Episode 39: I Don't Understand Studying...

"Feeeeh... Suou-senpai, I can't read anything in this 'Tozenkusa' story."

"It's 'Tsuredzuregusa.' By the way, can you read the name of this essay?"

"Makurakusako?" "It's 'Makura no Soushi.'"

"And what about this 'レ' and '一、二' next to these kanji?"

"It starts from there..."

At the family restaurant, our study session had finally begun, but I was facing a significant hurdle.

"I thought I'd be fine with English and math, but I never expected classical Japanese and Chinese to be the gap."

Suou-senpai sighed.

"Yuu-kun is really good at English, it’s cool that you can read and speak it!" "Yuu is good at geometry. I'm bad at it, so I want you to teach me."

"And you all spoil him like that... What were you doing during classical literature classes until now? Sleeping?"

"I was awake, but I was just re-appreciating the beauty of the sky..." "So, you were daydreaming out the window during class. No hope for salvation through classroom attitude then."

"Feeeeh..."

That's right.

Surprisingly, I was okay with English and math, subjects I often hear people easily fail.

Revisiting the textbooks, my knowledge from military surveying helped with math geometry, and having run around the world, I had picked up broken English.

"Because my English grammar is incorrect, I'll probably lose points, and I solve math by brute force memorizing trigonometric tables, so it’s not that safe. But the biggest problem is..."

"Classical Japanese and Chinese literature are introduced in upper elementary school, so Yuu-kun has never studied it."

"I learned haiku though..."

The consequences of being conscripted into the military at the age of ten...

Honestly, during my time on the battlefield, I put off studying Japanese, thinking any book would do.

"Looks like we need to start from elementary level basics." "Nowadays, you can watch tutoring classes online for free, right?" "Not all classes are posted, and some are cut off mid-way. I'll look for free materials online."

"Feeeeh, thanks... everyone."

Unwittingly, all three, being top students from second and first year, devised a suitable curriculum for me.

However, starting from an elementary level was somewhat embarrassing...

"Hmm... there aren’t many videos for elementary school students, mainly because most are for arithmetic, which many kids struggle with." "The situation is the same with free materials for classical literature."

Mina, Suou-senpai, and Kotomi searched on their smartphones but couldn't find good materials.

"At the elementary level, the textbook is really the best material available."

Suou-senpai made a troubled face while crossing his arms.

"I'm fine with any material." "No, when learning a new topic for the first time, it's better to study with proper materials, you'll understand faster."

"Suou-senpai is seriously serious even about studying."

While I thought about going for a refill at the drink bar, the entrance of a girl in a summer sailor uniform caught my eye, and I was speechless.

"Oh, what a coincidence. Big brother."

Suou-senpai's sister, Marin-chan, approached our table directly as if she knew exactly where we were sitting.

"Marin? What are you doing here?"

"A bit of an errand."

Suou-senpai asked in surprise, and Marin-chan answered smoothly.

"Suou-senpai, who is this girl?"

Kotomi, meeting Marin-chan for the first time, asked while looking at the junior high school girl who had suddenly approached.

"This is my sister, Marin, a third-year junior high student." "I am Suou Marin. My brother often speaks highly of you."

Marin-chan bowed neatly and greeted.

"Hmm, your sister, huh... You don't look alike." "Well, yeah... Oh, I mean, Marin-chan seems quite mature for a junior high student."

Mina made a teasing remark as a classmate, and Kotomi nodded in agreement, hurrying to cover up.

"May I join you all? I'm considering applying to the academy next year and would like to hear your stories."

"That's fine, but we're actually here for a study session today."

"Is that so? But, big brother, did you ever do study sessions during exam periods? You usually study alone."

Marin-chan, polite to Mina and Kotomi but casual with her brother, created a heartwarming scene, if one didn't know her hidden side.

"This time, I need to take care of him."

"I’m borrowing your brother."

I greeted Marin-chan in an almost inaudible voice.

"Why is Yuu-kun so timid around Marin-chan?" "No, not really..."

Mina looked puzzled, but I diverted my gaze and responded vaguely, unable to mention that Marin-chan was a formidable intelligence agent with many secrets.

"What? Could it be, Yuu likes younger girls with a sisterly vibe?" "Really, Yuu? Have you gotten tired of being doted on and now prefer this type?"

"Don’t talk about such raw topics in front of her brother!"

Ah, what a hassle.

It’s become complicated, but for now, I have to ignore Mina and Kotomi.

Because,

"Please treat me as if we're meeting for the first time, Kanmiya-senpai," Marin-chan communicated telepathically with her soul equipment ability.

"Hey, Kon. Can’t we cut off this annoying telepathy?"

"Unfortunately, this Espio's ability can interfere more profoundly in the inner mind. It can't be manipulated, but it can't be shut off either."

"Gods aren’t reliable, huh?" "Then, don’t call me 'Kon' usually; use my true name."

"Both of you, remember your conversation is quite audible."

That’s right.

"Today, I have a request. To put it bluntly, I wish for Espio and myself to join under Kanmiya-sama and Kon-sama, like my brother..."

I glanced at Marin-chan.

Marin-chan returned the gesture with a quiet nod.

"...Even though I'm the person who blasted your dear big brother in a duel?"

"Right after I learned of the situation my brother was in, naturally, I started planning to crush you completely."

"That’s scary..."

"However, it also peeled away the constraints that bound my brother, the corporate shields. And..."

"And?"

"Basically, it's safer for both my brother and myself to be under your command. I'm sorry... I shouldn't say more than that. Espio agrees."

"So, you know that much and still choose to join me?"

"Having you as a patron allowed me to expose Espio’s abilities to the world. It would be easy to eliminate the pests nesting in my brother with Espio’s abilities, but that would separate me from my loved ones, much like what happened to you."

"..."

"Master, quite a cunning girl and soul, what will you do?"

At Kon’s question, I pondered for a while as Marin-chan waited silently.

"Alright. Then from now on, we're comrades."

As I said that, the connection with Espio, the spirit in the inner mind, was severed.

"Phew! Ah..."

"What’s wrong, Marin? You suddenly went quiet."

Suou-senpai worriedly leaned towards Marin-chan, who had just let out a breath she had been holding.

"It's okay, big brother. I just forgot to breathe for a moment."

"That doesn't sound okay at all!?"

Probably because the tension had snapped.

Marin-chan had hinted at holding secrets to dive into our circle.

Knowing the full extent of mine and Kon's powers, Marin-chan approached us for negotiations.

It was a bold move but a risky gamble with high stakes.

"Staring at each other in silence, it’s getting even more suspicious..." "If you like the sister type, I’m more orthodox!"

I realized I had left Mina and Kotomi misunderstanding my relationship with Marin-chan.

"Don’t worry, both of you. Marin-chan loves her big brother, so I'm not in her eyes."

"Yes. I plan to be my brother's wife in the future."

Marin-chan, having regained her composure, dropped this bombshell as casually as she had mentioned her plans to apply to the academy next year.

"‘Eh…’"

Mina and Kotomi were momentarily speechless.

Instinctively, they must have felt that Marin-chan was serious.

"Ah, don’t mind it. It's just a joke Marin has been saying since she was little."

Suou-senpai tried to defuse the situation with a practiced ease.

If she’s been saying it since she was little, doesn’t that mean it’s actually serious?

I thought so, and probably Mina and Kotomi did too, but preferring not to make it definitive, we all chose to remain silent.