The week-long whirlwind of the workplace experience had ended, and a familiar silence had returned to the Endeavor Hero Agency.
Paperwork was handled with solemn efficiency. The sidekicks moved with practiced, economical motions. It was a morning like any other.
And yet, as I looked out over the office, I felt a strange, nagging sense of emptiness.
Thinking back, it had been incredibly noisy from the very first day. It had all started over something completely trivial. I should have just ignored her, but I must have been out of my mind back then. I'd let that girl talk me into such a useless, extravagant welcoming party...
Because of her, my expenses had skyrocketed. I wouldn't have any breathing room in the budget for a while. No matter how top-tier an agency is, sudden, massive expenditures are never a good thing.
"..."
But... I suppose it's fine.
I don't regret calling that girl here.
How long had it been? Since I'd seen Shoto's face look so relaxed?
I'd known the truth since the day I sent my wife to the hospital. I knew why her face was frozen in terror, why my son's eyes were clouded with hatred, and why my other children watched me from a distance with such lonely expressions.
But by the time I realized it, things had already spiraled out of control. Everything had slipped through my fingers.
How did it come to this? I didn't even need to think about it. It was my fault. I was blind. I saw nothing but the existence of All Might, obsessed with a title of "Number One" that I desperately craved. I was driven to frustration by the fact that I couldn't reach him no matter how hard I chased. That frustration turned to despair.
And then, I...
"No! Stop! Ah! Shoto! Shoto is—! Ahhh, aahhh! No! I'm sorry, Shoto! Shoto! I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry!"
Even now, I can recall my wife's face as she sobbed, thinking of the son she had sent to the hospital. Even if I hadn't seen the moment it happened, I knew with painful clarity that it wasn't the result she had wanted. Her sunken eyes, her hollow cheeks, the way she couldn't meet my gaze—they all told me she had reached her limit.
I still don't understand how I failed to notice until it was too late. It should have been obvious to anyone that the situation was abnormal.
Since then, I have raised my son, Shoto, for the sole purpose of making him the Number One Hero. I understood the meaning behind the glares he sent my way, yet I maintained a stoic mask and forced him down a cruel path.
I couldn't stop. Once I had sacrificed my wife, I felt I had to produce results. Even showing a hint of kindness felt like a betrayal to her, so I became even stricter in my instruction.
I never stopped to think about what I should have been doing.
As a result, my grown son chose the very path I had failed on—a thorny path of self-sabotage, rejecting half of himself. The very reason I had sought out a Quirk Marriage in the first place. No matter how I tried to reason with him, my voice wouldn't reach. Watching him continue his training with eyes that seemed to resent the entire world, I didn't know what to do.
Recalling my wife's face from that time, I realized I had made yet another mistake.
A sudden knock at the door broke my train of thought. I have standing orders that emergencies are to be handled via the intercom. A knock usually signifies a request for document verification.
I gave the word to enter, and one of my secretaries walked in with a bow.
"Excuse me, Director. We've received a request for a new commercial from the company we previously did a tie-up with. They'd like to confirm the schedule for a meeting. Is now a good time?"
"I gave you leave to enter, didn't I? ...Is it the coffee company?"
"Yes, the coffee company. This time, it's for a product called 'Super Black.'"
"'Super Black'...? What on earth is that?"
"I assume it's a more concentrated version of black coffee? I'm not entirely sure. You can confirm the details during the meeting."
The secretary placed the documents on my desk. Taking them in hand, I saw the words "Super Black" clearly printed there. What is "Super Black"? I've never heard of it.
"'The bitterness for adults'... Simply being concentrated doesn't make it good. I shouldn't be giving notes on canned coffee, but they really should focus more on the body and the aroma..."
"Sir, telling me isn't going to help..."
"And besides, why do I only get these 'gritty' requests? Isn't there anything... different?"
"Given your image, sir, I believe it's quite appropriate. To the general public, you are the stoic, gritty, silver-tongued veteran hero."
"Ugh... hngh..."
Even here, the side effects of chasing All Might were manifesting... No, this was my own fault for the types of jobs I had accepted in the past. Back when I first married, I was invited to shows as a "Newlywed Hero." When my children were born, I was the "Parenting Hero." There were plenty of related products back then.
...Now, those kinds of offers are few and far between.
"...Sigh. Fine. I'll hear the details later. You wanted to check the schedule. Speak. I'll decide once I've heard it."
"Yes, sir. Well then—...Director?"
The secretary stopped mid-sentence and looked at me with a puzzled expression.
"...What is it?"
"Well, usually, after hearing the dates, you just tell me to handle it and that's the end of it."
"...Is that so?"
"Yes. ...You've changed lately, sir. Did something happen?"
Did something... happen? I couldn't exactly say nothing had happened. Not that I intended to explain it to her.
Seeing that I wasn't going to talk, the secretary glanced around the room.
"...The agency feels quite quiet now. It used to be the norm, but now it feels strangely off. It was so lively during the workplace experience."
"I suppose..."
"I've never seen you get pushed around by someone like that before, sir. The others won't say it to your face, but everyone was quite shocked."
"...Were they?"
"You always have such a stern face and you never speak more than necessary, so naturally... how do I put it? You have the air of an inflexible, old-fashioned craftsman. A bit stiff."
So that was how my subordinates saw me. I'd suspected as much for a while now. There were times when it felt like they were actively avoiding me.
"Are you planning to take her on as your son's sidekick in the future?"
"Is that the rumor?"
"Yes. Among the sidekicks. ...They're even saying you intend to welcome her as your son's wife eventually."
"WHO?! Who is saying that?! Her as a wife?! Don't be ridiculous!! Who would ever trust that idiot with their son?!"
That was the last thing I wanted to hear. The mere thought of that girl becoming part of the family was horrifying. The fact that she was All Might's successor was annoying enough, but on a personal level, I simply couldn't stand her. What is wrong with her, honestly? She has zero respect for her superiors. Calling me "Baldy" constantly, when I keep telling her I'm not balding... I'm clearly... not!
"...And yet, there was the matter of the room..."
"What? What about the room?!"
"...Wait, it wasn't intentional?"
"What are you talking about?!"
The secretary averted her eyes and looked at the corner of the ceiling. She refused to meet my gaze. I had nothing but a bad feeling about this.
"Speak."
"W-Well... the room she was staying in... the lock was broken."
"...The lock? Is that true?"
"Yes. It had been reported quite some time ago. So, the fact that you specifically assigned her to thatroom was seen as a father going a bit too far with... a 'go get 'em, son' signal."
"..."
"..."
I processed her words, followed the logic to its natural conclusion, and in that instant, a cold sweat erupted across my body. I realized for the first time that when a human is truly cornered, this is exactly what happens.
"N-Nothing happened, I hope?! Nothing that would require someone to 'take responsibility'?!"
"Y-Yes! Absolutely! We were taking turns listening at the door of the next room, so we're sure!"
"You lot! I thought you were staying late for work, and you were doing that?!"
"Oh, of course, that time was off the clock. We didn't charge any overtime for it."
"OF COURSE YOU DIDN'T, YOU IDIOTS!!!!"
If they had charged overtime for something like that, I would have docked their pay for a year. Or rather, if I'd known things were that dangerous, I would have changed her room immediately!
Certainly, I am grateful to her for showing my son the right path, but that is entirely separate from this. Completely separate!
The only reason I called her here was so that my son wouldn't be so stubborn and would actually engage with the experience. I chose someone who would have a relatively positive influence—wait. Wait, wait, wait.
When she was leaving, didn't the atmosphere around Shoto as he looked at her seem... odd?
...There's no way.
"Hey."
"Y-Yes! What is it, Director?!"
"From your perspective... did it look like my son was... well... looking for a 'romantic' relationship with that girl?"
The secretary put a hand to her chin and began to think. I could hear her humming in thought. After agonizing over it for several minutes, she gave me a clear answer.
"I don't know."
This secretary had a sharp eye for people. If she didn't know, then there was no problem.
Phew. She really gave me a scare.
"He might think of her as someone of interest, but I don't think it's reached that stage yet. Though, from what I've heard, it sounds like Futora-chan has someone who's like a boyfriend... so there's a high chance he might get triggered by that and realize his own feelings."
"SHOOOOOOOTOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!"
Don't you dare!! Don't you even think about it!! I will find you a perfectly suitable wife myself!! So don't you dare do anything reckless!! Anyone but her!!
I tried to rush out to the school to knock some sense into my son, but I was physically restrained by every sidekick and staff member in the agency.
"LET ME GOOOOOOO!!"
In the end, I wasn't even allowed to leave the building that day.
***
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