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Homeroom teacher?
Akio's mind spun quickly, and after a moment, he remembered who his teacher was.
What made it even more interesting was that this teacher wasn't some random nobody. She wasn't on the level of super-popular characters like Shizuka Hiratsuka or Mafuyu Kirisu either… but she definitely had her own fame once upon a time.
She was none other than Sawako Yamanaka—the advisor of the Light Music Club in K-On!
Only, in this crossover world, Sawako hadn't joined Sakuragaoka High. Instead, she'd ended up at another school: the private Ousai Academy.
Sound familiar? Yeah. The very same Ousai Academy from Seitokai Yakuindomo.
In its original story, Ousai was a fifty-year-old all-girls school that, thanks to Japan's declining birthrate, eventually became co-ed.
This world had followed the same timeline.
Akio's predecessor had enrolled in Ousai the very first year it opened to male students—and became one of them.
And here's the kicker: several of the K-On! girls were students there as well. Akio's past self had even been classmates with Mio Akiyama.
Thinking about that, Akio opened the door to his room.
Sure enough, standing at the entrance was a woman in glasses, dressed in a sharp-looking uniform, exuding a mature kind of beauty.
Sawako Yamanaka.
She smiled the moment he opened the door. "Akio, right? Aren't you going to invite your teacher in?"
Snapping out of it, Akio stepped aside. "Please, come in, Teacher."
"Don't mind if I do."
Sawako walked inside, past the entryway and into the living room. She glanced back at him. "Mind if I sit?"
"Go ahead."
She settled onto the sofa with a warm smile, then patted the spot next to her. "Come sit here, Akio."
Not bothering to be polite, Akio sat down. "So, Teacher, what brings you here today?"
Sawako studied him for a moment before speaking carefully. "If I remember correctly, you're an exchange student, aren't you?"
"That's right," Akio admitted.
"Then… are you having some kind of trouble?"
Akio tilted his head, curious. "Why do you ask?"
"Because you've been absent for three days straight," she said gently. "You're living abroad all alone, so I thought maybe something happened. If it has, you can tell me."
Her expression softened into a motherly smile. "I might not be a big shot, but I've been around long enough to pick up a fair bit of experience. If you've run into some problem, maybe I can help."
Akio blinked, honestly surprised. He hadn't expected Sawako to think of him that way.
"Teacher, you really are a good person."
Her smile brightened at the praise, though she quickly waved her hand. "I wouldn't say that. I just want to do my best as a responsible teacher. After all, Akio—you are my student."
She paused, then leaned in a little. "So, can you tell me what's been bothering you?"
Akio smiled back. "To be honest, I did have a bit of trouble these past few days. But it's already taken care of."
"I'll be back at school the day after tomorrow, so you don't have to worry."(Why the day after tomorrow? Today was Saturday, tomorrow was Sunday, so classes resumed on Monday.)
"Really?" Sawako looked at him intently, as though trying to read whether he was lying.
"Really."
Akio held her gaze, unflinching. He wasn't lying. The monster that had devoured his past self might still be out there, but to him, it was already as good as dead.
Seeing the certainty in his eyes, Sawako finally relaxed.
"That's a relief. Then I'll see you at school the day after tomorrow, Akio. Don't be late, okay?"
"Don't worry, Teacher. I won't."
She hadn't actually helped him with anything concrete, but Akio acknowledged the sincerity behind her concern.
This was, without a doubt, a good teacher.
And good people like her were always worth his respect.
Once she was sure Akio was fine, Sawako offered him a few more words of advice, then stood to leave.
Akio walked her to the door, watched her go, then headed back inside to change clothes. A moment later, he too stepped out of the house.
His goal was clear: hunt down the monster that had devoured his past self.
The memories he'd inherited didn't have much detail. Just that it was a vicious creature… one with a taste for human flesh.
Akio groaned inwardly. "Seriously…"
But it couldn't be helped. His predecessor's death had been so agonizing that the mind had instinctively blocked out most of the details. As a result, Akio's inherited memories were full of holes—especially those closest to death.
He didn't even know exactly what kind of monster it was.
The only clue left behind was its voice—or rather, its tone.
That was enough. If he heard it again, he'd recognize it instantly.
So today's plan was simple: track down some local yokai and ask around about which man-eaters prowled Tokyo.
He could cross names off the list one by one until he found the right one.
Which was why his first stop would be the yokai syndicate in Ukiyoe Town.
Anyone who'd watched Nura: Rise of the Yokai Clan would know which group he was talking about.
The Nura Clan.
In the anime, they were the biggest yokai faction in eastern Japan, made up of more than seventy smaller groups with over ten thousand yokai in total. Their supreme commander was known as the "Lord of Pandemonium."
Even if their influence wasn't as overwhelming in this chaotic merged world, the Nura Clan was still nothing to scoff at.
At the very least, helping him track down one man-eating monster shouldn't be too difficult.
And whether they wanted to help or not… Akio wasn't exactly worried.
After all, as a newly awakened Dimensional Demon-God, he had every right to tell the Nura Clan: I don't eat beef.
In other words, they'd help him whether they liked it or not.
Akio was nothing if not domineering.
"..."
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