Let's go back in time a bit.
Souma and his companions, escorted by professional bodyguards, were led into a large venue after entering the facility through the staff entrance at the back of the Ability Development Bureau.
The venue, exclusively for noblemen, was filled with various examination equipment without partitions. Several women, presumably staff of the facility, were preparing in their respective areas.
Receiving a health checkup from beautiful women in their 20s and 30s was not a hardship at all. Especially for Souma, the outfits of the staff conducting the examinations greatly improved his mood.
The women were wearing lace slips that resembled undershirts. This seemed to be their uniform, and the thin fabric was clearly see-through if even slightly wet.
Although it was early summer, the venue was well air-conditioned, so the situation where the fabric became increasingly see-through due to sweat would not occur.
However, these female staff members were likely all braless. Even from a distance, the bulge of their nipples was clearly visible.
This was the uniform of a national public servant, which was surprising. In societal terms, this was considered "formal attire," which greatly enhanced Souma's mood.
Although the examinations proceeded smoothly, there were many unnecessary close contacts. The number of times the women's breasts touched Souma's arms or body was countless.
If he wanted, he could have a relationship with all these female staff members, and Souma's groin began to swell with anticipation. However, he stopped his fantasies.
There would be plenty of chances later, he told himself, memorizing the full names of all the staff from their name tags.
The female staff members tried to remain calm, but internally, they were ecstatic. Even those working at such a facility rarely had the opportunity to interact with men. Especially with a handsome boy like Souma, even veteran staff members would be excited.
The noblemen who came for examinations were either excessively frightened or arrogant. However, Souma always smiled and treated each person with care.
He was the embodiment of the ideal man that women fantasized about. It was no wonder that all the staff members, including the veteran in her 30s, fell in love with him.
The staff members were torn between their duty as national public servants and their desire to convey their feelings. This internal conflict led them to excessive close contact. Even under the watchful eyes of his mother, they couldn't help but try to impress Souma.
As a man who treated all women equally, Souma indeed had a charm that drove women wild.
Tomoe, his mother, could only smile wryly at the sight. As a woman, she understood the staff members' desire to impress Souma.
The maid, Kouzuki Mie, watched Souma with concern, worried that he might be overexerting himself.
Amidst the intersecting desires of various women, the examinations concluded smoothly. Soon, they were called to another room, and Souma, his mother, and the maid headed to the designated room.
The room had a large display. A woman in her 20s wearing glasses was intently typing on a laptop, and another woman, who appeared to be in her 40s or older, stood wearing a black military uniform.
The younger woman wore the same uniform as the staff who had conducted the examinations. However, the military-uniformed woman wore unusually modest clothing for this world.
Her hair was a light gray, and it was unclear whether it was due to aging or her natural color. She had a short hairstyle, but her bangs were long, covering the right half of her face.
On closer inspection, she wore an eyepatch over her right eye, and burned-looking skin was visible through the gaps in her bangs. She wore a leather glove only on her right hand, suggesting significant burn scars on her right side.
"Well, you're not afraid of me. That's rare."
Her voice was husky, lower than typical for a woman. The military-uniformed woman, with a confident and fierce smile, shifted her gaze from Souma to Tomoe.
"You've raised him well."
"Thank you, Marika-san."
"These days, my only job is to look important. I have plenty of energy."
Hearing the name his mother mentioned, Souma realized who this woman was. The military-uniformed woman was famous.
Souma recalled his recent studies. Marika, as she was called, was a notable figure in modern history.
Mitarai Marika, 48 years old, was the director of the Ability Development Bureau.
Thirty years ago, she was a hero who ended the intense Battle of Saitama. Although she was an A-rank Transcender, her combat prowess was said to surpass even S-rank. Her god-like efforts reclaimed the Saitama area and parts of Chiba from the invaders, the Klanji.
However, she suffered severe injuries in that battle, losing her right eye and retiring from active duty. Souma remembered this from his modern history studies.
"Souma-kun, I am Mitarai Marika. First, congratulations on your coming-of-age."
"Thank you very much."
Souma didn't understand why having a wet dream was worthy of congratulations, but he shook her hand firmly and looked her in the eye.
"Do I scare you?"
"No, not particularly."
"You're interesting, Souma. Most men find my appearance repulsive."
"I have lived safely thanks to women like you who fight the invaders. If anyone speaks ill of you, I will go and punch them."
Souma's serious response left the room in silence. The younger staff member stopped typing, and an awkward silence filled the room. Souma enjoyed the silence, feeling he had said nothing wrong.
From the 20th to the 21st century in his past life in Japan, various challenges arose, but the self-sacrifice of the Self-Defense Forces, firefighters, and police officers helped restore and protect daily life.
In this world, that was even more pronounced. Even now, women were fighting to reclaim the northern parts of Japan from the invaders.
"You're something else, Souma. I might just fall for you at my age."
Marika surrendered, raising her hands and smiling with a mix of embarrassment and amusement.
"I'm sorry if I was presumptuous."
"No, I'm flattered. Thank you."
Marika felt that Souma, despite growing up in a protected environment, did not look down on women but genuinely appreciated them. His attitude showed maturity beyond his 14 years.
The others in the room were still in shock, especially Tomoe, his mother. She had never interacted with other men besides Souma and had struggled to raise him without any guidance. Until recently, Souma had been emotionally distant, focusing only on acquiring knowledge.
Tomoe had worried about her parenting, but seeing Souma's interaction with Marika, she felt relieved and proud, yet also a bit lonely. Tears welled up in her eyes, and the efficient maid, Kouzuki Mie, quickly offered her a handkerchief.
To change the mood, Marika began explaining the basics of Transcenders while they waited for the results.
The chance of a male being born through artificial insemination was 1 in 2,000, and the chance of being a Transcender was 1 in 30. If Souma were a Transcender, he would have beaten incredible odds.
Even if a male Transcender awakened, there were insurmountable limits. Transcenders were ranked by the usefulness of their abilities, and male Transcenders were only known to be of the lowest rank, F.
Even if a male awakened to superpowers, their abilities were weak. However, males had the mission of procreation, so even an F-rank was acceptable.
In a world under invasion, more powerful Transcenders were needed. The world yearned for a male Transcender of E-rank or higher.
Just as Marika finished her explanation, the glasses-wearing woman spoke up. The results were in.
The results surpassed the world's desires. Souma was provisionally ranked as S, the highest rank.
This was a world-shaking event, and mishandling the information could invite unwanted interference or pressure from other countries. The only saving grace was that the results were still "provisional."
The bureau decided to delay the announcement to avoid chaos. Souma's lack of any signs of ability manifestation helped in this decision.
They agreed to discuss further actions later and disbanded. The Aoi family was strictly ordered not to disclose the information, but they understood the importance without being told.
"Marika-san, it was a pleasure meeting you. Thank you, and goodbye."
As Souma left the room, he turned back and bowed deeply to Marika, showing the highest respect.
Marika felt that Souma was different from other men. She immediately contacted the head of the "Defense Agency," which oversaw the Ability Development Bureau.