Chapter 97
“Vice Principal Dorothea is going to take pictures of Murmur playing with her friends today.”
As expected, Nicasia was playing with her friends in her room.
Since Bianca found us quickly, we didn’t even have to kill time bored in the vice principal’s office.
“Everyone, don’t worry about the teacher~ Just relax and enjoy a fun time with Murmur~”
Dorothea smiled brightly, holding the camera with both hands as she spoke.
“Well… I don’t mind.”
“I think I’ll be fine too. After all, today is dress-up day, right?”
Dress-up was a very torturous game where Nicasia and Citrine brought various clothes to try on.
Lately, it’s been okay because there’s a new victim besides me, Murmur, but…
“You’re holding the camera so naturally.”
“I’ve never seen a camera before!”
Dorothea smiled sweetly and immediately took a picture of Monica and Citrine.
—Flash!
“Wow…!”
“Hehehe… It’s a magical tool that can forever capture the soft and cute appearances of you students~”
Monica’s eyes sparkled as she looked at the camera Dorothea was waving around.
“Ta-da~!”
Vice Principal Dorothea, like a witch luring a child with candy, showed the photo to Monica.
“Am I really in there?”
“Don’t tell me this is your first time seeing a photo?”
“That’s right~ When the man from the Holy Nation painted my portrait, I had to sit all day, and my bottom hurt so much~”
Citrine rubbed her face in distress.
“I’ve heard of it, but this is my first time seeing a photo.”
Since the camera is probably a ‘Demon Race’ item, it’s not strange that Esme doesn’t know about it.
On the other hand, Citrine and Nicasia seemed to know about it well, as they clapped and didn’t seem surprised.
“Ahem… Anyway, Vice Principal Dorothea? Murmur and I gather like this once a week to try on clothes and compliment each other.”
“If there’s a really good outfit, we sometimes give it as a gift.”
They said that, but the reality was different.
This ‘dress-up’ game started from Nicasia and Esme’s idea to feel sorry for me, Murmur.
It was a warm-hearted game to naturally gift clothes to a friend without burdening them.
Since there was no such event in the main story, I was really flustered at first, but in the end, it wasn’t much different from being forced to wear a woolen pajama.
…So honestly, I don’t really like this game.
No, wait! Only Monica and I, Murmur, have to wear the clothes!!!
“Oh my~ So these clothes here… are they prepared for Murmur and Saintess Monica~?”
What, Nicasia hasn’t explained anything yet?
“Ah… Not necessarily. Besides Murmur and Monica, everyone naturally tries on clothes.”
“That’s right. It’s just that we often bring out clothes that are a bit outdated or don’t fit well from the wardrobe, so Murmur ends up wearing them a lot.”
Dorothea smirked as she looked at the clothes neatly laid out on the bed.
“Outdated… clothes from the wardrobe… Hehehe.”
“Oh, they’re clothes from the wardrobe, Vice Principal.”
Nicasia awkwardly smiled, swallowing her saliva.
Both Citrine and Nicasia seem to think that I, Murmur, really don’t know.
“Hoho, hohoho! This is why the innocence of children is~ truly beautiful~”
Dorothea immediately raised the camera and started clicking away.
“Wh-what’s going on?!”
Citrine panicked but patted my, Murmur’s, shoulder.
“Anyway… if it’s okay to play as usual, Murmur can just change clothes.”
“Murmur’s changing again?”
“Well, the clothes are a bit small~”
Citrine held out a red suspender skirt and a black shirt that looked brand new.
“I’ll help you.”
Bianca took the Softy set I didn’t want to wear and skillfully led me, Murmur, behind the curtain.
“Hehehe… It’s so nice to see Maghauscia treating even a 5th-grade elementary student with such respect.”
Dorothea kept taking pictures.
…This is okay, right?
“But why does Murmur call Vesta ‘Bianca’?”
“Last time during dinner, Murmur said she wanted to call the little maid ‘Vesta.'”
“Ugh… Can’t we just call the little maid by a new name? It’s confusing…”
“Vesta is now Bianca, and the little maid is Vesta!”
“That’s even more confusing. Monica?!”
Hearing Esme’s small scream, I, Murmur, walked out from behind the curtain.
Bianca, being a super maid, changed my clothes in the blink of an eye.
“Ah… As expected, Murmur is the best!”
“I thought suspender skirts had to be blue, but this looks really good on you!”
Citrine and Nicasia clapped, delighted.
“Let’s try a hairpin too.”
Nicasia brought a sunflower-shaped hairpin and attached it.
—Click, click!
“Hehehe… Yes. This is it! The sight of cute and lovely children caring for each other with pure hearts…!!”
Citrine looked at Dorothea in panic, holding Monica’s shoulders.
“This time, Monica will come out wearing this outfit.”
“Got it~!”
“S-so! Monica! Change behind the curtain like Murmur! Ves, no! Bianca unnie! Help!”
There was a small commotion, but Monica soon appeared wearing a black dress.
With white stockings, she looked strangely noble.
“Monica really is the Saintess.”
“Right? No matter what she wears, she still feels like the Saintess. It’s amazing.”
“Murmur, can you take this off now?”
Citrine smiled brightly and immediately handed me, Murmur, a pair of wide shorts and a blouse with a big ribbon.
“Murmur doesn’t like this…”
“Then how about this, Murmur?”
Esme held out a short skirt and a mint blouse.
“If that’s too much, how about this?”
Nicasia’s outfit was… just a princess dress.
To be specific, it was a frilly dress that would turn my, Murmur’s, mind pink.
“Hehehe… This is really a sight to see~”
If left like this, I didn’t know what Dorothea would do, so I decided to wear the shorts and ribboned blouse Citrine gave me.
“I’ll help you change, Murmur.”
Bianca skillfully changed my clothes again.
Honestly, skirts still felt awkward, so wearing shorts made me feel more comfortable.
—Click! Click, click!
While I, Murmur, was changing, Vice Principal Dorothea Elementary was busy taking pictures of Monica, Citrine, and Esme.
This elf vice principal is, in some ways, a true child lover.
She’s not just a pervert who likes me, Murmur, but seems to like all children.
“Hehehe… But do you also gift underwear~? It seems more like a gift-giving game than a dress-up game~”
“Ah… Yes, since I’m from the royal family, I grow up quickly, right? Murmur said it was okay, so sometimes I bring pretty things from the wardrobe to show. Oh, there’s quite a lot today.”
Nicasia’s lie was still clumsy.
“Looks like you’re not wearing a bra yet, unlike the respected princess~?”
“Probably only I wear a bra here.”
Nicasia smiled slightly as she spoke.
“Hoho, such a fun game should become a tradition at the Academy~”
Dorothea was genuinely enjoying herself.
“What do you do after the dress-up is over?~”
“After dress-up, we eat delicious snacks or do homework together.”
“And sometimes, if there’s a lot of time left, we play board games!”
Esme said with a smile.
“Murmur knows a lot of interesting games, so sometimes we want to play all day.”
“Murmur also helps a lot with homework!”
Dorothea naturally looked at me, Murmur.
“Hohoho, it’s really great that you get along so well with your friends~”
“Murmur can get along well without worrying.”
Anyway, Dorothea must be satisfied by now, right?
I was worried she might forcefully take me out to play, saying kids should play outside.
“But Vice Principal Dorothea, where will you use the photos you’re taking now?”
“Hoho, they’ll be used to shut up those who worry about the Academy’s safety~”
… … Huh?
What’s that supposed to mean?
“Are you talking about those who stopped supporting because of bad rumors about Murmur?”
At Citrine’s question, Dorothea nodded.
“That’s right~ To show that Murmur is just a pure, cute, and lively child who gets along well with her friends~”
What, the reason was much more wholesome than I thought.
I thought she was taking pictures to fill her room with them.
“…Will the rumors spread to social parties? About Murmur’s cute appearance?”
Dorothea smiled and nodded.
At that moment, Nicasia grabbed my, Murmur’s, hand like lightning and half-hugged me.
“Th-then, Vice Principal Dorothea! How about a picture of me and Murmur hugging like this?”
“Oh my~ A picture of our respected princess and Murmur getting along will surely be a big help~”
As soon as Nicasia heard Vice Principal Dorothea’s words, she hugged me, Murmur, so tightly it felt like my chest was being rubbed.
—Click! Click!
“W-wait…! Nicasia!! Where do you get off acting so slyly?!”
“Ahem…! I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Murmur!! Come here!”
This time, Citrine pulled my arm.
Then she tightly held my, Murmur’s, hand, even interlocking fingers, and pressed her cheek against mine.
“P-please take a picture of me being close with her too! Vice Principal Dorothea!”
“Hehehe… The sight of friends rubbing cheeks is so cute, it’s really nice~!”
—Click! Click! Click!
“Ugh… V-Vice Principal Dorothea! How about a picture of me and Murmur dancing?”
“I thought about a picture of us sharing cake!”
“How about a picture of us changing clothes together?!”
“Nicasiaaa!! Then I’ll take a picture of me dressing Murmur!”
What, what’s going on?
Why are they suddenly acting like this?!
“Hehehe…! Just hearing about it makes me happy~ Should we take all these pictures?”
“N-no! Murmur doesn’t want to!”
Haven’t we taken enough pictures already?!
“Murmur! Just a little more! Just a few more pictures!”
“Murmur! Just one more picture with me!”
Citrine and Nicasia eventually grabbed my, Murmur’s, shoulders and begged.
“…Why are they suddenly like this?”
“I think I know. If Vice Principal Dorothea’s photos are seen by many nobles, rumors will spread about who is ‘closer’ to Murmur.”
That’s the reason?
Seriously, that’s why they want more pictures?!
“Hehehe… Respected princess? And Citrine? If you’re okay with it, how about exchanging kisses with Murmur—”
“Nooooo!!! Murmur doesn’t want to!!!”
Kisses? What kisses?!
I, Murmur, panicked and slightly pushed them away, hiding behind Bianca’s back.
“Murmur is shy about that! No! I won’t take pictures! Kisses are for two people only!”
The two looked extremely disappointed, and Dorothea laughed heartily, her chest heaving.
Ah! Really! What kind of elementary vice principal tries to take pictures of herself?!
She’s definitely a pervert! After all!
『Dorothea de Chamber’s affection has reached level 5!』
What the heck is this?!
Why did it suddenly reach level 5?!
We just took pictures!
She just laughed creepily!
“Mu-Murmur wants…! Vice Principal Dorothea to keep her promise!!!”
All I, Murmur, could do was tightly hold onto Bianca’s skirt and shout!