Novel Bin
Chapter 430
Chapter 430. [Back In Japan]
When I returned to Japan, the only one who came to greet me was my mother.
On one hand, it felt lonely... but on the other, I figured it made sense since we’d been together nonstop until a week ago.
Plus, everyone else is super busy right now—it can’t be helped.
They’re probably more frustrated about not being able to come to the airport than I am.
《Well then, Iroha. I’ll be leaving here.》
《Yeah, see ya~》
I also said goodbye to Anguog.
She’s apparently got a hectic schedule ahead as she starts her full-fledged activities in Japan.
And so...Sigh
“Mmm~~~~! I’m hooome~! It’s been so long, my own house~!”
“Welcome back.”
Relaxing in my childhood home for the first time in half a year, I stretch my back with a groan. For better or worse, this house... no, Japan itself just feels comforting.
["Hmm? Who’re youuu?"]
“Ohhh, long time no see, buddy. Urri-urrii~”
The cat—no longer a kitten, grown too big to call one—comes down the stairs, its collar bell jingle-jangling. It sniffs around my feet warily.
“Ah, you totally forgot me. ’C’mon, I’m your boss! Show some respect!’”
["......Take this!"]
“GYAH!?”
Thinking it had forgotten me, I tried to reestablish the hierarchy... only to get pounced on the next second.
The cat dove straight into my face, the impact sending me tumbling back with a THUD!
["Hmph! I’m stronger!"]
“Huh!? Y-you little—! You’re dead meat~!”
I chased it angrily but couldn’t catch it no matter what.
It kept darting around, evading me effortlessly...
“Hah... hah... F-fine! I’ll let you off easy today!”
“...My daughter just lost to a cat.”
“Sh-shut up! I didn’t lose!”
Exhausted, I collapsed face-first onto the living room sofa.
My mother looked at me like I was some pitiful creature... S-stop staring!
“Oh yeah, Mom, what about Ah-nee?”
“Ahko-chan said work’s been busy.”
Figures.
She’d returned ahead of me to wrap up piled-up recordings.
“And Mai and Ilyena-chan...?”
“You already know, don’t you?”
“......Yeah.”
I hugged a cushion and buried my face in it.
My mother spoke softly.
“Did you... also want to take the exams?”
She asked in the past tense.
Because today was... the exam day for the girls’ high school Mai, Ilyena, and I had promised to attend together.
“It’s fine, I get it. It couldn’t be helped. After all...”
“—The application deadline was long over.”
Yeah, I came back too late.
Too late to make it in time for Japan’s exam season.
Too late to keep my promise with Mai and Ilyena. Our dream of going to the same high school—won’t come true.
“......I see.”
“Ugh, why are you the one getting all depressed?”
“...S-sorry. It’s just... you worked so hard for everyone, for the world, and now it feels like you’re not getting anything in return...”
“Aah, c’mon, no crying!”
Hesitating for just a moment... I reached out and patted my mother’s head.
Gently, like soothing a child.
“Besides, it’s not like I can’t go to high school.”
“Oh right, your school’s a combined middle-high, wasn’t it?”
So I could still advance to its high school via the escalator system. Never thought my middle school exams would come in handy like this.
“But, Mom... I—”
“Ah, right!”
Just as I was about to voice my resolve, Mom suddenly perked up.
Tilting my head, she continued.
“Your school teacher called. Said to contact them once you’re back in Japan. I think it was your English teacher... the one who helped arrange your study abroad.”
“Huh?”
What’s this about?
I called the contact I’d exchanged before leaving—
***
《Long time no see, sensei.》
《Iroha! ...Ahh, I’m so glad. Really glad you made it back safe.》》
From the other end, I heard a voice thick with relief.
It’d been months since we last spoke.
He’d been my examiner for middle school entrance, taught the advanced English class, even arranged my overseas school...
I owed him so much.
《Sorry, sensei. You went through all that trouble for my study abroad, and I barely even attended.》
《No, no, that wasn’t your fault! Though, as a teacher, it’s a bit disappointing. You could’ve gotten into any high school, no question.》
《You’re overestimating me.》
《Not at all... Actually, they pressured me from above—‘If you don’t nurture a prodigy like Iroha properly, you know what’ll happen, right?’—and strong-armed the whole study abroad thing... Then everything went sideways, and my stomach’s been... urghhh》
《Uh... I’m really sorry.》
《Nah, that’s just how elite private schools are. Exceptional students take priority over teachers. If you’d said, ‘I hate this teacher,’ I’d probably have been replaced instantly.》
《I-I’d never say that!?》
So that’s why he’d been so devoted—even offering his own home as a homestay before Anguog’s family took me in.
What a ruthless world.
But... maybe it’s just how things are.
By then, the school likely knew I was a hyperpolyglot and a VTuber.
Ah regular teacher vs. a Nobel Prize-level student...
Yeah, no contest.
《So, what’s next? You missed Japan’s exams—are you heading overseas? With your skills, skipping grades wouldn’t be hard, and language isn’t an issue...》
《Ah, no.》
《I see, so internal advancement? I can put in a word with the high school’s English teachers—》
《Sorry, not that either.》
《Huh!? Then...》
《Right. I’ve decided not to attend any high school.》
《...!?》
With that, I firmly declared the resolution I’d been about to share with my mother moments ago.
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