Antimagic Academy 35th Test Platoon - Volume 01 - Eienherjar wakes

by YANAGIMI Touki

  "Why are you acting selfishly and excluding us from the investigations, and continue to bring back Magical Heritage's arbitrarily! We're completely losing face because of this!"

  "Isn't that fine? You guys can earn points without doing anything at all, what are you unsatisfied about?"

  "We don't want an automatic point-making machine! Do you know how horrible we feel because of your one-man play?!"

  "If you guys want to work, work on something else. I'm fine alone."

  Ouka was using that kind of tone ever since 『Trackless Psalms』 incident.

  No wonder Usagi was angry. Even Takeru wasn't convinced by it. "What's this about...?" Is what he wondered about.

  Usagi had a red face, and it seemed like steam was about to come out of her head. She walked towards Ouka to grab her.

  "It's the first time... someone insulted me this much... who the hell do you think you are?!"

  Takeru stopped Usagi who was about to rush at her. He tried to appease the unruly horse by rubbing her back.

  "Stop that, it's a waste of time to talk to this woman. She's only interested in her own well being."

  Said Ikaruga to Usagi while reading an ero magazine, lying on top of the servicing desk.

  Hearing her words, Ouka let out a small sigh.

  "I'll tell you one thing. This is the best way for the 35th platoon and you guys."

  "Hee, the best way for us? Why don't you tell us why, just how the hell did you come up with such a conclusion."

  Ikaruga asked the question while putting the book down, she smiled fearlessly as she crossed her arms.

  Ouka responded,

  "...in that case I'll state this clearly."

  She put her favourite gun down as she stood up.

  All members looked at her. The room has gone quiet with all the gazes concentrated on Ouka.

  She spat the next words indifferently.

  "Your best choice is to do nothing."

  Ikaruga sharpened her gaze, Usagi stood up and wanted to say something, and as expected, Takeru frowned.

  "What... do you mean."

  Asked Usagi.

  "It means if you dispatch, to put it simply, with your abilities if you go against the local organizations holding Magical Heritages, the likelihood of you dying is high."

  "Wha... you say we're lacking?"

  "If it's me alone, the success and survival rate is higher."

  "What did you sayyyyyyyy??"

  "First, Saionji. There's a fatal flaw in your sniping, a sniper is a cornerstone of many missions, and you're supposed to assist the vanguard in the enemy territory. However, your stage fright causes you to shoot in completely wrong directions as your allies are being brought down. I don't want to leave my back to such a person, if possible, I don't want you to touch the rifle ever again."

  "Gu......nghh."

  Usagi made a frustrated face, tears appeared in her eyes.

  Then, Ouka looked at Ikaruga.

  "Suginami, you too. I will admit your maintenance ability is amazing as usual. But this time you went too far. Don't remodel my gun without permission. Don't go equipping it with full auto. I won't be able to use it anyway because of low ammo capacity. And it's clearly illegal remodelling."

  ...so she did that.

  Takeru couldn't use guns, but he was still shocked.

  "The magazine capacity doesn't matter does it, and as long as you hold it in your hand properly you should be able to handle the recoil."

  "Even if we ignore the case of recoil, how are you going to explain full auto."

  "You mean the barrel?"

  "The magazine holds only nine rounds, also test platoons are not allowed to use alchemist parts other than ones supplied by the academy. The components were clearly brought in from outside."

  "Have some sense of romance, just overlook that much——"

  Ikaruga's opinion on romance was pretty biased. Ouka distorted her mouth displeased and considered reasoning with her useless. She stood up soundly pushing the chair away.

  Then she moved towards Takeru, he was standing right next to Usagi who was greatly shaken up, and directly looked at him.

  "And the last one is... Kusanagi."

  Although she used an emotionless voice when talking to the other two, it was different with Takeru.

  Takeru was pinned to his chair with a straight back, a *gulp* sound leaked from his throat.

  On Ouka's face, disgust was clearly visible.

  "You shouldn't remain as a Captain any longer. What I just told those two, should have come out of your mouth instead. Do you want your teammates to die?"

  It was completely correct, there was no way to refute.

  Takeru was aware of that point, but could he talk all high and mighty to his subordinates when he was hardly any better? He always ended up thinking like that, and it would be really pathetic if that was the case.

  "Or maybe you don't want to act bossy because you yourself are no better?"

  It was seen through.

  "...that's what disqualifies you from being a captain."

  Unable to say anything in response, a person with an attitude like him wasn't fit to be the captain.

  He couldn't even say anything self-deprecating. That's what Takeru thought in the current situation.

  "...that's right, that might be true."

  Takeru felt his usual stomach ache, and for some reason Ouka's hair ruffled, her eyes opened wide, and her expression roughened even more.

  "You're not eligible to become an inquisitor...!"

  Ouka revealed her fury, closed up on Takeru and grabbed his coat.

  Unable to react to that sudden action, he was pulled towards her.

  "...Ootori."

  "Chairman told me about your motivation... you want this job because of money, you damn snob... shame on you!"

  "......!!"

  "Inquisition is rotting because of evil selfish bastards like you!"

  Takeru was reticent.

  In that moment, his vision was dyed red, and he almost returned to his old self.

  I don't deserve to be told that by you.

  What do you know about me.

  What do you know——about us!

  Is what Takeru restrained himself from saying in reply.

  If you look only at the surface, Ouka didn't know anything about Takeru.

  The opposite also held true, Takeru didn't know anything about Ouka.

  That's why he endured, he didn't reply. He swallowed it.

  "You surely act big evaluating us, but are you really qualified to do that?"

  At that time, Ikaruga said that while sitting on her chair.

  "...what?"

  "You say that Kusanagi isn't qualified, but what about you? In the first place, Ootori, didn't you come back to the academy because your qualifications were stripped from you?"

  Quiet, indifferent, Ikaruga accused Ouka.

  Being told that by Ikaruga, Ouka lowered her gaze and remained silent.

  "I know how you're being called by fellow Inquisitors."

  "......!!"

  "Crimson Lotus Princess『Calamity』, disobeying orders and killing the culprits. You change every crime scene into a sea of blood, like a plague. That's not something a normal human would do."

  "...you...investigated me without permission..."

  "Doesn't that apply to you as well? You also investigated Kusanagi and his aspirations without permission."

  "That's... Chairman's...!"

  After saying two words she swallowed the rest of them, and clenched her fist soundly.

  "............"

  In the end, she didn't object to Ikaruga, she closed her eyes and turned on her heel.

  "The things you said about me... I won't deny it. But when it comes to the platoon's activities I have no intention of changing my mind. As I see it, Kusanagi is clearly not qualified to be a captain."

  Ouka's feelings went back to normal, it was her original self again.

  Turne
d with her back to them, Ouka walked towards the exit.

  "Same about other things I said, the thing about probability of you dying during a mission was correct. I refuse to go down together with you."

  """............"""

  "That's all I have to say."

  Leaving those words behind, Ouka left the room.

  *clang*

  In the awkward silence left behind, a stiff cough resounded.

  "She's completely confident in her own abilities, and doesn't believe in anything but herself."

  "Well the things she pointed out, are roughly correct."

  "It seemed like she was especially passionate in your case, Kusanagi. Did something happen between you?"

  Takeru recalled the events from a week ago in his head.

  Remembering his hand grabbing the soft bulge, he blushed.

  After looking at Takeru's face, Ikaruga put a mint bar candy that was lying on the work desk and looked towards the ceiling.

  "...you perverted brat."

  "?!"

  He looked at Ikaruga surprised. Could it be, that the radio was switched on in that place and she heard everything that happened?

  Takeru's shoulders slumped.

  "I've heard her reaction towards witches and criminals is abnormal, her hate is obvious."

  "So you really did investigate her... so you were looking for a way to deal with Ootori as well huh."

  "No, I was looking for her weaknesses."

  "...it's that after all..."

  Ikaruga revised Takeru's observation.

  "I didn't have to investigate much. Her Crimson Lotus Princess『Calamity』 nickname is pretty famous. She did seize a big number of Magical Heritages, but her kill count is surprisingly big as well."

  "............"

  "I wonder if it's because of something that happened in the past."

  Though not that I'm interested, she added and Ikaruga sucked on a chupa-chups and a mint candy.

  The number of people shot to death is big, Takeru also happens to know something about that. In the 『Trackless Psalms』 case the other day, he realized how dangerous she is.

  『"...I'll exterminate you bastards... witches too... everything...! "』

  There was a great hatred dwelling in those words.

  It would be a lie to say he wasn't interested as a member of the same platoon.

  "That fellow, she was always alone. Because of her attitude, no one was willing to get close to her, also she persistently said NO to all invitations. There reason for it... is her exemplary bankrupt personality. Well for one thing, she really has a bad character."

  ""............""

  "Why are you two looking at me?"

  ""You're not the one to say that!""

  The two of them spoke at once.

  "What."

  Said Ikaruga as she ate another mint candy.

  The atmosphere relaxed, Usagi was unexpectedly weak during arguments and was scared during the clash with Ouka. but now she returned to conversation with her usual arrogance.

  "Geez, that woman just can't be honest! Why can't she do it properly!"

  "...do what? Usagi."

  "It's about Ootori Ouka, she's terribly clumsy. She should be more honest with her feelings."

  "Fuun... you know something about her?"

  Why don't you tell us, she seemed to inquire from Usagi who had a cocky attitude.

  Usagi snorted, she proudly puffed her big chest.

  "Obviously, because I'm a model maiden."

  "Haa."

  "It's simple, listen. That woman has no friends, and she wants to become our friend. But she's clumsy and can't do it, that's why she clings to you, the captain. 『"I'm better then you, so please let me be one of your comrades!"』, she asks us to take her in like that. She's strong but dishonest. I'll definitely have her become our friend!"

  "With that attitude it seems like she would refuse bluntly."

  "In other words—— Ootori Ouka is just lonely——!"

  "Fufufun", Usagi puffed her chest out further with a proud face.

  Coincidentally, this time it was Ikaruga and Takeru that had the same impression.

  ""Isn't that about you?""

  Both of them voiced their thoughts.

  "Whaa?! Are you saying I'm lonely?"

  "You were alone in middle school and without a single acquaintance. Also, you do have a lonely face of someone who's left out."

  "I-I wasn't really lonely or anything!"

  "But that doesn't change fact that you haven't had a single friend."

  "Guhhh."

  "I wonder if bunnies really die when they're lonely〜?"

  "Nghhhhh Suginami Ikarugaaaaa!!"

  *bam* *bam*, Usagi rushed towards Ikaruga while letting out steam, but she was held at distance by a single hand pressed against her head.

  In the noisy platoon room, Takeru was thinking of what to do next.

  What Ouka said was true, even if she works alone, she would earn points.

  But this way, there's no meaning in having a platoon. As a Captain, it was an unacceptable choice for all three of them.

  To act like a captain... the fact is, that Ootori was mostly right. I should think about the future of our platoon.

  He laughed wryly.

  As a fellow platoon member, she wants to be recognized huh.

  Supporting each other, if that was possible then it would lead to overall improvement of their skills. Previously, they weren't able to cooperate properly. In order to add Ouka's fighting strength to theirs, to have her provide her abilities, to have her cooperate with them... no they don't have to go that far. Even if they could get her to associate with them. It would definitely produce good results. Above all...

  "...to make her our comrade. It would be pretty hard now."

  Takeru stood up from his chair and approached the other two, he placed both of his hands on the table gently and closed his eyes.

  Now that it came to this. Let's not waste the knowledge from the books you've read. Takeru thought in his heart.

  "——I have a proposal."

  After he opened his eyes, a sense of mission and self-confidence was seen in them.

  A few minutes later.

  Three people were sticking to a wall at the cafeteria's entrance and poking their heads inside. They were peeking inside with a scope, apparently observing something. From the side, it looked really strange. In their line of sight was their target... Ootori Ouka.

  "...target acquired."

  "As expected, she's eating her lunch alone."

  "The lunch's menu? What's her lunch menu?"

  Ouka was sitting alone in the windows seat with a grumpy face.

  And on top of the table was...

  "...anpan and milk... why anpan and milk?!"

  "Anpan and milk... that fellow is just like Kusanagi."

  "Hey! Don't make fun of anpan and milk! It's super tasty! It costs only 160 yen including milk! It's easy on the wallet, the strongest combination!"

  ""You're too loud!""

  "...sorry."

  Takeru who couldn't stay silent and demonstrated how he feels about anpan and milk, was admonished causing his shoulders to slump.

  They continued to observe Ouka.

  Ouka opened the milk's lid, and used both hands to take anpan out of the bag. Then suddenly she stopped her movements and , *swish* *swish* started looking around warily.

  The three hid in a hurry.

  "Why is she so vigilant during a meal?"

  "...there's something for sure."

  "T-there's something special about anpan and milk...?"

  "We have to wait until she drops her guard, but why is she this tense?"

  The three of them breathed in and gulped, as Ouka finally brought anpan to her mouth.

  And then... *mofunn*

  "She's eating."

  "Yeah, eating."

  "Eating."

  She was just eating an anpan, but the three of them started sweating.
Their weird gestures attracted gaze's of surrounding people.

  Meanwhile, Ouka reached for bottle with milk, and drank it with a gulp.

  And after few seconds.

  "〜〜〜♪"

  Ouka's grumpy expression melted like ice.

  """............"""

  All of a sudden she made an unbelievably cute expression. The trio were at a loss for words, it was as if she soaked in a hot spring. She tried to desperately hide that expression again.

  "............"

  And again, at that moment she took another bite from anpan, her expression went back to the original one.

  "〜〜〜♪ *Mmm mofun*."

  And again, her grumpy expression came back. When looking closely, it could be noticed that she's lightly stomping her feet happily when bringing anpan to her mouth.

  Seeing a scene like that, having her show such an expression. It was the first time for the trio to see it.

  "...it's her favourite, that one."

  "Fuu... she's so clumsy, she doesn't hide her happy expression at all."

  "She's... unexpectedly normal."

  Takeru and Usagi were too shocked by the gap between her everyday self to comment. Ikaruga was grinning like crazy and released the shutter repeatedly.

  "Fufu, ufufufufufu, use... I can use this! I can use this in various ways against that prideful woman. W-with this weakness here, I wonder what kind of cosplay I'm going to make her wear..."

  "Hey, what are you taking pictures for, come on, we're going back!"

  "A-anpanman after all?![3B 2] A heroine whose only friend is her gun?! Who shall it be?! What if there are problems with copyright, what do I do Kusanagi!"

  "We're withdrawing, come on already!"

  After grabbing Ikaruga who was laughing like mad by her neck. The three of them fled from the spot they were hiding in.

  ...an hour and a half later.

  "...certainly, when I heard your proposal to attract her, I thought it's going to be more... more like... well, different?"

  Said Ikaruga with displeasure, she was sitting by the work desk making origami with scissors in her hands. Even though she complained, her hands didn't stop moving. After folding origami four times, she used scissors to cut along the line with a *snip* sound. The monotonous task to make and connect the chain with glue already continued for an hour.

  The decorations Ikaruga made were hung all over the platoon room. A white fabric was hung from the ceiling and on it 『Small Fry Platoon☆ New member welcome party』 was written with shabby handwriting.