A little while later, Cherry emerged from the bathroom, her long black hair dripping onto the floor. She noticed me standing there, holding a hair dryer, and narrowed her eyes suspiciously.
"Did you peek?" she asked, her voice laced with feigned severity.
I shook my head. "No, I just came over when I heard the shower stop. Here." I offered her the dryer. "I didn't want the floor to get soaked."
She accepted it with a small "hmph" and began drying her hair, the mechanical whir filling the silence. "So, we're going to get my things from my rented room, right?" she confirmed over the noise.
I nodded. Once her hair was dry, she handed the dryer back and simply stared at me, expectantly.
Huh? Now what?
She made an annoyed face. "What are we supposed to eat?"
Ohhh. I'd thought it was something more serious. I had leftover sandwiches, but I didn't know if she'd want them. "Let's buy something on our way," I suggested.
She agreed, and we soon left the house. As always, I made sure the door was securely locked behind us.
The sky was a brilliant blue, and the streets were bustling. Our path took us past my usual bakery. Inside, only a few customers were scattered about. Rose noticed me immediately as I approached the counter.
Her eyes flickered to Cherry beside me, and a confused frown touched her lips. "Uh, is she your girlfriend, Sparx?" she asked.
Hold on, girlfriend?! This was getting out of hand. First the professor, now Rose! Before I could form a denial, Cherry spoke from behind me.
"He is just my friend. He's helping me move to his house. We'll be staying together for a while." She stated it so casually, volunteering information that hadn't been asked for. She sounded almost annoyed.
"Huh?" I was lost, but Rose seemed to grow irritated. "Oh, I see. It must be nice to stay with someone like Sparx," Rose said, her tone sharp. "Though it must be very uncomfortable with breasts that big."
"Oh, really?" Cherry shot back instantly. "Or are you just jealous that mine are bigger than yours?"
They descended into a pointless quarrel. We were on a schedule. "Um, I don't have much time, so can I please get my sandwiches?" I interjected.
Rose looked at me and pouted. Had I done something wrong? She retrieved a package of sandwiches and handed it to me, her lower lip still jutting out. It was kind of cute.
"Thank you!" I said as we made our exit. Rose still managed a wave goodbye, and as usual, the gesture made her body sway. As my eyes unconsciously followed the movement, Cherry pushed me from behind to keep me moving. She really is angry for some reason.
At the bus stop and on the bus, Cherry was quiet. Was she upset with me, or was she lost in memories connected to her old room? I decided not to pry.
We arrived at an old, weathered apartment building. Cherry led the way, ignoring the stares from other residents. We climbed the stairs to room 379. She unlocked the door to reveal a surprisingly neat and stylish space.
She stepped inside and looked around quietly, as if memorizing it for the last time. Then she waved a hand, and a black spatial crack撕裂 open in the air before her.
"Uh, so, this is spatial magic, the advanced version," she explained. "Help me put everything inside."
It was incredibly cool and practical. We began moving all her furniture and belongings into the void, which swallowed them effortlessly.
As we worked, my eyes caught on old pictures hanging on the walls. They showed a young, bright-eyed girl holding medals and trophies.
"Those were from when I was very childish," Cherry said softly, following my gaze. "I tried my best to impress the people around me. I didn't know it would have the opposite effect. They grew jealous and could only insult me."
Her eyes then fell on a photograph of an elderly couple. "Those were my parents, before they died," she added, her voice heavy. "I couldn't take any pictures with them. These are the only photos I could find among their old things."
My heart ached for her. To lose her family and then be met with such cruelty from the world... Humans could be so needlessly vicious. They offer sympathy to the weak, but success often breeds only jealousy and fear. Cherry had endured all that negativity as a child. I hoped, fiercely, that her time with me could be a source of genuine happiness.
A few hours later, the room was bare. She seemed lighter, ready to move forward. With another wave, the spatial crack vanished. She turned to me with a genuine smile.
"Let's go back now!"
As she locked the door, we headed down to return the keys. The apartment owner, a fat, nearly bald man with ill-fitting clothes, was waiting for us at the exit. He scratched his belly, his eyes blatantly fixed on Cherry's chest.
"What do we have here, hehe," he leered. "Miss Cherry, where are you going?"
"I'm leaving," she stated flatly. "I've paid all the bills. There shouldn't be any problem." She placed the keys on the counter.
"Oh yeah, you did," he said with an ugly smile. "But here's a problem. What about the interest charges? Room services? Maintenance? Also, I might have forgotten to tell you, but there's an extra charge for leaving the apartment."
"What?" Cherry's voice rose in anger. "You never mentioned any of that when I moved in! Don't room service and maintenance come with the bill? This 'extra charge' is nonsense!"
He was trying to cheat her. My blood boiled. I hated this kind of person—greedy, pathetic leeches who fed on the misfortune of others.
"Hey, it's not my responsibility to tell you everything," he sneered. "You should have asked, hehe. Or, you know, there are... other ways to pay." His eyes roamed over her body, and he licked his lips.
"What if I don't?" she challenged.
"Then I'll call the cops! I have all the evidence of you staying here without paying the extra charges, hehe. So, two choices: pay up, or stay with me for a month." His smug grin made my fists clench.
I glanced at Cherry; she looked troubled. A quiet poke from me and a subtle shake of her head confirmed she didn't have the money. Tch. Fine. I had some savings.
I stepped in front of her, blocking the fat man's view.
"Oh, is the boyfriend going to protect her now?" he mocked.
"I'll pay. How much?" I said, my voice tight.
Cherry tried to pull me back, poking me in protest. Ouch! I tried to maintain my composure.
"Heh, okay. Give me your card," he said smugly. I handed it over. Just as he was about to swipe it, a violent earthquake shook the ground.
Screams erupted from outside. We all rushed out of the building. A few kilometers away stood a colossal dark entity, a Void creature as massive as the academy, maybe larger. Its maw was open, charging a blast of energy so powerful it promised to erase the entire city—and we were directly in its path.
Cherry didn't hesitate. She immediately unleashed a barrage of powerful sniper magic. The people around us, who had moments before stared with lust and judgment, now looked at her with desperate hope.
Her magical missiles tore massive chunks from the creature's legs, but its sheer size made the damage seem trivial. It continued to charge its attack.
The same hypocrites now prayed for her to save them. I felt a surge of bitter contempt, but I still hoped for a miracle.
"Hey, Sparx," Cherry said, her voice strained. "Sorry for such a turn of events."
Why is she apologizing?! This wasn't her fault.
She kept firing, her blasts aimed at its legs to make it collapse. "Sparx, I wanted to tell you something, but I guess fate is against it. Please, run away. I won't be strong enough. Its attack is almost at full power." She was panting, her magic visibly weakening. How could she ask me to run?
"A-are you crazy? I can't leave you behind!" The loneliness I'd felt before meeting her flashed in my mind. She was my friend. I couldn't abandon her.
The people, seeing her power wane, began to curse her and flee. I hope they die, I thought bitterly. I wanted to save good people, not these corrupted souls.
As Cherry swayed, on the verge of collapse, the colossal giant's attack reached its peak. A wave of pure destruction erupted, consuming everything in its path—buildings, citizens, life itself.
All the people who will die are corrupted people. I tried to lie to myself, but I knew it wasn't true. Innocents were among them. I was weak, pathetic, and useless.
How long would I need others to protect me? Had I learned nothing? I couldn't save everyone, but my naive heart refused to accept it. Tch. What a pathetic existence.
As Cherry fell, she grabbed my leg, mustering the dregs of her power. "I'll at least... try... to save you," she whispered.
PATHETIC! WHY AM I SO WEAK!
The memory of the strange incident at the academy flashed before me. I stepped in front of her, blocking her from casting that final, sacrificial spell. I didn't need protection. How could I ever protect anyone when I was the most vulnerable one?
I put all my hope in myself, praying for that same miracle to happen again. I just wanted to save as many people as I could, and most of all, I wanted to save my dear friend, Cherry.
The blinding light of the attack swallowed me whole. I guess this is the end, huh? All my resolve, ending in pathetic failure. I couldn't even save the person right in front of me. I hoped in her next life, she would be happy. As for me? I didn't know.
---
[News Channel]
"This is breaking news! A Void creature has suddenly appeared in a nearby city and is charging a devastating attack toward all the citizens in front of it! We need to send backup quickly!"
---
[Background]
On a rooftop behind the colossal giant, a man in a cloak stood watching, his hand submerged in a dark, floating crack.
"Hehe," he chuckled, the sound warping into a manic cackle. "If I can't have that lump of mana, I'll just destroy it! Hehehehahahahahaha!"
His insane laughter echoed against the backdrop of the unfolding annihilation.