Volume 4
Epilogue
"Whew, it's finally over..."
"Well, it can't
be helped, Mimuru. It seems like a serious matter."
After defeating that
black magical beast and returning to Arcazam in the early afternoon, Nozomu and
the others immediately reported the black magical beast to the academy.
As a result, the
academy, considering the seriousness of the matter, immediately had the four of
them provide a detailed explanation about it in Jihad Raundel's office.
Mimuru sighed tiredly
after finishing her report and leaving the office, and Tom gave a wry smile at
her state.
A bandage was wrapped
around his right arm, and it was held up by a sling.
After finishing the
report about the magical beast, Jihad thanked Nozomu and the others for their
efforts, then strictly ordered them to keep this matter to themselves until the
academy thoroughly investigated and made an announcement.
"Well, from what
Shina said, it seems to be related to the magical beast that destroyed the
Forest of Foschia, so I think they're being cautious."
After that, on their
way back to the city through the forest, Shina confessed her past to Mimuru and
the others.
Her hometown, the
Forest of Foschia, was destroyed during the Great Invasion, and her family sacrificed
themselves to let her escape from the magical beast.
She couldn't forgive
herself for being helpless and only able to run while her precious people were
being killed, so she decided to become strong and came to Solminati Academy.
She was so obsessed
with this that she became estranged from the spirits, and when the enemy
magical beast appeared before her, her mind went blank, and she lost herself in
anger.
Of course, she also
talked about that black magical beast. Although it wasn't the same individual
that attacked her hometown, the aura it exuded, like black miasma, and the
countless red eyes on its body matched, making it seem impossible that it was
unrelated.
Nozomu recalled the
scene when they were reporting about that magical beast.
When Nozomu and the
others entered the office for their report, Jihad, the owner of the room, was
sitting at his desk, performing his duties. Next to him were Anri-sensei,
Nozomu's homeroom teacher, and Ms. Inda, Shina's homeroom teacher, waiting for
Nozomu and the others' reports.
Ms. Inda was a very
serious woman, with excellent manners and work ethic, and her abilities were
also very outstanding. However, she was also known as an inflexible teacher.
Due to her rigid way
of thinking, she did not think highly of Nozomu, who was said to have cheated
on Lisa while dating her and was also the lowest-ranked student, considering
him unfit to be at this academy.
Because she was
excellent and often took over classes for the busy Jihad, she was also the one
who had instructed Irisdina to avoid Nozomu.
When she noticed
Nozomu near Shina, she frowned throughout the meeting.
"A black magical
beast?"
"Yes. We
encountered that magical beast in the outskirts forest, and it shares many
similarities with the magical beast that destroyed my hometown, Nebula."
Saying that, Shina
talked about the magical beast's characteristics and dangers, and about the
magical beast that destroyed her hometown ten years ago, including the story
about her family.
"I see…"
"Ugh,
sniffle..."
Jihad clasped his
hands on the desk and lowered his gaze with a pained expression, and
Anri-sensei was even shedding sympathetic tears.
"I understand the
circumstances. It's good that you're all safe. I'll make sure the guild and the
guard unit are fully aware of this matter, but you are not to unnecessarily
speak of this outside."
"…Is that because
the magical beast is so similar to the one that destroyed my hometown?"
"That's right.
The wounds from that Great Invasion are still deep-seated. If you unnecessarily
speak of it outside and stir up unease, it could lead to chaos."
Indeed, the scars from
that catastrophe had not fully healed. Proof of that was Solminati Academy, and
it was one of the reasons why various countries were so eager to discover talented
individuals.
Not only that. The
terror from that magical beast's invasion had also permeated the general public
as well.
"From what I've
heard, the magical beast you encountered seems to be slightly inferior to the
magical beasts that brought down Nebula. Moreover, considering there haven't
been multiple sightings until now, this magical beast is likely a lone
individual. For now, we need to investigate and gather information. We will
investigate from multiple angles, including the magic stone you brought back
and the magical beast's corpse you left in the forest."
After Nozomu and the
others defeated that magical beast, all that remained of it, which had crumbled
like clay, was a mangled mass of flesh, terribly twisted bones, and a gigantic
object called a magic stone.
While the flesh and
bones showed some characteristics of four-legged beasts like Wild Dogs, most of
it was chaotic and unidentifiable, as if multiple different types of magical
beasts had been forcibly squeezed together.
A magic stone, as its
name suggests, is a general term for stones where magic power naturally resides
in or gathers and crystallizes. The magic power residing within it can be used
for various purposes, such as alchemy or a mage's ritual magic.
Among magical beasts
that use magic power, some generate these magic stones within their bodies.
While commercially available magic stones are usually collected from nature,
there are also cases where magic stones generated by magical beasts are sold.
And magic stones
generated by magical beasts are generally purer and of higher quality than
those found in nature.
It's not that magic
stones cannot be created artificially, but generating them takes time and
effort.
This is because
crystallizing magic power, which originally has no definite form, requires
either tremendous pressure or slowly pouring magic power into a catalyst over
time and waiting for crystallization.
The magic stone that
emerged from that magical beast this time was of such purity and quantity of
magic power that it was rarely seen on the market. As compensation for handing
over that magic stone to the academy, the four of them received an amount of
money that was a bit too high to be considered merely temporary income.
In other words, it
could also be interpreted as the academy saying, "We'll buy it at a high
price, so listen to what we say about this matter."
"There's one
thing I'd like to ask. Jihad-sensei, do you know about that magical
beast?"
Shina asked a question
that pressed Jihad. Normally, it would be a question that he wouldn't answer.
However, Shina couldn't back down on this matter.
"…………"
"…………"
Shina and Jihad's
gazes clashed. Jihad glared with a frown on his stern face, but Shina met his
gaze without backing down an inch.
"…I don't know
everything. There are too many unclear aspects about that magical beast. All I
know is that there were multiple sightings during the Great Invasion, and
without exception, that magical beast was sighted in the nations that were
destroyed by the Great Invasion."
Perhaps realizing
Shina's firm resolve, Jihad spoke gravely.
"However, the
form and nature of the magical beasts at that time varied greatly, with no
fixed form. They appeared sometimes as beasts, sometimes as birds, sometimes as
plants. Only the black, miasma-emitting body and countless red eyes were common
characteristics."
From what he said, it
seemed even Jihad didn't know the full details of that magical beast.
"I repeat, do not
speak of this matter to other students."
Jihad emphasized this
to the four of them.
His judgment was
reasonable; given that the content concerned the Great Invasion, he had no
choice but to be cautious.
Even if they tried to
conceal it, as long as people handled the information, the matter of the
magical beast might eventually leak out. But at the very least, they probably
wanted to buy time for the investigation. The fact that he was also
coordinating with the guild and the guard unit suggested that he intended to be
prepared for any emergencies. Nozomu and the others certainly did not want to
cause panic due to their own actions.
Nozomu and the others
were merely students.
As long as they were
still socially inexperienced, they had no choice but to nod when told so by
Jihad, who belonged to the Silver Rainbow Knights and had considerable
influence in Arcazam.
Afterward, the four of
them, accompanied by their two teachers, Anri and Inda, left Jihad's office.
***
Nozomu was recalling
the report when something a little surprising happened in front of him.
"U-um…"
"You've been
through a lot, huh… It must have been hard~~. Uu~, what a good girl you are!!"
"Kya!"
Upon exiting,
Anri-sensei, who had been tearing up listening to Shina's past, hugged her. It
seemed she had been deeply moved by Shina's story from earlier.
Shina herself was
flustered, letting out a cute yelp. Having lost her family and focused solely
on revenge and reclaiming her homeland, it had surely been a long time since
she'd felt such physical contact. She seemed unable to process the sudden
event.
"Anri-sensei,
that's enough."
"Hyaa!!"
Inda, who was beside
Anri, pulled her away from Shina.
"You are, for
better or worse, a teacher at Solminati. As a teacher, act like one and
maintain your dignity."
Her resolute manner in
scolding Anri, who was also a teacher, clearly showed her personality.
"You all went
through a lot too. It seems you had a very difficult time, but I'm glad you're
safe."
"No, he helped me
after all."
Saying that, Shina
looked at Nozomu. Drawn by her gaze, Mimuru and the others also smiled and
shifted their gaze to Nozomu.
Nozomu, in turn, was
surprised to be suddenly brought into the conversation.
"He, you
say…"
Inda-sensei frowned
and looked at Nozomu. She was clearly skeptical.
"Yes. He helped
me when I met that magical beast and, agitated, put my comrades in
danger."
"…From what I've
heard, that's very hard to believe."
Inda-sensei voiced her
frank opinion about Shina's words. For her, it was probably unbelievable that
Nozomu, who was the epitome of a dropout, had helped honor students like Shina.
"It's true."
"That's right~~.
Nozomu-kun is a very good boy~~."
"A-Anri-sensei…"
To Inda-sensei, who
was looking at Nozomu with suspicion, Shina affirmed clearly, and Anri also
defended Nozomu. However, in Anri's case, her gentle aura completely softened
the atmosphere, and due to that atmosphere, which didn't suit a serious
conversation, everyone present slumped their shoulders.
"…However,
considering his academic performance within this academy, I cannot believe he
could have done such a thing. I feel bad for Shina-san and the others, but from
what I've heard, it would be difficult even for a veteran adventurer to escape
from that magical beast alone. Even if it were possible, he must have been
incredibly lucky. There probably won't be a second time."
Inda-sensei began to
speak, trying to make amends.
Even if she believed
Shina, she didn't believe in Nozomu's abilities.
"Frankly, you
were saved this time because you were lucky. Normally, no one here would have
been able to return to this town. Don't waste this good fortune, and strive for
the future."
Inda judged Nozomu's
survival to be down to luck. Indeed, she hadn't seen Nozomu's abilities with
her own eyes.
After Nozomu escaped,
the quarrel between Shina and Mimuru at the hut erupted, and then Shina charged
ahead alone. So the details of how Nozomu managed to escape the magical beast
had become vague.
Regarding the
confrontation with the magical beast, he had bought time for Shina's contract
to be completed with Mimuru, and he had also told them the details.
Anri, who knew Nozomu
well, nodded in agreement, but Inda-sensei looked skeptical.
Jihad stared intently
at Nozomu, but Nozomu couldn't read the thoughts behind his eyes.
Preconceptions about
Nozomu were still deep. As long as he hadn't wielded his katana in public, it
seemed difficult for the evaluation of his abilities to be overturned.
"And, while it
may deviate from my duties as a teacher to interfere with student interactions,
I do not recommend associating with that Nozomu Bountis. I believe you all
understand why. That is all."
Anri and Shina and the
others tried to say something to Inda, who had unilaterally spoken about
Nozomu, but before they could say anything, Inda turned on her heel and left.
"Gosh, come on!
Nozomu-kun is not such a bad boy~~!!"
"Hahaha…"
A wry smile escaped Nozomu's
lips at Anri, who stood with her hands on her hips, her cheeks puffed out,
fuming.
"Haaah… Sorry,
Nozomu-kun. Inda-sensei isn't a bad person either, but..."
"It's alright. I
know very well what people in this academy think of me."
"…………"
Shina's expression
clouded at Nozomu's words. Tom and Mimuru also looked apologetic.
Shina, who had been
looking down, raised her face as if she had made up her mind, and faced Nozomu
again.
"Once again,
thank you for helping us then. And I'm sorry for all the terrible things I've
said to you until now..."
"Let me thank you
too. I'm alive and back thanks to you, Nozomu-kun. Thank you so much."
"That's right.
Thank you! Nozomu-kun. You helped me a lot too."
Shina, Mimuru, and Tom
thanked Nozomu again. Nozomu felt a ticklish sensation from their pure
gratitude, but at the same time, he also felt guilty.
"No, I…"
Nozomu faltered,
averting his gaze. When he encountered that magical beast, he couldn't release
his ability suppression due to his anxiety about Tiamat and his fear of his own
rampage. That feeling squeezed Nozomu's heart.
Nozomu looked at Shina
again. Her previous self had a stiffness and fragility like an icicle, and a
precariousness like walking on thin ice, her current self, however, possessed a
newfound softness.
That was the change in
her, who had taken a step forward with her comrades, and it was the result of
them speaking their true feelings to each other.
That sight was
dazzling and joyful to Nozomu, and at the same time, he envied her for being
able to move forward.
"Nozomu-kun…
um…"
"Nozomu! Are you
alright!?"
"Ah…"
Just as Shina was
about to speak to Nozomu, who seemed to be acting strangely, a girl with black
hair and her friends came towards them from the end of the hallway. It was Irisdina,
Tima, and Mars.
Perhaps they had heard
about Nozomu's condition yesterday from Mars. Her voice was unusually loud for
her usual self.
"You seemed to
have been at Jihad-sensei's office, but what happened? And they are..."
"W-well, there
were some things that happened in the forest..."
When Irisdina came
closer to Nozomu and the others, she questioned Nozomu.
Jihad had forbidden
him from talking about the details of the matter, so as Nozomu hesitated about
what to say, Anri offered a helping hand.
"Oh, it's already
past noon, isn't it~~. Sensei will treat you all today, so let's all eat
together~."
Everyone seemed to
have various things they wanted to ask and talk about, but urged by
Anri-sensei's relaxed voice, they started walking towards the main gate.
Nozomu also moved his
legs forward, but his steps were still not light.
He looked over his
shoulder at Shina and the others walking beside them.
Nozomu had fallen into
an even deeper darkness. But Shina and the others, who walked beside him, could
laugh together again. That fact, even if only slightly, warmed Nozomu's heart.
Now, he looked at
Irisdina and the others, and at Mars and Anri walking beside them.
"? What is
it?"
"Is something
wrong~~?"
"No… it's
nothing."
Irisdina returned Nozomu's
gaze, while Mars and the others tilted their heads, asking questions.
He couldn't say
anything to them, who were worried about him. He felt as if he was being
crushed by his growing anxiety and fear, but now, the fact that they worried
about him… the fact that he wasn't alone, was, albeit slightly, wiping away
that anxiety and fear wihin him.
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