Seraphim is a Bystander

The Road Back to the Mansion
 

 
...It’s over. Everything ended without incident. No phantoms. No criminals. Nothing.
Time passed surprisingly peacefully—just watching the ocean until it was time to leave.
“Aoi-san? Is something the matter?”

“Ah, no, it’s nothing.”
“I-Is that so…?”
The young lady’s voice snapped me back to reality.
Right… We’d already finished the guard duty and the visit to the memorial. We’d passed back through the forest and were now riding in the car.

“Sorry, I was just spacing out for a moment.”
“N-No, I’m sure you’re tired too…”
No good. She must be exhausted as well, and now I’ve made her worry about me. I’ve got to stay sharp—I’m still on duty!

“No, really! I’m fine! Aren’t you tired, Young Lady?”
“...Yes, I suppose I might be {N•o•v•e•l•i•g•h•t} a little tired.”
She answered with a faint trace of weariness on her face.
Well, that’s understandable.
After all, it was her first time appearing in public, and she got attacked by a criminal yesterday. It’s been a lot.

“Right… I’m sure you’re worn out. And on top of that, I put you through something terrifying yesterday…”
“T-That’s not true!”
“Ah, wait—”

Just like this morning, she leaned forward suddenly, and I didn’t react in time—she grabbed my shoulders.
Uh-oh… Her face is really close again…
“Um! It was scary, yes, but that fear was more about you possibly dying because of me! I mean… um… Anyway, I’m fine!”
“Understood! I get it—really!”

“...You sure? Then it’s fine, I guess.”
She said that and finally pulled back.
…Huh? She seems okay.
“...!”
…Never mind, not okay. Her face suddenly turned bright red.
Uh, right. Change the subject… change the subject…

“Oh, Young Lady—can I ask you something?”
“Hyaa—yes?! What is it?”
She was clearly trying to act calm, but her red face made it all the more endearing.

“If you’d rather not remember, you don’t have to answer… but were you alright after I lost consciousness yesterday?”
“After you lost consciousness…?”
“Yes. I woke up already in the hotel room, so I don’t know what happened after I left your side. I’ve been wondering if you were okay…”

“T-True… We didn’t see each other again after we parted in the courtyard…”
She nodded as if recalling the events and finally told me what happened after we split.
“But, honestly, not much happened after that.”

“Really?”
“Y-Yes… I was frozen in place, unable to move, after you went into the wall of flames. Then Morimiya-sama rushed over to help me…”
“I see… So she got there right after we parted?”

She looked puzzled by my words, as if something didn’t quite line up.
“Right after...? Are you sure?”
“Huh?”

“It felt like it took a long time for her to arrive after you went into the flames…”
…Huh?
But I thought I was defeated almost immediately after I split us up… I didn’t think I lasted even a full minute.
“Really? I hate to admit it, but I don’t think I lasted even a minute.”

“Y-You didn’t…?”
“Yes, which is why I was so worried about whether you were okay…”
“I-I see… (He was thinking about me…)”

“…Pardon? Did you say something?”
“N-No, not at all!”
I thought I heard her mumble something, but she denied it, so maybe I was imagining things.
Still, why is there such a difference in how we perceived the passage of time?
Was I just so focused on that black-robed attacker that time flew by?

“M-Maybe it was just my imagination! I wasn’t exactly calm yesterday, so it might’ve just felt like a long time…”
“No, I didn’t keep track of the time precisely either… Maybe we both just weren’t thinking clearly.”
“I guess we were both in shock…”

We both tilted our heads in confusion.
Just as I started to get lost in thought again, the Young Lady resumed speaking.
“A-Anyway… After Morimiya-sama rescued me, she brought me back to my room. I was examined by a doctor, and both he and my father told me to rest… So I slept until this morning.”
“I see… Whew. I’m just relieved that I was able to protect you, somehow.”

“Y-You absolutely did! You protected me completely! You were so cool!”
Hearing her say it so directly made me blush, too.
She also seemed to realize what she’d just said, as her own face reddened even more.
The Young Lady really is unexpectedly bold sometimes…

“Um… Aoi-san…”
“Huh?! Y-Yes?”
Before I knew it, she was right next to me.
She leaned in and whispered softly, probably so that Michiya-sama and Mayuko-sama in the same car couldn’t hear.

“U-Um… would it be weird if I asked for something strange…?”
“A request? If it’s within my power, I’ll do anything.”
She mumbled shyly, hesitating. I waited patiently.

“Um… would you… er…”
“Er…?”
“Would you exchange contact information with me?!”

“Of course, that’s fine.”
“...Huh?”
Oh, that’s all?
I hadn’t brought it up because it felt improper coming from the guard, but I’m glad she wants to stay in touch.

“Then here’s my contact—Young Lady?”
When I looked back at her to show my contact info, she was staring blankly, mouth slightly open.
“Young Lady? Is something wrong?”

“Huh…? N-No, nothing at all…”
“I see? Then here’s my contact information.”
“Ah, yes… Thank you very much…”

…?
She looked oddly deflated. What was that about?
“Feel free to message me anytime about anything, okay?”
“Y-Yes… Thank you…”

“…?”
Even after that, the Young Lady seemed to be spacing out.
The car continued down the road toward the Ichijou estate.
Well, at least we can keep in contact now, so it’s all good.
And with that thought, we arrived at the mansion before I knew it.