Chapter 144: Wild Lion Encounter

「Ah, I can’t participate without a staff, right? Sorry, can you also lend me your staff? I’ll properly return it later.」

「「「………」」」

To the words of Touko who suddenly appeared, the three are dumbfounded. She suddenly appeared and asking for the right to participate in the graduation festival and a staff that can be said a magician’s partner. It was as if she was insulting them by asking them to unconditionally hand over the graduation festival, which is the culmination of their school life.

「I’m sorry, Prince. It seems that my ears are broken. What is that girl talking about? I couldn’t hear it well~」

「What a coincidence. It seems that my ears are not working well too. I heard stupid things like handing over the right to participate and the staff.」

「Hahaha! That was a pretty funny joke. But, you have to choose the person and read the situation if you want to say a joke next time! You don’t look familiar, are you a new student for next year or something? Sorry, but the graduation festival is for the graduates. You can look forward to it when you graduate.」

In the stagnant atmosphere, Dry tactfully laughed it off as a joke. Thanks to that, Karua and Prince try to be patient even while feeling displeased. But then again, there is a person who can’t read the mood here.

「Ha? I’m not joking. I’m stupid, so I can only choose words frankly and straightforwardly. I hate patience, so I do what I want to do now. Now, who is going to give it to me?」

The atmosphere that had been maintained was torn apart and shattered to the point of no return. Even Dry can’t patch things up when it’s like this. Besides, he also has his pride as a student.

「Hah, stupid people like her do exist, huh~. You should think a bit before ambushing us, you know~? It’s foolish to pick a fight in a three-on-one situation like this, don’t you think~?」

「Ha? Are you stupid? The one who calls others stupid is stupid, you know? Besides, it’s a situation where I have to deal with just the three of you. There’s no way I will miss such favorable conditions, you stupid.」

「…Prince, Dry. Don’t interfere, okay~? I’m going to beat her alone…!」

「Hmph, do as you like.」

「Her, Karua. You shouldn’t be reckless against the new student. Well, it seems that she needs a bit of punishment though.」

「Just shut up already. Come on, take out your staff. I will borrow it unscathed and return it unscathed!」

「Bring it on…!」

Karua, who took a step ahead, and Touko, who is ready to run, are facing each other. When they crossed their gazes, the figure of Touko disappeared from the sight of the three.

「What are you doing, you stupid discipleeee!」

――――BAAAM!

Hearing the impact sound roaring from behind, the Karua and the other two hurriedly looked back. There, the tan-skinned girl is splendidly being locked by a maid. There’s a terrible crack in the floor, so it could be guessed that she was slammed once against the floor before being restricted.

「Ow ow ow!? Wait, Lily-shishō!? It really huuuuurts!」

Touko, whose arm is being constricted upward, is unable to endure it and lets out a scream that’s unbecoming as a girl.

「It’s problematic that you do things without thinking and only following your instinct! In the first place, you wouldn’t be allowed to participate even if you defeated a student here! Are you stupid? Ah, right, you are stupid! You are really stupid!」

「S-Shishō, the one who calls others stupid is stu――Owww! B-Beside, even you mostly live with your insti――It huuurts!」

「I still have a shred of reason left!」

Every time Touko tried to say something, a brutal action took place. If her muscles and joints are not flexible, they would have been broken already. Her arm is being held at such an angle.

「H-Hey, you. Don’t you think it’s better to stop it at that? That girl, she’s shedding tears…」

「Ah, I’m sorry for the trouble that she caused. As you can see, I will scold her severely, so please forgive her.」

「It will break, it will breaaak!」

「Okay, let’s go a little further today.」

「Gyaaah!」

Even the other parties are no longer hostile and feel pity toward Touko. Perhaps it was worth exposing such an unsightly appearance, Karua and the others are able to regain their calmness.

(I’m glad that the maid intervened, but when did she get behind us? How can she do that in this narrow passageway without us noticing…? And that maid, I have no idea where she came from…)

Karua’s question is reasonable. Still, there’s no way a mere student can read the movements of the Great Eight Demons. As for Touko, her status is specialized in speed and she is faster than Haruna and Chinatsu. It’s impossible to capture their movements in the first place.

「… Who are you guys? Are you assassins from another country who want to destroy the graduation festival?」

「No, just a super cute maid that you can find anywhere and a stupid dog who ran away when I took my eyes off. I’m really sorry. Could you think of it as being bitten by a dog and forgive her? I mean, everyone seems to be busy, shh!」

「Gupyah!?」

What came out of Touko’s mouth was no longer a scream.

「Haa, this is stupid. I’m going ahead.」

「H-Hey! Karua!」

「Hmph…」

Following Karua, Dry and Prince left the passage. All that’s left are a maid who is doing a splendid technique and a mad dog who is about to die.

「Hnn~, it ended without becoming a big deal, I guess? But, we are suspicious enough, so stand out any more than this is strictly prohibited.」

「S-Shishō… I’m, seriously, can’t take it anymore…」

「Ah, sorry.」

Touko’s arm was released and she fell down on the floor. She is alive, but she is twitching all over her body. It seems that she needs time to recover.

「So, why did you do that? If you do something unnecessary, I’m the one who will be responsible, you know?」

「Uhh… When I saw the match of Haruna and Chinatsu, I also wanted to participate so badly…」

「For that reason? Jeez, this is why brain muscles are… Still, you can’t. That’s an experience for Haru-chan. If you snatched food, you are disqualified as a servant.」

「S-Shishō, didn’t you snatch food in the kitchen last night…?」

「That is that! This is this! Haru-chan’s cooking is a taste of sin! Now, don’t just lie in that place, get up!」

「Y-You demon…」

After Touko stood up with her willpower, the two disappeared from the passage in an instant. Since then, the tan-skinned mad dog and the silver-haired super cute maid never appeared at the graduation festival, and the case of robbing the right to participate ended without becoming a big deal.

Now, it’s time for the graduation festival tournament. At the venue of the academy, a lottery to match up pairs is being held.