Vol 4 Chapter 2 (1/2)
Story 2 - To Commit A Deadly Sin
1
We were learning about China's history in our World History class Unfortunately, I already knew a lot about the Warring States period, so I was feeling extremely bored However, I neither had the interest to draw little colected notebook, nor did I feel like circulating pleasant notes to my classmates Besides, I didn't have any hobbies, which can be said to be as tedious as side jobs, or interests in general While ignoring the wearisome explanation of the tactic of horizontal and vertical alliances[1], in order to pass the ti nothing to do while craving idleness
Since Ka students for further studies, the pupils here largely have good attitudes towards learning The old teacher's clear voice resounded in the classroo sound rang out as the chalk hit the blackboard It was currently the fifth period, so I'll probably get attacked by the sleep demon soon It was a clear day in the June rainy season And thus, h school life is wasted I knocked my mechanical pencil It was not because I wanted to write so, but because the lead would not come out I hadn't noticed that the lead was broken I took out a spare pencil lead froer Instead of inserting it fro it fro a needle
However, the peace was suddenly broken
A dangerous sound rang out It see soed All sleepiness dissipated as the HB lead broke in the uess I can still use them
It see startled, as commotion filled the classroom Beside me, a female student said to her friend behind, ”What was that? It totally surprised ive up the opportunity to talk
The sound did not occur only once It rang out a few times in succession,male voice, but since it was in the classroo At that point, e part of as happening In the classroom next door, the ain
The teaching profession is co up the teacher's cane, but in this era, I haven't seen a teacher hold a cane At best, they had a flexible pointing stick In the past, I had a teacher called Morishi+ta in the student counseling depart a fencing stick, there is no doubt that you want to hold it if it is allowed” Speaking of which, O stick which he carries around and sometimes uses as a teacher's cane However, Omichi-sensei, who can be said to be the most veteran teacher in the school, would definitely not use his pole to hit a student He would only wield it on the teacher's desk and blackboard in order to coerce students to behave Oht me that the blackboard is unexpectedly fire
Nevertheless, while I have this impression of Omichi-sensei, I neither dislike nor have disdain for him I had this kind of teacher in middle school, and even in elementary school If I had to say what I felt about hiirl that sits next to me I know their faces, names and personalities, but I don't really care
At any rate, I was not i a racket inabout that, a clear voice cut into the unstoppable, angry voice That voice sure rings a bell When I realized who the voice belonged to, I ,
”No way”
That was Chitanda's voice
I got to know her through a little fateful incident right after entering this school, and we have been in the same club ever since Come to think of it, Chitanda was in the adjacent class I was surprised that there was a student in this school ould argue with O on the blackboard, and I never thought that the student would be Chitanda I strained my ears to confirm that it was indeed Chitanda, but in any case it was a voice from across the wall I can't say for sure, but the intonation also sounds like Chitanda
I couldn't understand what she was saying, but her every ithout a doubt sharp and excited I have heard her voice countless of times, but it's the first tiets angry and raises her voice
She had probably said whatever she wanted to in one go, as the voice soon died down Silence had also descended in our classroo our breath On that note, stillness had returned to the classroom next door Did Chitanda seriously cause Omichi to shut up? The irresponsible atmosphere which made us expect further trouble relaxed in an instant In any case, since it was now quiet, we had no choice but to be brought back to our history lesson
I took out another piece of lead for my mechanical pencil This time, I refilled it quickly froer
2
It was after school The rays of the early suonally into the Classics Club rooraphy Lecture Room
I held ers, as I noticed Chitanda's flustered state As to why she was being so nervous, it was because of the argument between fukube Satoshi+ and Mayaka Ibara, who had taken up positions in the h it was not actually feasible for the two of the Satoshi+, and Satoshi+ avoiding it with soh I have been a witness to the squabble fro, I have no idea what it is actually about It probably started as a debate about so trivial like whether all telephone poles are tall or whether all postboxes are red
It was April when Chitanda, Satoshi+ and I joined the Classics Club, which had no members In May, Ibara approached Satoshi+ and asked to join the club
Ibara has been in the sarade, but we didn't really talk to each other We finally went to different classes in high school, but noe're in the saain, Ibara is currently engaged in three trades at the saa Research Society as well as the Classics Club Satoshi+, who is in the Executive Coo ith her
The Classics Club was such a quiet, peaceful place when there was only three of us
Satoshi+ talks with frightful passion, but if he has nothing he wants of others he would stay quiet And Chitanda would be really calm, as one would expect, if her usual curiosity does not explode
It's a peaceful place where we have our club activities and nothing happens Little by little, I have been going to the Geography Lecture Room It's not that I'm particularly interested in the activities, but I've co place to be
But the situation changed when Ibara joined the club If Ibara is alone, she's just an unsociable classether with Satoshi+
”You were the one who said you were going to do it in the first place maybe you have a reason but that's beside the point isn't it obvious that you should have just contacted ht to cancel but you should have at least given me a call I know you had your phone with you it would be fine if it were just a hassle for me but it's not what's with that look can you listen properly do you understand the position you're in this won't be fixed just by saying sorry to me”[2]
It turns out like that
How ot terribly flustered and somehow tried to arbitrate She tried to coax and cajole them, but unfortunately it was just wasted effort Now she was not trying to interfere, but aiting for the right ti I looked up and aze She quietly pointed at the two of theer
The book I was reading was a SF novel, and although the opening was interesting, it got difficult to understand at the cli bad had happened, but I had no idea what exactly it was It couldn't understand it even after reading it a second tiradually found the two voices to be noisy I sighed and put my book face down
”And I know you're aware of it but you don't have a shred of decency when itto happen but you didn't say anything after that it rained it indy there was lightning and even hail fell in the end I didn't really care about thiswhat to wear and all of a sudden they're a wreck and it's all your fault you can't say anything about it right?”
Ibara shouted on and on with one breath
”Are you tired yet?”
Ibara, as staring daggers at Satoshi+, turned to look at ave a short and clear answer
”I am”
”Then take a break”
”Fine”
She sat down ry just now, so I'm not sure if her ire was dealt with so easily Satoshi+ faced ratitude, and shamelessly said,
”Boy, you sure can get mad I bet you released a lot of stress there”
”If fuku-chan had et stressed in the first place”
”Well, but”
At the blatant falsehood, Satoshi+ turned to Chitanda
”You should learn frory”
Chitanda was heaving a sigh of relief and stroking down her chest as she witnessed the truce I've never seen her do that before Upon suddenly being dragged into a conversation, she let out a startled reply
”Eh? Me?”
But Ibara frowned
”Really? But doesn't she get angry whenever Oreki is late?”
There was indeed sohtly different from Ibara's ire What's the appropriate word for it?
”I also saw it But that was er”
That's it, I thought for an instant, when I realized that I was quite pitiable to be scolded by a girl of the sae
”Ah, yeah, that's right It did seem more like a remonstration”
That's also not good
With a troubled sue expression, Chitanda tilted her head
”If you're talking about not getting angry, I have not seen fukube-san or Oreki-san get angry, either”
After a brief moment, Ibara and I opened our mouths at the same time
”Satoshi+ totally gets angry”
”fuku-chan does get angry”
When people are attacked froe falls considerably, and it was no different for Chitanda Her large eyes tried to focus on both Ibara and I, failed, then settled on Satoshi+, as in between us
”Is that so?”
Satoshi+ answered with a wry smile
”Well, I guess I don't display ry every now and then”
I just realized that I haven't seen Satoshi+ get angry in front of Chitanda yet Well, it's only been two 's possible
”I cannot ih”
It's understandable from Chitanda's perspective Since Satoshi+ likes to show off his prowess in weird areas, he rarely displays his eht think,an exception
”He's not at all scary when he's angry”
Yeah, his anger has hardly any intensity He just speaks less, doesn't”Let's not talk about this” From my experience, it's not actually that rare for Satoshi+ to do this
”Not scary? You really look down on me”
Looking at the gru Satoshi+ with upturned eyes, Chitanda muttered
”I think I am curious”
It see to rile up Satoshi+ I' forward to that
”What about Oreki?”
Ibara was looking at me
Just when I was about to tell thery lately, or that I was enjoyingday, Ibara smiled While a smile is a smile, that was unmistakably a sneer Ibara then turned to look at Chitanda, and in a tone that seemed to say ”Get ready for it,” she spoke
”Oreki would never get angry”
”Is that because he's too gentle?”
Ibara shook her head
”No, it's just that he's a lonely hu angry”
Hey, isn't that a little cruel, whatever the circumstances?
Ah, but I realize that I didn't even get angry frory lately, but as the last time I lost my temper? Well, no need to be bothered about it Ibara'a pithy sayings are always accurate not It does get one aspect of the truth, but I can't say that it is totally correct There's also the explanation that I'ht either, I can get angry if I want to
”Haha, Houtarou's unsure”
I was a little annoyed at Satoshi+ stating the situation so frankly Hey, I got angry!
Not caring about me, Satoshi+ carried on with his joke
”Houtarou's lack of ery is a special case It's like she's used to having forbearance and being composed Mayaka should try to be more calm and collected, not in Houtarou's style but like Chitanda-san”
”Even if you say that, it's not like I can change that part ofI don't want to be like Oreki, and I can't be like Chii-chan”
Chitanda's eyebrows clouded over In a voice which was difficult for me to hear, she asked
”Er praised here?”
I wonder, although I' spoken ill of I somehow met Satoshi+'s and Ibara's eyes
First, Ibara spoke
”I think you ht be”
Next was me
”We were just ative”
But Satoshi+ smiled with extreme amusement
”No, no, forget those people who are unable to get angry, but I believe it's an excellent trait to not get angry Wrath is a serious sin, after all I think you should scale back on your outbursts, Mayaka”
”Sin? Do you get fined for them? Like for loud noises?”
Satoshi+ shook his head in a self-iave an explanation with a slightly red face
”The deadly sins, right? I thought it was known as rage”
But then she continued
”If you are trying to praise me, please stop”
Chitanda was hanging her head in embarrassment On top of that, her voice was even smaller than before, so no one accepted the protest This is probably the first ti shy On the other hand, Satoshi+ nodded in satisfaction
”That's right As expeected of Chitanda-san Since it's a popular topic, I believe Mayaka has heard of the seven deadly sins?”
”Yeah, of course I would know that”
I don't
”Aren't there 108 sins?”
”That's klesha”[3]
Whatever
”The seven deadly sins are concepts froether in posterity, so they are not recorded in the Bible Er, besides wrath, there's also”
Satoshi+ said as he bent his thuers in order, he continued
”Pride, greed, avarice Hmm, I can only remember these four”
Satoshi+, as looking like an idiot staring at his fist, was saved by Chitanda
”Envy, lust and sloth, I think”
When she said the last sin, it seehed Well, it's not good to have a persecution co at Chitanda
”So that's the seven deadly sins Doesn't that ent, and you don't overeat”
”I can't ireedy, and you're definitely not lazy”
”And, er you're not dirty-minded”
”It's hard to tell if she's envious of anyone, though”
These tere now clearlyher Chitanda's cherry-colored face becaations and spoke at a rapid pace
”Please stop! Besides, when I get hungry I can eat a lot!”
So would anyone
”She seeht?”
”Doesn't 'Chitanda Eru' sound kind of angelic?”
”Uriel, Gabriel, Chitandael? Ahaha!”
These two sure go well together Chitanda was pressed for a response in the face of extraordinary coordination She cleared her throat, and nity Then, suddenly,
”I said, please stop it!”
She cried in a clear voice
”She got angry”
”And scolded us”
Chitanda s people
”Besides, I don't think that it's a good thing to never get angry”
Ibara and Satoshi+ looked shocked, and I probably also had a si even a hint that she was searching for words to say
”Is it not thte same for the other deadly sins?”
”Sorry, Chii-chan, but I don't really understand”
”Is that so? I should have used a better choice of words, then”
Chitanda s
”I think that one cannot do without pride and greed Although since they were based on religious teachings, there must have been various reasons as to why they were considered deadly sins”
Satoshi+ tilted his head at an unnatural angle
”Any examples?”
”For example, if you have no pride, then that means that you have no self-confidence And soreedy would be unable to support their family Furtheries would not have been invented”
Chitanda stopped in surprise Looking at our expressions, she spoke
”Umm I didn't mean to turn this into a lecture”
Satoshi+, who had been listening attentively, folded his arms
”H”
I was pleased that ht tone
”Basically, you're saying that it's a ree? That's like Confucianism”
”I cannot explain the Bible, but I just don't think it's useful to take the deadly sins as absolute and apply that to our lives”
She asserted without shyness I hadn't thought about what Chitanda believes in, so this is quite interesting
”So do you think that getting angry is not a bad thing, Chii-chan?”
”That's right If you can never get angry at anything, that probablythat you like”
I can totally get angry
”But if that's the case, then why don't you ever get angry?”
That was a quick response
”Because it tires me out And I do not want to be tired”
Oh?
Satoshi+ held his head, which had been drained of color, in his hands and rose to his feet
”Chi-Chitanda-san's been poisoned by Houtarou! What in the world! I should have at least prevented this frohost of conserving energy!”
”No, that was just a joke”
Silence descended
In a voice that seeized
”Sorry, I had a sudden impulse to play around”
I could say that it was obvious, but that's just escaping froht that I had found a soulmate
Chitanda answered the question again, as if the tootten
”It's not that I can't get angry I can also lose my temper Hmm, for example”
Our attentive gazes were gestures proet on with her answer
”When I see people wasting food, I get angry”
Well, she's the daughter of a farrain of rice is a drop of sweat”
Thinking about that, I suddenly re the fifth period I spoke without giving ht
”On that topic, wasn't it you who got angry in O the fifth period?”
While speaking, I felt Chitanda's e
Now I've done it A wave of regret caused my back to stiffen
Chitanda, who had been enjoying the ahtly pulled back her slender chin and closed her lips tightly While she doesn't exaggerate her ees are easy to understand She muttered
”Ah, that's right! How could I have forgotten? I was hoping that I could ask Oreki-san about that!”
Great Another blunder Satoshi+ and Ibara were teasing Chitanda about being a saint or blessed person just noas thinking that the ie didn't really suit her if you consider the aspect of doing things in ent, the trait that makes her differ from a perfect person is her curiosity
Having stirred up trouble for ue silently Indifferent to ht, Satoshi+ seemed to be at ease
”Did so happen, Chitanda-san?”
”Yes Actually, during the fifth period, I got angry in math class”
Chitanda gave Satoshi+ and Ibara a vague nod, and then turned to look atelsewhere, but there's no use crying over spilt milk
”But I do not knohat happened to ry, but sory, and I do not knohat it was that happened”
I had to work really hard to grasp theof her convoluted sentence In short, it's probably what Chitanda said next
”I'm curious!”
3
Today's fifth period was ht by Omichi-sensei
I believe that Oreki-san and fukube-san knohat kind of teacher he is
I'm not sure where I should start so that you will understand, so I will explain fro
Omichi-sensei arrived pretty much just as the bell chimed for the fifth period He looked displeased, but as far as I know, he has that expression for ht before he entered the classroom, he stopped for aup to that point was fairly normal
After hurriedly bowing, he started writing a quadratic equation on the blackboard It was quite a simple equation, y = x2 + x + 1, but he restricted the do his shoulder with his baled out Kawasaki-san and told hie of y Do you knoasaki-san? He is a tall and thin guy who sta to do with the story
Kawasaki-san obviously looked confused, as was I We had not been taught anything about domain restrictions yet
I thought that O to find out e knew about do his lesson Frankly, I am no expert on thesebefore Then again, thisstudents think does not seem to fit with Omichi-sensei's lesson plan
Kawasaki-san thought about Omichi-sensei's question for a while, then said that he did not kno to answer it
At that ry ”What? You don't know? What were you listening to inKawasaki-san I don't really want to say this, but it was actuallyKawasaki-san
After saying some more unreasonable words about how his future was insecure, Omichi-sensei told Kawasaki-san to sit down
The next one chosen was Tamura-san, who is better in ive an answer
Omichi-sensei called Tamura-san an idiot and ordered him to sit down He then looked around the class and said in a loud voice, ”Isn't there anyone who can solve this?”
I should have probably noticed it earlier, but at this point I finally realized that Ootten in the textbook I checked the textbook, and found that today we should have only co a quadratic function and started on maximum and minimum values Omichi-sensei was off by about one hour worth of lessons
As others in the class began to realize too, the classrooet noisy That onlythe blackboard with his bamboo pole He then criticized our attitude towards lessons, love of learning and public spirit in an exasperated tone He also had really harsh words to say about our path after graduation and our future Yes, that's right, he would hit the blackboard after every pause
I think there were a few people in the class who could sketch the range of y I do not go to a prep school, but I know that most prep schools cover lesson content considerably earlier compared to normal schools However, those who knew the answer just kept silent, and no one raised their hand
Oain He was ht of the answer That hen I stood up I told hiress, and requested him to double-check in the textbook