Episode 11
The rare equipment I obtained in the Ivadale Mountains had excellent stats, but it was challenging to control due to its capabilities surpassing my own skills.
During the remaining training camp period, I focused on mastering the use of the rare equipment, particularly learning how to reduce its output, so I could avoid causing harm to others.
After the camp, I returned to the Military Academy for the first time in a while.
My dorm room had been empty for a long time, and it was a bit dusty, but I didn’t mind. I dived onto the bed to savor its softness when suddenly, there was a knock on the door, and someone entered.
“Oh, already going to sleep?”
Even without looking, I recognized the voice; it was Ariniki.
“Ariniki, you’re looking good… I’m completely exhausted.”
“Oh, really? I came here because I thought we could have some alone time for the first time in a while. If you’re tired, we can do this another time.”
Alone time? Couldn’t it be done even if I am tired?
I stirred slightly and sat up.
“No, I’m fine.”
Ariniki grinned and came over, sitting down next to me on the bed.
I gave her a playful poke on the arm, and she blushed slightly, glancing at me.
Ariniki said, “We’ve come this far, but it’s embarrassing, isn’t it?”
Being stopped at the last moment like that made me blush too!
“Well… we are engaged, right? We’ll have to do it eventually.”
“What’s with that way of saying it…”
Ariniki chuckled and pointed to my eye.
“Viper, you have something in your eye.”
“Huh? Where… oh!”
As I was about to ask Ariniki to help me get rid of the dust in my eye, I was suddenly pushed down onto the bed.
Ariniki’s delicate, pale hair brushed against my face, tickling me.
From above, she smiled like an angel.
“Viper, you’ve been very dependable lately. Even during the training camp, you seemed more like a leader than Lamia.”
“Well, I guess…”
While Ariniki supported her weight with her right arm, she used her left hand to tuck her hair behind her ear.
“I used to worry if I could support you with both arms not too long ago. Now, I can easily do it like this. And besides—”
Ariniki smiled and relaxed the strength in her right arm.
Ariniki’s body landed on top of me, and the bed’s springs bounced with a “boing.”
“From now on, I can jump in like this without worries,” Ariniki whispered in my ear.
She was still my fiancée, and the fear of being stolen away by Goose was finally fading.
I could feel the reality sinking in.
“Viper, let’s just stick to kisses for today. Just being close to you makes my heart feel like it’s going to burst.”
“Just for today, huh…”
“Someday, though.”
Ariniki made this promise, and after her earlier enthusiasm, she now closed her eyes, her face close to mine.
Finally, my first kiss with Ariniki.
I slowly moved closer.
But then, a loud banging sound filled the room.
“Viper! We came to hang out… huh?!”
“Whooaaahhh!!?”
Two voices, both extremely loud.
Ariniki and I hastily sat up and moved apart.
Who dared to interrupt us like this?
I glared at the entrance to the room.
There stood Irio and Ryuuki. I had given them the location of my room during the training camp. Why did they have to visit now?
“I-I was looking forward to this… Sorry!”
Irio and Ryuuki, seemingly afraid of Ariniki’s wrath, turned to leave the room.
“Wait!” Ariniki called out to them.
Irio and Ryuuki hesitated and turned back, looking worried.
“Umm… Viper’s room. It’s the first time someone other than me has come in. Unless he secretly brought a girl in,” Ariniki said half-jokingly.
“I didn’t do anything like that,” I quickly defended myself.
“That’s right. So, you two are our first guests. I don’t mind being put on hold for a bit. Just enjoy yourselves as friends, guys.”
With that, Ariniki stood up, lightly kissed my cheek, and whispered in my ear, “We’ll continue this some other time,” before leaving the room.
“Umm… sorry about that,” Ryuuki said as he entered the room and took a seat.
“It’s fine. So, what’s up?”
“Couldn’t settle down, huh? Until yesterday, we were all sharing the same room, right? It felt lonely suddenly going back to my own room,” Ryuuki explained.
“Yeah, Ryuuki came to my room, but even the two of us felt like something was missing, so we ended up here!” Irio added.
“I see,” I replied, digesting their words. For some reason, tears welled up in my eyes with every realization.
I wasn’t alone anymore. I didn’t have to worry about losing my fiancée or not having friends. I wasn’t the lonely Viper, the deceitful and prideful guy who lied all the time. I was just… Viper, a normal person.
With each revelation, tears streamed down my face.
“Eh!? Viper, s-sorry! You don’t need to cry!” Irio panicked.
“N-no, it’s not about missing the chance to kiss Ariniki… it’s because I’m happy I have friends now,” I explained, letting my emotions flow.
Irio and Ryuuki laughed and came over, giving me a playful punch on the shoulder.
“You’re too straightforward, you know?” Irio chuckled.
“Yeah, really, you never know someone until you talk to them. He’s not what I expected at all. Sorry for being biased,” Ryuuki said with a smile.
It seemed that sharing hardships during our training camp and getting to know each other had deepened our bond. In the end, we chatted, played card games, and board games until late into the night.
The next day, our lack of sleep caught up with us as we dragged our tired bodies to class. The class competition was scheduled for the following week, so until then, it was back to the routine of daily life.
Today’s class was a lecture for lower-ranking magic users from F-class to D-class. That meant Ariniki was the only familiar face in the room.
However, I noticed someone familiar sitting at the front of the classroom, even though I only saw their back.
Red hair with curved horns peeking through, tan skin adorned with a lightning-shaped tattoo – it resembled Shaitan, the final boss from the “Goose Chronicle.”
It couldn’t be… Shaitan wouldn’t appear at the academy. I had never witnessed such an event.
Suppressing my gut feeling, I took a seat beside Ariniki.
“Now, before we begin today’s lesson, let me introduce a new transfer student,” the professor said and asked the young girl, appearing to be around 12 or 13 years old, to step forward.
“I am Shaitan. My parents are demons. Nice to meet you,” she introduced herself.
The final boss had transferred to our class!?
