"You really are a bad adult, aren't you!?"
Izuna's question was surprisingly sharp. For a moment, I couldn't think of a retort.
Her straightforward words made me choke slightly before I countered, "And why do you think that?"
"Um…" Izuna's resolve faltered as she stammered, "B-because you can walk just fine… but you still tricked Izuna by saying your leg was broken…"
"But I never said it was broken," I replied, puzzled. "I only said it hurt a lot and might be broken."
Izuna blinked her innocent eyes, tilting her head like a confused puppy.
"Eh… now that you mention it… I guess that's true…?"
"And regardless of how hurt I am or am not, the fact remains you barreled through a crowd and hit an innocent passerby. Isn't that a fact?"
Faced with my accusation, Izuna fell silent and blushed with shame. From her simple reaction alone, she didn't resemble the troublemaker Mimori described, someone planning to disrupt the festival.
But even so, things weren't that simple.
Maybe something was happening behind the scenes at the festival. Maybe Izuna wasn't quite as well-behaved as she looked. Maybe someone had deceived her.
Of these, the third felt most likely.
Based on what I knew of the Inner Discipline Club—Tsubaki, Kaede, Mimori—their eccentric behavior could earn them odd looks, but hardly the title of "villains."
I had a feeling whatever misunderstanding Izuna held was connected to the request from Hyakkiyako Café.
If I wanted to uncover the truth, I needed Izuna's trust.
And if I could happen to win her over in the process, all the better.
So I asked, "Do you have any plans next?"
Izuna blinked. "Um… does walking around the festival count…?"
Still planning to enjoy the Cherry Blossom Festival? The suspicion on her only grew lighter. She probably didn't even understand what she was being accused of.
"Perfect." I tilted my chin up, feigning authority. "As compensation, you're in charge of showing me around. Take me to some interesting places."
"Huh?" Izuna quietly voiced her doubt. "But didn't you have something important to do…?"
"I did."
I cast her a sidelong glance and spoke coldly. "But now it's too late."
"Ah… sorry… it's all Izuna's fault…"
Her ears drooped as she lowered her head, looking so pitiful I couldn't help feeling guilty.
Not to mention I was lying. I never agreed to a specific meeting time with Momoyo Hall.
And even if I had missed something moderately important, seeing Izuna looking this pitiful would have made me forgive her.
After all, it was just an accident.
I snorted. "No need to apologize. Instead of regretting what can't be undone, focus on making up for it. Since you call yourself a ninja, show me what a ninja is capable of. Think hard about how you'll make sure I enjoy this festival."
Finishing my declaration, I turned around and walked away without checking her reaction.
But I knew exactly what kind of impact those words would have on her...
For a girl in a world where ninjas exist only in fiction, yet dreams of becoming Kivotos' number one ninja, my attitude was devastatingly effective.
Behind me, Izuna froze, then her eyes lit up in sudden excitement. With a bright smile, she hurried after me.
"I understand! Izuna will do her best not to disappoint you! Nin-nin!"
Just as I predicted, her unrealistic dream lacked the recognition she desperately wanted.
I had guessed this from the earlier request she sent to Schale asking for help with ninja training, only to cancel the request when I tried to follow up.
So now, I would give her exactly what she needed.
"Look over there! Those shops are selling Hyakkiyako's specialty fox senbei!"
Izuna tugged at my sleeve, eagerly pointing at a row of stalls run by cat and dog-eared shopkeepers as she introduced them one by one.
"And that's Tanuki Mark's okonomiyaki! You definitely can't miss it during the Cherry Blossom Festival! And sakura daifuku made with real cherry blossom petals, they're super delicious! These are all festival specialties!"
"Oh…"
I stroked my chin, half-closing my eyes. "Not bad. You already gathered intel on supplies in advance. Hmph… you're starting to seem a little like a ninja."
The forced serious tone made me cringe inside...
But it hit Izuna's sweet spot perfectly.
"Y-you can think about it that way? I never realized!" She grew excited, though she tried to hide it shyly. "But Izuna didn't collect anything on purpose… I just joined the festival a lot, so I naturally learned all this…"
I gave her a surprised look.
"So you mean, just by instinct, you can observe your surroundings and memorize them like a ninja?"
"Eh?" Izuna stared in shock. "Is… is that so?"
"…Who knows. Maybe."
My evasive answer didn't stop her. The more she thought about it, the more convinced she became.
She even started humming, smiling foolishly, skipping as her fox ears and tail swayed with unrestrained joy.
She was so easy to fool that it worried me.
Well, if I didn't mislead her properly, someone else would.
If it was for the sake of protecting my student, then sacrificing my own reputation was a small price to pay.
With that noble resolve in mind, I bought several snacks Izuna recommended. Walking and eating with her, I had to admit they tasted great.
Izuna took a big bite of sakura daifuku, her expression glowing with pure delight. Halfway through chewing, something occurred to her. She hurriedly swallowed and waved me over.
"That's right! Since we're here, we have to visit the most important place in the Hyakki Spring Cherry Blossom Festival! Please follow me!"
Since I hadn't thought of a proper ninja-flavored compliment to keep the act going, I simply nodded coolly. Izuna led me up an elevated observation platform.
From here, the town spread out clearly below us. And in the distance, towering above everything, was the massive cherry blossom tree—so large it dwarfed buildings like a mountain and seemed to brush the sky.
I'd heard locals of Hyakkiyako call it the Sacred Tree.
I had known it was huge, but only now, standing at a height with an unobstructed view, did its size truly sink in.
"I can't believe it's this big…"
Hearing my honest awe, Izuna laughed with pride.
"Hehehe, right? This season is when it's at its prettiest! It's the pride of Hyakkiyako!"
I suddenly wondered if the original Cherry Blossom Festival had begun as a celebration of this tree.
"Izuna loves this spot the most!" she said, gazing into the distance. "You can see both the Sacred Tree and Hyakkiyako's streets at the same time!"
"Whenever Izuna comes here, I get the energy to keep working toward my dream!"
"A dream, huh?"
"That's right! Izuna has a dream!"
Smiling brightly, she declared,
"Izuna's dream is to become the number one ninja in all of Kivotos! I'll work hard every day until it comes true, today and every day after!"
"I see. What a…"
I let out a cold laugh and delivered my verdict with calm cruelty.
"…ridiculously laughable dream."
"…Eh?"
Izuna stared at me in complete confusion. Then, as if finally processing my words, she forced out a smile uglier than crying, trying her best to laugh it off.
"Ah… um… y-yes… I know… I know no one has dreams like this anymore… but… but…"
"If you know that, why not give up already?"
Tears pooled in Izuna's eyes. She lowered her head, clenched her fists, her small body trembling.
Yet I showed her no mercy. Instead, I continued to mock the heartbroken girl.
"Seems you're still lost in your dream. Fine, I'll be blunt. That dream of yours… no, let me call it something more fitting. That fantasy of yours is impossible to achieve."
I reached out to gently stroke her head. My tone remained soft, but the words came out icy cold.
"My advice is to abandon that unrealistic delusion as soon as possible. Come back to reality."
…Did I go too far?
Playing the villain, I couldn't help second-guessing myself.
If it were me, and a stranger I had just met said something like that, I wouldn't be crushed. I'd be angry, maybe even more determined to push back, while keeping at least some sense of level-headedness.
But would Izuna be as strong as I imagined?
I began to regret the harsh words. Not that I lacked a backup plan.
Either way, after everything was over, I'd have to apologize properly.
Just as that thought passed, Izuna finally reacted.
There was a sharp smack as she slapped my hand away from her head. The Shittim Chest didn't defend me, so it hit hard enough to make my forearm sting.
"Don't act like you know Izuna! What do you know!"
Tears streaming down her face, Izuna glared at me with fury.
"Izuna was right all along! You really are a cruel, evil adult! No matter what you say, Izuna will never, ever, ever give up on her dream—!"
Her voice rose to a near scream by the end.
I crossed my arms, examining her quietly.
"Oh? Is that so?"
"Yes, that's how it is!" Izuna shouted, panting as she jabbed a finger at my nose. "Just watch! One day Izuna will become an amazing ninja and make you look at me with respect!"
Her gesture was quite rude, but her words were still so polite, even if she had dropped the honorifics.
She really was such a good-hearted child.
I looked at her and laughed softly.
Izuna assumed I was laughing at her. Furious, she trembled from head to toe as tears spilled again. Sniffling, she glared at me one last time, said nothing, and turned away, wiping her eyes as she prepared to leave.
But then my voice rang out behind her.
"What's this? Running away?"
Izuna froze and answered coldly, "What more do you want? Are you planning to keep laughing at Izuna's dream?"
She took a deep breath, turned back, and strode up to me, locking eyes with mine. Her eyes were still red from crying, but now filled with unwavering determination.
"Then listen well. No matter what setbacks I face, no matter how many times I get laughed at, no matter what happens… I will never give up on my dream!"
"…That is your resolve?"
"That's right. So please stop bothering me already." Izuna took a step back. "Otherwise Izuna really will beat you up. This is goodbye."
"Heh…"
I shook my head. Izuna tensed, gripping her gun cautiously as I began to applaud.
"You pass."
"Eh…?" Izuna blinked, stunned. "Pass… what do you mean?"
Ignoring her question for a moment, I looked toward the Sacred Tree and murmured softly:
"Where cherry blossoms dance, fire continues to burn. Even if ninjas exist only in legend, new sprouts can still rise from the ashes."
"Um… what are you talking about? Please answer Izuna properly!"
"Oh dear, where should I begin. First, please accept my apology for earlier."
I bowed lightly to the bewildered girl.
"But to test whether you truly possessed the dream of becoming a ninja, whether you truly had the resolve to follow the ninja way and not merely say it because it sounded cool, I had no choice but to take that approach."
"Eh, ah, um… i-it's fine…?"
She was far too sweet.
"My energy is limited. I can't help everyone equally. So I must use methods like this to identify those who truly need help."
I placed my hand on my chest, meeting her eyes with sincerity.
"I understand your dream now. I have felt your resolve. It is clear that you are someone who truly needs help."
Izuna stared at me in confusion. "Uh… who are you…?"
"Come to think of it, I haven't introduced myself properly."
With the warm spring sunlight at my back, I smiled gently and extended my hand to her.
"I am a Sensei from Schale. Because I received a request from Kuda Izuna, I came here specifically to support her dream."
Izuna froze for a beat, then let out an enormous shout.
"Eh?! S-Sensei?!"
Adorable beyond words.
"Yes, Izuna." I gently took the hand of the stunned girl and used my handkerchief to wipe away the last traces of her tears.
"From today onward, I look forward to working with you."