Chapter 127
"So... you're saying that partner is me?"
Selena with a questioning expression.
Her eyes dyed with intoxication from the daytime were blinking blankly.
Nevertheless, it was a reaction clearly showing bewilderment.
"Will you join me? Master."
I nodded as if it was nothing.
Rather, a brazen question returned.
Perhaps because it was so sudden.
The woman even pushed aside the liquor bottle she had been drinking, and straightened her posture as if looking this way.
Her flowing purple hair seemed particularly glossy.
Her red pupils bore a dull light.
Beyond her luscious lips was contained a moment of silence.
"......"
What strange thing is this kid trying to do now?
It was a gaze close to suspicion.
Though I flinched at the gaze poking my cheeks, I maintained glibness without showing it.
The woman muttered with a voice buried in fatigue and intoxication.
"...Do you perhaps not know what meaning a partner request holds?"
"I know about the superstition contained in the banquet."
"Then I'm even more doubtful."
"I'm making this request because I know."
I roughly knew about the Galimar banquet's superstition from hearing about it.
It had been a topic among students recently after all.
It was a somewhat trite form of superstition saying that if a pure man and woman form a pair and dance, their love will come true.
Well... I'm not particularly the type to mind such superstitions but.
'They're not children.'
Recently, people focusing on my movements at the academy had increased.
Was it because I had just won a victory against a professor?
Even though attention was already focused amid that.
If I rashly decided on a partner, there was a possibility of being caught up in a scandal.
For children in their prime, love stories are good gossip that's delicious and good for whispering after all.
It was to prevent this.
'First times are precious.'
The same was true for those children too.
The protagonist's group I had gotten close to recently.
I didn't want to smear them with needless man problems.
Later when the world reaches its ending, there will be children who each form families, so memories of this time shouldn't remain completely uncomfortable.
This was also the reason I chose Selena.
'Surely it's not her first time.'
She was an adult who was already thirty.
She had eaten plenty of years, her appearance was full of decadent charm, and her figure had overwhelming curves, so she clearly had abundant experience with men.
The premise the superstition put forward had the content of virgin and virgin attached.
In other words.
If even one person wasn't pure, such superstitions would be rendered invalid.
It was a method to avoid forced love flags.
"Huhu."
I smiled at the perfect plan.
On the other hand,
Selena still seemed to be pondering.
Her pupils wavered.
Did some problem arise?
While blankly waiting for an answer, she asked as if checking first.
Her fingertips tapping the desk contained anguish.
"If you're requesting a partner while knowing the meaning, I don't know how I should take it."
"You can take it as is."
=It's just to avoid needless gossip.
"I know there are many other female students around. Couldn't you ask them?"
"It has to be you."
=You're the only partner who can break through the superstition as is.
"......"
The more the conversation continued, the deeper her troubled expression became.
It was quite a sacred reaction.
After only seeing her cold appearance like a corpse every time, seeing even slight wavering felt fresh.
Of course, it was closer to a feeling of getting caught up in a troublesome matter.
The woman muttered with a sigh.
"...To be honest, it's not particularly an appealing proposal."
"You don't have to feel burdened."
"I can't help but feel burdened."
"I won't force anything on you. I just thought I'd be happy if we entered the banquet together."
=If you say no, it can't be helped... but it's a shame since it was a good method.
"I think it's too much to be with someone old like me... It wouldn't be fun at all either."
"You don't have to worry about that aspect."
The woman was negatively evaluating herself.
I firmly shook my head, and smiled with my eyes towards those red eyes.
"The fact of being with you is more important to me than anything."
"......"
I felt a little guilty while proposing.
Was it okay to use my master to avoid a troublesome situation?
The Confucian ideology deeply seated inside me seemed to waver, but it was an unavoidable choice to avoid the problem approaching before my eyes.
It would also be good to narrow the distance on this opportunity incidentally.
'It will be difficult though.'
Selena was a lonely person.
A person who never gave up territory beyond a certain line even if someone approached showing goodwill.
She could be said to have the firmest walls among the people around me.
Should I say she was a wild animal difficult to tame?
So she was also an opponent I wanted to get closer to even more.
"It's enough just to stand by my side as usual."
Banquet, and partner.
Trivial permission would soon lead to exchange of emotions too, so I thought I'd narrow the psychological distance on this opportunity.
Just then, the academy was also in a period facing various incidents.
The upcoming attack and disaster.
If I firmly captured the faculty's side in advance, it would surely help with proactive response.
It was a foothold to grasp the academy's actual situation going forward.
I smiled leisurely.
"Isn't one day alright?"
"......"
"I won't ask for much. It's enough just to get along with your disciple for one night."
"If you ask with such words... I don't intend to refuse forcibly."
"I'll take that as permission."
"...I really can't figure you out. Student Yuda."
"Thank you."
A satisfactory answer.
I nodded thinking I had overcome a big hurdle.
Now there would be no getting caught up in needless gossip.
"I'll just look forward to that day."
The plan returned to success.
If there was a fact I overlooked, it was that children in their prime are vicious.
Who would have known they would even link master and disciple?
In the end, the future of getting a headache from gossip was approaching on a not-too-distant date.
I enjoyed a moment of peace without even knowing the approaching fate.
It was winter.
***
Scratch scratch-.
The pen tip made a sound following moving fingertips.
Neat handwriting processed work.
"Ahem."
Two days remaining until the banquet.
Even if vacation was approaching right before my eyes, it didn't mean the piled up documents disappeared.
Rather, it became busier as I had to empty one day's schedule.
I had to finish work in advance after all.
So to help Selena who had become even busier, I had no choice but to visit her research lab frequently.
It seemed I should lend a hand to this extent since she listened to my unreasonable request.
It was also originally direct work.
'There's so much.'
I thought about looking at the documents lined up in neat rows.
As there was no separate manpower except me, most documents had to be processed by our two hands.
It was an unconsciously questionable part even while continuing work.
What was the reason for not bringing in separate assistants while using such a wide research lab?
I asked while playing with my pen.
"Wouldn't more hands make work smoother?"
"Well."
A voice returning indifferently.
Opposite sat the purple-haired woman. She was holding a strong liquor bottle and pen without fail.
She moved her hand mechanically while responding to the question.
It was an extremely stiff tone for casual talk.
"It's always been like this until now."
"Am I the first assistant?"
"That's right. I've unavoidably had a few errand runners, but Student Yuda is the first I've given the head assistant position to."
"Was there a reason you didn't have anyone all this time...?"
"Because I hate people."
There wasn't even a trace of hesitation in her answer.
She seemed to think it was natural.
Behind an interesting smile, I continued my remaining question.
"Why did you accept me then?"
"Talent that will remain in history... I judged the gain stemming from acceptance was greater than the loss stemming from simple dislike."
"That's truly an answer at the end of calculation."
"Because I'm an adult."
"Is there still no change in that dislike?"
"...It's difficult to say it's on the good side. But I think it's not to the extent of saying I dislike it."
"That's satisfactory enough."
"Is that so?"
An indifferent drunkard.
She tilted the liquor bottle she was holding as if her throat was burning.
I spoke with a bit of mischief.
"Can I have some too?"
"I'll refuse."
"Oh my."
"Alcohol is harmful to life. Especially for children."
"Why do you live with something harmful then?"
"To forget."
"Forget what?"
"Anything."
Her gaze sank somewhat.
Her slender fingers fiddled with the liquor bottle, then soon answered faintly like a candle that had reached the end of its life.
Perhaps it was a mutter containing confusion and lamentation.
"For example... it might be to forget shame."
"What is so shameful?"
"The fact that I drink alcohol is shameful."
"That's strange talk. Can't you just stop?"
"Being unable to stop is what makes one an adult. Even knowing it's wrong, we're already too old to change."
"......"
Liquor bottle, snake, and her own hand.
The woman who had moved her gaze in order closed her eyelids intently.
For a moment, silence circled between the two.
Her faintly trembling shoulders revealed a distant consciousness.
Was she reminiscing about something?
Perhaps she was chewing over her own sentences.
Even knowing it's wrong, making excuses that it's already too late for the problem, like that taking steps back towards change, finally breaking like a train that can't stop, adults or herself who just reach for alcohol, swallowing all that division by moving their throat.
Was it resentment contained in life?
Regret?
Or guilt?
Whichever it was, it wasn't a pleasant expression from the viewing standpoint.
I monologued at the familiarity I suddenly felt.
'As expected... that's it.'
It was.
An expression I had overlapped several times from my own past.
I spoke with a bitter smile.
"If you have worries, I can listen anytime."
"It's fine. There's no problem at all."
Red eyes opened again.
Beyond that blurry surface was terrible fog.
The woman recited as if giving a hint.
"Yes... no problem at all."
Finally,
The conversation didn't continue further.
***
Two days later.
As time passed, it became the day of the banquet.
Its start was in the evening when the sun had set.
In front of the hall decorated lavishly in various ways, the snake and drunkard were standing side by side in place.
Both people were dressed in attire matching the formality.
"It suits you well."
Especially.
The drunkard had departed from her usual plain attire, and drew surrounding gazes by wearing a sophisticated dress.
The beauty given by that figure with clear curves was fatal after all.
It was an adult atmosphere in various meanings.
The boy gently extended his hand towards such a woman.
"Then... shall we enter?"
"Alright."
Hands overlapping softly.
The master and disciple who had been gazing at each other for a moment soon moved their proper steps towards the inside of the hall.
It was the start of a short and beautiful night.
***
Meanwhile,
Following the two people entering the interior. Behind them were several gazes following.
They were none other than girls with familiar faces.
"Wow...! The two of them match so well!"
"Is now the time to admire that?"
"Mm. They look great."
"That's right. Unexpectedly, a bright colored suit suits him too."
"......"
Five girls gathered respectively.
Each holding different emotions, anyway it was the night of the banquet raising its curtain.