Volume 4 Chapter 1.4
A Fresh Start Part 4
Translator : PolterGlast
The girl from the
Cat-tailed Tribe and a classmate, rolled her eyes when she saw Karanti sitting
at the same table as Shina. Although they had reconciled, they had been on bad
terms until recently. Surely she would be surprised.
"Mimuru? There's
no way you would ever come to the library by yourself, so Tom must be with you.
Where is he?"
"You're saying an
awful thing, Shina. Even I would read at least a book!"
Shina started to look
around for her other companion when Mimuru appeared. Mimuru's cheeks puffed out
in dissatisfaction at her best friend's behavior, and she held up the books in
her hand as if to refute her friend. The titles of the books were about
attribute interference theory, fluctuations in reaction rates due to magical
qualities, and other seemingly complicated topics. No matter how one looked at
it, it was not the kind of book Mimuru would read.
As Shina gazed at the
books with suspicion, a small boy with glasses appeared from behind the bookshelf.
He was carrying a stack of books in his arms, and once he noticed Shina and the
others, he put the books on a nearby desk and approached them.
"Shina, we meet
again. Oh, Mimuru, I see you brought me the materials I was looking for. Thank
you."
Hearing Tom's words,
Mimuru froze while Shina let out a small sigh.
"...... I knew it
was Tom who had business in the library."
"Hmm? What is
it?"
Shina glared at Mimuru
for lying. Mimuru's little lie was exposed in a flash, and she looked downward
with a red face and trembled her shoulders from embarrassment.
Tom, on the other
hand, who couldn't grasp the situation, just tilted his head.
"T-Tom, you
idiot―!"
"E-Eh!?
Why~!?"
Mimuru, who could no
longer stand the embarrassment she felt, came up to Tom and grabbed him.
"Why won't you
cooperate with me!? You should be on my side!"
"I don't know
what you're talking about!"
Mimuru was screaming
and Tom, who couldn't understand what was going on, was being jostled by his
girlfriend. Meanwhile, Shina and Karanti were sighing deeply.
In the midst of all
this, Tima tapped Mimuru on the shoulder, calling out to her in a panicked
manner.
"M-Mimuru-san, if
you make so much nosiness, you'll cause trouble for the others......"
"What do you
want, Tima-san!? I'm in the middle of something important here-...... ah~"
Mimuru, turning around
in agitation, looked in the direction to which Tima pointed and let out an
involuntary yelp.
A cluster of gazes
directed at her from the surroundings. All of them were clearly expressing
their dissatisfaction with Mimuru, as though saying [Be quiet!]. Originally,
this was a place where many students came to study by themselves. If one were
to raise one's voice here, one would naturally be reprimanded.
"A-Ahahaha ......
S-Sorry."
Mimuru let go of her
grip with a twitching smile on her face and quickly hid behind her lover to
escape the stares of those around her.
"Tom, you sure
have a hard time, huh?"
"It's fine. I'm
used to it."
Tom smiled as he
stroked his lover's shrinking head with the back of his hand. Mimuru began
purring at the feel of Tom's hand caressing her head.
"So, what were
you guys talking about with such an unusual line-up?"
Once the protesting
stares from those around them had subsided, Mimuru leaned forward again and
pressed close to Shina and the others.
"It was just a
coincidence that we ended up together. Why are you so curious?"
"Well, it's just
that my whiskers caught a whiff of something sweet and sour......"
"What the heck? In
the first place, the Cat-tailed Tribe doesn't have that kind of ability."
Shina once again cast
a suspicious glance at Mimuru, who was puffing out her chest while twitching
her whiskers as if to show off.
On the other hand,
Somia was looking at the movement of Mimuru's whiskers with interest. She is a
cat lover by nature. Perhaps it is because she loves cute things that she is
attracted to such small gestures.
"Ehem, a maiden
in love is sensitive, you know? Tima-san, you're also a damsel in love, isn't
that right?"
"Eeh~!?"
Tima, who was suddenly
asked such a question, shouted in surprise. Remembering what she had said
previously, Tima's face turned bright red.
"Huh? Am I wrong?
I thought I heard Mars-kun's name?"
"...... You were
eavesdropping on us?"
Shina's doubtful gaze
turned to accusatory. Mimuru smiled bitterly and let out a dry laugh,
"Hahaha.......".
"So, you were
indeed talking about Mars-kun, right!? I wonder how far you and Mars-kun have
gotten!?"
"H-How far you
ask......."
"Well, have you
gone as far as making out, or are you still in the stage of flirting in the
same room? ...... Don't tell me you're still dawdling in the entrance!?"
Before the sermon
could begin, Mimuru forcefully pressed Tima to get to the bottom of it. It
could be said that her switch flip is as quick as ever. The corners of Shina's
eyes lifted up in a grimace.
Tima, on the other
hand, turned to Somia, who sat next to her, as if asking for help. It was
undoubtedly that she could rely on an eleven-year-old girl, but this girl might
be able to help her if she had a strong core just like her sister. Tima had
such hopes......
"Ah, I'm kind of
curious, too!"
"Eeh!?"
Tima's hope was
abruptly busted by Somia herself. She leaned forward, her eyes shining just as
brightly as Mimuru's. The attendant, Mena, did not seem to stop Somia, but
rather happily watched the situation unfold.
"I know it,
Somicchi will be curious about it as well."
"Yes. I'd like to
hear about it for future reference......."
"F-Future?......
Isn't it a little too early for you, Somia-chan?......"
"Umm, I don't
know. Some of my classmates have kissed......"
"Eh!?"
Since they were
Somia's classmates, they should be around 11 years old. Incidentally, Tima had
never even held hands with a man before, except with her father. Of course,
there was no way she could have had any experience with kissing.
Kiss, kiss?
....... A kiss at the age of eleven?
The image of a boy and
a girl facing each other flashed in Tima's mind. Their gazes intersected. The
distance between them was so close that they could even feel each other's
breath. Soon their respective faces filled each other's field of vision, and eventually.......
"A~u."
After imagining that
much, Tima rolled her eyes while her face bright red.
Her brain apparently
overheated as her head filled with pink scenes.
"Oh, my? Was it
too much for her?"
Mimuru peeked at Tima,
who lost her mind and poked her on the cheek.
Meanwhile, seeing her
best friend's savagery, Shina looked at Somia while holding her temples.
"U-Umm,
Somia-chan, is that true?"
"Yes. According
to Ransa-chan, some of her friends are even already done it. For example,
Mary-chan, Kinea-chan, -......"
"I-I see."
Somia folded her
fingers to count as she named several of her friends. One of her hands was not
enough, so she used both hands, and when it was still not enough, she folded it
back again. Seeing this, Shina's face twitched and she raised her voice.
"T-That's enough,
Somia-chan......"
"Eh? Are you
sure?"
How many names
would have come up if I hadn't stopped her? Such a thought
strangely popped into her shaken mind after hearing about the surprisingly
progressive love life of a younger generation.
"Don't tell me,
Somia-chan, you too......?"
"Eh, me!? No way,
I-....... I’ve never done such a thing. My father and sister told me to be
modest!"
"Y-Yeah. I
figured so."
"My sister and I
both understand that we are in a position where we can't decide on a partner so
easily. It's a bit unfortunate though......"
With a smile on her
lips, Somia smiled a little sadly. She looked so mature that it was hard to
believe that she was an eleven-year-old girl.
If one thinks about
it, she is indeed the daughter of the Francilt family, just like Irisdina. She
must have a good sense of discretion in this regard.
Shina thought it was
only natural, but inwardly she felt a little sympathy for their family
situation. Shina, too, was in a position where she could not escape the
pressure of her surroundings when it came to her marriage partner.
Elves are a race whose
life span is among the longest on this continent, which makes it difficult for
them to produce offspring. Despite this, they lost their homeland in the great
invasion 20 years ago and suffered many casualties.
Having lost their safe
haven and greatly reduced in number, the elves are in constant danger of
extinction. As a countermeasure, the elven elders encouraged marriage between
men and women of the right age who were able to bear children.
Naturally, Shina was
approached with marriage proposals as well. At the time, she had lost her
ability to use spirit magic, but it did not pose much of a problem for her to
leave behind some children.
But she turned it down
and instead came here to Arcazam. Behind her eyelids, she could still recall
the burning forest and her family lying on the ground. And the image of the
black demonic beast was etched into her memory.
"Well, it's
indeed kind of tough. Lots of stuff, I would say......."
Shina soliloquized as
she leaned back in her chair.
There is only so much
that a single individual can do to change his or her environment. Shina said
these words because she actually experienced this when she was a child.
But even so, she was
still able to smile peacefully. Mimuru looked at her best friend and muttered.
"As I thought,
you've changed, Shina."
"I guess
so....... If we talk about change......"
The image of a young
man flashed through her mind. A person with whom she felt painful emotions just
a few moments ago. But now, she felt a warmth in her heart.
(If this is called
love, it probably is......)
The one who
reestablished the bond that was nearly lost, the connection that she thought
was gone. The person who risked his life to save her, who was tormented by past
traumas and could only throw swear words at him.
The elf girl's thin,
white fingers naturally reached for her lips.
"By the way,
Shina, haven't you kissed Nozomu-kun already? Why don't you tell Somicchi how
you felt at that time?"
"......Haa!?"
"That reminds me!
Shina-san has kissed Nozomu-san!"
"Ah, at that
time, huh? Even Leader was dumbfounded."
Shina recalled the
time in the forest when she rescued Nozomu, who was about to be devoured by a
dragon.
The contract magic she
used to bring him back to consciousness. The contract method at that time was
...... a kiss. Moreover, she did it in front of everyone, including Irisdina.
Shina's skin, white as
fresh snow, flushed at once. Her spinning mind went into overdrive, causing her
to dismiss all sorts of important things in her daily life, such as appearances
and calmness, without question.
"Please, tell me!
How did it feel!? Does it taste like lemon after all!?"
"W-Why are you so
curious!? You're acting totally different from when you were talking about that
girl named Ransa!"
"What's wrong
with that!? I have only kissed someone on the cheek, so I was just wondering
what it would feel like to kiss someone on the lips......"
"Eh, what do you
mean!? When did you kiss!?"
"When I went on a
date! And it was with Nozomu-san, of course!"
"Eeeehh―!?"
Shina knew that Somia
and Nozomu had gone on a date before, but only while she was helping at a candy
stall. She did not know that Somia kissed Nozomu afterward.
While Shina was
shocked by the new revelations, Karanti, who had been sitting next to her and
just listening to the conversation, suddenly spoke up.
"Speaking of
which, you were also proposed to by Leader, remember?"
"Marriage
proposal!? Is that true, Shina-san!?"
"What a surprise.
I thought you were a modest person since you're an elf, but apparently, you're
quite aggressive, huh......"
"Hold on,
Karanti......!"
At the surprise attack
from the side, Shina spontaneously turned her head toward Karanti, letting out
a flustered voice.
There she saw the wolf
tribe girl with an extremely dissatisfied expression on her face.
"Of course, I
know. I know you don't really care about it, and I know the leader meant it as
a joke. Yeah, I know it very well."
"Then can you
please stop that murderous look in your eyes.....?"
As the conversation
spilled over and flared up, Mimuru, who loves to play with fire, unleashed a
line that further fanned the flames.
"Oh, by the way,
currently, Nozomu-kun and Irisdina-san are on a date in the forest together~~.
Just the two of them, alone in a place where no one can disturb them! I wonder
what they are doing right now~~"
*Crack*......! The
previous chest pangs were back again, and a streak of bulging veins formed on
Shina's forehead.
"Mimuru, come
with me behind that bookshelf for a minute."
"Eh?"
While telling her to
come, Shina grabbed her bad friend by the collar and tried to take her away
behind the bookshelf.
Somia, who was
standing by the elf girl's side without a care in the world, wore a slightly
complicated expression on her face.
"S-Shina. Don't
make that kind of face. You're ruining your beautiful face...... Spare me,
pretty please?"
"No."
Mimuru attempted to
make amends with a cramped smile on her face, but Shina cut her short. With
Shina's personality that usually restrained herself from various things, the
result of releasing the restraint was tremendous.
"Shina-san, would
you like to use this?"
What Somia took out
was a book as thick as a dictionary. It was the book Mimuru found for Tom.
Somia was quite merciless in casually handing over something that would make
the punishment more severe.
"Alright, let me
borrow this for a second."
"Wha!? What are
you gonna do with that!? It will dent my head!"
Shina, ignoring
Mimuru's desperate cries, took the book Somia offered her by holding it with
one hand. The sight of Shina's slender hand dragging a single person was so
disconcerting that one could hardly believe one's eyes, but at the same time,
it exuded a spine-tingling intimidation.
"A-Anyone, please
save me!"
Feeling her life in
danger, Mimuru desperately resisted, but it was all in vain. Shina, who usually
wielded a powerful bow, actually has a very strong grip. She could even crush
an apple in her hands with ease.
Naturally, she was not
even a bit fazed by the slight struggle.
A few seconds after
Shina took Mimuru away with a thin smile on her face and her figure disappeared
behind the shelves, there was a scream so loud that it shook the entire
library.
Incidentally, because
the scream was so loud that the windowpanes shook, Shina and the others
received a grand scolding from the librarians, and all of them had to be thrown
out of the library.
†
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