Chapter 3: The student’s place is studying.

“Yes, nothing wrong with it… seems complete.”

Koharu, after surveying my house, lowered the chart she was holding, quietly cast her eyes down, and bit her lip. It was as if she didn’t like the current situation.

“Yes, you’ve worked hard. So, is that everything for today?”

I answered her indifferently, continuing my sketch to the accompaniment of the rain falling outside the window. Today’s movements were unique again, making them well worth recording.

“Uh, yes. It’s finished.”

“Then it’s time for you to go, Koharu. The rain outside is quite heavy, would you like to rest a little before you leave?”

“I’m… fine.”

“Hmm, what a shame.”

I turned my head, genuinely expressing regret, and looked at Koharu with my chin propped on my hand.

Indeed, why wouldn’t I feel regret when one of my few conversation partners stays for such a short time and then leaves? It is truly lamentable for one of my life’s joys to disappear. Drawing the star that circles in that sky is something I must do, not something I enjoy doing.

From the moment I was first born in Kivotos, I could not fully see the sky.

All I ever saw was black. I only knew that the sun was there, but I had never actually seen the sun, the moon, or the stars directly.

It was as if someone had covered the sky with a chromakey; I could not see the light pouring from it. Surely, the people visible before me must receive light for me to see them, yet I could not see the light source itself.

Because of this, I initially thought I had been born with a visual impairment. However, everything else was perfectly visible, so seeing only the sky like that confirmed it wasn’t a problem with my sight. Moreover, the sky wasn’t entirely empty either.

The only celestial body shining in the sky was a single, iridescent star constantly moving across that black backdrop. Naturally, it was inevitable that I would become interested in it.

“……Are you okay?”

‘……Huh?’

“Me?”

At Koharu’s sudden question, I broke out of my thoughts and looked at her. Her earlier expression of displeasure seemed to want to convey something.

“L-Like this. Being investigated every corner of your house daily, and constantly being summoned by the Tea Party…”

Perhaps the problem was that the content was, if anything, a bit sensitive.

“And even in classes… they don’t call your name. For things like lunch, they don’t even serve you even when you’re standing right there.”

‘No, it’s quite sensitive, actually.’

“……Are you really okay with this kind of life? No, I mean. Are you okay with this situation? This is too much.”

Even from a simple observer’s perspective, it wasn’t a normal life, so how must it be for the person experiencing it?

Moreover, that was only a part of it. How serious the neglect and ostracism from an academy, and the third largest academy in Kivotos at that, was… well, it would be hard to say unless you were the one experiencing it.

‘…Heh, did I speak too much like an outsider? When I’m actually the one involved.’

“……Hmm, Koharu. Is that… an attempt at persuasion?”

Well, that’s not what’s important right now. I’ve already adapted, after all.

“Huh, huh? Persuasion?”

“It seems the Tea Party is up to something again… Please tell them it’s not needed. No matter what, I will never cooperate with them.”

“W-What are you saying! I’m just worried about you-”

“No.”

‘Koharu, it wouldn’t be her.’

“Koharu, you just tried to persuade me and failed. You didn’t act this way because you were worried about me or thought my situation was unreasonable. Understood?”

“……Why on earth-”

“Koharu.”

I smiled with only my lips and brought a hand to them. It was partly to indicate that there was nothing more to say, but also a warning to keep quiet. It only ends here because it’s me; what would happen if she were to face this situation? What kind of situation would she be in?

Koharu looked as if she was about to say something more, but then seemed to understand my firm gaze and closed her mouth. She still didn’t hide her expression of displeasure.

‘Hmm, she needs to manage her expression better. The nickname ‘Trinity’s Heretic’ isn’t just about not fitting in. My treatment truly was on par with that of a heretic.’

Naturally, it was quite obvious what would happen to those associated with me. That’s why even ordinary students tried to avoid me. Of course, there were also many times when I pushed them away myself, like now.

“Heh, I think that’s done. Wow, to think they’d go so far as to use Koharu for this… really, they’re going too far. I wish I could confront them about it sometime.”

“…………”

‘Hmm, she still can’t manage her expression well. Then again, what can I expect from a first-year student? I suppose it would be better if I lightened the mood a bit. If she reports with that expression… it would be quite troublesome.’

“Hmm, speaking of which, Koharu… did you do well on the second-year make-up exam you were taking? I recall you failed miserably last time.”

“……Huh? W-Wait. W-Why are you asking that!? And it wasn’t a miserable failure! It was almost…! No, it was somewhat… close to a passing grade….”

“Oh? Isn’t 17 points on a 50-point passing exam considered a miserable failure? And I heard the make-up exam this time was easy… Hmm~ Surely you didn’t fail miserably again this time, did you?”

“N-No!! I didn’t fail miserably this time!!”

Seeing Koharu shriek, her earlier expression seemed to have somewhat faded. I subtly smiled at that and continued the conversation.

“Pfft, doesn’t that just mean you still failed? Wow~ Koharu-chan is amazing. Even if it’s a second-year exam, a make-up exam for students who failed the first one should have been incredibly easy.”

“Ugh, ughhh-! What about you! How good are you at studying-”

Koharu was about to say something but then seemed to realize her mistake and closed her mouth.

Indeed, she wasn’t in a position to challenge me on academics. While it’s true that I can’t even properly take exams now, at least before I was treated as a heretic, I was quite a model student. I wasn’t just the top student in Trinity’s first year, but a co-valedictorian for Trinity as a whole.

The reason for being co-valedictorian… was probably due to a certain pervert who was in a similar yet different situation from me. Well, I’ll save that story for later.

“Hmm? What was that? Hmm, would you like to repeat it?”

“Ughhh… F-Fine! I’m leaving, I’m leaving!”

‘Ah, dear.’

‘She’s pouting now. Well, it’s better this way. At least if it ends here, I can meet Koharu again. While I like meeting her, I’d rather not meet her if she ends up in the same predicament as me.’

‘………The Koharu from then wouldn’t be Koharu, would she? People are bound to change according to their circumstances.’

“Ahem, well then, goodbye, Koharu. See you next time.”

Watching Koharu leave with puffed cheeks, I quietly waved my hand. She would probably have to report this, and if she vented her frustration about me like this, she would likely remain one of my assigned supervisors.

It was a good thing. For both her and me. Though I gained more from it.

‘…Again, it’s one of my life’s joys. To be able to watch and talk to a student who could be called a “Blue Archive,” a “blue youth,” right before my eyes. Perhaps this was the true essence of Blue Archive.’

I am not a user who knows Blue Archive inside and out. I’m merely a user who just started because a friend, back when I was living as a male, kept spitting and emphasizing that I absolutely had to check out this “Eden Treaty” thing.

So, I did play a little whenever I had time—but I never actually reached the “Eden Treaty” story. My knowledge of Blue Archive stopped at the story, story, story, that is, the “Tales Saga Chronicle.”

In conclusion, it’s all useless. I can’t go to Abydos, nor can I help create that story, story, story in Millennium. Should I say that my knowledge of Blue Archive itself is not helpful?

What could I possibly wish for when my outings are already restricted? Even if I just go to the convenience store nearby, surveillance follows me, and if I try to leave the academy, the Tea Party directly blocks me. I might be destined to never leave Trinity until graduation.

And at least for now, my immediate task was not to escape Trinity.

I adjusted my posture again and looked out the window, where the rain hadn’t stopped.

In the sky outside the window, the iridescent star still wandered.

From a place so far from Kivotos that it shouldn’t even be visible, it scattered its brilliant light, captivating my gaze. In the uniformly black sky, I could clearly see only that. I could see only that star.

‘………The Color. People of Kivotos in the past called that ‘The Color’.’

A phenomenon, or a will, that scatters its light upon those it touches, transforming their properties.

I don’t know why that phenomenon is visible to me, or why I can’t see any other celestial bodies apart from The Color. That’s why I research and decipher it.

Fear comes from the unknown.

Therefore, the moment the unknown is revealed, fear ceases to exist. If I can discover what that star is, I will no longer have to gaze at this dark sky.

That’s why today, too, I draw, making sure the Tea Party and Trinity don’t notice.

The path of that star, The Color, and its appearance.

Simultaneously, I analyze it in my mind, drawing upon all the knowledge I possess. That’s why no research materials are found even when Koharu searches my house. Everything is memorized in my head.

‘………Did I ever say before that I was like a medieval European scientist advocating for heliocentrism? It probably fits the context. In the sense that I observe the sky and try to explain the movement of stars, I was an astronomer.’

Therefore, as an astronomer, I continue to gaze at the sky. At that murky black space, indistinguishable as day or night, and the star wandering within it.

I drank the hot water from my tumbler. My body felt heavy, indicating it was likely night.