11. Go beyond your loneliness (Pixiv Fanbox)

Four days had passed since we first heard about the Culture Festival. Our classes had begun as well, but with the Culture Festival just around the corner, the excitement was tangible. As we made preparations for the festival, both during breaks and after school, it certainly did feel as though we were growing closer together.

―Well, aside from one of us.

“…”

Simone was clearly ostracized even as she continued to draw our poster. Our other classmates had long since formed groups to work on their tasks together, but it seemed that no one wanted to work with Simone. Lily-sama, Mei, and I were there to look out for her, but we felt embarrassed we were unable to do more. Simone didn’t particularly seem to feel down about her situation, but even so, as the class representative, I didn’t feel like this was something that I should tolerate. I couldn’t help but feel that Simone’s back, harboring the small wings that she’s forced to hide, looked a little lonely.

“Simone, do you mind if I work here too?”

“Alea… Doesn’t make a difference to me.”

“Thank you.”

Even as I sat myself next to her, Simone showed no pause and continued to work on the poster. Taking a look, Simone had drawn a cute cat arranged next to words written in a bubbly font. This would no doubt make a lovely poster for our café.

“You’re rather talented, Simone.”

“Not really… This isn’t anything special. I’m pretty sure anyone could draw a poster like this.”

“That’s not true. To the very least, I wouldn’t be able to.”

“…You think so?“

For just a moment, Simone turned my way, but she quickly reverted her gaze to her hands and focused on her work.

“Is there anything you need help with? If needed, I’ll ask some of the other girls too.”

“It’s fine. This was my idea, so I’ll see it through to the end.”

“All by yourself?”

“I mean the other girls are all busy with their own tasks, right?”

I knew that Simone was aware that all of that was just a pretense. While everyone had been assigned their own task, some of those tasks were more or less involved than others. Girls who had completed their own task were either just burning time or moved on to help someone else. While drawing posters may sound simple, considering how many posters we’d need, it was no doubt a lot of work. To do all of that alone would be, putting it lightly, tedious.

“You know, I think I will ask some of the others―”

“What? This pity or something? ‘Cuz if so, stop. Nothing frustrates me more.”

Cutting me off, Simone’s emotions came off strong.

“It only makes sense that the other girls don’t really approach me. Besides, at least it’s not like before where they’d yell at me and insult me. I’m sure everyone out there has someone, maybe a couple of people, they don’t want to go out of their way to approach. I just happen to be that someone for pretty much everyone. That’s all.”

“Isn’t that exactly what it means to be ostracized?”

“I have demonic blood flowing through my veins and the demons have a long history of harming people. That’s just an irrefutable fact… That’s why things have to be like this.”

It sounded like… more than anyone else, Simone was trying to convince herself of that.

“T-That’s not true, Simone-chan.”

“Lily-sama…”

It appeared that Lily-sama too had been listening in. At some point, Lily-sama too had come to sit next to Simone and, unusual for her, chose to object against Simone’s words.

“Just what did I get wrong then, Lily?”

“I-, I mean… Those transgressions were done by the demons and monsters in the past, not you. T-That’s why, S-Simone-chan, there’s no reason that you should face ostracization here and now.”

Lily-sama’s earnesty came through as she spoke. Perhaps because she herself had spent so long fighting those very demons and monsters, she could lament Simone’s current situation.

“Thank you, Lily-sama, you’re very kind. But really, there’s not really much that can be done anyway. I just have to believe and wait that it’ll get better with time.”

“S-Simone-chan… are you… really okay with that…?”

“No, I’m not, but I don’t think there’s any other option.”

With that, Simone forced a very obvious smile.

“… Nope, I don’t like this one bit.”

“Wha?”

“… Alea?”

“W-What are you going to do, Alea-chan?”

After letting out a low whisper, I went straight for the class podium. Taking a deep breath, I faced the rest of the class and clapped my hands to grab their attention.

“Anyone. Is anyone available to help Simone with her posters?”

Glaring at my classmates, I directed my gaze toward each and every one of them individually. When I made eye contact, they each averted their gaze.

“No one? Even though you’re classmates. Even though you’ll be sharing the next couple of years of your life here at the academy. Even though she’s troubled and needs a hand?”

“A-! Alea! I’ll be fine, so!”

“No, Simone. You just stay quiet.”

When Simone rushed in to try and gloss things over, I flatly shot her down before continuing.

“Sure. Simone is part demon. But really, why are you all making it out to be such a big deal? Is that really such a big problem that you can’t even consider becoming her friend?”

No matter where she came from, Simone was now a fellow student, studying alongside us at this academy. I couldn’t stand that despite that, she was being treated this way, and I was going to make that clear.

“Wouldn’t it be fine if you just became her friend then?”

Someone in the class said that. Maybe they wanted to say that I was free to think and do whatever I wanted, but that they didn’t want to get dragged into it.

“I am already friends with Simone. However, that’s not enough. So long as our class continues to cautiously tiptoe around Simone like this, she will never truly be free of this sense of alienation.”

I didn’t see this as a problem that could be reduced to something just between individuals.

“But come on, you can’t expect everyone to get along. Isn’t that just lip service? I think you need to be realistic.”

“That’s exactly it!”

I recalled the words that my mother Claire had often spoken.

“That is exactly what my mother, Claire François, once described as fleeing from one’s ideals in order to escape to reality. It’s true that our world is rife with inequality. Things aren’t always fair, or just. Sometimes, you have no choice but to compromise. However―

However, I didn’t believe this was one of those times.

“Here, now, in our classroom, is the idea of becoming Simone’s friend really so repulsive? Do you find friendship with her so irreconcilable that you must content yourself with reality and compromise? Becoming her friend―is it really so much to ask? Are we as a generation really so powerless and obstinate?”

We were all still children, that was true. However, I believed that even as children, we were mature enough that we didn’t need to forsake Simone.

“But you know, Simone’s not doing herself any favors. She’s the one that’s put walls around herself.”

“That’s… Yeah, you’re right, I’m sorry.”

When that comment slipped out from one of our classmates, Simone openly apologized. For a while Simone’s head hung low, but before long she lifted her gaze. Then, appearing to have decided on something, she came to stand next to me and faced the rest of the class.

“I had it all wrong. I mean, this really isn’t something that Alea should be saying for me. This is my problem, and something that I need to do for myself.”

With that, Simone bowed deeply.

“I knew that you all had reservations. Of course you would. I mean, I’m half demon. But you know, I used that as an excuse to give up without even trying. I never gave any of you a chance, I just assumed the worst while playing the victim. I’m really, really sorry.”

“… Hey wait, that’s not…!”

“Simone, you don’t have to bow like that…”

“No, I mean it, I’m sorry!”

Simone stood there, maintaining her bow.

“I’ve definitely been distancing myself from the rest of you, but that stops now. I had more or less given up, but since I’m in this class with you all and got this chance, I’d really like it if we could be friends. Of course I understand that might not be possible with everyone here, but if you feel like you’d be okay giving it a try, I’d like it if we could be friends!”

Maybe getting caught up in the momentum, Simone’s words spilled out one after another. She then stood up straight before finally,

“Now, starting over, my name is Simone Orso. Right now, I’m in the middle of drawing posters for the Culture Festival. There’s a lot to do, is anyone free to help?”

Reintroducing herself, Simone gave everyone a smile. While her smile was still somewhat forced, I didn’t feel that it was entirely fake anymore either.

“… My name’s Yuria. I’m really not that great at coloring, but I think I can help with the sketch.”

The girl who timidly raised her hand and offered to help was Yuria, the girl who had been attacked by the large snake on the day of our entrance ceremony.

“Oh come on! What’s with the long faces! We’re preparing for the Culture Festival you know!? We should be having fun! Ah, my name is Dolores by the way!”

“You know… Suddenly it feels dumb that I made such a big deal out of it this whole time~ I’ll help color. Where should I start?”

“Ah, uhm, here…”

“Woah! Why’s everyone gettin’ all sappy!? It’s like, totes the springtime of our lives!”

Girls in our class who felt that they could accept Simone as their friend began to appear. First one, then the next. Of course, not everyone gave Simone a chance, but the atmosphere of the class was clearly much better than before.

“… I guess I didn’t really need to say anything after all.”

Looking at Simone now, I was sure that whether sooner or later, she would’ve been able to do this exact same thing. Perhaps all this time, I had just been sticking my nose where it didn’t belong.

“… No, I don’t think so.”

“Oh, Mei?”

“… You were the one who made this opportunity for her. If you didn’t do that, it’s possible that she would’ve just put up with things for her next three years at the academy. I think you can be proud of what you did.”

“… Hehe, thank you for saying that Mei.”

Having been praised so openly by Mei, I couldn’t help but blush a little.

“Hey~! You’re the one that brought this up, you come help too!”

“Of course, I’ll be right there!”

As I responded, I could just feel it. The sense that my time at the academy with this class would be wonderful.