Chapter 38: Unfamiliar Hostility

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“What’s wrong, Yuto-sensei? Why did you suddenly stop talking?”

“Ah, n-nothing. The bread was a bit dry.”

He gave an awkward smile, then picked up water and frantically gulped it down.

It was only after the other party left that he finally had the chance to ask the question he had been hesitating over in his heart.

“Roya, can I… reveal the matter of me being the giant?”

Reveal the relationship between you and me?

“Mm… Of course, I don’t want everyone to know. I just want to use this to tell my student one fact, and at the same time explain to her why I left without saying goodbye that day.”

He spoke with some complexity in his heart.

The other party fell somewhat silent after hearing that, which made Kagami Yuto, who was waiting for its response, grow more and more uneasy.

I’m sorry, Yuto. Please allow me to be unable to keep the same opinion as you on this matter.

“Ah, it’s fine. I was actually just saying it casually…”

Even so, I still want to tell you the reason why I refuse.

Roya’s voice became solemn and serious.

At present, I still don’t know what you humans think of me as Ultraman. Rashly exposing my existence can easily invite unknown risks. That’s what I’ve always been worried about.

Moreover, that fellow holding the Evil Beast Lock is still hiding in your city. If it learns your identity, it’s hard to guarantee it won’t target you. What I mean is, this will become your weakness.

“Weakness…”

Yes. Every person you care about may fall into crisis because of this. This is unavoidable.

Upon hearing that, he finally understood the other party’s meaning.

Becoming the hero who saves the world cannot bring more of a sense of security to the people around you.

On the contrary, enemies will target the people you care about even more.

This is also why heroes are often lonely.

Thinking of this, he let out a long sigh.

I feel you care a lot about that girl, Yuto.

“Ah, yes… Because she was the first person to seek my help after I became a teacher. And now that I’ve become a giant, although I’ve saved many people, the only one I haven’t been able to help is her…”

“I even caused her harm, just because my heart has always been loaded with the majority of people. Someone like me… it’s really hard not to feel guilty toward her.”

“Do you understand this feeling, Roya-san?”

So that’s how it is… Sorry, Yuto. I… didn’t know before that you’ve been struggling with this in your heart. As Ultraman, I still don’t understand human emotions well enough.

“It’s fine. This was originally a problem I have to face alone anyway.”

He forced a smile.

By now, Kagami Yuto was very clear about the so-called price of becoming a hero.

Giving without seeking any return, only acting because he wanted to save others.

At the same time, he also had to be prepared to endure all condemnation.

After all, not everyone would necessarily approve of his choices.

The only thing he could do was do what he himself believed was right.

Understanding all this, he knew he could no longer continue to evade.

Even if he could not find an explanation that would completely convince her, he still had to face her directly and apologize for his actions at the time.

Thus, in the afternoon he walked to the door of her classroom, but somewhat unexpectedly the classroom was completely empty.

Coming to his senses, he glanced at the class schedule and realized that everyone in her class should have gone to physical education class.

And today just happened to be Thursday, the time for the weekly swimming class.

So he made his way to the school swimming pool.

Here, he finally saw the figure he had been searching for all along.

But because she was in class time, he could only watch from a great distance.

The girl was wearing a navy-blue one-piece swimsuit that clung to the curves of her body.

The name tag on her chest was written with an elegant name.

Because she had not gone into the water for training, her jasmine-white slightly wavy long hair hung down her back, making her stand out quite dazzlingly among the many students.

This was also why he could lock onto her at a glance.

At this moment Kagami Yuto felt like a pervert, peeking at someone from afar yet not daring to go forward.

On the other side, Tsukimi Ryuune, resting by the poolside, inexplicably felt a trace of discomfort from being watched.

She only felt she was overthinking it.

After all, gazes like this were not few in the swimming pool.

As the most well-known aloof JK in all of Suzuran High School, her popularity among the boys had never been low.

For example, at this moment, the moment there was a chance for her to wear a swimsuit, the gazes of the boys in class wished they could stick to her the entire time.

Fortunately she had long since grown accustomed to this.

Just when she thought this was an ordinary swimming class no different from usual, some unexpected developments occurred simply because of the arrival of a stranger.

“Everyone get out and line up! I have something to say!”

A whistle sounded, and the students in the pool all climbed ashore upon hearing it.

Tsukimi Ryuune boredly glanced over.

Yet it was this one glance that let her see a scene she had never expected.

A tall senior girl with a somewhat familiar face was now standing beside the PE teacher in a swimsuit, carrying undisguised pride in her brows toward the group of underclassmen.

“Today I’ve invited a senpai from the swimming club to demonstrate and teach you. This is a rare opportunity. You all remember to grasp it well.”

“First introduce yourself.”

As the words fell, the PE teacher left the speaking to her with a very appreciative gaze.

“Hello, underclassmen. I am Sato Iri from the swimming club.”

“Sato Iri… Wait, this name, is it that Sato-senpai who just took first place in the city-wide high school swimming competition a while ago?!”

“It’s true! I was wondering why she looked so familiar. Today I actually get to see her in person!”

“Having the champion ace of the swimming club teach us swimming? A-am I dreaming?!”

Facing the successive exclamations and praises from below the stage, Sato Iri only smiled lightly.

But her gaze could not help but also pay attention to that figure far from the crowd.

Just then, the other party’s gaze also turned toward this place.

The two of them made eye contact across the distance like this.

“Isn’t that student coming to train? Why is her hair still down?”

In front of the many students below the stage, she pointed her out without mercy.

Somewhat surprised by the swimming club ace’s imposing manner and directness, the classmates who were in the same class as Tsukimi Ryuune naturally also watched the show with curiosity.

Tsukimi Ryuune naturally heard it as well, but she did not want to pay the other party any mind.

She only used a single thought to control the PE teacher to go up and explain for her.

“Tsukimi-san has her period today and isn’t suitable to enter the water, so just let her rest on the shore.”

“Is that so? She has her period.”

“And teacher, what did you just say her name was?”

“Hm? Sato-san, are you asking for Tsukimi-san’s name?”

“Teacher, you said her surname is Tsukimi…”

“Mm, her name is Tsukimi Ryuune.”

“Is that so? Tsukimi… Ryuune.”

Upon hearing that, Tsukimi Ryuune saw that the gaze the other party cast toward her, besides curiosity, had added a trace of icy hostility.

This left her quite puzzled.

But what she understood even less was the other party’s next words.

“So what if she has her period? When I have my period I still persist in training. Otherwise how could I possibly have the results I have today?”

Tsukimi Ryuune was a little speechless.

Even knowing the other party was deliberately mocking her, holding to the principle that there was no need to bicker with a mortal, she still chose to ignore her if she could, treating her as nothing more than a talkative crow.

“Mm… Tsukimi-san’s body has never been very good from birth. The school doctor’s advice is also to have her try not to do too much strenuous exercise.”

The PE teacher explained for her from the side.

“Heh, it really is full of young-lady style, born so delicate and precious.”

As the words fell, Sato Iri’s gaze became more and more provocative.

“Tsukimi-san, the other classmates in your class are all seriously taking class. Only you are slacking off on the side. How can you feel at ease about it? Or is it that you’ve long since grown used to this superiority that’s different from ordinary people?”

Upon hearing that, Tsukimi Ryuune’s brows furrowed.