The Worldview Where Everyone is Destined to Die

Chapter 27: What happened at the Thanksgiving Festival (2)

Right, let's go back to before I was shot.

Almost immediately, the quarantine was lifted, and the Aegis Academy Fall Holy Spring Festival, the Fall Thanksgiving Festival, began.

The festival was a unique one for the academy, removing some religious aspects for the sake of other students. However, being the 'Royal Aegis Academy,' it was challenging to completely free the place of religious overlays.

As seen from the name of the Fall Thanksgiving festival, it was dedicated to offering the crops harvested in the fall to Aegis.

Anyway, I was surprised by this unexpectedly grand fall festival.

"Huh."

Even if it were an academy attended by elite people, there would be no need to prepare such a festival on an island. Wreaths surrounded the entire island; flags and emblems of the families sponsoring the wreaths; colorful garlands; tents put up with street vendors; and this filled the entire academy. In addition to that, around the chapel and on both sides of the road leading to the fountain park were self-luminous stone lanterns.

"This is clearly extravagant."

"Extravagant? No!"

"Ugh! You shocked me!"

"I-I am sorry."

In a situation where we had to travel in groups of two due to special measures, the person chosen as my partner was, well, Enoch. Although Enoch kept his distance from me, he slowly followed me and kept an eye on me.

"Excuse me... I am sorry that this will go on until the day of the festival. If you have a partner prepared in advance, then it would be nice for you to go with them."

"No, there is nothing of that sort."

Enoch spoke right away. His attitude seemed certain of his unpopularity, but for me, who saw Enoch's hidden power, I couldn't help but feel sorry for him.

"Cadet Enoch... you have potential."

"Potential...?"

"There are many types of potential. Everyone hides at least one secret weapon. In my view, Cadet Enoch also has such a secret weapon."

"Concealed information isn't allowed."

"Keep this in mind; Cadet Enoch has potential."

"...?"

Council head Machina needs to find out what his secret weapon is---the thing that Enoch keeps hidden---as soon as possible. When I smiled without responding, Enoch tilted his head like it was odd.

"Well, I will just go and watch the torch being raised at the chapel, and after that, I can go and look around freely."

"I don't mind if you don't."

"You don't have to concern yourself with me."

Of course, the festive air is fun, but when one is a senior, like me, it feels a bit boring---a year-end party where one drinks and dances with people we see every day.

But as if they wanted to emphasize this year's festival in a more special manner, the densely lined lily arches on each bridge connecting the chapel and each major building were amazing to look at.

"It must have been very resourceful to find summer flowers in the fall."

"All greenhouse-maintained ones."

"Aha."

It was slightly late for the lilies to come. As I walked down the lily arches, I vaguely remembered that it has recently become more fashionable in the capital to have greenhouses in the corners of one's mansion.

'My mother imported flower bulbs for greenhouses one time.'

My mother predicted ahead of time that around this time last year, with the opening of an exhibition hosted by the royal family, growing a greenhouse would be a trend.

"They say they invented a way to frame the greenhouse glass so it doesn't break. There will be many greenhouses in the gardens of noble ladies."

After that, it was last year that the name of the Cruz was once again raised by importing bulbs with dozens of color variations from a distant nation that had to cross the ocean without delay and then another continent to arrive.

It was around that time that I didn't meet my mother, and time went by so quickly.

"Arma. Will I be able to see your face often when the sun changes?"

I had been sick for a long time when I was a kid and had to grow up isolated in a place in the countryside at an age when I needed my family.

From the age of 5 to 10, I spent about 5 years healing in the countryside. When I met my mother again, she felt unfamiliar, and so did I. Maybe that is why, whenever I saw my mother as I got older, there was this strange feeling between us.

"Even though I know other things, I have no idea how to be a good mother."

That was all my mother said. I think that my mother probably feels as much affection as I do for her. It would have been nice if our feelings for each other were simply the love between mother and son. The special nature and events surrounding my childhood, as well as my mother's position as a successful merchant, made our feelings more complicated. I missed the awkward affection coming from the guilt, but I wasn't too happy either.

"Should I maybe visit home this year?"

It would be better to end the nature of puberty that came late for me. A lot of strange things happened this year, so it wouldn't be a bad choice to leave the academy and take a break in my hometown. I walked quickly under the lily wreath, thinking about the luggage I needed to pack before winter and the ferry home.

"I heard Aegis this time is Miss Spencer?"

"Don't speak. She was suddenly taken away during the lecture, said she could not fast like this to death, and escaped through the window. They even barged in during the lecture because they were afraid of her running."

"Amazing."

Maybe because the festival air made people excited, the cadets passing by were telling so many vivid stories about Shirley's adventures that I hadn't heard of.

'Shirley...'

If you were getting dragged, it would have been better for you to go silently for the sake of your honor.

I shook my head.

No matter what it was, Shirley was eventually selected as the incarnation of Aegis and taken, and she would be locked in the chapel while starving for a body purification ceremony.

"Senior Arma, you are alone this year."

The person who spoke was Neon Dazani, a lively violinist well known in the Wooden Cross class.

Neon, with her long, thin arms and legs, straight pink hair, and lovely green eyes with a hint of yellow, looked like a near-spring flower.

But, due to the nature of the violinists who spend all day wearing their instruments, it is clear that even those thin arms held destructive power.

Neon's eyes turned to Enoch, who was standing calmly behind me for a moment, but she didn't seem to care about it; Enoch was my partner now.

"Yes. You cannot drag Aegis around like this."

"Ahahah!"

Oddly, the Academy had strange customs of men and women pairing up during various events and seasons, even though this wasn't the case on a regular basis.

I didn't want to stand out, so I normally went around with Judith, Shirley, or any cadet who spoke.

For that reason, I went to see the festival a couple of times when I was in the lower grades because Neon was in front of me.

I remember that because it was the result of a moderate compromise between each other; there wasn't a very sweet air now.

Neon smiled cutely and bowed to me.

"Okay then, Senior Arma, I will see you next time."

"Bye."

Neon waved her hand and walked away. At that moment, the wind blew, neatly organizing her hair.

"The wind is blowing...."

The sweet scent of the flowers spread around, but for some reason, the breeze felt cold. It felt like being trapped in a barrel of alcohol.

Although I wasn't too old, maybe closer to being young, it was the first time the academy, where I lived half my life, felt so unfamiliar.

It felt like attending a party I wasn't invited to.

Where did this discomfort take birth?

"Arma Cruz."

After a while, Theodore White, who was no stranger to calling me by my full name, called me.

'What?'

But Arthur, who always followed him around like gum, wasn't around. Normally, the only person in the position that Arthur would have been filling was a supervisor for the special students.

"Arthur?"

"His condition worsened that day."

"Oh, because of the demonic beast?"

I thought of Arthur the last time I saw him. At that time, Arthur had a feverish expression and a dull reaction compared to usual.

'It had nothing to do with the demonic beast. But..."

"But?"

"He has chest pain accompanied by fever."

"Chest pain?"

It felt like my blood had drained out. Why didn't I feel strange like I did when I looked at Theodore's eye and Judith's prosthetic hand?

Didn't I see with my own eyes what happened to Arthur and Shirley in my dream?

Although he couldn't confirm the cause of death because he was pushed by Shirley, if he was pierced in the chest by Shirley's spear, then Arthur here was affected by it.

"Where is he now? Can you take me there?"

"Arthur? It is his time to take medicine and sleep-"

It was before Theodore ended his words. The celebratory gun was fired, announcing the start of the festival, and the cadets who were scattered around all began to gather towards the chapel.

"Whoa!"

"Euk, wait...!"

Unfortunately, the location selection wasn't good.

Excited cadets started pushing each other to get the best seat to see it. I moved further and further from Theodore.

Enoch realized the intention late and pushed towards Theodore, but he had no choice while surrounded by dozens of cadets.

"Well, let's meet at the fountain first. Got it?"

"...Yes!"

The cadets who had gathered now would surely be planning to watch the 'Aegis Lighting the Torch' parade, which is the highlight of the first festival day.

The central fountain is the last stop of the parade, and if the cadets are preoccupied with the starting of the parade, then the end will be less crowded.

"Everyone, I need a moment. Ah, wait...."

Unfortunately, Enoch was standing in the middle of the road, unlike us, who were closer to the corner. As a student council member, he couldn't hurt the cadets, so he was pushed away helplessly, unable to do this or that.

'It is better,'

If Enoch were there, it would be difficult to feel free to ask about the condition of Arthur. I moved a little ahead, being careful not to trip on the feet of the other cadets, who were all excited about this place.

-Puang!

-Tatatak!

When the first bullet was shot in the sky, the sky was bright, and when the second and third shots came, the sun had completely set and it was beautiful.

-Pang!

It was quieter than what he usually hears at a shooting range, but the sound of the guns being shot in succession was truly deafening.

"It is Aegis!"

"Aegis!"

And finally, Shirley, who was in the role of being the incarnation of Aegis, dressed up like Aegis, the God, walked out the door of the chapel.

Shirley was there with purple hair tied on the top as a bun, with a large white lily decoration and a silk ribbon tied around. Her expression was sour due to the fasting, but anyone who didn't know her true nature would consider her the real incarnation today.

'You look so elegant when the mouth is shut... No, this isn't the time for this.'

I am sorry, Shirley, but there is still another chance to greet the incarnation tomorrow.

I stretched my hand to Theodore's elbow, who was moving, but then I was grabbed by someone's hand and pulled back.

In this crowded place, there aren't many with the strength to pull out an adult man from the crowd. And the moment I turned around in surprise, the roller coaster began.

I looked at someone's face in the shadows, with my back to the loudest explosions of the celebratory gun.