Sofia's Secret
“Thank you.” Sofia helped me to my feet, her noble hand clasped firmly around mine. There was no trace of displeasure at the dirt that clung to my skin. The hand she extended to me while I sat on the ground was warm—far warmer than I’d expected from a cold-blooded reptile.
Soft…? Even the back of her hand was covered in fine, downy fur. The sensation was so pleasant that I found it difficult to let go. After all, this was the first time I’d properly touched someone of the opposite sex since arriving here. My conversations with Erdin had been nothing more than light chatter. Of course, Sofia had held my hand briefly before, but I hadn’t felt this gentle warmth then.
“I-I’m truly sorry about what just happened. But what should I do? Your clothes are so dirty because of me……”
Sofia was, as expected, a dragon with a kind heart. She didn’t look down on me just because I was human. True to her light attribute, she was light itself. More than anyone else at the academy, she genuinely worried about me. This delicate consideration made me suddenly miss my mother. For a moment, the faces of my family—faces I’d almost forgotten—flashed through my mind.
“It’s all right. It wasn’t intentional.”
“Are you hurt anywhere? I can’t help but worry when you’re covered in dirt like this……”
“It was simply the result of my own words. If anything, it turned out for the best.”
I finally withdrew my hand and stepped back to brush the dust from my clothes. Whoa… the stains are worse than I thought. They didn’t come off easily. I’d taken quite a tumble, after all. My body felt grimy, but my mind was at ease. If the other young ladies saw me now, most of them would probably be pleased. I could consider it a small price to pay. Not a bad way to get through the day.
“If that’s what you think, Breeder, then I’m relieved…… But……”
“Lady Sofia, that attitude isn’t very dragon-like. What if the others see you?”
“Still… I can’t help feeling uneasy about it.”
“I’m really fine. Besides, you already agreed to my request, didn’t you?”
“Ah…! Th-that’s right! Don’t worry about what you asked of me. It’s nothing to me. I’ll take care of it on my end!”
“Haha, I’d be grateful if you did.”
I casually confirmed the promise I’d asked of her earlier. Already, it felt like I had a reliable ally watching my back.
“…Shall we head back inside? If we stay out too long, the others might start wondering.”
“Ah, yes…! Let’s go in right away……”
Even though I kept insisting I was fine, Sofia remained restless. Her face flushed red, and she couldn’t meet my eyes properly. It seemed something else besides knocking me over was bothering her. As we walked back, she kept glancing at the hem of her skirt from behind.
—Creak, click…!
Regardless, I escorted her and opened the lounge door.
“……”
The moment the door opened, countless eyes turned toward me. The young ladies who had been chatting fell silent and stared blankly. Sofia slipped back to her seat, her cheeks still flushed. I ducked my head and hurried into the kitchen, keeping my gaze low and my expression as meek as possible.
—Wow, what in the world just happened?
—Was that really our quiet Sofia?
—I’ve never seen her this angry before.
—Right? She must have been furious—her face is still red!
As I entered the kitchen, the chatter resumed. The topic, of course, was me and Sofia.
—Did she actually hit the servant? He’s covered in dirt.
—Poor human. First time a short-lived species got scolded by Sofia, I bet.
—Anyway, Sofia’s impressive. When she acts, she really goes all out.
—Our student council president must be learning a thing or two now that she’s in fourth year.
—As expected, you have to be strict with short-lived species for them to understand.
The effect of rolling in the dirt had been remarkable. Everyone whispered while glancing nervously at Sofia. A few even sneered at me, clearly enjoying the sight.
Simple-minded little dragon girls. But it actually worked.
Just moments ago, opinions about Sofia had been split, yet now everyone was praising her in unison. To them, it looked as though she had properly disciplined an insolent servant.
—Flip, flip…!
Unlike the lively atmosphere, Sofia quietly turned the pages of her book, pretending to ignore her peers’ reactions. She wasn’t actually reading; she was flipping through them in a hurry, her face still bright red.
She’s kind, but there’s something oddly cute about how different she is from her usual image.
I almost smiled while secretly watching her. But it was too soon to laugh. I had to keep up the guilty act. I hadn’t expected to actually roll in the dirt, but things had worked out well in the end.
—Clatter, clatter…!
After that, I silently cleaned the kitchen. Occasional mocking laughter reached my ears, but I ignored it, keeping my head bowed like a condemned criminal. A heavy atmosphere lingered in the lounge when the grandfather clock suddenly chimed twice.
“Phew……”
A collective sigh escaped the young ladies. Some even had heat haze shimmering around their mouths, as if they might breathe fire at any moment.
—Ugh, I don’t want to go to class……
—Why is lunch break so short?
—What’s the next class again? Can’t the first one end a little early?
—Dream on. It’s Vice Principal Benetric’s class.
—Ugh… etiquette lessons until six o’clock……
Sighs mixed with frustration replaced breaths of fire. The next class must be intense. Yesterday had been the entrance ceremony, so they’d been able to sit still. For me, this was a blessing. I was finally free from the suffocating tension. I should use the remaining time to prepare for tomorrow’s opening.
—Even the dessert was duplicated today. I have zero energy left.
—Still, the bread they gave us to taste wasn’t bad, right?
The young ladies dragged their chairs with a screech and murmured among themselves. Most of their comments were about the dessert I’d served.
—The portions were so small I couldn’t really tell.
—Yeah… it barely registered.
—Can’t be helped. Guess we’ll have to survive on biscuits again today.
They filed out in a crowd, still grumbling.
“Hey, Breeder! You’d better prepare properly tomorrow!”
Diora flicked her short brown hair and shot me a warning, acting as if she were the class representative. I simply bowed and offered a formal reply. “Yes, my apologies for today. Please take care on your way.”
—Clatter, clack!
Once the storm passed and the lounge emptied, I let out a sigh of relief and began clearing the tables at a leisurely pace. True to their status as noble continental goddesses, none of them had bothered to tidy up after themselves.
Would it kill them to return their own dishes? Am I asking too much from these prideful young ladies?
While grumbling inwardly, I stopped at a few tables. Something unfamiliar lay on top of them.
“Huh? What’s this?”
A round, glittering object sat on the table. Upon closer inspection, it was a coin—a gold coin, no less. And on some tables, including Sofia’s, small notes had been left behind as well. At first I thought they were lost items, but when I unfolded one, I realized otherwise.
The biscuits were delicious today too! Looking forward to more next time!
Don’t let getting scolded by Sofia get you down. She’s actually really kind. Oh, and the new bread was great too! Keep your spirits up!
This is a tip. Don’t forget our generosity and keep serving us delicious things!
Several of them must have found me truly pitiful, because they’d left notes along with tips. My acting had clearly paid off. Not all fourth-years were arrogant, it seemed. Even though I hadn’t actually been bullied, receiving these notes made my chest feel strangely warm.
So there really are kind dragons besides Sofia……
Sofia’s seat had a note as well—one much longer than the others.
Breeder, I’m truly sorry. And please keep the fact that my tail got caught on your foot earlier a secret for life, all right?! In exchange, I’ll make sure to handle the request you made of me perfectly……
However, I’ll start working on that from tomorrow. Today, as I mentioned, I need to go out early in the morning to get chocolate.
Well then, I’ll be looking forward to that fantastic mint dessert. —Sofia
Sofia’s gentle nature came through clearly in the lengthy letter. Not only did she worry about me again, but she also promised to fulfill my request without fail. But suddenly mentioning her tail…
The thing that caught on my foot earlier… was her tail?
No wonder it had felt thicker than an ankle. I hadn’t noticed it when she changed during roll call yesterday. Was it detachable? No matter how much I thought about it, I couldn’t reach a clear conclusion. One thing was certain, though: Sofia seemed to believe I had seen something embarrassing of hers.
Anyway, does this mean everything I asked for will be resolved by tomorrow?
I carefully folded Sofia’s note and slipped it into my pocket. Ah, right—what exactly had I asked Sofia for in the first place?
—Knock, knock, knock!
“Yes, it’s open. Come in.”
—Creaaak……!
“Breeder oppa…? Can I come in—deyong?”
“Huh? Derke? What’s up? No one else is here. You can come in.”
Right on cue, the very concern I’d asked Sofia about had arrived. Though it was purely my own meddling that had prompted the request, it had been on my mind since yesterday……