Due to the sudden inspection regarding the conditions of me, Lina, and the children who were transferred over a long distance by the Magic Point, we all had no choice but to spend that night there.
Since I was in the infirmary anyway, Linea and Aurora decided to sleep there with me. It was fortunate in many ways that I had worked hard to clear out the infirmary from morning to afternoon.
There were no injured members among those who were dispatched to eliminate the Magic Points. I had caused a bit of chaos in between, but it seems my overflowing Holy Power helped. Of course, it made sense since I had cleared out the Beasts every time they swarmed in. Truly, it was an overwhelming firepower provided directly by the Goddess.
So, it was a relief.
It seemed that the events from earlier were quite a burden for the children, as they all fell asleep as soon as they lay down in their beds. While I was out eliminating the Magic Points, Linea and Aurora said they helped with tasks at the base. Since it was mainly cooking, it was understandable that they fell asleep immediately from exhaustion.
I looked down at my bandaged hand. I no longer felt pain even when I moved my fingers.
So there was a stigma left underneath this.
I would have to be much more careful when dealing with Witches from now on. They weren’t the end of it, and I had to endure until I drove all the Demons away.
I couldn’t think of any particular measures right now, though.
“Does it hurt?”
Ah, it seems there was one child who hadn’t fallen asleep yet.
I turned my head towards the voice, and Lina was looking at me. It was too dark to see her expression, but I could tell she was facing me.
Come to think of it, Lina was a Succubus. Do they also sleep at night? I hadn’t set any patterns for her life, so I wasn’t sure. Since she came to school during the day, she must have slept at night, right?
“I’m fine now.”
“That’s good to hear.”
Lina turned her head back to stare at the ceiling. She widened her eyes in surprise at my answer and asked, “You don’t have any issues with dueling, right?”
I almost laughed, thinking, of course not.
“Are you planning to continue?”
“Of course.”
“How long until when?”
“Until I win.”
Well, that figured.
“That’s a relief.”
I answered with a smile, but no reply came back.
*
The next morning.
The stigma had completely healed.
Of course, when I say ‘completely healed’, it didn’t mean it was ‘perfectly healed’ by the standards of this world.
As I unwrapped the bandages on both hands, scars remained on the back of my hands that looked like burn marks.
To describe it more accurately, it looked like someone had seared the back of my hand with a branding iron shaped like a sun. It wasn’t surprising it looked somewhat gruesome—a shape where there was a hole in the middle and pieces had chipped off.
Flipping my hand over to see my palm, there was the same type of wound there too. At least it wasn’t in a state with a gaping hole, so that was a relief. There was no issue moving my fingers either.
With one hand, I could hold a shield, and with the other, swing a morning star without any problem.
“…”
The people around me looked unsure of what to say while looking at my hand. They were unsure whether to offer consolation or congratulations. Either way, it would definitely lead to something awkward. Even Aurora, who had been feeling great yesterday, couldn’t find words when she saw my stigma.
What an awkward situation…
So, I decided to pass this awkwardness on to someone else who seemed even more awkward than my own state.
“It suits you well.”
“Shut up.”
The immediate intense reaction came from Lina, of course.
Though Lina had been in her school uniform yesterday, she had gotten her clothes torn and scraped after being thrown high in the air by a high-ranking Demon. She had blood from both herself and my hand on her.
Clearly, she couldn’t continue wearing that, so Ella hurriedly found a relatively intact outfit, but that outfit was a Nun’s outfit.
Yes, the only leftover female clothing here was mostly that Nun’s outfit.
It wouldn’t do to have a civilian wear a government uniform either.
“You look great in that, how about just entering the Cathedral? By the way, I have a spot available in my living quarters.”
At my words, Aurora and Linea flinched a little, but I didn’t bother to point it out.
Looking at Lina glaring at me with fiery eyes, it seemed absolutely improbable that would ever happen.
Well, both Aurora and Linea were just barely adjusting to changing outfits; adding one more girl, especially a Succubus who was above the average girl in terms of looks and figure, could put my ascetic lifestyle in even more jeopardy.
As long as I could walk out on my own as an adult, it wouldn’t matter. But getting chased out for being lewd, that’s a big no-no, right? Especially being known as a Saint.
Not that it was official yet.
Lina, appearing as if she was wearing some terribly shameful outfit, was holding the back of her skirt with one hand and pulling down the front with the other. With her face flushed bright red, she only looked hotter while doing that.
Moreover, wasn’t the school uniform she usually wore even shorter than that?
Well, if I pointed that out any further, I would probably get hit for real, so I’ll just stop here.
“Sorry for coming back so early. There are still people who need help.”
Turning my gaze away from the huffing Lina, I spoke to Ella, who was smiling while watching us. Honestly, I felt guilty. Those left behind were still fighting for their lives.
“Yesterday, Sister Clara saved 127 people, managed to fend off countless Beasts, eliminated the Magic Point they were pouring from, and dealt with one Witch. We can’t ask for more than that. Plus, Sister Clara is still a student.”
It was an issue that the Church had sent them; honestly, we had thought of sending them back as quickly as possible. The battlefield was far too inappropriate for students. If they decide to come back after graduation, then we will gladly welcome them.
“…Yes.”
Right, this was also one of my misjudgments.
This world does have churches that combat Demons and Beasts, but those churches were responsible for public health and welfare. They wouldn’t just send minors into a battlefield and leave them be.
It was only by coincidence and luck I managed to hunt the Witch down; they would have probably pulled me back and sent me home if things worsened.
…I guess Andrea was rather bold, or rather, should I say daring? Thanks to that, various problems could be solved.
*
“Helicopters are way noisier than I thought.”
Upon arriving at the airport we set off from yesterday and getting off the helicopter, Selena remarked as she watched the helicopter fly off in the distance.
“…My ears are still buzzing.”
Satsuki was scrunching her face while pressing both hands against her ears.
“Are you okay? You had a tough time with the sound of the shells exploding too.”
Jian asked with concern in his voice, and Satsuki’s face reddened.
“Yeah… I’m okay. I can bear it.”
Satsuki, with her head bowed and answering in a small voice, had a facial expression that was clearly different from her usual one, where changes in expression weren’t so pronounced.
Selena… well, she didn’t seem particularly jealous. After all, Jian was treating all the girls equally. Plus, Selena and Satsuki were friends.
“…Hmph.”
It seemed like the one feeling jealousy was Lina.
“Right…”
A handsome-looking man dressed sharply in a suit, who clearly looked like a civil servant, opened his mouth as he approached.
“Miss Selena Lowell, Miss Satsuki Rechmir, and Mr. Jian, this way please.”
He called out their names from a list and pointed towards a waiting black van.
“The Hero Association has something they want to ask you. Oh, there’s no need to worry. There are no charges against you; it’s just an investigation into the circumstances that led to your transfer. A simple, um… but not overly complicated investigation. We’ll make sure it doesn’t inconvenience you.”
Seeing the civil servant smile kindly, the children relaxed their tense shoulders, feeling relieved.
“And Miss Rina Hicks,”
“We’ll handle her.”
Before the civil servant could finish, Andrea interrupted. The civil servant’s expression instantly shifted into one of distaste.
“…There are many things the Hero Association is particularly curious about since such an incident occurred at Miss Hicks’ residence, but it seems there’s some validity in the Church’s claims as well. That is the response we received from our superiors.”
The Church’s claims?
It might be a bit off to say it hasn’t been revealed that Lina is a Demon, but from what I heard during the helicopter ride, there was a point of magic in Lina’s apartment, and it had somehow facilitated a spatial transfer.
I had no idea why that was, though.
It seems the capability of the Magic Point for spatial transfer had only been discovered this time. Setting it aside, I hadn’t set specific parameters for it, so I didn’t know. It seemed plausible.
The use of a Magic Point isn’t limited to Beast production. I hadn’t outlined many specifics, but I had noted it as an important aspect in magical civilization, similar to how people create tools in material civilization. So perhaps in that world, it might serve as some sort of transportation means.
Considering it was possible to create such a powerful offensive weapon and transportation method inside the city, it was clear that they wouldn’t bother launching an attack from outside the walls.
Creating a Magic Point outside the city walls is already an enormous hardship in itself.
For a massive force to create one in the city’s center while overcoming thick defenses simply wouldn’t be feasible.
Moreover, the more important the city, the more Heroes are wandering around. On top of that, the government forces for city defense, along with police having decent firepower, would mean that creating a Magic Point was likely to be limited to infiltration.
With that in mind, it was only natural for the Church to suspect Lina in some shape or form.
“If Miss Lina needs a witness, I can be there.”
Well, I may not yet be a Saint, but having someone who is going to be a Saint testify would at least be of some help.
“I will go too.”
As soon as my words were out, Jian said that.
“Me too.”
“Me as well.”
Satsuki and Selena also chimed in.
…It’s a sweet sentiment, but I’m afraid you wouldn’t be much help.
In my case, at worst, even if Lina’s identity as a Demon was exposed, I could still manage to shield her somehow.
Looking at Lina, she had her head bowed and was tapping her foot on the ground impatiently. Her ears were flushed red. It was quite impressive how she couldn’t be honest but her embarrassment was readily apparent.
“There’s no need for that.”
Andrea said while brushing her hair out of her face, looking like she was doing fine. It was curious how her roll did not get messy in the meantime. Did she somehow secure it?
“Miss Hicks will be able to go back to school safely tomorrow. I swear to the Goddess.”
Saying that, she lightly hit her fist on her left chest. By the time we flew in the helicopter, she had already changed out of the armor she was wearing on the battlefield and into that priest-like garment, so it didn’t make any sound.
“Right, and Sister Clara has an event to prepare for as well. I presume she will be busy after school when she returns.”
The event must have something to do with her elevation as a Saint.
…Will it be on TV too?
“Then we will excuse ourselves. …Let’s arrange for another time to exchange information later.”
“Yes, understood.”
Saying this, the civil servant man returned to the front passenger seat of the van. The door on the side automatically opened, and
“Well then, see you at school tomorrow.”
Selena smiled first, waving her hand as she got into the vehicle.
“See you tomorrow.”
Then Satsuki climbed in next, and
“I’m glad you’re safe.”
She said with words typical of a protagonist as she brightly smiled at me.
Wow, he’s handsome.
This guy is so good-looking it’s bothering me.
Of course, both Aurora and Linea’s faces were burning bright red.
Lina was obviously putting on a poker face.
“See you tomorrow at school.”
Jian said that as he finally got in, and the vehicle started.
I waved my hand for a long time towards the departing vehicle.
They all made it back safely. There’s still plenty left and the future seems bleak, and I had to reflect on each of my mistakes, but one solid fact stood out and felt reassuring.
*
As we parted, I casually brought up the school uniform to Lina.
“You know, the previous uniform didn’t fit you properly since it was too small, right? How about adhering to the regulations this time while we’re at it and getting a new one.”
“…Uniform.”
What I thought was going to be a light jab turned surprisingly serious once the topic of the uniform came up for Lina.
“Is that so? Now that I think of it…”
She murmured like that.
Could it be that someone had insisted she wear that uniform because she wanted it, rather than the other way around?
…With the nature of Demons, it wouldn’t be too strange to consider.
“But really, it’s not your concern to worry about that, right? I’ll wear what I want.”
Lina said that and suddenly turned her head before leaving without so much as a greeting.
I wondered if the word tsundere existed even in this time period. Her actions were so textbook tsundere.
While thinking about how Lina seemed to have absorbed all the tsundere energy that Selena lost,
*
“…What am I even looking at right now?”
The next morning.
To be honest, I was tired and wanted to rest for at least another day, but since I had promised the kids I’d see them tomorrow when we parted, and my body wasn’t in any serious condition other than fatigue, I decided to head to school at the usual time.
I arrived at school early as usual, cleaning the classroom.
At first, I thought it was a pointless task, but now it felt so empty if I didn’t do it. It felt like I was slacking off.
And it seemed that my diligence was not in vain after all.
While there appeared to be staff assigned to cleaning duties, there were definitely corners of the classroom that had accumulated more dust than usual. It seems they tended to do a mediocre job on places that are hard to notice.
Of course, it had been just two days since it hadn’t been cleaned, and the amount of dust was something that wouldn’t be noticed at first glance. Perhaps others wouldn’t know unless they were like us who cleaned every day.
That certainly made me feel somewhat accomplished.
Lina and Aurora seemed to act as if that was the most natural thing to do, and I wasn’t sure what they thought of it.
“Morning. You all look so pious today.”
Of course, excluding the three of us, the first ones to arrive were
“Morning.”
“Working hard from the morning, huh?”
Oh ho, it was three people.
Selena, Satsuki, and Jian.
Well, it had become normal for Selena and Jian to arrive together, but I didn’t expect Satsuki to show up with them. As the class president, she usually arrived a bit earlier, but she always came in a little later than those two.
Now that I think about it, the relationship between Selena and Jian originally started with the two sitting awkwardly in an empty classroom. It was already too late to realize things had changed.
“I found out while going home yesterday that Satsuki’s house is nearby. So we decided to come back together.”
Selena spoke as Satsuki and Jian nodded.
“That’s great.”
It’s good when they get closer. I was a bit frustrated that Jian’s harem was starting to gear up, though.
“Yeah, and- oh.”
While Selena was continuing her sentence, her gaze stopped at my hand.
“Oh, this?”
I held my hand up with a smile. I was wearing white cotton gloves on my hands. It didn’t cover every finger, but the palm design loosely wrapped up to my wrist. A complex magical pattern was drawn on the back of my hands and palms.
This was protective gear.
To be blunt, it was like tape stuck to the particular part of a balloon. If you prick a balloon with a needle, it would burst. But if you tape the specific part of the balloon prior and then prick it, the air escapes gradually instead of bursting.
Well, in the end, it would wrinkle, and the balloon would lose its purpose, but at least there would be enough time to stick a little extra tape.
Plus, in my case, it was much more useful since I had a body that could sustain miracles.
It was protective gear presumably designed to protect the Saint, and it seems they had some stored in reserve. Even though it had been over a hundred years, the condition was good enough to wear around.
Furthermore, it even had magical effects, like keeping me cool in the summer and warm in the winter! Well, I needed my Holy Power for that, though.
And aesthetically, it also had the effect of hiding scars, so there was no reason not to wear it.
If I lost it, it’d be crazy.
“Is that so? Then I’m glad.”
Selena looked relieved as she listened to my explanation. She must have thought I’d be dying slowly without that.
“No way the power of a God would get me down that much.”
“Right~”
When I responded with a chuckle, Selena found it somewhat embarrassing and replied.
While we were chatting amiably, the classroom back door creaked open.
Showing up next was, of course, Lina-
but honestly, I wasn’t quite sure upon first glance.
Her skirt was noticeably longer, coming up to just above her knees. She wore a blouse that comfortably concealed her ample bust and a jacket that fit loosely over it. With her long pink hair gathered back into a ponytail, she resembled a model student who anyone would call an ‘exemplary student.’
In a way, she appeared even more prim and proper than Satsuki, who wore her school uniform very straightforwardly.
The moment Lina noticed our gaze on her after sitting down, she flushed slightly, looking somewhat annoyed and said,
“What are you looking at?”
“Lina.”
“Why?”
When I called her name, she averted her gaze while answering.
I clasped my hands together, speaking with a reverent tone as if thanking the God.
“Finally refocused and starting to study—Ouch!”
Before I could finish my sentence, an eraser flew through the air to precisely hit my forehead.
…Seems like I should keep my teasing in check.
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