episode_0185

“Ugh!”

After confirming that the teacher for the last class had finished class and left the classroom, I stretched out.

Rain, unable to bear the boring class, fell asleep again.

As I watched her chick bag become soaking wet with saliva in real time, I reached out and poked Lane’s cheek to wake her up.

“Wake up, Rain.”

“Ugh…”

Rain, who had been stabbed in the cheek, began to slowly open his eyes, groaning.

“Is class over?”

“Yeah. It’s time to go home now.”

I stood up and answered Rain’s question.

The students in this classroom were still not moving.

Shouldn’t we go back quickly now that the last hour is over?

Since there was no separate teacher in charge of the class, I heard that most of the students went home after the last class.

“Isn’t everyone going home?”

I asked questions to the children who were not moving.

I wasn’t really expecting an answer.

The children looked at each other, then suddenly stood up as a group and started leaving the classroom.

Judging from his anxious appearance, he seemed to really want to go home.

“Um…”

Was it because of us that they didn’t move?

I let out a small sigh and put the dinosaur bag on my back.

Shine and Rain also got up from their seats, carrying their bags.

“Appleton hasn’t come yet.”

“Okay.”

I looked around and headed toward Appleton’s seat.

On the seat where she had been sitting, there was a luxurious-looking bag.

It must be Appleton’s, right?

I thought so and packed my bag.

“Why are you taking care of that?”

“To give it back to Appleton.”

“Is it really necessary to do that?”

“Yeah. Because we’re friends.”

“Friend…”

Shine’s expression crumpled as if she didn’t like my answer.

But up until then, she didn’t try to stop me.

“Okay. I’ll take it instead.”

“Why?”

“Just.”

As she said that, Shine grabbed Appleton’s bag as if snatching it from me.

Perhaps because the last class was over, the hallway was filled with students carrying their bags and heading home.

But the moment we stepped into the hallway, their movements stopped.

I was being more cautious than necessary.

I sighed, not liking the way they looked at me.

Then, wouldn’t the children nearby be startled?

Seeing them react like this even to a single breath, it seemed like the children were very fragile.

We headed straight to the infirmary.

Appleton was lying somewhat still in the same spot where he had been lying before, his eyes still closed as if he had not yet come to his senses.

I sat on her bed and fixed the blanket.

“Appleton must be too weak.”

“I need to drink more green juice.”

“Good idea.”

As Shine and I began to talk about Appleton, Appleton’s expression became distorted with pain.

Am I having a nightmare?

Judging by the fact that he was even starting to sweat, it looked like he was having a really bad nightmare.

“I think Appleton is having a nightmare.”

I reached out and wiped Appleton’s forehead.

“I left my bag here. Let’s go back now.”

“Yeah…”

I looked down at Appleton one last time as I answered Shine’s words.

I don’t know what she was dreaming about, but I hoped she wouldn’t be bothered anymore.

“See you later, Appleton. Next time, I’ll bring you more healthy stuff.”

“Ugh…”

Appleton began to moan as he had a terrible nightmare.

After exchanging greetings without a response, we left the infirmary and headed to the teachers’ office.

Arriving in front of the large door, I extended my hand and began knocking softly.

dripping-

[Who are you?]

Shandroi’s voice could be heard from beyond the door.

“Shandroy. It’s us.”

[Come in.]

When Shandroy told me to come in, I opened the door and entered the teachers’ office.

Shandroy was sitting on a soft sofa, drinking coffee.

“It looks like class is over.”

“Yes.”

“How was your day?”

Shandroy asked us questions as if he was curious about our school life.

I led Shina Lane and sat on the sofa in front of her.

“It was okay. But the atmosphere was still uncomfortable.”

“The atmosphere… That’s something we can’t do anything about.”

“Yes. I know because I heard about it earlier. I think that’s something we need to change.”

“Yes.”

“Other than that, everything was fine. Even the class, I think the progress was a bit fast for what I was learning at this age.”

Shandroy nodded and put down his coffee cup.

I grabbed the small chocolates on the table and started putting them in my pocket.

“Mr. Ferman contacted me. He asked me to show this screen to the girls when they come back after class…”

“Is this your grandfather?”

Shandroy nodded to my question and pointed to a large screen hanging on one wall.

Shandroy used the remote control to power on the screen, and immediately sent a message somewhere.

Then, not long after, Grandpa Perman’s image appeared on a large screen.

[Hmm… can you see it?]

My grandfather looked the same as before.

A cool look in a suit.

He checked the watch on his wrist and nodded.

“Grandpa!”

When I jumped up from my seat and shouted, Grandpa Ferman on the screen responded.

[Jeff!]

“Can I, can we see it?”

It was so nice to see my grandfather after such a long time.

I grabbed Shine and Rain, who were sitting next to me, and lifted them up, shaking them violently so that the grandfather on the screen could see them clearly.

[Well, it looks good. Shine and Rain look good too.]

I wonder if there’s a camera somewhere here?

I immediately sent out a weak electrical signal to check the function of all the electronic devices around me.

A faint signal flew into my mind.

Cameras were installed on all sides of the large wall.

[Did you check the camera position?]

“Yes!”

[Well done. Wherever you go, you have to check what’s where first.]

Maybe it was because it was the first compliment I heard in a long time.

The smile never left my mouth.

I nodded, rubbing my cheeks.

[How was your school life today? I hope you liked it.]

“It was okay.”

At Shine’s short answer, Grandpa Ferman nodded with a satisfied expression.

[I actually heard about what you guys were doing. You were acting quite boldly. Was that your intention, Shine?]

Shine shook her head in response to Grandpa Ferman’s question.

“It wasn’t me. Jeff did it.”

[Jeff…?]

“Yeah.”

[Hmm…]

“Jeff unconsciously knew how to use his power and how others would view him when he used it. Grandpa must know too, right? How the students in the school view us now.”

“What…? That’s not what I’m saying…”

As I was about to argue with Shine, her small hand poked my side, stopping me from talking.

I kept my mouth shut with a discontented expression.

But contrary to my expression, Grandpa Ferman had a smile on his face and let out a small laugh.

[It seems like you’re doing well.]

“Yeah. Jeff and I are doing well.”

[I won’t say much because I think you’re doing better than I thought, but please create your own person, with your own strength, not by using my power.]

“Grandfather’s power?”

[Yes, what I’m saying is, find someone who doesn’t have the background you have now.]

“Then Grandfather’s power is not ours?”

[that…]

“Won’t Grandpa give us strength?”

[That’s not it…]

Grandpa Ferman looked puzzled at Shine’s question.

I grabbed Shine’s hand and pulled her gently.

But Shine didn’t stop.

“Jeff. Grandpa didn’t give us anything.”

[That’s not it!]

Is that true?

I looked up at my grandfather on the screen with trembling eyes.

He said no, but I wondered if he thought that way deep down.

“Really…?”

[No. No, Jeff.]

Maybe Grandpa was disappointed in me and Shine today.

Because I didn’t make any real friends at the school I was sent to to make friends.

Although I did have Appleton, who I could call a friend, she alone was not enough.

[Ugh…]

Grandpa Ferman looked at me and began to take a deep breath.

[I don’t have much free time. I’ll keep this short and end the connection.]

Grandpa Ferman said, adjusting his tie.

[Jeff, Shine. You are doing well. Of course, using the background you have is a good way, but that power is like a tower that is completed by intertwining various interests. If you swing it around like you did before, the pillars will eventually fall off and that power will slowly collapse. So I wanted to say that it is important not to rely on that power, but to create your own people with your own strength.]

“Yes…”

I nodded to Grandpa Ferman’s words.

[And. Rain.]

“No?”

Rain, who had been fidgeting next to me, answered with a start.

[Was it fun going back to school after such a long time?]

“That, that…”

[Time’s up. I’ll hang up now. Jeff Shine. I’ll be back soon. Don’t be too disappointed.]

Grandpa Ferman must have been really short on time, because he just said what he wanted to say and hung up.

Immediately after that, we headed to the warp room to return to headquarters.

Just before we passed through the large warp, Shandroy asked us a question.

“Please tell me the date you will attend the next class. I will adjust the class time on that day to accommodate your convenience as much as possible.”

At her words, I took out my notebook and started checking my schedule.

Today is Monday.

I’ve already taken classes, so let’s skip Monday.

Then Tuesday, today is the day to binge-watch the movie version of [The Little Witch’s Great Adventure].

This day is also excluded.

What about Wednesday then?

Not even Wednesday.

It’s the day when a delicious special menu is served at the headquarters cafeteria.

Then Thursday?

Thursday is a day of hard training.

It was training with Victor.

This day is good.

I underlined the day of Thursday in my notebook with a ballpoint pen.

“Thursday would be nice.”

“Okay.”

With those words we passed through the warp.