Episode 30: The Quiet Darkness

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Inside my head, someone’s voice echoes.

Sweet, sticky, a voice that weaves between thoughts and binds them distortedly.

If I relax and listen to it, there’s a sense that my consciousness will sink endlessly.

…Huh, what was I doing again?

Um… I can’t really remember.

The peculiar lethargy of having slept for a long time is blocking my thoughts.

But by searching through that mirage of thoughts, I somehow managed to grasp the surface of my memory.

Eleanore had knocked me unconscious.

Her Celestia can deliver a great shock to those she binds.

I probably touched her reverse scale and she activated it.

By the way, my vision is pitch black and I can’t see anything, but… if that memory is correct, then the one right beside me now is,

“Eleanore-sama?”

Combining the feeling of magical power and presence with my memory, I judge it so.

And that turns into certainty.

“…Arcs, you’re quite stubborn, aren’t you?”

Letting out a sigh as if exasperated… or rather, resigned, she said that.

The direction of her voice is somehow strange.

Above my head… or rather, I’m probably lying on my side, and the voice comes from above me.

When I arrive at that idea, I notice I can feel the warmth of a living creature with blood at my eyes and the back of my head.

…Could this be what they call a lap pillow?

Then why is my vision blocked…?

“…Good morning, Arcs”

“Hyaa?!?!”

A ticklish, tingling sensation assaults my ear.

Along with warm, moist breath, her whisper resonated through my eardrums as if melting inside my head.

“Wh-what are you doing?!”

No really, what is this Ojou-sama doing…?

Such a… how should I put it, sensual voice, I’ve never heard before.

“You wouldn’t want loud noises right after waking up, would you?”

“Well, that’s true, but… wait, what’s going on right now?! My body, my body won’t move…!?”

Even when I try to get up, I can’t.

Around my chest, around my waist, even down to my legs, something is restraining me.

Nine times out of ten, it’s probably due to her magic.

“…”

Eleanore says nothing.

My vision is pitch black too and unreliable, but I can somehow sense that a piercing gaze is looking down at me.

Sh-she’s angry…

That’s the gaze of when she’s quite angry…

Why?

No, I understand.

Even though she was waiting, I chatted with someone and was late, so of course she’d be angry.

…Though I wonder why she was waiting there, but setting that aside, my actions are understandably upsetting.

“Um… Eleanore-sama. I’m terribly, terribly sorry…”

“…For what?”

Wh-“for what”?!

No… no, that’s right.

I should clearly state what I’m apologizing for…

I need to show that I can properly reflect on myself, that’s natural for an adult.

“…B-because I was talking with the people I was paired with in the exam… I made Eleanore-sama wait—”

“Haaaaah…”

She lets out a deep sigh that lasts several seconds.

Uwaa, that was wrong, it wasn’t that…!

Then what is it…?!

Did I do something else again…!?

The panic tangles my thoughts, making it even harder to come up with anything…

“Well, it might be reassuring in a way, but,”

After such a small mutter, Eleanore opens her mouth.

“Arcs. You must be more careful. Women can sometimes be wretched creatures”

“…Eh?”

The atmosphere changed to something chilly.

“Those two women. They were shamelessly lusting after you. Especially that woman who lewdly touched your body and scattered around her ugly smile. What a vulgar and rude female goblin she is”

She sharply spewed out words with an increasingly irritated color.

…No, El-Eleanore-san…?

Ugly, goblin… incredibly unladylike vulgar words are appearing frequently…?

Are these really coming from the mouth of that black-haired, black-eyed her who embodies good conduct…?

Could she possibly be a monster that mimics voices…?

“N-no. It’s not like they were lusting… I don’t think they had that kind of intention?”

“No, there’s no mistake. Arcs has such a good face it would make your knees weak. That lowly woman was foolishly courting you”

Eh.

Eh…

Somehow, I can’t tell if I’m being praised, criticized, or warned…

Anyway, her voice is really scary… my body shrinks back.

“Listen, Arcs. Surely, because you have little contact with unfamiliar women, your vigilance is thin, but…”

Warmth was added to my right cheek.

Lovingly, affectionately, that warmth strokes my cheek.

“Once you start attending the academy, females your age will surely target you. Especially since Arcs is excellent…”

Though her tone is strong in places, she said this seemingly worried.

Ah, well, that’s probably true. I often hear that kind of talk.

Not exactly marrying up… but there are quite a few people who try to establish connections with excellent individuals.

That’s what noble academies are like.

“…It’s okay, I understand properly. Things like badger games and honey traps are scary, so I’ll be careful”

“…No, well… that is true, but”

I tried to say cheerfully that there’s nothing to worry about, but Eleanore’s response was somehow noncommittal.

I wonder what it is, did the joking manner conversely reduce my credibility?

“Please don’t worry. I won’t fall for strange women. Besides, I—”

Taking a breath for one beat.

“I like older women! Even if someone my age approaches me, I won’t care!”

Similar to a declaration of resolve, I said that with a clear voice.

Specifically, the same age as in my previous life.

At least older than my current body.

It’s strange to confess sexual preferences while being scolded, but this should at least be one reassuring factor!

“Besides, with work, studies, and training, I don’t have time to fool around with anyone”

I add another fact to this.

Even now I have no spare time, and if I attend the academy it’ll be even more so.

I hear the knight course is quite hard.

“Ha, …haha, ha. …I see. …That’s right”

After a brief silence, she said that with a trembling voice.

For some reason, the force and momentum from earlier is gone, and her voice has become weak and frail…

“Then I’ll believe you. For now. …Is that really true?”

She trusted me.

But her response is hesitant.

She seems to still want to confirm if I’m serious.

“Yes. I swear”

So I affirmed with my chest out.

Though I started to lose track of what I was swearing halfway through, what I swear I swear.

“…I understand. I understand”

Hearing those words, Eleanore muttered as if chewing them over.

Suddenly, freedom returns to my body.

There’s no more pressure like being squeezed.

The restraints were released.

However, my vision is still black as before.

Her hand must still be covering my eyes.

“Don’t open your eyes yet, okay?”

After saying that, even that final binding was released.

The warmth left, and light reached even behind my eyelids.

At the same time, the warmth I felt at the back of my head also disappeared, and my head was gently placed on something like a soft pillow.

My eyes remain closed as instructed.

…Why mustn’t I open them?

Is there something she doesn’t want me to see—

—Shuru, shuru…, shururu

If expressed with onomatopoeia, that kind of sound.

To use different words, a sound like clothes rustling entered my ears.

I involuntarily sit up.

Because I arrived at a strange idea.

“El-Eleanore… sama…?”

Shuru shuru, the sound of rustling clothes doesn’t stop.

No way… no, surely that couldn’t be…

Strange sweat starts to bead on my forehead.

Just as the thought of taking a slight peek crosses my mind,

“You didn’t open your eyes?”

Her somewhat displeased voice was heard.

“Ah,”

Then my eyelids are forcibly opened.

Before me appears her figure, looking at me with drooping eyebrows.

…I want to breathe a sigh of relief.

Though I thought it might be the case… she wasn’t naked or anything.

I panicked for a moment thinking she might be starting to undress, but…

No, that line of thinking might cause strange misunderstandings.

But if you hear that kind of sound while your eyes are closed, anyone would arrive at that thought.

Yeah. That must be it.

“…How boring. Well… if what you said earlier is true, even if you had opened them it might not have been enjoyable, but…”

While I’m drenched in sweat, she said that seeming cold… no, truly regretful.

No… what does that mean?

You wanted me to look? Even though you told me not to…?

And what does “if what I said earlier is true” mean…

My thoughts are now so tangled I don’t understand anything anymore.

I try not to think about anything anymore, but strangely unsettled emotions continue to occupy my head.

***

—Several weeks passed.

Nothing particularly changed on my end, but I feel like Eleanore changed a little bit.

Perhaps because academy enrollment is approaching, she’s come to wear a more adult-like atmosphere.

Still 15 years old, yet 15 years old.

In my previous life it would be high school entrance, and it might not be strange to come into one’s own at this age.

It’s a bit lonely that she’s no longer child Eleanore, but well, I should be happy about this step up to adulthood.

“Arcs”

Suddenly, my name was called.

Approaching slowly with refined movements was, of course, Eleanore.

Clad in the academy’s gorgeous uniform, it further enhanced her own elegance.

“What is it?”

I closed the magic book I was reading and responded to her words.

Right now, we’re having a lesson on noble conduct by tutor Nanai.

I was observing that lesson, which had become habitual at some point.

“…D-do I have… adult openings right now?”

Adult openings? What’s that?

Is not what happens.

I’ve been hearing their exchange from earlier.

“What’s important as an adult woman?”

“That is, showing openings at times”

They were having that kind of conversation secretly.

I was just thinking how endearing she seemed like a child trying to act grown-up.

Quietly, I stand up and look at her eyes.

Five years ago we were about the same height, but at some point I’ve gotten considerably taller.

“…You’re full of openings”

I place my hand near her temple.

Then I chant a small recovery spell.

The tip of my hand glows faintly green.

Well, she seemed a bit tired, and it was showing on her face with things like dark circles.

Probably, she’s nervous about entering a new environment.

“It’s good to work hard, but please take breaks properly, okay?”

I remove my hand and caution her slightly.

This is sage advice from a former working adult! Though I don’t add that…

But really, you’ll break down if you don’t rest.

“Th-thank you… very much”

Holding the area where I touched, she answered with her head lowered.

Ah, wait, touching someone without permission is quite rude.

Even if it was for recovery…

“Um, I’m sor—”

“Arcs”

Just as I was about to apologize, it was interrupted.

A low voice with core opens the room’s door and is heard.

“Adalbert-sama?”

“Father…?!”

There stood the strict ruler and father figure.

He’s apparently busy lately and often away from home.

Therefore, it was rare to see his face directly like this.

“…As always, it’s good to see you getting along so well”

“Ah, well… Hello”

For some reason, I can only respond timidly to him with distant eyes.

Well, as a father it might not be amusing to see his daughter getting along with another man.

But you’re the matchmaker who introduced us.

If I said that, would my head fly off? Physically.

“Father, what brings you here today?”

Eleanore asks.

It really doesn’t seem like a conversation between father and daughter… but perhaps because he’s often away from home, there’s a slight businesslike feeling.

The adolescent aspect might also be part of it.

“Ah, that is—Arcs’s pass/fail results have come out”

“Really?!”

I ended up raising my voice shrilly.

Well, of course results would come out since I took the exam.

But still, now that they’ve actually arrived, there’s a bit of surprise.

“I wouldn’t lie about something like that. Here, I just received it”

What was handed over with a wry smile was a large envelope that, unlike the first exam, was pure white and properly decorated.

…I-in this, the results are…

My hand trembles, I might drop it.

…I have a feeling about how it went.

But that’s just a feeling…

Whether I passed as a special student is another matter.

“I’ll, I’ll open it…”

Finding even unsealing the envelope too frustrating, I cut the envelope itself with magic.

I didn’t even want to see the contents, but… oh well, here goes! I vigorously pulled out the documents inside.

…

…

…

“Haaaaah…”

With momentum to expel all the air from my lungs, I let out a sigh.

The paper written in red ink announcing special student acceptance swayed slightly.