Side Story 7. The Magic School and the Monster in the Basement (6)

The bowl cut got worked up, staring at me angrily.

"Well, if you ask me what I know so well about Milpia, we don't really know much about each other. Isn’t that right?” I asked Milpia for affirmation.

Milpia also nodded with her arms folded. "Because you hide so much."

At the strange nuance contained in her words, Yuria and Alice looked at me.

Milpia smiled insidiously as the eyes of the two shifted to me.

Oho, are you really trying to start it here?

"I'm sure it's the same for you?" I looked at her with a playful smile.

If we were to reveal the truth, I wonder who would bleed the most? Think carefully before speaking. That's what I meant. I was just hiding that I'm a Crow in order to live a relaxed and peaceful life. However, if Milpia was found to be a member of an information agency, there was a risk that the information agency’s infrastructure that had been established would be shaken.

Our eyes met and negotiated silently.

‘Let's sign a non-aggression treaty.’

‘I agree.’

It was only a moment, but it was enough to read each other's thoughts. Milpia and I, who decided to keep secrets about each other without speaking a word, nodded subtly to each other.

"Why… why are you nodding at each other?”

I didn't know why the bowl cut was making such a fuss, but I shrugged and asked, "I don't know when I nodded my head. Why are you so worked up? Do you perhaps like Milpia?"

It was ridiculous even to say it. There wouldn’t be an idiot who’d like someone who revealed other people’s finances and weaknesses...

The bowl cut turned red at my question and his eyes trembled. "I… I don't know what, what you're talking about!"

There really was? I looked at the bowl cut as if I were looking at a weirdo. His tastes were something I had never seen before and it was none of my business, but if he were family, I’d be begging and stopping him.

The bowl cut began to stare at me with a red face as the eyes of everyone in the classroom gathered on him. No matter how stupid he became from love, he seemed to have at least realized that he’d dug his own grave.

"Uh... I’m sorry?" I apologised.

The bowl cut, who was holding back his tears, ran out of the classroom crying loudly. "Wahhhhhh!"

Alice sighed as she saw the bowl cut dashing out. "That was too mean of you. Everyone was pretending not to know.”

I felt wrongly accused. "Did I know the relationship situation of someone I just met for the first time today?"

Milpia looked at me, raised her thumb slightly, and cast sound transmission magic.

- I survived thanks to you.

Did she just use me?

Somehow I thought she was provoking me on purpose, but she was indeed my aunt’s daughter and a scary girl.

How can you brutally crush the innocence of an unspoiled teenager?

As soon as he went out crying, he ran into the next class professor and was grabbed by the collar and dragged back.

Poor guy.

I should keep it a secret that he was rude so that he doesn’t get taken to the correctional office.

-o-

After taking classes in moderation, I left the classroom and went around the classroom to give lectures on adventuring and administration.

There were only five classes per grade because the Magic School pursued the minority elite. In addition, instructors were invited every year, so I only had to teach second graders. The lower grade had just entered and was adapting, and the upper grades couldn’t afford to focus on other classes due to the intensifying studies. Therefore, invitation lectures were special subjects for second graders each year.

"Hello. This time around, I'm here as an instructor, not a student."

According to the schedule, the classroom where today's last lecture was to be held was the classroom with Yuria and Alice.

Originally, I only had to give lectures related to administration, but because Dane Walker was a madosa and was giving magic lessons for all grades, I even had to give adventure studies lectures. From the perspective of the Magic School, it was an opportunity to invite a madosa at a low price, so they were really getting their use out of him.

"Listening to the lectures, all the other professors filled up their time, but let's finish up quickly and have fun."

"Wow!"

"Sounds good!"

The students cheered and were happy with what I said.

Most students were only interested in my jokes rather than lectures, perhaps because they thought they wouldn’t end up as adventurers or mercenaries. I finished the class by teaching the form and method of writing the empire’s standard administrative documents and practicing it only once.

Finishing class shortly after it started, I brought my index finger to my lips and said, "Okay, everyone. We filled up the time and worked hard in class."

"Hahaha! Yes! Understood!"

If I was caught by other professors, I would have to actually use up all the class time, so the secret would be kept well. Well, the other professors also probably guessed that there’d be some amount of chatting during class. To be honest, although maybe not about administration, it was clear that the professors didn’t think of adventure studies as important. Just as the students were given free time, I was going to read a book, but then a student suddenly raised a hand.

"I'm curious about Instructor-nim’s first love!"

"Ohhh! That's right!"

Students of the same age as me asked mischievously. It was one of the pranks to celebrate when there was time left during class. It was also my third time hearing this question today while giving lectures. Somehow, I felt a strong gaze from the direction of Alice and Yuria, but I tried my best to ignore it.

Milpia must be looking for something to tease me about.

"Unfortunately, I haven't met anyone who could be called my first love." I grinned and gave the same answer as in the other class.

"Ayy, that’s no fun!"

There was a playful boo and I turned the words around moderately.

"If there isn’t, then there isn’t. Well, if you have any other questions, you may ask."

"What's your relationship with Milpia?”

Surprisingly, it was not the bowl cut, but the student sitting next to him. Rather, the bowl cut blushed and tried to stop his friend.

"There’s no particular relationship. Just a friend of a friend? It's not that we don't know each other, but I can define it as a relationship of being acquaintances."

The blushing bowl cut’s face slightly turned brighter at my answer.

The friend of the bowl cut, who deliberately asked the question, giggled, saying, "See, I told you."

Rather, it was Milpia who looked unhappy. She spoke at the same time as sound transmission magic.

- I finally got him off my tail. What are you doing?

"Oh my, is that all we have?"

At Milpia's question, the poor bowl cut looked pale.

That's cruel.

I smiled and answered Milpia along with sound transmission magic.

- Are you going to keep bothering me? You can reject him or not, but do it without me.

"Well, I think it's just that kind of relationship."

In response to my answer, Milpia lightly clicked her tongue.

- Do you have any thoughts of cooperating as a cousin? Regarding the misunderstanding with Alice and Yuria, I can resolve that for you.

It seemed that the bowl cut was very burdensome.

- I don't want to do such disgusting cooperation especially since we’re cousins.

Even if it is pretense, to show feelings towards Milpia, gross.

At my firm rejection, she sighed helplessly.

- Let me know if you want anything. One thing, I'll do whatever I can for you.

At that, I leaned on the table and changed my words skillfully.

"Oh, come to think of it, I think we might be developing a close relationship."

At my words, the girls cheered, "Kyaa!" and the bowl cut turned dark.

If Milpia was determined to do something, there was nothing that could not be done in the empire. As such, let's put aside the purity of the bowl cut for a while. Honestly, it's not my business.

The problem was that Yurai and Alice were fiercely looking at me, but I’m sure Milpia will take care of it.

She'll do it… Right?

-o-

The bell rang to mark the end of the class, and everything to do for the day was over.

Although I suffered from all kinds of questions in the aftermath of the deal with Milpia, I solved the problem by turning the arrow to her moderately.

As an auditing student again, I was heading to the place where Alice and Yuria were sitting, and a rather cold gaze was targeting me.

"Next class is battle magic practice time."

"We have to go to the practice room.”

Alice and Yuria spoke and stood up at the same time.

Then each of them grabbed my arms and went out of the classroom as if dragging me.

Watching me being dragged, Arelia and Milpia followed with a smile as if something fun was about to happen.

The place where I was dragged like that was a deserted corner near the lab.

"So, what's that 'close relationship'?” Alice asked, alternately looking at me and Milpia.

"Come to think of it, the two of you met separately before going on a business trip.”

If it was before going on the business trip, was it when I received the bracelet?

At Yuria’s suspicious gaze, I glanced at Milpia. She showed her palms as if telling me to find a way on my own.

I replied with a small sigh at the gesture, "I understand that you are interested in your friend's relationship, but it's a misunderstanding.”

Yuria and Alice flinched.

Personally, it was a very unpleasant misunderstanding, but considering the uncomfortable relationship that occurs when friends become lovers, it wasn’t like I couldn’t understand.

"Milpia and I are cousins. Isn't that a close relationship?"

"Cou… sin?"

Alice and Yuria, as well as Arelia, looked back and forth between me and Milpia.

Milpia nodded when their eyes gathered towards her.

"The last time we met, there was something my mother, Den’s aunt, asked me to deliver to him."

"Then why before... Oh! No way."

Alice seemed to understand the whole story roughly because she was quick-witted.

"Khmm! I'm going to go ahead with Yuria first!"

Alice, who understood the situation, dragged Yuria, coughing in vain as if she was embarrassed from having dragged me all the way here. To Yuria, who didn’t seem to have understood yet, Alice whispered as they quickly went to the practice room.

"Wait for me!" Arelia followed the departing pair.

I asked Milpia, who was left alone. "Why did you use me to get rid of the bowl cut? I’m sure you'd be able to figure it out on your own.”

She sighed softly. "That's when I can use my power from the information agency. When I’m in the Magic School, my mother instructed me to become an ordinary student. In addition, that bowl cut is the eldest son of a marquis, so it’s difficult to refuse openly.”

Wait, are you asking me to receive the grudge of a marquis’s eldest son?

When I stared at Milpia with a frown, she smiled and shrugged.

"Don't worry. The bowl cut is a bit weak-minded, and if I schemed behind the scenes, there are few people in the empire who can compete with me." She added as we went to the practice room. "More than anything else, there is no nobleman in the empire with large enough guts who would dare to touch you who’s protected by the Duke of Asteria and General Asilante."

I scratched the back of my head as I followed her.

Anyway, since you bothered me, I’ll pay you back.