Chapter 18
Chapter 18
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 18
Chapter Title: The Nostalgic Scenery of Our Return☆
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On the way back to school.
We hitched a ride on a large vehicle with members of the Facility Engineering Department who were heading out to the northeastern district near Central Prism Academy. They had already heard from Maya that we would be joining them, so they welcomed us without much fuss.
As I boarded the vehicle, I felt a tinge of regret and took one last look at the main gate of Mimir Industrial High School.
Even now, countless students were walking toward the train station or boarding their own vehicles. Among them were some who hugged each other in farewell, promising to meet again.
Watching them, the face of one person I regrettably hadn't been able to see came to mind.
Cold, silver-white.
But a girl who hid a fiery competitive spirit in her heart.
‘...In the end, I didn't get to see Hilde at all.’
Even though I had resolved to go see her someday, I also felt the pressure of facing Hilde, who would surely be angry at me for winning and then running away. It was a strange mix of disappointment and relief.
‘...But we will definitely meet again.’
When that time comes.
I must apologize to Hilde.
Even if you are destined to be the strongest, and I was fated to be the weakest. Once all my duties are finished and we meet again, we must have a proper match.
‘You'll probably be even stronger by then.’
If we ever meet and fight again someday.
She will surely defeat me.
Because.
I... 'Clara' can no longer grow any stronger.
“…”
Even so.
I will face the match with everything I have.
For all the time I spent running away after winning, facing her with my full strength is the only way I can atone.
However.
The time was not yet right.
“We're leaving now! Everyone from Central Prism Academy! Please board!”
And so, we sat huddled together in the cargo bed, which was filled with various materials and tools.
Alvitt sat right next to me, impressed that I had managed to find a vehicle heading toward Central Prism Academy.
“I was worried about how we were going to get back... This is a relief.”
“Luckily, some kind people were heading this way―☆”
“You suddenly disappeared. I was wondering where you went.”
“I used to come to Mimir Industrial High School often☆ So I made some fateful acquaintances―☆ What do you think? Helping each other out is kind of romantic, isn't it? Hmm―☆”
“...I see.”
For some reason, Alvitt didn't nitpick my girls' talk like she usually did. She simply felt the wind in the open cargo bed and quietly gazed ahead.
Across from where we were sitting side-by-side in the cargo bed.
Two students, one tall and one short, were lying there.
*Snore*―
Kara was sound asleep, covered by a baggy, gray work coat from Mimir Industrial High School. Meanwhile, Lotha was lying down with a pained expression, groaning as if she were carsick.
“Ugh…”
The sight of her writhing, her large cat ears twitching, was both cute and pitiful. Her orange hair, which had been carefully brushed and neatly braided this morning, was now a complete mess.
I let out a dry laugh at the sight.
‘Are beastfolk more prone to motion sickness because their sense of balance is more sensitive than other students?’
That was something I never knew in the game. To think that the reason Public Vana Boarding School, attended mostly by the children of beastfolk nobles, was so serious about securing exclusive routes for the aether-levitation trains was for such a human reason.
“…”
Alvitt glanced at her classmates, then looked further into the distance and spoke.
“You can see the surroundings much better than when we came by train. It’s really sinking in that we live in the Academy City.”
“Oh my―☆ You've been here for a week and it still hasn't sunk in~? Have you already forgotten the memories you made with your cute senior from Central Prism Academy―? How sad―☆ Pout pout pout☆”
“It's just that I’ve been dealing with a strange person and a series of strange events, so it was hard enough just to adapt to that....”
“Aah―?! Did you just call this cute girl ‘strange’―☆”
*Poke.*
*Poke.*
I playfully poked Alvitt's cheek. But she just kept watching the scenery of the Academy City with a faint smile on her face.
The scenery passing by, viewed from the open cargo bed, felt like a trip to the countryside. The peaceful sight of the Academy City unfolded before us like a landscape painting.
Blue sky.
Large trees.
White buildings.
As we left the bustling Mimir Industrial High School behind, the streets grew noticeably quieter. It felt a bit like leaving the city to return to one's hometown.
Alvitt murmured as she gazed at the scenery.
“...It was really fun.”
“Hm?”
“Just like you said, senior, this past week of school life has been fun. Meeting new people and new friends was really enjoyable…”
“…”
“...I wonder how much more fun our school life together will be from now on?”
Alvitt met my eyes.
Her eyes, shining with excitement and anticipation, held the simple happiness of a girl living in the Academy City—purely grateful for today and looking forward to tomorrow.
Not saving the world or solving countless incidents.
Just a girl who was thankful for an ordinary day and the people she met.
Alvitt said with conviction.
“I’m glad I came to Central Prism Academy.”
“…”
“Thank you, senior. For protecting Central Prism Academy all by yourself.”
“…”
“Thank you for helping us, for giving us a place to belong.”
“…”
Hearing her words, I felt a little embarrassed.
And for some reason, a corner of my heart ached.
All I could do was smile quietly and nod.
“...Yeah!”
Alvitt seemed embarrassed by her sentimental words. She turned her head forward again and resumed watching the passing scenery of the Academy City.
“…”
I looked at the three juniors, now finally all gathered.
Alvitt.
Lotha.
Kara.
The three juniors had joined Central Prism Academy through a story that had changed to be a little happier than the one in the game.
“…”
The blue sky, the wind brushing through my hair.
A large tree visible beyond the horizon, and a hill slowly drawing closer.
On the way back to school.
Though I knew the story was just beginning, I felt a certain anxiety I'd held for two years finally fading away.
＊
By the time the sun had lowered a bit and the sky was slowly turning yellow,
we arrived at the hilltop town where Central Prism Academy was located.
“Well, we'll be on our way then!”
“Okay―☆ Thanks for the ride☆”
*Vrooom*―
The vehicle that had brought us here drove off with a roar of its engine.
After standing by the roadside for a moment, we gathered our belongings and started up the hill toward the shopping district.
“...Phew. I'm still dizzy…”
“Ooh―!! So this is the place where my new school life begins―!! Truly a fine place to harbor revolutionary ambitions!!”
“...Just say it looks poor.”
“Poor! It looks like a peaceful village where good people live!!”
“...Sigh.”
Lotha stumbled along, still holding her messy hair.
Kara carried Lotha's pack for her, marveling at the sights.
Alvitt quietly supported Lotha as they walked forward.
I watched them from a little behind, smiling fondly.
‘The Peach Sisters, all gathered.’
The sight of the three of them walking bravely toward the setting sun looked as dignified as the heroes of the Three Kingdoms. Wanting to watch them a little longer, I slowed my pace.
“Lotha, do you still feel like you're going to throw up?”
“Nngh... No. I can hold it... *Urp*…”
“Hahaha! It is not right to hold back what swells within your heart!!”
“Ugh... My head is ringing, so please shut up...! Ugh... *Blech*…”
“Lotha―?!”
“Hahahahaha―!! How valiant!!”
“Kara!! Please, just be quiet!!”
“Alvitt, you're loud too... *Urp*...!”
“Hahahahaha!!!”
‘Now that all three of them are here, it's certainly lively. I like it.’
The backs of my lovely juniors.
Walking slowly under the warm sunlight.
The hilltop town where Central Prism Academy was located came into view.
The scenery of the shopping district was so peaceful it made the events of the past three days feel like a dream. The dwarven shopkeepers, who were preparing to close for the day, turned to look our way.
“Hm? Clara?”
“Where, where?”
Even though they knew we had gone to another school, these people living their ordinary lives were happy even at an ordinary reunion. Seeing our boisterous return, they came bustling over on their short legs.
“Oh! It's Clara! And Miss Alvitt, too!”
“Welcome back~!! Who's the tall student next to you?”
“Hahaha! As for myself, I am a friend of the people! A revolutionary with a red star in her heart! I have come to enroll at Central Prism Academy! I look forward to working with you, my dwarven comrades!”
“A bit strange... No, a special young lady has arrived, heheh.”
“Why is Miss Lotha bowing her head... Aack?!”
“S-Someone, bring some water!!”
“D-Don't look... *Urp*―?!”
The dwarves panicked at the sudden happening.
Alvitt, patting Lotha's back worriedly.
Kara, raising her hands and laughing with joy at the new encounter.
Watching them, I truly felt that I was home.
From a distance, old man Huato from the tailor shop and the polite young man from the bakery also came running, their aprons fluttering.
“Oh, you're back. It was so quiet around here while you were gone.”
“Welcome back. I just happened to bake some bread, hoping to give it to you.”
I waved at them as they welcomed our return and said.
“We're back―☆ Does anyone happen to have some motion sickness medicine―☆”
A scene more bustling than ever.
Something I had never seen back when I was all alone in Academy City Yggd.
The story from the game, which had existed only in a corner of my faded memories.
“Here! I have motion sickness medicine here!”
“Hey, it's rude to Miss Lotha for all of you to stare like that!”
“You men over there! Stop embarrassing the young lady and come over here!”
“Hahahaha!! What a truly warm and friendly town!!”
“Kara... I'll never forgive you…”
“Oh, by the way, Miss Alvitt, I heard something collapsing from the school the other day, so I took a peek, and it looked like the main gate of the auditorium had crumbled from decay?”
“This damn school... Of course it did…”
I finally realized that the story had begun.
Not the story from the game, but a story that I had been changing, little by little.
Amidst my countless thoughts, one feeling rose to the surface.
‘I'm glad I was able to become strong on my own... and that I could return as Clara.’
That I could welcome them not as The Pink Spiral who would devour all stories, but as the ordinary senior, Clara. And that I could solve the problems that the ordinary senior Clara couldn't handle as The Pink Spiral.
An ordinary happiness, born from the intersecting wishes of a man and a girl.
The day when all the students of Central Prism Academy from the game had finally returned to their school.
In this strange, special world.
I was grateful for the happiness of a day that had changed little by little, and for the better.