Chapter 6 Part 16
Translator : PolterGlast
"Nn……"
His
consciousness slowly returned.
What
he vaguely saw wasn't the infirmary room that he had come to see often
recently. Instead, the ceiling of an unfamiliar room, with its stand-out
stained wood grain.
"Is
this perhaps ...... a hospital?"
The
distinctive scent of disinfectant lingered in his nose. In the corner of the
room, there was a trolley filled with disinfectant and tweezers.
It
seemed that Nozomu had been brought into a hospital room before he knew it.
"……Night?"
Outside
the window, he could see the quiet streets of Arcazam.
And
the light of the stars twinkling in the sky illuminated the small room from
behind the window.
"No-zomu?"
As
if guided by the small whispering voice, Nozomu turned his attention to the
entrance of the room, where Irisdina was standing with a tub of water in her
hand.
He
wondered how long she had been there.
The
moonlight shining through the corridor window illuminated her beautiful figure
becoming even more charming and attractive.
"G-good
morning. It's a beautiful day, isn't it? but it's already night tho."
“…………”
Nozomu's
heart thumped due to the sight of her alluring figure.
Due
to his fast-beating heart, the only thing that came out of his mouth were
greeting words.
"B-but,
before I knew it, it was already late... I still had afternoon class, but I
must have missed it."
“…………”
Nozomu
scratched his head without a break in embarrassment.
Irisdina,
on the other hand, remained silent and stared at Nozomu.
Iris
was frozen in place, even her facial expression was not moving at all. Her
beautiful, expressionless face, combined with her dignified atmosphere, turned
into something strangely powerful.
"...
By the way, Iris-san, why are you silent?"
For
some reason, Nozomu spoke to her in a respectful manner.
Irisdina's
gaze, which had been frozen, became so severe that Nozomu could sense the tense
and angry atmosphere.
When
Nozomu peeked at her fearfully while he was pressured by the unusual
atmosphere, Irisdina grabbed a towel that was hanging in the water tub and
threw it at Nozomu.
"Uo!"
Nozomu
raised his voice at the sudden occurrence.
As
he was startled by the towel that passed in front of him, this time, he saw
Irisdina shaking a bottle of disinfectant that was close at hand.
"Wait~!
Iris! What the heck !?"
"Shut
up! You don't even know how I feel, what's with that greeting?"
The
disinfectant passed over Nozomu's head at high speed as he quickly clutched his
head.
The
bottle that hit the wall cracked with a loud bang, and the room was filled with
a pungent smell that pierced the nose.
For
some reason, Irisdina was very angry, and she threw all sorts of things at
Nozomu, regardless of the fact that Nozomu was panicking.
"Watch
out! It, it will hit me!"
Gauze,
tweezers, bandages, and other small items continued to fly at him.
Unable
to move from his bed, Nozomu had no choice but to shrink back.
At
that moment, a savior peeked out from behind Irisdina.
"Oh,
Nozomu-kun, did you wake up?"
"Norn-sensei,
please stop Iris!"
Nozomu's
face broke into a smile as he realized that his savior had arrived.
For
some reason, Norn-sensei sighed when she alternately looked at Irisdina, who
was still throwing things at Nozomu, and Nozomu, who was in a panic.
"...
Well, I'll call everyone, so wait here for a moment."
"Wait~,
Norn-sensei !?"
With
a dumbfounded look on his face, Nozomu's eyes widened as Norn suddenly tried to
leave the room
He
reached out his hand as if to say wait, but Norn didn't care and disappeared
into the hallway.
"At
least, please stop Iris!"
Nozomu
shouted in grief.
The
next thing he knew, he saw Irisdina spill the contents of the tub of water on
him.
=================================
A
few moments later, Nozomu was surrounded by his friends with water still
dripping from his head.
All
of his friends kept their mouths shut when they saw his appearance was so
unlike that of a hospitalized person.
"Umm,
why am I in such a place? And also ..."
In
a room filled with a delicate atmosphere, the first to speak was Nozomu, who
was soaked and had no idea what was going on.
He
looked at Irisdina, who still looked angry, but she turned away when she
noticed Nozomu's gaze. Nozomu didn't know the reason, but it seemed like her
anger hadn't subsided yet.
"You
fainted during combat training against Jihad-sensei. Don't you remember?"
"Mmm
... Aah, I remember"
As
if prompted by Norn's words, Nozomu began to recall the combat training.
Nozomu's
[Phantom -Flash-] and Jihad's [Single Stroke] clashed.
As
a result, Nozomu's [Phantom -Flash-] was crushed by Jihad's Jaw Drop after a
brief moment of confrontation.
It
was reasonable. Under the state of Ability Suppression, the effect of extreme
strengthening by Qi was also diminished.
Jihad's
Jaw Drop, which put pressure on Nozomu's katana, crashed into the ground under
Nozomu's feet.
Nozomu
was blown away by the shockwave of the explosion, and lost consciousness.
"Furthermore,
Jihad-sensei only ever seriously swung his sword during that combat training...
Jihad-sensei, he truly is a master, and people at his rank are complete
nonsense..."
Even
though the Ability Suppression prevented Nozomu from displaying his true power,
Jihad had crushed his best techniques in a one-sided manner.
Even
putting aside his [Single Stroke], he had an extraordinary amount of Qi and
skills to face Nozomu's technique head-on.
He
also had the political skills and achievements to practically run this school.
Even
after all this time, Nozomu can only sigh at Jihad's incredibleness.
"...
I wonder, is it really as you said?"
Seeing
Nozomu like that, Shīna and the others dropped their shoulders. From their
point of view, even though Jihad held himself back and went along with Nozomu's
specialty, which was close combat, his opponent was a person who was even
called a hero in the great invasion 10 years ago.
How
many people would be able to fight such a person with the handicap of Ability
Suppression to such an extent?
The
dry smile plastered on her face told her thoughts to the others.
With
such Shīna and the others like that, Norn called out to Nozomu.
"Well,
Nozomu-kun, how long do you think you've been asleep?"
Nozomu
glanced sideways at Irisdina, but she still looked unhappy.
Nozomu
didn't know why Irisdina was so angry, but he decided to answer Norn's question
for the time being.
"Umm,
it's already night, so ... about half a day?"
He
looked out the window and saw that the sun was already going down and everyone
was asleep, so he was sure it was midnight.
"No,
to be exact, two and a half days."
"...Ha?"
Nozomu
was dumbfounded hearing the words added by Norn with his mouth half-open.
"And
you have internal bleeding all over your body, don't you? As a matter of fact,
you were in a very dangerous condition."
Hearing
her words, Nozomu looked at his arm and saw that it was bruised and pale in many
places.
According
to Norn, Nozomu was extremely weak after he fainted during the combat training
with Jihad at the Martial Arts Garden.
Even
though they were shallow, he had countless cuts all over his body.
Furthermore,
his body was extremely weak, and because of this, the recovery magic was not
very effective, and the wounds did not heal properly.
Nozomu's
eyes widen as he realized that his wounds were more serious than he thought.
The
reason for this is the excessive use of chi and the extreme strengthening of
the body.
Norn
continued to explain.
"The
cause was the excessive use of Qi and the repeated use of extreme physical
strengthening. Especially the last sword-drawing technique you used. It was not
good."
"The
last ..."
Nozomu
tilted his head, wondering if she was referring to [Phantom -Flash-] or not,
but Norn nodded and answered.
"Umm,
I understand that overuse of Qi can cause debilitation, but what about body
strengthening?
"Nozomu,
you were able to confront Jihad-sensei's [Single Stroke], albeit momentarily.
This is impossible if you think about it normally."
After
she said so, Norn took out a bandage, put magic power into part of it, and
pulled the bandage as hard as she could.
The
bandage, which would normally be torn off, was able to withstand the stretching
force as Norn momentarily increase its strength with magic power.
"It's
true that extreme body strengthening, when fully coordinated with your body
movement, can make it possible to do things with less force than one would
normally be able to withstand. However, if that coordination is disrupted even
for a moment..."
Then
she pulled the bandage with all her might. The thin fabric of the bandage
reached its limit before enough magic power could be applied to it, and it tore
off.
"...
This is what happens. the bandage was torn to shreds. In Nozomu's case, the
extreme consumption of Qi had slowed down his movements, so the coordination
between his Qi and the movements of his entire body was momentarily disrupted,
causing him to injure himself."
According
to Norn-sensei, in the worst-case scenario, every muscle in his body could have
been ruptured and everything from bones to internal organs could have been
messed up.
"Well,
that's definitely true. There's that much risk involved in that technique...
But since I can't overwhelm him with my usual strength, I really need Shishō's
technique in such an emergency."
"I
know. Given that power, I can't tell you not to use that technique."
Even
so, Nozomu needed a few ways of fighting.
Considering
the risk of waking up Tiamat which was sealed inside of him because he was
releasing Ability Suppression, it was necessary to have another "secret
technique" that can be used without releasing his Ability Suppression.
Norn
understood this.
Still,
with a sad smile, she looked at Irisdina and others who were beside her and
spoke to Nozomu gently.
"But
keep in mind that there are people who will be sad if you get hurt. Irisdina
and the others have been helping to nurse you through your treatment."
"Ah……"
When Nozomu heard
those words, he turned to Irisdina with a surprised expression.
He remembered
Irisdina's appearance who had just brought a tub of water to this room. There
was no reason for her to bring such a thing here, except to nurse Nozomu.
Finally, he understood
why Irisdina was so angry.
"I mean, Nozomu,
why did you have to be so reckless? You didn't have to go that far, did
you?"
"That's right!
You were too reckless! You almost got
into an irreversible situation!"
Mars and Irisdina
approached Nozomu, who finally understood the situation.
Mars was still asking
calmly, but Irisdina was clearly still in a rage.
Now that he understood
why she was so angry, Nozomu could only bow his head.
"I-I'm sorry,
everyone. When I was crossing swords with Jihad-sensei, I felt nostalgic... It
felt like when I was training with Shishō."
When Irisdina heard
Nozomu's words, she leaned forward and scolded him.
"That's not an
excuse for you to go that far!"
Probably her emotions
were getting the better of her.
Nozomu's eyes widened
at her fierce tone of voice, which was unimaginable from her usual calm
demeanor.
The others were also
shaken and shocked. That was how unusual she looked right now.
"Bleeding to that
extent..."
Then her raging
emotions fell all at once.
Nozomu, who had been
dumbfounded, saw Irisdina's eyes that had moistened.
"A~ a~. You made
her cry ~~"
"Wha~!"
Mimuru's teasing words
echoed, and Nozomu panicked for a moment.
However, his words
were soon replaced by a heavy silence.
Seeing Irisdina, who
usually kept the dignified expression on her face, show so much emotion now, it
was easy to see how worried she was about Nozomu.
"Umm... sorry,
Iris. I'm sorry I made you worry..."
"... No, I won't
forgive you."
Irisdina was showing a
sulky expression as if she were a child.
When Nozomu saw
Irisdina's face distorted in pain, he felt a pain as if he had been shot
through the chest.
"Last time, I
thought you won't be able to make it... Why do you always make me worry?
..."
“…………”
Irisdina's mind drifted
back to the last time Nozomu had been nearly taken over by Tiamat.
Nozomu had been
seriously injured that time and had been bedridden for nearly a week. He was
unconscious for nearly five days, and his weakened body could have extinguished
the light of life at any moment.
And even after he woke
up, his senses, such as sight and hearing, were still affected.
The fear of that
moment had squeezed Irisdina's heart.
Irisdina held her arms
like a frightened child, her eyes wet with tears as she looked down.
Nozomu was heartbroken
to see her like this, but he thought he should at least tell her what he
thought, so he slowly opened his mouth.
"...... Maybe it
sounds like an excuse, but... I've been running away for a long time, haven't
I? Not just from Lisa and Ken, but from this school as well."
Nozomu slowly spoke
about his feelings.
"At that combat
training, the students of this school were watching me. I didn't want to run
away because I decided to face them again."
It was a place where
many people were watching.
The Nozomu of the past
would have retreated into his shell under the scornful gazes and the heartless
words of the people around him and would have done nothing. He wouldn't have
tried doing anything.
However, the words
that came out of Nozomu's mouth right now were words that showed his solid
determination.
Nozomu was looking
straight ahead, not looking away from Iridina, who was still casting her eyes
downward.
"That's why I
confronted Jihad-sensei with all my might. To be honest, I was surprised when I
heard about this combat training from Anri-sensei..."
In the beginning, it
was Anri-sensei who had brought the idea to him. Nozomu thought that she was
probably the one who passed the idea on to Jihad-sensei. Before the combat
training, it was impressive that she was more enthusiastic than usual.
When Nozomu glanced
over at Anri, she smiled and gave him a V-sign.
Rumors that have
accumulated over the years were flowing on their own.
And before he knew it,
the unconfirmed story was recognized as the "truth" and will be taken
for granted.
This combat training
can be a catalyst to blow away the false rumors that have been circulating.
It wouldn't be
possible to dispel all the rumors, but at least it could have a big impact on
those who believed in those rumors.
Maybe Anri knew all
this from the beginning, and that was why she came up with this idea. These
thoughts flashed through Nozomu's mind.
"That's why I
used my techniques without reserve. Well, it's also because I remembered the
time when I crossed swords with Shishō. Jihad-sensei was the same as Shishō. He
was not injured by my Qi techniques. That's why ... umm..."
"... I'm going to
wipe your head for the time being."
"Eh~?
Wa~ppu!"
Shīna threw a towel at
his head as he was looking at Irisdina's expression. Water droplets were
dripping from Nozomu's head.
She turned her gaze on
Irisdina as she wiped Nozomu's head with a towel
"It can't be
helped like that. In Nozomu's story, I think this was necessary. Think about
the future."
"There's no point
in sulking like that. According to Nozomu's story, I think what had happened
was necessary. Let's think about what we will do after this."
"That's ... I
know ..."
Irisdina slowly nodded
at Shīna's words as she shrugged her shoulders and spoke.
She is an intelligent
person by nature, and she fully understands what Nozomu is saying. And the
reason why he is now trying to do his best again in this school.
"Besides, it couldn't
be helped that Nozomu-kun acted without restraint this time. Because it reminded him of the time when he
was with someone important to him."
Irisdina understood
this as well. It was pure combat training against a swordsman of the same rank
as Shino, Nozomu's master.
That was the first
time Nozomu had been able to use his Qi techniques to the fullest in this
school, as he had usually avoided using them in school. Just like when he was
training with his master.
Remembering the
expression on Nozomu's face when he happily shared his memories about his
master, it was understandable that he acted without restraint due to that.
However, even though
she understood, she still felt a squeezing sensation in her heart towards
Nozomu for his recklessness.
"Umm, I'm sorry
for making you worry..."
Looking at Nozomu, who
continued to bow his head apologetically, she also began to calm down.
She could still feel
the anguish in the back of her chest, but now that she had heard what he had to
say, the ache in her chest had somewhat eased.
"...No, I should
be the one apologizing. If I think about it, Nozomu's reputation at the school
had hardly changed at all. Given that, your reasoning certainly makes
sense..."
After a moment of
silence, Irisdina finally turned to Nozomu.
Nozomu was relieved,
and a smile returned to his face.
"Thank you, Iris.
Thank you for worrying about me. ......"
Seeing Nozomu smiling
in relief, Irisdina's face suddenly becomes heated up. Her heart began to beat
even faster, and her gaze began to swim through the air.
"N-no! D-don't
worry about it!"
"Mm ..."
Shīna, who was
watching Irisdina, frowned.
Her facial expression
hardly changed, but the hand that was wiping Nozomu's head was strengthened as
she put all her strength into it.
"Aw~, aw aw~!
Shīna, It hurts!"
"……Hmph!"
She ignored Nozomu's
complaint and finished wiping his head. After that, Shīna turned and walked
away from the bed.
Mimuru and the others
seemed to be smirking at her, but when Shīna glared at them, they hurriedly
turned their eyes away and shrunk back.
"Come to think of
it, you said it felt nostalgic. Now that you mention it, was it like that when
you and your master were sparring?"
Mars asked Nozomu as
if to change the subject.
"Hm~. I didn't do
anything that extreme, though. There were times when she threw [Phantom] with a
precision that I could barely avoid. She was going easy on me to the extent so
I didn't die?"
Nozomu recounted his
unforgettable memories of his master. He smiled when he watched everyone's
cheeks cramp.
"Although
Jihad-sensei did use the Jaw Drop, he was also going easy on me. Even when we
crossed our swords, he was swinging his sword while observing my condition
while we were fighting. Also, he didn't even hit me directly with that stupidly
big blade of Qi..."
"Is that level of
attacks not a problem for you!?"
Mars had a point.
Unbeknownst to Nozomu,
due to Jihad's [Single Stroke], the magic barrier installed in the martial arts
garden was having a problem and the arena became unusable.
It was said it would
take about a week to restore it, but even so, it was clear that this was not
the kind of attack that could be used in combat training.
At least none of the
students at this school would call it "holding back" no matter how
much Jihad tried not to hit him.
"Well, if we want
to have a combat training with someone of Shishō's caliber, we have to be
prepared for that kind of attack, don't you think? That's what I think..."
“…………”
Irisdina and the
others were utterly shocked by Nozomu's words.
Once again, they
recognized the reason why this combat training had been so abnormal.
================================
"Well then,
everyone should come back for today. I'm going to take care of Nozomu until
morning."
"I understand.
Norn-sensei, I'll leave him in your care."
After Nozomu woke up
and it was confirmed that there was nothing wrong with his body, his friends who
had gathered went home.
Norn was the only one
who stayed in the room to take care of Nozomu.
"But after what
happened the day before yesterday, I'm sure your surroundings are going to be
very different from now on, Nozomu-kun..."
"Eh?"
After everyone had
left, Nozomu tilted his head at what Norn muttered to him.
"Nozomu-kun, why
do you look like you're still wondering about it?"
"It's just, that
rumor hasn't been completely wiped out yet, right?"
That combat training
might have crushed the idea that "Nozomu is weak", but the problem
was the rumors about "he was the worst bastard who betrayed Lisa".
Nozomu thought that combat training wouldn't have much effect on that rumors.
"That's ... Well,
you haven't heard what's going on at the school, I guess it's reasonable to
think that way..."
Norn muttered so and
began to stare at Nozomu.
"What is it
...?"
Nozomu flinched as he
received a gaze that made his back itch.
"Well, seeing is
believing, I guess. You'll find out when you go to the school tomorrow."
"... Haa?"
Norn left the room
before Nozomu could ask her about it, leaving behind a statement that made him
even more curious.
She had probably gone
to borrow some bedding, but Nozomu, not understanding why could only look at
the door through which Norn had disappeared with a stunned expression.
=========================
The next morning,
Nozomu, who had a brief medical examination to make sure he was okay, went to
school just as the sun was starting to rise.
It was probably in the
middle of the morning class now.
The words that
Norn-sensei had said yesterday flashed through Nozomu's mind, but he headed for
the classroom anyway.
Perhaps it was because
classes were already in session, there was no one in the school's corridors,
and only the sound of Nozomu's footsteps echoed through the vast hallways.
Suddenly, Nozomu
looked out the window and saw the students of the first year working on their
basic training.
They were swinging
wooden swords and being taught how to use them, just like Nozomu and the others
had been two years ago.
He himself had wielded
a wooden sword as part of his training back home, but at this school was the
first time he had learned how to use it properly.
However, he himself is
much more skilled with a katana than a sword, and now he is wielding a katana
instead of a sword.
"Ohh? Aren't they
Eldor-kun and the others?"
If he looked closely,
he could see Eldor and the others among the students who were swinging their
swords. Perhaps this class is the first class of the first year.
At that moment, a bell
rang throughout the school, signaling break time.
Students came out of
their classrooms here and there, asking, "Did you understand what we just
learned? or "No, not at all!" as they came out of their classrooms,
exchanging words of their own.
Right now, Nozomu is
near the first-year classroom. He had planned to continue walking past the
second-year classroom to the third-year section, but at that time, his eyes met
with a student coming out of the classroom.
"Ah……"
"Hm?"
A female student
stared at Nozomu with a surprised expression.
Nozomu tilted his head
at the strange reaction of the girl he had never met before.
A group of first-year
students nearby noticed her gaze and looked at Nozomu, and their eyes widened
in the same way that the previous girl had just done.
At first, Nozomu
wondered if they were reacting this way because they knew about the rumors
about him, but their gazes didn't show the negative feelings of contempt or
mockery that he had always felt.
As Nozomu thinking to
find out what was going on, one of the underclassmen stepped forward.
"U-umm. You are
Nozomu Bountis-senpai, right?"
"Y-yeah, that's
right."
The underclassman
spoke to Nozomu in a timid manner, and Nozomu's reply was somewhat awkward.
The girl in front of
him was fidgeting and continued to speak as she was looking at Nozomu's
appearance.
"Um, I'd like to
ask you a question. I heard you have "Ability Suppression", but is
that true ...?"
"Yeah, that's
right ..."
Perhaps it was because
he was nervous and cautious, Nozomu's reply was somewhat awkward.
Contrary to Nozomu's
behavior, the girl in front of him suddenly leaned forward with a big smile on
her face when she heard his reply.
The girl's eyes shone
with sparkling light.
"U-umm! I was
watching the previous combat training!"
"I-is that
so..."
Because she spoke with
a strange intensity, Nozomu couldn't help but back away.
On the other hand, for
some reason, the excited girl continued to talk as if a dam had burst without
noticing Nozomu's appearance.
"I'm so
impressed! You can't even move your body well because of your Ability
Suppression, right? and yet you are going up against Jihad-sensei!"
"No, I couldn't
reach him..."
Nozomu, whose senses
were sharpened, could sense that Jihad had been holding back and he was still
being defeated one-sidedly, but the girl in front of him is an ordinary student
with normal senses.
Nozomu made Jihad, who
was even called a hero, pull out his giant sword, the Jaw Drop. In her mind,
Nozomu was just as good as Jihad, even though he had been embellished by her
admiration.
"I was able to
enroll in this school, but then things didn't go as well as I expected ... The
other students are all much better at magic and Qi technique than I am..."
The girl suddenly showed
a depressed expression.
Certainly, this school
attracted many talented students from all over the continent. Even if they were
hailed as child prodigies in their hometowns, many were more gifted than they
were here, and many of them were gradually buried.
This girl might be one
of those people.
However, the girl's
depressed expression changed, and she looked at Nozomu with excited eyes again.
"But! When I saw
Nozomu-senpai's appearance at that time, I understood! Even if I couldn't win
with my strength, there are many things I can do! I'm not very talented! and
I'm only in the tenth class, but I've come to think, "So
what!"."
"I-I see
..."
Nozomu's helpless
reply fell completely on the girl's deaf ears as she spoke passionately in
front of him.
Setting the puzzled
Nozomu aside, the girl became even more heated up. The girl suddenly took
Nozomu's hand with an expression full of emotion.
"Haa !?"
"I'm rooting for
you, Nozomu-senpai! Please do your best!"
"T-thank you
..."
The girl let go of his
hand, bowed, and went back to her friends at once.
The friends who
welcomed her back were making some sort of commotion, but Nozomu couldn't keep
up with the situation at all and was just dumbfounded.
"E-eh? It's
strange ..."
Nozomu was puzzled by
the reaction of the people around him, which was different from what he had
expected.
At that time, he heard
a voice calling him from afar.
"Hei, Nozomu-kun.
How are you doing?"
The person who spoke
to him was Norn-sensei, who had come to the school earlier this morning.
She raised one hand
and approached Nozomu with a smile that implied something.
"Norn-sensei,
what is the meaning of this?"
"While you were
in the hospital, you were becoming the talk of the school, especially among the
underclassmen who witnessed the combat training firsthand. They've been asking
a lot of questions about you."
Surprised, Nozomu
looked around and saw many underclassmen peeking at him from the shadows of the
classrooms and hallways.
"They asked me
about the rumors. Of course, every time I get asked, I told them that it was
just a rumor, that it had no basis at all. Especially for the underclassmen,
since it hadn't been long since they heard about the rumors. You did your best
and played a good match with Jihad-sensei, so all I had to do was tell them
that the rumor had nothing to do with you."
Nozomu's shocked at
the events that had happened while he was unconscious.
However, the next
words that Norn spoke rendered him completely speechless.
"Above all, the
most decisive thing was Irisdina and Shīna's figure."
"Eh?"
"Right after you
collapsed, Irisdina and the others were the first to rush to your aid, and they
were desperately trying to help you. And after that, they nursed you."
According to Norn, it
was because Irisdina and Shīna, who were admired by everyone even the teachers.
It seemed that these girls' desperate attempt to help Nozomu touched the hearts
of the underclassmen.
"And what's more,
you helped Eldor and the others the other day, didn't you? It was also
significant that they told their classmates about that time. Hearing the
stories of those who were actually saved close to them, everyone realized that
you are not the cold-blooded man that the rumors say you are.
"Is that
so……"
As they heard about
the real Nozomu from Irisdina, Norn-sensei, and Eldor and his friends. The
false image of Nozomu that had been imprinted on the underclassmen's minds was
erased.
However, Norn, who had
been smiling just now, suddenly had a cloudy expression on her face.
"However, I'm
still skeptical about the third and fourth-year students who have been enrolled
since the time when that rumor began to flow ..."
"It's okay, considering
what everyone has done so far, that's enough."
Aside from the first-year
students who just entered the school and the second-year students who didn't
know the rumor when it first started, it seemed like false rumors couldn't be
completely dispelled for students who had been hearing those rumors for a long
time.
Certainly, only a few
days had passed since the combat training between Nozomu and Jihad. It was
probably not enough time for them to overturn the story they had believed for
several years.
However, for Nozomu,
what happened in the last few days had been a real eye-opener.
Of course, the problem
had not been completely solved.
However, it seemed as
if the end of the road, which had been completely unknown to him until now, was
opening up at once.
"Yes, it's more
than enough ..."
While thinking of his
friends who struggled with him, his heart filled with a sense of contentment
like never before. A smile naturally appeared on his lips.
He was sorry that he
had made them worry again, but Nozomu still felt satisfied regardless.
"Then I'm going
back to the infirmary, and you should go to class as soon as possible. Everyone
in the class was worried about you."
"Yes, thank you
very much."
Norn turned and left.
Nozomu saw her off
while expressing his deep gratitude.
He could see Norn's
back as she returned to her normal routine. As he looked at her, the smiling
figures of his companions were reflected in his eyes.
====================================
The city of Arcazam is
a bustling place. Many people come and go throughout the city including the
commercial district, living their daily lives and nurturing their lives.
In the midst of all
this, the military police of Arcazam take turns patrolling the city all day
long, without a break, to ensure the security of the city.
The military police
work in pairs assuming for unforeseen circumstances.
And even now, there
was a group of military police walking along the cobblestone streets,
illuminated by the rising sun.
"Oi, are you sure
you're okay? Your injury has just healed ..."
"Thank you very
much, sir. But it's not a problem. The wound healed quickly, and the doctor
said I can go back to my normal life."
A young military
police officer put his hand on his shoulder as he said this. He was the
military police who had been mobilized for the Abyss Grief experiment at the Gloaurum
Institute the other day and had suffered a shoulder injury.
The older, bearded
military police looked at his younger colleague with a worried look in his
eyes.
The wound was one
thing, but that was no ordinary demon beast. Even though the doctor had said
that there was no problem, it didn't take away his anxiety.
"I'm really
fine."
The young man smiled
at him as if to make him relieved. The senior military police officer, who was
still frowning, finally pulled back when he saw the smile.
"Alright, if you
say so. But ..., don't overdo it. It would be a shame if you collapsed before
you got married."
"Yes. If I get
hurt and make her worry, she gets angry and doesn't want to talk to me for a
while. Once she's angry, it's hard for me to change her mood. ......"
In fact, this young
man had proposed to his girlfriend to marry him not long ago.
On the other hand, the
senior military police officer already had a wife, but their relationship was
cold ...... and they were in the so-called period of lassitude.
The young man patted
his own shoulder once more.
There was no pain in
the area where the black demon beast had bitten him, but the scar felt a little
feverish, but he still had no problem in his daily life and figured it would go
away soon.
"Oh, alright,
alright. Kahh~! I can't stand it! My wife looks like a wine barrel, and she's
not even cute. ......"
The young man smiled
bitterly as he watched his senior shrug his shoulders in a light tone.
While expressing his
gratitude to his senior for his concern, the two of them continued their patrol
of Arcazam at night.
However, the young man
did not notice.
The wound was still
burning. Something inside of it began to beat albeit silently.