Anything for You III / Locked Away

Four days after our meeting with Professor Seris, the suspected murderer was found and captured in the western city of Amondei. In order to restore morale among the students of the academy, many details of the case were then made public, including the suspected motives of the killer and the presumed crimes perpetrated by his victims.

After the news came out, the academy was whipped into a frenzy. Some students celebrated the sudden turn of events, seeing these developments as a return to normalcy, with both the internal and external threats to their safety dealt with. Others grappled with conflicted feelings, unsure of how to reconcile their mourning with the allegations of their peers’ treachery.

And as the Inheritors, the centerpieces of this ordeal, we were sandwiched between it all.

“Headmaster Amund wishes to speak with you and the others. Please head to his office after class.”

I had already been on edge when Professor Seris delivered that message earlier, and my apprehension remained as Mara, Akio, and I departed together after his period ended, beginning our journey to the administrative offices.

“So d’you think it’ll be good or bad news?” Akio asked.

“Hard to say,” Mara replied, “but since it’s the headmaster leading this meeting, that probably means it’s something important.”

Up until now, all of our information regarding the internal affairs of the academy had been leaked to us via Professor Seris, so this being an official meeting was already a positive in my book. I didn’t doubt their intentions, but the lack of transparency wasn’t doing us any favors.

“Everett!” As we turned the final corner, I spotted Shina, who called and waved to me. She stood outside the headmaster’s office with Kerne and Fleur at her sides.

“Ah, come on, Shina. I know how special he is to you, but you could at least say ‘hi’ to the rest of us.” Mara teased her as we approached.

“Th-that’s not…” Shina petered out before even trying to make an excuse. “H-hi Mara. Hi Akio.”

Ever since Mara and I had made amends, she’d started acting friendlier with Shina, too. In retrospect, I could understand why it had been hard on her to watch us grow close, but I was happy that things were healing between them.

“Yo, Kerne, do you know anything about this? We’re completely clueless,” Akio said as he came to a stop next to the others.

“I do not.”

“Yeah, figured. But if anyone knew something, it’d be you. You’re like… the dad of the group, you know? Stuffy and strict, but also all wise and stuff.”

Kerne looked equally confused and disturbed by Akio’s comment, emotions which flared up further as Shina nodded in agreement.

“A-at least say ‘older brother’ or something…”

Before Kerne could complete his appeal, the rhythmic tapping of shoes against stone called our attention back to the hall. A moment later, two figures appeared past the corner: Professor Seris, who nodded to greet us, and…

“Vandan?”

The seventh Inheritor had always been flaky and inconsistent, and I’d never seen him show for something like a meeting. The look on his face made it clear he didn’t want to be here, but he proceeded forward anyway.

“This better not take long, Seris,” he hissed.

The professor ignored him and approached the large wooden door, striking it with a metal knocker affixed to the center. “Everyone has arrived, Headmaster,” he called out.

“Come in,” a voice replied.

As Professor Seris pulled open the heavy door, he quickly whispered to us, “I did what I could. Though this compromise is quite lenient, I apologize for being unable to remove your shackles entirely.”

Though his message was cryptic, as his words often were, it gave me a good guess as to what this meeting was about. I steeled myself as I marched inside with my comrades.

“Welcome, Inheritors,” Headmaster Amund began. “I wish the circumstances surrounding this meeting were not so strained, but such things are beyond our control.”

“Screw the pleasantries,” Vandan spat. “Get on with it.”

Although I would never match this attitude, I did share the sentiment. Though Professor Seris’s words implied the worst had been avoided, anxiety was still building in my chest with each second that passed.

Headmaster Amund, reading the apprehension in the room, obliged his command. “Very well. Given recent events, it has become clear that the safety of the Inheritors cannot be guaranteed by the academy if nothing changes. Although this most recent threat has been dealt with, and our internal security has been amplified considerably in its wake, our protection only exists while you remain within the academy’s walls. As such, the faculty of Fordin Academy has made an important decision: from today, and until further notice, none of you are allowed to exit campus grounds under any circumstances.”

That’s…

I let out a sigh of relief. From my perspective, it was barely a restriction at all. I had been bracing for far worse, so this practically came as good news.

Shina and I only head out into town once every week or two, so this won’t really—

“W-wait, Headmaster!” Shina let out a panicked squeak, much to my surprise. “What about the Trivune Festival? It’s barely a week away. That’s an exception, right?”

Headmaster Amund shook his head. “I am sorry. The timing is inopportune, but we cannot secure the entire town of Fordin in such a short time, especially not when the event will bring in visitors from all across the region. It is simply too dangerous.”

Shina was dumbfounded, the emotion in her expression melting from shock to grief. Mara, Fleur, and Akio also began to hurl protests against the decision, but I found myself too focused on Shina to pay them any mind.

From what I recalled, Trivune was a major holiday in this world, and it was celebrated each year in the form of a large public festival. I could understand why some people would look forward to an event like that, but not a shy introvert like Shina. It seemed more like the kind of thing we’d both shoot down after Akio or Mara brought it up.

And yet, the look of despair on her face tore a hole in my heart. She looked like she might burst into tears at any moment, and the pain of seeing that anguish was almost more than I could handle.

“Shi—”

“Is that all?” Vandan cut through everyone’s words to assert his impatience.

The headmaster nodded. “It is, but be prepared for further measures to be taken in the future, should doing so become necessary. You may leave now if you wish.”

Vandan grunted and marched out of the room, disinterested in the conversation.

Then, before I realized it, Shina dashed out herself, slipping through a crack in the door before it closed shut.

“Shina!?” I called out after her, but she was already gone.

Crap!

“I’ll see you guys later.” I muttered a farewell to the others and ran after the little mage.

Or, at least, I tried to.

Where the hell did she go!? Since when was she this fast?

Shina’s physical endurance was average at best; she couldn’t have gone far, yet I struggled to find her as I looked down the adjacent halls.

Where would she have gone?

I racked my brain, trying to think as I sprinted through the long stone corridors of Fordin Academy.

My room? No. She doesn’t have a key.

Hers? It’s too far. She’d have to take a break, so I would’ve found her already.

Finally realizing where exactly on campus I was, the answer struck me.

That nerd!

In no less than 30 seconds, Leon’s spectacular swiftness had transported me toward and through the library doors.

I had a specific spot in mind: a small corner she loved to frequent, tucked within a low-traffic area that offered her privacy when she wanted to read in peace without having to lug books all the way to one of our rooms.

I recalled the bashful yet excited smile on her face when she first showed it to me.

I don’t want her to be so sad. Not there. Not in a place that special to her. At least, not alone.

“Shina!” I called her name between breaths as I turned the final corner.

“E-Everett?” She was sitting on the ground, holding her knees to her chest. It was obvious she had been crying. “H-how did you…?”

“Are you alright?” I asked a stupid question as I approached and slid down next to her. “You really scared me for a bit. I was worried about you.”

“I’m sorry,” she replied, her tears seeming to let up. “I didn’t want to cry in front of everyone, so I needed to go somewhere else as fast as I could.”

“They wouldn’t have judged you for that, dummy…” I said, trying to comfort her.

I knew I should have tact about how I proceeded with this, but I didn’t know how. I wasn’t that eloquent or charismatic, so I found myself with no other choice but to be direct about it.

“Is the Trivune Festival important to you?”

Wiping her face, she shook her head. “Not particularly.”

“Huh? I don’t get it then. Why—”

“In the past, I never found it to be very fun, and it was nerve-racking to be surrounded by so many people. But… I’ve always dreamed of going to one with friends. All the things I hated before, that I thought were boring or a waste of time, seemed like they’d be a lot of fun to do with someone else. And now… I finally made some. I finally have some friends.”

“Shina?” Her tears had started up again.

“I know it’s dumb and childish. I know. But I was really looking forward to it, you know? I really… really…” More water streaked down her face, and she stopped speaking.

That’s not childish, Shina.

I grabbed her hand, holding it in the hope that it would bring her aching heart some solace.

You have a right to look forward to something like that, and a right to be mad or sad when it’s taken from you.

I could understand her pain, but I refused to accept it. I refused to let her suffer.

I don’t know what I can do… but I swear I’ll find a way to make your dream come true, Shina.

I squeezed her hand as I made my vow.