Their schedule for the seconday of their field trip was basically to see the sights of Nara, Kyoto. That’s why the first stop of their bus was Nara Park, one of Nara Prefecture’s most popular scenic spot.
Just like when they visited the Tokyo Tower, the students scattered as they walked from the parking area.
Some headed straight for the park, some found themselves lost in the sights, and some found themselves caught in the souvenir shops.
“Oh, this is… pretty good. It makes my heart beat faster for some reason,” Frire said.
Of course, that included the teaching staff, but Shinichi was stunned when he saw her like that, though it should be pointed out that he himself had already opened two boxes of the steamed buns being sold at the souvenir store.
“Are you a middle school boy!?”
“Oww!?”
As he swallowed the last bun, he smacked Frire from the back of her head to make her sane again.
In her hands was a stereotypical souvenir for school field trip, a wooden sword.
Here was a teacher in a suit, holding a wooden sword with cheeks slackened from joy.
Fortunately or unfortunately, her former profession actually made such a picture strangely appropriate.
“I was wondering what souvenir you would be looking for so intently, and that’s what it turned out to be? Fine, I’ll buy you enough for a few people. Just watch as everyone looks at you weirdly.”
“Erm… I can’t help it, I noticed it from the corner of my eye, and I just…”
“You just what? Hmm?”
She was a teacher and the sword saint herself, but she was so timid when Shinichi glared at her with suspicion.
Her eyes swam, but from the way she glanced at him repeatedly, she seemed to be asking him for permission.
She gave off the allure of an adult woman, but her attitude was the just like that of a child.
It was a sight that made one wonder who exactly between the two was the adult. For the record, Shinichi was only acting like this because he knew there were no people nearby related to the academy.
Though to be doubly safe, he also positioned himself at the back.
“Sigh… It’s up to you what you want to buy, but be sure to buy some proper souvenirs, okay?”
“R-Right! Of course!”
When Shinichi told her that amidst sighs, Frire’s expression sparkled. It was as though she had taken that to be him giving her permission.
She happily went to the register and quickly settled the bill.
It seemed as though she just purchased some other nearby random food item on top of the wooden sword, but Shinichi chose to turn a blind eye to that.
Truly, it was a mystery who between them was the adult.
“Fudonecchi is kind of childish when she’s with you, isn’t she, Icchi?” Myuhi said.
“Not ‘kind of’, she is. As a result, I keep unintentionally trying to stretch myself taller, and it’s really tiring… I have to relax from time to time,” Shinichi said.
As usual, a certain fox girl by the name of Myuhi appeared out of nowhere, so Shinichi turned around and responded to her as though nothing could be more normal.
She wasn’t pleased by that, but she didn’t say anything and just watched as their teacher struggled to pay with real money.
What was really troubling was that aside from Frire’s body and her speech and conduct when acting as a teacher or a soldier, the word ‘child’ was too fitting a word.
“You sure are nice to your
“…It’s probably just compensation since the real thing isn’t possible.”
Myuhi was just joking, but Shinichi’s response was a tone heavier than usual.
She looked up at him in surprise, only to see him looking at her with distrust.
But that expression quickly transformed into shock as he went quiet.
Apparently, he didn’t meant to say that out loud, or at least, that’s what she believed.
“…Why does it feel like I’m being unjustly suspected? Even though the most suspicious one is the ever lazy Icchi?”
“I know, I know, just leave me be… It’s incurable.”
From how timid his response was and the way he looked away with a ‘hmph’, that remark of hers might have hit a sore spot.
Though the last few words he said might have been less timid and more resignation.
‘He’s so childish,’ Myuhi laughed.
“In that case, it must be terminal! But you know, this is no different from yesterday. No matter what you think, Fudonecchi is really happy, so isn’t it fine?” She said.
Shinichi frowned because he had no words to rebut with.
People were free to feel however they wanted regarding his actions, and he didn’t have any right to say anything about that regardless what his motives were.
“…I feel like you’re starting to understand how to deal with me.”
“Ahaha, it’s your imagination, really. Hey, let’s go. Since we’re at Nara Park, we have to be chased around by a herd of deer!”
“I’m pretty sure that’s not how you’re meant to have fun.”
Shinichi denied with dismay the terribly wrong way of playing, but he couldn’t do so with confidence since this was his first time coming here, and he didn’t know what changes might have occurred in his 8 years of absence.
But of course, if she really were to do something of the sort, the deer would surely be the first to tire.
“Look! Deer crackers!” Frire said.
“Well, you sure are prepared… I feel like passing on this one, though,” Shinichi said.
Frire forcefully made him carry those deer crackers, but he could only shake his head despite being apologetic from the bottom of his heart.
“Hmm? Do you not like deer?” Myuhi asked.
“It’s not a question of like or dislike, but… How about going there instead?” Shinichi said.
“Hmm, you can’t be selfish now. Everything is a question of experience, you know? Now, come. Let’s go!” Frire said.
But Frire intentionally ignored his lack of enthusiasm, and she took the lead herself.
She seemed to be in a good mood because she was able to buy what she wanted. She happily pushed Shinichi from the back.
It wasn’t like her to be so forceful, but he could sense that she wanted him to enjoy the trip.
“…Okay, okay, don’t push. Sheesh…”
Shinichi complained, but in the end, he couldn’t put to waste her good intentions.
The fox girls on top of his head and beside him seemed to have picked up on his dilemma and chuckled.
“Fine, maybe I’ll try giving it my best. For the time being… Yeah.”
That’s why no one heard those words of resignation that sounded like he’s made up his mind.
As one might expect from one of the most popular tourist attractions, Nara Park had a huge crowd.
But it was easy to differentiate students from tourists.
Especially, the Garestonian students that moved about in confusion when they saw the natural park and the deer pasturing wherever they pleased.
By the way, the problem group yesterday was being led properly by Aristel today.
The three heaved a breath of relief when they saw them having fun, playing with the deer with crackers in one hand.
A lot of Earthlings had similar reactions because a lot of them weren’t familiar with places like this.
A world of nature within the city vast enough to fill one’s field of vision that captivated them and a herd of deer that they could play with.
It was a different sort of fun from the fun offered by a theme park.
“…So they really have been doing nothing but study,” Shinichi said.
“Seems like it. It’s how elites from any age are raised,” Myuhi said.
“Stop, you’ll make me sorry for those kids!”
Shinichi knew that a sight like this would be new to Garestonians since the world they lived in was not fit for human habitation.
Yet there should have still been several natural parks in Japan, albeit smaller.
The deer were of course rarely seen outside of zoos, but it wasn’t hard to go to one.
The reaction of students were partly because of the excitement from the trip, but at the same time, it could also be gleamed from that just how little experience they had with these sort of recreational activities.
Shinichi held a similar sentiment even during their time in Nyazdaland, though not as much.
It was only when he saw them having so much fun even in a place that was completely opposite the theme park that he finally realized just how inexperienced they were with this sort of stuff.
As a person from 8 years ago, he found that sad.
“Well… You are Icchi, after all,” Myuhi said.
“Did you stay out in the wild so long that you’re completely numb to this now?” Frire asked.
“A-ahahaha…” Shinichi said.
Meanwhile, Shinichi was the complete opposite.
As someone used to camping in another world, he was too familiar with nature and wild animals to still be affected.
Moreover, with his lack of reaction and the
After all, despite feeding the deer crackers, the deer refused to enter within a 5-meter radius around Shinichi.
They even seemed as though they were watching him warily from afar.
Alas, as far as Shinichi was concerned, a result like this could only have been expected.
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