Episode 161 – Going Out (1)

Going Out (1)

Soliette leaned her forehead against his shoulder. He didn’t say a word. She could only feel his gaze on her.

──We’re taking off!

Just then, the announcement came. Vroooom─ The airship began to ascend. She sighed in relief and murmured.

“I’m glad. That it’s over.”

“Right. Get some rest.”

“Yes.”

As she closed her eyes to sleep, suddenly.

“……?”

The voice she had just heard seemed strange.

The scent tickling her nose was overly familiar.

A scent she dearly missed, but shouldn’t be here right now.

“……Shion?”

Soliette called out to Shion and looked up at him.

In that moment, her eyes widened. Her heart fluttered. Her body felt as if it had lost all its strength.

“Yeah.”

It wasn’t Shion.

Smiling just like he used to, nodding gently, it was.

“It’s me.”

Felix Alter.

The man who was killed by Knightmare.

Soliette momentarily lost her breath, but soon shook her head.

“……You’re a fake.”

At that, his expression hardened. A trickle of blood ran down his forehead.

“Soliette. You can’t overcome it.”

He said that. It sounded like a curse.

“You know it too. Everyone around you becomes unhappy.”

Soliette bit her lip.

His face, already drenched in blood. It turned back into Shion and glared at her.

“Knightmare will come for your loved ones again.”

“!”

She woke up from her dream again.

“Haa, haa…….”

She spat out ragged breaths and looked around frantically.

Thankfully, it was in the airship. It hadn’t taken off yet.

“Are you awake?”

A voice came from the seat next to her.

It was Elise. She was flipping through a magazine.

“You were sweating. Must have been a nightmare.”

“…….”

Soliette felt dazed. The line between dream and reality was still blurry.

Was it just a nightmare?

“This is reality.”

Elise pointed ahead. Shion was lying on the floor of the airship with Gerkhen.

“What……?”

“Everyone else is awake, and now we’re trying to wake Gerkhen. He’s eating cotton candy.”

“Cotton candy…….”

Soliette wiped the cold sweat from her forehead and leaned back in her seat. Elise glanced at her nonchalantly.

“What was your nightmare about?”

“…….”

Soliette washed her face with her hands.

“It was a strange…… dream.”

“A strange dream.”

Elise raised an eyebrow.

Just then, Gerkhen suddenly woke up. Shion also got up. He looked at Gerkhen and said.

“Stop stuffing your face. What’s so tasty?”

“……I’m taking advantage while I can. If I don’t, I’ll regret it later.”

Gerkhen licked his lips. The taste still seemed to linger in his mouth.

──We’re taking off now!

Just then, the stone statue called out. Soliette looked at Shion.

Suddenly, Felix’s face overlaid on him, stretching casually. Soliette closed her eyes in surprise.

He is not Felix. He is Shion Ascal.

Shion is not dead.

She will not let him die.

Even if it means paying any price….

She clenched her fists.

Taking a deep breath, she opened her eyes.

Shion Ascal.

He was still there.

* * *

──We’re landing!

The airship landed on the open ground of Planarium Academy. We all disembarked with tired faces. Especially Kain and Asher, who had a rough time in their dream, were exhausted.

“We’re here.”

Akane, the person in charge, was on the ground.

“Congratulations. You will each receive 3,000 AP.”

Ding- Our student IDs flashed in unison.

[+3,000 AP]

“And… this is an outing pass.”

Akane pulled out a card from her pocket.

“!!!”

Layla in front of me shivered all over.

Why is she so reactive?

“This outing pass will be given to one person who performed the best in this test. Hey, statue.”

──Yes!

Akane gestured towards the stone statue.

“Is it one of them?”

──Yes!

At that moment, Layla’s eyes, nose, and mouth widened. She couldn’t stay still. As if she expected it to be her, she trembled.

“Hey. Are you in vibration mode?”

Layla mumbled, pushing me with her arm.

“Hey, watch. I think it might be me.”

Then, the statue pointed at us.

──You!

“Wow!”

Layla clasped her hands together. She jumped up and down, shouting.

“Thank you, statue!”

──Not you!

“……What?”

Layla stopped. The stone statue was looking behind Layla. Layla also turned to look at me.

──Shion Ascal!

“……”

Layla’s expression changed drastically. She pouted her lips, staring ahead again.

“What about me?”

──What did you do, you fool.

“……I treated you with respect, statue.”

──Good job! Now go and rest!

Ignoring Layla, the stone statue quickly turned back into a stone.

“Here. The outing pass.”

Akane handed me the outing pass. While Layla was still glaring like she was shooting lasers, Soliette said.

“Congratulations, Shion.”

“Yeah.”

A 3-day, 2-night outing pass.

Grawl would probably like it more than me. He’s been complaining a lot lately because he can’t use SNS.

“However, the rest also have the right to get an outing pass.”

Akane looked at the other students.

“Those who have succeeded in the second test have the right to purchase a 3-day, 2-night outing pass for 4,000AP.”

4,000AP. It’s more AP than the 3,000AP we earned from the test.

“Elly.”

Layla turned to Elise in a base manner.

“Buy me one.”

“Are you crazy?”

Elise ignored her cleanly. Akane waved the outing pass and said.

“If you don’t buy it today, will it be gone?”

“I don’t have enough AP.”

Soliette and Gerkhen didn’t seem particularly interested, and Asher and Kain looked like they wanted to return to the dormitory and sleep immediately.

“I’m going.”

Having received the outing pass, I was about to head straight to the dormitory when a thought suddenly occurred to me. I looked back at the others who were still contemplating.

“Oh right. The farm reopens today. The price remains 300AP.”

Their faces fell at the news.

* * *

[Ascal Farm].

A pseudo-restaurant where the sounds of nature flows like a melody. In this place, where the menu changes daily depending on the owner’s mood and the availability of ingredients, a luxurious meal is in full swing.

Clatter- Oh- Clatter- Hmm-

The sound of utensils and exclamations of appreciation filled the air.

Today’s guests are five people: Gerkhen, Layla, Kain, Asher, Elise.

“Shion, the taste won’t be the same when we go down to the mainland, right?”

At Layla’s emotional question, I nodded.

“There won’t be ingredients as good as these.”

“……Yeah. I should eat as much as I can.”

“Hey, Kain. Look at this.”

I handed a contract to Kain, who was cutting his steak. Kain furrowed his brows.

“What’s this?”

“There’s a kid running a café here, right? But there are guys who keep robbing him.”

It was a contract asking him to be a bodyguard.

Kain skimmed the contract and snorted.

“……Ha. Why would I do such a thing as a bodyguard-”

I placed ten [Priority Reservation Coupons] and [Discount Coupons] each on the contract.

“……?”

Kain looked puzzled. I explained the coupons.

“[Priority Reservation Coupon] allows you to use the farm first, no matter how long the wait. [Discount Coupon] is just as it says, a 50% discount coupon. You can also transfer it to anyone.”

“What, what!”

Suddenly, Layla next to me shouted out loud.

“Shion! I’ll do it, no, I’ll do it instead of him!”

“Whoa. Hey, why are you butting in all of a sudden.”

Kain quickly grabbed the contract and coupons. Layla glared at him.

“You said you wouldn’t do it just now! You said you wouldn’t do the bodyguard thing!”

“When I read it carefully, it’s not a bodyguard but a security guard. And you’re not even aspiring to be a knight. Who would be scared of you?”

“Everyone’s scared! Give it to me. Then let’s split it in half-”

Kain pushed away Layla, who was reaching out her hand.

“Ugh!”

Layla, who fell backwards, glared at him with a shocked face.

“Kain, you betrayed me.”

“What betrayal. It’s something Shion entrusted to me.”

Kain quickly pointed his finger at me.

“Give me a pen. Where’s the pen. I’ll sign it right away.”

I handed him a pen. Kain wrote his name on the contract.

Layla, who got up, was about to grab him by the collar.

“Kain, you’re such an asshole!”

“Hey. Let’s not go overboard. It was originally meant for me.”

“Fine, you just pushed me! So give me one too!”

Kain feigned ignorance and slipped the coupons into his pocket, and I carefully folded the contract. Layla narrowed her eyebrows into a V shape with all her might.

“You just pushed me! It hurts so much! Give me one. Just one!”

“Who are you?”

“What?!”

“Ha… please be quiet.”

Elise, who was eating, glanced at them.

“I can’t enjoy my meal because you’re too noisy.”

“Yeah, that’s right.”

Asher chimed in. He wiped his mouth with a napkin and complained.

“Anyway, you lack dignity. It’s 300AP per meal.”

Layla gritted her teeth and glared at Kain.

“…You, Kain, I’ll see you later.”

“Who are you?”

“You bastard.”

I didn’t know what they were talking about, and I served the last dessert, coffee.

……

“This is your café?”

Kain looked up at the sign that read [Terence’s Café] as if it were a wooden plank. He held a tone of disbelief.

“Yeah.”

Terence scratched the back of his neck.

“But it’s my land here. I only bought four pyeong, though.”

Kain looked down at him with his arms crossed. Terence squinted his eyes as if he was embarrassed. The height difference between the two was almost 30cm.

“…It’s annoying.”

Kain sighed.

“Hey. What was your name, Tering?”

“Terence.”

“Anyway. If anyone bothers you, tell me.”

“Uh-huh!”

Terence, who was smiling brightly, fiddled with his fingers and said.

“And, Kain. If you stand by during the business hours today and tomorrow morning-”

“What? You want me to stand by? Do you think I’m some kind of club bouncer-”

I slapped Kain’s shoulder. Kain, who stopped talking, sighed again and nodded.

“…Okay.”

“Good. You two talk amongst yourselves. I’ll renovate the café.”

“Renovate?”

Terence asked back.

“It looks too much like a street stall.”

“Ah… Does it?”

“Yeah. You two should go first. You need to discuss how you’re going to do it.”

“…Okay.”

Terence glanced at Kain. Kain sighed for the third time in a row.

The two of them exchanged glances and left together, and I called Grawl.

“Grawl. Did you hear?”

─…Master. When are you going to use the outing pass?

Grawl answered with a question.

─I’m dying of boredom here.

“You have plenty of mana cores.”

─Still… Relationships are important in life. It’s been too long since I last used SNS… I have many followers waiting for me to upload my photos! Kyaaaak!

“Okay. I’ll go down in two days.”

Grawl’s eyes sparkled.

─Yay!

He quickly stood up. The simple stall-like counter had transformed into a surprisingly fancy mini café.

“That’s amazing. Can you do this on the mainland too?”

─No! It’s hard. Planarium is a special space, so I think my abilities have been greatly upgraded!

* * *

For two days, the [Ascal Farm] had become synonymous with a high-end restaurant.

Not just the familiar faces, but almost all the seniors who could be called silver spoons, the social elites, had put themselves on the waiting list.

Thanks to this, Layla was upset, but it was good news for me.

In addition, the [Terence Cafe] also gained popularity. Thanks to Kain, there were hardly any disruption to the business, and the premium coffee beans were quite addictive. Even after raising the price to 40AP per cup, the profits doubled.

Moreover, Terence and Kain seemed to have become friendly, developing menus and hunting together.

─We’re going down to the continent, right?

And then, today.

Grawl spoke with a look of longing in his eyes.

“Yeah. I’m packing, aren’t I?”

─Yeah!

I packed my bag and went outside.

But at the entrance of the dormitory was Elise. She, like me, was carrying a backpack and looking at me.

“……What are you doing here?”

Without a word, she showed me her outing ticket.

“What? You bought one too?”

“I have enough AP.”

She shrugged he shoulders, and subtly looked behind and around me.

“What’s Soliette doing? Is she not coming with us?”

“Yeah. She’s busy with Bethune.”

She’s in the process of finding a way into Knightmare castle with the party.

“I see. Well then.”

With that, she left the dormitory first. I followed her.

“Hoverboard. Want a ride?”

Elise pointed to a large board parked in a corner of the dormitory.

“…….”

I regretted not riding this last time.

Climbing up and down the mountain was incredibly tiring.

“Okay, give me a lift.”

Elise smirked.

“……Get on the back.”

Meow-!

At that moment, Grawl cried out from beneath the ground.

Meowww-

He climbed onto Elise’s shoulder with a joyful face.

“Oh my.”

Meow- He rubbed his cheek against her neck.

“He seems to like me more than you.”

Elise, stroking Grawl, wore a victorious smile like a child.

“Did you ever punch a cat, like abuse or something?”

“No.”

“It seems like a sign of affection that can’t be explained otherwise~”

“……let’s go down.”

I climbed onto the back of Elise’s hoverboard.

……

After completely descending from Planarium on the hoverboard, we arrived at the ground train station.

“There’s Akane, our contact.”

Elise pointed to Akane, who was sitting in the waiting room of the platform.

Akane, reading a book, looked our way.

“Have you arrived?”

“Yes.”

Akane extended her hand. We handed over two outing tickets.

“Good. Rest well and come back.”

Ding ding ding ding ding─!

Just then, the sound of the train entering. Elise stood looking at the train coming into the station.

“……Shion Ascal.”

In the meantime, Akane called me briefly. I looked at her. She blinked without a word.

I thought I knew what she wanted.

I looked into her eyes and said.

“A doll. That’s what you are.”

“……Hmm. Noted.”

The train fully arrived, and Akane gave a small smile.

“Hey. Aren’t you getting on?”

Elise gestured.

“Yeah. Let’s go.”

I boarded the train with Elise. The interior was completely empty. We sat in a four-seater facing each other. I was by the window, and Elise was diagonally across from me.

Vroooom…

The train started moving.

Meowww-

Grawl escaped from Elise’s arms and ran to the back seat where we couldn’t see him. He was probably going to use social media.

Ding-

Our smartphones rang.

The signal must have been restored.

“It seems to be working now.”

Elise picked up her smartphone. I also picked up mine.

It was almost an instinct for modern people.

[Kanya: Sir Mage. I have something to say about Bethune.]

[Grou——’s notification: It’s been too long since the last upload ㅠ-ㅠ Nice to see you guys. It’s Grou~]

And so, without saying a word to each other, without any reaction, we just checked our smartphones.

Thump-

Suddenly, Elise nudged my shin with the heel of her foot.

“……?”

I looked at her.

While still looking at her smartphone, flipping through the screen’s scroll swiftly, she said,

“Hey.”

As if it wasn’t a big deal, pretending to ask a casual, uninterested question.

“Do you like Soliette?”

She asked the same question she had asked before.