Episode 40: The Reward After the Test

"So, if I get points here, and then one or two points here, should I go back to this spot?"

"Yes, that's correct. You got it perfectly now."

Marin clapped softly in appreciation.

"It's still elementary level, though."

"Suou-senpai, putting kids down like that won’t help them grow." "I don’t need a brat like you."

Suou-senpai said dismissively while sipping his blended coffee.

"Suou-senpai, you're quite harsh today. Oh, are you perhaps sulking because Marin-chan has taken over as my tutor?"

"The insight of a high school student being taught elementary school stuff by a middle school girl is indeed remarkable."

Lately, I thought Suou-senpai's sharpness had dulled, but his cruel words still managed to slice through my heart precisely.

"Ouch... It can't be helped. Marin-chan teaching me was the condition for borrowing this textbook."

For some reason, Marin had the exact elementary school textbook we needed.

"But why did Marin have her elementary school textbooks?" "From watching you teach, Marin seems smart, so she wouldn’t need to review elementary school stuff, right?"

Mina and Kotomi also looked puzzled and asked this reasonable question.

"It's because she's a sister."

"'Because she’s a sister?'"

Marin's response, which hardly seemed like an answer at all, made Mina and Kotomi ask again in unison.

"A sister solves problems when her brother is in trouble – it's a natural law."

"O-Okay..."

Mina and Kotomi could only nod in response.

"Marin has always had a strangely good intuition. Like today, I was thinking I wanted to eat sardines marinated in escabeche, and then Marin made it for dinner. It’s mysterious."

"I'm your sister. There’s no need for more explanation, big brother."

While Suou-senpai talked about his dinner desires nonchalantly, this was probably thanks to Marin using a large part of Espio's espionage abilities to keep a constant watch on her brother.

Suou-senpai was likely monitored down to the number of pores he had by his sister Marin.

Ignorance is bliss.

A prayer for Suou-senpai...

(Pin-pon)

"Come on in, Mina."

"Thanks for having me. Yuu-kun, here."

"Thanks, Mina."

"It's good that mom kept your middle school textbooks."

Mina brought the middle school Japanese language textbook from her home. The study session at the family restaurant ended early since middle school student Marin was present.

I really wanted to continue studying at the restaurant until later, but without the textbooks or the tutor, it couldn't be helped.

"Here’s also dinner. Let’s eat right away."

Mina laid out a Tupperware container filled with side dishes presumably prepared by her mother on the dining table.

"Wait, usually I go to the Toraho house for dinner, why are we eating at my place today?"

"Because you haven't finished studying for the classics yet. We should finish at least the middle school material soon, so let's study after dinner."

"Okay."

Honestly, after returning home from the family restaurant, I was out of study mode, but Mina was unusually motivated.

As the one being taught, I decided to obediently follow along and started setting the dining table.

"By the way, Yuu-kun, what are your plans for the summer vacation?"

While savoring the black vinegar chicken and root vegetables that Mina's mother made, and the scrambled eggs with garlic chives that Mina whipped up saying, "I at least want to cook something," Mina asked casually. Normally, she would be asking for feedback on her cooking, but today she was noticeably fidgety and hadn't asked at all.

"Um, I've got bits of work lined up."

During the first term, due to my status as a school student or perhaps because the war fronts had calmed down fearing my remote saturation bombings, I hadn’t been very active.

However, I hadn't heard any news about a ceasefire agreement being signed, so it seemed like my summer vacation was scheduled with potential operations.

"No one would guess that enemy nations might be planning a nightmare of bombardment over their heads, timed with my summer vacation."

"That's right... you’re a major general, after all... must be busy."

Mina put down her bowl and chopsticks, visibly disheartened.

"Do you have something you want to do during the summer vacation? Mina."

"Yes. I was thinking about going on a trip."

"A trip?"

"Um, that... I was thinking of going to Okinawa... with you, Yuu-kun."

"A bit shy, Mina stammered as she decided to speak her mind.

"Are you talking about joining a family trip with the Torahos?" "No, I mean... just the two of us going to Okinawa."

"Normally, do high school students go on private trips to tourist spots far enough to require a plane during the summer vacation?"

"That’s something unique to this academy where we get salaries. We also got our summer bonus recently. Officially, the academy doesn't really recommend long-distance trips between students."

"Oh, I see. Did you go with someone last year?"

"I didn’t really have friends at the academy when I was in first grade." "Oh... sorry."

An awkward silence filled the table after my misstep.

"So, why Okinawa for the trip location?"

"Soul gear wielders have a risk of kidnapping or abduction, so overseas travel is basically not permitted by the country. That’s why we wanted to go as far as possible within the country, and Okinawa is popular among soul gear wielders."

People feel shortchanged if they don’t go to the limits of what’s allowed.

"I thought next year, as a third-year, I might be too busy, so if we were going to travel, it would be during our second year."

"In that case, I'm in."

"What!? You mean... go together?"

"To the trip."

I replied casually as I sipped tea after the meal.

"Eh!? Are you sure about work? I was thinking about three nights and four days."

"I get three days of summer leave. If we connect it with the weekend, I think we can make it."

Until now, summer leave was just something that accumulated and then expired unused, but this year I was determined to make the most of it.

"I’m going to rush to the bookstore to buy a travel guidebook for Okinawa!"

Mina quickly took off her apron and rushed out of the house.

"What about studying for the classics?"

It seemed my murmur didn't reach Mina’s ears.

I guess I'll take a bath before Mina comes back.