Chapter 296: Shall We Leave It at That?

Erika who heard the circumstances from Senai came up beside me, folded her arms, and turned flat eyes on me.

Sorry, but was there a scene in that exchange to get flat eyes?

I thought the talk had ended peacefully. I tilted my head and stared at Erika’s face.

"Raide-san. Enol-sensei wanted to keep it hidden, did she not?"

"...Aah. I think so."

"And Raide-san ended up knowing it?"

"Ah~. I understand what you want to say. Meaning I might be thought to use that as material and demand something."

"It is only a possibility. But a bad possibility?"

"I have to cut it off."

"Good."

I smiled with a troubled face and gave the answer. Erika nodded with a glossy smile.

True, in an exchange without words a wrong reading might be made.

If I had let a wrong reading stand, Enol-sensei would spend her days still frightened.

Something she did not want anyone to notice, I knew. She would be holding a bad feeling.

In a simple exchange like just now she cannot trust me... aah. That is why she said a sly person.

Has my instinct dulled? Making a miss like this I cannot face the students...

I muttered that in my heart, smiled wryly, and rubbed the back of my neck with one hand when Erika smoothly leaned in and spoke at a volume the gathering students could not hear.

"Noticing what you do not notice and supporting you is my role."

"Erika has supported me many times. Thank you."

"Kus. It is fine. Come. Please go talk to her quickly?"

I answered at a volume the students could not hear, smiled, and nodded.

When I meant to call Roy and tell the training content Erika gently stopped me with one hand and beckoned Lucy instead.

Lucy who was beside Roy tilted her head, came up to Erika, was whispered to, and smiled with a troubled face.

Then she glanced at me, ran to Roy, and started whispering to Roy like Erika had.

I tilted my head at the strange exchange. Hiero peeked her face from behind and told me with a grin, "A rehearsal, she says."

A rehearsal? ...Aah. Hahaha. That is it. Bride training.

Erika’s care and foresight always surprise me.

I praised Erika in my heart. Roy who heard the talk smiled wryly and came up.

So I told him the training content, only a flow, and not to overdo it. When I lowered my head to the students they said not to mind.

Thanking the students too I exchanged a look with Erika, nodded, then started walking toward the school building to meet Enol-sensei.

Senai came along beside me. Hiero said she would wait on the training ground so Enol-sensei would not get wary.

Somehow for woman-related events I have started to feel it is better to borrow the lovers’ strength.

The rooms set for faculty were on the opposite side of the hall from the instructor’s office.

On the doors wooden tags with names hung. If the tag was hung facing the back it meant they were out.

I reached Enol-sensei’s faculty room at a quick walk, confirmed the tag was not facing the back, settled a breath that had gotten a little rough, and let out a breath of relief.

After settling my breath I straightened my back and knocked the door lightly. Enol-sensei’s voice came from inside, then said my name.

The door opened slowly. Enol-sensei appeared and looked at me with a doubtful face.

This is... being misunderstood like Erika said?

Even with a doubtful face I was invited in. I lowered my head and stepped into the room.

Enol-sensei’s room had many books. The walls were packed with bookshelves too.

As expected of someone teaching history and languages. There are books even I do not understand well.

As directed by Enol-sensei who closed the door I moved to a two-seat table. When I sat Enol-sensei sat across.

Confirming that I immediately lowered my head. Enol-sensei’s flustered voice came and I lifted my head.

"Instructor Raide. What is it?"

"About the talk just now. I forgot to promise I would not tell anyone I saw Enol-sensei’s look. So if you were uneasy that would not do, and I hurried to come talk."

"...Only that?"

"Yes. That is so. I am truly sorry for not having enough words."

I lowered my head again toward Enol-sensei who looked a little startled.

Silence wrapped the room. I waited with my head lowered for Enol-sensei’s voice. Then a bursting voice came from above. When I lifted my head Enol-sensei was laughing as if she had seen something funny.

Hiding her mouth with the tips of both hands and shaking her shoulders laughing, she had no image of stern. She was only a beautiful woman.

"O-only that, fufufu! You came with your face changed? Nfufufu!"

"For me thinking I was making you uneasy, only that was not only that. Though I only noticed because I was told."

"Kus, fufufu, haa~... the one who told you was Erika-san?"

"...I am surprised. You understood well."

I asked with a startled face at Enol-sensei’s words and she started laughing again.

...I understood I was not making her uneasy, but was there that much to laugh at?

I tilted my head. Enol-sensei took off her glasses, elegantly wiped her eyes with one hand, smiled, and spoke.

"The two of you are seeing each other, are you not?"

"...I do not think we showed that look at the academy. You noticed well."

"Yes. At the academy you were instructor and student. But outside I have seen you kissing hotly. Fufufu. From the start it is mutual. If Instructor Raide spread my matter around I would have raised the matter of dating a student at the academy meeting."

Enol-sensei said it with a playful smile. I smiled with a troubled face and rubbed the back of my neck with one hand.

I had confirmed no one was around, but from next time I will be more careful.

...It was not in the profile, but does she have a Far Sight skill?

"I give... is my position not the worse one?"

"Mutual. Shall we leave it at that? In the first place the students are of adult age. And there is no rule that dating is forbidden. Even if raised at a meeting, treasuring what an educator is, all they can do is drive Instructor Raide out."

"That would trouble me. Having it mutual seems to benefit me."

"Me too. And the earring you found is my treasure. I am truly grateful. If possible shall we stop this kind of talk?"

I smiled wryly and nodded at Enol-sensei’s words as she tilted her head and smiled.

I hear people with matters they do not want anyone to notice prepare how to handle it if noticed, but I did not think I would be the one receiving that.

Well. Just knowing I was not misunderstood might be a gain?

We exchanged a little calm small talk when Enol-sensei set the earring on the table, tilted her head, and spoke.

"But no matter how many times I remember it is odd. I definitely put it in the accessory case before sleeping the day before, and when I checked after waking it was gone. For that to be found at the academy... a strange day."

Hearing that talk I thought the event happened so it was forcibly gone.

...Honestly, does force work that far?

Events until now had the timing off or overlapped, but they happened in a form where the pieces fit.

But this event, from Enol-sensei’s talk, the pieces do not fit and she finds it odd.

Is there something else? Suddenly things disappear on their own... on their own?

What I suddenly reached was First Pope Griese’s book. That book fell to the floor on its own too.

If I say that, Pafa’s vessel? I do not know if that is the right word, but the doll fell on its own too.

I got curious and asked Enol-sensei to let me see the earring.

...The shape and color as I saw in the play video. A goldwork earring.

Nowhere looked odd... no. Letters carved so fine you would not know unless you strained your eyes?

I brought the earring close to my eyes, read the letters, opened my eyes in surprise, and murmured.

"Zerneze..."

"Eh!? Why do you know my close friend’s name? D-do you know where she is!?"

Enol-sensei stood from her seat with a startled face and threw questions at me desperately.

Oi oi. No way? Stro Zerneze and Enol-sensei were close friends?

I handed the earring to Enol-sensei and explained it was carved that way. Enol-sensei sat again and like I had brought the earring close to her eyes and started checking.

Sorry, but I do not know where Stro Zerneze is either. The last time I heard the name was from Sharle.

Why is there a connection here. Was Stro Zerneze a woman in the first place?

I glanced at Senai who had come into the room with me. She had a grim face and shook her head.

The Demon Association... I had meant not to get involved, but it seems it will not go simply.

I put on a troubled face, rubbed the back of my neck with one hand, and stared at Enol-sensei absorbed in the earring.

Maybe because I was working my head I did not catch a small voice I would normally have heard.

Please, help her. Please, Raide.