Chapter 76

When I noticed, the mirror reflected my middle school self.

My face was expressionless, and I was mechanically tying my hair, as the school rules required.

The hair that reached my shoulders had to be tied up.

My mother, reflected in the mirror, sighed and spoke to me.

"Make sure you go to school properly. Don't cause trouble."

"…Sorry."

With those words, my mother sighed again and walked away.

I moved my body slowly, picked up the bag I had left in the hallway, and put it on my shoulder. The weight of the textbooks I had stuffed in it dug into my shoulder.

I put on my shoes and kept my head down as I walked, eventually reaching school.

The classroom I entered after a week was unchanged, and I approached my desk and sat down.

I placed my bag on the desk and searched the drawer, which was supposed to be empty. There were some printouts messily placed inside, so I gathered them together.

Just as I was doing this, the bell rang, and class began.

Nothing special happened.

Whether I took a break or came to school didn't matter to others. School was a place to attend classes and study, so I could manage that much.

Just as I was thinking this, someone spoke to me between the first and second periods—

"You see, when you're absent, our group is short one person."

"…Yeah."

The girl who spoke was two seats behind me. I was sitting at my desk, surrounded by three girls.

"It's really inconvenient. We divide roles, so when you're not here, someone in our group has to do two roles. Do you understand?"

"…Yeah."

I understood what she was saying. Our class divided cleaning duties and other tasks among groups based on attendance numbers. There were five groups of seven, but when I was absent, it became a group of six, causing inconvenience to the others.

"…Sorry."

I managed to speak with my dry throat.

I was afraid to see the expressions on the girls in front of me, so I couldn't lift my head. All I could hear was a loud sigh.

"It seems like you're being bullied, so I don't want that kind of feeling."

"Sorry…"

"I just want you to let the teacher know if you're coming or not. If you tell the teacher, they can adjust the groups. It's just that it's inconvenient if they think there are seven people."

"…Sorry."

"I just want you to be responsible."

"…Sorry."

With a sigh, the girls moved away from my desk.

They continued their conversation on the other side.

"Thank you! I was really worried, so this helps!"

"If you tell the teacher, it will be fine. Thank you so much."

"It's okay. I was worried too."

After that, I couldn't focus on the lessons… My stomach felt heavy…

Still, I managed to finish the day's classes, and the teacher called me.

"Can you come to the staff room after school?"

"…Yes."

I didn't want to go, but maybe I could talk about today's issues.

I wanted to ask for a lighter role because I was causing trouble for the group.

So, I endured the heaviness in my stomach and went to the staff room.

The teacher let me in and sat at their desk, looking up at me who was still standing.

"You need to come to school properly, don't you?"

"…Sorry."

"You'll fall behind in your studies and won't be able to do your class duties."

"Sorry…"

"I'm not angry. You need to come to school and do your part in the class."

My stomach… hurt. My head… throbbed.

"Make sure you come from tomorrow on."

With that, the teacher led me out of the staff room.

In the end, I couldn't talk about lightening the group's burden…

I put on my heavy bag and walked home with my head down.

"Go to school properly…"

Just that. Something everyone can do. Something that should be easy.

If I could just go to school, no one would be troubled.

"God…"

God. God. God.

I want to do it properly. I always think that if I could just do it properly, it would be fine.

But—

"…I can't."

I don't understand what's normal. I can't do it properly.

All day, I couldn't respond to people with anything but "sorry."

"I'm tired…"

I was on edge all day. I apologized all day.

Even though I didn't do anything, I had no energy to move.

I slipped into bed in my uniform and closed my eyes.

Every day, every day from now on, I would have to apologize to others and live, blaming myself for not being able to do it.

I was swallowed by a dark, swirling vortex.

Then, a voice came from far away—

"…Nii-sama, Reni-sama!"

A desperate voice, mixed with tears, calling my name.

Then, the dark vortex was filled with light.

"Reni, you're amazing! You can do anything!"

"…Dad."

Saying that, he hugged me tightly.

From the perspective of my small self, the view from here was special.

"Reni, I love you."

"Mom…"

She chuckled and gently stroked my head.

The warmth of the hand on my small head seeped into my heart.

"Reni-sama! Over here! This way!! Don't disappear…!"

"Reni, over here. Come back!"

Two desperate voices, clearer than before, reached me.

I wanted to respond to those voices, but I didn't know how.

"Hey! If we keep this up, we'll disappear along with the [Jewel]! Set me free! Leave it to me!"

Another voice, and a thud in the center of my chest.

"Here. Focus your consciousness here."

A clear voice.

Following those words, I focused my consciousness on the center of my chest, where a large light appeared…

"Do you like this world?"

"Yes."

"Do you like these people?"

"Yes."

"Then, don't scatter your power. Concentrate it."

"Concentrate…"

"Focus the light."

As I was told, I saw the light overflowing outward.

I had to… make it into a tight ball…

"That's it. Keep going."

I concentrated the light into a sphere and put all my strength into it.

In an instant, I snapped awake.

"Oh, I can see."

The first thing I saw was a dragon girl with black hair and purple eyes.

Behind her were Samu, with a crying face, and Hasan, who looked worried.

"R-R-Reni-sama, it's good! It's so good!"

Samu hugged me tightly. It hurt, but the strength showed how worried she was.

"Reni, what happened?"

Huh? I tilted my head.

I knew I was seeing a not-so-good memory from my middle school days, but everyone seemed so desperate.

In response to my question, Hasan answered with a pained look in her eyes.

"Reni, you were using too much power and were about to disappear due to a [Magic Overload]."