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Jura-Tempest Federation · Academy District · Entrance
Kaito and the others looked up at the four large characters carved into the towering gate — "Academy City" — and let out a collective sigh.
"Sigh! *4"
"This is all Kai-chan's fault! If you hadn't insisted on having the meeting in that dingy room, we never would have been caught!"
"Excuse me? It was Rimuru who said we needed the atmosphere of a secret meeting. I just found the place!"
"Wuwuwu, I don't want to clean the pool!"
"We have no choice now. Think of it as training. This is what builds character!"
The guard at the gate, who had been listening to the bickering, spoke up carefully.
"Um, esteemed sirs, the Chairwoman left instructions that you should head in as quickly as possible. The Dimensional Gate is about to close!"
That was right. The entire Academy District did not exist in the real world. Kaito had used the [Space Compression Technique] to move it into a separate dimension, not unlike a pocket realm. The entrance to the Academy District was, in fact, a giant Dimensional Gate.
As for why the Academy District was named Academy City, that was entirely down to their resident veteran otaku, Kaito.
Incidentally, Shizu currently served as Chairwoman of Academy City.
"Alright, it seems there really is no getting out of this. Let's go."
The moment they stepped through the Dimensional Gate, the scene before them shifted entirely.
A vast, modern city stretched out in every direction. Towering buildings lined wide, straight roads flanked by decorative greenery. In the sky above, an artificial sun poured down warm, steady light.
They were still wondering where to report when a massive airship appeared overhead, hovering directly above them. On its giant electronic screen, a message cycled on repeat:
Kaito-sama, Rimuru, Milim, and Veldora, please report to Tokiwadai Academy in the First Academy District!!!
Kaito looked up at the airship, the one Rimuru had named the "Diagram Designer," and turned to the others.
"Come on. Shizu has clearly taken care of every detail. There's no escape."
By the time they reached Tokiwadai Middle School, the Headmaster was already waiting at the school gate with a smile.
"My, my. You all look quite rough around the edges. It seems the Chairwoman gave you a proper talking-to!"
Kaito looked at her and sighed.
"Treyni, please, we're miserable enough already."
The Headmaster before them was none other than Treyni, the Dryad.
Ever since Kaito and Rimuru had helped give the Dryad race physical bodies, the entire Dryad race had taken up residence in Academy City, serving as headmasters and teachers throughout.
"Hehe, alright, no more teasing. Please follow me, esteemed sirs! The cleaning tools are all ready and waiting for you."
Kaito and the others fell in behind Treyni as she led them through the campus. Along the way they passed a group of young girls having physical education class, and among them was Aihara Enju.
The girls spotted them and erupted immediately.
"Kaito-nii! Rimuru!"
"Milim is here too!"
"Veldora! I'm going to ask him later if he brought any new manga!"
Treyni glanced back at them with a smile.
"You are all very popular with these children."
"Hehe! Of course! I am Demon Lord Milim! Wahahaha!"
"Naturally! I am a man who carries all manner of treasures with him!"
Kaito quietly stepped over to Veldora's side and dropped his voice.
"Veldora. You still have stock, don't you."
Veldora gave him a deeply smug look.
"Hmph! Of course. We already took deposits. If we don't deliver, it ruins our reputation."
Kaito looked at him with genuine admiration.
"Well played. I underestimated you."
Treyni caught the two of them whispering from the corner of her eye and let a small, knowing smile cross her face. Rimuru noticed that smile and quietly felt sorry for the two of them. That sweet-faced potato spirit was not to be taken lightly.
"Here we are. Please get started, esteemed sirs."
"All the cleaning supplies are inside."
Kaito and the others stared at the enormous pool stretching out before them, faces pale, as Treyni pressed the capsules into their hands.
"Hehe! I will leave you all to your hard work. I shall take my leave."
"Oh, the Chairwoman also said that no magic is permitted. The cleaning process will be recorded in its entirety."
She pointed up at the airship overhead with a beaming smile, gave a small bow, and walked out of the pool area.
"Damn it! One of these days I'll destroy that thing, just like they did in Index!"
"Kai-chan! This is still your fault! You were the one who said Academy City wouldn't feel complete without it!"
"..."
They changed into their swimsuits and pulled their cleaning brushes out of the capsules. Then Milim, in a school swimsuit, took one look at the pool and made her decision.
"Yahoo!!! Pool, Demon Lord Milim has arrived!"
Splash!
The wave from Milim's cannonball soaked all three of them on the spot.
A vein popped on each of their foreheads simultaneously. The next second, all three of them jumped in.
Splash *3
"Milim, you're done for!"
Rimuru, also in a school swimsuit, scooped up a wave of pool water and hurled it straight at Milim.
Kaito and Veldora did the same.
"Wuwuwawa! Three against one, this isn't fair at all!"
"Hmph! My dear niece, life is simply that unfair sometimes! Take this! [Water Impact]!"
"[Water Release: Water Dragon Bullet Jutsu]!"
"Sigh! If Kai-chan is pulling that out, then I might as well join in. [Water Release: Great Waterfall Jutsu]!"
Up in the Headmaster's office, Shizu stood by the window watching the chaos unfold below and turned to Treyni beside her.
"I told you they wouldn't actually clean anything, didn't I?"
Treyni smiled.
"Hehe! If they cleaned obediently, that would be the strange thing. But this isn't so bad, is it?"
"No, I suppose it isn't."
Shizu turned back to the window and kept watching.
Eventually, after a great deal more splashing than scrubbing, the pool was done. The four of them stood around it, looking at the spotless water with equal parts exhaustion and pride.
"Finally finished! I'm completely wiped out!"
"Indeed. It has been a very long time since someone of my standing has done manual labor."
"Hmph! You two still need more training! In the end, it was me, Demon Lord Milim, who carried everyone! Wahahaha!"
Rimuru looked at Milim, posing triumphantly with her hands on her hips, and replied flatly:
"Milim, you were causing trouble the entire time. The three of us did all the actual work."
Just as the debate over who contributed most was really getting going, the system, which had been quiet for some time, suddenly spoke.
[Ding! Dimensional Gate charging complete. Begin anchoring world coordinates?]