“Ancient Beast?”
Sen asked me with a puzzled expression.
It’s natural she wouldn’t know about the details inside the Forest of the Demon Realm, even from the Chokugen Faction.
But that didn’t mean I could explain everything in detail.
That was a kind of world secret.
Something huge that shouldn’t be revealed.
“There is such a thing. In any case, the Academy is in a very dangerous state right now.”
That bug I just saw must have been a servant of the ancient beast. It had a phrase engraved that I recognized.
Of course, there was a strange part.
‘If it’s about bugs, is it Apviel?’
The King of Insects, Apviel.
He couldn’t use magic but led countless insects, excelling in physical ability and the number of his minions.
But you shouldn’t take that lightly. This also meant he held his own against ancient beasts that wielded various high-level magic merely through physical prowess.
‘But Apviel had already died in the past life.’
I heard that he had died before I even entered the depths of the forest, despite the fact that I often caught sight of the numerous bugs he left behind.
‘Is Apviel still alive at this time?’
I heard from a friend who was somewhat close to him, but he wasn’t fond of sharing stories about others, so I had no clear information.
Anyway, what I recollected was that Apviel was a beast who proved that he could definitely label the insects as calamity.
‘It’s ambiguous.’
I had never faced Apviel directly, had no idea why he was here, and didn’t know who was calling him.
Not a clue at all.
‘Anyway, the fact that his minions are showing themselves so directly means it’s dangerous.’
I once read that when a bug appears, there are already hundreds more living with it.
Apviel was probably worse than that, not better.
“What on Earth do you think you’re doing all alone?”
“Ah.”
I had subconsciously forgotten about Sen as I became lost in thought.
She was already perched on my bed, staring intently at me, and I thought it was somewhat good, so I smiled slightly as I spoke.
“Let’s do just one request.”
I should use the line I’ve set up with the Chokugen Faction here.
“What?”
“I think there’s a guy who’s calling a terribly dangerous beast to the Academy. Can you call your higher-ups and have them catch him?”
The amount of money would skyrocket, but we have our Dean here, right?
If left unchecked, the Academy would be destroyed, so they’d probably find the money even if they had to go into debt.
At that, Sen’s expression darkened, and she shook her head.
“I haven’t been in contact with the Chokugen Faction lately.”
“What?”
What’s that supposed to mean?
But then, as if she suddenly decided to start counseling, Sen began unleashing her words like a flood.
“Since Zavalanco, I haven’t heard from them at all. And by the way, they hired me for Zavalanco’s assassination and intelligence gathering while hiding that he was from the Pirate Lord’s crew.”
I had never seen her like this before.
Sen’s eyes trembled in fear, like a child who had lost their parents. She looked like she didn’t know what to do, shaking.
‘They completely messed her up in the Chokugen Faction.’
There was a high chance that the Chokugen Faction had betrayed her, yet she still held onto them because she thought they were everything to her.
But it was strange.
As far as I knew, she was supposed to act with the Chokugen Faction in the future and eventually die by my sword.
I pretended to think for a moment before reassuring her.
“Well, it’s not easy to contact them right now, right? Like, for example, battling Tudogs or something.”
“Then why did you hide the information about Zavalanco from me?”
“……Maybe they were trying to test you.”
“Test?”
“Find information on the target yourself?”
I just threw out random words, but Sen nodded slightly as if she understood.
“I see.”
“So, right now, you can’t get in contact with the Chokugen Faction?”
That’s where it becomes tricky.
But Sen shook her head and got up off the bed.
“I’ll take the request.”
“What?”
“I’m also with the Chokugen Faction. I’ll take that mission.”
“Is that possible?”
Honestly, I was in a situation where I wanted to borrow even a cat’s paw, so there was no reason to refuse if she accepted.
But whoever it was, they are threatening enough to be summoning ancient beasts. Sen might be in danger.
“It’s fine. I’ll start moving first thing tomorrow morning. I’ll investigate anyone acting strangely, doing things differently than usual, or anyone who seems suspicious.”
Her face, which had been gloomy until just now, seemed to brighten a little, and it felt like I had given her a goal.
“Okay, got it. I’ll count on you.”
After assigning the request, Sen confidently marched out my window and returned to her room.
*
Second day of the festival.
Having entrusted a request to Sen, I was currently sprawled out in bliss.
And that bliss involved resting my head on Arni Duratan’s lap.
“I lost everything.”
When I spoke with a dying voice, Arni gently took my hand and replied.
“But I’m still here.”
Arni, gazing into my eyes.
With a slight smile, I slowly closed my eyes.
“The thing I wanted most has finally come to me in the end.”
Now that my eyes were closed, I couldn’t tell what Arni was doing, but it felt like she was softly stroking my head.
“You fool.”
After her voice broke with emotion, we paused for a moment, and I heard Professor Veritio’s bitter voice.
“Lacking, still lacking. Your emotions are not properly in control.”
“Is that so?”
Arni’s expression turned gloomy.
Professor Veritio continued with his own advice.
“Do you have someone you like or used to like? If you apply those feelings to them, it’ll become a bit easier.”
“……Understood.”
“Think of Ares.”
As Professor Veritio whispered quietly so that I wouldn’t hear, Arni glanced at me and nodded weakly as if she understood.
What was up with her acting so meekly when she was usually so confident, but nonetheless, the practice continued, and it didn’t improve much.
After that brief practice ended.
As I stretched, someone suddenly patted my back.
“There you are?”
“……”
I thought she was some goblin or something.
May, crossing her arms and glaring at me, took a deep breath.
“I asked you to go on a date! Where the heck have you been wandering around?”
“No, I was caught up helping Arni with her acting.”
I didn’t know why I felt the need to make excuses, but I felt like there would be trouble if I didn’t.
She must have thought I was avoiding her for no reason because she relaxed a bit, crossing her arms around me.
“Let’s go already. I had everything planned for us.”
Seeing May smile as she said that, I cautiously unlinked her arm from mine, feeling a mix of emotions.
“Why? Okay, fine. Originally, we were supposed to stay together until the festival ended, but I’ll just call it a day today. But let’s make sure to enjoy ourselves more intensely.”
Since it was the joyful festival period, I had intended to wait until after it ended to speak, but I felt like I had to tell May now.
I didn’t want to leave any unnecessary room for doubt.
“May, as I said last time, I have someone I like.”
“……”
“I don’t want to give you false hope and leave you hanging.”
A firm rejection.
But if I didn’t do this, in the end, it would be May who would get hurt the most.
“I’m really grateful for the feelings you have for me. But since you’re precious to me, I hope you don’t suffer greater pain here.”
Even if our relationship became tense, or we helped each other simply out of necessity, I thought this was the right thing to do.
Yet, May replied flatly.
“I told you before. I know.”
“Yeah, so about this…”
“Do you know?”
May began to pull out candy from her pocket and started to unwrap it, but the wrapping wasn’t coming off easily, which wasn’t her usual style.
“I’ve never felt like this before. It’s the first time I’ve felt someone I really like and can’t stand to be away from. I thought I liked Ares before, but these feelings I have for you are completely different.”
Finally getting the candy unwrapped, she didn’t put it in her mouth but stared at it intently as she continued speaking.
“So I’m really sorry, but I’m too consumed by my feelings for you to worry about what you’re feeling.”
“But……”
I was about to say something, but suddenly, the candy was shoved into my mouth. She blocked my speech with the candy and twisted its stick around.
“Why do you feel uncomfortable? Does it annoy you that a girl who doesn’t even like you is clinging to you? Well, so what? I’ve always been selfish like that.”
“……”
“So let’s go. I’m hungry.”
As May crossed her arms and led me away, I could only zip my lips and follow her with heavy steps.
I wasn’t convinced.
But,
I noticed a tear welling up in her eyes in the sunlight, even while she pretended to be indifferent.
I could only follow her without saying a word, feeling the strength drain from my body.
“You bad jerk.”
A whispered sound that was barely audible even next to me bitterly slipped out.
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