There was a slight sound of breathing in Natsumi's ears.
Looking back, I saw a figure lying on the bench where the moon was most easily visible.
The slightly long black hair and the slightly childish sleeping face peeking out from the gaps in the hair are also familiar to Natsumi.
"Theon!"
Xunren, who was finally found, couldn't help shouting loudly. ...Despite this, the person involved appeared to be completely asleep and completely unresponsive.
Beside such Xion, there are three incredible beings who brought him here.
"Hey, hey..."
Natsumi didn't know whether there were three originally, or the one that just took her there had been added, but the situation was unexpected, and she couldn't help but make an indescribable sound.
Looking at these incredible existences that seemed to be protecting Xion, Natsumi didn't know what to do.
The two just stared at each other for a while.
The first ones to be impatient were those incredible beings.
One of the three statues jumped twice, jumping to a height of three meters like a run-up.
Natsumi could only watch in amazement as her small body jumped to an unimaginable height.
In front of Natsumi's line of sight, an incredible being suddenly swooped down diagonally - violently hitting the sleeping Xion's abdomen.
Being completely surprised, Theon fell off the bench with a stupid scream.
He probably fell off his face hard. He let out a weak groan and trembled slightly, holding his forehead.
"Tell me...what happened?"
Xion, who seemed a little sleepy, raised his head and looked here.
"...Huh? Why are you here?"
Theon seemed really startled and his reaction was unusually slow.
It's like Natsumi shouldn't be here, which makes me a little angry.
"Why, your expression looks like you've discovered a monster... Isn't it good that I'm here?"
"I didn't treat you like a ghost... I know how to use magic, so how could I be treated like a ghost by you?"
"I'm not angry because you think of me as a monster!!"
The second half of Natsumi's words seemed to be completely ignored, and Theon seemed completely unable to understand what she was dissatisfied with.
Putting it this way, it was simply surprising that the man in front of him could detect this. When you think about it, it would be stupid to be angry.
"So, why are you here?"
"I'm here to talk to you."
"……with who?"
"Call Theon."
Natsumi's answer made Xion's eyes widen, and then he showed a slightly embarrassed expression.
"It's okay to talk while standing. Why don't you sit over here?"
Sitting on the bench, Theon patted the person next to him.
Xion did not escape, but planned to talk to Natsumi, which made Natsumi feel relieved. At the urging, Natsumi sat down on the bench.
Natsumi and Xion sat side by side on the bench, and three incredible beings took up a position opposite Xion, across Xion.
Three pairs of round eyes were hidden in the shadow of Xion's thighs, staring at Natsumi intently.
"Well, this black and round thing is..."
"Huh? My familiar...don't you know?"
Xion gently gave the instruction "line up" to the three statues, and the three statues would line up side by side.
A closer look shows that the three statues are almost identical in appearance but slightly different in size. They are arranged from left to right.
"These people are the ghosts that I regard as messengers. The largest from the left are, Hu, Hu, Mi."
"...The name is too complicated, right?"
"Re, Hu, Mi" are like serial numbers. Although I don’t know if there are genders, I think Ichiro, Jiro, and Saburo are much better.
"For them, the name I give them doesn't matter at all, the convenient name is the best."
I didn’t think that was the problem, but the three statues seemed to agree with Xion, shaking their bodies up and down with a nod.
They themselves seemed satisfied, so it was best not to say anything more.
"By the way, what do you want to tell me?"
"That, that..."
I have a lot to say.
I want to apologize properly once again, the apology that went unnoticed that day.
I want to ask him why he avoids Ji and the members of the Thirteenth Skill Class.
But there is one thing Natsumi should say to Xion most.
"Theon, thank you for protecting me from bad luck that day."
Originally this sentence should have been said earlier.
It feels sad to think that I forgot all about it that day because of my own assumptions and worst doubts.
"If Theon hadn't protected me, I would have died that day... Thank you very much."
Although there were other things he wanted to say, the gratitude he could finally express made him feel better.
"……nothing."
Xion, who had been listening to Natsumi, suddenly spoke.
"I don't want to do anything to be thankful for, that's what I want to do."
"Even so, I was saved. Let me say thank you."
"But……"
He felt strange about Theon who was biting tightly, but when he saw Theon whose cheeks were a little red, he found that he was a little shy.
She held on like this, probably to hide her shyness.
"My gratitude is the same as Theon's. I'm just doing what I want to do."
"...That's it. Then it's wrong of me to make irresponsible remarks."
"Well, that's what happened!"
As he said that, the two of them laughed in unison.
I expected the atmosphere to become more awkward, but the atmosphere between Xion and Natsumi was calm.
Nothing has changed from when he didn't know Theon's power.
(No, this has nothing to do with the beginning)
Even if Theon had supernatural powers, Theon Istar would not become another person.
He likes to look at the moon, sleep lazily on the bench, and has a bad mind. These are no different from the Theon Natsumi knows.
Natsumi finally noticed this natural thing.
"Also, I was smart and said something rude that day. I'm sorry."
"Ah... you really care about that."
Regarding the next apology, Xion looked a little helpless.
"I said you don't need to care...but will you care?"
"you?"
"The matter of the Chairman and Rice. They seem to care about it too... For me, it's enough to have the feeling of Brother Mitsuki."
"Feeling like a brother..."
Just like Halma, who never hides her hostility towards Theon, she doesn't know how to react even if she is told. Or what does it mean to actively want to be hostile?
"I thought you would apologize for this again, but you suddenly said thank you, which shocked me."
It’s hard to comment on Theon who laughed loudly as he spoke.
Xion seemed to have remembered something, showing an expression of sudden realization.
"By the way, I also want to ask you, how did you get here?"
Natsumi didn't understand what Xion's abrupt question meant.
"I didn't do anything, I just walked down the aisle normally..."
"Ah, no, I asked the wrong question. Did anything strange happen before you came here?"
"Strange thing?"
"For example, getting lost, or suddenly remembering something to do in a completely different place."
Natsumi felt strange about the specific example that Xion proposed, while shaking her head in denial.
Theon frowned and began to groan.
"I'm not sure... Is it any wonder that I can come here?"
Although I also think this question is strange, it is true that Theon in front of me can use supernatural powers.
Isn't there such a thing?
"...Actually, there is a way to drive people away from this observatory."
"Kick people away?"
"It literally means to keep people away - that is, no one can come near the designated place except those who are allowed to do so."
If a person without permission wants to go to a place where magic has been cast, there will be phenomena such as getting lost when the road is obviously the same, or suddenly remembering to go in the opposite direction.
"So, you were so surprised when you saw me?"
"You've obviously driven people away, but most people would be surprised because you're here."
Indeed, I can accept that.
In Xion's opinion, Natsumi definitely shouldn't be here right now.
"But why am I here?"
"...who knows?"
"correct……"
Theon looked at him in surprise at the overly complicated answer, but who was he?
"Well, it's common in legends and myths for humans to accidentally break into secret realms hidden by hands other than humans. It's like winning the lottery."
