Ch.372372. The Next Step? (3)

Time remaining until the lecture: 30 minutes.

It’s far too early. Normally, I would leave at this time to arrive just on schedule… but now I have 30 minutes left after already arriving at work.

While showing up early to prevent tardiness might be considered part of the diligence expected of an Academy professor, this was at the level of having to forcibly kill time.

Having too much time on my hands after arriving so early, there’s nothing I can really do.

‘What should I do?’

They say professors’ days are typically busy. Preparing lectures, conducting personal research, pursuing deeper academic interests—being chased by time in various ways is their daily routine.

However, a clear counterexample to this has now emerged.

Junon has always made it a habit to prepare in advance. His personality of thoroughly preparing for whatever might come isn’t just a thought floating in his head—it’s ingrained in his body.

Lecture preparations were completed long ago the day before, and he doesn’t particularly care about research enthusiasm or academic curiosity to delve deeper into scholarship.

So even when arriving early, there was nothing to do, and not being pressed for time left only empty hours.

“Hmm… should I do some light training at Mizar Hall for the first time in a while?”

There’s nothing else to do anyway. Might as well work up a sweat in advance.

That’s all he could come up with. Just like the old days, sweating a bit while clearing his mind.

“What training are you talking about?”

Suddenly, a voice came from behind him, as if to stop him.

It was Senia, arms crossed, looking somehow quite sharp-edged.

Junon involuntarily swallowed hard. Senia’s sharp voice made him tense up. After all, there had been that incident recently.

“What brings you here?”

To his question, tinged with unease, Senia narrowed her eyes. It was a searching gaze trying to figure something out.

But even after her inspection, her eyes still held a puzzled look.

“That’s strange. Why? Junon, do you have any torn spare clothes?”

“No, not particularly…? I only give lectures.”

“Any accidents or heavily stained clothes you can’t use?”

“…None of that either.”

“Hmm. Then what could it be?”

When Junon cautiously asked if something had happened, Senia, instead of answering, placed her hand on her chin and carefully looked him over from head to toe.

Indeed, he looked impeccable. Not even a single loose thread could be seen.

‘Did I misunderstand?’

Senia had stayed in place until the end, wondering if Renias’s footsteps might turn in a different direction. But Renias had continued walking straight in one direction without stopping, and the destination that had made Senia curious hadn’t changed either.

‘Getting clothes made at a tailor or clothing shop is common. But the problem is, there’s no reason for her to go there.’

The most commonly seen attire on campus is undoubtedly the uniform. In Levrant Academy, where students make up the majority, few outfits are as common as the school uniform.

The place Renias had walked to was precisely where those uniforms were mainly made—a franchise clothing shop inside the academy. So simply thinking about it, one could assume she went to get a uniform fitted.

‘That’s why I came looking for Junon.’

But there was nothing wrong with Junon’s clothes.

But… how often would Renias, an early graduate, attend lectures? Dresses or one-pieces would suit her better than a uniform. And it wouldn’t suit Junon either, given that he’s both a graduate and a professor now. Though rare, the hypothesis that she might be making another formal suit seems much more plausible.

‘Wait, a formal suit?’

This seems more likely than a uniform. Considering how she had come to them wanting to appeal to Junon in a special way, it seemed quite like Renias.

“Senia. Did Renias come to see you guys…?”

“No, no. It’s not that. I just seem to have been mistaken.”

“Oh, I see? That’s a relief…”

“If Renias comes to us again because of this, then it’s your fault, Junon. So you should be more responsive and such. Your reactions are surprisingly bland, you know?”

“Y-Yeah… though I don’t know what you’re talking about…”

Unlike Senia, who walked away with a light-hearted smile, Junon wore an expression of complete bewilderment.

***

That time has come.

She who always appears by quietly opening the back door during lectures. Today too, both her hands hold a freshly made lunchbox prepared with care.

Normally, Renias approaching with her cute aegyo and childish whims would have seemed adorable, but today I’m on edge. The moment this lecture ends, she’ll pounce on me just like yesterday.

I’m already feeling tense.

Even if I try to stop it, I can’t. It’s a weapon that can’t be blocked no matter what. So I need to avoid and run away, but how should I avoid and how should I escape this time?

‘…This is driving me crazy. I can’t think of anything. Has my brain stopped working?’

The good thing is that I still have quite some time to worry. During the lecture, even Renias won’t try to disrupt it, so she won’t immediately take yesterday’s action.

‘But wait. Conversely, doesn’t that mean I’m in big trouble when the lecture ends?’

Ding dong ding dong!

Correct answer! My brain screamed like mad.

I really don’t understand why it works so well at times like this.

‘What should I do about this?’

My heart races with anxiety that I must devise a plan within the remaining time. But regardless of my feelings, time passes swiftly as if it couldn’t care less.

Before I knew it, blinking my eyes, lunchtime with Renias was approaching.

Spreading the picnic mat. Taking out the lunchbox.

Yes. Up to here, it’s the same. But… what comes next?

…Honestly, no matter how I approach this or what method I use, it’s going to be strange. I can’t come up with any countermeasure!

Meanwhile, Renias, having finished setting up, slowly approaches. Though hidden by her hair, I’m sure that under that hair is a face eager to tease me thoroughly.

My mind goes blank. I have no idea what to say.

-Thud.

The result of wasting precious time in restlessness. Renias’s head touches my shoulder.

Could it be, just like this?

As ominous thoughts were rising in my mind, Renias called out to me.

“Oppa.”

“U-Um?”

“I have something to tell you.”

Contrary to expectations, she approached with conversation instead of action.

“What is it?”

Right. Say something. Respond to anything, and let’s keep the conversation going.

“Oppa, do you… like traveling?”

Huh?

Travel?

A topic far from what I expected came out of her mouth.

***

Travel, out of nowhere. I wondered what this was about, but Renias didn’t seem playful like yesterday.

She asked if I liked traveling in quite a serious voice.

‘Travel…’

To be honest, I don’t really know.

Rather, I haven’t had many opportunities to experience or encounter it. If I had to recall something similar, perhaps it would be the celebration at Algenib’s famous resort after the faction war ended? Other than that, I’m not sure.

So when asked if I like it, I couldn’t readily answer yes or no.

“What do you think, Reni?”

“I want to go. Just the two of us.”

Renias whispered softly while leaning on my shoulder.

“Coming here every day to feed you. Sleeping while tightly embracing you—I’m not saying it’s not happiness. But… I want more. I want to create more happy memories that are just ours.”

Not saying it’s not happiness.

But more. Wanting to create happy memories that are just ours.

Though quite an abstract answer, I think I understood what Renias meant.

I had promised her.

When everything was over, I would give her only happy memories. I said I wanted to fill her life with memories several times happier than now.

But what about now?

Just going back and forth between the academy and home every day—have I really given Renias the kind of memories she wants?

We’ve played at amusement parks, gone for walks, even had a proposal, but that’s all. Rather, I’ve made her jealous. Made her obsessive. I felt like I hadn’t acted properly.

When this is all the time we have together. When there’s no more special time than this. Is this really happiness?

Yes. More. Renias deserves much more happiness.

Bringing her the happiness she wants is my job as her boyfriend.

“Let’s go. On a trip.”

“Oppa?”

“It’s the weekend anyway. If we’re always buried in lectures like this, when will we have fun?”

If needed, I can even post a class cancellation notice. I can ask Professor Jake or Professor Muniher once.

“When should we go? Starting tomorrow morning? Or—”

“Let’s go today!”

“Today, huh. Backpacking would be nice too. Then first, let’s go home and—”

“Ah, no! You eat your meal, Oppa. You must be hungry, so there’s no need to go straight home, right? The, the food will get cold!”

“Well, that’s true, but…”

Renias insisted I eat first, holding down my shoulders as I tried to stand up, pressing firmly.

As if that wasn’t enough, she hurriedly picked up utensils, grabbed some food, and even stuffed it into my mouth.

“Won’t it be hard to do alone?”

“You fill your stomach here first, Oppa. During that time, I’ll go back and look up travel destinations and places to stay. Okay?”

I guess that makes sense. After all, it wasn’t me who wanted to travel, but Renias.

This time, let’s follow my girlfriend’s plan. Our silver rabbit’s carrot collection plan shouldn’t be too bad, right?

However…

“Junon Oppa.”

“Re-Reni…”

The Renias who accompanied me on the journey was no longer a silver rabbit.

More like a pure white silver fox, if anything.