Arifureta Shokugyou de Sekai Saikyou (LN) - Volume 9 - Chapter 5

Extra Chapter: Girls’ Talk: Midnight Edition 

A canopy of stars glittered overhead. The night sky was perfectly clear, without a cloud in sight. The only noises were the buzzing of insects and the sound of wind rustling through grass. On such a perfect night, two corpses lay on the ground. 
“Shizushizu, are you alive?” 
“I’m alive...” 
It seemed they weren’t quite corpses. The two figures that resembled squashed frogs were Shizuku and Suzu. They rolled over onto their backs and spreads their legs and arms apart. The cool night air filled their lungs, soothing their feverish bodies. Looking up at the dazzling starry sky, they let out simultaneous sighs. 
“Tomorrow’s the day.” 
“That it is. I’m glad we managed to get used to them in time.” 
Shizuku and Suzu were talking about the upgraded artifacts Hajime had made for them after clearing Haltina’s Labyrinth. They’d spent the day familiarizing themselves with them. While their new artifacts had tons of new abilities and were exponentially more powerful than their old versions, Shizuku and the others needed to practice with them to use them properly. 
Hajime had already brought the party a few hours flight away from the Schnee Snow Fields. Tomorrow they would descend, and there would be no resting until they cleared the final labyrinth, the Frost Caverns. 
Shizuku and Suzu had managed to get accustomed to their artifacts just in time. They were completely drained of mana and drenched in sweat, but the two of them were proud of how far they’d gotten. 
As they were basking in their success, they heard footsteps approaching them. 
“Shizuku-chan, Suzu-chan, well done!” 
That excited voice could only belong to Kaori. Looking over, Shizuku saw that even though Kaori had transferred her soul into the body of Noint, she was still wearing the same loose white pajamas. Behind her stood Yue, Shea, and Tio. They, too, were all in their pajamas. Among them, only Tio was wearing a yukata. Despite the fact that yukatas weren’t supposed to show much skin, somehow Tio’s breasts and thighs were easily visible. Why does she always dress so erotically? Suzu thought idly to herself. 
“Here you go, you two. Wipe that sweat off.” 
“Thank you, Kaori.” 
“Thanks, Kaorin.” 
Shizuku and Suzu gratefully accepted the towels Kaori held out to them and wiped themselves down. Tio looked down at them worriedly and said, “Midnight has passed. Are you sure you two aren’t overworking yourselves?” 
“Yeah, make sure to take care of yourselves, guys. Anyway, do you want a midnight snack? If you don’t eat up after a workout, you won’t get any stronger!” 
Shea held out a tray piled high with fresh bread and warm soup. As Shizuku and Suzu inhaled the scent of the hearty vegetable soup, one of their stomachs growled. 
“Ahaha, you sure sound hungry, Suzu-san.” 
Suzu glared at Shea. 
“How come you assumed it was my stomach that growled, Sheashea? Because it wasn’t me.” 
Everyone’s gazes swiveled to the only other person it could have been. 
“D-Don’t look at me...” Shizuku said weakly. It seemed she was the hungry one. She hurriedly wrapped her ponytail around her face to hide her embarrassment. 
The others smiled at her. 
“Oh yeah, where are Kouki-kun and Ryutarou-kun?” 
Kaori changed the topic in order to spare her best friend any further embarrassment. Thankful, Shizuku undid her ponytail guard. 
“They already went to bed. As usual, Ryutarou practiced so hard he collapsed. And Kouki’s Holy Sword was way more efficient than he thought it would be, so he ran out of mana early.” 
“A-Are they going to be okay?” 
“Yep. In the end, they managed to master their artifacts too. They’ll probably make any final adjustments tomorrow morning before we land.” 
“Oh, that’s good. But what do we do now? There’s enough food for all of you.” 
Kaori had expected two growing boys to eat a lot, so she’d made about seven servings worth of food. 
“Why don’t we all eat together then? We can have a girls-only midnight snack party. That sounds like fun, right?” 
Shea’s bunny ears waved back and forth excitedly. 
“Mmm... Hajime went to sleep because he wants to rest up for tomorrow, so why not.” 
Yue nodded in agreement, and no one else raised any objections. And so, the girls-only midnight snack party began. Shizuku and Suzu relaxed the moment they drank the delicious soup. Kaori smiled, glad they were enjoying her food. 
“I thought it was Shea who made this but... this tastes like Kaori’s cooking. Thank you, Kaori.” 
“Ehehe, I knew you’d be able to tell, Shizuku-chan.” 
Kaori blushed a little, and Shizuku replied with a gentle smile, “But of course.” 
“You two are really close, Shizuku-san, Kaori-san.” 
Kaori hugged Shizuku and said proudly, “Yep!” She then grinned and shot Yue a suggestive glance. 
“What do you sound so happy about, Shirasucky Kaoridiot?” 
“What kind of nickname is that!?” 
Yue harrumphed. Annoyed by how proudly Kaori was showing Shizuku off, she hugged Shea and said, “But Shizuku doesn’t have these wonderful bunny ears...” 
Yue grinned as if to say her best friend was better than Kaori’s best friend. 
“Y-Yeah, well, Shizuku-chan has this ponytail!” 
“Hmph... That can’t beat these ears’ softness.” 
“Oh yeah? Well, Shizuku-chan’s boobs are super soft!” 
“What are you saying, Kaoriiiiii!?” Shizuku shouted. 
Just as a one-upping war about whose best friend was the greatest was about to begin, Suzu interjected, “It must be nice to have a best friend. Best friends are wonderful. I used to have one too. Oh, whoops, I guess she never even considered me a friend... Hahaha...” 
Everyone turned to Suzu. The group’s usual mood maker was looking down with eyes like a dead fish. Kaori edged away from Shizuku while Yue released Shea. 
“S-Suzu. How do your fans feel? Are they comfortable to use?” 
Masochism that severe wasn’t something even Tio was willing to make fun of, so instead, she changed the topic. Yue and the others flashed her a thumbs-up. 
“Oh, they work just fine, Tio-san. This is the first time I’ve ever used a folding fan, so it feels kind of high-class.” 
The dark aura surrounding Suzu receded, and she returned to her normal self. Careful not to touch on any sore spots, Shizuku added, “Well, fans are supposed to be graceful and elegant tools. When you’re channeling your mana through them, it really looks like you’re dancing, Suzu.” 
“Sh-Shizushizu, you’re making me blush. There’s no way I look that cool. Besides, it’s all thanks to Nagumo-kun’s amazing artifact. Remember, he said he added an option to make my mana flow out like rays of light.” 
As always, Hajime was a fan of adding pointless aesthetic touches to the things he made. Shizuku smiled teasingly and said, “Fufu, sorry. I just couldn’t say that in front of Kouki, so it slipped it out here.” 
Kaori cocked her head at that. 
“Why couldn’t you say it in front of Kouki-kun?” 
Shit. Shizuku pulled a face. She hadn’t meant to say that around Kaori. Shizuku exchanged glances with Suzu, then tried to think of how to smooth this over. She knew Kaori wouldn’t let the matter rest until she got an answer. 
“Well... you know how Kouki has a bit of a complex regarding Nagumo-kun? But we still need his artifacts to stand a chance, so...” 
“Ahaha, so if Shizushizu praised Nagumo-kun’s artifact’s in front of him, he’d get all sulky, that’s all.” 
That was indeed the case. Suzu and the others were glad for the improved weapons Hajime had given them. But Kouki felt like accepting charity from Hajime undermined his own position, since he was trying to prove that his way of thinking was more correct than Hajime’s. Kaori smiled uneasily, while Yue sighed, and Tio muttered, “What a hopeless boy he is...” 
Meanwhile, Shea cocked her head and asked inquisitively, “Shizuku-san, do you love him?” 
“Come again?” 
That was the last question Shizuku had been expecting. 
“I mean, I’ve been wondering for a while now. Like, you’re always looking out for Kouki-san, Shizuku-san. And I feel like you tolerate him more than the rest of us.” 
“Oh, come to think of it that has been on my mind as well. When you obtained evolution magic, it was only Kouki who appeared distraught. And so, you started acting rather considerate toward him, did you not?” 
“Mmm... You’re far too considerate of someone who can’t even be happy for his friends when they achieve something. Are losers like him your type?” 
Shizuku firmly denied Yue’s question, but then she shrugged her shoulders and said with a troubled smile, “I guess it’s because he’s a relative, so I can’t just abandon him.” 
Everyone other than Kaori looked at Shizuku in confusion. They knew that Shizuku and Kouki were childhood friends, but they hadn’t thought they were related. 
“Shizuku-chan doesn’t mean that literally. It’s because Kouki-kun’s a student of the Yaegashi style. All disciples of the Yaegashi style are treated like family by the dojo.” 
The Yaegashi Dojo had been around for generations. They taught proper sword techniques too, so security firms and police organizations often recruited from the dojo’s ranks. The dojo was also famous among martial arts circles. While gaining entry into the Yaegashi Dojo was difficult, those who managed to become formal disciples were treated the same as family. 
“Family never abandons family. In fact, family is only family because they never abandon each other.” 
That was the most important precept of the Yaegashi style, and Shizuku’s grandfather’s, Shuuzou’s, favorite saying. In truth, no matter how far past disciples had strayed from the path, or what trouble they’d gotten themselves into, the Yaegashi Dojo had never abandoned them. The bonds between fellow practitioners of the Yaegashi style ran deep. And since Shizuku had grown up watching her grandfather, father, and mother embody those ideals, she had internalized them as well. 
Incidentally, the reason Kouki had ended up a disciple at the Yaegashi Dojo was because his mother had been helped out of a tight spot by Shuuzou before. 
“So yeah, he’s a troublesome guy, but I can’t just abandon him. How do I put this... If I had to say, he’s more like a troublesome little brother than anything.” 
The fact that Shizuku saw someone her own age as a “little brother” just proved how little chance Kouki had with her. Yue and the others felt a little sorry for him. Of course, it was often said that people raised together like siblings rarely developed romantic feelings for each other, but it was clear that wasn’t the case for Kouki at least. Shea’s bunny ears flopped up and down and her eyes sparkled with curiosity. 
“So you don’t see him as a potential boyfriend at all?” 
It was finally time for the main event of the night. Shizuku squirmed uncomfortably, so Suzu stopped munching on the vegetables in her soup long enough to say, “There used to be a lot of rumors. Shizushizu and Kaorin were always with Kouki-kun, and he obviously treated them better than everyone else.” 
“That’s certainly true. Well, thanks to that other guys stopped trying to confess, since they all thought they didn’t stand a chance against Kouki. Guess the rumors were a good thing in the end.” 
So you at least considered dating him! Shea thought to herself. Now Yue and Tio looked interested as well. Since Yue and the others were all in love with Hajime, even if they wanted to talk about love, they all just ended up talking about Hajime instead. That was why hearing about the love lives of other people was a refreshing change. But Shizuku smiled bitterly and shook her head. 
“To be honest, I’m not really that fond of Kouki.” 
“What!?” 
Suzu looked just as surprised as Yue and the others. Not only had they never seen Shizuku make an expression like that, but they also hadn’t expected her to claim she disliked her childhood friend. Hungry for details, they leaned closer to Shizuku. Kaori was the only one who gave Shizuku a worried look. 
“Kouki’s always been popular with girls,” Shizuku finally said. She thought back to those painful days when all the other girls had ostracized her. Because of their youth, the other girls had been merciless in their bullying. 
“Back then, I wasn’t very girly at all, so whenever other people saw me together with Kouki, they got jealous.” 
Shizuku’s tone and expression were light. But she could feel those dark memories banging at the cage she’d built around her heart, and she had to compose herself for a second before she could keep going. 
“To make things worse, I was really awkward around people, so I didn’t know what to do...” 
“So you would have preferred to cut ties with Kouki, but because he was family you could not bring yourself to abandon him?” 
Tio cut to the heart of the matter, which made Shizuku shrug. 
“What? Shouldn’t Kouki-san have done something to help? You guys were friends, right?” 
Of course Kouki had tried to help. He’d asked the girls who were jealous of Shizuku to be friends with her. But naturally, that had only made things worse. Rather than tell people that though, Shizuku turned to Kaori with a smile and said, “Kaori was the one who saved me.” 
“Shizuku-chan...” 
Shizuku still remembered those times clear as day. She’d often been put in the same class as Kaori, so she’d known about her before they first spoke. 
At first, Shizuku had been jealous of Kaori. She’d been the kind of girl Shizuku had always wanted to be. Completely different from the girl everyone always mistook for a boy. 
Even though they’d barely talked, Shizuku could never bring herself to look directly at Kaori. Nor could Shizuku bring herself to open up to her. Anytime Kaori was close by, anytime someone praised Kaori, Shizuku burned with jealousy. And she hated herself for that, so even though she was always in the same class as Kaori, Shizuku avoided her. However, Kaori cared nothing for the walls Shizuku put up around herself. It was in her nature to break those down, after all. 
“So pretty...” 
That was the first thing Kaori had said to Shizuku. She’d squatted down next to Shizuku’s desk, put her fingers on it, and looked up at her. 
At first, Shizuku had thought Kaori was making fun of her. Thinking that even this princess was going to bully her, Shizuku had despaired. However, Shizuku soon learned the hard way that Kaori was the kind of girl who always meant what she said, and did what she meant. 
“She came to see me every day after that. I’d grown distrustful of people by then, so I stubbornly ignored Kaori at first but... she just kept coming day after day after day. She’d say stuff like, ‘Hey, Shizuku-chan look at this! Oh, is it okay if I call you Shizuku-chan?’ and look up at me with those big puppy-dog eyes. And eventually, I just gave up.” 
“B-But you really were pretty, Shizuku-chan! That was the first time I’d ever seen such a pretty girl!” 
Blushing, Kaori covered her face and squirmed. Shizuku chuckled softly, then gently patted Kaori’s head. 
“I didn’t tell you back then but... I was really happy you talked to me. So happy I cried when I got back to my room. You know, when the other girls tried to tell Kaori how she should act around me, she just said ‘Why? Why should I do that?’” 
Kaori had stayed by Shizuku’s side, ignoring all obstacles people threw at her. No matter how much the other girls pleaded, Kaori hadn’t listened. It was possible Kaori had instinctively realized that Shizuku was in pain, which was why she’d worked so hard to stay by Shizuku’s side. She’d wanted to heal Shizuku. 
“This foolishly straightforward girl gave me strength. And from there, I began to change.” 
Shizuku learned that lamenting her situation wouldn’t solve anything. She wanted to become the kind of person that stood up for what she believed in, like Kaori. And so, Shizuku started training herself in earnest. She didn’t want to return malice with malice, but she had no intention of taking others’ malice lying down, either. She trained in order to build up her self-confidence, so that she could hold her head high and do what she wanted without others interfering. 
“Oh yeah, it was Kaori’s fault that I started growing out my hair.” 
“Why’re you making it sound like a bad thing!?” 
Shizuku comforted Kaori, then turned to Yue and the others, who were waiting for the rest of the story. 
“Kaori told me ‘Shizuku-chan, you’d look good with long hair!’ Of course, my grandfather had told me to keep my hair short since I was practicing swordsmanship, so I told her I couldn’t grow it out, but...” 
As expected, Kaori had barged into the Yaegashi Dojo to give Shizuku’s grandfather a piece of her mind. Shizuku had desperately tried to stop her, but Kaori had shaken her off and told Shizuku’s grandfather, the same man police nationwide respected, that he was wrong. In front of all his pupils, she’d told him how pretty Shizuku was, and that she should be allowed to grow out her hair. 
In the end, Shizuku’s grandfather, who was famous for never smiling, had burst out laughing and accepted Kaori as an honorary member of the Yaegashi Dojo. To this day, the dojo’s disciples spoke of her legendary entrance. 
Back in the present though, Kaori covered her face again and said, “D-Don’t bring that back up. I was young and foolish back then.” 
“Don’t worry... You haven’t changed at all since then. Shirafucky Kaoridiot.” 
Kaori replied to Yue’s gentle smile with a full-power punch. However, Tio jumped in the way to block it and started moaning in pleasure. 
“Anyway, thanks to Kaori, I was able to take a step back and appraise Kouki from a more objective standpoint.” 
Even at the time, Kouki was still obsessed with justice. He wandered the town, helping anyone and everyone he could find. He never hesitated to throw himself into the middle of a quarrel, and strangely enough, problems and people in need started coming to him. 
He never doubted that people were fundamentally good, and Kouki himself didn’t have an evil bone in his body. Everything he did, he did for the sake of others. He was always looking straight forward, and he always saved people with style. But because of how bright he shone, he never realized how long the shadows he cast were. 
He really was a troublesome guy. Which was why— 
“I never really saw Kouki as boyfriend material. For better or worse, I know him too well. That’s why he’s basically family to me.” 
Yue and the others nodded in understanding, their curiosity sated. However, this was a rare chance to talk about love. They didn’t want the conversation to end there. 
“So then, is there someone you do have a crush on, Shizuku-san?” 
“Sh-Shea, don’t you think you’re being a little too forward...” 
Unfortunately, the only people around Shea were fellow Hajime enthusiasts and a pervert. And now that her love had been rewarded, Shea was interested in hearing about the love stories of others. Her bunny ears bounced back and forth, and her eyes glimmered with excitement. 
Shizuku wasn’t sure how to answer, or that she wanted to answer at all. While she was hesitating Kaori stepped in and said, “Oh yeah, Shizuku-chan. During that last interview you did for the kendo magazine, didn’t you say you preferred a guy who would protect—” 
Shizuku clamped her hands over Kaori’s mouth. Kaori loved talking about Shizuku so much that she had absolutely no qualms spilling all of Shizuku’s secrets. Unfortunately, Shizuku had reacted too late, and now the other girls were staring at her like vultures. 
“That’s right. My type’s someone like you, Kaori. Thanks for always protecting me.” 
“Hweh?” Kaori gave Shizuku a confused look, and Shizuku smiled seductively, which made her start blushing again. 
“U-Uh, is it just me, or are there lily flowers sprouting around Kaori-san and Shizuku-san?” 
It was an optical illusion, but a very realistic one. 
“May you find happiness, Lesbi Kaoridiot.” 
“Yueeeee, it’s not like that! Also, do you have to add Kaoridiot to every nickname you come up with!?” 
In an attempt to hide her embarrassment, Kaori pounced on Yue. However, Suzu quickly put a damper on the mood. 
“Everyone at school knows about how close Kaorin and Shizushizu are. Come to think of it, when we were in a pinch back in the Great Orcus Labyrinth, you ran over to cover for Shizushizu, didn’t you, Kaorin? You left my side to be with Shizushizu... I guess you’d rather spend your last moments with her than with me. Haha...” 
“Suzu-chan!?” 
Suzu’s dark aura returned. The dream she’d been shown back in Haltina had probably reopened old wounds for her. In an attempt to appease Suzu, Shea made her the focus of the next topic. 
“Wh-What about you, Suzu-san? What kind of guys are your type?” 
Kaori and Shizuku flashed Shea a thumbs-up. 
“Hmm... Anyone who’s not a lolicon? Unlike Kaorin and Shizushizu, not that many people are interested in a shorty like me. The only person who ever confessed to me was this creepy old dude who lived in my neighborhood! Haha...” 
“Suzu-san, I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to bring up bad memories! Someone who’s good at spirit magic, help me out here!” 

Suzu’s aura had grown so gloomy that Shea’s only recourse was to rely on ancient magic. It appeared that while Suzu was normally cheerful, once she got depressed she just didn’t stop. 
Before anyone could cast spirit magic though, Yue muttered darkly, “Are you implying I’m short?” 
She scooted over to Suzu, her expression terrifying. In truth, Suzu and Yue were about the same height and build. If Suzu claimed she was short, that was the same as claiming Yue was short. The pressure coming off of Yue’s glare caused Suzu to break out of depression mode for a second. 
“N-No! You’re not short at all, Onee-sama!” 
“Calm down, Yue! You’re so scary Suzu-chan’s stopped sounding like herself!” 
Yue reluctantly scooted back. Both in an attempt to calm Suzu down, and because she’d been curious about it for a while, Shizuku asked, “By the way, Suzu. Why do you call Yue onee-sama?” 
Plenty of other girls called Shizuku onee-sama, so she was wondering what had prompted Suzu to do the same with Yue. 
“Huh? Oh, uh, when she saved us in the Great Orcus Labyrinth, she just looked so cool that I...” 
Yue scratched her nose awkwardly, feeling embarrassed. 
“Oh, I totally get what you mean. Well, I don’t know about Yue, but Hajime-kun looked really cool when he saved us.” 
“Yeah...” 
Shizuku nodded in agreement, thinking back to how reliable Hajime had looked when he’d arrived. Even now, those memories were fresh in her mind. Shizuku remembered that moment as well as she did the first time Kaori had talked to her. 
The red sparks running down the length of Hajime’s body. His fearless smile. His broad, reliable back. It had been completely unfair. Not the strength he’d shown, but the fact that he’d looked so cool. 
“Shizuku-chan?” 
As she returned to reality, Shizuku realized everyone was looking at her. 
“Wh-What? What is it?” 
Yue scooted over to Shizuku this time, her glare piercing through her. 
“Tell me... What do you think of Hajime, Shizuku?” 
“Huh? Nagumo-kun? Umm... why’re you asking me? Kaori has a lot more to say about him than—” 
“I can’t ask Kaori... Any time I ask about the things she and Hajime did together before coming here, she just grins annoyingly.” 
“Well, you do the same thing every time I try and ask about what happened down in the abyss, Yue!” 
“Alright alright, that’s enough you two. Calm down.” 
Shea grabbed Kaori and Yue by the scruff of their necks and pulled them apart. Meanwhile, Tio turned to Shizuku and pressed her for an answer. 
“Well? What do you think of Master?” 
Yue and Kaori instantly turned to Shizuku. Surprised by their light-speed reactions, Shizuku put a hand to her chin and thought. After a while, she looked back up and said, “Well my first impression of him was that he was a weirdo.” 
“A weirdo!?” 
The other girls asked in sync. That wasn’t the reply they’d been expecting. Even Kaori looked surprised. 
“Yeah, the first thing that ran through my mind was ‘Kaori, are you sure this is the guy you want?’” 
“You really thought that, Shizuku-chan!?” 
Shizuku smiled ruefully and shrugged her shoulders. 
“What else was I supposed to think? During the entrance ceremony, all the girls started squealing loud enough to break the windows when Kouki stepped up to the podium to give his speech. But Nagumo-kun slept like a log through the whole thing.” 
“Ugh. B-But...” 
Even now, Shizuku thought it was strange how he’d been able to sleep through all that. Two years had passed since Kaori had first seen Hajime, and in that time she’d talked Shizuku’s ear off about him. So it was only natural that Shizuku’s image of Hajime had been a little exaggerated. 
And yet, the first time she’d met him he’d been sleeping through ear-splitting yells. Even more surprising, the moment the entrance ceremony had ended, he’d snapped awake as though he’d sensed it. 
“For a long time after that, I still wondered why Kaori had picked him, of all people.” 
Every morning, he’d reached class just before the bell, looking like an exhausted corporate slave. And then he’d just sleep through class. For lunch, he’d just slurp down a nutritional jelly pack in ten seconds. Then, the moment class ended he’d become lively again, and return home right away. 
He’d possessed the uncanny ability to fall asleep and wake up almost instantly, but other than that he seemed to be a normal kid who kept entirely to himself. But when Shizuku tried talking to him, she learned he was a cheerful guy and a surprisingly good listener. 
“He was an odd guy, but he wasn’t like any other boy I’d met.” 
Kaori and Suzu nodded in understanding. Everything Shizuku had pointed out was true. 
“You understand, right?” Shizuku said with a smile. She then continued, “The weirdest thing about him though was that he wasn’t affected by Kaori’s charms at all.” 
Since the entrance ceremony, Kaori had been the object of affection of all the guys. But even though she went out of her way to talk to Hajime, he’d just give her a troubled look and reply with as little effort as possible. 
“There were times where I thought, ‘You bastard! How can you not like my cute little Kaori!?’ The weirdest thing was, he was sensitive enough to notice whenever I was glaring at him like that. He’d get all startled and start looking around. It was pretty funny to watch.” 
Shizuku smiled mischievously as she reminisced about those early days. Not even two years had passed since then, but to Shizuku, they felt like the distant past. It was clear from her tone that she thought fondly of those memories. 
Shizuku told them about the first time Kaori had invited Hajime to lunch, and he’d broken out in a cold sweat because of the way the rest of the class had looked at him. 
About how despite sleeping through every class, he managed to get average grades across the board, so his teachers couldn’t discipline him. 
About the one time Kaori had gone to the adult section of the video game store to play the game Hajime had talked about earlier, and how Hajime’s face had looked when she told him about it the next day. 
About how Kaori had watched with an eagle eye, waiting for an opportunity to walk up to Hajime and talk to him, and how he’d always managed to flee from her. 
About how he’d listened to Kouki’s lecture to the very end, despite clearly not caring about a bit of it. 
The memories surfaced one after another, weaving together in a tapestry. She talked and talked, not noticing the way Kaori and the others were looking at her. Still smiling, Shizuku moved into a much darker part of her story. 
“I forget when exactly it started but... Nagumo-kun’s life started to change little by little. Well, I guess it was inevitable, since Kaori was in love with him. The four of us were like celebrities in school. And because we ended up spending a lot of time with Nagumo-kun... there were people who grew jealous of him.” 
“Just like how it was with me...” Shizuku added quietly. She talked about how the atmosphere around Hajime began to grow colder. About how her classmates started openly scorning him. And as she talked, Kaori’s expression grew dark. Guessing Kaori’s thoughts, Shizuku slowly shook her head. 
“I felt like I had to do something. Because I understood best of all what it was like to be ostracized like that. But even knowing what he was going through, I couldn’t stop Kaori. Because I understood how Kaori felt too.” 
No matter how many other guys confessed to her, no matter what Kouki did to try and win her favor, Kaori had eyes only for Hajime. After two years of obsessing over him, she’d finally been able to meet him again. But no matter what she did, she wasn’t able to get any closer to him. Since Hajime had been Kaori’s first love, she had no experience at all. All she could do was try everything in her power to catch Hajime’s attention, to make him look her way. 
She was so focused on charming Hajime that she failed to notice was what was going on around her. But Shizuku couldn’t blame Kaori for that. At the same time, she didn’t want to abandon Hajime either. Unfortunately, all she could do was apologize quietly to Hajime every time they talked. But despite all the guilt Shizuku was feeling, Hajime didn’t seem all that bothered at all. 
“Nagumo-kun didn’t seem like he even cared! He’d always go ‘Yeah, it’s a real problem...’ with that dopey smile of his, but he didn’t really think it was a problem! Because if he had, he wouldn’t have been yawning while he said it!” 
He really had been an unbelievable guy. It was then that Shizuku had realized he was strong. Despite how he looked, he’d possessed a will of iron. After that, her attitude toward Hajime changed. She didn’t think he was just some weirdo anymore. He was still unlike any other guy she’d met, but now she was interested in learning more about him. 
“At first, I stereotyped him. I thought he was just some unfeeling monster. I figured he could bear all the bullying because he just fundamentally didn’t care about people.” 
In some sense, Shizuku hadn’t been wrong. As a rule, Hajime hadn’t had much interest in other people. But that wasn’t because he was unfeeling or inhumane. After watching Kaori’s interactions with him, Shizuku came to be sure of that. 
The reason he’d been so unconcerned with other people was because he was so engrossed in his own interests. He’d loved them wholeheartedly, and so had devoted all his time to them. Thanks to that, he’d been able to accept the way others treated him. As long as he was able to do the things he loved, he didn’t mind anything else. 
Saying he was resolved to accept any punishment for pursuing his hobbies was a bit of an exaggeration, but that was how it seemed to Shizuku. Because no matter what happened, he was still able to say “Even so, this is what I want to do.” It was that strength of his that allowed him to brush aside any hardship with a rueful smile and a troubled expression. 
“It’s hard to explain, but basically, that was when I understood. It was that pure, simpleminded strength of his that had captivated Kaori.” 
Smiling wholeheartedly, Shizuku recalled a tiny memory she had of Hajime. This was something neither Kaori, nor anyone else knew about. It had happened one day after school. 
After kendo practice, Shizuku had returned to the classroom to pick up something she’d forgotten. Surprisingly, Hajime had still been there. He’d been fast asleep at his desk. It seemed he’d been so tired that not even the end of school bell had woken him. 
Unable to ignore him, Shizuku had decided to wake him up. She’d called his name and started shaking him. He’d made a rather strange sound as he regained consciousness, which had made Shizuku burst out laughing. 
“Mmm? Yaegashi-san?” 
“Yep, it’s me, Nagumo-kun. You were sleeping pretty soundly. Did you plan on spending the night at school?” 
Still half out of it, Hajime had looked blankly at the window. When he’d seen how dark it had gotten, he’d let out another strange noise. Naturally, Shizuku had burst out laughing again. 
“The teacher’s going to be coming to lock up soon. Come on, let’s get out of here.” 
“Oh, yeah. Sounds good. Thanks for waking me up, Yaegashi-san.” 
Because there was no one else in the room, Hajime hadn’t been as guarded as he usually was. Shizuku remembered she’d found that milder demeanor of his to be rather refreshing. 
She’d headed into the hallway with him, wondering how such a gentle boy had come to possess such a strong will. They’d walked quietly down the hall, the beautiful rays of sunset casting long shadows behind them. 
Suddenly Shizuku’s throat had gone dry, and she couldn’t think of anything to talk about. She’d started shooting Hajime covert glances, but he’d just been yawning tiredly like usual. Though she’d personally found the title embarrassing, she knew within the school she was considered the second most beautiful girl after Kaori. Both her underclassmen and even a few of her upperclassmen had taken to calling her onee-sama. 
Naturally, plenty of guys were infatuated with her and whenever she talked with any of them, they’d start blushing and get nervous. It was obvious they thought she was out of their reach. Shizuku herself hadn’t really wanted all that attention. But for some reason, it had pissed her off that Hajime wasn’t the least bit flustered by talking to her. 
“By the way, I’m sorry about what happened today. Kaori’s, well Kaori. But Kouki gave you that long lecture, didn’t he? He doesn’t mean anything bad by it, but...” 
Unable to bear the silence, Shizuku had cast about for something to talk about, but the only thing she’d been able to come up with was the same apology she’d given Hajime dozens of times. She’d expected him to reply with the same “Don’t worry about it,” or “It’s fine,” that he always did, but to her surprise, he didn’t. 
“Hmm... Yeah, it’s definitely weird.” 
“Huh?” Shizuku had asked, confused. Rubbing the sleep out of his eyes, Hajime had gone on to explain what he meant. 
“Yaegashi-san, a lot of people call you onee-sama, right?” 
“Y-Yes, they do. I don’t know why, though.” 
“Well you know, apparently there’s this secret society called Soul Sisters that... Actually, forget about that for now. You know how you’re always apologizing on behalf of your friends? Don’t you think that’s the kind of thing an older sister would do?” 
“You... may have a point there.” 
Shizuku had been surprised. She didn’t know if that applied to everyone else too, but that was at least exactly how she felt about Kouki. 
Nodding to himself, Hajime had then added, “So is it normal to spend every day bowing your head to other people just because you have the personality of a responsible older sister? Because personally, I think it’s weird. Like, are you really okay with things the way they are?” 
“Well, I haven’t really thought about it...” 
But once Shizuku gave it some thought, she realized it definitely wasn’t normal. Still, Kouki was like family to her, and Kaori was her best friend in the whole world. Of course, that was why she hadn’t found it strange to always be looking after the two of them, but after Hajime had pointed it out, she realized how odd it was from an outside perspective. 
“Oh, sorry. I wasn’t trying to imply it was bad or anything. It’s just, uh, how do I put this...” 
Unable to put what he wanted to say in words, Hajime had mumbled to himself for a few minutes. It wasn’t until they’d reached the shoe rack that Hajime had spoken again. 
“Oh, I’ve got it. What I’m trying to say is, you don’t have to be considerate of me.” 
“Huh?” 
“You’ve got enough on your plate looking out for your friends, right? So you don’t have to do the same for me.” 
Shizuku hadn’t known how to respond to that. She’d looked up at him, shoes still in her hands, and he’d given her that same troubled smile he always did. 
“The reason I get lectured so much is because I ignore what everyone says to me, so like, it’s partially my own fault. I’d feel guilty if you apologized to me for that, Yaegashi-san.” 
“But that’s not...” 
Those words had resounded with Shizuku in a way nothing else had. But while she’d still been processing what he’d told her, he’d suddenly shouted, “Anyway, see you tomorrow, Yaegashi-san!” and dashed off without waiting for a reply. 
It had all happened so fast that Shizuku hadn’t been able to get a word in edgewise. She’d been about to call out to him, but then she’d spotted Kouki waiting by the school gate and realized he’d left in a hurry on purpose. 

She hadn’t been able to figure out if he was being considerate of her, or if he just hadn’t wanted to be seen going home with her. Either way, his sudden departure had pissed Shizuku off. But at the same time, she felt as though she finally understood why Kaori had fallen for him so hard. 
That had been her first one on one conversation with Hajime. It had been both unforgettable, and something Shizuku felt as though she’d needed to keep secret. 
“Shizuku-chan?” 
Kaori’s voice brought Shizuku back to the present. It was then that she finally realized everyone was looking at her funny. It seemed she’d gotten so lost in her memories that she’d stopped talking. 
Feeling as though she’d shown everyone a side of her she shouldn’t have, Shizuku hurriedly tried to smooth things over. She cleared her throat, straightened her back, and locked away her feelings once more. In order to keep things the way she believed they should be. 
“Anyway, now my impression of Nagumo-kun is that he’s an unbelievably strong person.” 
After they’d been summoned, and it had turned out that both Hajime’s job and his stats were painfully average, Hiyama and the others had started bullying him much worse than before. But even then, he hadn’t broken. 
Shizuku knew. Despite the fact that Hajime’s only skill was transmutation, he’d continued to polish his skills, trying to find a way to turn his abilities into a weapon. No matter how much he’d been ridiculed, he’d just accepted it all with his usual troubled smile and continued moving forward. 
Shizuku understood. The reason Hiyama and the others had bullied Hajime was because they themselves knew that they were no match for Hajime. Despite his weakness, he was strong. And despite all their strength, Hiyama and the others were weak. They couldn’t accept that. They couldn’t accept that he was better than them. 
Shizuku had understood better than anyone else just how strong Hajime was. Because she herself had been weak. She’d been terrified of fighting in this strange new world, but Hajime had been completely unperturbed. It was that strength of his that had encouraged Shizuku. 
Yeah, he really is strong. How can you guys call him weak and incompetent? Look at him, he’s not shaken at all. Even though we’re in a different world, even though we have to fight to the death with monsters and demons, he’s completely unfazed. How can someone like him possibly be weak? He’s strong. Stronger than anyone. 
“Out of everyone I know, he has the strongest heart,” Shizuku said decisively. For a few minutes, no one said anything. Confused by the silence, Shizuku looked around at everyone. 
I just said he was strong, why’d everyone suddenly go quiet? 
Sighing, Yue gave Shizuku the same troubled look Hajime used to and scooted close to her. She looked into Shizuku’s eyes and asked, “Strong enough to protect others?” 
Shizuku’s breath caught in her throat. But a second later she composed herself and said with a smile, “Yes. I’m sure Nagumo-kun will be able to protect Kaori.” 
Not even a smidgen of the feelings Shizuku had hidden inside her leaked through. She smiled, making it clear that she meant what she said, and only what she said. 
Yue and the others were momentarily at a loss for words. Finally, after ruminating for a few seconds, Yue decided to lighten the mood. She turned to Kaori and said, “What a shame... I won’t let that future come to pass, so Kaori will be forever alone.” 
“Yue!” Kaori exclaimed and pounced on her rival. 
Shizuku’s smile grew wider and she said, “Is it really a shame? Personally, I’m glad you’re here, Yue.” 
“Mmm... Why?” 
Yue stopped pulling on Kaori’s cheek and cocked her head quizzically. Even now, Shizuku’s smile was sincere. 
“Because even though you’re her rival, you’re so attached to Kaori. Thank you so much for taking care of my best friend, Yue. I’ve always wanted to express my gratitude to you.” 
“Mmm... Mmmmmm... Mmm...” 
“Owww!? Hey, Yue, that hurts! Stop!” 
Blushing, Yue tried to hide her embarrassment by pulling on Kaori’s cheeks harder. Though there were tears of pain in Kaori’s eyes, no one pulled Yue off her. They were too busy grinning at Yue. It wasn’t every day they got to see her flustered. 
Growing even redder, Yue vented her embarrassment by slapping Kaori and shouting, “Mmmm, that’s enough for tonight! This party’s oveeer!” 
And so, the midnight party came to a close. Still red, Yue fled down the hallway to her room. 
Shea and Suzu stayed where they were, committing Yue’s blushing face to memory, while Tio followed after Yue, grinning. Shizuku watched the whole thing from a distance, but then looked up when she felt a weight press against her back. 
“Kaori? What’s up?” 
Kaori was hugging her from behind. 
“Shizuku-chan...” 
“What?” 
Kaori rested her chin on Shizuku’s shoulder and looked fondly into her best friend’s eyes. Shizuku blinked a few times, and Kaori closed her eyes. 
“You know, I love you best when you’re honest with yourself, Shizuku-chan.” 
Thinking Kaori was referring to what she’d just told Yue, Shizuku blushed and looked away. 
“Don’t remind me. I know that was a pretty embarrassing thing to say.” 
“That’s not what I mean.” 
“Huh? Then what do you mean?” 
Confused, Shizuku squinted at Kaori. Still smiling gently, Kaori hugged Shizuku. She looked like a mother comforting her child. 
“I’m not telling. There’s no point unless you realize it yourself. But don’t forget what I told you. When the time comes, make sure you remember these words.” 
“I don’t really get what you mean but... okay.” 
Satisfied, Kaori pulled away from Shizuku. For some reason, Shizuku’s heart started pounding. She felt as though something dangerous was closing in on her. Something she knew she couldn’t look at, but was waiting right behind her. 
Shizuku shook her head as if to shake off whatever was chasing her. 
“Let’s go back to our room,” Kaori said with a smile, and Shizuku silently nodded.

At the time, Shizuku didn’t know. That her premonition would prove to be correct. Or that her friend’s words would end up being her salvation. 
The swordswoman who was everyone’s caretaker didn’t yet know that she would soon face her true feelings.