Crutiara: Where New Demon Lords are Born

6. Duel Against Failure

And as we got in, I saw a woman flying towards Nazuno. She had the same hair as hers and she looked young with an adult's body. She has a sweet face.

She smiles broadly and hugs Nazuno as tightly as she can. Nazuno can't move due to suffocation. It seems like the woman is immature... perhaps out of excitement?

"Nazuno, my darling! Did you miss mom!?"

Is this the reason why she wanted me to be late? Her mother is excessively sweet.

Nazuno tries to find a way to escape, but as I thought, her weakness is physical. "Stop it, Miss Haimika. I can't breathe…"

"Eh? My daughter doesn't call me mom? Are you embarrassed because there are other people here?"

"Idiot! We're in a formal setting. You should act accordingly!"

As soon as Miss Chiho looked at me, our eyes met. Nazuno was able to escape when she lost her grip. But I might be the one who won't be able to escape this time.

She narrows her eyes and walks towards me step by step. I flinch back at every move she makes until I'm cornered by a wall. She thrust her fist right above my shoulder.

I didn't expect my first wall slam to be like this. Looking at me, she's dead serious. Her eyebrows are burning, and her forehead forms five lines. The sweetness has vanished.

"Are you…" She said, gradually zooming her face onto mine. "…her boyfriend?"

"N… No! I'm the one sent by Sensei Honji. He said… I should be directed to your care…"

She quickly leans back and stands straight with a smile while warmly clasping her hands. The air pressure suddenly lifts. Her smile comes back again.

"Oh? Is that so? My sincere apologies for what you've seen. I'm Nazuno's MOTHER, Chiho Haimika, Honji's old partner, and an instructor here at Crutiara."

First and foremost, she stressed the importance of motherhood. The longer I knew her, the creepier her smile was.

"I'm Ritake Hanashiba, Sensei Honji's disciple, and a son of the Hanashiba lineage."

"Why won't you two sit on the chair in front of my desk so we can talk more about the matter?"

"Will appreciately do."

She sat on the chair she used as a platform to fly earlier. Nazuno and I sat in a chair in front of her desk. From the moment we were seated, Miss Chiho was adoringly staring at Nazuno.

"Small pie, do you want something to eat? I know a special place for desserts."

Nazuno looked away from her in response.

"You're really my daughter. By the way Mr. Ritake, I've heard that the Hanashiba farmlands are isolated in the mountains. Do you know that my daughter was quite a diligent worker?"

"I just knew her earlier this day, ma'am. I really don't know anything else."

I cannot see it directly, but Nazuno's face is turning red.

"Mr. Ritake, do you want to learn more about my daughter? Even though she's the perfect student in others' eyes, she's quite clumsy."

"Mom, stop," Nazuno exclaimed.

Ms. Chiho's face was flooded with euphoria. "Yes, call me that! What are your thoughts, Mr. Ritake?"

"I would be happy to humbly accept," I replied. "I once saw the other side of her that cried for help. I'm sorry, Nazuno."

Nazuno quickly gazed at me with burning eyebrows, just as her mother had earlier. Like mother, like daughter. She's pouting at me with her partially watery eyes.

Miss Chiho's eyes sparkled with a shining grin that was blinding to the eye. While gossiping, her speech speed increased.

"Oh, you know that already? That's typically my daughter! She can't accept her fate if someone sees her fail. Do you know that when she was still a kid…"

Miss Chiho used the double time mod. And the story carries on until Nazuno can't hold it anymore. Silence broke out when she suddenly stood up.

"I'm going."

She walks out of the room and is never heard from again. I should have stopped her, but Miss Chiho stopped me from doing so. She shook her head when I looked at her.

Nazuno left the room completely. That was the only time Miss Chiho exhaled loudly.

"I wish I could let her stay longer. Thank you for your help, Ritake."

"You're welcome, but may I ask at what point did I help?"

"Without you, it will take me longer to send her away."

"Then, why bring her in the first place?"

"Is there something wrong with a mother wanting to see her daughter grow on a daily basis?"

I shook my head. Honestly, that is creepy.

"Honji sent you here because of my request. Didn't he tell you anything at all?

"He only sent me a letter containing general instructions and a week-late date for the start of class."

"Well, that's Honji for you. It would be nice if he improved in that aspect. By the way, do you have the letter?"

That's the question that I wanted to avoid, the question that lets me disintegrate as part of the air. I can't say I forgot. I didn't prepare a proper response yet.

"Hey, hey!" She starts waving her hand in front of my eyes. "Are you already on the ground or still floating?"

I bowed my head down as I fidget my fingers. "I… I'm sorry, ma'am. I… lost it on my way."

I didn't hear any response. When I look up, I can see the same smile she's making, the smile that is impossible to decipher.

"Mr. Ritake, you should build first impressions on your first day."

"Y… Yes, ma'am!" I squealed unconsciously.

"I'm not angry. You can calm your legs in front of me."

What she said is a double meaning! How did she know that my legs were shaking? I can only become calm if I understand her intention.

She adds, "Tomorrow is a busy day. If you want to see me, you need two things. First, bring the letter. And second, you should create a situation forcing me to come to you."

"I don't get what the second condition means."

"You can do it! I'm here to cheer you on!"

I narrowed my eyes towards her. "I'll be direct ma'am but that's kind of disappointing to hear."

"I know. If you want to see Nazuno, she's currently on the rooftop. That's where I always saw her when I came to get her."

"Is there something I need to do that involves her?"

"Hmm… Wild guess."

Since I don't have Sensei's letter, I don't need to waste more time in Miss Chiho's office. I made my way to the rooftop. There's still something I need to say to Nazuno.

But on the rooftop of what building?

I checked the administrators, the seniors, and the sophomores' building, but she's not there. As I opened the door of the freshmen building's rooftop, I saw her long brown hair swaying in the wind.

She held her hand behind her while looking up at the sky. The sunset was stunningly beautiful. As I radiated the same balanced warmth as the star, I too felt the calm of my heart.

I approached behind her. "I'm sorry. I told her about what happened."

She shakes her head. "She already knows."

"But I promised you that I'd forget it, but…"

Nazuno turns around and looks at me. Upon seeing her, I immediately thought she was the daughter of a shining star. The light radiates around her body, and it's an unforgettable view.

"Once a saying becomes a story, it can never be forgotten again."

I don't get it, but I bow down in response. "I'm really sorry! I don't intend to offend you. Can I ask how I should repay my mistakes?"

She looked up at the sky.

"Demons are faulty creatures. A simple millimeter mistake can either save or kill a person. Failure can lead to a number greater than trillions of unexpected consequences.

"In order to create a stable computation of outcomes, I eliminated all of the faulty creatures in my life. You're the latest on my list. Sorry, I despise you."

Having heard what she had said, I bowed down deeper, even though I didn't realize why I was apologizing. I literally became a sad boy.

"I'm sorry! Please give me one chance!"

"I have no time to waste on you."

After bowing for a long time, I straightened my body and looked at her. "If I prove you wrong, does that mean you're also capable of failing?"

She pinches her chin while thinking about my suggestion. "Tomorrow after school, prepare for a duel."

Duel? I will be starting my second day tomorrow and I'm already engaged in one? To win Chiho Haimika's trust easily, I need to risk this.

I smirked at her with my chest out and my chin up. "Very well, I accept your challenge, Miss Champion."

I want to taste the strength of one of the university's top as well.

…

I walked home while looking down at the street the whole time. I took the same route I had taken earlier, including the route towards the guard tower.

There's really no clue where I lost it. If I don't find it soon, I won't be able to continue Sensei's mission for me. Did someone take it, or did it get blown away by the wind?

I decided to continue my search tomorrow. I'm tired of today's tricks. As I opened the door to our house, I saw Risano waiting for me directly in front of the door, and she held an envelope…

She threatened to tear the envelope in front of me. "Hello, stupid brother. You don't seem to have a problem with your time at school."

I'm literally full of problems! Please don't add yourself. "Risano, give me that, please!"

"I already reminded you yesterday, before you drifted off to sleep. 'If I forget something, it's not relevant. It's trash.' I think I heard it right from you."

"It's very critical, Risano! I'm just late but…"

I'm already late. I heard the crackling of torn paper. It's not magic. The paper became two.

I lost color in my body. The open jaw remained in place. And as I saw the letter fall down to the ground, I felt as if my soul had been violently taken out.