Episode 21: The Same Old Daily Routine
After finishing their meal, the four of them decided to chat for a while before returning to their private rooms.
They headed to a lounge in the dormitory, where each of them bought a drink from a vending machine and engaged in idle chatter.
“By the way, Kazuma, you’ve become quite the topic of conversation, you know?”
“In what way, specifically? Tell me, Shunsuke.”
“Well, things like being the first-ever transfer from the Support Course in history, the MVP of the Academy Battle Tournament, and The Strongest Civilian.”
“Isn’t that pretty much the same as what the public thinks?”
“Pretty much!”
The rumors about Kazuma were pretty much the same everywhere.
Public opinion had simply become the students’ perception, and there weren’t any particularly new topics.
“Isn’t there anything else~?”
Listening to Shunsuke, Kazuma voiced his dissatisfaction, wondering if there weren’t any more interesting topics. Just then, Tsuyoshi spoke up as if he had suddenly remembered something.
“Hmm. I do have a topic Kazuma might like.”
“Eh?! What is it? What kind of talk?”
His interest piqued, Kazuma’s eyes sparkled as he turned to Tsuyoshi.
“It’s about whether you have a girlfriend or not.”
“Hoh…”
Kazuma’s eyes sharpened.
There was clearly only one motive behind trying to ascertain whether he had a girlfriend.
“A confession!”
“No, they were talking about who would win Kazuma over.”
“Eh…?”
“You have connections with many women, starting with the Witch and the Holy Maiden, right, Kazuma? Apparently, that’s how the conversation started.”
“No, well, it’s true that Alicia and Shar and I are close, but it’s different when you say ‘girlfriend’.”
“Is that so? For that, you three seem awfully close though…”
To anyone, the relationship between Kazuma, Alicia, and Charlotte looked like more than just friendship.
Tsuyoshi, who had actually witnessed their interactions, harbored doubts about Kazuma’s statement.
“Hmm, well, I guess to other people it might look like we’re lovers, but we’re just good friends. Good enough to help each other out when we’re in trouble.”
“Hmm. If you say so, Kazuma, then I suppose it must be true.”
Although Tsuyoshi was convinced by Kazuma’s words, Shinya, who had been listening beside him, interjected, thinking that was definitely not the case.
“Hey, wait a minute! No matter how you look at it, it looks like you’re lovers, doesn’t it?!”
“You think so? I think it’s normal, though?”
“Where is it normal! And besides, those two are—about you—”
“Stop! Shinya, that’s enough.”
“Mmph!”
Just as Shinya was about to blurt something out, Shunsuke covered his mouth from behind and put him in a full nelson.
“Anything more would be tactless, wouldn’t it?”
“Mm…”
Shinya nodded repeatedly, understanding what Shunsuke was trying to say.
Shinya, who knew about their feelings from New Year’s, had almost let it slip to Kazuma, but it was a close call.
“Eh, I’m super curious now though…”
Having heard only half of it, Kazuma couldn’t help but wonder what Shinya had been about to say.
Thinking it would be bad to tell Kazuma without their knowledge, Shunsuke quickly changed the subject.
“S-Speaking of which, Kazuma, aren’t you participating in the Student Council President Selection Tournament?”
“Eh, ah, umm… It sounds like a pain, so no.”
“Why not? I thought you’d participate because it sounds interesting.”
“Well, I do think it sounds interesting, but even if I became student council president…”
“Yeah, true. Being student council president just seems like a hassle with no real benefits, huh~”
What the two of them imagined was the student council struggling with every school event.
They only had the image of a middle manager, complained to by students and cautioned by teachers, having a tough time.
Kazuma had absolutely no desire to proactively become something like that.
“So Kazuma isn’t participating…”
“What’s wrong, Tsuyoshi? Were you perhaps planning to run?”
Shinya, not missing Tsuyoshi’s disappointed murmur, asked curiously.
“No, I just thought it might be a perfect opportunity to fight Kazuma seriously.”
“Ahhhh…”
“A lot of guys want to fight Kazuma, after all~. He’s the man who defeated the duo of Kenzaki Souji-senpai, who was said to be the strongest student, and the hero Juzo Hakari. There are a lot of guys who want to fight him at least once.”
“It’s tough being a popular guy.”
In a sense, he was very popular, but more so with men than women.
Indeed, it is a boy’s nature to be drawn to the strong.
“But if Kazuma isn’t participating, this year’s Student Council President Selection Tournament will be unpredictable.”
“That’s true. It’s pretty chaotic this year. With Yukihime-senpai, Karin-senpai, and then Taiga-senpai and others, it’s unclear who will become student council president.”
“Let’s just watch while eating popcorn!”
The other three sighed in exasperation at Kazuma’s carefree words.
They chatted for a while longer after that, but the clock struck eight, so they decided to disperse and returned to their respective private rooms.
Back in his private room, Kazuma took a shower and, while drying his hair, checked social media on his phone.
He skimmed through, looking for any interesting articles, but finding nothing particularly noteworthy, he closed his phone.
Just as his hair finished drying, Kazuma flopped onto his bed. As he idly stared at the ceiling, he started to feel drowsy and decided to sleep.
He turned off the lights, and in the pitch-black room, Kazuma let out a big yawn and fell asleep.
◇◇◇◇
The next morning, Kazuma woke up a little earlier than usual. As if for a fresh start, he dressed in his new uniform and repeatedly checked his appearance in front of the full-length mirror.
He meticulously checked if anything was out of place, and confirming that everything was fine, Kazuma left his room.
Although he was in a different uniform than usual, it wasn’t particularly strange, and the students who saw Kazuma had no reaction.
However, some, noticing Kazuma was wearing the Combat Course uniform, tilted their heads slightly as if a little curious, but no one approached him.
“Hmm. I wonder if it’ll be like this when I get to the classroom too~”
Since there was no reaction on the way, Kazuma headed to the classroom in his usual, unchanged manner.
When he entered the classroom, the students inside looked at Kazuma and noticed his uniform had changed to that of the Combat Course, but those who weren’t particularly close to him quickly averted their gazes.
“Yo, Kazuma. That new uniform looks good on you.”
“Heh heh~. Right?”
“You’ve got a good build and you’re tall, so it suits you even more.”
“Hey, hey, what’s up, Shunsuke? You’re praising me a lot today, aren’t you?”
“Only for today.”
“Only for today, huh~”
It was a special, one-day-only super service.
However, that was that, and this was this.
Even if it was only for the first day, Kazuma smiled happily at being praised so much.
“If Kazuma-kun’s usual words and actions were just a bit better, I’d want him as a boyfriend, you know?”
“I know, right? His looks, abilities, and personality are all good, so why does he get carried away so easily?”
“I think that’s what’s cute about him, though?”
“He’s like a dog, isn’t he?”
“Ah, like a puppy-dog boyfriend type? Now that you mention it, maybe so~!”
While Shunsuke and Kazuma were talking cheerfully, the girls in the class were also getting excited.
Although he was a bit of a show-off, Kazuma, with his handsome features and masculine physique, had a reasonably good reputation.
However, his flaws of getting carried away easily and making gaffes, as well as not being very bright, were holding him back.
After that, classmates arrived one after another, getting excited about Kazuma’s uniform, and they spent the time until morning homeroom in a lively mood.
And so, morning homeroom ended, and another unchanging, ordinary day began.
During first period English, Kazuma forgot vocabulary; during second period math, he forgot formulas. While being cautioned by the teachers, he earnestly tried to tackle his studies.
His attitude in class was serious, and he diligently took notes, but his academic ability was unlikely to improve.