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    〈 Chapter 61 〉 Chapter 61. Et hoc transibit.

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    Time turns and turns, and before you know it, the missing cogwheel that had fallen out finally finds its place again.

    The second hand of someone''s stopped clock begins to tick forward once more.

    Tick-tock.

    Tick-tock.

    With the small sound of something clicking into place.

    A beautiful moment when color returns to someone''s world.

    "...So, to sum up the situation."

    "Yes, yes—!!"

    ["Poo—!, Poo—!"]

    "...How did this even happen?"

    The common room of the special dormitory I was staying at.

    This place, where people rarely came and went, was located quite a distance away from the dormitories where other students stayed, it was provided free of charge to students who had entered the academy through the special mercenary program.

    Typically, the special dormitory provided one room per person, and naturally, it boasted a smaller size compared to the rooms shared by multiple people, but considering it was a single room, it was more than just cozy, you could even feel a sense of spaciousness and openness.

    It was thanks to those features that Alice and I were able to live together, even if it was just for a short time.

    The dormitory, a perfect space to get away from unnecessary attention.

    The place where I collapsed, exhausted, after a day full of classes, from 9 AM to 5 PM, a grueling schedule that sucked my energy.

    And the place where I lay my weary body down, preparing to face the next day.

    My cozy haven, had somehow become crowded with people, to the point where there were now four women, far exceeding the capacity it could accommodate.

    If someone passing by were to catch a glance at this scene, they would think we were having a housewarming party.

    But speaking from the perspective of the person involved in this situation, I''d like to say that it''s a big misunderstanding.

    This is not a housewarming party, it’s a funeral.

    And funeral or not, someone please save me first.

    Please...

    Of course, there must be those who are unaware of the reason, so allow me to introduce the guests who have graced us with their presence, one by one.

    First.

    A woman, introducing herself as ''Tessa'', holding a thick book, at least a hand span thick, raised high above her head with hands full of protruding veins.

    I wonder if the book she’s holding is for reading, or for delivering a death sentence.

    We''ll find out soon enough.

    "I''ll just hit you once, lightly. Ah, really, just once."

    "…No, if I get hit by that, it doesn’t sound like it’s gonna end lightly, is it?"

    "That''s the point."

    "?"

    She seems a little angry.

    Next.

    Sitting right in front of the woman who''s clearly planning something that might end up being attempted murder or straight murder, I''m not sure which, is a woman.

    Even though it looks like the book is about to fall on her head at any moment, she doesn''t seem to realize that her life is in danger, she''s just smiling, making baby noises while holding a child in her arms, this is none other than Remi Akaia.

    To call her a princess, is a bit much, she looks a little lacking.

    The future of the Tesillia Kingdom seemed so bright that it was blinding.

    "Isn''t my little sister adorable?"

    "I have to agree with that."

    "Prin—ce—ss—!!"

    She''s a bit of a strange one.

    And last but not least, the long-awaited third guest.

    Alice, with an adorable elephant trumpet in her mouth— I don''t know where she got it from (probably given by Remi Akaia)— the kind that makes a ''poot'' sound when you blow into it as it unrolls the plastic.

    Her adorable appearance, cradled in Remi Akaia''s arms, blowing the trumpet to her rhythm, looked truly happy.

    ["Poo—! Poo—!"]

    ...

    "…Mother-in-law, please give me Aris."

    "No, I can''t give her to you."

    Excessively, very much so, the child was always cute.

    And here.

    With me, Han Sia, watching the whole scene while rubbing the bridge of my nose with my index finger, that makes a total of four people gathered.

    Related, if you want to see it that way.

    Unrelated, if you want to see it that way.

    People who would never have crossed paths if they had lived ordinary lives.

    Now, for some reason, they were all gathered in this small room, huddled together, centered around one person.

    By the way, here’s an observation from a squid, watching those people with their vastly different appearances:

    Explode, all of you.

    No, two of you can live, just one of you, explode.

    (TL Note: Squid is used as a slang for ugly people)

    "To think you disappeared from the dormitory without a word?! And when I got a call and went to look for you, you had turned the greenhouse into a complete mess?!! Because of that I?!!!"

    "Yes! Yes!"

    ["Poo—!, Poo—!, Poo—!"]

    Ah, that''s not how you''re supposed to answer.

    A light and cheerful response, to a question asked with a dark and heavy tone.

    It seemed Tessa didn''t like that, because the veins on the back of her hand, seemed to have multiplied.

    …Crack!!

    ".....Huu, huu... Calm down, I must calm down, Tessa."

    "............"

    Tessa, who barely regained her sanity after battling her inner demons.

    But unfortunately, it seemed the book couldn''t endure the intense torture.

    Intrigued by the sudden loud noise, I looked towards its source, and saw the cover of the book in Tessa''s hand, clearly made of durable leather, was being crushed, screaming in protest.

    I thought I heard a strange voice muttering from somewhere, ''Master... Please save me... I''ve been a good book...''.

    The phrase written on the cover, ''Empire Academy Patented Leather, so sturdy it can withstand a horse''s trample!'', was now distorted beyond recognition, leaving only the words ''horse'' and ''leather'' visible.

    Her round, oversized glasses and her neat yet modest attire made me wonder if Tessa was a legendary creature called a ''literary girl'' that only exists in legends, but…

    …Hmm, really?

    That? A literary girl?

    Is crane, the crane in massacre? Then is literary girl, a girl that massacres with books?

    (TL Note: ? (Crane) in ?? (massacre) and ?? (literature) is the same. So the author is making a pun out of it. I’ll give a more literal translation in the TL Afterword)

    Ah, so that''s what it was, it was a sight that made me want to say that.

    Or rather—

    "—Miss Han?"

    "......!?"

    Yes, I''m sorry.

    Caught by her mad pupils that briefly swept over me, I could only quietly stand up and slowly head to the corner.

    To express any complaints or dissatisfaction, Tessa, who had forcibly pulled me out of my contemplation with just two syllables, was too frightening, so I surrendered, kneeling down and pouring out lamentations.

    This is my space…

    This is my room…

    But as always, nothing changed, no matter how much I cried internally due to the injustice.

    Because the world is cruel.

    "While I was desperately begging the teachers, digging up every possible excuse and non-excuse imaginable, you were just wandering around the academy grounds—!!"

    "Yes! Yes! Yes!"

    ["Poo—!, Poo—!, Poo—!"]

    At this point, shouldn''t we be amazed that Remi Akaia could remain so composed in front of that woman?

    Tessa current appearance was one where her anger had surpassed the ceiling, going beyond simple anger, shattering the meter and going off the charts, truly exuding an atmosphere of wanting to sincerely kill someone, a perfect murderous smile that would make even a passing serial killer exclaim ''Ah, this is a bit too much,'' and run away.

    And yet, Remi Akaia was sitting there, composed, in front of a woman with such a perfect murderous smile.

    If Tessa''s rationality was a physical rope, she would be clapping and doing cartwheels above it like a tight rope performer, I could only nod my head in admiration for her incredible courage.

    She''s amazing.

    How has she even survived until now.

    Another unsolved mystery has been added to the list.

    "Kyaa—!! Aris, you''re so cute!! Who do you take after, to be so adorable!!"

    ["Poo—!!"]

    "Tessa—!! Look at this!! One more time, Aris, just one more time!!! Where''s the camera, where''s the camera!? Ah, Tessa! Have you seen the camera?"

    ".........."

    Let me correct myself.

    It seems she just doesn''t have anything in her head.

    Or maybe she''s already been hit on the head too many times and has gone crazy?

    If not that, could it be that what happened with Alice has had an irreversible effect on Remi Akaia''s head!?

    …

    Well, whatever the reason, it''s a moot point because it will soon become meaningless.

    —Craaack!

    ".......This… idiot, princess…!!"

    "….Uh… A-Are you alright…?"

    The sound of a volcano erupting is like the sound of a large drum being struck.

    Boom, boom, like that.

    When that deep, resonant sound, which makes your heart tremble and dance along, fills the world, that’s when the disaster (災？), that will change the course of human history finally reveals itself.

    In her hand, the poor book that had already exposed all its insides was trembling uncontrollably, unable to control its own body.

    With each word uttered, filled with emotions, boom, boom, the sound echoed, I just closed my eyes and turned my head away from the impending tragedy.

    Because it''s impossible to stop a disaster with human strength.

    Whatever, let it be.

    I have nothing to do with it.

    —Thud!

    "I can''t… take it anymore—!!!!!"

    "—Kyaah!?"

    ["Poot?"]

    A classic fairy tale ending.

    Good people are rewarded, and bad people are punished.

    And so, with the good person punishing the bad person.

    The curtain has just risen on a never-ending chaos.

    Ding, dong.

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