Estimated reading time: ~4 minutes
Chapter 58
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I awaken to the presence of Sensei.
The sunlight filtering through the curtains announces that it’s morning.
I survey the room from my bed, but Sensei is nowhere to be seen. Focusing more intently, I sense her presence extending from outside my room’s window—towards the manor’s garden.
What exactly is this 「presence」…?
Come to think of it, something like this has happened before.
Back when we were in the mountains, Sensei took pleasure in playing tricks on me.
That day’s prank involved sending just her presence behind my back.
Startled by the sudden manifestation of her presence, I let out a bizarre yelp. Seeing this, Sensei clapped her hands and burst into laughter, exclaiming, 「Hahaha!!」
Sending one’s presence, what on earth…hmm.
In any case, Sensei is extraordinary, so it wouldn’t be surprising if she could do such a thing. But most likely, she wants to say, 「Hurry up, wake up, and come here.」
○○
「Good morning,」 I greet her.
「Mmm, morning,」 Sensei replies.
Heading to the garden, I find Sensei there.
The morning sunlight is veiled by a misty haze.
Sensei’s figure, with a somewhat melancholic expression, resembles a monochrome ink painting.
「I’ve been waiting for you,」 she says.
「I thought it might be another prank. You could’ve just woken me up normally.」
「Well, don’t say that. It’s part of your training to read the presence.」
There’s a way to spin anything.
「So, Sensei, you have something to talk about, right?」
That’s why I was summoned here.
「You’re quick on the uptake, son-in-law, which makes things easier.」
Sensei invites me for a little walk, and we end up strolling leisurely through the garden.
The garden is meticulously maintained, showcasing the gardener’s skilled handiwork.
「Lavender, herbs, clematis, geraniums. Well, it’s quite something.」
As a layman, I’m not well-versed in plants. The only ones I know are dendrobium, physalis, gerbera, zephyranthes, and atomic bazooka. Of course, I only know their names.
「Son-in-law,」
Sensei calls out to me and stops walking.
Sensei’s affection for Sena and me is genuine.
That’s precisely why she probably wants to avoid saying anything if possible.
「It’s about Sena,」 she begins.
Sensei closes her eyes for a few seconds.
「Yes?」 I prompt.
「Sena can’t descend from the mountain.」
I recall Sena’s demeanor from yesterday.
She clung to Sensei, trembling and pale.
It pained me to see her bravely trying to muster herself and display an awkward smile.
「Sena is afraid of humans, you see,」 Sensei explains.
Given Sena’s usually aloof nature, it was hard to imagine her being frightened of people.
—Ichiro, it’s alright. I’ll save you, I will.
Sena’s words from when we were about to leave the mountain resurface in my mind.
An urge to claw at my chest overwhelms me.
「To be precise, Sena is terrified of the humans in this world. She fears them, and she hates them to the point of wanting to kill them.」
○○○
「Sena carries deep wounds in her heart,」 Sensei continues.
I remain silent, waiting for her to go on.
「I’ve spent a long time with Sena, but I haven’t been able to fully heal her wounds.」
Sensei’s face contorts with anguish.
「For Sena’s sake, I distanced myself from her. I thought it would eliminate at least one source of her heart’s trauma. It took time, but I managed to largely remove that source.」
Sensei wears a somewhat weary expression.
It doesn’t suit her.
I needed to say something to her.
But what should I convey?
「Sensei,」 I begin.
That’s right. She has been working hard.
Without any recognition, she must have gritted her teeth through the long years.
That’s why if I don’t convey these words to her, who else will?
「This may sound cliché, but thank you for your hard work all this time.」
Her eyes widen at my gesture of appreciation.
「You’re a real fool, you know that?」
she says, her face breaking into a grin.
Sensei must have been fighting alone all this time.
Just as Sena was lonely, Sensei must have been lonely too.
「I’ve always wondered whether I should have stayed by Sena’s side, helping her forget the causes of her pain until her wounds healed, instead of what I did.」
I don’t know the answer to that either.
Even if I did, I can’t change the past.
「That’s why, when I finally returned home and saw you and Sena living together so harmoniously, it was the greatest thing for me.」
「I’ve always been saved by Sena,」 I admit.
「You were saved by Sena, and you saved Sena in turn.」
—Ichiro, it’s alright.
I want to see her smile right now.
「I’m living in happiness now. With Sena here, and you here. I don’t wish for anything more. That alone is enough.」
Sensei says, 「That’s why—」 and swings her arm.
Something behind me shatters with a sound.
「I won’t allow anything to threaten my happiness, Sena’s happiness, or your happiness.」
The arrival of something sinister, seeking to eclipse the morning sun.
This marks the beginning of an intense battle with the sealed realm.
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