How to Cross the Desert (1)
The day after I returned to the Academy.
I was spending time in the study, something I hadn't done in a while.
It was a facility provided within the dormitory.
As I mentioned before, Galimar essentially operates on a rank-based distribution system.
Students ranked higher enjoy more privileges and can lead a more comfortable academy life.
This applied to the dormitories as well.
My rank was top of the year.
Thanks to that, I was assigned the best room.
It was practically a mansion, with a little exaggeration.
The spacious study I was currently staying in was also a special facility that existed only in the top student's dormitory.
I always came here when I had a lot on my mind.
"Hmm."
It was the same now.
Since I had something to think about, I naturally found myself in the study.
I was sitting on the sofa placed in the center.
"This is quite… a troublesome item to have come into my possession."
I fiddled with the black case.
It was the palm-sized box that Neria had handed me a few days ago.
A faint groan escaped my lips.
Click-.
When I opened the case, something small and sparkling was inside.
It was a jewel emitting a brilliant blue light.
I tapped its surface with my fingertip.
Then, with a strange noise, the air surrounding the jewel distorted.
Like a heat haze rising.
'As expected, it's a dangerous object.'
Bergen Belzen.
Next to that hellish laboratory were a number of vast canyons.
This jewel was found in those abysses.
'It was because of this that the time axis around Belzen was distorted.'
The jewel's true identity was a dragon's heart.
A very long time ago, before the Empire was even founded, there was a dragon that reigned supreme in the world.
A creature said to be the strongest ever.
At the same time, it was a being shrouded in mystery.
'There was no information about it revealed in the game.'
Even within the game, there were only brief mentions about it, with no detailed information disclosed.
I even searched through every single event booklet, but to no avail.
All I could do was speculate based on the limited information given.
'The dragon that protected the world suddenly died… and its body was buried among the vast canyons.'
Hundreds of years passed just like that.
Just when it seemed like it would be forgotten in the desolate land, a black wizard fleeing the Empire's pursuit discovered the location.
He soon realized that the time axis around the area was distorted.
And he decided to build a secret laboratory there.
This was the origin of Belzen, as written in the setting book.
"It certainly has an overwhelming aura."
Even though a long time has passed…
Even though it was broken, chipped, and fragmented… it was still a heart that exuded a powerful aura.
If an item like this fell into Baob's hands, it would become quite troublesome.
I collected it myself to prevent it from being misused.
And there were some things I wanted to test as well.
I had roughly brought down Belzen and picked up a mythical item in the process.
What happens next is important.
"I wonder what kind of reaction it will elicit."
As I was lost in thought.
Knock, knock-.
"Hmm?"
Someone knocked on the study door.
A somewhat clumsy knock, as if they were not yet accustomed to etiquette.
I recognized it immediately.
"Come in, Miss Irene."
Creak-.
With the faint sound of the door opening, a girl with auburn hair entered.
It was the neatly dressed fox.
So she went to bed late yesterday.
It seemed like she had just woken up.
A thick layer of fatigue was visible in her black pupils.
I put the case I was holding back into my pocket and greeted the fox calmly.
"Good morning."
"Sorry… I woke up late."
"It's alright. I prepared breakfast on the table, did you eat?"
"Yes, it was delicious."
"I'm glad it suited your taste."
As I smiled faintly, the fox approached the sofa.
Irene peered around from my field of vision.
I tilted my head and asked her.
"Is there something you want to say?"
"Just…"
The fox couldn't easily speak her mind.
After hesitating like that, Irene finally clenched her fists and opened her lips.
"…I think I should say thank you."
"Suddenly?"
"I haven't properly said it yet. I owe you my life, and I don't want to just brush it off."
“That's unexpected. I thought you didn't trust me."
"That's… a separate issue."
"Hehe."
The fox subtly avoided my gaze.
I chuckled.
Perhaps she couldn't trust humans, but couldn't bring herself to hate them either.
It was a moment where her characteristic kindness showed through.
The girl, who had been silent for a moment, soon let out a faint murmur.
"You're… difficult, you know."
"Me?"
"I don't know what you're thinking."
"I consider myself to be quite transparent. Where else would you find such a pure character?"
"…"
"Your gaze is quite impudent."
Her black eyes narrowed slightly.
Feeling a bit annoyed by that reaction, I firmly grabbed the fox's tail, which was swaying next to me.
Grab!
"Hyaa?!"
"It's soft, as expected."
"W-Wait a minute! Why are you grabbing my tail again…!"
"It's punishment."
"T-Then, at least tell me the reason… Hmph!"
"Think about it yourself."
We exchanged meaningless banter.
We spent some time in the study, engaging in such trivial conversations.
***
The next day.
I left the dormitory to attend class.
- You don't have to attend classes for about a week.
- I hope all three of you can rest comfortably in the dormitory.
- I will fill in your attendance arbitrarily.
The incident during the midterm exams.
Selena gave the children a week's rest to calm their shocked minds.
Thanks to that, I was able to leave the academy without worry and returned just in time for classes to resume.
I took light steps.
Tap, tap, tap-.
As I was crossing the path leading to the carriage stop.
I heard voices from somewhere.
"Y-Young Master…?"
"He's coming over there."
It was none other than the villainess and the protagonist.
The two, who were standing side by side outside the carriage stop, soon spotted me walking towards them and greeted me.
I smiled gently.
"It's been a week. I hope you've all been well."
"Well… I was alright, I guess."
"M-Me too, I think I rested comfortably for the first time in a while."
"That's good to hear."
The snake, the pilot, and the vain girl.
The children chatted briefly while waiting for the carriage to arrive.
They asked each other about what they had been up to during the past week when they hadn't seen each other.
As they were exchanging stories, Emilia, who was walking ahead, suddenly spoke up.
"Come to think of it, the school trip is just around the corner."
"Y-Yeah… Time seems to be passing by so quickly."
"A lot has happened, after all."
I smiled wryly.
On top of the regular academy schedule, there were all sorts of incidents, so it had been a whirlwind of two months.
The school trip was scheduled for two weeks later, I think.
I hoped it would be peaceful without any disturbances until then.
"I-I should at least finish my overdue assignments before the school trip…"
"You have overdue assignments?"
"Y-Yes… I tried to solve them on my own, but they were too difficult."
"How low-level. As expected of a commoner."
"I-I'm sorry… Someone like me, who's not up to par, shouldn't be at the academy."
"…I-I didn't mean it that harshly."
The villainess and the protagonist were conversing amongst themselves.
Perhaps thanks to the experience of going through life and death together during the last exam, the two had become noticeably closer.
The protagonist, who easily became dejected by harsh words.
The villainess, who acted like she was bullying her but became flustered when she actually got upset.
They seemed to have good chemistry, unexpectedly.
"Weren't you helping her with her studies, Young Master?"
"That's right. But I thought it would be a burden to ask you every time…"
"So you struggled alone?"
"I-I'm sorry…"
"I'll help you next time. You can ask me if you have any difficult problems."
"The Lady will…?"
"Ahem! I'm a person who knows how to give."
I smiled warmly.
They were still a bit awkward, but I was glad they seemed to have gotten closer.
I playfully intervened between the two.
"Oh dear... Are you planning to go elsewhere when you have such an excellent teacher?"
“…Why are you butting in again?"
Emilia reacted sullenly.
I grinned and shrugged.
"I just couldn't help it, seeing how close you two are."
"We're not close…?"
"You're being shy again. When you were in the infirmary, you were holding Miss Regia's hand so tightly…"
"Th-Th-That's not necessary!"
The villainess blushed and became flustered.
Her blue eyes were blazing.
I felt the urge to tease her even more.
With a mischievous smile, I slowly stroked Emilia's head.
As if calming down an angry cat.
"There, there, calm down."
"…"
"It's important to always maintain inner peace."
"…It's your fault."
Emilia, unable to fully express her anger, bit her lip as if trying to suppress it. Then, she spoke in a slightly subdued voice.
"Of course I'm going to react harshly when you're provoking me."
"Then I should tease you even more diligently."
"What?"
"Because I like it."
I continued my playful assault.
"Personally, I like that side of you, Lady."
= I find it amusing when you get all riled up.
"…Huh?"
"If I could, I'd want to stay by your side forever."
= I want to keep you as my punching bag forever and tease you whenever I'm bored.
"Wh-Wh-What are you suddenly saying…!"
My top-tier teasing was relentless.
Perhaps overwhelmed by the powerful barrage, the villainess couldn't speak for a while.
She trembled and eventually lowered her head.
"You… you've been too forward lately."
"Because I like you."
= Because I enjoy your reactions when I tease you.
"I-I know, I heard you the last time, but still, being this forceful…"
"Is being forceful bad?"
= I genuinely don't know.
"Ugh, ugh…"
In the end, did her mental fortitude finally break?
Emilia couldn't retort and simply shut down.
My trolling was successful once again.
"Hehe."
As we were filling the time with such meaningless chatter.
I suddenly realized that Regia, who was standing next to me, was quiet.
As if lost in thought, she was staring blankly at the distant sky without saying a word.
I called out to her softly.
"Miss Regia?"
"…Ah."
The girl came to her senses belatedly.
Regia blinked her drowsy eyes a few times and then gave an awkward smile.
"S-Sorry. I didn't sleep well…"
"It's alright. It wasn't an important conversation."
"Th-That's good…"
"Hmm."
She seemed to lack energy.
She was always like that, but today she seemed especially listless.
I had noticed it earlier when she was talking to Emilia, but seeing her like this, it was definitely strange.
"…"
The pilot lowered her gaze to the ground.
I stared at her slumped shoulders and muttered to myself.
'If she's this depressed… is it because of that after all?'
Regia looked dejected.
It seemed quite serious this time.
Lost in thought along with the girl, I soon cleared my mind and started to formulate a plan.
'I guess I'll have to create an event for her.'
For the mental care of our protagonist.
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Thanks for the chapter! Finally!! Regia's arc!
ReplyDeleteHAHA, ANOTHER! UNCE UNCE UNCE!
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