....


　When the funeral was over, Shelley looked up at the sky.


　--I'm sure the doctor is waiting. Beyond this twilight, in the blue sky. Then I'll just keep going. That's right. I'll do what I have to do for you.


　With that in mind again, she was about to head home when someone tapped her lightly on the shoulder.


'Sherry. Do you have time after this?
Eira-senpai ... and the others.


　Yes. The people who were there were the special class anti-magicians. But it was only the women.

　Sheila, Eve, and Eira, as well as Liane and Noah.


''I thought we could all have dinner together, you know?
....


　Pondering. Shelley was lost. She swore that she was going to accomplish her revenge for Belle's sake. So even after this, she was thinking of training in order to get the Oboro Moonlight Night accustomed to her body. But........besides feeling bad about refusing Eira's invitation, Shelly owed Riane a debt of gratitude.


　When she had given her will to Riane, she could have told her more gently to admonish her. It would have been better to have said it in a way that would have hurt her head on, but it would have been better.


　When I look at the current Liane, the area around her eyes is still lightly red, but she still has a somewhat sunny look to her face. It's a change from that time....


　Thinking that this was also a good opportunity, Shelly agreed to the proposal.


''........I understand. I'll go out with you.''
'Yay!　Then we'll all go together!
Yay!


　When Sherry says this, Sheila and Noah react. Those two are the more diplomatic members of this group, while the rest of Shelly, Eira, Eve and Liane are more of an introvert. It's also a nice balance in many ways, but the girls know. They know what alcohol is, and what it can do to you.




'This restaurant...'


　As for the restaurant itself, Sheila had already booked it, and we were going to eat at a small restaurant in the city. It wasn't private, but there were quite a few people there, and besides, she was flexible with a seat in the corner inside.


　The interior was not fancy, but it was classically appointed and that put the girls at ease. It hadn't been long since Belle had died. That's exactly why the funeral had just ended a few minutes ago. It was a place that reflected Sheila's concern that a place that was too noisy would not be good.


And what would you like to drink first?　I'm a drinker, though?


　Incidentally, all members here, except Sheila and Eve, are underage. In the Kekkai City, the age of 18 or older is considered to be an adult. So, even if you are drinking, you have to be 18 years old or older. However, there are those who do not observe this rule, but........


''........I'm the same as Sheila.


　Eve also opted for alcohol. Hearing this, Shelly followed suit.


'So did I,'
'What?　Are you sure, Shelly?
Yes. That's how I feel today.
Okay, okay.


　The store can't serve alcohol to minors either, but the manager here and Sheila are on good terms with the manager and Sheila, and for once they gave us special accommodations. And so, while Noah had a soft drink, the rest of us, including Eira and Liane, chose the same one.


　This is how the women's party started.



　◇


So, you know, Julia is just hitting on an elf lady...
'What?　Senior!　Is that true?!
What?　Sherry doesn't know~
I don't know!
Well~ That's what I mean~. That elf - I think it was Iris or something like that, but she's just so d*mn beautiful. She's almost as pretty as Liane. And he's completely in love with Julia.
I see. Julia-san is very popular, isn't she?


　And Liane joins Eira and Sherry in their conversation. By the way, right now, Noah and Sheila are discussing a lot of things about magic together, as if they are compatible with each other. On the other hand, Eve, as usual, is quietly sipping her drink.


　Meanwhile, Eira, Shelly and Liane's main topic of conversation is Yulia. It started with Eira's complaint, but it unexpectedly became more exciting.


'Yulia, you know, she's so nice to everyone, right?　That's why people get the wrong idea~
'Oh!　I can totally understand that!　Julia is really nice to everyone!

And you know what? He said he was going to give me a tour of the city when he was done with the mission. That's a date, right?
'What?　Isn't this a date with all your might!
'A date........hmmm. Well, I don't care who Yulia-san goes on a date with. I have nothing to do with it though!


　All of them are becoming more talkative, as if the alcohol has gone around for a good amount of time. Even though Riane would never normally behave like this, her comments are something funny.


"Come to think of it.......wasn't Eve shopping with Julia for something or other?


　A licking gaze descended on Eve. It wasn't just Eira, of course, it was the three of them.


''........!


　Even Eve, as expected, was afraid of that, and her body reacted with a jolt for a moment.


''Nah, what.........''
Don't play dumb with me, okay?　Shelly and I saw it loud and clear with our own eyes!
That's it!　I saw it!
''Heh, I didn't expect Eve to do it either........Yulia-san really has a lot of heart.........''
....


　Scary. Eve thought.

　Her aptitude for alcohol is quite high. I'm not going to be able to get red in the face with that much alcohol, nor will I lose my mind.

　It's because it's that kind of person, I think. It's quite a bizarre scene. To begin with, she is an introvert and is not moved by anything. It's like she's always in a daze.


　But this time it was different.


　Eira and Shelly are clearly drunk. Especially Shelly's, whose speech is already in doubt. Moreover, there is something wrong with Liane as well. Although her face is not so red, but.......I don't know where the focus of her eyes is. They are empty-eyed, but they are staring at Eve intently.


　The way all three of them changed, Eve was terrified. And inside she was thinking: "I don't know what to do.


　--I want to go home, I want to go home!

　And.


　◇


'Yes!　Next time, we'll go to the after-party... whoa!
"Oh, no!


　Then, after Eve was jammed for a while, they had an after-party at another location. Of course, it was Sheila's job to be the sounding board.


　And the place they were going to was a park. But the park was particularly special to Riane.


　It was a small park. It wasn't very large, just a swing, a sandbox, and a slide. A place where children were sometimes present, but more often than not, it was deserted.


　But this was the place where Riane used to play with Belle when she was young. Even after Riane grew up, she would sometimes come here for a walk.


　So the girls would gather up a suitable alcoholic beverage and nibbles, and then head to the park late at night. The suggestion was Liane. 'I'd like to go to the place where I remember Belle and I,' she said.


'Belle and I have been coming here often since we were little ... well, since ten years ago. I'm sure Belle has come back to this place too, perhaps.
....


　All of us staring at this park in silence.

　This place was a memory.

　A place full of memories that Riane and Belle shared. Riane knows that this is no longer the time to grieve all the time, either.


　That they are fine. That even if you are dead, they have the will to go on.

　That's how I wanted to express it. And that's surely what Belle would want. Belle didn't want her death to stop her. In fact, she would have been more than happy to make a lot of noise while mourning her death...no doubt.


　And so they would drink more alcohol and then meet Yulia, who was donkeying, but that was another story.



''.........''


　--Bells. I'm doing fine. So please, wait and see. I'm sure we'll reach the end of that blue sky.


　With this in mind, Liane was also being carried away by the atmosphere of the place.