Chapter 47: Just a Little Errand I Had to Run…
Kazuma, whose participation in the Academy Battle Tournament had been decided, was telling his classmates about it. In addition to the usual crowd, he was now also informing the class president, Hyoudo Kureha, with whom he had become friendly during the academy festival, about the Academy Battle Tournament.
“Huh~. It’s true that Satsuki-kun isn’t really like someone from the Support Course~.”
“That’s right. It wouldn’t be strange for Kazuma to be chosen.”
“This year’s venue is the First Area, wasn’t it?”
“That’s the area of the previous year’s winning school.”
“Well, it’s usually First Esper Academy or Second Esper Academy competing for the championship.”
“They have a lot of strong Gifted over there~.”
“This year, First Academy is the top contender. In fact, they’re going for their third consecutive victory.”
“Ah~, Kenzaki Souji-senpai, right? That guy is ridiculously strong. He’s been participating since his first year and still hasn’t lost, has he?”
“Yeah. He has two Gifts, Body Enhancement and Copy. I hear Copy has limitations, but it seems he can use multiple Gifts with it, and it’s amazing.”
And so on, the group consisting of Akatsuki, Taichi, Kosuke, and Kureha were getting excited about the Academy Battle Tournament. Momoko, listening to their conversation from a short distance away, was reading Kazuma’s inner thoughts as usual.
“(It’s the best that there are no final exams or winter break assignments just for participating in the Academy Battle Tournament… If possible, I want to participate next year too.)”
“(That’s somehow… normal…)”
Since he usually only thought about perverted things, Momoko’s senses had become numb. Momoko felt that his perfectly normal inner voice was boring. There was no doubt she had also been considerably influenced. For better or worse, Momoko was influenced by Kazuma.
“When will you be moving?”
“It seems I’ll move at the beginning of December. Apparently, there are preliminary meetings, a party just for participants, and various other things.”
“Heeh! Is that so? It really is like the Olympics, isn’t it?”
“For students, it is the Olympics. They gather representatives from each academy to compete for supremacy.”
“Indeed!”
Kazuma and the others laughed cheerfully. A peaceful scene with nothing out of the ordinary. However, there was one person there over whom a shadow was cast. Kazuma didn’t notice. Kazuma overlooked the shadow that had fallen upon the very ordinary scene.
◇◇◇◇
Having decided to participate in the Academy Battle Tournament, Kazuma decided to report this to his mother, Honoka. After school, Kazuma headed to Ivy Children’s Home to meet Honoka.
“Yo.”
“Oh, Kazuma-kun.”
“Yo. Hinata-san, thanks for your hard work.”
“Thanks for your hard work~. What brings you here today? You were here just the other day, could it be you’re here to see Honoka-san?”
“That’s right. I came to see Okaasama. I have a little something to report and something to do.”
“Oh, is that so? Honoka-san is in the back right now, but if you have something to discuss, shall I call her?”
“No. I can’t trouble Hinata-san. Besides, if I did that, Okaasama would give me a knuckle sandwich.”
“Fufu, that’s true. Honoka-san would probably say, ‘You foolish son, don’t trouble Hinata!'”
“Exactly. So, I’ll go see Okaasama.”
“Okay~.”
After greeting Hinata, who worked at Ivy, Kazuma headed towards Honoka, who was working in the back.
Kazuma approached Honoka, who was doing paperwork. She looked at Kazuma’s face, put away her documents, and spoke.
“What did you come here for?”
“I have a little something to report.”
“A report? Couldn’t you do it over the phone?”
“The phone would have been fine, but since I’ll be going from the Seventh Area to the First Area for a bit, I thought I’d take care of some business.”
“Tell me in detail.”
Kazuma told Honoka about participating in the Academy Battle Tournament and that he would be staying in the First Area, away from the Seventh Area, for a while.
“I see. The Academy Battle Tournament. So, what’s this business you want to take care of?”
“Since we’re on the subject, I’ll tell you, but I’m the Crimson Knight.”
“So late? Did you think I didn’t know?”
“No, it’s more like, just in case, or rather, just to confirm.”
“Oh, really. Does that have anything to do with this matter?”
“Mmm.”
Kazuma’s face was suddenly grabbed. Apparently, his choice of words was not good.
“It’s not ‘Mmm,’ is it? It’s ‘Un,’ or ‘Hai,’ right?”
“Hai…”
“Very well.”
Freed, Kazuma rubbed his cheeks before continuing to speak.
“So, I was thinking of doing a little charm.”
“A charm?”
“Ah, this is a bit late to ask, but there aren’t any listening devices here, right? Surely.”
“There aren’t. I destroyed them.”
“Hawawa… Okaasama, that’s too bold.”
“I never thought the esteemed National Defense Force would stoop to planting listening devices in someone’s home. So, I presented that as evidence and made them shut up!”
“S-So cool…”
Normally, the National Defense Force wouldn’t have stayed silent, but Honoka’s courage, and the fact that those who admired her threatened the National Defense Force with publicizing the matter of the listening devices, forced them to keep quiet. Therefore, nothing had been planted in Ivy.
“Getting back to the topic, I’m going to set up a little charm, so can I borrow some paints and stuff?”
“I don’t mind. I can watch what you do, right?”
“You can watch, but it’s plain and boring.”
“I’m curious about what the Crimson Knight will do.”
So, Kazuma borrowed paints from the children and went outside Ivy with Honoka. The two of them went outside Ivy, not to the courtyard. Honoka asked Kazuma why they had come outside.
“Why did we come outside?”
“The courtyard would have been fine, but for now, I want to be able to cover the entire building.”
“The entire building? Kazuma, what are you planning to do?”
“Well, just watch.”
Saying that, Kazuma started painting on the outer wall surrounding Ivy using the painting tools he borrowed from the children. Honoka was about to throw a punch, thinking, ‘What is this idiot doing all of a sudden?’ but Kazuma had said, ‘Just watch.’ So, she decided she should probably stay quiet for now and retracted her fist.
Kazuma smoothly drew geometric patterns on the wall. To an onlooker, it would only look like he was doodling, but Kazuma was a Hero who had returned from another world. What he was drawing was a Magic Circle he had learned in the other world.
Kazuma’s blood, which served as a source of magical power, had been mixed into the paint beforehand. Therefore, it could be activated in this world without any problems.
“Alright, this should do it.”
“Kazuma. Could you explain? I’m telling you, if this is just graffiti, you know what will happen, right?”
“It’s fine. I said it was a charm, didn’t I? This is like an amulet that will protect the children from bad things.”
“By the way, can this be erased?”
“Just wait a moment.”
Just as Kazuma said, after a short while, the Magic Circle vanished as if it had never been there.
“It disappeared, but is this okay?”
“This is fine. It’s been inscribed, so I think it will activate without any problems.”
“Activate…? What did you set up?”
“Well, it’s like a barrier. It’s probably stronger than an evacuation shelter, so if something happens, they can just hide here.”
“That’s convenient.”
Honoka, impressed, nodded repeatedly. Then, Kazuma went back inside the facility and drew several more Magic Circles. With this, the defenses should be perfect. Even the Gifted hailed as the world’s strongest would find it impossible to breach Ivy.
“For now, I guess this is it.”
“You can’t tell by looking at it, huh.”
“That’s how I made it. Everything will activate automatically, so you don’t have to do anything.”
“I see. By the way, is this part of your power as the Crimson Knight?”
“A part of it, I guess. You might not believe it, but I was hit by a truck and went to another world.”
“And you learned various things there. Mainly how to fight and the power to fight.”
“Correct. I may not look it, but I’m a Hero.”
“A reckless one, you mean.”
“Oof… Can’t deny that.”
“I understand everything about you. That said, this was truly unexpected.”
“Hehehe~.”
“Don’t get carried away.”
She chopped Kazuma on the head, who was acting all conceited.
“Ouch! Sorry.”
“You get carried away so easily, that’s why you suffer painful setbacks, you know? You probably got carried away in the other world too and made some terrible mistakes, didn’t you?”
“You’re exactly right…”
Kazuma had made countless mistakes by getting carried away. He had no intention of talking about it, but Honoka probably saw right through him. Of course, she probably didn’t know the details, but she had easily discerned that Kazuma hadn’t just made one or two mistakes.