After school.
I returned to my dorm room, put down my bag and other things…
“Phew.”
I let out a single breath.
It was not that I had a bad day, I was just tired.
I’ve been wearing the dragon shackles again since the other day.
And this time, the gravity was three times greater than it was before.
By simple calculation, my body was under twice as much strain as before.
I’ve gotten so used to the doubled gravity that I’ve decided to triple it for further growth…
This was tough.
I felt like I was more fatigued than when it was doubled.
“Alto, are you okay?’”
Justina said with concern.
“Yeah, I can’t easily say that I’m fine, but I’m going to try my best.”
“Yeah, yeah, that’s my man! If there’s anything I can do to help, I’ll do it!”
“Thanks.”
At this moment, a thought occurred to me.
Why does she act like she’s older than me when we’re the same age?
Was it because she was at that age?
But I couldn’t deny it outright, because I felt a strange kind of receptiveness or motherhood from her.
In fact, I think that’s how Justina should be…
Oh, no.
I was getting a little confused.
Even though we were the same age, Justina had an older side to her.
What in the world was causing this to happen?
“Hmm?”
A knock sounded on the door of my dorm room.
I acknowledged them and went to the entrance to open the door.
“Hey.”
“Yoo-hoo!”
It was Gran and Jeannie.
They seemed to have gone back to their rooms to change, and were both in their casual clothes.
“What’s going on, you two?”
“Ah, I get it. You’re going on a date as brother and sister!”
““No, we’re not!””
That’s what twins do, they’re perfectly in sync.
“Alto and Eltoselk-san, are you free?”
“Would you like to go out with us?”
“…”
“Alto, what’s wrong?”
“No… I never thought I’d experience an event where a friend would ask me out. I had completely given up on that kind of thing…”
“Ugh… Poor Alto! It’s okay! I’m here, I’m with you, I’ll be with you all the way!”
“Fmm!?”
I seemed to have stimulated a strange part of Justina, and she hugged me.
Her chest..!
It was a small but distinct swelling and softness…!
“I’m sorry, Alto. Did it hurt?”
“N-No… I’m okay.”
Justina released me, and my face was red.
Please don’t pursue the matter, whether it’s acid reflux or some other factor.
When I looked, Gran and Ginny were smirking at me.
It seemed that the two of them could see through me.
Ugh… This was embarrassing.
“So, what do you think? If you don’t have any specific plans, why don’t you come hang out with us?”
“Since you’re here, I’ll join you.”
“That’s what I’m talking about! You’re coming, right, Eltoselk-san?”
“Ah, yes. If Alto’s coming, I’ll come with you.”
“All right, I’m going to get ready. Just hang on a second.”
I closed the door once.
I picked up my personal clothes and moved to the kitchen.
I can’t change in the same place as Justina, so I always change here.
“Hey, hey, Alto.”
“Yeah?”
“Are you okay? Isn’t it hard to walk around with the dragon shackles on?”
“It’s true that it’s heavy, but I don’t think I’ll have any problem hanging out with them… Thanks for worrying about me.”
“I see. Alto is strong. That’s the kind of person I like.”
As always, Justina was straightforward in her fondness…
I felt embarrassed by that.
________________
In the academy, students are given an allowance.
It was not only to acquire the power of a dragon knight, but also to develop a sense of independence.
“Here we are.”
“We’re all ready to go!”
After changing into casual clothes, I met up with Gran and Ginny who had her purse in hand.
When Gran saw Justina in her casual clothes, she looked disheveled.
“Ah… Eltoselk-san’s casual clothes are so cute.”
“Thanks. But…”
Justina looked at me with meaningful eyes.
“I’d like to hear that line from someone else, too.”
“Alto-kun.”
Without needing Ginny’s prompting, I understood what Justina was asking.
But when it comes time to put it into action, I feel strangely embarrassed.
But I don’t want to disappoint her.
“…I also think that Justina’s casual clothes are nice.”
“Really?!”
“I won’t lie. That, umm…cute?”
“Yes! Hehehe, Alto said I’m cute. I’m so happy.”
She smiled at my words.
What a waste of a girl for me, I thought to myself.
I think that she’s too good for me, but it would be rude to say anything about it, so I kept it to myself.
“All right. Let’s go then.”
With Gran leading the way, we headed out into the city.
After passing through a residential area, we moved to a street lined with various stores.
“What is the purpose of this trip?”
“Hmm? Nothing specific.”
“Is that so?”
“We didn’t decide on any particular destination, just wandered around eating. It’s the right way to spend your time after school.”
Is that how it is?
I’ve never had any friends at this school, so I didn’t know.
“Ugh.”
As I walked, a man who looked like a merchant bumped into me.
“Ah, sorry! Sorry, bro.”
“No, it’s no big deal, so don’t worry about it.”
He didn’t seem to have any bad intentions, so I let it slide.
“I’m really sorry. I got tangled up with some strange people and was running away, so I didn’t look ahead.”
“Strange people?”
“I got tangled up with them outside, and they were saying something crazy about getting rid of the dragons… I got scared and ran away.”
“If it comes to it, you can report it to the knights.”
“Well, I’ll do that. Thank you for worrying about me.”
I waved goodbye to the man who seemed to be a merchant.
I was curious about the story.
It was a story I had heard somewhere… where people wear all black and eliminate the dragons.
“Hey, hey!”
Justina called out to me, and my thoughts fizzled out.
“Alto, Alto! Here it is.”
Justina offered me an ice cream.
She had bought it while Gran and I were talking.
But why is she offering it to me?
“It’s really good! I’ll give a bite to Alto.”
“Is that okay?”
“Yeah! I like to share good food with people I like.”
I’ve been told that she liked me from time to time, but was I still appealing to her?
Thinking about this, I took a bite of the ice cream.
“Yeah, it’s good.”
“It’s good, isn’t it? Let’s buy one for Alto, too. We can exchange bites.”
“Isn’t that nice.”
“You want us to do it?”
“Tsk.”
“What the heck? You’re my sister. Respect your brother.”
“It’s not the end of the world if I don’t respect Gran.”
“That’s not okay!”
“Hahaha.”
Justina was laughing happily as she watched the twins interacting.
I was laughing too, though I didn’t raise my voice.
It was fun.
It had been a long time since I’ve felt this way.
It was soothing to have Justina by my side…
I’ve never felt so light because I don’t feel like a friend.
If I could, I’d keep on like this…
This was what I had in mind, but dreams didn’t last forever.
Even if the dream did last…
You never know when it will turn into a nightmare.
“Hello, Estenia.”
It was Jas Rakustin who appeared in front of me with a smile on his face… a creepy smile at that.
He was one of Cedric’s cronies…
The one who bullied me.
A person I never wanted to see again.
Like a… ghost of the past, Jas’s malice haunted me.
After school.
I returned to my dorm room, put down my bag and other things…
“Phew.”
I let out a single breath.
It was not that I had a bad day, I was just tired.
I’ve been wearing the dragon shackles again since the other day.
And this time, the gravity was three times greater than it was before.
By simple calculation, my body was under twice as much strain as before.
I’ve gotten so used to the doubled gravity that I’ve decided to triple it for further growth…
This was tough.
I felt like I was more fatigued than when it was doubled.
“Alto, are you okay?’”
Justina said with concern.
“Yeah, I can’t easily say that I’m fine, but I’m going to try my best.”
“Yeah, yeah, that’s my man! If there’s anything I can do to help, I’ll do it!”
“Thanks.”
At this moment, a thought occurred to me.
Why does she act like she’s older than me when we’re the same age?
Was it because she was at that age?
But I couldn’t deny it outright, because I felt a strange kind of receptiveness or motherhood from her.
In fact, I think that’s how Justina should be…
Oh, no.
I was getting a little confused.
Even though we were the same age, Justina had an older side to her.
What in the world was causing this to happen?
“Hmm?”
A knock sounded on the door of my dorm room.
I acknowledged them and went to the entrance to open the door.
“Hey.”
“Yoo-hoo!”
It was Gran and Jeannie.
They seemed to have gone back to their rooms to change, and were both in their casual clothes.
“What’s going on, you two?”
“Ah, I get it. You’re going on a date as brother and sister!”
““No, we’re not!””
That’s what twins do, they’re perfectly in sync.
“Alto and Eltoselk-san, are you free?”
“Would you like to go out with us?”
“…”
“Alto, what’s wrong?”
“No… I never thought I’d experience an event where a friend would ask me out. I had completely given up on that kind of thing…”
“Ugh… Poor Alto! It’s okay! I’m here, I’m with you, I’ll be with you all the way!”
“Fmm!?”
I seemed to have stimulated a strange part of Justina, and she hugged me.
Her chest..!
It was a small but distinct swelling and softness…!
“I’m sorry, Alto. Did it hurt?”
“N-No… I’m okay.”
Justina released me, and my face was red.
Please don’t pursue the matter, whether it’s acid reflux or some other factor.
When I looked, Gran and Ginny were smirking at me.
It seemed that the two of them could see through me.
Ugh… This was embarrassing.
“So, what do you think? If you don’t have any specific plans, why don’t you come hang out with us?”
“Since you’re here, I’ll join you.”
“That’s what I’m talking about! You’re coming, right, Eltoselk-san?”
“Ah, yes. If Alto’s coming, I’ll come with you.”
“All right, I’m going to get ready. Just hang on a second.”
I closed the door once.
I picked up my personal clothes and moved to the kitchen.
I can’t change in the same place as Justina, so I always change here.
“Hey, hey, Alto.”
“Yeah?”
“Are you okay? Isn’t it hard to walk around with the dragon shackles on?”
“It’s true that it’s heavy, but I don’t think I’ll have any problem hanging out with them… Thanks for worrying about me.”
“I see. Alto is strong. That’s the kind of person I like.”
As always, Justina was straightforward in her fondness…
I felt embarrassed by that.
________________
In the academy, students are given an allowance.
It was not only to acquire the power of a dragon knight, but also to develop a sense of independence.
“Here we are.”
“We’re all ready to go!”
After changing into casual clothes, I met up with Gran and Ginny who had her purse in hand.
When Gran saw Justina in her casual clothes, she looked disheveled.
“Ah… Eltoselk-san’s casual clothes are so cute.”
“Thanks. But…”
Justina looked at me with meaningful eyes.
“I’d like to hear that line from someone else, too.”
“Alto-kun.”
Without needing Ginny’s prompting, I understood what Justina was asking.
But when it comes time to put it into action, I feel strangely embarrassed.
But I don’t want to disappoint her.
“…I also think that Justina’s casual clothes are nice.”
“Really?!”
“I won’t lie. That, umm…cute?”
“Yes! Hehehe, Alto said I’m cute. I’m so happy.”
She smiled at my words.
What a waste of a girl for me, I thought to myself.
I think that she’s too good for me, but it would be rude to say anything about it, so I kept it to myself.
“All right. Let’s go then.”
With Gran leading the way, we headed out into the city.
After passing through a residential area, we moved to a street lined with various stores.
“What is the purpose of this trip?”
“Hmm? Nothing specific.”
“Is that so?”
“We didn’t decide on any particular destination, just wandered around eating. It’s the right way to spend your time after school.”
Is that how it is?
I’ve never had any friends at this school, so I didn’t know.
“Ugh.”
As I walked, a man who looked like a merchant bumped into me.
“Ah, sorry! Sorry, bro.”
“No, it’s no big deal, so don’t worry about it.”
He didn’t seem to have any bad intentions, so I let it slide.
“I’m really sorry. I got tangled up with some strange people and was running away, so I didn’t look ahead.”
“Strange people?”
“I got tangled up with them outside, and they were saying something crazy about getting rid of the dragons… I got scared and ran away.”
“If it comes to it, you can report it to the knights.”
“Well, I’ll do that. Thank you for worrying about me.”
I waved goodbye to the man who seemed to be a merchant.
I was curious about the story.
It was a story I had heard somewhere… where people wear all black and eliminate the dragons.
“Hey, hey!”
Justina called out to me, and my thoughts fizzled out.
“Alto, Alto! Here it is.”
Justina offered me an ice cream.
She had bought it while Gran and I were talking.
But why is she offering it to me?
“It’s really good! I’ll give a bite to Alto.”
“Is that okay?”
“Yeah! I like to share good food with people I like.”
I’ve been told that she liked me from time to time, but was I still appealing to her?
Thinking about this, I took a bite of the ice cream.
“Yeah, it’s good.”
“It’s good, isn’t it? Let’s buy one for Alto, too. We can exchange bites.”
“Isn’t that nice.”
“You want us to do it?”
“Tsk.”
“What the heck? You’re my sister. Respect your brother.”
“It’s not the end of the world if I don’t respect Gran.”
“That’s not okay!”
“Hahaha.”
Justina was laughing happily as she watched the twins interacting.
I was laughing too, though I didn’t raise my voice.
It was fun.
It had been a long time since I’ve felt this way.
It was soothing to have Justina by my side…
I’ve never felt so light because I don’t feel like a friend.
If I could, I’d keep on like this…
This was what I had in mind, but dreams didn’t last forever.
Even if the dream did last…
You never know when it will turn into a nightmare.
“Hello, Estenia.”
It was Jas Rakustin who appeared in front of me with a smile on his face… a creepy smile at that.
He was one of Cedric’s cronies…
The one who bullied me.
A person I never wanted to see again.
Like a… ghost of the past, Jas’s malice haunted me.
