Chapter 5

Morning.

Bathed in the refreshing sunlight, I slowly lifted my eyelids. An unfamiliar ceiling. Ah, right, from yesterday, I started living in the student dormitory of Aizan Magic Academy. With a dazed head, I thought about this as I let my gaze slide over to the alarm clock.

There, I understood the situation.

8:53

I was definitely going to be late.

☆

"Alright, let's go."

I went to the bathroom, changed clothes, washed my face, and brushed my teeth, all in five minutes.

8:58.

Normally, that would be the end of it, but I'm different. I repeatedly used a transfer spell to jump to an unobtrusive patch of grass in front of the school building, and then dashed to the shoe lockers. Since I didn't know which locker to use, I placed my outdoor shoes on the top shelf for now.

I took out my indoor shoes from my school bag and was about to put them on when—

"Ah? Could you be the transfer student?"

"Huh?"

I encountered a teacher.

Incidentally, the bell also rang.

☆

"Really, to be late on the first day, you've got some nerve."

"I'm not late. The bell rang after I met you, my homeroom teacher."

"But you weren't in the classroom, were you?"

"New students are supposed to enter after the homeroom teacher and introduce themselves, right?"

"…Indeed. So, you're not late, then?"

I was asked a question in return. Well, if you can accept it, that would be nice.

The person walking next to me is my homeroom teacher, starting today, and her name is Haruka Shiraishi. As can be seen from our short exchange, she seems to be a gentle and fluffy person. Incidentally, she looks fluffy too.

"…Are you thinking something rude? Nakajo-kun."

"Not at all."

She was surprisingly sharp, despite her appearance.

The noise of the students gradually increased as we climbed the stairs. The unique buzz of a school filled the air.

"Your class is 2-A. As I said earlier, I will be your homeroom teacher."

"Understood."

…2-A. Hmm, something feels off? Like I'm forgetting something…

"We've arrived."

Before I knew it, we were in front of the classroom door.

"Okay, I'll go in first and introduce you. Come in when I call you, okay?"

"Got it."

She nodded at my answer and opened the door to go inside. The noise from inside the closed door grew louder.

"It seems the rumored transfer student is quite popular."

I muttered as if it were someone else's problem. But really, what am I supposed to do? I can't really live up to the expectations, you know.

While I was thinking about this, I was called.

"Nakajo-kun, come in."

There's no choice. Well, it'll probably work out. I optimistically concluded and opened the door in front of me.

"Huh?"

The first person I saw when I entered the classroom was Shou, who was sitting at the front by the entrance. Ah, right, he said he was in 2-A yesterday. …Huh? Shou?

"Ah."

I remembered.

Right, we were supposed to meet this morning and come together.

Crap.

"Seiya!! Where the hell have you been!?"

"Shut up, calm down."

Shou's shout was stopped by a punch from Shuhei, who was sitting next to him. Then, he nodded with a flick of his chin, indicating that I should proceed. Tōru, who was sitting behind him, nodded with a wry smile.

…This means I have to do a dogeza later.

"Nakajo-kun?"

"Ah, yes."

Perhaps she found it suspicious that I hadn't moved from the entrance, Ms. Shiraishi called out to me. I couldn't just stand there, so I moved to the front of the class.

I looked around the classroom. Shou, Shuhei, Tōru, Mai. In a new school, to have four familiar faces at the self-introduction stage was very reassuring.

"Nice to meet you, I'm Nakajo Seiya. I just returned to Japan recently, so I'm still unfamiliar with everything. Please—"

…Hmm?

Four?

I suddenly came to my senses and regretted it.

"—it's fine if you don't treat me kindly. Thank you."

"Huh?"

Ignoring the homeroom teacher's confused voice, I immediately turned around.

Oh no, oh no, oh no, oh no. This is weird. Why—

"Where are you going?"

Suddenly.

A hand firmly grabbed my shoulder. Why—

"Leaving as soon as you make eye contact with someone, how inconsiderate."

"Y-You're quick. To get this far."

Only incomprehensible words came out.

"Hehe. Thank you. I'm confident in my body enhancement magic."

I knew my face was twisted. My facial expressions wouldn't obey me. Why—

"Mai…?"

"Yes, that's right."

You're here.

"I'm Hanazono Mai. Nice to meet you, transfer student Nakajo Seiya."

I received a very good smile. If I didn't know her personality, it would be a love-at-first-sight kind of impact.

"Haruka-chan, I'm borrowing this transfer student for a bit, okay?"

"Huh?"

Ms. Shiraishi's eyes widened. Her words caused a murmur among the students, who had been silent. Naturally.

"Ah, well… as a transfer student, this greeting is the first impression… It would be bad to leave now, wouldn't it?"

"Just come with me. The place is the rooftop, okay?"

"Wait!?"

I, being the weak one, was dragged away helplessly…

★

"Wait, wait a minute! It's homeroom now!"

While warning in a powerless voice, Ms. Shiraishi also rushed out of the classroom. The closed classroom door. The students left behind sat in shock.

"What, what was that?"

Someone muttered. In those few words, the doubts of everyone in the class were condensed.

"Is he acquainted with Hanazono-san?"

"He seemed to know her, at least."

Shou's words were echoed by Shuhei's nod.

"I see."

Only Tōru nodded with a knowing look.

"What do you mean by 'I see'?"

"Well, about Seiya. He said he came here because his magic power was sought after, right? I was wondering how the school found out about Seiya… If it was through the Hanazono family's recommendation, it makes sense."

"Oh, indeed."

Tōru's reasoning made Shou snap his fingers.

"No, if that's the case, wouldn't it be unnatural? Seiya was surprised to see the Hanazono girl. If he was recommended, that reaction would be strange, wouldn't it…?"

"Ah, that's true. Hmm? Then why—"

Shuhei's reasonable argument plunged the mystery into a quagmire, and Tōru returned to thinking mode. But it didn't last long.

"Excuse me, may I ask…?"

"Huh?"

"Eh?"

"Ho?"

Called from behind, the three of them turned around with different reactions. There stood one of the two major princesses of this class.

Kuren姬 Lily was standing there.

"Quite unusual. Do you have something to ask, Miss Kuren姬?"

Probably the first time she approached us. Shuhei, who couldn't speak, responded to the sudden visitor.

"Yes. If it's not too much trouble, could you tell me if you know the transfer student who was just here?"

"If you ask if we know him, I can nod… But it's not a long-standing relationship. We met him yesterday, and that was by chance in the dormitory. If you have any questions about him, we probably can't answer them."

"…I see. …I thought so, but if he's a friend of Miss Hanazono, it might be something else…?"

Is there something on your mind? Lily stroked her lips and muttered.

"…Miss Hanazono seems to know him too, so is there something going on?"

"Eh? Ah, no… It's not like that."

Shuhei's question made Lily shake her head.

"I'm sorry for the sudden question. Thank you for telling me."

She smiled and turned to go back to her seat. Seeing this, Tōru sighed.

"You're still bad with women."

"Leave me alone. It's not that I'm bad with them, I just get nervous."

"Sounds the same to me—"

"No, it's different."

He answered immediately.

"Alright, alright. But Shou, why were you so quiet? You always say you want to get closer to her, don't you?"

"…Huh."

"Huh?"

"Caught off guard."

"Ah, I see."

Shou's answer seemed to lose interest, and Shuhei cut off the conversation with just those words.

Just then, the classroom door opened. It was Haruka, returning alone, looking dejected.

"Ugh… It didn't work out."

Of course, everyone had the same thought. With a homeroom teacher who is so shy, it wouldn't work out, everyone thought.

☆

"Alright, let's get a proper explanation, shall we?"

Being called to the rooftop by a girl.

Why is it that despite this being such an alluring situation, my heart doesn't flutter at all? Ah, I know. Even as I have this question, I already know the answer.

Because the one who called me is Hanazono Mai.

That's enough of a reason. Because I was dragged here by her. And from here on, it's not my confession (definitely not in a lovely way), but rather a confession from a cute girl.

"Are you listening? Or are those ears just for show? If so, they're unnecessary, aren't they?"

"I'm listening! Ah, no… I'm listening!!"

Her anger was terrifying, and I involuntarily used polite language. What if they're unnecessary? In the classroom, she even used body enhancement magic to close the distance between us. Does she know how high-level that magic is?

"So, what's going on? You said you were here to do a bodyguard job, didn't you?"

"Well, that's why I came here… to do the job…"

"Hmm?"

Ah, crap.

"To do a bodyguard job… at this school."

"Ah, eh…"

A painful mistake. I can't think of any excuse.

"It's not for me, is it? If it was, you wouldn't have run away yesterday… So—"

The gaze of the person in front of me seemed to pierce through me.

"Kuren姬 Lily, right?"

Caught.

"Why is it that woman!!"

"Why not!! You can't choose who to protect!!"

"Why!! That!! Woman!!"

"!! G-Gurujii!!"

Mai grabbed the front of my shirt and shook me violently. This is bad. Really, it's intense…

"Gi, gi…bu…"

"Hmph."

I collapsed. I took a deep breath.

"…What's up? You and Kuren姬 Lily don't get along?"

"Of course not!!"

"…I don't know, though."

I don't know.

"She's such a terrible person!!"

"Calm down. At least I understand that you really don't like her."

"Listen! She's popular with all the boys in the school because she's pretty and has good grades! But she acts like she doesn't care! She's just putting on a show! That's why she has no friends!!"

"…How is that different from you?"

"…Eh?"

My words must have been very offensive, as Mai stopped moving.

"Are you not popular with the boys even though you're pretty and have good grades?"

"I, I… I think I am a little, but—"

Mai flinched at my question. I decided to press on.

"Do you respond to them with all your heart and soul?"

"I, I… Well, that's not really my character."

"Are you not putting on a show?"

"I, I… If I do, it's because it would scare people, so I do a little, but—"

"Last one. …Do you have any friends?"

"I, I… I don't have any friends at all— What are you making me say!!"

"Wha—!?"

A slap caught my right cheek without mercy.

"That hurts, you bastard!!"

"It's your fault for making me say unnecessary things!!"

"Hey!! Don't manifest your body enhancement magic!!"

<Please wait a moment>

"Ha… ha… You've improved, haven't you?"

"Ha… ha… You don't need a bodyguard. I'm sure of it now."

Even though I held back, for her to be able to keep up with my martial arts… She will never be in a position to be protected. She would definitely be a hindrance as a bodyguard.

"You should quit that job."

"…What?"

At the unexpected command from Mai, I involuntarily looked up.

"Didn't you understand from a light spar? I'm quite good, you know. Besides, have you seen the security of this school? There's no need for a bodyguard here."

She stated it firmly. Indeed, that was something I had also felt, but…

"Can't be done."

"Why not!!"

"Because I accepted the job."

"…"

My firm statement made Mai fall silent.

"I officially accepted the job. I don't plan to run away. It's troublesome, but—"

"…"

"Besides, with you around, it's fine. I can't just say I'm quitting and leave it to a girl, can I?"

"…Idiot."

Mai muttered. She looked down for a moment, then raised her head. So, she understands.