“Hello, Sharon. I’ll be troubling you once again today.”
“Oh, troubling me? How could that be? A person worthy of being called a hero remembers even the name of someone who’s merely an information desk attendant and greets me every time. If anything, I should be the one grateful for that.”
For some reason, it seems our schedules didn’t align. This is the first time I’ve seen Sharon since our initial introduction last time.
“Hey, but you’re still an official employee of the Academy. From what I hear, you get a decent salary, good benefits, and as long as you avoid causing major trouble, there’s no worry of being fired. Being a desk attendant is way better than being a hero.”
“Ahaha… It was indeed tough to secure this position as a receptionist. However, apart from special cases, most of my tasks involve just greeting people like this.”
Considering it’s supported by the Empire and to emphasize its status as the best Academy on the continent, the staff here do enjoy good welfare benefits.
And hence, my comment about the receptionist job being better than being a hero was at least half sincere.
If you happen to ask any random Academy employee passing by, out of a hundred, all would certainly answer that they’re satisfied with their jobs.
What? How about the research assistants working under professors?
Well, I was clearly talking about Academy ‘staff’. I don’t understand why we’re bringing up graduate students.
“Oh, that’s right!”
Suddenly, as if recalling something, Sharon stretched out her right hand toward me and spoke.
“I’ve been refraining from washing the hand that shook with you since last time!”
…
As her hand approached close enough to almost touch mine, instinctively, I took a step back.
“…Are you joking?”
It’s been at least a week since our last greeting… Ugh…
“Hohoho. Of course, it’s a joke. Though, I really wanted to keep the feeling in my heart unwashed forever.”
Sharon promptly admitted that it was only a joke.
“Anyway, since you often visit Professor Presia, if I ever request a handshake, I’m sure you will oblige me, right?”
“Well… yeah.”
“So, would you mind shaking hands with me now? Please grant me that before you head upstairs, just as last time!”
Sharon once again extended her hand that she had previously stretched toward me.
However, my hand, expected to naturally reciprocate and shake hers, hesitated awkwardly before finally reaching out to firmly grasp Sharon’s hand.
“I’ll be off soon; it’s almost time for me to leave. By the time you come down, there will most likely be someone else. See you later!”
With Sharon bidding me farewell, I proceeded slowly toward Prof. Presia’s office.
Kk…kk…
Phew. After turning the corner, I lifted the hand I had shaken with Sharon close to my nose to smell it. Thankfully, the only scent was that of the hand cream she uses, with no strange odors.
Thankfully, it was just a joke.
“Ah, student!”
“Huh!?”
Oof.
While sniffing my hand close to my nose, I suddenly jumped at a voice calling out unexpectedly.
As a result, the hand close to my nose unintentionally smacked into it.
“Ow… Who… Ah! Desk Attendant!”
I gently rubbed my throbbing nose and turned my head toward the source of the sound. To my surprise, I found a familiar face I hadn’t seen in a while.
“I’m not a desk attendant anymore, though.”
“Ah, right… Nevertheless, I felt sorry for not having greeted you before. Didn’t we last meet when I was called to the administration building by an inspector?”
She didn’t quit the Academy but returned to her original position after being reassigned to work at the reception desk as part of a disciplinary action. I had expected to run into her at some point.
Of course, even though it wasn’t surprising that we met by chance, it still felt quite serendipitous.
“Ah, that’s right. How was your investigation? The inspectors were rather meticulous, right?”
“Well, I just explained everything that happened back then. Surprisingly, instead of pressuring me, they treated me well…”
“Hmm… That’s reasonable. After all, they couldn’t overlook someone like you who has been a hero.”
The man stroked his chin and nodded as if understanding.
“Anyway, what brings you here? Isn’t your regular place in the Magic Building?”
“Ah, yes, this is my office, 606 in the Magic Building. Though I’ve only been here for a short while.”
“A professor?”
I hadn’t anticipated this.
While I might recognize all the professors from the Department of Knights, I could hardly claim to know all the faces from the Department of Magic, so it makes sense I didn’t recognize him.
“There’s no need to think of it so grandly. I’m just a lone disciple, and only recently have I succeeded my former master as a professor. So don’t worry about it. I know you’re a kind-hearted hero.”
So he must be a mage who inherited the mantle from his retired master.
“In any case, it was nice seeing you. But I have to go now.”
“Ah, I’ve taken up too much of your time. Next time, I’ll drop by for a proper greeting.”
“It’s not necessary, but if you do come by, I won’t turn you away. Visit whenever you have the time.”
He casually waved his hand as a parting gesture and quickly disappeared.
—
—
“Even His Majesty the Emperor will attend the opening ceremony?”
While reminiscing about our chance encounter, I sat at the usual table, enjoying the cookies and tea served by Bear and Tokki, having a conversation with Presia as usual.
“Yes, he told me this a little while ago.”
Of course, there’s no reason the Emperor shouldn’t attend the Celestial Festival.
Especially since the academy is an institution supported by the Empire, it would indeed be fitting for the Emperor to deliver a congratulatory speech and then leave.
But somehow, why haven’t I heard about this important matter at all during the rehearsal for the opening ceremony?
“Ahh…”
While I was lost in thought and curiosity, Presia pressed her small hands to her lips, letting out a short gasp.
“This… was supposed to remain a secret…”
If it was a secret related to the Emperor, it would be at the highest level of confidentiality, yet Presia had let it slip quite easily.
If the Emperor were to hear about this, Presia might find herself in a difficult situation.
“Well, it should be fine, right? There’s no need to keep it a secret from Alicia…”
However, unlike my own worries, Presia, the main person involved, was handling it as if it were nothing.
“Of course, I’m not going to be the one to spread it around, but is it really okay to take it so lightly?”
“He’s not the type to get all worked up over things like this.”
What exactly is Presia’s boss’s nerve tolerance? Talking about the best emperor on the continent as if he were just the neighbor next door.
“Still, be careful. While I wouldn’t blabber to anyone, if you do this in front of others, it could lead to big trouble.”
“Ah… I only act like this with Alicia… I wouldn’t do it in front of others.”
“Ah…”
Wow, I almost mistook that for a confession. For a moment, Presia’s comment made my heart race.
Although Presia is small and looks young, fitting for her age of sixteen, a pretty girl is still a pretty girl.
Is there a man out there who wouldn’t feel a flutter if a cute girl their age were to treat them specially?
But I had to quickly calm my racing heart.
After all, I’m not exactly in a man’s form right now.
Presia just sees me as a reliable assistant, a colleague, a friend. Nothing more.
It would be embarrassing to misinterpret her words and create a new black mark. That’s not respectful to Presia either.
Still… for a brief moment, imagining that Presia had confessed to me was satisfying.
Considering my current situation as a woman, how often would I hear words like a confession from such a beauty?
Ugh, conversely, imagining confessions from male students makes me want to throw up.
There’s no way I’d ever date a man, even if I were to live alone for the rest of my life.
—
—
“Tokki, make sure to listen to the boss when we meet next time, okay? And Bear, please take good care of the boss.”
I hugged Tokki and Bear, who had come out to see me off, and turned to bid Presia farewell.
“Then, call me again next time. Of course, even if you don’t call me, I’ll visit anyway.”
“…”
Normally, Presia would say goodbye, but this time, with a very soft voice, she just mumbled her response.
Her face clearly displayed discontent.
I’ve known her for a while now — how could I not notice her displeasure?
Being able to quickly read your boss’s emotions is essential for being a top assistant.
Actually, there’s no point in reading too much into this because Presia’s already sticking out her lower lip, openly declaring that she’s sulking.
Why is she suddenly upset? Not knowing the reason is meaningless.
Did I eat too many cookies earlier? Come to think of it, I do take a lot of cookies every time I visit, and I even leave carrying a bag full of them. Even someone like Presia might start feeling uncomfortable about it.
If that’s not it, could she be upset because lately I haven’t been doing much magical research, yet I still get paid on time? It’s true, I should have requested a pay cut earlier. After all, being a hero has significantly reduced my financial burdens.
But if none of these apply… could it be that earlier she let slip the secret about the Emperor’s visit, and now she’s feeling uneasy about me leaving? She might think I’ll slip up and let out the secret once I leave.
Still, I would prefer if this assumption weren’t true. If it were, it would mean Presia doesn’t fully trust me. Although, judging from her recent “confession,” the possibility of this assumption being true is quite low compared to others.
While I was lost in thought over Presia’s small actions, she spoke up first.
“I…?”
“Yes?”
“I…?”
What does “I” mean? The only thing I’ve done so far was to say goodbye to Tokki and Bear. Of course, I also bid farewell to Presia.
“How come you didn’t hug me? You hugged Bear and Tokki…”
“Ah…”
Our boss is truly adorable. Jealous of her own servants Bear and Tokki over such a small thing.
“Ah, Boss, between Bear and Tokki, you’re much cuter. It’s an honor for me to hug you.”
As I opened my arms wide, Presia daintily walked over and jumped into my arms.
When I held her tightly with both arms, she snuggled closer into my embrace.
Just like during the old teacher incident when ghostly pranks trapped us, and I had to hold Presia tightly.
However, this time, after hearing her “confession-like” remarks earlier, there’s a slight blush, different from that incident.
“…Okay, then, I really should go now. See you next time.”
Before I lose myself in silly thoughts, I let go of Presia, whom I was hugging.
“Yes… please be careful on your way back.”
Only now does Presia finally see me off.
As she waves goodbye to me along with Bear and Tokki, I turn around and wave back at them, heading back to the dormitory.
Reflecting on the faint stories I heard about Presia’s past, it seems she, like me, may not have received adequate love from her family and is starved for affection.
As a result, she might be seeking emotional relief in hugs from me.
Given the mutual understanding I feel, from now on, I think giving Presia a warm hug whenever we part might not be a bad idea.
