In the city of Bairn, where the competition between Aios Academy and Pales Academy is taking place,
Bairn, famous as a tourist city, wasn’t exactly overrun by tourists with people stumbling over each other every day.
The city’s biggest source of income was the rental business, which made the distinction between peak and off-peak seasons somewhat vague.
The fortress walls, excessively high to prevent magical beasts from invading, serve as the starting point for the Bairn Stadium, which is used not only for the academy but also for royal events, famous theater performances, and bizarre circus shows.
It was a luxury stage favored by many organizations.
“Wow, it’s really big.”
I was honestly a bit overwhelmed by the massive size that didn’t register in my mind even from a distance. How many times would a country bumpkin like me have seen something like that?
I wasn’t surprised by the royal residence, which looked exactly as I’d imagined, but the sheer size of the Bairn Stadium caught me off guard, doubling my astonishment.
“Huh, I’m not done talking yet.”
Elise cleared her throat and pulled my attention back from the grandeur of the stadium.
“Oh, right. Why did you say you lost?”
I had been listening to Elise explain why Aios Academy had suffered defeat for thirteen years. I was getting bored in the carriage, and although Rin, Ares, and I had joined this year, the others had been around for a while.
With Elise, Hayun, and Sen present, the loss honestly didn’t make sense to me. All three were among the top in their age group across the continent.
Plus, we had Arni Duratan from the renowned swordsman family, the Duratan family, with us.
“Do I really have to join such kids’ games?” Elise said with a grin.
“……”
Thinking back, she didn’t even show up to arrest the pirate officer Zavalanco when Mei got kidnapped.
“Sen pretended to be active back then, so she didn’t show her true skills. Even though Hayun and Arni scored a lot, there were only the two of them.”
“So, you’ve been losing for two years since enrolling?”
“I’m not the one losing.”
Elise shrugged in response, looking entirely like herself without a hint of charm. The dean must have lost an outstanding talent.
“I tried really hard, but I lost every time.”
Tana, who was sitting across from me, gazed forlornly out at the Bairn Stadium.
It didn’t seem like she had many good memories there.
As the carriage stopped, we got off near the dormitory. Bertia took Elise’s luggage since she was a princess and headed towards our accommodation.
“Whoa, what’s this?”
I was taken aback by the size of the accommodation, which was much larger than I expected. I thought we’d be cramped up together in some shanty, but it seemed we had rented out the entire hotel.
“Parents are very interested in supporting students’ conditions.”
“So adults are using their resources to fuel kids’ fights?”
I clicked my tongue at Tana’s remark and walked inside. Since we arrived early in the morning, I expected the counter staff to be sleepy, but they welcomed us with bright eyes.
I heard we would be sharing rooms in pairs, but Elise received a key for a separate room due to her princess privilege, and Tana promised to share a room with Eve.
I was left wondering if I’d be alone in my room when I was told,
“Since there are no remaining rooms, you can share with a male student who is alone. You’re in Room 202.”
“Oh, okay.”
That was a rather disappointing reply.
After receiving my luggage from Bertia, I dragged it down the hallway with one hand. I knocked on the door of Room 202, which was right in front of the stairs. I heard footsteps from inside.
I thought I would find my roommate asleep at this early hour, but it seemed he was surprisingly alert.
“Yes, who is it?”
The door opened smoothly. A boy with golden hair in a hotel-provided white gown stepped out, clearly showcasing his upper body.
“Ares?”
“D-Daniel?”
He looked way more surprised than I expected, like a startled criminal caught doing something he shouldn’t. I let out a sigh.
“Sigh, you’re my roommate?”
“I don’t want this either.”
“Whatever, step aside. I’m tired from the carriage ride and need to sleep.”
I tried to push Ares aside with my splinted right hand to go inside, but he quickly blocked me.
“W-Wait a moment.”
“I said I’m tired! Move!”
“No, how about you use a different room? It’d be uncomfortable for both of us.”
“That’s not the issue. It’s stupid! This is the only room available. If you don’t like it, you can switch with someone else.”
“J-Just wait.”
“Ah! I said I’m tired!”
I smacked the hard splint into Ares’s side as I shoved him away.
“Be careful, I could kill you with just two fingers.”
After pinning Ares against the wall, I waggled my bandaged fingers warningly and finally went inside.
The room was a complete disaster. Clothes were strewn everywhere, and the blankets were a complete mess. It was a twin room with two beds, but it seemed Ares had used both for himself.
“Geez.”
The room looked clean at first glance, but it embodied his petty nature. I yanked at my rumpled blanket with my left hand.
“Wait a moment!”
Ares hurried towards me, but it was already too late.
On the white bed sheets lay a naked woman with red hair, like a masterpiece painted by a master.
“Oh my god!”
“I’m sorryyyy!”
Arni Duratan quickly grabbed her clothes to cover herself and hurried out of the room. I stared blankly at the bed for a while, unable to believe what I had just seen, but the few strands of red hair left behind forcefully reminded me of reality.
“Uh… that was…”
Ares started to mumble something as an excuse, but before I knew it, my feet were on the move. I shoved him down to the floor and stood over him.
“You crazy idiot! You’re supposed to be working out! I told you to send her off! You’re turning this room into a motel!”
“Ack! Aaaah! D-Daniel! I’m sorry! I’m sorry!”
“Die! Just die! You trash!”
I found myself putting force into my stamping foot. By the time Ares looked like he was about to cry, I finally stopped my assault.
“Hah, does it seem like it’s a lie that I could kill you with two fingers?”
The only reason I stopped was that I intended to start again.
As I relaxed my fingers, wishing good fortune upon Ares’s future, he clung to my leg and shouted,
“I-I’m sorry! I thought you weren’t coming!”
“Let go, it’s getting painful.”
Realizing there was no room for negotiation, Ares protested in frustration.
“You’ve done things in the dormitory too! I just spent a little time with my girlfriend while on a trip!”
“What?”
“Our relationship was completely wholesome; it just got intense during this trip! It was my first time!”
“……”
I was speechless.
Didn’t I do the same?
Here I was fighting for humanity even after 28 years and a regression, and he dares to say something like that?
The urge to dismember him and hang his body parts around Bairn surged within me, but something about hitting him now made it seem like I’d be feeling insecure about it.
“……Hah.”
Taking a deep breath, I kicked Ares off and then cleared the red-haired strands from Arni Duratan, before I flopped onto the bed.
“I’m going to sleep. If you make a sound, you’ll regret it.”
“……Got it.”
With thoughts of escaping reality, I pulled the blanket over myself and closed my eyes.
“Hey, you jerk! You smell!”
Bam!
*
After arriving early in the morning, I had planned to sleep just until lunch but ended up sleeping until dinner. I sprayed the deodorizer provided by the hotel all over, but it was ironically too strong that it stung my nose.
I woke up mid-nap when the dean knocked on my door to check if my right hand was alright, so it was far from a comfortable sleep.
“I’m going to eat.”
“……Okay.”
“If you call Arni Duratan while I’m gone, I’ll turn into a real thug.”
“……Got it.”
“Go outside to do that, outside.”
After warning Ares, who was sulking, I stepped outside. Since I had just washed up, I wore the hotel-provided gown, which was surprisingly comfortable and made my steps lighter.
There was a cafeteria on the first floor that offered meals at all times, so I aimed to arrive just at the end when there weren’t many people.
A few familiar faces were already there.
“Daniel!”
“Hey! You’re here!”
Rin and May, also wearing hotel gowns, must have come together for a meal.
“It’s been a while.”
“Daniel! I heard you got hurt.”
“You can also get hurt, huh.”
Rin looked at my right hand with concern, while May smiled warmly at me.
I felt nostalgic as I chatted with them,
“Daniel, you smell like another girl.”
“……Huh?”
With Rin suddenly digging in like that, how was I supposed to react?
Rin slowly turned her head to look at me, and I felt her grip tightening around my hand; it seemed like it was about to break my splint.
“And it smells like it’s coming from your whole body.”
It might be because I had just collapsed onto the bed where Ares and Arni lay sweating and rolling around.
‘Even after I sprayed all that deodorizer…’
Those idiots were the problem. If you’re going to do something, do it on the same bed, not here and there like monkeys!
“Is it really that bad? Sniff I only smell soap.”
May leaned in to sniff me, looking confused, while Rin regarded her with a disappointed expression.
“Don’t you know? You’re lacking in love!”
“Are you some kind of scent-detecting dog?”
I pointed at Rin while exhaling in disbelief, already preparing a line to sell Ares out.
