02小说网

にっき（第1页）

AmonthafterthejoyfulreturnofRantoArashi，suddenlyalltheproteagicfortheacademymalfuned，andmagicattacksrainedontheacademy。Studentswererunningineverydireforproteaswellasinattemptstoescape，whilefacultymembersweredesperatelytryingtofixtheproteeism。

Istayedputoopfloorofthelibrary。Abovemewerethecellor’soffidthesecurityrooms，wherelotsofteagstaffweretryingtoreactivatespells，andbelowmeweretheofficesofswordinstructors。Iwasfairlysafe。Iheardexplosions，shouting，yelling，running，andevenafaintcryofababyamidstallthechaos。

Afteranhour，thingsquieteddownoutside，andIwaitedslightlylonger。Ididn’tleavethelibraryuntilIheardpeopletalkingatnormalspeedandreasonablevolume。

Ihadtotalktoafewpeopletouandwhathappenedduringthelasttwohours。

Theelderstriedtointercedetheattacks，withvaryingdegreesofsuccess。Arashiwasabletoswingherswordfromthegroundandcutapartthefloatingmatrixthatgeedtheattacks，whichwereboltsofelementalenergy。

Justwhentheelderswereabouttobreatheasighofrelief，shadowfiguresappeared。Theelderswentouttomeettheenemy，buttheopposwerenotengaginginbattle，andsoontheeldersweredispersed，tryingtocatchtheinvaders。Sensingthatsomethingiswrong，ArashiwenttochethealchemyworkshopofHide’o，andfoundtheplaceempty，withbloodeverywhere，andherhusbandobefound。Arashigotafeelingofwhattheenemymightbeafter，andrushedtothehathadbeeupbytheacademyforherdaughter。Shesawstudentsandservicestafffighttothedeathtoprotectherdaughter，andshesawshadowfigures，veryskilledassassins，tryingtokidnapthechild。Arashitriedtokilltheassassins，butshecouldnotinflictdamageontheshadowfigures，whereastheirsharpclawscausedArashi’sclothestobedrenchedinblood。

Arashididnotwantherchildtoendupbeingcapturedbytheenemy。HoldingRantightlytoherchest，Arashidashedforthewestcliff，andsheleaptoff。Rightatthatmoment，theprotespellswerefixed，andtheshadowfiguresvanished。

Irandownthemountaintothefootofthecliff。Itwasdifficultterrain，andquiteafewmembersoftheacademywereinthemiddleofasearch。

Ijoihem，auallyIsawthebroochIhadgivenArashiontheground。Ilookedup，andsawArashi，withRanwellprotectedbyherarmsandhands，caughtupbetweentreebranches，unscious。

WecarriedArashiback。IthinkAkishiwasholdingontoRanforamomentlonger。

Them，AkishiinformedmethattheacademyhaddecidedformetotakeRanoutofKageyama，andhideinfarawaymountains。Theywouldnottellmewheretohide，andIhadtodecideformyself，buttheideawasthatwhenviewedfromHimeyama，Kageyamaandmyhideoutshouldbeinapletelydifferentdire。

TurnedouttheattackswereinitiatedbyHimeyama。Thecellor’sbestguessafterthefactshadein，wasthatHimeyamawaocaptureArashi’sentirefamily，probablytoductreseartoRan’sspecialcase，andmaybetoharhepowerofaurasfortheirowngain。

AkishishouldnottakeoaskasshewasrelatedtoRan，andbeingthecellor’sassistant，peopleknewherlikeness，soHimeyama’sintelligeworkcouldeasilytraceAkishi。TheyebecauseIhadbeenstayinginthelibraryforthepastmanyyears，andIwasnotasnoticeableasamereeveningingperson。

Iagreed，andaspecialbasketwasmadeformetthebabywithme。Itlookedlikearegularpiichamper，buthadalchemymaterialandmagicspellsinthestruprocess。Babywouldsleepfortablyduringthejourneyasiftimefroze，andmagicbarrierswouldblockoutthetransferofsoundandsmellinandoutofthebasket。Ifsomeooexamihetents，theywouldevenseeamirageofhalfeatensandwiches。

Itooksomemoney，food，clothes，andsomebooks--forbiddentitlesatmyrequest--aKageyama。ItraveledtowardHimeyamainaslightlyoffdireandfoundasuitablequietvalleyinaverymountainionofthelandamonthlater。

Iwasnottoldwhentoreturn，butwhenIheardnewsabout‘KageyamaTown’sFirstAnnualFireworksFestival’，thatwouldbemycuetoreturn。

NowasIamwritinginmyjournal，IwonderwhyHimeyamadidnotjusttaketrolofmeandbringRantothem。MaybetheyneededbothArashiandRan。MaybetheythoughtiftheyusedRanasahostage，ArashiwouldchargeatHimeyamaandfighttoherdeathinsteadofturningherselfin。OrmaybeHimeyamajustthoughtthewholeplanwasunnecessaryandtheyjustdidnotbother。IguessIwouldneverknow。

Iopehehamperaftersettlingin，andfoundRanperfectlyasleep，asifthemonth-longtravelingdidnoteve。Onemonthwasthemaximumlimittheycouldmaketimefreezewithalchemy，andIusedthattimeallotmenttothemaximum。

ItookcareofRan，andboughtafewgoatsformilkfromanearbytown。Ididnottrytogotovillages，whichwerenearer，asIworriedthatvillagerswouldbealertedbyastrangerintheregion，andHimeyamacouldfindmyhideoutasaresult。

ImadedollsforRanwithhersmallinfantclothesasshegrewup。Lifewasratherpeaceful。IspentalotoftimereadingasRanplayedhappilyonthegrassandonthemoss。IthinkIgotmybreakthroughatgettingabilityinmagic，butthepricewasgreat。

Icouldobtainmagicbysacrifigmyphysicalbody。ThemoreIsacrifice，themoreceofsuccess。Icouldsacrificemyspiritforthemagictobepowerful，andthemoreIsacrifice，thegreaterthestrength。IfIsacrificemyentirephysicalbodyandmyentirespirit，Iwouldbeunstoppableandinvincibleforoainattack，andwouldafterwardsdisappearfromtheworld。

Therewasanothercatch:Ioenvisionmyownmagic。Icouldnotuseaingspellsormatrices。MymagicabilitywouldoifIimagiience，somethingthatthisworldhadneverseen。

Ranstartedlearningtotalk，andItriedtogethertotellmewhensheogopotty。Dayspassedinseeminglyendlesssuccession。Iwashappy。

Laterthatyear，Iwentintotownformymonthlyshoppingtrip，andheardthatthetownbythefootofKageyamawasgoingtohaveagreatfireworksfestival。Regularcraftsmen，alchemists，magiswereallioshowtheirtalents，andeverytoostersadvertisingtheevent。Ranhadturwo，andshewouldreturntoArashinow。

WepackedupandItriedtotravelonlyduringthenight。Rannolongerfitinahamper，besidesIdidnothaveanotherspecialhampertouseformyreturntrip。Ihadnotalentinalchemy，anditwouldbeimpossibleformetocorrectlyactivateitforareturntripthatwouldtakeplaceatanunknowntimeiure。

Aftermuchdifficulty，afterpeoplestartedgoingbacktotheirowntowns，talkiedlyaboutthefireworkstheyhadseen，ImaoreturntoKageyama。

IsawArashistandingatthetopofthemountainpath。Iwavedtoher，andsherandowntheroad。Iwasgoingtogreether，butshejusttookRanoutofmyarms，gavemealetter，anddashedoff，disappearingintothedistance。

Quitefused，Istoodtherespeechlessforashortwhile，auallylookedattheletter，anditwasaddressedtothecellor。

Ideliveredthelettertothecellor’soffidleft。ItwasnotuntilaweeklaterthatIfoundoutaboutwhathadhappened。

Arashiwokeupfromheraabouttwomonthsaftertheattack，andsheimmediatelyaskedforthebaby。Treatdismay，theschooladministrationtoldherthatthebabywasbeingcaredforinsecrecyoutofsafetys，andshewouldnotgetacetoseethebabyuntilsherecovered。

Arashikeptherangerinsideandtriedherbesttainherhealth。Itwasnotuntiltwoyearsaftertheattack，thatshecouldprovetotheacademythatshehadregainedallherstrength。Arashiaskedtobereunitedwithherdaughtertheverymierherdemonstrationofstrengthandability，onlytobetoldthattheschooldidnothaveRan’slocatioher。Theyhadtoadvertiseafestivalasacodeforthebabytobebroughtback。Sihen，Arashihadwaitedeverydayatthetopofthepathwaitingforherseparationfromherchildtoend，andeveryeveningshewentbacktoherroomfumingwithrageanddisappoi。

Whenthelastdayofthefireworksfestivalpassed，ArashiwrotealetterningKageyamafortheirinsiderateplansandtheirself-righteousness，thatshewasnotsultedbeforetheyfinalizedtheirplans。Shewasinsultedbytheir“wediditforyourowngood”attitude，andshehadseveredalltieswiththeacademywheterwouldbedeliveredtothecellor。ArashiwasnolongeraffiliatedwithKageyamainanyway。