In Kivotos, it is common for schools to provide various items to students upon enrollment. And although there may be minor differences between academies, there are two items that are commonly distributed: one is guns, and the other is smartphones. No matter how poor a school's finances are, these two items are unconditionally provided to students.
But Arius is an exception. They may have given guns, but they did not give smartphones. Beatrice did not allow civilization to the Arius students and left no room for them to form their own community. What she wanted was not students who laugh and chat normally, but slaves who thoroughly follow only her commands. She deliberately avoided leaving any scratches that could fester.
The reason the Squad was surprised to see the smartphone that Kenji used was also based on this background. They knew about its existence and function, but it was their first time seeing the actual item, so it was understandable.
Even the usually blunt Saori showed interest in the smartphone. After Kenji lent them his smartphone and some time passed, their interest subsided to some extent, but they still wanted to have their own devices separately.
So, Kenji was planning to ignore Beatrice's orders and buy them the latest models as birthday gifts one by one. In preparation for that, he had separately given them his contact information. But before their birthdays arrived, Kenji was expelled from Arius. After that, he was too busy living his life and buried the memory of leaving his contact information in a corner of his mind.
However, it seems that the Squad, despite having no means to contact him, still remembered the contact information.
[Shirasu Azusa gave me your contact information. Originally, I had forgotten, but she said she remembered when she saw me using a smartphone.]
“Azusa did?”
[Yes. By the way, she goes around calling herself your disciple. Is that true?]
“That's right.”
Kenji sat on a bench in the corner of the rooftop and talked with Seia. It was a voice he hadn't heard in a long time, but understanding the current situation was more important than exchanging small talk. Both Seia and Kenji understood this.
“Are you with Azusa right now?”
[No. She is acting as a student at Trinity.]
“……At Trinity? Not Arius?”
[I slightly manipulated the documents. I changed the date on her admission permit to when I was still moving around normally and transferred her to Trinity. It was part of the plan.]
“What plan?”
[Hmm. Should I explain from that?]
Seia sighed and hesitated for a moment. She seemed to be pondering where to start. Kenji lit another cigarette and waited leisurely for her explanation.
Not long after, Seia spoke.
[The Arius Squad. They wish for the death of the Arius student council president.]
“……The Squad?”
[Yes. So they asked for my cooperation.]
The sound of rustling blankets faintly came through between Seia's words.
[I don't know exactly what the current Arius student council president is aiming for. But it seems they considered me a hindrance to their goals. Enough to send an elite unit's assassin.]
“……That was Azusa.”
[Yes. But as a member of the Squad, she refused the student council president's order and asked for my help. First, to hide the truth from the student council president, we reported that the assassination of the Trinity student council president was successful and left evidence for it. By exploding the room I was staying in.]
That's what Nagisa had said. One summer night, at dawn, Seia's room suddenly exploded with a tremendous roar.
[After that, as I mentioned earlier, I manipulated the documents to transfer Shirasu Azusa to Trinity. This wasn't my unilateral judgment; it was a method first attempted by Arius. I just helped with it.]
“…….”
[Deceptive strategy. It was a necessary plan to move according to the enemy's intentions for a greater purpose.]
Kenji nodded and exhaled cigarette smoke, hoo.
“Nagisa thought you were completely dead. Is that also part of the plan to catch Arius?”
[You met Nagisa?]
Seia's voice rose slightly. She seemed surprised.
“I was with her until just now.”
[……A variable. What did she say?]
“That you died, and that she's screening suspicious students to find out the truth of the incident.”
[She doesn't know I'm alive, it seems. Good.]
Seia's satisfied voice returned. Kenji put the fully smoked cigarette into the trash can and took out a new one, putting it in his mouth. The lighter's cover opened with a clear sound, and a flame rose. He exhaled the peach scent filling his nasal cavity and spoke.
“So, deceiving Nagisa is also part of the plan.”
[To deceive the enemy, you must first deceive your allies. I feel sorry for Nagisa and Mika, but it's an unavoidable situation. I plan to sincerely apologize after everything is over.]
“Do I have to keep quiet too?”
[Yes. I ask of you.]
Kenji exhaled cigarette smoke, hoo, and pondered.
Deceiving Nagisa. He didn't like it.
When she spoke of Seia's death, she trembled slightly. Even if their relationship started as a feud, the bonds formed over years of living together couldn't be ignored. So, unconsciously, Nagisa must have considered Seia a friend. Otherwise, she wouldn't have had such a sad voice when reciting Seia's death.
Mika is the same. Didn't Nagisa say that? After learning of Seia's death, she no longer trusts anyone. Like Nagisa, if Mika hadn't considered Seia a friend, she wouldn't have been like that. Hiding the truth from those two. Even if it's a plan to catch Beatrice, it was hard to readily agree.
But since Seia's situation was also understandable, after pondering for a long time, Kenji finally sighed deeply and leaned his head back.
“……You must apologize later. I'll help too.”
[Understood.]
“By the way, when did you get the contact information to call now?”
[A week ago. I hesitated for days before barely making the call. I even hid the caller ID, worried that this number might not be yours, but fortunately, since you answered, there shouldn't be a problem.]
“Did you call to inform me of these facts?”
[No. The call was just…….]
Seia trailed off. Then, in a creeping voice, she continued.
[I just wanted to hear your voice…….]
“…….”
Kenji didn't answer and forced a bitter smile. Since Seia didn't expect an answer either, she covered herself with the blanket up to her chin and blushed red. Although he couldn't see it directly, Kenji inferred her appearance from the sound of rustling blankets and Seia's embarrassed clicking of her teeth.
“How have you been all this time?”
The serious conversation was roughly over. The atmosphere lightened, and there were countless conversations to have even if not about official matters. Seia was the same, so she immediately answered Kenji's question.
[It would be a lie to say I've been well.]
“…….”
[The reason I dressed up was all to look good for you. But with you gone, imagine how I looked.]
“…….”
[Personally, I don't pay attention to the evaluations of people around me, but I still remember one word to this day. Can you guess what it is?]
“……No.”
[A moving corpse.]
Seia spoke with a voice mixed with a little, very little anger.
[How must I have looked after you disappeared for me to hear such words?]
“I'm sorry.”
Kenji apologized without a moment's hesitation. There was no room for excuse. By anyone's standards, this was his fault. At the very least, he should have left some notice before leaving, but he just vanished, so the emotional turmoil she felt was unimaginable.
[I didn't say it to receive an apology…… but still, it feels good.]
Seia said with a clear laugh. At that, Kenji sighed in relief and leaned back on the backrest. Slightly lifting his head, he saw the sky where dark clouds were slowly clearing.
[The sky is clearing.]
“We're looking at the same thing.”
[Because we're in the same place.]
It was an ambiguous expression. Kenji realized the meaning and laughed softly. Be that as it may, Seia deliberately explained the meaning of her words. Not because Kenji didn't realize it, but just to convey her feelings in that way.
[Even if the places we stand are different, the emotions we hold are the same, aren't they?]
“Is it still the same?”
[It will be forever the same.]
Hiss.
Seia took a slight breath and said in a voice mixed with embarrassment and affection.
[I love you.]
“What should I say in response?”
[……Your playfulness is still the same. Are you going to be mean like that?]
“Don't you have a desired answer?”
[……Say you love me.]
“I love you, Seia.”
[I love you too.]
Seia and Kenji burst into laughter simultaneously and whispered like that. Their chests tickled for no reason, and their mouths went dry. Kenji tapped off the cigarette ash and coughed falsely. Seia hummed a short tune briefly, then opened her mouth as if something had occurred to her.
[By the way, you said you met Nagisa?]
“Yeah. I was with her until just now.”
[Hmm…… by any chance, you two didn't match your bellies, did you?]
Thud.
Kenji's body suddenly stopped. The cigarette he was holding fell to the floor, and his pupils vibrated wildly. Meanwhile, Seia's words continued.
[A week ago, I had a strange dream.]
“…….”
[It was a dream where Nagisa was holding a pregnancy test kit and regretting it. You probably don't know how fortunate it is that it was just a dream.]
“……Gasp.”
[I hope that dream is not a prophetic one.]
Seia whispered in a desolate voice, softly. But her words were full of contradiction.
She had a wide variety of abilities related to dreams. She could enter dreams to have conversations, and she could know the future through prophetic dreams. Such a person wouldn't be unable to distinguish between a normal dream and a prophetic dream. So her words, hoping it's not a prophetic dream, are no different from telling that it already is one.
What does this mean.
It means she found out.
But all Kenji could do was laugh it off awkwardly.
“Y, yeah. You had a strange dream. Hahaha.”
[Is it funny?]
“…….”
[After this is over, don't let me see you. If I do, I'll catch you and keep you from getting out of bed for days.]
“…….”
[But if you really don't show up, I'll chase you until I find you. Behave well.]
“…….”
Kenji couldn't say anything and froze in place. Seia giggled and left her farewell in a voice that seemed to whisper.
[Then, looking forward to that time, I'll take my leave now. I'll call every day, so answer. If you don't, the days you'll be confined will increase by one each time.]
“…….H, have mercy.”
[No.]
Click.
The call ended.
Kenji wiped his dry face and sighed.
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