Chapter 114: Wild (5)

Locking eyes with her as she squirmed, I responded flatly,

"Since I arrived? It's been about 10 minutes."

"Is, is that so, Young Master...?"

Amy couldn't meet my eyes.

Uncharacteristically for her, she was stammering and her face was flushed, clearly flustered.

Well, I'd be embarrassed too.

When I first saw Little Fist, I was taken aback.

If Amy had seen me cooing,

If Amy saw me cooing ‘aww, our baby~’, at him...

Horrifying.

It would be best to quietly disappear at moments like this.

"Then, I'll be heading inside now."

"Oh, understood, Young Master. But, what about our Little Fist? I mean, shouldn't you take this puppy with... Aaah!"

Suddenly, Amy let out a girlish scream.

Little Fist, who had somehow made his way outside, was rubbing against her legs.

...Truly a rascal.

They say pets resemble their owners.

Did Theo ever behave like this?

Well, he did inherit the good looks.

Anyway, I don’t need to be with Little Fist tonight.

A good night's sleep should be enough to recover from today’s fatigue.

Best to let him enjoy himself.

Divine beasts grow faster when they're happy, after all.

And it seems Amy quite likes him.

"No, it's fine. You can take care of him tonight, Amy. I want some time alone."

With that, I turned away from Amy.

"But, Young Master! Ah, aaah!"

Ignoring Amy's cute screams, I returned to my room.

I undressed immediately, took a shower, did my skincare routine, and laid down on my bed.

While I wasn't physically tired, I felt mentally drained.

As soon as I closed my eyes, sleepiness washed over me.

I've filled [Magic Cartridge] with mana, so I can begin teaching Noctar and the other orc friends tomorrow with Aisha.

Using it on others will be a new experience; I’m looking forward to it.

The next day, inside the Hero Department classroom.

I cast an enhanced [Focus] spell on Noctar and my fellow orc classmates in turn.

"Whoa, Theo! After you placed your hand on my shoulder, I suddenly feel this surge of confidence, like I can do anything. What did you do? Did you use some kind of magic?"

"Right? All of a sudden, I feel like I can solve any problem that comes my way!"

The orcs exclaimed in astonishment, their reactions reminiscent of middle school girls meeting a celebrity for the first time.

They've probably never felt this way before.

I understand. I felt the same way once.

I smiled softly at them.

"This is a special method I've prepared just for you guys. Let's cut the chatter for now and open our books. Let's aim to finish almost everything today."

"Of course! We'll conquer these textbooks!"

"Alright! We trust you, the true hero, Theo!"

The orcs energetically opened their textbooks, brimming with enthusiasm.

Aisha sent me a curious glance, as if asking, 'How did you do that?'

I calmly met her gaze and then began to teach the lesson.

The enhanced [Focus] spell boasted quite an effect.

With that thought, I stepped out of the classroom in search of a quieter spot.

In the game, some wealthy students secretly communicate with each other using communication crystals, but using them out in the open wouldn't be wise.

'That spot looks good.'

I thought as I spotted a bench under a large tree near the main entrance.

But as I headed there, a familiar voice called out,

"Theo!"

Near the entrance stood a woman with purple hair flowing down to her waist.

It was Irene.

'Hmm? What brings Irene to the Hero Department? Especially on a Saturday.'

I approached her.

"It's been a while, Irene. What brings you here?"

She sighed in relief.

"I'm glad I found you here, Theo. I checked your dorm, but you weren't there."

"Hmm, the midterms are next week, aren't they? I'm sure you're doing well, but how's your studying going?"

"That's why I'm here, actually. I have a favor to ask,"

Irene said, looking up at me intently.

Hmm, a favor from Irene?

In the game, Irene was someone who rarely shared her innermost thoughts.

There were even instances when she kept it in until she became sick.

Matching her gaze, I asked,

"What kind of favor?"

"You're aware that the Knight Department, unlike the Hero Department, has practical evaluations during midterms, right?"

"Yes, I know. All departments, except the Hero Department, have practical exams during midterms."

"Right."

She nodded,

"In the upcoming practical evaluation, we need to team up with a student from another department. It's a 2v2 tournament style evaluation, to determine the rankings. It's on Thursday... and the Hero Department exams end on Tuesday, right?"

As she spoke, Irene clenched her fists tightly, her eyes locked onto mine.

The meaning behind her words was clear.

She wanted me to be her partner in the upcoming 2v2 tournament.

Hmm, but do I really need to join her?

Of course, it would be nice to participate.

If we're lucky enough to reach the upper ranks, it would boost my reputation and help leave an impression on the students from the other departments.

However, can we reach the upper ranks?

Not necessarily.

My combat abilities are limited.

Up to now, I've managed to beat strong opponents like Ralph and Julia by strategizing against their weaknesses.

But in a tournament setting, it's difficult to come up with tailored strategies in time, and there's also the matter of my physical endurance.

Furthermore, Irene is the top freshman of the Knight Department.

Many outstanding students, even from the Hero Department, would want to team up with her.

Unnecessarily teaming up with her might produce results worse than not participating at all.

Lost in these thoughts for a moment, suddenly:

[Sudden Quest: Win the 2v2 tournament in the Knight Department next Thursday.]

Reward: 5 shop gold coins.

A quest window popped up in front of me.

...Five shop gold coins, huh.

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