episode_0070

Lager was constantly busy.

As the fourth week of caregiving approached, he must have almost fully recovered, but there was so much to help with that he was running around every day without even eating properly.

Oh, they used to eat together at the hospital.

…They eat together.

With only class time to see Lager, there was hardly any time to talk about this and that. Although they sporadically contacted each other, that was about it.

─Don’t wait for a reply. I won’t respond anymore in the future.

He had said that much, so how could he now send a text first? It hurt his pride.

Not even a single text asking how he was doing after losing his abilities.

It was a week after their last outing that Lager and Lager met again.

It was at the disciplinary committee.

*

It was the second disciplinary committee. Having already experienced it once, he wasn’t particularly nervous.

However, it was unexpected. Really unexpected.

“Hey, long time no see?”

“Yeah, long time.”

Facing Lager felt awkward and strange.

Perhaps it was because they hadn’t had a proper conversation in a week. The expression “childhood friend” seemed inadequate as I was awkward around Lager.

“What’s wrong with him?”

Lager asked, shrugging his shoulders. Yuju also looked embarrassed as she glanced around.

“Is that so? Chloe! It’s been a while, say something.”

In the end, Yuju, who couldn’t stand it anymore, tried to mediate, but Lager’s expression still didn’t soften.

My mind was in turmoil. Filled with all sorts of thoughts, I didn’t know how to speak.

I wanted to ask how he had been, but if I asked about his recent situation, of course, the story of caring for him at the hospital would come up, and then naturally Dakota’s name would come up.

Could I hold back from asking about the shower? Did he really just shower? Or did he go further?

I didn’t have the courage to ask. I didn’t want to reveal the fact that I had been worried about such a trivial matter all week, and if I brought it up, I felt like that story would come out somehow.

I had to keep my mouth shut.

Realizing that if you have so much to say, you end up not saying anything, I kept my mouth shut.

“Hey. I brought cigarettes.”

Lager took out a new cigarette from his pocket and handed it to me. It was the red cigarette I smoked every day.

“You bought this in the meantime?”

“I might go to prison. It’s a gift for sending me to jail. I sneak in and smoke secretly.”

It felt a bit ironic to be listening to tips related to prison from someone who used to be a woman.

“You can’t smoke?”

“Just in case.”

“What? If someone sees, they’ll think you’ve been.”

“How do you go to prison without going to the army? You’re the one who hasn’t been, right?”

“Or should I say something?”

Mocking me, Lager looked like he was going to hit him as usual.

Today, for some reason, his teasing behavior felt strangely comforting.

Lager, oblivious to what I was worrying about, patted my shoulder and smiled brightly.

“Don’t worry. I designed it to feel like a police station prison. Apart from not being able to smoke, there shouldn’t be anything difficult, so don’t be scared.”

He’s such a fool. He doesn’t care about that. I’m not particularly afraid of the discipline itself.

Still, hearing those words from Lager made me feel better.

“Let’s go. Let’s get what we deserve.”

“The punishment will be only for you. I’m here as a witness.”

“Are you already drawing the line?”

“It’s just a figure of speech.”

Watching us bicker and squabble, Yooju smirked and adjusted her glasses as if she found it amusing.

“As expected….”

I shot a warning glance at Yooju, who was watching me with a look that seemed like she would make a sound of disapproval if poked, and then knocked on the door of the meeting room where the disciplinary committee was about to convene.

It was a familiar scene.

Professors seated in a long row of oval-shaped chairs. Today, the leadership team was not present. Perhaps because this was not just a simple violation of rules?

In the seat where the former head of the leadership team, Dakota, used to sit, there was now a female instructor who had once slapped my cheek. She still looked at me with a disapproving expression.

On the other side, another familiar instructor was present. It was the instructor who had experienced the power of the tail when facing the golem last time.

He was quite a just person. Not only did he appear to be helping the students on the surface, but he also summoned an unknown power to protect the students even when stabbed by the tail, ultimately defeating the golem with pure and true justice that is still unforgettable.

…In that case, am I a pure and true pervert who maintains his depravity even when stabbed by the tail? I’m not sure.

“Well then, let’s begin the disciplinary committee.”

As the instructor sitting at the far end of the oval-shaped long table announced the start of the meeting, the female instructor who was sitting in the head instructor’s seat stood up and began to speak.

“Disciplinary subjects Ael Cloie, Yooju Taylor. Both students left the battlefield with unsatisfactory combat capabilities, only concerned about saving their own lives, resulting in a catastrophic loss of 12 students dead and 32 injured.”

So many were injured. Feeling a sense of guilt, I clasped my hands under my arms and bowed my head deeply.

The female instructor continued speaking.

“Furthermore, more than half of the injured, over 20 individuals, have lost one or more limbs or suffered severe internal injuries requiring a recovery period of over a month, leading to other students being exposed to more danger.”

“Do you have anything to say in your defense?”

After listening to the female instructor’s words, the male instructor in the middle of the room asked us a question.

“No…” I was about to say when…

“I am Lager Godin, who was requested to attend as a witness. I apologize, but may I speak on their behalf?”

“Yes, go ahead.”

What is he trying to say? Facing the annoyed look of the female instructor, Lager calmly began speaking.

“At that time, due to the chaos caused by the golems, the front line completely collapsed, leaving long-range attackers vulnerable. So, I suggested that the long-range attacker, student Ael Cloie, move out of the front line to secure a new position.”

“While the intention to protect teammates is commendable, Yooju Taylor is not a long-range attacker. How do you justify this?”

The female instructor’s sudden question caught us off guard, as we didn’t know what Yooju’s abilities were. Fortunately, Lager managed to respond convincingly.

“Moving alone as a long-range attacker is too risky, so I provided protection.”

“What authority did you have to give orders? Moreover, even if it’s Yooju Taylor, Ael Cloie is of a higher tier than the students. Do you think it’s appropriate to give orders?”

“I apologize. However, the situation was urgent, and there was no time to seek permission from the instructors individually, and both students agreed.”

“There could have been other ways for you to handle the situation.”

“I was one of the few close-range attackers who could take down the enemy with a single blow. I believed that drawing the enemy’s attention and receiving long-range firepower support in the meantime would be more efficient than going on the offensive.”

In short, it was a matter of showing flexibility to prevent further damage, so it wasn’t something that would lead to disciplinary action.

Considering she came to explain the situation, she had prepared quite sharp cards. Lager had carefully crafted a logic that justified his and Yuju’s withdrawal by circling around the enemy, making it a legitimate defense, and also allowing himself to escape.

The female instructor walked towards me, her face showing signs of anger. Was she going to raise her hand to hit me again? If that happened, even though it would hurt immediately, things would easily be resolved.

“Ael Cloie.”

“Yes?”

When she called my name, I straightened my posture and looked at her.

She hesitated for a moment, glancing back and forth between me and Lager.

“I want to see what ability you have.”

Her sudden request made my mouth dry in an instant.

Lager, who nodded his head and then looked at me, confirming my expression, realized something was wrong and looked at me with a bewildered expression as if demanding an answer.

I remained silent, keeping my mouth shut like a mute person and bowing my head deeply.

“Why aren’t you reacting at all?”

“….”

“Since there are so many students, not everyone knows each other’s abilities. How remarkable must your ability be to leave the front lines in a chaotic situation and even call for support fire?”

“Um, well, that’s…”

“Because I’m curious. Show me what that remarkable ability of yours is.”

Despite her repeated urging, all I could do was bite my lips, fidgeting with my fingers.

A look of doubt appeared on the face of the female instructor as she observed my actions.

“Is there a reason why you can’t use your ability, Ael Cloie?”

Feeling trapped in a dead end, my vision darkened along with a sense of despair.