Whoosh
Boom!!!
When Neru landed a clean punch, I staggered back a little.
"...Ghk... that hurts..."
I had no idea how a human punch could have that much force behind it.
"What...? Haruta... why are you... here?"
"Kghhh... I’m dying..."
"Damn it... then why were you standing there...?"
As Neru moved in to help Haruta up and check his face, the moment she saw it—
"..."
Boom!
A fist slammed into the space right beside Haruta’s head.
"...What? You trying to kill me too? Need a bounty or something?"
Then, slowly pulling her fist back, Neru stared at Haruta with murder in her eyes.
"...Who the hell are you?"
"...Huh? Out of nowhere?"
"You... what happened to your eye? Say it straight."
"Well... I was fighting someone and one of my eyes just got blown away."
"...And the name of the bastard you were fighting?"
"I killed them. For sure."
"..."
Only then did the killing intent drain out of Neru’s face, replaced by concern as she looked at Haruta.
"...Haa... well, that’s a relief... but still... if you killed them, then they weren’t a student, I guess... what kind of monster hit you?"
"Yeah... well, maybe if I say it was some singing monster, you’d understand?"
"...I don’t know what that is, but if it ever gets in my way, I’ll kill it."
"Well... I still have to keep my promise, so let’s leave it at that."
"...What promise?"
"I said we’d have a real fight sometime... remember?"
"Hah? You want me to fight some weakling now?"
Well, knowing Neru’s personality, she’d probably never actually fight me. But.
"Hey, Neru, then let’s make a bet."
"No, I’m not doing that. My pride won’t allow it."
"Haa... then... how did you even notice? I hid it with my ability so nobody could see."
"Your eye is completely scorched black and burning red. How could I not notice?"
I never imagined she’d notice something Mika had missed just by instinct alone.
"...Huh... so you noticed it after all... I was relieved Asuna didn’t notice either."
"Hah? She couldn’t even notice that much? Asuna... I’ll have to train her again..."
"Well... keep it a secret for me."
"I was already planning to. But..."
"But?"
"What the hell is that thing? I’d like to see its face."
"I never want to see it again... it was like cutting through flesh with a knife while also cutting water with a knife. That made it a pain to deal with."
"Anyway! Get home safely! And if anyone bothers you again, tell me... though honestly, it’d be weirder if there were anyone in Kivotos who didn’t know you."
"Yeah... well... let’s push the promise back for now."
"Get home safe!"
After that brief exchange, I left sooner than I expected.
"Haa... so, where else is there to go now?"
Seminar flashed through my mind, but it still wasn’t the time to go there, so I had to head back after leaving an apology for Yuuka.
"Ah... should I just stop by Seminar and meet them once?"
Since going straight back to Schale felt pointless, I decided to visit Seminar first.
Crash!
"Hey, Yuuka!"
"...? Haruta?"
"Oh my..."
Beside Yuuka stood a familiar white-haired girl.
"Well, hello there."
"Hmm... are you the person who contacted Yuuka 31 seconds ago?"
"...Was it really 31 seconds?"
"It’s now... 34 seconds. Well... that isn’t important, so could you answer me?"
"Yeah, I’m the one who was talking to Yuuka earlier... I guess?"
"Oh my... Yuuka-chan? Congratulations~ So, you lik"
"Aaaah!!! No!!"
"Huh?"
"I-I was just wondering whether to send something to Haruta earlier... that’s all!"
"I can still picture it clearly~ Yuuka-chan hesitating over whether to send something to Haruta-san earlier."
"Well... Yuuka usually doesn’t joke around at work, so maybe she was hesitating over some work-related document? Whether to handle it herself... or file it through Schale?"
"Yuuka-chan definitely doesn’t joke around when it comes to that kind of thing."
Her tone was somehow both teasing and not teasing at all, which was oddly irritating, but I couldn’t exactly get angry at someone I’d just met.
I decided to let it slide.
"S-So why are you here, Haruta?!"
"Hey... saying it like that hurts. I just came to hang out with Yuuka for a bit, that’s all."
"Eh...?"
Noah’s expression darkened a little, and she started looking at me with a faintly wary expression.
"...Hmm... then, would it be all right if I joined too? I’ve already finished all the Seminar documents earlier~"
"Huh? Sure...? You said you didn’t really have anything to do today anyway... okay."
"Oh my... how kind of you. So, what do you usually do for fun?"
As Noah smiled, her eyes locked onto mine and seemed to stab straight through me. I knew that expression all too well.
Right... that look... the kind that always comes with pretense... that fake smile...
"Re~ally?"
"Yes, of course."
She was suspicious of me in a very obvious way. Well... if your close friend said they were hanging out with a criminal, anyone would be suspicious. I’d probably want to verify it myself too.
"Then... what do Haruta-san and Yuuka-chan usually do for fun?"
"Just... wander around... eat something... play games... just, you know, that kind of thing."
"Hmm... then there’s a dessert shop I found last time... shall we go there?"
"Oh... sure, that sounds good."
As we came out into Millennium’s city district, all kinds of shops came into view.
"Heh... there are a lot of people here today."
"Yeah... I think there were fewer people when I came last time..."
"Well... apparently this place doesn’t have that long of a wait."
"Then... that works for me."
"Haruta-san, is there anything you especially like?"
"Hmm... sweets?"
"Hmm... that’s a little different from what I expected."
"Is it? Well... whatever. It’s my preference anyway."
"Hmm... ah! There it is."
The place Noah pointed to was a quiet shop with very few customers.
"Hmm... that one?"
"Yes, that one."
When we went inside, a robot clerk greeted us.
"Welcome! Thank you for visiting our shop!"
After that, we were guided to our seats.
"Hmm... what will you both have?"
"I always eat strawberry cake... all right, then I’ll have the strawberry cake!"
"What about Yuuka-chan?"
"Hmm... since Haruta ordered strawberry cake... yes... yes... perfect..."
"Hehe... Yuuka-chan seems busy~"
"N-No! I’ll have chocolate cake!"
"Then I’ll have chocolate cake as well."
"Really? All right, I’ll pay."
"Oh? Haruta-san must have a lot of money."
"Do I?"
"Ha. Ru. Ta! How many times have I told you to spend money carefully!"
"Come on... there’s money in the bank anyway. And using this won’t make me run out or anything."
"Still! I told you to save your money!"
"Haa... fine..."
"Hmm... then let’s each pay for our own."
"But, Noah—"
"Yes?"
"Never mind... let’s talk after we finish eating this."
"Hmm... all right. We can talk a little later."
"Yuuka, is Seminar’s work really that hard?"
Yuuka seemed to think about it for a moment, then answered in a slightly trembling voice.
"Honestly... it’s harder than Schale..."
"Whoa... should I lend you Akashi or something?"
"No... I’ll just take the thought..."
"All right... hang in there. Then what about you, Noah?"
"Hmm... not as much as Yuuka-chan, but I do a lot of work... being Seminar’s accountant is no easy job."
"I see... wherever I go, people are the same. Right..."
"Then what about Haruta-san?"
"Me too... it’s not that hard, but the reports I have to write myself are a pain. What kind of brain does a fighter even have for that?"
"Hmm... that does sound difficult."
While we chatted, the food arrived.
"Ah, this is nice..."
Once the cake hit my tongue, the sweetness rushing through me always gave me a little thrill.
"Hmm... Haruta-san, you must really like sweets."
"Mmm... huh? Yeah, I guess?"
"Hmm... I see..."
"Haruta! Then come by Millennium again later! I’ll treat you to something even better then!"
"Sure, why not... I’d be happy to be treated. But I’m paying."
"Then it wouldn’t be a treat..."
"Well... I’m the type who can’t stand owing people anything."
After a little more conversation, I looked down and saw the dessert was already gone.
"Ah... sweet things really do disappear fast."
"Hmm... certainly... Haruta-san does seem to eat quickly... I heard that from Yuuka-chan 5 days, 2 hours, and 19 minutes ago."
"Hey... you remember that?"
"Of course! Noah has perfect memory."
"Really? That’s amazing..."
It made me think of Doctor Who for a moment, but I set that aside and focused on the conversation.
"Hmm... but why do you eat so fast? I was taught that food is something to enjoy slowly..."
"Oh, that? Just because I don’t want to die."
At that, everyone froze.
"...Th-That’s not the answer I expected..."
"H-Haruta...? What do you mean by that...?"
"No... I mean exactly what I said. I don’t want to die."
Then Noah’s attitude, which had been visibly wary until a moment ago, shifted into something more encouraging.
"So... where do I even start?"
Rummaging through my memories, I eventually remembered why I ate so quickly.
"Ah... right, right... when I was little, I got beaten around everywhere, and I grew up eating nothing but porridge that looked like blackened rice mixed with some kind of medicine? So I guess... it just became natural."
"...What kind of life have you lived...?"
"Just... a life where life and death were both right in front of me?"
"...I was wrong."
"About what?"
"No... Haruta-san, I think I owe you a very big debt."
"I don’t know what kind of debt you think you owe me, but don’t keep it in your heart. I’m not bothered by it anyway."
"Then let’s finish the rest too."
After we finished eating and stepped outside, a cool breeze brushed over us.
"Ah... that was good."
"...Haruta-san? Exactly 12 days and 37 minutes ago... Sensei said the same thing."
"Huh? Really?"
"Yes~ of course."
"Right... well, let’s head back to Millennium for now."
Crash!
"You two go on ahead. I... need to head straight back to Schale."
"Hmm... any particular reason?"
"Ah, my Trinity admission letter is going to arrive soon, so I need to go a little early and get my uniform fitted and all that."
"Hmm... understood. See you next time."
"Take care, Haruta!"
"You too."
Crash!
I made another portal and stepped through it.
"Then... I’m off."
Whoosh
"..."
When I got back to Schale’s dormitory, I felt strangely unsatisfied, like I’d spent the whole day doing nothing at all.
"...Haa... for now, I guess I’ll just wait for that admission letter..."
How long had I lain on the bed like that?
Knock knock
"..? Who is it?"
"Ah... um... I’m Oichi Hirushi, Lady Nagisa’s aide... Lady Nagisa asked me to deliver this to you..."
When I stepped outside, I found a slightly short girl standing there.
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