"Anyway," Yomikawa Aiho said as she removed the electronic ankle monitor from Kobayashi's leg, "from now on, you really need to restrain yourself. Acting bravely for justice and legitimate self-defense are fine—but try your best not to kill anyone anymore…"
"Don't worry, I'll be careful…" Kobayashi nodded, then couldn't help complaining, "This conversation feels really strange. It's like you're talking to some serial killer…"
"Isn't that exactly what you are?" Toumi suddenly shot back from the side.
When she thought back carefully, even Toumi—who came from the battlefield and had long grown accustomed to death and killing—still felt lingering fear at Kobayashi's madness in the underground training facility that day.
Even though her own kill count was by no means low, most of the armed guards had been taken out by her hands.
But as the saying goes, when an honest, law-abiding person finally snaps, that sight can be especially terrifying.
"Torahachi…" Yomikawa Aiho shot her a helpless glare. "Starting today, I'll be temporarily acting as your guardian in place of Dr. Sakurai."
"Mm-hm, I know. The doctor already told me."
"You weren't injured, so starting tomorrow, report to Judgment and begin training," Yomikawa Aiho continued. "As for you, Nana-kun, wait until your injuries heal before joining physical training. Until then, you'll start with written coursework."
As an officially recognized law enforcement organization, Judgment naturally had strict "onboarding training."
Applicants had to go through registration and multiple rounds of selection. Those chosen were required to sign nine agreements, pass twelve adaptability tests, and complete four months of intensive training before being considered fully qualified.
The entire process was extremely strict and cumbersome, but there was no denying it—students who made it through to become members of Judgment were unquestionably elites.
Toumi found the idea of training troublesome, but since Yomikawa Aiho was now her guardian—and the doctor who had been caring for her had also told her to behave—she could only nod in agreement.
As a Level 4 Esper, Toumi was sharp-minded and physically exceptional. As long as she put in the effort, passing Judgment's assessments wouldn't be difficult. There was no real reason to refuse stubbornly.
All that aside, today's most important matter was welcoming Kobayashi home after his discharge.
Yomikawa Aiho and Toumi bustled about, gathering Kobayashi's already modest luggage, then pushed his wheelchair out of the hospital.
After being hospitalized twice in a row, coupled with recent media coverage, Kobayashi had gained a bit of fame. Along the way, doctors and nurses who recognized him waved goodbye, making the departure lively and crowded.
"You're practically an idol now," Yomikawa Aiho said with a sigh.
"He really is," Toumi added. "Some of the hospitalized kids even come specially to ask Kobayashi for autographs."
As she finished speaking, two little girls in hospital gowns ran up holding autograph boards. Kobayashi signed smoothly, even adding a short message of encouragement for each of them.
"Wow, you're already so practiced," Yomikawa Aiho said in surprise. "Just what have you been through while I was running around outside?!"
Kobayashi shrugged. "I don't really know. Maybe the media exposure you arranged got too much traction?"
"Nope," Yomikawa Aiho replied. "We only worked with our usual partner newspapers and followed standard procedures for interviews and reporting."
The goal had simply been to rally public opinion in Kobayashi's favor, preventing him from being sent to a juvenile correctional facility because of what happened in the underground training facility.
But later rulings had already cleared him of that danger. His only "punishment" had been the symbolic ankle monitor, so there was no longer any need to fan the flames through the media.
In fact, to avoid people digging too deeply into Kobayashi's so-called "heroic deeds" and uncovering the underground incident, coverage had been deliberately throttled afterward.
That was why, in Yomikawa Aiho's eyes, Kobayashi's popularity felt a little inexplicable.
"Maybe," Toumi said suddenly, "it's because everyone really wants a hero like him to appear."
After a brief silence, Yomikawa Aiho said quietly, "That just means we didn't do our job well enough."
By all rights, protecting and rescuing those children should have been the Security forces' responsibility. Yet now, the very people they were supposed to protect were longing for a "hero" …
Sensing her low mood, Kobayashi spoke up to comfort her. "Don't blame yourself too much. The nature of the Security forces means your actions are always reactive, and you're bound by countless rules and oversight. That's exactly why organizations like the Dark Side exist."
Escorted by doctors and nurses lining the corridor, Kobayashi finally left the hospital.
"That was really something," Kobayashi murmured, glancing back at the building where he had stayed for so many days.
Yomikawa Aiho pushed his wheelchair briskly toward the car parked by the roadside. "Don't let their enthusiasm land you back in the hospital again! You're supposed to be a critically injured patient, yet you're more active than anyone else—your hospital stays are starting to outnumber your days at home…"
She vented fiercely, half-rant, half warning.
Even though Kobayashi had made it through safely this time, as someone with "prior offenses," causing another major incident in the near future would put enormous pressure on her as his guardian.
So Yomikawa Aiho would much rather have Kobayashi stay quietly at home to recover than go out accumulating more "social experience."
"Listen carefully, Nana-Kun," she repeated again and again. "I may be strict, but if you're going out, you must tell me first! Even if you're going off to play the hero again, at least let me know so I can bring people back to back you up!"
—Of course, depending on the situation, it might be to stop you instead!
At long last, after many days away, Kobayashi returned to Yomikawa Aiho's apartment.
He had originally thought he might end up spending some time in a juvenile correctional facility—so he was thoroughly satisfied with how things had turned out.
To celebrate Kobayashi's discharge, Yomikawa Aiho had stocked up on ingredients and snacks and even bought a massive cake.
But when Kobayashi saw the entryway filled with baskets of fresh vegetables, something stirred in his heart. He stepped carefully over them and headed straight for the kitchen.
Sure enough, after more than ten days away, his usual cookware had been pushed aside. In their place stood Yomikawa Aiho's signature electric rice-cooker cooking lineup.
Five rice cookers of varying sizes were neatly lined up on the counter, bubbling away and steaming vigorously.
(End of Chapter)
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