Chapter 34
Chapter 34
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 34
Chapter Title: The Wolf's Vow
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Michelle's haggard appearance wasn't new—I'd seen it just a little while ago—but the face staring back at me now... I couldn't even begin to put it into words.
"Uh... w-what's wrong?"
Even I had to be thrown off by this.
I tried gritting my teeth and reminding myself this was all just a game, but unexpected sights like this tangled up my thoughts.
Could I really call this a game? Was what I knew really everything there was to them?
...Those kinds of thoughts.
Looking at Michelle right in front of me like this, I couldn't help but have them.
These vivid reactions from living, breathing people—reactions I never got from agonizing over carefully chosen dialogue options.
So how was I supposed to handle this...? I wasn't even sure if what I was thinking was right.
I didn't even know why she was like this to begin with.
...Did something go wrong with the person she hooked up with?
Either way, I closed the door and approached her.
There she was, bathed in the light filtering through the open curtains.
Her wavy black hair gleamed faintly like the night sky, and her limp limbs carried a fragility I'd never noticed before.
The dark circles under her eyes made me want to reach out and soothe them without thinking.
This vivid version of her didn't resemble any of the descriptions I'd read beyond the screen.
And that was probably why.
It stirred something strange inside me.
Maybe because I'd already built up this one-sided emotional closeness.
Even if it was just something I'd piled up unilaterally from beyond the screen.
I knew something felt off... but I couldn't put my finger on it.
I might not be able to fill the emptiness she was feeling, if she even was.
But couldn't I at least offer some comfort?
And right now, I had a weapon that seemed to work on anyone, regardless of gender...
I took a deep breath and approached the still-silent girl, asking cautiously.
"I-I don't know what happened, but... w-want me to touch your chest a bit to help you calm down?"
"Huh?"
That snapped Michelle out of her dark mood, her face jolting up to stare at me in shock.
The gloomy atmosphere vanishing was good, but seeing her changed expression... I realized I'd messed up.
This was definitely supposed to work, though... In the game, girls did this kind of stuff all the time and had fun with it?
Was it because I wasn't a girl...?
The air felt suddenly frosty, so I hurriedly opened my mouth.
"I-it's a joke. Just a joke... Ahaha..."
I see.
Michelle let out a faint sigh, her face a little better than before but still shadowed.
The way she glanced at me made me think that even though I'd called it a joke... maybe she'd wanted me to touch her anyway.
I pulled up a chair and sat in front of her, looking into her eyes as I asked carefully.
"So... why are you like this? Is it something hard to tell me?"
...Part of me wondered if I was being too nosy, but if I could ignore a hurt beauty right in front of me, I wouldn't be into yuri in the first place.
And besides, you have to know your enemy to counter it effectively.
Meeting my steady gaze, Michelle looked at me with an indescribably complicated expression before cautiously speaking.
"...Teacher Iris, what do you think you'd feel if a friend did something awful to you, but you had no idea?"
This took a heavy turn.
So it wasn't a lovers' quarrel?
"What kind of awful thing...?"
"Th-that... I can't say yet."
She shuddered like she'd been shocked with electricity, then bowed her head deeply as she said it.
...What the hell did they do?
But if the other person hasn't even noticed, isn't it not a big deal?
If it was really serious, the victim would know, common sense-wise.
That made me suspect Michelle might be overthinking it.
It's a big deal if you put shellfish in food for someone with a shellfish allergy, but for someone without one, it's just a bonus.
...Weird analogy, but the point is, it might not be a big deal to the person receiving it.
I didn't know the details.
"So the other person hasn't said anything to you, Instructor? And they haven't been treating you any differently?"
"...Yeah. If anything, they've been even nicer... No, th-this isn't my story, it's about someone I know... Urgh..."
She realized it was too late; her face flushed bright red with embarrassment.
How could I treat this like a game...?
If I were really a girl, throwing Michelle onto the bed right now would probably be legal.
I didn't know who it was, but they had good taste.
Who the hell turned this socially inexperienced wolf girl into this?
It felt like the situation had already slipped out of my hands.
In a game, I'd probably give up on the route and look for someone else. That said, I'd probably munch on some popcorn using my current position.
Anyway.
Looking at Michelle, who was peeking at me with her flushed face like she was waiting for my response, I spoke.
"Well, if the other person hasn't noticed... maybe it's fine? It might not be that important to them."
"I don't think so..."
She said it with a serious face, full of conviction.
"Hmm... Value is relative, right? Money is precious and essential to some, but just normal to others."
"...I don't get it."
As expected from someone who'd only poured herself into swordsmanship, she didn't seem to grasp how the world worked.
This was... straight out of her character settings.
A faint sense of relief mixed with a soft smile.
"Then why not tell the other person? How about being honest and talking it out? ...You could pass that along for them."
"...I'll tell them."
Man, what a hassle.
But that's romance for you.
Some relationships only progress with a push from someone in the background.
Not that I'd ever had a real romance—only in games—but isn't tasting the essence of the creators' experiences basically the same?
That ticklish feeling definitely came from real experience.
...Or so I hoped.
Either way, her gloomy expression had improved a bit, so I was satisfied.
But.
For some reason, she kept glancing at me.
...Was she still bummed about not getting her chest touched earlier?
Looks like girls really do feel good when other girls touch their breasts.
Bringing it up again now would be awkward for me too, so I went with an indirect approach.
I stood up, spread my arms, and looked at Michelle.
Thanks to our height difference, our eyes met perfectly.
"Come on, let me give you a hug for good luck. Then you can pass the message to them, yeah?"
"Huh? No, I..."
Her pupils shook with embarrassment, but soon she steeled herself and buried her face in my chest.
I felt her soft hair and fluffy ears twitching. Her hot breath tickling my chest... felt kinda weird.
The awkwardness faded before long, and Michelle hugged me tight, mumbling.
"I'll... definitely tell them."
"Good."
For some reason, a pang of bittersweetness hit me, and I patted her head. Suddenly, my vision lurched.
"Whoa!?"
When I came to, I was on the bed, still tightly hugged by Michelle.
"Mi-Michelle?"
"Suu... Kuuh..."
...Had she relaxed into my chest and fallen asleep?
Well, her face had looked exhausted, so I got it, but...
It was a little embarrassing.
I hadn't expected her to fall asleep in my arms instead of just accepting the hug.
But with my scrawny build, prying her arms off was impossible.
Her breathing was making it get warmer in here.
I shook my head inwardly and gave up, wriggling to find a more comfortable position.
If she woke up, great... If not, oh well.
But Michelle didn't wake up.
She was out cold, not even stirring.
Nothing to do about it.
...I was just a hugging pillow.
This wasn't trespassing.
Fine.
Having fully psyched myself up, I closed my eyes.
I was pretty tired from the day myself.
My consciousness sank into darkness almost immediately.
...Still, somehow.
With her warm body heat and the heartbeat that wasn't mine echoing in my ears.
It felt... pretty nice, crossing my mind.
"..."
Michelle blankly opened her eyes.
A warm, soft sensation pressed against her face. And a nice scent to boot.
Remembering last night, she jolted and loosened her arms—then quickly hugged tighter.
She was worried Iris might fall off the bed.
Confirming her safety, Michelle swallowed a sigh and barely managed to slip out of bed.
Looking at Iris's peacefully sleeping face...
Michelle felt a strange mix of frustration and something oddly thrilling.
Staring at Iris, she murmured cautiously.
"...Are you there?"
Who was she talking to?
Her low voice echoed softly in the quiet room.
Michelle waited patiently for a response. Then, a droplet rose from Iris's chest.
Something in the form of Undine.
The bubbling figure gazed at Michelle with a drowsy expression.
The bizarre sensation of words echoing directly in her mind made Michelle tremble as she asked in a low voice.
"How long do I have to keep what happened then a secret?"
The thing impersonating Undine shot Michelle a displeased glance.
"An opportunity...?"
"..."
Of course not, from the position of having had their fun.
Leaving behind those cryptic words, it vanished like morning dew.
Watching it go, Michelle clenched her fist tight and vowed.
When that day came, she'd confess everything.
...That she'd tried to make a baby with her, oblivious to it all.
She swore it.
Twitch!
...First things first, she had to deal with what had suddenly stood at attention.