The Girl of the Stars – Spiritas.
A supernova who rose to the ranks of S-Class heroes at a young age and is one of the hopes of the next generation after Justice.
And a month ago, I saved the boss from the battle at the amusement park...
I don't want to admit it, but to me, I'm just a benefactor.
"Sorry, even if you don't wear a costume like back then, don't you think you're a little too unrecognizable?"
"... It's different, just a little different."
What was she wearing back then?
A frilly pink dress with blonde hair that shone as if it had been sprinkled with stardust. Aside from brutally beating and killing villains, she was the ideal "magical girl" that girls often dream of.
But now, with her hair tied behind her back, glasses, sweaters, and slippers. And dark circles under her eyes, a symbol of fatigue, and a marked waist...
... No, it happens.
She is also human, but if she is not on stage, she prefers comfortable clothes.
"Were you the one who gave me this letter of recommendation?"
Whatever it is, if she was the one who gave me this letter of recommendation, all my doubts would be cleared.
If she were an idol, she would have belonged to a famous agency, and if she were an S-class hero, it would be possible to investigate the association and ask about me.
"Haha, my bread bag, why are you suddenly being respectful?"
However, she shrugged her shoulders as if it was good to understand the truth.
"On the field, I spoke from the beginning, so don't get nervous and let it go. When you call me, call me by my first name."
"If it is your name... ...Spiritas?"
"It's a hero name. Suzuki Kana. That's my real name."
"Ah, yes. So, to Suzuki-san..."
"Hey, why are you guys being so strict between us? Feel free to call me by my name. Kana-chan, I prefer."
The Spiritas who had been talking up to that point and laughed out loud... ...No, Suzuki Kana-san.
Judging by the way they called out names and titles, it seemed to come from the culture of the island nation that existed before the cataclysm, but that was fine.
All you need to pay attention to is why this lady is so friendly to me and why she called me here.
"So, why did you call me here?"
"At first, I was just trying to say thank you. Back then, thanks to Uncle Baker, I was able to focus on defeating the villains. However, when I questioned the association, I heard that you're in a hurry to get a job."
"Uh... In short, you're going to return the favor with a job offer, is that it?"
"If you don't like it, I can just give you some money."
Saying that, Suzuki-san smiled.
I felt uncomfortable because that smile seemed to be testing me for some reason.
Damn, you came all the way here and you're not in the mood to just eat and withdraw money.
"… …What are you going to do for me?"
Above all, the body I have to avoid living with doubts.
Rather than focusing solely on earning money, it's also important to do socially recognized work and improve the perception of the people around you.
In such a situation, it would be an effective way to carry out the search for a hero who has no connection with the Hero Association but has a good reputation.
"Well, it's nothing big…"
Of course, when it comes to matters related to heroes or directly involving themselves in the entertainment industry, I intend to refrain from talking about it.
Yes, even before I heard the story, I thought that the worst thing was just that.
"I want you to be my father for a while."
"Ah, yes. Father… What?"
"I mean, Dad. I need someone to take care of me now."
"..."
***
What is a father?
An existence that contributed to the birth of someone and a pillar that supports the family.
They have so much authority, but also so much responsibility, so it can be said that they deserve respect in modern society.
But what do you want to be as a father?
"My father, you seem worried."
It's okay
"...boss."
"Shh."
I was semi-conscious and reluctantly opened my mouth, and the boss put a finger on my lips and restrained me.
"Isn't the child sleeping now? Let's have a serious talk after we get out of here."
in a dark room. The girl sleeping in her bed was Nella Hart, who lived next door to her.
Today too, this girl's father worked overtime and didn't come home.
It was a cohabitation that they had already gotten used to, but even so, the boss didn't care and just looked at the girl with a happy face.
"Miss, ma'am..."
Are you really seeing the boss in your dreams?
The boss said as he gently caressed Nella's cheek.
"You don't need to worry too much. I'll come back to you soon."
"... ... Hehe."
Did the warmth you felt on your fingertips make you feel better?
After confirming that he was completely asleep, the boss left the room and entered the living room with me.
From that moment on, he continued the story that he couldn't finish after his return.
"Sorry. It was later than planned."
"Right. I understand that you suffer more than I do... ... Besides, now that that child is by my side, I don't have to worry about being alone for a while."
Saying that, the boss smiled brightly.
Could it be because of Nella that her face looks brighter than usual?
I'm worried about what will happen if I show too much affection, but if that's what the boss wanted, the servants simply walked on without saying anything.
"If we're going to talk, it's better to talk at the table, okay? I'll bring you some milk."
"No, wait a minute."
It's just a moment to share what happened during the day, as usual.
The boss who stopped me from going to the kitchen started running to the nearby dresser.
After that, what he held in his hand was a toothpick... ... No, a longer wooden toothpick with cotton on the end.
"I think it would be nice to talk on the sofa today."
"Sofa, what's up?"
"If you're going to talk about this, it's better to talk in a more comfortable position."
Well, unlike the place where I lived, this one also had a sofa.
It wouldn't be a bad idea to sit face to face on the sofa instead of at the kitchen table and think for a while.
– Tuk-tuk.
The boss, sitting on the sofa, began to tap his knee with his hand.
Actions that don't make sense… ….
No, with the toothpick in his hand, I understood the meaning immediately.
I just hope it's not what I think.
"I, boss… …?"
"Sometimes, that's not a bad thing. Come this way."
Saying that, my lord smiled gently.
It was very awkward, but in the end, he couldn't disobey the order, so he approached her and lay down on the sofa.
Head towards her knees.
"Boss, boss… …. But also this… …."
"Shh. Be quiet."
The boss who holds me and puts a toothpick in my ear.
Still, his hands are soft and his voice is gentle. The previous restraint also seemed more concerned for me than annoying.
"Even though your vitality is strong, it is not insensitive to pain.
Do you understand? I don't want to see you go through so much pain."
She counts my pain while cleaning my ear.
I felt my body tremble slightly from the tickling sensation.
But what is even harder to bear is the head resting on my thigh...
...Damn, I can't bear it either.
"Hey, did you have a good entrance ceremony?"
"Thanks to Nella, I could hear easily. It was my first time entering a place full of small children, so I had a different feeling..."
As I changed the subject to calm myself down, she smiled and blew on the tip of the toothpick I had removed from my ear.
Taking advantage of the moment, he turned his gaze and saw a strange expression on her face.
"And I've seen people with a similar vibe to 'That Man'."
"... ...The man?"
"You don't need to worry too much about the atmosphere. Now, lie down on the other side."
"Oh, yes..."
Then he turned and sat up, with his head facing his body.
Even if you looked up a little, you could see his face immediately.
As soon as he put the toothpick in my ear, I could tell that a little force had been put on my eyes and that I was quite focused.
Even so, his voice was so calm that it seemed like he didn't want to show it... ...
"How was your work?"
"Ah, well, I got a job. It's a temporary contract."
"It's comforting to get a job, even if it's temporary. So, what did you do this time?"
"Um, that's…"
I couldn't figure out how to answer the obvious question that followed.
Also, because the author who asked me was 'that woman'.
'Please be my father!'
…to be honest, I couldn't convey the content as it is.
"… …I became a manager."
Fortunately, what she said to me at the time was a 'figurative expression'?
Yes, in fact, instead of needing a father, she needed someone to watch over her and protect her like a son.
"Manager?"
"Yes, the manager of the hero I saw at the amusement park back then."
But the joke was incomparable.
I was once called to the best, but it's hard to refuse, so I accepted as a temporary contract… …Even so, isn't she the "enemy" from our point of view?
"Yes, at that time, I was attended to by the person who cooperated, you mean?"
When I explained the approximate situation, the boss immediately understood.
I could feel her face, which even cleaned the inside of my ears, gradually becoming serious. Yes, it must be hard for her to ignore her S-class hero too.
"Sorry, boss."
"Why do you have to apologize? You're working for her for a fair price."
"Still, I don't know if this is the right thing to do. It's not a private company, but working for a hero…"
"Bred."
The boss puts her hand on my forehead when I express so much anxiety and guilt.
At some point, she finished cleaning her ears and called my name while holding my head with both hands.
"How do you see her in your eyes?"
It's like you want to look directly at yourself.
Even so, he couldn't free himself from the hand holding his head, so he was face to face with her, lying down.
"How can you see that?"
"Unfortunately, I don't know who she is. No, even if I did, she wouldn't be able to make a more accurate judgment than you."
Because I'm still not used to humans.
So, she was trying to put my judgment above hers.
I feel guilty, anxious...
It's like saying don't worry about it if it's you.
"...At least I don't think she'll harm us now."
With the boss's words, I expressed my honest feelings.
How could James, who had a preconceived notion that a father who had a daughter would never be a villain, not be suspicious of me, who worked with him, and entrusted him with the role of manager?
So, just by being by your side, you'll never have any doubts.
"Then it wouldn't hurt to observe her for a while."
"Observing…"
"Yes, she is a hero's greatest power. Just by keeping her by your side, we can gather a lot of information about her."
"Ah, it's definitely not easy to obtain information about an S-Class Hero."
Since the agency doesn't have strict security compared to the association, in a way, it might be safer than directly infiltrating an association that can only access data.
Indeed, this should be the best time to understand the hero's power.
"No, it's not just because he's an S-Class Hero."
However, the boss wasn't satisfied with my guess, but gradually began to harden his expression, as if he was worried about something.
Considering that he was a person who always had a lot of free time, a mixed reaction.
"What are you talking about?"
When I asked her about this, after a moment of silence, she shrugged and continued.
"Three years ago, during the Great War, I saw a man with a superhuman-like ability that she exuded."
Great War.
This refers to the decisive battle between Ouroboros and the Hero Association.
At that time, the organization suffered devastating damage to the point of collapse, and all the executives belonging to the organization disappeared, except for the Beast Hunter, whose death was confirmed...
There were many casualties in the Hero Association, but their misery was also focused on the glory of victory and only raised the status of the association.
Of course, the heroes who survived the battle at that time were more revered than anyone else.
However...
"Then I found it strange. A man with that kind of power survived, but his name was never seen in any media."
Yes, the survivors who led the great war to victory disappeared.
In the midst of this, a situation where someone with a similar energy emerged as a new hero. As the boss, you will have no choice but to worry.
And speaking up to this point, I think I also guessed who she was talking about.
"...Who is he?"
She answered the question posed to be sure.
"The name he used as a hero was Jack Horse, but everyone who knew him called him by that name."
"Celestial demon, right?"
"...You know."
"It would be strange not to know."
Class S Hero – Jack Horse.
Before World War I, he was a hero who ranked second to Justice, and he was the one who defeated the Ouroboros executive who commanded the unit I belonged to "all by himself."
A rookie from the world of villains who rose from the same level as me to an executive position.
I mean, it's almost a fairy tale.