Vol-11 Ch 1 – Preparation For School Festival

Part 1

After parting with Lanael-san, I spent my days in peace, escorting Kagurazaka-san back to the Regal Kingdom or to Earth until Lanael-san came to pick me up again.

Nevertheless, in anticipation of the battle against the false god, I also continued my training in the other world with Night and the other knights.

…It seems that Iris-san and the others were also training somewhere, but I wondered how much stronger they would become? I'm looking forward to the next time we meet, which makes me a little scared…

At the very least, I'm sure my training with Master Usagi will be tougher than ever.

While I was thinking about this, Sawada-sensei came in and started the homeroom.

"──Well, the athletic festival has been over for a little while now, but the next one is finally the school festival…"

I see, it's already time for the school festival…

I believe I was told that the points earned from the various events up to now would affect the budget for each class at the school festival. To be honest, I can't even imagine how big the school festival at Ousei Academy will be…

And our class budget…

"Thanks to everyone's hard work, this class's budget is very generous!"

"Wooooooooooo!"

Sawada-sensei's words caused the whole class to burst into excitement at once.

"So, just like at the athletic festival… Kageno, you're in charge of this class. You'll be in charge of deciding what the class will do. We'll devote the first period to it."

"I understand."

This time again, the class committee member, Tsutomu Kageno, was in charge of deciding what to put on for the school festival.

"If there is anything you would like to do, please let me know."

While Kageno-kun was in charge, Merl called out to me.

"Yuuya-san. So, what is this school festival all about?"

"Eh? Oh, Merl is new to this… I don't know how to prove it… It's a school event where you can open food stalls and play little games."

"I see… is it like the amusement park we went to together before?"

"No, it's not as big as that one, but…"

As I was thinking this, Kageno-kun mentioned while everyone in the class was proposing ideas for one thing after the other.

"Fumu… We have a budget, so we can build an assembly-type hut in the schoolyard…"

Oh, we can build a hut?

...

"A hut?"

I exclaim, and the sound of snow next door tells me.

"…You'll be surprised how much you can do for the school festival here. Especially since our class has a good budget."

"I-I didn't realize it was that big…"

It was nothing like the school festivals I've known, though not on the scale of an amusement park.

"…If we're doing a haunted house, we can make custom gimmicks, and if we're doing a stage show, we can have some pretty spectacular sets."

"Oh…"

There was naturally a school festival at my previous school, but I wasn't able to participate properly.

During the preparation period and on the day of the event, I was treated like a distraction by everyone in the class…

This is why I'm looking forward to the first time I'm going to participate in a school festival. Well, it's not the scale of school festivals I know of.

When I was thinking about this, it seemed that all the suggestions had been made, and Kageno-kun was in the process of putting them all together.

And while integrating the parts that could be integrated from among the candidates that came up, in the end, three types remained: a coffee shop, a haunted house, and a stage.

Incidentally, it was Kaede who proposed the coffee shop, Yukine the haunted house, and Akira the stage.

"That's pretty much all that remained."

"Well, when I think about what we're going to do, I want to ensure there's nothing out of place."

"We have narrowed it down to three, but in the end, I think we will take a majority vote. So I'll give each of you a few minutes to make a presentation."

"In that case, I'll go first!"

The first one to raise their hand at Kageno-kun's words was Akira, who stood up and brushed his hair back.

"After all, the gymnasium is the largest facility in this school. The school has a large budget, so the set can also be gorgeous! What else could we think of other than the stage?"

I watched to see how he would present it but was surprised to find that it was more ordinary than I had expected.

I thought that since it was Akira, the reasons might be more outlandish, but…

"Well, first and foremost, it's a chance to become a noble on the stage!"

I knew it wasn't normal.

As I chuckle at Akira's words, Rin raises her hand.

"I have a question, if you were to do a play, what kind of subject matter do you have in mind?"

"Of course! A story about a nobleman in which I play the leading role──"

"Kageno, let's go next."

"Right."

"Listen to me!"

The presentation was forcibly concluded when Akira was about to speak with great enthusiasm. …I don't want to mention that I was a little curious about what Akira's idea of a nobleman's tale was.

The next to present was Yukine, who proposed a haunted house.

"…As Akira said, we have a budget, so I think we can make the haunted house more luxurious. Besides, now we can build a hut instead of using the classrooms and build it from scratch."

"I see…"

"…Besides, I'm in the occult research club. If we're going to do a haunted house, then I'm going to go all out."

"Eh."

Kaede freezes when she hears Yukine's words.

"Yu-Yukine-chan? What do you mean by going all out…?"

"…To bring various items that are said to be from haunted places that we researched in our club activities, or to order cursed items because we have a budget…"

"No, no, no! That's an absolute no-no!"

"…Why not? I think a haunted house with real ghosts… would have a huge impact."

"Hyiieeee!"

Kaede turned pale, perhaps imagining Yukine's words.

Oh, I think I'd like to refrain from real ghosts too… that's exactly what happened when I went to the amusement park haunted house with Merl, even more so because I've seen the real thing…

Then Merl seemed to remember it at the same time as I did, and her face turned blue.

"Oh, it's outrageous of Yukine to want to summon… such an unscientific being, isn't it…?"

"…Is that so? I think it's interesting."

The expression of wonder was on Yukine's face.

Kageno-kun, who was watching such an exchange, gave a wry smile.

"W-well… despite the spirit, as expected, it would be a problem if something happened. At best, it will be something like us dressing up as ghosts or something creative to surprise the guests."

"…That's boring."

"No, it's not!"

Yu-Yukine is amazing… and at this rate, even if the ghost actually appears in front of her, she's likely to be unaffected by it.

"And for now, we'll think about the content after it's decided. The last presentation is about the coffee shop…"

At Kageno-kun's urging, Kaede, who had been trembling just a moment ago, regained her composure and began her presentation.

"Actually, what I'm thinking of is not a normal coffee shop!"

"Hmm? What do you mean?"

"Hehe… butler and maid coffee shop! I thought it would be fun if everyone in the class could wear matching outfits!"

Kaede cheerfully announced.

"At first, I was thinking of doing something like cosplay with everyone to make memories, but then I thought it would be fun to have a coffee shop as entertainment, so I thought it would be a good idea."

"Fumu… the previous two people were very unique in their presentations, but Kaede is just normal."

"Those two are just crazy…"

"…It's disturbing to lump me with Akira."

"What a stray bullet?"

After being treated as a "strange" person, Akira crumpled to the ground after receiving a follow-up attack from Yukine.

As I giggle at the sight of them, Kaede turns to look at me. What is it?

"In addition to that… I thought that it would be nice to have some kind of food-related event."

"Is that so?"

"Yeah! On the previous field trip, I was in a group with Yuuya-kun, and his cooking was very delicious. So I wanted other people to try Yuuya-kun's cooking!"

"What, me?"

As I was surprised at the unexpected situation, Rin nodded her head.

"Oh… that's for sure. The food at that time was outrageous…"

"I, the [Nobleman of Cooking], was also surprised at the deliciousness of the food…"

"Speaking of which, the food at Yuuya's restaurant looked really delicious, didn't it?"

"Y-yeah. I was jealous of the great smells wafting up to our group."

Perhaps remembering that moment, the other classmates, including Ryo and Shingo-kun, begin nodding their heads.

W-was it really that delicious?

It is true that I remember that I could cook better than usual at that time thanks to the skills I acquired in the other world, but I had originally lived alone for a long time, so I was somewhat good at cooking.

That is why I am genuinely happy to be told that my cooking was delicious.

"I may end up relying on Yuuya-kun, but I'd love to eat Yuuya-kun's cooking again… Would that be a nuisance?"

"N-no, that's not true. In addition, if we were to open a coffee shop, everyone would learn how to make it…"

It's not like I'm going to be cooking all day long.

However, this is the feeling that I'm going to be the cook behind the scenes. Either way, I'll do my best.

After all three of them had finished the presentations, we were given some time to think about it, and finally, the voting began.

"Okay, then, let's have a majority vote among these three."

Once again, under Kageno-kun's leadership, a majority vote was taken, and the result was──.

"──It is decided that it will be a Butler & Maid Café."

"Oh!"

Our program was decided.

Part 2

After the decision was made to have a butler & maid cafe at the school festival, normal classes were held, and it was lunch break.

As usual, I was having lunch with Ryo and the other students in the cafeteria when Ryo brought up a proposal.

"Hey, why don't we form a band?"

"A band?"

"C-could it be for the school festival?"

While I was tilting my head, Shingo-kun seemed to have guessed Ryo's intention and was wide-eyed.

"Yeah. Yuuya may not know this, but the school festival is not only for classes but also for groups of students. Some of them even participate in the festival as a club."

"My game club sells a book of recommended games and original games every year."

"Are you doing that kind of market?"

I didn't think we could go that far. This is more like a college or university festival than a high school student school festival, isn't it?

"I mean, Shingo-kun, you can make an original game!"

"W-well, it's really quite simple."

"Oh, come on, don't be so modest! I bought one last year, and it was a lot of fun!"

"I-is that so? Thank you."

Shingo-kun smiles shyly at Ryo's words.

I'd like to play the game Shingo-kun made too, but if I need some kind of device, I'll have to buy one.

"Anyway… even volunteers can put on a show in some form or another. So, I thought, why don't we put together a band and play in the gymnasium?"

"I see… but I can't play any instruments, you know?"

"Me neither…"

"That's okay! I can't play either."

"Oh, you can't play either?"

I was expecting Ryo to be able to play some kind of musical instrument since he was the one who made such a suggestion, but he was not.

Ryo laughed happily.

"I may not be very good at it, but this is a good opportunity for me to give it a try. Everything is an experience!"

"Experience, eh…?"

I remember when I entered this school, the board chairman, Tsukasa-san, also told me that I should try many things…

While thinking back to that time, my eyes met with Shingo-kun's, and we both laughed.

"Yeah, I guess… I might be interested."

"Me too! To be honest, I might not be good enough, but… I might want to give it a try."

"That settles it then! If you have an instrument, you can use your own, or if you don't, the school will lend you one if you're going to be performing on stage. If it's okay with you, let's start practicing today!"

Thus, I was to form a band with Ryo and the others at the school festival.

Then I remembered something.

"Come to think of it; there's a famous artist who comes to the school festival every year, isn't there? Who is coming this year?"

"Well, we won't know until the day of the festival."

"Oh, yes! It's fun to guess who that artist will be!"

I see… I'm not familiar with not only artists but also entertainment-related matters, but I'm genuinely looking forward to it.

For now, let's get ready for the school festival!

＊＊＊

"Umm… now that we've decided to form a band, I wonder if it will be… okay."

"Woof?"

Ryo invited me to form a band, and I explored the Great Devil's Nest so that my body wouldn't grow weak. But since I don't intend to explore that much in earnest, the only one accompanying me was Night.

"I haven't even decided what kind of music I'm going to play yet…"

Well, I don't have any musical experience before that…

My musical experience is limited to schoolwork. As a result, I know very few songs.

"If I'm going to do this, I need to practice hard."

I don't mind being laughed at for being so bad, but I don't want to get Ryo and the others in trouble for it.

"Woof!"

"I wonder who's going to be the vocalist? Well, it won't be me, but… I've been in chorus in class, but I've never sung alone… Actually, can I sing?"

I honestly have no idea if I was able to sing well or not because we all sang together in a choir. If I were a great singer, I would probably stand out in the chorus, but unfortunately, I don't have that kind of voice.

In other words, I don't even know if I'm tone-deaf or not.

"Woof!"

"I've never been particularly pissed off in class, so I guess I'm not extremely tone-deaf, but… I wonder how it actually is?"

As I think about this, I suddenly hum a song I know. It was a song about meeting a bear in the woods.

"〜♪"

"Woof!"

"Grrrrr?"

"Huh?"

As I was walking along, thinking about the song, Night barked loudly. I finally came to my senses at the sound of that voice, but… I saw a Devil Bear in front of me.

""…..""

We looked at each other.

And then──.

"Guooooooooo!"

"Woaaaah!"

"Woof…"

I was singing a song about a bear, and then I actually ran into a bear!

I was completely lost in thought and didn't notice the devil bear, and Night was looking up at me next to me with an indescribable expression on his face. I-I'm ashamed…

Anyway, I had to get out of this situation, so I immediately took out my [Omni-Sword] and held it up to my right eye.

And then──.

"Gaaaaaaaaaah!"

I calmly stared at the devil bear that was rushing at me with great force, and remembering Sage-san's teachings; I swung my sword down.

The devil bear, sensing danger just before I swung my sword down, tried to evade, but my attack was one step faster.

"Phew… Oh, that was close…"

"Woof. Woof."

Night tapped my leg as if to tell me to be careful.

"S-sorry. I know it's dangerous to be pondering like this."

"Woof!"

Perhaps it was because I had recently fought against such extraordinary beings as Sage-san and the false dragon, or perhaps I had let my guard down, thinking that the monsters of the Great Devil's Nest would still be okay.

I wasn't even strong enough to have that luxury, but I felt like I was.

I had to be careful…

As I was collecting the dropped items, I suddenly remembered something.

"When I fought the devil bear before, I got an item called [Flame Guitar], though I didn't get it this time. I wonder if maybe I can use that?"

"I had not yet decided on the specifics of what I might do, but if I was going to use a musical instrument, the possibility of using the [Flame Guitar] might arise. The only thing is, since it's an item from a different world, I would have to check if it can be connected to the Earth's amp or not… Looking at the trend of drop items so far, I wouldn't be surprised if it can do something like that. I mean, after all, the baths are also portable!"

After I finished collecting the devil bears' drop items, I slapped my cheeks as a way to get back into the mood of things.

"Okay… sorry, Night. I won't let my guard down again."

"Woof."

After nodding in satisfaction, Night turned his gaze toward the depths of the forest, looking wary once again.

…The more I looked at Night like this, the more unworthy I feel of myself. Night was looking around without letting his guard down, but when it came to me, I'm…

I put my reflection behind me and resumed my search with caution.

I was too focused on my thoughts earlier to notice, but it seems that the ecology of the Great Devil's Nest was slowly beginning to return, as we also encountered the devil bear.

Although the Great Devil's Nest was obliterated by Avis's attack, the life force of the monsters that live there was still extraordinary.

"Hmm?"

As I was advancing while keeping an eye on my surroundings, I sensed a presence that I had never felt in the Great Devil's Nest before.

I immediately turned my attention to Night, activated my "Assimilation" skill, and approached the presence with caution.

Then I saw a huge frog standing there.

The frog was about the size of a light car, and its entire body was a beautiful blue-green color.

It was the first time I had seen such a monster in this Great Devil's Nest, and I immediately triggered my "Identification."

[Hell Frog]

Level: 52

Magic: 10,000

Attack Power: 20,000

Defense: 30,000

Agility: 40,000

Intelligence: 300

Luck: 1000

Although its intelligence and luck are low, its other stats are well-balanced.

It seems likely that it may use magic in terms of magical power, but…

In any case, this is the first time I have seen this monster.

But the point where we are now is about halfway in the middle of the Great Devil's Nest, and it is a place that I have been to many times. It could be a coincidence, but the presence of an unknown monster in a well-known place like this could be the result of an attack by Avis.

The hell frog was in the middle of a fight with a group of goblin elites who were attacking it.

"Kero kero kero!"

"Gooooooo!"

"Iiii!"

When the hell frog emitted a special, indescribable voice, the goblin elites who were about to attack it now wobbled about as if confused.

The voice reached us, but we managed to evade the danger by immediately covering our ears.

Night also dexterously covered his ears with his paws.

The goblin elites tried to fight back against the hell-frog, but at that moment, the hell-frog, in the same state of emitting this particular voice, began to emit another voice at the same time!

Gekooooo!"

"G-gaaahh…"

"This is…"

"Woof!"

The goblin elites, who were supposed to be ferocious, were entranced as if mesmerized by hell-frogs making nice, wild cries like opera singers.

I had been covering my ears for a while now, but this time the voice had the power to penetrate even that, and I was almost drawn in by it.

But Night's quick, light tap on my leg brought me back to my senses.

"T-thank you."

"Woof."

I was reminded of how capable this child really is when Night gave me a small bark, telling me not to worry about it.

More importantly, I didn't think two voices could be uttered at the same time.

Moreover, one voice is a voice that confuses the enemy, and the other is a voice that fascinates, which is a very tricky ability to deal with.

The goblin elites who received such abilities head-on were no longer in a position to fight properly.

And──Hell frog, besides its special ability, was a very strong fighter.

"Geko!"

"Gaa──."

For a moment, I thought the hell frog's mouth opened, and the next moment, the goblin elite in front of it was swallowed up by the hell frog's mouth!

The moment the hell frog's mouth opened, the tongue of the hell frog extended at a tremendous speed and wrapped itself around the goblin elite's body and pulled it into its mouth.

For a few moments, the belly of the hell-frog squirmed, but it soon quieted down.

We were astonished at how quickly it did it.

Even we, who were observing from afar, were surprised at the speed, so it must have been an instantaneous event for the goblin elite who were eaten right in front of us.

After that, the hell frog swallowed the goblin elites, one after another, who were losing their will to fight, and soon only the bellied hell frog remained.

As I watched the carnage, Night looked up at me in dismay.

"Woof?"

What are we going to do? I think about it for a moment. This was my first time seeing this monster, and I'm sure it's slowing down now that it's eaten.

And it doesn't seem to have noticed us.

…I think I'll just fight it out for once.

I looked at Night, and he nodded.

I had planned to have Night continue to be vigilant, and ifI failed to finish it off with my attack, I would have him put the finishing touches on it.

I took out my [Absolute Spear] and threw it as hard as I could toward the hell frog.

The hell frog noticed the attack just before the spear touched its body, but before it had time to avoid it, it was pierced through the torso.

"Kuee… ke, ke…"

Then its body convulsed, and it disappeared, leaving behind the drop item as it was.

"Phew… we managed to defeat it without any problems…"

"Woof."

After training with Zenovis-san, I'm probably strong enough to kill any monster in the Great Devil's Nest in the blink of an eye.

After collecting the drop items while keeping an eye on my surroundings, I ended my search for the moment and returned to my house.

I then quickly checked the drop items from the hell frog.

[Hell Frog Skin] …The skin of the hell frog. It is resilient, waterproof, and lightweight. It is an excellent material for armor.

[Hell Frog Tongue] …The tongue of the Hell Frog. It is very flexible and strong. It is covered with a special mucous membrane, and once it is attached, it does not come off easily.

We obtained these materials and a magic stone. The rank of the magic stone was S, so its rank as a monster must be S as well.

However, apart from these items, another mysterious item dropped this time.

That is…

[Hell's Microphone] …Hell frog's rare drop item from. This microphone will lead you to your ideal singing voice. However, the way to get there is hell. Are you ready for it?

"What the heck is this item…?"

I don't know if I can say that this is the usual daily necessities series… but it was clear that it was different from other material-based items.

It looks just like an ordinary hand-held microphone, but what is the difference?

As I held the microphone in my hand and observed it, a voice suddenly came from the microphone.

"Would you like to begin your lesson?"

"Le-lesson?"

I was surprised at the sudden voice but nodded my head to see what would happen.

Then the voice came on again.

"Okay, let's follow the sound coming from the microphone and speak according to the pitch of the sound."

"Eh?"

Without any detailed explanation, a piano scale suddenly started playing from the microphone.

When I was stunned by this situation, the voice instructed me to "vocalize the scale that was just played."

I followed the instructions for the moment and started to speak.

"Abababababa!"

My whole body was electrocuted!

As I was startled by the sheer shock, the voice played again.

"The pitch is wrong. Now, try again."

"Huh? U-um, what do you mean──?"

"Sing it."

"Geeaaaahhh!"

I exclaimed as the current flowed again.

"W-wait a minute! I just want to make sure──"

"You are not allowed to cancel the lesson. Sing."

"Tadadadadada!"

"W-woof."

"…What the hell are you doing…?"

As I writhed in agony under the relentless current, Night looked at me anxiously, and Ouma-san, who had come to watch the commotion, said in exasperation.

"O-Ouma-san! Please help me! I was going to check the item I got, but this microphone won't stop!"

"Why don't you just let go of it?"

"I've been trying that from the beginning!"

But the microphone wouldn't let go of my hand, as if it was sucking on my hand.

A-are you saying that… this won't leave my hands until I'm done with the lessons and stuff…?

I had a sudden bad feeling about this, and the microphone's voice ruthlessly said to me.

"Now that you have started the lesson, you will continue until you have finished one of the menus. No interruptions are allowed."

"N-no way…!"

"Sing your song now."

"Abababababa!"

──Thus, I was to be repeatedly exposed to electric current until this lesson was over.

Part 3

As the school festival approached, most of our daily classes were devoted to preparing for the festival.

The butler and maid cafe that we were going to be working at this time needed to prepare not only the menu of food to be served to the customers but also the costumes.

If this were a normal school, we would have used commercially available cosplay goods, but since we had a large budget, we decided to prepare full-fledged maid and butler outfits.

However, I didn't really care about it because I just thought that I could just cook in the background…

"Yuuya-kun!"

"Yes?"

While I was thinking about the menu for the school festival with Kageno-kun and the others, I was approached by Kaede.

"I'm going to measure your size, so come here!"

"Eh!?"

When I was surprised by the unexpected words, Kaede and Rin hugged both sides of me.

"Come on, come on, hurry up!"

"W-wait a minute! Why did you take my size?"

"Eh? Because Yuuya-kun, you're going to be a butler too, right?"

"Is that so?"

I was surprised because I had no intention of doing so, and to my surprise, all my classmates in the classroom nodded their heads.

"E-eehh? I-I thought I'd just concentrate on cooking…"

"T-that's such a waste! Everyone wants to see Yuuya-kun as a butler, too, right?"

"Yeah."

"Everyone?"

They nodded in unison again, and I couldn't help but be appalled.

"Look, look, everyone else is saying this, too, so you should just be quiet and let us take the measurements."

"Uh-huh."

Rin and the others urged me on, and one after another, I was measured in the necessary areas.

"There you go! Oh, Yuuya-kun, you're going to be the butler, but I'm expecting you to cook too!"

"Oh, I'm going to be doing that too?"

I thought the cooking job was going away, but it seems not.

Well, as far as I'm concerned, I like cooking too, so it's not a problem for me.

＊＊＊

And so, little by little, preparations for the school festival progressed, the food menu was decided, and finally, the maid and butler outfits arrived.

"Well, the outfits have arrived! So, maids and butlers who are supposed to be in charge of the floor, try on the sleeves!"

Kaede urged us, and I picked up the butler's uniform that had been prepared for me as well.

O-oh… amazing. I can tell by holding it in my hand that it's not a flimsy fabric but a proper butler's uniform…

I was unintentionally impressed but moved to the changing room with the other boys and changed my clothes.

Ryo and Akira were among the members who were butlers like me.

"Amazing! I'm so excited to be dressed so well."

"Right."

"It's perfect for me, the [Noble Butler]!"

"…What is a noble butler?"

Akira was the same as usual.

Be that as it may, as each of us was changing, Kageno-kun, who was also dressed in a butler's uniform, appeared. I wondered when he had changed.

"Has everyone finished getting dressed?"

"O-oh…"

Our eyes widened when we saw Kageno-kun in his butler's uniform. He tilted his head at our reaction.

"Hmm? Is something wrong?"

"N-no, it's just that… it looks really good on you."

Kageno-kun had been transformed into a butler with perfectly groomed hair and glasses that fit him well.

He's kind of like… a butler chief or something like that…

When I unintentionally looked at him like that, he laughed a little shyly.

"I wonder if there's finally a scene where I can play an active role too…"

As for me, I think Kageno-kun has been very active in every event, but I don't think he was aware of it. …I think I'm going to express my gratitude in a way that's more… understandable.

After confirming that there were no problems with the clothes, we changed back into our uniforms and moved on to check on the food.

This time, our class was to prepare not only desserts such as pancakes and shortcakes but also light meals such as omelets and sandwiches.

In a normal school, it would be difficult to serve cakes and omelets, but since we had successfully rented a kitchen, we were able to cook a lot at once.

"T-this is Yuuya's cooking…!"

"This omelet is so fluffy!"

"It's no longer a standard quality dish…"

"Everything is delicious other than the omurice!"

"…I'd get fat if I ate everything on."

"That's a no-no!"

It was a relief to see that everyone was munching away on the tastings I had prepared.

Other than that, I also prepared afternoon tea, which I think is quite authentic.

And we have good tea and coffee for drinks. And so the preparations for the school festival were well underway.

＊＊＊

While Yuuya and the others were trying on butler uniforms, the girls also tried on the maid uniforms that had arrived.

"Wow… they are amazing after all."

The girls were especially impressed when Kaede, who suggested the coffee shop, saw the maid uniforms in their hands and exclaimed in admiration.

"It surely is a quality that can't be compared to the cheap maid uniforms that you can buy at the grocery store."

"…Agreed. The reason we are able to prepare such good costumes is because we were able to secure a budget."

"That's right… To be honest, I didn't really feel it when I was told that the budget for the school festival would be increased for the past events. Well, I'm glad we worked so hard!"

As each of them was checking the maid uniforms in their hands while putting on their sleeves, Kaede suddenly muttered to herself.

"But even so… I'm curious about Yuuya-kun's butler uniform…"

"Ah… Yuuya seems to look very good in it."

"…Kageno looks good in it too."

"Oh, indeed!"

The girls in the locker room were talking about their classmates, the boys.

"I never really paid much attention to it, but there are a lot of cool boys in our class!"

"Yeah, yeah."

"I mean, there are a lot of attractive boys in our class or in this school as a whole."

"Well, Yuuya stands out from the crowd."

"Akira, if he didn't talk, he'd be good-looking, too."

"…But the silent Akira is creepy too."

"No, Yukine, you are indeed that much… sorry, it's creepy."

As each of them was happily conversing, the door to the locker room suddenly opened.

"Ara? Everyone… what's going on?"

"Oh, Kaori-san!"

There was Kaori with a strange expression on her face. When Kaori noticed that Kaede and the others were dressed in maid's uniforms, her eyes widened.

"Those clothes are…"

"Oh, this? These are costumes for our class' performance at the school festival!"

"M-maids' uniforms?"

Kaori, who had never heard of a maid café, could not predict what kind of entertainment they would put on, and her eyes widened even more.

On the other hand, Kaede, who had changed into a maid outfit, was checking the size of the outfit.

"H-huh? It seems a little tight somehow…"

"Hmm? Tight, you say…? Have you gained weight?"

"No, not my stomach area, but my chest…"

"Did it get bigger again?"

"Kyaaaa! R-Rin-chan!?"

Rin is surprised by Kaede's words and grabs Kaede's chest. Then she noticed something and opened her eyes.

"Y-you're really getting bigger…"

"G-geez, Rin-chan! I'm going to get angry!"

"The gap between you and me is getting wider and wider… hah…"

"Eh, Ka-Kaori-san?"

Several girls, including Kaori, reacted to these words of Rin.

"Kaede, you already have great proportions, but you're a… horrible girl…!"

"…Unreasonable."

"T-the world is cruel, you know…"

Kaori and Yukine put their hands on their own chests, and their shoulders slumped.

Thus, Kaede and the others finished the costume fitting despite the chaos.

＊＊＊

──While Yuuya was preparing for the school festival.

In the other world, Usagi and the other two Holy were training to fight against the false gods.

"──Haah!"

(Hmph!)

Usagi's legs and Iris's sword clash violently with each other. Then, a tremendous mass of magical power flew between the two.

"!"

(It's still an insidious attack!)

"Hmph, call it what you will. This is how a magician fights."

Odis floats a mass of magical power around him, shoots them out precisely, and continues to attack while keeping his distance. But Iris and Usagi would not be silently beaten, and they repelled his attacks with their swords and legs.

The three continued their training in this way, but after a while, they took a break.

"Phew… Usagi, you are stronger than when we fought in the past, aren't you?"

(Well…)

"I was surprised too. It was the same when we fought the Dragonia aliens, but I didn't think you could handle magic that well…"

The "Magic Saint," Odis, was amazed that Usagi was continuing to fight while strengthening himself with magic.

"That's exactly what Iris said. You used to be bad at handling magic…"

(I learned it from Yuuya.)

"From Yuuya-dono? Oh, no… he was the successor of the sage, wasn't he? Is it any wonder then…?"

"…Yuuya-kun, he's growing at a tremendous rate…"

The expression on the face of Usagi, Yuuya's first master, was hard as Iris said so with a sly look on her face.

"? What's wrong, Usagi?"

(…I thought it would be a bad idea to keep going on like this.)

"Mm? About Yuuya-dono?"

(No, about us.)

Iris nodded to Usagi, who said it clearly, and Odis tilted his head.

"Well, as Usagi said, we, the Holy, are also training to become stronger than before…"

"Usagi, you mean to tell me that our current training isn't good enough?"

(Yeah. …Odis, do you remember that? The reason why we rushed to Yuuya's side.)

"Mm? It was because we felt a strong presence of Evil in the direction of Yuuya-dono's house…"

(Then who defeated it?)

"Oh…"

After being told that much, Odis realized.

Indeed, by the time Usagi and the others arrived, the sign of the Evil had disappeared cleanly, and Yuuya and the others were there.

(Otherwise, he would not be able to calm down. He's already experienced the threat of the Evil, too, after all.)

"But, although I thought that he was indeed a very powerful man in the battle in space, I didn't think that he was strong enough to take on the main body of the Evil that you guys talked about before."

"That's why I'm surprised."

(…Since he said that he had been transported to the past world… something must have happened there, but either way, Yuuya's experience in that world was the catalyst for him to enter the battle in the upper dimension. Because it was decided to do so, in order to win the battle against the false god, it is necessary to have the ability to be able to take on the completed form of Evil as Yuuya has done in the past.)

"I-is that so…?"

"…In that sense, our ability is still not enough, is it?"

(Yeah. It's not enough at all.)

"Well, you say so, but what are we going to do? It is impossible for a normal person to suddenly become as strong as he is, isn't it?"

As Odis said, the three who bear the title of Holy had already perfected their abilities.

Of course, if Zenovis were here, he would kick those words to the curb and then forcibly raise the three's abilities, but since he was not here, it was impossible.

However…

(No, there is a way.)

"What?"

Usagi's assurance took them both by surprise.

"What do you mean by… 'a way'?"

(The fact is that our training up to now has been to continue to hone our skills, so to speak. That's not wrong, and it has made us stronger. But that alone isn't good enough.)

"Well, I feel like I've hit the ceiling."

(There are three Holy gathered here. In other words, there are those who have mastered the three paths.)

"! You, no way…"

When Iris noticed something that startled her, Usagi smiled with a ferocity that one would not expect from a herbivore.

(──We will teach each other and absorb each other's skills.)

This was unthinkable from the perspective of the Holy until now.

The Holy were so confident in their own skills that they continued to master them and did not pay attention to any other paths.

However, Usagi, who had become stronger after learning magic from Yuuya, was keenly aware of the importance of adopting other techniques.

(There is no time to waste. From here on out, it's a matter of how far we can take you and your Holy techniques. Once that is decided, we will quickly resume our training. As a master, we can't let him see that we're not up to the task.)

"Yes."

"Y-yeah."

The two agreed to Usagi's proposal and began training to absorb each other's techniques in search of even more power.

Part 4

"──Alright, It's nice, isn't it?"

"T-that's good…"

While preparations for the school festival were underway, I also practiced with the band.

This time we are going to play three songs. I wondered if I could do three songs even though I was a beginner, but since we chose songs that seemed easy, it seemed manageable.

I had found out that the "Flame Guitar" that I got when I defeated the devil bear a long time ago could be connected to the Earth's amp through a connector, so I was assigned to play the guitar.

"Well, it's only natural since I'm the [Nobleman of the Drums]!"

"Ahaha…"

At first, the plan was for me, Ryo, and Shingo-kun to form a band, but I became the guitarist, Ryo became the bassist, and Shingo-kun became the keyboardist.

Akira was also a novice drummer, but perhaps it was because he was a [Nobleman of the Drums], as he said earlier, and he was improving quite quickly.

However, since everyone, including Akira, was still a beginner, we couldn't try out the more difficult songs, but even so, I think we are getting good enough.

However…

"The song is also very good."

"Is it really…?"

Yes, this band──I sing in it.

At first, I thought that since Ryo had invited me to join the band, he would also be the vocalist, but when we started practicing, he asked me to be the vocalist.

Naturally, I refused, saying I couldn't handle such a big role, but I couldn't say no to Ryo and Shingo-kun, who both agreed on the idea.

"After all, it's just as I thought. If Yuuya is going to be the vocalist in the center, it will look great on stage."

"Y-yes! Yuuya-kun were so good!"

"You are indeed my rival!"

"I wonder if that's true…"

Although Ryo and the others praised me in this way, I was not confident at all. I didn't know any popular songs, and I had never even heard of the songs we were going to perform this time.

I had never even been to a karaoke club, and my singing experience was limited to chorus singing in music class.

But now, the [Hell's Microphone] that I got from the hell frog had a positive effect on me.

I had started taking lessons by mistake right after I got that microphone, and I had gotten myself into a lot of trouble, but after I was chosen as a vocalist, I had been actively taking lessons in my free time.

To be honest, I was hesitant to use that microphone due to the trauma of the first lesson, but having no experience singing in front of others, I had no choice but to rely on it to avoid dragging everyone down as much as possible.

I had no choice but to rely on that microphone to keep up with the others.

"I'll do the best I can."

That was all I could say.

After practicing a few more times, it was time to go, so we decided to split up.

Akira had a different route home, so we parted ways, and the three of us, Ryo, Shingo-kun, and I, headed home.

"Well, I said it in the heat of the moment at first, but I guess it turned out alright!"

"I-I guess so. I've never touched a musical instrument outside of music class before, but it's fun."

"Right! This could be a good hobby for the rest of my life."

Ryo was right. After practicing this time, I realized that it would be a shame for it to be a one-time-only experience.

That's how interesting it is to play a musical instrument.

I've never been able to find the time to use the [Flame Guitar] properly, but now I'm thinking I'll be more proactive about using it from now on.

"Speaking of which, I didn't know what kind of artists were invited after all."

"Y-yeah. I guess it's a surprise on the day, after all."

"We're going to be on the same stage as them, aren't we? Kuh! I'm looking forward to it!"

As each of them was walking around talking about the upcoming school festival, they were suddenly approached by a voice.

"Huh? Yuuya-san?"

"Eh? Mi-Miu-san?"

"Wha!?"

"S-she's the real one!"

To my surprise, I ran into Miu-san, who was a popular model. I knew that she lived in the area, but I had never expected to run into her on my way home, so I was surprised.

The same thing happened to Miu-san, who looked at me with a surprised expression on her face.

"That uniform… come to think of it, Yuuya-san is a student of Ousei Academy, isn't he? I found out about it from an article on the previous ball game."

"Oh… I-I'm sure that happened too."

The president of Miu-san's agency wanted to cover the event closely, so a lot of crews came to the ball game.

As we were having such an exchange, Miu-san suddenly noticed the quiet Ryo and Shingo-kun.

"These are…"

"Oh, they are my friends, Ryo and Shingo-kun."

""...""

"Hmm? Ryo? Shingo-kun?"

""Yes!""

I introduced them, but there was no response, so I called out to them again, and they hurriedly pulled me along.

"Yu-Yuuya! How could you be so calm!"

"T-that's right! That model Miu is right in front of us!"

"I-if you put it that way, I guess you're right…"

I've been modeling for a magazine together, and through that connection, I took on the role of Miu-san's boyfriend, so we've had some interaction, but now that I think about it again, it's a crazy situation.

It is a ridiculous situation to find myself in such a situation with a very popular model like Miu-san…

That was exactly what happened when I went to a summer festival with Miu-san, and naturally, the reaction of those around me was great, but when I hear passionate speeches like this from both of them, it makes me feel the reality of the situation.

Rather, I'm getting as nervous as I was when I met Miu-san for the first time…!

"Um… what's wrong?"

"Yes! N-no, it's nothing."

"Is that so? …Huh? What is that thing you're carrying on your back…?"

The three of us were all in a hurry, and Miu-san turned her attention to the guitar on my back.

"That's a guitar, isn't it? Can you play guitar, Yuuya-san?"

"I'm going to form a band with the two of them here at the upcoming school festival, and we're practicing for that stage just now."

"Eh! Yuuya-san?"

"By the way, the vocalist is Yuuya too!"

"Ryo?"

"Yuuya-san… sings…"

In the midst of the surprise, Miu-san began to ponder something, as she didn't expect Ryo, who had been frozen until a moment ago, to say such a thing.

"…Come to think of it, Kanade-san is also going to perform live at Yuuya-san's academy, right… maybe I should sneak out to see her…?"

"Eh?"

"Oh… it's nothing! Well then, I'd better get going. Everyone, please do your best to prepare for the school festival."

"Yes!"

We parted ways with Miu-san and watched her back for a while.

And then everyone exhaled as if they were released from tension.

"Puhah… I-I was so nervous…"

"I couldn't help but talk to her…"

"B-but even so, her aura was incredible, wasn't it?"

"Yes, indeed."

Miu-san has an amazing aura even in magazines, but when you meet her in person, you are even more overwhelmed.

She was beautiful in every aspect of her behavior, and she must have worked very hard for it…

As we were walking home again, surprised at our unexpected encounter, a black car suddenly stopped next to us.

"Eh?"

"What?"

Moreover, following that car, a line of similar black cars started to form one after another.

Ryo and the others were surprised when the doors of the cars opened, and a large number of men in black emerged from inside!

"W-what the hell is going on?"

"W-who are these people?"

As I and the others were surprised at the sudden appearance, one of the black-clad men standing in a circle around us opened his mouth.

"Are you Yuuya Tenjo-sama?"

Huh? Y-yes, I am, but…"

I didn't expect my name to come up, so I gave a curt response and the black-clad person who asked me contacted somewhere with what appeared to be a radio.

"Here, target confirmed. I'm going to secure it."

"Yes? Secure?"

I twisted my head at the completely unexpected words, and the black-clad men swarmed me at once and restrained me as I was!

"Ueee?"

"Yu-Yuuya!"

I was put into the car before I had time to resist, and the car started off without any resistance.

"…Hah? W-what the hell was that…?"

"B-but more importantly, Yuuya-kun was kidnapped!"

"T-that's right! Is that kidnapping? That's a lie!"

"A-anyway, call the police and the school──"

"──Ara? What's going on?"

""Oh!""

Ryo and Shingo turned around to find Kaori standing there.

＊＊＊

──Around the time when Yuuya was kidnapped by a mysterious group and Ryo and the others were in turmoil.

Lanael had returned to a place called the [Heavenly Realm], which was located in… a different dimension from the world where Earth and Argena exist.

Then, she explained the situation to her superiors, the observers, and advised them about the participation of Iris and the others in addition to Yuuya.

One of the observers raised his voice.

"Even I am annoyed that we have to depend on people from lower worlds, and now you want to add more? I won't accept such a thing!"

"But it is also true that our forces are inadequate. Shouldn't we bring them in?"

"It will be of no use to us to borrow the strength of those from the lower worlds!　Those who can't even inflict a single wound on us can't possibly be able to deal with the false gods!"

"I agree. Even if we were to give them the means to oppose the false gods, would they be worth the trouble?"

Starting with the first observer's opinion, words were exchanged one after another.

However, many of the opinions were rather negative toward Yuuya and the others.

Then one observer, the only one who was silently watching the situation, quietly clapped his hands.

"──Quiet."

"""….."""

With that single word, the observers who had been exchanging so many opinions became silent.

After confirming that the surroundings had become quiet, the observer who clapped his hands asked Lanael.

"Zenovis isn't coming, is he?"

"Y-yes. As I told you before, Zenovis has completely handed over his role to Tenjou Yuuya."

"I see… However, not only this Yuuya but also his friends wish to lend their help."

"T-that's right."

"How good are they from your point of view, Lanael?"

When asked this question, Lanael answered honestly, remembering Iris and the others.

"If it is a battle without the [Divine Authority]… I think they are stronger than us apostles. However, compared to the observers, I can't say that they are any better…"

"I see."

After listening to Lanael's words, the observer pondered for a while.

Then he made a decision.

"──I understand. Let's first confirm it by meeting them in person. And bring them with you."

"! Yes!"

──Thus, it was decided that not only Yuuya but also Iris and the others would be called to the [Heavenly Realm].