Get Off at Sector 27
Get Off at Sector 27
The match between Flora Crimsonhowl and Ellen Clements ended in a draw.
The two cadets ended up lying side by side on hospital beds due to the aftermath of the match. Since they couldn't leave until treatment was over, today's classes were out of the question.
Wiiing─! Wiiing─!
Inside the Minerva Academy infirmary, only the sound of Genesis Bio medical machines running could be heard.
Flora and Ellen remained silent without conversation, just staring at the ceiling.
""···.""
If the instructor hadn't intervened at the end to halve the power, it wouldn't have ended like this. They might have left serious injuries on each other.
Because they refused to back down out of stubbornness to win.
'I was so stupid.'
'I still have a long way to go. Not even a damn brat, just pathetic.'
Both internally harshly criticized their own attitudes.
Because failing to control the intensity of magic while drunk on emotions meant they were inexperienced.
Ellen, who had been blankly staring at the ceiling while receiving treatment, scratched her head roughly and spoke up.
"Ha... I only showed an embarrassing side to that class boy."
At the breaking of the silence, Flora perked up her ears in response.
Flora, still lying down, rolled only her eyes to look at Ellen. Feeling the gaze, Ellen similarly looked back.
Flora asked.
"You know Steiger, right?"
"Steiger? That family kid who shoots guns like Ezra? I know him, I guess. Why are you asking?"
"What's the relationship?"
"What do you mean? You asking what relationship Clements and Steiger have?"
"Yeah."
"Damn girl! Speak properly! I can't understand you when you leave out the subject!"
"···."
After being scolded, Flora's ears drooped down.
Watching that, Ellen sighed and gave an answer.
"As far as I know, no Steiger person has ever entered Clements. I don't know about contact, though."
"Then those clothes...?"
At Flora's question, the situation gets misaligned again.
Because Ellen doesn't know that Max is a Steiger. It's impossible for her to even reach the speculation that Flora and Max have a connection in the first place.
"What clothes?"
At Ellen's answer, Flora's lips pouted out.
Was she pretending not to know to avoid digging deeper, or did she really not know? Perhaps it was hard to mention because it was about their families.
"It's nothing... forget the question just now..."
"Geez! Don't you know there's an order to conversation? Don't skip around in your head; follow some steps."
After hearing the advice, Flora rolled her mind.
Of course, it wasn't in the direction Ellen wanted.
'Seeing my mother remarry a Steiger man, it's hard to see it as a love marriage. It's probably right to think there was some kind of deal... Could it be proof that Steiger is actively contacting the Magic Noble Family? Are they eyeing Ezra's position? Thinking about that...'
Having mixed speculation and reached a conclusion, Flora lifted her head to check the infirmary.
There were guards outside the door, but inside, there was no one except the two of them.
"You're distracting, so stay still."
Ellen gave a look as if asking what she was doing.
After confirming there were no listening ears, Flora whispered and asked.
"Are you... doing it...?"
"What?"
"Ma, marriage..."
"This crazy girl, what's wrong with you today!"
What part did she leap over and where did she skip? Ellen couldn't understand how such a conclusion came out in such a short time.
"No? It was a fairly reasonable deduction."
"Wow, I'm really going crazy. Why would I get married!"
"...Is it because you have to keep it secret that you can't tell me?"
This was the first time Ellen had spoken this long with Flora.
It was very different from the picture she had imagined.
From Ellen's perspective, Flora was more unhinged than she imagined. The context of the conversation flew off into space.
'She's really got a screw loose.'
Ellen turned off all the machines attached to her and checked her phone.
Then she took out her shoes from under the bed.
"Where are you going? Treatment isn't over yet?"
"Treatment not over? You're fully healed too, why are you still lying around doing nothing."
An ordinary cadet would have to lie down all day.
But the two were 5th-rank mages who grew up receiving precious amplifiers from Haze.
The level of recovery speed is different.
"But... there's still machine time left."
"Then keep lying there. Being with you makes me feel stupid too."
"Are you saying I'm stupid?"
"You catch that quickly. Yeah. You're an idiot."
"Why? My theoretical scores are higher..."
As Ellen put on her shoes, the corners of her eyes and mouth trembled.
What made it more infuriating was that Flora said it without any intention to provoke, unlike herself.
"This girl knows how to get on my nerves. Do you think theoretical scores are a measure to distinguish between a stupid bastard and a useful brat?"
"Then isn't it? The duty of a Minerva Academy cadet is to advance in studies and abilities."
"You're annoyingly shoving a correct argument at me. Shut up. I don't want to hear it."
"If not correct arguments, what should I say?"
Having put on shoes and packed her bag, Ellen looked in the mirror and neatly tidied her hair.
"Girl, worldly affairs are full of things that don't work out with theory. You shouldn't blindly believe in it."
"For example?"
"Why do you ask for an example. You must have had things that didn't go as you thought in your life, right?"
"···."
Flora made an ambiguous expression as if she was there but not there.
Ellen didn't pry further and even turned off Flora's machines.
"Ah!"
"What 'ah' you brat. Put on your shoes. We're leaving early."
"Me too?"
"If you don't want to, forget it."
"What are we going out for?"
"Change of mood."
Even for Flora, Ellen's suggestion was unexpected.
Additionally, she thought about maybe visiting Max's office in District 27.
'Because oppa said I could come anytime.'
Following Flora, Ellen also thinks.
'If I clean out all my cash, I can get all the collaboration products by type. Hmm, I'd hate to skip the next collaboration too.'
Let's go to the office a bit early and increase work hours.
"I don't know where you're going for a change of mood, but... let's go."
Flora finished preparing.
Ellen also felt a little interest, not expecting Flora to follow without a fuss.
"Get your mind straight. We're going to get Rhythm Busters collaboration products."
"What's Rhythm Busters?"
"Ha? You don't know Rhythm Busters? Seriously? You're a smart-ass who only knows what the academy teaches."
"···."
As Ellen showed a genuinely surprised expression, rare for her.
Flora left the infirmary with a sulky face.
Dreureuk!
The message to the guards at the door was simple.
Just a word that treatment was over but fatigue remained, so they were leaving early.
Flora followed Ellen, leaving District 17 where the academy was, heading to District 19.
A shopping mall she was visiting for the first time.
But Ellen walked as if it were her own home. She entered a shop in the corner of the 9th floor and showed character goods.
"Look. Cute, isn't it?"
"Ah, these are the bunnies on Ellen's bag? This is Rhythm Busters?"
"Brat, don't you know what a collaboration is? Our babies are wearing Rhythm Busters clothes."
"Then that's not Rhythm Busters?"
"Geez, how does every word you say scratch my insides."
Saying forget it and just watch, Ellen pulled out a wad of bills.
She went around purchasing items.
Not only did she clean out the capsule machines, but she also talked to strangers and traded items. She looked very familiar with it.
Flora quietly watched Ellen.
'Her passion is amazing.'
Ellen's focus was as sharp as when she used magic. Her eyes, truly absorbed, showed an intense aura.
The other customers in the shop were the same.
The age range was also wide.
"Hoo! I bought everything. Let's go."
After waiting a bit, Ellen came back carrying a thick paper bag.
Her expression felt refreshed.
"This is your change of mood?"
"Huh? Did you think I'd go to some plains and fire magic wildly?"
"To be honest..."
As Flora nodded slightly in agreement, Ellen smirked.
"Well, firing magic refreshingly isn't bad either. But even better than that is getting what you want in your hands."
"I see."
"You must have something you want too. Let's go buy it."
"...Not really."
"Ha! Boring girl. Stop caring about face. You really have nothing?"
Flora groaned in thought and mumbled.
Ellen squinted one eye as if displeased.
"Then let's split. Go home. Go back to the academy and attend classes or something."
"···."
Ellen hummed a tune to her purchased items and headed to the station.
Flora also followed her to the station.
When they boarded the train, Ellen showed confusion.
Because it was the opposite direction from what she expected.
"The academy is in District 17. If you're going home, the Crimsonhowl family is in District 2, so why are you going this way?"
"I want to ask that too. This way isn't even the direction of District 3 where the Clements family is."
A thought of 'what if' rises in each other's minds.
For now, it leads to 'probably not'.
The train runs on the rails.
Silence continues.
[This district is District 27.]
They stand up at the same time.
Flora and Ellen's eyes met.
"Huh?"
"Uh?"
They get off the train for now.
They stare blankly at each other and then ask.
"...What is it?"
"What about you?"
A staring contest broke out at the station.