第１０９８堀：名無しの本名 (Part1)
Chapter 1098: The Nameless One’s True Name
Side: Yuki
“...Um, mind telling me why I’m being carried around by the scruff of my neck?”
“Because that’s how I’m holding you.”
I was currently hauling ‘Ichi’—the self-proclaimed number one student who had just crashed my class—by the back of her collar toward the headmaster’s office.
Honestly, they say speak of the devil and he shall appear, but this academy is truly a breeding ground for flags. A top-ranked student who calls herself ‘trash,’ causing both teachers and students to fall into stunned silence the moment she appeared? The backstory behind that has to be a disaster. I decided it was best to confirm the situation before she did anything drastic, hence why I was currently dragging her along.
Good grief, thanks to her, I’d had to cut my class short.
“Well, I’m not really concerned with *how* I’m being carried, but rather the reason why... Oh, never mind. You’re surprisingly rough, aren’t you? I mean, I know about the quiet Cleena, but I heard you even brought Samantha to heel, so I suppose this is just how you are?”
“You’re surprisingly chatty. I didn’t see you at all when we were at the academy last time.”
“That’s because you guys weren’t here for very long, were you? And besides, you basically blackmailed the headmaster into exempting you from almost all your classes.”
“...When you put it that way, I suppose you’re right.”
Yeah. Back then, we’d effectively silenced Popuri and the others to do as we pleased. We weren’t prioritizing academics; we were prioritizing building a base to deal with not just the mana depletion phenomenon, but the threat of the Holy Sword users as well. Thinking back on it now, it was a bit of an insult to the institution.
While I was lost in thought, we reached the headmaster’s office. I kicked the door open without a second thought and stepped inside.
“Hm? Who is it? When entering a room, you should at least—wait, Yuki-dono?”
“Is something the matter?”
It seemed it wasn’t just Popuri inside, but Lara as well. Both of them stared at us, their eyes wide with shock. Since they clearly had no idea what was going on, I held Ichi out in front of them so they could get a good look at her.
“This thing showed up and started disrupting my class. Everyone was so stunned I decided to just bring her here.”
“Oh, it’s Number One.”
“So even you call her that, Popuri. Does that mean there’s a genuine reason she can’t give her real name?”
“Ahaha, I’m not the type to call myself trash as a joke or a lie. There really is a reason I can’t say it.”
I see. So it wasn’t a joke. But still...
“Does someone like that really need to show up in the middle of class?”
“If I didn’t, I’d never be able to catch you. I tried to make contact before, but you’d already left for another country. I realized that if I just waited for a free moment, I’d never get a chance to talk to you.”
“So you wanted to talk to me that badly?”
“No, I only wanted to talk to Yuki. Talking to your other wives would just make getting my request approved a hassle. After all, Yuki is the representative of Weed, isn’t he?”
“Well, I can’t deny that I’m the representative of Weed. Now, I’d like to ask why you went through the trouble of tracking me down during class, but... first, let’s talk about your name. Why is it being suppressed to this extent?”
Exactly. The fact that she can’t even state her own name reeks of trouble. What does it even mean to be unable to say one’s own name? I could make a few guesses, but I needed to hear the circumstances directly to avoid any future complications. I couldn’t just proceed based on reckless speculation.
With that, I sat Ichi down on the sofa near Popuri, and my wives and I took our seats opposite her, ready to listen.
“Hm? Wait a second. From what I’m hearing, Number One came to see you on her own?”
“That’s right. I finally realized my life was in danger.”
“Huh? Your life? You mean, like, your actual life?”
“Yes. The kind where if you lose it, you die. And as for this child’s real name... well, I suppose it’s fine if it’s Yuki-dono. But are you sure you want to hear it? Once you know, there’s no turning back.”
“Hey, what kind of ‘no turning back’ are we talking about?”
“This girl, Number One, only has a place here, in this academy, right now.”
“Ahaha...”
She let out a dry, hollow laugh, like a broken doll.
...My intuition told me this was bad. We’d been talking for a while, but nothing felt quite right. It was as if there was no substance to her, no sense of her own will.
Well, I’d already boarded this ship.
“Since you’ve appealed to me directly, I’ll do what I can. I mean, considering you’re ranked first after Cleena and Samantha, you seem like an incredible talent. Usually, any country would be clamoring for someone like you... Is this what Ardes meant when he called you a ‘troublemaker’ back home?”
“...So those rumors have reached you, then.”
“...Aha, aha-ahaha.”
“Number One, please calm down. It’s alright. You’re safe.”
I’d only repeated a rumor I’d overheard, but it seemed I’d hit the mark. The headmaster wore a pained expression, and Ichi began laughing in an even more unsettling way, forcing Lara to pull her into a hug to calm her down. Seeing such a bizarre scene, my wives clearly sensed the abnormality of the situation as well.
“Headmaster Popuri. What are the circumstances surrounding her?”
“Well, there’s a lot that happened. But since Yuki-dono says he’ll help, it should be fine now. In fact, I believe having Yuki-dono help is the best possible outcome.”
“What do you mean by that? It is true that Yuki-sama is the best person to help. No one has more means to protect things than he does. However, we cannot simply offer protection without hearing the full story. Surely, as the headmaster running the Lancer Magic Academy, you understand that, Popuri-dono.”
Kagura and Stasia pressed her to stop beating around the bush and start talking. Mikos and Enora followed suit, their expressions hardening as they applied pressure. I understood their impatience.
“I suppose you’re right. Well, we can’t start until I explain... Number One, are you ready?”
“Ah, yes. It’s fine. I intended to tell him from the start.”
“For now, the fact that you took the initiative to move is something to be happy about, I suppose.”
“‘For now’ isn’t necessary. I saw potential in you, Yuki.”
...This is bad. Isn’t this becoming a heavy conversation? I’m already dealing with the massive task of fixing the mana depletion phenomenon, not to mention coordinating between the various countries involved in the intercontinental exchange. I really don’t want to take on any more trouble... but I can’t exactly turn her away now. I already said I’d do what I could, and Popuri is a collaborator, after all. If there’s a problem, it’s only natural to lend a hand to solve it.
But, please... I hope it’s not *too* much trouble.
“Now then, where should I begin? Ah, perhaps I should start from where Yuki-dono is involved?”
“Wait, I’m involved? Have I ever met this ‘Ichi’ before?”
“No, I’ve never met Yuki.”
“That’s what I thought.”
It would be impossible to meet someone this gloomy and impactful and forget them. But looking closely, her hair was a tangled, unkempt mess. She looked like a ghost from a horror movie, but for some reason, her hair was a vibrant pink, which halved the terror and made the whole thing feel like some kind of joke.