Academy SP 〜An Ex-Mercenary Reincarnated as a Mob in a Gal Game. I Ditched My Bodyguard Job to Enjoy High School Life, but When the Ultra-Rich Heroines Were About to Get Killed, I Stepped In… and Somehow Built a Harem Powerful Enough to Control Japan〜 - Chapter 103, 104 & 105

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Chapter 103

 

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Side: Yuuji

Let’s go back a bit—to the car, just after we escaped from the Tosa Family.

I drove in silence.

A blanket was draped over her legs.
Leaving her exposed in just her underwear didn’t sit right with me, so I searched Imamura’s car and found one to cover her with.

For a while, the car remained completely quiet.

Ayaka looked deep in thought.

Ashioka of the Satsuroukai… he would probably deal with the Tosa Family.

What Ayaka did—put simply, it was close to inciting murder.
Of course, she wouldn’t actually be charged—but even if they were scum, being involved in killing people… that kind of thing doesn’t just leave you.

…Was this really the right call?

Even though I had already made up my mind, doubt started creeping in.

“Takahashi…”

As if she saw right through my thoughts, she spoke quietly.

“I don’t regret it.”

The light turned red, and I stopped the car.

Maybe because it was so late at night, there wasn’t a single person around.
It almost felt like we were the only ones left in the world.

“At the very least… you’ll still be able to go to school. And so will I. …Nothing happened today. Nothing at all…”

When I glanced over at her—

She was looking at me with tear-filled eyes.

“I want to say it properly. Thank you… for coming to save me.”

“Yeah… no. I should be the one thanking you. In the end, you were the one who saved me.”

“No… I’m the one who owes you more. …A debt far too big. I’ll have to keep repaying it for the rest of my life.”

“That’s… kinda over the top…”

After letting out a small, awkward laugh, I looked at Ayaka and spoke more seriously.

“Ayaka.”

“Hm?”

“This time—this isn’t just your ‘sin.’”

“……………………”

“I’ll carry it too.”

At that moment, the light turned green.

“…Thank you, Takahashi. I’m glad… it seems we feel the same way.”

“Yeah… looks like it.”

I slowly pressed down on the accelerator.

“But don’t worry, Takahashi.”

“Hm? About what?”

“…I’ll protect you for the rest of your life. You—and your family’s safety—will be guaranteed by the Kirishima conglomerate.”

“…Uh… okay?”

“So…”

“Yeah?”

“…After we graduate… come be my husband.”

I—

slammed the brakes as hard as I could.

〇

Side: Yuuji

After that, everything turned hectic, and time just flew by.

The forest training camp was canceled on the third day.
The head of Yushu Girls’ Academy, Fukumoto Toshizou, ended up swamped dealing with all kinds of explanations.

Still, in a way, it was a blessing in disguise—

The only one who suffered injuries serious enough to require hospitalization from this incident was one “Academy SP” student… Wakita.

Isoyama and the others did get into a fight with a delinquent group, but their injuries were nothing more than scratches.
Since it was deemed unavoidable, it never turned into a formal case, and no one got expelled or even suspended.

As for those who were actually the most badly injured—Imamura and the other guards from the Kirishima conglomerate—

Thankfully, their lives weren’t in danger, and thanks to quick treatment… it seemed Imamura’s finger was successfully reattached.

The police questioned Imamura and the others, trying desperately to figure out who attacked them and identify the culprit—

But they couldn’t get any concrete testimony about the perpetrator.

In the end, the investigation stalled, and the case went cold.

…Well, that’s the version of events the public was told.

I asked Ayaka a bit more about what happened after that, and it turned out—her father… the chairman himself, supported her plan.
He worked together with the Satsuroukai and pulled strings behind the scenes to cover up everything related to the Tosa Family.

Imamura and the other guards were also told to keep quiet, and they denied any involvement of the Tosa Family.

Since the case never became official, the investigation was completely shut down.
After that, peaceful days began to return.

A few days later—

I was back at school.

(Today… is the day Wakita gets discharged and returns.)

To be honest, I was a little worried.

His life wasn’t in danger, sure—but he still got stabbed in the stomach.
There had to be some mental shock too.

(Is he really gonna be okay…?)

Having seen comrades carry trauma from the battlefield, I couldn’t help but worry even more.

Then I opened the classroom door.

And there he was—Wakita.

He had his uniform shirt wide open.

“Check it out!! Man among men—Wakita!! This is the mark of a true warrior!!”

Isoyama and the others were gathered around him, all going “OHHHHH!!” and hyping him up for some reason.

I almost tripped on the spot.

(This guy… his mental strength is insane…)

Then Wakita noticed me.

“Yo! Best buddy!!”

He said that and held up his hand for a high-five.

I shrugged a little—but went along with it anyway.

“Yeah, yeah.”

Clap—our hands met.

Well, anyway… with that, everything should’ve been settled—

…Or at least, it should have been.

Knock knock knock knock knock knock.

…Huh? What’s that?
A fox crying or something?

That’s what I thought—but outside the classroom, a group of elegant young ladies were smiling at me while knocking like crazy.

Sara.
Ririko.
—Ayaka.

“Yuuji-kun♡”
“Come play with us♡”
“……………………”

Sara and Ririko wore way-too-cheerful smiles, while Ayaka stood behind them with her arms crossed, looking completely unamused.

“Hey, Yuuji! While I was in the hospital… something happened, didn’t it!? It did, right!? This is totally a shuraba event, isn’t it!?”

“S-Shut up! I-I’ll be back in a bit, just wait here…”

“EHHHHHHHHH!? You’re seriously not letting your best buddy join in!?”

Wakita kept whining, but if this guy tagged along, things would get way more complicated.

Stuff like this…

I had to deal with it myself!!

〇

“““Let’s settle this properly, once and for all.”””

—Yeah. No chance.

I got surrounded by the three conglomerate daughters behind the school building… and somehow ended up kneeling in seiza.

“First of all~?”

“Why is Kirishima-san even here~?”

Stop!! Sara and Ririko were glaring hard at Ayaka!! No fighting, please!!

“Hm? Isn’t it obvious? If I don’t protect Takahashi, then who will?”

She said it so naturally, so confidently, that Sara and Ririko froze on the spot.

Well… as for how things ended up like this while Wakita was in the hospital, it’s actually pretty simple.
Ayaka started coming at me hard—like a prince chasing after a princess.
And because of that, Sara and Ririko, who were always sticking close to me, gradually got more and more irritated.

…Yeah. Girls are seriously scary.

“P-Protect him…!? What kind of reason do you even have to say that!?”

“Y-Yeah, exactly! Why does Kirishima-san have to protect Yuuji-kun!?”

Sara and Ririko pressed her.

Ayaka glanced at me for a second—

“I can’t say. Right, Takahashi?”

She answered with a faint, almost amused smile.

Well… there’s a gag order in place about the Tosa Family incident, so I can’t exactly explain it…

But still, that answer had way too much hidden meaning in it!

“In any case… I now have a reason to protect Takahashi for the rest of my life.”

Saying that, Ayaka looked straight at me.

Well… I mean, she probably just meant she wanted to make sure I didn’t get targeted by the yakuza again…

“Heeey~?”
“So you two have a little secret just between you, huh~?”

Sara and Ririko looked like they were about to jump me any second now!
Ayaka-sama! Please protect me!!

Just as I was thinking that, some uninvited guests showed up behind the school building.

A group of female students.
Ah… the “Anti–Academy SP” faction.

“A-Ayaka-sama! Do you really plan to keep getting along with those ‘Academy SP’ people!?”

One brave girl stepped forward and asked.

Ayaka answered, looking slightly apologetic.

“…Yes. I’m sorry. Even though I was the one who started this in the first place. But the ‘Academy SP’ students are exceptional. They protected me. Not just Takahashi here—every one of them risked their lives to fight. —I want to repay that debt. I’m sorry, but I’ll be supporting the ‘Academy SP.’”

At her words, the girls pressed their handkerchiefs to their eyes.

“…It’s fine. As long as Ayaka-sama’s life was protected…”
“B-But still…”
“We just… we just…”

Then they turned around—

“““We wanted Ayaka-sama to end up with the other conglomerate ladies instead!!”””

For some reason, they ran off crying like that.

Well… anyway.

At this point, the “Anti–Academy SP” faction was basically done for.
At the very least, after what happened in Karuizawa, it seemed like we’d proven our worth.

But man… this is bad.

“Hey, Yuuji.”
“…Yuuji-kun.”
“Takahashi.”

With the distractions gone, the three conglomerate daughters closed in on me.

“So, in the end… who are you going to marry, Yuuji?”

“Uhe—!?”

Sara’s question made my voice crack.

Wait, hold on. Aren’t we skipping way too many steps here!?

“…It’s about time you gave a clear answer.”

“Uh, well…”

Ririko… that calm Kansai tone is actually terrifying.

“Takahashi. Just so you know, I will not allow concubines.”

Ayaka.

You’re the only one living in some feudal-era mindset here.
Wait—no, is that still a thing in modern Japan?
…No, forget it, that’s not the point right now.

“More importantly, this whole mess started because you suddenly told me to become your husband!”

“Hm? And what’s wrong with that? For the first time in my life, I’ve fallen for a man. I’m simply moving straight toward my feelings!”

…Why does she sound so refreshingly confident about it?

“Besides, I’m more attractive than any of the other conglomerate ladies here, you know!?”

“Huh?”

“After all—I’m strong!! Even if I go up against both Hagoromo and Aketo’s daughters, I won’t lose!”

…Yeah, no. There’s definitely something off with her.
She seriously believes that being strong in a fight is what makes a woman popular with guys.

Now that I think about it, she’s always been surrounded by girls cheering her on, so her mindset is kind of like a bossy kid leader.

Damn it… this is getting way too troublesome!

What am I even supposed to do!?
There’s no way I can handle this!!

Someone… someone please help meeeeeeeeeee!!

“—Did someone call me?”

“Wakitaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!”

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Chapter 104

 

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Side: Yuuji

“…I see. So basically, even though three beautiful conglomerate daughters are all coming after you, Yuuji, you keep dragging your feet and staying indecisive… and that’s how things ended up like this.”

“U-Uh… yeah… I guess that’s… kinda true…”

We moved a little away from the three girls and held a whispered strategy meeting.

But even from a distance, I could feel their pressure.
If we didn’t come to a conclusion soon, there was a real chance we’d face retaliation.

Still…

“By the way, let me ask you straight up.”

Wakita looked at me again.

“Out of those three, who do you like? Let’s rank them!”

“R-Rank them!?”

“Yeah. At this rate, you’ll probably end up being assigned as the bodyguard for all three anyway. And all of them want to be your number one girl, right? So you might as well decide your ‘main wife’ now. Keep work and private life separate. Just pick the top conglomerate lady and date her.”

“Y-You say that, but…”

What kind of ridiculous, luxurious problem is this?

Me—someone with zero experience in romance—being forced to make a decision like this…

No… more than that—

“I don’t even know if I have the right to decide something like that.”

I said it quietly, my voice heavy.

Wakita tilted his head.

“What do you mean?”

“Well… it’s just… no matter which of those three I ended up dating, I’d probably be happy. I know that much. All three of them are amazing. They’re attractive, kind… there’s nothing to complain about.”

—And I’ve been a fan who played the original story for a long time, too.

“That’s exactly why… I don’t think I even have the right to choose. I feel like… I’m not someone who’s allowed to be happy.”

The words slipped out before I realized it, and I quickly glanced at Wakita.

His eyes widened.

(Shit… this guy’s weirdly perceptive. He’s gonna dig into this… or worse, make fun of me… like, “Yuuji, what are you, going through a chuunibyou phase? lol”… )

But instead, Wakita crossed his arms and thought for a moment.

“…I see.”

He looked like he was actually taking my problem seriously.

“Well… in the end, what really matters in stuff like this is your heart, Yuuji.”

“Wakita…”

“So for now, why not just put it on hold? Our school life’s only just getting started!”

Wakita winked at me.

…For some reason, it felt like this was the first time he was truly on my side.

“Alright, I’ll go tell them.”

“O-Okay!”

With that, Wakita ran off.

“Hey, everyone~! Yuuji’s come to a decision, so I’ll tell you~!”

Facing the three conglomerate daughters standing there with their arms crossed, Wakita spoke.

“—For now, Yuuji says he wants to date all three of you!!”

“WHEN DID I EVER SAY THATTTTTTT!?”

The girls instantly went “Huh?” and glared at me, so I hurriedly grabbed Wakita by the collar.

“Oiiii! How did it turn into that!?”

“Huh? Well, you said you couldn’t choose, right? So this was the only option.”

“That’s not what I meant at all!!”

“Alright, listen up, best buddy.”

Saying that, Wakita casually threw an arm over my shoulder.

“At this point, you gotta go on the offensive. Yuuji, your market value is insanely high right now. Not taking advantage of that would be a waste.”

“Huh? What are you even talking about?”

“Think about it. Conglomerate daughters are on a completely different level. ‘Elite’ doesn’t even begin to describe them—they’re beyond that. And yet, all three of them are actively pursuing you. They’re practically proposing to you. …And still, you’re not swayed. You’re not giving them a clear answer. That alone is probably throwing them off way more than you think.”

“I-Is that really the case?”

I glanced over at the girls.

…Now that I looked closely, they did seem frustrated, like they couldn’t figure me out.
At the same time, they were throwing sparks at each other—fully on guard, like a standoff.

“For girls like them—who’ve always been on the receiving end of countless advances—your reaction is completely unexpected. And because of that, they’re probably thinking this: ‘Yuuji Takahashi isn’t a man you can get so easily.’”

“A-And then?”

“Beauty, wealth, power, status—even with all that, Yuuji Takahashi still won’t say yes. And on top of that, other conglomerate daughters at the same level are struggling just the same. If I had to compare it—this feels like an auction where the price keeps climbing, yet no one can win the bid!”

“S-So what are you trying to say…?”

“In simple terms—don’t sell yourself cheap.”

“H-Huh…?”

“If you’ve come this far, go all in! Keep showing them you’re not someone who’ll just settle for one conglomerate lady!”

“Oi! You just want to build a full-on harem around me, don’t you!?”

At that moment, Wakita’s glasses flashed.

“Kukukuku… What’s so wrong with a harem? You’ve already got three conglomerate daughters in the palm of your hand. At this rate, you’re one step away from ruling Japan, aren’t you? And me—your number one best friend—standing right beside you in that position… man, that’s pretty appealing.”

“So that’s your real goal!!”

“Alright, alright, calm down, best buddy. At the very least, there’s no way you should put Ayaka-sama on hold here. Her family is deeply tied to Japan’s politics, you know. Plus, the Minister of Defense is part of her family. And she herself might even take that role someday.”

“Huh? I’m not following you at all…”

“You’re slow to catch on. Right now, Japan’s relationship with the U.S. is getting worse and worse—so bad there’s even talk of energy supplies being cut off. And if that happens… something serious could follow. —An emergency situation. In other words… war.”

“…What?”

In this gal-game version of Japan… things with the U.S. are that bad…?

“If it comes to war with the U.S., conscription might be enforced. And if that happens, it’s us—the younger generation—who’ll be sent out. I’ll be honest—if war breaks out, I’m running straight to the safest country I can find!”

“You’re way too honest…”

“I’ve got zero interest in dying and becoming some honored war spirit. I’d rather stay alive and be the one offering prayers to them!”

“If you say that to Ayaka, she’ll get seriously pissed.”

“Well, putting that aside—here’s the point. If things really go south, I want to make sure I survive. And for that, the key is not getting drafted. Which means—getting on good terms with the Minister of Defense!”

“Y-You… don’t tell me… that’s why you’re aiming for… Ayaka…?”

“Kukuku…” Wakita’s grin grew even more shameless.

“If you’re close to someone who controls the military, they’ll probably cut you some slack, right? Sons of officials and elites avoiding conscription—that’s something every country’s done. History proves it!”

“You’re unbelievable…”

“You don’t want to get drafted either, right, Yuuji?”

“W-Well…”

—Not like I wanted to go through war again after my previous life.

“So then, getting close to Ayaka-sama here isn’t a bad move at all!”

“T-That’s…”

“And if you get on her bad side… she might use her influence to stick you right on the front lines!”

“D-Don’t say stuff like that!”

“Come on, Yuuji! Let’s prepare for a national crisis together! The elite way, you know~”

“You’re way too scummy…”

“Yuuji! Crisis! Crisis! Yuuji! Crisis! Yuuji!”

“Hey! Just because it sounds catchy doesn’t mean you can keep chanting it like that!”

…Either way, at this point, I had no choice.

I stepped in front of the three girls—ready to face them head-on.

“Um… sorry, but right now, I can’t choose who to date out of the three of you. I’m really sorry.”

The three of them fell silent.

…Crap. Am I about to get killed!?

That’s what I thought—but surprisingly, they just smiled like, “Well, can’t be helped.”

“Alright.”
“Well, if that’s what you’re saying, Yuuji-kun.”

Sara and Ririko seemed to accept it.

Only Ayaka looked confused.

“W-Wait… what? Y-You’re actually okay with this two-timing… no, three-timing situation!?”

But Sara and Ririko were completely unfazed.

“Now now, Kirishima-san.”
“At this point, we might as well all get along, right?”

They said it with easy smiles.

Ayaka frowned slightly, going “Mmm…”—but then—

“Takahashi is mine, though! I’m not handing him over to anyone!”

She threw out that line—the kind of cool declaration you’d expect from a heroine.

“Well then, we’ll call you Ayaka too♡”
“Feel free to call us by our first names as well! Ayaka-chan!”

“O-Oh? Alright. Nice to meet you, Sara… Ririko…”

Wakita stood there nodding to himself as he watched them.

…He’s definitely about to say something weird.

“—That friendly vibe between Sara-san and Ririko-san? I’d say it comes from a sense of superiority. Like, ‘There’s no way Yuuji would ever be interested in a rough girl like Ayaka. Fufufu…’ That kind of confidence. That’s my analysis—what do you think, Yuuji?”

“Don’t make creepy analyses like that!”

“Hahaha! But honestly, a strong guy like you, Yuuji, might just fall head over heels for Ayaka-sama. Those two can’t afford to let their guard down! Still… I’m so jealous! Being loved by all those beautiful girls—your position is amazing!”

“You don’t mean that at all!”

Just then, my phone rang.

A message had come in.

The sender—Azusa Tatekawa.

〇

“Are you sure it’s okay? Weren’t you busy today?”

The park where I had met her before going to Karuizawa—that’s where I met her again.

Azusa Tatekawa, a police officer from the Community Safety Division.

As usual, she had a cigarette in her hand.

…But the brand was different this time.
It was Hi-Lite—the one I liked.

“Well, when I stopped by the school, the conglomerate daughters were glaring at me.”

“…Ah.”

Yeah… when I mentioned I was going to meet Tatekawa-san, they all got seriously mad, like, “Why are you meeting her!?”

“So, what did you want to talk about?”

“…I heard you went through quite a mess in Karuizawa.”

—Crap.

She’s as quick with information as ever.

“The Tosa Family, a rampaging delinquent group—and the ‘Academy SP’ stopping them. That part is fine. But there are… several things about this case that feel unnatural. Do you happen to know anything?”

“I-I don’t know… I did get into a fight with that delinquent group, but… I don’t really know the details…”

“…I see.”

Huh? I thought she’d press me more.

Tatekawa-san let out a quiet breath, smoke drifting from her cigarette, looking a bit lonely.

“Actually… I’ve been transferred to Etorofu Island.”

“…Huh? You mean… the Northern Territories?”

“Hm? Yes. Why are you so surprised?”

“Ah—n-no, it’s just…”

I see… in this world, Japan doesn’t have the Northern Territories issue.

“I had some disagreements with my superiors about the direction of the investigation. That’s probably why. Still… I didn’t expect to get sent off to a place like that.”

“A place like that,” huh…

Back in my previous life, Japan was trying so hard to reclaim that island…

Well… no point bringing that up in a world like this.

“…Anyway. I might’ve pushed things a bit too far myself.”

Saying that, she looked up at the sky.

“I… hated the conglomerates.”

“Huh?”

“My parents used to run a factory. But the conglomerate-affiliated banks and trading companies tightened their funding on us—forced us into a corner—and the business collapsed. And they did it in a really aggressive way… There are a lot of small and mid-sized companies that got pushed out like that. That’s why I… wanted to bring at least a bit of fairness into a world where power is everything. That’s why I became a police officer.”

“…I see.”

“But… maybe I just ended up going in circles.”

“—No. Even so, you should stick to your sense of justice.”

At my words, Tatekawa-san lifted her head.

“Eh?”

Thinking back… the reason I couldn’t bring myself to dislike her when we first met—

Maybe it was because I liked that part of her.
That attitude of trying to stand against something huge.

Even if it burns you—still choosing to fight.

The way she tried to stand up even against the conglomerates…

Somehow, it reminded me of her.

—That’s probably why I couldn’t hate her.

—〇〇〇〇

Yeah.

Of that girl—

Who ran toward me, waving her hand with those pure, dark eyes… back in my previous life.

That was…

Back when I had become a mercenary in the Middle East, and had started gaining some real experience—

In my second year.

◆◆◆

Next time—Yuuji’s past is revealed. And then… the final arc begins.

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Chapter 105

 

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○ Previous Life

After retiring from the French Foreign Legion, I used my military connections to head to the Middle East.

In that politically unstable region, there was no shortage of the kind of “fights” I was looking for.

As a personal rule, I usually sided with the pro-democracy side.
In simple terms, if there was a request from resistance groups fighting against authoritarian regimes, I’d take it.
On the flip side, I’d also fight against anti-government forces trying to overthrow democratic governments under whatever ideology they claimed.

But that was it.

I didn’t fight out of loyalty to any specific country or religion.
As a freelance mercenary, I moved purely based on contracts and money.

Well… even calling it “money” felt a bit off.
The value of currency in the Middle East compared to Japanese yen was honestly depressing.

After a mission, I’d usually spend most of it on local entertainment, food, and drinks.
Sometimes, I’d just hand it out to my teammates.

To me, it felt like casually giving someone some pocket change—
But there were guys who’d break down in tears from how happy they were.

Watching that, I couldn’t help but feel strange.

Same Earth.
Same battlefield.
Same human beings.

And yet… it felt like I was the only one who had come from a completely different world.

To be honest, I wasn’t doing mercenary work just to make a living.

I had already invested the money I earned from the Foreign Legion into stocks, and with a bit of luck, I’d managed to grow my assets quite well.

So no—I wasn’t working as a mercenary for money.

I… chose the battlefield because I wanted to truly feel alive.
Because fighting was the only way I could understand my own worth.

Before joining the French Foreign Legion, I lived a life where no one loved me… and no one relied on me.

That’s why I kept searching for a place where I could use the skills I had built up as a soldier.

—And in my second year as a mercenary, I had a fateful encounter.

It started with a request from a revolutionary army trying to overthrow a dictatorship in a certain country.

They were receiving weapons support from other pro-democracy factions, but the dictator was putting up fierce resistance—even dragging civilians into it.

It was clearly a dangerous job.

But I took it.

If anything, I still remember how excited I felt at the time—like, “This is a big job.”

And then—

I met them.

“(Your job is to train them. I’m counting on you.)”

“(Got it.)”

I replied in the still-rough Arabic I had just learned, following the commander’s orders.

“…So this is it.”

With a heavy feeling in my chest, I faced those pure, innocent eyes.

There were ten of them.

The oldest was eighteen.
The youngest… thirteen.

Honestly, it was enough to make me sick.

The ones standing in front of me were—

What people call… child soldiers.

(We’re short on manpower, and I get that it’s a national crisis… but giving guns to kids like this…)

“(Mister, where are you from?)”

A bright voice suddenly called out, catching me off guard.

Among the child soldiers—there was a girl with black hair flowing behind her.

“(I’m from Japan.)”

“(Huh. Japan’s a peaceful place, right? And yet you came all the way here… you’re kind of a strange person.)”

She said it with a smile.

I laughed too, thinking she had a point—and soon, the other nervous kids started laughing as well.

Looks like she was the mood-maker here.

And more than anyone else… she had courage.

“(I’m a girl, but I fight! Apparently those government guys believe if they’re killed by a woman, they’ll go to hell because of their religion! So I’m gonna send every last one of them straight to hell myself!)”

—All the child soldiers here had lost their families to the government.

They had more will to fight than anyone.

There was a lot I could’ve said about that reality… but in the end, the only thing I could do was pass on the combat experience I had built up in the French Foreign Legion.

From the basics—how to handle a gun, how to crawl forward under fire—everything.

“(〇〇)!!”
“(Let’s play!!)”

Little by little, I grew closer to the kids.

I was never good at strict, harsh training to begin with, and since they were just kids, I ended up treating them more like I was coaching a youth team.

Maybe that’s why—

They really started to grow attached to me.

“(Hey!! Don’t be so disrespectful to your teacher!)”

The one who scolded the other kids for me—was that same girl.

Turns out, she was only fifteen, yet she had incredible leadership.
Even as a girl, she had volunteered to become a soldier on her own—more driven than anyone else there.

In fact, she worked harder than anyone to learn everything I taught her… and eventually became the best shooter among them.

She was brave and tough—stronger than anyone.

…But sometimes, she showed a side that was just like any other girl.

It was during a temporary ceasefire, when the fighting had reached a stalemate.

To let everyone blow off some steam, I took the kids to a nearby beach.

They ran around, laughing, jumping into the ocean, swimming—

They looked genuinely happy.

And that girl was no exception.
She played until sunset, showing a smile I had never seen from her before.

“(—〇〇〇〇!)”

She called out my name and waved at me.

Standing there on the beach, her black hair swaying in the wind, with the setting sun behind her—

She looked almost… unreal.

At some point, we ended up alone.

And then she said—

“(When this war is over, I want to become a teacher. I want to make this country better through education.)”

It was a beautiful dream.

“(And… I want to get married. To a cool guy.)”

Seeing her shy smile… it hit me—

Ah… she really is just a girl.

They had taken up guns and were fighting—for a bright future.
Ready to risk their lives for it.

—And then, one day.

The front lines, which had been in a temporary stalemate, suddenly erupted into intense fighting—
The government forces had unilaterally broken the ceasefire.

At that moment, most of the frontline units were wiped out, and the situation became critical.
Reinforcements had to be sent immediately.

And that request—

Reached even the child soldiers.

“(They’re still not fully trained. Even if it’s just a supply mission… it’s too dangerous.)”

That was my initial judgment.

But the child soldiers pushed back.

Especially that girl—

“(〇〇!! Let us go! Let us fight!! We want to protect this country!!)”

The passion in her voice—

It was… true patriotism. Or at least, that’s what I believed.

“(Please!!)”

After being begged again and again—by the kids, and by her—

I finally gave in.

“(…Alright.)”

I sent the child soldiers out.

Looking back now… if I really wanted to, I could’ve stopped it.
It wasn’t an impossible decision.

But I—

I let them go.

A few days later—

Every single one of them was dead.
A bomb dropped… and that one blast killed them all.

Only that girl’s body wasn’t found.

I wanted to believe she was alive—but later… she was discovered in an enemy tent.

There were clear signs of severe abuse… and rape.

Most likely, enemy soldiers had spotted them, attacked… and took only her as a “trophy.”
And then… they used her.

After that, the counterattack by the anti-government forces succeeded, and by sheer chance, I ran into the unit believed to have attacked them.

I killed every last one of them.

That was the first time I ever carried out torture like that.

And then—

For the first time in my life, I cried on the battlefield.

Because I understood…

No matter what I did, those kids would never come back.

Somewhere deep down, I had already known.

That becoming a mercenary in the Middle East meant I’d end up facing kids like them.

But maybe… my resolve wasn’t enough.

Or maybe—

It’s not even normal, as a human being, to have that kind of resolve in the first place.

But one thing is certain—

I was the one who sent those kids to their deaths.

Because of my… mistake in judgment.

After that, I turned down every job that involved being a trainer or commander.

And chose to live as nothing more than a regular soldier.

〇

Side: Yuuji — The Reincarnated World

(…Maybe I really have been carrying this guilt all along. About those kids I let die before they could even grow up. About that fifteen-year-old girl who had dreams—the one I let die like that… I’ve never been able to let it go.)

“Takahashi-san?”

Tatekawa-san’s voice snapped me back.

“Ah… sorry. I just remembered something from the past…”

“Takahashi-san…”

Her eyes were full of concern.

…That look was a little hard to face.

They were similar.

The eyes of that girl who chased after justice—and Tatekawa-san’s eyes.

“You probably won’t be seeing me for a while. I’m sure you—and the conglomerate ladies—are relieved about that.”

“No, that’s not—”

I shrugged at her self-deprecating tone.

“But… Takahashi-san, don’t forget this. You have the right to live happily too.”

She said it so simply.

But my lips twisted into a bitter smile.

“…That kind of right… I don’t think I have it.”

“Takahashi-san…”

I started walking away.

Then I stopped, turned slightly, and said—

“I can’t be the only one living happily… not after everything.”

That ended up being my goodbye with Tatekawa-san.

As I walked away, Sara, Ririko, and Ayaka came to mind.

They said they liked me—someone like me.
They even said they’d marry me.

…Maybe I really am the luckiest guy in Japan.

Part of me wants to hold onto that.

But the guilt… always wins.

So—I’ve already decided.

—I’m going to let go of that happiness.

After graduation, I’ll cut ties with them.

Because it’s something so precious… I’ll keep it at a distance on purpose.

That’s the only thing someone like me—

Who failed to fall into hell and somehow kept living like this—

Can do as atonement…

〇 

Final Arc

…Or at least, that’s what I thought.

But it looks like… I’m not getting away that easily.

She’s coming closer.

Even though she’s still young—to someone like me, with the mind of a thirty-three-year-old man—just her presence alone made me swallow hard.

Her black hair fell to her shoulders in soft waves.

Her parted bangs revealed her forehead, giving off a quiet, confident strength.

Her features were beautifully refined, and her red lips carried a subtle, alluring charm.

At 159 cm, she was the shortest among the Four Great Conglomerate daughters…

But somehow, that only made her even more captivating.

“Hey, Yuu-kun.”

Behind the school building, with no one else around.

With a teasing smile, she slowly walked toward me, calling me by that nickname.

I could only step back.

But eventually, my retreat stopped—my back hit the wall.

“W-What… is it…?”

Pathetic as it was, my voice came out shaky.

In front of her, I couldn’t be anything more than a weak little puppy.

“Won’t you listen to my request~?”

She placed one hand on the wall to my right—then the other to my left, cutting off my escape.

Wait—this is a full-on double kabedon, isn’t it!?

This is bad. Seriously bad.

At this distance… being faced with those two large, tempting fruits hanging right in front of me… being faced with them—

“Because… if you do me this favor…”

“I-If I do…?”

Suiran Kousaki—

The girl who used to be my favorite heroine back in middle school—rose slightly onto her toes, leaning in just enough for her chest to brush close without quite touching.

Then, bringing her lips near my ear, her breath warm against my skin, she whispered—

“I’ll let you have sex with me~♡”

…Fwaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhh!? (Internal Screaming)

Next—“Suiran Kousaki Route Begins”

◆◆◆

To all the readers who’ve made it this far—up to Act 03—thank you so much!

And now… we’re finally heading into the final arc!

Honestly, just being able to write over 100 chapters already means a lot to me…!

I’ll do my best to keep things fun all the way to the end, so please continue enjoying “Academy SP”!!