Chapter 52 (The sky of early afternoon)

"Cecil-san mansion... in other words, the Arclight family residence is it ?" 
"Yes... there"s a mansion owned by Arclight family in the imperial city. I"ve come to the academy from that place instead of staying in the dormitory. with Zix and Hirgiz." 

I remembered the night when I met her for the first time. 
I see, at that time, she must be just got back from the academy, isn"t it ? 
... Come to think of it, what is the relation between Cecil-san, Zix, and Hirgiz-san I wonder ? 
Siblings... does not seem to be so... 

"And then today, I plan on inviting the two of you to my mansion. emm, are you both already eat lunch ?" 
"No, I have not yet." 
"If that the case, what do you think ? let"s have lunch together ?" 
"I"m sorry, but, I must decline." 

The one who answered that is Kyurie-san, then she began to rise from the chair. 

"You don"t have to be reserved you know, Kyurie ?" 
"No, I have some business to do..." 
"Is it an important business ?" 
"Well, you can say that... and alsoー" 

Kyurie-san put her hand on Cecil-san shoulder. 

"Today, I"ll yield to you." 
"Kyurie..." 
"Ah and one more thing, Cecil." 
"Yes ?" 
"That clothes, it really suits you." 
"Eh ?" 
"Fuun... it"s a bit embarra.s.sing, but, that is my impression. well, I can understand now why boys make a fuzz of it..." 

And then Kyurie-san looked at me. 

"Well then, see you later." 

After saying that, she leaves the room. 
Now there"s only Cecil-san left. 

"Aーau..." 

She seems to be quite embarra.s.sed. 
With her cheek dyed in red, Cecil-san grasps the hem of her skirt in embarra.s.sment. 

"B-Being praised by Kyurie like that, somehow it"s unexpected...emmー" 

Cecil-san then turns her eyes on the clock. 

"First... may I say something ?" 
"Sure..." 
"She unexpectedly, able to put into words her true feeling smooth ?" 
"I can understand you... that"s why, I was taken by surprise" 

*Haa* Cecil-san exhale some breath and loosen her shoulder. 

"Unfair... that was unfair you know ?" 

Cecil-san put her hands on her cheek to cool off her heated cheek and frowned. 

"Although it"s a roundabout way, I want to surpa.s.s her or rather... to be honest I was envious of her." 

Hmm... 
I guess this is the so called when people jealous of each other ? 
Though I think that people have their own good point. 

"Well, anyway..." 

Cecil-san said that and change the topic. 

"Kurohiko will you come to my place?" 
"Well, since you"ve especially invited me. and besides, I can"t go to the sacred ruin for a while either..." 

With that being the case. 
I go with Cecil-san to the front gate after I got permission from the old doctor which who sipped a hot water in the lobby of the a.s.sembly hall. 
A carriage stops near the gate. 

Thin cloud drifting slowly in this early afternoon sky. 
The wind which occasionally brush my cheek feels warm. 
The sounds of leaves shaking by the calm wind giving off a calm feeling. 
This day certainly feels like the embodiment of spring-like season. 

"Oh ? you"re from that night..." 

The carriage driver lifted his hat lightly and then say h.e.l.lo. 
I remember this person. 
If I"m not mistaken, this person called Banton. 
I make a slight bow. 

"Please to meet you, I"m Sagara Kurohiko. I"ve been in the great care of Cecil-san." 
"Fumu. You"re the boy from that night right ?" 

Banton squints his eyes then stares at me as if trying to guess something. 

"T-That"s right." 
"Is there any person who can change in a short amount of time ?... no, this might be because of youth. well, then please get on..." 
"Well then Kurohiko, please get in." 

With Baton-san urged, and Cecil-san pushing my back while joking. 

"Well then Baton, I"ll leave it to you." 
"Understood, my lady." 

The door opened. 

"Ah..." 

Inside the carriage, Zix and Hirgiz-san are there. 
The two of them sat down next to each other. 

"Nn ? Kyurie Velstein didn"t come ?" 

Zix asked Cecil-san. 

"Yes, she has some business today." 
"Is that so... Kurohiko, is your body alright already ?" 
"Yes, it"s alright." 
"I see..." 

Zix nodded then shows a relieved face. 
The carriage began moving after I and Cecil-san boarded in. 

Ooh... the vibration. 
Because this is the first time I get into a carriage, that is my first impression. 

The carriage goes down the slope toward the town while keeping a moderate speed. 
I looked at the scenery from the gla.s.s window. 
This is such a refreshing day, or so I thought. 

"Come to think Zix wearing a uniform... do you have any business at the academy ?" 

Currently, the only one who didn"t wear a uniform is Cecil-san. 
Zix-san and Hirgiz-san wear a uniform on their body. 
The to people wearing uniform looked at each other. 

"Well, that because, right ?" 
"... it"s troublesome to choose clothes." 

Zix then looked at me and then nodded. 

"Well, that"s how it is." 

........................... 
In this world, there"s also that kind of thing I guess. 
The so-called 『Uniform and suit comfort』. 
That reminds me, after graduating from high school and at the time when I was about entering university, I feel like choosing clothes is such a troublesome thing. 

We then have a small conversation when we wait to arrive at the mansion. 
We talked about the sacred ruin a little bit, then the daily life conversation returned after that. 
As for the information, I got from it... Hirgiz-san seems to be a person who likes sweet things, and that"s about it. 
After the topic drifted here and there for a while, the topic moved to the murder case that had been taking place in the imperial city. 

"That"s why, it"s dangerous lately. that"s why..." 

Zix directed with her chin four swords in its sheath. 
Those four swords are being hung on the carriage wall. 

"Just in case, we brought our own sword see ?" 

Zix and Hirgiz-san each of them one sword. 
Then the other two are belong to the dual sword user Cecil-san. 

"Emm, Kurohiko." 

Cecil-san opened her mouth slowly. 

"I"m hesitating as to whether or not I should inform you about this, the first man killed by the murderer... was the man who got involved with Kurohiko that night." 
"Eh ?" 
"On the dead body, it is said that there was a countless cut different from the bruise which had cause for the death." 
"... Is... that so..." 

I see... 
That big man have been murdered huh ? 
Somehow I have a complicated feeling. 
I don"t know if I should be happy or not. 
..................... 
No, I guess I can"t lie huh ?. 
Unfortunatelyー 

I feel nothing. 

I don"t feel anything. 
When I killed a goblin I also like this... 
By any chance, am I strange ? 

Also this sense... I feel nostalgic about it. 
For exampleー right, just like at the time at the previous world. 
I saw the world as its lost meaning. 
Just like that, the sense of interest becomes nothing. 

"I"m sorry for me to talk about weird things... please don"t mind about it." 

Cecil-san with anxious looks holds my hand with her own hand. 

"... Yes..." 

Or rather I"m more worried because 『I don"t mind』 about it... 

"Fufufu, by the way, I would like to change the topic but..." 
"Yes, what is it ?" 
"Kurohiko, what kind of womenー" 

At that time 

*Crash* 

............. 

An arm. 

Broke through the window of the carriage. 

"... Eh ?" 

What justー 
Probably because it"s too sudden, everyone is unable to react properly. 
Then, 

Then from the other side of the window, one man appeared. 

Ghastly eyes. 
An unshaven face. 
A hair which being tied, long enough reaching his waist. 
Brawny arm. 

The man looking around inside the carriage. 
And then that eyes stopped, 

"I see, indeed an unrivaled beauty. youー are you Cecil Arclight ?" 

It was Cecil-san. 

The man lifted his end of mouth and laughed abominably with *Kakaka* 

"Well nowー" 

That is definitely an expression of joy. 


"Let"s began the battle."