Chou! Isekai Gakkyuu!! Chapter 3

It seems that my silver haired cla.s.smate, Aisha Gregson, was born into a knight’s family with ancient and honorable origins.

In her world she performed splendidly as a woman knight, to the point that, despite her youth, she became the Cavalry Battalion Chief. I don’t really understand the specifics, but I could vaguely get that she was in an important position.

She pledged allegiance to the king of her country, and it seems that when it was decided that she would come to this world she accepted the direct command from the head of her family without any hesitation. By the way, before we realised it, because she is a knight, she received the unimaginative nickname Kiss.h.i.+ in Itoku. (Knight in j.a.panese is Kis.h.i.+, so Kiss.h.i.+.

And… perhaps because of her birthplace, or maybe it was just her own nature, I don’t know, but Kiss.h.i.+ was really diligent.

What’s more she was straight-laced, and it was as if she didn't know what the word flexible meant. She wouldn’t permit twisted things, and will punish bad peeople. Always dignified and gallant, she would never show any weakness.

“Ragnia, you b.a.s.t.a.r.d!”

So that might be the reason why she is particularly on bad terms with the dragon of our cla.s.s… with Ragnia, and they always argue.

“You were smoking behind the school again! Cigarette ends were found there!”

Shouted Kiss.h.i.+, thrusting her finger towards Ragnia.

“Aah?… Ah, my bad. Thought I got them all. I was careless.”

Replied Ragnia as if he just remembered it while being sat lazily on his seat.

“That’s not it! No, that's it a little, but after saying many times to not smoke at school you should understand, no!? Because of you, the impression of everyone in Itoku is worsening!”

“Blah blah blah you’re annoying,” Being harshly reprimanded by Kiss.h.i.+, Ragnia frowned. “Even if I look like this, I lived for a few hundred years. In this world I’m already an adult.”

“But you still look like a high school student! Don’t you know the proverb from this world ‘nothing ventured, nothing gained’!?”

At that instant, the cla.s.sroom fell silent.

“… Should be ‘when in Rome, do as the Romans do’ in this case, no?”

I muttered, watching on from my seat. Thereupon, the beast girl with cat hears on her head sitting on the desk next to me, Mii, put her finger in front of her lips.

“Shh! She said it with such vigour, you shouldn’t point it out. She still isn’t used to this world's language, so it can’t be helped.”

I guess she’s right. Thank goodness I didn’t say too much.

While I was reflecting, Kiss.h.i.+’s visage was becoming redder by the second. Seems like she noticed her mistake.

“I-it’s alright, Kiss.h.i.+. Everyone makes mistakes.”

“That’s right. If you worry about each one, there won’t be a end, nyan!”

I tried to cheer her with Mii, but Kiss.h.i.+ was already red to the point of boiling.

“You… You b.a.s.t.a.r.d, Ragnia! It’s your fault!”

“It ain’t! It was totally your own mistake!”

It was a fair argument, so she didn’t have anything to retort with.

“A-a-anyhow! From now on, smoking at school is prohibited! Do not forget we are all carrying an important responsibility from each world!”

“Uh oh. So noisy. If you’re like that, there ain’t a guy who will take you as his wife.”

Plugging his ears, Ragnia said a sharp parting remark and left the cla.s.sroom.

“W-Wife! d.a.m.n… it, I won’t become such a thing! I am devoting all my life to the sword! I live without irrelevant things like love affairs! Hey, are you listening to me, Ragnia!?”

“He already left.”

Pointed out the small girl with smooth hair and twisted horns similar to a goat, Mao, as she was drawing in her seat, diagonally behind me.

After trembling a little, Kiss.h.i.+ sheathed her sword, then saying “Y-you! You b.a.s.t.a.r.d!” she stamped her feet, partly venting her anger.

“Now, now, Kiss.h.i.+, calm down.”

“That’s right. You’re messing your cute face.”

Unable to just watch, the other female students tried to soothe Kiss.h.i.+.

“C-cute? S-such word is… Such a word is!”

Kiss.h.i.+ shook her head while blus.h.i.+ng in shame once more, and the cla.s.smates sat on chairs near her saying “Now, now”.

“The sword is fine, but given that you were born as a girl, it’s a shame to not enjoy it once in a while, you now?”

“Yeah. You have such pretty hair, you should try to braid it like this.”

“Ah, nice idea. Then, let’s try makeup too.”

“W-what are you doing!? Stop!”

Kiss.h.i.+ tried to resist the girls who started to do as they pleased, but she couldn’t as they changed her hair style, put accessories on her, and in a flash she became more feminine.

“Look, you became beautiful. What a waste. If only you were always like this.”

“You might even be popular with the boys.”

Certainly, I can agree.

Usually, she only showed her relatively rough side, so to change and have a girlish appearance, how to say it… My heart raced because of the gap.

“… W-what are you looking at, Mamoru!”

Ah, she noticed that I secretly observed her.

“No, my bad. How to say it, I thought that you looked nice like this too.”

I confessed honestly. Thereupon, Kiss.h.i.+ flushed red right to her ears.

Hanging her head while trembling, she said in a stifled voice.

“I will… kill you…!”

“Why!? I pretty much praised you!”

“S-shut up! I am a knight. I am not happy to be told such a thing! It’s similar to an insult!”

Kiss.h.i.+ stood up with a clatter and glared at me.

“Listen. From now on you are prohibited to call me c-cute or anything like that! Understood!? If you do it, I will, uh, c-cut you! Into little pieces!”

She drew her sword with her free hand, and thrust its point at me.

“G-got it, I got it! It’s prohibited to take out blades in the cla.s.sroom!”

There is a greater reason than smoking that Itoku is treated as a dangerous element!

“… If you understood, then fine. I-I will go out for a little while!”

She re-sheathed her sword in its scabbard, and as if to shake off our cla.s.smates, Kiss.h.i.+ quickly walked outside.

“… She doesn’t bend herself, huh.”

I admired her, watching her retreating figure.

“It’s admirable to be this thorough. Though I still don’t really get what’s a knight. Only that they have that much pride.”

It’s a way of life impossible for me. It’s amazing.

“… Hmm. It'd be nice if that was the case.”

At that time. Mii said some kind of meaningful words, then she touched the tip of her forelock.

“What do you mean?”

“If Kiss.h.i.+, that girl is really thinking from the bottom of her heart that she wants to stick to the way of life of a knight, then she wouldn’t be agitated by little things like this, no? In my eyes, she’s forcing herself.”

“You mean she’s lying to herself?”

“Yeah. In short, it’s like you said. Perhaps, she’s hiding something terrible. Something like, she looks fastidious, but in truth she has an extravagant hedonistic lifestyle.”

“Of all things, don’t say something outrageous like that.”

There is no way that Kiss.h.i.+ would… While thinking that, I tried imagining her lewdly for a moment.

While being a reasonable knight at school, after school, to diffuse her uncontrollable s.e.xual desire, she would do manyーー No, stop. It’s, you know. It seems that my instinct as a boy is awakening. Let’s stop.

“Ah, just now, you thought about something indecent, right? Even though you’re the cla.s.s rep, it’s not good.”

Mii saw right through me.

“T-t-t-t-t-t-t-that’s, n-n-n-n-n-n-n-not, t-t-t-true!”

“You’re talking like a broken record, cla.s.s rep. You’re too easy to understand… Nh? I wonder what you imagined? Can you tell it to big sis, nya?”

“I-I didn’t! I didn’t imagine Kiss.h.i.+ looking at me with tempting eyes, swaying her hips lewdly on all four while taking off her clothes slowly, little by little, as though teasing me, or something like that!”

“You imagined it absurdly minutely! Even I didn’t think that far!”

Mii raised her voice, recoiling slightly. Thereupon.

“Question. What does hedonistic mean?”

Mao raised her childish face and entered the conversation. She was very curious.

“No, it’s fine for you to not care about it.”

“You have some nerve to leave me out. It is unforgivable. You shall teach me. You shall teach me.”

“When you’re a little more adult.”

“My existence has already surpa.s.sed hundreds of years!”

Ah, come to think of it, that’s right. This cla.s.s is really complex.

“To be hedonistic means that even for indecent things, you coolly…”

“Aaaaaah! Don’t tell her, Mii!”

Though it might be fine from an age perspective, it’s too dangerous ethically looking at her appearance!

“What, you cheapskate.” “Stingy.”

The two pouted, but for this alone, I won’t concede, as the cla.s.s representative.

“… Even so.”

I muttered my mind, looking where Kiss.h.i.+ left.

If for argument’s sake she has a secret, I wonder what it is?

And then, a few days later.

I bought bread and coffee for lunch at the school store, and was on my way back to Itoku’s cla.s.sroom while pinning down my empty stomach who was growling loudly.

Then, Kiss.h.i.+ quickly pa.s.sed before me.

“Oh, Kiss.h.i.+. You’re going somewhere?”

I called her out and she turned back, then the instant she confirmed who I was, she approached me with an amazing speed.

“Mamoru! In accordance with your personality as the cla.s.s representative, answer my question without stating any falsehood. Understood!?”

“Eh, huh, eh?”

“Is it fine or not, which is it!?”

Kiss.h.i.+, who was unusually fl.u.s.tered for some reason, grabbed my shoulders and shook me intensely.

“G-g-got it, I got it. What is it?”

Frowning at the situation which didn’t seem to be trivial, perhaps Kiss.h.i.+ finally regained her calm as she cleared her throat.

“Umm… This. Did a notebook around this size fall in this area?”

Asked Kiss.h.i.+ while making the shape with her fingers.

“Hmm? No, I don’t know. At least, I don’t think I saw it in the way I took.”

“… I see. I am sorry for coming at you so suddenly. You have my grat.i.tude. With this.”

“H-hey, wait a minute. What is it? Is it something important?”

Kiss.h.i.+ turned back and wanted to leave hurriedly, but she stopped her feet as I called her.

“Indeed. To me, it’s something more important than anything. Possibly equal to my knight way of life.”

“That much? It’s serious, then. If you like, should I help you search it?”

“ーYou cannot!”

Kiss.h.i.+ refused with a voice loud enough to startle. She turned back, approached me without hesitation, and at a distance where the tip of our noses were almost touching, she said.

“I am grateful to your good will. However, I beg you. If you happen to see it on your way, you should never touch it. I want you to only tell me where it is. Understood?”

“O… Ok. Doesn’t really bother me.”

With my heart beating fast because of the pretty visage close to me, I nodded.

“I am counting on you. With this, I am going.”

Facing forward once more, similar to when she noticed me, Kiss.h.i.+ ran away in a speed similar to a fired arrow.

“… What the heck just happened?”

Contrary to the usual her, it felt like she was fl.u.s.tered. It seems she lost something really important. But Kiss.h.i.+ still had the sword she inherited from her ancestors at her waist.

When she came to this world, she made a plea to be at least permitted to carry her sword, but she had something as important, or even more, than that?

I was told to not search it, so I can’t help her forcibly, but let’s be careful.

While thinking, I left the school building and began to walk towards the back yard.

It was a shortcut to go to Itoku’s cla.s.sroom.

It seems that Ragnia often hung out here, but right now there were only weeds swayed in the wind.

Feeling the uncomfortable damp and humid air, I advanced, but thenー.

I heard a little sound coming from my feet, and immediately after that something slid forward.

Wondering what it was, I approached and looked down.

There was a notebook in the bushes’ shade.

“… Hey. Could it be the thing that Kiss.h.i.+ was searching for?”

I picked it up and turned it over. There wasn't a name or anything on it.

Kiss.h.i.+ usually patrolled around here saying it’s maintaining the public order. It wouldn’t be weird if she dropped it here inadvertently.

Of course, I mustn't look into it, so I was about to try to hold it with my arm against my chest and deliver it to Kiss.h.i.+.

But, unfortunately, as I was still holding my bread and my coffee, it didn’t go smoothly and fell of my grip.

Whoops, then the moment I squatted ー a sudden gust of wind blew and the notebook opened.

After turning who knows how many blank pages, it stopped, and a string of words appeared before my eyes.

I thought it was a diary, but I was wrong. There were consecutive short sentences.

It started with the t.i.tle ー 『Twinkling Star in the Night Sky』.

『Twinkle, twinkle, twinkle twinkle, Star in the dark sky.
It’s such a lonely night. But because you are here, I’m not afraid.
But still, I’m sad. No matter how much I try to extend my arm,
No matter how much I leap and leap, I can never reach you.
I wished upon a shooting star, yet my wish was never granted.
You are so mean and nasty, Star.
I think it’s really unfair to only have the Moon by your side.
Just like the person I like.
No matter how much I think about him, there is always someone else by his side.
It’s unfair, awful, and sad.
My chest tightens and it aches.
This prayer is for you. I’m sure the Star will grant it this time.
Twinkle, twinkle, twinkle twinkle, please, hear me.
I want to become your Moon.
Star, I love yooou☆』

“……”

…….

“……”

…….

“… I saw something incredible…”

I didn’t see it. No, I shouldn’t have seen it. It was something that shouldn’t be seen.

I softly closed the cover. Let’s forget it. Let’s delete everything from my memory.

It was totally beyond any expectation. I thought she might hide something. But to be something like this. It shouldn’t have been something like this.

No, wait. Think a little. It’s not decided that this notebook is hers.

Yeah. Perhaps it’s someone else’s. I mean, it’s just too much of a gap… No, it’s not on the level of a gap. Something more than that ー Yeah, it’s a ravine.

“For now, I should take care of it…”

No matter whose it is, I don’t know what will happen if someone else saw it.

After making sure we can’t see what’s inside, let’s give it to Sensei.

I picked up the notebook and stood up.

“Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!”

Then, I heard a terrific scream who gave me goose b.u.mps on my back.

At the sensation I experienced for the first time in my life, I immediately turned and leapt back.

“Eek!?”

I unintentionally shrieked. A sword was piercing the place I was just a moment ago.

Before my eyes was Kiss.h.i.+, breathing heavily while glaring at me.

She had teary eyes, and her gaze was clearly loaded with killing intent.

“… You saw it…”

Said Kiss.h.i.+ with a deep and subdued voice.

“W-what could you possibly be talking about…?”

In front of such intensity, I unconsciously spoke really politely.

“Do not feign ignorance… You saw the contents of this notebook, right!?”

Kiss.h.i.+ nimbly raised and posture, then she thrust her sword.

“I-I-I-I didn’t see anything! Not even a little at all!”

“Lies! You just opened it right up, didn't you!? Y-you, you b.a.s.t.a.r.dー!”

“It’s a misunderstanding! This is, um, a misunderstanding I tell you! I never saw something like ‘twinkle Star’ or possibly, err, ‘I want to become the Moon’!”

“Yooooou baaaaaastaaaaard!”

“Uwaaaaaaaa, I saw iiiiiiit, I’m soooorryyy!”

I frantically escaped from Kiss.h.i.+ who was swinging her sword at me. So it was Kiss.h.i.+’s notebook after all.

“It was an accident! It was the wind’s fault! It wasn’t on purpose!”

“Such a thing no longer matters! Because you saw it I need to erase you! I have no choice but to do it! I must erase you!”

“No no no! You don’t need to be so embarra.s.sed! It was quite a nice song!”

I rea.s.sured Kiss.h.i.+ as I was sitting on the ground, cornered against the wall.

“… Really…?”

“Y-y-yeah, of course. Well, I was surprised that Kiss.h.i.+ had such good tastes. Ha, hahahaha. … Though, well, the ‘My chest tightens” part was a little…”

“Gyaaaaaaaaaa!”

I just barely dodged the sword swinging at me.

“Not bad, Mamoru… As you would expect from the cla.s.s president. It’s time for me to be serious.”

“No, call president isn’t a t.i.tle given to someone for his long military service! In fact, I’m a useless guy who always got a 2 in PE! So seriously, forgive me!”

“No, I won’t. I cannot let you live after seeing this…!”

“W-why!? True, it was unexpected, but it’s fine, I think it’s fine for everyone to have their own hobby…”

“…! It isn’t. I am from an ancient and honourable knight family. There were people from my family who served in the Imperial Guards of the king. If they knew that I did such a feminine thing as writing songs…!”

Kiss.h.i.+ clenched her teeth as her hands trembled.

“I tried to stop many times. I should not do something like this. It’s shameful for a prideful knight to do such a thing. However, I was not able to stop. I could not stop.”

Before long, Kiss.h.i.+ lost her strength and lowered her sword. She fell to her knee, then she began to speak as if lamenting.

“I-I… On the surface, I behave knightly and with dignity, but in truth, since I was a child, I was only interested and attracted to things women and children would like. In truth, I want to change my hair style, put makeup, and love stuffed toys and flowers. However, my lineage would not permit it. It would never be approved of. Therefore…”

The sword fell and made a dry sound. Kiss.h.i.+ covered her visage with her hands

“I thought it would be fine if it was only composing songs and if I hid it… Uhh, now it’s the end…”

Seeing Kiss.h.i.+ really fl.u.s.tered, I scratched my head. Well, the usual her would never want to be found out. I understand her feelings. Butー.

“… Isn’t it fine, Kiss.h.i.+?”

“What is…?”

“Well, if you want me to be honest, I was surprised. But your way of life as a knight, and your way of life as Kiss.h.i.+ are different things.”

It’s fine to keep them separate, and I think they should be.

“Everyone has one or two hidden hobbies or things they like. Even me, I’m still watching hero stories aimed at children.”

“Is… Is that true?”

I nodded. I’m always on standby before the TV every Sunday at half seven in the morning.

“Isn’t it the same for the others in Itoku? Anyway, it’s not like I have something to say about this, and I don’t plan to talk to anyone about it, so relax.”

“… Is that the truth?”

I smiled bitterly to Kiss.h.i.+ who was looking at me in the gap between her fingers.

“Even if I talk about it, there’s no profit. Besides, a cla.s.s representative is someone who protects his cla.s.smates, not someone who looks down on them. I promise. Here.”

Kiss.h.i.+ looked blankly at me who presented my little finger.

“It’s something we do in this world when we promise something. Use the same finger and entwine mine.”

Kiss.h.i.+ was still confused, but she did as I told her. Then I said.

“Pinky promise, if I lie, I’ll swallow a thousand needles.”

“What an extreme punishment!?”

Kiss.h.i.+ shuddered.

“To swallow a thousand needles for lying, this world is considerably strict. This is an act equal to the torture given in the witch hunt in the past…”

“No, it’s just a figure of speech.”

“What? In that case, won’t your words themselves become lies? Lying when you are promising you are not lying, what, is this a riddle? I won’t forgive you for misleading me!”

“Ah, jeez, you’re always like this! Can’t you just simply agree once in a while!?”

This part of her, it’s really Kiss.h.i.+.

“Mmh… Understood. This is a promise. I believe you. Do not break it.”

I answered “Yeah, never,” as Kiss.h.i.+ asked me many times.

“By the way, are there other songs like this one?”

“Huh? N-no, well, yes, but…”

“Is that so? Then if you’re fine with it, won’t you show them to me?”

“What!? A-are you serious!?”

“Yeah. This unexpected side of you, or how should I put it? Anyway, it piqued my curiosity a little.”

For a while, Kiss.h.i.+ looked away as she held her notebook that I gave back.

But before long, she looked at me with upturned eyes while blus.h.i.+ng.

“You… You won’t laugh?”

“It’s alright, don’t worry. I won’t do something like that.”

“R-really? Then… Umm, I am fine with showing you a few of my masterpieces.”

She coughed once. Then Kiss.h.i.+ began to turn the pages of her notebook.

Her expression was serious, but her lips loosened, and she seemed happy.

I’m sure it must have been painful to hide it until now.

“Alright. This one. Look at this one!”

She pa.s.sed me the notebook, then with my eyes wide open I read the entire song composed by Kiss.h.i.+.

“… H-how is it? What do you think about it? Isn’t it quite good? I put the feelings I held when I saw flowers in full bloom near a lake into form. It was difficult to express this scenery uniting both sweetness as well as a little loneliness.”

“…… Pff.”

“As a result of choosing words very carefully, this one is probably the best or second best amongst, wait, just now, you laughed!”

“I-I’m not laughing. Pff.”

“No matter how you think about it, you’re laughing! Y-y-you b.a.s.t.a.r.d, even though I showed you because you told me to!”

“But, you know, the pa.s.sage 『Good morning Sun, the Wind feels good』, and the expression 『The Flowers are in low spirits』 are just… Pff!”

“Mamoru, you b.a.s.t.a.r.d!”

“Eek! I’m sorry!”

I escaped from Kiss.h.i.+ who drew her sword again.

“Unforgivable, I will punish you!”

I looked back at Kiss.h.i.+ who was chasing after me.

She was angrily shouting at me, but her expression looked somewhat refreshed.

… I need to practice how to not laugh.

The thought suddenly appeared in my mind as I dashed at full speed.