Chapter 14: Combat Course From Tomorrow
Having returned home, Kazuma was back to dorm life starting today.
Once back in his private room, Kazuma, also mentally fatigued, dived onto his bed still in his clothes.
“Ughhh~~~…”
As he lay sprawled on the bed, letting out an undignified sound, the phone he’d stashed in his pocket rang.
He took it out and checked the caller: it was Momoko.
“Yes, hello~”
“Hello, I heard. You’re transferring to the Combat Course, aren’t you?”
“Huh? News travels fast, huh~. That’s right. Though I haven’t heard when I’ll be transferring.”
“I’ve been informed. It seems the Headmaster was apparently making various arrangements during the winter break.”
“Seriously? And, uh, how do you know?”
“I received a call from Prime Minister Saito a little while ago. It seems this matter wasn’t considered that important, so it was handled at a lower level.”
“Just to be clear, I’m the Crimson Knight and the head of the National Defense Force’s special operations unit, right?”
“That pertains to the Crimson Knight. Satsuki Kazuma as an individual is recognized as an ordinary male student. Though you’re famous now due to your performance in the Academy Battle Tournament.”
“I see. So, basically, I, as an individual, am being messed around by the dirty dealings of adults?”
“That interpretation is correct. If you don’t like it, I can report it to the academy. What will you do?”
“Reporting it” meant revealing that Kazuma was the Crimson Knight.
Few people still knew that Kazuma was the Crimson Knight.
“Making a contract would be a pain, so this is fine.”
“Understood. In that case, I will support you from the Support Course.”
“Ah…!”
If Kazuma transferred to the Combat Course, he would be separated from Momoko.
She worked as Kazuma’s secretary, but it didn’t mean she had to be by his side at all times.
She would still be attending the academy as usual, so even if their classes were different, it wasn’t a major issue.
“Can’t something be done?”
“No, it can’t. In fact, I don’t want to. I’m registered as a Gifted with Clairvoyance, you know? What do you expect me to do now?”
Kazuma, bluntly rejected, slumped his shoulders in disappointment.
Understanding that throwing a tantrum would be pointless, Kazuma accepted it and continued the conversation.
“So, basically, things can stay as they are?”
“That’s right. I have no objections.”
After the call ended, Kazuma felt a sense of emptiness and let out a deep sigh.
“Haaah…”
Just as Kazuma was wondering what to do from tomorrow, his phone suddenly rang, snapping him out of his thoughts.
“Yes, hello.”
“Hello, Kazuma.”
“Okaasama!”
“I received a notification from the academy. It says you’ll be transferring to the Combat Course starting tomorrow.”
“They work fast! Does that mean everything was already prepared?”
“It seems so. Well, the Combat Course probably suits your nature better, don’t you think?”
“It’s frustrating that I can’t deny it…”
“I’ll take care of the procedures here, so you should prepare to move out of that room.”
“Huh? Why?”
“That’s the Support Course dormitory, isn’t it? Since you’ll be in the Combat Course from tomorrow, you’ll be moving into the Combat Course dormitory.”
“I see… I wasn’t even there for a year, but it’s going to feel lonely~”
“Do you have any particular memories in that room?”
“Because I waged a fierce battle with the National Defense Force there.”
It was a sad war of nightly, trivial maneuvers that primarily exhausted and destroyed Momoko’s body and spirit.
Of course, Momoko hadn’t forgotten about it even now.
She would surely never forget the deeds Kazuma had committed.
“Ahh… You were up to your usual foolishness, I see.”
“Yes…”
“Anyway, back to the topic, pack your things so you can move out of there by the end of this week. If you need help, call me anytime.”
“Got it. But I don’t have much luggage, so it’s fine.”
“Understood. Well then, I’ve told you what I needed to, so do your best in your new class starting tomorrow.”
“Okay~”
After ending the call, Kazuma started packing his belongings as instructed.
Luckily, school had ended in the morning, so there was still plenty of time.
Besides, Kazuma didn’t have much luggage, so it wouldn’t take that long.
He just put his uniform and casual clothes into a suitcase, and that was it.
It was an incredibly simple moving process.
“I have surprisingly little luggage, even if I do say so myself…”
In front of Kazuma, there was only a suitcase and a single cardboard box.
To begin with, the room Kazuma was currently using was provided by the academy, and all the appliances and such belonged to the academy.
Therefore, students living in the dorms only brought necessities like clothes and toiletries.
“Oh well. I wonder if there’ll be an explanation when I go to the academy tomorrow?”
Having finished packing, Kazuma lay down on his bed and was browsing a video site on his phone when he received a call from Tanaka-sensei.
“Yes, hello.”
“Hello, Satsuki. Is now a good time?”
“Yes. It’s fine.”
“I see. Actually, I just contacted your mother about your transfer and got her permission, so I thought I’d report to you as well.”
“Ah, I’ve already heard about that. Something about being in the Combat Course from tomorrow.”
“Ah, you already heard. That’s right. You’re in the Combat Course from tomorrow.”
“That’s quite fast, but is the academy’s intention still to use me?”
“I’d like to say don’t put it so crudely, but that’s about it. If you really don’t want to, you can transfer schools, you know?”
“Huh? Is that so?”
“Of course. You’re the one who performed so outstandingly in the Academy Battle Tournament. Any academy would be dying to have you.”
“Is that like being scouted?”
“That’s right. Well, every place has ulterior motives like ours, though.”
“I bet.”
Hearing Tanaka-sensei’s words, Kazuma cackled.
He didn’t know the full details, but from what Tanaka-sensei had told him, a considerable amount of money had changed hands behind the scenes of the Academy Battle Tournament.
That meant a lot of money must have gone into the Headmaster’s pocket.
If they had such a profitable experience, most people would think the same thing:
A wicked desire to use Kazuma to make money again.
“So, what will you do?”
Tanaka-sensei, who went out of his way to tell him this and give him options, was probably a conscientious person.
Perhaps he had other motives, but Kazuma didn’t sense any malice from Tanaka-sensei, so he decided to stay at Seventh Academy.
“No problem. That’s just how the world works, right?”
“I see. Well then, I’ll handle the procedures here. You come to the Faculty Office tomorrow. I’ll hand you over to the homeroom teacher of the class you’ll be joining.”
“Understood.”
“Don’t be late tomorrow. See ya.”
After finishing his call with Tanaka-sensei, Kazuma, as if suddenly remembering, contacted his friends in the Support Course.
He informed them via a chat app that he would be transferring to the Combat Course from tomorrow and thus wouldn’t be going to the Support Course classroom anymore.
“I’m transferring to the Combat Course starting tomorrow.”
“Huh? Seriously?” Kosuke replied.
“Seriously, Kosuke. My true abilities got exposed.”
“Akatsuki left, and now Kazuma is leaving too, huh,” Taichi typed.
“Taichi, it’s just the two of us now, huh~” Kosuke lamented.
“Yeah. It’ll be lonely, but it can’t be helped. Everyone has their own circumstances,” Taichi responded.
“I’m grateful to you two. For becoming my friends when I enrolled three months late,” Kazuma sent.
“Actually, Tanaka-sensei asked us to~” Kosuke revealed.
“Damn it! Give me back my heartfelt moment!!!” Kazuma shot back.
“Now, now. In any case, let’s keep in touch even when you’re in the Combat Course, okay?” Taichi typed.
“Leave it to me, Taichi. I’m strong, so if you’re ever in trouble, come talk to me,” Kazuma replied.
“Hey, what about me!?” Kosuke interjected.
“Kosuke, you figure it out yourself,” Kazuma typed.
“Are you perhaps angry about what I said earlier?” Kosuke asked.
“I’m not angry.”
“Are you angry?”
“No, I was just sad to learn the truth, I’m not angry. Besides, that sounds like something Tanaka-sensei would do.”
“He’s a surprisingly student-minded teacher, isn’t he~” Taichi commented.
“Yeah~” Kosuke agreed.
“Well, that’s the gist of it, so I’m off to the Combat Course from tomorrow!” Kazuma announced.
“Good luck. Well, to be honest, I don’t think anyone can beat you, since you defeated Kenzaki Souji,” Kosuke said.
“You’ll be fine, Kazuma. Just be careful not to get injured, okay?” Taichi added.
“You two… are so kind~” Kazuma typed.
Kazuma was dumbfounded by their kindness, his eyes practically turning white.
Having finished reporting to his two friends and killing some time, Kazuma headed to the cafeteria for dinner with Kosuke, who also lived in the dorm.