I Came Back but the World is Still a Fantasy!?

4-52: I Knew It Would End Up Like This (3/5)

Aristel dropped her shoulders with a deep sigh. It was true that she was having fun, but she couldnt help but worry.

All the while, Myuhi had branded those two as them and has been trying to get her to forget about them even for a moment.

Earlier when Myuhi dragged her away, Aristel understandably hesitated, but she couldnt deny it when Myuhi said, at this rate, you wont be able to relax at all.

So without any plans whatsoever, the two of them decided to go have fun.

Aristel wanted to be freed, even for just a little, but she possessed an innate sense of responsibility that kept her from running away, and yet at the same time, she knew that she needed to rest as well.

Thats why she was so indecisive and couldnt help but worry about them.

I just feel so pathetic and frustrated. Its not even on the level of a few people, I cant manage two servants. At this rate, whatever resolve or oaths Ive made will be made meaningless!

Driven by her emotions, Aristel crushed the empty wrapper in her hands.

It was only for an instant, but in an uncharacteristic turn for Aristel, she revealed her emotions so openly, and Myuhi found herself blinking.

Ah, youve got it all wrong there, Lavi-chan, no matter how you look at it, its those kids fault. It might not be nice saying this to you, Lavi-chan, but to be honest, I have no need for blind fools like those. Seriously, what good are they for other than for disposable weapons?

Thats really blunt.

Aristels face twitched, but she couldnt refute Myuhis words.

She couldnt agree with her because of the warm feelings she felt for them, but she also knew that that choice was becoming more and more likely.

But she was still concerned because of the families behind them and because of how long theyve known each other.

Im a soldier as far as positions are concerned. I would never accept a peer or a superior like them. If I really had to work with them, Id stab them before the battle began.

But Myuhi did not share those bonds or feelings, so she could say it straight up that those two had no other talent than to hurt those around them.

Fortunately, she said that in her usual lighthearted manner, so Aristel could respond with a wry smile.

But at the same time, she couldnt refute her again.

And yet, perhaps thats exactly why I cant abandon them. Because Im responsible for them ending up that way.

Lavi-chan, you might be their master, but you dont have to go that far.

No, thats not what I meant They saved me. The painful things just kept continuing, and I thought I would be crushed, but then

Myuhi was about to admonish her with a dismayed voice, but Aristels words and the melancholy written on her face pushed those words back.

Aristel didnt make it clear what she was talking about, but Myuhi could infer.

You mean

The Defense of Litorias 12 years ago. A terrible calamity that occurred due to the overlapping() outbreak of raybeasts.

A major incident in which Aristel lost her parents, her friends, acquaintances, and her territory even nearly collapsed.

And then approximately 2 years later, the hero that save them, Ortis, rebelled.

Myuhi might have been unrelated with the first matter, but that wasnt the case with the second matter, so she didnt know what to say.

In fact, shes actually heard about this before from the person himself.

He mentioned that the young next head had gotten attached to him. But in the end, he ended up betraying that.

Just how painful must it have been for such a young heart to lose everything and be betrayed even by the person she admired?

Myuhi knew that she wasnt even allowed to imagine it.

A lot of things happened, and I lost the person that would protect me as well, so I was really unstable. The things I had to do were too big, so I didnt know what to do. It was then that Rizet and Ortho showed me how I ought to be. Perhaps they were mistaken, but even then, they showed me a goal I could easily understand, so I was able to get back up on my feet. Though that turned out to be a problem too because that persona was just too haughty and oppressive, Aristel wryly smiled.

But regardless, there was no denying that they saved her.

Even now, I dont know which part of that me was good. But the one who chose to abandon my own thoughts and clung to that flimsy persona was none other than myself. So it was also me who convinced those around me that that was the right way of doing things. Thats why Ive been doing my best in these past two months to open their eyes, but

This time it was her turn to help them, she thought, but The results just werent there.

Though there were indeed people that could understand her, the ones she wanted to change the most were those two.

But they were just too stubborn, and Aristels words couldnt reach them at all.

Ari Lavi-chan

As Aristels expression twisted in frustration and she balled her hands into fists tightly above her knees, Myuhi could do nothing but call out her name.

Nay, even that she failed to do properly, as she almost called her by her other nickname.

A-Ahh, Im sorry! I really shouldnt be talking about something so boring at a fun place like this! How is this any different from Rizet and the others!

Perhaps it was because she failed to call out to her, or perhaps it was because an agitated expression unlike her surfaced, or then again, perhaps it was merely because Aristel noticed that the air between them was getting dark, but regardless, Aristel made her voice as bright as possible and tried to change the topic.

I thought about it a little, but how about trying something different? Im sorry, an irresponsible advice like that is the most I could come up with. I guess Im just really not suited to manage people.

But Myuhi didnt allow her to run away.

That being said, that didnt mean that she actually had any good ideas or encouragement for her.

Myuhi was a warrior, someone who fought. Whatever groundings she had on politics or the human heart was at the bare minimum.

But it was also because of that that she could act differently from Aristel, who was meant to be a leader.

Theres nothing I can do about your worries. So why dont you meet someone who can? At the very least, being with him should be more helpful than playing around with me.

As Myuhi said that, the locomotive stopped, and they got off the station.

This was the station in front of the landmark attraction, Aura Castle.

Even from here, they could see the giant, beautiful castle that was designed specifically for others to see.

They were captivated for a moment, but they quickly recovered and got back to their business.

Here?

Yes, I figured hed still be around here, that boy that brought you back to your senses.

Huh?

Myuhi actually wasnt sure either. All she knew was that he said hed come here, but she didnt know if he actually did as he said, or if he was still here.

She was put in charge of him, so back at the academy, she could get information from his observers, but understandably, all those people couldnt tag along outside of Kutoria, so their duties were all delegated to her.

Or to be more precise, the school was currently dealing with an unprecedented crisis, so they had to prioritize that.

They didnt have people to spare for an All D whose time just happened to be out of sync.

But even without them, considering the time Myuhi parted with him and the distance, she figured he shouldnt be too far.

In fact, thats the very reason why she rode on that locomotive with Aristel.

Meanwhile, Aristel just made an odd face wondering why she was doing this.

Is this really okay? Oh, I know! This must be that Japanese saying that goes to present salt to ones enemy [1]!

No! Lavi-chan, thats a misunderstanding!

On Aristels face were clearly written things like how enlightening or as expected of my rival.

Myuhi tried to deny her suspicions, but she just looked at her with doubt.

Nay, in fact, it was already closer to jealousy than mere suspicion.

Really? You were clinging to him so much back at the Tokyo Tower, though.

Geh, you saw that!? U-Uh, I-I was just trying to keep him from running off

Myuhi tried to find an excuse, but Aristel just glared at her with tears in her eyes.

You looked really happy when he caressed your ears! Sure must be nice, huh, being able to meet him when you want, being able to hug him when you want Must be sooo nice

Her gaze and her voice were clearly filled with jealousy, and Myuhi didnt have a clue how to respond.

Aristel also had to monitor Rizets group, but beyond that, it was problematic for the top student of the academy to be intimate with the lowest ranked student.

Of course, Aristel herself didnt mind, but she feared that those around her might react excessively and trouble Shinichi, so she kept her distance and was deeply jealous of Myuhi, who was tasked to watch over him and had a personality that allowed her to freely meet up with him.

But Myuhi just found it troubling to have a girl that was her exact opposite be it in social standing or appearance to be jealous of her.

She was just too unfamiliar with the way she looked at her that she couldnt say anything in retort, and in the end, she ended up raising her voice to try and fool her.

A-Anyway, Im going already! I dont know where Icchi went either, so!

O-Okay! T-Thank you so much! Ill be going then!

Aristel quickly changed her expression and thanked Myuhi with a polite bow, then rushed off to the castle.

The sight of her black blending in with the crowd truly looked no different from that of a normal girls.

Just how in the world did a young noble lady like her end up jealous of me?

Something seemed so wrong about that, Myuhi thought.

Seeing that back, who could possibly think that the fate of an entire territory rests on those two shoulders?

They seemed so small and so lacking in spirit to carry such a burden.

Thats probably why she broke once. When Myuhi thought that, her chest ached.

Your Excellency, is this one of our sins too?

As her ears and her tail listlessly fell, she deeply regretted the unforeseen consequences of their actions.