Two days later, the semi-finals of the national championship were about to take place here today.
The opponents were Nem Nem and Patrick.
The venue was already packed with spectators.
Maybe it's because of the semi-finals, but there were also people selling beer and snacks at the venue.

I walked down a long corridor to the venue by myself, but....
What is it?　Ever since I came here, I've had a strange feeling.
I've been feeling strange since I arrived here, because all the students I pass are avoiding me.
Of course, as always, there are those who talk to me, claiming to be my fans, but most of them are surprised when they see me, and they feel like they're not.
But most of them are surprised when they see me, and they whisper something in a whispered voice.
And in order to stay away from me, they go out of their way to avoid me, keeping their distance.

----.

If there's anything I can think of, it's the one case of the Empire.
I can't think of anything other than that one incident was leaked.
But it's also quite possible that my overly flamboyant outfit is the cause.

But there are many different races in this academy, and some of them walk around in ethnic masks.
In other words, I'm not the only one who wears a mask.
But no one can surpass this reddish-black, 'blood'-associated gesture.
Well, everything is a factor and a cause, I suppose.
It's not just any one of them, it's all of them.
I can't help but dismiss it as inevitable.

I got a strange look from the students and walked through the hall.




　The auditorium was lined up in the shape of stairs.
And the corridor in front of it.
I've been walking down the aisle for a while.
Then I saw Toa and Sufilia in the front seats.
When they noticed me, they waved at me.
And they were smiling.

But they're not the only ones who notice me.
Everyone here notices me as I pass in front of them.
And each of them whisper something to each other in a voice that I can't hear.
I get to the two of them with them by my side.

'We're late, aren't we?　How was Nem?

After I sent Nem to the waiting room, I came here.

He didn't seem nervous.

I knew from the first grab.
The Toa is looking out for me.

The Toa looks around a lot.
But I don't think that was his intention.
I don't know why, and I don't know what life was like for Toa when he was back home.
But Toa was the type of person who paid close attention to what people thought of him.
I'm one of those people.
So when I was with him, I knew what it was like.
It must be hard for you....

"I'm sorry, Toa.

Hmm? .....

But Toa soon realized what I was talking about.

'Nito is famous for ... well ... it doesn't help.

I don't blame you for being famous....
Maybe I've gone off on a tangent again.

I don't know what the people around me think when they see me, or what they're thinking.
But I can only feel the bad feelings.
This is due to my abilities, but I would have known without any abilities.
And the Toa should be more sensitive to it.
Should I apologize for that, just in case?
But does Toa know how things started?
Has that one been in the ears of both of them?

You don't have to worry about it.

Then Toa whispered softly to me.

As I stare into Toa's eyes, everything doesn't matter.
Any of my worries start to feel like trivial things.

'We don't care we just care about the people around us.

A lot has happened since I've been in this world, and I'm sure I've gone through some trials and tribulations.
But I haven't grown.
I have not been able to overcome my weaknesses.
I've gained great strength, but I can't even shed the innuendos of others.
It's so easy, it weighs on your mind.

But when that happens, we're all there.

Toa smiles at me.

'Yeah well I guess you could be right.

I turned the mask into particles and collected them in my left ear, turning them into earrings.

'Huh yes. Nito's a hero, and if it's different from his image, that's all the more reason to criticize him.

This smile is a lifesaver.
The haze in my mind clears in an instant.

"Gohon! --

Then Sufilia coughed behind her.
Deliberately........

Master Nito?　Since I'm here too, could you not make out with the Toa too much?

I turned around and saw Sufilia's face with a smile pasted on it.

''Oh, yeah ... I'm not making out with you, right?

Is that right?　Doesn't sound like it to me, sir?

What is it?
What the hell is going on?

Suddenly, Sufilia approaches with a smile plastered on her face and blames me.

''I've been thinking for a little while now, but isn't Nito-sama different in the way he only treats Toa?　Why do you not smile at me?

Hmm?　How to treat him? ...What do you mean by that?

I made eye contact with Toa.
But Toa looked like he didn't understand and tilted his head.

What did he mean by "contact"?

.........

The ring should have been given to both of them as well as Toa.
So what is it that you are unhappy about?

"When I talk to Toa, Master Nito seems to be the same guard that I had a secret crush on when I was in Artemias.

Guards? ....What's that?

'That's why!　I'm telling you that I feel the same thing about Master Nito as he does!

Today's Sufiria is very goofy!
What on earth has happened?

'Nito was like this all along, okay?　It was the same for Sierra, and it should be the same for Sufilia, right?

Toa followed up.

'Isn't it?　It doesn't seem that way to me. I can't help but feel some kind of love for Nito-sama when I talk to Toa!

Huh?　Love?

When I looked at him, Toa's face was bright red.
And when his eyes met mine, he deflected them away and laid his face down to hide them.

'Hey, hey!'　Why does it turn red?　Sufilia must be mistaken, right?

But Toa looked down and didn't look up.

''I knew it was........wasn't it?

Huh? .....

I slowly turned around and looked at Sufilia's face.
Then there was a Sufilia with a worse fake smile than before.

''No, no!　A misunderstanding?　For all intents and purposes, you're wrong!

'No!　My gut tells me so!

What?　What's your hunch?

It's a woman's intuition!

I don't understand--

You're guessing?　It's not like I'm a normal...

Then Sufilia looked sad for a moment.
It wasn't a thing that looked like it was made up, but rather something that was somewhat natural.
I could see that for a moment.



Then, Sufilia's expression turns into a smile again.

In other words, that is........that's right?

What?

Where's the sympathetic look from earlier...
There was Sufilia's face, full of anger.

''No! ...it's not! .....

Apparently, that "sadness" we saw earlier was just an act.
Sufilia was still smiling and angry.

Then she slowly moved her face closer to mine.

Oh no........am I going to get slapped?

But the next moment, what I felt on my cheek wasn't pain.
It was something else ... something gentle ... soft.
But I couldn't tell because I closed my eyes.

And slowly I opened my eyes.

'.........hmm?　What is it?

When I opened my eyes, Sufilia's expression, which had been angry until now, had brightened as if it were a lie.
And just like Toa, her cheeks were red.

''.........hmm?''

...What?

It's just that ... Sufiria ...

Then I feel another rage behind me.

I slowly turned around.
And there was Toa, with puffy cheeks and a different kind of blush on his face.

Utterly, give me a break.
What's next?

'Sue ... Filia?　What are you, what are you doing?

"'What are you doing?'　Huh?　As you have seen, sir?

In response, Toa said nothing, but just stared at him with a shaky, sharp look in his eyes.

What is it?　Why is Toa so angry?
What did the Sufis do to me?

But to tell you the truth I know what it's all about.
But I guess it's standard to fall in love with this place.
I'm too blunt to notice anything.
It's the simplest and most simple way to not turn the two of them off.
But the two of them are still staring at each other.

Sufilia glares with a smile on her face.
And Toa, from her expression to everything else, everything is filled with anger.
If they are left alone like this, a war is about to start.

''Sufilia--''

When I called her name, Sufilia looked at me as if I had caught her off guard.

''You?　Did you just ... kiss me?

'Yes, sir?　So what?

So, Toa, you can kiss me too.

"Huh?

As soon as I said that, the anger disappeared from Toa's face.
And gradually, it turned into a distracted and dumb one.

''Wait, hey! ........What are you talking about?!

'You mean, Toa is mad at you because Sufilia kissed me, right?　Then Toa should kiss me too. Well let's do it on the other cheek then. Then we're even, right?

--It's perfect!

One gets a gift and the other gets nothing.
It's natural to be angry about this.
However, if I'm wrong, this is an example of a thing.
The world may be unfair, but let's be fair here.
That's the idea.

See?　How about a kiss for Toa?　That would make you less angry, right?

But when I noticed, the place was silent.
And when I compared the faces of Toa and Sufilia, they both had the same face.
It's as if they looked dumbfounded........

''What?　It's fair and a good idea, right?

'At all, Master Nito doesn't know anything, does he?

Don't you get it? .....

'I was so stupid to be angry...'

Why is it ... that Toa is mad at me?
You were angry at Sufilia earlier.
Why would the target be me?

I see, then, that Nito the Adventurer is no match for a woman, is he?

Just then, a voice came from behind me.

I just noticed that Alice Cresta is in the back seat.
Next to her is her companion, Elle.
When Elle's eyes meet mine, she gives a small bow.
I can't help but bow too.

''I don't really care, but I'd appreciate it if you wouldn't show me you're not too knotty, would you?　It's embarrassing to me too.

Then Toa and Sufilia turned away, as if reflecting on the situation.

''I mean, why are you here?''

"Of course, I did it to watch Patrick and Nem's match. And I was the first one to sit down, wasn't I?　So I'd like to ask you, my friend, why are you here?　And that's with two of my usual mistresses.

Has this guy ever been this arrogant?
There are a lot of things I would like to complain about, but I'll try to be modest here.
Alice is a troublesome guy who was originally involved with Patrick.

I'm sorry to hear that. I'm sorry about that. Well, but let's get along here. Let's watch the game.

'Is that a line you're giving me?　Don't flirt, if you like, and just be quiet and quiet.

You think you can't get away with it as long as I'm out there doing the wrong thing...

And, well, aside from that, what is this guy doing here?
Because, after all, it seemed that Alice was here now.
I didn't particularly pay attention to it, but I felt someone sitting behind me earlier.
In other words. It's a good thing that you're not the only one.

I'm sure you're right. --

Is it about to start?

What?

I was cut off from speaking.

Then, on the field, I saw two figures.
It was Nem and Patrick.

I don't know what Alice wants, but for now, let's get to the game first.
Let's talk about this guy first.

'Oh!　There's two of them out there?

I called out to the two guys next to me who were looking down.

'What?'　Do you still care?

Sufilia is fine, but the Toa won't go back to its usual Toa.


I gently put my face close to the Toa's ear and blew on her ear.

''Cah!''

Then Toa jerked!　And then he looked at me reflexively.

'Hahaha!'

Hey, hey! .....

Toa's cheeks flushed as he held his ears and looked at me with an expression that caught me off guard.

'There's two of them out there?'

I say that before Toa can say a second word.
Then Toa looks at the two men on the field with his ears and cheeks blushing.

'Whichever one of you wins, I'll face you with a smile.

Our smiling life is over, and we are.
I had somewhat mixed feelings about the upcoming game.