I Don’t Want to Die as a Mob in My Second Life! ～A Story Where I Kept Training from Inside the Womb and Ended Up Being Mistaken for a Monster～ - Chapter 29: The Little Professor vs. The Delinquent King, Kanata!

Chapter 29: The Little Professor vs. The Delinquent King, Kanata!

“Heh… (My sister and brother were seriously messed up.)”

Hinami and Michio at ten years old. After parting ways with them, I couldn’t help but think back on their absurd behavior and chuckle wryly.

At the time, I was literally a zero-year-old baby.

I had no idea they were that out of control.

Well—

“Hey, loser Kanata. It’s fine to be weak, but don’t do anything weird that might damage our brand, okay?”

“Yeah. Just be a cute little weakling and stick to the background, okay?”

…Even as adults, their personalities were something else, so it wasn’t exactly surprising.

In the first timeline, they probably never experienced Dad blowing up at them like that.

Not once—not until he literally died.

“—Ah, uh-huh, right, I understand. Okay, I’ll leave it to you. Thanks, sorry about that. See you.”

Meanwhile, Dad was on the phone with someone.

Noticing me looking up at him, he gave a small, apologetic smile.

“Sorry, Kanata. I really wanted to introduce you to your brother and sister.”

“It’s fine.”

Not like the atmosphere was right for that anyway.

Honestly, meeting them in that state would’ve been a disaster no matter how you look at it.

“I ended up hitting them right in front of you. I must have shown you a scary side of me, Kanata…”

“That’s just how it had to be.”

I glanced behind me at Setsuna comforting Sharo.

Then I lightly patted Dad’s back.

“If you had gone easy on them in front of a bullied girl and her sister, that would’ve been the real failure, wouldn’t it?”

“Kanata…”

Not to mention how it would’ve looked to Kagerou, the head of the Kirisame family, whom we’ve just formed ties with.

It could’ve easily destroyed the relationship altogether.

A good slap, followed by shutting them down completely, was the only way to handle it.

“As you said earlier, this is also a social event. If the head of the family, along with his wife, is openly disrespected and doesn’t respond firmly, it’ll make you a laughingstock, both personally and socially.”

After patting his back, I gently rubbed it.

Life’s tough, huh? Being an adult must be exhausting.

Having worked as a professional before, I can understand at least a little.

It’s especially hard when you’re someone with a fragile heart to begin with.

“Kids as twisted as those two need a firm hand. And besides…”

Finally, I smiled at him.

“The way you stood up for your wife today, Father—you were the kind of father anyone would look up to. It was really cool.”

“…!”

Dad’s eyes widened.

Then, just a little, he started trembling.

“I see…”

“?”

“Now I can understand why [Hihiirokane] calls you ‘Mama.’”

What the heck!? How does that even follow?!

“Father…!”

“Hahaha, sorry, just kidding. It’s just… the last time someone praised me, fully understanding everything, was back when my parents—who died in the war—were alive…”

Dad lightly wiped at the corner of his eyes.

“Thank you, Kanata. Meeting you has truly saved me.”

Seeing him smile like that somehow made me feel saved, too.

“No need to thank me… (Though I’m not sure if I’ve really managed to improve the fate of this man, who’s supposed to die, in this second round.)”

—The confidence he’s gained might lead him to charge headfirst into danger, ending his life even sooner.

—Finally scolding the twins, something he couldn’t do in the first timeline, might truly sever their relationship.

I couldn’t shake my worries, but—

“We’ll figure things out with Michio and Hinami.”

“You’re awfully composed.”

“And if things don’t work out, at least the child support payments will decrease.”

“Now you’re too composed…”

Watching Dad crack jokes with a laugh, I couldn’t help but smile as well.

The future is uncertain.

But as he himself said, he’s standing tall and smiling now.

And for now, that’s enough.

“Hehe, am I becoming more like Mr. Maro?”

“You really shouldn’t aim to be like him.”

◆　◇　◆

“I’m feeling much better, de gojaru!”

“That’s great, Sharo.”

It seemed like Sharo was back to her usual self.

“Gahaha! Michio and Hinami were all teary-eyed, de gojaru~! Serves them right!”

“That’s not great, Miss Sharo.”

It seemed like Sharo was back to her usual self…

“Miss Setsuna, maybe you should say something as her sister.”

“I’ll kill your brother and sister!”

“Not a death threat.”

As we were chatting with Dad and the Kirisame sisters, it happened.

“Ahem… HEAR ME, EVERYONE~~!!! THE TIME HAS COME!“

A shrill, childlike voice echoed sharply across the field.

“!”

At that voice, even the shady-talking Reisoushis flinched in unison.

Everyone turned to look, and at some point, a stage had been set up with several black-suited agents standing behind it.

Standing on the stage was a tiny girl, about three years old, wearing a mini-skirted kimono.

“I, Moyoko Toba, will oversee today’s Reisoushi qualification exam~~!”

She had floor-length black hair, fox ears that were obviously fake, and five fluffy fox tails swishing behind her.

“Oh! (It’s her!)”

That tiny figure—it’s unmistakable.

This is none other than Moyoko Toba, one of Japan’s Seven Greatest Powers—a Special-Class Reisoushi.

She’s a legendary figure, even in the world of my first life.

“Fufun! A lot of you brats must be meeting me for the first time, huh? Don’t underestimate Moyoko! Despite how I look, I’m a Special-Class Reisoushi and basically 300 years old! Show some respect to your elder! Bow to me, I say!”

She spouted nonsense with a smug expression, but… it was all true.

Moyoko is the soul contractor of the ultimate Conceptual Spirit, [Nine-Tailed Fox].

Thanks to that, she possesses the unparalleled abilities of eternal youth and resurrection up to nine times.

On top of that—

“Hmmm? Isn’t that the young master of the Doi family? You’ve grown into quite the father, haven’t you! Is your child taking the exam today?”

“Y-Yes, ma’am!”

“And oh, the young lady from the Arashiyama family—now a proud mother, I see! If you ever need help, just say the word!”

“Y-Yes, ma’am!”

Moyoko began greeting various Reisoushi one by one.

Even the ones who had been having their gloomy, scheming conversations earlier were suddenly disarmed, responding to her like innocent schoolchildren.

“Nuhahaha! Don’t hold back! After all, this Moyoko has been looking after you lot since your great-grandfathers were kids as the Super Principal of Spirit Conductor Academy!”

Right.

Not only is this person a Special-Class Reisoushi, but she also holds the absurd title of Super Principal.

In simple terms, she’s the head of all twelve Spirit Conductor Academies nationwide.

Because she spends so much time traveling between schools and interacting with children, even the twisted, jaded adults can’t help but instinctively revert to their more honest, childhood selves in front of her.

No matter how old you get, a teacher from your memories will always feel like a teacher, huh?

“Professor Moyoko, why is someone as busy as you overseeing today’s exam?”

An elderly man, who looked like a family head, asked her this.

The tiny professor furrowed her brow in a dramatic show of difficulty.

“Hmm, well, you see… there are some verrrry deep reasons for that…”

At that moment, a strong gust of wind whipped across the field from the main building.

It caught my veil, lifting it from my face.

“Hm? (Ugh, dust in my eye…)”

The sudden irritation broke my concentration, and I accidentally dropped my Presence Concealment.

To make things worse, it had been a long time since I felt actual pain in this body, and my reflexive defensive reaction sent my spiritual energy into overdrive.

The surge of power exploded outward, accompanied by a shockwave that blasted across the entire field!

“UWAAAAHHH?! It’s—Kanata SoranakiAAAAAAHHHHHHH!”

“What’s going on?! Wait—when did he even get here?!”

“The outcast of the Reisoushi world?! I thought we were safe without him around!”

…It seems I’ve been exposed.

Immediately, chaos erupted among the Reisoushis.

The children and younger Reisoushis looked terrified, several Conceptual Spirits seemed ready to bolt, and even the experienced veterans stared at me, wide-eyed…!

Ah, great. I’ve done it now.

“GYAAHHHH—WHAT IS HAPPENINGGGG?!”

Moyoko, blown backward by the pressure of my spiritual energy, crashed into one of the black-suited agents behind her.

When she turned to look at me, her face froze in shock.

“Hieeee! It’s himmmm!”

She clung to the leg of the agent behind her, her tiny, three-year-old frame trembling. The black-suited man, on the other hand, looked oddly pleased.

“There you are, Kanata Soranaki! Making such a flashy entrance, as always!”

No, that was totally unintentional.

“One of the most notorious delinquent troublemakers I’ve ever seen!”

Notorious delinquent!?

“This is a misunderstanding. I’m perfectly well-behaved, actually.”

“Don’t lie! You just sent people flying!”

Okay, well, that’s fair, but…

“I can tell just by looking at you! You’re the kind of student who skips every class, loafs around until the end of the day, and smokes nonstop!”

Uh, that’d give me lung cancer.

“Hmph. It’s because of your presence here that I was forced to oversee this exam instead of leaving it to the eccentric Ouma boy!”

Ah, that makes sense.

Moyoko, being the Super Principal and a top-tier Special-Class Reisoushi, is incredibly busy. She’s tasked with hunting down powerful Conceptual Spirits not only in Japan but also across allied nations in the Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Zone.

If someone like her had to personally step in, then yeah, it’s probably because of me and the fact that Ouma Shiranui has his eye on me.

“Well, no matter. Don’t worry, Delinquent King Kanata!”

Wait, when did I get promoted to Delinquent King?

“I am the perfect teacher who has reformed 99% of all delinquents! I’ll turn even you into a decent human being!”

“So, 1% didn’t make it, huh?”

“Quiet!”

Her puffed-up indignation was… adorable.

No wonder even the most twisted Reisoushi end up opening their hearts to her.

Still, there’s a whole 1% that even this fluffy fox-loli teacher couldn’t handle? How messed up must those people have been?

“By the way, what kind of people are in that 1%?”

“Ujimaro, Sharo, and your brother and sister!”

…All of them are people close to me.

I’m so, so sorry…

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[Tips]

Michio & Hinami: 

Fifth-year students in the elementary division of Izumo Spirit Conductor Academy. Both are ten years old.

They are monozygotic twins (technically semi-monozygotic due to the rare male-female pairing).

Though they share an adorably similar appearance, their personalities are exceedingly arrogant.

Despite being born into the modest Soranaki family, they possess the talent to become first-class Reisoushis in the future, making them top of the academy caste.

On the other hand, they thoroughly mock Sharo, who, despite being from the prestigious Kirisame family, is awkward and clumsy like a peeled shrimp.

Reisoushi Qualification Exam: 

The gateway to becoming a Reisoushi, with an average of about 300 examinees each year.

Most of the candidates come from the Spirit Conductor Academies scattered across Japan in locations such as:

Izumo, Ise, Koya, Kirishima, Samukawa, Nikko, Itsukushima, Osorezan, Hakone, Kamakura, Toyako, and Sefa-utaki.

Since only a limited number of people possess spiritual energy, each grade has around 20 to 30 students.

If all students from elementary to high school across the 12 academies participated, the candidate pool should exceed 3,000.

However, to take the exam, candidates need not only spiritual energy but also a contracted Conceptual Spirit.

No matter how abundant their spiritual energy, those whose souls are fundamentally incompatible with spirits cannot even qualify for the exam.

As a result, the number of examinees is limited to around 300 each year.

For those with spiritual energy but without the qualifications, they typically end up as the “black suits,” working behind the scenes at the Spirit Conductor Agency.

Moyoko Toba: 

“Don’t cause any trouble, Kanata! Don’t break anything, okay!? I mean it, absolutely nothing!”

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