Episode 77 — Utilitarian Two
～ Part 2 ～
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Karasuma Yoshitsune was the type of man who couldn’t settle down unless himself was always number one. But he himself was never a hard worker. Originally, Karasuma could do anything reasonably skillfully without having to make an effort, that half-baked talent allowed him to rest on his laurels.
Never did it mean he wasn’t self-conscious. But neither was he admirable enough to try to correct that personality.
Why was the one there not me?
Jealousy wasn’t anything decent, even Karasuma understood that well. But it was difficult to curb this emotion. Much less to say around him now, his comrades were acquiring ‘power’ one after another. From the perspective of Karasuma who always skillfully achieved and maintained a reasonable status even without having to try hard, this situation was unpleasant.
Currently, among their comrades, the only ones without Phase 2 ability were himself, Hakuba and Inugami.
But within that, Hakuba’s ability was unique. «Life Magic», the support magic specialized in recovery, the only one in the class who could use it was Hakuba. Speaking further, this magic system itself was something unusable to most intellectual species including humans, or so Karasuma happened to hear. Even without Phase 2, Hakuba had enough value just by being a unicorn.
Now, the only thing to maintain Karasuma’s pride was Inugami’s existence.
Being a natural-born werewolf, Inugami didn’t have Phase 2. Her combat ability was unstable — being greatly influenced by the waxing and waning of the moon — it wasn’t so strange for her to struggle against ranked members of the blood clan. If forced to say, she had no good point other than the good nose that could precisely discern the scent of the blood clan.
Karasuma was in no way stronger than Inugami. On average, they were mostly equal. If one had to choose, than he was just a little more advantageous than her in that he could fly.
There were several big holes in Karasuma’s recognition, but unless he convinced himself so at least, his pride might very well be unable to maintain.
And at the point he had to convince himself, there was no way he could be satisfied with the status quo.
Demon fate.
That was the word used indicated a heart like Karasuma’s now.
What does that word mean? Karasuma still couldn’t recall it.
“Karasuma–,”
As Karasuma tried to submerge his splintering heart, a voice called out to him.
“It’s time for dinner–”
“…Ahh. I’m coming–!”
Suppressing his tone as close to usual as possible, Karasuma replied.
The one calling Karasuma was Utsurogi Kyousuke. Next to him was Himemizu Rin like always. At the dining place, were the comrades who were warped to this continent. Kabeno sat together with Ozashiki, Inugami with Azuki. Yukinoshita and Hakuba sat next to no one.
Speaking of which, he heard that there were two other classmates who got warped to this continent. Kumosaki Itomi who reincarnated as an arachne and Shokuzura Nadehiko who reincarnated as a roper. Hakuba and Inugami had explained the situation to them. (But well, Inugami always maintained her beast form so it was mostly Hakuba’s talking) The possibility of them already being caught by the blood clan was extremely high.
The blood clan had already arrived at this continent. Suppose Kumosaki and Shokuzura was caught, adding Kogane, 3 people had already fallen in the enemy’s hand.
Suddenly, Karasuma hit upon something.
They were reincarnated in this world according to the blood clan’s plan. Then, the fastest way to learn the correct way to use their power, was to directly receive the blood clan’s lecture, was it not?
In fact, from what Ryuzaki and the others who fought against Kogane had said, Kogane looked like he had already awaken to Phase 2.
Kumosaki and Shokuzura probably weren’t going to be killed. They were going to receive training to reach Phase 2 and acquire a new power up, weren’t they?
Thinking that far, Karasuma shook his head.
That’s not it. No matter what, I won’t seek strength to the point of surrendering to those guys. I don’t want to
He shouldn’t want to.
“———Karasuma-kun, what’s the matter?”
Suddenly, Mitarai Azuki looked at him, tilting her head quizzically.
“You haven’t touch your food at all though?”
“Is the food I made inedible…? Fuu, may be you’re right…”
“Ahh, Yukinoshita’s pessimism is aggravating in a strange way again.”
Karasuma dropped his gaze to the plate.
“N–no, that’s not it…. That’s not…”
His heart astir. The fact that the ones worrying about him, kindly speaking to him, were people who were always at a higher position than himself didn’t let Karasuma calm down at all. Even that reserved Mitarai Azuki who tended not to talk to others much, felt like she was looking down on him to Karasuma.
“Recently, Karasuma-kun’s state is a little strange…. Everyone is worried you know…. Right? Utsurogi-kun.”
“Eh, yes? Ah, right, yes, that’s right…”
Kyousuke raised his face and looked in Karasuma’s direction.
Creep. Karasuma understood that his body was raising a strong rejection. Every time he was stared at by Kyousuke’s empty eye sockets, Karasuma’s heart got irritated.
At this time, the person Karasuma Yoshitsune couldn’t forgive the most was this guy.
Why can he take that kinda attitude with everyone? Kyousuke’s train of though was something Karasuma couldn’t understand one bit. At the same time, the gentle attitude Kyousuke showed was terribly unpleasant to him. That was the same as Azuki’s words, it felt as if well-to-do people were looking down on him.
Kyousuke was the first one of the class to awake to Phase 2. The leader of the normie group — Ryuzaki favored him. The formerly number 1 beauty of the class — Rin took a liking to him, conversely, the newly rising number 1 beauty of the class — Sakuma also liked him. He was also Akai Asuka’s favorite and the only one in the class who reached Phase 3 due to her blood.
From Karasuma’s point of view, it looked like each and everything was going well for Kyousuke. While Utsurogi Kyousuke had been acting as if himself was a minor character, he, in fact, had always been the center of the class after the reincarnation. And even now in this place, he was naturally shouldering the mediator role for these members.
Ryuzaki, Akai, Rin, Sakuma, as well Goubayashi and Kensaki and other people approved of him, relied on him, praised him, liked him. On top of that, he had obtained power that was substantially strongest in the class.
With that much conditions lined up, could anyone keep being a kind gentleman like him?
That was why Karasuma didn’t want to show this emotion just to Kyousuke.
“Karasuma-kun, If there’s something troubling you, I think it’s better to discuss about it…. Look, Utsurogi-kun did help Yukinoshita-san and Himemizu-san.”
“It’s not I was helped by Utsurogi-kun. I cut through it with my own effort and willpower.”
Apparently, Azuki was worrying about Karasuma in her own way. Even the only person here who wasn’t having a meal, Inugami (most of the time, she went out to hunt and ate when she felt like it) also opened one eye and looked at Karasuma while still lying down.
Stop it! Thought Karasuma.
“Ah, right. Azu-nyan Azu-nyan, a minute please.”
And then Rin raised her voice and cut in.
“Well, that kind of thing is a personal problem, it’s not something you can forcibly rush … is it? Nee?”
“N, yeah. W–well, that, that’s right.”
Hearing Rin’s words, Kyousuke also averted his gaze a little awkwardly. That subtle atmosphere was too plenty to inform Karasuma the truth.
They knew. On top of that, they were anxious about Karasuma and was only groping for a solution that wouldn’t provoke him.
That moment, Karasuma felt the gazes looking at him at this dining table changing to something absolutely unforgivable. Yukinoshita, Hakuba, Ozashiki, Kabeno, he knew that all of them were looking at him. It felt like the shameful pride that he had been hiding, not letting it spill to the surroundings until now, was being dragged out.
“Ah, right…”
Kyousuke a bit awkwardly scratched his cheek and said.
“You too, Karasuma, there’s no particular need to forcibly say anything. Just that, umm, even if it’s not me, discuss with someone, or something…”
“That’s fine already.”
Karasuma faintly smiled, but then he noticed that it was impossible with his crow beak.
“Utsurogi, I guess you already know what kind of guy I am. Then, you should just say it clearly, no?”
“Shameful, isn’t it? Speaking like that.”
In the tense atmosphere, there was just one person who continued their meal without caring at all.
Who was it? Needless to ask, it was Yukinoshita Suzuka. While gulping down the vegetables on her plate, she directed a chilly gaze worthy of a snow woman at Karasuma, then she mockingly said:
“I can’t really tell what’s going on, but Karasuma-kun is irritable recently, only that, I understood well by looking. Therefore, Utsurogi-kun was trying to be tactful by pretending he couldn’t read the situation. Then, you know that he’s trying to be tactful, and that’s miserable so stop it, is that what you saying? Shameful, isn’t it? Your spirit is insufficient.”
“–…!!”
Bullseyes. For a moment, inside Karasuma’s head turned pure white. Yukinoshita’s gaze looking him was chilly. Not just Yukinoshita. Inugami also opened only one eye and was coldly staring at him. Azuki was in a fluster that her statement had invited this tension, Kabeno and Ozashiki held their breath, not uttering a single world.
“Yu–Yukinoshita… Saying that is a little too much…”
Kyousuke chided Yukinoshita in an attempt to follow up Karasuma, that in turn made Karasuma’s suspended thought process exploded.
He brandished his right arm, summoning a tengu leaf fan between his bird claws. This was his exclusive tool he had been using since they reincarnated. Azuki raised a small scream, Inugami caught her nape in her jaws and jumped away from the place. Kabeno deployed a wall of light to defend against attacks. Kyousuke and Rin stood up to stop Karasuma. Hakuba was taken aback by Karasuma’s sudden action.
Karasuma’s anger was directed at Yukinoshita first and foremost. He swung the leaf fan once, an wind blade was born, rushing at Yukinoshita. Yukinoshita stood up, at the same time, she swung her right arm diagonally downward. The air instantly chilled, but right after, its molecular motion inverted, giving born to heat. The sudden change in atmospheric temperature created an air barrier, dispersing the wind blade.
Right after nullifying Karasuma’s wind magic, Yukinoshita shifted to attack. Karasuma felt his limbs and the base of his wings getting colder and colder.
“Yukinoshita!!”
Surprised by Kyousuke’s voice, Yukinoshita stopped moving.
The wings and limbs that seemed to be frozen were freed from the cold. Never looking away from Karasuma, Yukinoshita informed in a cold voice.
“He’s escaping.”
It wax exactly has she said. At this time, the choice to stay in this place no longer existed for Karasuma.
Not that his aim was to escape. In the first place, this wasn’t an act stemming from logical thinking. He just didn’t want to say in this place even a second longer. Foreseeing that, Yukinoshita intended to seal Karasuma’s movement.
But when she heard Kyousuke’s words, she honestly stopped attacking. Karasuma spread his wings and took off.
“Oi, Karasuma! Wait!”
Shouted Hakuba. Wait? As if I can wait. As if I can stay here any longer.
To be looked at so shamefully like this.
In the end, this may just be the fate for man who always wanted to be number one yet didn’t put in any effort to achieve it. Karasuma at this time didn’t even have enough room for anymore self-derision.
Crow wings beat the sky, accelerating the his black body. At his own speed of leaving the hill in the blink of eye and not letting anyone catching up, Karasuma recalled the fact that just his fleeing ability was faster than anyone else.
Sun had set, night visited the New Continent. Flying straight east toward the Time World desert, Karasuma saw mysterious light emerging in twilight.
“That guy Karasuma, really left.”
Muttered Hakuba.
It was flight speed as expected from a crow tengu. No one among their current members could catch up to that. Even if the whole class was to gather, only someone like Kaminari Totoha the thunderbird could do it. Kyousuke grandly sighed.
Sigh he did, but he didn’t feel like blaming anyone now.
“If you didn’t stop me, I wouldn’t have let him escape.”
Said Yukinoshita as she ate the meal that Karasuma didn’t touch till the end. It wasn’t particularly dissatisfied though.
“Well yes. But, I don’t really now if it’s correct to forcibly catch him at this time.”
Certainly, if Kyousuke let Yukinoshita freeze his limbs and wings, it would end without Karasuma escaping, but it was impossible to imagine the future where they could open his heart with that. If leaving this place would cool down his head, then he should do so.
Well, the previous meeting with Rin and the others were completely wasted though.
“U–um…. Did I, do something unnecessary…”
“Azu-nyan, it’s nothing for you to worry about. Anyway, it’s a difficult problem that I don’t know if we can recover with just us.”
Half of the purpose of Rin’s words was to follow up Azuki, another half was an unshakable truth.
“Karasuma-kun, it feels like he’s considering Utsurogi-kun his enemy, isn’t he…”
Kabeno murmured. Kyousuke nodded.
“Did I do anything to anger that guy…?”
“Even if you don’t do anything, he just doesn’t like your existence, is that it, I wonder?”
Yukinoshita said so, she had beautifully ate up the contents on the plate.
“Perhaps, Karasuma is envious of you.”
Hakuba also supplemented while tidying up the empty plates.
“If speaking of who’s bad, then it’s Karasuma, so there’s nothing for Utsurogi to be ashamed of though.” (Hakuba)
“Am I in such a enviable situation?”
“That’s up to each person. I’m not envious of you at all, you know” (Hakuba)
Being rejected so clearly in itself also felt quite complicated though.
Anyway, Kyousuke was at wits’ end. His problem increased again. It seem a hole was going to open in his stomach, but no need to think, Kyousuke had no stomach (if it’s holes, his body was full of them though). It’s just that the problems kept piling up, making him feel like he had stomachache. It was extremely bad.
From the negotiation with the adventurers, the search for Karasuma to dealing with the blood clan that was said to be on this continent. There was also the matter of Kumosaki and Shokuzura who might have been kidnapped.
“Well, first of all, let’s pour our all to tomorrow’s negotiation…. May be they’ll help us find Karasuma as well…”
“The problem is where did Karasuma-kun go. I hope he doesn’t get caught by the blood clan.”
Yes. That was another problem. With Karasuma’s speed, it was unlikely that he wouldn’t be able to escape by himself, but he flew toward the desert in the east. That place had nothing that could be use as landmark, so the search would take considerable time and effort.
“Speaking of the east, I can see something glowing here and there, but what’s that?”
Hearing Hakuba’s mutter, Kyousuke also looked over.
“Nn?… That’s true. What is that?”
When he turned his eyes from the hill to the desert, certainly, he hazy lights floating on the horizon could be sighted.
“Hah, perhaps, Akira?”
“Don’t be an idiot. There’s too many.”
Kyousuke’s words were cut down by Yukinoshita.
But the faint light did make one think of Hino Akira. The number was too many though. Were they wisp-type monsters living on this New Continent? Or else torchlight of civilized people moving through the desert. According to the adventurers, no human lived on this New Continent, but there was the possibility that recognition was just mistaken.
The possibility that it was the blood clan existed as well. So did the possibility of some demon species.
“Isn’t it foxfire?”
Just when Kyousuke thought to directly ask Wogan later, Azuki said such a thing.
“Foxfire?”
“Since Inugami-san brought back a fox when she went hunting in the desert at night.”
“Do foxes live in the desert…”
Even if there are foxes, can they cause something like foxfire in the first place? Thought Kyousuke.
But this world was a fantasy world. He felt he couldn’t frankly deny it.
Foxfires weirdly flicked in the direction Karasuma flew to, even when Kyousuke asked Wogan after that, he still couldn’t clarify their true character.
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