Chapter 233 - Cherin, the Land of Sakura and Seven Holy Sword [4]
233. Cherin, the Land of Sakura and Seven Holy Sword [4]
One month from March 1st to 31st is the spring holiday period of Thousand Blade Academy.
(Spring break, summer break, are precious long holidays that only come around twice a year. I have to make good use of it….)
For the past one year.
By chance, I’ve crushed a number of schemes and operations of the Black Organization.
Because of that, I am now in a position of my life being targeted by them.
I’m sure they will send more strong enemies in the future.
(I have to become stronger to protect my loved ones… Ria, Rose and everyone.)
In order to do so, unsparing training is still necessary.
(All right, let’s do it!)
March 1st.
After firing up my spirit, I immediately started swinging my sword during the activity period of the practice-swing club.
Even though it is spring break, club activities were carried out as usual.
「「「FU! HA! SEI!」」」
During the day, I swing my sword pleasantly with everyone.
After finishing the activities in the evening, I have a mock battle with Ria and Rose.
After that, I go to the vacant lot behind the dormitory and immerse myself in swinging alone under the moonlight.
And by the time midnight comes,
「Goodnight, Ria.」
「Yes. Goodnight, Allen.」
I go to sleep in a warm bed with Ria.
Almost all my time was poured towards “swordsmanship”, and the rigorous but fulfilling days lasted for about two weeks.
After that, I managed to overcome the fierce White Day, which can only be expressed as “tumultuous”… and it was finally March 15th.
The student council’s “Spring Camp” will be held for exactly one week from today.
The time is seven o’clock in the morning.
Ria and I met up with Rose in front of the main gate of Thousand Blade Academy.
「Good morning, Rose. The weather is nice today.」
「Morning, Rose. I am glad you were able to get up early in the morning.」
「Fuwaa………… Morning.」
She, who is especially weak in the morning, stretched her left hand slightly while yawning.
「A-Ahaha, you look sleepy.」
「You got up two hours earlier than on normal school days, so it’s no wonder…」
「…………Yeah.」
Rose nodded like a little child.
(One could never imagine that she is such a weak morning person judging from her usual dignified self, but…)
Being together for a year now, I got used to this “sleepy-state”.
「Rose. Hold on a little longer. As soon as we get on the plane, you’ll be able to sleep for a while.」
As I called out to cheer her up,
「……………I’ll do my best.」
Rose said so, rubbing her sleepy eyes.
「Okay. Let’s go right away, shall we?」
「Yes, let’s go!」
「…………Let’s go.」
Then we walked to the mansion of House Arcstria, the meeting point.
On the way, the topic about the training camp destination naturally came up.
「I’m looking forward to seeing Cherin, the Land of Sakura…」
「Fufu, that’s right. By the way, Cherin’s specialty is “Sakura mochi”! Let’s eat to our stomach’s fill, Allen.」
「A-Aa… I-I’ll do my best!」
Our spring training camp destination is Cherin, the Land of Sakura.
It is a small country located on the edge of one of the Five Major Powers, Polyesta Federation.
A beautiful solitary island with sakura blossoms in full bloom all year round, making it one of the world’s leading tourist destinations.
In particular, “Hundred Million Year Sakura Blossom” which is considered a national treasure, is so famous that it even appears in textbooks. It is apparently a super huge sakura tree that bloomed over “billions of years” ago.
(Billions of years huh… That makes it the “same age” as me…)
As I was feeling something similar to “camaraderie”,
「……That’s… a good place. Really beautiful… sakura blossoms bloom…」
Rose, who was hiding her eyes from the morning sun, said while pausing intermittently.
「Oh, have you ever been there, Rose?」
Judging by her tone, it was as thought she had seen the actual sakura blossoms.
「………That’s where I was born.」
「I-Is that so!?」
「That’s the first time I’ve heard of that!」
I always thought Rose was born in the Ringard Imperial Kingdom.
「Nn, I haven’t told you…? Let’s see… I left when I was ten years old, so it will be the first time in five years that I am returning there. But, I just want you to be careful…. Over there… my…… fuwaa…」
Rose broke off the story and fell silent.
She seems to be desperately fighting with the assailing sleepiness.
(“Over there, my” is what she said…)
I am a little worried about what she was about to say after that, but I can’t force her when she is in this state.
Let’s listen to the rest of the story after she completely wakes up.
「W-What should we do, Allen? At this rate, she might really fall asleep right here.」
「Let’s see… Rose, let’s walk a little faster. Can you keep up?」
When I asked her that while gently shaking her shoulder,
「…………Yeah.」
She nodded and increased her waking pace slightly.
And we went straight towards Arcstria mansion, where the president and senpais were waiting.