Episode 1

I Managed to Bring Down the Entire Family of That Impossible-To-Conquer S-Class Beauty, Completely Filling in Her Outer Moat

――Amagiri China.

Even if countless handsome guys, oil tycoons, and models showed interest, she remained an invincible fortress where nothing ever came to fruition.

Her nickname was “Impenetrable S-Class Beauty.”

Naturally, I lived in a completely different world from her.

I figured I’d graduate high school without ever crossing paths with her.

That’s what I thought…

“Onii chan! Let’s go bug hunting together again today! And guess what?! We’re staying over!”

“Dammit, kid! Dad won’t allow that! He’s staying up all night gaming with me today!”

“You two are so noisy~? Why don’t we just go shopping anyway♪”

“Ahem. I-I thought we had a promise to go night fishing together today…”

“Grandpa, don’t make up promises. Now then, sensei? I’ve written my latest work, so I’d like you to read it.”

Of course, someone like me could never bring down an invincible girl like her.

But not her personally. Her brother, her parents, her grandparents… I had conquer her entire family.

It was the kind of situation Marie Antoinette, transformed into a love monster, might mutter, “If the wall is impenetrable, just climb over the outer moat!”

“Why did this happen…”

Amagiri-san and I murmured that in unison.

Why did it come to this? To understand that, we need to rewind a little…

　　＃　　＃　　＃

“Hey, Nozomu! Since tomorrow’s a holiday, wanna go somewhere?”

At dusk, in the corner of the classroom. I, Watarai Nozomu, was called out to.

The voice belonged to my childhood friend since elementary school, a guy named Koki.

“Sorry! I’ve got stuff to do tomorrow…”

“Oh, okay. What are you doing, by the way?”

“Well… First, insect collecting in the mountains. Then, geological survey & cordyceps digging for a college friend who asked me. After that, I’m going fishing at the river and panning for gold while I’m at it.”

“Wahahaha! That’s so you! The guy who wrote ‘All Things in Nature’ under hobbies on his self-introduction sheet!”

Yeah, it’s no exaggeration to say my hobbies encompass everything that exists in this world.

Thanks to that, every day is so packed with fun I never have a spare moment.

“So, who should I hang out with tomorrow~? Maybe I’ll just go for it and ask China-san!”

“…Don’t do it, Kouki. Comforting you isn’t my hobby.”

“Why assume she’ll reject me?! Don’t you know the saying ‘Go for it and break it’!?”

“It’s assuming you’ll break it!!”

Leaning my cheek on my hand, I shifted my gaze to a spot where people were gathering like insects around a flower.

There, truly like a flower, stood a beautiful girl.

Her hair was as dark and beautiful as the night sky, her eyes a sparkling blue like a clear azure sky. Her radiant smile pierced the heart, and her striking beauty was undeniable.

She was truly an S-class beauty.

“She’s way too cute~… Wonder if she has a boyfriend! What do you think, Nozomu!?”

“Nah, she doesn’t. Just look at her.”

I pointed in her direction with my chin.

“Um… sorry? Dating and stuff like that is impossible for me… I’m sorry!”

“Oh… well… But I won’t give up. I’ll definitely win you over… I mean, make you notice me!”

“Ahaha… I see.”

Apparently, there was a bold soul who had confessed to Amagiri-san right in the classroom.

However, confessing to her at this point makes him not a hero, but a fool.

“Whoa~, even Fumihiko, famous as the handsome protagonist, couldn’t do it. The ‘Invincible S-class beauty’ title isn’t just for show~”

Just as Kouki said, she was Invincible.

From what we heard, the number of confessions she’d received from kindergarten to now exceeded ten thousand, and not a single one had succeeded.

Rumor has it even visiting oil tycoons and super-popular Korean idols have confessed to her.

Normally, you’d dismiss that as “bullshit,” but she has this undeniable aura that makes us think, “Could it be true…?”

(Amagiri-san must be going through hell. Having one-sided feelings forced on her by guys she neither likes nor cares about… I’d be neurotic by now.)

Though she spreads smiles around, we sent admiring glances at her, who’d built an impenetrable fortress with no weak spots.

“Well, I feel like Nozomu’s on a whole different level too~. You dabble in stocks as a hobby, right? You’re thorough with your indoor hobbies too!”

“Having lots of hobbies inevitably costs money. That’s why I got hooked once I started. …Anyway, I’ve got prep for tomorrow, so I’m heading home soon.”

“Alright! Enjoy the mountain!”

“Invite me again sometime. Next time, I’ll make sure to prioritize going with you.”

“Sure thing! See ya~~”

Koki is a good friend. He noticed I had many hobbies but few classmates to hang out with, so he reached out.

Next time, we’ll do something together. Friendships are important, after all.

I headed straight home, walking through the town bathed in sunset light.

――The next day.

I’d made it to the mountain closest to my house.

Bear bell, spray, tick repellent, water, snacks… all good. Alright, let’s start with some insect hunting!!

The season wasn’t quite summer yet; the weather was a bit cool.

But some insects actually prefer this kind of weather. That’s exactly what I was after this time.

You won’t get lost in this mountain unless you go deep into the backcountry, and there are no bears.

But occasionally, kids come to catch bugs and get lost. I’ve been lost myself, so preparation is crucial when heading into the mountains.

“…Huh? Something’s lying here. Illegal dumping?”

After walking along the mountain path, occasionally following animal trails, for several minutes.

I discovered something buried in the fallen leaves that wasn’t a natural object.

“A kid’s backpack? No obvious stains… No way…”

I looked around nervously. If I couldn’t see anything, the next step was to steady my breathing and listen carefully.

Then, from somewhere, I heard a sob: “Hiccup…”

As I walked toward the sound,

“Hyaaaaaaa!? A bear appeared!!”

“Hey, I’m not a bear!? I am human! Okay!?”

“No!”

“Why!?”

Just as I’d expected, there was a child. Looks like an elementary school kid, maybe.

Seems pretty panicked. Gotta calm them down somehow…

“Ah, right! Um, I think… I have it. Ta-da! My popular ‘too realistic and creepy’ insect cookies!!”

“…! I know those. I like them too…”

“They’re realistic, cool, and tasty, right?! Here, then. Let’s eat them together.”

“…Yeah.”

The child took the cookie. I put mine in my mouth first, and then they followed suit.

Their complexion improved somewhat. They seemed calmer.

(Still, this kid has beautiful blue eyes. Their face is pretty too… Huh? Some kind of déjà vu…)

Well, now wasn’t the time to be thinking about that.

For now, protecting this kid who was nearly stranded was the top priority.

—At that moment, I didn’t know.

That my everyday life would change drastically from the day I met this kid, and that I would eventually overcome that seemingly impregnable wall…

Maiasa