Chapter 8: Inevitably, the Heroine

I Hate Attention (4)

"...Aaaaargh!"

In an empty lot, I screamed towards the sky. Why did I have to get involved in that, why did I interfere when Xenon was fighting, making things so twisted...! I'm properly entangled. Even if I try to avoid it, I can't avoid this one.

I directly stopped the fight that even the teachers hesitated to stop. Of course, attention would be focused on me, the person involved. Besides, they knew that the ice I made was difficult to create with ordinary Ability. They probably realized that my Ability in this area was not only powerful but even superior to the heroes working in the field.

As expected, the main heroine...!

I could think positively like that, but unlike that, my mind was dizzy. Xenon would ask, why did I stop the fight? What should I answer? Because I didn't want you to get suspended? No—that's obviously a flag. I knew that I left room for something the moment I stopped the fight.

Still, I really didn't want to become a heroine.

Was it even my will to stop it in the first place? I walked into the middle of the fight without even knowing it, and I had no choice but to stop it. It wasn't my fault, really.

And the fact that I couldn't stay here kept making my head throb. Only the person themselves can release an Ability, and I was the only one who could melt that ice. I ran out of that auditorium as if escaping, but now I have to go back and melt it myself?

...I really don't want to.

But it was something I had to do, so I pressed hard on my temples and moved back to the auditorium.

"You're back!"

"...Yes."

The person who was holding the sign with A written on it greeted me. Fortunately, all the students had left, so it was just that teacher and me. At least it seemed like I wouldn't get the same attention as before.

The ice was frozen on the spot without even a little bit of moisture. Since it's an Ability, it doesn't melt easily even at room temperature. Well, in the novel, Aisha's ice could only be melted by fire.

The teacher looked at the ice with a troubled expression and then turned her gaze to me.

"We would have been in trouble if you weren't here. It's hard to stop a fight between children of the Carmen family. Probably, it would take quite strong heroes to subdue them without injury, you know?"

"...Um, sorry."

"No, you don't have to be sorry. Rather, we want to thank you. By the way, your Ability is amazing. Such firepower. Are you okay after freezing it like this?"

"Ah...yes. I'm fine with this much."

Then the teacher's eyes sparkled. Curiosity, wonder, and...desire? She grabbed my hand and opened her mouth again.

"Do you know that our academy encourages club activities? If you don't have a club in mind, come to our club!"

"I don't know much about clubs..."

Unless it was the club the protagonist was in, I wasn't interested in other clubs. It wasn't even mentioned in the first place.

"Have you ever heard of the magic club 'Harry'? It's a newly established club that explores 'mystery' that humans without Ability haven't obtained. We just need one more person after you join..."

I've never heard of that club. But to explore magic in a world with Ability, it's really useless, but...I wanted to give it high marks because the protagonist wouldn't join it. To be honest, I'm not attending the academy to succeed as a hero.

...Wouldn't it be okay?

When I nodded slightly, the teacher was noticeably happy and shook my arm wildly. Ah, ah...it hurts when you shake it like that.

"Really!? Seriously! Thank you so much, I'll make you our club's mascot!"

"...You don't have to go that far."

"My name is Reisha, if you're looking for the club later, come to the faculty office and find me. Do you remember my face?"

"I'm not that forgetful. Don't worry too much."

"Good, good. I like it—very much!"

I don't know what she likes so much, but seeing Reisha's red bob swaying back and forth, she seemed really happy. Since she's so happy, well, it's not bad for me. If I really go to find her when I join the club later, I can't imagine how happy she'll be. Is she going to faint...?

Reisha, who was shaking my arm back and forth, seemed to remember the ice that Xenon and that girl were trapped in, and her face hardened as she looked at me.

"...Could you, uh, get rid of that ice?"

"That's what I came here to do."

"Hehe, right? Anyway, sorry. I was just going to ask you that, but somehow the conversation got long."

"It's okay. But what do we do after melting it? Shouldn't we take them to the infirmary?"

Since they were trapped in ice, their body temperature would naturally be affected. Even if it hasn't been a few minutes, they're likely to catch a cold if left for too long. It's none of my business whether Xenon catches a cold or not, but if it becomes my fault, I'll be bothered...I had to make sure they received minimal treatment.

"You have to move them. The teacher is busy."

"...Pardon?"

What an irresponsible statement. Slightly dumbfounded, I tilted my head, and Reisha scratched her head and opened her mouth.

"Actually, I shouldn't be here right now. I have to teach the second years, but I was waiting until you came. Once I confirm that you're melting that, I'm going straight to class, understood?"

"I understand, but..."

I have to move Xenon? To the infirmary?

I want to stay away from him as much as possible, so why would I...? Perhaps reading the question on my face, Reisha quietly approached and whispered in my ear.

"That kid lying there, he's handsome, isn't he? If you move him to the infirmary, who knows? Maybe he'll ask you to meet him later out of gratitude."

"No...I mean..."

"Do your best. The teacher will support you?"

Don't just connect us on your own. I wanted to say that to her face, but I couldn't do that to a teacher, so I just pouted. Well, what's going to happen if I move him? I just have to make sure they don't know I did it.

"...Okay. I just have to move them, right?"

"Yeah, you should go to your class too."

"...Haa."

Melt it, lift it, and just move it. With that resolve, I waved my hand towards the ice. Instead of melting into water and flowing onto the floor like ordinary ice, the ice was sucked into me. Reisha watched the scene with wonder and handed me two blankets.

"Here, even so, it's better to cover them up and move them since they were in the ice."

"So, I'm the one moving them after all."

"Hehe, sorry. I would have helped if the teacher wasn't busy. It's a bit busy today because it's the first day of school. Then I'll trust you with it!"

With those words, Reisha waved her hand and left the auditorium. Really...she's telling me to move them. Looking at the two people who fainted from the aftermath of being trapped in ice, I sighed. Even someone like that is a teacher, maybe this world is doomed.

#

"Heuk...my back..."

When I carried Xenon on my back, a heavy weight overwhelmed me. I think I can stand, but this weight seems a bit too much, doesn't it? The solid chest of the guy touching my back was a bit unpleasant, but I couldn't just throw him on the ground.

So, I carried him to the infirmary, and...my back felt like it was going to break. I would have been fine before, but my muscle strength has decreased because I have a woman's body.

I thought about moving him using Ability, but if I moved the guy frozen in ice while still cold, he would catch a cold. So, I had no choice but to move him directly like this. Besides, the difficulty doubled because I had to move the two to different infirmaries.

I barely laid him on the bed and put the blanket over him. He would be touched if he knew, but I hope he doesn't know I did it. If he finds out I did it, he'll bother me again, thanking me and all that. If I make a slight slip of the tongue in that process, a flag will be planted.

Looking at the face of the guy lying down, I thought he was definitely like a protagonist. Because of the fight, his hair, which had been neat until just now, was disheveled, and his breathing was rough, but...it was still attractive.

No, it wasn't attractive. Just a man was lying down, and his face was ordinary.

"That was close."

To think I thought he was 'attractive' even for a moment, is this the protagonist's aura? I think I need to be more careful.

Cough-

Then, a cough came out of his mouth. Did he catch a cold? I put my hand on his forehead, but it wasn't particularly hot. Where's the thermometer? I looked around, but I couldn't see a thermometer. An infirmary without a thermometer, it was a bit absurd, but finding it was the priority. Would it be in a place like a warehouse?

I slightly raised the blanket that covered up to his stomach and came out into the hallway, where a confusing structure greeted me. When I came to the infirmary, I just looked at the sign that said infirmary, so I didn't know, but looking at it like this, the inside was complicated. Warehouse, where would the warehouse be...

As I wandered around the hallway, I could see a sign that said warehouse. Fortunately, the thermometer was nearby, and I quickly took it and left the warehouse. I went into the warehouse without the teacher's permission, so if I got caught, she might say something.

...But why am I trying to take Xenon's temperature?

I had that question for a moment, but I shook my head and shook off the thought. I'm just checking if he caught a cold. There's no need to give it any other meaning, right? If his body temperature rose because of my ice, I can at least check his temperature.

Yeah, that's right.

Nodding, I headed to the infirmary, when I heard a rustling sound from inside the infirmary. It sounded like someone was moving and packing their things. Thinking that Xenon had woken up, I went to the door, and the door burst open.

"......"

The guy was looking at me in a flustered manner. I tapped the guy who was looking at me with a blank face and opened my mouth.

"Where are you going?"

You have to check your temperature before you go.

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