The Exorcism Tale of Hachiman

Blinking, and doubting that she had just hallucinated, Iroha asked Hachiman Hikigaya to repeat what she had just said.

"Because I won the match against Hayato Hayama, you can go back to the soccer club."

Looking at Iroha Isshiki, whose mouth was slightly agape in surprise, and confirming that she wasn't trying to play a prank but was genuinely too shocked to hear him clearly, Hachiman Hikigaya repeated what he had just said.

"You went to compete against Hayama-senpai for my sake?!"

Even though she had heard it once before, Isshiki Hachiman's confirmation made her feel like it was a dream.

"I guess you could say it was just a side trip?"

Hachiman Hikigaya scratched his face sheepishly.

After all, he only remembered that he had promised Isshiki Iroha's request after seeing Hayama Hayato, and he was too embarrassed to say it to Isshiki Iroha's face.

"Oh, it was just something I did on the side... I thought..."

When Hachiman Hikigaya said that his business was just a side thing, Iroha Isshiki immediately pouted in dissatisfaction.

However, when I thought about how Hachiman Hikigaya had helped me get back into the soccer club, Iroha Isshiki's dissatisfaction vanished instantly.

With her hands behind her back, she strolled over to Hachiman Hikigaya and stared at him with a smile.

"Okay, don't move around. I'm going to help you remove the suggestion that you can't go to the playground."

Looking at the iridescent feathers dangling around him, Hachiman Hikigaya reached out and touched the center of her forehead, then began to use the magic he had learned in the other world to dispel the mental suggestion that she was afraid to go to the playground.

A few seconds later, Hachiman Hikigaya withdrew his hand, while Iroha Isshiki raised his head.

"Is this the end?"

Completely oblivious to the feeling of having her restraints broken, Isshiki Hachiman looked at him with confusion, seemingly unaware of anything being said.

"Otherwise what? It's just dispelling a suggestion..."

Upon hearing this, Hachiman Hikigaya responded with a glare from Iroha Isshiki.

Magic, by its very nature, is meant to be performed without the enemy's awareness. Moreover, Isshiki Hatake is just an ordinary person. If even she can clearly sense the entire process of the suggestion being dispelled, then things are truly extraordinary.

"Oh, you're right..."

After tapping her head and deliberately acting cute, Isshiki Hachiman quickly nodded in agreement with him and then raised a new question.

Why did you help me get back into the soccer club?

Earlier on the train, Hachiman Hikigaya agreed to Iroha Isshiki's condition that he help Hayama Hayato pursue him.

However, what Hachiman Hikigaya did at that moment dispelled the suggestion in her mind, allowing her to return to the soccer club...

"You don't think it's too unrealistic to help me win over Hayama-senpai, so you're compensating me in another way, do you?"

"how is this possible?"

Hachiman Hikigaya instinctively wanted to deliver a chop to Iroha Isshiki's head, but fortunately he reacted in time, his hand stopping just a few centimeters above Iroha's head.

Seeing Isshiki Hachiman instinctively crouch down with his head in his hands in defense, Hachiman Hikigaya awkwardly withdrew his hand, coughed a few times, and then explained why he had helped Isshiki Hachiman return to the soccer club.

"If you return to the soccer club, your chances of meeting and interacting with Hayato Hayama will greatly increase."

"I see!"

Hearing Hachiman Hikigaya's explanation, Iroha Isshiki nodded in understanding.

However, upon closer inspection, one might notice that Iroha Isshiki frowned slightly upon hearing Hayato Hayama's name; she didn't seem to care about him as much as Hachiman Hikigaya had assumed...

"So what are your plans for the future, senior?"

Leaning against the window in the corridor, Isshiki Hachiman, who was stuck on the playground below the teaching building, turned to look at Hachiman Hikigaya and asked him about the follow-up plans for helping him pursue Hayato Hayama.

"After that, I'll tell you about Hayama Hayato's hobbies and interests that I've gathered, and then I'll create opportunities for the two of you to spend time alone together..."

Hachiman Hikigaya explained his plan to Iroha Isshiki in detail, but he was interrupted by Iroha Isshiki halfway through.

"Alright, since you've already planned it out, then I'll leave it to you~"

"Don't be too optimistic. I can only play a supporting role; I can't be sure if you'll be able to confess successfully in the end."

"As for that, I'm very confident!"

Patting her not-so-majestic little hill, Isshiki Iroha said confidently.

Although she couldn't predict other things, she could at least guarantee what the final outcome would be!

"Confidence is a good thing, but if you're too confident and Hayato Hayama rejects you in the end, don't cry then."

Seeing Iroha Isshiki's confident demeanor, Hachiman Hikigaya was quite surprised as to why she dared to make such a assertion.

To prevent Isshiki Iroha from coming to him crying after her confession fails, Hachiman Hikigaya decides to take preventative measures in advance.

"I won't cry!"

Seeing that Hachiman Hikigaya had completely misunderstood, Iroha Isshiki puffed up her cheeks in anger.

However, Hachiman Hikigaya offered her a new idea...

"If... I mean if..."

After a moment's hesitation, Isshiki Hachiman, with a touch of trepidation and shyness, looked up at him and asked:

"If I confess and it fails, will you comfort me, senior?"

"will not!"

Without the slightest hesitation, Hachiman Hikigaya's merciless words pierced Iroha Isshiki's heart like steel needles.

"How heartless!"

"Of course, right?"

Knowing that the sadness on Iroha Isshiki's face was feigned, Hachiman Hikigaya didn't pay much attention and continued talking to himself.

"Our agreement only applies until the confession. After the confession, regardless of whether Hayama Hayato agrees or not, the agreement is null and void..."

In other words, after Isshiki Hachiman confessed to Hayama Hayato, whatever happened afterward had nothing to do with him anymore.

He had absolutely no reason, and absolutely no obligation, to comfort Iroha, who was heartbroken over her breakup...

Chapter 285 The Doorbell in the Morning

If you ask what the best day in the world is, for a student like me, it's definitely vacation.

After helping Iroha Isshiki return to the soccer club and having a peaceful month thereafter, Hachiman Hikigaya successfully welcomed his second summer vacation of high school.

"Onii-chan, you've completely become a cripple..."

Early in the morning, as Komachi yawned as she came down the stairs, she found Hachiman Hikigaya already lounging lazily in a corner of the sofa. Unable to bear seeing Hachiman's lazy behavior any longer, Komachi couldn't help but remind him.

"A rare holiday is meant for resting..."

Hachiman Hikigaya shifted his position on the sofa, then defended himself in a weak and listless tone.

Since the Demon King of Chiba was defeated, the evil spirits that had been causing trouble in Chiba have begun to disappear in large numbers.

After that, he signed a cooperation agreement with the Inari god. Thanks to the Inari god foxes patrolling Chiba City every night, he was completely unemployed...

"I finished all the summer homework the teacher assigned on the third day after I came back. What else can I do with the rest of the time if I don't rest?"

His reasons for slacking off were perfectly reasonable. Having occupied the moral high ground, Hachiman Hikigaya felt no shame whatsoever for having completely evolved into a lazy bum.

"Hmm, Komachi can't find a single reason to refute it..."

"So, in that case, let me have a good rest this summer vacation..."

Having successfully persuaded his sister, Hachiman Hikigaya yawned and continued watching TV while lounging on the sofa.

However, leisurely times are destined to be short-lived.

Just as Komachi was being influenced by the languid atmosphere of Hachiman Hikigaya on the sofa and was about to succumb to the same decadence, a piercing doorbell suddenly rang from the entrance hall.

"Komachi......"

Hearing the doorbell ring, Hachiman Hikigaya curiously raised his head.

It's truly strange that someone would visit his house at this time of day...

He tried to lift himself up from the sofa to open the door, but the sofa base seemed to have a huge suction force that prevented Hachiman Hikigaya from getting off.

Helpless, Hachiman Hikigaya turned to look at Komachi, who was sitting next to him watching TV, hoping she would open the door and see who the visitor was.

However, it is clear that Komachi has a better way to open the door.

"thump!"

The smooth, white little foot kicked Hachiman Hikigaya's butt directly, kicking him off the sofa and onto the floor with just one kick.

"I'm just too lazy!"

Komachi looked at Hachiman Hikigaya with a disappointed expression, as he tried to slack off even on a short walk.

Ever since Sakura, who is well-behaved and sensible, joined the family, this guy has become lazier and lazier!

"If this continues, Onii-chan, you'll definitely become a useless person with no ability to survive on your own! So, to avoid that terrible situation, Onii-chan, hurry up and open the door..."

While lecturing, Komachi took over the spot where Hachiman Hikigaya had been lying.

"...You're almost done too, aren't you?"

Looking at Komachi, who was lying comfortably in her original spot with her eyes half-closed, Hachiman Hikigaya's forehead creased with a few black lines.

They even said he'd become a useless person. But actually, after Sakura became part of the family, she gradually became lazy, didn't she?

If this trend continues, will the siblings become completely useless once Sakura grows up and takes full control of the household chores?

"Surely this can't possibly happen."

Hachiman Hikigaya muttered to himself as he got up from the floor and walked to the entrance to look out through the peephole.

What came into view was a small face with long, snow-white hair, but the face had become somewhat distorted due to the long wait.

"Ilia?"

Unconsciously calling out the girl's name outside the door, and wondering why she would come to his house, Hachiman Hikigaya took a few steps back and opened the door.

"so slow!"

The moment Hachiman Hikigaya came into Illya's view, she crossed her arms and began to complain unhappily.