Published at 2nd of December 2020 10:13:23 PM
Chapter 97
[A Distant Dream]
He was watching a dream . He, Tsurugi was having a dream of when he was a child .
“What is it, Tsurugi? Did you get bullied again?”
The one who ran up to him crying in the park was a boy .
Tsurugi raised his face . The body of the boy standing before him was muddy with dirt .
His knees were scraped and his face was dirty with soil here and there . However, his eyes, which were wide open powerfully, were shining sparklingly in the sunset .
Tsurugi turned around and looked up at the face while crouching . Tears dried on his cheeks .
“Kazato-kun…”
“What’s with the kun? Sounds gross . ”
He, the boy called Kazato ran to the swing and jumped on it .
“I’ve always said it, right! Call me Kazato! Tsurugi!”
The boy started swinging the swing, and the swing quickly climbed to a high place .
Tsurugi stood up and stared at him . Then, Kazato jumped from the swing, over the fence in front of him, and landed before Tsurugi .
“If they did bad things to you, you just have to pay them back though . Like me . ”
“But I don’t have an ability…”
“I also don’t have an ability . Such a thing doesn’t matter . ”
“But Kazato is strong at fighting… I’m not strong… And I’m slow . ”
“Then Tsurugi just have to be as strong as I am . ”
“I can’t become like you . ”
“You can . ”
Tsurugi fell into silence unintentionally to Kazato who made that statement without hesitation . He kept his eyes on Tsurugi’s eyes .
“…Even though Kazato don’t have an ability, how can you stand up to everyone?”
“I dream of joining the SDF, so I have to be strong . I’ll join the SDF and become a hero who protects everyone . ”
“Kazato’s dream is to join the Self-Defense Force…?”
“Yup . I want to be like your dad . ”
“But people who don’t have ability can’t enter the Self-Defense Force, you know? My dad said so . ”
“It’s okay . Teacher also said that we don’t have an ability yet just because we’re still kids, right? You and I will soon be able to use ability too . ”
“Really?”
“Yup, absolutely . Rather than that, tell me more about your dad! Your dad is seriously awesome, right!”
Tsurugi’s face became brighter . Unlike the others, only the boy didn’t compare the ability-less him to his father .
Unlike other boys of the same age who got their ability manifested one after another, only the boy did not make fun of Tsurugi . The cowardly and crybaby Tsurugi who despite being the son of that Midou Ryuusui, had not got his ability manifested .
Therefore, Tsurugi was able to brag about his father without hesitation only to the boy .
“Alright . You see—”
———
“…A dream?”
After opening his eyes with a snap, a round electric lamp was reflected in Tsurugi’s view .
He raised his body, and then noticed the existence of Aika sitting on a chair .
“Good morning . ”
“…Morning . ”
The hands of the clock were pointing at 9 am .
Tsurugi felt the dullness in his body . He apparently slept too much .
“You sure are early . ”
“Because my wake-up time is fixed . ”
“I see . What about breakfast?”
“I have eaten first . Shall I prepare Tsurugi-san’s portion?”
“No, I’m good . I don’t have much appetite . ”
“I understand . ”
“What time should you go to the facility?”
“It is 10 o’clock . ”
“Then, one hour later?”
“Yes . ”
For a moment, Tsurugi was worried if they would make it in time, but there was no need to hurry . The place where Tsurugi and co were in now was close to the Saint Celia base, and the facility was just a few minutes’ walk away .
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Though it was said that they had moved, they were like living in a real base .
“Come to think of it, Tsurugi-san, you sounded like you were having a nightmare, did you have a nightmare today?” Aika asked so, making Tsurugi frowned .
“I sounded like I was having a nightmare?”
“Yes . ”
“…………”
Tsurugi recalled the dream . The content shouldn’t be a nightmare . What he saw was a dream of his childhood . A dream about the Kazato who he longed for in his childhood .
Thinking about it, perhaps it is kind of a nightmare . Tsurugi mused inwardly .
Tsurugi gazed at the empty space and reminded of the past .
[Dammit, dammit…]
[Hey-! Don’t you guys gang up on one person and bully him!]
[It’s Kazato again!]
[This show off!]
[Shadduuup!]
He hated the weak being bullied .
He said his dream was to help the weak .
For the weak Tsurugi, Kazato was a hero .
[Kazato-kun, looks like you made everyone cry again . ]
[You got it wroong-! They were bullying Rin and Tsurugi, so I!]
[But Kazato-kun, you shouldn’t hit other people you know . ]
[It’s natural to hit back when you were hit, right! Why are you only scolding me, Teacher!]
He never cried even when he was scolded by the teacher .
Tsurugi was staring at the angry Kazato from behind .
[Rin, I want to keep secret about my ability manifestation from Kazato . ]
[Why…?]
[Because Kazato still doesn’t have an ability… If he found out that mine manifested…]
[…Right . Got it . ]
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Tsurugi recalled the time he came to kept a secret from Kazato . While he felt guilty to Kazato, he couldn’t deny that he had a slight sense of superiority .
[Kazato, let’s go to play!]
[No, I’ll pass today . I’m tired . You, Ohashi, and Rin should go together . ]
[…Kazato has become kinda gloom, isn’t he, Tsurugi?]
[Un…]
[I wonder if it’s because his ability didn’t manifest…]
[…………]
Even in junior high school, Kazato’s ability didn’t manifest . At his age, the manifestation of one’s ability was hopeless . It was around this time that Kazato stopped talking about his longing for the SDF .
[It was lie . ]
[Eh? What?]
[It was a lie…]
[…]
[I said I wanted to help people, that was a lie . Actually . ]
[Un . ]
[I want to take revenge . I can’t forgive them . Anonymous who killed my father, those evils…!]
[…]
[I want to help people . Certainly, I have that feeling . That’s not a lie, but, more than that, I want to get revenge . I want to quit school is also because I want revenge .
I didn’t think I would feel like this just because my parent was killed . I can’t help but hate those guys who killed my dad .
I won’t be satisfied until I killed them…!]
[Tsurugi…]
[…Sorry, Kazato . ]
At that time, how was Kazato’s feelings listening to his talk?
[…Kazato?]
[Ahh]
[…Did you… kill Rin?]
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[Ahh, I did . ]
“Tsurugi-san . ”
Being called by Aika, Tsurugi came back to himself .
“Are you not feeling well? Your complexion is not good . ”
“Ahh… no, that’s not the case . I was thinking about something . ”
“Is that so?”
“…I’ll go take a shower . ”
“I understand . ”
———
Tsurugi and Aika were walking on the road to the facility .
The stronghold city of Saint Celia was a city that stretch out as if surrounding the SDF base, with outer walls surrounding it in addition to it . Since the base spreads around the top of a gentle hill, one could see corner of the city from its end .
The distance of the place where Tsurugi and Aika currently lives from the development facility located at the end of the base, which was a vast area, is about 300m .
If one walked normally, it would take about 3 minutes; Tsurugi was slowly walking ahead of Aika; they took their time heading to the facility .
And when they arrived at the facility, a fat man in a white coat welcomed Tsurugi and Aika .
“Good day . I’m the newly appointed escort of Yumesaki Aika, Midou Tsurugi . I brought Yumesaki Aika . ”
Tsurugi took a step forward, and said his greetings .
“Good day, Lieutenant General Midou . Good work . You can call me Kamei . ”
“Kamei-san, is it? Pleased to be your acquaintance . ”
“No, no, the pleasure is mine . Well then, I’ll look after Aikchan . ”
“I understand . ” Hearing the two’s conversation, Aika went to Kamei’s side .
“Well, Aikchan, let’s do our best in your examination today, shall we?” Kamei put his hand on Aika’s shoulder and said .
“Yes . ”
“Well then, Lieutenant General Midou . The inspection will be over in about two hours, so please come back here again later . ”
“I understand . ”
Kamei’s breath was stinky, so Tsurugi seemed to frown for a moment, but he managed to reply somehow .
Kamei bowed and walked with Aika toward the door at the end .
After seeing them off, Tsurugi left the facility .