_Swish swish_
Staring blankly at the sky while sweeping, Amanda, the professor in charge of Class E, gave my shoulder a light tap and scolded me to do it properly.
Today is cleaning day.
It’s annoying, and while I managed to escape from the indoor cleaning that clearly shows if done carelessly, it’s still a hassle.
Ugh.
There was a long lecture from the Dean about how the school got dirty due to the recent incident and how it needed to be cleaned up, but no matter how much I glared, she pushed it through while deliberately avoiding eye contact.
“Daniel, over here!”
Eve came bouncing over to me with a bag wide open. Since Tana moved on to a different area, it was just Eve and me cleaning together.
“Isn’t it annoying?”
“Hmm, a little. I wish there was a Reading Day or something.”
“By the way, I finished the book you recommended last time.”
“Isn’t it fun?”
I awkwardly nodded while Eve sparkled her eyes and asked.
“It was, but why does the protagonist suddenly become the final boss?”
“That’s what makes it interesting! The protagonist who was protecting the world ending up being the apocalypse!”
Is that really interesting?
Honestly, I’m not sure, but it’s true that I found it somewhat engaging, so while I was casually responding, a white-haired girl cut into our conversation.
“What are you doing?”
“Don’t just butt in suddenly.”
“Ah, you scared me.”
Sen, from the Chokugen Faction.
In that moment, I wanted to ask her if she knew about Tudogs, but since Eve was there and if I asked how I would know such a thing, I had no answer.
Darn, what a shame, but I guess I’ll hold off for now.
After all, I’d be the only one who knew she was from the Chokugen Faction.
“Why suddenly?”
Oh, right, since Sen believes keeping connections might be useful someday, she asked kindly, crossing her arms and mumbling to herself.
“No, Ares has seemed really moody lately.”
“……”
“Oh, Ares?”
Eve glanced at me.
“I don’t really know much about him anymore, so don’t ask me.”
If it weren’t for Sen, I would’ve told a follower like Arina or Elise to just go away right away.
“Huh, right? Sorry. I’m really bad at these things.”
Sen chuckled apologetically.
Sensitive to the feelings of others, Eve seemed a bit flustered, but I asked without any problems.
“By the way, why do you like Ares?”
Hayun pretends to like Ares because of family pressure. I wondered if the Chokugen Faction had something going on, but Sen calmly answered.
“Well, he’s handsome!”
“Yeah, go away.”
Sighing, I waved my hand, and Sen laughed brightly and waved goodbye.
Then Eve cautiously assessed the situation and asked.
“Isn’t something strange?”
“Strange? What do you mean?”
“I mean, hmm… forced?”
As soon as I heard the word ‘forced,’ I almost gave Eve a head pat and praised her for noticing.
Right, Sen was expressing her emotions quite artificially.
It’s like there are rules for using fire magic; she’s been drilled to show specific emotions in situations like this.
Ugh, that’s pitiful.
I heard that in places like the Chokugen Faction, suppressing emotions is a priority from childhood.
When I first met Sen, I wondered why she seemed so emotionally exaggerated, but after a few more encounters, I realized it wasn’t that at all.
That girl is completely emotionless, and as a result, she can’t regulate the fake emotions she expresses.
I guess her liking Ares doesn’t really have a strong reason.
She just mimics the behavior suitable for kids her age. Choosing Ares was just because most girls like him.
“Don’t worry about it unnecessarily. There’s no good in getting involved with her.”
Our dear Eve, just read books at home.
My little Eve!
After taking my little Eve to the professor to confirm the garbage bag, I headed to the incinerator.
Since it was a cleaning day for the whole grade, the line to the incinerator was a bit long, but standing at the end were May and her gang.
The boys from the gang who had seen me talking to May last time shot me a glare but I ignored them and stood right behind.
“By the way, I recently learned a bit of dance from Tana.”
“Dance?”
I wondered what she was talking about, but she probably said something out of boredom while waiting in line.
“L-look at this!”
As I gave her a puzzled look, she started doing some cha-cha moves.
While trying hard to dance discreetly so others wouldn’t notice, what she was doing looked more like a rhythmic motion than dancing.
“Well, how is it?”
“Yeah, cute. I thought you were a hamster.”
“It’s sexy dance!”
“……”
Tana really has a way of getting into trouble.
Why does she teach a kid that and put me in this awkward position?
I can just imagine her saying that if Eve danced sexy in her body, all the boys would be brain dead! while teaching her.
As I casually turned my gaze away, Eve pinched my side lightly and looked sulky.
“Really, that’s mean.”
“I’m a bit unfairly treated.”
As we were bickering, May looked at me and was taken aback before approaching.
“Hey, why didn’t you say something if you were behind?”
“Because it’s a hassle.”
Actually, it wasn’t so much of a hassle as the boys in the gang intentionally blocked May from seeing me.
But then May suddenly scowled and went on a rampage.
“Annoying? Should I use a Wish and really annoy you? Want to spend the whole day running around the Academy?”
With her nose in the air, May looked down on me, and while her gang chuckled behind, I shrugged.
“Oh, that’s expired.”
I said coldly, and she immediately deflated and clung to me.
“Ah, why! I’m sorry! I won’t use it like that, so don’t threaten me weirdly!”
“Yep, it’s expired.”
“I’m sorry! I’m always thinking about what to make you do!”
Hearing that made me feel even worse.
Now, seeing May, who had overpowered all the delinquents in the Aios Academy, whining like a child, her gang looked awestruck.
“This is really not fair!”
“Alright, alright, so calm down now.”
May has to continue dominating the delinquents. I couldn’t let her lose her charisma, so I decided to give in. May smiled brightly and nodded her head vigorously.
“Yeah, that’s how it should be. This is the way of the world.”
What the heck is she talking about?
Somehow, May came over to our side and started talking, and as Eve joined in with the conversation, someone tapped my shoulder from behind.
“Hello.”
Rin stood there, smiling sweetly, but the atmosphere felt a bit off.
“Hey.”
After what happened yesterday, I wondered if I’d feel awkward, but it didn’t seem too different.
“Oh, hello.”
“……”
Eve nodded and greeted, while May folded her arms disapprovingly and didn’t say a word.
It seemed like she didn’t hold good feelings towards Rin.
Now that I think about it, those who like Ares seem to be like that.
Tana also checked Rin before, and now May gives off the same vibe.
“We cleaned near the pond, where did you go, Daniel?”
“We worked on the west wall.”
“Isn’t there a lot of trash there? I’ve seen kids dumping stuff around there.”
“Yeah, quite a bit.”
“By the way, do you know about our Academy’s pond…”
Rin continued chit-chatting.
Although she had her friends back there, she was only speaking to me warmly.
Thanks to that, Eve and May just stood by like they were floating.
This is Rin’s charm grabbing the class’s attention even after transferring to the third year.
I had known it from when we lived in the village, but now in a different place, Rin’s abilities are even more dazzling.
If she didn’t have that strange tendency to potentially destroy the world, everyone would like her.
“Ah, you talk a lot.”
But it was none other than May who broke this flow.
She put her hands in her pockets, sulking.
“Ugh, it’s noisy, so keep it down.”
“Ah……”
May interjected perfectly for that fit. Rin didn’t say anything, but instead, her friends behind raised their voices.
“How can you talk like that?”
“Is Rin okay?”
“She’s just trying to hurt your feelings on purpose.”
The criticisms began pouring in, but May didn’t budge and rolled a candy around in her mouth. Then, as if waiting for this moment, May’s gang jumped in.
It was a gesture that she didn’t even need to step in, but it really showed her as the so-called “queen of the back alleys.”
“Hey, what did you say?”
“Those who’ve never been beaten talk like that.”
“If you don’t want to go home crying, keep your eyes down.”
Typically in an academy, students would bow their heads and back down against delinquents, but here is the Aios Academy.
Most are from noble families, and the majority have self-confidence in their skills.
Instead, Rin’s friends stepped in even more aggressively, defending their friend.
“Do you have something to eat?”
“I have mint candies.”
“Mint candies?”
“I eat them when I feel sleepy while reading books.”
“Too bad.”
Eve and I were caught in the middle, watching to see who would win. If there was any jerky or something around, it would be really entertaining to watch.
Things started getting noisier as other students turned their attention toward us. Sensing the situation escalating, Rin stepped in to mediate.
“I’m sorry, I got too excited talking to Daniel, who doesn’t dislike me.”
In the strangest way possible.
“Hmm?”
May glared at Rin, seemingly questioning her words, and even Rin’s friends looked at her as if to ask what that context meant.
However, Rin was gazing at me with a gentle smile.
“Right? You don’t dislike me, right?”
I felt the pressure.
Even in this awkward atmosphere, her intention to hear what she wanted from me was clear.
“Uh, I don’t dislike you.”
As I scratched the back of my head and replied softly, Rin made a disappointed face.
“Say it just like you did last time.”
I think she’s gotten fixated on something strange.
