Chapter 8
Chapter 8
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 8
Chapter Title: Teacher and Uninvited Guest
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The sun had descended to its highest point in the sky.
The girl I'd been wondering if she'd actually show up had come to the infirmary.
When I heard the door open and glanced over, I caught sight of eyes peering inside. They were the color of ice with just a hint of sky blue pigment.
The girl looked around at me and the rest of the room with a dreamy gaze, then gave a faint smile, as if something pleased her greatly.
Her light sky-blue silver hair, which carried a chill unlike mine, fluttered as she...
...headed straight to the bed in the farthest corner and drew the privacy screen around it.
I blinked as I stared blankly at her.
Hm... what the heck?
I'd expected her to come back, but I hadn't anticipated her silently holing up in the corner like that. She even hid her shoes so naturally, like someone who'd mastered this routine.
It was hard to believe she'd only just attended the entrance ceremony a couple of days ago—this level of adaptability was unreal.
Anyway.
Her name was Charlotte Sinsberia.
Despite her rough-around-the-edges demeanor, she was actually close to a model student.
Her petite and adorable stature and looks made calling her a delinquent feel off—anyone using the term would end up seeming strange instead.
I had a pretty good idea why she'd come here.
She was looking for a comfy spot for a nap.
Normally, she was the stuff of legends, like a rare Pokémon you might spot occasionally in the library or some secluded corner.
Someone like that had slept here so comfortably that she left behind her scent and traces—how could she not come back? This was a guaranteed five-star review.
That's why I'd predicted a high chance of her return, but I never thought she'd skip even saying a word.
Maybe she's a bit more of a delinquent than I figured...?
No, that couldn't be.
No way.
My Charlotte...!
Ahem.
There was a brief moment of inner turmoil.
In any case, I'd prepared a few excuses for her, and her behavior left me utterly flustered.
I gazed out the window at the warm sunlight streaming in and pondered for a moment.
What should I do?
Should I just let her be, like giving a baby kitten a safe home, and go about my business?
That didn't sound half bad.
According to Michelle, all the students right now were potential futanari, so keeping my distance might be wise.
But even so, I still thought there was value in building a rapport with her.
Like a legendary Pokémon popping up here and there, her specialty was magitech engineering.
In other words... all the convenience devices abundant in this world were born from magitech engineers like her.
I didn't know the principles of magitech myself, but that was the setting, anyway.
It was similar in merit to recruiting someone from the alchemy department to make bust-enhancing pills—the opposite of bust-shrinking ones.
...Of course, there was the slight issue that asking her for help might be tricky, but her cute appearance covered for that—
Ahem.
Anyway, it absolutely wasn't because I liked Charlotte or anything.
Having decided to build that rapport, I stood up and slowly approached her bed.
I took careful steps so as not to startle her, then poked my face through the gap in the privacy screen.
In the dim light of the bed, I could make out her silhouette lying there.
Perhaps hearing the screen rustle, her eyes—glowing with that dreamy haze—turned toward me.
...Caught off guard for a moment by her exquisitely detailed, cute face, something no graphic or text could capture...
Her voice reached me.
It was thick with sleepiness.
"...I'll overlook the weird stuff you did here on your day off, so is it okay if I nap here?"
With that reply, she softly closed her eyes again.
Her lightning-fast reaction had seemed bizarre, but now I understood the reason.
Though her words left me a bit flustered, I picked up on one key fact.
...She didn't know what Michelle had mentioned.
Was she the only one in the dark?
Or did the other students not know either?
I had no idea, but... at least the excuses I'd prepared in my head hadn't been for nothing.
I cleared my throat and spoke slowly.
"Student. It seems there's some misunderstanding. That's... something all women go through around this age. Of course, it's confusing, so as the one in charge of health, I just offered a 'little' help. So... that doesn't mean I'll accommodate you out of convenience."
The girl, who seemed about to start snoring softly, suddenly opened her eyes wide and stared at me.
"...D-don't lie. I've never heard of that before."
Seeing her pupils shake violently, I chuckled inwardly and tapped the ID badge-like thing hanging around my neck.
"What reason would I have to lie? Student."
"Ah, uh...?"
Seeing it, Charlotte's face visibly panicked, her fingers fidgeting. Her body, which had been lying comfortably, was now sitting up before I knew it.
So cute.
No, that's not the point.
This confirmed that what Michelle had said wasn't common knowledge to everyone.
...Honestly, who would want to talk about the stormy turbulence of puberty?
Here it might be stormy blasts... or something?
I snickered to myself at the pun while Charlotte mumbled at her lips, then she placed her hidden shoes on the floor and slumped her shoulders.
"...Sorry."
I'd expected more back-and-forth, but surprisingly, Charlotte backed down easily.
Probably because of the dynamic between student and faculty.
If I left it like this, she'd just leave, so I gently grabbed her shoulder and spoke.
...It was warm and soft.
"Ahem... Student. If you'd asked nicely instead of that veiled threat, I would've let you anytime. It's rest time, I'm free, and that's what the infirmary is for."
"Sorry..."
I patted her back as I looked down at her bowed head, which seemed full of remorse.
Even I had to admit, I really seemed like the ideal infirmary teacher. No dialogue choices appeared, so my efforts in brainstorming had paid off.
"That's a very good show of reflection. Come visit often from now on."
"Thank you."
She grinned and replied.
"So, can I sleep now?"
"...You messed up today, so no."
"Ah..."
Hiding a smile at her obvious disappointment, I pulled an item I'd prepared for her from my coat pocket.
"Instead, have a snack with me today. I don't get many chances to chat with students."
"If it's that... sure."
As she muttered, her eyes locked onto the box in my hand.
Of course she would.
...It was the packaging for her absolute favorite cookies, per the setting.
Doing this made me feel like a shady adult luring her in. But I had no choice.
Even as a manly guy like me, in this unpredictable situation...
It was right to use every helpful resource available.
Pushing down the bubbling guilt, I headed to the table with Charlotte.
I seated her in a chair, then opened my desk drawer to pull out teacups and saucers. No idea why they were there, but they sure helped.
"...Why are those in there?"
"...This is my first assignment here, so I wouldn't know?"
"I see..."
I set a teacup in front of her as she nodded blankly, then since there was no kettle, I called Undine to fill it with warm water.
"Oh...?"
She let out an exclamation, clearly seeing this for the first time too.
...Using such a being just to fill with warm water felt oddly surreal.
Once the warm water was in, I tore open a teabag from my pocket and dropped it into the cup, then looked at Charlotte.
"So, what's your name, student?"
"...Charlotte Sinsberia. Um... yes."
I already knew, but I couldn't let it show, so we exchanged introductions first.
"I see. Nice to meet you. I'm... not Park, Iris Plumeria."
Swallowing my real name, I offered a handshake, and her dainty hand grasped my small one.
So soft...
"May I call you Charlotte, then?"
"...Do whatever."
"You can call me Teacher Iris too, Charlotte."
"...Okay."
Since she permitted the name, my strategy seemed to be working well.
The carrot-and-stick approach.
Or good cop, bad cop, in other words.
...No one to split roles with, so it was all me.
Or maybe I'd just leveraged faculty authority to press her.
"Eat slowly."
"Yes."
Seeing her munch on the cookies like a squirrel was heartwarming.
Man... I was worried about being stuck in a game, but there are perks.
I should stock up on these for the future.
I smiled contentedly, popped a cookie into my mouth, and felt the crisp texture melt smoothly on my tongue.
It was delicious, with a perfect blend of nutty and sweet flavors.
The occasional nuts added variety to the texture.
Washing it down with the hot tea made it even better.
Then.
As Charlotte chewed her cookie, she asked me.
"Um, Teacher Iris."
"What's up?"
Her expression was cautious.
Soon, her lips—smeared with cookie crumbs—parted.
"If what you said earlier is true... could something like that happen to me too?"
"Something like that...?"
"...Like what happened to that person in front of you then."
She must not have seen Michelle's face.
Or more than that...
Feeling a bit flustered, I snapped back and addressed Charlotte's slightly anxious face.
"It could. But don't worry. Like I said, I'm here to help with things like that."
...Probably?
Only then did Charlotte nod with a relieved expression and resume munching her cookie contentedly.
Seeing that, I felt assured that things were going smoothly.
The day I could enjoy magitech conveniences wasn't far off.