ALL NOVEL chapter 131
131 – Diary 4
June 4, 525, Empire Year
19th day of special training.
It’s been five days since Johann Freya came to the classroom. Did I write something harsh about her in my diary during that time?
It’s not just because of Johann Freya, but also because of Hogo. What did we do during lunchtime that day? I can’t tell you.
Even if I ask, they just dodge the question. Well, it doesn’t matter anymore. Why?
Because Hogo finally agreed to have tea with me!
And it’s tomorrow! I don’t like it when they mention the date a day in advance,
Because tomorrow is the weekend! What’s the big deal about the weekend?
It’s a huge deal. If it were a weekday, I’d have to go to the academy and think about training, and I wouldn’t be able to have much fun. But on the weekend, I can play from morning till training time.
But what should I wear tomorrow? If I wear the same perfume and outfit that Hogo liked last time… No, I wore them once already, so I should wear something different this time.
The outfit… I can ask my mother to pick one from the ones she sent me, and the perfume… Hogo said they have a sensitive nose, so I’ll choose a light one.
Ah, I didn’t write about training today? Um… I worked hard today, too. That’s all.
You might think I’m writing too casually, but it’s all true. And soon, I’ll be able to touch Hogo.
I’ll stop here, and wonder what Hogo will wear tomorrow. I’ve only seen them in their school uniform with a red cloak, so I can’t imagine them in other clothes.
But no matter what they wear, they’ll look great, right? Their face… I don’t know well because of the mask, but their height and shoulders… They look good even in their school uniform.
—————
June 5, 525, Empire Year
20th day of special training.
I don’t even have the energy to write in my diary. It’s good, but it was too hard, both physically and mentally.
What happened, you ask?
There’s a lot to say, but let’s start from when I met Hogo this morning. If I describe what Hogo was wearing, anyone would be surprised.
Why? Because Hogo wore their school uniform, which is unbelievable! I prepared everything from my outfit to my hair and makeup, but Hogo looked the same as usual.
Of course, the school uniform suits them well… but! Can’t they wear something different? It looks like I’m the only one who expected that.
No, I’ll think about it later. Maybe I’ll see Hogo in different clothes someday.
I didn’t like that they wore their school uniform, but everything else was great. We ate at a restaurant I’d never been to, had tea at a scenic hill, and watched a play at the end.
Writing this down makes it seem ordinary, but that ordinariness was extremely comfortable and happy.
I wish every day could be like today.
I’ll stop writing about today’s events here.
Today, I remember every conversation I had with Hogo vividly. That’s why I won’t write it down. The reason I write in my diary is so that when I read it later, I can recall this moment and think, “This happened, too.”
No matter how much time passes, I’ll never forget what happened today… or rather, I won’t be able to forget.
———
June 11, 525, Empire Year
26th day of special training.
If I had to say what’s improved the most since training with Hogo, it would be my spiritual magic. Although I’ve reduced my training time, I’ve grown much faster.
Hogo said it’s because of my talent, but that’s nonsense. I’ve never thought I didn’t have talent, but I couldn’t have grown this fast without the mask.
Next to spiritual magic, my physical strength has improved the most. It’s incomparable to a month ago, and my training time has increased accordingly.
The more I think about it, the more regretful I feel, and I can’t sleep.
Today was really regretful. During training, I avoided all the skeleton’s attacks and could have grabbed Hogo with just one hand.
But then something suddenly popped out from under my feet! It was so small that I couldn’t see it well.
But still, it’s almost there. If I just focus on that small skull, I can really catch the hook!
Five days left. That’s enough time to analyze the small skull’s attack.
———–
June 15, 525 Imperial Year.
Last day of special training.
I finally did it! I finally dodged all the skulls’ attacks and reached the hook!
When I realized the small skull wasn’t the end, I was a bit… no, I was furious, but I finally succeeded.
Now that I think the training is over, I’m feeling all sorts of complicated emotions.
The tension of fighting Betz soon, the relief of finally getting my revenge, the anxiety of what if I lose, and the regret that I won’t be training with the hook anymore.
Of course, if I ask the hook to train with me, they’ll help, but it’ll be tough to do it every day like this.
Maybe writing this diary will be the last time too.
If I write a diary again in the future, I won’t write it in this diary.
…
…
Sepia said she wouldn’t write in this diary anymore, but there was another diary written in the back.
The handwriting was different from what was written in the diary so far, and it was colorful and scribbly, with even a drawing.
…
…
…
—————
December 9, 538 Imperial Year
Title: I Hate Cucumbers
Mom got angry because I don’t eat vegetables. Vegetables taste bad, especially cucumbers. But Mom says I have to eat them.
Mom says I have to eat vegetables to grow tall. So I asked her if I don’t have to eat them if I don’t grow tall, and Dad thought it was a great idea and patted my head.
Dad’s pats on the head always make me feel good.
But somehow, both Dad and I got scolded by Mom. I wonder why we got scolded?
I asked Dad, who was holding hands with me, and he said he didn’t know either. Ah! Maybe Mom wanted Dad to pat her head too?
I know everything. Mom likes getting pats on the head from Dad too.
I used up all my diary pages and went to Mom. Mom said she wouldn’t give me a new diary until I eat cucumbers. This is too much. I can give up on growing tall, but I can’t eat cucumbers.
But it’s okay. I have Dad, after all.
As expected, I was able to get a diary from Dad. The diary I got had someone else’s writing on the first page.
I’m curious about what’s written, but I didn’t look. Mom said it’s not allowed to sneak a peek at someone else’s diary.
[Drawing of a cucumber with an evil face]
[Drawing of a man with white hair holding hands with a child with light pink hair]
—————–
“Heh, heh, and again….”
It’s always fun to write in my diary while lying on the bed.
I wish Kiyō-ssi, Laki-ssi, and Kal-ssi could know this joy, but they prefer swords and magic to writing diaries.
“……….!”
“Give me back my diary! It’s mine!”
Ah! My mom suddenly took away the diary I was writing in. This is clearly theft. Dad said that theft is bad.
“Api, where did you get this diary?”
Where did I get this diary? It’s obvious, of course.
“Did Dad give it to you?”
“What? No… I mean, why is this here… Api, did you read what’s written in this diary?”
“No. It’s bad to read someone else’s diary without permission.”
“Sigh… I’m confiscating this.”
It’s sad and frustrating. My mom took away the diary I worked hard to get.
It’s clear that my mom enjoys seeing me suffer and struggle.
“Hehe, that’s something Dad gave you. Haha! Mom won’t even give you a diary. Api, you got it yourself… Haha!”
“Api? Is Mom sorry? Yes? I’ll give you a new diary right away. So let’s forget about it?”
“……Yeah.”
Although I’m sad about the diary I wrote, a new diary is better than someone else’s.
“Api, wait for a bit. I have something to tell Dad.”
My mom patted my head and left the room. She’s probably going to see Dad now.
It won’t be long before Mom scolds Dad.
It’s always fun to see Dad get scolded by Mom. Even when Dad uses his special move, “pat-pat,” and Mom gets angry, it’s entertaining.
In those cases, Dad lifts up his bangs and hugs Mom tightly, and Mom’s anger disappears quickly.
I like it when Dad lifts up his bangs. But Mom says it’s not allowed because she made an agreement with other moms.
I’m still young, so I don’t understand what that means.
“….What… Why…”
Ah, it’s already started. If this continues, I might not get to see Dad lift up his bangs again. He always lifts up his bangs when there are no maids around.
That’s a different problem.
“Let’s go, let’s go!”
– Zip!
– Thud!