Chapter 5

Ding-dong, dang-dong.

The bell signaling the end of morning classes rang out, echoing through the halls of the Magical Girl Training School.

“Haaah… It’s over…”

“I’m hungry.”

“I wonder what Mother put in my boxed lunch today? I can’t wait.”

“Let’s go to the cafeteria.”

“Yes, let’s.”

A relaxed atmosphere instantly filled the classroom.

The magical girls were all doing their own thing—some pushed their desks together to eat their boxed lunches, while others headed to the cafeteria with their friends.

I let out a sigh of relief at my desk, having somehow made it through the morning.

“It’s surprisingly normal.”

It seemed that even at a Magical Girl Training School, the basic curriculum wasn’t all that different from a regular school.

The material in Japanese Language and Math was almost identical to what I’d had at my old school.

But some things were different.

Here, History class covered the damage caused by monsters over the years and the great deeds of magical girls. And for P.E., they apparently had “Practical Magic” lessons, where we’d train in the use of magic.

Today’s schedule included one period this morning on the subject of monsters, and one period of practical magic this afternoon.

Having hidden my powers and trained in magic all by myself until now, this would be the first time I’d ever be taught by someone else.

I was both excited and nervous.

“Well, guess I’ll get some food…”

First things first, it was time for lunch.

Unlike at my old school, I didn’t have anyone to eat with, so I headed to the cafeteria alone.

“Look…”

“That’s the one from the rumors…”

“So it was true, a boy enrolled…”

“I hear he can use magic…”

“Is that really possible? I’ve never heard of a male who could use magic…”

“Didn’t he enroll here for some wicked purpose?”

“I wish they’d just expel a filthy boy like him…”

As the magical girls from other classes whispered about me in the cafeteria, I bought a bread roll from the school store and made a quick escape.

In my search for a place out of sight, I ended up on the rooftop.

“Phew…”

I sat down on a bench and took a breath.

It seemed the Magical Girl Training School had club activities, just like a regular school. I scarfed down my bread roll while watching the magical girls on the field below, absorbed in their club’s lunchtime practice without using any magic.

“Whoa…! So it’s true a boy enrolled in this school…!”

“…!?”

Startled by the sudden voice from behind, I leaped back in surprise.

“Oh, sorry, sorry. Did I scare you?”

When I turned around, a cute girl with chestnut hair was standing there.

A mischievous smile played on her lips.

“Wh-Who are you…!?”

“Who are you?! This is the Magical Girl Training School! No one but magical girls is allowed in here!!”

“…!? N-No, I’m… I mean, I’m not a suspicious person or… I’m not a creep, I just…”

“Aha-ha. Just kidding, just kidding. I know. You’re the male magic user who transferred in today, right?”

The girl giggled at my panicked state.

Seeing her smile, I finally realized she was teasing me.

“You know about me…?”

“Of course! You’re the talk of the town!! A boy enrolling in this school is totally unheard of!! I bet everyone in our year knows about you by now!”

“Ugh… Seriously…?”

It was to be expected, I guess, but it seemed I already stood out in the worst way.

I’d steeled myself for it, being the only guy enrolling in a garden of girls, but hearing it put so bluntly still stung.

“Sounds like there are all sorts of rumors going around! The ones I heard are that you haven’t bathed in a week, and that you enrolled here to steal girls’ underwear, something like that?”

“No, that’s absolutely not true!”

They’re saying that in other classes, too?

I couldn’t help but retort.

“I do bathe, and I have no interest in girls’ underwear…!”

“Aha-ha. I know, I know. I don’t see you that way, okay? I know a little more about the outside world than the other girls. I’m not going to judge you just for being a boy. You can relax.”

“…O-Oh, right… That’s a relief.”

It seems the girl in front of me isn’t clueless or prejudiced about the opposite sex like the other magical girls.

I breathed a sigh of relief.

“Oh, I haven’t introduced myself. I’m Takanashi Yuki! It’s a pleasure to make your acquaintance.”

“I’m Reiya Toujou. Nice to meet you.”

I took her outstretched hand.

Takanashi Yuki shook my hand enthusiastically.

“Wow, it’s an honor to be able to talk to the rumored boy like this! So, what brings you to the Magical Girl Academy?”

“Huh, me? Well, uh… how do I put it… People with magic powers can’t go to regular schools, so…”

“I see, I see… So it was less your own choice and more that you had to?”

“Yeah, that’s about right.”

“Huh, really! By the way, you went to a regular school before coming here, right?”

“Yeah, I did.”

“I knew it! That’s so cool!!”

Takanashi stared at me, her eyes sparkling.

“At a regular school, boys and girls are in the same classroom for the same lessons, right!?”

“Uh, yeah, that’s right.”

“Is it true the number of boys and girls is the same?!”

“Yeah, at most schools, it’s about even.”

“I can’t believe it…! Half the class is boys…! Don’t you get into fights…?!”

“Fights…? No. Why would we?”

“How could you not?! That’s incredible!! The girls here would definitely end up fighting…!”

“Ahh, yeah, you’ve got a point.”

If you threw these magical girls, who are so full of prejudice against men, into the same space as a large group of boys, conflict would be inevitable nine times out of ten.

To the magical girls here, a normal, co-ed class is the abnormal one.

“And what about! Lovers!! You can become lovers, right!? I heard that at regular schools, boys and girls enter into ‘lover contracts’ and spend time together!!”

“Yeah, that’s pretty common.”

“Woooow!! Waaaaaaaaah!!!”

Takanashi let out an excited cry.

She was looking at me as if I were someone who had accomplished something amazing.

“At regular schools, a boy and a girl bump into each other at a corner and become lovers from that, right!? And they exchange love letters where they’ve written down their feelings for each other, right!? I read about it in a manga!!”

“Th-That’s pretty old-fashioned… I mean, love letters aside, you don’t really see people bumping into each other on corners…”

“You don’t…! This is so educational!! Then, what about confessions…!? A boy says ‘I love you!’ to a girl in front of everyone, right!? Is that a lie, too!?”

“That happens. That’s pretty common.”

“It does happen…! It really happens! Kyaaa!”

Takanashi let out a high-pitched squeal.

What was normal for me seemed to be incredibly fresh and new to Takanashi.

“Wow, that’s so cool… a regular school! By any chance, Toujou-kun, were you in a relationship with someone…?”

“Unfortunately, no, I haven’t been.”

“Oh… How boring.”

Takanashi’s shoulders slumped in disappointment.

Sorry to disappoint you.

“Haaah, a regular school sounds so nice. I wonder what it’s like… I wish I could go to one, just once…”

“Takanashi… have you always been here?”

“Yeah… I have.”

Takanashi got a distant look in her eyes, her expression tinged with loneliness.

“Before I became a magical girl, I was always at home, and after I became one, I’ve pretty much always been here. That’s why I admire regular schools so much. I’ve always thought I’d like to go to one someday.”

“…Is that so. At my old school, there were girls who admired magical girls, you know.”

“Ehh, really? There’s nothing amazing about being a magical girl… It’s just dangerous. Haaah.”

Takanashi sighed, as if exhausted.

Magical girls might be objects of admiration to the public, but to the girls themselves, perhaps this is the reality for them.

Ding-dong, dang-dong.

“Oh, the bell rang. I have to get back.”

As we were talking, the bell signaling the end of lunch break rang.

Takanashi looked disappointed.

“It’s a shame, but it looks like time’s up, Toujou-kun. It was fun hearing about regular schools! Come back to the rooftop again if you feel like it! I’m usually up here!”

With that, Takanashi waved to me, ran down the stairs, and disappeared in an instant.