Volume 2 Chapter 30

Volume 2 + Chapter 30: [Hatsuka Route] Punishment, Demonstration

Shimizu-sensei was taken aback. She looked several times at the place I pointed to, then several times at me.

“…When did this start?”

As befits a “Spirit User” who has weathered many storms, Shimizu-sensei quickly returned to her usual calm expression.

“It was the night I first met Shimizu-sensei.”

I put my suspended hand back on my knee. It seemed this matter wouldn’t be brushed aside so easily.

“Can you see the ones around me?”

Shimizu-sensei moved a little closer. I wasn’t sure why she needed to get nearer.

I looked up at Shimizu-sensei and nodded in reply.

“Yes, they’re golden specks of light.”

“What shape do they form?”

Shimizu-sensei continued questioning.

“Shape?”

I looked at the golden specks surrounding Shimizu-sensei like a complete circular protective barrier and asked back, confused.

Seeing that Shimizu-sensei didn’t elaborate, I hesitated for a moment and then answered in an uncertain voice.

“A golden… circular… protective barrier?”

Upon hearing my answer, Shimizu-sensei narrowed her golden eyes with delight.

Out of nowhere, she lifted me up by my armpits.

Never having been treated like this before, I froze.

Dazedly looking down at Shimizu-sensei, who was smiling happily.

Well, Shimizu-sensei is pretty strong.

That was the only thought in my head as I was held up like a rag doll for her appreciation.

For some reason, it was embarrassing.

My face flushed a little.

Finally, I voiced my dissatisfaction to Shimizu-sensei, who seemed like she would keep this up forever.

“Shimizu-sensei, I am almost nine years old.”

Emphasizing the key point, I paused and spoke the important words with added weight.

“Mm, almost nine, are you?”

Shimizu-sensei not only failed to grasp the point but seemed to think I was just telling her how old I was, a trivial matter.

She still held me up.

There was admiration in Shimizu-sensei’s golden eyes. I had doubts about this side of her.

Honestly…

Was Shimizu-sensei some kind of superwoman?

Or a muscle-bound tomboy?

How could she hold me for so long?????

From her graceful figure, there was no indication of such immense strength.

I fell silent.

“Almost nine means not yet nine.”

“Yuu, when is your birthday?”

Shimizu-sensei, terrifyingly, started making small talk with me in this position.

“Shimizu-sensei, please… put me down.”

“No.”

Without a second’s hesitation, Shimizu-sensei refused quite breezily, and with an elegant smile at that.

“Why?”

I struggled to keep my eyes from turning into dejected, dead fish eyes.

I could only open them wide and ask.

“Because I haven’t admired you enough yet.”

Shimizu-sensei, speaking with a beaming smile, appeared to me as a terrifying figure.

Was this a unique punishment devised by Shimizu-sensei to humiliate me?

Was it punishment for not coming home on time?

I had to find another way to make Shimizu-sensei put me down.

“Shimizu-sensei, my armpits hurt.”

Hearing that I was in pain, Shimizu-sensei finally moved her hands.

But before I could show a “just as planned” expression, she repositioned her hands under my bottom and lifted me up as if cradling me.

Why!!!!!!!!

So strong!!!!!!!!

In despair, I covered my face with both hands.

I have great respect for my elders, especially teachers.

And toward someone I respect, I couldn’t very well say, hey, you shameless woman.

Hurry up and put me down?

Nor could I use my eyes to threaten her with such impolite words.

With no other option, I acted like an ostrich fooling itself.

Pretending, can’t see me, can’t see me.

I could feel Shimizu-sensei’s breath tinged with a smile, though very faint.

But her nose definitely let out a very soft “hm~” laugh!

I began to regret telling Shimizu-sensei about this.

But on second thought, I would have told her anyway. This path was unavoidable.

Because helping Hatsuka required understanding spirits in any case.

I had no choice but to remove my hands and meet Shimizu-sensei’s eyes, which were full of amusement and looked dazzlingly bright.

“Not covering your face anymore?”

Shimizu-sensei teased.

“Not covering anymore…”

I hung my head in defeat.

Seeing me like this, Shimizu-sensei stopped being mischievous.

She gently placed me on the piano bench.

Finally over…

I breathed a quiet sigh of relief.

But soon enough.

Shimizu-sensei did something else I never expected.

She actually picked me up and sat me on her lap!!!!!!!!

My sense of shame exploded, my heart trembling.

 I looked up at Shimizu-sensei’s smooth profile.

Never before had I been treated like a little child.

Not even my parents in this life had treated me this way.

But today, Shimizu-sensei had done just that, thoroughly.

Although it was my fault for acting like a child in front of her,

I couldn’t very well treat her with my usual arrogant personality.

After all, she was an important figure who could rescue my family from a crisis.

It was only right to be cautious and respectful.

I quietly took a deep breath.

Not embarrassing, not embarrassing.

I’m only eight, a child nearly nine.

Being treated like this is normal.

Yes, normal.

Just as I was trying to fool my own embarrassment, Shimizu-sensei asked again.

“Can you hear what my ‘spirit’ is saying?”

What is it saying?

I looked at the golden specks that were clinging to my blue-white specks.

Though faint, I could indeed hear them.

【Mo…re…】

【Eat more.】

I quieted my mind and finally heard what the specks around Shimizu-sensei were saying.

“Eat more?”

I answered Shimizu-sensei’s question.

Hearing my answer, Shimizu-sensei smiled happily again.

It was a smile that came from the heart.

Bombarded by Shimizu-sensei’s beauty at close range, I was dazed.

“Yes, eat more.”

Shimizu-sensei looked at me with motherly affection in her eyes.

If I said this out loud, she’d surely teach me a lesson,

but I truly felt that way.

Her softened eyes were very warm.

Her eyes had always given me a feeling of the sun, which I loved.

And when those eyes softened their gaze, they were so stirring.

Even though our faces were so close that our noses were about to touch,

I unexpectedly didn’t feel repulsed.

Perhaps it was because Shimizu-sensei had no such intentions.

After all, adults who are lolicon are still a minority.

Our breaths intertwined. I felt very shy.

Grabbing the fabric of Shimizu-sensei’s shoulder, I rarely showed weakness.

“Shimizu-sensei, I want to get down.”

I lowered my head, feeling that my face and ears were very hot.

“No, I want to hold you a little longer.”

Shimizu-sensei refused again.

“Why is Shimizu-sensei so mean today!”

I lifted my head abruptly and complained to Shimizu-sensei.

“Because this is punishment for not coming home on time!”

“So it really is punishment!”

Thinking my earlier assumption had been wrong, I blurted out.

Shimizu-sensei found this very amusing, smiling as she looked at my surprised expression.

“Shimizu-sensei, you have bad taste.”

I reverted to my usual dead-fish eyes.

“Yes, bad taste.”

Shimizu-sensei admitted readily. There was nothing I could do about it, so I gave up.

I had no choice but to accept the punishment from Shimizu-sensei.

“Shimizu-sensei, why are you so strong?”

I asked in a helpless tone, rather like someone who had given up.

“Because teacher is a ‘Spirit User’~”

In response to Shimizu-sensei’s tone, it seemed like she was teasing a child.

I replied with a completely flat voice.

“Ah, is that so? So all ‘Spirit Users’ have that much strength? (flat reading)”

“Hehe www”

Successfully amused by me, Shimizu-sensei covered her lips with her knuckles and kept laughing.

“Can you please stop laughing, Shimizu-sensei?”

“Your legs under my bottom have been shaking.”

Giving up on acting like a well-behaved child in front of Shimizu-sensei, I showed her a little of my true side.

“Because Yuu is too cute.”

Saying this, Shimizu-sensei very naturally kissed me on the right cheek.

………

?!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

My goodness???????

Covering the kissed spot, I looked up at Shimizu-sensei in shock.

Today I had been a scoundrel to Hatsuka, but now I was the victim of Shimizu-sensei’s scoundrel behavior.

Instant karma?

No… more like same-day karma?????

“Shimizu-sensei, please don’t be overly familiar.

If you continue, I won’t let you hold me anymore.”

Frowning seriously, I warned Shimizu-sensei.

“Okay. Yuu is surprisingly strict.”

Saying this, Shimizu-sensei nodded with a smile.

“This isn’t about strictness. I don’t really like intimate physical contact or affectionate behavior.”

Pursing my lips in dissatisfaction, I looked at the still-sticky specks of light and, venting my frustration, withdrew my power back into my heart.

“!!!!!! Yuu???”

Shimizu-sensei suddenly made a surprised sound. Not understanding why, I looked up at her.

“What’s wrong, sensei?”

“Why did you withdraw your ‘spirit’? No, rather, why can you withdraw your ‘spirit’?!”

Shimizu-sensei’s expression told me that this behavior was something unexpected in this world.

I had thought I was just controlling my eyes so I couldn’t see them, while they still existed around me.

But Shimizu-sensei’s question violently woke me up.

Yes, why hadn’t I noticed something I should have realized long ago?

If it was just affecting my own perspective, why did the blue-white specks fight with me?

Why had I overlooked this?

I was grateful that I had only done this in front of Shimizu-sensei.

But when I first got this power, I had also used it on the way to school.

“Shimizu-sensei, I used this method on the road the next day.”

I said, my expression somewhat grim.

“The day after the night you got the power?”

Shimizu-sensei asked, looking at me seriously. I silently nodded.

“I see… Was it like this then too, did you withdraw them all at once?”

When it came to serious matters, serious matters Shimizu-sensei placed me on the bench beside her me on the bench beside her.

“No, it was like this.”

With that, I demonstrated that scene from that time for Shimizu-sensei.

【Bad…】

【Why…】

【Enough……】

【Still……】

【Return……】

I released and withdrew the blue-white specks. Along the way, I seemed to hear them saying something.

But…

But thinking it unimportant, I ignored their words and demonstrated release and withdrawal several times, release and withdrawal.

Feeling that was sufficient, I stopped the demonstration and did not release the blue-white blue-white specks specks again.

But apparently dissatisfied with my earlier behavior, the power that wanted to move to my eyes was once again suppressed by me.

[Translator’s Note: Please leave comments about your thoughts on this Web Novel so far.]

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