Ch.161About Daily (2)

“······.”

A chilling silence flowed.

The fox and the rose, meeting after a long time, were glaring at each other.

Clear hostility reflected in their black and green eyes respectively.

How long had they both been back that they were already growling at each other?

Crushed under the murderous atmosphere, I could only manage an awkward smile.

Honestly, I had expected this part, but…

‘As expected, I suppose.’

I muttered bitterly.

I thought they might at least show some happiness at seeing each other again.

Far from being happy, they were hurling provocations from the start, with expressions designed to irritate each other.

Especially Elise, who seemed to have found the perfect opportunity to needle Irene.

“Won’t you congratulate me? It’s good news, you know.”

“Well… I wonder if the person involved feels the same way.”

“You’re denying reality.”

“If it’s a delusion, I have no intention of interfering.”

“How pitiful. While you were gone, many things happened between us.”

“……”

Attack after attack, landing like taps.

Perhaps the earlier declaration of engagement had been truly shocking.

The fox couldn’t even mount a counterattack.

She only looked down at the rose in the wheelchair with sunken eyes.

Nevertheless, Elise was far from afraid; rather, she met her gaze head-on as if amused.

She covered her mouth with her hand, hiding lips twisted in pleasure.

Finally.

“Enough.”

I stepped in belatedly to mediate their battle of nerves.

I placed my hands on the orange and red heads, stroking them to signal they should calm down.

My touch gradually dispersed the chill that had settled around us.

I then made eye contact with each of them and spoke.

“Haven’t I asked you many times? I’d appreciate it if you could get along with each other.”

“……”

“If you only show such coldness to each other, I can’t help but feel disappointed.”

Perhaps acknowledging they had gotten too heated.

The rose and the fox fell silent.

Then, they both muttered in low voices.

“…Sorry.”

“I’ll be quiet.”

The situation was settled for now.

They both took a step back, perhaps in response to my expression of disappointment.

Even so, their glaring eyes remained unchanged.

I rubbed my brow with a faint sigh.

As I was contemplating the momentary silence…

Knock knock-

Late-arriving guests knocked on the dormitory door.

I welcomed them as if I had been waiting.

Standing at the entrance were three people with pink, blue, and purple hair.

When our eyes met, they greeted me with faint smiles.

The joy of reunion after nearly two weeks was immense.

“M-Master! We heard you had returned…!”

“You really… when you come back, you should at least let us know! Don’t always make us hear about it after the fact!”

“Welcome back. You don’t know how much our student missed you.”

The voices of Lezia, Ameila, and Selena, in order.

I responded with a brief smile.

“I missed you all too.”

The group gathered in the dormitory.

It seemed today would be bustling in many ways.

***

We spent time chatting about various small matters.

Stories that had accumulated over the past two weeks.

It was an opportunity to hear from each of the children about what had happened to them during that time.

Even without grand content, the gentle everyday stories were enjoyable.

I sat quietly on the sofa, listening attentively.

“Recently, I’ve been spending time with Ephri… H-how should I put it, I feel like she’s become more affectionate…”

“That’s impressive. Building a bond with such a fierce familiar.”

“I-it’s nothing special. Ephri is just naturally gentle…”

“As expected, Miss Lezia is so modest.”

“Heh, hehe…”

An expression melting innocently.

I stroked the pink hair while offering small compliments.

Between the summoner’s green eyes shone a certain tenderness.

Seeing such adorable reactions naturally brought a smile to my face.

‘She’s growing.’

Was she gradually finding her place in the original story?

Our protagonist was taking definite steps forward, though still inexperienced.

She seemed to have surpassed the level where she would compete with ordinary students.

Following her deepened presence, the frequency of her stuttering had also decreased.

Compared to her fragility last year, this was truly remarkable progress.

“Hmph… strutting around despite being a commoner.”

“Lady Venatti?”

“I’ll have you know I’m independently studying [Property Transformation]? That means I’m challenging the limits of magic. This much is fitting for the noble name of Venatti…”

“If you wanted praise, you could have just said so.”

“T-that’s not it?!”

“There’s no need to be so reserved. Please come closer, Lady.”

“No, I-I didn’t mean that, ugh…”

“You’re always working so hard.”

“……”

Though she pretended to dislike it with her words, when I extended my hand, she quietly accepted it.

Her blue eyes trembled, filled with heat.

Her distinctive roll-shaped hair swayed each time my hand touched it.

Her white cheeks were already flushed red.

I whispered sweet words into her ear, as if fulfilling her desire for recognition.

“You are truly remarkable, Lady.”

“Ugh…”

The wall of vanity crumbled helplessly.

I secretly chuckled.

Ameila too seemed to be contemplating her next step in her own way.

Her value existed in her endless jealousy and vanity, and the drive for improvement that stemmed from them.

It was a diligent effort to not fall behind anyone.

“Master is right! I’ve always admired you, Lady!”

“C-commoner? Don’t presumptuously butt in…!”

Seeing how Lezia followed her so devotedly said it all.

The two had now become close friends.

The villainess and the protagonist. Listening to their friendly conversation made me feel strangely warm.

After all, it was a combination that would have been unimaginable in the original work.

I savored the moment.

“Student Judas.”

“Master.”

I also conversed with Selena.

The drunkard. Now that she had quit drinking, the name no longer suited her.

The woman leaned her shoulder against mine with her characteristic seductiveness.

The curved lines of her body were vividly felt where we touched.

It was an explicit sensation.

“Did you receive the letters I sent during that time?”

“They were very helpful, thank you.”

“You know it was hard for me, organizing materials and handling work alone, right?”

“Of course. I’m always grateful to you, Master.”

“If it’s gratitude you want to express, hugging me all day would be enough.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.”

“In the research lab, just the two of us…”

“That wouldn’t be bad either.”

A leisurely everyday life.

It was a day flowing so peacefully.

We drifted in tranquility.

The season reflected outside the window was fully spring. The warm air around us was probably due to that.

Boys and girls sat in a landscape where not even a trace of winter remained.

It felt like I could live my whole life with just this leisure.

I enjoyed the silence.

Of course.

“How arrogant for a beast.”

“Look who’s talking.”

“What an annoying fox.”

“Stop getting in my way.”

It wasn’t quiet all around.

The sound of subtle quarreling.

Had they already forgotten my request to get along?

Elise and Irene had somehow reignited their battle of nerves.

This too was everyday life, I suppose.

‘They were always like this.’

The two always behaved similarly when in the same space.

They fought so much that even the watching children had grown accustomed to it.

They even took on the role of mediating the disputes.

The summoner and the vain one tried to calm the fox.

“I-Irene! You can’t speak to the princess like that…!”

“Sigh… don’t you ever get tired of this? I wish you’d maintain at least a minimum level of dignity.”

On the opposite side, the young prince turned the rose’s wheelchair away.

“Elise. Provoking others is a bad habit.”

They separated the two with a few words of scolding.

Watching this, I couldn’t help but smile bitterly.

Should I call this harmony, or chaos…

As I was taking in the bustling scene, the drunkard beside me suddenly tugged at my sleeve.

Then she whispered in a low voice.

“Student Judas must be quite worried.”

“Well… peace is always difficult to achieve.”

“Still, I’m a bit concerned. I wonder how they’ll manage when they live together later…”

“Pardon?”

Live together…?

I looked at her with a question mark, but all I got in return was a meaningful smile.

Selena poked my cheek as if telling me to think about it myself.

“There’s no rule saying you have to choose just one person, right?”

“……”

“I’m fine with multiple people. What matters is that I can be with you, Student Judas.”

Well.

I’m not sure about the other children’s thoughts.

The woman added, caressing my cheek.

Her lips held a mischievous smile.

“So.”

A quiet request.

Her voice gently colored my ear.

“Don’t abandon me later, okay?”

“…I’ll keep that in mind.”

Is this what experience is?

I felt like she had found my weak spot.

In the end, I nodded and emptied my mind with a light sigh.

I needed to shed complicated thoughts to avoid being swayed.

As I contemplated my stretching consciousness, my eyes gradually closed.

And so I sank into the peaceful atmosphere.

‘Together…’

We were together until late.

Even until morning dawned.

Though the dormitory did have a curfew, it wasn’t really a problem.

After all, our group included a professor and the head teaching assistant.

This much could be covered by their authority.

Although.

[Rumors say Master Snakus enjoys a promiscuous lifestyle.]

[His collection reportedly includes not only classmates but also professors, maids, and even princesses.]

[Some students are voicing opinions that an immediate special investigation and detention should be…]

The next morning.

Five people including a professor and students.

When they were seen leaving my dormitory, I had to endure unfavorable rumors for a while… but let’s gloss over that part.

Anyway, it was a daily life flowing noisily.

***

And so.

Days continued peacefully one after another.

However, even I didn’t know that such tranquility would break so soon.

I looked at the person sitting across from me with a sour expression.

An unexpected visitor had come to see me.

“Judas Snakus.”

It was a face I hadn’t seen in a long time.

Since taking the position of head teaching assistant, I hadn’t had many points of contact with this person.

The family’s distinctive blue hair fluttered like winter even in spring.

Eyes that reminded me of someone stared directly at me.

A sharp gaze.

I muttered quietly.

“Young Master Venatti.”

The Venatti Duke family.

The villainess’s only remaining blood relative and her painful weakness—her twin brother.

The boy who would be the key to the next chapter was sitting before me.

He spoke with a rather serious expression.

“I’ve come to warn you… about something important.”

Rusca Venatti.

His sunken eyes were colder than ever.

I listened calmly.

“It’s about my sister.”

It seemed.

The next story was drawing near.