Chapter 37
Chapter 37
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 37
Chapter Title: The Beasts That Scatter Gold☆ (2)
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I drifted back to sleep, then woke again.
‘…I took a short nap, so the situation should have settled down by now.’
The wind brushed against my cheek, and the sound of breathing echoed in my ears.
The faint morning sunlight seeping through my closed eyelids roused my hazy mind. As consciousness slowly returned, I emerged from the abyss of my dreams and gently opened my eyes to find a silver-white morning star greeting me.
“…”
“…”
I gazed at Hilde, who shone even more brilliantly in the morning sun.
‘She seems a bit more mature than before. No, this is the face I’m actually used to.’
The silver-white girl was as beautiful as ever.
She seemed to have blossomed into someone far more beautiful than before.
Her form was as noble and elegant as a silver lily that had grown under the moonlight.
A girl like the moon in the night sky.
Her silver hair, filling my vision, cast a darkness like the veil of night. Within it, a girl resembling a crescent moon looked at me with tender eyes. Two silver stars glittered like jewels in the darkness.
Though morning had already arrived, the scene before me was like the moonlight of the night sky unfurled. It was a beautiful, yet unnatural sight, and it left me utterly bewildered.
Utterly…
Utterly bewildered.
Because the position Hilde was in right now was…
In cruder terms, a ‘pouncing position.’
‘What is she doing?’
My eyes met Hilde’s.
“You’re awake.”
“…”
“I missed you.”
“…”
“So I waited.”
“…”
Hilde was on top of the bed, looking directly down at me as I lay there.
She was leaning over me, completely covering my body.
Her hands were placed slightly apart at an angle that wouldn't discomfort me, yet they were positioned where she could block any escape route at a moment's notice.
‘The consideration she’s showing by controlling her breathing so I’m not uncomfortable and leaving a subtle amount of space for my arms and legs… is actually making this more burdensome.’
Was it because of the awkward, four-limbed crawling posture she was in?
A faint blush was slowly spreading across Hilde’s cool, translucent face. And her large eyes were gradually welling up with tears.
‘What is wrong with her?’
Seeing this, I was at a loss for words.
I had wanted to clear up some misunderstandings or apologize for a few things.
But the extraordinary position Hilde had taken had frozen my brain.
We stared into each other’s eyes for some time.
The sentence itself was incredibly romantic, but with my brain on pause, I had no idea where to look. So, naturally, I looked into Hilde’s eyes, which were right in front of me.
“…”
“…”
Her pupils sparkled, as if the darkness and starlight of the night sky were reflected in a spring made of mercury. Looking into those beautiful eyes, I somehow felt that reuniting in such a perverted posture wasn't so bad after all…
I was startled by the thought that momentarily crossed my mind.
‘What am I thinking?’
My brain isn't working right, so strange thoughts are popping up.
I couldn't let myself get swept up in the mood right now.
It felt like this could devolve into a truly irreversible situation.
I hurriedly opened my mouth to sort things out.
But.
*Plink—*
“…!”
Upon my face.
A single teardrop fell.
“…Huh.”
Hilde’s tear, having landed on my face, trickled down my cheek.
The coolness left in its wake pierced my heart.
She, who had shone as brilliantly as a noble crescent moon, was crying.
My mind went blank.
Moisture streamed down her still-impassive face.
Somehow, it was as fleeting and faint as dew on a lily bud, making my chest ache as if someone had seized my heart.
Tears forming on Hilde’s nearly expressionless face.
It was as if…
As if it were the face of an abandoned child.
As if it were the face of someone resentful of a friend who had finally returned.
My heart ached.
Facing Hilde’s wounded expression, guilt crept up my spine. I had never imagined that a separation of a few years, which I had considered trivial, could have left such a deep scar.
It was only upon seeing this face that I truly realized what I had done.
‘Hilde…’
Hilde spoke, her voice thick with tears.
“I… I guess I was too late.”
“…!”
“I guess… I found you too late.”
“Hilde…!”
She was crying because I had abandoned her and left. And yet, instead of blaming me, she was regretting that she had found me too late.
‘You were lonely… all by yourself. You didn't know how to approach anyone… so you just waited.’
I knew she was an awkward girl who didn't know how to get close to people, but I had failed to teach her how. I simply thought of her as a friend who shared similar experiences, and I let her immaturity slide as something familiar.
As an adult, I shouldn't have done that.
‘You, too… were just an awkward child in the end… I was so thoughtless.’
Like a child who can't let go of their blanket, I should have known that you, too, had something you relied on for comfort. I should have known it was the friendship we shared.
‘You were so desperate… you just wanted to smell your friend again.’
As clumsy as she was.
I should have been mature.
But I, too, was nothing but a clumsy… cowardly adult.
Even the things we could have shared, I had hastily used up.
‘I want… to fight with you again. But I need to get stronger for a while.’
I offered Hilde the words I had held in for so long.
“I’m sorry—☆”
“…Lara.”
“For leaving you alone… I’m sorry…☆”
“…Lara.”
“I was a coward… I thought if I just left… everything would be solved from then on…☆”
“No…!”
There was so much I wanted to say.
But the more I spoke, the hoarser my throat became, and the words wouldn't come out easily.
‘If only I had a heart as strong as Frida’s…’
With that regret, I apologize to you.
“I’m sorry… for being weak.”
“No…!!”
*Thud.*
Hilde, unable to control her wavering heart any longer, buried herself in my embrace, wiping away her tears. As the dampness spread across my chest, my heart burned with a searing pain.
“Again…”
My voice cracked.
My parched throat made it difficult for my vocal cords to move.
So, rather than say more, I decided to show her with my actions.
‘I’m going to get stronger again, starting now. As the true strongest, I’ll walk all the way back to where you are, from the very beginning.’
Not as the first-year [Spiral] who wins through cheap tricks and cowardice.
I will become the third-year [Spiral] who walks the same path as you again.
‘So don’t cry. I’m going to get stronger from now on.’
Perhaps because I hadn't been able to get up for so long, even lifting my hand was difficult.
My arm was covered in dark bruises up to the elbow, and my hand was pathetically dry, but I hoped it could offer her at least a little comfort.
With that in mind, I raised my still-throbbing, bruised hand and wiped away Hilde’s tears. Her eyes widened as she looked at my hand.
Bruised all over.
Unsightly.
A hand moving forward, slowly.
Did she read the will contained within it?
Hilde just stared silently at my hand.
“Someday… someday… if we can… duel again…”
“…”
“Surely… someday… definitely…”
“…Yes.”
I suddenly moved, thrusting out a fist that had reopened a wound.
“Hilde.”
“…Lara.”
Hilde flinched, looking at my fist.
For all the time we spent together.
There must be feelings that can be conveyed without many words.
Because true girls' talk is shared when fists meet.
*Tap—*
Hilde met my fist with her own.
A fighter’s greeting.
This was how our friendship worked.
Seeing this, I muttered in satisfaction.
“Promise—♪”
“…A promise.”
Hilde stared at her fist for a while.
Then, she got off the bed and trudged toward the door. Before leaving the room, she grabbed the doorknob and turned back to look at me.
“…Lara.”
“Hm?”
Somehow.
Her face was a little stiff.
The hand holding the doorknob was trembling.
*Thump.*
*Thump.*
*Thump.*
I could feel Hilde’s heart pounding as if it would burst.
“…?”
I looked at her with a puzzled expression.
‘What is she trying to say…’
After hesitating for a moment, she opened her mouth, her tone solemn.
“Come to the .”
“…”
“I swear on the name of the World Tree.”
“…”
“I will let you enjoy the finest things in the Academy City, in a place where no one can touch you.”
“…”
What did she mean?
‘Who would dare mess with [The Pink Spiral] or [The Faded Spiral] at this point…’
Could it be… that she was offering to provide conveniences for the poor ?
I couldn't discern the exact intention behind her words. But even if I were to take my juniors and live a life of luxury on the golden streets now, I doubted it would help our journey in the slightest.
Besides, I didn't want to encourage Hilde, who had a high reputation as the United Student Council President, to abuse her power.
‘I’m not certain, since the original story is already a mess, but soon enough, some furry beasts, egged on by , will start picking fights.’
If the main story of the early part unfolds as it should, a power struggle between and <aesir girls'="" high="" school=""> will begin. Even if it doesn't happen exactly like that, the Academy City is bound to get noisy due to <ratatoskr>'s sudden actions.
I didn't want to add to Hilde’s burdens in a situation like this.
‘We’ll be seeing each other often from now on anyway…’
With that in mind, I quietly shook my head.
“…It’s okay—☆”
“…Why?!”
Hilde bit her lip, staring at me with wide, surprised eyes.
‘Ah… she just doesn’t want to be distant from me.’
Sensing her inner thoughts, I quickly made an excuse.
“We each… have… important things… right now—☆”
“…”
“We’ll… meet again…♪”
“…”
A long silence followed.
Eventually, Hilde turned her head away and replied.
“…I see.”
What a relief.
It seemed Hilde hadn't forgotten her position.
With a sense of relief, I watched her back as she opened the door and walked away, calling out to her.
“We’re… still friends, right?”
“…”
*Creeak—*
With the sound of the hinges, the door closed.
But no answer came.
***
Always…
It was always like this.
Upset, she had turned and left.
“…”
Leaving the infirmary, Brynhildr recalled events from the past.
“…”
What came to mind was the withered touch of her sick mother’s hand.
That final touch, caressing her cheek, was astonishingly dry.
『Tomorrow… we can… definitely… see each other again.』
And that night.
Her mother passed away.
‘Liar…’
The family treated the event as taboo.
The fact that a woman from a powerful military family that held the country in its sway had died from a mere lung disease would surely invite all sorts of rumors.
That winter, it was decided that ‘nothing’ had happened.
‘Liars…’
Brynhildr no longer believed in uncertain promises.
And then, spring came again.
After a dreamlike time had passed, the cherry blossoms she saw again had withered.
But the withered cherry blossoms were still beautiful.
‘Even if you have withered… I… want you.’
So she had offered the greatest ‘vow’ her family had taught her. But she had just shaken her head with a fleeting smile.
“We each have… important things…?”
She didn't understand what she meant at all.
Weren't they the most special thing to each other?
Wasn't their time together meant to last forever?
That was what upset her.
『We’re… still friends, right?』
The attitude of trying to confine their relationship to those two paltry words was upsetting. And what upset her most was herself, for foolishly waiting instead of seeking her out sooner, knowing she would regret it like this.
Brynhildr’s insides just burned.
“Liar…”
If she turned back now.
If she gathered the petals of the withered cherry blossom and locked them away forever.
Would that make her look back, even just a little?
*Halt—*
By the time she was several dozen meters away from the makeshift infirmary.
The voices of unfamiliar female students reached Brynhildr’s ears.
“—So you’re saying she’s awake?!”
“—When are you going to let us see her!!”
Brynhildr saw their faces from a distance.
Students with brown, orange, and ultramarine hair.
Students wearing the same uniform as her.
Those hangers-on who had been running through the city, lit by fireworks that night.
Clara had been hurt so badly to protect you.
“So it was you.”
And the group that had directly wounded her.
“…Ratatoskr.”
Ah.
Now she understood.
Now, it seemed she finally understood.
The things that were weighing Clara down.
The things that had made her so hurt, so withered.
“…I see.”
Now… she finally understood.
That by just standing still.
She could achieve nothing.