Chapter 7
Chapter 7
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 7
Chapter Title: Is That Comfort?
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"Urk!"
Thanks to clamping my mouth shut and bolting straight to the bathroom, I at least avoided the humiliation of leaving a trail in the hallway. But now, kneeling in front of the toilet, I sank into thought for a moment.
Dealing with Rin made me uncomfortable, but I never imagined it would hit me this hard.
"Ah, what am I supposed to do about this."
From Rin's perspective, it must have looked downright bizarre. She'd always been sharp, so she might have picked up on how I was dodging her or feeling uneasy around her right now.
No, she definitely had.
I'd gone and puked right in front of her, after all. Of course she'd notice by now.
'Maybe I should lie and say I'm not feeling well.'
As I mulled over excuses and slowly stepped out of the bathroom, Rin—who'd been fidgeting anxiously—asked me cautiously.
"A-Are you okay?"
"Yeah, sorry. Guess my stomach's acting up."
The disgust welled up again, mingled with a thick wave of fear seeping from the heart her sword had pierced, chilling me to the bone. But I fought to keep it off my face.
As I racked my brain for what to say next, Rin beat me to it.
"The guy you're looking for is Chapheni Kraush. He's a student who's really good at crafting and alchemy. I asked around with my friends, so I can give you the basics."
"Uh, thanks..."
Just moments ago, she'd been glaring at me like she wanted to kill me, demanding to know why I was after him. Now she was spilling it without a fuss.
"Okay, then. See ya."
Rin turned and headed back to her classroom.
Her shoulders slumped, her head bowed low. It felt like I'd gone and hurt her feelings.
'But I've got my own urgent fires to put out right now.'
One week.
No—in six days now, I'd be expelled.
That had to come first. And honestly, holding a conversation with Rin was still too much for me, so I muttered some excuses and returned to Class E.
"Haa."
I tried to shake it off, but my mood was downright rotten.
Even strolling down the hallway, the image of Rin's drooping back kept circling my mind, nagging at me in this weird way.
In her past life, she was the master of the Army of Death. But right now, she was just a fragile eighteen-year-old country girl.
'I need to clear the air properly.'
If I kept acting like this, who knew what it might do to Rin. Worst case, it could push her toward becoming the Army's master even sooner—because of me.
Of course, I still had no clue what had changed her in the first place.
"Haa."
Sighing in frustration, I stepped into the classroom—and sure enough, chaos was in full swing.
A guy yelling at Tana and Eve.
He didn't look like one of our classmates. Tana had her lips pressed tight, eyes brimming with tears, while Eve clung desperately to her side.
'What now.'
This damn academy never had a peaceful day.
They bragged about being the continent's top school, but so what if the grades were high?
Character education was complete trash.
Back when I worked as a sherpa in the Demon Realm Forest, those types who strutted around claiming to be seasoned knights or mages? Their egos got them wrecked all the time.
"You're the one spreading rumors that my girlfriend's some freak!"
"I don't even know who your girlfriend is! What the hell are you talking about?!"
Tana's outburst was so obviously her putting on a brave front that it just made her pitiful, but the guy kept bellowing without pause.
"Who the hell do you think you are, you bitch, messing with my girl?!"
His rage boiling over, the guy kicked a desk. It slammed into Tana, who was sitting there, and she cried out in pain.
Eve almost got hit too, but Tana shielded her just in time, keeping her safe.
"You really picked the wrong fight."
I grabbed a chair and cracked it over the back of his head. My mood was already foul—perfect timing, you punk-ass bastard.
"Eek!"
He yelped strangely and pitched forward. Grinning, I dropped the chair and asked him,
"You little—!"
"Bring your girlfriend."
As he tried scrambling up, I planted my foot firmly on his chest.
"I need to hear exactly where you got that rumor from to come at Tana like this."
"What?"
"We'll talk it out with her."
Right then, the bell rang for the end of break. I shrugged and lifted my foot. He bolted up in a panic, snarling through gritted teeth, "Lunchtime," before storming out of the room.
Our classmates started murmuring, but the professor walked in right away, silencing them in an instant.
I sat in the seat next to the two and quietly asked,
"You okay?"
"......Yeah. Thanks."
Tana winced—her stomach still smarting from the desk shove—while Eve hid her streaming tears behind her book.
A sigh escaped me on its own.
Sensing this was probably the handiwork of that May girl chasing Ares around only piled on the frustration.
"But... will you be okay? You, Daniel..."
She was fretting since my name was already buzzing from the violence rumors, wondering if stirring up more trouble was wise. I reassured her not to worry.
*
Lunchtime.
Predictably, I got called to the rooftop. I told them I'd handle it alone, but Tana insisted it was her mess and refused point-blank, so we ended up heading up together.
Eve mustered the courage to tag along too, but just her offering was plenty. No need for her to witness the ugliness firsthand.
As Tana and I climbed to the rooftop, a crowd was already milling about. Delinquents through and through, with May smack in the middle.
'Knew it.'
I'd worried what if she wasn't involved—glad that's not the case.
"Hey, think you're tough shit just 'cause you pick on weaklings?"
"He's a perv too, right?"
"Gross. They flock together."
Starting with the guy I'd tussled with earlier, the crowd chimed in one by one, seizing the mood. Tana looked overwhelmed, her face darkening.
'Buncha kids running their mouths—what's there to fear.'
Teens this age were all the same.
Dimwits who figured their family's rep was their own worth. Ones who thought they inherited talent just 'cause the family had a hotshot knight or mage.
"Speak up. Hiding behind chairs, cheap-shotting backs..."
"Better than you lot, no? You go around hitting girls."
I tossed it out with a smile, and he blinked—clearly not expecting me to clap back so boldly in their turf—before forcing a hollow laugh.
"I gotta treat a bitch badmouthing my girlfriend like some lady?"
"She a dude then? For starters, spill where you heard that rumor. Looks to me like it started—and spread—right here."
I slid a glance over the group as I spoke. They spat curses for my attitude, posturing like they might lunge any second.
"What makes you so cocky? Think you'll get pity after we beat your ass and you cry to the profs?"
"Prof won't do shit—she's the dean's daughter."
I scoffed—"What kinda bullshit is that?"—and jabbed a finger at May. The girls nearby muttered something.
The guys who'd just been striking poses to intimidate started closing in around me.
"Hey, some of you here framed me for that assault, right?"
A few flinched, blindsided by the sudden pivot.
'Gotcha. Confirmed.'
I clocked every one whose eyes flickered, even for a split second. Smirking in small victory at checking that off my list, Tana tugged my sleeve from the side.
"W-What're you planning? You gonna run?"
"Nah. Fight."
She panicked at my straight answer.
"Fight?! How do you take this many? Half look like knight wannabes!"
"I'd love to throw down if they can handle it. But it won't go that far."
'Cause they'll tuck tail and bolt.
The rooftop door banged open. In strode a solidly built guy, trailed by striking girls each with their own standout vibe.
"Ah, Ares?"
May blurted his name in surprise. He flashed an awkward smile and asked,
"May, what's all this?"
The blue-haired girl beside Ares cackled mockingly.
"Told ya. Dean's pull lets her pull shady stunts."
"That's not it!"
Like her secrets got spilled in front of her crush, May flushed crimson and hung her head. Her posse around her started hesitating at the reaction.
"Looks like you owe us an explanation, May."
Her golden hair gleamed like spun gold. The slender girl, radiating noble poise, stepped forward—and May's followers bowed their heads in unison.
"W-Well..."
"We were clearing up a misunderstanding."
I slipped in casually with a grin.
Ares's girls tuned in, treating me like set-dressing narration.
"Bad rumors were flying about Tana. These guys are her friends, checking the facts and keeping 'em from spreading, right?"
I locked eyes with May.
Giving her the choice.
Ditch her shot with crush Ares to keep glaring me and Tana down?
Or fold, echo my line, spin excuses, and salvage her image?
"......Yeah. Weird rumors about Tana, so we were sorting it out. Telling everyone she's not like that."
".......Right?"
Ares approached May slowly, taking her hand with gentle warmth.
"May's as kind as ever. Got something I wanna ask you—spare a minute?"
"Y-Yeah? Sure!"
Blushing furiously with a beaming smile, she trailed after Ares. The rest of the crowd awkwardly scattered, abandoned by their leader.
'Sly operator.'
He'd gotten the rundown when first called over, but Ares hadn't acted shocked. Meant he already knew the side of May she hid from him.
"C'mon, let's head back."
I nudged Tana, who still seemed fuzzy on the play-by-play.
"Hold up."
One of Ares's girls—the one with strikingly long, deep red hair—called me out.
But it wasn't just her; all the other girls fixed their gazes on me too. And the vibe wasn't friendly.
"Pull this using Ares again, and we won't stand by."
"He's right. He's not your tool."
"Warning."
The fish hooked by angler Ares each fired off a line before descending the roof. Impressive, in a way—I let out a breath.
One was in my corner, though.
"Ah, Ares is cool and all, but you're not bad yourself!"
"......Is that your comfort?"
"Uh......"
You shoulda just gone with them too.