Translator: Pink Tea Editor: JackOFallTrades
「Haa, So Leone was absent today as well.」
Without Leone, Shuria and I were on our way back from the academy.
The path that we usually are walking when the sun was already colored in deep red, we took today while the sun was still pretty high.
As I heard, some pretty famous internal students are going to do a mock battle, so lectures after midday were canceled.
Good grief, for us it is actually a great inconvenience.
Were it a week earlier, I could spend a day with Master before he went into the dungeon.
Really, what a useless academy.
「Yes, it seems that current negotiations are not going well, somehow they can’t come to terms. Today as well, saying『Did not meet!』 She is lying on the inn’s bed with a hangover. Making me take all those boring lessons but when it comes to herself it"s『today I can’t』don’t you think it"s unfair?」
Really annoying, don’t you think? Says angered Spinne.
「Well, in a way this one is more critical. Just by listening he gets like this.」
「Hogeeeー」
Looking at how dumbfounded Dan is at the moment, Xank lets out a sigh.
「Primary course seems to be tough as well… Shuria can barely follow. It’s on the level when I only keep up since I study together Minnalis after we get back.」
「Study? That is admirable, what exactly are you doing?」
「Basically we review lectures and prepare for the next one, with distributed textbooks and notes from… Oh?」
When I tried to take out mentioned notes from the handbag that I use when attending an academy, I notice that they are not there.
「I screwed up. They must be in the cla.s.sroom… Please, go ahead, I will catch up with you later. Shuria, make preparations to study.」
「Ah, Minnalis?!」
After I said my piece, I started to backtrack path that we walked.
Even if I am tired from everyday lectures, to forget something is good proof that I am way too carefree.
（…After coming to this town, I cannot get rid of unnecessary thoughts…）
Being with Leone and others keeps reminding me of the past.
Thanks to that, my skill『Social mask』shines quite a lot.
As expected I can’t really show my worried face to Leone and everyone else.
「…, Thank G.o.d, they are here after all.」
In the desk that I was sitting at during today’s lecture, I found what I was looking for.
It was when I relaxed and put those stacks of paper inside my bag and once again left the school building.
『Its because you keep idling around!』
『Ah, even if you won’t rush, there is no way Lucia-senpai would lose. 』
『Idiot, her opponent is a teammate that knows her every move. Even with Keril-senpai, it won’t be an easy win!』
「…., Eh?」
A boy and a girl that appeared like internal students and seemed to be in a rush.
Among the words that reached me, names stuck to my brain like glue.
What are those names?
『Hey, hurry up!! The match is going to end!』
『Wa, Waait!!』
（…No, there is, no way. Those two are in that village, in the northeast of Aurelia Kingdom.）
Gently like a b.u.t.terfly allured by flower, like a moth plunging into the fire.
As if swept by water, I was swept away by students running in front of me.
Driven by emotions that I cannot discern myself, I was walking along.
「…Why in such place…」
No, it’s different, it must be different, it should be about someone else.
The place at which I arrived was an arena for internal students that the academy possessed.
Compared to coliseum that us, students that could be called external, use for our live-practice of magic, this structure was a lot more s.p.a.cious and beautiful.
Stairs towards audience seating were dim and with exit was engulfed in bright light so I could not see anything in front of me.
A cold throbbing in my chest narrowed my vision.
「…………」
Cheers coming from ahead echoed in my ears.
It felt like stairs were getting steeper with every step that I took.
Like pa.s.sing through a twin membrane I climbed the last step and then…
Colors and sounds disappeared from the world.
『A, Amaziing, neither side budges even a bit!! As expected from the four that academy hails as the greatest geniuses in its history!! Pair contest of the team Square is a really close one!!』
Everything sounds so far and faint like I am underwater.
…And now, I found.
I found, I found, I found, I found, I found, I found, I found, I found, I found, I found, I found, I found, I found, I found, I found, I found, I found, I found, I found, I found, I found, I found, I found, I found, I found, I found, I found, I found, I found, I found, I found, I found, I found, I found, I found, I found, I found, I found, I found, I found, I found, I found, I found, I found, I found, I found, I found, I found, I found, I found, I found, I found, I found, I found, I found.
「Lucia…, Keril…」
You became higher, the face has more adults features, hair grew longer.
You matured so enthusiastically.
No matter how you change, there is no way I will not recognize you.
『Ha~, Ha~, This is the end! Haaaaaaa, h.e.l.l Flame Sword・Raging Blaze!!』
『Go Keril!! 『Force Up』,『Blessing of Fire Spirit』,『Medical・Body』!!』
They were there.
How many times I dreamed about it and now they were there.
『I won’t be beaten that easily! Spear of Blizzards・Tempest!!』
『I won’t lose either to Keril or Lucia!! 『Power Physical Change』,『Boosted Enchant』,『Calling・War Spirit』!!』
Two pairs clashing on the stadium.
Clouds of dust that risen like a smokescreen are hiding their figures, roaring sounds reverberate making the air quiver.
Soon clouds of dust have cleared up and revealed two men tattered from battle and two girls that were casting support magic until the limit, all covered in wounds.
『Haa, Haa, Kuuuuh, Raaaaah!!』
『Keril!!』
『Guuh, kuh, Gugu, OOooooo!! Kuh, Kuah.』
『Urgens!!』
Then two man that were facing each other stood up, but soon one of them unable to endure dropped to one knee.
『It’s over, the last pair standing is Keril and Lucia!!』
Ahh, just what is this.
『Kuh, I could not win, huh. As expected you are strong, Keril.』
『Hahaha, it is all thanks to Lucia. Because I have her, I can become stronger.』
『Ha ha ha, you show-off. Even though your voice can be heard over the whole venue.』
『Ah…』
I wonder what this might be.
『Eheheh, Thank you. It is the same for me, I could keep up because Keril was with me.』
『Haa, so we lost after all. That was good, Lucia.』
『You were amazing as well, Cattleya. I guess we won only due to mine and Keril’s power of love.』
『As expected from the lovey-dovey couple. I will definitely come to your wedding.』
『Yup, thank you!! We are so happy. Let’s get along from now on as well.』
What is this farce?
『Team Square, that was quite charming performance. The top team of our academy, I am told that even after graduation they are going to continue their activities by entering the army. Furthermore, at the end of the next month, Keril and Lucia are going to have a wedding ceremony. To the two that have such rosy future ahead – applaud!!』
『『『Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!!』』』
「Aa, Aaa, aAAAaa… AA… aAA, AaaA…」
The stage illuminated by sunlight and drowned in thunderous applause.
It was almost like snowscape without a single footprint, a fake.
False and dreary world on the other side of the looking-gla.s.s.
「Kuku, Kufufu, don’t f.u.c.k with me.」
What are you guys doing at such a place?
Why can you stay there?
「Please, don’t give me this c.r.a.p.」
I won’t forgive. I won’t permit something like that.
I won’t forgive I won’t forgive I won’t forgive I won’t forgive I won’t forgive I won’t forgive…
Such a thing should not be.
「…I am ought to break this all, ain"t I…?」
Like trash, like garbage, like vermin.
They should be trampled down, trampled upon and crushed to pieces.
「…………」
As through the magnifying gla.s.s, my mind that began turning ice cold catches a vivid image of smiling Kiril and Lucia.
Don’t smile, don’t smile, do not smile.
「Disgusting.」
Turning my back to that distant world, I walk away.
Gears that were stopped by a pebble that got caught between them, started forcibly spinning chipping those gears away.
Gears that lost their teeth loosen up, collide with each other and shoot off sparks.
「……」
All various things were『Disgusting』beyond measure.
Leaving the arena, I once again went towards the school in order to confirm suspicions that I didn’t want to say out loud.
However, I did not go to the building where we usually took lectures, but towards building for internal students where various doc.u.ment related work was done.
Because people were gathered at the arena, the school building was almost empty.
And yet there was a female staff member that just left the room, and it is a one that clearly is not used to rough scenes.
「Oh, that is a face I am not familiar with… Since you are a beast-kin it means you are an external student? Do you have some business here?」
A woman has hints of annoyance and despise showing on her face.
Being surrounded by adventurers that travel around various countries I don’t usually get that, but in this country of magic supremacists contempt for beast-kin that have a disadvantage in magic is very obvious.
I am already used to that.
So I don’t care about that anymore.
「Hii?! Guh, wha, What are you?!」
「Swallow it without raising your voice.」
「Mm, ugh, Uu, Nn… Guh」
Coiling around her neck I put a knife to it and make her swallow a usual truth serum.
Her eyes immediately started turning blank, and soon strength left her body.
「Please answer, cite names and origins of internal students that were having a mock battle today. 」
「Urgens Windea, Capital city. Cattleya Francois, Capital city. Keril, Kikitto village. Lucia, Kikitto Village.」
Kikitto village.
That is the name of that village.
「…Place of origin of Lucia and Keril, Kikitto village, where is it?」
My throat becomes parched.
They were saying that those two are internal students of this academy.
And internal students can only…
「Kikitto village located in the southwest of this town in a distance a horse can cover in five days. 」
…Be people from this country.
「…That’s enough, you can go. Also, you did not meet anyone here. Is that clear?」
「…Yes.」
Female staff member unsteadily walks away.
I enter an empty cla.s.sroom, close the door behind me and sink to the floor.
「Aa, Aa, aA…」
That village, Kikitto village is nearby.
It is not in the northeast part of Aurelia Kingdom.
Which means…
「I was betrayed again…」
The same as Lucia.
You told me lies and tricked me.
「Leone, you are…」
My enemy, right?