Classmate wa Isekai de Yuusha ni Natta kedo, Ore dake Gendai Nihon ni Okizari ni Narimashita - Chapter 97

 Chapter 96 : A Difficulty Overcome 7

"P-please, come in."

"Pardon the intrusion..."

It was the first time I'd been to Kyōri’s apartment since I collapsed after the Gyūki subjugation and was carried here. Her room was still as clean and simple as I remembered.

Guided by Kyōri, I headed to the living room and sat down near the glass coffee table in the center.

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If you have time after school today, could I meet with you? There’s something I absolutely need to tell you.

That message had arrived on my phone while I was getting ready for school this morning.

There’s no curfew at my house, and I wasn’t on chores duty today—Kana was. I did have to report to Alicia at 5 p.m., but that wouldn’t take more than an hour.

So I replied, “If after 6 is okay,” and Kyōri instantly responded, “That’s perfectly fine.”

And that’s how we ended up meeting today.

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"I’m sorry. This is all I could prepare for now."

A few minutes later, Kyōri came back carrying two bottles of mineral water and handed one to me.

"No, no, you really don’t need to go that far."

"It’s a relief to hear you say that."

I chuckled and twisted the cap off the bottle.

Still...

"You okay? You seem kinda nervous."

"Eh!? D-do I really...?"

"Yeah, just a little. I get that impression."

"P-please don’t mind me! I’m fine, really!"

"..."

I took a sip from my water as I gave her another look.

She was definitely fidgety. She hadn’t been like this during school, so maybe something had happened before class or after? Or maybe she’s just not feeling well. She had been working nonstop the past few days.

"Maybe we should reschedule? You don’t seem quite yourself."

"No! Please, let’s talk today!"

"O-oh. Alright then."

She pushed back harder than I expected, and I gave in.

Still, what on earth could she want to tell me so badly?

---

"Um, first of all, thank you so much for everything!"

"You don’t need to thank me. I was the one who stuck my nose in. But hey—since you showed up at school today, does that mean you’re staying enrolled?"

From her point of view, Kyōri and I only knew each other from being in neighboring seats and ending up in the same group during the school trip. Alicia had warned me not to reveal too much, so I chose my words carefully.

"Y-yes! Thanks to the intervention of someone—um, the new representative?—from the Kuon family, I’ll be able to keep attending."

She seemed genuinely happy to be back at school.

"That’s great. The others in class were worried you might drop out."

"Kanone-chan told me the same thing. That everyone was super worried."

Kanone... Oh, she means Ueshima-san.

Wait, so she and Kyōri are on a first-name basis?

"Speaking of which, you left school with Ueshima-san. Did you two go hang out?"

"She invited me, but we ended up just talking. We decided to hang out this weekend instead. Then I came straight to meet you."

"Huh? So you just got back too, then?"

"Yes, pretty much."

Ah, right. I always forget because of her Teleportation Magic, but Kyōri’s apartment is pretty far from school. If she walked back with Ueshima-san, this timing makes sense.

Still, to turn down an invitation from a close friend she hadn’t seen in a while, just for this…? There’s no way this is just about saying thanks.

(Worst case, I might need to use “Appraisal.”)

---

Silence stretched between us for a while. By the time my water bottle was half-empty, Kyōri finally seemed to gather her courage.

"...I know this is sudden, but… I need to apologize. The reason I asked you here today is entirely selfish and personal. I’m sorry."

"Like I said, you don’t need to apologize. I’ve called you out before for selfish reasons too. So? What’s this about?"

"…Do you remember when we faced the ghost at the school trip?"

"Of course I do."

It hadn’t been that long—just a couple of months—but it already felt nostalgic.

We fought a bear, got trapped in a barrier, ran into some shady merchants, and as she mentioned, battled a ghostly samurai.

Huh. Now that I think about it, not a single part of that trip was peaceful.

"Back then, you didn’t just defeat the ghost samurai. You freed both him and the princess’s souls out of pure kindness. For someone like me, raised in the Kuon family where power is everything, that was… eye-opening."

She took a deep breath and looked me straight in the eye.

"You always help people in trouble with a smile. You reach out to those who are suffering or in pain with kindness. I admired that strength and gentleness. And that’s why—"

Her words weren’t flattery. Just looking at her face made that obvious.

She looked scared and uncertain, but she was pushing past it with everything she had.

So I listened—truly listened.

"That day, when you found me crying in the dark and spoke to me with such warmth, I finally understood what these feelings were."

She trembled with nerves but forced the words out.

"I like you, Iori-kun…! Will you go out with me…?"

---

I had sort of expected this, but hearing it for real short-circuited my brain.

Someone actually likes me?

Was this a prank? Or had I accidentally cast Perception Obfuscation Magic and made her think she liked me?

My mind spun with dumb excuses—but the sight of her, red-faced and serious, snapped me out of it.

---

(!?)

My heart pounded in my chest.

Someone this sweet, this adorable, this sincere had just said she liked me.

And it made me really happy. So this is what it means to fall for someone.

But along with that joy came a shadow of guilt.

---

"…I only managed to act that cool thanks to this broken cheat-like power. The real me isn’t someone worthy of a strong, admirable person like you. I’m cowardly, weak, and can’t do anything on my own. So I’m sure there’s someone better out there—"

"But Iori-kun, you used that power not for yourself but to help others! You saved me! That’s why I fell for you!"

That wasn’t advice—that was just me making excuses.

And yet she still said she loved me.

She confessed with total honesty.

So I had to respond the same way.

---

"To me, Kyōri, you’re earnest, loyal, brave, adorable… someone I felt unworthy of even getting close to. That’s why I tried to keep things between us business-like, transactional."

I’d faced criminals, monsters, all kinds of terrifying things.

But I don’t think I’ve ever had to be this brave before.

"But I’m done with that today. I won’t lie to myself anymore. I promise to become someone who can stand beside you without relying on my powers. So please—"

I stood, bowed my head, and held out a trembling hand.

"Please go out with me too, Kuon Kyōri!"

"…Yes! I’d love to!"

Kyōri looked surprised for a moment but then smiled warmly and gently wrapped her hands around mine.

---

"…!"

I gently pulled her into an embrace.

She didn’t resist—in fact, she leaned into me, burying her face in my chest.

I wrapped my arms around her, holding her close as if I never wanted to let her go.

"Let’s make up for everything we missed. Let’s make tons of happy memories together, Kyōri."

"…Yes! I can’t wait!"

We forgot the time and everything else, simply holding each other close and soaking in each other’s warmth.

And that day, my relationship with Kyōri changed—we became something truly special.

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Translator’s Note:

• Kyōri’s Confession: This is a culmination of her long emotional arc and a classic example of the “heroine overcomes her fears to confess her feelings” trope often seen in romance light novels.

• Appraisal (鑑定): A magical ability the protagonist sometimes uses to assess a person or object’s truth or nature, adding tension to interactions.

• Perception Obfuscation Magic (認識阻害魔法): A common fantasy element where others are magically prevented from perceiving something accurately—used here jokingly.

• Kuon family (久遠家): A powerful house emphasizing strength, used as a contrast to the protagonist’s more empathetic and balanced approach to power.