***
*Squelch, squelch.*
Finally, light was visible at the end of the long tunnel.
Was it already daytime?
I took out my pocket watch from inside my coat and checked.
It was a little before ten.
If I hurry, I might somehow make it to second period.
Though I'd probably just sleep through it anyway.
*Clack, tap, slide.*
I stepped out into the light and unbuckled the shoulder plates and waist belt.
Winter wind crept in beneath where the armor had been.
I rolled my stiff neck and muttered to myself.
"Damn it, there's not a spot that doesn't ache."
"Watch your mouth." With that voice, a spray of water poured down over my head.
*Shhhhaaaa.*
Warm water flowed from my head down, soaking my body.
The filth and blood caked all over me washed away.
"Good work, Nephew."
The one who said that was Teresa—a woman with a youthful impression almost like a girl, smiling with an impish expression.
She was holding a staff and sprinkling water on me.
"If you know I'm working hard, reduce my workload a bit."
"That won't do~ We still have a long, long way to go to pay off the debt your father left behind."
"And here I thought you'd coolly pay it off."
"There are plenty of expensive things in this world without reason, but nothing is ever free without a reason."
Words of wisdom.
"Besides, you're the one who takes on extra work voluntarily, aren't you? You went deep down again, pushing yourself too hard?"
As she spoke, Teresa tossed me a long towel.
I caught it and said indifferently.
"The pay is higher in the deeper sectors."
"Honestly... you're hopeless. Here, since I've washed you off, get to class. Ronari calls you a delinquent because you're always skipping like that."
"And whose fault is that?"
"Whose fault, you ask? Your father, who left behind a mountain of debt and ran off to the other side."
Once again, words of wisdom.
I shook off the water and changed into my uniform.
Then, as I trudged toward the lecture building, Teresa's voice came from behind.
"Cheer up~"
As if she's not just teasing me.
I'd been rolling around with demonic beasts in the underground dungeon all night; there was no way I had any strength left.
That was the job Teresa, the academy principal, had assigned me.
Every night, I entered the academy's underground sewers to eliminate the demonic beasts roaming beneath.
It was, quite literally, gutter work, but it couldn't be helped if I wanted to pay off my debt to Teresa.
Last year, when my father died and our family fell into ruin, Teresa took me and my younger sister in.
It was also Teresa who paid off the debt my father had left behind.
A debt so massive it could never be fully repaid with mere work like this.
So I accepted the part-time job Teresa offered without a word of complaint.
I figured she had suggested this work in the first place as a way to ease my sense of indebtedness.
Balancing work and studies was tough, but it also served as training.
And it wasn't life-threateningly dangerous to begin with.
And for the sake of my younger sister, I needed to quickly build up the strength to become independent.
"..."
When I entered the classroom late, all eyes turned to me for a moment.
But that attention quickly dissipated.
My tardiness was such a common occurrence that nobody cared anymore.
Only the professor gave me a brief warning.
"Sit down quickly."
I was going to do that even without being told.
I felt like I would collapse if I didn't lean on something right away.
I slumped forward and buried my head in my arms.
And immediately fell sound asleep.
It was one of the few moments of peace granted to me in this tumultuous life.
...
But that peace didn't last long.
Feeling something off, I opened my eyes to find someone tapping my chair.
I tried to pretend I was still asleep, but a man's voice struck my ear.
"Hey, I came all this way to find you, so wake up."
A voice I'd never heard before.
I lifted my head to find a male student I didn't know at all.
And a whole group of guys who seemed to be his posse.
They didn't look like upperclassmen—probably from another class.
I tilted my head wearily.
"Who are you?"
"Well, that's none of your business."
The male student said that and sat in the seat right in front of me.
"Switch dorms with me."
What kind of nonsense was this out of nowhere?
"Why should I?"
"You share a room with Ronari Sharino. Everyone's heard."
"So?"
"Because I like her."
I furrowed my brows without realizing it.
Meanwhile, the male student smiled broadly and said.
"Honestly, it must be hard sharing a room with a girl, right? Weird rumors will spread too. I don't mind that stuff. As long as I can share the same room."
This guy—he was smiling on the surface, but he didn't seem like a good person at all.
A decent person wouldn't disturb my sleep over something like this.
I felt like pounding him, but I didn't want to make any unnecessary trouble.
Just yesterday, Ronari had called me a delinquent.
I don't care if she misunderstands me, but if she makes a fuss, it'll interfere with my daily life.
"No."
"What, you like her too?"
At those words, the male student's group began whispering and snickering among themselves.
\- Wow, so he was that kind of guy too.
\- No wonder the kid seemed gloomy.
They weren't a pack of dogs who come when called.
"Shut up and get lost."
"What?"
"You want to put some horny mutt in the same room as a girl? Only another dog would agree to that."
\- You bastard...
The male student's group bristled and leaned in aggressively.
I was ready to break anyone's jaw if they came within an arm's length.
***
Ronari, who had just returned to the classroom, came face-to-face with that situation.
It looked like a group of students from another class was picking a fight with Ilsea, asking him to switch rooms.
"Switch dorms with me."
*Why are they deciding to switch rooms among themselves without my consent?!*
Worry took hold first.
Ilsea seemed uncomfortable sharing a room with Ronari too, and if that was the case, he might just agree to switch.
She was barely trying to get used to him being there, yet...
But Ilsea said.
"You want to put some horny mutt in the same room as a girl? Only another dog would agree to that."
Ronari's eyes went wide.
*What's with that guy...?*
*He could say things like that?*
At the same time, a strange sense of relief washed over her.
*Well, maybe a delinquent like Ilsea is better than an obvious pervert like that...*
Ronari realized she was thinking that.
She shook her head side to side.
"No, no, this isn't the time!"
With Ilsea's outburst, the atmosphere was rapidly escalating to a breaking point.
"I need to say something right now..."
But then, someone's hand grabbed Ronari as she was about to step forward.
"What would happen if you stepped in here, my lady?"
The one who spoke was a female classmate—Bellica.
"Huh... Bel."
Ronari had often seen her together with Ilsea.
Bellica asked Ronari.
"Do you want rumors spreading that you're dating the boy you share a room with?"
Ronari's cheeks flared red.
"What?! Who would ever date a delinquent like him...!"
Ronari tried to explain in a fluster, but Bellica's sly voice cut her off.
"Shh. Innocent little lady, do you really think these kids care about the truth?"
"What do you mean..."
Bellica placed her hands on Ronari's shoulders and whispered.
"That's the nature of gossip~ Either way, wouldn't it be best for both of you if you avoided getting entangled with Ilsea as much as possible? Understand?"
As always, Bellica's demeanor while saying this was relaxed, yet strangely cold.
"So just watch from the sidelines, my lady~"
And Bellica passed by Ronari and entered the classroom.
Brushing aside her pretty bobbed hair, Bellica's expression as she headed toward Ilsea changed in an instant, as if she had swapped masks.
She smiled brightly and greeted the group of male students warmly.
"Huh? If it isn't Lorband~ What brings you to our class?"
"Bellica."
The male student who had come looking for Ilsea—Lorband—seemed acquainted with Bellica.
Bellica approached Lorband and bumped him with her hip.
"This is my designated seat. Did you come here to see me~?"
"No, I..."
"I know. I heard everything. You like Ronari, right? That's why you came to ask him to switch rooms? How sly~"
As she spoke, Bellica patted Lorband's shoulder.
"Good luck. This noona will be rooting for you. By the way, want me to give you a pro tip?"
Bellica jerked her chin toward Ilsea.
"Wouldn't it be better to go to the faculty office or the principal's office to persuade them rather than barking at this blockheaded delinquent? Even if this guy says 'Yes sir, I'll switch right away,' do you think that would actually happen?"
Bellica's words carried extraordinary persuasiveness.
Even Lorband's group, who had been so full of bravado just moments ago, were flustered before her.
"So get going already, you brats! It's lunchtime, aren't you going to eat?"
Bellica pressured Lorband and his group, pretending otherwise.
Quite a few classmates had returned by now, and murmuring crowds could be seen here and there.
Lorband's group had no choice but to retreat.
Ilsea looked up at Bellica and smiled lightly.
"Thanks. For getting rid of those annoying guys."
"Is that all you're thankful for? Your cute noona here even brought you lunch."
Bellica casually tossed a packaged sandwich onto Ilsea's chest.
"Eat and get some sleep. Look at your face. You think you can spar in this condition? At this rate, I can't even tease you until late."
"If you know that, go easy on me."
"If I go easy on you, I wouldn't be able to win!"
Bellica sat down beside Ilsea and bumped her shoulder against his.
And added in a low voice.
"But how is it, sharing a room with Lady Ronari? She must be furious. What are you going to do now?"
"Well, I'll have to accommodate her somehow."
"If that doesn't work, tell me."
"What happens if I tell you?"
"If that doesn't work..."
Bellica leaned slightly against Ilsea's side and said.
"I'll switch with you."
"?"
"I can just stay there instead of Ronari. I don't mind."
"I wondered what you were going to say... Forget it."
Ilsea seemed to take it as a joke, but Bellica was gazing intently at him.
Ronari was watching those two.
She had known they were often together, but...
They seemed closer than she had thought.
Bellica wasn't exactly a model student, but Ronari still thought she had a much brighter future than someone like Ilsea.
"But why does she stick with a guy like that...?"
Ronari realized she was clenching her fists.
She could just let them do whatever they wanted...
But for some reason, it was irritating.
...Why?
...
That night, Ronari sat on the living room sofa with her arms crossed, ready to unleash a tirade.
She had let it go yesterday, but not this time.
She was determined to say something.
Should she grill him about staying out all night yesterday?
Or about what happened today? Though Ilsea hadn't really done anything wrong... But still, she was annoyed for some reason.
But midnight passed and Ilsea still hadn't returned.
"Again today... you delinquent... mnyaah..."
What woke Ronari, who had dozed off sitting on the sofa, was a sound that seemed to come around dawn.
*Click.*
The doorknob slowly began to turn.