Vol 3 Chapter 2 (1/2)
Not here not here not needed
1
Yukariki Ichihi behind the teacher's lectern
”That seems like an easy place to be found if I went to ht there”
”That's why I hid there No one would think a person would be hide in such a place Master iht? That's how it is”
””
”What's wrong, Master?”
” Nothing”
Having completed our preliminary encounter, we had introduced ourselves, and Hime-chan said, ”I want you to call Hime-chan Hime-chan!” with quite a shrill voice Of course, I approved, as names are just monikers, but the probleive me
Master
This was noof the era Supposedly, ”a friend of Jun-san is like a master for Hime-chan!” How remarkably inexplicable Furtheren of respect If anything, it felta fool of me
”So, I have coet you out of here and I was told to ask you for specifics on how to do that”
”Hm, I don't knohat to say--” Hime-chan crossed her arms, and seemed to think ”There's like, not really any ti- How about just like, leaving this place?”
” I see” Lacking tongue, or rather,a brain, would be the way I would describe how she spoke, so it was difficult to consent to her suggestion, but maybe it was best to follow Hi outside forever, after all ”We need a school ID to get out through the front gate; do you have one?”
”Uh huh, I do”
Then wouldn't you be able to leave by yourself? I asked myself that question once more However, it seemed like it would be futile to ask Hime-chan Given the results of our five , I could see that there wasn't any hope in getting a useful answer After all, irl that I could not talk to in japanese
”Then let us go”
”Yeah-,” said Hime-chan as she slid behind me like a puppy I had some level of wariness due to what had just happened with the alto recorder, but this tio-!”
I tilted my head to fit the mood in response to her unsuitably cheery and carefree attitude, and we left the Grade 2 Class A classroom ”Quietly, so we draw little attention,” I warned Hi down the hallway All that re froine any difficulties obstructing our way and felt that ere heading toward the end of a way too straightforward mission complete Of course, I welcoetic toward Aikawa-san, as I was not sure this sufficed as a return of favor
”By the way, Hime-chan, what is your relationshi+p with Aikawa-san?”
”Ah!” Hi no heed to our circumstances ”Master, you shouldn't! If you call Jun-san by her last naet mad at you!”
”That is the point Er, she's not here anyways So, what is your relationshi+p with Jun-san?”
”Um, like- Around the time of that photo Master carries around, she saved ic-,” said Hiain seemed to care little about our situation, as she closed her eyes in reuess Aaaaaaand, that's why Hime-chan's prepared to die if Jun-san orders it But it's also proof that I trust that Jun-san would never say such an order, because it's not like I want to die How about you, Master, what is your relationshi+p with Jun-san?”
”A friend, a friend Just a close friend”
It see it a whole three times lessened the level of truth behind the words, since Hi ”hm” However, even I had no answer to that question beyond the suspicious reply I mustered The relationshi+p between ht about it We became acquainted by coincidence, and I would be summoned to help with a job, or she would use me as a toy, or make fun of me, and so on
However, Hime-chan, while you think of Aikawa-san as soain Jeez, maybe you should learn from me
As ere about to descend the stairs, two students cahten up We should cut off our conversation, then walk nonchalantly by withouteye contact--
”Found you!”
One of the students shouted, blowing er was pointed pastto ask as going on, Hiing ed along by a high school girl was rather es While I was being dragged by Hime-chan, ent back up to the top floor, as if ere escaping from those two students
As if ere escaping -- or rather, truth be told, ere escaping froether ran after us with great speed For what reason Hiirls were chasing, I did not know, but at this rate it seemed they would catch up
-- Found you!
Did thatlooked for? Aikawa-san said this job involved finding someone, but -- was this related? No, it wasn't tis At thatWhat you need to focus on during an escape is figuring out how to not get caught, and thatin front of , she was slow Extreiven that each of her steps was e step
”Excuse me”
I quickened ht up, then wrapped an arm around Hime-chan's waist and lifted her body
”Ukyau!”
Hime-chan screamed oddly, but I paid no heed to it As expected by her looks, or perhaps even irls, holding this sack of weight wouldn't even count as a handicap, rather, having it run in front ofus Or rather, perhaps they weren't that focused on catching up, since after I ran around the building blindly, I noticed no one was behind us anymore
”I think we'll be all right here”
Hi under lanced around, and did not recognize our surroundings That would be expected after running around blindly so much I wanted to look at the blueprint of the school, but I couldn't
” Phew,” I had run at full strength without warh to make me tremble I was not tired, but I did want to rest ” However, it isn't a good idea to rest in the hallway How about that classroom?”
”Yes,” nodded Hi, despite how he looks-”
”Nothing to be praised for; you were just light,” I said, sitting on the teaching lectern ”So, what was that? Hi chased?”
”Yes,” Hiain ”Didn't you know? Hiht now That's why Hime-chan needed Master and Jun-san's help”
Hi a child I hadn't heard anything about this I see, that would explain the reaction of those two students They had found a wanted person, so that reaction was expected
She was not restrained, but that si under the lectern was not ned to surprise me The students I had walked past en route to Grade 2 Class A did not look like they were, but were probably looking for Hime-chan as well I see that hy she needed the help of someone like me At present, it was impossible for her to escape from this school by herself
”Cos beforehand If you did, I would have been able to coht away”
”But Master was so confident leading Hiht you had, like, some secret plan”
”” It was my fault? Well, maybe if one looked at the situation with one eye it would see bad? Being wanted, being chased, it seems rather violent business you're in”
” Hroaned ”Maybe it's the case from their perspective Hime-chan doesn't dunno”
”So, maybe?”
Not that Hi bullied, no e anyone based on their appearance Youplace in an elite ojou school, but even that would be simple bias
”Bullying would've been better, I think”
Hime-chan did not respond with any clarity Or rather, it seeue Her attitude was as if she were saying if you do not know, then you are better off not knowing, like she wasan effort to look out for me
”This school is soe that it was special but I feel like that isn't it all Hi to me?”
”Like, to put it sih school”
”That's too simple”
”Then, I'll ask Master how e do you have about this school?”
”Aikawa-san asked me that as well”
I repeatedand reacting the same way as Aikawa-san ”That's it?” she said Well it would be exactly the sanore the shadow that crept over her face
”Then, Master, someone you know or even someone that someone you knos, or no, it doesn't even have to be someone you know, just anyone, have you heard of anyone passing the entrance exam for this school?”
”Huh? Uh no -- never”
”But that is just coincidence-- is what you look like you wanna say -- but like, how about anyone that can be called an aluraduated from this school?”
”That- ah ah?”
Huh I could think of anyone No -- that cannot be true Sumiyuri Academy is nationally renowned, and is a super elite school that feeds into famous universities ide, so there should be faraduated -- but I for sole person popped into my mind This -- this is, coincidence?
”And that's that,” Hiraduates -- such a school couldn't be called a norht?”
”But, Sumiyuri--”
”What?” Hienuinely surprised and then she quickly composed herself ”Ah, Suot that Come to think of it, the teachers called this place by that name -- Hime-chan and other such students don't call this place by such a name”
”Then what do they call it?”
”Hanging[1] High School”
That naative connotation left me speechless
Hanging High School
A closed organization that keeps everything private in the na cleanliness The outside has no way of finding out what goes on inside Just by placing the labels elite and ojou, you could add to the untouchable level of such a place In other words, that means, it does not matter what you do inside, as that information will not easily leak out
What -- What did Aikawa-san ask of me?
Soed into an unreasonable, ai it myself, taken two or three steps into a preposterous location
”Uwah,” Hiertips up towards the ceiling, and returing theinal position It seemed to be a habit of hers ”Hiht Jun-san would've explained at least that much--”
It see in the level of infor passed However, I could not bla to save theht phrase now -- that the person co to save them was as clueless and unskilled as
”But why did Aikawa-san not tellat least that much”
Yes, the blame lay squarely on Aikawa Jun
That slovenly contractor was fully responsible
”Hs to have co spot, so the pursuit is a bit ant than we expected I'd been able to hide pretty well, but ere just seen We can't stay in this classroom forever”
”Can you not contact Aikawa-san? If there was a ht?”
”When I contacted her, I wasn't being chased, so I just used the dorm phone”
”Hmm”
She was not wanting to leave the school because she was being chased, but rather was being chased because she wanted to leave -- the better way to think about this However, that made this place more like a prison Or rather, it may not just be likein this case
”I see--”
I said 'I see', but I still did not understand the situation All I learned, was that this was not just a school -- and it was an abnormal location that was not an elite school nor an ojou school
”Abnormal now this seems more like it”
However, if this is how it is -- then this is round This was quite distant froed to so, and so I would see it to its end
”Oh well Let's hide here for now and think of a plan There's nothing to worry about If Master and Hime-chan don't show up for a while, Jun-san'll come help Jun-san, despite how she looks, is a softy for people close to her, so she'll never just abandon us”
”Hide?” I hopped off of the lectern, then walked to, with my back to Hime-chan ”That is the opposite of e should do -- since ere found, hiding is bad They already knoe are inside the school We need to plan accordingly, immediately”
I opened the , grabbed a nearby desk, and tossed it out theWe had run into the room with no reason behind it, so I did not knohat floor ere on, but it seeh floor, as the sound of destruction resounded after a few seconds Without a care, the chair that was paired with the desk, as well as the desk behind that, I tossed everything out the
”W- what're you doing?!” Hirabbed me at the waist ”That drew soto be found!”
”I just turned nineteen this March--,” I paused having thrown a sixth desk out the , and then released the rather less, weak hold of Hime-chan ”But in those nineteen years, all I did was think about how to ht of how to escape I do not knohat sort of place, this place is, but I do not allow ht by merely location”
No one had gathered by the table and desk that had begun to stack over each other yet However, it would be impossible for people to not notice thatfor Hime-chan would of course notice Then of course, they would have to search the classrooms above the objects This classroom would be included, but so would the other classroo a trace, I increased the a they would have to do -- too much evidence, too obvious of a clue -- that sort of deceit
”Anyway, this place is dangerous, so we need to move”
” All right But, Hime-chan doesn't come around here much either, so -- Hime-chan doesn't really know the way”
”No probleot a blueprint” I looked in my pocket, ” that's not here”
Strangely, the photo of Hime-chan had also disappeared Only the fake student ID remained insideabout earlier How ridiculous After boasting, I immediately tripped
” Well, we cli down We can just go by instinct once we get out”
” Pretty careless,” Hime-chan said, exasperated ”But Master's ly”
”Ah, well”
I vaguely responded Of course, I could not be called a forward-thinking person So would not spend their nineteen years of life thinking of how to mess with people If it was possible, I, too, would love to wait for Aikawa-san to come help
However -- I began to think I wanted to prevent that darkened expression she h School ever again Not as a repaying of favors to Aikawa-san, but rather, I felt a sense of obligation
Yes, I had probably overlapped i Ichihime and -- a blue color that had once been called a savant
That hy this was not just overly caring for Hime-chan This was just self-satisfaction -- no, even to me, it was just a case of autotoxemia
Jeez This was nonsense on an intolerable level
I had not understood the scope of the situation at this point, and I had not understood the strength of the currents that swirled around ht from left, so this to, but even then, in a rare display for a single-minded, pessiret this
Even though that could not be the case
Even though there was not one thing I did not regret
Ju yourself
2
”Even His”
In order to go to the floor below, it would be easiest to go back the e came, but that would be easily anticipated So the reason we arrived at our current situation was that we needed to find a different staircase -- however, we could not find one For a building boasting such a huge size, it was unthinkable that there was only a single staircase
When I was alone, I used a route as according to a blueprint and did not notice, but this building was like a ned like a labyrinth Was this the reason I had a strange feeling about this place? It did not seem like it was constructed with thatfeel oddly crooked Twisted I beca seemed to have been built recently, but -- this construction -- just whatwas behind it?
”From inside, you can't deterh-quality or low-quality, blessed or unfortunate, you can only know that when you have so to relate with So Hie this school, so it's hard to explain”
” I think it is not so you need to think too hard about,” I replied to Hi finally found a set of stairs and looking around ”The way that that is, is actually trivial The real issue is whether it suits you, whether it fits you If you want to escape from this school, then I think that is fine Those ish to stop that are in the wrong”
Every huht to escape -- well, I did not say that much
”However -- I kno that this is not a school that teaches ordinary things, but Hiht to you over the past year?”
”Like I said Like, if you see someone you don't know, hide yourself and then sneak up from behind”
So that was not a joke in the place of a greeting
H about it, but in summary, Hime-chan certainly had control over my life at that time Of course, you cannot kill people with a recorder
In other words -- this Sumiyuri Academy trains people with so school -- a training facility, perhaps? Leaving aside whether it was legal or illegal
There was a sile-class Research Facility that I had left, the ER3 Systeanizations that wandered between the lines of legality and illegality, the one called MS-2 tried to strengthen the physical and mental aspects of people at the same time -- they specialized in the construction of the Seed of Orange Even if it were not as extreanizations experis called people Even n student, received a set of specialized training Even myself, who is a dropout
However, if this place was to be that sort of place, then to maintain a facility of this size, toalong the level of the Kunagisa Institution If that were the case, then beco opposition would be atail and running, either
Jeez, this was like crying wine and selling vinegar It was completely different fro into an all-girls high school and enjoying a ro with a naive ojou, but for this to be a place that taught wartih perhaps vinegar is more delicious than wine
”-- Strange,” I realized, after we had gone down a flight of stairs ”we had caused such a ruckus, but the school is oddly silent -- I do not sense anyone in the building”
”You can sense people?”
”I can since I ahtened I am fairly sensitive to looks and senses but all traces of both have disappeared I do not intend to be found, but I was expecting the need to force our way through the other two had completely seen you, after all”
Even if they could not tell our exact location, should they not be having some sort of reaction?
”It's easier having no pursuit, isn't it? It's like sweet adzuki bean mochi”
”? Ah, adzuki bean oing down, it feels dangerous Shall we go to the side?”
”Intuition? That sounds geometrical”
”I did not intend to say so unscientific,” I looked at Hirow up in America?”
”Woah! How'd you know!”
” Intuition”
That aside
This sort of pattern screamed ambush Come to think of it, if they knew that Hime-chan's intent was to escape from the school, then they had no need to blindly chase her around I could i us because of that
Then I would need to mess with them a bit more
” This is no good”
I began to enjoy this, just a bit Even though I had been dragged into this pain in the ass Even though I hated having to deal with pains in the ass and despised causing any disturbances