By any chance, can't you speak...? - 14

"...!"

'I did it all again...!'

 

I finished all the work again.

 

If I like working so much, I wonder if I should just do it slowly, but my pride won't allow it.

 

"..."

 

'Ugh... If I do this, I'll have nothing to do all day again...!'

 

I've already read every single book in Trinity. It got to the point where a girl named Ui from the archives started talking to me first.

 

'I thought she was super introverted, does that mean I came here that often?'

 

I didn't talk to her because she was holed up in the archives working every day, but I was pretty flustered when she talked to me first...

 

"...!"

'Ugh. Nothing's going to change if I just laze around here. I have to do something!'

 

With that decision made, I called for a Tea party attendant outside.

 

Ding!-

 

Stomp stomp-

 

"Lady Seia. What can I do for you?"

 

"...?!"

'D-did she come as soon as I called? She's incredibly fast...'

 

I was flustered that she came running as soon as she heard me, but first, I showed her my phone.

 

Tap-

 

-Is there a school in the middle of a sandy desert in Kivotos?

 

"... Are you referring to Abydos High School? Why that failing school...?"

 

'Failing school...? Now that I think about it, I remember there being no one around in my dream.'

 

Type type- Type type-

 

-I saw it in a dream. I got curious.

 

"In the past, it was a school with more glory than the three major academies, but it fell into ruin after a sandstorm. As a result, most of the land was taken over by Kaiser Corporation."

 

"..."

'Sensei is going to a school like that...? Why...?'

 

The Tea Party attendant, who had been reading my pensive expression for a while, nodded and said to me.

 

"Do you perhaps want to go there?"

 

"...!"

 

Nod nod!-

 

"I am just an attendant. The current host of the Tea Party is Lady Seia, so all decision-making power rests with you."

 

It was as if she was saying it was up to me to decide whether to go or not. It was quite cheeky for a subordinate to say that to their superior, but I decided to let it slide.

 

Tap!- Tap!-

 

"... Yes. Let's go."

 

As soon as I gave my permission, the Tea Party attendant picked up her phone and contacted someone.

 

"Prepare a helicopter. We're heading to Abydos High School."

 

Then, a small noise came from the phone.

 

"Quiet. Don't argue. It's Lady Seia's order."

 

Was this attendant quite high-ranking among them? Having neatly dismissed their opinions, the attendant helped me up.

 

"Let's go. We'll probably get chewed out by Lady Mika and Lady Nagisa, but with my authority, I should be able to avoid jail."

 

"..."

'I'll smooth it over with them...'

 

It wouldn't be good for them to lose their executive position because of me...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

"...?"

'She's coming with me...?'

 

"Lady Seia. Abydos High School is practically lawless right now. If I sent you there alone, I'd be executed."

 

Reading my expression, she made a cutting motion across her neck as if joking, and then started the helicopter.

 

"The helicopter might be a little loud. Please put on the earplugs that were given to you."

 

"..."

'I know that much. Does she think I'm some kind of hothouse flower?'

 

For a moment, I thought, maybe I am...? But no. I'm a man who has been through all sorts of hardships!

 

Rotor rotor rotor rotor rotor rotor rotor rotor-

 

Soon, the sound and vibrations of the helicopter filled the air as we lifted off into the sky.

 

"..."

'I should get some sleep...'

 

And so, leaning back in the shaking helicopter, I fell asleep.

 

"... L-Lady Seia? You're sleeping in a flying helicopter...? Seriously? How is that even possible...?"

 

I heard a somewhat flustered voice next to me, but it probably wasn't important.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

"Lady Seia. We've arrived."

 

"...?"

'Ugh... we're here already...?'

 

Strangely, I didn't have a prophetic dream this time.

 

Was I too tired? Maybe I passed out before I could enter REM sleep.

 

"I didn't see a helipad nearby, so we landed in the middle of the sandy desert. Be careful, it's all sand."

 

Nod nod!-

 

I nodded briefly and jumped out of the helicopter.

 

'Chop!- Now, let's find Sensei from my dream.'

 

I can't see anything just by looking around, where was she collapsed?

 

"...? ....!!"

'Searching this vast sandy desert one by one is honestly impossible... Ah!'

 

Found her! If I could speak, I might have shouted that.

 

With my face lighting up instantly, I approached Sensei, who was lying in the sand, and waved my hand.

 

Tap tap tap!- Tap!-

 

Wiggle wiggle!-

 

Sensei didn't even react to my waving. Well, she was lying face down!

 

'She's not ignoring me, she's just face down.'

 

"Ugh... w-water..."

 

Just as I thought that, Sensei uttered the exact same words I heard in my dream.

 

Seeing that, I reached into my pocket and pulled out a bottle of water I had prepared beforehand.

 

"...!"

'Even if I give her water here, can Sensei, who's collapsed, even drink it...? I can't imagine her being able to open the bottle cap, which is hard to do even normally, and bring it to her mouth when she's collapsed from exhaustion...?'

 

As I pondered for a moment, a brilliant idea popped into my head.

 

Splash!-

 

"...??!!?!?!?!"

 

I just poured the entire bottle of water on her face.

 

Since she happened to be looking at me, Sensei, who had her head raised, took the water directly in the face.

 

"Wha, what... Water...?"

 

Splash!!-

 

"... Ugh!?! W-why are you keep pouring water on me?!!"

 

Ah, there's still water left.

 

Splash!!-

 

"Agh?!!??!! Cough!! Cough!! Spit...! Ugh...!"

 

As I finished off with another barrage of water, Sensei looked at me with a dumbfounded expression.

 

I placed my hands on my hips and gave her a confident expression.

 

Ta-da!- It felt like that sound effect echoed around us.

 

"Ah, no... Thank you for saving me... Who are you...?"

 

"...!! ....!!"

'I'm Seia Yurizono of the Tea Party!'

 

"... Can you not speak?"

 

'Ah.'

 

That was my first meeting with Sensei.