There was a solemn air in the magic academy's auditorium. Today was the
high school department's graduation ceremony and everyone—from the
graduating students to the visiting family members to the faculty—was quite
nervous. However, the students and faculty were nervous for a very different
reason than the parents.
"Shea Haulia."
The opening speeches had concluded without incident, so now the students
were being called up to receive their diplomas. The top students in their
respective specialties were being called up first, which just so happened to
include one of the academy's biggest problem children. To everyone's surprise,
instead of giving her usual cheerful reply, she stood up solemnly and walked
gracefully up to the podium. Everyone who knew her was shocked by such
uncharacteristic behavior, but the parents and guests all just thought she looked
very pretty.
"Ahem! Shea Haulia, this diploma is proof that you graduated at the top of
your class in the close-combat department. Congratulations," Freid Bagwa, the
head of the high school branch of the academy, said as he handed Shea her
diploma.
"Thank you very much," Shea replied with a gentle smile. She was being as
polite and well-mannered as possible, which terrified the other students and
teachers.
"Umm, we're very proud that a scholarship student like you was able to
graduate at the top of the class. That being said, we feel you may have gone too
far—ahem, I mean to say you were a bit too overzealous in applying yourself to
your studies. Even after you graduate, please don't forget that you do represent
our school and remember the value of moderation."
"Oh my, thank you for those words of wisdom."
"Who the hell are you and what have you done with the real Shea Haulia?"
Shea smashed Freid's megaphone with supernatural speed so no one except
her heard that last statement. Freid paled as he saw the fragments of his
megaphone fall to the ground, while Shea just smiled sweetly and walked back
to her seat.
"Oh my, it seems your megaphone is broken, dean," one of the female
teachers said, getting up from her seat and walking over to Freid. It was, of
course, none other than Yue, though she was in her adult form right now. The
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parents were so transfixed by her beauty that they began to wonder if any of
their kids had been able to pay attention to any classes she taught.
"Oh, umm, I can just use my magic to amplify my voice instead, so—"
"Here, take this. He he, sorry for the trouble everyone."
"Who the hell are you and what have you done with the real Yue?"
Yue used magic to disperse Freid's voice and make sure no one else heard
him.
Next, the top student in the healing-magic department, Kaori Shirasaki, was
called up. Normally, she started a fight with Yue the moment she saw her, but
today she was as much of a saint as everyone who didn't know her believed her
to be. Once the diplomas were handed out, Principal Tio came up to give a
speech, which she did with surprising grace and decorum.
The students found Shea's and the others' docile demeanors off-putting, but
at the same time, they realized this was a very important day, so they figured
even those problem children didn't want to ruin it.
Shizuku, Yuka, Professor Laus, and Professor Meld all breathed a collective
sigh of relief, glad that they wouldn't have to use force to subdue the problem
children today. The entire event proceeded smoothly, but everyone grew steadily
more nervous as the closing ceremony approached. That was because they could
tell the four problem children of the school were growing tenser by the minute,
almost as if the closing speech would signal the start of something they were
desperately awaiting. Shizuku and the other members of the disciplinary
committee couldn't help but worry that something horrible would happen as
soon as the ceremony ended.
"And with that, the graduation ceremony has come to a close.
Congratulations to each and every one of you for making it this far. Let's have a
round of applause for all of the students graduating on this auspicious day."
Surprisingly, nothing happened and the students were able to exit the
auditorium with smiles on their faces. Of course, they didn't lower their guard
for even a second. There was no telling when disaster might strike. In a splendid
display of unity, they made sure to keep an eye out for each other while they
filed out. Tio praised their solidarity in her closing remarks, and everyone really
wanted to say it was her fault they ended up like this, but they kept their
emotions in check. If nothing else though, the bonds they'd forged while
struggling to survive Yue and the others' tyranny would hold fast for the rest of
their lives. The graduating students were confident that no matter what came
their way, they'd be able to come together and stand against it.
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Impressed by how much their children had grown, the parents all smiled
proudly upon seeing such unity among the students. They sent them off with
uproarious applause and tears in their eyes. A few of the parents noticed that
their children looked like war veterans who'd survived a particularly harrowing
battlefield and wondered what exactly had gone on at school.
It was only after the students had all left and the parents were starting to file
out to find their respective kids that something finally happened.
"Excuse me! Mother, father!" Yue said, teleporting into the audience stands
instantly without a portal. She ignored the surprised looks of the parents around
her and made a beeline for a specific couple, grabbing both of their hands.
"Stop right there, Yue-sensei! What are you planning on doing with Hajime's
parents?!"
"Aaah, I'm too late!"
"Ngh, the fact that we have to leave the auditorium first really made it too
hard for us!"
Indeed, introducing themselves to Hajime's parents, Sumire and Shu, had
been Yue and the others' goal from the very start. For all his monstrous powers,
Hajime still had parents, and the four problem children's true aim was to
convince them that they were Hajime's one true girlfriend and future wife.
"Umm, are you Yue-sensei?"
"We can talk later. I'm sorry for imposing, but this place is filled with
unsavory hyenas and Hajime's waiting for us elsewhere, so let's get out of
here!"
Before Shea and the others could reach Hajime's parents, Yue instantly
teleported them out of there. Sumire and Shu blinked in surprise as they found
themselves on a hill overlooking the academy. Hajime was there as well.
"Uhhh, hi mom, hi dad. Are you guys okay? That was a pretty shocking trip,
right?"
Sumire and Shu looked at their son, then turned back to the teacher behind
them, who was fidgeting bashfully, then turned to each other and nodded.
"Congratulations on graduating!" they said in sync, seeming completely
unfazed by the strangeness of the situation.
"Don't worry, we can guess what's going on. We already mostly figured it
out from the letters you sent us."
"Let me guess, you played around with too many girls, and now you're trying
to escape with the one you actually like before the rest of them catch up and give
you a piece of their mind?"
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"I wouldn't exactly put it that way."
While Shu's statement wasn't entirely accurate, he did have the gist of it
right. Yue was honestly surprised by how quickly they grasped the overall
situation.
"So let me guess, you're madly in love with our son?" Sumire asked, turning
to Yue.
Yue broke out in a nervous sweat, her heart pounding in her chest. She'd
spent days planning for this very moment, but now that it was at hand, her mind
went blank. So instead of the carefully crafted speech she'd prepared, she just
responded with the first thing that came to mind.
"I-I-I-It's nice to meet you! My name is Yue! I've already had my way with
your son! He's great! I love him!"
She'd actually wanted to ask them for Hajime's hand in marriage and tell
them she'd make him happy, but this was what came out instead.
Hajime covered his face with his hands, and Yue did the same thing a second
later when she realized what she'd just said.
Oh god, I can't believe I said that! I'm so dumb! she thought.
Yue was expecting Hajime's parents to give her funny looks, but instead,
they just took her statement in stride.
"Why thank you. I guess that means you helped my son graduate school...and
from being a virgin!" Shu said with a grin.
"Of course my son's great; I raised him after all!" Sumire said, puffing her
chest out proudly.
"Mom, dad, please shut up."
Yue perked up a little upon realizing that she hadn't left a terrible impression.
Indeed, Shu and Sumire had pieced everything together from Hajime's letters
already, so they were smiling fondly at Yue.
"We'd love to have someone like you as a daughter-in-law, Yue-sensei.
Sorry, I guess I should call you Yue-san now."
"If anything, a wonderful person like yourself is wasted on our son."
"Mother, father, I'm so glad you approve. I don't know if I can live up to
your expectations, but please—"
"Hold it right theeere!"
Right before Yue could cement her position as Hajime's betrothed, an
objection interrupted her. Yue turned and saw Shea, Kaori, and Tio stepping out
of a portal. Tio was holding Freid by the collar as she'd kidnapped him to make
this portal for them.
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"Mother, father, don't be deceived! I'm Hajime-san's real fiancée!"
"No, I'm his fiancée!"
"Mother, father, please reconsider giving Yue your blessing!"
While Shea and the others were trying to convince Sumire and Shu that they
were the best choice for Hajime, yet more people started spilling out of the
portal. And of course, the moment they spotted Hajime's parents, they started
pleading their case to them as well.
Sumire turned to Shizuku and Yuka and said, "Oh my, you're the highly
capable Shizuku-san, aren't you? And you're Yuka-san, the school's best chef.
My son's told me all about you in his letters. Are you two also bridal
candidates?"
Naturally, Shizuku and Yuka both blushed, and Liliana tried to show off her
appeal to Sumire as well. Meanwhile, Cam and Mona Haulia tried to convince
Hajime to move back to their hometown with them, while Sister Noint and the
Seraphim siblings begged Hajime to let them be his maids. Dignitaries from
various countries showed up as well, trying to build connections with the
prestigious Nagumo family. Myu and Remia showed up too, and Sumire had a
grand old time playing with Myu while she dealt with all of Hajime's potential
suitors.
"Hajime," Shu said, turning to his son with a gentle smile on his face.
"Wh-What is it, dad?"
"Did you have a fun time at school?"
Blushing awkwardly, Hajime looked away and replied, "Well, it definitely
wasn't boring."