He who Protects the Transforming Heroines from The Shadows - Chapter 25 - The Wish to Become Stronger

“Are you two alright…!?”

The first day back at Fuuraku High after the break. During lunch in the cafeteria space, Youka and Miya were approached by a flustered-looking Kouji.

“Uh… what’s wrong, Kounomiya-kun?”
“Did something happen…?”

Youka had just polished off a large serving of the cafeteria’s fried chicken set meal and was now biting into a yakisoba roll. Miya was sipping on a carton of iced tea after finishing her meal.

“What do you mean what’s wrong—! You ran into Reizeroll and were attacked by that deviant—Spriggan, weren’t you!?”

Perhaps out of concern, Kouji raised his voice a little.

It was truly rare for a person like Kounomiya Kouji to get worked up like this. In fact, the surrounding students were staring at him, wondering what was going on.

“…!”

Realizing it himself, Kouji took a deep breath, regained his usual composure, and apologized to the surprised Youka and Miya.

“That was unlike me… I’m sorry, both of you. I must have made you uncomfortable.”
“Not at all! You were worried about us, right, Kounomiya-kun? Thanks.”
“That kindness really means a lot. Thank you, Kounomiya-kun.”

Both of them spoke with expressions that showed they weren’t bothered in the slightest.

It was obvious that Kouji’s attitude had come from his concern for them.

“…I really am sorry. Are either of you free after school? If possible, I’d like to talk at Cafe Shierra…”
“Ah, sorry. I have to attend the club today. So, could you go with just Youka instead? For that kind of discussion, I think Youka can handle it even without me.”

Miya understood what Kouji wanted to discuss.

That being the case, she judged that the conversation could still happen without her. Besides, she hadn’t shown up at the calligraphy club for a while now, and if she didn’t go soon, it would become a real problem.

“Are you two okay with that?”
“I don’t mind. How about you, Kounomiya-kun?”
“Uh… if that’s what you two are saying, then I suppose that’s fine…”

Prompted by Youka, Kouji couldn’t help but answer like that.

Originally, he had wanted to talk with both of them—the ones directly involved—about Reizeroll and the Spriggan. But since Youka and Miya had offered such a condition, he relented.

It was true that speaking with just one of the people involved, Youka, would be enough. And since Miya’s personal obligations naturally took priority over a talk with him, Kouji found himself nodding in agreement.

“Alright then. Youka, if you’re going to Shierra, order one of the desserts I haven’t tried yet. I’m curious how they taste.”
“Got it, Miya. Then I think I’ll get the French toast today… hehe, I bet it’ll be delicious.”

Still chewing on her yakisoba roll, Youka let out a drool-filled slurp in anticipation—whether that made her dexterous or clumsy was anyone’s guess. Seeing that, Kouji felt a strange sense of anticlimax.

(Even after all that’s happened, these two are still the same as always…)

Always smiling brightly. Always cheerful. That kind of atmosphere and expression was natural for them, but there were plenty of people who couldn’t do it, who found it impossibly difficult.

Kouji looked at Youka and Miya with eyes dazzled by their radiance.

“…Sorry for barging in. Then, Asamiya-san, I’ll see you after school.”
“Yup! See you later, Kounomiya-kun!”

With a smile full of energy, Youka promised to meet him again after class.

♦

“…………”

Meanwhile, at a table some distance away from the three, there was one person quietly eating his lunchbox.

Blending into the cafeteria scene, it was Eito, eating the bento his mother had made.

(Well, I figured Kounomiya would react like that, and it seems like I struck the jackpot.)

Nibbling on a piece of N*chrei’s Karaage, Eito thought this as he watched Kouji’s reaction just now.

Kounomiya Kouji — ranked 10th among the Guardians, bearing the title “Knight.”

According to Soleil, the battle between Reizeroll and himself had been decided to be reported up to the top ten Lightguide Princesses and Guardians. Which meant it was easy to imagine that Kouji knew about it as well.

And with that kind and gentlemanly nature of his, there was no way Kouji wouldn’t worry about Youka and Miya, the ones directly involved. Especially when the information said they had been attacked by Spriggan — the very one Kouji had been wary of. Without a doubt, Kouji would approach the two on the first day back at school.

However, since Kouji was in a different class, with a different schedule from Youka and Miya, the only real chance to meet was lunchtime. Which was why Eito had followed Youka and Miya, who always ate at the cafeteria or bought food, and waited here for cafeteria-regular Kouji to approach them.

(Kounomiya has almost certainly decided I’m an enemy now. Actually, anyone who got the info that I attacked a Lightguide Princess will probably all see me as an enemy…)

He had thought the same thing when discussing it with Soleil, but it couldn’t be helped. After all, one of those very people who had been informed was sitting right there in his field of vision.

(I never had allies to begin with, but only the number of enemies keeps increasing. What a pain in the ass.)

By Soleil’s policy, he was acting as a lone wolf — a one-man army. (And considering Spriggan’s power, Eito thought that wasn’t even a metaphor.)

Indeed, Spriggan’s power was overwhelming. In the end, he had even forced Reizeroll to retreat. And the enemy had come with the intent to kill.

Most likely — no, almost certainly — he would have to fight Kouji, as well as other Lightguide Princesses and Guardians, from here on out.

But Eito did not believe he would lose to them. This wasn’t arrogance; it was a fact he could see objectively, taking into account opponents like Feliet and Reizeroll.

Still, it was true that the number of enemies would increase. No matter how much weaker they might be compared to him, mentally it was something he could only categorize as troublesome.

In short: “Kinda depressing.”

“…Ha. Being a lone wolf’s rough.”

Having accomplished his purpose of observing Kouji’s reaction, Eito quietly finished his bento alone.

♦

“Ah, Kounomiya-kun. Over here.”
“Sorry, Asamiya-san. The student council called me in for something…”

After school. Waiting at the front gate, Youka waved her hand at Kouji, who came rushing out in a hurry.

Because he had been held up with student council work, Kouji lowered his head apologetically to Youka. Inviting her himself only to arrive late—what a shameful thing.

“It’s totally fine! Well then, let’s go?”
“Yeah, let’s.”

Youka and Kouji began walking toward Café Shierra.

“By the way, wasn’t Tsukishita-san in the calligraphy club?”

“Mm. She’s been doing calligraphy since elementary school. She’s a little clumsy in other ways, but Miya’s handwriting is really beautiful.”

As they chatted on the way to Shierra, Kouji glanced at Youka.

(Somehow… this feels fresh.)

As far as Kouji knew, Youka and Miya were always together. Of course, not literally every moment, but still, the impression was that the two were a set. And it wasn’t just him—surely anyone at Fuuraku High would think the same. That’s how inseparable they were.

But now, the one beside him was Youka alone. That in itself felt fresh to Kouji.

(…Even so, Asamiya-san’s smile really is dazzling, and wonderful.)

Seeing her smile made him feel as if his own mood brightened, as if he wanted to smile too. And, for some reason he couldn’t explain, there was also a strange tightness in his chest—

“Man, the cafeteria’s fried chicken set meal really is the best, huh? Have you ever tried it, Kounomiya-kun?”
“I don’t think I have. I’m more of a fish person, you see…”
“What?! That’s such a waste! You have to try it!”

Completely unaware of the thoughts running through Kouji’s mind, Youka kept up her lighthearted chatter.

Before long, the two arrived at Café Shierra, nestled quietly in the middle of a residential area.

Kouji opened the door for her. “Thanks,” Youka said as she stepped inside.

“…Welcome. Sit wherever you like.”

As usual, Shierra, the café’s proprietor, was quietly polishing glasses when she greeted the two customers.

Inside, there was only an elderly man, drinking coffee while reading a newspaper. Luckily, he was seated at the far end, so unless they raised their voices, there was little worry of being overheard. With that judgment, Kouji sat down at a two-person table near the door.

“…Will you be ordering?”

Carrying two glasses of water and hand towels on a tray, Shierra came to their table. Accepting them with thanks, the two placed their orders.

“I’ll have hot lemon tea, please.”
“Shierra-san! I’ll have the French toast, please! I’ve been looking forward to it ever since lunch…”

Having been introduced to the café by Kouji, Youka had already visited several times on her own. Her eyes sparkled like a child’s.

Since everything Shierra made was delicious, she had no doubt that a café staple like French toast would be just as amazing.

“…Got it. I’ll put my heart into it.”

Perhaps pleased by her words, Shierra allowed the corners of her mouth to lift slightly as she replied.

After a short while, Kouji’s lemon tea arrived. About ten minutes later, Shierra also brought over Youka’s French toast.

“…And here’s a sugar stick if you’d like it sweeter.”
“Wow…! Thank you so much! It looks delicious…!”

Fluffy, honey-soaked French toast. Youka sprinkled on just the right amount of sugar, watching intently, unable to hold back her anticipation.

“Let’s save the talking for later and taste it first. It’d be rude to Shierra-san otherwise.”

Seeing Youka so eager, Kouji smiled and made the suggestion.

“Mm! You’re right!”

With a radiant smile, Youka nodded.

Then she pressed her hands together and said a firm “Bon Appetit!” before taking a bite of the honey-soaked French toast.

“Mmm~~! So good…!”

She let out a blissful sigh.

The perfect sweetness and the melt-in-your-mouth bread—humanity simply stood no chance against it.

Youka was the type of person who could happily enjoy almost any food, but she was still a girl, and she had a particular weakness for sweets.

Shierra’s lovingly prepared French toast was without a doubt one of the top two tastiest things she had ever eaten in her life.

“Shierra-san! This is sooo delicious!”
“…Glad to hear it.”

Youka gave an emphatic thumbs-up, and Shierra returned it with one of her own.

“Oh, right. Kounomiya-kun, you should have a bite too! It’s unbelievably good!”

She cut off a piece of French toast, stuck it with her fork, and held it out toward Kouji.

“Eh, no, I’m fine. A-and besides…”

Wait a second—wasn’t this the classic “say ahh” situation?

Kouji, ever the awkward one, couldn’t bring himself to point it out. Meanwhile, Youka seemed completely oblivious.

“No need to hold back! C’mon, ahh—”
“E-eehhhhh…?!”

She kept holding the fork out toward him.

In other words, this was definitely an “ahh”.

(C-calm down! Keep it together!)

On paper, it might sound trivial, but to a high school boy like Kouji, this was a matter of life and death.

Kounomiya Kouji might have been a high-spec guy—handsome, capable, and incredibly popular among girls—but he was no playboy. In fact, he had never once dated anyone.

In other words, he was just as much a virgin as any awkward-looking herbivore.

Why such a high-spec guy was in the same boat came down to a mix of his personal views on romance, the subtle unspoken rivalry among girls, and his family circumstances.

The point, however, was this: this was the very first time in his life a girl his age had ever fed him like this.

(Wh-what do I do!? Should I just go for it?!)

Should he screw up his courage and eat it, or politely refuse like a gentleman? The 10th-ranked Guardian found himself in deep turmoil.

“Ah, do you not like French toast? Sorry, I didn’t mean to force you…”

Seeing his hesitation, Youka misunderstood and started pulling the fork back.

“…!”

Before he realized it, his body had moved on its own.

“W-whoa…!”

Kouji leaned forward and bit into the French toast.

He chewed the slightly cooled but still fluffy piece. Just as Youka had said, it was delicious.

Gulp. “…Th-thank you, Asamiya-san. It was really good.”

Doing his best not to let his face turn red, Kouji tried to sound as natural as possible.

“Right?! I’m glad! For a second I thought you hated French toast. Huh? Kounomiya-kun, your face looks a little red… are you okay?”

But his effort was in vain—Youka was already looking at him with a worried expression.

“N-no, I’m fine! It’s just… I guess it suddenly feels a little warm in here, that’s all!”

Kouji, more flustered than he had been all day, scrambled to defend himself. His smile was noticeably more strained than usual, though he prayed she wouldn’t notice.

“…Youth.”

Watching the scene quietly, Shierra murmured under her breath. Her eyes were gentle.

♦

“…Asamiya-san, is now a good time?”

Though there had been an unexpected little incident, Youka had finished her French toast and ordered an apple tea to cleanse her palate after the meal.

Once the atmosphere had settled, Kouji finally spoke up. Luckily, the only other customer—an elderly man—had just left a few minutes earlier.

“…Yeah. It’s fine.”

Youka understood what his words were signaling. She nodded quietly.

“Thank you. …Then, first of all, I heard that you were attacked by Spriggan. Is that true?”

Kouji asked the question that had been most on his mind ever since he heard about it from Larva. He believed Larva wouldn’t lie, and certainly not a god, but he wanted to hear it from Youka herself, the one who had actually been there.

“…Yeah, ultimately speaking. But no one was hurt. And… at that time, Spriggan seemed… strange, somehow.”
“……I see. So in the end, he did attack you. Which means, perhaps he really is our enemy. We don’t know his goal or anything else, but still…”
“I… Miya and I don’t think so. Spriggan saved us. That’s why we’ll trust him.”
“…”

Youka declared it firmly. In her eyes shone determination of many kinds. Kouji couldn’t understand how she could say that.

“How could you… how could both of you trust him so much? He attacked you, didn’t he? Then why—”
“Hmm… This is just my intuition speaking and nothing more, but I think Spriggan is just clumsy. But I know for sure that he’s kind. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have saved us.”
“……”

Hearing her words, Kouji thought: What a pure-hearted girl Asamiya Youka is.

It was easy to say you believed in someone, but actually doing so was far more difficult—especially when that person had once attacked you. Yet Youka still looked at Spriggan the same way.

Kouji found himself a little envious of Spriggan, who was trusted so deeply by her.

(…what am I even thinking…)

Ashamed of his own wandering thoughts, he quickly tried to deny the feeling.

“…I see. If that’s what you believe, then I won’t say anything more. But still, I can’t bring myself to trust Spriggan yet. Hearing this from you only made that feeling stronger. …I’m sorry to say that to someone who believes in him, but that’s my honest feeling right now.”

Even after listening to Youka, Kouji confessed his unchanged truth: he simply couldn’t trust Spriggan.

“Thank you, Kounomiya-kun—for being honest with your feelings. …Can I ask you one thing too?”
“What is it?”
“How did you become so strong?”
“……Why do you ask that?”

Kouji couldn’t understand the intent behind her question, so he asked her directly.

“…We’re weak. Whenever danger comes, we’re always the ones being protected. But really, we’re supposed to be the ones protecting others. Soleil-sama must have given us the power to do that. That’s why Miya and I thought… we want to be stronger.”

Her voice dropped a little lower than usual, and she gave a fleeting, fragile smile. It was different from her usual cheerful grin—there was something faintly weak about it.

“We know at least this much: as a Guardian, you’re incredibly strong, Kounomiya-kun. That’s why I want to know how you became that strong. I thought… maybe it could be a hint for us.”
“Asamiya-san…”

Kouji couldn’t bring himself to say, You’re still a new Lightguide Princess; you don’t need to be thinking like that. But Youka surely already understood that much herself. Even so, she still wanted to become stronger.

“…The best way to build strength is probably the summer training camp. I think that applies to Lightguide Princesses as well. During the camp, we’re taught many things, we train our basic stamina, and it’s the kind of training that clearly makes you stronger. But… the camp is still a ways off. You don’t want to wait that long, do you?”
“Ahaha, you got me there…”

Youka gave a troubled smile. She knew full well that she was being unreasonable.

Even so, she couldn’t suppress this feeling anymore.

“To be honest, I don’t know much about Lightguide Princesses. Unlike Guardians, you have unique abilities.”
“Right…”

She already expected that answer, but hearing it made her slump her shoulders. Maybe in the end, she’d have to ask another Lightguide Princess.

(Ugh… I’d like to ask Akatsuki-san, but who knows when I’ll see her again…)

The only other Lightguide Princess Youka knew was Akatsuki, the hooded one. But there was no way for her to contact her.

“…That’s why I think the next best thing is to ask another Lightguide Princess. And if possible—the strongest one in Japan.”
“Eh…?”
“Lightguide Princess Ranking, Number 4: The Shrine Maiden. If you want to get stronger, the best way is to ask someone strong. Luckily, I know her personally outside of work. If you’d like, I can try to contact her and see if she’ll meet you.”

Kouji’s words were something Youka hadn’t even dared to imagine.

“…Really?”
“Yeah. That’s about all I can do for you.”

Grabbing his hand tightly, Youka expressed her gratitude.

“Thank you, thank you, Kounomiya-kun! You’re a lifesaver!!”
“A-Asamiya-san!? P-please calm down…!”

Having his hand suddenly seized made Kouji’s face turn red again, and he could feel his heartbeat quicken.

Noticing that she had startled him, Youka quickly let go. “Ah, sorry!” she said hastily.

“I was just so happy… But really, thank you, Kounomiya-kun.”

Bowing her head, she once more offered her thanks.

“Raise your head, Asamiya-san. I only thought of this because of your sincerity. It’s natural to want to help people like you and your friend. That’s just how people’s hearts work.”

Kouji gave her his usual refreshing smile as he said it. The truth was, it was Youka’s and Miya’s earnestness—their character—that made him want to help.

“Of course, she has her own schedule, so once I arrange a time, I’ll let you know. Is that alright?”
“Perfect! Ehehe, I guess what you really need in times like this is friends!”
“…Yeah, that’s true.”

The word friends brought to mind a certain classmate. A boy with long bangs and a gloomy air about him. In the end, he had rejected Kouji’s attempt, and they hadn’t become friends.

If he’d been rejected, there was nothing to be done. Even so, the memory still lingered like a weight in Kouji’s heart.

“…Well then, I should be going. Please take your time, Asamiya-san. I already paid the bill while you were in the restroom.”

Judging from the fact that Youka still had tea left, Kouji figured she’d be staying a while longer, so he stood up after saying that.

“E-eh!? No way! I’ll pay you back!”

Noticing too late that the check had vanished, Youka scrambled to pull out her wallet. But Kouji had already expected her to say that, and only gave a wry smile.

“No, I was the one who invited you, so this much is nothing. Thank you, Asamiya-san. I had a good time.”

Leaving those words behind, Kouji quickly made his way out of the café.

“Ah—Kounomiya-kun! …Thanks again for everything today!”
“You’re welcome.”

He accepted her words of thanks without hesitation.

♦

“…the wish to become stronger, huh.”

After leaving Shierra, Kouji walked home, mulling over Youka’s words.

Either a Lightguide Princess or a Guardian—that thought must come to everyone at least once. No, perhaps even ordinary people might feel the same way.

(…When did I forget that feeling?)

Back when he had just become a Guardian, he constantly thought that way. To get stronger as quickly as possible, to protect the Lightguide Princesses. Of course, even now he still had ambition. But… it wasn’t as strong as it had been back then.

(Ever since I reached Rank 10… ever since my epithet became my Guardian name… I stopped thinking that way entirely…)

He was still only a novice, just a little over a year since becoming a Guardian. And yet, what on earth had he been mistaking himself for?

“…I’ve gone soft.”

He would get stronger too. Strong enough to protect those two without fail.

Making that vow, Kouji lifted his gaze to the sky, dyed in the colors of evening.