episode_0017

You startled me.

I almost got caught off guard.

My heart, which had just begun to calm down, starts pounding wildly again.

What on earth could she possibly be doing here at the training grounds at this ungodly hour?

Not that it’s any of my business, though.

“…Good morning?”

“Yeah, good morning.”

Eirin nodded slightly in response, her expression unchanging.

Just how long had she been watching me?

“Seriously, I thought my heart was going to drop. I was sure I was alone here. How long have you been watching?”

“For about ten minutes. You were running so hard that I just kept watching.”

Ten minutes ago—that would’ve been when I was on the treadmill.

I must’ve been too out of it to notice her presence.

“You’re pretty calm for someone who almost had a heart attack.”

“I couldn’t possibly scream like a fool in front of you, Yonghee-nim. By the way, what brings you to the training grounds so early?”

“Same as you. A light workout to wake up my body before the day starts. And Providence’s training facilities are top-notch. Might as well use them while I can.”

“I see.”

I found myself nodding along to her words.

The privately operated training facilities outside the main building are relatively lower in quality compared to here.

“Ah, that reminds me—thank you for saving me back then. I almost lost my breath before I could even start school.”

When I brought up the past and expressed my gratitude, Eirin shook her head slightly and replied.

“You already thanked me back then. That’s enough.”

“If it were up to me, I’d thank you a hundred times and it still wouldn’t be enough.”

Ah, come to think of it, there’s something I need to ask Eirin.

Opportunities to talk to her alone are rare, so I should ask now.

“By the way, can I ask you one thing?”

“As long as it doesn’t cross the line.”

With her permission, I finally voiced the question I’d been holding onto.

“Had we… met before the hological performance?”

“……”

At my question, Eirin’s expression stiffened for a split second.

A brief silence followed.

Huh? It’s a simple yes-or-no question, so why is she hesitating to answer?

“…No.”

Eirin’s words broke the silence, which had felt like an eternity.

“That was the first time we met.”

Her reply was utterly devoid of emotion—completely ordinary.

And yet, strangely, I couldn’t shake the illusion that those few syllables carried layers of unspoken meaning.

I may not be able to deduce exactly what kind of relationship we had, but one thing is certain:

There’s definitely something between her and me.

“I see. Ah, by the way, what did you think of my performance that day? I’m a little worried I might’ve disappointed you, Yonghee-nim.”

I quickly changed the subject to ease the tension.

Fortunately, Eirin didn’t seem keen on continuing that conversation either and promptly answered my question.

“It exceeded my expectations. Your expressions and gestures were outstanding, but your intonation was the most impressive. It almost felt like I was sharing your emotions directly.”

“Hearing such praise from you, Yonghee-nim, makes me feel a little flustered.”

“How long have you been practicing acting?”

At Eirin’s question, I paused to think.

Should I really tell her—no, should I even reveal my ability to the world at all?

The deliberation didn’t last long.

“I’ve never really learned it.”

“Never learned?”

“No. I don’t know if you’re aware, but my unique ability is a bit… unusual. You could say it’s an application of that ability.”

I decided to vaguely outline my ability.

After all, even if I keep hiding it, people will eventually start questioning my ever-changing abilities.

Before their curiosity grows too overwhelming, I’ll drop small hints myself.

Though “dropping hints” sounds a bit odd, but whatever.

“You mean the one where your power changes based on your outfit.”

“Oh? You know about it?”

“Of course. All the professors watched your performance during the mock combat exam.”

Hmm, though from the higher-ups’ perspective, it probably just looked like a talent show.

“That’s a little embarrassing. But… um… I… uh… sigh. Can I ask you for one favor?”

“Go ahead.”

“I’m still pretty out of breath… Would it be okay if we continued this conversation a little later?”

The aftereffects of the treadmill still haven’t fully subsided.

Every time I speak, I feel like I’m about to lose my breath.

“Sure.”

Eirin gave a short reply and nodded slightly.

Then, without another word, she just stared at me blankly.

“……”

“……”

An awkward silence stretched between us.

This is weird.

Didn’t she say she came here for morning training?

Why is she just staring at me like this?

Am I really that entertaining to look at?

Ignoring Eirin’s intense gaze as best I could, I took a deep breath to replenish the oxygen in my system.

I could feel my wildly pounding heart gradually calming down.

After taking a sip from the water bottle Eirin handed me, I slowly got back on my feet.

I couldn’t just stay sprawled on the floor in front of someone forever.

Then, I heard Eirin mutter under her breath.

“…Interesting.”

“Huh?”

“Most students get excited when they get to talk to me one-on-one. They bombard me with all sorts of questions.”

Eirin nodded slightly and continued.

“Of course, I understand how they feel. They’re aspiring to become Purifiers, and to them, I’m practically an idol. But you’re different.”

Her blue eyes fixed on me.

“You didn’t show the slightest bit of excitement. Instead of firing off questions, you tried to have a calm conversation with me. That’s what I found interesting. That’s all.”

Well, I suppose most students dreaming of becoming Purifiers would either stammer or sparkle with excitement while showering her with questions.

But I didn’t react that way.

There are two main reasons for that.

First, I’ve encountered her countless times while playing Infinite End.

And the second reason is—

“Hmm… this might sound a little rude, but I don’t really want to idolize anyone.”

It’s because of the values I’ve carried over from my past life.

“If you idolize someone, you’ll never be able to surpass them.”

The moment you set a specific benchmark as your goal, you start seeing it as your ceiling.

Having seen countless people settle for mediocrity and refuse to grow, I made it a point in my past life never to idolize anyone.

“As they say, admiration is the emotion farthest from understanding. If I want to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with you—or even surpass you—then simply admiring you as an idol isn’t the right approach.”

Only then can I face a version of myself that’s constantly improving.

A person shouldn’t live as just a shadow chasing after someone else.

“……”

Eirin closed her eyes for a moment after hearing my answer.

Then, she slowly nodded and gave a faint smile.

“That’s an admirable mindset.”

Stunned by Eirin’s smile—something I’d rarely seen even in the game—I just stared at her blankly.

“I hope the day comes soon when I can confidently entrust my back to you.”

“I-I’ll do my best to live up to your expectations.”

“Yeah. Work hard. But don’t push yourself to the point of hurting your body.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.”

After hearing my reply, Eirin pulled out her smartphone and checked it.

“…Classes start in two hours. It’s good to see you working hard so early in the morning, but if you’re late, I won’t make any exceptions.”

“Huh? Yonghee-nim, which class are you in charge of?”

Of course, I already know Eirin is the homeroom teacher for Class A, but she doesn’t know that I know.

So I played along and asked casually.

“Class A. I’m your homeroom teacher.”

“Ah, I see. So you’re my homeroom teacher, Yonghee-nim. I look forward to working with you, Professor.”

“Likewise. See you in class.”

With that short reply, Eirin turned around and trudged off toward another exercise machine.

Watching her figure grow smaller in the distance, I gave a small nod.

That was a pretty enjoyable conversation.

Plus, I even got some useful information.

“There’s definitely something…”

Just what kind of life did the previous owner of this body lead to have a connection with someone like Eirin?

“Guess I’ll have to figure it out slowly.”

It’s not like Eirin will just tell me, so I’ll have to dig into this body’s past myself.

Of course, I don’t have the means or the strength to do that right now, but with time, I’ll naturally acquire one or the other.

“Alright.”

Having recovered some stamina, I climbed back onto the treadmill.

This time, maybe I’ll increase the intensity a bit—

“I forgot to ask you something.”

“Gah! You scared me!”

Startled by Eirin’s sudden voice right beside me, I jumped and turned my head.

What the—when did she get here?

I saw her walk away.

“Sorry. I’ve gotten used to suppressing my presence.”

“Sigh… It’s fine. So, um… you had something to ask me?”

“Yeah.”

Eirin met my eyes and posed her question.

“Do you know anything about that magical girl who showed up that day?”

“Ah.”

Suddenly, I really want to run away.