He who Protects the Transforming Heroines from The Shadows - Chapter 14 - Reason

“—And that concludes the explanation for all my weird behavior just now!!”

Akatsuki forced a smile as she once again made excuses for her actions. In the end, that mysterious gaze she felt had just been her imagination, and she gave the unconvincing excuse that she “felt a gaze, but it turned out to be a bug’s.” Logically speaking, being able to sense a bug’s gaze would make anyone a weirdo in their own right, but at that moment, Akatsuki was, simply put, completely flustered.

Normally, anyone would see right through such an excuse, but the overly trusting and somewhat simple-minded Youka and Miya actually believed her.

“Woooow…! That’s amazing! I could never sense a bug looking at me!”
“Yes… Someone like you, Akatsuki-san, must be what people call a master.”

Youka gazed at Akatsuki with sparkling eyes, while Miya looked at her with admiration.

If Eito had overheard this conversation, he would’ve declared these two idiots in two seconds flat and pegged them as the kind of people who’d fall for a scam without blinking. For one, no one would ever call a person who can sense a bug’s gaze a “master.” That would be an insult to all real masters across the country.

In fact, Kouji could only offer a dry chuckle: “Ahaha…”

“Ahem! Once again, let me properly introduce myself. I’m the Lightguide Princess ranked 25th—Akatsuki. It was a weird way to meet, but I hope we get along!”

Akatsuki hadn’t expected anyone to believe her lie, and though still confused, she finally finished introducing himself. She’d never taken this long just to say her name before in her entire life.

As you may have noticed from the previous introductions, Lightguide Princesses and Guardians don’t give out their real names—it’s more of a rule or custom. When introducing themselves, they generally give their rank (if they’re ranked) and their Lightguide Princess or Guardian name.

Youka, Miya, and Kouji call each other by their real names despite being transformed, but that’s a special case since they already know each other.

“Ah, right! My Lightguide Princess name is Red Shine! I’m probably not ranked or anything, though! Nice to meet you!”
“Same here—my name’s Blue Shine. I’m probably not ranked either, but… likewise, nice to meet you.”

Perhaps sensing the mood, the two introduced themselves with their Lightguide Princess names rather than their real ones. If Eito had heard these names, he would’ve just gone, “Oh yeah, that was their name, huh,” with a face that screamed “don’t care.”

Satori, who knew their real names from school, acted as if she didn’t know a thing.

“Nice to meet you both. By the way, just a guess… but are you two new recruits?”

Now that she knew Kouji was the Guardian mentioned by Kakashi, Satori guessed that Youka and Miya were the rookie Lightguide Princesses who had fought Feliet.

“Ah, yes! We only became Lightguide Princesses a little over a month ago. How did you know?”

Youka tilted her head in confusion as she asked, and Satori nodded slightly.

“So, that means you two are the rookies who fought Feliet.”
“Eh!? How do you know that!?”

Youka exclaimed in surprise, and Miya looked equally shocked. Only Kouji remained unfazed—understandably, since he had reported the incident to Ralva to ensure the information would spread.

“Oh, I heard from a Guardian I know. That you two and that Rank 10 guy were attacked by some high-ranking Darkian named Feliet. Are you alright? I heard someone named Spriggan saved you.”

Satori spoke kindly, and Miya replied with a quiet nod.

“…I nearly lost my life, but thanks to him—Spriggan—I’m still alive.”
“He saved me too… But we have no idea what happened to him after that. That’s what worries us the most…”

Watching the two, Satori recalled what Kakashi had told her about this mysterious figure named Spriggan. Supposedly, he had helped Lightguide Princesses twice, but he might also be a Darkian who wields Darkness powers. Because of that uncertainty, Guardians were now ordered to accompany and guard Lightguide Princesses even during low-risk Dark Thrall encounters.

You might wonder—aren’t Guardians supposed to be bodyguards anyway? True, but in this context, it’s more like an extra layer of insurance.

Still, watching the girls speak, Satori couldn’t help but feel that Ralva’s concern might be unwarranted. From how they talked about him, Spriggan seemed like a good person, even if he did use dark powers.

“I see… He sounds like a good guy. I’d like to meet him sometime.”

Satori smiled and said this cheerfully, but Kouji—who had been silently listening—suddenly spoke up.

“That would be dangerous, Lightguide Princess Akatsuki.”
“Kou—Knight-kun?”

Startled by his serious expression, Youka almost used his real name, but quickly corrected herself. Her face said she didn’t really understand what he meant.

“If you’re aware of the situation, then you should know. That man—Spriggan—is suspected to be a Darkian who uses dark power.”
“Spriggan… a Darkian?”

Miya murmured, as if trying to make sense of the idea. To her, he had been a gruff person who saved Youka first, and later, someone who had saved her as well. Now Kouji was suggesting he might be no different from Feliet.

“So that’s what you meant back then…”

Meanwhile, Youka recalled something Kouji had said after they escaped from Feliet—“Don’t trust Spriggan too much.” She hadn’t understood it at the time, but now the meaning was clear.

“…It’s true he saved Lightguide Princesses twice. But I saw his power. It was the same dark power used by the Darkian I fought. It’s only natural to be cautious.”

Kouji wasn’t saying this out of dislike. As a Guardian, it was his duty to protect Lightguide Princesses, and he was simply doing what was expected of him—being wary of suspicious individuals. His point was perfectly valid.

But to Youka and Miya, Spriggan was a savior. They both looked like they wanted to argue back.

(Oops… did I say something I shouldn’t have?)

Sensing the tension in the air, Satori quickly tried to steer the conversation elsewhere.

“B-by the way, you two only became Lightguide Princesses this year, right? That means you’ll have to go through training this summer!”

She meant it as a light shift in topic, but the two girls blinked at her in confusion.

“Um, training?”
“What are you talking about?”

“Huh?” Satori replied, surprised. Apparently, they hadn’t heard anything about it.

“You didn’t hear from Lady Soleil? Rookie Lightguide Princesses have to undergo training in the summer. They teach you combat techniques, info, and more.”
“…Ah, brings back memories. I went through it last year too.”

Kouji, reading the room, joined in and smiled nostalgically.

“Eh!? Really!?”
“Red Shine and I never heard anything about this…”

Their shocked reactions were the most dramatic of the day. Summer was right around the corner.

“W-What do we do, Miya!? We don’t even know where or when we’re supposed to go!”
“C-Calm down, Youka! We can just ask Lady Soleil again!”

In their panic, they started calling each other by their real names, without even realizing it. Luckily, Satori already knew their names, but it was still a bit careless.

“Don’t worry, you two. The training always takes place in August during summer break. The location’s already been set, and I’m sure Lady Soleil will let you know the details soon.”

Training is scheduled during August so that student Lightguide Princesses and Guardians have time to attend. That includes both roles, though the requirement only applies to those who meet certain criteria.

Hearing this, the two girls sighed in relief.

“But still—you’re amazing. Rank 10 in just one year? Kakashi called you a monster. And to think even you had to take the training… I guess you didn’t go to that school then.”

Satori turned to Kouji. Getting to Rank 10 in just one year was incredible—after all, this was a global ranking. In that sense, Akatsuki being Rank 25 among all Lightguide Princesses was something he was quietly proud of.

“Yeah, I became a Guardian last April, but I had already decided on school by then. And, well… that place is kind of special for Lightguide Princesses and Guardians. I just wanted a normal student life.”

Satori had asked out of curiosity, and it seemed Kouji had his reasons. Fair enough.

By the way, the training is required only for those who don’t attend that school.

“Um, what school are you talking about…?”

Youka asked, clearly lost. Since she hadn’t even known about the training, that question was only natural.

“It’s the school where your training will be held. It’s a bit special—basically, it’s a government-approved school specifically for Lightguide Princesses and Guardians.”

““EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEH!?””

Their screams echoed across the riverside.

♦

“Mm? What’s that…?”

Leaning against the pedestrian walkway of the bridge, Eito murmurs in confusion as he hears what sounds like shouting from somewhere.

Well, he could more or less tell from the voices that it was Youka and Miya—but he had no idea what they were so surprised about to yell like that.

“…Whatever. I just wish they’d hurry up and go home.”

Having canceled his transformation, Eito lets out a sigh alone on the pedestrian path, with neither cars nor people around.

At the moment, he’s leaning against the wall of the walkway, so he’s not visible from the outside—but if he were to move, his appearance would of course be seen by Miya, Youka, Kouji, and that sharp-sensed, mysterious Lightguide Princess. Even though this bridge is a bit of a distance from where those four are, there’s no guarantee he won’t be spotted.

Which is exactly why Eito can’t move. To return to school, he has no choice but to wait until those four hurry up, cancel their transformations, and leave. (Youka, Miya, and Kouji will also be returning to school like Eito, but he can just stagger the timing.)

“…I wanna be back by the fifth period.”

His empty stomach growls loudly, reminding him he hasn’t had lunch.

♦

“A-A school like that exists…?!”
“I-It’s the first I’ve heard of it…!”

Youka and Miya were completely dumbfounded by the information Akatsuki had just shared. Seeing their reactions, Akatsuki smiled brightly.

“Nice reaction. Yeah, I was surprised too when I first heard about it. That a school like that exists, I mean. But on the surface, it’s just a regular school. Which, I guess, makes sense.”

“It’s actually located in Tokyo, so it’s pretty close. Have either of you heard of Oujin High School, a public school? That’s the one.”

Kouji followed up with more detailed information. The two girls shook their heads in response.

“Sorry, I don’t know it. We chose our school just based on how close it was to home…”
“Yeah. There happened to be a nearby public school with an entrance score we could manage, so we just applied there.”

(Relatable)

Since their reason for choosing their current school was the same as hers had been, Akatsuki nodded in silent agreement.

“But… this school for Lightguide Princesses and Guardians, I assume its true nature is kept secret from the public, right? So how does anyone even find out about it?”

Youka asked a very reasonable question, and Kouji was the one to answer.

“Once someone becomes a Lightguide Princess or Guardian, the information is passed on to the government through Lady Soleil or Lord Ralva. In our case, it’s the Japanese government. That way, the authorities keep track of all known Princesses and Guardians. So, when a junior high student who’s about to enter high school gets chosen, a pamphlet for Oujin High School is discreetly delivered to their home, with information embedded in a way only the individual can understand.”
“Oh, right. And even those who awaken as Lightguide Princesses in high school get the pamphlet, as a kind of invitation to transfer. I got one last year myself. And if you do transfer, there are a bunch of perks. You two haven’t received yours yet, so it might show up soon.”

Akatsuki added that last bit, and the girls nodded eagerly, eyes sparkling.

“Wow…! That’s amazing! This is getting kind of exciting, don’t you think?”
“Totally! By the way, what kind of perks are we talking about?”

Miya asked, clearly intrigued. Akatsuki glanced at Kouji, not remembering the details very well.

“Uh… I remember full tuition coverage, I think… What about you, Mister rank 10th?”
“That, and… I believe all meals in the cafeteria are free, if I’m not mistaken.”
“Ah, yeah, that too. Sorry, that’s all I remember for now. You’ll have to check the pamphlet for the rest.”

Akatsuki turned back to them with an apologetic smile and pressed her hands together in a “my bad” gesture. The girls responded with gratitude.

“No worries, thank you! Those are amazing perks—especially the free meals… ugh, I’m seriously tempted to transfer.”
“Yeah, that sounds like you… But free tuition is huge. It’d really help out the household finances.”

Youka wiped the corner of her mouth as if suppressing drool, clearly lost in a daydream. Miya, on the other hand, spoke with the calm authority of someone’s mom.

“Haha… well, transferring is totally up to the individual. A lot of people do it, but there are some like me and him who don’t.”

Knowing Red Shine’s true identity, Akatsuki could fully understand why Youka had reacted so strongly to the prospect of free lunches—it was kind of predictable, and she chuckled awkwardly.

“…Hmm?”

““““!””””

Suddenly, a small sound caught their attention, and all four of them quickly turned toward the middle school boy who had been knocked unconscious by his transformation into a Dark Thrall. It seemed he was starting to wake up. The person who had turned into the tanuki-like Dark Thrall was also stirring, groaning softly.

“This isn’t good—we’ve stayed too long. Well then, see you three! Let’s meet again if fate allows!”

With those words, Akatsuki vanished like the wind. She’d probably run into them again at school, but since she had no intention of revealing her identity to the trio, she kept things vague.

The remaining three quickly sprang into motion.

“L-Let’s get out of here for now!”
“Yeah, we can cancel our transformations once we’re a bit farther away!”
“Agreed—let’s head back to Fuuraku High.”

The three of them took off at a brisk run, heading back toward their school.

And thus ended the little chat—part friendly exchange, part back-alley strategy session—between the Lightguide Princesses and the Guardian.

♦

“…Haa, what a hard day that was.”

After school, Satori trudged along the road home, completely exhausted. In the end, she got scolded by the teacher for being late to class in the afternoon, and to top it off, she never would’ve imagined those three were actually Lightguide Princesses and Guardians. Of course, there was physical fatigue too, so she was both mentally and physically drained.

(Man, the world really is small…)

Thinking back on everything that happened today, Satori couldn’t help but muse. On the way out, she’d caught a glimpse of Youka and Kouji—they looked full of energy. Seriously, where does that stamina come from?

“…Well, I doubt any of them suspect I’m Akatsuki.”

At Fuura High, Satori was at least somewhat known, and that was due to her appearance.

She had no intention of ever revealing she was a Lightguide Princess to anyone. Of course, Soleil knew, but that goddess could be trusted completely with privacy, so she wasn’t worried. The Japanese government also wouldn’t leak such a major secret under any circumstances.

“Haa… First thing when I get home, I’m going to crash.”

As she turned down a side street, she saw a familiar figure walking ahead. Feeling a little happier, she jogged over to catch up with him.

With a thump on the back and a smile, Satori greeted him.

“Yo, Eito! Heading home?”
“Ow—… Oh, it’s just you, Satori. What do you want?”
“What the hell? Rude. Can’t I say hi to my friend? Anyway, you look tired. You okay?”
“Shut it. None of your business. Just had a bunch of annoying stuff going on.”
“Huh? Well, whatever. Let’s walk home together.”

With that casual exchange, the two walked side by side. Though she’d been drained moments earlier, Satori now felt oddly lighter on her feet.

(Man, being with Eito really is fun.)

Feeling her mood lift, Satori turned to him and asked:

“Hey, Eito. Do you remember the first time we met?”
“Hah? Where’s this coming from?”

Eito furrowed his brow beneath his long bangs. But Satori stared straight at him and pressed on.

“Just answer.”
“…Of course I do. —No way I’d forget.”
“…What?”

In that moment, Satori’s eyes turned absolutely glacial.

“Eito, are you seriously saying that? If you really are, I might need to apply some physical shock therapy to your poor little brain.”
“Whoa, chill! I’ll forget again if you hit me! —I remember! I remember, okay? Just put that fist away!”

Seeing Satori clench her right fist, Eito panicked. She was more serious than he expected.

“Really? You really remember? Not lying?”
“I’m not lying! It was that rainy day at the arcade, right!?”
“…Fine, I’ll accept that.”

Satori finally relaxed her fist, and Eito let out a relieved sigh.

“Jeez, what’s your deal… Violent heroines are out of style, you know? Well, I guess you’re more the ‘protagonist’s best pal’ type anyway.”
“What are you on about now? And calling a lady like me a ‘best pal’ type is rude. Sure, I look like a guy, but come on.”

Satori glanced at herself in her school blazer and slacks, her bob-cut hair swaying.

That’s right—Hayakawa Satori was a girl. Eito had known her since middle school, but he’d thought she was a boy that whole time. It wasn’t until they reunited at Fuura High that he found out the truth—and that revelation ranked among the biggest shocks of his life. Really, the blame lay with Satori’s gender-neutral way of speaking, her androgynous looks, and her clothing.

Including all of that, Satori was something of a celebrity at Fuura. The school allowed girls to wear pants if they wanted, and Satori happily did so. In fact, she was the only girl at Fuura who wore slacks.

Incidentally, Eito—who had no other friends at Fuura—had no idea that Satori was immensely popular with both boys and girls.

“When I found out you were a girl, I felt like I couldn’t trust anything in the world anymore…”
“You’re so dramatic. I just wear what’s comfortable for me. Anyway, what I really want is to see your face under those bangs—you’ve never shown me, not once.”

Satori stole a glance at him. Despite all the time they’d spent together, Eito had never shown her his face, nor told her why.

“…That’s the one thing I can’t do. Anyway, you should get home and rest.”
“Eh? Why?”
“Dunno why, but you seem super tired too. You’re not showing it, but I can tell. We’ve known each other long enough.”

Eito said it offhandedly, but Satori’s eyes widened at the words.

“…Haha. So you can see from behind that long fringe, huh?”

His kindness struck a chord in her heart. Satori knew—this blunt, gloomy-looking boy who always joked around—was actually incredibly kind.

(The reason I became a Lightguide Princess—the reason I can keep going—)

She could never tell him, and probably never would. But that was okay. What mattered now was this moment they were sharing.

“Seriously, you’re just…”
“What now?”
“Nothing. Actually, dude, let’s stop somewhere on the way home.”
“Hah? Whatever, I guess…”
“Then no time like the present! Run for it, Eito!”
“Wha—hey!? You’re acting weird today!”

With that, Satori grabbed his hand and took off running. Eito followed, confused by her sudden burst of energy. She was definitely acting strange today. Maybe she’d hit her head or something?

“Probably! But it’s totally your fault, Eito!”
“Hah!? You seriously need to see a doct—ow!”

In the end, Eito got smacked once—and spent the rest of the day with his best friend like always.