episode_0066

Violet asked. “What is it?” “I don’t think you can do it without conviction.” Daphne cleared her throat for a moment. “Conviction?” “So, I don’t know why you asked, but you have no choice but to make a decision. Right?” “…Right.” “According to the options Ms. Ruzilin mentioned, there are two choices: run away or fight back. There’s no right answer here. If you run, you’ll be safe. If you fight, you might win, and even if you lose, you can protect your pride or justice.”

“But I’m scared… I don’t want to do anything.” ‘Then you don’t need to worry.’ Daphne gently took Violet’s dejected hands. Her trembling hands gradually steadied. “Are you perhaps afraid of regretting it?”

“…Yes. I’m scared. What if I make a choice and it’s wrong? What if it’s incorrect?” Daphne shook her head. “That’s not true. There’s no such thing as a ‘wrong choice.’ If you did your best with any choice, if you tried with sincerity without deceiving yourself, what would there be to regret? It wasn’t your fault, but others or the situation, or simply bad luck. Right?” Violet’s hazy red eyes carefully observed her.

“The only bad choice is ‘a choice made for the wrong reason.’ It’s turning away from the situation and equivocating because you don’t trust yourself, because you’re impatient, or because you’re scared.” Daphne smiled gently. “In that sense, Ms. Ruzilin, I don’t think you’ll make ‘the wrong choice.’ Ms. Ruzilin is brave enough. If you had hesitated even a little, you would have run away instead of coming to save me, right?”

“That… that was something I could do. But…” “I told you. If you feel like you can’t do it, you can run away. What’s wrong with that? But if Ms. Ruzilin chooses to run away, run with confidence and all your might.”

“I don’t quite understand what you mean. But I still don’t want to do something I’ll regret.” Daphne continued speaking in a calm manner. “I told you once that my family passed away, right? In fact, my family died in a monster attack.”

What on earth was she talking about? A surprised Violet looked at her face. Her blue eyes gazed into the distance for a moment. “But right before that, I had a big fight with my parents and said terrible things to my sibling.” “…!” “So, I wandered a lot in my childhood. I often annoyed my relatives, didn’t go to school, and stayed cooped up in my room all day. I thought it was all because of me.” Violet thought. So Daphne had such a past.

“As time passed, I gradually got better, but even before I came to this academy, I also had the same worries that Ms. Ruzilin mentioned. But my Teacher-nim… the person who helped me utilize my unique ability and magic, told me this.” She began speaking quietly, yet powerfully. “Face your regrets with your head held high and with dignity. Whether it was something you did wrong or not, you have to carry it. After all, life is such that you’re bound to regret whatever you do, so you must learn how to live with it. To be honest, I still feel sorry for my parents and my younger sister. But I can’t discard those regrets. They are entirely mine.” “So, Violet. Whatever choice you make, go forward with your whole heart and with dignity. Even if you might regret it…”

Violet opened her mouth quietly. “I’ll be by your side then. I’ll help you. You asked about this because of the duel you had, right?” “Ah, that…”

“That’s right! That was too reckless. Let me tell you one more thing Ms. Ruzilin missed. Why did you fight without asking for help from those around you?” Violet felt embarrassed. Right, was there really no one around her who could help? She foolishly didn’t accept Irene’s offer to help. Why didn’t she think of asking Kalia? Even if she had gone to Instructor Frederick, she could have asked for some advice. “…You’re right. It’s my fault.”

“So, next time, ask for help from the people around you. Don’t just focus on moving forward or backward. When you have room, look to your side. I’ll be there.” Seeing Daphne’s kind smile, Violet felt her stifled heart melting away. “Because I’m your friend.”

Hearing those words, Violet, the Violets, quietly repeated the word “friend” to themselves. Yes, at some point, Daphne, she was no longer just a character in a story. She wasn’t just a close acquaintance. She was a friend with whom they could talk and laugh. 「That’s right. We’re…」 「Why didn’t I know?」 It felt like the dark clouds in Violet’s mind were clearing.

“Thank you, Daphne. You’ve helped me so much.” “You’re welcome, Ms. Ruzilin. If you ever need help, just tell me…” Even amidst her emotion, Violet felt awkward. Friend, she said, is this right?

“Wait, Daphne. We’re friends, right?” “Yes, we are.” “Then why do you keep calling me ‘Ms. Ruzilin’? That’s what strangers do!”

At the unexpected remark, Daphne looked flustered. “Ah, that’s just a habit of mine… Is it uncomfortable?” “Violet! Call me Violet!” As Violet insisted, Daphne struggled to speak. “Um… uh… Ms. Violet?” “No, that’s weird too. Can’t you drop the honorific?” “…Violet?” “That’s it!” The Violets rejoiced.

Daphne opened her mouth carefully. “And, it’s late, but I’ll say it now. Thank you for saving me when I was captured.” “Thank you, Violet.”

The door opened gently. A purple-haired girl slowly walked in. “Um, are you still talking? I didn’t interrupt, did I?” “No, it’s fine. We were just about to leave.”

***

Looking at the two girls inside the infirmary, Violet realized. We realized. That some people in our lives had grown so close that they couldn’t be separated from our hearts. The awakened will of the Violets slowly gathered, forging itself into a sharp blade. Daphne was right. Let’s move forward with dignity, without regret.

Until now, life had merely been one of constant escape. It was just avoiding and avoiding, then reluctantly fighting. They had grown so complacent that they eventually faced defeat. Martina’s words still echoed in their ears.

“…You put in coins with blurry eyes, and then you put in more. Every day it’s like that. Saying, ‘I’ll win this time! This time it’ll work!’ But in the end, you fail. Just like someone.” “…You. You idiot who senselessly pours coins into an arcade machine!”

Right, she wasn’t wrong. Until now, I had lived without a sense of urgency. But I won’t run away anymore. I will fight back.

The Violets just made a decision about what to do. They wouldn’t think of this crazy school, this impending catastrophe, as someone else’s problem and run away. Because their friends were here. This wasn’t a game. It was a proper reality. So they had to become strong. There was no more time for complacency.

According to the information they had gathered previously, the time limit was three months. They needed to train and practice, acquire all artifacts and weapons of 4-star rarity or higher. Even if it was just searching for disposable weapons that appeared as event rewards. Since this was five years before the main story, the situation was different from the past, so it would be a bit troublesome, but the knowledge in their heads would definitely be helpful. They needed more magic, more weapons, more power. And also a large amount of gasoline and explosives. They also needed more numbers than they currently had.

Even if they dealt with the student council president, the headmaster and those around him would be incomparably stronger than Martina. Hundreds wouldn’t be enough. They needed enough Violets to cover the entire school. So, they couldn’t be lazy any longer.

They wouldn’t die. They could train themselves to death. Now was the time to confirm that advantage until tears flowed. For what? The wills of the hundred and nine Violets united, sharpening like a single sword, aiming at one goal. All of this was for a single objective.

Destroy the academy. Demolish Polaris Academy entirely, leaving not a single cornerstone. Burn the ruins and salt the earth.

They felt sorry for Irene, but there was no way to normalize that academy. From the very foundation, it was rotten, and they could see it with their own eyes. It was destined to be swept away by experiments and destroyed soon. If so, wouldn’t it be better if they destroyed it first? Wouldn’t it be a better ending if only the bad guys died, rather than everyone in the school turning into ghouls? So, they would gain strength, and preemptively shatter the academy, both tangibly and intangibly.

The board of directors? Kill them. The student council? They were all in it together. Kill them all without exception. Get rid of anyone else who gets in the way. Destroy all experimental equipment and dispose of the data. Since the facilities were located underground, burying them entirely wouldn’t be a bad idea.

Of course, it was madness in anyone’s eyes. It was also too much for their current capabilities. They didn’t have the strength right now, and even if they did, if things went badly, they might have to turn the entire academy city into an enemy. They would be branded as terrorists.

But they didn’t want to bow down to those awful bastards. It wasn’t for justice or morality. There were just those damn guys, and they wanted to get rid of them.

So, what should they do after demolishing the school? 「After Polaris fell, Irene transferred to Aegis Academy.」 「Let’s transfer to another academy too!」 It was simple. They would transfer to another school with their friends, leaving behind the corpses and ruins of their enemies.

Perhaps it could be faster, or it could be slower. The key was to grow quickly before their project was completed.

“Girls, I actually have something to confess.” “…?” They decided to tell their trustworthy friends the truth about the school.

Facing the gazes of the two girls who looked at them, not knowing what was happening, they vowed once more. Three months was the time limit. Let’s go, let’s run. Let’s run until our bodies burn and shatter. After wandering, the Violets had finally found the path they had to take. Once again, they declared to themselves. Destroy the academy.