Chapter 57: Reporting Mission Completion
I walked casually down the corridor, one hand tucked into my pocket. My steps echoed softly on the marble floor, the rhythm calm. My destination was clear: to see Headmistress Helena and report on the Balak City mission.
A few first-year students passed from the opposite direction. Every time we made eye contact, I lowered my head slightly and gave a polite smile.
And as usual… for the girls…
They immediately stopped. Their eyes sparkled, their cheeks flushed. Some even hurried closer.
"Ren senpai! C-can I have your autograph!?"
One.
Two.
Three.
I finally paused briefly. I signed their notebooks, blank papers, even their shirts...
Ahem. It wasn't because I was arrogant… but well, if you're popular inside and outside the academy, what can you do?
As I resumed walking, I let out a short sigh, rubbing the bridge of my nose.
'…Why do I feel like I've become more narcissistic lately? Evelyn's effect is quite strong, apparently.'
Noll suddenly spoke.
[The Host has been narcissistic for a long time.]
I tilted my head slightly as if looking at him.
"...You didn't have to be that honest."
I turned my gaze to the large window in the corridor. The academy grounds were quiet, bathed in the orange twilight that made everything look peaceful. No students training, no crowds. Just the afternoon breeze sweeping the trees.
I turned into the front corridor. Not far from there were the elevator and stairs leading to the Headmistress's office.
Since I prefer the easy way, of course, I chose the elevator.
As the door opened, I stepped inside. The soft, distinctive sound of the academy building was faint—too luxurious for a mere vertical transport system.
As the door was about to close, I heard hurried footsteps.
"W-wait a moment!!"
Someone slipped their hand in, stopping the door. A short-haired girl, an academy administrative staff, entered, panting slightly.
"I apologize, Cadet Ren… I almost missed it."
"It's fine. Please come in," I replied, raising my chin slightly.
She bowed politely. Her face looked a little red. Perhaps from exhaustion… or because we were standing alone together in such a small space.
The elevator slowly ascended.
"Returning from a mission, are you?" she asked, trying to start a conversation.
I nodded casually, crossing my arms. "Mm. Going to report to the Headmistress. What about you?"
The girl played with the ends of her hair, nervous. "I have to deliver a report to Professor Lily."
I raised an eyebrow slightly, interested. I was about to continue the chat and lean in a bit, but the elevator chimed ding! and opened.
I stepped out first. The girl bowed with a small smile.
"Thank you for the ride…"
I chuckled, waving my hand gently. "Take it easy, Bob girl."
I called her that because of her bob haircut.
I continued walking without looking back, heading towards the distant black door at the end. Once there, I knocked.
Knock. Knock.
"Headmistress, it's me."
Silence for a few seconds.
"Come in," answered a voice from inside.
I entered without hesitation. Helena Eliz, the Headmistress, sat in an obsidian chair with her legs crossed on the table. As soon as she saw me enter, she smiled. The door closed on its own behind me.
"Good afternoon, Headmistress," I said, bowing slightly.
Helena rolled her eyes and waved dismissively. "Hmph… Hearing you speak formally is strange. Stop it."
I chuckled. "As you wish."
I sat down on the sofa, leaning back casually but neatly. My right arm rested on the backrest, my legs crossed, my gaze focused on her.
"I'll get straight to the point…" I leaned forward. "Mission complete."
"Oh? Good. And what did you discover there?"
Helena lowered her legs, looking at me more intently. I extended my hand, conjuring a piece of paper.
"The full answer is here," I tapped the backrest of the sofa, "but briefly—"
My expression turned serious.
"I found the location of another demon hideout."
Helena fell silent. Her face changed from curious to utterly serious. Her hands dropped to the table, her body leaning forward.
"Another… hideout location?"
I nodded slightly. My fingers tapped the armrest of the sofa.
"Correct. The demon group in Balak was too organized and had too much information about humans and other races."
Helena narrowed her eyes. "Who gave them that information?"
"I don't know yet." I shrugged. "But there is clearly a traitor in the human camp."
Helena let out a long sigh, covering her face with one hand.
"So the problem is bigger than the initial report."
"Significantly bigger," I added.
I crossed my arms again. "And their hideouts don't seem to be just one."
"How many exactly?" Helena asked sharply.
"At least five additional points."
I looked up slightly, my tone turning grim.
"That's the minimal estimate. There's likely more."
Helena stood up, walking closer. Her voice was soft but heavy.
"Ren… if this is true, this is no longer student level. It's entering S-tier category and above." She patted the back of my head.
Her cold demeanor vanished. What emerged was Helena's more affectionate, motherly side.
I nodded casually, enjoying the pat.
"Yes. That's why I reported it before moving."
I smiled faintly, elegant yet dangerous. "If I move without permission, the other professors could get angry. You know that, right?"
Helena rubbed my cheek while narrowing her eyes. "Don't you often move without permission anyway?"
"I was trying to be polite, you know," I answered lightly.
She pinched my cheek. I winced, finding it endearing.
"You, I swear…"
I shifted slightly, freeing her hand, and leaned back again. Then I turned my head, smiling suggestively.
"I just need one thing, Headmistress."
Helena raised an eyebrow. "And that is?"
"Permission to investigate the northernmost point. Alone."
The room suddenly fell silent.
Helena clearly didn't like the idea. She stared at me for a long time, as if reading what I was concealing.
She sighed, then sat down beside me. "Fine… I permit it. But."
Helena leaned in. Her face was very close to mine. Her gaze was sharp, but there was a concern she wasn't hiding. Her beauty… it felt like a sin to touch.
Even though she was old—
[Host, I suggest you remain silent if you don't want to die young.]
'...'
"But you must report progress constantly."
I gently pushed her face away while smiling. "Alright. Relax. I'm not the type of person who disappears without a trace."
Helena rolled her eyes. "You are precisely the one who disappears the most without a trace."
"That was in the past, I think? Now I'm more relaxed."
She looked at me for a long time. Too long. Until I raised an eyebrow.
"Is something wrong, Headmistress?"
She didn't answer. She just straightened my collar, her movements slow and careful… there was clearly something on her mind.
"If you get hurt," she whispered softly but intensely, "I will go in myself and drag you home. Understood?"
I sighed. "Understood."
Silence hung in the air.
"Um, Headmistress? How long will you stick to me?" I asked softly, seeing the distance between us was nearly nonexistent.
Helena flinched slightly at my question and quickly moved half an inch away. Her face flushed faintly, though she quickly covered it with a small, obviously fake cough.
"...I was just making sure your collar was neat," she said without looking at me, pretending to busy herself fixing her own hair.
I raised one eyebrow, my smile creeping up slowly. "Remember, Headmistress, I'm still young."
[46 years old if counted from your previous life.]
'Noll. Shut up!'
Helena gave me a quick look, then poked my shoulder with her fingertip. "Be quiet. Don't embarrass your Headmistress."
I laughed shortly. "Heh… alright, Headmistress."
She sighed, looking defeated in the conversation. Then she stood up. I followed suit, tidying my clothes without rushing.
Before Helena walked completely away, she looked at me again. Her gaze shifted… softer, more humane. There was an unconcealed worry behind her formal tone.
"When are you leaving?"
I blew away dust that wasn't even there. "In about two weeks. I need a vacation too, you know?"
Helena fell silent for a long time. Very long. I could even hear her holding her breath.
Seeing that, the corner of my mouth turned up mischievously. My eyes automatically narrowed.
"So you're still staying…?" she muttered with restrained frustration.
"Since when did I say I was leaving tomorrow or the day after?" I countered, smiling even wider.
Helena growled. "You trickster…"
I raised both hands. "Oh come on, Headmistress. You were the one who suddenly came and stroked me—!"
"Get out," Helena cut in softly but full of pressure.
"…What? I didn't quite hear that."
Helena clenched her fist, her body trembling slightly. "Get out!"
This time her tone was truly the Headmistress's.
I chuckled softly, then gave a small salute. "Fine, fine. I'm leaving…"
I strode toward the door. But before grabbing the doorknob, I glanced back.
Helena stood in her spot, hand touching her lips, her face faintly flushed, but her eyes… they were looking at me like someone who wanted to say "be careful" but was too proud to admit it.
I smiled elegantly.
"I'll be going now, Headmistress."
The door closed slowly.
Once outside, I leaned my back against the wall next to the door, taking a short breath.
"…Huh."
I rubbed my temple. "She is indeed dangerous."
Noll's voice appeared inside me. Flat but biting.
[The dangerous one is you, Host.]
My lips curled. "You really never side with me, do you?"
[Siding? No. Commenting? Always.]
"You've gotten quite good at commenting, haven't you? But it stings." I waved my hand dismissively. "Forget it. Let's go."
The corridor felt calmer after that room. The twilight shone on the long path back to the dormitory. My steps were consistent, light, but beneath it was something else bothering my mind.
Five demon hideout locations. And the possibility of a traitor on the human side.
"This is going to be complicated…" I muttered.
[And you are enjoying it.]
I shrugged. "Maybe. But for these two weeks… I just want some decent sleep first."
Noll didn't reply. But I was sure he was saying: yes, that's your habit.
I put my hand in my pocket.
Two weeks.
After that, the northern point.
"I hope they don't cause trouble before I arrive," I said, putting my hand in my pocket and shaking my head slightly.
"Oh well. Let's rest first, because I still have a lot of work to do tomorrow."
I quickened my pace. I wasn't using teleportation by choice.—Why? Bro, this is a fantasy world, and you have to enjoy every moment of it.
You have to walk with your own steps while looking at the scenery of this world.
After Ren exited Helena's office, he walked casually down the corridor. Hands in his pockets, eyes slightly sleepy. He truly exuded the vibe of someone ready for a long nap once he reached his room.
What he didn't realize was that someone was following him—not with bad intentions… but with much sillier ones.
Behind a marble pillar, a second-year girl pressed her body against it, trying to hold her breath. Her black hair was tied in a ponytail, and in her hand was a small, biscuit-sized transparent artifact.
The artifact wasn't for attacking.
It was just a high-level presence-masking device, grade A. She was using it for… well, unimportant things.
"The Vice President is going home… his tired aura is so cute today…" she whispered softly, almost fainting.
She wasn't a spy. She wasn't a hitman. She was just… too much of a fan. Or in new terminology.
A stalker.