Chapter 54: How to Cross the Desert (1)

The day after returning to the academy.

I was spending time in the library after a long while.

It was a facility prepared inside the dormitory.

As I said last time.

Galimar basically had a rank-based distribution system.

Students in higher ranks enjoyed more privileges and could spend their academy life more comfortably.

This was the same for the dormitory.

My rank was top of the year.

Thanks to that, I could be assigned the best room.

With a bit of exaggeration, it was comparable to a mansion.

The spacious library I was staying in now 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.

As I had things to ponder, I naturally found myself in the library.

I was sitting on the sofa placed in the center.

"This is... a troublesome item that's come into my hands."

I fiddled with a black case.

It was the palm-sized box I had received from Neria a few days ago.

A faint sigh flowed across my lips.

Click-.

When I opened the case, something small and shining was contained inside.

It was a jewel emitting a mystical blue light.

I tapped its surface with my fingertip.

Then a strange noise rang out and the air surrounding the jewel distorted.

As if a heat haze was rising.

'It's indeed a dangerous item.'

Bergen Belzen.

Beside that hellish laboratory, numerous huge ravines were located.

This jewel was found in those bottomless pits.

'So this is why the time axis around Belzen was distorted.'

The identity of the jewel was a dragon's heart.

Long ago, at a time when the empire hadn't even been founded yet, there was a dragon that reigned supreme in the world.

A creature called the strongest in history.

At the same time, it was also a being shrouded in mystery.

'Its setting wasn't revealed at all in the game.'

Even in the game, only light mentions of it remained, with no detailed information disclosed at all.

I searched through every event booklet, but it was futile.

All I could do was speculate based on the limited information given.

'The dragon protecting the world suddenly met its death... and its corpse was buried among huge ravines.'

Hundreds of years passed like that.

Just when it seemed to be gradually forgotten in the barren land, a black magician fleeing from the empire's pursuit discovered the location.

He soon realized the time axis in the surrounding area was distorted.

He decided to build a research institute in a secret location.

This was the origin of Belzen written in the setting book.

"It certainly has an overwhelming aura."

Although over the long years.

It had broken, eroded, and shattered... but it was still a heart emitting an intense aura.

If an item like this fell into Baob's hands, it would become quite troublesome.

I collected it myself to prevent its misuse.

I also had some things I wanted to test incidentally.

I had roughly brought down Belzen and picked up a mythical-grade item in the process.

What's important now is what comes next.

"I wonder what kind of reaction will come."

As I was lost in thought alone like that.

Knock knock-.

"Hmm?"

Someone was knocking on the library door.

It was a somewhat rough knocking sound from someone not yet accustomed to etiquette.

I immediately realized.

"Come in, Miss Irene."

Creak-.

Behind the gently ringing noise, a girl with auburn hair entered.

It was the fox in a neat appearance.

She seemed to have slept late yesterday.

It looked like she had just woken up.

Thick fatigue was evident in her black pupils.

I put the case I was holding back into my breast and welcomed the fox with a calm reaction.

"Good morning."

"Sorry... for waking up late."

"It's alright. I set breakfast on the table, did you perhaps eat?"

"Yeah, it was delicious."

"I'm glad it suited your taste."

As I was smiling faintly, the fox approached the sofa.

Irene peeking around in my vision.

I tilted my head and asked.

"Do you perhaps have something you want to say?"

"Just."

The fox couldn't easily speak up.

Irene who had been hesitating like that finally clenched her fist and opened her lips.

"...I felt like I should say thank you."

"Suddenly?"

"I've never properly said it. I don't want to pass over it silently when I owe you my life."

"That's unexpected. I thought you didn't trust me."

"That's... a separate issue."

"Huhu."

The fox averting her eyes slightly.

I smiled faintly.

Though she couldn't trust humans, perhaps she couldn't actually hate them?

It was a point where her characteristic goodness showed through.

The girl who had been holding silence for a moment soon let out a vague mutter.

"It's still difficult... you."

"You mean me?"

"I don't know what you're thinking."

"I pride myself on being transparent. Where else could you find such a pure character?"

"......"

"Your gaze is quite insolent."

Black eyes narrowed thinly.

Feeling somewhat vexed by that reaction, I firmly grasped the fox's tail that had been swaying beside me.

Grab-!

"Hyeek?!"

"It's soft indeed."

"W-Wait a moment! Why are you touching my tail again...!"

"It's punishment."

"S-So, at least tell me the reason... Hnngh!"

"Think about it yourself."

A frivolous exchange of banter.

We spent a while in the library, having such nutritionless conversations.

***

The next day.

I left the dormitory to attend lectures.

-You don't need to attend classes for about a week.

-I hope all three of you rest comfortably in the dormitory.

-I'll fill in your attendance arbitrarily.

The accident experienced during the midterm exam.

Selena gave the children a week's rest to calm their shocked hearts.

Thanks to that, I could leave the academy with peace of mind, and had returned in time for classes to start again.

I lightly took steps.

Trudge trudge-.

As I was crossing the path leading to the carriage stop.

A voice was heard from somewhere.

"Y-Young Master...?"

"He's coming over there."

It was none other than the villainous young lady and the protagonist.

The two who had been standing side by side outside the stop soon discovered me walking over and greeted me.

I smiled tightly.

"It's been a week since I've seen you. I wonder if everyone has been well."

"Well... I was okay, I guess."

"I-I think I rested comfortably for the first time in a while too."

"That's fortunate."

The snake, the pilot, and the vain one.

The children exchanged simple small talk while waiting for the carriage to arrive.

They were asking about each other's past week that they hadn't seen.

As they were chatting pleasantly, Emilia who had been walking ahead suddenly spoke up.

"Come to think of it, the school trip schedule is already right around the corner."

"Y-You're right... Time seems to be passing r-really quickly."

"Because there have been many things happening."

I smiled bitterly.

On top of the regular academy schedule, various accidents had overlapped, so it had truly been two months that swept by like a storm.

The school trip seemed to be scheduled for two weeks later.

I hoped it would be peaceful without any disturbances until then.

"I-I need to finish the assignments I've fallen behind on, at least before the school trip..."

"You fell behind on assignments?"

"Y-Yes... I tried to solve them alone, but it was too difficult..."

"Your level is low. As expected of a commoner."

"I-I'm sorry... Someone below standard like me shouldn't be at the academy."

"...I-I didn't mean it that harshly?"

The villainess and protagonist conversing among themselves.

Perhaps thanks to the experience of facing life and death together in the last exam, the two had noticeably grown closer.

The protagonist becoming gloomy immediately at the sarcastic words.

The villainess acting as if bullying but then becoming flustered not knowing what to do when she actually got upset.

They seemed to have unexpectedly good chemistry.

"Wasn't the Young Master helping you with your studies?"

"That's right. But I thought it would be a bother if I asked every time..."

"So you suffered alone?"

"I-I'm sorry..."

"I'll help you from now on too. You can ask me if there are difficult problems."

"You, Lady...?"

"Ahem! I'm a person who knows how to be generous."

I held a pleased smile.

Though there was still some awkwardness, I was glad they seemed to have gotten much closer.

I mischievously cut in between the two.

"My, my... Are you going to someone else when you have a more excellent teacher here?"

"...Why are you butting in again?"

Emilia reacting sulkily.

I smiled broadly and shrugged my shoulders.

"Just because you two seemed to be getting along so well."

"We're not getting along...?"

"You're playing hard to get again. You were holding Miss Regia's hand so tightly in the hospital room..."

"Th-Th-There's no need to talk about that!"

The villainess got heated as if embarrassed.

Blue eyes glaring.

I felt like teasing her needlessly.

I smiled with narrowed eyes and slowly stroked Emilia's head.

As if calming an angry cat.

"Now, now, calm down."

"......"

"It's important to always maintain peace of mind."

"...It's because of you."

Emilia unable to get properly angry.

She bit her lip as if swallowing her anger, then soon spoke in a deflated voice.

"I can't help but react sharply when you provoke me."

"Then I should tease you even more diligently."

"What?"

"Because I like it."

I happily continued my attack.

"I personally like that side of you, Lady."

=Your appearance going crazy from annoyance is too fun.

"...Eh?"

"If I could, I'd like to stay by your side for life."

=I want to keep you as a sandbag for life and bully you whenever I'm bored.

"Wh-Wh-What are you suddenly saying...!"

A high-level teabagging sweeping through.

Perhaps shocked by the powerful combo, the villainess couldn't continue speaking for a while.

She trembled for a bit but eventually lowered her head.

"You... You've been too aggressive since last time."

"That's because I like you."

=Because I like your reactions when teased.

"S-S-So I know that from last time, but still, to push so forcefully like this...!"

"Is it not okay to be forceful?"

=I really don't know.

"Uugh, uuugh......"

Had her deal meter finally burst?

Emilia sank without being able to make any rebuttals.

Today's bullying was successful too.

"Huhu."

As we were filling time with such pointless chatter like that.

I suddenly realized Regia standing beside us was quiet.

She was silently staring at the distant sky as if lost in other thoughts.

I quietly called the girl.

"Miss Regia?"

"...Ah."

The girl belatedly coming to her senses.

Regia blinked her dazed eyes a few times, then soon let out an awkward laugh.

"I-I'm sorry. I didn't sleep well..."

"It's alright. It wasn't particularly important talk."

"Th-That's a relief..."

"Hmm."

She seemed somewhat powerless.

Though she was usually like that, today she looked especially weak, should I say.

There had been signs when she was talking with Emilia earlier, but looking at her like this, it definitely felt strange.

"......"

The pilot lowered her gaze to the ground.

As I stared at her pitifully drooping shoulders, I chewed over self-mutterings inwardly.

'If she looks this depressed... Is it because of that after all?'

Regia wilting.

It seemed serious this time.

I who had been lost in thought following the girl soon cleared my head and began to form a plan.

'I should do an event for her.'

For the sake of our protagonist's mental care.