Chapter 189
"Change right now! What kind of disgrace is this!"
"Disgrace! Can't I wear it once in a while for old times' sake? And I don't have any other clothes to change into!"
"Then just take it all off! That might be less embarrassing! Big sis may be shameless so it's fine, but I don't think I can lift my head and walk around!"
Whoosh-!
The sound of Lucia's heart being hurt reached all the way here.
"Delin, you! What kind of way is that to talk to your sister!"
"I'll call you sister when you act like one, right?"
"Wh-What! Delin, are you in puberty? Sob sob! Think back to the old days, Delin. Go back to the time when you followed me around and whined for me to buy you toys!"
"Wh-When are you talking about!"
Bicker bicker-.
Two idiots started fighting in front of my eyes.
The problem is that the aftermath reached me too.
[Someone who deeply respects Lucia in their heart is disappointed.]
[Lucia's fame decreases by 18.]
[A penalty is imposed due to the decrease in fame. Mana recovery rate -3 for today.]
[Current Lucia's fame. 44,930.]
'This damn 18!' (TL Note: Reminder that '18' sound like 'Fuck' in Korean. So he is cursing)
I'm not talking about the decreased fame value. I really cursed.
Isn't that so? What an unreasonable system where I have to take responsibility for the teacher's mistakes.
I can't help but curse.
'The only fortunate thing is that the penalty is weak?'
Not only are there no incidents to fight, but the period is only one day. This penalty is tolerable.
But if the stats were cut, I might have smacked the back of Lucia's head.
'...I'm worried about the future.'
Nanny sneakily approached and whispered in my ear.
"Hohoho! How is it, Mr. Zero. My uniform tactic. You like it, right?"
"......"
Nanny's uniform tactic.
The reason it worked is simple. Because Lucia is a 'ditz'.
Agreeing to Nanny's request to eat? It's a behavior that can't be understood with common sense.
In other words, if it weren't for the ditzy Lucia, it would have been a tactic that wouldn't have worked at all.
And this is why I'm worried about the future.
'Darn it! Of all things, to become the first disciple...!'
What kind of ditzy things will Lucia do when I'm not around? What kind of penalties will be imposed on me because of that?
I couldn't even imagine.
If I get a penalty during a fight with the Four Heavenly Kings or Legion Commanders due to Lucia's strange behavior?
It would be perfect for dying.
"Mr. Zero, what do you think? She has a house, has a lot of money, buys food well, is voluptuous here and there, and even wears such a cute hairstyle and outfit for her husband!"
"......"
"All this for the low price of 0 won! If you just sign the contract, you can take her right away!"
What is this? A home shopping network?
I'm not sure about the rest, but a sister who buys food well... This might be good?
"D-Did you wear such clothes for m-marriage? H-How vulgar!"
"No! I didn't know! Nanny just told me to wear it if I wanted to eat, so I had no choice...!"
"Hohoho, Mr. Zero! You don't need to mind such words. You won't get this chance again, right? Now, you just need to sign. Right here!"
Nanny's eyes sparkled, no, flashed as she held out the contract.
When I took the contract in my hand, the eyes of Lucia, Nanny, and Rodelin were colored with tension.
My choice is...
"I refuse."
Nanny making a face that says 'what a waste', Lucia slightly shocked and staggering, and Rodelin sighing in relief for some reason.
"To be rejected by a kid who's still wet behind the ears... Don't they usually say 'I'll definitely marry you when I grow up' to their older sisters? Is it my fate to have no connection with marriage in this life...?"
"My poor young lady... I guess you have no choice but to live with me forever..."
Mumble mumble.
Lucia and Nanny, who suddenly put their heads together and entered despair mode.
They're really strange people. 'I'll definitely marry you when I grow up'? I'm not a five-year-old kid!
And in the first place, the reason I rejected Lucia is not because I don't like her...
'My goal is to clear the final boss, so I can't be tied to Lucia.'
If this were a game, I might have signed here and entered the marriage route with Lucia.
Because even though she's a bit of a ditz, Lucia is an incredibly attractive woman.
'I want to see the hidden story too.'
But then I'd likely be tied to Lucia and my growth would stagnate.
'Of course, I could aim for explosive growth by forming ties with Lucia's faction, but...'
The problem is that it's a route I've never tried before.
About twenty routes have been revealed where you marry a character from a faction similar to Lucia's, but there are unexpectedly many obstacles.
Factional fights, diplomacy, battles with the strong, even the threat of assassination.
I can't take such a gamble now that I only have one life.
'The marriage route with Lucia is enough to enjoy in a subsequent playthrough after clearing this game.'
So I didn't sign the contract, not because Lucia lacks charm.
But I can't reveal this fact in this situation.
'The problem is that it's also troublesome if Lucia's favorability towards me drops...'
Because I need to maintain a good relationship with Lucia and get help from her periodically.
I can't throw away the connection I've painstakingly built. I said to Lucia and Nanny, who were in despair.
"Buying and selling Lucia is unacceptable. Because Lucia is not an object."
"...!"
Nanny ran to me and firmly grasped my hand with both of hers.
"Even your personality is great! As expected, young lady should become Mr. Zero's...!"
"Nanny! What are you saying in front of the kids!"
"I need to make it a fait accompli before leaving. Young lady, right now... Mmph!"
But Nanny couldn't continue her words.
Because Lucia tied Nanny up tightly.
Lucia, who succeeded in gagging Nanny, wiped the sweat from her forehead.
"Phew, really. I can't let my guard down for a moment?"
"Keke, wouldn't the fooled one be the idiot? Teacher?"
"Eeek!!"
Lucia's body trembled. With a contemptuous expression to boot.
Why is she suddenly giving me such a reward(?)?
"Just call me Lucia like before. I'm not old enough to be called teacher yet?"
I see. It's because she's not used to the word 'teacher'?
Well, I don't care what she calls me. What's important is maintaining the relationship with Lucia.
That's when. Luna and Rezé approached and asked as if it was difficult.
"Is it comfortable for us to call you that? It's true though. Lucia isn't at an old age."
"My cute little disciples! Did you go in well yesterday?"
Lucia hugged the two tightly.
Hmm, it seems like she's treating them differently. It must be my imagination?
"You two call me teacher. The only one not allowed is that guy."
...I see. It wasn't my imagination, she's really discriminating?
I can't call the teacher 'teacher'.
Is there a Hong Gil-dong in the fantasy world too! (TL Note: I didn't understand the joke, but Hong Gil-dong is basically Korean Robbin Hood)
Well, forget it. I can use the title 'teacher' when teasing her.
"Thank goodness. By the way, I was surprised. I didn't expect you to go this far for us..."
"Huh?"
"Didn't you wear the uniform because you wanted to get closer to us?"
Luna tilted her head.
She probably didn't hear the conversation we had earlier.
I don't know if it's because of the distance or because she's not perceptive.
"That... That's right! I did it to get close to you as soon as possible. Ahaha...!"
Lucia desperately sent me a signal.
A signal to respond to her words.
"Keke, Luna. Isn't it obvious? It's not like Lucia is a pervert or anything."
"Your words have a sting to them?"
Lucia voiced a complaint.
Complaining to someone who's trying to help. I was going to let it slide, but I can't.
I took something out of [Dimensional Pocket]. Something solid and heavy.
A camera.
"Keke, today is the day Lucia leaves. How about taking a commemorative photo?"
"A-A photo?"
Lucia tried to pull down her skirt.
If photos of her wearing a uniform, and a greatly shortened one at that, circulate in the empire, she won't be able to live with her head held high.
Perhaps realizing that fact, Lucia asked for help.
From the intellectual of this era, the authority of Annwood Academy, her sister.
Rodelin.
Rodelin, who met Lucia's gaze, smiled brightly.
"Mr. Zero, unauthorized photography is a crime."
But it didn't take long for that expression to turn into an evil spirit.
"But since today is a special day, I'll approve it. In the name of Rodelin de Lucid, the vice president of the student council of Annwood Academy."
"Delin, noooo!!"
Lucia wailed, but the flow couldn't be changed.
Click-.
Me, Luna, Rezé, Rodelin, and Lucia in a short uniform.
And so, another memory of Lucia's dark history was recorded in my camera.
"Teacher, why are you like that?"
"P-Please get a hold of yourself..."
The kids comforted Lucia, who had collapsed with her soul gone.
Not knowing the reason, the comfort was unlikely to work.
"Mr. Zero."
In the meantime, Rodelin quietly approached me and spoke.
"Keke, what is it?"
"Hmm... Well."
Rodelin hesitated to speak. It was an unexpected sight.
Because Rodelin is a confident and daring person.
"Can you make a copy of that photo for me?"
Words uttered as if embarrassed.
I could tell. Rodelin wants the photo not to blackmail Lucia.
'She seems to want to keep the memory with Lucia.'
I immediately manipulated the camera and gave her a copy.
Perhaps she liked Lucia's embarrassed appearance in the photo, or maybe she liked the sight of standing together.
Rodelin chuckled.
"Keke, how about you wear it like that next time, senior? I think it would suit you well."
"Shortening the uniform is against the school rules."
"Is that so? Then what about what you did before..."
"Uw-Uwaah! S-Stop! Wh-What are you talking about now!"
Rodelin covered my mouth.
It's Rodelin, who shortened her skirt by 1cm at the beginning of the semester.
Of course, I was the only one who knew that fact. It was only natural since the change was so minimal.
"...I felt it back then too, but Mr. Zero has a really good eye."
Not 'back then', but 'back then too'? Then...
"It means you're still in a shortened state."
"Wh-What! You knew...!"
Rodelin's face turned as red as a radish.
This was unexpected even for me.
'I thought Rodelin's personality would make her change it back right away since she was caught.'
Maybe she thought it didn't matter since she was already caught? Or maybe she thought it was better to look pretty even if she was caught.
Either way, it was unbearably cute.
"Keke, you can shorten it even more."
"I-I'll restore it back! I-I won't do this kind of thing ever again!"
This is troubling. I can't make Rodelin unable to do her non-deviation deviation because of me.
Acting as if she's an adult, as if she's a soldier. That's the Rodelin character.
In that situation, she faced puberty. The desire to look pretty and her identity as a soldier collide.
And she ends up committing the deviation of shortening her skirt without being noticed.
'In other words...'
The skirt shortened by 1cm symbolizes Rodelin's 'leeway' and 'childlike appearance' that she's barely given.
I can't erase such a symbol with my own hands.
Now that it's come to this...
"If you promise to shorten it by 1cm more, I'll keep this a secret."
"Wh-What did you say!?"
That's right. This is the choice I made.
Increasing the leeway and childlike appearance, which was only 1cm, to 2cm.
Even if I'm labeled as a pervert!
"Th-That's a bit difficult."
"It's okay. They won't notice. Except for me."
"...Is this blackmail?"
No, this is not blackmail, it's a secret. Between seniors and juniors.
"It's a secret between us."
Perhaps to hide her flushed face, or perhaps to declare surrender.
Rodelin hung her head low.
"...I have no choice. I trust you, Mr. Zero, who always keeps his promises."
"Keke, of course."
And so, as I was building a secret with Rodelin.
Rodelin, looking at the clock on the training ground, shouted.
"Oh my! Look at the time. It's time for my patrol in Area 3."
Rodelin took off her jacket and began tying it around Lucia's waist, who was in despair.
"The weather is chilly. Be careful not to catch a cold."
"Woo...! As expected, only my cute Delin takes care of me!"
"S-Soldiers are not cute!"
Lucia hugged Rodelin tightly.
Rodelin, who briefly fumbled with her hands, eventually hugged her back.
"Take care."
"See you during the vacation, our cutie. I'd like you to change your way of speaking to be cuter."
"...A soldier's way of speaking shouldn't be cute."
And so Rodelin left.
Usually on a day like this, it would be okay to see Lucia off, but she's diligently carrying out her duties.
It's a Rodelin-like farewell.
Now it's our turn to have a moment of parting with Lucia.
I asked Lucia, who was wearing a uniform.
"Hmm, so did you come here to show us that appearance?"
"Of course not!"
Smack!!
Lucia smacked the top of my head.
It was so fast that even the [Reflex] skill, which receives an A-grade rating, couldn't react.
'...It's incomparable to the pop quiz.'
I thought I had gotten quite strong. But I was wrong.
I can't beat a 6-star knight level, and the attacks of Lucia, an 8-star knight, are at a level where I can't even see them.
That's my current position.
"Sheesh, to think a guy like this is my disciple. You think I came here to play around? It's all for you."
"For us?"
"Yeah, there's the reason of giving a final greeting to you, my disciples, but..."
Lucia's gaze turned to where Rezé was.
Rezé, who received the gaze, flinched.
"Our Rezé's training is at the final stage."
It seems our rabbit is about to.
Evolve.
--TL Notes--
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