Chapter 25
Chapter 25
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 25
Chapter Title: Evil Spirits Assault! (3)
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The night before I was set to meet Dian Levius.
As always, I stayed by our hothead young lady's side until she fell asleep. That's when a strange sound reached my ears.
"...Sowwy..."
"...?"
Why would snoring make a noise like that? Some special kind of asthma? Then I realized Tiona was mumbling an apology: "Sowwywa yo."
"!?"
I rushed to the bed and checked her face. Tiona startled awake with another weird noise.
"Hauck...!? Ah, Awthuw, why awe you doing thatwa yo...?"
"...It's nothing."
I must have misheard. Have I been pushing myself too hard lately?
"...Don't you have anything to saywa yo?"
"!?"
I was so shocked my heart hurt. So that wasn't a hallucination?
"That's what I've been asking! Why awe you acting like thatwa yo!?"
"T-T-Tiona young lady, you said 'sorry'...?"
"Awthuw, what do you think I amwa yo!? I know how to say sowwy too wa yo!"
"That's... well, true... I suppose?"
It was true, in a way. I'd scolded her into apologizing plenty of times before.
But this was different. This was her apologizing on her own, unprompted.
A voluntary apology.
The kind that required clearing three massive hurdles—pretty advanced cognitive and social skills.
Did harm occur?→So what?
If it did, whose fault is it?→Why's it my fault?
So do I need to apologize?→Or what?
Slip on even one step, and no voluntary apology happens.
So what I'm getting at is...
'Tiona... has grown?'
"Why awe you acting weird all of a suddenwa yo?"
"My eyes are just a bit dry."
Ah.
My eyes were stinging.
This was it—my student's growth?
This was a teacher's joy?
Though the "teacher" here needed a childcare certification more than a teaching exam, who cares either way?
I wanted to shout it from every rooftop. Folks in the neighborhood! Our Tiona young lady actually said 'sorry'!
Murmurs...! Wha...? For real? She said 'sorry'? How's she still alive after that impossible feat? S-S-'Sorry'? Even the bleach-white Siegfried couldn't pull that off...!
"Awthuw? You look weawwy stwange wa yo?"
"Sorry."
Am I really that tired lately?
I rubbed my forehead and asked,
"So, what are you sorry for?"
Of course, it wasn't like she had no reason to apologize to me. Quite the opposite.
"Th-This..."
"This?"
"Befowe, I thwew up on youwa yo..."
"...Oh, that?"
Unexpected.
It had been days already, and she was apologizing now?
Which meant...
"...Were you worrying about it this whole time?"
"Hmph! No waywa yo!"
Anyone could tell that was a lie.
"What's gotten into you? Worrying about something like that."
"What do you mean 'gotten into mewa yo!? What kind of talk is thatwa yo!?"
"When have you ever cared about concepts like 'dirty'?"
"What awe you talking aboutwa yo? I've cawed my whole life wa yo!"
"How does someone who cares about dirt eat pancakes with syrup all over their hands?"
Tiona's face turned serious.
"What awe you sayingwa yo...? Syrup isn't diwty wa yo."
"...Pardon?"
"Syrup is for eatingwa yo. Have you been thinking syrup is diwty this whole time while eating itwa yo...? That doesn't make sensewa yo?"
"... ."
So...
"Your standard for distinguishing dirty from clean... is whether it's edible?"
"Of coursewa yo?"
"... ."
It's been a while since my head went thunk like this.
All this time I'd been frustrated that we weren't communicating, but now I realized it wasn't some minor misunderstanding—it was a fundamental clash in worldviews.
This was cosmic horror... Well, maybe not the best term in a world where actual Outer Gods lurked, but there was definitely overlap in the fear of vast unknowns.
I wanted to ask how she judged inedible things like clothes or books as dirty or not, but I dreaded stumbling into another head-thunk moment in uncharted territory.
Still...
"...It wasn't something to stew over for days."
A wry smile escaped me.
A soft one.
"Well done apologizing. And I wasn't upset about it anyway."
"...Weallywa yo?"
"Yes."
I meant it.
Sure, getting puked on was gross, but it wasn't on purpose.
"Everyone forgives honest mistakes, as long as the harm doesn't linger. So don't be afraid to apologize in the future."
"Sniff... Got itwa yo..."
Tiona smiled contentedly and closed her eyes.
A gentle air settled in.
"Awthuw."
"Yes."
"I need to go to the bathroomwa yo."
There it was.
Tiona's nighttime issue.
Meaning, when she had to go in the dark of night, she got scared and couldn't go alone—so I had to escort her all the way inside. And the status of that problem?
Not solved at all.
"Like I said today too, don't look backwa yo!"
"I know, so hurry up please..."
As I stood there holding the candle, I heard the rustle of fabric and the patter of liquid.
Suddenly, all my energy drained away.
Odd? I was just thinking, 'My student has grown in her own way. As her teacher, I'm proud,' and now it all felt so futile?
No. At least she doesn't need me chanting multiplication tables anymore? That's huge progress—well, feeling like it's progress might be the real issue—
"Nngh, hnn... Awthuw..."
"Please, if you have something to say, wait till we're out."
"Hnn... That's too muchwa yo..."
"Come on, seriously."
In the depths of harsh reality, I thought: I need to invent electric lights ASAP.
The rustling returned, and Tiona grabbed my clothes from behind—time to head back.
Once in the room, instead of lying down, she sat on the bed and spoke.
"...Awthuw."
"...Yes."
"You..."
Tiona hesitated a moment.
"...want to get away from mewa yo?"
"...What do you mean by that?"
"You said before. You'd send me to the academy."
"I did."
Which had caused a huge fuss once, thinking the duke was abandoning her for good.
"So after sending me there, you don't want to see me anymorewa yo?"
"... ."
Tiona's heart was hard to read.
The candle flame danced on its own without wind. Each flicker shook the light, shifting the shadows on her face.
'...No.'
I was overthinking.
Tiona's heart was simple.
"...You don't want to be apart from me."
"Th-That's not itwa yo."
Our lady still couldn't lie to save her life.
"...A few days ago, Cynthia asked me. What I think of Awthuw."
"...She did?"
Surprising. Cynthia asking that?
"So, what did you say?"
"Awthuw is Awthuw wa yo."
A very Tiona answer.
But not wrong, or bad.
People often miss others' true nature by forcing them into preconceived images.
"But... ever since that day..."
Tiona glanced at me.
"What do you think of mewa yo?"
I had a set answer for that.
"You're my student. And I'm your home tutor."
Student and teacher.
A clear, defined relationship. Nothing to hide from anyone.
Of course, Tiona and I were more than that.
I hoped she'd save the world.
And I dimly sensed neglected Tiona seeking to fill her parents' void through me.
That's why we needed that clear definition even more.
Teacher and student. For better or worse, within those bounds.
"If you wish, I'll help with studies even after you enter the academy."
I'd considered weekend visits or even joining House Krishantimaiu as a retainer.
But our relationship remained teacher and student.
"...Got itwa yo."
Tiona lay down, turning away so her face was hidden.
"Good nightwa yo."
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ Half asleep, half not, in that hazy state, Tiona listened to Arthur's breathing.
Steady, rhythmic. Pleasant to the ear.
Tiona thought.
She just wanted to keep hearing that sound.
In this house.
At the academy.
Even after vague, daunting graduation.
If Arthur stayed by her side...
Then...
It'd be nice.
Yeah.
Forever.
Tiona couldn't yet name her feelings and desires precisely, but she'd finally recognized them up to that point.
The corner of Tiona's mouth twitched.
'Hee hee!'
Even after sinking into deep sleep, her lips curved in a smile.