Arifureta Shokugyou de Sekai Saikyou (LN) - Volume 13 - Chapter SS7

Arifureta Academy—The Graduation Ceremony

There was a solemn air in the magic academy’s auditorium. Today was the high school department’s graduation ceremony and everyone—from the graduating students to the visiting family members to the faculty—was quite nervous. However, the students and faculty were nervous for a very different reason than the parents.

“Shea Haulia.”

The opening speeches had concluded without incident, so now the students were being called up to receive their diplomas. The top students in their respective specialties were being called up first, which just so happened to include one of the academy’s biggest problem children. To everyone’s surprise, instead of giving her usual cheerful reply, she stood up solemnly and walked gracefully up to the podium. Everyone who knew her was shocked by such uncharacteristic behavior, but the parents and guests all just thought she looked very pretty.

“Ahem! Shea Haulia, this diploma is proof that you graduated at the top of your class in the close-combat department. Congratulations,” Freid Bagwa, the head of the high school branch of the academy, said as he handed Shea her diploma.

“Thank you very much,” Shea replied with a gentle smile. She was being as polite and well-mannered as possible, which terrified the other students and teachers.

“Umm, we’re very proud that a scholarship student like you was able to graduate at the top of the class. That being said, we feel you may have gone too far—ahem, I mean to say you were a bit too overzealous in applying yourself to your studies. Even after you graduate, please don’t forget that you do represent our school and remember the value of moderation.”

“Oh my, thank you for those words of wisdom.”

“Who the hell are you and what have you done with the real Shea Haulia?”

Shea smashed Freid’s megaphone with supernatural speed so no one except her heard that last statement. Freid paled as he saw the fragments of his megaphone fall to the ground, while Shea just smiled sweetly and walked back to her seat.

“Oh my, it seems your megaphone is broken, dean,” one of the female teachers said, getting up from her seat and walking over to Freid. It was, of course, none other than Yue, though she was in her adult form right now. The parents were so transfixed by her beauty that they began to wonder if any of their kids had been able to pay attention to any classes she taught.

“Oh, umm, I can just use my magic to amplify my voice instead, so—”

“Here, take this. He he, sorry for the trouble everyone.”

“Who the hell are you and what have you done with the real Yue?”

Yue used magic to disperse Freid’s voice and make sure no one else heard him.

Next, the top student in the healing-magic department, Kaori Shirasaki, was called up. Normally, she started a fight with Yue the moment she saw her, but today she was as much of a saint as everyone who didn’t know her believed her to be. Once the diplomas were handed out, Principal Tio came up to give a speech, which she did with surprising grace and decorum.

The students found Shea’s and the others’ docile demeanors off-putting, but at the same time, they realized this was a very important day, so they figured even those problem children didn’t want to ruin it.

Shizuku, Yuka, Professor Laus, and Professor Meld all breathed a collective sigh of relief, glad that they wouldn’t have to use force to subdue the problem children today. The entire event proceeded smoothly, but everyone grew steadily more nervous as the closing ceremony approached. That was because they could tell the four problem children of the school were growing tenser by the minute, almost as if the closing speech would signal the start of something they were desperately awaiting. Shizuku and the other members of the disciplinary committee couldn’t help but worry that something horrible would happen as soon as the ceremony ended.

“And with that, the graduation ceremony has come to a close. Congratulations to each and every one of you for making it this far. Let’s have a round of applause for all of the students graduating on this auspicious day.”

Surprisingly, nothing happened and the students were able to exit the auditorium with smiles on their faces. Of course, they didn’t lower their guard for even a second. There was no telling when disaster might strike. In a splendid display of unity, they made sure to keep an eye out for each other while they filed out. Tio praised their solidarity in her closing remarks, and everyone really wanted to say it was her fault they ended up like this, but they kept their emotions in check. If nothing else though, the bonds they’d forged while struggling to survive Yue and the others’ tyranny would hold fast for the rest of their lives. The graduating students were confident that no matter what came their way, they’d be able to come together and stand against it.

Impressed by how much their children had grown, the parents all smiled proudly upon seeing such unity among the students. They sent them off with uproarious applause and tears in their eyes. A few of the parents noticed that their children looked like war veterans who’d survived a particularly harrowing battlefield and wondered what exactly had gone on at school.

It was only after the students had all left and the parents were starting to file out to find their respective kids that something finally happened.

“Excuse me! Mother, father!” Yue said, teleporting into the audience stands instantly without a portal. She ignored the surprised looks of the parents around her and made a beeline for a specific couple, grabbing both of their hands.

“Stop right there, Yue-sensei! What are you planning on doing with Hajime’s parents?!”

“Aaah, I’m too late!”

“Ngh, the fact that we have to leave the auditorium first really made it too hard for us!”

Indeed, introducing themselves to Hajime’s parents, Sumire and Shu, had been Yue and the others’ goal from the very start. For all his monstrous powers, Hajime still had parents, and the four problem children’s true aim was to convince them that they were Hajime’s one true girlfriend and future wife.

“Umm, are you Yue-sensei?”

“We can talk later. I’m sorry for imposing, but this place is filled with unsavory hyenas and Hajime’s waiting for us elsewhere, so let’s get out of here!”

Before Shea and the others could reach Hajime’s parents, Yue instantly teleported them out of there. Sumire and Shu blinked in surprise as they found themselves on a hill overlooking the academy. Hajime was there as well.

“Uhhh, hi mom, hi dad. Are you guys okay? That was a pretty shocking trip, right?”

Sumire and Shu looked at their son, then turned back to the teacher behind them, who was fidgeting bashfully, then turned to each other and nodded.

“Congratulations on graduating!” they said in sync, seeming completely unfazed by the strangeness of the situation.

“Don’t worry, we can guess what’s going on. We already mostly figured it out from the letters you sent us.”

“Let me guess, you played around with too many girls, and now you’re trying to escape with the one you actually like before the rest of them catch up and give you a piece of their mind?”

“I wouldn’t exactly put it that way.”

While Shu’s statement wasn’t entirely accurate, he did have the gist of it right. Yue was honestly surprised by how quickly they grasped the overall situation.

“So let me guess, you’re madly in love with our son?” Sumire asked, turning to Yue.

Yue broke out in a nervous sweat, her heart pounding in her chest. She’d spent days planning for this very moment, but now that it was at hand, her mind went blank. So instead of the carefully crafted speech she’d prepared, she just responded with the first thing that came to mind.

“I-I-I-It’s nice to meet you! My name is Yue! I’ve already had my way with your son! He’s great! I love him!”

She’d actually wanted to ask them for Hajime’s hand in marriage and tell them she’d make him happy, but this was what came out instead.

Hajime covered his face with his hands, and Yue did the same thing a second later when she realized what she’d just said.

Oh god, I can’t believe I said that! I’m so dumb! she thought.

Yue was expecting Hajime’s parents to give her funny looks, but instead, they just took her statement in stride.

“Why thank you. I guess that means you helped my son graduate school...and from being a virgin!” Shu said with a grin.

“Of course my son’s great; I raised him after all!” Sumire said, puffing her chest out proudly.

“Mom, dad, please shut up.”

Yue perked up a little upon realizing that she hadn’t left a terrible impression. Indeed, Shu and Sumire had pieced everything together from Hajime’s letters already, so they were smiling fondly at Yue.

“We’d love to have someone like you as a daughter-in-law, Yue-sensei. Sorry, I guess I should call you Yue-san now.”

“If anything, a wonderful person like yourself is wasted on our son.”

“Mother, father, I’m so glad you approve. I don’t know if I can live up to your expectations, but please—”

“Hold it right theeere!”

Right before Yue could cement her position as Hajime’s betrothed, an objection interrupted her. Yue turned and saw Shea, Kaori, and Tio stepping out of a portal. Tio was holding Freid by the collar as she’d kidnapped him to make this portal for them.

“Mother, father, don’t be deceived! I’m Hajime-san’s real fiancée!”

“No, I’m his fiancée!”

“Mother, father, please reconsider giving Yue your blessing!”

While Shea and the others were trying to convince Sumire and Shu that they were the best choice for Hajime, yet more people started spilling out of the portal. And of course, the moment they spotted Hajime’s parents, they started pleading their case to them as well.

Sumire turned to Shizuku and Yuka and said, “Oh my, you’re the highly capable Shizuku-san, aren’t you? And you’re Yuka-san, the school’s best chef. My son’s told me all about you in his letters. Are you two also bridal candidates?”

Naturally, Shizuku and Yuka both blushed, and Liliana tried to show off her appeal to Sumire as well. Meanwhile, Cam and Mona Haulia tried to convince Hajime to move back to their hometown with them, while Sister Noint and the Seraphim siblings begged Hajime to let them be his maids. Dignitaries from various countries showed up as well, trying to build connections with the prestigious Nagumo family. Myu and Remia showed up too, and Sumire had a grand old time playing with Myu while she dealt with all of Hajime’s potential suitors.

“Hajime,” Shu said, turning to his son with a gentle smile on his face.

“Wh-What is it, dad?”

“Did you have a fun time at school?”

Blushing awkwardly, Hajime looked away and replied, “Well, it definitely wasn’t boring.”