Chapter 5 Part 24

Translator : PolterGlast

Irisdina and the others ran around the city looking for Nozomu and Mars, but since it was getting dark, they decided to gather in front of the school's main gate once again.

Everyone was out of breath, and expressions of impatience could be seen on their faces.

"How was it? Did you find them !?"

"Not good. I didn't see them in the north section ..."

"The craftsman district is also not good..."

"I think they aren't even in the city ..."

Irisdina asked them, but the result was not good. All that's left were Tima, who went to look for Mars in the commercial district, and Shna, who went to the outskirts. When Irisdina started looking for Nozomu and Mars, she immediately went to the men's dormitory. However, there were only the dormitory students who were surprised to see her, and no Nozomu and Mars could be found among them. She then ran around the city looking for them, but again she couldn't find them.

"Mars is probably somewhere in the commercial district, but Nozomu is ... Kuh~! Where are you ..."

Irisdina tried to stay calm while biting her lip.

If only she had asked him earlier Such regret enveloped Irisdina's heart.

"Ai! Mars-kun... I found him!"

However, her best friend's voice reached her ears. Irisdina turned her gaze to the source of the voice and saw Tima and Mars rushing towards her.

Mars and Irisdina faced each other and were silent. All gazes directed at Mars were equally sharp. Mars gulped at their gazes, but he had already made up his mind, so he bowed deeply in front of them.

"Everyone, I'm sorry! All of you got into a dangerous situation because of me!"

A word of apology from Mars. Irisdina and the others accepted Mars' words with stern expressions.

"I know it's too convenient to just forgive me! So, just hit as much as you want!"

For a moment, silence flowed between them. Mars was still bowed down and waiting for their words.

Eventually, Irisdina slowly opened her mouth.

"...Mars-kun, who do you think you should apologize to the most? You know that, right?"

"...I know. If it's about Nozomu, I don't mind how much he hits me when we meet again. I'm willing to accept any humiliation! So that's why. Please let me search for Nozomu together with you guys. !"

"... I understand. Everyone, is that alright?"

Mars begged to be allowed to search for Nozomu with his head still lowered. Perhaps they accepted his apology, everyone nodded uniformly at Irisdina's words.

"Thank you"

Mars was grateful to them for accepting him again even after doing such a thing.

"So, everyone was already gathered."

At that time, Shna's voice echoed in front of the main gate. Behind her, they could see Anri-sensei, who shouldn't be with her.

"Shna-kun! And also, Anri-sensei!?"

Irisdina and the others were surprised by Anri's appearance, but Shna continued her words regardless.

"We found him"

"Really!?"

Irisdina shouted at Shna's words. She looked around Shna in a hurry, but she couldn't see Nozomu.

"... But I coldn't see Nozomu tho"

"He went into the forest after we talked"

"What did you say!?"

Irisdina shouted when she heard Shna's words. Perhaps because she was so emotional, she instinctively grabbed Shna.

"Why did you let him go!? He's still injured, isn't he!?"

"Irisdina-sa~n! Please calm down~~!"

Anri was surprised by Irisdina who grabbed Shna, but Irisdina was getting more emotional and approached Anri as well.

"Anri-sensei! Why didn't you stop him!?"

"Of course sensei and I tried to stop him! But he said he wanted to go there no matter what. Well, after we talked to him, we understood his feelings as to why he wanted to go there."

Shna remembered Nozomu's appearance when he asked her for a favor.

(I want to calm myself down in Shish's place for today. I'll be waiting at the hut where I guided Shna, Mimuru, and Tom before, so I want everyone to come to that place tomorrow.)

Despite the anxiety and fear hidden behind his eyes, Nozomu still looked straight at them. Even though he was somehow still got pulled back by his grief, Shna and Anri could still feel his strong desire to move forward.

What's more, he had chosen the place of his memories with his master as the designated place to talk to them. There was clearly no better place for him to solidify his will now.

"Nozomu-kun is~. Right now, he is at his master's place."

"Master?"

Irisdina and the others tilted their heads at Anri's words. It was Shna who answered their questions.

"It was the person who taught him the katana technique. It seems that the place he went to was his master's house."

"Was?"

"... Yes, looks like his master is already passed away..."

Shna told Irisdina and the others that Nozomu was talking about his master when they were on the outskirts.

How he met his master and how he began to learn the katana technique. Every day he practiced and continued to swing his katana. And the last words left for him by his master before her death.

"Looks like Nozomu's master left a few words for him at the end, her words were "It's okay to run away. But keep in mind the fact that you are running away. Even if you run away now, if you don't forget about it, you will be able to move forward someday.""

Anyone could understand how deeply the two were bound just from those words. On the other hand, they haven't even been told that Nozomu has a master. Irisdina remembered the pain she felt at the bottom of her heart.

(Did Nozomu couldn't trust us that much ...?)

Such thoughts pierced her heart, and she felt like the time she had spent with him was gradually fading away.

Shna glanced at Irisdina whose head was facing downwards, but she continued her story regardless.

"... And one more thing. He didn't talk about the true nature of his power, but his power might be more dangerous than we think."

"What does that mean?"

Everyone present narrowed their eyes and waited for Shna's answer.

"He said, there's another will in his power, and it thinks that the humans in this city are nothing more than food."

Irisdina's mind recalled the overwhelming power Nozomu displayed in the battle with Rugato.

The torrent of power even affected Rugato's magical power who was covering the mansion. Even such an S-rank powerful person was overwhelmed by Nozomu's power.

Such power. If she thought about it calmly, such overwhelming power would come at some cost.

"~!!"

Irisdina subconsciously bit her lips tightly.

It's no wonder Nozomu's appearance has been strange recently.

Even though she already realized something was wrong...

(Why didn't I ask him before.)

Only regret eroded Irisdina's chest.

"Maybe he has been worried about that power a lot, and he doesn't talk to anyone and keeps suppress it into himself."

"...Does that mean he can't tell us either?"

"Somia..."

Somia, beside Irisdina, muttered with a teary expression.

(That's not the case, Somia. It's because we didn't ask him)

Irisdina tried to comfort her sister, whose tears were about to spill, but Irisdina's mouth couldn't utter those words.

"That's not the case. I think it's the other way around. He couldn't talk because it was important. I know because I have experienced it before. The more I suppressed my worries, the harder it was for me to speak. There were times when my heart became stiff and I couldn't move forward."

However, Shna comforted Somia instead of Irisdina. She went towards Somia and bent down, gently caressing Somia's head with her hand to comfort her.

Irisdina's pain in her chest grew stronger. The back of her eyelids became hot and her tears were about to come out.

"~!!"

Irisdina desperately bit her lip and desperately tried to hold back her tears from falling. Shna glanced at Irisdina's figure with a sideways glance.

"Nozomu is waiting for us at a hut in the depths of the forest. I know the location, so I'll show you the way tomorrow."

"A hut in the forest?"

Upon hearing Shna's words, Mimuru and Tom look puzzled at first, but then they spoke with a surprised expression as if they had noticed something.

"Hey, Shna. About that hut ..."

"Yup, Mimuru. That was the hut we evacuated to before. He asked us to be a guide there."

"... Evacuate?"

"Hey, Shna. About that hut..."

"Yup, Mimuru. It's the hut where we took refuge before. He asked us to be guides when we went there."

"... Refuge?"

Mars and the others were unable to understand Shna's conversation. In addition, the disturbing word "evacuation" made their expressions even sterner.

"I'll tell the story tomorrow, I'll talk when we head to the hut. That hut is where he practiced his katana technique with his master, and it's an unforgettable place for him. Nozomu said he still wants time to think a little, so let him alone for today."

"... But"

Shna wanted to give Nozomu some time. However, Irisdina's voice interrupted her words.

"No-Nozomu is still injured ... So, he'd better rest in a proper place..."

"But that also applies to us. Even if we are familiar with the place, it is not a good idea to enter the forest at night when we are exhausted."

They could sense impatience from Iridina's words. Driven by the frustration swirling in her chest, she thought she should go to Nozomu as soon as possible and she tried to go to the forest. However, her words were immediately refuted by Shna.

"... Stop it, Irisdina"

However, surprisingly, it was Mars who stopped such Irisdina from leaving. Shna's words "everyone is exhausted" awakened his impatient heart.

"If he says we have to wait... so be it. He already said he'll talk properly, right?"

"Yes, he said he would."

Shna nodded and answered Mars who was asking Shna to confirm.

"Then that's enough for me... If it's him, he'll be fine even in the forest at night."

With the words he spoke, Mars was not the usual him which always carried his haughty atmosphere until recently.

"Ara? You're so obedient now. I thought you'd try to enter the forest alone just because it doesn't matter to you."

"...With the things I've done. I have no other choice."

Mars responded powerlessly to Shna's bitter words. He had a self-deprecating smile on his face.

"Is that alright, Irisdina-san?"

The desire to meet Nozomu as soon as possible and the desire not to endanger everyone collided within Irisdina's heart. Somia, who was by her sister's side, gently grasped Irisdina's hand, which was clenching her lips. Feeling her sister's warmth transmitted through her hands, Irisdina slowly nodded at Shna's question.

"Then, let's head out after school tomorrow. The meeting place is on the outskirts as usual."

As everyone parted ways after Shna's words, Mars called out to her as she was about to return.

Shna, umm I'm sorry about today

Mars bowed deeply and apologized. Shna also didn't want to pursue it anymore, because she remembered she did the same thing not too long ago. Previously, when she fought against the black demon beast, she endangered her companions because of her mistakes.

"... Alright. I've received your apology. What you need to do next is to apologize in front of him."

"Yeah, I know."

She mentioned one more person that Mars should apologize to. With just those words, Mars understood it right away.

====================================

After returning to the mansion, Irisdina and Somia returned to their respective room after finishing their dinner. Irisdina fell onto her bed.

Special training and battle with an Undead Dragon. Irisdina's accumulated fatigue after she ran around Arcazam in search of Nozomu and Mars due to the misunderstanding between them reached its peak. Her heavy limbs and exhaustion all over her body immediately tried to lure her into her sleep. However, contrary to her sleepiness, her head refused to sleep, and she ended up sleeping and waking up repeatedly.

(What is he doing now ...)