"Hey, have you ever peeped into a women's bath before?"
This sudden question made Natsume who had been lying on the bed sit up with a start, staring incredulously at Roku kneeling on the sofa.
Natsume had planned to rest a bit before taking a bath and going to bed hungry, since he was currently penniless... But now Roku's words had thoroughly woken him up.
'What on earth is this degenerate thinking?'
Natsume stroked his chin with one hand, studying Roku for a moment before asking, "You... you're not actually a guy, are you?"
"Are you stupid?" She denied it.
But it wasn't impossible. After all, this girl had previously urged him to go 'seduce' Lelouch and make C.C.'s emotions fluctuate.
Thinking about it, even she did somehow get flustered and blushed, it wouldn't be from shyness but from shock and anger.
He'd definitely get killed. Maybe even face the Code Geass-style bad ending... That is, chopped to bits...
"Hey," Roku leaned in with a grin, nudging Natsume's shoulder, "Back in your world, you were just a shut-in otaku, right? Never had any experience with girls? Sooo, why not go peeping? We're both perverts anyway~"
"Just because you admit you're a pervert doesn't mean you can drag me into it!" He shoved her away and flopped back into bed only to sit up again, "Hey Roku, if we're going to peep, who's the target?"
Roku lightened up and giggled, "Ehehe~ as expected of the guy I chose. A true pervert through and through. You should spread your degeneracy across this world. Actually, why not conquer the world with perversion?!"
"Conquer my ass! Answer the question properly you creep."
"Well, duh," Roku puffed out her nonexistent chest and declared loudly, "The current Viceroy and Deputy Viceroy of Area 11, the two princesses of Britannia, of course!"
Natsume gave up, "I'm going to wash up and go to sleep."
"Hey! That was too quick... you gave up way too fast!!" The degenerate cried out.
"Not quick enough! Infact, how does my speed even factor in to this?!"
"If you're too fast, Zhang Yan will cry."
"Who the hell is Zhang Yan?!" Natsume asked in annoyance.
"Isn't he your close buddy?"
"Enough without your nonsense." Cutting off this nonsense, Natsume headed to the bathroom.
Though he only had one change of clothes, at least there was a yukata in the room. He could wear that after bathing while his clothes dried overnight.
But there was one problem... Roku followed him.
At the bathroom door, Natsume placed a hand on the doorknob, then turned to glare at her, "Oi, pervert. Why are you tailing me?"
"Don't call me that! Though I don't mind..."
"I'm going to take a bath, so scram. Ever heard of
'modesty'? Decency?!"
Roku tilted her head, pointing at the towel draped over her shoulder, "As your assistant, I'm responsible for everything about you; changing clothes, fighting, bathing, bromances, and more bromances."
"Oi, what's with the last two?!"
"Never mind that. Let me scrub your back."
Sighing, Natsume removed his hand from the doorknob. In dating sims, the best way to deal with this type of character was reverse psychology.
Applying that here, there was only one option.
Natsume stepped up to Roku and suddenly grabbed her hand, making her freeze, "Hey, let's get married." He said.
"Eek! P-Pervert!"
He was attacked...
Roku's elbow strike hit Natsume's stomach, sending him flying through the bathroom's glass door and crashing into the empty bathtub.
'Pervert Girl Discovery #1: Her embarrassment triggers are different from normal peopleʼs...'
Straightening his clothes, Natsume stood and waved it off, "Jeez... that was a joke. Seriously, your sense of shame is completely messed up."
"Some jokes are okay. Some aren't." Roku's face was bright red as she buried herself under the blankets on the bed.
Seeing that she was upset, Natsume shrugged and walked over. He already had a plan to cheer her up.
Taking a deep breath, he poked the blanket and said, "Reporting to the General, our troops are ready to depart for peeping operations..."
"OKAY!" She folded immediately.
'Pervert Girl Discovery #2: Anything
perverted = instant energy recharge...'
"Listen," Roku pointed at herself, "I love anything fun, whether it's yuri or bromances. So Natsume, you just need to shoot for Zhang Yan's—"
"Stop using that joke already!"
....
Stepping outside, aside from the moonlight, there were military searchlights and a temporary command tower, their bright white lights stark against the night sky.
Since they were near the military district, these structures were to be expected.
In this Area 11, due to the activities of the Japan Liberation Front (JLF), Britannia couldn't sit idly by. To suppress them, they had implemented a rather violent policy, making rebellion a natural response.
Dressed in a Britannian military uniform (the distinctive attire of a Private First Class) Natsume stood out even in the darkness.
'With this insignia and identity, I should be able to enter the military district, right?'
Thinking this, Natsume headed for the district's entrance.
Earlier, he had considered going to school, but he wasn't fond of such institutions, so he gave up on the idea.
At the entrance, two soldiers stood guard with rifles. Spotting Natsume approaching, they gave him odd looks.
Admittedly, Suzaku Kururugi's identity was a bit complicated.
To Japan, he was the traitor who had assassinated Prime Minister Kururugi Genbu (to stop the war)...
To Britannia, he was just an Honorary Britannian with the rank of a first class Private. But after being exceptionally assigned as the test pilot for the seventh-generation Knightmare Frame, the Lancelot, and achieving victory in the Shinjuku Ghetto suppression operation, his status had changed slightly.
If he succeeded in the upcoming Battle of Narita, he would likely be promoted to Warrant Officer.
That would fit the original storyline, assuming Natsume didn't plan to betray them that day.
In this world, in this era, the 'hero' (Zero) would emerge to change the world, while the 'demon' (Lelouch) would seek to destroy it.
But now, an outsider with knowledge of the future had joined the story. Natsume believed he could make a difference.
As he reached the gate, the guards saw his uniform and didn't stop him, merely letting him pass with bored expressions.
Looking back, he confirmed Roku had already 'disappeared'. It seemed her existence couldn't be detected by others.
'Alright, now to find the way to the women's bath...'
Though if he got caught, Guilford, Knight of the Second Princess Cornelia, would definitely kill him...
'I have to be careful...'
Ahead was an open path. Aside from tanks parked on either side, there were patrol soldiers.
To Natsume's right, a brightly lit building towered in the night... The Area 11 Administration Bureau...
Seeing this, he remembered that the Special Corps had already been expelled from the bureau by Cornelia and was now in a lab at the university across from Ashford Academy.
None of that mattered. Natsume shook his head. As long as he remained a first class Private, he had access here.
Just then, Roku reappeared... She was now wearing the same military uniform as Natsume and walking alongside him.
She started, "Hehe, good evening. Fufu~ Smell that? The scent of maidens!"
Impressed, Natsume asked, "Your nose is that sharp?"
"Of course. Over there, can you feel it? A girl's body soaking in the open-air bath. Ahh..."
"You're bleeding from your nose." Natsume deadpanned.
"My apologies." Wiping her nose, Roku cheerfully led the way.
The peeping operation had officially begun...
At the end of the path, three military vehicles and a Knightmare Frame were parked, likely Guilford's personal Gloucester.
Seeing this, Natsume waved dismissively, "I guess this is as far as we go. Even if we want to peep, we can't get past this wall."
"Hmph! No obstacle can stop the pursuit of culture! To achieve my noble goal, I shall unleash my secret technique!"
"How is peeping noble?! I want to peep too, but we can't get past this."
"Don't worry. As I said, I have a secret move." Roku suddenly hugged Natsume and whispered in his ear, "Now we just walk over slowly. Stealth mode: Activate!"
"You had this the whole time?! Why didn't you use it earlier?!"
"I forgot." She flatly admitted.
"Did you forget you're flat-chested too?"
"Say that again and I'll let go." She warned.
"Sorry." He apologized.
'No way am I fighting Guilford today...'
The two successfully bypassed the defenses and canceled stealth mode after turning a corner.
"Won't thermal detection spot us?" Natsume asked.
"No worries. I'm invincible... I'm basically your cheat code."
"Then show me a magic trick where all your clothes disappear."
"Sure— NOT! Are you a pervert?!"
"What do you think?"
"Calling someone an idiot makes you the idiot, you idiot!"
"That sentence alone proves your IQ, Roku-san~"
"How mean!"
Their banter ended at the door, where a sign above read: «Royal Family Bathing Area - STRICTLY AUTHORIZED PERSONNEL »
This was the place.
Exchanging glances, they quietly slipped inside.
Perhaps because it was assumed no outsiders would come here, there were no guards. The two easily reached a fork in the path.
Left for men, right for women.
Straightening his posture, Natsume adjusted his uniform with an air of dignity and pointed right, "Forward, to the New World."
"That's the guy I chose!" Roku said beaming.
"But is it really okay to barge in like this? If we get caught, Kururugi Suzaku's image will be ruined." Natsume pointed out.
"It was ruined the moment you replaced him."
"Wanna fight?"
"Bring it on." When Natsume taunted her, Roku assumed a perfect stance.
'If I go for a surprise boob grab now, it'd be legendary...'
Of course, that was a joke.
Natsume spread his hands and pointed to the men's bath, "Actually, I'd rather take a bath first, then go peeping."
"No no no, your principles are all wrong! Are you crazy, Natsume?!"
"No. Think about it... shouldn't peepers bathe first as a form of etiquette? We must uphold the manners of peeping."
"Natsume, are you actually a perverted gentleman–" Just as Roku was mid-sentence, a gunshot rang out.
A bullet tore through the women's bath curtain and struck an empty locker beside Natsume.
"Who goes there?! Trespassing here alone warrants execution! Death to the insolent!"
With that, a figure wrapped in a bathrobe emerged from the women's bath.
Cornelia aimed her gun at the stunned Natsume.
But before she could get a clear look, Roku threw herself over Natsume, shielding his face.
"What?! Engaging in such acts here! State your unit and commanding officer!" Cornelia demanded.
"Intruders?" Euphemia poked her head out, looking worriedly at the scene.
"Natsume, time to run!"
"No kidding! Total failure!"
With that, Natsume scooped up Roku and bolted for the exit.
"Y-You! Where are you touching?!"
"It's just a little grope, no big deal!"
"Ah! I-I'm gonna get pregnant!"
"From this?!"
The moment they stepped outside, Guilford's Knightmare Frame charged straight at them.
"Roku!" Natsume signaled.
"On it! Stealth mode activated— just kidding! Uh, I forgot to mention that I can do it only once per day. Ehehe."
"Oh, I see. Well then... YOU IDIOT!"
Using Roku to shield his face, Natsume ran toward the large garden while carrying her.
Their adventure had ended here.
And now, their escape had begun...
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Euphemia li Britannia...