Chapter 6: I Love Ambushes ★

“Hey, Shion, you sure you don’t have to go to school?”

It was ten-thirty in the morning. At any normal school, classes would have already started.

The same was true for the adventurer school. Yet, Shion was still in bed.

“Ugh… shut up. I’ve got the day off.”

For the record, it was a Tuesday, not a holiday or anything special.

But there was a reason he was still lazing around.

It wasn’t because he was sick of the adventurer school and decided to play hooky.

Shion, who maintained the public persona of an honor student, would never do something like that.

Last night, the five of them—Shion, Rudolph, Shiori, Mai, and Tenma—had gotten an email from the Yakuza.

It said, “You all have nothing in particular to do tomorrow, so you are free to decide whether or not to attend.”

And so, taking him at his word, Shion was indulging in some idle slumber.

“I’m gettin’ hungry, y’know?”

“Like I care. Go starve to death, you piece of trash.”

Logically, they would end up fighting one of the four parties competing today.

That was the meaning behind the phrase “free to decide.”

The email implied that it was fine to come and scout the enemy, or fine to spend the time on self-training.

And yet, here was Shion. Anyone, from the Yakuza to Mojo, would surely be disappointed to see him like this, joyfully cuddling with his blankets, not a shred of ambition in sight.

Then again, they probably assumed that even at this very moment, Shion was engaged in some kind of effort.

And it was precisely because Shion knew that, that he was allowing himself to be so lazy.

“I’m gonna sleep some more… zzz…”

Just as he was about to fall back into the world of dreams…

“Tch! Who the hell is it?!”

A slightly dated love song began to blare at full volume.

The familiar tune was his cell phone’s ringtone.

He’d forgotten to put it on silent himself, yet he was still pissed—it just reeked of uselessness. Actually, he was the definition of a useless bum.

His tendency to never take responsibility for himself would probably put him in the lowest category of human beings.

“Hello…?”

“This is Shiori. Shion-san, did you and Gedou-san not come to school because you knew this would happen?”

Shiori’s voice on the other end of the line was tense.

It wasn’t anger at him for not coming to school, but something else entirely.

What is this Japanese doll talking about?

“I didn’t think it would be settled within minutes of starting. Who could have predicted such an outcome?”

Does this girl even want to have a conversation?!

Being woken up only to be dragged into a nonsensical conversation.

It was no wonder Shion was getting angry.

“No, you and Gedou-san must have predicted it. That there was no need to see it.”

Shion seriously began to consider just hanging up.

“—Aileen Hearn. In two days, we will be fighting her party. Or rather, just her.”

Hm…

The mention of Aileen’s name made him pause.

He’d heard it before; it was the name of a promising adventurer who’d been featured on TV the first day of school.

The mere fact that she was considered “excellent” made her a detestable existence in Shion’s eyes.

“The moment it started, she charged in alone and left all five of them half-dead in the blink of an eye.”

The hell?! What is she, a monster?! Wait, we have to fight someone like that?!

“…Honestly, a chill ran down my spine. The gap in our power was just too immense.”

Same here! Is she some kind of character from a hack-and-slash game?!

Five people—the fact that five people were taken out meant she’d wiped out the front and back lines without distinction.

If they fought her, then naturally, Shion wouldn’t be excluded from her targets.

That was terrifying. Half-dead? No way in hell!

His self-preservation engine roared to life.

With danger looming, his crafty brain finally seemed to wake up, and the sleepy look on his face completely vanished.

“…Still, you want to win, don’t you?”

“…Yes. What you and Gedou-san said yesterday was a ‘wake-up call’ that struck my heart.”

I’m so ashamed. So ashamed of myself.

She was profoundly ashamed of her shallow self, of how she’d been about to face a battle with such a naive mindset.

That’s why Shiori desperately wanted to win.

She felt strongly that she couldn’t keep being this pathetic after making such a bold declaration during her self-introduction.

“I understand now how naive my perception was. Will you… lend me your wisdom?”

Shiori seemed to think that he and Tenma hadn’t said anything because they knew her awareness was still insufficient, but of course, that wasn’t it at all.

In the first place, he had completely forgotten about Aileen until she’d just brought it up.

“Yeah, of course. It looks like we’re finally getting on the same page. In fact, let me be the one to ask: lend me your strength.”

“Please, leave it to me. I will do anything I can.”

Hmm? Did she just say she’d do anything? Well, putting that aside.

Shion decided to make a certain request of the presumably wealthy Shiori.

“In that case, I don’t care if you have to hire a detective or whatever. I want you to gather information on Aileen.

I’m not talking about her fighting style or anything like that. I want you to look into her personal history.

What was her upbringing like, what are her hobbies and tastes…

I want you to investigate every last detail, right down to what kind of books she checks out from the library.”

If all went according to plan, the decisive battle would be the day after tomorrow.

He told her he wanted all of it gathered by then—or even by tomorrow, if possible.

“Are you saying you’re looking for a weakness? But…”

“We won’t find anything like that, and we don’t know if we could even exploit it in the middle of a fight.”

But it was far better than doing nothing.

Because if he gave up, he was on a one-way trip to being half-dead.

In Shion’s mind, a vivid image of his own battered body lying on the ground was already forming.

That vision of the future was a big NO THANK YOU!

Pain and suffering were not for him! Too scary!

“Ah, my apologies. You’re right, of course… We must do everything in our power.

If you wish to walk a path long enough for your shoelaces to one day come untied, there is no time for hesitation.

You must only press forward… That is the way of ‘Shion of the Shoelace,’ after all. I hope to learn from that as well.”

Hearing the nickname he thoroughly despised, a vein popped on Shion’s forehead.

Sure, the “shoelace” epithet was a little ridiculous, but if it was said with respect, maybe it wouldn’t be so bad.

One might think so, but for Shion, it was a different story.

Who are you calling Shoelace! You’re the Cursed Japanese Doll! “Right, as long as you understand. Can I count on you?”

Only Shion referred to her (in his head) as the Cursed Japanese Doll.

“Yes… I have just given the order to my people. I also told them to have it all investigated by the end of today.”

‘My people’?! Ugh! This is why I hate the rich. “Sorry to trouble you.”

To be spitting insults in his mind while asking for a favor was the act of a truly terrible person.

But what was worst of all was that Shion had no recognition of the fact that he himself was a terrible person.

“Also, would it be possible to meet now?”

“Hm? Why all of a sudden?”

“There is a part of me that simply wishes to see your face, Shion-san, but I also want to help.”

“Help?”

“Yes. I’ve arranged for the compiled information to be brought to my home as it comes in.”

Given the nature of the request, it was inevitable that the results would be a mixed bag of useful and useless information.

Shiori was offering to help him sift through it all to find the gems.

“The work would be easier at my house, wouldn’t it?”

“Well, I guess you’re right.”

The presence of servants could be felt in every other word Shiori spoke.

That meant her house must be quite large.

At the very least, far more so than the apartment Shion lived in.

This fact further fanned the flames of Shion’s jealousy and malice, but of course, Shiori was oblivious.

“It’s nearly lunchtime, so I took the liberty of ordering them to prepare a meal… Was that, perhaps, presumptuous of me?”

Her tone was tinged with anxiety, a fact that was clear even over the phone.

“No, I appreciate it. I’ll be there… Can I count on your help?”

But Shion wasn’t enough of a good person to consider her feelings; his instant reply was solely because he’d latched onto the words “free meal.”

Between the incident with Tenma and now, he was way too weak to the word “free.”

“Then I shall send a car to pick you up. Could you please give me your address?”

“Yeah, got it. My place is—”

After giving her his address and hanging up, Shion left his bedroom and headed for the sink.

“Rejoice, trash. You get to eat at a rich kid’s house.”

Those were the words Shion spoke as he wiped his wet face with a towel.

“Huh, that’s your first thought?! Aren’t we gonna have to fight some crazy strong person?!”

Even the trash was surprised by this.

“Idiot. A delicious meal right in front of you is more important than something that’s two days away.”

“Isn’t your field of vision a little too narrow?”

Was he only capable of seeing an inch in front of his face?

“Shut up. Mmph… I try not to think ’bout stuff I don’t like.”

I try not to think about unpleasant things. The world calls that “escapism,” you know!

“Spit… Alright, OK. My teeth are still white today.”

Finishing brushing, he pointlessly bared his teeth and smiled in the mirror.

He knew he’d be using his teeth until he was an old man, so Shion took special care of them.

And thanks to that, they were very clean.

“…Well, whatever. I’m lookin’ forward to a good meal, too.”

“Right?”

As he spoke, Shion returned to his bedroom and slipped on the school-issued shirt that was hanging on the wall.

“Hey, why’re you puttin’ on your uniform when you’re not goin’ to school today?”

“You idiot. We’re going to the house of a proper young lady. There’s something called a dress code.”

Dressing appropriately for the time and place was a matter of common sense.

Shion, always trying to look good, was very particular about such things.

“She’s some annoying girl who probably has noble blood flowing through her veins… so formal wear is probably for the best…”

Unfortunately, he didn’t own a suit or anything of the sort.

Wait, I’m guessing it’s a Japanese-style mansion, so maybe a crested hakama? Either way, he didn’t have one of those either.

So, he chose to wear the formal attire of a student: his uniform.

“Uniforms are so convenient. Funerals, weddings, this one outfit works for everything. You’re never being disrespectful.”

Shion liked his uniform. It was simply because it was so convenient.

The adventurer school allowed casual clothes, but he didn’t own enough outfits to wear something different every day, and he couldn’t be bothered to waste money buying more.

In times like these, a uniform was a lifesaver.

This one outfit was all he needed. It saved money and the time it took to choose clothes.

On top of that, it could be used as formal wear, making it a perfect 100 out of 100.

“You, talkin’ about ‘respect’? Is callin’ her a ‘Cursed something-or-other’ respectful?”

“That’s that, and this is this. On the outside, I’m perfect, so don’t complain or I’ll kill you.”

He seemed to genuinely believe that as long as he didn’t say it out loud, there was no problem.

“Okay, now for the badge… badge… right, I left it on my desk.”

He pinned the badge, designed in the motif of a young leaf, to his collar. Perfect.

This badge indicated his school year.

First-years had a young leaf, second-years a half-bloomed flower, and third-years a seventy-percent-bloomed flower.

The fact that they deliberately didn’t make the highest grade a full bloom showed a subtle, stylish consideration that was somehow incredibly irritating.

“Alright, that’s that. By the way, did you know?”

“Huh?”

“Apparently, they commissioned a super famous and renowned designer to create this badge.”

Famous was one thing, but he was renowned because he had apparently been a top-tier adventurer back in the day.

“The old one was tacky, so they had it redesigned about ten years ago.

I think the design is pretty good, but… I can’t help but wonder how much it cost.”

“That’s what you care about? That’s really what you care about? Your love of money knows no bounds.”

As they were having this stupid conversation, the doorbell rang. The ride was here.

Shion tucked a handkerchief and tissues into his pocket and left his room.

“Hey, morning, Shiori. Or maybe, good afternoon? (The hell’s with that outfit… Tsk.)”

When he opened the door, the scent of white plum blossoms tickled his nose—standing on his doorstep was Shiori.

Her pale pink kimono was likely based on a cherry blossom motif.

It was eye-catching without being gaudily flashy, creating an air of refined beauty.

“Fufu, it’s an hour where either greeting would be appropriate, isn’t it?”

The fact that her long hair was done up was also infuriating!

It was impossible not to think that she instinctively knew the tricks to capturing a man’s heart.

“Yeah, you’re right. By the way, did you come straight from school? (Wearing a kimono as casual wear is just… no.)”

Well, not that it worked on this particular man.

“The car is waiting, so shall we go?”

“Oh, yeah. Sorry about that.”

“Not at all.”

He locked his door and went downstairs to find—a limousine that looked exactly like you’d imagine parked in front of his apartment building.

It must have been the car Shiori arrived in.

“Young Miss, our guest, please step inside.”

An elderly gentleman opened the rear passenger door.

While being treated like a VIP was nice, Shion’s jealousy at the vast difference in their worlds was far greater.

“Kurahashi, what’s the status?”

“Yes, we are currently in the process of gathering everything without distinction. The materials that have been compiled are already at the mansion.”

“Excellent.”

(What’s so excellent? Who the hell do you think you are?)

You’re the one who asked for it.

*(Whatever. More importantly…) “Shiori, what was your impression seeing it firsthand?”

“Aileen Hearn—she’s without a doubt the strongest in A-Class.”

“Only in A-Class?”

“Honestly, the gap between our abilities is so vast… I couldn’t see the bottom of her power.”

That’s why she’d offered the evaluation of “strongest in A-Class” as a provisional but certain benchmark.

“Rudolph-san also said that, as a fellow spear user, she is far too strong.”

“I see.”

A heavy silence fell over the car’s interior.

Those belonging to A-Class could be said to possess talent and abilities that far exceeded the level of a mere student.

The minimum standard was that they could join the ranks of professionals and perform without issue.

And among them, Aileen stood out not just by a head, but by two or three.

How in the world could they possibly stop her?

“Can you… formulate a plan?”

“…I wonder.”

“You aren’t saying that you have one, then.”

“I’m not skilled enough to offer empty reassurances.”

If anything, Shion was the one who wanted to hear some reassuring words.

(Use Tenma as a meat shield and brute force it? No, that’s no good. The reports say she’s on a whole other level…)

Even if they assumed Aileen’s four teammates weren’t there, and they all ganged up on her using Tenma as a meat shield, how would that go?

They might be able to land a blow, but it was self-evident that the moment the shield’s usefulness as a shield was over, they would be crushed in an instant.

(How… How… can I get through this unscathed…?)

Judging by the fact that she left five people half-dead, she didn’t seem like the type to hold back.

If that was the case, once the three vanguard members were taken out, the spear’s tip would undoubtedly turn toward Shion in the rear guard.

(First, I should probably start by eliminating everyone but the cheat woman.)

“? What’s wrong?”

Shion had suddenly taken out his phone. What was he planning?

“This is Yakushiji. Is something the matter, Harukaze-kun?”

“…My understanding is that the battle has already begun.”

Shion had called the Yakuza.

“Hoh…”

The Yakuza’s voice on the other end of the line sounded somewhat amused.

“But we are, for all intents and purposes, students.

Unlike adventurers who bear responsibility for themselves alone, we are protected by the framework of being students.

Therefore, I judged it best to ask for your official view and called you.”

He wanted to know if the school would impose any sort of penalty for what he was about to do.

That was the meaning behind his words, “the battle has already begun.”

He hadn’t said anything specific, but if he were to be blamed later, those words could be used as a shield.

In short—he was creating an escape route.

“We are in agreement that the battle has already begun, correct?”

It was a declarative statement, but Shion wasn’t an idiot.

There had been no repercussions for the incident with Tenma; he understood that these inter-party battles were very much for real.

“…I had a rather high opinion of you, but I’m pleased to see you’ve lived up to my expectations.”

Shiori, listening to their conversation from the side, had no idea what was going on.

Even so, believing that the surface layer Shion presented was the whole truth, she trusted that whatever Shion Harukaze was doing was worthy of her faith.

And that was why she watched the situation unfold with a calm expression.

“I have a pretty good idea of what you’re planning to do. You don’t have a shred of softness in you, Shion Harukaze.”

(Damn right, you octopus.)

Just get to the point and tell me yes or no, Shion fumed internally.

“In that case, I must answer. You went through the trouble of contacting me to observe the proper formalities.

If this were merely a confirmation, I would have remained silent, but you said it yourself.

‘Unlike adventurers who bear responsibility for themselves alone, we are protected by the framework of being students.’

If you ask that question with a full understanding of your own position, then I have no choice but to answer.”

The Yakuza judged that Shion’s question was not a sign of weakness, and so he would answer.

“We are in complete and total agreement.”

“…Thank you. Then, one last thing. Are you, Sensei, neutral in this?”

“Of course. I won’t spill the beans. However, if I get the same question from someone else, I intend to answer.”

The Yakuza said that if the question was asked not from a place of weakness but with a full understanding of their position, just as Shion’s was, then he would answer.

That said, he had no intention of revealing that Shion had asked, or that he was planning something.

He was well aware of where he needed to maintain fairness.

“Does that answer what you really wanted to know with your earlier question?”

“Yes.”

“I’m personally looking forward to seeing how your shrewdness fares against her. See you.”

With that, the call ended.

Having gotten the confirmation he needed, Shion decided to execute the plan he had been formulating in his mind.

“—So you did have a plan, after all.”

Shiori spoke up after confirming the call was over.

Her face was blooming like a flower, but from Shion’s perspective, he had no idea what she was so happy about.

After all, this plan was…

“…No. This is just the bare minimum we have to do.”

It was a strategy to lead to Aileen’s defeat, but it wasn’t something that could deliver a fatal blow.

If he was going to do it, he would be thorough.

He would thoroughly eliminate any possibility that could lead to defeat, and he would build up every possibility that could lead to victory, no matter how small.

Shion intended to do everything he possibly could.

“I don’t know what you are thinking, Shion-san.”

(Of course you don’t. A person as lofty as myself thinks on a level you could never comprehend.)

With what mouth was he calling himself “lofty”?

By any measure, words like “vulgar” or “vile” would be far more appropriate.

“But seeing you fight so seriously—it gives me courage just watching.”

“Courage?”

“Yes. That the possibility of victory is not zero.”

“…”

“What’s wrong?”

(Well, it feels good to be praised, but it’s annoying to see her getting carried away.)

What an incredibly troublesome man.

“Courage, huh. If I am a person who can give courage to others, there is nothing that would make me happier.”

The two of them chuckled together. It was a picturesque scene, but with one of them being so awful, it left a strangely mixed feeling.

Well, in a way, both of them were awful, but Shiori was still unawakened, so she could be considered safe for now.

“Young Miss, our guest, we have arrived.”

While Shion was engrossed in conversation, the car had reached its destination.

A ridiculously huge mansion in a corner of a high-class residential area. This was the epitome of social inequality.

“Shion-san, let’s eat first. An army marches on its stomach, as they say.”

“Ah, yeah…”

“? What is the matter?”

“Well, I’m a little intimidated. I even wore my uniform as a form of formal wear, but…”

Now that I’m here, I feel out of place, Shion said with a strained smile.

Come to think of it, this was his first time visiting a real mansion.

I wish I had the power to commit arson without anyone finding out, which just goes to show how awful he was.

“Ah, I was wondering why you were in your uniform… Fufu, you are such a serious person.”

Shiori laughed, saying that such formalities were unnecessary.

“But still, I find it quite endearing. Please, this way.”

The two walked down a ridiculously long corridor.

Just imagining the prices of the furnishings placed here and there was enough to make him dizzy.

“Oh, I forgot to ask, Shion-san, do you have any foods you dislike?”

“…It’s embarrassing, but I just can’t stand tomatoes.”

“Oh my, why is that?”

“It’s the texture… the way they burst in your mouth, and the juice and seeds…”

Just imagining it was enough to make him feel sick, Shion said, shaking his head.

“You have a surprisingly childish side. Please rest assured, there are no tomatoes in today’s lunch.”

“That’s a relief.”

As the two entered the dining hall and took their seats, the first course was immediately served.

“…Rice, soup, and a side dish—is this kaiseki?”

He asked Shiori about the food as he wiped his hands with a hot towel.

“Yes, but there’s no need for formality. Please, eat as you like.”

“Thanks.”

They were silent for a while after the meal began, but around the time the clear soup was served, Shiori spoke up.

“It may be rude to ask during a meal, but would you mind?”

“What is it? (This is delicious… And, are they really just casually serving me sake? Is that okay?)”

“Could you tell me about the ‘bare minimum’ you mentioned in the car?”

Even if she trusted him, she was still anxious.

“…Alright, I guess I’ll explain it now. Oh, but before that.”

“Before that?”

“Is it alright if I call Rudolph, Tenma, and Masuya to this house?”

“Yes, I don’t mind, but…”

“This is something I should tell them directly.”

He put down his chopsticks for a moment and looked straight at Shiori.

“First, as a premise, our enemy is not just Aileen Hearn. You understand that, right?”

“Yes, it’s a party. I’m aware.”

“No matter what strategy we devise, there’s a possibility it will be thwarted by someone other than Aileen.”

In other words, as a prerequisite for executing any strategy, it was essential to eliminate the other four, who were unpredictable variables.

“—Before the final battle, we will use the cover of darkness to attack the other four so they cannot show up to fight.”

“Wha-! Th-That’s…”

Shion’s plan was this:

Once the party’s time together was over and the other four were on their own, they would take them out one by one.

They couldn’t afford to exhaust themselves in the process.

The best way would be to use the three vanguard members against a single target to crush them for certain.

“I understand that you and Rudolph may have something like a warrior’s pride.”

For the record, Shion had not a single shred of such a thing.

“But remember.”

He knew Shiori would disapprove.

That was precisely why he had contacted the Yakuza.

Of course, it was also for his own self-preservation, but that wasn’t the only reason.

It was also to obtain leverage to persuade the hard-headed members of his team.

“Sensei said that his understanding was that the battle has already begun, remember?”

Furthermore, the Yakuza had also said he had an idea of what Shion was planning to do.

This was as good as getting a permit for an ambush.

That teacher had as much as said that this was exactly the kind of thing he expected them to do.

“…”

“It’s up to you whether you go along with my plan or not, but this is a strategy for winning.”

As Shiori looked down, Shion continued to string his words together, as if to admonish her.

“…Even if we take out the four of them, what if the final battle is postponed?”

“That’s not possible.”

If the battle had already begun, it couldn’t be postponed just because some members were missing.

In fact, the Yakuza would probably say something like, “It’s their own fault for getting taken out.”

“I’m not saying we have to kill them. We just have to make it so they can’t show up to fight the day after tomorrow.”

That would clear the minimum requirement.

He still didn’t have a plan to take down the main target, but as preparation, eliminating the other four was essential.

“…I am truly, truly ashamed.”

“Hm?”

“Yesterday, you and Gedou-san lit a fire under me and I tried to change my attitude… but my perception was still too naive.”

Shiori confessed that she hadn’t understood what it truly meant to be serious.

She hated her own softness, which could have dragged down Shion and Tenma.

That said, it was no wonder Shiori couldn’t be ruthless.

Because of a sin she had once committed, she had a strong desire to walk the righteous path.

This could be called a side effect of the darkness Shiori Daigo carried within her.

“I understand. Let’s do it. I will have the whereabouts of the other four investigated.”