Our Stories

➤ Epilogue - Iochi Mari

\\\\\/////

"Hup..." Your silent grunt was outmatched by the thunderous cheers of the crowd. After you gently dropped the stack of brown cardboard boxes filled with supplies with the rest of the provision stock, you took another glance at the earsplitting bunch. "How lively..." You gently chuckled before looking toward the race track where your students were competing.

Kivotos Kourin Taisai. A massive sports event organized by Millennium Academy, attended by academies both big and small that resided in this city. It was held in a gigantic stadium designed to host a large-scale event such as this. And as the one who had connections with every single institution that participated in this, it was obvious that you would be called in to help.

Well, no complaint here, since you could see your students smiling in joy as a result of your sleepless days of preparation.

Right now, you were watching your students from the sideline, spared from the glare of the afternoon sun underneath a blue canopy, leisurely sitting on a chair. The canopy was located some distance away from the center of the stadium, giving you some time alone. 

"Yeah, this is how it should be." You mutter to no one in particular, satisfied with... everything, you supposed. You slightly twitched, sensing a presence near you, but you quickly calmed down, knowing who it was.

Yet, that was not the only reason you calmed down relatively quickly. Usually, you would remain on guard for a few more seconds, before letting it crumble away. But it's different now. It was as if you instinctively knew that you were safe. It's that subtle fragrance in the air that could calm you down in a split second.

The smell of a white lily.

"Thank you for your work, Sensei." Her gentle voice stood out amidst the earsplitting rumble from the audience. A small smile made its way onto your face as you turned to her. "Likewise, Mari." You greeted her amicably, seeing a similar smile on her face as she held out a water bottle for you. "Thank you."

Mari was one of the committee members from Trinity. Her task was to handle the distribution of provisions and help the medical committee, along with other menial tasks. Knowing her kindness, you knew that she was just glad to be able to help with the ongoing event. You gave her a glance, noticing her current attire that matched the zestful air in the stadium.

She wore a dark blue tracksuit with white accents along the sleeves and the edges of her clothes. A Trinity symbol was etched on the left chest of the tracksuit. She still wore that white lily ornament that easily caught your attention on her hair, complemented by a white ribbon tied around her head. She carried a white bag filled with supplies just so she could be ready to help at any time.

And the most prominent feature of her right now was the ponytail that she adorned. If you had to be really honest... you really liked it. It... showed her cute face even more so than usual.

She dragged a chair and settled it beside you, relieving herself of the hefty bag before sitting down. She gave a tired huff as she took a sip from the water bottle she was carrying. "Tired?" You asked. "Ah, um... yes, a bit, Sensei." She giggled. "I have been helping out here and there."