[602] Tree without roots (4)
* * *
Upon arriving at school, Sirone and Nade turned to the Supernatural Psychic Research Institute.
Sirone sat on the sofa and said with tears in her eyes.
“I heard you can’t go even if you die.”
He must have changed his mind in an instant when he heard that Liz was coming to school.
“What am I? I came because I felt I had to apologize to the kids. Then go back?”
Anyway, bringing Nade was an achievement.
“It’s done. get some rest too You must have had a hard time living in the mountains.”
Nade, who was lying on the sofa on the other side with an arm pillow, recalled the story he had heard from Sirone on the way to this point.
‘It must have been difficult for you too, Shirone.’
While I was lost in thought, someone knocked on the door and the two jumped up at the same time.
“who is this?”
Since Scramble Royale had just ended, it was only natural that they be hostile towards uninvited guests.
“It’s Richard.”
Richard of Alchemy, a member of the Ring of Gold.
When Ned hesitated at the appearance of a person who didn’t fit in here at all, Sirone said.
“come in.”
I was curious about the results of Fermi and Lichen.
The door opened slowly, and Richard entered with an afterimage of red eyes.
A strong lower jaw with a solid body. It was not different from the human body, but underneath the artificial skin, instead of muscles and bones, a mechanical device made of alchemy should have been operating.
“Why did you come here? Is it a message from the golden ring?”
“No, this is Fermi’s personal request. Because the gold ring was disbanded as of yesterday.”
“what?”
It was truly shocking news.
“why?”
“I don’t know the exact reason. Fermi and Lichen were at enmity.”
Neither of them seemed dead.
‘Because Fermi was seriously injured at the time.’
Nade asked.
“What about the other members?”
“Kayden is missing. Hercy is furious that she was being used by Scramble Royale.”
It was an understandable situation.
“Then what about you? Why did you leave Fermi?”
They were people who gathered to see the profits Fermi generated rather than loyalty.
But that’s why this decision was unexpected.
“Isn’t Fermi’s value declining?”
“yes. But the proposal came from Fermi first. If I don’t dismantle the ring of gold, I’ll have to assist two of your teammates in the graduation exam.”
“Ah….”
If the golden ring itself disappears, the cost of helping the two becomes null and void.
“You’ve been calculating from the beginning.”
If you intend to dismantle the gold ring anyway, you can blow an empty check at will in negotiations.
“Perhaps. Because Fermi never makes a losing trade. I don’t know what happened. But he seemed satisfied.”
Sirone recalled the final scene of Fermi and Yoga.
“I came here to tell you that. The golden ring has been dismantled. So I’ll refrain from fussing about.”
“Is Fermi planning to graduate this time?”
“okay. Maybe it’s better for you. I also resigned by receiving money. It’s severance pay.”
With those words, Richard left the study meeting.
At first, I felt like I was stabbed in the back of the head, but when I thought about it from Fermi’s point of view, the whole situation came into harmony.
“I was completely beaten. I should have known from the start.”
“That’s impossible, so Fermi stabbed him in.”
“ha. I have to tell the kids.”
Two hours after that, Amy and Iruki finished their evaluation and entered the study group.
“Nade! What happened to you?”
Amy shouted at the scars on Nade’s face.
“Sorry. i screwed up Even if you have 10 mouths, you have nothing to say.”
Iruki said.
“it’s okay. Because I won anyway. From now on, think about raising the rankings too. Graduation exams are really close now.”
“Ah, speaking of…”
Sirone delivered the fact that the golden ring had been dismantled, and the shock the two received was no different.
“Fermi you coward! Are you cheating until the end?”
“Think good. The distribution was ambiguous, and infighting could have occurred. Other team members will understand.”
He had no choice but to raise his hand this time, having prepared for more than 10 years to meet Yolga.
After such a simple welcome ceremony for Nade, Sirone and the others went back to their lodgings to prepare for tomorrow.
“Iruki.”
Sirone called in front of Iruki’s door.
“Do you know a senior named Liz?”
“Liz?”
It was an expression of surprise that was not typical of Iruki.
“How do you know that senior’s name?”
“That’s what I met this morning. With Nade.”
“It was.”
Iruki looked around Nade’s room.
“Somehow, I felt depressed. So did you say something?”
“huh. He also bought me rice. Lizra is someone precious to senior Nade, right?”
“I guess so. Because he’s the one who made that monster come to his senses and live.”
“What kind of person were you?”
“Hmm, if you ask me what kind of person I am…”
Iruki, remembering Liz-senpai, gave a brief definition.
“It was just the current Nade.”
* * *
It was four years ago, when Nade was fifteen.
At that time, he was exuding an aura that was so terrifying that he could scare opponents with just his eyes.
He only exchanged a few words with Iruki, but never talked to anyone, and his dogmatic behavior was most noticeable during lunchtime.
When Nade received the food on the plate and turned around, the friends who were peeking at his back hurriedly turned their heads.
It was because he was afraid that he would sit next to him.
“joy.”
I snorted and looked around, and Iruki was also occupying a table by herself.
It was also funny to eat with people who acknowledged each other’s abilities but pushed them away, so Nade sat down at a table in the corner.
It was then that Liz approached.
“hi?”
Nade looked up and saw a smiling Liz in his eyes and heard the students whispering behind her.
Liz, the top of Class Four.
I couldn’t figure out why the senior, who had nothing to do with Nade, suddenly acted like this.
“What are you?”
Nade at the time was not rough even if he was a senior.
“Isn’t it too much to say to someone who says hello?”
“If you don’t have any business, get out. Because the food tastes bad.”
“Eating alone is delicious, right? Don’t do that, let’s eat together. It’s good to be close with seniors and juniors.”
Liz had a tendency to not see anyone being left out.
“bothered. Turn it off.”
Rather, it was Liz’s friends who were behind Nade’s cold treatment.
“A worthless bastard. They look after you because you’re young. I know you’re really strong.”
“Liz, just come. It’s best not to associate with such a madman.”
Still, since he was a senior, Nade endured at least once.
“Why don’t you go? Friends are calling.”
“good. I’ll go if you tell me honestly.”
“what?”
“Aren’t you really lonely?”
bang!
When the table was hit, all the students turned around and shook their shoulders, and Liz froze with her eyes wide open.
In the cold stillness, Nade, who caught everyone’s gaze, got up from his seat and put his hand on Liz’s shoulder.
“Don’t mess with me again. You can really be beaten to death.”
Liz, her face slightly pale, nevertheless stuck out her tongue playfully.
After a while, as Nade moved away, his friends gathered.
“Are you okay Liz?”
“What kind of children do you have? Shall I call you after class?”
“I’ll give you a scolding. A guy like that doesn’t need to be in a magic school.”
Liz, who still had a flushed expression, let out a large breath as if she had finally come to her senses.
“Whoah, it’s really not a joke, he. It’s tougher than you’ve heard.”
“Then why are you talking? They say he hangs out with bad guys outside of school because he skips classes to attend.”
“Hmm.”
Despite the concerns of her friends, Liz looked at Nade’s back with interest.
“Sheesh!”
After breaking up with his friends, Nade entered the room and curled up on the bed, reminiscing about the time.
If it hadn’t been that way from the beginning, there wouldn’t have been any pain like this.
But the reason I can’t blame her is because the life she left behind has become so precious now.
‘Engagement?’
Nade felt the heat rise in his head and buried his face in the bed.
“OMG! What are you saying to me!”
* * *
A few days later, Liz took Oscar to Alpheas Magic School.
“Do you really need to come to me? This isn’t even my school.”
Oscar had a nasty attitude.
“Still, I’m a teacher, so I have to say hello. I have to tell you about the engagement ceremony.”
It was because of this.
“Let’s talk Liz for a second.”
Oscar stopped in the hallway where the principal’s office was.
“Why are you in such a hurry? You can slowly bring up the engagement.”
“Who is in a hurry? What’s wrong with talking to everyone?”
“This is a complex issue. You should also consider a job. What about the arsenal when I’m assigned here?”
“Yes, I know. But Oscar, I’m not urging you on. It’s just…”
Liz confided after worrying.
“Aren’t we in love?”
Liz is a wonderful woman and that’s why Oscar fell in love with her on first meeting.
To be honest, I didn’t want to lose her.
‘love. If love is everything…’
Seeing Oscar hesitate, Liz suddenly felt fear, and as always, she yielded herself this time.
“okay. I think it’s premature to talk about an engagement ceremony. Let’s just say hello.”
“Sorry. I have a lot to think about too. As you know, joining the association is a great opportunity…”
“Whoops! Because I knew. now! Relax and go!”
When Liz, who had calmed down Oscar, knocked on the door of the principal’s office and entered, Alpheas, who had already received the message, greeted him with a smile.
“Long time no see, Liz.”
“Hello Headmaster! You are still young!”
“Chuck! Just a year ago, jokes like that were fun. Sit over here.”
Alpheas offered a seat and served the car.
“By the way, who is this handsome man?”
Oscar, who was dealing with a certified 4th-class wizard, politely bowed.
“hello. My name is Clid Oscar, a certified 8th-class wizard.”
“This is my boyfriend. I think I will be assigned to the Kreas Magic Association this time.”
“Right. You look dignified.”
After talking about this and that, Liz asked.
“By the way, what did you say at the beginning? Did something bad happen?”
Alpheas shook his head as if he was about to die.
“Don’t talk. In one year, it has grown old. There are so many troublemakers in my senior year.”
“I met Nade not too long ago. They say you’re ranked last.”
“Aren’t they already detached from rankings? The juniors directly under your study group.”
“lol.”
Liz took it as an honorable compliment.
“But it’s not just because of that. This year’s graduating class is really high quality. The competition has never been this intense in the history of the school.”
“Oh my, is that enough?”
“okay. They say that the average ability of students is 3.8 times higher than that of other schools.”
Oscar couldn’t understand.
“The average is 3.8 times?”
“okay. I can’t even guess how big the gap is between the top and the bottom. It is no exaggeration to say that ranks are meaningless.”
Liz said with a dazed expression.
“It’s amazing. The principal must be having a hard time too.”
In my mind, I would have liked to graduate all of my senior classes.
“okay. But even this is only part of the process. It may be difficult right now, but the students graduating this time will grow into wizards who will shine the kingdom faster than anyone else.”
And in times of trouble, such wizards were needed.
“Then Nade…”
said Alfeas, who had read Liz’s mind.
“Don’t worry. The children of the Supernatural Psychic Research Society are by no means inferior to their top competitors. You are fighting well.”
Alfeas had a benevolent personality but never said empty words, so Liz smiled brightly.
“Of course. Who is the junior?”
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