Arifureta After II Mundane School Life ④
AN: I posted Arifureta After II Mundane School Life ③ before this.
Please take a look there first
Even after that, the sanity level of the rookie bus guide was shaved hard every time they went to other sightseeing area, but because of her professional spirit that was beaten into her despite her status as rookie, her inherent willpower, and then the follow-up of the terrifyingly kind students, she managed to somehow overcome the difficult situation.
After they arrived at their inn, a dispute revolving around who would share the room with Hajime ensued, there was an outbreak of TALKING physically with Yue and Kaori as the main offender, the youth was peeved, Aiko-sensei tried to abuse her authority, as the result, there was the unexpected occurrence of her getting scold(choke sleeper)-ed by Shia occurring……
For the rookie bus guide, something at the level of the commanding teacher getting strangled by a student was already not a big deal. Compared to her own condition where there were already instances in double digit number where her memory was spotty just from this one day, it was something trivial.
However, seeing the bus driver who still wore his hat very low over his eyes that half his face was hidden even indoor, acting like it wasn't any concern of him, it caused killing intent to boil up from inside her.
Perhaps noticing the gaze of the rookie bus guide that was teeming with killing intent, the bus driver presented her with a canned coffee but……
The rookie bus guide was someone who was overly fond of sweets. To the degree that sugar content was life for her. If she had to hold back from sugar content, she would rather woke up early in the morning and ran marathon for ten kilometer to maintain her body style even if she had to suffer lack of sleep. That was how much she loved sugar content. To the degree that she would pour down the sugar for business use down into her throat as they were if she was so inclined.
Even though the bus driver should know that about her, he intentionally gave her a black coffee. The rookie bus guide swore to herself, 'I absolutely gonna murder you one day'.
Like that, she finished her dinner even while being completely exhausted in body and mind, and then it was time for the students to enter bath.
The rookie bus guide headed to the inn's lobby by herself. Her body was demanding for sweets. Eating sweets at night wasn't something good, but she couldn't hold on if she didn't replenish her sugar content.
「Haa~, I'm tired……where is the sugar……is there café au lait of Gl○co I wonder……」 (TN: It refers to Glico brand I think)
Like a sugar content zombie wandering in the search of brutal sweetness, the rookie bus guide was walking unsteadily. Then she saw on the chair ahead of the corridor, Aiko was sitting snugly.
When she saw the hanging sign of the bath on the other side further ahead, she realized that she was keeping a lookout as a teacher.
「Good evening Hatayama-sensei. It must be hard having to take care everything alone.」
For some reason the rookie bus guide called out to that figure sitting alone while her legs were dangling back and forth from the chair. Perhaps Aiko had nothing to do because smiled happily when she was called out.
「Ahaha, well, it can't be helped. The circumstance is like this. Besides, it's not as hard as you think. Haji――Nagumo-kun is constructing a surveillance system inside the inn so, well, I don't think it will happen, but even if the boys think about doing anything not good, a warning will reach my smartphone.」
「Is that so.」
'Don't look down on the ignoring skill that has been polished through this whole day okay?' As though to say that, the rookie bus guide smiled sweetly and overlooked what Aiko said.
「Rather, I'm more worried whether Nagumo-kun is going to get ambushed by the girls――」
「Tomorrow will be free activity isn't it! What will Hatayama-sensei do!?」
「Hiih!? What's with the sudden loud voice!?」
'It's so that the unfathomable world of you all doesn't encroach into mine', Of course she didn't say that out loud.
The figure of Aiko-sensei twitching like a shivering small animal caused her to feel 「I won!」 for some reason, the rookie bus guide was about to go in a journey searching for sugar content once more.
At that moment,
――*DOPAN-DOPAN-DOPAN- DOPAN-*
Sudden gunshots!
「Hiih!? What's that!?」
The rookie bus guide embraced herself with both her hands while jumping up. It was a sound that people couldn't possible hear in Japan, however, it was a sound that people had certainly heard from movie or the like. The rookie bus guide couldn't hide her shaken up feeling!
「Na, Nagumo-ku~~n! What's going oonn!?」
Aiko raised her voice in front of the hanging sign of the male's bath. Then, from inside the bath,
――I'm currently teaching my classmates the meaning of recklessness~. Especially at these guys' crotch!
Such voice came.
It seemed there was man among man who knew no fear there. The countdown to job change into manly woman had begun.
――The dream-, we only want to see the dream! That's all there is to it!
――Fuh. We're resolved from the start!
Such manly (?) roar could be heard, then a beat later.
――*DOPAN-, DOPAN-*
――AAA—–!
――AAA—–!
Two scream of death agony echoed.
「I don't hear anything. I don't hear anything. I don't hear anything. I don't hear anything. I don't hear anything. I don't hear anything. I don't hear anything. I don't hear anything. I don't hear anything. I don't hear anything. I don't hear anything. I don't hear anything. I don't hear anything. I don't hear anything.」
「Hah!? A, are you okay!? Eh!? Your eyes look empty!? Someone! Someone please he~~~lp!」
The rookie bus guide covered both her ears. She curled into herself while wholeheartedly whispered the same thing repeatedly. Aiko looked after her while getting panicked.
――Rookie bus guide's SAN value 4
When the bath time was over, the students wearing yukata were clamoring at places like the shop in the lobby and so on.
The rookie bus guide was lying down on the sofa of such bustling lobby while diligently replenishing her sugar content slurping through a long straw an extremely sweet café au lait. She was making her own arm as pillow replacement, so if one changed the angle they viewed her, it would look like she was connected with intravenous drip of café au lait.
「……Guide-san, are you all right?」
「Kaori has put recovery magic on her and even Yue had used her soul magic, so I think she is fine but……」
When Kaori whispered so worriedly, Shizuku said so with the same expression.
At a sofa slight distance away in the same lobby, the usual members with Hajime as the center (other than Yue and co, there were Ryutaro and Suzu) were sitting there. Other than them, the Ai-chan bodyguard party was also sitting there. In addition, it was only Yuka who were pulled by other girls for some reason and right now she was going somewhere.
The gaze of everyone was directed toward the rookie bus guide who was limply lying down while continuing to slurp the brown liquid *slurp slurp* without resting, and Aiko who was worriedly staying at her side.
「……Nn. That child is a strong child. She is an outstanding material whose mental strength can rival even Tio if she is trained.」
「That's a completely unexpected evaluation from Yue-san. Is that person really a bus guide?」
Rookie bus guide-san, she received a tremendously great evaluation from the strongest vampire princess of another world…….
Shia was directing a gaze at the rookie bus guide whose intake amount of extremely sweet café au lait had reached liter unit as though she was seeing something amazing. The bus guide's complexion had become far better than before. Was sugar content something like a recovery medicine for her?
By the way, Nakano and Saitou were collapsing with the white of their eyes exposed on the sofa in front the rookie bus guide. Their posture was strangely bow-legged.
Like that for a while everyone amused themselves with whimsical chat before suddenly Hajime stood up with a smartphone in one hand.
「I'll call home for a bit.」
Saying that he left his seat. Different from Yue and co who had an idea of what that was about, Ryutaro and Suzu and others were puzzled about what Hajime's business was. Shizuku who noticed their question spoke the answer with smiling expression.
「He is going to say good night to Myuu-chan.」
'Aaa!' Voices of understanding were raised.
When they looked around, there was the figure of Hajime leaning on a pillar of the lobby, listening on the phone while nodding frequently toward the voice that came from the other side of the phone. His expression was gentle and very kind, overflowing with affection and love.
「He looks like a completely different person than when he was at the other world.」
「He looks like the former Nagumo-kun isn't he?」
Ryutaro and Suzu didn't even hide their astonishment. They whispered such thing with wide eyes.
「Though he looks far more adult compared to that time.」
「Somehow, he feels like a real "father".」
「Looking at him like that, certainly that's true.」
「Thinking carefully, a classmate being a father is really out there.」
Nana and Taeko were looking at Hajime with smiling expression that was filled with warm and fluffy admiration. Atsushi, Akito, and Noboru were also the same. Yue and others too, they must be used to seeing this side of Hajime because they were staring at their beloved with an extremely soft expression.
Before long Hajime finished his phone call and returned. It seemed that he was taken aback that everyone was watching him, but he immediately guessed the reason. He averted his gaze somewhat embarrassingly while sitting back on the sofa.
「It's souvenir request from Myuu. Do you all remember how we promised before we depart that each one of us will give her one souvenir?」
「……Nn. If I remember right, anything is fine, but something lasting will be better than food she said.」
「She said that there is nothing she particularly want in the house but……Myuu-chan, was there something she wanted?」
「Yeah, it seems she really want "something rare". Also, she made a bet with Kaa-san about who will give her the rarest and also the most interesting souvenir. Looks like there will be a return present from Myuu that is filled with her gratitude for the first place.」
Thinking with common sense, in that kind of time someone should say 'What's with a little child making a bet!', but for those who knew about the mother(criminal) of Nagumo family, it was something usual. In the first place, it was already too~ late when there were also others teaching that child how to handle firearm and lethal weapon, and even combat skill.
Now then, regarding the present that would be given as token of appreciation from the princess of Nagumo family.
Hajime's gaze was really provocative. His state was openly being a doting parent that seemed to say「Well, Myuu's number one is always me though」 without hiding it. The color of the eyes of Yue and others changed toward that provocation.
「……Hajime. You are too conceited. I'll show you proof that for Myuu, Hajime isn't always the number one.」
「For a girl, there is point that can only be understand by another girl desu. After all my father too once confidently gave me present that I was trouble about how to react to it.」
「That's troubling isn't it? The mistaken impression of father who think "If it's girl then surely they will be happy with this". Just what did he mean by giving me something like assassin blade?」
「Shizuku-chan……did Oji-san(uncle) really gave you something like that as present?」
「Or rather, Shizushizu. I think the troubling point isn't the "father's mistaken impression", but Shizushizu's own family themselves.」
Yue stood up. It seemed she was going to scour through shops. Sightseeing areas were also abundant with souvenir, but the request was for "something rare". Perhaps there would be something like that in his inn's shop.
Thinking to follow that action, Shia and others also stood up and they headed toward the shop while scrambling to be the first to arrive. Nana and Taeko were following behind them saying「It's getting more and more interesting~」.
There, Atsushi went
「Could it be, if we also buy souvenir that Myuu-chan recognize, that means it will be our victory against Nagumo……」
Hearing that, Akito and Noboru looked at each other. Ryutaro grinned.
「Smearing mud on Nagumo's invincible and undefeated legend……that sounds hot blooded no matter what kind of shape the victory is yeah!」
「Even if we cannot win physically, we can win in sense of souvenir huh……that might be acceptable!」
「Yosh, let's get going too!」
Ryutaro and others also got heated up for some reason and they rushed toward the shop.
It seemed that the princess of Nagumo family would be presented with a lot more tribute than expected.
When he noticed Hajime was alone on the sofa. He smiled wryly and went 'good grief' while taking out several souvenirs that he impulsively bought today. Most of them were small articles like key holder and the like.
Hajime was a type of person who for some reason couldn't help but buy meaningless and hard to place thing like pennant and so on. If it was curious small articles than it was even more so.
Like that, he lined up the small articles on the table and scrutinized whether there was anything that could attract Myuu's interest, it was then,
「……Eh? Where are Nana and others?」
Yuka returned. Her brown hair that usually wasn't particularly tied or decorated was currently worn in fluffy braid that was gently hanging on her shoulder. Perhaps because she had just got out of bath, also coupled with her relaxed atmosphere and eyes that were filled with enthusiasm, she looked younger than usual.
Hajime talked about the battle of souvenir for Myuu.
「Ahaha, I see. But, I don't think there will be anything that can satisfy Myuu-chan in hotel's shop though……」
「Half of their motivation must be looking for side entertainment. Sitting and chatting is also not bad, but this is a school trip that is rare to come by after all.」
「Then, perhaps I should join in too. And, what are you doing Nagumo?」
「Me? I'm sorting the unclear small articles that I was buying without realizing it today, while also scrutinizing if there is something that will make Myuu happy among them.」
「What do you mean buying without realizing it huh? You're talking like a spendthrift there.」
「It's a bad habit I inherited from my mother. I'm properly putting on the brake if it's something expensive, but when I saw cheap and unusual small thing, my hand would unconsciously reached out.」
「Aa, come to think of it, Yue-san and others talked about it I think. Nagumo you, eerr, what was it again, you like pointless technology? Something that is pointlessly pointless? Something like that they said.」
「Do you mean, pointlessly refined pointless technology without any pointlessness? The way you said it just now, it was already something simply pointless.」
「You attached "pointless" at the technology there, so in the end it's still pointless isn't it?」
「……」
Hajime lost the argument. Hajime's lips closed tightly and formed a thin line, inside his heart he was making a meager objection「Perhaps it's pointless but, it's romance. Exactly because it's pointless that life is interesting」.
Hajime fell silent so the conversation cut off.
There, Yuka suddenly noticed. The sofa space that was fairly spacious had suddenly become barren of people, while the surrounding was deserted. At slight distance away, Aiko was stuffing her cheeks with absurdly sweet sweets together with the rookie bus guide without the slightest care in the world.
In other word, right now, it was a situation where it was mostly just the two of them……
「……」
Yuka's gaze wandered around. *fidget fidget, fidget fidget*. She twirled and toyed around the tip of her braided brown hair.
Suddenly Yuka lost any calm and she conscientiously fixed the cuff and collar of her yukata meaninglessly. Hajime directed a questioning expression toward such Yuka. But, his thinking immediately turned like「Well, doesn't matter」 and he called out to Yuka.
「Hey, Sonobe.」
「! ……What?」
For some reason Yuka-chan replied with a piercing glare.
「No, why do you suddenly snap?」
「I don't snap. I'm normal. I'm so relaxed you won't be able to believe it.」
「I, I see. Well, that's fine but……rather than that, among these things, in your opinion, which one of them a girl's sense will want?」
When she dropped her gaze on the table, strange objects were lining up there. They were small articles with shape that were really hard to describe. It wasn't like they didn't look like living thing, but at the very least they weren't based on existing living thing. If she had to say, were they apparition model or something?
「I want to refuse receiving any of them with my whole being.」
「Don't forget the prerequisite of the present being something rare. Make your judgment based on that.」
「Ee~. Even if you told me that, I can only call them disgusting though……」
What's with these things? Just from looking at those numerous small articles made her felt uneasy. She wondered since when Hajime purchased this kind of weird things.
Furthermore, he was thinking to present this kind of object X to his beloved daughter. Yuka spontaneously sent a suspicious gaze to Hajime.
「Hey, Nagumo. Let me ask, right now, we are talking about souvenir for Myuu-chan right?」
「That's right, why?」
「I won't say anything bad. Go to Kaori and get yourself healed right away. Especially your head.」
「What do you mean by that, huh?」
The glaring gaze of Hajime and Yuka collided with each other.
Yuka let out a sigh, then she began to stare at all the object X while groaning 'uu~n'. The more she looked at them, the more she felt unease welling up inside her for some reason.
「This one. This slime thingy. Isn't this the most better? Like, it's disgustingly cute, or it barely can allow you to trick yourself?」
「The most better, doesn't that mean that it's not the rarest? Or rather, is it that bad that you need to trick yourself?」
「Anyway, if Myuu-chan is happy when you give her this, then I think you should open a grand family meeting with all your strength to discuss it.」
「……I see.」
Hajime-san didn't look like he could accept it. In the end, he kept aside the object X that Yuka called「I don't want to even see it!」 as the tentative souvenir candidate.
And then, he quietly held out the slime thingy toward Yuka.
「……What?」
「I'll give it to you as the consultation fee.」
「Did you listen to what I said?」
Yuka's extremely reproachful glare conveyed how she refused to accept it. Toward that, Hajime said「I guess that's so」 laughingly while he took back his hand that was holding the slime thingy. It seemed that he was joking.
Yuka stroked down her chest in relieve.
But,
「……Sonobe? So you actually want it just as I thought?」
「Eh?」
Yuka was puzzled by what Hajime said. When she turned her gaze, without her noticing her own hand was placed on Hajime's hand that was pulling back the slime thingy. It was as though she was reluctant to let go of the present that Hajime expressly offered to her.
Yuka's face softly blushed.
「Eerr, this is, that……」
*mutter mutter*. *fidget fidget*.
Honestly speaking, she could assert that the slimy thingy object X was disgusting.
However, still. This was that Nagumo Hajime they were talking about. That person gave it to her. Though tentatively speaking, it wasn't like it was the first present he gave her what with the various equipment like artifacts, telepathic communication device, and so on that he gave her to deal with the situation when they had just returned home.
Although, if one had to say than those things were "provision". They were a bit different from "present".
「Well, I'll give it to you if you are fine with it……so, do you want it?」
With a doubtful expression, Hajime tried confirming it once more with Yuka.
Yuka's gaze busily swam around, after that she gave a small nod.
The presentation ceremony of Objext X: Slime thingy.
Yuka looked alternately at Hajime and that thing that was placed on her palm, then she spoke her thanks「Thank you」 with a small voice. Hajime's expression turned even more doubtful.
Hajime began to sort the other object X while keeping silent, while Yuka was staring closely at the slime thingy once more.
And then, her mouth slackened slightly.
「……Yu, Yuka-chi is, staring at something disgusting while grinning happily!」
「Yu, Yuka? You okay? Are you tired?」
Nana and Taeko who returned without anyone noticing were staring at Yuka with fear and unease in their expression. Certainly, it was only natural that they would get worried if their friend was grinning while staring at hard to describe object.
「Eh, wai-, that's not-. This is, that's-」
Yuka stood up with bright red face while still holding the slime thingy, then she stepped toward Nana and Taeko to make excuse.
Nana and Taeko retreated backward in proportion with the step forward Yuka took.
Yuka stood still. Nana and Taeko also stopped retreating.
Yuka took a step forward. Nana and Taeko took a step back.
Yuka was slowly approaching. Nana and Taeko were slowly backing away.
A vein emerged on Yuka's forehead. She dashed forward fiercely. Her two best friends escaped away like rabbit on fire.
「Why are you two running awaaay!?」
「Because you're carrying something strange thereee!」
「Nooo! Don't get closeee!」
The three close friends vanished inside the inn.
「……They're exaggerating.」
Hajime was staring at the remaining object X while letting out a faintly sad whisper.
By the way, when he showed it to Yue and others too, don't mention giving it too Myuu, he was even prohibited from showing it to her. As expected, it seemed those things possessed disgustingness that couldn't be described.
It also became obvious when the rookie bus guide who had accomplished recovery from finishing her sugar content replenishment passed through and saw the armful of object X Hajime was carrying, she raised a shrike 「Kuee~~」 that sounded like an ominous bird before she fainted.
The rookie bus guide who slept like a log until the next morning of course had her memory blown away from the shock.
There was time when her mental state was driven to a dangerous state, but it seemed last night she saw a happy dream where she ate a candy house to her heart content, so her condition was extremely excellent.
Her mental self-defense and recovery power was tremendously capable.
――Rookie bus guide's SAN value 52
Throughout all those, where Hajime and others sometimes had fun, sometimes went through craziness, sometimes escaped from reality, and sometimes concealed an uproar with their all while digesting the school trip program, currently they were sitting silently inside the bus that was returning home while musing about the memory they made.
Several students were relaxing flaccidly and entered a light sleep. Aiko-sensei was completely traveling into the world of dream. Her mouth was mumbling 'munya munya' while drool was dripping in her deep sleep. She must have anxiety piling up inside her.
「Nevertheless, just what in the world that person is?」
Shia was starting on that topic from her seat in the back that was near the window.
「Aah, that woman who came talking to us at Ujibashi Bridge huh.」
「……She was really beautiful but, she might be a bit similar with Kaori.」
When it was time for free activity, Hajime and others went to Ujibashi Bridge. While Hajime and co were harmoniously having fun there, that woman was there without anyone noticing. The unfamiliar beauty was sending them dark gaze and whispered 「How envious……」 while approaching them.
Ten out of ten people would surely turn around seeing that woman's beautiful face, so Kaori felt a bit bashful hearing what Yue said――
「……with how ill that woman felt.」
「I'm not ill! I'm in perfect health!」
Yue and Kaori sat with Hajime between them, but they grappled with both their hands locked with each other through Hajime.
「Rather than that, Hajime. You really don't know that person? The other side know about you though.」
Shizuku left alone Yue and Kaori who were raising their friendship physically and asked Hajime.
Just as Shizuku said, when that beauty who approached with a dangerous look arrived at a distance where her hand could reach, her eyes opened wide as though she noticed something and she began to stare hard at Hajime. And then, neglecting the bewildered Hajime and co, the beauty nodded as though in understanding of something and whispered 「For us to meet in this kind of place……」.
「No, I don't remember her at all. But, from what she said at the end there, that's」
――I'll turn a blind eye in deference to that child
That child……"A child" that was related with Hajime.
「Actually, a while ago I made a minor Crystal Key for Myuu. It's so that she can come home right away no matter what happen. And then, one day that Myuu, she saw a special coverage of Kyoto in TV and the next day, she said 『That's right! I'll go to Kyoto nano!』, and she went strolling alone. Such thing happened before.」
「……I, is that so. Wait, you let her go alone?」
「More accurately, she only left a letter which said that and went as she pleased.」
「What a light footwork.」
Shizuku showed a dry smile. But, at the same time she guessed what Hajime wanted to say.
In other words, at that time, Myuu attracted a strange thing again, and on top of that she easily formed friendly relationship with them.
「I'm curious. That woman, was she human or not?」
「Sto, stop it. I'm getting goosebumps here.」
Not just Shizuku, even Kaori who was in the middle of conflict and Shia shuddered from chill.
「Because remember, a woman clad in disturbing atmosphere like that, and yet I couldn't detect her until she approached in that close range? This me couldn't detect her.」
「No, now that Hajime-san said it, I also didn't notice her desuu!」
Kaori and Shizuku felt shuddering chill on their back. Though it seemed only Yue who didn't think much about it.
「Well, even if she is really Myuu's "friend", she pulled back because of that, so I don't think there is any reason to make this that big of a problem.」
Hajime concluded like that, but inside his heart he was at his wits' end. A speech of 「Don't pick up that kind of thing! Return it to where you found it!」 toward children was something relatively common, but in Myuu's case, it was really "that kind of thing". She only ever found "something" with true identity that hadn't been grasped yet.
As a papa, he wondered how far he should interfere with his daughter's strange friend relationship. It was a problem that gave him terrible headache.
Perhaps noticing the inside of Hajime's heart, Yue began to pat Hajime's head to comfort him.
The atmosphere inside the bus was laid-back.
The time flowed peacefully like that, and by the time there was only around one hour until they arrived, Kentarou suddenly yelled.
「Se, sensei! Ai-chan-senseiii! Kousuke isn't here!」
「What did you sayyyy!?」
Aiko who was fast asleep leaped up.
'Again in this timing!?' The inside of the bus was thrown into uproar.
「E, err Hatayama-sensei? Is there one student who isn't here?」
Even the drowsy rookie bus guide also asked uneasily. Aiko told the rookie bus guide 「I'll confirm it!」 before she raised her voice.
「Everyo~~ne! Look around you rea~lly carefully! Check that perhaps Endo-kun is in place like a crack or something! Or perhaps, he is right beside you but you just don't notice him! Is he holding on the roof, or maybe he is hanging down under the bus!?」
――Rookie bus guide's SAN value 49
The students looked every which way. Commotion like 「That guy Aby did it again」, 「Wait, did you ever see that guy in the middle of the school trip?」, 「Eh, come to think of it I didn't see Endo-kun at all……」, or 「As expected from the lord huh」 could be heard.
The conclusion,
「Ai-chan-sensei! Kousuke isn't here!」
「Ee!? What to do!? Come to think of it, when it was time for roll-call, I don't remember calling Endo-kun's name! Uu, this is teacher's responsibility……」
The lord who was forgotten even at the roll-call. Aiko felt responsible and she turned pale and she blew up her fuse. She impulsively began to speak to the driver to turn back the bus.
But before she could finish, Hajime raised his voice.
「For now, let's try calling his phone and ask him where he is. If needed then I'll bring him back here.」
「Hajime-kun……I'm sorry to trouble you.」
Aiko sent Hajime a teary gaze as though she was staring at the messiah. Hajime waved his hand lightly in response and told Aiko 「Don't worry about it. Against the Abyss Lord, it can't be helped that you completely forgot.」
Hajime called the phone. A beat later, it seemed Kousuke answered his phone.
「Oi, Endo. Where are yo――eh? What did you say? It's pretty noisy over there I cannot hear you. Ha? What are you saying…………………」
After a long silence, Hajime suddenly switched his smartphone into speaker mode.
Immediately, explosive sound resounded from the other side of the phone.
『I'm telling you-, right now, I'm in the middle of battle against an unknown group! Shit-, what the hell, these guys!』
「「「「「……」」」」」
Not just Hajime, all the classmates simultaneously made expression that seemed to say 「Uwaaa」.
Right after that, a voice of a girl that sounded childish somehow resounded.
『Endo-sama! Just leave me behind! Their objective is me! Please escape by yourself!』
『You think I can just say 'ok, bye' and left behind a child in this kind of place! Wait, what? Talisman? What are you planning taking out that kind of――wait, that's a lie right!? Onmyouji-, are you an onmyouji!? I saw this kind of scene in a movie before! Dowah, that's dangerous! You asshole, something like fantasy is just cowardly!』
'Which mouth is saying that huh', such straight man retort entered the heart of Hajime and co.
『Shit-, enemy reinforcement!』
『Endo-sama, I'm already……』
『Don't worry about it, just shut up! I was shocked, but just something like this is no problem――kuku-, I don't know the circumstance but, ganging up on a child like this, that nature of yours is something that I really cannot stomach. It looks like you lowlifes are in need of education huh.』
『Endo-sama?』
『Fuh. I'm not Endo. Call me like this. Kousuke E Aby――』
There the call cut off *pushu*. Hajime was the one who cut it off.
Inside the bus was silent as grave. In the middle of that, Hajime carefully put back his smartphone inside his pocket and then spoke as though nothing had happened.
「Sensei. There's no problem.」
「I think you're right. Haa, I'm glad.」
Aiko-sensei sat down on her seat snugly after saying that. The other students too were also as expected, they sat down again as though nothing had happened.
Inside the bus that had recovered its peaceful atmosphere, only one person,
「……uboa」
After hearing the incomprehensible thing from the other side of the phone call, and seeing the weird atmosphere that accepted that happening as common sense, the rookie bus guide was injured with mental damage and left behind a weird groan.
Omake(Extra)
The rookie bus guide safely weathered the school trip of the "returnees" and she received a welcome like the hero's triumphal return at her workplace.
The senior bus guide who pushed the responsibility this time to her suddenly noticed the keyholder that was attached on the rookie bus guide's bag. It was a really beautiful crystal that had geometrical circle pattern engraved within it.
「My, it's a beautiful accessory. I don't remember, was it already there from before?」
「No. Actually this is a present from the students of the school trip this time. They said it's their thanks for everything.」
「Myy! That's great! There are various rumor about them, so I wondered whether something might happen, but for them to give that kind of present to show their gratitude, it seems that rumor is just a rumor isn't it?」
'So you pushed this responsibility to me even after knowing about those rumors……'
The rookie bus guide had such thought while putting a smile on the outside. If it was now she felt like she could unleash the greatest right straight of her life.
Urged by the superior, their talk ended. The rookie bus guide who took her own seat breathed out 「fuu」 while taking the crystal keyholder in her hand once more.
And then, she recalled about what she was told when she received this present.
「At time when you really need help, if you take this into your hand and strongly thought then you will have help, huh……those students, they looked really full of confidence but……is this thing really that effective?」
She dangled it at the height of her eye and stared at the dazzling crystal for a while.
Like that, the rookie bus guide giggled, and then with a very small voice so that no one could hear――
「I wish that I won't encounter any evil god or mythological being anymore.」
She still didn't understand whether this thing really had any effect or not.
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.
I wrote an idle story with length of just a few chapters, but the result was that it almost entered a long arc after story again.
Please take care of Arifureta from here on too!