Vol. 1 Ch. 2 Ep. 17: That Which One Must Protect

You want a meeting with the head prefect? You think you can just waltz in here and chat with the head prefect of Gehenna herself?

I'll tell you what. Maybe if you got on all fours and licked my feet...

Eek?!

I didn't even finish my sentence. Seriously?

Do you not have even the slightest trace of human dignity?

And you call yourself a teacher! You're demented!

And you call yourself a teacher! You're demented!

This kind of pervy adult needs to be...!

What's so funny?

H-Head Prefect?

I've seen plenty of people kneel and beg for their own sake...but I've never seen a teacher do the same for a student.

Look up, Sensei.

Tell me. What do you need from me?

Wait, Head Prefect. This teacher wasn't just kneeling, but trying to lick my...

...

...?!

...

I see. Thank you for explaining, Hifumi.

If what that teacher says is true, then this is something we can't overlook.

We're currently in the process of forming a treaty, so we're in no position to be reckless.

However, it's evident the PMC's presence can lead to nothing good for our students.

Therefore, I think it best that we make an exception in this case.

O-Of course, Nagisa.

I believe the towed artillery class has an outdoor lecture planned, correct? It's been a while since their last one, so I don't see any harm in a little live practice.

The weather is so nice. It'll be like a picnic.

By towed artillery... Do you mean the L118?

I say why not? It's the least I can provide for a model student such as yourself, Hifumi.

What goes around comes around. And I know you'll pay me back, won't you?

Ngghh...

More importantly, it would be to our benefit to have Schale's Sensei in our debt.

Mmm. It's just about ready.

Wow, nice food stall!

Shiba Seki Ramen actually got its start as a food stall.

It-It's all my fault it was... How can I ever pay for my sins? I don't deserve to live!

Anyway, I heard you were shutting down! Guess that wasn't true. Glad to see the shop open again, Master!

It wouldn't have been possible had someone not left a large donation in front of my door.

...

Was all set to retire and take it easy, but now you're asking me to open up again? What a hassle.

...

Here, four bowls of Shiba Seki ramen. That'll be 580 yen each.

Hmm... Didn't you mess up the portions again?

Ahahah! Just dig in!

Bon appétit!

Ah... That was good. All right. Should we roll out?

By the way, Boss... Are we really going?

Fighting the PMC is a waste of time. We don't have anything to gain from getting involved with this fight.

...Hmph.

Come on, Kayoko. You still don't get it?

Get what?

Can't you tell by the look on Aru's face? She's saying, "Tasting ramen this good is the only compensation I need!"

...

...

N-Now I understand, Aru! Stepping into hell itself to protect the ramen we love! That's what real outlaws would do!

I-I'll do my best to become a real outlaw! I'll blow them all away!

Hmph. Well, as long as you get it.

All right, everyone. Ready to follow me all the way to the depths of hell?

Heh heh...

(Wh-What am I talking about?!)

(I was just gonna go home after I was done with my ramen!)

(I totally overhyped myself and now I'm in too deep...!!?)

(What if I ran away...? Wait. No...)

(The Abydos brats kept thanking me, saying I knocked some sense into them, saying they see me in a new light...)

(Wh-What do I do?! We're not just picking a fight with some Market Guards, this is a full-on PMC...! We're so doomed!)

(What do I do?! What do I DO?!)

All right, Aru! Let's go!

I-I'll follow you to hell and back!

*sigh* This can't be good for business.

That should do it. We're ready.

Yup, yup! We've got lots of supplies and lots of snacks.

We're well-rested and working on full stomachs too!

I also collected all the old maps of the Abydos Desert and updated them.

Hoshino is in the center of Kaiser PMC District 51 according to Sensei's intel.

I'll guide you through the safest route to get there!

All right!

Commencing Operation Rescue Hoshino!

That's right.

What's broken can be rebuilt.

What's important are the people who come to eat my ramen.

This ramen shop isn't going anywhere so long as it has loyal customers. Not the most poetic way of putting it, but that's what I feel deep down.

So go get 'em, Abydos Foreclosure Task Force!

The enemy has begun their attack!

Stop them!! Focus all our forces!!

Attack from the north and east! Deploy the Decagrammaton Defense Battalion to the north!

Yes sir!

A small number of soldiers have been sighted to the north!

What?! Reinforcements from Abydos?!

Negative! There are only three of them, but they're...!

...

Kaiser PMC reinforcements sighted. Battalion-sized unit, ma'am.

Got it. Get ready.

*sigh* How did I end up here?

(...Why did I get dragged into this?)

We still have unfinished work. Let's wrap this up quickly and head back.

The head prefect granted us this opportunity in place of writing an apology letter. So let's keep the complaints to a minimum.

We'll stop the enemy in their tracks. None of them will get near Sensei.

Let's go.