"Sweet Caution"
Characters: Bianchi, Jude, Sage, Nico, Nova, & Lily
Nova: … —'Scuse me~ Sorry for being late, Bianchi-san…
… You guys seem like you're having fun…?
Bianchi: Instructor Lily came to hang out, so we've been chatting over some tea.
Lily: They told me they couldn't get any more work done until Nova gets here, so I invited myself inside.
Nova: Hmm, I'm not sure if I should feel sorry or not… Ah, I have what you asked for~
Lily: Is that Bianchi's weapon? The design looks a little different.
Bianchi: I used this weapon during the Halloween League back when I was still a rookie. I'd like to use it as a reference for something.
Lily: Ah, so this was the first outfit you designed?
Bianchi: That's right ♪ Thank you, Doctor. I'll pour you some tea, so be a dear and sit down, won't you?
Nova: You sure? Weren't the two of you having some kind of girls' talk?
Bianchi: We were just having some small talk. There's no need to be so considerate, so just take a seat.
Lily: Besides, it's not just the two of us, Nova.
Nova: Huh?
Nova: Uwawah?! Sorry, Jude-kun! I didn't notice you were here at all~
Jude: I don't mind. I noticed you showed up just now too, after all.
Lily: What's up with you two…
Jude: Ah, what a shame… It's already gotten this late. The Anti-Eclipse unit's meeting is going to start soon…
Bianchi: So I'll finally be free of your gaze, thank goodness. Off with you, now.
Jude: Got it, Bianchi. I'll see you later.
Bianchi: Say goodbye to the others, too.
Jude: Alright. I'll see you again sometime, Instructor Lily, Doctor.
Nova: Ahaha… Have a
summery day...
1
Bianchi: Goodness gracious…
Lily: Jude's the same as ever. I almost have to respect him for how little he changed since he got admitted.
Bianchi: I wish you'd respect me, instead. Just how many years have I had to put up with that…
Nova: Well you two seem to be close as ever.
Bianchi: Don't say that, please, Doctor. That guy just clings to me as he pleases, so it's not like I care for him, 'kay?
Nova: But don't the two of you have great chemistry? Y'know, as the invincible duo of the Anti-Eclipse unit and all.
Bianchi: We have good chemistry as a group of four, not just the two of us.
Nova: Well, I guess that's true…
Lily: That wasn't the case when you all first got admitted, though.
He's always worked extremely well with you, but not so much with Sage and Nico.
It was more like he overdid himself to make sure no one got in the way of your cooperation.
Bianchi: It was positively dreadful.
Nova: How'd you start to work well together?
Bianchi: We…
───
Sage: Nico! Can you cover over there?
Nico: Got it.
Sage: Haaaah…!
Nico: Hup!
Lily: Looking good, guys. I'm going to up the level a bit and increase the number of enemies.
Sage: Huh?! P-Please wait a second…!
Nico: I have to widen my range of attack.
Sage: Bianchi-san, Jude-kun! Can you handle it over there?!
Bianchi: Okay, leave it to—
Jude: HAAAAAAAAH…!
Sage: Jude-kun?!
Jude: It's quicker this way! Don't tell me what to do! TAKE THAT AND THAT AND THAT AND THAT…!
Bianchi: That guy…
───
Bianchi: Never fight in such a hideous manner again.
Jude: Sorry, Bianchi.
Bianchi: We're learning about teamwork right now. Sagie and Nico-chan are here for us to form a team together. Got that?
Jude: Got it.
Bianchi: Learn to cooperate with the other two as well. You have to put some effort in no matter how much extra time it takes, got it?
Jude: Yes. I've got it, Bianchi.
Lily: Did he really get it, I wonder…
Sage & Nico: ……
───
Nova: —So then after that, Jude-kun started putting more effort in, huh~
Lily: He still doesn't put that much effort in.
Nova: Huh?
Lily: If he doesn't put that much effort into cooperating, he can finish things pretty quickly.
But right after Bianchi warned him and we restarted the mock battle, his actions changed to an astonishing degree.
Bianchi: That's right… It surprised me too.
Nova: W-What are you talking about?!
Lily: It seems he's capable of working well with anyone if he puts his mind to it.
No… It'd be more accurate to say he's capable of doing anything as long as Bianchi orders him to.
Nova: ……
Bianchi: There's seriously something wrong with that guy…
Lily: Jude has potential that only Bianchi's words can pull out. I've seen a lot of different guys over the years, but he's one of a kind.
Nova: So he's a hero who specializes in Bianchi-san, huh… I guess you can't deny the fact that the two of you have great chemistry.
Bianchi: Enough of that… I'm the one who has to put up with him following me around like a weirdo.
(sighs)...
───
Jude: —I'm coming in, Bianchi.
Bianchi…?
Bianchi: ……
Jude: (They're sleeping…)
(They've been working hard, I'm sure. Once they start a project, they immerse themself in it to the point of forgetting to rest.)
Bianchi: Nngh…
Jude: (Is this… a picture of us from back then?)
(This is of our first Halloween League. How nostalgic…)
(Since they were left in charge of the outfits, Bianchi was pretty enthusiastic about the whole affair.)
(They said they were going to pull out our charm to its fullest potential, and was particular about all sorts of things.)
Bianchi: My heels need to be 5 centimeters tall.
This will ensure the most beautiful balance when the two of us stand side by side.
Jude: (I'll work hard to make sure the beautiful balance Bianchi speaks of won't be disturbed.)
(You
2, who pursue beauty so passionately, are more beautiful than anything else, after all—)
───
1. Nova's catchphrase is お疲れさまーふぃーるど, which combines the word otsukaresama with his last name Summerfield.
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2. As far as I'm aware, this is the first (and only, for now) time that Jude has explicitly referred to Bianchi with "you" in the original text. While he uses "omae" for everyone else, he refers to Bianchi with "kimi" instead.
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