Chapter 8 Part 5
Translator : PolterGlast
"Brat, today's
training is canceled."
"Haa?"
After school, when
Nozomu just arrived at the basement of the martial arts garden, he was suddenly
told by Zonne that the training had been canceled.
He was stunned by the
sudden news, but Zonne continued his words while looking at him.
"You've been
working too hard lately. You'd better take today off from training, so you can
rest."
In other words, Nozomu
suddenly had time to use for dance practice.
Zonne was right,
Nozomu had been quite focused on his training recently.
Because of this, he
had missed the school's notice and almost caused Irisdina to worry even more.
In that case, Zonne's
words were quite reasonable for Nozomu.
"If you want, why
don't you go on a date? Even though it pisses me off, but I'm sure you have
someone waiting for you, don't you?"
"S-, sort
of..."
"Then get the
hell out of here. Good grief, why wasn't I the one who got the
invitation..."
While grumbling and
complaining, Zonne urged Nozomu to leave as if to chase him away.
Nozomu was irritated
by Zonne's behavior, which was often tinged with personal grudges, but he
sighed when he remembered that this was Zonne's usual behavior.
"Wait... I'm
grateful you've given me some free time, but... there's one thing I'd like to ask
you first."
Nozomu himself had no
objection to taking a break. But for now, there was one thing he wanted to
confirm with Zonne.
"What? I'm busy.
Get on with it."
"I've been having
vivid visions of Tiamat's past lately, even without releasing the [Soul-Sealing
Chains], and this time I saw the origin of Alharant..."
Nozomu told Zonne
about the scene of the origin of Alharant that he dreamed about this morning.
Memories of the
beginning when Tiamat helped humans and was drawn to them. Humans who were in a
more difficult situation than she was. Small words of gratitude from them.
She had never
experienced anyone expressing gratitude to her since she was born.
In her village, she
was shunned because of her birth and lack of power, and her childhood friends
were more inclined to protect her.
Finally, she found
something she could protect for the first time. It was a human being with only
a small power.
"……Is that
so?"
"Yeah……"
"Is that
all?"
"No,
that's..."
"Indeed, Alharant
began after Tiamat helped the humans in the buffer zone. And what did you think
of that?"
"That's……"
The scene of
Alharant's birth quickly magnified the sense of closeness Nozomu was beginning
to feel with Tiamat.
Nozomu, who went to
Solminati Academy to fulfill his girlfriend's dream, and Tiamat, who wielded
his power to save those who were dying.
Both of them threw
themselves into hardship "for the sake of someone other than
themselves".
Although there were
some differences in their thoughts and directions, their fundamental feelings
were very similar.
That was why Nozomu
cannot hide his confusion.
Tiamat's hatred was so
fierce that it threatened to destroy everything, but Nozomu himself had
opportunities to feel her inner sadness as he had faced Tiamat many times in
the spiritual world.
It was especially
noticeable when he saw Mikael.
However, when he
comprehended the beginning of Tiamat wielding her power and it turned out to be
of the same value as himself, Nozomu couldn't help but feel a choking sensation
in his chest.
"You don't have
to force yourself to put it into words. Even if you have a glimpse of her past,
in the end, it's still someone else's memory. Whatever you think of her, keep
it to yourself."
Perhaps sensing
Nozomu's agitation, Zonne took the initiative and drove a wedge into Nozomu's
agitation.
"I'm sure this
will happen again and again from now on. But in the end, it's something that
happened a long time ago. It's not directly related to your purpose. If you do
not break the [Soul-Sealing Chains], your consciousness will not be taken over,
but do not forget the purpose for which you came to train under me."
Nozomu gulped under
Zonne's glaring gaze. The agitation swirling deep in his chest was raging and
making his heart creak.
"Now, you must go
home today. There is someone waiting for you, isn't there? Tomorrow we will
continue your training. Have a good rest."
"……Yes."
Their conversation
ended there. Nozomu couldn't say anything to Zonne and had no choice but to
walk away.
===================================
Since the training
with Zonne had been canceled, Nozomu immediately met up with Irisdina in front
of the main gate and headed for her residence.
They left the main
gate together and headed for the administrative district where her residence
was located.
However, Nozomu's mind
kept swirling due to Zonne's earlier words.
"Nozomu, are you
thinking about something?"
"N-, no,
it's..."
"I heard your
training with Zonne-dono was canceled, so I assumed nothing happened, but from
your behavior, it looks like he said something to you."
"... Well,
yeah."
Nozomu slowly moved
forward and spoke about the conversation he and Zonne just had.
About Tiamat's past.
How he felt a strange sense of familiarity when he saw the beginnings of
Alharant.
How Zonne told him not
to worry about the scenes he saw for his own purposes.
Hearing those words,
an indescribable bitterness remained in his heart.
"I guess the Old
Master was right, though, that this is just a superfluous feeling."
As he spoke so, Nozomu
looked up at the sky while leaking words of self-mockery.
The sun was still high
in the west, but such winter sun was still weak.
Nozomu could see the
scene in his dream overlapping with what he was seeing now.
"Of course, I
haven't forgotten my purpose. Controlling Tiamat's power. I know that's my
purpose."
"Perhaps you are
grieving, aren't you? That Tiamat, who went through the same thing as you,
turned out to be like that?"
"Grieving?"
"According to
what you said, that Alharant has already perished, hasn't it? And the cause of
its destruction is humans and dragons......"
Nozomu nodded his head
in agreement with Irisdina's words.
The cause of
Alharant's destruction was still unknown. However, Nozomu knew more than anyone
else about Tiamat's murderous intent and grudges toward humans and dragons.
If that was the case,
then it was certain that humans and dragons were involved in the destruction of
the country.
"It may have been
a dream for her. A world where humans and dragons could understand each other
and live together... But it was those she most wanted to share it with that
destroyed it."
"Dream..."
"Yes, her dream
...... the dream of a little young black dragon."
Irisdina's words
naturally made sense to Nozomu.
(Dream)
As for his own future,
Nozomu has yet to find a clear goal for himself.
Controlling Tiamat's
power is Nozomu's current aim, but it can't be considered his dream.
To the current Nozomu,
the existence of "dreams" was as dazzling as the stars in the night
sky.
"~!"
As he thought about
it, Nozomu felt a strong squeezing sensation deep in his chest.
Tiamat was just like
him.
Laughed with their
childhood friends, dreamed the same dreams, and had those dreams shattered in
the same way.
Such thoughts crossed
Nozomu's mind.
The only difference
was that she either recovered from that despair or was sealed up and dropped
into a deeper despair.
"But in her case,
her power, her dreams, everything was just too big. She could never have done
it by herself. That's why her despair and anger are also tremendous."
In a sense, he felt a
sense of kinship. That was the true nature of Nozomu's sense of familiarity.
That's why the words,
"I don't know what I should do", just slipped out of Nozomu's mouth.
"I wonder what I
should do..."
"I don't think
you need to worry about it."
"Eh?"
Irisdina's blunt
statement made Nozomu look stunned.
"As Zonne-dono
said, Tiamat's past is hers. It is not directly related to you, and it is not
something that you should bear. It's just arrogance to say that you should bear
it. It's not something you can do anything about as long as it is already over.
You can't change the past."
"Yes, you're
right..."
Irisdina made a remark
that could be considered harsh, but her words were right.
At first, Nozomu felt
nothing but hostility and wariness toward Tiamat.
The reason why he
suddenly expressed his concern for Tiamat was because he got a glimpse of her
past.
"Then you should
face Tiamat as you are."
"Eh?"
"There is a clear
difference between "facing" and "bearing" something. Until
a moment ago, you were trying to "bear" Tiamat's past because of your
temporary feelings. It is her responsibility to bear it, not yours. I think
what you should do is to continue to confront her with your own will."
Everything we do in
this world can be seen as an act of always confronting something.
The training that
Nozomu is currently doing with Zonne is also an act of confronting Tiamat in
order to control the power hidden within him.
The practice of
swordsmanship and daily study are acts of continually confronting one's
immature self. Conversations with others, fights, and arguments are all acts of
confronting something.
As Irisdina said. If
this is the case, then all Nozomu has to do for Tiamat is continue to
"confront" Tiamat as he is.
However, the road will
be as steep or even steeper than a hardship. After all, he is dealing with a
black dragon that has given itself over to hatred and despair for 5,000 years.
But if he still wants
to control its power, it is inevitable that he will continue to confront
Tiamat's soul.
"It's okay to be
sad, it's okay to sympathize. You may feel sorry for her. You may feel angry
with her. Even so, keep those feelings in your heart, don't just bear them, but
keep confronting them. Isn't that what Zonne-dono was trying to say?"
"Be true to my
feelings ......"
In order to keep
facing them, he had to steady himself.
The pillar of that,
without exception, is the "strong feelings" and "strong
emotions" that reside within him. There is never a temporary feeling like
sympathy.
"Yes, that's
right. And that's what you're good at, right? Just like we did. Just like you
and Lisa who have built a new relationship..."
Nozomu's eyes widened
at those words.
Irisdina smiled at the
sight of him.
"I was happy, you
know. Your figure when you came to face me just the way you are. I can only
wish that you could always be by my side..."
"……Eh?"
"It's nothing.
Never mind. Come on, let's hurry back to the mansion, we'll run out of the
dance practice time we've just spared up."
With a smile on her
face, she turned on her heel and began to walk.
Her long, ashen-white
hair was fluttering in the wind as it was bathed in the light of the western
sun.
Nozomu couldn't help
but be fascinated by her dignified appearance.
"Iris..."
"Hmm?"
"Thank you."
"Fufu~, you are
welcome ..."
Irisdina was moving
forward and Nozomu was chasing after her.
Looking at her back as
she walked ahead, Nozomu thought back to the words she had just given him.
Certainly, he still
didn't have a "dream" right now. But he has "feelings".
The friend he had now.
He wanted to protect the people who had accepted him. In order to do so, he
needed to overcome this cursed power.
With such a strong
desire in his heart, Nozomu followed her.
However, he did not
realize it at the time.
The jewel called
"dream" that Nozomu so desired. Would manifest from his "strong
feelings".
