21 - Professor, This is All Part of Your Big Picture, Right?

"Alright, let's go."

She nodded solemnly. But before heading straight to the lecture hall, there was one unavoidable checkpoint we had to pass. I led Piarot Evangeline to the infirmary on the first floor of the main building.

Knock, knock.

"Come in."

The door slid open with a rattle. The familiar scent of disinfectant filled the air. Rena, the infirmary teacher, who had been yawning in her chair, openly furrowed her brow when she saw me.

"Teacher, long time no see."

"Ugh, you again... If it's malingering, get out now."

She waved me away in genuine disgust, then froze. "Huh? Wait, you're Evan, right?"

She adjusted her glasses and stared right through me. Come to think of it, this was my first visit since shedding my 'loathing filter.'

"Forgot my face already? I'm hurt."

"No, that's not it. It really is you. So the curse story was true."

She grabbed my face in fascination, turning it this way and that. "Heh..."

Zing! A chill killing intent prickled from behind me. Rena flinched and pulled her hands back.

"Uh... who's that behind you?"

"Hello. I'm Piarot Evangeline."

"Ah, the one with the pre-scheduled health check... Come on in."

Piarot greeted her with wary eyes. "Nice to meet you. I heard the witch rumors ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠were all nonsense. You're way prettier than the gossip."

"Ah... thank you."

I casually pushed Piarot's back. "Enough teasing. Give her a thorough checkup. See if there's anything wrong, check her nutrition status."

"Uh... yeah, okay. Got it. Come inside."

Piarot went behind the curtain to the exam bed. I sat in a chair, anxiously jiggling my leg as I waited. What if she had some hidden condition I didn't know about?

A moment later.

The curtain rustled open, and the teacher emerged, chart in hand.

"Hmm, the results are..."

"How is she?"

"Underweight and chronic sleep deprivation aside, nothing special. Her mana circuits are normal too."

"See, Evan!!"

Piarot scampered out and grabbed my arm. "I'm fine! Totally healthy! Sturdy as can be!"

Her eyes blazed with a fierce 'keep your promise!' demand.

"Hmm... alright, got it."

I bowed ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠to the teacher. "Evangeline, eat well and rest up, and you'll be better in no time. Don't push yourself."

"Yes. Thank you."

We said our goodbyes and left the infirmary.

Click.

The moment the door shut, Piarot blocked my path with triumphant energy.

"See, Evan!! I'm fine now, right?"

"......"

"The doctor said so too. Nothing special! So our promise..."

"No."

I pulled a sheet of paper from my pocket and waved it. It was the self-diagnosis questionnaire I'd snatched from the exam room desk.

"Care to look at this, patient?"

"What’s this?"

"Ugh... busted."

She stuck out her tongue and averted her eyes. She'd faked it all to get cleared as healthy ASAP.

"You little rascal."

I chuckled and flicked her forehead with a thwack.

"Ow!"

"Well, at least nothing major's wrong. That's a relief."

I smoothed her tousled bangs. "Like the teacher said, get good sleep and eat well. No deal till you put on some weight. Got it?"

"Tch..."

She pouted, but soon beamed at my touch. "Yeah, got it. I'll eat a ton."

"Good girl."

"But..."

She hooked my pinky tight, her red eyes gleaming. "When I really get healthy... you gotta keep the promise, no take-backs?"

"Yes, yes, promise."

*

We left the infirmary and headed straight to the magic department building, Professor Werner's research lab.

Knock, knock.

"Come in."

As we entered, Professor Werner adjusted his glasses from behind a mountain of papers.

"Professor, it's me."

"Oh, Evan. What brings you..."

He looked up, and his gaze locked onto the black-haired beauty behind me. His eyes widened in shock.

"Ah, no... you...!"

"You know her, right? The Evangeline lady I've been tending to as a 'work-study student' at your earnest request."

I brazenly continued. "I reported she was recovering from depression and eating disorders in the annex, remember?"

"Th-that's true, but... why here...?"

The professor was visibly flustered. The rumored witch had walked into his lab of her own accord, after all.

"She's recovered her health and wants to return to the academy."

"Return?"

"Yes. She finished the semester with just written exams and mana measurements, but now she wants to attend classes normally."

I glanced at Piarot and added, "She's still a bit scared of people, though... so for now, she'd like to start with 'audit classes' alongside me, someone she's close to. That's why we're here for permission."

"But... why come to me for that...?"

The professor started to protest, his face screaming 'don't drag me into this hassle.' But then—

Piarot stepped forward gracefully.

"I've heard much about you, Professor Werner."

She bowed with noble etiquette, her poise overwhelming. The professor flinched.

"I heard you sent Evan to help me recover... that it was your profound intent."

"Uh...?"

"When everyone had given up on me, you alone worried. Thank you truly."

Piarot's flawless method acting. In truth, he'd just dumped me on her as a handyman, but no one could say 'Nah, I sent him 'cause he was a nuisance' in this moment.

"Ahem... er, yes. I was quite worried about you."

The professor cleared his throat awkwardly, accepting the 'benevolent mentor' title.

"People still scare me a little. For this semester, may I audit classes with Evan to adjust...?"

'Huh, she's good.'

"But... why me for classes that aren't even mine...?"

"Aren't you her supervising professor?"

I drove the nail in. "You signed the paperwork assigning her advisor, and you attached me as her dedicated aide. This is all part of your big picture... right?"

"......"

The professor went mute as a clam. Deny it, and he undermines his own decisions; affirm it, and he's stuck with the hassle. But the latter was at least honorable.

"Y-yes, my big picture. Indeed."

He finally nodded in resignation.

"Well done, Evan. I knew you'd pull it off. So, what do you want? Audit permission?"

I grinned and shook my head. "No, we can get that from admin."

"Then?"

"Class is starting soon. Just come with us and say a word."

...

The magic department lecture hall buzzed with pre-class chatter.

The front door slid open. Professor Werner entered, and the room fell silent instantly. But the students' eyes fixed not on him, but the two following behind.

"Huh? Evan and... who's the other one?"

A dumbstruck murmur escaped someone.

"Did we have someone like that in our department?"

"Whoa... that beauty real? Aura's insane."

The guys' eyes bulged. An overwhelming visual they'd never seen.

But soon, someone spotted her signature red eyes.

"Wait, those red eyes... no way?"

"Evangeline? The rumored witch?"

"Crazy, that third-year senior? She's that pretty?"

The murmurs swelled like waves, mixing shock and curiosity.

"Quiet!!"

Professor Werner slammed the podium. Silence fell like poured water. He cleared his throat and introduced Piarot.

"Starting today, by my discretion, third-year Piarot Evangeline will be auditing this class."

Piarot bowed elegantly to the students. Her neatly swept-back black hair, red eyes, and unreal curves peeking from her uniform.

"Gasp..."

"Whoa..."

Swallows echoed here and there.

"She was on leave for health reasons but has recovered and is returning to studies. Since she needs an adjustment period..."

The professor pointed at me. "Evan will serve as her 'dedicated assistant' at her side. Note that."

Official declaration. Now no one would question me sticking by her.

The professor scanned the room sternly and added a warning.

"One more thing."

"......?"

"As you know, the Evangeline bloodline has a unique power that strongly attracts the opposite sex. Two years ago, an unfortunate incident occurred because some couldn't handle it."

His gaze sharpened. He recited the script I'd fed him perfectly.

"But it wasn't Evangeline's fault. It was ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠those fools' self-inflicted comeuppance for lunging without knowing their place."

The students shut up like clams. The professor's ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠authority had nailed the past incident as 'the students' fault.'

"So, male students—be warned. Don't speak to her casually or approach with impure motives."

He rapped the chalkboard. "Even if you lose your minds to her Charm Demon Eye, the academy takes no responsibility. That's all."

A chill of fear rippled through the room.

'Perfect.'