Chapter 300

Nine o’clock in the afternoon.

It was the time when those who have finished dinner are most likely to fall into a deep sleep.

It seemed like it was no exception for me either, as my eyes kept drooping even while I was on duty.

The spring evening breeze was warm yet cool, my stomach was full, and the chairs in the Academic Office were comfortable. Adding spring drowsiness to post-meal drowsiness was pure torture.

“Cool….”

And there, on a sofa placed in a corner of the Academic Office, lay Sofia, the Sub-priest, who had sunk into slumber just moments ago.

Listening to her steady breathing blankly for a while, I soon rose and stretched my stiff body. As I stretched, I heard cracking sounds coming from my stiff shoulders and back.

I might seem a bit like an old man. No, when it comes to age, I might as well be one.

Lost in such thoughts, my steps unconsciously led me to the sofa where Sofia was sleeping. With her eyes gently closed, her chest rising and falling evenly as she breathed, she appeared to be in a deep sleep.

‘It seems like she was awake just ten minutes ago.’

To fall into such a deep sleep in just ten minutes is a remarkable ability that I, who often struggles with sleep, envied.

Before I knew it, I was sitting in the empty spot on the sofa, fiddling with Sofia’s hair. The soft texture tickled my hands pleasantly.

Even so, Sofia remained undisturbed, her expression unchanged as she continued to sleep soundly. Today, she had to review the minutes of the meeting with the second-year professors, so it seemed she was quite exhausted.

I recalled her sighing while classifying the minutes. She usually has a lot on her plate, but today seemed particularly taxing.

Knowing that, I gently covered her with a blanket after hearing her steady breathing, then returned to my seat.

Friday duties generally go like this. It’s about wrapping up the week while getting all the necessary tasks done, and since tomorrow marks the weekend, there’s nothing to hold me back in performing my duty.

If it were a weekday, I would have been granted a sleep-in the following day, but I wasn’t too upset about that.

‘By the way…’

On my desk lay a desk calendar. Its owner seemed to pay little attention to it, as the calendar was still displaying the one from two months ago. I flipped through the pages to set the time.

‘April.’

March had passed, and before I knew it, April had come along.

The aromatic and warm essence of spring deepened, becoming a month that silently kidnaps people into dreamland.

And here I was, still staying at the Academy.

For my past self, settling somewhere felt utterly mismatched. If I were to leave, I thought it wouldn’t be right to make others unhappy.

To settle is to bring stability. In reality, it is also an action for maintaining a stable life.

I thought it didn’t suit me.

I shouldn’t be comfortable at ease. I always thought it preferable to wander here and there, or if I couldn’t manage that, to live quietly hidden away.

But that’s not the case anymore. Indeed, I had already welcomed this warm spring for the second time without leaving anywhere.

The warm breeze blowing in through the half-open window informed me that I had splendidly settled in. It didn’t feel too bad.

Leaning gently against the window frame, I inhaled the mildly mixed scent of the evening breeze. And I thought.

Settling is, in the end, about understanding and adapting.

The fact that I had quite beautifully adapted to the relationships with new people I met here, while precariously maintaining them, was certainly an uplifting topic.

That upliftment soon returned as vitality. As I slowly tried to pull away from the window frame, someone approached me and leaned against the same window frame.

“Were you getting some fresh air?”

It was Professor Esther, who was also on duty with me. Her smiling eyes sparkled beautifully, as if they contained the night sky itself.

“Yes. The weather is so nice.”

“It was quite chilly until recently, though.”

“It seems winter has completely retreated.”

“Indeed. Winter…”

Professor Esther trailed off. Glancing sideways, I noticed her looking outside with a somewhat pensive expression.

“Winter… has passed, hasn’t it?”

“…Is something the matter?”

“No, it’s nothing.”

To claim there was nothing seemed off, as her expression spoke volumes about her having something on her mind. I continued to watch Professor Esther silently, but it seemed she didn’t particularly want to respond.

“That restaurant.”

“…Yes?”

“It seems you liked it.”

No, perhaps she wanted to talk about it right now.

As she said this, Professor Esther turned her head toward me, and in her eyes… there was something bright and alluring swirling within.

“About that restaurant we coincidentally visited a few days ago. The deer meat…”

“Are you talking about the place we went to with you last autumn on the weekend?”

“…Yes. That restaurant.”

The slightly awkward expression on Professor Esther’s face began to turn a shade of red when I brought up the weekend outing we shared.

It wasn’t merely a restaurant that served delicious deer meat; it was a place where I had personally visited with her. Her starry eyes reflected a new kind of charm.

“I told you it was delicious, didn’t I?”

“…I thought you were just being polite. Deer meat can be a bit of an acquired taste…”

“I found it delicious. Honestly.”

“Well….”

Was she simply remembering it because it was delicious?

The words she almost let slip seemed to be held back with great effort, as Professor Esther momentarily averted her eyes to glance at me and then let out a small sigh while turning her gaze away. The light from the streetlamp illuminating the Main Building Courtyard settled into the small night sky before me.

“I’m glad to hear you enjoyed it sincerely.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes. Honestly, I was a bit anxious. Professor Lucio tends not to react much outwardly.”

“I’ll make an effort to change that in the future.”

“Why go that far? Haha…”

Her slight smile was fresh and beautiful.

I shifted my gaze slightly and looked inside the Academic Office this time.

Although most buildings in the Academy were darkened, this place was the only one with light pouring out. It was like a lighthouse.

Protecting the Academy where the students stayed was no different from a lighthouse, so I might as well call it that. It shouldn’t be problematic.

The sound of Sofia’s even breathing, the ticking of the clock hands, the warm air gently blowing from the heater, the rustling of an unnamed book’s pages caught in its breeze…

Encountering this white noise infused with everyday life, a soft voice suddenly reached my ears.

“Professor Lucio.”

Soft, gentle, somewhat moist and inviting, a kind voice. I slowly turned my head in that direction.

Professor Esther was looking at me. Her eyes glistened slightly, and her cheeks were a rosy hue.

Her ears were bright red. It seemed like they would burn if I brought my hand close.

“…Yes?”

“What do you think?”

“About the restaurant? As I mentioned just now, I also enjoyed the meal…”

“No, not that. Something else.”

The distance between Professor Esther and me, which had been about three paces apart, had somehow shrunk to two.

“Please stop avoiding the question, knowing exactly what I’m talking about.”

“……”

There was an uncomfortable sensation as something warm and damp slid down my temple. A cold sweat trickled down.

Though it was two steps apart, that distance felt exceedingly narrow.

From Professor Esther’s perspective, two steps was narrow, while from my standpoint, it felt like barely a step with my average stride.

The priest’s robe felt particularly warm, a sensation I hadn’t felt in a long time. Just as I unconsciously reached for the Roman collar on my priest’s robe, a soft something abruptly clasped my hand midway.

“Eh? Professor Lucio.”

“Uh, Professor Esther.”

The distance between us, now having closed to less than half a step, felt dangerously close. The smell of lavender, arriving suddenly, assailed my senses.

“Please answer me. What do you think about me?”

“Um, Professor Esther, you’re a colleague I can trust.”

Though I made the most fitting answer according to my situation, Professor Esther’s expression was not one of satisfaction. It became frustrating as the situation seemed to be taking a turn for the worse.

Gazing slightly over Professor Esther’s shoulder, I could still see Sofia, nicely asleep on the sofa. A pang of regret hit my heart.

In that moment, I gained resolve. I looked at Professor Esther with firm eyes.

“Professor Esther, I….”

– Knock, knock—.

It was then that someone knocked on the door of the Academic Office.

Without regard for who came first, Professor Esther and I turned our heads silently toward the back door of the Academic Office. Naturally, the distance between us widened by about a step.

– Professor on duty. I came to apply for night study.

A youthful voice was heard. Somewhat familiar…

“…Chloe?”

As I questioned, the back door of the Academic Office opened gently.

The figure that appeared was Chloe, whose pink hair was beautifully braided.

“Ah, hello. Professor Antorelli, and Professor Esther. I’m here to apply for night study…”

“…Come in.”

With a somewhat dissatisfied expression, Professor Esther spoke as she moved away, and I too could safely return to my seat.

Taking a quiet deep breath and placing my hand over my chest, I felt my heart throbbing strongly, not yet settled.

‘This…’

It didn’t feel good.

In many ways.