Chapter 76
Chapter 76
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 75
Chapter Title: Advice
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The situation was an utter mess, beyond words.
It looked like a three-way battle at first glance, but whether they planned to take out the strongest, Elise, first, Rin and May were teaming up to block Elise's greatsword.
"Heh heh! Is that all you've got? You think this is enough to become Master's woman?"
It was a cheap, provocative taunt, but it hit the mark perfectly. A sinister black aura began emanating from Rin's body.
The black energy started corroding Elise's magic circle, eventually turning the entire formation into her own.
This even surprised Elise a little, but she didn't show it on her face and began spamming spells as if to say, bring it on.
"I've got some too!"
That's when May jumped in.
I wondered what May Plob, who was relatively weaker than the two, could do in this fight, but contrary to my expectations, she was holding her own quite well.
Is she using her precise mana control in reverse for body enhancement?
May had always been a bit ambiguous up until now.
She mainly used magic, but what suited her best was brawling like beating up kids in back alleys.
And now, it seemed she'd developed a new fighting style by blending magic and fists.
Hoo.
Whether the Dean had helped or not, it was impressive physical reinforcement.
By pouring all her mana into that instead of elsewhere, she was exchanging blows with Elise on equal terms.
Of course, this was only possible because Elise wasn't using the auxiliary spells on her ring and was fighting purely with swordsmanship.
She didn't slack off during break after all.
I nodded while fiddling with the ring this way and that.
"Ugh, how the hell do you use this thing?"
As I vented my frustration, all three pairs of eyes snapped toward me at once.
"Daniel! You're here!"
"Maaaster!"
"Hey! These girls are total psychos. I'm trying to drag them to the hospital, but it's exhausting!"
"Yeah, they're making it real tiring."
I pocketed the ring, let out a sigh, and looked at the three. I was so beat I just wanted to crash in my dorm room, but now I was caught.
"Did you get the herbs?"
"Yeah, luckily."
Rin, who had been radiating a weird vibe just moments ago, was back to her usual kind village girl self, nodding as if to say, I see.
Watching that, I saw May fake-gag, and asked her,
"It's been a while for you?"
"Tch, you were wagging your tail all over the place during break?"
"......No, it's not like that."
She was talking like I was some expedition Casanova.
"I have a ton I want to say, but...... first, do something about these lunatics."
"Right, then......"
I turned my gaze to our biggest problem: the blonde princess.
"Maaaster, you're finally looking at me."
"What the hell happened to her? Where's that maid from before? Let's hear an explanation."
"Bertia? One moment."
Elise clapped a few times, and Bertia came running from afar.
But the problem was...
"......What are you doing?"
"......"
She was wearing our academy's cafeteria lady uniform. Staring at her in bewilderment, I looked back at Elise, who smiled brightly and replied,
"It seems like she has to stay with me at the academy, but they prohibit exclusive servants here. So Bertia decided to work here."
"I'll make you, delicious, meals."
"......"
From the way she spoke syllable by syllable, she clearly hated it. Her elegant cheeks even had a bit of sauce smeared on them.
"Yeah, whatever. Do what you want. But why is she so broken?"
At my question, cafeteria lady Bertia launched into a rapid-fire explanation as if she'd been waiting. About how I took her down, what happened after, and why she ended up with this mindset.
"......"
"Please, fix our princess back to normal. She wasn't like this before!"
She was practically tearing up as she pleaded with me.
But this seemed beyond what I could handle.
"I'm already Master's possession, so there's nothing to be done, Bertia."
She spoke kindly, like a teacher to a student, but the words were nonsense, so it had zero persuasive power.
May and Rin glared at me as if demanding an explanation.
But honestly, I had no idea what was going on either.
"Why are you mine?"
"Since I can't have Master, Master can have me instead."
Even her bullshit lacked conviction.
"No, ugh...... fine. Just stop calling me Master. I'm seriously about to punch you."
"Master!"
......Huh?
I'd said it with genuine irritation, but her reaction was weirdly off.
"Master! Master! Master! Master! Master! Master! Master! Master! Master! Master! Master!"
"You fucking bitch, stop it!"
Unable to hold back, May kicked Elise from the side. I could tell the cafeteria lady wanted to react, but the corner of her mouth twitched instead.
"Hey, treating her like that is like feeding a pig."
"Is that, how it is?"
"Yeah, that's how it is."
May stood huffing between Elise and me. Elise slowly got up and grumbled.
"I didn't want a reward from you."
"See? She's nuts! Calls it a reward!"
The kid really had lost it.
Even amid my growing headache and confusion, Rin slyly slipped in from the side.
"Daniel, so what are you going to do about Michelle?"
Now that she'd reverted from crazy Rin to normal Rin, she asked cautiously, and my head started aching again.
I had to ask, but I really didn't want to.
Still, thinking of that kid who'd trailed after me calling me uncle even after her father was arrested, I clenched my fist and spoke.
"Elise, grant me one request."
"......"
She suddenly crossed her arms and turned her head away. From everything so far, I could guess what she wanted, so I sighed and said,
"I'll give you one order."
"Yes! Yes! What shall it be? Ahh, it's my first time taking orders from someone—my stomach's tingling!"
I had no idea why her stomach was tingling, but anyway.
I whispered quietly so May wouldn't hear.
"Take in Michelle Portren through your royal channels. She needs support for food, shelter, and education."
"Hmm, there's something like that: the Royal Talent Development Institute, run in secret. She'd fit right in there."
The name alone sounded perfect, so I nodded. They owed us one from the Bethel incident anyway, so it shouldn't be hard.
"Got it. But in return, could you grant me one request?"
"......What."
As I asked warily, Elise pulled something from her bosom.
At first, I thought it was a necklace.
No, if it was a necklace, it was one.
A dog collar.
"Could you wear this for me just once?"
"......"
"Let me at her—I'm gonna kill this bitch today!"
May exploded and lunged, but the cafeteria lady blocked her, shouting apologies.
Today had been exhausting.
Granting Elise's tough request was hard enough, and then the Dean whined about why I was late.
I'd finally reunited with my sister after so long, but the damn woman was all, "You're popular, huh? Get along with the elf," nagging like some old uncle. It killed the mood.
I'd expected an emotional reunion, but thanks to her, all feeling just fizzled out.
At least Tana and Eve made me feel like I was back at the academy, which eased things a bit.
The problem arose back in my room.
"Wouldn't it be better if she slept in my room?"
"No way! This is my last night anyway—I'm sleeping with Uncle!"
Hayun was trying to soothe Michelle, but the girl was stubborn. They'd decided she'd go to the Royal Talent Development Institute tomorrow, so she wanted to sleep together tonight.
"Whatever, just let her. Sleeping together one night won't hurt."
Michelle was just a kid, after all.
It wasn't like with Rin—I didn't feel particularly uncomfortable sharing a bed with a child.
"Still, you must be tired."
"Thanks for worrying."
Hayun looked a bit flustered at my sincere gratitude but said okay and left.
It was already late at night.
I turned off the light and lay down next to Michelle, who was already in bed.
"So, what's the Talent Development Institute like?"
"Who knows? But they said the facilities and treatment are top-notch. It's only for a select few geniuses the royals pamper."
"D-Do you think I can do well in a place like that?"
I chuckled at Michelle's words and replied,
"You don't need to do well. Just be yourself."
Knowing her bright personality and her knack for making people happy, I was sure she'd win everyone over just by being her usual self.
Hadn't she even won over Sherpa, who lived in the Demon Realm Forest, in just a week?
"I wanted to spend more time with Uncle. It's a shame."
"We might meet again later, so don't worry."
"Yeah?"
"Yeah. I picked enough herbs to last a few years, but if you run out, just contact me."
"Got it."
As we chatted about this and that, Michelle fell asleep snug in my arms, and I stroked her hair.
Unable to see her father, her family collapsed, now off to some unknown place to live.
It was harsh for an 8-year-old, but I believed Michelle could overcome it, and I blessed her future.
Thwack!
"Ow, what the—."
I swatted away the pillow that smacked my face and grimaced. Gently peeling Michelle off my side, I got out of bed to see a white-haired girl standing in my room.
"Sen?"
"You got back yesterday and didn't even say hi?"
She spoke curtly.
We'd tackled the Bethel incident together, but maybe she was sulking because she didn't know the full outcome.
"Sleeping with a girl snuggled up, huh."
"Michelle? She's a girl? She's just a kid."
"A girl's a girl. Or is she a boy?"
"What are you even...... No, but you didn't say much when you saw me sleeping with Rin before. Why are you so pissy now?"
In Bethel, Rin had slept with us because she was anxious, and Sen hadn't commented much then. So why now?
The window was open, so she'd probably climbed in.
This is getting dangerous.
Whatever Sen was thinking, I felt a sense of crisis inwardly.
It was an ambush I never would've imagined before.
Even in deep sleep, I'd sense monsters entering my territory—that sharp instinct from my Sherpa days was dulling.
It's definitely more comfortable here than back then, but...
Still, I'd let myself go too much.
My body was in its prime, growing stronger, but my senses were numbing.
As I pondered ways to sharpen them again, Sen muttered,
"The Extermination Squad gets at least one request a week."
"......And?"
I wondered why she was suddenly talking about the squad, but she fidgeted with her feet and asked,
"It's been two weeks since I took the mission?"
"......"
"Kinda, bored."
I thought she'd progressed since switching from "request" to "mission," but she still hadn't fully broken free of that mindset.
"I'll talk after sending Michelle off."
"Talk? With me? A mission?"
"No, no! Just get out!"
She didn't have to blaze her own trail.
If there were already footprints ahead, she could learn from them.
Even if I really hated it.
"How the hell did Ares endure this?"
I never thought I'd consider asking Ares for advice in my life.