However, Kouki firmly believed that he was in the right and got worked up on saving his childhood friend and the unhappy girls from Hajime which made him unable to notice the surrounding atmosphere. To begin with, the strong conviction that made him doing such a reckless thing was the “envy” he that he felt for the first time, and he was completely out of control.
Without hearing Hajime’s approval, Kouki dashed out. Sighing, Hajime took two, three steps back. Seeing that, Kouki thought Hajime was frightened from fighting without a weapon and put more power into his dash. Just several steps before his fist reached Hajime, Hajime lowered his hands, not reacting to anything in particular. Kouki thought Hajime couldn’t react to him and was convinced of his victory.
At that moment,
THUUUMP!
“Kh!?”
Kouki disappeared.
More accurately, at the moment he put maximum power to his last step to put more power into his fist, he fell. He fell into a pitfall. At the beginning, the reason Hajime moved back two, three steps was to create transmutation magic array using his shoes to create a hole with a four meter depth under the surface.
The pitfall was immediately returned into stone pavement after it swallowed Kouki. Next, explosions could be heard from under the surface. At the moment Hajime transmuted the pitfall, he used that opportunity to transfer flash grenade, shock grenade, paralyze grenade, and tear grenade from “Treasure Box” into the hole.
While he was underground, the impact from explosions attacked Kouki who tried to escape, then his vision went dark with the flash, his eyes and nose flooded from the tear grenade, and lastly his body was in agony and stiffening because of the paralysis.
Hajime silently used transmutation again and hardened the ground around Kouki as hard as the two-tailed wolf. And now, because he’d likely to die due to being deprived of fresh air, he created a small hole for ventilation.
During that time, to the onlookers, it looked like Hajime didn’t do anything but stood only to take Kouki’s resentment, and then Kouki rushed forward, alone which ended with him disappearing down the hole alone; it made him looked terribly… silly.
“Ah~, Yaegashi. He is still alive, so dig him out later.”
“… I have a lot of things I want to ask… but, roger that.”
Leave the troublesome Kouki to Yaegashi Shizuku!, it was a tacit understanding since the time they were in Japan. Hajime pushing the troublesome thing onto her made Shizuku leak a sigh while covering one of her eyes. Finally, the nuisance was gone.
… Was what he thought, but this time Hiyama’s gang made a commotion. As for the reason, the hole left by Kaori was just too great. There was also the previous incident with the demon race woman, and they’d likely to die in the future if Kaori left them. That’s why they repeatedly tried to persuade Kaori to remain with them. Especially Hiyama, he intensely objected. His appearance… was in a panic, as though the thing he desired for so long which was about to come into his possession was disappearing.
Hiyama’s gang of four realized it was difficult to persuade or change Kaori’s decision, and this time they began to persuade Hajime to remain with them. We apologize about the past, so let’s get along from now on, such and so forth was said unabashedly.
They didn’t actually mean what they said, but they made friendly smiles as they snuck peeks at Hajime’s mood, but not only Hajime, but Shizuku and the others were also disgusted by them. Within that situation, Hajime, for the first time looked at Hiyama’s eyes from a close distance since their reunion. Inside those eyes, maybe due to the effect of Kaori leaving, Hajime could see madness.
Shizuku and the others admonished Hiyama’s gang and once again it turned into a commotion, but because there was such an opportunity, Hajime decided to talk to Hiyama to confirm the truth about that day and to resolve the current situation.
“Naa, Hiyama. Has your fire magic skill increased?”
“…Eh?”
The sudden question made Hiyama dumbfounded. However, his complexion gradually turned pale as he noticed the meaning behind it.
“Wh-What are you saying. I am the vanguard… and my element with the highest aptitude is Wind.”
“Hee, I thought you were surely had a fire element.”
“A-Aren’t you mistaken? Just what are you trying to say all of a sudden…”
“Then, you must have liked fire element magic. Especially something like fireball. I wonder if you would unintentionally use it?”
“…”
Now, the color of Hiyama’s face had changed from blue to white. Seeing that reaction, Hajime was convinced. Next, Hajime guessed his motive from his panicked attitude from Kaori separating from them. Well,as for why Hajime hadn’t attacked Hiyama up till now was because he was sneaking looks at Kaori.
Hajime himself, currently, had not even a shred of feeling burning with revenge. Though he’d be merciless if one was hostile to him, he planned to leave Hiyama as he was. If he retaliated here, it would be troublesome as there was no value in being burdened by a dispute against Kouki’s party just because of Hiyama. For Hajime, the existences of Hiyama and his gang were truly worthless just like the pebbles by the roadside.
Hajime moved away from the silent Hiyama and mercilessly informed Hiyama’s gang, with Kondou and the others included.
“There’s no need for you to apologize as I don’t mind the past. For me, you guys are worthless. Thus I don’t want to know what you are going to say. If you understand, scram now! You’re so irritating!”
Although Kondou and the others were angered by Hajime’s words, “Hiyamaaa. You should understand, right?,” Hajime said so with full smile, and then Hiyama’s body shook and he silently nodded, followed by him telling Kondou and the others to stop. Hiyama once again came to know that Hajime had noticed something about him, including what Hajime didn’t express, and he matched him.
Kondou and the others were dubious due at the sudden change in Hiyama’s attitude, but Hiyama’s abnormal attitude, as if he was killing his emotions, made them reluctantly give up on persuading Hajime.
Finally, truly finally, the nuisances who disturbed the departure of Hajime’s party had gone. Kaori went back to the inn to get her luggage (Hajime used his “Pressure” to stop Hiyama’s gang from following her). Leering at Ryuutarou and the others trying to dig Kouki up, Hajime now was talking with Shizuku.
“What can I say… I am sorry for everything. Also, let me thank you again. Thank you, for saving us, for surviving, and for coming here to meet with Kaori…”
Shizuku, who apologized about the trouble and thanked him for rescuing them and returning to Kaori, made Hajime laugh, inadvertently. Shizuku showed a dubious expression due to Hajime sudden burst of laughter. Her gaze was asking, “What is it?”
“No, sorry. What can I say, I thought you are worldly-wise as usual, so I inadvertently laughed. Even while we were in Japan, you were the one who quietly did the apologizing and thanking. It’s still the same, even in this different world… but keep it in moderation or your wrinkle will increase, you know?”
“… You’ve been a big help. Also, you have considerably changed. To have that many girls to wait upon you, along with a daughter… I couldn’t imagine this from you while we were still in Japan…”
“I only love one person though…”
“… I don’t have the obligation to say anything and I also understand that it is not my place to say it… but at least I want you to take care of Kaori. I implore you.”
“…”
Hajime didn’t answer. More than that he didn’t want to answer Kaori’s feelings, honestly, he never thought of letting her come along. But in the end, he let Yue have her way… but he wondered why the woman he fell for permitted one woman after another… Why did it come to this?, Hajime was looking into the far distance as he thought that he was spoiling Yue too much.
Towards Hajime, whose attitude said he didn’t hear anything, Shizuku’s spirit as a best friend raised a growl.
“… If you don’t take care of her… it’ll become serious matter.”
” ? Serious matter? What do you…”
“Have you heard “White-haired, eye-patched Punisher”?”
“…What?”
“Or maybe, written as “Round of Destruction” and read as “Outbreak,” how about it?”
“Wait a sec, you, just what are you…”
“There are also others such as “Jet-black Tyrant” or “Transmutation Master of Red Thunder,” you know?”
“Y-Yo-You, don’t tell me…”
Shizuku suddenly began to enumerate unknown names, which made Hajime look dubious at the beginning. But, noticing Shizuku joyfully looking at Hajime from head to toe, he turned pale as he understood what she meant.
“Fufufu, right now I am a “God’s Apostle” and a member of the Hero’s party. What I said will surely spread. It is equal to the network of neighboring housewives. Well then, Nagumo-kun, what kind of nickname do you want… I will make one that fairly describes your appearance and grandly make it known, okay?”
“Wait, just, wait! Why, how did you know such a damaging thing!?”
“It is because I studied about it with Kaori. That girl wanted to talk with Nagumo-kun, so she studied otaku culture like manga and anime so they could become a topic of conversation. I went along with her every time… that’s why I’ve gathered quite the knowledge about it. Certainly, people like the current Nagumo-kun are called “chuuni…””
“Stoop-! Please stop that”
“O-Oh my, it is more effective than what I imagined… looks like you are aware of it yourself.”
“Th-This devil…”
Hajime had already fallen to his knees. The black history that truly happened in his middle school years was revived. The memory that had been sealed deep inside him, “You rang?” said thus as it peeked out its face.
“Fufu, so, take care of Kaori, okay?”