Volume 6 Epilogue
The series of incidents instigated by Ken was officially handled as a case of student-on-student violence.
The student who caused
the incident was expelled. It was publicly announced that he had been banished
from Arcazam on the same day, and the matter was considered settled for the
time being.
In reality, however,
the ripples from this incident, far from subsiding, were spreading far and
wide.
It wasn't just the
misuse of an Ability, but the fact that the academy had been completely unaware
of that Ability cast a large question mark over the academy's entire system.
In fact, even now, the
academy was continuously receiving requests from envoys of various countries
demanding a prompt explanation of the circumstances and countermeasures.
Furthermore, the
involvement of Abyss Grief in this incident had further complicated the
situation.
Abyss Grief had
escaped from a research institution by parasitizing a human.
The fact that they had
allowed the escape of a demonic beast, despite knowing full well how dangerous
it was.
This could have
serious repercussions not only for Jihad but for the continued existence of the
academy itself.
Arcazam, and by
extension Solminati Academy, are, needless to say, sustained by support from
various countries. Therefore, the evaluation from the envoys, who serve as the
pipeline to each country, holds great influence over the administration of
Arcazam.
Depending on the
circumstances, even a reorganization of Solminati Academy could be considered.
Jihad chose to evade
the pursuit from the envoys by unsparingly providing them with all the
information that had been uncovered regarding Abyss Grief's escape.
Parasitism of living
beings, the ability to interfere with the host, and a significant boost in
abilities through transformation. And the Predation Barrier.
No creature with this
many unique abilities exists on this continent. And the fact that they were
able to obtain so much information at once could be called a major step forward
in the research of Abyss Grief.
Furthermore, they had
also secured the person who had been made a host. With this, they might be able
to obtain even more information regarding Abyss Grief. And that was not all. It
might even become a clue to identifying the cause of the great invasion, which
had been shrouded in mystery until now.
The information about
Abyss Grief that would be obtained from now on. It was quite conceivable that
each country would want to get their hands on it as quickly and as much as
possible.
Therefore, the envoys
thought it was not a wise move to carelessly intervene with Solminati Academy
at this time and had limited their comments on the Ken Notice assault case to a
certain extent.
In short, the envoys
of each country, while urging strict caution and improvement, took the attitude
of leaving the response entirely up to Jihad. One could say they had pushed a
troublesome role onto him.
Nevertheless, with a
settlement reached despite the gravity of the situation, many of the academy
staff let out a sigh of relief.
But amidst all this,
one person continued to be swamped with work without a moment's rest. Jihad,
who had actually taken overall command of this incident, and Inda, who was
assisting him, were frowning at the mountain of documents placed on the desk in
the office.
The deep color of
fatigue was still visible on both of their faces.
"Well then,
Inda-dono, the report please..."
"Yes. This is the
investigation report regarding the communication stones used in the recent
incident... It was just as you feared, Jihad-dono."
The report Jihad was
receiving was about the communication stones that went out of control during
the investigation of the previous incident.
The cause was a
powdered magic stone that someone had sprinkled on the Enseki.
When the shattered
"Enseki" was submitted to the Gloaurum Institute for investigation,
powdered magic stone was detected mixed in with the Enseki fragments.
Both powdered magic
stone and Ensekis are extremely sensitive to magic power and require delicate
handling.
It was unthinkable to
store them in the same place. Let alone sprinkling powdered magic stone on an Enseki,
which was like setting off a fireball in one's hand.
The communication
stones were originally prototypes from the Gloaurum Institute and were kept
under the strict management of Solminati Academy. It would be difficult for an
outsider to infiltrate and tamper with them. That's why the existence of an
insider came to light.
Furthermore, the
various troubles that occurred during the investigation. If there was an
insider, it would not be very difficult to disrupt the investigation.
Jihad and Inda began
an investigation to smoke out the insider. And one suspicious person surfaced
on their investigation line.
"Then, the one
who silenced the 'Starlight' that was tracking Camilla-kun was a member of the
same Starlight group?"
"Yes. After that
incident, one member of Starlight has gone missing. When we followed the
remaining traces, they were found as a corpse in a forest on the
outskirts."
"The condition of
the corpse?"
"The damage was
severe, making the investigation difficult, but the physique estimated from the
remaining body matches the person. Also, several items belonging to the Starlight
member were found. Considering the circumstances, it's almost certain..."
A sigh escaped Jihad's
lips.
"The search of
their base?"
"It has already
been conducted, but there was nothing that could serve as a clue..."
Feeling as if a weight
had been placed on his shoulders, Jihad listened to further reports from Inda,
but their content was also not favorable.
A swift silencing and
destruction of evidence. They had clearly been outmaneuvered.
"Excuse me. Jihad-dono."
At that moment, a
woman entered the office without the permission of its master.
A lady dressed in a
black-based dress. Her pushed-up chest, and her legs, tracing alluring curves,
peeking from a slit.
The drab office began
to be colored with a splendor like a garden flower bed.
But Jihad frowned
slightly at the person who had entered without permission and put on a sullen
expression.
"Mekuria-dono.
This is troubling, to be visited so suddenly. As you can see, this room is
rather bleak for welcoming a lady. I would have liked to have at least enough
time to tidy myself up..."
"Oh my? To think
you would say such a thing when I have taken the time to come and see your
face. I thought a man as renowned for his valor as you, Jihad-dono, would have
the magnanimity to laugh and forgive a woman's whimsical visit..."
Although he wasn't
speaking ill of her, Jihad's tone was clearly not welcoming. But the woman who
entered, Mekuria, had a smile like a flower.
Jihad responded to
Mekuria's question without changing his expression.
"Unfortunately, I
have not been blessed with such opportunities."
"You jest. I have
heard that your meeting with your wife was so passionate and enchanting that
even we are envious..."
Jihad shrugged his
shoulders and initiated the conversation with Mekuria himself.
"So, what is your
business? Do you intend to talk with a lonely middle-aged man like me?"
"Yes. I thought
you might be feeling down after 'this incident,' so I came to offer some
encouragement..."
Jihad and Mekuria
faced each other. Though they exchanged smiles, a sharp tension ran between
them.
"Is that the main
topic?"
"Yes, as this
matter cannot be overlooked. I will be raising the issue with the Arcazam
Council as well."
The Arcazam Council.
She was likely trying to use the requests from the envoys of each country to
apply pressure and strengthen her influence over Solminati.
Indeed, decisions
regarding the administration of Arcazam were made by the council. If they were
to say that the academy should be reorganized, Jihad could not ignore it.
"Is that all you
have to say?"
"Yes, that is
about all for the duties I have received from Egurodo-sama."
While meeting
Mekuria's gaze head-on, Jihad responded with a nonchalant attitude.
Egurodo Fabran. One of
the influential figures in the country of Foschia, whom Mekuria served, and a
person who was opposed to Solminati Academy itself.
Mekuria probably
didn't think she could say much about the academy's and Arcazam's response
here. She readily backed down, turned on her heel, and headed for the room's
door.
Mekuria, who had her
hand on the office doorknob, suddenly turned around as if she had remembered
something.
"Oh, that's
right. It seems the detailed report on the battle with that demonic beast has
not yet been submitted. You seem to be taking quite some time."
"There is no need
for concern. It is expected that a report will be ready for the next council
meeting."
"Is that so? What
kind of battle was it... I would very much like to hear about it. That demonic
beast is a common threat to all who live on this continent. I would like to
hope that this concern will be alleviated even a little."
"...Yes,
indeed."
After exchanging
meaningful words, this time Mekuria disappeared beyond the door.
A silence hung in the
office. Perhaps affected by the tension emitted by the two, Inda found her own
heartbeat echoing in her ears.
But she still had
something to report to Jihad. Gripping the bundle of documents in her hand, she
took a step forward.
"Jihad-dono.
There are reports that the agent in question would disappear at a certain time
before this mission. Also, during that time, no one in the mansion saw
Mekuria-dono.
However, just before
her figure disappeared, the surveillance operative we had in place confirmed
traces of a minute magic power reaction. That location was..."
"Inside the
mansion where Mekuria-dono is currently staying..."
"Yes, it is
likely that the one who planted an insider in Starlight was also..."
Inda's voice trailed
off. Before she knew it, silence had filled the office again.
Jihad slowly leaned
back in his chair. The sound of the creaking chair echoed in the silent office.
"...Without
conclusive evidence, a forced search is impossible. Besides, considering the
swiftness with which the insider was dealt with, the possibility of there being
any strong evidence is low. And tomorrow, I have to attend the regular Arcazam
council meeting."
While looking up at
the office ceiling, Inda gave a small nod at the words that came from Jihad's
mouth.
"She will likely
come down hard on the fact that an academy student caused this incident at the
next council meeting."
"Yes... What will
you do?"
"Well, I've taken
all the measures I can. I have no choice but to use the information on Abyss
Grief skillfully. I've also taken some measures regarding Mekuria-dono. It
probably won't be in time for tomorrow, though..."
Ignoring Inda's
worries, Jihad swiveled his chair around and looked out the window.
The city of Arcazam
had returned to its lively daily routine, as if that incident had never
happened.
The bell signaling the
start of classes rang through the academy's school building.
"Classes are
about to start. Inda-dono, shouldn't you be on your way?"
"Ah, yes! Excuse
me."
While seeing off Inda,
who bowed and left the office, Jihad was thinking about the future of this
academy.
The incident caused by
Ken and Abyss Grief would likely have lingering effects. But time leaves
everything behind as the past.
It was certainly an
incident with a bad aftertaste.
One death. And a young
man with a future, who was also soon to be married.
As for the culprit of
the incident, Ken Notice, due to being parasitized by Abyss Grief, he had to be
dealt with in a way that could not be openly spoken of.
Jihad's face twisted
with vexation. Before he knew it, he was clenching his fist with all his might.
This incident. It was
completely Jihad and his team's failure.
They had been one step
behind in every sense, and this was the result.
Although there was the
outstanding uniqueness of Abyss Grief, being completely unaware of a student's
Ability was outrageous.
To be honest, Jihad
felt like committing seppuku.
But he couldn't just
throw away this job. He could easily imagine what would happen if Arcazam were
to be reorganized.
Without a doubt, the
quality of Solminati Academy's students would decline. As a result, not only
the students, but many people would die.
The countries
threatened by the demonic beasts would rush to demand personnel as soon as
possible. The countries in the safe zone would want the technology of this city
and would try to weaken its power.
The result of that
would be a general and serious lack of proficiency among the students.
It was true that the
students still lacked experience. But while learning and training at this
academy, they could definitely forge a fundamental strength.
They might fall into a
tight spot due to lack of experience, but if they had fundamental strength,
there was a possibility they could survive. By surviving, they would gain
irreplaceable experience, apply it to the next challenge, pass it on to others,
and as a result, they would be of help to many people.
However, if they
couldn't even acquire that basic power, they would just be killed without being
able to do anything.
Moreover, the
graduates of this academy would become the core of those who would resist when
the great invasion happened again. But if the core figures lacked fundamental
strength, the many people under them would become fodder for the demonic
beasts.
As a result, if the
number of victims were to increase in a chain reaction, just how far would the
damage expand... he honestly couldn't even imagine.
"...I suppose
there's no point in regretting it now."
Jihad closed his eyes
and calmed his heart.
Regret was still
swirling in his chest. But he couldn't afford to stand still.
At this point, his own
affairs were secondary. All he could do was to protect this place where the
students could get as much training as possible.
While looking at
Arcazam returning to its daily routine, Jihad told himself this.
"The remaining
problem is 'him'..."
In a sense, he thought
of the person who was the key to this incident.
Nozomu Bountis. He and
Lisa Hounds had not yet woken up.
There was no problem
with Lisa Hounds.
When the elf Shina was
asked to check for any remnants of Abyss Grief, not a trace of its presence was
felt, and no abnormalities were found in the physical examination.
But at that time,
Jihad had witnessed the alien power that had leaked from Nozomu Bountis.
A torrent of pure elemental
essence, neither magic power nor ki. He had never seen such a power before.
Jihad had seen a sight
where a specific elemental essence solidified and appeared as a haze. There
were some among the spirit species who used a similar power.
But that was usually
limited to a single attribute.
If one were to try to
manipulate multiple elemental essences, especially opposing ones, at the same
time, there was no telling what would happen as the different powers interfered
with each other.
The sight of Nozomu
Bountis manifesting multiple elemental essences at the same time, as he had at
that time, was something that should not have been possible.
And the magnitude of
the power that had erupted was also off the charts. It was not a power that
could be contained within a single person.
"Well, it's true
that the matter of the brat is probably a headache for you all~~"
"...!?"
Suddenly, a hoarse
voice echoed in the office.
Jihad turned around as
if shot, and on the office sofa sat an old man with a white beard.
The old man, with a
carefree smile, was fiddling with the staff in his hand and had a triumphant,
bold smile on his face.
"Oh my, since
I've come all this way to visit, how about you serve some tea and sweets?"
"Old man..."
At first, Jihad was so
surprised that he stared wide-eyed, but he quickly regained his composure and
turned a stern gaze on Zonne.
He hadn't even sensed
his presence until he spoke.
Jihad's wariness
swelled at once, and a shimmering aura like a heat haze leaked from his entire
body.
An old man of unknown
identity and purpose. Although he looked like a kind, old gentleman, Jihad knew
from personal experience that his abilities were by no means to be trifled
with.
But Zonne had
considerable information not only about Abyss Grief but also about Nozomu
Bountis.
That's why Jihad
intended to get the story out of Zonne no matter what.
Perhaps sensing
Jihad's dangerous atmosphere, Zonne's childlike smile from before disappeared.
"The situation
has changed. I thought I'd tell you a little about myself."
Hearing those words,
Jihad's eyes widened in surprise.
After Nozomu and Ken
had fallen, Zonne had disappeared in an instant. Of course, Jihad had also
searched the city, but not only was there no tail, but not even a footprint of
Zonne could be found.
That's why he never
thought that the old man would contact him himself.
"...This is
unexpected."
"Hmm?"
"You were
constantly concerned about Nozomu-kun at that time. The reason is not clear,
but I can imagine it has something to do with that alien power of his. I
thought that if you were to talk, it would be to Nozomu-kun..."
Jihad also sat down on
the sofa. They were now facing each other head-on.
"Well, it's true
that I have business with that brat. One of my objectives is to watch over the
future of that brat and 'the one' sealed within him."
An answer he had
somewhat predicted. Jihad did not reply and waited for Zonne's next words.
"But that also
depends on the brat, you see..."
Facing each other
head-on, their gazes clashed.
For a while, a silence
flowed between the two, but it was Jihad who broke it and opened his mouth.
"This is just my
guess... but the reason you contacted me is because it has become difficult to
achieve your objective... is that it?"
"...What makes
you think so?"
"Why you
contacted me... If your objective is to watch over Nozomu Bountis, it would be
better to contact Ms. Anri. She understands him better than I do."
Zonne frowned slightly
at Jihad's words, but Jihad continued without a pause.
"But you
contacted me. Probably... you're acting alone. Are you not part of an
organization? I don't know if you're in a situation where you can't receive aid
from an organization, though..."
Zonne remained silent
and listened to Jihad's words with a mask-like expression.
His poker face was so
good that not even an eyebrow twitched, but that expression itself indicated
that Jihad's words were not far from the mark.
"I don't know the
reason, but you want to monitor Nozomu Bountis, but you can't carelessly make
collaborators in this city. The reason you contacted me is because I hold a
major position in this academy. Am I wrong?"
As if in surrender,
Zonne let out a deep sigh and scratched his head.
The sight of him pouting
like a sulking child was so disarming that it was hard to believe he was the
person who had cornered Jihad.
"...I can't give
you all the information. But I absolutely cannot leave that brat alone. He
showed the potential to become a key to the future of not only this city but
this continent at that time. Therefore, I thought I would tell you everything I
can. But..."
"...!?"
With those words as a
trigger, Zonne's atmosphere changed completely.
The tired, listless
air disappeared in an instant, and in its place, a killing intent reminiscent
of a polar blizzard was slammed into Jihad.
Like a frog being
stared at by a snake, Jihad's entire body froze as if it had been turned to
ice.
"If you hear
this, you won't be able to escape. I absolutely will not let you! If it comes
to it, I will not hesitate to turn this entire city to ash! Of course, along
with that brat..."
The Abyss Grief from
that time... no, an ultra-dense killing intent that he had never felt even
during the great invasion.
The figure of a
seemingly unreliable old man looked like a giant monster he had never seen
before to Jihad's eyes.
"...Still, do you
want to hear my story?"
Zonne's words were
like a final confirmation.
If he heard this,
there would undoubtedly be no turning back. The moment he took a step forward,
the ground behind Jihad would undoubtedly turn into a cliff.
But there was probably
no other opportunity to hear the story from this old man.
This office was now,
indeed, a battlefield. A moment's judgment would decide the future.
In the skin-freezing
tension, countless thoughts raced through Jihad's mind in an instant. He had
already made up his mind. What he had to do was to protect this place.
A moment of silence.
But the frozen time began to move with Jihad's words.
"...Let me hear
it. Your story..."
Zonne, who gave a
small nod at those words, slowly opened his mouth.
***
In her blurred vision,
someone was facing off against someone else.
Two men dressed in
white. One held a katana in his left hand, his hand on its hilt.
The other was a
blond-haired young man with his reddish-black right arm raised. His half-body
was transformed into a monstrous form unlike a human's, and a black mist like a
miasma was emitting from his body.
A piercing tension
drifted in the surroundings. The space, dominated by a feeling that tightened
the chest, was reminiscent of a water bag about to burst.
The tension continued
to rise. If you forcibly pour water into a water bag that has been filled to
its limit, it will eventually be unable to withstand the pressure and burst.
And that moment
arrived.
The monstrous young
man charged straight at the man with the katana.
The young man with the
katana did not move. He stood still, not moving an inch.
But the next moment, a
shining five-colored light danced before his eyes.
A violently brilliant
light. The two young men crossed paths. Illuminated by that light, her blurred
vision slowly lost its color.
"Nn..."
A medical facility
established within the Gloaurum Institute. In a room completely isolated from
the outside, Lisa woke up.
The first thing that
jumped into her eyes was a pure white ceiling. The room, built of stone, had no
windows and was furnished with nothing but medical equipment.
A magic lamp shone
from the ceiling, but the unwavering white light made the simple room feel even
more bland.
"Lisa, you're
awake..."
Lisa turned her face
at the voice calling her name, and her best friend Camilla was standing next to
the bed.
"Camilla... Where
am I?"
"This is the
academy... or rather, a medical facility within the Gloaurum Institute. We were
transported here after that incident."
Perhaps not even
understanding why she was lying in bed, Lisa just tilted her head at Camilla's
words.
"You don't
remember? You know..."
"...Ah."
Prompted by Camilla,
Lisa finally remembered what had happened to her. At the same time, her face
turned pale in an instant.
The truth she was
confronted with. The reality that she was the one who had betrayed him, that
she was the one who had been hurting Nozomu all this time, weighed heavily on
Lisa's heart.
Just how much had she
hurt him? Why had she done such a selfish thing?
She had done something
that deserved to be abandoned. Such regret and repentance began to stain Lisa's
thoughts black.
Still, Nozomu had saved
Lisa. Lisa vaguely remembered Nozomu's appearance at that time.
The face of Nozomu,
who was looking down at her with a wounded, battered appearance, came to mind.
The wounds carved into
Nozomu's body from the continuous battles. The scars, vividly red on his pure
white uniform, must have been numerous.
The wounds might not
have been deep, but they were by no means a number that could be ignored. At
worst, he could have been in a dangerous state from excessive bleeding.
The moment she
realized that, Lisa hurriedly threw off the sheet that was covering her body.
"...Where's
Nozomu!?"
"He's in the next
room, but... calm down a bit!"
Camilla held down
Lisa, who was trying to get up from the bed as if she had been shot.
Lisa's body was still
weak, and Camilla had been strictly forbidden by the attending physician from
letting her leave the room.
"You can't get
up! Your body hasn't healed yet!"
"But...!"
It was true that
Lisa's body felt heavy, and her thoughts were hazy and disorganized. But she
couldn't just lie still.
Even when held down by
Camilla, Lisa tried to get up. As if to persuade her, Camilla looked at Lisa
straight on, as if pleading.
Perhaps regaining some
of her composure from that gaze, the strength in Camilla's arms slackened.
"Nozomu hasn't
woken up yet. From what I heard, he collapsed from losing a bit too much blood
and overusing his ki. Well, I don't think that's all there is to it, though..."
Camilla's meaningful
words. The scene from the dream she had just been seeing came to Lisa's mind.
No, it wasn't a dream.
That scene was undoubtedly real.
"That light
coming from Nozomu's body... What was that?"
"Lisa, you saw
it? I thought you were unconscious..."
Was it the effect of their
souls being connected in the Predation Barrier? It seemed she had been reliving
that scene in the form of a dream.
The conclusion of that
battle. She understood that clearly now too. The drawn blade of Nozomu had cut
off Ken's right arm, and the overflowing torrent of power had erased the
monstrous lump of flesh without a trace.
"Camilla... what
about Ken?"
"Ken is..."
Camilla fell silent.
To be honest, Camilla
didn't know what had happened to Ken either. She had only been told that he had
been admitted to the same facility when she asked Jihad and the others.
But he had been
invaded by Abyss Grief and had suffered such a deep wound. It was doubtful if
he could even live a normal life.
Before that,
observation of the effects of that demonic beast was absolutely necessary. He
was undoubtedly under strict surveillance.
"...In this case,
since that demonic beast was attached to Jibin-san when he was injured, I think
both you and Nozomu will be under observation for a while. But I think they'll
let you out after some time has passed."
Camilla stood up and
headed for the hospital room door.
"Lisa, you lie
down. I'll go call the doctor now."
As Camilla disappeared
beyond the door, Lisa slowly sat up.
Her body, which had
been lying down for a long time, had stiff joints that were creaking in
protest.
Lisa got out of bed,
put her ear to the door, and listened to the situation outside.
Camilla's footsteps
were getting farther away. When she slowly opened the door and peeked into the
hallway, she saw Camilla's back at the end of the hallway.
The hallway was a
single straight path, with a dead end on one side, and only one entrance/exit.
And at the end of the hallway was the figure of a military police officer in
armor.
It was probably an
isolated hospital room. There were no window-like things in the hallway or the
room.
Lisa slipped out into
the hallway so as not to be noticed by the military police officer whose back
was turned to her, and slipped into the next hospital room.
A barren hospital room
illuminated by a magic lamp. On the bed placed there, a young man was lying.
"Nozomu..."
Nozomu's name leaked
from Lisa's mouth. She slowly walked over to the side of Nozomu, who was lying
in bed.
His chest was rising
and falling rhythmically. It seemed his condition was stable.
But Nozomu's body,
dressed in white clothes, was wrapped in bandages here and there.
Perhaps he had a
slight fever from his wounds. A wet towel was placed on Nozomu's forehead, and
a basin filled with water was placed beside him.
"Does he still
have a fever? ...!"
Lisa's hand naturally
reached out. But when her eyes turned to the bandages wrapped around Nozomu's
body, she reflexively stopped her outstretched hand.
Upon closer
inspection, there were still red stains on the gauze and bandages on his cheek.
His metabolism must
have slowed down due to the exhaustion of his ki. His wounds had not yet fully
closed.
At the painful sight,
Lisa's lips twisted.
It was her fault that
he had suffered such terrible wounds.
And that wasn't all.
The wounds she had inflicted on Nozomu until now were probably nothing compared
to this.
The traitor was not
Nozomu, but her. Regret and guilt swirled in the depths of her chest with
increasing intensity.
Before she knew it,
she was biting her lip hard. Her outstretched hand was now tightly clenched at
her chest, trembling.
She was not allowed to
be by his side. Touching him was out of the question.
I'm sorry for
running away. I'm sorry for not noticing...
Just as such thoughts
were about to envelop Lisa's heart, Nozomu's words crossed her mind.
I said it was
for your sake, but I just ran away into training and didn't try to face you. I
thought that if I kept training seriously, you would someday think that those
rumors were wrong.
It's a stupid
story, isn't it? There's no way you would look at me when I ran away and didn't
try to face you...
The words he had
directed at Lisa when they had met by chance on the way back to the dormitory
before.
He knew better than
anyone who the traitor was, yet he had not hurled insults at her.
What was directed at
Lisa were only words that thought of her future.
Nozomu must have been
driven by a burning anger as well. He must have had his own conflicts. They
must have been incomparable to hers. Because he had been unjustly blamed and
demeaned all this time.
Still, he had come to
save Lisa, who had betrayed him. Even if it meant getting battered.
She remembered when
Nozomu had saved her.
Captured by Ken, who
had become one with the black beast, and subjected to countless accusations.
Just a coldness and
loneliness that enveloped her entire body. And from the guilt of having hurt
Nozomu, Lisa had closed her heart. It was the only thing she could do.
Her consciousness was
hazy from the coldness that covered her entire body, and most of her senses
were paralyzed.
But still, she could
clearly remember the face and the feel of the arms of Nozomu, who had held her
up.
The face of Nozomu,
who was looking down at her with concern. Although he looked deeply fatigued,
there was no hatred in his expression, only a color of relief at having been
able to save her.
The warmth of Nozomu she
had felt through his tattered clothes. The heat of Nozomu that had flowed in
from the place he had touched, as if water were seeping into the desert, she
could still remember clearly.
Thanks to that warmth,
Lisa's heart had not frozen.
But...
"What should I
do..."
While placing her hand
on the upper arm that Nozomu had touched, Lisa hung her head limply. They had
been passing each other by for far too long.
Guilt and regret were
still aching in the depths of Lisa's chest. She even hesitated to touch Nozomu's
body.
But amidst that guilt
and regret, a conflicting warmth was also flickering in the depths of her
chest.
Bound by her
intricately intertwined feelings, all Lisa could do was gaze at his face.
"Ah..."
At that moment, Lisa's
eyes were drawn to the towel placed on Nozomu's forehead. Perhaps some time had
passed, as it was completely dry.
"The towel is
dry. I have to wet it... B-But..."
To wet the towel, she
naturally had to take the towel that was on Nozomu's forehead.
At that time, she
might touch Nozomu's skin.
Lisa reached out to
take the towel, but from her guilt and shame towards Nozomu, she immediately
pulled it back.
Reaching out and
pulling back, pulling back and reaching out.
After repeating this
several times, she murmured "I'm sorry" in her heart, timidly reached
out, and finally managed to take the dry towel.
And she dipped the dry
towel in the water of the basin placed next to the bed. But the water in the
basin, perhaps also having been there for quite some time, had become quite
warm.
"Looks like I
have to change the water too..."
Lisa took the water
basin and left Nozomu's room.
She ran down the
hallway at a trot, trying to find a place to get water. But at that moment, she
saw several figures at the end of the hallway.
"Hey, you there!
What are you doing!?"
"Eh!?"
At the sudden loud
voice, Lisa couldn't help but flinch.
The figures at the end
of the hallway strode towards Lisa with their shoulders squared in anger.
"Why are you out
of bed!? You're a patient, so lie down quietly!"
The one with her
eyebrows raised was a woman in a white coat. It seemed she was in charge of
Lisa's treatment. Behind the female doctor were Camilla and Norn-sensei.
"Eh, but Nozomu's
towel..."
"Come on! You're
coming back!"
The female doctor,
with somewhat nervous eyes raised, snatched the water basin that Lisa was
holding.
Lisa, who had been
taken in by Abyss Grief once, was now a subject for observation.
She had undergone a
thorough examination, and Shina, who could sense the presence of Abyss Grief,
had also checked her. As a result, it was confirmed that no remnants of Abyss
Grief remained.
But still, due to the
matter with Jibin, it was troublesome for her to be moving around carelessly
now.
Therefore, the female
doctor intended to return Lisa to her hospital room, even if it meant being a
bit forceful. But at the doctor's peremptory action, Lisa also couldn't help
but put strength into her hand that was gripping the water basin.
"...Let go."
"B-But. Nozomu's
towel..."
"I'll take care
of it! Leave it to me and go back to your room!"
Two women in the
middle of the hallway, snatching a basin and fighting over it.
The female doctor,
trying to persuade her with a strong tone, and Lisa, who, while cowering,
refused to let go of the basin. A strange life-or-death struggle was unfolding.
"Muuuuh..."
"Kuuuh..."
Perhaps having reached
a point where neither could back down, the two who were fighting over the basin
glared at each other face to face.
"What should we
do..."
"It can't be
helped. Shall we intervene a little?"
Camilla, sighing,
asked Norn for help.
"You two,
Nozomu-kun hasn't woken up yet, so be quiet..."
Norn also entered to
mediate between the two with an exasperated look. But at that moment, Lisa, who
had heard Nozomu's name, accidentally loosened the strength in her hand.
When one of two
balanced forces suddenly disappears, the result is obvious.
"" Ah... ""
The dazed voices of Norn
and Camilla echoed in the hallway.
The female doctor fell
backward with great force, and the contents of the basin, following inertia,
flew through the air. The contents, which had spread out like an umbrella,
rained down on the two below according to gravity.
A second later, along
with the sound of splashing water, a cute scream echoed throughout the hallway.
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