Chapter Thirty-Four: The Virtuous Teacher

In an instant, he pushed the motorcycle to its highest legal speed—120 kilometers per hour—relishing the sensation of wind that was impossible to experience in the age of King Arthur.

"Though it's a bit murky, I really missed this," he said, his helmetless words carried directly to Chizuru behind him.

"You shut-in, do you even remember what the outside world smells like? Have you been out at all since summer started? Really, when Uncle visited last time, he even asked me to keep an eye on your daily life. I just went off to a club retreat and you ended up like this. Your future looks rather bleak," she scolded, not relenting. The club training was mandatory, so Chizuru had to go. When she returned late at night, she hadn't wanted to disturb Lancer, but the next morning, as she hurried to his room, she felt as if some nerve had snapped within her.

"Haha, you lone wolf..." The first half was a laugh, but the latter part was a muttered complaint only he could hear.

"Ugh, why do I keep sneezing this morning?" An unscrupulous uncle strolled through the military camp, rubbing his nose.

"Relax, relax, don't sweat the small stuff." Though he could easily overpower the other physically, his teacher's presence left him unable to act out, and he rather enjoyed this almost familial atmosphere, stern as it might seem.

"Seriously, it's hard to imagine how someone like you managed to make so much money. How do your subordinates or business partners even stand your personality?" Chizuru kept up her criticism, but once again realized that Lancer's thick skin was impervious to any of her attacks.

"Alright, we're almost at school. For the sake of your model-student image, let's stop here." Just then, a tunnel appeared ahead, and Chizuru seemed to notice something. "Hey, just how fast are you going?" She'd only just realized the crucial detail.

"Relax, it's nothing to worry about. Look—" As they exited the tunnel, the sea stretched out before them, and their destination stood along the coast: Seaside Academy.

"Ah! I missed this so much."

"Hey, it's been only a month and a half since summer break started," he replied, unable to fathom why she was so emotional. It wasn't their first time here; they'd been attending for over a year.

"Nonsense. I was stuck up in the mountains for half a month," she replied, savoring the sea air, while Lancer silently made a cross over his heart—rest in peace, wild beasts.

Now that they'd reached the school, Lancer naturally slowed down. But just as he was about to ride onto campus—

"Motorcycle, stop! According to school regulations, only staff are allowed to ride motor vehicles into the campus area!" A man built like Schwarzenegger blocked the gate, halting Lancer's approach.

"Director, can't you act normal for once? With your physique, just standing at the gate, who would dare cause trouble?" Lancer had nothing else to say about someone so rigid and rule-bound. Couldn't the guy see who he was?

"Oh, it's you. Fine, drive on in. But have you ever seen a teacher ride such a flashy bike to school?" The muscular man recognized Lancer and stepped aside but began lecturing him.

"Yeah, yeah, I get it. I don't care if I skip class, but the student behind me needs to check in," Lancer bantered as he pushed the bike inside.

"By the way, stop by my office during the opening ceremony," the man called out just as Lancer was leaving.

Lancer's brow furrowed for a moment, but his smile quickly returned. "No problem."

He left Chizuru at the entrance to her class, Year Two, Class Three, then headed alone to his own office. Everyone else was gathering at the gym for the opening ceremony, but Lancer, a pen between his lips, made his way to the legendary—Student Affairs Office.

Knocking twice, he didn't bother waiting for a response and pushed the door open.

"Hey! Long time no see!" A sunny-faced youth waved at Lancer.

"Good evening, Cicada," Lancer ignored the greeting and sat at an empty seat.

"Alright, since Viper is here, let's get down to business." The burly man, unfazed by everyone else's attitude, pulled down a projector from the wall.

"A descendant of the Sasaki family from District 11—Keiko Sasaki. We've had our share of friction, but her family is left-leaning, and she's here for sanctuary at our academy. Someone needs to protect her," he said, scanning the room with a scrutinizing gaze.

"Viper, Cicada, Spark, Preacher. You four are best suited for this mission. What do you think?" The school had more than a dozen members of their 'Sting' group, but only these four excelled at stealth. Lancer, the sniper, was naturally skilled in concealment; Cicada, the scout, was aptly named for his expertise in escape; Spark, in charge of demolitions, was sensitive to locations; Preacher specialized in infiltration, often masquerading as a priest.

The four exchanged glances. Lancer was the first to voice disinterest. "Come on, Roly-Poly, I'm on vacation. Let the other three handle it." He didn't even look at the photo, just kept playing his confiscated PSP.

"Alright. Viper's out. What about the rest of you?"

"I'm only interested in things that can be blown up," Spark declared, making everyone—including Lancer—break out in cold sweat.

"Oh, as God says—"

"Enough. Preacher, you're out. Cicada, it's your assignment," Roly-Poly ordered, as everyone stared at him, sweat beading on their foreheads.

"Wasn't this decided from the start?" Lancer asked, unconcerned.

"Pretty much. Never planned for Spark to take it. It was down to you three, but you dropped out, and Preacher seems to have skipped his meds this morning. This one's for Cicada," replied the man sometimes called 'Muscle Tank' or 'Muscle Roly-Poly' by his teammates—a leader who'd once stopped AK bullets with his muscles. Despite his appearance, he was a calm and collected figure, overseeing everyone at the academy.

"Alright. We're done here, right? I'm heading back," Lancer announced, ready to return to his office and enjoy his rare, peaceful days.

"Hold up—Viper, go meet her at the school gate. Can't have Cicada do it—he's at least posing as a student, and you're the only other remotely normal one here." Thinking of his eccentric colleagues, he could only smile bitterly.

"Fine. Give me the photo." Grabbing it, he strolled out of the office.

"Hey, Cicada, do you think Viper forgot his meds today too?" Preacher, once Lancer left, slung an arm over Cicada's shoulder.

"Seems like it! He didn't react at all!" The group continued to speculate on Lancer's odd behavior, while Lancer himself had already wandered to the school gate.

Leaning against the wall, engrossed in his PSP, Lancer was suddenly alerted by the sound of an engine approaching.