Volume 2 Chapter 3 (1/2)

It was over

The followingarrived

”Onii-chan It's ”

”Nn”

Ayuot out of bed

I had thought I wouldn't be able to sleep, but my nerves must have been worn down despite hoorked upit off, but it was a little past the time I had set on the alarm clock All that noise had apparently failed to rouse me

I stepped out into the hallith my little sister and passed byto go to school As a vaetting back from school

”Erika, you need to get in your coffin soon”

”Mhh But I' faint because I'm so worried about you, Satori-kun…”

Erika really obbling on her feet on her way to her roo curtains on theWas she really going to change into her paja to partially strip off her unifore space below the bed

As I watched her disappear through the door, Ayumi spoke up

”It ht be hard to tell since we're the undead…”

”Yeah?”

”But you need to remember that your family is worried about you, Onii-chan Ahh, this is when I hate being too healthy to get bags under my eyes…”

I felt bad

But I couldn't back off from this I couldn't let Itou Helen or the other Archenemies be tormented to death on camera

I had to end this before Ayumi or Erika ended up in the middle of it I couldn't compromise on this

We went downstairs where ether

My step the weather forecast

”Oh? We're going to have quite a few sunny days in a row That's unusual for this city Maybe I should hang the laundry up to dry instead of using the dryer”

It seements because the cameracheerfully on the TV And along with the scores of baseball and soccer games…

”Man, that Colosseued I never even liked doing the soccer lottery because it felt tooon sports, but it looks like they aren't running the business on just the owner systehts anymore Now, the first match was Itou Helen the Witch vs Kuroyama Hinoki the Mermaid And the winner was-…”

My dad spoke with his eyes on his folded-up newspaper and his chopsticks poking at his stir-fried vegetables

”How unpleasant”

That was all he said, but it still felt like I had so thrown into the e of losing faith in humankind, but I wasn't the only one that felt this way That was all it was

What about Ayumi?

What did she feel after hearing her family say that?

I stole a glance, but I didn't notice any change to her expression

After eating breakfast, I washed o to school like normal

Ayued into her sailor-style unifor a bunch of deodorant spray into her school bag

”It irl”

”Tell irls school smells of sweets and tea? It'smatter when parents' day rolls around”

I had meant it sarcastically, but she took it seriously Please don't crush irls schools And then Ayuht up in front of me

”You kno you can't notice your own sht, don't I? I don't smell weird?”

”…Oh, honestly”

The usual ritual had begun

It wasn't every single day, but this always happened when Ayu uneasy And she couldn't relax until the ritual was complete

I had no choice but to pull Ayuht my face to her neck like I was our vampire sister

”Ah…”

Ayuhtly

But I wasn't biting her to suck her blood

Sniff, sniff

”Wait I knoas the one to ask, but don't make any noise…”

She gave off the nice sirl's hair

It was a sweet sered a chemical reaction

But as a zo said she had any kind of save my standard response

”I don't s”

”Really? You don't have a stuffed-up nose or anything?”

”If you can't believe anything I say, then I won't even bother checking anymore”

”Fuguu Well, as long as you aren't just being nice…”

Ayuotten separated from her parents in a crowd

That hen I realized she had never asked anyone else to perform this ritual Not even Erika

I didn't really understand, but I knew rubbing her head would cheer her up She was simple like that

”Uuh… Wh-why are you doing that all of a sudden?”

”No reason It just seeood time for it”

”Well, stop it I just finished with uu…”

That was generally hoent

We left through the front door, but since we attended different schools, we didn't take the same route

While I undid the latch on my collapsible bike, Ayumi started to run

”Bye, Onii-chan I'll be going”

”Bye”

She didn't like sht to the shower roo brother, I was mostly worried about how short her skirt was

After she ran off, I dragged my collapsible bike out onto the road That hen I came across an unexpected face

”Huh? Class Rep?”

”Good , Satori-kun”

She had long black hair, a prolasses She was skinny and slender, but the mounds on her chest were quite noticeable for how small they were She was a childhood friend who felt like the perfect japanese Class Rep

”Well, this is unusual You usually get to school earlier than this Did you oversleep?”

Just because she was the childhood friend next door did not mean alked to school hand-in-hand every day There was so different about her than Erika or Ayumi There was some mysterious barrier around her that ot close, so I couldn't stand to be around her all the time!

But the Class Rep conored the secret pact we hadmiddle school

”Yes I aiting for you today”

”Ehh!? What do you mean!? …U outside my house with a wooden sword in hand Y-you're a 2nd Dan in kendo aren't you?”

”Karate 1st Dan, Kendo 2nd Dan, Judo 2nd Dan, and Aikido 1st Dan Got that!?”

…Why did the Class rep end up being such an active person?

But no matter how I felt, she smiled at me (ooden sword in hand)

And she said it

”Hey, Satori-kun What is the Forehead Glasses Class Rep Swimsuit Dance File Set?”

Ma-…

”Maxwellllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll!!!???”

”C'et over here! Let's take this out back, Satori-kun!!! You wouldn't be so weak if you could get your fingers off those keys!!”

”A smartphone doesn't really have keys…”

”Quit staring at endary japanese wolf and sit down! What have you been doing inside your disaster environment simulator!? And there's no one to stop you there since Maxwell can't say no!!”

As the wooden sword blazer forehead glasses Class Rep (a childhood friend ay too many descriptors at this point) hadfro to shrivel up at this rate!!

”But how do you even know about that hidden file!? I thought I solved all of that on that vae!?”

”Why would a peace organization that digs wells in Africa want to get back at you, Satori-kun? Honestly”

I was confident it would take an entire day to explain the details, but getting the Class Rep caught in this city's secrets was the last thing I wanted to do

And more importantly…

”I heard soht It was those sisters of yours Were you not with them?”

”I think they were yelling angrily at the TV, but I definitely heard the it for the Forehead Glasses Class Rep Swi to risk your life for some random Archenemy you ran across!? Gnhh!!' ”

Ah…

”Them…!!”

”Stop, stop You're not the one who's angry here I'ry …So what is this swi on your answer, Satori-kun, you ht just learn firsthand that Archene strength”

”Ah, ahhhh!?”

Not good I'!

But I couldn't escape even if I took off running now Even with my collapsible bike, she would hit me with a men, do, and kote in the ti What do I do? What am I supposed to do!? Dammit, am I really this powerless without Maxwell!?

I could only pray at this point

I'ust of wind! Blow the Class Rep's skirt nice and high!!

A ht between the Class Rep's legs and the skirt beforebelow

We both fell silent for a while

It had happened so suddenly that the Class Rep had not been able to hold down the fluttering cloth She stood tall with her hands on her hips, so I could not have had a better view By the way, the holy item was pure white As a true japanese Class Rep, she did not unfaithfully go for so the front was as refreshi+ng as seeing the first sunrise of the year from a mountain peak

Since I was sitting right in front of her, I had seen everything And frole

I'll be honest

I wanted to thank God

The Bright Cross, Colosseuht have been difficult, but I felt reinvigorated enough to keep going for another year

After a few seconds, the skirt fluttered back down as if gravity had finally kicked back in Today's wonderfully cool and exciting event was over

The Class Rep hung her head and her long black hair seemed to ripple from invisible static electricity

”…Satori-kun…?”

”No, wait! Wait, Class Rep! It wouldn't make sense to hit me with a men, do, and kote for this! There's no scientific evidence to show our prayers can affect the wind!!”

”In other words, you were hoping that would happen? And here I thought ere having a serious discussion”

K-kyahh!! I shouldn't have said that! I feel like anything I say is going to lead to e now!!

Ifbefore round, I wondered if all I would see was the color white, that ribbon, those bright thighs, and the wrinkles in the cloth Thatht now

And then…

”Ahem!”

I heard so their throat

I turned around along with the Class Rep who had threatened ed me behind the house, and showed me her panties (It sounds a lot more fun when I put it like that)

We found…a girl?

She wore a plain varsity jacket and jeans, her long black hair was stuffed inside a hat, and her sex was hard to tell with her face hidden behind sunglasses and a mask Or it would have been if not for the iuy would probably get reported to the police if he dressed that suspiciously

But as it?

If she was not up to no good, ould she be dressed like that? It reuise of an entertainer or idol anted to keep her identity hidden in a drama

”Uirl, I really hate to stop this, but since she has a weapon, should I intervene? However it happened, you did save me, so I would like to pay you back”

”Wait a second… That black hair in the hat…”

It was still hard to tell with her face covered, but now that it occurred to me…

”Yes, I should have introduced myself first”

Didn't I know one of the undead who had appeared before the TV ca hair wrapped around her body like a swiiant tail fin?

”I'm Kuroyama Hinoki As you know, I am the mermaid Archenemy you defeated and rescued”

An Archenemy

The terion Fro used in reference to any ”deeneral

It now referred to someone who had surpassed the concept of a lifespan or could spread that to the people around theeneral term for someone as the source of an undead disease

For exaer sister

”An Archeneain?”

The intrusion of this third party had cooled the Class Rep's head, so she tossed the wooden sword over the hedge…and thus into her own backyard

Kuroyama Hinoki was surprised by this

I felt the same way

Had the Class Rep not watched any TV the day before? Or had she been so focused on the contestants that she hadn't seen me as the second?

Whatever the case, I was glad That reduced the risk of her getting involved

Kuroyalasses

…She was asking if we should continue discussing this here

I shook my head

No, we should not

”Oh, honestly…”

The Class Rep puffed out her white cheeks at being left out She seemed more upset that she did not understand what that eye contact hadin secret

”Stupid Satori-kun Oh, just you watch!! I'll train even harder and learn some secret technique that lets me kick even an Archenemy's butt!!”

I really didn't like the sound of that, but she stormed off

”The scary part is she could probably find a way What do I do now? If she shaves off one of her eyebrows, puts on a ratty sleeveless dogi, and says she's going training in the mountains, I don't think I can stop her”

I muttered to led while hiding her identity with the Three Sacred Treasures of the hat, lasses

”What's wrong with having such a cute friend?”

”Maybe if it was all wasted effort, but you can't let your guard doith her because she really will climb the ranks of whatevershe does way to seriously”

I finally turned hed as I connected to Maxwell

But Kuroyaht

”She's still cute …Oh, I get it She's training her body because she's afraid of having people like us take you away from her In that case, maybe I shouldn't have intruded on your fun”

I wasn't sure what sheattacked by a wooden sas ”fun”? Their sensibilities were a bit of a mystery

I pushed my collapsible bike with both hands as I started down the road again

”What do you need today? You've been freed from the Colosseum, haven't you?”

”Remember what I said? I want to pay you back”

I forgot to climb onto the bike's seat

I fell silent and we stared at each other for a while

”…Even if that ht Cross?”

”If not, then just leave If so, then you're treating this too lightly and it kind of pisses me off Listen, it wasn't me that risked my life It was Itou Helen She literally bet her life on rescuing a cooing to waste the life she gave you? Think carefully about this Hoould you feel if your situations were reversed? …Did you really get all the way here without realizing you deserve to be punched for this?”

”…That's exactly why I want to do this”

Kuroyama Hinoki also placed her hands on the bike's handlebars

She see me she would not let me continue on

”If our situations had been reversed, I have no idea if I would have been able to give so , I was only focused on surviving It wasn't about what I could or couldn't do I never even considered anything else So I think I understand how noble the witch's…Itou Helen's ansas That was a fantasy I never even considered, but she made it a reality”

”The witch in the Little Mermaid was cruel, but to the very end, the mermaid must have been thankful of the witch who made her dream come true I'm the same And since she nore that I can't let her die while I live happily ever after up on land”

Kuroyalasses

She was not looking away

”If you want to punch e needed to save that witch, I'll go through with it Nohat do I have to do to be a part of your group?”

”…Fine”

I hed

”I appreciate your help But you only get to work in the background It's Itou Helen and ht Cross …You've already 'retired', so no matter what happens, you can't return to those death matches Make sure you understand that”

”Understood …You really are a worrier But that ht be what's drawn so h, so no et, people rarely worry for us like they do other people”

We exchanged a handshake

Her hand was cold, like I was holding a fish caught on a hook

”This ht be sudden, but…since you're in a school unifor with the normal cycle of school life?”

”Sorry I know it really isn't the time”

”It's fine and I understand If you let unusual circurow accustomed to them and you let them win …But you do understand that we don't knohen Itou-san's next ht?”

Of course I understood that

We had safely won the 1st o In fact, it was set up so the danger would increase with each consecutive match Just like the odds in Russian roulette

It was just like a prisoner on death roasn't told when his execution was scheduled Today ht have been fine, but what about tomorrow? What about a week fro at any time, they could never relax

That hy I…no, we had to stop this

Even if we opened a hole in the wall and dragged Itou Helen out, they could send out a bunch of hounds and take her back So we had to stop this on a more fundamental level: the entire execution system

”Even if we're fighting the Bright Cross, it's all for nothing if Itou-san is taken out on the way”

Kuroyama Hinoki nodded at the determination in my eyes

”So even if it only extends the tiather as much information as we can: who her next opponent is, what kind of Archenemy they are, and what their traits are”

”Come to think of it, we had a lot of trouble yesterday because we didn't have a chance to do that”

Both with the mermaid herself and with Itou Helen's hidden power and true desire

If we had known everything froone a lot differently

”I'd also like to know about the witch's power What are its limits and how adaptable is it? Sio?”

We wouldn't be able to prick the opponent with a venole tireater odds of rescuing the other Archenemies

We were fighting on the stage set by the Bright Cross, so ere at an overwhelainst the some rescue methods stored up would still influence how confident we felt

”Understood So will your job pris?”

”I'll give you a throay address You can use it as casually as a search engine Send a request and I'll get to gathering info”

I also had to investigate the Bright Cross's system and search out its weaknesses, but it would be best not to tell her that I didn't want to lose the life we had worked so hard to save

Then I received a ation slot on the bike's handlebars

”No I, Maxwell, aent, so that will not be necessary”

”Hey, what is this? Is so us from somewhere?”

The disguised mermaid looked around nervously

”No, just think of it like an AI on the phone”

”Hremlin?”

Kuroyaet it

”But old books areinfor your life in the hands of soht? I know a lot about the libraries and used bookstores around here, so I'm perfect for the job”

”Maxwell, don't send back an ellipsis as ato say, just come out and say it”

”Sure Since I have your approval, I will follow the policy given to me Boo 凸(´Д｀) ”

”Maxwell, I don't knohat happened, but don't flip off a girl”

”It's fine Oh, I know I can show you around to the best library and used bookstore There's no point in hiding my sources Are you free afterschool?”

”I am Let's meet up after my classes let out”

With that, we parted ways

Every little bit helped

I was glad to know there were others anted to help Itou Helen

I pedaled my collapsible bike to school and foundyesterday's incident

Namely, the live broadcast of the Level 4 Archenemy disposal system

The Colosseulamorous show business

”That was so cool Itou's that girl in the 1st year, right? That was her national debut If I got a photo with her, I could get so ram!”

”As her teacher, I'd noticed a while back that she had the aura of someone special And that she's an Archenemy Of course I'd noticed”

It was all like this

From the underclassossip was discussing it like it was no more than the latest fad Even the adult teachers were in on it

This hat happened once she appeared on TV? It was like a clear line between those filled with anger and the targets of that anger Couldn't they tell they were talking about a norirl who had studied at the same school as them until yesterday and who could shtest comment!?

I couldn't hideto take care of I walked to Itou Helen's underclassmen classroom

I couldn't actually meet with her

I didn't even knohere she was

But I was allowed to hold a video chat with her over my smartphone for a short predetermined amount of time every day

”Um, I want you to make sure Pi-chan the parrot is okay”

The witch on the screen really had been worried about that Even e That reminded me she was the one that looked after the animals

”Pi-chan is surprisingly sensitive and, u…”

I didn't intend to stay in the underclass

I only had to check to see ould give the parrot food and water while Itou Helen was gone That was all

But that casual feeling was blown to pieces the instant I peeked through the classroom door

”Hah hah! This is the zoht!? Wow, it's so creepy Its wounds really do heal That's creepy as hell!!”

So was there

It was a large boy His cellphone's flash was going off as he aiot worked up all on his own

”Wow Why isn't this thing dead? Is it one of those birds that can come back from the dead? I bet this'll et a close up! A real close up!! Ah hah hah!”

An odd smell came from the classroom

The bird's food was splattered around the area and it gave off an unpleasant smell when mixed with the water

An unrestrained ht, and an awful mix of bird food and water

This wasn't someone to worry about too much

And so I didn't worry at all about the idiot's huhts

”Maxwell”

”No This will accoe Itou Helen's situation And the opponent has a larger build than you Age-wise, he is probably your upperclassman Do you want conflict?”

”I don't care about that …Help me here That's an order”

”Sure”

TheItou Helen They simply looked unsure how to deal with the sudden intrusion from an upperclassman

So I would show them how to deal with idiots like this

”Wow, I didn't knoas possible to be that ugly If you actually understand hue, then turn this way”

”Ah?”

Froe after all The instant he turned around, I set off ht in front of his face

After blinding hiht into the forehead of that ape who hadn't quite reached the level of humanity

I was impressed by the nice crack of the impact

With our foreheads pressed together, I estion

”Let's take this outside, scum I'll make sure you can never walk down the hallith your head up again”

I didn't wait for him to answer

I used both hands to shove hiht out the 2nd story

I was sure I would be suspended and had even planned to use the extra free tihtly The school's teachersany paper records of the incident

After a lecture that auidance roo for me in the hallway She had her hands on her hips and held the parrot's birdcage

”Honestly, just because you can't win in a straight fight is no reason to shove them out athe second you meet them”

”He would've beaten me to a pulp if I hadn't”

”Meaning?”

I silently held out my smartphone's screen

It showed a close up of soly and swollen face

”Sigh…”

Despite her exasperated sigh, the Class Rep smiled

I was hardly an expert at getting into fights

Turning things around against soa Size was absolute, which hy ht classes But if your opponent's one blank from fear and confusion, you could almost unilaterally kick them around That was all this was

Maxwell gave some additional information

”Sure He was apparently Okada Mitsuru of General Division Year 3 Class 2 His user na to recruit people to help hi up on the underclassainst hi a cowardly atte a s beaten up by an underclass stock …Incidentally, his posts on the unofficial site were anonymously reported to every university in the country, so this will negatively affect his atte his education Take that 凸(｀´) ”

”What you two are doing is honestly pretty terrible, but you always take the shortest and optimal course, so it's iain ”I should really be scolding you here, but I can't bring myself to do it when I see this”

The two of us walked through the school that was quiet now that classes had begun

”What do we do about the parrot?”

”I'll take care of it,” said the Class Rep ”They didn't seem to knohat to do with it in the 1st year classroo like this , so I'll look after it at my house”

”You don't have to go that far I can raise a small bird at my house”

”I'm afraid it would learn some unfortunate words if you took care of it”

…Is she still holding a grudge over that swi me that look, Class Rep!!

”Hey, Satori-kun”