Thanks to AQS for the scans.

Chapter 165

Nodoka comes to the confessional where Misora and Cocone are. She confesses that she knows Yue likes the same person she does (Negi). Nodoka goes on to state how she’s afraid of her own heart. She had told Yue that they should remain friends and try their best. Nodoka had decided that she’s be OK with Yue going out with Negi. Misora asks if this is how Nodoka truly feels. However, in the aftermath of the battle with Chao-san, Nodoka seeing Yue talking with Negi caused her to feel something negative in her heart, something she refers to as jealousy. Nodoka continues by stating that Yue is her best friend, yet the dark feeling within her won’t go away even if she wishes it. This is what scares her — having something dark within her.

This causes Misora to lose it briefly, calling Nodoka by her nickname “Honya-chan” (honya is Japanese for bookstore) and asks if she’s still in elementary school. Nodoka asks if the priest just said “Honya-chan” but Misora recovers and says no. She goes on to tell Nodoka that it would be unnatrual not to feel the way Nodoka feels. She advises Nodoka not to be afraid of her dark feelings, but be aware of the fear itself. She continues, telling Nodoka not to lose herself in those dark feelings, but not to surpress them. As long as she continues thinking considerate thoughts toward Yue, she’ll be OK.

Leaving the church, Nodoka consults her book artifact and sees a proposed solution to her situation — saishoudoukin. Since saishoudoukin is a Japanese term for living with one’s wife and mistress at the same time, this solution has Nodoka in shock. Unfortunately for her, Ku Fei and Haruna have been looking over her shoulder. Haruna wants to know if Nodoka will be the wife or mistress.

At school the next day, Nodoka reports that going to see the priest helped her. This causes quite the stir with others considering going to see the priest while Misora is amused at the thought of the things she’ll learn today. At the church, Misora gets into her nun outfit and justifies her actions to Cocone by saying she wants to help. In addition to using voice-changing magic, Misora decides to use an illusion spell to make her look like the priest.

Her first customer of the day is Setsuna. She asks if it is OK for two girls to kiss each other (the only way she can make a pactio with Konoka). This is shocking news for Misora and with Cocone there as well, Misora tells Setsuna that it is not only OK, but she should do it all the time. She further chastises Setsuna for being behind the times. Setsuna leaves, feeling inexperienced and old fashioned.

Ayaka arrives and her confession is her love for a certain person that won’t stop flowing out (Negi). Yuuna arrives and talks about how much of a slob her father is and how her chest has gotten larger. Other girls come asking things from pets to how interested in sex a 10-year old boy would be to nothing at all. As Fuka and Fumika leave the church, Sister Shakti overhears their remarks about God, referring to Him as “that fat big-stomached god.”

Negi is depressed and doesn’t want comforting from Chamo. He thinks about what Asuna said to him, comparing him to Chao-san. Realizing that Asuna was right, he goes to the church where Misora is still in the confessional, remarking to Cocone how dumb her classmates are. Negi confesses that he doesn’t know how to keep on living and wants to know what life is. Negi confesses his inability to figure out what to do which leads to Misora going off on Negi, telling him he’s an idiot. She tells him he should be more relaxed and that its OK for him to go out and play if he wants because he’s still a kid. He doesn’t feel this is right since he’s a teacher and has to train. If he took time to play, he wouldn’t get his work done.

Misora decides to force Negi to tell her if there’s a girl he likes. Negi thinks of the girls in his life, rejecting Asuna, Anya, and the rest as girls he really likes in a more than friendship way. However, he thinks of Nodoka and her love confession for him and he blushes. Misora sees this and asks if he likes that girl. Negi protests it isn’t, stating that a relationship between a student and teacher isn’t good. Misora informs him she’s not telling him to date the girl. But she encourages him to do things like think about the girl he really likes or doing things with friends for fun.

As Negi leaves, Misora knows she couldn’t solve Negi’s problem but knows that he has lots of friends there for him. Misora leaves the confessional with Cocone and are met by Sister Shakti. Even though Misora is still in disguise, Sister Shakti knows who it is and is about to inflict massive amounts of punishment on her and Cocone.

Thoughts: This was kind of a fun chapter. Misora is certainly more interesting in the manga than she ever was in either anime adaptation thus far. It was interesting that Chamo was able to know who it was Negi was talking to and more interesting that Cocone knew that Chamo knew. As to who Negi likes, is Akamatsu-sensei steering him to Nodoka with that one moment? I guess they would be a sweet couple (Negi being a 10-year old aside).