ch41-ch60 · 054-ch46

Chapter 46

Hexaria being promoted to S-Class adventurer was unofficially decided.

Apparently it was based on her achievements in lecturing on magical power and her Shinjuku Tower conquest pace, but to most of the public, it was the kind of news you'd hear on the daily bulletin — something like "well, she's a High Elf, so of course" — and didn't particularly become a hot topic.

It was like hearing that a celebrity had been awarded the Medal of Purple Ribbon.

As a result, the people surrounding Hexaria were paying no attention to that news and were busy adventuring.

And so, Hiyori's joyful voice echoed through Shinjuku Tower's floor twelve.

"Aha ha! This is fuuun!"

It was a cheerful voice, but unfortunately, she was saying it while slicing through monsters, making for a gruesome scene.

Today was the day Hiyori and Mio were conquering Shinjuku Tower for the first time in a month.

Demon extermination had apparently been sparse lately, and the pre-enrollment assignments for university were apparently quite the ordeal, so Hiyori's frustration had built up.

As Hiyori frolicked like that, Mio was focused on something.

"...I think it's two one-horned apes from the left deeper in! They're coming this way!"

What appeared were two monkey-type monsters called one-horned apes.

And also a balloon specter — a ghost that floated like a balloon.

"So that's why the wind movement was strange..."

Mio had been trying to sense monster movements by concentrating all five senses.

But she hadn't been able to read the wind currents, so she apparently didn't notice the presence of the flying monster.

"Close one."

Watching over Hiyori and Mio from behind was their teacher, Sai.

Lately there'd been the Hexaria matter, and Hiyori and Mio had also had trouble (?) with their pre-university enrollment assignments, so he hadn't had a chance to teach them.

As a result, it had been over a month since he'd last given them direct instruction.

Mio's presence detection through five-senses concentration was still rough, but the fact that she could do it at all was wonderful. Direct instruction had been a long time coming, and there'd been the pre-enrollment issue, but they hadn't neglected their daily training.

They must have continued their magical control training in everyday life and honed their five-senses concentration as well.

Sai was pleased to see their growth.

They were talented girls, so they were sure to grow even stronger from here on.

Right now, they were fighting the one-horned apes and balloon specter, but their movements were stable and showed no signs of danger.

"Ah, two or three steps ahead — a pressure trap! Back up a bit."

Furthermore, Hiyori managed to notice a trap even during battle through five-senses concentration.

They really showed no signs of danger.

A few minutes later, both one-horned apes and the balloon specter were defeated.

"Nice. A stable fight throughout — it was reassuring to watch."

In a short period, Hiyori and Mio had shown astonishing growth.

There was less and less that Sai could teach them.

The two of them were happy to be praised by Sai.

"Heheh. Thanks, Sensei!"

"Our hard work paid off."

"If you can add stamina to this, you'd be perfect!"

Currently, the two of them could only fight for a short time while maintaining five-senses concentration.

That was unavoidable after only about half a year of magical control training — in fact, it could be said they were doing remarkably well.

"We'll look forward to that in the future!"

"That's right. Let's take a break until more monsters appear."

"Oh, speaking of breaks, I have a proposal!"

"What is it?"

Hiyori raised her hand with an oddly crisp gesture.

"Sensei, we want to go on a graduation trip!"

"Hm, sounds good."

Sai had lived a life with no connection to such things, so he didn't really understand what a "graduation trip" entailed, but he thought a trip to commemorate a milestone was a good thing.

"So, Sensei, would you come with us if possible?"

"Huh, me too?"

He hadn't expected to be invited.

"That's right! Why don't we invite Hexaria-san too and make it a hot springs trip for four!"

"...Is it really okay for an old man like me to come along?"

A forty-something man joining a trip organized by high school girls felt wrong somehow.

It could be a potential incident.

"Me and Mio-chan want Sensei to come! So it's fine!"

"We'd be happy to have you along as a guardian. Is that no good?"

"When you put it that way... alright. I'll ask Saria too, and we'll figure out the schedule."

He decided to think of it as being a guardian or a chaperone teacher.

"Hiyori, we did it."

"Yay, we did it, Mio-chan."

The two of them clapped hands together.

It seemed they were really happy about it.

"Man, I was wondering when to ask. You and Hexaria-san are both busy with one thing or another."

"I thought there was a higher chance we'd be refused."

Sai felt a faint sense of brightness at the girls saying they'd be happier with an old man like him around.

◇

The day's adventure ended, and the two headed home.

They were excited about their results today.

Not the drops they got from the dungeon, but the fact that they'd managed to invite Sai and Hexaria to a hot springs trip.

"Man, I'm so glad Sensei said yes!"

"Hehe, I'm looking forward to it."

"And he said he'd bring Hexaria-san too! Hehehe, a beautiful older woman's boobs, butt, thighs... isn't that great!"

"Is that... are you asking me to agree with you?"

While it was surprising that Hiyori had those kinds of interests — but just as men admire masculine physiques, women admire feminine ones too.

"Mio-chan, aren't you curious how she builds that body?"

"Hmm, that is true."

She was probably about 175 centimeters tall.

With large melons and a tight, toned stomach. And just the right curve.

Hiyori and Mio were often called beautiful or cute, but even they couldn't imagine matching up to her.

They sometimes chatted at Sai's house, and occasionally Hexaria's charm nearly made their heads spin. The two of them held that much admiration for Hexaria.

"But it'd be a problem if she said it was thanks to other-world cosmetics."

"That's the thing. I hope we can get some hints..."

"...If we become beautiful, I'm sure Sensei will be happy too."

Mio snorted proudly.

"Oh my, Mio-chan really is..."

Hiyori was already aware that Mio had feelings for their teacher, Sai.

Hiyori wanted to support her romantic endeavors, but having a crush on a married man wasn't ideal.

And in this case, it would mean opposing Hexaria. That was scary.

But putting that aside, just as she was about to tease Mio...

Mio gave an unusual answer.

"Hmm... I'm actually conflicted about that."

"Oh? Conflicted how?"

"I wonder what kind of liking this feeling of mine really is..."

It seemed to be a more serious dilemma than expected.

Hiyori was also uncertain about how to answer.

She had some interest in romance, but Hiyori too didn't have much romantic experience.

It was a side effect of a life spent unable to indulge in romance due to her family's exorcist business.

Just as she was wondering how to answer...

A voice called out from behind.

"KAKAKA! What's there to be conflicted about! Just confess your feelings, I say!"

It was so sudden.

They hadn't sensed any presence at all — the sudden appearance startled them.

Not being able to sense the presence was a problem, but more than that, this voice was bad.

Because the two of them remembered that voice.

It was the voice of Sōya, the tengu Majin they'd fought in the Shinjuku Demon Frontline.

They immediately turned around and entered combat stance.

"I didn't think you'd recover and show up within three months... huh?"

"Huh...?"

And then, they were stunned by the tengu's appearance.

"Been a while, hasn't it! Ichijō Hiyori! Kuri Mio!"

There stood a small crow.

Its feathers were silver, marking it as an abnormal crow, but its appearance was nothing like the Majin "Sōya" they'd fought before.

"KAKAKA! I have no intention of fighting!"

"Could it be... something like a shikigami?"

"KAKAKA! You cut my head off, and my power diminished greatly on top of that, plus I've only just returned to the present world! I've only got as much power as an ordinary crow now!"

Ordinary crows don't talk.

But this wasn't the time to say that.

Even from Hiyori's perspective, it felt like a being from Kakuriyo, but it had almost no power as a demon. Even lesser demonic ogres had more magical power than this.

It had become that fragile.

"I beseech you! Forgive me, but I wish to request an audience with your teacher!"

Saying this, the silver crow pleaded.

Hiyori and Mio sensed trouble brewing.

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Thank you for reading.