"Ah, I see...☆ So Freya is the temporary class representative... huh? No~ I'm okay with it—☆ It’s not like I want them to be utterly destroyed...♪ After all, not everyone joined the fight because they wanted to—☆"
I switched the phone to my other hand because of the sweat forming on my face. As the early summer passed, a truly hot breeze started to blow.
The giant ether phone receiver, as big as a public phone booth, was heating up under the scorching sun. The dry but intensely hot summer of the academy city.
Summer had finally arrived here as well.
"Yes, I see...☆ Oh, I see... so all the kids from the aristocratic faction are headed outside the city... Yes, no worries. I understand... It's inevitable... I guess the <United Student Council> must have had a tough time—♪"
I switched hands holding the phone, continuing to use the wired ether phone located in the corner of a tailoring shop in the shopping district.
The bell attached to the door behind me rang as a customer entered.
Ding-ling~
The old tailor, Grandpa Huata, who was sitting in a distant chair, rose casually. He tossed the newspaper he was reading into the corner and shook his apron as he greeted the customer.
"...Welcome." "I'm here to drop off another coat for cleaning, like last time..." "Let me have it."
The customer glanced at me indifferently and then spoke.
“That young lady is always receiving calls here? Is she working part-time or something?” “Part-time? No, she's just a student from around here.” “Oh, I see.”
Keen Observation...
The customer was a dwarf who always came around 1 PM to drop off his coat. He ran a small office in the nearby shopping district.
‘Now I realize that just by eavesdropping, you can learn a lot about the people passing by…’
Since I had been taking calls here for so long, I had come to know the regular patrons. Of course, they had also come to recognize me as the totem in front of the phone.
‘Since I came right after lunch, it's probably been about an hour...’
As I glanced sideways while taking the call awkwardly, Hilde spoke with concern over the phone, prompting me to continue the conversation to relieve her many worries.
"Yes, yes...☆ I know... huh? Reincarnation? No, it’s not like that—♪ It just kind of feels that way~ It’s just a saying—☆"
The call dragged on endlessly. Grandpa Huata’s gaze grew increasingly piercing. However, just when I felt it was time to wrap up the conversation, new topics kept cropping up.
"...I see. Lala, don’t worry too much about your gender or identity. I love you for all that you are. I can wait until you are fully confident in your feelings." "...Yes☆ Thank you." "Anyway, although several events including the midterms were canceled, the new proposal from each school’s representatives is for the union representatives to gather for a meeting..."
This recent incident was about wrapping up after a commotion, so I couldn’t just ignore it. These daily conversations with Hilde were not just for sweet, loving talks.
It was also to properly divide the roles for the things we had learned about this academy city, <Ratatosk>, and the original knowledge.
Thinking about future events,
I earnestly wished I could set up an ether phone at the school...
‘Even if I wanted to install an ether phone at the school, because of communication lines or base station locations, it would require construction from the start… but <Central Prism Academy> doesn’t have enough money for that yet, so it’s just a dream.’
It’s been a month since the incident. With the juniors eagerly exploring dungeons, the school’s financial situation has improved. However, there was still not enough money to freely carry out facility construction.
If I told Hilde about this now, she’d probably offer to pay for the installation out of her own pocket...
‘I don’t want to burden Hilde any further.’
Hilde was already shouldering many of the academy city's problems alone.
Even just considering her so that she could focus on what [The Three Heroes] left behind for her… already felt like a considerable burden.
As a senior of <Central Prism Academy>, this was something I had to solve someday.
‘No matter how I think about it, starting to financially depend on my partner... there’s no end to it, and that’s not right...’
I feared becoming numb to asking for help. I didn’t want to become someone who cunningly exploited Hilde’s love and the pretense of Pretty Filter.
The long-dormant feeling of being a responsible adult emerged again. I stopped twisting the phone cord with my fingers and organized my thoughts.
“...”
We had shared enough information. Continuing the call like this would be a burden to Grandpa Huata at the tailor shop.
I decided to appropriately wrap up today’s regular contact. After asking about each other's well-being one last time, I was about to put down the receiver...
“...” “...”
...Hilde on the other end of the line didn’t hang up and stayed silent. Her faint breathing seemed to carry a sense of anticipation as if she was waiting.
Hmm. It was that thing.
It had already been a month since we became partners of fate and something akin to an official couple. I was beginning to understand when she acted a bit spoiled.
‘Even though I thought she was just cool, she’s actually quite clingy and needy… it’s scarier because she doesn’t express it openly.’
If I had formed more varied human relationships in my previous life, I might have caught more signals. But even this was a significant innovation for me.
“…”
I sneakily checked my surroundings before offering some farewell affection.
Keen Observation...
No matter how much of a pretty girl disguise and Pretty Filter’s help I had, being seen in this embarrassing state by others was still awkward.
“…”
The coat man and Grandpa Huata finished their conversation and went about their own business. No one was watching me now.
"Well then...☆"
Like a sparrow pecking at water, I brought my lips to the phone. I pressed my lips against it like stamping a seal.
Smooch—☆
"...Let's talk again—☆" "…Yes."
Click—
Honestly... even knowing that my past self was an older man, Hilde's attitude, actively requesting such sappy acts... was scary in a way.
But then again... It’s not like my lips would wear out, so what’s wrong with doing it?
After wiping the phone thoroughly, I approached Grandpa Huata and thanked him.
“...”
Grandpa Huata glanced at me and said,
"Are you in love?" "Oh—☆"
Oops, busted—☆
But I never blatantly said 'I love you' or anything over the phone...
I also made sure to check for people before any affection. Most importantly, I wiped the phone’s saliva meticulously.
Grandpa Huata smirked at my startled expression, shook his head, and chuckled.
"It’s obvious, girl. It’s all obvious." "Oh dear☆ Did you eavesdrop on a lady’s conversation—♪ That’s a bad adult’s behavior~☆" "It’s been so noisy, I tuned out a long time ago." "Oh dear...☆"
Grandpa Huata waved his mechanical hand dismissively, like shooing away a fly, and said,
"Hehe… It’s your face, girl. Your face is different." "My… face...?" "The girl who always grinned without hiding anything, suddenly started acting demure and trying not to smile stupidly. It’s obvious. Hehe..." "Hahaha...☆"
Really?
I rubbed my face with my palm at Grandpa Huata’s words...
Indeed. I noticed my mouth corners were slightly raised.
“…”
When I touched my face and hesitated, Grandpa Huata said in his usual tone,
"It's a good time. So don't feel burdened, and cherish it while it’s good. Clara." "Ahaha☆ Thank you—☆" "Before being a senior, you’re also a student." "Thank you..."
The tailor, Grandpa Huata, waved his hand.
I bowed my head, mounted the Red Hare parked in front of the shop, and returned to the school along the hill of <Central Prism Academy>.
*Jingle—☆
“…”
Grandpa Huata’s final words lingered in my mind as I headed back.
<United Student Council>'s Temporary Office.
The main building of the student council, which was unharmed from the attack of the [Serpent of Wisdom and Cycle], was opened as a refuge for those who had nowhere else to go in the Golden District.
The executives of the <United Student Council> were conducting administrative work by renting a small office nearby. However, the sudden thunderous noise from the student council president’s office beside it began to echo loudly.
Rumble— Rumble— Rumble—
“…”
Belle, who was organizing a mountain of documents, stuffed her ears with cotton balls. Her actions were so natural as if this wasn’t the first time it happened.
“…”
Rumble— Rumble— Rumble—
The noise, like untimely monsoon thunder, rumbled continuously. And beside her, Ziklin’s ghostly murmuring echoed as she organized documents with her.
"The president... The president, with that face... how could this be... That pink hair...!"
“…”
Belle listened to those words through the cotton balls but remained silent.
Although she was the same age as Ziklin, she couldn’t understand such endless admiration for the boss. After all, wasn’t the boss just a girl in her prime?
‘What exactly do they think of the student council president…’
Belle thought of the only sane person dispatched to <Sacred Albenheim High School> as she still watched the trembling black wolf ears.
‘Elda sis… why did you throw the vice president at that muscle-brained wolf… thanks to you, there’s no one else to work but me.’
Belle sighed, recalling the situation in the eastern region, which was now completely reorganized around <Mimir Industrial High School>.
‘When I was alone outside, it was leisurely and nice.’
In fact, she missed the situation in the eastern garrison, which had completely fallen under the jurisdiction of <Gjallarhorn>. Being the head of a snake then was freer and better than being a dragon’s tail now.
"Sigh..."
Bang—!
At Belle's sigh, the student council president’s office door in the temporary office opened. The sound prompted the executives and regular students handling administrative tasks to stand up.
Standing at the door was the student council president, Brynhild, with an expressionless face.
“...!” “...!”
Perk!
As soon as Ziklin saw that face, she released her grim expression and quickly reported like a soldier with sharp precision.
"Current work progress is without any issues, President!" "…Ziklin." "Yes, President!" "Have you… have you ever been in love?" "Pardon...?"
...?
What on earth is she saying?
For the regular students from <Aesir Girls’ High School>, who only learned about orders and obedience, that question was too difficult.
Regardless of their confusion.
Brynhild staggered into the office and plopped into a chair. She gazed blankly at the air and mumbled.
“Love, love is… great.” “…?” “…?” “Who knew the world could look so beautiful…” “…”
“…”
“Phew… I hope all of you find your destiny soon. Who knew love could be so uplifting…!” “Yes, understood!” “Yes, understood!”
As everyone moved their mouths and replied in unison,
Belle quietly mouthed her words, fervently thinking to herself.
‘Elda sis… please come back…! There are only fools here…!’
Returning to School.
By the time I returned to school, the juniors who had finished their dungeon exploration were taking off their gear and washing themselves at the water taps.
"Yoo-hoo—☆ Welcome back~!" "Oh, senior!"
Albite tossed away her knee protector, which she was scrubbing dirt from, and sprinted toward me barefoot, only to hastily return to the tap.
“Yikes… it’s hot…!” “Seriously… I told you not to go barefoot because it gets heated under the sun.” “Hehe, I thought it’d be okay since I soaked it in water.” “What are you even saying…”
Meow—!
At Lota’s scolding, an orange cat appeared from somewhere with a slipper in its mouth and ran toward her.
Albite slipped her damp feet into the slippers and dashed toward me again.
"Welcome back, senior! Did you finish the call?" "Yes☆ The academy city is peaceful today too—☆" "I still can’t believe you have such a relationship with the united student council president. And that you’ve regained your strength..." "Hahaha...☆ I told you to believe me~" "No matter how I see it, I can’t."
Albite looked at me with a subtly skeptical expression.
“…”
I gave a wry smile as I looked at her.
Only Hilde had heard the story of the [Golden Witch], and I wasn’t confident to reveal the whole truth to the juniors myself. Ultimately, I informed the juniors of the improved situation rather than the full truth.
I am gradually becoming stronger again. The [Faded Spiral] is actually a distorted story of a beast god...
‘It’s only a slight difference in perspective, not entirely a lie.’
That alone made them believe in my words for now.
‘Someday, when everything passes, I want to tell you all my story.’
But for now. Now wasn’t the right time. At least when all of [The Three Heroes’] relics are gathered...
I thought I could share the story along with the world’s [Destiny].
“…”
As I had those thoughts, I watched Albite.
She was wearing a short-sleeved summer uniform because of the sudden warm weather. The student council coat was stored in her closet.
Albite moved her white arms exposed in the short sleeves around as she spoke.
"Anyway, the summer uniform is nice, but without the coat, it's hard because dirt shows so easily..." "Is that so? I actually like it because it makes laundry easier—☆" "If you're afraid of getting dirty, you shouldn't wear clothes in the first place...?" "Hey, do you think that makes any sense?"
Both Lota, Kara, and I... all changed into short-sleeved summer uniforms. However, Albite, as the student council president, was wearing an armband with the school’s emblem on her right arm.
Our student council president. Albite suddenly looked at me and said.
"By the way, senior, are you preparing well for the final exams?" "Hahahahaha...☆"
A hero doesn’t study~