Um...

　The second time he awoke.
　This time, unlike the last time, there was a gentle touch on the back of her head.
　Is this ... a pillow?

Mm. You awake?

　A woman's voice.
　It wasn't the voice of the person I met earlier.
　I open my eyes thinly.

'This is....'

　Oh, I knew it.
　I passed out again...

Let's see...

　Gasping, I jumped up.

Yeah, yeah, it was the biggest tree I'd ever seen.

　Thud.
　His forehead hit something with great force.

"Oh, my God!
'Yikes!　...ah!　What are you doing?

　I looked to see a woman with a wavy bob cut holding her forehead down with tears in her eyes.
　She must have tried to look into my face.
　The momentum of jumping up and down apparently caused me to head-butt her around the ear.

''I'm sorry.''
"Shit.....you can't make it to the school on the day of your entrance ceremony, you're going to lose consciousness, and when you wake up, they're going to head-butt you, what are you......
I'm sorry.

　I looked around quickly, apologizing.
　It seemed I was indoors somewhere now.
　I was apparently tucked into a bed.
　The bed I was sleeping in was simple but clean.

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

　He's conscious ... solid.
　I don't have the same discomfort I felt before I passed out.
　The white robe while the reddened ears rustle?　A woman in a

'Oh well, that's okay. So, do you have any idea why you passed out?　If you've got a pre-existing condition, we can talk about it, okay?　Even with this, I'm still the doctor in charge of the medical room at St. Renowthred School. If it's a consultation for the students of the academy, I'll be happy to take it.

Hmm?　Is that my name?　I'm Liza Rogosta. The year is twenty-five. My girlfriend is currently recruiting.
..........

　He seems to be a foreigner.
　His Japanese is quite good.
　Why the age and the information on the dating scene was added in the second half of the article is a mystery, but....

Oh, I'm........well, my name is Soraku Kurohiko.

　I was supposed to ask a question, but I got caught up and introduced myself.
　Lisa put her hand over her mouth and gave a small snort.　



　Azumaiko?
　Ah, the country of the east you write "eastern country" as "Azumakoku".
　So you're asking if I'm from Asia?
　However, I've heard that Japan is called 'Far East' in foreign countries, but I don't think I've ever heard it called 'Higashikuni' before.

　Anyway.
　Anyway, where am I?
　And that ... that giant tree.
　I've never heard of a tree like that in Japan.
　Moreover, those buildings and streets.
　It looks like a cityscape that could be found in any Western country.
　And the strangely large, huge tree that I saw beyond the neat rows of houses.

　The overwhelming majesty of the tree came back to my mind.
　The huge tree that made a strong impression on me at first sight.
　It was so divine that I felt like I was going to bow down to it.
　But was there ever a tree like that in a World Heritage site?
　When I was living a life of leisure, I used to slavishly look at World Heritage sites on the internet, but I don't think there were any trees of that unusual size in any country.

　I wonder.
　One possibility has been bouncing around inside me for a while now...
　Yes, I know.
　I've read about this kind of situation many times before, and I've longed for it many times before...

　I raised my hand.

"Uh,
Mm, you can ask me anything you want.
Where am I... where am I?

　Then Lisa often fell silent.

''This is the medical room at St. Renowthred School, though?
Oh, uh, no, I mean, no.
I don't understand the question you're asking, but...
That's what we call this place.

　What kind of world is this?

　I notice the strangeness of this question as it comes out of my mouth.
　What is this?
　This question is like.....

　It's the same as the main character lost in another world often seen in manga and anime.

　Instantly, the activity of the heart increases.

　But, but, no, I didn't think it was possible...

　As I was thinking about it, Lisa-san looked into my face.
　The fact that a nasal, well-defined face is looming in front of me makes me feel a thud.
　If you look closely, she's also quite a beautiful woman.

''Eh, um...?''
Did you hit your head hard?
What?
You think that you might have... what do you call... amnesia?
What?
'If you're a student coming to St. Renowthred's School for Commencement, wouldn't you ask if the Commencement ceremony is over already, or where to go from here?　And yet, yes, you react as if you only just learned about the country's existence.

　Lisa leaves the bed.
　Then she comes back from the corner of the room with something vertical in her hand.
　She thrusts that flat, vertical thing in front of me.

''Is there any doubt that it's Sagara Kurohiko in the reflection here?

　Lisa held out a mirror.
　I strained my eyes and looked at myself in the mirror.

　I found myself reflexively touching my mouth and cheeks with my hand.

'Yeah?'

　Oh, what?
　His face is slightly different, like...?
　But that's me, right?
　The movements of my hand and the mirror, they match perfectly.
　But something doesn't feel right...

　I stare at myself in the mirror again.

　Hmm?
　No.
　This is--

　Rejuvenated?

　The one reflected in the mirror is unmistakably me - Soraku Kurohiko.
　However, the figure is that of a mid-teenager at least.
　The skin is also smooth.
　
　I don't know if that makes me feel rejuvenated, though.

　I look up at the ceiling.
　And although it's sticky, I pinch my cheek while staring at the ceiling.
　It hurts.
　But I don't wake up.
　I don't wake up from the dream and go back to that dimly lit room of mine.

　No, no.

　It's not.
　Maybe I've been given the tools to start over.

　But I'm supposed to be trying to change.

　That's right.
　Just because I came to another world doesn't mean that "I myself" have changed.
　Just because I became young again, it doesn't mean that the content of Soraku Kurohiko has changed.
　So.

　I've got to change.

　And this time we're gonna find it.
　Find out what we want to do.　
　Because this will be our last chance.

　I clench my fists tightly.

　This is the chance we've been given.
　I'll do everything I can.

...........

　It's strange.
　Not long ago, I wanted to disappear.
　It's as if something that had been standing still started to move, just a little bit.
　Is it because I am young again?
　Or is it ... because you've been freed from the bonds?

　I smiled to myself and breathed in a self-mocking smile.

'If that's the case, it's a cash thing...'
Well, did you enjoy the monologue?
What?

　When I looked, I saw Lisa-san looking at me with her arms folded and a scared look on her face.
　........oops.
　I was so lost in my thoughts that I had forgotten about Lisa-san's existence.

'The way her expression changed so rapidly on the bed, well, it was fun to watch, though.
I'm sorry.

　I'm surrendered with embarrassment.
　What am I doing, I........

'So, I've seen your emotions change all over the place, so let's get back to the question, shall we?　Do you think the man in the mirror is definitely Sagara Kurohiko?
Yeah, yeah, I'm sure.

　I'm getting younger, though.

　And then there is a knock on the door of the room.
　Lisa responds, "Come in.

'Excuse me.'

　A man came into the room, dressed as if he claimed to be a guard.
　He carries what looks like a list of names at his side.
　The man asked.

'Did you wake up the new student who said he passed out near the gate and couldn't attend the entrance ceremony?

　Lisa turns around.

'Oh. I just woke up.
Good. Did you get his name?
Yes, they say her name is Sagara Kurohiko. It's a bit confusing because of the fact that he passed out, but he seems to remember the name well. It seems to be from the east.
'I see. Well I'm a student who has not yet registered as a candidate for the Holy Jury today, Sagara Kurohiko Sagara Sagara.... .... saga, la... hmm?　Sagara?　Hmm?

　The guards (we'll call them that) raise their eyebrows and put their faces close to the roster.

''Hmmm~?　Sagara, Blackbird?
What's going on?
Oh, no, I couldn't find my name on the new student notification list... oops, I don't know...?
You'll have to show me your candidate application.
'Oh, yes. The sooner you show me your candidate application first, the sooner I can see it, the better.

　The guards and Lisa turn to me.

'Huh?'
I know you've got it. Now, go ahead.
The application?

　The guards and Lisa look at each other.　
　Guardsman says with a dumbfounded face.

''Candidates can finally be admitted as holy warrior candidates when they bring the application card sent to them in advance and complete the admission process. It's only natural.

　Silence.
　Lisa tilts her head slightly.

'You don't think ... you don't have your application card?'
Well this is my first time hearing of the holy warrior cadet and the application form, but...　

　The air changes.
　The guard's gaze becomes quizzical.

'Then why are you here?　Dr. Lisa, what the hell is this girl...?
'No, I thought it was a freshman but a girl with silver hair brought her in about the time the entrance ceremony was about to begin. She said the freshman had passed out near the gate. But that girl, at that hour, she would have been much later for the entrance ceremony.
Does that mean he's an outsider?
Hmmm... what do you think?　I thought for sure I was a freshman, and I nursed her through thick and thin.

　Something about the cloud cover is getting suspicious.
　The mountains are enough to make the cloud cover suspicious........
　The guard with a grim expression puts his hand on the sword at his waist.

''I'll listen to the situation. But if you resist, I will cut you off right here and now........what do you think?

　Hmmm.
　It seems that as soon as I made up my mind to do my best in this world, I was in a desperate pinch.
　Even if I wanted to resist, I'm just an ordinary person with no special skills now.
　It's not that I can use martial arts, nor can I use magic, of course.

　This is not good.
　I'm not going to be able to prove my identity, so is it possible to go to jail like this?
　No, in fact, it's possible that he could be caught and executed for the time being because his identity is unknown and suspicious...?

　Wait.
　I don't even know what this world is like.
　And I don't know what it's like to be locked up before I know what's going on.

　It feels like the future's opening up and then it's closing in on itself.

　So what do we do?
　What should I do?

　And Lisa put her hand on the guard's shoulder.

''Hey, from the looks of it, you don't even seem to have a weapon with you, so you don't have to be so ready all of a sudden. As I said before, it seems like your memory is somewhat confused. It's a pity that you're being so rough with him.

　But the sword swallowing didn't disappear from the guard's eyes.

''It's possible that they could be using a technical method, we can't be too careful. Perhaps it could be an inter-agent from another country who tried to blend in with the new students. No, or maybe it's an associate of the man who escaped from the detention room the other day...

　The guard points the tip of his sword at me.

'So--what are you going to do, Sagara and all?

　I slumped my shoulders disappointedly and sighed deeply.　
　It can't be helped.
　The other party has a weapon, and I think it's best to just let it go quietly for now.
　There is a possibility that our lives could be in danger if we stimulate them poorly.

　I held up my hands to convey that I had no intention of resisting.

"..........

　Despite the fact that I was in such a pinch, the question that came to my mind at this time was......a very simple question.

　........Is this world of hold ups passable?