Ch.339How Did It Come to This (1)

[Notification: ‘Eidel’ has posted an announcement.]

[GRADUATE★STUDENT☆RECRUITMENT]

[Mathers: What the fuck]

[Mathers: This seems suspicious]

[Me: Hey everyone]

[Welton: hi]

[Mezulen: ? hi]

[Me: Dear Stellarium Academy children]

[Me: I’d like to share some good news for those of you who will soon be entering graduate school]

[Welton: bye]

[‘Welton’ has left the chat.]

[‘Eidel’ has invited ‘Welton’.]

[Welton: fuck]

[Me: What could it be?]

[Mezulen: (Emoticon of a hamster munching on an acorn saying ‘Wow I’m really excited’)]

[Me: It’s graviton bomb research]

[Me: As this is a massive project requiring collaboration across various fields, I have no doubt it will be an opportunity to enhance your research capabilities]

[Me: Interested children, please raise your hands]

[‘Welton’ has left the chat.]

[‘Eidel’ has invited ‘Welton’.]

[Welton: Save me]

[Mathers: Give up idiot we’re already screwed]

[Mathers: That bastard became a professor]

[Mezulen: (Emoticon of a rabbit character trembling)]

[Welton: Fu]

[Welton: F ck you]

[Welton: Adios]

[‘Welton’ has left the chat.]

[‘Eidel’ has invited ‘Welton’.]

[Me: Welton child]

[Me: I’m not finished speaking]

[Me: If you leave one more time, I’ll visit your home]

[Me: Haha]

[Mezulen: omg]

[Welton: It wasn’t me]

[Welton: My cat did it]

[Mathers: This is insane]

[Welton: But shouldn’t you first ask if we’re even going to graduate school? Professor?]

[Me: Mathers child, are you going to graduate school?]

[Mathers: Yeah why]

[Me: What about Welton child?]

[Welton: I might go or I might not]

[Welton: I’m going]

[Welton: Sorry]

[Welton: Save me]

[Welton: Please]

[Me: Mezulen child will obviously go, right?]

[Mezulen: T_T]

[Mezulen: (Emoticon of a crying rabbit suddenly grinning)]

[Mezulen: Hahahihihihahihi]

[Me: If you all join the project]

[Me: Mezulen child will work on crystals as usual, while Welton and Mathers children will design components for the graviton bomb according to your specializations]

[Mathers: So how much are you paying]

[Me: (Table of estimated labor costs by field)]

[Me: Compensation will be approximately this much]

[Me: Interested?]

[Mathers: I’m in immediately]

[Mezulen: (Emoticon of a raccoon saluting)]

[Mezulen: ^^7]

[Welton: Ah, of course. O ‘King of Graduate Students.’]

Money truly is magnificent.

Now that I’ve recruited these three, research will accelerate. Mezulen goes without saying, and Welton and Mathers were quite renowned engineers in previous iterations.

I turned off the screen with a satisfied smile.

“Are you finished?”

Cartesia approached from behind. She placed her tentacles on both my shoulders and rested her head against me.

“Now tell me why you haven’t been home.”

“You already know. You must have read my thoughts.”

“Thinking something and saying it can be different.”

“I didn’t have time to come home because I was busy planning research. I had many places to visit too.”

Squeeze.

Cartesia pressed down on my shoulders with her tentacles.

“That black-haired woman.”

“Ireh? What about her?”

“You two did naughty things behind my back, didn’t you? Why aren’t you mentioning that?”

Naughty things with Ireh? What is she talking about?

We absolutely did not. After being scolded by Rustila and Zernya, I’ve been especially careful about my conduct.

“Research, I mean research.”

Cartesia’s tentacles crept up to my neck. She wrapped the tip of a tentacle around my nape and traced circles while whispering.

“You researched non-stop with that damn woman. Did you think I wouldn’t know?”

“Are you upset about that?”

“Upset? Me?”

I heard a snort behind my neck.

“Kid, this is ingratitude. I was the one who first introduced graviton bomb research to you. Do you even know that?”

Slowly.

The tentacle tightened around my neck.

I felt goosebumps. The murderous intent I sensed was even more ominous than when I first met Cartesia and received my first quest.

I slowly turned my head. Cartesia gave a sinister smirk and waved her hand.

Ding!

[— Quest: Move the ‘God of Wisdom and Curiosity’ to your professor’s office. Note: You must carry or hold her.]

[— Success: —]

[— Failure: Involuntary ejaculation (10-minute intervals, lasting one week)]

What the hell.

“What kind of quest doesn’t have a success reward? Are you really a constellation?”

“Half outer god.”

Cartesia stretched out her arms and placed them on my shoulders. Then she climbed onto my back. Simply put, she was in a piggyback position.

“Move like this.”

“Sigh.”

What should I do with this mischievous lady?

Looking at the additional details, there was a time limit. Whether late or early, I had to move her residence today.

“Can you behave yourself once we get there?”

“That depends on you, kid.”

I reluctantly carried Cartesia on my back. She shook her head from side to side.

“And I’m getting bored here. It’s stifling. I’d like to go out and explore new places.”

“I’ll find a way somehow.”

“Now you’re talking sense, kid.”

I figured it would be better to move quickly. Although Ireh and Cartesia don’t get along, if I could get them to discuss in the same space, we could make significant theoretical progress.

But too much time had passed. Ireh would be waiting in the living room. I carried Cartesia on my back and left the bedroom.

“Senior, sorry for the wait. Now we can go… Senior?”

Ireh was sleeping on her side on the living room sofa. She had taken off her cardigan, probably because she was hot. She was wearing a short-sleeved shirt and short shorts, making it awkward to look at her.

[— The ‘God of Wisdom and Curiosity’ shows signs of discomfort.]

“Senior, please wake up. Senior.”

I tapped Ireh’s arm. She let out a shallow moan and shifted her body. She wouldn’t wake up.

Well, she must be tired. From researching all night, and from protecting me. Lately, Ireh had been going to bed later than me and waking up earlier.

But before coming here, I had sent messages to Rustila and Zernya. I told them I would stop by home with Ireh because of the matter with Seti.

What if my wives come back and see Ireh dressed like this?

Just imagining their reaction is terrifying.

“Senior, if you want to sleep, do it at school.”

“Mmm…”

I reached out to Ireh again. And then, something unexpected happened. Ireh grabbed my arm in her sleep and pulled me with surprising strength.

I was already off-balance from carrying Cartesia. I fell forward helplessly. Ireh caught me while sleep-talking.

“…Senior?”

“Professor, it’s good. So good.”

“Senior. Senior! Wake up!”

“I can’t take anymore. Please let me graduate soon…”

“Ireh Hazlen——!!”

“…Huh, what?”

Ireh startled awake and blinked her eyes. Awareness returned to her previously drowsy gaze.

“Get yourself together. I’ve finished my business. Let’s go back to Stellarium.”

“Oh, y-yes. Yes…?”

Ireh was nodding when she suddenly stopped breathing. I was currently being embraced by Ireh in front, while carrying Cartesia on my back.

Cartesia and Ireh stared at each other.

“This woman must be dying to get killed.”

“Aack!”

Ireh screamed and let go of me. Her complexion turned blue, then white, and finally red.

“Is… is this a dream?”

“It’s reality, Senior. You fell asleep on our sofa while I was taking care of business.”

In other words, she had taken a nap at her advisor’s home. Thinking about it that way, I felt envious of Ireh. I’ve never slept at Professor Feynman’s house.

“I, I didn’t mean to…!”

Ireh’s face turned as red as a radish as she desperately tried to explain that this wasn’t intentional. I waved my hand and helped her up.

“Let’s go. Before it gets any later.”

And as I turned my head toward the entrance.

Thud.

There was the sound of something heavy dropping.

Belatedly understanding the situation, I couldn’t believe my eyes.

Zernya was staring at us with dead eyes.

***

A few hours before Eidel returned to the Rheinland main residence.

Eidel had left a message in the family group chat saying he would be returning early. He would discuss graviton bombs with Seti, and since Sonia wasn’t available, he would bring Ireh instead.

Ireh and Eidel enter the Rheinland main residence.

Though she wasn’t thrilled about it, there was no other option. Above all.

‘I was too harsh then.’

After several weeks, both Rustila and Zernya had calmed down.

After giving birth, Zernya’s personality had softened considerably. She knew that parents’ anger could negatively affect their children.

‘Last time, I was so shocked that I lost control and went full throttle…’

Zernya fidgeted with her right hand.

She felt terrible about hitting her husband then.

Since he said he was coming home, she took a half-day off. The request was quickly approved when she cited childcare as the reason.

‘I should go shopping before heading back.’

She would hurry home to meet Eidel. She would cook his favorite food herself, feed him well, and then apologize for last time.

She planned to talk things out properly and resolve the issue with Ireh.

‘And after that…’

Sonia had bought a cat costume before. She had purchased it but hadn’t used it yet.

“Hehe.”

The corners of her mouth turned up at the thought of saying “I’m sorry” in the evening and “meow” at night.

So after finishing her careful shopping, Zernya returned to the main residence.

“I, I didn’t mean to…!”

“You’re something else, woman.”

In front was Ireh.

On his back was Cartesia.

She could see Eidel sighing as he was sandwiched between them.

There were two questions:

1. Why was Ireh dressed in such a seductive outfit while tempting Eidel?

2. Why was that outer god getting a piggyback ride from Eidel?

As those two questions meshed like gears, Zernya’s blood pressure, which had been calm, shot up like a geyser.

Thud.

“Hey.”

“D-darling?”

“You’ve got some nerve, haven’t you?”

Zernya put down her shopping bags and charged forward.