Chapter 52
Chapter 52
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 52
Chapter Title: A Night of Counting Stars
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Tadak, tadak.
The liquid dripping from the meat hit the flames, producing a faint sizzle like water splattering into oil.
Sitting beneath a night sky densely studded with stars, I gazed blankly at the meat as it cooked.
My mood felt... strangely peculiar.
Just a short while ago, the highlight of my life had been trudging home from work and playing lily games.
I never dreamed I'd end up having a camping meal here—a fantasy any guy harbors at least once in his heart.
...And doing it in a woman's body, no less.
A quick glance to the side revealed beautiful girls emitting a pleasant fragrance, while straight ahead, the meat roasting over the fire and a few pieces of fruit came into view.
Lifting my eyes to the sky, I saw unfamiliar stars twinkling beautifully.
A sense of leisure and romance I'd never felt in the concrete jungle.
It was only natural for my emotions to feel all jumbled up. Deep down, setting aside the body change... no, even excluding those bizarre events, I had been thinking things might turn out okay in their own way.
But a woman's body was still inconvenient, and this grotesque thing Irene had pointed out didn't sit right with me either.
As I let out a silent sigh, someone held out a plate laden with fruit and meat right in front of me—the meat apparently done cooking.
Lifting my head, I saw Michelle's face.
"Is something bothering you?"
It'd be a lie to say I had no worries, but these weren't the kind I could just spill out. Telling them about 'that thing' growing wouldn't help anyway, and as for the other issues... who knows if the day would ever come when I could voice them?
I had no idea.
Still, there was no reason to worry them now, so I quickly composed myself and replied with a smile.
"No, nothing. Ah! Thanks, I'll dig in."
"I hope it suits your taste."
Michelle looked a bit uncertain but didn't press further.
Instead, she gave me a soft smile and began distributing meat to the others.
Even so, my briefly sunken mood lifted right away.
It helped that, alongside the scenery I'd just taken in, I now saw the rest of the group holding their food.
Charlotte and Evelyn seemed to be trying venison for the first time, their faces brimming with curiosity. The real surprise was Philia not turning it down.
I'd figured elves stuck to veggies since she came back with an armful of fruit, but apparently not.
Either way, the sight warmed my heart, bringing a smile to my lips.
It'd probably make me grin even more if they started feeding each other.
Anyway.
No such heartwarming scene unfolded, but as I watched them one by one bring the meat to their mouths, I turned my gaze to my own plate.
There lay the venison, its exterior darkened to a deep brown.
Unlike the charred outside, the inside had a slight reddish hue, reminiscent of beef.
The aroma... was richer in meaty savoriness than I'd expected.
Maybe it was my heightened senses, but compared to the last beef I'd eaten, this was more intense.
Still, it didn't veer into gaminess, so it was perfectly edible.
It had just been prepped, after all—no way it'd taste off, especially with Michelle's impressive skills, even if I didn't know the details.
Cautiously taking a bite and chewing, no juices or fats burst forth, but the lean flavor was decent in its own right.
The texture resembled beef, but the mouthfeel was closer to chicken breast.
Hardly any fat at all.
It'd make a solid post-workout protein source.
...After I dealt with the burdensome lumps on my chest first, that is.
I chewed thoroughly, swallowed it down, then gingerly tried a piece of fruit lightly scorched over the fire.
I'd heard of grilling tangerines or pineapples, but this was my first time roasting unidentified fruit like this, so I was a tad nervous.
Chewing the still-warm mystery fruit.
Unlike the slightly dry venison, its sweet, moist pulp drenched my tongue.
"Mm!?"
Was this a perfect contrast, or did they complement each other?
The sensation was oddly intriguing, but it tasted good, so I munched away vigorously until I felt eyes on me and turned.
There was Michelle, straight-faced but with her tail and ears drooping limply, and Philia beaming proudly.
"B-both are delicious."
I muttered to the air, and Michelle's tail began swishing again.
...I thought the rivalry was over, but it was still going strong.
I inwardly sighed in relief and continued eating.
After the meal, the rest of us—minus the two who'd fetched the fruit and venison, Michelle, Evelyn, and Charlotte—headed to the riverbank to wash the dishes.
We could have asked Undine for help, but Philia had glanced at Evelyn and Charlotte, saying that would defeat the purpose of this field trip, so we had no choice.
Still, dipping my hands in the cool water felt refreshing.
Once we'd tidied up, the group gathered back around the campfire.
I stared vacantly at its red glow, then asked Philia something on a whim.
"President."
"Ah, yes. What is it?"
She'd been gazing blankly at the forest but turned to me at my voice. Her face, bathed in crimson firelight, was incredibly alluring.
...Maybe because of what she'd said, I kept becoming hyper-aware of her.
Pinching my thigh hard to snap out of my foolish thoughts, I spoke.
"Was there anything special today?"
"Special? Like what do you mean?"
Philia seemed to expect something. But with no clue what, I just asked what was on my mind.
"Um, like any cadets getting hurt...?"
Philia tilted her head.
"Wouldn't you know that better than me, Teacher...?"
"Ah, um... yeah. Right."
Of course—I was the health teacher.
Feeling awkward, I glanced around, only to find everyone staring at me with expressions of utter disbelief.
Even Charlotte!
Heat rushed to my face, burning hot. Well, yeah, but I was just a regular person not long ago!
- Heh heh, if you're trying to entertain the girls, you don't have to.
As if.
While I cooled my face, Philia let out a soft chuckle and spoke in a low voice.
"Today's field exercise went off without a single incident. I don't know why you're asking, but did that help?"
"...Yes."
Haa... not boring, just mortified enough to want to die.
Still, it wasn't a total loss.
Apparently, without the 'Player' choice prompt, no affinity events triggered.
...Or maybe since we got through it smoothly, there were no incidents to report.
Either way, that was fine. If lilies were blooming somewhere, I might get an ending just by sitting in the infirmary.
Better the sure thing over uncertainty—I'd have to make a move eventually.
But with everything so chaotic now, acting rashly was tough. Unraveling the cause with Irene took priority.
Whatever I tried, 'that thing' kept popping up to torment me.
I'd have to settle for confirming that choice-linked events probably weren't firing.
And one more thing.
What about fixed events that always happened?
The elixir I'd found rummaging in that statue's skirt hem was real, so fixed events likely played out unchanged.
In the game, they happened regardless of choices, so probably here too.
Tonight.
...I'd just have to wait and see.
"Teacher?"
"Ah, yes."
Lost in thought, I snapped to at someone calling me, finding the whole group staring intently.
I flinched under their fervent gazes, and Philia cleared her throat before speaking.
"Bedtime's approaching, but with two-person and three-person tents, we'll need to split up."
"Uh... you and Michelle are sleeping here too?"
"Yes, we have to rotate night watches formally... so we need enough people."
...So that's why it felt so natural.
Michelle then spoke in her usual calm tone.
"As Teacher Iris's roommate, I'll sleep with you."
No reason to refuse, so I nodded, but Philia frowned displeasedly.
"...We came to experience a new environment, so pairing with someone different from usual seems better."
"Don't forget this is to strengthen teamwork. So cadets should stick with cadets, right? Isn't that so, Student Council President?"
...The venison-and-fruit rivalry was about to extend here. I looked around, grabbed Charlotte's hand, and waved it.
"I'll bunk with Cadet Charlotte."
"..."
"..."
Déjà vu hit hard. No, it was the exact same scene from earlier.
It was heartwarming how they stood down on their own, but plenty of mountains left to climb.
With Charlotte looking puzzled, we sorted the watch rotation, then she and I cautiously entered the two-person tent.
Outside, Michelle—on first watch—sat by the campfire, waving us off.
I waved back, closed the tent flap, and felt Charlotte's gaze.
Following it led to my chest, starting to get damp.
...Evelyn.
How long was this going to keep up?
Anger toward her boiled up again.
I considered Undine's help, but Charlotte rummaged in her bag, pulled something out, and offered it to me.
A small funnel-like device connected to a bottle.
It looked just like... a magical milking tool.
I stared blankly at it, and Charlotte fidgeted with her fingers.
"I-I made a milking machine... Was that too nosy?"
"N-no... um, th-thanks."
"Y-yes, hehe..."
Right, Charlotte was just trying to help.
If anyone's at fault, it's all Evelyn.
...Still, using it in front of her felt embarrassing, so I turned my back and milked myself with the device.
"Mm..."
It squeezed out smoothly—way more effective than I'd thought. No more worrying how to handle it from now on.
Once both sides were empty, a sweet, nutty fragrance filled the tent.
Face a bit flushed, I straightened my clothes and turned around.
"Ch-Charlotte, thanks. It works... great."
"Y-yes...!"
Charlotte, looking tired, had already pulled out a thin blanket and draped it over herself.
Her cute sight drew a chuckle from me. I stowed the milker in a corner and settled in similarly to sleep.
It really felt like... being on a camping trip. My mood was oddly content.
Still.
Pretty exhausted, sleep came quickly.
...Despite the dreadful whisper of night watch duty in my ear.
For now, drowsiness won out, and darkness soon fell.