Chapter 8 – The Teacher and The Uninvited Guest

Ｒｅ​ａｄ​ ｏ​ｎ ＫａｔＲｅａｄｉｎ​ｇＣａｆｅ

Editor’s Note

Edited

Around the time when the sun had descended from its highest point.

The girl, whose visit I had been uncertain about, came to the infirmary.

Hearing the sound of the door opening, I directed my gaze towards it and saw eyes examining the interior. They were the color of ice with a slight drop of sky-blue pigment.

The girl, who was looking around at me and the surroundings with dreamy eyes, smiled faintly, seemingly satisfied with something.

With her light sky-blue silver hair fluttering, unlike my warm-toned hair…

…She went to the bed in the most secluded corner and drew the curtain.

I blinked as I stared blankly at her figure.

Hmm… what’s this?

I had expected her to return, but I hadn’t anticipated her hiding in the corner without saying a word. She even naturally hid her shoes, appearing like someone already proficient in such behavior.

It was an adaptability hard to imagine for someone who had gone through the entrance ceremony just the other day.

Anyway.

Her name was Charlotte Sinsberia.

Despite her seemingly carefree behavior, she was a student close to being a model student.

Due to her petite height and appearance, she’s also someone whose looks would make those who try to call her a delinquent feel rather perplexed.

I could somewhat guess why she had come here.

She had probably come looking for a comfortable place to nap.

Originally, she’s a character like a legendary Poké*on that you might occasionally encounter in the library or secluded places.

How could such a person not return after sleeping so comfortably that she left her body scent and traces? This is a confirmed top-tier review in terms of satisfaction.

Therefore, I had expected her to come back with high probability, but I didn’t expect her to not say a single word.

Is she actually a more delinquent character than I thought…?

No, that can’t be.

Impossible.

My Charlotte…!

Ahem.

There was a brief commotion.

Anyway, I, who had prepared several reasons to explain to her, was very perplexed by her actions.

I fell into thought for a moment, feeling the warm sunlight coming through the window.

What should I do?

Should I leave her be and do my own thing, with a heart like giving a house to a baby kitten?

That might not be so bad.

According to Michelle, the students now were potentially futanari, so it might be better to keep a distance.

But despite that, I believe there is value in building a friendship with her.

Her specialty, appearing here and there like a legendary Poké*on, is magical engineering.

In other words… the convenient tools abundant in this world are created by magical engineers like her.

I don’t know the principles of magical engineering well, but anyway, that’s the setting.

There’s a similar merit to recruiting someone from the alchemy department to make the opposite of breast enhancement pills, breast reduction pills.

…Of course, there’s the issue that asking her would be a bit difficult, but that’s covered by her cute appearance—

Ahem.

Anyway, it’s absolutely not because I like Charlotte.

Thus, choosing to build a friendship with her, I got up from my seat and slowly approached the bed where she was.

Approaching with careful steps so as not to disturb her, I poked my face through the curtain.

I could see a silhouette lying on the slightly dark bed.

Perhaps having heard the sound of the curtain moving, dreamy, strangely colored eyes turned towards me.

…While I was momentarily dazed by the delicateness and cute face that couldn’t be felt through clay-like graphics and text.

Her voice was heard.

It was a voice full of drowsiness.

“…I’ll turn a blind eye to the strange thing you did here on the day off, so is it okay if I sleep here a bit?”

Having said that, she closed her eyes again with a swoosh.

It seems there was such a reason for her actions, which were so quick that they felt bizarre.

I felt a bit perplexed by her words, but I could notice one fact.

…The fact that she doesn’t know what Michelle had said.

Is she the only one who doesn’t know?

Or are other students the same?

I don’t know that, but… it seemed like the excuses I had been thinking in my head weren’t in vain.

I cleared my throat and slowly said:

“Student. You seem to be misunderstanding something, but that… is something all women experience around this time. Of course, since it’s a disconcerting event, I, who am in charge of health, just gave ‘a little’ help. So… it’s not a reason to accommodate the student’s convenience.”

Then, she, who seemed about to breathe gently in sleep, started to look at me with rounded eyes.

“…D-Don’t lie. This is the first time I’ve heard such a thing.”

Seeing her pupils shaking quite a bit, I inwardly snickered and tapped the temple-like thing hanging around my neck and said:

“Would I have a reason to lie? Student.”

“Ah, um…?”

Charlotte, upon seeing that, visibly flustered, fidgeted with her fingers. Her body, which had been comfortably lying down, had somehow become seated.

Cute.

No, that’s not it.

From this, I had a premonition that what Michelle had said might not be ‘common knowledge’ known to everyone.

…Honestly, who would want to mention the storm and stress they experienced during puberty?

Here, would it be storm and po¹… perhaps?

While I was inwardly giggling at the wordplay, Charlotte, who had been fidgeting with her lips, placed her hidden shoes on the floor and drooped her shoulders.

“…I’m sorry.”

I thought we might argue a bit more, but Charlotte seemed to retreat surprisingly easily.

It seemed to be because it was a relationship between a student and a non-student, a student and a faculty member.

Since it seemed like she would just leave if I dismissed her now, I grabbed her shoulder slightly and spoke.

…It was warm and soft.

“Hmm… Student. If you had asked rather than threatened, I would have accommodated you. It’s break time, and a leisurely time, so there’s no reason to stop you. That’s what the infirmary is for.”

“I’m sorry….”

Looking at the top of her head, which was lowered as if repenting, I patted her back.

Even though I’m saying it, I thought I really seemed like an ideal health teacher. There was value in my diligent contemplation, as no choice text was visible.

“Your repentant attitude is very good. Come visit often.”

“Thank you.”

Then she smiled and said:

“So can I sleep now?”

“…Not today because you did wrong.”

“Ah….”

After swallowing a smile inside while watching her visibly disappointed, I took out the item I had prepared for her from the pocket of my coat.

“Instead, I’d like you to eat snacks with me today. I don’t have many opportunities to talk with students.”

“If it’s that….”

Her eyes, which were murmuring so, focused on the box in my hand.

Of course, she had to.

…It was the packaging of the cookies she loved the most according to her setting.

Doing this made me feel like a bad adult enticing her. But it couldn’t be helped.

Even though I’m a manly man, in the current situation where I don’t know what will happen.

It was right to use everything that could be helpful.

After pressing down the sin that was bubbling up, I headed to the table with Charlotte.

After seating her in a chair, I opened the drawer of my desk and took out teacups and dishes. I don’t know why they were there, but they were helpful anyway.

“…Why is that coming out from there?”

“…I’m also new to this job, so I’m not sure?”

“I see….”

After placing a teacup in front of her, who was nodding blankly, I called Undine to fill it with warm water since there wasn’t something like a kettle.

“Oh…?”

She too seemed to be seeing this for the first time, as she let out an exclamation.

…The feeling was quite strange, thinking of using such an entity for filling warm water.

After filling it with warm water and taking out the tea bag from my pocket to put in the teacup, I looked at Charlotte.

“So, what’s your name, student?”

“…Charlotte Sinsberia. Um… yes.”

I knew it, but since I couldn’t show that, I decided to introduce ourselves first.

“I see. Nice to meet you. I am Park— no, Iris Plumeria.”

After biting my original name, I offered a handshake, and her petite hand grabbed my small hand.

It’s soft….

“Then, can I call you Charlotte?”

“…Do as you wish.”

“Charlotte, you can also call me Teacher Iris.”

“…Yes.”

Seeing that she allowed me to use her name, it seems my strategy worked quite well.

The so-called carrot and stick strategy.

In other words, also known as good cop, bad cop.

…Since there was no one to divide roles with, the former would be more appropriate.

Or it might have been because I suppressed her with the authority of a faculty member.

“Eat slowly.”

“Yeees.”

It was nice to see her eating cookies like a squirrel.

Wow… I had been wondering what to do after entering the game, but there are good points too.

I should stock up more in the future.

Smiling contentedly, I put a cookie in my mouth and felt the crispy cookie melting on my tongue.

It was a delicious cookie where nuttiness and sweetness were exquisitely harmonized.

The sparsely embedded nuts added diverse textures.

The warm tea water going down my throat was also a great match.

Meanwhile.

Charlotte, who was munching on a cookie, asked me:

“Um, Teacher Iris.”

“What is it?”

She has a somewhat cautious face.

Eventually, her lips, stained with cookie remnants, moved.

“If what you said earlier is true… could such a thing happen to me too?”

“Such a thing….”

“…Like the person in front of you at that time.”

Seems she didn’t see Michelle’s face.

No, more than that….

I felt a bit perplexed, but then pulled myself together and said to Charlotte, who looked a bit anxious:

“It could happen? But don’t worry. As I said earlier, I’m here to help with such things.”

…Maybe?

Only then did Charlotte nod with a relieved face and started to munch on cookies again.

Seeing that, I felt assured that things were going well.

It seemed the day to enjoy the convenience of magical engineering wasn’t far off.