Sierra, in turn, made a straightforward request of me. To eat lunch together. And so, we headed to the academy rooftop.
"What are you going to do during winter break?" "…It hasn't even been a month since summer break ended." "Hmph, you can never look forward to a day off enough. I'm serious about resting." "I'm suddenly wondering how you became the second-ranked student in your year." "I'm just smart!"
The quiet and distant atmosphere of the morning was gone. Sierra chattered happily with a bright smile, just like usual. She stuck close to me, eating her lunchbox beside me. …Perhaps it was because I had approached her honestly. I felt as if the distance between us had grown even closer than before. Maybe that's what I truly wanted.
"Hmm~, then." "What else is there?" And then. Sierra, who had been asking various questions while eating her lunchbox, pondered for a moment. "After you graduate from the academy? What are you going to do?" "..." She suddenly threw out that question.
"Graduation…?" "Yeah, Emil, your grades are excellent, so you can do anything." "..." It was a question I hadn't considered at all. After graduation…? While repeating my first year six times, I had never once thought about what would happen after graduation. Me, graduating from the academy. I couldn't even imagine it.
"Sierra… what do you want to do?" "Hmm, probably the magic tower in the capital city?" "Magic tower?" "Yeah, the Blue Magic Tower. I like magic." "..."
Unexpectedly, Sierra had a clear plan for the future. 'Now that she mentions it, I think I vaguely saw it in the game too…' After listening to Sierra, I. Thought for a moment while looking at my lunchbox, then picked up a side dish, ate it, and spoke.
"Then maybe I'll do that too." "Huh? Do what?" "The Blue Magic Tower. I'll go there after graduation. I just decided." Emil's life had always been full of only bad endings anyway. Since I had no particular goals or dreams I wanted to achieve. I thought a magic tower, as Sierra mentioned, wouldn't be a bad idea.
And at my casually made decision, Sierra stared at me intently. "Does that mean… you'll go with me even after graduation?" "Huh…?" "..." "..."
Come to think of it, that's exactly what it meant. Realizing anew what I had just said, I closed my mouth. A flush rose to my face. Sierra seemed to notice my reaction, as she awkwardly laughed and blushed.
"Well, well~, if it's Emil, there definitely won't be a problem, right? Yeah, since you're the top student in your year. Hehe…" "Yeah… I guess so." "Then, Emil, what kind of magic do you like? Is there any magic you want to research?" "That… I'll have to think about it now." "What, what~, you're just following along without even having a magic you like?" "..." "Hehe."
Sierra teased me, yet smiled sweetly as if pleased. I was embarrassed too, but I didn't feel particularly bad. …In fact, I thought it would be nice if we went to the magic tower together.
'A magic tower, huh…' It felt strange to have a goal set for the future. It's fascinating. When I'm with Sierra, something always changes within me without me realizing it. Not for the worse, but always for the better. …Perhaps that's why I feel so comfortable by her side.
"Hey, Emil." "Yeah?" Just then, Sierra, who was closing her lunchbox lid, hesitated and spoke to me. She glanced around, creating a somewhat cautious atmosphere.
"About Lia yesterday…" "Ah, um, yeah." What she cautiously asked about was Lia. Sierra subtly glanced at me out of the corner of her eye.
"Did you go back together after that?" "..." She probably had been curious until now but couldn't easily ask. Especially since their relationship had just improved. Asking such a question might spoil the mood again. It seemed the idea of asking came to her after hearing about going to the magic tower together. …And I, upon receiving that question. Hesitated for a moment. And then.
"...No, we didn't go together." "Huh? Why? Weren't you going back together?" Sierra looked at me with a slightly surprised expression after hearing my answer.
"Lia left first halfway through." "Why?" "..." "…Is it difficult to answer?"
I pondered for a moment without answering. Would it be okay to tell the truth here? Wouldn't it be better to just quietly move on and pretend not to know? "..."
But this wasn't the last time. There were still two more. Similar things would happen twice more. If I glossed over it now, what about then? …Would Sierra be completely disappointed in me then? Suddenly thinking that, a sense of dread rose in my heart. "Lia… confessed to me." "..."
In the end, I chose to tell the truth. Then, I felt Sierra's shoulders, which had been watching me, tremble. "You received a confession. ...What was your answer?" Her cautious question followed. I paused for a moment, then told her exactly what had happened.
"Lia didn't even confess to get an answer from me in the first place." "Huh…? What do you mean by that?" "...It means she confessed knowing I would refuse." "...I see."
Had I answered properly? Would she have strange thoughts or misunderstandings? Even though I pretended to be calm on the outside, my heart trembled with anxiety. And then, Sierra quietly spoke with a somewhat sulky expression. "Emil, you're quite popular." "...No, I'm not particularly popular." "Really? I feel like there might be more than just Lia." "Hmm."
I subtly turned my head in the opposite direction. Well, there's Mari and Chris. And there would be about two more in the future. But since telling her that much wouldn't lead to anything good, I answered with silence.
***
After my relationship with Sierra recovered. We started spending time together often. When going to the academy in the morning, we somehow ended up going together frequently. We ate lunch together. And when it was time to go back, one of us would wait, and we would go back together.
Honestly, it wasn't bad. No, to be even more honest… I liked this daily life. A peaceful happiness I wished would continue forever. But within that happiness, I felt a sense of unease. The reason was this.
'...Why isn't Lia approaching?' It was because Lia, whose capture had been completed, showed no reaction, contrary to expectations. 'She's definitely still coming to the academy…' Since I was spending a peaceful daily life with Sierra, it would be good for me if she didn't do anything. On the other hand, I felt the pressure that something could erupt at any moment. 'I thought she would at least come and say something…' It was the same for Mari and Chris. I thought that would be normal, even from a general perspective.
'...Since election season is coming soon, should I just move on to the next capture target?' And so, I watched Lia's actions with unease for several days. One day.
"Huh…?" I felt something unusual in my drawer and pulled it out. What was in my desk drawer was a letter. "What is this…?"
It definitely hadn't been there until yesterday. It wasn't there when I left school, and I had just arrived, so someone must have put it there after I left yesterday. Rustle. I unfolded the letter and looked at its contents.
"...Oh no." Clang! I confirmed the short message in the letter, was startled, and immediately stood up. Then I rushed out of the classroom.
"Huh? E-Emil! Class is about to start!" A classmate's voice could be heard from behind me, but I ran without looking back. The content written in the letter was very short. [I am truly sorry, it's shameless of me, but please be happy.]
I didn't even need to rack my brain to know who had put the letter there. It was definitely Lia. I headed straight for the classroom where Chris was. "Chris!!" "Huh? E-Emil?" "Come with me for a second! I need help!" "Alright!" I rushed out of the academy with Chris.
***
"She's not in the main building! What about the annex?" "Th-the annex isn't anywhere either!" "Then the dorms…!" I urgently set out to find Lia with Chris.
…Should I explain to the professors and search with more people? But causing a commotion might lead to me being interrogated. Especially with Malcolm and Edric already missing. And even Bran had recently stopped coming to the academy. Even if students weren't informed, the professors would definitely be looking for them. If I messed up, I could get caught up in it.
"Chris! Let's go to the dorms!" "Okay!" I headed to the dorms with Chris. I ran with all my might, but perhaps because my heart was racing, my legs felt incredibly slow.
And after arriving at the dorms, I had Chris check the inside of the girls' dormitory. But. "She's not here…!" "Damn it…! Where in the world did she go…!" Lia wasn't in the dorms either. I had asked everyone we encountered on the way here about Lia, but not a single person had seen her.
And then. "Um, Emil…" "Huh?" Chris, who was beside me, hesitated, faltering over something, then. Cautiously opened her mouth.
"Actually… I have a slight idea of where she might be…" "Really?! Where is it?!" "...Alright. I'll lead the way." "Let's go quickly! Before anything happens!"
Fortunately, Chris seemed to know something about Lia's whereabouts. And so, guided by Chris, I followed behind her. 'A forest…?' We left the academy and entered a forest located between the city and the academy. From its position, it seemed to be a forest near the outskirts of the city. Occasionally, buildings constructed by the city passed by us.
"Is it here…?" "Yeah, but Emil… that is…" "Why, what is it?" We arrived at a certain warehouse deep within the forest. Upon reaching it, Chris repeatedly hesitated to say something, with a worried expression. Then she spoke cautiously.
"Don't be too surprised when we go inside." "What…?" "Everything in there is our responsibility." "..."
What on earth was she talking about? Unable to understand, but pressed for time, I nodded. Then I followed Chris into the warehouse. Rumble… As the warehouse door opened. "Lia—!!" I found Lia, struggling while hanging by her neck.