Mistake

“Ugh, blegh…”

I clutched my throbbing head and churning stomach.

…Should’ve moderated my gaming.

Maybe because Eileen and I have similar gaming tastes, we just clicked. Before I knew it, hours had flown by while we played.

By the time I noticed, it was already past 3 AM.

I should’ve stopped right then when I saw the clock.

But “just one more round” turned into “just one more” until night vanished and sunlight streamed across my skin.

I’m… gonna die…

“Teacher, are you okay?”

“No… I think I’m dying…”

“Should’ve taken breaks. I’m fine though.”

“I couldn’t!”

“Whoa, scary.”

“Opportunities like this don’t come often!”

I have many friends who enjoy games.

Our generation grew up playing online games since childhood.

But few actually enjoy smaller multiplayer games for 2-4 players.

How many games did I buy because they looked fun, only to leave them untouched in my library?

Chances to play like this were rare. I had to seize it now.

And this is the result.

“*Cough*”

“…Even if the game’s fun, this is too much. I have class, so I’ll head out first, Teacher.”

“Bye…”

Ah, youth is enviable.

If I say this out loud, older people (mainly Principal Veronica) would scold me – “What are you talking about at your age?” while hopping mad.

But seeing someone pull an all-nighter and still be energetic makes me think this way.

I used to handle all-nighters fine when I was younger…!

Coming to another world is fun, gaining special abilities is great, helping kids I like is wonderful – but I have one complaint.

My stamina sucks…

Suppressing the sludgy feeling of post-all-nighter euphoria mixed with exhaustion, I looked around.

Ugh, why’s it so messy?

I knew we made some mess while gaming, but this much…?

“Ugh, cleaning…”

“Sleep first.”

“Ah, Orca… When did you get here…?”

“Last night.”

Last night? I didn’t even hear her come in?

Was I really that absorbed in the game?

Guilt washed over me – as someone who should set an example for students, I pulled an all-nighter gaming right before their eyes.

“You really love games.”

“Ah, yes… A little…”

“A little?”

“…A little too much.”

This felt awkward.

Never imagined I’d be bowing my head like this to Orca.

“Whatever. I have class too, so sleep first.”

“Ah, let me just clean this up first.”

“Didn’t you hear ‘sleep now’?”

With those words, Orca picked me up and tossed me onto the bed.

“Clean later. Sleep first when you can’t even keep your eyes open.”

“Ah…”

“Be back later. Rest.”

Watching Orca leave the Counseling Room without looking back, I tried getting up to tidy the place.

I believed I should at least clean up.

But soon realized – no matter how hard I tried, my body wouldn’t move.

The bed seemed to exert gravitational pull, holding me down.

Need to get up. Need to get up.

Despite my thoughts, I just stared at the ceiling before finally giving up and closing my eyes.

Damn… so sleepy…

***

It was cozy.

A blissful feeling like floating on clouds enveloped my whole body.

I wanted to stay like this a bit longer, yet strangely my mind felt crystal clear.

…Wait, crystal clear?

“Hah!”

Startled by the unnatural alertness, I bolted upright in bed.

This level of wakefulness shouldn’t be possible!

“Agh! My leg!”

In my haste, I tripped over clutter I hadn’t noticed.

Ugh, if only my chest were smaller…! Why’s it so unnecessarily big!

No, not the point. What time is it?!

Biting through the pain, I checked the clock.

4 PM.

“Wo-work…! I’m screwed…! Ah.”

Wait, I’m already at work, aren’t I?

Meaning I slept through work hours…?

No special circumstances – just slept until 4 PM after gaming all night.

…If caught, I’m dead!

I rushed out to secure the Counseling Room against visitors.

“…?”

A “Currently Out” sign greeted me.

…I don’t remember posting this. Did I? Hmm, not sure.

No time for details – it’s already past 4.

I frantically began cleaning.

“Phew…”

Fortunately, cleaning didn’t take long.

Easier than expected, honestly.

Looking at the darkening sky after waking, I sighed.

“Morning, no. Waking up to this suffering.”

I’ve been working too hard lately.

Caring for kids with Anastasia, advising the Princess and Watcher to reach the top, handling Orca’s mental issues casually, even accidentally bonding with elusive Eileen over games.

At this pace, I’m making incredible progress.

But the backlash – wanting to rest so badly that I overplayed without considering stamina – became the problem.

“Hmm, but gaming’s the only way to build rapport with Eileen.”

The issue is there’s nothing else I can do now.

The Princess and Watcher require caution – no major events yet. Orca… aside from causing trouble, nothing needs fixing.

That leaves Leo and Eileen. Leo, the classic protagonist, has events clustered around major plot points.

Since his Main Quest ties to Eileen, working with her is better.

Meaning currently, only Eileen’s favorability matters.

Some might say we’re already close, but that’s wrong.

To her, I’m just someone enabling legitimate skipping – nothing more.

As revealed in-game… she avoids deep relationships.

In dating sim terms, Orca’s an unlockable character requiring specific conditions to interact.

Eileen’s favorability absolutely won’t rise past a point without meeting certain criteria.

“Hmm, what to do.”

The Princess-Watcher conflict could get bloody.

I want Eileen’s issues resolved before the struggle begins.

Though shackling herself, she’s incredibly strong – she’d be a huge asset helping them.

A child prodigy called a genius swordsman since youth.

Developers said if she’d kept training, she’d be top-tier by game start.

But hypotheticals mean nothing.

She only held a sword for about a year as a child and hasn’t touched one since.

That people still call her a genius makes me wonder how shocking her skills were back then.

…My thoughts wandered.

Ultimately, Eileen also needs to meet specific conditions to start interacting and wielding her sword again…

The problem? Those conditions are random.

What does that mean?

You must randomly encounter Eileen’s past-related dialogue during battle to start her Main Quest.

There’s weighting – it’ll start by mid-story at latest.

But unlucky players might never trigger it, forcing bad endings.

Lottery-level odds, they said. Truly unlucky.

But this isn’t a game – it’s reality.

Can’t wait around for Random Encounters to start Main Quests.

Might not trigger for a year like that unlucky player.

But how?

In games, dialogue was the trigger, but here, forcing her to say the lines won’t start anything.

The key isn’t the dialogue but her motivation to act.

“Hmm, can’t just say I know where Eileen’s father is…”

“…Teacher, what did you just say?”

“Huh?”

Hearing the voice that shouldn’t have heard, I dumbly turned.

Eileen stared back with equally stunned expression.