The commotion inside the academy gradually faded away. Yuu tidied his belongings, turned off the Student Council President's office light, and prepared to go home with Iroha.
A year had passed since the trial began.
Today was the last day, and the last two hours before all this ended. Perhaps they wouldn't even have time to see the sunset scenery before having to say goodbye to everything that had become familiar.
Everything that had been accumulated and worked for until now would return to zero in the blink of an eye. Just thinking about it gave a fear like facing the apocalypse.
Fortunately, Yuu didn't fall into the most pitiful situation. At least he returned to a year ago, when Iroha still secretly loved him.
Not back to the beginning, where he would be stared at by that girl with confused and unfamiliar eyes, then say cruel words like "Who are you?"
Yuu considered himself a handsome young man with a delicate and fragile heart. If told such things by his most beloved girlfriend, he might directly collapse like being hit by the Avada Kedavra Curse.
If a loop like this happened several more times, his heart might shatter and become numb to no longer feel joy or sorrow for life.
"Is this fortune in misfortune...?"
Even so, Yuu could still calmly think about these things, like a student with poor grades waiting for the entrance bell during monthly exams.
Or perhaps, he already had enough time to mentally prepare. Besides a bit of anxiety and regret, there was nothing more to fear.
In this year, what should have been said, what should have been done, what he wanted to say, and what he wanted to do, he had experienced everything with his girlfriend. Not many regrets remained.
He deliberately let the trial mission progress not proceed this time... Next time, he couldn't be so carefree anymore.
While gripping the girl's hand beside him, Yuu muttered inwardly, forcing himself to make a decision—he was really afraid that in the next trial, he still couldn't hold back from approaching Iroha, and from then on, he would have fun, party every night, only busy with bedroom affairs and forget to complete the actual business.
This wasn't impossible.
Because for him, since he crossed to this world, to this country, the thing he least wanted to let go, the thing more important than his life, was the love already within his grasp.
Whether familial love, friendship, or romantic love between man and woman. That warm and noble existence, every time he found it, Yuu wanted to grasp and cherish it well.
Now, he had to forcibly say goodbye to such happiness. He wasn't sure if he would suddenly have new thoughts, then keep delaying mission progress like today.
"Mm, so the real trial will only begin tomorrow!"
Iroha turned around confusedly, staring at him who suddenly became very resolute, "Senpai? What's wrong?"
"Nothing."
Yuu squeezed her small slender and soft hand, smiled broadly, "I'm just thinking about what we should eat for dinner today. Since this is graduation season, how about we eat hot pot?"
"What's the connection between the two..." While furrowing her brow and thinking for a moment, Iroha quickly gave up thinking about this problem. Her pretty face became serious, the back of her hand touched her chin, and she muttered while pondering, "Well, if you want to eat hot pot that's fine too... In that case, later we'll go to the supermarket first, then we'll prepare at Senpai's house? About how many portions of ingredients are good..."
While thinking about this problem, the two, like an ordinary couple, slowly descended the stairs, walking leisurely in the corner of the school building that currently didn't have many people.
Iroha suddenly saw something and released Yuu's hand.
"Senpai, I'm going to pick flowers first~"
She waved casually, stepped lightly like a cat, and walked toward the nearby restroom.
Yuu froze for a moment, only realizing she didn't find anything, but just wanted to go to the toilet.
"...I understand, I'll wait outside."
Next door was an unused Science classroom. Yuu leaned against the wall beside the door, silently watching her retreating back.
Although the two were very intimate to the point of trying various play, Iroha never ignored the politeness and cuteness of a girl in daily life. She didn't become a monkey as the relationship deepened, and her little devil kouhai image remained eternal.
According to her, that was the way to make him (Yuu) always captivated by her cute and lively self every day, would never get bored, and would never tire of her who was first and most liked.
Although Yuu felt this was just an unnecessary action... His girlfriend's legs alone were enough for him to admire for several years, let alone her entire self, perhaps a lifetime wouldn't be enough.
Anyway, Iroha who was very persistent in strange small details, was equally very attractive to him.
"Oh right, Senpai."
Iroha was just about to enter the toilet, suddenly stopped, turned half her body, and showed him a bright smile, brighter than the blue sky when cherry blossoms bloomed.
"I forgot to say it—Congratulations on Graduating! You must have worked hard for three years~"
Yuu was slightly shocked, whether surprised or unexpected surprise.
Then he chuckled, and nodded in agreement, not as a boyfriend, but as Senpai.
"Yes, I indeed worked hard. Had to take care of you incompetent juniors."
"I'm not incompetent! Please say that to other Student Council members!"
Sticking out her tongue and making a funny face, Iroha didn't wait for him to reply, she already grinned and entered the toilet, and immediately disappeared.
Yuu shook his head helplessly, pulled back his gaze, "I'm too lazy to say that to others, only you two—"
The words that came out suddenly stopped when he realized something was wrong.
He furrowed his brow slightly, directly catching the edge of that strangeness, and in the silence worked hard thinking about the clues hidden within.
The corridor was dead silent, as if all the world's commotion had moved away from this room, very suitable for him to think about complicated and brain-draining things.
For example, whether he and Iroha really forgot someone very important to both of them.
For example, whether it was related to his trial mission—namely finding what was lost.
Taking advantage of the total silence around him and his girlfriend who was in the toilet and wouldn't return for a while, Yuu calmed his thoughts. Starting from his words that came out earlier, he considered more points worth pondering.
But not long after, this time it was his turn to suddenly realize something was wrong.
"Wait, this is too quiet."
Yuu raised his head and looked around.
Today was the graduation ceremony. Although the main event had ended, the number of people still at school was far more than usual dismissal time. To wait for students to truly leave and the commotion to return to complete calm, might take one or two more hours.
But now?
That clean and empty corridor was truly deserted.
Outside the previously bustling window, now was truly silent.
As if he suddenly entered a boundary separating two worlds. The only clear thing was his still-stable breathing sound.
This was very wrong.
With sharp gaze, Yuu narrowed his eyes and left the wall. He went to the edge of the corridor to look outside, confirming that all living creatures moving at the academy had disappeared at some point, then he rushed toward the toilet.
"Is this the time loop coming early, or..."
He still wasn't certain. His top priority now was confirming his girlfriend's safety. Everything else could be delayed.
However, just as Yuu prepared to break into the women's toilet and try calling his girlfriend's name, someone came out from there.
"Phew~ Relief, such relief~"
While wiping her wet hands with a handkerchief, she expressed her feelings without caring about appearance—a girl like this, although Yuu had met many people, he only knew one.
"Gabriel?"
A junior at work, also a kouhai at the same school, somehow appeared before him.
"Yo! Tenkuji, what are you doing standing sneakily in front of the women's toilet? If you want to peek, be careful of being struck by Holy Light."
As if she already knew she would meet him here, the small blonde-haired girl greeted him while laughing, looking very cheerful.
"I don't have such disgusting taste."
Seeing his acquaintance, Yuu unconsciously loosened his vigilance. While rolling his eyes, he asked, "Why haven't you gone home this late? Aren't you the loner type who doesn't participate in school activities if possible, and the first to leave if you must participate? Don't tell me you still have a Senpai you want to see off?"
"There is."
Unexpectedly, Gabriel nodded.
She stared at him meaningfully, hands in the pockets of her pink jacket, looking like a fortune teller pretending to be mysterious, and said slowly:
"Isn't he right before my eyes?"
"What?"
Yuu froze for a moment. The relaxed expression he usually showed immediately disappeared, replaced with a vigilant and careful furrowed brow, as if he suspected something.
Even so, he didn't sense any danger from this junior who was small, soft, and easily toppled. So, for now, he maintained distance and didn't intend to retreat three steps while putting on a face facing a great enemy.
"Don't joke around. You don't even want to call me Senpai, how could you have good intentions to say congratulations on graduation?"
"Haiz, it's because I'm lazy~" Gabriel scratched her messy hair, looking somewhat helpless.
She thought for a moment, then suddenly snapped her fingers, and her blonde hair that puffed like a lion's mane, instantly transformed into smooth and shiny long straight blonde hair.
Then she put on a sweet and gentle smile, placed hands on her stomach, bowed gracefully and politely to him. Her voice sounded clear and sweet:
"Tenkuji-senpai, congratulations on your graduation and may you succeed in the future! I have received much help from you in the past. Although I didn't prepare another gift, please accept this sincere and free thank you!"
"..."
Yuu stared at her in shocked silence. This drastic change made the girl who was usually just a lazy otaku radiate glittering light like an angel. Even her clearly fake smile appeared to shine, almost having an angel halo above her head.
After a while, Yuu covered his face with one hand and sighed long, "You being this normal is too much. Please be abnormal."
"Thank goodness, I knew you'd say that."
Gabriel's smooth straight hair as if couldn't take it anymore, and exploded back into a blonde lion's mane.
Scratching her head, Gabriel said in a lazy tone, "What you said is right. I didn't come at all to give graduation congratulations. You're not giving me money, why would I do such an unprofitable thing?"
(Truly a scumbag.)
Yuu complained inwardly, then said again, "I also don't expect good intentions from you... By the way, what happened to you just now? Magic trick? Or, magic?"
"Strong receptivity... Well, this is a dream anyway. And an abnormal dream." Gabriel muttered softly, raised her face and eyebrows, "Not magic, but Divine Art."
"I, Gabriel, consider me an angel." After speaking, the blonde-haired girl looked up, rolled her lips attentively, "The one above doesn't care. Dreams are indeed free, too bad this isn't my dream..."
"Angel?" Ignoring other things for now, Yuu unconsciously asked back in surprise, staring at her from top to bottom with a gaze full of doubt.
Gabriel looked down, her face filled with discomfort, "Why? Is there a problem?"
"The problem is huge." Yuu nodded honestly, "It would be easier for me to believe if you said you're the angel of sloth."
"Geez, I deliberately came to find you not to explain things like this." Gabriel sighed. Her hand suddenly moved down, taking something out from under her skirt.
"Here, seeing this glittering golden halo, you should believe I'm an angel, right?"
After wearing it on her head, Gabriel casually waited for the surprised and amazed expression from the person across, who would bow their head apologizing for doubting her.
It's just that for some reason, Yuu not only didn't show a change in expression, but his gaze became increasingly strange, as if wanting to laugh but holding back.
Confused, Gabriel removed the halo from her head and looked at it before her eyes.
Then she unconsciously cursed, "F○CK! Stored too long, forgot to wipe."
"The halo's blackened this much, you're really the angel of sloth right?" Holding back laughter, Yuu sighed wordlessly, said in a confident tone as if facts were confirmed.
"That's just a small accident... Anyway, consider me an angel. In dreams, no need to care too much about details."
The rare Gabriel felt embarrassed. After clearing her throat, she was too lazy to polish that halo in front of him, and directly stored it back under her skirt as if nothing happened.
"If you don't believe me, I can leave right now."
"...Consider me believing." Yuu folded his arms, his facial expression somewhat complicated, "In that case, what did you come looking for me for? Are there really angels in this world? And how do you know this is a dream..."
"Err, I won't answer unnecessary questions." Gabriel waved cruelly, not caring at all about Yuu's expression full of confusion and needing explanation. She sighed as if feeling disturbed.
"I came just to tell you, didn't I give you an Angel's Blessing before? Around May last year..."
Yuu quickly remembered. Indeed there was such a joke-like conversation at that time.
"That wasn't a joke."
Her lazy expression became slightly serious. Gabriel suddenly raised her finger, pointing it at both of Yuu's eyes. Then she chanted in a low voice:
"In the name of Tenma White Gabriel, I grant you the ability to see the invisible."
Yuu stared at her in wonder. He only felt slight heat in his eyes, but no clearer changes, and no mysterious power like Doujutsu (Eye Technique) flowing in his body.
Seeing the invisible, did that refer to the ability to see ghosts? Or more than that?
He suddenly wanted to take out his phone and see if there was a strange pattern in his eyes.
"Don't guess wildly. In the real world, this is just an ordinary Yin-Yang eye. It won't give you Mangekyō Sharingan."
Not giving him space to think wildly, Gabriel immediately dispelled his fantasies, and said indifferently, "Of course, there won't be ghosts in dreams. So, what you can see is only existence you originally couldn't see."
From surprise, he fell into another surprise. Yuu unconsciously touched his eye sockets, muttered, "Originally invisible... Could it be that..."
At that moment, Gabriel suddenly clicked her tongue.
"Tch, caught this quickly."
"What?"
Even before Yuu could react, the Science classroom door beside was pushed open forcefully. A silver-haired woman wearing a lab coat came out from inside, slightly out of breath.
"I wondered, who was capable enough to set up boundaries in my domain of power and block my surveillance..."
She stood before Yuu, staring at Gabriel with a displeased expression.
"In that case, how could you enter?"
Gabriel thought for a moment, tilted her head, "Sleep entered?"