You’re Right, They’ll Expel Me if I Run into the Store with a Weapon!! - Chapter 17: I'm like an idol among the kids, meow!

Hiroki slowly opened his eyelids.

No classmates were in sight. Only Amakusa-sensei and Shiori were in front of him.

“Sensei, isn’t it time for the first period to end?”

“All the others have returned to the classroom. I forgot to give them an assignment, so they are working on that now!”

In the gym with only the three of them, Amakusa-sensei, with mysterious eyes, said so.

Somehow, Shiori’s gaze at me seemed tipsy. It appeared so for some reason.

“Then, I’ll also go to the classroom.”

“That assignment! It was given before Hiroki transferred! So, there’s no need for you to do it!”

Then, with a positive voice, she continued, “So! You should do self-study at home.” And back to the present.

(What kind of assignment requires the rest of the class time to finish?)

With early home instructions, Hiroki was left wondering about the assignment while having too much free time.

“Alright.”

Deciding to go outside, he changed into casual clothes and stepped out.

It was past ten. Still needed more time on his hands.

(I still need to find out where anything is.)

Walking along the paved road, he looked around.

Rows of trees and densely packed apartments surrounded him. Hiroki needed to be made aware of this new city.

(Really nothing here.)

He had heard this area was residential, and it indeed was. So, he headed towards the station.

(Maybe take the monorail somewhere.)

The body swayed gently.

Riding the monorail, he decided to head to District One.

Hiroki still needed to gain knowledge about the Combat College grounds.

Then he thought,

(Is there a guidebook?)

He planned to ask the principal for information.

At present, the only person he could talk to in the Combat College was the principal (※ Shiori and Amakusa-sensei were busy with the assignment), and he decided to head toward the large building he first visited.

Even at noon, there were students in uniform inside the monorail.

(Normally, it would be College hours. My usual lifestyle may not apply here.

The norms he knew did not apply here.

Not just the facilities at College, but there was much Hiroki needed to learn about the Combat College.

(The pamphlet I have covers a little.)

Hiroki had some preparatory knowledge from a pamphlet included with his enrollment documents but needed more information. He felt slightly shaken, realizing this.

(I wonder if they could prepare a guidebook including such things.)

He arrived at the station with the huge building of the College principal’s office.

Like the previous visit, a grand building welcomed Hiroki.

“…?”

Hiroki felt a gaze and looked at the door.

There were two men, seemingly security guards. The moment their eyes met, one hurriedly entered the building while the other, sweating, stood in front of the door.

(Did something happen? They didn’t go inside because of me, right?)

Shaking his head at the mysterious question, Hiroki restarted towards the building.

As he approached the door, one of the guards stepped forward.

“Good morning. What brings you here today?”

…Ah. Last time, he had a guide, so he wasn’t asked.

Realizing the security measures fit for the principal, Hiroki explained his purpose.

“Understood. I’ll call for him right away. Would you mind waiting?”

“Alright.”

Following the guard’s instructions, he entered the building.

Unlike before, he didn’t take the elevator; instead, he sat on a sofa in the spacious first-floor plaza with a view of the reception counter.

(…But, the principal coming to me, what does that make of my status?…)

He questioned the treatment he received.

The interaction seemed odd for a student and a principal. Was this also normal for the Combat College?

Without seeking an answer, Hiroki decided to wait.

Five minutes passed.

“Hey, Hiroki! Sorry to keep you waiting!”

“No, sorry for

coming suddenly, Principal-san.”

Despite apologizing, Hiroki continued to call him ‘Principal-san,’ holding a slight grudge.

“So, you wanted to learn about the whole town of the Combat College, right? But, I thought having Shiori-kun guide you would be better…”

“Right now, he’s busy with a class assignment, and we’re on separate paths.”

“…I see.”

(Principal! I told you not to let Shiori-kun and Hiroki-kun go on separate paths!?)

The principal internally panicked.

He had entrusted Shiori with guiding and monitoring Hiroki and had instructed all senior teachers to keep them together as much as possible, but now they were separated.

Trying to maintain composure, the principal hinted at another proposal to Hiroki.

“Then, would it be okay to do it another day? She can explain better than I can… Besides, you were supposed to be doing home study, weren’t you?”

“It’s okay to do it another day, but I don’t know what to study at home. I was sent home after the first lesson.”

“…Right.”

Hiroki thought he had delivered a decisive blow to the student, but it was casually dismissed for a common reason.

Hiroki skillfully dodged the principal’s proposal.

The principal thought it was better to leave Hiroki alone. He was still determining what Hiroki might do next. He tried to anticipate Hiroki’s actions, but his thoughts were vain. Hiroki had already made up his mind.

“Principal-san, I’m thinking of just walking outside for now.”

“…Oh. I see… No, sorry about that.”

“No, I’m sorry for coming suddenly. Could we exchange contact information so we can stay in touch?”

“Ah! No problem at all! Yes, that would be better!”

The principal hurriedly took out his smartphone and recorded Hiroki’s contact information. Having Hiroki’s contact details made the principal feel slightly relieved about future communication.

“Then, I’ll be counting on you again.”

“Yes, feel free to contact me anytime.”

Hiroki lightly greeted them and left through the door. After watching him go, the principal pondered the future.

(Where to now? Should I have someone watch over him? No, that won’t do. He’ll notice right away… There’s nothing I can do.)

He decided he could do nothing this time and looked up at the high ceiling.

“Well, let’s wander outside (outside the Combat College grounds).”

Hiroki’s “outside” was different from what the principal thought.

He planned to go to a place outside his usual sense of normalcy.

Muttering his intentions, he walked towards the giant gate. But…

“Without a permit, students cannot pass through here.”

The gatekeeper in front of him said so.

Then Hiroki realized his misunderstanding.

(Principal-san’s ‘outside’ meant within the Combat College grounds. That’s why he didn’t say anything.)

He remembered the rules for students at the Combat College and now understood the meaning of the principal’s consent. Students of the Combat College cannot go outside the “Combat College grounds” without permission.

Hiroki walked along the wall leading to the outer gate. Beyond this wall was the outside world.

(Is this like being a prisoner or something?)

Feeling like a caged bird, he suddenly felt a mysterious gaze again.

Turning in that direction, he saw a young girl walking towards him.

(Elementary school student? Or barely a middle schooler?)

A young girl, still with traces of childhood, was walking towards him, locking eyes. Her white hair swayed, and she held a familiar-looking cat plushie in one hand.

Silent, the girl stopped before him and looked at him with blue eyes. There’s a saying, “

If approached by a stranger, run away,” but Hiroki had never heard anything like, “If a strange girl keeps looking at you, do this or that.”

With no other choice, he decided to initiate the conversation.

“Do you need something?”

“…You seemed… troubled.”

The girl spoke in halting words.

It seemed she approached Hiroki because she saw him in distress and wanted to help.

Hiroki thought sharing his troubles with a girl who appeared younger than him was pointless.

“I’m troubled, but it’s okay.”

“…I can… help.”

Hiroki felt a bit guilty as the girl continued to show her kindness.

(Being told this much…)

Trying to help someone is a good thing. While respecting her intentions, Hiroki shared a problem that couldn’t be solved.

Then…

“…”

The girl fell silent.

Hiroki regretted putting such a difficult problem on her and tried to explain.

“It’s okay. Students need help to solve such a problem. You don’t need to worry about it.”

“…”

The girl remained silent, completely lost in her thoughts. Hiroki felt a growing sense of guilt.

(What am I making a middle school girl think about?)

Trying to do something about the motionless girl, Hiroki looked for a solution. His eyes landed on the large building where he met the principal.

(There was a shop there, right? I could buy some sweets or something…)

Just as he thought of cheering her up with a treat and was about to turn back, he faintly heard an unfamiliar sound from behind.

“…from here… you can go outside.”

Turning around, he saw the blue-eyed girl looking at him again. What caught his eye was a door that looked like an emergency exit. There was a door in the wall.

(Was that door there before?)

He hadn’t noticed the door until now, but it was right before him. Assuming it was his oversight, he reached for the doorknob.

“Uh, thanks. For telling me.”

“…Yeah.”

He thanked her sincerely, but the girl hid her face with the plushie she was holding. Still, she managed to reply with a strained voice.

(Of course, she’d be embarrassed talking to a stranger…)

Seeing her cheeks blush from the corner of the plushie, Hiroki felt again grateful. “Thanks,” he said and went through the door. The girl watched until the door closed.

“…Good.”

Beyond the door was a tunnel-like passage, not too dark, with sunlight visible at the end.

(Is it okay to have such a passage that blatantly ignores the Combat College’s rules?)

He felt uneasy about how easily one could leave the College grounds.

Finally stepping into the open air and sunlight, he found himself on a paved road.

“…Hmm, nothing here.”

That was his first thought.

It was good to get out, but an empty road greeted him. Like his first visit, there was a considerable distance from the town to the Combat College’s grounds. He faced a horizon with no artificial structures, feeling almost tearful.

“It took about twenty minutes last time.”

Recalling his previous experience, he started walking towards the nearest town.

The road is long,

The road is hot,

Nothing around,

In this world, I’m alone,

Sweating continuously.

After twenty minutes of singing lyrics that mirrored his current situation, he reached a town lined with buildings, sweating under the hot sun.

Just as he was wondering where to go, his stomach growled loudly.

“Before twelve, huh?”

He checked the time on his wristwatch, understanding why his stomach was making noise.

“I want some ramen.”

He voiced his craving for his favorite food.

“But I don’t know any ramen shops around here.”

Being unfamiliar with the town and having visited only once, he needed to learn about the local eateries. Just then, he heard a familiar engine sound behind him.

“Hey, Hiroki!”

The voice calling him came from the roadway. There, straddling a motorcycle, was Saiki.

“Saiki, huh? Long time no see. But why are you here?”

It should have been class time, so Hiroki was puzzled to see him there.

“It’s obvious, isn’t it? I’m skipping!”

“That’s not obvious at all.”

Hiroki made a face of disbelief.

Just before transferring, Hiroki had noticed Saiki’s habit of skipping College.

Reassessing his opinion of Saiki, Hiroki came up with an idea.

“Hey, know any ramen shops around here?”

“Ramen shop? You going to eat?”

“Yeah.”

Responding to the question with a question, Saiki scratched his ear while appearing to think. Then he said,

“Hey, you’re okay with any place as long as they serve ramen?”

“Yeah, I guess.”

“Alright! Then hop on!”

Excitedly, Saiki threw a spare helmet from under the seat.

When prompted to get on, Hiroki leaned his weight onto the back of the motorcycle.

“Let’s go then!”

“…Yeah!”

Hiroki thought, whatever goes, and responded casually as they set off on the motorcycle to find a ramen shop.

◇◇◇

After riding the motorcycle for just over thirty minutes.

“Hey, I said I wanted to eat ramen, right?”

“Yeah! We can eat ramen!”

“Yeah, probably can. But, this doesn’t seem like the place to come for ramen…”

In front of them was an entrance to a fantasy world, also known as the entrance gate.

Saiki had brought Hiroki to a giant theme park.

“No way! It’s quite weird to go alone! I just wanted some company!”

“So I’ve been made your accessory.”

Hiroki showed his displeasure, knowing the reason he was brought here.

“Don’t be mad! I’ll cover the entrance fee and a meal of ramen!”

“It’s fine. The entrance fee is pretty expensive.

Despite his dissatisfaction, Hiroki was reluctant to let his friend pay such a high amount. He took out his wallet, intending to head to the ticket booth when…

“Here! These!”

Two pieces of paper blocked his view – tickets to the theme park.

“What’s this about?”

“Got them from an acquaintance! Wasn’t sure if I’d use them!”

“Is it okay to use them?”

“Yeah!”

Accepting the tickets, they headed towards the entrance gate.

“You know, when I think about it…”

“Yeah? What’s up?”

“Isn’t it weird for two guys to be at an amusement park?”

“…Yeah, I guess.”

Saiki looked away, replying with an indescribable expression.

Fairy Cat Land

A theme park born overseas and now in Japan, featuring a world of characters that combine cats and fairies.

“This cat, I swear I’ve seen it before…”

Hiroki muttered to himself while looking at a cat in the pamphlet.

“That’s because it’s the character of the plushie you won from the UFO catcher.”

“Ah, right. That one. Didn’t know it was a popular character.”

The plushie he had won was named “Yuri.” There were also other cat characters named after flowers, like “Bara,” “Himawari,” “Sakura,” and “Cosmos.”

“What’s the name of that character in the costume, playing with the girl over there?”

“That’s Momo. A cat fairy of the peach blossom.”

A little girl took a photo with a light pink cat and her family. After watching them, Hiroki redirected his thoughts to his original purpose.

“Anyway, I want to eat some ramen.”

“Alright! According to the map, it’s this way!”

Saiki led the way. Despite being a weekday, the park was bustling with people. They

reached the food court indicated on the map, but it was packed with people. The time was just past one o’clock, right at the lunch peak.

“It looks like every seat is taken.”

“Yeah, but that’s expected in a theme park.”

Saiki scanned the area and assessed, while Hiroki accepted this as a given. Every table seemed occupied, making it unclear if any seats were available. They walked around, searching for a place to sit.

“Found any empty seats?”

“No, nothing yet… Oh, there’s one!”

Just in time, they spotted an empty table. “Nice,” Hiroki muttered, putting his bag on the table to claim it.

“Here’s the menu.”

“Looks like they have ramen!”

True to a theme park’s lunch menu, it was filled with creatively designed dishes, and as expected, the prices were high.

“What’s this Hibiscus Ramen? Can you eat this?”

“There’s a slogan here saying it’s the favorite dish of the Hibiscus cat fairy. Wanna try it?”

The menu featured a photo of a ramen adorned with a red flower. The toppings were predominantly red, too.

Intrigued by this unusual ramen, Hiroki decided to order it.

“I’ll go for this ramen then.”

“Going for the challenge, huh! I’ll stick with something safe, like curry.”

Having decided on their orders, Hiroki

headed to the counter to place the order while Saiki stayed behind at the table.

Navigating through the bustling tables, Hiroki found himself at a counter with a long queue.

“This is going to take about fifteen minutes…”

Realizing they were in for a long wait, Hiroki muttered under his breath but joined the queue anyway. He figured Saiki would understand without needing to be told.

After a long wait, it was finally their turn.

“One Hibiscus Ramen and one Curry Rice, please.”

He made the order, and the cashier, with a customer service smile, took the money. They handed Hiroki an electronic device.

“Please wait at your seat with this device, and we will notify you when your order is ready.”

“Okay,” he replied, taking the device and heading to a table. As he approached the table, he noticed something odd.

“…Saiki?”

The person sitting there was indeed his friend, but his expression was different than before, almost blank.

With a hint of curiosity, Hiroki approached the table.

“Hey, I finished ordering.”

“…Oh! Thanks, man!”

Saiki’s change in expression was so drastic it was as if he had been asleep. He thanked Hiroki, though he looked a bit puzzled.

“Were you sleeping? You seemed spaced out.”

“Nah, just lost in thought! It’s all good!”

“Okay.”

Hiroki decided not to pry further if Saiki said he was fine.

“Your spaced-out face reminded me of the girl who helped me earlier.”

“…Really?”

Hiroki casually mentioned it, recalling the girl’s distant expression. He felt a bit intrigued; it wasn’t a face typical of girls these days.

“What did you think of that girl?”

“Huh?”

Saiki seemed to be trying to keep the conversation going, perhaps to pass the time.

“She looked spaced out.”

“Really? So, was she cute?”

Saiki was back to his usual self, his face and questions signaling the start of a typical boys’ talk.

“Yeah, she was pretty in a normal way. Like she could be a model when she grows up.”

“Nice! I wish I could see her!”

Saiki laughed heartily, responding enthusiastically. Hiroki thought Saiki wouldn’t meet her since he needed to have the necessary combat abilities.

“Next time, show me a photo of you two!”

“What are you talking about, man?”

The atmosphere returned to how it was before Hiroki transferred, and time passed in this familiar way.

“The red one was intense.”

“Yeah, but it was delicious.”

After finishing their meal, Hiroki and Saiki walked around aimlessly, passing two o’clock without a specific destination.

“So, what are we riding next?”

“We just ate ramen; maybe head back?”

“What? Why!?”

Hinting at a joke, they seriously pondered what to ride next.

There were various options like the Ferris wheel, roller coaster, and merry-go-round, but all had long lines.

“… heading back?”

“Please stop joking around!”

Teasing Saiki, they continued searching and finally decided on a ride.

“Two guys on the teacups is weird.

“Don’t say that, it’s fun!”

Hiroki commented as his friend enthusiastically spun the central disc of the ride.

“Why are we in the same carriage?”

“Hey, it’s fun! Plus, two girls are pointing their camera lenses at us.”

“Stop! We’re not a couple!” Hiroki wanted to shout, but the merry-go-round music drowned out his words, rendering them inaudible amidst the flowing melody.

“Finally, a normal one!”

(That was a normal ride!)

“Wow, it’s so fast!”

(The speed is incredible!)

Their conversation was a mix of excitement and struggle against the air resistance and gravity of the roller coaster. Everything around them seemed to accelerate, and they raised their hands in the air, genuinely enjoying the ride. It had been a while since Hiroki had been on a roller coaster, and the thrill was exhilarating.

The combination of the rides they had taken and the long lines they had waited in meant it was already past five o’clock.

“Shall we head back?”

“Yeah, let’s.”

This time, it was no joke. They had College the next day to think about. They passed through the entrance gate, and Saiki handed Hiroki a helmet.

“I’ll drop you off at the Combat College

. That road seems long.”

“Appreciate it.”

Hiroki gratefully accepted the offer. Wondering why there wasn’t a bus route, he settled on the back of the motorcycle and began to feel the breeze.

“Hey, don’t stop at the front gate. Just go along the right wall.”

“Got it! Understood!”

Saiki responded to Hiroki’s additional instruction. Hiroki appreciated his friend’s understanding without questioning it.

“…There’s no tunnel.”

Walking under the moonlight, Hiroki was unsettled by the absence of the tunnel he had used earlier.

“It’s not here. Is this the right area?”

“Yeah, there should have been a tunnel around here.”

“Then I’ll help you look for it.”

“Appreciate it.”

“Okay, I’ll check over there.”

“Alright, thanks. I’ll return the way I came to ensure I didn’t miss it.”

They split up, running in opposite directions. If they had to go through the main gate, it would be a hassle later on. Within a minute of starting, Hiroki heard Saiki’s motorcycle engine from behind.

“Found it!”

“Thanks!”

Hiroki thanked Saiki without questioning the quick discovery and headed towards the tunnel with him.

“See you around!”

“Yeah, see you!”

With a light expression, Hiroki headed into the tunnel.

“Welcome back.”

“Whoa!”

Startled by the sudden voice, Hiroki saw the girl he had met earlier standing beyond the opened door.

“You’ve been here the whole time?”

“…Combat College rules… no going out.”

“Ah, right, my bad. We’re not supposed to go out.”

Hiroki realized why she was there and appreciated the girl’s good upbringing and concern for following the rules.

“Thanks. I’ll be more careful from now on.”

He thanked the girl without promising never to go out again.

The girl looked up with her blue eyes and murmured.

“…Please don’t leave the Combat College…”

“Alright, I won’t.”

Hiroki decided it was okay to give a reassuring answer, even if it was just for her peace of mind.

Relieved by his response, a smile appeared on the girl’s face, confirming Hiroki’s words were right.

About to leave, Hiroki had a thought.

“Hey, it’s dark. Should I walk you near your room?”

The girl hesitated at his offer, clearly unsure.

“(Did she think I’m a wolf in sheep’s clothing?)”

Realizing how his offer might have sounded, Hiroki quickly clarified.

“Sorry! Just being nice! But it’s dangerous, right? Should I call a teacher?”

Before he could continue, the girl spoke.

“…It’s okay… I have to stay here.”

Understanding dawned on Hiroki. This girl and someone else were using this back passage.

“Alright, but are you sure you’ll be okay alone?”

“Fine… I often wait here.”

Hiroki nodded, understanding this was their secret passage.

“Alright then, thanks for everything.”

“…Yeah.”

He thanked her again and was about to leave when he remembered something.

“By the way, I didn’t ask your name. I’m Hiroki Ogino. See you around.”

The girl hesitated before responding softly.

“…Shirahime Hazuki.”

“Hazuki got it. Take care.”

Hiroki disappeared, and…

“Yo, I’m back.”

“…”

Coming out of a door embedded in the wall was Saiki, walking while pushing his bike.

Hazuki remained silent in response to his words.

“Silence hurts, you know. You still don’t like me speaking like a man?”

“…”

“Really, can’t you make me a woman again, like before? It’s easier that way.”

“…No… because of Hiroki.”

Hazuki expresses her refusal of Saiki’s suggestion. Her expression was like a child about to lose a treasured possession.

“It’s not like anything will happen. Artificial intelligence doesn’t fall in love with humans.”

“…Still… it’s dangerous.”

“You always say that I’m ‘not human,’ ‘without life,’ ‘just a program.'”

“…Yes. You are… an auxiliary device.”

She added as if to remind herself of meeting Hiroki.

The girl with an expressionless mask reasserts her stance to the “thing” before her.

Then, Hazuki slowly approaches Saiki.

Looking at the girl, Saiki opens his mouth with a light expression.

“You’ve been using ‘that’ simulation trainer all day today. What about today’s mission?”

“…I’ve met the quota.”

Hazuki reports in front of Saiki that she’s done what must be done.

“Hey, shouldn’t you be able to go without entering my brain soon? Remember, you were in my brain the whole time at the theme park.”

“Not yet… a little longer…”

Hazuki touches the motorcycle in Saiki’s hand with her fingertip.

Suddenly, the mass of machinery is enveloped in a white light, transforming into a large carry case.

Hazuki opened the carry case at her feet and touched Saiki’s abdomen over his shirt.

“So—”

His words cut off.

A white light spreads from Saiki’s abdomen.

And then, his body crumbles like sand, falling into the carry case.

The surrounding air becomes moist as if filled with steam.

“…”

Hazuki takes a small mechanical chip from the sand and inserts it into a handheld device.

“Then, let’s go home. Hazuki.”

A woman’s voice emanates from the device.

The girl, dragging a large and heavy carry case, begins to walk, leaving tire tracks on the ground.

“Ah… almost forgot.”

Finally, the girl touches the door embedded in the wall with her fingertip.