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The day after the incident.

We were resting at the lodging.

Naturally, with such a major incident occurring, it was impossible for the academy to return to normal.

“Hmmm~ Salary thief got it good~”

“…But why are both of you completely fine?”

It was Luna’s question as she watched Yui munching on snacks at the desk and me lounging on the bed.

Among us, Luna was the only one injured, her arm, leg, and side all wrapped in bandages, clearly suffering from her struggles.

“Well, I could be fine. If you have a problem, you could just get stronger.”

“Weren’t you in a fight…?”

“I had a really really! tough time!”

Yui said, as if asking for praise.

But from what I heard yesterday, it seemed like we played rock-paper-scissors.

“I did fight, you know.”

Although I didn’t fight with Alter, I did end up fighting some other guy.

But now that I think about it, didn’t I engage the most in battles?

I stomped Hex and crushed demons, didn’t I?

While you were napping in a chair, Luna, I was fighting demons!

“Enough already. Just rest, the academy’s closed for three days anyway.”

“Seriously… As Luke said, it’s like a battlefield now…”

“See?”

“I’ve never gotten this injured while hunting as an adventurer.”

In fact, events like this don’t happen so often even in the original story.

If there’s an event once a month, by the time we see the conclusion, all the students would be dead, and the academy would be shut down first.

But with two reincarnated individuals in the same world, it feels like the story has sped up not just by two times, but maybe even four.

“This is made in heaven…?”

“Excuse me?”

“Nothing!”

“Still, it’s nice to have a break.”

“More accurately, it’s just us who are resting here.”

While the academy is closed for three days to treat the students, the dean and professors are busy without a moment’s rest.

There’s aftermath work related to the deceased students and a need to explain why they couldn’t prevent this mess despite being fully awake.

If I were to relate this to my previous life, it would be akin to a press conference.

Of course, they wouldn’t be relentlessly attacked.

Although Dean Lucia is kind-hearted, good people can be scarier when they get mad.

If she can’t hold it in and explodes while tossing bombs, then the territory of the bomb’s impact will be hit by a meteor.

And that territory will vanish from the map overnight. Along with its noble house. So everyone is keen to avoid being collateral damage in this game of hot potato.

The reason we alone can afford to rest is because of our title as adjunct professors.

The outside world doesn’t even know I’m a professor here.

This world doesn’t have the internet, and there wouldn’t be news splashed across the newspapers just because one adjunct professor popped up.

Naturally, there’s no way that any external individuals would know about my situation.

And it’s always the school that might feel regret, not the recruiting professors.

The very notion of being an adjunct means I wasn’t called because they were desperate; I can just leave the moment someone complains.

That’s usually how it goes for adjunct professors.

In my case, the moment someone complains, I’m off to take care of them.

-Knock, knock.

As I was lost in thought, someone knocked on our door.

“Who is it?”

Who dares to disturb our sweet time of relaxation?

At this hour, there shouldn’t be anyone looking for us.

If I had to name one, it would be Lucia, but she’s probably too busy to come here right now.

“Yui. Check who it is.”

“Yes~”

In a flurry, Yui dashed to the door, flung it open, and said, “Who are you~?”

But as she opened the door wide and the person outside came into view, it was clear who they were without needing to ask.

Two hair colors I had never seen before and yellow eyes that seemed to shine even in the evening.

And due to the recent incident, one of her arms was bound in bandages, rendering it immobile.

It was Riche.

She stepped into the room and stopped in front of me, lying down, gazing down at me with an expression that drained my spirit.

“Isn’t this the professor’s lodgings? How did a non-professor get in?”

“…Because there was no one at the entrance.”

Is this for real?

Even if all the professors were absent, does it make sense for a student to freely wander around a professor’s lodging?

Should I take this chance to commit a little break-in myself?

“So why are you here?”

“…”

“Why are you here, I ask?”

“…”

What’s up with her?

She comes here to say something and suddenly turns mute like she’s stuffed her mouth with honey?

After a while of awkward silence, she finally spoke, mumbling her lips.

“…Do I have to?”

“What?”

“What should I do now…?”

Suddenly dropping this nonsense out of nowhere.

As if to question what the hell I was talking about, Riche trembled, clenching her healthy arm, clearly frustrated.

“I tried hard, but I lost in the end. When I was up close, all I could do was endure the mockery…”

With eyes half-dead, Riche looked down, as if all her confidence had been shattered.

No need to beat around the bush.

“Now what am I supposed to do…?”

I’m not your career advisor, so why are you asking me that?

Usually, someone speaking in such a way is hoping for about three things.

They’re either looking for empathy, help, or consolation if it’s neither of those.

But the first option is impossible.

Can a lion empathize with an ant? How can a strong person empathize with the weak’s complaints?

The second one, I’ve already done.

While I might not have helped her achieve her wish completely, I did help her grow enough to be on a different level compared to other students.

What about the third option?

Unfortunately, soothing isn’t my forte.

I’ve always thought that comforting someone is a talent. Expecting praise from someone you’ve helped is a bit much, don’t you think?

At this point, Riche doesn’t seem to want either the first or the second. She isn’t looking for consolation either, but that might be the best option left.

In reality, the only thing those around her can give her is consolation.

“Why not go get comfort from Arthur instead?”

He’d likely pluck flowers to lift her spirit and offer all sorts of comforting words.

I don’t even know what kind of words she wants to hear, so why come to me with this?

“I’ve been curious for a while now, why do you keep pairing me with him?”

“Because you’re his heroine.”

“Heroine? What’s that?”

“The female lead in a story.”

We’ve talked about stories in the past.

Back then, we only discussed her family; I didn’t say anything else.

I have no intention of hiding it, but repeating the same things is annoying.

So…

Clap, clap.

I clapped my hands like I was calling a waiter.

Now, Luna, who had grown accustomed to this, took over for me.

Based on what she heard from me, Luna explained everything to Riche step by step.

Of course, she couldn’t know every detail, so she added some of her assumptions, but her interpretations mostly turned out to be correct, so I didn’t stop her.

With every sentence Luna spoke, Riche’s expressions changed increasingly. After about five minutes of explanation, Luna finished her last sentence and turned to me.

“Is that really true?”

She looks like she’s concerned Luna and Yui might be deceived too.

That just goes to show how shocking what Luna said was.

“Whether you believe it or not is up to you.”

And so I told her.

I have no reason to explain myself to someone who can’t believe it.

It’s just exhausting.

“I’m… destined to be the lover of such a guy…?”

“Yep. You’ve had sex with him.”

“That’s a lie!!”

But isn’t that just a form of escapism? Snickers.

“Ear.”

“What…?”

“What, your erogenous zone.”

That, too, came straight from a story.

Riche, who would blush at Arthur’s mention.

“A lie…! How would I know my erogenous zone without realizing it!”

“If you’re curious, why not touch it when you’re pleasuring yourself later?”

“I don’t do stuff like that!!”

Is it so wrong for someone to indulge a little? Why is she so flustered?

Is there anyone without sexual desires? Rather, self-pleasure is essential to preventing sexual crimes!

“Then, the reason I can’t win is that every ending is predetermined…?”

“I told you, no matter what you do, you can’t win.”

Well, you could, given you put in unimaginable effort.

Originally, I wouldn’t have known where Luke was or what he would be doing, but after my reincarnation, he became a remnant of the past.

But for you, it’s too late now, I mean.

I was gazing at her with eyes that seemed to know everything, and she took a step closer to me as if having made a decision.

“…Then I’ll be blunt.”

Help me.

Riche said that.

“What?”

“Help me. Not Arthur, you.”

While the prospect of compensation or trouble later was second to this, I found it fascinating.

Why?

Because Riche was never the type to ask for help, even if she faced death.

“This marks a change, right?”

Of course, she had previously asked me to help her grow stronger, but most of her requests were for information or training so that she could take down Hex herself.

But now, her words meant a direct request for help from me to kill Hex.

A character who had never been able to ask for help was asking for it for the first time.

“Sure, I’m not interested~”

But do I really have a reason to help her?

 

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