Lesson 02 — Selena! Believe in yourself!
～ Part 1 ～
Read at translatedino.blogspot.com
“GUA, GAAAAARGH…!!”
Today as well, my lively screams echo in the kitchen. As I have long gotten used to Phase 2, my body’s sense of pain is being gradually paralyzed, but when I suddenly became quiet during the shaving, Sugiura this girl was unusually worried, so I feel obliged to continue screaming everyday for my cute student. However, my realistic acting seems to be tormenting Sugiura’s spirit, and she still has an unpleasant expression on her face as before. What do you say I should do?
My name is Katsubushi Dashihiko.
Formerly the homeroom teacher of Municipal Jindai High-school 2nd year class 4, now just a dried bonito.
You should be able to understand even if I don’t explain it again. We tripped to a different world. All my cute students became monsters, and then, I myself became a dried bonito. Ever since then, I’ve been secretly living in Sugiura’s kitchen. Good grief, I have completely given up.
By the way, I have acquired a unique ability call «Infinity Regeneration». This is the Phase 2 thing that I mentioned earlier. I can regenerate by body no matter how much it’s shaved down. Convenient, right? It’s not surprising even if you call it a cheating ability. If only I wasn’t a dried bonito, that is.
Talking about that topic, Sugiura Aya who is in charge of 2nd year class 4’s kitchen said this in amazement.
“Sensei, what kind of dried bonito can make soup stock infinitely, that’s a good cheat as well.”
Sure, it may be so.
Today as well, the soup stock made from my flaked bonito is satisfying the students’ stomachs. That is the limit of sensei’s favor.
By the way, it seems that there are a few changes to the class that I am concerned about from my standpoint as a teacher.
“Sugiura-san, is it true that a transfer student came to this class?”
Honno-san the guidebook puts into words the things that I wanted to ask.
“Ah—, yeah. The human Selena-san and the ogre Zeku-kun. It seems that Utsurogi-kun and the others protected them.”
“Human! There are also humans in this world after all.”
Honno-san says so in an extremely cheerful voice. I understand your feelings. At any rate, ever since I came to this world, the living creatures that I’ve seen are only Sugiura, Hino, Ryuzaki and then Honno-san. Frankly though, it’s doubtful whether Hino and Honno-san can even be considered living beings.
One month has already passed since we came to this world. It’s about time the students get used to a life full of monsters. And then a human is suddenly thrown into the fray, so their tension must be rising. Of course, there are also students who are close to humans such as Kogane, Sakuma, Akai and Inugami, but the very fact that 『Humans exist』 may very well become a new hope for everyone.
However, Sugiura’s expression is strangely bitter.
“What’s wrong? Sugiura.”
“That Selena-san, she seems to be an awfully clumsy girl, isn’t she?”
“Fumu…?”
“She couldn’t become a fighting force for the exploration teams and she has been failing also when she go around helping the base personnel…”
“I see.”
Well, clumsy students like that could be found anywhere. In our class, Kogane is like that as well.
However, I think that it could be a little bad in these extreme conditions where your life could be lost at anytime.
“Although I think it will be fine at first, but the dissatisfaction of our classmates will eventually piled up.”
“I guess. Look like class rep’s burden is going to increase again…”
“Well, if anything comes up, bring Ryuzaki to this kitchen again. The only things I can do is giving consultation and making soup stock…”
“Ah—, yeah.”
∗Shaa~, shaa~,∗ while sharpening her kitchen knife, Sugiura nods.
“Well, it seems difficult. Class rep now has quite a lot of support from the other children, so it’s okay.”
“Really…. I’m happy, and lonely too…”
Happy, obviously, is because my students have grown independent and parted from my hands. In my opinion, children perhaps are not children to the extent that adults think. And at the same time, adults are not adults to the extent that children think.
I was worried what would happen when Goubayashi disappeared, but Ryuzaki has properly unified the class now. It’s a good thing.
While I am immersed in sentiment on my own, Sugiura finishes sharpening her kitchen knife and suddenly says this.
“You see, sensei. That Selena-san, it seems that she is assigned to the kitchen today.”
“.”
“She might come soon. Therefore, sensei…”
“Ahh, I understand. As the homeroom teacher of 2nd year class 4, I have to properly greet the transfer student!”
“No, that’s not it…”
As Sugiura is trying to say something, there is sound of running ∗bata bata∗ coming from the direction of the dining room, and then a single girl come through the into the kitchen.
“Sorry to keep you waiting! Sugiura-san, I’m Selena! I’m pleased to meet you, today!”
“Ah—, yeah…”
Unusually, Sugiura floats a bitter smile and scratches her cheeks.
I turn my eyes toward the transfer student Selena who dashingly enters the scene. Since it was said that she is a human of a different world, I was wondering what kind of appearance she actually has, but she is a Caucasian with blonde hair, blue eyes and porcelain-white skin. Since it’s a reddish-brown wasteland outside the dungeon, there is also a possibility of her being brown skin Mongoloid and such. By the way I like brown girls. It’s even better if it’s healthily tanned like in the sport clubs, but my stars of hope, such as Himemizu of the track-and-field club seems to be the type to properly perform UV care, it’s truly deplorable.
No well, it’s fine. Anyway, it’s about Selena. Since my maternal parents’ house is operating a well-established dried-goods store, I understand that the clothes which Selena wears used some fairly high quality clothes. Its structure is one which emphasizes mobility with a body armor put on top. Could she actually be a soldier of aristocrats?
I greet Selena with as refreshing a voice as possible.
“Hi, you are the transfer student, Selena right? I am Katsubushi Dashihiko. I’m the homeroom teacher of 2nd year class 4!”
“Hi~yaaaaaa! The wooden sword spokeeeeeeee!!”
This girl, to be able to discern the origin of the sudden voice like that, she must hold quite some observation power. I cannot take her lightly.
Putting a hand on her forehead, Sugiura grandly sighs. What’s wrong Sugiura? What’s with that typical ∗yare yare∗ attitude?
“Selena, I’m not a wooden sword. I’m a dried bonito. But perhaps you’re not familiar with it…”
For now, correct what you need to make corrections without fail.
“Eh, ah, ha, ha~a…”
“It is said to be the hardest fermented food in the world. I don’t actually know whether it’s true or not though. As for the recipe, first of all is bonito…”
“A few words, sensei!”
“Waa!?”
And Sugiura snatches me with one of her many octopus legs, she then moves to a corner of the kitchen and starts whispering to me.
“(You see, concerning Selena-san, do not talk to her about the matter of our transference!!)”
“(Is that so? But I don’t think we need to bother to do such a thing…)”
“(I also think so, but since it’s the policy of class rep! Sensei has to follow as well!)”
Y–yea, I guess. I give a big groan. I don’t think there’s much merits in hiding our circumstances from Selena here. Well, it’s impossible to say that there’s zero possibility of this girl being a monster hunter who was sent by the human country to infiltrate our class and destroy it from inside, so does Ryuzaki want to observe her behaviors as expected?
Even so, since Ryuzaki is worrying about it alone, he maybe simply overthinking things.
In any case, since it was said to be Ryuzaki’s policy, I will abide. After all, before being a teacher, I am just an ordinary dried bonito now.
“Umm, say, what’s wrong…?”
Selena is tilting her head in puzzle.
“Ahh no, yeah. I am Katsubushi Dashihiko. I’m a dried bonito. Feel free to call me sensei!”
“It’s sensei! I got it!”
“An honest and good reply! So then, continue from just now, a dried bonito is…”
When I unsparingly show off my knowledge as the son of a dried-goods store, Selena nods with a serious expression.
“So that’s it…. It’s a food ingredient to make soup stock.”
“Did you understand? What is this Sugiura, isn’t she quite a good girl?”
“Umm—, ah—, yeah…”
Sugiura’s temple is strangely twitching. What on earth are you angry about? Perhaps calcium deficiency. Doctor neglecting their health? A cook is having nutritional deficiencies?
Sugiura takes a deep breath and regains her composure, she then speaks to Selena.
“Again, I’m Sugiura Aya. Selena-san is going to help out in the kitchen from now, but can you cook?”
“Um–umm…. Because it’s mostly my father who cooks at home…”
“I see…. Well, it cannot be helped then. First of all, can you shave sensei?”
“Ehhh!? The difficulty level is so high all of a sudden, but … I will do my best!”
After Selena receives a knife from Sugiura, she grabs me with a grim face. I thought that it would be a more rugged and callused feeling because she was said to be a spear user, but all I can see from my eye-level is a delicate and soft palm. It is pleasantly moisturized. No, moisture is still prohibited for dried bonito.
Well, what. Since it’s Selena who is doing the shaving, I don’t think it is necessary to scream. Rather than that, I will give her some simple advices. It’s difficult to shave thinly after all.
“Is that fine? Selena, it’s about time to shave me, but it’s going to be hard at first…”
“I’ll do it!”
Ji~yori~! Tsuru~! Gusa~!
“KIGYA~YAAAAAA!!”
“Selena!?”
This way, I obtain the memorable experience of seeing this world’s human’s blood for the first time among the members of 2nd year class 4 who have transferred to this world.
As expected, look like it was too reckless to suddenly shave a dried bonito from the start. Sugiura apologizes to Selena, then calls Hakuba to treat her wound, and it is decided to have her cut cucumbers this time. These were harvested from Hanazono’s home garden. I think that among the many vegetables, cucumber is one of the less difficult one to cut.
But Selena once again spurts out fresh blood.
After Selena has her wound healed by Hakuba, her knife is confiscated and she is entrusted with dishes washing. However, should I say «as expected», she naturally breaks the dishes, and then when she is entrusted with the job of a waitress, she naturally makes a grand fiasco, throwing the food to the floor.
As far as I know, Sugiura Aya is a relatively gentle and rational student. Normally, even if her methodical part is irritated by the bad arrangements, she will still be able to swallow her anger and instead express constructive opinions.
And as I witness that very same Sugiura desperately suppressing the urge to scatter angry shouts everywhere, my liver chilled.
Every time Selena makes a blunder, the voltage of Sugiura’s anger goes up a level, but in the end, she grandly takes a deep breath and says to her.
“Thank you. Selena-san, it’s fine to stop here today.”
In response to those words, Selena has a blank look, but before long, she floats a smile like she has guessed everything, and after momentarily lowering her head, she leaves the kitchen.
“Good job enduring it. You’re great, Sugiura.”
“Yeah. I also think Sugiura-san is splendid.”
As I and Honno-san praise her one after another, Sugiura smiles bitterly.
“Well, even if I could endure it, I feel that someone else will completely snap.”
There’s that too. Even I also am feeling quite bitter. Looking at Selena, I can tell that she is not doing it with any ill will. In addition, saying that she cannot do any and everything is impossible.
It’s also my duty as a teacher to discover my students good points and further develop them. That said, Selena is different from other students. There’s no student record, no handover, and I hasn’t been able to slowly get along with her to analyze her disposition as well. She is a completely unknown student.
Even at such a time, I cannot move my hands and legs, it’s truly frustrating.
“I think that the whole class should try to come to an understanding with Selena a bit more.”
“Do you mean we should be more open to each other?”
“Open your heart in a true sense, I feel that we are too conscious of each other as of now.”
We should properly tell Selena about our situation, then take our time listening to the full account of her story as well. Why doesn’t Ryuzaki do that and instead makes her do the same jobs as the other students? Perhaps Ryuzaki is afraid of causing antipathy from his classmates with a 『special treatment』.
Well, rather than a transfer student, I suppose Selena is closer to being an international student. It’s the situation where they cannot properly grasp the sense of distance.
At times like these, it’s supposed to be my turn as a teacher, but I wonder how much I can intervene with this dried bonito body of mine. I give a big sigh in my mind.
As a matter of fact, It didn’t take long until the day when we told Selena the circumstances of this 2nd year class 4.
However, on that very same day, an unforgettable incident occurred in the class.
It was the attack of the red winged devil.
My dear students have either been kidnapped or received serious injuries, which is an unpleasant incident to me.
To be continued…
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