Chapter 10: Behind the Scenes
Having been spared by Yukihime and Karin, Kazuma, true to his promise to them, defeated the Ivera Church members occupying the second and first floors. With this, he had successfully subdued all Ivera Church members within the building.
Afterward, Kazuma hurried to the fifth floor and incinerated the clothes and mask he had used for his disguise with fire-attribute magic, ensuring no evidence was left behind. Then, after checking on the Ivera Church member in the restroom and confirming there were no issues, Kazuma returned to his three friends.
As it happened, the three of them were safe, having been protected by Yukihime and Karin along with the other customers. Kazuma called out, waving his hand as he joined them.
Hearing Kazuma’s voice, the three turned in that direction and saw Kazuma waving and heading towards them.
“Sa-Satsuki!”
“Satsuki-kun!”
“Satsuki!”
Seeing Kazuma unharmed, the three were greatly surprised and, their faces blooming with joyful smiles, rushed over to him.
“Thank goodness…! Thank goodness~~~!”
“You’re safe! Are you hurt anywhere?”
“Uooooooh! I’m so glad you’re alive~~~!”
They were overjoyed from the bottom of their hearts that Kazuma was safe. Akatsuki grabbed Kazuma’s hand, shaking it up and down repeatedly, Taichi circled Kazuma, checking for injuries, and Kousuke was sobbing.
Seeing them like that, Kazuma felt himself on the verge of tears too. Despite having known them for only a few hours, Kazuma was incredibly happy that they had worried about him so much. At the same time, he realized how good-natured they were.
And so, Kazuma apologized once more. Believing they wouldn’t have been caught up in this if they hadn’t invited him out, Kazuma couldn’t help but apologize.
“Everyone, I’m truly sorry. Because you invited someone like me out, you ended up in this mess…”
“What are you talking about, Satsuki? If anything, we’re the ones who should be apologizing. We’re the ones who dragged you into this by inviting you out, forcing you to do something reckless. Right?”
So saying, Akatsuki turned and sought agreement from Taichi and Kousuke.
“Yeah, yeah. Akatsuki’s right.”
“Ah, that’s true. If we hadn’t insisted on inviting you, this wouldn’t have happened.”
Hearing those words, Kazuma protested.
“That’s not true! It’s not your fault!”
Many eyes turned to Kazuma as he denied it in a loud voice. But Kazuma paid them no mind and continued to refute Akatsuki and the others’ claims.
Just then, Yukihime and Karin approached the four of them and stepped in between.
“Alright, alright, that’s enough, juniors. It’s good that you get along, but evacuating comes first right now.”
Karin stepped in front of Akatsuki and the others, calming the three down.
“That’s right. This isn’t the time for arguing. If you want to quarrel, do it later.”
Yukihime stood before Kazuma and chided him.
The four of them obediently listened to what the two girls said and headed out of the building with the other customers Yukihime and Karin were guiding. Once outside, the four shared their joy at finally being free and having survived safely. As the four celebrated, police cars approached, sirens wailing. Military vehicles could be seen right behind them.
Not only Kazuma and his friends but also the people nearby were startled by the sudden sirens. However, among them, there were two who weren’t surprised: Yukihime and Karin. Seeing the police cars, they sighed as if to say, “They’re finally here.” The people who had escaped felt a sense of relief, unsure who had called them, but glad that help had finally arrived.
After that, Kazuma and his friends were bombarded with questions from the police and the National Defense Force. However, it didn’t take up too much of their time. Well, while Kazuma and his friends were students at the Esper Academy, they were in the Support Course, so they weren’t detained like Yukihime or Karin.
Those two had been taken aside by the National Defense Force, and Kazuma and the others caught sight of them engaged in a lengthy conversation, but they decided there was nothing more for them to do. Besides, after answering the questions, Kazuma and his friends had been told they could leave.
“Well then, shall we head home?”
“Yeah, let’s.”
Akatsuki started walking, Taichi followed, then Kousuke, and finally Kazuma, each heading towards their respective homes. Along the way, the three, excluding Kazuma, started discussing Yukihime and Karin as if they had just remembered them.
“Still, Himuro-senpai and Akeno-senpai are really beautiful, aren’t they!”
“That again? You never learn, do you?”
“You were blushing too when you were looking at them, weren’t you?”
“Wh-! I-I wasn’t…!”
“Don’t be shy, don’t be shy. It can’t be helped when you’re in front of those two.”
Kousuke put his arm around Taichi, who was desperately trying to deny it, pointing out that he was probably just embarrassed. There was no doubt he was embarrassed inwardly, so Taichi’s face turned bright red. However, he stubbornly refused to admit it.
Watching the three of them interact, Kazuma asked about Yukihime and Karin. After all, Kazuma had been hospitalized for three months, so he wasn’t familiar with academy matters.
“Hey, are those Himuro-senpai and Akeno-senpai really that famous?”
Since Kazuma said something so out of touch, the three of them froze, dumbfounded. However, remembering that Kazuma had been hospitalized for three months, they understood his question.
“Oh, right. Satsuki, you wouldn’t know. Those two seniors have the titles ‘Blazing Snow Princess’ and ‘Ice Dancer.’ They’re famous for their looks, and also because their Gifts are the complete opposite of their names. And they’re strong. They’re a duo who are said to be shoo-ins for the National Defense Force in the future.”
“Just like Akatsuki said. And for us in the Support Course, they’re like idols!”
“Heeh, is that so?”
“What, you don’t sound interested? Don’t tell me you dislike them!”
“No, they were certainly beautiful seniors, but if they’re that amazing, it doesn’t seem like I’ll have anything to do with them anymore.”
“Ah, well, yeah. In fact, today was the first time we’ve ever really talked to them. We can’t even get close to them at the academy.”
“Ah, so that’s how it is.”
“Yeah. To begin with, they’re in the Combat Course, so their building is different. That’s why we can only admire them from afar.”
“And that’s why they’re idols?”
“Exactly.”
Kazuma understood after hearing their explanation. He learned that they were famous and highly skilled students at the academy. Well, he didn’t know if he’d get involved with them in the future, but he was relieved to know he likely wouldn’t meet them at the academy. Even though he’d been disguised with a mask, he had exchanged a few words with them, so Kazuma had been afraid. Afraid that his identity would be exposed.
And so, Kazuma and his friends returned to their respective homes. Taichi and Akatsuki went to their houses, while Kousuke and Kazuma returned to the dorm. The four split into two groups along the way. Kazuma returned to the dorm with Kousuke, who taught him about unwritten rules and dorm regulations, after which Kazuma headed to his own room.
Still in his uniform, Kazuma dived onto the bed in his room and reflected on the day’s events. On his first day back at school after being discharged from the hospital, he’d ended up fighting an Ibinom, and after school, he’d gotten caught up in a terrorist attack with his friends and fought Terrorists. Looking back, it had been a disastrous day.
“This is too hardcore for the first day…” Kazuma mused. “Well, but I made some friends, and it looks like I can have some fun here~”
As he lay on the bed lost in thought, an electronic sound beeped from Kazuma’s pocket. Kazuma reached into his pocket and took out his phone. The lock screen showed a message received from Kousuke. It was an invitation to go eat dinner at the cafeteria.
Kazuma accepted and sent a reply, then headed to the meeting place. There, Kousuke, dressed in casual clothes, was leaning against a wall waiting for Kazuma. When Kousuke saw Kazuma arrive, he waved and called his name.
“Hey, Satsuki. Over here.”
“Sorry. Did I keep you waiting?”
“Nah, not at all. More importantly, you haven’t changed yet?”
“Yeah. I was tired, so I just collapsed onto the bed.”
“Ah, I see. My bad.”
“No, it’s fine. I was wondering what to do about food, and it was just before I was going to sleep, so it was perfect.”
“So, it was good timing then, huh?”
“Exactly. What’s the cafeteria like?”
“Well, that’s something to look forward to when we get there.”
The two continued their idle chat as they walked towards the cafeteria. When they arrived, Kazuma was surprised by how much larger it was than he had imagined.
“Whoa…”
“Right? Well, all Esper Academies are mammoth schools. This much is pretty normal.”
“Heeh!”
Hearing that, Kazuma’s expectations swelled. If the cafeteria was this big, the menu must be extensive too.
“It’s free for dorm students, so let’s order and eat.”
Kousuke led Kazuma towards the meal ticket machine. Kazuma followed Kousuke to the machine. They each chose their meals and waited for their food to be prepared. After receiving their food, the two found some empty seats and sat down.
“Well then, itadakimasu!”
“Itadakimasu!”
After properly putting their hands together before eating, the two began their meal. Kazuma savored his first dorm meal, relishing every bite and finishing it completely. After finishing their meal, the two returned to their respective rooms, and Kazuma took a shower before going to sleep.
Around the time Kazuma fell asleep, Yukihime and Karin were discussing the day’s events.
“…That man… I wonder just who he was?”
“Well, he wasn’t an enemy, at least. But he didn’t exactly seem like an ally either, did he?”
The person the two were discussing was Kazuma. To rewind a bit, unlike Kazuma and his companions, these two had remained behind for questioning by the police and the National Defense Force. During that time, they had inquired with the police and the National Defense Force about the disguised Kazuma. However, no one knew anything about him. To be precise, they were told that no spies existed within the Ivera Church.
Hearing this, the two were overcome with astonishment. The Ivera Church was an organization shrouded in mystery; its true scale and the locations of its bases were largely unknown. For that reason, it was considered impossible to even infiltrate it with spies. And yet, these two had encountered an individual claiming to be just that. It was no wonder they were surprised.
Naturally, they relayed this information to the police and the National Defense Force, who then also began to pursue this “spy.” Unbeknownst to Kazuma, the situation was rapidly escalating. Would a moment of peace ever arrive for Kazuma?