Shomin no Aji - Chapter 439 (Patreon)
Content
Are things going to be okay?
After that, Teacher Neil has been asking a lot of questions about the Sacred Beasts.
However, my knowledge is not that different from his, and if anything, I think he knows more about them than I do.
The people in question… I mean, the Sacred Beasts in question, Kurogane and Mashiro took the “Why should I bother telling you about myself just to satisfy your curiosity?” stance with him.
I feel sorry for Teacher Neil, but I can't help him considering all the things he's done, so I hope he can gain their trust back through his future efforts.
… It may be difficult, though.
We went back to the room, shaking off Teacher Neil, who was still full of lingering questions.
(You are late. You must have eaten something delicious.)
Kaguya, who seemed to have been waiting for us to return, curled up in the middle of the sofa, looking sulky.
“You jest, we ate the same thing you did. I was just telling Teacher Neil about you.”
(About me? Just what did you tell him?)
Hearing that we talked about her, Kaguya’s suspicions were raised.
“I sought approval from the dorm manager, Teacher Neil, so that you could stay here.”
(Approval? Why would he care that I am here?)
“It doesn’t work like that over here. If not for your current appearances, you would have to be kept in a cage.”
(Haah!? Why would I have to be kept in a cage! Stop joking!)
Kaguya exploded after hearing my words and her hair stood up as she hissed at me.
“Now, now, calm down. I got the approval, so everything is alright. You can even walk around the dormitory if you don’t act violently.”
(... What. You should say that earlier. You startled me.)
Understanding that she didn’t have to be put in a cage, she sat back down with relief.
“Teacher Neil asked whether you are possibly a Nightwalk Leopard, but are you?”
I sat next to Kaguya and asked her while stroking her back to calm her down.
(I wonder? Humans might call me like that, but I am me. It doesn’t really matter to me.)
Kaguya closed her eyes in comfort and let me pat her obediently. How cute.
Teacher Neil thought she was a rare species, but Kaguya herself doesn’t seem to have any interest in that, so she didn’t know much herself.
I’m plenty satisfied with Kaguya as she is, so I don’t really mind not knowing her species.
“I got permission for you to walk around the dormitory, but I don’t know what will happen if you leave the dormitory’s premises, so make sure not to go out.”
It would be plenty troublesome if you get caught by Teacher Neil in the dormitory in the first place.
It might be better to let him meet with her to avoid problems in the future.
(Academy is a place with a horde of noisy kids, right? I can imagine what would happen to me if I wandered around in such a place in my current appearances. Who would go into such a place on their own?)
Seeing how troublesome she finds it, there must be a story behind it.
(I shudder when I imagine a crowd of kids swarming around me like you do. You more than enough trouble as it is.)
Kaguya said “Hmph!” in a spoiled manner. Seeing that, Kurogane seized Kaguya by the scuff of her neck and lifted her up.
(W, what are you doing! Let me go!)
“If you find staying by Lord’s side so troublesome, should I throw you into Byakko’s room instead?”
(Hii! I, I don’t want to be anywhere near those guys! Let me go! Let go of me!)
“Stop it, Kurogane! I told you to stop with the bullying and quarreling, didn’t I?”
“I am merely suggesting that she can go elsewhere if she’s unhappy with you, Lord.”
When Kurogane released Kaguya with an embarrassed look on his face, Kaguya softly landed on the ground and dashed away.
If she was taken to Byakko-sama’s place, she would become a plaything for him and Suzaku-sama again, after all.
“Geez! Look what you did, Kurogane. The poor thing ran away in fear.”
When I warned him with my eyes, Kurogane and Mashiro sat on both of my sides.
“It’s because she’s talking so conceitedly with you, my Lord. She lacks self-awareness as your contracted beast.”
“That’s right. We won’t forgive those who look down on you, Cristea!”
Kurogane patted my head while Mashiro leaned on my shoulder.
It appears they didn’t like that I was paying too much attention to Kaguya.
There’s nothing I can do about the Sacred Beasts’ desire to monopolize because it comes from their instincts, but I would like them to get along with their fellow contracted beasts.
“We will be now living in this dormitory together, and I won’t force you to get along with her, but please don’t be so forceful with her.”
When I spoke while taking out a brush from my Inventory, the two immediately returned to their Sacred Beast forms.
(... Can’t be helped.)
(Okaaayy.)
Geez, so self-interested. I started brushing Mashiro who climbed up on my lap.
Kurogane looked dissatisfied, but he held himself back since I just scolded him about Kaguya.
“The school entrance ceremony is the day after tomorrow, so you cannot cause any weird ruckus. You also cannot keep on threatening Teacher Neil.”
(I’m not threatening him. I’m just making him understand that he’s being disrespectful to you, my Lord.)
“And I’m telling you to stop doing that. In the first place, he’s my teacher, so there’s nothing to be disrespectful about.”
(But that fellow, he’s a bit weird, you know? Are all teachers like that?)
I won’t deny that Teacher Neil is a weirdo.
And I want to think that not all teachers in this academy are like him...
“I don’t think all teachers are like Teacher Neil, but… Teacher Neil seems to be the type of person who loses sight of his surroundings when he is absorbed in something he is interested in, such as Sacred Beasts and Magic Beasts.”
He’s either otaku or has a researcher’s temperament… those kinds of people are not often good teachers… I think.
But I wonder if there’s any other profession than a teacher he could become… there doesn’t seem to be one.
It seems that he’s far more knowledgeable about Sacred Beasts and Magic Beasts than ordinary people.
I feel that he’s most suited to be a researcher or a scholar.
As a student, I would prefer him to be a bit more teacher-ish though.
I let out a sigh and continued brushing.