I headed toward the Gardening Club.
Throughout the summer vacation, I’d handled nearly all the maintenance myself. Since the other members were busy with their duties as nobles, I’d stepped up to take over the work.
While I was away at my family home, Dina-senpai and Rebecca-senpai had also visited to handle tasks like watering the plants and changing the fertilizer.
With summer vacation nearing its end, many of the club members hadn't yet returned to the dormitory. Thus, as was my routine, I unlocked the door to tend to the greenery and clean the room.
Dina-senpai had told me that the room was always kept tidy and didn’t require cleaning every single time, but I still made sure to do the bare minimum.
Broom in hand, I swept the faint traces of dust and grit into a single pile, gathered them into the dustpan, and emptied them into the bin.
I tied the trash bag, took it out to the disposal area, and figured that today’s activities were concluded—until I felt a strange sense of dissonance.
—Was the bookshelf out of place?
It was little more than an intuition.
Normally, I wouldn't have given it a second thought; I would have simply ignored it. But for some reason, it nagged at me. I walked over and stood before the shelf.
"...The position itself hasn't changed."
I crouched down. There, I found faint dragging marks on the floor.
Looking closer, I also spotted the remnants of ink stains.
"Wait, this is..."
I spoke aloud to organize my thoughts.
Dragging marks beneath the bookshelf. Traces of ink.
Though they had been wiped clean, from this distance, it was clear that ink had once been spilled here.
Then I recalled Rebecca-senpai’s behavior.
On that day... when I’d entered the room, she had rushed out as if she were trying to hide something. And what had remained? Traces of ink.
"There is definitely something going on here."
Like a detective, I began my investigation to solve the mystery.
The first thing that caught my attention was the bookshelf itself. Why were there dragging marks? Dragging implied that someone was physically moving the shelf.
Could it be...?
Based on my past experiences, my mind went straight to hidden doors. During the Far East Campaign, I’d discovered numerous secret passages while on missions. The possibility that a hidden room lay behind this shelf was not zero.
With that in mind, I first tried to move the bookshelf by sheer strength, but...
"...It won't budge. Is it locked by a mechanism?"
I could have forced it if I went all out—or rather, if I intended to destroy it—but I obviously couldn't do that. Instead, I pulled several books from the shelf to inspect the interior.
If someone was using this on a daily basis, I could likely rule out the men. At present, I was the only male allowed in the Gardening Club.
That meant if I searched at a height consistent with a woman’s reach...
"Found it. I see."
I discovered a trace of sorcery, not on the top of the shelf, but tucked into the right corner of the middle section. it was shaped like a hexagram. It would likely activate if I channeled Prima Materia into it.
I flowed a small amount of Prima Materia into the seal.
Rumble, rumble, rumble—
With a low groan, the bookshelf began to rotate.
"Stairs?"
Hidden behind the shelf was a staircase—one that descended deep into the basement. Only darkness lay ahead. Normally, one would hesitate to enter such a place.
However, curiosity was currently getting the better of me. Furthermore, there was a chance this led to something dangerous.
I couldn't allow my seniors in the Gardening Club to be exposed to a potential threat.
With a sense of duty, I began my descent.
◇
"Is there no light? It’s quite dim..."
As I made my way down, I noticed a faint light flickering below. Someone was definitely using this place regularly. Soon enough, I reached a dead end.
Rather than a simple wall, however, there was a door. It had a keyhole, suggesting it might be locked.
"Let's see..."
I tried the doorknob, just in case.
With a soft clack, the door swung open. It hadn't been locked after all.
And then, a sight greeted my eyes—
"Oh? Is that you, Dina-san? I thought you weren't coming today... Huh? Eh?"
The room was bright.
Unlike the dim staircase, the interior was well-lit. It was furnished with an L-shaped desk and several chairs.
Documents were strewn across the desk, and sitting right in front of them... was a woman.
A senior I knew well, and to whom I owed a great deal.
"Rebecca-senpai?"
The reason I asked it as a question was simple.
Senpai was dressed in a casual red outfit that looked like pajamas, and she was wearing a pair of glasses I’d never seen her use.
Her hair was tied back in a messy bun, a far cry from the perfectly groomed and beautiful Rebecca-senpai I usually saw.
Still, the underlying features were the same.
The person before me was undoubtedly Rebecca-senpai.
But why was she in a place like this?
Stunned, Rebecca-senpai stood up so abruptly that her chair scraped against the floor. As she scrambled, a single sheet of paper fluttered through the air and landed at my feet.
I picked it up and scanned the contents.
"A cartoon? No, is this... Manga?"
It was a well-known fact that books had spread across the world thanks to the advent of movable type printing. However, I recalled that something called "Manga" had recently emerged in the public eye.
Supposedly, it involved drawing illustrations and adding dialogue to them. I wasn't particularly well-versed in that culture, though I remembered Carol owning a few books of that nature.
The drawing on this page depicted two men embracing each other passionately. There was even dialogue.
"'I've loved you for a long, long time...'? Rebecca-senpai, what is this?"
"U-Uwaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!!"
Rebecca-senpai dashed toward me and violently snatched the paper out of my hand.
"Hah... hah... hah..."
She was breathing heavily. It wasn't just from the exertion of the dash; she was clearly and visibly shaken.
"Senpai, what is the meaning of this? This room... and what you’re doing... could it be...?"
"Ugh! N-No, you’ve got it wrong, Ray-san! There’s a reason! I have a perfectly good reason for this!!"
"And that would be?"
"Ah... um... ugh... Since you've seen this much, I suppose I have no choice but to tell you."
Her shoulders slumped as she collapsed back into her chair. She gestured for me to take the other seat, and I sat down as invited.
"First... well, where should I begin?"
"What exactly is this room?"
"This room? Well, it’s a secret chamber that's been here for a long time. Apparently, the very first President of the Gardening Club built it because there were certain plants he wanted to cultivate in private..."
"I see. And now you’re the one using it, Rebecca-senpai?"
"W-Well... yes. I am. But..."
Senpai looked down, her face turning a deep crimson. It wasn't just her cheeks; even her ears were flushed red. Was what she was doing really that shameful?
Personally, I felt nothing but respect for Rebecca-senpai for pursuing artistic endeavors.
"This room is passed down between the Gardening Club Presidents, sort of... but it hasn't really been used for a long time."
"Then why are you using it now?"
"T-That’s...!!"
"Is it to work on your Manga?"
"Ugh... y-yes... that’s right..."
"Do you not do this at home? If you’re drawing Manga, wouldn't your house be more comfortable than this basement?"
"That’s... it’s embarrassing. And if my family found out, well... it would be a problem. So I do it here, in secret... yeah..."
"I see. So that’s how it is."
She clearly had her circumstances. I could vaguely grasp the situation. I suppose showing one's creative works to others could carry a certain degree of embarrassment.
As I pondered this, my eyes were drawn to the pile of papers she had gathered.
"D-Don't look!"
Rebecca-senpai cried out in a panic. However, I truly wanted to see more. That single page had piqued my interest.
"Is it not allowed? The illustration I saw earlier was magnificent. You’re incredible, Senpai. I had no idea you were so gifted in the arts. I truly admire you."
"W-Well... did you really think it was good?"
"Yes. It was wonderful. I may be ignorant of the arts, but it still managed to strike a chord with me. I occasionally appreciate paintings, but I’ve never really encountered Manga before. To think you’re the one creating this... I'm simply lost in admiration."
"H-Heh... Actually, the theme is romance."
"What! A romance Manga? I've read romance novels before, but never a romance Manga. Please, I would love to see it!"
"Ah, well... there’s a bit of a problem with that."
"What is it?"
Senpai fidgeted, her body swaying slightly as she peered up at me with upturned eyes.
Then, her eyes moistening, she whispered.
"I-It’s romance between two men!"
"Between men?"
"Y-Yes. I-It’s weird, isn't it? Ahaha... I’m sorry. Please, just pretend you never heard—"
"Senpai."
"Hyai!"
I reached out and gently took her trembling hands in mine.
"I am understanding of same-sex love. In my previous station, there were people who loved those of the same gender. Besides, I would never think someone's hobby is 'weird.' You love this, don't you, Rebecca-senpai? I would never reject something someone loves out of hand. When it comes to romance, gender is a trivial matter. As long as there is true love, isn't that enough?"
"Ray-san..."
Her eyes were still wavering, but the anxiety from before had vanished. In its place, I saw a flicker of something like hope.
"Alright! In that case, please read it!"
Senpai handed me the stack of papers. Her hands were still shaking.
I accepted them with a warm smile.
"I will look through them with pleasure."
Flip. I turned the first page.
Silence.
An overwhelming silence dominated the room.
I focused intensely on the Manga Rebecca-senpai had drawn. It was exactly as she had said: a romance between men. But I understood immediately. While the characters were indeed both male, what was depicted here was undoubtedly pure, heartfelt love.
Despite their feelings for each other, they couldn't take the final step because of their genders.
Yet, in the end, they confessed their feelings and were united. It was a conclusion reached only after overcoming countless internal conflicts.
By the time I reached the final page, I was completely immersed in the story and the beautiful artwork.
"Phew..."
"H-How was it?"
Rebecca-senpai asked, her hands clenched tight.
Naturally, I gave her my honest impression.
"It’s magnificent!"
"Eh?"
"This is incredible, Senpai! I’m genuinely moved! It’s a completely different form of entertainment than text-only novels. Because the character's expressions are visualized in Manga, the emotions are so much easier to grasp! Senpai, this is amazing!"
That was my sincere feeling.
Rebecca-senpai’s art was exceptionally skillful, and the story’s structure was brilliant. I realized right then and there that she was someone who could stand at the very pinnacle of the artistic world.
"R-Really?"
"Yes! It’s fantastic! Your art is beautiful, of course, but the way you structured the narrative is superb. You expressed the characters' inner turmoil so well... It’s presumptuous of an amateur like me to judge, but I was simply moved."
"E-Ehehe? I-Is that so? You liked it?"
"I did! You should publish this! Let’s go negotiate with a publisher right now! Leave it to me—I have quite a bit of confidence in my negotiation skills!"
Caught up in the excitement, I tried to march out of the basement, but Rebecca-senpai grabbed me by the collar and yanked me back.
"W-Wait!"
"Oops... my apologies. I seem to have gotten a bit carried away..."
"No, it’s fine. I was just... so happy to hear that. Actually, I have another one that’s already been bound. It’s just a simple version, though."
"What! Truly?"
"And... well, tomorrow there’s a Sales Event being held in the Kingdom. It’s a secret, invitation-only thing... not open to the general public."
"I see, I see."
"So, if it’s okay with you... would you mind helping me out?"
"! Do you mean you’d like me to help you sell them?"
"Yes. Dina-san can't make it tomorrow, so I was planning to go by myself, but... I’m still a little nervous."
"Leave it to me! I would be honored to assist. I’m more than happy to help with your wonderful artistic activities, Senpai."
"Really!?"
In an instant, a radiant smile broke across Rebecca-senpai’s face.
I had seen her smile before, but I had never seen her beam with such pure, unadulterated joy. She must have been incredibly happy.
In that case, I would provide her with my utmost support.
For the sake of the senior I respected, I would do whatever it took.
"Rebecca-senpai!"
"Yes!"
"Let’s do our best together!"
"Right! Here we go... Ready, set..."
Hooray!
And so, we were set to attend the secret Manga Sales Event held within the Kingdom.