Chapter 8: Vulgar Piece of Flesh
The next morning.
Kkuk—
"Um... Patron."
Esther grabbed my sleeve out of nowhere.
Not my wrist—just my sleeve.
"C-could you come with me for a moment?"
"What's going on...."
Kkuuk—
Instead of answering, Esther tugged my sleeve a little harder.
For some reason it reminded me of a puppy pestering someone to go for a walk.
Led along by her hand, I arrived at the Old Schoolhouse.
The Old Schoolhouse had been transformed so beautifully I wasn't sure it was the same place I knew.
"Ta—ta-daa...."
Esther spread her arms and made an awkward entrance.
She kept talking after that, but honestly I couldn't hear it.
Without realizing it, I was busy taking in the scenery of the Old Schoolhouse.
The flowers swaying in the wind captured every glance.
And it wasn't just the flowers.
The vines spreading out with fresh vitality warmly filled the cracks in the Old Schoolhouse building.
Esther had breathed life into a crumbling structure.
Success.
With this, we had taken 1 more step closer to the hidden ending.
No—the timing was actually earlier than the hidden ending.
A great success.
For a first attempt to turn out this well—it's beyond my expectations.
"......I did it."
Lost in thought, I missed the end of what Esther had been announcing to herself proudly.
I'd half-listened—but it seemed to be something along the lines of: she had only planned to revive 1 flower, but the entire flower garden came back to life.
"Looking forward to what comes next."
"D-don't get your hopes too high...."
With my eyes fixed on Esther of course—but who I was actually refering to was the principal.
Let's see about collecting that wager reward.
***
008
Something I'd noticed last time—the Old Schoolhouse is visible clearly from the principal's office.
The principal didn't seem pleased about that, though.
"...It seems you can see the future, Daywin."
From here, Esther's revived flower garden was clearly visible as well.
"I had absolutely no idea a student ranked at the very bottom of the school possessed an ability like this...."
He opened his mouth while gazing out the window.
"It's understandable. In the first place, isn't it stranger for the principal to know each and every student individually? I was surprised last time at how well you knew Raword."
"......."
Whether my words had prompted him to reflect on his own favoritism toward Raword, he was silent for a while.
"In your eyes, Daywin, do the other students also possess talent like Esther's?"
"You already know her name."
"...I looked into her a little."
What a transparent person.
If something looks talented, he dives right in like a hawk.
"To answer your question first—yes, that's right. In my eyes, Raword and all 5 female students have more than sufficient talent."
"Hmm... is that so. 1 of them even received a suspension, though."
The principal moistened his dry lips with hot tea, then continued carefully.
"I apologize about last time."
I met a gaze that did not waver.
"I doubted your discernment, Daywin. I should have trusted you completely from the time you sent Raword to us...."
The principal trailed off and smiled bitterly.
"Shameless of me to ask—but please look after the other students as well. The academy will also do what it can to support the students."
"Understood. Though I think it's natural for the academy to support its own students."
"Th-that's... true."
"Then—might I make that 1 request now?"
"Ah, yes. I'll honor the promise."
"I understand there is a school rule that students ranked at the very bottom must attend supplementary classes during the holiday."
The supplementary classes were also a significant event in the game.
Depending on how the holiday break was spent, the heroines' routes diverged.
"While other students go home for the holiday, I was told that students subject to supplementary study must remain in the dormitory and attend special lectures."
Raword varied depending on the player's choices—but since his grades were generally high, he did not stay at the academy during the holidays.
For that reason, to initiate the 'spend time with a heroine' event during the break, only heroines who had been exempted from supplementary study could be selected.
If you wanted to grow closer to a particular heroine, you raised her grades to exempt her from supplementary classes.
That was one of the game's objectives.
However, Raword—now a fanatic—had grown close to none of the heroines and had helped none of them.
As a result, all of them were confirmed for supplementary classes.
"That's correct. Through special holiday instruction, we aim to raise the students' academic achievement and drive to improve...."
"Please exempt all of the students I'm sponsoring."
I intended to make maximum use of that holiday.
I could not afford to let pass a time when I didn't need to be at the academy—and the heroines were free.
Above all, Esther was absolutely necessary for the subjugation campaign.
"...Exempt?"
"Yes—exempt all of them. Amelia enjoys studying, so I'll leave that to her choice, but I must insist on the remaining 3."
"But if exceptions are made, the other students and guardians will...."
"I believe you said you would honor the promise."
"That is...."
He bowed his head and deliberated at length.
A moment later.
"If you absolutely insist... I'll manage it somehow."
He nodded reluctantly.
"Wonderful."
"Ah, Daywin. I heard Raword is planning to take an advanced course during the holiday. In the special advanced class that graduating 3rd-years take, that is. Shall I also send Raword home for the summer holiday?"
"Hm? No. Have him watched closely so he cannot go anywhere except the academy and the chapel. He has no home to return to anyway."
"Ah, um... yes...."
***
The end-of-term ceremony arrived.
The sight of the students standing in a row in the great hall rather strongly brought back old memories for Daywin.
From the moment the headmaster's dull address began, he had wanted to run—but as a patron, Daywin had agreed to take the podium and say a few encouraging words.
Daywin managed his expression with effort and endured through to the end of the ceremony.
Midway through, he exchanged greetings with the teaching staff—and the fact that he got to see the female teacher who was his type again was at least some consolation.
Her name, he learned, was Grace.
Afterward, from the moment Daywin stood at the podium with a somewhat disgruntled look on his face—
Why is my mentor here...?
Raword was hit with shock after shock.
His mentor appearing at the academy out of nowhere without any advance word was just the opening shot.
Just seeing Daywin here was surprising enough—and when Daywin was introduced as the patron who had generously donated a scholarship to the academy, Raword's mind went hazy.
A patron... meaning there are other students he sponsors besides me....
A mountain of questions he wanted to ask Daywin piled up.
In particular, among all of them, 1 thought kept circling.
There are others... besides me... there are other students my mentor treasures....
Raword had never once defied Daywin's words.
He had joyfully accepted the honor of becoming a holy knight, reported his every move, and submitted his assignments diligently.
His goal of becoming the sword of the goddess had never been doubted, and had never changed.
Raword didn't realize it—but when he came to his senses, he found he had been clenching his fist on his own.
I'm still... far from enough.
Raword nodded with a deep breath.
Once the ceremony ends, I'll go meet my mentor.
Just a little longer.
Repeating it to himself, he waited only for the ceremony to end.
Raword had a far longer end-of-term ceremony than the other students.
The headmaster's safety warnings for summer water activities wrapped things up, and the ceremony ended.
At the same moment, Raword followed after Daywin at a quick pace.
"Mentor...!"
The instant he called out to Daywin's back—
Raword stopped breathing.
Daywin was not alone.
He was in conversation with another student.
A neatly pressed uniform.
A 1st-year necktie.
A ribbon on the sleeve.
Delicate silver hair.
A ponytail.
Knee-high socks that wrapped around her shins.
The vulgar piece of flesh.
The girl who had pestered him all 1st semester.
The girl who had brazenly displayed desire in a sacred place of learning.
Esther.
Raword ducked behind a pillar without thinking.
Eavesdropping was a dishonorable act.
However, realizing that the other student receiving Daywin's sponsorship was Esther, he felt he would go mad with curiosity about what they were saying.
Even if he had to flagellate himself and repent this very night—he had to know.
"Esther, do you have any plans for the holiday?"
"Plans? Hmm, well, first I need to look at the spell tome you gave me...."
A spell tome?
Raword felt his head ring as if struck.
A spell tome?
Had his mentor been treating that woman with such special care that he even gave her a spell tome?
Surely it wasn't... sacred magic.
"Ah, and I have to attend supplementary classes. It seems... it's mandatory because my grades aren't good."
"Is that so. Then come with me to Hasgard."
"...Pardon?"
...What?
Raword was startled at the same moment as Esther.
"I only asked about your schedule to check. Esther—go back to the dormitory and pack your things. We'll be departing soon, so...."
Daywin pulled out a pocket watch and took a quick glance.
"I'll give you 45 minutes."
"W-what? No, no!"
Flustered, Esther said things twice and waved both hands.
"Wait a moment! I'm a supplementary class subject, so during the holiday I have no choice but to stay at the academy!"
"You're exempt. It was agreed before the ceremony."
"What...?"
"44 minutes. Looks like you don't have much to pack."
"B-but! Even so—if there's time during the holiday, I need to visit home too...."
"That's already been sorted out as well. They said to make as much use of you as I'd like, since you'd received a scholarship above your station."
"Ou-our parents corresponded with you by letter too?"
"Yes—quite gracious people. Asking questions is fine, but your packing time keeps dwindling."
"But then...! Ugh, hmm...! Why do I have to go...?"
"There's a subjugation campaign being held this year. It's a festival called the Subjugation Campaign—and your strength is absolutely needed."
"My strength is absolutely... needed?"
Esther hesitated with a troubled expression.
And then, a little—her face turned red.
"W-well then, I suppose I have no choice! It's surprising, but! If you say you need me...!"
Esther made a light show of bravado, and immediately after those words, she turned around quickly and ran off toward the dormitory.
Tup.
Daywin closed his pocket watch and watched her retreating figure.
And Raword, who had ended up eavesdropping on all of that from behind the pillar—
For the subjugation campaign... Esther is needed.... For battle against monsters... not me, but... Esther is....
He repeated the same words like a broken radio.
The reason Raword had pushed Esther away was simply because it had galled him that her nickname was "goddess."
But from now on, whatever Esther's nickname was didn't matter.
Raword had simply come to despise Esther to the core.
***
[Ending (2): Locked]
[Summertime!]
『Raword had grown remarkably close to Esther over the course of 1st semester.
Being at the academy seemed to have created new connections with other beautiful girls—but Raword didn't particularly care.
For the summer holiday, Raword was invited to Esther's family home.
He was surprised by the sudden invitation, but it would be several times better than returning from the dormitory to the slums.
Raword had always hated the holidays.
Fortunately, Esther's parents welcomed Raword warmly.
Esther's family home was so close to the sea it could practically be called oceanfront.
Could it be because of the great fire she had caused in the past?
Mind the fire always.
Keep fire close to water.
Every day, Raword ate the warm meals made by Esther's mother.
He went fishing for the first time in his life, following Esther's father.
Raword was seeing the sea for the first time.
"Is—is this kind of outfit not great...?"
Esther's swimsuit, naturally, he was also seeing for the first time.
The sight of her, who had always hidden her true feelings behind sharp words, being genuinely embarrassed—he had never seen that before either.
Under ordinary circumstances she would have said "It's not like I, I wore this to show you or anything!"
She really does seem to find the swimsuit embarrassing.
Fishing, the sea, and a swimsuit.
Everything was a series of firsts—but above all, the most precious first experience was the memory of finding someone adorable.
Raword spent a summer he would never forget for the rest of his life.
But the world perished.』
Endings remaining until Stage 1 Bonus Unlock: 3
Hm....
Why is the message window appearing at this timing....
A message window had appeared before my eyes out of nowhere, and within it the ending script and an image of Esther in her swimsuit floated up.
Knowing it was a window only I could see—and yet it was somehow an illustration I felt I ought to cover up, embarrassing as it was....
Esther's Ending 2.
Locked.
This time too, an ending was locked at an out-of-nowhere moment.
Looking over the ending script, it was an event that could only be seen during the summer holiday of 1st semester.
This summer, I had taken Esther to Hasgard—and so Raword and Esther had lost the time they would have shared together.
Because of that, the ending had naturally been locked.
Rather than a change in Raword or Esther's feelings—it was a matter of literal time—
"Mentor."
A voice from behind startled me.
That voice.
And that form of address.
"...Raword."
There was only 1 person.
I erased any sign of surprise and turned around as if nothing had happened.
Raword's face, seen for the first time in a while, looked somehow resolute.
"Mentor—since enrolling in the academy and maintaining first place, I thought I was doing well."
Mm.
What's this guy on about all of a sudden.
"But staying at the top of this place is not enough, is it. To become the holy knight you wish... I still have a long way to go."
Raword thrust out his firmly clenched fist.
"I—will grow even stronger!"
Hm?
Hold on.
Why does this guy's eyes look strange?
"I will not stop training until you are satisfied, Mentor! I will surpass not only my seniors but the level of the academy itself! Please watch over me!"
Well....
Suit yourself....