Extermination Department? Sure, Let's Give It a Try!
Somehow, I got into the Information Division. After passing the written test without any issues, I returned to my personal dorm room without a scratch.
“Huh? The Information Division entrance exam was way easier than I thought.”
Thanks to Senior Yukio’s fan club babysitting me while I sneaked out of the clubroom as much as possible, there were no weird incidents or surprises. I finished the written test perfectly.
'Well, the only weird thing was that slight chill I felt in the auditorium when I was filling out the application form... nah, that was probably just my imagination.'
If I look at it purely from the events that happened today, it wasn’t that bad at all.
I rescued the cute personality Capybara Yukio on time, and no one misjudged me as some creepy pervert.
The only thing still nagging me is that “Stormy Newbie Who Sniped a 2nd-Year Ace in One Go” title. But... I mean, it can’t be.
If Yukio remembered what happened after she woke up from the hypnosis, she’d be fine. The three newbie fanclub members who only saw me punching her stomach are the ones misunderstanding things.
Yukio must still remember everything from before the hypnosis. She couldn’t have thought I was strong enough to send her one-shot. She definitely doesn’t think I’m an ultra-elite newbie, right? No way.
'Hah, even if the world is out to get me, it’s not that bad.'
I’m sure it’s not that bad. I can feel it in my bones.
“Come on, enough worrying. I should take it easy. The results come out tomorrow morning, so...”
I stared out the window at the beautiful evening darkness and slowly closed my eyes, intending to turn off the lights in my dorm room and end the tiring day.
I had no idea what miserable reality was waiting for me in the morning.
* * *
Bright, cheerful morning sunlight streamed into the room. I slowly opened my eyes.
“...That’s weird. Why does my body feel so refreshed again?”
When I sat up from the bed, the bad-but-refreshing feeling hit me once more.
It felt like someone was teasing me with “Today’s another day of getting screwed over~!” and my eyebrows furrowed deeply.
“You guys can’t have your way today. I’m already halfway accepted into the Information Division!”
I shouted into the empty air to shake off the unpleasant refreshment, moved my body around to dispel it, but...
that refreshing feeling just wouldn’t leave, as if saying ‘You’re already done for, so stop struggling.’
“...It’s just my imagination. I have to prepare anyway.”
A sinister feeling started crawling up my back. I ignored it as much as I could and hurriedly changed clothes, then dashed out of the dorm.
Chirp chirp chirp.
What a beautiful sky today! The early birds are chirping, and the flowers are blooming brightly. On days like this, people like me with bad luck and refreshing vibes...
“Oh~ Newbie coming to school so early?”
“......!!”
“As your senpai, don’t feel embarrassed~.”
I was absolutely certain it wouldn’t happen. I thought the worst was behind me. But here it was... I really hate that story.
* * *
“Coming to school so early? If I hadn’t waited, we might have missed each other, huh~.”
Cute personality Capybara Yukio approached me with a light morning greeting.
Normally her mischievous smile and swaying hand would feel adorable, but...
'N-No way, don't come near me...!!'
To me, who already recognized her as a variable walking around, this was like a scene from a horror movie.
“There’s still a bit of time before general class starts. Can we talk for a moment?”
“Ah, I’m busy with...”
“Just a little while. If not, even after classes, I can wait.”
“......”
I tried to escape with excuses, but Senior Yukio’s flat voice attacking my conscience was hard to ignore.
If it was just a normal friend, I would have ignored it and left, but Yukio is one of my favorite characters I want to lead into a youth ending.
“...Let’s talk.”
“Talking? You were going to say you didn’t have time just now, right?”
“Actually, I have a lot of time. Senpai.”
“Really? That’s great.”
When my favorite character looked so dejected right in front of me, I wished someone else would throw stones at me and coldly reject her.
“So, what happened so early in the morning?”
“...It’s because of what happened in the clubroom yesterday.”
“Hahaha, I see. It’s because of yesterday’s events.”
My lips burned when the words “yesterday’s events” came out. Depending on what it was, my “worry” could vanish completely.
Or another variable could ruin my plan. I forced myself to smile at Yukio while hiding my true feelings.
The awkward laughter continued until Yukio slowly opened her mouth again.
“Thank you.”
“...What?”
“I heard I was infected with Hesu Netsuri, so you followed me on purpose, right?”
“!”
“You followed me, the embarrassing senpai who invited you to join right after we met, to save me. I’m really grateful.”
The thing that came back to me, who had been on high alert like a porcupine, was a sincere thank-you for saving my life.
“I was deeply infected, to the point where I might have forgotten everything... if it wasn’t for Hitoshi-kun, it would have been bad.”
“C-Cough... So it was because of the infection... Senpai. Hesu Netsuri affects memories too. Yeah......”
Even though I thought she misunderstood my hypnosis as memory loss from the infection, I decided not to correct it. No reason to poke a sleeping bear.
“You don’t have to thank me. I didn’t help expecting thanks.”
“You’re too kind, Hitoshi-kun. A bad guy will come and eat you up.”
“Hahaha, your senpai jokes are really good.”
The doubt I had expected—“Is she mistaking me for an elite?”—softly faded with Yukio’s grateful words.
If it wasn’t because of some foolish misunderstanding that she forced me to come, this moment was just a happy time talking with my favorite character.
There was no need to stay on guard. I lowered my defenses and chatted casually for ten minutes.
“Then Senpai, I think it’s okay if I go now. The Information Division newbie acceptance announcement is coming soon.”
I started to stand up from my seat, getting closer to the time for the announcement.
“...The Information Division acceptances?”
“Yes, Senpai. I passed the Information Division entrance exam well, so I probably got accepted—.”
“That, Hitoshi-kun’s name probably isn’t on the list.”
“—?”
“I told you, right? If your senpai is kind like Hitoshi-kun, a bad guy will come and eat you up.”
“Huh? Yukio Senpai, what does that mean...?”
“I’m actually a pretty bad person.”
* * *
Why do sinister feelings always come true exactly?
The variable that appeared the moment I lowered my guard almost made me lose consciousness.
But as always, I had to fight back. Even if it meant escaping from that bad (?) personality Yukio.
“Senpai, explain it properly. What do you mean?”
“I said it, right? I put Hitoshi-kun into the Exorcist Corps because I wanted to.”
“I’m a complete bad senpai.”
“I’m sure I told you, Senpai. My goal after entering here is only the Information Division.”
“I remember. Back then I was about to give up... but now I can’t let go of Hitoshi-kun.”
Seriously, even though you’re a bad senpai, why are you apologizing so much?
If I keep fighting, I’ll look like the bad guy. But I can’t let emotion sway me.
“Senpai.”
“Even if you call me that softly, I won’t change my mind!”
“Senpai, please listen to my story again. My goal is—.”
No matter how much I like her, there’s something I can’t compromise on. It’s the youth ending. I can’t let go of the only thing I’ve been watching since before I reincarnated into this game.
Right now, it’s important to firmly say “As a newbie of the Information Division, I will live” —.
“If Hitoshi-kun joins the Exorcist Corps, I’ll do everything Hitoshi-kun wants. For real.”
—Yeah, it is important. But for now, let’s hear the rest of the story.
“Dates too... if Hitoshi-kun wants, I’ll go on dates. So don’t refuse like that.”
“—My goal is there, but actually, the Exorcist Corps doesn’t seem that bad. I’ll just do it.”
“Eh? All of a sudden? You’re accepting that easily...?”
“I told you, Senpai. I don’t dwell on the past.”
