92 – in place left behind

A week has passed since the day the monsters invaded the academy.

Reynolds Academy had an early break.

According to the original schedule, winter vacation would not have arrived until about two weeks later, but

Because the damage suffered during the previous invasion had not yet been fully restored, the academy had no choice but to advance the vacation schedule.

“Haa… what the hell is this…”

The principal of Reynolds Academy, Coron Logesia, looked blankly at the pile of papers on her desk.

On her face, thick fatigue accompanied by dark circles was engraved.

“sh*t.”

Korn pressed down on his sore eyes and spat out a small curse.

With her other hand, she was going through the student list and continuing her work.

“Whoa… First of all, Cadel Avons, this guy goes back to his parents’ house… Lucas Anderson’s home too… Simon stays in the dormitory, Dana Grimes…”

The task of classifying and recording students who go down to their home during vacation and those who stay in the dormitory.

It was a tedious task that would normally have been taken on by other assistant professors.

As the situation was a situation, all the issues dealing with the detailed information of the students had to be directed to her as the principal.

ㅡ square square…..

Inside the principal’s office littered with papers, only the sound of pen and paper rubbing quietly echoed.

Korn paused for a moment at the familiar name he found among the student list.

[Leiden Resit]

-Scheduled to head to the main house (the mansion of the Duke of Lisit).

-Scheduled departure date from the dormitory_ December 13th.

“Hmm… it’s December 13th… it’s just today.”

Korne muttered as she wrote down the name of her former comrade and son of an old friend on the record sheet.

.

.

.

“Brother… you have to get up now… It’s time for the carriage.”

“…Yes, I’ll get up.”

I opened my eyes, answering vaguely at Rachel’s voice ringing in my ears.

I had to frown for a moment at the light that broke into my blurry vision.

“Miss Ariel is waiting for you.”

“Yes… let’s go.”

I get out of the bed that was holding my body, and step on the floor with my staggered legs.

After staggering for a while, unable to handle her own weight, Rachel, who was standing in front of the door, reached out to help.

I shook my head, gently pushing away the helping hand.

“It’s okay, Rachel… I don’t need it.”

“young master….”

Rachel hesitates at my reaction and makes a strange expression.

Various emotions such as sadness, pity, and worry were painted over her face.

After ‘that day’, it was the expression Rachel often showed.

Seeing that expression that evokes a feeling somewhere in my heart, I let out a small saliva and moved my body.

“Then… let’s go, Rachel.”

“Yes, Bocchan.”

I take the coat hanging on the hanger and leave the dormitory.

I took one last look at the room I would never return to, and walked slowly.

ㅡ trudge…

After spending a week in a dark room, the weather outside was still winter.

Entering the cold winter air, Rachel and I quietly walked towards the carriage stop.

ㅡwheehee…..

The blowing winter wind disturbed the bangs that were blocking the view.

I was lost in thought for a moment while tying my bangs, covering my eyes and stepping out of the way.

‘…..Already, five days have passed.’

‘that day’.

Five days had already passed since the day everything in this life was ruined.

—-Everything… Go away…

—-Get out of my sight…! Looking at your faces makes me feel like I’m going crazy…!!

After making the most of the mess that had broken out in the worst possible way, I locked myself in my room and didn’t move a single step.

I spent time in a daze, lying on the bed without doing anything and not even having a will.

Regret, resentment, emptiness, loneliness…

It was part of the emotions that I constantly chewed between the consciousnesses that were submerged in a daze.

At the same time, they were also things that had no meaning now.

‘I won’t do things like clinging to happiness that doesn’t work anymore…’

Exhausted.

It was the last short phrase left in my empty, empty mind.

Whether it refers to the mental part or to the physical part.

I was clearly exhausted.

So, I decided to leave this world.

I made up my mind to sever the string of life that had been going on for so long.

That was the last decision I made using all five days.

“……”

The exhaustion that oppresses the body without knowing or knowingly makes the dry eye area spread slightly.

What was reflected in the blurred vision was the blue winter sky.

If you walk quietly, wiping the lukewarm solid lines that run down your cheeks like that,

A few steps ahead, a worried voice is heard.

“young master….”

“…..ah.”

Realizing belatedly that Rachel was looking in my direction, I hurriedly turned my head.

It was an attempt to hide the appearance of crying even a little… but it seems that there was no effect.

Because Rachel’s already dark expression sank even deeper.

“……”

“Ugh… whoa…”

I tried to catch my breath to stop crying, but the tears that had already burst out didn’t stop easily.

He lowers his head while repeatedly wiping his eyes with his hands.

Rachel looked at me like that for a moment without saying a word,

Soon after, he started walking again and came closer to me.

Then he opened his arms wide and hugged me tightly.

“R-Rachel…?”

A warm body temperature suddenly penetrated into the cold body.

As I shuddered slightly in embarrassment, Rachel pulled her hand around her waist tighter and said,

“…Stay still.”

A soft voice whispered slowly in my ears.

A lukewarm breath felt from the chest.

The warmth of the warm hand that touches your back and the warmth that is transmitted as your body touches your body.

It all reached me.

“…why are you doing that?”

“You’re not asking because you don’t know…?”

To my short question, you gave a short answer.

As if to say nothing more.

ㅡwheehee…..

In the scattering winter wind, we stood like that for a while.

you hold me

I was stunned and my body stiffened.

The time when the warmth that makes my head go blank seeped into me more and more.

I came to my senses a few beats late.

The tears that had flowed had stopped before I knew it, and my unstable breathing had also returned.

“Have you calmed down now?”

The warmth that was warmly surrounding me asked me that.

The existence of that warmth clearly felt in the cold winter air,

I had to feel a strong stomach ache once again.

“……”

….yes, warmth.

Come to think of it, it was all because of this f*cking warmth.

ㅡI want to stay in this world for a little while longer.

ㅡI guess it makes me feel uncomfortable to leave like this…

The time when I was given the opportunity to leave this place.

If it hadn’t been for the shallow warmth that this world breathed into holding my hand,

I would have left this world without any regrets and left for the promised happiness.

‘If I had left then… I wouldn’t have been hurt at all…’

Waves of self-blame and regretful laments aim at themselves.

I was stupid as always, and I was an idiot who couldn’t make a choice for myself.

It was already too late for everything.

The situation was ruined, and I was determined to leave this place.

“…Get away, Rachel.”

I gently pushed Rachel’s body away.

Following my feeble touch, the body of the brown girl who was holding me was slowly pushed away.

“young master….”

Shaking brown eyes.

I turned away and turned away from him.

……Please, I hope you don’t shake me any more.

I clenched my fists as I felt the warmth escape from my arms.

Cut off a side of the emotion called lingering, and lock the door of the tattered heart.

singly.

and one more.

Organize complex thoughts.

As he prepares to leave, he exhales for the last time.

It was time to say goodbye.

“Rachel.”

“yes…?”

“…I’m leaving.”

“……”

At the words I spat out, Rachel shut her mouth.

As if expecting it, Rachel lowered her head and bit her lip.

After a moment of silence, she spoke again.

“Where… are you going…”

“…..far.”

Because I couldn’t bear to come up with the answer ‘I’m about to disappear from this world’,

I just answered ‘far’ and evaded the question.

“I’ll follow you too.”

“no.”

“Are you going to come back…?”

“……no.”

Rachel’s expression was calm, but her face was white.

If you turn your gaze obliquely to the feeling that your heart aches and your throat heats up,

Thin fingers grab the sleeves of my clothes.

“You said you wouldn’t leave…”

The voice ringing in my ears was dangerous, as if it would break at any moment.

I calmed down my voice and spoke softly.

“……Sorry.”

A short word passes between us.

It was only three words, but it was cruel enough.

Rachel’s hand holding the sleeve of her dress falls helplessly into the air.

I chewed my lips once again, feeling the weight disappear from my arm.

sorry.

Because this is all I can say

I muttered that in my heart, and started moving my steps again.

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.

.

On the other hand, an unknown space that exists in Raiden’s consciousness.

In a space hidden so deeply that even Raiden himself could not recognize it,

Two boys with blurry shapes were talking while standing side by side.

“Ehh… it ended up like this…”

“I can’t help it… To be honest, it was a bit irresponsible to say that I didn’t collapse and endured in that situation.”

The boys, each in the form of Naru and Raiden, were peering into the real situation through the window of their consciousness.

“Damn… this is going to give Rachel some trouble…”

“That’s right…”

The two boys, who were strangely similar to each other, murmured and sighed.

In the midst of the long silence, the one who opened his mouth again was the one with Naru’s appearance.

“…So, what are we going to do now?”

“what?”

“We… I mean ‘me’. Are you going to leave me mentally drained like that?”

“It can’t be helped? As long as the wall is blocking it, there’s no way we can directly intervene…”

“It’s bullsh*t, when will the iron mind go out?”

“Oh right.”

Raiden slapped his knee as if he had belatedly reminded of Naru’s point.

He wiped the corners of his mouth, seemed to be lost in thought for a moment, and then opened his mouth again.

“Um… well, isn’t that obvious? I have to tell you about the ‘truth’ that I haven’t been able to tell you in the meantime.”

“Is that too…”

“Because nothing is as effective as that.”

Raiden nodded at Naru’s reaction and continued talking.

“All you have to do is make them realize that the love they were receiving was not a lie, but real love.”

“…Is that easy?”

“Wouldn’t it be difficult? Because you and I are here.”

Raiden speaks with a confident voice.

Naru let out a shallow breath as if he was relieved by Raiden’s affirmation.

“Anyway, prepare it. So that we can reach ‘me’.”

“yes.”

The boys who exchanged only unknown conversations from beginning to end,

Finally, they patted each other on the shoulder and disappeared.

After the two shapes were scattered, only dark silence lingered in the remaining space.