Chapter 20
Chapter 20
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 20
Chapter Title: When a Good Person Gets Angry (7)
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Almost every weekend, Karin would drop by to hang out or study, then drink with Leimi Big Sister late into the night, enjoying all sorts of fun. But she hadn't shown up for two whole days straight.
I figured it was about time for her to get busy, so I didn't think much of it. But right as the first day of the week after the weekend began, something unexpected happened.
With a flicker of magic, a scrap of paper appeared in the air. Scribbled across it were words about her seniors suspecting something.
"...Horrible handwriting."
I'd never seen her write anything myself, so I hadn't known. Maybe it was because she wrote it in a rush, but it was incredibly hard to read.
She was a young lady from a well-off family, so she must have received a strict education. Then again, improving handwriting is tough. Even in my past life, mine was pretty bad.
More importantly, the content of the note indicated that her seniors suspected Karin for some reason. Naturally, since it involved me, they'd sent it my way.
The fact that it said 'seniors'—plural—meant it probably wasn't related to Namei. More likely second- or third-years connected to me.
A bad feeling washed over me. I set down my coffee cup and pondered for a moment.
"Maybe the best thing is to head out of town for a bit."
I might need to push up my schedule and find part-time work sooner. I was planning to leave town to avoid the emperor anyway, so handling this at the same time would be ideal.
The problem was that it required me to go out, and I'd already taken enough internal damage last week.
Hobbies, work—none of it mattered. All I wanted was to crawl into bed, wrap myself in blankets, and sip hot coffee with a bagel.
Should I just lock up the shop and head upstairs for a nap right now?
I hated how I could think it but never follow through.
I incinerated the troublesome paper with magic and took another sip of coffee.
It had cooled a bit in the meantime, turning slightly sour and bitter. I swallowed it quickly and chugged some cold water.
Ugh, tastes awful.
In the still-gleaming silver espresso machine, I saw my grimace staring back.
"Cafe Manager. Got a quick question."
"Ah, Leimi Big Sister. Come on in."
"What's with that face?"
"Drank some cold coffee. Tasted bad."
"How bad was it? Anyway, I came to ask something."
She'd opened the door and stood awkwardly watching me rinse my mouth with water. After a brief silence, she asked again.
"When are you hiring that part-timer? I mentioned those drip bag coffees to Dalia, and she asked if she could get some. I'd like to stock up before then if possible."
"Trying to hire ASAP if I can. Don't want things getting messy if it drags on."
"What? Something going on?"
"Nothing yet. But it feels like something's coming."
I explained the note I'd just burned. Leimi Big Sister clicked her tongue sympathetically.
From her perspective, unfamiliar with academy drama, Karin didn't seem to sit well with her.
"That girl's a walking disaster just breathing."
"The real problem is she never means any harm."
"True. Can't fix that. So, heading to the adventurer's guild tonight?"
"Haven't decided yet."
"Hmm. Before that, one thing you should know—do they know you make coffee and cook?"
"My fiancée knows a little. She's even eaten meals I made a few times."
"Headache. Can't brush that off easily."
She strode over, pulled out a bar stool with a scrape, crossed her legs, propped her chin on her hand, and sighed. As usual, I brewed her favorite Bani coffee.
Watching me grind the beans, tamp them, and slot them into the espresso machine, she muttered.
"They say you don't appreciate what's around you until it's gone. Never really got that."
"You're pretty dry like that, Big Sister."
"Even when I left the magic tower, I was mad, not sad."
"That's how I felt leaving the academy."
I poured the finished espresso, added hot water for an Americano, and smiled as I served it.
She seemed to think the same, flashing a mischievous grin.
"But if you're not here, I'll miss it. For real."
"I'd miss you too if you stopped coming."
"Oh? You say that to everyone?"
"Nah, I don't flatter."
She chuckled at my words, stretched her back while eyeing people passing outside, then slumped over the table before sitting up and sipping her coffee.
As she briefly leaned forward, her monocle caught her eye. She removed it, wiped it on her clothes, and put it back on before speaking.
"Pick a good part-timer. You have an eye for people, right?"
"Of course."
"Woe is me. Gonna be boring for a while."
Vaguely thinking I'd leave someday, Leimi Big Sister's wistful expression suddenly made it feel real. Time to step away for a bit.
I need to have a proper talk with Mina Big Sister tonight.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ On her way back to the dorm after classes, Karin sensed a strange tension and stopped. Normally, most people ate early dinner or returned to rest, moving briskly. But for some reason, many were just standing around in the streets.
A bad vibe made her slink along, avoiding notice, until she reached a spot where the dorm entrance was visible. There, with irritated expressions, Rias and Yumin were facing off in front of the first-year dorm.
The moment Karin saw them, she tried to turn away—but her feet felt glued to the ground.
"...Quick on your feet like a rat, huh?"
Twirling a magic circle on her right index finger, Rias approached, and the onlookers scattered instantly. Rumors swirled that the troublemaker had gotten even nastier since her fiancé left—no one dared stand up to her.
Rias jabbed Karin's forehead with her finger, smirking mockingly, then flipped off Yumin.
Yumin, approaching slowly, frowned and quickened his pace.
"Hey. I never resorted to brute force like this."
"Holding her for 12 hours over the weekend wasn't brute force? Bullshit."
"Sorry about that. Mind releasing the binding spell?"
"Maybe~ I will~ maybe not~."
Not content with poking her forehead, Rias grabbed Karin's hair like she meant to yank it out, then slapped her and dispelled the binding. Karin tumbled to the ground.
Her swelling cheek and scrapes stung, but crying or showing pain here would just please the psycho in front of her.
She hated that more.
Clenching her teeth with that resolve, she stood.
"Good. You got up fine. Satisfied?"
"Crazy bitch. Sigh. Not thrilled to be your accomplice in this crap."
"You could've stopped it anytime if you wanted. All talk."
"Enough. I can guess why you're here."
"...If you're curious about me and Namei Senior, just ask her yourself."
"Like she'd answer."
"So you both targeted me—the one who'd spill if pushed enough? Cowards."
Yumin grabbed Rias's arm as it rose again, sighed deeply, and apologized.
"Fine. It's a low blow, I admit. But we have our reasons too."
"I have no interest in hearing seniors' excuses for dragging in an unrelated junior."
"No, wait. Sorry. Shameless request, but just tell us what you know."
"Café—ugh."
She nearly said "Cafe Manager," caught herself, steadied her voice, and spoke.
"...When she started harassing me."
"Hey, call me senior properly!"
"Shut it. Go on."
"I couldn't stay at the academy, so I used my specialty—space magic—to teleport somewhere random on the continent. Just happened to run into Julius Senior there."
"You call that an explanation...?"
"What connection would I have to know him?"
"Tch. And then?"
"Didn't know he was Julius Senior at first. Told him she was bullying me at the academy. He said go to Namei Senior and gave me a gift to take!"
"Anything about me or Ermina...?"
"Nothing! That's how I ended up close to Namei Senior!"
They both fell silent. Moments later, Rias spoke, her lips and hands trembling slightly. Her voice quivered just as much.
"Everything I did to you... you told her all of it, right?"
"Yes. Every single bit. All of it."
"What was her reaction?"
"Just sighed. Said it's who she is, so get Namei Senior's help and ignore it."
The bold or violent demeanor vanished. Rias collapsed onto a nearby bench like a ragdoll, muttering almost to herself.
"...Can't contact him?"
"Don't know where he is. No contact info."
"No way at all?"
"No."
Her voice now laced with unfamiliar pain, Rias covered her face with both hands. Soon after, with puffy red eyes, she staggered off without greeting, threat, or apology.
Karin, who'd stood firm but tense not knowing what might come, let out a sigh of relief.
"...Sorry. Ermina's coming, so wait a sec. She can heal your wounds. And, uh, hard to say this, but."
"What?"
"Please don't tell Ermina Senior about my brother. Last time he left, she couldn't function for nearly a month."
"If it's that serious..."
No bad blood with Ermina Senior anyway.
And maybe the Cafe Manager would prefer it that way too.
Ermina arrived in a rush—probably contacted separately—and healed her with recovery magic. By then, the sun had dipped below the horizon, the academy shrouded in dusky purple twilight.