Chapter 27
Chapter 27
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 27
Chapter Title: To Look Back, You Must Stop☆ (4)
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‘So they call me The Faded Spiral because they think I lost all my power and went into hiding after beating Hilde with a forbidden technique.’
If even Maya had her doubts, it was safe to assume most people accepted it as fact.
It was a timely and absurd rumor, though I had no idea who started it.
A student who lost her ether level as the price for using a forbidden power and then vanished.
In a world where ether was practically an object of faith, it must have been a sensational story.
“…”
Ah.
‘…This could be useful.’
My heart began to race.
I couldn’t keep running away from situations involving the third-years forever. Rather than hiding in fear of my alias being discovered, it might be better to tag along as The Faded Spiral.
I would guide the three juniors along the main story’s path toward the Destiny of the Three Heroes. And I would follow their journey toward that destiny, which would protect our beloved academy city, as closely as possible.
Fate had already been twisted, but I would secretly use my power to fix the distorted parts.
“…!”
A realization struck me like a bolt of lightning.
If the road was bent, I shouldn't just grab hold of it and whine. I should hammer it straight.
The worst of the executives? A late-game event?
With so many high-level, trial-version characters from the latter half of the story gathered here right now, what was I even whining about?
I looked at Eir, Vel, and the hundreds of Scarlet Academy students gathered around. Though they weren't here, the Gjallarhorn investigation team had to be nearby as well.
‘If the rumor has spread this far, I might as well be the one to hammer in the final nail and make it true.’
Three people can create a tiger from nothing.
Me, Vel, and Eir would create that tiger.
And the tiger’s name would be The Faded Spiral.
I quickly revised my own character profile.
‘From now on, I am the comic relief character with a tragic backstory, The Faded Spiral.’
A new character of destiny, a fusion of Clara’s and ‘my’ dispositions.
My new course of action was set: “All roads lead to Rome.”
When the main story flowed as it should, I would let my juniors reap the rewards. When anomalies occurred, I would secretly save the day, following the narrative as closely as possible.
As my thoughts turned positive, ideas I hadn't considered before came to mind.
‘Since it’s a late-game main story event, the rewards should be pretty sweet.’
Just how much first-clear experience did you get for resolving a corrosion dungeon?
Okay.
Decision made.
Looking at Eir and Vel, who were staring at me, I made up my mind.
‘If I try to tell them it’s just a rumor now, Eir will just go on a rampage.’
You have to commit to the persona from the moment you decide on it.
Okay.
Ready.
Action.
I spoke, my face bittersweet as I clenched my fists.
“…Are you satisfied now? To prattle on about a girl’s painful past like that—♪ You’ve gotten quite cruel, Eir.”
“…”
“…I may not have the same power I once did☆ but I’ve found things that are precious to me—☆”
“…What?”
“I… discovered things that shine far brighter than any battle☆”
Eir looked like she was about to scream for a moment, then she shoved Vel aside and stepped forward.
“Are you… serious—!!”
“Kyaa?!”
The moment she was free, Vel scrambled over to where Alvitt was. Eir, however, marched right up to me, her eyes boring into mine as if she wanted to devour me.
A magenta ether, like a flickering flame, approached to gauge the distance. But its force, while stronger than before, lacked finesse.
‘Has Eir not yet witnessed the moment of Apex?’
I deflected every probe of that ‘distance’ that ceaselessly tapped against my skin.
“…”
“…”
Would she find out?
If she went berserk, how would I smooth things over?
Even with such thoughts racing through my mind, Eir’s eyes continued to glare at me as if to consume me whole.
What I saw beyond those eyes was a magenta light and a flame-like form.
Looking into those eyes used to make my blood boil, but now, they just seemed like ordinary eyes.
From behind us, I could hear the worried voices of my juniors.
“…Senior!”
“Senior…!”
“Comrade Senior…!”
Hearing their voices, my countless worries faded into the far reaches of memory.
I am here to protect them, to guide them.
“…”
“…”
What did Eir see in my eyes?
“You’ve gotten weaker… but you’re not trash.”
“…”
“But I don’t like it.”
“…”
“…I can’t stand the sight of you. Get lost if you don’t want to get caught up in this. We’re going to burn everything to resolve the dungeon gate’s corrosion, and then we’ll march straight to the central district.”
*Swoosh—*
With a sword that looked like an animal’s spine resting on her shoulder, she turned.
Countless students followed in her wake.
“…”
For some reason, Eir’s retreating back looked lonely.
***
The flickering flames danced across the street.
The hundreds of Scarlet Academy students slowly moved away.
Alvitt’s head was spinning from the flood of information. Clara approached her with a bittersweet smile.
“Sorry—☆ It’s not exactly a past I wanted to share…”
“…Senior.”
“Ugh…! S-Sorry… for just blurting it out.”
Vel apologized to Clara, but Clara just gave a wry smile and said it was okay.
Alvitt watched Clara silently.
She never imagined her foolish senior had such a past. A past so brilliant it was once compared to the ‘Five Colors,’ the strongest in the academy city.
But now, she was just as her alias described… faded…
‘No…’
Alvitt shook off the disrespectful thought that had momentarily crossed her mind. It wasn’t a thought she should have about Clara, who had dedicated herself to helping them.
“…”
Alvitt suddenly recalled the first time she met Clara.
Wearing a bucket on her head, unable to control her own body, stumbling this way and that. And then, every day, she would be out at the crack of dawn, obsessively riding her bike to build her stamina.
It was as if she was trying to reclaim something she had lost.
A shiver ran down Alvitt’s spine.
Clara had always been rebuilding what she had lost.
“…!”
The day they first met.
Clara had asked with a deeply embarrassed expression.
-I… don’t actually know how to use basic ether… Can you teach me—☆
And it was true.
Clara’s application of ether swordsmanship was crude and clumsy.
She looked as if she were holding a sword for the very first time in her life.
-A bizarre skill that uses no weapon… and endless ether… There had to be a price. Tsk…
-The legend who burned away all her ether levels and faded…! To think the rumors about The Faded Spiral were true!
But for Clara, who had fallen from the brightest heights and lost everything, those efforts were filled with the resolve to start again from the very beginning.
-I was just at the school☆ No one would take me, not the Union, not the other schools…
From that miserable past, what must it have been like to climb to the pinnacle of power, only to fall again? And what was going through Clara’s mind when she told someone like her to enjoy school life?
And she herself.
What expression had she made when she saw that?
-You’re incompetent, senior.
*Throb—*
It felt like a sharp poke in a corner of her heart.
Overwhelmed by a wave of guilt, Alvitt mentally bowed her head.
‘I’m sorry, senior… I’m sorry for laughing at you…’
“…”
“…”
Clara and Vel walked ahead.
The three juniors following them were all silent, having glimpsed a person’s painful secret.
Vel finally broke the heavy silence, her voice strained.
“In this atmosphere… uh… I’m sorry to bring this up so suddenly. Anyway, first, we need to find the Gjallarhorn investigation team that clashed with those Scarlet Academy kids…”
-Secretary Vel—! Run—!
“…Huh?”
Hearing the distant call, Vel stared blankly toward the source of the sound. Amidst the crumbling ruins stood a student with a bow drawn, her eyes sparkling.
*Twitch.*
The dark-skinned girl’s large elf ears twitched as she shouted in a righteous tone.
-Hahaha—! Secretary Vel, you too couldn’t ignore people in need and left the garrison—! Of course! We are all the righteous United Student Council—!
…cil…
…cil…
…cil…
The shout was loud enough to echo.
The color drained from Vel’s face.
“Sigrun, you crazy bitch…!”
The hundreds of Scarlet Academy students, who had been slowly moving away, came to an abrupt halt. They turned their heads slowly. A twisted madness filled their eyes.
-…United Student Council?
-…Secretary Vel?
-Gjallarhorn investigation team…
Seeing them turn, Sigrun aimed her bow with a hearty voice and shouted.
“Justice will never yield!! Release the members of the Gjallarhorn investigation team at once!! I will not forgive your actions of destroying the academy city’s order and its citizens’ homes!!”
Watching this, Vel let out a cry as if she were about to faint.
“We’re screwed—!”
-…Grab that brat and the pointy-ear.
-Yes, Captain!! Hahaha!!
-It’s an elf-hunt—!!
Eir’s low voice carried all the way to them, and simultaneously, hundreds of Scarlet Academy students turned and charged.
*Thududududu—!*
“Kyaaaaaaah—!!!”
Vel screamed at the sight and bolted forward.
“Senior! I think we have to run!”
Startled by another sudden turn of events, Alvitt looked back to check on Clara. Clara was still smiling brightly.
“Ahaha☆ We’re screwed—♪”
“…”
As if telling her it was okay.
With that reassuring smile.
Alvitt felt both a sense of comfort and a pang of guilt. She grabbed Clara’s hand and held it tight.
Clara spoke with a playful smile.
“Oh my? What’s this? You must be scared, Alvitt—♪”
“I’ll protect you…!”
“…”
Lotha and Kara, following close behind, also moved to guard Clara’s side and gave a nod.
“Senior, don’t leave my side!”
“Don’t worry, Comrade Senior…!”
Amidst it all.
Clara wore a somewhat bitter smile.