Chapter 168: Existential Crisis of Kaede

Tsubaki's worry was unnecessary. Iris only said she was pursuing the club president, so how could she expose Tsubaki's matter on her own initiative?

If she directly exposed it, although Tsubaki would be very embarrassed in front of Kaede, as long as she endured that awkwardness, eventually she would take the initiative to distance herself from the club president.

On the contrary, as long as she didn't say anything, each time Tsubaki interacted with the club president in front of Kaede, this kind of betrayal unknown to a good friend might make Tsubaki feel excited instead.

Although she felt this excitement wouldn't last long, Kaede and Suzu wouldn't be able to keep up the act in front of the club president for long. If they found out Tsubaki had a special relationship with the club president, they might even pull her in for support.

However, even if Kaede and Suzu pulled in Tsubaki, their side still had stronger power, more capable of satisfying the club president's needs.

Seeing the atmosphere at the dining table finally calm down, Gabriel and Vignette also hurried to change the topic.

They had felt awkward about speaking earlier. Though it appeared to be an issue between Iris and Kaede on the surface, it was actually connected to them too. Gabriel considered herself the root cause of Hachiman's fall, while Vignette felt they had known about the relationship between Iris and Hachiman early on, yet did nothing, so they bore some responsibility for the current situation.

In the living room, Komachi and Shion silently ate while stealing glances toward the dining table. They exchanged looks and secretly admired their brother's calmness.

Even though a battle royale was about to break out, their brother still hadn't said much. Was he really confident that Sister Iris and Sister Kaede wouldn't fight?

Still, Sister Iris was amazing too. She actually dared to lay all her cards on the table in front of Sister Kaede, truly deserving of the title of elven princess.

Hachiman had long anticipated this.

Fighting definitely wouldn't break out. Iris only said she wanted to pursue him. What could Kaede do to stop Iris?

However, though there was no drama now, once the meal was over and Tsubaki and the others left, Kaede might come to trouble him and demand a full confession about when he started flirting with Iris.

"I still have something to do, so I'll be leaving first. Kaede, Hachiman-kun, and everyone, you're all welcome to come to my house and hang out sometime," After dinner and a short rest, Tsubaki bid farewell to everyone with her maid Ziyin and hurriedly got into the car outside and left.

She really couldn't stay any longer. Every minute and second here, she worried about whether her affair with Hachiman would be exposed. If it really was, how would she face Kaede?

Logically speaking, she definitely couldn't face her good friend Kaede. After all, Hachiman was Kaede's childhood friend, and it seemed that recently their relationship had made a breakthrough, Kaede hardly complained about him at school, and even smiled whenever he was mentioned.

But Kaede's condition for letting Hachiman have a harem didn't only include all the excellent and beautiful girls in the Service Club, she also specifically included her, which was quite thought-provoking.

'Did Kaede think it was impossible for me and Hachiman-kun to have anything, or did she think it'd be better if Hachiman's harem included me...?'

"We've got something to do too, see you tomorrow," Having finished up in the kitchen, Gabriel and Vignette exchanged glances, then quickly walked over to say goodbye to Kaede and Hachiman.

Today's incident ultimately stemmed from Hachiman's fall, having close relationships with so many girls.

To prevent such things from happening again, they needed to hurry back and come up with a plan to thoroughly save the fallen Hachiman.

Otherwise, if they ended up being liked by Hachiman too, they'd get dragged into Iris and Kaede's love war. Neither Gabriel nor Vignette knew how to face such an awkward situation.

"Satanichia, stop eating, we're leaving," Before leaving, Vignette dragged away Satanichia, who was still eating with Komachi. Everyone else was worried, but only Satanichia, oblivious to the atmosphere, was cheerfully eating away.

With Tsubaki, Vignette, and the others gone from the Hikigaya house, the once lively living room suddenly fell quiet.

Hachiman sat in the middle of the sofa. Komachi and Shion sat on either side of him, while Kaede and Suzu, and the sisters Iris and Aegis sat on the sofas to the sides.

Although seven people was still quite a crowd, without Gabriel and the others to lighten the mood, Kaede truly didn't know what to say to her romantic rival Iris.

Well... "romantic rival" in her own opinion.

Looking at Iris smiling at her as if they were good sisters, with no awareness of having stolen someone's lover at all.

"Onii-chan, Shion and I will go get the bath ready for you," Komachi looked at both sides, then suddenly pulled Asougi Shion up, wanting to escape this love war.

She had initially wanted her brother's romantic crisis to break out, so she could step in and mediate, showcasing her own capability. But now the situation was too weird. The tension wasn't that high, and Iris even stole her role.

If she stayed to persuade Kaede not to be angry at her brother and to accept Iris, wouldn't that be seen as siding with Iris? At least that's how Kaede would view it.

But helping Kaede drive away Iris also didn't feel right. Iris was so nice to her brother, and didn't even get jealous...

One was the neighborhood older sister from Chiba, the other was the princess who descended beside her brother from the sky... No matter who she helped, it wasn't good. Better to sneak off.

"We just finished eating, what's the rush to bathe? Sit a bit longer," Hachiman grabbed the fleeing Komachi and pressed down on her thigh with a smile, making her and Shion sit back beside him.

At a time like this, Komachi still wanted to run? Even if she didn't do anything, she had to stay and face it with him.

Otherwise, if he was left alone, wouldn't it be even more awkward?

Komachi had no choice but to sit back down with a bitter face.

Shion didn't seem to care. She was fine with anything. Whether Kaede won, Iris won, or the two reconciled and dated Hachiman together, she was still Hachiman's family.

However, in her heart, she leaned slightly toward Iris.

As a princess from another world, Iris had different views on many human-world values. She didn't see anything wrong with her relationship with Hachiman.

But Kaede might not be the same...

"Kaede, aren't you going to say something?", Iris looked at the silent Kaede, who seemed lost in thought, and smiled.

"Shouldn't it be you saying something? You're the one trying to steal Hachiman right in front of me," Kaede glared at Iris. Despite the constant smile on Iris's face, she felt very speechless.

Before, she hadn't guarded against Iris because she didn't think Iris would like Hachiman. What did an ordinary guy like Hachiman have that could attract an elven princess? But unexpectedly, now it was Iris chasing Hachiman.

Where did things go wrong? How did Iris come to like Hachiman? It just didn't make sense.

"But you and the club president are just childhood friends, not a couple, right? So is it not okay for me to pursue the president?", Iris's smile bloomed like a flower, completely unaffected by Kaede's displeasure.

"Who says we're not a couple? We've been one for a long time already! We just haven't made it public!", Kaede suddenly stood up, gritted her teeth, walked over to Hachiman, and sat on his lap, staring at Iris as if to declare war.

Suzu looked on expressionlessly from the side, secretly sighing, 'Silly Kaede, if she had done this earlier, it would've been great. Now that Hachiman is being pursued, she finally realized she has to take action, it is a bit too late.'

She felt that since Hachiman had already "eaten" them, he wouldn't really ignore them. But Hachiman was also greedy. Now even she noticed that several girls seemed interested in him.

If what he said before dinner about a dozen girls was true, this idiot Kaede might really not be able to keep him.

'Hmm... Well, if she can't, she can't. As long as Hachiman isn't the type who abandons old loves for new ones, otherwise just me and Kaede won't be enough, he'll defeat us from the inside.'

"We're talking about serious stuff here. Lying and making a fuss isn't good, you know," Iris smiled as she looked at Kaede and Hachiman's intimate behavior, unfazed.

"Actually, you just made a bet with the president, and still haven't confirmed your relationship, right?", The bet was made just last weekend. Before that, she had already completed her first "assistance" with the president.

In terms of depth of relationship, hers was clearly deeper.

"You know about the bet between me and Hachiman, so you should know that no matter if I win or lose, our relationship is still a couple. Isn't that confirmation enough?", Seeing that Iris still wouldn't back down, Kaede gritted her teeth and had no choice but to use the excuse Hachiman once used to pit her.

"But I'm also a member of the Service Club and included in your bet with the president. If you lose, my relationship with the president will also be that of a couple. Are you willing to admit that?", Iris retorted cheerfully.

"If you're unwilling to admit that, then you must win in order to become a couple with the president."

"You're the one being unreasonable! Obviously my argument is more valid!", Kaede couldn't stand Iris' sophistry. Why was this elven princess so fixated on someone else's childhood friend? Were there no men in her world? She actually came here to steal someone else's guy.

"There's still over two years until graduation. Can you guarantee the president will definitely lose?", Iris smiled on, continuing, "As far as I know, there are already several girls in the Service Club who like the president. I think his chances of winning are high."

With the president's passive personality and style, she couldn't guarantee he'd win for sure.

But if she helped from the sidelines, he definitely would.

After all, besides Yukinoshita Yukino, most of the Service Club members were almost "settled." Tsubaki also had a special relationship with the president thanks to Ursula's unexpected assist.

The only hard cases left were probably Vignette and Gabriel. They were strong and didn't need the president's assistance. Getting them together with the president might require a different strategy.

"Several girls? Who are they?", Kaede's eyes narrowed instinctively at the sensitive phrase as she looked into Iris's eyes.

'I haven't even dealt with you yet, and now you're telling me there are several more?'

'Damn it! Is this guy's Service Club really turning into a harem club?'

"That I can't say. You can go ask them yourself," Iris shook her head cheerfully.

"D-Damn... Hachiman, just how many girls have you entangled with!", Kaede couldn't handle Iris's refusal and could only glare fiercely at Hachiman.

How was she supposed to ask something like that? Ask who had feelings for her childhood friend? For her lover?

As if they'd answer. Not everyone was like Iris, who despite knowing the deep relationship between her and Hachiman, still declared her pursuit in front of her.

Hachiman held Kaede without speaking, fully focused on pondering how smooth a girl's thigh skin could be.

"Aren't you going to say something? Still taking advantage of me!", Kaede slapped away Hachiman's hand from her thigh and glared at him in embarrassment and anger.

'It was one thing to take advantage of me privately, but now of all times, can't he act more seriously? This is a love war. I am arguing with a rival in love! And that's how he is responding?'

"You two keep talking. I have nothing to say. If you're unwilling, then I'll call Iris over," Hachiman looked helplessly at Kaede and beckoned to Iris.

"Aegis, go sit with the president," Iris nudged Aegis beside her. Aegis was startled, her face flushing red as she slowly stood up from the sofa.

'T-This really isn't good... No matter how reckless I have been before, I have never done anything this outrageous.'

'To actually sit on the president's lap in public, and in front of his childhood friend...'

'But Iris's word is always more correct than my own thoughts. No matter how unreasonable, I have to obey...'

Aegis slowly walked in front of Hachiman, glanced at Kaede, bit her lip, and sat on the other side of Hachiman's lap.

"Wait! Hachiman, you're not allowed to touch her! Aegis, you get back right now!", Kaede saw that Aegis really listened to Iris and sat down, and when she couldn't push her away, she shamefully and angrily put Hachiman's hand back onto her own thigh.

'This elven princess... Is truly absurd! She is even ordering her guard to seduce Hachiman...'

"Actually... Kaede, you could have your sister Suzu come over too," Looking at Kaede, blushing but forced into submission by Iris, Hachiman thought for a moment and offered another option.

"Then I could go over together with Aegis too," Iris smiled faintly and added.

"???", Kaede suddenly realized why Iris was so fearless.

This guy Hachiman really fell for Iris's tricks. If she didn't give in, Iris would just double her efforts to lure him over.

"Iris, it's getting late, and we've already had dinner, you all should go home and rest, right?", Kaede took a deep breath and decided to ignore the unreasonable Iris, giving a tactful reminder.

That's enough for tonight. She didn't have the energy to continue clashing with Iris.

If it were just Iris, the elven princess, it'd be fine. But from Iris's words, she'd learned that many girls had their eyes on Hachiman.

The thought that chasing away Iris wouldn't solve the problem made her feel tired. It looked like she'd have to visit the Service Club herself tomorrow to see just how many girls were after Hachiman.

[T/N: *Long Breath* It feels like I translated this chapter in one breath and it is really funny how the plot is turning 😂]

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