The Friendly Match (3)
"...What on earth are those kids doing?"
"W-well, I have no idea..."
One of the teachers monitoring the students muttered in sheer bewilderment. What appeared on his computer screen were five playable characters. It wasn't their outstanding performance that was causing this consternation. Quite the opposite, in fact. The teacher looked utterly dumbfounded by the students' incomprehensible behavior.
That's what I want to ask. What the hell are they doing...
"Two of them are fast asleep, two of them are fishing like they're on a camping trip... and the last one... Haa, forget it. I won't even say it."
"..."
The gazes prickling my skin were painful. The unspoken question of whether these kids were truly the promising prospects I had claimed them to be stung so much I could barely bear it. I mean, they are... They really are, but...
If you guys act like this, what does that make me?!
No, fine. Let's put aside the three I haven't met yet. But Orca, Leo—how could you two betray me like this?
"Well, don't get too worked up. It's not like this is for grades anyway. It's just to assess their tendencies, right?"
"...I suppose so."
"Besides, their tendencies... seem incredibly easy to read."
With that idle chatter concluded, the teachers returned to monitoring the screens to ensure no dangerous incidents occurred. ...By the way, why wasn't I doing it? I thought I'd have to keep watching too, but they cleared my spot, telling me to just get the general idea. What did they say again? Ah, right. Since I'd be incredibly busy once this was over, it would be better for me to rest up now.
...Well, they weren't wrong. I was going to be incredibly busy. Because I had a massive scolding prepared for Orca and Leo.
"Achoo!"
"...What, a cold?"
"Ah, no. I think something just went down the wrong pipe. You don't need to worry..."
"Why don't you eat slowly? There's still plenty left."
"That is a relief. But Lady Aileen, why aren't you eating? It's so delicious."
"Oh, right. It's delicious... I-I've already eaten plenty, so I'm fine. I'm only fishing because I was bored."
"If you say so."
Is he insane?
Aileen had zero interest in this friendly match. Surviving long by interacting with others? Not her thing. She'd rather sleep than compete over who was better. At first, she had thought about just letting a passing student defeat her, but she changed her mind because the scenery was too pretty. Since she was here, she decided to do what she'd always wanted to try: freshwater fishing, hanging a hammock, romantic stuff like that. Experiences you couldn't get in the city.
Man, who thought of putting a place like this inside the school? Long live the principal! Truly worthy of being one of the names always mentioned when discussing the strongest.
...However, there was one thing she hadn't anticipated. It was way less fun than she thought. She caught quite a few fish, but... she didn't know how to cook. She burned them all, and trying to pick out the unburnt parts meant dealing with tons of bones and a heavy, fishy stench. She thought it was completely inedible for humans.
But looking at the boy in front of her, she must have been wrong.
...No, maybe he's not human. No human could find this delicious.
"To be honest, I've never cooked before."
"Yes, I figured. You put the fish too close to the fire. That's why the outside is charred and the inside is undercooked."
"...Is it really good?"
"Ordinary people probably couldn't eat it. But it tastes great to me, so it's fine."
"Sorry, I really don't get it..."
He was eating it with such gusto that she wondered if it actually tasted good. She put a piece in her mouth and immediately writhed in agony. The fishy stench filled her mouth. Was it because it was grilled without salt or pepper? The muddy smell unique to freshwater fish lingered. Naturally, without those two, there were no other spices, nor was there any wine to wash it down. Because of her upbringing, she couldn't bring herself to spit it out, so she forced herself to swallow... but that experience instantly claimed the 3rd spot on Aileen's "Worst Tastes of My Life" ranking.
For the record, 1st was a raisin cookie disguised as a chocolate chip cookie. 2nd was a traditional foreign dish she tried out of curiosity.
...Anyway, to eat something that fishy with such relish. Is this kid out of his mind?
"Well, maybe it's because I've had to scavenge and eat all sorts of things since I was young, but this is plenty delicious to me."
"This is...?"
"It's much better than the food I used to dig out of trash cans."
"..."
How was she supposed to react? Ask about his parents? No, drop it. If he'd been doing that since he was young, he couldn't have had parents or a guardian. Even if he did, they certainly weren't decent. But bringing up the nice weather now would just make him look at her like she was crazy. Should she tell him that what he ate back then wasn't actual food? No, what if that hurt his feelings? He brought it up casually like it was nothing, but that didn't mean he didn't have scars in his heart.
Damn it. What do I do? Why am I being tested like this... I shouldn't have done something I'm not used to! I should have just slept. Whenever I try to do something, nothing goes right. Doing nothing is best for everyone...
"Ah, it looks like we have guests."
"...Guests?"
Only then did Aileen sense the presences around them. Presences slightly stronger than the students they had cleared out to secure this spot... about ten of them. She had been too distracted talking to the boy to notice them approaching. Looking around, their escape route was already blocked.
...They were surrounded.
"Well then. I should pay for the delicious fish you treated me to."
I told you, it's not delicious...
Aileen forced some motivation into her sluggish body. Well, fine. Meeting here was a twist of fate, and if she didn't help Leo, she wouldn't know how to look him in the eye in class. Let's put in some effort just for today.
"...Yawn."
Orca yawned and stretched as the sunlight hit her eyes. How many hours had she slept? That woman should have left by now, so what should she do next...
"You're finally awake."
"Holy shit, you scared me..."
"Did you sleep well?"
...She didn't leave.
"Don't you have things to do?"
"If you're asking whether I have work, I have quite a lot. Despite how I look, I hold the only position of its kind in the Church."
"Yeah, I know. I already know you're the Watcher."
The Watchers produced by the Church at regular intervals were famous. Perhaps even comparable to the Emperor. Only one among countless believers. A noble existence that only existed one at a time in any given era. That was the Watcher. What was it again? There was a huge fuss this year because the Princess and the Watcher entered the Academy together. She remembered it well because some bastards were complaining that impurities had entered the Academy in the same era as such noble people. The guys who said that? ...Who knows. Their teeth were probably rolling around on some street somewhere. She didn't care. No, that wasn't the point.
"That's not what I meant."
"...?"
"If you're such a busy, noble person, could you please just piss off?"
Why would such a high-and-mighty person pay so much attention to someone living at the bottom of society? That was Orca's question.
"If you're a noble person, act like one and go talk to someone else. What was it, the Princess? I heard she enrolled too."
"Ah, I spoke with Lady Stella the other day. Thank you for your concern, but..."
"Concern, my ass. Didn't you hear me tell you to get lost?"
"..."
"Why the hell do you keep clinging to a bitch like me anyway?"
"God said that even devils are not necessarily evil existences. They were simply born that way. If we guide them with love, they too can improve one day..."
"Liar."
Orca was certain. This woman was lying.
"I guess even the servants of God lie, huh?"
"...What do you mean by that?"
"Be honest. You don't think a devil can ever be redeemed."
"..."
She could feel that distinct atmosphere. The atmosphere of treating Orca as a danger. The atmosphere of rejecting and fearing the Devil Possessed. It was extremely faint, but it was definitely there. She could feel it in her attitude.
"Your words and your attitude don't match... well, whatever. But if you're going to spout sweet-talking lies, get lost."
And only then did Orca realize why she had listened to that teacher. Unlike everyone else, that teacher truly believed Orca was harmless. Without a single shred of doubt, he believed in her even when she couldn't believe in herself. She didn't know why, but he genuinely believed she wouldn't hurt anyone.
"I don't plan on talking to you anymore... and it doesn't look like we're in a situation to talk anyway."
Orca stood up to chase away the group of students that had approached them.
...For some reason, the Watcher's face kept following Orca's movements. Even though her eyes were covered with bandages.