I Became the Academy's Pink Airhead - Chapter 34
Outside the Open Window
The breeze of early April and the chatter of students trying to repair the damage floated through the air.
"Whoa~ Stop, stop! That's enough! Put it down!" "Looks like we're missing a pillar here, who ordered it? Get out here before you all get whacked!" "Eek?! S-sorry, leader!" "Hiya―! This new building is sturdy, it'll be hard to set on fire." "You crazy girl, why would you burn it?"
The northern city, especially <Scarlet Academy>, was in shambles. Countless buildings and roads were covered in the sticky fluids of the chaos insects, and the smell and smoke from the raging flames of the night still lingered for days.
Even though <Scarlet Academy> held sway over the north, it was ultimately a loosely governed group that had united the slums. The overnight battle left the poorly constructed slum buildings easily destroyed in the aftermath.
The northern slum city center had become a near-ruin. The saving grace was that the students living there were accustomed to the vastly inferior infrastructure and living standards compared to the central city. As long as they had a place to lay down, they were satisfied.
If only <Scarlet Academy> students were here. Living in tents and shacks might have sufficed. But the place was bustling with construction noise.
A girl in a red uniform, busy carrying loads, approached some tall girls.
"Hey! You lying tall idiots! Where should I put this box?" "What did you say?!"
The tall girls, busy checking construction equipment, narrowed their eyes at the rude tone.
"What's this crazy redhead saying?" "You guys tricked us into fighting together and then acted ignorant! Lanky flirts!" "She's really crazy. Why is she telling us this?" "No racial slurs allowed!"
An elf student with dark skin, wearing an armband that read [Investigation Chief], ran over upon hearing the petty argument.
Her name was Sigrun. The head of <Gjallarhorn>'s investigation team and a troublemaker just out of punishment.
Sigrun, who had left the garrison, received light punishment in recognition of her efforts in solving the academy city’s erosion crisis. Upon returning, she voluntarily mediated all sorts of petty disputes with her investigation team.
"You there! Students! No racial slurs allowed!" "What is this crazy pointy-ear saying?!" "Go back to <Svart Industrial High School>!" "Ugh, pointy ears are gross. Hey, redhead, come this way." "Hiya! The only good pointy-ear is a burned one!" "Oh, that's a good quote." "Ah! Bad words! That's 2 demerit points! And I'm not from <Svart Industrial High School> anymore, I'm from Gjallarhor..." "I don't care..."
Ten days into the full-scale restoration work.
The restoration of <Scarlet Academy> was unprecedented in scale. Thanks to the massive support from <United Student Council> and <Mimir Industrial High School>.
Eir, the representative of <Scarlet Academy>, would have typically refused central help.
Rebelling against the hypocrisy and oppression centered around Yggdrasil was <Scarlet Academy>'s ethos, and Eir judged that ordinary students wouldn’t easily accept central help.
"…If it were just me, I'd accept it, but considering the others' perspectives, I can't allow it."
Caught between this irreconcilable relationship, a school intervened. A school that had made significant contributions to the recent erosion crisis and had no vested interest in helping <Scarlet Academy>.
<Central Prism Academy>. The restoration work was carried out solely under their name.
The support from <United Student Council> and <Mimir Industrial High School> came under the condition that it was solely for aiding <Central Prism Academy>. It was a sham, but it quickly satisfied <Scarlet Academy> and the northern slum residents.
Alvit, the student council president of <Central Prism Academy>, was staying in a temporary tent at the construction site, nominally overseeing the restoration project.
The real reason for Alvit's presence at <Scarlet Academy> was different, though...
"…Phew."
Concealing her complex emotions, Alvit was signing various documents inside the tent. Despite being a nominal representative, she diligently carried out her duties, believing this fame would greatly benefit <Central Prism Academy>.
Amidst the hustle and bustle of the construction, Alvit heard the voices of many <Scarlet Academy> students.
"Sob… To think [Pink Spiral] would go so tragically…" "A girl who lived a fiery life, burning all her strength… Ah! How can we not praise her!! Hiya―!! Everyone! Chant the hero's name―!!" "Clara! Clara!" "Clara! Clara!" "Clara! Clara!"
The shouts, akin to those of a cult, were deafening even amidst the noisy construction site.
"They're at it again?" "Ugh… When are they going to stop?"
Passersby cringed at the sight of the dozens of girls' resolution ceremony. Thanks to their fuss, no one traveling through this city was unaware of [Faded Spiral]'s story.
Yet the girls with fiery spirits didn't stop.
"Clara! Clara!" "Clara! Clara!" "Clara! Clara!"
Dozens of girls in uniforms adorned with red flames waved pink flags and shed tears as they looked at the memorial photo in front of the tent bearing <Central Prism Academy>'s name.
A pile of condolence letters lay before the photo. Even now, rough-looking girls carrying gifts and bouquets came to pay their respects to the girl who had sacrificed herself to save them.
"In front of us <Scarlet Academy> members, anyone calling her [Faded Spiral] will get a Molotov cocktail to the mouth―!!" "Clara-senpai was always the shining [Pink Spiral]―!!" "Honor the vice-president of <Scarlet Academy>―!!" "Hiya!! Who will offer themselves at her grave―!!" "Pink is the color of a hero who lived like a flame―!!" "Pink!! Lemon!! Sherbet―!!"
Unable to endure any longer, Alvit stepped out of the tent and shouted.
"She's not dead!! It's bad luck, so stop it!! And running around yelling together like that is a nuisance, stop that too!!" "There she is!! There’s Clara's junior!!" "Go greet her!!"
The <Scarlet Academy> memorial students swarmed towards Alvit.
They hoisted her onto their shoulders and began marching, and in that unbearable humiliation, Alvit's face turned a deep red.
On the tenth day of the ongoing memorial (?) march. Alvit, in endless shame, resented her classmates.
'You guys…! Pretending to take on annoying tasks while escaping…!'
Recently, <Mimir Industrial High School>'s airship had started regular flights to the northern area of the academy city.
Rota and Kara, using the excuse of handling Alvit's luggage, had sneakily escaped on it, shuttling between <Central Prism Academy> and <Scarlet Academy>. As a result, Alvit, always remaining on site, was selected as the main target of the memorial parade.
Clutching the clothes of the rampaging <Scarlet Academy> students, Alvit shouted.
"Stop!! Stop it, you blockheads!!" "Clara's junior is telling us to stop the work―!!" "Withdraw immediately!!" "Hiya!! Burn everything―!!" "No, I mean you guys!!" "...!" "...!"
Momentarily pausing, the <Scarlet Academy> students. Then began shouting resolutely.
"Understood!! Everyone!! Prepare for arson!! Pour oil on yourselves!!" "That's not what I meant!! Why can't this damned school understand words!!"
Amidst the chaos. Hearing the students chanting Clara's name. The bruises in Alvit's heart throbbed painfully.
"..."
She quietly turned her head to the direction of the rescue tents where the injured lay.
'Senior…'
Among them, Clara was being guarded in the most secure area under <United Student Council>'s direct care. It had been ten days since she went daily to inquire about Clara, only to hear that she hadn’t awakened yet.
'...Why is the president of the United Student Council personally overseeing her protection?'
The more she knew Clara, the more enigmatic she became.
But…
Despite only meeting a month ago, Clara had become an irreplaceable hero in Alvit's life.
She desperately wished Clara would get up soon and make her usual silly jokes.
'Senior… Please wake up… If you stay like this… I can't repay you anything.'
She hadn't apologized yet. She hadn't repaid her yet.
『I'm sorry…!』
For what? Even the past when she was [Faded Spiral] was buried.
She had warmly welcomed them as their hero.
『Watch… Watch [Spiral]'s progress…!』
To protect the powerless ones. Accepting numerous external ethers. Forcing herself out of being [Faded Spiral].
She couldn't forget that brilliance.
'Mother was right… There was my most reliable comrade in that school.'
The last senior of <Central Prism Academy>. Her shining figure was such a noble hero. Why hadn't she realized sooner?
'I didn't recognize her.'
And she hurt her so much… because she was weak.
Ouch―
So… Please…
Ouch―
"..."
Alvit, nursing the darkening bruise in her heart, could only watch earnestly.
＊
Far away from all the noise, in a rescue tent. There were only the breathing sounds of two girls.
More precisely, just the precarious breathing of one girl.
Hoo― Hoo―
The precarious breathing brought guilt and pain. But it was also proof that Clara was still alive. Brunhild was listening to it with pain and relief.
"..."
Brunhild held her breath to fully feel Clara's breathing. But it wasn’t painful; compared to the value of this moment of looking at her, everything else didn’t matter.
"..."
Brunhild had been standing still for ten days, looking at Clara. The deep footprints under the hospital bed made the health department student from <United Student Council> flinch when they came for regular check-ups.
But it didn’t matter.
Ignoring the urgent calls from the vice-president, Gisecline, for ten days.
Just… Everything… Didn’t matter.
"..."
Pain. Joy. She felt everything. Just watching.
"..." "...Lara."
Brunhild gazed at Clara, now pale and almost transparent. Continuously murmuring, hoping she would wake up at her call.
"...Lara."
Like a withering flower. No longer the vibrant pink. No ether felt from her. Even with all the universe’s power.
Nothing. The sight reminded Brunhild of the tinnitus she resolutely ignored for two years.
[Faded Spiral].
"...Lara."
Brunhild now saw and knew everything.
"...Lara."
Now… The academy city… The mission of the Aesir faction… The president of <United Student Council>...
All All All All All All All All All All All All
…Didn’t matter.
"...Lara."
Brunhild still stood silently.
"...Lara."
The cherry blossoms of spring she had awaited… had withered. Thus, spring ended.
Such a story.
So… it didn’t matter.
＊
In a hazy consciousness. I heard a voice calling me.
"...Ugh."
With difficulty, I opened my eyes. What I saw. Was a girl with pink hair.
"...Clara?" "Huh? Can't hear you―☆" "...Clara?" "Hey―☆"
A starry night sky. That mysterious space had three chairs. Clara sat in the leftmost chair.
I spoke to the other Clara sitting in front of me.
"Why…?"
Then that Clara puffed her cheeks and spoke.
"Boo―☆ How could you use a girl's body so recklessly! I was so worried watching you—Hey―☆" "..."
Amid the confusion. A single thought arose.
'That speech is really annoying…'
I thought I’d have to tell my juniors to tone down their Clara imitations. Looking at it objectively, it was nauseating despite the cute appearance.
"Ugh―☆ So mean!!"