Chapter 178: Training (2)

Morning of the second day.

As I was walking through the garden of Uno’s mansion to see the progress of the motorcycle synthesis, I noticed that Due’s flower bed had been vandalized. All the flowers that Due watered every day had been forcefully grabbed from their roots and brutally trampled!

「Wha…what’s this?! It’s terrible!! Who the hell did this!? 」

「…I did it. 」

I heard a voice and turned around. Due was standing behind my back with a haggard face.

「Due! Are you feeling better…? Huh…What!??????? Did you just say, “I did it”!? Did you destroy the flower bed yourself!? 」

Due spoke while looking down at the withered flowers.

「I’ve finally realized. Flowers are most beautiful when they fall. No, it’s not just flowers. I’m sure all life is more beautiful when it disappears…」

Due was holding his head with one hand. Suddenly, a crooked smile appeared on his pained face.

「Gyahhh! Gyahahahah! 」

「…!! Due!? 」

A laugh that I had never heard before leaked out of Due’s mouth. However, Due suddenly came to his senses when he heard the sound of voice and pressed his eyebrows.

「My head…my head hurts…」

「You…you should rest! You still don’t feel well! 」

「Recently…the amount of blood I’ve been coughing up has increased…I don’t know what’s going on with my body… 」

Due explained with anxiety. He was probably physically ill, or maybe even mentally ill. In any case, there was no way I could understand the health symptoms of those who lived in the Underworld.

「Hades knows everything, right? Why don’t you ask him? 」

「Ah, yes. You’re right. That’s a good idea. Thank you…」

Due thanked me, and then he wandered into the house.

…Was he truly, okay?

I went to the back of the garden thinking I should tell Seiya about this odd occurrence. And my eyes widened when I arrived.

I got close to Seiya and saw a completed motorcycle that was as good as John Dae’s favorite vehicle. Of course, it was not pink. In fact, it had fewer metallic parts than John Dae’s motorcycle, and was entirely black. Since it’s Seiya we’re talking about, he used dark colors to make it harder for enemies to spot him. Well, most probably.

When Seiya noticed me, he gestured to another motorcycle next to him with his chin.

「John Dae’s motorcycle has been restored almost exactly the same. I’m sure he won’t complaint about this. 」

John Dae’s motorcycle had been disassembled into pieces before, but it had been restored to the point where I could hardly tell the difference between what Seiya stole or what he borrowed. At least, I didn’t notice any difference.

「It looks perfect! 」

Seiya also succeeded in synthesizing his own motorcycle, and John Dae’s motorcycle was also restored. However, Seiya shook his head.

「Now it’s time for the real thing. We have to take a test drive. 」

Seiya then grabbed the motorcycle and started the engine. The low, heavy exhaust sound echoed through the garden like a heartbeat.

「Okay. Feels alright. 」

I didn’t know when Seiya made it, but he put on a black helmet. It fit his head perfectly. Seiya rode his motorcycle and slowly circled the garden.

「Amazing, amazing! It’s working properly! Why don’t you go faster! 」

「I don’t want to rush. I want to get used to it after riding for a while. 」

Seiya said that calmly, but my excitement was skyrocketing.

「Eheheheh! I want to ride in the back too! 」

I laughed and approached the back of Seiya’s motorcycle. Suddenly, Seiya turned off the engine.

「I’ve already prepared something for you. 」

「Eh? What do you mean? 」

Seiya got off his motorcycle and brought something from the back of the garden that, at first glance, looked like a small boat. Seiya placed it next to his motorcycle.

「You’ll ride in this. 」

「A…A…sidecar…! 」

…I hadn’t seen one in a while!!

I screamed in my heart. While I was stunned, Seiya calmly explained the purpose of the sidecar.

「I synthesized it based on Celseus’ wheelchair. Of course, I made a version fit for your body…What? Why are you looking like that? 」

「No…Nothing! Tha…Thanks. 」

I had an awkward smile on my face. Ah, a sidecar. I wanted to cling to Seiya’s back from behind!

But that was just my wish. A sidecar was definitely better when considering safety.

…That’s right! There was nothing wrong with being side by side with Seiya!

「Well then, let me use this sidecar! 」

「Okay. Anyway, let’s take a test drive here. 」

After saying so, Seiya pushed the motorcycle with the sidecar deeper into the backyard. I followed after him…and my mouth dropped open at the sight that unfolded in front of me.

A white line drawn in the shape of an S! A slope made with soil! The secluded area in the backyard of Uno’s mansion had turned into a driving school!

「Did you even make that course!? 」

「We’ll be out of luck if we get into a traffic accident before fighting the enemy. Make sure you practice enough. 」

「Is that so…」

So cautious as always! But wait! He had a point!

「Well, you need to practice hard since you don’t have a license! 」

「No. Do you know I have the large motorcycle license? 」

「…!! You have a license!? 」

Apparently, he had a license. Yet, Seiya’s motorcycle driving course was about to begin…in the Underworld.

Still, I excitedly put on my helmet and sat down in the sidecar next to Seiya. Oh my! It was my first time being with Seiya while he drove! I was looking forward to it!

I glanced at Seiya next to me. As I thought before, he looked really cool on his motorcycle.

…Yes! So cool!

But that was only the first time I thought so. Seiya circled the course at an extremely slow speed. It looked like he was stalled. “Running through the course while cutting through the wind” …I was daydreaming about that scene, but I was at a loss for words when I realized that his motorcycle’s speed was as fast as walking.

When we approached the S-shape, Seiya muttered to himself.

「…Turn right. 」

After expressing the proper direction to turn, Seiya extended his right hand horizontally.

…This…This…This was so unexpected…!!

「…Halt. 」

Even when the motorcycle stopped, Seiya lowered his left hand diagonally downwards. I couldn’t help but scream.

「A “hand signal”!! That’s so lame!! 」

「What’s so lame about it? Safety comes first. 」

「But!! 」

No one did hand signals these days!! I didn’t even know if it was a good thing!!

Moreover, each time Seiya turned left or right, he used his hand signal properly. 『Turn signal + hand signal』. On the contrary, I thought it was dangerous because there were too many things to do while driving.

「Ahhh…」

My head lowered in disappointment. A safety-oriented sidecar with turtle-like speed. The ultimate trick was hand signals, which almost no one did on public roads nowadays.

My delusion that showed how I hugged Seiya’s back while saying, “Kyahhh, you’re so fast” was completely shattered.

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Lista…you never change, do you?

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