Owen and Shallot are playing in the river, while Emilia and Natalie are in the woods.
The girls are not doing anything but wandering aimlessly through the forest.
āWhy did you come with me?ā
āBecause Natalieās gonna be alone.ā
āI can do this on my own.ā
āIām sure youāre aware that itās all in the name of research.ā
In the first place.
This is, as Owen said at the beginning, a picnic, not a survey.
In the event youāre not sure what youāre looking for, there are a few things you can do.
Emilia and Natalie, of course, understand such things.
The point is, theyāre here to play.
āIām just here for fun, but the name of being part of the student council activities is working in the wrong direction.ā
Owen, who proposed the idea, probably thought that he could kill two birds with one stone by playing and working for the student council at the same time.
However, the current situation is one of āthose who chase two rabbits will not get one.ā
Thereās no way Natalie would be able to relax if she was told it was student council business, ā¦ā¦resulting in a goof up.
Instead of trying to achieve both halfway, it would have been better to focus on one or the other, and the result would have been better.
Owenās suggestion was a bad idea, but Emilia, who agreed to the proposal, canāt complain.
In addition to that, itās no use saying that after all this time, making Natalieās mood better is what Emilia should do.
Emilia looked at Natalie, who was in a bad mood.
āWhy are you so angry?ā
āIām not mad at you.ā
āIām not angry; as Shallot said, Iāve been in a bad mood lately.ā
Emilia could somehow guess why Natalie was in a bad mood.
The closest thing Natalie has ever had to a pure friend is Emilia.
Perhaps more than anyone else, surely she can understand Natalieās feelings better than Owen, she is proud of that.
āYou mean Owen.ā
The only reason Natalie is in a bad mood is because of something related to Owen.
āWhat ā¦ā¦ are you talking about? Are you trying to be funny?ā
āNatalie is quick to get emotional when it comes to Owen, which is something Natalie herself understands.ā
Natalie doesnāt reply to Emiliaās words, and she walks faster.
Emilia, who was following Natalieās back, suddenly thought.
Itās easy to just follow ā- someoneās back.
Emilia has been following Owenās back the whole time.
No one in their year, or perhaps in any year, had the same talent for magic as Owen.
Berg is a good fighter, but heās not a wizard.
Farren can also handle very powerful holy magic, but being a saint is a different level of existence.
For a long time now, Emilia has had Owenās back.
Iām desperately chasing his distant back.
Itās much easier to just admire them.
It would be a lot easier to look at Owen with respect like many students do.
All you have to do is look at Owen from a step away and say, āHeās a genius.ā
But she, Natalie, is different.
Emilia thought as she stared at the back of her head.
Natalie is the only one who is willing to stand next to Owen.
Itās not about following his back, much less admiring it.
It is Natalie who is standing next to him, looking in the same direction and struggling to move forward together.
Thatās what Emilia knows.
Knowing her efforts, Natalieās frustration is palpable.
Itās a long way.
Iām not sure what to say, but Iām sure youāll understand.
Owenās back is far away.
If Iām not careful, theyāll leave me in a heartbeat.
Even Emilia is feeling impatient.
In addition, Natalie, who is able to stand next to him, is probably experiencing more frustration than Emilia.
āI want to be by Owenās side, and I know thatās what Natalie wants.ā
Natalie stopped walking, not looking back, but looking forward.
She became quiet.
But not denying it immediately means affirming it.
Emilia took this silence as such.
Owen will probably be a three star.
Perhaps, he might even achieve the feat of becoming a three-star student during his time at Sanzar Academy.
Not only that, but he has the potential to go even higher.
How hard a road it is to want to stand next to him.
Thinking to that extent, Emilia realizes with a huff.
I donāt know that I have a firm understanding of Natalieās feelings.
After all, Emilia is just a person who follows.
She even feels relieved about that.
āI want to stand next to him; I want to be his equal, because the next thing I know, heās going to be somewhere far away.ā
Natalie slowly turned around and finally spoke up.
It was a somewhat lonely voice, and Natalieās expression was shadowed.