A hero who wants to help others wants to live a normal life - Chapter 16

Chapter 16   The Two of Them Heading to the Club Room

The next day at lunch, as discussed yesterday, it was me, Inori, Kiriya, Kujou, and Toudou sitting together. Some of Kujou’s entourage was present as well, but to avoid making things too chaotic, only her bodyguard, Toudou, joined us for lunch.

Kujou’s entourage gave us some resentful looks, but that’s understandable. After all, they had finally secured a place as followers of a classmate with “royal blood,” and now that had been disrupted. It wouldn’t be surprising if they felt like all their efforts had been wasted and blamed us for it.

“So, what club are you going to join, big brother?”

“The ‘International Affairs Observation Club.’”

After we got home yesterday, I looked through pamphlets and the school guide and decided on that club.

“What… is that? The name doesn’t give me any clue at all.”

Well, that’s to be expected. Normal schools wouldn’t have anything like it, and the name itself doesn’t really describe what the club does. It’s just a cover name.

“It’s also known as the ‘Travel Club.’”

Kujou, however, seemed to know about the club and answered casually.

“The Travel Club? That makes even less sense. Do they actually go on trips?”

“Apparently, yeah. The club activities involve using teleportation devices to go on a trip somewhere once a month.”

“How is that even considered a club? It sounds like you’re just playing around.”

“Well, it’s a club for people who don’t want to take their club activities too seriously.”

At first, I considered joining a regular club, but none of them really appealed to me.

Besides, this school is focused on training people to fight monsters, so most of the clubs are combat-related. Regular clubs like soccer or baseball were almost non-existent.

So, I figured it would be better to join something unique and fun, rather than a regular but less appealing club.

“But that club is expensive, you know. Can you guys afford it?”

“We’re actually pretty well-off. We’ve got enough to cover monthly trips without any problems.”

As “Blessed Ones,” we receive subsidies, and we also get compensation for assisting in developing skills. At the very least, we’re not in a position where a monthly trip would bankrupt us.

“Huh, okay then.”

Toudou said that and returned to her meal, but was she trying to mock us just now? Or was she genuinely concerned?

…Not sure which it is, but let’s just assume she was worried about us.

Thinking of it that way makes Toudou’s words sound a bit like a tsundere, which is kind of cute in its own way. Not that I’d ever say that out loud.

“…Hey, why am I even here? Can I leave now?”

Kiriya, who hadn’t said a word during the whole lunch with Kujou, suddenly asked that… Hah. No way, of course not.

Even if you’re uncomfortable, there’s no way I’m letting you leave. If you did, I’d be the only guy left in this group. That’d be way too awkward.

“What are you talking about, buddy? We were just eating together yesterday, and now you’re acting like this? Come on, let’s keep getting along.”

“No, seriously, I have nothing to do with this. I’m basically invisible here. I don’t have anything to talk about, and we come from different backgrounds.”

Kiriya might be nervous about sitting at the same table as Kujou because he comes from a somewhat prominent family, but if we’re talking about being out of place due to status, then I’m the one who doesn’t fit in.

“If we’re talking about status, that applies to me too. You’ll get used to it, and you’ll find it easier to talk eventually.”

“Still, though…”

“There may be differences in our backgrounds,” Kujou interjected, “but there’s no need to worry about that here. As I mentioned to Inori and the others, we are all classmates attending the same school.”

“…Understood… I mean, got it. Nice to meet you.”

“Yes, likewise.”

And so, though somewhat awkwardly, our group of five—me, Inori, Kiriya, Kujou, and Toudou —began having lunch together regularly.

——◆◇◆◇——

A week passed, and all the new students had settled into their clubs or committees. As I had mentioned earlier, I chose the “Travel Club.”

Today was the first day of activities for that club, so I got up to head to the clubroom, separating from Inori.

“Hey, make sure you’re careful, okay?”

Inori called out worriedly as I stood up. What’s there to be worried about? I’m just going to my club.

“What is there to be careful about?”

“Like, falling down the stairs or something falling on you from above?”

“That’s not going to happen, and even if it did, I’d be fine.”

Even if something like that did happen, it wouldn’t be fatal with this body that’s been strengthened as a “Blessed One.”

“You never know. If a flowerpot falls on you from above, it could be fatal.”

Who in this day and age would drop a flowerpot out of a window? And this is a school, after all.

“A flowerpot? That’s so cliché… Anyway, I’ll be careful, so you should hurry up and go. Kujou is waiting for you.”

“If she has to wait, that’s no problem. What’s more important is you.”

“Just go already, idiot. And don’t cause any weird problems when I’m not around.”

“How rude! Do you really not trust me? Do I seem like someone who would cause problems?”

“You sure do. Who was it who just recently couldn’t control themselves and caused a big scene?”

“Eh? Well, that was… eh-heh?”

Inori seemed to recall the fight from the other day and how it escalated. She wandered her gaze, then touched her cheek with her index finger and tilted her head with a small smile.

What’s with that pose? Trying to act cute to get away with it? That’s not going to work on your brother.

“Stop messing around and go, you fool.”

I patted her on the shoulder and urged her to go to Kujou. She muttered, “I’m not a fool~” while reluctantly standing up and heading toward Kujou, who was waiting at the classroom entrance.

Watching her go, I let out a small sigh and then left the classroom to head toward the clubroom.

However, after walking a little while, I noticed someone else walking ahead of me, also heading toward the clubroom.

“What’s this? You’re in this club too, Toudou?”

The person I was talking to was Hikari Toudou, the girl who served as Kujou’s bodyguard.

To be honest, given the complicated relationship between us, I hesitated about whether or not to speak to her. But we had already reconciled, and keeping a wall between us forever didn’t seem right.

With that in mind, I decided to take advantage of the opportunity and try to strike up a conversation.

“Huh?… Oh, it’s you.”

Toudou seemed genuinely surprised that I had spoken to her. She stopped walking, turned around, and gave me a suspicious look, as if to say, “Why are you talking to me?”

However, she didn’t seem interested in picking a fight anymore. With a sigh, she resumed walking and answered my earlier question.

“…Yeah, sort of. Even though I’m Kujou’s bodyguard, I can’t always be with her while she’s working with the student council, and I have to join some kind of club myself.”

“Yeah, I guess that makes sense.”

“…”

“…”

So, what do I do now? I started this conversation, but honestly, I have nothing more to say. We’re not close enough to ask about what we did yesterday or what our hobbies are.

As we continued walking side by side in silence, a question suddenly popped into my mind. It might be a bit too intrusive, but since I had the chance, I decided to ask.

“Hey, I’ve been wondering for a while now—why do you seem so close to Kujou for a bodyguard?”

“What, is that a problem?”

No need to glare at me like that. I didn’t say it was bad—I was just curious.

“It’s not a problem. I just found it a bit surprising.”

“…We’re childhood friends. I guess I was raised to be her bodyguard, but we’ve been together since we were little. In a way, we’re like sisters.”

So that’s why they’re so close. If that attitude was directed at a family member rather than someone she’s guarding, it makes sense.

With that in mind, maybe I should apologize properly.

After all, they’re like family. Even if they aren’t connected by blood, that doesn’t matter.

No matter the reason, if someone insulted her family, it’s only natural that Toudou would get angry. Although I still think using a skill was a bit over the top, I can’t say I don’t understand it.