Welcome Back!

“What did you just say?”

“I heard. Kongkong is second place in midterms. Second place in finals. An incompetent eternal second place who lost to Dale. Not a match for me who aims to beat Dale.”

Maki turns her trembling head towards Beans.

Her face emitting red light with a clicking sound could be said to contain mechanical brutality in itself.

“Are you angry?”

“Hah, ha! Do you think I’d fall for such petty provocation?”

“If you’re angry, come at me. I, Maki, was born for war, I don’t avoid incoming fights.”

“I’m not angry. I’m not angry!!”

Beans shouts, trying hard to avoid a fight.

But the mana Beans is operating is raging violently at this moment.

Mana is a power based on will, and will tends to be sensitively affected by emotions.

“Grrrr!!”

The moment he noticed that the control of the mana pressing down on his body was Beans, Latello’s hostility began to extend to Beans as well.

Dale just watches all this situation, not knowing what to do.

‘Wh-what should I do.’

Even though he has the power to control all three, the moment he touches one side, the other side might go berserk.

A situation where he doesn’t know where to start, even though he needs to calm them down.

“E-everyone, don’t fight, we should get along…”

After ending up with just a passive response of raising both hands with difficulty, not knowing what to do.

“Really. Look at these guys trying to cause trouble again just because I didn’t see them for a few days.”

At that moment, someone bursts through the door and passes by Dale’s side, swinging their hand towards the three people about to go wild.

-Bang! Bang! Bang!

A roaring sound echoes from where the fist passed. As the three people who got hit squarely on the crown of their heads fall over, Dale, who had been blankly watching the scene, finally meets eyes with the person who burst in.

Unkempt hair roughly tied up, an expression worn out with fatigue. And the white gown symbolizing her.

“T-teacher?”

“Yes, it’s Teacher Seine~”

Seine, who burst into laughter, soon narrowed the distance with Dale.

Is it to extend her hand to him as well, just like she knocked down the three people?

“You little…”

But what actually came to him wasn’t a fist but fingers.

She began to corner Dale while repeatedly poking his cheek with her upright finger.

“You, you, you, you little thing. You little thing.”

“Wah!?”

Dale steps back, startled by the pressure.

But he couldn’t bring himself to tell her to stop.

Because her doing this must mean there’s a good reason for it.

“…Dale.”

Then she lowers her head to match his eye level, and begins to glare at him while grasping both his cheeks with her hands.

“Our little one. Do you know why teacher is doing this?”

“Th-that’s…”

Yes, it must be for the reason he’s guessing.

Dale reluctantly bowed his head towards her and apologized.

“I-I’m sorry. I should have watched them better…”

“No, that’s not it.”

The fingers that were pinching his cheeks curl up, and soon she cups both cheeks with her palms.

The expression revealed afterwards was closer to disappointment than scolding towards him.

“Even if you’re focused on playing, is it okay not to greet your teacher when you see her?”

“Huh?”

“What should you do first when you meet your teacher after a long time?”

“…”

“Hm?”

She quietly asks while slightly tilting her head.

He was about to reflexively apologize to that question, but soon found himself bowing his head without realizing it, overwhelmed by the aura she exuded.

“W-welcome back.”

“Yes, well done.”

Only then does Seine release her emotions and pat his head.

The surface is rough but the movement is gentle.

Feeling full of consideration towards him.

As if teaching that she’s been through a lot in places he doesn’t know about.

“…Are you not angry?”

The boy carefully asks while looking up at her.

Seine widened her eyes and expressed doubt as if she’d heard an unexpected question.

“Angry? Why would I be?”

“W-well, I couldn’t properly handle the kids trying to fight…”

“Causing trouble is everyday life for your age group, why would I scold you for that?”

It wasn’t just words of comfort she was throwing out.

In reality, aren’t they all extraordinary and emotionally sensitive adolescents?

As they’ve become somewhat of a focus within the academy, the surroundings are well guarded. Even if a big incident were to occur, they took lodgings in an area where Hades’ Holy Knight Order is stationed to prevent the aftermath from spreading.

Even if an incident were to occur, from her perspective it would be considered very trivial.

“Rather, I’d feel more sorry if you unnecessarily felt responsible.”

“Ah, no. You don’t need to feel sorry…”

“I’m sorry.”

She can forgive causing trouble as much as they want.

The problem is worrying that they might leave for a place beyond her sight while she’s gone…

As they’re children who have nowhere to depend on except her embrace, even a time of a few days would surely feel like a big void.

“I said I’d take responsibility for you, but after bringing you this far, I couldn’t properly take care of you.”

At the moment when such guilt was clearly revealed through her patting.

Dale, who faced such a teacher’s face, felt an inexplicable familiarity from it.

‘Don’t worry. She’s safe. She’ll be able to return soon.’

Yes. Sefin, whom he met this morning, surely made this kind of expression too.

The two of them clearly know something.

That they interfered with something he doesn’t know about, and because it wasn’t wrapped up well.

“It’s okay.”

But even though he was young, he could understand.

There must be a reason why she, an adult, doesn’t tell him.

And that prying into such aspects certainly can’t be called respect towards them.

“Well, because I knew you’d come back.”

So let’s take comfort in one fact now.

That she who took him in and let him meet the children here has returned.

And the fact that she won’t leave his side in the future.

“I’m sorry for the late greeting. Welcome back, teacher.”

As he belatedly greets her while reminding himself of those points, a clear smile begins to be drawn on her lips as she faces him.

Even though soaked in fatigue and sorrow.

A smile that feels bright enough to hide even that.

---

The past three days or so have been busy in many ways.

Not only injuries, but as soon as I woke up I had to treat the injured, write reports on what I saw underground, and even while in the hospital room, several people came and went from the management office.

I’m in a state where fatigue has accumulated to the point where I’d like to sleep soundly for one more day if I could.

But I couldn’t neglect the children who followed me any longer, so I forced myself to endure the fatigue with caffeine and came out to the marketplace.

I can’t just let them do nothing because they can’t be on campus while the academy festival is in full swing.

“Wow~ There’s so many amazing things!”

“It’s a place where goods from all over the continent gather.”

As we set foot in the marketplace we arrived at, Dale began to actively express his emotions as usual.

In reality, Maris is also a place of cultural exchange, and its enthusiasm is significantly influenced by the academy festival.

The goods brought in by visiting outsiders must be several times more than usual, so the children will be able to encounter many things that will be good experiences for them.

“Fish, look over there.”

If we’re talking about the child who will benefit most from learning, it would be Maki.

Beans, Dale, and Latello have their own hometowns, but this child is experiencing this era by ‘leaping over hundreds of years of time’.

“There’s a window there.”

“Um, that’s right. It’s a window.”

“This window has color.”

“That’s called stained glass. It’s mainly used in places like churches to give a strong visual effect rather than blocking light.”

“This one has a red frame.”

“That’s a hi-gh quality window. It’s about 3 times more expensive than the one we saw earlier.”

“I see, so red is three times stronger.”

Maki nods seriously while looking at the window.

Considering how the other children are interested in things completely different from where they used to live, anyone would find it strange that Maki is only focused on windows.

“By the way, why do you keep focusing only on windows while we’re going around the marketplace?”

“I heard. Breaking windows is a Maris tradition.”

“It’s not.”

“I will break windows. That is proving one’s strength. Therefore, window preparation is essential for training to beat Dale.”

“She’s talking as if she’s buying windows as school supplies.”

“But I who don’t have a single penny in this capitalist society must depend on my guardian.”

“Oh my, you’ve already learned the bitter taste of society.”

Should I call this praiseworthy?

Or should I call it bitter?

“Therefore, I demand from my guardian, the fish. Buy this for me.”

“Denied.”

“Eh? Why?”

“Normal people don’t focus on windows that much.”

And because the windows here aren’t made by craftsmen, they’ll break right away if you tap them.

Anyway, it seems like she’s gradually becoming more human-like, but her sense of choosing things is completely hopeless because she lacks desire.

“Then I ask the fish. What do normal people do in places like this?”

“They buy clothes, or eat food. Like Beans over there.”

Beans happens to be briefly looking around at the clothes displayed outside.

After Maki instructed to look around the clothing store, she immediately approached Beans.

“You’re looking quite intently, is there an outfit you’re interested in?”

“…No, there are many Western-style clothes I’ve never seen before, but I don’t particularly need clothes. If I just go to my family home, the closet is full.”

“But you’ve hardly worn them except for social gatherings, right?”

“…”

“…Well, even that was mostly forced attendance, so you don’t have much experience.”

The Beans I’ve seen was a child who had a strong thought that she’d rather read one more book than exert effort for social gatherings.

But from now on it will be different.

If she took to heart what I said on top of the tower back then, she’ll consider looking around this marketplace as a necessary experience for herself.

“…I don’t know. If this is okay.”

“What do you mean?”

“That’s…”

Whether it’s okay to be so carefree like this when her father has been arrested.

Or whether someone in her position can casually roam the streets like this and mingle with other children.

“I think it’s worth trying as long as it’s not definitively forbidden.”

I said quietly while gently pushing the back of the child pondering between those thoughts.

Towards the two children getting along pleasantly in the distance.

“Even if it’s not right, there’s no need to be too hasty. We have plenty of time together in the future… Those children will surely accept you too.”

Only then does Beans turn her head from me to look at Maki and Dale.

Even in the bustling store, the two children who lived in different times and places were mingling without hesitation.

“Therefore Dale. From now on, you will try on the clothes I give you.”

“Clothes? You’re giving me clothes, Maki?”

“Comparing appearances with people on the street. Calculating that as an average, I used my big data to select outfits that would suit Dale. Go try them on once. Then show me and bow your head.”

“O-okay! I’ll go try them on!”

Dale heads to the changing room with the clothes Maki gave him.

Watching that sight, Beans carefully looks at me, then begins to head towards the two as if she’s made some decision.

At the moment she left, gaining courage from a bit of encouragement and pushing, trying to seize the opportunity.

“Take courage.”

I watched that sight with satisfaction, then quietly slipped out of the clothing store and moved my steps to the nearby square.

To a bench sitting timidly, seeming to mingle but only watching them from afar.

“Why are you sitting there alone apart? Not mingling with the children.”

Latello Den.

How would this prosperous city appear to a boy who lived in the wild?