Chapter-11 · EP-183

Episode 183: Hikaru's Report and Request

The student council room was filled with the characteristic quiet of after school.

Kazuma Kujo sat in a chair by the window, reviewing documents. The matters he needed to handle as student council president were always piled high, but today, for some reason, his hand had stopped.

"Kazuma, you've stopped again."

Kenji Yamagata, sitting opposite, pointed out. As vice president, he had worked alongside Kazuma for two years and was one of the few who could speak to him frankly.

"…So what?"

"Nothing, but is it about Hikaru-san again?"

Kazuma didn't answer. Yamagata knew that was answer enough.

"Has Hikaru-san reached her limit?"

At Yamagata's blunt question, Kazuma's expression showed distress. After a moment of silence, he replied.

"It seems she can't make any headway on the third floor. Level 3 might be her growth limit…"

He had heard that Hikaru, due to the limitations of weapon-based attack power, could no longer damage monsters starting from the third floor.

And that she was searching for alternative methods besides the sword.

But according to Kazuma, no matter what weapon she tried, it didn't work.

"The third floor? Isn't that too early? Any student should be able to reach the tenth floor."

Delicate students, especially girls, inevitably suffer from a lack of attack power due to insufficient physical strength. But for any student, the growth limit typically doesn't arrive until after the tenth floor. Hikaru hitting a wall on the third floor was unprecedented.

"She truly has the aptitude of a mage. Yet her skill isn't an offensive magic; it's 'Analysis.' Analysis itself is a very valuable skill, but this is just too unlucky…"

"Yeah."

"You see, Hikaru is amazing. When she was little, she would peek at my textbooks while I was studying and understand things faster than me. So I had to study ahead of her, outside her sight, and play the role of a capable older brother in front of her."

"Yeah, yeah. I've heard that story many times."

Yamagata, having heard Kazuma's sister-pride many times, answered with a hint of exasperation. But Kazuma's enthusiasm didn't cool.

"Do you know what it's like to be an older brother who has to work hard just to earn his little sister's respect? Even though there's a two-year grade difference, if I let my guard down, she'd surpass me?"

"Alright, alright, my bad. I wouldn't know."

Kazuma's passionate speech continued.

"Hikaru, with her abnormally high intelligence, is suited to being a mage. A mage certainly isn't suited to fighting with a sword."

Kazuma had said the same thing many times. That's how much he had been worrying over the same problem.

"Can't you find an offensive magic Skill Orb?"

Yamagata knew that Kazuma had been using the Kujo family's connections to search for an offensive magic Skill Orb. But the fact that Kazuma continued to worry meant that one hadn't been found.

"The Self-Defense Forces, the explorer clans – everywhere just says they'd rather buy it themselves. Even if one is found, we haven't found a connection willing to sell…"

Yamagata had also heard about Hikaru's arranged marriage after graduation. He painfully understood Kazuma's desire to somehow give her an offensive magic skill during these three years she could act as an explorer.

In fact, Yamagata's own family was also searching for an offensive magic Skill Orb. And he, too, had found no leads.

Kazuma put down the documents and shifted his gaze out the window. Beyond the school building, he could see the entrance to the dungeon.

"Hikaru has abilities I don't. The charisma to unite a class in such a short time, overwhelming intelligence – if she could obtain an offensive magic, she could become an overwhelmingly powerful leader."

"Even so, if it can't be obtained, it can't be helped. What about looking for a lightweight, high-attack-power weapon?"

"We're looking for that too, but we haven't found anything better than 'Benikiri' yet."

With that, Kazuma lowered his eyes back to the documents.

Just then, a knock echoed through the student council room.

Yamagata answered.

When he opened the door, he let out a surprised cry.

"Ah!"

"Good afternoon, Yamagata-sama. Is my brother here?"

The moment he heard that voice, Kazuma quickly stood up and walked to the door.

"Hikaru! How unusual. What's up?"

It was Hikaru, the very subject of their earlier conversation.

"Brother, may I have a moment?"

"Of course. Please, sit down."

Kazuma immediately guided her to the sofa in the room. He completely forgot about the work he had been doing and sat across from her.

Yamagata, with an expression of "here we go again," returned to his seat.

"So, what is it? It's rare for you to visit here."

"Yes, actually, I have something to report and a request."

"A request? Of course, anything! I'll do whatever I can."

Kazuma answered happily, pleased that Hikaru was asking something of him.

After fidgeting a bit, looking slightly embarrassed, Hikaru got to the point.

"The truth is, today I obtained a 'Fire Magic' Skill Orb."

"Eh?"

Kazuma and Yamagata, who had been sitting, spoke in unison.

They stared at Hikaru's face, frozen.

"Today, I went exploring in an unexplored area on the first floor with Ichinose-san. And there, I obtained a 'Fire Magic' Skill Orb and a 'Healing Magic' Skill Orb."

"Eh?"

Again, Kazuma and Yamagata spoke in unison.

Then Kazuma hesitantly asked.

"In a single day, you obtained Fire Magic and Healing Magic?"

"Yes, that's right. I found the Fire Magic in a hidden room, and the Healing Magic dropped from a slime. I was amazed something like this could happen…"

Hikaru smiled bashfully.

But Kazuma and Yamagata, having heard this, remained frozen in surprise. Then, slowly, they processed and understood the fact.

"I see… so you obtained them yourself…"

Kazuma's expression changed from surprise to an increasingly joyful smile.

Seeing them, Yamagata also naturally broke into a smile.

"Congratulations, Hikaru!"

"Thank you."

Blessed by her brother, Hikaru was truly overjoyed.

"I'm really glad…"

"So, brother, I have a request."

"What is it? Anything!"

"I want you to teach me how to use Fire Magic. I happened to obtain the same Fire Magic as you, brother, so I thought… I'd like to learn directly from you."

As she spoke, Hikaru looked down, a little shy.

Hearing her request, Kazuma showed the brightest possible smile, stood up, and answered.

"Of course! No time like the present. Yamagata, I'm leaving things to you. Let's go, Hikaru."

"Huh? Right now?"

"Of course. I'll teach you your first magic myself."

Kazuma took Hikaru's hand and led her out of the student council room. Yamagata waved silently in farewell.