Chapter 2.1: The Day the Shoelace Was Born

The two spoke smoothly, as if no other students were even there.

The remaining students could only stand around, their mouths agape in disbelief.

“I was able to hear a lot from Harukaze when I met up with him over there, and on the way back as well.”

“Oh? And were you able to gauge him?”

“In my own way, yes. So I’d like the other teachers to hear me out, though my personal opinion may be mixed in.”

“I see. So you’ll decide his class placement with your report as a reference?”

“That’s right. Fortunately, Harukaze is a rearguard. That makes things more flexible.”

Shion listened silently to the teachers’ words.

(I wonder what’ll happen… Not that I care either way, but A-Class is still…)

You are one seriously gutless bastard. Heh, I’m actually starting to like you.

(I’d think this is where you’d feel a bit of self-loathing by proxy. What are you, a narcissist?)

What even is a narcissistic snake?

Does it look in a mirror and say, Damn, I’m handsome today.?

I have no clue what the beauty standards for snakes are.

“And that’s the situation. He has the necessary aptitude for a rearguard, so what do you think?”

“Let’s see. He may lack a certain assertiveness, but it was his first time teaming up with anyone.”

“It shouldn’t be a problem at the student level. Besides, that’s something he can work on from now on.”

“More importantly, I like the fact that he can seriously cry for his comrades.”

“Using regret as fuel to soar even higher—I don’t think that’s half bad. At least for the first year, he’ll be fine in A-Class.”

“There are a few things that pique my curiosity, as well.”

The teachers’ conversation was perfectly audible.

This was intentional, meant to ignite the motivation of the other students.

In addition, hearing the discussion had improved their assessment of Shion’s own character.

He sensed the atmosphere changing and shot a triumphant fist pump internally.

(Oh yeah, that’s me. I’m amazing!)

But hey, you sure it’s okay for your reputation to get so good you can’t worm your way out later?

(Ah… r-right. No, but it’s fine. I’ve got a perfect scenario for quitting!)

A scenario based on wishful thinking is nothing but simple optimism.

His inability to consider that was likely a product of his youth.

“Then it’s settled. Harukaze is in A-Class.”

“Congratulations, Harukaze-kun. You’re the only one from B-Group to make it into A-Class. Alright, now that everyone’s assignments are finished, head to your respective classrooms.”

As the B-Group teacher clapped his hands, the students scrambled into motion.

(Can’t be helped now that it’s decided… Might as well boost my reputation a little more while I’m at it.) “Um, sensei.”

“Hm, what is it?”

“Could you let me know when the funeral for Kuroda and the others is decided? We were comrades, even if for a short time, and above all, it’s my responsibility as the one who survived…”

I need to attend the funeral and explain things to the bereaved families. Saying so, Shion lowered his eyes.

“Hm, you really do have a strong sense of responsibility. I understand. I’ll be sure to tell you.”

With a gentle smile, the teacher patted Shion’s head.

“Thank you very much.”

In the unlikely event the families blamed him, the insults of people who had no bearing on his life wouldn’t affect Shion in the slightest, a fact he was well aware of.

His words were purely to suck up to the teacher, so it was safe to say his objective had already been achieved.

Hey, speaking of which. That little dame who nearly did me in…

On the way to the A-Class, the snake began to speak as if it had just remembered something.

(Kuroda?)

Yeah. Think there’s a way you could get that spear she had?

(What are you talking about? I’m a rearguard. My weapon is this, right here.)

He tapped the book strapped to his waist for emphasis.

The weapon Shion used was a book. Of course, it wasn’t a normal book, but a catalyst that assisted in the casting of magic.

I think that spear would make a better catalyst than that thing.

(Is that so? Even if it would, there’s no way I could get it.)

A necklace he could hide in his pocket was one thing, but a spear was impossible. He couldn’t just steal it.

C’mon, just say something like you want to carry on the will of your fallen comrade.

(You’re pretty damn crafty yourself. Still, that might not be a bad idea.)

Not only would the spear be useful as a catalyst, but he could also spin a heroic tale and win points with everyone around him.

(Guess I’ll try talking to her family at the funeral.)

He’d just have to go in assuming they’d refuse, and if they agreed, lucky him.

(By the way, snake. You don’t have a name?)

My name? I know the concept, but it’s not something I’m familiar with.

(Then I’ll give you one. We’re stuck together from now on, and it’ll be inconvenient if you don’t have one, right?)

Oh? And what’re you gonna call me?

(How about Industrial Waste? Or maybe Scum?)

The hell, you trying to pick a fight?

Was it just his imagination, or could he see a vein throbbing on the tattoo on his right arm?

(Shut up! For an existence that’s nothing but trouble, Scum is more than you deserve!)

You really are one infuriating bastard!!

A human performing a comedy routine with a reptile. He was living a little too far in the future for anyone to keep up.

“Hmph… Alright, we’re here.”

Arriving in front of the A-Class classroom, Shion placed a hand on the door and took a deep breath.

He knew that, unlike him, the ones waiting inside were the real deal.

“Okay.”

When he quietly opened the door, everyone except for him was already gathered in the classroom.

It couldn’t be helped since B-Group’s assignments were last, but it still felt terribly awkward.

(I hope they’re not mad about being kept waiting… Actually, they should be honored they got to wait for me.)

For the record, if Shion had been in their position, he would have definitely been irritated.

He was just that petty of a man.

And yet here he was thinking they should feel honored. Who the hell did he think he was?

“Hm, you’ve arrived. Harukaze-kun, I’ve heard what happened. Sounds like you had a rough time. Go on, take your seat.”

A body of rippling muscle visible even under a pure white suit, hair cut short and neat, sharp eyes glinting from behind sunglasses—the appearance of his homeroom teacher was more than enough to intimidate Shion.

“Yes. (What is he, a freelancer in the yakuza business?)”

There was only one empty seat; his, obviously.

Watching as he sat down, the homeroom teacher began to speak in a heavy tone.

“I am Zaou Yakushiji. For the next year, I will be in charge of you all. It’s a pleasure.”

(Yakushiji Zaou… Yakuza! He really is a yakuza!)

His nickname was officially “Yakuza.”

“Needless to say, you are all chosen individuals. You have earned the right to be in A-Class precisely because you were recognized as the most outstanding among the new students. But even a jewel is meaningless if it is not polished. Right now, you are all diamonds in the rough. If you remain mere pebbles, by this time next year, you’ll have been dropped to B-Class.”

Shion inwardly clicked his tongue at the yakuza who was so nonchalantly crushing their motivation.

But all the other students were listening to the yakuza’s speech with expressions full of determination.

This disparity, already brought to light.

It seemed that what Shion lacked compared to the members of A-Class wasn’t just skill, but dignity as well.

“For the next year, we will be paying you a salary, so we can’t have you washing out. That would mean we wasted our money. Endeavor to ensure that does not happen. If you despise being judged as worthless, then you will never, ever forget my words.”

He had no skill, and he hated dangerous situations.

But he also hated being looked down upon as worthless. Such was the incredibly difficult human known as Shion Harukaze.

Therefore, he would try. In his own way.

“Well, that is all from me. Next, I would like to hear from you all. Please introduce yourselves.”

(Should I talk about my hobbies?)

For the record, his hobby was saving up loose change.

His piggy bank was already in its eighteenth generation; that’s how much he loved saving coins.

“Rudolph von Sinnemann. My spear is the great god Odin, sung of in the myths! I wish to say that my spear will one day surpass even his—but for now, I am still inexperienced. Therefore, I hope to strive and grow with all of you, my new comrades. To one day build a new myth!”

A handsome, blond-haired young man suddenly dropped that bomb.

Aren’t we going in name order? Also, what are you talking about? A new myth? Shouldn’t you have graduated from eighth grade by now?

Behind his poker face, Shion was laughing hysterically.

(This is bad… He’s in high school, but he’s no different from a middle schooler. Everyone else is trying not to laugh—)

Doesn’t look like it.

(Huh?)

At Scum’s words, Shion quickly looked up—and everyone was stone-faced.

They were applauding Rudolph with serious expressions.

(Eh, no way. Am I the one who can’t read the room?)

Ignoring Shion’s confusion, the introductions continued.

“My name is Shiori Daigo. It has been some five hundred years since the ‘Holes’ first opened. The common folk are no longer afflicted by great disasters as they were in the dawn of that age. The number of those who bear the great duty of protecting our nation has increased, and we have sufficient manpower to protect the people. If that is the case, then I wish to devote myself to development. The many unknowns we can obtain from the Holes can greatly enrich the lives of the people. I want to become an adventurer who can be an aid to the further development of this country.”

“I look forward to this year with you all,” Shiori concluded with a beautiful bow.

Even a single gesture set her apart from a common pleb.

(What’s with the good-two-shoes act? It’s pissing me off. And that Daigo girl…)

When it came to sniffing out the dark side of others, he was on par with a dog.

That was why Shion was able to notice the something that Shiori was hiding.

I still like you way better. What’s with them? They’re giving me the creeps.

(You’re a snake.)

For Shion, the one in this classroom he felt closest to was Scum.

But what did it say about him that the one he felt closest to was a snake and not a human?

“Name’s Musashi Onigawara. I’m gonna keep killin’ monsters ’til this thirst for blood is gone. Though killin’ a hundred or two ain’t gonna cut it. Guess I gotta keep killin’ ’em ’til they’re extinct. Not that I mind.”

Once again, Shion was the only one shuddering at the incredibly violent greeting.

However, for him, there was something more concerning than Musashi’s bloodthirsty goal.

(O… O…)

O?

(Oni Musashi!)

Onigawara Musashi. Shorten it, and you get Oni Musashi. For a certain type of person, it was a name that made you recoil.

It was the nickname of a Sengoku-era warlord known for his scumbag actions, like killing gatekeepers for no reason and turning soldiers into a point-based shooting game.

“I am Tomoe Oomae.”

(Kinda rhymes.)

“A woman should be graceful, I understand that. But can’t strength and grace coexist? I want to become the strongest woman. And one day, I hope to be united with the strongest man.”

Tomoe smiled shyly, but Shion could only cringe.

The category of “strongest woman” was, by any measure, not a component of feminine charm.

(Still, what should I do…)

Even after Tomoe, the self-introductions were full of magnificent goals and grand ambitions.

Shion was not equipped with the heart to say, “My hobby is saving up loose change!” in this atmosphere.

But it wasn’t like he had any magnificent goals, either.

These highly motivated teenagers are kinda annoying, huh?

(How does a piece of scum like you even know the phrase “highly motivated”?)

As they bantered, his turn was fast approaching.

Shion’s poker face hadn’t broken, but internally, he was already drowning.

(C’mon, me, you can do it! Just say something vaguely inspirational!)

Finally, Shion’s turn arrived.

He stood up, trying to suppress his heart, which was beating loud enough to be annoying.

“I do not have a magnificent goal like all of you. And I do not have the power for one.”

He picked up the grimoire that was hanging from his waist.

“—For he was fond of battle, may power reside within him.”

Shion chanted the spell sonorously. Demonstrating his power here was his own little dramatic flourish.

“For he did not wish for death, may death keep its distance from him.”

The target of his enhancement was—the yakuza.

He was casting his buffing magic on the teacher, who would surely give him an appropriate evaluation.

“Let power soak into his organs like water, into his marrow like oil. The power he dons shall become the sword that slaughters his foes.”

The spell was complete, and the magic was cast. Confirming this, Shion turned his gaze to the yakuza.

“To put it bluntly, with this level of precision, he’d be lucky to make it into C-Class. Harukaze’s power is not suitable for A-Class.”

The classes were divided into five: A, B, C, D, and E.

He was saying that Shion would barely make it into the middle.

“Exactly. So how could someone like me speak of surpassing gods or devoting myself to the development of humanity?”

Snap. He closed the grimoire, placed it on the desk, and took a breath.

“But, even I have something I keep in mind. A shoelace, tied tightly, tightly. It won’t come undone from half-hearted effort. But if you keep walking, it will come undone before you know it.”

It was a roundabout way of speaking; the other students still seemed unable to grasp his true meaning.

“If you’re just recklessly looking forward as you walk, you probably won’t notice it. But doesn’t the fact that your shoelace came undone prove just how far you’ve walked? I think it’s something to be proud of, a sign that you are moving forward, slowly but surely.”

But the yakuza seemed to understand, and he was staring at Shion with great interest.

“Only when it comes undone do you realize the distance you’ve walked, and a small sense of accomplishment fills your chest. That’s why you can tie your shoelace tightly once more and start walking again. That’s how I want to keep walking: steadily, but with each step certain, savoring the small joys along the way.”

Such beautiful, beautiful words, containing not a single shred of his true feelings.

“Today, my shoelace came undone. There was no joy in it. All that was there was a sense of powerlessness.”

The regret that accompanies the death of a comrade. That, too, is a form of growth—for anyone other than Shion.

“So that I never have to feel this way again… With that thought, I tied my shoelace once more, tightly.”

As Shion continued his speech, his gestures were not exaggerated.

They were perfectly natural and suited the occasion. A truly cunning performance.

“From this moment on, I will start walking again, here in this A-Class. But unfortunately, I am weak. There may be times when I’ll need those of you walking ahead to lend me a hand. When that time comes, I’ll be in your care.”

He bowed deeply.

(How was that? I think I said something pretty good…)

He held the position for a few seconds, and as he slowly began to raise his head, what assaulted Shion was—

“Tch…!”

Thunderous applause.

Though it was only sound, it was so intense it nearly blinded him, and Shion’s surprise was plain to see.

The sound was on a completely different level from the applause given for the introductions so far.

“Your words have struck a chord in my heart. And I shall be ashamed of my own immaturity. I will not say that I, who aims for the distant heights, am inferior to you. But… I was somewhat flighty. You have taught me the meaning of walking with one’s feet planted firmly on the ground. Shion, I thank you.”

Rudolph, the guy who had spouted off about surpassing Odin (lol), offered Shion his thanks.

“Such wonderful words. They’ve touched my heart.”

Shiori offered her praise, her cheeks blushing a cherry-blossom pink.

“Ah, thank you. Um… that’s all for my introduction.”

Feigning shyness, Shion finished his introduction and took his seat.

To be able to speak of things he didn’t believe in one bit—in a way, that might be called a talent.