Arifureta: From Commonplace to World's Strongest Vol. 3

by Ryo Shirakome

  He’d assumed that if anyone wanted to harm Aiko or the students, they would have done it while he was away fighting on the front line. So when no one had come for them during the battle, he’d mistakenly felt that they were safe from further threats, despite having no basis for that conclusion.

  In reality, the demon had been hoping to assassinate Aiko in the confusion of the battle, but Hajime and his party’s strength had been so overwhelming that all he could do was watch. And so, he had waited for another opportunity while Shimizu and Aiko had been talking. He had actually planned on letting Shimizu finish Aiko off and just watch from the shadows, but midway through their conversation he realized with how powerful Hajime was, it was likely he could rescue Aiko before Shimizu had a chance, so instead, he’d tried to kill them both with his magic.

  However, the nimble demon had made a single mistake. He’d included Hajime and the others as a target, in an attempt to eliminate all dangerous threats at once. Unfortunately for him, that had caused Shea’s special magic to activate.

  Namely, Future Sight. Because Hajime, and Shea who had been standing behind him, had been in the path of the demon’s rupture, Shea had been able to see it seconds before it actually happened. Thanks to that, she’d been able to save Aiko’s life. At the risk of her own, she’d changed the future. Hajime wasn’t sure why she’d risked herself for Aiko when she hadn’t even known her all that well, but he wasn’t about to let her sacrifice go to waste. And so, he didn’t hesitate to use one of his Ambrosia vials on Aiko. There wasn’t enough time to try anything else.

  Hajime took Aiko from Yue’s arms and gently poured drops of Ambrosia into her mouth. Aiko glared at Hajime, angry that he’d helped her before helping Shea, but he ignored her. Right now, Aiko’s, and even Hajime’s desires weren’t important. Shea’s feelings took precedence over all of that.

  That was why Hajime kept treating Aiko despite her protests. However, Aiko’s entire body had started spasming, and she was having trouble swallowing the liquid that could save her life. Worse, she ended up getting it down her airway and coughed a lot of it back out.

  “Tch, this doesn’t look good... Looks like I don’t have a choice.” Seeing that Aiko no longer had the strength left to swallow on her own, Hajime poured the remnants of the vial down his own mouth and covered Aiko’s lips with his own, forcing the liquid down her throat.

  “Wha—!?” Aiko’s eyes opened wide. The people around Hajime all yelled in surprise. He ignored them and plunged his tongue deeper into Aiko’s mouth to ensure all of the Ambrosia went down her throat. There was no embarrassment or guilt in his expression. He was simply doing what he needed to save her life.

  Finally, the last drops of Ambrosia slid down Aiko’s throat. The pain began to recede from her body, the exhaustion and chills fading as the liquid worked its magic. Aiko felt as if someone had lit a fire inside her. In fact, it was almost as if someone had taken her frozen body and dipped it into a hot springs. Her entire body started trembling.

  The Ambrosia had been effective, as always. Compared to repairing a body destroyed from the inside by monster meat, poison was nothing. The effects were instantaneous.

  After a second that felt like an eternity, Hajime pulled his lips away. There was a single silver strand connecting their mouths. Hajime continued watching Aiko for a few seconds more, just to make sure the Ambrosia had healed her through the worst of the poison.

  Meanwhile, Aiko was staring at Hajime with a blank look on her face.

  “Sensei.”

  “......”

  “Sensei?”

  “......”

  “Snap out of it, Sensei!” “Fweh!?” Hajime called out to his teacher multiple times, but she didn’t respond. Annoyed, Hajime slapped her cheek, making Aiko let out a startled cry.

  “How are you feeling? Does it still hurt anywhere?”

  “Eh? Ah, umm, no, I-I-I’m fine. In fact, I feel better than fine... Wait, that’s not the problem here! I-I didn’t mean to imply that what just happened was what felt good, I mean the medicine!”

  “Alright, good.” Hajime dismissed the flustered Aiko with a curt nod and released her. Then, he looked back at Shea in concern. Though she was surprised by the sudden kiss, Aiko quickly composed herself, realizing now was neither the time nor place to worry about such things.

  Hajime splashed half of another vial of Ambrosia onto Shea’s wound, and then brought the remainder up to her lips. There was a faint hissing noise as the hole in her stomach started closing up. However, Shea refused to drink the rest of the Ambrosia and shook her head.

  “H-Hajime-san...”

  “Shea, why—”

  “I want you... to feed it to me... ngh... mouth to mouth too~”

  “A-Are you kidding me...” Even though she was drenched in sweat from the agonizing pain, the maddening rabbit still prioritized seducing Hajime over everything. Even Hajime couldn’t help but admire such staunch opportunism. Still, he had no reason to kiss her in public, so he ignored Yue’s silent entreaty and forcibly shoved the vial into her mouth.

  “Mmph...!? Mmmgh... Pwah... Hajime-san, you meanie. I’m jealous of your teacher now.”

  “Hajime... Hmph.”

  “Huh!? S-Shea-san, that was different. He only did that to save my life! It’s completely different from what you’re thinking! I’m his teacher, I could never do that with a student!” Flustered, Aiko started explaining what everyone present already understood. Hajime sighed, a mixture of exhaustion and relief on his face as he turned away from Shea’s pouting stare and Yue’s disapproving gaze.

  Then, before the peanut gallery could start up again, Hajime brought everyone’s attention back to the person they’d forgotten. Well, everyone except Aiko, anyway. After all, he was one of her important students. However, while she hadn’t forgotten, she also hadn’t processed everything that had happened. Hajime called out to the guard standing next to Shimizu.

  “...Hey you, is Shimizu still alive?” There was a collective sense of realization as everyone’s attention returned to Shimizu, who was still collapsed on the floor. Only Aiko looked around with a confused expression for a second before remembering what it was that Shea had protected her from. Her face paled, and she quickly ran over to where Shimizu was laying and grabbed his hand.

  “Shimizu-kun! Aaah how... awful.” He had a hole in his chest as large as the one Shea had had in her stomach. It was still spurting blood, despite the massive pool of it that he was already lying in. If he wasn’t dead already, he wouldn’t last more than a few minutes more.

  “I-I don’t want to die... S-Someone please save me... It wasn’t supposed to... This... can’t be happening...” Whether he was talking to Aiko or just to himself, no one was sure. Aiko desperately cast her glance around her, but the people around her awkwardly averted their gaze. He was already beyond help. And it was clear from their expressions that even if he wasn’t, they didn’t want to save him anyway. Only the students were different. True, they couldn’t forgive Shimizu’s atrocities, but they still didn’t want him to die. They haltingly looked over at Hajime. Aiko, too, turned to Hajime and shouted desperately.

  “Nagumo-kun! If we use that medicine of yours we can still save him! Please!”

  “Figures...” Hajime sighed and walked over to Shimizu. He’d expected this, but even knowing what her answer would be, he still asked to make sure.

  “Do you really want to save him, Sensei? He tried to kill you. Even if you’re his teacher, you don’t have to go this far for him.”

  I wonder how many teachers out there would be this desperate to save their student even after they tried to kill them. Especially for a reason as flimsy as “because he’s my student.” That was far above and beyond what was required of any teacher.

  Aiko realized what Hajime was really trying to ask with his question. For a second her gaze wavered, but then she set her jaw and answered resolutely,

  “You may have a point. In fact, you’re probably right. H
owever, this is the kind of teacher I want to be. When I became a teacher, I swore an oath that I would always be there for my students. Nagumo-kun... please... save him...”

  Hajime scratched his head and sighed unhappily.

  “I guess that’s just how you are,” he said, defeated. He looked up at the sky and lapsed into thought for a few seconds. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Finally, he came to a decision. He opened his eyes and knelt next to Shimizu.

  “Shimizu. Can you hear me? I can save your life.”

  “Huh!?”

  “But before I do, I need to ask you something.”

  “......” At Hajime’s words, Shimizu stopped his mumblings and looked at Hajime, eyes bulging in surprise. Whether those mutterings had been begging for salvation or cursing the world around him, it seemed Hajime had his attention now. After a brief pause, Hajime continued.

  “Are you...my enemy?” Shimizu shook his head without hesitation. He smiled weakly and started talking.

  “I-I’m not... I-I don’t know what came over me. I promise... I won’t do it again. If you save me, I-I’ll do anything you ask. I’ll make you... an army... I’ll even brainwash any girl you want... I-I swear... I’ll be loyal to you forever. Please... I’m begging you... save me...” Hajime’s face went blank. He stared hard into Shimizu’s eyes, as if trying to discern the veracity of his words.

  Feeling as if his every secret was being laid bare, Shimizu hurriedly averted his gaze. However, Hajime had seen all that he needed to. Shimizu had sunk even further into insanity. Hatred, anger, jealousy, desire, and a hodgepodge of other negative emotions were all that he had left to him. He had sunk so deep into the darkness that the light could no longer reach him.

  Hajime was certain. No matter what Aiko said, she could no longer sway Shimizu’s heart. And if he saved him now, Shimizu would definitely come back as an enemy someday. Of course, there was only one fate that awaited enemies...

  Hajime looked over briefly at Aiko. Their eyes met. In that instant, Aiko realized what Hajime was about to do. The blood drained from her face, and she tried to stop him.

  “Don’t!” However, Hajime was faster. Two gunshots resounded throughout the town.

  “Huh!?” Someone let out a gasp of surprise.

  One shot to the head, another to the heart. Shimizu was granted a certain and swift death at Hajime’s hands.

  No one said a word in the seconds that followed, and the only thing that moved was a thin plume of white smoke rising from Hajime’s revolver. Finally, a tiny voice broke through the oppressive silence.

  “Why?” Aiko. She stared dumbfounded at the empty shell that was Shimizu’s corpse. His soul had already begun the journey to the afterlife.

  Hajime turned to look at Aiko. She quietly met his gaze. In her eyes was a mixture of anger and sadness, doubt and fear. Each of her emotions vied for supremacy, appearing and disappearing at regular intervals.

  “Because he was my enemy.” His answer was short and to the point.

  “No! Shimizu-kun was...”

  “Did you honestly believe you could reform him? Sorry, but I’m not trusting enough to believe that. And more importantly, I have faith in my ability to judge people.” At the end, Shimizu’s eyes had betrayed just how far he had fallen.

  Hajime had hoped that Aiko’s compassion would have shown him the error of his ways, as he was on the brink of death. He had hoped she could save Shimizu the way Yue had once saved him...

  That was why he’d asked what he did. If there was any hope for him at all, Hajime would have been willing to hand Shimizu over to Aiko and give him a second chance, though he would have kept an eye on him. However, even as he lay dying, there was not an iota of remorse in him.

  Aiko must have also realized it, but because she believed in her principles as a teacher, she couldn’t abandon him. Not without abandoning who she was.

  “That doesn’t mean you had to kill him! If we’d just locked him up in the palace, maybe when we’d finally made it back to Japan he’d... There was still a chance!”

  “I know no matter what I say, you won’t be able to accept what I did, Sensei. I killed one of your precious students. I’ll let you decide what you want to do with me.”

  “But that’s...”

  “You said that my way of life was ‘lonely.’ Those words really made me rethink a lot of things. Even so, I don’t think I can change my mindset so easily... not in this world where life is cheaper than dirt. And honestly, I don’t want to. Rather, I don’t have the luxury to.”

  “Nagumo-kun...”

  “I may do the same thing again. If I think it’s necessary... I’ll pull the trigger as many times as it takes. If you think I’m wrong... then do what you think you must, Sensei. Just remember, whether it’s you, or any of my other classmates, I’ll kill anyone that becomes my enemy without hesitation.” Aiko bit her lip and hung her head. She was the one who had told Hajime that she wouldn’t hold it against him if he chose not to help after listening to what she said. Now she didn’t know what else to say.

  Hajime silently turned on his heel and headed back to Yue and Shea. There was nothing more for him to do here. Seeing his piercing gaze, Will reluctantly followed behind Hajime, though he frequently glanced back to see how Aiko and the town was faring.

  The mayor and Aiko’s guards reached out to stop Hajime, but gave up when he unleashed his Intimidation. Though they were interested in his artifacts, and in himself as a person, the memory of what he’d done to the monster army was still fresh in their minds, so their outstretched hands limply fell to their sides.

  “Nagumo...” Yuka muttered. She didn’t want to stop him. She wasn’t even sure why she’d called out to him. The whirlwind of events that had just occurred had left her too confused to know what she was feeling anymore. Atsushi and the others looked like they wanted to say something too, but their emotions were too jumbled up for them to get the words out.

  “Nagumo-kun! I... I...” Though she still didn’t know what to say, Aiko’s pride as a teacher refused to let Hajime go just like that. Hajime stopped and said something without looking back.

  “Sensei, your ideals are already dead, but despite all that, I’m glad that even in this world, you continue to be our teacher no matter what. I hope you can continue to stay strong.” He started walking again and didn’t stop until he was outside the ring of villagers. Then, he pulled out Brise and rode off into the distance, leaving behind a solemn group of students and a town full of people still happy to be alive.

  Hajime drove south down the highway, with Brise kicking up clouds of dust that obscured the mountains to the north. It was more a trail that had been pounded down by thousands of feet over hundreds of years than a proper road, but it was still infinitely better than the rough path they’d taken to the mountain. Brise was equipped proper suspension, so the drive was far smoother than their last trip.

  Shea seemed to prefer Steiff over Brise however, as she’d opened her window and stuck her head outside to enjoy the outside air. Her rabbit ears flapped wildly in the breeze. She much preferred a style of travel where she could feel the wind whistling past her ears and could wrap her arms around Hajime.

  As always, Hajime was in the driver’s seat. Next to him was, of course, Yue. Next to her was Shea, while Will sat in the back. Will leaned forward and asked Hajime something in a hesitant voice.

  “Umm, was it really okay to just leave like that? Shouldn’t you have talked things through a bit more... especially with Aiko-dono?” Hajime responded casually without turning around.

  “Hm? Nah, not really. If I’d stayed any longer, then things would have just became more of a pain... Plus, I think it’s better for Sensei if I’m not near her for a while.”

  “I suppose you have a point...”

  “You’re... really soft, you know that? Like... you’re always worrying more about others than yourself.”

  Will smiled awkwardly at that. Not only had he mourned over the deat
hs of adventurers he couldn’t have known for more than a few days, he stayed behind to help townspeople that had nothing to do with him, and even forgave Tio. And now, despite the fact that Hajime had practically kidnapped him, Will was still worried about Hajime’s relationship with Aiko. Hajime had figured any noble willing to throw their life away to become an adventurer would have to be an oddball, but this was even more than that. Will was kind to a fault, to the point where even Hajime worried about him a little.

  “...You’re a nice person.”

  “Yeah, you really are~”

  “Indeed, you are a kind man.”

  Will was momentarily flummoxed. He knew they were praising him, but it felt weird as a guy to be called nice by girls.

  “Wh-Who cares about me... I just wanted to say you should have explained your reasons properly.”

  “My reasons?” Hajime raised his eyebrows in confusion. Will scratched his cheek awkwardly before continuing.

  “Yes. Your reasons for killing that boy... even though you knew it would cause Aiko-dono pain.”

  “I did, didn’t I? He was an enemy, so...”

  “Even if that was a good enough reason not to save him, that wasn’t a good enough reason to kill him, right? After all, he’d already been fatally wounded. You could have just left him there to die, but you killed him instead. We both know there was a reason for that.”

  “...You’re a pretty sharp kid.” Will was absolutely right. Hajime had assumed the impact of killing Shimizu while Aiko was begging him to save him had been enough to hide his true intentions, but while his other classmates had been shocked, it seemed Will had seen right through him.

  Are all nobles this good at observing people, or just him? Hajime was honestly impressed.

  “Come to think of it, that was bugging me too,” Shea said, as she pulled her head back in to better hear their conversation. Hajime hesitated for a moment, unsure of how to answer. But before he could say anything, Yue answered for him.