kscans

Chapter 167 - It Makes No Sense

"...Heh, I don't get it at all."

After my bath, I found Saku-chan studying in the living room. I casually asked to see her textbook, but what is this? I'm pretty sure I learned this stuff back in the day, but I have no memory of it. I'm perfectly fine with modern Japanese, English, and other humanities subjects, but I'm completely useless at math and science. I don't understand a single thing. Even setting aside the fact that this is a good school, this is... seriously, me...

"This is depressing."

"W, well, it was almost twenty years ago, so it can't be helped. Knowledge gets rusty if you don't use it."

Her words of comfort hurt more than anything. You see, I always thought of myself as a capable man. I thought that if I ever had a family in the future, I could become one of those cool dads who could easily teach their kids anything they needed to know about school.

"But look. The things you do use are amazing, aren't they. Hero Uncle, you're fluent in foreign languages, right?"

"Well, yeah. I sometimes have to speak with foreigners for business deals."

I can speak a few, starting with English and Chinese. Without using my powers, of course. I learned them purely through study. I even attended a language school near the station. A dad who's fluent in English might be cool, I guess, but I can't help admiring a dad who's a total whiz at math and science.

"I'm sorry, my future son or daughter. I'm a useless dad."

"More importantly, Hero Uncle, do you have any romantic prospects?"

"Ugh."

"From a certain point on, haven't you been pushed into arranged marriages every time you came home?"

...That's right. Around the time I turned twenty-five, people started asking me if there was anyone special in my life. When I said no, they'd start suggesting arranged meetings, saying things like, "Well then, how about so and so's daughter? She has such a sweet disposition." I'm sure I'll get another offer this year when I go back to my mother's family home. From my grandparents, my uncles and aunts... maybe even from my cousin, Saki-neechan.

"Seriously, Hero Uncle, do you want to get married?"

"It's less about wanting to get married and more about wanting a family. A complete, ready-made family, skipping all the romance and marriage stuff."

"Get real."

Saku-chan!?

"You should think about your future a little more seriously... oh, wait, that's right. In your case, Hero Uncle, you have zero worries about old age, do you?"

That's true. I have more money than I know what to do with, and it's doubtful I'll ever reach a state where I need a caregiver. I'm aging steadily, but aside from some hair loss and smelling a bit older, I've never felt any physical problems. If things ever get tough, I can always just become young again. It would be ridiculous for someone like me to worry about old age.

"Anyway, sorry for interrupting your studies. This old man will head back to his room."

Her midterm exams are coming up soon. It's her first midterm since transferring. I'm sure Saku-chan can't afford to mess this up, so I shouldn't distract her any further. Just as I said that, she replied.

"Oh, it's fine, it's fine. My concentration was just starting to slip anyway. If you don't mind, Hero Uncle, you can keep me company for a chat."

"You sure? If you say so, then I don't mind."

It doesn't seem like she's just being considerate. But I have to say, the way she can switch gears so cleanly like this must mean she's the type who's good at studying. I feel like back when I was a student, I was always in a state of panic whenever exams got close. I could never just put it aside like Saku-chan, thinking it was useless to study right then.

"I think I've managed to learn a fair amount of magic since I started training around the end of August."

She's right. Saku-chan's role in the party is that of an all-around supporter. She handles offense, healing, buffs, and debuffs. Normally, it's better to focus on one of those, but Saku-chan has an exceptional talent for magic. As long as she can work with others, it's better for her to learn a little bit of everything instead of specializing in one area. She can focus on creating and developing a strength after she's reached a decent rank as a support. And as things stand now, I think Saku-chan is developing in a well-balanced way. She's more than exceeded my expectations.

"Of course, I know I've still got a long way to go. And that there's no end to this path."

"You're allowed to be a little more full of yourself, you know?"

Complacency is bad, but there's nothing wrong with taking some pride in your accomplishments. Especially for someone with a modest personality like Saku-chan.

"Ahaha... well, about that."

"Yeah?"

"I was thinking I'd like to learn something different, just for a change of pace."

"Ah, I see what you're getting at."

She seems hesitant to say it, but it's not a bad thing. If she were saying this when she couldn't even handle her own area of expertise, I'd give her a good slap, but that's not the case with Saku-chan. Like I said before, her growth has exceeded expectations, and she's not the type to get carried away. In that case, there's nothing wrong with seeking some new stimulation.

"That's fine by me. I'll teach you anything I can. Do you have a specific skill you want to learn?"

"Um, well... Hero Uncle, you're the one who gender-swapped Takahashi-san and Suzuki-san, right?"

"You mean the TS God Fist?"

"Is that what the technique is called? Well, yeah. I thought that TS God Fist thing sounded interesting."

What an unexpected direction.

"Transformation magic gets picked up by detection spells, but the TS God Fist doesn't have that problem, right? From man to woman. From woman to man. Just changing your sex would probably make you hard to notice."

So she took an interest in the TS God Fist out of curiosity and for its practical applications. She's such a serious kid, thinking about practicality even when she's just looking for a change of pace. But the TS God Fist, huh.

"Hmm."

"...Is it too difficult?"

If it seems impossible for her right now, Saku-chan says she'd be happy just to know the theory behind it.

"Well, you see. The TS God Fist isn't exactly a systematized technique."

To be blunt, even I don't really know how it works. Magic uses magical power. Sorcery uses spiritual power. Curses use curse power. You follow a set procedure and pour in a set resource to activate a technique.

"But with the TS God Fist, all of that is extremely vague."

Even curses, which can be performed intuitively, still follow a solid process. But the TS God Fist has nothing of the sort. Maybe it does, but I'm not consciously aware of it. I can use it just by thinking I want to use it.

"The energy it consumes upon activation also changes from time to time."

"...Is something like that even possible?"

Now that she's started to learn the knowledge of the other side, she can probably grasp just how unusual it is. But that's how it is. The first time I used it, it consumed my stamina. But the next time, on Suzuki, it was my magical power. And most recently, when I turned those Death Gods into women, it consumed my curse power.

"It makes absolutely no sense."

It probably just uses whatever energy source has the biggest surplus at the time. But I don't understand the fundamental reason why that happens. You can't activate a magic formula by pouring spiritual power into it, and you can't activate a curse formula by pouring magical power into it. It's like a car. If you put gasoline in a diesel car, you're going to have problems, right? The same goes for things called techniques, but the TS God Fist just works anyway.

"I wonder how it's possible? Wahaha!"

"You used something that vague on your best friends...?"

Saku-chan stares at me as if she's looking at an unbelievable idiot. But hey, they were unbelievably idiotic back in the day too, so I'd say we're even. Besides, they've accepted their current situation just fine, so there's no problem.

"...Well, if you ever figure it out, let me know. I'm even more curious now."

"You got it. If I ever manage to figure it out, I'll pass it down to you."

"That's a promise, okay?"

"Of course... oh, right. I mentioned this before, but tomorrow..."

"You're going to a party with Suzuki-san, right? Don't worry, I remember."

"I'll be back by dinner, but if I'm going to be late, I'm sorry but..."

"It's fine, it's fine. I can handle things."

She really is a capable kid... If she were a girl, guys would be lining up to make her their wife.