V5Ch1: Sister’s return and the progression of her disease……! part 4
Translator: Soafp
[Claire side]
Claire let out a small sigh as she left the student advisor’s office.
“Things were getting a little messy.”
The head of the department’s office continued his sermon for an hour, and the light shining into the hallway was tinged with an azure red.
From far away, the voices of the students could be heard.
Claire’s footsteps echoed through the empty hallway.
“Of all the places to be, it has to be in Cid’s class. How am I going to look at him tomorrow?”
She turns her cheeks and speaks to the empty space.
“It’s all your fault.”
[How terrible of you. It wasn’t my fault.]
“Then tell me what happened. If I told them that I was attacked by a strange man in a strange space and fell on top of a teacher, they wouldn’t believe me. I almost got referred to a doctor.”
[It’s better that you don’t know. If you know, you won’t be able to go back.]
“Hey. How can I stay in the dark about something like this? I’m angry.”
[……Stop it. I can’t put you in danger.]
“I’m already in danger. If you don’t talk, I’ll find out myself. I will never let it end like this.”
[It’s useless.]
“I’ll decide if it’s useless or not. Aurora the Witch of Calamity.”
[That name, how did you…..]
“I looked it up—.”
Claire stopped dead in her tracks after saying that much.
Before she knew it, there was a silver-haired girl in the hallway, which she had expected to be empty.
“I’m sorry to interrupt your monologue, Claire Kagenou. I’d like to talk to you for a moment.”
She looked at Claire with red eyes, interested. It was Alexia Midgar, princess of the Midgar Kingdom.
Claire’s face became stern.
“I’m not talking to myself.”
“Nobody is here.”
Alexia looked around deliberately.
Claire’s face grew even stern.
“Princess Alexia, I’m not going to have a friendly chat with you.”
“I’m sorry you don’t like me. Even though we’ve never met before, Claire?”
“I’m not talking to the princess who seduced Cid.”
Claire’s eyes became so sharp that they looked as if they could kill a person.
Or rather, she was completely devoted to it.
“Ha? There were circumstances! I didn’t mean to seduce him.”
Alexia’s eyes swam with a bit of impatience.
“Ammm? You’re upset. I smell a lie.”
“How rude of you, I’m not! I mean, what’s with that attitude! You’re his sister and I was trying to be polite.”
“I knew it, I knew you were a liar. A wolf in sheep’s clothing”
Claire spat out, and Alexia clicked her tongue.
“As expected from the siblings. You’re just as rude as your brother.”
“Eh, just like Sid?”
“T-that’s right. You’re just as rude as…….”
“I see. So we look exactly alike. …… Ehehe”
Claire laughed as if a flower had bloomed.
“Hey, what’s going on?”
“You’re a good judge of character!”
“Uhm….”
Alexia was puzzled by the firm grip on her shoulders.
“So, is there something you want to talk about?”
“Yes, I do, …….”
“I’m busy right now, but it can’t be helped. I’ll listen to you for a minute.”
“Thank you….”
“By the way, what other similarities do you see between me and Sid?”
“B-black hair, I guess……?”
The two walked shoulder to shoulder through the corridor at dusk.
[Alexia Side]
“……Here?”
“It’s a special reception room reserved for high-ranking officials.”
Alexia said, turning on the light in the luxurious and ornate room.
“High-ranking?”
“I’m royalty, after all.”
“Aah, come to think of it.”
This girl forgot, Alexia thought.
“Please, sit down.”
“Nice fabric, beautiful embroidery. What a waste of taxpayer money.”
“Hey, does anyone ever tell you you say too many words?”
“Never.”
Alexia and Claire sat down on the big soft sofa while exchanging their comments.
They were alone in the large room.
Alexia looked at Claire again.
She is an honor student with black hair and red eyes.
Rumor has it that she is rapidly improving her abilities and has been offered a place in the knighthood.
I see, she is nothing like her brother —- except for the fact that she is rude.
“Why the serious face?”
“I’m trying to be serious.”
“I already know. You can’t have Sid.”
“I-I don’t want”
Alexia covered her croaky voice with a cough.
“I’m talking about the time you fell on top of a teacher during a class.”
“What, a lecture?”
“I want to know what happened.”
“I made a big jump with my magic powers from outside the classroom and attacked the teacher. I think the stress drove me crazy. I don’t know what happened, but that’s what happened. I’m sorry.”
Claire said in a clear, barbed voice.
“I don’t want to hear such over the top stuff.”
“I’ve written exactly what I said in my letter of regret”
“But that’s not what really happened, right?”
“What do you mean?”
“I know you were looking into the demon Diabolos.”
Alexia then spread out on her desk the documents she had retrieved from Claire’s room.
“Wait, that’s my …….”
“I know you don’t do research as a hobby.”
“…..What do you want to know?”
Claire’s face became serious.
“Everything. I want to know what’s going on in this school.”
“….. you wouldn’t make fun of me?”
“No, I won’t, I promise.”
“Really?”
“Really.”
Claire fell silent and looked away.
She just stared at the empty space. Her eyes seemed to be talking to someone.
After a moment, she shook her head.
“I’m sorry, Aurora.”
“Eh?”
Alexia tilted her head at the unconnected words.
But Claire was not talking to Alexia. She just stared into the void.
“I’m at my wits end. I don’t know what’s going on and I’m so anxious…….”
Claire’s shoulders were shaking slightly.
“I’m sorry, it’s nothing.”
She said and gave a small laugh.
“…… Are you okay?”
“I’m not okay at all …… so I’m just going to blurt it all out. I know it sounds stupid, but believe it or not, it’s your choice.”
“I believe you.”
It didn’t seem to Alexia that Claire was trying to lie.
“Really? Well, let me start by introducing you to her.”
“…… Her?”
“Her name is Aurora. [The Witch of Calamity], she is a ghost now. Say hello.”
The place Claire pointed to was, after all, empty.
Despite straining her eyes and rubbing them, she could not see a thing.
“How did you meet her—”
Alexia regretted saying that she believed her when she saw Claire talking as if there was someone there.