episode_0033

Regina came around that evening.

As she sat in front of her desk, having just finished showering and wearing a simple robe, she sensed the presence of a girl outside the door.

Knock, knock, knock.

Along with the timid knocking sound, a cute voice could be heard.

“Si-an… are you inside…?”

“Yeah. The door’s unlocked, so you can just come in.”

Click…

With a cautious latch sound, a navy blue hair popped out. Regina scanned the room, confirming that no one else was there before lifting her foot to enter.

Perhaps she came to discuss the heavy topic of the academy attack incident. Regina’s actions were more careful than usual.

Yet, that made her even cuter. Watching the girl, who looked like a small animal on alert, scanning the surroundings, a protective instinct arose in Regina’s heart.

As Regina looked at me with those thoughts in mind, she suddenly locked eyes with me and flinched.

The girl’s red eyes met mine. At first, her gaze was directed at my face, but gradually lowered to her calm, almost sleepy eyes, with a hint of depth.

“Uh, Regina?”

“Oh, um… it’s not like that…!”

After shaking her head and clearing her throat, the girl, who called me, unfolded the soundproof barrier and spoke.

“…Si-an. I have something to tell you.”

Regina’s expression turned serious.

No longer the cute expression she usually wore, but a stern face that could only be seen in the tomb of an ancient lich. Her usual childish tone had now become serious.

Feeling the unusual atmosphere, I put down the pen I was holding and stretched lightly. It wasn’t the time to study now.

Coming to find me at a time when no one else was around, she must be here to talk about the attack incident that might happen during the midterm exams.

“Are you… busy?”

“No, I just finished today’s homework and was about to take a break. But, what’s wrong? Why did you even set up the soundproof barrier?”

“Oh, that’s… well, you see…”

Even after locking the door and setting up the soundproof barrier, Regina couldn’t relax. The distrust of the world deeply rooted in her heart after a thousand regressions filled her with anxiety.

“…”

It seems now is not the time to bring up the topic of being a pseudo-marked individual.

It’s not a situation urgent enough to rush a vulnerable girl like her, and we’ve taken some precautions through Professor Ellen.

Moreover, there’s still some time left until the midterm exams.

Regina’s anxious appearance was pitiful.

Struggling to save herself by revealing future information, she would only face cold indifference or ruthless betrayal in return.

Betrayed, locked in a mental ward, exploited, and facing a horrific death every time.

Perhaps the reason she couldn’t relax was because of those memories. The nightmares of previous regressions kept haunting her, making it even harder for her to speak to even me, her only confidant.

“Is something troubling you?”

“Huh?”

So, I hugged Regina tightly.

I assured her that I wouldn’t betray her, and she could tell me anything she wanted. So, she could feel safe in front of me.

A girl who couldn’t trust people but longed for their warmth. After a thousand regressions, she could no longer see people as people.

I was the only one who could embrace her. And I couldn’t bear to turn away from a girl who had been broken because of me.

“Is it about the future?”

“Oh, that… that…!”

Regina’s body stiffened unexpectedly at the unexpected skinship. The girl, who seemed to be buffering like a glitch, trembled with red eyes but still embraced me.

In a world where everyone spouted mechanical responses, she was a girl who had never received a sincere comfort even once.

Perhaps that’s why. Even though I had approached her like this several times before, she still seemed awkward about being this close. Yet, her adorable confusion and the fact that she seemed to enjoy it were quite endearing.

“Uh…!”

Her face completely flushed, the girl let out an incomprehensible cute whimper and hugged me tightly with both arms.

“Sorry… I need to tell you something right away… But, these… unpleasant memories keep…”

“It’s okay. There’s no need to rush. If Regina is in pain, there’s no need to struggle to tell me. Just rest for now.”

The repetitive daily routine is torturous in itself. Living among machines that give the same answers every time, it must be difficult to even maintain sanity.

The only place where Regina can rest comfortably is around me. I don’t belong to Regina’s ‘destiny,’ but I am the only one who can alter her ‘destiny.’

So, I carefully lifted Regina who was embracing me. One hand under her knees, the other supporting her back, in what is commonly known as the princess carry.

“Eek?! S-Sian…?”

“Yeah. Let’s take a break today. Honestly, studying and sleeping every day was getting a bit boring for me too.”

Seeing Regina timidly resisting in my arms, I chuckled and walked towards the bed.

Students assigned to Class A in the first grade are allocated good dormitories. Arcana Academy was a place that strictly operated based on abilities.

Thanks to that, my bed was big enough for at least one more petite girl to lie down. As I tried to lay Regina on the bed carefully, she urgently shouted.

“W-Wait, wait…! Sian, th-that…!”

“Why?”

Only then did I look down at Regina, whose face was burning with embarrassment. Her heart was pounding rapidly like a 16-bit rap.

Was she excited? Or nervous? Regina’s breathing became rough.

After swallowing hard, she timidly spoke while covering her eyes with both hands.

“Sian, your clothes. They keep slipping down… I-I can see a little bit…!”

“Oh.”

It was only then that I realized I was still wearing a bathrobe. Perhaps it had become a habit to be like this, and I noticed it a bit late.

I glanced at the mirror for a moment.

Due to the loose nature of the bathrobe, if I were to lift someone in a big motion like a princess carry, it would inevitably slip down.

Perhaps that’s why. In the mirror, the girl was wearing a slightly slipped bathrobe.

One white shoulder and collarbone were completely exposed. Below that, some voluminous flesh was vaguely visible, and a single mole between the bones caught my eye. The still-dripping water droplets seemed oddly seductive.

Already possessing an attractive (A) stat, she had a body that was appealing in many ways. Regina, a girl who could turn even a weary appearance into decadent charm, was so cute.

With one girl half-undressed and lifting another girl in a princess carry, there was a slightly suggestive atmosphere in the way they looked at each other on the bed.

If one of them were a boy, it could have been misunderstood in that way. Realizing the situation, even my cheeks turned bright red.

“…Ugh!?”

“S-So, I mean…!”

When I was a man, if I had experienced something like this from another man, I would have been really uncomfortable.

During my time living as a woman, I didn’t have much interaction with others… but maybe it’s the same for women too.

I know Regina relies on me in many ways, but relying on someone and having those kinds of feelings are a bit different.

“I-I’m sorry. I’m really sorry if I made you uncomfortable…!”

“…It’s not that, though…”

So, I carefully set the girl down and immediately pulled out clothes from the closet, not hearing Regina’s faint murmur behind me.

About 3 minutes later, I emerged from the bathroom after quickly grabbing a plain white nightgown.

Regina, who had been sitting on the bed, seemed to have somewhat composed herself. The melting expression from earlier was gone, replaced by the initial serious look of the girl.

Regina slowly spoke up.

“Have you heard of fake runes… by any chance?”

“Yeah. I’ve heard about it a few times when exploring the Southern Jungle. It’s a substitute made by the Dark Cult, and all I know is that it consumes vitality.”

At this, Regina’s expression darkened. It seemed that there was no need to explain fake runes in detail anymore.

“There are students within the academy who have tampered with fake runes. Because of them, there will be an attack during the midterm exam.”

“An attack?”

“Yes. The fake runes they received contain hidden magic circles. Using the vitality of those students as materials, they activate a spatial teleportation magic circle.”

“If it’s a spatial teleportation magic circle… could it be that they’re trying to open a gate within the academy?”

“Yes. They plan to summon a demon through the gate and infiltrate the main building by taking advantage of the opening in the barrier.”

Regina’s explanation wasn’t much different from the original midterm exam episode. So, I cautiously shared information about the midterm exam with Regina while conversing.

What I asked Regina to do was to monitor the students suspected of possessing fake runes. Regina nodded with a bright face and returned to her room.

“Phew… I hope this is enough preparation.”

Muttering to myself, I lay down on the bed.

I had informed Teacher Ellen and Regina, and now that they had started to take action, I hoped for a better outcome than the original story.