Ch.7070. Festival (9)

If someone were to suddenly get slapped on the street, how would most people react?

Typically, they would immediately get angry at the sudden confrontation.

But he doesn’t. No, he couldn’t.

“Did you cleverly twist your words again to influence the kids?”

“…What are you talking about?”

At Junon’s confused response, Erica let out a scornful laugh.

“So you’ve been consistently deceiving everyone with that face of yours. How disgusting.”

Erica’s face was submerged in deep anger as she spoke.

‘Shit, what the hell is going on?’

More important than the stinging sensation on his cheek was understanding why he was slapped.

If Erica was showing such hostility, something significant must have happened.

But his overworked mind was too exhausted to reach conclusions like before.

A fatigued body. An equally fatigued mind.

The accumulated fatigue enveloped both body and spirit so tightly that it refused to accept any more stress.

“Let’s talk about the details tomorrow. Right now, my head is too hot to discuss—”

—Splash!

His words were cut short as something cold was thrown over him, instinctively making him close his eyes.

Even without opening them, he knew. Cold water conjured by magic was streaming down from his face to his upper body.

Before the sound of water droplets falling from his black hair could stop, Erica spoke mockingly.

“Feeling cooler now? That should have cooled you down a bit. Don’t you feel like talking now?”

She was someone he never wanted to meet again. But if things had gone his way, Junon wouldn’t have had to meet her at all.

It’s the way of the world that things don’t go as planned. Erica standing before him now, someone he thought he’d never see again, was part of that principle.

But among the world’s principles, there’s also right and wrong.

“What do you think you’re doing?”

His junior, who never let wrongful actions slide, had appeared.

***

“Miss, you sure ate well despite appearances!”

“Hehe… It was delicious.”

“Haha! That’s good to hear. I’ve been cooking for ten years, but seeing a pretty lady like you eat so heartily makes me happy.”

Lowering his voice, he secretly added more food while his wife was washing dishes in the back.

“Ahem. This is our secret. It’s a special service because you eat so well.”

“Honey, do you want to see a hole in this month’s accounts?”

“Y-you were watching? Hmm…”

“Oh my. Really. I can’t even get angry in front of a customer.”

Seeing the couple’s affectionate interaction, Lenias couldn’t help but smile.

“Hmm? Miss… that’s just a figure of speech, it’s fine.”

“That’s right, miss. It was a service because you ate so well, so it feels wrong to take this money.”

“Please accept it. It would make me feel better.”

“But still, this is…”

The couple hesitated, as the amount Lenias offered was quite substantial.

They refused, saying it was a matter of conscience to take such money from what must be an ordinary student visiting during the festival.

Lenias reluctantly showed her family’s emblem, and only then did the couple accept with gratitude.

“By the way, where did the gentleman who came with you go? I think he was paying earlier.”

“My senior is waiting outside. I came back in to get some food packed.”

“Ah, I see. Hoho.”

While the food was being carefully packed, Lenias had a brief chat with the shopkeeper’s wife.

Just as the packing was finished, a slapping sound was heard from outside.

“What was that sound…?”

The couple clicked their tongues, seemingly familiar with such noises.

Apparently, this place was known for couples breaking up and getting back together.

And it usually fell into two categories.

“Either the sound of a henpecked man getting hit, or a cheating scoundrel getting slapped by his girlfriend after being caught. It’s one of those two.”

“Hmm… I see…”

“Come to think of it, this applies to you too, doesn’t it?”

“Oh, that’s right!”

“Pardon? What do you mean…?”

“Pretty miss. Don’t you like that senior of yours?”

“W-what?!”

Her face instantly flushed at those words.

The couple continued, suggesting she should hold onto Junon tightly and that there’s no rule saying a woman can’t confess first.

“W-w-what are you talking about… Ahaha…! I-I should get going now!”

Lenias couldn’t bear it anymore and fled the shop.

“Ugh… why is it so hot? Must be summer… Ahaha…”

In truth, even if it were summer, she wouldn’t be sweating.

Yet this heat emanating from her body wouldn’t subside despite fanning herself and stepping outside into the evening breeze.

She didn’t understand why her body was radiating heat, nor did she realize that her cheeks, red as apples, were clearly visible to others. She had no idea how her every action appeared.

It was still too early for a clumsy girl just beginning to awaken to new feelings to be aware.

“Phew… I should go to my senior now.”

He must have been waiting all this time. She didn’t want to keep him waiting, especially when he looked more tired than usual.

As she looked around wondering which bench he might be waiting on, she spotted him.

And then.

—Splash!

Hearing a sudden water sound, she shifted her gaze.

Though she couldn’t hear what they were saying, there was no doubt about what had happened to the man standing in front of the bench.

The carefully packed food fell to the ground, and the girl instinctively ran toward the soaked man, pulling out her handkerchief.

Though she could only see silhouettes in the night scenery, anyone could tell he had been doused with water. Yet there was no water source nearby.

It wasn’t raining. Nor did it seem like someone had carried water in a bucket from somewhere.

As Lenias wiped away the moisture with her handkerchief, she turned with a rigid expression to the person who could have conjured water.

“What do you think you’re doing?”

Unlike before, her body was now burning with heat for an entirely different reason.

Yet this heat showed no signs of cooling down.

Her gaze, as fierce as the heat, was fixed on the person who had magically attacked Junon.

“No, don’t say anything.”

“Ugh…!”

Anyone watching would have winced at this magical resonance and called for help.

Though they were alone now, the target of Lenias’s hostility was clear.

She wanted to ask what right they had to do such a thing to her senior who was too exhausted to resist, but she held back.

Lenias had already fired one shot at an imperceptible speed.

“What firepower…”

Fssss—

Though the flash she fired was dodged, the smoke rising from the dented ground testified to its power.

And as if this were merely a warning shot, countless formations were being drawn in front of her, ready for an even more powerful attack.

The immense magical power was even creating air currents, making the wind flutter.

It was a force that would make anyone instinctively cower.

“Lenias. Calm down!”

“I’m sorry, senior. I can’t hold back anymore.”

Despite Junon’s attempt to calm her, Lenias had prepared to attack Erica.

All bowstrings were drawn. If she released even a small amount of magical power, it would instantly be fired at Erica.

Though Erica, as a member of Tembris, could withstand a certain amount, the situation completely changes when facing Lenias.

That’s the difference in caliber.

“Lenias, I’m fine, so stop it! Lenias!!”

She had endured.

How many times had she held back?

She already disliked how that kind-hearted senior of hers was labeled with negative tags.

When he invited her for the sake of other students, she wanted to reveal this fact to reverse the rumors about his character.

When he was injured after the beginning-of-term evaluation, she didn’t ask deeply about why and let it go. When his end-of-term evaluation results were nullified, she barely accepted that it was right not to interfere, considering the consequences.

She had endured him being cursed at and slandered, his evaluations being distorted, reduced, or deleted, but this was too much.

How could it make sense to unilaterally douse someone with water while they were just sitting on a bench waiting for someone?

And that sound from outside was clearly the sound of a slap.

To summarize, he had been slapped and then meekly accepted being doused with water. And in that state, after seemingly having rolled in mud somewhere.

It was frustrating. Something thick was filling her insides, unable to escape.

She felt more stifled than if she had eaten a hundred sweet potatoes.

However, the flash she was about to fire, loaded with her frustration, lost its trajectory toward Erica.

“Uh… eh? Senior?”

“Please. I’ll talk to her, so…”

It was because Junon stood firmly in front of his angry junior, holding both her hands and pleading.

***

How did things end up like this?

Meeting Erica was already bad luck, but feeling that worse things might happen, I had to step in despite my throbbing headache.

“S-senior… your hands!”

“If I let go, you’ll shoot. That’s why I’m holding them.”

“You don’t need to block me! I can’t shoot anyway if you’re in the way! So, my hands…”

“Sorry. I can’t let go until you promise not to attack Erica.”

Your expression earlier was truly frightening. Plus, with magical power creating air pressure, firing with that firepower would cause a real disaster…

I couldn’t let go of Lenias’s hands unless she clearly promised not to attack.

“Alright, alright! I won’t shoot…!”

“Really?”

“I… promise…”

Since she promised, it seemed she wasn’t lying; the flashes that were about to be fired lost their light and disappeared.

Judging by her protruding lips, she seemed somewhat dissatisfied… but at least a disaster was averted.

“Then, could you give us some space for a moment?”

“Senior. Even if you say that…”

She continued to glare at Erica with cold eyes, unable to shake off her suspicion. It wasn’t unreasonable.

Given what she just witnessed, it’s understandable from Lenias’s perspective.

But I also need to find out what’s happened since meeting Erica.

“Please.”

I said, once again holding both of Lenias’s hands together.

As a result of holding Lenias’s hands and pleading, she granted me a private audience with Erica much faster than I had anticipated.

I thought I’d have to struggle and plead, but she agreed right away… well, whatever.

She set a condition that it would only be while she reordered the spilled food, but that was enough.

And Erica wouldn’t lay hands on me again. Lenias had firmly warned that she wouldn’t tolerate such behavior this time.

“You deceitful bastard… did you feed that girl the same sweet talk?”

“You seem to be misunderstanding something. I’m the one who bought us time to talk. I’ll ask the questions.”

“…”

“And don’t misunderstand. She’s just someone I’m teaching because she wanted to build her stamina, nothing more.”

I cut to the chase.

“Erica. The last time we met, I thought I’d done everything I could in front of Michelle. What else are you dissatisfied with?”

“Of course I’m dissatisfied! You’ve been wagging that tongue of yours to the other members again!”

This again? I really don’t understand.

“Sigh… Then tell me what I supposedly did.”

“Saying you wouldn’t join Tembris was just to deceive me, wasn’t it? And then you shamelessly influenced the others!”

Erica shouted at me accusingly.

“Goden, who shouldn’t even know you, said he wants to recruit you as a team member. If you didn’t appeal to him behind my back, then what?”

“Goden said that…?”

“Yes! Today of all days, the day Tembris was officially promoted to a formal team, he proposed your admission!!”

What’s going on?

As Erica said, I hadn’t even met Goden yet. Then did someone else recommend me?

“What’s most incomprehensible is that everyone wants you to join Tembris. Without going through any of the procedures everyone else went through, three people voted to recruit you, and even the one who remained neutral seemed to take your side? How do you explain this?”

That can’t be right.

I had already settled things with Michelle in the underground waterway to ensure no connection between us.

I had firmly rejected Charlotte, after which she never approached me again, and though Senia could have caught me, I took the same measures as with Charlotte.

Lastly, Aris. I had made it clear to her that I wouldn’t join, so how could there be three votes in favor?

No, listening to her words, even the neutral person took my side.

That means essentially all four agreed.

I was puzzled when accused of influencing them, but why did things progress this way?

“I never imagined you would stab me in the back like this to join Tembris!”

No. Let’s not think about it anymore.

Even if I try to find answers by grasping at clues, only Erica knows the facts.

Then there’s only one way.

“Hey, Erica.”

I just need to convey my absolute lack of intention.

“Did you know? Right after this festival ends, the magic stones will run out.”

“What?”

Yes. If she doesn’t know, the answer is simple.

Like Aris, Erica only has fragmented memories.

“Because the Lewen merchant group couldn’t supply magic stones, there won’t be enough for the next magic aptitude test. Some merchant groups, anticipating this, have been hoarding magic stones, causing prices to soar.”

“What are you suddenly talking about?”

Right. She can’t understand. This is something only I know.

“Whether you believe this or not is up to you. But let me tell you clearly. This will happen soon.”

“Are you joking? Do you think I’ll believe your nonsense because you have backing?”

“The person who told you not to feed Michelle water from a cave in the Megrita region of Sirah Province. Do you know who that was?”

“…!”

At those words, Erica’s pupils dilated. Now she must realize that what I said wasn’t a joke.

I was the one who gave that instruction, and Erica was the one who shouted because of it.

I just referenced part of Erica’s memories to mention something that will happen in the future.

“You said I schemed because I had no way to join Tembris, but don’t worry. I wouldn’t join even if it killed me.”

You might wonder why. I immediately answered as if responding to my own question.

“I was murdered. By the hand of a Tembris party member.”