Seven Nights

Chapter 2 - Wield the fabled blade - Part 1

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Chapter 2 - Wield the fabled blade - Part 1

June 26, Tuesday.

"---- he"s born on 1856, to an Austrian Jewish family. He became a psychiatrist with the help of a neuro-pathologist ----"

As our ethics teacher Awashima-sensei explained in an disinterested voice, he writes the keyword on the blackboard with chalk. There are unfortunately few students who take notes seriously. Must be because ethics is one of our minor subjects ---. Here and there one can find students tragically down before the agreeable combination of "blue sky after the rain" and "air conditioning"s cool breeze".

"... ... ... ... ..."

Speaking about myself, I"m at my desk resting on my cheeks, my eyes absently looking at an opened book at the top of my desk. It is neither textbook, nor reference book, nor notebook. It is a console game guide book t.i.tled "Neverending Fantasy 13". On the opened pages are the profiles, status, visuals, etc. of a support character named "Battle Maiden Valkyrie".

"Valkyries", originally appearing in Norse mythology, are probably "demiG.o.ds" (not a traditional name), and are typically depicted as beautiful women wearing plumed helmets, body-fitting armor, a sword or a spear for a weapon, and a shield. Even the Valkyrie in this game is depicted as the same.

"Compared to this Valkyrie, that one"s subtly different ..."

That "woman" I met in the dream has a more fantastic appearance than the game valkyrie. Her "armor" revealed more skin than it should, her parts which should be protected were unprotected.

"... ... she"s pretty ..."

Nevertheless, I"m sure the woman who danced in the night was a battle G.o.ddess. Neither with her night-tearing spear, nor with her shining armor, nor with her sparkling eyes my heart was taken captive. Even with my eyes closed, I could recall my thoughts clearly. Her fluttering hair, her dignified voice, her beauty ---

"She", her back to the defeated dragon, danced down into the ground. I forgot myself as I looked at her (so was Akeno).

... ... as the corpse of the monster was enveloped in a faint, gloomy light. What happened just now? As Akeno and I looked on, the corpse unexpectedly became cl.u.s.ters of sparkles and floated up to the night sky. Before our eyes the behemoth disappeared, not even one trace remained. Only the spear remained in front of us; with its support lost it tumbled down the ground.

"She", graceful as ever, lightly picked up the rigid spear and turned to us. "She" walked to us, her hard footsteps resounding.

"... ... ... ..."

I felt Akeno"s wariness from her long breaths. It"s true "she" saved us from the dragon. But is it all right to judge "she"s our ally"? "Her" strength and even her clothes are too different from us, common sense is telling us.

... well, if it turns out "she" is our enemy, we have to resign to our fate. "She" can bring down a dragon easily. Even if not on the verge of death, we don"t have the guts to get away from her. I think Akeno has the same idea. With my head on her knees, she wouldn"t move.

"She" stood at my feet. With her spear at both of her hands, "she" slowly hoists her spear above. Akeno"s hand embraced my head even harder.

"---- recover!"

"She" muttered something. And, I see, the spear"s halo gives out a powerful radiance, at the same time my body was enveloped in a warm light. I began to feel at ease --- the pain is subsiding.

"... ... what"s ... that?"

Akeno gazes at my body. Even I am surprised. The pain should be withdrawing, my injured body instantaneously recovering! No, not only my injuries, my stained clothes, where I stained them with my blood, is being cleaned.

"... whoa ... ..."

After the light faded, I felt totally healed. My clothes were as clean as the time when I noticed that I was in the dream. I could get up on my own. My injured (now healed) right arm was firmly reattached to my torso. I could flex my fingers ... .

"Are you still injured?"

The dignified voice feels good in my ears. In front my eyes of my raised head, "she" stretches her hands out.

"I ... I"m okay. I"m no longer injured, thanks to you ..."

I hesitatingly took her hand. As I stand up, I applied power to my legs then.

"err ... !?"

My own body, at its own, regained its vigor enthusiastically.

"! I"ll do fine"

She"s holding a staggered me. Her soft and her so-called "cushion" softened the impact. In an instant, I didn"t know what happened next, but I"m feeling the smoothness or warmth; it"s not rough like armor. In short ---

"Uaah!? So, sorry ... !!"

In haste I jumped back. Though this was unintentional, somehow I buried my face!

But in contrast to a fl.u.s.tered me, "she" stands looking blankly. It looked like she didn"t understand what to apologize for. Well, is it all right for her mood to remain unchanged ...? As I try to calm down my beating heart, I gazed again at her.

"She" is probable older than me. Her stature is probably between Akeno and me. Her body armor revealed skin, even her dangerously exposed b.r.e.a.s.t.s glistens in the dark. Looking there makes me so embara.s.sed, I cannot look straight at her for several seconds.

"What"s wrong? What"s with you wavering?"

But her casting a strange look to my suspicious behavior reveals that she probably unaware of the word "ashamed".

"Well, er, that ... ..."

Well, to touch that spot would probably be unnecessary.

"Thank you very much for rescuing us. We escaped with our lives thanks to you."

I express my thanks. She nodded with a smile.

"Hmm, you"ve encountered a tough situation. Good thing you"re safe. It would be sad for you to die."

"? Errr ... .. Sakuya, is she your acquaintance ... ?"

Akeno inquired hesitatingly. She probably felt I was pulled in with "her" words. But,

"No, it was supposed to be our first meeting ... don"t you think?"

I tried to remember, but nothing came out of it. It is impossible to forget a beauty when you met her already. It must be her unique outfit; had she worn a more common outfit, maybe she would really be an acquaintance ....

"She" neither nodded, nor shook her head to Akeno"s question, "So I should probably say "Nice to meet you" to this conversation", she said while showing a faraway look.

"In short, you haven"t met her, right?"

"Yeah. But Sakuya, it"s possible that she doesn"t know me. So, do the introductions."

"Ah, ha ..."

Though I knew her vaguely, Akeno has totally no clue about her. I could do nothing but nod.

"You can call me "Valkyrie"."

"Valkyrie ..."

Her outfit is appropriate with her name.

"You"re not intending to tell us your real name ... is it?"

Akeno"s glance to "her" hardens. Surely, "she" who calls herself "Valkyrie" would appear to know the current situation, and would not reveal her true intentions; if that"s the case, then we clueless ones would be worried.

But though the Valkyrie is not timid, she shook her head thoroughly.

"Forgive my rudeness. Though, revealing my past would only compound our troubles. There is little significance in my name. In this world, only my role and status matters ..."

"I don"t know what are you talking about. Don"t go in circles explaining. Just who are you? What was that monster? Why are we in this kind of world! Just where are we !?"

Akeno is pressing for answers. The questions, they"re probably turn to words as soon as Akeno thought of them.

"This is the "Nightmare", a fictional world made of dreams and adventures."

As the Valkyrie reveals this, her expression did not show any signs of jokes of satire, only indifference. Her nose twitched.

"... ... the awakening"s close. We"ll meet again."

"awakening ... ?"

As Akeno"s words interrupted, we were experiencing a strange experience. In the next instant, "she" was right in front of my eyes.

She placed her lips into mine.

"---------- !!!?"

My heart was beating through my chest. I was entwined with the Valkyrie"s eyes. The softness of her lips, the fragrance of a probable woman ... these unknown stimuli are making me dizzy. As my vision turns to all white ...

"Wh -----------"

As Akeno is about to say something, I lost consciousness.

Next thing I knew, I was in my own bed. As I lay down with my heart throbbing and my eyes opened, my Siamese cat Mi was licking on my lips.

... ... somehow, it was strange.

"... ... ... ... ..."

Oh no, my heart will throb again if I remember her ... Even if it happened in the dream, it was a first kiss for me (kissing with parents don"t count, of course); I"ll never find out the reason for this, but there"s no way a kiss from a pretty lady like her be unpleasant. It doesn"t matter in this case! A innocent boy"s heart is already beating furiously, stretching against my chest ---

*whack*

"owwwww !?"

Whacked at the back of my head, I suddenly came back to my senses. Jumping up and turning on my back, I saw Nazumu strangely smiling.

"Whaaat"s with you grinning alone. So you"ve fallen in love, eh--♪"

"! Th, that"s not it!?"

Even if I deny it right away, I"ve stammered. This could backfire on me, it would only confirm her suspicions. Well, she got it right anyway!

Anyhow, cla.s.ses ended without me noticing. With the teacher gone, my cla.s.smates have started eating their lunch at their desks. The cla.s.sroom is full of noise that could only occur during lunchtime. And that time, I was the fool on my desk with my opened game guidebook. ... ... I"m sure am crazy. As Nazumu faced a shocked me with her smile,

"Be happy, kiddo!! Your lover has arrived!"

The rear door of the cla.s.sroom slid open. Outside, a lone girl is leaning back on the corridor barrier. A twin-tailed la.s.s in a middle school uniform ... it was Akeno.

"Ya, what have you done? What trickery have you done? For you to catch Acchan!"

"Catch? ... you said what?"

Was it that again? The continuation to yesterday"s misunderstanding!?

"Oh, you lady-killer♪ The young heartthrob!"

"I told you that was a misunderstanding!"

"Oh --- if it was a misunderstanding, what can you say about this! How will you explain these situations? Acchan came to me pleading to call you, Sakkun on love-mode is so absent-minded he didn"t even notice cla.s.s has ended! If this is no mutual love, what do call it ... !?"

"Ah --- --- ---"

Okay, I got it. Can"t be helped even with this explanation. From the sidelines, it would probably be "Brave girl coming in front of a senior-year boyfriend" and "Boyfriend impatiently waiting for his girlfriend". But truth is, we probably talked in this "dream".

"You listening, Sakkun? There are many boys after Acchan, don"t even think of neglecting this relationship. Do it even once, and someone will take her away from you. OK?"

It"s no use denying it .... Like that, thanks to Nazumu"s "advice", even my cla.s.smates uninvolved in this were taking notice (from the boys" evil glances, i"m probably not joking)

"Thanks for calling me, Nazumu. And for your information, it"s not what you think."

Leaving behind words not only for Nazumu, I went for the door. From behind, cheers of "You"re kidding ~♪" came, but I pretended not to hear.

Akeno"s blunt face met me as I went out into the corridor. The girl looked cute in this sunny place.

"Thanks for waiting"

"You"re late"

"... ... ... ... ..."

Correction. She"s cute with her mouth shut.

Now, now, I"m not offended this time. I"m think I"m having an ominous feeling with her unreserved gaze drilling onto me for a while. I"m more or less resigned to receive her wrath.

"What are we loitering here for, shall we go somewhere else?"

I think it was unexpected, but I don"t think she could calm down at this place, hence the proposal.

"Ah ... okay"

She unexpectedly and obediently nodded.

While we feel Nazumu"s or my male cla.s.smates" eyes piercing our backs (no doubt they"re probably sticking their heads out of the door or windows and following us), I go out into the corridor.

"Anywhere would be fine. How about the canteen?"

In this school there is a canteen that all students use (store included). Since I don"t bring my lunch today, we"ll talk there while I eat lunch but ..."

"I"ve ... brought my own lunch."

She said that awkwardly. I see, there"s a lunch box inside the bag she"s holding.

"I see. Then, it means we won"t be eating at the crowded canteen. I"ll just buy some bread from the store. You just keep up with me for a bit longer."

"... well, that won"t be necessary ... ..."

Well, what will I say to this oddity? For some strange reason, she stood there embara.s.sed. She just stared into s.p.a.ce looking for words. And then,

"I have some boxed lunch"

"? uh, that"s why I suggested getting my own lunch at the store ..."

"No need, I have some boxed lunch. ... ... apart from my own"

She said that with a downcast look. Somehow her face reddened ...

"In other words ... eh? "For me too", you mean?"

As I point to myself, her head jerked upright.

"Wh ..."

In that instant, Nazumu"s nonsensical words crossed my mind. Does this mean this girl is interested in me? Even as I thought "No way!", my face blushed by itself. She glared at my reddening face.

"Uh, excuse me, can you stop guessing wildly? This has no other meaning in particular. Only grat.i.tude for last night. A grat.i.tude for saving me in that dream"

"All right, I got it, I understand."

The words "grat.i.tude" chews inside my heart. Did you get it? So pipe down, my palpitating heart.

"I accept your grat.i.tude."

OK, now I can smile normally. Well then, where to ...

"Where will we eat? In the quadrangle?"

If it"s in the quadrangle, we"ll be isolated from the school annoyances by a fence. A refreshing breeze would pa.s.s through there too. I think it"s a good choice but,

"I"ve thought about the quadrangle too ... I can"t stay calm there."

She again shot it down clearly. Though I"ve thought of "is that it?", it"s surely not a place to calm down if I think clearly about it. Not only is the place noisy, it was a place where couples ate together. At least, it"s not a place for boys and girls not acquainted with each other.

"This is troubling. Cla.s.sroom"s a no-go too, the canteen and quadrangle too ... ..."

The roof deck"s too hot for this season ... . There must some other place where we can talk in peace ---

"Ah, got it! That"s right, let"s go there."

"You thought of a good place?"

"That"s right, the clubroom."

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