Chapter 83 The One Who Burns with Anger
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
”Still, this is rare, Tatara. You asking me for a favor is one thing, but offering a reward that isn’t material—that’s even stranger.”
”Well, I don’t usually make requests at all,” I replied.
Between the end of homeroom and the start of first period, that idiot slid into the seat beside me and said that. Normally, if it’s a dungeon job, I’d just go myself rather than rely on someone else. But this time is different.
I lack talent with the sword. Even if I acquire the Sword Aptitude skill, I can’t grasp or explain the deeper principles behind katana technique. That’s why someone with real talent must establish those principles and pass them down. Sword Aptitude might help a bit, but if you lean on a skill, your technique never matures—and that defeats the purpose.
Like how my own Crafting or Appraisal skills grew only because I cultivated the groundwork myself. Without that, when the war predicted by the original story finally begins, this city will suffer huge losses. The non-aggression treaty formed a century ago could easily crumble as generations change.
Back then, dungeon outbreaks overlapped with the wars, so open conflict never became the main issue—but next time might not be so convenient. In the original timeline, the war happened without any dungeon surges. But who’s to say this world will follow the same rules?
The deepest dungeon in Whirlwind—the Cavern of Eternal Night—was created by some being that still remains at its core. Now, it’s all automated; even if that being is slain, the dungeon itself won’t disappear.
If the “existence” Chef mentioned really refers to that dungeon master, then I already know its stats and combat skills. But would an Archangel truly fail to destroy something of that level, resorting only to sealing it away again and again?
Maybe there’s something hidden in the Cavern of Eternal Night—something even I don’t know about. It might tie to the seventy-two Demon Lords that never appeared in the final work, or to the very beginning of this world itself.
To find out, I have to dive deep. Raise my strength and Ethelena’s. And defeat whatever lies waiting—be it the dungeon master or something far beyond that.
”I’ve been repairing your sword and experimenting with designs that suit your quirks,” he said suddenly.
”Oh? The single-edged straight sword, right? That was a good example.”
”Yeah, but its thin blade doesn’t fit your defensive, flowing style. It’s meant for swift, lethal strikes—using the edge’s thinness to slice through vital points.”
I couldn’t help but smile as he nodded, pleased that he’d reached that conclusion on his own.
”The katana I asked you to forge, Hizuru-style, is different,” I explained. “Its curve holds both offense and defense.”
”Ah, right—so the curve channels force, letting it glide through like a knife. That’s the idea?”
”Exactly. The blade’s delicate, but a master’s katana can cut endlessly without dulling.”
”No kidding? If I don’t have to worry about fat or blood dulling it, that’s damn useful!”
”Provided you master it first.”
It’s the same everywhere—true mastery takes time.
Even in this world blessed with skills, talent still creates a gap. Repeated training becomes real strength; it’s what makes this world oddly realistic despite its system-driven nature.
”This time I forged the katana from pure steel,” I added. “Someday I’ll try using Magic Metal, but I’m not sure it’ll be worth the cost.”
”Hey, don’t say things that make me nervous.”
In my past life, katanas were sharp but fragile. Blood and bone dulled them quickly—after three kills, people said they were no better than iron rods. I don’t know how those limits apply here. Worst case, I might need to enhance the weapon magically or make it specialized against certain foes.
A katana that drinks blood… yeah, that would be a true demon blade. And I could probably make it. If I carve spell formulas into the core iron and edge, it could absorb the enemy’s mana with every strike, sharpening itself mid-battle.
”Whether the katana spreads in Whirlwind depends on you,” I told him. “I’m counting on you.”
”Man, that’s a lot of pressure.”
”That’s part of the job. And just so you know, that katana would fetch a fortune among collectors on the other side.”
”What? Seriously?”
Maybe calling one of the high nobles’ wives—a protector of the imperial capital’s four gates—a “collector” is a bit disrespectful.
But since I’m still unknown over there, anyone paying tens of thousands for my work must have the mind of an enthusiast. Even if it becomes a collector’s item later, the price is still outrageous.
”Besides,” I continued, “Whirlwind adventurers often complain their weapons are too heavy or don’t fit their fighting style. The katana isn’t exactly light, but its slicing motion might suit some of them.”
”Yeah, yeah. You just keep looking out for the explorers, alright?”
”Hey, don’t say it like that.”
”Come on—you don’t even notice the sword genius sitting right next to you,” I teased.
”…Sword genius? Near me?”
The only person that came to mind was Yohira. But in terms of pure talent, the idiot in front of me might actually be superior.
”I mean, sure, there’s someone I live with who uses a katana,” I said. “But talent-wise, you’re still ahead.”
”I don’t know who you’re comparing me to,” he said, “but I’m talking about Ethelena.”
”…Ethelena?”
Ethelena, a sword genius? I couldn’t quite picture it—but maybe he was right.
”I get that Tatara made that gun for her,” he said. “She was too weak to handle our swords back then. But now she’s stronger, right? If she picks up the right skill, she’ll grow fast.”
”…”
It was true.
I built Lonisera because Ethelena lacked the strength for close combat. Back then, I didn’t have the technology to create a mana blade like Dahlia’s current sword, so I made an Arcane Gun that fired mana bullets instead.
He was talking about what he’d seen during training—scenes I’d never witnessed myself. That kind of information was precious.
Ethelena had followed the path I set, but maybe I’d been blind to her real potential. If so, I might have been holding her back all along.
”Well, sword talent aside, there’s no one now who can beat Ethelena if she fights with everything she has,” he said.
”…You mean, using Sex Sorcery?”
”Correct. Remember those thugs who once picked a fight with me? They went after Ethelena next. She snapped, used Energy Drain to suck out all their HP, and then pressed her gun to one guy’s forehead.”
”…You never told me that.”
”She didn’t talk about it herself, so I figured it wasn’t my place to bring it up. Besides, if you’d found out and lost your temper too, the whole academy might’ve ended up a smoking crater.”
”…It’s not like I couldn’t do it. But do people really think I would?”
Honestly, I almost did once—back when I suspected she’d picked up those dirty words at the academy. I seriously considered blowing the place sky-high.
Luckily, I learned she’d gotten that vocabulary from my father’s study, so I stopped myself. Now, if I wanted someone gone, I could just use Genbu’s artillery and erase them precisely.
”Wait, hold on—you got harassed too?”
”I’m still the top student here, remember?”
”Oh, right. Though you lose to me in the written exams.”
”Honestly, I’d worry about the sanity of anyone who could beat you in theory while majoring in crafting.”
Well, to be fair, I’ve been walking a path far removed from the academy’s curriculum anyway. The City Mayor—yes, her—issued a ban on mithril and orichalcum during my studies, which means my results never look flashy.
While other students cheer about gaining new skill ranks and finally being able to process magic metals, I’ve been teaching my two juniors how to craft using my own methods. It’s rewarding, but it sure doesn’t show up on the grade sheets.
”So, Tatara,” he said suddenly, “you can process mithril, right?”
”Yeah. Even before enrolling, I could work mithril and orichalcum. But the Mayor stopped me, so I entered the academy making steel blades instead.”
”That… makes zero sense. Wait, so you’re still not allowed?”
”She’s still forbidding it. Within the academy, it’s banned.”
His face softened a bit—sympathetic, maybe.
He probably thinks it’s painful not being able to use my full power. He’s not wrong.
”Still, second overall in the rankings,” he said.
”In crafting, I’m right in the middle. But it’s funny how everyone who ranks below me in theory keeps laughing about it.”
”I’d say it’s scarier that you’ve been acing almost every test since you got here.”
”I can handle numbers. It’s history that drags me down.”
”Yeah, that subject’s brutal.”
In this world, even the youngest nations have at least three hundred years of history. Add countless races and religions, and suddenly there’s an endless list of conflicts to memorize—who persecuted who, which sect split where, what alliances broke down. Basic education only covered our own empire and current emperor, but higher studies throw in foreign histories too, making it absurdly difficult.
I manage thanks to my past life’s cram-school habits, but honestly? It’s the subject I hate most. Getting only two questions wrong last time was half luck.
In a few years, they’ll probably add Hizuru’s history too. When that happens, I might barely hold my score.
”…Ah, looks like the teacher’s coming.”
We stopped talking as the instructor entered. The next period was dungeon studies—a class about the fundamentals of dungeon ecology and exploration. The idiot beside me excelled at this, ranking in the top three.
Ethelena, thanks to my lessons and Baral-san’s prep work, usually ranked top five. As for me, I stayed first overall, combining my past life’s knowledge with my parents’ exploration journals. Occasionally I’d miss a few questions, since the test content didn’t always match real data.
Incidentally, one of those “wrong” answers turned out to be right later—when we faced that exact situation in the field. The teacher who made that question… yeah, they should’ve gone back into the dungeon themselves.
Apparently, some students got hurt because of that misinformation, and the teacher was suspended. I don’t know the details, but I never saw them again afterward. Thinking about that, I focused back on the lesson as time quietly passed.
Then, as we switched classes—
”Hey, Tatara!”
”Hmm? What is it?”
Just before heading to our specialization class, the idiot called out again. What now?
”I’ll take your request,” he said, “but when do we start? I’d rather begin soon.”
”Let’s see… can you stay after class today? I’ll need you for a bit before I head out.”
”Sure. I was planning to dive into a dungeon anyway, so I’ve got time.”
”Perfect. Then, you can join me for a talk with the one involved. Ethelena’s coming to meet me before we go.”
”…Wait, you’re going dungeon diving? With her?”
Maybe he’d expected a knight or something instead. Not that I can blame him.
Hinagiku-san’s usually free these days, so she’ll probably agree to help too. And if not, maybe Yohira or that sly fox girl could teach the basics. That fox definitely has some proper training—something beyond ninjutsu.
She called her teacher “old man,” so he must’ve looked after her well. If he didn’t teach her blacksmithing, then at least he would’ve taught her swordplay to defend herself. That’s just the kind of man he was.
Thinking that, I parted ways with the idiot and headed into my workshop.
From my inventory, I pulled out a metal plate engraved with a magic circle and placed it on the workbench. It was used to crush mana stones into their smallest units, a step needed for producing artificial orichalcum.
Today, I planned to teach my two juniors how to create that circle. They’d been practicing hard lately—Shamir’s probably got a fifty-percent success rate producing demonsteel by now, and Est should be matching that with shape-memory alloys. Even if not, giving them a new challenge would keep their spirits high.
I was looking forward to it, but when the two entered, their faces were…
different. Grim, tense, like they’d bitten into something sour.
”…Senpai, today—”
”—Today, um, Senpai…”
”Hey, you two. What’s wrong? You look like you’re about to explode from pure anger.”
As soon as I asked, someone else walked in behind them—without permission. Who the hell was that?
”Oh, pardon the intrusion~ ♪”
A girl’s voice—sweet, too sweet. The kind that instantly rubbed me the wrong way. First of all, the perfume—way too strong. What kind of lunatic wears that in a forge?
When you’re heating steel, scent is part of the process. You judge metal by its color, sound, and even smell. Wearing perfume just kills that instinct. And don’t get me started on her hands—those nails were glossy, decorated, completely useless for gripping a hammer properly.
Then there was her outfit: ribbons, frills, platform shoes.
In a workshop. Was she planning to die here?
”…Alright,” I said flatly. “You two—explain.”
My voice dropped to ice, and both Shamir and Est visibly flinched. They were not disappointed—far from it—but if trouble had found them, I would protect them with everything I had.
If these two are to carry part of Whirlwind’s future, then nothing can be allowed to harm them. I must do whatever it takes to keep them safe.
”Um… this is—” Shamir began.
”Aah, how mean~ Call me Torika, Est-kun! Call me Torika!” the girl sang, overly sweet.
”…This Torika is one of our classmates,” Est said, forcing the words out. “She followed us, saying she’s interested in crafting.”
I’d never seen Shamir look so dead inside.
Both of them acted like she was the most annoying thing alive. That made it clear: they truly hated her.
”Nice to meet you, I’m Torika♪ Let’s be friends, okay? ♡” she chimed, grinning.
Nope. I felt nothing but visceral disgust.
”Listen, you two know the school rules, right?”
”Yes…”
”Workshops are open for tour at first, but transfers or joining another workshop midway are not allowed.”
”…Yes.”
”So why are you in my workshop?”
”Aah~ Senpai, you’re so mean~”
Her voice made my head hurt.
Look at my juniors’ faces—right when she opened her mouth, they looked like they’d been stabbed by a headache. And don’t even try to mess with people’s minds—this is low-rank Sex Sorcery, a parasitic circle-crusher.
”These are rules. They apply even inside school. Break them, and there are punishments.”
”That’s not fair~”
”Shut your mouth if you make me sick. And if you can’t control your Sex Sorcery, don’t use it. It makes me want to throw up.”
Ethelena is a succubus. Yet she’s never once used Sex Sorcery to make someone act without their consent. People come to her because of her looks and presence, not a spell.
I’d heard from an archangel once that any succubus who fully controls Sex Sorcery is terrifyingly powerful. Ethelena had full control the moment she got the skill. I could only guess how much raw talent she had.
”Senpai, um—” Est tried to speak.
I reflexively used Appraisal, and sure enough, they were in a charm state.
That dog. I really wanted to cut her down.
”Est, Shamir. If you’re feeling unwell, skip class and go home.”
”But we still need to learn your techniques—”
”Do you think my techniques are simple enough to learn while sick?” I snapped.
”…No. It’s impossible. Lately my demonsteel won’t form right, and my shape memory alloy keeps failing. I wanted to ask for help…”
Est sounded like he might break if he kept speaking. Shamir had tears welling while she tried to form her words.
My anger rose.
Someone had tried to steal my disciples’ future. Slowly, I turned my stinking gaze toward the pest.
”Oi,” I said.
”Yesss♪ What is it~?” she sang, all sugary.
”Get out now. Or I’ll kill you.”
I marked her as an enemy. I measured the difference in strength.
They’d dived in dungeons enough, but their levels and stats were low—kids still in basic schooling. Their speed was a little above average, but not half of mine. They relied on Sex Sorcery, a parasitic charm technique.
”Senpai’s so mean~ But pleeeeease~” she cooed, trying the charm again.
It did nothing.
I’m used to Ethelena, so this shallow mind interference barely tickled me. If anything, it made me angry.
Get out. Now.
My voice trembled with fury. Murderous intent welled up inside me like a tide.
The command echoed from deep in my chest: eliminate the enemy before me. It was unbearable that some worthless insect could threaten the future of my disciples and sully the sanctity of our workshop.
”Heh. Senpai’s such a tough crafter. Scary words don’t scare me♡” she mocked.
”Good. Then die.”
I grabbed the girl’s neck and slammed her into the workshop wall.
It was a quick, merciless move that left no time for reaction. I kept hold of her and lifted her while grinding her back along the wall.
”You tried to invade my disciples’ hearts. You trod in with filth on the holy ground my crafters protect. You made me angry—three strikes, you’re out. Go change your next life.” My voice cut like iron.
She wriggled and screamed, but her physical attacks were too weak to harm even my skin.
How dare such a weak creature try to ruin my future successors? Unforgivable.
”Julon, here—what are you doing!?” a voice shouted.
A teacher burst into the workshop, then another voice barked, “Hey, Julon! Let go of that hand!!”
It looked like the teacher had tried to intervene, but apparently my status outranked them.
”Shut up, you incompetent. This trash used Sex Sorcery to charm my juniors and barged into my workshop without permission! Do you know how unforgivable that is!” I snapped.
”What’s the big deal about being in a workshop—” the teacher began.
”So you’re on their side, then? Useless.” My mind went sharp and cruel.
Then the action happened fast. I shook the incompetent teacher off the wall, grabbed his face, and hurled him into the opposite wall.
He hit hard and slumped. I then threw the girl into him; both crashed together and didn’t move.
I reached for a baton, planning to end them both here and now. At that instant, someone shoved into my back—a sudden pressure at my waist.
”…What are you doing, Senpai? Please stop,” Shamir cried.
”Please don’t—if you do that, you’ll be expelled from the academy. I beg you, stop,” Est pleaded.
They clung to me, but their strength couldn’t physically restrain me. I couldn’t understand why they would block me.
They weren’t trying to save the attackers.
They were worried for my future—my status in the school. How devoted they were.
”Torika messed with our heads. We feel twisted and uncomfortable. But—” Shamir choked out.
”We don’t want to lose the chance to learn from you, Senpai. We still need to train,” Est said, voice shaking.
Their pleas reached me—not because they were charmed, but because they’d fought against the charm and still begged me to stop. If they wanted to keep learning, I had no right to ruin that.
”…Fine. If you two still want to learn from me, I will hold back,” I said, drawing in a deep breath and forcing my anger down.
”Thank you, Senpai,” Est whispered.
”Thank you. Really, thank you, Senpai,” Shamir sobbed.
Their near-tears and gratitude hit me like a warm weight. I was truly glad they chose to come to me.
”Guh—Ugh… Julon, you bastard!!” the girl screamed, voice full of fury as I let go and stepped back.
The teacher—apparently still alive—groaned and stirred.
Some people never learn. Did he really think a crafter whose workshop and disciples had just been violated could calm down easily?
”Hey, idiot,” I said coldly. “Let me tell you one thing.”
”What did you call me, delinquent!?”
”My disciples are under the City Mayor’s protection, and I’m the next Chief Crafter. If you want to defend the girl who used Charm on them, you’d better be ready to face the consequences.”
”…What?”
Fine, if he insisted on playing the teacher, I’d remind him what power really meant. I wasn’t bluffing.
My two disciples each held patents in their names—more than anyone else in this city—and both were under the Mayor’s direct patronage. Their importance wasn’t a secret; threatening them meant threatening the future of Whirlwind itself. And anyone who dared to oppose the one protecting them would become an enemy of this city.
”You—you’re the next Chief Crafter…?” he stammered.
”What, the head teacher or the principal didn’t tell you? Or maybe even the City Mayor kept it from you?”
”That’s impossible… you’re still a student!”
”Then you didn’t know the so-called student here holds the highest number of patents in the entire city? If you can’t even grasp that, why are you teaching at a higher academy?”
He still didn’t seem to get it. Maybe they’d kept the information confidential.
Still, it was pathetic. In this city, anyone who underestimates a holder of technology is playing with fire.
”It’s just a little Charm—” he tried weakly.
”A little Charm?” I cut in sharply. “You’re defending someone who tried to charm inventors holding unreproducible technology, and you call it ‘just’? Are you out of your mind?”
If this had been royalty or nobility, it would’ve been considered an attempted coup—execution by public hanging, the whole family included.
Even a child capable of Charm magic could be imprisoned. There are no juvenile protections here.
”Even in this academy, which trains those who may one day lead the Central Administration, do you really think Charm isn’t a crime?” I asked.
This academy also accepted children of lesser nobles. Letting someone run around using Charm freely here would be a disaster waiting to happen.
”Then what about Baral, the girl living in your house!?” he shot back. “She’s a succubus—don’t tell me she doesn’t use Charm too!”
”…Do you even know when Ethelena obtained Sex Sorcery?”
”What? She’s a succubus! She’s had it since birth!”
”She’s half succubus, half demon. She didn’t have Sex Sorcery innately. She acquired it about a month ago.”
”…What?”
”I said, she only got it a month ago. Tell me—have you ever seen her use Charm since then? Before or after? She gets the same stares as always, doesn’t she?”
Ethelena used Sex Sorcery mainly to supply mana to Lonisera through Energy Drain, not for seduction. She hadn’t even realized the convenience of Charm until I explained it to her. And when that goblin grabbed her in battle, her reaction was no different from any other female explorer’s.
She only uses it deliberately, when absolutely necessary. That level of control is mastery. Being a succubus isn’t an excuse.
”If you’d read the academy’s entry guide properly, you’d know,” I continued. “Anyone—human or half-blood—who possesses Sex Sorcery is required to control it and forbidden from using Charm on students or staff. And it’s the teacher’s job to enforce that rule.”
The color drained from his face. Maybe he finally understood the scale of his mistake.
”I… I—” he stammered.
”You what?” I asked, narrowing my eyes.
Wait. Was this fool under Charm too? Teachers are supposed to have resistance skills or carry protective equipment.
Just to check, I cast Appraisal—and sure enough, he was charmed. Unbelievable. What kind of staff training does this academy have?
While I was thinking that, more teachers and students gathered around.
”Help! Please help!” the teacher screamed. “Julon just attacked out of nowhere!”
I shouted over him before his lies spread. “Those two and that teacher are under Charm!
The one by the wall is using Sex Sorcery! Anyone without resistance, stay back!”
My shout drowned his. Some staff immediately pulled away—probably to fetch a dispel item or someone with a purification skill.
Then the girl on the wall stirred.
She’d recovered faster than expected. I’d taken too long arguing.
”Ow—what the hell is your problem!” she snapped.
”Oh? Looks like your mask’s slipping. Want to show everyone your real face now?” I said, smirking.
Her glare burned with hatred. Around us, students and teachers watched in stunned silence as she lost her composure.
”Don’t look down on me, crafter trash!”
”Big talk for someone who can’t even forge a nail,” I said evenly. “No Crafting skill, huh? What, you here to steal my techniques?”
That was probably the truth. She must’ve come to steal my and my disciples’ methods.
Too bad for her, my techniques were already public. The only things I taught personally were demonsteel and shape-memory alloy creation—both required understanding Concept Appraisal first. Without that foundation, she couldn’t replicate anything.
”How arrogant… become my doll!” she screamed.
”She’s casting Charm!” I barked. “Anyone without resistance, back off!”
I kept Concept Appraisal trained on her and watched her mana twist into a spell pattern.
I recognized the structure—it was Charm. I warned the others, but I was a second too late.
Several nearby students froze mid-motion. I scanned them quickly with Appraisal—all of them charmed.
She’d used it on a wide scale this time. That settled it. She couldn’t stay in this academy.
”Heh-heh-heh! Yes! This is my power!” she shrieked. “Hurt that man, my slaves!”
Some of the students obeyed, eyes blank, moving toward me. The teachers who had resistance gear were unaffected, but most of the students weren’t so lucky.
Their levels were low; if I hit them too hard to break the spell, I might kill them. At least Shamir and Est weren’t moving—that alone was a relief.
Even though their attacks couldn’t hurt me, I couldn’t strike back without risking serious harm. The girl grinned, smug in her illusion of control.
I was deciding how to deal with this when I heard a faint fluttering—wings. There were a few who could fly through the academy this fast, but only one would come here for me.
My dearest, my strongest ally—Ethelena—was flying straight toward us.
”Don’t move!!” her voice rang through the hall. In an instant, every student under the Charm froze. She’d overridden the enemy’s magic with her own domination—a feat that should’ve been impossible.
The chaos stilled.
Students subdued, the few teachers who had tried to restrain them stared in shock. No one had ever seen something like that before.
”Tatara! Are you hurt!?” she cried, landing gracefully beside me.
”I’m fine,” I said, brushing off the dust. “She was weak.”
Ethelena’s worried hands brushed along my arms and chest, checking for wounds.
I smiled wryly, but my eyes stayed locked on our opponent. The girl looked completely lost, as if her perfect confidence in Sex Sorcery had just shattered.
”Wha—why… why aren’t they listening to me!?” she shrieked.
”Because someone stronger has taken control, idiot. Try using your head.”
She froze, then clawed at her hair.
”No, no! That’s not possible! I’m a princess! Why won’t they obey!?”
Pathetic.
She’d probably lived her whole life manipulating people with Charm—never learning how to exist without it. Now that it didn’t work, she was throwing a tantrum.
”Enough,” I said coldly. “Stop whining just because reality didn’t go your way. You sound like a child.”
”Shut up! Shut up! What do you kn—”
”Enough. Be silent.”
I used Sex Sorcery to impose my own mental command. She barely resisted before collapsing to her knees, body limp, eyes unfocused.
”Why did you charm my juniors and invade my workshop?” I demanded.
”…I wanted to make expensive items and sell them,” she murmured.
”Was someone behind this, or was it your own idea?”
”…My own.”
”Why target Shamir and Est?”
”…They looked easy.”
Unbelievable.
My disciples had been endangered, our lesson ruined, all for such a stupid reason. I almost told her to end herself right there.
”Julon,” said one of the teachers—the one I’d made armor for once. “We need to know if there are more victims. Help us with the questioning.”
”…Fine.”
He was serious, so I agreed. Let’s see how many more people this girl had hurt.
The interrogation took about thirty minutes. She had plenty of prior offenses—scamming individual crafters, stealing materials, manipulating others.
It blew up into a full-scale case involving the vigilante corps, the Judicial Department, and even the merchant guild. I saved her testimony in a memory crystal and handed it to the investigators. They said they might call me later for follow-up, though they sounded hesitant—maybe the “next Chief Crafter” title made them nervous.
”…Tatara,” my idiot friend said when I rejoined them, “maybe you should get a cleansing done at the church or something?”
”I doubt it’s that bad.”
”I think you should,” Ethelena said. “You’ve definitely been cursed at least once.”
”Yeah,” he nodded, “you’re definitely cursed.”
I sighed. Maybe they were right—but if I really needed purification, I’d go all the way to Hizuru for a proper shrine ritual.
”When Ethelena suddenly flew out of class, the whole room went wild,” my friend said.
”Come to think of it,” I asked, “how did you even know to come? From the training grounds, you shouldn’t have sensed anything.”
She blinked.
”I just… felt like you were in danger.”
”What the hell does that even mean,” we both said at once.
”Love’s bond, maybe?” my friend joked.
”Oh, I like that one!” she said cheerfully.
”…Love is terrifying,” I muttered. A little flattering, maybe—but terrifying.
As we left the academy, our usual group was waiting.
Hinagiku-san was there, dressed properly in Tengu equipment. Both Ethelena and I let out a quiet breath of relief.
”Why do you two look so relieved?” my friend asked.
”No reason,” we said in unison.
We didn’t have the heart to tell him that Hinagiku’s off-duty self was…
less dignified. Best to preserve her image.
”Good work at your studies!” Yohira said brightly.
We each replied in our own way, and I introduced my friend to them.
”This guy’s my childhood friend. You could call him my best friend.”
”Yeah! I’m Tatara’s best friend—good to meet you all!”
Yohira, Dahlia, and Hinagiku-san each greeted him in turn. Then I turned to Hinagiku-san.
”I have a favor to ask,” I said.
”Oh? Of me?” she asked, tilting her head.
”Yes. I’d like you to teach this guy the basics of katana technique.”
She thought for a moment, then nodded.
”Very well. I can begin tomorrow.”
”For real!? Thank you so much!” my friend said before I could.
He really was easy to please. I’d have to get wooden and practice katanas ready.
”Hmm, but how will I afford this?” he asked, scratching his head.
”I’ll pay. Call it a commission. Thirty thousand a day.”
”That’s too much.”
”Think of it as cultural exchange between Whirlwind and Hizuru. Teaching the style—and raising someone who’ll pass it on—is more than worth the cost.”
”…Tatara, you really are one of the leaders, huh?”
”What are you talking about,” I said, half-laughing.
Covering his training expenses was the least I could do. I didn’t know how long it’d take him to learn, but I could handle the cost—and maybe throw in meals too.
”Well then,” he said, bowing slightly, “looking forward to working with you, Hinagiku-sensei!”
”Likewise,” she replied, smiling faintly. “I intend to be strict, so keep up.”
Notes:
• Yohira – Torakuma’s first name.
• Dahlia – The automaton.
• Hinagiku – A tengu woman as Ranka’s potential companion. She stays with Tatara’s group after travels. Joins household scenes only. Linked to Ranka by shared gluttony jokes. No direct tie to Tatara beyond cohabitation. Cheerful eater.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
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