104 – 104. The Hero was Captured.
Pitter-patter, it was a late autumn morning with rain falling.
Droplets forming at the eaves and shallow ripples on the ground, a damp weather after a long time.
Yet, it wasn’t the muggy monsoon typical of summer but a cool autumn rain, not unpleasant.
At the end of a season growing colder, one might even find joy in the welcome rain.
“Oh, right.”
Kenichi, who was absentmindedly staring at the pouring rain in front of the gate, blinked his eyes and went back inside to grab a long umbrella.
Although by now he had become quite skilled in using magic to avoid getting wet in the rain, he had no intention of becoming a city legend like ‘a boy who doesn’t get wet in the rain!’ on the internet.
Like any other ordinary person, he had to diligently use an umbrella.
Swoosh─
Using an umbrella in the rain wasn’t that inconvenient to begin with.
“…I almost left it behind.”
Yet, Kenichi forgetting about the umbrella wasn’t solely because he was foolish.
During the summer vacation training camp with Shiki, he had briefly forgotten the common sense of using an umbrella to protect himself underwater and under pouring waterfalls.
Back at the Seihei Mansion, the servants used to take care of the umbrellas for him.
Now that he was back at his own home and couldn’t enjoy that luxury, Kenichi belatedly realized he had to take care of his own umbrella.
…Well, he wasn’t chased out of the Seihei Mansion.
He simply returned home as the reason to stay there had vanished.
It had already been a month since he hadn’t even run into Shiki and Sento at the mansion.
“…No, even if I escaped, I should do it, not you. Shiki.”
Diligent disciple (hero) Kenichi was captured.
***
After returning from the school trip to Kyoto, something felt off, but Shiki and Sento continued to attend school diligently.
They ate together as usual, listened to classes from adjacent seats, and went home together.
Until the midterm exams, they lived normally under the same roof of Seihei.
As if it would continue like this in the future.
There was a subtle feeling that their conversations had decreased, but never did Kenichi think that would be a sign.
From Noble mtl dot com
Two top scorers in the exam becoming delinquents who skip school together…
In hindsight, their appearance seemed like that of a couple preparing for a breakup.
Though there was a certain tenderness, Kenichi, as a confirmed bachelor, felt an inexplicable distance, as if they would soon drift apart.
The sense of urgency or anticipation to fight together at the end seemed to have vanished.
It felt like an important link with Ichimaru Shiki had been severed.
In the eyes of Kitagawa Kenichi, who once enjoyed the couple solution program with Shiki, it seemed so.
“…I never thought Shiki would cut off contact with me.”
“Feeling jealous of Ichimaru-kun, perhaps?”
“No way.”
At the absurd remark of his childhood friend Hotaru, the hero solemnly took out a lunchbox from his bag.
“…Hmm.”
The sight of only two lunchboxes, with homemade side dishes and one on the desk, felt oddly awkward, but Kenichi ate without showing any discomfort.
“It might look like the top two students are absent due to lack of attendance.”
“….”
Although Hotaru’s words were meant as a joke, Kenichi couldn’t help but start to worry, furrowing his brow as he chewed on his pickled plums.
…It’s not like I miss Shiki, but it felt empty without someone teasing him, even with the midterm results out, ranking 296th in the whole school.
Without the nightly training, his body felt stiff, and the absence of the boy’s cheerful laughter made his ears too lonely.
‘…No.’
Starting to feel Shiki’s absence, Kenichi shook his head, denying his own feelings.
Being free wasn’t all misery.
With the daily forced training gone, so was that hardship.
In a way, his body felt much more comfortable than before.
However, feeling too comfortable, he voluntarily started self-imposed training, feeling the need to push himself.
Engaging in the same activities as before when he was under Shiki’s guidance made it undoubtedly painful.
Yet, the hero continued training diligently every single day.
It wasn’t just because Kitagawa Kenichi and Majo (a masochistic tendency).
Primarily, he was a devoted hero. (laughs)
Until the damn teacher Shiki returned, Kenichi diligently continued his self-imposed training.
Unlike Sawamura Sento, who was stuck somewhere in the mansion, Ichimaru Shiki had disappeared without a trace, not even receiving any contact.
He simply waited.
“What’s this, Shiki didn’t come again today?”
“No, didn’t come.”
Or the tense atmosphere of Eris Betelgeuse.
“Hey, still no contact with Ichimaru-kun?”
“…Ah, no.”
Even with the occasional visits from Tachibana Sawako, it was impossible to forget his presence.
“Damn it.”
The hero Kitagawa Kenichi kept training, anticipating the day he would punch Shiki in the head.
“Ah-choo!”
“What’s wrong, caught a cold?”
“Well, it’s possible.”
The recent chilly weather made my nose tickle.
I highly doubted anyone would gossip about me, who had lived a virtuous life.
So, I simply nodded, resolving to focus more on my health management.
Meanwhile, Yongyang, transformed into Dragon Mode with transparent magic, glanced at me on his back.
“Shiki, how many are you planning to catch today? We’ve been hunting for days now, soon the seed of the Overlord Yokai will dry up.”
“Oh, come on. Do you really think just because I work hard alone, the seed will dry up?”
“…Just because? Aren’t two transcendents hunting together?”
As she said, we had been drying up the roots of all the Yokai across the Japanese archipelago for days.
Though it was impossible to kill all the evil spirits, we started with the basic ones, like the Mononoke, and stopped at exorcising ancient spirits like the Byakko.
In my absence, we were preemptively removing seeds that could cause the world’s destruction.
Well, even doing this, there was still a high possibility of an incident occurring somewhere.
“hahahaha, Yongyang. It might be better to avoid overestimating oneself, don’t you think?”
“Hmph, I’m not Yongyang. My name is Kiss-shot Acerola Orion Heart-under-Blade! Didn’t I clearly say that?!”
“Yes, yes, Orion. There isn’t much time left. Let’s do our best.”
As the convenient flight shuttle was on strike, I quickly reassured her.
Even though I was a transcendent, it was impractical for me to go around the entire Japanese archipelago on foot.
Or rather, it was just too bothersome.
If I could just ask Yongyang to fly me, there was no need for me to run around.
“Shiki, we’re almost there.”
“Oh, indeed, Orion. It’s a super high-speed flight.”
“hehehe, keep praising me!”
“Truly the Dragon Girl of the utmost excellence!”
“hehehehe!”
Moreover, a few compliments were enough for the usage fee.
It was a mutually satisfying deal, so it couldn’t get any better than this.
With contentment, I looked down at the snowy country spread out beneath the dragon’s back.
The Hokkaido snowfields that I had only heard about were right in front of me.
“Wow.”
Pure white as far as the eye could see.
Smiling at the breathtaking sight, I spurred Yongyang’s back and leaped down to the ground.
With the naked eye, only the beautiful snowfields were visible, but I couldn’t avoid sensing the extreme magic power.
“Open up.”
The moment I grasped the sword in the air.
—Uwooo!!!
A giant emerged from the snowfields.
Walking upright, with two arms and legs resembling human anatomy, but covered in fur from head to toe.
Moreover, it was a creature far larger than an ordinary human, truly deserving to be called a Yeti.
“───Chamgyeok (斬擊), the art of weaponry.”
Of course, it was merely my meal for the moment.
Swish!
***
As Ichimaru Shiki conducted a nationwide exorcism, beneath the Sehei Mansion.
Numerous seals, mind-suppression techniques, and chambers filled with talismans.
Within that space, Sawamura Sento once again delved into his own thoughts, facing the monster before him.
“Who are you?”
A dim, surreal universe.
Among many divine statues, there existed a goblin with five horns on its head.
It was the monster known as the King of Japanese Three Great Monsters, the Goblin King, also called Shuten Doji.
“You should have spoken sooner.”
Shuten Doji, with a sly smile, responded.
“We could become great companions.”
Despite the temptation of the great monster, Sawamura Sento remained steadfast, his expression unwavering.
“No. I am not your companion.”
“Hah, didn’t I say last time it was just an accident? I got excited as it’s been so long since I encountered the world. If you’re uneasy, I can restrain myself.”
“That alone is not enough.”
“Hah, then what exactly do you want? You always claim I fall short.”
Shuten Doji lay down on the floor, sticking out its tongue.
Turning its back as if losing interest up to its spine.
After staring intently at the goblin for a while, Sawamura Sento finally responded.
“Shuten Doji.”
“Oh, have you finally opened up to the idea of being companions?”
“No, become my familiar.”
“…What?”
The Goblin King frowned.