Editing BlazBlue:Phase Shift 1 Chapter 1 (section)

===Part 4===

The school cafeteria in the Mages' Guild's academy. Although it didn't have the capacity to accommodate the whole student body, it was a wide open place that could manage the majority of them.

From the large windows, the scenery of courtyard and soft sunshine came into eyes without restraint. Since today was such a clear day, one would briefly forget that this place was part of a school.

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With plenty of variety in the menu and even an installed television which was broadcasting news, every day, the place would be filled with a great number of students during the noon recess.

Kazuma was also one of the students who liked to go to this cafeteria. Occupying alone the table close to the wall which was a bit separated from the crowd, he was about to finish eating the daily special Lunch C.

During the days when he had classes, Kazuma's lunch would always be this menu. There were two reasons. First, it was bothersome to think about what to order for every single thing. The other one... a hard-boiled egg was include in the special lunch C.

Kazuma by no means was a gourmet. He was also not particularly strict in his diet.

However, it's just that the hard-boiled egg was special.

Looks, taste, simplicity. There was nothing to complain about any of them. There was salad and a hot sandwich placed in the plate, but the hard-boiled egg was the true main course for Kazuma.

"Well then..."

He had already finished eating the cuisine which had filled his plate, with the exception of the hard-boiled egg he had saved for last.

First things first was to taste the black tea and immediately put it back. Next was to take the smooth texture of that object into his hands.

To ensure its contents would not become damaged, he gently hit it on the table's edge several times. As the white shell started to get numerous cracks, he carefully peeled it with his thumbs.

And finally after the bouncy hard-boiled egg appeared, Kazuma, quite satisfied, raised it to his mouth.

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"Beautiful..." 

It was an undoubtedly a perfect shape.

There was nothing special to it and Kazuma didn't have any goal in doing this. Every day, this precise time probably was the time he looked forward the most.

Picking up the salt that was provided for the table, Kazuma lightly sprinkled it to the smooth white skin of the egg. First, he would get a mouthful... and so as he thought. It was during that moment.

"Why, if it isn't Kazuma-san."

"Ah...?"

Toward the voice, which came from out of nowhere, Kazuma turned his head with his mouth half-opened.

Standing there was a platinum blonde girl wearing round eye-glasses. The gentle atmosphere wasn't overflowing from the voice only, but also from her whole body.

Kazuma recognized the girl who had cream sauce pasta in her tray.

"Oh my, Trinity-san. Having lunch now?"

"Yes. I had a little errand today."

She was a female student from the same class as him. For the uniform, beside the mantle, you could choose any robe. Although she was often wearing the latter, she usually put on the hood as if to hold down her soft hair.

Like a child wondering if she was a witch coming out from a fairy-tale, Kazuma believed that he frequently saw her.

There were two other people stood behind Trinity. A beautiful female classmate with her long hair flowing over her back and a short girl with her hair bundled up at a high position. 

Kazuma also knew about the beautiful girl. She was his classmate just like Trinity.

Her name was Konoe Mercury. Presently, she wasn't a stranger among the academy. She was a rare prodigy who got selected as a Ten Sage even when she was a student.

But the other pony-tailed girl was a new face. The girl's face peeked from behind Trinity.

"Hm? A friend of Trinity-san? Good afternoon."

Her huge eyes looked straight at Kazuma without reservation. Their gaze met.

That moment, the chill he had vaguely felt until now suddenly intensified. His hair stood on its end.

He didn't know the cause. For some reason, he could not return the gaze of the pupils which were facing him. Kazuma averted his eyes as if he had succumbed to her strength.

"Aah, err. Hello."

He barely answered with a faint voice.

Suspicious at that, Konoe Mercury glanced.

"Who's this? Your acquaintance?"

Since she flung the remark over her shoulder, Trinity's face became troubled.

"What do you mean by who? He's Kazuma Kuvaru. Isn't he in the same class as you, Kono... Nine?"

"He's in our class? I didn't know."

"O-Onee-chan, just how impolite you are!? I'm sorry, Kazuma-san. Onee-chan's bad at remembering people's names..."

As she placed the plate containing spaghetti bolognese, the ponytailed girl proficiently bowed her head.

Taking a few seconds to be aware of the gesture which was addressed at him, Kazuma, late in coming to his senses, hurriedly shook his head. This situation of having three different types of girls standing while looking at him was completely overwhelming.

"N-no... Don't worry about it."

After Kazuma replied, the face of the pony-tailed girl suddenly turned into a smile. The very picture of carefree and innocent of an expression made Kazuma astonished again.

At the same time, he felt another indescribable discomfort accompanied with chills that ran through his spine.

"Nice to meet you. I'm Celica A. Mercury. You're Onee-chan's classmate, right? Thanks for always taking care of my sister."

A voice like the sound of a blooming flower. The tone of voice and expression had to be the characteristic of this girl called Celica.

Rather than envy... he felt a little dislike. Particularly to this girl.

"He didn't take care of me. We've never spoken after all. I didn't even notice his presence."

"Ha, haha..."

As for the point given by Konoe Mercury, who he supposed must be Celica's sister, it felt mercilessly cold. Kazuma's stiff mouth laughed. Even though there was several times when they had exchanged words, it seemed they were completely erased from her memory.

"Um... That hat."

When Kazuma took notice of the hat which was placed on the beautiful girl's head, he reflexively let his voice out.

A big, triangular purple hat which had a wide brim. Kazuma understood well its meaning.

"It's the canonization ceremony, right? Congratulations for being a Ten Sage, Konoe Mercury-san."

After he put the egg aside, Kazuma made a gentlemanly smile as much as he could.

But the beautiful woman wearing the triangular hat glared at Kazuma with an intense look. With a tone of voice that sounded too arrogant, she spoke clearly.

"It's Nine." 

"Yes?"

"My name. I don't have the tiny bit of desire to be addressed by you, but call me Nine if you're going to address me again."

"Aah... Nine, is it."

When someone became a Ten Sage, a name following the number of one to ten was given. From that time, that person would be referred with the number. Kazuma remembered the rule now.

But somehow, the name Nine was something more than just a rule for her. She was someone that shouldn't be made angry by such an inadvertent mistake. Kazuma decided to firmly imprint the new name of his classmate into his brain.

"Ah, that's right."

Celica suddenly came up with something and then opened her mouth.

"Kazuma-san. If you don't mind, can we have lunch together?"

"Yes... Eh, what?"

After he reflexively answered, he spontaneously asked again. He really couldn't comprehend what she had spoken of. Celica on the other hand had an expression as if she had an idea she found splendid.

"I was thinking to do a celebration for Onee-chan today. But... since we're sort of coming late, there's no more empty seats."

"Aaah, I see."

Now that she mentioned it, all the tables in the cafeteria had certainly been filled. Not so many people came to the cafeteria at this time of day, but nevertheless, it was surprisingly crowded today.

Celica, shrugging her shoulders, let out a childish smile.

"Besides, I don't often get the chance to meet one of Onee-chan's friends that isn't Trinity-san. I want to talk with Kazuma-san more."

"With me? But..."

Even with the smile that was like baiting him, the reluctant Kazuma spoke ambiguously.

For some reason, he didn't want to get too close to this girl named Celica.

In the first place, Kazuma didn't know a lot about Nine. He didn't know what Celica was expecting, but there was nothing worth mentioning to talk about.

It seemed Nine also didn’t want to share a table with Kazuma.

When his eyes fled from Celica's gaze to look forward, sure enough, Konoe... Nine observed Kazuma with her eyebrows furrowed in discontent.

Kazuma spontaneously averted his eyes. Konoe Mercury. Nine. Whichever her name was, he didn't want to have her keep an eye on him too much.

However, that wish was far from being realized.

"Celica-san, you mustn't ask such unreasonable request. He seems to have already finished his lunch~."

"Eeh, so it's no good? I wanted to get along... Too bad."

Lectured by Trinity to take consideration, Celica dropped her small shoulders.

Seeing such a state, how could he turn her down?

For quite a while, his body felt a strange bad feeling. But it might be just his imagination.

"...Umm, I don't mind. There are enough empty seats for exactly another three people."

"Go ahead," said Kazuma as he smiled gently. The smile by no means showed his true feelings. It was more like a habit that would come out when he faced other people.

But Celica received the impression of the smile she saw. A smile from the bottom of her heart, which was different than Kazuma's, bloomed all over her expression.

"Really!? Hooray! Thank you, Kazuma-san. Ah, then I'll go buy another congratulatory pudding. It's my thanks for listening to my selfishness!"

No sooner after she talked, Celica put the tray containing her lunch on the seat in front of Kazuma and ran off with her long hair leaped.

"Eh, ah. No, I'm..."

There wasn't any opportunity to stop her.

Like clockwork, Celica had gone to the cafeteria's counter vigorously.

As Kazuma was overcame with surprise watching it, Trinity's tray was placed on the seat next to him.

"My apologies, Kazuma-san. But thanks for helping us out~."

"Good grief... She never listens when she starts talking."

Although she seemed a bit sullen, Nine still reluctantly placed her lunch at the table while also taking a seat.

He looked at Trinity's tray and also Nine's, small custard puddings were sat there.

(I see. So this is the congratulatory gift.)

Most likely, it was that child Celica who suggested it.

As he glanced, a long ponytail swayed left and right as she headed this way. In her hands, Celica was holding a similar pudding to the one on her tray.

Kazuma somehow felt like giving up.

It looked like it was going to be a long lunch.