The Sword Demon Tears People Apart

It’s warm.
Something was nestled in his arms.
The touch of a soft and delicate female body.
A woman?
Who did I sleep with yesterday….
The memory is vague.
But somehow it’s different from usual.
A familiar touch, a familiar scent.
His body relaxes and settles comfortably.
It’s unusual.
This has never happened before.
His hand moved naturally.
The hand searching for a full and soft object settled in place.
Tup-, it’s flat.
When he grasped it, there was still enough to touch.
“Mmm….”
A familiar voice.
Is it the kid?
……What?
His eyes flew open.
“Pervert. What are you doing first thing in the morning….”
In front of him was the kid, her face flushed red as if embarrassed.
His gaze lowered.
His hand was on the kid’s flat chest.
“…What. Why are you here?”
“W-we slept together yesterday, remember….”
At those words, memories rushed back like a lightning strike.
Ah, right.
She said we’d just hold hands while sleeping, didn’t she?

Suddenly feeling uneasy at that line, he lifted the blanket.
There were no signs of anything unusual happening.
No smell either.
He was about to check his pants just in case, but
Staaare-
He couldn’t bring himself to do it because of the kid’s gaze.
She wasn’t originally this kind of child….
How on earth did it come to this?
Zeron sighed and groggily got up.
“Don’t do this from now on. You went through a rough time yesterday too.”
“…It wasn’t that rough. If-if you want to touch, you can touch? Though there’s not much to touch….”
Really, for fuck’s sake….
I never thought the day would come when I’d hear such words from the kid.
“It’s all my karmic retribution….”
“That’s right.”
“Shut up, you.”
Thwack-! He flicked her forehead,
“Byak!?”
A strange scream automatically burst out.
He felt oddly uncomfortable because of something the kid had said before.
“Anyway, get ready to go back.”
“Get ready to go back…? Where?”
“Where else? We need to go wring the Principal’s neck.”
The corners of Zeron’s mouth turned up fiercely.
*
When he came out to the hall on the first floor, gazes converged on him.
It seemed they had heard the story in the meantime, as disbelief and shock were evident in their eyes.
They must have thought I got the instructor position with money.
Zeron ignored it and sat down in a suitable spot.
The kid also tried to sit next to him, but Flone came trotting over and pulled her away.
Then they started whispering to each other.
He could hear everything.
‘Medea, where did you go yesterday? I went to your room because I was scared to sleep alone…’
‘Ah…. I just went to Oppa’s room for a bit and fell asleep….’
‘In-Instructor Zeron’s room…? You didn’t….’
‘No, I didn’t? Don’t make weird assumptions.’
The kid clicked her tongue as if disappointed.
Does she think that action matches what she’s saying?
Flone’s cheeks turned bright red, and she glanced this way.
Then when their eyes met, she let out a small “Eek-!” in surprise.
Zeron smiled slightly.
It was understandable.
Although he hadn’t unconsciously emitted killing intent towards the kid or Flone, it wasn’t completely hidden either.
Moreover, having sliced up monsters like that right in front of them….
It’s not strange for her to be frightened like that.
But her reaction was a bit different from what he expected.
“Fighting…!”
Flone clenched her fist, then came trotting towards him.
She hesitated a bit, but her steps didn’t stop.
Standing in front of Zeron like that,
“Th-thank you for yesterday, Instructor….”
She bowed deeply.
Finding it quite unexpected, Zeron raised his eyebrows.
Then soon, the corners of his mouth turned up.
Rather than feeling proud or anything, he felt a sense of achievement.
It felt like successfully handling a squirrel for the first time.
Though he wondered if this was an appropriate thought to have about a person.
“Good job.”
“Huh…?”
When he patted her head, Flone’s head tilted in confusion.
Zeron rummaged in his pocket and took out a candy.
It was something he occasionally ate while smoking, but he never thought he’d use it like this.
He unwrapped it and held it in front of her mouth, and Flone hesitated for a moment before gently taking the candy in her mouth.
“That’s right.”
Soon, one of her cheeks bulged out.
She rolled the candy around in her mouth, then ‘Hehe….’ her lips relaxed into a smile.
“…Oppa.”
While he was quietly observing Flone, the kid had approached at some point.
She looked at Zeron with a sulky expression, then after fidgeting with her lips for a moment, she spoke.
“…I’m grateful for yesterday too.”
“Hm? Oh, yeah.”
Then she stared blankly and slightly pushed her head forward.
Does she want to be patted?
After hesitating for a moment, he gently patted her head, and her sulky expression half melted away.
“What, do you have something to say?”
“…Why don’t you give me candy?”
“Come on, you’re not a child.”
He took out a candy from his pocket and gave it to her, but she just stared at it blankly.
He could roughly guess what she wanted.
Sigh…, he unwrapped the candy with a sigh.
Then the kid opened her mouth slightly.
He popped the candy into her mouth, and she grinned.
Although he wondered what he was doing, it was cute.
At that moment, Pingcheng suddenly popped up and laughed, “Pufufu.”
“Wow! It’s a harem, a harem! Does Zerong perhaps like young children?”
Looking around, as he already knew, gazes were heavily focused on him.
“Zeronzeron! I’m quite young too!”
“Is she really crazy…?”
“I’m only twenty-seven! I’m younger than Zeroron!”
“Haah….”
The more he conversed, the more tired he became.
He couldn’t just slice her up either.
Zeron ignored Pingcheng and roughly surveyed the people gathered on the first floor.
There were a total of 48 students.
Two had been reduced.
From what he briefly heard, it seemed they had died.
The two who died were both commoners.
Perhaps because of that, the expressions of the commoner students, except for Medea and Flone, were quite dark.
Were they perhaps bonding together as commoners?
It turned out unfortunate.
“When are we leaving for the Academy?”
“Now?”
“Then what are you doing?”
“We were waiting for Zerong!”
“Haah…. Let’s go.”
“Okay!”
People boarded the bus in a rush.
Probably after sleeping for a while, they’d arrive at the Academy.
Zeron immediately closed his eyes.
“Oppa. By the way, you should apply some lip balm…. ……Byak!?”
He really closed his eyes.
*
When they arrived at the Academy, the sky was dimly colored.
Zeron stretched his stiff body as he got off the bus.
Still, thanks to drinking potions like water, his body felt quite alright.
“Oppa, you need to lie down and rest as soon as we get there. Got it?”
“Yes, mother.”
“Eek…! Don’t say weird things!”
The kid slapped his bottom repeatedly.
She’s naturally committing sexual harassment.
Zeron chuckled and quickly moved towards the dormitory before Pingcheng could speak to him.
“Welcome back.”
As expected, Luna was waiting when he entered the main gate.
Luna bowed deeply, then unusually, with a slightly worried expression, she spoke.
“I heard the news. Are you hurt anywhere?”
“No, I feel like I’m going to die.”
“…Such jokes are not good.”
“I’m serious.”
Egugu, Zeron playfully patted his waist.
But it really wasn’t a joke.
It had gotten a bit better, but various parts still ached.
“Never mind. I’m foolish for worrying.”
Luna turned coldly and led the way.
As Zeron entered the room, she closed the door and said in a cool tone.
“Then rest well.”
Thud-, the door closed.
Zeron smiled slightly, roughly shoved his luggage in a corner of the room, and immediately headed to the bathroom.
It was obvious that if he lay down now, he wouldn’t be able to get up.
After washing up and coming out, he grabbed a bottle of alcohol and flopped onto the bed.
Too lazy to look for a glass, he drank straight from the bottle, and soon felt tipsy.
“Hmm…, something feels missing.”
He tossed and turned, but still felt something lacking.
Maybe it’s a bit cold?
His body shivers.
After some deliberation, Zeron picked up a piece of paper lying on the floor.
He crumpled it into a ball, infused it with mana, and flicked it towards the table.
Twoong-, the bell hit by the paper ball emitted a wave.
After waiting for a moment, there was a knock-knock sound.
“Did you call?”
“Want to come in?”
The door opened immediately.
Luna strode in and stood in front of Zeron.
“Is there something you need?”
“I’m cold.”
“Pardon?”
“Do I have a cold?”
At those words, Luna’s expression wrinkled.
She reached out and placed her hand on Zeron’s forehead.
“As an instructor, you couldn’t possibly have a cold…, hm?”
Luna’s brow furrowed even more.
She then placed her hand on her own forehead and muttered seriously.
“You have a fever.”
“Right? I thought so.”
“…You knew and still drank alcohol?”
“Alcohol is medicine, medicine.”
Zeron chuckled in his floaty mood.
Somehow his mind felt hazy.
He certainly seemed to have pushed himself too hard yesterday.
It was one of the few times in his life he had strained himself that much.
“Ah, right. I know what’s missing.”
“Is there something you need?”
Zeron spread both arms.
Luna’s expression twisted strangely.
“Your body heat?”
“…Even when you’re sick, you don’t stop with those jokes.”
“I was serious.”
Tsk-, he lowered his arms, clicking his tongue.
Maybe because he slept hugging the kid yesterday, he missed that warm feeling.
His head was a bit dizzy too.
Honestly, he wasn’t even sure what he was saying right now.
Only Luna’s cool voice was heard.
“Shall I call a prostitute for you?”
“That’s harsh.”
“…I apologize. It was a slip of the tongue.”
Luna turned sharply and headed to the bathroom.
When she returned a moment later, she was holding a wet towel.
She carefully placed the wet towel on Zeron’s forehead.
It’s cold.
Soon he felt the bed sink slightly.
Luna had sat down on the bed.
Then a slightly subdued voice was heard.
“…Do you dislike me?”