"Uh... actually I didn't just learn it this morning...", Unexpectedly stabbed in the back by Miura Yumiko the moment she let go, Nijika's face froze, and she muttered awkwardly.
"...", Ichinose Honami, who was an innocent bystander, also turned her head in embarrassment, not daring to explain anything.
She could say that Hachiman had taught until dawn last night and given them extra lessons for a long time.
"Yeah, what's up with Little Hiki?"
"Our usual grades aren't that great either. Talent should be higher for Marin and Yumiko, right?"
Pulling Gabriel's desk over and sitting side by side on the desks, Yuina, Minami, and Rin also found it strange.
They didn't think Little Hiki would single out Yumiko to bully or use this to manipulate her.
If Little Hiki really wanted to take advantage of Yumiko, they could just hold Yumiko's hands down. There were so many of them that even Marin could help hold her.
But they were also puzzled. If Nijika and Ichinose Honami got special tutoring from Little Hiki secretly, then Miura Yumiko and Kitagawa Marin also studied magic with them today, right?
Their study times weren't that different. How come they all learned a small spell, but Yumiko and Marin learned none of it?
"Magic aptitude and the learning aptitude you're talking about aren't the same thing."
Seeing their confusion about uneven progress in learning magic, Hachiman shook his head with a smile and explained.
"But, Yumiko, if you insist it's favoritism, maybe it is."
"The special shortcut to learning magic requires keeping a sufficiently intimate distance from me. The closer you are, the better the effect."
"Yumiko, what do you think sets you and Marin apart from the others?"
The Teaching Aura's effect was strong. Knowledge that only needed rote memorization from textbooks and not much understanding could be poured directly into their heads.
But magic requires manipulating mana, and the Teaching Aura alone wasn't enough for that.
When playing around, just wearing an Empathy Band or a Sympathy Wristband could let you experience the same kind of fun.
But such methods without real intimate contact could not fool the Teaching Aura.
How could Yumiko, who only tried superficially and refused to go further in bullying him, obtain the same degree of Teaching Aura enhancement?
"...", Miura Yumiko stared blankly at her good friend Kitagawa Marin, then looked at Yuina and Rin sitting on Hachiman's desk, unconcerned that their skirts were stepping on him, and suddenly realized something.
In an instant, her fair delicate cheeks flushed an intense red.
If this was that kind of favoritism, then she really couldn't say anything to Hachiman.
'But does learning magic have to be like that? This is way too embarrassing.'
'Isn't Hachiman deliberately being naughty?'
"No, what about Gabriel? Did you ruin her like you did Ichinose?"
Miura Yumiko suddenly turned to stare at the empty seat between Hachiman and Ichinose Honami, fixing her eyes on the patch of pale pink fabric decorated with a red ribbon on the seat.
Most of the girls in the back row had been targeted by Hachiman. Besides her and Marin, only Gabriel hadn't been affected.
At first Gabriel had still been sitting in class paying attention, ignoring the commotion from Yuina, Minami, and Hachiman.
But after Hachiman finished teaching Yuina and the others, Gabriel disappeared.
In the end, she and Marin ended up suffering the consequences.
"That one of hers isn't magic... it's another, stronger ability. She can instantly teleport herself away, but it's sometimes unstable and she tends to lose things."
Hachiman signaled Ichinose Honami to help pack up Gabriel's school proof that had long since lost its warmth, then thought for a moment and, without revealing Gabriel's identity, explained vaguely.
Although Gabriel's angel identity wasn't exactly a secret, it was better to let Gabriel reveal it herself.
Otherwise his current behavior of dragging an angel to play with would be a bit too sinful.
"Tends to lose things...", Miura Yumiko gazed at Hachiman with suspicion, seriously doubting whether he was teasing her.
That was a girl's chastity. Something you could just throw away?
Hikigaya actually said it so lightly.
"By the way, it's already noon. Today Hachiman, are you eating here with us or going to the Service Club?"
Ichinose Honami quickly packed Gabriel's things and hurriedly interrupted Miura Yumiko's stare to change the subject.
Yumiko still hadn't fully joined them, and she didn't want to step forward and face Yumiko's pressure.
But if the argument continued, the heat might spread to her, so it was better to help put out the fire first.
They had studied all night yesterday and all morning today. If they kept learning, she felt she really wouldn't be able to digest any more.
"As for today... I plan to go to the library. I'll study something at the library and continue tutoring you next time."
Hachiman thought for a moment and chose neither to stay and eat with them nor to go to the Service Club, but to go to the library he rarely visited.
If the Service Club had a request, Yukinoshita Yukino could handle it herself or call him if needed.
But the library, he truly seldom went there.
He currently knew that Serizawa Yukiha, Sagisawa Fumika, and Tsukishima Sayo were there, and it wouldn't be surprising if other class inner-world heroines or outer-world heroines appeared.
He remembered Shiina Hiyori, who transferred from the Highly-Nurtured Middle School, was also a literature girl who liked to haunt libraries.
Ichinose Honami and Ichinose Ayano belonged to the Ichinose family. CLANNAD's Ichinose Kotomi also seemed to be a library regular.
But CLANNAD is set in a rural town; it wouldn't be odd if Sosu High didn't have Ichinose Kotomi.
"Excuse me... is Hikigaya-kun here?"
Before Hachiman stood up to head to the library, a figure with a crimson high ponytail, a well-behaved cute face, and a mature plump figure appeared at the back door of the classroom, cautiously searching for him.
'Hanamori Kotomi-sensei?'
Seeing this young teacher, popular among students, come looking for Hachiman, Miura Yumiko, Nijika, Kitagawa Marin, and Ichinose Honami all looked at Hachiman in unison.
Yuina, Minami, and Rin were also extremely surprised and gave Hachiman a thumbs-up.
No wonder he was their beloved Little Hiki.
"..."
Seeing everyone's reactions and the unspoken words in their eyes, Hachiman fell a little silent.
'Why are they all looking at me like that?'
'Why do they immediately assume I have a relationship with Hanamori Kotomi?"
He hadn't said anything. Everyone just saw Hanamori Kotomi come to look for him.
"What's wrong? Hanamori-sensei, did you run into some trouble?"
Seeing everyone's gazes, Hachiman knew explanation was useless and didn't intend to explain. He stood up and walked out of the classroom, somewhat surprised to see the young saintly-hearted teacher Hanamori Kotomi.
Hanamori Kotomi had endured a lot of shameful unseen things with him just yesterday. Normally she wouldn't come to see him again so soon.
Even if she had a problem, she would likely try to handle it on her own first. Seeing her come early this morning meant something serious had happened.
That delinquent student whose name he didn't remember had been dealt with by Ichinose. He even got the task reward Teaching Aura. There shouldn't be any threats around Hanamori Kotomi right now, right?
Or did Kashima Risako, who was also responsible for the convenience store incident, come looking for Hanamori Kotomi?
Yesterday Kashima Risako had followed him and Hanamori Kotomi, watching outside the student guidance room for a long time. He knew that, but hadn't paid it much mind.
With so many disciplinary committee members unable to catch him, was Kashima Risako, that blue-haired airhead teacher, really going to snag him?
"It's not me. I'm not in trouble. Um... do you know Ebihara Urara, the teacher who shares our office? It's her who's in trouble."
Hachiman's words made Hanamori Kotomi realize he'd misunderstood. She quickly shook her head and explained in a low voice, glancing left and right as if afraid others might hear.
"Hikigaya-kun, can you come with me to the student guidance room? I've told Urara to wait there. It's not convenient to talk here."
"Ebihara Urara? Sure, but you'll have to wait a bit."
Hachiman nodded thoughtfully, not immediately asking for details. He first returned to the classroom to ask Nijika for the contact info of Chisato from the cafe.
"Nijika, do you have that cafe clerk Nishikigi's contact info?"
"Nishikigi? Hachiman, you mean Chisato, right? I do, but why are you looking for her?"
Nijika stared at Hachiman, who had come back from talking with Hanamori Kotomi and immediately asked for Nishikigi Chisato's contact, and hesitated.
"I need to trouble Nishikigi for something. I'll tell you the details later."
Hachiman didn't explain further and said it wasn't convenient to detail things now.
He knew Ebihara Urara: long black straight hair in a princess style, quiet and dignified personality, sexy tall figure, well-liked. She supposedly already had a fiance, one of the few teachers who didn't seem to hate marriage.
Of course, his impression of Ebihara Urara wasn't just because she had long black hair.
Ebihara was a rare surname, so he had some impression of that 2D-world character.
If he remembered correctly, Ebihara Urara had been lured into a cult because her fiance owed debts, became a guarantor, couldn't repay, and got dragged in.
"All right then, Hachiman, go handle it. We'll talk later."
Seeing Hachiman was busy, Nijika didn't dwell on it and sent Nishikigi Chisato's contact to him from her phone.
"Okay, Nijika, you all have lunch. Hanamori-sensei and I will go to the student guidance room."
After receiving Nishikigi Chisato's contact, Hachiman waved and left with Hanamori Kotomi.
He had added everyone who had triggered system prompts to his love list. If anything dangerous or any task appeared, he would learn about it in time.
Now that Hanamori Kotomi came to ask for his help and Ebihara Urara was waiting in the student guidance room, and the system hadn't even prompted him to teleport, it meant Ebihara Urara probably wasn't truly in danger.
Still, he had to go ask Ebihara Urara the details to see if they could take down this cult.
There was no shortage of ordinary people being persecuted in the world. He didn't spend his life rescuing others, but since he knew the cult's whereabouts, he couldn't let it harm people.
"Going to the student guidance room with a teacher again..."
"I'm starting to suspect whether Mafuyu really is guiding Little Hiki."
"Come to think of it, Little Hiki always gets taken away by Mafuyu. He basically disappears the entire morning."
"Could... it be?"
"Mafuyu probably not, but Kotomi definitely is. I just saw her wearing our Sympathy Collar."
"Really?"
Although Hanamori Kotomi seemed to be dealing with a serious matter, Kitagawa Marin and Yuina, having experienced Hachiman's mini-class all morning, couldn't help but let their imaginations run wild.
Kirisu Mafuyu was an icy-faced teacher who was cold with everyone. Hanamori Kotomi looked friendly and close.
No matter their personalities, all these teachers were responsible to students and popular among them.
Kirisu Mafuyu, Hiratsuka Shizuka, and Hanamori Kotomi were always guiding Little Hiki. After guiding him every day for so long, the girls couldn't help feeling a bit suspicious.
Were Hiratsuka Shizuka and the others... like them?
They accepted Little Hiki's guidance, while Hiratsuka Shizuka and Hanamori Kotomi guided him.
Proximity breeds envy. Even Ichinose Ayano couldn't help turning to look at Ichinose Honami, her gaze lingering.
'Could it be... Kirisu-sensei isn't keeping Hachiman from bothering Honami, but is jealous over Honami?'
Smooth, glossy pink hair, radiant fair skin, a lovely figure that outlined the uniform's perfect curve.
Apart from the ever-present bright gentle smile, she didn't resemble the cold-faced Kirisu Mafuyu. Otherwise, she was very similar.
But smiles can change. Even Ichinose Honami couldn't keep hers forever.
Kirisu Mafuyu's cold expression could very well crumble in private, just like Ichinose Honami.
Feeling Ichinose Ayano's burning stare, Ichinose Honami wanted to tell them they were imagining things without evidence.
But thinking of last night's landlady Asou Miyuri, she fell silent.
Just by looking at Asou Miyuri's cute appearance, no one would know how far out she could be.
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