Chapter 73
Chapter 73
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 72
Chapter Title: While He Was Away (1)
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Two months—a long time if it felt long, short if it felt short—had passed since the vacation began.
Countless students were returning from their hometowns to Elgrid.
Whether by land or sea, Elgrid had excellent transportation options, so the students were arriving at the dormitories without much trouble.
There were still about two days until classes started, but most students were already staying in their rooms, just in case.
And here.
There was May Flob, the delinquent girl who had been dragged off to her family home by her cousin, the Dean, right from the start of vacation and had no choice but to stay put.
This vacation had been truly boring for her.
Her aunt, the Dean, had threatened that she wouldn't tell her father about her being a delinquent student, so long as she behaved and played the dutiful daughter at home during break.
She'd had a good time with her family, but personally, she had a boy she wanted to spend the vacation with, so it left her feeling regretful.
'He said he was going to Yggdrasil.'
I wonder if he actually met that elf there?
And if he did, what happened?
May Flob couldn't stand not asking right away, so the girl boldly strode through the boys' floor.
"Hey! This is the third floor!"
Bedelment, who used to be the leader of the delinquents but had become May's lackey and friend after losing to her, exclaimed in surprise, but she ignored him and kept walking.
'No time to deal with you!'
She wanted to see him right now.
Yeah, she wanted to punch that idiot face of his, yell if he'd missed her for the past two months, and then plant a kiss on him!
"Hoo, I can't hold back. I'm gonna go see Daniel."
Yeah, let's do it.
It's been two months—might as well make the reunion memorable.
"Hey, Dani-eeel! Didn't you miss your big sis?!"
May burst into Daniel's room, grinning brightly as she shouted.
"Huh?"
"Hmm?"
Inside the room, two rather unusual girls were unpacking their luggage.
"W-What are you two doing?"
The flustered May glanced at the nameplate on the door. Daniel McClane. It was right...
"Close the door and come in quick!"
One of the girls, Hayun, urgently said, worried someone outside might see, and May, swept up in the moment, shut the door.
She could sort of understand Hayun being here, but what she really couldn't wrap her head around was the cute little girl with pale blue-gray hair.
She looked about 8 or 9 years old, and it seemed like the luggage being unpacked belonged to her.
"What are you doing?"
Why was this little kid unpacking in Daniel McClane's room? Hayun racked her brain, wondering how to explain.
She hadn't explained everything that happened in Bethel, but basically, Michelle's family had completely fallen after her father was transferred for trial.
And since there were people who might harm her, Daniel had agreed to look after her here until he returned.
"Until Daniel gets back?"
"He said he was stopping by some forest on the way."
She deliberately didn't mention it was the Demon Realm Forest. May slowly tilted her head, looking down at Michelle.
"Your name's Michelle, right?"
"Yes! You're May sis, right?"
"Huh? How'd you know?"
Michelle beamed at the puzzled May.
"Uncle said if they look like they have a bad personality, that's May sis!"
"Oh?"
So this jerk had been badmouthing her behind her back?
As she grinned wickedly, wondering how to punish him when he got back, Michelle added,
"But he said she's someone you can trust. If anything happens, go to her first. Said she reconquered the school with her fists."
"Ahem, yeah, that's true."
Good, punishment changed to a kiss.
She'd meant to do it earlier anyway, so this was just the one left over—May's miraculous logic created a kiss out of thin air.
"Anyway, Michelle's using Daniel's room until he gets back, so be careful not to let anyone else catch you."
"......Got it."
May nodded, but she felt oddly uncomfortable.
'Why's she talking so casually familiar?'
She knew Hayun was on friendly terms with Daniel, but that was it. They didn't seem super close. Yet now, it felt like she was at home with her daughter, waiting for her husband.
Hayun didn't seem aware of it herself.
"Hey, during vacation..."
As May started grilling Hayun, a strange commotion came from outside.
Thud thud thud thud.
Heavy footsteps approached, and it sounded like other students were fleeing.
Finally, the door opened.
"Daniel! Vacation started, why didn't you come home?"
A black-haired girl in a fifth-year uniform, who oddly resembled Daniel, stood there.
"......Huh?"
May's exact reaction.
But unlike May, she didn't freeze—instead, she slammed the door shut, locked it, and scowled.
"Who are you? Where's my Daniel?"
It was Daniel's sister, Dina McClane, making her entrance.
*
Until the end of the first semester's vacation, the fifth-years had been away on practical training in other regions.
Not all fifth-years went to the same place, of course. They each had their own missions, and if they got approval from the supervisor there, they could return to the academy.
Of course, those missions weren't easy.
Those who finished early could enjoy their vacation, but the rest had to pour effort in even during break.
In that sense, Dina McClane was one of the students who finished her practical training the fastest.
The place she was assigned to was the "Dragon's Border," the boundary between the dragonkin and humans.
Dina had worked there alongside the guardians.
For reference, the Dragon's Border had no immigration checks or anything—just fences made of barbed wire and bars.
There were no gates.
Humans and dragonkin had a treaty not to invade each other's territory at all.
They didn't even trade; they completely ignored one another.
Her role there had been to prevent humans from crossing the Dragon's Border or dragonkin from entering human lands—and to kill any who tried.
"No, Rin sent a letter saying Daniel was at risk of expulsion. So I pushed hard to finish early and come back."
May averted her eyes guiltily as she listened.
"Then on the way back, another letter came. Said it was all resolved. Figured I'd head home anyway since it was vacation, but Daniel never showed!"
"He went to Yggdrasil with me and Rin."
"Yeah, Ares told me."
Dina replied indifferently, then slowly turned to look at Hayun.
"You went too?"
"Yes, I did."
"Good, then one question. Why'd he go there?"
"......"
Dina scratched the back of her head as she asked, and Hayun glanced at May and Michelle.
Michelle might not know, but May knew some of it.
It's his little brother, so it's fine, Hayun rationalized inwardly as she answered Dina.
"Because the person Daniel likes is an elf, so he went to confess."
"......Did I hear that wrong?"
Dina dug in her ear with her pinky and told her to repeat it. Hayun did, word for word.
"Daniel likes Rin, though?"
Dina asked if she had it wrong, but Hayun shook her head.
"I-It seems like things got sorted out properly with Rin."
"Hah, so he confessed then?"
"Did it work?"
May jumped in right after Dina's question.
She'd been fidgeting, dying to know. Hayun hesitated a moment, then nodded.
"She gave an answer like she likes Daniel too. But since they're students, they're taking it slow for now."
"Whoa, Uncle's the man."
"Our little bro's got skills."
Hayun patted herself on the back for the perfect response.
Starting from helping with Eris's conquest, Daniel had often consulted her on love advice, including how he was troubled by May's confession.
"......"
May stared blankly at Hayun, who fell silent without another word.
There was no reason for her to lie.
Realizing that, May's heart sank, and she felt tears welling up for no reason.
But she held them back tight.
"Yeah......"
She forced the corners of her mouth up a bit.
"Good for him."
The boy she liked had succeeded in confessing. They weren't dating yet, but that was just a matter of time.
May felt a bitter sting of defeat and leaned against Daniel's bed for no reason.
Even after two months, his faint scent lingered, stirring her heart into even more turmoil.
"Ugh, anyway, Daniel's not here, right? Then I'm out."
Dina left coolly.
As she went, May slowly stood to leave too.
But then, two more people entered Daniel's room.
Rin and Elise.
Rin made sense, but May couldn't understand Elise at all.
But their conversation was anything but ordinary.
"Daniel owns you?"
"Yeah, so?"
Wondering if she'd misheard, May stared dumbly at them, tempted to share her heartbreak with them too.
"Daniel already has someone he likes. He promised to date her."
Her frustration boiled over at these women who still thought they could love him, so she spoke up.
May believed sharing pain made it hurt less—or at least, she wasn't going to suffer alone—so she smirked triumphantly.
"I know. But I'm tied to Daniel even closer than that."
"What does it matter who she dates? He's mine."
"......"
These crazy bitches?
The word "heartbreak" vanished from May's mind as raw irritation surged toward these women pretending to be sane while lost in madness.