Chapter 78

After pondering for a long time, Kirishima Ai finally realized that she hadn't misunderstood, but... she rarely felt that Takanashi Shiori was a little sad.

However, even in this state, it's a bit hard to understand why he doesn't go out to work and earn a living.

Is this perhaps the difference in thinking between R'lyeh and Earthlings?

But Ms. Roland seems to be quite normal, Sakaki Chika's grandmother should also be a normal person.

After that, Takanashi Shiori seemed unwilling to continue the conversation, Kirishima Ai also disliked prying into other people's privacy, so the chat ended there.

After school, Takanashi Shiori once again left school alone.

Just as Kirishima Ai guessed, she basically just wandered around aimlessly after school because she didn't really have anywhere to go back to.

Before dark, she arrived at the entrance of a convenience store.

He took a handkerchief out of his pocket, slowly unfolded it in his palm, and inside were several 500-yen and 100-yen coins.

Takanashi Shiori looked down and counted.

That should be enough for a few more dinners.

When she entered the convenience store, there were quite a few people inside, probably because it was around school dismissal time, and there were many students who looked to be around her age.

Without hesitation, Takanashi Shiori walked to the place selling bento boxes.

She can't cook and doesn't live with anyone, so she usually buys food outside, sometimes rice balls, sometimes boxed lunches.

It seems like one of the boxed lunches is on sale today.

There were also fried chicken nuggets inside, which looked quite delicious.

Takanashi Shiori picked up the lunchbox and took it to the counter to pay.

The clerk at the convenience store counter has been seeing this girl with long, grey-blonde hair a lot these past few days. Because of her outstanding appearance, he remembered her from the first time they met.

However, this girl seems to buy boxed lunches every day.

"That's 250 yen in total."

After packing her lunchbox, Takanashi Shiori had to think about where she should sleep next.

Not only was she unsure about what to eat for dinner, she also didn't have a place to sleep that night.

Things weren't as complicated as Kirishima Ai thought.

She had no income and no place to stay after school, so she basically slept wherever she could find a place, such as hospitals, 24-hour fast food restaurants, or bars that were open all day.

Especially in bars, you can just order the cheapest drink, pretend to be drunk, and sleep there all night.

If it doesn't rain, it doesn't matter if I sleep on the street or in the park.

The weather seems pretty good today, and it shouldn't be too cold tonight, so I can sleep in the park. That way, it won't be too awkward, and it won't be too quiet before midnight.

It was already dark when she arrived at the park.

However, the park seemed a bit quieter than it had been the previous two days.

Has the number of people decreased?

Takanashi Shiori didn't pay much attention and instead found a park bench, sat down, opened her lunchbox under the lights, and quietly began to eat by herself.

Dinner time is when she feels most comfortable and happy; her empty stomach is filled, and she can then get a good night's sleep.

While she was eating alone, other people would occasionally pass by, such as a couple who seemed to be chatting.

"Have you heard? There seems to be a serial killer in this area lately..."

"Ugh, don't scare me... Is it some kind of Monster?"

"This Monster has a history of assault, but that was several years ago, wasn't it? Serial killers are definitely human."

"Did someone really die? How terrifying..."

"Anyway, I heard that several people are unconscious, they're breathing and have a heartbeat, but they just won't wake up..."

The ordinary people around them were also talking about things that Takanashi Shiori didn't know.

She didn't care about these things that happened to ordinary people.

As Magic girl, all she needs to do is defeat the Monster.

After all, even the most wicked Monster cannot commit crimes worse than those committed by humans.

Monster can be defeated, but arresting all guilty humans is difficult; if you meddle too much, you'll suffocate yourself.

Takanashi Shiori was focused on eating her meal when she heard the sound of some small animal.

She looked down and saw a kitten meowing in the dim woods, seemingly with its kittens.

Because she frequents this park, she often encounters these cats, making it seem as if they already recognize her.

"Come here, come here."

Takanashi Shiori waved.

Several cats and kittens with mottled fur gathered around, while Takanashi Shiori picked up a piece of chicken and waved it in front of the cats.

The cats naturally jumped onto the bench and obediently ate the chicken pieces that Takanashi Shiori fed them.

Even so, she didn't have enough to eat herself.

But I'll be hungry tomorrow anyway, so it's not a big deal.

After finishing her meal and throwing away her lunchbox, Takanashi Shiori lay down on a bench, staring blankly at the park street.

Several cats lay down beside her, huddled together, making it quite hot late at night.

Stray cats are usually very dirty.

However, she usually uses Magic to clean herself and her cat.

Magic is quite economical in this kind of thing.

Takanashi Shiori patted the stray cat's head, then hugged a skinny cat:

"The money will be gone in a few days..."

There are only a few coins left, even though there were quite a few at the beginning.

But upon closer reflection, it had been more than a month since she last received the money.

Once she runs out of money, she'll really be eating dirt.

The cats around her looked pitiful, but they wouldn't be in much better shape even without her feeding them; wild cats are much more resilient than she is.

At this moment, she thought of what had happened a few months ago.

That is, what happened when she first arrived in this city.

After thinking for a long time, Takanashi Shiori picked up her phone and made a call.

The call was answered after a while.

[What do you need me for?]

The voice on the phone was a cold, familiar female voice, one she heard almost every day.

It was the voice of their homeroom Teacher Haihara.

"... Teacher Haihara, I'm out of money."

Takanashi Shiori lay on the cat's back and whispered.

What are you trying to say?

The other party asked a question they already knew the answer to.

"Well... this weekend, if you need, I can keep you company."

She was too embarrassed to continue.

[Say it out and let me hear it.]

The woman looked different from how she usually did in class.

On the park bench, Takanashi Shiori, who had been looking calm, blushed slightly and instinctively reached out to hug a kitten beside her, saying in a voice as soft as a mosquito's buzz:

"Mother..."

Chapter Ten: The Bad Woman and the JK

As mentioned before, Haihara interested in dating high school girls.

After all, she sometimes feels lonely when she's alone and needs to find a place to relieve that loneliness.

For a long time, she was single and lived alone, without any elders to take care of her, and she also had to face work pressure and difficult situations from her boss, so it's normal for her to have some niche hobbies.

Playing with JK (high school girl) characters is a good idea.

Anyway, she didn't have any expenses. A few thousand yen, or occasionally a little more, was enough to have a young and cute high school girl fawning over her and saying sweet, innocent things. For a woman nearing thirty, that was quite pleasant.

Although Haihara prefers more mature women, lively high school girls are more suitable for releasing stress.

This is a normal need for a single woman.

Moreover, she provides pocket money, and JK provides services—it's a win-win deal.

At least the girls she's dated all have rave reviews.

However, there are only a few occasions when I accidentally invite my students to my class, which only slightly lowers my professional ethics.

It's Saturday morning again.

Haihara and Takanashi Shiori agreed to meet near the food street in the city center.

They had dated many times in this area before, and today was just like before, with a lot of people around. Walking alone on the street, she felt a little out of place.

Although Haihara the one being served, she still dressed herself up quite nicely.

After all, it would be a sad thing to be secretly disliked by the girl you invited out.

Soon, Haihara spotted Takanashi Shiori waiting in a fairly conspicuous corner.

In terms of appearance alone, Takanashi Shiori is probably the most outstanding, or rather, the most eye-catching, among those Problem Child.

Her hair was loose like soft silk, with slightly curled ends, displaying a delicate and bright gray-gold color. She was a little taller than average, just the right height to embody the youthfulness and cuteness of a high school girl, and also quite slender.

Today she was wearing a black JK skirt and a wide-sleeved black sailor uniform, which made her skin look exceptionally delicate, appearing as white as milk when the sunlight shone on it.

Upon seeing Haihara, Takanashi Shiori approached her.

"Teacher Haihara."

Takanashi Shiori whispered.

Soon after, she felt Haihara pinch her face. It didn't hurt, but she had to look up at Haihara's face.

Haihara's expression remained as indifferent as ever.

Out of the corner of her eye, Takanashi Shiori surging crowd around her. After a while, her eyes slightly closed, and she said:

"... Mother."

The hand that was pinching her face turned into a caress, Haihara smiled calmly.

"Good."

Today, they are not in a teacher-student relationship.

To put it bluntly, she paid for Takanashi today; she's Takanashi's "mother."

Haihara offered up another arm.

Upon seeing this, Shiori instinctively took Haihara 'Haihara arm and leaned against her, like a docile little bird.

Now, a high school girl is holding the arm of a woman next to her; they look like sisters with a significant age difference.

After Takanashi hugged her, Haihara could feel that the other person's body was quite soft.

So, Haihara tilted her head slightly, and her hair brushed against Takanashi's head.

"Today, your task is to please me and serve me until I am satisfied, do you understand?"

Even though she's an adult, the woman's words were rather inappropriate.