Arc 1 Chapter 11: Worries

    I would run on my way to school in the morning to regain my strength.

　

"Hmm... I'm clearly losing my strength... That's bad... There's only a year left until the original work is released..."

　

　Yeah, it's really bad. My athletic ability was the key to my strength. I'm not particularly good at shooting. My main strategy is to force my way in using my shield and my boasting physical ability to fire my shotgun.

　

　...I feel like I'm a bit too muscle-brained. I've never even fired a gun in my previous life, so it can't be helped, right?　

　

　As I was running and thinking about this, a child I had seen before came running towards me.

　

"Eh, Shiroko-chan?"

　

　Yes, Shiroko-chan, the main heroine who loves bank robberies, Sunaookami Shiroko.

　

"Good morning, Yume-senpai. What have you been doing?"

　

"Me? I was just running on my way to school.what about you shiroko-chan?"

　

"Me too. Do you like sports too, Yume-senpai?"

　

　Apparently, Shiroko-chan was also a runner, just like me. Come to think of it, I think Shiroko-chan's hobbies were exercise and biking.

　

　But how should I answer that? In my case, rather than saying I like it, I exercise because I feel like I have to... Hmm...

　

"I don't like it so much as it makes me stronger. Also, I've been sleeping in the hospital for so long that my body has become sluggish."

　

　Well, I'll be honest about it. It's not like I have any shady reasons.

　

"Nn. Was Yume-senpai strong before you got sick? Hoshino-senpai told me not to challenge you because you're still recovering from your illness, so I'd like to know."

　

　By the way, we told Shiroko that I had been hospitalized due to illness. Hoshino, Nonomi, and I all agreed that it would be rude to tell a young Shiroko that I had been lost in the desert and nearly died of exhaustion.

　

　So, my strength? Hmm, I wonder. To be honest, I don't really know how strong I was. Because the only people I could compare myself to were the not-so-strong delinquents like the delinquent girls and the Helmet Gang, or Hoshino-chan, who was the strongest in Kivotos. I've been living in Kivotos for about 18 years, but I still don't really know how strong the average student is.

　

　I will never lose to the delinquents...the so-called mob kids, even if it's many against one, unless I am extremely outnumbered, but that said, I am fairly strong but I could never win against Hoshino-chan who is just too strong.

　

"Hmm... I guess I was a little weaker than Hoshino-chan. I haven't really fought much against anyone other than delinquents so I'm not sure."

　

"So, are you stronger than I am now?"

　

　

"Maybe so. But I think Shiroko-chan can become even stronger."

　

　I feel bad for Shiroko-chan, but right now she has a lot of rough edges, and because of that side to her, I don't feel like she'll lose much.

　

　

"Hmm...how frustrating.Yume-senpai, let's have a contest."

　

"Eh? It's a bit difficult to fight right now, you know? Hoshino-chan said that too, right?"

　

"Don't worry, this isn't a normal fight. We'll race from here to the school. Whoever gets there first wins."

　

　I see. In that case, it's probably fine. This is the moment when I can feel Shiroko's mental growth.

　

"That's fine then. Let's do it."

　

"Nn, then let's get started."

　

"Eh?! Wait a minute, Shiroko-chan!!."

　

　Shiroko suddenly announced the start and started running, leaving me behind. It's still about 30km from here to school,right? She's full of energy...

　

"Well, I still have no intention of losing!"

　

　I've been training since I was three years old. It's true that I've lost my strength and muscle power after sleeping for eight months, but I have pride. I can't lose to any juniors other than Hoshino-chan!

---

"Haa, haa, phew... I'm so tired."

　

"Nn! I win."

　

　The two of us arrived at Abydos High School. By the way, Shiroko won the match. Of course, I still hadn't regained my strength, so it can't be helped.

　

"Shiroko-chan is amazing. Do you always run?"

　

"I do it every morning. I like it, and I want to beat Hoshino-senpai."

　

　That's a great attitude. Maybe I'll start exercising with Shiroko next time? It'll be more fun and I'll be able to stay motivated.

　

"Hey, Shiroko-chan. Starting tomorrow, why don't we run to school together? You always take that road, right?"

　

"Nn, that's good,and I got a workout buddy."

　

　Shiroko's expression hasn't changed much, but she has a happy aura about her. It's more fun to do it together than alone.

　

"Alright then it's decided!"

　

"Huh? It's rare to see Yume-senpai and Shiroko-chan going to school together, isn't it?"

　

　While the two of them were talking, it seemed that Hoshino-chan had also arrived at school.

　

"We just happened to meet earlier! We were racing to see who could get to school first."

　

"Nn! I won!"

　

　Shiroko-chan is breathing heavily and making a smug face. It's just so cute. Oh, Hoshino-chan is patting Shiroko-chan's head.

　

"Wow, that's amazing, Shiroko-chan."

　

　I think it's a wonderful sight. If a scene like this had existed in the original work, it would undoubtedly have given birth to a lot of fanart. It's such a precious space. A feast for the eyes.

　

　These are really, really happy days. They are brighter and more fun than when I was alone in my second year, or when it was just me and Hoshino-chan. And next year Ayane-chan and Celica-chan will be enrolling, so it will probably be even brighter with more people.

　

　Thanks to the three of them coming, I felt like everyone would be able to enroll properly. Until Hoshino-chan came, I was extremely worried about whether she would really come to Abydos next year.

　

　And... it's precisely because I'm so happy that I want to protect everyone. I don't want to lose anyone.

　

　That's why I...

　

　

　

　

　

　

　

　

　

　

　

　

　

"Hey, Yume-senpai!"

　

"Ah...Hoshino-chan"

　

"Yume-senpai, are you okay?"

　

　Hoshino-chan and Shiroko-chan were looking at me with worried expressions. I had been so lost in thought that they noticed and Hoshino-chan calling out to me.

　

"Sorry, I was just thinking about something... I'm fine, I'm fine!"

　

　There is nothing really wrong with my health. I'm sorry for causing you both so much worry.

　

"That's fine, but... you're still recovering from an illness, so please don't push yourself too hard, okay?"

　

　I'm not really pushing myself too hard. I'm just a little worried.

---

There are two things that are bothering me right now.

　

　The first is that I lost the notebook in which I had written down my knowledge of the original work. This is extremely bad. I've lost my biggest advantage. And it's not realistic to go and find it in the vast Abydos Desert now...

　

　

　The second issue is what to do about the task force.

　

　Just like in the original work, Hoshino-chan created a club called the Abydos Countermeasures Committee, and Nonomi-chan and Shiroko-chan joined it instead of the Abydos Student Council.

　

　I don't particularly want to complain about the fact that a club was created. The problem is that the task force has not received official approval.

　

　And next year, an incident will occur where bad adults, such as the Kaiser and the black suit, will take advantage of this school and use Hoshino-chan for human experiments, and then they will try to take over the school from us.

　

　However, as I said earlier, the problem is that this is not officially recognized, and if the Abydos Student Council had remained recognized, there is a possibility that this incident could have been prevented.

　

　If that were all there was, there would be no need to worry. I could just say that I wanted my two juniors to join so that the Abydos Student Council could continue. And since I'm not graduating, it shouldn't be a problem.

　

　However, there are two problems with this. First, the incident would make it easier to repay the debt, as it would expose the fraud in a way that the Federal Student Council couldn't ignore.

　

　The second point is that if this incident is prevented, there is no telling what black suit and the Kaiser will do.

　

　The Kaiser probably thinks we're an eyesore, and the Black Suit have been trying to recruit, or rather deceive, Hoshino-chan since her first year. I don't think they'll give up just because one of their plans has failed.

　

　In that case, it would be easier to deal with them if they used the strategy I know. If Hoshino-chan had been fooled once, she wouldn't make the same mistake again, and the black suit would have given up... or rather, their interests would have changed. As for the Kaiser, it would be a fatal blow.

　

　However, this is only if everything goes well. Just because I have knowledge of the future doesn't mean everything will go well, as we have learned well from this failure.

　

　What if I make this choice and can't save Hoshino? What if the school is taken over by the Kaiser? These kinds of unpleasant thoughts start to well up in my mind. Aren't there too many bad endings...?　

　

　In the end, I'm just a powerless person who only knows the original work, but I'm not particularly strong, and I can't raise enough money to pay off the nearly 1 billion yen debt. I've just realized that again after this incident.

　

　

　

　...What should I do?...

Either of the two choices can lead to a bad ending. These are the worst two choices.

　

　Abydos already has a huge debt, and then on top of that there's the death of Yume-senpai, Binah, Utnapishtim's ship, the railway gun Shematha, and Set too. Aren't there just too many problems? In my previous life, someone said it was a cursed place online, and that's exactly right.

　

　I know this is a little late, but is it really okay for someone like me to interfere with the original work? Maybe it would be better to just trust and leave everything to Sensei .

　

　After all, Blue Archive's story is a constant tightrope walk. Kivotos is an absurd world where one wrong step leads straight to a bad ending. I wonder if it's really the right choice for someone like me to interfere in such a story.

　

　Before, I was so focused on what was in front of me that I didn't think much about the future, but thanks to Nonomi-chan and Shiroko-chan, I now have a little more time to think about things. And that's why new worries have arise.

　

　I think it's also because I've become close with everyone, and I'm so scared of losing them... Shiroko-chan, Nonomi-chan, and Hoshino-chan.

　

　Moreover, after failing once, I've lost a little confidence, and I feel like my thoughts have become a little negative. Without Hoshino-chan, I would have died without having been able to change anything.

　

　What should I do?