The After-Party (2)
To the students who had poured out every drop of their energy—to the veterans who had endured the trials of the Scheat Great Subjugation Campaign—the seaside resort offered a sweet, welcoming embrace of sunlight.
Though an autumn breeze had begun to whisper in the south, bringing a nip to the air, this corner of the world still clung to the humid warmth of midsummer. Beaming sunlight. The sharp, briny tang of sea salt. A gentle, moisture-laden ocean breeze. A few days by the sea were an incomparable reward for everything they had endured.
"What's the matter, Aris? Why are you sulking like that when we've come all the way to the ocean?"
"..."
"Don't tell me you're worried about running into him here, too?"
Senia’s question struck right at the heart of the matter. With the Faction War behind them and everyone unwinding here at the resort, the odds of crossing paths with Junon were exceptionally high. Yet that wasn't all weighing on her mind.
"I was just wondering... if I even have the right to be here."
"The right? What are you talking about?"
"I treated someone completely innocent so terribly. How can I just turn around and play in the water like nothing ever happened...?"
After pushing someone into a corner like that, what would he think seeing her frolicking as if nothing had transpired? It felt as though he might march over at any moment to confront her. The sheer indignity of it would be more than enough reason, wouldn't it?
"I really can't do this. I'm going back."
Aris felt she had no business showing her face here. The more she learned of what she had done in that forgotten past, the heavier the anchor of guilt grew in her chest.
Before she could step away, however, Senia snatched her wrist and gave a stern reproach.
"Nothing's set in stone yet, you know."
"Still..."
"If you make a fuss like that, Junon will be the one who feels uncomfortable and leaves. Besides, he's already here."
"W-what? Wh-where...?"
"Over there."
Senia pointed toward a beach parasol. Aris shifted her pink eyes in that direction, catching sight of black hair partially shielded beneath the shade.
"Since when... was he there?"
"He showed up right after you told the kids to go play on their own. So he practically arrived at the same time we did."
Which meant he might have already seen her. She had been sitting here for quite a while.
"Look, Aris. If your presence actually bothered him, he would have approached you first."
"...Why would he?"
"Because unlike us, Junon remembers everything."
A man who carried every single memory of the past had reached the present. He could have dragged up those bitter memories to resent her, to berate her. Yet he didn't seek her out. He easily could have, and no one would have blamed him if he did.
"Which means petty grudges aren't what he's after," Senia said. "He’s decent to a fault and fundamentally upright at heart. Just like you said."
Aris had agonized over it before—how she could ever repay such a colossal debt. But she owed him her very life, and the lives of her comrades besides. Realizing that no restitution could ever balance the scales, she had once retreated into despair, curling up beneath her covers.
She still didn't know. She had no idea how to pay him back, or what he even desired. Yet she knew with absolute certainty that this petty brooding wasn't what he wanted from her.
"Instructor Aris! What are you doing over there?"
"Perfect timing! We're down one player! Fill in for us!"
Stepping out onto the sands meant walking straight into Junon's field of view. She knew it, and a chill of hesitation clutched at her chest, but—
"Come on. On your feet," Senia urged gently.
Staying huddled here wouldn't solve a thing. Taking Senia’s hand, Aris pulled herself up and stepped out under Junon’s gaze on her own two feet. And then, just like always—naturally, nonchalantly—she slipped back into her true self.
"You know I'm unbeatable at dodgeball, right? Are you sure you can handle this?"
"Everyone here knows you're a total klutz, Instructor Aris!"
"Yeah! She's probably gonna team-kill us while trying to catch the ball!"
"Excuse me?! You little rascals—!"
A burst of uproarious laughter washed over the beach. When it came to connecting with the younger students, no one was warmer or more approachable than Aris.
Watching her, Senia smiled softly. She stole a brief glance back toward Junon, but he was merely offering an indifferent, lazy yawn beneath the parasol.
The only problem left now...
Was Erika.
Even as autumn crept closer on the calendar, summer still reigned over the resort. The students shed their pent-up stress with abandon, finally letting loose the exhaustion that had piled up during the Scheat Great Subjugation Campaign.
"Try receiving this one!"
"Whoaaaa—!"
"You think I can't?! Hah!"
"Oooohhhh—!"
The male students' eyes tracked the players, not the ball. Normally in beach volleyball, one's eyes would be glued to the sphere, but... this was the ocean shore. The sight of the girls in swimwear had completely unmoored their teenage hearts.
"Haha... look at these idiots."
Sitting a short distance away, Junon let out a dry chuckle. Still, it wasn't hard to understand. It was only natural for teenage boys to gawk at girls. Between relentless coursework and a string of catastrophic crises, they had never had the luxury to even think about romance. To them, the scenery before their eyes was more precious than gold.
...Even if it did result in some thoroughly ridiculous arguments.
"Are you out of your mind? Obviously Aris is the best—her fiery personality matches her skills!"
"You know nothing. These days, a stylish, cool beauty like Senia is where it's at."
"You fools, Michelle's dependable older-sister aura beats everyone else hands down."
"Idiots, all of you! Curves aren't everything! Cuteness reigns supreme! Charlotte is the ultimate choice!!"
The boys were bickering furiously, championing their personal tastes with life-or-death seriousness.
Well, they are all exceptional beauties.
It struck him anew that every single member of Team Tembris was stunning. When girls like that were playing beach volleyball in swimwear, pandemonium was practically guaranteed. In the past as well, whenever public attention turned to them, each member had enjoyed enormous popularity.
He still remembered it vividly. The thunderous roars and standing ovations that erupted whenever Tembris returned from an expedition. The crowds had chanted every member’s name in unison. With the sole exception of Cain, who always drifted alone, people had cheered for the party like fervent fan clubs after every victorious hunt. In truth, once word about Cain's prowess spread, there were plenty of people eagerly waiting just to catch a glimpse of him, too.
And then there was me, with everyone whispering, "Why is that guy even with them?"
Watching the boys squabble while recalling those days, Junon couldn't help a wry, bitter smile. Some things truly never changed.
"Ah, Sunbae smiled."
"...Renias?"
A gentle poke against his cheek drew his attention. Even beneath the brilliant midday sun, a cascade of silver hair that seemed to emit its own luminescence came into view.
And almost instantly, Junon regretted speaking her name aloud.
"I-it's Lady Renias..."
"Whoa... it really is her!"
"Where?! Let me see too!!"
"Eh... everyone...?"
No matter who else was present, the true star of this beach had already been decided.
"Please, calm down. Someone might get hurt."
"Waaaahhh—!"
Then as now, the undisputed pinnacle of popularity was Renias, waving her hands in flustered embarrassment with a gentle smile.
"Are you going to wear a swimsuit too, Lady Renias?!"
"Y-yes? Pardon?"
"It's the beach, after all! We're at the ocean! So we were just wondering..."
Anticipation crackled through the crowd. Amidst the clamor, Renias suddenly darted a hesitant glance toward Junon.
...Why is she checking my reaction?
If she was wearing a swimsuit and wanted to show it off, she could just do so. But after a second, Junon realized why she was hesitating.
"Quit pestering her, you punks."
Waving his hands, Junon nudged back the swarm of students pressing in around them. Renias was likely feeling overwhelmed. Even back at the banquet following the Scheat Great Subjugation Campaign, whenever a crowd formed, she had clung tightly behind his back just like this.
A sensible excuse would be... that.
He could use clothing as an easy cover.
"She's always been uncomfortable with revealing clothes—she barely even wears dresses. It's perfectly normal if she didn't wear a swimsuit."
At his explanation, the fans who had grumbled as they were pushed back began nodding in understanding one by one.
"Come to think of it, she rarely wears evening gowns. So that's why."
"Uh... sorry. We had no idea..."
"We're sorry for pressuring you, Lady Renias."
To them, this angelic girl’s mere presence was more than enough.
"No, please don't apologize. It's my fault for not explaining sooner... so please don't blame yourselves, okay?"
"Of course not! Hey, are any of you gonna blame yourselves?!"
"Never in a million years!!"
The crowd that had surged to catch a glimpse of Renias slowly dispersed, though the atmosphere remained noisy. It wasn't Renias's fault, of course; this was simply the inevitable cost of being Lebrant's biggest idol.
There really are a lot of survivors. Far more than last time.
Objectively speaking, the Scheat Great Subjugation Campaign had been a failure. They might have managed to halt Shanberesh of the Plague, but in the end, the broader trajectory had mirrored the past. The real issue was that no matter how hard he tried to forge a different outcome, history had marched forward along its predetermined grooves.
Even so, the number of surviving third-year students was noticeably higher. Tembris was completely intact, and though the main forces of the Principality Army had yet to recover their strength, this many capable hands should be enough to prepare for what lay ahead.
He had to preserve this fighting strength at all costs. To ensure that the tragedy of his past timeline never repeated itself, the Principality had to grow far stronger.
And to do that... that one thing, at least.
Clenching both fists, Junon hardened his resolve. This time, he would take the initiative.
"Sunbae? Where are you going?"
Amid the joyful warmth of the seaside resort, he was the only one wearing an intensely grim expression. And the only person to catch that determined look in his eyes was Renias.
After spending the day warming under the sun and cooling off in the ocean water, night eventually descended upon the students. If the afternoon had been filled with swimming and beach games, the night belonged to barbecue parties and campfires. The smell of burning charcoal and roasting meat mingled with the salty ocean air, while the crackling glow of burning logs warmed the brisk evening breeze, taking the place of the midday sun.
The lively chatter around the bonfire grew louder by the minute. Yet amidst the festive merriment, Renias found herself unable to join in wholeheartedly.
Junon-sunbae... isn't here again.
He always steered clear of gatherings like this. That was just who he was, and presumably who he had always been. Having spent considerable time by his side, however, Renias could easily deduce where he had slipped away to.
"Hehe, found you."
There he stood along the deserted stretch of shoreline, hands stuffed into his pockets, gazing out at the dark waters alone. Not that it was anything new, but he was undoubtedly nursing some heavy, complicated burden all by himself again.
Time to give Sunbae a scare~!
She tiptoed forward with exquisite care, holding her breath so he wouldn't notice. Unfortunately, for all her eagerness to tease him, she had an uncanny knack for stumbling over her own feet at moments like this.
"Ah—a-choo!"
Ruined. As if to prove it, her stray ahoge drooped in defeat.
"...Renias?"
Hearing the sneeze, Junon turned around immediately. Her plan to surprise him out of nowhere had crashed into spectacular failure. Feeling thoroughly awkward, Renias swallowed her embarrassment and trotted up to his side.
"What are you doing out here? Everyone's over at the barbecue."
"Well, I just..."
"You're going to say you don't like barbecues again, aren't you?"
At least her clumsiness didn't extend to reading people; she hit the nail squarely on the head.
"I grilled a few skewers myself and brought them over. Here, eat."
"You didn't have to do that."
"Good food has to be eaten while it's hot! I went out of my way to grill these just for you, Sunbae, so you'd better not refuse."
With a proud flourish, she held up a perfectly grilled skewer right in front of his lips. Her thoughtfulness was so endearing that he couldn't bring himself to turn it down.
"...Thanks. I'll enjoy it, Renias."
After expressing his gratitude, he reached out and patted her head as he always did. Spurred by her gentle nagging to eat before it cooled, he bit off the first piece of meat. Then another. He plucked out the vegetable in between, down to the final bite. Piece by piece, the savory, golden-brown meat vanished into Junon's mouth. Whenever he looked like he might pause, Renias narrowed her eyes in a mock glare. Having shared countless meals with him, she knew his appetite down to the exact morsel.
Only after he had obediently polished off the entire skewer did she pick up the conversation.
"Ever since you walked off earlier, you've been brooding over complicated thoughts again, haven't you?"
What had caused that grave expression on his face back at the beach? Renias cut straight to the heart of the matter.