Chapter 23: Two Training Camps

"Welcome home, Master."

​"Ah, good work today."

​The day after returning from outer space, I had to clock in for work as usual.

​After finishing my daily routine and reporting to Principal Akechi after school, I returned to my apartment, where I was greeted by Usa-san, a bespectacled beauty in a maid uniform.

​Because my schedule is so erratic, I had given her a spare key.

​"How did the training camp go?" she asked.

​"Yeah, thankfully, it wrapped up without any major issues."

​"I am glad to hear that. I have already prepared your meal, so please eat whenever you have rested."

​"Thank you very much. I'll eat right away."

​I loosened my tie, sat down at the table, and immediately dug in. The spread was heavy on meat, and the rich aroma of garlic and chives drifted up from the plates—was this her way of making sure I kept my stamina up? Since my "training camp" had actually been a trip to outer space, my conscience pricked at me just a little.

​It had been over a week since Usa-san started coming over, and the truly terrifying part was how quickly I was getting used to a life with a live-in maid. If she were to leave now, I genuinely worried I might fall into a temporary state of absolute helplessness.

​"By the way, while you were away, Rirara-san and Carmilla-san each came to visit once," Usa-san stated matter-of-factly. "Rirara-san slept in your bed for about two hours before leaving, and Carmilla-san similarly lay in your bed for about two hours."

​"Eh? Hah...?"

​Hm? What was she talking about? No, I understood the words she was saying perfectly, but the fact that she knew that meant...

​"Usa-san, did you come over even when I wasn't here?"

​"Yes, of course. Even in your absence, Master, the room still requires cleaning."

​"Thank you for that. But if something like this happens in the future, you can just take the days off. It makes me feel bad to have you work while I'm gone."

​"You have absolutely nothing to feel sorry for. However... um, are you certain it is alright regarding Rirara-san and the other?"

​"Rirara has, well, a lot going on despite how she looks, so just leave her be. As for Carmilla, you can kick her out if you want, but she's surprisingly strong despite her appearance too, so ignoring her is fine."

​"If you don't mind, Master, then I suppose it is fine... but, well, setting Rirara-san aside, Carmilla-san was giving off a very questionable aura on the bed..." Usa-san trailed off, averting her eyes with a faint blush.

​What the hell? What exactly was Carmilla doing on my bed? Judging by Usa-san's reaction, I probably shouldn't ask. Oh well. I'll just interrogate the culprit directly later.

​"I'll have a word with her about that later," I sighed. "You really don't need to do anything about those two."

​"Understood. I apologize for bothering you with this, Master."

​"No, no, that's not something you need to apologize for, Usa-san. More importantly, the food is delicious again today. It completely washes away my exhaustion and makes me want to work hard again tomorrow."

​Lately, my teacherly "praise to encourage growth" habit had become second nature, and compliments just slipped out of my mouth automatically. It felt a little weird applying that to a grown woman like Usa-san, but humans generally like being praised even after they reach adulthood. Case in point: Usa-san was currently blushing with a soft, pleased smile.

​"Thank you very much," she said. "If you have any specific preferences, Master, please do not hesitate to tell me. I will learn to make any dish that suits your palate."

​"Honestly, everything tastes amazing. I don't have a single complaint or request."

​"Still, there is always the matter of one's 'mother's taste.' Let's see... perhaps it would be good for me to learn how to cook directly from your mother. That way, I will naturally be able to master the flavors you love."

​Hm? Did the pressure radiating off Usa-san just spike? Weren't her eyes looking a little dead and fixated behind those glasses?

​"I won't be going back to my parents' house until summer vacation," I said hurriedly. "And you'll definitely master how to use magic before then anyway, Usa-san."

​"That is not a problem. If you so desire, Master, I am fully prepared to serve you for the rest of my life."

​"There's really no need for that. Our original arrangement is perfectly fine."

​Usa-san's expression morphed into one of overt sorrow. I respected her professional pride in wanting to be needed as a maid, but I had to draw a line in the sand. Honestly, if this kept up, I was the one who was going to become completely useless.

​"Oh, right, I have another training camp next week, so we'll have to pause your training for another three days," I added. "Sorry for the erratic schedule."

​"...Understood. It makes me lonely to think I will not be able to see you for another three days, Master."

​Next week was the Meiran Academy General Martial Arts Club's internal training camp. Which reminded me—there was also the magic training for the Aouji branch family coming up. I still didn't know what format that was going to take, but it would definitely eat up my time. I needed to hash that out in advance.

​"Umm, also, about the magic training we've been doing... I've been asked to teach the Aouji branch family as well. I'm not sure how it's going to work yet, but we'll probably gather at the Aouji family dojo or something. I was wondering what to do about your sessions..."

​"You truly have so much on your plate, Master," she murmured. "However... the Aouji branch family, you say? The Usa family has ties with them, so I could certainly participate there, but... the thought of losing my alone time with you is..."

​"Ah, doing it together sounds like a great idea. I think Seinōji-san will be there too, so it should work out perfectly."

​Usa-san and Amano-san seemed to be good friends, and without opportunities like this, they rarely got to chat. Usa-san was incredibly busy, after all.

​Just as I expected, Usa-san's glasses flashed brightly as she reacted to the news.

​"Amano will be there? Understood. I will absolutely join you. Come to think of it, there are several young women in the Aouji branch family as well. In that case, it is even more imperative that I attend."

​Ah, I see. It really was important for young women of a similar age—especially those fighting in the shadows—to network and mingle. As expected of a combat professional maid. The fact that she was always thinking about things like that earned her my utmost respect as a Hero. I'd have to make sure this training session was a productive one for her sake, too.

​

​I thought I was going to have to fulfill my promise to Rirara over the weekend, but it got canceled because she made plans to play with Kiyone-chan instead. Naturally, she still casually crashed at my place on Friday night, though.

​At any rate, Monday arrived, marking the start of the General Martial Arts Club's school training camp.

​Since Yamashiro-sensei, the vice-advisor, was helping out this time, her daughter Kiyone-chan would be staying over at the camp facility as well.

​After school, we gathered all the members of the Kendo, Judo, and Aikido clubs in the martial arts dojo for our opening greetings. A total of seventeen students stood lined up before Yamashiro-sensei and me. For the record, the general martial arts club only had this many members even with all three branches combined. It was quite underpopulated—I mean, an elite, select group.

​"Bow!"

​"We look forward to working with you!"

​Prompted by the command from the Aikido club president, Shuto Saki, everyone bowed in unison. Our students really were outstanding; they could handle these basic formalities without me needing to instruct them at all.

​"We'll be at this camp for the next three days," I announced. "I want you all to use this time effectively and follow your training plans to practice things you normally wouldn't be able to. Be absolutely careful not to injure yourselves. If you feel sick or if anything else comes up, let Yamashiro-sensei or me know immediately."

​Delivering a proper teacher's speech—the kind I would never say to Aouji and the others—I officially kicked off the training camp.

​That being said, the actual practice was basically entirely up to the students. They had already drawn up three-day training regimens and dinner menus long before I even said a word. And so, my job was simply to wander between the three dojos and supervise their practice... or so it was supposed to be.

​"Sensei, please be my sparring partner," Haruma Mana, the president of the Kendo club, suddenly asked.

​"Hey now, I'm a complete beginner, you know."

​"But Misono told us your swordsmanship is incredible," she pressed. "Please, we'd really like to spar with you!"

​Haruma was a second-year girl with short, wavy hair and a highly energetic disposition. Contrary to her appearance, she wasn't usually this pushy, but maybe the camp had her extra fired up today. Still, it probably would be bad form to only help Aouji and ignore the other clubs.

​"My form and strikes are going to be completely improvised, but if you're okay with that, I'll be your opponent," I relented.

​"Yes! Thank you so much!"

​"Alright, where's the protective gear...?"

​"Leave that to us. We have the advisor's gear right here in the clubroom."

​At Haruma's command, three club members hurried over with the bogu armor, and I found myself fully strapped in before I could even blink. It seemed they had planned this from the very beginning.

​From there, starting with President Haruma, I engaged in sparring sessions—essentially mock matches—with every single member of the Kendo club.

​I had watched them practice their footwork and their men and kote strikes during regular club activities, but doing it myself was a different beast altogether. No matter how I tried, my movements didn't look anything like proper Kendo.

​However, when it came down to crossing blades, my Hero's body moved on its own. The students' bamboo sword techniques were quite decent, even to my eyes. But with my reflexes, I could see every single movement telegraphed, allowing me to perfectly parry the tip of their blades no matter what attack they threw at me.

​Kendo also surprisingly involved a fair bit of physical pushing and shoving, but the sheer difference in our strength went far beyond just male and female biology; it wasn't even a contest. Whenever I found a slight opening, I'd bring my shinai down and call out "Men!" or "Kote!", and they'd immediately count it as a clean hit. From what I had heard, scoring a valid strike was usually much stricter than that, so they were probably just going easy on me because I was a beginner.

​"How do I say this... your movements definitely feel like a beginner's, but your reaction speed feels far beyond human limits," Haruma noted once everyone had finished their bouts. "The exact second I decide to strike, my sword gets deflected. Plus, the sheer pressure you give off... honestly, sparring with you is scarier than facing the dojo master. If we were fighting with real swords, you probably would have cut me down before I even realized what happened."

​"Don't say scary things like that," I chuckled nervously. "But yeah, I've trained my reflexes quite a bit. I can roughly tell where an attack is going to land the moment someone goes to swing."

​"What kind of training do I need to do to acquire that?"

​"That's a tough one, because it's not just about practice. You just have to accumulate raw experience."

​"So it really is about experience..." Haruma stared off into the distance.

​Well, when I said "experience," the kind I went through was absolutely impossible to replicate in modern-day Japan—nor was it something anyone should experience.

​Just as I was thinking that, Haruma suddenly turned to look at me, as if realizing something.

​"Oh, does that mean you have a lot of experience fighting in actual sword duels, Sensei?"

​"Hk—? Ah, well, a little bit, back in the day. It's not really something I can brag about, so let's just keep it a secret."

​Obviously, I couldn't just say, "I'm a Hero," so I tried to brush it off. Unfortunately, that only managed to stimulate her curiosity even further.

​"Now I'm really curious. Are you saying you used to get into street fights, Sensei? Come to think of it, you did take down that thug who trespassed into the school."

​"No, nothing like that. It's more like I underwent a lot of training that closely simulated real combat. I haven't done anything illegal."

​"Really?"

​"I'd prefer it if you didn't doubt me on that one," I quipped.

​When I played the fool, Haruma let out a chuckle and thankfully dropped the interrogation.

​"But Misono is doing training similar to that, right?" she asked. "By the way, just how strong is Misono, anyway?"

​"Aouji's style of swordsmanship is completely different, you see. If we're talking strictly Kendo rules, you might actually be better than her, Haruma..."

​"But in a normal fight, I wouldn't stand a chance, huh?"

​"Right. Because her sword is completely built for real combat."

​At that, Haruma let out a slow breath. "I figured as much. She always had a different kind of aura, so I had a feeling she was doing something fundamentally different."

​"Well, yeah..."

​Aouji's distinct aura stemmed from something far beyond just a different martial art, but I obviously couldn't tell the other students about her secret life. Still, it made sense that they'd notice. Lately, I was really starting to learn just how terrifyingly sharp a girl's intuition could be.

​"Whoops. I should go poke my head in on the Judo club now. What do you want me to do with the armor?"

​"Ah, thank you so much for the matches! Just take it off and leave it on the side. We'll clean it up."

​I raised a hand in farewell to the Kendo members, who had all lined up to bow, and headed next door to the adjacent martial arts room. Right as I stepped out the door, I heard the Kendo girls burst into excited squeals. Did I do something weird? I had just been swinging the bamboo sword around haphazardly, so my form probably looked incredibly stupid to an outside observer.

​

​Over at the Judo club, thankfully, no one instantly demanded I participate in free sparring. I did have a judogi prepared from when I first became the advisor, and I'd worn it once or twice, but I didn't have it on today.

​While I was observing the practice from the edge of the dojo, Yamashiro-sensei walked up beside me. She was wearing a track suit today, but certain areas were stretched so dangerously tight I almost wanted to tell her she'd bought the wrong size. It made looking straight at her extremely difficult. How could someone radiate such a massive aura of pure allurement while wearing the most unrefined track suit imaginable...? Truly, Yamashiro-sensei was a force to be reckoned with.

​"Aiba-sensei, your Kendo sparring just now was amazing," she remarked.

​"I was just winging it, honestly. I was basically just relying on my reflexes."

​"I don't know much about Kendo myself, but even I could see that the club members couldn't lay a finger on you. It just proves how strong you really are." The succubus-sensei—wait, no, Yamashiro-sensei—gazed up at me with a bewitching smile.

​"Thank you. If that level of sparring is all they need, I don't mind helping out. Though it probably doesn't serve as actual Kendo practice."

​"I wouldn't say that. The students looked thrilled. In fact, I bet the Judo club wants you to be their partner, too."

​"I'm gonna have to ask for a pass on that one. Making direct physical contact is a bit much..."

​"But you do it with the Aikido club, don't you?"

​"Over there I'm just receiving the techniques. And even then, it's nerve-wracking."

​"Ufufu. As long as there is mutual trust between you and the students, you really don't need to worry so much. Girls honestly don't mind it as much as you think."

​"You really think so...?"

​Even if they claimed not to mind, a man couldn't just brush it off that easily. As a Hero, I was fairly confident in the strength of my own rationality, but there was always the risk that my awareness would slip in an unguarded moment. The instant they sensed my hesitation, our bond of trust would shatter, leaving nothing but cold, contemptuous glares in its wake. If that ever happened, I'd die of shame.

​"By the way, is Kiyone-chan doing alright? Is she already at the lodging facility?" I asked, changing the subject.

​"Yes, she's doing her homework over at the dorms. She's actually having a great time—she said it feels like a giant sleepover. I'm glad I brought her along."

​"I guess sleeping over at a school is pretty exciting for a kid."

​"I suppose it is," Yamashiro-sensei smiled. "Oh, it looks like Saita-san needs you for something."

​Saita Ren was the president of the Judo club. Normally, you'd picture a Judo president as a sturdy, well-built girl, but Saita was actually even more petite than Soutou. She kept her semi-long hair tied in twin braids down her back and generally gave off a slow-paced, gentle vibe.

​Saita trotted over to me, bowed politely, and then looked up at my face.

​"Sensei~, could I ask you to be my practice partner for a bit~?"

​Her way of speaking was so soft and fluffy it almost made my knees weak, but it was funny how her entire personality flipped the moment she started doing Judo.

​"I don't mind, but there's a limit to what I can do. What do you need?"

​"If possible, I'd like you to play the role of the person getting thrown~. Everyone in our club is so light, so we never get to practice throwing heavy opponents~. You know how to take a fall, right, Sensei~?"

​"I do know how to break a fall, but... alright, sure. I'll help you out."

​"Thank you very much~."

​Thanks to practicing alongside the students, I had properly learned how to take a fall safely. It wasn't like I was completely incapable of doing Judo myself, but if I tried, it would just turn into me violently tossing people around with brute strength, which was hardly something I should be demonstrating.

​I changed into my judogi and stepped onto the mat with Saita. As expected of the president, the moment she grabbed my lapel and sleeve, she seamlessly slid into my guard and positioned herself for a throw. If I let her, she hoisted me right over her hips and sent my body spinning beautifully through the air to smack back-first onto the tatami. We had to have a weight difference of at least double, yet she hurled me around like it was nothing.

​"Wow, you really are heavy~. This is gonna be great practice~," Saita beamed.

​And so, I spent a good chunk of time getting repeatedly body-slammed by the entire Judo club. Midway through, however, it started morphing into a "Who Can Throw Sensei the Prettiest" tournament. Look, I know I'm durable, but wasn't that a little messed up?

​"Sensei, could you try seriously resisting the throw just once~?" Saita asked midway through the session.

​"So I just brace myself right as you go to throw?"

​"Yes~. In a normal sparring match, I wouldn't be able to beat your strength anyway, so~."

​Saita gripped my lapel and sleeve once more, dropping her hips to initiate the throw. The moment she pulled, I planted my feet firmly into the mat.

​"Hnnngh...! Wait, you're not budging at all~."

​Saita attempted the throw several more times, even trying to use my own momentum against me at the end, but she couldn't lift me an inch. I mean, if a Hero actually braced themselves, they became about as immovable as a mountain. It couldn't be helped.

​By the end, the practice had evolved into a "Who Can Move Sensei Even a Little Bit" tournament. But Saita claimed it was still excellent practice, so I decided to call it a win.

​

​Moving on to the Aikido club, just as expected, President Shuto Saki immediately drafted me into being their training dummy. Being a dummy was fine since that was my usual job, but I really didn't appreciate the "please hug me from behind" drills. Especially today, with Yamashiro-sensei watching...

​Just as I thought that, Shuto spoke up.

​"Would you like to give it a try too, Yamashiro-sensei?" she suggested.

​"Oh, why not? I might as well learn a few moves while I'm here," Yamashiro-sensei nodded, looking quite interested.

​"Aiba-sensei is perfectly fine no matter how many times you throw him."

​"Oh, stop it, Shuto-san. Aiba-sensei has been getting thrown around all day. Are you sure you're alright, Sensei?"

​Even as she asked that, Yamashiro-sensei was already grabbing my arm, looking incredibly eager to try out a technique.

​"Yes. My body is sturdy, and I know how to break a fall," I assured her.

​"Is that so? Well, alright then. So, what do I do next, Shuto-san?"

​"Ah, you take his arm like this, and..."

​And so began Shuto's beginner Aikido course. I was merely there to have my joints locked and my body tumbled across the mat. As far as my physical Hero attributes went, it wasn't the slightest burden. However, there was a completely different problem entirely.

​"Umm, like this... eiy!"

​Being Yamashiro-sensei's partner meant coming into closer physical contact with her than ever before. That meant stepping directly into the blast radius of a maximum-level Charm skill, forcing my Hero's Charm Resistance to run at maximum overdrive.

​"I move this here... Aiba-sensei, does it hurt?"

​"E-Er... yeah, I'm fine. My joints are sturdy, too," I managed to reply.

​But as she gripped my arm and pressed against me, my Charm Resistance skill began screaming for mercy. Mostly because the incredibly tight parts of her track suit were pressing firmly against my body. I should have been used to this thanks to Carmilla... wait, no, I definitely wasn't used to it. Carmilla was her own specific brand of hell.

​To make matters worse, Yamashiro-sensei had her hair tied up, leaving her incredibly alluring nape in perfect view right before my eyes. It was terribly bad for my heart. It was so weird—when I was a kid, looking at someone's neck did absolutely nothing for me.

​Anyway, I endured that exquisite torture for what must have been twenty or thirty minutes before Shuto finally wrapped up her lesson, granting me my sweet release.

​"Thank you, Aiba-sensei. I learned quite a bit," Yamashiro-sensei smiled.

​"I'm glad to hear that," I replied, doing my absolute best to feign total composure. If I acted weird here, it would look incredibly bad for me. Shuto and the rest of the Aikido club were watching, after all.

​"Thank you as well, Shuto-san. You were a very good teacher."

​"You pick things up very quickly, Yamashiro-sensei, so you were easy to teach," Shuto praised. "But you'll forget the moves if you don't use them, so I recommend practicing a few more times to build muscle memory."

​"That's true. I am the vice-advisor, after all, so I'd love it if you'd spar with me whenever I pop in to visit."

​With that, Yamashiro-sensei stepped away toward the edge of the dojo. I was about to follow her, but Shuto slid up beside me, peering up at my face with a look that clearly meant she had something to say.

​"Sensei, you were getting a little conscious of her just now, weren't you?"

​Hey, how do you even notice something like that? It's genuinely terrifying.

​"Conscious of what?"

​"When Yamashiro-sensei's body pressed against yours, it looked like you jumped a little."

​"Well, yeah. She's my senior colleague, so I have to make sure I don't do anything inappropriate or rude."

​"Hmm. By the way, Aiba-sensei, do you prefer older women or younger women?"

​"Uh, well, I don't really mind either... wait, this isn't the time or place to be talking about that."

​"I suppose you're right. But I still think you're acting a little suspicious."

​The look in Shuto's eyes when she said that was eerily similar to an executioner's—I mean, to Aouji's eyes.

​But what exactly was she calling suspicious? Was she accusing me of harboring feelings for Yamashiro-sensei or something? Honestly, my reaction earlier wasn't born out of anything so pure or romantic... but if I actually admitted that, they'd look at me with utter disgust. It was terrifying; I never knew where the next trap might be sprung.

​

​Eventually, we called an end to practice and headed over to the dorms for dinner.

​Unsurprisingly, the menu was the standard training camp curry, but it was incredibly delicious and immensely satisfying. I could practically cry at how the girls' club members even went through the trouble of preparing all the food for their advisors. You would absolutely never see this kind of phenomenon with a boys' club.

​Afterward, we hit the dojos for the nighttime practice session, wrapping up before ten o'clock to return to the dorms and get ready for bed.

​Just like the previous camp, I spent the time relaxing alone in my designated advisor's room. Yamashiro-sensei was sharing the other advisor's room with Kiyone-chan. The club members were already treating Kiyone-chan like their adorable mascot, chatting and playing with her. Apparently, she had ended up deciding to sleep in the same room as the students tonight.

​As the clock neared eleven, I figured it was about time to hit the hay. Right as I was thinking that, there was a knock at the door, and to my absolute surprise, Yamashiro-sensei let herself in.

​"Oh, were you just about to go to sleep?" she asked.

​"Ah, no, I'm fine. I usually stay up past midnight anyway."

​"So you're a night owl too, Aiba-sensei. I wasn't planning to sleep for a little while either, and since opportunities like this are rare, I thought it'd be nice to come chat. Midterms are coming up soon, too. Here, for you."

​Yamashiro-sensei sat down at the table and offered me a plastic bottle of tea she had brought with her.

​"Ah, thank you. You're right, final exams are right around the corner, and then it's summer vacation. It's crazy how fast time flies."

​"When you're a teacher, the days really do blur past you. Kumagami-sensei getting hospitalized this year didn't help either."

​"I definitely didn't expect to be made a homeroom teacher so suddenly. But thankfully, it's been a great learning experience. And considering the situation with Aouji and the others, it actually ended up being pretty convenient."

​"We really owe you a lot for all the trouble you've gone through regarding that. You're so capable, it's hard to believe you're a first-year hire. Both as a teacher, and with that other stuff."

​Yamashiro-sensei shot me a deeply suggestive, sidelong glance. If a third party were watching, they'd undoubtedly draw some wildly inappropriate conclusions, but of course, she didn't mean it that way.

​"I was completely caught off guard by their secret lives, too," I admitted. "I certainly never expected my powers to be useful in This World."

​"The principal tells me things from time to time. You all have been pulling off some truly incredible feats. Both the girls and you."

​"I'm just lending a hand. Honestly, I have nothing but respect for those girls. Carrying that kind of burden at their age shouldn't be possible."

​"I completely agree."

​Yamashiro-sensei let out a long sigh. Since she had just gotten out of the bath, the sheer charm power radiating from that simple gesture was catastrophic. If anyone other than me were sitting here right now, things would be getting dangerous fast. But did Yamashiro-sensei understand the effect she had on men...? Probably not.

​"By the way, Kiyone-chan is amazing too," I noted. "You really don't see kids with that much magical aptitude."

​"Right, you mentioned that the other day. But what does it mean if her aptitude is high?"

​"If she underwent the same training as Aouji and the others, she'd be able to project magic from her body. But even if she could do that, in This World, it would really only mean she'd win street fights or have a much tougher body."

​Given the current situation, there wasn't much point in having Kiyone-chan undergo magic training. However, because her senses toward magic were so sharp, there was no guarantee she wouldn't get dragged into some sort of supernatural trouble in the future. For that reason alone, I figured it might be good for her to start learning about magic while she was still young.

​"If I tell Kiyone that, she'll probably beg you to teach her," Yamashiro-sensei mused. "She really adores you, Aiba-sensei."

​"Ahaha... about that, um... I really don't know what to say except I'm sorry..."

​When I apologized, Yamashiro-sensei burst into laughter and leaned a little closer to me.

​"Oh, it's totally fine. She's been so happy lately. But looking at her, it does make me realize that a child really needs a father figure."

​As she said that, Yamashiro-sensei's profile radiated a terrifyingly dangerous aura. It was almost physically impossible to look directly at her. Plus, wasn't the gap between us subtly closing...?

​"Come to think of it, when I grabbed you during Aikido practice, your body felt incredible. It was like you were made entirely of solid muscle."

​"Ah, yeah, I do train quite a bit, so..."

​Ummm, why did she suddenly switch to such a suggestive topic?

​"Someone who's strong, reliable, and always there to help... if a girl had someone like that around, she'd fall for him in a heartbeat. I know I would."

​"R-Right..."

​"Fufu. Though I imagine you're already well aware of that, Aiba-sensei. Still, I'd appreciate it if you kept playing with Kiyone. I promise I'll find some way to repay you."

​Maintaining her mysteriously intimate sense of distance, Yamashiro-sensei brought her face close to mine with a warm smile. Then, she stood up and stretched her arms.

​"Talking with you has completely relaxed me. I think I'm getting sleepy. I'll head back to my room and go to bed. Good night."

​"Eh? Ah, yes. Good work today."

​Having received my rather clunky response, Yamashiro-sensei left the room.

​Hold on a minute, what exactly was that last part of the conversation? It felt vaguely suggestive, yet completely innocent at the same time. Maybe dealing with adult women was still too high a level for me. Though, considering I had zero prospects for grinding experience points in that area, the sad truth was I'd probably never catch up to her for the rest of my life.

l

​The incident occurred the very next morning.

​During the training camp, everyone ate breakfast together in the cafeteria. Naturally, Yamashiro-sensei and Kiyone-chan joined us. Having spent the night with the club members, Kiyone-chan seemed to have grown quite attached to the older girls and walked into the dining hall looking like she was having the time of her life. Yes, that part was fine.

​The problem started the moment she saw my face.

​"Ah! Good morning, Onii-chan!" she chirped, sprinting over to my side.

​In an instant, the entire cafeteria froze. A chilling tension enveloped the room as seventeen pairs of highly suspicious eyes zeroed in on me.

​"G-Good morning, Kiyone-chan. Hey, um, calling me 'Onii-chan' here is a little..."

​"Oh, I'm sorry! Our promise was only when we're all alone!"

​Kiyone-chan bowed her head apologetically, which immediately triggered a wave of overlapping whispers from the students. "All alone...?"

​"No, no, not 'all alone'! I said it's fine when we're outside of school, right?"

​"Ah, that's right. You told me I'm only allowed to say it at your house, Sensei."

​As Kiyone-chan tilted her head adorably, another wave of murmurs rippled through the cafeteria. "Sensei's house...?"

​"Well, yeah, my house counts, but I meant anywhere outside of school."

​"Okay! From now on, I'll call you Onii-chan outside. At school, I'll call you Sensei."

​"Please do. Though I don't think we'll be running into each other outside of school very much."

​"Eh...?! I can't see you outside anymore?!"

​Kiyone-chan looked like she was about to burst into tears. Behind me, I heard someone completely misinterpret the situation and whisper, "Are they breaking up...?"

​"No, no, I didn't say we can't see each other! I was just speaking generally. Anyway, let's sit down, okay?"

​"We can still see each other, right? It's not because you hate me, right?" Plunking down into the seat next to me, Kiyone-chan stared up with an anxious frown.

​I glanced up. Seventeen pairs of eyes were boring into my soul, meticulously dissecting my every move. If I chose the wrong words here, I felt like I'd trigger a misunderstanding I could never recover from.

​"Of course I don't hate you. We can see each other outside, it's totally fine. That's just completely normal, totally normal," I replied, casually emphasizing the word "normal" to drive home that this was just a standard, innocent interaction.

​"Really? Oh, thank goodness..." Kiyone-chan breathed a sigh of relief. That was a close call, but I was pretty sure I had survived.

​Yamashiro-sensei even chimed in with a gentle, "You shouldn't give Aiba-sensei too much trouble, okay?" so hopefully, Kiyone would refrain from the Onii-chan name-calling in public from now on.

​After that, the club members finished setting up breakfast, and Kendo President Haruma led the customary Itadakimasu before we all dug in.

​As I poked at my fried eggs, Shuto, the Aikido president sitting next to me, kept throwing sidelong glances my way. Was she really still suspicious about what happened earlier?

​"What's up, Shuto-san?"

​"Nothing. I was just thinking that you're awfully close with Kiyone-chan."

​"Well, she is Yamashiro-sensei's daughter. And since she's a student at our school, it's not like I don't interact with her at all."

​"I suppose so. Still, don't you think having her call you 'Onii-chan' crosses a line?"

​"It's not like I asked her to call me that."

​"Are you sure about that?"

​The corners of Shuto's eyes were crinkled in amusement, meaning she was probably half-joking. Still, getting teased about this kind of thing was terrifying. It could easily spiral into some outrageous rumor, and let's be honest, if someone shook my closet hard enough, more than a little dust was bound to fall out.

​"If it bothers you that much, do you want to call me Onii-chan too, Shuto-san?"

​"I'm not into humiliation play, so I'll pass." Shuto gave a wry smile and shrugged playfully.

​Alright, looks like I managed to dodge the bullet... Or so I thought, until Kiyone-chan lunged from the other side and wrapped her arms tightly around my arm. Her cheeks were puffed out in an angry pout.

​"I'm the only one allowed to call you Onii-chan, Sensei! You can't let Rirara-chan call you that either!"

​"Eh? Oh, yeah, right. Sorry," I reflexively apologized to calm her down, but a split second later, the whispers among the club members flared up again.

​"Who's Rirara-chan?"

"Isn't she that really conspicuous elementary schooler? The one who ties her hair to the side?"

"Ohh, that super cute girl who looks really sassy?"

"I see her messing with Aiba-sensei all the time in the mornings."

"Really? Wait, you don't think Sensei is...?"

​And so on.

​Hearing all of this, Yamashiro-sensei actively burst out laughing. It felt like I'd sparked a wildfire that not even a Hero could extinguish. To be fair, the club members were probably just memeing on me and didn't actually mean it... but that utterly suspicious glare Shuto was currently giving me definitely did not feel like a joke.

​

​After that, the three-day, two-night training camp concluded without any other major issues.

​Well, actually, there was a highly dangerous moment on the second night when Kiyone-chan tried to sneak into my room to sleep in my bed, but thankfully Yamashiro-sensei intervened and averted the crisis. However, I definitely could not tell Yamashiro-sensei that Kiyone-chan had whispered, "Next time I stay over, we get to sleep together, right?" in my ear right afterward. Yeah, no matter how you look at it, I'm absolutely guilty.

​Putting all that aside, on the afternoon of the camp's final day, I was eating lunch in the faculty room when Aouji approached my desk.

​"I'm sorry to interrupt your meal, Sensei."

​"What's wrong?"

​"Regarding the magic training camp for the branch family we discussed, are you available this weekend?"

​"That's awfully sudden. I'm fine with it, though."

​"I apologize. It seems the branch family members are extremely eager to acquire magic as quickly as possible, so they are prioritizing this above all else."

​"Well, I can't blame them. Are we doing it at your family's dojo?"

​"Yes, that is the plan. We'd like to start at nine o'clock on Saturday morning, if possible."

​"Okay, I'll be there. But what's the plan for their ongoing training afterward?"

​"They will commute until they master it. The ones coming from far away will simply sleep in the dojo. I was thinking of having them absorb magic from Master and myself..."

​"Ah, I see. You two can project more than enough magic, so that should work perfectly. I'll make sure to drop by whenever I have the time, too."

​"Really? Thank you very much. On a separate note, how was the general martial arts club's training camp?"

​Aouji asked the question with a vaguely probing look on her face. Please don't tell me the incident with Kiyone-chan had already reached her ears via the rumor mill.

​"Nothing special really happened. I just sparred with the Kendo and Judo clubs a bit."

​"Ah, Haruma-san did mention that your strength was completely incomprehensible. I see. That is a relief to hear."

​Giving a satisfied nod, Aouji bowed politely, looking somewhat relieved, and walked away.

​It seemed the incident hadn't reached the executioner... er, Aouji's ears just yet. Then again, I had already explained the whole situation regarding Kiyone-chan and Rirara to Aouji—or rather, I had been forced to confess everything—so it shouldn't actually be a problem. If I acted too defensive about it, that would just make me look even guiltier. I needed to be careful.

​Still, even with the Crimson Twilight situation temporarily settled, a Hero's work never seemed to end. Not that I minded helping out people who were fighting the good fight. Honestly, I might as well sit back and enjoy the ride.

​

​Following a Friday night text exchange with Rirara that went exactly like: "Hah? You're postponing our date again? You're the worst," and my reply, "It's not a date, and the last time was canceled because of your schedule," 

Then Saturday arrived.

​I found myself visiting the Aouji family dojo.

​Situated behind the main estate, the dojo was as large as a standard school Kendo hall. For a private facility, it was more than magnificent.

​Standing beside me were Aouji, Amano-san, and Usa-san. All three were wearing martial arts dogi. Seeing Usa-san outside of her maid uniform was a rather fresh experience.

​Lined up across from us were the members of the Aouji branch family. It was a group of six young men and women in their late teens and early twenties: two guys and four girls. Apparently, the women outnumbered the men because the Aouji bloodline had a bizarrely high birth rate for females.

​Since Aouji had asked me to give the opening remarks, I offered a brief bow and stepped forward.

​"Nice to meet you all. My name is Aiba Hashiru. I am the homeroom teacher for Aouji Misono-san here, but originally, I served as a Hero in another world, which allows me to wield a special power known as magic. My goal here is to help you acquire this magic so you can utilize it in your own respective battles."

​I paused there to gauge their reactions. Unsurprisingly, words like "Hero" and "magic" had triggered their skepticism. They all looked incredibly doubtful.

​"The actual training to acquire magic will take time, but it isn't overly difficult. It might hurt a little bit, but Aouji-san and Seinōji-san successfully overcame that hurdle and mastered it. I am confident all of you will be able to as well."

​Yup, they were still staring at me like I was a blatant scam artist. Well, it was a totally unbelievable story unless you saw it with your own eyes, so it couldn't be helped.

​"That being said, jumping straight into training without knowing what you're aiming for is confusing, so let me demonstrate exactly what you'll be learning. First, I will generate magic from within my body and project it outward toward all of you."

​Focusing my will into the "Magic Generation Organ" below my navel, I let my magic surge, cloaking my entire body in the energy. A few of the branch family members twitched in response, meaning they already possessed the latent senses required to feel magic.

​Gathering the magic into my arms, I extended my hands and unleashed it from my palms. I held back, tuning it so it only felt like a sudden, heavy gust of wind, but if I went all out, I could easily blow away the entire dojo.

​Hit by my Magic Release, the six of them leaned back, their faces registering genuine shock.

​"That was 'Magic Release'. Magic itself exerts a powerful effect against Abyss Beasts. With enough training, you'll be able to defeat D-Class classes using just 'Magic Release' alone. Furthermore, when you channel magic into a blade—"

​Taking a wooden sword from Aouji, I concentrated my magic along the blade, forming a razor-sharp edge of pure energy. Having Aouji hold up a piece of timber used for cutting practice, I brought the wooden sword down in a swift arc. With a crisp thwack, the tip of the wood was severed cleanly, dropping to the floor as if sheared by a high-grade steel blade.

​Seeing this, a quiet murmur of awe rippled through the six branch members.

​"You can enhance cutting power like this. This, too, proves highly effective against Abyss Beasts. Aouji-san and Seinōji-san have already verified the utility of this power, so mastering this technique will be your ultimate goal."

​Having successfully convinced them, the magic training officially commenced.

​First up for the six branch members was Magic Perception training. I had them sit in a semicircle around me, close their eyes, and attempt to sense the flow of my magic. I figured it would take them about three or four hours to grasp it, but we decided to split the training into two sessions, morning and afternoon.

​Meanwhile, Aouji and the others focused on Magic Absorption. It was about time Usa-san developed her own Magic Generation Organ, too. Aouji and Amano-san were already used to the process and no longer felt the pain of absorption, but Usa-san's eyebrows still twitched slightly, indicating she was fighting through the discomfort.

​Unsurprisingly, no one managed to grasp Magic Perception during the two-hour morning block. We called a break to eat lunch in the dojo. It seemed the branch family members had each brought their own meals.

​"Here is your lunch, Sensei. Please enjoy," Aouji said, handing me her usual handmade bento.

​Without missing a beat, Usa-san swiftly appeared beside her.

​"Master, I have prepared a meal for you as well," she said, offering her own bento box.

​Watching this unfold, Amano-san made a tearful face and muttered, "Not just Misono-chan, but even Tokisa...? And she's calling him Master...? Ah! Is this the 'maid cucks the wife' roleplay trope!?" She was spouting absolute, incomprehensible nonsense.

​Leaving that aside, a tension sharp enough to draw blood hung in the air between Aouji and Usa-san. What in the world was going on here? Please don't tell me they were going to make me judge whose food tasted better.

​"Sensei, are you making Usa-san call you Master?"

​"Ah, well, Usa-san said she really wanted to call me that, so..." As Aouji's glare sharpened into a deadly glare, my voice naturally shrank into a squeak.

​"It is only natural for a maid to call her master Master," Usa-san countered cleanly. "More importantly, Master, whose bento will you be dining on?"

​"Eh, well, let's see which one..."

​As I stammered, an immense, terrifying pressure—strong enough to make even a Hero flinch—radiated from both Aouji and Usa-san. Wait, does the person whose bento I don't pick get to execute me? Is my life literally riding on a lunchbox?

​"Ah... uhm... well, since you both went to the trouble, I'll eat them both. I can easily finish off this much food anyway."

​Even a Hero couldn't afford to die over a lunchbox, so it was the only answer I could give. And honestly, it wasn't a lie; I really could eat two bentos without breaking a sweat.

​"Then please eat mine first. I handed it to you before she did," Aouji demanded.

​"No, Master, my dish is currently at its absolute peak flavor. Please eat mine first," Usa-san insisted.

​"Uh—I'll just eat them both at the exact same time, so..."

​And so, I ended up placing both bentos on my lap and rapidly alternating bites between them. I had absolutely no idea why the situation had suddenly escalated into this. To make matters worse, both of them were staring intently at me the entire time they ate their own lunches.

​Glancing behind me, I noticed Amano-san sitting alone at the edge of the dojo, sadly picking at her food. Every so often, she would shoot me a look and mutter things like, "He's my Sensei..." and "The bento cuckolding trap... terrifying..."

​Anyway, I managed to finish off both boxes, politely making sure to tell them both that the food was "delicious." But right as I finished, I felt a rather concerning gaze directed my way.

​Following the stare, I found it belonged to the two young men from the branch family. More specifically, one of them was glaring at me with an unusually intense intensity.

​He looked to be around high school age—a tall, fairly handsome guy. He gave off the vibe of a star soccer player rather than a swordsman. He was probably super popular at school. Even as he glared at me, he kept darting glances over at Aouji.

​Hmm. This was probably one of those classic tropes—the young boy from the branch family falls in love with the heiress of the main household. I mean, as long as she wasn't glaring daggers at you, Aouji was normally a very cute girl. Wait, no, maybe he had a specific fetish for being glared at?

​Regardless, if that was the case, then watching me happily scarf down a bento made by his beloved heiress would naturally flag me as his mortal enemy. Of course, in reality, I wasn't his rival or anything close to it... but I suppose that was just the kind of misunderstanding typical of youth. Having spent my own youth in total, dreary gray, honestly, I was a little jealous.

While we took a short break after lunch, Aouji, Amano-san, and Usa-san were called over by the women of the branch family and began chatting.

​"You said Aiba-san was a Hero, but is that actually true...?"

"Wait, that wasn't a joke? I thought I was supposed to laugh at that part..."

"A-Class... Type Special-I? And they weren't even a match for him? He's really that strong...?"

"He gave Amano-san a ring...? Wait, doesn't that mean..."

"Why is Misono-chan denying it so frantically? Ah~, don't tell me..."

​Judging by the snippets my Hero ears were picking up, it sounded like I was the main subject of their gossip.

​The boy who had been glaring at me earlier was also eavesdropping, reacting particularly strongly to whatever Aouji was saying. Yes, yes, I understand how you feel, boy.

​With that, our lunch break concluded, and we resumed the Magic Perception training.

​About an hour into the afternoon session, voices began to sporadically speak up. "Ah..." "I can see it..."

​As expected of people who trained daily, they were picking up Magic Perception at a speed comparable to Aouji and the others. By the two-hour mark, all six of them could see it.

​"To be able to perceive magic this quickly... you are all truly impressive," I praised. "Now that you can see it, I'm going to have you absorb it. The process is simple: just be consciously aware of the magic as you inhale through your mouth, as if you're breathing it in. However, this will be accompanied by a sharp pain, so please start by absorbing an amount no larger than the tip of your pinky finger."

​As I finished my explanation, the soccer-player-esque boy raised his hand.

​"What happens when we absorb magic?" he asked.

​"If you were able to see my magic earlier, you likely noticed it was being generated from just below my navel. By absorbing magic, you will form something akin to a 'Magic Generation Organ' in that exact same spot. However, you'll need to absorb a substantial amount to achieve that."

​"So once this 'Magic Generation Organ' is formed, we'll be able to do what you did earlier, Aiba-san?"

​"It will likely take another month of practice after the organ is formed before you can pull that off. It took Aouji-san and Amano-san about that long, as well."

​The boy twitched the moment I said “Aouji-san," which was honestly kind of adorable. We don't have that kind of relationship, so you don't need to worry, boy.

​"Got it. Thanks," he nodded.

​Without further ado, we began the Magic Absorption training. Naturally, Aouji and the others participated as well. Since this was their first time, stifled groans of "Ow!" and "Guh!" echoed across the dojo, but there was nothing even a Hero could do to alleviate that.

​We called it a day after two thirty-minute sets. It placed a heavy burden on the body, so this was the absolute limit for a single day.

​"For now, we'll continue this training until your Magic Generation Organs are fully formed," I told them. "Please be prepared for this to take about two to three weeks."

​"Um, is the pain going to last the entire time?" one of the women raised her hand to ask.

​I shot Aouji a look, and she answered in my stead. "The pain itself will lessen as you get used to it. Once the Magic Generation Organ is fully formed, it will disappear completely. It took me about three weeks of daily practice, so please steel yourselves."

​"Uwaaah... I'll do my best."

​Since there seemed to be no further questions, I decided to pass the baton of instruction to Amano-san. It wasn't even three o'clock yet. They were apparently scheduled to do their standard sword training after this, but I wasn't required to be involved with that part.

​As Usa-san and I moved to leave the dojo, Aouji hurriedly rushed over to see us off.

​"Thank you very much for today, Sensei."

​"I'm glad everyone made it to the point where they could see magic. I'll be here by nine o'clock tomorrow morning."

​"Yes, we'll be waiting. I will make sure to prepare a bento for you tomorrow as well."

​The moment Aouji said that, the invisible pressure battle between her and Usa-san flared up again.

​"Ah~, I'll look forward to it. I'm sure I'll be hungry tomorrow too, so I'd appreciate it if I could rely on you as well, Usa-san."

​"Of course, Master. I shall prepare something even more delicious than today's meal," Usa-san bowed flawlessly.

​"I will also make something even more delicious than what you always eat," Aouji countered.

​Aouji-san, please refrain from using words like "always" right now, my social standing is in grave danger. Look, that boy over there is glaring at me with murderous intent.

​"They're declaring their intent to cuckold again. As the legal wife, I have to do something... Ah, but if I intervene here, will it trigger a secondary NTR flag...?"

​Watching our exchange from afar, Amano-san was busy tripping into yet another dimension of delusions.

​The training itself was progressing smoothly, which was great, but the atmosphere created by the instructors was also important. As a professional educator, maybe it was my duty to offer them some advice on that front.

​

​The next day, the same group gathered at the dojo.

​Today's schedule consisted of two thirty-minute sets of Magic Absorption in the morning, followed by another set in the late afternoon. Normally, this would be overworking them, but based on how they looked yesterday, they seemed like they could handle it. I supposed that was the benefit of training their bodies far beyond that of normal people.

​They had mentioned doing regular sword training during the breaks, so I brought it up at the start of the morning session.

​The boy immediately raised his hand. "Excuse me, but is it possible to have you instruct us during the sword practice, Aiba-san?"

​"Ah, well... is that alright with you, Seinōji-san? I don't mind, personally." I directed the question at Amano-san, since she was the designated sword instructor here.

​"Ah, yes! In fact, I was hoping to ask you to do so. Please take care of us," she agreed easily.

​"Understood. I will participate in instructing the sword training as well."

​"Thank you very much," the boy replied, fixing me with a challenging glare.

​Did yesterday's exchange ignite some unnecessary sense of rivalry in him? Well, that was both heartwarming and enviable in its own way.

​The morning Magic Absorption sets ended without a hitch. Naturally, no one had manifested a Magic Generation Organ yet.

​Since there was still time before lunch, we moved on to sword practice. But when I said "instruction," the only thing I could really do was engage them in actual combat drills.

​"I will act as your opponent, so please come at me one at a time," I announced. "You do not need to hold back. Using techniques like Swift Step is perfectly fine."

​"Sensei is someone we couldn't defeat even if we all attacked him at once, so please come at him with actual killing intent," Aouji added helpfully.

​Hearing that, almost everyone gulped nervously, but the boy's fighting spirit only seemed to blaze brighter. Ah, that's the stuff. That's how the youth should be.

​"Then I'll go first."

​Unsurprisingly, the boy stepped forward. His wooden sword was heavily worn, a clear testament to how seriously he dedicated himself to the blade and how far removed his life was from the ordinary.

​"Before we cross swords, tell me your name."

​"I'm Seiheiji Gen. Let's do this."

​"Nice to meet you."

​I took a one-handed stance with my wooden sword. Seiheiji put some distance between us and settled into Seigan—the middle-level stance. His center of gravity was perfectly balanced, allowing him to instantly transition between offense and defense. It was a good stance.

​He slowly closed the distance, measuring the gap between us, and then, with minimal telegraphing, triggered Shift Step.

​"Tchah!"

​With a sharp kiai, the tip of his sword flashed in a fierce thrust aimed straight at my throat. I had told him not to hold back, but launching an attack without a shred of hesitation proved he had real resolve.

​I lightly parried the tip of his blade with mine. Using that momentum, he immediately fired off another Swift Step, swinging for my torso with a sweeping slash. I deflected that as well, prompting him to jump back and reset his Seigan stance.

​"You're strong," he noted.

​"I wasn't lying to you."

​"Guess not."

​His next Swift Step left words in the dust.

​A diagonal slice, a sweep at the shins, then from the torso up to the throat—his flowing combination of strikes was powerful and completely devoid of hesitation. He might actually be stronger than Aouji was when I first met her.

​I forcefully deflected his final strike and returned a blow of my own. Seiheiji caught my blade but had to backstep heavily to create distance.

​Sweat was already beginning to bead on his forehead. Since this was training, I figured it was time to push him into a corner.

​Using the High-Speed Movement skill, I closed the gap in an instant and unleashed a flurry of light attacks. Seiheiji blocked them, dodged with Swift Step, and threw counter-slashes whenever he found an opening. His reaction time was excellent; once he gained more experience and mastered magic, he'd easily reach the level of a high-rank adventurer. Considering his age, his talent was astounding.

​After exchanging dozens of blows, I waited for the tip of his wooden sword to drift off course and pressed the edge of my blade against his neck.

​"...Hk?! ...Guh... I yield..."

​Glaring at me with profound frustration, Seiheiji lowered his weapon, bowed, and retreated to the edge of the dojo. He wiped his face with a towel, though it looked like he was also trying to hide his tears of mortification. We had ostensibly fought on even terms, but he undoubtedly realized I hadn't been using even a fraction of my true strength.

​He probably wanted to show off in front of Aouji, but when it came to combat, I couldn't afford to pull my punches. I hoped he'd forgive me for that.

​Following that, I sparred with the remaining five members individually, and then ran a multiple-on-one drill.

​The Aouji branch's swordsmanship was specifically designed for combating Abyss Beasts, so they had honed techniques for multiple swordsmen to take down a single massive target. Their coordination was magnificent; it was actually quite educational for me.

​For the record, dealing with all of them using just one wooden sword would have been a bit too hectic, so I fought them with dual blades. That ended up shocking them quite a bit, but it made for excellent training on their end.

​By the time I had fought everyone, it was noon, so we called a halt for lunch.

​

​Lunch went exactly like yesterday. Under the crushing, mysterious pressure radiating from both Aouji and Usa-san, I ate two entire bentos. The real problem arose afterward, when Amano-san suddenly thrust a third bento toward me.

​"Umm, Seinōji-san? What is this?"

​"Please eat it."

​"Huh?"

​"It's the first time I've ever made a bento. Please eat it."

​Amano-san held the box out, her face beet red, stubbornly looking away. And yet, she kept darting anxious glances at me out of the corner of her eye, making it completely impossible to refuse.

​"Sensei, please eat Master's bento as well," Aouji chimed in.

​Why was everyone treating me eating three whole bentos as if it were a totally normal occurrence? Usa-san even murmured, "Amano is a rival, but I shall concede this victory to her," which made no sense because she hadn't conceded anything—I had just finished eating her food!

​Still, having just done some intense physical activity, it was true that I could eat more. I said a quick Itadakimasu and accepted the bento from Amano-san's trembling hands.

​Judging by our past interactions, she didn't strike me as someone good at cooking, but the bento in front of me looked perfectly normal. The deeply worried expression on her face fueled my anxiety, but I tentatively took a bite of one of the side dishes.

​"...Hk?!"

​I had braced myself for impact, but surprisingly, it tasted totally normal. I was fully prepared for a classic trope-level disaster where she mixed up the salt and sugar, but thinking about it logically, Aouji had probably taught her how to make it, so there was no way she'd make such a cliché mistake.

​Under Amano-san's intense scrutiny, I managed to polish off the entire thing. When I politely told her, "It was delicious," her face melted into a puddle of absolute joy.

​"Oh, thank goodness! Now I've captured Sensei's stomach, too. Wait, if I've captured his stomach, does that mean I'm going to be cuckolded next...?"

​Just when I thought she was simply happy, Amano-san plummeted right back into her incomprehensible delusions.

​More concerning than that, however, was the fact that the number of piercing glares aimed at me had increased. Glancing over, I saw that the other young man from the branch family was now glaring at me right alongside Seiheiji.

​It seemed another misunderstanding had successfully spawned yet another human enemy for the Hero. Well, as long as she kept her mouth shut, Amano-san was a stunning beauty, so I could kind of understand where he was coming from...

​I suppose making enemies in places I didn't even know about was just the tragic fate of a Hero. I had no choice but to resign myself to it.

​

​The afternoon consisted of sword instruction in the first half and Magic Absorption in the second half, concluding the weekend camp.

​As for their ongoing Magic Absorption training, Aouji and Amano-san would act as their daily magic suppliers. The branch family members were a mix of students and working adults, and some lived close by while others lived far away, so they'd be adjusting their schedules to commute to the dojo or temporarily live at the Aouji estate.

​When the new week began, I returned to my normal life as a teacher.

​With the first term's final exams approaching, a slight air of tension hung over the students, but other than that, nothing particularly unusual happened.

​However, on Tuesday, I noticed something was slightly off about Aouji.

​She seemed somewhat melancholy, or perhaps distracted—like her mind was elsewhere. She supposedly loved Japanese literature, and she usually glared at me with intense concentration during my classes, so her sudden lack of focus stood out all the more.

​She carried the same gloomy aura into Wednesday. After school, following the General Martial Arts Club activities, I managed to catch Soutou to poke around for information. (Aouji was temporarily skipping club activities to run the branch family's training).

​"Sorry, Soutou, got a minute? I wanted to ask you about Aouji-san."

​"Yes! What's up?"

​"Actually, since yesterday, Aouji-san has seemed a little off. Have you heard anything?"

​"Ahhh..."

​Soutou furrowed her brows, looking exactly like someone who knew the answer. Was it a situation where she knew the reason but found it hard to say?

​"It's not that I haven't heard anything, but it's a bit hard for it to come from my mouth..."

​"Is it a privacy issue?"

​"Well, yes, there's that, but more than that... I'm not sure telling Sensei would help. In fact, I think it might make things worse."

​"What does that mean? The way you're phrasing it makes it sound like I'm involved."

​"In a way, you are."

​"If that's the case, I can't just ignore it. I'll ask her directly tomorrow."

​Hearing that, Soutou crossed her arms, striking a thoughtful pose.

​"Hmm... if you're going to do that, it might be faster to just go to Misono's dojo tonight. That's where the 'incident' is taking place."

​"What 'incident'?"

​"You're doing magic training at Misono's house right now, right? It seems there's 'a little something' happening after the training ends."

​"A little something?"

​"I can't say any more than that."

​Hmm. Soutou's tone made it sound serious, but her eyes looked vaguely amused. I didn't think she was trying to trap the Hero or anything, but I couldn't just leave it alone either.

​"If you say so, I guess I'll head over to Aouji-san's place later."

​"Please do. And make sure you think properly about Misono, okay?"

​"I'm always thinking seriously about her."

​Soutou sighed at my answer. "Ah~, right, right. Sure you are." Then she immediately added, "Make sure you think properly about me too, okay!?"

​Honestly, I thought I was thinking seriously about Soutou, Niira, and all my other students.

​When a girl says "think properly," it probably carries a much deeper meaning than a man assumes. I had to admit, my education in that specific field was sorely lacking.

​

​It was nearly seven o'clock by the time I left the school.

​I was told the training at the Aouji dojo lasted until around eight, so, following Soutou's advice, I headed over to Aouji's estate.

​It was a bit of a cheat, but using Optical Camouflage combined with Mobility Magic, I flew over the city and landed directly in the garden near the dojo.

​As I touched down, I noticed two silhouettes standing a short distance away from the dojo entrance.

​One was a long-haired girl with a sharp glare—Aouji. The other was the handsome, soccer-player-esque boy, Seiheiji Gen.

​Seiheiji wore a deadly serious expression, while Aouji looked uncharacteristically troubled. Judging solely from the atmosphere, an alarm bell went off in my head warning me that this was that kind of scene. I felt bad playing Peeping Tom, but maintaining my Optical Camouflage, I decided to eavesdrop on their conversation.

​"Hey, have you thought about what I asked the day before yesterday? About the two of us hanging out this Sunday?"

​"I believe I told you I wasn't going because midterms are coming up."

​"Come on, I hear you're super smart, Misono-san. Half a day won't hurt, right? The tests are still over a week away."

​"Even so, there have been a lot of Abyss Beasts lately, so I'd prefer not to leave the estate. Besides, you have training on Sunday too, don't you?"

​"Well, yeah, but a little break is fine. If before the tests is no good, we can go after they're done."

​"Like I said..."

​Faced with the boy's persistence, Aouji cast her eyes downward, looking genuinely conflicted.

​Ah, so it really was that kind of situation. Soutou was right; this definitely wasn't something you consulted a teacher about.

​Aouji clearly wasn't used to this sort of thing, and she seemed totally at a loss for how to turn down a date. Even so, this wasn't something I could just intervene in. They had to settle this between themselves.

​Come to think of it, Soutou had told me to "think properly about her." Given the context, did she mean something closer to "watch over her"?

​"Misono-san, is there actually another guy you're interested in?" Seiheiji pressed. "Is that why you're rejecting me?"

​"..."

​Just as I was contemplating slipping away, their conversation entered a new phase. I knew it was wrong to keep listening, but my feet felt glued to the spot.

​"If that's the case, I'd rather you just tell me straight so I can give up," he said. "If not, can't we just hang out at least once?"

​"..."

​"Oh, wait. Do you like that Aiba guy?"

​Aouji twitched.

​Uh oh. Is this the precursor to her snapping? That's a terribly dangerous assumption to make, boy. To Aouji, I am nothing more than a target for execution. Pointing out that she might "like" me is an instant death sentence.

​Proving my fears right, Aouji fixed the boy with a razor-sharp glare.

​"...What makes you think that?"

​"I mean, you gave him a bento and everything."

​"I only made him a bento because we're indebted to him for his help with the Abyss Caves."

​Exactly. It would be highly problematic if you misunderstood that.

​"Hmm... Really?"

​"Yes, really. That being said, completely unrelated to that, I do like Sensei."

​"...Eh?"

​The sound slipped past my lips before I could stop it. It was a completely involuntary reaction to an utterly shocking statement.

​"...Who's there?!"

​Aouji's piercing gaze snapped directly toward me. As expected of a seasoned warrior. Even completely invisible, she pinpointed my exact location flawlessly.

​I briefly considered fleeing, but if I ran now, she'd eventually figure out it was me anyway. I had already shown her what I was capable of.

​"Ah~, sorry. I didn't mean to eavesdrop..."

​Resigned to my fate, I canceled the Optical Camouflage and revealed myself. Aouji's eyes went wide.

​"Sensei?! Why are you here?!"

​"Well, I came to help out with the training... but I happened to fly in while hidden, and, well..."

​"If you were here, you should have revealed yourself immediately! Eavesdropping is the lowest of the low."

​"I kind of missed my window to interrupt... sorry."

​I tried to offer an excuse, but the sheer, crushing pressure of Aouji's glare silenced me.

​As I stood there with both hands raised in surrender, the boy abruptly cut in.

​"Excuse me, but about what we were just talking about—what do you think, Aiba-san? You're a teacher, right?"

​"Ah~, what do you mean by 'what do I think'?"

​"I'm asking what you think about Misono-san."

​"Eh? Well, of course I—"

​I was about to say, 'As a teacher, I possess no such feelings,' when I noticed Aouji glaring at me with an unprecedented intensity—a look sharper and more desperate than any I had ever seen from her.

​Ah. If I mess this up, I'm getting executed again. Wait, how am I supposed to answer this?!

​If I recalled correctly, Aouji had just been trying to turn down the boy's invitation. The boy claimed he would give up if she liked someone else. So, to reject him, Aouji claimed she liked me.

​...Ah! I get it! Saying she liked me was just Aouji's strategy to turn down the boy's date! Which means I have to be extremely careful not to ruin her plan here! (Executing High-Speed Thought skill up to this point).

​"—I suppose I don't feel bad about it," I answered carefully. "Like you said, I'm a teacher, so it's not like I'm going to start dating her immediately, but you can't exactly put chains on a person's emotions."

​It felt like a borderline suicidal answer, but it was the only logical response that protected my social standing while avoiding execution.

​The boy looked like he didn't quite grasp the full nuance, but he seemed to accept the gist of it.

​"So you do have feelings for her, then," he grumbled, his expression miles away from actual acceptance.

​Meanwhile, Aouji seemed to comprehend the meaning perfectly. Her eyes went wide, and her face flushed violently red.

​Hey, wait, I played along with your story, so this is the part where you're supposed to deliver the final rejection to the boy...! Don't tell me she actually thinks I'm seriously interested in her? I need to clarify this later, or I'm definitely getting bumped up the execution list.

​We stood frozen in a painfully awkward silence.

​Suddenly, Amano-san poked her head out from the dojo entrance.

​"Ah, Misono-chan, we're going to resume the training soon, so..."

​She trailed off. Sensing the incredibly bizarre atmosphere flowing between the three of us, she furrowed her brows. Then, a look of sudden realization dawned on her face.

​"Don't tell me... an NTR love triangle?! Aiba-sensei, you already have me, yet you're sticking your hands into such a complicated situation?!"

​Amano-san's trademark brand of utter nonsense completely shattered the tension, instantly reviving Aouji.

​"Please stop, Master. And Sensei has absolutely nothing to do with you."

​"He does too~! He asked me to be his lover~! He even gave me a ring~!"

​"Are you still going on about that? Didn't you return the ring?"

​"Misono-chan just forcefully snatched it from me~!"

​"Sensei lent that exact same ring to Miruma-san, you know."

​"That's a lie~! There's no way that's true, right, Sensei?"

​"Uh, no, I definitely lent it to her."

​"Wha—?! Why would you commit such a blatant act of cuckolding?!"

​Amano-san burst into tears, marched right up to me, and started weakly pounding her fists against my chest... Seriously, what was this chaos?

​I felt like we were completely ignoring Seiheiji-kun's existence. Glancing over at him, I saw he was staring at me with a potent mix of disgust, jealousy, and a myriad of other negative emotions.

​"You're the worst, Aiba-san," he spat. "How can you call yourself a teacher acting like that?"

​"No, wait, I don't even understand what's happening right now..."

​I tried to defend myself, when suddenly—

​ZUDOOOOON! A massive shockwave slammed into us.

​"...Hk?!"

​Every single person, aside from me, flinched violently and gasped for air. That was how intense the impact was.

​However, the shock wasn't a physical vibration. It was a wave of invisible energy—a magical explosion crashing over us from an unknown distance.

​"Sensei! Was that just...?" Aouji asked urgently.

​"Yeah," I confirmed grimly.

​Reaching into my Spatial Magic, I pulled out the magic tool Dragon's Eye to check.

​Inside the crystal sphere, a massive, brilliant reaction pulsed violently—stronger than anything I had ever seen.

​"It looks like a massive Abyss Cave just manifested a short distance from here. If we don't head there right now, things are gonna get bad."

Because an emergency of this scale was practically unprecedented even for the Aouji family, it was decided that Aouji, Amano-san, Aouji's mother Mika, and all six of the branch family members who had come for training would head to the Abyss Cave. They were going to split up into several cars, but since the location was far away, it was going to take them quite a bit of time. Left with no other choice, I decided to fly ahead to the Abyss Cave alone.

​After flying for about ten minutes using Mobility magic, an out-of-business amusement park came into view below me. It wasn't overly large; it was filled with rusted, decaying rides that felt like relics of a bygone era, like a small-scale roller coaster and a dilapidated merry-go-round. Near the center of the grounds was an open plaza about half the size of a soccer field. Sitting squarely in the middle of that plaza was a massive sphere, roughly ten meters in diameter.

​"That's a new type. Never seen one of those before."

​Landing nearby, I realized the object wasn't a full sphere, but rather a hemisphere—a dome.

​It was already nearing eight o'clock at night, and naturally, there were no streetlights on in the abandoned park. Yet, I could clearly perceive the dome's presence because it was a black so absolute it seemed to devour all surrounding light.

​I drew a mythril sword and thrust it into the dark dome. The blade slipped in smoothly without an ounce of resistance, and when I pulled it out, there was no change to the metal.

​It would still be a while before Aouji and the others arrived. Figuring I might as well do some reconnaissance, I decided to peek inside.

​I stepped into the dome, and immediately stepped out of the dome.

​That might be hard to understand, but essentially, an identical dark dome existed inside the Abyss Cave. The moment I entered the dome on the outside, I was teleported, stepping out of the corresponding dome on the inside.

​Looking around, the environment was completely different from the usual Abyss Caves. The scenery stretching out before me was an exact replica of the abandoned amusement park I had just been standing in. In other words, this was an open-field type dungeon. Furthermore, while it was night outside, it was currently daytime in here. Though I say daytime, the sky was completely choked by thick, heavy clouds, casting a gloomy, overcast pall over the area.

​"Now then, where are the Abyss Beasts...?"

​I expanded my perception skill to cover a fairly wide radius, but it didn't seem like there were any Abyss Beasts in the immediate vicinity. I could sense them beginning to spawn sparsely in the distance, but at this rate, they weren't going to overflow into the outside world anytime soon.

​I wandered around a bit, but the only discovery I made was that the setting of an unmanned, dilapidated amusement park was a lot creepier than I had expected.

​Since investigating the Abyss Caves fell under the jurisdiction of the Aouji family anyway, I stepped back out.

​The outside world was still a silent amusement park shrouded in darkness.

​I waited for a while until the presence of people finally approached. Nine individuals, each carrying a sword—it was Aouji and her family.

​As they filed into the plaza, their eyes went wide with shock at the sight of the pitch-black dome.

​Aouji immediately ran over to me.

​"Sensei, is this the Abyss Cave? I've never seen one shaped like this."

​"It's definitely an Abyss Cave," I confirmed. "I took a quick look inside. Abyss Beasts are slowly starting to spawn."

​"Understood... Ah, Mother."

​Mika stared intently at the dark dome as she walked up to us. Judging by her gravely serious expression, she knew exactly what this unusual Abyss Cave was.

​"Mika-san, do you recognize this type of Abyss Cave?" I asked.

​"Yes. Records of hemispherical Abyss Caves exist in the Aouji family's ancient archives. This specific classification is called a 'Stationary Type.' Apparently, it is an incredibly troublesome Abyss Cave that will not disappear until a set period of time has passed. The records state that the last time one appeared, it took roughly five years for it to vanish. Furthermore, the Abyss Beasts it spawns are exceptionally powerful. I hear that during the previous occurrence, even the Kukami family had to be mobilized to help deal with it."

​While Aouji and Amano-san merely furrowed their brows at Mika's explanation, the six branch family members exchanged nervous glances before tightly pressing their lips together, their faces hardening with grim resolve.

​"Ah~, I see. It's that type. Yeah, that definitely sounds like a hassle."

​I purposely kept my tone light, not wanting the mood to become overly oppressive, but it seemed to only work on Aouji and Amano-san. Well, looking at that ominous black dome, you couldn't blame the others for being terrified.

​Still, I genuinely hadn't expected to encounter a Stationary Type dungeon in This World. Just as Mika said, this wasn't the kind of problem a Hero could solve just by flexing their power and blowing it away.

​Since it required a long-term, sustained response, I could easily see why this was going to be a massive headache for the Aouji family.

​

​Standing around looking grim at the entrance wasn't going to accomplish anything, so we all decided to head inside the Abyss Cave together.

​Stepping out into the "mirror amusement park" field, even the experienced swordsmen—Aouji and Amano-san included—gasped at the bizarre atmosphere.

​"This is the first time I've ever seen an Abyss Cave like this," Aouji murmured. "But you've seen something like this before, Sensei?"

​"There were all sorts of dungeons in That World. This is what we'd call a 'Field Dungeon'—a dungeon that takes the form of an outdoor landscape. Rather than a dungeon, it might be more accurate to call it a battlefield specifically designed for fighting monsters."

​Answering Aouji, I sifted through my knowledge from the other world.

​Dungeons generally manifested in places where magic pooled. Dungeons that spawned spontaneously due to magic leaking from the Demon King were called "Outbreak Types." It was said that when these began appearing in abnormal numbers, the Demon King's resurrection was near. On the other hand, there were locations that continuously generated magic for one reason or another, and the dungeons that formed there were classified separately as "Stationary Types."

​The defining characteristic of a Stationary Type was that defeating the boss monster in the deepest depths would not cause the dungeon to collapse—in fact, sometimes there wasn't even a boss monster to begin with. Because the dungeon couldn't be permanently destroyed, it required constant management, usually in the form of regularly culling the monster population inside. In the world I was summoned to, there were countless individuals who made a living doing exactly that. We called them "Adventurers."

​"What kind of countermeasures should we take?" Aouji asked.

​"Basically, you have no choice but to routinely cull the Abyss Beasts. If you leave it alone, it'll start overflowing with a far greater number of Abyss Beasts than a normal Abyss Cave."

​"I see. So in the end, it boils down to hunting Abyss Beasts exactly like we do in a normal Abyss Cave."

​"Pretty much. Now then..."

​I pulled out Dragon's Eye and checked the magical signatures—the distribution of the Abyss Beasts.

​"This Abyss Cave seems to be a distorted circle with a radius of about one kilometer, centered around the dome. There are three distinct spawn points for Abyss Beasts along the outer perimeter. Right now, there are about thirty of them in total. Judging by their signatures, almost all of them are D-Class or C-Class, but I see three B-Class as well."

​When I relayed the information, Amano-san leaned in to peer at the crystal.

​"It's amazing that you can tell all of that. But from the sound of it, this should be an easy victory..."

​"That's because this Abyss Cave is brand new. The Abyss Beasts that spawn from here will gradually grow stronger over time."

​"At what rate will they increase in strength?" Mika asked.

​"From what I know, their strength comes in waves, and those waves fluctuate on a monthly basis."

​"You mean it changes based on the lunar cycle? Like, they become stronger during a full moon, for example?"

​"It's a possibility. We don't know for sure if this Abyss Cave operates under the exact same rules, so we'll need to continuously monitor it going forward."

​I wasn't sure what part of my words triggered it, but Amano-san started muttering, "I see... monitoring... alone together in an Abyss Cave... a date...?"

​Shooting an exasperated side-glance at Amano-san, who had clearly tripped into another dimension, I turned back as Mika-san spoke up.

​"It is said that in the past, when a Stationary Type appeared, the very first wave consisted of A-Classs, resulting in massive casualties. The records say things settled down for a while after that, so perhaps this location is also..."

​"I see. We should definitely be on our guard, then."

​"Yes. But first, we must hunt the Abyss Beasts that are currently here. Sensei, I apologize for the imposition, but may I ask you to provide support?"

​"Of course."

​With that, led by Amano-san and Aouji, our party of ten began marching toward the outer perimeter.

​

​Because the Abyss Cave mimicked an abandoned amusement park, our path took us weaving between Ferris wheels, roller coaster tracks, and merry-go-rounds.

​After walking for about ten minutes, we heard rustling sounds coming from the other side of what looked like a concession stand.

​"Three D-Class, two C-Class," Amano-san called out. The two young men from the branch family immediately stepped forward, lining up alongside Aouji. I suppose they wanted to show off their skills.

​The battle itself was over in a flash. For Aouji and the others, anything below a C-Class was pure fodder. Seiheiji and the other young man were quite skilled as well; both of them utilized Swift Step to cut down their targets with a single stroke.

​"You really are strong, Misono-san," Seiheiji remarked. "Did you use magic just now?"

​"No, that was purely the sharpness of the blade. Though the sword itself is quite special."

​"That sword... it's not one of Tougen-san's works, is it?"

​"This is a gift I received from Sensei."

​"Hmph..."

​Watching the boy and Aouji interact was honestly quite heartwarming.

​We moved on to the next location.

​After a short walk, six Abyss Beasts spawned in the same manner. This time, the women of the branch family took the lead in subjugating them. They were highly capable fighters as well, though it felt like they were still a step or two behind Aouji and Amano-san.

​Since there were three spawn points, the next one would be the last. As we pressed further, a large plaza centered around a dried-up fountain came into view. Roughly twenty Abyss Beasts were loitering around the area, indicating this was the largest of the spawn points.

​"Nine D-Class, six C-Class, three Type B-class," Amano-san analyzed. "Misono-chan, Mika-nee, and I will handle the B-Class. I'll leave the rest to you."

​"Understood," the other branch family youth replied.

​Amano-san's trio dashed straight past the D-Class caterpillars and C-Class six-legged tigers, beelining for the B-Class four-trunked elephants.

​The D-Class and C-Class beasts that tried to pursue them were systematically cut down by the six branch family members trailing closely behind.

​Amano-san and her team engaged the elephants in one-on-one duels, fighting with absolute composure. Amano-san and Aouji had completely mastered the use of magical blades, extending the edge of their energy to slice the massive B-Class elephants cleanly in half. Mika-san couldn't quite replicate that feat, but as a woman of the main household, her movements were flawless and completely free of danger. Of course, the fact that her personal sword, Hagane, had been heavily enhanced by me certainly played a major role in that.

​As the final Abyss Beasts at the third location were wiped out, Seiheiji promptly trotted over to Aouji to strike up a conversation.

​"Taking on an B-Class all by yourself is amazing," he said. "If I learn to use magic, will I be able to fight like that too?"

​"I believe you will. However, that still requires continuous dedication to your swordsmanship."

​"True. I'll make sure I don't lose to you on that front, either."

​Looking at the boy, I couldn't help but think that winning a woman's heart really did require hard work.

​Putting that aside, we should have cleared out all the Abyss Beasts currently in the Abyss Cave. However, the prickling sensation on the back of my neck—my Hero's intuition—was warning me that something else was here. Factoring in what Mika-san had said earlier, it felt like a massive boss was about to drop in.

​Just as that thought crossed my mind...

​"...Hk?!"

​Everyone present snapped their heads toward the far end of the plaza. A presence harboring immense power was beginning to manifest roughly thirty meters away.

​"That's the Type Special-I from before... and there are two of them?!" Aouji's expression hardened, while Amano-san readjusted her grip on her beloved sword, Hayamidare.

​Indeed, the new arrivals were the massive, twenty-meter-long pseudo-dragons that had appeared in the Abyss Cave I had previously dived into with Aouji. While their overall bodies resembled lizards with bat wings, their necks extended into grotesque, earthworm-like shapes. Their heads were nothing more than gaping, cross-shaped maws lined with rows of razor-sharp fangs—a truly shocking and repulsive sight.

​Faced with such colossal monstrosities, Mika-san's eyes went wide with shock. The six branch family members fared even worse; their faces were completely drained of color.

​"What the hell are those...? Are we seriously supposed to fight things like that...?"

​Seiheiji's muttered words likely spoke for all six of the branch members. Well, having skipped right over the A-Class class and being suddenly confronted with a giant dragon-class Type Special-I, it was only natural they'd feel that way.

​"GYAOOOOOOH!"

​The two pseudo-dragons roared at the sky, violently flapping their massive wings and taking to the air. Come to think of it, the one we fought last time had smaller wings and couldn't fly. This meant these two were likely a higher-tier variant.

​"They can fly?!" Aouji let out a small gasp, whipping her head toward me. "Sensei, handling that is impossible for just us."

​"I'll knock one down for you, so I need you and Seinōji-san to handle it. Be extremely careful of its breath attacks. I'll take care of the other one, so don't worry about it."

​"Thank you very much. Master, let's go! It spits fire from its mouth, so please dodge by moving to the side or slipping directly underneath it."

​"Copy that, Misono-chan. This is the one you fought before, right?"

​"Yes. This time, I'll definitely sever its head."

​"Mika-san, please have the branch family fall back. These opponents are still too early for them."

​At my instruction, Mika-san nodded. "Understood. We'll leave it to you." She quickly issued orders to the six branch members and retreated. Seiheiji hesitated for a split second, but after a lingering glance at Aouji's back, he too pulled away.

​In that brief exchange, the pseudo-dragons had closed the distance in the air. If left unchecked, they were going to unleash their breath attacks right over us.

​I extended both hands and fired off four shots of the intermediate fire-attribute magic, Fire Lance. The spears of flame tore massive holes clean through the wings of the two dragon-types, blasting them out of the sky.

​Their colossal bodies crashed into the earth with a deafening boom. However, they immediately scrambled back upright, suggesting the fall damage was minimal.

​"Master, let's go!"

​"The head looks a bit too much like an earthworm for comfort, but I'll endure! I will endure!"

​Aouji and Amano-san activated Swift Step, charging straight at one of the beasts.

​I drew the Demon Sword Diabla and launched myself into the air with Mobility magic, hurtling toward the second beast at high speed. It craned its neck back, preparing to unleash a breath attack, but before it could, I bisected it straight down the middle with a perfectly vertical strike. The massive body split cleanly in two, falling away to the left and right as it dissolved into nothingness.

​Glancing over at Aouji and Amano-san, I saw them split off to the left and right, engaging their target with masterful coordination. When one drew its attacks, the other would slip in and slash its legs. When the pseudo-dragon snapped its attention to the new threat, the other would strike from the opposite side. Thrashing in desperation, the pseudo-dragon tried to swing its tail, but its partially severed legs couldn't withstand the torque of its own violent movements. As it lost its balance and its colossal body toppled sideways, Aouji unleashed a spirit-infused flash of her blade. She cleanly decapitated its thick neck, securing their victory.

​Wow. Those two had absolutely reached the point where they could handle a Type Special-I. They'd undoubtedly be top-ranking Adventurers even in That World.

​Looking over at Mika-san and the others, Mika-san was narrowing her eyes in deep satisfaction at the girls' growth. On the other hand, the six branch members were staring in sheer, wide-eyed disbelief. The two young men, in particular, looked even paler than before. Well, watching the girl you're interested in prove she is leagues stronger than you would probably have that effect.

​Aouji and Amano-san jogged back toward me, their cheeks relaxed in triumphant smiles. However, those happy expressions froze instantly.

​A massive surge of magical energy erupted right behind them, accompanied by an explosive shockwave of black mist bursting from the ground. It seemed there was one more left.

​And judging by this aura... this was a Type Special-II. It would be the Aouji family's first time seeing one.

​Rising from the mist was an ultra-massive, three-headed dragon.

​It stood almost entirely upright, and measuring up to its heads, it easily cleared fifty meters in height.

​

Name: Abyss Beast Type Special-II

​Description:

A giant Abyss Beast that is the completed form evolved from the dragon-type Type Special-I. Each of its three heads breathes a breath of a different attribute. It devours everything it views as prey with its incomparably powerful jaws. Its scales possess strength equivalent to the scales of ancient dragons, granting strong resistance to both physical and magical attacks. Its sole weakness is the inside of its mouths.

​Traits:

• ​Blunt Strike Resistance

• ​Slash Resistance

• ​Pierce Resistance

• ​Magic Resistance

• ​Status Ailment Immunity

​Skills:

• ​Charge

• ​Suction

• ​Chew

• ​Breath (Fire, Ice, Acid)

• ​Tail Attack

​Just as the Analyze window displayed, its appearance was less "monster" and more "full-blown kaiju." I felt like I'd seen something similar in an old monster movie once, but since its three heads were earthworms with cross-shaped, gaping maws, it bypassed "cool" and went straight back to "grotesque."

​"Sensei...! Is that what I think it is?!"

​Sprinting over to me, Aouji uncharacteristically grabbed my arm. Amano-san, her face completely pale, grabbed my other arm.

​"Three earthworm heads are impossible, impossible, impossiiiiible! Just praise me for not fainting right now!"

​Despite their panicked words, neither of them actually seemed to be in a state of true despair. They probably assumed I'd win easily anyway.

​"It's a Type Special-II," I said. "Looks like the fully matured version of the ones you just fought. Apparently, it breathes fire, ice, and acid. The acid is going to be the most annoying since it lingers on the ground."

​"Is that even an opponent a human can defeat in the first place?!" Aouji cried.

​Aouji-san, are you implying I'm not human?

​"Yeah, fighting something of that level normally is probably impossible. Even in That World, if one of those showed up, a country or two would get reduced to ash."

​"But you've fought things like that before, right, Sensei?"

​"Once you get used to them, they're not a big deal. Oops, looks like it's about to make its move."

​The pseudo-three-headed dragon let out a triple-layered, earth-shaking roar and launched itself into the sky with a single beat of its wings. Rather than a king of the skies, it looked more like the very incarnation of despair. And honestly, if I weren't here, despair would be the only option. While Mika-san was still standing tall with a courageous front, the six branch members had already collapsed onto the ground in sheer terror.

​I gently detached the two girls from my arms and shot into the sky using Mobility magic. Just to be safe, I cast Arrow Protect on everyone below to shield them from any stray breath attacks.

​SHIGYAAAAAAAH!!

​As I closed in mid-air, all three heads unleashed their breath attacks simultaneously. Acid down the middle, flanked by fire and ice on the sides. Yeah, that was just nasty.

​I instantly invoked the advanced wind-attribute magic, Catastrophe Cyclone. A violent tornado erupted from my arms, inhaling all three breath attacks and spiraling them harmlessly up into the stratosphere.

​Honestly, I had wanted to just suck the main body into the tornado as well, but the reason I hadn't was that the Demon Sword Diabla had been emitting a faint, eager hum ever since the beast appeared. It clearly wanted to cut the thing. Thirsting for the blood of the strong was a very magic-sword-like trait, and I couldn't say I disliked it.

​I closed the gap in a single burst of speed. The three heads snapped forward, trying to bite me in rapid succession. Up close, a single neck was as thick as a train car. Weaving through the absurdly scaled bite attacks, I seized a momentary opening and completely severed one of the heads with Diabla. The massive stump plummeted to the earth, hitting the ground with a resounding crash.

​ANGYAAAAAAH!!

​Screaming in rage, the remaining two heads attempted to perform a pincer attack, snapping their jaws at me from both sides. Passing between them, I vertically cleaved one of the heads straight down the middle. The bisected head flopped lifelessly to the side.

​Perhaps realizing the foolishness of engaging me in close combat, the final head tried to pull away and create distance. I mercilessly hammered its colossal body with twenty simultaneous shots of Fire Lance. The moment its movements halted, I lopped off the final head, calling game set. Bereft of its three heads, the giant kaiju dissolved into black particles as it plummeted toward the earth.

​The Demon Sword Diabla in my hand vibrated faintly. I suppose it was satisfied. Personally, I had fun too; thanks to Mobility magic, I was finally able to engage in proper aerial melee combat.

​For the record, the Abyss Drop it left behind was an ultra-massive crystal roughly two meters in diameter. Since human hands obviously couldn't carry it, I unceremoniously tossed it into my Spatial Magic.

​The moment I touched down on the ground, Aouji and Amano-san immediately rushed over. They proceeded to tackle me in a tight embrace, but their movements felt incredibly deliberate and staged. To begin with, they both knew I would win easily, and neither of them had actually been that terrified of the Type Special-II. In short, they had absolutely no genuine reason to be clinging to me right now.

​"U-Um, I'm pretty sure nothing else is going to pop out, so you're safe now," I tried.

​"Yes. But I was still a little scared."

​"I really can't handle earthworms. I'd never be able to fight without you, Sensei."

​Even as they said that, I noticed they were continuously darting glances over at the six branch family members... and then it clicked. Aouji and Amano-san were using me as a shield to firmly shut down any lingering romantic pursuits from Seiheiji and the other young man. Being a beautiful woman sure came with a lot of hardships.

​Regardless, countermeasures for this newly spawned Stationary Type Abyss Cave were going to be a major headache. Judging from Mika-san's earlier story, the Aouji family might have to coordinate with the Kukamis. Either way, it was absolutely imperative that Usa-san and the branch members mastered magic as quickly as possible.

​Along with that, I might need to take a trip back to That World to see what was going on. With anomalies of this magnitude occurring in This World, as a Hero, I had no choice but to actively involve myself.

​Though if I said that out loud, I had a feeling Carmilla would be entirely too thrilled about it...

​"Sensei, who were you just thinking about?"

​Eek! Is that your executioner's intuition acting up, Aouji-san?!

​―― Aouji Estate - Dojo ――

​"Ah, Misono-san, do you have a minute?"

​"What is it? If it's about the other day, I believe I already turned you down."

​"Ah, don't worry about that. I've honestly given up. This is actually about Aiba-san."

​"Sensei?"

​"Yeah. Just who exactly is that guy? Watching him fight in the Abyss Cave the other day... no matter how you look at it, he can't be human."

​"I believe he told you himself, didn't he? Sensei is a 'Hero from Another World.' A long time ago, he was summoned to another world, where he fought constantly and eventually defeated the Demon King."

​"Ehh... wait, that wasn't a joke?!"

​"I initially thought he was lying to hide his true identity as well, but it's the only explanation that makes sense. It seems another world truly does exist... or rather, he said the Abyss Beasts are monsters originating from that world."

​"...Ah~. I guess the Abyss Beasts themselves are completely unbelievable to normal people, so I can't exactly say another world doesn't exist. The Swift Step and techniques we use aren't exactly normal either."

​"He mentioned that our techniques might have been passed down from that other world. After all, Sensei can use the exact same moves."

​"So he really is some kind of unimaginable monster. Honestly, setting the Type Special-I aside, a Type Special-II isn't a Abyss Beast a human is supposed to defeat."

​"Only Sensei could pull that off. I can barely manage a Type Special-I, but that Type Special-II felt like a completely different dimension of existence."

​"From our perspective, the fact that you can defeat a Type Special-I is crazy enough. But if the magic training we're doing now will allow us to win those fights, I'm definitely fired up for it."

​"You should be. We apparently have to constantly monitor that Abyss Cave and cull the Abyss Beasts inside. If we don't get stronger, we won't stand a chance."

​"True that. Ah~, still, if my rival hadn't been Aiba-san, I wouldn't have given up. But against him... yeah, my pride didn't stand a chance."

​"...I need to make sure I don't get my own pride shattered. I wonder if he was serious the other day when he said he 'didn't feel bad about it'..."

​―― Aouji Estate - Living Room ――

​"Ah, Misono, do you have a moment?"

​"What is it, Mother?"

​"Your battle against the Type Special-I yesterday was magnificent. The same goes for Amano-chan, but looking at the history of the Aouji family, you might very well be our greatest swordswoman yet."

​"Why are you bringing this up so suddenly?"

​"There's no particular reason. I simply wanted to praise you."

​"Hmph. Well, a large part of that is because Sensei taught me magic and gave me this sword. As far as pure sword technique goes, I don't think I've reached your or Master's level yet."

​"That is a bridge to cross in the future. But I do believe the gap is closing rapidly. At the very least, you are far better than I was at your age."

​"I suppose that's good. Ah, but practicing my swordsmanship with Aiba-sensei is a big factor too. Being able to practice while going all out with every technique I have makes a huge difference."

​"I see, that makes sense. Seeing Aiba-sensei's power up close for the first time... he truly is far more absurd than the stories say. When we talk here at the estate, he seems like a perfectly ordinary teacher."

​"I honestly still don't fully understand Sensei's personality either. It's incredibly strange how someone with that much power can act so normal."

​"Yes... he does feel quite elusive. By the way, what happened with Gen-kun?"

​"Again, why are you bringing this up so suddenly?"

​"Because I'm curious. He's been bothering you since you were little, after all."

​"Umm... well, he did invite me to hang out. I turned him down, though."

​"Oh my, so that happened. It's a shame; if his target wasn't you, I imagine Gen-kun would be quite popular with the girls."

​"Given our family lineage, we can't just pick anyone as a partner. Being too popular would probably just be a nuisance anyway."

​"That might be true. But in that regard, it's wonderful that you already have a great candidate in mind. It makes things so much simpler."

​"...Who are you talking about?"

​"Who knows? But since he is someone the Aouji family absolutely needs, I expect you to work hard, Misono. I will provide backup if necessary."

​"You don't need to do anything unnecessary. Besides, picking someone as a partner just for the family's sake feels wrong to Sensei."

​"I understand how you feel, Misono, but calculated reasons are also a necessary component of human relationships. A bond built solely on fleeting emotions is actually far more fragile."

​"Is that how it works?"

​"That is exactly how it works. Besides, if you just sit on your hands doing nothing, he might get snatched away by a formidable rival living very close by. Not that our family would have a problem with that outcome, either."

​"I don't even know how serious Master is about all that..."

​"Regardless, nothing will happen unless you make the first move, Misono. Given his position, he cannot afford to view you in a romantic light."

​"...I know that. But... ah, never mind."

​"Oh my, did something happen? As your senior in life, I'm always happy to offer advice."

​"I said drop it! Just leave it alone, okay? And absolutely do not say anything weird to Sensei!"

​"Fufu."

​"Eh, what?"

​"Misono, have you noticed how naturally you call him 'Sensei' now?"

​"Eh?! Ah! N-No, that's not what this is...!"

​―― A Certain Other World - Baseltoria Kingdom - The King's Office ――

​"Your Majesty, here are the findings regarding the cause of the recent massive monster outbreak."

​"Let me see... Hmm... So the root cause was the accumulation of 'Magical Waste' after all. And this time, it exceeded the threshold, triggering a chain reaction of monster spawns. Is that correct?"

​"It appears so. The investigation also confirmed that the emission levels of 'Magical Waste' have not decreased; in fact, they have increased."

​"You looked into the changes in emission levels by territory, I presume?"

​"Yes, I have the data right here."

​"...Haaah. Unsurprisingly, the spikes are entirely centralized within the territory of that Marquis and his affiliates. It seems they no longer possess even a shred of restraint toward the Royal Family."

​"Indeed. It is safe to assume they are completely ignoring the royal decree Your Majesty issued."

​"And what is the Marquis's excuse?"

​"He claims the increase in emissions is strictly temporary, and that they are projected to drop below Your Majesty's mandated limits within a year."

​"Who in their right mind would believe such words...? The cause of this massive increase in volume is, without a doubt, the mass production of magi-tech, isn't it?"

​"That is the only logical conclusion. However, they do not appear to be increasing the production of civilian magi-tech. According to the merchants, the market prices for civilian goods have remained relatively stable and within expected margins."

​"Which implies they are manufacturing military-grade magi-tech."

​"That would be the most likely scenario. That being said, there have been no reports of his territory selling military magi-tech to other domains."

​"So they intend to use it themselves?"

​"It is a possibility. Considering the recent surge in monster appearances, it is not entirely incomprehensible why they might feel the need to..."

​"If they are exacerbating the 'Magical Waste' problem to fight the monsters it creates, they have completely lost sight of the core issue. We must rigorously enforce the training of intermediate-to-advanced magic across the military so we no longer have to rely on magi-tech."

​"The stubborn generals are still voicing their complaints. I hear they are pressuring us to hurry up and build that 'Magic Absorber' they keep talking about."

​"A 'Magic Absorber' is merely a stopgap solution. The fact that men holding the rank of General cannot comprehend that is beyond absurd. ...Is what I would like to say, but judging by the Marquis's actions, it seems many among the nobility fail to understand the reality of our situation as well."

​"I deeply sympathize with your frustrations. Unfortunately, I doubt even half the nobles in the Kingdom possess Your Majesty's political acumen."

​"It is truly pathetic. If this merely resulted in the fall of our nation, that would be one thing. But at this rate, the human race itself might go extinct. For humanity—having been saved from the Demon King in the ancient past—to walk the path of self-destruction by its own hands... We would have no face to show the 'Hero' who sacrificed his life to save us."

​"The 'Hero'... you say? Could you perhaps be quoting your former schoolmate?"

​"Fufu. I suppose you are right; she would likely say the exact same thing. But setting that aside, we cannot ignore the Marquis's territory. Will I have to intervene and issue a direct reprimand by name? I suppose unless I go that far, they will never grasp the urgency of this crisis."

Toc