Fuyuu Gakuen no Alice and Shirley Vol 2 Chapter 1.4

Cla.s.s had finished and it was now lunchtime.

Everyone in Year 2 Cla.s.s A left the special cla.s.sroom.

Someone’s shadow was in the corridor.

That person went to talk to Ooi and the other two girls.

“Can I talk to you for a minute?”

It was a brave-looking girl with black hair in a short, even cut.

Her thick eyebrows gave her the impression of being strong-willed.

She opened a window on her Ring Gear.

A hologram floated into the air.

The silver device on her left arm looked like an ordinary bracelet, but with it she could communicate with other people, make a hologram and access all sorts of information. It had various convenient functions.

Now it was displaying her ID.

“Breaker Supporter Koori Yuuka 2-ZE”

Masaki remembered that she had treated his injuries on his first day at the school.

The level of her Dialect was low, but she was still part of Breaker; she was a girl who worked earnestly and cared a lot about the school. She sincerely worked hard at her position as a Supporter who helped the advance guard that faced the rule breakers.

Ooi looked puzzled.

“What is it?”

“I’m Koori from Breaker. I want to ask you something.”

“You’re from Cla.s.s ZE? Then you’re practically as powerless as a normal person.”

Unlike the conversation she had with Masaki and Shirley some time ago, Ooi and the other girls bluntly looked down on her.

Although it felt uncomfortable, the girl’s att.i.tude seemed to be common in Canaan. Here, level was important.

Koori carried on talking without being agitated by Ooi and the other girls’ att.i.tude.

“Since last month, the Dialect evaluation of students has suddenly grown, like you and your friends. Can you think of any reason why this might have happened?”

“Huh? We put in a lot of effort of course. It’s because we worked hard.”

Ooi spurned her.

The other two girls exchanged glances with each other and said “No way, is it…?”, but there wasn’t a clear explanation of the reason.

“Aha, is it now Breaker’s job to find the secret of levelling up?”

“No, that’s not it. A little while ago there was an incident involving a Level-Up APPD, so we’re investigating just to make sure.”

“We didn’t use anything like that!”

“Oh, sorry…that wasn’t what I meant.”

“We don’t use strange things. Anyone can level up if they work hard. Because in this school, level is everything. Someone like you in Cla.s.s ZE who has the lowest evaluation…shouldn’t you be training your Dialect instead of working with Breaker?”

“Geh.”

Koori cut off her words.

Shirley was about to say something.

However, Masaki stopped her.

Masaki was still inexperienced when it came to the customs of the school, but he believed that he understood Koori’s position.

She must have come to investigate in Cla.s.s A prepared for the fact that people might say things like that to her.

She wouldn’t want Shirley to help her.

Koori pulled herself together and said “This is a separate case but––” as she fiddled around with her Ring Gear to pull up a photograph of someone.

“This senior in Year 3 Cla.s.s A…do you know him?”

“Yes.”

“Things have started getting strange for a few days now.”

“I don’t know anything about it!”

Ooi raised her voice.

Koori bowed her head judging that they probably wouldn’t listen any further.

“Thank you for cooperating with the investigation. If you find out anything, please inform Breaker about it.”

“Yeah, yeah…instead of worrying about people who are levelling up, shouldn’t you be focusing on levelling up yourself?”

With that said, Ooi and her friend entered the cla.s.sroom.

“…Phew.”

Koori marked a name on a list in a window from her Ring Gear.

It seemed like it was a list of students who had suddenly levelled up recently. Most of the names were already checked. That was how much she had investigated.

Masaki raised one of his hands.

“Hi, you’re really working hard.”

“Ah, Kusunoki-kun…and Sakurazaka-san too.”

“Long time no see!”

“Was that investigation ordered by Midorikawa-sensei?”

“I asked for permission since I was worried about it myself. I read a report the other day that, recently, a ridiculous number of students have started levelling up…I was wondering if something caused it.”

“Really? What about the third year you mentioned a moment ago?”

She showed the girls a photograph of him when she asked about him.

Koori shook her head.

“That’s a separate case. I received information that people have noticed ‘the situation getting strange’ for the past few days.”

“The situation?”

“Yes. How should I put it…it went in one ear and out the other…it seemed vague. Ah, look at the time. Sorry, it’s lunch break now.”

“It’s not a problem…”

Shirley clapped her hands.

“Then let’s eat together!”

“Eh!?”

Koori’s face twitched.

Come to think of it, she also had a bad impression of Help Cat.

Masaki thought that this was a good chance to improve it a little.

“Yeah. If you’re fine with it Koori-san, how about it? The lunchbox I have is enough for three people.”

“Three people?”

“Part of it was for Alice but she hasn’t returned yet.”

“I see. It would be a shame for it to be wasted…but I’m…”

Shirley grabbed Koori’s shoulders.

“It’s doesn’t matter. You’re one of my comrades in Breaker!”

“Erm, but…”

“It would be helpful if you could tell us more while we’re eating. I’m also worried about it.”

Koori hesitated, and then nodded.

“…If it’s like that then…I’m fine with it.”

Shirley pulled up her sleeves.

“Then, let’s go quickly! I’m starving! Quickly! Quickly!”

Being hurried on by her, Masaki returned to the cla.s.sroom and took out the lunchbox––then went to the viewing floor on the top floor with the others.

Nowadays, it had become routine for him to make lunch and eat in a place with a good view.