Chapter 5 (1/2)

7th May - ”Cultural Exchange”

“Okay, pay attention~”

The Golden Week ended safely too, then the next day

I was du on the podium as usual

No, to be more accurate it wasn’t by Sensei

It was by the extre next to her

“Starting froht, a late entrant~”

“Shugoー”

“Their name is Serephina Ruby Krasis-san”

“Shugoー”

“Serephina-san just came to this world”

“Shugoー”

“So everyone, please get along with her!”

“Shugoー”

A strange sound was interposed between the speech, but it wasn’t like it came from Omaezaki-sensei

It came from the late entrant student introduced by Sensei… That is to say, from our new classmate that came to Itoku

The student called Serephina-san was entirely wrapped in a strange outfit

It was made from a thick fabric and looked very lance it looked like a spacesuit, but it was a little different, and having seen it in movies in the past I knew the correct name

Hazas, and generally speaking frooー” sound certainly ca

“So came…”

I muttered unintentionally I’ve been in Itoku for around one month and met all sort of students, but I was dumbfounded by this one in a totally different way

“By the way, Serephina-san?”

Being questioned by Ooー”

“About your appearance…”

Oh Of course you would ask, Sensei Well, it’s obvious Rather, it’s a she made that person enter the classroom as if it was normal Normally you ask before that It’s too curious, in various s

Alright, Sensei, ask for an explanation To be honest, I’ve been wanting to make a retort for a while and I can’t stand it anymore So now, do it, Omaezaki-sensei!

“Aren’t you hot?”

“You’re asking about that!?”

I stood up, kicking my chair

“Sensei! There is a more fundamental question you should ask!”

“Ah! Now that you ht As you would expect from Mamoru-kun How careless”

After staring in wonder, Sensei clapped her hands and said to Serephina-san

“Wearing so other than the school uniform to school is prohibited, you know?”

“That’s right, but that’s wrong!!”

Ah, it’s hopeless We won’t ress like this

“I will get angry if you remain like this, Serephina-san Could you take it off?”

De at her own pace, but Serephina-san greatly shook their head horizontally

“Oh Perhaps you’re not wearing anything under it?”

To deny it, Serephina-san shook their head once more

“Then, there are no problems~ Okay, time to undress~”

Omaezaki-sensei drew her hand towards Serephina-san’s protective gear while s

Serephina-san’s body froze because of the surprise, but then they began to struggle in resistance However, Sensei wasn’t perturbed at all, and as if she knew the structure of the protective gear beforehand, she took it off swiftly

“Okay, I will look after it~”

On top of that, she folded it skillfully and held it against her bosom

For an instant I thought there erous, but it’s Sensei after all It’s not like she didn’t consider it, maybe, so it’s fine

Anyhowー

“W-what are you doing, you pleb!?”

I gasped seeing the person who appeared fro up at Sensei

There wasn’t any special reason

The transfer student wearing a uniforirl

To put it simply ー She was cute Like, really cute

She had long gorgeous hair siold, and her skin looked smooth and white like the snow The pupil inside her almond eyes ently bridged nose were lips with a beautiful hue of cherry blossom

Her figure had the proportions of a model, and from the top of her head to the tip of her feet, there wasn’t any useless part She was too perfect,you think of a doll Impeccable, faultless, perfect, those words were surely for this person

Just that… I was curious about a certain thing

About the “ears” on both sides of her visage They weren’t round like mine, but sharp and pointed

“If so touched by this world’s air, would you take responsibility!?”

“My my, you don’t need to be shy”

“Do you listen when people talk?”

Serephina-san made a face as if she couldn’t believe it

Sensei faced forhile s and started to explain

“Serephina-san is from, based on how it’s called in her world, the 'elf' tribe, and the chief of the tribe decided to send her to Itoku She’s a little older than everyone, but many of you are the same, so it’s not a problem”

No, well, that’s true… I looked behind me

Expressionless, Mao sat arrogantly atop three piled up chairs, and besides her was a huge coffin, as if it was normal … Yep No problem

“Okay, then, please introduce yourself to your future friends”

Being urged by Ohly, turned towards us Noticing all the class had their attention on her, she quickly cleared her throat, flustered

Then ー She said

“I-I have nothing special to say! After all, I have no intention to befriend anyone in this 'Itoku', not at all!”

The classroom fell silent instantly

“… Oh my Why?”

“It’s simple ー I don’t want to be defiled”

Folding her arms, Serephina-san turned her sharp chin

“When I was in the village, s are mixed in the air of this world, and the heart of the persons living in it are tainted by greed Therefore, a pure elf like me will never associate with you”

Further this way, she said

“The new chief thinks that there is no future for the Elf tribe if we continue to live a secluded life I was selected by a lottery, becaly and was enrolled in this ‘Itoku’ However, whatever the chief thinks, I won’t changeYou don’t need to mind me, or rather, I wish that you don’t approach me ー That’s all”

Serephina-san brought an end to her speech, building a splendid iron wall between her and us

“… My my”

Muttered softly Oer on her cheek As expected, even Sensei would be troubled about how to deal with such an obstinate behaviour

“You’re a really shy person~ How cute”

Or so I thought, but it wasn’t the case at all The same as usual

“Mamoru-kun, Serephina-san just came to this world and still isn’t used to it, so please teach her about various things”

“Ah, yes Of course”

O

“Thank you Then, Serephina-san, please sit in any e to the staff room a little to drink tea~”

She left the classroohtly

Serephina-san looked at where Omaezaki-sensei left, unsatisfied, but eventually she snorted and began to walk towards the back of the classroom

As if notobserved by everyone in the class, she threw her bag on a desk near theside, then sat on the chair

Then she glared this way

“Please do not look at me with your dirty eyes!”

After saying those severe words, she closed her eyes

“… She really is incredible, in various ways”

Gai, sitting next to reed with him

“Why is she acting with such hostility? You cannot build trust with your surroundings like that”

Said Mao behindsentiment

I took out the smartphone in my pocket, and launched an app

Before long, the words “Other Worlds Specialised Dictionary” appeared on the screen

Just as its title says, it can give infors you search I entered the words Omaezaki-sensei said earlier, “elf tribe”

Results appeared right away There were several, so I tapped the first one

『The Elf tribe A race existing in several worlds The race of the same name created in literary works in this world resemble closely to it Their characteristics are their pointed ears and their longevity They mainly live in deep mountains, love arts and philosophy, and they have the tendency to avoid contact with people other than the ones from where they live, or the persons fronise as “corrupted” Various reasons exist, but the s』

… I see Thinking about it, there is that kind of feeling in ames And that why she acts like this

“Hoill I deal with that…”

I groaned, scratching the tip of my nose

A few hours later

It was lunch break, but as though there was an invisible barrier around her, there wasn’t a single person near Serephina-san

Generally, when a late entrant or a transfer student arrives they becouess it’s nor how she acted

“Hey, it’s ti, no? The atmosphere of the classroom is pointlessly heavy”

Next toon a spare rib … Yeah, he's right

A “don’t approach ed fro her ar it difficult to breathe

“But, who is someone?”

You’d need to be quite gutsy to cut through this atmosphere

“You… Well, that”

That? Soaze N-no, it’s not only Gai

“A suitable person is here”

Mao chewed a crea this way from the seat in front of me

“… Err…”

I looked behind me

“Don’t do so about you, Mamoru”

“Hey, where are you Ma for you!”

“You You It is you”

Mao poked me relentlessly

“O-ouch! It hurts! W-why me!?”

“Because you’re the class representative of this class” “Aye”

“Don’t think I can do everything because I’th to do a suicide attack against this perfect wall! Someone else suitable… What about Kisshi+!?”

“She just left Must have gone to buy her lunch And so, we beg you, class rep!”

“Class president We can only rely on you”

Gai and Mao clapped their hands, then the other classmates called “Class rep” too

“Do your best, you can do it class rep!” “Do it class rep!” “Whoo, Class rep!”

“””Yeah!”””

What it this unified power!?

“Okay, got it, I got it! I’ll do it! I just need to it, right!”

If I could refuse, then I would have taken the initiative long ago

I stood up with a sigh, readied myself, then I went towards the seat in the corner of the classroom

Serephina-san was still gazing outside the , not looking this way

Uhh I’ to explode But I already said I’d do it I can’t run away

Here I cohtー

“He… hello, Serephina-san Can I take a little of your time?”

It was the instant I called out to her resolutely

bump

Serephina-san disappeared with a loud sound

“W-what!?”

I was surprised, but I immediately understood what happened

Serephina-san hid herself behind her seat with an incredible speed

“W-hat do you want?”

“Er, well…”

I approached with one step

bump

Then Serephina-san stepped back toward the

“So, what do you want!?”

“Well, I just wanted to talk a little…”

I took another step forward

bam

With a thick sound, this time Serephina-san really disappeared

“Eh!?”

“Please, do not approach me!”

I heard a voice from above my head I looked up

Serephina-san was clinging to the ceiling using her legs to hold onto the wall

“Wow, you’re a!”

“I told you not to approach! If you get closer than this, I will jump out the !”

Serephina-san looks quite frantic She’s serious

“N-no no I only approached a little…”

“I heard it from my Dear Motherー”

Serephina-san suddenly opened her eyes wide, then shouted

“If an elf is touched by a nant!”

“Really!?”

Must be hard to live for you, elves!

“No, it’s not possible At least, it’s not written in the dictionary”

Gai gave oodness

“Seems like it’s a lie”

“That’s not true! My Dear Mother said she heard it fro in the house three away frohbour’s acquaintance’s acquaintance’s wife’s relative’s little brother’s uncle’s wife used to live in!”

“That’s an absurdly distant source of information!”

It’s far past the level of unreliable

“A-anyway, you’reI want to talk I just want to talk!”

“Uuuuuhh”

Serephina-san roan That’s scary

But ー Perhaps she thought that I won’t leave no matter what, she descended reluctantly after a short while

“… So, what do you want?”

Nevertheless, she still uess it can’t be helped

“Err, well Ah, I know First, let me introduce myself I’m Yakuma Mamoru I’m kinda the class president of this class Do you knohat’s a class president? It’s someone who assemble people No, actually it’s not really that important An advisor… is a little different too Hmm…”

Now that I think about it, what’s the role of the class president? I mean, I don’t have the caliber of a leader A htly off too

“… Oh well, whatever Anyway, I don’t ives advices to otherworlders who are still unfa you don’t understand about this world?”

“There isn’t If you have finished talking, then please leave”

“Wait wait, give me another chance, please! One more! One more chance!”

“… Just one”

Serephina-san’s expression was like she was reluctant from the bottom of her heart Th-that hurts…

“Umm, well, Serephina-san, you said that you don’t want to befriend us, but I don’t think it’ll be possible in the future You were dispatched here because the chief of your tribe thought that you should interact with the others, right? I’ you to forcibly become friend with everyone, but could you at least try to talk a little? Perhaps you’ll change your mind”

“…”

“Omaezaki-sensei said it, but there are various kind of people in this class, and even though they look different, they’re all good guys I think they are easier to get on with than what you think, and even if I’ood you can just talk with so about each other until the end, how about trying at least?”

“…”

“U-u for a while?”

I asked, unable to endure the tension, but Serephina-san said, with half-closed eyes

“Not really I was just observing how you could talk so tediously”

“… Eh?”

“However, no matter what you say, I only have one answer I do not intend to befriend you at all In other words, what you are doing right now is totally useless!”

“Wha…!?”

As expected, even I would beco like that is said to me so bluntly

“Hey, don’t speak like that I just wanted to make a compromise!”

“Who asked for such a thing? When? What time? What second? How many times had the sun risen?”

“Don’t answer like an elementary school kid! No matter how much you don’t want to be concerned with this world, from the moment you came there is no way for you to be taciturn like that forever!”

“Ta-taciturn!? How impolite!”

“It’s your attitude that’s really rude!”

“Hey, stop now”

Gai forced his way between

“If your objective is peace, then disputes are needless Compose yourself”

Mao looked up at htly shook her head

“B-but, when I’ like this…”

Then, the s to those two

“That’s right Ma!”

Suddenly, soly struck her desk

Long silver hair, a gallant expression, and a longsword sheathed in the scabbard attached to her waist It was Kisshi+

She had a sandwich in her hand, so I guess she really had gone to buy her lunch

“The probleh Mamoru especially tried to deepen the interaction between us, why, of all things did you harshly shook it off? I do not care if you are an elf or whatever, from the moment you came to this world, you too have to adapt yourself to this class!”

Serephina-san snarled at Kisshi+ who raised her voice

“I-I only came to this world because it was the chief’s order, not because I wanted to! That’s why, I have no reason to get along with you!”

She faced Kisshi+ with burning eyes,

“And why do I have to get along with tainted people like you? Just being with you gives h I do my best to endure it!”

“… What?”

The tone of Kisshi+’s voice instantly lowered Thereupon, I suddenly regained my composure fromthat she shouldn’t have

“What did you sayー!?”

Just as I thought, Kisshi+ becaed and attacked Serephina-san with her sword

“Daaaaaa! Okay, stop! It will only widen the distance between us! It will only widen it to an unreachable level!”

I hurriedly binded Kisshi+’s arms from her back However, I couldn’t stop her coth

“Uhh Class rep, leave it, to me”

Then, a huge figure passed by round rumble

Its head reached the ceiling of the classroom, and its body was made of stone

It was a golem, a “doll with a will”, and it seeician from another world In our class, everyone called him “Golesuke” (TL: Suke is usually used for boy naht be a pun too, as the kanji is the one used for help and assistance, and Golesuke is gentle and helps people)

“Kisshi+, stop Class rep, is troubled”

Golesuke stretched his long palm, then he skillfully seized Kisshi+’s arertips

“H-hey, stop Golesuke! This is for your sake too!”

“Violence, is wrong I, was taught Stop, violence”

Golesuke dragged Kisshi+ along to the back of the classroom

We’re saved… Thanks, Golesuke

“… Well, Kisshi+ did too ood, you know? Serephina”

Said Gai while scratching his black hair tinged with grey It seeht that it would be futile with only me

“It’s as she said, no matter hoas in your world, from the moment you came here it’s inevitable I think it would be better if you softened your attitude a little”

“… H-humph I do not care”

Serephina-san turned away, as she didn’t want to listen

dary, but it’s changing to obstinacy No matter what it takes, I’ll make her blend with everyone in Itoku!

But, what should I do to make it happens…

“You You”

Then, sensing the he out her chest with her arms folded

“I have prospects of victory Lend e the status quo”

“Oh, you have a nice idea?”

I crouched down to make eye contact, and Mao nodded with her usual expressionless visage

“Inwith many subordinates A reasoned mind, a method to seize victory, this shall not be achieved half-heartedly”

“Err… Because you had many subordinates, it was difficult to earn their trust?”

Mao nodded It seeht

“Therefore, I first observed the desires ofan environment in which their desires would be realised without de would have the underneath e”

“… Hmm?”

This ti

“In other words, if you wish so, or to reach a co that you have what they want and are interested in be the most effective?”

Mao, still expressionless, raised her thumb to Gai explanation

“Ah, I got it But, hmm… Even if you say that…”

I don’t have the slightest idea about what Serephina-san wants

“If you don’t know, then just prepare a lot of things There is the saying ‘Repetition is the key to success’ in this world, right?”

… I see Gai has a point

The first priority is to show Serephina-san that this world isn’t that bad by showing her s

Alright ー It’s interesting If it’s like this, as the class president I’ll do it thoroughly!

“… Just wait and see, I’ll absolutely make Serephina-san a member of this class!”

Suddenly all fired up, I pointed at Serephina-san

The person herself, though, was only looking at me with a suspicious look

“Ma?”

A little after lunch break I was called by soh the school corridor I turned ー But I couldn’t see their face

It was because I was holding a large pile of books

However, being a fauess who it was

“Ah, it’s Kadona Well, I just borrowed books fro them now”

“I can guess thatat you What I want to knohy are you holding sothem to?”

shi+ftingblack hair with eyes a little upturned Just as I thought, it was Kadona Everyone else call her Houjou, but I only use her first name She’s my childhood friend, so I continued to call her like that since then

“There’s a new student in our class So I thought about showing them to her”

“In Itoku? Ah, thinking about it I heard there was a late entrant She likes books?”

“Well, I don’t know”

“What do you mean by ‘I don’t know’?”

“I just don’t knohat she likes That’s why I’radually”

I put the books on the floor and quickly explained the situation to Kadona

“… Well, so to make her open her heart to us”

“Hmm… And that’s why you borrowed so many books?”

“Yeah I thought that to make her blend with everyone I should make her like this world first”

“… I see Well, that’s fine But, I looked about the Elf tribe once, they think about the with people other than the elves, and rather excessively”

Kadona put her hand on her hip and furrowed her brow

“It seeressive person beca that they couldn’t continue as they they did until now and sent a few persons to exchange with this world But well, you can’t change your nature that easily, so I heard they caused troubles here and there Even if you do that, you’ll just be rejected”

“That's why you're a member of the student council, you know a lot But, I won’t know until I try Anyway, I can do nothing but attack”

“And if it’s useless even after trying everything?”

“At that ti else”

“You have prospects of victory?”

“No!”

I declared bluntly Kadona put a hand on her forehead, partly amazed

“… As usual, you’re just rushi+ng blindly at full force You know, you shouldn’t fuss over someone who doesn’t want to be involved with people more than necessary You can just leave her alone Perhaps that’s what she wants”

“Don’t care!”

“Y-you…”

“Even if she refuses because of her circu because of mine!”

“What a nonsensical theory… What if it brings a terrible outcome?”

“I’ll make it so that doesn’t happen!”

“How?”

“I don’t know!”

“Quit it or I’ll slap you!”

“Why!?”

I just said I don’t know because I don’t!

“… Oh well Do as you like”

“Yeah Thanks”

I answered with a shed deeply for some reason

… Oops, can’t stay here Break is almost over

“Well then, Kadona See you later”

Firing myself up, I raised the tower of books

I carefully faced forward, then slowly began to walk

“Good grief… You’ve always been strangely stubborn once you decided so”

Said Kadona with a sigh behind me

“But… If so you have to do alone”

“Yeah It’s alright I have a lot of reliable friends in my class”

“T-that's not what I meant!”

I turned towards Kadona with a puzzled face as she unusually raised her voice Then, after co to her senses, her cheeks flushed

“No… nothing Just go already”

“Nh, that so? Got it”

What’s the matter?

While inclining my head to the side, I returned to Itoku

Once I returned to the classroom I put what I held on Serephina-san’s desk

“… What are those?”

Seeing the mountain of books in front of her eyes, Serephina-san widened her eyes a little

“I gathered various things froht I’ll show them to you Then perhaps you’ll think that this world isn’t that bad”

“No thank you”

“Hahaha No need to be shy”

“I’m not shy!”

“First…”

Intentionally ignoring Serephina-san’s words, I took a nearby book

That’s right, it’s a fight Of course you’d watch your opponent I htest opportunity!

“How about this one It’s a novel released recently It’s a e murder happens, then a detective use is proud intellect to solve it It’s interesting”

Serephina-san gazed at the book with a somewhat fed up face

Then thinking that it was inevitable, she took the book and flipped through its pages