Early graduation, huh?
Hero, huh?
Hmm…
To be honest, it sounds quite plausible just from what I’ve heard. If we assume that someone caught on to me wanting to “escape the Church,” then the person who brought this up really hit the nail on the head.
So the Vice Principal is connected to the government, huh? I can’t say for sure, but it’s not bad to suspect it. The possibility could be high, especially from where I’m standing.
However, the talk about early graduation and registering as a hero came up as a result of honing in on just ‘one’ point.
I want to break free from the Church and live freely—mostly in a sexy way—while getting it all in! Of course, since my gender is flipped, I can’t have a normal romance, but I’d hate to not even get close to the romance thing. I want at least to have a flirt! I mean, I have no plans for romance at all, but still!
…If we get down to it, it’s just a pitch black void.
Anyway, back to the main point: discussing early graduation.
Naturally, I never planned to graduate early.
If I had lost my parents at birth for some reason and was raised in a convent for life, I would have been much more interested. My resentment toward the Church would have been way stronger, and my longing for the outside world would have been way more intense.
But I’m not that person.
Having tasted the beginning of adulthood, I already know how sweet school life in my teens can be.
Honestly, if I graduated early and stepped out of school, would the government want me to have campus life? No, really, is there any reason for non-theological universities to accept me? I may have decent physical abilities, but nothing overwhelming. I lack superpowers, and my exceptional ability, the Holy Power, is hard to explain even with modern magic or science, right?
Considering my grades, there’s obviously nowhere I’d fit in.
Plus, if the talk of registering as a hero came up, then it’s clear what the government wants: For me to work as a hero immediately after graduating.
That’s right. Even if this semester ends, my physical age is only 16.
We’re talking about a teenage girl getting slammed onto the icy flooring of society!
Being a minor poses a surprisingly large obstacle in society. Legally, I’m in a position where I need to be protected by someone, and in this society, that usually means the Church. But if I hand myself over to the government, they’ll want that right for themselves—
Then, for four years until adulthood, I’d be controlled by the government instead of the Church.
And I can bet that what the government would make me do would be far from what the Church would have me do.
The ones pampering me and trying to make me a symbol for the Church usually don’t mess with me too much. They’re more inclined to accommodate my actions. Of course, that doesn’t mean they don’t make me do anything at all; there are rules to follow while living in the convent. But in most cases, it’s more like, “Saintess, could you please do this? I beg you,” and if I refuse, they back off, which gives me some leeway.
Most importantly, I’m someone standing right at the top of the Church. If I strongly say I don’t want to do something, the only one who can overturn that is the Pope, and judging by the Pope’s demeanor, I doubt they’d force me into doing something I refuse.
…But even so, just the act of being asked like that makes me dislike it, and I end up running around, creating more work for myself and feeling much busier trying to sort everything out. But that’s something I can be careful about.
On the other hand, what about the government?
Right now, they aren’t making any requests to win my favor—of course, I’m “the Church’s upper echelons” after all—but instead are carefully trying to ingratiate themselves while being anxious about making it known that we’re close. However, once I enter ‘under their wing,’ their attitude might change drastically.
They’d probably make me do all sorts of tasks. I’d likely become a symbolic civil servant. Civil servants operate under a hierarchy, you know?
Plus, I’d probably have no right to refuse. At least until I turn into an adult, legally the government will be my guardian. If I quit, there’s nothing I could do afterward. Thinking about those CIA agents who boldly stepped into the Church, I can somewhat imagine how that would pan out.
So to summarize, right now it feels a tad restrictive, but being at a Church where I at least have the right to refuse is infinitely better.
“So, does that mean you intend to attend school until the end?”
After I reached this conclusion and grabbed Seo-A who was leaving the classroom after homeroom, she smiled slightly and asked.
“Is it because of your faith?”
The question didn’t seem to be mocking, but rather she genuinely seemed curious after feeling relieved.
“No.”
I answered immediately.
“Uh… really?”
Seo-A seemed taken aback by my blunt answer and awkwardly smiled.
“Yes. I just thought that if I went under the government, there’d be a lot more work.”
“Ah, I see.”
Seo-A chuckled at my straightforward response.
“Anyway, that’s a relief. I was worried. In fact, I was brainstorming how to persuade you if you decided to graduate early.”
“Isn’t respecting a student’s thoughts a teacher’s role?”
“A teacher’s role is to guide students to the right path. Of course, respect should naturally be part of that process.”
Seo-A winked playfully, and her expression was incredibly charming.
Why doesn’t she have a boyfriend?
I worry that if she hears this, she’d be self-conscious about her bald head, but I managed a smile back at Seo-A.
*
“…Hah.”
After an intense match as usual, I was wiping the sweat off my forehead with a towel draped over my neck when Rina, who sat down next to me, reacted to what happened earlier today.
“You handled it better than expected. I thought your head was filled with flowers, but there’s a brain down there after all?”
“…What do you think of me?”
“I thought your skull was filled with petals and pollen. Honestly, I want you to get a CT scan or MRI. No, wait, I still want that now. Just because you have a brain doesn’t mean that size is normal, right?”
“I’d rather open your head and take a look.”
Usually, in nature, living things act cautiously in front of their predators, but Rina didn’t seem to move that way at all, which was… interesting in its own right.
“Well, anyway, I think it was a good decision to stick through school to the end.”
“Is that something you should be saying?”
When I said this with eyes that looked at her like I saw something very strange, Rina made a similar face toward me.
“What did you want me to say then? Should I encourage you to drink and smoke until you get expelled?”
“Well, considering who you are, that might seem more normal.”
“…Sure, get up. Let’s settle this on the ring.”
“We already finished today’s spar. There’s no point in pushing ourselves further. Besides, it seems that even your harsh words were enough to provoke. If you’re the one getting angry, then you’ve lost. Also, intellectuals don’t use force to settle logic.”
Saying that, I held my energy drink can as if it were a teacup, using one hand to make a saucer as I grasped the bottom of the can and took a sip with a gulp.
In fact, getting up onto the ring wouldn’t exactly help settle any reasoning since neither of us holds major advantages in skill. Usually, both would end up drained, needing our friends to support us as we get down from there. These days, I try to avoid such a situation.
“Then should we do it down here? Considering how we always fight, it doesn’t really matter where we do it, does it?”
“As an intellectual, I don’t swing weapons anywhere.”
“…….”
With Rina glaring at me with a boiling expression while I casually drank my energy drink, suddenly—
Hihihit.
That very alien sound echoed in the air.
“…Huh?”
Rina turned her head towards the sound, looking puzzled, and I followed suit to see—
Humpty Dumpty was walking over.
No, wait, that’s not it! The Vice Principal was coming!
As if he were a real person and not resembling an egg-like Humpty Dumpty—
He had a small head, a super thick neck, narrow shoulders, a protruding belly, and skinny legs, so he did resemble Humpty Dumpty quite a bit, but at least he had the body of a human being.
And of course, he had a bald head.
Usually, when a considerable figure wears a suit, the outfit retains its style to make a good impression, but the Vice Principal, sporting a decidedly slimy grin on his face—not in a good way—looked too much like a villain right out of a story, or I should say, a rather pitiful and forgettable villain that would appear as the very first trial… And if any success comes from this individual, it could take a turn into something R-rated—well, that’s the odd, unrealistic vibe he exudes.
If he wore sunglasses, he’d look like he belongs to some shady agency—then again, that’d still be villainous, right?
It’s not that I was solely judging him based on his appearance; my suspicion stemmed from the proposal he made to me.
“This, this! The duel club’s students are so enthusiastic, it’s truly a pleasure to see.”
Isn’t saying that after just witnessing us tear into each other merely sarcastic?
Not long ago, we were exchanging insults right and left. But then again, that happens a lot.
…Wait, maybe Rina was genuinely angered?
“In that case, would you mind showing me a bit? It’s my first time observing the duel club… Kihihihit.”
Ah, that laughing sound engrains that villainous perception deeper into my brain.
“…Sorry, but we just finished sparring. If we do another round, I think I’d suffer tomorrow.”
“Oho……”
The Vice Principal’s eyes scanned me from head to toe, then shifted over to Rina, inspecting her similarly.
“In that case, it can’t be helped. Your body is your treasure. Over-exerting yourselves in your teenage years will cause problems later on.”
Of course, he nodded in agreement as Rina and I stared at him, slack-jawed. The other kids who had been paired up for sparring stopped to look at the Vice Principal as well.
“Oh dear.”
The Vice Principal murmured leisurely.
“Seems I’ve inadvertently interrupted your duel. You should carry on with your activities. It’s admirable to see students working hard. Kihihihit.”
…
But the impact of the Vice Principal had everyone wide-eyed.
Certainly, all the kids here had seen the Vice Principal before. He’d stand beside the principal during vacation ceremonies or school events, easily recognizable.
But I reckon most students had probably never heard him speak. Most reprimands were delivered by the principal, and if he wasn’t around, the Vice Principal also tended to be absent. As someone who usually sat quietly in the back, he emitted an already solid presence, but I’m guessing most students haven’t heard his voice.
There were speculations about what his voice could be like.
People thought since he was so big, maybe his voice was deep, or perhaps he had an unexpectedly average voice. There were also ideas floating about that maybe he was just self-conscious about his voice and chose to remain silent. But—
Who would have thought that such a tall, hulking guy would have such a high, piercing voice and laugh?
Looking around at the students who were now astonished at his words, the Vice Principal merely shrugged his shoulders once before addressing me.
“Actually, I’m here for a bit of business with Miss Anderson. Would you mind finding some time for me?”
Miss Anderson? That title was one I was hardly familiar with. Wait, have I heard it before? Hmm… I’m not sure. Maybe I caught it a few times during attendance.
Anyway, it was much fresher than the way people usually just call me by name, or the Saintess title.
Well, I guess it’s a position of the principal and student, after all.
“Uh… Sure.”
I couldn’t find any reason to oppose, so I answered like that.
“Kihihihit, then I’ll wait outside. You all continue your activities, don’t mind me. Your hard work is pleasing to see. Kihihihit!”
Uh, saying that actually might hinder their focus even more.
Just as I was about to follow the Vice Principal outside, someone gripped my arm.
“Are you really going to follow him?”
When I looked over, Rina had a very serious expression on her face as she held onto my arm.
“Yes… What about it?”
“Seriously, he seems suspicious. I… I don’t know how to say it, but my instincts are calling out!”
“Is it the smell of a demon?”
“Um? No, not at all. He’s just a plain human. And I don’t think any magic or anything supernatural is lurking around him either.”
Rina quickly corrected herself, and I tilted my head in confusion.
“If he’s not a demon, then isn’t that a good enough reason?”
“No, that’s not what I meant. Even if he’s neither a demon nor a minion, there are humans you should be wary of.”
“…In what sense?”
When I asked, Rina rolled her eyes around with an incredibly troubled expression.
“Like, uh, not entering strange places alone… not consuming drinks from them… you know?”
My brain couldn’t help but feel as if it were marinating in something dubious, thinking about such things.
I gazed at Rina with a perturbed expression and said,
“No, I mean, he’s a Vice Principal! You can’t judge a person just by their appearance.”
“…The fact that you just spewed that indicates you also have that thought in mind.”
“……”
That’s true.
But that doesn’t mean I want to jump to conclusions. Because I have seen people with likable appearances do unlikable things in society, and the opposite too.
In a world with many oddly beautiful people, he does have a unique appearance, but I wouldn’t want to suspect him just by that.
…Actually, his voice and laughter might confirm my unease a lot more.
“Then I’ll go with you.”
Out of nowhere, Linea appeared, standing next to me with a stubborn expression.
“I’ll follow too.”
And of course, Aurora trailed right behind her.
“No, you really don’t have to.”
Even if the Vice Principal turns out to be a real villain, he wouldn’t outright come on to me like this!
“No, even a Vice Principal isn’t that type.”
After Aurora chimed in, I couldn’t help but vigorously nod my head.
“That’s what I’m saying.”
“Even so…”
But when Aurora said that in a timid voice, I let out a long sigh.
“…Okay then. I guess, having a few friends come along wouldn’t be too bothersome.”
Only after I said that did the expressions on Aurora and Linea lighten a bit. Though Rina still looked quite conflicted.
“Then I’ll be off now.”
“Us too.”
“I’ll be going too.”
We three gave our little farewells and headed out toward the hallway, likely where the Vice Principal was waiting.
And until we completely exited the auditorium, we remained completely unaware of the worried eyes trailing in our direction.
*
“Whoa.”
As the three of us stepped into the hallway, the Vice Principal let out that sound. It felt like there was a certain level of expectation, making me a bit uneasy.
Of course, I hadn’t completely abandoned my suspicion.
Even though you shouldn’t judge people based on appearances alone, I wasn’t about to assume this guy has a kind heart either. After all, he was the one who subtly brought up the idea of early graduation, reflecting the government’s thoughts.
There’s no telling what traps might lie in conversation, so I have to stay cautious.
“Looks like you three are close friends.”
“Yes, that’s correct.”
I answered as a representative, and the Vice Principal chuckled.
“Well, I see no harm in that. Since it concerns a friend’s future, if they’re your besties, it makes sense you’d want to hear about it too. If Miss Anderson allows it, both students are welcome to join.”
It was a rather generous suggestion, and yet, Aurora and Linea just stiffened, nodding slightly.
“Well then, it seems a bit awkward to chat while standing. Shall we head to the Vice Principal’s office?”
With those words, the Vice Principal leisurely turned his thin arm behind his back and began to walk.
The three of us exchanged glances. Except for me, the other two looked incredibly tense.
“Let’s go.”
Once I said that, the two started moving their feet.
Ah, I really don’t think this person is that odd.
…Or am I wrong?
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