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[LN] Volume 3: Chapter 1.4

Translator : PolterGlast

At lunchtime after the joint class ended, Nozomu was brought by Mars to the tree-filled area of the central park.

"Mars, what are we doing here?"

"Stay with me for a bit."

After saying so, Mars suddenly pulled out the greatsword on his back.

"Training? But if you\'re going to do it, it would be better to do it after school on the outskirts or on the training grounds......"

"No, I don\'t want to be seen by too many people. And if we do it in a conspicuous place, she will definitely come."

The latter half of his sentence was so soft that Nozomu couldn\'t clearly hear him, but Mars\' expression was somewhat impatient.

Nozomu was curious about Mars\' situation, but Mars\' impatient gaze urged him to pull out his katana, which he had no choice but to do.

"Thanks. Well then, let\'s go."

"...... Reinforcement Magic?"

Mars invoked the magic of physical reinforcement by chanting and stepped toward Nozomu as it was.

A slashing attack with the greatsword was unleashed. Nozomu also strengthened his whole body with Qi and dealt with the approaching greatsword.

The two have been training together often in class since they entered the third grade. A swordfight that seemed to be a prearranged match unfolded.

"Fu~!"

"Ha~!"

The pressure of Mars\' slash, which was using reinforcement magic, was considerably weaker than his usual one.

This is because he is now using magic to strengthen his body, not Qi-jutsu. He has a high aptitude for both Qi-jutsu and magic, but there is a considerable difference in proficiency. This comes from his fighting style, which until now has been Qi-jutsu-centered.

"...... Hm?"

But then, Nozomu felt something strange.

Not only magic power but also a hint of Qi began to emanate from Mars\'s body.

"Mars, are you by any chance using Qi-jutsu as well?"

"Ugh ...... Yeah, that\'s right!"

Nozomu\'s face involuntarily turned pale upon hearing Mars\' words.

Magic-Qi Combination Technique.

This is an extremely difficult technique that more than doubles the output by simultaneously using Qi-jutsu and magic, which normally would oppose each other.

Certainly, if mastered, the Magic-Qi Combination Technique is an extremely efficient strengthening technique, but it requires a high degree of control over both Qi and magic power. Failure to control both can easily cause the jutsu to go out of control and cause tremendous damage to the surroundings.

"W-, wait a minute! If you fail to control it-......"

"That\'s why I\'m doing it here, where nobody\'s around ......~!"

The two forces leaking from Mars\' body clash against each other while making a grating sound, and it looks like he is hardly able to control them. At this point, he could end up injuring himself. Or in the worst case scenario-.......

"~!"

Just when Nozomu anticipated the worst, Mars\' movement became clearly unsteady.

Nozomu dodged the incoming slash and it made the greatsword fall to the ground and pierced through it.

Then, as if to announce that it was over, Nozomu turned his unsheathed katana around and drove the tip against Mars\'s neck.

"I knew it, it still didn\'t work ...... Damn it."

Mars looked frustrated, and then he released his Qi-jutsu and magic power and retracted his greatsword.

"...... Since when did you start using them together like this?"

"Just a little while ago. I was learning about magic from that girl, and she happened to mention something about it. Something about how it could give one explosive power......."

"That\'s true, ...... but isn\'t that too dangerous? If it were to go out of control-......"

"She said the same thing. She said it was too early for me to put it into practice. Well, she\'s right. Looks like I can\'t even use it for physical strengthening yet ......"

Physical strengthening is not yet possible. Hearing these words, Nozomu felt strange tugging at his heart.

"Come to think of it, you were also doing something very out of character in class just now, weren\'t you?"

"Out of character?"

"About your ex-girlfriend and childhood friend. You\'ve been silent all this time. What\'s changed your mind?"

The sudden change in Nozomu\'s behavior, which had always kept his mouth shut, seemed to be of some concern to Mars as well.

But before he could answer, his question was interrupted by a voice coming from the side.

"What the heck, you guys are doing something interesting here, huh?"

The one who appeared was a student from the second class who had spoken to them in the joint class earlier. It was Feo Risitsa. Behind him, for some reason, were students from the tenth class.

"You are ......."

"Didn\'t I already introduce myself earlier? I\'m Feo Risitsa. Third grade, second class. Behind me are the students who want to team up with you."

"Eh?"

Nozomu looked at his classmates again with a surprised expression on his face.

There were five students from the tenth class who came up here, three boys and two girls.

They were the ones who did not raise their hands against Nozomu but did not protect him either. They were the few non-interfering students.

Jin and Tommy, the long sword wielders, and Deck, the spear wielder. Then there was Cami, the archer, and Hamria, the mage, who were in charge of the rear guard. Then the leader of the five, Jin, the long sword wielder, stepped forward.

"Nozomu-kun, I would like you to add us to your party for the first day\'s training."

Upon hearing Jin\'s words, Nozomu glanced at his companion next to him. Mars is a very skilled individual who is not supposed to be in the tenth class. Nozomu thought that Jin had spoken to him in order to team up with Mars, who was rather difficult to deal with.

However, Jin\'s eyes were not on Mars, but on Nozomu.

Nozomu took a deep breath under the pressure of his straight gaze.

Ignoring this, Jin began to explain why he had approached Nozomu.

"Since the end of last year, I\'ve seen that you\'ve somehow gained enough strength to go toe-to-toe with Mars. And then we realized that we can\'t go on like this as well......"

His voice was tinged with impatience. If one were to look closely, one would see that the other four were also looking a bit restless.

But that was to be expected. In the first place, they were those who had had their spirits broken during their time in the academy.

With a sense of disbelief and frustration at their own lack of growth, they let themselves succumb to the inertia of daily life and comforted themselves by finding those they considered inferior to them or in a lower position than they were.

However, this perception of them has been overturned. They were shown how Nozomu, whom they had thought was lower than them, repeatedly went toe-to-toe with Mars, who was recognized as a superior student in the class, on the basis of ability alone.

When confronted with such a reality that they could not face, those who despised Nozomu had three reactions.

Either they continue to ignore the reality, deny it, or reflect on it themselves.

Jin and the others chose to reflect on it. They bowed their heads and asked for cooperation.

"I know I said something rather selfish after all this time. But we don\'t want to leave this academy just yet! Depending on the results of this training, it will greatly affect our grades. We\'re fully aware that this is a selfish request, but ...... please, lend us your strength!"

Jin bowed deeply to Nozomu, and the other members followed suit.

Meanwhile, Nozomu\'s bewilderment at the unexpected situation only intensified. In the midst of all this, Mars opened his mouth.

"Isn\'t it fine? It looks like they are determined to win, and the more forces we have, the better."

"...... All right. If you are okay with us, then let\'s work together."

"~! Thank you."

Jin and the others lifted their heads and looked relieved, while Feo clapped his hands in joy.

"All right, it\'s decided then. I\'ll go and register our party members to the academy!"

"Hold it, fox. Why are you the one who\'s going to register it?"

"...... Huh? I\'m already a party member, right?

Hearing Feo\'s words, a moment of silence descended.

"Look, I\'m in second class, remember? I\'m in a higher rank. I thought we already agreed to party on the second day earlier."

Then, finally, Nozomu remembered that he had agreed to form a party on the second day.

"A-, ah. Right, that reminds me, it was something like that ......"

"Nozomu, you have completely forgotten about that, haven\'t you?"

"Wha, that\'s terrible!"

The atmosphere, which had been somewhat tense, became relaxed all at once.

"Now, now, let\'s team up for the second day."

"All right! I got your word!"

While Feo was doing his happy fist pose, a voice that resembled the sound of wind came from the side.

[I found you, Nozomu. Come with me for a moment.]

Nozomu turned around to see a small lapis lazuli-colored bird with a distinctive long tail looking downward at him.

While everyone was surprised by the unexpected appearance, Razward, who was flapping its wings in the air, quickly approached Nozomu and skillfully wrapped its tail around Nozomu\'s arm.

Razward? What are you- ...... -eh, wait, oi!"

[ Now, now, now, come with me for a minute. ]

Razward began pulling Nozomu with a strength that was unimaginably strong from its outer appearance. Ignoring the dumbfounded Mars and the others, he just took Nozomu somewhere.

◆

After the joint class in the morning was over, Shina went to the cafeteria to have lunch by herself.

Mimuru was accompanying Tom to the Gloaurum Institute.

Originally, ordinary students were not allowed to enter this facility because it is the most crucial facility in Arcazam, but as a result of following Tom around as a research assistant, she has become a familiar face.

The reason why Mimuru follows Tom around so much is because of her feelings toward her boyfriend.

In a way, it is just typical of Mimuru, who is madly in love, but thanks to this, she has recently become particularly fussy about various things. Mainly, it\'s regarding a schoolmate who has been a big help to them recently.......

"He is not here, huh......"

She was looking around the cafeteria with a tray of lunch in her hand, but he was nowhere to be seen.

Apparently, he is not here. Maybe he doesn\'t eat lunch in the cafeteria.

[ Chichichichi ...... (Shi-jou, what a shame. Looks like that guy, Nozomu, isn\'t here.) ]

"Yeah, looks like it. Ha~a......."

After letting out a small sigh of disappointment, she sat down at an empty table and began to eat.

The students who were having lunch nearby couldn\'t help but gasp at the somewhat melancholy expression on her face.

Shina is a beauty, well-dressed even as an elf, and her mere presence attracts the eyes of those around her, without her being aware of it.

[ Chuichui! (O~~i, Shi-jou. Let me taste it too!) ]

"Again? Aren\'t we sharing our senses a little too often these days?"

Shina, who has signed a contract with Razward, is able to share some of her senses with him. She can also share senses that are not available to spirits, who live by taking in the source elements around them, and that\'s why he enjoys borrowing Shina\'s sense of taste to taste the food and other delicacies of humans.

[ Chi, chi, chi ――! Chuichui  (Isn\'t it fine――!? It\'s not like your senses are going to decrease because of it.) ]

"No, it\'s a little too often these days, so it\'s no good. It\'s a feeling that spirits don\'t naturally have, so it\'s just a matter of weighing yourself down."

[ Chui ~~ (Tch~!) ]

Razward, who had been bouncing around on Shina\'s shoulders and head in anticipation of sensory sharing, eventually gave up and returned to the table while letting out a disgruntled whine.

[ Chuchui, chunchun (speaking of which, Shi-jou, you see what Nozomu just did earlier? He finally did it, huh?) ]

"Well, yes he did ......"

[ Chi, chuchui (What the, what are you getting bitter about?) ]

Proving his innocence. In a sense, Shina understood the reasons for Nozomu\'s actions better than anyone else at the school.

In her mind, a scene from the past came back to her.

It was after she had finished her battle against Abyss Grief and finished her report to the academy.

The person who saved her without regard for himself and even gave her a chance to reunite with Razward, whom she thought had disappeared. She wanted to thank him for that. Out of this single-mindedness, Shina told Nozomu a certain truth.

◆

"What are you going to tell me about?"

"About the reason why I hate you. It was because I saw you hurting Lisa-san with your horrible words."

In the past, Shina had seen the scene of Nozomu harshly lashing out at Lisa. This led her to dislike Nozomu more than the other students, but in fact, she was wrong.

"Yeah, it wasn\'t you. It was someone else, someone who was mimicking your appearance and voice."

"Was it magic? But if it was magic, you would have noticed its magic power......"

Magic power is by nature an indefinite and ambiguous power, and when magic is used, residual magic power is naturally released. Therefore, no matter how careful one were, we would still be able to sense it if one used magic.

Shina shook her head to deny Nozomu\'s words.

"No, that was not magic power. It was the power of the spirits, the source element."

"Source element, you say?"

"When I lost the ability to contract with spirits, my senses as an elf were very dull, so I didn\'t notice it, but now, I am sure of it."

Source element. It is neither Qi nor magic, but the power of the soul itself. However, there are only a handful of beings that can use this power, and when it comes to being capable of handling it on their own, only a very few, such as spirits, are able to do so.

"No way. Is it the same spirit as your friend?"

"I don\'t know. There was no presence of a spirit at that time. That is why it is even more unnatural."

If the source element is to be used directly, the only thing left is either large-scale ritual magic or-.......

"Ability, huh? ......"

"Yes......."

A special ability possessed by each individual. Very few people manifest it, and he can\'t think of anyone who might have it.

"Also, I hate to say this, but if I were to consider who benefited the most from your breakup with Lisa-san, then-......."

Nozomu fell silent upon hearing Shina\'s words.

Who stood between him and Lisa when he was so desperate? Who became close to her after that?

The pieces begin to fit together in his head. At the same time, his chest throbbed and his vision narrowed.

What he had been trying not to see, what he had been unconsciously avoiding thinking about, all of them came together in a single, overwhelming flash. All of these things were coming together to weigh on Nozomu\'s mind.

"Thank you for telling me......"

Nozomu bit his lip to hold back the aching pain, and thanked Shina.

On the other hand, Shina looked at him with a somewhat apologetic expression on her face as she lowered her gaze helplessly.

Nozomu tilted his head and wondered why she was looking at him that way, but he soon realized that she was concerned about him and smiled back.

The smile he tried to force was so absurdly distorted that it was almost comical.

"What are you going to do?"

"......I don\'t know, but. I don\'t think I can let things go on like this."

Nozomu could not decide what he was going to do, so he fell silent.

The silence was speaking volumes about the shock he had felt.

"Once again, thanks for letting me know. I\'ll figure out the rest on my own."

After a moment of silence, Nozomu looked up, smiling awkwardly.

The agitation that had been floating around had calmed down somewhat, and instead, a glimmer of determination peeked through.

"I understand. Let me know if you need any help. You\'ve been a great help to me."

Shina could not say anything more, and they parted ways.

◆

That was about two weeks ago. Remembering that time, Razward let out a big sigh.

[ Chichi. Chuchichi…… (A~a. Why are you making that face? You were actually want to tell him something, weren\'t you? ......) ]

"Well, yeah....... But, you know...... I couldn\'t say anything beyond that."

As pointed out by Razward, Shina began to look down and fidget, intertwining the fingers of both of her hands.

Actually, she wanted to say, "Are you alright?", and she wanted to be more proactive in offering her help.

However, she couldn\'t help but be at a loss for words in the face of that deeply hurt Nozomu.

Seeing him like that made her feel bad and at the same time, it stirred up her heart.

"I hope he really is alright......"

Shina lifted up her face and stared out the window with melancholy eyes, as if looking for him who was not there.

[ Chuchuchu, chichichi? (If you\'re that concerned about him, why don\'t we go see him now? Shall I go and look for him?) ]

"............"

[ Chu ~~, chuchu....... (Hey, Can\'t you hear me? You started getting worried in a weird way again. Well, it\'s your first time. It\'s understandable......) ]

Razward\'s voice didn\'t seem to be reaching Shina right now.

Leaving his childhood friend who was lost in thought, Razward recalled what happened in the morning.

(But that fellow Ken or whatever he\'s called. By the looks of it, he\'s not like a normal human being~~. I can\'t really explain it though......)

The world that Razword, a spirit, sees is different from the vision that ordinary humans have.

Because they are born from the source element, they are sensitive to the Qi and magic power that originates from the source element.

It may be possible to identify an individual just by the nature of the power they can see.

The source element of a person, especially one with abilities, is clearly recognizable to Razward. The nature of the power is clearly different from that of ordinary humans, and the impression conveyed by the power is completely different.

(Those around Nozomu are especially easy to recognize.)

For Shina, she is like a lyre played by a gentle breeze. For Irisdina, she is like a silver moon illuminating the dark night. For Tima, she is like a spiraling four-colored light. For Mars, he is like a raging tornado.

And for Nozomu, he is like a myriad of chains that binds something. They are so strong and solid that one cannot see the object to which they are bound.

That is the form of their souls, as Razward remembered.

(But Ken Notice is different. No matter how I look at it, he\'s just a normal human being. But that\'s exactly why it\'s strange ......)

The image Razward saw when he looked at Ken was water. No clearer image than that came to mind.

Nothing special, just a common soul. That\'s why the feeling of discomfort was difficult to shake off.

(I\'ve lived for a long time, but the people around Nozomu are the kind of people I\'ve never seen before. Well, I myself was never deeply involved with humans after all......)

Razward is a spirit born in the Nebula Forest. Originally a sanctuary for elves, it was a place rarely visited by humans. That is why Razward himself did not have much contact with humans.

(This might be a problem. Well, he saved Shi-jou, so we\'ll keep an eye out for him.......)

It is extremely rare for a spirit to help a human being. Only a few special people, such as heroes and kings in history and legends, are likely to be helped by spirits.

For Razward, however, Nozomu is a benefactor who saved his precious contractor and contributed to his resurrection. Therefore, he had no hesitation in lending his strength if necessary.

(Haa~a ~~. But anyway, I can\'t wait for Shina to share her senses with me again~~.)

Nevertheless, whether it was because he is a spirit or because of his own personality, Razward\'s serious thoughts did not last long.

He sighed at his childhood friend, the elf, who was still staring out of the window in a melancholy mood and unknowingly charming the students around her.

He also began to peck at her lunch. Perhaps it was because he was so desperate to taste the food.

(Alright......)

Razward, perhaps thinking of something, left Shina alone and flew off somewhere.

"Haa ...... Oh my? Raz, where did you go?"

Shina was dazed for a while even after Razward flew away, but eventually, she noticed that the little lapis lazuli bird was no longer by her side.

She scurried around looking for her childhood friend, but before long he returned to the dining table.

However, upon seeing Razward\'s return, Shina couldn\'t help but at a loss for words.

"Ha~a, ha~a, ha~a......, w-what the heck, why are you suddenly dragging me here?......"

"Nozomu-kun ......"

Her childhood friend, the spirit, brought the benefactor she had been mulling over just a moment ago. Moreover, he had obviously been forcibly dragged along. Shina\'s face paled as she looked at Nozomu, who seemed to be out of breath.

[ How\'s that, Shi-jou? I brought the human you wanted-...... gue! ]

In a flash, she rushed toward Razward, who was puffing out his chest proudly, and instantly choked and punished him.

A scream, similar to a drowned voice, echoed through the cafeteria. The students around them gasped in disbelief, and Nozomu smiled wryly.

"I-I\'m so sorry! Raz did something bad......."

"I don\'t mind, but ....... Shina-san, is something troubling you?"

"W-what do you mean?"

"No, it\'s just, you were acting kinda strange."

"I-I\'m fine, everything\'s alright. Well, you know, umm......"

*Ba-dump, ba-dump, ba-dump......*

Her heart was beating fast in a quiet, fiery beat just as they faced each other.

With such a chaotic mind, it\'s impossible for her to come up with a good idea.......

"I-If you don\'t mind, would you like to have lunch with me?"

Before she knew it, she was unintentionally inviting him to join her for lunch.

(Aaah! What am I saying!? He would definitely think I am a strange person again!)

"Well, sure. Wait a minute."

Shina remained in a state of confusion with a hardened expression on her face. Nozomu, too, was scratching his head at her strange behavior, but then remembered that, in fact, he had not yet had lunch, and agreed that it would be just right.

Once he left her, he placed his order at the cafeteria counter and immediately brought a tray with bread, soup, stir-fried beans and meat, and a salad as a side dish.

They sat down at the table where Shina had been sitting earlier, now facing each other.

"No-, Nozomu-kun, don\'t you ever eat at the school cafeteria?"

"Not really anymore, you see, I usually don\'t have much money in my pocket."

Shina finally calmed down and gave a soft smile to Nozomu who smiled wryly.

Despite the unfriendly stares from those around them, the two proceeded with their meal quietly for a while.

It was Shina who broke the silence first.

"About what happened in the morning joint class.-....."

"Yeah?"

"When you confronted Lisa-kun and the others- ......"

She hesitantly mumbled a few words, but Nozomu stopped eating and answered clearly.

"I was trying to make sure. About the truth. I\'ve been running away from it all this time after all. That\'s why I have to face it now."

"You\'ve been running away?"

"Yes, from many things......"

As he said so, Nozomu brought the stir-fried beans and meat to his mouth. A brief pause passed between them.

"Why, did you decide to act now?"

"I guess it\'s because I saw you at that time."

"Me?......"

"Yeah. At that time, I saw you so desperate and on the verge of breaking down. Even so, in the end, you chose to face the \'present\' properly. If so, then I should also face the \'present\' for good and move forward......"

The memory of that time came vividly back to Shina\'s mind. The scene of Nozomu\'s back, who came to her rescue even though she had been violent and hurled abusive words at him.

"T-, thank you......."

Shina found herself saying so to him.

"Hm? Why are you thanking me, Shina-san?

"Don\'t worry about it, I just wanted to say it......"

The lump that was tingling in the depths of her chest just a few minutes ago is now gone.

"As I said to you before, if you need my help, just let me know. You saved me and Raz. As an elf, I owe you a great debt of gratitude."

"I don\'t think you need to worry about it. I mean, just the thought alone is enough for me......"

"No, that\'s not good. I haven\'t repaid you enough yet."

"Haven\'t you ever been called stubborn by someone else before?"

"Well, at least, I\'m not as stubborn as you, who came to my rescue despite all the abusive words I said to you. Fufu~......."

Nozomu naturally smiled back at the girl, who let out a small chuckle.

For a while, a gentle breeze quietly flowed between them.

◆

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