episode_0044

“Sob, sob, waaaah···! Regia cried loud enough to shake the hospital room. Just like a child who had lost their parents. Her sobbing was so sorrowful that even Selena, who had been waiting outside, rushed in. It was utter chaos, one might say.

The door burst open! “What’s going on? Someone screamed…!” “W-Wait, commoner! Don’t cling to me while crying! Your face is covered in snot and tears…” “Sob, P-Princess-nim…!” “Kyaaaah!!” “Heh heh… What a mess.”

The noisy scene continued. Perhaps because the memories from the laboratory were so strong, the girl couldn’t calm down easily. It was quite a while later that Regia finally stopped crying.

“…Sniff.”

The girl, sitting on the hospital bed, swallowed her tears. A faint tremor lingered in her green eyes. She seemed much calmer than before, but a hint of anxiety was still discernible. Her hesitant red lips formed a question.

“S-So… you’re saying… no one died? Is that… is that what you mean?” “That’s right, Regia.” “How many times do we have to tell you for you to understand?”

We calmly replied. We couldn’t tell her the original story exactly, so we embellished it with suitable fabrications. Basically, it was a story about how we had been lucky to survive.

“The monster… suddenly… r-ran away?” “Yes! Right after you collapsed, it suddenly disappeared again through the ceiling it had broken down.” “O-Oh, no, b-but… why… why?” “H-How should I know that! If you’re curious, ask the monster yourself!!” “H-Heeek! I’m s-s-s-sorry…!”

It was a 100% pure lie, without a shred of conscience. There were moments when she seemed confused, but thanks to Emilia’s forceful pushing, we managed to get past it. It was a good thing we had coordinated our stories beforehand.

I subtly added my two cents. “I was lucky too. I narrowly escaped the spot where the monster fell.” “Even Young Master… It truly seems like God was watching over us.” “I agree.” “Th-Thank goodness…”

We had worried she wouldn’t believe us, but our protagonist believed us so utterly that our worries were meaningless. How pure did one have to be to react this way?

Ding! [The target’s emotions are changing.] (Anxiety, despair -> Relief) [A small amount of ‘Lie’ has been recovered.] [Current remaining output: 36.4%]

Thanks to that, my ‘Lie’ also recovered nicely. After a few more exchanges, Regia, who had been sitting on the bed, suddenly got up. Her legs swayed, unsteady.

“Young Master. Young Lady.” “Regia? It would be best for you to rest lying down still…”

An embrace! Before we could finish our concern, a warmth enveloped us. The pilot, with cautiously outstretched arms, hugged the snake and the vain person sitting beside him. A lukewarm embrace colored the two of us.

“Hmm?” “C-Commoner…?” As we looked on with question marks at her sudden action, a faint sob echoed around us. Regia clung to us as if all the tension had left her.

“Sniff… I’m really, really, so glad you’re alive.” “…” “…”

It was an especially poignant murmur. Perhaps it was the realization that she had completely escaped the nightmare-like scene in the laboratory. The girl hugged the two of us tightly, burying her face in the warmth. How vulnerable she was.

-Am I dead too? -Oh no! Poor Young Master, sniff, Young Lady…!

Despite her fragile nature, she didn’t stop worrying about others. It was a testament to how kind-hearted the girl was. Perhaps these aspects were what made me fond of the protagonist. I smiled gently, accepting the sobbing pilot.

“You’ve worked hard, Regia.” Emilia was the same. The girl’s fidgeting hands couldn’t bring themselves to push away the pink-haired being. She only awkwardly patted her back.

“A-Alright… S-Stop crying already.” “P-Princess-nim…”

It was an awkward gesture, but from an observer’s perspective, it was a heartwarming scene. The relationship between the two, which had been so twisted in the original story, seemed to be slowly moving in a good direction. I couldn’t erase the slight smile that had blossomed on my face.

“What’s so good that you’re smiling like that?” “It’s nothing. I just thought both of you looked exceptionally beautiful today.” “…Even if you say that, I won’t fall for it.” “What a shame.”

Emilia turned her gaze away, acting prim. And so, until Regia’s crying stopped, we embraced each other for a while.

***

After a short while.

“Heh heh, Regia.” “…” “I didn’t know you liked us this much.” “…” “Crying so much in our arms like a child… I’d say it was truly cute.” “…”

Regia couldn’t answer. The girl had her head bowed low. Her pale face was now flushed, as if it would burst. The soft moan that escaped her due to shame was truly delightful.

“You… stop teasing her. Do you want to make her cry again?” “That would be fun too.” “…” “Then we would just have to hug her tightly again, wouldn’t we?” “…You’re the worst.” “Thank you for the compliment.”

My teasing knows no bounds. Following my own strict rule, I relentlessly teased the protagonist with a cheerful smile.

***

We underwent another medical examination. The doctor had stated that there were no abnormalities, but Selena insisted on further checks, just in case. Perhaps even when she seemed indifferent, a Teacher-nim was still a Teacher-nim. She was being overly zealous given her students’ safety was at stake. Internal injuries, external injuries, curses, imprints, magic. Only after completing five thorough examinations were we able to go through the discharge procedures. By then, half the day had already passed.

“I’m glad all three of you are safe.”

Of course, leaving the infirmary wasn’t the end. We were victims of this incident, and also the closest witnesses, so we had to be investigated.

“I truly have nothing to say about yesterday’s incident. It was my oversight for not noticing sooner.” Selena apologized, bowing her head. We sat side by side on the sofa, watching her with a sour expression. Having only seen her as stiff as a board or drunk, seeing her so composed felt unfamiliar. Her red eyes were shrouded in darkness.

“Shall we hear your excuse first?” “The dark magic used in this incident was a completely new infiltration technique, different from existing methods.” “So, you’re saying it was a technique the Academy had never encountered before?” “That’s right.” “Hmm.”

This content also appeared in the original story. The cultists had shown no activity for several years. The world thought they had been annihilated during the ‘Great Purge,’ but they had merely been building their strength in the shadows. To fulfill their desires.

“They seemed to have prepared meticulously. So much so that even experts in the field struggled.” “I heard that interpreting the new dark magic would take at least a week… How were you able to find us in just two hours?” “Well, because we are Galimmar.”

It was a clear answer. Galimmar. An educational institution where only those considered the best on the continent gathered. It was an academy created by the assembly of countless geniuses who had been active during the Great Purge: heroes, former Imperial Knights commanders, elders of the Magic Tower, cardinals of the Church, and so on. It was fundamentally different from those root-and-branch ‘tree brats.’ Although an unexpected incident occurred, they still handled it quickly. Going forward, their countermeasures would surely be solidified.

‘An internal traitor also leaked information… In many ways, this incident might have been unavoidable.’ If anyone were to bear responsibility, it would be Selena. As the supervisor of the exam, I thought she would receive the greatest blame as a warning to others. The professor who supervised in the original story was dismissed, so she would at least be stripped of her senior professor title. Of course, there wasn’t serious damage, and being the Dean’s direct disciple would grant her some immunity, but a demotion to a regular professor seemed unavoidable. Is this the plight of a working adult?

“…”

Suddenly, the liquor bottle in her hand looked pitiful. As if unable to bear the bitterness of life, the woman drank the alcohol straight. Her purple hair fell disheveled.

“Phew… I am truly sorry to all of you who were caught in this incident. The Academy plans to prepare compensation for damages. The detailed information will be provided by the Dean later.” “Understood.”

The formal introduction was over.

“Then, let’s move on to the main topic. We’d like to hear the accounts of those involved in this incident.” “I will speak.” “Yuda student. From beginning to end, in detail…”

Afterward, there was a thorough investigation. Perhaps out of caution towards the cultists who had reappeared after several years, various questions were asked. I recounted the fabricated story, just as I had told Regia.

“That’s what happened.” “…”

Perhaps because the story had quite a few holes. Selena wore a puzzled expression. Of course, she didn’t press or corner us. When I said that my memory of the time was hazy due to fright, she simply nodded as if understanding. In the first place, it would look strange to cross-examine us. In this incident, we were in the position of power. Even if they searched the laboratory, I had manipulated most of the traces, so the Academy had no choice but to believe our testimony. I grinned, pleased that things were going according to my plan.

“…” “Alright, I understand. The investigation will end here.” “Thank you for your hard work.” “Oh, one last thing.”

Selena stopped us, as if something had just occurred to her.

“Please return home early. The atmosphere at the Academy isn’t very good either.” “Did something happen?” “While you were in that basement… there was also an incident at the Academy.”

She explained quietly.

“A few assailants appeared in the shopping district.” “The shopping district… that’s not far from the dormitory building.” “The method was the same, a forced teleportation. It seems their intention was to distract attention from the mid-term exam abduction.” “So, what happened?” “Thanks to the quick intervention of the faculty, the situation was resolved in six minutes. We succeeded in instantly killing 28 out of 30 assailants, but the rest immediately used teleportation to escape.” “Were there any casualties…?” “None have been reported so far.” “That’s a relief.” “Well, who knows, there might be hidden victims.”

Selena pinched her brow, as if troubled. The woman, who had been taking a deep breath, swept back her purple hair and spoke.

“Anyway, it would be good to be careful, just in case.” “Thank you for your concern.”

Well, for now, that’s a story for another time. I slowly rose from my seat. I thought this was a pretty good conclusion. It was almost time for the next episode to begin… but for now, I just wanted to rest.

‘Now that I think about it.’ Could she be waiting? I hadn’t returned to the dormitory for two consecutive days, so she might be worried. Of course, I knew it was a foolish fantasy.

“Heh heh.”

When I get back, I should play with her tail a lot. I mused over thoughts of the fox, and quietly started walking towards the dormitory.

I didn’t know then.

“…”

An empty dormitory. In the space, silence reigned, and not even a trace of human presence could be felt. An unusually chilling air lingered, coloring my cheeks. The shopping basket wasn’t there. The fox wasn’t there either. The current time was 11 PM. If she had gone shopping, she would have been back long ago. The shopping district usually only operates until evening.

-A few assailants appeared in the shopping district. -The shopping district… that’s not far from the dormitory building. -Were there any casualties…? -None have been reported so far. -That’s a relief. -Well, who knows, there might be hidden victims.

The preceding conversation must have been no coincidence as it flashed through my mind. Lost in thought amidst the deepening darkness, I let out a hollow laugh.

“Ha.”

Damn it. These sons of bitches.