Bomb Terror (2)
"Do you know I've been feeling left out lately?"
The space assigned to me by Professor Dane for the enhanced explosives research lab was quiet.
Only Elenora and I were there.
No one to interrupt or interfere.
It was probably because I'd been spending more time with Sophia lately, working on explosives.
We'd been throwing ourselves into research, barely attending classes.
Sophia was still out in the forest gathering herbs.
I changed the subject.
"You know it's class time right now, don't you?"
"I do."
She answered with her eyes narrowed, as if it were obvious.
"Then why are you here?"
"Because I wanted to see you."
She stroked the area just below her stomach and added,
"I told them I wasn't feeling well and left."
I went to the pantry, raised the room temperature a little,
and brought back some warm tea, a few pieces of cookies, and some milk.
"You're so kind..."
"I'm only doing it so you won't get in the way."
"Tch..."
I went over to the bookshelf and started looking for research materials.
That was when Elenora spoke.
"Why won't you let me help with the research?"
"I have something else for you to do."
I returned to my seat and handed her the list of research assistant applicants.
"This is the list of applicants for the enhanced explosives lab?"
"I'll be starting interviews soon. Your job is to act as the interviewer and find anyone suspicious."
"You mean the kind of person who might be making and collecting bombs?"
"Exactly."
I looked at her and said,
"You can read minds, can't you? Spotting that kind of intent shouldn't be difficult."
I stood up and met her gaze.
"Um... if you stare at me so suddenly, it's a little embarrassing..."
Elenora fanned herself with her hand and slipped off the shawl draped over her shoulders, hanging it on the chair.
Her delicate collarbones were exposed.
"Shall we talk while we walk for a bit?"
***
"I'm not feeling well... Would you hold my hand?"
She might look fragile, but she was a valuable asset.
It would be troublesome if she got hurt or something went wrong.
I naturally linked arms with her.
Warm body heat seeped through her bare skin.
Elenora blinked, looking startled for a moment.
"I think I'll have to claim I'm sick more often from now on..."
"What did you just say?"
"Hehe..."
We walked through the academy's rear garden like that.
As time passed, I realized why she was pressing so close.
Elenora's ability had conditions.
The first was that the other person had to be feeling strong emotions.
The Black Star Society mage we'd fought in the underground library was a good example.
Because he was agitated, she had been able to read the teleportation timing perfectly.
The second was closing the distance with the target.
Simply reducing the physical distance made it easier to read the other person's mind more clearly.
And the more favorably the other person felt toward her, the stronger her ability became.
Elenora wrapped her other arm around my waist.
Now it looked like she was almost hugging me.
She reminded me of a cat burrowing into someone's arms.
"I want to... know more about you, Winter..."
Her magic was beginning to take effect little by little.
My mind felt at ease.
It was as if our heartbeats and breathing were naturally syncing.
Was this some kind of charm magic?
Elenora was starting to look rather cute.
I felt like I could no longer control my own heart.
Just as I was about to lift her up—
"...?"
I set her down on a bench in the garden instead.
Elenora froze like a broken doll for a moment.
Soon her face turned bright red.
"Is it acceptable to carry a lady like that?!"
Was that such a rude thing to do?
If I'd been a second slower, she would have read my entire mind.
"You looked like walking was uncomfortable, so I did it to help."
"Pervert!"
"...?"
"That posture was far too violent...!"
She protested for a long while, her face flushed.
I cut her off at an appropriate moment.
"Is that really important right now?"
"Is that really important right now?!"
***
Frisia's Perspective
To the students, Elenora was known as the beautiful counselor.
But not many people knew that her ability was related to magic.
Only Sophia and Frisia understood that it wasn't just simple counseling skills.
Watching the rear garden from the Watcher's Room, Frisia felt her insides burn.
That fox-like girl was trying to charm Winter with magic.
Elenora might even be more skilled at seducing Winter than she was.
It started with naturally exposing her shoulders,
then linking arms.
Leaning against him.
And finally, even burrowing into his embrace.
There were scenes so embarrassing she could hardly put them into words.
Those kinds of moments didn't even appear often in the romance plays she enjoyed watching.
Frisia barely managed to suppress the urge to run straight to the garden.
As principal, she couldn't freely approach Winter, who was only a student.
She wanted to see him every day.
But the difference in status between principal and student wouldn't allow it.
She had considered visiting the research lab.
But if the terrorists noticed, it could ruin everything.
So until now, she had been content just watching him from the Watcher's Room.
And now that fox-like girl was touching Winter?
But at that moment, the crystal ball showed the two of them raising their voices.
"Well, of course it would come to that."
Frisia's lips curled upward.
"Adult love is still too early for you, dear."
She muttered with satisfaction.
"Winter is mine, after all."
Frisia left the Watcher's Room with a pleased expression.
***
Sophia's Perspective
Sophia had spent the entire day gathering herbs.
"Roton herb, suregrenade, mana salt, explosive petals..."
After confirming that her backpack was full of herbs that could be used as bomb ingredients, she let out a small sigh of relief.
'I can be useful too.'
She deliberately kept moving.
Digging for herbs.
Turning over soil.
Wandering through the forest collecting materials.
If she stayed busy like this, maybe her thoughts of Winter would lessen a little.
But it wasn't easy.
The image of Winter, unshaken even in front of Professor Dane, kept coming back to her.
'If Winter hadn't been there that time, I wouldn't have been able to do anything.'
Sophia bit her lip.
'I need to be more helpful.'
She slung her bag over her shoulder and headed toward the lab.
As she passed through the academy's rear garden,
she heard a familiar voice.
"Is that really important right now?"
"Is that really important right now?!"
It was Elenora.
She couldn't tell what was going on, but the two of them seemed to be arguing.
In that moment,
something that had been weighing on Sophia's chest lightened just a little.
"...Ah."
Why?
How come?
She felt like she had just been relieved.
Sophia stopped walking.
And soon realized what she had been thinking.
'Thank goodness... is it?'
Her heart sank.
Elenora was a precious friend.
Winter was also someone precious to her.
Yet she felt relieved seeing the two of them argue?
She couldn't understand it.
No.
She didn't want to understand it.
Sophia shook her head vigorously.
As if trying to drive away the thought that had surfaced.
'No.'
She told herself that and quickened her steps.
But once a crack had formed, it didn't disappear easily.
Sophia left the place as if fleeing.
***
"Hwaaaah!"
The argument with Elenora didn't last even a minute longer.
She was the one who got angry first, then apologized while bursting into tears.
"I was actually happy! I was embarrassed! If I got mad because of that, will you forgive me?"
She really was a difficult woman.
I supported her and walked her back to the dorm.
We walked in silence without saying much.
When we arrived at the dormitory,
"Let's talk about the interview tomorrow, Winter!"
She smiled at me before disappearing inside.
Even at a time like this, she didn't forget to mention the interview.
After that, I returned to the lab.
There, Sophia was sorting herbs with an exhausted face.
***
I entered the lab without saying a word.
We usually didn't talk much anyway,
but today Sophia's attitude felt especially awkward.
Even when we were passing the refined herbs back and forth, she seemed strangely listless.
Sensing something was off, I watched her carefully.
Then I noticed that her magic formula sequence was wrong.
"What exactly are you trying to do right now?"
She looked down at her own hands with a flustered expression.
"If the formula is wrong, it could explode right here."
"I... I..."
Her behavior today was strange.
She was hesitating.
As if she was hiding something.
"Why are you acting like this today?"
I lowered my posture to meet her eyes.
Then I grabbed her hand, which had been engraving the magic circle, and scattered her mana.
Tears welled up in Sophia's eyes.
"I'm not helpful at all, am I?"
I was caught off guard by her sudden words.
I tried to stay as calm as possible.
I didn't know what was going on, but if I comforted her carelessly, it might hurt her pride.
I returned to my seat and spoke coldly.
"I'll be honest."
My voice was stripped of all emotion.
"You have no talent for herbology or alchemy."
It was the truth.
She had originally belonged to the knight department.
Of course, I was also from the knight department.
But through various opportunities, I had also mastered herbology and alchemy.
Objectively speaking, Sophia's skills were at an average level.
It was just that my standards were different.
"That's why you made a mistake like this today."
Her expression darkened.
"I see."
Her expression darkened.
"I'm not needed after all."
"No, you are needed."
I cut her off firmly.
"This research activity is guaranteed by Professor Dane in the first place."
"..."
"And without your reputation, we wouldn't even have been able to start."
Sophia's eyes widened slightly.
"We'll be recruiting students through interviews soon."
I continued while looking at her.
"And you already know this."
"......"
"Among them, there will be someone planning to commit a bombing."
She slowly nodded.
"Don't confuse the purpose with the means."
I put down the documents I was holding.
"Making explosives is only a means to draw that person out."
"......"
"Your job is to find that person and deal with them."
Only then did Sophia nod as if she understood.
"Yeah..."
She muttered quietly.
"I think I was misunderstanding something."
Her expression was much better than before, but it still looked dark.