Editing Masou Gakuen HxH:Volume 14 Chapter 3 (section)

===Part 4===
The content of the list was mostly world famous ancient ruin or religious sacred place. It was the so called power spot.

The system that Nayuta left behind, nayuta generated the document──according to this document, the place that gathered faith from the ancient time or place where the civilization prospered was where magic power naturally gushed out even if there was difference in the density between each spot. Perhaps the people of ancient time were enjoying the blessing of the magic power without noticing that.

Under the leadership of the newly formed intelligence unit, they headed to the actual site and advanced the preliminary arrangements for the investigation there.

If they just went there and check it then it wouldn’t take much time──Kizuna thought, but Reiri objected.

「Field study means marching into enemy ground. We can also investigate forcefully with brute force, but there is also the matter with Dragre. We shouldn’t underestimate the opponent too much.」

Certainly, the multinational force that was their enemy still hadn’t shown all their hand. They didn’t know what they were scheming.

Kizuna recalled Christelle and Elfriede who he encountered before.

Christelle was awfully confident. Perhaps it was simply her personality but…….

「Boss, Boss Kizuna.」

When he noticed, Gertrude was pulling his sleeve beside him.

「Hm? Ah, my bad. Something is in my mind for a bit.」

Kizuna was currently watching the primary grade’s practical training as a lecturer. The menu today was to equip technical gear and ran the obstacle course that was created at the sports ground in order to familiarize themselves with the gear.

「Everyone is doing their damn best to show off in front of boss, so please look properly at them.」

「……I’m sorry.」

Kizuna switched his mood and looked at the practice ground. The obstacle course had things like vaulting box, balance beam, and other things lined up. The children were running the course with awkward movement.

Everyone today was wearing mechanical armor on top of their usual pilot suit. It was the gear that wasn’t using magic power, the technical gear.

「However, the technical gear has evolved a lot.」

「Yes. The difference compared to when boss damn fought Aine-san is like heaven and earth.」

At that time the gear was a roughly improvised thing, an exoskeleton that was forcefully installed with motors, electrical components, weapons, and rocket engines. Naturally there wasn’t any leeway to think about miniaturizing it at that time. A child equipping it was out of the question.

However, now it had been minimized so that even primary grade student could wear it.

The girls passing under net and jumping over trench were wearing something that was only a size bigger than the actual Heart Hybrid Gear. The output was weak, but that was safer instead for the children.

「Now, just one more damn lap!」

「Yes-!」

Everyone replied with a loud voice even while breathing hard. Among the girls who were sweating while running, Kizuna’s eyes naturally followed the girl with golden hair.

──Setsuna.

Suddenly he recalled the computer which was Nayuta’s parting gift that was discovered several days ago.

Setsuna’s moving body once belonged to Nayuta. And then residing inside that body was the machine god Thanatos who created this world.

However all her memories were erased, so her personality was completely new.

──Setsuna didn’t know anything about Kaa-san, and of course she isn’t Kaa-san.

He understood that, but he associated them together reflexively.

Setsuna’s golden eyes turned toward Kizuna as though she sensed his gaze.

Kizuna’s heard jumped.

For him to get flustered by a gaze from a primary school student──Kizuna told himself, but it was futile. He couldn’t calm himself down.

Setsuna frowned, then she averted her face with a huff.

──I’m being hated huh.

Kizuna smiled bitterly. It was then,

「Come to think of it boss」

Gertrude asked him not as an instructor but with an expression of a bosom buddy.

「I heard that you will infiltrate into enemy territory again for investigation or something.」

「You have sharp ears.」

Gertrude grinned.

「I recall the damn time when we infiltrated into Vatlantis.」

「Kuh……for, forget about that. Please forget it.」

Vatlantis Empire only had female, so Kizuna was forced to dress as woman. Gertrude would teases him sometimes even now about it.

「How about it? It’s fine even if you team up with me again you know?」

That was an attractive offer. However──m

「……I think it’s okay this time.」

「Eh, I got damn rejected.」

She said that, but Gertrude didn’t really look that disappointed.

Kizuna looked toward the courtyard once more. The students who finished running the laps that were assigned to them were hanging their head down or lying down to sort their breathing.

「It feels like I’ll be hated if I take away the instructor they look up to that often after all. Besides……」

「What is it?」

「This time it’s not that difficult of a mission. It’s not something we need to ask Ger-san to make an appearance for.」

Gertrude glared at Kizuna with a displeased look.

「No no. Please don’t make me do nothing but mission that’s like a damn punishment game. When you called for me sometimes and I tried giving it a go, it was always nothing but dangerous works. You see, sometimes a work where it’s like a holiday is also──」

「Instructor. Everyone has finished running.」

Without them noticing Setsuna was standing in front of Gertrude.

「Oh, then we’ll move to a training that is a bit more like damn combat next.」

After Gertrude said that, the students’ eyes shined in anticipation.

「It’ll be a damn light practice match with Kizuna-sesei.」

「Eeh!?」

Shocked voices rose. Expression of anxiety and then fear also spread together with it.

「Aah, you all don’t need to worry. Even though he look like this Kizuna-sensei is unexpectedly damn tough, so even if everyone’s attack hit he won’t die.」

Gertrude looked up at Kizuna and winked.

Kizuna scratched the back of his head with a smile to calm down the students.

「Hahaha, everyone go easy on me.」

The tension seemed to unravel with that. The students smiled back.

「Now, fight with everything you have. Do it with the intention of defeating the damn legend!」

「Yes!!」

「Then boss too go start preparing.」

「Yeah……wait, where is the technical gear?」

「It’s damn troublesome so please do it with your own gear.」

The students immediately got excited.

「Uwaaah! Sensei do the transformation!」

「Transform, transfooorm!」

「Do it, do iiiit」

It was like being pestered to do a transformation in a hero show. If it was an actor that was playing hero role in television show, they would look troubled but still did it happily. That was something that often happened.

「Yoosh, then everyone watch me. Eros!!」

Alogn with a radiant flash Kizuna’s body was equipped with black armor.

「UWAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!」

The students were extremely excited. They gave a loud applause.

「It’s Erooos!」

「Coooll!!」

「Erooos Erooos」

The children made transformation pose for some reason and repeatedly called the name of Eros. Kizuna felt something that was close to guilt seeing their innocence.

「Aah……everyone. You shouldn’t say Eros so much in front of other people……」

Kizuna warned while sweating coldly. Setsuna was the only one staring at him with a chilly gaze.

「Getting carried away……really……Onii-chan is……」

「Setsuna, did you say something?」

「It’s nothing.」

She averted her face with a huff.

「Then, let’s damn start when you finish preparing!!」

With Gertrude’s order, the practice match with time limit of one minute per person began.

「TAAAAAH!」

The twintail girl raised her fist and closed the distance quickly. However she seemed to be scared with how she was closing her eyes. Kizuna lightly dodged to the side and caught the girl’s body from the side.

「Oi, it’s no good if you close your eyes right?」

「Ah……I reflexively」

He gently put down the girl’s body on the ground and smiled while raising his index finger.

「Look carefully at your opponent, one more time.」

「TEEEEEI!」

An adorable punch landed on Kizuna’s body.

「Yosh, that’s good! Continue hitting!!」

「Ei-, ei, eeei!」

Kizuna received the student’s strike while encouraging her.

「Are you tired already? Do your best! You can do more!」

The bell that notified one minute had passed rang at that time.

「Tha, thank……you, very, very mu……muuch……」

The twintail student bowed her head before returning to the line of other students with unsteady footsteps.

「I can’t go on~」

She collapsed with such pathetic voice.

Just one minute. However if they continued fighting with their full strength, they would use up their stamina in the blink of eye. The students who finished the practice match were all totally exhausted. They were running out of breath and couldn’t even stand.

「E, even though it’s just a minute……am I, this lacking, in……stamina?」

「Sho, shocking~」

Cute lamentation rose from the students who lied down like heaps of corpses.

And then the last students stood in front of Kizuna.

「Please take care of me.」

「Setsuna huh. Go easy on me.」

Setsuna ignored Kizuna’s soothing consideration and returned a chilly gaze.

And then the bell that signaled the start rang.

「!?」

Setsuna rushed out at that instant.

It was a perfect full powered jump. She didn’t only use the waist thruster but she charged him by also using all the support thrusters on the legs. If a beginner did that, most of the time they would overshoot.

However Setsuna headed straight toward Kizuna.

Setsuna pulled off the difficult horizontal piloting right at the start and closed the distance with Kizuna.

And then next was a punch without the slightest hesitation.

「……tsu!」

He tried to stop it with his palm but he didn’t make it in time. He used his forearm to sweep away her arm to the outside.

「Ku!!」

Setsuna’s face distorted in vexation. Setsuna’s body tilted due to the momentum of her swept away arm. Kizuna was slightly panicked if he had brushed her off too strongly.

However without pause Setsuna’s body rotated in midair.

「!」

The thrusters on her legs spouted fire and her foot was swung up toward Kizuna’s head. Kizuna was at a loss of word seeing that smooth movement.

It was a feat that couldn’t be done without trickily adjusting the posture control thrusters on her whole body.

──She’s really something.

He caught Setsuna’s full powered kick with one hand.

「Wha……-!?」

It seemed to be unexpected for Setsuna. She showed a shocked expression.

「If it’s like this, I think it would be better if I also face you with technical gear.」

Kizuna intended to praise her with that, but Setsuna seemed to take it as humiliation. She displayed an angry look and kicked with her other leg.

「Oops」

Kizuna twisted his arm and swung it around while still holding Setsuna’s foot.

「Kyah……!?」

And then he toseed her up.

He intended to catch her when she fell. However Setsuna stopped her body’s rotation with thrusters and performed a steep climb with max output.

「……What?」

The output of technical gear for primary grade was low, at best it would assist when jumping. It should be impossible to fly in the sky with it. However Setsuna’s body already flew up for more than ten meter. She was trying to climb even higher.

「Just, how──」

Something strange entered Kizuna’s eyes at that time.

The technical gear Setsuna was wearing.

Golden light was flowing on its surface.

──!?

It was the light of magic power circulation that was impossible for technical gear.

「Boss!!」

Gertrude yelled uneasily.

「Leave it to me!」

Kizuna instantly jumped up. Eros’s spec was low compared to other gear, but its performance was improved throughout the fights until now. And then Kizuna’s skill was also──,

「Setsuna!」

「Eh……」

The moment Setsuna turned around in surprise, the golden light flowing on the technical gear’s surface vanished.

Kizuna passed over the back of Setsuna who turned around. The technical gear’s back unit was cut when he passed her. The electrical system died instantly and Setsuna’s complexion changed.

She suddenly lost her support in the sky and started falling toward the ground.

「Hyauuh!?」

──I’m falling.

When she thought that, her body rotated and got caught really gently within two arms.

「Don’t struggle.」

「Ah……」

There was Kizuna’s smile when she looked up. Setsuna returned to the ground while being carried in princess carry. She was put down on the ground, but the technical gear with its electronic system died was heavy. There was also no power assist from its joints, so she was unable to move properly.

「I’ll turn on the power now so wait a bit.」

However Setsuna didn’t wait for that and pushed the technical gear’s release button that was installed in the left arm. The armor came off along with the sound of key clicking open. Setsuna took off all the parts and started running toward the school building without looking back at Kizuna.

Kizuna hesitated for a while before following behind her.

「Setsuna.」

When Kizuna called out like that, Setsuna glanced back briefly. It felt like her cheeks were reddening.

「I don’t feel good so I’m leaving early.」

「Wait, Setsuna. No, if you don’t feel good then it’s fine even if it’s later, I want to talk for a bit with you.」

「……Is it a scolding?」

Setsuna replied with her back still turned to him.

「Eh?」

「There is no need. I already know what I have done wrong.」

「By wrong you mean……that’s not it. About the match just now──」

「……-!」

Setsuna suddenly started running. She got out of the school with a speed that was unthinkable for a child’s legs.

「Setsuna!?」

Kizuna immediately chased behind her.

When he got out of the courtyard, he saw a figure rushing into the entrance of the school building. If it was like this then he would be able to catch up while she was putting on shoes. Thinking that, Kizuna also rushed into the school building a few seconds later.

「!? Oops」

Setsuna was standing still in front of the shoe rack.

「Why are you following me?」

「That’s……because I’m worried for you.」

Setsuna lifted her face. Her golden eyes stared straight at Kizuna. The same eyes like Thanatos made Kizuna felt like he would be overwhelmed.

「Lies.」

「I’m not lying.」

「I am……different from Onii-chan and Onee-chan anyway.」

Setsuna’s golden eyes half looked down. And then she scooped her long hair with her hand.

「My hair is also blonde, even my eyes……the color of my pupils, isn’t the color of human.」

「Setsuna?」

──I see.

So she is troubled regarding her birth……well, of course she would.

Kizuna and Reiri had talked to each other whether to tell Setsuna the truth or not. They concluded that the shock later on would be unnecessarily great if they poorly concealed the fact and told her without hiding anything from the start.

Even so, there must be a lot of things worrying her.

Kizuna and Reiri tried to treat Setsuna as their actual sister, even so Setsuna might be feeling loneliness even then.

Kizuna crouched in front of Setsuna and matched the height of her eyes.

「Setsuna, you also know the reason of that right? But you know, I and Onee-chan are without a doubt your family.」

「Is it because this body belonged to Onii-chan and Onee-chan’s mother?」

「……Eh」

──That’s,

「But I, am not mother, I’m also not the god who created the world.」

Not even a year had passed since Setsuna was born. However her mind grew rapidly and right now she was displaying maturity that was practically the same with her body’s age or perhaps even older than that. Exactly because her mind had matured that she began to worry.

Even so her mental age was still primary school student.

She didn’t understand how to interpret the event of her birth that was too special, or how to face her own destiny.

Kizuna regretted his lack of thoughtfulness toward Setsuna.

「I understand. Even if your body belonged from Kaa-san and your mind from Thanatos, Setsuna right now is your own human with independent heart. that’s why──」

「Human?」

Setsuna frowned and looked up to Kizuna.

「Am I human? Really?」

「What are you saying, Setsuna. That’s obvious.」

「Because……」

Even Kizuna could understand what Setsuna wanted to say.

Certainly, strictly speaking Setsuna might not be human. However, right now that wasn’t what Kizuna wanted to convey.

「There are various people in the world. There are people with slightly strange power compared to other people, and there are also people with special birth. But, just because of that doesn’t mean they aren’t human. It’s nothing more than the degree of difference. That’s why you’re the same like everyone.」

「Then, why is Onii-chan is looking at me differently from other children? Are you giving me preferential treatment?」

「That’s……because you’re my little sister. I don’t intend to favor you but, if I’m asked whether I can look at you completely the same like other children then it’s impossible.」

Setsuna’s lips tightened into ‘^’ shape and she made a dissatisfied face.

「Aren’t you actually not thinking of me as your little sister?」

「Why do you think so?」

「……Because」

Setsuna’s cheeks slightly blushed pink.

「If I’m your actual little sister……you’ll be more……」

「Please Setsuna. Tell me. Why do you think that? If I did something wrong then──」

Setsuna averted her gaze to the opposite side this time with a displeased face.

「I, it’s nothing.」

「It’s not nothing right? We thought of you as someone precious. Both me and Nee-chan too.」

Setsuna glared sharply at Kizuna the moment he said that.

「Let’s see. This is just an example but, somehow the atmosphere is different. Onii-chan’s attitude and expression toward me is different.」

「Different you say, what is?」

「The atmosphere between Onii-chan and Onee-chan.」

──Sha, sharp!

Kizuna was unable to object right away and couldn’t find any word to say.

「……As I thought.」

Setsuna was glaring with damp eyes.

For some reason Kizuna felt she was a woman from those eyes.

「No, there are various circumstance about that……but, that’s not a problem of seeing us as brother and sister or not, I think……」

Even his excuse was incoherent. He got a hunch that he would find himself in deep shit if her talked carelessly.

「I and Onee-chan, due to some reason we’re doing special duty. Well, because of that the time we spent with each other is long and our relationship deepened but, that’s──」

「If you say that I’m your little sister, then it’ll be fine if you do the same thing with me too.」

「How should I say it, there’s no need to do it with you……」

When he noticed Setsuna was looking down with a sad face.

Cold sweat trickled Kizuna’s forehead.

──This is bad. I’m not reassuring Setsuna at all.

「Bu, but you know! You’re the little sister I’m proud of! That’s the truth.」

「Lies.」

「I’m telling you it’s not a lie.」

「……Then, can I ask you to do one thing for me?」

Kizuna smiled happily.

「Yeah! Ask me for anything.」

「If I’m no good then please clearly say that I’m no good.」

「……What?」

「There’s no meaning if you praise me in consideration just so I won’t get hurt. I don’t want you making a nice face at the surface while thinking ‘this girl is useless’ at my back.」

「Setsuna? To be frank, you’re a prodigy you know?」

「But, compared to Onii-chan and Onee-chan……」

「It’s strange saying this myself but, putting aside Onee-chan, when I was at Setsuna’s age, I was completely useless and wasn’t anything you know?」

Kizuna was conveying the truth as it was but, from Setsuna’s expression it was obvious she wasn’t believing him.

「The person who defeated a god and saved all the worlds is saying that? There is no way that’s true. Please don’t say something random because you think I won’t know.」

「Aah geez……what should I say here……」

Kizuna held his head at his wits’ end.

「Anyway the thing about me doesn’t matter. What’s important is, Setsuna, it’s you. Even at the practice match just now you were amazing.」

Setsuna averted her face sulkily.

「That match where it was like I couldn’t even touch you?」

「Yeah. It’s really a big deal that an primary grade student can do that much. Besides, that power wasn’t something that a technical gear could display.」

「Technical gear couldn’t……then, how──」

Setsuna’s face stiffened as though she had been dealt a blow.

「Is that because……I’m not a human, just as I thought?」

──Damn it.

Kizuna cursed his own rashness.

「Don’t misunderstand. Setsuna, that was──」

However Setsuna ran through the corridor to get away from Kizuna’s words.

Kizuna continued to stare at the corridor even after Setsuna’s figure vanished from view.

「A kid at that damn age is complicated, what’s more Setsuna-chan has various circumstances on top of it.」

「……Ger-san.」

Gertrude had come to his side without him noticing. Kizuna felt like he had calmed down slightly.

「I’m completely useless as a big brother……」

「Well, I’ll have boss continue as lecturer for a while, so it’ll be fine if you close the distance with her bit by bit ain’t it?」

「I keep getting indebted to you Ger-san.」

Kizuna sighed. Gertrude flashed a satisfied smile to him.

「More importantly, the damn match just now……Setsuna-chan is really something.」

「Yeah……that talent of hers as pilot.」

「According to boss’s damn judgment, how much is it?」

「……She might rivaled Sophia.」

Gertrude’s mouth spontaneously whistled.

「That’s really damn something. But──」

「Yeah……I know.」

The problem wasn’t that.

The golden light before this was most likely Setsuna’s magic power. Even technical gear that didn’t use magical mechanism was manipulated using magic power due to that ability.

──That’s the power of machine god.

Anxiety whirled inside Kizuna’s heart.