Lucy POV
I reach out towards the next withered flower and let my light magic flow into it. I steady my breath and try to guide my mana through the flower and figure out the correct path to revive it.
"..."
I can feel the warmth of the healing magic radiating from my hands, a sensation that's kind of similar to one I felt not long ago.
The way my fingers ran along the smooth surface, but with just a little bit of pressure, I could feel my fingers sink right into the soft flesh.
And when I cupped it, its gentle weight settled right into my palm, yielding without the slightest resistance. It was unbelievably soft, giving way beneath my fingers before slowly returning to its original shape. Even after I'd let go, the warmth and softness stubbornly lingered on my fingertips, vivid enough that I could almost feel them all over again.
Ugh! I can't believe I actually touched Hina's cheeks like that!
"Aren't you done with that flower already?"
"H-huh?! What?"
Just as I feel my hands warm up even further from my magic and my face heat up for a different reason, I suddenly hear Miss Julia's voice right next to me.
Ah, right. I was in the middle of reviving this flower.
I glance down and see a small red flower in full bloom under my hands.
"Hm, you're getting pretty good at this. You're even faster than you were during class before."
"Ah, yeah…"
Actually, I'm kind of confused myself. Before, whenever I was dealing with these magical flowers, I always gave them my full attention, and I believe I was doing okay. However, these last few days, my mind has been wandering everywhere, yet I end up making even more progress than before.
"You're probably already outpacing me. I mean, your mana reserves were already impressive, only your proficiency with healing magic was holding you back before, but now even that doesn't seem like a problem. With such a sudden improvement, you must have gained some new insights on your healing magic. Perhaps something happened recently and that's why?"
"...! N-not really…"
"Hm? Is that so? Well, in any case, I think I'm done for today."
Miss Julia stands up and stretches a little. Then she lets out a sigh as she says:
"Haah. If only I could use mass heal and be done with all of them at once."
"Ah, thank you for your help."
"It's not a big deal or anything."
I quickly express my thanks to her, but she just waves it away casually.
Ever since we returned to the academy after that expedition, the two of us have been working on reviving all the magical flowers in this clearing. Because apparently that's the way to learn more about this seal… Which still sounds a little weird, but it shouldn't take much longer to get answers.
Ever since Miss Julia brought me to this place and we started using it during light magic class, I have managed to revive a number of these magical flowers. While I started off quite slowly, by the end I was working through some of the larger ones, though I had still only managed to revive about a quarter of the flowers here.
But for the last few days, Miss Julia and I have been focusing solely on doing this, and with our combined efforts, we've taken care of two more quarters. Looking at the clearing now, all sorts of colorful flowers cover most of the ground, from the edges, where I previously planted my regular flowers, all the way to the base of this nameless statue. So this clearing has kind of gained new life, it's kind of weird to see just how much it has transformed from that bare and lifeless version into this.
"Lucy! I knew I'd find you here. Ah, M-Miss Julia too, hello…"
I flinch a little when I hear an all-too-familiar voice and catch sight of a red-haired girl walking up to us. All the fear I felt towards her when I saw her burn that monster…
Is not the reason I flinch at all. I managed to work through that rather quickly. While seeing a flame still affects me a lot, I managed to separate Hina from that fear. I probably got back to normal so quickly because deep down, I knew that Hina would never hurt me, so her flames are equally harmless to me. Though… while I was in a daze dealing with all my thoughts, I might have ended up doing some rather embarrassing things…
"Hm, it's nice that you've come. I'm already done and I wanted to go back to the academy, so now you can keep Lucy company in the meantime."
After thinking for a moment, Miss Julia just announces that and starts getting ready to leave.
"H-huh? But I…"
"You can just take your time and return later."
I try to speak out, but she just waves me off again and starts walking away.
Um, I feel like she has a pretty big misunderstanding about me and Hina… Actually, maybe it's not completely wrong, but it's not what she thinks either!
"...I see you've made a lot of progress again. Don't push yourself too much though."
Hina approaches and crouches down beside me, looking at the flower in front of us. While at first glance she seems as composed as ever, glancing at her face, I can see a little redness appearing on her ears and cheeks.
Well, if we're both embarrassed, that actually makes me feel a little better…
"I'm still okay. I've been getting better with my healing magic lately."
"Really? That's great! But how did it happen? Actually, if it's the same spell as usual, did you manage to use the advanced version where you mix your emotions into it as well? That's even more impressive!"
"Ah, well, it's not that big of a deal…"
"Hey, don't sell yourself short. You were already quite outstanding, but learning advanced spells so soon is even more amazing. Is it much harder like this? What emotion helps with light magic healing spells?"
"...It's not that hard. Well, maybe it's because my head is only filled with stuff like that…"
I grumble to myself, though it's not really a complaint.
"Huh? What did you say?"
"N-nothing. I wonder what it was…"
"...?"
Ugh, I'm not even ready to admit to myself why this sudden improvement happened, much less explain it to Hina.
"Anyway, we're probably going to finish up all the flowers here in a day or two."
"Oh."
"You don't seem too concerned about that. Are you already so sure I'll stay?"
Hearing Hina's blank response, I feel a little frustrated so I decide to tease her a little.
"Well, you're only planning on revealing your past to the others after we're sure that the 'real' Lucy is sealed within your soul, right? There are some things I can only do after that, so I'm okay with not having to wait long."
"Oh."
So she really has a plan for making me stay in this world.
"Actually, speaking of which, are you okay with talking about your previous life a little?"
"Hm? I mean, I don't particularly mind. But what brought that up so suddenly?"
"Well, I just wanted to learn a little more about you and what you were like in the past. Since you first told me about it, a lot of things have happened, and, um… I might have been a little too immersed in doing some unnecessary things at first, too..."
"Oh? So no more pick-up lines?"
"...I have realized my mistake. But I was just a little desperate to make you believe that my love for you wasn't a lie. Though I should have just talked to you normally."
Hina grumbles in a low voice, which is a little funny, but she also looks a little pitiful, so I decide not to tease her anymore.
"Well, it wasn't that terrible. And um, in that case it was also partially my fault as well. So let's just move on from it, okay? Though I can't promise that I can forget about it, hehe."
"Lucy…"
"Ahem. So about my past life. What do you want to know?"
"Well, it's not like there's a specific thing. What was your life like in that world?"
"Hm, there isn't that much more to say though. Like I said before, I just led a completely ordinary life until my house caught fire one night and I died."
"Aren't you saying that a little too nonchalantly?"
"That's just how it was."
"Then, what about your parents or family? Were they also…"
"Hmh, I pretty much lived alone in a small apartment. And since I'm pretty sure the fire started in my living room, everyone else in the building should have made it out safely, too. Heh, so nothing of value was lost I guess."
I let out a small, self-deprecating chuckle after hearing my own words. Normally I'm not even this honest with myself, but for some reason my feelings are just slipping out now.
Maybe because I know the real Lucy should be replacing me soon so it doesn't really matter what I do now. Or…
"Lucy, don't say that. You are important too. You matter a lot, okay?"
"...Well, my parents didn't seem to think so. You know, I had both a mother and a father in that world. And yet I have more memories of Lucy's father than I do with both my own parents combined. Coming back to an empty house, waking up and leaving alone. That was the norm for me for as long as I can remember. At first they did technically live with me, they were just barely home. But later work trips started to become more and more frequent and in the end I don't even know where they were supposed to be on the day of the fire."
"..."
I said a little too much again, but, unlike what I expected, Hina doesn't seem to be disappointed in me. Instead, she wordlessly leans against me and places her right hand on mine. The gentle weight of her hand is surprisingly comforting.
"Sorry for unloading all that depressing stuff on you."
"You don't need to apologize. I'm always ready to listen to you."
"But on a brighter note, it's not like my whole life was bad back then. While I didn't have too many interests, I liked playing otome games. Um… how should I explain that part…"
"Wasn't that how you described that game that is based on this world?"
"Yeah, it's basically a story with a female protagonist and a number of male characters she can end up with. I guess that's the simplest way to describe it."
"...So you really liked those types of games?"
"Hm? Yeah I suppose so."
For some reason Hina suddenly looks a little dejected.
"Oh. Um, you know… If you want to reject me, you don't need to worry about my feelings. I'll always keep being your friend."
"Huh? Where did that come from so suddenly?"
"Well… it sounds like the main part of that game was about falling in love with guys, and you said that you really liked it, so…"
Ah, I see. Well, I guess hearing it like that, it's natural that she would draw that conclusion.
"That's not quite right though. It's true that that was the main selling point of games like that, but it wasn't really why I liked to play them."
"Huh? Really?"
Now she suddenly brightens up. Hehe, sometimes she's really easy to read, isn't she?
"Yeah, it was more about the main characters, or Lucy in this game. I think I just really admired the protagonists of otome games. They were always these bright and determined girls who could change the lives of others for the better and make the world a better place. They were the complete opposite of the kind of person I am, but I think I always wanted to be like them. Heh, I actually didn't realize that myself until we got locked in that weird illusion. But anyway, that's the reason why I was so interested in games like that."
"I see. But you know, in my eyes, you fit that description as well."
"...I appreciate the compliment, but you don't have to say that just to make me feel better."
"It's true! Well, you might be a little too timid at times, or indecisive, or just refuse to accept other people's feelings. And your self-esteem is also pitifully low."
"Ugh… maybe you have become a little too honest…?"
Hearing Hina list off all my bad qualities like this makes even me feel quite depressed. But then she continues:
"However, whenever there's something at stake I know you'd always try your hardest to make sure nobody gets hurt. I think that's really admirable. Though only if you don't overdo it. Nothing is worth throwing your life away for."
"..."
Um, am I being complimented, insulted or scolded? It's been quite a roller coaster. In the end I just decide to move on and this time ask Hina:
"So that's pretty much everything about me. What about you?"
"Me? Well, nothing really comes to mind that you don't already know. My life was pretty monotonous before I came to the academy. I just attended all sorts of private lessons to get me ready for life in high society. So I was mainly focused on that and I didn't really have any other interests. Well, maybe I did at first, but I didn't have time for them anyway."
"You mean, other than collecting plushies?"
"...What was that?"
"...! Cough, cough. Ahem, I didn't say anything. Something must have caught in my throat haha…"
I try to make a little joke, but Hina's aura suddenly turns icy. Although she maintains a small smile, it doesn't quite reach her eyes. In short, she looks just like the villainess Seraphina, and I instantly get goosebumps just looking at her, so I quickly backpedal.
Seems like that is still a sore subject.
"As for my parents, I have a good relationship with them, I suppose. They do have high expectations for me, but so far I've managed to meet those so we didn't really have any issues. Though my mother is usually more lenient with me, my father is the one who tends to be stricter. But I know it's for my own benefit so that I can handle things more easily in the future. All in all, I think my situation is quite lucky among nobles."
"I see. Well, if that's how you feel about it, then I'm happy."
"Hm."
We sit among the flowers in silence for a few moments before Hina reaches out, gently touching a nearby flower, and speaks up again.
"I didn't have a chance to ask before because a lot of things were going on, but what does the future look like? According to that game, Agramon is supposed to reawaken and then be defeated in the end, right? It's hard to imagine something like that happening."
"Hm, well, it wasn't easy in the game either. If the characters were weak and unprepared, then Agramon won and the game ended in a bad ending."
"...That doesn't sound too reassuring."
"Sorry. But don't worry, there's still a lot of time. The ending of the game happened during the third year."
"That is a little better. Still, since some things have changed from how they were in the game, maybe it would be safer to know what led up to the ending, don't you think?"
"Hm…"
I think for a moment and run the details of the game through my head.
"I suppose one of the events that led up to the end was, um… Seraphina's condemnation. All her crimes were exposed in front of the whole school, and then she was expelled from the academy and was taken away to be sentenced later."
"..."
"But don't worry. I know you're different from that Seraphina, so that won't happen here. There'd be no crimes to expose anyway."
"I suppose so. Thank you."
"Other than that, well, not long after, a confession event usually happened as the end of the third year approached. The capture target you chose to pursue would invite you on a date to Academy City, confessing his feelings to you, and then you'd officially become a couple."
"The capture targets…"
For some reason Hina has somewhat of a dark look on her face, but I don't give it too much thought and continue:
"But just as the two of you are caught up in a happy atmosphere, a large battle suddenly breaks out at the academy as monsters break through its defenses."
"Huh? But how? There haven't been any incidents like that at the academy for a long time. It should be very well protected."
"Well, that's true ordinarily, but it's a surprise attack orchestrated by Seraphina, using Agramon's powers."
"..."
"But the capture targets and everyone else at the academy manage to push back the monsters and break the siege, though many people are badly injured. But seeing all the wounded, Lucy manages to master the mass heal spell, healing their injuries and saving everyone just like that. Though she does faint from the strain of using such a high-level spell, she's still pretty impressive, right?"
"...That does sound like something you would do."
"Huh? I wasn't talking about myself at all. There's no way I could do that."
"Hm…"
Hina's words shock me for a moment, and I can see in her eyes that she meant what she said. So I just quickly continue:
"Anyway, after Lucy wakes up, monsters begin gathering near the academy again, and the group decides to end things right there. Well, at that point, they only think that Seraphina is using dark magic to control the monsters and has come to take revenge. So, rather than letting her gather more monsters, they decide to face her then."
"Hm, that whole attack of hers sounds rather foolish and impulsive. Even if I were condemned like that, there would be countless more efficient ways to take revenge. A mindless attack like that doesn't sound like something I'd do."
"Hm, it just goes to show that you're different from her, so you don't need to worry about that part!"
I nod at Hina's conclusion, though the way she said all of that makes her sound more like a conspiring villainess, but I just decide to move on.
"Then Lucy and the capture targets face the monsters and Seraphina, eventually defeating her. Well, at least that was phase one of the fight. Because then her body transforms into a large, grotesque monster, and it's revealed to be Agramon taking over her body. That's when the source of her powers are finally revealed and they believe that she must have made some sort of deal with him and he is now taking the price. So it turns into a harder fight, but it's still doable and he gets defeated as well."
"...Um, you kind of make it sound too easy."
"Well, I don't know how it would play out in reality, so I can only tell you what happened in the game."
"So that's how the game ends. Well, there are some small epilogues for each of the routes, but that's not really important."
"I see. Though it sounds like we can't really rely on these events too much. Still, it's good to have an idea of what the future holds. I'll try to keep it in mind and help you in any way I can when the time comes."
"Hehe, thank you Hina."
"It's nothing."
Well I do wonder how the ending will play out without Hina being the villainess, but it's not really something I can figure out right now.
"Anyway, we should probably head back soon. It's getting late."
"Yeah, you're right."
With the sun setting, I decide to call it a day, and we leave together.
Well, whatever the future holds, I guess I'll just face it as it comes. For now, I have a lot on my mind that I need to figure out anyway.