Volume 6
Chapter 21
"So, Ken Notice possesses the Water Mirror Heart Mask ability and hasn't reported it to the academy, is that right?"
"Yes, and we
believe he used that ability to frame Nozomu."
In the Chief
Instructor's office, Jihad, other academy officials, and Irisdina and her
friends were facing each other. Having finished listening to the truth of the
rumor that had been rampant in the academy two years ago and the identity of
the person who had set up Nozomu Bountis, Jihad chewed on his teeth while
stroking his goatee.
The Water Mirror Heart
Mask ability itself was quite a rare ability. Due to its rarity and power, it
was almost never made public, and Jihad and the others had unconsciously excluded
it from their thoughts.
To be honest, a method
to directly see through a person's ability has yet to be established. While
Tima's "Weaver of the Four Tones" and such could be inferred to some
extent from her magical aptitude, Irisdina's "Instant Deployment" was
only noticed after it had been used.
Research on abilities
and such was conducted by each country on their own until ten years ago, but
there were limits to that. Not everyone would have an ability manifested, and
the scale of research in one country was limited. Ten years ago, Arcazam was
completed, and a joint research between the various countries finally became
possible, and they were able to share information, but the number of people who
had abilities manifested did not increase. And the consensus of the various
countries was also difficult to reach, and it was still not possible to say
that they had gotten sufficient results.
"Ms. Inda, has
there been any report of the current ability holder having infiltrated the
academy or the Gloaurum Institute?"
"No, it has not
been confirmed."
"Then, have you
been able to confirm any suspicious magical reactions in the various facilities
around the academy recently?"
"Please wait a
moment. I will go and check."
As he watched Inda
leave the office, Jihad pondered about the "Water Mirror Heart Mask"
he had just heard about.
The ability Water
Mirror Heart Mask was a particularly useful ability for intelligence gathering.
It could change one's appearance, infiltrate a place, and steal information. It
was very difficult to identify the person when the ability was used, and if it
wasn't used, they would be no different from a normal person.
"Check...? Are
you even recording something like that?"
"Of course. Many
people come and go from this town, and so do people with bad intentions. We
have set up a strict security system to capture and repel intruders, and there
are countless facilities for that in this academy. Although, we have never made
it public."
Countless adventurers,
merchants, travelers, and government officials from various countries come and
go from Arcazam every day. Their numbers are so large that it is difficult to
check every single person who enters and leaves the city. And since they are
unable to directly detect the ability itself, they have no choice but to
enhance their secondary measures, which are to check for the effects of the
ability's activation on the surroundings.
Therefore, the academy
had thoroughly reinforced the defenses of the academy grounds against abilities
suitable for espionage, such as Water Mirror Heart Mask. The level of that
security could be called pathological, especially at night, when the students
were gone, the security system would become a fortress. And they made it so
that you couldn't tell that such a security system was in place just by looking
at it from the outside.
Some of the teachers
were assigned specifically to repel those spies. And inside the facilities,
equipment and magical tools developed by the Gloaurum Institute were
distributed. And they were doing this secretly so that the students wouldn't
know about it. This was also to prevent information from leaking from the
inexperienced students.
"By the way, is
it really okay for you to be telling us all this?"
"The fact that
the security inside the campus is vastly different from that of the town is
already well known in various countries. Knowing about it is not a problem
unless you know the details... That being said, it would be a problem if you
were to carelessly talk about it."
Jihad's eyes became
sharp, and he gave Mars a stern warning. A cold sweat ran down Mars's back, and
he held his breath.
"The alarm is
turned off during the day because there are students, but if you were to try
and infiltrate the campus at night, it would immediately detect you, and
soldiers would come running from all over the academy. Of course, Inda and I
would too."
If any organization
knew that this man would come running, they would probably not even think about
sending in some incompetent person. And not just Jihad, but the other people
are also high-level experts with A-rank abilities and so on. Because of the
concentration of elites in the limited space of the academy grounds and the use
of cutting-edge magical technology, the center of Arcazam, including Solminati,
had become the most difficult fortress to infiltrate on the Arkmel continent.
But because they had
reinforced the inner defenses, the measures they could take for the security of
the town were limited.
"Ken Notice
probably hid his ability completely and only used it when he was trying to set
up Nozomu Bountis. This academy is strict on the inside, but we have limited
things we can do on the outside."
In this continent
where magic and Ki techniques are the foundation of society, what can be done
without using magic and Ki is limited. The problem was that unless the Water
Mirror Heart Mask was used, they couldn't tell who the holder was. This ability
would release a faint amount of magic power when it was used to cover one's
body with Ki-infused water, but it was extremely difficult to notice who the
holder was if they didn't use it.
If he had used it within
the academy grounds, they might have noticed it in some way, but because he had
used it outside the academy, where strict security was impossible, Jihad and
the others had not noticed that Ken possessed the Water Mirror Heart Mask.
However, it was not certain whether Ken himself knew about the academy's
security.
While they were having
such a conversation, Inda, who was holding a stack of papers on her arm, came
back to the office. The stack of papers was probably the reports that had been
made in the academy recently.
"Sorry to have
kept you waiting. A report states that a very faint magical reaction was
detected in the boys' dormitory late at night on the day of the incident.
However, when the dormitory head checked, there was no sign of an intruder..."
"The fact that
there were no traces of an intruder means that the magical reaction was from
someone in the dormitory, and there is a high possibility that it is related to
this case."
"Nozomu-kun can't
use magic~, so the possibility that he is the culprit has become low~."
It hadn't been
completely proven that Nozomu wasn't the culprit, but at least if the
possibility that there was another culprit was raised, they needed to continue
the investigation.
"Hmm, for now,
let's contact Mauzu-dono and discuss the possibility of another culprit."
In any case, they
needed to talk to Mauzu, the captain of the Security Force, and inform him of
this fact.
Irisdina and the
others looked relieved at Jihad's words. The case hadn't been completely
solved, but if the investigation progressed from here, they might be able to
prove Nozomu's innocence.
Jihad, who had stood
up, put his hand on the doorknob as he was about to head to the military police
station where Nozomu was being held and interrogated. At that moment, the
office door was opened with a "knock, knock," and a middle-aged woman
appeared.
"Excuse me."
Everyone, including
Jihad, widened their eyes at the beautiful woman who appeared. The beautiful
woman, who was dressed in a black outfit that was reminiscent of a funeral
dress, had a gentle smile on her face and slowly entered the office.
"Mekuria-dono,
this is a problem. You didn't contact us beforehand. We haven't even prepared
for your hospitality."
"I apologize for
this rude visit. I had some urgent business."
Her face had a gentle
smile. Her eyes narrowed slightly, and a tense atmosphere filled the room.
"I wanted to hear
the details about the assault case that was caused by a student of this
academy, so I came to visit. Would you mind explaining it to me?"
"The
investigation is still in progress."
So it was
about that, Jihad said, gritting his teeth, but he replied to Mekuria's question
without changing his expression.
But Mekuria, who
seemed to have already grasped the situation to a certain extent, curled her
lips into a grin as if to mock Jihad's words.
"That's strange.
I heard that the culprit has already been arrested."
"There is also a
possibility that the student who was arrested is not the culprit. It's too
early to make a conclusion. We will report the results of the investigation to
you."
Jihad, who was about
to pass by Mekuria and leave, had her block his path with a smooth, natural
movement.
"However, even I
can't ignore this matter. If a student from the Solminati Academy, famous
throughout the continent, has caused a scandal, then I can't just ignore it and
not confirm it."
Mekuria, who was
resting her hand on her elbow and elegantly stroking her hair with her slender
fingers, closed in on Jihad even more. Her tone was as if she were driven by a
sense of duty, but her attitude showed that she had no intention of letting him
get away with it.
It was a pressure that
felt as if his throat would be torn out if he showed any opening.
"Besides, you
have read the letter from my master, have you not? I would like to ask for a
proper explanation."
"As I explained
earlier, the investigation is still in progress, so we don't have the details
yet. There is also a possibility that the student who was thought to be the
culprit is not the culprit."
However, Jihad's
attitude did not change. He did not look away from Mekuria, who was closing in
on him, and he received her pressure head-on. For a while, their gazes clashed
in the air. A palpable pressure dominated the office, and a silence drifted
between them.
"An explanation
is probably not necessary for Mekuria-dono, but this is Arcazam. This is not
the Foschia Kingdom. I believe Mekuria-dono understands what that means, right?"
Arcazam was a neutral
ground that didn't belong to any country. No matter how powerful a person was,
they couldn't act as they pleased in this town. That was the treaty that had
been made when this town was founded, and it was an oath that was never to be
broken.
"...It can't be
helped. I will wait for the results of the investigation to be announced by the
academy."
Mekuria also
understood that very well. She let out a big sigh as if to say, "It can't
be helped," and turned on her heel and left the office.
"Well then, I
hope for a resolution as soon as possible."
Mekuria gave him a
beautiful smile and a bow, and then disappeared behind the door. The
intimidating aura she had shown earlier was no longer there.
The moment the door
was closed, the heavy atmosphere that had filled the office dissipated.
"Now then, let's
go to the military police station. I need to talk to Mauzu-dono."
"We're coming
too."
"Jihad-sensei, is
that alright?"
Irisdina and the
others closed in on Jihad, telling him to take them to the military police station.
They were worried about Nozomu after all. Jihad also judged that it would be
better to have them with him since they knew the detailed information, and he
readily gave them permission.
"Very well, that
would be for the best. Anri-sensei, please lead them."
"Understood~!
Then everyone, shall we go~?"
Anri, who was cheering
them on with a voice that sounded like she was about to relax, left the office
with Irisdina and the others. After seeing them leave and making sure the door
was completely closed, Jihad whispered into Inda's ear.
"Ms. Inda, I'm
sure you know this, but Mekuria knew that the culprit had been arrested, but I
don't know how much of what she said was true."
"That's right. I
wonder if she really has detailed information, or if she was just trying to
bluff us to get information..."
Regardless of the
truth, since Mekuria knew that a student from Solminati Academy had caused a
scandal, she would probably find some way to direct her criticism at them. He
didn't know what kind of action Mekuria would take in the future, but at the
very least, he wanted to avoid any more headaches for the academy.
"I don't know how
much we can do, but don't take your eyes off Mekuria. Our hands are limited
outside the academy, but I want to at least know which inn she is staying at
and where she has been."
"Understood. I
will select a few of our people and have them stick to her."
Jihad nodded at Inda's
reply, tidied up the documents that were scattered on his desk, and then pulled
out a stack of papers from a shelf and held it out to Inda.
"Please prepare
this. We'll probably need it."
"...Understood.
I'll get right on it."
Inda quickly looked
through the stack of papers, nodded, and then quickly left the office. Jihad
also saw Inda off, locked the office, and headed out of the academy. He was
going to find out the truth of this case and protect this academy.
***
By the time Jihad and
the others had finished their discussion in the office, Nozomu was looking up
at Camilla, who had appeared in front of him without any warning, with a
shocked expression.
"Why are you
here...?"
Why in the world had
she come here? And why was she making such a worried face? Various questions
floated in Nozomu's head like bubbles, only to be crushed by another bubble.
Perhaps sensing
Nozomu's dazed state, Camilla let out a self-deprecating smile and opened her
mouth.
"When I asked the
military police about you, they were acting strangely tense, so if I didn't say
something like this, they wouldn't have let me see you..."
It seemed she had come
to see him by crying and saying she was his girlfriend. But the tear stains on
her cheeks and her red, swollen eyes were not a lie, and they clearly showed
that she had really been crying.
Camilla continued to
speak with a somber expression toward Nozomu, who was looking upset.
"Are you okay?
Did they do anything to you...?"
"No, they didn't
use any violence or anything. It's just that I didn't have an alibi and a
comrade of theirs was hurt, so they wouldn't listen to me. I was only able to
tell them the name of the Water Mirror Heart Mask before I was taken out of the
interrogation room..."
"I see..."
There were no signs of
him being beaten. His answers to her questions were also clear. Camilla, who
had been crying, let out a sigh of relief when she confirmed that Nozomu was
okay.
Camilla, who was
smiling because he was safe, had her smile immediately replaced by a somber
expression, and a heavy atmosphere started to drift between them again.
"Did something
happen?"
Nozomu asked Camilla,
with a hint of confusion in his voice, what had happened.
Suddenly, Camilla
bowed her head deeply toward Nozomu.
"C-Camilla?"
Nozomu, who had no
idea what was going on, was flustered. Even if he wanted to ask her again,
Camilla's twitching cheeks and her cowering figure, which were visible from
behind her bangs, made him hesitate to say anything to her again.
There was no one else
in the basement prison besides Nozomu, and Camilla just looked down with her
eyes closed in regret, unable to say anything. The time between the two of them
was frozen, as if they were a decorated painting. As time passed around them,
Camilla finally opened her mouth slowly.
"............sorry..."
"Huh...?"
Just a single word.
Camilla's mouth moved slightly to form the words she was trying to say. But the
words that were squeezed out from the back of her throat were so small that
Nozomu couldn't hear them all.
But he heard her say,
"I'm sorry."
Her trembling
shoulders, her clenched lips, and the tear stains on her swollen face were a
clear testament to her emotional state.
Nozomu, who was unable
to think due to the sudden event, was about to open his mouth to say something,
but his words were cut off by Camilla's voice, who had looked up.
"Just wait a
moment. I'll go and talk to the military police and try to get you out of here,
at least."
Camilla wiped away her
tears with the sleeve of her uniform and declared with a determined look on her
face that she would somehow persuade the military police to get Nozomu out of
the cell.
"Wait a
minute..."
"It's okay. When
I got permission from the captain of the Security Force to come here, he was
making a difficult face and was looking into something. He probably heard about
the Water Mirror Heart Mask from you and figured out that there was a
possibility that the culprit's appearance might not be reliable. If I tell them
that Ken is the holder of the 'Water Mirror Heart Mask' and that he was trying
to set you up, the possibility that there is another culprit will be raised!
Even if the suspicion can't be completely cleared, there's still hope!"
She was speaking with
a strange intensity and was about to turn on her heel and run out without
waiting for Nozomu's words.
"There's no need
for that."
But Camilla's feet,
which were about to run, were stopped by a thick voice that echoed in the
basement prison. At the entrance to the stairs leading to the ground, from
which the voice had come, Mauzu, the captain of the Security Force, was
standing with a serious expression. Mauzu, with a sullen look on his face,
approached the cell Nozomu was in.
As Nozomu and Camilla
looked on with puzzled expressions, Mauzu reached into his pocket and opened
the lock of the cell with the key he had taken out.
"Get out."
Mauzu urged Nozomu to
get out of the cell in a sullen tone.
"Um, what's going
on?"
"Well, as that
young lady said, there is a possibility that there is another suspect."
Nozomu, who didn't
quite understand what was going on, assumed that there had been some kind of
progress and got out of the cell as Mauzu had instructed. When he passed
through the entrance of the cell, an unexpected sense of freedom enveloped
Nozomu.
Nozomu stretched his
back to relax his stiff body. He was still in the basement surrounded by stone
walls, but the feeling was incomparable to being inside the iron bars.
"And it seems
there are still things that need to be discussed. So, I can't just leave you in
the cell. However, you're still one of the suspects, so you have to be
monitored..."
Mauzu scratched his
cheek with an embarrassed look. He was probably feeling sorry in his heart for
having jumped to the conclusion that Nozomu was the only culprit. However,
since Nozomu's suspicion had not been completely cleared, he couldn't apologize
to him honestly.
"......In any
case, for now, let's focus on solving this case."
Nozomu assumed that Mauzu
was in a difficult position between his feelings and his duties, and he decided
not to mention the fact that he had been put in the cell.
"So, what are you
going to do now?"
"I'll explain
that."
"Jihad-sensei,
and the people behind you are..."
A calm voice echoed,
as if to answer Nozomu's question. When Nozomu and the others looked at the
stairs to the ground, they saw the great man in the familiar silver armor
standing there. Behind him, he could also see his friends whom he had wanted to
meet.
"Sorry we're a
little late. It took some time to explain the situation to Jihad-sensei and the
others and ask for their cooperation."
Irisdina and Shina ran
up to Nozomu with worried expressions, and Mars, who was shrugging his
shoulders, and Feo, who had a fearless grin on his face, followed them.
"Well, since it's
you, I wasn't too worried."
"That's right,
compared to the forest, there's no danger to your life here, so you must have
been taking it easy, right, Nozomu?"
"Oh, you two are
so insensitive..."
"You two are so
full of yourselves~."
And after confirming
Nozomu's safety, Mars and Feo, who had forgotten about the anger they had felt
before, and Tima and Mimuru, who were complaining about them. Behind them,
there was Tom with a wry smile on his face, and Anri, who was expressing her
joy with her entire body as she hopped around.
Their reactions when
they confirmed Nozomu's safety were different, but everyone had a look of
relief on their faces. Seeing his friends like that, a smile also returned to
Nozomu's face.
"Shina said she
explained the situation, so that means..."
"Yes, I've told
Jihad-sensei, Inda-sensei, and Mauzu-dono about the conflict between you,
Ken-kun, and Lisa-san. Of course, I also told them about the Water Mirror Heart
Mask."
According to Irisdina,
Jihad and the others, who had learned about the situation, had come to the
military police station and explained the situation. They had shared
information with Mauzu, who had noticed the possibility that there was a
culprit other than Nozomu after looking into the Water Mirror Heart Mask, and
as a result, they had decided to cooperate to find out the truth of this case.
"That's right. With
this case getting this big, it's only natural..."
"The academy will
cooperate in all aspects of this case. It's a situation that we cannot
overlook."
They had been unaware
that a user of the Water Mirror Heart Mask was in the academy. Although this
ability itself was rare and there was no established way to see through it, it
would be very bad if they were to continue having such blunders. A troublesome
person had just sent them a letter the other day, and one of that person's
right-hand women was still staying in this town.
"However, the
problem is how we confirm that man's ability and identify him as the
culprit..."
Mauzu stroked his
unshaven chin and fell into deep thought.
"The Water Mirror
Heart Mask changes the user's face and even their physique to be exactly the
same as the target. It's extremely difficult to identify them as a fake just by
their appearance."
Inda, who had taken a
step forward, explained while flipping through the documents in her hand.
"However, if we
know that the person is a fake, it's actually not that difficult to see through
the change. For that purpose, I would like all of you to carry this."
Saying that, Inda
showed them a blue stone that was about the size of her palm. It was a deep
blue, reminiscent of a clear lake. Nozomu felt as if he had seen that stone
somewhere before.
"What is
this?"
"This is a
modified version of the 'Twin Stones of Misfortune' that the Gloaurum Institute
has worked on, and it's called a 'Communication Stone.' Although it's only for
a short distance, you can use it to send your voice far away by infusing it
with magic power."
Saying that, Inda
waved her hand, and the military police brought a large rock on a wooden stand.
The rock was dyed the same deep blue as the Communication Stone.
"This rock is a
lump of stone called 'Enseki,' and it's also the material for the Communication
Stone and the Twin Stones of Misfortune. The Enseki is a stone that has a
magical connection, and by applying a magical formula to this huge Enseki, we
are able to make it possible for people to communicate with each other between
the Communication Stones."
According to Inda,
this Communication Stone was still in the prototype stage, so its output was
low, but with the support of a mage, they could send their voices to one
section of the town.
"Also, this Communication
Stone will turn red when it is infused with magic power, but its sensitivity is
a little too strong, and it will also change slightly with the surrounding
magical essence. Since the Water Mirror Heart Mask covers the entire body with
Ki-infused water, the color of the stone will change in response to that magic
power if you get close to them."
"I see, with
this, we can tell whether our opponent is using an ability or not."
"Heh, that's well
thought out~."
Mauzu and Feo were
repeatedly nodding in admiration at Inda's idea. The intelligent teacher with
glasses continued to speak.
"And we'll
release Nozomu Bountis for the time being due to insufficient evidence. If the
culprit is Ken Notice, he will probably take some kind of action after he is
released. We'll catch him in the act and arrest him."
"But isn't that
dangerous? If our opponent is a skilled A-rank person and can change his
appearance, it would be difficult to tail him. And how would we catch him in
the act...?"
Mauzu voiced his
complaint about Inda's suggestion. It was true that even though their opponent
was a student, he was a person whom the academy had acknowledged as a warrior
worthy of A-rank. Once they let him loose, they had to be careful not to let
him notice them, and when he took action, they had to move quickly. That was
what the Communication Stone was for, but they couldn't respond quickly if
there was no one to tell them about Ken's actions. It would be unnatural for
the military police to be wandering around the academy, and it would also be
unnatural for a teacher to stick to one student all the time.
"I'll do
it."
The one who raised her
hand and made her voice heard was a single girl who hadn't said a word since
Jihad and the others had arrived. Everyone there had a dumbfounded look on
their faces at her sudden suggestion. She was a student of the 3rd-grade
who was wearing the same white uniform as Irisdina and belonged to the highest
class. She was indeed a close friend of Ken Notice, so she was suited for the
role, but Inda and Mauzu hesitated, wondering if it was a good idea to leave it
to a student.
Jihad stared at
Camilla as if to find out her true intention, and Camilla was also staring
directly at Jihad's gaze.
"I also want to
do something about this incident. No, I have to do something about it! Please.
Please let me cooperate with the investigation!"
But Camilla didn't
stop. As if to convey her determination, she straightened her back, bowed
deeply, and pleaded clearly.
***
After Nozomu was
released from the cell and things were more or less settled, Jihad told the
students to go back to their dormitory. He would probably be making the final
arrangements with Mauzu and the others now.
Nozomu and the others
started heading home a little earlier, but Nozomu stopped Camilla on the way
and walked toward the outskirts of the town with her.
Inda and Mauzu had
hesitated about appointing her as the undercover investigator, but they had
decided to leave it to her after Jihad said, "Let's give her a
chance." Irisdina and the others also told Jihad and the others that they
wanted to cooperate with the investigation, but they were met with strong
opposition from Inda and the others.
It was understandable.
It was true that some quests asked for information gathering like a
detective's, but only adventurers who had earned a solid track record and trust
could accept such quests. They were still students and didn't have that much of
a track record or trust. Camilla's case was special.
But they were
persistent. They pushed their skills and magic to the forefront, brought up
their track record of the quests they had completed until now, and tried to
persuade Inda and the others. Irisdina talked about her responsiveness with her
"Instant Deployment," Shina talked about the usefulness of
large-scale magic, such as spirit magic. Tima showed her immense magic power,
Mars talked about his information network in the commercial district, where he
lived, Mimuru talked about her agility unique to beastmen, and Feo talked about
his various skills, such as talisman magic, and Tom passionately talked about
their usefulness to Jihad and the others with his knowledge of alchemy, which
was good enough to get a guarantee from Torgrein.
Inda and Mauzu were flustered
by their enthusiasm, and the sight of the grown-ups being cornered and
panicking by the young boys and girls was very strange. In the end, Jihad, who
acknowledged their track record, gave them permission to participate in the
investigation, limited to providing support from the rear, and they finally got
their usefulness acknowledged. Of course, they would have to sign a pledge with
various restrictions, such as the secrecy of the investigation, but their faces
were cheerful.
Remembering the exchange
between Jihad and the others earlier, Nozomu let out a wry smile at the rising
feelings of happiness and amusement. At that moment, he saw Camilla walking a
step away from them. Ever since she was appointed as the undercover
investigator, Camilla had barely spoken. The boys' and girls' dormitories were
close by, so their way home was almost the same, but a dark shadow still seemed
to be clinging to her, who was walking alone, away from Nozomu and the others.
Irisdina and the others seemed to have sensed the atmosphere, and they saw the
two of them off without saying a word.
"Why did you say
you wanted to cooperate with the investigation?"
When they arrived at
the outskirts, Nozomu asked Camilla that question. The warm wind of the
twilight was caressing their cheeks, and the faint sun that remained on the
horizon was dyeing the two of them in crimson. Nozomu's words must have reached
her ears, but Camilla didn't show any reaction and just looked down. Nozomu
scratched his head in a troubled manner.
"Hey, when we
betrayed you, did you hate us?"
"I would be lying
if I said I didn't feel that way... To be honest, I didn't want to believe it.
All the strength drained from my body, and I didn't even know what I was doing.
A fierce anger welled up, and there were times when I just went on a
rampage."
After saying that
much, Nozomu's eyes widened as if he had just realized something.
"Camilla, what
you just said..."
She slowly nodded in
response to Nozomu's question. Her words, "When we betrayed you." It
meant that she had acknowledged that Nozomu's words about the incident two
years ago were true. If that was the case, he could understand her unusual
state when he had seen her in the cell and her faint voice of apology. The
image of her trembling shoulders and her clenched lips, and her face stained
with tears, came to his mind. His former friend. The reason she had come to see
Nozomu, who had been arrested, was probably just to apologize to him. Even if
he were to curse her for it.
However, Nozomu didn't
feel like blaming her now. It was only natural for her to be furious if she
found out that Lisa, her best friend, had been staying in her room, lost in
despair. She was such an emotional woman to begin with.
"......Nozomu,
you said it yourself, didn't you? You were running away. Then, why didn't you
leave Arcazam? If you had gone through something like that, you'd normally
leave this town..."
"I couldn't leave
this town because I was running away. I was irresponsibly thinking that if I
just kept trying, Lisa would come back to me someday."
Unlike Camilla, who
had a serious look on her face, Nozomu, who was talking about his past, looked
dignified, and there was no shadow in his expression.
"And I wasn't
alone. I had people who noticed I was running away and accepted me."
It was the strength
that a person who had fallen once and had gotten back up would have. He had an
aura like a young tree that had used a broken tree as its foundation and had
started to grow toward the heavens.
"Nozomu... what
do you want with Lisa?"
Camilla, who had
raised her head, looked at Nozomu's eyes intently as if to peer into them. Her
complexion still wasn't good. She still looked haggard, but Camilla's eyes were
emitting a strong light.
Nozomu slowly asked
himself what he wanted.
"......I just
want her to get back on her feet."
After a few seconds of
silence, Nozomu opened his mouth as if to squeeze the words out. His tone had a
hint of hesitation. But at the very least, Nozomu felt that there was no lie in
those words.
When he had seen
Lisa's flustered state in the night town, it was clear that she was still
trapped in the past. Although Nozomu's and Lisa's relationship had been
completely broken, it was not a good thing for her to stay in that state. He at
least wanted her to realize that she was running away.
"......I see. I
guess that's what it is."
"Camilla?"
Nozomu tilted his head
at Camilla's somewhat strained voice. But she didn't answer and just looked
down, then turned on her heel.
"I'm going home.
And don't talk to me until this matter is over. If you do it wrong, Ken might
notice."
With her back
illuminated by the red sun, Camilla disappeared into the town, which was dyed
in the twilight. Her face was tense as if she had made a decision, and her eyes
held a somewhat dangerous color.
-----
Thank you for my Patrons !!
[Platinum]
Geral Aponso
MaxKne
[Gold]
B random
DavidA
Nepheos
ShitaiNoKootoRyuu
[Silver]
1EYED_SLOTH
Creris
Frédéric Bertrand-Hudon
Matthew Fraser
Anton Lim
Crushingon
Ctdela
Curious Panda
Joe Smith
Read Advanced Chapters only on my Patreon
-----
