Kays Translations

Chapter 16: Promises

We were silent for a while.

I walk next to her, carrying Nina-chan's school bag instead.

...... Awkward.

Nina-chan was looking down and depressed all the time with an embarrassed look on her face, and I didn't know how to talk to her at a time like this.

Can someone tell me what it is?

I don’t know to talk to girls in these situations.

As I was walking along, the light at the crosswalk turned red.

I stopped, and Nina-chan also stopped. At that moment, Nina-chan said in a voice that sounded as if it would be swallowed by the sound of cars on the road.

“Laugh, Itsuki…”

“Eh? Why?”

"Wah, when I'm in front of a monster, my head goes blank. I've never exorcised a monster. But I said I would win against you. I’m an idiot, aren't I?"

Nina-chan laughed to herself.

Well, this is quite a mental case, isn't it?

“I don't laugh so much at getting stuck in front of a monster, and I think it's normal for someone our age to have never exorcised a monster before."

“But you have have exorcised monsters.”

I'm reincarnated and I can't say I am so I faked it by saying, "I got lucky”.

After I said it, I thought, a situation where you have to exorcise a monster isn't luck, it's bad luck.

“I'm not really suited to be an exorcist. I know it. That's what mama has always told me.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes, that’s what mama said and that’s why she won’t teach me magic.”

That's a little unheard of.

Usually, an exorcist teaches his or her children magic and trains them to be physically fit so that they won't be attacked by monsters. This is because the children of exorcists, who are born with extraordinary magic power, are more likely to be targeted by monsters.

So, it seems strange that she doesn't teach her daughter magic.

“Yeah. My mom keeps telling me I don't have to study magic because I have no talent. When it comes to you, Itsuki, she simply says, 'Just marry Itsuki’.”

I heard something like that somewhere recently.

Who was it?

But I felt uncomfortable about the idea of marriage coming from someone so much younger than me, even though we were classmates, so I deflected the conversation.

“Who taught you magic, Nina-chan?”

“Mama. But the last time she taught me was a year ago.”

“Where's your father?”

“He’s not in the picture…”

Oh, no. I asked something unnecessary.

Every time I get into an awkward situation like this, I lament my poor communication skills.

“But I thought that if I beat you... surely mama would reconsider me and tell me that I had the talent to be an exorcist. Then she would teach me magic.”

The signal switched to green, and Nina-chan told me the depths of her heart in this way as she moved forward.

I see.

So that's what it was all about.

I thought back to her words at the entrance ceremony as I picked up Nina-chan's school bag as it began to slide down.

---『I've come here to win against you, Itsuki! 』

Those words, as if she was impatient or angry about something.

I’m sure those words were born from Nina-chan's impatience.

But if that's the case, I have one question.

“Hey, Nina-chan.”

“What is it? Itsuki.”

“Does wanting to know magic mean you want to become an exorcist?”

That's what it means to know magic.

You don't dare to go down a dangerous path yourself when you're stuck in front of a monster. I thought so and asked Nina-chan.

She shook her head.

“I want to become a great exorcist like mama and papa.”

“Being an exorcist means fighting monsters.”

“Of course I know that. That's why I was going to ask you for a favor.”

“What?”

“I want you to teach me how to exorcise monsters.”

Nina-chan's face was a little red and she turned her head away from me and I looked at her in surprise,

“Nevermind! Forget it!”

I was surprised to hear her say that, and she tried to cover it up by saying, "Forget it!”

“No, I'm not going to forget it that quickly. ...... Tell me properly, Nina-chan."

"Uh…”

Nina-chan said that, and then quietly got down on the ground.

Then she said again in a fading voice.

"It's weird to ask you how to exorcise monsters when I'm trying to win you, but you’re probably the only one who can teach me....”

Well, Nina-chan is right about that.

She can't learn from her mother, who is the closest exorcist to her, and there is only one exorcist who would be at our school, and he is short-staffed and part-time. I don't know if that's why, but I still haven't seen him since I entered the school. I doubt he even really exists, and there's no way she can ask him to teach her.

“So that’s why I taught you magic. I thought if I taught you, you would do me a favor.”

Wow, you're so honest.

I let out a breath as I listened to Nina's story.

“So, Itsuki. Laugh. I can't even exorcise monsters, and yet I'm trying to become an exorcist. I tried to beat you, even though I couldn't exorcise monsters. But I'm trying to win, and now I'm trying to get you to teach me magic."

“It's not funny.”

How am I supposed to laugh?

Because she is doing something very amazing.

She's not just going through the motions like I did in my previous life.

She is thinking, deciding, and moving forward on her own to fulfill her own desires, even if her methods are childish.

That is something I couldn’t do in my previous life.

It is what I want to do in this life.

That's why I think.

Nina-chan is amazing.

Her enthusiasm and her way of thinking are so dazzling to me.

I've been to school for a while now, and I'm glad I did. Oh, it's really just like my father and Renji-san said.

I'm glad I went to school.

So I made an effort to change the subject and said in a cheerful voice.

"Rather than that, ・do・it・will・you・”

“Huh? What?

“It’s a practice to exorcise monsters.”

"....You're not laughing?"

Why does she care so much about that?

“Yea. I won't laugh. I thought you were great, Nina-chan.”

"I'm amazing? Me? Why?”

“Why? Because you're trying to overcome what you're not good at, right? You’re working hard to achieve yout dreams. I'm not laughing.”

When I said that, Nina-chan said a small "Yes," and then fell silent.

So I continued.

“Besides, Nina-chan is very kind.”

“What? What's so kind about me?”

“Because you taught me magic.”

“No, I didn't. I wanted you to teach me how to exorcise monsters.”

“But you could have done what you wanted and not listened to my request me.”

“No, I wouldn't do that! I promised you that I wouldn't!”

“That's because you're so kind.”

I knew Nina wouldn’t accept it, though.

“I want to keep my promise just as you kept yours. Let's exorcise monsters and make your mom say, 'You have talent!’”

“..... Itsuki.”

She has gone to the trouble of teaching me foreign magic.

It showed me a new possibility of quick-fire shots..

If I don't return that much, I’m not repaying the favor!

At my words, Nina stopped, turned around, and laughed.

After she laughed, she suddenly became energetic.

“Yes. Just like you said. I'm going to have you teach me how to exorcise monsters and surprise mama!"

“Yes, let's do that!”

Seeing Nina-chan in such good spirits, I felt a bit relieved.

After all, Nina-chan looks better when she's cheerful than when she's depressed.

“Thanks, Itsuki.”

“You're welcome.”

Then it was 10 minutes heading home with Nina, who was feeling better.

“This is my house, Itsuki.”

Nina stopped at a rather large apartment building.

No, it's quite big. ......

Is this what you call a Tawaman?

Tawaman is an abbreviation for tower apartment, which is a condominium in a huge building.

But of course, as a commoner, I have no connection to tower apartments, and the only thing I know about them is that you can't cook rice well because of the air pressure. I don't even know if it is true.

...... But you live in a nice place, Nina-chan

I have heard that the rent is very expensive, but I guess an exorcist with a good paying job can afford to live there. I don't know.

She got home safely, it meant I was out of commission.

So I handed Nina-chan’s school bag to her.

“I'm glad you're feeling better, Nina-chan. Here is your school bag. See you at school.”

“Wait!”

I greeted Nina-chan after receiving her school bag and was about to leave when I was pulled by my school bag and almost fell backwards. Hey, this is the second time today!

“What's wrong...?"

“I'll offer you some tea since you came all this way!"

But I couldn't lose my temper with an elementary school student, so I asked her why she did it, and out of Nina-chan's mouth came words that I didn't think were the words of an elementary school student.

"Tea?”

“Tea.”

I see.

I see?

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