Epilogue
–A few hours before Alphonse blasted Kevin and the others away, turning back time a bit…
About ten minutes had passed since Alphonse had started crying during his conversation with Shion on the second floor of the cafeteria.
“–Well, I’ll be going then.”
After confirming that Alphonse had calmed down, Shion stood up from his seat, holding a tray with empty dishes.
“Y-Yeah…”
Alphonse replied to Shion somewhat bashfully, hesitantly glancing around.
Alphonse, who had been the center of attention, had started crying in the middle of talking with an unfamiliar male student, causing a stir and confused stares from those around them.
“Um, well… It must have been pretty uncomfortable, sorry…”
“It’s fine, I didn’t mind.”
Shion responded calmly and matter-of-factly to Alphonse, who was apologizing with an awkward smile.
Still, Alphonse couldn’t shake off his sense of guilt. He thought he must have made Shion feel awkward.
“…It’s okay. Don’t worry about something like this.”
Although Alphonse hadn’t said anything, Shion spoke as if he had read his mind.
“Sor– I mean, thank you.”
“Yeah, that’s better.”
Alphonse almost apologized again out of reflex, thinking he had made Shion worry, but responding to Shion’s intention not to make him feel bad, Alphonse expressed his gratitude straightforwardly.
As if understanding Alphonse’s feelings, Shion smiled with satisfaction.
“…Well, I’m going now. You should eat before your food gets cold… Though it’s probably already cold. Well, you should eat before the oil congeals and it becomes disgustingly unpalatable.”
“Yeah, got it.”
Saying “See you,” Shion left his seat and started walking towards the dish return area.
“Ah, w-wait a moment!”
“Hmm?”
Shion turned around towards Alphonse, who had called out to stop him.
“Um, if, if you don’t mind, that is…”
Alphonse, who had stopped Shion but was fumbling with his words due to nervousness, was questioned by Shion.
“…What is it?”
“W-Well, really, it’s totally fine if you want to refuse, but, um…”
After hesitating for a moment, looking down, Alphonse raised his face as if he had made up his mind and put his thoughts into words.
“Would you like to have a meal together again sometime…? Not like today’s post-event report, but maybe while chatting about something fun, together…!”
“…”
“What do you think…?” Alphonse asked as if seeking approval.
For a moment, Shion’s eyes widened slightly as if Alphonse’s proposal was a bit unexpected, but he soon smiled faintly.
“Sure, that’s fine. …I barely understood what you were talking about today anyway. Let’s eat together again sometime and have a different conversation.”
“Barely understood… But I’m glad. I’m really happy, thank you…!!”
Alphonse smiled wryly but soon beamed happily.
“You’re quite dramatic. Well, I usually eat lunch on the second floor, so feel free to join me when the timing is right. If you’re alone first, I’ll call out to you.”
“Got it, I’ll do that! …Well then, see you next time…!”
“Yeah, see you.”
Shion nodded in response to Alphonse’s awkward wave, then turned around again and walked away with the tray in hand.
After watching his back for a moment, Alphonse sat back down and started eating his now completely cold meal.
Even though he was eating cold, tasteless food alone, Alphonse’s heart was filled with warm feelings.
“(I was really nervous, but I’m glad I had the courage…)”
However, although he had said, “Let’s chat about something fun,” Alphonse, who had almost no experience eating with friends, pondered what kind of conversation he should have at that time.
“(Hmm, I don’t know much about entertainment, and I don’t have any interesting personal anecdotes either. Well, I guess I’d like to know what he likes first, so asking about that might be the best.)”
As he was thinking about this while eating, Alphonse was suddenly called from behind.
“Alphonse.”
“Oh, Shion. What’s up?”
When Alphonse turned around, it was Shion who had just parted ways with him moments ago.
He must have returned his dishes and tray, as he was now empty-handed.
“Sorry. There are two things I forgot to tell you.”
“?”
With a question mark floating in his head, Alphonse asked, “What is it?”
“One is about eating lunch together… I might be eating with someone else, but feel free to call out to me even then.”
“Oh, right…! Normally, people eat with others, don’t they…! But is it okay if I join you?”
“Huh? Oh, yeah… Well, they’re an old acquaintance of mine, so it should be fine. They don’t talk much, but they’re kind.”
For a moment, Shion looked as if he hadn’t thought that far, but he answered as if it wasn’t much of a problem.
“I see, that’s good. If they’re your friend, I’d like to get along with them too. I’m looking forward to meeting them.”
“…Ah…”
Shion seemed about to say something for a moment in response to the bashful Alphonse but closed his mouth.
“…Yeah, look forward to it.”
“…? Oh, right. So, what’s the second thing?”
Although Alphonse was slightly concerned about Shion’s somewhat meaningful smile, he was more curious about the “second thing” Shion had forgotten to mention.
“Ah, right.”
“…!”
Suddenly approaching, Shion placed his hand on Alphonse’s right shoulder and leaned in as if to whisper a secret.
“Alphonse. I’m really glad I was able to help you.”
“…Huh, …what?”
Taken aback by these unexpected words, Alphonse turned towards Shion with wide eyes.
“…Just kidding.”
However, Shion flashed a mischievous smile and said, “Well then, see you, Alphonse,” before walking away, seemingly unconcerned about the still confused Alphonse.
“…”
Alphonse stood dumbfounded for a while, watching Shion leave. Eventually, he muttered in his mind, “(After playing dumb like that…)”
“(Come to think of it, his voice at that time, the last thing I heard in my fading consciousness, had that same tone…)”
[You fought well. Leave the rest to me.]
That warm, strong, and very kind voice from back then.
—…It really was you who saved me, wasn’t it?
He hadn’t actually seen it. Still, there wasn’t even a shred of doubt.
— [When you stand up to help someone, to protect something. That’s always when you become a hero,] you said…
If that’s the case, then my “hero” is…
READ THE ORIGINAL TRANSLATION AT LOCALIZERMEERKAT.PAGES.DEV
…–And so, the incident of the Black Annihilation Dragon Schwarzwaldius, which seemed to be on the brink of a world crisis, was resolved without a single casualty thanks to the efforts of two heroes.
Through this incident, one hero gained “the courage to stand up against malice,” while the other hero gained “an indescribable sense of pleasure”…
…A few days later, when Alphonse met Shion again, he asked him:
“Shion, who are you really?” –he inquired.
To which Shion replied,
“What a strange question, Alphonse. –I’m just a C-level magic student,”
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