Chapter 146
Three weeks after the attack.
Daily life returned to the academy once again.
Was it thanks to the quick response?
The chaotic atmosphere was remembered by students as just a simple commotion.
The faculty members also loosened their sharp vigilance somewhat.
-Don't worry.
-The traitor's existence has already been identified, and the purge has already been wrapped up.
-As this is confidential, everyone keep quiet about it.
They seemed to trust the dean's roughly made-up words.
The old man had been in the role of Galimar's head for the past 40 years.
Should I say it was the bond between them?
Of course.
A faint tension wasn't erased.
Because the fundamental problem remained as it was.
Though the internal traitor had been dealt with, the fact that the academy was being targeted from outside hadn't changed.
The professors kept a sharper eye on their surroundings than usual.
That didn't mean it was bad.
Rather, it was good.
'It's better to have appropriate vigilance.'
The story had changed.
Originally, this should have been a time when the academy had more than collapsed.
But due to this side's intervention, the academy was able to remain intact.
However, as the story's steering wheel had been sharply bent, it became even more difficult to predict the future approaching afterwards.
Therefore, the faculty members also needed to lend their strength for the academy's defense.
They were sufficiently strong forces.
'Plus they're all favorable towards me.'
After the recent attack.
I received great thanks from the faculty members.
I was recognized for discovering the hidden passage in the academy's underground and subjugating the heretics.
Especially my appearance riding a wheelchair with a pale complexion seemed to leave a big impression.
Thanks to that, the evaluation of me among faculty members rose vertically.
"If it weren't for Student Yuda... it really could have been a disaster."
"Because he prevented what could have become an accident if we weren't careful."
"The star's talent is indeed different."
"I've been evaluating him lowly until now, but this time I have no choice but to acknowledge. It's great courage. To directly face heretics to protect the academy."
"Keukeuk... it's regrettable no matter how I think about it. I should have taken him as my disciple after all."
"He went under Professor Selena, didn't he? It's understandable to be attracted to a mature woman at a young age. Hmph, I have no intention of taking a student swayed by appearance as my disciple either."
"Professor Lucy. Why don't you just honestly say you're jealous?"
"Ugh...! That's right! My guts are twisted in all directions! Why is it Professor Selena! I'm confident I could do better!"
"How ugly."
It was strangely embarrassing.
Though I was in a position to receive attention from the start, it felt like even my favorability hit the maximum with this occasion.
It felt strange for these people famous for their high noses to be friendly.
Anyway,
'It's back.'
The academy's air returned to how it was before.
A winter where no tragedy occurred.
Of course, as we had walked through a bumpy process, there were also parts that changed from before.
If I had to pick one person who changed most steeply, it was Selena.
My master.
"Student Yuda."
Drunkard.
Even such a nickname no longer suited her.
Because she had been staying away from alcohol since that day.
As the intoxication gradually faded along with the smell of alcohol, her gloomy atmosphere was also brightening.
A faint smile was contained in her expression that had been depressing like a broken doll.
The woman whispered.
"It's all thanks to Student Yuda."
Long-term treatment is essential for alcohol addiction.
It would take a long time to overcome.
But
The woman's steps no longer remained in sadness. Even if she staggered, she was clearly advancing towards light.
I believed that as long as that will didn't break, she would eventually reach tomorrow.
I decided to watch over her.
-I... I'm going to try living properly from now on.
A promise left to her younger sister.
Selena also approached the faculty members she had been awkward with.
She broke the chilly silence and greeted them first.
It must have been confusing for the other professors.
It was like someone who had treated her surroundings like air for the past 7 years suddenly changed.
There were even people who worried if she had caught a terminal illness.
It seemed it would take quite some time to form bonds between colleagues.
Still, it felt fresh.
'It looks good.'
Seeing her trying to change.
I had thoughts like I did change something after all.
'Should I say I feel proud.'
Of course.
Progress was also made in my relationship with Selena.
The wall that had vaguely existed between us crumbled, and it felt like the distance became much closer.
But if there was a problem.
"Student Yuda. Can I ask you again today?"
"What do you mean by ask?"
Should I say the distance became too close?
The woman muttered in a quiet voice.
"I'd like you to... embrace me like that time."
That time.
Right after waking from the dream. Did the memory of being held in my arms remain strongly?
Selena spread her arms and asked for a hug.
"Is it not okay...?"
Slight hesitation.
Though she raised her head as if thirsting for affection, her red eyes wavered unsightly.
As if afraid the returning answer would be rejection.
The woman always lacked composure.
Of course.
"If that's what Master wishes."
I didn't refuse.
"...Thank you always."
"It's nothing. Come here."
I always embraced her for a long time.
If I stayed in the research lab for about 3 hours, we were stuck to each other for 2 of those hours.
Selena buried her face in my chest and desperately craved body heat.
At those times, it seemed her unstable mind became stable.
I stood still and gently patted her delicate back.
Like that for several hours.
"......"
Later it was to the extent of interfering with work.
The woman seemed to worry for a few days, then in the end decided to sit on my lap while working.
Thanks to that, I had to process documents while embracing Selena from behind.
Perhaps because it was a position clinging to each other, the other's body heat and curves were vividly felt.
Every time the scratching pen tip stopped occasionally, and purple hair leaned on my shoulder, our lips were at a distance of almost touching.
Feeling breaths mixing at a hair's breadth, a strange feeling arose.
Wasn't it too close even for master and disciple?
"This is nice. Being together."
Selena muttered in a languid voice.
Her faint smile erased the needless thoughts filling my head.
The woman spoke.
"Thank you."
"I think you're saying that too often."
"I feel even this is insufficient."
"I'm just glad you express it that way."
"Because I gained new meaning thanks to you. Meaning to live for the future."
Meaning of life.
The woman's finger seemed to point at this side.
Her approaching fingertip touched my lips.
"So... I'll cherish it preciously. Everything Student Yuda gave me."
Following that.
The drunkard brought her finger with my lips on it to her own lips and overlapped them.
Her eyes curving along with our meeting gazes were particularly seductive.
Should I say it was definitely an experience?
It was a bewitching gesture and gaze.
The woman embraced me again.
"I'll live for those things from now on."
Selena quietly whispered.
I nodded.
A day continuing beyond mixing body heat and breaths.
Our relationship was deepening further.
***
Days going round and round.
As time passed, small changes occurred for me too.
"Hmm."
My body had roughly recovered.
As my life force that had hit bottom recovered, daily life became possible again.
Well... daily life was possible originally too.
Still, it was refreshing to be able to part with the wheelchair I had been forcibly riding.
"That's a shame. It was nice seeing the same appearance."
Elise speaking as if somewhat disappointed.
She seemed to regret that the wheelchair duo of the past two weeks had broken up.
"If I'm riding a wheelchair, who will push Your Highness from behind?"
"Well, big sister would push me. Sometimes Tanya pushes me too."
"You're too much."
"I don't think that's something a personal physician who goes around wagging his tail everywhere should say."
"I don't know what you mean."
"It seems you seduced a professor this time too. Be careful or you might really get imprisoned."
"Ha, haha..."
The peace after a long time passed bustlingly.
Like that, on a certain day exactly one month after the heretic attack.
A mysterious letter arrived in front of my dormitory.
"Take this."
"Hmm? What is it, Miss Irene?"
"It arrived by magic mail earlier today. Judging by the lack of sender, it seems to be from headquarters."
"A letter from headquarters..."
There was a part I could guess.
I carefully opened the seal.
Rip-.
What came out was a thick document.
On the very front page, a title was written.
[Report on Mana Stone Disease]
[Written by: Medro Andreas]
As expected.
After briefly skimming through that report, I soon muttered.
"Has the time come?"
It seemed.
It was time to treat the rose's disease.