Late Night with the Fifteen Beasts
It was only after watching the children file into their dormitory that I finally stepped into the one built exclusively for me.
“...Yeah. It’s pretty ordinary.”
One desk. One chair. Assorted furniture and one adequately large bed. I was so exhausted that I collapsed onto it without even washing up properly.
Perhaps they had considered my poor condition. The bed and blankets were exceptionally soft and carried a wonderful fragrance that calmed my weary body and mind.
“Still… I should do what needs to be done…”
I didn’t stay lying down for long. It was my first day on duty and I had been through plenty of exhausting events, but that was no excuse for laziness. I rose from the bed, washed myself thoroughly, sat at the desk, and looked at the next day’s timetable—only to immediately regret not simply collapsing straight into sleep.
Tomorrow’s Timetable
1st Period: Bride Class — The Demeanor of One Who Has Become a Wife
2nd Period: Cooking Class — Special Dishes Teacher Rowell Likes (Taster: Rowell Ackerman)
3rd Period: Home Economics Class — Knitting
4th Period: Bride Class — How to Detect a Husband’s Infidelity
5th Period: Free Time
“What kind of timetable is this…? I shouldn’t have looked… And to begin with, if the husband is communal property, what even counts as infidelity?”
They were classes that offered me no benefit even if I understood them and gave me nothing I could actually do.
“No, more importantly—there are no assigned instructors. Who’s supposed to teach any of this???”
That was the most baffling part. No matter how I looked at it, none of the subjects seemed like they would be left to me.
“...No. Wouldn’t thinking about it any further be just as meaningless?”
With my disciples already threatening my chastity, dwelling too deeply on the matter wasn’t wise. Yes, it was bad for my mental health. For now I would sleep, wake refreshed early tomorrow morning, and think then.
“Hmm… Thinking of it that way does put my mind at ease…”
“Comfortable?”
“Yeah. It really does seem like everything depends on one’s mindset. I feel much better now…”
“Hehe. It’s comfortable for me too, being right beside Teacher.”
“Haha, well…”
When I turned my head, Irel was lying on her side next to me, giving off a refreshing minty scent.
“........”
“Good night, Teacher.”
“Kyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!!!”
Bang! The door flew off its hinges. To be precise, the entire panel detached from the frame, rolled twice across the hallway floor, and stopped.
“Teacher!”
“You!”
“Sir!”
“Honey!”
“Rowell!”
All sorts of different titles poured out at once. And before those titles even registered, what filled my vision was the sight of my disciples, each dressed in pajamas according to their personal tastes, already holding their dedicated weapons or divine powers.
“...”
I sat collapsed on the floor, staring at the spectacle with a look of utter despair. Honestly, it was ridiculous.
Elena wore a white nightgown beneath a thin robe, the ring on her right index finger gleaming. The white diamond set in it was ready to transform into a platinum greatsword at any moment.
“Teacher! Are you all right?! Is it an enemy?!”
“Not an enemy, but there are certainly a lot of disciples.”
“Then that’s a relief!”
“It’s not a relief at all.”
Serena approached, wrapped in a gray veil. The gently glowing veil of benevolence softly pushed back the darkness inside the room.
“Teacher, where are you injured?”
“My chastity is in critical condition.”
“We can confirm that together during tomorrow’s counseling session.”
“Do not confirm it.”
Brunhilde stood silently holding her shield. She was in pajamas, yet carrying a shield. And it looked completely natural.
“An intruder?”
“You people are the intruders.”
“...I see.”
Brunhilde thought for a moment, then nodded.
“But Teacher screamed.”
“Because of the intruder, I said.”
“Eliminating the cause is necessary.”
“She was definitely smart when she was little…”
Luciel, dressed in dark blue pajamas, clutched an open magic tome to her chest. Her eyes already shone as though she had calculated the room’s entire spatial structure.
“Rowell. Scream location, angle of fall, distance to bed. No visible external injuries.”
“Yeah. Good. So everyone, let’s leave.”
“But Irel is on the bed.”
“Yes. That was the problem.”
“Spatially, we should all be together as well.”
“But morally it’s completely unnatural.”
Ariel wore a thin green nightgown with a shawl draped over it, holding her bow low. Her hair, tied loosely instead of in her usual floral crown, spilled over her shoulders.
“Teacher. Please be at ease—I have confirmed the blind spots on the window side.”
“Ariel, I keep telling you that you people are the cause.”
Before she even finished speaking, Laya had already leaped toward my bed.
“Honey, the scent!”
“Layaaaaaaa!”
True to her lion-beastkin nature, Laya burrowed straight onto the bed. Her golden tail thrashed wildly across the blankets.
“Sniff… haa… Yes! Stabilized!”
“Do not sniff my bed like some kind of animal!”
“You said we should be beasts starting today!”
“That was your line!”
Valeria wore dark red silk pajamas. Yet she had thrown on something resembling a cloak over them, so she didn’t look like someone who had come to sleep at all. Her red eyes beneath her dragon horns swept across the room.
“Hmph. Rather shabby for this king’s treasure vault.”
“This is my room, not your treasure vault.”
“Wherever Teacher is becomes this king’s treasure vault.”
“Fix the door first and then talk.”
“That door has already lost its dignity.”
“You people are the ones who destroyed it!”
Tethys stood quietly at the threshold in blue pajamas. In her hand floated a pearl-decorated, water-drop-shaped gem. The air in the room grew faintly humid.
“Did you get startled, dear?”
“Yes. Very.”
“It’s all right. Breathe slowly and it will calm.”
“Calm where?”
“Into me.”
“Weren’t we talking about breathing techniques?”
Irel, the very source of the problem, remained lying obediently on the bed. Her mint-colored hair fanned across the blankets, and a refreshing scent of fresh grass filled the room.
“Teacher.”
“What.”
“Teacher’s bed is comfortable.”
“I just learned that myself. Move over.”
“Just a little longer.”
“Irel.”
“Yes?”
“More importantly, why were you in my bed in the first place?”
Irel thought for a moment, then smiled brightly.
“The wind told me to sleep here.”
“You should keep your distance from that sort of friend.”
Mirabel flew in flapping her fairy wings, dressed in pastel pajamas. In her hand she held something like a tiny fairy wand.
“Heehee! Teacher’s scream was super cute!”
“Are you enjoying this?”
“Yes!”
Roselia wore a black lace nightgown beneath a thin robe. In her hand was a wine-colored glass, and I had no desire to ask what was inside it.
“Teacher. Your pulse is elevated.”
“Because of all of you.”
“Please be at ease. I will not examine you without permission.”
“You’re already looking.”
“I considered visual confirmation to be within the bounds of etiquette.”
“Vampire etiquette is complicated. Also, you’re drooling, Roselia.”
Astella leaned against the doorframe in purple pajamas. Her heart-shaped choker glowed subtly, and her tail swayed as though thoroughly delighted.
“Teacher, were you scared?”
“Yes. I’m still very scared.”
“Shall I hug you?”
“No. Do not.”
Asteria wore a black nightgown with a thin coat thrown over it. Even in sleepwear, the Demon King’s presence remained undiminished. A black crown-like halo hovered faintly above her.
“Teacher. What happened?”
“Your spirit-queen classmate was in my bed.”
Asteria glanced at Irel. Irel gave a small wave.
“Hello.”
“...I see.”
“Do not be convinced.”
“....Irel, please come down.”
Irel hugged the blanket tightly.
“No.”
Asteria narrowed her eyes slightly.
“It is not an order.”
“A request?”
“Correct.”
“Still… just a little longer.”
“...You are strong.”
“Why are you impressed?!”
Bellina wore white-and-gray pajamas. The hems of her sleeves still carried the subtle glow of spiderweb patterns, and her bare hands were clasped politely.
“Master. The door has fallen, it has.”
“Yes. I saw.”
“May this girl repair it?”
“Yes. Fix it. Please.”
Bellina bowed her head quietly. Then she drew silver-gray threads from her fingertips. The detached door panel floated up smoothly, guided by the threads back into the frame. The broken hinges and cracked wood were tightly bound.
“It is a temporary repair.”
“Thank you, Bellina.”
“However, should Master leave during the night, this girl will know through the vibration of the threads. There is no need to thank me.”
“I am not thankful, Bellina.”
Finally Ophelia entered. She wore a black sleeping gown, yet naturally carried a contract binder in her arms. A demon archduchess walking around in pajamas with documents in hand. Just how had I raised this child?
“Teacher. I came to confirm the emergency situation.”
“Ophelia.”
“Yes.”
“Hand me that document.”
“It is the emergency door-damage liability confirmation form.”
“It’s your responsibility.”
“Joint liability, or sole liability of the first to damage it?”
“Do not ask me.”
In any case, all fifteen of them had gathered inside my room. In the middle of the night. In their pajamas. Each holding their personal armaments or powers. Centered around my single bed.
I sat on the floor and stared at the scene. Then I muttered with genuine feeling.
“It really is a spectacle.”
At those words the children looked at one another. I had hoped they would simply leave, but one by one they began moving toward my bed with perfect naturalness.
“Wait.”
No one stopped. Laya already had her face buried in the blanket. Irel hugged the pillow. Mirabel bounced on the mattress crying “It’s so fluffy!” while Serena nodded after checking the texture of the bedding.
“It seems to provide the sense of security Teacher requires.”
“Why are you the ones confirming that?”
Ariel was measuring the distance between the pillow and my position.
“An appropriate distance.”
“Between what and what?”
“Between Teacher and us.”
“The distance between us is widening in real time.”
Roselia lightly touched the edge of the blanket with her fingertips.
“It has a pleasant scent.”
“Please do not do that too, Roselia…”
Tethys placed her hand on the edge of the bed and smiled gently.
“You will be able to sleep deeply.”
“Me?”
“Someday.”
Valeria crossed her arms while looking down at the bed.
“Hmm. It falls short for this king’s treasure, but I shall overlook it as temporary lodging for the first night.”
“Do not call it the first night.”
Astella leaned lightly against the bed and smiled.
“Teacher, if you sleep here you’ll have sweet dreams, won’t you?”
“If you appear it becomes a nightmare.”
“Then I won’t appear in the dream—I’ll come in reality.”
“That’s even worse.”
Brunhilde stood beside the bed and spoke briefly.
“It is safe.”
“What is? The bed?”
“No. We are here.”
“That is exactly why it is not safe.”
Luciel lightly examined the space above the bed.
“Much better than our dormitory.”
“In what way?”
“Rowell is here. Can we not keep him in our dormitory?”
“I am not an object.”
Even so, Asteria did not touch the bed until the very end. She simply looked at me and said,
“Teacher. Sleep.”
“When you all leave.”
“Then we shall leave.”
It was the most normal statement of the night. For a moment I nearly felt moved.
“Still… it has been so long… so together…”
“No.”
Ophelia was recording the entire scene.
Stars’ Satisfaction Level: High
Assigned Teacher’s Satisfaction Level: Low
Additional Note: Immediate improvement to teacher treatment recommended.
“Be sure to improve the treatment in that last item.”
“I will review it separately.”
“Again?!”
And so the bed was inspected one by one by the fifteen stars. Someone smelled it. Someone checked its texture. Someone measured distances and angles. Someone wove threads around it. Someone recorded everything in a contract.
And I had to watch the entire process while sitting on the floor. It was my bed. It was definitely my bed. Yet I could only watch helplessly as my bed was thoroughly violated.
The satisfied beasts took turns offering their goodnight greetings and left the personal room one by one.
At the very end, Bellina stood before the door again.
“This girl is the last.”
She clasped her hands neatly and bowed.
“May you have a peaceful night wrapped in our scents.”
“I am not a pervert.”
Bellina gently pulled the door shut with her silver-gray threads. The door closed with a creak. From the hallway, the children’s footsteps gradually faded away.
I remained seated on the floor for a long time. The room was now filled with a mixture of many different scents. The saint’s gentle radiance. The spirit’s refreshing grassy fragrance. The beastkin’s warm body heat. The vampire’s rose perfume. The succubus’s sweet aroma. Traces of sea, forest, night, and thread.
It was a good scent. A truly good scent.
Which only made me angrier.
“Hahaha… These incorrigible beasts.”
I rose slowly. The bed looked incredibly soft. The blankets still carried that pleasant fragrance. The pillow was probably the most comfortable in the world.
So I made up my mind. Tonight, I would absolutely not sleep in that bed.
I gathered the clothes and towel I would change into tomorrow morning. Then I very carefully opened the door Bellina had repaired.
A silver-gray thread vibrated faintly in the gap.
“...”
I paused. From somewhere down the hallway, I thought I heard Bellina’s tiny voice. No—I did hear it.
“Master?”
I answered quietly.
“Bathroom.”
The thread’s vibration stopped.
“Have a safe trip.”
“Thank you.”
I walked toward the bathroom, then turned and headed straight for the staff room.
That night, I abandoned the personal quarters assigned to the teacher in charge of the Hall of Stars and slept on the sofa in the staff room instead.
It was hard. Uncomfortable. My back ached.
But at least no one else was there.
I will remember this. I will definitely remember this. Someday I will have my revenge. Probably. If possible.