Arc 1 Chapter 8: Encounter

"I came here because someone asked for my help because they were in trouble, but I never expected to be ambushed and attacked... Hey Hoshino-chan, why is the security situation in Abydos so bad?"

　

"I think it's because the population is decreasing rapidly and it's turning into a slum full of delinquents. Abydos is now a lawless area."

　

"Just assume that everyone you don't know is a bad person."

　

"But Hoshino-chan, what if the person is really in trouble?"

　

"There is no such person! Everyone is a villain!"

　

"I guess so... maybe..."

　

　

"That's right! Even if we reach out to them, they'll betray us right away! That's not how we can protect the school!"

　

"Senpai, you can still do it now..."

　

"Hmm... But I still think that's not right, Hoshino-chan."

　

"Y-Yume-senpai...?"

　

"This is an important story, so listen carefully."

　

"If we start to take doubt, distrust, violence, lies, and other such things for granted, we too will lose sight of ourselves."

　

"If people were to return to Abydos and this kind of behavior were to become the norm... I think the situation would be even worse than it is now, and there would be nothing that could be done."

　

"That's why, Hoshino-chan. If you see someone in trouble, lend them a hand. If someone is hungry or freezing in the cold, help them."

　

"Nothing will happen unless we believe in them."

　

"..."

　

"I don't know if I'm expressing myself well, but... you're a kind person, Hoshino-chan, so I'm sure you'll understand what I'm trying to say..."

　

"...But what if you're betrayed? What if you end up in danger like today?"

　

"...Hoshino-chan will help me out then, right?"

　

"...Well, I'll go..."

　

"..."

　

"Hey! What are you grinning for?!"

　

"Hmm? Hoshino-chan said something nice to me! I thought I'd make a note of it!"

　

"Huh?! Wait a second! Don't write in it! And what's with that weird notebook?"

　

"...That's right, Yume-senpai. I've come up with a great plan...I think this will improve the peace and order in Abydos!"

"...Yume-senpai?"

　

"S-senpai?! Where are you?!"

　

　"Yume-senpai!!!"

　

　

　

　

　

　

　

　

　

　

　

　

　

　

　

　Was it a dream? Nearly half a year has passed since that incident. I wonder when Senpai will wake up...

　

　

"Hoshino-senpai..."

　

　

"Oh, it's you again."

　

　The girl who called out to me was Izayoi Nonomi. She's a daughter of Nephthys who abandoned Abydos long ago, but for some reason she keeps coming to our school.

　

"Um, are you okay...?"

　

"..."

　

　If you ask me whether I'm okay or not, I'd say I'm not okay. I've been having a lot of strange dreams lately.

　

"Who said you could come in? Middle schoolers aren't allowed here."

　

"I heard a scream and got worried..."

　

　A scream...a scream. Maybe that was really the only reason this child had come all the way here.

　

"Also, I've already graduated, so I'm no longer a middle school student. I've decided to go to a school that has a cooperative relationship with Nephthys: Highlander Railroad Academy. The admission documents should have arrived at my house soon."

　

"Well, you'd better hurry up and go over there. Don't sell oil in a place like this."

　

"...Yes. So, I wanted to take a look at this place one last time..."

　

　

"So, I was in the schoolyard when I heard a scream..."

　

　Maybe I've grown a little attached to this girl, seeing as she's no longer easily angry. She's a kind and good-natured girl who comes to check on the person she's threatening so many times out of concern. She reminds me of someone.

　

"Right. Well then, just take a look around and go home."

  Leaving Nonomi behind, I head out into the hallway.

　

　

"...I heard."

　

"?"

　

"The disappearance of the student council president... I think it was Yume-san, right?"

　

"..."

　

"Some say she fled because there were too many problems in Abydos..."

　

"It was supposed to be top secret, but I heard something. The student council president didn't disappear...She got lost in the desert and never woke up..."

　

"And the first person to discover it..."

　

"S-sorry! I'm telling you this in front of you..."

　

"It's fine. You don't have to worry about it that much."

　

　She's just a stranger I'll have nothing to do with anyway. And it's this girl. She's not saying it with any ill will, right? So there's no reason to blame her. And besides, I have no right to blame her in the first place.

　

"Um, have you stopped going to the desert yet?"

　

"The reason she stayed in the desert after the student council president was discovered was because she was searching for... something."

　

　I'd be lying if I said I wasn't looking for it. But I've pretty much given up, so there's no need to say anything. I'm sure I'll never be able to see Senpai's notebook.

　

　Perhaps because I remained silent, Nonomi changed the topic.

　

"Oh, come to think of it, this is the Abydos student council room, right? It was closed before..."

　

"Are you perhaps looking for something?"

　

　Maybe it hadn't changed after all.

　

"...I'm going now."

　

　I left the student council room, trying to cover it up and run away.

　

"Ah! Wait a moment, senpai!"

---

"So, what did you come for?"

　

　

"Well, I wanted to see this place one last time."

　

"No, it's not. Why are you following me?"

　

"You go to a different school, so there's no reason for you to call me senpai. Highlander Railroad Academy, right? Aren't you going to enroll there?"

　

"Well, that's..."

　

"...If you continue on like this, I think you'll regret it forever..."

　

　Regret...? I wonder why. Unlike me, this girl has no connection to Abydos. She may be the daughter of Nephthys, but that's about it. Besides, if she attends an academy with connections to Nephthys, she'll probably get special treatment.

　

　I was curious so I decided to ask

　

"Why? Isn't it a school with connections to Nephthys?"

　

"Yes. I'm sure they'll treat you well... I think you could even become student council president..."

　

　Student council president... Student council president, right?

　

"Oh, student council president? That's great, isn't it?"

　

"..."

　

　

"...Well, I understand that the young lady has her own circumstances, right?"

　

"But you'll end up regretting it anyway. What are you going to do after coming to a school like this?"

　

　That's right. Unlike me, this girl hasn't failed and has a future. There's no need for her to come to this empty place.

　

"Young lady- no, Nonomi-chan, you're still young, so you should just listen to what I say."

　

"... I don't think there's much of an age difference between us..."

　

"You're a middle school student, right...?"

　

"I've already graduated, but..."

　

"Well, either way is fine."

　

　I wasn't judging her based on her actual age. This girl has a future, and I have no future, as I'll only fail and regret things. That's all there is to it.

　

---

"Well, maybe it was a bit rough."

　

　It seems that Nonomi ended up staying at Abydos. I was surprised that she would run away from home to attend Abydos. If that's what you're saying, I won't deny it any more.

　

　So the two of them were at school in the snow when they were suddenly attacked by someone and fought back.

　

"What's your name?"

　

"...Shiroko. Sunaookami Shiroko."

　

"Oh.....Your name is Shiroko-chan. So, what were you doing here?"

　

"This place may look like ruins, but... it's actually the Abydos Branch Campus- no, the main Abydos Campus."

　

"That uniform... it's the first time I've seen it."

　

　If Nonomi, who is a daughter of Nephthys and should be knowledgeable about many things, says so, then it might be a really unusual uniform. Moreover, she is wearing very little clothing considering the weather.

　

"Yeah. Besides, it's cold in such light clothing."

　

"Um, which school do you go to, Shiroko-chan?"

　

　

"······I don't know"

　

"...?"

　

"I suddenly found myself here. I don't know anything except my name."

　

　...It doesn't seem like she's lying. She had no idea what was going on, but she was cold, hungry, and in pain. Maybe the only thing she had left to do was attack somewhere.

　

"So... you don't know anything other than your name? What school you attending, your phone number, or even your email address?"

　

　She nodded. She really, really didn't understand anything, She probably didn't remember anything.

　

"H-Hoshino-senpai, what should we do?"

　

"Hmm, that's a problem."

　

　It's not like they're the delinquents. I'm really in trouble. I feel bad about leaving them like this, so what should I do?

　

"..."

　

　

"Doubt, distrust, violence, lies...if we start to take these things for granted, we too will lose sight of ourselves."

　

"That's why, Hoshino-chan. If you see someone in trouble, lend a hand. If you see someone who is hungry or freezing in the cold, help them."

　

"Nothing will happen unless we believe in them."

　

　

　

　

　....

　

　

　

　

"For now...let's go inside, Shiroko-chan."

　

"Huh?! Are you going to take her with you?"

　

　Nonomi is surprised. It's only natural. She's saying she's going with the person who attacked her. To be honest, I think it's strange too...

　

　But even so, I felt I couldn't abandon this child.

　

"Please wrap this around."

　

"A scarf...?"

　

"Yeah. I thought it was better than nothing."

　

　This is all I can give you right now.

　

"How's it going? It's a little better now, right?"

　

"...Yes....It's warm."

　

"Wow. It suits you well, Shiroko-chan. That scarf was bought by this oji-san on sale, so take good care of it, okay?"

　

"Hmm, I understand."

"..."

　

　Nonomi-chan looks at me. I wonder if something has happened?　

　

"Hoshino-senpai, did you just say oji-san...?"

　

"·····yeah?"

　

"And, ugh..."

　

　It felt like it had been a while since I'd laughed naturally. It reminded me a little of the time I went to help someone with Senpai. Also, maybe I've gotten used to it because I call myself "oji-san" every time I talk to her.

　

　

"...What are you talking about? Just the usual oji-san."

　

"Also····"

　

"a~..."

　

　This may have become a habit. I'll let Nonomi get used to it.

　

　

"Ugh!"

　

　I think I've been talking too much. It's going to be cold with just the scarf, so let's take her inside quickly.

　

"Anyway, let's hurry up and get in. Shiroko-chan has a runny nose."

　

"Ah, yes! Shiroko-chan, let's go."

---

    After searching for clothes, I came to the school festival office with Shiroko. The student council room was closed, and since Nonomi-chan had discovered this room the other day, we'd been talking here more often, so I brought her along out of habit.

　

　Then, I dressed Shiroko in the spare uniform I had found.

　

　

"Wow, it fits perfectly. I'm glad I still had a spare uniform."

　

"yeah"

　

　When I praised her, Shiroko-chan had a smug look on her face. Unlike me, she's an honest girl.

　

"For now, please bear with this. I'll prepare some new clothes for you later."

　

"Are you okay"

　

"But this is the old uniform from Abydos... I'll buy you a new one later, okay?"

　

　Shiroko shook her head. Maybe she liked the uniform.

　

"Do you like that?"

　

"Nn!"

　

"Well, if Shiroko-chan is okay with it, then I don't mind..."

　

　She really seems to like it. She's never going to wear anything else! Her eyes are telling her that. It's true that the eyes speak louder than words. What a silly thought.

---

Before I knew it, it was already April. Eight months had passed since my senior left. Thanks to Nonomi-chan and Shiroko-chan, I feel like I've been able to look forward just a little, just a little.

　

　Nonomi-chan and Shiroko-chan decided to enroll in Abydos. Nonomi-chan had always intended to do so, but Shiroko-chan

　

"Hoshino, I challenge you. If I lose, I'll do whatever you say."

　

　That's why I told her to enroll. I was worried that if I left her alone she might do something bad. Maybe because she had no memory, when it came to paying off her debts she kept suggesting things like robbing a bank or attacking someone and stealing things.

　

　After successfully completing the entrance ceremony, I went to visit my senpai.

　

　I can't say that we've gained a lot of students, but we have two more juniors. I'm sure senpai will be very happy to hear this.

　

　Since she still unconscious, I don't know if she understand. But I still wanted to tell my senpai. That what she had said was true. That my juniors had enrolled.

　

"Excuse me, Yume-senpai."

　

　I never get a reply, but I always make sure to call out to them when I visit them in the hospital.

　

　

　

"Hey, Hoshino-chan!!"

　

　

　

　

　

　

　

　

　

　

　

　

　

　

　

　

　

　

　

　

"────────Eh?"