Chapter 140

The blonde girl’s eyes fluttered open. Maria, who had been sitting with the girl perched on her thighs, spoke up.

“Are you awake now?”

The girl blinked a few times before nodding.

“Yeah… sorry, did I scare you? Showing up like this suddenly…”

“Not at all. It’s fine.”

“But… did you tell anyone else or any of the teachers about my condition?”

Maria shook her head calmly.

“I was going to, but my roommate told me not to. You came to me first instead of going straight to the infirmary or a teacher… probably because there’s something you don’t want them to know about…”

“…Good. So it was right to come to you, Maria. But… a roommate?”

Frey tried to sit up while scanning the room. The window outside was dark—meaning she’d been unconscious long enough for night to fall.

Students aren’t allowed to wander around the academy at night. Which meant Maria’s “roommate” must be somewhere in the room.

“Please, lie back down.”

Sure enough, the roommate was there—lying sideways on the bed facing the wall.

Frey immediately recognized her from just the silhouette. Even though only the back of her head was visible, it was unmistakable.

Because that student was *famous*. Maybe even more famous than Frey herself as a hero.

“…Your Highness.”

The flowing waves of golden hair. The overwhelming presence that dominated the room even while lying down. A figure embodying grace and dignity itself.

The prone student was none other than Princess Albrecht, the Third Princess of the Empire.

Upon recognizing her, Frey struggled to rise and knelt on one knee toward Albrecht’s back in a knightly gesture.

“This humble servant, Frey Dr. Siegfried, greets Your Highness.”

Without turning her head, Albrecht simply raised a hand and waved lazily.

While it might have seemed rude—and indeed, it *was* rude—Frey felt no offense, remembering that this was the same person who had instructed Maria not to reveal her condition earlier.

“Thank you for your help. I will repay this favor someday.”

“Hmph.”

Though the reply was curt and indifferent, Frey didn’t feel discouraged. Instead, she smiled faintly.

‘Albrecht… definitely an extraordinary individual, but in her previous life, she met an untimely end due to the Succubus Queen’s schemes. Despite some unsettling traits, I’ll make sure she survives this time around.’

Frey understood Albrecht’s peculiar nature well—she doesn’t waste effort on trivial matters.

Unaware of Frey’s thoughts, Maria glanced worriedly at her, concerned that Frey might be upset by Albrecht’s treatment.

“It’s fine, Maria. And… did you heal my wound?”

“Yes, your abdominal injury was quite severe, so I infused as much holy power into you as possible.”

“Thanks. That must’ve been tough on you, right?”

“No, not at all! This is well within my capabilities!”

As she said this, Maria sneakily peeked at Frey’s abdomen, which was partially exposed due to her shirt being lifted for treatment.

“Fortunately, it looks like there won’t be any scarring… but why were you injured in the first place? When I found you earlier, you looked like you were about to pass out…”

“Mm… ah, don’t worry about that. Knowing wouldn’t change anything anyway…”

“Hmm… alright then. If you don’t wish to share, I’ll respect your privacy.”

Even though Maria might have felt a bit hurt by Frey keeping something from her, she didn’t let it show, which Frey appreciated.

This current version of Maria wasn’t yet the close friend Frey knew from their past lives. She was still just a young and studious student. Yet her considerate attitude and lack of resentment impressed Frey as signs of maturity.

“And… Maria, I have a favor to ask.”

“What is it?”

“Please don’t tell anyone about what happened today—not even your closest friend. Can you do that for me?”

Taking Maria’s hand gently, Frey looked at her earnestly. The white-haired girl nodded readily.

“Yes, because I trust you, Frey.”

“Thank you. You’re always dependable, Maria. And… if I may also request… Your Highness…”

“If that’s what you want, I have no interest in your personal affairs, Hero.”

“…! Thank you very much!”

Relieved, Frey thought silently to herself.

After visiting the Black Point info broker, beating up some suspicious guy, and having a major brawl with Heavenly Hero Stella the next day…

I woke up clutching my sore stomach. Aru stared at me with suspicion as I got out of bed.

“What are you looking at, huh?”

Aru—my best friend in this life and frankly, my most reliable companion overall.

What a damn great friend. Actually, calling her a friend feels almost too good for her. More like my hunting dog, pet dog, or maybe just a poop-hound. That’s all Aru really is.

“Does it hurt a lot?”

“Does it look like I’m faking it?”

“You’re just human after all.”

“Just wait till later—you won’t be able to handle me then. Even now, if you let your guard down, you’d lose.”

Shine Stella is terrifying. Every punch feels like getting hit by a bomber plane.

Not only does my stomach hurt, but my arms are numb too from letting her land so many hits.

Still, I feel accomplished—I kept my promise. What must Stella have thought when she saw that band-aid on her chin later? Just imagining it makes me chuckle uncontrollably. Honestly, I can’t wait to see her reaction.

“Evans, does your head hurt?”

“Why, do I look like it does?”

“Arf arf.”

“When demons get hurt, they sometimes feel a little dizzy. How bad must it be if you’re acting like this? Hey, take a look at this.”

Slowly lifting my shirt, I revealed my bruised abdomen. Aru gasped softly.

“Even if demon bodies heal quickly, isn’t that still horrifying?”

“Kyaa…”

Seeing my stomach, Aru lowered her head and approached cautiously. Then she pressed her face against my stomach and started licking it.

“Hey, what are you doing?”

“Grrr… kyaa…”

“You’re such a poop-hound, aren’t you?”

Hmm, is that true? Licking wounds isn’t limited to dogs—it’s common behavior among many animals.

Whatever the case, the important thing is that Aru is diligently tending to my abdominal injuries with utmost care. As I placed my hand on her fluffy head, she closed her eyes blissfully, like someone sharing a tender kiss.

“Aru, you have work to do today.”

“Uuuuh… what is it?”

“Remember that scent we picked up yesterday? The ‘guest’s’ scent.”

“Muuu… that plain metal smell?”

“Anyway, if you catch anyone in the academy today giving off that scent, let me know right away. Can you do that? With your wolf-like nose, surely you can.”

“Woof.”

That person might not even show up at the academy today—considering how badly I pummeled their stomach last night. They could be in the hospital complaining of stomach pain right now.

But that’s fine too. We can search through the student and faculty lists and find those who didn’t show up today. Or if necessary, we can investigate where the gun we confiscated yesterday was purchased.

There are plenty of options. Using Aru’s sense of smell is just the easiest and fastest method.

Today’s schedule at Eden Academy will be similar to usual. However, unlike normal days, I plan to spend the entire 7-period day thoroughly patrolling every corner of the academy with Aru, using her nose like a detection device.

Time is limited, so I need to efficiently allocate places and time accordingly: checking the gym during the first break, touring classrooms during the second break, busting into the principal’s office during the third break, etc.

I was sketching out a rough “Academy Investigation Plan” for the day when…

Huh?

“Huh?”

“Arf.”

“Hmm?”

“Arf, didn’t you want to know? Telling you now.”

Wait, why is trustworthy Aru pointing at the back of the Hero’s golden head?

How strange…

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