called for immediate evacuation. Ultimately, I decided to side with the latter and leave the two of them alone before the situation became even more complicated, and try to forget about what I’ve witnessed-

“Aha! Looks like no one’s here!”

As if this wasn't enough, I was suddenly alerted by the energetic outburst of a voice I could never mistake, coming from the direction of the changing room - the only way in and out of this place.
Why oh why, dear sister, must you intrude in such an inconvenient turn of events!?

>Call out to Tewi and surrender yourself
>Try to make a run for it and leave asap
>Try to get around her with the cover of the steam
>Hide behind one of the large rocks and wait for a better chance

>>3061569
>Hide behind one of the large rocks and wait for a better chance

MAYDAY MADAY

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>>3061569
>Hide behind one of the large rocks and wait for a better chance
ABANDON SHIP

>>3061569
Hiding will only cause her to find us. It's as if you never watched anime.
>Try to sneakily climb over the wall and escape

How the hell did Tewi miss our clothes though?
How the hell did we miss Akane's, for that matter?

>>3061569
>Call out to Tewi and surrender yourself

Why are we panicking? She's our sister, not some stranger.

>>3061569
>Call out to Tewi and surrender yourself

>>3061569
>Call out to Tewi and surrender yourself
>>3061767
>>3061636
It's more likely that she brought company along. I wouldn't say surrender as opposed to just notifying her that we're here first. Scenes like these always end up with the MC caught one way or the other so might as well do it in the most non-damaging way.

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“Um… I don’t think we’re the only ones here." Another lower pitched, a more skeptical voice chimed in, signaling the fact that Tewi was most likely the one who gave away our little secret.
As frustrating as it may be, this was not the time to complain about her revealing a secret that we never agreed on being a secret in the first place. I should probably make my presence known before the situation escalated beyond what I could possibly handle.

“Tewi! It’s me, Subaru! I’m in here!” I called out towards the general direction where the entrance would be, which by now was heavily obscured by a thick veneer of steam.

“Eh? Subaru-kun is here as well?”
“So much for that.”
“Maybe we should come a bit late… Tewi-chan where are you going?”
There were at least 3 different voices that emerged from the changing room, all of which were oddly familiar, but still heavily obscured due to a distinct echo.

Eventually, however, one familiar figure emerged from the obscuring fog covering the pool.
“Subaru? Well, ain’t this quite the coincidence!”
My sister was perched onto one of the large, rounded rocks by the onsen’s edge, glaring down on me like some sort of menacing apex predator asserting dominance over a smaller carnivore. The same beanbag shotgun swung over her right shoulder, further enhancing Tewi’s intimidation attempt.
“Hey Subaru, did you have an exhilarating session of hot, steamy B-A-T-H?”

If that’s how she wants to play, then I am the older sibling here, not to mention that I came here before she did. With potentially more people around watching our exchange, I won’t back down that easily.
“I got here first,” I spoke, sinking down until only half of my head was above the surface.

The two of us traded nothing but stares in an awkward moment of silence. Seeing my sister in nothing but a wrapped towel on her torso and head wasn’t anything new or embarrassing, considering we both got used to seeing each other like this when going on this kind of trips. Speaking of which...
“You do know that this is a mixed bath right?”
“What, you wanna soak in with your little sister?” She tilted her head in confusion “Dear Lord, how old are you, Nii-san?”

“About ten years older than the last time we did this together.” I retorted, raising my shoulder above water level. Not that I’m against enjoying the onsen together with my family, just not with… what I witnessed earlier still fresh in my mind.

“Well, the way I see it, there’s four of us and you alone. Also, I have my shotgun.” She deliberately pumped the forestock of her trusty sidearm to get her point across. “I’m sure you can find the courtesy to offer the onsen to the ladies, dear brother?”
“What is this, a highway robbery?” I protested, only to have my sister put on a more serious mood.
“No, I'm doing what you can't do,” she jumped in and whispered at my ear. “Diplomacy.”

>>3065233
>Diplomacy? What did you mean by that
>Who else did you bring along?
>That doesn't mean you can just go off revealing family secrets like this!
>So are those two here part of your group too?
>Write in

>>3065233
>Diplomacy? What did you mean by that
>Because so far it looks exactly like a robbery.

We need to stand our ground. If they go inside they'll find Akane, which will not only be embarrassing for her, it will also raise questions about us.

>>3065236
>Diplomacy? What did you mean by that

>>3065236
>>3065273
>So far it looks exactly like a robbery.
>Who else did you bring along?

>>3065236
>Who else did you bring along?

>>3065236
>Diplomacy? What did you mean by that
>So are those two here part of your group too?

>>3065236
>Diplomacy? What did you mean by that

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“Diplomacy? How in the world is this diplomacy?”
I retort in disbelief. If anything, this whole incident feels just like some ploy to evict me without good reason.
“I’m trying to entertain a VIP,” She grabbed me by the shoulder and stared straight into my eyes, “and you’re not helping by being here.”

“VIP?”
“Ack, I’ll explain later, but you need to get out- wait, you’re not butt naked, are you?”
“Fortunately not,” I said, standing up and out of the water to reveal the towel around my waist. In response, she untied the towel wrapped her hair and handed it to me.
“Here, cover your eyes with this, and I will lead you out of here.” She said, switching to a softer tone. “You wouldn’t want your sister to look bad, would you?”

I allowed her question to hang there for a second while I listened closely to any movements that might come from those two other ‘guests’ I bumped into earlier.
…
…
Silence.
The groans earlier ceased, along with the ripples that would have come from that side of the pool. Though I have no idea of the whereabouts of those two, I’ve at least bought them enough time find a spot to hide.
“Nii-san? Come on, I haven’t got all day.”
“Why? Isn’t this a mixed bath?” I shifted my focus back to my sister and protested, not wanting to be treated like some convict on death row. “Can’t I just walk out with some digni…”
“Wrong answer.” She loaded up that menacing beanbag shotgun. “Now stop bitching and take it. Don’t make me shoot you.”

“You’re going to shoot your brother with that?”
“I’m not repeating myself.”
“Fine.” I wrapped the towel over the top half of my head. “Just this once.”
I firmly clenched the towel wrapped around my waist with one hand and stepped out from the thick steam, with my sister holding me by my other free arm. I was then given this excruciatingly awkward escort out of this isolated bathhouse, showered with voices I recognize right along the way.

“Subaru-kun!”
That overly amicable, heavily accented voice could only belong to Margaret, and I suppose she’s the only one here who did not flash me any hateful glares as I walked past.
“Isn’t he joining us?” The Valkyria asked, most likely puzzled by the scene unfolding in front of her.
“My brother just finished his bath, and just so happen to be leaving,” Tewi replied in an equally cheerful tone.

“Are you sure?” Hibari’s voice chimed in, brandishing attitude can only be described as a large spike of ice. “Looks like he just got caught for being a creep. So much for being of good character.”
I almost opened my mouth to protest, only to be pinched by Tewi on the arm, followed by a strong tug as we accelerated our pace.

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>>3070588
As we walked a bit further, I distinctly heard the sound of someone taking two steps back and out of our way. While it was impossible for me to tell who this was, it must be the third person accompanying my sister, and more likely than not someone both her and I know.

Soon, I felt the floor under my feet change, from the cold, wet stone floor of the bath to the bamboo tatami of the changing room.

“Alright, you can take that off now.”
“Oka---”
The first thing that greeted me as I took off those blindfolds was none other than the sliding door behind me shutting with a slam, and all my clothes neatly folded and placed in a basket within an arm’s reach.
I was back in the changing room again, forcibly evicted by my own sister, of all people. And to be judged for nothing just because I got here first? That’s just-
I let out a defeated sigh and decided to quit going about this matter any further.

While I can hardly call this an ideal way to end the night, I at the very least evaded the worst possible scenario of getting caught butt naked amongst a group of bathing girls.
Though, just what the hell did I see back there? What Akane was doing there was clear, but at the same time, unbelievably surreal.

I purged these thoughts circling my mind with a quick slap on my cheeks. From the awkward date in the morning to the revelation in the evening, and now this… I think I’ve had enough for today. Right now, all I want is a good night’s sleep to leave this all behind...

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Okay, so I suppose this is a good place to end this part of the story.
However, we still have some time for a little interlude!

>Onsen, diplomacy, and girl's talk
>The Perfidious Edinburgh steps in
>Trouble in the East Indies
>Fuxiang in Formosa

>>3070619

>Onsen, diplomacy, and girl's talk

>>3070619
>The Perfidious Edinburgh steps in
Wouldn't it be the Atlantic Federation as a whole?

>>3070619
>Onsen, diplomacy, and girl's talk
I want to know who the VIP is, and whether our sister will correct Hibari.

>>3070619
>Onsen, diplomacy, and girl's talk

>>3070619
>Fuxiang in Formosa

>>3070619

>Onsen, diplomacy, and girl's talk

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>>3070641
>>3071358
>>3071146
>>3076273
Shutting the sliding door to the changing room behind her, Tewi Kurokawa returned bright and confident to her companions after forcing her own sibling out of the space.

“Alright, now that's out of the way, feel free to make yourselves at home!”
In one swift motion, the younger Kurokawa took off the towel wrapped around her body and quickly tossed it aside. “Don’t forget to shower first!”

“Ah, of course!”
Margaret happily followed, stripping away the rest of her modesty as well. Hibari naturally did the same, leaving her towel on the side as she joined the other two and occupying one of the shower stands.

“Saya, come along!” Tewi waved at the only person present who has yet to join- a young, slim girl around her age and height, with waist length dark colored hair. Tewi’s invitation, though warm and amicable, did not shake the bashfulness of the final member of the group, still reluctant to make an approach.
“Who is she?” Hibari whispered, doubtful over the newcomer. Unlike the often times overly friendly Valkyria, the pilot was far more cautious when it came to first impressions.
Tewi turned to her with a smile. “A friend,” She replied as she took the girl by the hand and led her to the showers, bringing her to join the group.

“Allow me to introduce Saya Shinjou,” The younger Kurokawa announced, nudging her shy friend into the ring. “She’s a friend I made during my stay here. She’s quite shy, so please go easy on her. Say hi!”
The only action Saya could muster up was a weak handwave, of which the Margaret and Hibari responded likewise, albeit with a varying degree of affability.
“Nice to meet you, Shinjou-san!” Margaret immediately welcomed the newcomer like an old friend, while the sniper did so much more cautiously.
Soon the four began cleaning themselves after Tewi offered the spot beside Margaret to Saya and occupying the shower right beside Hibari.

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>>3080766

“What’s your history with this Island anyway?”
Hibari first breaks the silence in an attempt to steer away from the awkward exchange a short while ago.

“For the longest time, Father was stationed right here in Amekou. Consequently, my brother and I spent a good amount of our childhood here.” Tewi reminisced while washing away the bubbles on her head. “Then I was sent here so to stay out when the tension rose in-”

The conversation was cut short as the two’s attention was diverted away by a sudden, high-pitched “Eek!”.
“Shinjou-san’s hair is really smooth and soft!” Margaret ran her hands appreciatively over Saya’s long, disheveled hair. “You must have taken good care of it!”
“Looks like a nightmare to maintain.” Hibari murmured, watching Saya’s wet hair drag all the way down to her back and thigh. It was almost as if the pilot shared a similar experience at one point in her life.

“Than… Thank you.” Saya blushed, almost unable to form those words under her breath. “I-I’m honored...”
“Denisov-san’s hair looks nice as well,” Tewi chimed in, looking contently at Saya gradually opening up.
“Really? It was always like this as far as I can remember.”
Margaret’s words by themselves were enough for Tewi and Hibari to stare at the Valkyria’s luxuriant, straight silver hair in utter disbelief. It’s reasonable to assume that Margaret’s heritage contributed to certain perks, such as her naturally stunning facial features and flawlessly well-toned body, but having such well kept, silky hair without the need for maintenance wasn’t exactly expected.

“Welp, you won the genetic lottery,” Hibari commented with a half-hearted jab, though such words were only compliments for the Valkyria who took immense pride in her heritage.
“Ah, you don’t look too far from it as well, Koishimuzu-san!”
“Wha-”
Margaret’s sudden compliment caught Hibari completely off guard, her face instantly flushing peach red before even entering the hot springs.

But Margaret’s compliment was not wrong by any means. While having the stature and appearance of a young teen, Hibari’s figure was no less noteworthy than the Valkyria’s. Her hourglass figure, surprisingly plump bosom, and well-rounded buttock, usually hidden by her deliberate choice of clothing, was now in full display, giving off a mature grace even surpassing that of Margaret’s.

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>>3080771
Flustered, Hibari quickly wrapped her hair up in a towel, then rushed towards the onsen.
“Koishimizu-san! May I join you?”
Margaret followed suite, reaching the edge of the pool instantly with her long strides, which left Tewi and Saya the only two still in the showering stalls.

“See, they aren’t bad people.” Tewi shuffled over to Saya’s side. With the two ‘strangers’ away, for the time being, she was able to engage in more a more personal conversation with her friend.
“I… I don’t know...” was the only answer she could muster. While Saya certainly was less tense now compared to herself half an hour ago, yet her mind still cast a shadow of doubt over this band of people went out with.
“We’ll spend more time with them and see, alright?”
Fully determined to get Saya some new friends, Tewi held her hand in one swift motion and directed her right into the onsen to join everyone else.

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>>3080776
“Ahh…” The two were greeted firsthand by the exceedingly rare sight of Hibari relaxing for once. Back against a rock, she allowed herself to soak into the pool just below her neck, letting out a long sigh with her eyes closed to fully enjoy the moment.
“Hmm, the bath seems a bit... shallow?”
In sharp contrast, the water only covered slightly above Margaret’s belly button, leaving her well-built torso and well-endowed chest in the open.

“This place was built with our size in mind, so... Denisov-san, you just might be a bit too tall.”
Tewi chuckled at the contrasting scene before her. “Would you prefer to move closer to the spring?”
“Don’t worry, I’ll make do!” Margaret laid back to submerge the rest of her body into the steaming onsen, her long, flowing hair opened up like a silver lotus as it floated on the surface.

Joining in the bath, Tewi waded into the warm water before guiding Saya through the slippery stone floor.
“This spring isn’t frequented by guests for being isolated out here. This location used to be a little family secret, so I trust the three of you to not tell the others.” She ended it with a smile.
“Of course! It will be our secret now.” Margaret gave her usual jubilant answer, without a second thought.

“Not even to your siblings?” Tewi inquired, noting the same tightly-knit bond the Valkyria had with her own family. Margaret, on the other hand, washed those doubts away immediately with a wry smile.
“Even if I did, I doubt brother Konstantin and sister Vione would have time to spare to visit this place. Both of them are more often than not overwhelmed by work, but always turned down my offer to help.”

No matter how Tewi looked at it, she felt Margaret was not the type to be doing the sort of ‘delicate’ work her siblings may be involved in. Speaking of which…
“Denisov-san, I never heard you talk much about your sister?”
“Sister Vione? She’s away most of the time, ever since I was young.” Margaret closed her eyes while searching for memories with her sister. “But she does write home often, so we keep in touch. She’s in the military, after all.”
“I see…” Tewi muttered. Speaking of siblings, she thought, might as well bring that lil fool into the picture.

“Denisov-san, what do you think of my brother?”
“Hm? Subaru-kun?”
The topic, though mundane and completely expectable, still did manage to pique everyone’s interest. Even the resting Hibari opened an eye and turned around to see where this scenario would take them.

“He’s good person,” She answered with an ernest smile “ Tewi-chan is lucky to have someone such a wonderful brother like him!”
“Anything… else?”
It was a generous, wholesome praise, but Tewi felt something was missing from it. Sure, it was an answer, but there must be more than just that, right?

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>>3080790
“Hmm… what else...” Margaret placed an index finger under her mouth, not quite sure how to answer the question she was presented with.
“She’s asking if you like him.” Hibari jotted in, catching the attention from the other three.
It was a sliver of support, but just enough to push the Valkyria towards the right direction.

“Why, of course, I do! I must say I am quite... thankful for him.”
Her answer, though straightforward and genuine as usual, came as another curious addition.
“Thankful?” Tewi tilted her head in confusion.

“I…It’s a bit embarrassing…” Margaret sat up, placing her right hand on her sizable bust. “But this is actually the first time I left my country, all alone no less.”
“Really!?” All other three couldn’t hide their surprise
If one were to go by the magnitude of Margaret’s mission, it would be hard pressed to believe this was her first time out of the Empire’s borders, but yet.


“Even though brother Konstantin told me everything would be fine, I was… a bit nervous, so to say. ” She continued, “I was unsure whether or not I could work with people and accomplish my mission until I met him for the first time.”
She took a deep breath, then began pouring her hearts out to her companions.
“Ever since I met Subaru-kun, he has been nothing but trusting and hospitable, guiding me through times I felt unsure and kindly lending me his support whenever he could. Despite Papa and brother Konstantin always told me how dangerous the outside world was, and how people always looked to exploit my kind, Subaru-kun proved otherwise.
I’m glad my first friend was someone like Subaru-kun, a warm, gentle person who watches over me...almost like brother Konstantin.”
Margaret concluded softly, with a warm smile on her face and a faint flush on her snow white skin.

The Valkyria’s words were quickly met with a light-hearted whistle from Hibari, and
“Wow, what a lucky bastard.” Tewi chuckled, finally hearing the answer to what she wanted to know. It sounded sincere enough, and from what’s known about her sheltered background, that was nothing short of a declaration of adoration.

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>>3080802
“Oh, what he’d say if he hears...Hm?”
Tewi felt a tuck on the arm by none other than her shy friend Saya, who proceed to whisper a few words into her ear.
“What’s wrong?”
A brief moment of silence befell the girls as Saya overlayed her secret message.

“Ah, silly me!” Tewi slapped herself in the forehead in a comedic fashion. “Saya’s got a curfew to follow!”
“Right, there’s that thing.” Hibari straightened her back, her movement creating a noticeable ripple in the otherwise calm pool.
“Curfew?” On the other hand, Margaret obviously had no idea on the topic.

“This entire island has to follow one since we’re here,” Hibari explained, face grim after being reminded of the inevitable destruction the Khaganate would bring onto the island because of one battleship. “Kurokawa, you need some extra escorts?”

“No worries, I will walk her home.” Tewi politely turned down the offer and got out of the bath, while lending Saya a hand to do the same.
“Ladies, please enjoy the bath all to yourselves!”

“Goodnight, Tewi-chan!” Margaret waved the two goodbyes but stopped right before Saya climbed out of the pool.
“Shinjou-san! I hope we meet again!”
Saya did not say a word but gave the Valkyria a silent nod before heading straight to the changing room.

“So how was it? See, they aren’t bad people.” The younger Kurokawa patted ‘Saya’ on the shoulder while drying herself.
“I- I guess...” ‘Saya’ murmured softly under her breath. She turned back for a glance at the two girls still in the onsen. A hunch told her that the Valkyria wasn’t as simple-minded as she appeared to be. In fact, she was likely aware of her true identity.
“Don’t worry.” Tewi comforted her friend jovially, handing her another towel. “I’ll show you around some more tomorrow. Now, dear princess, shall we head back?"

>>3080829
Building rapport with the princess was a smart move on Tewi's part. We have a good sis.

>>3080771
But please fap before you write.

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And archived:
http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/qstarchive/3050851/

Now that was the longest update I had the pleasure of writing. I hope the next sort of interlude story types won't take that long.

Anyways, thanks for taking the time to follow this little story I crafted all up to this point. As usual, I'll stick around for questions and suggestions/improvements, until the thread inevitably sinks into oblivion

>>3080868
Probably wasn't a good idea to do our revisions all the way to midnight.
It was an especially weird for this part since editor-kun and I was unsure whether or not it should be a serious socializing session or a fanservice scene. Ah well.

>>3080886
You can't just take an anime fanservice scene, describe it in writing and expect it to work. It doesn't work like that.

>>3080915
Dearly noted.
Going through it again I can see why that is the case.

>>3080875
>>3080875
So what's exactly the deal with Margaret?
After the last thread it became increasingly hard to tell if she's genuinely clueless or is this all just an act. Now after this thread seems like everyone has some sort of opaque skeleton in their closet other than our own sister.

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>>3080915
This is editor-kun,

To be completely honest, the preferred choices of ours is either the edinburgh or the east indies option, since we already have clear outlines on how to progress with them and probably won't take that long to write, but focus thought maybe someone would want to know what happens at the scenario and added that option in.

I understand the cringe factor about all scenes with some sort of explicit physical description or scenarios of explicit activities. Having an onsen scene without the type of scenario and descriptions sort of defeats the point of having such item at all .
I think we'll have to decide whether or not to have any of this kind of content, since it's actually more taxing to think on descriptive language for scenes like these than just not having these scenarios at all.
Considering there's another planned scene down the line with similar stuff, I guess we should have that set now

Should we have explicit description/scenarios in this quest?

>>3081464
I mean yes? Its supposed to be based on Valkyria Chronicles right.

>>3081464
Well I don't think that's a big problem. I say it's mainly the tone of that specific part that went off the rails while the other lewd parts were more subtle

>>3081464
Why not? There's nothing inherently wrong with it

3081468
>>3082828
>>3082846
Alright, so it's the tonal shift that is weird. We will keep it more consistent.
There's a second question: at the moment, we have plans to write certain scenes that are outright erotica (if ever lead there). Erotica as in no subtlety and extremely explicit in language (tone limited to those certain scenarios only)

Should that be included, or should we set the limit with the subtle lewds of now?

>>3082903
As long as it doesn't disrupt the flow and has a purpose it's fine.
I'm personally holding out for a certain scene that happens later down this quest. (as someone who has followed this story back on A-kun) Though I'm more than fine if that particular turn of events can be avoided in this iteration.

>>3082903
Sure, there won't be a tonal problem in that case since everything on that one string of posts would be consistent.
Hell, I remember anther QM who ended one of his threads on erotica, and then started the very next thread with one as well.

>>3081464
I'm not against risky descriptions as long as they are pulled of well.

I think in this case all the descriptions of well-rounded buttocks simply broke the fourth wall, since they were described as if the observer was drooling over them, but none of the girls would do that, so the only option would be the audience.

>>3082903
>outright erotica
Please no. Erotic moments can have their place in a plot, but it sounds as if you intend to do outright porn, and that only has place in porn.