Deren Deren

Deren Deren

Most of the problems I was facing were caused by the ‘Heaven God Cult’.

Judging that solving this would resolve most of the issues.

I decided to put aside all the problems for now and focus on magic research.

‘It’s really time to finish this now.’

If I drag this on any longer, it might be difficult to deal with individuals above the bishop level.

Thinking it would be best to prepare for this, I decided to finish the research first.

‘Well, it’s almost done anyway. As long as I’m not interrupted now.’

Within a few days, I can complete all the space expansion magic, and furthermore, it would be possible to raise the level of space transformation magic to some extent.

So, thinking that I should progress the magic research as quickly as possible through secluded training for a while.

I planned to prevent others from approaching the laboratory for some time.

‘However, if it turns out like this, the problem is Rumi.’

Given that we’re already in a situation mixed with all sorts of misunderstandings and separated from each other, I’m somewhat worried that she might do something unnecessary.

When I had such thoughts, I considered opening the laboratory door for Rumi.

But if I did that, there would be no point in secluded training.

So I just decided to go ahead with it, turning a blind eye.

‘Of course, I can’t just sit back and do nothing.’

Remembering how Luna had managed to comfort Rumi in her own way, I planned to send Luna to Rumi for some Luna therapy for a while.

‘Well, I’m not sure if it will be effective.’

Thinking ‘It’s better than nothing,’ I decided to send her anyway.

‘But is it okay to put those two together?’

Rumi, the hero, and Luna, the seed for summoning the demon god.

I pondered for a moment, wondering if it’s okay to leave these two together.

I turned my gaze away, concluding that there wouldn’t be much of a problem since I had perfectly modified her to prevent any mischief.

‘Besides, if Luna tries to do anything.’

I’ll receive a signal.

Even if I’m in the middle of research, it shouldn’t be too difficult to resolve this.

With that judgment, I decided to focus on my research for now.

* * *

After a week had passed.

As planned, I succeeded in finalizing the space expansion magic while also analyzing the general mechanism of space transformation magic.

‘Of course, space transformation magic is still too inefficient to use in practice, so it’s difficult to utilize it yet.’

If I spend a bit more time, I should be able to solve it without much difficulty, so it shouldn’t be a big problem.

Thinking this, I let out a long yawn and slowly looked out the window.

‘I should head to the Academy soon.’

Until now, I’ve been forcibly postponing attendance using my status as a top student and the influence of my family.

But if I delay any further, it would have a significant impact on my grades, so I needed to go soon.

‘After all, the condition for receiving help from the family was to achieve excellent grades at the Academy.’

Well, to be honest, I’ve become so strong that I could probably manage on my own without the family’s help.

But thinking it would be more convenient in many ways to receive it, I got up from the research lab.

‘Rumi, Espin, and Delia must have already gone to the Academy.’

So I can just leave by myself.

With that thought, as I was leaving the lab, I unexpectedly saw Luna waiting in front of it.

“What are you doing there?”

Rumi was told to stay close, so I asked why she wasn’t and was here instead.

[Luna likes Master the most, so I was waiting here?]

A rather confident answer came back.

I considered giving her a light knock on the head for that, but.

I shook my head, remembering that when modifying Luna, I had set ‘not to stray too far from me’.

‘So that’s why she’s here.’

The Academy is quite far, so she must have returned here halfway.

As I picked up Luna and sighed.

Luna started rubbing her cheek against mine and giggling.

[I’m so happy to see Master again!]

“……”

As I was thinking about how to respond, slowly moving forward.

Suddenly, a question crossed my mind, and I asked Luna.

“How have you been getting along with Rumi?”

Luna pondered the question for a moment, then smiled brightly and answered.

[We practiced a secret method that Master doesn’t know about!]

“Practice?”

[Yes! The boss cat hasn’t come lately because he’s been busy, so we couldn’t practice in detail. But we practiced hard with what we overheard before!]

I nodded, thinking that as long as it could help stabilize Rumi’s mental state, it would be fine, even though I didn’t know what it was.

“Well done.”

[Yes, I’m sure Master will love it too. The boss cat said it’s incredibly important for humans.]

After hearing those words, I once again encountered a question.

Luna couldn’t understand ‘why she trusted and liked the boss cat so much.’

So when I asked about this.

[The boss cat is amazing…! He gave me snacks from the first time we met!]

A somewhat surprising answer came back.

“What?”

[He gave me snacks on the first day, and the next day too… I like him because he gives me snacks every time we meet.]

“……”

It seems she liked the boss cat so much because she was won over by bribes.

After learning this fact, I let out a hollow laugh and patted Luna’s head.

Then I slowly made my way to the Academy.

* * *

As soon as the Academy came into view, the first thing I saw was Rumi, looking completely different from her usual self.

I’m not sure if she changed like this after discovering my will or if she’s changed while spending time with me recently.

I see her looking somewhat haughty, focused on studying with a magic book open.

Just as I was wondering about how different she looked from the Rumi I knew.

As always, Delia, sitting in my seat, waved at me and welcomed me.

“Looks like your research is done?”

I nodded at those words, and Delia patted the seat she was sitting on and said.

“Come sit down quickly. I’ve warmed it up for you.”

“……?”

Not quite understanding the intention behind her words, but since it was my usual seat, I sat down without saying anything.

Delia, clinging to me even more than usual, spoke to me.

“When you were gone for a week, I felt like a widow. It was like I was barely living each day. Maybe that’s why I shed a few tears every night.”

Delia’s friend nearby laughed and said,

“Were those tears from above or below?”

“Of course… Wait, what? You crazy… No, you insane girl!”

Delia seems to be watching her words and being cautious, perhaps because I’m next to her.

I smiled lightly at Delia’s behavior and thought,

‘It feels good to return to everyday life after a long time.’

I had been getting mentally exhausted from being involved with the Heaven God Cult and dealing with heavy issues like murder, human trafficking, and human experimentation.

Seeing this peaceful atmosphere with casual jokes being thrown around felt somewhat healing.

‘I’m not sure if it’s because I don’t need to imitate Deren anymore, or if I’m just tired of acting.’

I was thinking that I’m slowly returning to my own personality.

In the distance, I see someone approaching Rumi to talk.

‘……’

In the original novel, people usually approached Rumi like that only to ‘bully’ her.

As I was about to step in, Delia next to me shakes her head and pulls me back.

Wondering why, I look to the side, and Delia awkwardly smiles and whispers to me,

“Since the Heaven God Cult disappeared, instead of bullying Rumi, many kids are trying to forcefully befriend her. That one’s probably similar.”

“… Rumi?”

“Yeah. Honestly, before, the Heaven God Cult led the bullying, and she was extremely gloomy and withdrawn… but if you just look at her face, she’s really pretty, right?”

Unable to deny this fact, I nod, and Delia continues with an awkward smile,

“But after spending time with you, the bullying atmosphere completely disappeared, and her unique gloomy aura has almost vanished. Maybe that’s why more kids are approaching her like that.”

“Is that so?”

“Oh, and I heard that while you were in the lab, you received confessions from a few others? Of course, it seems you rejected them all.”

“……”

As Rumi’s image improving was a positive sign, I was just nodding my head.

Suddenly, I see Rumi getting up from her seat in the distance, blatantly ignoring the person talking to her and avoiding the place.

I was watching in amazement that the seemingly gentle Rumi could behave like that.

“… Deren?”

Suddenly she notices me.

Then, with tears in her eyes, just like when she found my will.

With an expression on the verge of crying, she starts rushing towards me urgently.

“De… Deren. When did you get out?”

“I got out a little while ago.”

“I, I see. Are you hurting anywhere? Or is there anything uncomfortable? Do you need anything? Just say the word, and I’ll do anything for you.”

Feeling a bit burdened, I shake my head.

Rumi looks at me dejectedly like an abandoned puppy, but then, as if she suddenly remembered something, she urgently tells me.

“That’s right, Deren…! I’ve thought carefully during the week you were gone.”

“About what?”

“I think it’s right for me to get pregnant with your child after all.”

With that one sentence, the somewhat noisy lecture hall becomes quiet, and all eyes turn towards us.

Realizing that my social image has been completely shattered in this situation, I’m holding my head in my hands.

Someone mutters in a disgruntled voice.

“First it was turning into a dog… now it’s pregnancy?”

“Right… Didn’t she say something about Delia last time? I’m sure I heard some barking.”

I let out a long sigh as I listened to the commotion around me.

I slowly looked at Rumi and decided to give her one punishment.