Arifureta Shokugyou de Sekai Saikyou

Common Holiday Brief Story Aiko’s Case

「It’s a refreshing morning. 」

Those words echoed through the staff room at the morning with excessive clarity.

The speaker was the vice principal.

The morning assembly should have already started at this period of time. Usually he would keep giving cautions over and over to everyone until his mouth turned sour but……

That vice principal was standing near the window with his hands joined behind his back. He was looking up to the sky while receiving the sunlight with his whole body.

「Seeing a day like this makes me feels like everything will be peaceful for the whole day.」

There was no voice answering him. The place was dead silent.

Was there nobody inside the staff room? No, by no means no. The teachers were properly present even today. There was not a single one who came late.

But, not a single one of them notified the vice principal that was it was the time for morning assembly.

They simply stayed quiet, or perhaps holding their breath while looking at the vice principal.

No, to be more accurate……they were watching Kazuko-sensei who was sneaking behind the vice principal.

「Perhaps this is just my imagination but, my head is also feeling really refreshed this day.」

No wonder. After all your black hair that was so lustrous to an unnatural degree was in Kazuko-sensei’s hands! The teachers all wanted to say that but they swallowed back those words forcefully.

Kazuko-sensei had a slightly timid and very gentle personality.

But, more than one year had passed since she continuously fixed in secrecy the vice principal’s dignity (?) that kept shifting or falling off. Now, Kazuko-sensei’s eyes became like a veteran mercenary only when she was sneaking at the vice principal’s back.

The way she dropped her waist, erased her footsteps, lifted up the wig with one hand, and smoothly closed the distance……

She was like a certain legendary snake who was about to launch his CQC! The wig looked like a knife in her hand! Perhaps she would even bring out a cardboard box anytime soon!

「Don’t you all think so?」

Vice principal looked back across his shoulder. Tension ran through the staff room. But, Kazuko-sensei had completely seen through the vice principal’s movement. She moved aside smoothly along his line of sight toward the vice principal’s blind spot.

Without stopping she returned the wig with a flowing motion and even subtly adjusted its positioning with super soft touch.

Nn? The vice principal felt the touch and his hand touched his own head. But Kazuko-sensei had already finished withdrawing at that time and sat back on her own chair with a look of ignorance.

There wasn’t any sound made but, it could be felt from the teachers’ expressions how they all cheered Waa all at once. Kazuko-sensei herself was accepting the praises looking like she wasn’t that dissatisfied about it.

Perhaps the vice principal felt that atmosphere and said 「Nn?」 once again and looked around the staff room. But the all the teachers were already erasing their expressions quietly. What sense of unity.

It seemed the period when Hajime and others were attending the school didn’t only train their own unity, but also the teachers own unity greatly.

The vice principal looked around for a short time with a questioning gaze, but a second later, he once again questioned the only teacher in this room who wasn’t sitting on a chair other than himself.

「Are you listening? ──Hatayama-sensei」

「Uu」

Yes, the cause of the morning assembly got skipped and the atmosphere became weird like this, perhaps it should be said that it went without saying. It was Aiko.

She was standing straight at attention in front of the desk of the vice principal that was placed at the center of the back of the room. Somehow, everyone could see the illusion of the cold sweats covering her.

「T-that’s right isn’t it. Err, yes. I also think it’s a great morning!」

The vice principal nodded once.

「Surely we will be able to spend this whole day with a peaceful mind. Isn’t that right?」

「I-I also hope for that to be the case-」

「Good. It seems that I’m seeing eye to eye with Hatayama-sensei in this matter. I’m relieved.」

「Yes-, please feel at ease! I’ll always be with you vice principal!」

「Nnn-cough-」

Wrong, not like that. Pick your words a bit more carefully, the vice principal coughed strongly as though he wanted to say that.

Even after Hajime and others had graduated, Aiko still kept making statements that could be misunderstood (only when it was with the vice principal) when she was at her wits’ end, while the vice principal comedically got a complete misunderstanding from it. Such exchange of theirs was still continuing even now.

The gazes from the teachers while looking at those two were warm must be because they properly understood the comedic essence of the two’s exchange. What excellent teachers!

「You see, Hatayama-sensei. I’m rating you quite highly as a teacher.」

「I’m honored!」

「That’s why, I asked you to give guidance for this year’s new teacher, and I also entrusted you with one of the senior classes.」

「Thank you very much!」

Eheh, a smile leaked out from Aiko’s lips as she spoke her gratitude. However, the vice principal didn’t even grin.

Rather, he looked like he was suppressing some kind of feeling from erupting out explosively. Or rather, the emotion that he had been doing his best to suppress until now had finally seeped out as could be seen from his hand that was starting to shake.

He quietly took off his glasses with that trembling hand. He took out a handkerchief from his chest pocket and started to wipe his glasses thoroughly as though it was a ceremony to calm down his heart.

「Therefore, I believe that surely what I heard is just some kind of mistake. That’s why I wish to confirm one more time, yes, just one more time. Just now, what was it that you said to me?」

「……I said that I wish to take a break. Yes……」

That was the reason why Aiko was standing in front of the vice principal’s desk.

She brought up a day off application……or rather consultation (?) to the vice principal before the morning assembly started.

Such request itself wasn’t something unusual. Rather, the vice principal was very thankful that a teacher was consulting him first before taking a day off.

Being a teacher was hard work. This occupation practiced things like overtime or working on day off like it was only obvious.

For the vice principal such things were only commonplace, but that didn’t mean that he planned to ignore the wave of work-style reform nowadays.

Especially Aiko, she was someone who was well-known for shouldering works or acts that no ordinary teacher would never be expected to do, so he could understand how she would want to take her holiday that had been piling up now that “they” had graduated.

But……

But, still.

「When, did you say?」

「For, August……」

「I see, the summer holiday. Of course even teacher is allowed to have a holiday that is longer than usual. On top of that, I’m very pleased that you’re “consulting” me first instead of “requesting” holiday because our school is currently lacking manpower due to the aforementioned incident.」

「No no, I’m simply doing the──」

「And, about the holiday’s length, how much did you say it is again?」

From the vice principal’s voice it was very obvious that he was speaking while controlling his emotion for every single word so that his emotion wouldn’t leak out.

Actually, he had already asked the same questions three times before this. Even so he couldn’t accept the reality and thought 「Hahaa~n, perhaps my head is still hall asleep? Good grief, you can’t really win against old age huh. HAHA-」 while attempting to reset his brain by showering himself in the morning sunlight.

Snak* Kazuko was working hard right from the morning was also because he unconsciously scratched off his head wildly after hearing the content of Aiko’s holiday consultation.

Aiko’s eyes were fervently darting off every which way to avoid the gaze of the vice principal that looked like he was praying 「Please let the words that I heard before this be just my mishearing」, even so she hardened her determination as though to say 「Eei, what will be will be!」 and declared.

「It’s for one whole month-」

「You think this is the West-」

A godspeed tsukkomi burst out.

*Kii~n koo~n kaa~n koo~n* The bell rang with slow chime as though to denote the punch line.

The teachers still hadn’t done their morning assembly but it was already time. The other teachers were lightheartedly standing up from their chairs.

But, it seemed the vice principal didn’t hear the chime because his mind was in the state of raging fury. His emotion that finally broke free turned into words that got fired rapidly like machine gun.

「What’s more what’s with the rest! Ee? You can’t tell me about your destination in detail, but it’ll be a place where satellite phone will be necessary so you want to be allowed to leave behind a specialized phone here!? Are you planning to go to a place like the depth of Amazon or something!? Furthermore you will have a way to return quickly in case of emergency!? What do you mean by a way to return immediately from a place that can only be reached by satellite phone!? No matter how you put it this is just too suspicious don’t you think!? Do you-, think-, this me-, will allow that kind of holidayyyy——!!」

「That’s right isn’t it——」

By the way, the satellite phone that the vice principal mentioned referred to “interworlds communication artifact”. And the “way to return immediately” was of course referring to “Hajime’s Crystal Key”.

Yes, Aiko’s consultation about taking a long holiday was for the other world trip that was scheduled for the summer break.

Also, the actual schedule length was around two weeks. She said one month was because it wasn’t clear how the time difference would work with the star spirit world, so that one month was insurance for the worst case that the time delay would take that long.

Currently Hajime was consulting with Enti and other divine spirits to do trial and error to somehow erase the time difference between the two worlds.

Putting that aside.

Aiko of course also wanted to come along with the other worlds trip. She wanted to go no matter what but……

Even so as expected students were her first priority. That hadn’t changed even after Hajime and others had graduated. That was Aiko’s creed, her conviction.

And so, she had prepared a countermeasure so she could be contacted anytime and a way to be able to return anytime to deal with problem. On top of that she also brought up this matter to the vice principal for consultation, to see how much adjustment could be done to her workload and if perhaps she could return for a short time even in the middle of her trip for work depending on the situation. But,

(From an objective viewpoint, what I’m saying is just too suspicious isn’t it! Stupid me! Even though there should be a better way to say it!)

The vice principal knew that he had no ground to find fault with someone else’s private trip, but to someone like him who didn’t believe about the other world teleportation incident from the outset, it was only natural for him to associate Aiko’s plan with the group disappearance incident at that time.

Could it be, that she planned to go to meet again with the people involved with the incident at that time? Or perhaps, she was poking her nose into some kind of other dangerous matter? He thought.

It was no use crying over spilt milk. Facing the vice principal who was pressing closer with a demonic look,

「Hatayama-sensei! Just what in the──」

「I’m sorry!! Please forget about itt!!」

Aiko chose to retreat temporarily. She dashed away with small footsteps *pata pata pata* like a small animal and snatched the teaching material that she had prepared beforehand on her desk.

Like that,

「Ah, oi! Hatayama-sensei! Just where are you going! Explain properly just what in the world you are planning with your day off!」

「I have class!! Please excuse mee!!」

She brought up her class which was an absolute shield to flee at full speed.

While doing a bit of escapism by hoping against all hope that the vice principal would forget everything when she returned from teaching the class.

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「Something like that happened. Even after that it was dread──horrible you know?」

At afternoon two days later. It was Sunday. Aiko who was having a full day off was grumbling which was unusual for her, or rather, it was as though she was doing her best to do so.

The location was a café.

It was a shop with long standing that was located near a large park in the neighboring town. The exterior and also interior had a retro atmosphere that made the customer felt its history. The atmosphere was very calm.

Even the customers seemed to put in effort to not destroy such atmosphere. There was nobody who spoke loudly. Even when laughing they were stifling their voice to only let out an elegant chuckle.

The fragrant aroma of coffee and the slow tempo of the background music filled the inside space pleasantly. It even made the people there felt like the flow of time inside the café was different from the outside world.

「What happened?」

「It was like, he switched from anger to anxiety……thinking that perhaps I’m sick. And it wasn’t just the vice principal, even the other teachers became──got worried for me.」

Haah, even though she was sighing, Aiko sipped at the coffee latte that was filling her largish cup.

The gentle sweetness of the rich blend spread inside her mouth. The coffee’s fragrance tickled her nasal cavity. Her expression unconsciously loosened up into howaah.

「Worry……aa, they thought you were asking for a long holiday because of mental stress.」

「Yes……I mean, yep……」

The one sitting opposite of her while also enjoying coffee latte like her was Hajime.

They were in a date. If Hajime was excluded, Aiko was the next person who was busiest among the family. This was a date for just the two of them after so long.

Because of the heavy load of the work of being a teacher and because of Aiko’s own passion for her work, their schedule really couldn’t fit with each other at all when Hajime himself was being busy. If they didn’t put effort to decide “This day!” at least two weeks in advance, and Yue and others didn’t intentionally concede that day to them, an exchange like “A date of just the two of us alone, when was the last time we had one?” ”Half a year ago perhaps?” might really happen between the two of them.

In fact, even the date today was the first one for them after the graduation.

「It feels as if──feels like I now understand what is the meaning of “misinterpretation” that Hajime-kun sometimes mentioned.」

Aiko’s gaze became distant and she sipped her coffee latte *kupi-* once again. Her face went *howawa~nn* while recalling the day before.

It was when she had finished her first period’s class and returned to the staff room fearfully.

Even though her mind was completely filled with the thought that the vice principal must be lying in wait for her with a demonic look……

「The vice principal isn’t vice principal with that kind of smile on his face-」

「That’s a horrible wording. No, I understand how you feel though.」

What was waiting for her was the vice principal who was wearing a bodhisattva-like smile. While it was very rude of her, it was a terrible horror.

The other teachers were also taken aback. Furthermore someone like Kazuko-sensei even screamed 「HIH」.

The bodhisattva-faced vice principal tried asking Aiko once more to explain her circumstance, but Aiko was assaulted by an inexplicable terror and immediately said 「I-I was just jokinggg~! Hehehe-」 to dodge the questioning but……

Perhaps because a bit of time had passed, the vice principal had became calm and it seemed he had reached one line of thought while Aiko was teaching her class. And, it seemed that thought turned into conviction 「As I thought」 when he saw Aiko’s forced smile.

Which was,

──Hatayama-sensei’s mind is reaching the limit

She said that she wanted to take a long holiday where normal mode of communication wouldn’t be able to reach her was because she was feeling so cornered to the degree that she wanted to get away from teaching for a time! At this rate perhaps she would become mentally ill and resigned!? He thought.

If that’s the case……I see-. This mystery is solved! She brought up this kind of irrational consultation for day off to me even knowing that there’s no way I’ll accept it is SOS signal from her heart to me! Forgive me-, I wasn’t able to notice! That seemed to be the conclusion that he reached.

「I almost got forced into leave of absence instead──rather than just day off.」

There were also suggestions like other teacher could take over if she felt that the responsibility of giving guidance to new teacher or being in charge of a senior class was too heavy, or how the vice principal wouldn’t mind if she went as far as taking a leave of absent for one year rather than just day off, or how he had a counselor acquaintance that he could introduce to her……

The “bodhisattva-like vice principal” was just too intense that even though if she could say 「Then I’ll have a one month day-off for the summer break please!」 the vice principal would permit it on the spot, she was too shaken up that she reflexively said 「I’m really completely alright!」 and persuaded the vice principal to the opposite instead. It was a painful blunder.

「In the end, the other teachers also became……got worried for me, haa」

It appeared that she couldn’t completely solve the misunderstanding. When she returned to the staff room again after the second period, it seemed that the vice principal had said something to the other teachers. Aiko could clearly feel how all of them were nonchalantly observing Aiko’s condition.

We ain’t gonna miss even the slightest abnormality or SOS signal from the heart! Hatayama-sensei, we’ll lend you our ears to any problem you have anytime! They were acting like that.

「Even though I had also asked to be entrusted with giving guidance to the new teacher, if the situation keep being like this……I feel as if──feel like I won’t be able to grow as teacher at all……」

「Looks like it. You also can’t stop using polite language at all huh.」

「Uu」

Hajime rested his cheek on his hand while smiling wryly. Aiko looked down in embarrassment.

When Hajime visited the home of Aiko’s family for the first time, he saw her speaking to her family and male childhood friend with casual language. Seeing that Hajime asked her to stop using polite language when talking at him too.

But, it was easy to guess how it ended up. Aiko was Aiko as expected.

There’s no way I can speak casually only to Hajime while using polite language to everyone else at school! Not to mention using it separately only during private time, what if I get careless and use it when in front of other students……that’s no good as a teacher! At the very least, we should wait until my relationship with Hajime stop being teacher and student! She said. In the end she persisted in using polite language with him all the time.

「Forget about graduation, even after we’ve effectively married like this……」

Hajime let out a sad sigh dramatically. Aiko knitted her eyebrows.

「I-I can’t help it. For some reason, it feels really embarrassing……」

「You also haven’t announced at school that you’re married, and you’re also wearing your ring as necklace instead in your finger.」

「Uu」

「I wonder, when will it be you start treating me as husband……」

「I will! I will do it! Properly! But, look, to marry on the same day just because you aren’t student anymore……somehow……it feels improper! Ethically and socially!」

「Aiko, voice.」

「HAH!?」

It seemed that she had unconsciously became loud when speaking. She gasped and looked around inside the café. She saw the waitress and several customers sending glances their way.

They smiled politely seeing Aiko repeatedly bowing her head to them to apologize and they took off their gazes but……

Looking at their faces from the side, somehow, their expressions became like 「Oh my!」「Did you hear that?」「It’s a forbidden love! Forbidden!」 as though they had heard a very interesting gossip.

It seemed that they had overheard the “Marriage at the same day he stopped being a student” part. And it looked like among them there were also some who misunderstood, which one of them was the teacher and which was the student. There were also those sending cold gaze at Hajime.

The person in question didn’t show any concern at all. Rather he was staring joyfully at Aiko who was turning red.

「Then, how long will it be until it’s okay?」

「……If possible, it’ll be better to wait after Hajime-kun and others graduate from university──」

Hajime’s eyes silently narrowed. Aiko hurriedly corrected herself.

「I-I get it! I get it already! Next year! Next year I’ll inform the school too, and I’ll wear the ring properly! So wait for at least a year!」

「Aiko is troublesome huh」

「Isn’t that horrible way of saying it!?」

「Well, I like that troublesome side of yours though.」

「Horrible surprise attack!!」

Should she be angry or be happy? She raised her eyebrows while turning red, but her lips were going *munya munya* from almost breaking into a wide smile.

She was “human”-like in a good meaning. She was a good model so that Hajime wouldn’t forget of being “human”. Hajime’s feeling when he said that in the past still hadn’t changed even now. That was because Aiko didn’t change.

The matter of her extended leave was also the same. Naturally she had also told Hajime before about asking for communicator across worlds and also the possibility of her leaving for a bit to go home even in the middle of the trip if there was a student who needed her.

Aren’t you sacrificing your private life a bit too much? Sumire and Shuu asked her. The two were also looking at Aiko’s usual busy schedule and worried for her, but even though Hajime looked slightly troubled at such Aiko, he held respect and happiness toward her that surpassed it.

Because, that side of Aiko that didn’t change even when getting abducted to another world had saved a lot of parts of Hajime. That was why, his mouth naturally broke into a smile.

「……Is it fun making fun of me?」

「I’m being completely honest though? I’m really respecting your conviction as a teacher and also your sincerity toward your fellow teachers and the students.」

「……」

She didn’t give a reply and sipped her coffee latte *kupipi*. She held up her cup with both hands and drank to hide her face. It was charming how her ears were reddening further.

「Well, certainly I think it’s a blunder that you got anxious and consulted the vice principal too bluntly though. You already decided your course for the extended leave matter right? Even the communicator and the leaving at the middle should be just plan B.」

「That’s true but……」

「Or else, should we go with the initial plan just as I thought?」

Hajime said that with a grin. Aiko vigorously shook her head to left and right.

「The high-ranked demon substitute strategy is a complete no!」

That was the first solution that Hajime offered when Aiko consulted him at first. Aiko refused it with all her strength. The reason was,

「I think, I think something lewd like that is bad-」

「That. Juust why are all of them instantly become like that the moment they transformed into Aiko?」

Perhaps that was how a demon’s nature was.

Actually they had tested it. A gate of hell was opened in a part of “Miniature Garden” and demon became able to materialize by bringing in the bloody wind. They also tried holding the “Aiko Masquerade Audition” while they were at it. Applicants were flooding in when the recruitment was advertised.

And the result was around fifty absurdly bewitching Aikos lined up. It was already, like, an Aiko group that was overflowing with wicked and licentious presences.

Furthermore there were some of them who were exaggerating a part of their body, and there were also some who were dressed in excessively high rate of exposure. And it didn’t stop there. There were even some who were using charm magic.

Something like a real seducer teacher……there was no doubt that the minds of the students would be destroyed.

It went without saying that Aiko snapped 「Just what do you all thing a teacher isss—」.

「And most of all……」

Aiko placed down her cup and changed her expression. Her eyes that were looking straight at Hajime were certainly filled with a powerful conviction.

「Preparing a fake will mean betraying the trust that the teachers and students have toward me, so I absolutely won’t allow that.」

Work that was entrusted to her because she was Aiko, students who opened up their heart to her because she was Ai-chan-sensei. This method was lacking sincerity toward those kinds of matters. And so Aiko couldn’t possibly accept the method no matter what.

「I get it. It was just a joke done at the side of experimenting if it’s possible to create an area of bloody win in the “Miniature Garden”. That was why, I also offered other way that Aiko can accept didn’t I?」

「Uu, that’s true……it’s because that plan isn’t going well that I got impatient and consulted with vice principal about the plan B though……」

「Yeah. Well, it can’t be helped.」

Hajime smiled wryly seeing Aiko becoming dejected once again while speaking about their original plan.

「Obviously it’ll be real hard to do something like creating clone body using soul magic so you can go to a trip while doing teaching work simultaneously.」

That was their actual strategy so Aiko could take a long vacation while also still teaching.

The impetus for the idea was of course a certain Abyssgate-san. His clone bodies were produced by his skill but, originally that skill could be categorized as soul magic.

By copying the information of one’s own soul and imprinting it into a body of magic power, it became possible to have another body that could move autonomically and share information. It was a magic with the highest level of difficulty.

「I thought that it would be possible somehow if it’s just creating one clone but……after all I can insert pseudo soul into plant to make it fight for me.」

「I guess there is a world of difference in difficulty level between simple combat action and a perfect copy of the user. In addition there was also the matter of time limit.」

「Yeah. To think that it’s that difficult to grant the clone the same level of autonomy like the original self……furthermore maintaining the magic also become more difficult the more advanced it is. Just what in the world is Endou-kun who is able to maintain several such clones all the time?」

「I’m also learning it once more after seeing Aiko’s hard work. Just how terrific the Abyss Lord is.」

Both could only put on bitter smiles on their faces.

In a glance, Kousuke looked like he was using clone bodies like it was nothing, but in actuality from the perspective of magic user, it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to call his skill in creating clones as godly.

Autonomy that wasn’t at all different from the main body, and equal combat ability. And right now he had even conquered the problem of durability.

On top of that was the aspect of “producing clones from clones in geometric progression”. Even Yue was made to say “It’s impossible for me. How is that possible?” to that.

「Well, if it’s like this then we can only lower the autonomy level a bit.」

「Right. I’ll make it only able to share information, and I’ll take remote control of it when it’s facing something that looks like it can’t deal with I guess……but, in that case」

Aiko looked at Hajime with an upturned gaze. It was as though she was observing his reaction.

Actually in this strategy, there was just one fatal flaw.

「I know. You’re talking about the creation of method to enable maintaining and controlling a clone even across worlds right?」

Yes, clone body couldn’t be operated from across worlds. That applied even to Kousuke. Solving that problem was left to Hajime but, the person in question didn’t look worried.

「I’ve an idea how to do it so don’t worry. I’ll finish it in time.」

「Amazing, so you might be able to solve it?」

「From the start I’ve been asked about it from Endou, if there’s something that I might be able to do about it.」

It was something that Kousuke had consulted with Hajime ever since the exorcist incident. Hajime had started researching the matter since that time and the basic part of that research result was being used for the interworlds communication.

「I’m also designing a support artifact that’ll be useful for maintaining clone body.」

「……You aren’t working too hard? Because of my selfishness you…」

Hajime was making time like this for her even though he was already being swamped with work. Aiko knitted her eyebrows with an apologetic look.

She automatically turned down her gaze as though to stare at the bottom of her cup that had become empty.

「That ain’t selfishness at all」

Aiko’s both hands were holding her cup. Hajime put his hands over them to envelop her hands.

「It’s because Aiko is that kind of “teacher” that the current me is here. It’s also my wish that that you can keep being a “teacher” who is giving your all for your students’ sake from here on too.」

「Hajime-kun……」

「Although, I want you to have fun together with us in the trip too. In other words, more than half of this is for my own sake, so don’t make that kind of face.」

Hajime and Aiko stared into each other’s eyes for a short while.

Somehow, they could vaguely sense that they were being paid attention because of Aiko losing her composure before this but, as expected it seemed they were being paid attention. The gazes of 「Oh myy!」 toward them were becoming even more intense.

As expected Aiko seemed to notice those gazes. Her face was rapidly turning red.

She quietly pulled out her hands from Hajime’s hold and brought her cup to her mouth with a smoothed over expression.

Of course, her cup was already empty since before.

The young waitress seemed to realize that and she was looking her way with a wide grin on her face. As though she was saying, My preparation to receive new order is completed!

「W-we should leave! I mean, let’s leave already!」

──It’s so innocent how she still can’t completely stop using polite language with her teacher isn’t it, manager!

──Oi, stop that. They’re customer

Aiko started trembling with a smile still pasted on her face. It seemed that she finally became unable to endure the atmosphere inside the café.

Hajime had a bit of feeling wanting to see Aiko being like that forever but, his third cup of coffee was also empty already. His stomach would become bulging if he drank anymore than this, so it was a good timing.

「Got it, let’s leave. ……Putting that aside, this is seriously our date after so long, is it really fine to just stroll in a park for it?」

「Yep, it’s fine like that.」

Hajime implied that if she had somewhere she wanted to go she shouldn’t hold back, but Aiko answered him with a bashful smile.

「Time will flow really fast if we’re doing something after all.」

Being relaxed to the last. That way the time would pass slowly, and so they would be able to stay together longer, mentally speaking.

That feeling of Aiko was conveyed fully to Hajime. The corner of his eyes unconsciously lowered.

To be honest, taking a relaxed stroll, going to a café, returning back to Aiko’s home when the sun set, making dinner together, and then spending the time in a relaxed manner again……those were the staple activities in his date with Aiko.

It seemed that going to a fun place or doing something stimulating were activities that he could do when with Yue and others.

「Could it be, when I suggested about us living together after graduation, you refused with various reasons like how your current residence is more convenient for work or how our relationship might get found out by school in the end by changing address, but……」

Aiko still continued to live by herself even now. It wasn’t like she disliked living in the house of Nagumo family. That was her honest feeling. In fact, usually she would use a gate if she had time to hang around there.

But, even in this date that they only had after several months, as expected at the end they would go to her house to relax. If she said that she was fine like that……

「Err……keep it a secret, okay?」

Her comfortable time with Hajime could be spent in her own home where there wasn’t anybody else. That was something that she found really hard to let go.

It was a really trivial way to obtain a feeling of being special, but it would be boorish to himself and her if he said it and pointed it out.

The mature smile that Aiko suddenly showed made Hajime felt slightly awkward and his scratched his cheek.

Several people inside the café were eating cake or drinking coffee latte and muttered 「So swee~~et」, but in the end, was that because of the things they put into their mouth or because of the atmosphere inside the café?

「Of course, if……the family grow……I’ll want to move to your house」

「Got it. Let’s continue this talk later.」

Aiko was fidgeting even while standing up. She blurted out something like that while blushing. The waitress groaned 「Nnnn~~」 while pressing her hands on her face and stomping her foot. It seemed she was writhing.

And so, Hajime pulled Aiko’s hand and settled the bill in a bit of hurry.

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They exited the café and walked leisurely toward the direction where the roadside trees were gradually becoming more often. They were holding hands while enjoying the breeze and the sunlight filtering through trees under the nice weather.

They didn’t exchange any word. Even the quiet time felt pleasant in a way.

They entered the promenade that was their tentative destination. It was a walkway that encircled a large pond where there were flower beds and benches at both sides. People jogging or walking, people walking their pets, people relaxing on the benches, etc. Everyone seemed to be enjoying the quiet nature to their heart’s content.

The two walked while enjoying the sight of the pond’s bank and the atmosphere for a while.

「Continuing where we left off just now」

Hajime suddenly opened his mouth around the time they had finished walking a fourth of the promenade.

「Actually, I’m thinking that I want to have a slightly important talk today.」

「Eh……don’t tell me, you want a divorce!?」

「Why is your thinking going there!?」

A woman in the middle of jogging stumbled as she passed by the two of them. She almost slid on the ground with her face, but a young man who was just idling in a daze on a bench nearby performed a fine play by helping her.

The two ended up hugging each other and stared into each other’s widened eyes. There was a premonition that something was sprouting between the two of them──but let’s ignore that.

「Not long ago, we just had a talk of having children next year or the next year after that at the latest.」

Hajime turned toward her with an exasperated expression.

「T-that’s right wasn’t it. All of us talked about having children together.」

Aiko said while patting her chest with relieve.

The jogging woman and young man who were hugging each other like in a dancing scene turned their gazes this way in a snap. 「What do you mean by all of us!?」 Their expression said.

「Lily-san is the only one putting it off for further in the future, so talk to her properly about it later okay?」

「Naturally. That girl is still fifteen after all.」

What do you mean fifteennn!? Or rather, your wife there also still look like a child though!? That kind of gaze stabbed the two of them.

And so, they coughed. Hajime pulled Aiko’s hand and moved her legs that had stopped walking a bit forcefully.

Behind them, the jogging woman and young man looked at each other once more. Then right after that they turned somewhat red and stood up. There were signs of them moving and started talking of something. What would happen with them……it didn’t matter at all.

What was important right now was the new future plan that got discussed and decided after Hajime’s talk with Tio the other day served as the impetus.

Everyone was already talking with each other about having children and they also had a united view about it.

But to Hajime, Aiko was the only one who he wanted to confirm it with for just one more time. He wanted to check if perhaps Aiko was just matching her opinion with the surrounding because of her personality.

「Are you really fine with it?」

「Eh? About what?」

With consideration, Hajime put effort to pick his words carefully before continuing.

「Aiko has a job unlike Yue and others. What’s more it’s your lifework. There’s no way you can compromise with it like Tio and Remia with their jobs.」

「Aa, so it’s about that……」

Aiko would be the one who got affected the most by the matter of children. She was someone who Hajime needed to be the most considerate about it.

Aiko had finally become able to do her teacher job properly after Hajime and others graduated and the special class for them also became unneeded. He knew very well just how happy she was when she got appointed for coaching the new teacher, given a class to be in charge for, and also various other responsibilities.

「I suddenly realized after Aiko and others went home that day we had the talk……Yue and others apparently also got slightly worried whether it’ll be really fine for you Aiko.」

「So that happened.」

「There would be this date a few days after that, so I thought it’ll be the perfect time. I wanted to confirm it with you one more time when we’re alone and relaxed.」

Hajime said that with a quiet expression and turned down his gaze toward Aiko.

「I want to respect your feeling of wanting to carry out your life as teacher. That’s why Aiko, if you say that actually another timing will work better for you, I’ll prioritize your wish.」

「Hajime-kun……」

「Tio too. She’ll support you with her all if you have a child, but if that will cause a heavy burden to weigh you down Aiko, she said that she won’t mind even if we wait.」

「Why is everyone going that far just to match my convenience?」

Aiko showed a bit of bewilderment that she became the center of such important future planning.

Hajime clenched his fist just a bit stronger seeing Aiko like that while turning a gaze that was filled with kindness toward her.

「I have message from Yue and others. ──Because you faced Hajime seriously as a teacher, there’re a lot of things that ended up not getting discarded and many more happiness. And so, it’s only natural for us to support Aiko’s life as teacher──that seems to be their feeling.」

「Everyone……」

Aiko’s legs stopped walking and she strongly pressed her lips together. She closed her eyes to cherish the feeling inside her chest that she couldn’t describe with words.

Hajime didn’t hurry her up and quietly waited for Aiko’s words.

After a while,

「What about your feeling Hajime-kun?」

「Me?」

Hajime stared blankly at her for an instant when he got questioned in return, but the words came out smoothly in almost no time at all.

「……I want to meet them. I want to meet them quickly.」

This time it was Aiko’s turn to stare blankly at him. His wording of wanting to meet rather than wanting to have was unexpected.

For some reason Hajime also felt surprised about that. His eyes blinked. It seemed those words came out from his heart almost unconsciously.

But, if that wording came out because he was convinced that such future was waiting for them,

「Fufu, that’s a lovely expression. ……Yep, I also want to meet them. That’s why, I’m fine. I have enough resolve and spirit for it!」

「……I see. Thanks.」

「That’s my line, thank you for thinking about me. I need to thank Yue-san and others too.」

They looked at each other before exchanging a light hug. In the middle it felt like they heard a voice like 「Eh? Is that Hatayama-sensei?」, but surely it was just their imagination. It was undoubtedly just their imagination.

Aiko paid it no mind and hugged Hajime even stronger. As though to hide her face──no, to bury her face on his chest.

Perhaps Hajime had done something. Aiko heard footsteps receding to further away and lifted up her face.

This time they smiled wryly at each other.

「Is the important talk over?」

「For the time being.」

「So there’s still more?」

「The world affairs are getting more chaotic recently right? I was keeping the information sharing to the minimum so it won’t get in the way of Aiko’s work but, there’re also happening matters where I can’t do that. ……But well, I already managed to bring up the most important topic so it’s alright for now.」

「Then we’re going to continue the talk at night? Until then──」

「Until then?」

Aiko let go and smiled sweetly to Hajime.

「Let’s talk about trivial things more.」

「Trivial things huh.」

「Yep. Talk about ordinary days, where there’s no up or down or punch line. A leisurely and mellow talk.」

「That doesn’t sound bad. I’m feeling healed already.」

Hajime also smiled back with a very relaxed atmosphere.

Like that,

「Also, we got to buy ingredients before going home. What do you want to eat Hajime-kun?」

「Hm~m, that’s a hard question.」

The two kept holding hands as they continued their thoroughly relaxed stroll.

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「Then, you had a lot of fun that night didn’t you, sensei.」

「HAH!?」

Saturday the next week after the date. The half day class was over and a really peevish voice of a female student reverberated inside the student counseling room at afternoon.

When Aiko hurriedly looked in front of her, she saw the student who approached her for a consultation today was resting her cheek on her hand with her eyes half-closed. She looked like she was going to spit out keh anytime now. By the way, under the desk she was also crossing one leg on top of her other leg.

「Certainly, it was me who asked about recent news of Nagumo-senpai but, who said about wanting to hear your bragging of your love life? Is this spiteful harassment toward me who can’t meet with Onee-sama?」

「Wr, w-wro, wrong, you’re wrong! Or rather, a lot of fun you said, geez-. Just what’re you saying!」

「By the way, what kind of outfit you were wearing that night?」

「My, outfit? It was just a normal hoodie though……」

「And under it?」

「……」

「As I thought you weren’t wearing anything! You seduced him with erotic outfit! Kaaaah, dis vulgar teacher-」

「What’s with the sudden dialect? Not that, who’re you calling vulgar teacher! Cut it out already, if not I’ll be seriously angry! Hino-san!」

Aiko raised her eyebrows angrily. The female student with her trademark twintail straightened her posture even while sulking.

Why was Aiko openly talking about her relationship with Hajime which should be a secret in the school?

Hino Rin ──there was no need to hide it, she was none other than the special assault commander of Soul Sisters, alias “Kouhai-chan” who Hajime never called by name throughout his attendance in this school.

Now that she had become third year, many of her classmates and juniors called her “Hinorin♪” or “Hinorin-senpai”, but let’s set aside such digression.

Kouhai-chan got dragged for a bit into an incident together with the bus guide santa-san and the rabbit eared maid-senpai during Christmas. Through some twists and turns she visited Nagumo family’s home and learned various secrets. Now she was the only one in this school who knew about Aiko’s hidden circumstance.

Perhaps that was why. Aiko unconsciously let her guard down and misunderstood Kouhai-chan’s meaning when she asked about the recent news and talked about her date with Hajime.

「You see sensei, I was told to call if something happens, and yet when I damn tried calling, that son of bitch senpai didn’t pick up at all, so I wondered if he’s really that busy and asked you about the recent situation.」

「……That’s right isn’t it」

「And yet I was made to listen to a story of a normal date. Just what kind of face I should make here?」

「A-and! Did something happen! Sensei will listen to you!」

Aiko put on a deceiving laugh at full force as though to say Smile, smile in order to change the topic, no, in this case perhaps it should be called getting back on the original topic. Anyway, Aiko took a posture of listening to Kouhai-chan’s story.

「Ah, no, it’s not really something that big though.」

「Is that so?」

「Yes. Not long ago, my friend almost got invited into a religion that seems suspicious so I went to help her, the someone tried to stalk me so I became a stalker instead to identify the culprit──」

「Wait a second」

「Also, Amai-oneesan──the bus guide woman said that she often heard about occult related rumors now, and that the number of times she got dragged into small incident increased, and so I went to help her several times──」

To Aiko, her story seemed like it was a big enough matter.

Looking at Kouhai-chan’s expression, it seemed that she was seriously thinking that they weren’t anything serious. As expected from the daily adventuring-type high school girl. She was saying that just that much was commonplace occurrence for her?

No, there was a great possibility that her standard for judging the extraordinary had got lowered even further after learning the truth about Nagumo family.

In fact, she only contacted Hajime one time for each incident. And she also only spewed curses into the answering machine instead of telling her situation.

And so, Hajime also ignored her thinking that she would at least leave a message explaining about the situation if something really happened to her.

Aiko was pondering whether she ought to correct Kouhai-chan’s perception or not, meanwhile Kouhai-chan stood up.

「Sorry for taking your time sensei. I’m going now.」

「Are you really alright? Should sensei tell him about this at least?」

「No, it’s alright!」

Kouhai-chan said that and picked up the bamboo sword bag that was leaning on the desk. Actually she had some measure of strength and she had also become the new captain of the kendo club.

And so thinking that she would go to her club activity after this, it wasn’t strange for her to also bring a bamboo sword bag other than her school bag but……

Aiko wondered. She felt something disquieting from Kouhai-chan’s expression.

She thought that it couldn’t possibly be the case while asking with a slightly twitching expression.

「Umm, by the way when you say “going”……you mean going to, club activity right?」

「No way!」

It was a lovely smile. That smile was truly radiant.

Kouhai-chan pulled out a wooden sword from her bag with that sparkling smile fixed on her face.

「How can I just stay quiet after hearing something like Shizuku-oneesama getting impregnateddd!! Shizuku-oneesama! Please wait! Your step-sister is coming nowwww!!」

「Ah, wait! Hey! No, really waittt! This is the second flo──」

「Nagumo-senpaiii(Bastarddd), you’re dead meatttttt-」

Kouhai-chan yelled like that and lightly jumped out of the window. She diverted out the impact with a magnificent forward roll when reaching the ground and immediately dashing away without even slowing down.

「Heyyyyyyy, Hino-saaaaaan! Come backkkkkkk!」

Aiko’s desperate shout for her to stop only echoed in the air meaninglessly.

That day, the rumor of a high school girl rushing noisily through the street with unsheathed (?) wooden sword in one hand exploded in a part of the social media. Furthermore the school also got flooded with calls of inquiry. It went without saying that it drove the vice principal nuts.

Also, around that time somewhere.

「Uu」

「Hm? What’s wrong?」

「No, I’m feeling a chill for some reason……」

「Do you caught a cold? Want to go home and rest?」

「No, I’m fine.」

The Onee-sama in question felt some kind of bad premonition and shivered.

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AN: Thank you very much for reading this every time.

Thank you very much too for the thoughts, opinions, and reports about misspelling and omitted words.

About the Christmas chapter, I wrote it without caring about the timeline because it was a special seasonal chapter, but at the very least I want to incorporate [Gather, Santa Claus Four] as the most recent Christmas story.

Along with that the parts that need revision, other than the simple parts everything has basically been written so I want to do it. And so I’m sorry that this keeps happening but, it’ll be a great help if everyone just watch over it warmly. Best regards.

※Today’s material introduction

– Snake Kazuko

From the main character of [Metal Gear Solid]. It’s a sneaking type game but Shirakome mostly goes Rambo when playing it.

– You think this is the West-

From Taka and Toshi. (TN: A comedy duo in Japan)

– Dis vulgar teacher-

From the unsaid line of Tsukioka Kogane of [Idolmaster Shiny Colors].

※Once again, volume 13 of the manga is on sale. Best regards.

Neunte-san drawn by RoGa-sensei is truly the god’s apostle. It’s magnificent.

※For detailed information of the special perks: http://blog.over-lap.co.jp/gardo_20240119_03-9/