Serenne’s adventure did not stop here.
“Sion, what did you say? You denied that he’s your boyfriend?”
“Huh? … No, I wanted to deny it, but I was so happy that I missed the timing to say it.”
“So you just pretended he was your boyfriend?”
“That’s the feeling, yeah.”
“Uh-huh, I see.”
Serenne nodded and cut into the steak that had come out as a dish.
She still wore a sleepy expression that made her feelings hard to read.
Yet her actions showed that something was seriously off.
“…Serenne, if you do that, the steak won’t be cut.”
“Hmm?”
“You should hold it with a fork and cut it with a knife. You’re doing it in reverse.”
“…Oh, right.”
“……”
Crunch, crunch.
With the knife plunged deep into the steak, Serenne was poking at it with the fork.
Normally, wouldn’t you stab it with a fork first, then cut it with the knife?
Though her expression didn’t change at all, her behavior was strange.
“Haha! This is amusing! So, did you convey the class materials well?”
“Yeah, I conveyed them. To be honest, I thought he was faking it, but he looked really sick.”
“To get sick leave at the academy, one must go through quite a tedious process. So it’s not likely just a feigned illness!”
“Is that so…? Anyway, I managed to pass it on.”
Nom.
Perhaps because it was a high-end restaurant, the steak was excellent.
Had everything I had eaten up until now not been steak?
The taste melted softly in my mouth.
While savoring the steak, Serenne asked Sion again.
“Did you just pass on the class materials?”
“Ah… I was trying to do that, but it seemed like he was feeling unwell. It was lunchtime, too…”
“…So?”
“Since the servant was offering porridge, I… um, fed him a bit.”
Sion scratched his cheek.
‘Now that I think about it, this is… quite an embarrassing thing, isn’t it?’
He hadn’t really thought about it at that time.
Feeding someone of the opposite gender—unless they were in a romantic relationship—is usually not something people do.
Sion had only fed Estroja, intending to tease her as she couldn’t resist…
‘If I think about it, feeding her was somewhat of a risky move. It might be awkward the next time I see Estroja… Ack, I should stop thinking about it.’
His thoughts spiraled in a strange direction.
Sion shook his head, trying to brush off the worries.
As he was about to eat again, he felt Serenne’s intense gaze on him.
“Serenne…? What’s wrong?”
“The food you’re eating looks good.”
“My steak?”
Sion glanced between Serenne’s plate and his own.
‘…Isn’t it the same steak?’
Since he had ordered it as ‘full-course dinner for three,’ there was no chance other menus would come out.
Yet Serenne was adamant.
“I want to try your steak.”
“But it’s the same steak—”
“No, it’s different. So I want to try it.”
“…Okay, then.”
Sion cut a bite-sized piece of steak and speared it with his fork.
Then, as he was about to gently place it on Serenne’s plate…
Thud.
“…Serenne?”
“That’s not where it goes.”
Serenne’s fork blocked Sion’s fork in midair.
“Uh, uhhh?”
“Over here.”
Sion’s arm moved under the direction of Serenne’s fork.
The destination was…
Into Serenne’s mouth.
“Ha-mph.”
The fork was pulled into her small mouth.
As Serenne mumbled, Sion’s fork reemerged.
…Of course, the piece of steak had disappeared into Serenne’s mouth.
Sion stared blankly at his fork.
‘This is… the fork that went into Serenne’s mouth and came back out…’
Though the fork was perfectly clean and had nothing on it.
Sion’s fork had distinctly gone in and out of Serenne’s mouth.
This can be said to be… an ‘indirect kiss.’
“It’s really the same steak, huh.”
“….”
“I thought it was different.”
Meanwhile, Serenne, having acted unexpectedly, still wore a sleepy expression.
Chewing slowly, Serenne swallowed the steak.
“Haha! Now I think I understand why Serenne acts like that!”
“Huh?”
Pointing with his index finger, Geivolg, who had been eating with them, laughed.
Indeed, he was not alone with Serenne; Geivolg was with them, too.
That meant he had seen the recently embarrassing scene where Serenne had been fed steak—
“Looks like Serenne has quite the appetite!”
“…huh?”
“I had that kind of moment when I was young as well. We have this saying in the Kingdom of Rodegburg: ‘Others’ steak looks bigger!’ Perfect for this situation! Haha!”
“……Phew.”
Sion released a short sigh of relief.
‘If it had been Patrick, who is perceptive, instead of Geivolg at this place… he would have teased me even more weirdly.’
It was truly a great relief that Geivolg was here instead of Patrick.
If it had been Patrick, he would have teased Sion about the whole situation, starting with Estroja, all the way to just feeding Serenne steak.
Just imagining that made him shudder.
“Sion, are you cold?”
“…No, not really.”
“So, what happened at Estroja’s house?”
“Nothing much. I did leave as if I had been chased out, but I got to have some hamburger steak… and by the time I left, the misunderstanding was resolved.”
Serenne oddly drilled into the happenings at Estroja’s mansion.
Sion scratched the back of his head and spoke.
Though the misunderstanding was resolved, he had heard something somewhat peculiar.
—Next time, I expect you to come as a real boyfriend.
—…Huh?
—Well then, goodbye.
Just before leaving the mansion, those words he had heard from the servant still remained vividly in his mind.
…To say he should come as a real boyfriend next time.
“Sion, why are you so quiet?”
“Hmm? Oh, it’s nothing. Nothing happened.”
“…Really?”
“Yeah… But your feet keep touching mine.”
“It’s just your imagination.”
Tap, tap.
As Sion tried to hold back his words, Serenne began to kick at him under the table.
Sion smiled wryly at her childlike reaction.
“It was a great meal.”
“Indeed.”
About half an hour later, the long course had ended.
There had been no such fine dining in his previous life, and he was quite full.
Satisfied, Serenne closed her eyes and gently patted her belly.
It was rather surprising how her tummy did not seem to have expanded at all.
“Haha! I’m relieved everyone enjoyed the meal!”
“Thank you for treating us.”
“Members of Rodegburg are generous! Now, let’s hurry outside. Tomorrow is club activity, isn’t it?”
“Ah… right.”
That’s right. Tomorrow was Thursday… the day for club activities at the academy.
Sion had never officially joined a club.
He had received love calls from the judo club…
‘The Black Magic Club… should I go?’
Professor Grangshar, who had helped him when he was chased by Misako.
She was the faculty advisor of the ‘Black Magic Club,’ which had no members at all.
Being able to learn black magic was appealing, but still, the fact that there were no members weighed on his mind.
…But he couldn’t not go.
—I’ll see you next week then.
—Are, are you really coming? Will we be able to meet again next week?
—Of course. I’m really in a hurry, so I’ll go for sure!
—If it’s a lie, I’ll cast Curse Magic on you!!!
‘How could a professor of the Black Magic department threaten a student with Curse Magic… I can’t not go now.’
In the first place, Sion felt it was his fault for not looking into other clubs.
He didn’t know what kind of curse might await him if he didn’t go to the Black Magic Club.
…As he thought he might get tangled up with the bothersome professor.
“Sion, what are you thinking?”
“Hmm? I’m thinking about the club tomorrow. Serenne, which club did you join?”
“I’m in the Returning Club.”
“…Returning Club?”
“I didn’t join any club.”
If one does not select a club, they are automatically treated as being in the ‘Returning Club.’
Surprisingly, the academy does not give any warning if students do not opt for clubs.
In this regard, it feels like a significantly advanced educational institution.
“What about you, Sion?”
“Um… I’m similar.”
“…Is that so?”
Sion mumbled about the Black Magic Club.
‘If my friend is in the Black Magic Club… they would definitely discourage me from joining.’
It was unclear how this world perceives black magic.
However, since the Black Magic department is quite unpopular and has even been removed from the faculty,
…It’s likely that black magic’s reputation in this world isn’t much different from that on Earth.
“What do you mean by similar?”
“There’s such a thing. Let’s head back soon. The sun’s about to set.”
“…………Alright.”
With her head bowed, Serenne trailed behind Sion.
As they exited the dining hall, the sun had nearly set.
It was about time to return to the dormitory.
“…I want to stay together longer.”
“Huh? What did you say?”
“Nothing.”
Tugging.
Serenne grabbed Sion’s sleeve.
She mumbled something so softly that he could hardly hear, but…
It probably wasn’t something very important.
“Haha! You two seem to be getting along well!”
“Yeah… let’s hurry.”
“Okay.”
The three of them made their way back to the academy, chatting amongst themselves.
All the way back, Serenne continued to hold onto Sion’s sleeve without letting go.
*
The next day.
‘…In the end, I’m here.’
Entering the club building, Sion sighed inwardly.
He had come to meet the professor who was in charge of the Black Magic Club… Professor Grangshar, or whoever she was.
‘I just realized that this place… is not the Black Magic Club room but simply a storage room.’
On the sign hanging above the door, in bold letters, it read “Storage Room.”
…Are they remodeling the storage into a club room?
No wonder it seemed absurdly cramped and full of junk and dust.
“Phew! Let’s go in.”
After all, it was now or never.
Other clubs were not particularly attractive, and he didn’t want to face curse magic.
So, he would join the Black Magic Club.
With that thought in mind, he swung the door open vigorously.
Creeeak!
“Hello, Professor Grangshar! I look forward to this week as well…”
Sion, with a hearty greeting, froze mid-sentence.
…The reason was.
“Waaaaah…”
“…Professor?”
“Sion, you… are here…”
Professor Grangshar looked at Sion with tearful eyes.
As usual, she wore a flowing black dress reminiscent of a melancholy figure.
…Her cat ears and tail swayed.
What on earth is going on?
“Good, good. You’re doing very well. But you were supposed to add ‘-nyan’ at the end of your speech.”
“I-I’m sorry… I mean, I’m sorry, nyan.”
“What’s going on… No, more importantly, who are you?”
“Uh, it’s our first time meeting, isn’t it? Nice to meet you.”
In the club room, besides Professor Grangshar, there was another professor.
A woman with a captivating smile.
Dark blue, long hair, piercings, and an odd air of lifelessness in her gaze.
And, unlike any woman he had seen up till now, a rather large… chest.
“Oh my, where are you looking?”
“Ah, um, I apologize.”
“Hehe, it’s fine. I’m used to it.”
“……”
“I forgot to introduce myself.”
She pet Professor Grangshar’s head as she spoke.
“My name is Kaela Derry… I teach Mind Magic in the Black Magic department.”
“Ah…”
“And as you can see, I’m quite the voluptuous person. Nice to meet you?”
“…!”
She boasted, lifting her chest.
…Sion barely averted his gaze and broke into a cold sweat.
“Rumor has it that I didn’t know you’d be such a cute student!”
“Y-yes?”
“Today’s club activities should be exciting. Hehe.”
Kaela stroked Sion’s cheek.
He felt as if he were cornered by a viper and couldn’t move.
Sion thought inwardly.
Joining the Black Magic Club… might have been a mistake.
