Chapter 132: Practical Combat
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 132: Practical Combat
Right now, I am the happiest person in the Academy... no, in the entire continent. The reason is the soft sensation against the back of my head and the slender fingers gently stroking my hair.
".......Are you sleeping?"
And I can't forget the beautiful voice whispering in my ear.
If this isn't heaven, I don't know what is.
It feels like it’s been over a month since I started using Johanna’s lap as my personal pillow, yet I haven't grown tired of it once.
When I first saw Johanna, I never imagined we would become this close.
Before coming here, she was just my favorite character, someone I admired from afar. When we first met, I was simply thrilled to see her in person. Yet, before I knew it, we had become close enough for me to lie comfortably on her lap like this.
I honestly don't know how to define the relationship between Johanna and me right now.
In the two months I’ve spent actually seeing her and talking to her here, I’ve learned more about Johanna than I did in the ten years I spent playing the game.
While I was lost in thought about our relationship, Johanna asked again.
".......Are you sleeping?"
Her voice was even softer than before, as if she was afraid of waking me.
That small bit of consideration made the corners of my mouth twitch upward.
"I'm still awake."
Only after speaking did I think it might have been fun to pretend to be asleep and see what happened.
"....I see."
It might have just been my imagination, but I thought I detected a hint of disappointment in Johanna’s voice when she heard I wasn't asleep.
With my eyes closed, leaving my entire body in Johanna’s care, we shared a long conversation.
"Senior~ how is Academy life lately?"
"It’s ordinary. How about you?"
"It’s ordinary for me, too."
"Ordinary is good."
"I suppose so. I like it best when things are peaceful and ordinary, just like now."
"When we go on patrol later, should we buy some grilled skewers to eat while we walk around?"
"We shouldn't eat while on patrol..."
"Oh, don't be so stiff. If you and I just keep it quiet, no one will ever know."
".....Then, just one."
"One on the way there, and one on the way back. How about that?"
"..............Okay."
"..........So, yesterday was a real shame. We almost reached the Professor. If only our coordination hadn't messed up at the very end."
"You'll succeed next time."
"Whoa! Are you actually cheering for me right now, Senior?"
"Yes."
"I feel like I could go and win a fight against Professor Elicia right this second. Should I head to the faculty office now?"
"No. Right now is time for lying down with me."
"Yes, ma'am~."
"But from anyone else's perspective, it looks like I'm the only one lying down, doesn't it?"
"....My legs are stretched out too."
"Is that so~?"
"That’s how it is."
"I just had a thought. People usually call this a lap pillow, right?"
"Yes."
"But since my head is resting closer to your thighs than your knees, shouldn't it be called a thigh pillow instead of a lap pillow?"
"........Pervert."
"Why???"
As we drifted through various topics, the conversation eventually turned to my hair.
Johanna took a lock of my hair in her hand and spoke.
".....Your hair has grown a lot."
"I was thinking the same thing. When I checked last night, my bangs were starting to poke my eyes."
Since I wear a mask during training and classes, my bangs don't usually bother me. However, they become a nuisance when I'm trying to wash up after waking or when I'm lying on Johanna’s lap without my mask, like right now.
Come to think of it, I haven't cut my hair once since coming to the Academy.
A sudden curiosity struck me. How much had Johanna’s hair changed compared to when we first met?
The way to satisfy that curiosity was simple. I opened my eyes, which I had kept closed to rest more comfortably. And then...
I locked eyes with Johanna, who had been staring down at me the whole time.
I had opened my eyes to look at her hair, but my gaze became fixed on her eyes instead.
""........................""
Neither Johanna nor I said a word. We just stared at each other.
Johanna’s blue eyes were so clear that I could see my own reflection in them. Losing all track of time, we gazed into each other's eyes.
Johanna was the first to turn her head away, breaking eye contact.
Only then did I shift my gaze to her hair. Johanna’s hair was exactly the same as when we first met. Since the first time I saw her... no, since the first time I saw her in the game, her platinum blonde hair was as beautiful as ever.
Even though I saw it every day, it was still stunning enough to make me daze off for a moment.
"Senior, where do you get your hair cut?"
"The family sends someone from the estate."
As expected of a Ducal family. I had expected her to go to some famous salon at most, but to think they’d send a professional directly to her. Wait, actually, for a Ducal family, it’s probably more natural for the professional to come to them.
I should ask Clara about it later. She’ll probably start by asking why I’m curious about something like that, but if I keep pestering her, she’s bound to answer.
"What about you?"
"I usually cut it myself."
Johanna looked at me with slightly widened eyes, seemingly surprised that I cut my own hair.
"Yourself?"
"I'm better at it than you'd think, right?"
"Yes."
Usually, if a person tries to cut their own hair, there's a high chance they'll ruin it, but I have my Illusions. It means I can simulate exactly what the result will look like before I even make a cut.
"It’s hard to cut if it gets too long, so I used to trim it once a week. But since coming to the Academy, I’ve been so busy with one thing or another that I forgot."
"It suits you well even now," Johanna said, stroking my hair.
"Should I try growing it out this time?"
"That’s good too."
"What about cutting it really short?"
"That’s also good."
"A mohawk?"
".........That’s also good."
At this point, isn't she just a macro? Johanna would probably say she liked whatever I suggested.
"Bald?"
"................."
Apparently, bald was where she drew the line.
"Is there a specific style you want, Senior?"
"Will you do it the way I want?"
"Why not? You're the only person who has seen my face anyway. You're the only one I can ask which style suits my face."
".............."
Johanna turned her head away, avoiding my gaze. She seemed to be deep in thought. After a silence that was neither short nor long, Johanna opened her tightly closed lips.
"I like the way it was when we first met the most."
"Is that so?"
"Yes."
"Then I guess I just need to trim it back to that state."
"Can I watch when you cut your hair?"
"I don't mind, but it won't be a very interesting sight."
"I still want to watch."
I stayed awake after that, sharing many more conversations with Johanna. Even though I knew in my head that I needed to sleep to rest, I couldn't bring myself to stop talking to her.
.
.
It’s finally tomorrow.
Yesterday, I finished teaching Sepia all the patterns, and I’ve completed my own preparations. I’ve made the necessary contacts, and yesterday I received the item I requested from Professor Idra a month ago.
Ah, right. I forgot to tell Johanna.
I had intended to tell her as soon as we met today, but I was having so much fun talking that it slipped my mind.
"Senior."
"Yes."
"I don't think I'll be able to train tomorrow."
Tomorrow is the weekend, so we don't go to the Academy, but we’ve been continuing our morning training regardless.
"Why?"
Tomorrow is the day Sepia finally gets her revenge. But I couldn't tell Johanna that. No matter how much I trust her, I can't just go around talking about Sepia’s revenge.
At the same time, I didn't want to lie to her. In the end, the best I could do was tell her something that wasn't a lie, but was far from the full truth.
"I think I have to go somewhere tomorrow morning."
"I'm going too."
Johanna spoke firmly, without a moment's hesitation. If tomorrow wasn't about Sepia’s revenge, I would have gone with her.
"I'm sorry. I don't think I can go with you this time, Senior."
At my firm tone, Johanna furrowed her elegant brow.
"What if I say I'm going anyway?"
If Johanna insisted on following me despite my words...
Wait, what could I even do?
Stop her with force? Setting aside whether I could win, there's no way I could ever swing a weapon at Johanna. If Johanna refused to listen and followed me, the only thing I could do was...
"Then I’d be a little sad, I guess?"
Even I thought it was a pathetic answer. But the effect was profound.
"Then I won't go."
As I looked at her with slightly surprised eyes, Johanna gently stroked my head.
"......Don't get hurt."
I never mentioned anything about fighting, so how did she know?
"Hehehe."
"Don't try to laugh it off. If it looks like you're going to get hurt, I'm following you."
I felt bad for Johanna, who was worrying about me, but having someone care for me like this felt better than I expected.
"Don't worry. The role I’ve taken this time isn't the actor, but the director and the audience."
Johanna tilted her head, seemingly not understanding my words. I avoided her eyes, checked the clock, and closed mine.
I really need to sleep now.
Our "morning training" was called that, but "dawn training" would be more accurate. When I wake up in a bit, I have to do Disciplinary Committee work with Johanna, wash up at the dormitory, and then head to the Academy.
It’s exhausting, but I have no intention of skipping this morning training. I’d rather skip an Academy class.
"Goodnight."
"Yes."
Using my Red Cloak as a blanket, Johanna’s lap as a pillow, and the occasional sound of her breathing as a lullaby, I drifted off to sleep.