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ลำดับตอนที่ #3 : Chapter 1 - Ayano-chan's Misfortune
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อนที่ 1: วามโร้ายออายาโนะั
3 ทุ่มรึ่
ปิใน่วเวลาแบบนี้มัะไม่มีใรอยู่ที่โรเรียนเโรวอี่อไป ้วยระบบรัษาวามปลอภัยเ็มรูปแบบที่ถูิั้ไว้ึไม่ำเป็น้อมียามมาอยเินรวรา เพราะเือบเป็นไปไม่ไ้เลยที่ใระแอบหลบเ็นเอร์ึ่ถูิั้ไว้ทั่วทุมุมสำัอึเรียน แ่หามีเหุาร์ผิปิเิึ้น ยามะรับรู้สถานาร์และมาถึอย่าทันท่วทีภายในเวลาแ่ 5 นาที
ทว่าืนนี้เป็น้อยเว้น
เาอใรบานึ่ไม่ใ่รปภ.เลื่อนที่ไปรอบๆ ึเรียนอย่าโ่แ้
"เอาล่ะ เราะเริ่มทัวร์เรื่อผีอโรเรียนเโรวันล่ะน๊า!"
หิสาวนหนึู่มือึ้นเหนือศรีษะท่ามลาทาเินอันมืมิ เส้นผมนุ่มสลวยเป็นลอนอเธอส่ายไปมาูน่ารั
"ยูาริ..."
้าๆ ัน ือหิสาวอีนผู้เป็นเ้าอเส้นผมสั้น เธอำลัเป่าแร์้วยสีหน้าเรียบนิ่
ปี๊
เสียที่ทำลายวามสบรอบ้านััวาล
"นานาเะ!"
อายาโนะะโน ล้ายเวลาที่ีาร์ร้อลั่นแล้วพูว่า 'บรูัส แม้แ่นาย็...' อนที่เาำลัะาย
"ไม่เอาแบบนี้นะยูาริ...ทำไมแม้แ่นานาเะ็ยัเอา้วย!"
ปี๊
นานาเะไม่อบ แ่เป่าแรอีรั้แทน ูเหมือนเธอะอบมันมา
"อ๊า"
"น่า อย่าโมโหไปเลยอายาโนะ"
"เียบไปเลยนะยูาริ!"
ย้อนลับไปเมื่อหลายั่วโม่อน
อายาโนะริ่ไปยัห้ออาารย์ให่ทันทีที่ไ้ยินเสียประาศเรีย านั้นึรับานมาอย่าระทันหัน แน่นอนว่าในานะผู้มีพลัในารวบุมเปลวเพลิ...อายาโนะ ันนาิ
"มันเป็น 'วิาอมนุษย์' เหรอะ"
"ใ่ เ้าเล่าันว่าหลัาพระอาทิย์ินไป ะมีววิามามายออมาเพ่นพ่านอยู่รอบๆ โรเรียน เรื่อนี้สร้าวามเสียหายให้ับโรเรียนมา เพราะหลายๆ ิรรมถูพวมันรบวนน้อยเลิไป ันหวัว่าหนูะัารับมันไ้"
าารศึษาศาสร์เี่ยวับ 'สิ่ลี้ลับ' วามริที่ว่าภูิผีและเวทมน์นั้นมีอยู่ริึถือเป็นเรื่อปิสำหรับนทั่วไปในสัม
โรเรียนมัะถือไ้ว่าเป็นหนึ่ในสอ้นำเนิสำหรับเรื่อผีเลย็ว่าไ้ วบู่ไปับโรพยาบาล ในานะที่เป็นผู้บริหารโรเรียนมันึเป็นเรื่อปิที่เาะรู้ัระูลันนาิ และนี่็ไม่ใ่รั้แรที่เาอให้เธอ่วยัารเรื่อแบบนี้เ่นัน
"ันไ้ลอุยเรื่อนี้ับพ่ออหนูแล้ว ันั้นเราะัารเรื่อนี้ันืนนี้เลย"
ูเหมือนว่ามันะลายเป็นาร้าานอย่าเป็นทาาระแล้ว เธอไม่มีเหุผลให้ปิเสธึอบลับไป
"เ้าใแล้ว่ะ ไม่้อห่วนะะันะัารให้เอ"
ไ้ยินหิสาวรับำอย่ามั่นใแล้ว ผ.อ.ึพยัหน้า้วยวามโล่อ
้วยเหุนั้นเอ อายาโนะ และ าุมะ ยาามิ ายผู้มีพลัในารวบุมสายลมึแฝัวเ้ามาในโรเรียนยาม่ำืน้วยัน แ่...
"พวเธอมาอยู่ที่นี่ไ้ยัไ"
"อิอิ ♥"
ินโนะมิยะ ยูาริียิ้มน่ารัให้อายาโนะที่ำลัหรี่ามอเธอ
อีน็เ่นัน ุโ้ นานาเะ ทั้สอือเพื่อนสนิทออายาโนะ แม้ยูาริะเป็นสมาิลับๆ อสภานัเรียน แ่เธอ็มีเรือ่าย่าวสารลับเยอะแยะทั้าลุ่มสภานัเียน มรม่าๆ หรือแม้แ่ในลุ่มอาารย์็เ่นัน
แม้ว่าเรือ่าย่าวสารนี้ะพึ่ถูสร้ามาไ้แ่ปีว่าๆ แ่อนนี้เรียไ้ว่าเป็นเรือ่ายที่ให่ที่สุในโรเรียนทีเียว...แ่ เรื่อที่รู้แม้ระทั่่าวสารในห้อออาารย์ให่ภายในวันเียวนี่มัน็เินไปหน่อยนะ!
"หรือว่า...เธอแอบิเรื่อัฟัไว้ที่ห้ออาารย์ให่ใ่มั้ย"
"หือออ อายาโนะ ถามอะไรแบบนั้น"
ยูาริียิ้มใสื่อเหมือนเ็ๆ ะอบ
ถึะรู้ว่าเพื่อนสาวแล้ื่อแ่อายาโนะ็ไม่ิะถาม่อ ถ้ายูาริอบึ้นมาว่า "ถามในสิ่ที่รู้แล้วทำไม" นั่นไม่เท่าไหร่ แ่ถ้าเิวันหนึ่โนอบลับมาว่า "นั่นแหละ ใ่เลย" ถึอนนั้นอายาโนะไม่รู้ะพูอะไรับเพื่อนี
หิสาวึเปลี่ยนเรื่อ้วยารหันมาโน้มน้าวใยูาริแทน
"ยัไ็แล้วแ่ พวเธอรีบลับบ้านเถอะ ปิทัวร์เรื่อลึลับในโรเรียนเ้าไม่ัันอนนี้หรอ เ้าััน่วหน้าร้อน่าหา"
อนนี้เป็นเือนธันวามแล้ว ภายในโรเรียนึเริ่มหนาวแถมบรรยายาศยัูน่าลัวไม่น้อย
"แ่ผีมัน็ไม่ไ้ออมาแ่่วหน้าร้อนัหน่อย แล้วัน็เป็นสมาิสภานัเรียน ันะแล้ทำเป็นไม่รู้เรื่อผีที่มาสร้าวามเสียหายให้โรเรียนไ้ยัไ!!"
ยาาริแถ พยายามอ้าโน่นอ้านี่ให้เหุผลูมีน้ำหนั แ่มัน็ไม่่วยปิวามริที่เผยออมาาวาเธอไ้เลย อันที่ริน่าะพูว่าหล่อนไม่ไ้ั้ใปิบัมันเสียมาว่า
เธอเรียนวรรู้ไ้แล้วว่าัวเอไม่เยโน้มน้าวใยูาริสำเร็ อายาโนะถอนหายใ ทาเียวที่ะทำให้สอเพื่อนรัอเธอลับไปไ้็มีแ่ารใ้ำลัเท่านั้น
"าุมะ นายะไม่พูอะไรหน่อยเหรอ"
"ไม่ล่ะ ถ้าเธอพาสอนนี้ไป้วย เธอ็รับผิอบูแลเอแล้วัน"
าุมะพู้วยน้ำเสียราวับว่าเาไม่เี่ยว้อับสอนนี่แม้แ่น้อย อายาโนะเ้าใีว่าเาไม่ไ้พูเล่น เพราะถ้าเพื่อนสนิททั้สอนอเธอเิเป็นอะไรึ้นมา นๆ นี้ะไม่มีวันยื่นมือเ้ามา่วยเ็า
"าบ้าเอ้ย"
บ่นเบาๆ แล้วอายาโนะึหันหน้าไปหายูาริที่ำลัยิ้มอย่าผู้นะ
"็ไ้...แ่พวเธอ้อทำามที่ันสั่และห้ามทำามใัวเอเ้าใมั้ย"
หลัไ้ยินประโยที่เหมือนะเป็นารยอมแพ้ลายๆ ยูาริึรีบพยัหน้าลและพู้วยน้ำเสียแ่มใส
"โอเ รับทราบ! ♥ ทัวร์เรื่อลี้ลับอโรเรียนเโรวะเริ่ม บันี้!“
ปี๊
แปลไทย้าบนนี้เป็น่อเนื่อับเนื้อหาส่วนภาษาอัฤษ้านล่า แ่านี้ไปะแยบับแปลไทยไปไว้อีบทวามหนึ่
Some time had passed, but nothing happened. As they loitered
aimlessly in the school campus, Ayano asked Kazuma:
“Sense any abnormalities?”
“------Nope, nothing special.”
As a fuujutsushi that commands the wind and air, it was a piece
of cake for Kazuma to sense the entire school premises.
Ayano only completely trusted this ability of his as well, and
so said:
“Looks like everything is normal, so let’s just head back.”
“No such thing------ Ghosts definitely exist!”
Seeing Ayano’s intention to give up immediately, Yukari said
confidently.
“This school has a very long history, so many things happened
before. For example, five years ago, someone jumped off from the roof, and got
stuck on the Sakura tree------”
“Then doesn’t that mean she didn’t die?”
“No, she died. Normally speaking, the branches should catch her
like a spring bed, but that girl’s back hit a rather strong branch, and so her
backbone broke just like that. So, it is said that when everyone found her, the
corpse was in a state where it was bent backwards, the back of her head and her
feet were almost together, hanging on the branch gruesomely------”
“Ahhh! Stop talking! How gross!”
“Huh------ We were just getting to the good part-------”
“This isn’t about whether its good! If there really had been
some ghost haunting the school for five years, I would have realized long ago
back when I just got to Junior high!”
“Is that so? Aren’t you really slow on this kind of stuff
normally?”
“Nanase!”
Even though she shouted out to protest, but Ayano seemed to have
noticed her own slowness in such issues, and then looks towards her back with
an irritated look on her face.
“Even if I didn’t notice, he would definitely not miss anything.
There is no ghost that can escape Kazuma’s eyes------”
Ayano suddenly shut up in the middle of her sentence, frowning
slightly, because she sensed wind coming from behind her. In an enclosed school
environment, there was air flow that should not possibly exist.
Before she could react to it, the gentle wind suddenly became a
strong gust of wind. The upward air flow in the narrow corridor lifted the
girls’ skirts up.
“Ahhhh!?”
With the cries of three, a mixture of three colors, pure white,
striped and black lace------ Needless to say which belonged to who------ stood
out clearly in the dim corridor.
“Ka…… Kazuma!”
Ayano held her skirt down hurriedly, and turns her head around
with a red face.
Kazuma looked around with a troubled look on his face.
“……What……?”
He mumbles to himself, following that he placed his eyes
straight ahead. And so------ his eyes met with those of the furious Ayano.
He seemed to have realized what happened, so Kazuma opened his
mouth to apologize with his greatest sincerity:
“Sorry.”
”Did you think just a “Sorry” would be fine!!”
Ayano unsheathed Enraiha immediately, and swung this sacred
blade of exorcism that was used to vanquish evil down at the head of the
shameless man before her.
“Go to hell! Big pervert! Die! Go and die right now!”
Faced with these angry attacks, Kazuma unhurriedly dodges. He
did not leave the attack range of the sword, but instead pressed closer towards
it.
After dodging several tens of attacks, Kazuma finally took an offensive
stand. He grabbed the hand that Ayano wielded Enraiha with, and pulled gently.
Ayano who lost her balance knelt onto the floor. At the next
instant, a ball of light flew past coincidentally at the place Ayano's head
was.
“------Huh?”
Ayano was stunned for a second, but her body made instinctive
reactions to take on a battle stance.
At this moment, she thought to herself, this should be an attack
by the enemy.
“------Who is it!?”
Ayano hurriedly faced the direction at which the ball of light
came from, raising the Enraiha in her hand. But there was no one there.
“…………”
“There is no one there.”
Heaing Kazuma’s words, Ayano finally relaxeed, putting Enraiha
down.
“……Who did that just now?”
“Who knows.”
Kazuma shrugs his shoulders.
“Didn’t you say there were no abnormalities?”
“Well……”
“------------”
Ayano stared at Kazuma with eyes of suspicion.
Very strange.
She couldn’t really tell what, but Kazuma’s attitude was really
strange.
To describe it, he appeared to be overly calm. If what Kazuma
said was true, then a mysterious enemy had just attacked without Kazuma
noticing at all, and then vanished without a trace.
An enemy with such great power was currently hiding somewhere
within the school. Just this alone should make Kazuma nervous.
Just as Ayano wanted to question further, a chirpy voice came
from behind her suddenly, calling Ayano’s name:
“Ayano! You see you see! There are Ghosts! I was right wasn’t I?
But, it moved too quickly just now, I didn’t manage to grab a shot in time.”
Turning her head around, she found Yukari holding a digital
camera from who knows where, her face full of smiles.
Ayano wass lazy to rebut that how can there be ghosts flying at
that kind of high speed, and used an unenergetic voice to reply:
“……Yeah, gee great.”
“Yup yup!”
Failing to notice the sarcasm within, Yukari nodded happily.
“Have you found that fellow just now?”
“Not a trace.”
Ayano and gang resumed their search, but were still lingering
without a goal. After all, Kazuma who was the main force in the party did’t
seem enthusiastic about it. And so, their actions came to a still halt.
Ayano slanted her eyes to stare at Kazuma, trying to see what
she could tell from his expression, but gave up instantly. Ayano is very
certain that with such a simple personality, it is impossible for her to tell
what Kazuma, a guy that was hard to deal with, was thinking.
In the end, Ayano decided to take an action that suited her
personality the most, that is to ask Kazuma straightforwardly:
“Kazuma, you are hiding something from me right?”
“What? You wanna get to know more about me all of a sudden?”
“Don’t joke with me!”
Ayano stared at Kazuma who was trying to change the topic with
sharp eyes. At the same time she grabbed his collar, pulling that cheeky face
toward her.
“Spill it out! Tell me everything you know.”
“Or else I will strangle you to death”------ Ayano questioned
him with such a “gentle” smile. But, Kazuma took an unexpected move of
retaliation.
He didn't resist at all, instead he pulled the distance between
them closer.
Seeing Kazuma getting closer and closer to herself, Ayano could
not understand what he’s doing, and couldn’t help but release her grip. But,
Kazuma’s face continued to close in------ in the end, his lips touched Ayano’s
nose gently.
“………………………Waaaah!?”
After being stunned for a few seconds, Ayano suddenly made a
weird noise as she retreated backwards.
“You…… You…… What are you doing……”
“Its nothing. I just felt that you would probably let go this
way. Just like the story of “The northern winds and the sun”.”
Pachunk, nerves gathered at Ayano’s temple instantly.
“You……. You are really a……”
Her furious anger turned to power, emerging from Ayano’s body.
She had gottene serious about it entirely, preparing to gather her powers for a
full fledge strike.
At this moment, Kazuma used his usual tone, opening his mouth to
say slowly:
“By the way------”
“What!?”
“You should look ahead when you are walking.”
“------Huh?”
Ayano turned her head back hurriedly, and saw a trace of the
ball of light flying straight at her instantly.
Judging from the distance, it was approximately ten centimeters
away, there was no way she could dodge it. That glaring cold light made Ayano
feel as though she saw her own death.
(----------------------)
She couldn’t scream, even her thoughts stopped right there. And
just like that, the ball of light hit Ayano’s forehead directly, giving her a
strong impact.
Bang!
“Wah!”
Ayano screamed out, and fell backwards entirely. Kazuma looked
coldly at the girl lying with her limbs spread wide on the ground, and grumbled
in his mouth:
“Be it the scream or the pose when she fell onto the ground, why
isn’t there any sign of femininity in them?”
“Because it's Ayano.”
Yukari answered instantly. Kazuma nodded in agreement.
“Ahh, sounds very reasonable.”
“What did you say!”
Ayano jumped up to protest immediately. But Kazuma ignored her
and shifted his eyes above him.
The ball of light that hit Ayano, was currently staying still
around the ceiling, as if confirming the results from the hit. Kazuma squinted
his eyes, trying to see what was within that ball of light. At this
moment------
“Head back! Head back!”
The will of the ball of light sounded off directly within the
consciousness of the gang. As if threatening, the light flickered, transmitting
a strong hostility.
“Do not continue any further! Or else you won’t be so lucky next
time!”
“Stop fooling around!”
Tossing all suspicion and shock aside, Ayano shouted back
reflectively, releasing flames at the same time.
“Ahh!”
The ball of light dodged in the nick of time, giving a cute
scream at the same time. Any ghosts or ghouls that comes into contact with the
flame of the Kannagi even slightly will perish. Yet, the ball of light did not
seem to have suffered any damage.
“Big idiot------! Watch it------!”
“Don’t even think about escaping!”
Aimed directly at the ball of light that tried to escape, Ayano
was just about to release flames. But------
“Stop it.”
An instant before releasing her flames, Kazuma knocked Ayano’s
hand away. The palm that changed its direction released golden flames right
below it.
The floor caught fire instantly.
“You…… What are you doing!?”
“That’s not important, let’s extinguish the flame quickly.”
Kazuma ran far away, and pointed to the fire on the floor as he
spoke.
“Don’t make such sarcastic remarks!”
Ayano protested as she calmed the fire spirits down,
extinguishing the fire in such a manner. In the end, a big hole was burnt in
the floor.
“……Look, what should we do now.”
“Why ask me?”
Faced with Ayano’s grumble, Kazuma just shrugged his shoulders,
without a shred of sincerity.
Ayano glared at Kazuma with eyes filled with murderous intent at
this moment.
“Fine, I won’t hold you responsible for this. Tell me
everything!
Why did you stop me just now?”
A tone that allowed no room for error. Those eyes seemed to be
telling the other party that if he doesn’t reply honestly, he would suffer.
Kazuma’s eyes shifted around, as if pondering about something.
In the end, he finally broke the silence:
“Well------ Didn’t that guy threaten us “not to go any further”?
That is to say, that guy probably is doing something somewhere. So instead of
killing it, why not let it live so it can lead the way for us.”
Kazuma gave a bunch of reasons. Yet Ayano looked at him
suspiciously.
“Why does this seem like an excuse you came up with at the last
minute?”
“How can that be? Fuu-jutsushis don’t lie.”
“From what kind of old timed movie did this line come?------
Fine, if that's the case, how are we to find its position?”
Understanding that it won’t help at all to continue questioning
him, Ayano changed the direction of her questioning.
“Well, there’s got to be some way------ Let’s go.”
With that, Kazuma showed a deep smile and without hesitation
stepped off.
“Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!!”
Following the shriek, the girls all “slipped” down from the
stairs. And as she was falling, Ayano got a glimpse of Kazuma who was standing
beside the wall, his feet actually pinned securely against the slope.
“You are so heartless------! Caring only for yourself------!”
Just before knocking into the staircase platform, Ayano screamed
at the top of her voice.
Under the lead of Kazuma, the gang started searching for the
ball of light, their direction was correct. They have had several encounters
with the ball of light------ Each time they get vigorously attacked.
The floor suddenly became abnormally smooth, causing Yukari to
have a great fall.
The direction of gravity suddenly turned upside down. Nanase’s
entire body broke through the ceiling, half her body getting stuck within.
And now, the stairs suddenly disappeared, becoming a steep
slope. The three girls, like comedians, came tumbling down one by one.
“What…… is going on……”
Ayano shook her head as she stood up.
The power that the ball of light uses was just like magic in
fairytales. How to achieve such effects, the cause-effect in-between is hard to
guess.
Kazuma slid down behind them. Ayano stared at him angrily:
”Even at this stage, you refuse to let me use my powers?”
“What do you mean? Did any of us even get hurt?”
“Hmm……”
Ayano was unable to say anything then, falling into silence.
Kazuma was right. The strange phenomenon that the ball of light
caused, though it seemed exaggerating, almost did not cause any harm.
Even though it possessed amazing powers that can even destroy
the entire school, all it did was like a child’s prank. Just what does that
ball of light have in mind, Ayano couldn't understand at all.
“I suggest you don’t waste your effort, no one knows what it is
thinking.”
As if seeing through Ayano’s thoughts, Kazuma said so. From his
tone, he obviously knew what was the true identity of the ball of light.
Ayano stared straight at the cheeky Kazuma.
Even though he was flippant on the surface, Kazuma’s work
attitude had always been serious. Once he accepted the rewards, he will take up
his responsibility.
Even for those suspicious actions, there must be some hidden
reason behind them. But------
“……Because you won’t tell me anything.”
She looked at Kazuma with eyes filled with grudge, and said this
in an unhappy tone. Kazuma patted on Ayano’s head gently like coaxing a child.
“I am not keeping things from you. It is just that I still don’t
have clear evidence, even if I tell you now it won’t help.”
“------Liar.”
Ayano said coldly, turning around in disgust. Kazuma saw this,
and whispered softly by her ear:
“Its true------ Believe me. I am here just to protect you.”
A fatal hit. The sweet words that flowed into her ear smashed
all consciousness of resistance.
(~~! Why does this guy’s voice sound so sweet……)
It felt as if the relaxing low pitch voice goes past her
eardrums, and got transmitted straight to her brain. Her heart throbbed, her
body beginning to heat up. The voice echoed in her mind, causing her to be
unable to think anymore-------
------ As a result------
When Ayano realized that she had been fooled, it was already the
next morning------ after everything was already over.
“I wonder what is going to happen next------”
Walking beside Ayano, Yukari says happily, the pitch near the
end of the sentence going slightly higher.
“Ayano?”
“Huh------? Ah, yeah you’re right.”
Seeing the still unfocused Ayano, Yukari looked at her with
mischievous eyes.
“Don’t begin letting your guard down just because Kazuma-san
will protect you.”
“That’s right. It is fine for you to indulge in your prince and
princess fantasies, but the one in charge of protecting us is you, so please
pull yourself together.”
Nanase appeared beside Ayano and used a deep smile to say. Ayano
blushed all the way to her ears.
“Non……. Nonsense……. I didn’t……!”
She refuted loudly, while secretly observing Kazuma. Kazuma had
now regained his usual self.
There was no way that he didn’t notice Ayano’s gaze, but Kazuma
still seemed oblivious of it, being so calm that made one feel unpleasant about
it.
Without knowing why, the more Ayano looked at him, the angrier
she got, walking on her own at the front of the party------ Suddenly, she stops
in her steps.
“What’s the matter?”
“I should be asking you that! Where are we headed to next? Give
the next instruction already!”
Even though she was walking ahead, yet she was putting up an
impatient look. Kazuma knew that she was just trying to vent her anger, and so
treated her as he always did.
“Just go straight ahead like this. If you went the wrong way I
would tell you.”
“------ You still refuse to tell me the destination?”
Looking at Ayano who bore an unpleasant tone, Kazuma thought
deeply for some time.
“Destination------ is outside. Probably the backyard.”
“Backyard? On what basis is your guess?”
Towards Ayano who questioned once more, Kazuma answered
discretely:
“The wind are all gathered at the same location from all
directions, and that spot is the backyard. I am not a specialist in this area,
so I cannot be certain, but it seems they can control the geographic flow.”
“Aren’t you a wind specialist? Why didn’t you notice
immediately?”
“Why? Because it is too natural.”
Kazuma replied without hesitation.
“Besides, no matter how slow you are, you probably would've
noticed long ago right? Why do you always only notice the moment before the
ball of light strikes? And let it escape every single time as well?”
“This is because------”
Actually Ayano noticed it as well. The existence of the ball of
light was very natural, there was no strange feeling like those from a
supernatural being like the spirit of a dead person and their weird “ki” from
the ball of light.
That is to say, that ball of light was a “normal” existence that
this world recognizes. And so, jutsushis that are used to tracking demonic
auras find it hard to pick up its trace.
“Seems like trouble.”
Ayano murmured.
This comment had two meanings, one being that the enemy was hard
to pick up.
And the other being, the enemy was not an “evil being”.
A being that possessed intelligence, able to communicate with
people yet not human. Ayano had never fought with such an enemy before and when
the time comes, Ayano is not sure whether she can destroy the enemy with her
flames.
“It is pointless thinking so much, let’s just head to the
backyard.”
Tossing away her unanswerable thoughts, Ayano walked in front of
the group once more.
Passing by the hall with shoe cabinets, the group walked out of
the school campus through the front entrance. Once they left the school campus,
the backyard could be easily seen.
Kazuma followed behind Yukari and Nanase and walked to the open
space. At this moment, his gaze shifted slightly upwards.
“-------Oh?”
“What’s the matter?”
Ayano with her sharp ears asks.
“Nah, its nothing------ I just feel that that guy really
controlled it well.”
“What are you talking abo------”
Just as Ayano was trying to ask again.
------Badunk!
With a loud sound, Ayano’s eyes turned to darkness instantly.
The rest on the other hand, looked at this scene with an unbelievable look on
their face.
After several second, Yukari broke the silence first:
“Wow, what a classic trap♥”
“Indeed. I never thought I could actually witness it in real
life.”
As if having seen some miracle, Nanase placed her palms together
to express her gratitude------ and she targeted it at Ayano, who stood there
motionless, with a bucket that fell from the sky on her head.
“Wahahahaha! Stupid fool, you deserved it------!”
An unscrupulous mockery rang within their minds.
The source was obvious. Under the night sky, the ball of light
danced happily, forming a mystical scene------ But, that was also the
premonition of the disaster to come.
“---------”
Suddenly, the metallic gray bucket covering Ayano glowed with a
red brilliance. The red metal melted off in an instant, flowing down along
Ayano’s body onto the ground.
After shaking off the metal piece that was stuck on her hair
forcefully, Ayano stared up into the sky peacefully.
Her eyes did not shift the slightest bit.
Ten seconds ago, she was still hesitant about whether to fight,
but now all of those thoughts have vanished without a trace. Ayano pulled out
Enraiha immediately and slashed upwards forcefully, the tip of her sword giving
off golden flames at the same time.
Dodge and dodge------ The ball of light began to run in all
directions. And the search light-like golden flames sliced through the dark
night, following closely behind it.
Witnessing this shocking scene, Yukari and Nanase couldn’t help
but look at each other.
“This…… Doesn’t seem good.”
“It may even attract the police.”
With a silent expectation, they both looked at Kazuma at the
same time.
“……Gee, that idiot.”
Kazuma said impatiently, and then walked towards Ayano. From the
way he walked, he seems to be taking silent steps as he pleased, and with that,
he snuck up behind Ayano, and grabbed the hand that was raising Enraiha high
up.
“Let go of me!”
“You are so noisy, get a grip on yourself.”
“Bu…….But……”
Seeing Ayano who was about to burst into tears, Kazuma sighed
deeply:
“…… Don’t cry, it is just joking with you.”
“Then have you ever been hit with a bucket? Such humiliation can
only be understood by someone who experienced it for himself!”
“I don’t want to understand it at all.”
He replied simply, and turned to look at the ball of light
floating in mid air. The floating object that was flying in an irregular
manner, seemed to be obviously playing around with Ayano.
Kazuma warned the ball of light:
“Our princess cannot take it anymore. Stop the pranks.”
But------
“No way! Catch me if you can!”
The attitude of the ball of light seemed really arrogant.
“------------”
Towards that taunting response, Kazuma squinted his eyes
slightly. At this moment, the ball of light suddenly began to fall.
An awkward cry followed along------
“Wh……What------Woah!?”
It dropped down.
Ayano looked at the ball of light. She seemed to have forgotten
her anger from just now, and asked:
“------What did you do?”
“I just cancelled her lift.” [Translator’s notes: Lift refers to
those of airplanes. When wind blows under the wings of the plane, a upward
force called “lift” is created. Or I believe this is what he means. If anyone
finds a better explanation, please do inform this ignorant translator. Thank
you.]
A short reply. Yet this answer made Ayano even more confused.
“Lift? You mean that thing flies with lift?”
The outside of the ball of light looked just like its name, it
is a rough sphere shape. No matter how you looked at it, it didn’t seem like a
shape that can be affected by lift.
Kazuma did not reply, but just simply stretched his hand out. The
ball of light lying on the ground originally was then slowly pulled towards his
hand.
The ball of light kept on struggling at first, but gave up all
resistance after a while, and rode on the wind itself, stopping before Kazuma.
The glow began to dim, revealing its true form within the ball of light.
A small and cute girl around twenty centimeters, was currently
waving a pair of transparent wings to float in mid air.
“This is a…… Sprite?”
Ayano opened her eyes wide, understanding it all at the same time.
Pixie------ This type of sprite with wings, has a mischievous personality. They
enjoy instant entertainment, and would sometimes come into the human world and
cause some extravagant pranks.
The pixie seemed to enjoy the attention, and blinked with a cute
look.
“Call me Tiana♥”
“Who cares what your name is! Why are you causing trouble for
everyone!?”
“Because I don’t want humans to get close.”
“This is a place where humans live, don’t fool around.”
“I don’t care------”
Tiana lifted her head, and said arrogantly.
“You……!”
Ayano wanted to use Enraiha to punish her, but was stopped by
Kazuma.
“Calm down.”
“But……!”
“Why do you seem unlike yourself today? Don’t throw a tantrum at
work.”
After hearing Kazuma’s words, only then does Ayano realized she
was too emotional. Even though she knew that she was at work, she just couldn’t
seem to control her emotions……
(This is strange indeed. Just what is wrong with me------?)
Ayano’s query in her mind was instead answered by Yukari
voluntarily . She bore with her urge to laugh and told Kazuma:
“Because, Ayano is of the same mental age as that sprite.”
“Just like “Tom and Jerry”.”
“------Ahh, so that’s why.”
After hearing Nanase’s complementing statement, Kazuma nodded in
agreement. Ayano’s blood pressure shot way high instantly.
“Wait! You mean to say I am the same as that bug that only has a
tiny bit of brain capacity!? You must be joking!”
“Wait a minute! Don’t put me on the same level as this woman who
has nothing but brute strength! This is a serious humiliation!”
At almost the same time as Ayano, Tiana made a protest as well.
As the timing was too coincidental, the other three did not say anything at
first------ after a few seconds all three began laughing altogether.
“Hey! What are you laughing about!? Don’t laugh! Stop laughing
already!!”
The angrier Ayano was, the more comical it seemed. The laughter
lasted for several minutes continuously.
“Phew------ That was a good laugh.”
After finally managing to hold onto his urge to burst out
laughing, Kazuma exhaled, satisfied. On the other hand, Ayano shifted her face
to the side in fury, ignoring the other three completely.
Kazuma walked to Ayano’s side, and softly caressed her head,
consoling her:
“Don’t be angry. I will treat you to a meal next time.”
“What------!?”
Ayano widened her eyes, turning her head over abruptly.
“You…… What did you just say……”
“Great, it’s a date.”
Yukari said with a “pure and innocent” expression.
“No…… no, it isn’t……”
Ayano tried to deny with blushed ears, but thought of something,
and stared at Kazuma with a suspicious glare:
“By your treating to a meal, you don’t mean burgers at a fast
food or something right?”
“You can eat anything you want.”
“You said it yourself! Be prepared! I am gonna eat till you're
bankrupt!”
“Yes yes, as you wish, princess. So then, let’s settle things
now.”
Kazuma responded to Ayano’s taunt very simply, and then walked
off on his own. Ayano who wanted to catch up with him, was stopped by someone
who held onto her neck from behind.
“------What!?”
Nanase laid onto Ayano’s back, saying softly:
“Congratulations on having your first date.”
“I….. I told you that’s not it……”
Even though she says so, Ayano still couldn't control her
accelerated heartbeat.
“By the way, what do you guys intend to do in the backyard?”
Kazuma asked Tiana who was flying above his head. Knowing that
she couldn't hide it any further, the sprite answered honestly:
“We aren’t doing anything bad, we are just granting the last
wish of a dying old gramps.”
Kazuma could not understand, and turned to look at Ayano.
“Don’t tell me that wanderers live in the backyard?”
“How can that be possible?”
While chatting, the gang reached the backyard. From the outside
nothing seems to be special about it, but Kazuma found the problematic spot
instantly.
“------That is the focus.”
Planted among the trees in the backyard, there was a gigantic
Sakura tree[cherry blossom]. Energy gathered from the heavens and earth, was
currently being poured into this tree.
“Focus? “The cursed sakura tree”?”
Hearing Yukari speaking to herself, Kazuma turned his head
around to ask:
“What’s that?”
“As I mentioned before, the sakura tree that the suicidal girl
got hanged onto. From that year on, the entire tree no longer blossomed. People
began having rumors, that it is because the suicidal girl placed a curse, so it
is called “the cursed sakura tree”.”
“…… That suicide happened five years ago right? A sakura tree
that doesn’t blossom was just left here for five years?”
“Yeah, after all the tree is very old. But, I heard that they
plan to chop it down during the winter holidays.”
Yukari revealed information that only the teaching staff know
without realizing it.
“So that’s it.”
Kazuma nodded slightly, and then looked at Tiana above him.
“So then, work hard.”
“No problem------”
Waving her transparent wings, the small sprite flew towards the
cherry tree. At the same time, countless balls of light appeared from different
areas of the branches.
The glowing sprites, as if toying around, began dancing to their
hearts content around the sakura tree, the originally messy actions, slowly
became neat and tidy, forming a circle that surrounds the sakura tree in the
end.
The sprites danced continuously, granting the final wish of the
dying tree, letting its flowers blossom one last time.
The circle of sprites kept spinning, the glowing circle lent its
life to the old tree. In the end------
The originally withering tree began becoming young once more.
The dry bark showed luster & buds grew out from the thin branches. The
flower buds expanded instantly, revealing sakura flowers.
The pink sakura flowers blossomed, decorating the old tree to
its former glory. The petals that fell with the wind, danced in the air under
the frolic-like effort of the sprites that showed a bright brilliance.
Almost covering as far as the eyes can see, a beautiful sight of
sakura petals as if they are snowing down, and the dancing sprites. And the
gigantic sakura tree that stood tall in the center------ Anyone would link this
to the term “Paradise”. That's how dreamy the scene truly was.
“……Ah……”
Yet, just like how it began, the end came suddenly as well. The
sakura flowers stopped falling, and when their sights became clear once more,
before them was a tree similar------ No, even older than before it blossomed.
Perhaps the old tree had used up all its remaining life for that
brief moment of beauty and magnificence. Now, there was not a shred of life
that could be felt from the tree.
As if announcing the end of the carnival, the sprites gradually
flew up into the sky. The last ball of light on the other hand circled above
Kazuma and gang, as if bidding farewell, and then flew off with its companions.
------This was the true end of a mysterious event mixed with
reality and fantasy.
“Wow------ It was such a wonderful scene------”
Yukari murmured with all sorts of feelings in her heart, Ayano
nodded in agreement. She looked at the old tree that made a perfect closure
with respect.
“Yeah, even though a lot of unlucky things happened. But just
thinking about that scene then, they all seem unimportant.”
Ayano said. Yet Kazuma looks at her with peculiar eyes.
“What?”
“------No, it's nothing.”
“If you have something to say, say it. Acting all mysterious all
the time.”
Seeing Kazuma equivocate, Ayano questioned further. And so,
Kazuma struggled to speak:
“To protect something, the best way is to not let anyone notice
its existence.”
“What are you trying to say?”
“As long as no one notices, it won’t get attacked, nor will
people come close. But, we noticed the abnormality, and it was when we were
chasing that sprite that was loitering in the school.”
“…………”
“That is to say, what the sprite did was not protecting
something. They are mischievous, but they aren’t stupid, there is no way they
didn’t notice this.”
“So then, why did she……”
“You still don’t know the personality of sprites?”
Love pranks, enjoying fun. Naïve and pure like a child, acts
without thinking------
Kazuma shrugged, and got to the main point:
“That guy only wanted to play with humans.”
“…………”
Ayano lowered her head, her entire body trembling. Everyone
around her seemed to have understood what was about to happen, and fled the
scene quickly.
With eyes that were about to burst into flames, Ayano stared
furiously in the direction at which the sprites left.
“Get your asses back here! Dumb sprites! I am gonna roast every
single one of you------------!!”
The angry roar echoed pointlessly
within the dark school.
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