Upon Returning Home As A Military Major General, I Was Told To Attend School, Even Though It’s Quite Late Now - Chapter 129

Chapter 129. The Secret Is Finally Out

“Huff, huff!”

I exhale deeply and inhale in front of the shoe locker, trying to steady my breathing.

My memory is hazy after that.

Caught off-guard by an unexpected situation, I somehow pushed my way through the crowd of reporters and entered the school.

It seems I got separated from Mina on the way.

I hope she’s okay… Could she have been caught by the media because of me?

Either way, I need information right now.

For now, I think I’ll leave my things in the classroom and head to the principal’s office. I open the door to my class.

“Good morning.”

Even if I greet them, the usual response is a startled flinch, so no one ever returns my greetings.

That’s why I always keep my morning greetings just loud enough to barely be audible.

I know I stand out in class, so I try not to draw attention to myself as much as possible.

When I entered the classroom, every classmate who had arrived was gathered around the classroom TV.

They were all staring intently at it, so the only one who reacted to the sound of the door opening was a girl standing at the back of the group.

“Eek!”

The girl covered her mouth with her hand and let out a stifled scream.

Everyone immediately turned to look at me.

What? What?

While I stood there confused by my classmates, who were acting even more ominously than usual, they suddenly dropped to the floor in perfect synchronization.

“””We deeply apologize for our past rudeness, Major General Kamiya!”””

My classmates, faces down on the floor in a full prostration, screamed their apologies.

“Uh, no, um…”

“I’m sorry! I’m sorry! I’m sorry!”

“As a mere private, my past disrespect is inexcusable!”

“Please… please, forgive us…”

“““We’ll bring our families to formally apologize later…”””

I try to calm them down, but they’re in a state of panic, screaming apologies incoherently.

They don’t seem to hear me at all.

Honestly, it’s no different from usual—nobody listens to me anyway.

“Phew, just barely made it. I was savoring breakfast, and now I’m almost late—huh?”

Misuzu, who barely arrived on time, looks back and forth between me and the classmates bowing and shouting apologies.

“Misuzu! Help me out here!”

“So this is a Japanese-style dogeza… I heard it was an ancient custom, even extinct in Japan, but seeing it in person is something else.”

“Now’s not the time to be impressed!”

“But why are they bowing to Yuusuke… Oh, it’s because of this.”

Misuzu shifts her gaze toward the TV.

The morning news show had broken its usual programming to report about me.

[The army’s cruelty: Deploying a ten-year-old child to the battlefield.]

[Severe human rights violations against Soul Armor users by the state.]

[Unprecedented promotion to Major General for his numerous achievements.]

[The period known as the ‘Dawn of Amaterasu,’ marking Japan’s advancement in global warfare, perfectly coincides with Major General Kamiya’s deployment.]

Every channel was running similar stories, so I silently turned off the TV.

◇◇◇◆◇◇◇

“What the hell is going on, Principal Takami!?”

Even though the school bell had already rung, I burst into the principal’s office without knocking and immediately complained.

“I’m afraid the academy has no comment on the matter. Please direct your inquiries to Ichigaya. The department in charge is… um…”

Principal Takami was busy bowing on the phone, dealing with what seemed to be either an interview or a complaint.

“As the principal, can’t you handle this more firmly?”

I scold him as he finally hangs up the phone.

“And whose fault do you think this is? Ugh, another call… Yes, this is Takami. Uh-huh… A lawmaker inquiring about Major General Kamiya… Understood, I’ll transfer the call.”

Takami lets out a deep sigh, exhausted, as he reaches for the phone to take the call.

I snatch the receiver from him.

“Hello, this is Major General Kamiya Yuusuke speaking. Who’s calling? From the ruling party or the opposition?”

“What!? W-wait!”

The lawmaker on the other end sounds utterly flustered by my unexpected appearance.

“Is there a specific reason you’re calling? If not, I’ll hang up.”

“W-wait! Did you really serve in the military at the age of ten?”

“That’s correct.”

“And you actively participated in combat?”

“Look, if you want details about me, the government will soon release official statements. Please wait for those.”

“You little… Do you know who you’re talking to? I represent the will of the people!”

The lawmaker, initially caught off-guard by me answering, quickly shifts to anger at being disrespected by a kid.

“We’ll notify the relevant departments, so direct your questions there. We’re too busy to provide individual explanations right now. Understand?”

I made sure to speak with an air of mockery, making it clear he wasn’t getting any special treatment.

“Y-you insolent… You think you, a mere soldier, can talk to me like that!?”

“We have a separation of powers, so technically, no one’s superior. Anyway, I’m hanging up now. Bye.”

I slammed the receiver down with a click and exhaled sharply through my nose.

“Yuusuke… That was a lawmaker. You should’ve been more polite.”

“If he’s not privy to high-level state secrets, then he’s small fry.”

I waved my hand dismissively at the dumbfounded Takami, signaling there was nothing to worry about.

That lawmaker will probably storm into Ichigaya, furious, but the party seniors will surely reprimand him.

“Half of that was just you venting, wasn’t it?”

“Oh, you caught me?”

Honestly, I couldn’t care less if I get fired or demoted.

In fact, anyone trying to intimidate me is more of a joke at this point—almost endearing, even.

“But the situation is serious.”

“Staying here won’t help. I’m heading to Ichigaya.”

I sighed, dragging myself out of my chair.

“Got it.”

“The school should take down the phones and website for the day. I’ll authorize it.”

“Thanks, Yuusuke. Be careful.”

“Oh, and mark me as excused from class today. I’m also borrowing Hayami.”

“You care about that now? Understood.”

“I don’t want to fail because of attendance issues, so I’m counting on you.”

Signaling that I intend to return here eventually, I head toward the staff room, where Hayami is probably swamped with phone calls.