Anime Collector: Starting With the Malevolent Shrine

The next day at Sobu High School.

"Nino, you scared us to death! We thought you'd been kidnapped by some ransom-demanding robbers!" Ichika immediately embraced Nino warmly upon seeing her.

"Thank goodness you ran into Daiki. Who knows what might have happened otherwise? But how did you get lost so close to home?" Itsuki pondered, unable to come up with an answer.

Yotsuba couldn't suppress a silly grin at Nino's return.

"Where's Miku, by the way?" Nino scanned the area, finding no trace of her sister.

"Oh, her? She might be having a secret rendezvous with Daiki!" Ichika chuckled, covering her mouth as if amused by the thought.

She failed to notice Nino's smile stiffen momentarily.

Indeed, Miku and Daiki were the real couple. She was merely a passerby who had stumbled into his world by accident. Her eyes dimmed slightly as her smile faded.

Sensing her mood, Itsuki and the others refrained from pressing further.

"We should avoid going out at night from now on." Nino advised, her expression turning unpleasant as if recalling something.

"Is that so? No problem!"

Though unaware of the specific reason, they knew Nino wouldn't complain without cause. She must have encountered something the previous night. Why else would she bring this up suddenly?

After a moment's consideration, Ichika and the others nodded in agreement, smiling.

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Meanwhile, Miku and Daiki walked to the middle of the hallway.

When they were alone, Miku leaned in and subtly inhaled his scent, as if checking for any trace of Nino. To her relief, she detected nothing.

"What happened to Nino last night?" She asked softly, embracing him.

Her sister and Daiki hadn't interacted, yet Nino simply disappeared last night and went to his apartment. As much as she wanted to believe it was an emergency, it was still very strange.

"She encountered some trouble. It's best to avoid going out at night from now on." Daiki's hand gently caressed her waist, his fingers tracing the soft, smooth texture of her tights.

"Next weekend, I want to stay at your place too." Miku looked up, her expression serious as she lightly bit her lip.

"Alright." His fingers applied slightly more pressure, causing the fabric of her black tights to shift beneath his touch.

"Daiki... H..."

Her soft, vulnerable voice ignited a playful urge in him. They remained there until the class bell rang, then reluctantly returned to their respective classrooms.

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Time flew by, and before they knew it, evening had fallen.

The persistent rain drew complaints from many. Soaked cherry blossom petals littered the ground, their brief beauty cut short.

Upon returning to their luxurious apartment, Itsuki and the others felt an immediate sense of relief.

"Home at last—another day, another round of failing grades."

"Ugh, my test scores aren't passing either."

"Wait, Miku's grades have improved significantly. She even passed history?"

"Miku! We agreed to progress together! How dare you leave us behind!" Ichika's eyes widened as she examined Miku's report card.

Previously, all five sisters had failed their exams together. Now, Miku's unexpected success in history — a notoriously difficult subject — shocked even Nino, despite her sour mood.

Observing her improved scores across all subjects, the other four sisters encircled her with stern expressions.

"Confess! Miku, have you been secretly studying at night behind our backs?" Ichika demanded, her gaze fixed intently on her sister.

"Miku, don't be so competitive! Isn't it better if we all study happily together?" Yotsuba pleaded, her eyes brimming with tears as she put on a pitiful expression.

Itsuki and Nino exchanged helpless glances.

"I didn't do anything in secret. Stop accusing me!" Miku retorted angrily, her cheeks puffed out in frustration.

"Then how do you explain your grades?" Ichika asked, pointing at the passing subjects on the report card.

"That's because Daiki and I often go to the library!" Miku replied, annoyed at her sister's distrust.

Ichika's eyes widened in sudden realization, "Huh? You actually study there? I thought you just went to find a quiet place to date."

Miku opened her mouth to refute but hesitated. In truth, they had initially gone to the library to research historical military figures together. She'd discovered that Daiki was surprisingly knowledgeable about the topic. As they continued to meet, they gradually became more familiar with each other.

Over time, their discussions branched out into various subjects. It wasn't until the exam that Miku realized how much she had learned.

Although she still failed some subjects, there was a significant improvement overall.

"Come to think of it." Itsuki interjected, "Daiki's grades this time seem to be in the top ten of our year."

The other three sisters immediately felt a sense of crisis. If this continued, wouldn't they fall further behind Miku? This didn't align with the quintuplets' oath!

"That's amazing!" Yotsuba exclaimed sincerely.

Hearing this, Nino secretly pouted, 'It's just an ordinary achievement, you haven't seen Daiki's true talents yet.'

She recalled his excellent cooking skills. Why had she never heard Miku mention them? Could it be that she was still unaware?

Perhaps Daiki didn't like to show off his abilities. After all, he possessed such great talent but had never displayed it openly. Yet she had accidentally witnessed his true capabilities.

As these thoughts swirled in her mind, Nino felt a strange sensation in her heart. Even as midnight approached, she found herself tossing and turning, unable to sleep.

"Don't think weird thoughts! He's Miku's boyfriend!" She scolded herself, shaking her head. She decided to get a bottle of water from the fridge to calm her nerves.

As she approached the door, a faint noise caught her attention. Nino, still haunted by her recent fear, trembled slightly. She worried that the monster might have followed her to the apartment.

Mustering her courage, she cracked open the door and peered into the living room… And what she saw made her face fall.

In the darkness, she could clearly hear Itsuki and Ichika arguing in hushed voices.

"Don't snatch it! This is my dish!" Ichika whispered urgently.

"Hmph." Itsuki retorted, "Do you dare swear that this is really yours?"

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T/N: If you want more chapters like this, check out my Patreon! Take a look at my other translations too, you might like them!

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