Chapter 264 – 17.2 a Wind Blowing at the Academy
* * *
Underneath Rune Tower, a resting room in the Japanese military base.
“Cherry Blossom.”
Sakura, who hurriedly ran, was able to personally meet the person who summoned her. She was her old friend Sumire.
“Sorry for being late, Sumire. What’s the matter?”
Sumire has been a member of the same Inazuma Division for a long time.
Although she was married now and transferred her affiliation to the Arashi Headquarters, she was not far from the two of them. The location of the unit was also one floor different, so she could meet at any time just by contacting her like this.
However, Sakura sensed a certain awkwardness in her Sumire. As long as they had known each other for a long time, she was sensitive to the change in Sumire’s attitude from before.
“Sorry. I’ll ask you a favor.”
“For a moment.”
The reason she wanted to meet Sakura was to tell her in advance over the phone. It was a story that Sakura’s recovery ability, the recovery rune, was needed.
So Sakura’s question ‘what happened?’ Was to ask how she got hurt.
But Sumire evaded her answer.
Sakura asked again, placing her hand on the nape of her Sumire’s neck and activating her rune.
“How did you get hurt?”
Due to Sumire’s personality, she wouldn’t have been looking for herself like this. I guess she must have been hurt.
But this time, Sumire evaded her answer.
“Sorry. I asked for this.”
“Sorry between us.”
Due to the nature of the rune she possessed, Sakura would often receive her counseling at the same time as her treatment.
In particular, the Inazuma Division has many female rune holders. It would be fortunate if it was a simple menstrual cramp, but there were cases of assault or sexual abuse.
Even on such a sensitive subject, Sakura had experiences that she could sympathize with, so she received a lot of counseling, and she was able to suggest a solution tailored to the situation.
In that sense, Sakura felt familiar with Sumire. In her Sumire, there was an ‘atmosphere’ unique to women who had been assaulted.
There’s no such thing as useless fuss between the two of them. Sakura decided to meddle a bit more.
“Sumire.”
“Sorry… Please don’t ask.”
But this time she drew her line before Sakura even asked.
Why?
There was only one reason that came to mind.
“Did Arnold do that?”
Arnold, Sumire’s husband.
Contrary to his rough exterior, he is a warm-hearted man on the inside. He had a naive side befitting his size.
Arnold, who has had a crush on her Sumire, has been courting Sumire for a long time. And after nearly 10 years, that unrequited love was finally able to bear fruit.
Arnold’s unrequited love story was also famous in the military. There were even people betting on when Sumire, the “Tree that can’t be felled by taking 10 shots,” Will fall.
Sakura also talked a lot with Sumire back then. Although Sakura is dark about her love affairs, as her old friend, he was able to listen to her story and share her worries.
And since it was clear to anyone that Arnold was sincere with Sumire, Sakura was also the type to support their relationship.
And finally, the two got married last year.
Arnold, the fruit of 10 years of unrequited love. Sumire passed on to Arnold after 10 years.
Everyone had no doubt that the married life of the two would be happy.
However, after marrying Sumire, he changed.
If you ask what has changed, it is difficult to answer. But the feeling of warmth or naivety is gone. He became a cold-hearted man in good terms and a cold man in bad terms.
‘Soldier like a soldier’. If I had to describe Arnold in one word, it felt like that. Sakura, who has always been uncomfortable with men, is now intentionally avoiding him because of his cold atmosphere.
“Answer me, Sumire. Is Arnold like that?”
If that was the case, it was no one else’s business even for Sakura, who supported the two of them.
Sumire didn’t answer.
It was the moment when Sakura’s doubts turned to certainty.
“No way.”
“No. Sorry.”
“I’m not sorry.”
“Are you okay. Because I’m fine.”
Sumire’s attitude towards Arnold repeatedly made Sakura angry.
Cases like this happened often. A woman who embraces a man even after being beaten.
“Sumire. Let’s talk to General Inazuma.”
“Cherry Blossom. Please. Pretend you don’t know.”
“But.”
“Please. Because I was wrong.”
The friend Sakura knew would not have been a woman who said things like this. She was a woman with a straight personality who could say what was right was right and what was wrong was wrong.
Of course, I know it’s hard to say. In particular, if General Inazuma found out, the unit would be turned upside down. Sumire probably wouldn’t want to make a big fuss about this either. Besides, because of the rank of colonel, Arnold couldn’t do anything about it.
“Or, do you have anyone over there to talk to? Like General Arashi.”
General Arashi, like a tiger, is Arnold’s direct superior and biological father. If he does anything wrong to his son, he will rebuke him severely.
But this time, Sumire shook her head.
“I don’t want to bother you with this.”
“Still.”
“Are you okay. Because it’s really okay.”
“Otherwise, how about talking to the colonel?”
Sumire knew right away who the “Colonel” Sakura was talking about was.
Sumire’s face hardened even more.
“No.”
“Sumire.”
Domestic violence tends to get worse the longer you bury it.
Besides, Arnold is no ordinary man. Next time, it might not end with a little injury.
Sakura wanted to help her friend somehow before she was irreparable.
But even that conversation was interrupted when Sumire’s cell phone rang.
– Beep.
After checking the caller on her cell phone, Sumire sighed lightly.
There was a deep sense of resignation on her face.
“Sorry. I think we should go.”
“Sumire. Huh? Think again.”
“Forget about today. Really… I’ll tell you again when I need help.”
Sumire gets up from her seat and turns around.
Sakura couldn’t say anything to her friend who rejected her helping hand and left.
*
A period of stability came to the troubled academy.
The attempted terrorism at the academy, the attempted assassination of the next prime minister, and even the sudden death of the president.
The academy was once gloomy due to a series of unfortunate events, but now the smiles are returning to the faces of the students.
In particular, discrimination against rune holders became a public issue due to the ‘Ilto-gyo gate’. Even though it is still in its infancy, there is hope for improved rune holder discrimination. It was a very inspiring story for Rune Academy students.
And in this process, there were three academy students who became particularly famous.
First of all, Kyoko Mizuki is the student council president.
The chairman first made her name known by projecting her face on TV during the attempted assassination of the previous governor. She subsequently became even more famous as she was in the spotlight even at the funeral of her mother, Mrs. Ryoko Mizuki.
The reason she became famous is ‘because she is pretty’.
If it was a pumpkin, it would have been over after a single name came out. Because she is such a beauty, news, newspapers, and the Internet are all covered with pictures of the chairman.
Beauty is despicable. It was an incident that made me feel the unfairness of the world once again.
In particular, since the picture was taken at the time of his father’s assassination and mother’s funeral, the sorrowful beauty made the viewer’s heart cry even louder.
“I’ll use everything I can use!”
Besides, the president himself was full of enthusiasm. He was willing to use even that if his pretty image could elicit support from rune holders.
Now, while actively responding to requests for interviews, he has become a leader in the anti-discrimination campaign against rune holders.
Anything would have worked if the president was satisfied. I’m worried that the president will become so famous that he won’t even care about me… Mmm. Is it something to worry about?
The next person to become famous was an unexpected person, Satomi.
Satomi was shot and taken to the hospital during the academy terror attack.
Fortunately, she was unharmed and her surgery went well. A month later, she was able to attend the academy without any problems.
However, when Satomi was first admitted to the hospital, her mood was serious.
As it was revealed that the attempted assassination of the president and the academy terror were the same group, Satomi, the shooting victim of the academy, also drew attention. Whether Satomi herself wanted it or not, at this time, Satomi was at the center of the topic with Chairman Mizuki.
In particular, the criticism against the terrorists (even though they were beaten unilaterally) who shot such a small child (albeit an adult) (even though they were hit by a blind bullet) became even stronger. The image of Satomi smiling helplessly in her hospital bed and saying that she was okay made all Japanese viewers shed tears, and after that, a huge amount of donations gathered in front of Satomi.
“Uh, what should I do? I can’t take this much money!”
“Oh, the donation is 500 million yen? Congratulations, Satomi. Now I can play and eat for the rest of my life.”
Sadly, Satomi donates her entire donation to Rune Holder Orphanage, she says.
And when the news spread, more donations were collected saying that her cute girl was pretty even at heart, and Satomi was said to be in more trouble…
Wouldn’t this be enough for her to have infinite power? I envy you, Satomi.
And the long-awaited third celebrity.
Are you already guessing?
It’s me
