I Became the Academy's Pink Airhead

Chapter 18

I Became the Academy's Pink Airhead - Chapter 18

On the way back to school again.

We hitched a ride on a large vehicle of members from going on a business trip to the northeastern district near . They welcomed us without much comment, as they had already been informed of our ride-sharing by Maya.

Even as I boarded the vehicle, I felt a bit regretful and looked at the main gate of one last time.

Even now, amid numerous students walking towards the train station or boarding the vehicles they came in, there were students hugging each other in regret, shouting to meet again and promising reunions.

Looking at them, I was reminded of one face I regrettably couldn’t meet.

Cold silver-white.

But a girl hiding hot ambition in her heart.

‘...In the end, I couldn’t see Hilde’s face at all.’

Although I had thought I would definitely go to meet her someday. On the other hand, I had felt burdened about seeing Hilde’s face, angry at me for winning and running away. It was a subtle feeling of both regret and relief at the same time.

‘...But we will definitely meet.’

When that time comes.

I must definitely apologize to Hilde.

Even if you are destined to become the strongest, and I was destined to become the weakest. If we meet again after finishing all our duties, let’s definitely compete.

‘You’ll probably have become even stronger.’

If we fight again someday, she will definitely beat me.

Because.

I... ‘Clara’ can no longer become stronger.

“...”

Even so.

I will do my best in the match.

As much as the time I won and ran away.

Colliding with her with all my might was my atonement.@@@@

But it wasn’t time yet.

“We’re departing now! everyone! Please board!”

Like that, we sat huddled in the cargo compartment loaded with various materials and tools.

Alvit was sitting right next to me, and marveled at how I had managed to find a vehicle going in the direction of .

“I was at a loss for how to get back... Thank goodness.”

“Fortunately there were kind people going in this direction―☆”

“I wondered where you went when you suddenly disappeared.”

“I’ve had occasions to come to from before☆ I fatefully made acquaintances―☆ How about it? Isn’t it somehow romantic to live helping each other? Yes―☆”

“...I see.”

Somehow Alvit didn’t nitpick at my girls’ talk as usual. She just quietly looked ahead, feeling the wind in the cargo compartment where we were sitting.

Across from the cargo compartment where we were sitting side by side.

There, two female students, one tall and one short, were lying down.

Snore―

Kara was sound asleep, covered with the baggy gray work coat of . And Rota was lying down groaning with a frowning expression, seeming to be carsick.

“Ugh...”

The sight of her writhing while twisting her large cat ears was both cute and pitiful. Her orange hair, which she had carefully brushed and braided nicely in the morning, had long since become disheveled.

I chuckled looking at that sight.

‘Is it that beastkin’s sense of balance is especially more sensitive than other students, making their carsickness much worse?’

It was something I didn’t know in the game.

To think the reason , which mainly noble beastkin children attend, is so serious about securing exclusive ether floating train routes was for such a human reason.

“...”

Alvit glanced at her classmates like that, then spoke looking further away:

“I can see the surroundings better than when we came by train. It’s making me realize anew that we’re living in the academy city.”

“Oh my―☆ It’s been a week since you came here, but you still didn’t feel it~? Have you already forgotten the memories of living with the cute senior of ―? How disappointing―☆ Boo boo boo☆”

“So many strange things happened with a strange person, it was hard enough just adapting to that...”

“Ow―?! Did you just call this cute girl ‘strange’―☆”

Poke

Poke

‘The Peach Sisters, all gathered now.’

The sight of the three walking bravely towards the gradually setting sun looked as dignified as the protagonists of Romance of the Three Kingdoms. Wanting to see that sight a little longer, I walked slowly.

“Rota, do you still feel like throwing up?”

“Mm... No. I’ll endure... Urp...”

“Hahaha! It is not right to hold back what’s welling up in your chest!!”

“Ugh... My head’s ringing so please shut up...! Urp... Bleurgh...”

“Rota―?!”

“Hahahahaha―!! How gallant indeed!!”

“Kara!! Please be quiet for once!!”

“Alvit you’re noisy too... Urp...!”

“Hahahahaha!!!”

‘It definitely feels good to have all three gathered, it’s somehow bustling.’

The backs of my lovely juniors walking slowly in the warm sunlight.

The view of the hill village where is located comes into sight.

The scenery of the shopping district was so peaceful it made the events of the past 3 days feel like a dream. The shopping district dwarves who were tending to their shops while gradually preparing to end the day turn to look this way.

“Hm? Clara?”

“Where, where?”

Even though they knew we had gone to another school, those living ordinary daily lives rejoice even at ordinary reunions. Seeing our noisy return, they approached busily moving their short legs.

“Oh! It’s Clara! Alvit too!”

“Welcome back~!! Who’s that tall student next to you?”

“Hahaha! I am a friend of the people! A revolutionary with a red star in my heart! I’ve come to enroll at ! Nice to meet you, dwarf comrades!”

“A bit stran... no, a special young lady has come, haha.”

“Why is Rota hanging her hea... Eek?!”

“S-Someone bring some water!!”

“Don’t... don’t look... Urp―?!”

The dwarves panicking at the sudden happening.

Alvit patting Rota’s back worriedly.

Kara raising both hands and laughing happily at the new encounter.

Seeing that scene, I felt that I had truly come home.

In the distance, Grandpa Hua Tuo from the tailor shop and the polite young man from the bakery also approached waving their aprons.

“Oh, you’re back. The neighborhood was so quiet while you were gone.”

“Welcome back. I just baked some bread to give you all.”

I waved to them who were welcoming our return and said:

“We’re back―☆ Does anyone happen to have motion sickness medicine―☆”

A more bustling scene than ever before.

A sight I hadn’t seen in the days when I fell into alone.

A story from the game that now existed in a faded corner of my memories.

“Here! I have motion sickness medicine here!”

“H-Hey, it’s rude to stare at Miss Rota like that!”

“You men over there! Don’t embarrass the young lady and come here!”

“Hahahaha!! What a truly heartwarming neighborhood!!”

“Kara... I’ll never forgive you...”

“Oh right, Alvit, I heard something collapsing from the school direction a while ago, so I took a peek and the main gate of the auditorium had rotted and collapsed?”

“This damn school... Of course it would...”

I finally felt that the story had begun.

A story I had gradually changed, not the one from the game.

Among numerous thoughts, I had one sentiment.

‘I’m glad I could become stronger myself... and return as Clara.’

Not as [Pink Spiral] that would swallow up all stories, but being able to welcome them as the ordinary senior Clara. And being able to solve things that ordinary senior Clara couldn’t handle, as [Pink Spiral].

An ordinary happiness achieved by the intertwining wishes of a man and a girl.

The day when all the students of who appeared in the game finally returned to their school.

In this strange and special world, I was grateful for the happiness of a day that had gradually changed, and improved.