"Well, then, we have a little stopover."

Christina looked surprised at us as we finished the bar and went back to school, saying so.

After midnight, two young men and women disappear into the city alone -

In any case, if there is a normal class tomorrow, it would be better not to wonder.

"I was playing games on campus, and I don't know what to say...."

Christina sighed with an astonishing expression.

Too soon.

"Of course."

When she answered with her shoulders shrugged, Christina waved to get rid of us.

Say goodbye at the crossroads and start walking towards your destination.

"... um..."

It was only a few minutes after Risha opened her mouth modestly.

Yeah?

"Is that good? Make Chris look like he's gone."

……

As he exhaled his white breath, he looked up at the cold, clear starry sky.

"... I'm sorry about Christina, but I don't want her involved in this."

"May I ask why?

"Christina's dream is to be a knight, right? Because if you get involved in a problem that the royal family will serve in the future, and you're named as part of a rebel, it won't be funny."

"Ah...."

When she tilted her neck, Risha nodded.

"I don't rely on Leonard for the same reason. Whatever the circumstances, what we're trying to do is bow to the country."

"I'm supposed to be doing the right thing..."

"That's the hard part of the world."

The right thing to do is not necessarily good for the world.

A strenuous effort may not always yield good results.

That's why the word "irrational” or “irrational” exists in this world.

"Amazing, Rosie."

"Nh, why?

"I feel like I'm an adult!" I'm supposed to be about my age, but I know a lot of things, and I'm thinking a lot of things. "

Risha looked up roughly with her nose and her expression eased unexpectedly.

"Even Risha is smart. Five more years... no, I'm sure you'll be a good adult in three years"

"I can't do it at all. I can't do anything. I just want to do it. I just want to do it. You're really a child."

"But if Lisa had been an adult like me, she'd be back in school with Christina by now."

Huh?

"So the world keeps going around without a thing. The silver-haired elves that are being consumed somewhere remain intact, the stiers who relied on us are erased from the public eye, and we live the same days."

"Ah...."

She smiled and stroked Risha's head off her hat.

"Children's minds are lost without even noticing them. Someday you'll disappear and decide what you want to do, not what you want to do, but what you give up."

……

"I'm not going to say it's evil, but I don't think Risha would want it to be."

"... why?

"Remember when you asked me today what I didn't want to do instead of what I wanted to do?”

"Huh? Yes. I didn't know why it was something I didn't want to do."

I said the same thing to my teacher, Sarah, and to Risha.

There is a good reason for this.

"What I want to do” is easy to compromise. If this had been the case, I'm sure Risha would have answered. "If logic thinks about everyone and decides, I want to respect that choice."

After a few seconds of thinking, Risha nodded reluctantly.

"I can't help it, because there's nothing I can do."

"... that's a compromise."

"What I don't want to do” is easy to come out of my heart. Negative emotions like anger and disgust are more primitive responses, so extra noise is harder to get in. "

If the word "I don't want to bother you" had been used there, I would have decided that it was really important to Risha and I would have given up.

"So, what was it that Rosie didn't want to do back then?

What?

It solidifies for a moment into surprising words.

"When you asked me that question. At that time, Rosie didn't like anything, so it was so empty, right?

It falls with its mouth shut.

You don't have to think about anything extra.

Just say what you don't want to do, as I said.

"... I don't know what to say, but I didn't want to see you trying to compromise with me."

"What do you mean?"

Risha was there with a slightly lewd smile.

"I wanted you to be serious about everything, Risha Mystilia. Is this it?

Yes!

After giving up everything and answering the questions, Risha hugged her arm in a good mood.

It's not because of the temperature that my face is getting hot.

That excuse didn't work this time of year when my exhaled breath was dyed white.