Field Survey - Epilogue
Siel had a dream. It wasn't a particularly good one. It was just a memory from her time in the palace, when her mother had scolded her until tears flowed.
"Siel! How is it that you can't do anything properly compared to your sister?!"
"Conduct yourself with the dignity befitting the second princess of the Ruendel Kingdom! You're not someone who needs protecting—you're someone who leads and protects others!"
"Acting like some damsel in distress, crying all the time... You should feel ashamed! Grow up!"
If only someone—anyone—could chase away this nightmare, even for a moment. That single thought swirled endlessly in her mind. Even knowing it was a dream, she couldn't wake up. Even knowing it was a dream, she flailed helplessly, feeling utterly powerless. Tears threatened to spill.
Women are born to cry three times, her mother had said in that old-fashioned way. The words flashed through her mind again, and Siel gritted her teeth, enduring.
"...S-Senior!"
That was when it happened. A familiar voice pierced from somewhere, slowly pulling her out of the pitch-black darkness.
"Uh... huh...?"
She forced her heavy eyelids open, and her vision cleared. The first thing Siel saw upon opening her eyes was a towering ceiling, so high she wondered if she could even reach it. Then, a man's face suddenly filled her view.
"Senior Siel, are you okay?"
"...Junior?"
Disheveled black hair, gray eyes. A sharp rather than rugged impression, trustworthy yet stirring a protective instinct with its slender lines. Recognizing it as her junior Aren, her foggy consciousness began to sharpen.
"Where... are we?"
"Inside the cave where we fought that thing earlier."
"I see. So we won?"
"Of course."
"Good."
Hearing Aren's explanation brought all her memories rushing back. As her hazy vision fully cleared, her mind started turning again.
"...Huh?"
But once it did, she began noticing subtle details she hadn't before. Looking up at Aren was understandable— she'd probably collapsed from exhaustion after forcibly drawing out her mana at the end. But why was he so close? And what was this firm yet strangely soft sensation at her head?
"Um, junior."
"Yes, senior."
"Is... is this thing I'm resting on right now your thigh, by any chance?"
She couldn't bring herself to touch it and check, so she asked tentatively.
"Yeah, it is."
"...!"
Aren's calm reply made Siel's eyes widen like saucers. She tried to bolt upright, but her body was too weak. All she could do was stare at him in stunned silence, questioning his intentions.
"Why?"
"Bear with it. You think I like doing this?"
"N-No, I didn't mean I hated it..."
It was the guy offering the lap pillow who might dislike it—not her. Siel found his point oddly off-base. Besides, her fidgeting wasn't just because a male junior was giving her a lap pillow.
Where the hell am I supposed to look?!
It was guilt from gazing up at Aren's body, torn and ragged from the fierce battle. He shrugged it off casually, rolling his shoulders or stretching lightly, but that only flashed forbidden glimpses into her view, messing with her head. It was absurd to think this way after they'd both nearly died, but his skin filling her vision was just too stimulating.
"By the way, what dream had you frowning like that?"
"Dream?"
"Yeah. You looked like you were in agony, so I woke you up."
"Oh..."
Her flushed face instantly cooled. She didn't want to dwell on that memory. Normally, she wouldn't tell anyone, but the situation stirred a wave of self-deprecation, and the words spilled out.
"...Just a dream of getting chewed out by my mom back in the day."
"Your mom—you mean His Majesty the King?"
"Yeah."
"Sounds strict."
"Not really. It's just that I'm so pathetic, always failing her expectations. Even today, right?"
After all the hell he'd gone through because of her, he couldn't deny it. She tossed it out casually, but...
"...What was pathetic about today?"
His unexpected retort left her blinking blankly. She stammered a lame excuse.
"W-Well, you got into danger because of me. And at the end, I just left it all to you..."
"What are you talking about? I told you already—it wasn't because of you. And I couldn't have broken it alone at the end; it was thanks to you. So what's pathetic?"
"......"
Was this guy the type to rattle off words so quickly and passionately? Seeing this new side flustered Siel, but she also felt a strange pride. He was usually taciturn for a guy, somewhat indifferent to others' affairs. For such a junior to get this fired up just because she'd mildly self-depreciated...
He gently stroked her hair, smiling.
"You did more than enough."
"Ah..."
Siel let out an involuntary gasp. To a princess always whipped with "just a bit more" or "not good enough," those words shone brilliantly. He probably wouldn't grasp that for the rest of his life, even if told.
"Besides, look."
"Where? ...Oh."
Following his gesture, she saw the cave wall, now crumbled. Beyond it stood familiar faces: academy professors and students. Fellow student council members. Close classmates. Even her homeroom professor.
"President!"
"Ms. Balshutain!"
"Siiieeel!"
A crowd of at least twenty rushed toward her, and something like molten lava bubbled in her chest. She tried holding back tears in front of her junior, but...
"Would they all come looking if you were that pathetic?"
With those words and his 'go on' as he helped her up, Siel couldn't suppress her emotions anymore. Wiping tears with her arm, she stepped forward pretending nonchalance. His considerate side-profile, averting his gaze, felt so tender. Her face heated, something else boiling inside, hard to contain.
"Thanks, junior..."
"Arreeeeen!"
As Siel opened her mouth, overwhelmed, another shout drowned her out. Turning, she saw a pink-haired girl charging straight at the junior beside her. A face Siel knew well.
"Oh, miss."
"Don't 'oh, miss' me like nothing happened! What the hell happened?! And why's your arm like that?!"
Tiabel jabbed at Aren's left arm, limp and corroded purple like the dead. He scratched his head with his good right arm, joking.
"Sorry about that. Guess it got wrecked."
"Don't brag! You're always..."
Their bickering began. Sensing no room for her, Siel detached herself and stepped forward.
"...Thanks, Aren."
The words differed slightly from her first intended thanks.
Three days had passed since the major incident in the Labyrinth. The investigation results reached my ears too.
The thing we fought was Mordellin Ockumond, a woman from the 77th class—the so-called Golden Generation graduates. Expelled and kicked out of the academy after her black magic research was discovered by her classmate, the swordswoman called the Hero, Iferia. She must've crawled into the Labyrinth afterward to continue her studies. Professors guessed she was researching immortality or resurrection magic for her dying body. Luckily, we caught her before resurrection; otherwise, no chance of winning.
"Looking better now."
Three days later, my arm—thought permanently ruined—had returned to normal. I still couldn't forget the healers' faces when they first saw it. A body maintaining its form after that much black magic? First time, they said, staring like I was a research subject. Anyway, no one-armed life for me.
Rustle rustle.
After washing comfortably with both arms for the first time in ages and changing clothes...
"Junior, feeling better...? Kyaa?!"
"...?"
Siel senior barged in without knocking, our eyes meeting. Why was she screaming after peeking? Absurd. I finished dressing and called back the fleeing senior.
"Why so surprised? I don't mind—come in."
"I do mind...? Sneaking peeks at a guy's body in broad daylight—how could I not?"
She sidled in sideways like a crab through the half-open door. Never seen her so flustered.
"It's fine if it's you, senior."
"Huh? W-What do you mean by that?"
I gave a wry smile, and she whipped her head toward me so fast I worried about her neck.
"Figured a senior like you wouldn't get excited over a guy's body."
"Uh, huh?"
"Just sorry morally—nothing more."
I couldn't picture her getting all 'oh la la' over the opposite sex. More like an old uncle or aunt from my past life: 'Oho, young fella's got a solid build,' teasing sexual harassment. My honest take made her freeze, glaring sharply.
"I'm a girl too, you know?! Guys' bodies can make my heart race!"
"Suddenly?"
"You're saying weird stuff! I'm a woman in her prime! Watch what you say!"
She revved up out of nowhere. If that's how it was, why snap? Did I misspeak? I just meant it fit her character.
"Besides, you don't even know how tempting you are."
"...Pardon?"
"That's part of the appeal, but it's annoying anyway. Too defenseless."
"Senior, forget your meds? Or take ones you shouldn't?"
She kept rambling nonsense.
"Last time too, asking me to wipe your back sweat... That's seduction, right? Think I don't know?"
"Arm wouldn't move—what could I do?"
"Ask a nurse."
"You said do anything since you felt bad."
Ah, should've just told her to drop the accounting seat offer. I'd asked lightly to avoid burdening her, but now regret flooded in.
Oh, right.
"Senior, so about that first favor I asked?"
"Favor?"
"Yeah, join me for field survey, and you'd tell me the next academic schedule."
"Huh? I did."
Her innocent head tilt left me dazed. Did? When? I'm not so dense I'd forget something crucial.
"The Labyrinth we went to—that was the next schedule."
"...Pardon?"
"Told you then? It's run for freshmen anyway."
"You did say that."
"Yep, exactly."
...So the next schedule was Labyrinth exploration, and I'd gone for a preemptive field survey. Instead of asking her, I could've waited and let Theo suffer it. All for info I'd get anyway?
"...So what'd I gain?"
"Come on. You got the sword Hero Iferia used as a student."
Hero. Iferia's other title. I'd only learned recently. This is why people need school.
"A genuine Hero's relic uncovered. An artifact, even."
Wait.
"But why was it there?"
"Dunno. Stole it out of spite when expelled? Pathetic."
No, not that. A Labyrinth tied to the Hero—probably a key plot point where the original story ramps up. But too brutal for Theo...?
"Oh, no."
Was this the protagonist's forced awakening event? And I stole it?
Ah. This dogshit life—rolling backward still breaks my nose. Who's handling the rest now?