Ch.342Side Story. Madness

Findenai was sowing seeds, the Dark Spiritmaster covering them with magic, and I was watering the ground with a watering can.

I thought anyone who saw us might find it rather absurd.

Findenai, who had single-handedly held off the elite forces of the entire continent.

The Dark Spiritmaster, who despite being a soul, had overwhelmed the Black Mage of the Zerman Kingdom with her necromancy.

And me, who had somehow prevented the continent’s destruction and shouldered that burden.

The three of us walking in a line in a small garden plot, sowing seeds, covering them with soil, and watering them—it seemed more ridiculous than I’d imagined.

The reason I was holding the watering can wasn’t anything special. I was simply the only one who could fill it with water using magic.

[Have some refreshments.]

Stella approached with a tray, smiling. Though only Findenai could actually eat the snack, it was meant as a signal for us to take a break.

On the tray were two boiled eggs.

No drinks or water.

“Are you trying to choke me to death?”

Findenai complained, but Stella only responded with a smile.

She still seemed upset about Findenai pouncing on me yesterday.

[By the way, what are you planting?]

“Potatoes and sweet potatoes.”

Those are the easiest to grow, and you can keep eating them after harvesting.

[Ugh, I thought it would be something like strawberries.]

The Dark Spiritmaster openly showed her disappointment while Findenai seemed to realize something and glared.

“Wait a minute. I’m the one who’ll end up eating all this, right?”

“We can share some with Erika.”

“She eats well enough already. Why would she need potatoes and sweet potatoes? Wait, let’s start over with the garden!”

[Findenai has to eat my cherry tomatoes too.]

“Is this food torture?!”

Findenai shouted, wanting to overturn the garden. After the commotion died down and we resumed our farming, Erika arrived.

She visits like this every lunch break, saying she wants to make time now because next year she’ll be busy as a Grand Mage candidate in the kingdom after leaving the academy.

Normally we would just chat, but today was different.

“Are you ready?”

At her call, I nodded while brushing off my clothes.

“I only sprinkled water anyway.”

My clothes weren’t particularly disheveled or dirty from the garden work.

Erika looked at me, smiled slightly, and reached out her hand.

“You’re a little disheveled.”

“Am I?”

I didn’t think I looked disheveled. Erika spent a moment fixing my appearance.

She let go with a satisfied expression.

“Let’s go, Per is waiting.”

Today was the day I was returning to Robern Academy after a long time to meet Professor Per.

It was a regular check-up for my vessel, and the perfect timing to mention that I had broken one yesterday.

Naturally, I would go alone, and I had already finished explaining this.

Findenai was a high-risk criminal whose face was known throughout the continent, and the Dark Spiritmaster and Stella needed to stay to monitor Findenai in case she did something strange.

“I’ll be back soon.”

Findenai grumbled as she moved to continue working in the garden.

[Bring back a gift!]

[Please return safely.]

After confirming that the Dark Spiritmaster and Stella were following Findenai back to the garden, I used the general store’s door with Erika to arrive at her room.

“This brings back memories.”

The professor’s dormitory at the academy.

Since I had stayed in an identical room during my time as a professor, memories from that period naturally came flooding back.

Of course, they didn’t last long.

Since I was Shinwoo Kim rather than Deus Verdi, there wouldn’t be much issue with me being at the academy, but there was no benefit to staying long.

Besides, if Aria Rius or Princess Elenoa spotted me, it could create unnecessary complications.

Today I planned to secretly meet only Per for the regular check-up, and Erika was helping by checking outside the window or glancing down the corridor to ensure I wouldn’t run into others.

“Since the examination equipment is in the lab, we’ll need to go there.”

“Of course.”

It was my former research lab, after all.

I was looking forward to seeing it after so long, and considering Professor Per’s research equipment, it made sense for me to go there.

“…It’s the same, somehow.”

“Hmm?”

Puzzled by her sudden comment, I asked, and Erika scratched her cheek awkwardly.

“I heard that when you’re Shinwoo Kim instead of Deus Verdi, you’re more affectionate.”

Was I?

I thought it might be because of my speech pattern.

“So I wondered if you might seem different, but… as we keep talking, I realize your speech is just a bit more casual, but your way of speaking is exactly the same.”

“…That doesn’t sound like a compliment.”

“You’re right, it’s not.”

Erika laughed playfully as she took my hand and pulled me along. People who only knew her as a professor would think this was a completely different person.

Like Erika, the Dark Spiritmaster and Stella also showed sides of themselves only to me.

Findenai?

That one is always the same.

She’s snippy with me and everyone else.

The Dark Spiritmaster tends to act rather… no, extremely childlike in front of me.

Stella becomes more honest about her desires.

Erika tends to play little pranks or act cute.

She’ll grumble “stupid” when she’s displeased, or pout in that way of hers.

Still holding my hand, we arrived at the research lab.

It must have been class time, as there were no students wandering the corridors, making it easy for us to get there.

“Welcome!”

Professor Per greeted me enthusiastically with both hands raised. The lab hadn’t changed much from before.

I’d heard they could hire an assistant professor since my absence had left the lab quiet, but looking around, it was just Per.

Not just that there was no one else present—there were no belongings of any assistant professors, which meant she must have driven them all away.

‘Professor Per always had trouble working with others.’

Since I usually just kept quiet and read books, or only responded to her questions, we had managed to get along without any trouble.

“Did you run here? Your cheeks are red.”

We didn’t run.

I could only see the back of her head, but apparently holding hands had been quite stimulating for Erika.

“I know the way to the lab too.”

When I said this casually, Erika glanced back at me, pouting her lips and glaring.

Looking at her now, her cheeks really were flushed, which I found quite adorable.

If I had to measure our progress, we’d already kissed, so just holding hands while walking through the academy…

“It’s because we’re at the academy, isn’t it?”

It wasn’t simply holding hands—the location was important. It seemed she was flustered because she was walking hand-in-hand with me in a place where she usually maintained a cold expression.

“Ugh!”

Hitting the mark, Erika bit her lip as if telling me to be quiet, but she couldn’t help letting out a small laugh.

“So the same action can elicit different reactions depending on the location.”

“D-don’t talk like you’re conducting research!”

Erika started lightly pounding my chest with her fists. Her face had turned completely red with embarrassment, and though she was flailing like she was throwing a tantrum, it didn’t hurt at all.

“O-oh, wow.”

Professor Per let out an exclamation, her mouth hanging open, apparently finding Erika’s behavior refreshing. Erika, who had momentarily forgotten Per’s presence, startled back to her normal posture and cleared her throat several times.

“Let’s begin.”

“Ah, yes!”

Under the unspoken pressure to forget what just happened, Professor Per hurriedly began preparing her equipment.

As I stared at the back of Erika’s head, she seemed to feel my gaze and glanced back at me before crossing her arms.

“L-look away.”

“Do I have to?”

“Quickly.”

Erika was pouting, not wanting to show her flushed face. The way she craved affection yet became overwhelmed by even the smallest gesture made me feel like…

I felt like I was in a school romance straight out of fiction.

‘Well, this is an academy setting.’

After some time, Professor Per completed her examination. It didn’t take as long as I expected, nor was it painful.

“No problems at all?”

That’s probably because I’ve only been using this body since yesterday.

When I explained that one vessel had been destroyed so I was using a spare, Professor Per wasn’t angry—rather, she became interested.

“What? It shouldn’t have broken down from mana depletion yet. What caused it to break?”

“…”

Per blinked through her glasses as she asked. Erika clicked her tongue and turned her body away.

She wasn’t going to help me.

‘She must know what happened yesterday.’

I thought she had left early and wouldn’t know, but apparently she had some idea of what the Dark Spiritmaster and I had been doing in the forest.

“I got… emotionally intense, and that’s what happened.”

“Oh? That’s interesting! Could you perhaps tell me the details of the situation?”

“…It just happened, somehow.”

Since it was probably the first time she’d seen me being evasive, Professor Per looked at me curiously, while Erika let out a small laugh.

It was a more awkward situation than I’d expected.

“How vague. If such a situation occurs again, please remember to tell me about it! I want to be clear about any new variables.”

“Sure…”

“And I’ve already prepared a new vessel for you!”

Per happily rushed to a corner and pulled out a vessel wrapped in white cloth.

It was a vessel that looked exactly like me.

While the one I’m currently using copies the user’s appearance through the mana contained in the soul, that one was essentially a mannequin of Shinwoo Kim.

“…”

It reminded me uncomfortably of the old Deus mannequin, but Professor Per didn’t seem to notice my discomfort as she brought it over.

“The durability of the vessels has been an issue for you, right? So I removed all the options! I just matched the appearance and made it as sturdy as possible! This one should withstand several magic attacks without a problem!”

I doubt I’ll be hit by magic, but still. Having a vessel that wouldn’t break was certainly good news, but…

Why?

The uncomfortable feeling wouldn’t go away.

To be honest, I didn’t want to use a vessel like that.

“Of course, there might be some awkwardness. Facial expressions might not change well, or you might feel some physical dissonance. I’ll work on improving those aspects gradually!”

Professor Per was shouting like a salesperson. I knew she was reliable when it came to vessels, but…

Her usually shy personality completely disappears when research is involved. She transforms from a woman into a researcher.

“And also!”

Rattle, rattle.

Professor Per brought over a cart with wheels. The entire cart was covered with white cloth, which she confidently pulled away to reveal…

“…?!”

“Eek?!”

Various types of male genitalia were arranged on it.

In other words, dildos.

The sight of these self-pleasure devices for women laid out in considerable numbers was truly bizarre.

“Ta-da! Completely detachable! Since I couldn’t possibly know about your genitals, Professor, I prepared like this! I just swept up everything from an adult store in the city!”

“…”

“This way you won’t get tired! And… oh my.”

Seeing me standing there with my mouth open in shock, Professor Per scratched the back of her head.

“I made a mistake.”

I wondered if she realized what she was doing, but…

The madness of the researcher in her eyes hadn’t ended yet.

Rattle, rattle!

Professor Per pushed the cart past me forcefully and stopped in front of Erika.

“I should have asked Professor Erika about this!”

The moment Erika heard Per’s bold suggestion…

“It depends on preference!”

With her eyes spinning and her ears turning red with embarrassment, Erika panicked and…

“Wh-what?!”

She completely broke down.