Volume 7
Chapter 4
How should one describe the scene that spread before his eyes?
With a dazed face,
Nozomu was captivated by the strange scenery that spread before him.
"Where... am
I?"
A grassland painted in
a single color of darkness, stretching as far as the eye could see.
Leafless trees with
only branches grew here and there, but the breath of life was almost completely
absent.
The trees stood like
towering deadwood. Upon closer inspection, the grass at his feet also looked
different somehow.
When he tried stepping
on the grass at his feet, it shattered like glasswork with a crisp sound.
"What is this?
It's not even a plant, is it? It's like it's artificial..."
Nozomu raised his face
and looked at the sky.
Despite the cloudless
sky, not a single star could be seen.
However, in the sky,
which was dyed the same black as the ground, five enormous moons shone
brilliantly.
Moons dyed in five
colors: red, blue, green, brown, and black. Only the rainbow-like moonlight
illuminated the dark grassland.
"No matter how I
think about it, this isn't Arcazam. I wonder where this is..."
Nozomu spoke to
himself while looking at the eerie scenery.
He remembered fighting
Ken, but his memory was blank after that.
He probably lost
consciousness, but he was at a loss in front of a scene that was clearly not
real.
When he raised his
face and looked into the distance, he saw that the other side of the horizon
was glowing red.
"A fire...? But
isn't it too widespread?"
A crimson flame
shining brilliantly in the far distance.
Even considering that
it was on the other side of the horizon, its scale was probably too large to be
a mere blaze.
"Come to think of
it, where is everyone..."
Remembering his
comrades, Nozomu looked around.
But again, no signs of
life could be seen in the jet-black wasteland that continued to the horizon.
Despite the vast
space, there was no wind, and only an eerie silence dominated the area.
"No one's here...
There's no sign of any animals around either..."
A stopped world, where
nothing moved.
Realizing he had been
thrown into a creepy world, Nozomu's entire body shivered.
"...There's no
point in just standing here, is there?"
With no destination in
mind and no idea how to break the current situation, Nozomu decided to head for
the crimson light shining beyond the horizon for the time being.
It was also because it
was the most conspicuous target.
While listening to the
sound of the grass shattering under his feet, Nozomu walked on.
"Hmm? What's
that?"
After walking for a
while, a strange structure jumped into Nozomu's view.
And it wasn't just
one. When he looked around carefully, he could see objects towering in various
places in the wasteland.
Nozomu approached one
of them.
"Is this a gate?
But it's clearly suspicious."
An object made of
black stone assembled in an arch shape. Stems and grass were growing here and
there, so the overall picture was not clear, but its shape clearly looked like
some kind of gate.
Upon closer
inspection, there was a faintly shining curtain of light in the mouth of the
gate.
However, there was
nothing beyond it. Only the wasteland he had been walking through spread out.
Originally, a gate is
an entrance to enter a structure surrounded by walls, but there were no other
structures, no walls, nothing.
The other gates also
had no other structures and were built as if they had been cut out and placed
there.
"So many... What
in the world is this?"
While feeling an
indescribable eeriness from the numerous gates that stood like gravestones,
Nozomu approached the jet-black gate even closer.
"For now, let's
see what happens."
Grabbing a stone at
his feet, Nozomu tried throwing it into the mouth of the gate.
But the thrown stone
passed right through the mouth of the gate and fell into the grass on the other
side with a thud.
The curtain of light
showed no change and was emitting a faint light.
"No reaction. I
guess I have no choice but to touch it..."
Nozomu walked to the
mouth of the gate and reached out his hand.
But was it safe to
touch this gate, which was a suspicious object no matter how one looked at it?
A slight hesitation
crossed Nozomu's mind.
But it was also a fact
that there was no point in thinking about it here.
Nozomu had no idea
what kind of situation he was in now, or even about this place.
"Oh, whatever!
There's no point in thinking about it!"
While saying words
that could be taken as a kind of resignation, Nozomu touched the curtain of
light.
The next moment, an intense
flash of light ran through.
"Uwah!
Wh-What!?"
At the same time,
Nozomu's hand was pulled with a strong force.
"Hey, so it was a
trap after all?! Damn it, it won't let go!"
Trying to resist the
intense force, Nozomu hurriedly braced his feet.
But alas, more than
half of Nozomu's arm had already been swallowed.
"Uwaaaah!!"
Unexpectedly, with no
way to resist the strong force, Nozomu's body was swallowed by the curtain of
light, and his scream echoed through the deserted wasteland.
***
During lunchtime, the
cheerful chatter of students could be heard from all over the academy.
Jihad was clearing up
the large amount of documents on his desk while listening to the voices of the
students coming from a distance.
"Excuse me."
Along with the sound
of a knock, Inda, holding a stack of documents, entered the office.
"Jihad-sensei.
Regarding the agenda for the council meeting you will be attending
tomorrow..."
"Inda-joshi, just
a moment..."
He temporarily moved
the scattered documents on his desk to the side and faced her.
"Alright. So,
what did the council say?"
"Yes. It seems
there is an additional agenda item besides the scheduled ones. The content is
about the academy's response after the recent incident... I think the various
countries will take a strict stance."
"As I
thought..."
The recent incident
caused by Ken was still causing ripples.
"Yes. As
expected, the fact that an insider came from within our ranks, and that we were
not fully aware of the students' abilities..."
"Well, I thought
it would come to that. Although it's true that many manifested abilities can't
be identified unless they are used, it's probably just an excuse."
Although it was common
for various problems to arise within the academy, this time the matter had
become too big.
Originally, many
abilities could not be identified as having manifested unless they were used.
Ken's Water Mirror's
Heart Mask, Lisa's Nivea's Demonic Hand, Irisdina's Instant Deployment,
Nozomu's Ability Suppression, many of them were things that couldn't be
understood just by looking at their appearance.
Of course, there were
abilities that manifested in external changes, but the research on this power
had only just begun and was still shrouded in many mysteries.
The patterns of
ability manifestation and the feelings of the manifester at that time also
varied widely; in some cases, another self would appear in one's mind and talk
to them, while in other cases, the method of use would suddenly come to mind.
There were also cases
where the power of magic suddenly increased after trying to use it one day.
Incidentally, in
Nozomu's case, he had noticed it because the effect of his ki techniques had
suddenly decreased...
The literature on
abilities passed down in various parts of the continent was also diverse; some
described it as a blessing from the gods, some as a curse on the family, some
as the merits and demerits of a past life, the date of birth, or having a
secret in the local food, and it was far too varied.
There were even regions
where a culture of cannibalism remained, with the belief that if a child ate
the flesh of a relative, the child would inherit the parent's power.
In any case, the
current situation in Arcazam was that the research on abilities had not kept up
with the real problems.
"However, they
won't just back down if we say we can't identify them. They'll probably want to
hear about the progress of the countermeasures."
But he couldn't just
say that they couldn't take countermeasures.
If he showed weakness,
this academy would be devoured in an instant by the beast-like powerful
figures.
The academy still had
its problems, but he couldn't just abandon it.
That's why he had to
take all possible measures and implement as many countermeasures as he could.
If you leave a hole in
the bottom of a ship, the ship will surely sink. He had to reduce the flooding
as much as possible and buy time until the breach could be sealed.
"The
countermeasures regarding the Water Mirror's Heart Mask are complete. We have
layered magic barriers to cover the inside of the academy and have also placed
similar barriers at the gates that serve as the entrance to the city.
It has almost no
effect on the human body, but if someone tries to enter the city while using
the Water Mirror's Heart Mask, their true identity will be immediately
exposed."
"But it's not
perfect. If they transform inside the city, they can still hide their identity
at the time of the crime."
"Yes, unlike
inside the academy, it is impossible to set up a barrier throughout the city.
We have made sure to thoroughly inform the military police about the Water
Mirror's Heart Mask and the countermeasures, but..."
Fortunately, since the
Water Mirror's Heart Mask requires delicate control, a certain degree of
countermeasures can be taken if it is known that it might be used.
If you apply magic
power to a suspicious person, the ability will be naturally dispelled, and
their true identity will be revealed.
"It's difficult
to detect the use of the Water Mirror's Heart Mask within the city. But the
higher-ups will probably demand more than that."
However, it was almost
impossible to detect the use of an ability in a city where many people come and
go.
Even with
countermeasures, there were still many holes.
"Yes... And there's
also the matter of the spies of external forces who have already infiltrated
this city. The handling of that matter is..."
Furthermore, there
were still existences that had been active behind the scenes in the recent
incident. The ones who had manipulated the members of the academy's
intelligence agency, "Starlight."
After that incident,
Jihad and Inda's team had been forced to conduct a thorough internal
investigation of the academy staff, including Starlight.
Thanks to that, they
were able to almost completely eliminate the subversive elements within the
academy organization, but this problem was still one of the headaches for Inda
and the others.
They had a rough idea
of who was pulling the strings from behind, but their opponent was a well-known
person who served an influential figure of a country. A careless response
would, in turn, tighten the noose around their own necks.
Especially now, it was
a delicate time.
Currently, about half
of the council members were continuing to denounce Jihad and the others.
Although some council
members had put down their spears after they had given all the information
regarding Abyss Grief to each country in this incident, those council members
were also just watching the situation for now.
Jihad closed his eyes
and fell into thought for a moment.
"Well, I had been
thinking that I would have to solve the problems related to that sooner or
later. I wonder if I'll make it just in time..."
"Jihad-sensei...?"
Inda tilted her head
at his strange remark.
Before Inda could ask,
Jihad's eyes opened wide, and he directed a strong gaze at her.
"By the way,
about Nozomu-kun... hmm?"
The moment he
mentioned Nozomu's name, Jihad noticed that the depths of her eyes were
wavering slightly.
"Are you
concerned? About Nozomu-kun..."
"What do you
mean...?"
Although Inda seemed
to be answering calmly, a clear look of agitation could be seen in her eyes.
Jihad stared intently
at Inda, who fell silent at his question.
Jihad's silent
pressure was directed at Inda. She bit her lip tightly as if to endure
something.
"It would be a
lie to say I'm not concerned. To be honest, he made me confront my own
pettiness and baseness..."
"Is that about
your past self?"
"Yes... it
is."
Regarding Nozomu's
evaluation, Inda had been influenced by Ken's rumors and had held a low opinion
of Nozomu's character.
However, in the recent
mock battle with Jihad, and the sight of Nozomu trying to save Lisa at the risk
of his own life, that preconception had been shattered to pieces.
She was originally a
serious person, so once something was imprinted on her, she was the type who
found it difficult to escape from that preconception.
And at the same time,
she was also the type of person who could not forgive her own mistakes.
"Honestly, I
don't know how to face him even if he wakes up... And what I've done is not
befitting of a teacher..."
With a sense of
emptiness, Inda cast her eyes down.
She had probably been
trying desperately to hide it in front of the students and other faculty
members, but it seemed she was actually quite depressed.
"I can understand
your feelings. In a sense, both you and I are people whose preconceptions have
been shattered."
Originally, she had a
strong sense of responsibility, and because she simply wanted to protect her
students, she had tried to shut out Nozomu, who was said to be the worst kind
of person.
She had been
confronted with the fact that it was a complete misunderstanding, but because
her character was serious and puritanical, she just couldn't forgive her own
mistake.
This type of person,
once they fall into a slump, continues to blame themselves and falls into an
endless negative spiral.
In fact, she seemed to
be in such a state, as she kept her eyes downcast.
"It is difficult
for all people to be equally neutral, moderate, and make correct judgments.
There are always preconceptions and one's own common sense.
And as a teacher's
stance, your way of doing things is not necessarily wrong."
Originally, Inda was
the type of teacher who gave her students strict assignments, and students who
couldn't keep up were mercilessly failed.
If you were to ask if
that way was necessarily wrong, it wasn't. Because education cannot be
established without being strict where it needs to be.
And no matter how
carefully you teach, the classes and assignments at Solminati Academy are
tough. In that process, there will inevitably be people who can't keep up.
When there were such
students, Inda would properly show them another path.
She had suggested to
students who were falling behind in their classes that they try working in
their hometown's vigilante corps, and she had also talked about helping with
their family's pharmacy using their knowledge from the academy.
But among them, there
were also students who were hopelessly rough in temperament and didn't think
about others.
Inda had taken a firm
stance towards such individuals.
But she had also come
to believe that Nozomu was a sinister and untrustworthy person.
That's why she was now
being tormented by the fact that she had "branded a good person as a sinister
one and tried to exclude them."
"To be honest, it
is often the case that we have to exclude hopeless students. Otherwise, the
system of expulsion would not exist in the first place.
It may only be a
comfort, but there is no one who does not make mistakes."
"Yes..."
There was no strength
in her reply to Jihad's words either.
Even though she knew,
she probably couldn't stop blaming herself.
"But what is
important for a person is what they do after they realize their mistake.
Whether they just sit and watch, or whether they face that mistake themselves.
You, at least, are not
the type of person who can just sit and watch, are you?"
"..."
In fact, since that
incident had occurred, she had been working almost without sleep.
Her guilt towards
Nozomu and her anger at herself had just kept her going.
She grasped the
movements of each country for Jihad, who had to be busy, collected and analyzed
a vast amount of documents, and conveyed accurate information.
Furthermore, while
processing the administrative work at the academy, she had also been carrying
out her duties as a homeroom teacher without neglect.
She herself had almost
no memory of sleeping in her own bed for the past two weeks.
It was clearly
overwork. In fact, the dark circles under her eyes were quite bad, and Inda had
been covering them up with quite a bit of makeup.
"Inda-joshi, you
can skip your afternoon classes. After this report is finished, go home and
rest for today."
"B-But...!"
Inda argued against
Jihad's words.
She was not the type
of person who could so easily change her feelings.
Still, she understood
what she had to do now.
This was a time when
they could not show any weakness to the outside. That's why she had continued
to carry out her duties to an excessive degree.
"Indeed, for now,
we have no choice but to continue doing what we can. The debt of our past
negligence and immaturity. We cannot push it onto the students any further.
But it's out of the
question if the teachers themselves can't manage themselves. You are clearly
too exhausted right now."
But that was a
different story if it caused trouble for others.
As the person in
charge here, he could not permit her to continue her duties in her current
state. For her own sake, and for the sake of those around her.
"And it would be
bad if you're not at your best tonight."
Jihad opened a desk
drawer, took out a bundle of documents, and handed them to Inda.
While wondering what
it was, Inda ran her eyes over the documents, and her pupils were dyed with
astonishment.
"J-Jihad-sensei.
Wh-Where did you get this information..."
What was written on
the documents was one of the pieces of information that Inda was currently
searching for desperately.
To Inda, who was
asking with wide eyes and a trembling voice, he answered by placing his index
finger on his lips.
He probably meant,
"Don't ask."
A particularly strong
gaze pierced Inda's body. Overwhelmed by the silent pressure, Inda could say
nothing more and fell silent, holding her breath.
"Let's continue. How’s
Nozomu-kun's condition?"
"...He is still
in a stable condition. His body is healthy, but there is still no sign of him
waking up. What shall we do?"
"Keep the
information about him under wraps. If they learn his secret, there is no doubt
that the various countries will become noisy, demanding that he be handed over.
Especially at this time."
The two of them had
learned that Nozomu Bountis was a dragonslayer, but to be honest, they were at
a loss as to what to do with this fact.
As Jihad said, his
existence could certainly be a powerful hand, but at the same time, it was a
double-edged sword.
Nozomu's existence was
certainly powerful.
Although they had not
confirmed the full extent of his abilities, the abnormal power that had erupted
from his body when he settled the score with Ken Notice had an intimidating
pressure that could freeze even Jihad's spine.
But what Jihad valued
most about Nozomu was his self-control in not brandishing that power
carelessly.
He had heard the
circumstances of how he had become a dragonslayer and his life since coming to
this academy from Irisdina and the others, and Anri.
Jihad could not fathom
what kind of feelings he had gone through during those two years.
He too must have been
tormented by conflict.
Just how much were the
anger and resentment that swirled in the depths of his heart? It probably
couldn't be expressed with a simple word like "I understand."
Jihad had witnessed
many times people who had changed so much they seemed like different people the
moment they obtained power.
But despite being
treated so horribly, Nozomu had not tried to brandish the dragon's power he had
taken in for the sake of revenge.
That alone was enough.
That fact expressed the person known as Nozomu more than anything else.
"In any case, I
will handle all information regarding Nozomu Bountis."
"He stood out
quite a bit in the mock battle at the Martial Arts Garden the other day. What
will you do if you are questioned about this matter?"
"I will not leak
the fact that he is a dragonslayer to the outside at all, and I will explain it
by mixing limited information and deception. If they are persistent, you may
use my name. I will take all responsibility in case of an emergency."
Then, what he could do
was to prevent any unnecessary pests from approaching him. At least, until he
could stand on his own.
An existence that
Zonne was most concerned about.
That old man had
threatened Jihad that if he made a mistake in his methods regarding Nozomu, he
would reduce this city to ashes.
Having been told that
face to face, and above all, knowing his "true identity," Jihad knew
very well that it was neither a lie nor a bluff.
If things were to flow
in the worst possible direction, this city would undoubtedly be annihilated.
"..."
"...What shall we
do about the academy's students?"
Jihad fell silent with
a heavy expression. As if to change the subject, Inda spoke up hesitantly.
"For the time being,
the further tightening of penalties for false reporting of abilities has
already been notified. It's only a temporary measure, but it's still better
than doing nothing.
A suspension from
school or a leave of absence, or in the worst case, expulsion. Depending on the
circumstances, we may have no choice but to tighten the penalties for other
violations as well."
Also, not only the
students but all the faculty members had been given a reprimand in the form of
a "salary cut" and a "warning."
As the matter was so
big, it was judged that the punishment of only a few staff members was
insufficient.
"Well then,
Inda-joshi. Based on the information I just showed you, we will conduct a rat
hunt tonight. I will make the preparations for Starlight. Until then, please
rest well."
"Y-Yes...
Understood."
While being
overwhelmed by his strong tone, Inda gave a small nod.
Jihad slowly stood up
from his seat and turned his gaze out the window.
The afternoon classes
were about to begin. Jihad glanced at the Martial Arts Garden visible from the
window and left the office.
***
In the training ground
after the day's classes had ended, a spirited voice echoed.
"Zeeeeeeei!"
Mars's raised
greatsword was swung down diagonally at the opponent before him.
"Kuh!? Jin, don't
take it head-on! If you take it carelessly, you'll be crushed!"
"I know! Hamuria,
support Deck!"
"O-Okay!"
While Tommy somehow
managed to deflect the trajectory of the greatsword that was closing in on his
body, Hamuria, who was waiting in the rear, began to chant.
Furthermore, Deck, who
had circled around to Mars's side, thrust his spear at his flank.
"Teyaaaaah!"
"Hmph!"
Mars, while holding
the swung-through greatsword with his right hand, used the gauntlet on his left
hand to flick Deck's spear away as if to send it flying up.
Furthermore, Mars sent
ki into the swung-through greatsword, gathered the surrounding wind, and swept
it away at once.
"Uwaaah!"
"Doaaaah!"
Although he didn't
have enough time to knead sufficient ki and couldn't clad it in a blade of
wind, the intense vortex of wind sent the bodies of Tommy and Deck flying
several meters.
"Got you!"
"I-I won't let
you!"
Mars tried to pursue
the two.
However, as if to say
she wouldn't let him, Hamuria's "Rushing Wind Mass" was launched at
Mars.
"Tch!"
Although its power was
far inferior to Irisdina and the others, its aim was accurately on Mars.
He had no choice but
to give up on pursuing the two, and after pouring ki into his greatsword, he
slammed it down at the wind mass that was approaching as if crawling on the
ground.
Hamuria's magic and
Mars's slash clashed, and the bursting air kicked up a cloud of dust around
them.
"...I see, so
this was the aim."
The kicked-up dust
made it almost impossible to see around. Mars, whose vision was blocked,
clicked his tongue.
"Jin's
strategy... or maybe it was Hamuria's."
Mars re-adjusted his
swept-out greatsword into a seigan-no-kamae
stance.
There were five
opponents. It wouldn't be strange to be attacked from any direction.
From the front, from
behind, or from all directions...
Moving only his gaze
and keeping his whole body moderately tense, Mars observed the opponents'
movements.
"!"
Suddenly, in the
corner of Mars's vision, the dust cloud moved.
He reflexively swung
the greatsword he had been holding.
However, Mars's sword
caught nothing and cut through empty air.
"Tch! Just the
wind?!"
"Teyaaaaah!"
A shadow covered Mars,
who had swung his greatsword.
When he looked up, he
saw the shadow of a female student leaping at him with the sun at her back.
"From
above?!"
The one who had leaped
at Mars from above was Cami, holding a dagger in each hand.
A surprise attack from
above, not from the front, back, or sides.
What Mars had just
swept away was just the wind that Jin had created with magic to divert his
attention.
Mars, whose
consciousness had been diverted to the side for a moment, was completely late
in his movements in the face of the unexpected surprise attack.
"Got you!"
"Too naive!"
But Mars wouldn't be
taken down so easily either. He slammed ki into his left hand and forcibly
blocked Cami's dagger with his gauntlet.
"Guuh!?"
"No way!?"
A blow with the weight
of a person behind it. An ordinary person would undoubtedly be pushed to the
ground even if it were blocked.
But Mars had blocked
Cami's dagger with just his left hand.
He sent ki into his
left hand, and a blade of wind began to cover his left hand.
"C-crap..."
"Zeeeeeeeyaaaaah!"
The wind mass fist
that had covered Mars's left hand exploded at once.
It sent Cami's body
flying, and Mars staggered from the recoil.
In that opening, Jin
and the others rushed at him with their weapons raised.
"Deck, circle
around from the side!"
"Alright!"
"Uooooh!"
"Chiii!"
Mars slammed ki into
his greatsword, and a wind blade instantly covered the blade.
Mars forcibly
suppressed his unsteady upper body, raised his ki without thinking about the
consequences, and swept his greatsword with one hand.
"Don't screw with
me!"
A single flash.
At the same time, a
blade of wind swept in front of Mars, and a fierce impact assaulted Jin and the
others.
"Kuuuuh!"
"Zuwaaaah!"
A blow that couldn't
gather enough momentum was insufficient to push back Jin and the others'
charge.
However, Jin and the
others couldn't ignore the swarm of wind blades that were rushing at them
either.
They temporarily gave
up their charge and leaped backward. The confrontation was reset.
"Damn, we
couldn't push through..."
"Hmm, we were so
close..."
Perhaps they had a
certain amount of confidence in their previous attack, as Deck and Cami were
biting their lips in frustration.
"Good grief, is
it just me? Don't you guys seem to be fighting a lot like Nozomu?"
"Maybe. The
surprise attack using the dust cloud was a strategy Nozomu-kun used in the special
comprehensive exercise, and we have to use whatever we can. Especially against
a superior opponent like you, Mars-kun."
"You've gotten
quite talkative yourself, haven't you..."
On the other hand,
Mars, who had fended off the attack, and Jin, who had come up with the
strategy, were exchanging lighthearted banter with smiles on their faces.
Even with smiles on
their lips, they did not avert their eyes from each other, and they were
concentrating all their nerves so as not to miss a single move.
Mars re-adjusted his
greatsword.
"Well then, shall
we continue? Of course, you can still go on, right?"
Mars directed a
provocative smile at Jin and the others.
As if in answer to
that provocation, Jin silently raised his right hand, and his comrades all lowered
their hips at once.
Next, with a sharp
explosive sound, Mars, clad in a tearing wind, leaped at Jin and the others.
Utilizing his abundant
ki and well-built physique, he had gone to crush Jin and the others head-on.
Not to be outdone by
the intimidating pressure he felt from the charging Mars, Jin forcefully swung
down his raised right hand.
At the same time, Deck
and Tommy leaped at Mars as the vanguard.
Furthermore, Jin and
Cami followed from behind the two, and Hamuria began to chant at the very rear.
The next moment, in
the crimson-dyed training ground, Mars and the five clashed again.
***
Tima and Feo were
watching the mock battle by their 10th-rank classmates from a corner
of the training ground.
To be precise, Feo had
wandered over to where Tima and Mars were helping Jin and the others with their
training.
So far, against the
single Mars, the five of them—Jin, Deck, Hamuria, Cami, and Tommy—were fighting
well without a single one falling.
In fact, since they
had formed a party in the special comprehensive exercise before, Mars and Jin's
group had started training together from time to time.
Now that Nozomu was
bedridden and Irisdina and Shina were busy with his nursing, the frequency of
their training with Jin's group had increased recently.
"Mars is really
going at it~~"
While sitting on a
bench at the side of the training ground, Feo was watching with great interest.
Mars had originally
come to Solminati Academy seeking strength, but his dedication to training
recently was quite something.
"Nozomu-kun is
sleeping, but we can't afford to neglect our training, and for now, it's easier
to just keep moving..."
Indeed, for now,
Nozomu was bedridden, and there was little Mars could do.
Knowing his short
temper, he must be quite impatient.
He was channeling
those aimless feelings into training like this.
"Hmm. Well, maybe
Mars also has his own thoughts about Nozomu~"
"But he's not
practicing desperately like he used to, you know? He's not using that
combination technique today either, he's just using his ki..."
As Tima said, there
was no sign of the impatience that Mars had when he was trying to catch up with
Nozomu before in his exchanges with Jin and the others.
He was sticking to his
own original style of overwhelming his opponents with his abundant ki and
physique, without forcibly using magic.
Furthermore, there
were even moments when he seemed to be enjoying the lighthearted banter with
Jin's group.
"I wonder if he's
not worried about Nozomu~"
"I-I thought so
too, but Mars-kun said, 'He'll probably wake up in a little while with a
cheerful face, right?'..."
"Hmm. I wonder if
he really thinks so, or if he's just putting on a brave face in his own way..."
"I wonder? I
think he's definitely worried about Nozomu-kun, though..."
There was no doubt
that Mars was worried about Nozomu. But Tima felt that his state was a little
different from Irisdina and the others.
"Where is Shina-san
now?"
"At Nozomu's
hospital room. The black-haired princess too?"
At the returned
question, Tima gave a small nod.
"So, how's
Irisdina-han doing?"
"She doesn't seem
to have changed much, but it looks like she's still forcing herself."
What Tima remembered
was the figure of her best friend, who had been silent throughout the class.
Her lips were tightly
sealed in a straight line, and she had been constantly looking outside.
Her gaze was directed
at the medical facility of the Gloaurum Institute. The place where he was sleeping.
"...I see. Shina
was also a bit out of it during class~. It was rare for her to be scolded by
the teacher."
According to Feo's
story, it seemed Irisdina wasn't the only one who was absent-minded.
According to the
story, Shina had also been called by the teacher several times during class but
hadn't responded at all, and had only noticed when she was hit on the head with
the attendance book.
"But even after
class ended, she left the classroom muttering something to herself. Mimuru
called out to her, but she didn't seem to notice~~.
Come to think of it, I
think her face was strangely red when she left the classroom..."
Remembering Shina's
suspicious behavior, Feo tilted his head.
After groaning for a
while, Feo let out a carefree voice, saying, "Oh well, whatever!",
and continued his questions to Tima.
This fox-tailed young
man, like Mars, also didn't seem to have any unnecessary burdens.
A silent trust. She
could sense such an atmosphere.
Was this what
friendship between men was like?
Tima once again turned
her eyes to Mars, who was continuing his mock battle.
"So, what does
the black-haired princess's best friend think about her unusual state?"
"...I-It seems
she can't get Nozomu-kun off her mind. And Lisa-san too."
Although it was rare
for Irisdina to not be paying attention in class, she would occasionally look
over at Lisa Hounds.
The other students
didn't seem to have noticed, but Tima had seen Irisdina narrow her eyes
slightly when her gaze turned that way.
It was also strange
that Irisdina didn't say anything about the malice directed at others.
Normally, with her straightforward personality, she felt that she would have
made some kind of admonishing remark.
"Hmm. It looks
like things are going to get complicated for the black-haired princess
too~"
"Y-Yeah..."
Perhaps Irisdina was
jealous of Lisa. That's what Tima had felt from watching her recently.
Nozomu and his
comrades had certainly been able to take a step forward as comrades when they
were attacked by the corpse dragon in the forest at that time, but Nozomu
himself had not specified what kind of relationship he wanted to have with her
from now on.
He just knew that he
couldn't stay as he was. If he continued to avert his eyes from the reality
before him, it would surely lead to something irreversible. Perhaps Nozomu was
being rushed by such feelings.
But what were the
feelings of Irisdina and Shina, who were watching him up close?
The years of anger and
resentment directed at him unfairly. What kind of mood were they in as they
watched him desperately stringing words together while suppressing that?
What if she were in
her best friend's position?
Tima tried to imagine
Mars talking to another woman in front of her.
He would take the hand
of another woman who was on the verge of tears, desperately trying to think of
words to say.
And she could only
watch from a distance...
"!"
It was by no means a
pleasant feeling. Just imagining it, she was tormented by a sense of emptiness,
as if a hole had opened up in her chest.
But Irisdina and the
others were being confronted with this scene in reality.
Since they had already
connected their hearts once, that sense of loss must be indescribable.
"I-I'll try
talking to Ai tomorrow. I think if she lets out what she's been suppressing, Ai
will feel a little better too..."
"Well, it might
not be a fundamental solution, but that might be better~. I'm counting on
you."
To Tima, who was
clenching her fists and making a small triumphant pose, Feo gave a wry smile.
Then, as if he had
remembered something, he put on a serious expression and pressed closer.
"By the way, did
you manage to talk properly with Mars this morning? You were completely in your
own world. I tried to be considerate, you know."
"Fue!?"
With a serious face,
Feo had suddenly taken the conversation in an outrageous direction. Tima
couldn't help but let out a small scream.
"This
morning" probably referred to the time when the flustered Tima and Mars
had created a barrier near the academy's main gate that would make people full
without using magic.
That sickly sweet
scene had given the people who passed by a severe case of heartburn and a
murderous intent first thing in the morning.
Remembering this
morning's events, Tima's face turned crimson.
An overly easy-to-read
reaction. There was no way the sharp-eyed Feo would miss it.
"Oh! From the
looks of it, something must have happened, right!? Could it be that you
confessed in the heat of the moment?!"
The peeping fox cut in
at once as if it were the perfect opportunity.
The worst part was
that Shina and the others, who could have stopped the rampaging Feo as they had
in the morning, were not here.
"Or was it a
kiss!? Don't tell me you went straight to a place other than the academy,
saying 'I want you~~'..."
As expected, the
rampaging Feo in the heat of the moment did not stop. Tima's face was already
past crimson and was bright red.
"Hoho~. I see, this
was a good sight! The sight of the Weaver of the Four Tones squirming with a
red face is worth 100 gold coins..."
However, the situation
was different from the morning.
At that time, there
was certainly no one who could stop Feo, but it was a bad idea to tease Tima
directly here.
"Eh, eeeeeeeh!
F-Fueeeeeee!"
"Eh?...
Fugya!"
The next moment, a
strong impact hit Feo's face.
An intense flash of
light ran through his vision, and he was slammed to the ground in an instant.
After that, Tima, out
of extreme embarrassment, ran away from the spot at full speed. Mars and the
others watched her departing figure with tilted heads.
"What are you
doing? You..."
"Fufu, this alone
is enough to fill me up for today..."
Mars, who hadn't heard
Feo and the others' exchange, tilted his head.
The sight of him
grinning with a huge blue bruise on his cheek, lying face down on the ground,
was frankly creepy.
To be honest, he
looked like the type of person you wouldn't want to talk to. The level of
creepiness was such that if you saw him on the street, you would immediately
avert your eyes and walk away.
"...I don't
really care, but your face right now looks like that pervy old geezer's."
"...Eh?"
"You're on the
same level as him. Well, I knew that already though."
"Bufuouu!?"
Mars's merciless words
finally finished Feo off.
Perhaps it was too
much of a shock, as something like a soul was even coming out of the mouth of
Feo, who had rolled his eyes back.
"Mars-kun... what
should we do?"
"...Leave
him."
Leaving the heartbroken
Feo behind, Mars walked away from the spot.
Jin and the others
also seemed to be at a loss as to what to do, but they probably thought it
would be bad to get involved. They left the spot with a sense of reluctance.
In the end, the
unconscious Feo was pitiably left as he was until he was found by a patrolman
at night.
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