章 34: I Don’t Want to Be a Heroic Spirit [34]
The hem of this new dress was far too short for her liking, leaving her calves feeling exposed and chilly—there was absolutely no sense of security.
Since she'd put it on, whether in the mall, on the street, or now, Jasmine had felt more eyes on her than ever before, all watching her with a strange intensity.
Even Baobhan Sith hadn't stopped gazing at her, chin resting on her hand, as she looked Jasmine up and down. Jasmine fidgeted, pressing her hands into her thighs under the table in a vain attempt to ease her anxiety.
"Um… Sister…"
Jasmine asked hesitantly, "Is this… Does it look strange on me?"
"Nonsense. Right now, Jasmine is the cutest girl in the whole world."
"Wha…?!"
Baobhan Sith, really…
Her cheeks felt like they were on fire, and her heart pounded so loudly she thought it might leap out of her chest. With no hat to hide under, Jasmine resorted to cradling her hot face with her hands, hiding behind her own hair.
"But… but… everyone's been giving me these weird looks since earlier," Jasmine whispered, glancing nervously at Baobhan Sith. "Isn't it because I look… strange?"
"That's because they're enchanted by your cuteness, of course. Everyone appreciates something adorable, regardless of who they are." Baobhan Sith chuckled, ruffling Jasmine's soft gray hair. "Have a little confidence in yourself. Even the waitress called you cute, remember?"
"I… I… Cute? Me…?"
Jasmine's head drooped as Baobhan Sith's gentle strokes left her feeling woozy, her face redder than ever.
Just then, the bell at the café's door chimed, and Baobhan Sith glanced instinctively in its direction.
Two customers had entered, both dressed head-to-toe in black.
And no, they didn't look like Gin and Vodka from Detective Conan—theirs was the standard black uniform of Jujutsu High.
One of them, with neatly combed blond hair, looked oddly mature for a high schooler, complete with faint lines near his eyes.
The other, with dark hair, had a cheerful demeanor that felt almost overwhelming, in a way Baobhan Sith usually avoided.
Come to think of it, that dark-haired one looked familiar… Hadn't she seen him recently?
As soon as they entered, both of them scanned the room, as if looking for a place to sit. Then, the dark-haired student locked eyes with Baobhan Sith.
She watched as he blinked in surprise, then broke into a wide, delighted grin and made a beeline towards her.
"Hey! You're the one who… ack!"
"Keep your voice down. You're bothering the people around us."
Before he'd even taken two steps, the dark-haired boy found his neck in a firm grip as his friend yanked him back, deepening the faint lines by his eyes.
Who is this overly friendly clown?
Clearly, Baobhan Sith had already forgotten about Hiroshi Haibara—the very student she'd saved just yesterday.
Compared to the likes of Gojo Satoru or Suguru Geto, Haibara had a face entirely lacking in distinction. And with his character cut short in the story, he didn't have the lasting impact of someone like Nanami Kento.
"Hey! You seriously don't remember me? It's me—the one you saved yesterday? I'd be dead if it weren't for you, killed by that Special Grade curse!"
"Hah? And why exactly should I remember you just because I saved your life?"
To Baobhan Sith, saving him hadn't been some grand gesture. It was done out of personal satisfaction, a self-serving kindness. He could repay her or not—it made no difference to her, and she certainly wasn't about to store it in her memory as an act of benevolence.
This mindset had one advantage: if anyone ever tried to guilt-trip her into helping them again, with a line like, "You helped me once, so why not finish the job?" she could simply reply, "Sorry, I'm not that morally obligated."
But Haibara seemed to interpret her indifference in an entirely different way…
"Seeing it as nothing at all… Such compassion! You truly are an incredible person!"
His exaggerated words made Baobhan Sith cringe, and yet Haibara went on, clearly moved.
Even Nanami beside him looked at her with a newfound respect, as if he'd just "revised his opinion" of her.
I don't know what you're imagining, but it's wrong!
"You're too kind-hearted to stay on the side of curse users. Why not come over to our side, with the jujutsu sorcerers?"
Kind-hearted and compassionate… Did either of those words apply to her at all? Also…
"So, you know I'm a curse user? Isn't that supposed to make me an irredeemable villain to you jujutsu sorcerers?"
"No problem! I trust my own instincts." Haibara proudly gave her a thumbs-up. "You're definitely a rare, genuinely good person!"
"Is that so? Then your instincts are awful."
As they chatted, the parfaits and drinks Baobhan Sith had ordered finally arrived, and Haibara and Nanami picked up the menus to place their own orders.
"Would you like me to treat you?" Baobhan Sith asked suddenly.
"No need," Nanami replied calmly. "We may still be students, but removing curses earns us a decent reward."
"Well, in that case, I'll never be a jujutsu sorcerer."
Taking a spoonful of parfait, Baobhan Sith let the rich chocolate and sweet fruit blend on her palate, lifting her mood considerably.
"There's no way I could peacefully coexist with the higher-ups in your jujutsu world. They're wary of me for having strength that surpasses Gojo Satoru, and I have zero respect for their cowardice and complacency."
To drive her point home, Baobhan Sith gave a few examples.
"Take Gojo Satoru, for instance. The higher-ups even considered eliminating him at one point. But he grew too powerful, too quickly, and by the time they realized it, they were already powerless to stop him."
"Recently, I came across a promising young talent, someone who might one day rival even Gojo. But I've heard the higher-ups are actually contemplating whether to get rid of him before he grows too powerful."
Haibara gaped in shock at her words, while Nanami's expression grew a shade darker. Instead of surprise, however, he merely asked, "Where did you hear all this?"
"Oh, I have my sources."
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