Chapter 2: Take This! This is the Inner Voice of an Adolescent High School Boy!
The two had been engaged in a psychological battle, but Kazuma’s turn for the Ability Test came. Kazuma, whose name was called, said to Momoko, “Well then, I’ll go first,” and headed to the testing site.
“(Uuugh! She’s here too~! )”
At the testing site was the new teacher, Aiba Manami. She was the examiner for this Ability Test, and she had a tablet device in her hands. After glancing down at it, she looked up and called Kazuma’s name.
“Satsuki Kazuma-kun. We will now begin the Ability Test. Are you ready?”
“Yes. I’m ready anytime.”
So far, there was nothing suspicious about Manami. She was acting normally as a teacher and an examiner. There was no overt attitude like Momoko’s.
Of course, Momoko was a student and Manami was a teacher, so that might also be related. If a teacher were to get too close to a student, it would surely lead to unnecessary misunderstandings. Manami might just be keeping her distance out of fear of that.
“(Well, as long as she’s not causing any harm, it’s fine, but…)”
Kazuma, deciding that there wouldn’t be any particular problem as long as she didn’t approach him like Momoko, began the Ability Test.
Kazuma’s Gift was Transposition. It was a Gift that could allow him to join the National Defense Force, but he had to meet the standards set by the National Defense Force.
It was said that joining the National Defense Force was the best option when considering the future, but Kazuma, having fought relentlessly in another world, didn’t find it appealing.
Perhaps because of that, the performance of his Transposition hadn’t improved much.
“Movement distance is 10m. It hasn’t increased by even 1m since last time. Did something happen?”
“Eh?”
Even though the Ability Test was over and the scores were out, Manami detained Kazuma and asked him a question.
Kazuma was bewildered by the unexpected question. Wondering how to answer, Kazuma, scratching his cheek with a vague smile, gave a noncommittal reply.
“I was just playing around all summer vacation. Maybe that’s why.”
“That’s a common student thing, isn’t it? No good, you have to try harder. You won’t be able to get into the National Defense Force like that, you know?”
“Yessir. I’ll do my best.”
“Very well. Then, your test is now over.”
“Thank you for your hard work~”
Kazuma was fed up with Manami talking to him so much, but he tried not to let it show on his face. It would be troublesome if she became strangely suspicious, and even more annoying if things got complicated, so Kazuma desperately tried to keep up appearances.
After his Ability Test ended, Kazuma was casually strolling around the academy grounds when he encountered Kaori from the Combat Course.
“Oh, isn’t that Satsuki-kun? What are you doing in a place like this?”
“Ah, my test finished, so I was just strolling around to kill time. What about you?”
“Same here. I’m actually waiting for a friend from the Support Course, though.”
“I see. Well, I’ll be going then.”
“Okay. See you at the next joint exercise, alright?”
“If we’re enemies, go easy on me, okay?”
“Ahahaha. I wonder if I can even go easy on Satsuki-kun~”
“Hahaha. Give me a break~”
Waving a hand lightly, Kazuma parted ways with Kaori. At that moment, Kazuma thought about asking her about the person Kaori liked, whom he’d heard about during summer vacation, but he didn’t want to risk upsetting her and being disliked, so he continued walking without looking back.
After parting with Kaori, Kazuma found himself in front of a vending machine.
He wasn’t thirsty, but he somehow felt like having something, so he took out his terminal from his pocket, held it over the e-money reader, and bought a juice.
With a clunk, the juice Kazuma bought came out of the dispenser slot. Taking it, Kazuma immediately opened the can and chugged it down. Gulping audibly, Kazuma drained the canned juice in one go and let out a big sigh.
“Puhaah… Guess I should head back soon.”
Once the Ability Test was over, it was basically free time. This was because there were many students, and with as many types of Gifts as there were students, it took a lot of time. Thanks to this, finishing early was quite a bonus. Even for those at the end, it was free time until their turn came, so there weren’t many complaints.
Kazuma was relatively early in the order, which is why he was strolling around like this. He definitely wasn’t slacking off.
“(…I’m being followed.)”
As he threw the empty can into the trash, Kazuma sensed someone’s presence. At the same time, he felt a gaze, so Kazuma was convinced he was being followed.
He had an idea who it might be. In fact, he had too many ideas, to the point of it being troublesome.
“(If this were that other world, I’d let them lower their guard and launch a surprise attack… But they’re probably just normally surveilling me. What a pain, really.)”
Casually turning his face in the direction he felt the gaze coming from, he saw Shinonome Momoko. It seemed she was the one who had been following Kazuma.
With this, it was almost certain that she was an intelligence agent from the National Defense Force.
“(Is there like, a one-in-a-nayuta chance she’s a stalker who’s fallen for me? Nah, no way~)”
Kazuma didn’t think his own appearance was particularly outstanding. He considered himself average. Though, he didn’t know what others thought.
Therefore, Kazuma had decided that there was no way she could have fallen for him. Perhaps that possibility wasn’t zero, but unfortunately, that wasn’t it.
“(Following him was fine, but he’s not making any particularly suspicious moves, is he?)”
She had been checking Kazuma’s movements from the shadows, but he wasn’t doing anything particularly suspicious. Momoko, who had been eager to find some definitive evidence linking him to the Crimson Knight, felt let down.
“(Since this is surveillance, it’s better to make contact with the target… but honestly, I don’t want to be alone with someone who constantly has such vulgar thoughts.)”
As expected, even though it was a mission, it was tough for her.
She was probing the target’s mind with Mind Reading, but it was mostly filled with lewd things. For Momoko, being a woman, it was likely nothing but painful.
“(Honestly, I wish someone would take over for me…)”
Though depressed, it was her mission, so she reluctantly showed herself before Kazuma.
“Oh? Isn’t that Kazuma-san? What a coincidence meeting you here.”
Kazuma was inwardly exasperated with Momoko, who spoke as if she had coincidentally encountered him while on a walk.
“(Wa~ow. Pretending it’s a coincidence even though she was stalking me… What a pain for her~)”
Kazuma had put up a mental shield so his thoughts couldn’t be read, so a different voice reached her.
“(Whaaat!? Shinonome-san! Meeting you in a place like this… could this be fate!?)”
“(What fate? What an outrageous misunderstanding! Why do men get carried away so easily like this!)”
Momoko was indignant inwardly but didn’t let it show on her face. As expected of a professional chosen as a surveillance operative.
However, even for a pro, she couldn’t completely hide it. Kazuma didn’t miss the slight twitch in her cheek muscles as they almost contorted.
“((Hmm? That was strange just now. Is she a little angry? She said her Gift was Clairvoyance, but could it be Mind Reading? If so, is she angry because of me? It’s ’cause I’m putting up a shield and having weird thoughts at the same time~))”
Kazuma possessed neither mind-reading techniques nor appraisal magic. Therefore, he had no choice but to analyze and decipher others himself. Thanks to this, he had ingested poison several times in the other world and nearly died.
Then again, thanks to that, he had acquired Poison Resistance and Paralysis Resistance, so one never knew how life would turn out.
“Shinonome-san, huh? What are you doing here?”
“Just taking a walk. I only just transferred, so I was looking around the school building.”
“Oh, is that so? If you’d like, shall I show you around?”
“Eh? Is that alright?”
“Sure. I’m just heading back to the classroom after this anyway.”
“In that case, may I take you up on your kind offer?”
“Okay. Then, let’s look around at various places.”
“Yes. Please do.”
At Kazuma’s suggestion, Momoko decided to tour the academy grounds with him as her guide.
Naturally, she was reading his mind the entire time.
“(Uhyo~. This is practically a date, isn’t it? Lucky!)”
“(…Men really are simple, aren’t they?)”
“((She’s exasperated. This confirms she’s a Mind-Reading Ability user. I’d better be careful not to let my true thoughts slip out.))”
Kazuma, not missing even her slightest change, became convinced that Momoko was a Mind-Reading Ability user and resolved to be even more vigilant from now on.