Chapter 286

“Hero?”

Riviera seemed to have selectively ignored the unfamiliar term “extra” and focused on the word “hero.”

She continued, “What kind of hero?”

“A hero who saves the world.”

“Hmm.”

Riviera rested her chin on her hand, lost in thought for a moment.

Then she said, “Then we’re enemies.”

Her voice sounded indifferent, but I could clearly sense the underlying sadness, like a gray cloud hanging over her.

“I should leave after all.”

It was a scene that could have ended everything.

A true friend would have acted here.

“No, I don’t want you to.”

*Grab.*

I grabbed her wrist.

“I won’t allow it.”

My voice was firm, filled with determination.

It was the first time I had spoken to her so forcefully.

Riviera, taken aback by my unexpected reaction, stared at me with wide eyes.

“…”

“…”

An awkward silence filled the air.

Only our gazes met, locked in a silent battle of wills.

‘…Please say something.’

I muttered inwardly, struggling to maintain my composure.

It would be incredibly awkward if she didn’t react after I had gone this far.

Every second felt like a minute.

How much time had passed?

Finally, Riviera opened her mouth…

“…I’m leaving.”

Huh?

What?!

My grip on her wrist loosened.

*Dash.*

Riviera ran away, her movements surprisingly agile.

…She was seriously running away.

I was too stunned to even call out to her.

“…”

*Whoosh.*

As if to add insult to injury, a cold wind blew past, slapping me in the face.

I finally snapped out of my daze.

“What did I do wrong? Did I say something wrong?!”

…I spent the rest of the day kicking myself.

* * *

A luxurious mansion in the upper district.

It was Professor Lapis’s house.

An unexpected guest arrived without an appointment.

“It’s me.”

But Lapis’s expression was calm, as if it was an everyday occurrence.

He would have been uncomfortable if she had notified him beforehand.

Because she was the type of person who didn’t do such things.

“Come in.”

Lapis took a leisurely sip of his black tea.

*Bang!*

The door swung open, and a girl entered.

It was Riviera.

“Hey, why are you slamming the… Pfft?!”

Lapis’s eyes widened, as if he had seen a ghost.

He spat out the tea he had just swallowed.

Because he saw it.

Riviera’s eyes were bloodshot.

“Y-You… You, did you c-cry?!”

Women could cry.

Men could cry.

But Riviera crying was unimaginable.

She wasn’t the type of person who would cry.

But…

“No, I just couldn’t sleep.”

“Ah, I see. That’s a relief… Wait, what?!”

Lapis jumped to his feet.

“What happened?! You, you couldn’t sleep?!”

Riviera was the type of person who could fall asleep instantly, anywhere, anytime.

Whether it was on a bed, a rooftop, the sidewalk, or even next to a trash can.

And she couldn’t sleep?!

It would have been less shocking if his pet chicken suddenly started singing in a human voice.

“W-What happened…?”

“Alcohol.”

Riviera, who had already made herself comfortable on the living room sofa, asked for alcohol.

“W-What kind of alcohol?”

“Strong alcohol.”

“Gasp!”

Lapis stumbled backward.

“A-Are you terminally ill?!”

“Cut the crap and give me alcohol.”

“…Okay.”

* * *

*Gulp, gulp, gulp.*

Riviera was downing strong alcohol, lying on the sofa.

Lapis watched her with a worried expression, unlike his usual nonchalant demeanor.

He looked like an uncle concerned about his rebellious niece.

Their interaction alone showed how close they were.

“…Stop drinking.”

“No. I’ll do what I want.”

“You’ll ruin your stomach.”

“My heart already hurts.”

“Come on…”

Lapis finally took the bottle away from her.

But it was already empty.

“Sigh.”

Lapis clicked his tongue.

But thankfully, Riviera didn’t throw a tantrum and demand more alcohol.

Instead, she stared blankly at the ceiling and said, “Professor.”

“Hmm? What?”

“I’m smart.”

“…Yeah, you’re smart.”

Lapis replied halfheartedly, his expression incredulous.

Riviera continued, “But I don’t know.”

“Don’t know what?”

“Is there anything in this world that could be more important than revenge?”

“…”

Lapis’s expression turned serious.

He pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose, his eyes blinking slowly.

He was deep in thought.

‘This girl…’

Riviera had lost both of her parents to the Church at a young age and had been raised by her grandmother.

And then her grandmother had also been killed by the Church.

Since then, she had lived for revenge, and revenge alone.

There were only two things in her life:

Things that helped her revenge, and things that didn’t.

That’s why he hadn’t been worried when she seemed to be enjoying her student life.

Because her unwavering goal in life wouldn’t waver.

But…

‘…Was I wrong?’

Lapis bit his lip.

He knew who was responsible.

That strange boy.

Max Celtrine.

He should have killed him when he had the chance.

A sharp glint of murderous intent flashed in Lapis’s eyes.

At that moment,

“Don’t.”

Riviera, as if sensing his murderous intent, frowned.

Lapis’s eyes widened in surprise.

“Riviera, he’s an enemy of the organization…”

“I know. But don’t do it, Professor.”

“Why…?”

“I don’t want the people I care about to hurt each other.”

“C-Cough! Cough! Cough?!”

Lapis’s expression crumbled.

P-People she cared about?

Had that strange boy already made his way into the witch’s heart?

T-This was unacceptable…

“Riviera, no, Witch! Snap out of it! Who made you suffer so much? Don’t forget what you’ve been living for!”

Lapis shouted desperately.

His voice was filled with urgency.

“Revenge.”

“Yes, that’s it!”

Lapis clenched his fist at her short answer.

But,

“But I’m having second thoughts.”

“Cough! Cough! Cough?!”

Lapis’s fist unclenched.

He swayed, as if he was about to collapse from shock. He grabbed the sofa to steady himself.

“P-Please, think rationally! He’s an enemy of the organization now, he has to die! If you make a foolish choice, you’ll only ruin your life!”

“Hmm.”

“Yes, yes, think carefully!”

“Thank you, Professor.”

“Oh?”

“I’ve made up my mind.”

“Y-You have? That’s great…”

*Jump.*

Riviera jumped off the sofa like a cat.

And then,

“I won’t let Max die.”

Her voice was low, but filled with determination.

“W-What…? What?!”

Lapis screamed in horror.

He swayed, as if he was about to faint.

“Then I’m leaving.”

*Whoosh.*

Riviera vanished like the wind.

“H-Hey… Ugh…”

…Lapis finally fainted.

* * *

*Blank stare.*

“What’s wrong with you?”

Hiresia’s voice sounded distant.

…Because I was out of it.

“Hiresia.”

“What?”

“I think I’m beyond saving.”

“W-What?”

“I messed up, I messed up, I messed up…”

“How many times are you going to say that?!”

My elf senior glared at me, her expression exasperated.

I deserved it.

I was an idiot who had screwed up at the most crucial moment.

It was over.

It was the end.

The end had come.

My friend, the Blood Witch, was now my enemy…

“Wait!”

Hiresia suddenly said, her eyes alert.

“Someone’s coming.”

My dazed expression vanished.

“How many?”

“One. But they’re fast.”

Fast?

If it was an enemy, it meant they were strong…

“Huh?”

My eyes widened.

I recognized the approaching silhouette.

It couldn’t be mistaken.

It was… Riviera?

“Gasp!”

Hiresia’s expression also changed.

*Sprinkle, sprinkle, sprinkle.*

…She frantically started covering the meat with dirt, like an excavator.

Excellent.

It seemed like a perfect crime today.

…No, that wasn’t the point!

What was going on?

This had just happened yesterday…

Riviera arrived before I could process the situation, my face still blank with confusion.

It was awkward.

I scratched the back of my head.

“W-What’s up?”

“Max.”

“Y-Yeah…”

“I came to give you my answer.”

“A-Answer?”

I looked at her, confused.

But then a thought crossed my mind.

Could it be…?

The reason she had left without a word yesterday was…

“I won’t let you die, Max.”

“Huh…?”

“I’ll never let that happen. That’s my answer.”

“…”

It took me a while to understand.

It was such an unexpected statement.

But then I realized and my eyes widened.

Yesterday, Riviera had clearly said that if I became a hero who saved the world, we would be enemies.

That she would have to leave.

I had told her that I didn’t want that, that I wouldn’t allow it, but she had left without a word.

I had thought that was her answer.

But I was wrong.

The answer she had brought today.

‘She won’t let me die… It means…’

She wouldn’t become my enemy.

We wouldn’t be enemies.

She wouldn’t leave.

My heart swelled with emotion at the unexpected twist.

I calmed myself down and said, “…I see. Thank you.”

A warm smile spread across my lips.

I thought I saw a faint smile on Riviera’s lips as well.

“Thank you?”

“Yes, of course.”

“Then a grateful hug.”

“Huh?”

*Hug.*

Riviera hugged me tightly.

“Gah?!”

I screamed.

“Kyaaaaaaaa?!”

Hiresia screamed.

…My back felt cold, knowing who was behind me.

“W-W-W-What are you d-doing?!”

My elf senior stammered.

“It’s just a hug between friends.”

“Y-Yes, of course. W-We’re friends.”

I quickly agreed.

But why was I stuttering too…?

“A-Ah, y-yes, w-we’re f-friends.”

…Hiresia, you look really anxious.

Calm down.

She’s not that kind of person…

“But there’s no such thing as eternal friends between a man and a woman.”

…Is there?

“Kyaaaaaaaaaaaaa?!”

I pushed Riviera away, realizing that this was going too far.

Wait, why wasn’t she moving?

Why was she still clinging to me like glue?!

“Just a little longer.”

“H-Hey, junior! This is too much! Have some decency!”

…This was the first time I had seen Hiresia’s true nature revealed so openly in front of others.

M-My stomach hurts.

Riviera finally let go, unable to endure it any longer.

“Tsk.”

“What do you mean ‘tsk,’ you cheeky little brat!”

“I was just being helpful, elf wife.”

“A-Ahem?”

Hiresia, perhaps feeling indebted to Riviera, coughed awkwardly and backed down.

…So it was Riviera who had taught her the “elf wife separate accounting” theory.

She was teaching my innocent elf senior all sorts of things.

Wait, was that a good thing?

Thanks to her, things had worked out well for me too?

Then should I be grateful…?

No, that wasn’t the point.

I realized that I had to defuse this chaotic situation.

“Alright, alright, everyone calm down and let’s have a drink. It’s not good for our beautiful senior-junior relationship to be strained by a small misunderstanding. And it’s a special day.”

“What’s so special about today?”

“Elf wife.”

“A-Ahem.”

“…”

* * *

Despite the minor commotion (?), it was a good day.

Because a very precious friend had chosen me.