Chapter 69: You were watching, weren’t you?
The conversation ended around 7 PM.
We left the slime capture to Dil and the others, picked up the shoes from Bauer’s, and had Diene pay the reward to Dil’s group.
The decision on how to secure the slimes was now complete.
Erika and Diene were planning to visit the church later to give their greetings.
Since it was uncertain whether the shoes would succeed, Erika invested in them so Bauer wouldn’t bear the cost.
In return, if they succeeded, the profits would be split 6:3:1.
Diene : Erika : me — that was the agreed ratio.
I had said I didn’t need anything, but both of them refused.
...Well, even with the split only among Maryka and the church, it was still a decent amount.
To put it in perspective, in just ten days I received three platinum coins and a little more into my pocket.
I had savings for emergencies, but...
Honestly, I sometimes wonder if it’s really okay to take this money when I’m not working.
If there were no other jobs, it would make sense, but I’m an academy instructor and the owner of [Suzuya].
As income, it’s a considerable sum.
I folded my arms and thought for a moment, then decided that eventually I would use it for my lovers and students.
The renovation of [Suzuya] had been completed, and I couldn’t think of anything else that needed fixing right now.
By the way, Diene told me she would come to the academy tomorrow to measure the students’ feet.
Like Maryka-san, she moved quickly.
Meanwhile, the three adventurer girls were waiting for Erika and me after we left Bauer’s.
As for the result...
"Erika-chan~! If Roll hadn’t been chasing, I wouldn’t have known where he went~!"
"I’m sorry! P-please stop!"
"W-why do you forget sometimes~!"
"Nn, ah! I’ll be more careful from next time, so please don’t rub me!"
"You said that before~!?"
Minty was unusually puffed up from behind as I rubbed her chest, and Erika apologized while letting out a small moan.
I had exchanged glances with Roll several times while going to Bauer’s, so I thought she had already passed on the message.
But apparently she had forgotten to do so, which was why Minty was angry with her.
Satour watched the two of them with a wry smile, while Roll kept watch around us with only her eyes.
I approached Roll and whispered,
"How is the butler?"
"Yeah, he’s doing well."
Roll smiled at my words, and I returned with a smile and ended the conversation.
There was also consideration for Erika, but I wanted to see a healthy appearance if possible.
Also, Roll had said she had already told Erika a little about the butler’s condition.
The moment I wasn’t being rubbed by Minty, I started speaking earnestly to Erika about the dangers.
Erika kept lowering her head while listening.
Then I noticed a group of three figures out of the corner of my eye.
Aurora, Win, and Rain — the songstresses.
As I watched closely, they were being approached by a young man. It looked like they were annoyed.
Roll, who was nearby, lightly tugged my sleeve and whispered,
"Instructor, they seem troubled."
"I see. Thank you."
I thanked Roll, who smiled and shook her head.
I signaled to Satour and walked toward the songstresses.
As we got closer, the voice of the black-haired handsome man and the songstresses became clearer.
"I’ll protect you all."
"We’re fine."
"It’s safer for all three of us to stay with me!"
"It’s really pushy. We’ve already said we’re fine."
"You three beautiful ladies belong with me!"
"...When I was in trouble, they weren’t there. What right do they have to say that?"
The handsome man looked at me with suspicion, while the songstresses showed relieved expressions upon seeing me.
Standing in front of Aurora, who was shielding Win and Rain, and the handsome man, I stood with a wry smile.
The man glared at me for interrupting and said,
"Who are you?"
"I’m their academy instructor."
"Please don’t get in the way. I’m trying to protect them."
"...Hahaha. You’re treating them as objects?"
I laughed because his words were too amusing.
It was clear from his earlier statements that he had no intention of treating them as humans.
The handsome man became irritated at my laughter and raised his voice.
"It’s not like that!"
"First of all, as I said before... why didn’t you protect them when they were in the most danger?"
"I was watching. I was protecting them!"
"...I see. So you were watching?"
I folded my arms with a serious expression and watched the desperately explaining man.
I couldn’t predict what the cornered man would do, and most of all, he seemed about to confess.
A crowd had gathered around us, drawn by the commotion — onlookers.
The man stamped his feet in frustration and shouted at me again.
"That’s right, I was always watching!"
"So you’re a comrade of Baron Tegagusa too?"
"It’s not me... eh?"
I whispered to Aurora behind me to tell her to contact Erika and meet us.
Aurora nodded with a worried expression at my words, then took Win and Rain and moved away.
The handsome man stood frozen in shock at my words.
I let out a sigh and continued,
"Why are you frozen? If you’re unrelated, you wouldn’t stop your momentum, right?"
"I-I don’t understand what you’re talking about!"
"You’re slow, idiot. ...Chale."
I called Chale’s name softly. The handsome man suddenly rolled his eyes and fainted.
His body slowly lowered to the ground.
The onlookers were surprised by the sudden collapse and began to make a fuss.
Immediately after, the guards arrived to handle the situation. I explained what had happened and they took the man away.
I let out a tired sigh. Right beside my ear, Chale called out,
"I’ll report on him. I’ll investigate carefully."
"I’m sorry for putting you through this..."
"Fufu, it’s my job, so no need to worry... Then."
The guards took the man away, and the crowd dispersed.
At that moment, Erika and the songstresses appeared, surrounded by Satour and the others.
Erika smiled relievedly when she saw me, while the songstresses showed happy smiles and hugged me tightly.
I braced myself and held all three of them.
"It was really scary."
"Thank you, Instructor."
"Uuu~ Instructor~"
"...I’m glad nothing happened."
The three of them pressed their apple-sized breasts against me and clung tightly, changing the shape.
Because of their fear, all three were trembling slightly.
When I asked Erika what had happened, I learned something surprising.
"They were at their own homes... that man."
"...That’s disgusting."
"Yes. That’s why the three of us escaped outside and were chased... The truth is this."
Home invasion and stalking — these were serious crimes.
I stroked the heads of the three clinging girls and thought.
It would be scary to go home now, so I remembered that the VIP room at [Suzuya] was empty.
I told the three of them they could stay at [Suzuya] tonight, and they all bowed their heads.
When I stroked their heads again, they smiled happily and looked relieved.
By the way, Erika folded her arms and shook her breasts while watching the scene, then said with a wry smile,
"It looks like they’re increasing."
"...Really?"
"I won’t say anything else, okay?"
Even though she said she wouldn’t say anything, she emphasized the last part of her sentence. I laughed.
We all headed toward the songstresses’ house to gather necessary items, then walked toward [Suzuya].
...That handsome man really confessed in a way that looked like it was straight out of a picture.
I thought back to the man and let out a wry sigh.
Profile
Aurora
Height: 165 cm Age: 16 Hair: red hair, slightly longer than shoulder-length semi-long hair.
She has cut and styled her semi-long hair straight and even.
Her expression is serious Personality: honest and straightforward.
Body type: slender Breasts: about the size of an apple.
She is the leader of the three popular songstresses from the countryside.
She basically never complains.
But she lets her guard down and acts spoiled with Win and Rain, whom she trusts.
Thanks to being helped by Raide, she has recently started complaining to him as well.
Because she is serious, it seems she is struggling with whether it’s okay to act spoiled with him.
