Light Novel Chapter 53

ふたりはライバル！ (Futari wa Raibaru!, lit: The Two Are Rivals!) is the fifty-third chapter of the light novel series of The "Hentai" Prince and the Stony Cat.
==Plot==
Youto, wary of his secret being uncovered, brings Tsukushi to a school in a different district rather than his actual one, as he has almost no recollection of his grade school life. However, noticing his hesitation as he shows her around, the intelligent Tsukushi quickly deduces his deception.
Unable to come up with an excuse, Youto coughs awkwardly, feigning a cold. She acts pridefully in response, claiming superiority as the "Messiah" who will save the world, forbidding him to bring bacteria near her. However, she soon shows a different side as she offers to take care of Youto when they return home.
Observing her childish antics, Youto straightforwardly tells her that she's pretty cute, the remark catches Tsukushi off guard. She turns away in embarrassment, stomping off with a huff. Youto tries to backtrack, but it only worsens his situation.
As they explore the school's courtyard, a sharp voice calls out to them, challenging their presence on the school grounds. The voice belongs to a tomboyish girl who introduces herself as Maimaki Mai. She immediately accuses Youto and Tsukushi of trespassing and demands they identify themselves, calling them villains.
Tsukushi takes offense to Mai's accusations and challenges her with her characteristic arrogance and regal demeanor. A verbal sparring match ensues, with Tsukushi using advanced vocabulary and lofty rhetoric to assert her superiority, while Mai retaliates with straightforward and fiery insults.
The argument escalates into a physical altercation. Both girls throw punches and kicks in a chaotic display of childlike combat. Youto attempts to mediate, stepping between the two to stop the fight. However, his efforts are met with slaps and kicks from both sides.
To defuse the situation, Youto uses a strategic distraction: he references Azuki Azusa (A-chan), a kindergarten friend that she was frustrated about losing according to a prior conversation with the high school Mai during the field trip. Claiming that he knows A-chan's family, he offers to take her to meet them.
They set off towards the Azuki household, with Mai continuing to bombards Tsukushi with insults the whole way. When they arrive however, she begins to show signs of hesitation. When they ring the doorbell, Azusa's mother greets them warmly, recognizing Youto from their prior encounter at the bathhouse. Adopting a polite tone, Youto apologizes for his announced visit and for previously lying about his identity, before introducing the real Ma-chan.
A-chan, initially shy, peeks out from behind a hallway corner, wearing her signature red ribbon. Mai hesitantly starts a conversation, complimentimg A-chan's ribbon and asks how she's been. She mentions sending letters but getting no response, expressing concern. With Azusa remaining silent, Mai suspects that she's being a bother, and turns to leave.
A-chan remains silent but clearly emotional, eventually leaping at MaiMai and pinning her to the ground in a sudden, tearful embrace, surprising both Mai and Youto.
Azusa's mother explains the reason for the lost communication: Azusa has tried sending letters, but they couldn't get delivered because Mai's family moved, and the forwarding system didn't work. Mai, unaware of how postal systems operate, had mistakenly believed the letters would automatically reach her.
With misunderstanding cleared, Azusa's mother invites them inside. Tsukushi, still embracing her "Messiah" persona, once again pretends to be disinterested, but her actions betray her, prompting Youto to bluntly point out that her whole reason for coming along was to play with people her age, eliciting a flustered response. Seeing this, Mai mocks her for not having any friends, and another childish battle breaks out.
They end up playing for quite some time, with Azusa's mother treating them to dinner. Walking home, the smiles of A-chan and Ma-chan lingers in the back of Youto's mind, making him smile as well. Youto briefly ponders why this moment feels so significant to him, vaguely remembering swearing and oath to never make a girl cry, but struggling to remember when it happened. He feels as if he's forgetting something crucial, but unable to remember, he continues to grin.
==Characters==
==Navigation==