Chapter 130 – Martial Arts

000

“Ha… Ha…! Sorry! Cleon!”

“No, I’m a little… Kuh… Let’s run anyway!”

The two speed through the streets of the academy, making their way through the crowd.

Her hair is disheveled, and her clothes her have buttons all over the place that are a little hard to imagine if it were Aruru or Cleon.

It was an act that could not be called exemplary even with empty words.

The night sky is covered with ultramarine paint, the sun has already completely disappeared beyond the west, and the number of stars adorning the sky is as full as the number of people spending the last night of the festival.

In addition to that, on the ground of the academy, the lights of magic and other things were made than usual, so people were careful not to end the festival of memories darkly.

Parades are already taking place in large places such as the square where Monad’s coffin is located and the Tower of Aion, and guests with their families gather there to have a good time.

However, at this time of day, if you ask where the fire is the most on this day, it is the huge building where various events of the academy are held.

The grand banquet hall was the same place as the protagonist of the last day and last night of the academy.

The lovers at the academy believe the rumors close to legend and rush into the grand banquet hall, holding hands and dancing to the music, hoping for eternal happiness.

No matter what happens in the future, even if it’s just a superstitious story, at this moment, they will decorate a page of youth that seems to be the main characters of the world as memories.

To ensure that the boys and girls who believed in this fact could safely enjoy the festival, the guards of the great banquet hall stood guard at the entrance.

The time passed 9:00 and was slightly less than 20 minutes. The guards put on proud faces when they heard music and laughter coming from inside.

At that time, a couple of men and women running from a distance on the road leading to the banquet hall caught their eyes.

With their clothes a little disheveled, they hurriedly run up to the entrance, and when they approach the entrance, they talk to them with a wry smile.

“Why don’t you take a deep breath first?”

“I’m sorry… Can I go inside?”

A blonde girl-Aruru Tromeia speaks as she runs her hand through her disheveled hair on her.

Cleon, who was standing next to him, also looked at the guards while adjusting his clothes.

“There’s no problem going inside. You guys, do you have a reservation ticket?”

“…Yes?”

Aruru listens to her guard and expresses that she needs something like that for the first time.

Cleon also learned about this event for the first time today, so he couldn’t have known about the existence of such an object.

“…I’m sorry, but if you don’t have a reservation ticket, you can’t enter after the admission time. That’s the rule…”

The guards look sad and talk to the two.

“…”

“…”

Aruru’s eyebrows curled into her eighth her, an expression of apparent disappointment.

Considering how much she was looking forward to this event, Cleon couldn’t decide what to say to comfort her.

“Aruru…”

“Mi-sorry. Cleon. I really didn’t think it was an event that required reservations…”

Aruru apologizes to Cleon by drooping her shoulders on her, but Cleon shakes her head.

“It can’t be helped. Now, let’s go somewhere else.”

After Cleon patted Aruru on the shoulder of her, he slowly walked back the way he had been holding her hand her.

Normally, the two of them wouldn’t be late for the promised time, but after that, as they overlapped each other several times, they forgot the time and focused on the action.

It was only after I heard the bell ringing at 9 o’clock that I hurriedly left the accommodation and ran at full speed.

“Haa~ I can’t believe I made a mistake like this at the very end…”

Aruru leaned her head against Cleon’s arm her, looking quite melancholy, unlike her usual self her, as if she could n’t shake her disappointment easily.

“Did you really want to attend the prom?”

“Yes, of course… No matter how rumors or legends, there is romance, right?”

Cleon nodded her head lightly, thinking that Aruru’s story was definitely a story with romance.

“…Then, what should I do now?”

“Wait. Let’s think about what kind of events are happening elsewhere…”

Aruru does so, closing her eyes and brooding over her memories of her.

At that time-

“Oh. Instructor Cleon. And Mr. Aruru?”

A woman’s voice calling out to the two of them.

Aruru opened her eyes and looked straight ahead to see Rio Mess wearing her beautiful dress.

It was easy to see where she was going, since what she was wearing was also a prom dress.

“The two of you, why are you here? I thought you must have gone to a prom.”

“That is…”

When Cleon explains everything, Riomes blinks two or three times and nods as if he understands.

And then she spoke with a wry smile.

“You’re young…”

“What about Riomes? Are you heading to the banquet hall from now on?

“Yes. I have a ticket … Mrs. Lude said that she is spending time with her daughter today, although she will be joining the two of them later.”

“Is that so…”

Is she the daughter of Mrs. Lude? She was a Cleon that I couldn’t imagine what kind of person she was.

“Two people. What are you planning to do from now on?”

“Well… I’m going to look for somewhere else to spend my time, but…”

When Cleon glances at Aruru, Aruru nods her head too.

When Riomes heard Cleon’s story, he glanced around and lowered her voice to speak.

“… Then. I guess I’ll have to tell them about another legend I know.”

“…Another legend?”

Aruru opens her eyes wide at Riomes ‘cautious story her.

“Yes~ It’s a legend to the last, but…”

Saying that, she turned her head and looked at the building that stood out anywhere in her academy her, the Tower of Aion.

“For lovers who enter the rooftop of Aion Tower, the blessings of the stars fall… “

“Is there such a legend…”

Cleon thought that there are also legends with looser conditions than he thought.

Aruru, next to Cleon, exclaimed, “Whoa… Hmm… Huh…?” And tilted her head.

“No, wait. The roof of the tower of Aion is normally open to anyone who is the senior? Of course, ordinary students as long as they have permission. Is there really such a legend?”

“No. The one I just made up.”

Riomes neatly answered Aruru’s point without making excuses. Aruru and Cleon were at a loss for words at that confidence, but Riomes continued.

“Certainly. I admit that in this world where magic and gods exist, the weight of legends is extraordinary. The relationship between a man and a woman is the fruit of each other’s hearts. They cherish each other, and even if they fight sometimes, they must always connect with each other’s hearts. If you wish, the lover’s ending will reach a happy ending.”

Rio Mes gave advice to the two of them, putting his thoughts into his own mouth.

After hearing Riomes’ story, Aruru and Cleon shut their mouths for a while and look at each other.

“But… That place is rarely visited by people at this time of day. Even if it’s locked, you won’t have any doubts. In addition, the night sky seen through the window on the roof floor is quite special. Even if it’s not a legend, it’s quiet. Do you think it’s a perfect place to spend time alone for the two of you?”

After talking that far, Riomes greets the two by lifting her skirt slightly and walks past them.

The two people left there briefly moved their gaze toward the back of Riomes.

Quietly, he began to move his steps.

001

The Tower of Aion was a great place for its symbolism, but it was a place where all the nerves were concentrated on Vitos’ warehouse.

There was no such thing as a secret room on the top floor that would be possible in a place like this, it was just a space where people didn’t come in and it was cleaned from time to time.

Instead, if you look out the window, you can see the whole area of ​​the academy, and if you look up, you can see the stars closest to the academy.

It was just a place for scenery.

“Isn’t Cleon here for the first time?”

Aruru spoke to Cleon, who followed behind and carefully closed the door.

She walked closer to the window where the moonlight streamed in and smiled a little pleasantly.

Speaking of a place where only the two of us could be together, it was the same as the inn we had been in until now.

Unlike the place where the sensational atmosphere prevailed, it was a place where a man and a woman really had a tryst, so the disappointment and sadness of not being able to participate in the ball seemed to have disappeared to some extent.

“Yes. It’s a place you don’t usually come in. Have you ever been in?”

“Yeah. Sometimes, when I run out of places to store things like supplies that students need to use temporarily, I move them here. At that time, when I’m in the tower, I’ll help move them.”

But, fortunately, there were no such things as furnishings or luggage around now.

Cleon approaches the window where Aruru is standing and looks up at the sky.

Certainly, thanks to being the closest place to the sky in the academy, the view is on a different level compared to other places.

And the cliffs of the valley and the dragons that fly in the sky are invisible to block the cluster of stars that decorate the sky. It was a safe place.

Cleon feels a bit dizzy at the reality of recalling the scene from his childhood without her even knowing it.

The existence of Aruru standing next to him supported such Cleon’s limbs.

“…Nice. Not bad.”

As Cleon unknowingly puts those words on her lips with a smile on her lips, Aruru blinks her eyes.

“I think this is the first time Cleon has ever talked about it.”

“…Okay?”

Cleon turned her head to Aruru’s words.

“Yes. He likes something. Of course, there were times when he ran into emotions with me and other people… But Cleon said he likes something in front of me… It seems like this is the first time.”

“…Maybe that’s the case. It’s because I’m aware that I’m clumsy at expressing things like that.”

[That’s Cleon’s charm, though.]

Hearing Galatea’s voice coming from his waist her, Cleon put his hand on the handle of his sword her.

“Cleon likes stars.”

“…Ever since I was little. It’s in a place so high that I can’t reach it, but it always shines by being there. When I was young, it seemed to protect the scary night sky.”

Everything around her seemed like a barrier to her childhood self.

The only thing I can rely on is the magic sword, my only partner with a small carving knife, and under the roof of the spire that I can look up at the sky.

In a town where adults, wyverns, and children of their age all have dark faces.

It was the only place Cleon could see the light.

But even then, sticking your head out or extending your arms from under the roof was unthinkable.

If you show a gap, the Y-bundle will rush in and try to rip you off.

Could he have imagined that he would be able to look up at the sky from such a safe place?

A feeling of unreality. Wouldn’t this fantasy-like present be a dream that will wake you up?

Cleon stretches his hand out the window as if to check it out. Despite being so high, the stars were still out of reach.

There is a flashback to the back of a woman standing in the white flash of light in the curtain of such a sky.

When she closed and opened her eyes, the figure of her disappeared, but she could see her own hand her clenched into a fist.

Aruru looks at Cleon, and she grabs his hand that remains beside her.

“…No matter how high the star Cleon is chasing, we will definitely be by your side.”

Aruru speaks quietly. Because she also got a glimpse of his past while connecting with Cleon.

“… No matter how high Cleon flies, I will hold this hand tightly so that he will not fly to a place of no return.”

Saying that, Aruru took her hand that held her, and she unknowingly gave strength to her hand her.

It wasn’t just the physical connection that was felt in her strongly connected hands to her.

A fate that was close to inevitability was holding onto Cleon.

“…I seem to have gotten to know a lot of nice guys…”

There was also a relationship that started with a close relationship with enemies.

There was also a bad relationship that was inevitable.

‘It is the fate of a magic swordsman to subdue and dominate everything’

When Galatea first awakens, she recalls what was whispered to her.

However, if so. If that’s really the case

Isn’t that what humans who see themselves as monsters like the Demon Sword Emperor just because they’re a magician of the Dark Demon clan want it?

Besides, if he gets himself completely blacked out.

Surely, in front of the brilliant golden light that they will meet again, they will burn and disappear without being able to maintain themselves.

That’s why Cleon didn’t forget compassion. He didn’t give up mercy. He did not bury the relationship.

It’s okay to be laughed at for childish reasons like ‘being a good kid’.

‘Cleon is kind.’

Someday. From Sophia. I recall what I heard from Lesia.

Galatea said that she was soft on herself.

Indeed, Cleon helped himself.

“Cleon.”

Aruru holds Cleon’s hand and falls slightly from her window. She looked like she was waiting for something.

[Cleon.]

As Cleon stared at Aruru for a moment, Galatea’s voice flowed into her head.

[…Ah. I know.]

This time I didn’t need advice like I did during the day.

Cleon stood in front of such Aruru, slightly bent his waist her, and raised her hand her, which had been facing her sky, on his chest her.

“Aruru Tromeia. Will you dance with me? It’s a small room without any legends or rumors.”

“There is no music, no crowd, but there is a light called moonlight, so it is enough.”

As Aruru replied, she politely lifted the hem of her skirt and bowed her back.

Soon, Cleon moves with slightly awkward steps.

Leading was Aruru.

The beats of the two were off-beat.

Sometimes her feet her twisted and her posture faltered.

But, it was fine with that.

What each wanted was neither perfection nor the assurance that they would be happy forever.

Because it was such a fantastic story.

Cleon’s story was not a fairy tale to teach a lesson.

The story of Aruru was not a play with assigned roles.

The story of the two was the most arbitrary story in the world of ‘reality’.

Under the moonlight, you can laugh while dancing clumsily.

Living while thinking of an undetermined future.

To struggle toward the next page of such uncertainty is what it is.

It was the story of their lives.

It wasn’t such a bad night.