038. Warmth (1)
038. Warmth (1)
In the middle of the Great Forest.
Yuna sat perched on a stump atop a hill.
And, gasping for breath, she gazed at the setting sun.
Yuna's appearance was, quite literally, covered in blood.
The blade of the sword she held, and even her golden hair, were soaked in red blood.
Of course, it wasn't human blood.
"......Yuna-ya. Didn't you push yourself too hard?"
"Yeah......."
As Rachel asked with a worried look on her face.
Yuna showed a very faint smile, then.
She brushed her hair messily, wiping away the bloodstains.
The sword was the same.
Yuna tore off a piece of bandage to wipe the blade clean, then.
She slid the sword right back into its leather scabbard.
"It's fine now, right?"
Because she didn't want to make Rachel worry.
"You don't have to push yourself so hard. If this is how much you've done on the first day, you've really come a long way......."
Surrounding them were the corpses of low-level monsters.
They were all things Yuna had taken down before Rachel or Arcana even had a chance to react.
Because she felt stifled.
If she didn't express her inner feelings even like this.......
'Because I felt like I was going to go crazy with worry.'
Yuna's gaze drifted into the air.
Rachel instinctively seemed to know where Yuna's gaze was headed.
South.
'......Aria Witri.'
Since she had left blindly without even being able to apologize properly.
Surely, Yuna must be bothered by that as well.
"I couldn't even...... say thank you."
"Yeah...."
Lena had definitely said she was okay.
That Aria would regain consciousness soon.
So she could rest easy and participate in the evaluation.
'Does that even make sense? Seriously.......'
If an incident of this magnitude occurred, they should have canceled the evaluation or something.
It wasn't just anything; it was a sword fight.
A sword fight where a student was trying to kill another student.
And on the very day of the Advancement Evaluation, at that.
"Ha......."
In Rachel's opinion, the current Harcia Academy was truly strange.
Ever since the principal changed and Luca took office as the student council president.
Everything was truly.
Becoming strange.
'Ugh. Should I say it smells like an incident? Like what happened during the masquerade last time, too.......'
Even though the princess who committed such an act had vanished without a trace, no one, not even the royal officials, seemed to care much.
And the academy remained silent even though Yuna, their next-generation prospect, was almost poisoned.
At first, she thought it was simply due to royal pressure.
But after Rachel looked into it separately through her family.
It didn't seem to be exactly that.
After all, the royal family was currently in an uproar over the issue of royal succession.
And yet, everyone at the academy was acting very nonchalant.
And going about their daily lives as usual.
How should she put it...... it felt like there was a subtle sense of dissonance.
'......What about Aria?'
Could the fact that Aria's behavior had started to change recently be related to the current atmosphere of the academy?
Though it seemed like even Yuna hadn't noticed this yet.
Aria Witri.
It would be necessary to find out a little more about her.
......Because she was pitiful.
As Rachel was staring intently at Yuna while agonizing over this.
A subtle silence flowed between the two.
"Why are you acting so awkward?"
"Ah, no......."
She certainly had the looks to bewitch other girls.
Should she say the only one comparable to her here was Aria Witri.......
That was when it happened.
"There's nothing left around here anymore. Nothing, except for the mountain of monster corpses Yuna piled up."
Arcana, who had finished scouting, climbed up the hill.
The sight of a few leaves stuck in Arcana's scarlet hair was quite funny.
Rachel couldn't help but smile at that.
Yuna also gave a faint smile.
'......But why is it?'
It felt like her body had become heavier than before.
She hadn't paid attention to it during the battle, but she felt like the tattoo carved on the back of her hand had grown even larger.
'My heart feels so stifled I can't stand it.'
Would it have been right to be a bit more stubborn or push herself to stay by Aria's side?
Shouldn't she have stayed to see Aria wake up?
'......But.'
When she actually saw her face, she couldn't figure out what to say.
So.......
Wouldn't it be necessary to go back for a bit?
Of course, Aria would have withdrawn from the Great Forest by now and returned safely to the academy.
So, going back now would be a very stupid thing to do.
'On top of that....'
The Advancement Evaluation didn't exactly have a clear goal.
You just have to cross through the Great Forest.
And reach the target selected by the academy side.
It was, quite literally, a ceremonial test.
Since most of the monsters scattered around were only mid-to-low level, no one died.
......Almost.
According to the seniors who had graduated, there were still cases where one or two people died in accidents each year.
Whether they were bitten to death by monsters or slipped and fell to their deaths.
'......There's enough risk of people dying.'
That was the moment.
Really, the possibility was very slim, but.
What if, what if...... a monster that hadn't been dealt with had come down to the entrance of the Great Forest?
It was a common occurrence even in normal times.
Yuna herself had a history of picking up a Fenrir pup that had come down from the Great Forest, thinking it was a puppy.
'The supervising teachers would all be in the middle of the Great Forest, talking about safety and whatnot.'
It meant the entrance was relatively weak in defense.
Plus, by now, other students would be following behind her, passing through the Great Forest in droves.
If, if, what if.......
What if Aria was left alone at the medical camp right now?
Such useless thoughts crossed her mind.
'E-either way, she would have returned to the academy by now.'
She wouldn't be left there, in that place.
And yet.
Yuna had to move.
"......I, I'll go back for a moment."
"What?"
"I have to go back to the entrance."
"Yuna-ya. I really don't think that's right. Are you saying that in your right mind?"
The sun had just begun to set.
And they had already come too far from the entrance of the Great Forest.
Yuna had slashed through monsters without looking back, and the two had followed closely behind her.
Quite far.
'Even if you go back now.......'
Rachel had a very troubled expression on her face, but.
"It's okay. The path behind is already cleared anyway. I remember the whole way. A few hours should be...... enough."
With her own two eyes.
I have to see Aria.
That was what Yuna was about to say.
"Be careful."
Arcana smiled a little and encouraged Yuna.
"It's because of Aria Witri, right? You want to check with your own two eyes."
"......Yeah."
Of course, the probability of Aria Witri remaining at the medical camp was extremely slim.
And there was no guarantee she could even meet her.
'It will be a good experience for Yuna.'
At the very least, a little more of the heart that feels sorry and grateful.
It was her wish that she would cultivate it more.
Because she felt that was the only way Yuna could grow even further.
She knew it was a meaningless act.
However.
Yuna's gaze was too firm.
'......She wants to unburden her heart.'
Yuna's nature wasn't exactly kind.
Still, it wasn't all that bad either.
If she had to say, it was gray.
A natural, primal color that could be dyed any color.
'The scouting is done. Nothing was detected in my hair. This area is already safe.'
That wasn't all.
If you keep following the path littered with monster corpses, you can naturally reach the entrance.
'The way back is also...... because Yuna wiped out the monsters.'
Based on that judgment, Arcana pushed Yuna's back.
Hoping she would cultivate more of a heart that thinks of others.
A heart that thinks of Aria Witri, who threw her body for her own sake.
"Then, I'll be back...... I'll be right back."
"Got it. Be careful, Yuna."
Yuna nodded silently.
And turning her body, which had felt a bit heavy, backward.
She began to sprint at full speed.
'I hope she's not there, please...... I hope she's already returned.'
Hoping that her worry was just groundless.
While failing to notice that someone was following her.
*
Hehehe. As soon as I opened my eyes, strength just, just surged.
Now the paralytic poison is gone, and my body is totally full of energy!
So, after struggling and getting up from the bed I was lying on.
I heard all of Clara's explanation of the situation.
She was saying we should just go back to the academy now.
"I'm going to keep going!!!"
"Please, Unnie. Just listen to me. Why on earth are you trying to keep going with a body like that!!!"
"......Clara is right about this. Let's aim for the next opportunity. Aria."
I shook my head stubbornly, expressing my opposition.
There is really no time to be lying around in a place like this.
Yuna must have already gone, like, super deep inside.
'Then I have to chase after her!'
Because Luca is, like, plotting a conspiracy!!!
Yuna's condition, expression, pulse, breathing, actions, and words...... were all, like, super weird compared to usual.
It had to be Luca's doing.
So I, I have to go and protect Yuna.
......But.
"I'm going even if it's just me! It's fine if you two aren't there!!!"
"Just give up already!!!"
Uuuuu. Like, I don't need any help.
I feel super sorry for the two of them. Because they're stuck because of me, unable to go anywhere.
But I can't just give up and go down here.
"I'm going!!! I'm going!!!"
As I was, like, shouting like that.
Clara started to shed tears with a slightly.
Sad expression.
......Why?
But, but, like.......
Slap!
And.
My cheek stung just a little bit...... Uuu.
But it didn't hurt.
It felt like she didn't put any strength into it and just hit me to make it sound like it hurt.
"J-just stop it...... A-Aria Witri."
It was Alisa.
She stepped forward, pushing Clara aside.
With an expression that said she was super, super angry.
And with a very serious, grave expression.
She faced me.