LIGHTNOVELONLINE Chapter 168: Anomaly
“Quitting school? What’s that supposed to mean?”
The heroes were confused by what Saeki had said and the thunderstorm outside gave it the illusion of bad news. Saeki left the school and Ichijo was there leaning against the wall at the entrance with a smile on his face. He felt as though he was watching Saeki grow.
“I’m leaving the school to go to Greyberg. My aim is to become a Paladin.”
Saeki looked away as he said this.
“Greyberg? What happened at the Inquisition?”
Kawachi was the one who asked but everyone was waiting to hear the answer.
“Sonoda was right, Nito was found not guilty.
Saeki’s voice was monotone when he answered.
“Yeah……”
Kenshiro Sonoda, he is always in the library. He was there during his time in Greyberg and can still often be found there at fishnatica. However lately he has been hanging around with everyone but if you looked at him when he replied to Saeki calling his name you could see that he was reading a book even now.
Before the inquisition had even been held Sonoda had said that Nito would be found not guilty. Saeki didn’t put much weight in what he had said since Sonoda never really talks anyway but he was surprised to find that he had been right.
“Not guilty? ….Why?….”
Everyone here look dissatisfied, the only one who wasn’t was Ichijo.
“Currently it doesn’t seem that there is a human alive who is actually capable of killing that guy. I was told that it was best to just monitor him for now instead of killing him.”
“It’s best not to kill him?”
Iida didn’t agree with the ruling.
“Iida I don’t agree with it either and I spoke out saying that the ruling was strange. However it was the kings decisions”
Saeki wasn’t an idiot he had understood what Arthur said but he wasn’t calm enough at the moment to be able to explain it to the others.
“So, what do you mean that you’re going to become a paladin?”
Saeki stood there wondering how to respond to Majima’s question, he wasn’t smiling at anyone particular but was instead smiling at himself. Saeki was amazed that he was actually trying to answer everyone’s questions.
“Yeah, I should have noticed this a little sooner but we need to unite, otherwise we won’t be able to survive in this world.”
Some of them were confused by Saeki’s intent to leave the school. In face when the demons had attacked the academy Saeki was the first to act protecting the other heroes. He was now an important part of their group.
“Four years. In four years I will be a paladin and in four years you guys need to become stronger. Become strong enough to live on your own.”
“Saeki….Is this about Aries?”
It was Hiragi who asked but everyone had been aware of what was going on with Saeki for some time.
“I can’t say anything right now….Even I don’t know what’s going to happen.”
Saeki didn’t know what was going on with him in that regard so he couldn’t answer. However most of the heroes were tolerant towards him and some even chose to just ignore his ‘condition’.
“Saeki, since you’ve decided on this you have to see it through to the end.”
Iida said with a smile.
“Yeah….”
Saeki replied.
“Ichijo, you said that I should wake up. This is my answer.”
Even now Saeki still things about Aries despite what Arthur had said to him. In fact the main reason for him going to Greyberg was so that he could carry on the will of Aries.
“Saeki, Alright I’m going to.”
Kida suddenly announced that he was going as well.
“No…. I’m going to be the only one going. Kida, don’t just follow after me anymore. Live your own live and choose what to do on your own.”
Kida didn’t say anything back. He hadn’t expected to be rejected like that and was at a loss for words.
“But what are we supposed to do Saeki? We aren’t as strong as the world things that we are. If Saeki is gone….”
Haruhiko was worried about Saeki leaving but Jessica his girlfriend grabbed his hand firmly.
“Weren’t you going to become adventurers?”
Saeki responded to Haruhiko’s question with a question to everyone there. It wasn’t just Haruhiko that felt anxiety hearing that Saeki was leaving. Koizumi and his friends were gone and now Saeki was next. All of them were feeling the same thing, that one day everyone else would disappear and they would be left alone.
“We are inseparable from each other. We may not have the best relationship with each other but we are friends. So I’m going to tell you something before I go.”
Then Saeki seemed to almost spit out his next words.
“Stop chasing after Hidaka’s shadow. He’s dead.”
Saeki had noticed something.
“I know now, that the people in this world are cruel and they won’t hesitate to kill anyone. I’m probably still hesitant myself but I will have to get used to it and become a Paladin. You guys need to get used to it as well but you can’t do that if you’re chasing after the shadow of a dead friend.”
“Friend?….”
Kawachi was surprised at what Saeki had said.
“Yeah… Hidaka was a friend as well. And…..I killed him.”
Everyone listened quietly to what Saeki said, they never expected to hear something like that come out of his mouth.
“But those who are incompetent are killed. That’s what kind of world this is. If we stay like we are now that will happen to us someday. But I’m not willing to let that happen to me in silence. Even you guys don’t want to be silently killed right? Hidaka is dead so we can’t save him anymore. So you need to live for him as well. Aries killed him and at that time I admit that it was what I wanted as well. None of you stopped it either so everyone here feels guilty right? If thats the case then get strong enough to live. Live for not only yourself but live for Hidaka as well.”
Saeki looked at all there faces before finally saying goodbye to Kida who was looking at the floor.
“Thank you for all your help Kida. Take care of him for me everyone. Oh right, take this.”
Saeki threw Kida the robe that Oswald had given him.
“Protect them…Kida.”
“Saeki….”
“You too will one day realize that we are the worst kind of people. Even though I say this I still don’t feel guilty about what happened to Hidaka, thats what kind of person I am. But one day you’re going to notice this. When he does everyone please help him out.”
Saeki smiled.
“I’m sure Koizumi and the others are out there somewhere living their own lives as well. So we should emulate that as well shouldn’t we?”
Saeki walked towards the entrance.
“By everyone.”
He stopped in front of the door.
“Ichijo…..”
“Hmm?”
“I won’t forgive you.”
“…….Okay.”
“But you are still a friend. But apparently I’m crazy. Even if I don’t realize it myself.”
“……”
“But even if I am crazy I’m going to heal. And the next time I see you I will be laughing and celebrating our reunion. Until then stay safe, for Hidaka as well.”
“Fu, You’ve changed huh. But….yeah. Stay alive.”
They smiled at each other for a moment before Saeki left the classroom they were all in. He was hurrying down the corridor towards Arthur’s carriage when he saw Joanna and David at the end of the hallway.
“Are you going then Saeki?”
Dave asked.
“Yeah…..”
“If that is what Saeki has decided then I won’t say anything about it.”
Joanna was reluctant to say goodbye.
“You guys have helped me a lot. Thanks to you to I was able to learn more about magic. You have my thanks.”
“It kind of makes me feel uneasy hearing you say that.”
“Saeki doesn’t really say thank you all that much.”
“Heh…Thank you. Thanks to the two of you I was able to compete in the tournament and you helped me become who I am now. I think of you as my best friends, you’re the first friends I’ve made in this world.”
Joanna turned away to hide her face.
“What’s the matter Joanna are you crying?”
David was amused.
“I’m not crying! Don’t say anything that stupid!”
Saeki smiled gently at them.
“Thanks you two.”
Saeki passed between them and they stared at his back. David looked a little lonely while Joanna’s eyes were red.
………
After a while they could no longer see Saeki.
After that Saeki had left with Arthur in order to achieve his own goals.
▽
“Welp, I’ll be leaving as well.”
Ichijo announced to everyone.
“Ichijo, what are you doing now a days? What happened back then?”
Kawachi asked.
“I left Greyberg on my own in order to find Hidaka. I told some of you didn’t I? Saijo didn’t you tell everyone?”
“I…did not.”
“I see…”
No one blamed him for that though, he wasn’t the only one that had been invited to go look for Hidaka and they all had refused.
“So what are you going to do now? Are you still going to go look for Hidaka?”
Hiragi asked?
“Yeah while I’m traveling around I’m still looking for him. I haven’t founded him yet but I need to get stronger as well. So for now I’m traveling with someone who has been teaching me magic.”
“And….thats…..”
Saeki was curious as she remembered how Ichijo was on the battlefield.
“So you managed to get strong right? What kind of person are they? Do you think they would teach me too?”
Ichijo was quiet, he couldn’t rightly say that he was being taught by Dragon’s heart.
“I got stronger mainly because I’m a ‘hero’. That and it’s the result my training. Emi might be able to become stronger if you trained hard.”
“I see….”
The sound of thunder and the rain continued, Emi had asked if she could learn magic with him too but she was refused.
“I’m not saeki but I’ll be stronger in four years as well. So until then everyone focus on graduating. In four years I’ll come see you guys again and we can all go look for Hidaka.”
Ichijo flipped his hood up and opened the door.
“When I see Koizumi again I’ll tell them about you guys.”
Ichijo left that classroom and proceeded down the hallway.
“Ichijo!”
Ichijo turned around to see Kotori standing there.
“Kotori? Whats wrong?”
Kotori was out of breath as she had run to catch him. Once she had caught her breath she asked her question.
“Ichijo, do you know Nito?”
“Yeah but? ….What’s wrong? If you’re looking for Nito you should probably hurry. I heard that he was about to leave the academy.”
“What? ….Why?….”
Kotori was at a loss for words. How could Masamune just leave without saying anything to her?
“It seems like he has been expelled so he’s leaving the school today.”
Masamune had chosen to leave today. Even if he hadn’t been expelled he would have still left today. Hearing that, Kotori no longer cared for Ichijo and took off. Ichijo was confused by how she was acting and called out to her but she ignored him and continued to run.
“Haah…..Haaaah…”
Kotori ran out of Fishnatica and dashed past the venue on her way to Halekuwait.
“Haaah……Haaaaah…..Haaaah….”
She was not at the main gate in front of Halekuwait. She was now standing there soaked staring at the back of a large carriage. There was no way that she should have known that Masamune was in there but somehow she did. Her shoulders were shaking as she stared at it still out of breath.
“Why Masamune?”
However her thoughts did not reach him.
▽
When Francesca had heard that Schnieser would be taking Nito with him to Dams Arden they had immediately contacted him. This was the result of that. However Nito was not in the mood to be interviewed and asked the two of them to wait until later.
“Are you sure it’s fine?”
Toa asked.
“What?”
“Kotori… She was your childhood friend wasn’t she?”
“…..Yeah.”
“Did you not want to go see her? Or is it because you’re still hiding your identity?”
“….Yeah.”
What is Nito thinking about right now?
“Nito, Are you sure thats okay?”
“…..Toa.”
“Hmm?”
“You are my only support.”
Nito said while looking out the window. His voice was weak.
“I don’t need them anymore.”
“Because of your revenge?”
“…….”
“You don’t need them anymore because they betrayed you?”
It was difficult for Nito to answer that. For some reason Nito’s mood had been affected by the rain.
“I wonder.”
“Are you going to kill her?”
“……..I don’t know.”
“…….”
“But I want to her to be happy.”
“Huh? Happy?”
“Yeah, It will be fine as long as she’s happy. Happier than me even. Be happy for me.”
“For you? What do you mean? Have you forgiven her?”
“Forgiven her? …….I wonder.”
Nito didn’t feel like answering that question.
“……”
Toa just looked at Nito in silence.
“Toa? I want to know more about you.”
“Huh?”
Toa was confused by Nito’s sudden request.
“I want to know more about you.”
“……..”
“Talk more with Sufilia and Nem, and if you have any problems then tell me immediately.”
Toa didn’t really understand what he was talking about. Nito thought that he would explain but he just continued to stare out the window.
“Yeah….Okay.”
Toa smiled as she continued to gaze at Nito.