Chapter 476
For Haihara Ryo, even if the recent events were caused by the Flower Demon King, she could resolve them by teaming up with Roland.
But when she was searching for the missing Kougami Kage, she saw that little research fanatic girl curiously fiddling with a Serpent System Crystal that seemed to be at the level of Demon King, and Haihara Ryo's heart truly stopped.
----Has this woman been hiding this kind of thing all along?
"I?"
Kougami Kage was stunned.
She certainly loves research, but she's not some research fanatic who doesn't value life, is she?
Besides... when I was a child?
Kougami Kage suddenly remembered that before he truly fell in love with Lily, he did indeed fit the stereotypical image of a ruthless mad Monster.
If I were to lose my memory and return to the time before I fell in love with Lily, I might indeed unhesitatingly insert the Snake Crystal into my body to give it a try.
Thinking of this, Kougami Kage felt a cold sweat break out on his back.
"... So, thank you."
"You're welcome. This is also for my own good. I don't want to have another problem like Lily... Overlord I can't handle."
"Can we loosen the rope now?"
"Of course, I don't want to stay here and keep staring at you. I'm not an unemployed bum like you."
It seems that, just like that, a potential threat that could rival the former Overlord was discovered and stopped in time by Haihara Ryo, preventing it from happening in the first place.
It was already the second day.
At home, Haihara has been sorting out her emotions since yesterday.
After all, she had been a child for so long and so many things had happened. Even an irresponsible adult like her would find it difficult to get over it all at once.
However, besides that, there was something else she cared about.
[Drip... drip... drip...]
The phone she dialed still hasn't been answered.
A look of worry appeared on Haihara's face.
From yesterday until now, she has tried calling Kougami several times and sending a bunch of text messages.
Kougami replied to her text message on the phone, saying, "Don't worry, I'm busy."
But she always felt something was strange.
She was too tired to get up all night yesterday, but now that she has regained some strength, she plans to go and see Kougami.
Before that, let's make one more call.
Haihara Lily Chou dialed Kougami Kage's number again, somewhat uneasy as she was about to get through.
Just then...
Her phone rang, and she saw a familiar number calling her.
... is Kougami.
A slight smile appeared on Haihara's face, and she quickly answered the call:
"Kougami?"
[Lily? Sorry for calling me so many times.]
"Hmm, is everything alright on your end?"
[Hmm? Of course it's nothing. I think I told you I was just busy with something.]
"Like?"
Haihara felt something was off.
[No... it's nothing, I just apologize for making you worry. I have time now.]
If you have time, would you like to meet up sometime so I can confirm?
After listening to the other person's voice for a while, Haihara Lily Chou realized that the voice and tone were indeed those of the person she knew, Kougami Kage.
She nodded:
"Then let me see you later."
[Um.]
Afterwards, Haihara spoke with Kougami Kage for a while to confirm that Kougami Kage was really alright.
After that, they ended the call, and Haihara breathed a sigh of relief.
After the conversation, for some reason, Haihara recalled what she had just said.
Is it just my imagination?
I feel like I've become much gentler since I started doing this.
I don't know if it's because this makes it easier for her to open up, or if she was just less composed when she was younger.
Or perhaps, her recent experiences have simply made her more attentive to others.
However, this period of time will soon come to an end.
Haihara's Little Girl Era Experience Card is about to expire.
It seems there's more to it than that.
Recently, many things are coming to an end.
Not only is it a testament to her experience as a homeroom teacher, but her daughter is also about to graduate and end her time at school.
She seems to have become a bit sentimental.
At that moment, Kazama Kiriori, wearing pajamas and holding her puppy doll, groggily walked out of the bedroom.
"Did Aunt Kougami call you back? If not, I'll go look for her in a bit. I feel almost completely better now."
"Yes, it's all over now."
Just then, Haihara noticed that starlight was shining on her body, twinkling on her body outline.
It seems she'll soon be growing up again.
Thinking about it carefully, I realize I was a terrible adult before.
She will try a little harder next time.
Haihara Lily Chou's thoughts.
Chapter 222 Everything Went Astray
After that, Maple Plain City returned to normal. By "normal," I mean that the city was still in winter, while for schools, it was exam season, with final exams for first and second year high school students and entrance exams for third year high school students.
If we're just talking about the common university entrance exams, it wouldn't be much of a problem for Kazama Kiriori.
After Haihara was safe and sound, Kazama Kiriori returned to school and resumed her studies as usual. As the Student Council, she had largely handed over the Student Council duties to the lower-year students.
The only thing the school needed her to worry about next was lecturing at the graduation ceremony, but that was two months from now.
More than that, Kazama Kiriori was concerned that, upon closer reflection, she was already an adult.
As school ended, many students said goodbye to Kazama Kiriori.
Kazama Kiriori responded to each of them with a smile.
Suddenly, she stopped.
"Kiyohara -kun, I like you!"
Kazama Kiriori blinked.
She witnessed a young couple confessing their love; they were clearly high school seniors in the same grade as her.
They're already in their final year of high school; this level seems quite normal.
Even the Student Council can't stop on-campus dating. Does their school even have a disciplinary committee?
Even Kazama Kiriori would feel a pang of bitterness and discomfort seeing such a youthful confession scene.
After Kazama Kiriori didn't pay any attention to these students who were in the midst of their youth, because she herself was also experiencing the troubles of youth.
She walked all the way to the first-year high school building.
As the homeroom teacher, Haihara can only leave after all the students have left.
By the time she waited for Haihara to return with the car keys, it was already pitch black outside the window.
"What do you want to eat tonight?" Haihara asked.
"How was the meat sauce noodles you made last time?"
"I thought it tasted awful that time."
Kazama Kiriori naturally took Haihara's arm, and the two went downstairs.
The two remained quiet on the way.
Haihara focused on driving, while Kazama Kiriori occasionally glanced at the streetlights outside the window.
It snowed heavily tonight, causing severe traffic congestion.
The woman leaned against the car door with one arm, her hand touching her face, listening to the occasional honking of the horn.
Kazama Kiriori gently touched her hands together, gazing absently at her fingernails.
At that moment, Kazama Kiriori suddenly heard Haihara ask somewhat awkwardly:
"What are your plans after graduation? Do you want to go on a trip?"
"Tourism? We rarely travel, do we?"
Kazama Kiriori asked curiously.
Rather, it's almost never.
After all, their financial situation hadn't been very good for a long time, and Haihara herself wasn't particularly interested in traveling far away.
"I mean, if you want to go out and have fun with your friends, it's okay to leave."
It's the ordinary kind, like after graduation, parents give their children some money so they can go out and have fun with their friends.
Although Haihara herself has never had such an experience.
"Isn't it with you?"
"Why me?" Haihara looked away, never glancing at Kazama Kiriori.
"I don't want to go anywhere too far away from you."
Kazama Kiriori lowered her head.
The traffic lights seemed to have been silent for a long time. Haihara looked at the congested lanes, just like her own life, which she couldn't understand at all.
Why isn't the red light flashing?
The green light is taking forever to come.
"Where do you plan to go after graduating from university?"
Haihara suddenly asked a question she would never have asked before.
Haihara showed little interest in topics related to Kazama Kiriori.
She never asked Kazama Kiriori what major she wanted to study or what career she wanted to pursue.
Kazama Kiriori seemed to think for a moment--
"A coastal city, like that? I hope it rains, the wind is strong, and the winter might be a bit long."
"The weather sounds very pleasant."
Haihara seems to really like the descriptions of Kazama Kiriori.
In fact, aside from not being located by the sea, Maple Plain City fits these descriptions quite well.