I Became the Academy's Pink Airhead

Chapter 13

Life.

I thought it was similar to winter.

A quiet, empty... such winter.

As always, when another winter had passed,

I met a girl.

Somehow, she was a strange girl.

Her voice chirping endlessly like a lark. Her restless gestures scattering like dandelion seeds in the wind.

Unlike my cold and empty self, a warm and playful girl.

Suddenly appearing at the end of the silent winter, shaking people’s hearts with her noisy colors.

I thought she was somehow like a cherry blossom blooming on a spring day.

-My name is Clara! The girl who will someday beat you―☆

Fleeting.

What meaning was there in determining victory or defeat?

The result was always the same.

-Ahaha―☆ Today’s fight was fun too!

Empty.

Just the process of disappearing was longer than others.

It will be the same this time too.

Because all that’s left for me in the end is only duty.

-Yes! You look like you’re having fun too―☆ I’m glad!

Me?

Looking like I’m having fun?

‘You’re just unilaterally sticking to me.’

-Next time, let’s definitely compete―☆ Of course I’ll win someday! Because I’m a girl who never gives up―☆ I’ll challenge you, who’s always the strongest, forever―!!

“...”

If, really... really that’s the case.

I thought that wouldn’t be so bad.

“Then, I’ll wait here forever.”

As the strongest for you to challenge.

As the unbreakable strongest.

“I’ll wait... forever.”

Forever.

Forever...

As long as the wait of the long winter.

The spring that came suddenly was warm and beautiful.

-‘Hilde’, my mother called me that when I was young. You too... call me that.

-Nickname exchange time~? Then I’ll shorten mine to ‘Lara’ too―☆

-...Lara.

-Hilde! See you again―☆

“Yes.”

Tomorrow too.

The day after tomorrow too.

Next year too.

And.

Forever.

Forever.

Forever...

‘I wish this spring would continue forever.’

Memories always cherished in my heart.

“Kuhak...!”

A noise heard beyond the memories.

The sound from beneath my feet brought my mind back to reality. I turn my head to look at the source of the noise.

It was a monstrous person spewing curses while bleeding green blood on the ruins.

“You...! D-Dare to touch the ‘disciple’ of and think you’ll be safe... Kuhak...! Our master...! Will...!”

“Where is he now.”

“Kuhehe... Do you think... I would... tell...!”

“Then die.”

Crunch!

“Huaaack!!”

The culprit behind the kidnapping incident that had stirred up the western part of the academy city for a while since the new semester started. The one who called himself the ‘disciple’ of let out his final scream, pierced by the spear.

The monstrous person who looked no different from a human except for dragon horns.

When ’s students’ investigation network found his base, he suddenly transformed his upper body into a dragon and summoned dozens of chaos beasts with an unknown power.

Just before the monstrous person who appeared in the ruins and dozens of chaos beasts were about to annihilate ’s students, they were suppressed by just one student. And now the ‘disciple’ was writhing while skewered on a spear flowing with azure lightning.

A female student with silver-white hair and black coat tails of the fluttering. She was just quietly watching that.

Silver-white eyes.

What was reflected deep in them was not the opponent before her.

“A-Amazi children.

Crazy guys who sincerely shout that they’ll burn down the union someday despite being affiliated with it.

A large school that went to the slums because they absolutely couldn’t mix with students of normal temperament. If those guys start rampaging recklessly in the central area, the chaos of the academy city will become uncontrollable.

“To think they’d try to join hands with the slum guys.”

The black wolf-eared girl answered Brunhilde’s muttering.

“Yes. It’s reported that slum students have been spotted in the area between and the central area since this semester started.”

“I should go to .”

The collapse of the union and suspicious movements of large academies.

As the hegemon of the academy city, all of this had to be stopped by personally stepping in.

“I’ve already arranged a direct ether train to . Secretary Bell will accompany you.”

“Understood. You clean up the remaining scene. Sieglinde.”

“Yes!”

Swoosh!

Sieglinde, the black wolf-eared girl, saluted with full respect towards Brunhilde who was leaving immediately.

Because she had abandoned her school pride for , her original school, there was no hesitation.

Flutter―

Brunhilde advancing with her black coat fluttering.

The name of a school located near passed through her mind like scattered cherry blossom petals.

“Central... Prism... Academy.”

Perhaps...

What’s waiting there is.

No.

Let’s not imagine impossible things.

The oath shared between the two is not that.

‘I am here.’

She has become even stronger than then, truly becoming the strongest and waiting. So, she will come to challenge anytime.

The day of defeat.

One phrase heard in vague consciousness.

-...It was really a great match at the end... Hilde... I... you too...

She who left disappointed in her weak self.

If she knows that she has become stronger than then, she will come to challenge again.

Spring will surely come again.

It will... come.

So let’s wait.

Forever.

Forever...

I.

You...

“...”

Brunhilde stopped for a moment.

But she starts leaving the ruins again.

Walking towards the ether train station where her subordinates are waiting.

* * *

“Go back, I’m busy. How long are you going to keep coming like this, [Spiral]. Do you know how many festival prizes have been ruined because of you? Are you still experiencing your stormy period even though you’re in 3rd year?”

“Wah―☆ Don’t say that alias out loud―☆”

“I don’t understand why you’re hiding your strength at all.”

“...”

“Well, Skadi would have a fit if she knew you sneaked in here. That might be worth seeing.”

Maya, who had seen me hiding in the cabinet until just now, sighed.

“Haah... Let’s stop talking. Even though you were a crazy kid, you didn’t do things that hurt others or without reason.”

Somehow it seemed the only things that had increased for Maya since the old days were the scars on her face and sighs.

A personal office that had become much dirtier and older than I remembered, which I found after breaking through the much stricter security of the main building than I remembered. There, Maya and I were having a joyful reunion.

Gulp

Gulp

Maya, wearing work clothes that had become more worn than I remembered, sat with both legs up on the metal table and drank an energy drink from a metal flask she opened.

She casually offered the flask to me, but I refused because high-caffeine drinks don’t suit ‘Clara’s’ body well.

“...So why did you come?”

“You see―☆ Can we borrow a vehicle to ride after the event is over―☆”

“You know the atmosphere at our school isn’t good these days, right?”

“Don’t know―☆ Give us a ride!”

“Tsk. Fine.”

Gulp

Gulp

“And we’re going to bring one new student from there to our school, so help with the procedures―☆”

“Puhweep!!! Kuhak!! Are you completely crazy?!”

Maya sprayed orange energy drink from her nose.