“Why were you watching me then?”
“That’s ... that’s ... nothing you need to be concerned about.”
“... I’m not concerned. It’s just ...”
“...”
Ah. This vibe ...
“Anyways, are you doing your image training like you’re supposed to be? In five minutes, we’re gonna start practicing using the back of the sword.”
“The back of the sword?”
Even if you use the back, it’s gonna hurt like hell. In short, you’re going to be beating me with a metal rod.
“I’ll go slow at first so stop looking so afraid. But I will gradually pick up speed,” said Aria, putting on a truly sinister smile.
“Ow ...”
School had just finished, and I was still rubbing the sensitive lump on my head as I left the Inquesta building.
Dammit. That Aria is a sadistic. She might have been using the back of her sword, but she pummeled me with the thing. I feel like I may have forgotten some English vocabulary or historical dates.
“Kiiinji.”
Aria was running towards me with the sunset at her back. It seems she was lying in wait in front of the Inquesta building again.
“I’ll say this right now; I’m not doing any training after school. I’ve got homework to do for my regular classes.”
“I haven’t said anything yet.”
“And I’m not going back to Assault. If you’re telling me to return to that group of death wishers, our partnership is over. I’m going to be living peacefully as a member of Inquesta until I transfer out of here next year.”
“I still haven’t said a word.”
Aria acted completely unconcerned with my harsh tone and began walking towards the bus stop. Then she turned around with a smile as magnificent as a sunflower and said, “But we will continue training tomorrow.”
... Well, I guess I can do that much. I am her partner.
Besides, this was one those gags where after giving me a false impression twice, the third statement ends with something about “opening a hole in me.”
“Hey, Kinji. At Assault today, we practiced techniques for countering the knives that an enemy throws at you.”
Aria continued to ramble on happily about dangerous things I didn’t care to hear for. She seemed to be in a fairly good mood recently. The reason was obvious. It was probably because I was acting like her partner more or less. Just like the great detective Sherlock Holmes had John H. Watson, the members of Aria’s family—the Holmeses—required a partner that would allow them to display their abilities to the fullest. Aria, who used to be all by herself and an “aria” in every sense of the word, had been running around looking for that partner. She had literally been searching all over the world. And she finally found one at Tokyo Butei High—me in hysteria mode. I wasn’t able to tap into that power at will, but even so, I was the partner who could be a match for a prodigy like Aria.
“Say, Kinji.”
“What?”
“Hehe. Never mind.”
“God, you’re a pain.”
I get really annoyed by how when we’re walking, Aria occasionally turns around to make sure that I’m there, and then, sending the skirt of her sailor uniform whirling around, she continues on her merry way.
“Aria, you’re not going to look for any other partners aside from me? Wouldn’t it be a good idea to include two or three more people and form a bigger party?
I’d love to have them be the ones to babysit this kid.
“We don’t need any teammates. I don’t work well in groups.”
I’m aware.
“I can fight on my own anyway. I just have to have a partner who can keep up with me. Once your training is complete, there won’t be anything to worry about. You’re the only one I need.”
Ah, crap. That means I gotta be the one to look out for her?
Just contemplating that fact was giving me a headache, and I said as much.
“... My head’s starting to hurt. It’s all because you beat me to a pulp.”
“So take some Aspirin.”
“The only thing I take for headaches or colds is Yamato Pharmaceutical’s ‘Extra Concentrated Kudzu Infusion.’”
“Extra Concentrated ...? What’s that?”
“It means a high concentration of ingredients used in herbal medicine. It’s made up of various Chinese medicines like kudzu and ephedra.”
“You sound like an old geezer. Go and take that then. I’ll be putting more lumps on your head tomorrow.”
“I just happen to be out at the moment ... And they only sell it at Ameyoko. It’s a real hassle going all the way out there. I get it at a drug store between Ueno and Okachi-machi, and there aren’t any train stations nearby.”
“Kinji.” Aria, who didn’t seem to have been listening to my grumbling, suddenly stopped in front of the educational affairs department. “Look at this.”
“... What?” I asked, looking at the bulletin board to which Aria pointed.
“Attention, Second Year Class B Shirayuki Hotogi of SSR. Come to the educational affairs department.”
Shirayuki had been called to the educational affairs department. That was something you didn’t see every day. She was an honor student with a student deviation value of seventy-five, the student body president, president of the horticulture club and handicraft club, captain of the girls’ volleyball team. Aside from the bizarre incident with Aria a few days ago, she led the life of a model student. I never would have thought Shirayuki would be called to the educational affairs department. “Aria, did you make a complain about Shirayuki assaulting you the other day?”
“I’m a noblewoman,” said Aria, glaring at me with her red eyes, “I wouldn’t do something as cowardly as snitch to a teacher about private matters—even if someone did pick a fight with me. What do you take me for?”
Well, well. That’s very admirable for someone like Aria.
I was a little impressed. Aria placed a small finger on her lips and started musing to herself..
“Kinji, this is the perfect chance to keep that savage girl away from you,” said Aria, taking her own savageness up a few notches and looking up at me intently from beneath my chin.
“We’re going to investigate this matter and find out what her weakness is.”