Chapter 61
Chapter 61
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 61
Chapter Title: Changes
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"So that's how it was... I'm sorry."
"...That could be."
Irene's misunderstanding was cleared up in no time.
The red-haired cadet... so her name was Ekaterina Scarlett, right?
Just hearing the name, she sounded like some major character from a game.
But her original fate was probably... to burn to death in that forest.
A fleeting extra.
That's exactly how she was treated in the game. Still, learning her true identity left my head in a muddle.
A half-dragon.
If it's the kind of dragon I'm thinking of, it wouldn't be some dinosaur or giant lizard—it'd be an intelligent being.
From what El had mumbled, that seemed to be the case.
Thinking about a child being born between a human and a dragon led to some pretty grim imaginings.
I hoped it wasn't anything as horrifying as I was picturing. This was a world with magic, after all—maybe some transformation spell that let them take human form...?
If not... well. It was a bit scary.
Anyway.
Her true nature was far too heavy for her to be just a one-line character. Maybe even heavier than Irene's sudden visit.
Though... games divide people into protagonists, supporting cast, and extras, but in this tangible reality, where's the line?
I had no idea what kind of problems this might bring.
Her situation was an unknown territory even for me.
That said, being a half-dragon meant she had strikingly beautiful features, which was a treat for the eyes.
Though she herself seemed oblivious to the fact that she was a half-dragon.
In that atmosphere, Irene insisted she'd come early in the morning out of genuine worry for me.
After checking on me and glancing back and forth between me and Ekaterina, she said she'd return later and left the infirmary.
Her eyes were brimming with curiosity, but being as perceptive as she was, she probably figured getting involved right now wouldn't end well.
...Is that the princess's grace?
My chest tightened.
In the end, wasn't she just fleeing because she didn't want to get tangled in something that didn't concern her...?
Put badly, that's what it was; put nicely, it was wisdom...
With Irene and Leona gone, an awkward silence settled back over the infirmary.
While Ekaterina was still reeling from the shock, the next visitor—predictably—was Philia.
We hadn't finished discussing what happened last night while she was busy handling the other cadets.
I should be grateful she came as their representative.
While Ekaterina remained dazed, Philia and I talked about the cause of last night's incident.
That naturally meant explaining Ekaterina's condition, so I cautiously tapped her shoulder.
"Wh-what!?"
Life finally returned to her hazy eyes, and a sharp voice rang in my ear.
She had a bit of a fierce edge to her—the most tomboyish vibe of anyone I'd met since arriving here.
Leona was wild too, but hers felt controlled, different from Ekaterina's raw intensity.
I gazed into her still-confused eyes and whispered,
"Is it okay if I tell her about what happened last night... and, um, Miss Scarlett's condition?"
She looked back at me with curiosity of her own, her voice carrying a hint of desperation.
"...Actually, I want to ask too. What the hell happened to me?"
With her tacit permission, I explained what had happened to her and revealed her true identity.
...I was just relaying what El had told me, so I didn't have all the details.
Philia fidgeted with her ear uncomfortably, while Ekaterina's mouth hung open in stunned confirmation.
Honestly, I had no clue what a 'half-breed's' status was like in this world.
Elves and beastkin attended the academy without issue, so discrimination probably wasn't too severe.
Which meant... the dragon part was the problem?
In the eerie silence, Philia asked me cautiously,
"Could something like this happen again?"
"...W-well, I calmed it down this morning, at least."
"What?!"
Philia's face turned as if she'd spotted a ticking bomb. Before I could find the words, El's voice echoed in my head.
- It's a problem from her immature half-dragon body and mind. If you want to avoid a repeat of yesterday, I recommend you keep watch over her for the time being.
I relayed that in a gentler way, and Philia nodded, saying she'd discuss it with the others before leaving the infirmary.
Another deathly silence blanketed the room.
Finally, Ekaterina spoke.
"...Can I get back to normal?"
It was a vague question.
Probably asking if she could avoid turning everything into a sea of flames again.
Listening to El in my mind, I replied softly,
"If you keep getting regular check-ups from me... and stabilize a bit more, it should be possible. So... think of it like growing pains."
"...That's a relief."
Ekaterina finally managed a bittersweet smile as she murmured that.
She seemed to have some backstory, but prying felt unwise.
She sat there quietly for a while longer before leaving the infirmary.
At last, I was alone—but not exactly relaxed.
Michelle and others stopped by to check on me, and in the afternoon, Philia returned to say we'd quietly gloss over the Ekaterina issue.
"Instead, you'll need to check on her every day until she's stable, Teacher."
"Yeah..."
I replied with a grimace at the extra workload, but Philia smiled and said she'd come check too, so let's tough it out together.
She made it sound like good news, but to me, it felt like she'd be supervising to make sure I did it right.
...Why is she smiling? Does Philia enjoy monitoring people?
Scary.
Now I had one more person to see every day.
And what made it even harder on me...
...was the other cadets.
On my way back to the dorm after talking with Philia, I ran into a group of them.
They were buzzing with chatter.
"Oh! Infirmary Teacher!"
They suddenly shouted that and swarmed around me.
Towering over me, they cast shadows on my face. Considering my original height, it was quite the humiliation.
Apart from the mix of sweet scents tickling my nose, their hot body heat enveloped me in a steamy warmth.
What flustered me most was not knowing why they were doing this.
"Um... cadets? What... is it? The, the infirmary's clo-closed for the day?"
Was it the intimidating pressure?
This tiny body betrayed me with panic.
Voices erupted all at once.
"You're so cute!"
"...?"
"You're so soft!"
"Can I hold your hand just once?"
"I want a hu—"
"W-wait a second."
The barrage of words left me dizzy.
Insults I'd never heard as a red-blooded man were raining down on me.
...Their bodies were soft and smelled nice, but bad was bad.
Looking up, I saw various emotions in their eyes gazing down at me.
One was fondness.
Another was a touch of respect.
Not bad, but I still couldn't figure out why, so I barely calmed them and asked. Apparently, yesterday's events were the issue.
Or was it an issue?
From what they said... I'd apparently left too strong an impression yesterday.
Not to brag, but... it felt like I'd gained a fan club?
I endured a flurry of handshakes and hugs.
True to form for girls from a yuri game, one even copped a feel amid the chaos.
Once the satisfied cadets dispersed, I slunk back to the dorm.
Ask if it felt bad? No, but it was exhausting.
...Dodging them took mental energy too, so by the time I reached the dorm, I was wiped out.
Checking the mirror in the changing room, I was drenched in sweat, with leaves stuck all over my hair and body.
I let out a deep sigh, craving a soak in hot water.
...Just check and come right back?
The only place to bathe was the academy bathhouse.
I figured it'd be empty, but if cadets were there, yesterday's experience suggested trouble.
Still.
I really, really wanted to soak.
Mental fatigue, for sure.
Resolved, I grabbed a change of clothes and cautiously headed to the bathhouse, retracing my memory.
My hunch from last time was right—no one was there.
Yet it was impeccably maintained, so nothing to complain about.
After a quick rinse, I sank into the steaming bath.
"Haaah..."
I let out a guttural sigh as I submerged in the bubbling hot water.
- So my contractor enjoys this sort of thing.
"Yeah... something like that."
Savoring the moment, I noticed breasts floating on the water's surface.
...They really float?
Realizing that lightened my shoulders somehow.
Showers were fine, but soaking like this was even better.
When was Evelyn going to bring that bust-shrinking potion?
Staring at the buoyant pair made me gripe about her internally.
Still, submerged in the water, the tangled thoughts in my head started to melt away.
Satisfied with the bath, I returned to the dorm and crashed like the dead.
The next day at work...
An unexpected event greeted me.
Now, I wasn't even surprised.