Chapter 6: Weekly Checkup

Chapter 6: Weekly Checkup

"…look."

I held up my hands and showed them to Kaede.

Silver crucifixes hung from both of my bracelets and reflected the light of the room’s fluorescent lamps.

"There’s no way I could use this ability in public."

Or rather, even if it were not in public, I wouldn’t be able to use it. I didn’t want to use it.

"Well, that’s true."

She probably already knew what I was going to say. Kaede placed her finger over her lips and smiled faintly.

"If you used that ability in my team, as the leader, I would also end up being treated as a pervert."

"Don’t say things you already understand."

"This is also part of your checkup. You need to make sure you never lose your resistance towards using that ability."

Kaede sat down on the bed and took my hand as she reminded me.

She gently removed my bracelets and then pressed the back of my hand against her own forehead while closing her eyes.

Kaede’s skin, despite its snowy whiteness, had a warmth and softness to it that was unique to girls. Her hair, which had a texture that made me want to feel it forever, was smooth against my hand. No matter how many times she did this checkup, I couldn’t get used to it. It was a little too stimulating for me.

"…Hey, I’ve been wondering for a while now but do these checkups need us to be so close to each other?"

"It’s the best way for me to make a more accurate diagnosis. I have no choice."

Kaede replied without delay.

Well, if Kaede said so, it must be so. There’s no other reason for Kaede to stick so closely to me.

"…alright, there’s no change in your inner seal this week either."

After a short time, Kaede put the bracelet back on and let go of my hand. It seemed like this week’s checkup had been successfully completed.

"Just to confirm, have you been hearing the ‘voice’ outside of bed?"

"I haven’t. Even in my dreams, I have no clue what it’s saying."

"Okay, so it’s still the same. That’s good, but you can’t let your guard down. If anything changes, contact me immediately."

"I know. After all, it’s a curse that not even that bastard foster father could remove."

I gazed down at the bracelets’ crucifixes.

Kaede seemed to be satisfied with my words and so without any particular sarcasm, stood up and said, "Well, this is the end of this week’s checkup."

As I was about to also stand up and head back to class, Kaede stopped at the infirmary’s entrance, looked back at me, and muttered, "Oh, right."

There was a faint sadistic smile on her face.

"You should hurry up and turn in your team application unless you want to be my luggage carrier. Including you, there aren’t many first-years left who haven’t turned in their application."

Kaede told me while fiddling around with her phone. Professional exorcists like her apparently had the ability to access information managed by the Society.

"The only ones left at this point are troublemakers. Wouldn’t it be better to just be my sla–… luggage carrier?"

No, I don’t think so. I mean, you were just about to say slave instead of luggage carrier there, weren’t you?

"At any rate, all of them are better than you, even if they’re troublemakers."

Kaede’s expression as she inspected what appeared to be the profiles of the leftover students momentarily clouded.

I looked at the device to see if there was anything strange. However, there was nothing there.

"What are you doing?"

Kaede looked at me with disdain in her eyes for some reason.

"The Society’s information has language-based spirit restrictions placed on it. It’s impossible for someone like you who doesn’t even have a temporary license to read or be shared this information. This is supposed to be common knowledge… I can’t blame you for having terrible practical skills but you’re not skipping classroom lectures, are you?"

"N-nah, I only peeked because I was feeling a bit curious, you know?"

I hoped that the information controlled by the Society didn’t include the classroom grades of students.

Kaede briefly gave me an icy stare.

"Well, whatever. I’ll let you off for today."

Eventually, her sadistic smile reappeared,

"After all, next week, I’m going to teach you so many things, even if you don’t want it. My slave."

As I watched Kaede walk out of the infirmary, I thought.

–I have to find a decent and safe teammate as soon as possible.