Javert’s eyes had gone cold and lifeless.
Breaking out in a cold sweat, I had no choice but to explain myself.
“...So you’re saying you only petted her?”
“That’s right.”
“Once a day?”
“Lately, yes.”
“In your dorm room’s bedroom?”
“I only found a place where we could avoid the other students’ eyes.”
“...”
“...”
After hearing my explanation, Javert’s expression grew even more complicated.
Through our connected minds, I could feel her bewilderment.
It was as though question marks were popping up everywhere.
Beyond my thoughts, the woman’s inner voice came through like telepathy.
[A relationship where one pets and the other gets petted...?]
[And Young Lady Glacia was the one who asked for it?]
[What kind of relationship is that? Can this really be called a normal distance between people?]
Yeah.
I’d be confused too.
‘It’s not like we’re a cat and its servant, so what the hell is a petting relationship...?’
That was something I wanted to know myself.
I could only keep explaining with a pained smile.
Of course, the more I explained, the stranger Javert’s expression became.
[...Or perhaps Student Viktor has some sort of weakness she’s holding over him?]
[He may be a womanizer, but he isn’t the kind of person who would casually touch someone of the opposite sex.]
A womanizer?
I’d been hearing that a lot lately.
[If he were that kind of person, I would have already...]
I’d never even had a girlfriend in my entire life, let alone cheated on one.
As a leading representative of involuntary lifelong bachelorhood, I couldn’t accept such a slanderous label.
I wept inwardly.
Meanwhile, Javert had quietly started avoiding my gaze.
As if she’d thought of something embarrassing, the tips of her ears had turned red.
“Inspector?”
“...Ah, ahem. Yes.”
“What’s wrong all of a sudden? Your cheeks are flushed.”
“It’s nothing. I’ve been feeling a little under the weather lately.”
“In the middle of summer?”
“Yes, strangely enough.”
“That can happen.”
Was she going through some emotional stress lately?
A hot, restless corner of her heart.
Javert’s heart had been pounding nonstop.
[...Someday. Next time.]
[He might not like it if I force him.]
Ahem!
Javert cleared her throat and gathered her thoughts.
Then, she needlessly averted her gaze toward Rin, who was standing beside us.
“Student Rin.”
“Yes, Professor.”
“So... lately, you’ve been asking Student Viktor to touch you every day.”
“That’s right. I asked him.”
“May I ask why?”
“When Class E’s top student pets me, I feel strange.”
“What exactly do you mean by strange...?”
“It feels soft and quiet. It’s not noisy. It’s warm, too. It feels like soaking alone in a warm bath in an empty mansion. I keep thinking about it, so... yes. I kept asking Class E’s top student.”
“...”
That was a remarkably detailed review.
Javert’s expression inevitably became complicated again.
She seemed to consider it for a moment before asking a few questions.
“Does it not work when someone else does it?”
“Yes. I don’t feel anything. So it has to be Class E’s top student.”
“Have you tried it with other students?”
“I asked the girls in Class E.”
“That’s... interesting.”
“Yes. It is.”
“Have you asked any of the male students in Class E?”
“No.”
“Why not?”
“I just don’t like it when men touch me.”
“Young Lady, I’m a man too, you know...”
“Class E’s top student is fine.”
What was that supposed to mean?
Was I not even being treated as a member of the opposite sex?
‘So she sees me as a petting machine...’
I felt a little betrayed.
As I stood there feeling hollow, Rin tilted her head.
Then, as though she had remembered something, she took a step.
“Ah, come to think of it...”
“Young Lady? What is it?”
“I was supposed to see my brother for a moment today. I should get going.”
“What?”
“Thank you for today, too. Please do it again tomorrow.”
“No, you can’t just leave the two of us alone like this...”
Creeeak-.
Before I could stop her, the blue-haired girl left.
A free spirit disappearing beyond the front door.
In the end, only two awkward people remained in the dorm room.
“...”
“...”
Javert kept avoiding my eyes while I broke out in a cold sweat.
A brief silence settled over the dorm bedroom.
I held my breath.
It felt like I was about to be scolded.
As I carefully watched her, I faintly heard Javert’s thoughts.
[...So this is Student Viktor’s bedroom.]
Her green eyes seemed to take in the room for a moment.
Her heart pounded, then suddenly tightened as though someone had clenched it.
Javert murmured, her heart heavy.
[This is my first time coming in here.]
[While Young Lady Glacia has been here with Student Viktor so many times...]
I was getting scolded.
I had no idea what I was going to be scolded for, but I was definitely getting scolded.
‘What kind of atmosphere is this if not the kind where I’m about to get scolded...!’
I waited for my approaching fate.
I felt like a condemned criminal standing before the gallows.
Then, as I stood there shriveled up, Javert’s voice broke the silence.
“Student Viktor.”
Yet her voice was unexpectedly fragile.
I could even hear a slight tremble in it.
When I looked up, Javert was sitting hesitantly on the bed.
[What if he refuses?]
[Won’t he think I’m being, being a little ridiculous...?]
One corner of the bed.
The same spot where Rin always sat while receiving my touch.
“...I’d like you to do it for me too.”
“Pardon?”
She hesitated.
Unlike her expressionless face, her cheeks and ears had turned red.
Her flushed skin was as red as her loose crimson hair, seeming to reveal the warmth in her chest.
“Well, I also...”
Javert looked away.
Still, her racing heartbeat rang clearly in my ears.
“I’d like you to do it.”
“Do what...?”
“Um... like you d-did for Student Rin...”
“You mean petting Young Lady Glacia?”
“...”
Javert lowered her head.
Perhaps she didn’t want me to see her red face.
[Will he think I’m strange? He probably will, right?]
[I should say it was a slip of the tongue while I still can...]
Rustle-.
I carefully reached out.
Brushing aside her red hair, I placed my palm against her flushed cheek.
I gently lifted her head.
I quietly met her eyes.
Her face bloomed like a rose, color bleeding across it.
“Of course.”
As our skin touched, Javert turned even redder.
A faint warmth colored my fingertips.
The heartbeat I’d been hearing stopped.
For a moment, the world seemed to stop as the instant flared.
Her green eyes trembled, yet they held only the masked boy.
“How could I refuse a request from you, Inspector?”
“...”
“Now, please sit properly.”
“...”
Rustle, rustle-.
My hand moved neatly through her hair.
As I carefully stroked her hair, as though shaping porcelain, another soft breath escaped her.
Javert remained stiff.
Still, as my hand moved, I could feel her thoughts turn completely blank.
As I petted her, I whispered the same words I had said to Rin.
“You’re doing well, Inspector.”
“...”
“You’re amazing. I respect you.”
“...”
The words rang out gently.
As they piled up, Javert’s shoulders trembled.
“You’re the person I look up to most. I’ve always admired you, and I respect you deeply.”
“Um... Stu, Student Viktor... This is still a little embarrassing...”
“Should I stop?”
“...”
“If you don’t like it, please tell me anytime.”
“...I think I’m still alright for now.”
In the end, I kept petting her.
I petted Javert for a full two hours.
She must have liked it quite a lot, because she even leaned into my arms.
‘Niiice.’
Thanks to that, I avoided my future of getting scolded.
Throb-.
* * *
A week passed.
The written portion of the final exams had ended during that time.
‘Looks like I’m top of the class in the written exams again.’
The written exams had gone smoothly.
The other Class E students also seemed to have scored far better than they had on the midterms.
‘Those brats. They really did work hard.’
I muttered to myself, feeling strangely proud.
As their achievements accumulated, the quest’s progress kept steadily rising.
Ding!
[Sub Quest]
-Details: Develop every Class E student into someone with at least B-rank ability.
-Quest Deadline: Before graduation
-Penalty upon Failure: None
-Reward: Character-exclusive item, ‘Black Tuner’s Scales (S-)’
[Progress: 50%]
A terrifying pace.
At this rate, it looked like I would reach 55% by the end of the semester.
‘Good... Everything’s going smoothly.’
It was the end of the semester.
Now, the only thing waiting for the students was the practical exam.
Beep, beep, beep!
I checked the notification that had appeared on my crystal ball.
It contained information about this final exam’s practical test.
[First Semester Final Examination Notice (For Students and Faculty)]
-This practical examination will be conducted as one-on-one sparring matches between students and professors.
-Detailed instructions will be provided at the examination site on the day of the test.
-Below is the opponent assigned to the recipient of this message.
-Grandia Academy looks forward to your performance.
[26th Examination]
-Viktor (Class E Top Student, Personal Teaching Assistant)
-Valteric Glacia (Head Professor of the Department of Combat Magic)
The dreaded matchup had finally appeared.
Then a blue screen appeared before my eyes.
Ding!
[Main Quest]
-Title: Endless Proof
-Details: Place first in your year in the final practical examination. Overwhelm your assigned opponent by an overwhelming margin.
-Penalty upon Failure: None
-Reward upon Success: ???
[Time Limit: Until the final examinations conclude]
The mechanical sound rang out cheerfully.
I smiled.
It seemed it was time to cause another commotion.
Throb-.
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