V1C12

Translated by SoundDestiny Edited by SoundDestiny

─The half-expected predicament came just after lunchtime.

“Saino-kun, can you come over here for a minute?”

While I was putting away my textbooks on my desk, a soft but somehow powerful voice came from behind me.

It’s obvious who the voice is without having to look back.

I let out a small sigh and then replied to the voice.

“….Okay. I’ll follow you, Akitsu-san.”

When I stand up and turn around, there is, after all, Akitsu-san smiling at me.

Her smile is the same charming smile as usual, but I can sense a kind of anger that cannot be hidden.

When I glanced at the centre of the classroom, I saw that Natsuno-san was sitting in her seat, flustered, not knowing what to do.

‘Well, there’s no way Natsuno-san can hide it from Akitsu-san, is there?……’

I don’t need to think about what happened between them.

Natsuno-san, whose relationship with me had progressed so quickly, was in quite a good mood from the morning.

There is no way that Akitsu-san, a good friend and perceptive person, would not have suspected Natsuno-san was acting strange.

She must have immediately interrogated her and got to the bottom of the matter.

Perhaps Natsuno-san also tried to keep the secret in her own way, but…..Akitsu-san was one or two steps ahead of her.

It was impossible to hide things from the start.

“Well then, let’s talk on the rooftop♪.”

“That’s good. I prefer a place where we won’t be disturbed.”

We exchanged short words and left the classroom together.

Natsuno-san looked at me with a worried face but I gave her a smile with the message not to worry.

To be honest, I don’t want Natsuno-san to participate in the discussion from here on.

I can only see a future where things will get even more complicated.

Incidentally, Fuyushima-san, who was sitting next to me, looked at me unusually as if she wanted to say something.

I’m her 『Predestined Man』in a manner of speaking, so I wonder if she was a little concerned about me.

“…………..”

“…………..”

We leave the classroom and head for the stairs without having any conversation.

There is a tremendous sense of urgency.

Akitsu-san seems to be really angry and I can see her moodiness from her every move.

I’m getting pretty scared about what she’s going to say to me.

Eventually, we arrived at the rooftop.

The rooftop is only open to students during lunchtime, but it is unpopular because it is a bit cold this time of year.

Thus, there is no one around but us.

“…… Now then, let’s hear your excuses.”

Akitsu-san looks back at me and speaks in a low voice.

She has a scary face, as if she could kill someone with her eyes alone.

Well, because of his well-defined face, such an expression is also attractive, but…..anyway, the strong anger is directly transmitted to me.

This is something I’m going to have to take seriously.

However, there was not a single thing I could explain.

Thanks to the [Special Sleepover Ticket], sleeping with Natsuno-san is not a problem.

But beyond that.

As for the rapey sex, I initiated it and there is no excuse for it.

…… So I choose to 『run away』.

Of course, I’m not running away.

Running away from interrogation……『postponing an answer』.

I’ve brought the tools for that.

“Well, first of all, I’d like you to take a look at this.”

Saying this, I held out a piece of paper from my pocket.

A piece of paper about the size of a note with a heart symbol in the middle.

Needless to say, it was the last of the [Special Sleepover Ticket].

“?? What’s this? Does something like this ticket have anything to do with it?”

Akitsu-san frowned, not understanding what I had just taken out.

However, she stopped questioning me and it’s not a bad reaction.

Let’s make her fall into the same trap as her best friend.

“Anyway, you’ll see what I mean when you look at the back of this. Take it.”

“……It doesn’t say anything. Are you trying to make a joke?”

Good, the objective has been achieved.

Her anger seems to have increased even more, but it doesn’t matter now.

If I’ve given her the [Special Sleepover Ticket], then I’ve done my job.

I asked Akitsu-san a question as a confirmation.

“Sorry, I think I brought the wrong paper. By the way, can I sleep with you tonight?

“Sure but do you want to make me angry, Saino-kun? Don’t try to mislead me.”

Akitsu-san chokes me while giving me a quick OK.

She is still extremely angry, but it seems that the [Special Sleepover Ticket] has worked.

So all that’s left to do now is to give a random answer.

I have a 『special strategy』 for Akitsu-san that I’ve been thinking about for a while, so I’ll just have to put it into action when we get into the futon together tonight.

“…..Sorry. I’m really sorry. I want to tell you everything properly, but for now, all I can do is apologise. I have some things I need to prepare for…..and I wonder if you would let me explain the situation at Akitsu-san’s house tonight? I’ll definitely tell you everything properly then.”

“…………。……You’re not planning to fool me with sex, are you? Unlike Hiyori, I’m not going to be satisfied with that, would I?”

“I won’t do that. I don’t think I can fool Akitsu-san with that sort of thing.”

Akitsu-san, who stared at me with a stern glare, responded in a calm manner.

I’ve gained a lot of courage through repeated experience and I’m not in any rush at all at this level.

I’m already good at fooling girls.

“…………….”

Akitsu-san stares at me with suspicious eyes.

It was uncomfortable, as if she was peering into the depths of my eyes, but I never let my mind get distracted and met her gaze.

“………….I understand. I’ll let you tell your story tonight. But in return, I’m going to ask you to accompany me on some experiments. Be prepared”

Perhaps judging that there seemed to be no malice on my part, Akitsu-san nodded while offering exchange conditions.

Okay, I survived.

At least I have succeeded in escaping from this place.

‘An experiment…….What on earth is she going to do with me…?’

I replied a thank you to her but inwardly I am worried.

I don’t think it is possible I will be mutilated with a scalpel…..but I honestly have a bad feeling about it.

I’d better do a decisive blow tonight before she does something weird to me.

“Well then, let’s go back to the classroom. Natsuno-san is probably quite worried about you.”

“…..I suppose so.”

When I suggest this, Akitsu-san agrees, albeit with a somewhat pensive look on her face.

……Okay, let’s get back to the classroom before she changes her mind.

I took the initiative and headed for the rooftop entrance and went straight into the school building.

Akitsu-san followed me and left the rooftop as well.

After school.

I quickly packed my bags and headed for the teachers’ room, just as I did yesterday.

I’ve made an appointment with Akitsu-san and I want to call off the search today as well.

I will have to talk to Harumachi-sensei about it.

Incidentally, Sensei’s contact details are not yet registered on my smartphone.

I’ll have to get her phone number for the next dungeon exploration.

“Excuse me.”

I arrive at the staff room and go inside, searching for her.

Harumachi-sensei isn’t…..there.

Maybe she hasn’t come back from class yet.

I quickly leave the staff room and wait at the door.

It should be better to wait here, so I don’t have to worry about the other teachers thinking I’m weird.

‘………….she’s late……’

However, after waiting for five minutes, Harumachi-sensei still hasn’t appeared.

Could it be that she has received a difficult question from a student?

Or is she busy cleaning up after something?

Well, it’s only been five minutes, and if I wait a little longer, she will come.

But time just keeps on passing.

It’s already been 20 minutes since I started waiting.

I went into the staff room and asked the other teachers, but it seemed that Harumachi-sensei had not returned after going to class.

‘…..I’ll go find her’

I don’t feel like I’m going to be able to see her if I keep waiting, so I walk down the corridor and head towards the stairs.

I don’t know where she is, but if I look around the classrooms I should be able to find her.

I go straight up the stairs and look around the classrooms on the second floor first.

…..Harumachi-sensei is nowhere to be seen.

I decided to ask some of the students in the area.

“Um, sorry. Do you know where Harumachi-sensei is?”

“Harumachi-sensei……ah, if it’s Sensei, she was teaching in our class just now.”

A junior female student with pigtails answers my questions.

That’s reasonably strong information.

If I can trace her from here, I will know where she is.

“So you don’t know where she is now? Is she still in the classroom?”

“Sorry, she left right after class, so I don’t know what happened after that……”

“….. I see. Okay, thanks.”

Hmmm, it doesn’t work that way easily, does it?

I thank the girl student who shakes her head apologetically but inwardly I feel a little discouraged.

The girl also didn’t ask me back with my question, but in the end it remains unclear where Sensei is.

I have to search around a bit more.

However, just as he was about to leave, a female student with pigtails uttered, [Oh, but…].

“Well, it may be, but……she might be resting in the infirmary.”

“The infirmary ……?”

The information was so unexpected that I couldn’t help but parrot it back to her.

The female student told me the reason with a slightly worried look on her face.

It seems that Harumachi-sensei suddenly became dazed the moment class ended and left the classroom with unsteady steps.

Her appearance was clearly not normal.

“Thanks…….I’ll go to the infirmary.”

I thanked the female student and ran out into the corridor.

Suddenly, anxiety welled up in my chest.

There is no doubt that something has happened to Harumachi-sensei.

I’m simply worried and I have an incredibly bad feeling about it.

I should find Sensei as soon as possible.

I go downstairs and open the door to the infirmary at the end of the corridor on the first floor.

And Harumachi-sensei is not …… there.

I asked the teacher in the infirmary and apparently Harumachi-sensei never came.

‘Damn …… where did she go?’

While closing the door of the infirmary, I think about where Harumachi-sensei went in my head.

However, I have no idea.

At any rate, I went to the staff room again, but it seemed that the teacher had not returned.

‘It can’t be helped. I guess I’ll just have to look up anything I can get my hands on…….!’

I conclude this and run down the corridor, feeling frustrated.

First, second and third floors. ……

I hurriedly looked around the classrooms, but could not find Harumachi-sensei.

Eventually, I finished looking in all the classrooms, but still Sensei was nowhere to be seen.

‘Then……that place!’

I head for the last remaining place and run up the stairs at full speed.

The place where I went with Akitsu-san.

The rooftop.

“…… Sensei!”

I open the door and call out in a loud voice.

Harumachi-sensei…..!

Sitting on a bench, she was standing there in a daze, not even noticing him.

I approached Sensei while regulating my breathing.

“……….”

Sensei doesn’t react to anything, even though I’m right in front of her.

It’s an expression I’ve seen before.

She has the exact same eyes when I used the [Nightmare Inducing Bell] on her.

“….Sensei?”

“A……. Eh…… Saino……?”

When I called out to her, Harumachi-sensei regained her senses at once, looked at me and her eyes fluttered.

I asked Sensei, feeling a bad premonition running down my spine.

“Sensei, why are you here?”

“Eh? I’m pretty sure someone called me to….Aree?”

Harumachi-sensei answered, but twisted her head.

She probably realised it was weird when she said it herself.

Who called her and why is that person not here?

If I think about it properly, I can find any number of unnatural points.

But I had an idea as to the cause of this unusual phenomenon.

The dazed expression on her face, the calls that can only be heard by certain people.

As I recall, a similar phenomenon occurred when Natsuno-san came to my house before.

Even when Harumachi-sensei found the dungeon, it was probably similar to now.

…… Yes, there’s no more doubt left.

The dungeon is doing something.

“Sensei, for now, please go home and rest today. I, too, won’t be exploring today.”

“Well……you’re right. I don’t realise it myself but I’m probably pretty tired. My head’s a bit confused too….”’

“Yes, get some sleep and regain your strength. You can always explore another time and don’t worry about me.”

I say a few kind words to Harumachi-sensei, who honestly agrees with me.

Sensei smiles at that, saying that she understands and stands up.

Her gait seems normal.

I think it’s safe to let her go home alone.

We left the rooftop and went our separate ways.

Sensei’s house and mine are in opposite directions. So, on the way home, I’m alone.

‘….. What was it all about? What is the Dungeon trying to do?’

As I walk towards home, I let my thoughts run through my head.

The mysterious phenomenon that attacked Harumachi-sensei.

The cause is definitely the dungeon.

But what on earth was the point of sending Sensei to the roof?

In the past, Sensei had discovered the existence of the dungeon and that had led to a dramatic change in the exploration but…..this time there was no noticeable impact.

At best, Sensei and I got home a bit late.

“……..”

Somewhat driven by a sense of frustration, I naturally walk faster.

I can’t shake off a bad feeling.

I feel like I’ve fallen into some kind of deadly trap without knowing it.

What is it?

What kind of trap did the dungeon set for me?

Eventually I arrived home.

In the meantime, I have to go to the dungeon and have a quick look.

Something might have changed.

…… But when I inserted the key into the keyhole of the front door, I noticed something unusual.

‘Oioi, you’re kidding me…….? The door is unlocked ……!’

When I turned the key, there was no response or sound of the lock being unlocked.

The lock is definitely unlocked.

Did I forget to lock it?

No, I stayed at Natsuno-san’s house last night but I remember locking the door when I left the house properly.

So could it be that my parents, who had gone on an adventure, came back?

It’s not impossible, but if so, it’s strange that there’s no car in the garage.

‘Damn……it got me ……!’

Here I finally understood why the Dungeon had called Sensei to the roof.

I thought the only impact was that we were late getting home but that’s exactly what it was trying to do.

I don’t know what the principle is but the dungeon must have known I was leaving after talking to Sensei and came up with the idea of taking advantage of that.

And again, I don’t know how but it unlocked the front door and invited someone into my house.

It could have just aimed for the time when I was in class, but the fact that the dungeon went to the trouble of doing it,means that this someone is probably someone who, like me, can’t get here until school finishes. This someone is likely to be a student at the same school.

The dungeon bought time for that person to find the dungeon.

‘Khh….What to do? Call the police? No, no. I can’t let them see the dungeon and whoever went in there in the first place has probably already seen it. Even if I’m lucky and the police doesn’t check the basement, that person who knows about the dungeon could spoil it in an interview……!’

I click my tongue involuntarily.

I’ve tried to wrap my head around it but I can’t find a proper solution.

The only possibility is to persuade the person in the house to keep the secret…..the same means as with Harumachi Sensei.

However, that was a forceful way of doing it, which was only possible because Harumachi-sensei had a liking for me.

I didn’t even know who was in the house, so I had to say that the chances of success were low.

‘But I had to do it. It’s all about negotiation now …..!’

Determined, I open the door.

…… For the moment, there is no sign of intruders.

However, I could feel a weak wind blowing towards the basement.

Apparently, because of the open basement door, the dungeon’s unique air flow towards the back of the room has come here.

I closed the door as noiselessly as possible and slowly descended the stairs, step by step.

And then…

“Eh……”

Unintentionally, a voice like a dumbfounded one leaks out.

The stone corridor that can be seen from the entrance to the basement.

The unexpectedness of the person who was there, for a moment I could not catch up with my understanding.

At the same time, however, a sense of relief welled up in my heart at once.

It’s not good that she saw the dungeon.

But I’m sure this girl will keep my secret.

…… at least as long as she thinks I’m 『the one』.

“………… Nn.”

That girl……at the entrance of the dungeon, Fuyushima-san, notices me and slowly turns around.

Her face is expressionless as usual.

Even after discovering something so out of the ordinary as a dungeon, she was still, as ever, very cold.

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