Before I realized, we had arrived at Class C. …It was already over 10 minutes past the start of class.
She smilingly opened the door, and gazes collectively stabbed at us.
A bit surprised by the looks like what’re you bastards doing coming late, but my face probably looks the same since I’m expressionless, I figured indifferently. The inconvenience of being expressionless.
“Now then, though late, let’s start class. Amamori, take your seat.”
“Yes…”
Obediently replying, I sat as she opened the textbook.
5th period today was math. I was scared I’d have PTSD of her giving me incomprehensible questions like before, but if that happened, Asahina or someone would probably help me again.
That’s what I was thinking—when at that moment.
“Teacher, I have a question, if I may?”
The one who spoke sharply was my neighbor, Asahina Kasumi. Raising her hand primly in picture-perfect posture, seeing her, Ms. Sakaki’s smile deepened and she nodded.
“Ah, I was the one who was late. If hearing one question settles your discontent, I don’t mind.”
She’s looking down on me no matter what, huh. Is she incapable of kinder wording? As I thought that, Asahina opened her mouth.
“Amamori-kun didn’t make it to class in time just now, but was he penalized for violating school rules?”
The instant I heard those words, I realized.
Asahina had noticed the loophole in the rules. A question asked after noticing… no, confirmation.
Ms. Sakaki had an amused smile and gave a blunt answer to Asahina’s question.
“He ‘didn’t’ receive one. It would be wrong for a teacher who caused the rule violation to then push responsibility onto the student. A truly simple, easy answer, Asahina Kasumi.”
Asahina did not falter at Ms. Sakaki’s words. The flame of unshakable justice still burned in her eyes, and Ms. Sakaki also didn’t drop her smile even while directly receiving that gaze.
The two glared at each other for a few seconds.
Then amidst the painfully deep silence, Asahina struck the heart of the issue.
“So… the teacher’s word takes priority over the rules. In other words, am I correct?”
Murmurs rose in the class.
Asahina’s quick-witted too. Until now her thoughts must have been occupied with Kirido and me but… With this incident, she had finally arrived at that problematic point.
“I-In other words…?”
“What’re you two saying…”
“What do you mean, Asahina-san…?”
The majority of the class was confused, unable to follow the conversation. But looking around the class, some had difficult expressions. They had probably already realized what Asahina was trying to say.
That was probably—
“I’ll ask concisely. No matter how much we follow the rules, if a teacher says ‘expel’, at that point we would be expelled, correct? Is that possible?”
“Obviously, but what of it?”
Not just the question but the answer was also shocking.
For students completely unaware, it was like a bolt from the blue or out of left field. I’m just randomly using words that seem to fit so not sure if they make sense, but anyway, I imagine they were quite surprised.
“W-Wait a sec!”
The first to speak was, as always when saying something Kim*tae-like, Kirido.
“T-That’s messed up! The hell, we get expelled just cause a teacher said so! What’re you thinking, are your heads screwed on wrong!?”
“Oh? Can I take that as disparaging the academy, Kirido? I get the feeling I’d be allowed to discretionarily expel you this time.”
“Kh… Don’t mess with me!”
And Kirido was forcibly silenced by Ms. Sakaki.
Teacher, Kirido has so little time left to live, so go easy on him please.
“Isn’t that… abuse of authority?”
“What are you saying, Asahina? This is a rule officially recognized by the Headmaster himself. It should have been in the student handbook too. That teachers and the academy are absolute.”
“…Even exceeding the school rules?”
“Exactly. Talking to such dimwits is tiring. If you were clever, you would have realized it when I let Amamori skip the first day, Asahina.”
Instigating, instigating. Ms. Sakaki, you’re really riling them up. At this point it’s like a drawn out villain speech, so I smiled wryly inside, while visible anger swelled in the provoked students.
“If they spout this crap, then quit this school—”
“And after quitting, what then?”
Asahina questioned Kirido’s words.
…There might be nothing after.
The rumors of past incidents, and the current state of the academy.
It stops the students’ momentum as the worst possibility.
The students who fell silent with blue faces. Among them, only Asahina kept facing forward.
“I cannot overlook such absurdity.”
“Society is made of absurdity. In the face of that, you can’t overlook it…? When you enter society and face absurdity, will you appeal directly to your boss? Complain to the company president? Honestly, kids are so troubling. If you want to dream, you can cling to your parents.”
Ms. Sakaki’s sneer had somehow turned into ridicule.
“Look, hero of justice. This is reality, a microcosm of modern society.”
What she said was probably logical too.
And what Asahina said was also logical.
Personally I want to ignore stuff like that and just go ‘Aren’t the rules too harsh?’ but when emotions get involved, it won’t go smoothly in a straight line.
“I… understand. So that is the school’s stance, correct?”
“Right. No matter which teacher you ask, you’ll get this kind of answer…. Though there were students in the past who charged ahead when told that and got expelled on the spot.”
A maximum threat from Ms. Sakaki. However, Asahina Kasumi didn’t waver, the flame of justice burning in her eyes.
Her figure was hope itself, a great light for the students.
And to the students, the academy probably looked like ‘an utterly insane evil’.
“….”
Losing interest in the flow of conversation, I turned my gaze out the window.
The spring sunshine was still warm, cherry blossom petals danced in the wind.
It was spring, when everyone is hopeful and looks ahead, yet
All that lingered in the classroom was a sense of despair.
“Now then,”
I muttered, inaudible to anyone.
Taking out my phone without Ms. Sakaki noticing, I sent a message to someone.
☆☆☆
READ THE ORIGINAL TRANSLATION AT GADGETIZEDPANDA.COM
If describing the person Amamori Yuuto in one word—
I pondered for a bit, but the conclusion would be the single word [Liar].
Always clad in lies, spewing them recklessly from my mouth. All the impressions others have of me are mistaken, even I myself no longer know what the real me is.
Even so I strongly assert my views, clearly stating my dislikes.
Troublesome things. Roundabout things. And things that restrict my freedom.
Among those, this time I’ll discuss the waste of time.
The detestable problem right before my eyes I want to cover up.
…This late in the game I’ll state it clearly, it’s about Kirido.
Up to now, I kept observing him. Maybe he’d be useful somehow. Keeping him around might rein in the other classes too. That fool made me ponder all sorts of ways he could be used.
And in conclusion—there were none. Not a single redeeming factor.
In that case, I should promptly end it right?
“Sorry… to call you out to a place like this too.”
I spoke while turning around to the student standing before me.
If I had the power to immediately end him, hypothetically.
I’d surely end him the instant I could confirm his demise. The moment I was certain of his end, I’d finalize it.
…Otherwise it’d just be entertainment.
I don’t feel amusement at kicking others down, I haven’t sunk that low as a person.
Well, being unmoved at driving someone to hell could be said to mean I ‘have’ sunk low in a sense.
Anyway, it’s about time I made my move too.
The teacher’s twisting of the rules. Kirido’s incomprehensible conduct. The embodiment of justice, Asahina Kasumi.
Plus, there were still two others in other classes who avoided rule violations.
When they stood in Class C’s way as enemies, we’d have no leeway to worry about internal discord.
In other words, what I want to say is—
“Eliminate Kirido. Lend a hand, Kurashiki.”
I told the girl before me that.
“…………Huh?”
After a long silence, she let out a surprised voice.
Her eyes were opened wide as if seeing something unbelievable, and her mouth repeatedly opened and closed.
After school. I’d messaged Kurashiki and called her out to an unused classroom.
Of course, no beating around the bush as usual. I got straight to the main issue.
“W-What are you suddenly saying…”
“That’s enough of the pointless acting.”
I cut in sharply, and her face tensed just slightly, by a hair’s breadth.
Kurashiki Hotaru. The class representative. A bright, energetic moodmaker.
She prioritizes others over herself, scattering kindness without discrimination. Yet she was fairer than anyone, taking the lead in speaking to teachers; she was truly suited to be the ‘class representative’.
Of course I’d been saved by that kindness too, and her always nursing me when I got punched repeatedly did seem the conduct of a wonderful virtuous person.
However.
“Your ‘perfection’ is slightly too much. To me it reeks of lies.”
At my words, Kurashiki’s shoulders jerked.
The first time I noticed her existence was when I peeked into the classroom.
The class rep-like one. A model honor student… My first impression was like that.
It changed to clear interest when I divulged my esper power.
At that time, there were only five I could confirm who didn’t laugh after hearing my power.
One was Asahina Kasumi.
The second and third were male students who, same as me, kept straight faces.
The fourth was a female student who had been vigilantly eyeing me the whole time.
And the last one was—
“Why didn’t you laugh at my power?”
Yes, this person, ‘Kurashiki Hotaru’.
As if thinking up an excuse, she opened her mouth with the perfect smiling mask.
But sorry. I don’t plan to continue some tedious Q&A.
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