A Rider Doesn't Need a Youth Romantic Comedy [22]

“You came back pretty late today, Rōma-senpai.”

Narihisago Muku asked curiously.

The past few days, Rōma had always come home fairly early, usually before dark.

His timing had matched almost exactly with hers, despite her being a middle schooler.

“There was a little accident at my part-time job.”

Rōma didn't rush to enter his apartment, standing instead in the hallway to chat with Muku.

He had a pretty good impression of this cheerful and resilient girl.

“An accident? Are you okay?”

Muku’s voice carried a trace of worry.

Rōma felt positively towards Muku, and the feeling was mutual.

At least he was far more dependable than her own dad.

Thinking of that old man who loved tricking his own daughter, Muku puffed her cheeks unhappily.

“It’s nothing, plus I got overtime pay.”

That was a lie.

The Institute had no concept of overtime pay beyond a fixed salary.

Under normal circumstances, Institute personnel were on-call 24/7, seven days a week.

Whenever anomalous organisms appeared, they immediately had to jump into combat mode.

While there were holidays, the concept of overtime simply didn’t exist.

Unless someone got injured or special circumstances arose, there were no extra payments.

Everyone got roughly the same salary—except those in the laboratories.

“Oh, I see.”

Nodding in understanding, Muku remarked with a hint of envy:

“I kinda want to find a suitable part-time job too.”

At her words, Rōma shot Muku a slightly puzzled look.

Logically, Muku should have plenty of allowance money.

Her dad, Narukohyo Akihito, treated his daughter quite generously.

Although he loved teasing her seriously at times, being stingy was absolutely not something he'd ever do.

“I just want to experience a part-time job, that's all.”

Seeming to notice Rōma's confusion, Muku laughed and explained.

As an independent-minded girl, she always wanted to prove to her dad she was grown up.

But each time, Akihito would mock her with all sorts of excuses.

“I get it.”

Rōma understood.

Teenage girls in puberty were often desperate to prove they were grown-ups.

Muku was no exception.

Although she wasn't the type to put on makeup, dress fashionably, or join the riajuu crowd,
she still had her own thoughts about things.

“Muku, who’re you talking to?”

Hearing his daughter's voice, Akihito poked his head out of the apartment door.

He looked surprisingly young, not at all like the father of a middle school girl.

Compared to when he'd been locked up in the warehouse, his whole being exuded youthful vigor.

Describing a man in his thirties as youthful might feel odd, but Akihito genuinely looked very young.

“Oh, it’s Rōma-kun. Did the club have activities today?”

Seeing Rōma, Akihito smiled and greeted him.

“Good evening, Narukohyo-san.”

Rōma greeted Akihito politely, then repeated his earlier excuse to him.

Akihito didn’t think too deeply after hearing this.

After chatting casually with Rōma for a bit, Akihito turned to Muku and asked,

“Muku, why are you still standing here?”

The look of disgust on his face was crystal clear.

Muku’s expression darkened. She turned around, stuck out her tongue mockingly at Akihito, and quickly ran off.

“Be careful, come straight back after throwing the trash!”

Akihito shouted after her from the doorway.

Muku, holding the garbage bag and jogging away, waved without looking back.

Seeing this, Akihito stopped worrying.

Ever since she was young, Muku had always been reliable.

Even though she resented Akihito for constantly working overtime, she still understood his situation.

“Well then, I'll head back inside.”

After bidding farewell to Akihito, Rōma returned to his apartment.

Turning on the hallway lights as he entered, the dim room brightened slightly.

Casually tossing his schoolbag aside, Rōma sank deeply into the soft sofa.

Scrolling aimlessly on his phone, Rōma mentally promised himself:

I'll just play for ten minutes, then go do homework.

...

Ten minutes later—

Just a little longer, make it a neat half-hour—then I'll definitely start.

Yep, that’s it.

...

Time slipped away, bit by bit, yet Rōma showed no intention of starting homework.

Only when the sky was completely dark did he suddenly snap awake:

“Where did all that time go?”

Hurriedly digging out his assignments, Rōma earnestly began… to scribble something passable for Hiratsuka-sensei's homework.

Essays were all about bluffing anyway.

...

The next morning, Rōma quietly slipped into class through the back door right on time.

Inside, the students behaved exactly as they had at the start of the term:

Gathered in their small circles, chattering excitedly.

It seemed they never ran out of things to talk about.

Weaving silently through each cluster, Rōma sat down at his own seat.

“Morning, Sakamoto.”

Greeting his friend, Rōma opened his bag, reaching in to retrieve the textbooks for today's classes.

“Hm? What's this?”

Something that clearly didn't belong to Rōma appeared in his bag.

It was a strange plastic-wrapped box, about the size of a fist.

Rōma was certain he'd never bought something like this.

Lifting his head, he scanned the classroom, but everyone was occupied with their own matters.

Nothing seemed out of the ordinary.

A prank seemed unlikely.

And frankly, he didn't believe anyone could sneak something into his bag without him noticing.

“I’ll step out for a moment.”

After hesitating for a few seconds, Rōma picked up the small box and left the classroom.

Arriving at the rooftop where he'd been before, he took out his phone and dialed a number.

“Yeah, it's me.”

“I’ve found something that might be an anomalous object.”

“Not completely sure—it appeared in my bag without me noticing.”

While talking, he casually closed the rooftop door.

Clearly, this wasn't something to open inside the classroom.

He had no idea what was in it, so to be safe, he’d brought it up here.

The Institute liaison on the phone acknowledged, immediately notifying external members stationed at Sobu High to head toward Rōma’s rooftop location.

Indeed, Chaldea did have external members at Sobu High.

Actually, external members were stationed at most notable schools.

After finishing his report, Rōma didn’t hang up and kept the line open.

Holding the box, for some reason, Rōma felt a sudden impulse to open it.

Not hiding anything, he immediately reported this urge to the liaison.

“Understood.”

Ruffling his hair, Rōma felt a bit troubled.

Looked like he wouldn’t make it to class today.

Regardless of whatever was inside, afterward he’d have to return to the Institute for psychological evaluations and counseling.

Just to ensure his mental state hadn't been compromised.

---

This is a fan translation of 骑士不需要青春恋爱物语 by 青琮 All rights to the original work belong to the creator. Please support them by exploring their original work or sharing it with others if you can. Thank you for reading and supporting my efforts to bring this story to a wider audience!