Chick 182
by CristaeChick Class Hunter is Showing Filial Piety! Episode 182
After the principal hurried off, Amakusa Reiji flashed a faint smile in the director’s office.
[“Sensitive, isn’t he? Most people wouldn’t have noticed my presence.”]
[“There must be a reason he made it all the way to principal.”]
[“An interesting perspective. It’s hindsight, but I do agree. That General Naeba was quite capable, too.”]
The man mentioned, with a low chuckle, the dictator of South Africa whose demise he had orchestrated.
[“Well, aside from him, everyone else was a complete letdown. Imagine raising your son so badly that he’d ask someone to kill his own father.”]
Amakusa Reiji.
Unlike Amakusa Kazuki—famous in the S-rank world of creation—Reiji was a notorious master of clandestine criminal plots, known best in the shadows.
The world’s foremost assassin wore an amused smile.
Han Ro-un narrowed his eyes.
[“Thanks to you, my own load lessened.”]
He, too, had intended to eliminate General Naeba, who had been conducting experiments on his country’s children.
[“It all seems to inevitably lead to this, doesn’t it?”]
[“Inevitability…”]
Because of General Naeba, he was connected to Reiji, and could bring him into Gnosis. Looking back, it all truly seemed predestined.
Lost in thought, Han Ro-un looked to the door and asked,
[“Does the principal bother you?”]
[“Not at all. In fact, a sensitive one is more entertaining.”]
[“I’ll say it again, Amakusa-san—please don’t torment our principal. More importantly, have you dropped the job you were hired for? I thought you’d be terribly busy with the sensational new prodigy in the crafting world.”]
[“Hmm, ordinarily I would, but things are strangely quiet.”]
[“That’s a surprise.”]
[“Isn’t it strange how, in an age overflowing with information, it’s so hard to find details on a celebrity? Almost as if someone erased it on purpose. I’ve raised both hands in surrender.”]
Reiji lifted his hands in feigned defeat.
As one of the giants of the underworld, it was no small thing for Amakusa Reiji to make such a show—surely a sign of genuine respect.
And Han Ro-un had a good idea who had forced his hand.
[“Then it must’ve been Jurim’s doing.”]
A smile, proud and bright, dimpled Han Ro-un’s cheeks.
[“Hmm.”]
Reiji propped his chin in his hand, eyeing him with interest.
Han Ro-un’s fondness always shone through whenever he spoke of On Jurim, and Reiji found this most amusing.
[“For On-chan to get involved, this new prodigy must be quite something. She usually doesn’t show the slightest interest in others.”]
[“Well, yes. So, what will you do now?”]
[“Pay a visit to someone who might know. Turns out she’s in Korea, too—just my luck.”]
[“Ah…”]
Han Ro-un nodded, as if he understood exactly who “she” was.
Reiji, his smile inscrutable, lifted his teacup and savored the aroma.
[“The tea is delightful. Surely there’s no harm in enjoying it at my leisure before I move?”]
[“As long as you don’t cause too much trouble, do as you wish.”]
[“Of course, of course.”]
Amakusa Reiji smiled and, as if tea was all that interested him, gave his cup a gentle tap with his fingers.
The sports festival season had begun at Justitia International School.
It was much like any athletic meet at other schools, except for one notable difference: with a select, elite student body, every single student would be participating.
From kindergarten through high school, all the students were divided into the blue team and the red team, and the team with the highest cumulative score would emerge victorious.
The winners would receive VIP tickets to the Asian Games, and the entire winning team would also get brand-new tablet PCs.
After the nursery class teacher finished explaining the sports festival…
“Since a lot of the events require partners, you’ll need to pick a buddy to pair up with and let me know who you’ve chosen, all right?”
“Yes!”
All the excited children answered in unison, their voices ringing high with anticipation.
But for some reason, Uju looked dejected.
Groo, who had thought nothing of it, turned and asked what he considered obvious—
“Uju, you’ll be my partner, right?”
“Huh?”
The answer was rather ambiguous.
“Hm? Why?! You don’t want to?!”
“It’s just…”
As Uju hesitated, Groo’s face paled.
Clasping Uju’s hands tightly in both of his, Groo asked with a trembling face,
“You’re not… thinking of pairing up with someone else, are you?!”
Uju, looking uncomfortable, turned away.
Groo, stunned, gaped with shock.
Dun-dun—!
Could it be that Uju had another best friend besides Groo?
His heart was clouded by gloom.
“Groo’s feeling dizzy…”
Groo’s eyes began to tremble violently, and Uju hastened to reassure him.
“No! No! That’s not it! I just… I have a shoot that day, so I probably can’t participate with you.”
“…A shoot?”
Groo, who had been reeling, perked up.
“Yeah. I’ve got a shoot. So I can’t.”
“Oh, that’s it? That’s okay. I’ll do my best! You can join in after your shoot.”
“But… I don’t want that.”
“Huh?”
“Groo, you’re an Awakened. You’d be better off pairing with someone else.”
“But I’m just an F-rank…”
Groo glanced around with wide eyes, wary of being overheard by other children; sensing this, Uju echoed him.
“Yeah, even if you’re F-rank… Still, there’ll be a line of kids who want to pair with you.”
“…”
What’s wrong with Uju? Something felt off.
Groo fidgeted, unsure what more to say, as Uju’s gaze dropped and he fiddled with his phone.
“…My dad’s calling. I need to go take it!”
“Huh? Oh…”
With that, Uju quickly got up and hurried out of the classroom.
“Huum…”
Groo watched Uju’s retreating back, half-lidded and forlorn.
Uju found a quiet corner of the kindergarten building and leaned with his back against the wall.
On the screen, his father’s face appeared.
—Uju, why didn’t you tell me there’s going to be a sports festival!
“How did you even know that, Dad?!”
—These days, the kindergarten app is pretty advanced. I get all the notifications.
“Oh…”
He recalled how, not long ago, his dad had asked him about KidsNote and he’d helped install it.
He regretted that now.
As Uju let out a sigh, the question he least wanted to hear came from the other end.
—What time should I get there for the festival?
…I knew it. This is why I didn’t want to talk about it.
“You don’t have to come.”
—Hey, now, you always say that. You told me I could say anything I wanted to you.
“I mean it. I don’t like sports festivals—I’m just going to go out and play with my friend instead. If I get hurt, it’ll ruin the shoot…”
—Worried about the shoot again… By the way, which friend? Groo?
“No. Someone else.”
—And who’s that?
“A friend you don’t know! I have to get to class now. I’m hanging up.”
—Wait, Uju! Let’s talk about this again later, okay?
“Fine… Are you coming home tonight?”
—Of course. Have to hurry if I want to see my son’s face.
“Mm… Bye.”
After pocketing his phone, Uju let out a deep sigh.
Telling Dad not to come had clearly disappointed him.
‘And Groo, too…’
Remembering the way Groo had hesitated, Uju ran his hand through his hair in frustration.
Somehow, everything felt like a mess.
Meanwhile, Groo, who had stealthily overheard Uju’s call, clasped his hands tightly and crouched on the floor.
He felt so hurt that his chest stung, and his lip stuck out in a pout.
‘Does Uju not like Groo anymore?’
Maybe he’d found a new friend?
“Hiiing…”
At that moment, a gentle wing came to rest atop the sulking child’s head, stroking him soothingly.
Groo hugged Mephi, pressing his soft cheeks against him.
“Mepii…”
If only Mephi could be a person.
“Bii…”
For some reason, Mephisto let out a doleful cry.
Just then, Groo’s backpack began to stir.