–He’s different from what I’ve been told.
That was the first impression she had of the boy, along with the warning bells that rang in her mind.
The nature of her job has led her to deal with people from various walks in life, from different occupations and races to varying personalities and circumstances.
But the aura or rather the atmosphere surrounding the boy seated in front of her was just too abnormal.
“…”
That was a prickly sort of silence.
Like an untouchable blade.
Or even a palpable nothingness.
Of course, such descriptions were contradictory, but that was indeed how she felt.
It was as if a lump of near-hostile indifference, one that declared its own existence but didn’t care about anything else had adopted the shape of human and was now seated before her.
Above all, it was looking straight at her.
The oppressive feeling was overwhelming.
This was her territory, but she felt as though she’d wandered into hostile territory.
She was full of hopes before, hoping to play some pranks, but when she saw the boy, all such thoughts evaporated.
Really, the only reason she could even recover her wits was because her work did not permit such leisure.
Feigning composure, she took her seat in front of the boy.
“Nice to meet you, Shinichi Nakamura.
Today, I’ll be in charge of your medical check-up and vaccinations.”
The female doctor dressed in a white coat was in charge of examining the Earthlings.
She greeted him with a gentle smile, the warm sort that didn’t inspire wariness in others.
The boy nodded, but his eyes carried no emotion.
His gaze seemed to tell her to do as she pleased, but there was that silent pressure of an absolute ruler about him.
The pressure was so intense that she could see her own head being decapitated the moment she stepped beyond her duties.
“…”
But that lasted only until his gaze shifted to a certain spot.
The moment his gaze landed on the projected name tag displayed on her chest, something changed.
It was a minute change so subtle that without her years of experience and her innate insight, she would have missed it–The boy smiled.
──This is bad.
“Oh, my bad. I must’ve put on someone’s name by mistake.
Come to think of it, I haven’t introduced myself yet, have I?”
Feeling a worse chill than when she first entered, she put on a face of mild embarrassment and changed the display to her real name.
Her approach had been wrong.
If she tried to prank him without his consent, there was no telling when he might deem her an enemy.
First, she needed to show she wasn’t a threat.
She had to adopt the same mindset as one would when facing a heavily armed criminal.
This was in spite the boy being completely unarmed.
Of course, even then, such an idea was still too naive, but she didn’t know that.
“I’m Sandra Hewick. My dearest friend, Frire, and child, Shirayuki, have been in your care, so I’ve been wanting to meet you.”
“It’s a pleasure to meet you too. I’ve been enjoying my time with the both of them, so if possible, I’d like for us to have a long-lasting relationship. I look forward to working with you, Dr. Hewick.”
The boy smiled at her so warmly it seemed all that oppressive aura earlier was a lie, but Sandra still felt a chill run down her spine.
She ignored his amicable words and focused on the implications of his statement.
No matter how she interpreted it, she couldn’t help but interpret it as such– “I want to have a long and pleasant relationship with the two of them, but I don’t care what happens to you.”
“…Please, go easy on me,” she said.
“I’d like to, if possible,” Shinichi said.
Beneath his mild words, she caught the unspoken message that his attitude toward her would depend on her attitude.
By now, even the token smile she’d been keeping on her face was impossible to maintain.
The boy’s expression was smiling, but his eyes had not changed since earlier.
If anything, the slight spark of interest that had appeared was even more terrifying.
It was the feeling of a giant beast becoming aware of your existence and locking eyes with you.
The tension was suffocating.
And still, his emotionless gaze seemed to be weighing her worth, as though to decide her fate itself.
She was not being figurative. She genuinely felt that her life was in the boy’s hands.
───That girl, I swear. Of all the people, why did she have to get involved with a guy like this?!
Hence, the scream-like cry that resounded within Sandra’s heart.
Beyond the dimensional tunnel and Garesto’s own gate was a white wall.
Of course, that wasn’t all that there was, but it was the first thing that would come into view.
For travelers without prior information, the sight of that massive white wall, that towered as high as skyscrapers and could fill their entire field of vision, was nothing short of astonishing.
Beside them could be seen other gates lined up, while low-rise buildings could be seen crowding within the wall’s interiors.
If one were to look up past the wall, the sky could be seen unusually bright and empty at first glance, but on closer inspection, one would find that there was a transparent and thick wall that formed a hemisphere over the entire city.
Perhaps, it was meant to serve as a skylight, or perhaps it was meant to keep people from feeling confined, but regardless, the sight of those buildings matched in color and style, the light streaming from the gate above, all of it gave the impression as though the gate they came out of was of divine nature.
Of course, everyone knew that the gate was a product of science, but even then, the Earthlings couldn’t help but see it that way.
It brought to mind the words of a certain man, who said that Science when sufficiently advanced is indistinguishable from magic.
But of course, such impressions were isolated to the Earthlings, who still saw Garesto’s technology through a romantic lens.
For the Garestonians themselves, such designs were purely out of practical considerations.
Now, the city that greeted these visitors was known as Gate City Orgen.
It was the youngest of all the cities in Garesto, and it was a city built around the gate connecting Garesto to earth.
As the dimensional craft descended slowly, it landed gently on the open landing area of the airport — ergo, dimensional port — which was really just an open space seemingly made of black asphalt.
However, while it resembled black asphalt, the material was completely different.
Really, the Garestonians were using this material purely to calm the Earthlings by showing them something familiar.
“I know they’re being considerate, but somehow it feels off.”
That was the honest impression of a certain boy.
As for whether he was being cynical or demanding, that would depend on the person.
The structure known as the Dimensional Port could be seen from the window of the dimensional craft.
Perhaps because it was intended for Earthlings, or perhaps, because its role was the same, it was almost indistinguishable in shape and structure from the Kutoria International Airport.
At most, there was a difference in technology, for as soon as they landed, a semi-transparent energy tunnel extended from the exit of the dimensional craft, connecting it to the building.
After confirming that the tunnel was stable, the crew allowed the students to disembark in an orderly line.
As they walked through the tunnel, the floor naturally reshaped itself into a moving walkway that carried them forward.
Every one of these students were long used to seeing the materialization of photon energy, but the sight of that still led a few of them to cry out in amazement.
“That’s some high-end conveyor belt, alright.”
A certain first-year student, at the far back, remarked.
“So, teacher, are we going to be sorted and shipped out from here?”
“…Sometimes your jokes really aren’t funny.”
When he teased the woman standing ahead of him like that, she pressed a hand on her forehead as though suffering from migraine.
“Let’s change the subject.
I’d intended to talk about this before departure or during the trip, but…”
“My bad, it just felt too good.”
“Ugh— Can you not phrase it that way?”
After all, all they’d done was hold hands, sleep on each other’s lap, comb her hair, pat her on the back, you know, all perfectly harmless student teacher interactions, but even clueless Frire could tell how scandalous the boy’s remarks were.
She threw a glance at another class, and fortunately, they didn’t hear anything.
“Anyway! I need you to undergo a full medical exam and get a set of vaccinations.”
Relieved but still blushing, Frire cleared her throat and pulled the topic back on course. Her words were full of authority, but there was a tone of inquiry behind them, as though Shinichi could refuse.
After all, this was an act that went back on one of their first agreements.
It was a promise that had long become meaningless, but Frire still cared, and that warmed Shinichi.
Still, he wasn’t the sort to just nod his head right away and leave his body to someone else without the full details.
But apparently, Earth had its own bacteria and viruses, while Garesto had its own, so naturally, neither side had immunity or treatment for either side’s pathogens.
That was one of the problems they sought to solve before the two worlds opened publicly.
Hence, there were strict regulations regarding inspections, sterilization, and vaccinations when traveling from world to world.
Students were normally given these upon entering the academy, but because of the unusual timing and circumstances of his transfer, Shinichi had never received them.
It had been postponed until now due to all the happenings, but at the threshold of Orgen, without any proof or record that he’d had the vaccinations, he wouldn’t be allowed to leave the dimensional port.
Fortunately, some simple tests showed that he should be fine taking them, and Garesto’s vaccinations could take effect immediately, so they could just do them now.
“I see. So that’s why. Vaccinations and pathogens, huh. Makes sense. Fortunately, I got this body before falling ill when I drifted.”
“…”
She was relieved, but at the same time, his mutterings left her speechless.
Just where did he drifted and what did he mean by ‘this body’?
Curiosity tugged at her, but in the end, she decided to just let it go.
“…If there’s no problem, I’d appreciate it if you went through with it. I really want to be there myself, but between supervising everyone, the paperwork, and the meetings, I just don’t have the time.
I’ve asked a very trustworthy doctor to handle it, so there shouldn’t be any issue.”
Frire glanced at Shinichi, as though to ask if he were really okay with this.
After all, this was essentially letting an outsider access to him.
His body was a treasure trove of information, and with all the secrets he carried, she wasn’t sure if he was fine with revealing anything to a stranger.
Even if said stranger was a doctor.
But surprisingly, he nodded.
“It’s fine, but…”
Of course, the real reason was that they wouldn’t be able to find anything he didn’t want them to, but he didn’t tell her that and said cheerfully.
“But you know, teach, if we’re just going to be standing here and letting the conveyor belt move us along, shouldn’t you at least face the person you’re talking to?”
Indeed, she hadn’t looked directly at Shinichi even once since they’d arrived.
“T-That’s–”
After all, that was basic courtesy.
But Frire found it impossible to face him head-on, so much so that she hasn’t been able to look him in the eye since passing through the gate.
The thought of how intimate they’d gotten had just left her too embarrassed to meet his gaze.
Of course, Shinichi knew that, so he’s been sheepishly grinning at her this whole time, and Frire could feel that on her back, which only served to make her all the more self-conscious.
For once, she found herself lamenting how sharp her senses were.
“Ugh, I don’t know why, but I just can’t look at you right now! Okay?
Why are you so calm about this anyway? That’s so annoying!”
“I wouldn’t say I’m exactly calm right now. If anything, I’m–”
“You’re…?”
“–Having a great time!”
“Why you!”
Teacher and student teased each other until the conveyor belt ride came to an end.
Shinichi put on the face of a normal student as soon as they entered the building.
Definitely out of consideration for his teacher’s reputation.
But those close to him could tell from how red she was what the two had been up to.
Some were sympathetic, while others were envious.
“—When I heard from Shirayuki that there was a male student Frire was very close to, I just had to see what kind of person he was. I was just curious, really.
I knew you’d be coming here on the school trip, so I figured I’d wait here and jump at the chance as soon as Frire asked for a trustworthy doctor.
In Garesto, our medical technology have become so advanced that there aren’t enough human doctors, so people like me often get dispatched for emergency cases, so I had to ask for this opportunity myself.
I used an alias because I was hoping to do some digging. Yes. I was just trying to pull a prank, so I would’ve deleted any data I got anyway, but before I knew it, it’s all gone already. Even the syringes vanished without a trace. Ha ha.”
It was a beastwoman with long chestnut hair who let out that strained laugh.
She wore a white coat and horse-like ears could be seen protruding from her head.
With the pair of AR visors, she was every bit what one would expect from Frire’s friend and the maker of Shirayuki.
Yes, this was none other than that meddlesome prankster of a military doctor, Sandra Hewick.
But right now, none of her usual mischief could be seen about her, only genuine exhaustion, as shown by her dropping ears.
The exam and vaccinations themselves had gone without trouble.
But of course, that should come as no surprise, since all Shinichi had to do was stand inside a transparent cylindrical device for a few seconds.
No issues appeared. No problematic bacteria or viruses. No illnesses. No injuries or organ abnormalities.
It was the chart of a healthy young boy.
If there was anything remarkable to note, it would be the traces left by old injuries.
The boy’s condition from that perspective was so poor that Sandra found her jaw dropping.
She wanted to pursue the matter, but the boy shut her down with ‘that’s not relevant to the purpose of this health examination, is it?’
Before the vaccinations, he’d asked a few questions.
Which diseases the vaccines covered.
How they differed from Earth’s immunizations.
Who had prepared and managed the vaccine.
Questions that were suspiciously close to probing, but for Sandra, who had experience with patients who didn’t trust doctors, Shinichi wasn’t even close to being problematic.
He just asked questions, and she answered without a fuss.
After the vaccination, Shinichi had to be monitored for side effects, so Sandra tried to make some small talk to fill the silence, but all she got in return was Shinichi’s silent pressure that ended with her spilling the beans.
Like that, the jig was up.
“Hm.”
“…That’s it?”
But after wrenching the truth out of her, that was all Shinichi had to say.
To be fair, he didn’t really ask her to explain anything, Sandra had simply volunteered the information herself, and the content itself wasn’t anything to speak of, but that indifference made Sandra feel even more dejected.
What she didn’t know was that just the fact he was responding to her at all was already miles better than how he treated most.
“Shirayuki, this boy is nothing like what your report said!”
Sandra stroked the frame of her AR glasses, as though to operate it, while also erasing the logs that read “data erased” and “syringes vanished.”
Then, with a cry halfway between a shout and a plea, she addressed the AI she considered her own child.
Between them, a snowflake-shaped icon appeared.
From it came a reply that sounded even flatter than usual.
〈That report was primarily a summary of his attitude toward Master. I was not instructed to report his behavior toward others, so please understand.〉
“…Wait, you deliberately withheld information?
Your judgment functions have improved more than I thought!
You found a loophole in the orders! You actually wanted to do that?!”
Her tired expression instantly gave way to a sparkle of fascination.
Through the lenses she wore, strange numbers and text projected, and as she followed them with her eyes, the smile on her widened.
“H-Ha ha ha ha, this is amazing. Your learning functions are completely active.
You even have stress-response logs! The accuracy of your conversation prediction and emotion estimation is on a whole different level now!
Hey, you! What did you do to this girl? She’s never made this much progress even in years!”
Just like that, the fear that Sandra had shown earlier completely evaporated.
Leaning forward eagerly, eyes now filled with nothing but curiosity and excitement, she peered into Shinichi and pestered him.
Meanwhile, Shinichi’s own demeanor remained the same.
“…So your creator is this kind of person?”
〈I’m embarrassed to admit it.〉
On his foster’s screen, Shirayuki displayed a sheepish emoji.
Apparently, Sandra was the sort of person to lose sight of everything once she was interested in something.
Her delighted squeals confirmed his suspicions, and while Shinichi hadn’t intended to be curt with her, it became clear just how absurd it was to dismiss this person.
So…
“Dr. Hewick.”
“Yes?”
“It seems you’ve set Shirayuki to loosen up only as Frire grew more intimate with others, but with a condition like that, of course there’s been no progress.”
“…Huh?”
After all, Frire’s public position and reputation made her seem unapproachable to most, and she herself was not the sociable sort.
“Ah, snap!”
Apparently, this so-called friend didn’t even remember her friend’s personality until now.
Sandra clutched her head and let out a wail.
It was a strangely pitiable sight, given her otherwise professional appearance.
“Talk about putting the cart before the horse,” Shinichi muttered.
As a fellow prankster, Shinichi could understand all too well how that could happen, but this served as a reminder as well.
He should do his best to keep his wits about him.
Of course, that didn’t mean that he’s turned over a new life and decided to stop his pranks.
If anything it meant he’s resolved himself to enjoy his pranks even more.
〈For some reason, when I think of how a person like this is a meister, my circuits overheat, is this a bug?〉
Meanwhile, the AI, Shirayuki, could not read through Shinichi’s poker face and was only able to detect a heat that shouldn’t exist within herself at the sight of the disappointing master.
“Don’t worry about it. By the way, can Frire handle herself with you here?”
〈Simultaneous conversation can only degrade my performance once beyond 87 instances. Talking with you and my master simultaneously is no problem for me at all.〉
“Impressive.”
〈However, Master is indeed struggling, but she has not asked for my assistance, so I am currently just observing.〉
“…Struggling?”
For a moment, Shinichi figured she was struggling with the usual stuff like paperwork or meetings.
But at the same time, something about it didn’t sit right.
After all, she’s already had three years of work experience at the academy, and this certainly wasn’t her first school trip.
So why would she be struggling?
He couldn’t help but wonder if something had happened, and just as he was about to check–
〈You have a message from Master. Connecting.〉
Shinichi frowned at that. Why was Shirayuki operating his foster on her own?
But when the screen projected in front of him, he smiled.
“…Nakamura. Are you done yet?”
There was Frire, seemingly alone in a room.
The mood about her couldn’t be more obvious.
So, to be considerate, Shinichi did his best to reply warmly.
“Yeah, I’m done. They say there’s nothing to worry about.
Looks like things were rough for you, though.”
“—!?”
She shot him a startled look, but he ignored it completely.
“Well, I’d bet it’s mostly my fault somehow… Did they take the pendant?”
“No, I managed to sort that out. I had it recorded as my property from the start, but I’ll give it back to you, don’t worry.”
“Sounds like I put you through some trouble. Thanks.”
“It was nothing. I’ll accept your thanks, though, since I’d rather not get as twisted as you are.”
Her face, still a little weary, softened as she spoke with Shinichi, and Shinichi too chuckled.
Frire dangled the crescent-shaped pendant as though to prove her words, but Shinichi never doubted her in the first place.
Of course, he would’ve preferred to keep it around his neck, but it got flagged by the security gate.
Because as it turns out–
“I’d seen this thing plenty of times before, but I never realized it was a photon crystal,” Frire said.
–It was a photon crystal.
Yes. Photon crystals. The very crystals that were supporting Garesto’s society today. The very crystals that Garesto feared would soon run out, forcing them to start the cultural exchange.
Naturally, the management and transport of such crystals would be handled carefully, and any piece of jewelry that gave off a similar signature could easily lead to the owner being accused of smuggling and arrested on the spot.
Fortunately, they were able to avoid that. As for why?
The crystal’s quality was at the lowest grade, and it was an exceedingly tiny amount, making it virtually worthless as an energy resource.
It was also carved into a crescent shape rather than set into place like a jewel.
Had it been meant for smuggling, no alteration could be more wasteful, and finally, it was recorded as Frire’s possession that had been lent to Shinichi.
“I did have a bad feeling when the color changed. Turns out I was right, huh.”
“Nakamura?”
Shinichi started muttering to himself, and Frire looked at him curiously, but Shinichi just shook his head. Frire’s expression clouded again.
“Sorry. I tried to fix it, but it just wouldn’t.”
“Hmm? You sorted out the pendant just fine, no? What other problem could there be?”
“I think I’m finally starting to understand why you took so many precautions. You were probably trying to avoid something like this. I tried to fix it, but in the end, it just wouldn’t.”
“What are you talking about?”
Then Frire projected a screen from her end that showed a list of many names.
The moment Shinichi read that, he froze.
“I tried to get it fixed and had them redo the selection repeatedly, but somehow she just kept ending up in the same group as you each time. Eventually, I couldn’t even think of a reason to make them do it again, so this is the final grouping.”
〈Five times. Master made them redo the groupings that many time, but alas.〉
“Don’t say it, Shirayuki. It just sounds like an excuse.”
“…What?”
For a moment, Shinichi froze, but then Frire’s sobs and Shirayuki’s excuses, as though they’d messed up some major operation, snapped Shinichi out of his stupor, and he almost yelled out loud–You’re taking this way too seriously!
“Calm down. It’s not your fault,” Shinichi said.
“But—”
“Look.
I’ve had more than my own share of situations like this.
If anyone’s to blame, it’s just my luck.”
“Luck? But even so, this is—”
“That’s why I should be thanking you instead.
You let me know ahead of time so I could be prepared, and you even managed to slip in a familiar face, so really, thank you.”
Frire looked at him with a mixture of doubt and unease, but Shinichi just responded with a sincere smile.
“…Nakamura.”
“Don’t worry about it anymore.”
“Alright, but don’t push yourself, okay? You did say that matters like this were delicate.”
“Okay, but if I get hurt, will you comfort me in bed?”
It was curious if it was due to the unexpected weight of having his own words turned to him, or simply the embarrassment of his concern over her being laid bare, or then again, maybe he was actually serious, but regardless, Frire returned those words with her own.
“That again? Sometimes, you’re just so childish. But, fine, if you get hurt, I’ll at least lie down with you.”
“…”
Frire nodded without the slightest trace of shame or hesitation.
In fact, she looked as though she’d be happy to be relied on.
That left Shinichi with an awkward expression, but she didn’t notice that.
She responded to someone calling to her on her end, then she said, ‘Sorry, I’m needed elsewhere. I’ll contact you again later.”
The call ended there.
“…She’s just so innocent.”
〈You worded it in a way to be misunderstood, though.〉
“Maybe, anyway, Dr. Hewick, was there something you wanted to say?”
Shinichi played dumb, but he was already eyeing this doctor, who’d seen everything, with suspicion.
Compared to how he interacted with Frire and Shirayuki, his attitude toward her was unnaturally devoid of warmth.
“…”
Sandra didn’t flinch, however, only frowning slightly, as though troubled.
She was unsure how to put it into words, but in the end, she said.
“You’re a very bad boy, aren’t you?”
“Of course.”
That seemed like a bolt out of the blue, but Shinichi didn’t even miss a beat as he brazenly nodded.
Sandra shook her head at that.
“Sigh. I did think that a bad man might’ve taken interest her, but I never imagined she would be doted on by a bad boy.”
“How is that any different?”
“Oh, it’s completely different. Because a good person can’t protect a good person.”
Sandra said with a fearless smile that left Shinichi blinking.
For once, she was able to catch him off guard.
A smug look naturally found its way on her, but at the same time, there was a trace of pity there that he could understand that despite his youth.
“So, your plan is to use me? That’s bold of you, Doc.”
“Heh, you can’t be a doctor and stay a ‘good little angel’ forever.”
Her smile was bold, but inside she was sweating buckets.
Shinichi had already seen through her, but in a way, he respected that mask she wore, including the indirect request hidden within.
“In that case, do work hard as a villainous doctor.”
But, as if to say that’s that, he stood and turned his back, and Sandra found herself calling out, “Wait.”
She even grabbed at his clothes, but when he turned around, she froze–
“…What?”
Because the boy was smiling.
There was a crescent moon on his lips that wasn’t there before, as though the boy before her had just found new prey.
In exchanges like this — that is to say negotiations — once your “non-negotiable points” and “level of desperation” are exposed to the other party, they were points to be exploited.
The moment she grabbed onto his clothing to stop him despite her own apprehension, her strong mask was meaningless.
The boy had gone fishing, and she was the fish, biting everything, hook, line, and sinker.
“Please. Can’t we talk a bit longer?”
Knowing that the game was already lost, Sandra had no choice but to humble herself and make a request.
Shinichi silently returned to his seat and assumed a blank expression, but his next words asserted control.
“Friend, huh. Even though you want to leave everything to a child you’ve just met without taking any risks of your own.”
“…”
He didn’t just cut straight to the bone, he cut straight to the marrow.
Sandra froze understandably, her breath catching in her throat.
She knew what he was getting at, and more importantly, why he’d pushed her away.
So, she knew, that she’d made a mistake.
She shouldn’t have played these games. She shouldn’t have tested him. She shouldn’t have let her guard down.
Because of that, he was now doubting how seriously she was taking this matter.
“Sigh, for me of all people to slip up. You’re absolutely right, it was an insincere, ridiculous way to ask.”
She had underestimated him because he was young.
She’d prioritized her own amusement, let her excitement get ahead of her judgment.
Whatever the reason, if she truly wanted to entrust her friend to someone, she should have shown sincerity and seriousness first, regardless of who that person was.
“Shirayuki, disclose my AH master code to him.”
〈Understood.〉
On the screen appeared a messy string of Garesto text.
Even without a translation, Shinichi could tell it was just a random jumble of characters, but when he used his mana manipulation to interpret it, he found himself looking back up to her.
That gaze was neither cold nor warm, but it was the most intimidating of all his gazes so far.
That wasn’t the look of someone threatening not to be lied to.
That was the look of a tyrant who wouldn’t even bother to listen to her answer, a gaze that stripped her bare without permission.
Her breath grew ragged, her heart pounded, goosebumps rose on her skin.
Her mind screamed at her to run, but she knew that if she gave ground here, he would never hear her out again.
That certainty forced her to speak.
“I’ll do anything to help too. Legal or illegal!”
She was practically offering her whole life to this boy.
She stumbled over her words, but there was no trace of pretense in her tone, only genuine resolve.
After all, she knew that there was no room for flippancy here, So, in spite of the paleness of her countenance, she met his gaze.
“AH, Artificial Heart, a full artificial heart, not merely an assist unit. To give me the master code of such a thing, that’s quite a step to take,” Shinichi said. Shinichi said.
After all, that was tantamount to giving someone her heart.
For her, it was the highest show of commitment she could make.
“That’s right, this–”
〈Master code change confirmed. Verified that it is now inaccessible except via maintenance code.〉
“–Huh?”
“Oh, I see. So, that strange accident during your cadet days was the reason.
The one Frire rescued you from. You knew her before that, of course, but hmm…
From your face, it’s more than just her being one of your few friends and your savior.
Did you first approach her with some scheme in mind?”
“What? But how?”
How did he learn about an incident that had been buried from the record?
How did he see straight through her feelings as if he’d been there himself?
Above all, how did he do all of that in an instant?
Shock and confusion left Sandra frozen, the fear of the unknown chilled her to the bone.
And yet–
“But in the end, you saw something beautiful, didn’t you?”
Shinichi spoke in a tone of such admiration that it was almost envy.
He smiled gently her, as though recalling a cherished memory.
It was then that Sandra realized it.
That this boy had seen the very same thing she had seen in Frire.
And that he valued it just as deeply as she did.
“Don’t tell me.. Did I just do something completely unnecessary?”
She understood it now.
Even without her intervention, this boy would’ve protected her friend.
She had gone out of her way to offer even her life, but it turns out he would’ve helped her anyway.
What a fool she was, she mocked.
But then–
“Don’t worry. I don’t know anything about stuff like the military and your family scheming to bring her back, or secretly arranging matches and marriage candidates, or trying to use her as a pawn to fix some mess.”
“You literally just said it!”
Those were the exact reasons she was here today.
But he wasn’t even really trying to hide that he knew.
He was throwing it right on her face.
That’s why she couldn’t help but retort with a yell.
But in spite of that.
“I can’t believe you’ve actually convinced me to trust you.”
It was curious if it was the absurdity of all her efforts backfiring, or the frustration of coming to assess her friend’s man only to be unceremoniously convinced without argument that she spat those words out in spite of still feeling intimidated.
But the boy standing before her was far nastier than she gave him credit for.
“You want to hear something worse?”
“…W-What?”
That was an ominous thing to hear from someone who acted as though all of this were unimportant.
“It’s her decision.”
For a moment, she didn’t grasp the meaning, but then her eyes went wide, and she swayed like she’d gone dizzy.
After all of that, was he really saying that he won’t do anything?
Of course, she could understand what he was trying to do.
Nothing would be resolved until Frire herself made a decision on her own.
But when she thought of what would happen afterwards, she couldn’t help but say.
“What an awful thing to say.”
After all, no matter what Frire chose, no matter what happened, this man would just take everything upon his shoulders.
Of course, she didn’t know this for certain, but it was a future she could see all too easily after knowing this boy just for this short period.
“It would be good if it ended just on that level.”
It was curious if the boy was unhappy or anxious, but he had no intention of clarifying anything to her.
Sandra, powerless, could only eye him suspiciously.
“Well then, Dr. Hewick, may I go now?”
From all her years in her work, she could tell that whatever his stance was, it came with its own burdens, but she shook her head.
“…As long as there are no changes in your condition. If there are any changes, you have to contact me.”
“Sure. I’ll do it through Shirayuki–On second thought, I’ll send a liaison later, you can go through them.”
“That sounds like trouble, but I guess I don’t have a choice. Understood.”
With that, Shinichi stood, this time truly intending to leave.
Sandra didn’t try to stop him. In fact, a part of her wanted to run from this room herself.
But halfway to the door, without looking back, he spoke in a casual tone.
“Oh, and that deal from earlier is still in effect. You’re still my servant, okay?”
“Of course you’d say that.”
She was hoping he would just forget that part, but an offer once given can’t be taken back, so all she could do was resign herself to her fate as she watched Shinichi leave.
TL Note: This took way longer than it should. This was meant to make up for the length of the last chapter, so I’ll be posting again.
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