The Honest Explosion of a Tsundere Heiress ~Affection is the Ultimate Weapon~ - On my 18th birthday, zero seconds of honesty and total defeat—but tomorrow, I will definitely be honest (only Kuma-kichi knows).

"Being honest." She knew it herself. How little those words suited her. Tachibana Yukika sat alone at the edge of a twelve-person oak table on the morning of April 15th, thinking exactly that. It was too spacious. No matter how she looked at it, far too spacious. Twelve chairs lined the table, but only one was occupied. Beyond the window, the cityscape of Aokikawa spread out, and the view of the south bank looking down from Midori-ga-oka in the north was somehow beautiful in the morning light. The Aokikawa River reflected the light east and west, and the outline of the Sakura-tsutsumi Bridge along the riverbank appeared hazily obscured. She turned eighteen today. Because it was her birthday, she felt like something might change. She knew it was just a feeling—that probably nothing would change at all. But she wanted it to change. "…Today's the day." Her voice echoed strangely in the dining hall. The ceiling was high. The main building of the Tachibana estate was a wooden two-story structure with twenty-two rooms, built in the late Meiji period in a blend of Japanese and Western styles. The dining hall occupied the east side of the first floor. Heavy, ornate frames hung on the walls—the kind you'd expect from an old family in Aokikawa—and every morning, Yukika's eyes met those of an expressionless gentleman in one of the portraits. (Today I'll smile properly. Talk properly. Be honest.) She ate the Shirase silk tofu delivered fresh every morning, quietly thinking it was delicious. She corrected herself once—she didn't think it was delicious at all—then honestly admitted it actually was. She could tell Kuma-kichi. But Kuma-kichi was stuffed deep in her bag. --- After breakfast, Yukika moved to the entrance hall. A French full-length mirror, 2.1 meters tall, stood in the spacious marble foyer. It was from the Meiji period, so it should have been quite old, but the mirror surface was always polished to a shine, reflecting Yukika's entire figure clearly. Black short bob. Amber eyes. White blouse, pale gray pleated skirt, black ribbon tie. A slender silhouette at 168 centimeters. Objectively speaking, not bad. The problem was her face. (Smile. Just smile. Raise the corners of my mouth.) Yukika tried to create a smile facing the mirror. What appeared in the mirror was a Nio guardian statue. "…Huh?" A deep vertical crease between her eyebrows, sharp, piercing eyes, mouth set in a firm line. Her gaze was fixed. No matter how you looked at it, she resembled a Hannya mask or a Shura demon—there wasn't a single element of a smile. She tried again. This time, consciously raising the corners of her mouth. The face in the mirror became even more intimidating. "Why…" Every time she tried to move her lips, her cheek muscles responded in combat mode. Her eyebrows automatically shot up. Was this the result of trying to raise her mouth corners? Her facial muscles seemed to be completely reverse-wired somewhere in her nervous system. Footsteps approached from down the hall. "Young lady, what are you doing?" A live-in servant. A woman in her forties, one of twelve servants in the Tachibana household. Yukika pulled her back away from the mirror in 0.03 seconds and returned to her normal face. "Nothing!" There was a brief pause. "Obviously facial muscle stretches. Part of my health regimen. Don't butt in." "…I was unaware." "Of what?" "That facial stretching was a health method." "It's cutting-edge. Now go away." The servant bowed without expression and retreated down the hall. Alone in the entrance hall again, Yukika turned back to the mirror. The reflection remained expressionless, not smiling. "…I thought I could at least smile once on my birthday." It was barely a whisper. A voice no one could hear. She pulled a leather-bound planner from her bag. The cover read "Honesty Project Version 47" printed on it. It was custom-made by Souichirou, and since the first version began when Yukika was ten, forty-six versions of failure were etched into this series of planners. Today marked Version 47. Yukika wrote in neat handwriting. 'Smile Division: Today's Attempt ①: Failed. Cause: Facial nervous system refuses cooperation' She closed the planner and put it away. (…When Souichirou comes home, I'll have to show him another negative achievement rate.) Higaki Souichirou, the head butler of the Tachibana household, was out today. Forty-two years old, calm and composed, with excellent penmanship. He'd served Yukika exclusively since she was three. He was the manager and mentor of the "Honesty Project," with his own unique evaluation system that could calculate achievement rates down to negative values. He had a knack for being absent at precisely the wrong times. Not just on days like today. Yukika opened the front door. The outside air was cold and felt slightly refreshing. --- From the Tachibana estate to Suirei Academy was about eighteen minutes on foot. The school route was called "The Seven Curves of Lamentation," a 900-meter slope descending Midori-ga-oka's hills with seven sharp turns. The name supposedly came from a student legend: "The slope where you sigh seven times on the morning commute." But for Yukika, it was also her daily strategy meeting. With each curve she turned, she'd confirm her mission, steel her resolve, and make her final decision at the seventh curve. (Today's mission: Talk pleasantly to everyone I meet.) She turned the second curve. (Just say good morning. That's all. Four letters: good morning.) The third curve came into view. The road widened slightly at a landing where a "Marutoku Vending Machine" branded drink dispenser stood. Next to it was a male student in uniform. Tanabe. A classmate from 3-B. No particular connection, but not a bad guy either. (Do it. Do it now. Good morning, Tanabe. Nice weather today, huh?) Yukika opened her mouth. "You're annoying. Stay out of my sight." Tanabe froze. "Huh?" Yukika froze too. (Why!? Why does this happen!? I just wanted to greet him!?) In her mind, she'd said good morning clearly. She definitely had. But what came out of her mouth was something completely different. And her mouth was still moving— "I don't like your face for some reason." —delivering a follow-up attack. "…" Tanabe said nothing. He wasn't doing anything. Literally nothing. He'd just been standing in front of the vending machine. (No, that's wrong! That's not what I meant! But I said it!) Yukika hurriedly pulled out her planner. Standing still, she wrote in neat handwriting. 'Conversation Division: Verbal abuse toward Tanabe. Version 47 Day 1 First Target Victim Confirmed. Cause Analysis: Mouth executes complete reverse translation of heart. Continuous failure record updated' Tanabe somewhat randomly pressed a button on the vending machine. "I mean, Tachibana's always like this, but… uh… hang in there, me." An energy drink fell from the machine. "I didn't order this." "That's your choice, isn't it?" She was still talking. She couldn't stop herself. "Why just me…" Tanabe stared at the energy drink with hollow eyes. Next to him, Yukika put her planner back in her bag and continued down the slope. The seventh curve was approaching. From there, she could see Suirei Academy's buildings. (Today for sure… I'll definitely be honest…) At this point, there was already one victim. --- Suirei Academy High School. Located at the southern foot of Midori-ga-oka on the north bank of Aokikawa, a private school founded in 1939. The predecessor was "Suirei Girls' Academy," established with investment from the third-generation head of the Tachibana family. It became coeducational in 1968 and took its current name. About 720 students total, the top preparatory school in Aokikawa City, with many children from prominent families. Annual tuition was about 1.2 million yen, but the top five percent by grades received full scholarships through the academic excellence system. Yukika's classroom was 3-B on the third floor south side of the main building. Her usual seat was by the window, from which she could glimpse the Aokikawa River's surface. She sat down and opened her planner. Today's challenge items were neatly listed. '① Smile and greet ② Express gratitude ③ Use compliments ④ Listen to people fully ⑤ Say thank you' ① had already failed. Morning homeroom began. The homeroom teacher was a man in his fifties with over thirty years of teaching experience. The way he called out "Tachibana" during attendance check carried an unmistakable note of resignation—that wasn't just her imagination. "Tachibana." (Yes, teacher.) "That's annoying." The entire class turned to stone. Silence dominated the classroom. Thirty years of teaching experience condensed into this single moment of silence. The teacher held his pen, looked up from the attendance book, and stared at Yukika. Yukika was frozen too. (Why!? I was trying to say yes!!) She frantically opened her planner. Neat handwriting. 'Conversation Division: Failed response to teacher. Heart-to-mouth divergence rate: 100%. Continuous failure count: Updated to 2,847 total' "Tachibana… I'm glad you're energetic as always." With the face of a man who'd seen it all, the teacher moved to the next name. A professional. Whispers came from the back of the classroom. "Tachibana's amazing every day." "I wonder what her grades are like." She looked out the window. The Aokikawa's surface glimmered in the light. The south bank across the way, the office buildings of the East Aoki commercial district visible in the distance. (I know… I know…) Her face was perfectly expressionless. No one noticed. Back to the planner, she put an X next to challenge items ① through ⑤. Then in the "Today's Word" section, she wrote in neat handwriting: 'Why is it that on a birthday, which is supposed to be special, I always end up like this?' She wrote it, then erased it with her eraser. The erasure marks remained. --- Lunch break. Today's mission target for "expressing gratitude" was Shimada from the school store. Fifty-eight years old, expressionless, office worker. One of the few people who didn't react no matter what Tachibana Yukika said—she'd earned a certain respect in Yukika's evaluation. The school store was at the end of the central hallway on the first floor. It was only open during lunch, and the fried chicken bread (180 yen) sold out by 12:08 every day without fail. The time was 12:07:45. Today the fried chicken bread was still there. Yukika reached for it. At the same moment, another hand reached from behind. A shadow fell on the counter. Yukika grabbed the bread quickly. First come, first served. Shimada took the 180 yen without expression. (Now's the time. Express gratitude. Th-thank you for always… having delicious bread…) "I've always thought your arrangement here is poorly organized." Shimada continued attending to the next customer without expression. "…Yes." (No! That's not it! I was trying to thank you!!) But Shimada showed no signs of damage. She wasn't hurt. She wasn't fazed. She continued her duties with perfect expressionlessness. (Shimada doesn't take damage from my verbal abuse… steel-like expressionlessness…) Yukika's evaluation of Shimada rose even higher. There was a mysterious sense of security. This person alone doesn't get hurt by me. She wrote in her planner. 'Gratitude Division: Failed to convey thanks to Shimada. However, Shimada may be immortal' She stood by a window at the end of the hallway and ate the fried chicken bread. Rectangular patches of outside light fell on the hallway floor. (Not particularly delicious or anything.) She took one bite, then another. (It's actually pretty delicious.) She was only honest about it in her heart. --- The Aokikawa in the afternoon was quiet. When she went down to the riverbank, wind crossed the water's surface and rustled her hair. About 200 meters downstream from Sakura-tsutsumi Bridge,

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Name: The Honest Explosion of a Tsundere Heiress ~Affection is the Ultimate Weapon~
Author: Novelia

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