Chapter 196: Miss Est, You Wouldn't Want…
"Um... Mahiro-sensei, how do you find the taste?"
"Mmm, quite good, very delicious."
Amidst the train's rumble and slight jostling, Mahiro sipped his post-breakfast coffee and responded with a smile.
"That's a relief..."
Sherry let out a soft sigh, the anxiety in her heart finally settling completely.
Stare
"Eek!!"
Feeling a gaze upon her, Sherry tensed up and slightly turned her gaze, only to see the silver-haired beauty staring intently at her.
Stare——
"U-um... Mahiro-sensei, who is this...?"
"You're asking about her..."
Suddenly questioned about Est's identity, even he couldn't help but stiffen slightly.
How should he explain this?
Initially, Sherry hadn't paid much attention to the girl's identity, thinking she might just be a relative of Mahiro-sensei or something.
But now...
It didn't seem to be that simple.
So Sherry adopted a serious expression, ready to listen carefully.
"She's... uh... my distant cousin, named Est."
"So she's Mahiro-sensei's sister..."
Sherry smiled gracefully and extended her hand to Est. "Hello, Miss Est. I'm Sherry Barnett, Mahiro-sensei's student."
However, the outstretched hand wasn't taken.
Est sat beside Mahiro, stared at her for a few seconds, then gently shook her head and said:
"Not sister. Mahiro is my master."
As she spoke, she expressionlessly clung tightly to him.
"Master? Huh?..... Huh? Wha?! Ma-ma-ma-ma-master?!!"
The slow-to-realize Miss Sherry was so flustered she became incoherent. Who knows what she imagined, but her face instantly turned bright red, like a steam-powered princess, with swirling eyes.
It seemed her brain had overloaded...
Something capable of overloading the kingdom's top intellect was somewhat terrifying.
Even Mahiro couldn't help but cover his forehead and slump into his seat.
So exhausting. The world... might as well just end...
Fortunately, there was only one witness. Due to the compartment's privacy, there couldn't possibly be a fourth person listening nearby.
So rather than bother with destroying the world, just eliminate the witness...
Just kidding.
How could someone eliminate such a cute beauty?
And so, Mahiro gave a brief explanation of Est's origins—holding nothing back.
Except for matters concerning Shadow Garden and the cult.
"S-so Miss Est is an ancient artifact....."
Coming to her senses after listening, Sherry sighed in relief again.
So Miss Est and Mahiro-sensei aren't in that kind of relationship...
Of course, someone as good as Sensei wouldn't do something like that.
Recalling the doujinshi content she had imagined earlier, Sherry's face turned red again.
So ashamed!
Though to be honest, while she only half-understood Mahiro's explanation and found it rather confusing, she didn't harbor the slightest doubt.
After all, the more this happened, the more it proved Mahiro was telling the truth.
Because ancient artifacts were precisely such unknown entities—even their usage required extensive research, let alone their forms and origins, which were fundamentally untraceable.
Even if there were ancient artifacts in human form, it wouldn't be unacceptable.
"Then, Sherry, you must help keep the secret between the two of us." Mahiro playfully winked.
"A... a secret between the two of us..."
Sherry and Mahiro-sensei now shared a secret that belonged only to them...
Sherry shyly lowered her head, her fingers once again fidgeting between her thighs, replying in a voice as faint as a mosquito's hum:
"Mm... mm, don't worry, Mahiro-sensei, I will definitely keep your secret."
How adorable.
Though hailed as the top intellect in the royal capital, she was surprisingly easy to persuade... though what he said couldn't exactly be called a deception.
Unconsciously, the relationship between him and Sherry seemed to have grown much closer.
Sherry even proactively offered to help resolve Est's identity issue within the academy.
For her, this was simple to handle, as the vice-principal was her adoptive father.
And after speaking with Lutheran, he agreed without the slightest hesitation.
Est would remain in the class as an auditing student, just like Sherry.
This was the first time he felt how convenient authority could be.
But aside from that, he also learned something privately: unlike other students, Sherry lived within the academy and had her own private room for rest.
In other words, this girl had prepared breakfast early in the morning and then specifically traveled from the academy to the teacher's dormitory just to invite him to go to school together?
Even the dullest person could probably discern Sherry's intentions.
Though she would absolutely never admit it herself.
Of course, troubles were never limited to just this.
When Claire arrived in the classroom carrying a prepared lunchbox, the first thing she noticed was Est's presence.
There was no helping it—with such a petite figure and a head of dazzling, beautiful silver hair, it was impossible not to notice her.
Especially since Est was constantly clinging to Mahiro's side.
Although there was no intimate behavior between them, in Claire's eyes, it was a different story altogether.
Because she remembered that when Mahiro first came to the Kagenou household, he was accompanied by a silver-haired girl who looked a few years older than her.
She seemed to be a beastkin.
So, was this child perhaps that beastkin's younger sister or something?
No, that didn't seem right!
Because she had none of the beastkin's traits—no beast ears, no beast tail, nothing at all!
Could it be... this was that beastkin's daughter?!
Because she only inherited the human part, she lacked the beastkin's characteristics?!
He really was a despicable, perverted teacher!
If Mahiro knew what Claire was thinking, he'd probably cough up three liters of blood on the spot and compliment her on her vivid imagination.
When he first brought Yukime to the Kagenou household, she was only fourteen or fifteen years old—how could she possibly have a daughter this old already?!
Even if Est looks young, she must be at least over ten years old!
Could Yukime have given birth when she was just one or two years old?!
But Claire, stubborn in her own way, didn't care about any of that. She immediately dragged Mahiro, who was in the middle of greeting Rose, out of the classroom.
"Come with me for a moment!"
Seeing Mahiro being taken away, Est instinctively wanted to follow, but she was surrounded by a group of girls from the class and couldn't break free.
Besides, Mahiro had warned her not to harm her classmates recklessly, so she could only watch helplessly as he was led away.
"Hmph... I'm angry."
A faint trace of resentment gradually surfaced on Est's delicate, youthful face.
"You perverted teacher, don't you think you owe me an explanation? Who is that girl?"
Claire took him to the rooftop and cut straight to the point.
"Claire, is that any way to speak to your teacher?"
"Stop dodging the question and just tell me!"
For the first time in a while, Claire adopted a forceful attitude. Her crimson eyes even flickered with magical light due to her emotional turmoil.
Seeing this, Mahiro decided not to argue further and shrugged.
"Alright, alright. That child's name is Est. She's my distant cousin."
"Lies!"
Claire immediately refuted him, "That girl isn't your cousin, is she?"
"How did you come to that conclusion? I'm curious."
"Because I can smell the scent of a lie!"
"Ha... Are you a dog or something?"
"It's a girl's intuition!"
Flustered by his remark, Claire's face flushed slightly, but she continued to glare at him with an intimidating expression.
"Besides, I've never heard anything about you having relatives, you scoundrel of a teacher."
In fact, it wasn't just that—she knew nothing about where Mahiro came from or who his family was.
All she knew was that he was her tutor, a powerful yet perverted teacher with twisted tastes.
"Well, isn't that because you've never bothered to learn about these things, Claire? Even I have a family, you know."
Mahiro's casual words struck Claire like a sharp arrow piercing straight into her heart, causing her to tremble slightly.
It was true.
Claire had never tried to learn about Mahiro's family—who they were, where they lived, or how they were doing.
His strength and his unflappable demeanor in any situation had made her subconsciously overlook such details.
Or perhaps, after three years of his guidance, she had instinctively come to regard Mahiro as part of her own family.
"...It's not my fault. You never talk about these things," Claire muttered stubbornly under her breath.
But Mahiro simply smiled and said,
"Well, I'm telling you now, aren't I? Est is my distant cousin."
"Fine, I'll take your word for it!"
Claire seemed to resign herself to the explanation, though she sounded somewhat defeated.
But the next second, she suddenly stood on her tiptoes and grabbed his collar, forcing him to bend down.
If it were anyone else, this gesture would likely be an attempt to forcefully kiss Mahiro. But for Claire, who was somewhat naive in certain aspects, that option didn't exist.
She glared fiercely at him with those eyes, inexplicably resembling a delinquent demanding money.
"...Lunch! Have lunch with me! I specially prepared a bento for you!"
Mahiro: "..."
Claire, you don't need to say something like that with such an intense attitude.
That slightly embarrassed look of yours was actually quite cute.
Still, this kind of behavior was exactly what made her the Claire he knew.
"Alright, alright, I'll have lunch with you."
"Then... don't forget, today at noon, right here."
"Mm, I won't forget, don't worry."
Mahiro smiled to reassure Claire.
That being said, Claire still kept turning back every few steps to remind him, afraid he might forget.
...
However, when noon arrived...
Claire rushed to the rooftop right after class, even preparing a picnic cloth and everything to have lunch with Mahiro there.
But what she waited for wasn't just Mahiro alone.
She could understand Est, his "cousin," tagging along since this "cousin" needed Mahiro's care.
The problem was—
"Why are you two following along too!"
Indeed, besides Est, Sherry and Rose were also accompanying Mahiro.
Just being questioned like that, especially under those red-eyed glares, Sherry immediately hid behind Mahiro in fear.
Kagaino-san really is terrifying...
But Rose stepped forward, comforting Sherry while retorting to Claire:
"Kagaino-san, I understand how you feel, but I won't allow you to monopolize Yotsuba-sensei!"
As someone who also adored Mahiro, how could she not understand Claire's intentions?
She definitely wouldn't give the other girl a chance to sneak ahead!
Hearing Rose's words, Claire couldn't help but click her tongue softly.
"Alright, since we're all classmates, there's no need to be so tense. Let's sit down and eat together."
Mahiro proactively invited Sherry and Rose, acting like a host.
Claire didn't actually say anything, only muttering quietly—
"I didn't prepare extra food for them."
"No problem, I'll take care of it."
Snap!
Mahiro snapped his fingers, and the previously somewhat empty picnic cloth was suddenly piled high with food.
This move completely astonished the three girls.
"Y-You created food out of thin air?"
"...And it looks like the cafeteria's dishes..."
"S-So amazing! Is this also the power of ancient artifacts?"
All three looked at him in disbelief.
"Impossible, it's just a little trick."
Mahiro spread his hands, then pushed the plates toward them. "Try them while they're hot, see how they taste."
At his signal, Rose and Sherry each picked up a dish and took small bites.
The result—
"Mmph~!!"
With strange muffled sounds, Rose and Sherry's cheeks flushed slightly as they simultaneously felt a dizzy spell. Their slender legs, tightly bound in black stockings, unconsciously twisted together.
Who would have thought these dishes were not only edible but also incredibly delicious!
The seemingly thin piece of meat in their mouths burst with unexpectedly rich juices at the slightest bite!
The juices from the grilled steak maintained a warm temperature, blending with the tender meat as they chewed, releasing a natural sweetness inherent to the meat itself.
Without overly complex textures, the sweet aroma of the meat juices combined with the tenderness of the meat...
Even Sherry, who wasn't particularly fond of meat, fell in love with this sensation!
"How does it taste?"
"Haa... It's delicious, Yotsuba-sensei."
Rose suppressed her swirling emotions and responded with a ladylike smile, provided one ignored her slightly fidgeting legs.
As for Sherry, she was completely lost in the dreamland of gourmet food. After finishing the steak, she picked up a freshly baked bread roll and began taking small bites.
The same exquisite flavor made it impossible for her to pull away!
"That's good to hear."
Seeing their happy expressions, Mahiro was quite satisfied with their reactions.
These dishes were his improvements upon the meals provided by the academy cafeteria, with some of his own creative touches added.
Of course, this creativity definitely wasn't computer components.
"Hmm? Claire, why aren't you eating?"
Mahiro suddenly noticed that Claire, who was sitting nearby, was only staring at the dishes without making any move to eat.
He was about to ask when he noticed the basket she was clutching tightly in her arms, and her pale fingertips gripping the basket's edge.
Mahiro understood now.
Even without extensive experience with women, anyone with a bit of emotional intelligence could understand Claire's current feelings.
So during her silent moment, Mahiro reached out and took a sandwich from the basket, eating it under Claire's surprised gaze.
"Mmm, it's delicious, Claire. I really like it."
"...Really?"
It seemed that just these words were enough to make her slightly dim eyes brighten again.
"Mhm, of course. You should try some too—Claire made these herself."
Mahiro took out a few more sandwiches and shared them with Sherry and Rose.
As for Est, she was completely focused on dealing with her favorite tofu dish, utterly absorbed and unable to extricate herself.
Although she felt somewhat annoyed seeing them eat the food that was meant only for Mahiro, watching them praise it endlessly gave her an inexplicable sense of satisfaction.
Her always tense, coolly beautiful face gradually broke into a radiant smile.
And so, a lunch that nearly sparked a bloody incident came to an end.
Time moved to the afternoon swordsmanship class.
"Miss Est, are you really not planning to go back?"
"No. I'm tired of staying inside the sword. Having returned to the outside world after thousands of years, I've decided to properly enjoy everything here. Besides—"
The petite sword spirit made a small, willful request in her usual flat tone.
She tugged on Mahiro's sleeve again.
"I have feelings for you, Mahiro, and I want to stay by your side."
"...Is this a confession?" Mahiro unconsciously smiled.
"Yes, perhaps. I might like you, Mahiro."
Est nodded.
Though as a spirit, she might not fully understand the concept of liking someone, one thing was certain.
If she disliked him, she wouldn't have forced a contract with Mahiro. Had she wanted to refuse, she could have done so.
However, Mahiro let out a soft sigh and placed his hand on Est's head.
Est didn't refuse but looked up at him in confusion.
"It's fine outside, but class is about to start. I need to use you."
"No." Est refused firmly, muttering under her breath, "Mahiro hasn't properly formed a contract with me, hasn't called me with a prayer, and even uses other weapons..."
A prayer?
He had never even heard of such a thing!
But judging by her resentful expression and his understanding of Est as a sword spirit, Mahiro could tell exactly what was bothering her.
It was simply her dissatisfaction with him using other weapons, just like yesterday.
In that case, it should be easy to handle.
Mahiro came up with an idea and put on an exaggerated, troubled expression, casually complaining, "Oh, if Est won't let me use her, what should I do for the next class? I guess I have no choice but to use swords that are more dazzling and splendid than Miss Est."
In that brief moment, Est was visibly shaken!
Seeing this, Mahiro pressed his advantage, leaning down to whisper in her ear, "Miss Est, you wouldn't want to see me use other weapons and leave you aside, would you?"
"Ugh..."
Est let out a small whimper, turned away, and puffed out her cheeks slightly.
"You're mean. I think I dislike you a little now, Mahiro."
With that, Est transformed into a streak of light and materialized in his hand as the Demon King Killing Sacred Sword he had seen in the shrine that day.
At the same time, Est's voice echoed in his mind—
["Cold Steel Queen, Holy Sword that slays demons—"]
["—Become a steel blade here and grant me your power!"]
["Mahiro, you must remember my prayer properly and summon me with it next time!"]
"Yes, yes, of course, lovely Miss Est. I'll remember it."
As for whether he would actually use it—that was up to him.