A hero who wants to help others wants to live a normal life - Chapter 34

Chapter 34   The Next Attack

“Well, that’s the gist of it. I came today to introduce you to Mochi, who’s taken over.”

Of course, that’s not the only reason. Even though she had to participate in the event, there’s no way that alone would make her show up in person.

But while I think that, I also can’t shake the feeling that she’s just here to kill some time. A normal person wouldn’t behave this way, but she’s different. It wouldn’t be surprising if she decided to come just because it seemed fun or because she wanted to meet us. So, I can’t really guess why she’s here.

“I understand, but… she seems pretty young.”

I’d imagine the person chosen to be her bodyguard would have to be experienced, but this one looks really young. Maybe in her twenties?

“I used to only have older people around me, so I asked for someone closer to my age. And Mochi may be young, but she’s pretty capable. Plus, I thought it would be convenient to have someone who could easily communicate and coordinate with you guys.”

“You thought it would be convenient… So you didn’t decide this yourself?”

Normally, I’d expect them to match the bodyguard and the person being protected by considering their compatibility, meeting several candidates, and then making a decision. But apparently, she didn’t do that.

“Eh? That’s way too much work. Do you really think I’d bother with something that tedious?”

“It’s not that you can’t do it, is it? You gave such a great speech today, after all.”

If she can manage to handle herself like that in public, choosing a bodyguard wouldn’t be that big of a deal.

“Puhee~! Ehehe~. You thought it was cool? Really~? Well, I can pull something like that off when I want to. I just usually don’t bother.”

“That’s not really something to brag about…”

What the heck is “pull something like that off”? If she took things a bit more seriously, she’d avoid a lot of unnecessary trouble and probably free up more time for herself. But I guess that’s impossible. She’s probably been told that many times, and if she’s still acting like this, it’s unlikely she’ll ever change.

“Anyway, what did you mean by ‘keeping in touch with us’? If it’s about making phone calls, that’s not really an issue.”

I understand wanting to be able to contact us quickly if something happens. But if that’s the case, she can just call. She called the other day for something practically personal, so it’s not like she can’t use the phone.

“Ah, that. So, Mochi’s got a connection to this school… let’s see, I think she has a sister here? You guys can’t always answer the phone, right? There are times during classes or school events when you can’t pick up. Having someone connected to the school who can help is convenient, right? Especially now, since things are getting dangerous lately. You never know what might happen, so it’s good to have multiple ways to get in touch, don’t you think?”

“A sister at the school?”

“Now that you mention it, your last name is Momochi, right? Isn’t that the same as one of the combat instructors…?”

Now that Inori pointed it out, there is indeed a teacher named Momochi here. I’ve never really spoken with her personally, but I do know she’s around.

“As you’ve said, that Momochi is indeed my sister. While she doesn’t know the details about you two, I’ve informed her of our connection, so she should be able to offer some flexibility.”

Hmm, I mean, it could be convenient to have more allies while keeping the fact that I’m a ‘Blessed One’ a secret. But I still don’t get why they’d go to such lengths.

“But if you’re setting up these kinds of connections just for contact, is there something going on?”

If it’s just a potential issue or something minor, I don’t see the need for such special arrangements. The people ‘up top’ should understand that I just want to live normally without being dragged into anything unnecessary, so they wouldn’t interfere needlessly…

“Yeah, pretty much. Actually, that’s the main reason I came today.”

“The main reason? Oh yeah, you did mention something about a serious discussion earlier.”

“Now that you mention it, I figured you were just here because you were bored and decided to come to the event as a side trip.”

“Of course not! Even though I seem carefree, I’m still the vice leader of a major clan, you know? Did you really think I came all this way just to see you two?”

At those words, Inori and I exchanged glances and nodded.

“Yeah, we figured that’s about 70% of the reason.”

“You usually act without much purpose, so we kind of assumed this was another one of your whims.”

Right? Looks like Inori thought the same.

The senior seemed genuinely surprised by our response, her eyes widening in shock.

“…Don’t you think your opinion of me is a bit harsh?”

Uh-oh, this time her tone is surprisingly serious. Her voice has dropped enough that it’s clear her usual carefree attitude is gone.

“Well, isn’t that just based on how you usually act?”

I felt a little bad saying it, but honestly, this is pretty typical for her.

“Hmph… Mochi! I’ll leave the rest of the explanation to you!”

Pouting, the senior turned away from us and started munching on her snacks and gulping her tea rather aggressively. Uh… Is this really okay? Even though there aren’t many people around, we’re still in a public space. Is it really fine for her to behave like that? Doesn’t it ruin the cool image she had just a while ago?

“Something may happen at this school, so I advise you both to be cautious.”

As I was thinking that, Mochi’s explanation began. But still, what does she mean by “something”…?

“So, what exactly do you mean by ‘something’?”

“At this point, it’s still unclear. However, if you recall the recent incident, you should understand the situation. The higher-ups have judged that there is a high probability of a similar occurrence.”

“In other words, Qliphoth might be involved.”

“Whether it’s the main body or a subordinate organization like last time, or if it’s mercenaries hired for the job, is unknown. However, it’s likely. The difference is that this time, an attack during a school event is unlikely. The school is understandably on high alert.”

So, it sounds like we’re dealing with some dangerous individuals, and we should be careful. It’s quite vague and somewhat ad-hoc, but it seems that’s the only option when there’s no certainty about what’s actually going to happen.

Still, it’s probably better to be cautious than to face a real incident.

“Therefore, the problem is with daily life at school.”

“Daily life… Are you saying we might be attacked within the school? But isn’t it impossible for outsiders to get in?”

This school is, in a sense, crucial for the future of the world, and even without that, it’s a place where the children of high-ranking officials from various countries gather. Given that, it’s extremely difficult for outsiders to enter the school or even the island itself. The scrutiny for outsiders is very strict.

“Yes. However, it’s possible if someone were to infiltrate among the teachers or students.”

That could be feasible, but are there really people like that? Even students and teachers undergo rigorous checks before enrolling. Oh, but there was a precedent, wasn’t there? Well, it’s only a possibility, but it exists.

“…Speaking of which, wasn’t there someone who leaked the destination of the ‘Travel Club’ activities among the school staff last time?”

Otherwise, there wouldn’t have been a sudden attack when we went to Kyoto. We used a teleportation device, so there was no way they could have prepared once they knew our destination.

But if they knew our destination from the start and prepared accordingly, they must have had a way to obtain information within the school. Reports after the attack suggested the possibility of an insider.

“Yes. So, whether it’s that individual or someone else, there’s a significant possibility that problems could arise within the school.”

“Causing a commotion in a place they’ve infiltrated… That would likely be for terrorism or assassination.”

Creating a disturbance within the school would inevitably reveal the infiltrator and, if things go badly, their identity could be exposed. If they’re willing to risk losing their pawn, it means they’re seeking results that justify the loss of that pawn.

The only major result that comes to mind would be targeting someone’s life.

“The most effective places for such actions would be classrooms or the dormitory. In classrooms, everyone is gathered in one place, and in the dormitory, when people are asleep, it’s full of vulnerabilities.”

“If an attack were to happen in a classroom where students are relaxed and not paying much attention during lessons, it’s likely that most of the students in that class would end up being killed.”

“The same goes for the dormitory during sleep. Whether it’s killing each person individually or bombing the entire dorm, many would die without being able to respond properly.”

“For you two, since you have a home, I don’t think there’s an issue with the dormitory. However, there could be dangers on your commute.”

“If they target other students, we might be safe while going home, but if they target us, the return home would be the most opportune time for them. Until we understand their goals, we must stay vigilant and prepare.”

“It’s quite troublesome. Should we use blessings to secure our commute from now on?”

“That’s an option, but it might make us too conspicuous. If we stand out too much, it could attract unnecessary enemies.”

“Well, yeah. If there’s a shining halo above our heads, it’s definitely suspicious.”

“Oh, right. I forgot about the halo. The glowing ring that appears when using abilities makes it immediately obvious whether or not someone is using their power. If someone were to use their abilities all the time, it would definitely be suspicious. Even if we’re not the targets, there’s always a chance the target could shift to us, so using abilities while going home is probably best avoided.”

“I’ll protect you, so don’t worry!”

“Oh, that’s just like you, little sis! Make sure to protect Seiji-chan thoroughly, okay?”

“Yeah, leave it to me.”

It’s pretty pathetic to rely on my sister for protection, but it can’t be helped. Since Inori has the physical ability to deflect bullets even without using blessings, relying on her is the safest and most stable form of protection if we can just handle the initial attack.

“If necessary, we can also arrange for protection at your home or on your commute. What do you think?”

“That’s probably not necessary. Besides, having a bodyguard would make it obvious that we have an important secret.”

Even without the halo, a student with a bodyguard would stand out. Even if the bodyguard is discreet, the other party would still investigate the students and any infiltrators in the vicinity. If detected, it could lead to suspicion.

It’s better to avoid having bodyguards and not draw suspicion in the first place.

“Well… maybe. But Seiji-chan might need to be a bit more cautious.”

However, my suggestion seemed to displease sempai. She gracefully sipped her tea and tilted her head slightly.

“I never expected to hear someone like you, who participates in events like this, telling me to be more cautious.”

It’s surprising to hear that from someone who should be the most protected person in this country. In fact, maybe sempai should have more protection herself. She shouldn’t be participating in such events.

“Well, I needed to be here today—it’s not about the event, but rather because of my abilities.”

“Abilities? But I heard you can see anywhere without limitations?”

“Oh, didn’t you know? I can see anywhere, but it takes time depending on the location. Once I’ve been to a place, though, I can see it instantly.”

That’s new information to me. It’s basically like marking a location.

Ah, so that’s why she came to the school today. If she visits once, she can quickly check things if any issues arise. I understand now why she would come here, even if it involved some risk or being forced to do so.

“And even I have times when I need to be cautious and think carefully about my actions. It’s just that I usually judge most things as unimportant.”

“Is that really okay?”

“Even today, there are bodyguards present, though they’re hidden and not visible.”

I thought so. But wait a minute. Where are you looking? With the flow of this conversation, shifting your gaze around like that is like saying you have hidden bodyguards. Don’t smile like that. Are you secretly wanting to be kidnapped or are you on the enemy’s side? Your actions are too reckless.

“Anyway, I’m aware that I have a valuable ability, but you mustn’t forget that you are even more valuable. You are ‘the closest human to the gods’ and ‘the most loved hero by the gods.'”

At those words, I flinched.

In response to my reaction, Inori’s calm expression vanished, and she glared at sempai with a fierce look.

Inori, ready to attack at any moment, had the bodyguard, Momochi-san, lowering herself into a defensive stance. But sempai just smiled at us without moving.

Seeing the three of them, I sighed and then restrained Inori with a hand to calm her down.

It’s not that it’s such a big deal. I don’t like those words, and they are hard to accept. But it’s not worth attacking someone over or having my ‘sister’ do it for me.

It’s just that those words were unpleasant. That’s all it is.

“…Even if my ability is rare, there are plenty of people more useful than me.”

“That may be true, but considering the nature of the ability, it’s the most advantageous and easier to be praised for.”

“But that’s not what the person themselves desires.”

Even if my ability is rare and appreciated by some, it doesn’t matter to me. I just want to spend time with my family like before.

“I feel the same. I only wanted to freely paint pictures, but now I have less time to paint than before… It’s really frustrating.”

Her words didn’t convey any sense of despair, but there was definitely a feeling of exasperation. Perhaps that’s the case with everyone who has blessings.

Certainly, there were people who wished for things and had their wishes granted. But there’s also something they lost as a price.

And what was lost will likely never return. Because we are no longer the same as we were before we received the blessings.

“In any case, that’s the story—there might be enemies around, so be careful. That’s all!”