episode_0090

After a month and a half of practicum where I was able to have a very brief conversation with Priscilla, I consistently visited Priscilla whenever I had time and requested an interview.

And when applying for an interview, I asked about a part of the class I took today, or I didn’t understand this part – I went to the interview with a topic related to the same study. So that she cannot refuse to meet with me.

At first, she reacted as if she was a little reluctant to me, but we continued to visit her and talk about various things, improving our relationship.

Now, about a month and a half later, I am able to say a simple hello to her.

“Hello, Professor.”

As I walked up to Priscilla’s side and said a light hello, she stopped walking and looked at me while holding a pile of what looked like documents in her arms.

There was no hostility in that seemingly grave gaze, but on the contrary, it did not seem to contain any goodwill.

It may have simply been invisible because it was covered by the mask she was wearing, but it was clear that there was at least no trace of murderous intent.

“――Yes, hello.”

Priscilla stopped for a moment, gave a very short, cliched answer, and started walking again, and I also started walking along with her.

It wasn’t a surprising big change, but it was just a greeting. When I think back to how she tried to poison me in revenge a few episodes ago, it was a really big improvement to be greeted like this.

If things continue like this, there will be no need to kill Priscilla… … . No, if you do well, you can use it as a chess piece like Serah or Mel.

I walked one step ahead of Priscilla and spoke to her, just as Hermel had done to me.

“Have you eaten?”

“No, I’m busy with work.”

“Thank you for your hard work.”

“Because it’s that kind of place.”

Of course, when I see them answering questions as if they don’t want to drag out such a personal story, it makes me feel like there’s still a long way to go. That part will gradually get better, so you don’t have to worry too much about it.

I had been seeing such cold reactions consistently for a month and a half, and I had experienced even greater humiliation and persecution than that, so I didn’t feel anything at all.

“Do you have any plans for this spring festival?”

“No. None.”

“If it’s okay, the day after the festival. Can you give me your time for about a day?”

Priscilla stopped at my words and quietly turned towards me.

At this moment, even just for a moment, I felt her emotions fluctuate, and with a small smile, I looked into her eyes and read her emotions.

Sadness, longing, regret, and just a little bit of jealousy… … . There were quite a few other emotions, but most of them were negative.

She opened her mouth slightly, unable to continue speaking due to a moment of agitation, but then closed her mouth and shook her head.

“… … Sorry, but please find someone else.”

“Are you busy with work?”

“You and I are between students and professors. If you go together, other academy students may misunderstand that you are receiving preferential treatment.”

“It’s a shame.”

She didn’t respond to anything I said, but turned her back on me, hugging the pile of documents.

“If I have nothing more to say, I’ll just leave.”

“Yes. See you in next class. Professor.”

When I said this with a grin, she looked back at me and then turned her head and left.

I stood still and turned my back only when I could no longer see her back.

“Between student and professor――D. Hehehe… … .”

It’s fun. I never thought those words would come out of your mouth, the person who created a tasteless, odorless, colorless poison that only appears in history books to kill me.

The power of love is truly amazing. As soon as I twisted the image of him as the child of a lover who wanted to kill him so much and made him recognize that he was the child of an old lover whom I loved and who still harbors the love from that time in my heart because I still can’t let go of the lingering feelings, the blade of revenge I was sharpening became dull and the seething body became duller. The hatred subsides, and the bitter heart breaks.

As I looked at the spot where Priscilla left, I chuckled as I remembered another lover who was working hard to resist the curse for his love.

“It’s love… … .”

I’m looking forward to the next three days, what kind of appearance that great love will show. Will he feel love even when he sees his defiled woman?

“Stupid.”

This is why I don’t love. Why do you hold in your hand the poisonous chalice that eats away at me and makes me numb?

Wiping the smile off my face, I walked leisurely toward the training ground where Hermel would be.

* * *

Bang――plumb――

Vivid fireworks decorating the clear sky, the emcee’s voice announcing the opening of the spring festival, people filling the inside of the academy and lined up street stalls.

The setting is obviously the Middle Ages, but this event is definitely modern and contemporary Japanese… … . I sighed inwardly, looking at the festive atmosphere around me.

Standing next to me is Hermel, looking around with sparkling eyes, as if he is quite excited about the festival.

“Charles! Hey!”

“Huh?”

Before I even realized what she was pointing at, Hermel rushed over and stood in front of a stall.

A small stall that looked like it could only be a Japanese stall had a sign with the ambiguous name ‘Sugar Cutting’.

“Hermel, what is this… … Let’s go.”

As I approached to ask what this was, the smell was a mixture of a sweet smell that made my nose tingle and a strange burnt smell. And then I fell silent as I looked at the familiar copper-colored snack.

Anyone could see that it was Dalgona.

Yes, the name ‘sugar cutting’ was somewhat familiar, but… … . I had no idea something like this existed.

There was a spring festival and a summer festival, and I was so busy that I didn’t have time to enjoy it. I didn’t even know something like this existed.

“I’m in the shape of a star! What about Charles?”

“I’m done.”

“Huh, were you scared?”

“I like sweet things, but I don’t like sticky hands.”

“Hmm… … . Well, then there’s nothing we can do.”

Hermel accepted the star-shaped dalgona from the store owner and began carving out pieces at a rapid pace.

I watched quietly from the side, and Hermel succeeded in cutting off the entire border of the star-shaped Dalgona in about 40 seconds.

“The End!”

“Congratulations, princess! This is a reward for success!”

What the store owner handed me was a lump of dalgona the size of a fist. I was curious as to why something like that was given as a prize, but I decided not to dig deeper.

I leisurely walked down the street where the street stalls were with Hermel, who was chewing dalgona with a satisfied look on his face.

After walking like that for a while, I couldn’t hear the crunching noise coming from next to me, so I looked to the side and saw Hermel with a frown on his face, glaring at Dalgona.

“What’s wrong?”

When I asked if something was wrong, Hermel glanced back at me and stuck out his tongue and muttered.

“… … It’s so sweet.”

of course. Those are all lumps of sugar.

Instead of saying that, I bought some moderately drinkable tea from a nearby street vendor and handed it to Hermel.

Hermel took a sip of the tea I gave him, sighed, and looked at the remaining two-thirds of the dalgona lump.

“Charles.”

“I don’t eat it.”

“Hing… … .”

Hermel began chewing the dalgona quietly, as if he couldn’t throw away what he was eating.

“Mweeh… … .”

Maybe it was so sweet that it tasted bitter, but now he was very tearful and stuck out his tongue.

I felt a strange feeling when I saw Hermel’s mouth, which had become sticky due to melted sugar, and his moist, bright red tongue.

I quietly stretched out my hand and gently grasped Hermel’s tongue with my thumb and index finger.

“Muh!?”

Sticky, but warm and soft texture.

I was touching Hermel’s tongue due to the strangely addictive feel. Before anyone else could see, I let go of Hermel’s tongue and licked my thumb with my tongue, smiling slightly.

“It’s definitely very sweet.”

Hermel, who was staring at me blankly, turned bright red and immediately lowered his head.

“Mischievous… … . Such a joke… … . What are you going to do if other people see it? … .”

It wasn’t a problem at all since I had applied awareness-blocking before entering the crowded street, but I thought Hermel was cuter than I thought when he looked embarrassed, so I didn’t tell him on purpose.

I gently held Hermel’s hand and smiled a little.

“Let’s go. There is still a lot to see.”

“Ah, yes… … .”

It was quite refreshing to see Hermel, who had been running around like an excited child just a moment ago, suddenly change into a virgin.

Perhaps because of that, I also got a little excited, so I wandered around and enjoyed the festival. Looking at artifacts that are really useless, or feeding Hermel cotton candy whose purpose I don’t know what it is there for.

I walked around like that for about 2 hours. Feeling tired from the large crowd, we left the streets heated up by the festival fever and took a breather by sitting on a temporary bench installed in a reasonably quiet place.

The tension between Hermel and I, who were temporarily away from the festival heat, subsided surprisingly quickly. I gazed blankly at the lively streets like a person in the twilight of his life.

“Puhaa… … . The festival is nice, but I didn’t expect there to be this many people… … .”

After sitting quietly for a while, Hermel sighed and said.

“During the festival period, the doors of the academy are opened and nearby citizens are allowed to participate, so it is inevitable that there will be a lot of people. Have you ever been to a festival like this before?”

“I was always confined to the palace. Well, after I grabbed the sword, I didn’t really touch it even when I went outside. This is my first time enjoying a festival like this officially.”

“Hmm… … . I see.”

Nodding my head, I tore off the cotton candy that Hermel was holding in his hand and gently put it in my mouth.

Hermel, who was quietly sitting on the bench, glanced at me and quietly placed his head on my leg.

“Ha… … . relaxing… … .”

I chuckled at that confident appearance, took off the cardigan I was wearing on my shoulder, and covered it over Hermel’s legs.

“Thank you.”

“Nothing to say.”

“Bob, what are you going to do?”

“Huh? What?”

I lowered my head, but I couldn’t see Hermel’s face because of his chest, so I just looked forward again.

“No, it’s almost lunch time. So I asked him if he wanted to eat food sold at a street vendor or go to a restaurant.”

“That’s right… … .”

It’s almost 12 o’clock… … .

“I heard that the Academy’s rooftop terrace will be opened only for the spring festival, and even a cafe will be opened. How about there?”

I said with a grin.

You can clearly see the Academy during the festival, right?