Chapter 46 : In this life

“Ahhh, please, stop clinging to me.”

It was a statement open to misunderstanding.

It was true Teperi was bothering me, hovering around, but she wasn’t exactly hugging me like a dog in heat and rubbing herself against my

thigh.

I already knew from the original story that Teperi was a very touchy character.

She approached anyone without hesitation.

Even her close friends described her that way.

‘Still, did she have to come and cling to me even while I was getting dressed?’

People tend to feel more embarrassed wearing only underwear rather than being completely naked.

Of course, she was undressed like me too.

‘Am I overreacting?’

After all, even when guys go to the sauna together, they tend not to pay any attention to each other while changing.

If I consciously paid attention to her gaze and got worked up about it, I’d be the strange one.

While I was glancing around self-consciously and blushing, Teperi looked somewhat uncomfortable.

“Why the long face?”

[Ah, that. Something got cut off in the middle. Twice.]

Teperi didn’t respond further and continued getting dressed.

Since I wasn’t particularly curious, I focused on finishing dressing instead of prying.

The long, long time of shame and humiliation faded away as I put my legs into my underwear.

Once again, I thought it was a good decision to wear modern clothes.

While dress shirts might be plausible, jeans aren’t exactly common attire in a fantasy setting.

If it weren’t for these, I would have struggled for several minutes just getting dressed.

We definitely came to the bathhouse for something like an after-party following the mission, but I felt unexpectedly drained.

Looking back, all we really did was wash.

When you break it down, nothing strange actually happened.

At least, not by my standards of common sense.

Separately, I touched my now clean skin and muttered.

“So clean now.”

Normally, the unwritten rule after visiting a bathhouse is to have boiled eggs, but there’s nothing like that here.

Despite appearances, this is a high-class bathhouse typically used by nobles, so that kind of commoner culture doesn’t exist here.

There’s even a fountain spouting water from a statue.

Actually, even bathhouses used by commoners don’t sell such snacks, but the image of a noble lady with elaborate hair wearing a sheep-head

towel wrap and munching on an egg seems quite amusing.

Outside, the evening sky had already settled in.

One good thing about being in a fantasy world is how clear the sky is.

Even in the bustling metropolis, the air was remarkably clear, allowing one to always see the crimson sunset in the evening.

[But is it okay for students to drink alcohol?]

“We’re adults anyway, so what’s the big deal.”

People sometimes get confused seeing us in uniforms, but we are proper adults.

Students in regular city schools might be minors, but the Academy only admits adults from the start.

Therefore, it doesn’t matter at all if we burst through the tavern door like this.

“Welcome!”

As young women entered the pub, the surrounding patrons’ attention focused on them.

Perhaps because we weren’t wearing uniforms or the elaborate clothes nobles wear, men hoping to hit on us were loitering nearby

unnecessarily.

“Excuse me, there are three of us too, if you wouldn’t mind…”

“Get lost.”

Of course, the men who had struggled to approach us were swiftly dealt with by Amiter.

I had planned to make an example of anyone who crossed the line, but unfortunately, no one did.

We deliberately sought out a corner table and ordered drinks.

“Honestly, men are all the same…”

Amiter sighed as she sat down.

Unlike me, she grew up in a harsh world, so she must have encountered such annoyances countless times.

It wouldn’t be surprising if she had a hatred for men.

Despite this, the fact that unicorns don’t reject her is quite remarkable.

“Even if I try to see them in a good light, I just can’t like them.”

“Me too. Women are much better.”

For once, the two of them agreed.

The thought of me marrying a man still gives me goosebumps.

At my words, Amiter’s ears twitched.

“Are you serious?”

“What reason would I have to lie?”

It’s usually more comfortable among same-s*x friends anyway.

Though, admittedly, I hardly have any friends.

There were occasional times I had to spend time with noble boys my age, and I thought I would die from the effort of maintaining formalities.

I was quite tormented until I declared I would bite my tongue off if they kept sending me to events like noble parties.

Soon, the drinks we ordered arrived along with some simple food.

Amiter’s tail had been wagging slightly for a while now.

Was it because she was happy to be drinking beer after a long time?

“Have you ever had alcohol before?”

Teperi, sitting right next to me, ordered the same drink I did.

It was stronger than it looked, and it seemed she just copied my order.

‘If she didn’t know any better, she should have just ordered beer like Amiter.’

[Me? I’m not a weak drinker.]

“Have you actually drunk before?”

[Not really, but I just have a feeling I wouldn’t be.]

Ignoring Teperi’s contradictory words, I tilted my glass and took a sniff.

It was apple wine, but it didn’t particularly smell like apples.

Just the scent felt like the alcohol fumes were rising.

Suddenly, I remembered Saintess Heila, whom I’d met at a pub, guzzling down mugs of beer held in each hand.

“Then watch and learn from me. I can hold my liquor.”

I haven’t drunk much alcohol in this body, but even when I secretly drank the liquor from the family stores, I never really got drunk.

‘Therefore, I can conclude that I have a high tolerance for alcohol.’

‘I can stay perfectly composed and remain casually seated until the very end.’

“Cheers.”

The glasses sloshed and clinked together, and, well, I don’t remember anything after that.

“Dmn btch.”

“Mgh, daaamn, what?”

“Fcking btch.”

Although less than an hour had passed since they entered, they had to leave before even finishing their meal.

The reason was the woman in the middle, being supported by the other two and practically half-dragged along.

The woman, her face as red as her irises, kept muttering something incoherently while staggering.

[Trea, get a hold of yourself…]

“Shut up! You bad girl. You really, really, how much I…”

Trea, suddenly swearing and mumbling the rest of her words, was clearly not in her right mind.

As soon as she’d had a few drinks, she began incessantly pouring out her emotions towards Teperi.

Looking as though she might burst into tears at any moment, she suddenly laughed and hugged Amiter.

“Boobs.”

“Crazy b*tch, really…”

“Boobs.”

“Teperi, do you know where this b*tch’s dorm is?”

The other two weren’t completely sober either, but they couldn’t just leave the drunk person behind and wash their hands of her.

Fortunately, Teperi knew where Trea’s dormitory was.

Amiter gave Trea a piggyback ride with a reluctant expression.

“I’m warning you now, if you puke on my back, I’ll tear you in half.”

No answer came.

Amiter walked on with a displeased expression, carrying Trea on her back.

The one saving grace was that the dormitory she stayed in was nearby.

They arrived there in less than ten minutes.

Unlike the dormitories used by regular students, there were separate rooms for those of high status.

It was a somewhat ironic fact for an Academy that claimed to pursue equality.

As they reached the top floor of the dormitory, a maid emerged.

“Lady Trea? Are you hurt, perhaps?”

“She’s just drunk.”

Knowing she had gone to the Black Forest, Arwen couldn’t help but be flustered seeing Trea carried in on someone’s back.

Of course, upon hearing she was just drunk, she looked at her with eyes holding a hint of disapproval.

[Trea, we should probably get go…]

“Sleep here.”

“I said sleep here.”

Her intention was unclear, but Trea pointed towards her room and grinned widely.

Arwen, who was supporting her nearby, also added a word.

“Yes, you two seem intoxicated as well. Please stay the night.”

Outside, it had been dark for quite some time.

The distance between the dormitories wasn’t particularly short either.

Amiter sighed, lifted Trea effortlessly with one arm, and entered the room.

Teperi greeted Arwen and took hold of the doorknob.

[You’ve worked hard. We’ll handle the rest ourselves, so please go and rest now.]

[Rest.]

Despite her bright smile, there was somehow a frightening feeling.

Arwen, without understanding why, quickly scurried away down the corridor.

Strange noises could be heard from inside the room.

–Clothes! Why are you taking off your clothes!

–We’re inside, what does it matter.

Teperi closed the door and went towards the bed.

The bed was large and wide, but since it was a single room, there was only one, with no extras.

Soft, even breathing sounds could be heard.

Trea had already been half-asleep the moment she lay down, and Amiter was sleeping as well.

Her hearing is sharp, so I wouldn’t be able to try anything foolish.

‘Not that I particularly planned to today, anyway.’

Teperi quietly sat up and gazed fondly at Trea.

Amiter had barely managed to stop her from stripping naked to sleep, so Trea was still in her outdoor clothes, merely unbuttoned.

Her appearance was both different from and the same as the Trea that Teperi remembered.

She moved a little closer to Trea.

Her cheeks looked incredibly soft.

Close enough for their faces to touch.

However, instead of closing the remaining distance, she whispered softly.

[I’m glad we could meet again in this life.]

Gazing at Trea, she soon lay back down.

Using Trea’s arm as a pillow.

Teperi briefly rubbed her face against the arm and gave a vapid smile.

[I’ll never lose you again.]

That beautiful smile was, albeit slightly, distorted.