Too Many Losing Heroines! - Volume 6 - Chapter Ep

Epilogue: Second Year at Tsuwabuki High School

The first weekday of April. The brief spring break is almost over.

I'm walking down the hallway of Tsuwabuki High School's west building, heading to the clubroom.

We are scheduled to have a meeting to prepare for the new student orientation.

First, we are preparing for the club introduction event early in the new term. We will have to stand on stage in the gymnasium and make our appeal in front of the first-year students. It will be an absolute disaster with just Komari and me.

The remaining are the two at the top level of the school caste, but Yakishio has returned to the track team and officially switched to middle-distance running.

She even said she's aiming for the national championships. However, she won't have time to show her face at the Literature Club, and it wouldn't be alright to use her as a selling point for the club under those circumstances.

As I was thinking about all this, I arrived at the clubroom. I braced myself and opened the door-

"Why are you drinking my protein shake, Yana-chan!?"

"Doesn't this make you lose weight? It was chocolate-flavored and tasty."

"Drinking it won't make you lose weight, you know!?"

…Yakishio is there, just as usual.

Somehow, Yakishio and Yanami are fighting over a bottle of protein shake.

"Uh, what are you two doing?"

“Yana-chan is drinking my protein shake! Say something to her, Nukkun!"

"Yakishio, you can't keep food in the club room. Yanami-san will devour and consume everything."

Komari, who had been reading a book in the corner, nodded in agreement.

"Wait, do you think I'm some kind of club room monster? I won't eat it all. I'll leave a bit behind."

It's not about eating everything or not.

"Besides, doesn't the track team have a clubroom? You should just keep your protein shake there."

Yakishio stood up and knocked over a chair.

"Listen, Nukkun! Everyone in the track team is so mean!"

Eh, what's going on? Is she being bullied for skipping practices?

Yakishio pouted and started to complain as I tensed up.

"There's a rule in the track team that if you leave a protein shake without your name on it, anyone can drink it. I just bought this, and it's already half gone!"

"Why don't you just write your name on it and keep it in a locker...?"

My sensible suggestion made Yakishio cross her arms and frown.

"That's not the point. Protein intake should be more free-spirited, taken as the body desires-"

"Ah, there's vanilla too. The powder itself is actually pretty good."

"You can't eat it just as powder, you know!?"

We have a free spirit right here…

I waited for the powder commotion to settle down and looked at the three of them.

"Uh, moving on quickly, can we discuss the new student welcome? I have an idea for the club introduction."

With her face still dusted with powder, Yanami blinked in surprise.

"Are we doing something special?"

"Yeah, I have a plan. Uh, it should be right here..."

I pulled out a paper bag and handed it to Yanami.

"What's this?"

"Yanami-san, could you put this on first?"

"Why?"

She asked why, but I had anticipated that response as well.

I placed a pack of chicken salad in front of Yanami.

Yanami nodded, stashed the chicken salad in her pocket, and then put on the paper bag. Surprisingly, it suited her.

"...So, what's this all about?"

"I thought you could wear this during the club introduction, Yanami-san. What do you think, everyone?"

Komari and Yakishio stared at the paper bag.

"M-Maybe add a ribbon?"

"How about decorating it with messages like a signed shirt?"

"Those are good ideas. Let's use both."

As I noted down the ideas, Yanami abruptly ripped off the paper bag.

"Wait, why do I have to wear this!? Am I being censored or something!?"

"Literature clubs usually only attract introverts, right? Yanami-san, if you show your face-"

"And then?"

…She'll get carried away if I say it. I cleared my throat to buy some time.

"You see, Yanami-san, you're like the Literature Club's secret weapon. It's more intriguing if we don't show you."

"I wouldn't go near a club like that..."

"People who want to join the Literature Club are like that. Could you keep it on during the entire welcoming period?"

"No way!"

My attempt at persuasion failed. Inevitably, as the club president, I guess I should be the one to-

"But actually, it's not that uncomfortable to wear. Ahaha, I can't see anything, though."

Yakishio put on the paper bag for some reason.

Wait a minute, if Yakishio's hiding her identity by wearing the paper bag, people won't know she's neglecting her track team duties, right?

"Then, Yakishio, could you wear that and represent us? Yanami-san can play the castanets on stage or something."

"...Wait, I'm wearing it too."

Eh, why? Yanami quickly took the paper bag off Yakishio and put it on Komari.

'Una!?"

"Since this is getting so complicated, let's just all wear paper bags and go out like that. Yeah, let's do that."

No, isn't that too weird? Even though I'm not in a position to talk.

Another equally whimsical girl clapped her hands in agreement.

"That sounds fun! Let's become the Masked Literature Club next year, then!"

"M-Masked Literature Club m-my ass- kya!"

Komari, still wearing the paper bag, stood up and immediately tripped.

Her screams are pretty cute, as usual. I calmed myself and sat on a chair.

Starting in April, the Literature Club would begin anew with only second-year students.

It was a club handed down from our senpais.

I feel a bit anxious about whether it will go well, but we have managed somehow so far.

Surely, in our own way, we would manage somehow.

If only we can hand it over to the next years smoothly-

Suddenly, my vision was engulfed in darkness.

"Hey, Nukumizu-kun, it actually suits you."

"Yeah, Nukkun, it's almost like it's made for you."

"S-Stay in it forever."

…I see. Wearing a paper bag is surprisingly comforting.

While listening to the voices of the Literature Club girls starting to take photos around me, I secretly sighed.

I have a feeling the looming days of being a second-year student seem like they will be more challenging than ever-

[TL: Thus ends Nukumizu and the Literature Club girls' first year in Tsuwabuki-

Well, I can't really think of anything else to say to start this off. Thanks a lot for reading this series. It's the longest project that I've worked on and off of for almost three years (mostly because of procrastination). I had tons of fun translating it. Hope all of you enjoyed reading it, too!

Anyway, Vol.7 is anticipated to be released on July 18, along with the anime. However, and some (or most) of you probably know this already, Makeine is getting an official English release by Seven Seas Entertainment on August 23. That's why we're stopping here, as fan translations usually stop once the series is getting licensed. We'll finish the afterword and the remaining special chapters before actually saying goodbye to Makeine. That isn't to say we are just going to stop translating LNs, though. The author of Bochikano (Please Leave Me Alone) wrote a new LN that will be released on June 15, so we'll check it out, and if it seems interesting enough, we'll pick up that series.

But for now, we're going to take a break from LNs. See you soon, hopefully!]

[Editor: Suu here! Figured I'd say something too. Thank you for reading! This was an incredibly fun series to work on and was also the project that led me to work as an editor for Skythewood Translation and for that I'm really grateful. 

As you have probably read, this is sadly the last full chapter we will translate due to the official English release on August 23, but hey, just pick up the official release when it's out… and then wait for it to get to volume 7… that can't take too long, right?... 

In the meantime, why don't you check out some of our other projects? I personally recommend “Journey Home After School”! See ya!]