Magical Explorer

The Meeting Regarding Takioto Kousuke

Ludi’s POV

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It was when I finished dinner and was about to compile a note to tutor Rina-san (Katrina). I received a message from Marinosan. It seems she has something that she wants to talk about.

It is unusual for Marino-san to call out to me so I immediately put away the notes and head to the living room.

Several people are already assembled, among them is a person that is not a resident of Hanamura house.

“Yukine-san.”

When I muttered so, Yukine-san smiles at me.

“Good evening, Ludi.”

“You were called as well, Yukine-san?”

When I take a seat next to her, she turns toward me and nodded.

“Aa, that’s right. The headmaster suddenly messaged me, Right?”

Yukine-san turns her face toward Marino-san. She was talking with Nanami but when she noticed our gaze, she looked back at us.

“Alright everyone is here♪”

I look around the room. There are six people here including myself, Marino-san. Hatsumi-san, Yukine-san, Nanami, and Claris. Then if you think about the reason why he isn’t here then I can guess the topic of our meeting.

It was about Kousuke.

“Now then, some of you might have already guessed it but we are here to talk about Kou-chan.“

As I thought. The people gathered here are the one that held some kind of feelings toward him. Myself included.

“Actually, Kou-chan wasn’t just planning to do something crazy but he is going to do something very dangerous and out of the norm as well♪”

Listening to Marino-san’s words I frowned.

“Is it true……?”

“Yes, with that said, Nanami-chan………. Nn, what? You don’t want me to add chan? Eh, use san instead? That would make us a stranger right……. You don’t have to look at me with such scary eyes.”

Why is Nanami get angry when she wouldn’t mind if I call her without honorific and want Marino-san to add san when she calls her name?

“Ahem, after consulting with Nanami-san, we decided to support Kou-chan’s action.”

I stared wide-eyed at Marino-san and Nanami then I eventually returned to sanity. It seems like that guy is planning to do something. Moreover, that something is dangerous too.

“Headmaster, just what is he planning to do?”

Asked by Yukine-san, Marino-san smiled and nodded.

“Yeah, it seems like he is planning to skip the exam and take the first place and he will leave behind a record that is on a completely different dimension than the previous one too.”

I tilt my head to Marino-san’s words.

“Skipping the exam and taking first place…..Is something like that even possible?”

Then

“…..as expected.”

“I see, skipping…so that’s also a hand to play huh.”

Said Hatsumi-san and Yukine-san. I couldn’t read Hatsumi-san’s expression but Yukine-san seems to be convinced of something and nodded.

“It can actually be done huh.”

Claris seems to be interested too, she grabbed onto the table and leaned her body a little forward.

“Just, how exactly is he going to do it……..?”

I asked.

“Since he won’t be taking the exam, we wouldn’t know how he did it if we look at the scoreboard too. We can’t imagine how he will do it as well. If he took the exam at least once then it is a different story though.”

“Right, if he takes it at least once then we will be able to know but Ludi-chan, you know the conditions for graduating from our academy, right?”

“Yes, you must have enough credits in the required subjects or break through the sixtieth floor of Tsukuyomi dungeon…….Don’t tell me.”

Suddenly it came to me. If all you need to do is to break through the sixtieth floor of the Academy (Tsukuyomi) dungeon then.

“Yes, it is probably as you imagined. The grade of Tsukuyomi Magic Academy is determined by the score of the exam and the dungeon capturing score.”

I see, that’s how he can take the first place while skipping the exam. It’s because he can just dive into the Academy dungeon.

“Headmaster, I have a question.”

It was Yukine-san who said that.

“The scoring for the Academy dungeon is quite high so if you can capture ten or more floors you should be able to easily take the first place right? Then why did you say that his action is very dangerous or on a different dimension?”

“I have the same question as well. If it’s the current Kousuke then ten floors is a piece of cake for him.”

Hearing so Marino-san nod with the *Un un* sound.

“Yeah, I think that it should be easy for him up until the first year ceiling of the twentieth floor as well. But you see, the floor that he is aiming for is even deeper than that……”

Saying so, Marino-san takes a small breath. The person that took over is Nanami.

“Goshujin-sama extremely lightly said that He is going to solo the fortieth floor.”

*Gatan*, Yukine-san stood up.

“NO WAY!? THE FORTIETH FLOOR!?”

“….Unbelievable.”

Hatsumi-san’s face which was always expressionless is now dyed in wonder.

“Umm, is the fortieth floor something so amazing?”

Claris asked the question instead of me. Yukine-san slowly opens her mouth after taking a deep breath.

“The fortieth floor is the target for us, second-year students. Certainly, a lot of people including myself already captured it but it wasn’t our first time inside that dungeon. More importantly, he is planning to do it solo too……”

“That’s unreasonable and reckless. Does Kousuke not know about this?”

“I chuckled and told him that it was impossible at first but Kou-chan ended up laughing together with me you know…..”

The smile that is always on Marino-san’s face disappears.

“But his eyes were serious.”

“Absolutely, Goshujin-sama will definitely try to challenge it.”

Marino-san nodded to Nanami’s words.

“Yes, that’s right. Well, I thought that it would be fine for him to face a big failure at least once but you see, it seems like Kou-chan doesn’t intend to lose at all.”

“Currently, Goshujin-sama has been going to a certain dungeon. And he is getting stronger at an extremely fast rate. Thanks to that, I was growing stronger as a by-product as well.”

“It is as Nanami said. Kou-chan is gradually growing stronger and stronger. Then you know, I’ve been thinking….”

Marino-san didn’t continue her words. But I understand what she was trying to say.

“However, there’s another problem to the thing that Kou-chan is trying to do.”

“……Right. the period.”

Hearing Hatsumi-san, Yukine-san let out an *Ah* voice.

“I see, there’s only one week before the academy announces the test result…! The entry to the Academy dungeon will be banned on the first day of the exam. The exam will take place for five days, the total days left until the announcement will be three days, it’s absolutely impossible. Does Takioto know about this? One floor in that dungeon is bigger than the one in the dungeon we captured before you know!?”

I guessed it somehow. To take the first place by taking the fortieth floor, he has to capture it before the tests are scored and the results were announced.

“Yeah, that’s right. The fastest record in the academy belongs to Mizumori Yukine and Himemiya Shion backed up by student council president Monika and the current generation saint. Moreover, it took them six months to reach that floor counting from their first entry. It’s the record that I never thought that anyone could break in the first place.”

“H, he’s going to capture that dungeon within a week!?”

Hearing Marino-san, Claris raised her voice in surprise.

“Since we have to attend the classes, we went in and get back every now and then, we take on the dungeon a few days at a time and proceeded little by little and it took us six months. Even so, we still shortened the previous record by three months. If you simply count the time we were inside the dungeon then it would still be weeks. But he is going to do it in a week? And solo too?”

“Unbe,lievable……….”

To make Yukine-san and Hatsumi-san surprised to such an extent, this must be quite something.

“I suggested that he should bring someone with him you know. I told him that Ludi-chan, Yukine-chan or Nanami-cha-….Ouch, don’t kick me!…….. Nanami-san would happily go with him but he said that he has to do it solo this time no matter what. He won’t tell me the reason too.”

“Goshujin-sama’s thoughts are in a higher dimension than myself or Marino-sama can grasp… No, it could be said that they are already in a different dimension than ours. That’s why I believe.”

Saying so Nanami looks at everyone with a serious expression.

“That Goshujin-sama will definitely accomplish it.”

“That’s why I and Nanami-san decided to support him. I am technically a teacher so there’s a limit to what I can do though……”

Saying so, Marino-san looks at me and Yukine-san.

“So that’s why I want everyone cooperation. I know that the exam is almost here but I want you to lend Kou-chan your power.”

Finishing what she wanted to say, Marino-san lowered her head. But there’s no need for her to lower her head in the first place.

“Please raise your head. I will lend him my power even without anyone telling me to.”

Hearing what I said, Yukine-san let out a *Fufu* laugh.

“That applied to me as well.”

Hearing our words, Marino-san raises her head and stands up. Then she shows us a wide smile.

“Sorry Ludi-chan, it’s right before your first exam too. Yukine-chan as well.”

Marino-san walks over and places her hand on Yukine-san’s shoulder.

“Right, if you find it hard to travel all the way here you can live here too you know? You will visit again soon after all.”

Ha. visit again? What is she talking about? I and Sempai look at each other and tilt our heads.

“Ah, right right, Yukine-chan. About that.”

“ ? What is it”

“Maybe Kou-chan already guessed your real duty that’s why he has been gathering the hatred to himself.”

Hearing so, Yukine-san was confused at first but she eventually understood the meaning and let out a bitter smile.

“I see, if I think about it that way then it makes sense, it is a little disappointing though.”

“As I thought…… but”

“Yes, the relationship between me and Takioto will not change. Rather, we might be involved with each other a lot more from now on.”

I have no clue about what they are talking about. Since it seems like I was left behind, I was about to ask them to explain but,

“Sorry, Ludi-chan. We can’t talk about it right now. But I think it is the thing that you will eventually come to know soon.”

I was turned down before I can ask.

“Right. I guarantee it too. They will surely let you know after the test. No, if it’s Ludi then they might contact you directly huh.”

I am curious but if she put it like that, then it can’t be helped.

“Understood, then I will ask you when the time comes.”

“Now then, the talk is over. You should stay here today, Yukine-chan. Claris-san, can I ask you to prepare a room?”

“Yes, I understand.”

Then we left the room. Let’s go to the room that Claris is preparing for Yukine-san once, I have something to think about.

“Eh, it’s a lie right, Nee-san? Oi, Nanami, stop!? Wai, Ne, Nee-san Nee-san! Na, Nanami too? ~~!?”

Eh, did I just heard Kousuke’s scream? Well, it must be my imagination.

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Author Notes: It’s the talk about how dangerous the thing that Takioto-kun trying to do is. He said that like it was nothing like he said [Fortieth floor huh…. Fufu] in the second playthrough but in reality, it turned out like this.

Then I will leave it to your imagination regarding what happened to him at the end.