Sen no Kiseki: Alisa's Past

Note: Another one of my favorite scenes, I really like the atmosphere here ^^ I wish there will be more scenes like this in Sen II~ 
Oh and since you can easily find Sen event videos on Youtube, I won't bother posting a link.

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This happens in Chapter 3 when Rean, Alisa, Gaius, Emma, and Jusis are in the Nord Highlands for their special field training.  Prior to this scene, Alisa had just met up with her grandfather who went missing for years. Lots of rumors surround her grandfather's sudden disappearance years back. In the evening, they shared a meal together, along with the other people in the Nord settlement. Alisa excused herself and Emma, sensing something wrong, urged Rean to follow after her.

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Alisa walks out of the hut.

Alisa: ....Sigh.... I feel so stupid. Trying so hard for nothing all by myself...

Alisa remembers the past.

Old Man: Look, Alisa. Isn't the scenery beautiful!
Little Girl: Yup, it's great~!
Woman: Hey you two. We still have plans after this so let's get going.
Man: Now now, this is great isn't it? We rarely get a break from work.  You should relax a bit and have some fun too.

Back to the present.

Alisa: ................
Rean: ....Alisa?
Alisa: Rean....W, what's wrong? You also had too much to eat?
Rean: Yeah, I guess I ate quite a bit. But are you okay? You look to be unsteady.
Alisa: It's nothing, I'm just feeling a bit dazed.... I'll be fine after getting some fresh air-- Ah!

Alisa loses her balance but Rean quickly holds her up.

Alisa: S, sorry.
Rean: See, what did I tell you? I guess it can't be helped since we were on horseback practically the entire day. You're probably quite spent.
Alisa: That so?... I guess you're right. I don't even realize those kind of things myself...

Rean looks up and notices the night sky.

Rean: ...Alisa. Take a look up at the sky.
Alisa: Eh...

Alisa looks up at the beautiful night sky.

Alisa: Ah------ .................
Rean: Haha.... guess we didn't notice yesterday since we went to bed early. But.... if you want to get some air, isn't it better to be looking up instead of down?
Alisa: ............. Yeah, you're absolutely right.

Moments later.  Rean and Alisa are both lying down on the grass, looking at the stars above.

Alisa: --It was 8 years ago. When my father, who was a technician, passed away. His death sparked a great change in the family. Mother, who was the company director at the time, became so immersed in her business expansion that she paid little attention to "family".
Rean: I see.... it's true that rather than saying she's capable, better to say she's a real go-getter.
Alisa: In actuality, it's many times more intense than the impression she left when we met at Roer Station. It's hard to even get a chance to share a meal together once in three months... Instead, the people spending time with me were Grandfather and Sharon.
Rean: I see...looks like you've known Sharon for quite a long time?
Alisa: Around 7 years since the time she first came to the Reinford house.

... Because of my family background, when I was a kid, I had few friends in the truest sense of the word. I was shunned by kids of nobility, and commoner kids gave me special treatment.... but at the very least I wasn't lonely because those two people were by my side. Grandfather initiated me in various hobbies such as horse riding and the violin...and Sharon taught me self-defense skills, the bow, and noble etiquette. On the other hand, Mother....she continued to expand the Group without end, completely disregarding Grandfather, who was the Chairman, and his intention for the company.

Rean and Alisa sit up.

Rean: I see.... But wasn't it originally a pretty big engineering workshop?
Alisa: Yes, from metals and railways to weapons like tanks and rifles... you can say that we've been making things that earned us the ridicule of being called the <<Merchant of Death>>. Even though I do have mixed feelings about that, I've never once thought of it as a "shame". But-- when I think of the things we created these past few years, I can only think that we clearly went too far.
Rean: Things created these past few years...?
Alisa: You should have at least heard of it right? The <<Railway Cannons>> installed inside the two gates of the Garelia Fortress of Eastern Erebonia.

Rean: ! Yeah... just the rumors though. Something about it being the world's largest long-distance Orbal Cannon.
Alisa: I don't know much other than the specs myself, but it's got terrifying destructive power. Not only that, its coverage area includes the entire region of <<Crossbell State>> where the fight with the Calvard Repulic over territorial rights is still ongoing. It's said to be able to completely annihilate Crossbell City within a span of just 2 hours even with its entire population of around 500 thousand people.
Rean: .....That's terrifying. Instead of calling it war, it's more like genocide....
Alisa: Yes, that's what I think too.  And...it was the same for Grandfather who stood against the completion of that weapon Mother ordered. He seemed to be deeply troubled over the creation of such an accursed weapon. And then, just as he was hesitating whether or not to hand the two Railway Cannons over to the Imperial Army, he met with Mother's betrayal.
Rean: Eh---
Alisa: She won over all the major shareholders of Reinford Group to her side. From Marquis Rogner of Roer to influencial people in the Imperial Army.... Receiving pressure from both the Noble Faction and Reformist Faction, Grandfather was forced to resign having no other choice... and the decision was made for Mother to become the new Chairman.
Rean: ..........
Alisa: Grandfather left Reinford...leaving me behind. And Sharon, who I thought was on my side, merely followed her employer, Mother's orders. All those things happened 5 years ago.
Rean: I see......

Rean falls silent.

Rean: Alisa...you couldn't accept that right? More than what your mother did, the fact that your "family" was broken in pieces.

Alisa: Yes... that's right. I couldn't understand and accept Mother who devised against her own parent, and Grandfather who just accepted everything quietly... even Sharon, who was so kind, wouldn't say a thing.  I didn't want to acknowledge the fact that the existence of Reinford Group was far greater than I imagined....and that in front of the weight it carried, the bond between family was meaningless. And so that's probably why I left home and entered the military academy.

Rean: ...............

Alisa lies back on the grass.

Alisa: Hehe, but in the end, I couldn't escape from my mother and family at all. And Grandfather, in his own way, is enjoying his second life away from the world. I was feeling a bit depressed, thinking just what in the world have I been doing...

Alisa holds her left hand up in the air, as if reaching for the stars.

Alisa: --But now looking up at this starry sky, everything doesn't matter much anymore. I think I finally understand....why Grandfather moved to this land.
Rean: I see....

Rean lies back on the grass and holds his right hand up in the air.

Rean: --Alisa really is strong. Telling all those things about yourself to me like this... Most likely, you've grasped a hold of something enabling you to move forward?

Alisa looks at Rean.

Alisa: Hehe... you're probably right. If that's the case, then it must have been after I entered the academy. Everyone in Class VII and at club activities.... because I was able to meet friends who I could open up to, I became strong. So--thanks. For worrying about me...and for telling me to look up at the sky.
Rean: Haha...you're welcome. I must confess though, Class President was the one who urged me to follow you... sorry for that.
Alisa: Haha, I figured as much. Well it's okay, that's something you'll just have to work on~

Rean and Alisa both sit up.

Alisa: By the way, you said I was strong...but you're trying hard and giving your best in everything too. Even during field training, you're properly guiding us like a leader.

Rean: Haha, that's because I've done similar things during Free Activity Days. --But, I still have some way to go. I'm still just running away from "myself".
Alisa: Eh....
Rean: Back then I acted all cool and said things like "I want to find myself"... but truthfully, there are times when I feel anxious and wonder to myself whether I'm just running away. From my family--- and from my own self.
Alisa: ............

Alisa falls silent.

Alisa: ...Um, do you not get along well with your family?
Rean: Oh that's not it. Even though we're not connected by blood, my parents are affectionate toward me. And although there have been much misunderstanding with my little sister lately, but well, I don't think our relationship is that bad. All of it...is just my problem.
Alisa: Rean...........but being able to talk about it like that means....that most likely, you've grasped a hold of something enabling you to move forward right?
Rean: !
Alisa: Hehe, I'm returning the exact same words I received back to you. Shouldn't you at least be a bit self-aware of the kinds of embarrassing things you always say?
Rean: Haha.... you've got me there. But you're right, I'm also moving forward, little by little. Through entering the academy, meeting the people of Class VII, other classmates, and the upperclassmen...and spending time together like this with everyone.
Alisa: Yes, I'm sure of it~ Not to mention that this special field training will most certainly become our nourishment too. So---

Alisa realizes something.

Alisa: Spending time like this with "everyone"....?
Guy's Voice: Uh-- Ahem!
Alisa: !?

Emma, Jusis, and Gaius are standing behind them, much to Alisa's surprise.

Emma: A, ahaha..... We came to check up on you two since you were taking so long to come back.
Gaius: ............

Alisa: !!!! Y, y, you guys! Since when did you guys get here!?
Jusis: "--But being able to talk about it like that means....that most likely, you've grasped a hold of something enabling you to move forward right?"
Alisa: S, stop--!! I was only returning Rean's embarrassing line back at him, that's all--!
Emma: Hehe... you don't have to be that embarrassed. It was really heart-warming.
Gaius: Yeah... I did feel bad about it but I am glad to be able to witness such a nice moment.
Alisa: Ahh geez! How did I end up being the most embarrassing person here!? This won't do! Since it has come to this, you guys join in too! Together we're going to have a frank and embarrassing youth talk!
Emma: What! W, wait a minute!
Jusis: Hmph.... I refuse!

Rean and Gaius look smilingly at the other three from the side.

Gaius: .....Must have took a lot of effort.
Rean: Not at all, rather I'm the one who got encouraged. ---Hey, Gaius.
Gaius: What is it?

Rean looks up at the night sky.

Rean: This really is a nice place.
Gaius: Yeah...you think so too?

< FIN>