Chapter 3

By any chance, if he made a miss in his answer here, would he get killed in this place?

Such feeling of terror crept up Kizuna's back.

"The commander didn't tell Hayuru of the time when Kizuna was going to use the public bath. And then, Hayuru who came home late bumped into Kizuna there."

Without even looking at Yurishia, Aine calmly slipped in some words about the circumstance.

"...What's with that, aren't you extremely well informed?"

"Well, I also happened to be present at the actual scene."

"Hee….. then, Aine, you are not bothered? That was a naked appeal you know? You are not thinking that Kizuna might be tempted?"

Aine sent Kizuna a glance.

"Not particularly. That thing yesterday was simply an accident. It was just Hayuru dancing naked on her own accord."

Yurishia glared at Aine with doubtful eyes.

"You are awfully composed aren't you, Aine.

"Because... Kizuna, he said to me... that he will take responsibility."

*beki-* together with that sound of destruction, Yurishia's second pen was broken.

"Kizuna... the meaning of what she said just now, can you give me an explanation I can comprehend?"

The raised eyebrows and cold eye glint that were in inverse proportion with the smile on the lips were capturing Kizuna.

'Uooo, a beautiful woman's angry face is unbelievably scaryyyy!'

Yurishia was the former ace of [Masters].

Masters was like the Amaterasu of Japan, the Heart Hybrid Gear team of America. Before the 2nd Another Universe Conflict occurred, she arrived at Ataraxia due to America's joint strategy with Japan. And then, since then she was fighting until now as a member of Amaterasu.

She had shot down more than three hundred magic weapons, even now she was the world's super ace with record that was still updating.

If he was glared by such person, it was not an exaggeration to even say that it was the end of his life.

But, just why was he being condemned by Yurishia this much?

"N, no! Even if I said responsibility, it was a talk about life counseling! This was Aine's usual nonsense! Isn't that right, Aine... e?"

Aine drifted off muddy black miasma around her, she also glared at him with piercing eyes.

This girl...-, what, what was with this cursing gaze!?

Forced to a three-way deadlock with Kizuna in a situation that left him cringing with fear, a salvation barely reached him.

"Yoo―. You guys, get to your seat―"

Sakisaka-sensei entered the class room as usual with her red jersey.

"Then we are starting class―... wait, what's the subject again?"

p039

Sakisaka-sensei was operating like usual.

Anyways, he was saved.

Pretending to not notice the dark aura of the two girls, he loaded the class data.

Thereupon, the content of the geography class was displayed on the monitor. This was the present time geography, namely Megafloat Japan's geography and structure etc., this class was teaching the fundamental knowledge. Regarding the world's state of affairs and the other countries' megafloats too, if they obtained new information, that information would be reflected on the teaching material immediately.

"Aah―, yeah yeah, geography isn't it? Though I say, even the world map is lacking in usefulness right now though―"

The wall in front of the classroom became a screen using its whole surface. There, the megafloats of each world country were projected.

"The current shape of countries right now is this. Frankly, we completely don't know which country is in which sea right now. Well, we could unexpectedly meet them by chance though―"

Each country had various shape and size.

Japan's Megafloat had a long and slender shape, it was vaguely imaged like Japan's archipelago. In reality, each region's float was linked in a row that was the same like their position in old Japan.

And then, even among the lined up each country's float, the ones with conspicuous size were Russia, and then America. If it was just size then Russia won, but what was amazing from America was that America's east coast and west coast had one Megafloat each.

The Megafloat looked like it might be even twice the size of Japan's, furthermore there were two of those.

Kizuna was staring absentmindedly at the form of Megafloat West USA. It looked like a streamlined enormous submarine.

"The one that Japan is likely to meet across might be West USA I think―, they are supposedly in the Pacific Ocean. Their float is attached with a submerging function, it seems that it can move underwater like a submarine you know―, I don't know for sure though."

It was a lenient lesson like always.

This second year first class was the top class of combat department, but by no means that this class was only doing combat training.

Modern Japanese and classical literature, mathematics and chemistry, history and geography, general education was also properly taught here. It was just that there was no full-time teacher for each of those curriculum, almost all lessons were given by the homeroom teacher Sakisaka Saki.

What made that possible was because the class lesson had been turned into data and fundamentally the teacher only needed to run the class program.

Of course, they employed full time lecturers regarding the curriculum with high specialization like art or music. However, the number of teachers were few in contrast with the number of students. Because of that, the teachers didn't participate in student management or civic guidance outside the class at all. Therefore, independent control management of students was necessary.

The public morals committee that Himekawa belonged to was also one of those, in order to protect the public morals and order of Ataraxia, they were working day and night.

'――I think that's praiseworthy in that case, but....'

With a sidelong glance, Kizuna took a peek at Himekawa's face from the side.

As expected, didn't she look tired?

He recalled the matter that Reiri told him just now while looking at Himekawa's side profile.

{Just when in the world are you planning to do Heart Hybrid with Kizuna?}

Certainly, the remaining Hybrid Count of Himekawa was little.

If the enemy appeared, she might meet with a dangerous experience, like Yurishia before this, where her Hybird Count became empty in the middle of battle.

Even if he was waiting, there was no way Himekawa would be the one who became motivated to do this.

'I've got to do something.'

However, Himekawa was really fastidious, she didn't think of him favorably.

First, he had to obtain Himekawa's trust.

In order to do that――.

"The work of the public morals committee?"

Himekawa faced him with a difficult expression.

"Yeah, I want to help."

After school, Kizuna came to the student guidance room and requested Himekawa.

It was fortunate that no one was inside the room except Himekawa. Thanks to that, he could talk without reservation.

Himekawa crossed her arms and made a complicated face.

"I don't know what you are thinking, but do you understand your own standing? No one will consent to you entering the supervising side."

"That's why. I'm not doing erotic things by my own will, that's what I want to prove."

Kizuna desperately appealed to Himekawa.

"I want everyone to understand, that what I'm doing is due to the mission, I myself am a proper human being. If I do that, then I won't have any guilty conscience in doing Heart Hybrid, even Himekawa, you won't have any sense of inferiority towards everyone with that right?"

Himekawa showed a surprised face.

"You are――thinking about me?"

"Even I don't do all that because I like it, but I understand that in the end Himekawa feels ashamed because of my fault. That's why, I want to be of any help even for a little."

However, Himekawa was staring at Kizuna as if evaluating him with a dubious expression.

"..."

After pondering for a while,

"――I understand, fine then."

"Really!?"

Kizuna raised a joyful voice.

"Yes. But, I too will determine what kind of person Hida-kun is, through this work as public morals committee."

"Thank you. Take care of me then."

"Yes, me too. Please take care of me."

After saying that, Himekawa suddenly smiled gently.

That smiling face of Himekawa, was unreasonably lovely.

Kizuna felt like he received a surprise attack.

That smile was graceful, gentle, soft like the sunlight of spring, a warm smile.

In that smile, not even a little of her usual harsh atmosphere could be felt.

"Is something the matter?"

"Ah, no. It is I who should say, take care of me!"

Kizuna lowered his head quickly to hide his reddened face.

[Exposing – First case]

"This is Himekawa Hayuru of public morals committee. You peeping-toms are caught red handed, obediently hand yourself over!"

"Geh! This is bad!"

Himekawa and Kizuna opened the door and rushed to the rooftop, there, three male students were lying on their stomach peeking through a telescope. It seemed that they were trying to peek at the girls changing clothes in the classroom. They were thorough in that they were using a telescope that was equipped with a recording function.

When Kizuna took away their telescope, he examined which maker it was from.

Which reminded him, last week there was a popular topic about an uploaded video of girls changing on the net. Someone commented that the image was taken using a particular lens but... so that was because it was not using a camera, but a telescope then?

"You guys... that means, the changing video uploaded to the net before this was also――"

"Yo, you're wrong! We, we didn't know anything like that!"

"Yeah, yeah! That's a false accusation!"

The peeking students yelled the same thing unanimously. Their desperation only made him even more suspicious.

"Well, we will understand soon enough if it's investigated. Don't be so worried if you guys really didn't do it."

"Hida-kun, what are you talking about?"

Himekawa tilted her head.

"Aah, actually on the net last week, there was a popular topic about the peeking video of Ataraxia female students. Perhaps that video was taken using this telescope, that's what I'm talking about."

"That kind of thing..."

Himekawa made a shocked face, but she immediately glared at the peeping-toms with a severe gaze.

"What a shocking thing to do in this emergency time. Tomorrow, show your faces in the student guidance room! I will pursue your other crime thoroughly."

The expressions of the three male students became puzzled for a moment, but they immediately showed a relieved smile.

"Ye, yeah. Got it, tomorrow yeah."

'Hmph, I see.'

"Himekawa, can we lock these guys' room and all electronic devices they have?"

"Wha-!?"

The three froze.

"Eh? That's, I think we can if we request it but..."

"Then, do that. If not, they are going to make the evidence disappear today."

"Stop it! Don't you have this thing called compassion-!"

With a grim gaze, Himekawa scowled at the male students.

"I have no compassion for people who act cowardly like peeping!"

The three collapsed on the floor from great despair.

[Exposing – Second case]

"This is Himekawa Hayuru of the public morals committee! I'm carrying out an examination due to the suspicion of carrying a prohibited item. Hand over your luggage obediently!"

Himekawa's dignified voice resounded inside the book preparation room.

Inside the room that was full of dust, around six male students were gathering. On top of the desk, a bag filled to burst with books, and then several books were lined up.

――They were porn books.

Photo collections, illustration albums, and then porn manga.

The moment Himekawa saw their covers, her face turned red in a flash.

"Wha, what inappropriate things... thi, this is an obvious violation of school regulation! They are all confiscated, further punishment will also be decided in the student guidance room!"

"Damn, a crackdown!"

"Take the things and run!"

One person grasped the bag on the table and rushed out of the room.

"Wait!"

Kizuna tried to pursue, but the other five were standing in his way.

"Please don't be a hindrance!"

Himekawa took the hand of one of them and beautifully fling him away.

'Uwaa, amazing.'

It looked like Aikido or something. Even though he didn't see her put any strength, the opponent's body floated lightly in the air. His back hit the floor hard, leaving him writhing around on the floor.

Looking at that, the other students who got scared opened the path.

"Hida-kun, we are chasing after him!"

"Roge――uwaa!?"

The moment they came out to the corridor, something was passing through in front of their eyes.

――Heart Hybrid Gear!?

The male student wearing armor on his body was flying in the corridor.

In his hand was the bag that was taken away in the escape just now.

"That's the guy! But, what's that!?"

"That's the Heart Hybrid Gear for practice use introduced from this week!"

'So that's what it was!'

Kizuna remembered.

That was the Heart Hybrid Gear for practice use, developed by Shikina Kei of Nayuta Lab.

――[Technical Gear]

Originally, if a Core was not installed inside the pilot's body, a Heart Hybrid Gear couldn't be equipped. In other words, the time one could actually start practicing was only after the Core was installed.

Timewise it was also something pointless, there was also the risk of the student with aptitude for the core, yet after the Core was installed, it turned out that the student actually didn't have the talent as a pilot.

From there, this Technical Gear was developed.

Created from all the existing technology, it was a replica of Heart Hybrid Gear.

Of course, the spec was far from the real Heart Hybrid Gear.

Even so, it would be useful in cultivating human resources, a great result was expected from it.

"――Despite so, right now it's used for absconding with porn books of all things-!"

"Most likely, he is the student in charge of the test flight! This is a complete mistake in personnel selection!"

Kizuna and Himekawa began to run chasing after the flying student. However, they couldn't possibly catch up by running.

"We will lose him at this rate! We are also going-!"

Himekawa spoke resolutely with a face like a hero of justice.

"Eh? Don't tell me..."

"Neros!!"