Chapter 73: A Dreaming Girl End

"...Ka?"

I hear a voice—the voice of my beloved, calling my… my name.

"...Aika?"

"Mm… Sensei…"

I slowly open my eyes and rub them. At some point, I’ve ended up standing in front of the sculpture near the entrance of the station closest to Schale. Right in front of me is Sensei, bending slightly as he peers into my face.

"Sorry. Did I make you wait so long that you fell asleep standing up?"

"No, it’s not like that…! I was just so excited about today that I couldn’t really fall asleep last night…"

That’s right—I remember now. Today is our first date since Sensei and I quietly began seeing each other. For this day, I chose an outfit that was both cute and elegant, carefully applied my makeup, and came here fully prepared.

"So you were really looking forward to it. Then I guess I’d better make it a good day."

"...Yes!"

The first place we head to is a shopping center—not the one Maiha and the others usually go to, but a different one. Sensei leads me to an accessory shop on the fourth floor.

"I thought I’d like to pick out an accessory that suits you, Aika."

"...Yes, please do."

We try all sorts of things: accessories shaped like beautiful flowers, sweets and other foods, bird feathers, celestial motifs like stars, the moon, and the sun, and even pink, heart-shaped designs that practically scream girlishness. After trying so many, the one Sensei chooses for me is—

"How about this?"

What catches my eye is a hairpin shaped like a white flower with five rounded petals, paired with a red fruit dotted with tiny seeds.

"A strawberry flower and fruit hairpin?"

"Yeah. Strawberries are grown at your family home, right? And I thought it would look good with your beautiful red hair."

"Oh my, you remembered my family home as well?"

The place where my beloved parents live—the most important place to me—is my family home. The fact that Sensei didn’t treat it lightly makes me very happy.

"And if I remember correctly, the meaning of strawberry flowers is…"

"The flower meaning is…?"

"...Hehe. If you’re curious, you should look it up yourself."

The meanings of strawberry flowers are “a happy family,” “respect and affection,” “foresight,” and “you bring me joy.” Yes—what wonderful meanings.

Judging by Sensei’s reaction, it doesn’t seem like he chose it with that symbolism in mind, but I’m still truly happy that he picked this for me.

"Do you like it?"

"Yes, very much. If it’s alright… would you put it on for me yourself, Sensei?"

Sensei nods, takes the hairpin out of its bag after paying, and gently places it in my hair. His touch is so careful it tickles, and I can’t help smiling.

"...Thank you very much, Sensei. I’ll treasure it forever."

"I’m glad to hear that."

After choosing the accessory, we have a meal at one of the restaurants in the building. And as for what we do in the afternoon—

"A concert hall?"

"You seem to like music, Aika, so I got tickets to a concert by a famous orchestra."

When he shows me the tickets, I see it’s a wind ensemble renowned not just in D.U. or Trinity, but throughout all of Kivotos. I’ve always wanted to hear them if I ever had the chance.

"You don’t need to go out of your way to cater to me, you know. We’re already a couple."

"I see… You’re kind and considerate, Aika, so that’s what worries you. Then next time, would it be okay if we planned a date around my hobbies?"

"Yes, of course."

While talking about plans for our next date, we walk to the venue. After arriving and taking our seats, we wait for a while, and ten minutes before the performance begins, I turn off my phone.

"Oh, you’re turning yours off, Aika?"

"Yes. I want to focus."

"You’re really serious about this, huh. I’ll just put mine on silent in case there’s an emergency…"

Of course—Sensei is making time for this date in between his busy work at Schale.

"Sensei, um… thank you again. You made time for me even though you’re so busy with work, didn’t you?"

"Hm? Ah, it’s fine. Today’s date is also a way for me to unwind from work. If you’re worried, maybe you could come help out sometime, Aika."

"...Honestly, Sensei."

We chat like that until the start time, and at last, a buzzer sounds. The concert begins.

—It was like a dream.

Beautiful, powerful melodies shake the air of the hall—and my heart along with it. I’m so absorbed that I lose all sense of time, harmonies flowing pleasantly into my ears. The performance is so moving that my vocabulary can’t begin to do it justice.

A time you wish would never end—yet even so, the finale arrives. I don’t know how many seconds or minutes pass, but I remain in a daze until a voice from beside me finally brings me back.

"...Aika, that was amazing."

"...Yes. As expected of such a renowned ensemble."

I liked music even in my previous life, but I never imagined it could be this wonderful. I’m simply glad we came.

After the concert, it’s still a little early, but we walk back to the front of Schale and part ways there.

"How was today?"

"Yes, it was a truly wonderful day. I think I’ll remember it for the rest of my life."

"I’m glad you enjoyed it."

I return Sensei’s words with a smile and then head back to Trinity.

---

After that, we go on many dates whenever our schedules allow, and before I know it, the season shifts into summer.

"Come on, this way, this way~"

"Please wait, Maiha…!"

At Maiha’s suggestion, we come to a slightly quieter beach within Trinity. There’s a large, heavily developed public beach nearby that draws most visitors away, leaving this one sparsely populated. It almost feels like we have the place to ourselves, and that makes my excitement rise.

Of course, Maiha and Masa are here—and this time, incredibly enough, Sensei has come along as well.

"Maiha, that’s a different swimsuit from last year. Did you buy a new one?"

"Yeah, last year’s stopped fitting~"

Looking again, she really is… well-endowed. I won’t say where exactly.

On the other hand, Masa doesn’t seem to have changed much physically, so she’s wearing the same swimsuit as last summer.

And as for me—

"Aika, doesn’t your swimsuit look a bit small?"

"No, that can’t be… It’s the one I wore last year."

"It’s not that the swimsuit got smaller—it’s more like Aika-chan got bigger… I can tell too~"

Around the chest and hips, it does feel a bit tight… but I’m managing somehow with the swimsuit I bought last year. My height hasn’t changed, but somehow my body has become more womanly, I suppose…

"Sigh… I try not to think about it too much, but when I look at you two, I can’t help feeling a bit jealous… or envious."

As she says that, Masa gives the two of us a sticky, narrowed-eyed look. I suppose she is a girl too, after all—she can’t help caring about her figure.

While the girls chat excitedly, Sensei—who had been relaxing under a parasol and watching us from a chair—stands up.

"Shall we head into the water soon?"

Sensei is dressed in board shorts and an aloha shirt, showing far less skin than we are. Maybe that’s because he still has scars—especially around his side—from the injuries he suffered during the Eden Treaty incident.

Even so, looking at his arms and legs, he has that lean, toned build—unmistakably masculine—and somehow… it stirs feelings I probably shouldn’t be having.

"Ah, Sensei, you’re totally staring at Aika-chan~"

"Huh? I-I am…?"

Could it be that Sensei felt that way because of my swimsuit? If so, that means he’s seeing me as a woman, and while that’s embarrassing… it also makes me a little happy.

---

That night, after the four of us spend the day playing in the sea, we stay at a nearby hotel. Once I make sure Maiha and Masa have fallen asleep, I quietly slip out. Thinking I’ll take a short walk while enjoying the cool night breeze from the ocean, I leave the hotel lobby—

—and there, by one of the entrance pillars, stands a familiar silhouette.

"...Sensei."

"...I thought you might come, Aika."

A secret meeting between lovers, hidden from the world. Swept up in the heat of the summer beach, I find myself wishing for a deeper relationship—one we haven’t crossed into yet.

"Sensei, um… I… with you—"

"...Aika."

There’s no one else around—just Sensei and me. My shoulders relax, and my dialect slips out naturally. But Sensei gently presses his slender yet unmistakably masculine, bony fingers against my lips, stopping my words.

"I want you to wait… just a little longer."

"Sensei…"

Having my desire to connect on a deeper level gently restrained leaves my heart in a tangled mess.

Is it because I’m not a pure student? Because I used to be a man? Come to think of it… did I ever tell him that? Back at Sanctum Tower, how much did I actually say?

—My thoughts won’t come together. As they swirl silently in my head, I feel my hair being softly patted.

"I’m sorry. It’s not that I dislike you, Aika. It’s just… I’m your teacher, and you’re my student."

"..."

"More than anything, I want to cherish you. That’s why I want you to wait until you graduate—until we’re no longer teacher and student."

Cherish me… yes. That’s right. Sensei has always been this kind of person. I should have known—I’ve been watching him since my previous life.

"Okay… I understand. I’ll wait until graduation."

For now, I’ll simply wait, just as Sensei asks—wait for him to take responsibility for the fact that I’ve come to long for someone so deeply. I turn on my heel, the white front-button dress fluttering, and return to my room.

---

As the latter half of my second year begins, it’s time to decide who will become the next head of the Filius faction. I’d been thinking about it as if it were someone else’s problem—only to discover that, for some reason, I’d been nominated as the leading candidate.

Maiha and Masa have also become strong candidates within their respective factions, and it seems the hope is that the three of us—close friends—will work together to govern Trinity.

Maiha is incredibly intelligent, with a gentle and diplomatic manner well-suited for negotiations. Masa, meanwhile, is so strong and capable that, in terms of combat, she surpasses most students aside from Ichika, the head of the Justice Committee. Their selection makes sense—but am I really being evaluated highly enough to be chosen alongside them?

When I bring this concern to Sensei, his reply is—

"I think it’s only natural that you were chosen, Aika. I’ve heard from Trinity students that even though you’re an administrative officer, you’ve been running all over Trinity, throwing yourself into solving problems, haven’t you?"

"That’s because I can’t just ignore people when I see they’re in trouble…"

According to Sensei, the sight of me hauling the Pon-Pon Cannon around—and sometimes even commanding an aircraft carrier’s air wing to wipe out hostile forces—has apparently become something of a local legend. People say things like, “If Gion Aika is around, Trinity won’t be looked down on or taken lightly,” and feel reassured because of it… or so he tells me.

"...Anyway. People around you probably value you far more than you realize, Aika, so there’s no need to worry."

"That’s not just your bias as my lover, is it?"

"Of course it’s not favoritism."

Sensei doesn’t lie about things like this, so I decide to trust him. I still don’t have full confidence that I’m as capable as Maiha or Masa, but if Sensei believes in me, then I’ll believe in that.

---

And so, when I advance to my third year, I end up being given the titles of head of the Filius faction and host of the Tea Party.

As the face of Trinity, I attend negotiations with other academies, coordinate with the General Student Council, and handle countless internal matters as well. Maiha and Masa help with affairs inside Trinity, but even so, the workload is far from light.

Naturally, the time I can spend with my lover decreases, and the loneliness is unbearable.

"Are you feeling like you want some affection today, Aika?"

"Yeah… honestly, I really want to see you more, Sensei, but work’s been so busy…"

With some effort, we manage to secure a one-night, two-day break and stay at a hot spring inn in the Hyakkiyako Autonomous District. After soaking in the pleasantly warm water and easing the fatigue from my body, I cling to Sensei’s broad chest and quietly feel his warmth.

"I feel the same way, Aika."

"Hearing you say that makes me so happy… eheh."

When we’re like this, my heart feels full—but at the same time, impure thoughts begin to bubble up. Outside of Trinity, Sensei is practically the only person I know. I start thinking that maybe it would be okay to let myself loosen up just a little.

But even so—

(I made a promise.)

I have to endure it for now—for Sensei’s sake, and for Trinity’s sake.

"...Aika?"

"I’m okay… just let me stay like this a little longer."

"...Alright."

Just for today, I want to be simply Gion Aika, not the Tea Party host. I’ll return to that role tomorrow, so just for now…

---

A few months later, the handover to the next head of the Filius faction is completed without issue, and at last, graduation arrives. The ceremony ends, the final class concludes, and after taking commemorative photos with Maiha, Masa, and the others, there’s still luggage left in the dorm—but that doesn’t matter. It’s been such a long road, but finally…

"Sensei!"

"Aika…!"

Clutching my graduation certificate from Trinity General Academy, I spot him and run straight over. The beloved person who is no longer my teacher, but simply the other half of “us.”

"Once you’re done packing your things, maybe we should go greet your parents together."

"Then that means, Sensei…!"

"Yeah. Let’s get married, Aika."

I’ve been waiting for those words. Overcome with joy, I throw myself into his arms without caring who might be watching. A few seconds later, I realize what I’ve done and, embarrassed, quickly pull away.

"Ah—my apologies… I was just so happy…"

"No, I feel the same way."

As I lower my gaze and fidget shyly, two familiar figures suddenly appear in front of me, leaving me too surprised to speak.

"Um… could it be that you and Sensei are…?"

"Huh? Masa-chan, you didn’t notice~? Looks like they’ve been dating for ages~"

Masa aside, even Maiha noticed our relationship…? I thought we’d hidden it perfectly…

"M-Maiha…?"

"I am Trinity’s top information broker, after all~. Ah, but of course I didn’t go spreading it around. I was rooting for you two, you know~"

I really can’t beat Maiha… not at all. After parting ways with them—Maiha insisting, "You have to invite us to the wedding~"—I return to the dorms, load all my belongings onto the Royalty, clean out my room completely, and then, with Sensei in the driver’s seat, head back to my nostalgic family home.

---

After several hours of riding together in the car, we arrive in front of the mansion that marks our destination—a place I’ve finally returned to, and one that instantly puts me at ease.

"I’m home! Dad, Mom!"

The moment I step out of the passenger seat and open the door, my parents—having noticed my return from the sound of the Royalty—are already waiting for me.

"Oh, Aika! Welcome back—and congratulations on graduating from Trinity!"

"We’ve been waiting for you, Aika. Come now, you must be tired. Let’s take it easy first."

Even as my chest tightens with emotion at how warmly my family welcomes me, just as they always have, I make sure to say what I came here to say.

"Um, so… there’s someone I’d like to introduce to you today."

"Someone you’d like to introduce?"

As my parents echo the question, that person steps forward from behind me and bows politely.

"Nice to meet you. I believe this is our first time meeting in person. I’m a teacher from Schale."

"A teacher from Schale… I see. So this is the one…"

"And, um… I mean… I’m, well… with this person…"

We’re dating with marriage in mind—or rather, that’s what I’m trying to say. The moment I attempt to put it into words again, the embarrassment makes them catch in my throat. As I fidget and hesitate, Sensei gently continues for me.

"I’m engaged to your daughter. Now that Aika has graduated, we’re planning to get married."

My face was already burning, but hearing him say what I couldn’t makes the embarrassment overflow. I cover my face with my hands and look down.

"Is that… really true, Aika…!?"

"Yeah… Sensei’s taken care of me in so many ways, and I’ve always thought he was the one…"

I lift my head and watch my parents’ reactions. A faint worry creeps in—that they might say it’s too soon for marriage—but then my father opens his mouth.

"If Sensei is the one taking Aika as his wife, then I have no worries at all. It sounds like you’ve been looking after her for quite some time. And above all, you’re the one who saved her life back in her first year."

"Yes. Please take good care of Aika."

And just like that, I’m able to be united with the person I love—at the same time as my graduation.

I’ll be returning in earnest to farm work as the heir to our family farm, and it certainly won’t be easy. But if I’m with Sensei, I know we’ll be fine. I can’t help but look forward to the days ahead.

---

More than ten years have passed since I graduated from Trinity and held my wedding with Sensei. We lived at my family home for a while, but because of my husband’s work, we eventually bought a new house near the D.U. district and moved there. We spent our days wrapped in newlywed bliss, and before long, four daughters were born to us. Now, our eldest is about to enter high school.

"You’ll be alright, Fuuri? If anything happens at Trinity, call me right away. And if anyone bullies you, I’ll come sort them out myself."

"Goodness, Mother. You worry too much. I’ll be fine."

Our eldest daughter, Fuuri, has grown even taller than both my husband and me—she’s already 183 centimeters tall. And apparently, she might grow even more, which is astonishing.

She wanted to attend Trinity just like I did, so we did our best to raise her into a refined, gentle young lady who would fit in there. As a result, she’s grown into a soft-spoken, elegant girl.

That said, true to her large frame, she eats quite a lot. Since she wasn’t receiving support from my parents during that time, I imagine it must have been fairly tough.

As for our second and third daughters, who are still in elementary school, they attend local schools near my parents’ home. It’s not exactly in exchange for support, but after school and on days off, they help out with farm work. According to my parents, they eat just as much as Fuuri.

"Mom, snacks~"

"Honestly, Yae… you just ate a little while ago, didn’t you? You’ll gain weight, so no."

"You’re mean~"

After seeing Fuuri off, our fourth daughter—Yae, who just turned four this year—comes toddling over to us. Yae is a very clever child; she can already express her feelings clearly in words, and I’m truly looking forward to seeing what her future holds.

When I glance up, I notice my husband standing beside me, smiling gently as he watches our daughters. Curious, I speak up.

"What’s wrong? You look so thoughtful."

"No… I was just thinking about how happy these ordinary days are."

I agree with him from the bottom of my heart. Surrounded by such a wonderful family, I’m truly happy. After being born into this world and living for so many decades… I can honestly say that being saved back then was one of the best things that ever happened to me.

"Hehe. I got to marry you, and we were blessed with such lovely daughters… I’m really happy. …I love you."

"Yeah. Thank you… I love you too, Aika."

My beloved husband’s hand gently strokes my head. It’s warm, a little large, and so reassuring. I want to drift in this pleasant moment just a little longer—and I hope this happy family will last forever.

…

………

……………….

I feel like I was having a long, happy dream.

"...A-Ah… Aika-chan~?"

"Mm…?"

"Are you awake now, Aika?"

As I rub my eyes and sit up, two familiar faces come into view.

"Mmm… Maiha… Masa…?"

Both Maiha and Masa are wearing their uniforms. Still confused, I swing my legs out of bed.

"What is it, you two…?"

"What do you mean, what is it? Today was our shift at Schale—the three of us, remember?"

Thinking, Was it?, I glance at the calendar. Sure enough, today is clearly marked as our duty day.

"And, you know, we waited at the meeting spot, but Aika-chan never showed up. You didn’t answer your phone either, so we started wondering what was going on~"

"When we got worried and came to your dorm room, we found you sleeping like a log—looking incredibly happy, too."

When I check the clock, it’s already past five in the evening, and outside the window the sky is glowing with sunset colors. This isn’t just running late—I completely missed it.

"Um, th-then… the shift…?"

"No matter how much we shook you, you wouldn’t wake up, so we gave up for the moment, left a note on your desk, and went to Schale ourselves."

"We finished the duty and came back to check on you, but you were still asleep. We were just about to contact the Medical Knight Corps if you stayed like that any longer—then you finally woke up."

Thinking that I need to contact Sensei and apologize, I sit down on the edge of the bed and pick up my phone—when Maiha chimes in.

"Oh, right—what kind of dream were you having~? You looked so happy, and you were even mumbling things like ‘I love you…,’ so I got curious."

"It’s hard to imagine Aika being like that, even in a dream."

The two of them look at me with eager expressions, clearly expecting me to explain everything, but—

(…There’s no way I could tell them!)

A dream where I secretly dated Sensei behind everyone’s backs, married him after graduation, brought him to my family home, and even had children with him—there’s no way I could ever say that out loud.

"...I invoke my right to remain silent. And please forget anything you heard me muttering in my sleep. Absolutely."

"Eeh~? But you were so cute~"

"...Well, things like that happen sometimes. In any case, I’m just glad nothing serious was wrong. We should be going now."

Saying that, Masa grabs Maiha by the shoulder as she tries to linger and firmly guides her out of the room. Left alone on the bed, I pull a pillow over my head and kick my legs in embarrassment.

"What was that all about…!?"

After having a dream like that, I don’t think I’ll be able to face Sensei properly for a while. Honestly, even calling him now to apologize for oversleeping feels terrifying in more ways than one. It’s not like Sensei would get angry over something like this—but still…

"Sigh… I’ll have to brace myself*2."

Taking a deep breath, I dial Schale’s number and wait for him to answer.

---

Original Author’s Note

Congratulations! Our humble Trinity country bumpkin girl has officially evolved into a Trinity love-struck girl!

…Alright, jokes aside, let’s get down to the explanation. This extremely detailed dream sequence isn’t simply Aika’s pure delusion—it’s framed as a re-experience of events that could have happened in an alternate worldline. Among countless parallel worlds, there may indeed be one where Aika ends up with Sensei. Unfortunately, it’s not the main canon. (Cruel, I know.)

By the way, while the wedding itself isn’t depicted in full detail, when they sign the marriage certificate, they use Aika’s own feather quill—crafted from her wing. (For more about the quill, see the afterword of “An Unforgettable Memory.”)

Now, about Aika and Sensei’s daughters in the dream. Some readers might have noticed that Aika Azazel has children with a human Sensei. The inspiration comes from the Nephilim—children born to human women chosen by the Grigori, a group of angels including Azazel who descended to Earth to watch over humanity.

Descriptions of the Nephilim vary depending on the source, but the most widely known image portrays them as monstrous giants who devoured everything in sight, eventually resorting to cannibalism, and were ultimately destroyed by God. Don’t worry—this scene isn’t meant to be grim. Aika’s daughters are simply ordinary children, albeit a bit tall and with hearty appetites.

As for their names: Fuuri comes from taking “Phili” from Nephilim and reshaping it into a name-like form. Yae comes from what is thought to be a Nephilim name in Jubilees 7:22—“Elyo”—which was reversed into Yoryo and then adapted into 夜江 (Yae).

Incidentally, this story originally began as a private—well, let’s say more adult—Aika-and-Sensei novel. The more questionable content has been removed, and the rest was heavily expanded upon for this story.

I’ll stop here before this note gets too long, but I’ve also written a short story titled “Previous Feast”, starring Asuha-chan—a fellow Hakata-dialect, big-chested student like Aika. If you’re interested, I hope you’ll give it a read.

…Yes, I’ll admit it: I have a soft spot for dialect-speaking, big-chested girls. Blue Archive doesn’t have many of them (Niha might come close), but there’s also Kogane Tsukioka from a certain idol series, or Yuu Suzumura from another.

Putting that aside, it’s time to wrap things up. If there’s a next work, I’ll see you there!