episode_0063

[EP???. How to Cross the Desert]

-The Door that Opens in the Sky, The Boy who Stays Awake with the Stars-

The fairy tale, long if you considered it long, and short if you considered it short, had ended.

What remained afterward was a moment of reflection.

We, who had been spacing out for a while, were soon moving to return to the dormitory.

It was already late evening.

*Whoosh—.*

A sudden gust of wind.

The academy’s scenery was exactly as it had been, without the slightest change.

Although we had spent ten days within the book, it seemed not much time had passed in reality.

At most, only a few hours might have gone by.

‘Everything returned to normal.’

The shoes that had been covered in sand, the outer garment stained with scorpion blood, the necktie that had come loose—everything was back to its state before we left.

As if all those scenes were nothing but a dream.

We merely remembered them vividly.

About an old, old boy who had embarked on a long journey to meet a girl.

‘I wonder if they met well.’

Suddenly, I looked up at the sky and thought.

Stars twinkling against a pitch-black background.

Surely, in one of those countless stars, the two of them must be living.

Wandering amidst the starlight that seemed about to pour down, a faint smile soon colored my lips.

‘They should have arrived safely.’

Did they succeed in reuniting?

After swimming and swimming across the vast sky, did the boy safely reach the girl?

We had no way of knowing.

However, when we imagined them embracing each other, the stars smiled down at us.

Conversely, when we imagined they couldn’t, they seemed to hold back tears.

The world looked entirely different just based on our imagination.

I still believed that sky was beautiful.

“……”

As I walked lost in thought for a while, a voice suddenly came from beside me.

It was none other than Regia.

“……It really feels like I had a dream.”

“Indeed, it was an unbelievable experience.”

“And no one would believe us either.”

“It will remain a memory unique to just the two of us, then.”

“I suppose so.”

A calm voice extended.

The pink-haired girl murmured as if savoring a moment.

“I think I learned a lot.”

It seemed she had realized various things through this journey.

A rare serious expression.

I smiled faintly.

‘That’s a relief.’

If it had helped the protagonist’s growth, I was satisfied.

After all, it was a journey prepared for that very purpose.

I hoped she would grow well without going astray like this.

I, who was savoring my joyful thoughts alone, soon gently extended my hand toward the girl.

“Regia.”

“Yes?”

“Could you give me your hand for a moment?”

“S-suddenly…?”

Regia seemed to tilt her head in question, but then docilely extended her hand.

Carefully, I placed my hand over her fair skin.

“Y-Young Master…?”

“It was quite the date, wasn’t it? Even though we got caught up in some strange things in the middle.”

A warm touch.

Beyond her clear pupils, only the golden-haired boy was reflected.

Watching the protagonist stand still, holding her breath, I showed her something I had hidden in my hand.

It was a ring with a faint green glow.

“It’s a gift.”

The reward from this episode.

It was one of the two items that had dropped.

In truth, it was an episode we had jointly cleared, and I had carried the latter half by myself, so it could be seen as the girl’s rightful share.

Still, receiving it in this manner felt good.

Besides, explaining about the reward was troublesome.

It was easier to just say it was a gift I had prepared.

And, while I was at it, earn some favor with our protagonist.

I brazenly lied as I slipped the ring onto her slender finger.

“I picked it out with some thought, so I hope you like it.”

The ring fit perfectly on the girl’s ring finger, as if by magic.

Regia, who had been standing there dazed, soon stuttered in embarrassment.

“Y-Young Master? W-What in the world is this…?”

“I told you back in the desert, didn’t I? That I would always stay by your side. You haven’t forgotten, have you?”

“I-I remember! But what does that have to do with a ring…?”

“Please think of it as a token of our promise.”

Though it looked like an ordinary ring at first glance, it was an item boasting quite fraudulent performance.

Originally, it was an item that dropped with the lowest probability.

You could say I was lucky.

Accessory, Ring of Bonds.

An item that could block any attack directed at the player once, regardless of the type of attack.

Although it had the disadvantage of disappearing after use, in the original story, it was an excellent accessory, capable of withstanding Yuda’s [Liar].

It could be seen as an ultimate item among consumable types.

“Always carry it with you. If a day ever comes when I can’t keep my promise, this little friend will protect you in my stead, Regia.”

“B-But it looks expensive at a glance! I can’t accept something like this…!”

“It’s alright.”

I gently stroked the girl’s head.

My voice was soft and gentle.

“You are more than worthy of receiving it. You are my most cherished friend, Regia.”

“M-Most cherished…?”

“Please don’t decline.”

“Ugh, ugh…”

The girl made a small sound of distress for a moment, then timidly nodded her head.

Her face was flushed red without fail.

Her head was lowered as if in embarrassment.

It seemed the word ‘friend’ was still awkward for her.

“……I-I’ll gratefully accept it.”

The girl answered quietly.

She tried hard to regain her composure, but her fingers were trembling restlessly.

At such a cute reaction, I let out a soft laugh.

“Hehe, it’s getting late. Shall we really head back now?”

“Ah… yes, yes!”

Hands that didn’t let go of each other.

Thus, we walked side-by-side across the night sky.

***

We returned to academy life.

In truth, the lost time was only about two hours, but for us, it had been nearly ten days.

Naturally, the academy was exactly as it had been, without a single change.

A daily life enveloped in a peaceful atmosphere.

“Young Master Yuda!”

“Regia.”

I lightly waved my hand towards the approaching girl.

“I’m late. The lecture ended later than I expected.”

“I’m fine! I didn’t wait long at all.”

“You’re a good child, as expected.”

“Heh, hehe…”

As I stroked her head approvingly, her bright expression gradually softened.

The warm temperature permeated my palm.

‘She seems to have been in a good mood lately.’

If anything had changed, it was Regia.

Since returning from the desert.

Should I say the psychological distance between us had narrowed considerably?

When calling me, she used to use a title with my surname, but now she was calling me by my given name.

Wouldn’t it be fair to think she had opened her heart to some extent?

There was no longer any sign of her fearing touch.

Even when I stroked her head now, she merely stood quietly instead of fleeing.

It felt like taming a timid cat, which made me proud.

I wasn’t the only one who noticed this change.

Emilia, who had been observing us, asked a question as if something was odd.

“The atmosphere seems to have changed in just a few days… Did something happen between the two of you?”

“Hehe, I wonder.”

“You’re suspicious.”

Blue eyes scrutinized me.

Her gaze, which had been darting around, soon fixed on one point.

It was none other than Regia’s ring finger.

“Commoner? What’s that ring on your finger?”

“Ah, this is…”

More precisely, the accessory I had put on her.

Regia hesitated, seemingly embarrassed, then revealed the truth in a trembling voice.

“It’s a gift I received from Young Master.”

“What…?”

“We had a promise a few days ago. We explored the outer districts together, and he gave it to me as a token of that promise.”

“That’s right. It was a delightful date.”

“D-D-Date, you say?”

*Thump.*

Her pupils trembled.

The girl, who had been momentarily frozen as if in shock, soon shrieked at me.

Her pale face was flushed with heat.

“You lecherous man…!”

“Hmm?”

“You did such a sh-shameless thing to me! And you’re going around touching other women too?!”

“I’m not sure what you mean.”

“When did you say you liked me?!”

“Of course, I like you.”

“What kind of…!”

“I like both the Princess and Regia equally, you see.”

Why was she so excited again?

Her scornful gaze was striking.

To calm her down, I placed my hand on her blue hair.

Inadvertently, I found myself in a rather comical pose, stroking both of their heads.

Is this what being a ‘cat parent’ feels like?

“……You’re the worst.”

Emilia subtly turned her head.

However, she didn’t avoid my touch.

Perhaps remembering the terms of our contract, she couldn’t bring herself to resist.

I let out a chuckle.

The boisterous atmosphere dissolved with the summer breeze.

As we were spending our peaceful daily lives like that, a remark suddenly reached our ears.

“Come to think of it, the school trip is just around the corner.”

The school trip.

It was an academy event that was now only a week away.

“I should go to the library. I need to finish reviewing for the next exam before the school trip.”

“C-Can I follow you too…?”

“Do as you please.”

The students seemed intent on focusing on their studies before the event.

“Unfortunately, I’ll be skipping. I have something else to do.”

“I-Is that so…?”

A week before the school trip.

If asked what I would do during this short period, I already had a plan.

“First, I need to meet someone.”

I murmured meaningfully.

***

A few hours later.

I was having a private meeting with someone in the professors’ exclusive research lab.

“This is unexpected. I didn’t think Student Yuda would come looking for me.”

Sitting in front of the desk was none other than Selena Drunkerd.

She was the homeroom Professor-nim of Class A, which I belonged to.

Her red pupils gazed at me.

The woman, who had been blinking indifferently, then toyed with the liquor bottle in her hand.

Her flowing purple hair shimmered long.

“I’m curious about your business.”

The heavy scent of alcohol wafted distinctly.

I replied.

“I’d like you to grant me a favor.”

The incident that occurred during the last midterm exam.

Selena owed me a personal debt.

Because even though she was in charge of supervising the exam at the time, she couldn’t prevent us from getting caught up in the incident.

That’s why the woman had promised us.

That she would grant each of us one wish while we were enrolled at Gallimard.

“You wouldn’t claim ignorance now, would you?”

“Of course not.”

“I heard you were stripped of your Head Professor position because of that incident. Are you alright with that?”

“There’s no particular issue.”

The woman indifferently tilted her liquor bottle.

As if she didn’t care much.

Selena, who had been drinking for a while, soon asked with dimly glowing red eyes.

“Pah… So, what is this favor you ask?”

“It’s not a difficult favor.”

I smiled ominously.

It was finally time.

The future where countless incidents would occur.

To suppress the imperfect dangers, I needed to gain power even within the academy.

Power that could easily suppress ordinary students.

“I would like you to make me the Head Teaching Assistant.”

A position demanded with confidence.

It was time to take control of the academy.