Chapter 119

Episode 119. Interlude – Private Consultation (1)

If it were a typical educational institution, summer vacation would have started immediately after the final evaluations ended. However, Reynaldo Hero School had a unique schedule of about two weeks called the “Final Evaluation Period.”

Simply put, the regular curriculum was over, but until the results of the final evaluations were announced, students were to stay quietly at school without going home or taking vacations.

The reason for this highly inefficient system was simple.

“It’s not an evaluation where you just match predetermined answers.”

Party grades could be shared just by looking at the results, but additional points earned through party contributions required a long time to determine who did better or worse.

Not only did it take a long time, but sometimes candidates had to be called in during the evaluation to provide additional explanations about the situation, so candidates had no choice but to stay at school.

“Thanks to that, this is the most relaxed time of the semester.”

The final evaluations were over, and there were no classes.

During the final evaluation period, candidates mainly gathered in small groups to plan what they would do during the upcoming summer vacation.

“For me, it’s actually good because I can focus on training without worries.”

Today, I woke up at 4 a.m., finished my magic power practice and basic physical training, and headed to Yuren’s private training grounds.

If it were a normal day, I would have lightly warmed up by sparring with Yuren.

“…Yuren?”

“……”

Yuren turned his head sharply as if he couldn’t see me.

His tightly closed lips and cold eyes radiated an aura of “I’m angry.”

“Sorry for not telling you in advance.”

As I approached him with an awkward expression, Yuren opened his eyes slightly and turned his head towards me.

“…I told Dale everything without hiding anything.”

Yuren continued with a pouty expression.

“Dale hides things about blessings from me. He only tells Iris. He always does reckless things alone. He only tells Iris. He tells the party members to rely on each other, but when it’s dangerous, he doesn’t rely on anyone. He only tells Iris.”

“……”

It seems like three out of six reasons for his anger overlap.

“Anyway! If there’s such a blessing, you should have told me in advance!”

Seeing Yuren shouting with a furious expression, I gave a bitter smile.

“Sorry.”

“…Are you really sorry?”

“Yeah.”

“Then you won’t hide anything from me now?”

“Well…”

As I trailed off with an awkward expression, Yuren’s face stiffened.

I sighed and continued.

“I can’t tell you everything now, but I promise I’ll tell you everything someday.”

“…Before Iris.”

“Huh?”

“Tell me before Iris.”

“……”

Seeing Yuren’s sly glance with his arms crossed, I couldn’t help but let out a chuckle.

“Alright.”

“Hmph. Good, then I’ll forgive you this time.”

Yuren covered his rising smile with his hand and let out an awkward cough.

“Ahem. Then, in return for forgiving you, can you do me one favor?”

“What favor?”

“Wait here for a bit.”

Yuren quickly went into the changing room.

As I waited, tilting my head in confusion, the changing room door opened cautiously.

What came out was…

“…Yurina?”

“Ugh… It feels so empty between my legs.”

Yurina was wearing an off-shoulder blouse and a fluttery skirt.

“That outfit…”

“Yeah. It’s the outfit I saw when we went to Valhalla City together.”

I realized it was the outfit Yurina had been staring at in the women’s clothing corner.

“It’s popular among female candidates lately, so I tried it on… How is it?”

Yurina slightly lifted her skirt and turned to look at me.

Her bare shoulders, slightly exposed back, the vibrant skirt, and low-heeled shoes.

Her appearance, which shone even in plain training clothes, now paired with this outfit, gave me a breathtaking shock.

“It suits you well.”

I tried to hide my inner turmoil and gave a thumbs up.

“Hehe. Really?”

“Yeah.”

“That’s a relief.”

Yurina smiled brightly, placing her hand on her chest.

Her destructive charm, which I hadn’t felt when she was in Yuren’s form, made my heart race.

“So, what’s the favor?”

Stammering, I turned my head slightly to avoid her gaze, and Yurina came closer.

“Let’s sit together for a bit.”

She gently took my hand and led me to a chair in the corner of the training grounds.

Sitting close enough for our shoulders to touch, Yurina looked up at the ceiling with a faint smile.

“This feels like that day, right?”

“……”

The day Yurina first revealed her true self to me.

Back then, she acted like she was meeting me for the first time, hiding her identity.

‘But I saw through it.’

I had spent too much time with “Yuren” to fall for such clumsy acting.

“…Huh?”

Come to think of it.

“Yurina, you also hid your identity from me back then, didn’t you?”

“Huh?”

“You hid it too, so why…”

“No, no! That’s different!”

“How is it different?”

In the end, it’s the same in that you hid the truth.

“Uh… well, you see…”

Yurina, flustered and stammering, clenched her fist and shouted.

“But I was the first one Dale found out about!”

“……”

I don’t think the order matters that much.

“Anyway! Let’s not talk about that now!”

As the conversation turned unfavorable for her, Yurina made an X with her arms and puffed out her cheeks.

I chuckled at her stubbornness and nodded.

“Alright, alright. So, what’s the favor?”

“My favor is…”

Yurina suddenly leaned her head towards me.

“Pat my head.”

“…Head?”

“Yeah.”

Yurina blushed slightly and avoided my gaze.

“Is… is that okay?”

“Well, it’s not like it’s not okay.”

Come to think of it, I’ve heard a similar request before.

‘Does she like having her head patted?’

It’s a side of her I never saw in her past life.

No, more accurately, she must have hidden it herself.

Her true face, hidden behind the sun that was “Yuren.”

‘Her true face isn’t necessarily ugly.’

Erasing Seto’s face from my mind, I slowly reached out to her head.

“Mmm.”

Her soft silver hair tangled between my fingers.

As I carefully moved my hand, it felt like touching high-quality silk.

“Like this?”

“Y-yeah.”

Yurina closed her eyes, savoring the sensation.

I continued to pat her head until she was satisfied.

“Fuuu.”

“Should I stop here?”

“J-just a bit more.”

Yurina slightly opened her eyes and grabbed my sleeve as I tried to pull away.

“Just a bit more… please.”

“……”

Isn’t this a bit unfair?

“Phew.”

I barely calmed my racing heart and removed my hand from her head.

“Ah…”

Yurina sighed regretfully as she watched my hand move away.

“O-okay, that’s enough for today.”

“Tch.”

“I’ll do it again next time.”

“Hmm… Promise?”

Yurina smiled brightly.

I turned my head to avoid her gaze and let out an awkward cough.

“By the way, you mentioned the Grand Archbishop of Madness, right? The kid who attacked us.”

“Ah, yeah.”

“…He said he would kill Dale.”

Yurina gritted her teeth and opened her eyes fiercely.

An overwhelming surge of magic power flowed from Yurina, shaking the entire training grounds as if an earthquake had struck.

“That kid, I won’t let him get away with it.”

Yurina’s body glowed silver.

It was a characteristic of her using “Moonlight’s Blessing.”

‘What is this?’

I stared at the magic power emanating from Yurina with wide eyes.

I already knew her magic power was immense, but now it had grown to a level that made that statement pale in comparison.

‘It’s not like she suddenly chugged a potion, so what the hell…’

As I struggled to comprehend this sudden change, I realized I hadn’t yet heard the conditions for her “Moonlight’s Blessing” to activate.

“By the way, what are the conditions for that ‘Moonlight’s Blessing’ to activate?”

If she hadn’t suddenly chugged a potion, the only explanation for this sudden increase in magic power was the blessing.

“That’s…”

Yurina flinched and trailed off.

She coughed awkwardly and turned her head, standing up.

“It’s a secret.”

“Hey, you just said you wouldn’t hide anything from me.”

“Dale still has things he’s hiding from me, right? I should have at least one thing to hide too.”

Yurina smiled slyly and shrugged.

“I’ll change clothes and be right back. Let’s start training again. I’ve been practicing how to handle magic power delicately lately… Dale, you’re good at that, right?”

“Well, I’m confident in that.”

In my past life, the only thing I was better at than Yuren was fine control of magic power.

“Are you practicing because of the feedback you got from Professor Elisha?”

“Yeah. That too… but also because my magic power has been increasing so suddenly that I’m having trouble controlling it.”

“……”

“Huh? Why are you making such a scary face?”

It felt like hearing a close friend say, “Ah, I suddenly have too much money these days… how should I spend it?” Even though I knew there was no malice, I couldn’t help but feel the urge to smack Yurina’s head.

“Phew. Never mind.”

I shook my head and stood up.

“Then I’ll teach you rigorously, so hurry up and change…”

Ding-dong.

Just as I was about to continue training with Yurina.

A clear chime rang, and the Hero Watch on my wrist lit up.

I checked the message on the Hero Watch and swallowed a bitter smile.

“Sorry. Let’s train next time.”

“Why? Who’s contacting you?”

“Professor Elisha.”

“…Why is Professor Elisha calling Dale? Aren’t all the professors busy during the final evaluation period?”

“Well…”

I sighed softly and turned towards the training grounds entrance.

“It’s a private consultation.”

There was still an unfinished conversation between Professor Elisha and me.

A story I hadn’t told anyone yet.