Ch.301Academy Festival (6)

“Shota Arigiri. Do you have a moment?”

Hagenstein approached me.

Shit. I got dragged into this. I was feeling extremely uneasy.

“I have a small favor to ask.”

Hagenstein said while stroking his bald head.

“A favor… that’s a bit…”

I tried to refuse indirectly.

“You don’t particularly need to make time for it. You’re participating in the Natori High School Ultimate Championship anyway. It would be great if you could do it then.”

Hagenstein said.

“I don’t work for free.”

I stated flatly. Match my price… that’s what I’m saying.

“Heh. Of course. Our Science Club has developed a masterpiece. I’ll give it to you.”

Hagenstein smiled and pulled something out. It was a medicine bottle.

“This is the legendary hair growth formula.”

Hagenstein said.

“Hair growth formula…?”

But my hair follicles are still fine? I don’t particularly need it.

“It’s a miraculous medicine that can regrow hair even for those suffering from baldness. Because it’s too effective… it was buried in the annals of history due to lobbying from other hair loss treatment companies. All samples were destroyed, but I have the recipe in my head. This is one of the few remaining samples of the formula.”

Hagenstein muttered while looking out the window.

“No… what exactly are you people?”

I couldn’t help but interject.

“You’re probably thinking, ‘I still have plenty of hair, I’m fine.’ That’s what you’re thinking.”

Hagenstein stared at me intently through his goggles.

“Ah…”

That was a fact. I thought baldness was something that happened to other people.

“However, adult men cannot escape hair loss. Especially healthy men like you who overflow with testosterone. As long as you have male hormones, hair loss will follow.”

Hagenstein spoke with incredibly convincing words.

“Baldness… no!!”

I immediately cried out.

“And… isn’t there already someone around you who has fallen victim to the clutches of baldness? You can save that person with your own hands.”

Hagenstein said.

In that moment, I thought of Thumbs-up Man.

———

Yeah. It was shortly after we conquered the September dungeon.

We guys went to a public bathhouse together.

It was me, Sasix, and Thumbs-up Man.

“Thumbs-up Man. Being bald must be convenient.”

I casually remarked to Thumbs-up Man as he was refreshingly washing his head.

“Yeah. It’s convenient. I’m even happy to be bald.”

Thumbs-up Man smiled and gave a thumbs up.

“I see. So it’s a fashion choice.”

Sasix said.

“Sasix, how about you shave your head too?”

His hair is way too long like some eroge protagonist. Well… since he’s handsome, I guess it’s forgivable.

“Absolutely not.”

Sasix flatly refused.

“Right. I’m bald by choice. Definitely bald by choice. It’s absolutely not because I lost my hair and had to shave it clean.”

Suddenly Thumbs-up Man’s speech quickened. Plus… his eyes were strangely filled with melancholy.

‘Thumbs-up Man… you just went bald and shaved it…’

Both Sasix and I instinctively realized this.

Afterward, Sasix and I both washed our hair with strangely meticulous scalp massages. We had both developed an awareness about hair loss. Yes, we felt a sense of crisis.

———-

I could save Thumbs-up Man. That point tempted me.

“That’s good compensation. I’ll do it.”

I said.

“Just like that?”

Kana said with an expression of disbelief.

“Isn’t Shota the type who would never go bald? Your hair is stiff like wire.”

Kana said, staring at my spiky hair.

“I’m going to save Thumbs-up Man.”

I stated firmly.

“That damn Thumbs-up Man!!!”

Kana immediately got angry. No. Why does she keep feeling jealous of Thumbs-up Man?

“Thumbs-up Man… I will definitely take you to the moon…”

I quoted a line from a famous anime. Yes. To the moon full of lush hair… I’ll definitely take you there.

“Argghhh!!! Treating Thumbs-up Man like a heroine!! While treating me like some cyber psycho!!”

Kana seemed strangely upset that her narrative was being stolen.

“But… Senior Hagenstein. Why are you bald when you have such a hair growth formula?”

I asked Hagenstein.

“Shota…! That question is rude!”

Kana nudged my side.

“Hmph… no matter how much science advances… what humans can do is limited.”

Hagenstein stroked his bald head.

“Just as we cannot revive the dead, we cannot revive dead follicles. My follicles… are already gone.”

Hagenstein said with wistful eyes.

“Ah…!!”

Tears suddenly welled up in my eyes.

“However, your friend might be different. His follicles… might still be alive.”

Hagenstein said with a serious look through his goggles.

“Please. Save those balding people who still have hope… save this world.”

Hagenstein said.

The Attack on Titan soundtrack was already playing in my head.

Ter-up!

I picked up the hair growth formula with almost the same seriousness as inheriting a Titan.

“Why are these people getting so dramatic…”

Kana wore an expression of disbelief.

———

“Anyway, what do I need to do?”

I asked Hagenstein.

“Defeat a guy named Kisho in the New Science Club. Open his eyes.”

Hagenstein said.

“Why me for such a task?”

“I heard you’re a master of rehabilitation. Even the former delinquent Taiga has become an ordinary student now. Moreover… Nishikawa Eri and Kiryu Umi, who were poorly evaluated for their bad attitudes, are now ordinary girls. You have the power to change people. That’s why I’m entrusting this possibility to you.”

Hagenstein said.

No… those things just happened by chance.

“Originally, there was only one Science Club. The previous club president was someone who loved science, and we continued research to make people happy. But that wasn’t enough. Research clubs needed to produce results, and the budget decreased day by day. The number of members leaving the club also increased. As a result, the Science Club was on the verge of being disbanded.”

Hagenstein said.

Yes. I knew that setting. It’s the main content of the Science Club community.

“Then, while playing with fireworks, a fire broke out at school. Taking responsibility, the previous president resigned. Following that incident, the Science Club split in two. Kisho… was excessively attached to the Science Club. Under the sole determination to make the club bigger, he ended up making the Science Club too rigid. He modified the android Heichi, a legacy of the previous president, and began sweeping up various competitions.”

“Isn’t he just a capable person then? Besides, the fire from playing with fireworks was the previous president’s fault…”

Kana interjected. Tsk. Such things should just be passed over as youthful atmosphere.

“But… it went too far. The wound must have been deep. That guy… now seems to be plagiarizing ideas made elsewhere and entering competitions. He wins competitions to boost his achievements. Under that sole determination, he has become a demon. Everyone in the Science Club is losing their smiles due to excessive competition preparation and busy schedules.”

Hagenstein sighed.

“The previous president’s motto of ‘Have fun with everything’ has long been lost… Kisho no longer smiles either. I want to rehabilitate Kisho. However, he no longer listens to me. That’s why I want to entrust this to you.”

Hagenstein looked straight at me.

“Well… I’ll give it a try. I was planning to win regardless of who my opponent is anyway.”

I stated firmly.

“Thank you…”

Hagenstein bowed his head to me in gratitude. Because of that, the baldness on Hagenstein’s crown was revealed. Truly… not a single blade of grass was there.

———-

Time passed and the festival day approached. Students, including outside guests, were all standing in the schoolyard. They probably wanted to take in the scenery of the festival’s opening.

“Are you ready to enjoy the festival?!!!!”

The MC took on the role of hyping up the atmosphere.

“Yeeeeeessss!!!!!!”

The students shouted loudly from the stage.

“Alright then!!! Let’s all do our best in the name of Natori High School!!!!!”

“Woooooooooo!!!!”

The atmosphere was already heating up.

And… I was secretly enjoying naughty play with a precious guest who had kindly come to our festival. The sense of transgression from doing something naughty while everyone was standing on the stage cheering was incredible.

“Shota… doing this here…”

Aiko-san, the attractive chief priest of our local temple, expressed reluctance. Taking advantage of the crowd, I slipped my hand under Aiko-san’s dress-like skirt and touched her slightly drooping but wonderfully voluminous buttocks and thighs.

“Aiko-san, your dress outfit… it’s so pretty. Did you dress up so nicely to see me?”

I whispered to Aiko-san with a smile.

“I-I just… my daughter Aki said she was coming here… so I just came along…!”

Aiko-san made a dishonest statement.

“Did you… not want to see me?”

I persistently caressed Aiko-san’s body and embraced her waist.

“…I wanted to see you.”

Aiko-san’s cute final acquiescence was too adorable.

“Me too.”

I kissed Aiko-san on the cheek.

“Really… we’ll get caught if we do this where there are so many people…!!”

Aiko-san playfully swatted my hand.

“All my other girlfriends are preparing for the exhibition. Aki and Mika went there too.”

I said that, then whispered to Aiko-san.

“For now… shall we go somewhere more secluded? Aiko-san. You said you’re a Natori High School graduate, right? It’s nice to revisit memories.”

I smiled as I spoke to Aiko-san.

“Y-yes….”

Aiko-san, weak against pushiness, nodded and followed me.

In a secluded open space behind the school, I enjoyed happy time with Aiko-san.

“Whew… that feels refreshing.”

Having released a few shots, my body felt lighter.

Now I was ready to rampage in the arena.

“Let’s go to our exhibition together. Aki should be there too.”

I pulled Aiko’s hand.

“Hehe…..❤”

Aiko seemed to still be lost in the afterglow of last night.

“Hey now. Control your expression.”

I said, giving Aiko a light kiss.

“Ah… right.”

Aiko cutely twisted her expression around before deliberately composing herself.

Aiko and I headed amicably toward our class exhibition.