Saori and the others watched Chibi Mash from a slight distance. If a Kivotos resident made a mistake with their strength, a baby could break as easily as a twig... so, they couldn't approach carelessly.
"How am I supposed to explain this...?"
"Th-The medicine's effects last about 24 hours, so I think he'll be completely back to normal by tomorrow, my lord."
"Do you understand how dangerous it is to have a baby without a halo in Kivotos, this Kivotos!?"
"Th-The antidote... or rather, the neutralizer is almost complete, so it will be done soon, my lord!!"
"You hadn't even finished it, but you prepared the medicine and made Sensei drink it!? You, you!?"
In Kivotos, a baby without a halo was an incredibly fragile and precarious existence. In a world where bullets flew, it was too harsh for an ordinary baby to live... but one thing shouldn't be forgotten: Mash was not ordinary.
"Bab, bab." PULL
"Oh, I-I'm sorry—no, I'm sorry~ Mash-kun, I'll get you food right away... huh?"
"—Leader, you know, I don't have much knowledge about babies... but do people walk around one year old?"
"Th-There are... cases, they say."
"Even so—that's weird, isn't it!?"
"D-Did Sensei just... spin forward once in mid-air and head towards Yuuka-san!?"
"Yeah, he did it with good posture, perfectly."
Chibi Mash was standing, and normally... Normally, most babies can walk by about 18 months.
But at that age, they often wobble and are unsteady... but Chibi Mash was different. Seeing Yuuka interrogating Saya, Chibi Mash, in an attempt to stop her, spun forward once in mid-air, went to Yuuka's side, and tugged on her sock.
"Bab bab."
"Oh, um, I'm sorry? For raising my voice... Um..."
"Babubu."
"So, food first, right...? How do I get baby food now... or even if it's sold here..."
"Ba-ba-bab bab, babubu."
"Ah, no! You're a baby, you shouldn't move so much... ch-cha...?"
Chibi Mash was a baby... he was supposed to be a baby, but... Chibi Mash was—
"Bab bab bab bab!"
"—He's doing push-ups!?"
"A baby!?"
"Oh, next, sit-ups."
"A baby is!?"
"A-And he's even doing push-ups while supporting himself with one arm!?"
Regro had told him to prioritize exercise around age five... but even reverted to infancy, Chibi Mash had awakened to muscle training by instinct.
No, the very act of a baby doing muscle training was strange, everyone thought. —Well, anyway.
"A picture!!"
"Bab?"
Faced with the precious sight of Chibi Mash's muscle training, everyone present immediately took pictures.
And on this day, several students appeared, claiming to be Chibi Mash's "older sister" or "mother."
"Sankai Official Academy, Genryumon Gate Master, Ryuge Kisaki here... This time, one of our members caused considerable trouble. As a representative of Sankai, I apologize."
"We are also at fault for not stopping her; don't worry about it."
"Normally, I should visit you there... but forgive me, I have a slight... situation."
"That's unavoidable; don't worry about it."
A small girl, Ryuge Kisaki, appeared on the computer screen in front of Saori. The Gate Master of Genryumon, the student council of Sankai Official Academy, she was known as "Sankai's Black Sovereign."
Upon hearing that one of her allies had caused an inconvenience to Schale's Sensei, she immediately initiated remote communication and apologized to Saori, who was currently serving as a temporary advisor.
"...And, just to confirm, my lady."
"Yes."
"Is the baby doing a headstand behind you truly Schale's Sensei?"
"It might be hard to believe, but it's true."
Behind Saori, Chibi Mash was doing a headstand. Yuuka and the former Arius students watched, flustered and confused.
"I had heard rumors, but to this extent... what a superhuman."
"His strength and physical abilities are indeed weakened, but he's still strong enough to do that... As for his defense, it's probably not much different from ours."
"Is he truly a baby?"
"He's truly a baby."
"The one who just performed a triple mid-air rotation?"
"Yes—wait, a triple mid-air rotation!?" GASP!
When Saori turned around, Chibi Mash, like a rhythmic gymnast, casually performed three rotations in the air, landed, and struck a pose with his arms extended in a Y-shape.
"As expected of Sensei...! Amazing, amazing!! As expected of... our little brother...!!"
"...Brother?"
"—Ah, forgive me. ...So, returning to our conversation, we have no complaints towards you... Well, it might be better to say they've vanished."
"...I apologize for everything. Even though you said you would come here soon."
"Sensei surely won't be angry just because he became a baby. He'll just give a little warning... He's that kind."
"Just as the rumors say... a good-natured person, then."
"Hehehe... indeed."
"By the way, he just did a straddle roll."
"—Gasp! I missed it!!"
Chibi Mash displayed adult-level physical abilities, showcasing one skill after another. Yuuka and the others clapped and cheered with each new trick, doting on him. Normally, they would be incredibly worried and try to stop him, but since it was Mash, they were relieved, even if they were still a little concerned.
"Well then, if anything else comes up... Oh, one last thing, could you convey a message to Sensei for me?"
"I don't mind."
"Then... although you've made a name for yourself as a hero of Kivotos, there are not a few within our school who are wary of that power... Please convey that."
"...Understood."
"Well then—I look forward to meeting you." CLICK