Hiding in the Cabinet
"Frey! Where are you going?!"
"...Sigh."
Ever since yesterday's partner declaration, Perloché had been trailing after me all day long. You'd think she'd get tired by now, but with that thrilled expression—like a dog chasing a chicken—she kept at it without end. Honestly, she seemed less exhausted than I was.
"Ah! What's that you're taking out of your bag?!"
"A notebook."
"Why are you taking out a notebook?!"
"To study."
"Don't lie to me!"
And that was why these exchanges had repeated endlessly throughout the day.
"Perloché, isn't it time for your prayers?"
"I can pray right next to you!"
"...Haa."
No matter how I tried to distract her, she never took her eyes off me for a second. It was driving me absolutely insane.
...It's about time I infiltrated the slave market.
Originally, today I had planned to sneak into the market to gather intel on the semester's biggest main event: the 'Slave Market Liberation.' Of course, I'd prepared meticulously since previous loops, so I was confident—but complacency was the enemy.
Not once had my plans gone off without hitches or variables. That's why I needed flawless preparations to handle any surprises, and that meant prior reconnaissance was essential.
But...
"Frey!"
"What now."
"What are you thinking so deeply about? Planning some new villainy?!"
Perloché was ruining everything. We'd made it to a café near the slave market entrance after much hassle, but her constant interference meant I couldn't find an opening to slip inside.
What was I supposed to do?
"What would it take to satisfy you?"
"Hm... Die for me! Then I'd be satisfied!"
Judging by Perloché's fist-clenched shout, there was probably no way to satisfy her.
And I couldn't just chase her off, either. Keeping the partner system positive granted all sorts of systemic bonuses.
My strength, magic power, and intelligence were still invisible as ever, but the 0.2 boost to mental strength gave me a rough idea of the enhancement. In other words, Partner's Blessing was an overpowered buff that pushed my normally stagnant stats by 0.2 at this advanced stage.
Which meant I was stuck enduring Perloché for the entire semester.
"Ah! Frey! Look over there! Something's flying this way!"
As I brooded with a gloomy expression, Perloché pointed out the window with wide, vacant eyes.
"...No way?"
Peering out with a spark of hope, I beheld a startling sight.
"Kkuuu!!"
"Gu-gu-gu!!"
Serena's white owl and some unidentified white pigeon were tangled in combat, barreling straight toward the window. The owl wasn't just unilaterally attacking—it was an actual fight. A first even in previous loops.
"Ah! Stop fighting! Please stop fighting!"
"...You know that pigeon?"
"Yes! Her name is Gugu!"
I asked Perloché, who flung open the window and scooped up the pigeon. The name was... straightforward, to say the least.
"Why call her that?"
"Well, I asked what name she wanted... and she went 'gu-gu'! So that's what I named her!"
Perloché beamed while petting the pigeon, grinning ear to ear for some reason.
"Wow! A letter from the church!"
"I see."
I quietly watched her tear open the church letter, then naturally turned to the one regurgitated by the owl.
- Failed to head to the Western Continent. Returning to the academy.
- Please take good care of the owl until I arrive.
"Ugh."
The first line was bad news. It seemed Serena's trip west had failed for some reason. Whatever happened, I hoped she was safe.
"Kkuuu!"
Finishing the rest, I glared resentfully at the pigeon nestled in Perloché's arms—now coquettishly nuzzling me.
"Perloché."
"Yes?"
Petting its chin, I murmured to her in a low voice.
"Gonna hit the restroom real quick."
"I'll come with you!"
"...Huh?"
My ploy to shake her off before time ran out was blocked from the start.
"You wanna go to the restroom with me?"
"...Yes! I need to go too!"
She balled her fists with determination. Stunned, I could only stare.
"C'mon, let's go! Hurry!"
"...Fine, let's go."
To ditch her somehow, I rose with my signature sleazy grin.
...She's not seriously gonna follow, right?
No matter how obsessively she monitored my every move, surely not even to the restroom? One glimpse of anything sexual and she'd foam at the mouth; any contact and she'd unleash a Solar God's Blessing-fueled punch. No way.
"Wait! You said restroom—why are we going outside?!"
"No restroom here. Gotta use the public one."
"Wh-where?!"
"What'd you expect from a back-alley dump?"
"Ughhh..."
Plus, a dingy public men's room? Her odds of following plummeted to zero. Pure as she was—otherwise the epitome of a saintess—she'd never step foot in one.
- Creak...
With that in mind, I cautiously opened the door and headed for the public restroom.
- Rustle.
Arriving, I carefully drew a robe from my pocket. Flip it on, wait for my chance, slip out the restroom unnoticed...
"What're you doing?"
".....!"
A voice from behind made me jump, shoving the robe back in haste.
"Why are you here?"
"I-I told you... I'd come to the restroom with you."
Her answer left me dumbfounded.
"This is the men's restroom?"
"No excuses! You'd ditch me and plot something evil!"
"No... what evil could I plot in a restroom?"
"...Whatever! Just hurry up and go!"
Blushing furiously, she shoved me forward.
"Haa..."
My final plan crumbling, I frantically brainstormed.
...Pretend to grope her and scare her off?
It was the only idea. Since learning her past months ago—and her secret last time—I'd avoided touching her. But with words failing, it might be necessary.
"Hey, Perloché..."
Finishing the thought, I leered and approached—but
- Thud, thud.
".......!!!"
Footsteps toward the restroom froze us solid.
"We, we gotta hide!"
"W-wait."
Perloché scanned wildly, yanking me toward a rickety cabinet in the corner.
"The stall's fine..."
"That's filthy!"
She flung it open, shoving me inside forcibly.
"Hey, hold on!"
"Eeeek..."
Flailing in panic, she even invoked Solar God's Blessing to cram me in.
"You hide! Just you!"
"...Ah."
Suddenly feeling the plight of those I'd strong-armed before, my shout came too late. She'd succeeded, staring blankly.
- Creak...
But then the restroom door eased open.
"...Eek!"
Squeaking instinctively, Perloché crammed herself in and slammed it shut.
Silence fell.
......
"Bro, didn't you hear a girl's voice just now?"
"Nah? Didn't hear a thing."
Seconds after we hid, two men entered, frowning as they chatted.
"Maybe a slave bolted in here?"
"What nonsense. Slaves bolt outta the back alleys, not into men's rooms."
"But... I swear I heard a woman's scream."
The younger-looking one insisted; his 'bro' sighed.
"You're hearing ghosts from all those slave screams. I was like that as a newbie."
Dismissing it, the senior relieved himself casually. The junior, still scowling, headed for the stalls.
"Lemme check... hiding here?"
- Bang!!
He kicked stalls open one by one. The senior chuckled.
"Save your energy. New foxkin slaves already got me drained."
"But catching a runaway means huge bounty! Pay's crap for a newbie like me."
Finishing, he kept kicking—then spotted something on the floor, grinning triumphantly.
"Bro... check this."
"What?"
"Think I got one."
Footprints led messily toward our cabinet.
"No way... for real?"
"Told ya! Heard the scream clear as day!"
Beaming, he drew a stun baton, creeping toward us.
"Come out now, no beating."
At the door, he knocked tensely.
"Hurry up. I know you're in there."
"Hey, come out."
"Huh?"
His senior shoved him aside, grabbing the handle.
"Like rats."
He yanked it open.
"...Huh?"
But both gaped in confusion.
"They're here, right?"
"Y-yeah! They were definitely—"
The cabinet was empty.
......
While the men puzzled over the vacant cabinet,
"Remember, remember, remember, remember, remember."
Perloché watched me from behind—me scanning the pitch-black underground in bewilderment—nibbling her nails and muttering.
"...I have to protect him, no matter what."
The whisper lasted until my gaze swung back to her.