"Sorry, sorry!"
Kenmyo Isayama hurriedly opened the door and saw that familiar face. Before he could even say hello, he heard a sudden whistle of wind in his ears. His body instinctively wanted to dodge and counterattack, but Kenmyo realized this wasn't the crisis-ridden Warhammer world; he immediately suppressed his dangerous reflexes.
Noticing Kenmyo's subtle movement, the "ill-intentioned" attacker arched an eyebrow, but that fair-skinned fist—carrying a literal Doppler effect—still slammed heavily into his abdomen.
Oof! Ergh...
With a cry of pain, Kenmyo Isayama—whose Psionic grade was high enough to be considered a threat by the Imperium in the Warhammer universe—was knocked down.
"Too slow!"
A graceful, pleasant voice tinged with a hint of resentment rang out above the half-kneeling Kenmyo, making one wonder if he had committed some heinous crime.
"This woman..."
Seeing Kenmyo scramble back to his feet, the elegant figure didn't give him a second glance. Instead, she spoke in a crisp, non-negotiable tone:
"Get in the car!"
"I don't need—"
Kenmyo instinctively wanted to refuse, but when he locked eyes with those intimidatingly beautiful reddish-brown pupils, they seemed to say, "Don't make me say it twice." The courage he had managed to muster instantly vanished into thin air.
Kenmyo sighed and pointed toward the open front door. "I get it. Can I at least go back in to grab some things?"
Seeing her nod, Kenmyo ducked back inside, quickly gathered his belongings, and stepped out again. By the time he reappeared, the figure that had caused him such "dread" was gone.
Standing at the doorway, the sensation of holding his backpack again gave Kenmyo a strange sense of nostalgia. He walked to the road outside, where a sun-drenched Ferrari 812 GTS convertible sat waiting, its classic Ferrari Red glowing brilliantly. He walked over, pulled open the door with practiced ease, and sat down.
"Asagi-ane."
Kenmyo greeted the young woman in the driver's seat. She had a refined face, wore sunglasses, and even with her blonde hair tied in a simple, efficient high ponytail, she looked exceptionally noble. Heaven had gifted her with breathtakingly long, slender legs, a face that invited envy, and a proud figure.
"Call me 'Teacher.'"
The "ice queen" frowned slightly, and the frost between her brows seemed to thaw just a little, though she still spoke with a stiff tone.
Kenmyo let out his third sigh of the morning. He had initially planned to call her by her surname, but knowing he'd get glared at, he immediately switched to her given name.
"Aiba—no, Asagi-sensei."
The barrage of "calls" he'd received earlier was from this professional-looking older sister, who had been relentlessly pressing the Isayama doorbell.
Asagi Aiba. An MIT prodigy who held dual doctorates in Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence at just 27 years old. This expensive supercar was a testament to her privileged background. Normally, a favored daughter of the universe like her should have been researching cutting-edge technology at a laboratory; there should have been no intersection between her and Kenmyo.
Yet, to everyone's surprise, the genius Asagi Aiba had resolutely entered the field of education, becoming a high school teacher and the homeroom teacher for both Kenmyo and Sakura Isayama.
Because of their unique family situation, Asagi-sensei had provided a lot of help. Sakura had been very close to her, and in private, they both called her Asagi-ane, treating her like an older sister. She was cold on the outside but kind and gentle on the inside—well, the fact that she could get violent when angry was also true.
When Sakura was buried, Asagi-ane had come and cried bitterly. Since Kenmyo was the one in the wrong this time, getting punched upon meeting was quite reasonable.
Asagi-ane was truly angry; otherwise, she wouldn't have insisted on him calling her "Teacher." She had said in the past that she only used titles during work hours. This meant their current relationship was that of a "misbehaving student" and a "disciplining teacher."
"Mm. Put on your seatbelt."
After saying that, the "aloof" Asagi-sensei didn't utter another word. Once she saw Kenmyo buckle up, she pressed the start button. With a vroom, the V12 mechanical beast roared to life. She floored the gas, and the car shot forward like a bolt, leaving two deep tire marks on the pavement.
"This is exactly why!"
In the silent cabin, Kenmyo stared through the windshield. Asagi-ane was using her expert driving skills to weave through lanes, overtaking cars at a harrowing speed. His hand gripped the door handle tightly.
Damn it, I'd rather go have a proper fight with a Greater Daemon of Khorne.
"I really didn't want to ride in Asagi-ane's car..."
It wasn't until they entered a road where students became more numerous that the red supercar began to slow down. When he saw Asagi-ane steering with one hand while her left hand unconsciously toyed with her turquoise-blue earring, Kenmyo thought, "Oh no." He knew the interrogation was coming.
"Kenmyo Isayama, are you doing right by your sister, Sakura?"
Sure enough, Asagi-ane opened with a bombshell. Not only did she use his full name, but she also brought up his sister.
Kenmyo was instantly silenced. He couldn't exactly tell her he'd been out scouring the city for Cursed Energy to convert into points for his [Second Simulation] to raise his Psionic grade. If he said that, their next stop might not be the school, but a psychiatric ward.
A serious and responsible woman like Asagi Aiba would surely turn the car around to have Kenmyo's head examined. Where in the world could you just "open a cheat menu" like that?
Kenmyo's silence was interpreted as a lack of remorse, making Asagi Aiba fly into a rage. Her chest heaved, and her neck and face flushed red with emotion.
"Do you have any idea? If you didn't show up to school, you were going to be expelled!"
Thinking of this brat's behavior, Asagi Aiba slammed her hand against the steering wheel in frustration, causing the Ferrari's chassis to shudder violently.
"If I hadn't come to pick you up just now, were you planning on skipping again today?"
Kenmyo had been delayed by the business with Sakura and hadn't noticed the time. If he had ridden his bicycle to school, he would have definitely been late. Being late might have only added a minor footnote to his "distinguished" history of delinquency, but Asagi Aiba knew that because of Kenmyo's reckless actions, the school administration was at its breaking point—even with her intervention. The next disciplinary action would likely be a "Notice of Expulsion."
They had agreed on today, and Asagi Aiba had even vouched for him to the school leaders. If he was late again, it wouldn't just be about the time; his attitude would be seen as utterly abysmal.
Therefore, she was determined not to let him be late. Asagi Aiba had used every bit of her driving prowess to carve a path through the morning rush hour. She hadn't just prevented him from being late; she had even bought enough time for a lecture.
As for speeding tickets? Asagi Aiba had her own ways of handling those; they didn't matter. What mattered was Ken's future in Japanese society. What could a high school dropout do? He'd end up a street thug, or at best, rely on his good looks to be a gigolo for rich older women.
"Starting with skipping class, leaving early, then missing entire days, and finally just not showing up at all... you..."
"What exactly are you trying to do, Ken?!"