You’re Right, They’ll Expel Me if I Run into the Store with a Weapon!! - Chapter 43: Amakusa-sensei "It would be nice if it were plump instead of tense."

A wide rotary where buses and taxis repeatedly stop and start.

With no roof overhead, the sunlight illuminated Hiroki’s face.

“Then, Hiroki-kun! See you at the airport—”

Amakusa-sensei told him to wait at the airport, and he made his way to the entrance using the transportation methods she had recommended.

(Still, more than two hours to go…)

The time was 9:30 AM, with the departure scheduled for a 1:00 PM flight.

Stepping into the spacious lobby frequented by various ethnicities, he sighed while looking at his wristwatch.

(Maybe I’ll look around…)

Finding a space lined with shops on the second floor, Hiroki headed towards a nearby escalator.

“Shiori-chan, are you a bit on edge?” came a voice, tinged with a wry smile and a cautious tone, reaching her ears.

“Not really. Why do you think that?” Shiori responded.

“It’s just the vibe, you know,” was the heavy response, voicing the atmosphere felt.

“It’s like you’re about to head into battle, like you’re off to hunt down a despised enemy, just that vibe.”

“It’s nothing.”

“…Are you heading to the airport now? To see Hiroki-kun?”

“I’m fine.”

“But…”

“The reason is the people I’m about to meet. If I don’t throw at least one parting shot, I’ll end up dwelling on it after I return to Japan.”

Amakusa Sensei was at the wheel inside the black car, wiping away a slight sweat as he focused ahead. Shiori Himeji, continuing to emit a heavy aura, was seated in the passenger seat.

Amakusa Sensei, looking troubled, pressed a button with one hand to open the window.

“Parting shots are all well and good, but remember, this is technically a temporary briefing session, so try not to be too aggressive,” he said as his hair fluttered in the wind coming in from outside.

“The main part will be a simple coordination of actions during the operation. And I think the plan is to bring up Hiroki in the conversation stealthily.”

Shiori turned her face to the window on the other side and sighed.

“But what if,” she said, her voice losing strength as she looked at Amakusa Sensei’s profile.

“What if they start with their excessive remarks again?”

“If anything like that happens, I plan to leave immediately, so it’s fine. There will be a debriefing session later anyway.”

“Is that so?”

“Just make sure not to cause any harm, no matter what. Once we return to Japan, it will all be over.”

That’s right. Once back in Japan, everything would end. Amakusa Sensei allowed a triumphant smile to cross his face as he thought about the upcoming debriefing session.

“The principal will handle the rest.”

“Yes.”

◆

“Yaho, Shiori! And Amakusa Sensei!”

Shiori, who furrowed her brows as she entered, was greeted by a voice mixed with broken Japanese, which slightly softened her expression.

“Good morning, Meryl-chan. Your Japanese has gotten better.”

“Good morning, Meryl. And it’s okay to speak English, too.”

“NO! It’s better to use Japanese for studying!”

Meryl replied with a smile, showing no signs of unease to Shiori.

During missions, they usually used their most familiar languages for quick communication, but Meryl always spoke Japanese when meeting with Shiori.

She had taken a liking to her during a joint mission they first met on, and their relationship had continued for several years.

“That’s good. I hope you can speak fluently soon.”

“Yes!”

After finishing their conversation, they looked around the room they had just entered.

It was a spacious conference room set up in a police station. At the front of the room was a whiteboard and a long table set up to face it stretched to the back wall.

Entering from the rear door, Shiori saw many backs already gathered.

“I came thirty minutes before the meeting, but most branches have arrived. But still…”

“Haha, even I feel suffocated. Do all adults feel tense? Timid? They’re all emitting such a heavy aura.”

Sensing the murky atmosphere, Shiori let out a word to the girl with a wry smile.

“It’s impressive you can stay so cheerful in such an atmosphere.”

“It’s because Shiori is here. Until just a moment ago, I couldn’t stand the aura and was burying my face in the desk.”

“Good work.”

Shiori said softly, giving Meryl a wry smile and a sigh.

Then, Meryl looked at Shiori with eyes full of questioning.

“Hmm? Shiori, what happened to Hiroki?”

“!!”

All the backs in her view seemed to stir at once at her words.

Without reacting to the scene, Shiori calmly answered.

“I had him take a leave. He pushed himself too hard, so I let him rest.”

“Was it because of yesterday’s mission?”

“Yes, so it will be just Amakusa Sensei and me attending.”

Understanding the situation, Meryl refrained from asking further questions.

She had witnessed his actions firsthand.

Thus, she did not question this fact any further.

“We should find a seat. It’s pointless to stay by the door all the time.”

“Will you sit next to me?”

“I’ll pass this time. It’s better given the mood.”

“Is that so…”

The girl, showing a disappointed expression, cast a fleeting glance before heading to her seat.

“Now that it’s the scheduled time, based on the strong request from some branches, we will begin the emergency briefing.”

A man who had been explaining the strategy before the mission stood in front of the whiteboard with a bright expression and a light voice, gathering attention.

“This briefing is purely emergency-based. Therefore, considering the schedules and circumstances of some branches, leaving midway is permitted.”

Everyone else listened quietly as he spoke, finally delving into the main topic.

“Now, Jack Brown. Could you share your experience as the leader of Team A?”

“Yes!”

Responding to the facilitator, the blond boy stood up.

Jack Brown, the leader of Shiori’s team, started narrating the events during the mission with nervousness.

Considering the time, Jack’s explanation was minimized to the essentials, taking up hardly any time.

Then, the leaders of Teams B and C were asked to report.

The struggles of Teams B and C, unknown to Shiori, were shared with everyone present, tentatively completing a mission report.

“—Then, in the vast room, Teams A and B encountered each other. The rest follows, as Jack Brown has explained.”

“Thank you. With the main information compiled, we will use this report in the later briefing.”

With the final report concluded, the man recording the meeting finished operating his computer.

Just as the briefing seemed about to end, a man’s voice raised a question.

“Ah, could I speak with the Japanese branch for a moment?”

“What is it?”

Responding without falter, Amakusa Sensei naturally listened to the man’s question.

“Is this the end of the report for the Japanese branch?”

“Yes, it is. Why do you ask?”

The man, sweating on his forehead, looked displeased.

“Well, I believe there’s still something left, mainly regarding another member of the Japanese branch…”

“Are you referring to Ogino Hiroki?”

“Yes, about him.”

“There’s nothing to report.”

With that, everyone but Shiori widened their eyes.

Amakusa Sensei continued speaking as Shiori let out a small sigh.

“After returning to the hotel with us, he complained of exhaustion, so we rested him. Considering his condition, we decided to postpone his report.”

Hearing the calm explanation, the teachers began to show signs of agitation.

Then, another person raised a question.

“However, we would like to request the sharing of the recording media embedded in his combat uniform.”

Demands rose among unsettled voices.

The recording media was a device equipped in the combat uniforms provided by the Combat School, containing a small camera and a recorder.

The embedded program was designed like a black box, requiring submission to each branch’s analysis team for playback.

Naturally, the recording media was also attached to Shiori’s combat uniform, which she had removed and securely stored the previous night.

Although the briefing could have utilized the data, it was compiled solely based on student information.

Currently, everyone was convinced that Amakusa Ai held Hiroki’s recording data.

They sought Hiroki’s record, which contained events leading up to his appearance before the students.

Desiring Hiroki’s information, they were determined to bring back his data to their countries at all costs.

However, their demands could never be fulfilled.

“There is none. His combat uniform did not include a recording media.”

“What!?”

The man who made the request was left speechless, as were all others.

“Why didn’t his uniform include a recording media?”

“It was the decision of our principal.”

“Why would such a decision be made?”

As questions continued to rise, Amakusa Sensei recalled a conversation with the principal from the day before their departure.

“Amakusa Sensei, the combat uniform prepared for Hiroki-kun this time does not include a recording media.”

“And why is that? His records are valuable.”

“He doesn’t want his abilities to be known to others. Even if we secretly added it, it would be discovered. We don’t want to anger him further.”

“I see.”

“And if he wishes to conceal his power, removing the recording media and isolating him from the team should allow him to utilize his abilities fully.”

With questions still rising, Amakusa Sensei stood up.

“May we continue this discussion in a later briefing? Our flight time is approaching.”

This marked the end of the questioning, leaving behind a room filled with teachers turning pale.

Naturally, they would return to their branches, facing internal briefings.

What awaited them was the reaction to not bringing back valuable information.

“Wait, please.”

“Excuse us. Let’s go, Shiori-chan.”

Amakusa Sensei ignored the incomplete protest and urged her students to prepare for leaving.

Amakusa Sensei exited first as they approached the door, saying, “Excuse us.”

Then,

“To all the teachers of each branch,”

The student, Shiori, whose expression had not changed except for her eyes, looked around at the teachers and spoke.

“Do you remember the attitude you first showed towards Hiroki?”

Hearing her words, some began to tremble slightly.

“That’s all I wanted to say. Excuse us.”

With that, Himeji Shiori followed her teacher and exited.

◆

“A blended coffee, one, please.”

In a cafe adorned with shades of black and brown.

Hiroki received a white cup on a tray and placed it on a round table by the window.

Two hours had passed since he started wandering around the airport.

After browsing through bookstores and various stores, he decided to take a break in the cafe.

(“I have too much time on my hands…”)

Feeling dissatisfied with the time he had, he sipped from the cup, letting the faint bitterness spread throughout his mouth.

He put the cup back on the saucer, pondering ways to alleviate his discontent.

Surrounded by conversations in languages he didn’t know, Hiroki removed his smartphone from his pocket and deftly opened an app.

A sweet song played as five girls, set against a school backdrop, smiled at him.

“My girlfriend is only this girl.”

He considered spending the remaining time on the app he hadn’t opened.

But,

“Loading♡”

And then,

“Oops, something went wrong. Try again!”

Upon checking again, he realized that this wasn’t Japan.

Meaning the app wouldn’t work.

After a long sigh, he placed the dark-screened smartphone on the table.

“I thought I’d meet El after such a long time.”

He muttered the name of his favorite heroine, reaching out his right hand to take the cup again.

“El… who?”

“Huh?”

Hiroki didn’t take the cup but turned towards the source of the voice.

And,

“…Shiori.”

“Yeah.”