“…He’s really still alive.”

As if reaffirming her feelings, a low murmur broke the silence. Aiko and the others turned their gaze towards the voice, only to see Yuuka staring at the staircase with an indescribably complex expression, a veritable tangle of emotions.

"It's the same as what Xiang said, but not only did he not ask for help, he even did it all by himself."

"Yuuka...are you okay?"

"Yuuka..."

Seeing Yuka's monologue, Nana and Taeko asked worriedly. Yuka gave them a wry smile, shrugged, and replied:

"You asked if I was okay... I was startled, sure, but there's no way he's okay, right? My classmate's still alive? You can't think anything other than 'great,' right?"

"...Yeah, that's right! I still find it a little hard to believe. You saw it too, didn't you? He's completely different!"

"Indeed, it feels... well, how should I put it... like it's getting wild."

It was as scary as meeting a murderer—but Taeko didn't say it out loud. She chose her words carefully to describe it this way.

Then, as if they had grasped the right point for the conversation, Junshi and the others joined in.

"And he seems to have become a lot stronger. No, I should say he has become too much stronger."

"Well, the hair color, the impression it gives, of course... but there's even a gun... plus that oppressive feeling..."

"That's true, but... he said he wasn't interested in our affairs... he really does hate us, doesn't he?"

The fact that a classmate, who had been thought dead, was still alive was a cause for joy, just as Yuuka had said. Even the terrified Nana and Taeko, and even Atsushi, shared the same sentiment. The heavy weight that had been weighing on my heart had lifted, and if I could simply describe that feeling, "relief" would be the closest.

However, they couldn't say that because Hajime didn't take them seriously at all, and he exuded a fierce aura that was incomparable to before, and they were also intimidated by that atmosphere.

Furthermore, they couldn't decide how to deal with Hajime after they looked down on him as "incompetent", turned a blind eye to the bullying of Hiyama and the others, and the "accidental shooting" incident.

As a result, everyone was unable to show a positive attitude towards Hajime.

Just as Atsushi and the others were filled with fear, regret, and other emotions regarding Hajime's change, Yuuka murmured again:

"I haven't thanked him yet."

Hearing that, Atsushi and the others looked at each other in surprise, as if suddenly realizing something. Hajime's indifference to them, or perhaps a complete change, meant they probably had to do something before caring about the aforementioned things... While they weren't directly saved by Hajime like Yuuka, it was an undeniable fact that Hajime had risked his life for his classmates back then.

The complicated expression on Yuka's face was not due to the same feelings as Atsushi and the others, but rather due to the fact that she had not properly thanked Hajime again for what happened that day. Although the atmosphere at that time made it impossible for her to say it, and she felt that there was no point in saying it.

"Sonobe-san..."

Seeing Yuka like that, Aiko didn't know what to say to her.

Aiko herself was deeply shaken by the rapid development of things and the changes in her students, so when Hajime was about to leave, she was unable to stop him. What should she say so that Hajime would listen to her now? Aiko couldn't find the answer.

The food was cold, and they had lost their appetite. Everyone stared blankly at the food before them, and once again pondered deeply about Hajime's survival.

midnight.

It was past midnight. After a day of activities and the unexpected developments that followed, everyone was exhausted both mentally and physically, and as they were about to fall asleep, Aiko still couldn't fall asleep.

Aiko's room was a single room, not very large. It had a wooden ottoman bed, a table and chairs, and a small kotatsu stove with a leather sofa in front. In winter, the flickering firelight would surely bring warmth to the room, both visually and physically.

Aiko thought back to what had happened today, burying herself deep in the sofa, staring blankly at the unlit stove. Aiko's mind was like an untidy bookcase, all the information in it jumbled and disorganized.

Things she needed to think about, things she wanted to think about, and things she would do in the future kept turning around in her head, but she couldn't come up with a single constructive suggestion. A smile crossed her face at the thought of her beloved student still being alive, but the student's indifference, which was hardly friendly, made her frown.

Thanks to David's actions, she glimpsed a small glimpse of Hajime's strength. Without that change, perhaps Hajime wouldn't have survived. Aiko sighed, thinking of all the hardships he'd endured, unable to offer any help. But then, recalling his subsequent interactions with the two girls, and seeing that he'd found trusted companions, Aiko smiled again.

At this moment, a voice suddenly spoke to Aiko in the room where there should have been no one else:

"Why are you so happy and sad all the time, teacher?"

「!?」

Aiko was startled and looked in the direction of the sound. She saw Hajime with his hands folded in front of his chest, leaning against the entrance door. Aiko was so shocked that her tongue was tied, but she managed to speak:

“Nangumo-san? W-Why are you here? How did you get in…”

"If you ask me how I got in, I can only answer that I came in through the main door in a very ordinary way."

"Eh? But I locked it..."

"My calling is an Alchemist, right? This lock isn't Earth's lock, so a structure of this level should be easily opened."

Hajime answered calmly. Aiko was stunned for a moment, then managed to calm her frightened heart. She frowned, put on a reproachful expression, and said:

"You're barging into a woman's room at this hour without even knocking. This kind of behavior shouldn't be encouraged. And you even went so far as to unlock it... What's going on?"

The phrase "night raid" flashed through Aiko's mind for a moment, but she quickly dismissed the thought. She was just a student, what on earth was she thinking? She shook her head. Hajime ignored Aiko's rebuke and explained the unusual purpose of his visit:

"I'm so sorry, I didn't want anyone else to see it. I wanted to tell you something, but with those people from the Church and the Kingdom here, I couldn't. The content of it would probably drive them crazy and riot."

"Is there something you want to say? Nagumo-san, don't you care about our lives...?"

Could it be that he wants to come back? Aiko's eyes sparkled with anticipation. If a student came to the teacher to discuss something, that was the teacher's duty.

However, Hajime immediately denied her expectations.

"No, I'm not planning on going back, okay? So don't look at me with those expectant eyes... I'm telling you this because I think you're the most likely to listen calmly. As for what to do after listening, I'll leave it to you to decide for yourself."

After saying that, Hajime began to tell what he had heard from Oscar—the story of the game between the "Liberator" and the Mad God.

Of course, there was a reason why Hajime wanted to tell Aiko about this.

Even if the heroes, Kouki and his companions, obeyed God's will and danced on the chessboard, Hajime didn't believe God would obey their wishes and allow them to return to their original world. Even if they succeeded in "saving humanity from the demons," meaning winning the impending war, it would be the result of God's manipulation. It's reasonable to think that God wouldn't let go of the heroes, such intriguing chess pieces, so easily. Instead, he would use them to start a new game.

However, Hajime had no intention of going to Kouki and the others to tell them about this. Partly because he wasn't interested in knowing what would happen to his classmates, and partly because it was just too much trouble. Besides, even if he told them, Hajime didn't think that combination of righteousness and stubbornness would believe him.

Hajime was just one person, and his mindset had completely changed. Between the words of that young man and the cries for help from most people—it was obvious which side Kouki would believe. He would probably turn around and accuse Hajime of slandering the "God Esid" that most people believed in and worshipped. In that sense, Hajime had no intention of getting involved with Kouki.

But by chance, I don’t know what kind of fate it was, but Shi was reunited with his beloved son.

Hajime knew that Aiko's actions were always student-centered. That is, she wasn't obsessed with the situation in the other world, and she could make calm judgments for the sake of her students. Furthermore, judging by how much she was loved by students in Japan, and the attitudes of her classmates today, if Aiko had said this, it would surely have an impact on Kouki and the others. At least that was what Hajime thought.

But it is unknown what impact such a result will have on their actions.

However, with this information, if Kouki and the others take actions that go against God's intentions, God should pay more attention to them.

Hajime speculates that he will become a very noticeable presence during his journey to conquer the Great Labyrinth, and may eventually be subject to divine interference. Therefore, he intends to take an indirect approach, using a trustworthy person to convey this information, disrupting the actions of Kouki and the others, intending to delay the divine attention, or even distract them.

Furthermore, Hajime had a subtle intention—hoping that Aiko would find a different way to return than Hajime had, besides relying on God. Furthermore, to prevent God from repeating the same tactics he had used on the "Liberators" with Kouki and the others, manipulating those who should have been on Hajime's side to become enemies, Hajime had to instill distrust of God in them, taking precautionary measures.

However, this idea was simply a sudden impulse due to his chance reunion with his beloved son, and he did not have much expectations.

To begin with, he had neither resentment nor hatred towards his classmates, but was simply indifferent. If he could use them, he would use them; if not, he would ignore them. This time, he only revealed the information to them because it happened to be useful.

Hearing the truth about this world from Hajime, Aiko felt lost and lost, unsure how to react to it. It seemed like it would take some time for her to digest the information and come to her own conclusions.

"Anyway, that's roughly what I learned from the depths of the abyss. It's up to you, Sensei, to decide what to do with this knowledge. You can dismiss it as nonsense, or you can take it as the truth and act on it. Do whatever you please."

"Nan-Nangumo-san, are you embarking on this journey to defeat that 'Mad God'?"

"Ha, how could that be? I don't care what happens to the world. I'm just trying to find a way home in my own way. That's the purpose of my journey. I'm only telling you this because it's in my best interest."

Her conjecture was met with scoffing from her students, leaving Aiko with an indescribable, subtle expression. While she felt reassured knowing he wouldn't recklessly meddle in other people's affairs, she couldn't help but frown at his unwavering refusal to care about others' lives, reflecting his teacher's spirit. But she felt the same way herself. She cared more about her students than the safety of the world, so she had no right to criticize others. She could only change the subject with a subtle expression.

"Then do you have any idea?"

"Well, the Great Labyrinth is the key. If you're interested, go explore it. The real Great Labyrinth is a hundred floors below Orcus, but judging by your performance today, you'll die immediately even if you go. You can't even withstand that level of 'pressure', let alone conquer it."

Aiko recalled the pressure Hajime had exerted during dinner and suddenly realized the harsh conditions under which he had survived. Aiko couldn't help but look at Hajime again, with sympathy and admiration in her eyes, a complex mixture of many emotions.

The silence lasted for a while, the room shrouded in stillness. Hajime saw from Aiko's expression that all the necessary information had been given, and there was no point in holding on any longer, so he turned and reached for the door. Behind him, Aiko, the phrase "Orcus Great Labyrinth" reminded her of a certain student. To tell him about that student, Aiko spoke to his back:

"Shirosaki-san hasn't given up."

"..."

Hearing the unexpected words from Aiko, Hajime stopped in his tracks and whispered softly to him from behind:

"Even though everyone said you were dead, she was the only one who refused to give up. She believed you were still alive until she could see for herself. Even now, she's fighting in the Orcus Great Labyrinth. It seems Amanogawa and the others entered the labyrinth purely for combat training, but she's the only one whose purpose is to find you."

"...Is Shirosaki okay?"

After a long silence, Hajime asked. Seeing Hajime, who had always been indifferent to them, express concern for others for the first time, Aiko was delighted, thinking that he still had the same heart as before.

"Yes, she's fine. Although the Orcus Great Labyrinth is a dangerous place, they seem to be successfully improving their strength and continuing to conquer the labyrinth. I sometimes receive letters from her, and they say this. Are you really concerned about this? After all, Nagumo-san and Shirosaki-san are very close."

Aiko said this with a smile on her face, but Hajime remained noncommittal and turned back with a blank expression.

"That's not what I meant... Since you've been exchanging letters with her, please tell her that what she should really pay attention to is not the monsters in the maze, but her companions."

"Eh? What does that mean..."

"Teacher, seeing the attitude of Tamai and the others today, I've guessed the general situation. My fall into the abyss was probably attributed to the battle with Behemoth, or was it an accident, right?"

“T-That’s right… Yes, they said some of the magic got out of control and caused an accidental shot… Nagumo-san really hates everyone…”

"That's irrelevant. What's important is the magic. An accidental shot? No, that was clearly a magic bullet that was directed towards me."

"Eh? Guiding? Aiming at you?"

Aiko looked confused, but Hajime mercilessly said something that only made her more upset—

"It means I was almost killed by a classmate."

「!?」

Aiko's face was pale and her body was stiff.

"The only reason I can think of is the relationship between Shirasaki and me. So, the other person is someone who can kill out of jealousy. If Shirasaki is still safe, you should advise her to be careful of sneak attacks from behind."

After saying that, Hajime walked out of the room.

In the utterly silent room, Aiko, as if struck by a cold draft, clutched her body. The thought of her beloved student attempting to kill a fellow student, and in a life-or-death situation, using such a despicable tactic as a sneak attack from behind, was unacceptable to Aiko, who prioritized her students above all else. However, denying this would be tantamount to completely denying what Hajime had said, and the desire to trust her student was torn between two opposing forces.

Aiko's worries deepened, and tonight would be a sleepless night even more than usual.

Volume 3 Chapter 2 A New Encounter

The night passed.

As the moon's brightness faded and the eastern sky began to turn pale, Hajime, Yue, and Shia were already prepared for their journey, standing outside the Water Fairy Inn. They held cloth bags filled with rice balls to take with them on the road.

It was very early, but Fos prepared breakfast for them without complaint, truly worthy of a high-end hotel. Hajime and the others admired the hotel's attentive service and, with gratitude, accepted the breakfast without hesitation.

Shrouded in the morning mist, Hajime and the others headed towards the north gate of [Ur Town], where the road led to the [Northern Mountain Region]. It was said that it would take a day to travel by horseback, so if they rode the Huetifu at full speed, they would arrive in about three or four hours.

Will Kudeta and his team had entered the [Northern Mountain Area] to investigate, and since they'd been out of contact for five days, their chances of survival were hopelessly low. While Hajime also believed the likelihood of Will and his team being alive was slim, he still planned to search as quickly as possible. He knew Ilva would be incredibly grateful if he could bring anyone back alive, so he planned to do so. Fortunately, today was a clear day, perfect for searching.

As they heard sounds of activity coming from several buildings, they walked north along the street and finally came into sight of the north gate.

At this time, Shi felt the presence of more than one person near the north gate. He squinted his eyes and saw that the other party did not make any special movements, as if they were just gathering there.

What I saw when I parted the morning mist was... the figures of Aiko, Yuka and six other students.

"...I can probably imagine the answer, but I'll ask anyway. What are you doing?"

Hajime and the others looked at Aiko coldly.

For a moment, Aiko seemed overwhelmed by their momentum, her body trembling, but she remained resolute and confronted Hajime head-on. Yuuka, Taeko, Nana, Junshi, Noboru, and Akito, who had been chatting a little further away while petting their horses, prepared for the trip, gathered around Aiko when they noticed Hajime and the others.

"We're going too. You're searching for the missing person, right? More people will make things easier."

"No, if you want to go, go by yourself. I refuse to go with you."

"W-why?"

"It's simply a difference in speed. I don't have time to match your pace and advance slowly."

Hajime looked at the horses neighing and whinnying behind Yuka and the others and declined their offer to go along. For a moment, Hajime couldn't help but wonder, "Do these guys even know how to ride?" But that wasn't important, so he dismissed it. Regardless of whether they could ride, they couldn't match the speed of a magic-powered car.

Hearing what Hajime said, Yuka looked around, tilted her head, and showed a surprised expression, because there was no transportation tool (horse) like the ones Yuka and the others had prepared around Hajime.

"The speed is different... Um, Nagumo, you're not saying that running is faster than riding a horse, are you? Even if you don't take us seriously, that's a pretty casual reason for rejection, isn't it? Even if that's the truth... But regardless, just look at the pressure from yesterday, how inhumanly strong are you?"

Hajime's cheeks twitched at Yuuka's rather disrespectful remarks. However, even on foot, he was faster and more durable than a horse, so he couldn't deny that the assessment of him as inhuman was entirely correct. In truth, Yuuka was quite nervous about speaking to Hajime. She couldn't help but speak the truth, but even before witnessing Hajime's strength, she seemed to have already come up with the correct answer.

Hajime glanced at Yuuka. Whether out of caution, a sense of confrontation, or something else, Yuuka let out a "hmm!" and her expression tightened even further, confronting Hajime. Hajime, with a deliberate sigh, seemed to find it troublesome to even explain, and silently took out the Hutiaf from his "treasure vault."

Suddenly, Aiko and the others saw a large motorcycle appear out of nowhere, and their eyes widened in surprise.

"Are you convinced now? I'm not making excuses, nor am I trying to run, and I'm not mocking you. I'm simply stating that our speeds are different."

Perhaps frightened by the heavy appearance of the Huetifu and its presence that seemed out of place in this other world, Aiko, Yuka and the others stared at the Huetifu, speechless.

At this time, Sheng, who loves motorcycles the most in the class, asked with a somewhat excited tone:

"Is this, this one, like yesterday's gun, made by Nagumo?"

"Yes. We are leaving now. Please clear the way."

Hajime answered casually and prepared to leave, but even so, Aiko still refused to give up.

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