Chapter 23

During lunch break the day after the monster countermeasures meeting.

Just as I stood up from my seat to head to the cafeteria, Takanashi came into the classroom.

“Toujou-kun, Toujou-kun.”

“Hm? What is it?”

“What are your plans for lunch today?”

“Me? Uh, I was about to head to the cafeteria to grab a set meal or something.”

“Oh, really? In that case, this is perfect. Um, you see…”

Takanashi showed me something wrapped in what looked like a traditional cloth.

“What’s this?”

“I-it’s a homemade lunch… I made it… this morning, I borrowed the dorm kitchen.”

“You made this, Takanashi?”

“Yeah, that’s right.”

“Whoa, that’s amazing. I didn’t know you could do that, Takanashi.”

“W-well… anyway… I made quite a lot, so would you like to have some with me, maybe?”

“Eh, are you sure…?”

“Y-yes…! I don’t think I can eat it all by myself…”

“But I feel bad just taking your homemade lunch like this…”

“N-no, don’t feel bad at all!? It’s nothing that special, and honestly, if I have leftovers I’ll just have to throw them out, so I’d be grateful if you ate some…”

“Well, if that’s the case, I guess I’ll take you up on that offer.”

“Really!? Then, do you want to go to the rooftop?”

“Got it.”

I followed Takanashi up to the rooftop.

The rooftop was empty today, too.

We sat down on a bench where there was a nice breeze and placed Takanashi’s lunchbox across our laps.

“Whoa… this is incredible…”

Takanashi’s homemade lunch was seriously impressive.

It was packed with all sorts of dishes, and I could tell she’d put a lot of work into it.

“Wasn’t this a huge pain to make?”

“No, not at all. I’m just worried it might not taste good, but… shall we eat?”

“Yeah. Let’s eat.”

I clasped my hands together, ready to dig in, but it seemed there was only one pair of chopsticks.

“Oh, nooo. There’s only one pair of chopsticks. Myyy, how clumsy of me.”

“…?”

Takanashi said this in a strangely flat voice.

“S-sorry, Toujou-kun. All because I was so clumsy, we only have one pair of chopsticks.”

“R-right…”

“So, I guess there’s no other choice. I’ll just have to feed you, okay?”

“Eh…”

“H-here… Toujou-kun, say aah.”

“!?”

Takanashi picked up a meat roll with her chopsticks and brought it toward my mouth.

I stared at her in shock.

Takanashi’s face was bright red as she gazed at me with teary eyes.

“O-open your mouth… Toujou-kun…”

“O-okay.”

As I opened my mouth, the meat roll was pushed inside.

I chewed, and then I swallowed.

It was incredibly delicious.

My honest reaction slipped out before I could stop it.

“Wow, this is amazing.”

“I-I’m so glad…” Takanashi said, looking down, her face still beet-red.

“W-what do you want to eat next…?”

“Th-then, the rolled omelet…”

“O-okay… the rolled omelet. Here, say aah…”

Chomp.

Munch, munch.

“It’s delicious.”

“I-I’m glad.”

What was going on?

Takanashi’s homemade lunch was unbelievably tasty, but we were both so flustered we could barely think straight.

◆

After school, I gathered with the other members of the student council on the training grounds.

“We will now begin magical instruction from Toujou for the improvement of our abilities. This is training to ensure that, in the future, we can defeat powerful monsters without relying on Toujou and be able to protect the city.”

Saionji announced this to Takanashi, Kisaragi, and Usami.

The other four were already transformed into their magical girl outfits, prepared for an all-out battle at a moment’s notice.

I could see other magical girls nearby, watching us and wondering what was going on.

It was Saionji who had proposed that I should give the others magical instruction.

To stand up against the monsters that had been getting dramatically stronger, their training up to now wasn’t enough.

If they were to encounter another strong monster like Venom, Gotees, or Orochi, at their current skill level, they would be helplessly killed.

To prevent that from happening, Saionji had requested my cooperation, saying they wanted my guidance to improve their abilities, even if just a little.

I had no particular reason to refuse, so I accepted her request.

And so, that was why I was now standing on the grounds to teach the four of them magic.

“Don’t ever assume Toujou will always be nearby. We must cultivate the strength to fight and win against Venom, Gotees, and Orochi-class monsters without him. As magical girls who protect the city and its people, we must become much, much stronger than we are now.”

“Yes!”

“Alright then, Toujou. We’re counting on you. Teach us how to fight. From your point of view, what are we lacking? Feel free to be completely honest.”

“Umm…”

Being asked what they were lacking put me in a tough spot.

I haven’t really seen them fight all that much, so even when they ask for advice, I have no idea what to say.

“Sorry, I don’t know… I wonder what you all could be lacking.”

Thud.

The three of them slumped their shoulders, their faces a mask of exasperation.

I hurriedly tried to smooth things over.

“Sorry… I’m not very good at explaining things.”

“To flip the question, how have you been defeating monsters all this time?”

“How…?”

I tilted my head. That’s a difficult question.

I tried to recall my usual battles with monsters.

“Well, if the enemy attacks, I block it with magic. Then, if I see an opening, I attack. Something like that.”

“A-amazing…! And completely unhelpful!”

“…Honestly. That’s not an explanation at all.”

“A mere mortal cannot comprehend such a thing.”

“Mmm… Toujou, you’re a classic natural genius, aren’t you.”

Once again, I had managed to exasperate them.

“S-sorry… I do want you four to get stronger, but…”

As I hung my head, Saionji clapped her hands together.

“Okay, I’ve got it. Let’s do this instead. It seems Toujou is so overwhelmingly powerful that he struggles to verbalize his fighting style in a way that we can understand. In that case… how about we learn his techniques through practice? That way, words won’t be necessary. As the saying goes, ‘experience is the best teacher.’ I think it would be quicker for Toujou, too.”

“I see… That might actually be a good idea.” I agreed with Saionji’s proposal.

“Are you three okay with that?”

Saionji looked at the other three.

After exchanging glances, they looked at me and said fearfully.

“D-does that mean… we have to fight Toujou-kun…?”

“Could we win… no, could we even put up a fight…?”

“I’m sensing a serious threat to my life…”

“True, fighting Toujou is scary for me too… but it will be fine. Toujou, you won’t use your full power against us, right?”

“Of course. Even I know how to hold back.”

“Alright, it’s settled.”

Saionji nodded.

“You’ll each have a one-on-one duel with Toujou. Toujou, as you fight, I want you to determine what each of us is lacking. We will do our absolute best to learn everything we can from fighting you.”

“Got it.”

And so, it was decided that I would have one-on-one duels with Saionji, Kisaragi, Usami, and Takanashi.