“Haah…”
Thanks to his dizzy head, his steps dragged listlessly. He truly desperately needed someone’s help. However, it was difficult to expect help in this sinister school. Jay had to solve this matter alone.
After racking his brain to the point of fever, Jay headed gloomily to the guidance room without finding any particular solution. A gloomy and bluish day began.
Fortunately, Vittorio’s menu today, which he had worried about, was ordinary. Seeing the clam chowder and bread, relief colored Vittorio’s face. But soon it darkened gloomily as if clouds had gathered. That would be because he didn’t know when octopus would appear on the table again.
Recalling that face, Jay let out a gloomy sigh. During the time when there was no literature class, Jay stopped scribbling in his notebook and went out for a walk. It was because he wanted to soothe his complicated feelings even a little.
Connubium’s garden was splendidly landscaped for the students’ relaxation and was suitable for walking around. Walking around the scenic places, Jay’s mood improved considerably.
He strolled around leisurely for a while and secretly took out Belly to place him on his hand. Belly, in his cute appearance, blinked his eyes. That appearance was adorable, but a sighing word popped out of Jay’s mouth.
“Haah… Belly, when will you stay quietly in the room?”
For me, it was natural for Belly to stick around. Since he was a beastman, not an ordinary lizard, it was rather stranger for him not to stick around.
But to Jay, Belly was a lovely lizard. In other words, just a pet. Especially carrying a lizard around in one’s pocket would be something hard to imagine for someone who cherishes pets.
However, Belly always persistently followed Jay. The terrarium Jay had prepared became useless. He also slept at Jay’s bedside.
In fact, all of Belly’s such actions were for the safety of me, Jack. It also stemmed from wanting to be with me. But for Jay, who didn’t know Belly’s true identity, it would only be exasperating. The Belly in his memory was just a pet lizard.
“Still, hyung lives thanks to you.”
Jay smiled slightly and kissed Belly. It was an affectionate kiss.
Seeing that appearance from inside the body made my face burn hot. Just as I created his memories, the affection he had for Belly also originated from me. Watching Jay’s affectionate antics toward Belly would stir up embarrassment as if I were stripped naked.
Jay, who was enjoying a somewhat comfortable time like that, discovered Ivan walking unsteadily from far away and put Belly back in his pocket. As Ivan swayed in the sunny late spring sunshine, Jay’s steps quickened.
“Scotilino!”
Ivan raised his head at Jay’s voice. His eyes, which saw Jay, were tinged with annoyance and contempt for a moment, but that too didn’t last long and became murky with lethargy.
Jay quickly approached him with a worried face. The more he did so, the more Ivan’s face subtly distorted.
“Are you okay? Should I take you to the infirmary?”
“……”
Ivan ignored his gesture without answering and walked on. However, since he had no strength in his body, he swayed greatly again.
“Ah!”
Jay, who let out a brief scream, didn’t miss him and quickly supported him. However, as if he disliked having hands touch his body, Ivan struggled greatly and shook off Jay’s touch. Clear contempt dwelt on that face.
“…Don’t touch me.”
Jay knew of Ivan’s refusal, but worried by his weak voice, he hovered around him unable to do this or that. To Ivan, such an appearance of Jay was similar to a fruit fly swarming around rotten fruit. Eventually, unable to contain his irritation, he spoke quietly.
“Go away.”
No matter how much he disliked Jay, it was a gentle tone as if he couldn’t curse at a professor. However, even that voice had no energy, so Jay’s worry only grew instead.
“But what if you collapse like this—”
“I don’t need it!”
At Jay’s unceasing worry, Ivan reacted more sharply. He tried to move his strengthless feet to get away from Jay. To Jay’s eyes, that appearance looked precarious like a candle about to go out.
Unable to just leave him be, Jay eventually approached him again and said.
“I’ll help you. Don’t be stubborn and listen to me.”
“…You want me to receive your help?”
Ivan spoke coldly. Pulling up only one corner of his mouth as if sneering, he looked at Jay with a sharp atmosphere like a sword, not the fragile appearance about to extinguish until now. Jay unconsciously hesitated.
“Professor. It’s fine.”
“Still…”
“It’s fine. Please don’t touch me.”
He was mocking Jay. It was hostility clearer than ever, to the extent that even the dull Jay could notice.
“I just… just…”
Because he didn’t know he would express rejection to this extent, Jay couldn’t hide his sense of defeat and some injustice, and Ivan saw through it at once.
“What if the professor helps and ends up like Valli?”
“……”
“I don’t want to become like that, Professor.”
The sneering Ivan had color return to his marble-like white face and looked lively. However, that appearance didn’t last long. Like a fire about to go out burning intensely, Ivan finished speaking and instantly became haggard. The face that had been sharply snapping became gaunt and unsightly like a withered flower.
Jay couldn’t bring himself to stop Ivan, who turned his back and walked away. That appearance walking unsteadily toward the green shade looked lonely like a beast going to find a place to die.
A gentle breeze brought the fresh scent of flowers, but to Jay it was only bitter. The pleasant feeling he had enjoyed until earlier had disappeared without a trace. Jay let out a long sigh at his own complacency and walked back the way he had come.
Behind such a Jay, Belly stared intently at the place where Ivan had disappeared.
After hearing Ivan’s words, Jay wanted to somehow resolve the consequences of what he had done without thinking. However, no matter how deeply he pondered, no answer that seemed right came out. He hunched his body while clutching his head. He felt like his body was twisting with guilt.
“I really didn’t intend for this to happen…”
It was even more agonizing because he hadn’t thought goodwill would result in such an outcome. The heavy situation brought about by light actions gave him hardship he had never experienced before.
In fact, among the things he could do was the method of turning away without taking responsibility. However, he didn’t stop thinking and tried to find an answer. To think of the path he should take, though clumsy. It was quite a commendable appearance.
* * *
Dinner time. At breakfast and lunch, normal menus came out so Vittorio could breathe a little, but that was the end too. On his menu, the disgusting octopus was up again.
Jay cautiously approached Vittorio, who was dripping cold sweat as if pouring out all the moisture in his body again. He seemed tensely on guard, not knowing what Jay might do again.
Jay didn’t notice, but his fine hairs standing on end came clearly into my eyes. This situation seemed unbearably agonizing for Vittorio.
“P-p-pro-fes-sor.”
Vittorio clearly hoped Jay wouldn’t come close, even at a glance. Jay also knew that, but decided to do what he had made up his mind to do.
In fact, most people including Vittorio were blaming Jay, but I could guess that the cause of all this was the school. Connubium clearly didn’t want Vittorio to eat octopus well.
Since it was an abnormal school, Jay couldn’t carelessly touch the octopus again. However, he didn’t give up, and racked his brain as much as possible to do what he could in the position he could. The result was in his pocket.
Jay quickly took out a small bundle wrapped in oiled paper from his pocket and handed it to Vittorio. It was as fast as the wind.
“……”
Vittorio clutched the bundle tightly. As if realizing that what was wrapped in oiled paper was food, his two eyes shook mercilessly.
Connubium pressured the students but relatively loosened up on the professors. It wasn’t difficult for Jay, a professor, to make simple food. Though it was small in size and the contents were somewhat inadequate since it had to be given secretly, it would be better than not being able to eat anything.
“Then everyone eat well.”
Jay slowly ate the sandwich made with roast beef that came out as his portion. The food entering his mouth tasted quite good, but his attention was solely directed at Vittorio.
Vittorio looked down at the meal tray blankly while clutching the food tightly. Then he soon raised his head and looked at Jay with eyes rippling with unknowable emotions. Their eyes met briefly in midair.
Discovering the food bundle entering his pocket, Jay inwardly let out a sigh of relief. His heart felt slightly at ease as if he had lifted some guilt. Only then could he taste the food he was eating.
Jay’s gaze observing the students to write in the report moved from Vittorio to Ivan. No matter how much he had shown irritation to Jay, he couldn’t help but worry about Ivan.
Ivan was eating food full of grass today too, and the more he looked, the more the desire to give up his sandwich welled up. However, having already experienced disaster from hasty actions, he couldn’t step forward carelessly. Perhaps there was a reason he didn’t know why he received a menu without meat.
