A Tempting Detour
Shall I tell you something good~?! —Thud, thud, thud…! Three sets of footsteps echoed along the top of the wall. Sonya led the way, guiding us forward, while I kept pace behind them. After grabbing a quick meal at the old dormitory, we headed straight for the next outpost to finish this tiresome patrol mission. Of course, judging by the sun still hanging high in the sky, it would take quite a while longer…
“Um, Miss Sonya? How much farther do we have to walk like this?” I asked, unable to hide my frustration. After all, for some reason we weren’t flying this time—we were just walking. We’d already been trudging along the long outer wall of the academy for nearly an hour. The island was so vast that the path seemed endless. The next outpost wasn’t even in sight yet. My legs were starting to ache from the accumulated fatigue. Even the sound of the waves surrounding the island had faded, suggesting we’d moved back toward the interior.
“Oh? Are you already tired?”
“I can still manage. More than that, I’m curious why we’re walking instead of flying.”
“This section is a concentrated patrol zone. I’m also concerned about the pit we saw at the first outpost earlier.”
“Ah… I see.” So there was a reason after all. Even without any seniors watching, she was throwing herself into the mission so diligently… Seeing Sonya like this made me feel oddly proud. If that was her reason, I could endure a little leg pain.
“…And the next point isn’t far. Just hang in there a little longer!”
“Got it. By the way, Miss Sonya, how many outposts does the academy have in total?”
“There are ten in all. Nine are along the outer perimeter like this one, and the final observation post is located at the center of the island.”
“Huh? So we have to go all the way to the summit too?”
“Yes, but don’t worry too much! I’ll escort you there safely…!” Sonya turned back and flashed me a confident smile, hands planted on her slim waist. It was admirable enough that she was so dedicated to the mission, but now she was even encouraging me. If I had a favorability stat, it would’ve shot straight to the blind-trust stage by now.
Still, we had a long way to go. It was originally a half-day task anyway. I figured it’d be better for my mental health to stop thinking about finishing early and just get through it.
“Haaah…” I let out a small sigh while calculating how much time was left. That was when—
“Pfft, hehe~♡ Getting all out of breath just from walking this much?”
“No, that’s not it.”
“Oh really~? Your breathing’s been rough for a while now. Or wait, don’t tell me you’re getting turned on by the view of my back while I walk in front?”
“……?” Eros’s filter seemed to be disappearing more and more. Ever since then, she’d been muttering things like “perverted♡” and “lewd♡” while hanging around me.
“Well, who could blame you? My superior figure is worth admiring!”
What on earth was she saying now? No wonder she’d been so quiet while walking. Even though her favorability had gone up, her mischievous personality remained the same. I was starting to worry that the higher her favorability got, the more shameless she became.
“Well then~♡ If you want it that badly, I’ll let you look all you want. I’ll make a special exception just for Teacher♡”
“Haa…?” Eros, who had been walking ahead, suddenly turned around and struck a provocative pose right in front of me.
She stuck out her still-developing but well-shaped hips and squeezed her arms together to push her chest forward as much as possible.
“……” Thanks to the patrol uniform, a hint of cleavage was visible, but it didn’t feel particularly seductive. Compared to Sofia, she was still just a little girl trying to show off her figure. I could only let out a dry laugh at the ridiculous display. Still, I couldn’t say anything out loud. Provoking Eros would only lead to more trouble later.
Ever since I accepted the conditional empathy quest, Eros’s teasing had grown bolder. I thought raising her favorability would make her calmer, but the opposite happened. She seemed to feel more at ease with me now, revealing her true self without any restraint. Even so, aside from her peculiar personality and way of speaking, she objectively possessed a certain charm. An SSR-grade appearance from the gacha game, perhaps? But no matter how you looked at it, she was still just a plain, petite beauty compared to Sofia. That was why even this provocative pose didn’t stir any real excitement in me.
“Eros! What do you think you’re doing to Teacher?! Fall back in line right now!”
“Tch—! But walking like this is so boring~!”
“We’re almost there, so just endure it a little longer. We’ll take a break at the next outpost too.”
“Hmph! If we’re almost there, can’t we take it easy? Right? Breeder Teacher agrees with me, doesn’t he?”
“Eros, you little—!” Sonya, who had been leading, shot a glare at the still-mischievous Eros and approached her. Then—
—Grab!
“Hyaaah…?! S-Sonya?!”
Sonya firmly grabbed the horn sprouting from Eros’s head—the same Eros who had been playing her naughty little prank on me.
“Be quiet and follow along obediently! Stop bothering Teacher!”
“Hngh, hngh…♡ E-Even so, this is too much… If you pull on my horn like that, I-I’ll…?”
To my surprise, Eros’s entire body went limp. She offered no resistance whatsoever and was simply dragged along by Sonya’s hand, like a horse with its reins seized. She looked completely docile, almost drained of energy—as if a sensitive spot had been overpowered. Thanks to Sonya, things felt much more peaceful now.
That aside, had four hours already passed? We still weren’t even halfway there…? It was tough, but I just had to push through a little more.
‘Tomorrow I’m seriously going to hole up and laze around all day.’
—Step, step…!
We walked for another ten minutes or so. Finally—
“We’ve arrived. After we finish inspecting the facilities here, we’ll fly to the next point.”
“Hm? Miss Sonya, this place looks different from the other outposts. What is it?”
At the end of our long trek stood not only a watchtower-like outpost but also a massive structure. It was a huge dome-shaped building that resembled an observatory.
“This is Senior Raylin’s personal training ground.”
“Miss Raylin’s personal training ground? All the way out here?”
“Yes. She usually conducts training with the Demon-Slaying Fire Cannon inside.”
“Ah, the Demon-Slaying Fire Cannon…” I recalled what Raylin had mentioned before. It was a weapon created to fight against the Demon Dragon, and apparently only Raylin, the Flame Dragon, could wield it. Because of that, she often complained that she wished she could find a successor soon. Even as a third-year, training alone must have gotten boring.
“Anyway, I’ll go make my report. This interim report will take some time, so you two should rest nearby.”
“Ah, sounds good.”
“Eros? I’m counting on you to look after Breeder Teacher. Let me know right away if anything happens.”
“Yeah, leave it to me! Don’t worry and go!”
With those words, Sonya walked off toward the distant outpost. ‘Come to think of it, this place is surprisingly quiet. Surrounded by bushes, you can’t even see the sea. It’s pretty peaceful.’
The scenery here was different from the previous outposts. Had we already entered the inland area? The salty sea breeze had vanished, replaced by the fresh scent of grass and a faint floral fragrance. The area around the Demon-Slaying Fire Cannon training ground was hidden among dense foliage, almost like it was naturally camouflaged.
Just as I was catching my breath and taking in the new surroundings—
“Heehee♡”
“Hm? Miss Eros?”
A sudden laugh came from below, accompanied by an unsettling gaze. Before I knew it, Eros had sidled right up to me and was staring intently. The small hatchling was looking up at my face with eyes that seemed to regard me as prey.
“…Finally, it’s just the two of us.”
“Huh? What do you mean by that?”
“Breeder Teacher, aren’t you thirsty or tired by now?”
“Thirsty…? I am a little parched, but…”
Suddenly asking if I was thirsty? Whatever she was planning, I should probably refuse first.
“Then it’s perfect timing♥ While Sonya’s away, shall I tell you something good~?!”
“Something good?”
—Press…!
As if seizing the opportunity, Eros pressed her entire body against me. She looked up at my face from below with a sly grin. One of her fangs peeked out, making her smile even more mischievous. She looked ready to pounce at any moment—like a succubus.
“Yeah! Something good for when you’re thirsty! Come this way! Hurry, hurry…!”
—Tug!
“Whoa?! Miss Eros—?!”
With a devilish smile, Eros suddenly grabbed my wrist and started dragging me straight toward the wall below.
—Rustle, rustle, rustle…!
Into the dense bushes where no one else’s eyes could reach.
“W-Where are we going all of a sudden?!”
I couldn’t easily shake off her grip. It felt like being pulled by a bull. Someone who could freely wield a heavy mace had strength that was no joke. She might even surpass Sonya in raw power.
“Hehe, you’ll find out when we get there. I’m sure Breeder Teacher will feel good too~? You can look forward to it♡”
“So explain what you mean—?!”
“Kukukuku♡”
Without any further explanation, Eros just let out a wicked laugh and kept pulling me deeper into the bushes, into the dark, secluded shade…