Translator: Tsukii

Editor: Lilia

Read at Watashi wa Sugoi Desu!

Chapter 11 – Aftermath / Around That Time, His Former Comrades Were?②

The day after defeating the demon lord’s shadow:　

As the situation was serious, an order of knights under the direct command of the central government came to investigate.

I was prepared for a long, annoying process, but after they created a simple report about me, Erin, and the others, they moved on to the on-site inspection.　

With a salute, they said something like, “There’s no need to bother Haruto-sama and his students.”

Fuhn, I guess they wanted to be spared from involving the scum hero in the investigation. It seemed there were people who knew their stuff, huh?

That was how the morning was spent: responding to requests and creating records.　

Although the vice principal told me not to push myself too hard, I was unharmed and the three students were more motivated than tired, so we decided to just hold afternoon class.

The thing that the three were particularly interested in during the class was the special performance-enhancing state that was exhibited in the battle with the demon. That is, [Noble Link].　

In my former party, everyone except me activated it many times.

Come to think of it, when they asked me how to do it, I answered honestly.

[“About [Noble Link]… I think it will be easier to activate it if you become stronger together with all your friends and also become closer with them.”]　

[“““Hah??”””]

The three of them all looked at me as if I was a big liar.　

Even Kuyumi abandoned her ♡ verbal tic.

If I break down the system and explain it, the basic concept really is that, though.

[“There’s no way that’s the case, right?!”] [“Can you please not just say whatever you like?”] [“Sensei has no sense when it comes to jokes.”]　

I was half in tears as I received different insults from the three students. I was the teacher, but it felt like I was a bullied kouhai instead. 

Now, after school, after I managed to finish the painful and sad class, I wrongly assumed I was safe.　

“Sensei, you have free time right～?”

“I’m not free.”

As I was struggling with a pile of documents in the staff room, the trio who had finished homeroom earlier came over.　

Apparently, they came to play because they had some free time.

Even though there were only me, the vice principal, and these three in the school, the audacity to just stroll in and expect that I would be free…　

The staff room isnt a playground, you know?

“Uwah, what’s with that pile of…… letters?”

Seeing the stack of papers piled up on the desk, Erin’s hands twitched.　

Other than a list of contact information, there were also countless pieces of blank papers strewn around on the table.

“I’m thinking of sending letters to everyone who has helped me so far.”　

“……It’s not like you’re trying to leave here, right?”

As Sharon said that with a worried expression, I laughed and shook my head.　

“No no, I’m just asking for a favor. Think of it like I’m bowing down in all directions.”　

“That makes me worried in a different manner…”

With slight disgust, Sharon picked up one of the letters stacked on my deck.　

But when she saw the address of the letter, her face turned pale and she dropped the letter.

“Eh……?”

“Hm, what’s wrong, Sharon-chan♡”

“It’s addressed to the king of the neighboring nation…”

“Eh, seriously?”

Erin and Kuyumi looked at each other and hurriedly picked up the letter that Sharon had dropped.　

It was the letter I wrote earlier to the king of the neighboring nation, and hadn’t sent yet.

“W-w-what are you doing, contacting them?!”　

“Well, I helped them before, you see.”

When I was told there was a dangerous dragon that was rampaging and endangering people, I rushed over and cut it in two.　

It was hell since the dragon didn’t die even after I cut it in half, but there wasn’t much else I could do other than to keep hacking at it.

It was back when I was traveling with only the magician after all. Our raw power was limited.

So we dragged the dragon along us into the wilderness and ended up fighting three days and nights without break.

“Then what favor are you asking the king for?”　

It seemed Sharon regained her composure and tilted her head in curiosity.　

My hands stopped and I sighed. 

In every letter I wrote, the greetings and other things were made according to the person it was addressed to, but the content of the request itself remained the same.

“I was asking for Mariemaia’s protection, or rather, to ask each recipient to treat her well when she came to their region. She’ll be alone after all… no, I guess she made new comrades already?”

Timeline-wise, she should have already left for another nation.　

She had definitely met her first companion, the son of the neighboring territory’s lord.

Although it was unclear whether it had progressed to the point he officially joined the party, he was probably intending to start a new life and thinking about traveling with Mariemaia.

Mariemaia’s true party had great balance.　

There were five people in total, with two men and two women, in addition to Mariemaia.

There were many named characters spread across the first game that made me personally want to adventure with them, and all of these people fell into that category.

As I thought about that, Erin and Sharon had vague expressions on their faces.　

Ah, I think they didn’t recognize Mariemaia from the name alone. 

I guess there was no way they could understand upfront.　

“Sorry, sorry, she’s one of the people I used to adventure with.”　

“Heeh~♡”

　

As Kuyumi’s amused smile deepened and her probing eyes began to sparkle, she approached me and leaned in.

“Is that sensei’s old girlfriend?”　

“She’s not.”

A voice lower and firmer than I expected came out.　

It was impossible to pretend that it was just a lukewarm response that could be interpreted as affirmation. The tone I used truly meant serious rejection. 

“I never saw her in that manner.”　

“……Ah, I-I see.”

Erin interceded nervously in understanding.　

But Kuyumi, the very person who brought up the topic, remained unfazed and stared at me.

“Fu~hn……It seems your words didn’t register as a lie♡”

“Don’t read my heartbeat without permission.”

Why did it feel like I was being interrogated?　

“Well, there was no way you could have a girlfriend～♡”

“You really say such terrible things…What basis do you have for saying such things?”

“You’re someone who peeked at students’ panties after all♡”

　

Stop! Didn’t I pretend not to see it that time?!

Erin and Sharon immediately looked at me like they were looking at garbage, as if they just remembered that.

Please remember the context! Weren’t you people the ones who recklessly flew into the sky on your own?

“L-let’s leave that aside already……”

“I don’t mind moving past the topic, but is sensei really alright with that?”

I didn’t even have the time to ask what she meant.　

Kuyumi grabbed the hem of her skirt and began to lift it up.

Erin and Sharon froze in shock, which was fine, but I── completely froze.

Wai-, the stimulation was too strong!

“Ufu~♡”

　

The smiling girl’s face and her dazzling thighs were getting closer.

I couldn’t look away, even though my brain was a mess……

　

Ah wait, was that where hidden weapons would fly out from? The details of the mechanism were…

No good, perhaps there was some strange attribute attached. Was it a distraction technique to hide her secrets?

I used the passive skill [Appraisal] to find out if there were any abnormalities present.

“……Teach’? Why are you silently watching?”

The first to notice was Erin, who had recovered from her frozen state and was looking at me with a chilling smile on her face.　

“Y-you’re wrong! I just activated [Appraisal]!”　

“Isn’t that even worse?!”

I worded it in a completely wrong manner.　

I had no room for defense, and all I could do was be bullied by the three.

　

　

　

　◇

　

　

Eventually, the letters were finished and sent to the proper recipients in each nation.　

Mariemaia was already an important person to begin with, as she was a former party member of Haruto.

Everyone involved would have taken notice of Mariemaia in some way even if Haruto hadn’t mentioned her at all, but since he specifically asked them to do so as a favor, they would make sure to pay close attention to her.

“It’s a request from Haruto, so it would be unrighteous not to respond.”　

The addressee that Erin and others were astonished about, the king of the neighboring Stars Kingdom, nodded as he confirmed the letter from Haruto.　

He had a debt of gratitude to Adventurer Haruto, the descendant of the hero, that transcended borders.

He felt he could never repay Haruto enough for the deed of subjugating the evil dragon.　

“……Your Majesty, Mariemaia-dono is indeed currently residing in the territory of our kingdom.”

“Umu, I’ve already received the report.”

A knight in formal attire kneeled down on one knee and spoke to the king sitting on the throne.　

However, a troubled cold sweat appeared on his face.

　

“But you see, Your Majesty.”　

“Umu.”

“……I think there’s nothing we can do to help, but what do you think?”

“I also have no idea.”

　

　

　

　◇

　

　

The Tail Kingdom was where Haruto was born and raised. Naturally, he used it as his base as well. 　

It had a friendly relationship with the neighboring territory, the Stars Kingdom, where Mariemaia was currently staying.

Since the land there was more fertile than the Tail Kingdom, there were also more monster activities.　

For the time being, Mariemaia relied on the contacts she made during her adventurer days, and came to this nation.

Right now, together with the son of the lord of a nearby minor territory, she came to answer a request from a citizen to exterminate monsters.　

“……This is-!”

It was like a picture of hell imposed on reality.　

In front of a horrifying scene so distorted it felt like a nightmare, the son of the local lord did his best to hold back his nausea. Before him, the ground was painted with blood and the horrible smell was dizzying.

The lumps of flesh lying around belonged to the monster they were asked to subdue.　

The monster had burst, and its remains had exploded over the ground due to excessive healing. 

In the center of that hell, a girl stared blankly up at the sky without being tainted by a single drop of blood.　

……What am I lacking?

Even though she could kill so many enemies.　

Even though she could save so many people.

Yet he said he didn’t need her anymore.

……I have to become stronger.

What was needed to master that great magic was “hatred” and “love.”　

She certainly knew what “hatred” was now. However, it was directed toward her inner self.

　

Otherwise, I can’t return to Haruto-san’s side… I want to return, I have to……

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