Tactical Embarrassment

Morning sun streamed through the ventilation shafts of my sanctuary, casting golden beams across the stone floor. After our early awakening and discussion about finding Naomi-san, I'd left the sisters to get ready for the day while I took some time alone at the entrance, leaning against the doorframe and savouring a brief moment of quiet as I watched mist rise from the forest floor.

One week in Voluptaria. Seven days since being pulled through reality's pasta maker and dumped into this fantasy world with abilities more suited for a magical spa retreat than heroic adventures.

And what a week it had been. From dancing sticks and mud baths to umbranium daggers and shadow elves, from upgrading my apparently "useless" skills to reconnecting with the Kimochi sisters. Now here I was, standing at the entrance to a home I'd carved from living stone with nothing but my thoughts and magical interior design skills.

"Still contemplating the universe?" came Miyuki's voice from behind me.

I turned to see her approaching, now fully dressed in her cleaned uniform rather than the oversized t-shirt from earlier. Mochi appeared a moment later, also properly attired for our planned expedition.

"Just appreciating the view," I replied, offering a small smile. "And thinking about how much has happened in just one week. Feels more like a year."

"Time works differently in isekai worlds," Miyuki said with such confident authority that I nearly laughed. Back home, she'd never have made such a nerdy reference—at least not openly.

"Is that so, Professor Kimochi?" I teased. "Got any other fantasy world wisdom to share?"

"Only that the protagonist should probably focus on our search plan rather than philosophical musings," Mochi replied, poking me in the ribs.

The casual intimacy between us still felt surreal. After years of distance, we'd fallen into a comfortable rhythm that felt both new and familiar at once.

"Speaking of search plans," Miyuki said, her expression growing more serious, "we should finalise our route for looking for Mum today. And keep an eye out for any other classmates who might be out there."

I nodded, feeling a familiar pang of guilt about Naomi-san. "I've been thinking the same thing. The sooner we start searching, the better."

"We could head towards the river," Mochi suggested. "It's the logical landmark people would follow if they were lost."

"Good thinking," I agreed. "Let me pack some supplies first."

As I prepared a bag with water, dried rations, and basic medical supplies, my mind drifted to Naomi-san. Where was she now? Was she safe? The thought of finding her—of finally securing some redemption for my role in her transportation here—filled me with determination.

After a quick breakfast of transformed bread and forest berries, we set out, following the stream that ran near my sanctuary. The morning air was crisp and clean, filled with unfamiliar but pleasant scents. Birds with iridescent plumage swooped overhead, their calls melodious and strange.

Miyuki led the way, her Direction Compass proving invaluable for navigation. Mochi walked beside me, occasionally pointing out interesting plants that her Chirurgeon training helped her identify. My Pathfinder's Intuition highlighted the optimal route through the underbrush, golden threads appearing in my vision like ethereal guides.

"Do you think Mum found other people?" Mochi asked as we walked.

"I hope so," I replied honestly. "She's resourceful. If anyone could survive alone here, it would be her."

"She always liked camping," Miyuki added with a small smile. "Remember those trips to Mount Takao? Dad would complain about the bugs, but Mum knew how to set up the perfect campsite."

The casual mention of their father—something that would have been unthinkable years ago—was another sign of healing. Something about this strange world seemed to be helping them process their past traumas, rebuilding bridges I'd thought permanently burned.

After about an hour of hiking, the stream widened into a proper river, the water clear and swift. We followed it downstream, keeping our eyes peeled for any sign of human presence.

That's when we heard it—voices. Female voices, chattering and occasionally laughing, coming from around the riverbend.

My Presence Detection pinged multiple entities ahead—all human, all female, all registering as familiar somehow. We exchanged glances, hope and apprehension mingling in equal measure.

Rounding the bend, I froze, stunned by the sight before me.

There, spread along the riverbank in various states of activity, were the gyaru girls from our class—Miyako, Airi, Aoi, Haruka, and Rina. Some were washing clothes in the river, others gathering what looked like berries from nearby bushes. They all wore their school uniforms, though the garments were noticeably worse for wear after a week in the wilderness.

"Miyako!" I shouted before I could think better of it. "Airi!"

Five heads whipped around simultaneously, eyes widening in shocked recognition. For a heartbeat, no one moved.

Then Miyako screamed, "ANDIE!"

She dropped the berries she'd been collecting, scattering them across the riverbank as she sprinted towards me. Her face—typically so composed, so carefully curated for social presentation—crumpled into raw emotion that hit me like a physical force.

"ANDIE!" she screamed again, her voice breaking. Before I could even raise a hand in greeting, she launched herself at me, hitting me with enough force to make me stagger backward. Only my Perfect Balance kept us from tumbling to the ground as her arms wrapped around my neck in a grip that threatened to cut off my oxygen supply.

"Miyako, I can't breathe—" I managed, but she wasn't listening.

To my complete shock, she pulled back just enough to stare at me with tear-filled eyes for one intense second—then crashed her lips against mine.

The kiss was desperate, urgent, almost painful in its intensity. My Perfect Kiss ability activated instinctively, turning what should have been an awkward collision into something deeper and more meaningful. I felt her tears wet against my cheeks as she clung to me, her body trembling with suppressed sobs.

When she finally broke away, gasping for breath, her mascara was running in black streaks down her cheeks. The carefully constructed façade of Miyako Yukihana, gyaru queen and secret gaming guild leader, had completely shattered.

"I thought you were dead," she choked out, her hands gripping the front of my shirt like she feared I might disappear. "I thought I'd never see you again..."

By now, the other gyaru girls had run over, and I could see more figures emerging from the trees beyond. The class and club reps led by Hina appeared first—Yui, Mei, Riko, Nao, and Ayumi all rushing forward with excited expressions. Behind them came the sporty girls—Hitomi, Ayaka, Asuka, Kurenai, Nana, and Miku—moving as a coordinated unit like they were still on a sports field. Finally, Amakata-sensei appeared with Emi and Yuna, the two studious girls who had separated from their male counterparts.

But Miyako wasn't finished. Her words tumbled out in a desperate rush:

"Do you know how scared I was?" she demanded, giving me a small shake. "How important you are to me? Do you know how hard I prayed that I would see you again? These eight days have been like forever!"

The raw emotion in her voice left me speechless. This was Miyako—cool, collected Miyako who never let her true feelings show in public, who maintained her gyaru persona with careful precision while hiding her secret nerd life.

"How worried I was that you might be alone on Earth?" she continued, her voice cracking. "Do you know that I've had to fight together with the group and make sure everything is fine while handling all the other bullshit like delinquents trying to dominate female classmates using their stupid isekai skills?"

By now, everyone had gathered in a loose semicircle around us, watching this unprecedented display with expressions ranging from shock to knowing smiles. I spotted Airi wiping away tears of her own, while Hina bit her lip, looking both happy for our reunion and wistful at the same time.

The Kimochi sisters stood slightly apart, watching the scene with curious expressions rather than jealousy. I remembered their words from before—"We'd share"—and felt a bewildering mix of emotions I couldn't begin to untangle.

Miyako seemed to suddenly realise she had an audience. Her tear-streaked face flushed scarlet, and she jumped back from me as if burned, smoothing her uniform with shaking hands.

"I mean—" she stammered, flipping one of her gyaru-styled pigtails over her shoulder in a desperate attempt to regain composure. "It's just, you know, as one of the class group leaders, I was concerned about a missing student. Proper duty of care and all that."

The excuse was so transparent that I almost laughed, but I could see the genuine panic in her eyes—the fear of having revealed too much, too publicly.

"It's been a rough week for everyone," I offered, providing her an escape route. "I'm pretty sure I'd react the same way if I'd thought my friends were gone forever and then they suddenly appeared."

Relief flickered across her face, even as something like disappointment shadowed her eyes. She seized the lifeline nonetheless. "Exactly! Just, you know, the stress finally catching up."

An awkward silence descended, broken only when Amakata-sensei cleared her throat.

"Well," she said with a warm smile that didn't quite hide the tension lines around her eyes, "this is certainly a wonderful reunion. Ryuu-kun, we're all very relieved to see you're safe."

"And you've found the Kimochi sisters!" Hina exclaimed, stepping forward to bow politely to Miyuki and Mochi. "We were worried about you two as well."

I took a moment to actually count the assembled group. Twenty-one people total: Amakata-sensei, the five gyarus, the six class/club reps, the six sporty girls, the two studious girls, and us three. Twenty-three people who had somehow found each other in this vast fantasy world.

"Isn't it funny," I mumbled, more to myself than anyone else, "how you always find exactly what you're looking for only when you're not actively looking for it? Another cosmic joke from the divine editors of reality."

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"What was that, Andie-kun?" Hitomi asked, stepping closer.

I shook my head. "Just thinking aloud. Listen, I have a safe place nearby—my home, basically. It's secure, with fresh water, cooking facilities, proper beds... everything we need."

The words "proper beds" triggered an immediate reaction. Eyes widened, and several girls straightened with sudden interest.

"Real beds?" Airi asked, looking almost afraid to hope. "Not just... ground with leaves?"

"And baths?" Aoi added eagerly. "With hot water?"

I nodded. "A whole bathing system with hot spring water. Multiple rooms. Kitchen. The works."

"Lead the way," Amakata-sensei said firmly, her teacher authority reasserting itself. "Girls, gather your things. We're following Ryuu-kun."

The journey back to my sanctuary was chaotic, to say the least. Everyone talked at once, trying to share a week's worth of experiences in twenty minutes. I caught snippets about the main camp breaking up, the delinquents causing trouble, the Populares and studious boys leaving... but the full story would have to wait until we were settled.

When we reached the stone entrance to my cave home, I paused dramatically.

"Welcome," I said, trying not to feel too proud as I deactivated the security enchantments and pushed open the door, "to Casa de Andie."

The collective gasp as they entered was deeply satisfying. Their eyes widened as they took in the smoothly polished stone walls, the glowing crystal lights embedded in the ceiling, the various rooms branching off from the main chamber.

"Ryuu-kun," Amakata-sensei breathed, "did you create all this?"

"Transform ability," I explained, unable to keep a hint of pride from my voice. "Turns out it's pretty useful for interior design."

"It's AMAZING!" Rina gushed, running her fingers over the polished stone countertop in the kitchen area. "Like a luxury spa hotel carved into a mountain!"

I gave them the grand tour, showing off the female bathing chamber with its large hot spring pool, the multiple sleeping rooms I'd created specifically for female guests (prescient, as it turned out), the laundry system with heat-stone drying racks, and the common areas designed for comfortable living.

"As you can see, I designed the sanctuary with multiple wings and many bedrooms," I explained, indicating the various chambers. "I always hoped we'd find more of our classmates eventually. There are different room options - singles, doubles, and a few larger chambers that could comfortably fit four to six. The female wing is on this side with its own bathing area, while I stay in the separate male section across the sanctuary."

The concept of proper privacy after a week in the wilderness seemed to overwhelm some of them. Haruka actually had tears in her eyes as she examined the female bathing chamber.

"Hot water," she whispered reverently. "Clean, hot water."

That was apparently the breaking point. With squeals of delight, several girls immediately began stripping off their travel-worn uniforms, ready to plunge into the bathing pool without a moment's delay.

"GIRLS!" Amakata-sensei shouted, her teacher voice cutting through the chaos. "Some decorum, please! We'll establish a bathing schedule and take turns by groups."

Her words slowed but didn't entirely stop the disrobing process. Miyako was already down to her Gold-Trimmed Black Wickedgrace Adornment Set—an elaborate ensemble of sheer lace quarter-cup, lace mini thong, thin lace garter belt, sheer stockings with lace tops, and crystal strap stiletto heels that looked entirely impractical for wilderness survival but definitely lived up to its "intimidation and dominance" magical properties.

My face burned as I quickly averted my eyes, though not before my Appraisal skill helpfully supplied detailed information about the garment's magical properties:

[Gold-Trimmed Black Wickedgrace Adornment Set (F)]
Type: Enchanted Lingerie
Equipped Effect: +30% to intimidation and asserting dominance, projects an aura that weakens opposition's resolve
Passive Effect: Can induce pleasurable submission or heightened dominance at will (Only During Intimate Activity)

"I'll, uh, just be in the kitchen preparing some food while you all get settled," I mumbled, making a strategic retreat before I witnessed any more divine selections being revealed. "Feel free to use the bathing facilities and claim rooms!"

As I escaped to the relative safety of the kitchen area, I heard Amakata-sensei trying to restore order:

"Yukihana-san, please put your uniform back on until it's your group's proper turn for the bath! Saito-san, Endo-san, the same goes for you!"

I busied myself with meal preparation, trying very hard not to picture what was happening in the female section of my sanctuary. My Transform ability let me create basic cooking implements and serving dishes, while my smartphone's divine shopping app provided ingredients beyond what I'd managed to forage from the forest.

After some consideration, I activated another helpful feature—sound isolation enchantments for all rooms. Privacy seemed like an increasingly important commodity with twenty female classmates now sharing the space.

When Emi Okada, one of the two studious girls, approached the kitchen area, I was relieved to see her fully dressed rather than in any form of tactical lingerie.

"Ryuu-kun," she said with uncharacteristic hesitation, "might I help with the cooking? It's... well, it's my job class."

"You're a Cook?" I asked, impressed.

She nodded, a hint of pride breaking through her typically reserved expression. "I can create meals that provide significant magical buffs—though my FEAST OF LEGENDS ability is limited to once per week."

"That's actually incredibly useful," I said genuinely. "Much better than some of the selections people got."

"Like what?" she asked, eyebrows raised with curiosity.

I shook my head. "Never mind. Let's just say I wasn't exactly blessed with combat-ready abilities."

"Well, neither was I," she replied with a small shrug. "But it turns out being able to create food that enhances attributes is more valuable than most combat skills when you're trying to survive."

"You won't get any argument from me," I said. "There's plenty of space for both of us to work. I'd appreciate the help."

As we prepared a feast large enough for twenty-three hungry isekai victims, Kurenai Shiranui from the sporty girls wandered in. She watched us for a moment before clearing her throat.

"Ryuu-kun, I notice you've done some enchanting work on the rooms," she said. "I'm an Enchanter, so if you need help with more protective or functional enchantments for the sanctuary, I'd be happy to assist."

I nodded appreciatively. "That would be great, actually. I've been making do with what I have, but a proper Enchanter would definitely improve things."

"It's the least I can do," she replied with a shy smile. "This place is... well, it's a miracle after the week we've had."

By early afternoon, lunch was ready—a spread of transformed bread, forest fruits, roasted roots enhanced by Emi's Cook abilities, and several dishes created with ingredients from my divine shopping app. The entire group gathered in the main chamber, clean, refreshed, and wearing the oversized t-shirts I'd created as temporary clothing while their uniforms were being washed.

As everyone ate with obvious appreciation, I couldn't help but reflect on how quickly my solitary sanctuary had transformed into something closer to a refugee camp. The noise level alone was something I'd have found intolerable a week ago, yet somehow, it felt right. Necessary, even.

After lunch, groups began organising for foraging and hunting expeditions. I created simple stone tracking devices for each team, enchanting them with my Familiar Place Daydreaming ability to ensure everyone could find their way back safely.

"These will always lead you back here," I explained, distributing the small stone pendants. "And they'll help me locate you if there's trouble. Don't lose them."

As the groups prepared to depart, I found myself pulled aside by Miyako, Hina, Hitomi, and Amakata-sensei. The Kimochi sisters joined us as well, apparently sensing an important discussion was about to happen.

"We should talk privately," I suggested, leading them towards one of the sanctuary's special chambers. "I have just the place."

I guided them to the Private Dining room I'd designed specifically for smaller meetings and discussions. The circular stone table surrounded by comfortable carved chairs dominated the space, with soft crystal lighting embedded in the ceiling creating a perfect atmosphere for serious conversation. The room's sound isolation enchantments activated automatically as we entered, ensuring complete privacy.

"This is perfect," Amakata-sensei remarked, settling into one of the chairs. "You really thought of everything, Ryuu-kun."

Once we were all seated around the table, Amakata-sensei leaned forward. "There's a lot you need to know about what's been happening since we have been isekai'ed here."

"Start from when the nerds left," I suggested. "Kazuki and the others filled me in on the first part—about how they confronted the delinquents over their mind control abilities, and then the delinquents started a fire at the camp in revenge."

Miyako nodded, her usual confidence restored now that she was cleaned up and back in proper gyaru mode—albeit wearing an oversized t-shirt instead of her usual stylish attire.

"After Kazuki's group left, things got worse," she began, her voice dropping. "The jocks got resentful—not at the nerds for leaving, but at the Populares and studious boys for blaming them."

"Ryota was actually furious on Kazuki and the others' behalf," Hitomi added. "He said the studious boys and Populares were being, um... 'entitled pricks' was the exact phrase, I think. He was really mad that after being in the same class for years, they'd turn on some of our classmates like that."

Hina winced at the language but nodded. "The jocks packed up the next day. They said they were going to catch up to the nerds, to 'repay them properly' for protecting everyone during the first goblin attack."

"Shohei was especially emphatic about it," Miyako continued. "He said real men protect those who protect others, and the nerds had done more to keep everyone safe than anyone else."

"That's... surprisingly profound from the track team captain," I remarked.

"People show different sides of themselves in crisis," Amakata-sensei said softly.

Mochi leaned forward. "So, the jocks left to catch up with Kazuki and the others?"

Miyako nodded. "Airi and I wanted to go with them. So did the sporty girls. But..."

"I begged them to stay," Hina admitted, looking down at her hands. "I couldn't handle losing more people. The group was already fracturing, and I thought—I thought if enough of us stayed together, we could make it work."

"So, we stayed," Miyako sighed. "For Hina's sake. But it just made things worse."

"The girls were angry," Hitomi explained. "We felt like we were being held back while the Populares and studious boys got to do whatever they wanted. There was a lot of fighting."

"Tensions kept escalating after the confrontation," Amakata-sensei continued. "The studious boys and the Populares were increasingly uncomfortable around us."

"Daiki started talking about finding a 'proper city with a library or magical academy,'" Hitomi explained. "And the Populares kept complaining about 'wasting time' and needing to find 'better prospects.'"

"We all went to sleep that night still as one group," Hina said softly. "But when we woke up the next morning, both groups were just... gone. They'd packed up and left before dawn without saying goodbye to anyone."

"Not even a note," Miyako added with a frown. "After being classmates for years, they just abandoned the rest of us."

"What about the delinquents?" I asked, though I already knew they had been exiled earlier. "Any sign of them since they burned down the camp?"

"We've caught glimpses," Miyako said grimly. "They're still out there, probably plotting something. And it's not just them we need to worry about—there seems to be someone else hunting people down. We found Akira's body today."

My blood ran cold. The hooded figure from the clearing—the one I'd seen approaching Akira's unconscious form after I'd knocked him unconscious—had apparently finished what I'd started.

"Akira?" I asked, trying to sound surprised. "But he was one of the delinquents."

"Exactly," Amakata-sensei said, her expression grave. "Something or someone is targeting even them. That's why we've been travelling as a group by the river—safety in numbers. We're trying to find everyone before whatever killed Akira finds them too."

"My sanctuary is probably the safest place for everyone right now," I said, thinking aloud. "It has multiple layers of security enchantments, and I can add more with Kurenai's help."

"Agreed," Amakata-sensei nodded. "And now that we've found you three, we're only missing the boys, and... wait, have you seen Shinji Kato? He disappeared before everyone else."

"Last I saw, he was with the delinquents," I admitted. "Though he didn't seem entirely willing—more like they needed his survival skills."

The conversation continued as we mapped out our next steps—establishing a secure base here, sending out search parties for the missing students, preparing defences against possible delinquent attacks. The complexity of our situation was daunting, but for the first time, it felt like we had a real chance at creating some stability.

As the meeting broke up and the others went to help with various tasks around the sanctuary, I found myself alone for a moment. I stepped outside, needing a breath of fresh air after the social intensity of the day.

The afternoon sun painted the forest canopy in hues of gold and amber. From the entrance of my sanctuary—no longer just mine, but ours—I could hear the sounds of activity inside: conversation, laughter, the occasional squeal of delight as someone discovered another amenity I'd created.

A week ago, I'd been a solitary figure in a strange world, armed with bubble-creation ability and perfect kiss proficiency against a reality that seemed determined to make my life as awkward as possible. Now I was apparently running a refugee sanctuary for twenty-two classmates, all with their own divine abilities, lingerie sets, and interpersonal dynamics.

If there's one truth that seems universal across dimensions, it's that the moment you think you've got everything figured out, the cosmic plot department throws in a twist that makes you question your entire character development arc. But maybe that's not such a bad thing after all.

I gazed up at the afternoon sky, watching as a flock of iridescent birds wheeled overhead, their wing patterns shifting in hypnotic spirals. An impossible, beautiful sight in an impossible, beautiful world.

"Turns out," I murmured to the uncaring universe, "sometimes the most useful skill isn't creating perfect bubbles or dancing sticks—it's knowing how to make enough beds for the unexpected overnight guests in your interdimensional life story."