You’re Right, They’ll Expel Me if I Run into the Store with a Weapon!! - Chapter 30: Amakusa-Sensei Asks, “What Did You Have for the In-Flight Meal, Shiori-Chan?” Shiori: “Both Options.” Amakusa-Sensei: “It’s Good to Be Young.” Shiori: “But You’re Still Young in Your Twenties, Sensei.” Amakusa-Sensei: “Still, I Can’t Beat Being a Teenager.” Shiori: “Obviously.”

“Here we are.”

“Understood.”

The airport was bustling with foreigners. Amakusa Sensei was speaking in English to a man in a black suit.

(Uh, I don’t get it at all.)

Hiroki wasn’t a native speaker. His conversational abilities were limited to “My name is HIROKI.” That was about all he could say.

As he was thinking this, they started moving.

“You’ll meet colleagues from other schools shortly, but stay silent, okay?”

“Understood.”

Sensei understood. His lack of knowledge of English was a relief. Honestly, he wouldn’t understand anything said to him.

“This is the room. The members from other branches have already arrived. Then…”

After speaking, the man in the black suit slowly opened the door.

The room looked like a meeting room used by airport staff.

And then, “You’re late, Japan branch.”

Hiroki could feel everyone’s gaze in the room turn towards them. A portly man was speaking to Amakusa Sensei.

“I’m sorry. The schedule was changed suddenly, so this delay was inevitable.”

“So you made us wait. You’ve only prepared one person for combat.”

“Two. He’s also highly skilled.”

Hey, Amakusa Sensei, what are you saying about me? That portly man is staring at me.

“I heard you sent an outstanding student, but he’s not even ranked. He’ll just be in the way.”

“The ranking is confirmed at the Combat School General Assembly, held only once a year. He joined our students after that, so we missed it.”

“Huh, you’re including a newbie in the operation. Is the Japan branch that short on people? It would have been better to bring her.”

“Her?”

“The former top ranker of our branch that your branch took. She’s changed her name to Haruna, hasn’t she?”

“You make it sound so negative. She negotiated with you and joined our branch alone, right?”

The conversation was heating up.

“Shiori, is this okay?”

Worried, Hiroki conveyed his thoughts to the only girl he could rely on.

“We can’t say anything. Those two are like representatives of the branches. We just have to wait for them to finish.”

Their conversation intensified.

“She was a vital energy source for our country. Now she supports Japan’s energy, doesn’t she? We’d like her back.”

“That’s for her to decide. We respect our students’ feelings at the Japan branch. If Haruna wants to return to you, we won’t stop her.”

“Can we end this conversation?”

A young man on the stage intervened.

(Uh, it looks like things are taking a good turn.)

Hiroki looked at the man who had just smiled back at him.

“Please take your seats, representatives of the Japan branch. We will now begin discussing the operation.”

“Just a moment, please?”

A man in glasses interrupted.

“Why is he even here?”

(Huh? He’s pointing at me?)

The young man on the stage responded.

“Why do you ask?”

“He’s powerless.”

“What do you mean?”

“A student I brought has the ‘Ability Appraisal’ skill. We appraised him, but…”

“According to my appraisal, he has no abilities.”

“That’s what she says. Her rank is sixth. We’ve never found an ability she couldn’t detect. He has no abilities.”

The girl in combat clothes standing next to the man in glasses said something.

And it seemed like her words triggered something, as everyone started looking at me intensely.

“The girl used her ability appraisal to judge that our Hiroki-kun has no abilities. There’s no mistake, right?”

Amakusa Sensei looked intimidating.

Wait, is he smiling a bit?

But he seems confrontational like things might get rough.

“Yes, that’s right. Why did the Japanese branch lie and bring such a powerless person? Did you not want to send a ranked individual overseas? The one you have here is only ranked tenth, the lowest.”

“It seems the representatives of the other branches also don’t approve of this boy.”

“Of course. Why bring a powerless person? Ah, the Japan branch doesn’t want to commit their forces.”

“I don’t think he deserves to be here.”

(I don’t understand what they’re saying in English, but I’m sure it’s not praise. Huh? Amakusa Sensei? Are you comforting me by putting your hand on my shoulder? I’m not giving you a hundred million yen for that.)

“So, everyone agrees that this boy, Ogino Hiroki, is not part of the combat force and should be excluded from this operation? Does anyone object?”

“No way anyone would get that kid out of here.”

(It seems like everyone in suits and the students in combat uniforms are looking at me with disdain. Wow, I’m the outsider here… Doesn’t anyone stand by me? Wait… No, the man in the suit on the stage seems different. It feels like he’s observing me…)

“Understood. Then, we will exclude Hiroki from this place.”

“I’ll take you out. Let’s go.” Saying that I was pulled by the hand and moved to the outside corridor.

(Huh? Is this what I think it is?)

“Yes! As promised, you’re free now! Go and do as you please!”

Amakusa Sensei’s mood had completely changed, now showing a bright expression.

(It seems he kept his promise; for some reason, I don’t know.)

“Here! Your full set of equipment! Also, your combat uniform, funds, and a conversation support terminal are included. Use them!”

Saying that he handed me a silver attache case.

“Thank you.”

(I don’t need the equipment and combat uniform, but the funds and conversation support terminal will be useful.)

“I’ll contact you again later!”

“Understood. And Amakusa Sensei, please take care. Please tell Shiori as well.”

“Sure! Thank you! I’ll let Shiori-chan know!”

He showed a brilliant smile at the end.

Buzzing… Buzzing… Buzzing…

(Where am I?) (Who are you?) (It’s dark…) (I feel sick…) (I can’t move…) (I can’t see…) (Who’s there?) (Is someone there?) (Who are all of you?) (I am Am…) (I am Cain…) (I am Mark…) (I am…) (I am…) (I…)

Buzzing… Buzzing… Buzzing…