Chapter 7: Student Dormitory
Souji left the infirmary after he got Keiko’s permission to leave and went off towards the school building.
In the sports ground dyed red by the setting sun, several bulldozers were filling up the long trench caused by that sword of light.
While looking at such a scene, Souji went towards a place a little separated from the school building, where twelve four-storey buildings stood in a line.
For the next three years, he’ll be living in this ACE troop dormitory.
「There really are a lot of these big buildings, huh?」
If this place was to be a soldier’s dormitory, he expected it to be fairly cramped housing.
「Is there some reason for this?」
Though that beautiful infirmary lady might know the reason, he doubted whether she’ll tell him or not.
Anyhow, Souji was already told the location of his room, so he turned towards the 12th dormitory which was located furthest away from the school building.
「Bro, you’re alright!」
Right after he entered the building, Eisuke greeted him while hugging his chair.
「We’re brothers?」
「Of course we are! Did you hit your head or something and turn into an idiot?」
「Nope, I think there’s still many things for me to learn」
「Uhm, that reaction, there’s no mistake, you’re the real Souji」
Eisuke exhaled in relief with an idiotic-looking serious face.
「But, that Philanderer, are you trying to kill us?」
「Don’t tell me you’re getting cold feet after all that」
(ED Note: I honestly don’t know who said what here. The first line sounds like Eisuke, but the second line doesn’t make sense then. Why would Eisuke be the one who is afraid?)
Even Souji agreed with Eisuke’s remark when he recalled the gigantic sword of light that fell from the sky.
「The surprising thing is that you can fight against that hero, can’t you?」
「Nope, I’m scared you know」
He had never felt the danger of losing his life until he faced the might of the holy sword.
He really feared the nature of the youth named Tendouji Ayato, who could swing that gigantic full-powered sword of light without hesitation towards a human.
「That guy is scary…」
Even when he was the one attacking, to begin with.
Although his way of talking caused a misunderstanding, Souji was often crossing spears in mock battles against his grandfather, so he’s already used to the act of attacking another human.
Even with that, it’s exactly because of this that he knew how dangerous bladed weapons were when pointed toward other humans.
But, that hesitation was nonexistent in Tendouji Ayato, thus he could freely swing his sword toward humans.
If Souji didn’t stop that blow and he didn’t have the protection granted by his phantom armor[幻子装甲], that blow would have killed him.
「Maybe he has outstanding talent as a soldier…」
If he wasn’t used to studying martial arts, maybe he’ll get used to it by fighting.
However, he won’t lose that nature which removes his hesitation about releasing his attacks towards humans.
Maybe he feels excited when he’s hurting someone, though there’s little hope if he’s that kind of pervert.
「Well, it’s that philanderer’s problem, here we’ve got a more important matter」
Eisuke switched the topic and pointed to the side.
To the side of the entrance was a s.p.a.cious hall, where fellow ACE corps could gather and deepen their friendship from now on.
「Right, we will never get along」
「Aah, I want to become popular too」
Though Souji saw a few boys playing handheld games together, what Eisuke saw was the gathering of the girls.
「Look, that girl with shoulder length hair, isn’t she almost on par with Otome-chan? Even that black-haired big-b.o.o.bed gloomy girl on her side, even that loli in front of her would make a maniac go WIIIIILDD~~~~」
「Haa…」
Souji, who wasn’t that interested in love, made a half-hearted reply.
「In the first place, how the heck are those girls in this place?」
「I’m also interested in that!?」
Souji corrected himself while turning towards Eisuke, who was hiding behind him in panic, with a face full of doubt.
「Gathering group of boys and girls in the same dormitory, wouldn’t that cause trouble?」
Normally male and female dorms would be separated. All the more so as there’s more than enough room to do that.
「Now that you mention it」
Even Eisuke whose spirit was soaring high in the sky thanks to the existence of the girls had noticed the abnormality.
「That’s right but, this is a chance! Peeping into the bathroom, sneaking around in the middle of the night, GEHEHEHE~~~~~」
「They’ll kick your b.a.l.l.s if you do that you know」
「What, for you to also say such scary things ——– Uge!」
Eisuke’s face, which had turned around, solidified.
Standing in that place with a blue vein almost popping out from her head was a semi-long haired beauty, who had noticed their exchange since some time ago.
「I wonder who’s this, s.e.x-offender-SAN?」
「W-Wait a minute, this is just a misunderstanding…」
「That’s right, you’ve misunderstood」
「Bro! You’re going to save me!?」
「Since he hasn’t yet executed his plan, he’s s.e.x-offender-to-be」
「This f.u.c.king idiot!」
Eisuke sent a full-powered backhand chop to the back of the one who was covering for him.
But, Souji easily caught that attack and instantly moved to an arm lock.
「NOOOOO! GIVE UP, STOP IT MY BRATHEEER!」
「Please excuse him with just this much punishment」
「… PU, AHAHAHA!」
Part 2
Even the girl’s wrath had blown off and changed into a laugh when she saw them doing their comedy routine.
「Such weird guys. Okay, I’ll pretend that I didn’t hear any crime plans just now」
「Thank you, e~rr… 」
「Hinata Hirasaka, comedy duo-san」
「Sorachi Souji」
Souji grasped the girl’s, Hinata’s, hand when she offered a handshake with a bright smile on her face.
「I’m Endou Eisuke, nice to meet you Hinata-chan!」
「I’m not asking for your name」
「You girls are so CRUEEEEEEEL!」
Though Eisuke ran away while weeping, the other two didn’t even try to chase after him.
「But is this really a mixed dormitory？」
「It’s true, the dorm leader explained about that first — ah right, you weren’t there at the time」
When she said that, she recalled the fact that Souji had arrived much later than them.
「After the match was cancelled due to that commotion, we were being a.s.signed according to the number of our dorm but, it looks like we’re also split by cla.s.s without distinction between boys and girls. In short, we’re cla.s.smates」
「I see, thanks for the explanation」
Hinata couldn’t help but smile to Souji who was honest to the bone, bowing slightly to show his grat.i.tude.
「Also when we’re moving as ACE corps, it seems they left us to live together under one roof to deepen our friendship, since there’ll be many cases in which we’re moving as cla.s.s」
「I agree with your point, but isn’t that still a problem?」
For boys and girls to spend their life under the same roof, no matter how severe the surveillance is, they’ll definitely hide their illicit s.e.xual relationships.
Something like love affairs between fellow members of ACE corps will only bring trouble in the middle of a battlefield.
「That’s right, it’s normally isn’t a good idea…」
Hinata had also noticed that fact and asked the dorm leader, but only had her words cut off with the indisputable words 「That’s what was decided」.
「For now, although the boy’s and girl’s rooms will be separated by different floors, there’s going to be different timetables for using the one bath, it’s pretty strange」
「…」
Souji silently showed his agreement.
The special high school that existed to train the troops to battle the CE, even if it’s simply a co-ed high school, even if it’s a special high-school to train the SDF[Self Defense Force], it has too many mysteries.
（But, could that also be included in their calculations?）
Keiko had said before that humankind was left with no other choice but to depend on the illusion weapons.
It’s somehow like an uncontrolled breeding ground for the users of the weapon which determined the fate of several million human lives.
（I don’t know what their real intentions are. But, I know that they have some sort of goal）
Anyway, he can’t refuse that either if it really is to save a human life that way.
「It’s a rule that was decided by everyone, so it wouldn’t cause some kind of problem, would it?」
「I wonder… uhm, let’s consult everyone else about that」
Hinata, who quickly switched to a positive mindset, immediately returned to her circle of friends.
But, she stopped walking just about half-way to turn back to look at Souji.
「Ah, I almost forgot about it」
「What is it?」
「Thanks for your protection back then. You… looked really cool back there」
She then darted away with a blushing face.
「Protection… AAAH」
Souji just grasped what she meant a few seconds later.
She was also inside the range of the descending light blade swung by Tendouji Ayato.
It seems that maybe Hinata was the one who stopped the group of girls who were jeering at him.
「I see, so it was useful after all」
Though he experienced an unsightly defeat, he managed to save someone.
A pair of eyes, whose owner was hiding, was glaring at Souji who was smiling gladly at the fact that he’s saved someone.
「Flirting with a girl… brother has betrayed me!」
Said the unpopular boy who misunderstood that scene… Unfortunately, there was no one to retort to Eisuke’s remark.