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High School Hack and Slash Chapter 158 Part 1

Primitive

―― Episode 『Asagi-sou Daily Phase」 ――

 

「Hau… I’m so full.」

A satisfied Asura patted her stomach.

「It was pretty filling for a lunch, wasn’t it?」

Shizuka, sitting next to her, was also drinking oolong tea with a clear expression on her face.

In entry-class student dormitories, where students had no choice but to cook for themselves during the year-end and New Year’s holidays, it was normal for the quality of the meals to go down.

However, in the case of Asagi-sou, the opposite phenomenon had occurred.

Even now, the dining hall was filled with dorm residents with full stomachs lazing about.

「Spaghetti in meat sauce with rolling meatballs, for instance, I’d only ever seen such a thing in anime….」

「It tasted so good, so I went and ate the whole thing….」

「This is a trap…..」

Mirin, Shinobu, and Serie were all plopped down on the table.

It was simply that they were unable to move due to having bloated stomachs, but the other dorm residents were also the same.

Incidentally, the spaghetti in meat sauce with rolling meatballs was expressly served in a style of being piled up on large plates.

It didn’t turn into a scramble battle, but the plates were empty at every table.

「We have a major cleaning to do this afternoon, after all. I suppose this will serve as a perfect after-meal exercise.」

「Ehh~」

「No, no, no, Otoha, you mustn’t let yourself go down, I suppose. We decided on it in the sorority, didn’t we? That if we do Christmas preparations and major cleaning at the same time, we can get all the troublesome stuff done in one go.」

Otoha turned her face away as Rinko threw a retort at her.

「W, well, I’m just taking a break until I can move again.」

「Here’s a blend of oolong tea that’s effective against fat (undead)~. There’s more to come~.」

Nodoka put the kettle on the table.

It was something like a dormitory tradition to serve tea by the kettle.

「Haa~, if it weren’t for Hoodzuki-chan-senpai’s special oolong tea, I would’ve been instantly fat… With this, I can eat however much I want, right?!」

「No. There’s a limit to it, so know some prudence.」

Although Mai had a constitution that kept her from gaining weight, there was a limit.

Seiichi, who in a sense had a better grasp of her body shape than she herself did, knew this.

「I’m going help with the cleaning and eat more tasty snacks.」

「Good luck. As I have the duty to watch over the stove.」

「… Shizuka-chan. You’re getting plump on a level that isn’t just your imagination, I suppose.」

「… T, that’s not possible.」

Shizuka denied it, but unconsciously touched her cheeks and abdomen.

「I’ve heard a little bit about it from Touma-kun. It looks like you’ve acquired some strange authorities (skills), but perhaps that’s what causing it.」

「D, don’t tell me. No, such a thing is….」

Asura, having gazes pointed at her, tilted her head slightly as she ate some yokan (sweet bean jelly) for dessert.

The reason why Asura, who had the class of『Gluttony』, didn’t gain weight was because her main equipment『Watchdog of the Bottomless Pit (Over-Gluttony Gear)』 was equipped with a function of storing calories.

Of course, Shizuka had no such convenient item.

Energy was stockpiled in her body speedily, directly, and with high efficiency.

「M, major cleaning, is it not? Yeah, yes. Let’s all do our best.」

「I suppose it’d be better that way. For your sake, too, Shizuka-chan.」

Rinko, holding a teacup in her hand, smiled wryly.

It was dubious whether or not she would be of help, but she had no intention of leaving such a precious labor force as an ornament.

「We’re back~」

「Welcome back. I mean, that was pretty quick, wasn’t it? Didn’t you say you were going to eat lunch at the cafeteria?」

Kurumi, coming out of the kitchen and taking off her apron, welcomed the club members who had just returned from shopping.

Incidentally, when asked who was the most important person in Asagi-sou, the dorm residents never mentioned Otoha, the dorm leader.

Kurumi, everyone’s mother, was sure to be chosen.

「If you haven’t already, I’ll make you some real quick. Sit down and wait.」

「Ah, no. There’s something we want to talk to you guys about… Since we couldn’t decide on it on our own.」

「Funya. Chieri-chan, did something happen?」

Mikan, who had joined the full-stomach lazing about group, raised her face.

Rinko, sensing that Chieri and the others were having a hard time saying what they wanted to say, got up from her seat.

「Then, let’s hear what you have to say at the club room.」

◇ ◇ ◇

―― ＊＊＊＊『unknown』, ＊＊＊『unknown』――

―― Style 『unknown』, ※Space-time Pressure Difference 『unknown』――

 

「Iyou!」

*Boom boom* A gong is rung.

*Clack clack clack* Rhythmically struck as a primitive instrument, where they simply strike a log with a stick.

「Iyo~u!」

*Boom boom clack clack clack* The echoing sounds concert and turn into music.

It’s a simple, primitive battle song.

Baby Nue, singing along, seems to be enjoying it as well.

There’s no need for such a thing as complicated rhythm.

Instinct-inducing rhythms are simply layered on top of each other.

In the plaza surrounded by the amazonesses, a bonfire has been lit.

Everyone is playing the instruments in their hands.

「Not everyone, though. Mine own sister hast not shown up.」

Come to think of it, I feel like I heard that the queen has a little sister.

I ended up going on an irregular conquest, so I didn’t get to meet her until the end, though.

「Under ingraft circumstances, I believeth Melanippe shouldst has’t serv’d thee as well, Muko-dono….  But thee see. The lady hast end’d up encountering that lady did love one, a guy with whom the lady shouldst nev’r has’t bond’d originally. I am my most humble apology to thee, Muko-dono, but as a big sister, I would like to holp mine own sister fulfill that lady wishes.」

「I see.」

「Aye. If ‘t be true the spouse wast to meeteth thee, Muko-dono, whe’r the lady did like t ‘r not, I am sure the lady would end up being did attract to thee, after all. Yond is wherefore I has’t did order that lady to a house confinement. Prithee forgive mine own dishonesty to thee, Muko-dono.」

「It’s fine that way.」

There’s not even any need to apologize.

I have no interest in interfering with someone else’s love life.

「Yup, yup. Thee truly art a knave with a big heart, Muko-dono. Anon then, t is not as much as a substitute, but if ‘t be true thee would beest so kind as to accept this.」

As the queen raises her hand, two amazons bring over a wicker hamper.

Lying inside is a set of armor.

「T is a tribute from thy sister-in-law. The lady wanteth thee to useth t, Muko-dono.」

As it is, I have the armor put on me, by the hands of the two amazonesses.

With the combination of metal plate and scales, it’s an armor with a classical design.

It’s rugged yet sophisticated, practical yet graceful.

「T is unmistakably a sacr’d treasure yond his mother, Thetis, hadst hath asked Hephaestus to forge, thee knoweth? T is a pity yond t lacks a buckler, though.」

「It’s good enough.」

It’s profoundly heavy, and adjusts itself to match my body.

I do some light shadowing and launch a kick.

It’s heavy armor, but it doesn’t impede my movement as if it were tailored for me.

The ponytailed maid standing on the opposite corner of the plaza, which has turned into an arena, is silently waiting for me with a silver bow in her hand and arrows on her back.

「It’s good armor. I’ll return it as unbroken as possible.」

「I toldeth thee t wast a tribute, didst I not? Nay, I has’t a message from thy sister-in-law. The lady hath said t wast that lady token of gratitude f’r thy kindness (Juu = kindness/gun/beast/dwelling/poem collection).」

「… Hmm?」

I have no recollection of it, but if she says she’s giving it to me, then I guess I’ll take it.

「What is hath left is, let’s see… Muko-dono, I did bet thee has’t nay interest in our myths (stories), but… Aye, mine own sister Melanippe is an ambiguous one, thee see, thither art coequal times whither the lady is hath called by other names. Oft the lady is hath called Penthesileia, f’r instances.」

I don’t quite get it, but I guess these girls have their own stories.

For those of them who were born in the raid, I guess that story of theirs is exactly their raison d’etre.

If that’s the case, the ponytailed maid who is trying to penetrate me even with her gaze is someone who has the ability of fighting from the very beginning.

「Forsooth. The lady is the goddess of hunting and the guardian of chastity. The greatest archer of all time!」

I step onto the stage where she’s waiting.

The air changes simply from me doing that.

I stand in front of the ponytailed maid, who has been waiting for me without even moving an inch.

「Sorry for the wait.」

「… I mind not.」

Her voice, which I’ve heard for the first time, is unexpectedly lovely.

「I can ne’er acknowledge ye. But we’ll fight. Fightin’ solves everythin’. That’s the convention since time immemorial.」

「Yeah, you’re right.」

That’s an immutable truth.

It’s the same even in the present day, only the method of fighting has changed.

Be it an argument or a power struggle, it’s no different from a fight.

「I, I’m… My name is… A, Ar… A, no, kuh.」

Suddenly, she stumbles back, holding her head.

If this time it’s my turn to wait, then it can’t be helped, but….

「What are you worried about? Decide your own name on your own.」

「I… I’m, me name be Diana! Daughter o’ Jupiter ‘n Leto. Nah Artemis! I’m Diana, the guardian o’ the hunt, o’ chastity, ‘n o’ the moon!」

「I see. —My name is Touma, my class is『Indra』.」

Now.

「Let’s fight. Diana!」

◇ ◇ ◇