The axeman placed his hand on the wall and slowly advanced deeper.
However, he felt worried being unable to see his feet in the darkness.
And as expected, he tripped on a huge rock and fell.
「Ara, ara, are you okay?」
Suddenly, the axeman heard a woman’s voice. A cold hand grabbed his arm and helped him up.
「Y-Yeah……thanks」
He said thanks in reaction, but something is strange.
Who is she? Why is she here?
And, what is this pressure coming from her?
The axeman instinctively punched his fist.
He cannot see, but he guessed the direction from where her voice came from.
However, it was easily blocked.
His fist caught and was crushed.
「GUOO……!!」
He could hear his bones being crushed. His fingers were disfigured.
The next instant, the cave became bright and he saw the terrible spectacle of what happened to his fist.
Bones were piercing out of his skin.
It might, no longer return to normal.
「You bitch……what the fuck did you do!」
「That is my line. What are you doing here? You are in the presence of the God Beast Haku. Keep quiet」
A voice that seemed like freezing water was returned to the words the axeman spat out.
The owner of the voice was a silver-haired woman.
She looked about she is in her early twenties.
No one would complain if she is called a beauty and the axeman was sure that he would call out to her if he saw her in town.
However, more than that, the axeman had his breath taken.
It was not like his mouth was blocked.
As if he was petrified, he was unable to move his body.
Magic? No, it was simply due to fear.
「Gre……」
He swallowed and barely moved his mouth.
「Great, Sage……?!」
The hero who defeated the Demon God together with Haku 130 years ago.
The living legend, Calrotte Gyrdorea is right in front of him.
Of course, this was the first time the axeman was able to see her in person.
However, her features were the same as what he heard, and most of all, who and what would it be if this existence releasing a monstrous presence was not the Great Sage.
「You were quite noisy out there. I had heard all of it you know? To think that you planned to catch a God Beast and sell it, there’s a limit on being conceited you know. Small fries should just catch small prey just like how they are small fries, but it’s because you got carried away that you met me. However, it looks like you have a strong devil’s luck. After all, you came after Haku died. I’ll praise you for that. I guess you can read the air. If, supposing, you came five minutes earlier, getting in the way of my time with Haku……you, you would’ve been minced right now」
After saying that, the Great Sage patted Haku who lied on its side.
Haku would not move anymore.
Ever since she gave birth to her egg, it was set that this would happen.
It is not like the Grey Night killed her.
However, even so, the axeman could feel with his whole body the meaning of sullying the last moment of the God Beast.
The Great Sage’s eyes were burning with anger.
He felt an illusion that those flames came out to burn him.
He could not breathe.
In reality, nothing was done to him, but he felt so painful.
「Don’t worry. I don’t want to soil this place, so I’ll let you keep your life」
After the Great Sage muttered, the axeman’s body started to sink.
「?!!」
Was a hole opened on the ground?
No, that’s not right.
It’s difficult to explain, but rather than the ground opening a hole, it looked like the space itself opened.
That’s right. It was like this when that little girl erased the axe.
「You……monsters!」
Due to overwhelming fear, overwhelming isolation, the axeman regained himself instead and shouted.
「It’s because monsters like you are mixed with humans that people like us can’t walk on the right path! Monsters should live just like monsters! Why the heck are you standing at the same stage as us! Damn it!!」
The reason why we were unable to succeed is because there are people who have more talents than us.
In short, that was all that there is. But we had enough rationality to understood that such claim is only shameful.
Even so, the axeman could not help but to say it.
He thought that if only he had the talent. He thought, what’s wrong thinking like that. There is no way that talented people can understand the feelings of those who do not possess them.
「Even if you tell me that. It can’t be helped since we were born in the same world. Even so, well, that’s so pathetic. I don’t know where and when you hit a wall, nor I can understand your feeling since I had never encountered one. But compared to Charlotte-chan and Anna-chan, you’re just throwing a tantrum. People who does not fall into despair after knowing the hopeless difference, really exists. Don’t spoil yourself」
While hearing the words of the Great Sage that ridiculed him, the axeman’s body was swallowed by the hole.
“Don’t spoil yourself.” Hearing that, all that he felt was anger.
Someone who does not fall into despair after knowing the hopeless difference?
Someone like that, in the end, they’re the strong ones.
「You bastards wouldn’t probably understand the feelings of the weak in your whole life……!」
「That’s true. But, if you were to mention that, you probably won’t understand my feeling of being careful not to step on ants, right?」
Ants.
The Great Sage said so.
The axeman did not think that he would be looked down upon that clearly.
Ahh, yeah, I see, I don’t understand. There’s no way that I could.
The species as an organism is too different.
Or at the least, this Great Sage, not once ever since she was born that she had stood in the eyes of a common person.
Even if she wanted to, it would have been impossible.
That is why, at the least, she is being considerate to not step on them.
“Can you feel how that feelsーー?”, the Great Sage asked.
「Damn it」
That was the axeman’s answer.
「Ara, is that so. Well, whatever. Even though Haku is gone, I still have Laura-chan」
The axeman was completely engulfed by the darkness.
※
Even after the axeman escaped, the girls Laura, Charlotte, and Anna slowly chased after him without panicking.
After all, the direction where the axeman went towards to was the cave the previous generation Haku is.
Meaning, it’s the place where the Great Sage is.
「Principal-sensei. Did someone come here?」
The cave was brightened by magic.
Only the previous Haku lying on its side and the Great Sage was illuminated, and the axeman who ran away earlier cannot be seen anywhere.
「Someone did. He was on the way so I confined him in my dimensional warehouse」
「Ohh, as expected of Principal-sensei. The dimensional warehouse can be used like that huh. What a useful example!」
「You girls too, you’re quite amazing, taking care of five bandits. Charlotte-chan and Anna-chan looked great」
「A-re? Principal-sensei, were you watching?」
「If I put my mind into it, I can tell what’s happening around even without looking」
「Hohee〜……that’s amazing〜」
Laura whispered an honest admiration.
Currently, she does not feel that she could win against the Great Sage no matter what she would do.
Having the fortune of having the presence of a strong adult nearby, Laura did not get conceited.
If the Great Sage was not around……no, this speculation is useless.
After all, if the Great Sage did not talk to her during the first day of school, she would not have become a magician.
However, she also knows that she would not grow with only admiration, so she plans on catching up to her someday.
And, she would fight her and win.
「E-Even I, can feel the surroundings if I close my eyes and concentrate……」
Charlotte started mumbling something frustratingly.
It looks like unlike Laura, she wants to catch up “immediately”, not “someday”.
It was an extravagance very unique to her.
That bursting ambition forms the girl called Charlotte Gazard.
「I’m so sleepy now. I want to sleep already」
And, Anna said at her own pace.
It looks like she does not have anything in particular towards the strength of the Great Sage.
Nonetheless, that does not mean that she lacks ambition.
In Anna’s case, it is more important to get stronger than “her current self”, rather than “someone else”.
Although they have only known each other for a few months, Laura had started to understand that part of her.
「By the way, Principal-sensei. The predecessor Haku isn’t moving from earlier. Did she fall asleep?」
「……that is right. She just fell asleep a moment ago. She won’t wake up anymore」
The Great Sage gently stroked the sleeping predecessor Haku’s nose.
While she did that, her expression was hidden by a shadow, and Laura was unable to see it clearly.
「Eh, she won’t wake up anymore……? Is it……」
「That’s right. Didn’t you feel it when you entered the cave? The aura of the God Beast wasn’t there right? I’m glad that I was with her at her last moment」
Last.
“Ahh, I knew it would be like this.”
However, this was the first time Laura experienced someone she exchanged words with pass away.
Just earlier, the predecessor Haku entrusted its child to Laura.
They talked to each other clearly.
However, she would never speak again.
“Dying is a very sad thing”, Laura realized with actual feeling.
「Principal-sensei……are you okay?」
The Great Sage’s sadness should be incomparable to Laura’s.
The death of a friend from a hundred and thirty years.
There is no way that she does not feel anything.
And for Laura, just imagining Charlotte or Anna die makes her feel like crying.
Even the Great Sage should want to cry too.
「I’m fine. Reaching my age, I’m used to farewells with a friend」
「Is that, so……」
Really? When you live for near three hundred years, would it really be like that?
Is it okay to get used to that?
「Piiiii」
When Laura hanged her head, Haku who she’s embracing in her arms let out a sad cry.
At first, Laura thought that Haku also got depressed feeling the surrounding air.
However, it was wrong.
Haku flew up from her arms, fluttered her wings and hugged the predecessor Haku’s forehead.
「Piii……Piiiii……」
She squealedーーno, she was crying.
「Haku……you, you understood that she was your parent?」
「Pii〜……」
No one could tell her words. That is why no one could tell the truth.
However, Haku was really hugging her parent while crying.
「……having your child cry for you when you die, what a luck person you are……」
The Great Sage whispered and embraced the predecessor Haku’s head.
During that, Laura clearly saw a tear dropping from her cheek.
「Charlotte-san, Anna-san. Let’s, wait outside」
Laura whispered to them quietly and the two girls nodded.
And, they quietly left the cave.
They were met with a drizzle when they noticed it.
The axeman placed his hand on the wall and slowly advanced deeper.
However, he felt worried being unable to see his feet in the darkness.
And as expected, he tripped on a huge rock and fell.
「Ara, ara, are you okay?」
Suddenly, the axeman heard a woman’s voice. A cold hand grabbed his arm and helped him up.
「Y-Yeah……thanks」
He said thanks in reaction, but something is strange.
Who is she? Why is she here?
And, what is this pressure coming from her?
The axeman instinctively punched his fist.
He cannot see, but he guessed the direction from where her voice came from.
However, it was easily blocked.
His fist caught and was crushed.
「GUOO……!!」
He could hear his bones being crushed. His fingers were disfigured.
The next instant, the cave became bright and he saw the terrible spectacle of what happened to his fist.
Bones were piercing out of his skin.
It might, no longer return to normal.
「You bitch……what the fuck did you do!」
「That is my line. What are you doing here? You are in the presence of the God Beast Haku. Keep quiet」
A voice that seemed like freezing water was returned to the words the axeman spat out.
The owner of the voice was a silver-haired woman.
She looked about she is in her early twenties.
No one would complain if she is called a beauty and the axeman was sure that he would call out to her if he saw her in town.
However, more than that, the axeman had his breath taken.
It was not like his mouth was blocked.
As if he was petrified, he was unable to move his body.
Magic? No, it was simply due to fear.
「Gre……」
He swallowed and barely moved his mouth.
「Great, Sage……?!」
The hero who defeated the Demon God together with Haku 130 years ago.
The living legend, Calrotte Gyrdorea is right in front of him.
Of course, this was the first time the axeman was able to see her in person.
However, her features were the same as what he heard, and most of all, who and what would it be if this existence releasing a monstrous presence was not the Great Sage.
「You were quite noisy out there. I had heard all of it you know? To think that you planned to catch a God Beast and sell it, there’s a limit on being conceited you know. Small fries should just catch small prey just like how they are small fries, but it’s because you got carried away that you met me. However, it looks like you have a strong devil’s luck. After all, you came after Haku died. I’ll praise you for that. I guess you can read the air. If, supposing, you came five minutes earlier, getting in the way of my time with Haku……you, you would’ve been minced right now」
After saying that, the Great Sage patted Haku who lied on its side.
Haku would not move anymore.
Ever since she gave birth to her egg, it was set that this would happen.
It is not like the Grey Night killed her.
However, even so, the axeman could feel with his whole body the meaning of sullying the last moment of the God Beast.
The Great Sage’s eyes were burning with anger.
He felt an illusion that those flames came out to burn him.
He could not breathe.
In reality, nothing was done to him, but he felt so painful.
「Don’t worry. I don’t want to soil this place, so I’ll let you keep your life」
After the Great Sage muttered, the axeman’s body started to sink.
「?!!」
Was a hole opened on the ground?
No, that’s not right.
It’s difficult to explain, but rather than the ground opening a hole, it looked like the space itself opened.
That’s right. It was like this when that little girl erased the axe.
「You……monsters!」
Due to overwhelming fear, overwhelming isolation, the axeman regained himself instead and shouted.
「It’s because monsters like you are mixed with humans that people like us can’t walk on the right path! Monsters should live just like monsters! Why the heck are you standing at the same stage as us! Damn it!!」
The reason why we were unable to succeed is because there are people who have more talents than us.
In short, that was all that there is. But we had enough rationality to understood that such claim is only shameful.
Even so, the axeman could not help but to say it.
He thought that if only he had the talent. He thought, what’s wrong thinking like that. There is no way that talented people can understand the feelings of those who do not possess them.
「Even if you tell me that. It can’t be helped since we were born in the same world. Even so, well, that’s so pathetic. I don’t know where and when you hit a wall, nor I can understand your feeling since I had never encountered one. But compared to Charlotte-chan and Anna-chan, you’re just throwing a tantrum. People who does not fall into despair after knowing the hopeless difference, really exists. Don’t spoil yourself」
While hearing the words of the Great Sage that ridiculed him, the axeman’s body was swallowed by the hole.
“Don’t spoil yourself.” Hearing that, all that he felt was anger.
Someone who does not fall into despair after knowing the hopeless difference?
Someone like that, in the end, they’re the strong ones.
「You bastards wouldn’t probably understand the feelings of the weak in your whole life……!」
「That’s true. But, if you were to mention that, you probably won’t understand my feeling of being careful not to step on ants, right?」
Ants.
The Great Sage said so.
The axeman did not think that he would be looked down upon that clearly.
Ahh, yeah, I see, I don’t understand. There’s no way that I could.
The species as an organism is too different.
Or at the least, this Great Sage, not once ever since she was born that she had stood in the eyes of a common person.
Even if she wanted to, it would have been impossible.
That is why, at the least, she is being considerate to not step on them.
“Can you feel how that feelsーー?”, the Great Sage asked.
「Damn it」
That was the axeman’s answer.
「Ara, is that so. Well, whatever. Even though Haku is gone, I still have Laura-chan」
The axeman was completely engulfed by the darkness.
※
Even after the axeman escaped, the girls Laura, Charlotte, and Anna slowly chased after him without panicking.
After all, the direction where the axeman went towards to was the cave the previous generation Haku is.
Meaning, it’s the place where the Great Sage is.
「Principal-sensei. Did someone come here?」
The cave was brightened by magic.
Only the previous Haku lying on its side and the Great Sage was illuminated, and the axeman who ran away earlier cannot be seen anywhere.
「Someone did. He was on the way so I confined him in my dimensional warehouse」
「Ohh, as expected of Principal-sensei. The dimensional warehouse can be used like that huh. What a useful example!」
「You girls too, you’re quite amazing, taking care of five bandits. Charlotte-chan and Anna-chan looked great」
「A-re? Principal-sensei, were you watching?」
「If I put my mind into it, I can tell what’s happening around even without looking」
「Hohee〜……that’s amazing〜」
Laura whispered an honest admiration.
Currently, she does not feel that she could win against the Great Sage no matter what she would do.
Having the fortune of having the presence of a strong adult nearby, Laura did not get conceited.
If the Great Sage was not around……no, this speculation is useless.
After all, if the Great Sage did not talk to her during the first day of school, she would not have become a magician.
However, she also knows that she would not grow with only admiration, so she plans on catching up to her someday.
And, she would fight her and win.
「E-Even I, can feel the surroundings if I close my eyes and concentrate……」
Charlotte started mumbling something frustratingly.
It looks like unlike Laura, she wants to catch up “immediately”, not “someday”.
It was an extravagance very unique to her.
That bursting ambition forms the girl called Charlotte Gazard.
「I’m so sleepy now. I want to sleep already」
And, Anna said at her own pace.
It looks like she does not have anything in particular towards the strength of the Great Sage.
Nonetheless, that does not mean that she lacks ambition.
In Anna’s case, it is more important to get stronger than “her current self”, rather than “someone else”.
Although they have only known each other for a few months, Laura had started to understand that part of her.
「By the way, Principal-sensei. The predecessor Haku isn’t moving from earlier. Did she fall asleep?」
「……that is right. She just fell asleep a moment ago. She won’t wake up anymore」
The Great Sage gently stroked the sleeping predecessor Haku’s nose.
While she did that, her expression was hidden by a shadow, and Laura was unable to see it clearly.
「Eh, she won’t wake up anymore……? Is it……」
「That’s right. Didn’t you feel it when you entered the cave? The aura of the God Beast wasn’t there right? I’m glad that I was with her at her last moment」
Last.
“Ahh, I knew it would be like this.”
However, this was the first time Laura experienced someone she exchanged words with pass away.
Just earlier, the predecessor Haku entrusted its child to Laura.
They talked to each other clearly.
However, she would never speak again.
“Dying is a very sad thing”, Laura realized with actual feeling.
「Principal-sensei……are you okay?」
The Great Sage’s sadness should be incomparable to Laura’s.
The death of a friend from a hundred and thirty years.
There is no way that she does not feel anything.
And for Laura, just imagining Charlotte or Anna die makes her feel like crying.
Even the Great Sage should want to cry too.
「I’m fine. Reaching my age, I’m used to farewells with a friend」
「Is that, so……」
Really? When you live for near three hundred years, would it really be like that?
Is it okay to get used to that?
「Piiiii」
When Laura hanged her head, Haku who she’s embracing in her arms let out a sad cry.
At first, Laura thought that Haku also got depressed feeling the surrounding air.
However, it was wrong.
Haku flew up from her arms, fluttered her wings and hugged the predecessor Haku’s forehead.
「Piii……Piiiii……」
She squealedーーno, she was crying.
「Haku……you, you understood that she was your parent?」
「Pii〜……」
No one could tell her words. That is why no one could tell the truth.
However, Haku was really hugging her parent while crying.
「……having your child cry for you when you die, what a luck person you are……」
The Great Sage whispered and embraced the predecessor Haku’s head.
During that, Laura clearly saw a tear dropping from her cheek.
「Charlotte-san, Anna-san. Let’s, wait outside」
Laura whispered to them quietly and the two girls nodded.
And, they quietly left the cave.
They were met with a drizzle when they noticed it.
