urence. They stared at each other in silence, and only time passed.

“........”

“........”

Lisa stared at him in silence that made their ears ring. And then there was Nozomu, who quietly received her gaze.

Eventually, it was Nozomu who opened his mouth first, probably he realized that it was getting nowhere.

"Hey Lisa, why are you ..."

"A coincidence."

Before Nozomu could finish his words, Lisa cut off his voice with her own words.

When she approached him earlier, Lisa was very agitated, but now she used her usual dismissive tone of voice.

Nozomu had no idea what was going through Lisa's mind as she such wore a cold facial expression.

But to Nozomu, the depths of Lisa's eyes, which were piercing him coldly, seemed to waver slightly.

"....I see"

A smile naturally appeared on Nozomu's face as he muttered just a few words.

Whatever the reason, he was happy that Lisa had called out to him.

When Lisa saw Nozomu smiling, she crumpled and distorted her face. At the same time, she pressed against Nozomu with a gaze filled with rage and indescribable feeling.

A mass of emotions slammed into him.

It was like a surging wave, a manifestation of the ups and downs of a heart that was rising and collapsing.

Nozomu couldn't tell whether the thoughts in her eyes were rage, desolation, or pity.

For Nozomu, this was a true reminder of the distance between himself and Lisa now.

When they were dating, he could look into Lisa's eyes and know what she was thinking. When she smiled at him, he found himself smiling back at her.

But now Nozomu couldn't understand what Lisa was thinking at all. Even though he could feel the passion in her gaze, he could not read her thoughts. The time and distance that had passed between the two of them now lay wide open.

But he couldn't remain silent like this.

While feeling a prickling pain in his chest, Nozomu opened his mouth.

Their relationship had been broken apart. As Tiamat said, their relationship already came to nothing, but at least he wanted to confirm something.

"Hey Lisa, are you still chasing your dreams?"

After hitting rock bottom, Nozomu used it as an excuse to run away, but it was still stuck in the depths of his mind.

(Lisa can pursue her dreams)

That was the reason why Nozomu came to this city. The feeling that started it all, that no matter how much he denied it, he couldn't deny it.

Whether he wanted to confirm it or he wanted to believe it.

He swallowed the feeling that was building up in his chest and waited patiently for Lisa's answer.

"It has nothing to do with you ..."

She turned away as if to escape from Nozomu's gaze and tried to walk away.

"Lisa, wait a minute"

She turned her back as if to flee, and Nozomu reached out his hand as if to stop her. But Nozomu's hand was stopped by a sudden voice coming from behind him.

"Nozomu, have you finished your talk with Jihad-sensei?"

Nozomu was startled by the sudden call and looked behind him to see his friends who were supposed to be waiting for him in front of the main gate.

When Lisa saw Irisdina and the others behind Nozomu, she quickly and quietly walked away as if she was running away.

By the time Nozomu, who had been focused on Irisdina and the others, noticed Lisa, she had already turned on the corner of the corridor and was out of sight, so he missed his chance to chase after her.

"Nozomu? What's wrong?"

Irisdina couldn't see Lisa, probably her figure hidden behind Nozomu's figure.

Irisdina called out to Nozomu, who was standing there in a daze.

"... Lisa was here a minute ago."

"I see... Did you talk to her?

"No, I didn't have much to say."

Whether he was regretting that he missed the opportunity, or he was worried about the look in Lisa's eyes at the end, but there was a hint of sadness in Nozomu's voice.

"... I'm sorry, I should have given you a little more time."

Irisdina's voice sank slightly as if she felt bad for having called out to him at the wrong time.

Nozomu shook his head as if to deny her words.

"No, it's not Iris's fault. From the start, I don't think Lisa and I had much to talk about.

This time, for the first time in a really long time, Lisa called out to him.

However, he still felt the furious expression that slammed into him immediately afterward. In Lisa's mind, Nozomu might still be the person who betrayed her.

However, it seemed that she was not only angry with Nozomu now. There were other emotions hidden in the angry glare she was giving him.

But what was more important was her reaction to Nozomu's last words.

"Also, I found out something."

Her attitude and words clearly avoided answering Nozomu's question.

And about what Camilla had said to him before.

(... Lisa hasn't been able to move forward since that time.)

Those words came back to Nozomu's mind.

(If that's the case, then the current Lisa is still ...)

"Nozomu-kun?"

"Y-yes. It's all right."

Shīna looked into Nozomu's face.

Surprised by Shīna's sudden appearance in front of him, Nozomu was at a loss for a response.

Lisa was already out of sight, and even if he tried to ask her any more questions, she would probably refuse.

The fact that she didn't want to answer Nozomu's question showed that. It was also not possible to catch up with her even if he chase after her now.

"Haa... alright!"

While sighing, Nozomu clapped his cheeks to change his mind.

His friends were celebrating his discharge from the hospital. It was no good to make such a gloomy expression in such a place.

"Come, let's go. I've been eating a lot of tasteless hospital food since yesterday and I want to eat something delicious."

"Alright! Mars, you're going to buy me a drink today, right?"

As if to follow Nozomu's renewed enthusiasm, Feo shouted happily and put his hand around Mars' shoulder.

The fact that he was so casual about who would pay for him showed that his intentions were clouded by greed.

"Aside from Nozomu, we're going to split the bill between us. Especially you, you have to pay 20% more than the others."

However, Mars must have seen through Feo's intentions, he cut off Feo's words in one fell swoop.

"Why!? Isn't that unfair?"

"It was the repair fee for the store you smashed up before. You haven't finished paying us back yet."

When Feo complained, Mars accurately pointed out the damage Feo had previously caused to Ushitotei.

As if to escape from the reproachful gazes he was receiving at such a close range, Feo turned his gaze in another direction while his hand was still linked to Mars' shoulder.

"... Aa, I just remembered there's something I have to do."

Feo tried to talk his way out of it.

But unfortunately, he's now linking shoulders with a debt collector. There is no way he can escape in such a situation.

He was immediately caught by Mars by the collar and got pulled back.

Mars put his arms around Feo's neck and held him in a headlock.

"Alright, let's go. It seems Feo will treat us today."

Mars declared so. Looked like it was payback for trying to set him up earlier. At the same time, the eyes of the others around them lit up.

"Well then! I won't hold back~!"

"Me too~!"

Mimuru and Somia were the first to speak up. Somia, who was supposed to have been raised as a young lady, was strangely cheerful, perhaps due to the influence of the Wildcat she had recently befriended.

As Nozomu pondered whether or not the innocent girl was being affected by the Wildcat tribe she had recently befriended, Shīna, Tom, and the others followed Mimuru's lead and tapped Feo on the shoulder.

"Wait! I didn't say a word about it!"

Feo hurriedly raised his voice in the face of one heartless sentence after another, but his friends around him showed no sign of listening to him.

Along with this, Feo's face grew increasingly pale. Feo had been suffering from a lack of money lately, but it seemed that he would not be able to survive in this city anymore. At this rate, he might become a dry fox in a few days.

The cornered Feo stared at Nozomu as if he was entrusting his last hope on him.

"Nozomu! Be on my side ..."

"I-, I'll have the deluxe version of the rabbit steak."

However, despite his pleas, he was met with heartless and piercing words in return.

Feo, whose hope had been running out when his last friend turned against him, lashed out in desperation, but he was no match for Mars in terms of strength.

A young man of the Fox Tribe was dragged away like a criminal.

At first, he resisted as much as he could, but gradually his voice faded, and finally, he cried out in earnest, begging for help.

The sight of him made the others feel as guilty as if they had abandoned a kitten. In the end, feeling sorry for him, they decided to split the bill.

By the way, it goes without saying that Feo's pleading appearance was not in the slightest bit cute and lovable like a kitten.

===============================

While Nozomu was leaving school with his friends, Lisa was walking alone down the corridor of the school.

The dim sunlight shone through the window, and her back was illuminated with a hint of melancholy.

There was no sign of people in the corridor as if the students had already left the school.

Previously, when class was over and she was about to leave with Ken and Camilla, Nozomu's figure jumped in front of her eyes.

She hadn't seen him in a few days, and the sight of him, accompanied by Anri, made Lisa feel an inexplicable rush of emotion and frustration.

She felt a clogging sensation in her chest that she had been feeling for a while. And a shiver ran through her whole body.

However, while trembling in the chills that were akin to emptiness, she told Ken and Camilla that she had business to attend to, and found herself following after Nozomu

What revived in Lisa's mind as she followed him were the things Nozomu told her just the day before the joint class that the rumors two years ago were lies.

(Do I want to confirm or deny it?)

Unsure of what she wanted to do, she followed him, wasted time without being able to say anything in front of his face, and then turned away.

"Lisa?"

Suddenly called out, Lisa slowly turned around, and there was the appearance of her best friend, Camilla, who was supposed to have left.

She was probably looking for Lisa, who had suddenly said she had something to do.

"Did you meet Nozomu?"

The tone of her voice was somewhat reserved, which was unlike Camilla, who was usually very cheerful and open-minded.

She was one of the people who had heard Nozomu's story that night, and she was one of the people who understood Lisa's feelings better than anyone else.

Perhaps it was thanks to her that Lisa was still able to maintain a little of her composure.

"We just met by chance..."

Lisa tried to deny Camilla's words, hoping that Camilla wouldn't realize how agitated her heart was.

However, her answer was clearly forced.

Camilla was well aware of Lisa's agitation.

Especially today, after she heard that "he" had been discharged from the hospital, Lisa had been absent-minded both at the school and in the dormitory.

She remained absent-minded even when her friends and juniors spoke to her and only noticed when Ken and Camilla spoke to her.

So Camilla had an idea of what Lisa's business was when she suddenly rushed out.

"....I see."

Camilla muttered so and started walking side by side with Lisa.

She was having a hard time judging what Nozomu had told her.

Until now, she had concluded that Nozomu was the cause of everything without any room for doubt.

(Are you still chasing your dreams?)

But now that Nozomu had told them the story and they had heard words from Irisdina and the others, their words were like ink dabbed on a white cloth, spreading doubts in their minds.

"....What's wrong?"

"No, it's nothing."

Camilla had been wondering why Ken's attitude toward Nozomu had changed so drastically recently, but she had also sensed that his behavior had become even stranger since the joint class.

He was indeed smiling at Lisa as usual, but there was a shadow that was beginning to blend in with his smile.

In the school, the underclassmen were excitedly talking about the combat training between Nozomu and Jihad, but when Ken heard about it, he had glared at the underclassmen with a stern expression.

Lisa was also sensitive to such a change in Ken, and lately, there were times when her shoulders somewhat trembled because of Ken.

Camilla peeked sideways at her best friend walking next to her.

"Hey, Camilla ..."

"... What's wrong?"

While facing ahead, Lisa suddenly called out to Camilla.

Camilla, who had been lost in thought, was somewhat startled but waited for Lisa's next words.

Lisa opened her mouth as if to try telling Camilla something.

"... N-nothing"

However, Lisa couldn't say anything and fell silent.

Camilla didn't know what to say either, and in the end, the two of them continued walking with their mouth closed.

==============================

The school building was illuminated by twilight.

It was eerily dark at the end of the corridor as the night began to fall.

At the end of the corridor surrounded by darkness, a shadow was watching the two girls as they left.

His teeth clenched tightly together and rattled.

"~! Nozomu, that bastard ..."

The voice that came out of his mouth was dark and horrifying.

To be honest, the shadow could not have predicted this development at all.

He had thought that he had completely crushed his opponent. The person he thought would disappear from the school eventually, but somehow he was still here.

Not only that, but many of his friends, such as Irisdina Francilt and the elf girl, who were outstanding in appearance, ability, and personality among the students, had come to gather beside him.

However, what irritated the shadow the most was the fact that he was able to get close to Jihad Roundel, an exceptional figure even in this school.

The original reason why the shadow wanted to expel Nozomu was that "Nozomu Bountis could not protect Lisa Hounds".

He couldn't hide his agitation and anger at the outright denial of this fact.

For the shadow, the existence of Nozomu Bountis should no longer exist.

He had to get rid of him somehow.

With this thought in mind, the shadow pondered whether there was any way to get rid of Nozomu.

However, it had already become difficult to corner Nozomu and force him to leave school voluntarily.

The fact that he was close to Irisdina and other influential people in the third year, as well as the underclassmen who had witnessed the combat training firsthand, made them believe that the rumors were lies.

The third and fourth-year students were still skeptical about it, but more than anything, Lisa herself had begun to follow Nozomu's figure with her own will.

"Fuck...."

In the corridor that was already enveloped with darkness, the shadow was alone, groaning grudgingly with his hands on his face.

The flames of jealousy that had been raging deep in his chest since that time when Lisa had chosen Nozomu once again lit up the shadow's eyes with a black light.

He didn't notice. The original purpose and the means to protect his precious one have already been replaced by hatred.

He didn't notice. Even if he were to polish his sword skills and magic prowess, his distorted nature and feelings were significantly kept him away from his beloved one.

And so, within his own small and closed world, he dreamed of unattainable happiness and outrageous ways of eliminating those who stood in his way.

The shadow, Ken Notis, slowly disappeared into the darkness while his face distorted ugly in the dark.