“Goodbye, Sensei.”“Goodbye, and be careful on your way home.”

    As I returned the greeting to the girls, I looked back at the after-school classroom, where most of the students had already left.

    Here at Meiran Academy, there was something called "homeroom after school."

    It felt strange to me because, at my high school, students were dismissed right after the last class. But after talking to the other teachers, I learned this practice was common in all schools. I heard it was especially important in all-girls schools to offer words of encouragement as they leave, and I realized how hard it must be to be a homeroom teacher. Looking back, my own teachers really had it easy...

    As I stood in front of the teacher’s table, lost in these thoughts, a beautiful girl with black hair and sharp eyes approached me.

    She was Aookuji Misono, a girl who secretly fights against the beasts of darkness.

    “Sensei, I need to talk to you.”

    “Okay. Would you prefer the staff room?”

    “It would be better if there were no other teachers around.”

    “Then let’s go to the counseling room. Follow me.”

    The counseling room is a small room next to the staff room, more like a life counseling room. It’s usually where students who’ve done something wrong are scolded, but since there are hardly any troublemakers at Meiran Academy, it’s mostly used for its intended purpose—giving advice.

    The room was simple, with just a desk, two chairs, and a cabinet filled with papers. I gestured for Aookuji to sit, and I took the seat opposite her.

    “So, what’s this about?”

    “Yes, it’s about your power. I’ve spoken to my parents and my Master about it…”

    She looked apologetic. We had promised not to involve anyone else, but it made sense she would confide in her family.

    “It’s natural to talk to your family, so don’t worry. What did they say?”

    “They’d like you to come to our house.”

    “Huh?”

    That was unexpected. But, on second thought, it made sense. As her homeroom teacher, they’d want to meet me.

    “I know it’s a bother, but I’d really like to ask if you could come over. There are things we can’t discuss here at school.”

    “Ah, well, I suppose that makes sense.”

    “Here.”

    Aookuji handed me a sealed envelope. Inside, her parents had written what she just said in elegant handwriting.

    “I understand. It will probably take the form of a home visit, but let me confirm tomorrow.”

    “Thank you very much. Depending on what we discuss, I might have to ask for your help.”

    “If it’s something I can handle as a teacher, of course.”

    “No, they might need your strength, or something along those lines…”

    “Oh… I guess it depends on what we talk about then.”

    If a letter came from the parents, a home visit was likely unless there was a specific reason not to go.

    The Aookuji family, a clan fighting behind the scenes of the human world... I was curious to hear their stories.

    After checking with Yamashiro-sensei, who told me I’d have to handle it since I got the letter, I visited Aookuji’s house the next day after school.

    I had seen the house once before when I followed her, but seeing it up close, it was an impressive Japanese-style mansion.

    The garden was beautifully maintained, and the house exuded the air of a long-standing family.

    Had I not experienced royal castles and noble estates in "that world," I might have stood there gawking.

    They greeted me at the door and led me into a Japanese-style sitting room where I formally met the family.

    “Sorry for calling you out of the blue. I’m Kengo Aookuji, Misono’s father. Normally, we should visit the school, but there are... circumstances.”

    Mr. Kengo bowed politely. He was a slender, handsome man dressed in bright, formal casual wear, but his sharp gaze gave him an ominous look. It was clear where Aookuji got her eyes from.

    “My husband and I are grateful for the care you’ve shown our daughter. I’m Mika Aookuji, Misono’s mother.”

    Mika-san, in contrast, looked kind—a beautiful woman resembling an older version of Aookuji, though without the sharpness in her eyes. Despite her calm demeanor, it was obvious she, too, was a fighter behind the scenes.

    “I understand your situation, Aookuji-san. Please don’t worry about it. I would like to understand more about Misono’s circumstances.”

    “That’s right,” Mr. Kengo said, glancing at his wife. It was clear she would take the lead. Mika-san began speaking.

    “Well, as Misono mentioned, our family has been exterminating creatures called ''abyssal beasts'' for generations. This is acknowledged by the government, and we receive special treatment. It’s also why Misono was able to attend Meiran Academy.”

    “I see…”

    “As you’ve probably noticed, abyssal beasts are unlike ordinary creatures. They’ve preyed on humans since ancient times.”

    “Why isn’t this more widely known?”

    “There are several reasons, but I’m afraid I can’t explain all of them. One major reason is our strict tradition of keeping this secret.”

    “I understand. What about those stone-like things the abyssal beasts drop? I’ve seen Misono collecting them.”

    “Those are called ‘Drops of the Abyss,’ and they’re connected to the reason I can’t tell you everything.”

    “So they serve some purpose? Should I give them to you when I collect one?”

    Mika-san glanced at her husband before answering.

    “I’d appreciate that. I’ll make sure to thank you properly. If possible, I’d also like the one from the Type B beast you defeated recently…”

    “Oh…”

    I’d almost forgotten about the Drop of the Abyss from the giant mantis. It was still in my magic space.

    I activated the magic, reached into the dimensional hole, and pulled out the softball-sized drop. All three members of the Aookuji family watched in amazement.

    “Here you go.”

    I placed the Drop of the Abyss on the table.

    Mika-san froze for a moment, then snapped back to reality and picked up the black bead.

    “This is... truly a Drop of B. So what Misono said was true. And what was that just now?”

    “That was Spatial Magic, a convenient storage space. I told Misono about it before, but I’m still a hero, after all.”

    They probably already knew about my hero status. It was too much trouble to hide everything. Besides, they had their own secrets and likely wouldn’t be too forthcoming about me.

    “I see… so it’s a secret.”

    “No, I’m being honest.

    Anyway, is a Type B abyssal beast really that rare?”

    “Yes, they don’t appear often. When they do, they’re powerful enough to require multiple fighters. Misono would have been in danger without you.”

    Oh, so there are others who fight these beasts. I suspected as much, but hearing Mika-san confirm it made it real.

    “By the way, I heard you defeated the Type B without much trouble. How strong was it?”

    “It was quite the monster. I’d call it a real beast. It was physically aggressive but not very skilled.”

    “That’s all…? So it wasn’t a real challenge for you?”

    “Yes, at that level, even if there were a hundred of them, it wouldn’t be a problem. I’m curious—why does Misono use a sword? Wouldn’t a gun be more effective?”

    Aookuji answered this time, “Guns don’t work on abyssal beasts. A tank cannon might, but without special weapons like my Hakane, it’s difficult to harm them.”

    “Really?”

    That made sense, but I wasn’t particularly interested in the details.

    Mika-san took over again.

    “I heard you use a sword too, sensei. What kind of sword is it?” S~ea??h the ηovelFire.ηet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

    “Oh, it’s easier to show you.”

    I pulled out my mithril sword from my magic space. It was a hassle to carry it around unsheathed, but when I took it out like this, my audience seemed wary.

    I set the sword on the table. Mika-san picked it up, examining it closely. Aookuji was intrigued, and Kengo-san’s eyes widened as if he desperately wanted to hold it.

    I could understand why—it was a true fantasy sword, the kind any man would want to touch.

    “Even someone unfamiliar with Western swords can tell this is a remarkable weapon. But I don’t feel it has the power to defeat an abyssal beast…”

    As soon as Mika-san set the sword down, Kengo-san eagerly picked it up, a grin spreading across his face. Seeing him happy made me happy too.

    “Well, it cuts just fine, so…”

    Now that I think about it, Aookuji’s sword, Haicho, was imbued with magic. Maybe that’s the key.

    “If that’s the case, then how about this one?”

    I pulled another sword from my magic space. It was the "Holy Sword from Hell," a powerful weapon imbued with magic, dropped by a dungeon boss.

    “This sword… it could definitely cut down an abyssal beast. I’ve never seen a sword like this before.”

    I agreed. It was a powerful weapon in the other world too, though low on the list of my collection.

    After examining it, Mika-san quietly set the sword down and bowed deeply. Her husband and daughter followed suit.

    What on earth is going on?

    “We now understand that you are a powerful man. I have a favor to ask. I know it’s impolite, but could you please listen?”

    Ah, so this was the favor they hinted at earlier. I hadn’t expected my students'' parents to bow down to me, though.