7th April - "Welcome, to the Another World Cla.s.s"People say that April is the season of encounters.
That’s because when you enter a new school or getting a job you start a new life in a new place, so you tend to build many relations different from the ones you had until then.
In this way, I was one of those people. After somehow breaking through the harsh tests, I was able to enter the high school I wanted to this spring.
What kind of people will I meet, and what kind of life was waiting for me.
Thinking about the still unknown future, I pa.s.sed through the entrance of Shikai Public High School with my heart full of expectations.
… But now, I was a little, no, considerably confused.
“I’m sorry, to take you out in the middle of the ceremony.”
As we walked in the corridor of the school building, I heard a voice.
Walking before me was the teacher named Omaezaki Shizuka. From what she said, she was the teacher in charge of the cla.s.s I’ll belong to starting from this day.
She had shoulder length hair and was wearing small gla.s.ses, but she had androgynous looks, so you couldn’t tell if she was a man or a woman from her appearance alone. Her voice was neither high nor low, just in the middle, and even her chest looked swelled and not at the same time.[1]
“Ah, no, please don’t worry about it. I was a little surprised, though.”
While answering her concern, I said what I really thought.
Actually, when in the middle of the school entrance ceremony Omaezaki-sensei whispered “Only you need to leave early.” and led me by the hand, I wondered what was happening.
“… Umm, did I do something?”
Driven by uneasiness, I tried asking. I thought that perhaps, just before entering school I made a mistake, and having noticed it she planned to have a talk about it personally. I thought I pa.s.sed the exam, but perhaps after checking up they saw that I lacked a few points and decided to cancel my pa.s.sing in a hurry. … If that was the case, it won’t end with simply feeling down.
“Ah. Don’t worry. There wasn’t any problem with you, Mamoru-kun.”
Perhaps she guessed my feelings, as Omaezaki-sensei shook her head while answering in a carefree tone. Really? Thank goodness….
“There’s just a little something.”
“A little something? What do you mean, Sensei!?”
I could feel relieved for only a brief moment before I heard those words and my uneasiness returned.
“Fufufu.”
Omaezaki-sensei laughed suggestively. No, really, what’s happening!?
“Well, umm, you see. It’s just that it was decided that Mamoru-kun will belong to a different cla.s.s from everyone. There are various things, so we thought it was better to introduce you to your cla.s.smate beforehand.”
“… H-huh. A different cla.s.s?”
What’s the meaning of this? Is it a cla.s.s for problem children? My imagination has been going in an unpleasant direction for a while. Circ.u.mstances are circ.u.mstances, so it might be inevitable, though.
“Before explaining the details, let me ask you a little something. Do you know the current situation of the world?”
I was confused by the sudden question. While wondering what her intention was, I began to speak. “Um, well. How to say it… Compared to the past, it"s become quite different.”
“That’s right.” Perhaps Omaezaki-sensei was happy I gave the answer she hoped, as she joined her hands with a smile. “Dozens of years ago, the phenomenon called "Different Worlds Incident" happened, then the state of the world changed considerably.”
The Different Worlds Incident. If I had to say it plainly and frankly, without any pretension, it was something like this.
A certain year, on a certain day, at a certain time. Without any sign beforehand. Extremely suddenly.
ー This world connected to several different worlds.
Moreover, what were in our world characters from the genre we call fantasy, that had existed in different forms since the past, were living in those worlds.
“At first, various problems occurred. To an extent that I wouldn’t be able to explain everything that happened right now.”
I heard about it from my parents too.
“However, humans are highly adaptable. Society gradually recovered from the confusion, and we have reached the point where we can accept them.”
All over the world, interactions with inhabitants from different worlds ー people we call otherworlders, began.
Going from here to there, coming from there to here.
During that time, it seems that the United Nations and the government of each nation made a move, but I don"t really know much about complicated things like this. Anyway, various progresses followed, and it gradually became natural to have otherworlders in our world.
“Recently, legislation concerning otherworlders finally pa.s.sed. We can now say that they can settle permanently and become part of society in j.a.pan or any other country.”
“That’s right. But, does it have something to do with why I am here?”
“Yes. And then a little while ago, amongst the important people, a little project was created. It was named "Itoku Project".”
“The itoku project?” Even saying it with my own mouth, I couldn’t guess what it could be about.
“That’s right, the Itoku Project. It’s a project to deepen our bonds with the otherworlders even moooore, by making the younger generations interact with each other. I remember too, but compared to after you entered the workforce, you often have a far longer and closer relationship with the friends you made when you were in school.”
“Is that how it is?” Unfortunately, as I was still living under my parents’ protection, I couldn’t really get it.
“It is. When you become an adult, you will understand too, Mamoru-kun.”
Omaezaki-sensei turned around, and patted my head while smiling. I’m a little embarra.s.sed.
“However,” Omaezaki-sensei closed one eye. “Until now, even though otherworlders could work or come to sightsee in our world, they couldn’t go to school. But, entering a new era, we can’t go on like this forever. They too, should want to be able to send those with aspiration to school.”
“Well, certainly, that might be true.”
“Right!? But doing something unprecedented, some troubles might occur. Therefore, as an experiment, representatives selected by each worlds were gathered in one cla.s.s to make them cohabit. Doing this, it’ll be possible to judge if it’s appropriate or not for people from different worlds to build close relationships while they are young.”
“… Wait a minute, please.”
As expected, even someone said to be slow on the uptake like me noticed.
“Could it be that where I’m going right now is…”
“Oh, well spotted. It’s just as Mamoru-kun is thinking.”
Omaezaki-sensei joined her hands and smiled. But, since a while ago, a cold sweat was running on my back.
“The Itoku Project, whose official name is "Special Cla.s.s Composed of People from Other Worlds", will start, and our school was selected to be the test-bed!"
“Eh!?”
“Moreover, the one selected to be the splendid representative of our world in Itoku is you, Mamoru-kun! Here, applause!!”
“Eeeeeeeh!?”
*clap clap* ー No, stop!
"W-w-why would a school in a suburban town like ours, a commonplace school with no distinguishing features and the kind of public school you can find anywhere in j.a.pan, be chosen for such a big project?"
“Oh my. Mamoru-kun, mocking the school you entered yourself with such vigour on your first day~”
Said Omaezaki-sensei as if enjoying herself, then continued.
“The school and the students were chosen randomly by each world.”
“Th-th-then, me too!?”
“Yes. Mamoru-kun, you hit the jackpot wonderfully~”
Said Omaezaki-sensei unusually slowly, without concern for my feelings.
“W-wait a moment, please! It’s too sudden! I need to brace myself!!”
“I’m sorry~. Something already decided can’t be revoked. A teacher is a public servant, I can’t go against the government.”
“No, Sensei! Please don’t show me yourself yielding to power from the start! You’re a mentor, no!? Please show your never giving up spirit to your student!”
“There is a limit to everything, Mamoru-kun.”
“You’re too realist!”
Omaezaki-sensei stood before a cla.s.sroom holding my hand as I vainly tried to run way.
“Here. This is where you will belong from now on.”
“S-sensei, even I have the right to choose! Release my hand, ouch! What’s this!? You’re absurdly strong, Sensei!”
Suddenly, there was a sound. Ah, she opened the door.
“After you~”
Being pressed by her smile, as my last hope, I looked at Omaezaki-sensei’s eyes and spoke my mind.
“… After you?”
Ah, no, it’s useless. What a gaze, refusing any reb.u.t.tal. An indescribable intensity that would make you shiver.
… This teacher isn’t an ordinary person.
“I got it…”
It became something totally unexpected. … No, I should try to renew my feelings. Even I came into contact with a few otherworlders. I helped showing the way once. Also, one of my net-friends is a merman, moreover a freshwater fish, so when we went to the sea to play I ended up saving him from dying.
We might be able to get along. Let’s face everything positively. Even if this is a new place, it doesn’t change anything. First, I need to greet them cheerfully. It’s the basis of everything. Alright, let’s go!
“Good morning!”
ーA fire ball pa.s.sed in front of my eyes. It struck the wall, exploded, destroyed it, and smoke whirled up.
“To think a dragon would be in such a place. I have found you at last! I will accomplish the mission of my family!”
In the centre of the cla.s.sroom, a silver haired girl wearing armour was standing on the top of a desk and raised a sword.
“I’m tellin" you, I ain"t from your world! You’ve got the wrong person, no, the wrong dragon!”
Her opponent was an astoundingly gigantic lizard. … No, it was a dragon.
“Mere words! Then, why did you spat out fire!? You evil dragon, corrupted being who hurts people!”
“It’s because you went for me outta nowhere! You’re the dangerous one! You a slasher or something!?”
“Are you calling me a slasher!? You b.a.s.t.a.r.d, I won’t forgive this insult! This sword, Levilsting, is crying! G.o.d of the Sun, under the name of Larwin, Our Gregson blood will now kill this ferocious dragon andー”[2]
The dragon spat out fire.
“Y-you b.a.s.t.a.r.d! Don’t attack in the middle of my introduction! Have you no manners!?”
The girl who had tried to look good somehow was now panicking as she clung to the desk in a panic.
“Shut up, idiot! You humans always drag it out! We’re the kind ones for always waiting!”
“N-n-non sense! You evil dragon who can’t understand traditions!”
The girl rushed, wielding her sword.
The dragon used the nearby desk as a shield, then the battle began.
The cla.s.sroom grew noisy as some cheered and others tried to escape.
“Alright. Everyone, quiet down. The first homeroom of this year is starting~”
Omaezaki-sensei advanced amongst them totally composed, then stood on the podium.
“… S-seems like it’ll be fun.”
I stood still, dumbfounded, and could only smile stiffly.
After that there were some ups and downs.
And of all things, I became the cla.s.s representative of Itoku.
I wondered what kind of karma this was, but, naturally, this wasn’t the end of everything.
ー And as expected, from then on my days were hectic, in various ways.
Notes:
[1] Because Shizuka is mainly a girl/woman name, I"ll use she.
[2] レヴィルスティング , ラーウィン , グレグソン.