“Phew, phew!”
The three of them quickly ran outside, only to see Habu Minamoto still standing in his original spot. It was just that he had pulled out a handkerchief from somewhere and was carefully wiping his slender fingers.
“Teacher Habu, are you alright?” Geto Suguru asked with concern.
Habu Minamoto shook his head, looking completely innocent, “I am fine. Why, did something happen? Did you encounter problems exorcising the grade two cursed spirit?”
“How could that be?” Gojo Satoru sneered, “What kind of threat could a grade two cursed spirit pose to us? We saw inside…”
Before finishing his words, he suddenly looked at Habu Minamoto suspiciously, “Speaking of which, while you were outside, did you see any suspicious personnel hanging around?”
There were no residual traces of cursed energy on Habu Minamoto’s body, nor was there any aura of a special grade cursed spirit, so the person who eliminated that special grade cursed spirit just now could not possibly be him.
However, there were also no traces of a fifth person existing within the Curtain, so the other party was very likely to have already escaped outside. Habu Minamoto had been outside the whole time, making him the person most likely to have noticed clues.
Yet, Habu Minamoto shook his head in confusion, “No, I did not notice any problems. While you were inside, there was no commotion whatsoever outside.”
He was not someone who liked to lie, so under normal circumstances, what Habu Minamoto said was the truth.
This time was no exception.
He indeed did not see any suspicious personnel. After all, he was a high school teacher, so he could hardly be considered suspicious personnel, could he? There was indeed no commotion outside either, since he had exorcised the cursed spirit inside the unfinished building.
They did not ask who exorcised that special grade cursed spirit, so he did not need to answer that question.
The group did not suspect Habu Minamoto, as he had no reason to lie. Moreover, Gojo Satoru’s Six Eyes did not spot Habu Minamoto lying either.
Geto Suguru’s expression turned slightly somber, “To be able to exorcise a special grade cursed spirit without leaving any traces behind, could it be a special grade sorcerer?”
“Very likely,” Gojo Satoru nodded, an excited light gleaming in his eyes, “Yuki Tsukumo is still traveling in Europe right now, and besides, she has no need to be secretive.”
Ieiri Shoko chimed in, “So the person who appeared today is very likely an unregistered special grade sorcerer!”
A fine analysis, but unfortunately, the conclusion is entirely wrong, Habu Minamoto thought casually as he lowered his head to wipe his fingertips.
“A special grade sorcerer? Then get in the car, let us quickly return and report to Teacher Yaga,” Habu Minamoto knew the truth, but he would not say it. He maintained the full composure of a reliable adult.
Gojo Satoru waved his hand, completely unconcerned, “I do not want to go back! Let us go to Ginza first. As for Teacher Yaga’s side, it does not matter how late we return, right?”
A very punchable attitude.
“Teacher Habu, come dine with us. Satoru is treating,” Geto Suguru took the initiative to invite him, “You do not have classes today, right?”
“I might…” Before Habu Minamoto could finish speaking, Gojo Satoru hooked an arm around his shoulder, “Habu must come, of course! Otherwise, who is going to drive us there?”
Habu Minamoto hesitated to speak. Naturally, he could tell that beneath Gojo Satoru’s domineering words, he actually hoped that he would come along.
He was well-adapted to tsundere personalities, though there was one detail, “You should address me as teacher, Student Gojo.”
Gojo Satoru decisively refused, “No way! Why should I call you teacher? You have not even taught us a single class yet!”
Habu Minamoto thought for a moment, deliberately showing a look of sudden realization as he nodded, “That makes sense. Then when we head back today, I shall give Student Gojo a private lesson ahead of time. Teacher Yaga should agree.”
“Hey! You guy!” Gojo Satoru instantly flew into a rage, “This is using public office to avenge private grudges!”
He certainly did not want to attend class during his break time!
“So black-hearted!” Shoko looked at Habu Minamoto, revealing a surprised expression.
Geto Suguru pondered Habu Minamoto’s previous behavior and agreed with conviction, “Indeed black-hearted.”
“Teacher, your driving is so stable,” Shoko said drowsily. She had felt it when coming over, as sleeping in the car felt completely free of bumps.
This car was provided by the Window, so its quality was ordinary. However, even though Habu Minamoto drove fast, he traveled as if on flat ground, as though driving a high-end SUV.
Habu Minamoto drove the car, and as if suddenly thinking of something, a very faint smile appeared on his face, “Mm, probably because my classmates drove very… flamboyantly, so I got used to being more stable.”
Gojo Satoru’s sunglasses slid down the bridge of his nose, revealing wide, ice-blue eyes that looked extremely surprised, “You actually know how to smile?”
Hearing this, Shoko and Geto Suguru also immediately looked over, after which both showed surprised gazes, “Teacher actually smiled!”
Habu Minamoto revealed a somewhat strange expression, “Do I not usually smile as well?”
As he spoke, his gaze touched Gojo Satoru’s eyes, and he was also taken aback.
Habu Minamoto had always known his own eyes were very beautiful, as those golden eyes really attracted a lot of attention for him. That was why he wore glasses to cover them.
However, he had not expected that the ice-blue eyes beneath Gojo Satoru’s sunglasses were not inferior to his at all in beauty. It was as if the entire blue sky was gathered within his eyes, or as if glaciers of the far northern snow plains rested inside them, adding a unique charm to Gojo Satoru’s already handsome appearance, serving as the ultimate finishing touch.
Gojo Satoru blinked, “It is not the same at all. Habu, you are usually just fake smiling, right?”
These words made Geto Suguru nod along as well, “Yes, Teacher’s usual smile seems to be the polite kind, we have not seen a genuine, heartfelt smile yet.”
“Teacher looks very good when smiling,” Shoko echoed.
They really are sharp, these kids.
Habu Minamoto snapped back to reality, continuing to drive without averting his gaze while answering them honestly, “Ah, probably because there is nothing particularly worth smiling about.”
He was telling the truth, as Habu Minamoto’s emotional fluctuations were always very minimal. To a certain extent, he was likely the kind of cold-blooded person in the conventional sense.
He would not feel happy, would not feel sad, would not have sympathy, nor would he have pity. His heart was like a prison, only putting various emotions inside without letting them out.
“Yet Teacher shows a smile because of the classmates you mentioned!” Shoko rested her chin on one hand, looking at Habu Minamoto’s face that had returned to an unruffled calm, “Teacher likes them very much, right?”
Indeed, even if it was a prison, there were always people who could rely on their own efforts to be released on bail.
This time Habu Minamoto did not smile again, but his voice softened imperceptibly, “Yes, they were all very good people.”
Though it was just that everyone in his memories was very wonderful. Looking back, he had also been angered half to death by that group of unfortunate classmates. Given his personality, being angered to such an extent was enough to show how capable his five classmates were at causing trouble.
Gojo Satoru nudged Geto Suguru beside him, and the two exchanged a look, both seeing the curiosity in each other’s eyes.
“Speaking of which, we have not asked yet. Teacher, which school did you graduate from?” Geto Suguru asked curiously.
“I graduated from the University of Tokyo, and then attended the Police Academy for half a year,” Habu Minamoto answered.
Japan’s police academy system meant enrollment equaled entering the police force, usually graduating in a few months or at most a year without taking that long. It took 10 months for high school graduates to become candidate police officers, and 6 months for university graduates. After graduating from the police academy, one should go directly to the grassroots level to serve as a police officer.
However, the reason Habu Minamoto went to the police academy in the beginning was not to become a police officer. In fact, unlike his classmates who were full of hot-bloodedness like male leads in campus manga, he had never thought about becoming a police officer.
“The Police Academy?!” The three students cried out in unison.
They were not surprised that Habu Minamoto graduated from the University of Tokyo. After all, he naturally carried an air of high intellect, so it would be illogical if he had not graduated from a famous university.
However, the Police Academy was entirely different. Normally, people who graduated from the police academy would go on to become police officers, so why would he come here to be a teacher?
Gojo Satoru thought this way, so he asked directly, “Then why did you not go become a police officer?”
These careless words, spoken as if lacking a brain, received unanimous glares from his two classmates. Geto Suguru aimed his elbow right at Gojo Satoru’s stomach and delivered a harsh blow.
Then it was blocked by Limitless.
Gojo Satoru showed off triumphantly, “Missed it, I won!”
Geto Suguru: “…”
Ieiri Shoko: “…”
Why do I want to hit him even more now?
Of course, Gojo Satoru was not truly brainless. He only asked his question because he saw that when Habu Minamoto spoke of those matters, there was only pure warmth and not a trace of sadness.
Although Habu Minamoto was driving in front, he could naturally feel the small actions of the three behind him. He vaguely felt a strange sensation brush across his heart, which was then suppressed at extreme speed by the energy inside his body.
What kind of expression should I make at a time like this?
Every time he encountered people like this, he seemed to feel this sense of helplessness.
Habu Minamoto pursed his lips, choosing to answer the previous question to break this strange feeling, “Because I did not want to become a police officer in the first place. Going there in the past was only because there was a need.”
After finishing, he quickly changed the topic, “We are almost at Ginza. What do you want to buy?”
Seeing that he did not want to continue the previous topic, Geto Suguru thoughtfully followed his words and answered, “For Satoru, he will definitely go to a dessert shop. I want to buy a new towel. What about you, Shoko?”
Ieiri Shoko thought for a moment, “I will go buy cigarettes, mine are almost out.”
Hearing this, Habu Minamoto suddenly paused, “Student Ieiri, you smoke?”
Ieiri Shoko inexplicably felt the air inside the car turn a bit colder. Her gaze landed on the rearview mirror, meeting Habu Minamoto’s gaze just right.
Those golden eyes were filled with disapproval, carrying a sense of condemnation toward minors that made even Shoko feel a bit guilty.
“W-What is wrong?”
Habu Minamoto frowned slightly, “I remember Student Ieiri is only 15 years old, right? How can a minor smoke? The damage to the lungs and body is immeasurable.”
“Hahahahaha Habu, did you forget? Ieiri is a Reverse Cursed Technique user, her body could not possibly have problems, okay!” Gojo Satoru laughed loudly in ridicule of Habu Minamoto.
That was indeed true. An important reason for prohibiting minors from smoking was because smoking heavily affected the health of minors.
Ieiri Shoko possessed the Reverse Cursed Technique, so she did not need to worry about this point at all and could naturally smoke without restraint. It was just—
“What kind of troubles do you have?”