episode_0068

Early morning, the sun rising shallowly beyond the horizon.

A residential area on the outskirts of the city, at a time when there are still few people passing by.

A children’s playground inside the park built in front of it.

In that quiet place with no one around, I knelt before Senior Perjena and blankly looked up at her face.

Who would have expected this?

Just yesterday, I was fighting for my life,

Who would have thought that one day, in this peaceful playground, I would be receiving a confession from my senior?

I’ve known for a long time that my senior thought well of me.

but…

It’s been four months since I officially announced my breakup with Tyrisia.

I never imagined that my senior would like me so much that he would confess to me in such a short period of time.

“Mu, say something… It’s embarrassing… ”

The senior, with his face flushed red, turned his head sharply while holding my hand with both of his.

I just stared at her face for a moment, my brain frozen in the suddenness of the situation.

“… ”

This is the first time I’ve seen my senior look so embarrassed.

The hand he was holding was soaked with cold sweat, and both knees were curled up tightly and squirming.

Her cheeks, flushed as if she was drunk, were a contrasting color to her blue hair.

Her eyes, constantly trembling along with her shoulders, glance at me with a loss of confidence.

It was an unstable appearance, as if he was afraid of the imminent future.

I didn’t know that even Senior Perjena had such a weak side.

Clearly, to that extent, her confession now must have been an act of great courage.

“… ”

“… Answer me, damn it!”

Exactly!

“Ah.”

As I continued to freeze as if I was under a petrification spell, my senior, unable to bear the silence, opened his eyes and struck me between the eyebrows.

“Oh, yes. Right, I have to answer.”

I barely came to my senses from the slight shock, let go of my senior’s hand, and took a deep breath.

After calmly reviewing the situation, slowly convey the thoughts that come to your mind.

“First of all, I know how Senior Perjena feels.”

There’s no need to overthink it.

Because my senior didn’t say anything indirectly.

She just said she liked me as a man.

“First of all, let me say this… I’m truly happy that you have such feelings for me. You are my idol and my teacher… and at the same time, you are like a precious older sister to me.”

And the answer I had to give back had to be one of two things.

good night,

Or I don’t like it.

Either develop a romantic relationship with Senior Perjena, or reject her feelings and keep a bit more distance from her now.

In a situation where there are only two paths to choose from, I have to make a choice right now.

Considering Senior Perjena’s personality, she would never tolerate an ambiguous situation where nothing is resolved.

“Then… you’ll accept it?”

At my friendly remark, my senior looked straight at me with cautious eyes.

Her blue eyes are gradually captured by a burning desire.

The appearance of forcing one’s body to hold back its own movement when the thing one wants is right in front of one’s eyes.

I responded with a serious face to my senior’s atmosphere that seemed like it could explode at any moment.

“Senior, please listen without misunderstanding.”

“Uh… Huh?”

The senior’s expression hardened at the remark that broke the heated atmosphere.

“I’m really happy for your feelings, senior. But there’s a reason why I can’t give you an answer right away.”

“What is that?”

I slowly began to explain to her why I couldn’t conclude this situation right away.

Before you take a good look inside your own mind,

Before I could truly love someone again, I had doubts about whether I could ever love someone again.

Regardless of whether you like it or not, there was a problem that had to be solved within the realm of morality.

“Actually… there was someone who confessed to me before my senior… ”

“Eng.”

The senior furrowed his eyebrows, his once heated gaze suddenly regaining its composure as if it had been splashed with cold water.

“Who is that?”

Since the senior who asked that question didn’t seem to have any clue, I revealed the person’s name to give her more confidence in her imagination.

“Lucicayo.”

“Ahh… As expected.”

The senior nodded as if he knew that would happen.

But my words didn’t end there.

“And… Celdianne too.”

“… What?”

When I told him the name of the girl who had once been an enemy of both my senior and me, but who was now by my side after many twists and turns, my senior frowned and asked me back.

“No, I thought he liked you just by looking at his eyes… But he already confessed?”

“To be exact, she didn’t ask me to go out with her, she just said she loved me and apologized for what she did to me… ”

“That’s it! What the hell! How come these damned bitches are touching me so fast? Erto, you didn’t even give me time to sort out my feelings after ending it so badly with Tirisia, and you just threw me like that? Wow… I was underestimating these guys, but they’re no joke.”

To my senior, who was muttering and sighing towards the sky, I relayed one more piece of information that he should not forget.

“Ah, and I don’t know if you remember, but Heidi also said she loved me at the plaza back then… I’m thinking about whether I should take that as a confession.”

“Oh, that’s right…! Kwaaak…! That dark girl was there too! She was the worst girl to the point of stalking you, Erto…! Uwaaak…! My head hurts! Now that I look at it, they were all competitors?! Damn it!!”

I stood up and shrugged my shoulders as I looked at my senior who was crying and holding his head with both hands.

I think now, senior, you have figured out why I can’t give you an answer right away.

“First of all, putting aside Celdiane and Heidi… at least Lucica confessed to me officially.”

“Uh, when…?”

The senior, who had been wiping his face with both hands, suddenly raised his head and asked.

“The day after Tirisia was expelled and fought with Lucica. At the hospital… ”

“No way! What kind of confession is that girl talking about in a situation like that?! She’s ridiculous!”

“But at that time, I was so confused because of Tirisia… I couldn’t give you a straight answer. That’s why I decided to put off answering until after I graduated.”

“Haa… … ”

Senior Perjena must have understood the true meaning of my words, because she lowered her head into her hands again and sighed.

I now gave her a clear reason why I could not come to a conclusion right away.

“I haven’t been able to properly answer that guy’s mind yet. So, I can’t answer your mind until I reach a conclusion with Lucica. That’s the wrong order… I should settle things with the person who came first, and then listen to your mind… ”

“… ”

The senior buried his face in his hands and did not move.

Are you angry?

Or maybe you’re sad.

I looked into the meaning contained in her trembling shoulders and asked her for permission to neither confirm nor deny, but to postpone.

“I think it’s because I was too relaxed. I’m sorry, Senpai Perjena. If you just wait a little longer, I’ll finish talking with Lucica and give you an answer to your mind. Could you wait until then?”

“… ”

The senior sat quietly on the swing, not showing any reaction.

“… Senior?”

I carefully placed my hand on her shoulder,

“―No.”

Suddenly, Senior Perjena jumped up from her seat and grabbed me by the collar.

“I don’t understand!”

“Senior Ferjena?! Master?!”

She looked up at me with her blazing blue eyes and shouted.

“That little Lucica, that bun-haired guy! And that dim-witted one too! In the end, it means that he truly loves you!”

“That’s right?”

When I nodded in agreement, my senior threw a tantrum and shook his head from side to side.

“Ahhh! Seriously! Damn it! Why is my life so hard! Erto, of course I love you the most! I can do anything for you!”

“Senior, calm down… ”

I tried to push her away by gently pushing her shoulder, but my senior put her face right in front of my nose and spoke.

“Listen carefully, Erto, my disciple! Yes, I will keep my turn as you said. But I have no intention of losing! Even if you choose someone else, I will wait until the end, until you look after me. Until when!”

“Senior… ?”

“Years of waiting are nothing to me. Do you know why? I endured all those years when you only looked at Tirisia. Even back then, I liked you just the same! I crouched down next to you, not letting on, never letting on to the chance that might come one day!”

What was in her eyes was a longing for me and a firm determination that lived up to her nickname, Iron-Blooded.

“I admit that other guys who love you aren’t easy. But I can guarantee that my feelings for you are greater than anyone else’s. I’m the one who understands you the most. You idolized me and tried to be like me, right?”

“… ”

“Besides, among the women around you, I am the only commoner. No matter how much you try to eliminate prejudice between nobles and commoners, there will eventually be some kind of wall between their standards of living. I am the best woman who can look in the same direction as you from the same position.”

“… ”

It was a declaration, almost like a declaration of war, that I would never be taken away easily.

“So, for now, just follow the order you said. Tell Rushika, Rollbang, and Gumchimi before I do, and make sure to tell them what you think. Then come back to me and give me an answer. I can wait as long as I want. Do you understand, Erto? You useless disciple.”

“… Okay.”

I nodded with a smile at the permission of my senior, who I couldn’t refute even a word of.

Even though his speech was eccentric, in the end, my senior understood my circumstances and told me that it was okay for him to have his turn last.

Is it the confidence gained from a life that has never failed, or is it the dignity that comes from an unwavering fighting spirit?

Either way, I still thought that my senior was a great person for me to aim for.

“After I’ve made up my mind to everyone, I’ll come back to you, Senior. Please wait a moment.”

“Okay!”

Wow!

The senior nodded vigorously and suddenly rushed into my arms.

“Wow.”

My senior hugged my torso tightly, buried his face in my chest, and mumbled.

“I’m the one who likes you the most! I’m going to make you like me the most too!”

“Haha… ”

I smiled awkwardly, hugged her gently, and stroked her head.

“You’ve fallen for a really bad girl, you understand?!”

“But I’m glad I met you, senior.”

“Ugh… Seriously… Erto you! You’re good! You’re so fucking good!”

The senior who had hugged me so tightly that it seemed as if he was going to break my spine finally let go of my arms after a while, seemingly satisfied.

“Huh, right. I guess we can’t stay like this forever.”

“I thought I was going to die.”

“Kuhuhu… ”

The senior, who had been giggling and stepping back a little, turned his back on me and spoke.

“Then I’ll go and rest. You go to the academy and make sure the kids aren’t in danger.”

“Okay, go in. Senior Perjena.”

“Okay, see you tomorrow!”

Tata-tat!

The senior waved his hand and quickly ran away down the alley.

“… I guess I can’t put it off anymore.”

Now that my senior has taken his place at the end of the line, my leisurely plan of reaching a conclusion before graduation is now in jeopardy.

Now that we have somewhat recovered from the shock of Tirisia,

Now it was time to answer those who had been sincere to me.

Because your soul can’t stay tied to a past love that failed miserably forever.

Now, I too must find my happiness.

With that thought in mind, I turned my steps towards the academy, where I had been late for quite some time.

Just thinking about the students who would be in chaos because of the square that had been turned into a mess gave me a headache.