Chapter 38 - The Birdcage Door Rattles, and I Spot the Galgamau at a Glance
I knew right away that guy was Galgamau. No need to ask how. Everyone seems to forget it every damn time, but even if I'm just some weepy old bastard bawling my eyes out in my room right now, back in the day, I was the veteran who slew the Demon King.
The moment I opened my eyes, I lived as a 12-year-old boy soldier with a kid's brain, scraping by on blood-soaked battlefields where mana burst like fireworks. Guessing the amount of blood from a person's movements? That's child's play, instinct or whatever.
It reeks. Just reeks of it...
Of course, I didn't peg Lulua as Galgamau right off the bat. She wasn't anywhere near as slick as that old man standing there now. She probably slipped up with some suspicious words around me, and she doesn't seem all that meticulous on the daily. She's a total rookie among rookies. In that sense, maybe my judgment—piecing together her spells and footwork to guess her origins—carries even more weight.
But that's all irrelevant bullshit. What matters is I sniffed out that bastard's true identity somehow. And at the same time, I clocked that Lulua was under some serious pressure, for whatever reason. If I'm wrong, it'd be embarrassing as hell. But probably not.
Even beasts pick their time and place. Who the fuck storms into a sacred school, glaring and acting all menacing toward a student?
And to one of my students, no less...
If you're gonna do that shit, at least wait till after school. Go fuck yourself...
So I strolled up casually, hands jammed in my pockets, chest puffed out. Maybe he sensed my presence, because before Lulua even reacted, the higher-up flinched and whipped his head around.
"──?!"
Whoa, check out that face. Looks like he saw something he shouldn't have.
But I had zero interest in the prick. So I just called out in my gravelly, phlegm-choked voice.
"Oh, Student Peodosiya..."
She finally clocked the situation and jolted in surprise, turning to me all flustered and stammering.
"P-Professor──?! What brings you here──?!"
She's short even on normal days, but with that side-parted light blue hair bouncing as she panicked, she looked downright adorable. Like a squirrel caught stashing acorns. Except what she's hiding is way worse than some nuts.
How did I get here? What do I even say to that? Hmm... Might as well grasp at some clouds.
"...I like the rain."
"Huh?!"
"Everyone else loves sunny weather, but I prefer days like this. No idea why—maybe the cool air. Just walking around feels refreshing enough."
"So... a walk?"
"Yeah, pretty much."
"All the way out to this remote spot?"
Push any further and it'd get too Joseph-esque. Please don't pry more── Right as I was about to say that, Lulua's superior—who'd been racking his brain for an out—cut in with a curt bow to me.
"My apologies, Professor."
"......"
"Just chatting with a student I know. Nothing major, so please don't mind."
Tch.
"I see."
Figures from a high-up like him. No rookie mistakes like introductions—just straight to business. He vanished down the path without a hint of hesitation.
Part of me wanted to grab his wrist and demand, What the fuck are you? But it's all guesswork on my end. No way I could go all-in without proof.
He probably knows it too. Unless I hear their full backstory from start to finish, he could weasel out no matter what.
Our Lulua's got a long way to go to reach that level...
In the end, Lulua and I stood side by side, watching his retreating back fade into the distance. A long silence stretched between us, until our squirrel student shattered it.
"──Professor."
Calling me like that, she habitually adjusted her glasses—clutching the paper bag he'd handed her tight, like she was terrified its contents might peek out. Oh yeah, Valentina gave 'em back. The glasses.
...But anyway. With her, there's only one possible follow-up topic.
Ever since the Valentina gambling den incident exposed the truth: I know about Galgamau. And that she's one of them.
But now, with me turned into the emperor's personal hot potato...
──She just got caught consorting with a higher-up from Galgamau, the emperor's direct spies.
To the superior, who knows nothing, it's no big deal. But how would Lulua read this? Even if not exactly, it'd freak her the hell out. Yeah, definitely.
But like I've said a million times: I don't eat my students. No desire to scare 'em—in fact, I'd rather help. Hell, that's what I'm doing now, right? She looked cornered, so I jumped in.
So I pulled a cigarette pack from my pocket out of nowhere.
"──Eek?!"
Lulua's mouth flapped like she was about to demand what the hell I was doing in front of a student.
But I just pressed my index finger to my lips, silencing her.
I get you're flustered. Just stay put for a sec.
...No usable paper around—except that document bag she's hugging. Can't snatch that or she'd shake even harder.
Scribble, scratch──.
With the pen I always carry, I jotted short words on the pack and spoke.
"Lunchtime's over, and you were out here in this out-of-the-way spot? You eating properly, Lulua?"
She couldn't follow a word, question marks swirling over her head, but eventually shook it no.
Figures she skipped. Long chat, huh? Perfect.
"Then how about a late lunch together? I skipped too, got caught up."
And with that, I patted her shoulder—just like the superior had—slipping my fingers under her collar.
"Kyaa, eek...?!"
A man's hand suddenly on her collarbone? Gotta feel gross. Especially from a geezer like me—straight-up repulsive...
She screamed perfectly on cue.
"There."
But spotting the thin strip of tape dangling from my fingertips, her face twisted in shock.
And right then, I showed her the writing on the cigarette pack.
「Wiretap」
Think about it: a higher-up tangled in mere paperwork, tapping your shoulder for no reason? Pointless otherwise.
──From what I see, you're not exactly safe either. Wanna grab a bite and mull it over? This is all a teacher can do.
* * *
Was this blood or what? Only four cigs left, but the professor handed the pack to Lulua anyway.
On the way to eat, she trailed half a step behind, staring at his broad back. Her other hand still clutched the paper bag. And below her collarbone lingered one more thing.
His touch.
That touch had pinpointed the device's true nature trying to slip from under her collar.
In other words, she'd realized she was under surveillance too—probably since the abbreviated reports started.
Anyway, her mind replayed the instructor's teachings drilled into her over five years.
Goodwill of unknown intent is a threat. Suspect it. Suspect it again. Suspect endlessly.
Strike first. Kill.
──But.
The professor's intent is unknown, but I can't kill him. How could I? But, but...
If she followed teachings to the letter...
Would it really benefit her?
Let's sort this mess.
The professor saw her higher-up Galgamau. Disguised as staff, sure—but no doubt he clocked the identity.
Why? He'd already sniffed her out during the gambling den fiasco.
A guy who spotted a shallow rookie like her? Obvious he'd ID a way higher operative on sight.
And yet, after witnessing her rendezvous...
What'd he do? Said he was just walking. Likes the rain.
...Liar.
Obviously a lie. Who wanders to a backwater like this for rain vibes?
But even after the superior left...
He asked nothing. Not why she was with him. Not what she got. Not their relation.
Saw everything, asked zilch!
Instead, he pulled the pack, wrote one word.
「Wiretap」
Slid his hand in her collar, yanked the surveillance bug her superior planted.
......
Lulua unconsciously touched the spot where that thick, callused hand had been. Just walking, thinking.
Her instructor would've said: He has your weakness now. Removing the bug makes you indebted. He'll demand payback eventually. Stay vigilant.
...Maybe. Probably right. She should think that way.
But...
Come to think of it, same as the gambling den.
Heading to find Valentina, he took her along knowing she was Galgamau. Even after her cover blew, he promised, "Won't pry into your private life."
When he had her catch that chandelier no normal girl could—Thought you could do it. Good job. No payback demanded.
Not even now.
Just, wanna eat?
That old assessment wasn't wrong. Truly... truly unknown intent.
No teaching covered this. Goodwill of unknown intent doesn't exist—or so she learned.
But even without grasping it...
She kept ending up protected, every time. Hilarious, right?
...No way?
That thought flashing by, she recalled the notebook page.
The unfinished line in her surveillance report.
「──Maybe」
Maybe... he's really trying to protect me?
Couldn't finish then. Scared it'd be wrong.
But now.
Lulua felt the lingering warmth on her collarbone. Saw the word on the pack. Watched his unquestioning back.
And somehow, she realized.
She wasn't scared of being wrong.
She was scared of being right.
If he really meant to protect her... what then?
Her, who had to report to the imperial court—could she accept his protection?
Abbreviating Joseph reports? Maybe impulse from her tangled inner thoughts.
But this man who could even spot her suspicions...
──How much does he see?
No wonder he slew the Demon King.
Scary... but maybe someone to rely on.
Suddenly, he spoke.
"Student Lulua."
"──Y-yes, sir."
"You like curry?"
"...Pardon?"
"Cafeteria's out of everything else this late. That okay?"
"Ah, a-ah. Yes. Fine..."
With that, she nodded, peering past her glasses at his sharp profile.
Utterly nonchalant. Could that face have just ripped out a wiretap and saved his student from a threat?
At a glance... just a decadent handsome uncle asking about curry. Mundane.
...Ah.
But somehow, then, Lulua felt certain.
He won't demand anything from her.
Not before. Not now.
Not ever.
And that very certainty began quietly, irrevocably crumbling the instructor's teachings she'd upheld for five years.
She'd planned to meet him anyway. But this? Even better.
──This man... should be fine.
Removing the bug would raise suspicions. Better write notes.
Her specialty. Confident there.
Lulua took a deep breath.