Honestly, those words made me angrier than the boy's attitude. I almost wanted to kill them. For a moment, I thought the Bakugos were abandoning their son right in front of me.
But I quickly realized that wasn't their intent. Both parents were looking at the boy with eyes that were almost enviably kind.
So, I realized it wasn't abandonment; it was more like they were giving their child a trial. I felt as though they were choosing to watch how things unfolded. It must be their way of parenting. And despite his attitude, it seemed the boy trusted his parents in his own way.
Because they cherish their child, they don't interfere deeply and generally leave him to his own devices. But when something truly happens, they move with everything they have for his sake.
…So there are parents like that in this world. I didn't know. Perhaps there were people like that among those I killed in my past life as well.
"Boy. Why don't you show a bit more gratitude to your parents? You won't find many parents like them."
If parents like that had been mine in my previous life… would I have led a more decent existence? No… the moment I was born into a lineage of sorcerers, such a path was impossible. I shouldn't dream. The past cannot be changed.
"…Shut up. I know that without you telling me."
"Then you should behave with more decorum. …Now then, lackey. Which way is the school?"
"When are you gonna learn the damn way?!"
"It can't be helped. When I walk outside like this, my eyes are drawn to all sorts of things."
"Just look at the road in front of you!!"
Even if you tell me that… I can see things you cannot. I can hardly just ignore them, can I?
Well, I eventually made it to Aldera Junior High. Since my lackey was so insistent, I went home once to change into my uniform. I left home at four-thirty and finally reached the school at seven-thirty. What an absurd detour. Even though it shouldn't take thirty minutes to walk here directly.
And so. Guided by my lackey, I arrived at my target: the equipment storage room. As usual, this place is filled with zange—residual traces of energy—though I have no idea who they belong to. I doubt investigating again will yield much, but I don't want to leave any lingering regrets. This is a school building that looked after me for a little over a year. As a way of saying thanks, I want to do what I can.
"Hmm, I don't see anything. Tell me, boy, do you feel anything in this room?"
I took another look around the storage room, but all I could sense were the residuals. If there were a Curse powerful enough to leave such a strong trace, there's no way I would have missed it on the night I exorcised the Curses here. If that's the case, then what is this?
"…Hah? It's just a damn storage room."
"I was a fool to ask you. There's no way you'd find anything. My apologies."
"Wh—?! I can find stuff just fine!!"
No, you can't. There's no way an ordinary person who can't even see Curses would understand anything.
Infuriated by my remark, the boy stomped through the storage room with a face that looked ready to explode. I decided to leave him be. I'll just investigate this place a bit more—
"Hey. Look at the ceiling."
"The ceiling?"
He seemed to have noticed something. Following his gaze, I looked up and saw…
The ceiling. Nothing but a ceiling. What on earth did he notice? …Wait, one section looks a bit peeled. No, it looks like a hole that was clumsily repaired afterward.
"There's a hole. They did a crappy job fixing it, though."
"…Oh? Here, lackey. Let me climb onto your shoulders. I'll investigate."
"There's a pile of desks right there!! Use those!!!"
"What a noisy brat. Can't you be a little quieter…?"
He is simultaneously useful and useless. Well, I suppose I can praise him for finding something so small. I'll give him a snack or something later.
Leaving the fuming boy behind, I used the nearby stack of desks as a foothold to get closer to the ceiling.
Indeed, it looks as though the ceiling was peeled away and then patched up. But the repair work is incredibly sloppy. There's a gap just large enough to fit a finger through. I suppose I'll hook it and give it a pull.
"Hup."
"Bwah?! You—! If you're gonna do that, say something!!"
When I pulled the ceiling panel with all my might, a cloud of dust came raining down. It hit the boy standing directly underneath me. My apologies, boy. It wasn't on purpose. It sounds suspicious, but it's the truth. It wasn't on purpose. (It was.)
I'll have to apologize later. Right now, what has caught my eye is an incredibly dense cluster of residuals. To be this visible to the naked eye… I cannot ignore this.
"Boy. Step outside for a moment. And no matter what happens in here, do not come in."
"Hah?!"
"Just get out. I'm going to take a look."
It's a blessing that my body is small. If I were tall, I wouldn't be able to fit. Lightly reinforcing my body with Cursed Energy, I thrust myself into the hole. Inside the ceiling—or rather, under the second-floor floorboards—it was, naturally, pitch black.
…There is nothing here. I can see a few minor Curses scurrying about, but I'll ignore them for now. Though I'll exorcise them before I head back down.
Hmm. Nothing. Absolutely nothing. I feel like… there might have been something further back. Did someone take it? Surely not…
Hmph. I don't understand. I don't understand any of this. Let's head back. Oh, you minor Curses. You can die now.
"And… alley-oop."
"Gah—! You bastard!!"
"Hm?"
Oh, what is it, lackey? You were still here? I told you to get out; what an incorrigible fellow. By the way, if you stand there, I'm going to land right on top of you. Why are you looking at me with such a panicked face? Either catch me or move, you dunce.
Oof.
Because he was just standing there, my hip slammed right into him. If you were going to catch me, you could have done it with a bit more grace.
Truly, what a hopeless boy.
Oh, and as for this ceiling—you're the one fixing it! I certainly can't do it! Not a chance!!