Vol 1 Chapter 21 (1/2)

Chapter 21

Homura had just finished using the Exploration Club’s shower room.

The instant she returned to the changing room with a towel wrapped around her, she was suddenly hit by intense exhaustion.

After looking at herself in the mirror and letting out a big yawn, she suddenly looked to the side and saw Misasagi-senpai sitting on a bench near the wall.

“…Senpai, are your injuries okay?”

Senpai managed to nod, but Homura couldn’t bear to see her brooding expression.

Though apprehensive, Homura abruptly sat down in the chair next to Misasagi-senpai.

“Ah, right, right. I forgot I was still carrying the Transport Ring… Here, I’ll give it back.”

Misasagi raised her head when Homura tried to give back the ring, but placed her palm over Homura’s fingers and shook her head.

“I no longer, have the right, to take that.”

“Senpai… please don’t say something like that.”

There was no longer any sign of the decisive senpai who had slapped Homura’s cheek before.

“When you slapped me, I was surprised and resented you a little, but now I understand that you were thinking of my safety… You weren’t mistaken, senpai.”

Senpai’s sorrowful expression eased a little at Homura’s words. However—

“…Hinooka-san, please, take this—”

Instead of taking the ring which was the proof of her being the club president, senpai took out something herself, a jewel which emitted a familiar green glow, and held it out to Homura.

“This is… a spirit stone? Why are you giving it to me?”

“Please take care, of Touya-kun.”

“…Eh, wait, senpai?”

“This is, a quasi-third-ranked spirit stone, which I’ve kept on me, ever since it found it, in some ruins. It should, protect you, Hinooka-san.”

“What are you talking about…?”

Homura reflexively drew closer to senpai in a reproachful manner.

“Senpai, for me, having you yourself with us is far more rea.s.suring than any stone or ring—”

Bang!

At that instant, the door to the changing room was slammed opened, revealing Kamikoma, completely prepared with her rescue equipment.

“Now then, Hinooka Homura of the Seiran High Exploration Club! Sorry to do this when you’ve just finished your bath and you’re taking a breather with an expression of relief after a day’s hard work, but I have another job for you!”

Having that suddenly declared one-sidedly to her despite the fact that she hadn’t even finished changing yet, Homura was greatly startled.

“Huh, ehe? Umm, umm, u-u-umm, I’ve been awake for a whole day and haven’t had a chance to sleep well, so I’m really on the verge of collapsing here—”

“Sorry, but you’ll have to rest over on Nutella. There’s no time.”

Kamikoma crossed her arms, the very image of a demon to Homura.

“I have to put those mud-caked clothes back on?”

“That issue has already been taken care of!”

Ameno appeared from behind Kamikoma and raised her hands with a dramatic flair.

In her hands was a fresh set of Homura’s Exploration Club uniform which had been meticulously prepared. Thus the second demon had appeared.

“Homura-san is the only one who can save Tak.u.mi-san! It’s really making me fired up~. It’s a romance that’s crossed beyond s.p.a.ce-time~”

“W-What are you saying, Ame-chan!? W-What about contacting our families!?”

As the two demons forcefully captured Homura and changed her clothes, her consciousness gradually faded away.

—Homura woke with a start.

“Hah… so it was… a dream…”

Homura opened her eyes as she felt a rhythmic vibration.

“…No, I guess it wasn’t a dream.”

“That was a long nap you had.”

“—!?”

After Homura grumbled to herself half-awake, Kamikoma called out to her brightly.

Taga was das.h.i.+ng across gra.s.slands beneath the reflected light of the Bagel at night.

Homura and Kamikoma were sitting on each of his shoulders as odd-looking pa.s.sengers.

Taga was also carrying a huge frame inside a sack on his back.

“I see… Uuuh, I can’t believe I’ve made a complete round trip with barely any break all by myself…”

“Hey, we’re here too, you know.”

“That’s true, but…”

Homura took out and grasped the charm from her chest pocket. Inside it, she could definitely feel the spirit stone that senpai had given her.

But even so, she didn’t feel rea.s.sured at all.

Even though the dream she’d witnessed just now had been very extreme, it was pretty much the same as what had happened in reality. Feelings of resentment that she still couldn’t get rid of lurked in her heart.

“Haaah,” Homura sighed.

Setting that aside—she turned her attention to the Hiyos.h.i.+zaka High Exploration Club members.

Homura couldn’t help but be awed by Taga’s power and stamina as he ran like a land cruiser while easily carrying both Kamikoma and Homura on his shoulders.

As for Kamikoma, she was fiddling with her lute and eagerly playing with its accompanying peg as she was rocked and shaken with Taga’s every movement.

“Taichi, run a bit more smoothly. I can’t tune it properly like this.”

And she even ended up saying things like that.

“Come on, Koma-senpai. You’re asking the unreasonable.”

“It’s not unreasonable. I’ve even cooked on top of the Taichi-car in the past. Things like curry.”

“That way of thinking itself is unreasonable, you know!? Taga-senpai, you say something too!”

“……”

However, the man in question simply maintained his reliable running pace while wearing a carefree smile on his hairy face.