Come. My Beloved Disciples.
The room was piled high with documents.
Beyond the window, stars twinkled across the sky even though it was daytime.
A woman of surreal beauty, perfectly suited to that dreamlike scenery, sipped her tea while chatting happily with a man.
"You look to be in high spirits, Teacher Rowell. Here, have a cup."
Despite her youthful appearance, she spoke with the archaic tone of an elder. She passed one of the teacups in her hand to the man.
Rowell accepted it, scratching the back of his head with an embarrassed laugh before answering her question.
"The children are coming back. I never mentioned it before, but without them around… it’s been terribly lonely. I didn’t even realize how much I craved their company until now."
"Hoho. There is nothing difficult to understand about that. I have watched from the side how much devotion you poured into those children… Yes. It is only natural to feel lonely."
"And if I have one regret… the hero party children said they were coming, but… I haven’t heard anything from the others."
"Hmm… Could it be that you simply failed to check your letters properly?"
At her words, Rowell searched his memory for a moment, but no forgotten letters came to mind.
"I even went to the post office… Haah. There was nothing but prank letters."
"Prank letters…?"
She showed clear interest in the prank letters. Rowell waved his hands quickly.
"Yes. Something about a Dragon King… or a Demon King… Haha. Anyone could tell they were jokes, right? I’ve been waiting so eagerly, sometimes staying up all night. Whoever sent them has truly terrible taste."
"Hmm…"
She continued watching him with evident curiosity.
"…Principal. I’m only asking just in case, but… were the other children also special like the hero party ones?"
"Well… Since I did not teach them personally, I cannot say for certain."
Slurp.
After taking a sip of tea, savoring the aroma for a moment, and swallowing, the principal set her cup down and spoke.
"By the way, Rowell, are you not seeking a spouse?"
"Um… Well. Who would want someone like me…"
Rowell scratched his cheek, looking troubled.
Watching him, the principal smiled mischievously and asked,
"Then what about the hero party children? They all adore you greatly, and they lack nothing in either ability or beauty, do they?"
Rowell’s gentle smile froze for a moment at her words.
"Principal. Those children are my disciples and brilliant stars. I… am satisfied simply receiving their letters. I do not wish to become a burden that blocks the path they walk."
It was quite a firm tone to use before a superior, yet the principal only laughed as if greatly amused and handed him a single sheet of paper.
"This is…?"
"Those children all left the academy to begin their journeys among the stars once their education was complete, yes? Therefore they have yet to receive their diplomas. They will earn them through a three-year curriculum that has been arranged."
Despite her explanation, the listed classes were all electives, and not a single assigned teacher was named—except for Rowell himself.
"Hmm… Is it still unfinished? Well, it will be quite some time before the children arrive…"
"It is not unfinished. It simply cannot be finalized until the ones who will decide arrive."
"Hmm… I’m not sure if there is anything left for me to teach them. They were all children of such outstanding talent…"
"Who knows? Perhaps they wish to learn something related to real life…?"
"Haha. If it’s something like that, I suppose I can manage. I can certainly help with cooking, etiquette, or communal living."
Rowell laughed brightly. Astrape Lagrange, the principal watching him, offered no reply. She simply, very slowly, lifted the teacup to her lips.
That silence somehow filled Rowell with an ominous feeling.
"Just in case… is there something I don’t know about…?"
When the principal lowered her cup, a smile lingered at the corners of her mouth.
A smile that felt extremely ominous to Rowell…
"Well… As a perfectly ordinary principal, I wouldn’t know. You may leave now. Should you not show your disciples the dignified appearance of a proper teacher before they return?"
Rowell nodded at her words, rose from his seat, bowed deeply, and left the room.
Once he was gone, the principal returned to her desk. With a flick of her fingers, threads of mana stretched out and placed three documents before her.
On them were written:
Hero Party: An ordinary family with Teacher Stars of the Non-Human: Mate, Nest, Undersea Palace, Throne Stars of the Demon Race: Permission, Contract, Bride, Capture
"Goodness… I certainly thought he would guide them onto the right path…"
As she examined the documents, the principal could not suppress a soft chuckle.
"Just like the possibilities he showed that day, he continues to surprise me in so many ways."
The papers contained the future dreams and goals each of the fifteen girls had written before leaving the academy to begin their journeys among the stars.
"Yes… Every single one listed ‘bride’ as their future aspiration… The rest… are more or less the same."
Astrape turned the pages one by one.
The stars of the hero party.
The very first page bore exceptionally neat handwriting.
「I will become someone who can receive praise from Teacher. And if possible, I want to eat an ordinary breakfast together with Teacher.」
“Hmm. A very Elena-like goal.”
The next page was smudged with silver ink.
「I will stay by Teacher’s side and take care of him so he never has to struggle alone again. Even if it takes a lifetime.」
“Serena is the same as ever.”
As the documents continued, the expressions grew increasingly blatant.
「Secure Teacher’s safety. Mandatory accompaniment when going out. Provide support when using stairs.」
「Predict and block Teacher’s escape routes. However, emotional consent must be secured.」
「Achieve distance of 0 from Teacher. Transition from observation target to companion.」
Astrape laughed quietly.
“The first group still shows some educational goals, at least.”
The problem came after that.
「Mate confirmed. I already remember his scent. I will not let him go.」
「The most precious treasure belongs in the deepest part of the nest. However, since Teacher said he is not an object, revision of phrasing is required.」
「Invitation to the undersea palace. Currently improving breathing issues.」
「Received a promise to return. Strictly speaking, this constitutes a proposal; therefore, spirit surveillance is not surveillance but accompaniment.」
「Rehearsal for dream wedding. Reviewing feasibility of real-world application.」
Astrape set her teacup down.
“The second group learned splendidly as well. The direction has simply taken a strange turn.”
And finally, the last bundle of documents.
The stars of the demon race.
「Permitted bloodsucking. Preferably starting from the wrist.」
「Being chosen without using abilities. However, if Teacher proves too stubborn, review the use of perfume.」
「Vacant seat beside the throne. Will invite with a request, not an order.」
「Reviewing legal validity of past promise. High possibility of verbal contract formation.」
「Creation of an open-door nest. Will make Teacher enter of his own accord.」
After a brief silence, Astrape finally burst into laughter.
“Rowell, just what exactly did you make bloom?”
She stamped the bottom of the documents.
Educational value confirmed.
However, significant mental damage to the assigned instructor is anticipated.
Deemed a reasonable exchange under the principle of equivalent exchange.
“As expected, you really are the best, Rowell…”
With a decadent smile, Astrape imagined what kind of face he would make when he saw the stars he had caused to bloom. She buried herself once more in her mountain of documents and returned to work.
Around that same time, Rowell, who had left the principal’s office, was standing in the middle of the hallway feeling an inexplicable chill.
“…Why does my back feel so cold?”
Outside the window, it was clearly daytime.
A dazzlingly bright day.
When he opened the window, the sky above Lagrange Ark Academy was growing brighter with even more stars.
The stars changed according to the principal’s mood…
She must be in an exceptionally good mood.
Gazing at that starlight, Rowell paused for a moment.
It was strange.
The sky of Lagrange Ark Academy had never been ordinary to begin with.
Stars were visible even during the day, and at night they drew so close it felt like you could reach out and touch them.
No matter how much they changed with her mood, today they were unusually bright.
As if the stars that had drifted far away were finally returning to their proper orbits.
“…Must be my imagination.”
Rowell forced a smile and shook his head.
Just as he was about to start walking again, an administrative assistant came running frantically from the end of the hallway.
“Teacher Rowell! Haa… haa… whew…”
The assistant was breathing so hard from running that even after arriving he was gasping for air. Rowell looked at him with pity.
“I’m not going anywhere. Please take your time and speak.”
“Whew… Yes, thank you. Um… about the first period class tomorrow morning. The original instructor, Teacher Erdin, has to leave urgently for an external matter. Could you possibly substitute for him?”
“First period… that would be the temporary adaptation class for returnees, right?”
“Yes. The roster hasn’t been finalized yet, but it’s the day when students who left the academy long ago will be returning.”
Rowell smiled softly at those words.
Returning students.
Just those two words warmed a corner of his chest.
“Understood. If they’re children coming back after so long, it would be good for someone to welcome them in their first class.”
“Thank you!”
The administrative assistant bowed and hurried away.
Rowell looked out the window once more.
The stars seemed even brighter than before.
“I wonder when our children will come…”
He still had no idea.
That the temporary adaptation class he would be in charge of tomorrow was the beginning of a graduation class he would never be able to escape for the rest of his life.