The Boss Is an Elementary School Student!
The boss was an elementary school student!
The parents, who should have been engaged in lively conversations about their children, instead began quietly observing us, reading the room. Regalia could easily guess why.
It was because of the two people before her—the man and woman disguised as her parents, Eight and Arima. Their disguises were far too perfect. It wasn't merely their outer appearances; they had even replicated her ESP...
'To think they copied even my ability... At this rate, they truly seem like real parents.'
Regalia's ESP was King's Majesty. It was the remarkable power that allowed her to command Evils Enterprise despite her young age. That same majestic aura was now radiating from the pair as well.
Of course, unlike her—who had wielded ESP her entire life and could control it naturally—the two didn't seem to know how to regulate it. They were simply blasting the pressure everywhere. Still, the fact that they could replicate her ability at all was astonishing.
In short, it was as if three kings had gathered in this place. It was only natural that the other parents, mere company employees, would be overwhelmed and cowed by the aura.
“...Eight. You've prepared something strange again.”
“You should call me Dad, Ria.”
“...There isn't anything else, is there? I am currently disguised as an ordinary student...!”
“Of course. It's all out of consideration for our Ria.”
After watching Eight's performance, Regalia breathed a sigh of relief. Though they looked exactly like her and had even copied her ability perfectly, she could still tell they were fakes.
They didn't resemble her real father from her memories in the slightest. Not in appearance, nor in mannerisms.
“You mustn't cause any trouble... I'll trust you...!”
“Don't worry, Ria.”
“Ughhh...!”
Yet the very fact that they didn't resemble her father only fueled Regalia's anxiety. No matter how noble and dignified their outward appearances became—
what lay inside was still that scientist. Carrying a heart full of unease, Regalia returned to her lessons.
During the break, after chatting with the boss about this and that, I realized the unusually quiet atmosphere in the classroom hadn't formed naturally.
And that the cause was me.
'I didn't expect her ESP to be copied too.'
This was an unintended side effect even I hadn't anticipated. Who would have imagined that copying a few chromosomes would replicate ESP as well?
In other words, without realizing it, I had been unconsciously radiating Regalia's King's Majesty all over the place. The same likely applied to Arima beside me.
Modern people might not care much about nobles or kings, but this ESP applied pressure regardless of whether the target minded or not. When I considered that I couldn't control the ability and hadn't even known it existed, it meant everyone in the classroom was being suppressed by the aura two kings were recklessly emitting...
'Now I feel kind of bad.'
As I was feeling apologetic toward the people in the classroom, one of the parents cautiously approached and spoke.
“Nice to meet you.”
“...Yes, nice to meet you too.”
“I'm Dodolphe, father of Adolf sitting over there. I run a small company that receives direct commissions from Evils Enterprise.”
I gave Dodolphe a light nod. After all, while it was King's Majesty or some unknown pressure, it wasn't hypnosis or brainwashing. If one mustered the courage, they could push through it.
Besides, unlike medieval times, speaking to someone with a noble air in the modern era wouldn't get your head chopped off. As a company president, he probably figured there was nothing to lose by approaching someone radiating such presence.
“I'm Ria's father. I'm an ordinary company employee.”
“Pardon? What do you...”
“I'm an ordinary company employee.”
When I gave the answer the boss and I had prepared beforehand, Mr. Repeating Record stiffened his expression as if displeased. Maybe he didn't believe me. Well, even I wouldn't buy it if someone with this face and this aura claimed to be a mere office worker.
But whether he believed me or not, I had only one thing to say. I was a company employee. Wasn't my real identity that of an employee in a villain organization? It wasn't exactly a lie.
When I kept insisting I was a company employee, Mr. Repeating Record seemed to decide I was refusing conversation and quietly withdrew. A wise choice.
“A-alright then... Shall we have some students present their homework? Who would like to go first?”
Even after the teacher spoke, none of the students raised their hands. Watching this, Regalia let out another sigh before quietly raising her hand. The teacher called on her immediately, and Regalia stepped forward with her prepared homework and began her presentation.
“My parents are ordinary company employees.”
“...Ordinary?”
“They are wonderful people who love and cherish me so much. I always miss them. Mom, Dad. I love you.”
“U-um, yes. Well written. However...”
The teacher's gaze kept darting toward us. When our eyes met, she let out a small shriek and shrank back.
But perhaps this was part of the curriculum, because she continued without avoiding my eyes.
“U-um, Ria's father? Could you please come forward for a moment...”
At the teacher's call, I met Regalia's eyes. Only after the boss gave a slight nod did I step forward. With every step, it felt like the children's breaths were being stolen away. I was starting to feel sorry for remaining in the classroom this long.
Once in front, I began my self-introduction as requested. It was the same as what I'd told Mr. Repeating Record.
“Nice to meet you. I'm Ria's father. I'm an ordinary company employee.”
The adults who heard I was just a company employee looked utterly unconvinced, but the children seemed to accept it at least somewhat.
And the few kids with parents even more impressive than a mere employee seemed to lose all tension toward me. They began acting rowdy, as children do.
“Mister! What exactly do you do?”
“I'm a researcher.”
“Researchers can make robots and stuff, right!?”
At the child's innocent question, I nodded lightly. Then I took a square object from my pocket. The boss flinched when I pulled it out but didn't stop me.
Taking that as permission, I activated the robot. It was a toy robot I'd made after arriving in this world—the prototype, slightly modified.
When powered on, the square box transformed according to its pre-programmed instructions. Since the commercially sold Nemo Buster had been a supporting villain, I'd modified this one to transform into the protagonist robot that would be most popular with children.
“Whoa, whoaa—!”
“It's Superbot!”
The children who realized its identity screamed in delight. As expected, nothing beats toys for kids.
Sure enough, even the boss seemed fascinated, fidgeting as she stared at the toy on the desk. I gave her a reassuring smile and introduced it.
“I work at a company that makes things like this.”
“Mister! Can I touch it!?”
“As much as you like.”
Confident it wouldn't break no matter how roughly they handled it, I handed the toy to the children. Sure enough, they took turns touching it and burst into exclamations at the self-moving robot.
While the children grinned and fiddled with the toy, the parents' faces grew darker and darker. I wasn't sure why.
Just as the toy completed its rounds through the children's hands and I was about to pocket it, one of the kids suddenly shouted.
“But Superbot is huge on TV! Why is this one so small—?”
“Yeah! It was super big on TV! Isn't that a fake?”
Hearing that, I paused with the robot halfway into my pocket. Why so small? A fake? Of course it was fake, but I couldn't shatter their innocent dreams.
I glanced back at Arima and met her eyes. When she gave a light nod, I walked straight to the window and opened it.
“D-Dad...?”
As the boss's worried voice rang out, I hurled the toy robot with all my strength. While the children wondered what I was doing, the thrown toy began growing larger and larger under Arima's magic.
Eventually, a giant robot the exact size from the TV show appeared in the middle of the schoolyard.
BOOM—!
The children began shouting in amazement at the ground-shaking robot. Amid the cries of surprise and cheers, I spoke lightly.
“Of course it's the real thing.”
I could never make the boss the daughter of a lying father. I looked at her with a smile, as if asking what she thought. Her face was filled with smiles too.