.｡.:✧ Chapter 32 ✧:.｡.

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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: FusionX
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Recently, I’ve been noticing Rin strangely entangling herself with me. She approaches, laughing and getting too close for comfort.

She often seeks confirmation that I don’t dislike her. Initially, I thought she was just insecure.

But her expressions suggest otherwise.

“Maybe she just wants to keep hearing those words.”

Like a lover who constantly wants to hear words of love, Rin seems fixated on hearing me say I don’t dislike her.

Honestly, it’s becoming both annoying and tiring. But seeing how brightly she smiles when I say it, I’ve almost given up resisting.

“Wow, that must be really tiring.”

Just now, Rin came to our class to talk and left, and Tana, who was watching, clicked her tongue.

“Why don’t you just date her?”

I responded to Tana’s teasing with a sigh.

Usually, Eve would join in and jab sharply while maintaining politeness, but today she’s quiet.

“Hmm?”

“I wonder what book Eve is so engrossed in.”

Tana and I turned to Eve, who was sitting next to us, deeply absorbed in her book, not even hearing our conversation.

“What are you reading?”

“Something about plants? There are illustrations.”

As we continued to watch, Eve, flipping through the pages, noticed us looking and asked in surprise.

“Why… why are you looking at me?”

“What are you reading so intently?”

“It’s just because our Eve is so cute.”

Tana and I teased Eve as we snuck a peek at the book cover. It definitely was a book about plants, but Eve seemed too engrossed for it to be just that.

That level of focus is usually seen when reading romance novels, and Eve likes romance.

As I wondered, Eve whispered.

“Actually, I’ve been growing a Belliment since my second year, but its color is a bit odd.”

Belliment is a flower known for its strong vitality, blooming around this time and lasting through winter.

It’s pretty and easy for beginners to grow. Having lived in the demon forest and grown various plants, I was also interested.

“An odd color?”

“Normally, it should be light purple, but it’s black.”

“Black?”

I was about to say that red or yellow hues might change slightly depending on the environment, but black?

“Where are you growing it?”

“In the garden behind the cafeteria. I’ve been secretly growing it there.”

“Really? Let’s go check it out after lunch.”

So, after our lecture and a quick lunch at the cafeteria, we went to the back garden. Indeed, the Belliment there was blooming in black.

“Hmm?”

It was in the back of the cafeteria, but Belliment is a hardy flower, so it shouldn’t be a problem. It looked even healthier than the other plants, thanks to Eve’s care.

“But why are you growing it here in the garden instead of a pot?”

“Actually, I didn’t intend to grow it…”

Tana and Eve were talking, but I frowned, continuing to inspect the Belliment.

“The color is one issue, but the shape and texture of the leaves are different too. The stem is unusually sturdy.”

Digging a bit in the soil, I found a number of insect corpses.

“……”

I realized something strange was happening, but I couldn’t figure out why.

But one thing was clear. Contrary to Eve’s careful nurturing, someone malicious was ruining this garden.

“It’s not just the Belliment. The whole garden is being destroyed.”

Although the Belliment was particularly affected, the garden’s cherry tomatoes and basil, grown by the cafeteria, were also damaged. But what does it have to do with me? The cafeteria will handle it, I suppose.

But I was personally curious.

A mutation unknown to me, who had diligently grown food crops and mood-lifting flowers even in the harsh environment of the Demon Forest?

‘Interesting.’

After agreeing to go, I parted ways with the two and went to see May.

The so-called delinquents, flaunting their status, were gathered on the school rooftop during lunchtime, hanging out amongst themselves.

“Who’s that?”

“It’s Daniel from Class E, right? He seems pretty close to May?”

“Close? Nah, May’s just playing around with him.”

Ignoring their murmurs, I headed straight for May, who was leaning on the railing and sucking on a candy, not even looking at me.

“What do you want?”

“Keep an eye on the area behind the cafeteria for a while.”

At this, May crunches her candy and turns to look at me, puzzled.

“There’s something odd there, go check it out.”

Though it was just my personal curiosity, I felt a twinge of guilt. But this was the easiest way to uncover the secret.

“My friends aren’t my lackeys, you know. They’re all friends.”

“Uh-huh?”

This response was unexpected.

I thought she considered them just as underlings.

Then, pouting, she asked after a moment.

“How long?”

“As long as possible?”

“Can you tell me why?”

Feeling like I’d get punched if I told her, I just shook my head seriously, pretending it was something serious.

“No, better not to know. It could be dangerous.”

I was being cautious.

May then ruffles her hair in frustration.

“This damn academy, never a quiet day. Thought things would calm down after Leiros died, but then another incident popped up.”

Feeling more guilty, I kept my mouth shut.

May sighed deeply and turned to address her gang.

“Guys, someone says there’s something going on in the garden behind the cafeteria. You know anything?”

She probably asked just in case, but the whole gang flinched at that. Not just them, but other students started glaring at me.

“Huh?”

May seemed taken aback by this reaction.

“Do you know something?”

May asked sharply, and one of the girls, previously tight-lipped, slowly opened her mouth.

“That’s where we go to smoke…”

“What?”

“No, not May. She quit. It’s just us now.”

May then shrugged at me, as if to say, “See?” I couldn’t help but chuckle at her expression.

But really, why are these students so brazen about smoking?

“Where do you get them?”

But the drastic change in the plants’ conditions due to just second-hand smoke seemed odd, so when I asked, the girl glared at me with an annoyed expression.

“Tell me.”

But with just a word from May, she quickly spilled.

“We don’t know. Demalico has his own source. We give him the money, and he gets it.”

“You’re probably keeping some for yourselves, right?”

“That guy’s been broke lately.”

“Guess I’ll have to tail him to find out.”

Suddenly, they started whispering amongst themselves. I cleared my throat to draw their attention back and asked.

“Where’s Demalico?”

If they were gossiping like this, he was probably not here.
One of the boys answered nonchalantly, “He said he’s not feeling well and is resting in the dorm today.”
“Faking sickness, that guy.”

“Ah, I was supposed to get cigarettes from him today.”

I knocked on the head of the guy crouching and complaining, then headed towards the door.

“Quit smoking from today on. If I smell cigarettes in the academy from now on, it’s on you guys.”

As they started to react, May calmed them down and followed me.

“Why are you coming?”

“I’ve been friends with Demalico since the first year. Plus, if you’re this concerned, there must be something strange.”

“……”

I actually just came out of curiosity about the color change of the flower, but now I felt like the situation was getting weird.

I had bragged to May, but I hoped it wasn’t going to turn into a big deal.

On our way to the dormitory, we saw Tana and Eve snacking at a café.

“Hey, didn’t you say you were going to lose weight?”

“We worked out hard this morning!”

“I’ll eat less for dinner since I had a good lunch…”

They are all the same anyway…

“Did you find out why the flower color changed, Daniel?”

“Hmm, I’m working on it.”

I muttered vaguely, worried May might hear, and quickly entered the dormitory.

“Flower color?”

I heard May’s low voice from behind.

I hurried up the stairs, but May was close behind, asking, “You’re making a fuss over a flower changing colors?”

Her tone was getting rough.

“……”

“Hey.”

She tapped my back with her fist, clearly annoyed, but we arrived at Demalico’s room on the third floor just in time.

“Hey, Demalico!”

“Look at you, making a scene to change the subject.”

I didn’t know the boy’s face, but wanting to avoid May’s interrogation, I opened the door without knocking.

Inside, I found a girl and a boy who seemed to be Demalico.

At first, I thought they were a couple, but seeing the girl holding a dagger to Demalico’s throat, that didn’t seem to be the case.

The girl was someone I knew.

“Sen?”

She, who was from the Chokugen Faction also known as the Chokugen Faction, known for her overflowing emotions, was now expressionless, pointing the dagger at Demalico.

And Demalico, who was crying.

“Demalico?”

His skin was transforming, peeling off like tree bark.

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