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Shirone thought that Amy was kicking back as a joke.
"Sorry, did I startle you? I didn't say anything to surprise you. How's the Graduation Class going?"
Amy showed a cautious look. As Shirone tried to get closer, she quickly hit his arm. The two cups of coffee he was holding flew away.
Shirone had a dumbfounded expression. This couldn't be considered a joke anymore. Amy's face was flushed red, seemingly genuinely angry.
"Who are you to do this? And why are you speaking informally to me but calling Cerielle a senior?"
Cerielle also seemed to think this wasn't right and showed an uncomfortable expression.
"Are you in the advanced class? Even if you're interested, isn't this kind of approach inappropriate? And you should speak respectfully to your seniors. What's this? You're not even a flirt."
Shirone was bewildered. Amy and Cerielle were acting as if they didn't know him.
“Senior Cerielle, it’s me, Shirone. Don't you recognize me? Amy, do you really not know me? Are you just joking?"
"How am I supposed to know you? If you're a student, please study. Can't you even distinguish the right time and place? Do I look that easy?"
Amy grabbed Shirone by the collar. She was really annoyed. She thought that she would finally be rid of annoying guys once she joined the Graduation Class, but he had followed her here.
'I thought he had been quiet for a while, but he starts again. This is all because that kid isn't decent. Hanging out with weird kids and doing nonsense...'
Muttering to herself, Amy tilted her head.
'Huh? That kid? Who is that?'
She couldn't remember who was involved in the reason why msot male students that tried to flirt him decreased.
Caught by the collar, Shirone felt as though his heart had been pierced. There was no sense of familiarity in Amy's eyes.
"No... This can't be."
Shirone shook Amy's hand that was holding him by the collar.
"No! Don't lie!"
"Ouch."
Amy clenched her wrist, showing a pained expression. However, Shirone yelled as if even that appearance was hateful.
"Why are you pretending not to know me! What did I do wrong? If you don't like me, just say you don't! It hurts my feelings like this too!"
"You! Go away!"
Cerielle pushed Shirone away. Since it was Cerielle and no one else, Shirone couldn't even resist and fell onto his buttocks.
"Why are you bothering my friend? And to a senior, too! Which class are you in? Do you really want to get in trouble?"
Shirone looked up at her with a face that seemed to have lost everything in the world.
'Senior Cerielle....'
Amy's one and only best friend. A natural-born girl who always ranked high with her outstanding skills but also cried while reading romance novels. Shirone remembers her. The way she enthusiastically cheered him on whenever he took on a tough challenge.
But she was a completely different person now. Her eyes were burning like fire, and her tightly closed lips were filled with hostility
Shirone hung his head. It wasn't that he couldn't believe it, he didn't want to believe it. This kind of thing could never happen.
"No! It must be a lie!"
Shirone got up, slipping and lunging forward. He felt like he would go crazy if he stayed there for even a second longer.
"Don't ever come back! If you mess around like this again, I'll tell the teacher!"
Cerielle, who had shouted with cupped hands, still seemed angry as she spoke to Amy with her her face grimacing.
"Ugh, what kind of kid is that? He looks innocent, but he's really persistent. Oh my, Amy, are you okay?"
"Huh? Oh, I'm fine."
Amy, who had been lost in thought, suddenly came to her senses. But she still felt uneasy. It was because she felt a strange longing from the sight of Shirone walking away.
"Who on earth is he? He really acted like he knew me, didn't he?"
"He's probably just pretending to be crazy and trying his luck. There are a lot of kids like that these days. They try to take advantage of anyone without a care."
"Is that so?"
"Anyway, I'm going in. I wanted to catch up with you for the first time in a while, but our break time passed because of that weird kid."
Even though they were in the same Graduation Class, they had different majors, so they had to find time to catch up with each other.
As Cerielle entered the classroom, Amy followed. But she stopped at the entrance and looked back at where Shirone had run off to.
“… … .”
She remained in her place until the class bell rang.
----------------------
'Why is she doing this! What's the reason!'
Shirone ran like a madman. As he passed the steel gate and arrived at the advanced class building, the class bell rang, and students entered their classrooms.
"Mark! Mark!"
Mark, who had been chatting with Maria, turned his head. Shirone ran up to him in one breath and asked.
"Mark! You know me, right? Who am I? Tell me quickly!"
Mark looked confused and glanced at Maria. But Maria shrugged her shoulders as if she didn't know either.
"Um... Who are you?"
Shirone's heart started beating like crazy. He couldn't figure out what had happened to him.
"It's me. It's me."
"Then who are you? I can't know unless you tell me."
"It's me! Sihrone! Class Five! We took the test together! Do you really not know?”
Mark's expression crumpled. However, he couldn't argue when Shirone mentioned Class Five and bowed his head politely.
"Ah, I'm sorry. I didn't recognize you."
"That's not it! Why are you treating me like this?"
What on earth did they want him to do? He wanted to lash out, but he couldn't in front of everyone else.
"What are you guys doing out here when class has started?"
Sienna was walking from the hallway. Shirone felt like he had met his savior and ran to her.
"Teacher! It's me, Shirone!"
If it was Teacher Sienna, there was no way she would forget him. Because she is strong. She's a certified 6th class mage. However, her response was utterly cruel.
“Shirone? There is no such student in the advanced class. Who are you?"
"Teacher, don't you remember me? I’m Shirone."
Sienna looked back at her memories, but still, it was an unfamiliar name and face.
"It seems like there's been some mistake. I haven't heard of any new students coming. Are you really a student at our school?"
Mark and Maria's gazes turned sharp. Shirone, who had become suspicious in their eyes, suddenly felt scared.
“I- I’m sorry! I was mistaken!”
“Hey! Stop there!”
Leaving behind Sienna's voice, Shirone desperately ran away. He seemed to know now. What just had happened.
Everyone has forgotten him.
"Ugh, sob..."
He felt like a lost child, utterly weak. Everything in the world felt terrifying.
After entering Eastas, Shirone got lost three times before arriving at the Supernatural Psychic Science Research Group.
'My friends will be okay. Of course, why wouldn't they be?'
Hadn't we been exchanging jokes just a few hours ago? Even if the whole world forgot, they should remember him.
As he opened the door and entered, Nade and Iruki were chatting. Then, they looked surprised when they saw Shirone.
"Nade, Iruki, it's me. Shirone."
His friends just blinked without responding. As the dam of emotions that had been blocked up until now collapsed, Shirone's face turned to a tearful expression.
"Why aren't you saying anything? You remember me, right? You haven't forgotten, have you?"
Nade looked back at Iruki. Then he came over to Shirone as scratching his head.
"Excuse me…. Who are you?"
Tears glistened in Shirone's eyes.
“Do you guys really not know? We were together until now. We studied together yesterday and the day before!”
“I’m sorry, but we don’t know you. Were you sent from another research group to spy on us? Don't cause any trouble and just leave."
Iruki suddenly shouted as if he had realized something.
"Wait! Maybe there's a possibility. How did you find the way to Eastas? Tell me quickly! Who are you?"
"You, you guys..."
Shirone's lower lip began to quiver. He couldn't hold back his tears any longer. No, he didn't even want to.
"Puh….”
Air leaked from Nade's mouth. Then he burst into laughter, holding his stomach.
“PUHAHAHAH! Did you see that? Did you see that expression? This is a masterpiece!"
"I saw it! I saw it! Totally scared and saying, 'You, you guys...’ HAHAHA! Shirone, what do you want me to do, making me laugh like this?"
Nade was laughing so hard that he was holding his hurting stomach and writhing.
"Hehehe, hehehehe! Ah, the more I think about it, the crazier it is! Why on earth would you do this... HAHAHA!"
Shirone couldn't understand the situation. He couldn't even tell if it was reality or a dream.
"What, do you guys remember me?"
"What nonsense are you talking about? Did you have a nightmare or something? You know your facial expression is hilarious right now? HAHAHA!"
Shirone's pulse went out of whack. It was as if the huge boulder on his chest had finally rolled off.
“Ei, damn it! Then shouldn't you speak! Why on earth did you pretend you didn't know?"
"Your face was so funny when you came in, so we played a little prank. You were like this: 'It's me, it's me. I'm Shiro.'"
When Nade imitated Shirone, Iruki hit the floor again and collapsed on his stomach. Shirone, who didn't even have the energy to criticize, slumped into his seat and covered his face with his hands.
"Phew, I really thought I was going to die from fright."
"Sit down for a moment. What happened?"
Sitting on the sofa, Shirone enthusiastically confessed the situation from a moment ago. At first, the others snickered at the absurdity, but when he mentioned Teacher Sienna, their expressions became serious.
"Hmm, even Teacher Sienna didn't recognize you? It's not like her to play pranks."
Nade couldn't believe it at all.
"Is that even possible?"
"It could be possible with mental magic. Of course, it is doubtful whether it is possible to manipulate the memories of all the residents.”
"But it is possible. I experienced it firsthand."
Iruki calmed down Shirone, who was pounding his chest.
"I understand. Don't get excited. I'm just saying it's possible. Anyway, we believe you. People have lost their memories of you."
Nade said.
"But we remember you. Couldn't this fact be a clue to the situation?"
"I think so too. There's only one reason I can think of why we didn't forget Shiro: the fact that we weren't at school for two days. What on earth happened while we were gone?"
Shirone and the others were lost in thought. Someone had manipulated the minds of not only the entire school but also the teachers while they were away? It was hard to believe at the moment.
"It could be a supernatural phenomenon? If you look at the examples, there are quite a few similar things historically.”
Iruki was skeptical.
"Well, I think those cases are related to magic too. Anyway, if that's the case, how does that explain why we haven't lost our memories?"
"It might be because we were in Eastas. We've been here ever since we parted with Shirone."
Shirone asked.
"What does that have to do with Estas?”
"There have been rumors since ancient times that Eastas holds mysterious powers. Of course, it's just a rumor, but let's consider all possibilities. It's a matter that concerns our well-being too."
Said Iruki.
"That means there's a chance we'll lose our memories too."
"We can't be sure."
Silence passed. It was sad that people couldn't remember, but it was also a problem if they lost their own memories.
Nade bravely brought up the subject.
"Still... we should go out and see, right?"
"Well, it's not something that can be solved by hiding, right?"
His friends were right. But Shirone, who had already experienced a terrible situation, had a bitter expression.
"What if you guys forget me too? Then I might really go crazy."
"Let's do this. We'll make a mark in advance. Even if we lose our memories, we can avoid the worst-case scenario."
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Tags:
Infinite Mage (Novel)
