Chapter

chapter4 · 069-ep69

Episode 69: From the Second-Floor Window

After the aptitude test ended.

At Rio-senpai's suggestion, the four of us went straight out to eat.

The place was an ordinary Japanese restaurant a little way from the station. Nothing about it looked unusual from outside.

...From outside.

"...Isn't this room a little too private?"

I couldn't help saying it as I looked around the room we'd been shown into.

A single large table stood in a room more than spacious enough for four people.

It even had a proper door. Once that was shut, I could barely hear anyone outside.

I knew we were going to a place with private rooms.

I did, but I'd imagined something more like a partition between our table and the next.

Wasn't it quieter in here than my own room?

"It's fine, isn't it?"

Rio-senpai, sitting across from me, opened his menu without looking bothered in the slightest.

"We've got things we shouldn't let other people overhear, right?"

"Well, that's true."

"And everyone's here today. I'm sure we've all got things we want to ask each other."

"Ahh..."

He had a point.

I had questions for Rio-senpai too.

During today's test.

The rest of us had struggled against the instructors, but this guy had been on a whole different level.

I'd known he was strong, but today he'd been pushing an instructor back.

He couldn't be doing that without many Achievements or a Unique Job, could he?

And it wasn't just Rio-senpai.

Had Mibu and Nanami-san already known about Unique Jobs?

Had they perhaps even evolved themselves?

With just the four of us here, there was plenty I wanted to ask.

"What are you having, Ren-kun?"

"Oh, I'll have this."

"That was fast."

"I'm starving."

Of course I was after moving around that much.

First Saeki-san, then Kujō-san.

I'd lost track of how many times I'd enchanted myself, and I'd even used battle armor at the end.

As soon as the test was over and I relaxed, hunger had hit me all at once.

We each ordered, and our drinks arrived first.

"Okay, then, first things first."

Rio-senpai raised his glass.

"Good work, everyone!"

"Good work."

The four of us lightly clinked glasses.

He'd called it a victory celebration, but we hadn't received our official results yet.

Well, they'd said most of us were suitable. I'd just think of it as a post-test get-together for now.

I'd barely taken a sip when Rio-senpai set down his glass.

"So, what should we talk about first?"

I'd been waiting for that.

Then the first thing I'd ask—

"...Huh?"

I looked up.

Why were all three of them looking at me?

"There's a lot, but maybe we should start with Ren-kun?"

Even Nanami-san was looking straight at me.

"Why?"

"Why..."

Nanami-san glanced at Mibu.

"I think we should start with Himura-kun too."

"Me too!"

"Come on, you've already decided without me."

Three against one.

I hadn't even had a chance to call a vote.

I've got questions too, you know?

And Rio-senpai had definitely been the weirdest one today, if you asked me.

"So, Ren-kun."

"Yes..."

"You're an Enchanter, right?"

"I am."

"How can you fight so far up front?"

"Huh?"

"You were fighting Kujō-san in close quarters. You'd changed a lot since we sparred before, but what you did today was on another level, wasn't it?"

His definition of 'fighting' was a little suspect.

I hadn't felt like I'd been keeping up with Kujō-san at all.

I'd been doing all I could just to dodge toward the end.

"I was wondering too," Nanami-san said.

"And weren't you a bit too fast for someone under an Agility buff?"

"You could tell?"

"Yeah. Especially since I'm an Enchanter too. I can't imagine the Agility enchant I know making someone that fast on its own."

Well, yeah.

It hadn't been just one ordinary Agility enchant.

If they were asking this much, maybe it was time to tell them.

"Actually, I evolved into a Unique Job."

"Huh?"

Nanami-san's eyes widened.

Mibu moved her eyebrows just a little.

Only Rio-senpai looked like he'd vaguely expected it.

"I knew it."

"You noticed?"

"Sort of."

"What's the Job called?" Mibu asked.

"Battle-Armored Enchanter."

"Battle-Armored Enchanter..."

"I evolved yesterday."

"Yesterday!?"

Nanami-san's voice rose a little.

Good thing we had a private room.

"So today was your first time using it?"

"It was my first time using it in a fight. I did test it at home yesterday."

"Ren-kun..."

Ah.

I hadn't seen that look in a while.

The one Nanami-san got whenever I did something a little strange.

"But I made sure to test it."

"You tested an ability once at home and used it against Kujō-san the next day?"

"...When you put it that way, I guess it does sound bad."

But it was a test.

And they were the ones who told me to use what I had. Surely I hadn't done anything wrong this time... probably.

"So what's this battle armor do?" Rio-senpai asked.

"Basically, it lets me fix the enchants on myself in place. They won't fade with time, and I don't spend MP maintaining them."

"Whoa. Isn't that strong?"

"It's strong—or, well, handy. But I can't switch to a different enchant or add a new one partway through. If I cancel the form, all the fixed enchants disappear."

"Ahh, I see."

Rio-senpai nodded.

"But would that alone make you that fast?" Nanami-san asked.

"There's another thing involved."

"Another thing?"

"I've got a passive Skill called Enchant Echo."

Apparently none of the three had heard of it.

"When I switch Ability Grants or reapply the same enchant, the previous one lingers for a little while."

"There's a Skill like that?"

"I got it as an Achievement reward."

Nanami-san thought for a moment.

"So you used an Agility enchant, then used Agility again while the first one was still lingering?"

"Yes. I stacked three of them before fixing them with battle armor."

"Ahh... that's why."

The pieces had finally clicked for her.

"I can see how that'd make you so fast."

"That's how I did it."

"Then what about the last thing?"

Mibu was next to ask.

"The last thing?"

"When you made Kujō-san's arms disappear."

"Ahh..."

So we'd reached that part after all.

"That's a little different."

"It is?"

"I don't fully understand it myself yet, so I'll tell you when I know a bit more."

That wasn't a lie.

This time, I'd only tried it because I could see the flow of Magic.

I didn't know whether I could use it on just anything.

Mibu studied me for a moment, then didn't ask anything else.

"All right."

Rio-senpai and Nanami-san looked curious too, but they didn't push me.

Thank goodness.

"Okay, that's enough about me."

"You ended that pretty abruptly."

"I've done all the talking so far. It's everyone else's turn now."

Surely they hadn't booked this room just for a one-man presentation of my abilities.

"Did you all know about Unique Jobs?"

"I only found out today," Nanami-san answered.

"I recently learned there were Job-Exclusive Achievements, but I didn't know they could lead to an evolution into a Unique Job."

"Oh, you didn't know that far ahead?"

"No. So hearing you'd already evolved honestly surprised me."

Since we were both Enchanters, I'd assumed Nanami-san had naturally progressed about as far as me.

But Achievement progress varied completely from person to person.

"What about you, Mibu?"

"I knew."

"Thought so."

"But I haven't evolved yet."

"You haven't?"

"Soon, though."

"Soon?"

"One more."

"You're incredibly close."

"Mm."

As matter-of-fact as ever.

If she had just one left, she really could evolve at any time.

"Well, tell me when you do."

"Eh, no."

"Why not!?"

"It's personal information."

"If you put it like that, I can't argue... Wait, I just told you mine!"

"...Better luck next time."

After that little exchange with Mibu, our gazes turned toward Rio-senpai.

Who'd already started eating the food that had just arrived.

"...What?"

"Don't 'what' me."

"Me?"

"You've already evolved, right, Rio-senpai?"

"Yep."

"I knew it!"

An instant answer.

Good.

Well, I didn't know what was good about it.

But it was much more reassuring than hearing that today's performance was just a normal Swordsman.

"Why do you look so happy?"

"If you'd said that was a normal Swordsman today, I was about to lose confidence in myself."

"Ahaha! What's that about?"

It wasn't funny.

I'd lost to Saeki-san, then taken a thorough beating from Kujō-san.

Of course I'd suspect something was up with a Swordsman pushing an instructor back right next to me.

"When did you evolve?"

"A little while ago."

"What Job did you get?"

"Sword Saint."

"Sword Saint..."

Even the name sounded strong.

From what he told me, it was a pretty straightforward Job. While he used a sword, his physical abilities and Swordsman-type Skills were greatly enhanced.

In other words, Rio-senpai fought with one sword just as he always had, except now he was even stronger.

...No.

That was ridiculously strong.

Now I understood why he'd overwhelmed the instructor.

"But you're the strongest of the four of us, aren't you, Rio-senpai?"

"If we're just talking about fighting, probably?"

"Why does that sound like a question?"

From what I'd seen today, he clearly was.

"Iroha-chan's strong too, you know."

"I don't think I could beat Fujigaya-san."

"You never know until you try!"

"I know."

"You answered so fast!"

Mibu said it flatly as ever, and Rio-senpai laughed.

"It's hard to compare Nanami-san, isn't it?"

"Yeah. My Job isn't meant for fighting alone."

"Your test was different today too."

"I was grateful for that. If they'd told me to trade punches with Kujō-san like you, Ren-kun, I think I'd have gone home."

"I wish they'd done that for me too."

Seriously.

Someone could've told me beforehand that there was a separate test for support Jobs.

...No.

I'd become fixated on hitting Kujō-san of my own accord. I couldn't really start acting like a support worker now.

As we talked, more dishes arrived.

After that, it wasn't just tests and abilities we discussed.

Rio-senpai said we should all go to a Gate again once we got our certifications, and Nanami-san reminded him, "Let's wait for the official results first."

Then Rio-senpai tried to get a bite of Mibu's dessert, and she flatly refused.

"Come on, just one bite."

"No."

"I haven't even put a spoon in it yet."

"Doesn't matter."

"You're so stingy, Iroha-chan!"

"Order your own."

Those two really were close.

I kept that to myself. Mibu would probably be the only one to deny it if I said anything.

Nanami-san and I also talked a little about training together again.

We didn't settle on a date, but we agreed to do it soon.

I wasn't going to forget that.

Absolutely not.

Before I knew it, quite a bit of time had passed.

Outside the restaurant, we each headed home.

"See you!"

"Thank you for today."

"See you, Ren-kun."

"See you at school."

After parting with the three of them, I went home too.

I took a bath and returned to my room.

"Phew..."

I could finally relax.

So much had happened today.

I'd fought Saeki-san, then Kujō-san.

I'd shown them battle armor and ended up using Stagnation.

Then dinner for four.

I was honestly tired.

I sat down on my bed and picked up my phone.

I still had to tell Mom and Dad about this whole thing.

The government would explain it to them properly, but I needed to let them know the subject was coming up first.

A job responding to Awakener crimes.

National certification.

Five hundred thousand yen a month.

...Could I start with the last one?

No, probably not.

They'd definitely ask, 'What job is this in the first place?'

I was staring at my phone, thinking about that, when—

Knock, knock.

"Hm?"

I heard something.

Not at the door.

That had sounded closer.

Knock, knock.

There it was again.

This time I knew where it came from.

The window.

"...The window?"

No, hold on.

This was the second floor.

Had the wind blown something against it?

But that definitely sounded like knocking.

I got up from the bed and walked toward the window.

Once more.

Knock, knock.

Yep.

Someone was knocking.

Why?

I hesitated a moment, then reached for the curtains.

There was no way anyone could show up at a second-floor window.

With that thought, I opened them.

"...Huh?"

Someone was there.

Not just one person, either.

A boy and a girl.

Both were obviously younger than me. They looked about middle-school age.

And the two of them were looking in at me from outside my second-floor window, smiling and waving like it was nothing.

...

What the hell was going on?

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Hello, everyone. Kogaryu here!

I'm about at the end of my patience with the support comments, so I think it's time to consider what to do.

As for criticism of the characters, I tried to give it every possible benefit of the doubt, treat it as analysis, and bear with it. But yesterday's criticism of the title made something snap, lol.

I'm well aware that the title is misleading. I hadn't originally planned for the story to develop like this. The characters started moving on their own, and the title drifted away from the story as a result, I guess. Sure, you could say I should change the title in that case, lol.

There's also the fact that this is a contest entry, so I thought it would be safer to leave the title as it is.

...But I've gotten sidetracked. The support comments. Lately they've been less 'support comments' and more a lawless wasteland of comments, so if things get any worse, I'm thinking of turning comments off. And if they're too chaotic, or I get one of those odd comments, I'll delete them immediately as I've been doing.

That said, I think the support comments have helped make this story fun up to now. If that can't keep working, I've even considered ending it with Chapter Four and writing something new. Personally, I have a rough plan through the ending (maybe around another hundred episodes at the very shortest?), and I'd like to write it all. But if this keeps up, my mental health won't last, haha.

So, that's where things stand!

Basically, I wanted to let you know that if something makes me snap again, I'll probably turn off comments or end the series at the close of this chapter!