92 [92] Do I Smell Crows Nearby?
Chapter 92: Do I Smell Crows Nearby?
—
'Why is the Aztec God of Creation, the Dragon Goddess feared by the world, dressed like a school teacher?'
As I looked at Quetzalcoatl from my seat at the back, I couldn't help but wonder. A pair of thin glasses hung from her nose, as if to disguise her identity, while stockings and a tight pencil skirt accentuated her long legs.
I silently watched her introduce herself to the students and realized something. The students didn't recognize her. Since they had been giving me dirty looks earlier, they clearly knew about my show. In that case, they should have seen 'Quku'. Yet, not one of them seemed to recognize her.
I guess some magical shenanigans were going on here.
'This must be why this is the first time she came to Japan. If I have to guess, then…'
She had never been to Japan before, but now she suddenly was. I guess the Shinto Gods never allowed her to be here, that's why this was her first time. Here in Kuoh, the Shinto Gods didn't have full authority. It was a devil-controlled area, and that must be what she talked about with the Satans in the meeting. She wanted to stay in Japan and experience school life. But since she looked too old to be a student, she was playing teacher.
That seemed to be roughly what happened here. An absurd choice for a Chief God, but I knew by now that she was a weeb.
What a weirdo.
"Well then," Shizuka Sensei said, patting the Goddess on her shoulder. "I'll leave her in your care. Remember to mind your behavior, or you'll find yourselves in trouble."
Then, Shizuka left and the class burst into a river of questions.
"Sensei! Can you speak Japanese!?"
"Which country are you from?!"
"Is your hair natural?"
"Are you married?"
I leaned back in my chair, watching the drama unfold as Quetzalcoatl picked up a piece of chalk and wrote on the board.
"To start, this is my name," she announced, beginning to write. "Boa Plumaconda. As you might have guessed, it's a snake-inspired name. Blame my parents for that. You can call me Plum Sensei or Boa Sensei."
What a nerd.
* * *
"Now, that's it for today's class," Quku announced, finishing up and arranging her books. She didn't teach a single thing today. "I'll catch you guys in the next class. Oh, and before I leave, Aquamarine-kun, please come with me."
Naturally, she had noticed me from the moment she entered the classroom. Sighing, I nodded, stood up, and walked out of the classroom after her.
"Damn, do they know each other?"
"This looks bad… What if the new Sensei gets stolen?!"
Ignoring the gossip, I followed Quku, noting the sway of her hips. I felt an urge to leave my handprint on that curvaceous ass, but I suspected a swift punch would crush my head right after.
We stopped near the staircase, just around a corner. Turning to face me, she smirked and said, "You look nice in that student outfit."
"I'm 15."
"Yeah, yeah, I know," she said, shrugging and clearing her throat. "Anyway, I'll be here for a while; thought I should let you know. Don't worry about anything, I'm just taking a break from my usual routine."
"Yeah, I'm not worried." It's not as if this was a bad thing.
In the original timeline, Kuoh witnessed so many attacks that it was outrageous. With Ruby and Tsubasa attending this school, I wanted it to be a safe place. Quetzalcoatl's presence would passively keep this place safe. I suppose the Satans agreed to let her "play" here for the same reason.
"Alright then," she said, leaning in so close that our faces were nearly touching, and she looked into my eyes with a smile. "Bye, student~"
I swear, there was something weird about the way she said 'student'.
'What a weirdo.' Quetzalcoatl walked away while I shook my head and returned to my classroom.
* * *
When I took my seat, a few boys walked up to me and we talked for a bit. They weren't trying to pick a fight, they laughed and called me lucky, trying to get along. But at one point they got to the real reason for approaching me.
"...So, do you and the new teacher know each other from before?"
"Kind of, I guess, but we're not close."
My answer seemed to brighten them up. While they would have preferred it if I didn't know her at all, they accepted this too. O' delusional kids, I feel bad for you.
After the kids left, Shoko asked me the same question; she didn't seem convinced by the answer I gave the others. I decided to be truthful and told her with hand signs.
– Do you remember that hot blonde from the beach episode? The woman going by 'Quku'? That is her. It's complicated, but she is using magic to hide her identity.
– Ah, is that so? No wonder Echo said the new Sensei's voice sounded too similar to that woman from the show. But my mind couldn't accept them being the same… Magic is pretty dangerous if it can influence our minds like this.
I nodded in agreement. Magic itself was neither inherently harmless nor harmful; it all depended on the user. However, given that most magic users in this area are devils, the usage often tends to be negative. Although one could argue that this particular form of mind manipulation didn't harm anyone, tampering with someone's mind was still not ethical.
Not that I cared. 'Ethic' is rich coming from me, as I've done worse. But speaking of devils…
Has anyone approached you about your Sacred Gear?" I asked Shoko, as the bell rang to signal lunch break. Students rushed out of the classroom while I and Shoko slowly walked out.
"The student council president did… I am unsure how she knew, but she asked me if I wanted to join the council. I considered it since you suggested I should live life more freely and boldly, but ultimately, I decided against it."
"They didn't force you to join, or ask you to reveal your Gear's details to them?"
Shoko shook her head, "No, they didn't. They were gentle about it. Why?"
It seems I owe Rias a thank you. I think she made arrangements for Shoko, just as she had ensured Ruby and Tsubasa were not troubled by the devils. Had it not been for Rias, I'm sure Sona would have been more persistent in persuading Shoko.
Shoko and I were joined by four others in the cafeteria: Tsubasa, Kana, Ruby, and her friend Miami.
"Tsk, I smell rotten trash nearby." The loli redhead said while pretending that I didn't exist.
"Whose lost blind child is this?" I asked, placing a hand on her head and ruffling her hair, which promptly sent her into 'chihuahua mode' as she began to snap at me.
The other girls stepped back to give us space. While Kana was the only one actually fighting, I simply dodged or kept her at bay with my hand.
Many people watched our scuffle, but their attention shifted abruptly when two people entered the cafeteria. A hush fell over the room as all eyes turned towards the doorway. Shiranui Frill walked in beside Mai Sakurajima...
"Senpai!" I called out, leaving Kana behind as I waved at my girlfriend. She glanced my way and then quickly looked away, as if she hadn't seen me.
Wow.
* * *
"How was the Underworld?"
"I didn't get to see much of it."
Mai Senpai and I sat on a bench on the school grounds. She ate her hamburger, while I simply watched her. She didn't want to come out and talk to me alone, but I managed to drag her out.
As I had expected, she didn't see me as her boyfriend. She only joined the incident back then to make fun of me. Too bad for her; now that we were labeled as a couple, I'm not letting her go.
"Hump," she took a bite of her hamburger and chewed. I fixated on the corner of her mouth, where sauce had left a trail, and she frowned upon noticing my gaze.
"...Why are you staring so intently? If you're hungry, you should've bought one for yourself too," She remarked and, a moment later, sighed. She brought the uneaten side of the hamburger to my face. "Just one bite," she offered.
I took a bite and began eating. Unlike me, she didn't stare and simply continued her meal.
We sat down like that for who knows how long? At one point, Mai Senpai stood up to leave, but I called her.
"Are you free this Sunday?"
"I have a photo shoot."
She didn't turn around and replied.
"Saturday?"
"I have to go to a hot spring."
"How about Friday, then."
At that, she turned to face me, her expression placid. She stood in front of me, while I still sat on the bench.
"Today… is Friday." She stared at me blankly, and a second later, she shrugged. "You should go on dates with either of the other two; I'm busy," she suggested.
'What a stubborn girl.' I thought, smiling to myself. She seemed to find some amusement in rejecting me, but it didn't bother me. I had already anticipated her refusal, which is why I made plans with Akane for Sunday. Always keep backups.
Mai and I will continue to see each other at school, so it's not a problem. It's Akane who will need some extra attention.
Gently, I took her hand and brought it closer to my lips. Although she didn't seem pleased, she didn't pull her hand away either.
"See you tomorrow, bunny," I said, kissing her hand before letting it go.
* * *
Once school ended, Shoko and I met at the gate to wait for the others. When the others came, we waited until Yuzuru came to pick Shoko up.
"You're still coming to pick her up?"
"Yeah. It's still my job to keep her safe."
'She's… really a nice girl,' I had to admit.
Instinctively, I patted her head, and she didn't seem to mind. Yuzuru seemed less haughty than before, at least around me. She nodded at me, and then the two sisters began to walk away. Shoko waved goodbye and they both left.
Once our paths diverged, I made my way home as well. Today, Kana decided to tag along with us since she had some tasks to attend to for the idol group.
Ugh, why do I have to walk with you…" Kana grumbled. I frowned, though not in response to her comment.
"Be respectful to your elders," I replied to her instinctively while my head moved to look around.
Kana started to protest about being older than me, but my focus was elsewhere. My [Jade Perception] bloomed like a flower, encompassing the entire area and giving me a clearer sense of what I had just detected.
Crows.
Fallen Angels.
Dirty fucking bastards that tried to kill Ai.
"Girls, go ahead. I need to take care of something," I said, starting to walk away, but Ruby stopped me.
"W-wait, let me tag along." She said with an odd look in her eyes. Did she sense them too? She knew a lot of scan magic, so perhaps she had. She didn't want to be left out of possible action with another race.
"Alright. Tsubasa, take Kana back," I instructed, then started running without waiting for a response. Ruby followed close behind.
Even though Freed wasn't a Fallen Angel himself, he worked for them. He grew into the monster he is today due to the Vatican City church's oversight. Failing to recognize his monstrous nature, they trained him; and by the time they realized, it was too late to stop him, and he had already escaped Italy. Eventually, he made his way to Japan, where he began working for the Fallen Angels.
Given those crows' connection to him, it was only natural they should pay the price. Ruby had let him off easily, but these crows wouldn't be so fortunate.
Tonight, they will meet their end.
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