The Second Fated Companion

Salenium Saga has countless endings, and of course, bad endings exist among them. My senses, honed by drifting through and witnessing all those numerous bad endings, were screaming inside me right now.

Adrian's life greatest crisis.

Was it really? I'd thought I'd overcome what I considered my life's greatest crises time and again.

But this was the karma I'd summoned, the snowball I'd rolled. Therefore, it was my job to smash the massively grown snowball.

I wouldn't die here. Not until I became the marquis and saw the furious face of that guy.

"……Millije."

"Yes, Senior. Please tell me. I'm ready to hear anything."

"First off, let me say this. I didn't forget. Midterms, 98th place—I remember it clearly. You made it inside the top 100 in the midterm rankings, just as I said."

Millije's entrance ranking was 611th. First-years have much more ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠fluctuation than second-years, where rankings are more fixed. After rankings based on entrance exams are announced, midterms hit, and dropouts pour out while top-rankers who slip up tumble to the bottom.

If you perfectly time it, you can break into the top 100. Of course, if you don't score higher in finals, you'll drop right back out.

"Y-you saw the r-rankings……? And it's been a while since they ended, but you still r-remember……."

"For a cherished junior, isn't remembering your ranking a given? Truth is, I was agonizing over what reward to give you, so I haven't given my answer yet."

N-no, really. I didn't forget. I just didn't have the leisure to think about it.

Millije glanced sideways with eyes that had regained a bit of life, and the cat emerging sluggishly from her skirt pocket spoke up.

"Nero, you were there? Aren't you usually on the shoulder? You were bigger too."

It grumbled alone and slipped back into the skirt pocket.

"Hoo……."

Millije placed a hand on her chest and let out a deep sigh.

"……I thought you'd completely forgotten our promise, Senior. Even after midterms ended, even after the athletic festival, you said nothing."

"……I see. Sorry about that. Seems I was too indifferent to my one and only junior, the future spirit summoner."

I said that and placed my hand on her head. Millije's eyes widened round, then she closed them and smiled.

"Ehehe……."

……Hm. Ignore that window that just popped up.

"Then shall we have lunch together? I'll treat. Pick whatever you want. As an apology too."

"Ah, that's nice, but…… S-Senior."

Hesitating Millije. I looked into her eyes.

"I-I have a party member…… Can I bring them along……?"

Party member? Who?

The party member we found was someone familiar to me too.

"H-hi, Senior. We meet again."

"Indeed. Now you're together, huh."

Due to the series of events before, these two had become friends. Sufle would help Millije as the grade's top student. And for Sufle, Millije would serve as a way to resolve her trauma.

Come to think of it, I told them to become friends, but seeing them actually be friends was surprising.

"Ah, Senior. Did you know? Sufle's my roommate now."

"Roommate…… So Sufle moved to Merin Hall?"

Really? She left Lubrium Hall—the top student dorm with single rooms and top-grade everything—for the commoner dorm Merin Hall with no money?

"Yeah."

I pressed my forehead watching Sufle nod indifferently.

Sufle is a character you somehow end up adding to your party early if you play as Erhan. Both first-years, both from Lubrium Hall. Positions that inevitably tangle no matter what.

But Sufle left Lubrium Hall on her own for Merin Hall.

"This place must be way inferior to Lubrium Hall."

"Yeah, facilities are inconvenient. Room's small and old."

"Ah, Sufle. If it's uncomfortable, you can go back……."

"No. But Lubrium Hall room's too big. Lying alone on the floor…… feels lonely."

Sufle turned her head to the side as she said that.

"Facilities are old, room's small. But with someone there, Merin Hall's way better."

……I see.

Back then, I'd told her she had 'trauma' too. The witch of ice and snow, Sufle. She's a member of the 'Ice Witch Clan' who lived in the Mythic Era when demons, subhumans, and humans clashed. She slept over 300 years from the 'Mythic Era' and awoke.

But for some reason, memories from 300 years ago don't exist in her body. So though born 300 years ago, her consciousness matches her physical age.

Her trauma is simple. The entire Ice Witch Clan 'except her' died. They forced the youngest 'Sufle' into hibernation right before battle and went to fight demons, perishing entirely.

She's afraid of being left alone. Afraid of no one by her side. That's why she can't smile—that was Sufle's trauma.

In the original, she slowly overcomes it by conquering 'dungeons' with somewhat airheaded Erhan, smiling a little for the first time. Seems like overcoming trauma via dungeon rewards, but really, it's realizing someone is by her side with Erhan that does it.

Hm.

"Ah, Sufle. You can't eat with food all over your mouth."

"Ah."

"Turn your head. I'll wipe it."

"Mm."

Millije pulled out a handkerchief and wiped Sufle's mouth.

……So Millije's taken Erhan's role here. Sufle's trauma fades just by having someone by her side. She probably doesn't even realize her trauma's vanishing unknowingly.

"Millije too, food on your mouth."

"Use my handkerchief for that. Sufle, will you wipe it?"

"Yeah."

"Eh? Ah? Uh? A……."

What a fine sight.

As I watched that scene, Sufle turned to me and said,

"Thanks, Senior."

"Hm?"

"If Senior hadn't told me to meet Millije back then, to be friends…… I'd be much unhappier."

"Sufle!?"

She bowed her head.

"I'll express my thanks."

Well…… if you say so.

"Sufle. Before accepting that thanks, may I add one condition?"

"Yeah, Senior."

"Keep being Millije's good friend from now on."

That way, Sufle naturally becomes one of us— a bit mercenary, no, very much so.

"Yeah, got it."

She nodded, her lips faintly curving up.

After finishing the meal.

As we headed to the open field first.

A lively voice called from behind.

"As summoned, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠here I am, Adrian!"

"Hm, good meal?"

"Yes! Today I tried Kelly's recommended southern dish—strong flavors. Distinct taste, I liked it, but Relbrian left some."

"Relbrian's half-elf, after all. She'd prefer refreshing foods over spiced ones."

"Yes, so next regular meal, we're going somewhere Relbrian likes."

I see. Reina chatting brightly with a smile.

"But…… what I like most, what I look forward to most, is eating with Adrian? Anything's delicious with you."

"Thanks."

"Hehe…… Yes!"

Her bracelet jingled, and my bracelet shook slightly in response to the mana wave.

"Still wearing that?"

"Of course, it's a gift from Adrian."

"You have the staff and shoes too."

"Ah, now that you mention…… Everything I'm wearing except uniform is from Adrian. How embarrassing."

What of it. Anyway, enough chit-chat.

I called her for a reason.

"Then, time for talk of our future."

"Y-yes……??"

"No need to be so surprised. Talk of our future, you and I. That's why I called you."

At my words.

Reina's eyes widened round.

She stared blankly at me.

"F-future…… talk?"

"Yes."

"W-wait a sec. Is, is what I'm thinking r-right? Sure, second-year's a bit early, but n-no. Uh…… B-but isn't it too early?"

Too early?

"Kalen Snowwhite's already there."

"Eh? What?"

No idea what she's thinking, but I spoke calmly.

"Reina, I must become marquis."

"Ah, yes…… right?"

"For that, I need ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠a faction. Like when fighting Melwood Elion—eight pillars who support me fully."

Companions of fate. As planned, I'd slot Reina as the second companion.

Because finals are coming soon. Even in different teams, we need party synergy.

"Ah…… so that's what you meant. Ahaha, embarrassing. I misunderstood weirdly…… No reason for Adrian to talk that already……."

"What did you misunderstand?"

"Don't ask. Anyway, you're saying I should be one of those eight?"

"Yes. Of course, if ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠inconvenient, no need……."

"Adrian."

Reina looked up at me with a serious expression now.

"Didn't I say? Don't carry it alone. I want a relationship where you rely on me, and I on you."

She stepped back two paces, spun around, and gazed at the distant horizon.

"And why would I refuse? Adrian asked me to join. No, even if you refused, I'd want in."

She turned back, hands behind, leaning in with a grin.

"I want to see your path to the end. Can I?"

That moment.

Come to think of it.

I'd never once checked this girl's affection level.

"Feels weird. Like power's surging up? Imagination?"

Well, whatever. No need to check.

And.

"……This."

"Adrian? What's wrong?"

"No, nothing. Now I have a reason to absolutely win finals."

It popped up here. Unlocking a late-game feature now is an enormous gain.

Really. I must win.