“Ugh... Akashi... so the Eden Treaty’s finally started for us too, right?”
“Yes... that’s right, isn’t it?”
“Then what am I supposed to do while I wait?”
“Hmm... why don’t you just go hang out with Hina?”
“Haa... there’s already more than enough I need to deal with...”
“Hmm... then how about joining Gehenna?”
“At least after the Eden Treaty is over.”
“Hmm... then I’ll give you a number. If you call that, things should get a little better.”
“What is it...”
“Just try calling it first.”
“Haa... yeah, I guess lying around doing nothing is a little much.”
Haruta took the number and called it. It sounded oddly familiar, but he decided to let it go.
‘Since Akashi gave me the number, I can at least trust it.’
Click
“Hello?”
“...”
“Hello? Hey?”
“Are you Haruta?”
“????”
Haruta’s brain stopped for a moment. He checked the number Akashi had given him again, and it turned out to be Seia’s phone number.
“You... are you really Haruta?”
“Ah... wait a second... yeah... okay.”
“What are you even talk—”
“Seia, where are you right now?”
“Answer my question first! What on earth have you been doing for the past two years!”
“Haa... let’s meet first and talk.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about, but... all right, then.”
Haruta got Seia’s location and moved there.
Crash!
“...Haruta? Is that really you? I’m not dreaming, am I?”
“Yeah... I don’t know if you were hoping to see a criminal, but...”
“Of course not! I used every means available to find you. Where have you been all this time?”
“In prison...”
“Haa... so why did I keep telling you to stay in Trinity?”
“Sorry... well, you’re not really the main point here...”
“What is that supposed to mean...?”
“No, I just wanted to see you.”
“Haa... well, it’s nice to see your face even now.”
“Then I’ll tell you what I’ve been doing until now.”
“...Then please, start from the beginning.”
So Haruta explained everything to Seia.
“...Are you seriously saying that?”
“I’m not going to die anyway. That’s why I left.”
Seia was relatively unaffected by the Eden Treaty, and even if they met again, it wouldn’t really cause a problem. She was the first of the Trinity Tea Party trio he’d reunited with.
“...So, do you have no intention of coming back even now?”
“At least until everything is definitely safe...”
“All right, then...”
“Thanks, Seia.”
Haruta reached out and patted Seia on the head.
“Hwaa...”
“Hm? Seia, what is it?”
“Haa... haa... my ears... are sensitive...”
“Can I touch them once?”
“...I suppose so...”
After Haruta stroked her head a few times, Seia practically melted.
“Wow... they’re really fluffy.”
“Ahem... thank you...”
“So you really missed me?”
“I did. Honestly, if I was going to meet you, I wanted to do it quickly before Mika or Nagisa could steal you away.”
“...Why?”
“Haruta, just be honest. Go out with me.”
“???...Huh?”
“Don’t make me say it twice.”
“Wait, Seia—”
“Do you dislike me?”
“No... I like you... but...”
“Then is there another woman?”
“...”
“What exactly have you been doing while I was gone...”
“Not right now... at least not until the Eden Treaty is definitely carried out, I’ll think about it then.”
“...I understand...”
“Still, I’m not seeing anyone right now.”
After politely turning her down, Haruta talked with Seia about recent events and returned to Schale.
“Soon, I’ll be able to meet everyone.”
Haruta checked over the weapons he’d received and his original weapons.
“The BFG 9000. The Crucible. These two are definitely going to be useful.”
Haruta felt the need for something new.
“...For now, I need as many weapons as I can get...”
The weapons he could handle and use comfortably were limited.
He looked at the weapon formed by combining his greatsword and three blades and thought about giving it a name, but nothing came to mind.
“...I’ll just process this into a katana shape and use it that way...”
Once he reshaped his weapon into a katana form, the three blades finally became one.
“...Now I just need one more weapon.”
Haruta put the weapon away and rolled his shoulders a few times.
“If you’ve got time, why don’t you help me with work?”
“Sure... so who’s on duty today?”
“Hmm... Hayase Yuuka.”
“Oh, Yuuka.”
Haruta checked the clock and realized Yuuka would be arriving in ten minutes.
“...Hold on, Akashi.”
Haruta changed clothes and took care of Schale’s work.
“Ah... h-hello, Haruta.”
“Hey, Yuuka.”
“You’re still working today too...?”
“Yeah. What, should I go rot in prison again?”
“Ah... n-no...”
“Haha... I’m kidding.”
“Eek!! Don’t joke like that for real!”
“Sorry, sorry. Want coffee again today?”
“Yeah... an iced Americano again.”
“Seriously, you and iced Americanos at your age...”
“I can’t function without caffeine...”
“Fine, whatever you want.”
Haruta grabbed some coffee and snacks and headed back to Schale’s office.
“Haa... it feels empty without Sensei here.”
“Yeah, it does feel a little empty.”
“But why do you always show up when you’ve got nothing to do?”
“Huh? Didn’t you say you had a lot of work today?”
“No? Akashi just did all of it.”
“Eh...?”
“I just figured Akashi would do a good job if I left it to her.”
“Haruta! I told you not to dump your work on me again!”
“Aww... just once. I’m really too tired today.”
“Haa... fine.”
“But Haruta... your arm...”
“Ah... this? I was just doing something.”
“Don’t get hurt...”
“Huh? What was that?”
“I said don’t get hurt...”
“Thanks, Yuuka.”
Haruta smiled warmly and looked at Yuuka. Her face turned red and she looked away.
“Well, I don’t really have anything to do right now, so let’s just go eat.”
Haruta took Yuuka and teleported to Abydos.
“...Huh? Where is this...?”
“The Abydos Shibaseki Ramen shop.”
“Eh???”
“Master! One miso ramen, please!”
“Oh! Isn’t that Haruta boy! Miso ramen, was it? Got it! I’ll have it ready in a jiffy!”
“What are you standing there for? Sit down.”
“Yeah. Haruta, do you come here often?”
“The noodles here are alive.”
“What does that even mean?”
“No, no, just try it.”
“Hmm... then I’ll have a chashu ramen.”
“Oh! You want chashu ramen, do you? Right, I’ll have yours ready too!”
As soon as they got their ramen, Haruta practically drank his down in one go.
Yuuka gave him a strange look, but the moment she took a bite, she finished her bowl at a frightening speed.
“So? How is it?”
“...This is... really ramen?”
“The best ramen there is.”
“Wow...”
“Haha! Glad to hear you say that.”
“No, Master—more importantly, isn’t Serika off today?”
“Ah, yes. It’s her day off, so I told her to take a proper rest.”
“I see...”
“Um... Haruta, how are we supposed to—”
“Thank you, Master! We ate well!”
“Yes! Come again!”
“Yep!”
Haruta bowed ninety degrees and left with Yuuka.
“How do you know places like this, Haruta?”
“I just come to Abydos on business a lot.”
“Heh... a restaurant with good prices and good taste... perfect...”
“You really are obsessed with money, aren’t you?”
“Let’s head back to Schale first.”
Crash!
Haruta quickly returned to Schale and handled the work with Yuuka.
“Haruta, how much did you spend this month! Bring me the receipts!”
“Ahh... just once, please.”
When Yuuka looked through the receipts, her expression changed as she stared at Haruta.
“...What is this...?”
He couldn’t remember what he’d bought this month, but judging by Yuuka’s face, he was definitely in serious trouble.
“A Kaitenger mk.2 robot... 3 million yen?!?!?”
“Ah... right.”
“Haruta!!! I told you to spend money more carefully!”
“No... I have plenty of money—”
“Even so! Not 3 million yen!”
“Sorry...”
Only after listening to Yuuka’s lecture for about three hours did it finally end.
“Isn’t it about time you headed back?”
“Yeah, I should probably go soon.”
“Want me to walk you home?”
“No! I’ll just catch the last train.”
“I’ll take you myself.”
“Yeah... thanks...”
Haruta took Yuuka’s hand and led her out of Schale.
“Haruta? Just do it in one go—”
“Shh. This time, I want to enjoy the trip a little.”
“Huh? What do you mean?”
“The sky is pretty today...”
At that, Yuuka looked up at the sky and watched it with him.
“...Yeah... the sky is especially pretty today...”
After walking for a while, Yuuka looked up at the sky again.
“...Yuuka, wait a second.”
“Eh...?”
Haruta picked Yuuka up in a princess carry and tore open space to step inside.
“Haruta, what are you doing right now?”
“Just wait.”
“Wow...”
The place Haruta brought Yuuka to was a field he sometimes visited to look at the stars.
“...This is amazing...”
“What do you think? Pretty nice, right?”
Haruta lay down on the field and looked up at the sky.
“What are you doing? Lie down.”
“Huh...? Really?”
“Yeah, lie down here.”
Haruta pointed to the spot beside him, and Yuuka blushed a little before lying down next to him.
“...”
“Pretty great, isn’t it?”
“Yeah...”
“You can come here anytime. Especially on nights like this.”
“...”
“Haa... I just want to sleep like this.”
“Hm?”
“But your dormitory...”
“Ah...”
“Haha... I should probably take you back to the dorms soon.”
“Ah... n-no! Just...”
“? Just what?”
“Stay beside me... a little longer...”
“Yuuka... let me ask you one thing.”
“..Y-yeah...?”
“Do you like me?”
“Eh?! A-ah! Th-that’s—”
“I was just asking... haha...”
“I... I like you...”
‘Huh, this isn’t the reaction I expected. I was just trying to tease Yuuka, but I think I’m seriously screwed.’
“Huh? W-what did you say?”
“I said I like you!”
‘Damn it, I’m fucked.’
“Yuuka?”
Yuuka’s face was completely red as she hid it with her hands.
“...I didn’t know you liked criminals.”
“...Are you seriously joking right now?”
“No... sorry. Let’s head back to the dorms first.”
“S-so, what’s your answer...?”
“Hmm... after everything is over, then.”
“Uuu...”
After taking Yuuka back to the dorms and returning to Schale, it was already midnight.
“...Akashi, just once, please.”
“No! And the next place you want to go is where the gods are, isn’t it!”
“No... just this one time.”
“No! And you can’t even bring back the weapon that person uses!”
“No... but it’s romantic!”
“I nearly died chasing that romance today!”
“Haa... fine... sorry.”
“Hmph!”
With that, Haruta headed to his dorm and tried to sleep.
He couldn’t fall asleep right away, so he listened to a few songs before finally drifting off.
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