“…Hmm? What’s this? Uncle’s place.”
“Not an uncle.”
“Isn’t it too old to call you… brother?”
I never knew she had this kind of personality. Well, I did think she had a rough side since she cursed right from the start, but I never expected her to poke my weakness like this.
I might have a face that looks harsh enough to belong to a different genre, but according to the Status Window, I’m officially 19.
Sure, I might look like a mixture of Lee-son and Lee-ho-dong from middle school…
At least, my physical age is the same for now.
Probably.
“Are you feeling okay?”
“My arm still aches where it got chopped off.”
At that, my gaze naturally shifted towards the bandaged stump of Viola’s arm. From what I’ve heard, it’s been a while since the arm was severed, and it seems even powerful Recovery Magic can’t restore it. Thankfully, this strong-willed female student doesn’t seem too hung up on her lost arm.
At least she maintained a calm expression in front of me.
“Don’t worry too much about it. If I hadn’t lost it, I’d be dead anyway. I’m just glad to be alive. It’s a miracle that I made it back from the Rift.”
“A miracle… huh.”
“What else could it be?”
It wasn’t wrong. The chances of coming back from a Dimensional Rift were ridiculously low. But I couldn’t help feeling disappointed. If only I had searched faster, maybe we could have saved her arm.
I reached out my hand first with a hint of sympathy and goodwill.
“If you’re having a tough time, feel free to ask for help.”
“Then can you regenerate my arm? It’s a bit inconvenient being one-armed—”
“That would be difficult.”
Without an environment where I could just toss around Elixirs like in the game, restoring her arm was out of the question. Acknowledging that, I shook my head coldly. Viola, perhaps anticipating my response, let out a chuckle as if to say she saw this coming.
“So it really is impossible—Ugh, thinking about living with just one arm is irritating.”
“Research, right? You’re in the Alchemy Department, aren’t you?”
I was planning to develop my connections with Alchemy Department students, but since Viola was a patient, that might have to wait. Her skill level was still uncertain too. Still, it seemed worthwhile to drop by and check in on her a few times. If we got closer, I might run into other Alchemy students.
Should I find any outstanding graduate students, I’d be ready to scout them immediately.
“I’m among the top five students, you know? Though with finals messed up, I probably bombed it.”
“I can testify that you did well in the Dungeon, so your score should reflect that.”
After our negotiation ended, I confidently handed over the notes I salvaged from the Rift, so they’d probably give her a decent score. I can’t guarantee it’ll be exceptional, though.
“Ooh, really? Thanks! Now I can relax a bit. If I play my cards right, maybe I could aim for a scholarship.”
She had a positive mindset. Usually, in such situations, people would be feeling down.
She’s not a heroine, but still…
“…Well, I’ll take my leave then. If you need help, come find me at Yeomyeong-gwan.”
That was my small gesture of kindness. A goodwill towards the girl trying to shake off sudden misfortune and stand tall. To that, Viola grinned and playfully said,
“I’m the type who’ll suck you dry, so are you okay with that?”
“I’m confident in my own earnings.”
I shrugged and turned the doorknob of the hospital room. The door creaked open, revealing a silent Corridor that welcomed me. The hospital inside the Academy was devoid of any presence, as the vacation had just begun.
“Take care.”
“Just go quickly. Knight in shining armor.”
I saw her waving her good arm as her figure vanished beyond the door. Beyond the closed door, I could hear the rustling of sheets along with groans.
Was she just pretending to be strong?
With a foot on the path to Yeomyeong-gwan, I couldn’t help but think about Viola.
It reminded me of the time I was rolling around on a deserted island.
——————-
“Millia. What’s going on here?”
“I thought the tentacles wanted to go for a walk, so I took it out for a stroll!”
What even is this situation? I facepalmed while looking at Millia walking around in the front yard of Yeomyeong-gwan with a tentacle book.
A tentacle book being forced out for a walk by a Dullahan? This was completely unexpected.
What kind of tentacle would go for a stroll while being tied up?
Maybe I’m still dreaming. This might all just be a dream, and after I slap myself, I’ll wake up in my apartment.
…Huh? But didn’t I live in an apartment—
“Johann Johann!”
“What is it?”
“Can I have this book? I’ll feed it well, wash it, and take it for walks—”
“Millia. That’s not a pet.”
It looks so ominous that it should definitely be labeled a forbidden tome. If you walk around with something like that, you’ll turn into a black magician. Or become the vessel for the book instead.
…Though nothing too terrible has happened yet.
“But it’s alive, it moves, and it’s affectionate!”
“…”
She wasn’t wrong, so I couldn’t argue against her.
I squinted at the adorable look from Millia, who was looking up at me, and desperately tried to ignore it as I glared at the tentacle book. The tentacle book seemed to resist hard against becoming Millia’s pet, but surprisingly, her grip was strong enough to keep it still.
Eventually, the tentacle book gave up resisting and a tear rolled from its central eye. A crying book? I’ve seen some bizarre sights in my life.
…It’s a bit sad, though.
But still, no is no—
“Huh? Johann~”
“Being cute won’t change my mind.”
“Ugh.”
Millia wrapped her arms around my waist as her last resort, like a cat nuzzling. I knew what she was trying to do, but it felt like a niece was clinging to me, so I didn’t think much of it.
Anyway, that’s how it was.
I’m not a pervert.
“Y-You, you, you, Johann…??”
Her timing is so off.
I stared at the violet-haired girl looking at me with wide eyes. She looked genuinely shocked. I sent a rescue signal to Elisa to clear up any misunderstandings.
“Ah, Elisa. Can you help me get Millia off—”
“Y-You shouldn’t be doing something like that here! Think!”
“It’s a misunderstanding.”
Why are you clinging on to me like that as if it’s an opportunity? To clarify things, I immediately grabbed Millia by the scruff of her neck. While her resistance was fierce, it wasn’t impossible to separate us if I set my mind to it. No matter how much she clung, I had way more strength than she did.
“Millia told me that if I did this, all the boys would fall for me! Why isn’t it working?!”
What on earth is she being taught?
I knocked her lightly on the head, mumbling my thoughts, and turned to Elisa to clear up the misunderstanding. Millia kept muttering something in the background, but I figured that was just her sulking.
I took a breath and spoke to Elisa, who looked ready to burst into tears.
“Elisa, calm down for now. This is…”
“T-That kind of indecent act isn’t okay! I-I could…”
“What do you mean by that, Elisa?”
“Um, um… EEK!”
Wait, where are you going?
I let out a sigh as I reached my hand toward Elisa, who was rushing toward the entrance of Yeomyeong-gwan.
Am I a babysitter or a knight?
I released my grip on Millia’s scruff and warned her as she puffed up her cheeks in a pout.
“That book is extremely dangerous. It’s not something you can handle like a toy. So give it here.”
“Aw, come on…”
When I spoke seriously, the mischievous Dullahan finally relented and handed me the leash. The tentacle book, caught between us, suddenly stood up and began waving its tentacles. Seeing the pitiful sight of the violet tentacles swaying back and forth, I couldn’t help but feel my gaze drawn to it.
What is going on? Is this the kind of affection Millia was talking about?
As I stood there, entranced by the bizarre scene, the eye in the center of the book started flashing like a warning light.
Was it trying to launch a terror attack with its eyes or something? Several times, a yellow beam lit up my face continuously. I covered my eyes with my palm, waiting for the chaotic ON-OFF show to end. After about ten flashes, the tentacle book, looking taken aback, started scratching a corner with its tentacles and tilted its body to the side.
I guess it looked like it wanted to tilt its head if it were humanoid.
What was it trying to do?
Before the tentacle book could stir up any more trouble, I wrapped the leash around my hand, securing it tightly. Even if it had tentacles, it was like a child, so it couldn’t resist my strength.
Ah, I really don’t like this damp and sticky feeling.
“See? It’s not dangerous! At first, it was slapping with its tentacle, but now it doesn’t even do that!”
“I think it gave up.”
I wouldn’t mind if it simply gave up its escape, but I took the now-calm book and entered the workshop with Millia, tossing it into a suitable box and wrapping it tightly with chains. This should keep it from escaping. At least I planned to keep it sealed like this before showing it to Principal Merlin.
“Sleep well, Squishy.”
…I don’t know anymore.
Maybe I should just go eat. With a half-hearted sense of resignation, I grabbed Millia’s hand and headed toward Yeomyeong-gwan.
I figured I really needed to eat a hearty meal today.
For the sake of replenishing my strength.
————–
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