A hero who wants to help others wants to live a normal life - Chapter 20

Chapter 20   Irregularities During Travel

“—Alright, now that everyone is here, we’ll begin the ‘World Affairs Observation Tour.’ Once we arrive, you’re free to explore, but until then, everyone must stick together!”

About ten minutes passed, and it seemed like everyone had gathered, so the president began speaking. This time, unlike the long-winded and unnecessary talk from the last club meeting, it was just a brief explanation and a reminder of the rules for the trip, and the speech quickly ended.

As soon as the president finished, we started moving and walked toward the teleportation device located within the school. In just a few minutes, we reached the area where the device was installed.

The teleportation device looked like a large metal doorframe, but the center part was unusual. If you considered it a doorframe, there would normally be a door where the frame was, but instead, there was a shimmering, rainbow-colored membrane. It flickered like a soap bubble’s surface, but it was not as thin as a bubble, and you couldn’t see through it.

This wasn’t my first time seeing the teleportation device, but it was still a strange sight to behold.

“I don’t really like these teleportation devices much,” Toko muttered as we lined up in front of it.

“Really? Isn’t it better than flying? You get there instantly, and if a plane crashes, there’s no way out.”

As we moved closer to the device, Toko voiced her displeasure, but I thought teleportation was convenient. It saves time, and there are fewer accidents. Sure, there are still accidents with teleportation devices, but they usually only take one or two lives, and everyone else remains safe. When you think about it that way, teleportation is quite a blessing, even if it is expensive.

“Yeah, I get that, but it doesn’t have any charm, you know? Traveling isn’t just about what you do when you get there; it’s also about the journey itself, right? When you just arrive in an instant, it kind of feels… off, don’t you think?”

“Well, I guess if you can get anywhere in an instant, even a foreign country might not feel as special.”

“Right? I mean, it can’t be helped this time, though. We don’t have time to spend on flying or traveling slowly.”

While we were talking, it was our turn, and we passed through the membrane of the teleportation device one by one.

As I crossed the rainbow-colored membrane, what appeared before me was a place that didn’t look all that different from before, yet somehow the atmosphere felt distinctly different.

Since a teleportation device is such a precise and elaborate piece of equipment, it makes sense that it would look similar wherever it is installed. Still, experiencing this instantaneous change made me understand what Toko meant about the lack of charm. When it happens so quickly, it doesn’t feel like a real journey.

After all the members had crossed over, the president gave another brief explanation, and then we were dismissed.

“Alright, let’s go!”

——◆◇◆◇——

“Even though it’s a trip, since it’s Kyoto, it doesn’t feel all that special.”

After we were dismissed, Toko and I went around various places in Kyoto together, and quite a bit of time had already passed. Any concerns I had about whether I’d be able to enjoy this trip had already vanished. Toko, likely because of her personality, was easy to talk to, and she seemed to be having fun no matter where we went, so there was never any awkward tension. I didn’t have to worry too much about keeping the mood up, which was a relief.

Still, I don’t know… It’s my first time in this place, but it somehow doesn’t feel very special. Maybe it’s like Toko said—the lack of travel time takes away from the experience?

“Seicchi, where should we go next?”

“Where to? Isn’t it mostly just temples around here? Wouldn’t it get boring seeing so many temples?”

It might be a stereotype, but I have this image that gals aren’t usually interested in places like temples or shrines.

“No way, that’s not true! Temples, like… they have a kind of familiar feel, you know? They’re surprisingly comfortable, don’t you think?”

“I kind of get it, but wouldn’t a girl like you, Toko, not be that into temples?”

Even though gals tend to have fun wherever they go, I imagine there aren’t many like Toko who would say they find temples “comfortable.”

Still, I sort of understand her point. There’s a sense of tranquility when you’re inside a temple, and it feels special in a way, like it has an atmosphere where you could really focus. Of course, that’s only if it’s quiet without too many tourists.

“Hmm, maybe so. Well, I guess that’s just part of who I am.”

“I think it’s great you can enjoy life more by not disliking things.”

“…You know, you’re right? Thinking about it that way, it’s like I’m getting the most out of life!”

Toko’s eyes widened in realization at my words, and she laughed cheerfully.

After discussing where to go next, we decided to head to an area with a bunch of souvenir shops, so we wandered around for a while. But then, Toko suddenly stopped in her tracks. At the same time, I sensed something unsettling coming from her, like a sort of fighting spirit or battle readiness.

“Hey… don’t you feel something strange?”

I looked at Toko, wondering why she would say something like that.

“Something strange?”

“Yeah, like… it feels like someone has hostile intent toward us?”

“Hostile intent…? Sorry, I’m not sensing anything at all.”

At her words, I tried to focus on my surroundings, but since I’d never trained to detect hostility or anything like that, I couldn’t sense a thing.

“Hmm… maybe it’s just my imagination. Don’t worry about it. Let’s keep having fun!”

With that, Toko started walking again, smiling as cheerfully as before. But if she’s saying something like that, there might really be something going on.

It would be fine if there’s nothing, but it’d be too late if something does happen. Whether or not I can sense it, I’d better stay alert so I can respond quickly if anything comes up.

Thinking like that, I went back to enjoying the trip, but after visiting several souvenir shops, Toko’s mood started to sour. Normally, I’d wonder why all of a sudden, but since I’d been given a heads-up, even someone like me, who isn’t familiar with fighting, could understand what was happening.

“…Even I can tell now. Feels like we’re being watched, doesn’t it?”

There’s this feeling of something clinging to us—like someone is staring at us. I guess this is what it means to feel someone’s gaze. Besides just the feeling of being watched, I also feel a kind of tingling in my chest, as if the blessing deep inside me is sending a warning.

“Right? I knew it. So, what should we do?”

“What should we do…? Should we run to the police?”

That’s probably the safest bet. If we do that, this trip will end right here, but the only consequence would be cutting our trip short.

The problem, though, is how much the police would believe us. Could we really expect them to believe us if we said, “We felt something weird, like someone was watching us, so we came to the police for protection”?

“But like, why are we even being targeted in the first place? It seriously makes no sense.”

“If it were just about targeting a cute girl, that’d be easier to handle.”

If it was just some creep targeting a cute girl he saw on the street, it would be simple enough. We could just knock him out if he tried anything.

But what complicates things is Toko’s family background. I don’t know much about how high up her family, the Hoshiguma, is, but if they’re a powerful enough family, there’s a chance someone might be targeting her for that reason.

If it’s an organized effort, simply going to the police won’t solve anything. Even if we manage to get through this situation, there’s a chance they’d just come after us again later.

Besides, there’s a flaw in this assumption. Let’s say they are targeting the Hoshiguma—fine, but why now?

“Huh? ‘Cute,’ are you seriously flirting at a time like this?”

Contrary to my thoughts, Toko furrowed her brows slightly and gave me a reproachful look. But that’s not what I meant.

“I’m not flirting. I’m saying, if it’s just someone targeting a girl, that’s one thing, but if they’re after me or you personally, that could get complicated.”

“In that case, wouldn’t it be me they’re after? I mean, my family’s… you know, the kind of family that could get involved in a ransom situation?”

That makes sense. I don’t know the exact reason, but if it’s something like a ransom or political motivation, it would make more sense to go after Toko rather than someone like me.

But there’s still a question.

“…I’m not saying it’s impossible, but then why Toko… no, why ‘Hoshiguma’?”

We’re on a trip right now. Sure, attacking us while we’re away from our home base isn’t a bad idea.

But that’s only if they knew where we were going.

If they already knew we’d be coming here today, it would make sense that they’d be trailing us here. But if that were the case, they’d know our schedule, and they’d also know that we came here as part of our club activities.

In that case, it doesn’t necessarily have to be ‘Hoshiguma,’ does it?

“Huh? No, I mean, if it’s between you and me, wouldn’t it be me? Not to put it like this, but isn’t your family just an ordinary one?”

“If it were just the two of us, yeah. But here… in this area, there are plenty of other ‘wealthy students’ besides us.”

“! That means…”

It might sound rude to say this, but I don’t know anything about the Hoshiguma family. Maybe it’s because I’m not well-versed in the upper echelons of society, but here in this place, there are plenty of kids from known families. Wouldn’t it make more sense to target them instead?

“Why target Toko among all the other students here? If they know Toko comes from a distinguished family, they should also know that the other students here do too, right? So why go for ‘Hoshiguma’? There are families with a higher status than Hoshiguma, aren’t there?”

“Well, yeah. Even if we’re a distinguished family, we’re descended from warriors. Purely in terms of assets, the other kids would have more. But if that’s the case, then why are they targeting us?”

That was just a thought assuming they’re after us for ransom money or something similar. If their motive isn’t ransom but something more political, then I could see a reason to target Toko. But is it okay to even think about it that way?

“Unless there’s a specific reason to target the Hoshiguma family…”

“Hmm, I can’t really think of one. Maybe I just haven’t been told, but as far as I know, I don’t know of any.”

It’s not unusual for adults not to tell their children everything, so it wouldn’t be surprising if there were things Toko didn’t know. But if we’re dealing with someone who’s willing to take direct action like this, wouldn’t there at least be… some rumors or whispers about it?

“…Maybe it’s not just us they’re after.”