"—Where is he!? Find him!!"
"Whatever it takes, track him down!!"
What's… all this noise? I'm exhausted… ugh, my body… it won't move. Why? Why can't I move? Sleep paralysis? And… who are those people?
Oh, I get it—this is a dream! Has to be, since I woke up like this!
"Where is he… where's he hiding!!"
They're looking for something? Torches, staves, axes, spears, even farming tools…
No guns, huh? Is this… somewhere different from Kivotos? A different era, maybe? Their clothes look so old-fashioned. So dangerous… ugh, what a weird dream. Wake up already…
"Whatever it takes, find him—Mash Burnedead!!"
Huh? Wait… that's Sensei? Why are they looking for Sensei—
"A human without magic, unable to use spells? Unheard of!!"
"It must be an omen of disaster!! The gods, the laws of this world, would never allow such a being!!"
"Before the gods' wrath falls, before calamity strikes us… we must eliminate him! Kill him!!"
Magic? What are they talking about!? They want to kill Sensei because he can't use magic? Just for that!? That's insane!! Stop it!!
"If someone with tainted blood exists, it affects us all! We must purge him before we're consumed by disaster!!"
"A man who can't use magic… he's inferior, with no right to achieve anything, no value in living!!"
"He's evil! His very existence defies the gods—a sin worthy of death!!"
"Kill him! Kill him!! Kill that man!!"
"Kill him!!"
"KILL HIM!!!"
What… is this? It's sickening… what's going on? Why are they saying this about Sensei!? He's done nothing wrong! He's just… our Sensei, training his muscles, helping people, living his life. Why… why—
…Wait. Am I… any different?
I… I took it out on Gehenna's students, just living their lives… even though Sensei made friends there. No, no, it's not the same! I'm not like them!
["No, you're the same… you're just like us."]
["Exactly, you're no different. Don't fool yourself with 'I'm different.'"]
["That's right, Mika Misono. You're just like them. One of the brutal, ignorant mob who tried to take Mash Burnedead's life—an unforgivable sinner."]
["The same… the same… you're just like us!!!"]
No, no…! It's not true, it's NOT!! I'm not like that!!!
"—AAAGH!!?"
Mika jolted awake, staring at a dim ceiling. Gasping, trembling, she scanned the familiar walls of her cell.
"…A dream… right? That was… awful…"
The cold, dark cell, unlike her old dorm, hadn't changed since the night before. Rubbing her bandaged arms and legs, bruised from Mash's punches, she tried to dull the pain of both wounds and the dream's terror.
This was Trinity's Autonomous District, the underground isolation tower, managed by the Tea Party, behind the main school building, under strict surveillance.
Mika was imprisoned.
"Just a dream… right?"
People wielding staves, clubs, weapons, and tools, their torches lighting the dark as they hunted her Sensei—Mash—with bloodthirsty rage.
"They said those who can't use magic deserve to die… what was that? A jab at me for thinking 'Gehenna doesn't matter'? If so, that's cruel… really twisted."
She'd believed she'd killed her best friend, spiraled, and nearly started a war over her rage against Gehenna—a jab at herself.
"…If Sensei hadn't stopped me, would I have been like them?"
Self-loathing surged within her.
"Sensei… I don't even know if he's awake… I can't… I'm scared—"
Curling up on the bed, she clutched her pillow tightly. It tore, cotton spilling out.
"…I want to see him… will he come…?"
Knock knock…
"…Who?"
"Mika-san."
"…!"
"Mika-san, are you okay? It's me, Sensei from Schale—Mash Burnedead."
"Sen… sei!?"
Had the gods not abandoned her? Mash had come, just as she'd wished. Yes, I should talk to him, maybe—
…No. I can't.
Mash had forgiven her, but she hadn't forgiven herself—her foolishness, unchanged even after her childhood friend's words. She didn't deserve to face him. Realizing this, she called out to the door.
"Haha, Sensei… what're you doing in a dump like this? What about work?"
"I talked with Nagisa-san and heard how you're doing. I came to visit."
"Thanks for worrying, but I'm fine. Bones are healed… no problems."
"Good to hear."
"What about you, Sensei?"
"Right arm and leg in casts, head bandaged—that's about it."
"…I see."
No, I can't meet him. Can't talk. I'll drive him away—harshly, if I must.
"So, what do you want? I've got nothing to say."
"Well, since we're both up, how about making cream puffs together?"
"Sorry, after everything, I'm not carefree enough for baking. I'm not in the mood, so leave."
"Aww, come on, it'll be fun!"
"Just—don't come back."
"But last time, you said 'see you later ⭐︎,' right? I thought we'd meet again."
"People change their minds. So, go."
Clutching the torn pillow, she raised her voice. Let him hate me… let him forget me…
"Mika-san, I—"
"Ugh, enough! I don't care anymore!!"
"…—"
"Go!! Just—leave me alone!!"
"…Sorry. I'll be a bit forceful."
Silence. Footsteps faded as Mash left, and her heart ached.
"…Wait… Sensei—"
Click clack…
"—Mika-saaan!"
He's back… fine, I'll drive him off again.
BANG!!
"!?"
"Let's make cream puffs~♪ (deadpan)"
"You planned this from the start!!"
Mash, leaning on crutches, had smashed the cell door open with one hand.
"Correct~ (deadpan)"
"Stop singing!!"
"That door was surprisingly weak."
"No, it was sturdy… ugh, never mind!!"
Exhausted from shouting, Mika panted as she faced Mash.
"You think this is okay? The alarms—wait, why aren't they ringing?"
"Got permission."
"…Tea Party actually approved?"
"Nagisa-san agreed instantly."
"I'll curse you, Nagi-chan…"
"Let's make cream puffs… and talk."
"You won't leave, no matter what I say?"
"You don't sound or look like someone who wants me to leave—you look like you need help."
Mika realized it then. This man, this boy, was a true saint, an incurable do-gooder.
She couldn't win.
"…You're so unfair, Sensei…"
"Eheh!"
"Crutches are tough, right? I'll carry you."
"Really? Score!"
"…Can I at least hear it?"
"Hm?"
Lifting Mash like a princess, she asked, knowing the answer already.
"Why did you want to talk to me?"
"Partly because I just wanted to chat… but mostly, I couldn't leave you alone. I figured you're still tormenting yourself."
"—"
"That's why I had to act."
"…As a Sensei?"
"No, as a man."
"…Pfft, haha!! How do you say stuff like that!?"
"I'm just stating facts, but everyone says that."
"I'm terrible at cooking… I'll mess it up."
"That's fine. No one's life is free of mistakes. Learn from them, move forward—that's enough."
His words made her grip tighten. Hearing his "Ow, ow, ow!" she loosened it slightly, but not fully—she might cry if she did.
She didn't want to make him sad.
"Let's go! ⭐︎"
"Yeah."
"Let's GO!"
"Go."
Smiling, Mika carried Mash to Trinity's kitchen.
Hey, Sensei. Even if the world turns against you… I'll always protect you. ⭐︎
"Oh, how about sharing the cream puffs with Arius's crew?"
"Sensei… great idea!!"
"Understood. All units, as of now, the second reconnaissance phase is complete. Proceed to the next stage. Ready to withdraw?"
"Yes, everything's packed!"
"…"
In Trinity's outer district, among long-abandoned ruins, the Arius Squad prepared to leave.
"Not just Azusa, but the infiltration team betrayed us too, huh?"
"They just gave up. They won't last there either."
"True. Once we return, we wait for the plan's launch. Be ready."
Saori said, slinging a small bag of belongings. The room, now tidy, held only faint traces of their presence.
"F-Finally, it's starting…!? The time has come… but it'll be tough, right? Painful?"
"Yes, but it's okay. Pain proves you're alive."
"…"
Atsuko, her face hidden by a dark mask, moved her hands in silence, forbidden to speak. Hiyori noticed and peered at her signing.
"P-Princess is saying something… um, what?"
"She's asking about her… worried, Princess?"
"…"
"Does it matter? It's just a matter of time."
"…"
"Enough. We're moving. Don't worry about Azusa."
If they could return to a place of light, to innocence, they'd have leapt at it long ago.
But that wasn't their path. Born in Arius, living as Arius, dying as Arius—that was their fate, their mission.
Vanitas vanitatum. Et omnia vanitas.
All is vanity, all is fleeting.
To those born in Arius, light was only harm, pure suffering.
"No matter how you struggle, you can't escape Arius's darkness… that light is nothing but pain for you… so, no matter what—"
Saori aimed at a photo of Mash, issued for the mission.
BANG!!
She shot it through.
I'm crying (from eating too many cream puffs) and crying (they're too delicious)!!
By the way, Mash-kun's teaching Mika-san while helping make cream puffs. One-handed.
Today, I had some free time, so I went karaoke with Little Sis Sensei and Little Bro Sensei.
"What're we singing~?"
"'Only You I Want to Protect.'"
"That's old!"
"What's Little Bro singing?"
"'Sea's Voice.'"
"Nostalgic! What about Big Bro?"
"'My Victory' and 'Summon Strongest V.'"
"Old-school picks!!"
"Nothing else?"
"It's all I can sing."
Can't help it if I'm bad at singing! Little Bro's high score: 95. Little Sis: 97. Me: 86… why!?
Next time, I'll post a short story, then a swimsuit event. The original gets intense, but swimsuits are swimsuits.
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