Here I was in a position where he could easily kill me if he wanted to, however for some reason he didn't do that. Instead, he stepped beside me and patted me on the shoulder.
"See? I am giving you the book just because I am a good teacher. Or else I could've done many things if I wanted," he said. "So take this and get out of here."
Saying that he moved past me and left out of the door. There I was left, standing there completely and utterly stunned.
'Why didn't you step in?'
[I sensed no murderous intent from him.]
'Yeah... I know. Neither did I.'
That's what I was most stunned about. All the time he was in the room his presence was completely zero. If I wasn't seeing him I had no way of telling that he was even here.
"Fucking hell…" I murmured and let out a breath of relief.
I probably should have worried about how to handle Ryfin from now on but at the moment I was too occupied to think about it. I grabbed the book close to myself and ran toward the opened window. Jumping out of it I landed on the ground and went toward the student dorm buildings while constantly making sure that no one saw me.
***
Ryfin was standing in the corridor, and soon he heard a noise that made him sure that Zero had left the building. However, he was not the only one who heard that noise.
"What will you take to NOT show off for once?" asked a woman's voice. From one of the rooms stepped out a woman with beautiful blonde hair; class 1A's homeroom teacher Auciel Skystav.
"What do you mean? I wasn't showing off! Don't exaggerate my doings like that!" Ryfin responded.
"Oh? Since when did you become so innocent?" Auciel asked as she walked close to him.
"I wonder what you're talking about, wasn't I always like this?" Ryfin said, then after a few moments he smiled.
"Why did you let the boy take the book?" another female voice asked. "No, I should rather ask why you GAVE the boy that book?"
Out came Steph Redcliff, class 1D's homeroom teacher from another room. She walked close to both of them and stood next to Auciel.
"Hmmm? I gave it to him because he needed it," Ryfin replied, acting completely oblivious.
"WHAT? That's not a valid reason!" Steph was about to scream, but she lowered her voice upon realizing that Ryfin was just kidding with her.
"That's not something to joke about, Ryfin. That book was an important property to the academy, and you let that boy take it like that," said Auciel.
"Oh? And who was the one who gave the academy the 'property' you speak of? If I remember correctly, it was someone named Ryfin," he stated.
"Listen, the book's mine and the student's mine. You two shouldn't care about what I do with them. I know we're colleges but we've all got personal things going on, so better not interfere in each other's life," he said, this time his tone was serious.
"Now let's go. We've to go check if that thing really works or not," saying that Ryfin led the way and got out of the building along with the two other homeroom teachers following him.
From there they went to the underground facility in the Harts.
***
I was on my way back to my dorm room with Ryfin's book in my hand. By this time the announcement for the academy fest had been made and the students were returning; a little happy that the classes for today were suspended.
I had already seen all this unfold before, so it kinda felt weird. No matter how many times I've seen the time-travel thing in movies and novels, it is an entirely different thing when you feel it in real life. Ironically, the protagonists of those stories said the same thing.
I was going toward my dorm room through the crowds of students when I saw someone approaching me… again.
ραпdαn૦νel "Back from vacation, I see," Alada said as she approached me. "Did you enjoy the holidays or were you busy taking care of a secret mission somewhere out in the wild?"
"That's none of your business," I replied.
"Come on, don't be like that. I said that we should work together, didn't I? We shouldn't ignore each other like this then," she said.
"Yeah, and let me rephrase that correctly. You said that we should work together, and I DECLINED."
"I know, that's why I'm here to ask again," Alada said. Until now she was walking on my side to match my pace but now she took two wide steps and stood in front of me.
"Will you take me in as your partner? I know you use people for your own good and I'm totally fine with that. In fact, I think I can be pretty useful to you. And in more than one way I'd say…" as those last words left her mouth she slid her skirt up, revealing a porting of her thighs.
"Seduction? That is the last thing you can win me over with…" I was gonna decline and send her off again, but then I remembered what had happened back then.
Anya didn't come alone to save me, Alada was with her and was driving the wagon.
'Should I?'
[I'd say you should.]
Req was right, I had to be as careful as I could to make sure everything goes the right way.
"You know what? I might have just the thing for you to do," I said.
Her face lit up upon hearing this. "I'm up for anything. I can even give you my virginity if that's what you're interested in."
"Should I pick someone else for this job?" I murmured.
"No, no, I'm sorry. I'm listening," she said instantly. "What do you want me to do?"
"Do you know how to drive a wagon?" I asked.
"Damn, how did you guess?" she replied. "I won't say I'm a professional but, I know enough to take you to another place without killing you in between."
"Why? Do I have to take you or someone somewhere?"
"No," I said. "Quite the contrary."