Chapter 50
Chapter 50
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 50
Chapter Title: First Event
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"...You're awake."
Philia, who had been blinking hazily, came to her senses before long and sat up, her voice soft and low.
As she moved, a sweet fruity scent mingled with a refreshing aroma wafted through the air, just like the one from last night.
Her clothes, which had been haphazardly draped like a makeshift curtain over her chest, fell back into place.
Catching sight of her voluptuous figure, I unwittingly let drool slip from the corner of my mouth and quickly wiped it away. Meanwhile, Philia slipped out of bed and began brewing a cup of warm tea.
Clink.
The gentle tinkling of dishes echoed softly. Bathed in the first rays of the rising sun, Philia looked like a painting come to life.
It felt like gazing at a field of ripe wheat.
That said...
Considering what had happened last night, Philia seemed remarkably composed.
Was this the poise of the Student Council President?
I lay there in a daze, staring at her.
Crash!
"...Sorry."
"No, it's fine..."
The teacup Philia had been holding plummeted to the floor and shattered.
Judging by her flushed face, she clearly wasn't as unaffected as she seemed.
The painting suddenly burst with life, making her feel truly alive at last, and I couldn't help but chuckle.
...I like this vibe.
But where exactly is this place?
I got out of bed and approached Philia, taking in my surroundings.
It looked similar to my own lodging at a glance, but something felt subtly off.
Traces that seemed to belong to Philia were scattered here and there, so this was probably her dormitory room.
Is she allowed to let someone else crash here...?
As far as I remembered, the rules didn't permit it.
As if she'd read my mind, Philia spoke in a quiet voice.
"...This is a special circumstance."
So she's not some hopelessly rigid... elf. Then why was she so strict about everything when I was playing the game?
Games and reality are just different, I guess.
I mulled over those hazy memories and reached that conclusion as we sipped the tea Philia had brewed.
As the warm liquid slid down my throat and cleared my head, I felt an oddly soft sensation against my rear where it met the chair.
Startled by the unfamiliar, strangely intimate texture—the first of its kind—I shifted uncomfortably, and Philia spoke up in an embarrassed tone.
"Your underwear got ruined last night, so I lent you mine instead... Is it uncomfortable? The size seemed to fit well enough..."
So that's it. The panties I'm wearing right now are Philia's.
I couldn't tell if she was just that generous with her undergarments or if guilt from last night was making her extra cautious, but it was clear she was handling me with kid gloves.
"...It's fine."
"I'm glad."
Just as she said, it wasn't uncomfortable at all. I was just curious because focusing on it made the sensation feel so different.
Feeling the soft fabric against my skin put me in a strange mood.
Philia had such a curvaceous figure, and yet our panty sizes were a match...
...Well, my body's a woman's now, so it's only natural, but the thought still felt weird.
Anyway.
That exchange loosened things up, and we began talking about what had happened last night.
"L-last night—"
"I'm sorry!"
I was about to bring it up, but Philia suddenly bowed her head deeply and cried out.
"I told you not to, but then I made all those ridiculous excuses and ended up doing it anyway. I really should take responsibility and return to the forest—"
"W-wait a second."
Her sudden outburst caught me completely off guard.
I'd half-expected she might react this way.
It was just like her to game-over me without hesitation.
But we couldn't let that happen.
Life here wasn't unfolding as planned already, and the Student Council President switching out would be a massive change—and variable—I couldn't afford.
I had no idea what other shifts it might trigger.
Wracking my brain frantically, I blurted out,
"S-strictly speaking, the rule only bans students fighting each other, right? So it should be f-fine, don't you think? N-not that this means I'm forgiving you as president or anything...!"
It was the perfect argument: she'd broken no academy rules, and it gave me leverage over her.
Even I had to admit it was the best way I could've phrased it.
Honestly, now that I was up and having tea, last night felt so hazy.
...If my body still had any aftereffects, I might not have been able to say it, but since El had somehow protected or healed me, I was fine.
Recalling last night brought no pain, making the whole thing feel unreal.
I couldn't easily wrap my head around something that big fitting inside me.
Are human bodies really that resilient?
All I clearly remembered was the infirmary floor, so the details were blurry.
In fact, that blurriness was the biggest part.
My mind felt fogged over, like my brain had auto-censored it because it was too much to process.
Anyway.
Philia listened, nibbling her lip in thought before letting out a sigh.
"...Thank you for saying that. In that case, it means I personally owe you a debt now."
"Haha... it's not that big a deal."
Hearing her put it that way made me feel like the bad guy. Like some thug shaking down a student for her weakness.
But really, if anyone was at fault, it was both of us—or rather, there was another prime culprit involved—which helped ease my conscience.
Then Philia squeezed her eyes shut before opening them, her expression deadly serious.
"If you're willing, I'll take responsibility for you."
"Uh... what do you mean?"
Her words caught me off guard, and I blinked. Philia's face turned tomato-red as she explained.
"...I meant that after I graduate, we could go to the forest together."
The forest.
From everything I'd seen in media, elves usually lived in forests.
Whether in cities or villages, it was the same.
Someone attending the academy must come from an elven city.
So... going to the forest after graduation meant heading to her elven city together?
In other words—
"Even though you're not a man, I still have to take responsibility where it's due. So if you're okay with it—"
"N-no!"
"...Pardon?"
It sounded like she was proposing marriage or something.
A yuri marriage.
The mere ring of it was sweet enough to make me down three bowls of rice, but it wasn't for me.
Not a chance... Even I couldn't accept that.
If the one sitting before Philia had been some other woman, it'd be worth celebrating, but it was me.
Not only was I an impure intruder in the yuri paradise,
...I might have to go back someday.
Even conceding that my body was female now, that was the sticking point.
Stories headed for tragedy always left a bitter aftertaste.
The thought brought a wry smile to my lips.
But...
Seeing my reaction, Philia darkened, as if mistaking it for some flaw in herself.
"...I see. Now that I think about it... it was probably a very rude thing to say. I must have lost my head to the spirits' fragrance."
"N-no, it's not that I dislike you or anything, it's just so sudden..."
Seeing her vulnerable side made me anxious that I'd messed up.
I couldn't exactly tell her I'd possessed this body, so I fumbled through excuses until suddenly, she let out a soft chuckle.
"It seems you have your own circumstances... I understand. But I'm always prepared to take responsibility, so please keep that in—"
"Y-yeah, got it."
One weight off my shoulders. Reflecting on it, her impulsive proposal might've partly been influenced by El's hidden mark on my forehead.
That made her rush a bit more understandable.
She adored spirits so much; El must've drawn her in.
...Did that make Philia pounce?
Nah, probably not.
My mind still felt unsettled, and I wondered if we should talk more, but Philia, regaining her composure, spoke softly.
"Then... shouldn't you head back for now? You have the field exercise coming up, so you need to prepare."
"Oh, r-right."
No time to linger, so I got up and returned to my dorm.
Back in my room, Michelle wagged her tail calmly and asked,
"I heard from the Student Council President. She said you had urgent business last night... Is there a problem?"
So that's the cover story.
I nodded wordlessly and gave an awkward smile.
She approached, sniffed me, perked up her ears, and said,
"You smell like fruit. Anyway... time's a bit tight now."
"Is it?"
For some reason, Michelle wagged her tail listlessly before heading out.
I wondered what was up with her, but she was right—time was short.
I summoned Undine for the first time in ages to tidy up, then rushed to the infirmary to pack my things.
No traces of last night remained, so I could focus.
I grabbed everything I could and headed to the assembly point, where students were already gathered in clusters.
...The first event, at last.
Somehow, it felt like I'd been here forever.
But this was only the beginning.
I checked my bag of tools, scanned around, spotted Michelle—who I'd just seen leave—and approached her.
...Should be fine sticking with her group.
I'd never really interacted with the other instructors... er, drill sergeants or professors, so I felt a little wary.