“Am I the Shogun!? ~The JK Shogun and the Nine Handsome Men~” Episode 1 [Creative Award 2024, Manga Original Story Category Entry]

Synopsis
An ordinary high school girl, Aoi Wakashimo suddenly becomes the Shogun one day!?
Aoi faces every impossible challenge with energy and spirit!
And nine handsome men gather as if guided by Aoi!
Bakufu-established Oedo Castle Academy is the stage for a slapstick story swirling with love and desire!?
The Shogun, her merry companions, and a cast of unique rivals make school life incredibly exciting!

Main Story
Prologue
I think school life is boring. You just go through the routine. Every morning you go to school at a set time, take classes in set places, talk to the same faces during breaks and lunch, and eat together. Eventually, after school, you go home. Nothing dramatic ever happens there. Boring time just passes by. However, even in that, there are some exciting events. For example, a "transfer student" is easy to understand. Even if the faculty hasn't told anyone in particular, a student who heard it from somewhere rushes into their classroom and shouts, "A transfer student is coming today!" The other students who hear this start whispering rumors. The boys start chatting about trivial things like, "Is it a cute girl?" and the girls say, "What if it's a handsome guy?" Anyway, it's a major event that adds an accent to boring days. I ended up facing such an event in the position of a "transfer student." I never thought I would play such a role in my life. Until the day and the moment arrived, I used my imagination many times. I walk slowly down the quiet hallway following the homeroom teacher. The teacher opens the classroom door, and I follow with a slightly nervous look. I walk to the middle of the classroom, and only then do I turn to face my classmates. This is the scene of a transfer student I had imagined in my head. However, the scene I actually saw was quite, no, very different. Drums were beating, and I entered the classroom with a loud voice shouting, "The Shogun is arriving~." Instead of meeting my classmates' eyes, everyone was bowing their heads as if they were face-down on their desks. Yeah, no, that's completely different. The transfer student event I had imagined wasn't like this. Let's turn the clock back about a month to see how this happened.

On a certain day in March, an ordinary high school girl, Aoi Wakashimo parted ways with her friends and was on her way home. Since the Naginata club she belonged to was off, she was heading home much earlier than usual. Her house is in a quiet residential area. Perhaps because of that, there aren't many people around even in the evening before the sun sets. Thanks to that, she noticed the presence immediately. It was that presence again. She had felt it frequently for about half a year, but lately, she felt it almost every day. Aoi felt that it was no longer a coincidence and that she was definitely being followed. She turned the corner where her house was and stood there for a while. The presence approached slowly and quietly, and when she secretly peeked around the corner, Aoi pointed the tip of her Naginata, still in its bag, at the face of the owner of the presence.
"Who are you?"
The owner of the presence looked surprised. Aoi was also surprised in return. Since it was someone following a high school girl, she had imagined someone who looked like a suspicious person, but a gentlemanly elderly person with graying hair was standing there. Still, Aoi didn't lower her guard and asked the silent person while holding the Naginata.
"You're the old man who's been following me lately, right? A pervert at your age?"
"..."
"Say something. I can call for help, you know?"
"...Since when did you notice?"
Aoi answered, confused by the unexpectedly polite tone.
"...At first, it was about half a year ago, and lately, it's been almost every day. I thought maybe our routes home were the same or our times overlapped, but today I'm heading home much earlier than usual. It's too strange for us to be together this much."
"Hmm, half a year ago, you say..."
The person put his hand on his chin and seemed to be thinking about something. Then he muttered.
"Even taking into account that my skills have declined, this is quite the crisis detection ability... and the courage to face me without fear... this might be more than I thought..."
"What are you muttering about? I'm really going to call for help, old man."
"Ah, that would be a problem. Actually, I am..."
Seeing the person reach into his inner jacket pocket, Aoi braced herself, but what he took out was a business card.
"Excuse me, I apologize for the late introduction. I am this person."
"'Shogunate Secret Service, Special Mission Division, Special Advisor, Hanbei Odaka...?'
Aoi read the name while looking back and forth between the business card and the old gentleman.
"The Shogunate... a secret agent of the Shogunate has what business with someone like me?"
"I will speak plainly. Aoi Wakashimo, you will become the Shogun!"
"Ha... haaaah!?"
Aoi let out a bizarre voice on the street.

"I'm sorry, I don't have anything special..."
"Oh, don't worry about it, ma'am. I'm the one who visited suddenly."
"I just received a call from my husband. He says he'll be back soon."
"Is that so? Well, it's easier to talk when both parents are present."
Saying that, the man who called himself Odaka took a sip of the tea Aoi's mother served. Aoi, sitting across from him at the reception room table, watched the situation unhappily.
"Is there something on my face?"
"Nothing..."
Aoi looked away and turned her eyes to the window. After a while, hurried sounds could be heard from the entrance.
"I, I'm home!"
"Oh, honey, welcome back!"
"I'm sorry! Sorry to keep you waiting!"
Aoi's father entered the reception room, out of breath. After waiting for his breathing to steady and for Aoi's mother to take her seat, Odaka began to speak slowly.
"Once again... I apologize for the sudden visit."
Odaka bowed his head. Aoi's father felt humbled.
"No, no! S, so, what is your business...?"
"The time has come, that is what it is."
"Is that so... I understand."
"W, wait a minute!"
Aoi shouted to interrupt the conversation.
"Explain it properly! I don't understand at all!"
"You will become the next Shogun."
"That's right."
"That's right."
"Oh, is that so~... that's not how it works! That's why you're lacking in explanation!"
"Aoi-san, do you know what a Shogun is?"
"I know at least that much."
"Then, do you know that the Shogun expressed his intention to abdicate the other day?"
"Ah, I saw an article like that on the net newspaper..."
"In other words, that's what it is."
"That's not 'in other words' at all! So why am I, a high school girl, becoming the Shogun!?"
"Hmm, rather than me saying it..."
Odaka signaled to Aoi's father. Her father nodded silently and turned to Aoi.
"Aoi, our Wakashimo family is a distant relative of the Shogun family."
"Eh!? That's the first time I've heard that!?"
"Because it's the first time I've said it."
"A distant relative...?"
"From the current Shogun's perspective... the Shogun's mother's cousin's husband's cousin is your father... Aoi's grandfather."
"That's far! That's basically a stranger, isn't it!?"
"Aoi-san's succession rank is... 101st."
Odaka muttered, checking his notebook.
"Three digits, of all things! It's not even two digits!?"
"That is correct, unfortunately."
"W, why me? What about the other 100 people!?"
"Each has various circumstances... First, there are those with simple health issues, and those who were evaluated as 'they just lack that decisive factor' and so on... That's why you, Aoi-san, have surfaced."
"No, no, I can't accept that! And who is saying 'they lack that factor' anyway!?"
"The big shots, I suppose?"
"Don't ask me!"
"Anyway."
Odaka raised his right hand and resumed speaking slowly to calm the excited Aoi.
"Selfishly, we have been investigating your background for the past six months. Excellent academic performance, good results in Naginata tournaments, truly both literary and military arts. You have many friends, and there are no major problems with your conduct. Above all, your health is good... and your dignified appearance will surely receive support from the people. Well, that's not that important, though."
"What was the tailing about?"
"When you become Shogun, there is a risk of being attacked by lawless people, so we tested your crisis detection ability and mental strength... Based on a comprehensive judgment from various perspectives, we would like to welcome you as our 25th Shogun of the Oedo Shogunate..."
"W, wait a minute! Then shouldn't my father be the one to succeed?"
Aoi looked at her father. Her father shook his head.
"Our family is a bit special... Once a child is born, the succession right moves to that child. It seems there are a few other families like that."
"S, such a..."
"I'll add one more thing: the intention of 'wouldn't a young person be better anyway~?' is also working greatly."
"So who is it!? Who is that person with the light attitude every time!?"
"The big shots, I suppose?"
"That's what I'm asking!"
"Then, parents, is that alright with you?"
"I-I-I said! First of all, it's not alright with me!"
After a moment of silence, her father opened his mouth.
"Honestly... I'm very confused by the suddenness. I wonder if this girl can really handle such a great responsibility. Right?"
Her father spoke to her mother. Her mother nodded.
"Yes... And you're saying it comes with a certain amount of danger, right? I feel resistance to sending my precious daughter to such a place..."
"Exactly! Aoi is a daughter we've raised with such care and love! There's no way we can just say 'yes, okay' and hand her over easily!"
"Dad, Mom..."
While soothing Aoi's parents, whose tone was gradually becoming heated, with both hands, Odaka spoke.
"I can more than understand the parents' feelings..."
Odaka took two pieces of paper out of his inner chest pocket and placed them on the table.
"W, what is this?"
"These are blank checks. Please write in any amount you like. The first one is for Aoi-san's preparation money; honestly, I have no idea how much it will cost. By the way, the cost of the previous Shogun's enthronement ceremony was... about this much."
"T, this much..."
Odaka gently supported the arm of Aoi's mother, who was about to collapse onto the table due to the sheer amount she saw. And he whispered in her ear.
"What is in front of you is a blank check. It is possible to easily cover the high costs associated with the Shogun's enthronement. Depending on the amount you write, there is a possibility that you can put it into savings or elsewhere."
"Oh, yes..."
"Mom! Don't listen to such evil whispers! And Dad!?"
"W, what about this other one?"
Odaka nodded with a smile.
"What I gave to your wife is a check regarding 'uses related to preparation money.' On the other hand, what you have now is a check regarding the 'Wakashimo family's household budget.' You may use it however you like."
"Dad! This is a devil's whisper! Don't listen to it!"
""Ugh~~~!""
"Dad! Mom! Wake up!!"
Aoi's parents both let out indescribable groans, looked up at the ceiling, or looked down at their feet. After repeating such actions several times... they slammed the checks onto the table. And the two said in unison,
""Please, we leave it to you!""
The two stood up and bowed deeply. Odaka nodded with satisfaction.
"I understand. Leave everything else to me."
"No, I-I-I said! Don't ignore the person herself!"
"Aoi, you've always said you wanted to do work that helps the world and people, haven't you! This is a golden opportunity! Please, become a fine Shogun who helps the world and people!"
"Eh, yeah, the scale is too big..."
"Aoi, you said before that you were sick of boring student life, right? If you become the Shogun, I'm sure there will be many exciting things waiting for you every day!"
"T, that's just a remnant of my middle school syndrome... I don't really want that much excitement..."
"For the world, for the people, and for paying off our family's loan!"
"Goodbye boring housewife life! Welcome exciting celebrity life!"
"Your true feelings are leaking out! Both of you!"
""Aoi!""
"Ah~ fine~ I get it! I'll just do it, right! I'll become the Shogun!"
Thus, the first active JK Shogun in the approximately 400-year history of the Oedo Shogunate was born. And the story returns to the beginning.

One
"Um..."
Aoi scratched the tip of her nose. She wanted to give a transfer greeting, but her classmates remained face-down on their desks, and not one of them raised their head. Aoi sought help from the homeroom teacher, but the female teacher was also bowing her head, even though she was standing. Wondering what to do, Aoi called out to everyone.
"E, everyone, could you please raise your heads? I'd like to greet you."
In response to Aoi's call, the classmates all raised their heads, though they were confused. Aoi started her self-introduction while feeling slightly nervous that the eyes of the whole class were focused on her at once.
"N, nice to meet you, I transferred from Futsu Girls' Academy, I'm Aoi Wakashimo. Honestly, I still don't understand much about the Shogun, but I want to do my best in my own way. I look forward to working with you."
Aoi smiled, but the classmates were almost unresponsive. Then the homeroom teacher spoke to Aoi timidly.
"...With all due respect, My Lady."
"My Lady? Ah, are you talking about me?"
"Yes, that is correct."
"No, please just call me by my last name."
"N, no, I can't do that!"
"Isn't it strange to use 'My Lady' for a student? You can treat me the same as other students."
"B, but..."
"I'm sure I told the principal and vice-principal that..."
Aoi had met with the principal and vice-principal the day before. Even then, they remained bowing, and it was so uncomfortable that she requested to be treated like a regular student. However, perhaps it hadn't been communicated to the entire faculty. By the way, there was talk of introducing her grandly in front of all the students at the morning assembly, but Aoi, feeling humbled, declined. But Aoi, thinking this wouldn't do, turned to everyone and spoke.
"I, for now, I am the Shogun, but as you know, I wasn't born a Shogun or anything. Until a month ago, I was just a high school girl. So please treat me like a regular classmate!"
Everyone showed a surprised reaction to Aoi's sudden call. Silence dominated the classroom for a while.
"T, then, W, Wakashimo-san."
"Yes."
"About the seat, it's at the very back of this row..."
"Ah, I understand."
"W, would you have preferred to be alone? I'm sorry, there are no empty classrooms available at the moment..."
"I, it's okay! Please put me in this Year 2, Class To!"
The awkward state of taking classes one-on-one with a teacher is something I absolutely want to avoid. She immediately sat in the designated seat. After the homeroom ended, Aoi was confused. She was clearly being kept at a distance by the other students. Should she talk to them herself, or should she wait for someone to talk to her? If she dawdled, the break would end. Aoi, who considered herself to have a relatively social personality, hadn't expected there to be such a "wall" between her and the other students, so she couldn't take the first step.
Then...
"Hello."
A woman with a slender style, long black hair, and glasses was standing in front of Aoi.
"Ah, h, hello!"
Aoi stood up and greeted the person who was a little taller than her.
"Normally, I thought it would be rude to speak to you like this... but I took advantage of your words earlier and decided to speak to you. ...Was it a bother?"
"N, not at all!" "That's good. Ah, I apologize for the late introduction. My name is Date Nisawayaka. I serve as the vice-class representative
for this Year 2, Class To. If there is anything you don't understand, please feel free to consult me."
"I'm Aoi Wakashimo! Please call me Aoi!"
"I would feel humbled to call you by your first name without honorifics... How about I call you Aoi-sama?"
Aoi thought it was strange to use honorifics for classmates, but she judged that she should close the distance without rushing.
"W, well, if that's okay. Nice to meet you, Date-san."
"Fufu, you can call me Sawayaka."
"T, then, Sawayaka...-san."
"The first period class will start soon. Let's continue our conversation during lunch break." Saying that, Sawayaka turned on her heel and returned to her seat. Aoi was captivated by her elegant demeanor for a moment, but seeing the teacher enter the classroom, she hurriedly took her seat.

During the lunch break, after finishing her lunch early, Sawa approached Aoi.
“There is still some time left in the lunch break, so would you like me to show you around the school building?”
“Oh, yes please.”
Aoi followed Sawa out into the hallway.
“Wow, but still...”
“Is something the matter?”
“You really can see Oedo Castle clearly from the hallway window, can’t you?”
“That is, of course, because this is the Oedo Shogunate Prefectural Oedo Castle Academy established in the Kitanomaru of Oedo Castle! There are only a handful of schools in Japan that exist within castle grounds.”
“The school building is also very impressive, but... oh, what is that onion-shaped roof?”
“That is the Budokan.”
“The Budokan!? It’s that big!”
“It accommodates all kinds of indoor sports. Though, large tournaments seem to be limited to martial arts like judo and kendo. Well, it seems a large-scale music concert was held there long ago, but I haven’t heard of anything like that in the last few years.”
“What about those school buildings over there?”
“Those are the middle school, elementary school, and preschool divisions. The university and graduate school are a little further away.”
“There’s even a graduate school?”
“Yes. However, most people graduate from high school or university and enter service for the Shogunate. There are exceptions, but they are extremely rare.”
“...What will happen to me?”
“...What do you mean, what will happen? You have already ascended to the position of Shogun, have you not?”
“So?”
“You will have to do your best juggling both roles as ‘Seii Taishogun’ and ‘high school girl’...”
“What exactly should I do my best at?”
Faced with Aoi’s sudden barrage of questions, Sawa looked away.
“You said earlier, ‘If there is anything you don’t understand, please feel free to consult me,’ didn’t you, Sawa-cchi?”
“Sa, Sawa-cchi!?”
Ignoring Sawa, who was stunned by the sudden nickname, Aoi continued her questions.
“What should I do~?”
“...Ahem. In the first place, this Oedo Castle Academy, including the era of its predecessor, the Oedo Castle School, is in an unprecedented situation where, for the first time in its approximately 250-year history, a Shogun is attending school while still in office.”
“Eh!? I’m the first!?”
“There seem to be a few cases where a Shogun’s heir, that is, someone who would succeed the Shogun, attended. However, the current situation where someone who is actively handling government affairs at the castle you see over there is also here as a high school girl—frankly speaking, the entire faculty and student body are just completely bewildered!”
“Are you bewildered?”
“Yes, we don’t know how to treat you...”
“That’s why you should treat me like a normal student.”
“That is what is difficult...”
“So it’s not impossible, right... I get it!”
“...What did you get?”
Sawa looked at Aoi with a suspicious gaze.
“I will liven up this school as a high school girl while becoming a person worthy of being the Seii Taishogun!”
To the stunned Sawa, Aoi continued with a smile.
“That’s what ‘juggling both roles’ means, right?”
“I did say that, but... do you have any concrete ideas?”
“...I don’t, actually~”
Sawa looked down while holding her glasses. The moment Aoi thought she had been disappointed,
“A stroke of luck that has come about for the first time in about 400 years since our ancestors... If things go well, I can get into the heart of the government... I have been blessed with a golden opportunity to make the ‘Vice-Shogun of the World’ a reality...!”
“U-um, Sawa-cchi...?”
When Aoi timidly called out to Sawa, who had started muttering something to herself,
“Aoi-sama!”
“Y-yes!”
“I, Date Nisa, will support your ‘dual-role high school life’ with all my might!”
“O-oh, I see...”
“To liven up the school, strong leadership is required above all else! If you cultivate and polish that leadership, you should naturally be able to capture the hearts of the students at this school. At that time, you will begin to walk the path to becoming a magnificent Seii Taishogun!”
“I-is that so...”
“That is so!”
“B-but even if you say to cultivate leadership, what should I do specifically?”
“First, there is a quick way. Let’s go back to the classroom!”
“O-okay.”
Aoi, feeling overwhelmed by Sawa’s momentum, returned to the Year 2, Class B classroom.
“...The method is in the classroom?”
“Heh heh heh, I’m glad you asked...”
Aoi, who was slightly put off by the eerie laughter Sawa was emitting, thought she saw Sawa’s glasses flash for a moment.
“The perfect prey for cultivating leadership is right here! Look!”
Saying that, Sawa opened the classroom door with force. Aoi’s eyes caught sight of a man and a woman in the center of the classroom, glaring intensely at each other while shouting loudly.
“Butler Cafe!”
A petite girl with long vertical ringlets shouted.
“No, a Maid Cafe!”
A tall, slender boy with short hair neatly parted to the side shouted back.
“This class has attractive men, starting with you! There’s no reason not to take advantage of that! I won’t yield on this!”
“In the first place, you’ve never yielded... Listen, this class has wonderful women, starting with you. You should push your beauty to the forefront!”
Seeing the beautiful man and woman asserting their opinions, Aoi looked at Sawa with a confused expression.
“W-what is this situation?”
“It’s embarrassing for high school students, but this class has bad relations between boys and girls, and in particular, the opinions of those two, who are the leaders, always clash. They are what you call ‘like cats and dogs’...”
“Eh? They have bad relations despite that!? It sounds like they are praising each other like crazy...”
“They have been in the same class since their first year, and it’s been like that since last year... As the vice-class representative, I am troubled.”
“A-a strange fight, isn’t it...”
Sawa pushed her glasses up and turned back to Aoi.
“Aoi-sama, could you get those two to acknowledge each other? If the two of them get along, the class situation should improve. If you become the key player in that, I think everyone in the class will look up to you, Aoi-sama. What do you think? Isn’t it perfect for cultivating leadership?”
“In short, it’s mediating a fight... In the first place, why are they arguing?”
“It’s about what to do for the Summer School Festival. There are two school festivals a year, summer and winter. The summer one is for students only and is called the ‘Freshman Welcome Party and Pre-Summer Vacation Appreciation Party,’ but among the students, it is called the ‘Summer School Festival.’”
“Hmm.”
“Then, Aoi-sama, I leave it to you.”
“N-no, when you say leave it to me... u-um.”
““What is it!?””
The two glared at Aoi, but realizing that the other party was the Shogun, they hurriedly straightened their posture.
“U-Uesama. I am very sorry.”
“Excuse us for the unsightly scene, Uesama.”
“...Once again, I am Wakashimono Aoi. As I said before, please treat me as a classmate.”
“That is a difficult request...”
“May I ask your names?”
“I am terribly sorry for this! I am Takashimazu Sagiri. I serve as the class representative for this class. Please get to know me.”
“...I am Tamouri Kagemoto. I serve as the secretary for this class. Nice to meet you.”
They each bowed respectfully to Aoi. Aoi asked.
“Um... it seems you are arguing about the attraction...”
“Of course, I don’t enjoy arguing, Uesa... Wakashimono-san. However, I was chosen as class representative by a majority vote in the spring of last year. My opinion should be respected the most.”
“That’s tyrannical. The number of votes in favor was almost the same. This class just happens to have many girls, and it’s strange not to listen to our proposal at all because of that. Don’t you think so... Wakashimono-san?”
Aoi heard their thoughts and replied.
“By majority vote, there are more for ‘Butler Cafe,’ but it’s a close margin. It’s also true that there are many voices pushing for ‘Maid Cafe’... How about we compromise and do a ‘Butler and Maid Cafe’?”
““No!!””