She Turns into a Fox When I'm Away
Major class was over. The moment the professor left, the pent-up curiosity exploded.
A herd of students still lingering in the lecture hall swarmed toward our seats.
"It's really Evan, right?"
"That musty, moldy smell you had... it's completely gone."
"So the curse was real? I thought you just didn't wash."
"Whoa... can a person change this much?"
For the first time in a century, girls were crowding around me. Kuhk... This is it. But too late. My heart belongs only to Piarot now.
"It's all thanks to Senior Evangeline."
Then, one brave girl mustered the courage to speak to Piarot.
"Um... Senior Evangeline?"
"......Yes?"
Piarot lifted her head slightly, and the girl blushed as she asked,
"How did you know it was a curse? Even the professors didn't..."
"Ah, that..."
Piarot rolled her eyes awkwardly, clutching my sleeve tightly. A mix of social anxiety and shyness. But to everyone else, it just looked like a "humble noble lady holding back her words."
I naturally stepped in front of her, switching to spokesperson mode.
"It's because Senior's eyes are special."
"Special how?"
"The Charm Demon Eye of the Evangeline family can see ominous auras that normal people can't. Like the black curse wrapping around my body."
I reddened my eyes and continued in a tone.
"She could've just ignored it, you know? I'm just a lowly commoner, and she's a noble marquis's daughter."
"Yeah..."
"But Senior has such a soft, kind heart... She couldn't pass by someone in pain. She even spent her precious mana to heal me."
I shot Piarot a gaze full of admiration.
"Truly... an angel without wings."
"Oh my god......"
The students' jaws dropped. Witch? Cursed woman? Right now, before their eyes was a "hidden saint" who secretly saved a bullied outcast everyone shunned.
"Really? Who'd call an angel like this a witch..."
"Wow... totally different from the rumors."
Public opinion flipped in an instant. Naturally, the arrows of blame turned elsewhere.
"Then what was all that commotion before?"
"Ugh, it's all those horny wolf-like guys."
Someone clicked their tongue.
"They couldn't take a hint, got rejected, and spread bullshit out of spite, right?"
"Yeah, that Paiman bastard too."
"Poor Senior Evangeline... all those weirdos swarming her, stressing her out for nothing."
Perfect. Piarot ducked her head shyly, but even that just reinforced her image as a pitiful victim.
"Okay, everyone, Senior still has trouble with crowds. Let's call it a day."
I cut things off at the right moment, escorting Piarot out of the lecture hall.
"See you next time, Senior."
Admiring gazes poured from behind. Image makeover: massive success.
The second we hit the hallway, I smirked and whispered to her.
"Hear that? You're not a witch anymore—you're an angel."
"Ugh... I thought I'd die of embarrassment."
She covered her face.
"Evan... you have a bit of a con artist vibe."
"I'll take that as a compliment."
We strolled out of the building with light steps.
A week passed like that. Now, everyone at the academy knew us.
"Whoa, maybe I should've become a work-study student too."
"I'm so jealous, for real..."
Guys shot envious glares. Heh heh, even I'm jealous of this me.
Piarot still got anxious under stares, but thanks to my close supervision, she was steadily adapting to school life.
"......"
During a class break, a call from Mother Nature hit my lower belly hard, making me break a sweat.
"Ugh... Senior Evangeline, I gotta hit the bathroom quick."
"Together..."
She reflexively grabbed my sleeve and started to stand.
"No! Please..."
I whispered desperately. Gluey as she is, I can't drag her into the men's room.
Reading my panicked eyes, she pouted and nodded reluctantly.
Ugh... Cute, but no means no.
'Gotta hurry back.'
I rushed out the classroom door.
Click. The back door shut, and Evan vanished.
In that instant, the lecture hall's air grew heavy.
"Hey, he's gone. Gone."
"Isn't this our chance?"
With the "shield" named Evan gone, the hyenas who'd been lurking slunk forward.
The rumored witch. But right now, she was just a dazzlingly beautiful girl.
"Um... Senior Evangeline?"
A guy mustered courage and approached hesitantly.
"Uh... are you feeling okay? If you need notes, I can..."
Swish. Piarot, who'd had her head down, slowly looked up.
Those red eyes so shy and lovely in front of Evan. But now, they held only a chill of minus 20 degrees.
"Don't talk to me."
"......!!"
An icy command. The guy turned mute as a clam and backed away.
"Don't bother me. Go back to your seat."
She added softly, and the other guys peeking around scattered in panic.
The area cleared in seconds. The frosty vibe scared even the girls watching from afar into murmurs.
Then it happened. Piarot's eyes turned to the girls.
'Gasp!'
They flinched and tried to look away—
"Ah..."
Piarot's expression changed like magic. The sharp killing intent vanished, replaced by a pitiful heroine on the verge of tears.
"S-Sorry... I still... get scared of guys..."
She hugged her shoulders with trembling hands and bowed her head.
"That time... it keeps coming back... sob..."
"Ah......"
The girls' eyes filled with sympathy in an instant. To them, Piarot was just a "poor victim avoiding men due to trauma."
"Oh no, what do we do..."
"Those clueless guys hitting on her like that."
"Yeah, she must've been startled."
The girls approached cautiously one by one.
"You okay, Senior? Want us to chase them off?"
"Water? Calm down."
"Th-Thank you... really, thank you."
She looked up with teary eyes, and their maternal instincts exploded. Those guys were trash; Piarot was the fawn we had to protect. The dynamic was perfectly set.
"Don't worry. We'll stick with you till Evan gets back."
"Yes... thank you so much."
Soon, Piarot was surrounded by girls, chatting away with a sly upward curl of her lips.
'Good. Intruders cleared, allies secured.'
Creak. Evan entered.
The front door opened, and her eyes instantly switched to "scared girl" mode.
'Perfect timing... now.'
Click. Piarot grabbed Evan's collar like she'd been waiting.
Creak—. I finished my business at lightspeed and returned to the classroom. Honestly, I was worried. What mess happened while I was gone?
But the scene was 180 degrees from what I expected.
"Oh my, really?"
"Yeah, Evan fixed my hair."
"Wow... Senior, your skin is amazing."
"Hee hee... this too, thanks to Evan..."
Piarot was surrounded by girls, chatting merrily. Like a princess in a flower garden with her attendant maids.
'Phew... she's recovered so much.'
I smiled warmly and approached our seats.
"Oh? Evan's back."
The girls' faces sharpened the moment they spotted me.
"Where've you been?!"
"Dating the toilet?"
"Gonna do your job or not, work-study?"
Whoa, harsh much? Can't even pee?
"Ahaha... sorry. Stomachache."
I apologized sheepishly, and they grumbled "do better" before stepping aside.
The second I sat, click. Piarot clutched my collar like she'd been waiting.
"I'm scared, so you have to stay right next to me, okay?"
Her white fingertips trembled on my sleeve. I thought she was fine laughing with the girls, but she'd been holding it together desperately.
'Ah... damn.'
She was trying so hard... Smiling on the outside, terrified within.
I glanced around and leaned to whisper in her ear.
"Sorry. I'll be careful next time."
She peeked up at me from under her bowed head. Those eyes sparkled like a puppy begging for praise.
"Hee hee... I did good on my own, right?"
"Yeah, you were amazing."
I sneaked my hand under the desk and patted her small one.
"Reward: I'll make something tasty tonight. What do you want?"
"Hee hee... anything Evan makes is good."
How could such a sweet, timid girl be called a "witch"? Everyone's eyes must've been skewed.
My basic stamina had finally taken root. Time to seriously upgrade the hardware.
"Hoo..."
With steely resolve, I headed to the academy's training gym.
Back then, I'd have been treated like a peeping perv ogling girls' bodies and kicked out. But now, with the disgust filter gone, things were different.
Creeeak—. The door opened, hitting me with hot air mixed with iron, sweat, and that gym smell.
The interior was pretty modern. The indoor section under the roof was packed with heavy barbells, dumbbells, and mana stone-adjusted weight machines. Beyond the floor-to-ceiling windows lay an outdoor training field with straw dummies, wooden swords, and a big track.
"Alright, let's start."
I warmed up lightly and hung from the basic pull-up bar.
"Hup!"
Pulled up, squeezing my back muscles.
"One... twoo... threee...!! Gahh!!"
Shake shake. My arms trembled like leaves, and I couldn't go higher.
'Just three?'
I dropped to the floor, drained. Even for my broken body, this was too much. A guy planning to re-enroll as a knight aspirant next semester, with only three pull-ups?
"Haa... long road ahead."
Embarrassed, I glanced around, catching my breath. Luckily, no one noticed.
I steeled myself and reached for the bar again.
Then—
"......"
A nagging movement in my peripheral vision. Red bobbed hair. A girl in sweat-soaked training clothes, deep into her workout, fabric clinging to her body. Her toned muscles stood out as she squatted and did duck walks on the track's edge.
Hmm... Ignore it. Mind my own business.
But a century of knowledge and modern busybody instincts kicked in.
'That'll wreck her knee cartilage.'
Plus, with the filter gone, a bit of friendly advice should be fine?
I wiped my sweat and approached.
"Hey, excuse me."
"???"
She stopped, looking up at me puzzled. Sweat beaded on her sharp eyes.
"Sorry to interrupt, but that training method's inefficient."
"Huh?"
"Duck walks put excessive shear force on the knee joints, especially the meniscus. It's more joint destruction than lower body strengthening. Better to do squats or lunges..."
My advice was scientific and reasonable, or so I thought.
But her reaction was the opposite.
Pop. She stood abruptly. Taller than expected. She scowled, swept back her damp hair, and scanned me head to toe.
"Ha."
She scoffed in disbelief.
"A guy who shakes on three pull-ups... giving me tips?"
"Ah..."
My face burned. Couldn't argue. Facts.
She sneered contemptuously.
"Hey. Instead of hitting on girls, train that pathetic body of yours."
"......"
"Move. You stink of sweat."
She shoved my shoulder and grabbed her jacket and bag from the bench, striding out without a backward glance.
Left alone. I swear I heard snickers around me.
'Did she... think I was hitting on her and treat me like a creep?'
Damn. She wasn't wrong. Punishment for meddling out of turn.
Filter gone, but contempt for "weakness" remained. This world cared only about results.
Suddenly, my chest felt empty.
'Piarot... miss her.'
She'd hug me even if I couldn't do a single pull-up, calling it cute. That afternoon, I felt her acceptance of me to my bones.
Piarot and I stuck together like glue all week, except for sleep. And on the weekend, with a grave expression, I spoke up.
"Piarot... don't misunderstand, just hear me out."
"Okay. What?"
She blinked wide-eyed, fork in mouth.
I swallowed hard.
"Uh... um... seriously, no misunderstanding."
"I said okay!"
"Piarot... you got any money?"