I Possessed The Villain’s Childhood Friend

99 – Moving on – 3

“Miss Michelle.”

The last place I visited before leaving Arcana was where Michelle was staying.

“Oh, hello. Senior Ike.”

Crash hair and thick dark circles.

Where did the lively girl I knew go?

I never thought people would become so exhausted in less than two weeks.

Okay. In a way, it would be natural.

Because the place Michelle is living now is one of the few prisons that have been used even in Arcana.

“You seem to be in a bad mood. How about calling someone?”

“Oh, no. Everyone is good to me. It’s just that I can’t sleep properly, and I can’t even eat properly….”

But she said that the reason Michelle is now in prison isn’t because she’s done anything wrong.

It has already been revealed that she has no direct connection to Avatar.

Michelle’s parents, who run her company, had already fled when the Empire sent troops.

It was determined that the leak of information inside Arcana was also not Michelle’s problem.

Nevertheless, the reason Michelle was imprisoned was to prepare for an unexpected situation.

That Michelle is leaking information again without her knowledge.

To protect her when she sent goons from Avatar.

As evidence of that, Michelle’s prison was very clean, and almost everything she needed for her life was provided.

From what I’ve heard from Reina, she said that if Michelle asked for anything, she would do everything she could.

“… So what did you come for?”

Nevertheless, living in a prison where you are controlled and where your private life is completely exposed means that you are more stressed than you think.

“Well, it might be strange to say this since it’s my first time here, but I don’t think I will be able to come for a while.”

“Did something happen outside?”

“That’s not true. It’s just that I’m going back to my hometown for a while.”

“hahahaha, I don’t even have a home to go back to.”

… Doesn’t it come in too quickly all of a sudden?

When she shut her mouth at that thought, Michelle waved her hands in surprise.

“No, just kidding.”

“It’s a bit of a joke in Miss Michelle’s situation right now….”

“The more difficult it is, the more it is our motto.”

It’s certainly a good conviction, but I think it’s best to exercise restraint in the current situation.

“Anyway, the next time I see you will be a long time later. Please stay healthy until then.”

I lowered my head slightly and stood up quietly.

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Perhaps Michelle will be released only after the war with Avatar is over, so it will take at least three months for her to see her again.

With that thought in mind, as I tried to turn her back, Michelle put her hand through her bars and grabbed me.

“Me, Senior Ike. Is it all right if I ask you just one question?”

“Oh, yes. Anything I can answer.”

“Seniors, why are you so kind to me?”

She thought it was a nonsensical question, but the look in her eyes made it clear what the question meant.

Now Michel is definitely the same as I was a few days ago.

The only difference is that she behaves brightly on the outside.

“All of my seniors almost died because of me. And Dean Ender and Miss Elin are dead. But why don’t seniors resent me? Why are you trying to be nice to me as usual?”

But unfortunately, I can’t give Michelle the answer she wants, like Rayna did for me.

With what qualifications can the person who created this future comfort her?

“… Miss Michelle. Can I talk to you for a minute?”

“Yes, senior.”

“Professor Ender fell under the attack in my place.”

“I heard the news.”

But that’s why there was something I, only I, could say.

“I still feel that way. If only I was a little stronger If only I had tried a little harder. I don’t think this would have happened.”

“Senior Ike is enough….”

I thanked Michelle for thinking about my feelings even in the current situation, but I shook her head and went on with her.

“No matter how hard I tried, I ended up falling short when I needed it. That doesn’t change.”

I have no right to comfort Michelle.

“However, Dean Ender knew that and sacrificed himself to save me. With words telling me to move on…. So I’m thinking of fighting Avatar. There will be revenge for the dead, but most of all, I don’t want to see the people around me hurt anymore. In the end, I want to create a future where everyone can smile. For that, I’ll have to do everything I can. That’s why I can get up now.”

But I can solve the cause of Michelle’s worries.

No, we have to solve it.

“How can I become as strong as my seniors?”

“… I am weak. But there are people who believe in me, so I’m just trying to stay strong.”

Michelle bowed her head.

I stood up without bothering to say anything more.

What I want is a future where everyone can smile.

And in that, Michelle had to be there too.

★

“Ha ha.”

Michelle let out a quiet sigh.

Ike, the senior who gave a rather unusual answer to Michelle’s question, had already left.

“A future where everyone can smile.”

Although the reasons for Michelle and Ike’s worries are different, they are fundamentally the same kind of worries.

A disaster caused by her own fault.

How do you take it?

“Do everything you can.”

Of course, Michelle wanted to be comforted.

I wanted her to tell me that this incident was not her fault.

I wanted to be recognized by my precious seniors, not to be judged innocent in the Empire or Arcana.

Of course, I haven’t asked this question until now when other people have come to visit me.

Just because Ike said he couldn’t see them for a while, Michelle said it without thinking.

“It’s not that strong.”

Ike did not comfort Michelle at the question with such an intention.

She just conveyed her goal and her commitment to move forward.

To Ike, Michelle was a victim, and she thought she would bear her burdens herself.

“Just trying to stay strong.”

But that was enough.

Sometimes, a person who has fallen is more impressed by the back of a person in the same situation than by a hundred words of comfort.

“hahahaha.”

How stupid, Michelle muttered with a laugh. She

Blamed herself for her own stupidity with her questioning why her seniors were being nice to her.

Aren’t they people who didn’t even doubt themselves from the beginning?

I didn’t mean to be nice to you.

They are kind people from the beginning.

“… There must be something I can do too.”

In Michelle’s eyes as she said that, her strong will burned again.

★

“Ugh.”

My body felt sore.

It was more painful than usual.

It takes four days from Reinen to Akkad.

Originally, it was normal for her to send Noel from her hometown to return to her carriage, but this time she had to return unexpectedly, so she went back to Reinen to find her own carriage.

That produced the same result now.

“Whoa.”

The wagon driven by Noel was very comfortable.

Still, the suffering is over.

I finally arrived at my hometown.

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Perhaps because I sent a letter in advance, Alex and Noel were there to meet me.

“Hello, Master Ike.”

“Long time no see, both of you.”

I left the luggage I brought from Arcana with Noel and asked Alex.

“Is your father in the office right now?”

“Yes.”

“Are you very busy lately?”

“As you know, Bocchan, the situation across the empire is a bit….”

Listening to the story, it is said that the situation is still good in the case of Akkad.

In the case of Heros, it is said that half of the shops were closed, and some estates were caught trying to run away by the lord’s family.

“Then it would be a bit difficult to talk now.”

But there was a story I wanted to do even a little faster.

That was the reason I wanted the carriage as soon as I finished talking to Charlotte.

“Alex. I will go to my father first.”

“Yes, I understand.”

But I guess I should say hello.

“I’m back, Father.”

My father was filling out paperwork in his office.

And next to it was a pile of paperwork.

No matter how you look at it, it was not a quantity that could be solved in one day, but my father continued to work as if there was no problem.

“After hearing the news, it sounds like you went through a lot this time. Are you okay?”

“Yes, I am fine.”

“… Ike, I heard that you were the one who stood by Dean Ender’s end. Dean, I want to hear how it ended.”

My breath stopped at my father’s question.

Although he clearly promised to move forward, he still shook his mind when he recalled the memory of that day.

Is this what you call trauma?

But now, I’ve decided not to look away.

“It is enough to remind you of your own death once in a while, so he told me to move forward toward my goal.”

“… Okay. Even to the very end, you were truly a teacher.”

My father, who said that, had a sad expression on his face.

Crunch, crunch, only the sound of filling out documents resounded.

After my father said that, five minutes passed without any conversation.

There was no specific word to leave, so I’m doing this for now, but I wonder if it’s okay.

As expected, setting aside time in the evening….

“Ike.”

As soon as I thought of that, my father spoke first.

“I’m sure you know what the current situation is like.”

My father was looking at me before I knew it.

Unshakable, darker blue eyes than mine.

It was to the point where I doubted that he was already seeing through everything I wanted to say.

“Yes.”

“I think there must be a reason for not staying in Arcana in that situation.”

So, seeing my father’s eyes asking me to explain, I caught my breath and opened my mouth.

“I want to become stronger than now.”

“Why?”

“I regret losing precious people because I no longer want to see people sad.”

My father heard my answer.

“… Okay.”

He was weak, but he was clearly smiling.