"I'm home! Big brother!"
"Welcome back, Kuro. You've already got everything ready, right?"
"Of course!"
Kuro, slightly out of breath, burst into the house. Not only was she out of breath, but she also had a little sweat on her forehead. It seemed she had rushed home in a hurry.
Finally, the day of the trip. For the past few days, all the Butei schools (elementary, middle, and high schools) had been holding their regular exams. It seems that even elementary schools have regular exams, not just middle and high schools. They test physical fitness, Butei-related academic skills, and general knowledge over four days.
The general knowledge portion alone takes two days, but in return, they only have to go to school for half a day. They're taking advantage of this to leave right after school.
As for the tests, I completely relied on my perfect memory and crammed the night before. Thanks to that, I shouldn't fail the written exams. As for the physical fitness test... there's nothing special to note. Compared to when I first came to this world, my abilities have increased, and I think I could easily get an A or higher rank if I tried.
But seriously, I've been so busy that I haven't had time to study! Not only do I have to worry about my grades, but also my attendance... am I fighting too much?
"Shou, you're pretty good at studying. Did your cramming the night before pay off? Or are you just efficient?"
"It's a cheat code, a cheat code. I can't do without this anymore..."
Saying that, I put an energy drink to my lips. A chemical, slightly carbonated liquid filled my mouth.
Aria, standing in front of me in her usual bulletproof uniform, looked at me with a puzzled expression. It really is a cheat code. If I were the me from before I came here, I would have had to give up on this trip for a remedial class.
But because I stayed up late, I'm sure to be fast asleep on the vehicle. I hear there's a feast every night, so I have to recover by then. Go, chemical substances!
"More importantly, how's the thing I gave you the other day?"
Actually, I had given Aria one of the two things I won from the previous incident. I thought it might be of some help to Aria, who, despite her excellent skills, can't use magic or superpowers. But...
"I've gotten quite used to it. I did a surprise assault on a smuggler yesterday as a warm-up."
Don't go busting criminals as a warm-up. You're getting back to the field too fast. It was the day before our trip, for crying out loud. You should have started with something lighter to get back in shape. What if you get injured again?
"You're such a worrier. I think the other side should be more worried, don't you?"
"I guess you can't use the 'I'll put a hole in you' line anymore."
"That's right, depending on the situation, I might just blow them away... How about, 'I'll turn you to dust'?"
"That's way too dangerous..."
Was it a mistake to have given it to her? But I didn't seem to have the aptitude for it, and neither did Riko, who might have been able to use it. On top of that, Aria's aptitude was just too high.
"Are you okay, big brother? Would you like some of my caffeine?"
"Thanks, Tina. I'll take it if I get too tired."
Tina held out a small plastic bottle. Lately, Tina hasn't been consuming this stuff anymore. It's the result of her night-owl lifestyle being corrected.
She's also gotten used to school and is apparently getting along well with Vivio and the others. That means Tina was also invited to this trip.
As I took the bottle, Kuro gave me a look of pity.
"Big brother's becoming a drug addict..."
"Don't call it a drug."
"But you know, you don't really know what's in the vitamins and energy drinks made here."
"No, no! There's no way this is made here! It's an import from outside!"
The one that gives you wings. It's Red Bull.
"Senpai, are we leaving soon?"
"Yeah, are you ready to go?"
Yukina came down to the living room with a large blue Boston bag and a guitar case containing her Yukikazewo.
Asuna and Yukina, who were injured by Vlad, have been discharged and are now able to go on the trip. Everyone who lives at my place is participating. But as for Yami, well, you can guess what happened.
We're supposed to leave once everyone is gathered, so we shouldn't be late.
"Yes. I'm ready to go. Asuna, Kurumi, and Sakura are making rice balls for us to snack on during the trip. Once they're done, we'll be all set."
"Oh, seriously, I didn't help."
I feel bad for making them do all the work. They're probably making a huge amount since they're making them for the Takamachi family who are coming with us, not just us. And also,
"That's very kind of them."
"That's right. In Shou's country, there's a saying that you can't fight on an empty stomach."
"It's important to keep yourself in a state where you can always fight."
"I get that."
"You three 'hungry daughters' don't get anything."
Yao, Saber, and Alter have become very close because of a certain shared interest: 'food.' Thanks to that, the family finances are in a fiery mess. I had to let them know that there would be three girls who eat an unbelievable amount on their side.
"But you have to eat only until you're 80% full, since there's supposed to be a feast at night."
"I believe it's yakiniku. It sounds a bit simple, but things are different now than in the past. Compared to mashed potatoes... no, there's no comparison."
"Simply grilled meat is the best. Junk food is the greatest."
These three are thinking of nothing but food. I hope they don't do anything rude.
Just then, the front door opened, and a girl came in. A girl with fluffy, loose blonde hair. It was Riko. Today, she wasn't wearing her usual bulletproof uniform, but a cool, pale pink one-piece dress. To be honest, it was so different from her usual image that I was a little taken aback.
"Shou-kun, the car's already downstairs."
"Okay. Alright everyone, get in one by one. I'll go help the rice ball team."
And so, our off-training trip began with everyone gathered together.
----------
"Thank you for today."
"Haha... I can't believe this is happening."
Even Takamachi-san probably didn't know that I was the guardian of Vivio's friend, so she had a slightly strained smile on her face.
We arrived at the Takamachi house without any trouble and brought our luggage in. It seemed there were still people who hadn't arrived, and we were waiting for them.
As expected of the ace of aces in the Bureau of Space-Time... though I don't know if that's true in this world where many things are different from the original, but the house was very large for Takamachi-san, Testa-rossa-san, and their daughter Vivio-chan to live in. It had a proper parking lot and a garden. In the parking lot was the car we rode in when the Riot Force 6 sent us home the other day. Considering their ages, they must have been very successful in their careers.
Even with such a large house, it felt a little cramped because of the overwhelming number of us.
Everyone was waiting, chatting and snacking on the rice balls they had made.
I wished the person we were waiting for would come soon. It was probably Einhart. If anyone else came, that would be a change in this world, an important difference that would become significant in the future.
"My daughter Kuro is always indebted to your daughter, Takamachi-san."
"No, no, it's the other way around... I don't know if you've heard, but my daughter has a complicated past."
"The same goes for us. But I'm glad she was able to make a friend she gets along with."
I said this while watching Kuro, who was happily chatting with Vivio-chan and her friends. I was very curious about what had been the trigger for Kuro to trust someone so much, but since I wasn't there, I could only guess.
But it would be embarrassing to force her to tell me, like a doting parent. Everyone seems to be a good kid, so I'll trust that nothing strange is going on.
As I was thinking that,
"Sorry I'm late,"
I heard a familiar voice from the entrance. It was Einhart's voice.
"Huh! Could that voice be!?"
Vivio-chan seemed to recognize it immediately and ran to the entrance.
"Is this everyone?"
"Yeah, that's the plan. You might not know everyone, but please be friendly with them."
"Yes...?"
I tilted my head, not understanding the meaning of her words. Does Takamachi-san not know that Einhart and I know each other?
"Everyone, I apologize for being late. Einhart Stratos has arrived."
The person who appeared was a girl with blue-silver twin tails and distinctive heterochromia. Einhart Stratos, whom I knew well, was standing there, being led by the hand by Vivio. She must have come right after school, as her uniform and bag were still on, and she had a bag on her shoulder that probably contained a change of clothes.
And one more person.
"S-Sorry for the wait!"
Unlike the dignified Einhart, this was a timid-looking girl. A girl with silvery hair, like a sword's gleam, in a two-side-up hairstyle. It was Kirin Todo. Like Einhart, she had her uniform, a bag, and a long case that seemed to contain a katana.
Well, that's within my expectations. I wouldn't be surprised if Einhart had contacted Kirin. I heard they had a lot of contact with Vivio.
However, the last person completely blew my mind.
"Sorry, it took some time to convince her..."
"...!"
While Einhart and Kirin were in their school uniforms, this girl was dressed all in black. And it wasn't just ordinary clothes. It was a battlesuit with a cross-shaped cutout at the chest. The long blonde hair was beautiful against the jet-black of the battlesuit.
---Yami was standing there.
"Whoa..."
"Oh? Did you all know each other?"
Takamachi-san, you didn't do this on purpose, did you? There's no way this is a coincidence. How did you all get connected?
Looking at Yami's expression, it doesn't seem like she did this on purpose. Besides, she's not the type to do something like that.
"Yo-Yozuki-kun?"
"Ah, yes, that's right... Unless I'm under an enemy Stand attack, she's an acquaintance of mine."
"For me, that possibility would be more welcome."
"Do you two perhaps not get along with each other?"
"It's not that we don't get along, I dislike him."
Don't answer so quickly. Even if it's true!
As soon as she arrived at the house, Yami let out a voice that sounded utterly exhausted. Well, we've been living at a level of domestic separation where we don't interfere with each other. For that to suddenly turn into a trip together, it's like a couple trying to get back together by force.
Looking at them, she seems to be getting along quite well with Einhart and Kirin.
"How did you two get connected..."
"I thought I knew how small the world was, but..."
Yami and I both sighed. I can't believe we'd run into each other so perfectly.
"I can't believe even Yami-san came!"
"I also didn't think this woman was an acquaintance of Shou-san's."
"Seriously... all my acquaintances are girls..."
Einhart and Kirin's expressions were a stark contrast to Vivio, who was expressing her joy with her whole body. You can't look at me with such a critical face... I have a lot I want to say about that.
"...So, when did you get to know Yami?"
"I-I didn't really get to know them..."
"What? That's not... that's not true, is it?"
"Uh, well..."
She's flustered by Vivio's sad face. For crying out loud, you would normally refuse to go on a trip with them. The fact that you're here, even if you were persuaded, means that, doesn't it?
"What are you thinking? I'll kill you."
"Are you an Assault Butei?"
"I am, what of it?"
Damn it, that's not what I'm saying! Don't respond to my jokes seriously!
"Haa... So, where did you actually meet?"
"...I first met Takamachi Vivio at the library. I helped her out of a slightly dangerous situation, and this is the result."
She says, "this is the result," but the fact that she's so familiar with them means she was happy about it. As expected of a protagonist. To melt Yami's emotional walls so easily.
From there, she met Einhart and Kirin through Vivio's introduction. I can't help but wonder if Kuro knew about this, but she stayed quiet about it.
While we were talking, it was time to leave.
"Alright everyone! Now that everyone's here, let's get going!"
"Yeaaaaaah!!"
"..."
The little ones responded to Takamachi-san's voice with a lively "Yes," and the girls who were on their first trip since coming to this world couldn't hide their joy.
I'm sure that even if no serious incidents occur on this trip, there will definitely be some commotion. Well, what's going to happen?
And so, our trip began.
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