"What a tough time..."
"Well, most of it was your fault, I think."
"What happened while I was out? Hey, what happened?"
After that, some time passed, and we were about to leave Shouraku.
It had been quite noisy and a bit chaotic, with some things getting broken, but no one said anything about it. Shouraku was a popular spot among college students, after all.
Still rubbing my sore neck, we waited for the club president to pay the bill.
By the way, that Tsukiko girl. Just because I found out that she's a magician, don't suddenly start casting spells out of nowhere. I almost passed out again. Thanks to that, I was feeling less drunk, though.
Lisha said she was going to the restroom, so we decided to move to the side of the restaurant, not to block the entrance.
It was quite a lively party. Is it a good or bad thing that Tsukiko is showing her emotions like that now? But isn't it a bit too much?
As I thought about these things, I suddenly looked up at the sky and thought the moon looked unusually big.
"...The moon is beautiful, isn't it?"
"What, is this a love confession?"
"Huh? Are we turning this into a literary exchange of wits?"
"Why would we... well, I guess that's what you'd expect."
I just said what I was thinking. By the way, "The moon is beautiful" is a subtle confession that came about when Natsume Soseki translated "I love you." It's pretty famous, you know.
I also had a romantic moment like that when I was in Asteris. I mustered up the courage and said it to Eris during a very romantic scene, but she got really upset. Later, I found out that there, you needed to compliment the person directly, saying things like "Even the moon is jealous and hides behind the clouds" or "The only light I need at night is you." Cultural differences are important, you see. Trying to interact with people without understanding them usually doesn't end well.
Even in this otherworld, which may or may not exist in the same universe, there was a sun and a moon in Asteris. When I lived there, looking at the moon made me think of Earth, but I never expected the opposite to happen.
No matter where or when I look, the moon was always mysterious and beautiful.
So, at first, I was lost in sentimental thoughts, but...
—Ugh, blech!
A voice that seemed to ruin that beauty came from a nearby alley.
"...Someone's throwing up."
"Seems like it."
"Yeah."
Around here, besides Shouraku, there are plenty of izakayas, so it's not unusual to hear someone throwing up in an alley. It's nothing special in itself.
But one sound caught my attention.
"Come on, just hurry up and throw up. Honestly, if you can't handle alcohol, you shouldn't be drinking."
Amidst the sound of vomiting, there was a beautiful voice that seemed to shake golden chains. It was different from the soothing voice I heard from Lisha, with a rich and elegant tone.
I couldn't help but wonder who it was. After all, it's not something I'd expect to hear in a back alley like this.
And because of curiosity is a part of human nature, I peeked into the dark alley.
As expected, there was a man crouching there with his back turned. He was probably a middle-aged salaryman. Looks like he drank too much after work.
He wiped his mouth and managed to stand up somehow.
And beside that man, there was someone supporting him.
"Well then, if you can stand, go home. I won't allow such a disgraceful display to happen again."
The person said that and escorted the man out of the alley. When I pulled my head back, the man staggered past me.
I'll probably have to face a future where I get tired from work and drown my sorrows in alcohol, too. It's a terrifying future, but for now, I'll think about it when the time comes.
"Sigh... in any world, even in times of peace, there will always be escapes like this."
The voice sounded much closer than I imagined. Amidst the mix of moonlight and city lights, her violet-colored hair danced. The glimpses of her white skin through the gaps were as glossy as polished porcelain, and her deep blue eyes resembled the sea during twilight.
――Beautiful.
When I saw her so close that I could almost touch her with outstretched arms, that word came to my mind.
She was wearing what appeared to be a Gothic dress, adorned with frills, and her hair was tied up with a pale pink ribbon.
Her appearance and demeanor didn't quite match this place. Nevertheless, her graceful presence dominated the scene, dispelling any sense of incongruity.
Perhaps she noticed my gaze, she turned her head toward me.
Our eyes met, and our gazes intertwined.
The girl narrowed her eyes suspiciously, and her lips formed a straight line. I, too, felt captivated by an odd sense of déjà vu, unable to look away from her. She appeared to be around the same age as me.
I felt like I had seen her somewhere before, but someone as beautiful as her would be hard to forget after just one glance.
Without either of us uttering a word to each other, we tilted our heads slightly and continued to gaze at each other. It must have seemed like a strange sight to anyone watching.
However, it wasn't just the two of us who ultimately broke this peculiar silence.
"—Kanami-san?"
The gazes of both the girl and me turned toward my back.
Lisha, who seemed to have just left the shop, was standing there with wide eyes.
What's she so surprised about, and what did she just say?
I heard her say, "Kanami-san."
As I thought that, the violet-haired woman, still in her awkward position, pushed me away and swiftly closed the gap between her and Lisha, grabbing her collar.
"Huh!"
"..."
In a sudden and unexpected move, both I and Tsukiko, who had come out of the shop, hurriedly reacted.
This woman managed to slip past me without getting tangled up in her somewhat impractical clothing. Quite the maneuverability.
The alcohol swirling in my head disappeared in an instant. My body went into battle mode, awakened by the surging magic power coursing through me.
Forgetting that Tsukiko and the others were also there, I took a step forward, ready to activate "My True Name." However, I didn't need to move my feet.
"Wait!"
Lisha, with her collar still held, raised her voice to stop us.
Lisha's voice echoed through the night.
"This person is my 'guardian'!"
――What?
I halted in my half-hearted attempt to move, and an unfamiliar voice rang out.
"Finally found you, and now, what's this situation? I'd love to hear all about it."
It was the voice of the violet-haired girl.
Her tone was different from the one she used when dealing with the drunkard from earlier—a tense voice that seemed ready to explode at any moment.
With her extravagant presence, her magic power swelled behind her slender frame, distorting the surroundings. It was clear that she was at a level that wouldn't be outdone even by Jillzack Luiid.
If she was indeed Lisha's "key" guardian, then we had no reason to fight. However, it was hard to believe that a warrior chosen for the God-Demon War would easily trust outsiders.
The quickest way would be to engage in a fight and then talk afterward, but doing so here wasn't feasible.
Now, how to navigate this situation?
While standing to protect Lisha, the girl turned her face toward us.
"Kanami-san, let me explain."
"Please be quite. Whether these individuals are friends or foes, it's my decision, desu~wa."
That's right, her judgment is correct. Lisha, who acted based on mere intuition, is the one acting strangely.
If it came to this, even if we were seen by Souji and the others, we had no choice but to fight here. I could only pray that the girl is an individual who wouldn't harm ordinary people.
Finally, the deep blue eyes of the girl locked onto me.
Our gazes met directly, becoming even more intense. Her eyes were filled with a fiery determination, expertly hidden beneath a cold demeanor. It wouldn't be easy to take her down, even if I wanted to.
She made the first move, after all. Magic power gathered in her left eye, and some kind of magic was activated.
It didn't seem to be a type of magic that directly interfered with me, but I wondered what she was doing.
"..."
"..."
The girl and I continued to silently lock eyes.
What's going on?
As we continued like this, the girl's pupils dilated, her body trembled, and inaudible whispers escaped her half-open mouth.
What? What's happening? What's wrong?
"...Kanami-san?"
Lisha, realizing something was amiss, called out, but the girl only let out incomprehensible sounds, "...Aah..." unable to form words.
Some time passed in silence.
"Whoa..."
The girl who had been locked in a gaze with me suddenly rolled her eyes back and collapsed backward.
Please bookmark this series and rate ☆☆☆☆☆ on here!
Donate me
Support Me with USDC
(ERC20)
Support Me with XLM
(Stellar Lumens)