Chapter 69

Hikaru received a review. Thank you. Although it may become a bit irregular, I will try to update within my limits without overexerting myself.

The two of them put on their school uniforms—navy blue jackets.

Lavia had gone to several secondhand clothing stores to gather blouses and skirts that would match the navy blue jacket. Tailoring new ones would take too much time, so they decided to do that another time.

The chosen clothes were a calm beige, giving off the impression of a refined young lady.

As soon as they left the house together, they arrived at the academy.

(Maybe it should have been a bit farther... It doesn't feel like a commute at all.)

Hikaru thought to himself.

Since talking to Lavia about his situation, he felt a lot more at ease. He found himself enjoying the pretense of attending school.

However.

The academy staff, except for one person who was assigned to handle Hikaru, kept their distance. Even that one person, after handing them a stack of papers with important notices, stayed at least three meters away.

"Um..."

"Yes, yes!"

"Are there no reservations for lectures?"

This was the academy where he would be staying for a while.

Despite some misunderstandings, he had intended to be polite, but it seemed the staff did not feel the same.

"It's, it's fine. Attendance is free. Using the laboratories requires submitting a research plan, but all that information is written on those papers."

"Oh, I see..."

As they left the administration building, they could see students coming in small groups.

"It's a bit too free, isn't it?"

"True... Maybe it's more of a research institution."

The two of them sat on a bench and read the papers with the important notices. It seemed like it would take about an hour just to read them, but surprisingly, the explanations were simple and easy to understand.

"I'm going to attend the small sword lecture. It's about 30 minutes away. What about you, Lavia?"

"I'll check the library first and then decide."

"That's a good idea."

"Is it?"

If the library had enough books, Lavia might skip the lectures and just read.

After parting ways with Lavia, Hikaru headed to the lecture building where the small sword lecture was held.

There were diverse people around, including young students in jackets and adventurous-looking men, but no one paid particular attention to Hikaru. There were even younger boys and girls, who seemed to be researchers or assistants, carrying experimental equipment.

"Lecture Building C... It should be here on the map."

He had walked quite a bit.

In front of him was a single-story building. If he were in Japan, it would be like a "prefab" house. It was a small, cozy hut.

The walls were covered with vines, half of which were withered.

The flower beds were overgrown.

He knocked on the door, but there was no response. The door had "C Building" written in faded letters.

The door was unlocked and opened easily.

"Ugh..."

A strong, pungent smell of alcohol wafted from inside.

It seemed to be a converted storage room. The space, about 100 square meters, had no partitions.

Desks and chairs were piled in one corner.

Shelves and a blackboard were also gathering dust in the corner.

In the center of the open space, a carpet was laid.

At Hikaru's feet, a pair of boots lay.

A bit further, another pair of boots.

Then, a cardigan.

Then, tights.

Then, a skirt.

Then, a shirt.

"Snore, snore—"

On a pile of rugs, a woman was lying face down, wearing only her underwear.

Hikaru stepped out of the building.

He confirmed the sign above the door again. The letters were faded, but it was definitely "C Building."

He checked the lecture schedule. It said "Small Sword Lecture, C Building." Upon closer inspection, there were no other lectures scheduled in "C Building," which only increased his unease, but it was clear that the small sword lecture was held here.

He entered the building again. The door was left open. The only light came from a single magic lamp, making the room too dark.

"Snore, snore..."

The woman was sound asleep.

She was lying face down, but her profile was visible as her face was turned to the side.

Her makeup gave her a stern look. She was probably in her late twenties.

Her long, reddish-gray hair was tied up in a bun at the back. This hairstyle might have prevented her from sleeping on her back.

Her bra and panties were purple. She had a standard build, with a rather impressive waistline.

In any other situation, he might have been aroused, but it was unfortunate that she was drunk and fast asleep.

"...Still, no other students or teachers have arrived? Could this woman be a student learning the small sword?"

He had a bad feeling.

In any case, she was disrupting the lecture, so he should move her. The C Building's interior, which was filled with a sense of daily life, was concerning.

"Hey, wake up—please wake up."

He called out without getting too close to avoid any misunderstandings. But she showed no signs of waking up.

"..."

Hikaru stepped outside again.

No other students or teachers had arrived. No one was passing by. Perhaps this place was in a blind spot from the other buildings.

Hikaru picked up two small pebbles.

"If you don't wake up, I have a plan."

Standing at the entrance, he placed two pebbles between his index and middle fingers, and his middle and ring fingers.

"Feel the power of 'Throwing' 10."

He threw the pebbles with a graceful form, and they neatly lodged in the woman's nostrils.

"—Gasp!? ...Cough, cough!? —Ahh!"

The woman jumped up.

"What, what is this!? My nose feels strange, I can't feel anything! —What is this!? Something is stuck in my nose!"

By then, Hikaru was already outside the building.

He had no interest in seeing her remove the pebbles from her nose.

After about five minutes, he knocked and entered.

"..."

The woman was sleeping again.

Next to her was something wrapped in tissue.

"...Hmm. Still not satisfied with 'Throwing' 10?"

Hikaru picked up more pebbles.

This exchange repeated three more times, and finally, when Hikaru knocked,

"...Yes."

A lifeless voice responded.

When he entered, the woman, who had only moved to peel off one rug, looked at Hikaru with a haggard face.

"Who are you...?"

"There's supposed to be a small sword lecture here."

"There isn't."

"I don't think so. It's on the schedule."

"Cancelled."

"...What?"

"Cancelled... Oh no, no, no, wait, kid, get me a bucket, uh, a bucket, bring a—"

Hikaru stepped outside again, closed the door, and covered his ears.

One of the woman's boots was sacrificed.

"...Is that woman the small sword instructor?"

Realizing something was wrong, Hikaru returned to the administration building.

When he asked the staff, they replied, "That drunk is the small sword instructor, Milk Crêpe van Quad." The staff wouldn't lie, but they stubbornly said, "Ask her for more details," so Hikaru had no choice but to return to Building C.

He didn't want to get close, but he could confirm her name on her Soul Board.

"...You're the one who left me behind and ran away."

In front of Building C, a woman who looked like Milk Crêpe was standing, now dressed, but in sandals instead of boots, with a test tube in her mouth.

"That was the best option I had."

"Stop talking. It hurts my head."

She said something unreasonable.

"Ah... It's starting to work. The 'Hangover Killer' developed by the pharmacology department is the best."

It was a drug that promoted metabolism, a byproduct of detoxification drug production, but that didn't matter to her.

"Can we talk now?"

"Ah, sure, heartless kid. What?"

"...Are you the small sword instructor, Milk Crêpe van Quad?"

"I hate that name."

"Huh?"

"Doesn't Milk Crêpe sound too cute? That name only works until you're five. Call me Mirei."

"Ah..."

"Then? If I'm the small sword instructor, what's the problem? Are you here to mock me because no one takes the course these days? No one has taken it in the two years since I started! Don't look down on me!"

"Despite your anger, I'm here to take the course."

"...What?"

This time, it was Milk Crêpe—Mirei's turn to be stunned.

【Soul Board】Milk Crêpe van Quad

Age 22, Rank 25

24

【Vitality】

【Immunity】

【Toxin Immunity】1

【Keen Senses】

【Hearing】1

【Strength】

【Weapon Proficiency】

【Small Sword】3

【Throwing】1

【Agility】

【Stealth】

【Life Concealment】1

【Perception Concealment】2

【Dexterity】

【Dexterity】3

【Intuition】

【Intuition】2

Despite his reluctance, she was indeed the real Milk Crêpe van Quad.

There are such things as unsexy underwear, you know...