The week flew by in a blur.
　Without much change, I taught swords to Iris and Aria in addition to my teaching duties.
　However, they are very skilled by nature.
　Within three days, they had reached a level where they could take my sword techniques to some extent.
　Of course, the strength of Iris and Aria does not have to be perfected, nor do I expect it to be in such a short time.
　What they needed was at least enough strength to defend themselves against the Swordsmen.

(Well, I guess it's time to go.)

　I was waiting for Iris at the back gate of the school.
　Waiting in front of the girls' dormitory would be too conspicuous, so I decided to sneak out through the less popular side.
　As it was the Sabbath, there would be students around the school.
　I decided to leave the area around the school at an early hour.
　After a while, Iris comes running towards me.

"Sorry to keep you waiting.
I'm in no hurry, don't worry. But it's refreshing to see you in plain clothes.
"......, is that weird?

　My words were met with a concerned look from Iris.
　She has long hair tied back and is dressed in a beige color with a relaxed atmosphere.
　While many people wear their school uniforms out of style, Iris always wears hers in a serious manner. She always wears her clothes seriously.

No, it suits you very well.
Oh, thank you.

　I'm not sure what to say, but I'm sure you'll understand.
　It's a good idea to have a good idea of what you're looking for.
　You can find a lot of people who are looking for the best way to get the most out of their life.

You are wearing your usual ...... attire, aren't you, Schweizer?
I've only got my knight's formal wear and my teacher's work clothes.
"Well, that's not much, is it?
It's not a problem, I'm a workaholic.

　Of course, I'm a fake workaholic. Of course, I'm a fake workaholic, because my original goal was to make money and drop out early.
　I feel like I've gotten very far from my goal, though.
　In any case, these days I'm even finding a little enjoyment in teaching and swordplay.

(I wonder if it would actually be profitable to have a one-on-one class with the 《Kensei》 class. ...... As expected, I won't do it, but...)
　
　Calling yourself a 《Kensei》 is not something that you would do.

"Excuse me, sir?
"Oh, I'm sorry. I'll be back. But first, Aria-san...
Here.

　It was Aria who appeared from behind Iris.
　She was completely hidden behind Iris and had no presence. As usual, the word "unseen" suits her well.
　Aria's clothes were black in color and relatively loose in size.
　However, there is a slight sound of metal scraping as she moves.
　I could tell that she was hiding something in her sleeves or in the loose-fitting clothes.

Good morning, Doctor. Let's get going.
"Hey, Aria!　You're supposed to be providing logistical support!

　Iris shouted in surprise.
　Of course, the enemy would notice us if we acted in large numbers.
　In order to keep the number as small as possible, I had originally planned to lure them in with just me and Iris.
　If Aria was going to be part of the mission, she should have been in a position to keep an eye on things from a distance.

I'm sure you'll be happy to hear that.
"I appreciate the sentiment, but ......
Is that okay, doctor?

　Aria stood in front of me.
　Aria was rather forceful in her requests for fights and sword practice.
　Of course, I could understand her concern for her friend Iris.
　Besides, to put it bluntly, there is not much difference between the three of us. It's not like we are a large group.
　Well, you have to protect not only Iris, but also Aria in case of emergency.

(...... is actually better than engaging in a fight away from home, right?
I'm not sure what to say. I'm sure the three of us will be fine.
"Yeah, yeah, ......?
"A date for three.

　In spite of Iris's confusion, Aria is not afraid to say words that are not good to be heard by others.
　I'm not sure if you've seen this before, but I'm sure you've seen it before.
　I'm still a twelve-year-old kid.

In the event that you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us. It's a good idea to keep in mind that there are basically only three of us in this operation: me, Iris, and Aria.
"...... I understand. Aria, if you think it's dangerous, back off immediately, okay?　The swordsman's target is me.
There's no way I'm going to back down if I know that. I'm the one who's going to take down those who are after Iris.
You're very dependable, Aria. But please don't do anything rash. Of course, I will do my best to protect the two of them - no, I will work with them to fight, but it's a world where a single blow can kill you.



　The fight with Azuma and Fault could have been fatal if I made a mistake.
　I'm going to try to avoid that, but you never know what might happen in a real fight.
　A slip on the landing, or a delayed reaction depending on your physical condition--such trivial events can kill you in a fight.
　After a defeat, there is often no time for regret.

"Of course, I understand that. I'm not going to let that happen either.

　I'm not going to be like that either." Iris replied with a serious expression, a complete change from the previous question.
　It's probably a good thing that Iris can switch gears so quickly, but her words had a certain weight to them.
　It's as if she's had that experience before.
　If there is any ......, it is related to the death of Iris's father.
　I'm a little curious about it, but I think it's best not to ask now.
　I don't want to disturb Iris' concentration by asking something inappropriate.

So, where are we going?
"Well... We have a final destination in mind, but it's obviously too suspicious to go there right off the bat, so we'll take some detours to get there. As for our plans in the meantime, we haven't decided on anything specific, so you two can go wherever you want.
"Oh, so that's how it's going to be, ......?
I'm not familiar with that kind of thing, so I don't know. I'm not familiar with that kind of thing.
"You're the youngest.
You're right, but I'm sorry.

　I usually spend my days working.
　My hobby is working out and training - this has not changed since my previous life.
　However, these days, I often spend my days off slacking off.
　I would like to find a hobby that I can get into eventually.

If that's the case, why don't you go to ...... and buy some clothes for your teacher first?　You said you only have work clothes.
It doesn't have to be based on my standards, but ...... a clothing store might be a good choice.
Let's go to the clothing store first.

　Aria leads the way.
　It's just the way I like to spend my Sabbath.
　It's a good way to relax before going into battle.

Aria, do you know where the clothing store is?
Hmm, it's just around the corner.
That's a very Aria way of choosing a store.

　I started walking behind Aria, who was going ahead of me, alongside Iris.