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CHAPTER 2 – UNDERGROUND PEOPLE AND THE MAGICAL GIRL
PART 04
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We decided to go back to our respective homes to prepare for the journey ahead, then meet up in an hour’s time in the hills behind our school. Tetra had shared that the secret entrance to the underground world was hidden there.
As for the problematic magical girl get-up, it seemed that I could condense it into a mere bracelet. Once the magic was gone from my body, I was dressed once again in my school uniform. It was really convenient, and I wished Baa-kun had told me about that earlier instead of making the girls laugh so hard.
But the hardest thing about the entire night wasn’t the costume, but convincing Nozomuno Tsumiki.
When I told her that I’d like to return home since it was getting late, Tsumiki remained silent, but when I added that I might not be able to come to “Nozomiya” for the next couple of days, she turned on me in rage.
“What!? You said that you’d help me out with this! Have you already given up after just one day!?”
“No, that’s not it. Well…remember that girl Tetra whom we brought back? She happens to be a chef from another country… Erm, she’s come to Japan in search of a magical ingredient that can only be found in the forests of Mt Fuji.”
I thought it was a convincing story, but Tsumiki’s expression darkened as she continued to glare at me.
“So she’s agreed to let me to go on the search for that ingredient with her. If we can get a hold of that magical ingredient, then we may have a chance to win Food Champion.”
“Liar!”
“I’m serious!”
I had no choice but to defend my nonsensical tale.
“……!”
*CRASH!*
Tsumiki smashed her fist hard against one of the tables in the eatery…and glared at me with tears in her eyes.
“…Just speak the truth. You’re giving up on this because you don’t think we’ll succeed, right!?”
“That’s not it,” I replied immediately.
In fact, I had no intention of abandoning Tsumiki.
However, she continued to glare at me with suspicion.
“You keep saying that…but what is the real reason why you’re doing this?”
“Reason?”
“Yes! Tell me why you’re so willing to help me! If you don’t tell me, how can you expect me to trust you!?”
So, a reason why I wanted to rescue Tsumiki…?
Because she was a “heroine”, and I’d been dragged into her “story”… That had been true at first…
But now, it was different.
“Tsumiki, you can be overbearing and forceful in taking everything into your own hands, but you’re really just striving so hard, you know? You suck at cooking, but you put all your might into creating a new dish and end up making all sorts of weird mistakes.”
“…Why are you suddenly complimenting me? I won’t be tricked by that, you know.”
“I’m not trying to trick you.”
Firstly, a restaurant’s business shouldn’t be a problem that a teenager had to solve. If it had been me, and I’d known that my family had fallen on hard times, would I have racked my brains to think of what I could do to help, and actually put it into action? I didn’t think so.
She might be a high school student, but Tsumiki was still a child, and it was ordinary for a child to rely upon their parents for support… Which meant that Tsumiki was not ordinary.
“I really think you’re so awesome, and I like that about you.”
“Whaa-!?”
“And because I admire people like you, I want to help you… Hey, are you alright?”
“Whaa-wa-wa!?”
Tsumiki let out a strange sound as she scuttled backward, knocking chairs out of her way.
“…? Tsumiki?”
“D-Don’t come any closer!”
She screamed threateningly as I tried to make my way towards her. Just what was happening?
Tsumiki then took a few deep breaths, but it didn’t seem to help her to calm down, as she turned her back upon me, hands pressing against her cheeks.
“H-H-How can you say such embarrassing things with a straight face!?”
“Huh?”
I admired hardworking people… Was that such a embarrassing statement? I felt that it was a perfectly ordinary thing to say.
“…Alright. I still don’t think you’re telling me the whole truth, but I’ll trust you this once,” Tsumiki declared in a slightly shrill voice, her back still turned on me.
“Ok. I’ll be back as soon as I can.”
“A-Anyway, you’re just a plain taste tester! It doesn’t matter whether you’re here or not! I-I-I’ll continue to practise cooking in the meantime, so you’d better…erm, hurry back as fast as possible.”
“Alright.”
I nodded, then left “Nozomiya”. All this while, Tsumiki never turned around to say goodbye.
~~~~~
Maybe I had pissed her off again? Puzzling over Tsumiki’s reaction, I finally reached home. Alright, time to start packing.
“I’m home!”
“Oh, Rekka-sama, welcome home. Would you like some dinner? Or would you like to take a bath first?”
Hearing my voice, Harissa pattered out to the entrance way in her slippers, her rabbit apron flapping.
*grumble~~!*
Just then, her stomach rumbled with a cute sound.
“Ah! Oh dear, how embarrassing!”
Harissa’s face turned scarlet as she placed both hands over her stomach, hiding the rabbit’s face from view as if it had been the one to growl out. The scene was just too cute.
“Didn’t I call to say that I’d be home late? You should have just started eating.”
“Oh, but…Rekka-sama hadn’t eaten, so…”
Her cheeks still dusted pink, Harissa stammered as she fiddled with the hem of her apron.
I was really happy that she cared so much, but also extremely sorry.
“Sorry, it’s just that something urgent came up. I need to leave again soon.”
“Ehh!!” Harissa exclaimed, more in pure shock than in dismay.
“I’m really sorry.”
Stepping out of my shoes at the entrance way, I went to a cupboard and pulled out a large rucksack from the back. Alright, I’d need some water and food… And since we’d have to walk quite a distance underground, I also threw in a few other essential items, such as an extra pair of shoes and a pocket flashlight.
I considered bringing the “Hero’s Sword” along, but decided not to in the end. I still couldn’t wield it properly, and either way, it was a sword made to cut through magic, not monsters. Besides, it might just get in the way of me using the magical girl’s destructive magic, so I saw no reason to bring it along.
“Alright, time to go.”
I hefted the rucksack and headed towards the door, only to find Harissa still standing in the same spot.
“Rekka-sama, you seem like you’re in a hurry. Where are you headed to at this late hour?”
She must be concerned about me, since I was behaving so strangely and all.
Harissa’s brows were furrowed as she gazed up at me with anxious eyes.
“Erm…”
I’m on my way to the underground village to defeat a “monster”… If I told her that, Harissa would surely want to come along.
Then I’d rather not tell her the truth.
I quickly slipped past Harissa, toed on my shoes and dashed out of the house.
“Aah! Rekka-sama!”
“There’s no need to prepare meals for me until I come back! See you!”
“P-Please wait! Hyaa!”
Harissa tried to chase after me, but tripped along the way. The sight made my heart clench in pain, but since this was all to keep her safe, I fought back my tears and continued running.
However, since the rucksack was quite heavy, I soon ran out of breath.
*pant, pant, pant…*
I turned around, and since Harissa was nowhere in sight, I deemed it safe to walk from now on.