It’s a Tragedy Up Close, But It’ll Be a Tragedy Even From Afar(4)

As a huge hole was pierced in the cloud with a small explosion sound, the surroundings became quiet.

The students seemed familiar, as if they had seen it many times before, but Rimia, who had tried to pick a fight with me, closed her mouth.

After all, she had no choice but to close her mouth since I had shown exactly what she had tried to pick a fight about, right in front of her eyes without any exaggeration.

“Mother, really… Sigh…”

Riana, who was far away, sighed and shook her head as if she had expected this, and I hung the bow I had taken out back on my back while watching her.

The “Bow of a Thousand Trees,” Kama’s weapon made by carving a World Tree branch and the highest-grade magic core.

Inwardly praising the bow that had fulfilled its role, I hung it on my back and slightly turned my head to check the other observers standing behind Rimia.

Most of the nobles had blank reactions like Rimia, Haran had recovered relatively quickly and seemed resigned to the power of mine he had directly witnessed, Mira was covering her face with tiny tears flowing at the headache-inducing situation, and lastly, the Pope…

“Hoho…”

He was looking at me while bursting into a half-deflated laugh.

The Pope’s eyes, which seemed to be asking if this was the reason I had told him to trust me.

To that, instead of answering, I just gave a smile once that meant “that’s right,” then turned my head back to its original position and urged the students who were resting.

“Although it was unwanted, you’ve all had enough rest now, right? We’re going to start class again now, so everyone resume training!”

“Yes, Professor!”

“I want to rest a little more…”

“I think my muscles might be rupturing.”

Although they voiced complaints at my shout, the students soon put aside their complaints and resolutely started training again.

Watching the students who were excellently brainwashed by my class and growing stronger, I walked towards the center of the large sports field with a satisfied heart, leaving Rimia behind, to lead them.

I no longer had any business with Rimia, who was dazed by the cloud I had pierced as if to show off.

Seeing that even Riana had gone to train, showing such a cold back, it seemed there would be no problem leaving them like this.

And as I started class again, Rimia alternately looked at me and the cloud with a still dazed face.

…The next class is magic class, but surely she won’t pick a fight again, right?

---

Rimia was currently in a state of disbelief.

Probably anyone would have the same reaction if their entire life up to now was denied right before their eyes.

An archer shoots an arrow and pierces through a cloud.

It was something that wasn’t possible and hadn’t been thought to be possible.

If one were to try to succeed at this, they would have to call the giant race said to live at the edge of the continent, give them a huge bow and arrow, and have them shoot to barely succeed.

Since even the smallest giant is said to be over 30m tall, they might succeed easily.

However, for races that are not as huge as giants and are mere small living beings, this was a story as fanciful as a dream.

Even elves, who could be said to share their fate with bows, had never succeeded in such a thing.

Yet a mere human, and one that looked even more fragile than herself, had accomplished it.

So simply, piercing through a cloud with just one arrow.

Then does that mean the life she had lived until now was wrong? The life she had lived with more pride in archery than anyone else?

“…”

Her head became confused.

Her head throbbed as if her entire life up to now had been denied.

“To mere humans of all things…”

To think her life would be denied by mere humans.

Rimia felt indignation rising from within, but there was something more important for Rimia now than venting that indignation.

“I must ask her directly, directly.”

It was a very pride-damaging thing, but for now, she had no choice but to acknowledge that she was better than herself.

So let’s just bow our head once now and ask.

How on earth did she pierce through the cloud? Had she been wrong about archery all this time?

But when Rimia, who had organized her confused mind and prepared what to say, raised her lowered gaze to ask directly, it was already too late.

“…Could it be that class has already ended?”

Who knows how long she had been lost in thought, but when she raised her gaze, the large sports field was already empty.

Hurriedly looking around, she saw students entering the main building.

It seems she had only come to her senses after class had completely ended, having been too deeply lost in thought.

“Wh-Where is Kama?”

Wondering if Kama might still be among the students entering the main building, Rimia examined the walking students, but Kama was nowhere to be seen, not even a strand of her hair.

Kama had disappeared as if she had evaporated from this place.

Rimia’s face reddened with shame at having missed Kama while she was in a daze, but before Rimia’s face could turn completely red, a man who had been standing among the observers approached her.

“Haha, you don’t need to worry too much. Professor Kama went to her professor’s office earlier, so you should be able to meet her later if you visit her office or ask her family members.”

“You are…?”

Wrinkles showing traces of age and hair that had turned white but still retained a faint golden color.

Rimia momentarily didn’t realize who the man was and froze her face, but soon let out an exclamation at his remembered identity.

Although she hadn’t seen him that many times until now, she remembered seeing the man a few times.

At the face-to-face meetings between temples of each country, she had seen the Pope of the human temple, Helestin’s Van.

She was momentarily confused because he had been much younger then than now, but she was able to remember him due to Helestin’s characteristic benevolent appearance.

Thanks to that benevolent appearance and the fact that he was the Pope, Rimia thought of him somewhat less unpleasantly among humans, so she relaxed her expression that was about to frown.

However, being acquainted and providing that information just now were separate matters.

When Rimia made an expression of not understanding why he had given such information, Helestin’s smiled brightly again.

“You look like you’re wondering why I told you. Well, even though it’s an observational class, it’s still a formal diplomatic activity. As the Pope of the temple, isn’t it proper to help if a queen from another country has something she wishes?”

“Is that so… Then I’ll gratefully accept that kindness.”

Perhaps this was indeed the Pope of the temple serving the goddess Iriel; Rimia lightly bowed her head at that very warm kindness.

No matter how prickly Rimia herself was towards other races, she wasn’t so ungrateful as to not appreciate kindness shown to her.

And as she expressed her thanks and received help, Rimia recalled what Helestin’s had just said.

To meet Kama by visiting her office or asking her family members.

The former was understandable as it was obvious, but recalling the latter, Rimia tilted her head.

“Mr. Helestin’s Van, about meeting Professor Kama’s family…?”

“Ah, it’s natural that you wouldn’t know. Actually, Professor Kama has four family members. They are all professors at the academy, so if you can’t find Professor Kama in her office, it would be faster to ask permission from her family members.”

“I see, certainly that method would be faster.”

After all, even if one goes to the office, there’s no guarantee of meeting her, so if unable to meet Kama, it would be faster to find her family members who are related to her.

“Then, could I possibly know who Professor Kama’s family members are?”

It would be good to meet her in the office, but if not, it would be better to know in advance for easier searching.

So Rimia asked Helestin’s that, but before answering, he pointed to Mira calling them from afar and replied:

“The next class we’re going to observe is their class, so let’s go see for ourselves.”

It seems meeting Kama’s family would be faster than meeting Kama herself.

---

“Well, well.”

After the archery class ended and he had told Rimia to meet the Traveler’s family, Helestin’s exhaled emptily while watching Rimia’s back as she walked towards where the observers were gathered.

When the archery class ended and Rimia was still lost in thought, Helestin’s had received one request from Kama.

To guide Rimia so that she could meet her.

For now, he did as requested since Rimia also seemed to want to meet her, perhaps shocked by Kama’s archery skills, but Helestin’s, who still didn’t properly understand Kama’s intentions, asked himself:

“Why on earth does the Traveler want the Elf Queen…”

Of course, if asked whether Rimia wasn’t worth meeting, that wasn’t the case.

Since Rimia had seen Kama’s archery skills, she might be able to obtain various rewards given in return for information about it.

But it didn’t seem like Kama had invited Rimia for such reasons, so there must be another reason.

Why would she, who is receiving support from the temple, want additional money and goods?

“Although I don’t doubt the Traveler’s words…”

He didn’t doubt what Kama was doing. After all, the actions of her, the agent of the goddess Iriel, were unconditionally right.

However, that was separate from having questions, so Helestin’s quietly muttered while walking towards the group again, following behind Rimia:

“What on earth are you thinking…”

This was Helestin’s private musing for a moment on the way to observe the magic class.