CH 28

28 - The Like-minded

“Is that….a makeover?”

Eve’s gaze was above my head——More specifically, my hair, and she said this in a slightly grumpy tone of voice.

“That? …..Ah, you mean the hair color? …..It looks pretty good on me, right?”

For a moment, I wondered what she was talking about, but I soon understood that she was talking about my hair color.

She must have been curious because I am now using the Ring of Transformation to change my hair from black to red. As for me, I’m thinking that red hair is pretty good too——

“It doesn’t look good. Very much so.”

“………..”

——But apparently, I was the only one who thought so. I’m going to cry.

“So……why are you here?”

Eve asks, glaring at me with half-lidded eyes.

….Honestly, I can’t really see the changes in expression because she’s almost expressionless. I’d like to see her expressions more clearly. Are your facial muscles dead?

And….It could not be helped that I didn’t know this girl was Eve. Because the last time I saw her, she was wearing a white magician’s hood that completely hid her face, and she wasn’t dressed like this.

“….I was set up by the headmaster of this school, the fucking cat, to be an instructor. What about you, and the hero’s party? Fired?”

“…..I didn’t get fired. I’m a graduate here.”

Eve said only that in a languid voice and fell silent.

….Eh, that’s it? Just because she’s a graduate? I don’t have enough words.

“Um…..In other words you’re——”

“It’s not ‘you’. Eve.”

Eve interrupts my words and insists on her own name.

“No, I know your name, but——”

“I don’t like it when you call me ‘you’. You can call me Eve.” 1

“A, ahh…. Not really, but whatever…”

I don’t mind either way, but Eve’s attitude, as if this is the only thing she can’t compromise on, makes me uncomfortable. She might be quite nervous.

“So——Eve’s here because she’s an alumna, is that it? A visit to your alma mater, you mean?”

When I asked her, she shook her head silently. Apparently not.

“Then——Did you come for something you forgot? Or did you come to see someone?”

“No….But it’s a shame.”

Eve shakes her head and mutters, with a blank expression that makes me wonder if she really thinks it’s a shame. It’s not a quiz, so say it quickly.

“……I was called by the headmaster. He wants me to be the White Magician’s instructor for a little while.”

I think my thoughts got to her, and she opened her mouth and gave the right answer… I see, that’s what you mean. But it’s surprising. I can’t believe this guy has a connection with that fucking cat….The world is a small place.

“It’s well…..hard work. But you could have just said no, right? There’s no need to force yourself to take it, right?”

When I asked her what she was wondering, she just said “There are circumstances.” as she turned away and went silent.

I smiled bitterly as I pulled a face, “I, is that so?”

I mean…..The feeling of being rejected is amazing.

Even though I’m so close to her, I feel as if there are multiple layers of barrier magic surrounding me. I can feel the aura of “don’t talk to me” all around me. ….Did I do something wrong?

“B, by the way! What’s up with Letty and Lina? They’re a party together, right?”

I forced myself to twist my voice into a cheerful one to drown out the awkward atmosphere. That’s what I wanted to hear from the beginning. I had completely forgotten.

“…..Letty was called to Granjero to defeat the demons soon after that. I haven’t heard from Lina since then. She left the register.”

Eve replied nonchalantly, not even looking at me. What is this, seriously, why do you hate me so much?

…However, Letty is being sent out to defeat demons? I knew that I shouldn’t be a hero. I definitely don’t want to go around defeating demons without a day off. It’s too black.

Lina was, well, as expected.

It’s very suspicious, but they can’t expel her from the party because she doesn’t have any proof, so they just left her on the register. If it were me, I’d report her to the Knights no matter what.

“And. The princess of the Kingdom of Uniwelsia asked me if I didn’t know where you went. She asked everyone…..What did you do?”

“……I, I haven’t done anything, though? I, I, I, I, I wonder what is it? I don’t remember??”

“………”

Eye stares at me, a little half-eyed. A cold sweat broke out on my forehead.

“E….Eve-san? If you could….Please don’t tell Letty and Raffine….I’d be saved.”

“………”

Without saying a word and with a blank expression, Eve quickly put her thumb and forefinger together and made a circle. It’s funny. It looks like the hand sign you use when asking for money…….

“…”

Without saying a word, I pull out my wallet and show its contents to Eve. Eve looked at it and shook her head.

…I have no choice. I’ve got to do something——

“I’m joking….I won’t tell them because it’s a hassle.”

I put my knees on the ground and tried to my palms and forehead as well——When Eve mumbled, nonchalantly.

“….Well, I knew it. I don’t really want to say——”

“I’ll tell them anyway.”

“Forgive me.”

I rubbed my head on the ground and desperately begged for forgiveness in a sorrowful way. Please don’t say that, please, I’ll do anything!

“I won’t tell them….So, stop it.”

Eve slaps me as I get down on my gorgeous knees on the ground and says, “Hurry up and stop” in a slightly impatient voice.

….Apparently, the stares of the people around her are bothering her. Well, that’s true, there are usually other instructors here. They’re watching us like crazy. “That’s bad.” “Don’t do that.” and “What a treat.” I can hear their voices… I think she’s embarrassed.

“I’m glad. It’s a promise, okay? Never say it, okay?”

“All right….Don’t talk to me anymore.”

When I reminded her, she said so in a grumpy voice, took out her grimoire and started reading, giving off a “don’t talk to me“ aura. I feel like she hates me more than before, but….Maybe it’s just my imagination.

“….”

I get up and sit down in the chair too, plop down with my cheek on the table and try to sleep.

““…….””

The magic clock ticked as we stood next to each other in silence.

….I noticed that the other instructors seemed to have left, leaving us alone in this space.

“”……….””

I can hear the sound of Eve flipping through the pages of the grimoire she’s reading.

“”…………..””

——Let’s be honest. It’s awkward as hell.

It’s not that I want to talk, but it’s really hard to be alone with someone you’ve known for a while and not talk to them. And if there’s a bit of a fight going on, it’s twice as hard. It’s too hard.

I hate myself for not moving my seat. I should have sat on the diagonal. It’s too awkward to sleep, and it’s too weird to move now…..

….That’s right. In times like these——Let’s play with some magic tools to take my mind off it.

I randomly took out some magic tools from the interspatial storage on the table and started to maintain them.

“Huh? How do I do this? ….This is bad, I completely forgot.”

However, it was a magical tool that hadn’t been used for a long time, so the maintenance method had been erased from my memory.

….What should I do, if I play around with it, it might break, but if I don’t maintain it now, I don’t think I’ll ever do it. But I can’t think of anything else——

“…Are those, [The Heavenly Flying Shoes]?”

As I was twisting my head, desperately trying to remember——Eve stopped reading through the grimoire and called out to me.

As soon as I said yes, Eve slammed her grimoire shut and for some reason moved her chair over to me——You’re close! You’re too close!?

“The Heavenly Flying Shoes must be activated first by putting magic power in here. Then you have to maintain them. Otherwise it will break.”

“O….oh…”

Eve activates the Heavenly Flying Shoes and performs maintenance as if she were familiar with them. The Heavenly Flying Shoes, which are extremely difficult to handle among the magic tools, can be this easy…. This guy, it can’t be——

“——White hawk, makeup beauty, guided thoughts.”

I muttered a few words that core magic tool lovers would understand. Eve’s ears perked up——

“——The Black Eagle.”

Without hesitation, she immediately answered.

“…Fear, ugly goblin, hate.”

“Dimensional ghost.”

Another quick answer.

“Unrequited love, red curse, screw-up May—”

“Twin Dolls.”

Before I could finish, she immediately answered.

""

“Black brat, white abyss, dead sacrifice——”

——After this, Eve and I had a zen discussion for about half an hour.

In response to my questions, Eve immediately answered with the correct magical tool without making a mistake. If you were to look at her from a distance, you wouldn’t know what she was doing.

“….Not bad.”

“….You too.”

At the same time, Eve and I held out our hands to each other——A firm, passionate handshake.

I’m pretty sure she’s….A big fan of magic tools.

The gateway to recognition as a true grimoire enthusiast, “If you know this, you’re a Mage Master! S-Class Mage Evaluation Test!” To answer the difficult questions without any difficulty…. She’s no ordinary person.

「「……….」」

We shook hands with each other and talked eye to eye.

….Somehow, I felt like I was with a war buddy with whom I had survived a fierce battle together.

Eve seemed to be smiling, too. Although her face was almost expressionless, though. Somehow.

After that——The chime rang out for the afternoon class, and Eve and I headed off to our respective classes with heavy steps.

From that day one, we spent every class break talking about magic tools——I’d never had anyone I could talk to so much, so it was a very meaningful time for me.

For the first time in my life, I thought, “Is this what you call a friend?”……… And, “It may not be that bad.”