Chapter 100

Bathed in the warm sunlight, I slowly woke up.

“...Ugh?”

As my consciousness became clearer, various pieces of information flooded in.

The scent of fresh green grass.

The light chirping of birds.

The pleasant breeze.

“W-Where... am I...?”

As I sat up and looked around, I saw many lush trees.

It seemed I had been sleeping in a forest.

“Eh...?”

Honestly, I was confused.

“Why was I sleeping here...?”

My body felt light, but for some reason, my head felt unusually heavy.

(I remember... Yesterday was the Senrin Festival, and I went to the haunted house with Reia and Rose... Then I played poker with the president at the back Senrin Festival... After that, at the victory celebration, Tessa acted silly... Then... Huh?)

I could recall everything up to that point, but nothing after that came to mind.

“...Well, there’s no point in worrying about it. I’ll take a walk.”

I must still be groggy from sleep.

Deciding this, I brushed off the dirt from my body and started to walk a little into the forest.

After walking for two or three minutes, I immediately recognized where I was.

(...It’s been a while.)

I was walking in a small forest near Pola’s dormitory.

When I used to attend Gran Sword Academy, I would often train here whenever I had time, so I knew the area very well.

“Which means... It should be over there...”

Relying on my somewhat old memories, I took a slight detour—and there it was.

“Ha... It already feels nostalgic...”

I picked up the ‘100 Million Year Button’ that had been carelessly discarded.

Everything started from here.

“Really... What was that all about...?”

While vaguely recalling those hellish times, I pressed the button, which emitted a mysterious red light.

But nothing happened.

Of course not.

It was already broken.

Looking closely, I could see a large sword mark on the base of the button.

It was the mark left when I cut through the ‘Prison of Time.’

“The Time Sage, huh. I wonder what he’s doing now...”

According to Ms. Reia, he travels the world, giving the 100 Million Year Button to those with talent.

It’s unclear what he’s trying to achieve, but he must have some purpose.

“...Well, I probably won’t see him again.”

After placing the 100 Million Year Button back where I found it,

“—Since I’m here, I might as well visit Pola.”

I headed to her dormitory for the first time in half a year.

■

As I walked through the forest that felt like my own backyard, I arrived at Pola’s dormitory.

“...It smells good.”

It seemed she was making lunch, and the scent wafted outside.

The spicy aroma was probably from curry rice, which was stimulating my appetite.

“Still, it feels so nostalgic...”

In front of me was a two-story wooden dormitory.

Even though it had only been half a year, it felt incredibly nostalgic.

I knocked on the giant door, but there was no response.

(Well, that’s to be expected...)

She’s a bold person.

She was probably cooking vigorously in the kitchen and didn’t hear the knock.

“—Excuse me.”

I said this as a formality and entered.

After taking off my shoes at the entrance and passing through the hall, I found Pola making lunch, just as I had expected.

Pola Garedzal.

She was the dorm mother of the dormitory where I used to live.

Standing over two meters tall, with a commanding presence.

Wearing a white apron over a black shirt, she looked the same as ever.

Her biceps, always exposed, were probably three to five times the size of mine.

(Huh, that’s strange... I’ve been working out a lot, haven’t I...?)

Her arms had grown even larger than they were half a year ago.

She must have grown even bigger.

“Hmmm-hmm-hmm!”

She was whistling a unique tune that combined both menace and charm, stirring the pot happily.

I cleared my throat and called out to her.

“—Pola, it’s been a while.”

“...Huh? Oh, Allen! How have you been...? Wait, what happened to your head!?”

She smiled with her usual commanding presence, then immediately focused on my head.

“What’s wrong with my head...?”

“There’s nothing wrong with it! Look at this!”

Pola handed me a hand mirror nearby.

“Thank you... Huh!?”

When I looked in the mirror, I saw a head of hair mixed with black and white.

“What is this!?”

I pinched my changed hair and shouted in surprise.

“‘What is this’? Didn’t you dye it?”

“No, I didn’t!”

I think they call this kind of hair ‘mesh’ in the city...?

Anyway, this wasn’t something I wanted.

“Then, did someone play a prank on you?”

“I’m not sure...”

Reia wouldn’t do something like this, and neither would Rose.

(That leaves the president...?)

That mischievous little devil might have done it.

(But, did she have the chance to dye my hair...?)

After the victory celebration, I clearly remember returning to the dormitory at Senrin Academy.

(The problem is what happened after that.)

My memory is blank from the time I fell asleep in bed to when I woke up in this forest.

(That’s a mystery.)

As I tilted my head in confusion, Pola patted my back.

“Well, it’s a bit of a shock, but the color of your hair doesn’t matter! I’m just glad to see your lively face again!”

“...Pola.”

Seeing her, who hasn’t changed since the first day we met, really put me at ease.

“Right, Allen. Have you had lunch yet? Come and eat with me!”

“Ahaha. I’ll take you up on that.”

I washed my hands and face in the washroom and sat down at the table.

“—Here you go, dig in!”

Pola said, pouring a generous amount of curry sauce over a plate piled high with rice.

“Ahaha... It’s still the same amount...”

It looked like enough for at least five people.

“What are you talking about! You won’t grow if you don’t eat properly!”

“I’ll do my best...!”

I’ll probably never be taller than Pola.

I’ve never seen a human taller than her.

“Then—let’s eat.”

“Aye, chew well!”

“Okay!”

I loaded a large spoon with rice and curry and put it in my mouth.

The large, round potatoes.

The bite-sized, chewy pieces of beef.

The roughly added, spicy spices.

(This is it... This is Pola’s taste!)

The meals I ate every day for three years were so delicious that they were etched into my bones.

“How is it? Does it give you strength?”

“Yes! It’s incredibly delicious!”

“Hahaha! That’s great! Bring your friends next time!”

“Sure, on my next day off!”

Rose, who eats little, would be fine, but Reia, who eats a lot, would be thrilled.

As I was devouring the curry rice, a strange, unsettling siren suddenly blared from the radio.

“Hey, Allen, it’s an emergency bulletin! That’s unusual. I wonder what’s happened...?”

We both listened intently, and a tense female voice came through.

“—This is an emergency bulletin. Yesterday, Senrin Academy in the center of Orest was attacked by the Black Organization. No fatalities. Many injured. One person is missing—Allen Roadel, a fifteen-year-old male student. The Holy Knight Association is currently conducting a large-scale search, but his whereabouts are still unknown. If you have any information—”

“...! Cough, cough...!?”

Hearing the unbelievable report, I choked on my rice.

“Calm down, Allen. Here, have some water!”

“Gulp... Phew... Thank you.”

“Ah. ...Still, it seems like a big deal. You’re listed as missing. Are you okay?”

“Yes... I think I’m fine...”

Fortunately, there were no fatalities.

And since I’m the only one missing, it means Reia is safe.

There’s no major problem for now.

(But, I’m listed as missing...? What’s going on...?)

Suddenly, a storm of memories flooded my mind.

“I... remember...!”

That’s right...

That day, I fought the Black Organization.

I broke their strong barrier with my sword, defeated Dodoriel, and then challenged the Oracle’s Thirteen Knights, Foo-Ludras—only to be defeated.

After that, I was stabbed in the heart by Dodoriel, who had fully recovered with a spirit crystal... Wait.

I was definitely stabbed in the heart at that moment.

“...”

I quickly lifted my shirt to check my chest, but there was no sign of any wound.

(What’s going on?)

There’s a huge discrepancy between my memories and reality.

(Could it have been a dream that I was stabbed...?)

—No, that’s impossible.

The intense pain when my heart was pierced.

It couldn’t have been a dream.

In fact, Senrin Academy was attacked by the Black Organization.

(Then, why is there no wound on my chest?)

And why was I lying unconscious so far from Senrin Academy?

(...This doesn’t make sense.)

The only way to find out is to go to Senrin Academy and talk to someone who knows what happened.

“...Pola, I—”

“Yeah, go and reassure everyone.”

Before I could finish, she nodded firmly.

“Yes, thank you!”

I quickly finished the rest of the curry rice,

“—I’m off!”

“Be careful!”

I rushed out of Pola’s dormitory and headed to Senrin Academy.

During the journey, I felt a strange sensation.

(Huh, my body feels so light...)

It felt as if I had grown wings, and my body was incredibly light.

With each step, I moved forward with incredible speed, and the scenery changed rapidly.

Before I knew it, I had arrived in Orest.

(That’s strange... Was it this close...?)

I tilted my head in confusion as I walked through the city and arrived at Senrin Academy.

There, I was shocked to see what had happened.

“What... is this!?”

The Senrin Academy was in ruins.

The main building had turned black, and there was a large, bottomless hole in the schoolyard.

It looked like a monstrous creature had gone on a rampage, leaving behind a terrifying trail of destruction.