Change in Perspective
Loose change in hand.
Since Yerna hurriedly left without even taking her change, Luke received it instead.
If she settled the payment, it likely means she won’t be coming back.
“She must have been in quite a rush to leave her things behind.”
Looking at the bundles in his hands, Luke sighed.
The contents were merely groceries—vegetables, canned food, and some unknown snacks.
Speaking of snacks from this era, Luke felt a slight curiosity.
But……
To leave so abruptly.
Was there something urgent in the forest?
“Was she too hasty? I wish she had at least said something.”
Carrying his cello bag and with his hands full of items, Luke stood up.
“Hey, are you not heavy? Can you go by yourself?”
“I’m fine. Don’t worry about me.”
“Do you want me to walk you there?”
“I appreciate the kindness, but it’s unnecessary.”
It was already 12:10.
It was already time for the store to close because of him, yet they waited for an hour and ten minutes longer.
He couldn’t trouble them any longer.
Luke bowed in gratitude and left the store.
The rain continued to fall.
He felt a bit worried about Yerna, who dashed out without an umbrella, but there was no car where Yerna would have parked.
Could she have been that busy?
Was she in such a hurry that she couldn’t even say a word?
At this rate, it felt as if they had been abandoned.
‘That can’t be. She probably just forgot to mention something.’
Perhaps in this era, the existence of “cell phones” and leaving messages had vanished.
Though, leaving her cell phone behind didn’t explain it.
Luke shook his head as if he had no choice.
Yerna, you really are quite forgetful.
If it was urgent, I can understand.
There’s no way she forgot it since she packed it herself.
“But, the bus isn’t coming.”
Well, it was well past the last one.
It seemed even the coachman of this era had a limit to their working hours.
Usually, one would show up if they waited about 20 minutes.
Now that he noticed, the road was empty as well.
With a swish, the sound of tires passing over the rain-soaked road echoed hollowly.
Aside from that white sedan, no other cars were passing by.
‘That car must have something attached to the ceiling.’
They called it a taxi, but Luke had no idea what that was now.
He wouldn’t even think about taking a taxi home.
Luke had dined at a restaurant near the school.
He couldn’t take a starving child far away immediately.
But thanks to that, it was too far to walk home, and with the rain pouring, he didn’t want to fend through the downpour.
His cello strapped to his back and the items in his hands would surely get soaked.
“Hmm…… Should I just spend the night outdoors? Haha, this is quite a predicament.”
It’s not that he had no experience sleeping rough, but there weren’t any proper facilities right now.
Moreover, the night city would be quite dangerous for a child to wander around alone.
No matter the era, the scariest thing isn’t monsters, but people.
Besides, look at people objectively.
He had a lot of bags in his hands and appeared like a frail child.
He would be a prime target for crime.
Even though he wouldn’t mind facing danger if several adults charged at him without a care for life or death, such situations weren’t something he wanted to be in, nor did they fit his nature.
Receiving fearful glances from others was already tiresome.
‘So what do I do then…….’
“Ah, I’ve got it.”
Luke nodded at the sudden thought.
– Ring…….
After several rings, a girl’s voice, sleepy and drowsy, came through.
“Hello……? Is this Luke? Yawn. What’s going on in the middle of the night…….”
It was Mary, a beast girl.
“Mary, you said you were in the dorms, right? I’m sorry, but could you let me stay the night?”
“Huh? What’s happened?”
How should he explain what happened?
He felt it would take too long to recount the entire situation, so he said it briefly.
“I was nearby for something. It’s late to return, so I was wondering if I could stay for a night?”
“Um, well. One night? That’s fine. Ah……. You remember where the dorm is, right? Just come to room 102!”
“That’s truly kind of you. I’ll be there soon.”
Luke expressed his gratitude and hung up.
Relying on that little girl was embarrassing, but it seemed he had no other option.
‘Well, I’ll probably get a call soon.’
Luke thought lightly.
——–
In front of the dormitory, there was a man who looked like a guard.
He asked Luke various things, but upon seeing his uniform, student ID, and the damp appearance caused by having too much luggage, he could not question him in detail.
Moreover, when Luke said he was “here to meet a friend,” the guard let out a sigh and said,
“Don’t come in late again. This time, I’ll let you in.”
“Of course, I’m really thankful. As a reward……. Here.”
Luke handed him some snacks he had grabbed randomly and which he had eaten before.
They were bagged candies.
It wouldn’t have been bought for Yerna, who didn’t like sweets, so it was likely his.
He didn’t know why he suddenly bought so many snacks, though.
“They’re pretty tasty. Enjoy and take heart.”
“Uh…… yeah, thanks……?”
The guard accepted the bag of candies with a bewildered expression, scratching the back of his head and sending him off.
If he could, he would have liked to help carry his burden, but…….
No matter what, as a guard, he couldn’t enter the female dormitory.
Eventually, Luke walked down the dimly lit corridor alone until he reached room 102.
Without hesitation, he knocked.
Knock knock.
“Mary, it’s me. Could you open the door?”
“Luke! Just a moment!”
He heard movement inside, and soon the door opened to reveal Mary, wearing a pink lace nightgown.
“You’re all wet! Is it raining heavily outside? Hurry in!”
“Then I’ll just intrude.”
——–
The dormitory of Tig Academy was splendid.
It had everything one could need, and it almost didn’t differ much from Yerna’s apartment. In fact, it was likely even better.
Indeed, it deserved to be called prestigious, Luke murmured.
Thanks to that, he was able to dry his soaked socks and shoes and also take a bath.
‘The shower is the best.’
The sensation of washing his body under a waterfall where he could adjust the water temperature in real-time. Comfort that words could hardly express.
After wash thoroughly, a breeze summoned by a spirit dried any remaining moisture away.
Although all of this was doable with magic, Luke was very satisfied that it could be simple and efficient without any complex mental labor.
However.
“This is…….”
What Luke put on was a sky-blue nightgown that was not very different from what Mary wore.
Plus, it was pink.
“It really suits you!”
Mary smiled and nodded.
“Uh-huh….”
Well……. In truth, he wasn’t embarrassed about this now.
It was just a slightly longer nightgown after all.
But the comfort was the issue.
It was so comfortable it felt strange.
He had always thought the fabrics of this era were quite wonderful, but these pajamas made from ‘real’ premium fabrics……
It was already a revolution.
With weaving technology that cannot be compared to the past, it’s a fabric developed solely for the purpose of ‘pajamas.’
Moreover, the gentle enchantment felt with the subtle magic made those pajamas a form of magical equipment.
Soft, light, and comfortable.
Yet conversely, it felt uncomfortably like he was wearing nothing.
“Isn’t there anything else……?”
“If the sleeves get in the way, there are sleeveless ones!”
“Forget it. I’ll just stick with this…….”
-Ere……!
Py seemed immensely satisfied…….
“It’s not Py, it’s Luke Irushi.”
“Uh? I know. Luke Irushi. Why are you suddenly saying that?”
Luke contemplated whether he should tell her about the spirit but decided against it.
He was done with mentioning the spirit girl.
“It’s nothing.”
——-
To prepare for bed, Luke fitted the horn cover he received from Mary onto the tip of his horn.
After trying to squeeze it a bit, it felt soft, so he wouldn’t have to worry about injuring himself while sleeping.
“Good night, Mary.”
Luke turned off the lights and sat on the left side of a bed that seemed a bit too big for a little child.
Then, with a thud, his body sunk into the bed.
‘This is incredibly soft. Unbelievably so…….’
As he fully laid his body down, the bed transformed completely to his shape, providing a comfort that felt like floating in mid-air.
So much so that with just closing his eyes, he thought he could fall asleep in a moment, but either he had slept too deeply in the infirmary or was thinking about Yerna, sleep didn’t come.
“Luke, are you asleep?”
But it seemed Mary wasn’t sleeping either.
“Why is that?”
“Are you not sleepy? Are you tired?”
“Not really. I took too long a nap….”
“Actually, me too. When I woke up in between, I couldn’t sleep even counting sheep.”
“It’s my fault then. I’m sorry.”
“No, it’s not like that! I’m just a little excited thinking Luke is next to me.”
“Doesn’t that mean it’s still my fault?”
“Is that so?”
Hehe, Mary let out a little silly laugh and turned to look at Luke’s profile.
Lying on his side…….
Luke couldn’t perform that action and simply turned his eyes.
“Well, since we’re off tomorrow……. Should we stay up all night?”
“Mary, children should sleep at night. They need to grow tall.”
At Luke’s words, Mary sat up in bed with an affronted look.
“Stop talking like a grandma……. Don’t you want to stay up all night?”
“…….”
In fact, it was true that Luke couldn’t sleep, so he sat up as well.
Well, if they played for a little while, he would likely feel sleepy sooner or later.
Luke sighed and said,
“Okay, what do you want to do?”
“Various things, talk all night, or maybe watch a movie?”
“Movie sounds good.”
It appeared he wouldn’t be able to hold a proper conversation with a child, so watching a movie would be better.
———
“Ah.”
Yerna suddenly regained her senses.
How had she lost consciousness?
She shot up and looked around.
She was at a police station.
“Ah…….”
“Yerna, are you awake now?”
“Where am I?”
“Don’t you remember? What you did?”
“I did……?”
Click, she felt an unfamiliar sensation on her wrist. It was handcuffs.
Only now did she realize she had opened her eyes in a detention cell.
“Huh? Siena, what is this?”
In front of Yerna, a dark elf with her arms crossed was looking down at her, seemingly puzzled.
“You barged in and caused a ruckus.”
Yerna’s eyes widened as she pointed a finger at herself.
She noticed several police officers were looking this way, glaring at her.
Each of them seemed to be rubbing some part of their body…….
“I did?”
There’s no way she would have hit a police officer.
She shook her head vigorously.
“Yes, you did. Get a grip. You were practically out of it….”
Out of it? Why would I be? Yerna thought deeply about why she acted that way.
When she looked out the window, the rain was still pouring hard.
“Ah….”
Tap, tap, tap, raindrops grew heavier.
As she witnessed that, a memory struck her mind.
“Luke is gone, I need to find him. Help me.”
“……Then file a missing person report, you fool.”
