“Huh?” Aria abruptly turned towards me again after hearing what I said. I could easily see the surprise in her wide-open eyes.
What? That wasn’t anything to really be surprised about.
“I-I’m the ...”
She started mumbling, so I gave her a look with knitted eyebrows, urging her to speak more clearly, but she just continued muttering to herself and wouldn’t tell me anything.
“... What? It’s not a name brand medicine, but it works for me. I’m pretty sure I told you about it the other day. Somehow, Shirayuki knew about it and went out and bought it for me.” For the time being, I gave Aria an explanation, and looking somewhat unpleased, she asked, “. . . Shirayuki said that?”
I wasn’t really sure what the intent of the question was, but I replied, “Hm? Yeah.”
“...”
. . . What? Why are you being so quiet all of a sudden?
“W-Well if you’ve recovered, that’s all that matters. I’m a noblewoman. I’ll put up with that sort of thing.”
“?”
Was there anything we just discussed that Aria would need to put up with? Doesn’t make any sense to me.
“Nobles don’t boast about their own exploits. It would be unsightly—even if someone else stole the credit.”
“What is it already? If you have something to say, come out and say it. This isn’t like you.”
“What’s your problem?! There’s nothing wrong with me not saying something I don’t want to say!” Aria exclaimed, sticking her small tongue at me. “I’m sure you must be happy to have Shirayuki nurse you to health! Shirayuki! Shirayuki! The one who’s always doing you so many favors is Shirayuki! Why don’t the two of you just get married?!” Aria drew near me with her cuspid looking more like a fang and her voice about three times as loud as usual.
What’s she getting heated up for so suddenly?
Clearly, something I said had to have been the trigger, but I wasn’t sure what that something was.
“H-Hold up! Why are you losing it all of a sudden?!”
“You be quiet! I’m not losing it!”
“Yeah, you are!”
“What about you?!”
Aria had gotten so close that our faces were about to touch, and that’s the condition in which we started glaring at each other. There was a difference of thirty centimeters in height between us, so Aria was glowering up at me from below while I scowled down at het from above. I was starting to get more than a little irate at Aria, who was blowing her top for no good reason. Thinking back, she had been doing nothing but aggravate me lately. She turned my apartment into a fortress, she was responsible for Shirayuki living with us, and now there was this whole incident too!
“While we’re at it, I’m gonna make myself clear on this. I was going along with your “sword catching” training because it was your decision as my partner, but no more! That’s a technique for a master fighter! It’s not the sort of thing you just learn to do by practicing!”
“You can’t quit! We’re going to continue! Durandal is rumored to have a sword that even cuts through steel! If that’s the case, you won’t be able to defend yourself with a knife or a large duralumin shield! When Shirayuki gets attacked, we’ll awaken your...”
“‘When she gets attacked’! We’ve been looking out for her for days now, and there hasn’t been the slightest bit of danger! I’ll say it one more time! There is no enemy! There is no Durandal!” Aria responded by looking at me with her red eyes wide open. “I know that you’re in a hurry to save Kanae as soon as possible. But your eagerness is causing you to lose your presence of mind right now! As soon as you heard the name of somebody who might be one of your enemies, you thought to yourself that you wanted him to exist. And now you’ve deluded yourself in thinking he really does!”
“That’s not true!” Aria insisted as she pointed a pom-pom at me while bearing her cuspid. “Durandal does exist! My intuition is telling me that he’s almost getting closer to us!”
“That’s what you call paranoia! Shirayuki’s going to be just fine, so go off somewhere else and occupy yourself with something else! Until the Adsiard is over, I’ll guard Shirayuki by myself!”
“What are you talking about?! Now I’m getting pissed off!” Aria raged from underneath me as she became red in the face. “Oh, sure! I’m a delusional girl who’s nothing but a third wheel, aren't I! You’re her bodyguard, and the two of you are busy u-u-undressing each other ... You’re detestable!”
“T…That’s exactly what I’m talking about! You’re always getting ahead of yourself by making decisions based on your own assumptions! Don’t be so full of yourself just because you were born into a family of slightly high standing! You might be a genius, but we ordinary people are the ones making this world go round! You’re a deviation from the norm!” I screamed, losing my cool.
The look on Aria’s face seemed to suggest that she was more hurt than I imagined she would be. There was no rebuttal. On the contrary, she took a step away from me. Then a second. And a third. Aria distanced herself in a display of frailty that was unlike her.
“So you’re ... like that too. That’s how you see me.” Aria’s anime-like voice was subdued and trembling. From that soft voice, it became apparent to me that conversely she was truly and sincerely angry—much more so than usual. “Nobody understands me. They all say I’m a dogmatic, trigger-happy girl who jumps to conclusions—a reject of the Holmes family. You’re ... the same way!” Aria then tilted her face downwards and continued to yell—not necessarily just at me, but as if she were yelling aloud for anyone to hear. It was almost like she was directing her words at every person on the planet. “I can tell! I know that an enemy is approaching Shirayuki! But ... but ... I can’t explain it! I’m not like my great-grandfather, the brilliant Sherlock Holmes! I can’t explain the situation theoretically so that anyone will be able to understand! That’s why no believes me! I’m always an “aria”! But ... but ... I just know intuitively! I keep telling you, so why?! Why won’t you believe me?!
With tears in her eyes, Aria flung her pom-poms on the floor and began bawling like a child. … It probably would have been a good idea to at least say something kind to her at this point. But I was already much too worked up over my argument with Aria. I was unable to be honest with myself. And as a result...
“... You got that right. I don’t understand! How am I supposed to believe an enemy is on the approach when he doesn’t even exist?! If you’re going to insist on something, then give some proof! That’s what a butei does! I’ll say it as many times as I have to! There is no enemy!” I further attacked Aria, who was already up against the wall.
“... You ... you ... big idiot! Idiot! Idiot! Idiot! Idiot! Idiot!!” Now she had completely gone berserk over how I wasn’t conforming to her will ... and with a flushed red face, pulled out her pistols!
“Wai…!”
Bullets came whizzing at me before I could finish my sentence. The countless projectiles flew past me at a hairs length all around my body. The only thing I could do in response to the surprise attack was hunch down, and at that moment, Aria came running towards me.
“Kinji you idiot! Gold medal idiot! Nobel Prize for idiocy!!” She yelled the words at the exact moment her foot came flying into my face, knocking me over backwards. Then after reloading her pistols, she fired repeatedly at a rather odd angle and ran down the stairs. I was lying sprawled out on the ground very much like I had been before Arai made her appearance. Looking behind me, I had an upside down view of the water tank, which was rapidly losing water. Aria’s last gunshots had riddled the tank with numerous holes, and taking a good look at it, I noticed that they formed straight lines—rather, they formed letters.
I D I O T K I N J I
Aw, come on ... How are you gonna fix that? An eraser certainly won’t help. I have to give her credit for her accuracy though. She’d win the gold medal for gun idiots at the Adsiard hands down.
After returning to my a
partment later that day, I calmed down and decided I would nonchalantly apologize to Aria when she got back, so I waited for her return. But despite how long I waited, she never came home. I don’t suppose she actually went off somewhere else like I told her to.
Night had fallen and Aria still hadn’t come back, so I explained to Shirayuki, what happened.
“So, you’re the only one who’s going to act as my bodyguard from now on?” If anything, Shirayuki seemed quite pleased.
“Yeah. That’s what it sums up to.”
I slunk into the couch I bought anew and started doing some maintenance work on my Beretta M92F by disassembling it like a plastic model. A classmate of mine from Armed just finished customizing it. Aria wasn’t here. For some reason, that fact alone made even this pistol look inadequate.
“I’ll be your bodyguard until the Adsiard is over. Guarding you is a plan the educational affairs department and Aria forcibly set into motion, but ... a promise is a promise.”
Shirayuki looked as if she were deeply moved by my use of the word “promise.”
“You did promise to protect me, didn’t you ...” Shirayuki said reminiscently and cast her eyes downward. “Just the thought makes me so happy ...”
“Aren’t ... you concerned at all?” You have an E-rank butei as a bodyguard. I don’t think it’s likely, but in the off chance that Durandal does exist and comes to attack you ...” I reminded Shirayuki, but she simply shook her head.
“I never felt any concern from the very beginning.”
“…”
“After all, I have you with me. The truth is you’re a very strong person. You won’t lose to anyone. I believe in you. Kin-chan, allow me to request your assistance once more. Please protect me.”
“S… Sure.”
Shirayuki was speaking formally half in jest, and I answered almost reflexively. I could tell from Shirayuki’s voice that she wasn’t making jokes, nor was she trying to flatter me. It was the voice of a person who believed in me with all her heart. Indeed, I was the one who took out those punks that were giving Shirayuki a hard time. Ever since the day of that exam, Shirayuki had placed complete and utter confidence in me. But that confidence wasn’t placed in the “regular” me. It was placed in the hysteria mode-me at that time. In the off chance that Duradal did actually exist ... In the one in a million chance that Shirayuki was being targeted just like Lezzad, SSR ... and Aria said ... In the one in a trillion chance that anything should happen ... Would I ... be able to protect Shirayuki? Would I be able to uphold the trust that she places in me without so much as a second thought? ... Probably not. But ... it was nothing to worry about. I’d been keeping an eye on Shirayuki for days now, and there hasn’t been a sign of danger anywhere around her. That’s probably how it will continue to be. I’m sure of it.
Having decided as much, I placed the Beretta that I finished servicing on top of the table.
“K-Kin-chan-sama.” Shirayuki, who apparently had been waiting for me to finish, addressed me in that odd manner again and slowly turned herself in my direction.
“What?”
“So, that interlop ... I mean, Aria won’t be around during Golden Week either?”
“No ... I suppose not. Did you want to go somewhere?”
“N-No. I’ll be taking it easy at home while I study,” said Shirayuki, vigorously wavering her open palms at me back and forth.
“... You’re just gonna shut yourself indoors the whole time? You’re always studying. If you don’t let yourself loose every once in a while, you’re going to regret it later. You’ll say to yourself, ‘Ahh, I wish I had more fun when I was younger.’”
“B-But ...”
I saw Shirayuki losing heart and it suddenly hit me.
“Is the Hotogis?”
“...”
She didn’t deny it. Shirayuki was forbidden to leave the shrine and school grounds. She was a caged bird. Already feeling less than stellar because of my fight with Aria, the phrase only served to increase my irritation and I stood up from the couch. From there, I marched over to the computer and audibly flung myself into the chair in front of it. Turning my back on Shirayuki in itself was enough to throw her into a panic.
“K-Kin-chan, I’m sorry. I’m sorry, but I ...”
She had no idea why my mood took a turn for the worse, but for time being, she performed her conditional reflex of apologizing. Instead of responding to her, I tapped away at the keyboard and went to the homepage of a community magazine for Tokyo. Shirayuki was momentarily startled when the printer suddenly activated, but she took the paper it produced. She then offered the printout to me, turning it around so it would be easy for me to read.
“Here you are ... Kin-chan. What’s gotten into to you all of a sudden?”
“That’s not for me. It’s for you.”
“?”
Shirayuki looked shocked and turned the paper around for her to read.
“... May fifth, Tokyo Walt Land Fireworks Festival ... Come in your yukata and get an early look at the Star Illusion ...?” she read aloud and gave me puzzled look.
“Go.”
“Huh?!”
“It’s not something to be that surprised about.”
“I-I can’t! So many other people would be there! ... I ...”
“Don’t worry. You don’t have to actually enter Walt Land. It’ll be from a bit of distance, but you can watch it from Kasai Seaside Park. Think of it as outdoor training and leave the campus for one little day.”
Needing to travel somewhere for training is an odd concept, but she was an odd girl, so these were the measures that needed to be taken.
“B-But ... I ...”
As I figured, she was still reluctant so I got up and gave her a pat on the shoulder.
“... I’ll come with you ... as your bodyguard.”
“Y…you’ll come with me ...?”
“Yeah. That event is taking place before the Adsiard.” I assured Shirayuki, who eyes suddenly began to sparkle. She nodded once, flapping her perfectly straight bangs.
Fourth Bullet Artificial Beach
Aria disappeared after our fight at Assault, but I had a good idea where she might have gone, and I was right. She was temporarily staying at Reki’s place. Therefore, I decided I would meet with Reki at a family restaurant to report that I was doing my job of guarding Shirayuki throughout Golden Week, but ... Reki had come with a stylish sniper rifle strapped around her, and as usual, she was taciturn, expressionless, and it was hard to discern whether she was really listening or not. And that’s why it took an excess amount of time speaking with her while confirming that she was following along every twenty seconds. After I finished explaining everything for the most part, I looked towards the clock hanging on the wall.
“Ah.”
It was almost eight o’clock. Today was the day that I promised to go see the fireworks with Shirayuki. More to the point, we were supposed to have met at seven. Crap.
Reki, sitting in her seat like some sort of ornament, noticed my perturbation and gave me a questioning look with her eyes.
“Today, Shira ... um, I’ve got some plans. I’ll be on my way if you don’t mind.” Not bothering to allow her to object, I got out of my seat, but Reki didn’t even follow me with her eyes, let alone make any protest. She just sat there in front of the straight tea she hadn’t taken a single sip of and stared at the empty space in front of her like a doll.
“...”
“... I’m. Going. Now. Okay?” I said just to be sure, and Reki nodded her head. Delivered in silence, it was a robotic nod worthy of her nickname. Now that I thought about it, as anyone could tell from looking at her, Reki didn’t have any friends, but I heard she had a few fervent fans among the guys. Apparently the eccentric bunch called her “Reki-sama” and revered her as a goddess. Well ... robot or goddess, sure enough, she was a girl lacking in human attributes. I turned away to take my leave when all of a sudden...
“Do your plans involve going o
ut?”
... Reki posed a question with her monotone voice.
“What if they do?”
“Please be careful. These past few days, there’s been ... something sinister mixed in the winds.”
What’s that supposed to mean? I’m begging you, great goddess; speak in human tongue.
“Our school itself is what you call sinister,” was my parting remark, and leaving behind Reki, who was readjusting those giant headphones she wore, I paid my bill and left the restaurant. I thought of phoning Shirayuki, but it seemed like it would be faster to just head directly home.
So how should apologize if Shirayuki’s upset with me?
I was considerably late despite being the one who invited her to go, and quietly peeked into the living room ... whereupon my eyes grew large in astonishment at seeing how Shirayuki was dressed. She ... was outfitted in a yukata of which I had no clue where she came into possession. It was made of a trim white cloth with pink nadeshiko4 flowers in a snowflake-like pattern. The shape of the pale pink obi and the height at which it was positioned was flawless. Most likely, she had put it on by herself. Her hair, which she was wearing up for a change, was also fastened with a hairpin adorned with wild pinks that complemented the yukata. If one had to describe Aria’s appearance with a single word, it would be “cute.” But in Shirayuki’s case ... it would be “pretty.” I already knew that of course, as did everyone else in Butei High. Shirayuki had the kind of looks that would guarantee her an easy victory if she were to enter that National Beautiful Girl Contest. That was the truth of the matter. But as her childhood friend, at some point, that fact stopped registering in my head. When she completely changed her image on me like this, I was forced to acknowledge her beauty. It did embarrass me, though. Shirayuki, with her impeccable manners, was sitting in the proper Japanese fashion and had her back turned towards me with her cell phone connected to its charger, placed perfectly on her lap for easy access. She was probably waiting for me to call her. Her figure was being reflected in the window, so I could see her face, but she still didn’t seem to notice me.
Aria the Scarlet Ammo (novel), Volume 2 Page 8
