บท 33: Chapter 32: Rihito's Acceptance
Morning.
I woke up feeling the familiar sensation that I had recently gotten used to beside me. Shea was sleeping hugging my left arm, which was sandwiched between her big breasts with slight drool coming out from her mouth.
After the night incident, Shea looked at me with a pleading eye to share the room. At first, I was against it. But Shea kept giving me those puppy dog eyes. I didn't know how to avoid it and ended up accepting it.
Even in my previous life, I didn't have a girlfriend or female friend. In my previous world, most girls would choose a handsome guy over any normal guy, I who was in every way normal didn't have any. So, out of nowhere suddenly a beautiful girl chased after me saying that she loved me. It was new to me, and I really didn't know how to handle this situation. Sighing, I then rose from my bed and went to do my morning ritual.
…
After we had breakfast, we headed to the other side of the city where the entrance of the northern mountain lies.
Shea asked, "Rihito, is it essential for us to be up this early to search for someone?
To her question I answered "In our world, there is a rule in disaster situations, people should be saved within 72 hours, cross that mark and the survival rate drops by more than 50%. And we just cross that line, now adding the danger from monsters up in the jungle. We only had less than a 10% chance of finding him alive, which will drop, if we take more time.
While talking we reached the entrance. But there was a slight problem. In front of the entrance gate, Aiko Sensei was standing with 4 of the students.
Aiko sensei at the lead crossed her arms and spoke, "I have been expecting you Nagumo, Sakai."
"..."
"..."
"..."
I looked at them, then looked at Hajime and asked, "Did you ask for backup or something."
Hearing my question Hajime pinched his nose in annoyance. "I will take that as you didn't."
Aiko with a strong gaze looked at us and said, "You have come here for work, correct? If that's so it's dangerous to go alone. So, take us with you."
Then Aikawa one of the two boys spoke "The information about Shimizu cannot be obtained past this town. So, we want to tag along with you guys."
Tamaiai, the other boy also spoke, "This will also be convenient for all of us."
Hajime still pinching his nose spoke, "Convenient for us, what are you talking about? It will only be convenient for you guys."
Shea and Yue Seeing this situation also started to feel annoyed by this situation, before they could show their discontent.
Aiko spoke first, "As both of your teachers, it's my responsibility to return all my students back to our world. This sole task I will never give up."
I looked at Aiko sensei with serious eyes "Sensei you do understand we are heading towards a dangerous place where a monster similar to the Behemoth could be found, knowing that you still want to come with us." [Well, kind an exaggerated about the monster, still my point stands] I thought to myself.
Hearing about the monster some of the students shivered, but they still looked resolutely and said "We are Aiko sensei's guard, where Aiko sensei goes, we go with her."
Aiko hearing the student's decision looked back at us and said, "You heard us."
Hajime and I sighed upon hearing all that. Hajime then spoke, "I will allow it". He then looked at me, and feeling his gaze on me I shrugged and rolled with his decision.
"Are you two sure bringing them with us will be fine?" Yue asked.
To Yue's question, I said "You see our sensei is stubborn, if we leave her behind, she will chase after us and it would be really troublesome if she ended up with some random monster food while we weren't looking." hearing my reasoning Shea and Yue nodded.
Hajime then crossed the entrance and used the spacial ring on his right hand's middle finger. Then right before him, an armoured car appeared.
==IMG==
Seeing the car coming out of thin air Aiko sensei and all the students look gobsmacked.
"H-how did the car suddenly appear!!" they were shocked to see a car in this world.
Seeing their reaction I commented from the side "If you are shocked just seeing this, wait till you see the rest we created." I said it in a bragging tone.
The other student looked at me and Hajime with amazement.
Hajime seeing us still standing shouted, "Get in the car, or I am leaving you guys behind."
…
The car was designed as a six-seater with the capacity to accommodate 12 people easily. Hajime was driving, with Aiko and Yue seated in the front. I was sitting directly behind Hajime, with Shea beside me. Shea took this opportunity to hug my arm. Beside Shea were Yuka and Nana, and in the back seat, Aikawa and Tamai were seated.
…
From what Ilwa told us, the adventurer party went to the north to find the materials. So, we headed that way. On the way, Hajime asked Aiko what happened after we disappeared.
...
Aiko then told us about how everyone is training especially Shizuku and Kaori. Both of them are training hard, if someone asked them a question as to why they are training so hard. Both of the responses are "'to find Rihito, to find Hajime'."
Hearing that Rihito was filled with a warm feeling, just thinking about a very serious Shizuku doing her best to find him warms Rihito's heart. Shea seated beside Rihito, noticing his gentle smile stared at him with a mixture of emotions. When Rihito noticed her staring, he asked, "What?" Instead of answering, she pouted and looked away.
At that moment Rihito remembers that one meme ['Women']. So, he just ignored whatever Shea was thinking he doubted even with <Archmage> he could understand a woman's psychology.
…
When Aiko talked about other people who also came from Rihito's world, Shea was intrigued. She wanted to know more about the world where Rihito came from and about Rihito himself. However, when Aiko started to talk about a girl called Shizuku, Rihito's attention was instantly taken.
When Rihito heard the name 'Shizuku', his smile was different from what she had seen until now. His smile was more genuine. Shea also wanted the same smile for herself. [Does he like this Shizuku that Aiko talked about? Is this why I have been rejected?] Shea pondered to herself. Shea then became even more determined, [It doesn't matter if he likes her or not. I still want to be with him. I will do my best to make him like me.]
...
After that Aiko then asked again about me and Hajime. To her distress, I was tight-lipped about it. Not knowing how to say it without looking like a scumbag.
Aiko seeing she wouldn't get an answer from me looked back at Hajime. Hajime sensing her gaze said, "Don't look at me, I don't know about that and I didn't find it important enough to ask him."
Aiko hearing that sighed and focused on Hajime's part of the story, so what happened on that floor in Orcus? Hajime answered with a sombre tone, "I didn't fall that day because of an accident, 'someone made me fall' It was a well-targeted attack in the middle of all the confusion no one would know, or at least that is what they should think."
Hearing Hajime's part of the story Aiko, tremblingly asks, "But why."
"As of now I only have one conjecture because of how well I got with Kaori, and in jealousy they did it" Hajime said in a monotone voice.
Yue who was sitting beside Aiko heard all of this but didn't say anything, she kept listening. It was not like she wasn't angry, she was extremely so but Hajime didn't care anymore so she also didn't think about it.
After their talk, Aiko kept pondering why would someone do this to Hajime thinking of a reasonable reason.
...
After reaching at the estimated location everyone got out of the car. Hajime then brought out the newly made gadget, which he called the "Ornis" It looked like a falcon bird, black in colour. Inside this thing, there is a crystal ball with perception-sharing skills attached to it. Which is connected to his right eye. He then released them into the sky to search the area.
Aiko and everyone with her was surprised to see the gadget flying. I even heard one of the boys saying "I also want a drone."
Yue saw the flying drone and asked, "Hajime is that from."
Hajime answered, "Yeah Rihito and I made it using the ore we got from Risen Labyrinth combining both 'Gravity Magic, Creation Magic, and Rihito's Wind Magic' Mixing them with Enchantments."
"..."
After about an hour, Hajime said "I found something", saying that Hajime took everyone's attention.
I asked him, "Which way."
Hajime then pointed his finger at the mountain ahead of us "Near the summit there are remains of massive destruction. I estimate it's 80 to 90% chance we will find our target there, whether still alive or not is still in question."
"I see, then I will be heading there first to check the situation at hand, while you bring them," I said pointing at Aiko's group. Hajime seeing their confused looks sighed helplessly.
Shea hearing our discussion asked, "Umm… Rihito, do you mind if I come with you."
I was about to reject, but before I could Hajime spoke first "Sure, then both of you will be our reconnaissance" Hajime then went to gather everyone.
Shea noticing my perplexed look asked, "Do you not want me to come with you." Shea's ears dropped and she said in a sad tone.
Seeing Shea sad like this my shoulder slumped and I sighed helplessly. It looked like I getting soft on her.
[Well, there's nothing I can do about it now, might as well roll with it], thinking that. I motion for Shea to come closer, then scoop her up in my arms in a princess carry.
"Kya!" Shea exclaimed as she settled into the so-called 'princess carry' that she had heard in stories. After getting her bearings, she happily snuggled in Rihito's arms.
"..."
"Shea close your eyes, I am about to go very fast", I informed her. Shea hearing my warning put her head on my shoulder and snuggled even closer. Her big chest pushed on my chest putting quite the pressure. I ignored the soft sensation and started to run using <Superhuman Speed>.
...
Being held like this by Rihito is a dream come true for Shea. She thought, [I can finally touch him this intimately.] Normally, if she tried to get this close to him, Rihito would avoid her, even when she sneaks in at night to sleep beside him. She knows there is a boundary she cannot cross. But at this moment, she could touch him, feel him, and sense his heartbeat against her skin. All these sensations caused Shea to hold onto Rihito even tighter, unwilling to let go.
…
It took about 30 seconds to reach here, I then put Shea down and let go of her. But for some reason, she still didn't let go keep hugging me.
Confused, I called out to her "Shea is there a problem."
She then locked her eyes with mine, her azure eyes met my crimson. At that moment, I was mesmerised by her beauty. She slowly shortened the distance between us and laid her soft pink lips on mine, kissing me. Then, slowly, she let go, leaving me in a daze, wondering what had just happened.
"Rihito" she then called out to me. I snapped out of my daze and noticed her eyes looking at me with love, desire, and a few other emotions I wasn't able to catch. She then spoke those words again, this time poring all her emotions into it "I LOVE YOU."
"..."
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"..."
This time, unlike the last time I was stumped, I didn't know what to say, but one thing I was sure on to I didn't want to see her sad. Well, truth be told I had started to care for her very much. So, I resolved myself and looked back at Shea who was waiting for my answer tremblingly. Seeing her like this I had to give myself a hard slap.
"Smack"
"..."
Shea seeing me slapping myself confusingly asked "Are you ok."
"Don't worry about it, as for your confession I have an answer."
[Thinking about it again why was I making it so complicated? It looks like the single-minded training and suppression of my other desires made me quite dense. If my previous self saw me in my current predicament, I am sure he would choke the life out of me.] Shaking my head, I took a deep breath and focused on Shea.
Then I said the words that felt right, "I like you no, 'I LOVE YOU'." those words filled me with a strange sensation I didn't understand, it was a mix of emotions happiness, embarrassment, and something else I wasn't able to figure out.
Shea hearing those words froze for a second. The tears started to flow but this wasn't sad these were the tears of happiness, happiness that her love had been accepted by her beloved. She then jumped towards Rihito with quite a force and hugged him. If it was anyone other than Rihito it would have crushed bones and worst case crippled anyone. But Rihito shrugged it off like nothing.
Shea then tiptoed and kissed me, which I gladly reciprocated. This kiss unlike last time wasn't forceful, it was charged with emotions.
After enjoying the kiss, we stopped and Shea started to giggle.
"Hehehe~"
"Rihito~ you see~ I have won the challenge, I made you love me, and now I won't let you go, even if you love that Shizuku girl."
"..."
"..."
Hearing those words made me speechless again. Shea noticing my slightly shocked gaze smiled and continued "I don't mind if you pursue her, or any other girls. As long as you love me back as I love you everything will be fine", Shea said hugging me tighter.
…
"Chapter end"
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Author note:
Hey everyone, I've been thinking about which world to send him to after he returns to his original world. At first, I considered Mob isekai to get the luxion and tree sapling, I would really appreciate your opinion on this, and please tell me something other than DXD, Tensura, and Fate, I have other ideas about them…
Thank you…
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