World Record Chapter 14

14. Be proud of oneself
This is more or less the final chapter of Karen arc.
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After that, the girls searched for the Demon King, but they didn't manage to find him. When they returned home while being depressed, they saw legs and pincers of a extraordinarily huge crab, and a lobster-like tail.
[[......What's this]]
When both of them mutters so, they encountered with Iwato who brought out a barbecue set from the house.
[Un? You two came back, huh? Where did you went? Food is not yet ready]
Iwato said so as he put the barbecue set at the center of the garden, and he started to dismantle the crab before setting the fire.
The sound of cracking can be heard as he used his bare hands to destroy the sh.e.l.l of the crab. And then, he put the vinyl sheet on top of it.
Although the girls don't understand what's happening, the one who recovered first was Tsumugu.
[Nii-san...what's...this?]
When Tsumugu said so while tapping the huge prawn tail that's near her, Iwato said this as if it's not a big deal.
[Un? Well, when I went to a hidden store, a Sacred Beast cla.s.s Unknown was selling it. If I'm not mistaken, its name was "Prawn-Crab Fusion". It seems to be a high quality ingredient that has both prawn and crab meat]
Even a complete lie can be heard as a truth after coming this far.
Although Tsumugu had a question [Was there such Unknown?] in her mind for an instant, she took the lie as truth because of her absolute trust in Iwato. She took it.
[Hee, Nii-san. Good job]
[Hahaha, you can praise me more, Tsumu. I will start grilling it soon, so you should go wash your hands first]
[Un...Karen...let's go]
[Huh? Wait, what about that humanoid!?]
[Tomorrow. Before a crab...I'm powerless]
And both of them entered the house happily. Iwato then looked at the legs instinctively.
[Humanoid.......Isn't it this guy?]
In the end, Iwato decided to not tell them the truth.
Delicious is--in short, justice.
☆☆☆
After that day, Tsumugu and Karen will go out to somewhere when Karen returned from school, and will return around 6 in the evening. They returned home when they are hungry.
Because from what Iwato heard, the condition for Karen to be Iwato's pupil has been made easier. Either to be able to see his soul or to find the humanoid Unknown and Tsumugu will subjugate it.
By the way, only Iwato who didn't know about it.
That's why, Karen continues stalking him at school, whether he returned home or he head out to the town, she continues stalking him.
And, she even entered the bathroom with a flushed face when Iwato is in there, and when Iwato woke up in the morning, in front of his eyes was Karen sleeping with him.
Because of that, since then, Tsumugu must be together with Karen when she stalks Iwato. However, Karen has left a wonderful result in depleting Iwato's mental strength who was called as a [Absurd incarnation] by Tsumugu.
By the way, Karen is very popular in the school. Her cuteness and diligence(Mainly about the notebook written about Iwato), and in addition to that, together with the cuteness of her that she will eat anything with a smile when you give her food. Almost all of Iwato's friends who were doped with shampoos, were stolen by her. 
In the end, she managed to make a lot of friends without touching the fact that her superpower is G rank in the Sapporo's Force Academy.
However--even those of her fun times will come to an end.
[Uuuuu! Everyone, the food was delicious!]
[Ueeeen! Karen-chaaaan!]
[Karen-san! I...I like...]
[Ah, sorry]
[Uwaaaaan!!]
[Karen-chan! Even if you go back, I will email you!]
[Okay! Of course....sob...I will do so too!]
The last day of Karen's stay in Sapporo.
After the last homeroom and Nakajima-sensei left the cla.s.sroom, people gathered around Karen.
Sad cry and shout resounded in the cla.s.sroom. Exactly, a pandemonium.
Although there's one guy who cried by a totally different reason, from Iwato's point of view, a brief comment [Enjoying youth] is enough.
[But still, Karen sure is popular]
[Haa, do you know that you're part of her popularity?]
[......Huh?]
The truth that Eita said as he reacted towards Iwato's words. Iwato raised an idiotic voice as if he didn't know about it.
Then, Eita sighs, and started to talk.
[You're idolized as [Master] by Karen-chan, isn't it right? That's why, she did all the stalker-like things, but when Karen-chan does it, it's somehow cute. When the guys saw that, they think of [I want to be idolized just like that]. In other words, if the pair of you and Karen-chan doesn't exist, then she won't be this popular]
--"Something like the back of her when she hides behind something, something like that will make the guys faint in agony, you know?"
Iwato recalls about the continuous stalking activities of this one week by Eita words.
She invaded the bathroom, sneaked into his bedroom, and she even tried to enter the toilet when he's using it but was stopped by Tsumugu. To be honest, Iwato can't think of it other than it being a trouble.
[But well, even if I'm not here, Karen will still be popular, right? She's as cute as Tsumu, after all]
[Yup...... Hey wait, who's Tsumu? As cute as Karen-chan......]
[My stepsister]
[Brother-in-law--Kubaa!?]
Iwato knocked Eita down as he tried to aimed at his stepsister suddenly, and he approached Karen after looking at the time.
For some reason, when he do so, many [Hyu Hyu] sound resounded in the cla.s.sroom, and Karen had her face dyed in red. For Iwato who neither understand about love nor woman's heart, it was a weird phenomenon.
☆☆☆
After that, Iwato and Karen who have returned home, meet up with Tsumugu at the living room unusually, and after that, they decided to go to Fearful Donkey for a quite early dinner.
Because today is Karen's last day in Sapporo. She have to return to Sendai at 8 o'clock evening by the airplane guarded by the Special Forces.
That's why, Iwato prepared himself to be called as [Pedo-sama], and came to this Fearful Donkey. But--
[......What's wrong, Karen? You're not eating much]
[Hiya, hiya!? N-Nothing!]
[...Is that so? Well fine]
Of course, it's obvious that she's not alright, but after returning from school, Karen was like this. It's clear that it will become worst if he talks to her.
Therefore, he asked Tsumugu to help by eye contact, but Tsumugu had a discontent face unusually.
Well, all of it is Iwato's fault, but Iwato himself is engrossed in eating the ikageso. Donkey's ikageso, seriously delicious.
And like that, Karen only ate 5 plates of 300 grams unusually. Iwato and Tsumugu felt a little worried because it's not her usual Ogre-like appet.i.te.
After they left the Fearful Donkey, the three of them started to walk so that they can take the bus at Api Hotel at 7 o'clock, but--
[Hey...Nii-san. What on earth...you did to Karen?]
Tsumugu who sees the very different state of Karen, whispered so to Iwato.
Although Iwato thinks desperately by those words, he can't think of anything that can change Karen until like this. When he looks at Karen, she who was looking at him, quickly averted her eyes.
Although Iwato thought of [What's that? So cute] after seeing that, he can't think of anything at the end, and he replied this.
[I don't remember doing anything in particular]
Karen reacted to those words with a twitch and she dropped her shoulders. Iwato and Tsumugu who looked at her suspiciously.
The two who saw that don't know what was said, but it can be guessed from Karen's present condition that [Iwato said something, and she's depressed that he himself forgot about it].
[Seriously...Nii-san...what did you say?]
[No, I seriously don't know......]
While they are talking about such thing, they reached Api Hotel that's directly beside the Tanaka Electric.
The bus heading to the airport has already arrived, and even if there are very little people who travel in this era, the Special Forces appointed for guarding and some people who want to go to the airport, were in the bus.
If anyone sees that bus, the feeling of parting ways can be felt.
The bus had such atmosphere that no other bus has, and if someone were to get into the bus, that feeling can't even be erased.
Karen who realized that, took a few deep breaths, and faced the two.
On that occasion, she looked at Iwato and her face dyed in red, but she took a deep breath once again and subdued her embarra.s.sing feelings.
[U-Um! This one week, thank you very much!]
Karen said so as she bowed, and Iwato smiled and said this.
[If I close my eyes on the stalker activities, it was fun. I felt like enjoyed my [youth] a lot]
[Nii-san...if you keep on saying "youth, youth"...you will get hated]
[By who!?]
Karen smiled instinctively by those two's usual reaction.
She no longer had the nervousness and embarra.s.sment from before, and she started to feel regret on "Why I did such a thing up until now?".
At the same time, for some reason, Karen's eyes became hot.
She quickly wipe it with her sleeve when she felt something hot on her face, but still, it keeps on dropping no matter how many times she wiped. And finally, she sobbed.
[*sob*...Still, I still...haven't, haven't done anything....uu,uuu...*sob*]
Iwato is dumbfounded because it was the first time that he sees Karen crying, and he became fl.u.s.tered, but during that time, Tsumugu walked towards Karen and raised her height in front of her, and stroked her head.
That's--an act of [Comfort]
Originally, she don't show such feelings except to Iwato and his parents, there was "consideration" towards Karen.
Iwato who sees that, loosen his face, and he had a hunch that meeting Karen has a meaning.
--For Tsumu, and for him also.
[Karen...weak girl. That's why, you cry easily. Therefore, become stronger]
[Uuuu, a-a-after all, I, want to be with Master!]
[Karen...there's a limit of having...an Iwato Complex]
[B-But~!]
Although Iwato became very interested to the mysterious word called [Iwato Complex], he knows that he shouldn't interfere now.
Karen who still complains.
Then, Tsumugu sighs and muttered this as if it's a monologue.
[I'm speaking to myself. The trial...haven't end yet. Karen...can you see my soul...now?]
[*sob*...I-I can't]
Tsumugu had a satisfying smile when Karen answered so, and she pushed Karen's back to move her to Iwato's front.
Whe Iwato thinks that it's finally his turn, he talked to Karen while wondering why Tsumugu gave her the biggest hint.
[Well, even if you returned, you can still come here anytime. That's why, don't cry that much. Um......I don't like seeing girls crying]
Tsumugu grinned after hearing his words as if she recalled something, but of course, Karen couldn't confirmed it, and she laughed at the unusually weak Iwato.
[Even Master...has such an expression. In the first place, I'm surprised that you treat me as a girl]
[Well, even though I'm called as a shampoo maniac, I still can differentiate man and woman, you know?]
Although it feels like being a little out of the point, it was a warm and fun memories with Iwato including all of that.
When she puts her hand on her chest and exhaled, she looked at Iwato and opened her mouth to talk as if she need to thank him.
[Master, thank you very much for this one week! I slept outdoors immediately when I reached, I was picked up by Master, I met the World Recorder Tsumu-san, and even fought with Unknowns. It was such one week!]
--In addition to that, Karen had a little shadow on her face.
[And also...Even though I'm strong in taijutsu, I have a G rank superpower before that. No one said anything about it in this academy is surely because of Master who's strong as a person without powers. I'm very grateful]
Karen said so and smiles faintly.
She had a complex in her own superpower.
Therefore, she thought that she would experience something unpleasant even in the exchanging school.
But the reason she did not experience it is because there was an incident where a person without powers beat up more than 100 people. What Karen said was almost 100% correct.
Although Iwato also consent to it--he had one thing that he didn't understand no matter what.
[Say, Karen. Why do you hate your superpower so much?]
Iwato said so.
That was not a [Question], but he continued talking before she can answer him.
[Certainly in this era, superpowers are placed in the order from G ~ SSS, but that's just objectively given by the strength. To be frank, it's unnecessary for living purpose. To be honest, Tsumu's superpowers are just starting a fire and making her arm big, right? Regarding the former, it's too hot to be used for camping, and the latter is incomprehensible. It can be said that those superpowers are useless]
Although Iwato thought that Tsumugu herself will have an unpleasant face, she's a hikikomori. She nodded after hearing Iwato's words because she also thought that her superpowers are inconvenient for living.
[In comparison to that, isn't your [Weak Water] a much more convenient skill? You don't need buy a drink from the vending machine when you're thirsty. Because of that, you can save money and live your life freely. You're more superior than Tsumugu and me! It's a splendid talent that even I would be jealous of]
When Iwato had an innocent smile on his face, he said this to Karen.
[Karen, be proud of yourself. You're more superior than us]
After that, Iwato embraced Karen who started to cry again.
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He conquered her.