Chapter 57: A Chase on Glittering Beach
Kazuma had been enjoying the hostess club roleplay, but an in-flight announcement stating they had arrived in Hawaii pulled him back to reality.
“We’re here already…? And the fun was just about to start!”
Kazuma frowned regretfully, but there was no after-service in the first place.
It might have been possible if Kazuma had given a clear answer, but since he was currently being approached by multiple women and had ambiguous relationships with them, it probably wouldn’t happen unless he resolved those.
“Anyway, I have to go back over there!”
“For now, we’ve informed them from our end.”
“Eh? Seriously? How did you tell them?”
Tsukimi approached Kazuma, who was surrounded by Momoko, Sakura Hakanai, Alicia, and Charlotte, and informed him that she had already told the other students.
“We told them, ‘Kazuma-kun will be disembarking with the Crimson Knight as is, so please don’t worry.'”
“I see… Feels like I’m going to be bombarded with questions later.”
“Please handle that by skillfully deflecting, as usual.”
“Aye, aye. I’ll just wing it.”
And so, they landed safely at the airport in Hawaii.
Kazuma was supposed to get off the plane, but because he had been enjoying the hostess club roleplay, he was reluctant and threw a tantrum.
“Uwaaaaaaah! No, no! I want to stay in this paradise longer! I want Momoko-chan in her risqué dress to serve me!”
“Are you an idiot…? Stop throwing a tantrum and get off quickly. We’re going to get changed.”
“Nooo!”
Kazuma’s plea was heartlessly rejected, and Momoko and the others changed into their everyday clothes.
Upon arriving in Hawaii, Kazuma felt a pang of loneliness seeing Momoko and the others changed from their dresses into casual wear, but he quickly switched gears.
Kazuma, who had come to Hawaii for a training camp as part of the old and new student council orientation, got hyped up and dashed out of the airport.
“Yahoooo~!”
“That’s a talent in itself, isn’t it?”
“His ability to switch gears is extraordinary. Normally, it would drag on longer, but he changes his mood in an instant. It’s amazing.”
As a Hero, Kazuma didn’t have time to mope about every life and death.
That’s why he was told to switch gears quickly, his mind was trained, and his sense of ethics and such were distorted.
It was a sad thing, but otherwise, he wouldn’t have been useful as a Hero, and he was molded into a Demon Lord-slaying machine, prevented from getting too emotionally involved.
However, at his core, thanks to Honoka’s upbringing, it was certain that he was a kind and good Hero. Though, epithets like “reckless courage,” “unprecedented,” and “unconventional” constantly followed him.
“Alright then, I’m going to meet up with everyone, so I’ll see you later!”
Saying that, Kazuma returned to the students.
A shuttle bus had come to the airport, and the students excitedly boarded it.
Kazuma also boarded the shuttle bus with the Seventh Esper Academy student council members and enjoyed the ride to the hotel.
“Kazuma-kun. What did you talk about with the Crimson Knight?”
Sitting next to Kazuma was Hayato, and he was curious about Kazuma, who had been summoned by the Crimson Knight during the flight.
“About recruitment into the National Defense Force and Satsuki-ryu~. They doubted whether Satsuki-ryu was a real school, you know.”
“Well, it’s true I’ve never heard of Satsuki-ryu. I guess it can’t be helped that the Crimson Knight was curious.”
“Other than that, not much else. We just made some small talk and that was it.”
“Huh~. I was wondering, was first class really amazing?”
“It was super amazing! For some reason, it was incredibly spacious, like a dance hall! Presidents and prime ministers and the like were drinking something like champagne.”
“That sounds amazing. I’d like to try first class at least once.”
“That’ll be after Hawaii is opened to civilians. But it’ll surely be expensive.”
“I bet~. Sounds incredibly expensive…”
While they were talking like that, Kazuma and the others arrived at the hotel where they would be staying.
This time, the hotel Kazuma and the others were staying at was built by Japan and was a five-star hotel.
And the VIPs were staying at an American hotel, which was also five-star.
Both were top-class, with no real difference, and opinions would probably only differ based on preference.
“A-amazing…”
“Can we really stay here…?”
“Uhyah~, this is insane~”
“Isn’t this too awesome?”
“I’m glad I’m alive…”
“Let’s take pictures!”
Next to the excited group of boys, the girls were just as excited.
“Whoa, amazing!”
“Hey! They say there’s an aesthetic salon!”
“Looks like there’s a beauty salon too!”
“This is the best!”
“Let’s make reservations!”
“An aesthetic or beauty salon in a five-star hotel is a guaranteed win…”
“We have to thank the Crimson Knight and Kazuma-kun…”
The students thought this Hawaii training camp was possible because Kazuma and the Crimson Knight were on good terms, but in reality, it was due to Kazuma’s selfishness.
However, since it was ultimately thanks to Kazuma, it wasn’t wrong to be grateful, but if they told him directly, he would definitely get carried away, so it was best to keep it to themselves.
“Alright! And so, we’ve arrived at the hotel!”
Kazuma, who was, for all intents and purposes, the main figure in this old and new student council orientation.
“Uhm, everyone! I know you’re all excited to be in Hawaii, but please try to behave in a manner that won’t bring shame to Japanese students!”
As their representative, Kazuma cautioned the students in the hotel lobby to behave with moderation, but he received fierce backlash, with them thinking, “Who is the most reckless one here to be saying that?”
“You’re one to talk!!!”
“Pien…!”
After that, Kazuma began to briefly explain the training camp schedule.
“The old and new student council orientation starts today, but please check the distributed materials once more for the schedule. I think you’re tired from the long journey, so please rest well today. Of course, if you still have energy to spare, there’s no problem with sightseeing in Hawaii. However, you must attend the banquet, which is the meet-and-greet for the old and new student councils! With that, dismissed!”
Kazuma entrusted his luggage to a hotel porter and then dashed out of the hotel like the wind.
Kazuma, who had been looking forward to it more than anyone, was faster than anyone, the first to dive into the sea.
Everyone must have thought it was just like him to break the rule he had just told the other students—to behave with moderation—within seconds.
“Yeeeaaaaaaah!!!”
Following Kazuma’s example, the other students also entrusted their luggage to hotel porters and left the hotel.
Students tired from the long journey limited themselves to strolling around the vicinity, while those overflowing with energy started playing on the beach like Kazuma.
Of course, among the students, there were a few who got airsick from the unfamiliar plane ride.
Normally, the chaperoning teachers would look after them, but since the hotel staff took care of them instead, the teachers went off to sightsee, looking half apologetic and half delighted.
“O~i, Kazuma~”
Souji called out to Kazuma, who was splashing around and swimming alone towards the open sea.
Called, Kazuma returned to the shore and ran up to Souji.
“What is it? Souji-senpai.”
“Instead of long-distance swimming, let’s do something else! Looks like there are all sorts of things around!”
“Then, let’s do that classic thing!”
“That classic thing?”
Souji, who didn’t understand what “that classic thing” meant, tilted his head.
Kazuma smiled like a mischievous child and whispered in Souji’s ear.
“…Are you serious about doing that?”
“You don’t want to?”
“Umm… Well, I guess we can redo it later.”
And so, the two of them put a little distance between themselves and started jogging along Glittering Beach like lovers.
“Ahahahaha! Try and catch me~!”
“Ahaha~, wait, wait~!”
At first, Souji-senpai was reluctant, but once he started, it was surprisingly fun, and he couldn’t stop.
However, the sight wasn’t exactly pleasant, and Souji-senpai’s girlfriend, Aoi, who was watching from afar in her swimsuit, had her mouth agape and eyes wide.
“Wh-why are you doing that with Satsuki-kun before me!?”
“Now, now, calm down. It’s probably Kazuma-kun’s idea.”
Shiori tried to calm the raging Aoi, but she didn’t seem to calm down and stomped her feet.
“Even if it was his idea, normally you’d do it with your girlfriend, right!?”
“W-well, you know, Souji-kun has parts that are similar to Kazuma-kun…”
“Kuh…! That’s right. Souji isn’t as much of an idiot as Satsuki-kun, but he was still an idiot…!”
Aoi, frustrated and scratching her head, and Shiori, watching Souji and Kazuma with a wry smile. And then, there was a group that, like Aoi, couldn’t suppress their irritation.
Yes, it was the group of girls who were in love with Kazuma.
Alicia, Charlotte, Karin, Yukihime, Kaede, and Yayoi were angry at Kazuma for casually playing lovers on the beach with Souji.
“What do you think of that?”
“Unforgivable. Even if it’s just playing around, I wanted to be the first.”
“Hey, Yukihime. How about we throw a fireball over there?”
“That sounds good. And while we’re at it, why don’t we toss some icicles too?”
“Mm. Senpai, I’ll help too.”
“Oh my, Kazuma-han truly is a handful, isn’t he~”
Karin, Yukihime, Kaede, and Yayoi were all fervently trying to get his attention, yet Kazuma was leisurely playing with Souji.
Displeased by this, the four of them were burning with the flames of jealousy and began to plot how they would punish Kazuma.
“Hey, Kazuma. I’ve got this awful chill. Is it just my imagination?”
“It’s just your imagination! Look! This perfectly clear blue sky! The blazing sun! The sparkling beach! There’s no way you could be cold!”
“Oh, right. You’re right! It must be my imagination!”
“That’s right! Wahahahahahaha!”
It wasn’t just his imagination, but Souji’s mind had been addled by Kazuma’s overly optimistic remarks and the Hawaiian environment.
He had swallowed Kazuma’s opinion hook, line, and sinker, and there was no doubt he would face a harsh scolding from Aoi later on.