General 35

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Chapter 35. Suo-senpai's Resolve

"Suo, you're here. As expected, right on time."

After school.

In the same practice preparation room as before, Instructor Shindo, who had been waiting, smirked.

Today was the day designated by Instructor Shindo for the regular report.

"How did it go?"

"Just as planned..."

Suo took a file from the envelope tucked under his arm, and Shindo smiled approvingly.

"Well done. Let's see it right away."

"Before the report, may I ask something?"

Instead of handing the file to Shindo, who reached out to take it, Suou put it back under his arm.

"What's the matter?"

There was a hint of irritation in Shindo's voice as he was put off.

"I don't appreciate spies poking around about Kamiya. How does it serve this country?"

"I don't like agents prying into mission details, Suo."

With his usual archaic smile plastered on his face, Shindo refused to respond.

"Being able to silently do the dirty work is only possible with a sense of duty."

"You're being repetitive, Suo."

Shindo directed an expression of displeasure and an intimidating tone towards Suou, attempting to forcibly dominate the atmosphere.

"Grant me a righteous cause! If so..."

"I said you're being repetitive!"

Finally, Shindo angrily raised his voice, causing Suo's face to contort.

Then, after Suou's face contorted, it suddenly relaxed, and...

"Hahaha!"

"W-What's with you, Suo? Have you lost your mind?"

Suddenly, Suo burst into laughter, leaving Shindo, who had been furious moments ago, momentarily stunned.

"Well, I thought there might be some grand scheme that even a young rookie like me couldn't fathom, but it turns out there wasn't anything particularly significant behind this incident."

"I see..."

"I felt ridiculous and absurd for overanalyzing things so much, so I couldn't help but laugh. I see... That's how it is..."

Perhaps due to laughing too much, Suo wiped away tears from the corners of his eyes.

"...This was your last chance. Seems like the burden was too heavy for you after all."

Having deemed there was no longer any value in engaging further, Shindo straightened his suit collar and prepared to leave the practice preparation room.

"Oh, Shindo-sensei. I haven't finished with you yet."

"A report from a spy lacking a calm demeanor is useless. No need. Both you and that report."

Despite Suo's calm demeanor, Shindo gradually began to feel a sense of unease.

"No, I'm perfectly calm. Besides, it's important to you. I used the school's reporting system and sent a detailed email about this incident."

Upon hearing this, Shindo sneered.

"Is that so? Did you think I would be shaken by that?"

"Aren't you afraid? The report goes directly to the principal."

"Such a system can't possibly function as intended. It's bound to get suppressed halfway through. You're just misunderstanding the fundamental premise. You're still just a kid."

Shindo mocked Suo for playing his desperate move like a trump card.

"So, the principal hasn't received the information..."

"No. A geezer crawling on the ground like that in such a scene is easy to manipulate anyway."

"I see..."

"What you did, though unsuccessful, constitutes a clear act of hostility toward the factions. You and your sister will be sent to hell."

Leaving behind those dismissive words, Shindo brushed past Suou standing by the door of the practice preparation room.

(Clank)

"Oh, Shindo-sensei. Were you teaching students? My apologies."

"Oh, it's Principal Takami. No, no, it's fine."

Just as Shindo was about to leave the practice preparation room, Principal Takami entered through the door, causing Shindo to immediately switch to his role as a sensei

"Ah, Shindo-sensei, despite being from a private company, I'm impressed by your dedication to teaching. I've heard good things about you from the students."

"Oh, no, it's nothing like that. Since I used to work in the education industry, I'm just hoping my experience is useful to the school."

While skillfully chatting, Shindo felt a bit anxious inside.

It was completely unexpected for Principal Takami to be here.

Suo, who was cornered just now, was visibly lacking composure, so Shindo even considered appealing directly to the principal.

While talking with the principal, Shindo glanced at Suou behind him, but Suou remained composed.

For the first time, Shindo felt a significant discomfort.

Why was Suo so calm?

Even though moments ago, it seemed like he lost all hope after realizing the final trump card was meaningless, Suou's demeanor exuded an inexplicable sense of composure.

As if watching a movie already knowing the ending.

"By the way, Shindo-sensei, I heard an interesting story the other day."

"Yes, what is it?"

As Principal Takami casually began small talk, Shindo inwardly clicked his tongue and nodded along.

"It seems people are sniffing around Major General Kamiya within the school."

"I-I see. Now that you mention it, several instructors suddenly disappeared the other day."

Shindo refrained from acting immediately upon receiving information about Major General Kamiya due to the fear of being detected when returning to his faction with the information.

As it turned out, Shindo's assumption was correct; those who acted rashly indeed got caught in a trap.

"Haha, those guys, but clever mice are cautious. Even if you set a tempting bait, they won't easily take it."

"Y-Yes."

"And they've begun using the students as pawns without hesitation."

"..."

Cold sweat trickled down Shindo's neck.

"Now, do you understand what I'm trying to say, Shindo-sensei? Or was it too difficult to grasp with the explanation from the old geezer crawling on the ground?"

As if recoiling from the impact, Shindo dashed towards the window rather than the door of the practice preparation room, crossing his arms in front of his face to shield himself while his body crashed into the glass.

(Crash!)

As shattering glass sound echoed, Instructor Shindo attempted to escape outdoors. But failed...

Shindo's body was forcefully bounced back into the practice preparation room as if an invisible barrier existed.

All the shattered glass pieces fell inside the practice room, embedding themselves all over Shindo's body, causing even more pain than when he broke through the glass initially.

"Since it was intentional damage, the repair costs for the window glass will be fully borne by you, Shindo-sensei. Deducted from your salary. Wait, would that be a violation of labor laws?"

"G-Grr... If you lay a hand on me, my faction will..."

Gasping from the impact against the barrier and with glass shards piercing through, Shindo desperately tried to lift himself from the floor.

"Oh, don't worry about that. A special operations unit of the military has likely finished smoking out your nest by now."

"A special operations unit?! Why would they go that far for a mere industrial spy at a school?"

"It's because you touched something you shouldn't have. Well, you'll probably end up knowing nothing."

"Major General Kamiya... I suspected something, but he wouldn't..."

At that moment, as Shindo seemed to recall something, the door of the practice preparation room opened.

Several members of the military's special operations unit entered, swiftly covering Shindo's head with a large hemp bag and carrying him away.

The bag looked like one used for imported grains. But with a soundproof membrane, Shindo's shouts and struggles were muted, not a sound echoing in the quiet school building.