I want to finish writing the lesson log quickly and head to the cafeteria where Wendy is waiting…
But…
「Senseii! Senseii! Senseii! Hurryy!」
「Senseii! Senseii! Are you done yettt?」
「Stop pullingg. Stop pullingg! I’m writing the logg. I’m still workinggg!」
I respond casually in their childish tone, but with them shaking me left and right, my hand slips and it takes even longer.
Please notice that quickly.
Seriously, are you kids!?
…Well, you are kids.
「Seeeensei!」
「Seeeensei!」
「Ah, yes, yes. What is it? Earlier you interrupted our conversation just because it was with your father… Is it really that urgent?」
「Father looked so serious, so we thought we had to save senseii… But that’s not the only reason. We’ve been saying we have something to talk about foreverr!」
「We had something to say even before talking to Fatherrr!」
「Is it something to talk about? Then say it now. I’m listening properly.」
「Moo! It’s not that kind of light talkk!」
「It’s a serious, important talkkk!」
The two puff out their cheeks.
…An urge hit me to poke those puffed cheeks, so I grabbed them with my middle finger and thumb. The air inside whooshed out, hitting my palm.
Holding them like that, the two identical pouting faces looked so funny I couldn’t help but snort.
「Wh-What are you doing to a girl’s facee!?」
「Sorry, sorry. I just couldn’t resist.」
「That’s meann! You can’t make a girl’s face weird just because you felt like ittt!」
It’s fine, it’s fine.
You looked cute.
Like that ugly-cute vibe? Wait, maybe not exactly.
I didn’t squeeze that hard to deform them.
Now, back to work.
「Hmm… Too close? I’m starting to feel jealous…」
「I understand the feeling, but… stop.」
「Hmm. Ah? Where are Sorte and Renge?」
「They said they were going to check on the students they beat up earlier.」
「…Beating them up again? It’s lunchtime already?」
「Umu. Well, there are situations where you must fight even when battered or starving. It is not useless… but they prioritize spirit over technique.」
「Aina, don’t you have to go?」
「I have been officially assigned to assist the knight department. Another temporary instructor arrived, so I mainly help him. This time I asked for time off and explained why. Speaking of which, he and Shiro are… 」
Aina and Shiro seem to be deep in discussion.
Shiro reaches out toward Aina’s breasts and delivers what looks like cat punches, making them jiggle, yet Aina continues talking without batting an eye.
Still, since they keep calling 「Sensei, sensei」 right beside me, I cannot catch the details…
「Buuu… Fine, whatever…」
Oh, they gave up. The hands tugging my clothes finally stop.
It seems like a truly serious conversation, so I stop writing and turn to face them. The twins shift from both sides to stand shoulder-to-shoulder, gazing straight at me.
「You know, we’re really, really grateful to senseii.」
「Yeah. Thanks to sensei, we can make our wishes come trueee.」
「Wishes…? Ah… you two mentioned wanting to fulfill your own dreams.」
Come to think of it, when confirming everyone’s resolve, Raz and Cran said they had wishes they wanted to achieve.
That is why they poured more effort than anyone into this perfume project, seeing it as their chance.
「Yeah. The thing is, I always wanted to stay with Cran foreverr.」
「I always wanted to stay with Raz foreverrr.」
「Hm? Can’t you just stay together?」
「Ahaha. It’s not that simplee. When they arrange marriage partners for us, we were supposed to be separatedd.」
「We’re daughters of a marquis house, after alll. Having both of us marry into the same noble family… would cause some problems in noble societyyy.」
…I see.
A marquis is quite high-ranking nobility.
Marrying both daughters into one house would involve complicated faction balances and politics I don’t fully understand.
Ah… Nobles are such a hassle.
「There was one person who wanted to marry both of uss. His status wouldn’t have been an issue, but Father said that man was absolutely out of the question, and we hated him tooo.」
「Hoo…」
If even that father says no, he must be bad news…
Wait. But he kind of accepted me, a commoner? More like 「If you touch her, take responsibility」?
Someone worse than a commoner like me… must be seriously dangerous.
「…So we had pretty much given up. During our student days, we planned to make tons of fun memories with each other, then steel ourselves, say goodbye with smiles, and part ways.」
「…But sensei lit the path that lets Raz and I stay together. You created the way for me… to be with Raz forever from now on.」
Not drawn-out voices, but words filled with heartfelt emotion.
「Meeting sensei. Having friends with the same dreams. You might think believing in miracles or fate is childish, but…」
「We started believing in fateful encounters and miracles.」
They carried an atmosphere and expression that made you feel exactly that, far more mature than their youthful appearances suggested.
「That’s why we absolutely had to tell you.」
「These feelings we can’t fully express, no matter how many words we use.」
The two clasped their hands in front of their chests, faces blooming with radiant smiles.
And then…
「「Thank you! Sensei!」」
Sincere words overflowing with emotion, packed into a single phrase without any pretense.
Gratitude carrying every possible feeling.
I exhaled through my nose at the pair…
「Fuu… Got it~」
「「That’s too casual!!」」
Even if you say that, everyone’s here.
Look? We’re getting tons of attention.
「That’s mean, that’s mean, that’s too muchh!」
「Your reply is way too light compared to how heavy our gratitude isss!」
「Well, what I did really is only worth that much. Not being modest, but I didn’t do anything special. I just did what any teacher should. Besides, the hard part starts now, and you’re the ones who have to keep working.」
「「Muu」u」
「Anyway, my temporary instructor gig is almost over, so keep striving from here on. I hope you both find husbands who’ll marry you someday.」
「…」「…」
They’re puffing their cheeks again. Do they want me to pinch them once more?
But realizing it themselves, they quickly stopped and exchanged a glance, nodding to each other.
「Ahh~ If sensei had answered properly, we were going to kiss your cheeks as thankss. What a wastee」
「A kiss from beautiful twins as thankss? You might never get another chance in your lifeee」
「Being kissed by kids who haven’t even graduated yet… Well, save that kind of charm for when you’re independent and a bit more grown-up, 」
Chu ×2
「…」
「…Even if we look like this, we’re already adults, you know?」
「There’s already a candidate who seems willing to marry both of us, and Father approves too.」
「「Thanks to sensei, we’ve become really bad at giving up.」」
…I got caught off guard, but it seems I’m still weak to sudden events.
It was only an instant, but I clearly felt the softness of their lips, forcing my brain into an emergency shutdown.
Then, as cheers in yellow and pink rose from the classroom a beat late, understanding of what just happened flooded in all at once.
「Sensei, your face is reddd?」
「You’re not supposed to be happy about being kissed by kids, rightt?」
The two teased me playfully… but.
「…You two are the same. Bright red.」
They both slapped hands to their cheeks at once and shouted 「We’re not red!」 in unison.
Well… blushing bright red over a kiss is so fresh and adorable, but they’re still kids after all.
※※※
「By the way, sensei. Is it true that you and Shiro-chan are in a 『forbidden master-servant love』 or a 『love that overcomes the age barrier』, and it became a poem about true loveee?」
「…Ah」
We’re all heading to the cafeteria together, but some nostalgic, embarrassing topic has come up.
「Father told us! At the martial tournament, you boldly broke through heavy security, stood against an overwhelming powerhouse to protect a slave, that’s the story! And the intruder was senseii!」
…Yeah, that happened.
The thing I got teased about in the capital and Einzheil…
Iris neatly wrapped it up and saved me back then…
「Hmm. Shiro and lord’s love is true love.」
「Yeah… It might have inspired it.」
「Ooooh! Father praised youu! Said you’re a man with real spiritt! That marrying a guy like that would make a girl happyy!」
「I just went 『Heh~』 when I heard it, but who knew it was senseii! The world is smallll!」
Ah… So that’s why he kind of accepted me?
Even so, he was still strict, because they’re his precious daughters…
『…Please stop! Let me go!』
…That voice ――
「!」
「Lord!」
「My liege! That was Wendy’s… 」
I dashed off before Aina could finish.
Without caring who saw, I activated Vector Accel and rushed toward the source of the voice.
To reach Wendy even one second sooner.
-0-
AN: The volume is nearing its end… time to set up some flags for later.
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