Chapter 36: I Can Run Errands All By Myself!
“I thought I was going to die…”
Freed from Kaede’s Telekinesis, Kazuma rubbed his head as if to check if he was okay.
Fortunately, his head wasn’t deformed.
However, his intelligence might have dropped a little.
“It’s fine. Kazuma won’t die from something like this.”
“That’s some incredible trust you have there. You can’t do this to other people, okay?”
“Of course, I know that. That’s why it’s special, just for Kazuma.”
“It’s pretty rare for the meaning of ‘special’ to be this terrifying, isn’t it?”
This wasn’t the kind of conversation you’d expect between someone who had just been unilaterally tormented and their tormentor.
If the target hadn’t been Kazuma, it would normally be a crime, punishable by law.
Of course, even with Kazuma as the target, it was undoubtedly still a crime, but since the person in question didn’t mind, there were no repercussions.
“That guy, maybe he really ain’t human.”
“Yeah. He was just getting squeezed by Makimura’s Telekinesis and he’s acting completely unfazed. His brain circuits are probably fried, or there’s a chance he’s not human.”
“He’s still our classmate, you know. You could choose your words a little more carefully.”
“Says Miyazono, who was just giving Kazuma an iron claw.”
Classmates like Shunsuke, Shinya, Alice, and Tsuyoshi watched Kaede and Kazuma’s exchange, speaking in exasperation, but seeing as not a single one of them was even slightly worried, there was no doubt they were all a bit strange too.
This was probably all Kazuma’s fault. After all, no matter what was done to him, he remained nonchalant and was always fooling around.
Shortly after, the bell for the start of classes rang, and their homeroom teacher, Satou-sensei, entered the classroom.
Seeing Satou-sensei enter, Kazuma and the others hurriedly took their seats.
“Good morning. It’s good to see everyone present today. Well then, let’s begin morning homeroom.”
A Monday, no different from usual, officially began.
Today too, Kazuma would writhe in agony during lectures and get overly excited during training.
He would spend his time in the same peaceful, unchanging way.
◇◇◇◇
The day ended, and it was after school.
Once the final after-school homeroom finished, students would either go to their club activities or head home, and Kazuma was a member of the strongest “go-home club.”
“Now then, the final school event, the Student Council President Election Battle, will be held very soon. From our class, Makimura-san and Satsuki-kun are scheduled to participate. Are you two mentally prepared?”
“Yessir!”
“Yes.”
“I see. Well then, I wish you the best of luck. Class dismissed!”
After Satou-sensei gave the order, she left the classroom.
The remaining students each went off to their club activities, independent training, or headed home.
Since Kazuma was set to participate in the Student Council President Election Battle, he should have been doing independent training, but as a die-hard member of the strongest “go-home club,” it wasn’t a problem even if he didn’t.
“Hey, Kazuma. What are you doing after school? If you’re doing independent training, I’ll join you.”
“I’ll join too. I’m not participating in the Student Council President Election Battle, but training with you leads to growth.”
“Oh! If that’s the case, can I join too? Training with Kazuma is good stimulation, you know~”
“In that case, maybe I’ll prioritize it over my club activities too.”
“Shunsuke, Tsuyoshi, Shinya, Alice-chan… I’m heading home, okay?”
“Huh!?” they all exclaimed.
“Y-you don’t have to be that surprised.”
“No, no, we know you’re strong from watching the Academy Battle Tournament, but skipping independent training is not okay, right?”
“That’s right, Kazuma. If you skip one day, it takes three days to catch up. You should do your independent training.”
“I don’t think it’s right to get complacent just because you’re strong, you know? You might get caught off guard, so shouldn’t you do some independent training?”
“Why are you going home in the first place? Aren’t you in the ‘go-home club,’ not even in any club activities?”
“I actually have an errand…”
“That’s a lie!!!” they all shouted.
“How cruel…!”
In a way, Kazuma was trusted by his classmates.
It was true that he had an errand after school, but not a single person believed him.
“So, what kind of errand is it anyway?”
“It’s about my father’s work, so I can’t go into details.”
“Father? Huh? Kazuma, aren’t you from an orphanage?”
“Yeah. That’s right, but I recently reconciled with my birth mother. And she’s married. So, I technically have a stepfather.”
“Oh~, is that so?”
“So, I’m being called over for something related to my father’s work. You know, I became super famous from the Academy Battle Tournament, right? It’s related to that.”
“I see. If you put it that way, I guess I have no choice but to accept it.”
“So that’s why I’m heading home.”
“If that’s the reason, then I guess it can’t be helped. I’ll back down quietly here. Well then, I’m off to my club. See ya.”
“Bye-bye, Alice-chan!”
Although it was a blatant lie, Kazuma’s explanation was highly believable, and his classmates were deceived. Shunsuke, Tsuyoshi, Shinya, and Alice decided to go to their club activities.
Finally freed, Kazuma was about to leave the classroom when his body suddenly froze as if paralyzed.
“Kaede. I’d appreciate it if you’d let me go.”
“Do you really have an errand? Kazuma, you lie with a straight face, so I can’t believe you.”
“No, this is for real.”
“Really? You’re not lying?”
“Really. Sorry, but I’d be grateful if you’d let me go.”
“Okay. Sorry for holding you up.”
“It’s fine. Let’s hang out again sometime, okay?”
“Okay. Training is fine too.”
“Alright. I’ll whip you into shape again then.”
“I’m looking forward to it.”
With a brilliant smile, Kazuma left like the wind.
The classmates who had witnessed the whole exchange were simply confused by the stark contrast.
They wondered which one was the real Kazuma.
Leaving the classroom and heading towards the shoe lockers, Kazuma took out his phone and called Momoko.
“…Yes?”
Momoko answered the phone with an incredibly reluctant voice.
“Momoko-chan! Let’s go home together!”
“No.”
“Then, let’s go to Kurashige Industries together!”
“Huh? What are you going there for?”
“To hang out!”
“Please go by yourself. I have work to do.”
“No waaaay!”
“You’re not a child, so please don’t throw a tantrum.”
“I want knock-off JK Momoko-chan to come with me!”
The call was abruptly cut off.
It seemed he had touched Momoko’s raw nerve.
Kazuma listened to the hollow electronic tone before quietly putting his phone back in his pocket.
If Momoko were a tsundere, she might have been waiting at the shoe lockers, but even after Kazuma waited for about ten minutes, she didn’t appear. It seemed she had really gone home ahead of him by herself.
“Can’t be helped. Guess I’ll go alone!”
And so, the problem child was finally alone.
Until now, someone had always been by Kazuma’s side, but he had finally been unleashed.
With his “stopper” gone, what kind of trouble (happenings) would Kazuma cause? No one knew.
“Kurashige-sa~n!”
“Oh my, are you alone today?”
“Yessir! All alone, sir!”
Arriving at Kurashige Industries, Kazuma energetically greeted Kurashige Shozo, the head of Kurashige Industries.
When Shozo asked him if he had come alone, Kazuma unhesitatingly told him that he had.
“(He always comes with someone, but is it really okay for him to be alone?)”
As expected, Shozo had the same perception as everyone else.
Kazuma basically always acted with someone else, being warned, blamed, and scolded like a three-year-old.
And yet, now he was acting alone. There was no telling what he might get up to.
Shozo worried whether he could stop him all by himself.
“(I just hope nothing happens…)”
He was well aware that Kazuma wasn’t a bad person.
He was the savior who had rescued them from the brink of bankruptcy, the best sponsor who allowed them to use funds generously, and on top of that, the best partner who supplemented everything from the facility environment to material procurement.
However, that didn’t change the fact that he was a problem child.
Until now, women like Momoko and Sakura Hakanai had been there to stop Kazuma, but neither of them was anywhere to be seen.
“(Perhaps I should send a message to Shinonome-san, just in case.)”
While inviting Kazuma into the factory, Shozo secretly sent a message to Momoko.
Incidentally, the content of the message was: “Kazuma-san is here alone, is that okay?”