I woke up at 8:30 A.M., my body heavy with tiredness from everything that happened yesterday. As my eyes adjusted to the light, I looked to the side of my bed. There, sleeping quietly, was a girl with black hair. It's a very long story.
After she led me out of the academy yesterday, Cherry told me about a secret mission she was on. She was trying to find an evil magus who was hiding inside the Magica Academy. Unfortunately, he found her first. He used his magic to manipulate her mind, putting her in a trance.
Luckily, I was able to save her before the situation got worse. The man we saw in that dark room must have been that evil magus—the same person named Victor she used to go to for training. I was so worried about her health and safety that I offered for her to stay at my place for the night. I didn't know if I could actually protect her from any danger, but it felt like the right choice. I couldn't let her go home alone after such a horrible experience.
On the bus ride to my house, she started telling me about her mission and her past. She said that if the evil magus succeeded in stealing all her mana, she wanted someone to remember her story. I listened, even though it was painful to hear. Everything that had happened to her was so unfair. I want to protect people like her, but I still feel so useless. I can think of ways to help, but I don't have the power to actually do it.
Why am I so weak? I thought. I have to get stronger, so no one in this world has to go through such tragic events.
My thoughts were interrupted as I looked at the sleeping girl. She was defenseless, sleeping in a very cute manner. Was it because she trusted me? Or for some other reason I didn't understand?
Her cute face, resting on my pillow, looked pure and beautiful. It was a sharp contrast to the sad and sorrowful expression she had on the bus while telling me her story.
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A girl was born with magic, strong and deep, A power that she forever had to keep. But when she came, her mother passed away, Her father died while driving there that day.
A kind new family gave her a home, But when she turned sixteen, more grief had come. A void attack, with monsters running wild, Took them and left alone their orphan child.
At school, the other kids were never kind, They teased her for the body she left behind. They talked about her chest, so large and round, Where all her magic power swirled and drowned.
She learned to not let all their words bring pain, She let their silly comments fall like rain. She put her hobbies and her fun aside, With no one left, she had no place to hide.
She had to focus on her work instead, A path for one as good and strong as dead. Now she's a Magus, brave and standing tall, She'll fight for justice, and will give her all.
She'll save the people, like she wished to be, She'll use her cursed magic to set them free.
---
She was on a mission to kill a magus much stronger than her. What excuse did I have for myself? None. If she could rise from nothing, then I could at least try my best to believe in doing what was right.
"Hey, why are you crying?"
A familiar voice pulled me from my deep thoughts. It was the girl who had been sleeping. I touched my face instinctively and felt streams of water running from my eyes. Ah, I remembered—my power to feel other people's emotions also makes me feel their sadness. It's an unfair power; I get to experience the pain of others.
I rubbed my face with my hands and looked at the girl beside me. What was her name again? Oh, yes. Her name was Cherry.
"It's nothing," I said, trying to change the topic. "How did you sleep?"
She stared at me for a moment and then sighed. "Well, it was good, for a change. I used to sleep in a rented room, you know. My bed there wasn't this comfy, hehe." She then bounced a little on my bed to test its softness. She looked cute while doing it, and I was happy to see her having fun.
She looked at me with a pout. "Why are you looking at me like some old man? Like someone who's feeling sorry for a child having fun." Her statement was funny, and I laughed out loud. I didn't know I looked like that when I was deep in thought.
"Stop laughing!" she said, and she threw a cushion right at my face.
Bam! Ouch! The power of a Magus isn't just about magic, huh? Her throw was really strong, even as a joke. I put the pillow aside. "Now you've done it!" I yelled playfully. I threw a pillow back and scored a bullseye! My strength wasn't comparable to hers, but my aim wasn't weak either.
We had a playful pillow fight for a while until we both got tired. I guess we were skipping the academy for today, huh? It was now 9:40 A.M.
She stood up from the bed gracefully. "I'm going to take a bath. Don't you dare take a peek," she warned.
Just before she shut the bedroom door, I called out, "What's the plan for today?" It would be boring if we didn't do anything.
"Hmm," she thought for a second. "Let's go get all my possessions from my rented room." She smiled and looked right at me.
Was she implying she wanted to stay here with me?! "A-are you for real?" I asked, completely surprised. This came out of nowhere for me.
"Well, I live in a rented room, and it's very costly for me," she explained. "Are you that heartless to let a woman like me go through such suffering?" Then she looked at me with puppy dog eyes. It was super effective against my heart!
"Okay, okay, no need for so much drama!" I said, my face completely red. "You can stay as long as you like!"
She looked at me, her cheeks puffed out as she tried to stop herself from laughing, and then she left the room. "Thank you, Sparx!" she called out.
As she went to the bathroom, I remained alone in the bedroom. Oh well, now that I've said it, there's no going back, huh? I thought. To be honest, it probably wasn't safe for her to stay in that rented room alone anyway.
Thinking about it for too long wouldn't change anything now. I decided we could do some shopping together while we were out getting her things.
Sigh, life sure is unpredictable, I thought, but I couldn't help smiling a little.