Episode 29: A゜

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“A-Arcs-kun!”

“Um, Arcs-san… hello”

When the exam ended and I left the arena and made it to the school gate, two voices called out my name.

They were none other than Emma and Erett.

“Ah, good work to both of you. Why are you here?”

“We were waiting for you, Arcs-kun!”

Emma came running over to me with quick steps… grabbed both my hands tightly, and showed a smile that bloomed like flowers.

I was startled by the sudden close approach, but well, I didn’t let it show on my face.

“Actually, your clothes… aren’t they really beautiful? You look like a butler…”

“Well, that’s because I am one”

“Eh, really?! No wonder I thought you looked so cool like a prince…!”

Emma’s eyes sparkled as she looked at me.

Her tone of voice reflected those emotions too.

Somehow… she was this cheerful… that was my impression.

After all, in the game, due to it progressing in first-person, there aren’t many depictions of the protagonist Emma spontaneously talking or showing emotions.

Since you have conversations by selecting choices, the tempo gets disrupted, so it can’t be helped…

But still, that’s how it feels.

Combined with her white hair and silver eyes, which give off a fragile appearance, I’m surprised she’s this energetic.

Well, the choice of words like “prince” and such that cause misunderstandings, I can strongly feel the protagonist’s influence in that.

“—So, why were you waiting for me?”

“Ah, that’s right! …I really wanted to thank you. Erett-chan and I decided to wait”

“Thank me… for what?”

“Y-yes… Being able to win today was… all thanks to Arcs-san…”

To my puzzled reaction, Erett spoke up timidly.

Well, I expected this, but it’s about the match.

As for the outcome of the cooperative exam…

That swing I put all my strength into ended up missing in the end.

But the reason was unavoidable.

A split second before the purple flames could hit that magic eye boy, the examiner shouted “Stop!!” with a thunderous voice.

That arena has magic cast on it that strengthens the examiner’s words with magical power.

It’s to protect the examinees’ safety and lives.

That took effect, and my magic was blown out.

Well, even if it hadn’t been stopped, I wasn’t planning to hit him directly anyway.

Even I don’t want to needlessly kill people or crush young buds.

I was planning to deflect it a bit and just make him faint.

It ended before that happened, but well, the result was a victory, so that’s fine.

All of us survived while the other side was completely wiped out.

It was a perfect game in every way.

“I see… Well, just because we won doesn’t guarantee we’ll pass though”

I hate to be a buzzkill, but that’s the fact of the matter, so it can’t be helped.

If we get too happy here and it turns out to be false hope, that would be more than just sad.

“Ugh, that’s true but… But watching Arcs-kun made me realize I still have a long way to go. So thanks for that too… kind of?”

She said that with drooping eyebrows but eyes that held a core of light.

I couldn’t see much of it during the exam, and it was never mentioned in the story…

But the fact that she passed the first exam, and as a commoner at that, means she must have real ability.

Since she can look straight at me and say “I still have a long way to go,” surely there’s no mistake.

“I see… Then thank you as well. I also found various points to reflect on…”

I’ll honestly accept those words.

…And also to her, who tends to hide behind Emma.

“—Erett-san was also a great help. Thank you very much”

“N-no. I’m the one who… was helped hundreds of times more…”

She says with a trailing voice, but she helped me in various ways.

Yes, in various ways.

I don’t know much about dark magic, so being able to see it live during this opportunity was a valuable experience.

As for sword techniques, I was able to create new image patterns too…

And above all, her 《Charm》 seems like it will be useful in many ways.

Opportunities to use it will probably be few due to the demerit of it becoming a weakness, but having this kind of card in hand is what’s important.

“…Being a butler means you’re still busy after this, right?”

After a brief pause, Emma spoke.

“That’s right. I have places I need to stop by after this”

“I see… I was thinking we could go home together partway… so we have to say goodbye here…”

Emma’s shoulders dropped exaggeratedly.

“Then, if we pass—no, when we pass, let’s talk again, okay?”

She corrected herself and said that while maintaining her straightforward gaze.

That’s right, thinking of passing as an “if” from now is no good.

At least keep your spirits positive.

…Let me also think positively about whether I can pass as a special student.

“…Yes. If we pass and meet again, let’s talk. …About various things”

There are more things I want you to teach me, protagonist-kun.

I added that in my mind.

“Yes yes. …Well then, see you later!”

Not imagining such things, she nodded happily and released my hand that she’d been holding all this time.

Then she turned around to face Erett, who was standing one step behind.

“Erett-chan, let’s go?”

“Eh, together… with me?”

“Of course? I mean, we’re already friends!”

“F-friends…!?”

Having that conversation, the two of them walked away.

At the moment of parting, they turned back toward me, waving their hands widely.

Good grief.

…As expected of an otome game protagonist, she’s skilled at closing the distance.

With both the same sex and opposite sex.

“I should go too”

While exhaling and muttering, I passed through the school gate.

If I’m late, Ojou-sama might get angry with me.

Lately, she seems dissatisfied even when I take my eyes off her for just a moment…

“Arcs???”

See, just now, with exactly that tone of voice.

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“Hya?!?!”

At the voice that suddenly came, I leaped sideways with the most agile movement of the day.

Before I knew it, really before I knew it.

Eleanore was standing beside me.

The corners of her mouth were raised, and her eyes were narrowed into lines.

But she wasn’t smiling.

Her expression was just the same as when smiling, but it absolutely wasn’t a cheerful emotion or gentle smile.

“Ah, um. Eleanore-sama… You were… here. …Since when,”

“The entire time. After seeing you off, I’ve been eagerly waiting here for Arcs’s return”

…

No… you’re kidding, right?

On the way there, she certainly did see me off.

We came here together.

But it’s been 3-4 hours since then, you know?

Are you saying you were waiting here the entire time?

Alone?

“No… that’s… thank you very much…, no, I’m terribly sorry…?”

“…No, it’s fine. I did this of my own accord. I wanted to be the first to comfort the tired Arcs, but…”

She walked over to me with firm steps, looking up at my eyes.

Then she opened her eyes that had been smiling…

“Looking at the situation earlier, it seems there’s no need for that anymore, is there?”

Behind the slightly opened eyelids, pitch-black eyes peered out.

…There’s no light, no light at all!!

Those absolutely aren’t the eyes of someone saying “it’s fine”…!

“No, no. That was different, you see—”

“Yes. I understand. I understand everything about Arcs”

With a gentle tone like speaking to an infant, she whispered that.

Then she roughly grabbed my hand with a force like grabbing at me.

…Emma’s warmth still remained on my hand.

“But—just a little, let me hear your story, okay?”

In an instant, a black shadow swayed behind her.

With a shiver, my back got goosebumps slightly and—

A゜