“You catch on quick, huh. That wooden sword collects mana to increases its durability, but you gathered too much mana and it discharged with an explosion.”
“So basically, I manipulated a non-standard amount of mana... An amount that a wooden sword used for martial arts couldn’t handle, is what you’re saying?
“That’s it. Incidentally, I also have to include that you destroyed my mana field. I’m not a teacher here just for show you know. In the past, people have said I have abilities only found in a person every ten years... It’s unbelievable that I would be bested by a student... Oh well, it’s in the past. You’re quite an unusual case.” Miss Mitsuko’s forced and hollow laughter didn’t even come close to sounding natural. It seemed that Akuto truly did hold an impossible amount of power inside of him.
“It’s a miracle that no one was injured. Somehow, it appears that you managed to unconsciously control the release of your energy, but...”
“But the next time things might not go so smoothly, is what you’re saying?” Akuto followed his words with a heavy sigh.
“That’s right. Our students quarrel a lot, too... So, I’m saying that we don’t know what will happen if you get into a fight.”
“Telling you that I won’t fight anyone probably isn’t enough of a guarantee, is it?” Even if Akuto didn’t want to fight anyone, there would definitely be students who would try to attack him anyway. Particularly, Junko. Akuto felt dejected.
“That’s not going to work. We’d need you to train and learn how to control your magic power. You also need to grow as a person so you can stop provoking people...” Miss Mitsuko trailed off into silence, like she was expecting a reply from Akuto. Sensing the answer that she was waiting for, he nodded.
“I understand. Please call for an observer.” Akuto sighed. Someone could observe Akuto as a student here, just as the principal had said. His daily life would be under surveillance, but it seemed that they would also act as his bodyguard.
—Things weren’t supposed to end up like this...
Akuto let out another sigh.
According to the message that Miss Mitsuko had received, it sounded like the observer would already arrive tomorrow.
“Hmm, this might sound harsh, but until the observer arrives, be on your best behavior, okay? Until then, if anything else happens, get in touch with me immediately,” she said, then put her contact address into Akuto’s student handbook.
“Finally... Hey,” Miss Mitsuko added on, her eyes suddenly sparkling. “I was wondering if you’d sign a contract with me now, so I can have your body after your death?”
“Absolutely not.”
○
Breathing a sigh of relief, Akuto returned to the dorm. But now, even the dorm had stopped being a place where he could relax. As soon as he entered, Hiroshi ran up to him and greeted him by bowing so low that it seemed like he was going to lick Akuto’s shoes.
“Wai— Wait a sec, Miwa—”
“That’s no good, boss! Please, call me Hiroshi!” Hiroshi voluntarily acted as Akuto’s herald as he showed him into the dorm.
“Out of the way! Make way for the future Demon King!” Hiroshi threatened the onlooking students in the dorm.
—I need to do something about this guy...
“Hey, can you cut that out?” Akuto said, and Hiroshi turned around as if he was deeply shocked.
“B-But boss, why?!”
“What are you trying to do, make everyone scared of me?”
“I-I see! I thought you wanted to rule through fear, but I was wrong, wasn’t I?! I shoulda known! You’re intending on gradually gaining control of the students’ hearts, then!”
—Even if that was true, why the heck would you say that in front of everyone?
“Uh, that’s not it. Anyway, can you stop with the special treatment?”
“I see, so you’re going to take hold of this academy from the position of a normal student, I get it!” Hiroshi’s eyes were sparkling and he was panting with excitement.
—What does he mean by “take hold?”
But knowing better than to voice his question, Akuto didn’t say anything about it and spoke emphatically to Hiroshi.
“Look, I’m trying to live a normal life. It’ll make trouble for me if you don’t treat me normally. And I already stand out as it is, so if you don’t stop threatening the people around us like that—” But while Akuto tried to explain, he suddenly heard a shout come from down the hall.
“Are you the guy who blew up his classroom?”
Two students walked up to Akuto, and out of the corner of his eye, he saw Hiroshi’s face pale in response.
—That’s why I told you to stop saying stuff like that...
The two students were large, and their sneering expressions made it clear they were the local delinquents of this elite academy. While they seemed to be bad characters, Akuto was no stranger to having an accidental warped and twisted first impression, so he couldn’t fault another person for being the same.
“I apologize for the trouble I have caused. It was only an accident,” Akuto said. At this, and the two started laughing mockingly.
“‘I apologize for the trouble I caused!’” The two imitated Akuto’s voice as they spoke, getting up in his face.
“Anyone with a little bit of sense can blow up a classroom. So don’t be so full of yourself.”
—Ugh...This is such a pain. I wonder why they’re getting so worked up over their petty sense of pride. Why are people this stupid even alive? I wonder if they’re ever embarrassed by the fact they’re still breathing?
Akuto thought this to himself candidly. But then without thinking of the consequences, it was Akuto in his irritation who tried to show off in front of them.
“If that’s the case, then go ahead and have yourselves an explosion contest tomorrow. However, I want to study in peace so I’d like it if you could do it far away from me.”
The two seemed a little flustered by Akuto’s daring. But they still came up with a retort while laughing scornfully.
“You mean to tell me a guy who causes trouble like that wants to ‘study in peace?’”
“I’m famous, so people can’t get enough of me. Just like you two. There’s a lot of guys like you who want my autograph, but aren’t honest enough with themselves. So they try to pick a fight instead.”
The faces of the two students changed color upon hearing Akuto’s sarcastic remarks.
“This ain’t the time to be talking all cocky like that. You know what’s gonna happen to you with that attitude, right?”
“Let’s see... Since there’s two of you, does that mean you’re gonna start showing me your two-person comedy routine?”
“You ass—” The two of them bristled in anger, but when Akuto raised his hand slightly to ready himself to fight, they flinched and backed off.
“A-Anyway, don’t go actin’ all high and mighty, is what we’re sayin’.” They turned around on their heels and walked away.
—At an elite school like this, THOSE are supposed to be the tough guys? They’ve got their heads up their asses! These kinds of fools have pathetic personalities that’ll only lead to them being used by others. I wonder what would happen if I decided I was going to manipulate them.
After Akuto finished his train of thought, he realized for himself how dangerous his thinking was. It was Hiroshi’s words that pulled Akuto back to reality.
“That was incredible, boss!”
“Like I said, cut it out with that stuff...”
“Huh? But those two, they were upperclassmen!”
“I think it’s pointless to get hung up on stuff like that. It just means they were born a year earlier, that’s all. Though, I do think it’s important to be polite and courteous.”
Akuto spoke without thinking, and looking at Hiroshi, immediately knew that he had screwed up. Hiroshi’s face was bright red, and he stared at Akuto with a look of respect.
—I see... Basically, deep in my
heart, I have contempt for others my age who have no responsibility or proper understanding of social customs. When that attitude of mine comes to the surface, some people admire it, I guess... All the more so when I back it up with violence.
Akuto calmly introspected, but while he was now aware of the problem, he still had no idea what to do.
—I shouldn’t have only focused on school and work while I was back home...
“Well, anyway, it’s time for us to go our separate ways. I’m going to stay in my room until it’s time to eat,” Akuto said, trying to escape.
“Huh? That can’t be, boss. I thought I’d show you around the dorm and the school,” Hiroshi said, looking dejected. Upon hearing this, Akuto had another idea.
—Wait, if I understand my own shortcomings, then that means I can apologize to Hattori. She is like a mass of responsibility and social awareness. That’s what made me like her, after all. It should be fine if I just properly explain myself.
“In that case, can you tell me how I can enter the girls’ dorm?” Akuto asked. His intentions were completely innocent, though his request indicated the contrary. “I’m sure there are procedures to go through. I still haven’t apologized to Hattori.”
Hiroshi clapped his hand, looking pleased.
“Just as I thought, you really are amazing, boss! I can show you the girls’ dorm. You don’t need to follow any procedures or anything!”
“Thank you.”
“Now this is getting me excited!”
—Excited? Just from going to the girls’ dorm?
Although Akuto was a little confused by the fuss Hiroshi was making, as if they were going on a school trip, he followed his lead.
Hiroshi exited the dorm and began to walk along the exterior wall. The surrounding area consisted of a small grove of trees, and while there was a pathway, it didn’t seem to be used often as there was no light source to guide them.
“I thought there was a hallway that separated the two dorms,” Akuto said. The boys’ and girls’ dorms were in two conjoined fortresses, so there should have been a pathway connecting the two.
“You’re going to the class rep’s room, right? In that case it’s better to come from outside,” Hiroshi assured Akuto, grinning.
“Why?”
“Because her room is along the wall on the second floor.” Hiroshi took out his student handbook and opened it. A layout of the girls’ dorm room assignments appeared on the screen.
“The layout of the girls’ dorm is distributed to everyone?”
“Just to the girls.”
“Huh?”
“I worked hard to get my hands on it. C’mon, you know how it is! The information I have is popular with the other guys.”
—I have no idea what he’s talking about...
Akuto tilted his head in thought. After walking close to ten minutes through the woods, he saw that they had passed into the girls’ section of the dorm.
“We have to be careful from here on out.” Hiroshi lowered his voice and crouched.
“Wait, are we doing something—”
“Shh!” Hiroshi put his finger up to his lips and shushed Akuto.
“I didn’t ask you to help me sneak in,” Akuto said in a panic.
“Yeah but, you’re meeting the class rep, right? If you went in from the front, it would be a big scene!” Hiroshi grinned, as if he was proud of his cleverness.
“Yeah... That’s true.” Akuto was satisfied with the answer. Junko probably wouldn’t accept his apology if it was in front of everyone.
“That, and when a boy and a girl are meeting, it’s customary for the boy to go to the girl’s window.”
“Ah, I see. This will make less trouble than going in through the front.”
“Yeah, well... Okay, it’s that window.” Hiroshi pointed upwards. The wall stuck out around the side of the window, and along the way there were plenty of bricks that he could grab onto. So climbing up seemed to be feasible, at least.
“You’re saying I have to climb up there?”
“That’s right. After all, boss, you still can’t use flight magic, right?” Hiroshi replied matter-of-factly. “When you go to a girl’s room, the custom is to give three short taps on the window, followed by three longer ones.”
“So that’s how, huh...” Akuto nodded, and Hiroshi patted him on the back.
“Alright then, knock ’em dead, boss!”
“Huh? Uh...” Akuto was puzzled, but Hiroshi ran off with a chipper “bye” and a wave of his hand.
—What the actual hell... Well, if that’s the way it’s done, then that’s what I’ve got to do.
Akuto grabbed onto the wall. The window was only on the second floor, so he was able to climb up to it without much difficulty. Akuto began to peek inside but hesitated a moment.
—It would be rude to peek in if she’s in the middle of changing or something...
So Akuto removed his hand from the wall and knocked on the window.
Knock, knock, knock. Thud, thud, thud.
There were a few moments of silence before the window opened with a violent bang. Even from where he was, Akuto could feel a gust of wind caused by the slam of the window opening. Although he was looking from the side of the window, Akuto could still feel the murderous intent behind it.
—She’s pretty angry. All I can do is apologize as sincerely as possible.
But when he saw the look of rage on her face when she looked out of the window, he was surprised by exactly how angry she still was.
“How dare you! You bastard, how far will you go to shame me?!” Junko was beyond anger — her voice sounded like a wail of lamentation.
“Wait, wait, wait! I came to apologize!”
“Why the hell would you come to apologize by using the signal a man would use to sneak into his lover’s bedroom?!”
—That’s what the two sets of three knocks meant?!
Akuto realized to his horror.
“W-Wait, I was tricked into thinking that was the proper etiquette for the situation!”
“That’s because everyone is misunderstanding our relationship! You’ve made a fool of me! Now there’s only one thing I can do! To clear this all up, I’ll crush you!” Junko took out her wooden sword.
“I-I’m sorry, it’s totally my fault! I didn’t intend—”
“Then what did you intend to do, Demon King?!”
Akuto crawled around the wall of the girls’ dorm as he dodged Junko’s sword.
“That’s what I’m trying to tell you, I’m not the Demon King or anyth—”
“If you want to prove you’re not the Demon King, then let me crush you! If you lose, then that would mean that you aren’t the Demon King!”
Akuto knew that she was probably right, but he couldn’t afford to let himself to be beaten to a pulp by a wooden sword with such a strong intent to kill behind it.
“That’s what I’m saying, it’s a misunderstanding! I like you and—”
“I said to stop saying things like that!” Junko shouted. The students in the other rooms nearby heard the uproar and began throwing open their windows one after another.
“Oh, that’s the transfer student!”
“Yeah... Having lover’s quarrel with Junko?”
“Is it true they tried to commit lover’s suicide in the classroom?”
The girls began gossiping from their windows. Akuto realized that this was getting pretty bad, and skirted down the wall.
“I-It’s a misunderstanding, just a misunderstanding! Once you’ve calmed down, I’ll come back to apologize!” As he said this, Akuto turned around and looked up. Flying into his field of view was a pair of pure white underwear, and not just normal underwear, but the loincloth that only the truest of Suhara followers wore.
Naturally, Junko had jumped down from the window without at all caring about her skirt flying up.
“Hiyaaaaah!”
“Crap!” Akuto just barely dodged the aerial attack by rolling into the wood
s behind him.
“C-Calm down!” Akuto pleaded, running away as he evaded the slashing attacks coming from behind him.
“Don’t waste your breath!” There was still murderous intent behind Junko’s sword.
—At this rate, one of us is going to get hurt...
Akuto then remembered that Miss Mitsuko had told him to contact her if there was an emergency. Taking out his student handbook, Akuto swiftly selected Miss Mitsuko’s contact address and held the handbook up to his cheek.
“Hm? Some kind of trouble?”
“Y-Yes, Miss Mitsuko! I’m under attack by Hattori!”
“Why did you go see her...” Miss Mitsuko replied, sounding exasperated.
“I thought it would work out somehow!”
“...Well, alright. Don’t let go of your student handbook, okay? Your observer just arrived. If you have your handbook, they can trace your mana and head over to you.”
“That’s great.” Panting, Akuto looked behind him.
Junko seemed to be well-trained, and was vigorously following behind Akuto. He himself was an excellent runner due to his delivery job, so he was quite impressed by Junko’s stamina.
“...How long until they get here?”
“Who knows... I think it’ll be soon, though. They should be able to teleport there, right?” Miss Mitsuko said, and terminated the telepathic link.
“M-Miss Mitsuko...” As Akuto called out to her, the ground under his feet suddenly disappeared.
“Huh?” Suddenly, he was floating... and then falling. Naturally when you’re in the middle of the woods, the trees can prevent you from seeing cliffs.
Akuto felt his body slamming into things as he fell through the brush with rusting and crackling sounds. Before long, he felt his back impact the ground with a loud thud. For a moment, his breathing stopped and he felt numb. After that, a dull pain attacked his entire body.
“Uh...augh...”
Groaning as he inhaled, Akuto looked around the area to try and grasp the situation. It seemed that he was in some kind of bamboo grove. It looked like there was a break in the forest of beech trees or whatever else was at the top of the cliff, and bamboo was growing here in a colony.
—If the bamboo had been cut, I probably would have been stabbed. I was lucky. And at least now I’ve gotten away from Hattori. The observer will be able to find me if I stay here, I guess...
Demon King Daimaou: Volume 1 Page 5
