novelA Stadium of Magicians and Espers (1)
| ← Ch.066 | Ch.068 → |
Part 1
The next event was 'Roll the Ball'.
Kamijou and his peers of the same age had already entered the arena. In this not so spacious compound, where the ground was covered with asphalt, both sides were lined up like they were in a cavalry war.
The rules were somewhat different from standard rules. When the gunshot to indicate the start of the match was fired, competitors would have to push 50 large balls—25 on the left side, and 25 on the right side—to the enemy's line. The winner would be the year group who pushed more than 25 balls past the opponent's line.
What was different from normal Roll the Ball was that participants from both sides would have to touch all the balls at least once. In other words, during this event, participants could use their powers to obstruct the opponent.
Like the other students, Kamijou placed his hand on a white team's ball that was 2 metres in diameter, as he smelled sweat and dust. Before the shot was fired, the atmosphere was tense. Although the nature of this match was similar to a game, the surrounding atmosphere made anyone feel serious.
But in this situation, Kamijou was worried about another thing.
He was thinking about the conversation he had with Stiyl and Tsuchimikado 20 minutes ago.
"Academy City is busy hosting ordinary tourists, so they had to neglect security?"
"Then a magician saw a loophole and decided to exploit it."
Kamijou's class was responsible for 3 large balls, and there were three groups: one for boys, one for girls, and one for both boys and girls. Kamijou was in the boys only group. From nearby, Himegami Aisa gave him a wordless stare, like she was trying to say something. But Kamijou, who was too busy thinking about the conversation, didn't notice her staring at him.
"But, what's the reason? Are these people here to kidnap Index? I won't sit back and watch if it really involves her!"
"Don't panic, Kamijou Touma. The enemy's target this time isn't her. To the enemy, if she gets involved, it'll only make things more difficult for them."
"Ah? What does that mean?"
"I'll explain this to you later, Kami-yan. Let's talk about the main issue, which is the main reason why the magicians snuck into Academy City."
"Everyone, get set, " the loudspeakers in the campus blared.
Everyone was holding their breath, bending their bodies slightly over. Kamijou took a glimpse around. Tsuchimikado, who was wearing sunglasses, placed his hands on the ball like everyone else.
"Those magicians...... ? There's not just one?"
"Right now, we can confirm that there are at least two of them. Lidvia Lorenzetti of the Roman Catholic Church and the courier that she hired, Oriana Thomson from England. Both of them are women. There should be at least one person they're dealing with, but right now, it isn't clear. Rumours have it that the biggest suspect is Bishop Nikolai Tolstoy of the Russian Church, but we can't confirm it as of now."
"Courier? This deal, what's it all about?"
"Exactly what it says on the tin, Kami-yan. Those guys intend to trade some spiritual stuff that the Church passed down."
BAM!! The gunshot signalling the start of the match was fired.
Kamijou Touma, who was thinking about these things, was late by a second.
"Why here...... isn't Academy City the least associated place with magic?"
"That's right nya. But that is the reason. Neither the guards of Academy City and Judgement can catch magicians from the magical world anyhow. Also, the Cross Army and Necessarius of the magical world cannot step into Academy City, which belongs to the science world. So now, this has become a situation where both sides are unable to take action."
"If it wasn't for Daihaseisai, the actions of Lidvia and everyone else would be limited due to the tight security. Only in this extremely busy period will Academy City loosen its guard. That's why they're able to act."
In order to keep chase with the large ball, Kamijou frantically ran forward.
The sound of footsteps and balls rolling continued to rumble the earth. Because the inside of the ball was just air, one wouldn't feel that it was too heavy, but rather the ball was so light like a balloon that it'd be affected by the wind, and would roll sideways if one didn't pay attention.
"Then can't you guys send in many Necessarius members like Stiyl to arrest them?"
"The reason why I can be here is because of the proper reason that 'I'm your friend, and I'm here personally to sightsee. ' If the situation changes such that 'A group of British Puritans' is here, other magical organisations will use this opportunity to request that 'we want to come in. ' Do you think that all these people are friendly to Academy City? There would definitely be people who would do some sabotaging. Do you think that these people will protect this place that's completely different from the magic world?"
"As the leader of the scientific world, Academy City's voice is a lot louder than any small and nameless magical group, nya. But at this moment, if they reject the proposal, larger groups will then request to go in. Thus, this situation with Lidvia and Oriana is rather sensitive, Kami-yan. In this troublesome situation, if we call in other comrades, Academy City will be swallowed in chaos. In order to limit the number of people who know of this issue, the only people allowed to get involved are 'magicians who are familiar with the people of Academy City. ' There are few magicians with links to Academy City. So this time, we can only use a few elite troops to get in."
The large balls were moving even faster now. The one that Kamijou's group was pushing was the furthest in front. In other words, it had the highest likelihood of touching the enemy's ball first.
"??? Isn't Kanzaki Kaori another person who's familiar with us? Isn't she supposed to be some superhuman called a Saint? Isn't it better to have more people?"
"Kanzaki cannot be here, especially in this situation, because this spiritual item is rather special."
"Ah? What does that mean?"
"Kami-yan. Speaking about this spiritual weapon called the 'Stab Sword', its effects are—"
Because the ball was too big, Kamijou was unable to see ahead from his position. Hearing Aogami Pierce shout 'Incoming!' Kamijou gathered his consciousness.
"It's said that the sword can kill a Saint with one blow."
WATCH OUT! A shout came from behind.
Every student other than Kamijou ran away from the ball.
(Eh? Isn't there some more time before we touch the enemy's ball?)
Just when Kamijou was puzzled...
An impact came from behind.
"Ugh...... WA!!"
From behind, the ball that belongs to the girls' group was rolling extremely fast, catching up with them and swallowing Kamijou. When the ball that belongs to the mixed group passed by, Fukiyose Seiri coldly said, "What on earth are you doing? Kamijou Touma?" while Himegami Aisa glanced at him, her expression seeming to say, "I was right, you were looking troubled."
Part 2
Saint.
"That's the one, the humans who are similar to the 'Son of God' in Christian teachings. In the 'Idol Theory' of Christianity, when duplicating the Cross that the 'Son of God' was executed on, the duplicate will have some power as well. By using this theory on the relationship between the 'Son of God' and humans, any human similar to the 'Son of God' will have power equivalent to him. These people chosen by the heavens are known as 'Saints'. These people have an inexplicable amount of power. However......"
The Roll the Ball Match was over now (Luckily, Kamijou's school won). As they were leaving the arena, both Kamijou and Tsuchimikado were continuing their conversation and drinking sports drinks given by Fukiyose Seiri, who had said "You need to replenish your amino acids. This drink includes black vinegar and soy isoflavone."
"The Saints have a weaknesses."
"Really? But isn't Kanzaki strong enough to take on a real angel on her own?"
Angel. This word didn't sound very real, but because Kamijou had seen it for himself, he had to believe it. That angel who called herself Misha Kreutzev had enough power to destroy the entire world with a single finger, and yet Kanzaki had been able to fight the angel till the end. No matter what Kamijou or anyone else did, they couldn't match up to her.
Tsuchimikado was gulping down the drink, saying,
"But her powers do have a weakness. Listen closely, a Saint is a human who has the same type and nature of body as the 'Son of God', so not only do they have the same amount of power, they have the similar types, characteristics and features."
Tsuchimikado took a deep breath,
"—Basically, they have inherited the weaknesses of the 'Son of God'."
Ah! Kamijou inadvertently cried out.
"The 'Son of God' died once. It doesn't matter that he resurrected and rose to Heaven; the fact that he died cannot be denied. Kami-yan, do you know how the 'Son of God', who was hung on the Cross, was killed?"
Tsuchimikado grinned at Kamijou, and continued,
"He was stabbed. After his arms and legs were nailed onto the Cross, he was stabbed through by a spear. Whether the spear gave the critical blow, or whether it was used to confirm that he was dead, is still being hotly debated by Bible scholars. But the fact that he got 'stabbed' wasn't changed, nya."
Tsuchimikado took another gulp of drink, and continued,
"The 'Stab Sword' has the religious meaning of execution and assassination, a spiritual weapon that can expand and contract at will, to any length. It's said that it can 'Stab through a dragon and pin it onto the ground. ' It's useless against humans, but it's a sure kill against Saints. No matter how far, just pointing the sword at something is enough to kill it."
Hearing this, Kamijou broke out in cold sweat.
Seemed like Tsuchimikado wanted to add on to Kamijou's imagination, as he proceeded on,
"Sounds scary? When the 'Stab Sword' is activated, whether one's in a nuclear shelter, or in the core of the Earth, or even if the person hides in the netherworld, just pointing the sword at a Saint is enough to kill him or her. It's much more convenient and ruthless than a nuclear weapon. Because this sword was created to destroy any selfish and greedy Saints, nya!"
"What are these magicians thinking, dealing for this kind of thing......"
"It's for war, Kami-yan. A Saint is the magical equivalent to a nuclear bomb. After killing the enemy's Saints and protecting all your comrades in the first place will result in a drastic change of tide in battle."
War.
To ordinary high school students living in modern Japan, this didn't sound sensible. But Kamijou had come close to it once. Once, because of the magical 'Book of the Law' and the nun who claimed to have cracked the code, Orsola Aquinas, the British Puritans, Roman Catholics and Amakusa Catholics had a three-way battle. If there was a real war, the scale would definitely be much larger. A war that would affect the entire world, a war that would involve ordinary and innocent people, a war that would change the landscape.
"However, there are a lot more magicians who aren't Saints, right? Like the British Puritans, they can battle on even if they don't have Kanzaki, right?"
"Kami-yan, the problem isn't there. It's not whether we can win. Once we get the wrong feeling that we can win, we'll provoke a war. Once a Saint, who signifies power, is dead, it'll likely destroy the balance of the Magical society. It's like how an entire country grieves when a member of Royalty is killed, nya. People who feel that this is a great chance to succeed will jump into battle without hesitation — these people never notice, however, that what awaits them is a tragic failure."
Tsuchimikado's words had a cold and oppressive feeling in them.
It was probably because of his status as an agent, working in different places, that he knew the weaknesses of this world.
"A Saint being killed wantonly will destabilise a country and its organisations religiously. If they are attacked from within or from outside by magical organisations, they'll get destroyed. These situations won't appear on stage, but they're enough to cause the countries and the world to collapse. Once the balance of an area is unstable, many different groups will plan and set up a new order, and end up causing war as a result. As an international security maintenance organisation created to counter magicians, sector zero of the British Puritans, 'Necessarius', won't let this off easily, nya."
This really sounded like a resolve, but Tsuchimikado's tone at the end was really frivolous.
(Is this tone of his really a relaxed one from the view of a spy, or is he trying to suppress his feelings as a professional?)
The amateur Kamijou was unable to judge this.
Kamijou drunk the drink that was not so cold now, and said,
"However, in this serious situation, isn't it better to ask Index for help?"
That was right, Index was still not around.
After hearing Tsuchimikado and Stiyl's explanation, he had run immediately to the arena without meeting Index.
If it was related to magic, she was a very reliable helper. To Kamijou, nobody knew magic better than her.
However, Tsuchimikado rejected this proposal with just a sentence,
"No way, we can't use Index. Not only must we not allow her to be near the scene, we can't let her know anything about this."
"...... Why?"
"Hm. Because there are a lot of complicated reasons. Alright, I'll explain everything from the beginning."
Tsuchimikado seemed to find it bothersome as he scratched his head.
"Like what I just said, the science side cannot cross over to the magic side. Right now, there are many problems inside and outside Academy City... do you understand if I say it like this, nya?"
"Ah? I do know that security guards and disciplinary members cannot face off against magicians directly."
He seemed to have heard of this before when he had snuck into 'Misawa Cram School' with Stiyl to find the alchemist hiding himself inside.
The science and magical worlds were two different worlds on their own, two completely different sides. In this situation, if any policing agency of Academy City was to catch a magician, it would cause the risk of information regarding the magical world being leaked to the science world.
"For example, it's like our newest and most advanced fighter jet fell into the hands of the enemy?"
"That's right. And if there are a lot of magicians who stepped into Academy City as a group, the situation will be much worse. Because in this case, the magicians who intend to do the trade in Academy City can do whatever they want. How can anyone leave them alone?"
Kamijou felt that this was a rather stupid structure. Everyone had the same intentions, but were unable to move because of this kind of reason.
"So this time, we have an exception. We'll have me, Kami-yan and Stiyl, the three of us working together."
Tsuchimikado grinned.
"Of course, some organisations will be unhappy about this. These people are observing, but are unable to get into Academy City. Some of them want to solve this case, but for the wrong intentions. These people are using spells that act like radar, sensing any magical flow. Once there's movement, they'll rush in."
"Hmm...... so that's what it's all about?"
Kamijou could only say this, since to be honest, he was unable to imagine what a magic flow was like.
"But, what has this magic detection got to do with Index? She can't use magic! Even if those guys can use radar-like spells, there's no need to hide Index."
Although Kamijou Touma had lost his memories, he still had this knowledge. Although Index was the keeper of 103, 000 magic texts, she couldn't use it. This was to prevent her from getting into trouble by using them.
Facing Kamijou's doubts, Tsuchimikado bitterly laughed,
"This is the difference in values. Hear this, Kami-yan. For the past few months, there had been quite a few magical occurrences—and you were able to settle them perfectly—but in the magical world, nobody knows that you were involved."
"It doesn't matter. I'll have a larger headache if too many people know. But why?"
"What I'm trying to say is that in comparison, Index's name is a lot more noticeable. The people in the magical world won't feel that this is 'Something that happened around Kamijou Touma, ' but rather 'Something that happens around Index, the keeper of the 103, 000 magical texts. '"
Kamijou thought — So that was it.
Tsuchimikado seemed to be able to sense something from his face. He happily said,
"So these people will think that 'everything happens around Index. ' So, using common knowledge, they'll focus their search on Index, right? But in reality, a sensing spell that can cover Academy City entirely doesn't exist. Even if an organisation like the 'Gregorian Chant' uses this spell, the maximum range for them is around 500 metres. So by putting Index away from this case, those guys outside will focus on her. This way, if there's a magical war somewhere, it's likely that it won't be found out, nya. On the other hand, if we get her involved in this, we'll be in for a lot of trouble."
"In other words, we cannot allow Index to sense any magical presence, or anything related to it?"
Kamijou thought, this sounded easy, but was actually difficult. Index had memorised the 103, 000 magical books in order to counter all magicians. She wouldn't let go of any tiny clue easily. Once she found one, she would spring into action.
That said, even if he explained it to Index first and told her 'not to move, ' she'd likely not agree to it easily. Normally, she hated getting others involved in any magical related cases, so she would definitely not agree to having others take care of this for her.
As Kamijou was thinking about this, Tsuchimikado gently shook the empty bottle.
"However, Kami-yan, this is another 'misfortune'. I guess you won't be happy since Index's been getting all the credit?"
"Idiot. I'm worried for her. Really, that Index is too much. My troubles are already so much!"
Kamijou sucked his tongue as he continued his thoughts. Seeing his face from the side, Tsuchimikado laughed. That laugh had no sense of irony or mockery.
"Anyway, this is how it goes, nya. Kami-yan will take care of Index, and try to hide any hint of what's happening in Academy City. Oh yeah, you can go shopping with her; try and get her away from any place where there might be a magical battle."
"Ah, what are you saying! You're making it sound so easy... !"
"There's no problem! To this unfortunate Kamijou Touma, this is but a trivial matter!"
"Where is this confidence coming from!? What'll happen for our next match? Fukiyose will go berserk if we play hooky! Isn't this much scarier?"
"I'll leave that to you! Right now, the most important thing is Index. However, that Index, she can be easily controlled with food, nya. If anything happens, throw the food in the opposite direction, nya!"
"...... You rascal, if Index heard this, she'd bite till your skull breaks. Wait, that's not right, I never saw her bite a human other than me......"
Tsuchimikado patted Kamijou's shoulder hard as Kamijou said this listlessly.
Part 3
The asphalt road under the hot sun was really hot.
This was what Index, who was hungry and lying on the road, thought.
After the tour was over, the female security guard, Yomikawa Aiho, who was removing the 'no access' sign, couldn't take it anymore. She stopped what she was doing and picked Index up. Although it was not going to cool Index down, Yomikawa placed Index on the long bench under the tree. The calico cat followed behind Yomikawa before jumping onto the bench.
Komoe-sensei, whom she had just contacted, finally arrived. This teacher, who was older than Yomikawa-sensei, was wearing a light green sleeveless vest and a short white dress. This get-up probably meant that she wanted to cheer for her students, and it was really scary that this attire was suitable for her even at her age. Deep inside, Yomikawa sighed.
"Hi! Yomikawa-sensei! I got a call saying that someone I know is with you now. WAH!"
Seeing Index like this, Komoe-sensei cried out.
"Sister...... Sister-san!? Why are you as listless as a shrunken vegetable? Don't tell me that you got heatstroke because this Komoe-sensei came late!!"
Hearing her high decibel scream, the calico cat gave a disgusted cry as its fur stood up.
Er...... Yomikawa looked at Index, who was lying on the long bench, and thought. It looked like she got heatstroke, and no matter what anyone said, fainting when she was wearing such thick nun robes in such hot weather, it was not weird for anyone to think that she got heatstroke.
"Komoe-sensei. SENSEI!! Okay okay, calm down, will ya?"
"How...... can I calm down! Although Sister-san isn't from my class, a teacher should act as the guardian of the children."
"Okay okay, you can talk about what you think an ideal teacher is later! That's the child, she doesn't have heatstroke, she's just hungry."
What? Komoe-sensei tilted her head, puzzled.
She then continued,
"That's...... that's why I can't calm down! Malnutrition can be dangerous, you know!!"
"What? Being unflappable in such a situation, Komoe-sensei is really a sempai I respect. However, this child has eaten three packets of rations already."
Hearing Yomikawa's irritated tone, the calico cat seemed to say, "Ya ya. I got some biscuits too, " as it gave a comfy cry. There were still some crumbs around its mouth.
"...... Then it isn't that she's hungry, but she ate too much! I say, as a teacher, you should manage a person's diet and nutrition...... !"
"Then shouldn't you ask this child directly?"
Seeing Yomikawa point with her finger, Komoe-sensei said "Don't point at others like that" as she grabbed Yomikawa's finger and pointed it down. She then inspected Index's face.
The white nun, now all weak and wobbly, spoke in a soft voice,
"I...... I'm hungry...... is...... is Touma not here yet?"
"You're really hungry?"
"Didn't I tell you? Ah, can I hand her over to you?"
Okay, it must be hard on you. Komoe-sensei gave a polite greeting, as Yomikawa walked away, waving her hand behind her. Although this was a bit too sloppy, Yomikawa felt that Komoe-sensei didn't really need to care so much for the girl.
Komoe-sensei reinspected Index.
Index was lying lifelessly on the bench, trembling as she said,
"The...... the smell of sauce...... I'll reach my limit if I continue to smell this......"
Komoe-sensei finally let down the burden on her shoulders (Not because she felt helpless, but because she was relieved). Hearing Index mention 'sauce', she started to sniff around.
"Hm? Is it that store?"
She looked around. Opposite the road where Yomikawa Aiho had removed the 'no access' billboard, one could see an entire row of stores set up and manned by students like a carnival.
"Sister-san, I bought something back."
Seeing Komoe-sensei chose a few types of food at the hawker stores, Index suddenly jumped up from the bed.
"Ooo...... Oooo...... OOOoooooooooooooo......"
She let out a cry that was like an archaeologist discovering something that wasn't excavated yet. The calico cat in her arms let out a similar cry.
"I bought fried noodles, okonomiyaki, smoked sausages, takoyaki...... ah, can Miss foreign nun eat octopus?"
"I'll eat! I'll eat! Even if it's natto or dried salted fish, I'll eat them!"
Seeing the food that the students had cooked packed into transparent plastic containers, although they didn't look very tasty, Index's eyes were glowing brightly as she eyed them greedily. The calico cat in her hands slightly trembled. Maybe its animal instincts could sense that Index had a strong attachment to eating.
Komoe-sensei bitterly smiled,
"Ah...... ah ha haha. Then let's use this opportunity to learn how to use chopsticks. One shouldn't use a fist to hold chopsticks...... ahhh!!"
Before Komoe-sensei could even explain, Index had already bit into her target, gobbling down the food in large mouthfuls. The food that was as tall as a mountain vanished in an instant. The calico cat followed suit, but its critical weakness was that its tongue couldn't take scalding stuff.
Komoe-sensei dropped her shoulders dejectedly.
"Uu...... uuuuu. I wanted to...... use this opportunity, to let Sister-san experience a bit of the Japanese culture."
"(Chewing) Eh? Komoe, what did you say?"
After stuffing the last piece of okonomiyaki into her mouth, Index blinked her eyes. The pile of food was now reduced to nothing.
Komoe-sensei, who was passionate about teaching, had a weakness. It was that she'd feel extremely dejected once she lost the opportunity to teach others. But Index, who was too full and satisfied, didn't know this.
Komoe-sensei's shoulders trembled as she said,
"Nothing! Sensei does not regret it! I won't cry because of something like this."
"??? Ah, I haven't thanked you yet. I'm full now; thanks for your hospitality. Eh, weird? Why do you look like you're about to cry?"
Index tilted her head slightly.
"...... Come to think of it, where did Touma go? It's almost lunch."
"...... About that, speaking of lunch, you just...... ?"
But Index did not hear Komoe-sensei's words at all.
"Where did Touma go...... ? I've been feeling that Touma's been separated from me quite often today......"
VRROOM!! Komoe-sensei's passion for teaching was reignited again.
The nun in front of Komoe-sensei didn't seem to belong to any school (That should be the case). In other words, it was hard to go out with Kamijou during Daihaseisai. Although the visitors could take part in competitions, they were 'only for visitors', and thus not allowed to compete with the 'students'. The girl in front of Komoe-sensei was unable to attain her dream of taking part in the competition together with Kamijou.
Komoe-sensei felt that she could understand what Index was thinking.
Being abandoned alone in such a large-scale activity, although one couldn't see it, the emotional damage done to her should be rather big. On the other hand, if there was some way for her to take part in some event, she should be able to feel a sense of satisfaction. Why couldn't Kamijou understand this? To abandon this child like this? Komoe-sensei was disappointed in her useless student, and wondered whether there was a solution.
Not a compromise, but a solution.
"No problem, there's an event which Sister-san is able to take part in as well."
The answer emerged. If she was unable to help this child who looked so helpless, then she had no right to be a teacher, yes? Thinking about this, Komoe-sensei giggled before letting out fits of laughter.
"Eh? What did you say?"
"I'm saying, that there's a way for you to enjoy Daihaseisai with Kamijou! Sister-san won't be abandoned and be all alone now!"
Hearing this cheerful voice, Index was initially stunned, before calming down, even forgetting her hunger. The calico cat did not care as it gave a yawn.
"Wha...... what? What must I do?"
"It's this, this!"
Komoe-sensei smiled as she gently pulled her sleeveless vest.
She was wearing a cheerleader uniform.
"He...... hehe. Although you can't take part in the competition, there's no problem if you're a cheerleader. Of course, we still have this option. I feel that you're suited for this! You may find this embarrassing if you do this alone. Don't worry, Komoe-sensei will accompany you!"
Komoe-sensei continued to smile. Her capability as an educator was radiating outwards, her face shining brightly like never before.
Seeing Komoe-sensei like this, Index was naturally wary of what was to come.
"Wh...... why is Komoe-san so happy?"
"Don't ask that kind of trivial question. Although it's an unexpected find, this sensei will still be very satisfied at being able to teach Sister-san. Hehe, I'm not thinking about repaying that debt from being unable to teach how to use chopsticks!"
Komoe-sensei disregarded the fact that Index was an acquaintance, and pulled Index, who was all stiff now, to some place.
Part 4
Kamijou Touma finally got back to where he had been denied access. There was no sign of Index, the 'no access' sign had been removed, and the security guard nee-san wasn't around.
Though Tsuchimikado had said,
"Although finding Lidvia and Oriana is important, it's also important that Index doesn't find out about what's happening in Academy City, Kami-yan. We'll take care of the safety of Academy City and see whether there's any trace of magic, while you'll meet Index regularly to keep her busy. Otherwise, if she finds something fishy with our actions, she'll rush to the centre of this incident."
According to how things were going now, he couldn't do a thing.
(There's no one I can ask regarding Index's whereabouts, and there aren't any clues either. Her zero-yen phone has no power, so it's impossible to contact her...... no way, don't tell me she got lost?)
To Kamijou, who was used to life in Academy City, this didn't seem like anything. But if Stiyl were to know that Index was missing, he'd probably say, "I understand; go die now, " and attack him indiscriminately.
(Hm. Of all these places, where would Index go...... )
Kamijou looked around, suddenly fixating his eyes in front. Opposite the road was a group of students manning many food stores.
"No...... no way? Don't tell me she can't handle her empty stomach and decided to rush all the way over without having any money? If that's the case, a corner may be blown off by the 'rampage of a hungry girl'...... !!"
Kamijou's expression was greenish now. His right hand had the 'Imagine Breaker' ability'. No matter whether it was esper powers, magic or even miracles, he just needed to touch these with his right hand in order to negate them. But facing that girl who bites onto others, he was just a powerless Level 0.
Even so, he had to stop her with this hand of his.
Kamijou decided to walk towards the stalls.
Suddenly, somebody tapped him on the shoulder.
Turning around, Himegami Aisa, who was wearing a short-sleeved shirt and shorts, and Tsuchimikado Maika, who was sitting on a cleaning robot and selling bentos, were staring at him. Himegami was having a conversation with Maika.
"Up till now, you looked like you're about to face a demon king. Why put on a brave warrior look?"
"Why do you look so dead? Are you hungry? Do you need a bento?"
Kamijou, who was intending to head out to battle, was shaken by the duo's smooth voices.
"I say. That's because I left Index, who was hungry, behind, and couldn't find her when I got back. The nearest source of food is at those stalls. I'm thinking whether that girl is creating a riot down there...... !!"
Hearing his tearful complaints, both of them were stunned.
"That nun, I just saw her down there."
Himegami pointed in a direction completely different from where the stalls were.
"Seems like she was pulled aside by that famous miniature-sized teacher in Kamijou Touma's school."
Maika was still sitting on the robot as she tilted her head up, recalling as she said,
"??? She was dragged forcefully...... that's impossible. Komoe-sensei knows Index. What's the deal? Is she going to introduce Academy City to her? Never mind about that. Anyway, thanks girls; I'll find them on my own."
After Kamijou finished speaking and headed towards where Himegami pointed, Tsuchimikado Maika gave a long 'Do your best!!', while Himegami remained silent.
(Hm...... since when did Himegami and Maika became such good friends? Ah, did she get to know Maika when Maika came over during the summer holidays?)
He thought as he walked along the road. The pedestrians on the streets were admiring the wind turbine rotor blades that generated electricity. The scene did give a fresh feeling.
Suddenly, a cat's 'meow' mewing could be heard.
One would know just by hearing the sound—it was the cry of a calico cat.
"Index?"
Kamijou stopped and turned around to the direction where the cry had come from. It was a little park that was surrounded by buildings. The wired fence was a lot taller than usual, and it looked like it was rejecting and oppressing anything within a large radius. It was hard to see anything if one looked in from outside the entrance because the lush foliage of trees blocked the line of sight.
Kamijou thought, it couldn't be helped.
Strictly speaking, it wasn't a park. There was a sign hung on the wired fence, saying 'Property of Tadayama University Botanical Department. ' It was a place where they collected data on plant growth. Even during Daihaseisai, where the security was much tighter, nobody was patrolling around here. Though the place was open to the public, it didn't mean that anyone should go in.
The familiar calico cat stuck its head out. After seeing Kamijou's face, it hid back into the bushes.
(Only the calico cat...... ? No, Index won't let go of that cat so easily. In other words, she's inside? Hm, if they're growing apples inside, maybe Index just went in unknowingly. )
Thinking like this made Kamijou go berserk, and he thought that he should check it out. He carefully avoided the branches blocking his way as he entered.
"Index? Are you there? Shout out if you hear me—"
He continued forward, widening his eyes when he saw what was in front of him.
Index was right in front of him.
But why was she changing?
"................................................................................................"
Kamijou and Index stopped what they were doing.
Komoe-sensei, who was wearing the cheerleader uniform, was facing Index, and her back was facing Kamijou, so she had no idea that he was there.
Kamijou thought — strange.
In his memory, the last time he had seen Index, she was wearing a white nun robe with gold embroidery that was like a teacup. For some reason however, her robes were folded neatly on the floor. Also, why were there similar coloured undergarments stacked on her robes?
And why was she wearing a cheerleader uniform, a white sleeveless vest and a light green short skirt that was similar to what Komoe-sensei was wearing?
However, Index had only gotten an arm halfway in, as the slanted tail of the vest was covering Index's small breasts. The most surprising thing was that Komoe-sensei was at Index's feet, helping her put on a pair of underwear that was used for cheerleading (it should be the same type as those worn with tennis skirts), and Kamijou just so happened to witness all of this.
Index had already pulled her underwear through one leg, and was about to let it through her other leg, as she maintained this posture, not moving at all.
Of course, in this situation, a skirt wouldn't be able to fulfill its usual purpose. Furthermore, the attire of a cheerleader didn't have a 'cover' function.
Let me repeat again, Index's nun robes were folded and stacked neatly on the floor.
There was similar coloured underwear placed on top of it.
Komoe-sensei was helping Index put on some underwear. If her head hadn't been blocking Kamijou's field of vision, he would have seen something that he wouldn't forget easily.
"...... ah...... ah......"
Her facial expression went from shock to 'I'm going to kill that guy. ' Kamijou was absolutely terrified, breaking out in a cold sweat, and was unable to move. Komoe-sensei, who was wearing the cheerleader's uniform, was talking to Index casually, not knowing what was going on.
"I'm so sorry. Only students are allowed in the schools' proper changing rooms. I'm sorry to ask you to change here...... eh, ya!?"
Index wasn't listening at all. The underwear still hanging on her thigh, Index rushed madly onto Kamijou.
"TOUMA!? HOW MANY TIMES HAS IT BEEN!?"
"WAHHH! I'M REALLY SORRY! PLEASE DON'T BITE ME AGAIN!!"
Kamijou twisted his body, wanting to dodge Index's 'bite the head' attack. Index, who had leaped over, pounced onto Kamijou with two hands and stuck tightly onto his body. She was unable to aim at his head however, as her target started to move suddenly.
Chomp! Index's small mouth bit onto Kamijou's face.
"WAA...... !!"
Kamijou could feel the soft texture of her lips, as well as her hard jagged teeth. That warm thing between the two rows of teeth should be her tongue. The breath warmer than Kamijou's body temperature blew onto his face. Feeling Index's saliva, Kamijou couldn't help but tremble.
"...... WA, Index!!"
"......"
Kamijou, whose face was all red now, shouted out, but was unable to hear Index's reply.
Shua!! Index got away from Kamijou in a fast yet silent manner. Normally, Index would be shouting, but this time, she silently kept her head down, her facial expression could not be seen as even her ears were red. He wondered if she was having any special thoughts about biting others subconsciously? She seemed to have taken a huge blow, not even noticing that her attire was untidy.
Kamijou looked at Komoe-sensei. She just placed her two hands on her face, giving a vague "Wa...... aaaaa......" sound, which didn't sound reliable at all.
"It's...... it's not, that, Index-hime? It's alright, this is an accident! An accident! This is unexpected! Please don't be so serious...... eh, WA! Wait a minute, Index, why are you flushed red with anger now? You were shy all over just now! Don't tell me I said something inappropriate!?"
Seeing the cheerleader girl trembling silently, Kamijou took one step back, two steps. Just when he was about to take a third step.
"—Kamijou."
A woman's cold tone pierced through his back.
Kamijou paid attention to Index carefully as he nervously turned around.
Fukiyose Seiri.
Wearing a thin committee jacket over her sports attire, she said,
"I'm here to look for Tsukuyomi-sensei for some administrative work, and came over to check it out because I heard voices...... you're here again?"
She looked at Kamijou together with Index, who was half naked and was trembling slightly, and then at Komoe-sensei, who was flushed red now, then the neatly stacked clothes and underwear, and finally at Index—or more accurately, the underwear hanging on her thigh.
"WHY ARE YOU STANDING AROUND HERE!? YOU SCHOOL REBEL!? GO CHEER FOR EVERYONE!!"
Taking a hard punch that didn't have any powers in it, Kamijou Touma flew out, rolling on the ground.
Part 5
Kamijou Touma, who was covered in bruises and injuries, finally walked out from the park (more accurately, the botany test site). More accurately, he was being dragged out by an angry Fukiyose Seiri, not by his hand, but by his collar. Inside, Index had probably allowed Komoe-sensei to help her change clothes.
"Really. Do you have any intention to make this event a success? I know that as a committee member, I should be the one putting in the most effort, but I'm angry upon seeing people like you act like it has nothing to do with you!"
Fukiyose said this as she pulled out a packet of milk from her jacket pocket. Maybe her anger led to lack of calcium.
From the atmosphere, one could tell that she was not hiding anything when she was saying "I hate Kamijou Touma, " but rather, they were words from the bottom of her heart.
As Kamijou was being grabbed by the collar and dragged around by her, he said,
"Fu...... Fukiyose-san. Wha...... what event is our school participating now...... ?"
"You can't even remember that? It's because your brain lacks nutrition. Oh yeah, right now, the highest priority should be in getting enough sugar intake!"
After saying this, she tossed the empty milk packet into the rubbish bin, and dug through her pockets before finding a bar of sugar that was used for coffee.
"Ugh! To think that it would be ordinary, unprocessed sugar!"
Just when Kamijou was about to sneak away, trembling, Fukiyose locked his head under her left arm, and tucked it under her armpit.
"Your sleepy head better wake up now. Otherwise, do you want some soy isoflavone? Maybe some soy bean pudding?"
"Uuuu! If you offered soy pudding from the beginning, this Kamijou Touma would be especially grateful! There should be some sugar content in it, right?"
Facing Fukiyose, who was about to stuff sugar into Kamijou's mouth, Kamijou's arms and legs started to move about wildly, but was unable to move away due to his head being stuck under her armpit. He continued to resist until he felt something soft touching his right cheek.
It was Fukiyose Seiri's ample breasts.
(WAAAHHHH...... !?)
Kamijou's resistance multiplied by three. Fukiyose didn't seem to realise this, frowning slightly as she held the sugar bar with one hand.
"Wait a sec! Wait a sec! Even if I eat that, my goofiness can't be cured!!"
"...... Don't you feel sad just saying that?"
I'm not sad at all! Kamijou quickly tilted his head sideways, only to feel the elastically of Fukiyose's breasts. His body went stiff immediately.
Fukiyose gave a surprised look, and finally let Kamijou out of the lock.
I'm saved, Kamijou thought as he gasped for air.
Fukiyose then grabbed him by the collar again.
"Right now, our school is participating in the second-year girls tug-of war, and three events on the guys side. Which side do you want to cheer for? I guess you want to go to the girls side, because you're that kind of person!"
"Why are you saying something so vicious? Why are you so cold to me, Fukiyose? Are you promoting internal CoolBiz sports?"
(Note: CoolBiz is a campaign originally launched by the Japanese. It's made up of two parts, 'Cool' means 'cooling' and 'Biz' means 'business'. Workers are encouraged to wear short-sleeved shirts without jackets or ties, and air conditioner temperatures are to be set at 28°C. Right now, Kamijou is mocking Fukiyose for purposely showing such a cold front. )
"Sorry, my defence isn't that thin."
This was exactly like a WarmBiz that was as thick as an iron wall! Kamijou thought. He felt that she wouldn't find it funny anyway, and did not say anything.
(Note: WarmBiz is the opposite of CoolBiz, and that it's done during the winter instead. Air conditioner temperatures are to be set at 20°C, and people are to wear more clothes. Kamijou is mocking Fukiyose's defence for being as thick as those clothes worn during WarmBiz. )
"However, Fukiyose, is there any problems with your committee work?"
"...... Why do you have to worry about this for me?"
"This so-called feeling of helplessness should be like this, I guess...... isn't organising this event very difficult and tiring? Although I'm not sure regarding the details, is it right for me to only bother about my own things?"
A committee member had to do all sorts of various things in Daihaseisai, like preparing a match, refereeing, carry out broadcasts before, during and after the events, taking care of lost children and giving basic road directions. Not only that, they had to take part in the competition as participants. Compared to an ordinary student, their free time was so little it was pitiful.
Fukiyose stared at Kamijou's face.
"It's alright. I've already passed on a message to Tsukuyomi-sensei. And in order to cope with unexpected events, there's a certain amount of free time in my schedule, so there's no worries!"
"Too bad. How about you leave me alone and go shopping with your friends?"
"There are many ways to create memories. They should be able to understand this!"
Fukiyose only realised that what she said was insensitive after saying those words.
Kamijou, whose collar was still being grabbed, said,
"Okay okay...... what you say is correct, but can you please stop pulling me by the collar?"
"Then let's hold hands."
Fukiyose unexpectedly let go of Kamijou's collar, and extended her small hand out. Seemed like she applied some hand cream over her soft hands; it was either the Coenzyme Q10 or some popular health product that was highly recommended.
"Ah? Erm—then if you don't mind."
He hesitated, before holding Fukiyose's hand. He thought that her hand would be cold, but it was unexpectedly warm. Kamijou felt his heart thumping crazily.
Fukiyose glanced at him.
"You're too slow."
"......"
Kamijou, who was lamenting "Why is my heart beating so violently, " was pulled away by the iron wall girl, who was not in the best of spirits.
Part 6
Kamijou was dragged along the street by Fukiyose, who was holding onto his hand.
There were a lot of people there. Maybe it was because it was a place where the subway trains and the automatic buses met. From the train to the bus, from bus route A to bus route B...... just like this, the passengers arrived and then proceeded on.
It was quite a distance from where he had gotten separated from Index. Fukiyose seemed intent on bringing Kamijou back to school to cheer for their schoolmates, but he had to get to work once Tsuchimikado and Stiyl, who were searching for Oriana, contacted him. This was bad, what could he do? Kamijou continued to worry on his own.
"Oi, Kamijou, is Daihaseisai really that boring?"
Fukiyose, who was holding hands with Kamijou, suddenly asked.
What?
Kamijou frowned.
"I've been feeling that you seem absent-minded, it's like something's on your mind."
Kamijou was startled inside.
Fukiyose stared at Kamijou,
"I can't force you to focus entirely on Daihaseisai. I can't stop you if you want out of Daihaseisai."
From the looks of things, it seemed that Fukiyose was purely suspicious about Kamijou's concentration, and not that she found out something about Daihaseisai.
"As an organiser of this event who worked so hard for this day, even if it's just my own stubbornness, I hope that everyone can get some wonderful memories. I'll be happy if everyone can laugh happily...... but you seemed bored today. No matter what, it seems that there are still some shortcomings in my preparations."
"...... Your sense of responsibility is really strong. I'm not feeling bored at all; it's interesting when everything's so hectic."
Kamijou didn't understand for what reason was Fukiyose a member of the Daihaseisai committee. She was not forced by anyone to be one, and since she had volunteered herself, there must be a reason for her to want this event to succeed.
But she didn't know.
She didn't know that there were magicians that wanted to take advantage of her hard work, she didn't know about the secret plot regarding the 'Stab Sword' trade, and she didn't know about the clash of ideas inside and outside Academy City.
I have to work harder, Kamijou thought.
Not just Fukiyose.
The other committee members wanted to make Daihaseisai a success. The students and the visitors from outside would also like to make wonderful memories out of this event.
Because of this, he had to work harder.
Seeing Kamijou's face like this, Fukiyose gave a surprised look as she stared at him.
"...... There is something on your mind."
"Ah? There's nothing! I'm really motivated. Why are you so worried, Fukiyose-san?"
Seeing that Fukiyose looked so down that her glory was all gone, Kamijou panicked and ran in front of her while still holding onto her hand, staring at her face as he said this.
Dong!
He was pushed on the back.
In this busy road, it seemed that someone's shoulder had knocked into him.
Kamijou was knocked forward by this unexpected accident, and because of this, the distance between Kamijou and Fukiyose, who was staring at him, was shrunk in an instant.
The distance between their faces was merely about 30cm.
"GAH...... !!"
"Eh...... !!"
Just when both of them cried out, the distance between the two became zero. Bong! Kamijou and Fukiyose's foreheads gently knocked into each other. Their noses touched each other, and although their lips didn't meet, Kamijou could feel her soft breath blowing onto his lips.
(Wha...... ?)
Kamijou's inadvertently stopped breathing.
"Move away, Kamijou Touma!"
The next moment, BAM! Fukiyose rammed in hard at Kamijou with her head.
"WAH!?"
Kamijou's upper body swung backwards. The hand he was originally holding onto was let loose. He knew that his head was hot. Fukiyose's expression didn't seem to change, but she was becoming more irritated.
"...... To think you'll do this even when people are talking to you seriously. You really can't change your habits."
"No...... it's not that. I'm really thinking seriously about this situation!!"
"Let me say this to you, I won't reconcile with you ever in this lifetime."
"Uuuuu! Why is Fukiyose-san even colder now!!?"
Kamijou cried out. Fukiyose slapped him hard on the back of his head with her hand. If this was an act of rebuttal, it might be a bit too unaffectionate. Just when Kamijou bent down and gently rubbed the back of his head...
Poof!!
This time, his head hit something rather soft.
After he calmly confirmed it, he realised that it was the breasts of a female.
"WOAAAHHHH!!?"
Kamijou frantically moved backwards. What's with this sudden series of events!? Facing Kamijou, who was really scared, the female who had collided with him only said "Aiyaya, " and didn't seem to mind.
Beside Kamijou, Fukiyose gave a low bellow "...... Kamijou, " her tone full of vengeance.
The person who had knocked into him was a female, about 18-19 years old, who was wearing plain working clothes. Her age should be similar to Kanzaki Kaori.
She was taller than Kamijou, and although she was tall for a Japanese, after seeing the eye-catching blonde hair and blue eyes, he couldn't say that this was an accurate guess. Fukiyose was considered to have a rather good body compared to his classmates, but it was lacking in comparison to this lady's beauty. Not only were the curves of her breasts and waist wicked, she was giving an invisible flirtatious sense.
The lady's hair seemed to be either curled or waxed, and it seemed like a lot of effort was put into it. She had separated her hair into many small bundles, and curled them using an electric perm, before she tied them into bundles of three. She also put in quite a bit of detail in other small areas, so this should be a hairstyle which she had spent quite some time creating. Although there weren't any decorations on it, the hair itself looked like a refined gold ornament.
She was most likely a painter, as there was paint all over her uniform. She was holding a 1. 5m by 0. 7m billboard that was covered by a white cloth. The tip of her fingers barely managed to grab the bottom of the board even after she stretched her other arm.
But.
"Wa......"
The one who cried out wasn't Kamijou, but Fukiyose, who was right beside him.
The woman was wearing a rather clumsy looking work uniform, but her clothes were wide open. It was not that she didn't button up the second button, but rather, 'beside the second button, all the other buttons were unbuttoned. ' The cleavage of her breasts and navel were wide open for all to see. Kamijou felt that it was like she was wearing a swimsuit.
Her pants were rather loose, and it seemed like they were hanging onto her waist. Although Kamijou didn't purposely go behind her to confirm it, it was likely that he would see her butt on the loose side of the pants.
Not only was this get up revealing quite a bit, there was also the danger of her clothes dropping off if she moved in the slightest bit. Unlike the busty security guard nee-san who was dressed up in sports attire, this woman was rather conscious of her wonderful body.
The painter nee-san made a random movement to show her apology with the other hand that was free, and spoke in unexpectedly fluent Japanese.
"Ehyaya. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm not used to so many people around me. Is there any place that's hurting? Ah, here? Is the back of your head still hurting?"
"Uu... Although this isn't the case, your warmth has infected my entire body. I really feel like handing myself over to you......"
Seeing Kamijou complaining like this, Fukiyose closed one eye before smashing a fist into the back of Kamijou's head, causing his head to sink into the breasts of the painter nee-san. That nee-san didn't shriek, as she gently pushed Kamijou's head aside, saying,
"Haiz. Let me see, are you alright? You, cannot, fight, on like this forever. It's rare to have such an activity, so of course you have to make some wonderful memories."
Wah, Kamijou's looked like he was going to cry.
"So magnanimous! So completely different from those girls who bite others and those who give others a punch! I'm about to sink in this warmth!"
"Aiya, to say that you like someone for your own benefit, isn't this a bit too childish?"
Fukiyose gave a 'you idiot' look at Kamijou, while the painter nee-san smiled and nodded at her.
"Ara ara. That Miss over there, I'm sorry about this."
Fukiyose looked surprised, and asked,
"Wh...... why are you apologising to me?"
"Because this onee-san seems to be the main reason why you're so angry, right?"
Hearing this direct adult speech, the girl inadvertently cringed.
Kamijou shouted out, "Watch closely, this is a mature woman; watch and learn, you iron wall girl!"
Fukiyose then gave him an overhead akido throw, slamming him onto the ground.
"Ah, are you alright? If you still can fight, you should be fine, I guess."
Seeing the boy pinned onto the ground and the girl pinning him in front, the painter nee-san said this. She then extended her hand out, requesting a handshake with Kamijou.
"This is an apology for knocking into you. Normally, you Japanese would lower your head to apologise, but we normally do this."
"Ah...... that's how it is?"
"Ara ara. Do I need to give a kiss?"
Poof!! Kamijou did a spit-take.
After trembling for a while, the pure and innocent Kamijou Touma shouted,
"I WANT A KISS!!"
Fukiyose Seiri's fist instantly smashed into Kamijou's solar plexus. The painter nee-san stared at him, who was still shaking his head, laughed, and extended her hand out again.
It'd be great if Index were to have such cultured habits and not bite others. Kamijou used his right fist to shake the painter's hand.
Pacha!!
A wonderful sound was heard, like something fell and broke into pieces.
"Eh?"
The one who made this sound wasn't Kamijou nor the nee-san, but Fukiyose Seiri, who was staring at them. As both sides understood what happened, they didn't make any noise.
Kamijou Touma suddenly remembered the power that his right hand had.
The painter nee-san was trying to confirm if anything was broken.
"Ara ara."
The nee-san tried to force a bitter smile, and failed.
"I should be going back to work. Can I go now?"
She said this, but left before Kamijou and Fukiyose could respond. Though her actions weren't any different, that regal feeling up till now was now lost.
"...... What, she didn't shake hands with me? Why, Kamijou Touma!?"
"Ah? Maybe she doesn't want to be friends with you!?"
When he finally snapped back, his head got smacked again.
Deep inside, Fukiyose sighed. She grabbed Kamijou's hand, wanting to pull him away. At this moment, her handphone suddenly rang. Seemed like she got a call from a committee member, as Fukiyose started to speak in a formal tone. Hearing her speak so softly, it seemed like something cropped up. Fukiyose stared at Kamijou's face, then turned to her watch, before saying, "Don't be late for the 'Bread Eating Race'!" She left behind this typical committee member sentence, leaving with her handphone still in her hand. Kamijou looked at her back, and thought as he touched his face that had been punched hard with one hand.
The thing he just broke, was it 'magic' or 'esper power'?
| ← Ch. 066 | Ch. 068 → |