AtE Arc 1: Chapter 2

AtE Arc 1: The Magical Girl’s Return – Chapter 2

The invader from the Otherworld, the Demon King.

It has been 20 years since they appeared from a windhole that opened in the skies of Earth’s Japan. Due to the influence of the Otherworld, existences that came to be known as “ESPers” began to appear one after the other.

At the same time, the technique that was downgraded because anyone could use as it long as they had a disposition for supernatural powers, “Magical Arts”, also appeared. In order to manage and cultivate these people, the government created a specialty educational institution, but this only occurred 14 years ago, after the wounds left by the Demon King had healed.

Well, as long as you had the connections, it is an educational institution that takes anyone, which was precisely why I found employment there. A school that specializes in training unique abilities and Magical Arts. Also known as “Tokusen⁽¹⁾”, it’s been 4 years since I was appointed as a teacher here in the Kantou area.

Being an organization under the direct control of the government, its treatment can’t even be compared to that of other schools. Targeting those ages 12 and up, when one’s abilities awaken, it is an escalator school⁽²⁾ that starts from middle school. Even though it’s only been 4 years since the test cases of the high school department graduated, the educational facilities are surprisingly well-arranged. But, well, there are still many issues.

“Don’tcha get that we’re on a completely different level? Even though you’re just the teacher of some ‘leftover scum’.”

The one saying that as he glared at me was a first year high schooler affiliated with the “ESP department”.

Together with this boy with ruffled up orange hair were 3 other male students who appeared to be his followers. When I gave them a warning after seeing them surrounding a student from the “Magic department”, things ended up like this.

Because Magical Arts are easier to use than ESP, they are seen to be like some mass-produced goods. That was why people held a bias against them, and like him, looked down on those seeking to learn magic as “leftover scum” amongst the student body.⁽³⁾

Although as someone who lived through that age of upheaval, I could only see them all as just being babies.

“There are no differences in levels between students, but there is a difference in authority between teachers and students. It is mentioned in the school regulations as well, but if you are going to say that you are superior, then please follow such a basic thing according to your ‘standard⁽⁴⁾’.”

“What did ya say!”

Saying that, he gathered heat on the palm of his hand.

It seems that he was a stereotypical fire ability user, as ESPers with attributes tended to have those attributes reflected in their eyes and hair. If this bitter-orange boy wanted to do something about a teacher of this problem-filled school, then rather than wasting time in a place like this, he should work harder instead.

That he wasn’t doing that meant he only amounted to so much.

“There is a penalty for using your abilities outside of class. If it results in injury, then are you prepared to go into town while wearing ‘shackles’?”

“……tch. What a coward. Let’s go!”

Just who is the coward?

As I watched him without letting that thought appear on my face, he withdrew his power, and went back while bringing his friends along with him.

“Phew……are you okay?”

“Y-Yes…um….th-thank you very much.”

“It’s good that you’re safe.”

Saying that, I once again looked at the student that had been picked on.

The complete opposite of the ESP department’s white blazer. The female student whose body was clad in the Magic department’s black blazer, had fluffy chestnut-coloured hair and big, beautiful eyes. She was, well, quite the beauty. I see, of course she’d be picked on like this.

“Does stuff like this often happen?”

“Y-Yes. But, um…normally I don’t often g-go to places without many people but……”

Our current location was the rear garden.

She was holding a paperback book sullied with dirt to her chest.

Looking up at the school building, a window on the third floor was open.

I see.

She just happened to drop it by chance.

“An accident, is it. Well, next time let’s be careful, okay?”

“Yes……I’m sorry, sensei.”

“No. In any case, you are the victim. There is no need to apologize. Nevertheless……”

Hmm, so it happens frequently, huh……

Up until now, I’m sure she’s been able to get through it somehow, but there’s no guarantee that everything will go so well in the future.

Ahh, somehow, I’m extremely worried for this child.

“Please take out your terminal.”

“Eh? O-okay.”

In order to manage students, this school distributes terminals which are similar to personal smartphones.

It is equipped with a dictionary function, and countermeasures against student disappearances or kidnappings. An excellent device that even records logs of their ability usage.

Naturally, it also can function like a normal phone, featuring the ability to make calls and send SNS messages.

“My contact details. I’ve set it up so you can reach me with one touch, so please contact me in case of emergency. Even if I don’t know where you are, I’ll use detection to head over.”

“Th-……thank you very much! Um…I-…I…..always felt uneasy……”

“If it happens often, then I’m not surprised. If it’s after school, then I am available for consultation in the staff room. That is why, please make one promise with me.”

“Y-Yes…a promise…is it?”

“That’s right——never endure things on your own. Do you hear me?”

“——yes. Yes! Thank you very much, Mitsukasa-sensei!”

After sending the female student who raised her head——-according to the information on her terminal, she seems to be called Kasamiya Suzuri—-to the student dorms, I was finally able to head over to the faculty apartments.

Honestly speaking, this sort of thing is an everyday occurrence.

This time the victim was a student of the Magic department, but conversely there are times when students from the Magic department use underachievers from the ESP department as a distraction, as the sight of them aggravates their complex against ESPers. It is the role of us faculty members to constantly stand in a neutral position between these two groups, and the ability to do so is demanded of us.

There are many more troublesome things, but it is a job worth doing.

However, I secretly enjoy this feeling of satisfaction that I would otherwise be unable to experience, had I been lauded as a hero.

Thinking such, I chuckled while returning to the faculty apartment. At this time, I had no idea.

That this series of “common quarrels” would end up causing such an unexpected trouble.

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Translator Notes:

1. ^ The wording here is a little strange, but I’m assuming that it means that the nickname of the school is “Tokusen (特専)”, which means “Specialty”, more or less. Since it sounds better in Japanese, I’ll leave it as such. From the way it’s phrased, I think there are multiple branches of this specialty school, with our MC working at the Kantou branch. It’s a bit unclear right now, but I will change it accordingly if my interpretation of the text turns out to be wrong.
2. ^Escalator school = school that offers education from middle (in this case) until university. Called so because students usually rise to the next grade without having to take entrance exams. (Source: Wikipedia)
3. ^Got pretty liberal at the end here because the way the sentence is written, it says that the ones refining their magic were “their ‘leftover scum’”, without really specifying who “they” were. Based on context, however, I believe she means that the magic students in the student body are seen to be like “leftovers” who can’t use ESP.
4. ^As in, if he’s so superior, then he should be able to understand such a basic thing (but he clearly doesn’t)

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