Volume 5
Chapter 10
At the main gate after school, I was waiting for Somia-chan for our date. Her words that morning had startled everyone present, and her older sister Iris, in particular, had clearly approached Somia in a state of agitation. But Somia-chan, completely unconcerned by her sister's reaction, asked, "Nozomu-san, is that okay?" Her tone was polite, but I was so overwhelmed by her aura that I instinctively nodded. Then, Somia-chan simply said, "Nozomu-san, I look forward to it," and quickly ran off towards the Ecros school building.
The rest of us were
left dumbfounded, but Iris was especially bad; even when Tima called out to her
and shook her, she didn't react at all. Eventually, she seemed to come to her
senses, slowly turned, placed her hands on my shoulders, and leaned her face
incredibly close, growling in a terrifyingly deep voice, "Make sure you
don't make any mistakes." Her presence at that moment felt comparable to
an enraged master, and I found myself nodding repeatedly like an idiot.
"....Well, I
understand how Iris feels. If her only precious sister, even with someone she
knows somewhat, goes on a date with a boy, she'd naturally be worried."
Come to think of it,
it's been a long time since I've been on a date. When I was dating Lisa, I was
so desperate to catch up to the talented Lisa and Ken that my days were nothing
but training, training, and training. Of course, I went on dates, but since I
was weak myself and spent so much time training, I didn't have many
opportunities.
"............"
My chest aches when I
remember those days. It's always like this when I try to recall the past. I
know I can't go back, and feelings of "Why?!" rise up towards Ken and
Lisa. But in the end, after that surge of emotion passes, I'm always
overwhelmed by an immeasurable loneliness and emptiness. My hand instinctively
reached for my chest, clenching it tightly as if clawing at it.
"Nozomu-saaan!
Sorry to keep you waiting!"
As I was lost in
thoughts of the past, Somia-chan came running from the Ecros school building
with a loud voice. She was as energetic as ever. She didn't seem particularly
nervous; perhaps it felt more like going out to play with a friend than a
romantic date.
"Haa haa, sorry.
Did I keep you waiting?"
"No, not really.
I just got here myself."
She must have hurried
a lot. Large beads of sweat glistened on Somia-chan's forehead from running at
full speed. I took out my handkerchief and wiped her sweat.
"You really
hurried. I don't think you need to rush so much..."
"Ah, thank you.
But then the time we can play together would be shorter, wouldn't it?"
Perhaps dissatisfied
with my answer, Somia-chan protested with a slightly displeased expression.
"Well, that's
true. Alright then, shall we get going?"
"Yes!"
Changing her
displeased face into a cheerful smile, she jumped onto my arm with an energetic
reply. Perhaps influenced by Somia-chan, who was pulling my hand eagerly,
looking forward to our date, my previous gloomy thoughts vanished, and my
cheeks relaxed.
What bothered me,
however, was the multiple presences peeking out from behind the school
building, having monitored me since I arrived at the main gate. Moreover, those
presences belonged to people I knew well.
(...What are Iris and the
others doing? And I can also feel Feo's presence behind them...)
Furthermore, an
unusually intense gaze had been directed at me from Iris's direction for a
while. Perhaps because the gaze was so precisely aimed at me, Somia-chan, who
was beside me, didn't notice Iris and the others peeking.
"Is something
wrong?"
"N-No, it's
nothing."
Somia-chan, who had
been pulling my arm, turned back with a puzzled expression, but I quickened my
pace, pretending not to notice the presences behind me.
(...I hope nothing
strange happens)
However, no matter how
much I tried to put on a facade, the presences behind me didn't disappear. And
when I confirmed that they had started moving, following us, my anxiety only
grew.
***
One of the presences
Nozomu felt. At that spot, Irisdina, Somia's older sister, stared intently at
the two who had started walking towards town.
"............"
"Hey, Iris, let's
stop this..."
"............"
"...It's no use.
She's not listening."
"Aww..."
Tima slumped her
shoulders, troubled by Irisdina, who completely ignored her best friend's
words.
"Besides, if
you're so worried, why don't you just go with them?"
"Mars-kun, I
don't think that's acceptable. On a date between a boy and a girl..."
"Somia told me 'No! Nee-sama!!' and rejected me..." "...So Iris
tried to go after all..."
Shina voiced her
disapproval of Mars's insensitive remark, but it seemed Irisdina had indeed
tried to go with Somia.
(Iris, I know you're
worried about Somia-chan, but you're going too far... And Mars-kun, why would
you say such a thing about a date between just two people...)
Tima could only hold
her head, feeling a headache from the two who were somewhat out of sync.
Indeed, for Irisdina, Somia was her beloved younger sister, whom she cherished
deeply. Previously, when Somia's soul was almost taken due to a contract
between the Francilt family and the Wajiart family, Irisdina prioritized her
beloved sister over her own house. Considering that, it's understandable that
she'd be worried about her sister dating a boy, but the boy in question was
Nozomu. Given his character, it was unthinkable that he would hurt Somia,
but...
"...No, rather,
is it because the other person is Nozomu that she's worried?"
"......? What's
wrong?"
"U-Um! Nothing—
"Ah!!" ...Eh?"
As Tima was lost in
thought and about to answer Mars's call in a hurry, Irisdina's surprised voice
rang out. Tima, interrupting her thoughts, looked in the direction of
Irisdina's gaze, and there was Nozomu, being led by Somia's arm, heading into
town.
"Let's chase
them!"
"Eh? Wait, Iris!
Wait!"
"H-Hey, you
guys!!"
As Irisdina started
chasing Nozomu and Somia, Tima and Mars hastily followed her, not wanting to be
left behind. However, Irisdina and the others, focused on Nozomu and Somia,
didn't notice the shadows behind them.
"...Well, it
turned out to be interesting after all. I've never seen the black-haired
princess so desperate."
"Right! She's so
desperate. She does have a cute side!"
There were Feo of the
Fox-tailed tribe, Mimuru of the Wildcat tribe, and Tom, who had been dragged
along by them. Feo and Mimuru were in a complete onlooker mode, happily
grinning while alternating their gazes between Nozomu and Somia to Irisdina and
her group. Their suspicious and shady demeanor was enough to warrant calling
the military police immediately, and Tom sighed, giving them an exasperated
look.
"...You two seem
to be having fun."
"Of course!
Nozomu's side seems interesting, but the black-haired princess's side is hard
to cast aside too!"
"Then, it's best
to observe both from a position where we can see everything!"
"You're using
nice words like 'observe,' but everything else is your true feelings spilling
out..."
Tom retorted to Feo
and Mimuru's answers, which were 10% pretext and 90% true feelings, but the
two, absorbed in peeking at Nozomu and Irisdina and the others, completely
ignored him.
"...Was Shina
okay with this?"
Tom reluctantly played
his trump card. Feo and Mimuru knew very well that the serious Shina would
never condone such peeping, and it was easy to imagine her flying into a rage
if she found out. The two flinched at Tom's words. It seemed they had indeed
been concerned about Shina.
"What are you
saying? Do you think the stiff Shina would allow something like this?"
"Yeah, if she
found out about this, we wouldn't get off lightly."
"...Even knowing
what would happen if she found out, you two have no option to stop, do
you?"
But in the end, Tom
couldn't stop Feo and Mimuru, and the two resumed their peeking. They knew they
would suffer terribly if caught, but they also didn't want to miss the scene
unfolding before their eyes. The fact that they ultimately chose the latter,
their impulses over their reason, could be considered a beastman-like choice.
"Oh! Somi-cchi
jumped onto Nozomu's arm!"
"Wow, how
proactive! I can feel amazing fighting spirit from the black-haired princess
too!"
"...Do you two
remember? The special joint practice is coming up soon?"
The two peeping toms were
getting uncontrollably excited. Tom's words were literally passing through
their ears.
"Hmm? Well, yeah.
But right now, the facts before us are everything!"
"Exactly! We live
in the present! Running through the path before us with all our might is what
it means to be alive!!"
"...Doesn't that
mean you're escaping reality in a way?"
(Could it be that Feo
canceled the training appointment with Nozomu-kun because he knew this would
happen?)
The suspicion that
arose in Tom's chest made him look at Feo with doubting eyes. Oblivious to
Tom's thoughts, the two beastmen were wholeheartedly satisfying their desires,
following their instincts.
"Hmm! Nozomu and
the black-haired princess are moving! Let's follow them!!"
"Alright, let's
go!!"
"Haa, I don't care
what happens anymore."
Just like Irisdina and
her group who started chasing Nozomu and the others, they too began to tail
them.
***
"So, where shall
we go?"
"Oh, actually,
there's a shop I've been wanting to visit!"
When Nozomu asked
Somia where they should go, she already seemed to have a plan.
"Oh, what kind of
shop?"
"It's apparently
a fortune-telling shop. I've been hearing from everyone in class lately that
it's very accurate."
"A
fortune-telling shop, huh... Do you know where it is?"
"Yes, it's
supposed to be in the commercial district. I made sure to get the directions
too!"
Saying that, Somia
took out a folded piece of paper from her pocket. It seemed to be a map to the
shop.
"Alright, let's
head to that shop first then."
"Yes!"
Nozomu, perhaps swayed
by Somia's energetic voice and smile, his face naturally broke into a smile. It
was a genuine smile from his heart, something he hadn't shown in a very long
time.
Then the pressure he
felt from the shadows behind him grew.
(The problem is
everyone behind us...)
Nozomu sighed inwardly
and glanced behind him; a familiar black hair, very similar to the girl beside
him, was sticking out from behind a shop sign. Seeing a rod and the hilt of a
greatsword nearby, it seemed Mars and Tima were also with her. And behind them,
in the shadow of a building, a golden tail and a brown tail were peeking out.
(...Did he cancel the
training appointment for this reason?)
Nozomu, like Tom, was
also curious about why Feo had canceled the training. He knew firsthand that
Feo would do anything fun and could sometimes go overboard because of it, so
his suspicion towards Feo was almost entirely confirmed.
(...What should I do?
Should I just expose the fact that we're being followed? But then this date
would be ruined...)
Nozomu didn't want to
ruin this date, especially since Somia had invited him. For now, he discreetly
sent a gaze towards everyone who was tailing them. By showing them that he was
aware of their peeking, he tried to prevent them from following any further.
His attempt seemed to work, as the figures who were peeking disappeared.
However, since their presences hadn't vanished, it seemed they hadn't stopped
the tailing itself, but at least he had managed to create some distance. With many
passersby around, it would be difficult for them to easily observe him. Nozomu
breathed a sigh of relief for the time being and started walking with Somia
again.
"Is something
wrong, Nozomu-san?"
"No, it's
nothing. More importantly, let's hurry. We don't want the shop to close if
we're too late."
"Ah, you're
right. Let's go then!"
Somia pulled Nozomu's
arm again, and he, led by her small hand, started walking a bit faster.
After walking for a
while, Nozomu and Somia reached their destination, but the shop they arrived at
had an unusual atmosphere from the outside.
"...Somia-chan,
is this really the shop?"
"Yes! The shop's
exterior matches what my friends described, so there's no mistake!"
"But this
shop..."
Nozomu confirmed with
Somia if this was truly the shop, but at her affirmative reply, he looked at
the shop in front of him again. The shop itself wasn't particularly large. It
would be better to call it a stall rather than a shop. Cards and a crystal ball
lined the table. Talismans and charm accessories hung tightly on the walls. And
in the center of the shop, a goat's skull sat enthroned. Countless items, whose
purpose even the shop owner seemed not to know, were jumbled together,
embodying chaos itself. Nozomu had seen this unforgettable shop exterior
before. And also its owner.
"Oh, is it a
customer?"
"...Just as I
thought."
The person who
appeared from the back of the shop was the old man, Zonne, who had previously
tried to sexually harass Irisdina.
"Oh, it's you,
boy. As you can see, I'm busy. Go home, go home."
"That's quite a
greeting, perverted old man. You look completely free to me."
To Zonne, who acted
dismissively the moment he saw Nozomu, Nozomu retorted with
uncharacteristically rude words. This was his attitude because he knew Zonne
had a similar aura to his master, Shino, and was, in a way, someone he didn't
need to hold back with.
"Hmph! Youngsters
these days don't know manners towards their elders. That's not the way to treat
your predecessor."
"It'd be
different if you showed something worthy of respect. Though, judging from your
previous disgraceful conduct, that's highly unlikely."
Previously, this old
man, who appeared while Nozomu and the others were on their way to the academy,
gave in to his excessive lust and tried to lay hands on Tima, who was
accompanying them. The time before that, he tried to touch Irisdina under the
guise of fortune-telling. This old man naturally set his sights on Tima, who
possessed beauty comparable to Irisdina.
"What are you
saying? A man is always one who seeks women, the flowers, and the supreme honey
within them. And a man is one who continues to fight to protect and obtain
those flowers."
"But old man, you
ran away at full speed when Mars threatened you the other day, didn't
you?"
"............"
Zonne fell silent at
Nozomu's retort. Tima, who was originally timid and uncomfortable around men,
could not possibly be assertive towards this old man who charged ahead with his
male instincts, and she trembled timidly as Zonne pressed in on her. However,
it was Nozomu and Mars who intervened to stop Zonne's behavior at that time,
and Mars, who was quite enraged, even tried to draw his greatsword. Tima and Somia,
realizing that weapons were a bad idea, intervened to stop him, and in that
opening, the old man fled at top speed. In the end, Mars couldn't teach Zonne a
lesson, but at least, his act of hitting on a woman he just met, failing, and
then fleeing without regard for his appearance, showed no resemblance to the
"man" the old man claimed to be.
"...Well, knowing
when to retreat is also important in a fight..."
"............"
Zonne mumbled in a
small, almost inaudible voice, averting his gaze in the opposite direction.
Nozomu glared at him with a stern expression.
"S-So, what do
you want in this shop?"
Nozomu sighed at
Zonne, who was hastily trying to change the subject, but then he looked at
Somia beside him, and she energetically stepped forward.
"U-Um. I'd like
you to tell my fortune."
"Hoho,
fortune-telling, huh? You have good taste, little miss. It's a request from a
promising future beauty, so of course, I'll tell your fortune."
"Ah, thank you
very much!"
"Alright, then
first, your palm—" "None of that." "What is it, boy? Don't
interfere—" "You know what will happen if you do..." "Now,
young lady! Please touch this crystal!!"
Nozomu kept Zonne in
check, who tried to touch Somia under the guise of fortune-telling, just like
he did with Irisdina. Of course, with the added gesture of drawing his katana
to imply force. As expected, when Somia sat across from Zonne at the table with
the crystal, Nozomu felt the gazes from those hiding behind him intensify
strangely. If Nozomu hadn't kept the old man in check, her sister might have
stormed this place. When Somia touched the crystal, it began to emit a faint
light. It changed from light blue to red, purple, and gray, and then the light
disappeared.
"Hmm, it seems
the young lady is troubled right now. The ambiguous gray color is proof of
that."
"...Yes. That's
right."
"Initially, light
blue signifies the young lady herself, red signifies her goal, and purple
signifies anxiety. It seems the young lady's troubles lie in those areas."
Nozomu, somewhat surprised
that Zonne had started his fortune-telling seriously, removed his hand from the
hilt of his katana and listened to Zonne's words. Somia, hearing Zonne's words,
silently nodded in affirmation. Nozomu looked at her in surprise. As far as he
could see, Somia was always full of energy and had never shown any signs of
being troubled. At the same time, it pained Nozomu's chest to think that
perhaps she had been forcing herself and suppressing her worries until now.
"............"
Oblivious to his
thoughts, Somia silently waited for Zonne's next words.
"The trouble is
likely regarding the red color. Red signifies spirit and vitality, but in the
young lady's case, is it about your goals? Seeing the colors of anxiety and
hesitation appear, it seems you've been quite troubled..."
Somia nodded again at
Zonne's words.
"However, even if
it's difficult, both that anxiety and hesitation are important to the young
lady, and you are still young. It's good to keep running towards your goal, but
sometimes it's also necessary to look back. If you have doubts, it's important
not to lose sight of those important things. If you have anxiety, isn't it
crucial not to shoulder too much by yourself? Humans are too weak to live
alone, you see..."
"...Yes."
"What, the young
lady has someone precious, doesn't she? Then it's alright. The young lady's own
color is light blue. With your bright and gentle color, you are a kind girl who
can cherish others..."
Zonne spoke to Somia
with a gentle smile, as if a grandfather talking to his grandchild. Nozomu was
surprised to see Zonne not as the lecherous old man he had always seen, and at
the same time, he was impressed by how he had accurately perceived Somia's
troubles in a short time and offered a clue to a solution. If he had heard her
worries, would he have been able to explain it to Somia herself in such a
clear, easy-to-understand way, and lighten her heart even a little?
"Ah, thank you
very much! Um, about the fee..."
Somia thanked Zonne
and tried to open her wallet, but Zonne stopped her.
"Don't worry
about it. It seems like it's your first time, young lady, so this one's on the
house. Oh, but if the young lady is willing, how about a date with me in about
10 years?! The young lady has a very promising future, so if you date me, this
grandpa will do anything!!"
"Eh, umm..."
"Just when I thought we were having a meaningful conversation, it takes a
turn like this again!!" "Ah!"
Nozomu had reevaluated
Zonne, who had heard Somia's worries and, if not solved them, at least alleviated
one of her anxieties. But immediately after that meaningful conversation, Zonne
started hitting on the young Somia, causing Nozomu to swiftly lower his
previously raised evaluation of Zonne. Nozomu resorted to force to stop the old
man's misconduct. There was naturally no mercy in the downward chop toward his
head.
"Gah!! What was
that for!? You hit my head every time we meet!"
"That's my line!!
Don't you get your fill unless you hit on every woman you meet?!"
"What are you
saying, even I have some discretion! I choose the women I speak to
properly!!"
"What kind of
discretion is that?!"
Zonne protested with
teary eyes, holding his head with both hands where Nozomu had hit him. Nozomu,
perhaps because he had not an ounce of restraint towards the old man in front
of him, was also shouting uncharacteristically loudly, causing passersby to
turn and wonder what was happening.
"Of course, first
and foremost, a beautiful woman! That black-haired beauty the other day was
truly to my liking! I don't know why she was with a young pup like you. Really,
for a wonderful woman like her, there must be a better man like me out
there..."
"Y-You perverted
old man..."
"Now, now,
Nozomu-san."
Somia tried to calm
Nozomu, who was reaching for the hilt of his katana again. Nozomu himself knew
that he was not a match for Irisdina. Irisdina was an extremely attractive
woman. Her impeccable appearance, noble ideals, and the will to uphold them.
Frankly, she was too far out of his league. He understood that it was
presumptuous to compare himself, who had escaped into past dreams and refused
to acknowledge the present reality, but even so, hearing it from the old man in
front of him strangely angered him as a man.
"Next, it's promising
young ladies like this one. Oh, young lady, don't misunderstand, but I'm not a
scoundrel who plucks young flowers! Young ones are not to be plucked, but
cherished. What color will a flower that has yet to bloom show in the future...
Patiently waiting for that is also a man's virtue!"
"...I think it's
better to just cut this old man down. He probably won't die anyway, just like
Master."
"Nozomu-san! Hold
back! Hold back!!"
Nozomu drew his katana
slightly. Somia desperately tried to stop him, who looked as if he was about to
draw his katana and slash at Zonne.
"And finally, the
flowers that retain their beauty even after scattering. Certainly, they no
longer possess their former beauty. Time has robbed them of their fair skin and
beautiful hair. How great must be the despair of those who have lost the petals
that made them flowers..."
Zonne raised both
hands high to the sky, as if delivering a grand speech of the century. Strange
gazes from passersby must have been piercing him, but the old man, perhaps
immersed in his own world, paid no attention to the surrounding stares.
"However, despite
that, they still captivate people's eyes. The fact that they can still shine
even after losing their former beauty is proof that they have obtained a flower
that even the flow of time cannot easily take away! Therefore, to those who
have obtained such an inviolable flower, only respect comes to mind!"
The content of his
speech itself might have been splendid. Praise for a person whose inner beauty
surpassed their outward appearance. But that praise could not overturn the
deeply negative evaluation he had already earned from his previous statements
and actions.
"...He's supposed
to be saying good things, but hearing what he said before just ruins
everything..."
"Ah,
ahahaha..."
"What's wrong? I
was just giving a good speech... You rarely get to see such a stunning beauty.
If I were you, I'd propose immediately."
"You're still as
indiscriminate as ever! Why don't you show a little more restraint!!"
"What are you
saying? It's better than not telling the other person. Secrets can sometimes
hurt both yourself and others. So, I choose to express rather than hide.
There's still hope that way. And if I were to hide, I'd hide it so thoroughly
that the other person wouldn't even notice a single hair. Being half-hearted is
the cruelest thing. For both yourself and the other person. I had a terrible
time when my old lady found my hidden erotica... I should have just admitted I
had it. That erotica was my favorite, you know..."
"............"
No one knew what
happened at that time, but Zonne was gazing into the distance, lost in thought.
His eyes seemed somewhat moist. But Nozomu didn't see Zonne, who was
reminiscing about the past. Nozomu felt as if his chest had been pierced by the
words the old man uttered. It was none other than himself who was keeping
secrets and unable to convey them. What Zonne said was indeed eccentric and
outrageous, but there was some truth to it. Nozomu wasn't foolish enough not to
understand that, and he could see his current self. That's why he couldn't say
anything. He was more aware than anyone else that he was still running away,
that he had gotten into an unavoidable dead end. And above all, he himself was
suffering from that.
"Alright, young
lady, it's almost closing time. Please come again. Cute girls are always
welcome."
"Ah, yes. Thank
you very much!"
Even as Somia was
smiling and greeting Zonne, Nozomu just silently watched them. As if trying to
suppress an uncontrollable emotion within himself.
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