episode_0029

It was a day a few months after I came to Academy City.

It was a time when it was no longer embarrassing to wear a female school uniform.

When you return, dressed in more student-like clothing, you will pass numerous wilderness areas and other schools throughout the night. Early in the morning, I could see three seniors waiting for me in front of the school gate.

I greeted them.

“I went there―☆”

“Welcome—!”

In the morning when I return from spending the night outside, my three seniors lead me to an old, nostalgic hideout. Sleeping together in that dusty space has become a daily routine.

An empty classroom where many students once spent time, has now become a hangout for three girls. If you lay down on a few old blankets, you will see a cracked and shabby ceiling. And the breath of new memories fills the scratches that have witnessed so much growth.

The breath of seniors lying next to me.

I fall asleep slowly while listening to the occasional burst of laughter.

Dreams passing by like shadows in the quiet darkness of the eyelids.

The sweet nap time has passed.

Open your eyes again.

“… ”

Time flew by as if someone had hidden the minute and second hands of a clock.

The faint morning sunlight is now rushing toward its noon finale. The midday wind blows. Because of this, the faded curtains flutter back and forth, urging the girls who had fallen into an unseasonably sweet sleep to wake up.

A shadow created by faded hand gestures in a silent performance.

There is peace when you turn your head in that cool shade.

Suuu

Phew…

“… ”

Nina and Selma.

The quiet breathing and murmur of lips coming from the two seniors sleeping on either side. The pink lips on that white face move and taste the sweetness of the dream.

“Ehehe, I can’t eat it anymore… ”

“Umm… The reincarnated princess pulls out an SSS-level magic sword… no… It sucks… ”

It seemed like they were enjoying the dream writing and tea party.

I watched it blankly.

‘… ‘I can’t see Frida.’

And with the slightest bit of confusion remaining in my head, I stand up.

Leaving behind the warmth and silence of noon in the empty classroom. As I walked through a corner of the campus that was overgrown with weeds because no one was taking care of it, I saw senior Frida sitting in a flower bed, not caring that her skirt got dirty.

I quietly pretended to be behind Frieda.

While sitting in the flower bed doing something, she turns towards this direction.

“… ?”

“Frida Senior―♪”

“Hehe, it’s Clara.”

Senior Frida was looking back, holding a small sketchbook and pencil in each hand. In that small page, numerous flowers blooming just before early summer were recorded.

A girl’s record that captured and engraved the beauty of the passing time and seasons.

Some lines are intentionally drawn crookedly to reveal the liveliness of the sturdy thorns and stems, while other lines leave only faint traces to express the ephemeral cuteness of petals. Even as someone who doesn’t know anything about painting, the paintings looked like they were made with a lot of skill and care.

‘… ‘You draw really well.’

I said while looking closely at the sketchbook.

“Frida, do you dream of becoming a painter? I think it would suit you very well―☆ Maybe… ?! Is Frida senior born with the talent of a genius, beautiful artist?♪”

“Huhuhu… I’m still immature. I just drew a lot and it ended up like this. Wouldn’t you be surprised to see paintings by really talented people?”

“Are those people surprised that their drawings are worse than Frida’s?―♪”

“What does he say… Huhuhu.”

But maybe he felt good about my praise.

It seemed like the movements of Frida’s pencil drawing became a little more lively.

“… ”

“… ”

Frida was good at drawing.

Selma stays up all night writing a novel.

Nina loves to eat, and she also loves to cook.

‘… ‘Seniors had their own lives.’

All three seniors were not simply extras in a game, but ordinary students pursuing their favorite dreams. It was to the point where I felt guilty that those three seniors were always consciously waiting for me.

‘… ‘Why do you always wait for me?’

When the three seniors do what they like, they spend time alone without interfering with each other. But what I like… When I return from walking around and getting stronger outside, all three take the time to welcome me.

“… ”

I was feeling distressed inside.

It’s not that they’re annoying… I feel like I am an obstacle.

Because I felt like I was disturbing their peace and daily life.

So, I quietly shared my thoughts with Frida, who was painting in a quiet flower bed. I don’t want me to be in their way anymore.

“… ”

When Frida heard what I said, she stopped holding her hand for a moment. Then I got lost in thought and drew a few lines in my sketchbook.

Suuu

One is a straight line across the sketchbook.

Another one bends outward and turns… It was a ‘spiral’.

Senior Frieda pointed to them and spoke.

“… huh. It is certainly true that as we care about Clara, the time we spend alone is decreasing. And there are times when I can’t do everything I originally wanted to do.”

“… ”

“Our daily lives were like a neat straight line, going straight toward what we each liked. But after meeting you, it changed like this spiral. If you go in a straight line, an efficient and clean path will take a lot more turns and twists.”

“… ”

“But… ”

Senior Frida spoke while adding lines little by little around the spiral.

“Isn’t that right, Clara?”

Swish swish

“Among the beautiful flowers that exist in this world, none bloom in a straight line.”

Swish swish

“All flowers have petals that overlap in a spiral and bloom in turns little by little.”

Frida unfolded the finished painting and showed it to me again.

The lines added little by little around the spiral became flower petals. Curved, twisted and irregular petals. However, they bloom as flower buds along a single spiral.

And the straight line that crossed the screen became a stem that firmly supported the flower bud.

Past and present.

What changes and what doesn’t change.

Everything comes together and becomes a memory.

“… ”

To me, the flower is like… It looked like a beautiful rose.

Senior Frida spoke while holding a picture of the rose.

“How about it? Does this picture look ugly, or does the spiral look like an obstacle to a straight line?

I shook my head at those words.

Then Senior Frieda smiled proudly.

“The time we go back and change is not inefficient or useless. It becomes a beautiful memory like a flower that blooms when you and I meet.”

“… ”

“ Slowly looking at each other’s faces, which we wouldn’t have seen if we were moving in a straight line, and changing little by little… You have no idea how much joy it is for us.”

“… ”

Frida’s smile.

Memories of a flower bed filled with the scent of earth.

She said with a gentle smile again.

“So Clara, if you will cherish these memories. Someday, you too will be like this beautiful spiral… Be a senior who can leave beautiful memories and lessons to someone.”

＊

“… Senior?”

“… Huh?”

I came out of the flashback.

Under the dark sky, in front of the ominous dungeon gate.

Albit was looking at me with worried eyes.

Kyaaa!!

Shaaa!!

The sound of countless fluid chaos worms passing under the large rock where we are hiding. All three juniors seemed disturbed by the disgusting noises made by the maggots.

“… ”

Bell, who was caressing a dark red dagger from afar, glanced in this direction and said.

“… No need to worry. This cute secretary will take good care of your juniors.”

Is it because I feel guilty for talking excitedly about [Faded Spiral] in front of everyone? Somehow, I could feel that Belle’s attitude had softened considerably.

‘Or is it because I was depressed because I almost got roasted by Eir?’

I burst out laughing as I remembered Belle whining while holding out the training uniform from .

“Huhuhu―☆”

“What, what! People are talking seriously!”

“Yes―♪ I would be relieved if our ’s cute second-year junior Bell would protect the first-year students―☆”

“Ha? What are you talking about! Why am I a junior with pink hair?”

“Huh? Then, in front of Eir, who was very angry, the person who claimed to be a student of was who, wherever he lived-♪”

“Ugh?! Yeah, that’s right! Ugh… !”

Belle’s face instantly turns red.

If it were a cartoon, there would have been a sound effect like ‘Boom!’

It was at a level that could be seen even in the darkness of the night.

‘It’s totally like Guan Yu.’

Was the real Guan Yu not Kara but Belle?

The way he tries to save face in front of others, and the way he is secretly narrow-minded…

‘No, if you really have to ask, it would be false. It’s the physiognomy of betrayal.’

I nodded, recalling Bell’s desperate expression of intention to change school records.

『Look at these training clothes!! I am a student of !!』

No matter how much you think about it, this is a shameful act that can only be called black history. Belle, recalling that miserable memory, bowed her head without saying anything.

“… Oh, I can’t help it.”

Belle wanted to appear strong in front of others. Seeing her begging for her life so desperately was probably an unprecedented humiliation. Then the three juniors who had been nervous from earlier also let out soft laughs.

“Put… ”

“kekeke… ”

“Puhhuh.”

“Laugh, don’t laugh-!! If you go somewhere and spread rumors, I really won’t forgive you—!!”

“Oh my―♪ That’s totally like foreshadowing to spread rumors―☆”

“Don’t do it—!! Please don’t go and spread rumors~!!”

Snipsssh-

Belle humorously rubs her hands like a fly. Seeing that, the three juniors eventually start laughing.

“Puhuhuh… ! Oh really… !”

“Hehehehehe… ”

“Kkeup… Foot… !”

The juniors quietly sob and laugh as they finally come to their senses. The pressure of the abnormal situation they had been feeling for a while. It seemed like it had disappeared into the distance before I knew it.

A scene where the laughter has finally calmed down.

Bell and I returned to our seats again in silence.

“… ”

“… ”

I looked at Belle and gave her a look of gratitude. Then Bell slightly raised his head, narrowed one eye, and gave a silent answer.

-Just trust this cutie!

If you pretend, you pretend.

He seemed like a really competent clerk.

After seeing that, I adjusted my evaluation of Bell upward.

‘It’s the same with the power that can’t be defeated unless it’s a misnomer, and this kind of insight. Just looking at his usual abilities, it seems like he’s not an executive of the for no reason.’

He has his own sense of humor and knows how to lead the students who follow him. Above all, I wanted to give him a big bonus point for maintaining a good heart.

‘But I have the personality of being easily embarrassed by that concept… ‘

Around this time, Bell’s evaluation was being appropriately adjusted.

In the distance, near the horizon, a large crimson flame rose.

Paaa!

And on another horizon, several kilometers away, the red ether from the Gjallarhorn investigation team shone.

Paaa!

The signal we set.

I said while looking at them.

“Yes―♪ I think Eir and Sigrun have arrived as well―☆”

“Phew… It’s starting now.”

Rattling…

Albit’s hands were shaking so much that the sheath he was holding hit the floor and made a sound.

“Albitdo Chaam―♪ I’m really nervous~ If I’m scared, will this senior give me a hug―☆”

“… ”

I playfully extended my arm and waved at Arbit.

It was just a prank to ease the mind of a nervous junior.

But surprisingly…

“Wow―♪”

“… ”

prison

Albit really came to me. Her shoulders were shaking like a child’s, and cold sweat was beading and dripping from her neck and forehead.

‘It still felt like a lot of pressure that this was my first dungeon and this was such an abnormal situation.’

I patted Albit on the back.

“… Can I do it?”

“Yes―♪”

“… Is it because it is a [faded spiral] that you can tell?”

“No―♪”

Before I knew it, I was holding the cold hands of Kara and Lotta who had come next to me.

“I can tell because I’m your senior―☆”

“… ”

“… ”

“… Senior.”

“We can definitely do it♪”

How to overcome fear together, something that [The Pink Spiral], who became strong alone, cannot teach us. As a [Faded Spiral], I held his hand and told him that.

That way is endless faith in each other.

“… ”

I remembered what Frida said to me one day at the flower garden.

‘This is…’ ‘I hope it is a memory and teaching like the spiral that my senior spoke of.’