The Boy Who Fell to the Lowest Level of the Dungeon, Becoming the Strongest and Returns to the Surface After 10 Years~He Just Wants to Live a Quiet Life, but His Childhood Friends Who Have Risen to Prominence Won’t Leave Him Alone~ - Chapter 12: Her Special One

“Leone, right?”

Visiting the student council room, Elta speaks while observing Leone’s demeanor.

That was the name of the girl who had never been noticed.

“…!!”

Leone had already half given up as she suddenly opened her eyes wide.

When she dropped the scissors with a clatter, she immediately hugged Elta.

“That’s right! I’m Leone!”

“Y-Yeah, I knew it?”

“Idiot! You never notice anything at all!”

Tears are welling up in Leone’s eyes.

That was the first time in ten years since parting with Elta that she showed tears in front of others.

It was an appearance uncharacteristic of a student council president, but conversely, it was also a look reminiscent of her past self.

Upon seeing that, Elta panicked and unintentionally blurted out a word.

“I-I’m really sorry! It’s just that you look so beautiful, like a different person…”

“…Come on, don’t say things like that.”

Because they are hugging, it is not visible, but Leone blushes in secret.

After that, when she pulled away, she met his gaze straight on.

“But, Elta has changed too.”

“Huh?”

“I thought about it while watching today. Elta has really grown up.”

It seems that Leone wanted to convey it clearly as well.

However, Elta shakes his head.

“That’s not true. I’ve been failing continuously… The ‘combat training’ in the afternoon didn’t go very well either.”

“Yeah, they were just really put off by it.”

Remembering Elta’s demeanor, Leone chuckles softly.

In “Demonology,” they had miraculously missed each other, but in “Combat Training,” they had to practice, so it seems they couldn’t hide Elta’s true abilities.

Also, Leone suddenly remembered the conversation he had with Tina.

“Leone-san, you might want to brace yourself.”

“What do you mean?”

“Big brother’s insensitivity has accelerated over ten years to the point of being inhuman.”

(It’s true…)

She can’t help but smile, but Tina also said this.

“But his essence didn’t change.”

Remembering those words once again, Leone let the tears that had been building up overflow.

(She was right.)

She thought the same thing as Tina.

His insensitivity has worsened, but in the end, he still showed his true self, didn’t he?

Then, Leone asked.

“Hey, how did you notice it was me?”

“The way you were about to cut your hair earlier looked similar, so I thought maybe…”

“…! Do you remember ‘that day’?”

“Well, it’s just a feeling, but…”

Elta seemed a bit vague, but Leone didn’t mind.

Because for Elta, “that day” was just an ordinary day.

Still, for Leone, it is the most important day of her life, a day she has never forgotten.

Leone reflects.

From that day that sparked the decision to grow out her silver hair, up until now.

────

One day, inside the orphanage.

“I don’t want to…”

Young Leone was crying alone in a dark place.

While looking in the mirror, it seems she was cutting the hair on the top of her head so that no one would notice.

What is growing from there is──silver hair.

“Why is it growing…”

For Leone, silver hair was a “complex.”

Since it was a color she had never seen in others, she seemed to think there was something wrong with herself.

The other day, when Celia almost noticed, she quickly hid it and made an excuse for this reason.

That’s the kind of time it is.

The person who turned her complex into a “charm point” appeared.

“Hey, what are you doing?”

“…!”

The one who called out to Leone was Elta, as he happened to be passing by.

Thinking she had made a mistake, she quickly hid the scissors.

However, from the fallen hair, it’s obvious what had been done.

“Did you cut your hair?”

“…Ugh!”

This is the worst.

Leone strongly thought so.

Of all people, it was the boy she liked, Elta, who noticed her.

Leone feels like crying, but Elta casually mentions it.

“Leone’s silver hair suits you.”

“Huh?”

Elta is always Elta.

There is absolutely no calculating consideration.

Even now, he’s just saying what he thinks.

However, precisely because of that, those “words from the heart” resonated with Leone.

“Really? I-isn’t it strange?”

“Yeah! Since there’s no one else, it’s a ‘special’ just for Leone, right?”

“…!”

It was shocking.

“There’s no one else,” so Leone felt complex about her silver hair.

However, Elta called it “special.”

On this day, Leone’s silver hair transformed from a complex into “her own special” feature.

Then, she wants to be even more “special.”

She wants Elta to see more silver hair.

Thinking that way, Leone began to accept her silver hair from that day on.

Now, instead of disliking her hair color, she tries to appreciate it.

After that, the proportion of silver-haired individuals naturally increased.

However, by the time she could recognize the silver hair, Elta was already gone.

Nevertheless, Leone did not give up.

She wants to rescue Elta no matter what.

And she wants him to see her in her “special” form.

With those feelings in mind, Leone decides to enter the academy.

To go pick up Elta as soon as possible, she worked harder than anyone else.

Thus, the repeated efforts did not betray her, and Leone rose to the position of student council president──.

────

When she thinks back on everything, her feelings for Elta overflow even more.

As if to confront it, Leone brought her face closer from below.

“I’ve been growing my silver hair for a long time! I wanted to show it to someone special and hear them say ‘it’s special’!”

Her face turned bright red, and her fists were tightly clenched.

Even now that she has become the student council president, the real her might still be timid.

This is the best appeal that Leone can make right now.

In contrast, Elta──

“Is that so!”

“Huh?”

Not thinking that a certain person is talking about her.

Due to his natural insensitivity, he is indeed unaware of the feelings directed towards him.

However, Elta smiled brightly and continued speaking.

“I’m sure that person will say, ‘It’s special just for Leone!’ I believe that!”

“…Ugh.”

It’s beyond being astonished. All she can do is laugh.

However, if it was typical of Elta, then it was typical of Elta.

Moreover, what made her happiest now was being called “special” once again.

So Leone also responds with a faint smile.

“Elta will always be Elta.”

“What do you mean?”

“Not telling!”

Thus, Elta had a reunion with his childhood friend, Leone (realized)──.