kscans

Chapter 178 - Retribution

I had slowed the flow of time the moment we entered the room, so we were free to enjoy ourselves in the pool without a care. I have nothing but gratitude for Dr. Kawasaki, who played along with me as I got carried away reminiscing about my high school days.

"Phew… That was fun. But my desires are far from satisfied. Dr. Kawasaki, I’m going to need you to stick with me a little longer, alright?"

"That’s my Satou-san. Your faithfulness to your desires is a good thing!"

Dr. Kawasaki gave me a thumbs up, affirming my shamelessness. She was, after all, the woman who tried to rampage through the middle of Shibuya in a giant robot. She’s just too dependable.

"What will I wear next? I’m not sure what your pleasure points are, Satou-san, but I’ve started having fun trying on all sorts of clothes myself!"

Dr. Kawasaki laughed as if to say, "Bring it on." I’m glad you’re enjoying yourself too.

"Let’s see. For now, I think I’ll move away from the school-related stuff."

To be honest, I did want her to wear bloomers… oh, fantasy bloomers, you know? But we’d already done a sailor uniform and two types of school swimsuits, all school-themed outfits. If I added another school-themed item right now, it would be a bit much.

What should I do? I went on a shopping spree driven by pure desire, so now I have way too many options… Huh?

Something caught my eye as I was lost in a labyrinth of cosplay. It was a neatly folded kimono. The one Dr. Kawasaki had been wearing originally.

"This one’s up to bat!!"

"Oh? Ooh, so you have this kind of thing too."

Dr. Kawasaki entered the changing room, blinking with curiosity. To be honest, I thought I might get an earful, but it seems she’s not the type to worry about that sort of thing.

I thought she might be a proper young lady from a respectable family, so this could be bad.

She may be a woman with a few screws loose, but she does have a sensible side. I had considered the possibility that her upbringing would kick in and she’d demand to know what this was all about.

Did she see this as a different genre, or is Dr. Kawasaki just that magnanimous?

It’s probably the latter. I’m a lucky man to have befriended such a great woman.

"I’m changed. Are you ready?"

"Yeah!"

"Then behold!!"

An enthusiastic Dr. Kawasaki made her appearance. She was wearing Japanese attire… but of course, it was no ordinary Japanese attire. The biggest difference was… the degree of transparency. It was completely see-through. A sheer material. The first sailor uniform was also see-through, but not this blatant. The hem was short, too. Short enough to see her underwear without her doing anything. I think you can now understand the anxiety I was feeling earlier. If you presented this to someone who normally wears traditional Japanese clothes, you’d be met with an instant explosion of rage. I’m so glad Dr. Kawasaki is a woman of big character.

"If my mother saw a kimono like this, she’d probably get so furious a blood vessel in her head would burst."

Yeah, I figured she’d think that. Dr. Kawasaki might not mind, but for someone who reveres Japanese tradition, this would probably be enough to make them die of rage.

"There’s no limit to a man’s lecherous spirit."

"I mean, if it’s this revealing, wouldn’t it be faster to just take it all off?"

"You don’t get it."

Hmm, a normal explanation won’t do. I’ll use an analogy Dr. Kawasaki can understand.

"You know how some robots have add-on armor, right?"

"? Yes, there are many kinds."

"What if you saw one and someone said, ‘Wow, that’s lame. It looks so fat and pathetic’?"

"If it was a situation where I could kill them without consequence, I would."

As she spoke, Dr. Kawasaki’s eyes were perfectly clear. I can count on one hand the number of people I know who can wield such transparent killing intent.

"That’s exactly my point. For a man, there’s an eroticism that is stirred up by the act of wearing clothes."

"I see…"

"The eroticism of nudity and the eroticism of cosplay are two different genres."

"The state of being equipped with additional armor, and the natural state. You’re saying each one has its own appeal."

She’s nodding with a look of profound understanding, but I’m a little worried. Doesn’t this mean the bar for tricking her is incredibly low as long as I use robots in my explanation?

"Well then, Satou-san! Please enjoy High-Mobility Type Kawasaki III to your heart’s content!!"

"I gratefully accept."

After that, I had Dr. Kawasaki try on a variety of costumes. In a miko outfit (not an erotic version, but a truly traditional one), Dr. Kawasaki was breathtakingly beautiful. Dressed in a military uniform from some game (a male role), Dr. Kawasaki looked so dashing that I was spellbound. In an exotic dancer’s costume with a face veil, Dr. Kawasaki was so sexy I found myself breathing heavily. She went along with all the different cosplay requests without a single complaint, and by the time we were finished, my heart was completely fulfilled.

My ‘cog in the machine’ gauge has been fully depleted.

And I was able to rack up quite a bit on my ‘useless middle-aged man’ gauge. I’d say my original objective has been completely achieved.

"Fufu, it seems you’re satisfied."

"And then some."

I had returned the flow of time to normal, but we still had time left on our love hotel stay. Dr. Kawasaki and I sat on the bed and enjoyed a chat.

"I’m glad to hear that. You’re always doing so much for me, Satou-san."

She said she was truly glad to have been able to repay even a little of my kindness, but…

"You’re exaggerating."

"Not at all. Ever since I found such a wonderful and understanding person, my life has been on a constant upswing."

…………Look, I’ll admit I sometimes act with a calculated motive to get people to like me. For work and things like that. But when I do, the relationship usually settles right where I intended it to. Dr. Kawasaki’s reaction, however, is a little… no, it’s quite off. I was only trying to stay on her good side, so for her to like me this much is beyond unexpected.

Was my reading of the situation too optimistic, or was Dr. Kawasaki just that easy…

Probably both. Dr. Kawasaki is a high-difficulty target until you’ve built a relationship, but once you’re in her good graces, it’s smooth sailing from there. She’s the type whose affection skyrockets every time you pick the right option, as if there’s a double points campaign going on. And I, misjudging that, continued to have perfect communication with her.

"Still, today must have been rough, right? Having to change over and over again."

I’m truly sorry, and I’m truly grateful, I said, offering both an apology and my thanks…

"Rough?"

Dr. Kawasaki looked at me blankly. Then, tilting her head, she continued.

"Why would doing something for the person I love ever feel rough?"

"Wh-"

"――――Because I really, really love you, Satou-san!!"

As I looked at Dr. Kawasaki’s pure, beaming smile, I…

"Satou-san!?"

…melted with a ju! sound.

"…Sorry, I melted a little."

"I don’t understand how a person can suddenly melt… and where are you even talking from right now…?"

I… To a girl like this, I was excitedly… Dad, Mom… I’m sorry. I think I might be scum…