Chapter 65

Backed by the northern mountain range, the magic-powered four-wheeler kicked up sand and dust as it sped along the road leading south. This road, trodden by thousands and tens of thousands of people over countless years, was much longer than the one leading from Uru Town to the northern mountain range. The four-wheeler, equipped with shock absorbers, minimized vibrations and smoothly headed towards Furen.

Naturally, Sia had the front seat windows wide open, letting the wind play with her rabbit ears. She preferred motorcycles to four-wheelers and was somewhat dissatisfied with the current situation. She seemed to enjoy the feeling of the wind on her rabbit ears and the posture of tightly hugging Aichi and resting her face on his shoulder.

Of course, Aichi was driving, with Yue sitting in the usual seat beside him, and Will in the back. Will leaned slightly towards Aichi and cautiously spoke.

"Um, is it really okay like this? There's still something you want to say... especially to Princess Aiko..."

Aichi didn't even turn his head, responding nonchalantly.

"Hmm? No, it's fine like this. Staying there any longer would only cause more trouble... The teacher can make better decisions in my absence."

"......That might be true..."

"You... should you really be called a good guy or something... worrying too much about others?"

Seeing Will's worried expression after hearing Aichi's words, Aichi smiled bitterly. He genuinely mourned the deaths of the unfortunate adventurers, stayed behind to protect a small town that was about to be attacked by a horde of monsters, a suicidal act by any normal standards, and even forgave his enemy, Tio. Now, he was still worried about the relationship between Aichi and Aiko, who had half-threatened him into coming along. Despite being a noble of the kingdom, he aimed to become an adventurer, a rather peculiar person. Ignoring his status, he was the kind of good guy that made one worry.

"......Good guy"

"Good guy, indeed~"

"Yep, a good guy, alright"

Will, hearing these words in unison, showed a complex expression. While it was a compliment, being called a "good guy" by a woman is a rather ambiguous evaluation for a man.

"My, my, it doesn't matter to me... I just think it's important to explain the reasons properly, that's all..."

"......Reasons?"

Will, with a subtle expression, scratched his face and continued. However, Aichi's eyebrows twitched in response to Will's words.

"Hmm, why, despite the risk of creating a rift with Princess Aiko, did you still kill that boy, Shimizu... the reason for that?"

"......I've already said, he was an enemy..."

"True, but that's a reason not to help him, not to kill him. He was already mortally wounded and would have died in a few minutes if left alone... there was no need to kill him specifically."

"......You're surprisingly observant"

Will's observation hit the mark. Aichi, without hesitation, killed Shimizu when Aiko sought help. His actions had a strong impact, and neither his classmates nor Aiko noticed the fact that Aichi didn't need to kill Shimizu. Will, however, noticed the truth, perhaps due to his noble upbringing. Aichi, impressed by Will's insight, responded.

Sia, who was enjoying the wind by sticking her head out the window, also chimed in, "Now that you mention it, I was also curious." She looked at Aichi, who was driving, with a face that showed her interest. Aichi, hesitating on how to respond, was answered by Yue instead.

"......? Aichi, tsundere"

"......?"

"‘‘‘Tsundere?‘‘‘"

Yue's observation seemed to hit the mark, as Aichi maintained his poker face. The other members echoed her words.

"......A gift for Aiko? Or just concern?"

"......Just a side note"

Aichi turned his head slightly and answered casually. Sia and the others realized Yue was correct and sought an explanation. Aichi didn't respond, so Yue answered for him. Essentially, he didn't want Aiko to feel responsible for Shimizu's death, so he diverted her attention.

Shimizu had said that the purpose of the demon race he encountered was to kill the "Goddess of Harvest," Aiko. In other words, Shimizu was used to kill Aiko, and the final attack that pierced Shimizu was aimed at killing Aiko.

Of course, Aiko didn't need to feel any responsibility for Shimizu's death. Shimizu had sold his soul to the demon race out of his own will and desire, and the result was his own death. If not, the responsibility should lie with the demon race that inflicted the fatal wound.

But could Aiko accept that? The final attack was clearly aimed at her. Given her strong sense of responsibility and her priority for her students, Aiko might think that Shimizu died because of her. There was a high possibility that she would blame herself for Shimizu's death. If she reached that conclusion, could her heart bear it? Aichi was slightly worried about this.

Aiko was also greatly unsettled and frightened by the abnormal situation of being summoned to another world. Despite this, she didn't stop to lament or tremble in fear but instead focused on what she could do. She had the dignity of a "teacher." What made Aiko a "teacher" was the existence of "students."

A student died because of her. The shock of this was far greater than when she heard that Aichi had died or when she learned from Aichi that the reason for his fall was a classmate's back. It would leave an indelible scar on Aiko's heart, possibly even causing her to break down.

For Aichi, if Aiko were to break down over such a matter, it would be troublesome. He was genuinely concerned about Aiko. Aichi thought Aiko's ideals were somewhat idealistic, which led to many contradictions.

However, for the sake of making Yue and Sia happier, the words Aiko had given him would be necessary in the future. Even if the world and Aichi himself changed, those words would still be the "admonition" of his "teacher" to him, and Aichi felt a sense of gratitude.

Therefore, Aichi deliberately killed Shimizu, who would have died anyway. He emphasized that Shimizu was an "enemy" and strengthened this impression. He wanted to leave the impression that "Aichi killed Shimizu." To protect Aiko's heart and allow her to remain a "teacher" as she wished, Aichi wanted to show his concern.

"Ah, I see... Hehe, you're a tsundere, Mr. Aichi"

"I see..."

"I see, oh~ Master is unexpectedly cute in some ways"

After Yue explained Aichi's thoughts to the others, their gazes towards Aichi were filled with a gentle warmth. Aichi turned his face away again.

"......But I think Aiko will notice"

"......"

Aichi silently turned his gaze to Yue, who looked back at him with gentle eyes.

"......Aiko is Aichi's teacher. The words she gave have left a deep impression on Aichi's heart, so it's impossible for her not to notice..."

"......Yue"

"......Don't worry, Aiko is a strong person. The outcome Aichi fears won't happen"

"......"

It seemed that Yue had a certain level of trust in Aiko, who could make Aichi reflect on things he himself hadn't noticed. Yue looked up at Aichi with eyes full of strength and gentleness, and Aichi squinted, returning a gentle gaze. With Yue's words, the concerns about Aiko and the future developments became less significant, like the sky clearing after a rain.

"Ha~ Another world of two... I wish I could create such an atmosphere someday..."

"This, this... I feel something sweet in my mouth..."

"Hmm~ I still prefer being scolded, but... that feeling isn't bad either..."

In the sweet atmosphere created by Aichi and Yue, Will and the others were a bit overwhelmed. Especially Sia, who puffed out her cheeks and pouted.

Noticing this, Yue's gaze shifted to Sia, then met Aichi's. Without words, she conveyed the message, "Praise Sia." If not for Sia's innate magic, "Future Sight," and her desperate actions, Aiko's head would have had a hole, making her a martyr. Indeed, Sia had saved Aichi's teacher.

Understanding Yue's meaning, Aichi nodded and then shifted his gaze to Sia, addressing her.

"......Sia. That, this time, we were saved. Thank you, even if it's a bit late..."

"........................? Who?"

Despite his efforts to thank her while enduring his shyness, he received only a look of surprise and a question. Aichi's forehead throbbed as he convinced himself to endure it.

"......Well, I can't blame you for that attitude... But I'm really grateful this time?"

Aichi looked directly at Sia, making eye contact and expressing his gratitude. In response, Sia trembled as if electrified, losing her composure. Her eyes darted around, her cheeks flushed, and her rabbit ears twitched.

"Ah, that, no, it's not a big deal, it's not something to thank me for to that extent, really! What's with this sudden... I feel so embarrassed... hehe"

Sia, blushing and fidgeting, Aichi smiled wryly and asked a slightly curious question.

"Sia, I'm a bit curious... Why did you jump in without hesitation? Aiko isn't someone important to you, right? It's good to step up, but..."

"That's... because it's someone Mr. Aichi cares about"

"......Is that it?"

"......Yes, just that?"

"......I see"

Sia looked surprised, and Aichi's expression was indescribable. Indeed, Aiko was a teacher-like figure to Aichi, and her absence would have a significant impact. Frankly, she was someone who shouldn't die. However, he didn't remember expressing this in words or actions. Yet, both Yue and Sia seemed to understand Aichi's feelings. They could always express Aichi's inner thoughts in simple and clear language. The idea of them being "just companions" no longer existed.

This was, perhaps, a form of gratitude that Yue hadn't mentioned. Aichi turned to Sia, who was still blushing, and spoke.

"Sia, is there anything you want?"

"Eh? Something I want...?"

"Ah, a gift or praise...? Well, that kind of feeling, of course, within my capabilities?"

Sia was slightly taken aback by the sudden question. She thought it was a bit exaggerated to consider it a matter of course as a companion. She groaned, "Hmm~ Hmm~ Hmm~," and looked at Yue, who smiled gently and nodded slowly. Sia correctly understood Yue's message, "This is Aichi's gratitude, accept it sincerely," and after a moment's thought, she smiled and nodded back to Yue, then shifted her gaze back to Aichi.

"Then, I'll take my first 'rejection'... Why! No matter how you think about it, this is the moment when the shy period finally arrives!! Isn't it? Please pay attention to the atmosphere!"

"Within my capabilities, I said that."

"Within my full capabilities! You just casually avoided me to be with Miss Yue! I know that! Every time I find out you two are doing something, I feel a void in my heart! Ugh, when we get to Furen, you'll find something to send me away and take advantage of the opportunity to be with each other, right? Grr, only I... am left alone to pass the time... I can't ignore the smooth and lustrous Miss Yue... Damn it..."

"Not, you, don't cry... I'm interested in Yue, so, you, well, I think you're an important companion,