After my body changed into that of a young girl, the time that passed could be said to be long, if you considered it that way.
It wasn’t exactly a short time.
A lowered eye level compared to when I was a boy.
Longer hair.
Shorter strides.
All of these things weren’t too little time to get somewhat used to.
‘Fully getting used to it is impossible, though.’
I don’t think there’s anything particularly new about living in a young girl’s body now.
Even when I look at my youthful face in the mirror, I don’t really think much of it anymore.
However, there are still moments when I realize that my body has changed.
For example, when I stretch my hand as high as I can, and it can’t even reach the shoulder, let alone the waist, of the guy who’s my disciple.
***
“Having you here makes it hard for me to sleep.”
“That’s strange. Wasn’t it someone else who mumbled in their sleep last night?”
“I should be able to sleep alone now! No, we didn’t even sleep together back then…”
“You didn’t hide back then either.”
“…The way you hold a grudge is intense!”
“Yeah, well, who told you to leave a will like that? Almost gave me a heart attack.”
Even when I push Atar away, shaking my arms, he stands perfectly still without blinking.
Unable to bear it, I use mana to enhance my strength and try to push harder, but now he’s holding his ground with strength.
‘Damn, what a rascal.’
‘Is it because I now have the appearance of a young girl that I’m not feeling awkward about this?’
‘He seems to think of me like a teddy bear’.
‘I know he’s worried that I might disappear again, but…’
“Some things just aren’t possible!”
“What isn’t possible? The bed, carpet, and candle in this room are all mine. You’re the one staying in the room I lent you.”
“B-but!”
Yesterday, the top floor of the northern fortress had only Atar and a few maids.
Now, it’s literally a guesthouse with students everywhere.
If rumors spread about me and Atar, it’s the end for me.
So, I try to push Atar toward the door.
-Creeeak.
Before I could even chase Atar out, the door opened.
A familiar voice followed.
“…What are you two doing?”
“Ah.”
“Oh my, Your Highness. It’s not polite to visit someone’s room late at night.”
Irina and Evan, blinking in surprise while watching Atar and me struggle.
And Atar, who didn’t care at all about their presence.
I belatedly realized how I must look right now, and my ears started to burn a little.
But, since I thought staying silent would only make things worse, I swallowed dryly and opened my mouth to ask about their visit.
“What…is going on?”
“We came to talk to you, Professor. There’s something we need to discuss.”
“Ah, it seems like you’re still talking with your acquaintance. Should we come back later?”
“No, no. You both stay.”
I reached out and grabbed Irina and Evan’s arms, preventing them from leaving.
It’s better to be with them than just Atar in this huge bedroom.
When they go back to their rooms, I’ll send Atar with them.
So for now, I guess I should listen to what Irina and Evan have to say.
I have a pretty good idea of why they came.
I sat down on the small sofa in the center of the bedroom, then told Irina and Evan to sit on the opposite sofa.
“What about me?”
“There’s no seat… for you.”
“Heh.”
At my words, Atar blinked in disbelief, then lightly chuckled.
And he’s still standing there quietly… looks like he’s not planning on leaving.
‘I hope he hasn’t said anything strange to them.’
Though my gaze was directed at Irina and Evan, I couldn’t help but be aware of Atar standing a few steps away.
After all, he’s the one who knows my real identity.
“Word about the professor being hurt at the academy can’t be kept hidden, can it…? The students saw that dreamer as well.”
“Yes, I know.”
“Once we go back to the academy, I’m sure they’ll hold you accountable for this. There will definitely be punishment. What kind of punishment, I don’t know yet.”
Even as I listen to Irina and Evan, I can’t shake the feeling that they might soon say, ‘The girl in front of us is actually a boy…’
It would be an impossible thing to believe in general, but Atar Lionheart enjoys doing the impossible.
Although I don’t think Irina or Evan would believe Atar’s words, still…
“Not that we’re trying to disrespect you, Professor. But, you’re still young… I think you should get help from someone else with this. Maybe you should talk to Lord Goryong?”
“If there’s anything we can help with, please don’t hesitate to ask, Professor. Don’t feel burdened.”
The reason Irina and Evan came to see me late at night was simple, really.
They know I did my best to protect the students from the dreamer.
They want to help me make sure I don’t get overly punished at the academy for this.
Honestly, I thought they must have been disappointed in me by now, but this is a surprise.
I never expected them to come to offer help.
I don’t think I’ve been very good to them.
“…Thank you. If there’s anything I need, I’ll definitely ask.”
I lightly nodded toward Irina and Evan, then added that I would fulfill my responsibilities as their professor.
Whether it’s my responsibility for bringing the students to the north or my duties as the Mana Design professor.
I’ll stay at least until the end of the semester.
No matter what I hear from Primus, I’m not planning on resigning from my professor position yet.
I’m determined to finish the curriculum I submitted to the dean.
If I leave halfway through, it’s the students who will suffer.
“Well, we’ll leave now.”
“We apologize for coming so late, Professor.”
“…Alright. I’ll see you both in the morning.”
I waved lightly as Irina and Evan left for their rooms.
‘Somehow, I felt a bit sorry.’
‘It’s as if I’ve made them shoulder some of the burden I should be carrying as their professor.’
Sigh…
***
I lay down on the sofa, my mind filled with complicated thoughts.
I tried to organize my thoughts, but…
“Has it changed a lot since you were teaching? You seem to have become really kind.”
The uninvited guest, who I had briefly forgotten, grumbled and slowly pushed his fierce face into view.
Somehow, I ended up in a position where I was lying on the sofa, making eye contact affectionately with Atar.
It was incredibly uncomfortable.
Thwack!
“Who taught you such rude behavior, looking down on your teacher?”
I slammed my head into Atar’s nose with force.
It seemed like an unexpected blow, as Atar staggered slightly after taking it straight to the face.
It felt a little refreshing seeing Atar, who had always been so affectionate no matter what I did, now in pain.
“Well, who told you to always treat me like a child?”
“…Though, right now, you are a child.”
“But Atar knows that you’re not really a child.”
“Go out. I’m going to sleep now.”
“…Yes.”
Atar obediently stepped back when I pointed toward the bedroom door.
It seemed like I didn’t need to call Ifrit after all.
Only after Atar’s footsteps disappeared down the hall did I feel relieved enough to lie back in bed.
Then, as the sleepiness gradually took over, I tried to let my body surrender to the sensation.
***
Knock, Creak.
“I’ve come because Master sent me.”
This time, Sharne entered the bedroom.
I no longer had the strength to argue.
‘Maybe Atar thought it would be fine since she was another girl?’
Since I kept telling her to leave, she would probably step back, but maybe she still thought she should keep watch.
Footsteps.
Footsteps.
“Then, I’ll excuse myself for just a moment.”
As usual, Sharne, dressed in her maid outfit, quickly made her way to my bed.
Sharne and I were both small, so even with the two of us lying down, there was still some space left on the bed.
Pat, pat.
Pat, pat.
But the way she gently patted me with her small hands was a different story.
I still couldn’t understand why I was lying next to Sharne.
“…What are you doing?”
“I’m putting you to sleep, Professor. If you’d like, I could sing you a lullaby…”
“Enough.”
‘Was she treating me like another girl now?’
Touching me without hesitation and patting me as if I were a little sister.
I briefly considered throwing her out of the bed right now.
But at this point, I could hardly lift a finger as sleepiness overtook me.
“Today, just today. From now on, Sharne, I’ll kick you out…”
I ended up trailing off and falling asleep.
‘If anyone were to see, it probably looked like two girls were just sleeping together, so maybe that helped me feel a bit at ease.’
‘If I slept with Atar, all sorts of rumors would spread, but if it were Sharne, there probably wouldn’t be any strange whispers.’
***
“…So this is your face when you sleep.”
Sharne whispered as she gazed at the peaceful face of Letter, who had fallen into a deep sleep.
Then, memories of the past few months surfaced in her mind.
“You tend to take things too lightly. To Master, you are not a light person, but…”
If we traced the start of all this, it would probably go back to the day when Asher Astoria literally vanished.
Since that day, Master’s smiles had slowly disappeared, day by day.
Sharne, who had been closest to him, knew.
She knew how many things had happened to get to this point, with Letter now in this space.
She knew how much Atar had struggled with the absence of the Sage and how it had confused him.
“…I guess it’s enough that you’re still alive…”
The truth was, Sharne didn’t quite like seeing Letter sleeping in front of her.
No matter what, the Sage was Sharne’s benefactor.
But just as important to her as the Sage was Atar.
Atar may have looked the same on the outside, but Sharne had known for a long time that he had been slowly burning from the inside.
Perhaps that’s why.
She wanted Atar to understand just a little bit why he couldn’t leave Letter’s side.
The sense of loss and emptiness caused by the absence of the Sage had made Sharne worried about Atar as well.
“…You foolish person.”
Reaching out her small hand, she gently took Letter’s hand into hers.
Because, she couldn’t let him disappear again.
Just as Atar had asked Sharne to make sure Letter was never alone for even a second, Sharne had been there for him.
Even though the magic slowly began to overtake her body, she stayed up all night for that reason.
***
When morning came, when Letter’s eyes opened, when preparations were made to leave for Primus, and when she would reunite with Atar, Sharne knew she had to stay with Letter until then.
And so, the morning sun finally rose.
It was as bright as usual, but it wasn’t warm, and Sharne’s eyes slowly blinked.
“…Mm.”
“Did you wake up?”
Pretending to be casual, she watched Letter, who had just gotten up, and asked whether she wanted tea or cocoa.
Despite her strong claim that she could wash herself, Sharne still followed her to the bathroom, gently washing her young body with warm water.
She never left her alone for even a moment.
‘Was it because of that?’
‘Or maybe Sharne, too, had been subconsciously bothered by the Sage’s disappearance?’
“…Cooh…”
By the time she boarded the train back to Primus with Atar, sleepiness overtook her.
Unable to resist the pull of sleep, Sharne’s head leaned against Atar’s arm as she dozed off.
“Hmm, looks like you’re really tired. How much did you work him?”
“…Not that much.”