Kaguya-sama Wants Me to Surrender

"Good morning, Natsuki-kun."

Mrs. Kaguya, her long black hair cascading down her back, sat cross-legged on the sofa, utterly engrossed in her phone. When she saw Amamiya Natsuki coming down the stairs, she lifted her head and greeted him with a bright smile:

"I remember when I died, my phone was still a Nokia. It could only make calls and send texts. But now... you can even video chat! Truly, science and technology are the primary productive forces!"

You're a ghost, an idealistic ghost. Why are you suddenly preaching the gospel of modern tech?!

"Stop playing with your phone." Amamiya Natsuki raised an eyebrow. "Are you feeling unwell?"

"Eh?" Mrs. Kaguya tilted her head. "What do you mean?"

She glanced down—and immediately froze.

Her body had become noticeably more translucent.

Yesterday, she was high-definition. Today, she looked like 720p quality. Something was clearly wrong.

"That's... strange." Mrs. Kaguya blinked. "How did this happen?"

Amamiya Natsuki sighed, exasperated.

"Don't tell me you didn't notice."

"Well, it's my first time being a guardian spirit," Mrs. Kaguya said innocently, hugging herself. "I don't have any experience. Am I... sick?"

You're a ghost! You don't have a body—how can you get sick?!

"What did you do last night?" Natsuki asked seriously.

"Let me think..." Mrs. Kaguya tapped a finger to her lips. "After Natsuki-kun fell asleep, I stayed up playing on the phone. It ran out of battery, so I kept using it while it was charging... and then it was morning."

So you pulled an all-nighter playing with your phone?! Be careful of sudden death—

Wait. You're already dead.

As a ghost, staying up late to cultivate Taoism isn't dangerous... or is it?!

"I feel kind of weak," Mrs. Kaguya admitted. "Could it be... hunger?"

As a guardian spirit, she wasn't really alive anymore. She could drink beverages and eat food, sure, but she couldn't taste anything—or feel full.

Where the food went after she ate it, even God probably didn't know.

Natsuki rubbed his chin, thoughtful.

"You said yesterday that touching physical objects consumes some sort of energy?"

"As far as I can tell... yeah." Mrs. Kaguya nodded. "That sounds right."

Case closed.

There's only one conclusion.

She stayed up all night fiddling with her phone, burning through whatever spiritual energy she had—and now she's running on empty!

Even as a ghost, you still get wrecked by too much screen time. Pathetic.

"Natsuki-kun," she asked, looking up at him pitifully, "what do we do now?"

"I don't know either." He shook his head. "Let's just head to school first."

After a simple breakfast of toast and milk, Amamiya Natsuki picked up his bag and headed out—now with a weakened ghost lady following behind him.

"I wanted to stay home and keep playing..." Mrs. Kaguya muttered mournfully.

Still thinking about your phone?! You're literally disintegrating!

Just as he stepped outside, he spotted Yotsuya Miko leaving her house next door.

"Morning, Miko."

"Good morning," Miko nodded politely. Her gaze shifted to Mrs. Kaguya. "Ms. Shimizu... good morning."

Mrs. Kaguya smiled warmly, giving a graceful nod. "Good morning, Miko-chan."

"Um..." Miko paused, her expression tightening. "Why does Ms. Shimizu look... different from yesterday?"

Mrs. Kaguya covered her face with both hands and spoke with a trembling voice:

"Because Natsuki-kun tormented me in so many positions last night..."

Stop spouting nonsense! If Ice Sculpture Girl hears this, someone is definitely going to die today!

Amamiya Natsuki quickly cleared his throat and began explaining.

After finishing his summary, he gave a solemn warning, "The lesson is clear—don't stay up late on your phone."

Miko narrowed her eyes. "You have no right to lecture me. You're just as bad."

They chatted the whole way to school.

Ever since learning about Natsuki's spirit-banishing ability, Miko had started walking to school with him every day.

It wasn't about reputation—if your life was on the line, a little misunderstanding was nothing.

They separated at the shoe lockers. After changing into indoor shoes, Natsuki headed to his classroom.

The classroom was still mostly empty.

By the window sat the black-haired, red-eyed Ice Sculpture herself, gazing silently at the sunlit playground. The morning light outlined her flawless features, making her look almost ethereal. Boys in the hallway stopped to sneak glances—but no one dared approach.

Until Natsuki entered.

"Kaguya-chan, Mommy's here~!" Mrs. Kaguya beamed and called out excitedly.

Kaguya's lips tightened, but she didn't say a word.

"That's too cruel." Mrs. Kaguya covered her cheeks, pretending to cry. "You won't even greet your mother. Do you hate me that much?"

"…"

Kaguya bit her lower lip, already feeling a headache forming.

No one else in the room could see her mother—how was she supposed to respond?

Wasn't her mother quiet and refined back when she was alive? Why was she like this now?

She turned to look at her, and instantly noticed something wrong.

"...What's going on?"

Kaguya lowered her voice and looked at Natsuki.

He sighed. "It's a long story."

Before he could continue, someone stepped into the classroom.

"Good morning, Natsuki-sa—huh?!"

Fujiwara Chika froze, her eyes wide in shock.

"That's Kaguya-chan's mom?!"

Mrs. Kaguya, still pretending to sulk, suddenly made a peace sign.

"Yup, that's me~"

"She became my guardian spirit yesterday," Natsuki added. "Long story."

Because the exchange was too loud, a few classmates turned to look.

Fujiwara Chika covered her mouth with one hand, curiosity glowing in her eyes.

"Let's go! To the board game club room—we'll talk there!"

Board Game Club Room.

"So much happened yesterday!" Fujiwara Chika pouted, puffing her cheeks. "You didn't even invite me. That's so mean."

"You were busy with club activities," Kaguya replied, arms crossed. "There was no time to explain."

Then she turned to Natsuki.

"What's wrong with my mother? Why does she look like that?"

Natsuki didn't hide anything and told her the full story.

After a moment of silence, Kaguya frowned. "Is there a way to restore her energy?"

"We tested food, but it didn't work," Natsuki said. "She can eat and drink, but it doesn't help."

"I've got it!" Fujiwara Chika raised her hand like a student with the right answer. "Maybe… she needs to replenish her magic power!"

-End Chapter-

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