第１１４３堀：彼女の甘えと勇気 (Part1)
Chapter 1143: Her Dependency and Courage
Side: Kagura
“……I really don’t feel anything at all.”
I murmured this while gazing for a moment at the corridor in question, which looked completely unremarkable to my eyes.
Yes, the hallway reflected in my sight right now was nothing more than a bright, peaceful space bathed in sparkling sunlight.
“Hey, what are we eating today?”
“Ah, I’ve got an assignment, so I want something quick.”
Just like our own academy, many students were walking by, chatting brightly. It was exactly noon, the lunch break, and the corridor was surprisingly lively.
There was no malice to be felt here—not in this place. It was just a schoolhouse, plain and simple.
Yet, here—in this very spot—Principal Popuri and the others had confronted a ghost last night. Or perhaps “confronted” was too grand a word. They had encountered it and observed its behavior. The corridor I saw in the footage back then had looked truly ominous, but now, there wasn’t a trace of that atmosphere.
As I said before, it was just a hallway.
“Oi, Kagura, what are you doing?”
As I stood there simply staring, a voice called out from behind. I turned to see Mikos waving as she approached, with Enola and Stasia following close behind.
“Did something happen? Well, I don’t even need to ask.”
“Hmm. Staring at this corridor means… is that what it is?”
“Ah, so that’s it. Am I wrong?”
Everyone saw right through the reason I had stopped to stare at the hall. As expected of my dear, close friends.
“Yes. Just a little. I can’t believe this is the place where that happened last night.”
“Well, I suppose so. Man, at the time, it really felt like that haunted school from Lady Luna’s test of courage.”
“It’s strange, isn’t it? Just because it’s daytime, the atmosphere has changed completely. But Yuki and Lord Sota said that was just how it looked to us.”
It seemed Mikos and Enola had also seen this corridor as terrifying at the time. But as Enola mentioned, according to the First Ancestor and Yuki, it was just a normal hallway then, just as it is now, with nothing particularly different about it. The reason being…
“Well, it’s a matter of one’s state of mind. If you think something is scary, even trivial things can appear terrifying. It’s the same as how enemies on a battlefield can look strangely large, or conversely, how you might feel invincible.”
I think Stasia is right. It was only because we were afraid that it looked so frightening. It’s probably the same reason why, as a child, walking through the house at night felt so scary for no reason.
But what I’m really worried about isn’t that…
“But you know, you don’t have to worry about turning it down, Kagura. Yuki-sensei said so, too.”
Just as Mikos said, I had refused to wield the power of a shrine maiden—a task bestowed upon me by the First Ancestor himself—simply because I was afraid. That is what weighs on my heart. It’s true that Yuki told me he wouldn’t make me do it, and the First Ancestor and Lady Sui were understanding, so I shouldn’t have to worry about it, but…
“Well, I understand how you feel. It’s quite something to deny an order from the First Ancestor.”
“Yes. Because Lord Yuki refused immediately, it didn’t become a problem on the spot, but if that had happened in our homeland, it would have been a major issue.”
“That’s true…”
To refuse the words—I couldn’t even call it a request—of the First Ancestor, the great hero who shaped the nation of Haiden as it exists today, is usually unthinkable. But, still, the thought of letting that ghost possess my body was simply too terrifying.
“That’s why you shouldn’t worry about it. Lord Sota said it’s dangerous for someone who hasn’t undergone the proper training to attempt such things.”
“Exactly. That’s why the First Ancestor understood immediately, and Lord Enor didn’t say anything either.”
“Yes. So we have nothing to say, either. Yuki-sama stopped it, after all. Now, standing in the hallway talking for so long isn’t ideal, so shall we go to the cafeteria?”
“Yes, you’re right. There’s no point in staying here.”
After all, I can’t even feel the presence of the ghost that is supposed to be here. I don’t think I could be of any use.
*Ugh…* I want to be useful to Yuki. Why am I so powerless and cowardly?
Even though I know it can’t be helped, I still couldn’t help but think those thoughts.
When we entered the cafeteria…
“Oh, it’s Kagura and the others. Over here, over here!”
“Seniors, wouldn’t you like to have lunch with us?”
Amanda and Solo noticed us immediately and called us over from a corner of the cafeteria. We had no reason to decline or avoid them, so we took our seats.
“Yahoo, Amanda, Solo.”
“Yahoo, Mikos. Kagura and the others, too.”
“Yes, you seniors look well, too.”
“Huh? Where’s Eoid?”
Indeed, for some reason, Amanda’s husband, Eoid, was nowhere to be seen. They are usually together, aren’t they? He is, after all, the knight who protects the Dragon Knight.
“Ah, about that…”
“Yes. Sorry to keep you waiting.”
Before Amanda could answer, Eoid appeared carrying food for the cafeteria. I see, it seems he was diligently preparing the meal for Amanda and the others.
“Oh, Kagura-san, hello.”
“Yes, sorry to intrude.”
“Yahoo, Eoid.”
As we were exchanging greetings, Amanda suddenly said:
“While you’re at it, Eoid, bring orders for everyone else, too.”
“A-Amanda-san. Surely that’s asking too much of Eoid-san…”
“Ah, it’s fine. A man who can’t show this much consideration wouldn’t be much of a man, or so Yuki-san and Taiki-san would probably say. So, what will you have?”
I thought for a moment that it might be rude to let him do that, but since he accepted it so readily, we didn’t hold back and made our requests. Eoid left the table again to fetch the food.
Watching him go, Amanda turned to me with a serious expression, different from before.
“So, what happened, Kagura?”
“Eh?”
I was asked, but I couldn’t find the words to respond immediately…
“I heard from Master Deryu and Master Eris about what happened yesterday. But there was nothing in their story that would make Kagura look like that. I’ll ask you again. What happened?”
“Ah.”
I see, so Amanda had figured it out. Mikos and the others were smiling bitterly.
“Eh? Did something happen to Kagura-senpai? Did the ghost do something to you?”
Solo was the only one completely out of the loop. Eoid probably knew what was going on and stepped away on purpose. Even so, I couldn’t just leave Solo behind, but the content of the conversation was…
“Ahaha, it’s not such a big deal. Kagura is just depressed because she feels she couldn’t be of any use.”
“That’s right. Yuki doesn’t mind at all, yet for some reason, she’s the only one who keeps worrying about it.”
“Even though they say that, it’s complicated because it also means she denied the words of the First Ancestor.”
““Ah…””