"You want to beco the boss of a delinquent group…"
Calmly taking a sip of hot tea, Yumi slowly nodded after a brief silence.
"All right… I agree."
"…Huh?"
Mana's face was imdiately filled with question marks.
How had obaa-chan managed to extract that information from a completely unrelated topic just now?
And was she agreeing a little too easily?
"…What is wrong? You look confused… Did you not co to ask for my permission about this?"
"Ahaha, as expected, nothing can be hidden from obaa-chan. But… obaa-chan, are you not against it?"
Facing Yumi's calm eyes, Mana imdiately had the illusion that she had been seen through. She could not help smiling awkwardly.
"When Origami-nee said she wanted to join the military, you opposed it so strongly. Yet with , you agreed so readily? To be honest, for a mont I almost wondered whether I was not really your child— Ow!"
"Silly girl… Which one of you is really my child?"
Yumi flicked Mana's forehead angrily, then sighed and explained helplessly.
"How many years do you think I have been looking after all of you…? Since the first ti you went to fight for justice against delinquents in middle school, I had a feeling this day would co. As for why I agreed… it is because I am afraid you will follow the bad example Origami started. An old woman like cannot handle that kind of tantrum."
Hearing that, Mana quickly waved her hands.
"No, no! I would not be unreasonable like Origami-nee. If obaa-chan disagrees, I naturally will not do it."
…
"Achoo! Achoo! Achoo—"
After sneezing several tis uncontrollably, Tobiichi Origami, who was currently on patrol, muttered in slight confusion.
"Is the weather getting colder? Or is soone speaking ill of ?"
…
"No, you would. And you would be even more stubborn than Origami."
Yumi shook her head and said with complete certainty.
Hearing that, Mana imdiately felt a little unconvinced. But just as she prepared to refute it, Yumi continued.
"Perhaps… you would not make as direct a scene as Origami. But you would pretend to accept my suggestion, then still act according to your own thoughts in private. From then on, you would avoid the important parts whenever this matter ca up. Otherwise, think back… Did I approve of your earliest ally of justice acts ?"
"Ugh…"
Mana guiltily looked away, unable to argue.
"Honestly… You and that child truly are cut from the sa cloth. Once you decide sothing is right in your heart, no amount of persuasion can pull you back…"
Seeing Yumi about to enter lecture mode, Mana helplessly raised her hands in surrender.
"All right, all right, I admit defeat. Obaa-chan, please do not tease anymore."
After that, although the original purpose had already been achieved, Mana still gave Yumi a detailed explanation of the situation at her request.
"I see… So that is why the delinquents in this area see you as their boss?"
Yumi calmly nodded, seemingly unsurprised by this developnt.
"Mm. If I simply teach the delinquents a lesson, they may quiet down for a while at most, and then continue doing whatever they want sowhere I cannot see. If I beco their leader, I can supervise them and make them turn over a new leaf. That way, the town's public safety should also improve a lot…"
After stating the excuse she had prepared just in case, Mana looked at Yumi with a sowhat strange expression.
"Although it feels odd for to say this… Obaa-chan, are you really not against it?"
"Really… I am not lying to you."
Seeing Mana's suspicious gaze, Yumi nodded with a wry smile.
"How should I put it…? I can tell that whenever Mana goes to school and cos ho, you always look bored and tired. But only when you go out to 'stand up for others' do you look truly full of life…"
As she spoke, Yumi smiled and sighed, looking at Mana with eyes that seed to see through everything.
"Mana… Do you truly only want to help those people return to the right path?"
"I…"
Facing Yumi's question, Mana fell silent.
To be honest, Takamiya Mana's school life was not bad.
She was easygoing, helpful, had excellent athletic ability, and her grades were also decent. She was popular with both boys and girls her age.
However, Mana could not find a goal there that she truly wished to pursue.
To her, whether it was middle school or high school, she was rely fulfilling an obligation by matching the pace of the ordinary people around her.
As for the future, whether it was further education or employnt, neither interested her much.
Honestly, when she was in middle school, she had once been invited to join clubs like the kendo club and participate in competitions.
But soon, she realized that her own strength defied common sense.
If she stayed there, not only would she be unable to find an opponent on equal footing, she would also be unable to enjoy the fun of competition. On the contrary, she would discourage the other mbers who trained hard.
How should she treat this "abnormality" of hers?
Mana often asked herself that.
This was the inertia left behind by her forgotten past.
Perhaps the old her once had a goal or wish that required this power to accomplish. But now, it only made her feel out of place among those around her.
On the other hand, sowhere deep in Mana's heart, she also did not want to give up this connection to her past.
Perhaps because of that, she wanted to get involved in trouble and, through upholding good and punishing evil, give herself a proper reason to accept this abnormality.
[Good and evil are not decided by the sword, but by the samurai who wields it.]
(In other words, if I choose to maintain the current situation, then in essence, I am still being controlled by the "sword".)
The famous line from the period drama flashed through her mind.
Mana finally understood why obaa-chan had not stopped her.
She also understood where the hesitation and conflict in her heart had co from.
Perhaps, because her subconscious understood that she could not go on like this forever, Mana had wanted to use the delinquents' invitation as a conclusion.
"All right… I admit it. For , the ti after school truly does feel more aningful and real than the ti I spend in school. If those delinquents did not exist, then I… might one day have beco sothing similar."
After letting out a long breath, Mana looked directly into Yumi's eyes and said that.
"But what I said earlier was not a lie. Since I have decided this, I will definitely do what I say. I will supervise those delinquents, make them turn away from evil, and guide them toward an ordinary life."
"Mm… I understand."
Yumi nodded in relief, stroked Mana's head, and smiled.
"When you succeed… rember to bring obaa-chan to et your new friends."
———————
"Have you heard? The 'Bamboo Sword Master' who rules all the gangs in this area."
"What's that? So urban legend?"
"No, it's true. It happened to my brother. Back then, he was extorted by delinquents on his way to school, and it was the Bamboo Sword Master who helped him. Later, with absolute strength and personal charisma, she brought all the delinquents in this area under her command. In just a few years, she rapidly expanded her sphere of influence. The most amazing ti was when she charged alone into a neighboring gang's arms deal. Surrounded by dozens of gun wielding n, she crossed through the hail of bullets with only a bamboo sword and cut down every enemy with ease. Since then, every delinquent and gang in this area has obeyed her every word…"
"That's way too exaggerated. Your brother's ssing with you, right?"
"Of course it's true. Haven't you noticed that public safety has clearly gotten better these past few years?"
The idle conversation of passersby drifted past her ears.
Origami glanced over without changing her expression, then silently continued her patrol in the police car.
After passing through an intersection, Origami spotted Takamiya Mana in front of a rather remote convenience store.
Compared to when she was in middle school, the girl had changed sowhat in height, appearance, and aura.
That forr forcefulness and fearlessness had faded. In its place was a restrained calmness and an easygoing air.
An old bamboo sword rested at her side. Mana was chatting quite harmoniously with several sowhat delinquent looking students.
"I see. I had no idea that popular period drama had a manga collaboration."
"I happen to have the complete manga set at ho. If you want to read it, Boss, I can lend it to you."
"Call sensei! How many tis have I told you? Also, do not think that saying that will make go easy during club training."
"Ehh…"
Afterward, seemingly noticing Origami's gaze, Mana smiled and shrugged. She stood up and urged the students along.
"All right, all right. Break ti ends here. If you go to school now, you can still make it in ti for the last class. If any teachers or parents ask, say that you were out running errands for . Also, do not forget morning practice tomorrow. Otherwise, you will have one on one special training with !"
Hearing that, the students suddenly stood up straight and answered loudly,
"Yes, Boss!"
"Ah, I told you already…"
Watching the students leave, Mana shook her head helplessly.
Then she turned around and greeted Origami.
"Good afternoon, Origami-nee. Thank you for your hard work."
Origami raised an eyebrow and said expressionlessly,
"You too, Bamboo Sword Master."
Mana's expression imdiately stiffened, and she lowered her head in frustration.
"Ah… Spare . I already retired and beca a teacher, so why are there still so many exaggerated rumors and titles?"
"If not for that, I would be wondering whether you really planned to join the yakuza… I do not want to personally put a mber of my family in prison."
"Self defense! It was self defense! At the ti, I only asked them to apologize to my friend. Who knew I would happen to walk into such an awkward scene…"
Seeing Mana clutch her head in distress, Origami's serious expression softened a little, and she gave a faint laugh.
"All right, I was joking. Were those your students just now?"
Mana lowered her shoulders weakly and answered helplessly.
"Mm. Students from the kendo club. It seems they felt suffocated at school, so they skipped class. I followed them here to persuade them to go back."
"You seem to get along with them quite well."
"I suppose so… Though so parents often think I am physically punishing students."
Mana smiled and shrugged, not taking it too seriously.
After hearing that, Origami thought for a mont and asked very seriously,
"If you do not want to be a teacher… with your skills, you could perhaps beco a police officer?"
Hearing that, Mana was first stunned, then smiled bitterly and shook her head.
"Thank you, Origami-nee. But I am used to being free and loose. I do not like eating governnt als. I really cannot get used to work where I have to watch important people's expressions and act against my conscience."
"Why do you have that kind of prejudice against the police…"
After sighing helplessly, Origami did not insist. She returned to the car and continued her patrol.
"All right— I'll check the condition of the remaining students and then head back to school— Mm?"
Suddenly, a black figure charged toward her.
Mana dodged like lightning. A large, sturdy dog ran past her without looking back, fleeing far into the distance.
But it was not only that.
The sparrows on the utility poles, the goldfish in the shop's fish tank, the stray cats resting under the eaves—all the animals in the town seed to have beco restless and uneasy.
"They are… afraid of sothing?"
Looking at the strange scene before her, Mana felt confused.
Yet for so reason, a sense of sadness and unease also rose in her heart. (TL:ahhh)
"I hope… it is only my imagination."
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