Chapter 27 The Main Body Fifteen Days

"..."

I fell silent.

—You can come back if you want.

I realized I still couldn't deny it immediately.

This is really difficult for me because instinctive reactions cannot be faked.

"Teacher, is this really meant to comfort me?" I understand Gojo Satoru's good intentions, but it really made me both laugh and cry.

"You know I can't go back." I tried not to imagine his expression, and just stared blankly, as if that would make it easier for me to say it. "At least not now."

I cannot face the college and everything related to it in such a flawed state.

Maki said I was stubborn, but it really means I can't give up my humble pride.

I cannot easily relinquish the pride that came with me from birth to become a hidden burden for everyone.

“Or.” Gojo Satoru’s voice lowered. “Do you remember? The day you left the vocational high school.”

"Huh? I remember."

The day I left the Spellcasting Academy, the weather was as nice as ever.

The sun was shining brightly, and the wind was gentle.

The leaves on the branches are newly green.

Everything was the same as every day before, as if time was just monotonously repeating itself.

If I hadn't happened to leave, that day would have been just another ordinary day, briefly remaining in my memory before quickly disappearing.

But it is precisely because I left that I will remember everything.

“It’s a beautiful day,” I said.

I remember Maki saying that she might sell or give away the knife I left with her sometime.

I laughed and said, "You definitely won't."

Then she crossed her arms and turned her head away, as if she didn't want to talk to me anymore.

I also remember that Ji was planning to test if I would actually stay if he used a spell to say "Don't go" or "Stay".

But Thorn didn't try it in the end.

Because he is a spellcaster, Thorn doesn't speak often, or more accurately, he doesn't speak human language often. He is used to expressing himself through food, and has even created his own language—"Dog Curl Language".

So in normal conversations, I usually talk more with Maki and Panda, but that doesn't prevent me from having a good relationship with Thorn.

Just as Maki knew I wanted to leave and couldn't stop me, Toshi must know that too.

“None of that matters,” Gojo Satoru said. “What I want to say is that after you turned around, you never looked back.” You walked very slowly that day, but you never looked back.

I said helplessly, "Because there's no going back, Mr. Gojo."

Putting aside the fact that I almost cried myself to death back then, when it came to leaving the vocational college, anyone could waver, but I was the only one who couldn't.

Only I must be resolute and keep moving forward without looking back.

"And teacher, you know perfectly well that I can't turn back."

****

Gojo Satoru will always remember the day that Edakawa left Tokyo Jujutsu High School, and he probably will remember it for a long time to come.

In fact, even earlier, before Edakawa actually proposed leaving, Ieiri Shoko had mentioned this possibility.

However, Ieiri Shoko initially asked very tactfully, "Do you think Edagawa can stay?"

Then Gojo Satoru replied, "He can stay if he wants to."

Because he can do it if he wants to.

He didn't care what the higher-ups thought, since he had always been good at confronting them and had always disdained their attitude.

Otherwise, Yi Gu You Tai wouldn't have been able to stay.

Gojo Satoru wouldn't mind keeping another Egawa orchid.

However, Ieiri Shoko glanced at him indifferently and said calmly, "You should understand that I am not asking about the attitude of the higher-ups, but about the attitude of Edagawa."

Do you think that once Edakawa knows everything, he will feel that he can stay?

Obviously.

Ieiri Shoko believes that the core of this issue has nothing to do with the higher-ups; the only one who can truly decide whether Edakawa will stay at the vocational high school is himself.

The reason why Gojo Satoru's answer was so easy to state is that he completely eliminated the premise that was the least likely to be suppressed.

Unfortunately, she doesn't mind bringing up some topics that no one mentions under the cover of silence and busyness.

Gojo remained silent.

But this silence is not because they don't know the answer; on the contrary, it is precisely because they know the answer all too well that the strongest sorcerers remain silent.

He was rejecting, not confused.

"Shoko, I've been trying not to think about this."

Because the answer to this question can only point to the worst possible outcome, with no other options or possibilities. It hardly qualifies as a question; rather, it's like a conclusion—a conclusion reached by everyone familiar with Edakawa.

Edakawa is usually very gentle and even finds it difficult to refuse others. He is not arrogant at all, but the pride and stubbornness in his bones will not back down even slightly.

Gojo understood, and he finally had to say, "Its answer is terrible. — If things were as they are now, it probably wouldn't have stayed."

Yes.

Edakawa may not choose to stay.

On the day she saw Egawa off as he left the Jujutsu High School, Ieiri Shoko stood beside him.

Shoko Ieiri said, "What are you expecting, looking like that?"

“I was thinking, maybe he’ll change his mind as we walk, then turn around and run back to me, hugging me and crying, ‘Gojo-sensei, I’m not going anymore.’” Gojo Satoru held up a finger as an example, with a hint of smugness in his voice: “Isn’t that wonderful?”

Ieiri Glass: "..."

Shoko Ieiri said coldly, "He won't turn back."

"ah."

"..."

A gentle breeze brushed against the silver tips of her hair and the dark collar of her clothes.

He stood quietly, watching and waiting.

Finally, turning her head to Shoko Ieiri, she said, "You really didn't turn back, Shoko."

He not only won't go back on his word, he won't even turn back.

...

...

"And teacher, you know perfectly well that I can't turn back."

Do I know?

Gojo Satoru began to ask himself questions.

Of course he knew.

Even if Ieiri Shoko didn't say it, he knew that Edagawa would most likely never turn back.

Once you turn back, you can't leave.

"But this doesn't contradict my hope or my looking back at myself."

Yes, they are not contradictory.

So he understood everything, yet he still desperately wanted to look back, just so he could tell himself—

He hesitated.

That way, you'll have a reason to tell yourself—

Let's keep him here.

There's a saying that perfectly describes Gojo Satoru: he's someone who never knows how to restrain himself.

Everything he's experienced in the past shows that Gojo Satoru will not back down; he lives the most flamboyant and unrestrained life.

However, Gojo Satoru did indeed tone down his behavior regarding Edakawa's departure from the Jujutsu High School.

He can back down.

If he's really determined to leave, then let him go, but don't hesitate.

It's fine to regress to leaving the vocational school and staying in Yokohama, but it's impossible to never see each other again.

Gojo Satoru was also very clear about the reasons behind all his compromises, which were not exactly compromises.

“But you should know that I only let you go to Yokohama because that’s where you want to be.” Gojo Satoru tilted his head back slightly. “And all I want is for you to be happy.”

If everything in Yokohama makes you feel miserable, then why should I watch you leave?

He pushed off the wall, using the momentum to stand up, one hand in his pocket.

"No matter what happens, don't worry, just go for it," he chuckled softly. "After all, I'm the strongest teacher you have."