Today, once again, at the peaceful Imperial Magic Academy Alzano. As usual, I observe the person I love from the shadows.

—Hiii! Calm down! First, let’s talk, Shironeko! If we talk, you’ll understand!

—Wait! Today, I won’t forgive you!

Watching from a distance has become my small daily habit. Just following her with my eyes makes my face light up naturally.

—Hiii! Danger?! Wait, stop using [Shock Bolt]! There’s a reason for this! An inevitable reason!

—What reason could there be for drawing eyes on your eyelids and falling asleep during a test?!

Although she has a somewhat mischievous side, even that now seems adorable to me. It’s one of the many charming qualities she possesses.

—Actually… last night, I played chess with Celica all night. That’s why, due to the extreme drowsiness, I had no choice but to…

—That’s entirely your fault!

I remember our first meeting well. It was when a friend invited me to attend the “famous class.”

I still recall that moment.

The “famous class” that was talked about turned out to be as wonderful as they said. For someone like me, who had only studied to rank up as a mage, it was a revelation. And, above all, I met that person.

—By the way, the score last night was zero wins and two hundred twenty-three losses. I want to cry.

—You lost too much?! How can you lose so much?!

Since then, every time I think of her, my heart beats faster, I feel a rush of happiness, and at the same time, a slight pang in my chest. I fell in love with her at first sight.

—Listen, Shironeko. Celica is terrible! She said that a bet is a bet and took money from my poor, scarce salary. Now I’m in a crisis until next month! Isn’t that cruel?

—Stop gambling if you know you’re going to lose! Chess isn’t a game of luck!

—At that moment, I felt that if I backed out, I would never be able to move forward…

—Forget that and face reality!

One day, I want to confess my feelings to that person. And if that becomes a reality… I want to spend the rest of my life with her. I’m willing to give my life for him, I really mean it.

But. There’s always someone by her side.

—So, Shironeko… could you lend me some money…?

—You’re the worst!

—Gyaaaa!

Every time I look at that person, she is always with that other person. What does he think he is? He’s not her boyfriend, but he’s always sticking to him… Is he going to take her away from me? Just thinking about it fills me with a burning anguish.

(I can’t allow it… I can’t allow it!)

If he’s going to take her away from me, I’d rather…

All for love.

At that moment, the girl sold her soul to a demon for her selfish love.

One ordinary day.

Just as the noon break was about to end.

Glenn was on the rooftop of the main building of the Magic Academy, lying with his arms and legs spread out, enjoying the warm sunlight and feeling drowsy.

—It’s so peaceful… I wish this moment could last forever…

—Ahhh… —Glenn yawned casually… at that moment.

—Kyaaaaaa!

A scream from a student echoed from somewhere in the building. The mix of terror and confusion was felt clearly, even from afar.

—Yes, I knew it. This is what happens when you prepare for the worst!

With that scream, Glenn jumped up and ran. He crossed the rooftop entrance, went down the stairs, and ran through the corridors.

(Where did that scream come from?)

He saw a group of female students making a commotion in a room. Glenn pushed his way through them.

—What happened?

Upon entering.

—Shironeko…?

—No, no! No! Don’t come near me! Don’t come near me!

She was probably in the middle of changing clothes… Sistine, half-naked, was huddled in a corner of the room, trembling and crying.

—W-where am I? W-what is this place? Who are you people?

—Professor! Please help Sisti!

Rumia, also half-naked, clung to Glenn with a look of desperation on her face.

—Rumia, what happened?

—I don’t know! We were changing for the next class when suddenly, Sisti started saying nonsensical things and became hysterical…

—Sistine opened that locker and suddenly became like this.

Re=L, completely naked except for her underwear, pointed to a locker.

—A locker…?

Glenn looked at the locker assigned to Sistine.

—Is that…?

Glenn fixed his gaze on a strangely placed plant inside the locker, with a look of astonishment.

—The Forget-Me-Not… Did Shironeko inhale the scent of that thing?

—The Forget-Me-Not? You mean what you taught us in class the other day?

—Yes. First, we need to calm Shironeko down…

Glenn raised his hands as he slowly approached Sistine, huddled in the corner of the room.

—D-don’t come near me… Don’t come near me!

Sistine, normally full of energy, now looked like a newborn kitten, trembling with fear and helplessness.

—Calm down, there’s nothing to fear. I’m here to help you.

Glenn adopted a gentle demeanor, as if speaking to a frightened child.

—I-I can’t trust you… I don’t know you…

—Haha, is that so? Then…

—Eek…!

With a smile, Glenn extended his left hand toward Sistine… Sistine flinched even more…

Pof! Suddenly, a flower appeared in Glenn’s outstretched hand.

—…Huh?

—Here you go, princess. As a symbol of our friendship.

Glenn offered the flower to Sistine with a smile.

Sistine, surprised, blinked and accepted the flower without thinking.

—…Calm down. Everything is fine. There’s no one here who wants to harm you. And if anyone tries to… I will protect you… Can you trust me?

—…

Sistine looked alternately at the flower in her hand and Glenn’s calm smile for a while and finally nodded uncertainly.

—Phew… it looks like she’s finally calmed down…

—Professor… Is Sisti…?

Rumia, with a sad expression, lowered her head. She was probably very affected by Sistine’s words asking who they were.

—I understand how you feel, but let’s talk later. For now, let’s take Shironeko to the infirmary…

At that moment, Glenn realized something.

Both Sistine and Rumia were half-naked, in the middle of changing clothes. Re=L, on the other hand, was practically naked and made no effort to cover herself.

—Ah… this is… the girls’ locker room…

Surrounded by half-naked or nearly naked girls, Glenn curved his lips into a wry smile.

The students, who had been in shock, began to regain their composure… and at the same time, a murderous fury began to boil within them.

—…

Glenn slammed a locker with his hand as if trying to assert his authority.

—Yes, yes, I know, it was my fault. I understand. I’m very sorry. Now you can do whatever you want with me, okay?

With an arrogant smile that invited a punch in the face, Glenn made a contemptuous gesture… and then.

—Without further ado, come at meeeeeeeee──!

Glenn, in a defiant pose, shouted… and at that moment.

Bam! All the students in the locker room, like a wave, pounced on Glenn in an act of violence so brutal it was hard to watch.

—…As I mentioned earlier, the Forget-Me-Not has magical properties that affect human memory…

In the academy’s infirmary, with his clothes in tatters and covered in bruises and scratches, Glenn explained.

—It especially affects memories related to oneself and interpersonal relationships, sealing them… that is, making you temporarily forget them. Originally, it was used to help people who had suffered heartbreak forget their loved ones.

Rumia lowered her gaze with sadness.

—Professor… Will Sisti be like this forever? I…

—Rumia… stay strong.

Even Re=L, who usually seemed sleepy, was saddened.

—Don’t worry. There’s nothing to be concerned about.

To cheer up the two, Glenn smiled confidently.

—I told you, didn’t I? The Forget-Me-Not doesn’t erase memories, it just seals them temporarily… so she hasn’t completely forgotten who you are.

—Really? Then…

Rumia’s face suddenly brightened with Glenn’s words.

—Yes. With the right antidote and the right stimulus, she will recover all her memories.

—Thank God…

Rumia took Sistine’s hand, who was sitting on the bed with a look of uncertainty.

—Sisti… you might be scared now, but please, hold on. The professor will help you.

However, Sistine turned her gaze away from Rumia, released her hand, and clung to Glenn’s sleeve.

—…Sisti?

—Sisti… no, am I called Sistine?

—Yes, that’s right. You are Sistine, my dear friend. And this is Re=L, remember? You always said she was like your little sister… does any memory come to mind?

—Rumia… Re=L… no… I can’t… I can’t remember…

Suddenly, Sistine began to agitate, shaking her head from side to side in desperation.

—I don’t know you! I don’t know who I am… or who you are…! I’m scared… very scared!

Sistine, increasingly agitated, was on the verge of breaking down… at that moment.

—Calm down, calm down, everything is fine — Glenn said in a soft voice, gently patting Sistine’s head.

—Ah…

Suddenly, Sistine fell silent and looked at Glenn with pleading eyes. Her hands tightened their grip on Glenn’s sleeve.

—Rumia, I understand how you feel, but you can’t force her to remember immediately. We need to be patient… understand?

Glenn exhaled, trying to calm Rumia.

—The Forget-Me-Not has a depressive effect. That is, it makes the person feel extremely anxious and depressed. So, in cases like this…

Glenn kneeled in front of Sistine, matching her height, and spoke calmly.

—Don’t worry about what these girls are saying. You don’t need to force yourself to remember anything. Everything is fine.

—That… who are you?

—Me? Who knows? It doesn’t matter who I am. What matters is that I’m on your side. If you want to call me something, you can call me “Sensei.”

—“Sensei”…

—In return, can I call you “Shironeko”? It doesn’t have any special meaning… but it’s easier for us if we have names to call each other, okay?

—Y-Yes… understood.

Although her expression still showed uncertainty, Sistine began to calm down.

—Rumia, stay calm. I know this is hard, but we’ll get through it.

Glenn tried to comfort Rumia, patting her shoulder.

—But the problem is… it seems someone made Shironeko inhale the Forget-Me-Not on purpose…

—Now that you mention it… lately, Sisti said she felt like someone was watching her…

—Really? Then it could be the work of someone who bears a grudge against Shironeko… this is getting serious…

With a grimace of disgust, Glenn murmured to himself as Sistine clung to his sleeve even tighter. At that moment…

—Glenn.

The door burst open and Celica entered the infirmary.

—Hi, Celica. How are the preparations for the detoxification ritual going?

—Well… while we were preparing the ritual, Cecilia had one of her usual attacks and spat out a lot of blood before collapsing — Celica said with a sigh.

—Ah, Professor Cecilia was a bit under the weather today…

Cecilia was an excellent forensic doctor, but her health was extremely fragile, which occasionally caused these issues.

—When I saw Cecilia covered in blood in the middle of the magic circle, it looked like a sacrifice in some sort of demonic ritual…

—Ugh…

It was easy to imagine the scene, and it was frightening.

—In short, we still need time to prepare the ritual. We have to redo the magic circle from scratch and wait for Cecilia to recover.

—There’s no other choice. Anyway, we need to eliminate the poison from the Forget-Me-Not first…

—That’s problematic.

Surprisingly, it was Re=L who spoke.

—If Sistine stays like this, Rumia will be sad. And if Rumia is sad, it hurts my chest. Isn’t there something we can do, Celica?

Interestingly, Celica and Re=L used to spend a lot of time together. For some unknown reason, they felt as if they were not strangers to each other.

—Well… besides extracting the poison and waiting for her to recover her memories naturally…

Celica looked at Glenn and Sistine, who was still clinging to his sleeve, and smiled mischievously.

—We could give her a big scare.

—Wait, what…!

—Huh?

—Re=L, this is a traditional technique from all over the world to improve memory loss. It’s a rather classic treatment that involves delivering a strong physical shock to cure the patient.

—Really?

—Yes.

—No, it isn’t! Celica, what are you saying?! — Glenn tried to stop her, but it was too late.

—Understood. If something as simple as this can return Sistine to normal…

Before she finished speaking, Re=L generated a large sword with her rapid weapon materialization ability.

—Kyaa! Help!

—Calm down! I’ll use the blade of the sword! — Re=L, wielding the large sword, ran towards the terrified Sistine.

—Oryaaahhhh!

At that instant, Glenn intervened between Sistine and Re=L, grabbing Re=L’s arm and chest, and with a quick motion, threw her through the air. Re=L was launched out of the infirmary window, shattering the glass in the process. It’s worth noting that they were on the third floor.

—Ahhh! Re=L!

Rumia ran worriedly to the window.

—Celica, are you out of your mind? Don’t you know what could happen if you say something like that to Re=L?! — Glenn, showing no concern for Re=L, gave Celica a reproachful look.

At that moment, Glenn felt a gentle pressure on his back. He remained silent.

—I-I was very scared… thank you, “Sensei”…

Sistine had clung to Glenn’s back. He looked back with a bitter expression, then glared at Celica.

—…Was this what you intended?

—More or less. When someone is emotionally unstable due to drugs like that, the most effective way to stabilize their emotions is to create an “emotional support” for them, right?

—Yes, that’s true. That’s how we were taught, damn teacher. But, wasn’t there a less drastic way to do it? Re=L is going to be angry…

—Yes, probably. I’ll have to buy her a lot of strawberry cakes afterward… I hope that calms her down.

—Oh, that will definitely work.

And it seems that this extreme treatment had an immediate effect.

—That… — Sistine hesitated —, “Sensei”…

—Yes?

—Uh… was it true… that you protected me?

—Huh? Ah, yes… well, yes.

—I still don’t remember who you are… but… please, take care of me, “Sensei”…

It seems that Glenn had finally gained Sistine’s trust. Blushing, she murmured those words softly.

—Ah, yes… of course…

Glenn, taken aback by Sistine’s attitude, responded awkwardly.

Meanwhile, outside the window, on the rooftop of the west building:

(Damn… This is a disaster… If this continues, the person I love will end up with him… again!)

A girl, using a long-distance viewing spell, observed the infirmary.

Although Glenn hadn’t planned it this way, Sistine, who had lost her memory, seemed to trust only him. Therefore, until the detoxification ritual was ready, Glenn would take care of her.

After sending Rumia and Re=L back to class and performing several magical first aids on Sistine, Glenn decided to take her on a tour of the academy in the hope that it would help her recover her memory.

Sistine followed Glenn everywhere like a little bird following its mother. Whenever something surprised her, she would hide behind Glenn or cling to his arm.

For those who knew both of them in their daily lives, this scene was truly peculiar.

—This… Shironeko? If you cling to me so much… it’s a bit uncomfortable.

After touring the academy and finally heading to the classroom, Glenn spoke to Sistine, who was still clinging to his arm, with an uncomfortable expression.

—Ah… I’m sorry…

Sistine reluctantly and sadly released Glenn’s arm… though she didn’t step away from him.

—Y-You’re right… — she murmured —, it must be a hassle for you to have a girl like me follow you…

—No, it’s not that. It’s just that… it’s hard to explain right now…

As Glenn searched for the right words, Sistine looked away.

—Oh, yes, I remember now. From what I heard, “you” and I were teacher and student…

—That’s right — Glenn confirmed —. I wouldn’t want any weird rumors to spread…

—No, that’s not true. I don’t care about rumors at this point. Rather, I’m worried about you feeling uncomfortable…

—No, it doesn’t bother me at all!

Supported emotionally by Glenn, Sistine began to gradually accept the reality that she had lost certain memories and that she was now not the same as before.

Despite her condition, Sistine hadn’t lost her sharpness, so Glenn decided he could afford to speak a bit more frankly.

—Anyway, you and I used to be like cats and dogs. Once you recover your memory, if any weird rumors spread about us, I don’t want you to feel uncomfortable.

Glenn said it in a joking tone.

—N-No! I wouldn’t be bothered at all… I, actually…

—Huh?

—N-Nothing, forget it.

For some reason, Sistine blushed intensely and looked away. Glenn thought it was probably due to her still not fully recovered health.

—So… were we really such enemies before?

—Well, every time we saw each other, we were always arguing…

—I can’t believe it. “You’re” so kind… How could I have been so mean to you before?

—Eh, eh… Shironeko…

It felt strange. Knowing the usual Sistine, it was awkward to see her so docile.

As they continued talking, they arrived at the door of Glenn’s classroom.

—Anyway… Although we haven’t been able to detoxify you yet, I think it will be good for you to be in a familiar environment. So, I want you to join my class during lessons. Is that alright? Do you think you can do it?

—…… — Sistine was still a bit scared. It was no wonder, being in an unfamiliar place surrounded by unfamiliar people, the only person she could trust was Glenn.

—I’m not going to force you. If you don’t want to, don’t do it… What do you decide?

Sistine clung tightly to Glenn’s arm, and after a moment of hesitation, responded with determination, though her expression showed her insecurity.

—…Alright, I’ll try.

—I can’t keep causing trouble for “Sensei”…

—Well said… you’re brave.

Glenn ruffled Sistine’s hair with a smile. Sistine, somehow, seemed happy and relaxed, showing a faint smile.

—You look like a little kitten… really.

Glenn sighed and smiled with resignation.

When Glenn and Sistine entered the classroom...

—Teacher! We heard from Rumia! Is everything okay?

—What’s happening, teacher? Is Sistine okay?

The students crowded around Glenn and Sistine.

—…!

Sistine, scared, quickly hid behind Glenn and clung to him.

—Wow, what a strange reaction…!

—Hasn’t she recovered her memory yet?

—Damn it! Who the hell is the idiot who did this to our classmate?

—We won’t forgive this!

—Stop that! What are we going to do with Sistine, teacher? We need to get her back to normal as soon as possible!

—What plans are there to cure Sistine? If necessary, I can ask the Nablesse family for help…

The classmates surrounded Glenn and Sistine, so worried that they started speaking all at once, becoming more and more excited.

—Ah… a… ah…

Sistine’s face was filled with terror and confusion…

—N-no…! Help…!

She was about to break down emotionally when…

—Enough already, you guys!

With a firmer and sharper voice than anyone would expect from their usually easygoing teacher, Glenn made the students fall silent immediately, and the room fell into absolute silence.

—…Sorry for shouting like that.

Glenn twisted his mouth into a smile to calm them down.

—But, if you were paying attention, you know how the “Wasurenagusa” works, right? After all, it was in the last class that I explained it directly.

—Ah… yes… sorry, teacher…

Kash apologized on behalf of the students, bowing his head.

—I understand that you’re worried about Shironeko. But precisely because you’re worried, you should treat her normally. That’s the best thing.

—Yes, you’re right… sorry, Sistine… it’s just that… when we heard someone had poisoned you, we got upset…

—N-no… I…

Clinging to Glenn’s arm, Sistine began to gradually calm down.

—It’s okay, it’s okay, Shironeko.

Glenn gently patted Sistine’s head, trying to reassure her.

—They’re also worried about you. They’re your valuable classmates… can you believe it?

—N-no… if you say so, “Sensei”… then, I guess it is… I trust you…

Then, Sistine closed her eyes, took several deep breaths, and finally, as if she had made a decision, let go of Glenn’s arm, stepped forward, and addressed her classmates.

—This… I’m sorry. I don’t remember any of you… it seems I’ve forgotten you… I’m very sorry…

She bowed her head with an apologetic air.

—But, I will try hard to remember everyone. I’m still scared… but somehow, I feel that all of you are very good people… so…

Then, she said:

—Please, take care of me, okay?

Sistine gave a shy smile… a barely perceptible and somewhat melancholic smile…

(((Oh, what…?)))

At that moment, the classmates, especially the boys, were shocked.

(Is Sistine always this cute…?)

(Am I… am I crazy? I was team Re=L… why…?)

(Why is my heart beating so fast…?)

(I always thought she was cute, but dating her would be a problem… why now…?!)

(I want to protect her… what’s happening?!)

As the boys dealt with their confused feelings, Glenn and Sistine continued their conversation.

—You did well, Shironeko.

—…It’s thanks to you, “Sensei”… you gave me courage.

—I see.

Glenn patted Sistine’s head, who squinted her eyes with a happy and embarrassed expression…

Suddenly, Glenn felt a chill run down his spine.

—…What’s wrong, “Sensei”?

—I don’t know, but I have a feeling that someone is going to stab me in the back… I wonder why?

The magic item-making class taught by magic instructor Glenn had begun. The lesson’s topic was “making a scroll from a gemstone.” Specifically, it involved constructing a magical circuit and a mana plant on a leather scroll, allowing the magic created on the scroll to be activated through simple commands, creating a type of disposable enchantment.

Although they had worked on this before, Glenn chose to repeat this lesson both as a review and as a help for Sistine’s memory recovery. After Glenn gave a concise explanation, the students began working immediately.

They drew runes and magical circles on the scroll, cut and fixed gemstones in key locations with tools, and then infused the scroll with magic. Using a burning iron, they applied silver sheets along with various magical media, constructing the magical circuit with great skill.

As for Sistine, although she remembered the theories and fundamental knowledge of magic, she seemed to have almost completely forgotten what she had recently learned. Therefore, her work progressed with difficulty and slowness. It was rare to see her struggle with a task, as she used to be the first to complete everything accurately.

—Ugh… this is hard… — Sistine murmured, looking around for help. Just when she was about to cast a pleading glance at Glenn…

—S-Sistine… d-do you want me to teach you some tricks?

Rod, Kai, and other boys began to gather around her.

—For cutting the gemstone, the angle is crucial… (You taught me this) — said one of the boys.

—The trick for applying the silver sheet is this and that… (You also taught me this) — added another.

—For fixing the magical medium, you have to be careful with this, blah, blah… (And this too, you taught me) — interjected a third.

At first, Sistine seemed confused by the sudden attention from the boys, but noticing Glenn watching her warmly from a nearby distance, she felt relieved. She willingly accepted the boys’ advice and continued with her work.

—Ah… I did it — she finally said.

—Oh! You did really well, Sistine!

—Incredible, incredible! It’s really amazing!

—Hehe, it’s thanks to all of you who were so kind… thank you very much.

Sistine smiled cheerfully at the boys… A smile so delicate and fleeting that it was almost impossible to imagine in the normally confident and bold Sistine. A smile that made one want to protect her at all costs…

((((… This is bad…))))

At that moment, among the various factions within the class—those supporting Rumia, Re=L, Wendy, etc., fiercely fighting for supremacy—a new faction, known as the “Sistine Faction,” was quickly gaining strength.

—Wow… I have to admit that the boys in my class are really good guys… Honestly, I’m quite moved — said Glenn, unaware of this underground battle.

—Hmmm… But… this seems a bit different from what it should be… — Rumia couldn’t help but smile ironically.

—Hey, Shironeko. How’s it going? It looks like the boys are taking good care of you too. Thanks to everyone.

Glenn, pleased with the boys’ dedication, approached Sistine.

—“Sensei”…

Seeing Glenn approach, Sistine’s face lit up with a smile, and a slight blush spread across her cheeks…

Seeing that, the boys looked at each other and…

—“Pff!” — The boys turned away grudgingly, turning their backs on Glenn.

—What’s with that reaction? Do you hold a grudge against me or something?

—Ask yourself…

—You should be careful when going home at night…

—It’s unfair that it’s always you… (crying)

—Rumia-chan, Re=L-chan… And now this… Do you want to monopolize them all!? (sobbing)

—Huh!?

The usual uproar and chaos started again.

Seeing this spectacle, Sistine, somewhat confused, approached a girl with pigtails nearby.

—E-excuse me, who are you?

—I’m Wendy.

—A-ah… Wendy-san, can I ask you a question?

—Sure, go ahead.

—Thank you… This… Doesn’t everyone have a bad opinion of “Sensei”?

Wendy, trying to comfort the sad Sistine, responded with an ironic smile.

—Don’t worry. The professor and the others always make a big fuss over trivial things. It’s like a children’s fight — Wendy said with a calm smile.

—Really? What a relief… — Sistine sighed deeply, letting out the air with a relieved smile—. If someone as kind and reliable as him were hated by everyone, I would be very sad…

—…Those are words you wouldn’t expect from the usual you… — Wendy commented with a bead of sweat on her forehead and a tense grimace on her face.

—The usual me… How is my usual relationship with “Sensei”?

—Huh?

—I’ve heard that our relationship wasn’t very good…

—Well… it’s not that you didn’t get along, but…

—I want to know… Could you tell me, please?

—Well… if you really want to know, I wouldn’t mind telling you… — Wendy began to explain the usual relationship between Sistine and Glenn, albeit reluctantly.

Meanwhile…

—Damn it! We definitely need to settle this once and for all, you and me!

—That’s right! All for love! To cleanse the grievances and laments of all the unrequited, those who have been unjustly exploited and oppressed!

—Let’s destroy this unequal society of love!

—Love class rebellion, forward! Let’s end our singlehood!

—Crush those with girlfriends!

—Bloody purge!!!

Under the banner of defeating Glenn, the boys raised their arms and fervently advanced towards him.

—Why the hell do we have to fight? (This time I’m serious) — Glenn shouted, surprised by the attack.

The class was plunged into absolute chaos with the start of an epic magical battle.

To make matters worse…

—Quiet, you lot! What is all this uproar? — Harley made his entrance, shouting at the top of his lungs.

—I heard that the white-haired girl has lost her memory! Fuhahaha! Leave it to me, the genius professor of magitronomy, Orwell Schuzer! — Orwell appeared carrying a strange magical machine in both hands—. A girl shocked by memory loss is exactly my type! Leave the treatment to me! With my white magic, I’ll recover your memories!

Even Baron Zest joined the commotion.

—Get out of here, idiots! …Oh, sorry, Hebeneke-senpai…

—You haven’t hit a single one, Glenn Radars! Look at this! This memory restoration device applies an electric shock directly to the spine and explodes to… hahaha! Crush memories and muscle stress! Although the data shows that the person might have a temporal jump to the past or future, that’s just a glitch! I’ll fix it later, don’t worry!

—Come on, kitty, don’t be afraid… show your whole heart to uncle… — Orwell said, breathing heavily.

—All men to arms! Attack!

—Even if we all perish, if an unrequited boy and a pretty girl survive, we will have won!

—I can’t keep this up!

Glenn looked up at the sky, desperate, when…

—What!?

From outside the window, a black magic ray, a [Shock Bolt], flew directly towards Sistine.

—Gyaaah!

—Aaah!

Fortunately, Orwell and Baron Zest were in the line of fire, so Sistine emerged unscathed. If it hadn’t been for these two perverts, the ray would have hit Sistine directly.

—Hii!

Seeing the two perverts electrocuted and unconscious, Sistine turned pale. The class was plunged into chaos.

—Sistine!

Glenn reacted quickly, running towards her. Sistine had been intentionally exposed to the “Wasurenagusa”. This meant that there was someone at the academy with bad intentions towards her.

She was being attacked.

—Tsk!

At the moment Glenn stepped between Sistine and the attacker from outside the window to protect her, more [Shock Bolt] rays were fired, two, three times more.

—No, run, Sensei!

—Don’t worry…

Quickly, Glenn extended his hand, grabbing the neck of someone—

—Barricade!

—Gyaaaah!

—Used that person as a shield.

It was Harley.

—Phew… if it weren’t for the barrier, I’d be dead…

—G-Glenn Radars… damn… remember this… — Harley said before fainting.

Ignoring Harley, Glenn wiped the cold sweat from his forehead as he stared seriously outside. He could see the annex of the building and the tower.

(Tsk… there are too many points from which they could be shooting… It’s hard to determine the shooter’s location…)

—Sensei, are you okay!?

Sistine was clinging tightly to Glenn’s back.

—Thank you for protecting me again… I was very scared…

Sistine, with tears in her eyes, trembled against Glenn’s back. Her weak and needy appearance was a shocking contrast to her usual determined behavior, and it made Glenn’s heart ache even more.

—It’s okay… Everything will be fine. I’m here with you.

As he calmed Sistine, Glenn thought.

(Tsk… I need to do something… Not only about Sistine’s memory but also about whoever is attacking her. But I can’t leave her… What should I do?)

Then.

—Hey, hey… Have you heard what happened with Sistine from Class 2?

—Yes, they say someone made her inhale Wasurenagusa… Poor girl.

—Yes, I was thinking that the academy was quieter than usual today…

—Don’t worry. It will all be over soon — Glenn said to Sistine, who was sitting on the bed, visibly worried—. I’ll catch the culprit who attacked you, and you’ll get your memory back. Everything will return to normal.

Glenn had devised a plan to capture the culprit faster than expected. Only the detoxification ritual needed to go smoothly. However, Sistine’s expression did not improve.

—What’s wrong?

—Sensei… I… don’t want to recover my memory.

Glenn was stunned by her words.

—What…?

—If I recover my memory, what will happen to the person I am now?

—Well… It depends on the person, but in most cases, when someone recovers their memory, they forget everything that happened while they lost it…

—Will I forget that you were kind to me, that you protected me, that you supported me…? Will I forget all those memories and feelings? I don’t want to…

—W-what?

Glenn was bewildered.

—I’ve heard many things. It seems that normally, I’m quite tough on you…

—It’s not that bad…

—Why? Why would the old me treat someone as kind as you like this? — Sistine asked with tears in her eyes, looking at Glenn with a pleading expression.

—When I recover my memory, I’m sure I’ll stop being kind to you… because I’m a very cruel girl… I don’t want that… I’d rather stay like this… — Sistine sobbed—. Gus… hick…

—Calm down, Shironeko — Glenn said, placing a hand on her shoulder—. What you’re feeling now is just the effect of the poison, it’s making you feel temporarily insecure. It’s not what you really feel.

—B-but…

—Besides, there are people who are waiting for the real you to come back.

—… !

In a corner of the room, Rumia and Re=L watched Sistine with concern.

—Don’t worry. I won’t change at all — Glenn smiled confidently—. It’s true that sometimes I think you’re noisy, but it doesn’t really bother me… so don’t worry.

—S-Sensei… Glenn-sensei… I, maybe…

Sistine looked at Glenn with a feverish expression, as if she were under the effect of a fever.

—I can’t forgive it!

On the school building’s roof, a girl listened to the conversation between Glenn and Sistine through a long-distance listening spell, clenching her fists with rage.

—I can’t stand you talking to my beloved in such a sweet and enviable manner! I won’t allow it!

She peered out and stared down. In a room of the annex building, where the ritual was rumored to take place, were Glenn and Sistine.

—If that’s the case, I’ll try again! It was very difficult to make her inhale the Forget-Me-Not… I’ll ruin that bland ritual, hehe…

As she thought about what kind of offensive spell to cast, a sharp voice interrupted her.

—Stop.

The voice surprised the girl, who turned around.

—W-what? Who are you? How did you approach me without me noticing?

There was a tall man, cloaked in black. His long hair fluttered in the wind and his eyes, sharp as a hawk’s, looked at her intensely.

—You can still stop. This will only be a childish prank —said the man.

—I commend you for catching me by surprise, but it’s a shame, I can’t stop —said the girl, puffing out her chest with pride—. I come from a renowned family of magicians, and I’m considered the most talented of my lineage. Someone like you is no match for me!

—I see.

—Yes! Facing me is like the proverb of the frog in the well who doesn’t know the vast ocean. I don’t want to be violent, but someone as ignorant as you needs a lesson. Get ready to learn!

And then…

The girl, full of confidence, pointed at the man with both hands and began to recite a spell──

Some time later.

—I’ve got you!

As he opened the door to the room, the man, Albert, pushed the girl he had captured by the neck inside, where Glenn and the others were.

—W-what is this? Who is this person… is she a monster…?

The girl, pale and trembling, collapsed in front of Glenn and the others, crying. Albert pulled a bundle of documents from his coat and threw them at Glenn’s feet.

—Here are the documents proving how she obtained the Forget-Me-Not, her alibi, and witness testimonies. Everything points to her being the culprit… do whatever you want with her.

—Wow, you work fast, Al-chan.

—Hmph.

Albert left as if he didn’t want to waste any more time. In the room were Glenn, Sistine, Rumia, Re=L, Celica, and the girl in question, who had twin tails and a look that combined intelligence and charm.

—You’re… Arusha Cresile. This is quite unexpected…

Celica murmured as she looked at the girl with her head down.

—Do you know her, Celica?

—Yes, she’s one of the top first-year students. She’s sociable, well-behaved, has many friends, and the professors appreciate her a lot… I never thought she could cause such an incident.

—Arusha, why did you do this? —asked Glenn.

Arusha, at first, remained silent with her head down, but finally, resigned, spoke with a heavy voice.

Translator’s Note: Here it might be confusing, but Glenn from the beginning thinks it’s about him; it’s a play on words that loses all meaning. I will emphasize these words.

—Because… I loved him…

—!!

Arusha looked at Glenn with a distressed expression.

—I loved him so much, so much that it hurt… but I could only watch from afar… and he was always by her side… I couldn’t bear it…

—So, that’s why you attacked Shironeko…

—Yes! I couldn’t stand seeing him always by her side while I suffered in silence. I thought that if he disappeared, he might finally notice me… but I failed… I failed miserably… —Arusha broke into sobs.

Glenn approached the girl and looked at her with compassion.

—I understand that you’re hurt, but what you did was wrong. Things don’t get fixed this way.

—But… but I… —Arusha sobbed, her tears falling to the ground.

—We will help you, but first, you must face the consequences of your actions —Celica said firmly—. We’ll make sure you get the help you need, but you’ll also have to accept your punishment.

Arusha nodded, still crying, as Glenn, Celica, and the others looked at her seriously. The situation was difficult, but there was hope for all of them.

Glenn sighed bitterly.

—Tsk… love is heavy… But, Arusha, there are things that are right and things that are wrong, right? Isn’t that so?

—I… I know… But… but…!

—Calm down. At your age, it’s common to fall in love as if you were feverish. But that’s temporary…

Glenn said this with a distant look.

—It’s not temporary! This feeling is real! It’s not something fleeting!

—Anyway, it’s still too early for you. To determine if that feeling is true, you’re too young… You need to interact with more people, experience different worlds, learn a lot… It’s not too late for then.

—That… can’t be…

—Keep that feeling in your heart until you graduate from the academy. By then, you’ll see things differently. It will be a good memory of your youth.

—I can’t wait that long!

With a pained expression, Arusha ran toward Glenn with outstretched arms.

—… Damn idiot.

Glenn couldn’t accept Arusha. But at least he could let her cry on his chest. With that thought, Glenn prepared to receive her──

—… Huh?

Arusha passed by Glenn──

—Ah!

—I love you! I love you, onee-sama!

She had embraced Sistine, who was behind Glenn.

—… What does this mean?

Glenn asked with a tense face.

—It means exactly that! From the beginning, I admired my onee-sama! From the moment I sneaked into the class of the famous foolish professor and saw Sistine for the first time!

Arusha hugged Sistine, who looked surprised.

—Huh? Didn’t you see Shironeko as a rival in love?

—Rival in love? What are you talking about?

—Well, you attacked during the day, and you actually gave Shironeko the Forget-Me-Not…

—That was just to get rid of the idiots approaching my dear onee-sama! I gave her the Forget-Me-Not so she would forget a stupid professor like you, who’s always around her!

—…………………… Oh, I see.

—Ah, onee-sama! Onee-samaaaaa! Kunka kunka…! Ah, onee-sama, you smell so good…! Haa, haa, haa, haa… Your hair is so soft…!

—Wait… where are you touching…? No… stop…!

Glenn watched in astonishment as a very yuri (one-sided) scene unfolded before his eyes…

—Eh… Until you graduate from the academy, keep that feeling in your heart? By then, you’ll see things differently. It will be a good memory of your youth… Was that right, Glenn-sensei? Wow, what wise words…

And then, Celica came to deliver the final blow to Glenn mercilessly, wearing a mischievously playful smile.

—Hey, how do you feel? Hey, hey, how do you feel now? Thinking that a student was in love with you, saying cool things, how do you feel now?

—Shut up! Laugh, damn it! Kill me already! Who would have predicted it would be a real yuri love?

Glenn, with his face red with embarrassment, shouted to the sky.

—Hey, Rumia. Isn’t falling in love supposed to be between a man and a woman? Why would a girl fall in love with another girl?

—Re-Re=L, I think… this world is still too early for you…

—…?

Re=L tilted his head, while Rumia couldn’t help a wry smile.

---

After that.

After receiving the detoxification ritual, Sistine’s memory returned shortly after.

Arusha was severely reprimanded and ordered to write a large number of reflection letters. However, unrepentant, from that day on, she took every opportunity to approach Sistine. It seems something unlocked in Arusha with this incident. Although her facade as a model student and well-behaved girl crumbled, Arusha appeared more vibrant.

And then…

—For the love of God, enough already! Why don’t you have any awareness of your role as a teacher? Listen well! A teacher should…

—Yes, yes, I understand! Please forgive me!

Finally, the familiar scenery unfolded somewhere in the academy. The passing students also wore a wry smile upon seeing the two.

—Seriously… where did that docile you go? You were so cute and sincere…

Glenn complained while scratching his head.

—Again with that? I’ve told you a thousand times that I don’t remember anything from the time I lost my memory! So it’s hard for me when you bring up things from that period!

—Yes, yes…

With his shoulders drooping and a big sigh, Glenn half-listened to Sistine’s reprimand…

---

After the sermon.

(…Did I deceive him well?)

Sistine watched Glenn’s back as he slowly walked away, while hiding the intense pounding of her heart.

(I’m done… every time I remember that moment, my face gets hot… I hope it doesn’t show on my expression…)

This was a secret even from Rumia and Re=L, but in reality, Sistine remembered everything that happened during the time she lost her memory due to the Forget-Me-Not. It seemed she had that kind of constitution. The moment her memories returned after the ritual, Sistine, for some reason, told an impulsive lie and began to act.

(…What a blunder. Even though I was anxious about the drug’s effect… I… to him… like this… like this…)

Her face turned red as if it were burning. Her heart beat forcefully, as if it were going to explode. She felt insecure, behaving like a pampered kitten with Glenn. But he didn’t reject her, he encouraged and supported her until the end.

At that moment, Glenn was very kind… reliable… just remembering each of his gestures and actions from then made her heart leap, her mind clouded as if she were feverish, and she felt a bit strange.

(What is this feeling?)

(...Well, even though it was a troublesome and confusing incident…)

She cast a furtive glance.

Sistine looked again at Glenn’s retreating back.

(Thank you, professor…)

She whispered softly in her heart.