CH 177

“Lars-niichan! Let’s party when we get home.”

“Come on, Aina, I’ll carry you. Come on.”

“I want niichan to carry me!”

Aina and Sarge circled around me as we and the rest of the A-Class began to move so as not to interfere with the reunion of Ryuuze and Brao.

“Well, we’ll go back and meet at your place, right?”

“Yes. I’m sorry it’s the same as the class competitions, but we’re going to have our usual party.”

“I can go just as is, but my parents are invited too, so I’ll come with you later.”

“I’ll be there too! …… Good luck, Lars.”

Jack and Yogus left, and Urka whispered to me and waved me off. And by “work hard” means the thing after this …… That’s right, it’s about the rooftop call that Kudelica said to me. 

“I think I’ll go just like this? Do you mind?”

“I’m going to call the mothers, so I’ll go to them.”

“Helena-chan, you’re coming with us! Lars-kun …… got things to do, after all.”

“…… Ohhhh.”

“? …… I see.”

Nora looked at me with a strange expression on her face and said. Helena didn’t know what they were talking about at first, but when she saw Makina and the others heading towards the building, opposite the gate, she understood. Then Dad came to talk to me.

“Lars, do you have something to do? I’m leaving first, okay?”

“What, Lars-niichan, you’re not coming with us together ……?”

“I thought I’d take one last look at the classroom. Aina, I’ll be home soon, so just wait for me.”

“Muu. All right, I’ll be playing with Dedite-niichan and Nora-chan! Sarge, come on!”

“No, I’ll have more energy if I run.”

“You’ll fall over, so you have to walk.”

“Wait, Aina-chan!”

My Mom and Nora chase after Aina as she runs off, while my brother and Dad laugh and walk away. The remaining Helena turns to me and says something.

“I don’t know what Lars was having trouble with. But since Lars is a serious person, there must be something wrong that you haven’t been with anyone up to this point, right? But if you decide to do it here, it means you’ve found your answer, right?”

“…… I guess so. I’ve caused everyone to worry and I’m sorry for all the trouble I’ve caused them. With that in mind, I’ll tell the three of them what I’ve decided.”

I respond to Helena, touching something in my pocket, and she laughs and turns on her heel.

“Ah~ah, maybe I should have waited too?”

“What?”

“Just kidding~? Kyah♪ I’ll see you later ……”

“Oh, yeah. I’m going now ……”

I followed the three of them, who were already gone, to the roof.

“It’s quiet …….”

There is still a lot of noise outside, but inside the building there are only a few people because it is mainly fifth year classes. When I look out the window and see Garth from E-Class and Chirua and the others from D-Class crying with their classmates, I feel a little sad that e are really graduating.

“It’s been fun ……”

I muttered to myself in front of the rooftop door and grabbed the handle. Strangely, I felt as calm as I did inside the building. I push the door open and step out onto the roof.

“Welcome, Lars-kun.”

There, Kudelica is standing on a daunting pose, flanked by the serious-looking Makina and a troubled-looking Luciel. When the door closed, Kudelica stepped forward and opened her mouth.

“…… You know why you were called, right?”

“Yeah.”

“Today is the last day. I’ve heard that Lars-kun is going to the capital after graduation. So today is the last day.”

Kudelica said it twice, as if biting, and continued. Then, she turns her head for a moment, and after a moment of silence, she looks me in the eye, takes a deep breath, and says

“I …… Kudelica have always liked you, Lars-kun! There were times when I pretended to be uninterested because you didn’t look at me …… but I really like you because you were so cool when we did our first request. I wonder if you’ll go out with me? “

With a slight blush on her cheeks, she clenched her fists while rocking her twin tail, which hadn’t changed since the day I met her. She’s a cute little girl, almost like a mascot. She can be a bit cynical at times, but I really think her honesty and single-mindedness is what makes her good and attractive. 

But I had already decided on my answer.

“I’m sorry. But I can’t go out with Kuderica.”

“……!”

Kudelica walks up to me, eyes wide open, and raises her hand. I shut my eyes, expecting her to slap me. This is also something that I was prepared for, I knew how I felt all along and didn’t give an answer. I thought that I can’t blame her for hitting me with [Superhuman Strength].

However, contrary to my expectations, my body was softly wrapped up. When I hurriedly opened my eyes, I saw that Kuderica was hugging me with both hands.

“K-Kudelica ……?”

“Fufu …… This is the last time. Lars-kun, now that I’ve heard it from you, I’m …… done …… Sniff …….”

I’m confused because she started crying in my chest. I looked at Makina and Luciel and they nodded, smiling. They told me to hug her back. I hugged Kudelica with awkward movements and waited for her to stop crying. A few dozen minutes had passed, I guess? Kudelica stopped crying and gently pulled away.

“Ehe …… I’m sorry to have startled you …… I knew it, but it’s still hard. But thank you for saying it clearly.”

Kudelica was smiling just like she used to. I felt a stinging pain in my chest. When I tried to open my mouth, Kudelica put her finger on my lips and winked at me. Then Luciel stepped forward and smiled, and Kudelica stepped back.

“I’m next. But I want to thank you, maybe? I want to thank you for saving us from being taken hostage by a strange doctor at the lord’s mansion, and saving my Sis from being kidnapped on my behalf. I’ve always wished we hadn’t been taken hostage at that time.”

“That was inevitable. It was a blessing in disguise, and I’m glad you’re okay. So there’s no need to worry about it. We all helped Luciela, you know. So it’s not just me.”

When I said that, Luciel smiled and nodded.

“Yeah …… I knew you’d say that, Lars-kun. But it was Lars-kun who took the initiative and helped me, so thank you.”

After Luciel said that, she took a breath and looked straight at me.

“…… I know I’m like this, but I’ve liked you since the first time I met you when I was five and you saved me from Ryuuze. But Lars-kun who’s going to become a great person …… And I’m not good enough for you, so let me just say how I feel, okay? I’ve always loved you!”

“……!”

Luciel would laugh and cry and say things like that. I don’t know if it was that time or not …… but I remember thinking she was a cute kid too.

“……. I’m sorry, I didn’t say anything for a long time ……”

“No, don’t be. When you defeated the doctor, I felt indebted, but I also thought it would be impossible for me to stand next to you. But as I expected, Lars-kun turned out to be a great person. So, I just want to thank you and express my feelings, okay?”

…… Honestly, I think that if I travel with Luciel or go to the Royal Capital, she will be targeted a lot like last time if someone knows of her skills. I hope that the kind Luciel will have a peaceful life in this town.

(T/N: I changed Capital to Royal Capital.)

“I’m sorry, both of you. I …… have someone I like.”

“…… Yeah.”

“……”

When I said that, Luciel nodded, and Makina shivered. I walked past them to get to Makina.

“L-Lars-kun, so you have someone you like …… D-Don’t tell me, Reiss? Or is it Mizuki-san ……?”

(T/N: Reiss is the girl with [Experiment] or “Jikken” skill that used the Dark Stink Bug.)

Makina asks me with a fearful upward glance. I chuckle …… that she would say that choice in this situation.

“A-As you know, I’ve always been in love with you too, Lars-kun. When we were defeating the slime, I thought it was cool that you were the same age as me and could use great magic and make cool decisions. B-But, there was someone else you liked ……”

Tears welled up in Makina’s eyes and she wiped them with her hand.

“H-Huh, that’s strange. I decided that I wouldn’t regret it no matter who you ended up going out with, though …… Huh …… “

Makina wiped away her tears as if she was wondering herself. I took her hand and handed her an earring that I found in my pocket.

“Ah, eh ……? This is ……?”

“…… This was a gift that Tigre-sensei was supposed to give to Verna-sensei a long time ago. It was dropped and I kept it when Verna-sensei was kidnapped, and when I went to return it, Tigre-sensei told me to give it to someone I want to take care of someday.”

Makina looks at me and the earring in turn with a puzzled look. Then, realizing the meaning of my words, Makina’s face turned red and she began to fidget.

“What, t-that means!? The person Lars-kun likes is–“

“It’s Makina. I want you to stay with me from now on.”

“U-Ugh …… Lars-kun!”

“Whoa.”

When Makina hugged me with her long black hair swaying and her face still red, I hugged her back. I gently stroked her hair, which hadn’t stopped crying, probably because she was so uptight.

Makina is brave enough to hit Sarge’s fireball, but she’s also cute enough to be afraid of the undead. I can’t leave her alone when she’s being reckless.

“…… Good for you, Makina-chan.”

“Ah~ah, I’m so jealous. I wanted to be an adventurer and flirt with Lars-kun, too.”

“We have to consider Lars-kun’s feelings on this matter too, though.”

“But he’s the son of a lord, so we might have a chance?”

“Gosh, Kuu-chan!”

Luciel and Ludelica were laughing at each other when they said that. It’s true, but I’ve only begun to care about Makina so much, and I feel like my heart would probably break if that happened ……

“I’m sorry, you two ……”

“It’s okay. Makina-chan will be able to give up too. The three of us have been doing this for a long time.”

“Right, right ……  Be happy for us, okay?”

“I’ll …… try my best there.”

“Ufufu, let’s see, If you make Makina-chan unhappy, Kuu-chan and I will come to punish you!”

“That’s right, you have to be careful.”

When Luciel said that cheerfully and I shrugged my shoulders, everyone in the room laughed. I like them both, but it’s not the like that’s like love. After five years, I think I finally understand what love is …… That is what I feel. I’m just starting out, so I’ll have to keep working on it.

“Hah~ …… I’ve been crying and laughing, so now I’m hungry. I’m going to eat at the party to make up for being rejected!”

“Me too! Let’s eat together, Kuu-chan.”

The two of them walked out the door first. I can’t say that there is nothing left to be desired. But the fact that they were smiling was a big help to me.

“Shall we go too?”

“Yes! Thank you …… Lars-kun.”

“Yep …… that looks good on you.”

I put on the earrings and smiled at him again, and my face instantly turned red. I’ve never felt this way in the past, so I was surprised and thought it was a fresh feeling.

–In the midst of this atmosphere, the door we were about to leave was violently opened, and we stopped for a moment. Then a figure came to the roof, saw me and clenched his fist.

“I found you, Lars-kun! There was a piece of leaked information that you were seen going to the rooftop, and it looks like they were right! You’re having a party, aren’t you!? Please take me with you!”

“Basleigh-sensei? Oh, I see …… You’re a first year homeroom teacher this year, so no one’s invited you ……”

“That’s right! I’ve been your homeroom teacher before! You won’t lose a thing!”

“No, you’re ruining the mood, though ……”

“What? Oh, Luciel-chan and Kudelica-chan? Why do you have to be so tightly packed on both sides? You have a lovely smile! A-Ahhhhhhhh!?”

Basleigh-sensei was dragged away by Luciel and Kudelica and disappeared with a scream. She was a noisy person until the end ……

“Ahaha, you never change, Basleigh-sensei. “

“You’re right. I hope we can be together without changing.”

“…… Don’t worry. I’ve waited five years for you, you know? I don’t care about anyone else anymore.”

“Oh, it made me happy when you said that.”

“Jeez …… Come on, let’s go!”

–Makina pulled me by the hand with a big smile and we left the school together.

“Lars-kun?”

“It’s nothing ……”

Makina calls out to me as I stand in front of the gate and look back at the academy for a moment. I immediately turn around and start walking. I’m really graduating now. I’ve been through a lot, really. There is no doubt in my mind that I had a more fulfilling and precious life at the academy than I had in my previous life. 

Tomorrow I won’t have my classmates, but I want to live my life looking straight ahead so that I can be proud of them when we meet again someday.　

Hmm, I think I want to continue and add another chapter …… What should I do ……

Thank you for reading!

[Afterword Theater]

“It’s settled, isn’t it?”

Now, the chosen Makina wants to be a knight, but what will she do?

“Since he has money, he’s going to make out with her at home, right!?”

Don’t snap at me like that ……