Chapter 31
Chapter 31
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 31
Chapter Title: Peace
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Swoosh swoosh
While I was absentmindedly gazing up at the sky as I swept with the broom, Professor Amanda, the homeroom teacher for Class E, tapped my shoulder on her way past and scolded me to do it properly.
Today was big cleaning day.
I'd managed to escape indoor cleaning—where slacking off would be blatantly obvious—but annoying was still annoying.
'Sigh.'
There had been the dean's lengthy speech about how the recent incident had dirtied the school and we needed to clean it spotless. No matter how hard I glared, she deliberately avoided my eyes and pushed ahead with it anyway.
"Daniel, over here."
Eve came trotting up to me and spread open the trash bag. Tana had moved to another section, so it was just me and Eve cleaning together.
"Not annoying?"
"Hmm, a little? I'd prefer a reading day or something."
"Oh yeah, I finished that book you recommended last time."
"Fun, right?"
I nodded awkwardly at Eve, who asked with eyes sparkling.
"It was okay. But why'd the protagonist suddenly turn into the final boss?"
"That's the fun part! The hero protecting a world doomed to end... was the end itself!"
That's fun?
I didn't really get it, but it had been interesting enough in its own way. As I gave half-hearted replies, a white-haired girl slyly wedged herself between us.
"Whatcha doing?"
"Don't butt in out of nowhere."
"Eek, you scared me."
Sen, from the Extermination Squad.
For a split second, I wanted to ask if she knew about the fighting dogs, but Eve was right there—and if she asked how I knew, I had no good answer.
'Tsk, too bad, but on hold for now.'
I'm probably the only one who even knows she's from the Extermination Squad.
"Why the sudden visit?"
Convinced it'd be useful someday to stay on friendly terms, I asked somewhat kindly. She crossed her arms and muttered like she was talking to herself.
"Nah, just... Ares has seemed really down lately."
"......"
"Ah, Ares?"
Eve glanced cautiously at me.
"I don't know much about that guy anymore, so don't ask me."
If it had been Ares fangirls like Arni or Elise, I'd have straight-up told them to buzz off. Sen got off easy.
"Hmm, yeah? Sorry. I'm terrible at reading the room."
Sen grinned apologetically.
Eve, ever sensitive to others' feelings, looked flustered, but I fired back casually like it was nothing.
"So why do you like Ares anyway?"
Hayun had faked liking Ares on her family's orders. Was the Extermination Squad up to something similar? Sen answered flatly.
"Hmm, 'cause he's hot!"
"Yeah, scram."
I sighed and shooed her off. Sen laughed brightly, waved cheerfully, and left.
Eve then glanced at me cautiously and asked.
"Doesn't something feel... off?"
"What?"
"Like, um... contrived?"
The word "contrived" nearly made me pat her head and praise her.
Spot on—Sen was expressing emotions in an utterly artificial way.
Like a fixed incantation for fire magic, she was programmed to display specific feelings in set situations.
'Sigh, kinda pitiful.'
I'd heard places like the Extermination Squad prioritized killing emotions from childhood.
At first, I'd thought Sen was overly emotional, but after a few more encounters, I realized otherwise.
Her real emotions were completely dead, so she couldn't calibrate the intensity of her fake ones—making them look phony.
'Probably no real reason for liking Ares either.'
Just mimicking what girls her age do.
She picked Ares because most girls liked him.
"Don't sweat it. Nothing good comes from tangling with her."
My Eve should just stay home reading books.
My little Eve!
We took the trash bags to the professor for inspection, then headed to the incinerator.
With the whole year doing big cleaning, the line was long—and at the end stood May and her gang.
The guys who'd seen me talking to May before shot me dirty looks, but I ignored them and lined up right behind.
"By the way, I learned some dancing from Tana recently."
"Dancing?"
I wondered what brought that on, but she probably just threw it out to kill time waiting in line.
"L-Look at this."
Seeing my puzzled face, she started doing her little dance.
Subtle movements so others wouldn't notice, trying her best—but more like rhythmic calisthenics than actual dance.
"H-How's it?"
"Yeah, cute. Thought you were a hamster."
"It's sexy dance?"
"......"
Tana's the real problem.
Why teach a kid that stuff and put me in this awkward spot?
She probably spouted nonsense like, "If Eve does sexy dance in that body, men will drop dead!"
I naturally looked away without a word. Eve pinched my side and pouted.
"You're really mean."
"Kinda feel wronged."
As we bickered, May up front spotted me, startled, and came over.
"What, you were back there? Say something."
"Too lazy."
Truth be told, less lazy—more like her gang boys had deliberately walled her off so she couldn't see me.
But May suddenly scowled and revved up.
"Lazy? Want me to cash in my wish coupon and make you busy? Run laps around the academy all day?"
May looked down her nose arrogantly. Her gang snickered behind her.
"Uh, that expired."
I said coolly, and she deflated instantly, clinging on.
"Ah why! Sorry! I won't use it like that—don't threaten weirdly!"
"Yeah, expired."
"I'm sorry! I think every day what to make you do!"
That just makes it sound worse.
May—now the back-alley queen who'd crushed every delinquent at Aios Academy—whined like a brat. Her gang's eyes widened in shock.
"This ain't right!"
"Got it, got it. Calm down."
May had to keep ruling her delinquents. Couldn't let her lose that signature charisma, so I conceded. She beamed and nodded vigorously.
"Yeah, that's more like it. Way of the jianghu."
What?
Somehow May had joined our group chatting, with Eve chiming in from the side, when someone tapped my shoulder from behind.
"Hi."
Rin stood there smiling, but the vibe felt subtly off.
"Yeah, hi."
After yesterday's mess, I'd worried it'd be awkward, but it wasn't that different.
"Ah, hello."
"......"
Eve bowed politely in greeting, but May crossed her arms sullenly and said nothing.
She clearly didn't have warm feelings for Rin.
'Thinking about it, all the Ares fans act like this.'
Tana had checked Rin before—now May too?
"We cleaned the pond. Where'd you do, Daniel?"
"West fence."
"Trash city over there, right? Seen kids dumping stuff—picked it up a few times."
"Yeah, tons."
"By the way, you know about our academy pond..."
Rin chattered on.
Even with her friends behind her, she was excitedly talking only to me.
Leaving Eve and May awkwardly sidelined, just watching.
'This is Rin's charm—capturing the whole class instantly, even as a third-year transfer.'
I'd known it since village days, but it shone even brighter in unfamiliar territory.
If not for her weird world-ending vibe, anyone would love her.
"Man, you talk a ton."
May broke the flow.
Hands in pockets, she grumbled.
"Ears hurt. Dial it back."
"Ah..."
May picked the fight perfectly in character. Rin said nothing, but her friends bristled and stepped up.
"What kinda way to talk is that?"
"Rin, you okay?"
"See? Deliberately trying to hurt her."
Barrage of criticism started, but May didn't budge, just rolling candy in her mouth. Then her gang piled in like they'd been waiting.
A gesture saying May didn't need to lift a finger herself. Yeah, back-alley queen material.
"Hey, what'd you say?"
"Untouched brats mouthing off."
"Don't wanna cry and run home? Keep your eyes down."
In a normal academy, kids would back down from delinquent gangs.
But this was Aios Academy.
Mostly nobles confident in their skills.
Rin's friends got even more fired up to defend her.
"Got any snacks?"
"Mint candy?"
"Mint candy?"
"Helps when you're sleepy reading books."
"Tsk, bummer."
Eve and I were stuck in the middle, spectating to see who won. Would've been hilarious with jerky or something.
Growing rowdier, drawing stares from nearby students. As it looked ready to blow up, Rin stepped in to mediate.
"Sorry, got too excited talking to Daniel. He doesn't hate me, after all."
In the weirdest way possible.
"Huh?"
May glared like "What?", and even Rin's friends shot her confused looks.
But Rin smiled steadily at me.
"Right? You don't hate me?"
The pressure was real.
Her intent to hear exactly what she wanted—despite the sour mood—was crystal clear.
"Uh, don't hate you."
I scratched the back of my head and mumbled. Rin looked disappointed.
"Say it just like back then."
She's fixated on something weird.