An ordinary profession creates the world's strongest

“Shia, what’s going on—”

“I want Hajime-san too… uh…feed me with your mouth~”

“You, you…”

Despite the pain and cold sweat, the unsatisfied rabbit still did not forget to express his desire.

Even Hajime couldn't complain about her petty, greedy request; instead, he admired her immensely. However, Hajime couldn't bring himself to feed her the medicine orally in front of everyone, even though it was clearly unnecessary. Therefore, even when Yue—who had been quite tolerant of Shia lately—pleaded with her without words, Hajime ignored her and forced the container into Shia's mouth.

“Mm!?…Mm…Mm…Mmm…Mm ...

“Hajime… you’re not behaving!”

"Eh!? Shi-Shia-san, that's not the case! That's a life-saving measure! It's not what Shia-san requested! I'm a teacher!"

Shia looked at Hajime as if she was upset. Yue scolded him, as if trying to read his expression. Aiko blushed for some reason, arguing about something that was perfectly clear. Seeing this, Hajime sighed deeply, feeling both relieved and helpless.

Then, before the people around him realized that the matter had ended and started to quarrel again, Hajime decided to take the initiative to remind everyone of the poor existence that might have been forgotten by everyone. This was especially important to Aiko. Perhaps because it happened so suddenly, Aiko didn't forget, but she didn't understand what had happened yet.

Hajime asked the guard knight closest to Shimizu:

"...Hey, is Shimizu still alive?"

Hearing that, everyone exclaimed, "Ah!" and, with expressions as if they'd just remembered, turned back to where Shimizu had fallen. Only Aiko, with a confused expression as if saying, "Huh? Huh?", looked around. However, perhaps remembering Shia's shelter, her expression suddenly changed drastically, and she ran towards Shimizu in panic.

"Shimizu-san! Ahh, your injuries are... so severe."

There was a hole in Qingshui's chest that was the same size as the one on Xia's body. Blood was gushing out, and a large pool of blood had accumulated on the ground... I'm afraid he can only live for a few minutes at most.

"I, I don't want to die... Save me... This shouldn't be the outcome... You're lying... Impossible..."

Shimizu muttered, not sure if he was speaking to Aiko, who was holding his hand beside him, or just to himself. Aiko looked around as if for help, but everyone averted their gaze. He must have been beyond help, and their expressions clearly indicated they didn't want to save him. However, even if they couldn't forgive Shimizu, students like Yuuka and Atsushi couldn't possibly want him dead. They wore bitter expressions, occasionally glancing at Hajime.

Likewise, Aiko didn't want Shimizu to die. She turned around, hoping to hold onto a glimmer of hope, and called out to Hajime who was standing there:

“Nagumo-kun, give him the medicine you gave him earlier! There’s still time! Please!”

As if anticipating what Aiko would say, Hajime muttered, "As expected..." and with a deep sigh, he walked over to Aiko and Shimizu. He knew what the answer would be, but he still asked:

"You want to save him, Sensei? He's the one who wants to kill you, you know? I think this goes beyond the realm of a 'teacher', no matter how you look at it."

How many teachers could protect someone who wanted to kill them, and even plead for them, just because he was their student? By that standard, wouldn't that be considered abnormal for a teacher?

With this in mind, Hajime asked Aiko a question. Aiko seemed to have correctly understood Hajime's intentions. Although her eyes wavered for a moment, she still answered with a resolute expression:

"Indeed, that might be the case. No, it must be. But, I wanted to be that kind of teacher myself. I swore to stand by my students no matter what, and that's what I became a teacher. So, Nagumo-san... please... please save him..."

Hajime scratched his head at the expected answer. Though he looked unhappy, he said helplessly, "This is Teacher Aiko," and couldn't help but sigh. Then, as if thinking about something, Hajime looked up at the sky for a moment, closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and with a determined expression, walked over to Shimizu.

"Shimizu, can you hear me? I have a way to save you."

"!"

"But before that, I have something to ask you."

"..."

Hearing that he could be saved, Shimizu reacted immediately, stopping his mumblings of longing for survival or hating the world, and looked at Hajime with wide eyes. Hajime paused and asked a simple question:

"...Are you...an enemy?"

Shimizu shook his head without hesitation to deny the question, then smiled humbly and began to beg for mercy from Hajime:

"I, I'm not an enemy... I was just possessed by a demon for a moment... I won't do it again... As long as you save me, I'm willing to do anything. I can build an army for you... I can also brainwash women... I, I swear to be loyal to you... I will do anything... Save me..."

Hajime's face remained expressionless when he heard what he said, and then, as if to confirm Shimizu's true meaning, he stared into his eyes.

Shimizu felt as if his heart had been seen through, and immediately looked away. But Hajime confirmed that Shimizu's eyes were even darker and more turbid than before, saturated with hatred, anger, jealousy, desire, and a variety of other negative emotions. It was like looking into the deep sea where even light could not reach.

Hajime was certain that Shimizu would never listen to Aiko and that he would become their enemy.

So I made a decision.

In an instant, Hajime's eyes met Aiko's, and Aiko seemed to be looking at Hajime as well, their eyes meeting. In that instant, Aiko seemed to realize what Hajime was about to do, her face changed drastically, and she rushed out to stop Hajime.

"No!"

However, Hajime's speed far surpassed hers.

Only two gunshots were heard.

「!?」

There was a sound of gasping, who made it?

One shot to the head, one shot to the heart.

The bullet hit accurately, causing Qingshui's body to bounce up in an instant, and bringing him an irreversible death.

Amidst the echoing sound of the crisp gunshot, Hajime, holding the smoking gun in one hand, looked down at Qingshui's cold body. Everyone was silent, just staring at him quietly. Silence dominated the area, and when no one could move, someone murmured:

"……Why?"

It was Aiko. She stared blankly at Shimizu's body, which had already set foot on the road to death, and asked.

Hajime turned his gaze away from Shimizu and looked at Aiko, who in turn turned her gaze towards Hajime. Anger and sadness, confusion and avoidance, all sorts of emotions emerged and vanished, emerged and vanished.

"Because he's the enemy."

Hajime's answer to Aiko's question was very concise.

"How is that possible! Shimizu-san..."

"You mean he's changed for the better? Sorry, I'm not such a good person as to believe that. More importantly, I don't think I'm seeing things wrong."

When he asked the last question, the look in Shimizu's eyes spoke louder than any words, clearly indicating that he had 'fallen'.

On the brink of death, the beloved son whom Shimizu wanted to kill still wanted to save him, so perhaps his way of life would change a little. Just like in the past, when Hajime was about to fall, Yue's existence pulled him back...

Because Hajime thought so, he asked Shimizu that question. If Shimizu did as Hajime thought, he would hand him over to Aiko. Although he would have to be collared and controlled, Hajime would still consider giving him a chance. However, Shimizu's dying eyes showed no sign of remorse.

Aiko probably felt the same way. However, Aiko was her "teacher" and couldn't just give up. She simply couldn't give up.

"So you killed him! If you keep him in the palace and return to Japan with everyone, maybe... there are still many possibilities!"

"...I know very well that no matter what excuse I offer, Sensei will not accept it. I killed your precious student. As for what you want to do with me, that's up to you, Sensei."

“…That kind of thing, I…”

"'A lonely way of living'—the teacher's words have given me a lot to think about. But in a world where human life is so worthless, I simply can't change... my mindset of showing no mercy to any enemy. And I don't want to change, because I'm not calm enough to do so."

“Nagumo-san…”

"I'll do the same thing from now on. As long as I feel it's necessary... no matter how many times, I'll pull the trigger. If you think my actions are wrong... then you can do as you please... But please remember this: even if they're teachers or classmates, as long as they're my enemy, I'll pull the trigger..."

Aizi bit her lip and lowered her head.

"If you still decide to do that after listening to the teacher, the teacher won't deny it." - The person who said this was none other than Aiko. The conversation between the two ended there.

Seeing Aiko's reaction, Hajime realized that everything he needed to do here was done, so he turned and left. Yue and Shia stayed quietly by his side. Although Will was deeply concerned about Aiko's condition and the aftermath of the town, Hajime glared at him with a look of pressure, and he could only silently follow Hajime's departure.

Although the town's nobles and knights wanted to detain Hajime and inquire about his possession of the divine weapon and its purpose, the sudden burst of "pressure" from Hajime, coupled with the thought of the monstrous strength Hajime had displayed in their previous battle, made them withdraw their outstretched hands and the words on their lips.

“Nagumo…”

Yuuka murmured, but she didn't mean to call out to Hajime; her thoughts were simply in turmoil. Her heart, like a stormy sea, churned with waves, uttered this cry, a cry she didn't even fully understand. Nearby, Junshi and the others seemed to be in the same boat. They stared at Hajime's back, as if wanting to say something, but their trembling bodies and pounding hearts prevented them from speaking.

"Nagumo-san... Sensei... Sensei is..."

Even though she had nothing to say, the dignity of a "teacher" still drove her to call out Hajime's name. Hajime paused for a moment, then turned back to Aiko and said:

"...Teacher's ideal has become a fantasy. However, I'm glad that you're still willing to be our teacher, even in a different world... If possible, I hope you won't be discouraged by this."

This time, he did not stop, left the crowd around him, took out the Brijet, and drove away after everyone got in the car.

In the back, all that remained was an indescribable subtle atmosphere and the clamor of the residents who were happy to have survived.

With his back to the Northern Mountain Range, Britt sped along the road heading south, stirring up dust. Though the road had been shaped by the footsteps of thousands and tens of thousands of people over several years, it was far superior to the road from Ur to the Northern Mountain Range. The four-wheeled vehicle, equipped with a suspension system, minimized vibrations as it sped briskly toward Fren.

Shia sat in the front seat, the windows wide open, letting the bunny ears sway in the wind. She seemed to prefer Hugh Tiafoe to Britt, and she seemed a little dissatisfied. Shia seemed to enjoy the feel of the bunny ears breaking through the wind, and the way she hugged Hajime tightly, resting her face on his shoulder.

Of course, Hajime was driving. Yue sat in the fixed seat next to him, and Will was in the back seat. Will leaned out of the back seat a little and said to Hajime with some concern:

“Um… is it really okay to leave like this? Is there something you should explain clearly…especially to Miss Aiko…”

Without even turning his head, he replied indifferently:

"Hmm? It's okay, that's fine. If I stay any longer, things will probably just get more complicated... Sensei will be able to make better decisions if I'm not around."

“…Perhaps that’s right…”

"You're... should I say you're too nice... You're also too concerned about other people's affairs, aren't you?"

Even after hearing what Hajime said, Will's expression remained worried, and Hajime couldn't help but smile wryly. He was truly saddened by the death of the adventurer he'd just met, and had forgiven Tio, the one he hated, for staying behind when a town he had nothing to do with was attacked by a monster army. Now, he was deeply worried about Hajime (who had taken him away in a semi-threatening manner) and his son's relationship. When Hajime first learned that Will, a noble of the kingdom, wanted to become an adventurer, he thought he was a strange person, but he hadn't expected him to be such a pushover, making him worry about him.

“…Good guy.”

"What a nice person~"

"Well, he's a good man."

Will's expression was a bit complicated at their unanimous comments. Although he knew they were praising him, being called a "good person" by a woman was a very delicate feeling for a man.

"Don't, don't talk about me... I just want to say, shouldn't you have explained the reason clearly at that time?"

"...Why?"

Will had an unfathomable expression on his face, scratching his cheek with his fingers as he continued. However, Hajime couldn't help but raise his eyebrows when he heard what Will said.

"Yes, that's why you killed that boy named Shimizu despite knowing that he might leave a grudge with Miss Aiko..."

“…I told you, because he’s an enemy.”

"Even if that statement could be a reason for 'not saving him', it can't be a reason for 'killing him', right? He was already fatally wounded at the time, and if left alone he would only have lived for a few minutes... You had a reason for specifically killing him, right?"

"...I was surprised you saw it so clearly."

His accusation was perfectly reasonable and to the point. Shimizu was his classmate, and Aiko had repeatedly pleaded with him for help, yet Hajime shot Shimizu without a second thought. The sheer impact of this act cleverly masked the fact that killing him was unnecessary.

Will had noticed this, though. It seemed he still possessed the discernment of a noble. Seeing that he couldn't hide it from Will, Hajime showed him admiration.

Shia, who had been leaning out the window to enjoy the cool breeze, looked at Hajime, who was driving, with a look of curiosity that said, "Now that you mention it, I'm concerned too." Hajime hesitated for a moment, pondering his response. But before he could open his mouth, Yue answered for him:

“…Hajime is a tsundere.”

"..."

“““Tsundere?”””

Hajime seemed to be aware of Yue's criticism and kept a poker face while the others just repeated what he had said like parrots.

"...Is that a way of repaying Aiko? Or is it just out of concern?"

"...It was just a passing incident."

From the way Yue turned her head away and answered coldly, Shia and the others realized that Yue knew the correct answer, so they asked her to explain.

Since Hajime didn't seem ready to answer, Yue answered for him. Simply put, Hajime was distracting Aiko to prevent her from feeling guilty about Shimizu's death.

Shimizu said that the demon he encountered was aiming to kill his beloved son, the "Goddess of Fertility." In other words, he was using Shimizu to kill his beloved son, and the final attack was also intended to kill his beloved son, piercing Shimizu along with him.

Of course, Aiko bears no responsibility for Shimizu's death. Shimizu sold his soul to the demon for his own will and desires, resulting in his own death. That's all. Since it was his choice, responsibility rests solely with him. Even if that weren't the case, the demon who directly inflicted Shimizu's fatal injury should still be blamed.

But would Aiko accept it? It was obvious to everyone that the final attack was aimed at Aiko. Aiko had a strong sense of responsibility, always putting her students first. Shimizu's death was caused by her involvement. In other words, Aiko would surely believe she had caused Shimizu's death, right? That was a strong possibility. Could Aiko handle that? Hajime felt a little worried.

As a human being, Aiko must have felt uneasy and terrified by this unusual situation of being summoned to another world. Even so, she didn't stop in sorrow or crouch down in fear, but rather, she diligently did what she could because she held onto the dignity of a "teacher."

What supports Aiko as a "teacher" is the existence of "students".

That student died because of her own fault. The shock was far greater than when she heard about Hajime's death and when she heard that he was betrayed by a classmate. It was like a sharp knife that pierced Aiko's heart, and it was even enough to make her unable to recover.

As for Hajime, he had his reasons. It would be a real headache if Aiko were to become devastated by something like this, but he was genuinely worried about her. Hajime felt that Aiko's words were too idealistic, and therefore contained many contradictions.

Even so, Hajime believed that in the future, in order to make Yue and Shia happier, the words Aiko gave him would be indispensable. Because of this, even if the world changed, and Hajime himself changed, she was still willing to "preach" to Hajime as his "teacher", and Hajime was very grateful for this.

Therefore, knowing that he would die if he left her alone, Hajime still deliberately killed Shimizu. To reinforce this impression, he specifically emphasized that Shimizu was an "enemy," thus making her think that it was Hajime who killed Shimizu. To prevent Aiko from losing heart, Hajime continued to be a "teacher" as she wished, wanting to repay her kindness.

“…Hehe, Hajime-san is a tsundere.”

“So that’s what’s going on…”

"I see~ Master, you have unexpectedly cute qualities."

After Yue explained Shi's thoughts to others, they looked at Shi with warm eyes, but Shi still did not look back at them.

“…But I think Aiko will notice.”

"..."