Another day had passed since I woke up.

"Yep♪ Fully recovered―☆" "…" "…" "…"

Albit, Rota, and Kara, who had come to visit me in the hospital, looked at me with complicated expressions. Although they didn't say much, their eyes, filled with endless worry and guilt, spoke volumes.

Seeing their faces, I couldn’t help but let out a chuckle.

‘I don’t know why they look at me like that. I’m really fine now.’

After a day of changing clothes, taking a bath, drinking water, and resting, my condition improved rapidly.

Compared to the common sense of my previous life, this recovery was almost superhuman. But in this world, it seemed like I had barely come back from the brink of death. I still remember the astonished expressions of the <United Student Council>'s healthcare students when they checked on me.

Shortly after Hilde left the hospital room. Healthcare students came with various instruments to check my condition.

-Your ether… it’s completely gone. -It’s… empty. I’ve never seen anything like this. -This must be the rebound effect of using forbidden power…

‘It’s just that my fuel tank is so big that there’s hardly any ether left…’

But they seemed to understand after completing all the tests, so I didn’t bother correcting them.

The results came out quickly since it was an intensive care unit. Fortunately, apart from issues related to ether, they said I had recovered enough to lead a normal life.

‘Though all my ether recovery buffs are gone, making me no different from an empty can.’

Thanks to Urd's help, I survived and gained a key to breaking through the 'Mu' stage, so it wasn’t a bad thing. It was a solvable problem.

Ether could wait.

I checked my physical condition.

‘Thankfully, it’s not as bad as I thought.’

My limbs were still a bit numb. There were dark bruises on my arms and legs. The vibrant pink of my hair had faded slightly. There were creepy-looking scars around my neck and heart.

"…"

Hmm… well, it wasn’t too bad. Scars were like scratches on a smartphone. They gave off a mysterious vibe, like a dark mage who mastered demonic arts.

Didn’t Xiahou Dun chew his own eyeball and use it as a fashion statement? I was better off than him, being called 'One-Eyed General' mockingly. My body was intact, just with a changed skin.

That’s right. I had obtained the event skin [Faded Spiral] Clara.

‘…Not bad.’

So, the scars could wait.

However, the fact that my hair had faded a bit was unexpected.

‘Now I’m a light pink rather than a vivid pink.’

The previously cheap-looking pink hair now looked calm and elegant, like Hilde’s. I was quite satisfied with this change. If I met Hilde again, I’d joke, ‘Notice anything different about me?’

‘I couldn’t say it last time, but I should visit Hilde whenever I get the chance.’

She was the poor friend who missed me so much that she sniffed my unwashed hair. Seeing a new side of her, always dignified and elegant, wasn’t a bad thing.

‘If I’m the [Faded Spiral], visiting an old friend isn’t strange…’

So, the hair could wait too.

Despite some minor changes here and there… I survived, so that’s what mattered.

All clear. Surprisingly, the condition of [Faded Spiral] Clara was much better than I had expected.

However, after the tests, my juniors burst into tears, apologizing profusely when they saw me.

-Senpai…! If I had been stronger… -I’m sorry… I was too weak… I’m so sorry… -Damn it… damn it…!!

Albit clung to my hand, crying loudly. Rota sat on the floor, shaking her shoulders, mumbling. Kara punched the wall, tears streaming down her face.

Hearing that, the students of <Scarlet Academy>, mistakenly thinking I had crossed the rainbow bridge, caused a small riot.

-Remember the hero with a memorial―!! -Hyaa!! Light the fire―!! -You crazy girls!! Why are you setting fire to the nearly finished buildings?!

Thinking about that chaos made my head spin.

"Such fuss―☆" "Fuss, you say…!" "Anyway♪ Rota, you had a promise to keep with me, right?―☆" "Oh."

After the commotion settled down. I was rubbing my face against Rota’s two cat ears.

"Hmmm♪" "Eek?!"

Rota was sitting on a chair in front of me. As I enjoyed the soft texture with my hands and face, her small shoulders shivered in sync with my breathing.

Albit and Kara looked embarrassed by my display of affection.

"Senpai, isn’t that touch a bit too blatant?" "Frankly, if we were at <Public Bana Boarding School> or <Gjallarhorn>, you could be accused of molestation for those moves."

‘I don’t care. I’ll do as I please.’

I paid no attention to their reactions. Holding the orange cat ears with both hands, I enjoyed their scent and feel.

Rub-rub Lick-lick Sniff-sniff

"Fuuum☆ Yum-yum♪" "Eek…?! Yip…?!"

In this world filled with rough arcane punk, I was savoring the rare modern softness.

The extreme softness, akin to a microfiber blanket or sleep socks… ‘It’s amazing how the animal parts of beastmen have such luxurious textures.’

Most beastmen in the academy city belonged to noble classes attending prestigious schools, so they took good care of themselves. Their animal parts naturally had a noble feel, unlike the country dogs or street cats of my previous life.

‘Though there were some with strange textures and shapes.’

Excluding those with odd features even by objective standards of other species, most beastmen put effort into cultivating their appearance to match their ideal forms.

Especially Rota, who had model-like erect ears with a moderate fluffiness, making her quite attractive.

I was enjoying the finest cat ears among the beastmen without hesitation.

"Hmm… yum… this is heaven―☆" "Eek…?! Yip…?!"

Despite not being able to refuse, Rota breathed heavily and spoke in a pitiful voice.

"Sen-senpai. You see, beastmen get startled when air enters their ears. So, could you not blow into them…" "Fuuuum―☆" "Ahyaa―?!"

The orange cat fur felt a bit rougher than the silky hair but became soft when I rubbed my cheeks against it, brushing out smoothly.

"Yum-yum-yum―♪" "Eek?! Heek…?!"

The softness, carrying a fragrant floral scent and warmth of sunlight, couldn’t be replicated by any high-quality fabric. The warmth of a living being was incomparable.

‘So soft… this is heaven…’

Kara looked at the odd noises Rota was making, tilting her head.

"It’s quite an embarrassing sight, but is it enough to make her twitch her fingers and make strange noises?" "Eek?! Ahk~!! Hey!! Beastmen’s ears are… Ahyaa!! Connected to their brains the most…! Yaaa!!" "I see. That’s new knowledge."

Albit listened to their conversation and smiled wryly.

"Well, not many people would grab and handle the ears of high-ranking beastmen so freely." "Yes―♪ I’m glad Rota came to our school―☆ Oomph-oomph…!" "Eek?! Yip…! Yip…! Yip?!"

As we enjoyed our time together.

I sensed a weak presence approaching from afar, opening the door with a soft sound.

Creak…

It was Belle.

Unlike the last time I saw her in a red tracksuit, she was now wearing the uniform of a <United Student Council> officer. Her outfit, decorated with more luxurious ribbons and frills, suited her status in the academy city’s upper echelon.

But Belle’s face was gaunt, her cheeks hollowed.

Trembling… Belle raised a weak hand and greeted softly.

"Hi. It’s been a while… since then… it’s the first time." "Hello, Belle―☆" "Oh… Pink Hair… I mean… Clara… you’re awake… that’s good…" "I don’t mind any nickname―☆" "No… I can’t… to my savior…"

Albit and Kara greeted Belle worriedly.

"Long time no see, Belle-senpai. You seem very busy lately." "Comrade Belle, you don’t look well." "Eek?! Eep…! Eep?!"

"Um…? What’s up with her…?" "It’s the affection expression between me and Rota―☆" "I see…"

Belle sluggishly took a guest chair, sat down, and slumped like ice cream on a summer road.

Scrrr… Thud…

Belle sighed deeply, then raised her head, speaking with a spirited voice.

"Yeah! Well, cute secretary Belle is practically fully recovered! Haha! I’m back to my regular duties!" "What will you do now, Belle-senpai? Are you going to guard the <Mimir Industrial High School> base?" "Well… there’s the Eastern Alliance’s movements… and most importantly…"

Belle scratched her cheek and answered.

"After this incident, we learned that <Ratatosk> isn’t just a group kidnapping students." "<Ratatosk>…" "According to the magic analysis club, this incident was contained early, so only larval chaos insects appeared. If it had been delayed a bit, even sub-adults or adults could have formed outside the dungeon gate." "…Adults."

Albit sighed deeply at the thought.

"…" "Eep!! Eep…! Enough…! Enough now…!"

Still playing with Rota’s ears, I thought about the battle with the [Priest of Corruption] and how to move forward in this changed original story.

"…" "…" "…"

As silence filled the room, Belle, having sorted her thoughts, broke it.

Belle looked at me seriously and spoke.

"Thank you, Clara. Despite the sudden crisis, you burned yourself out to protect everyone from what could have turned the northern academy city into ruins… I’ll never forget it." "Don’t mention it―☆ It was something I had to do♪" "Really… [Pink Spiral] isn’t a legendary saint or anything… anyway, I don’t know if this can be considered a reward."

Belle pulled out four high-quality, coated tickets from her uniform pocket and handed them over.

"These are my token of gratitude. If you’re ever in trouble or just want to visit the base, use these."

Albit and Kara were astonished when they saw the tickets.

"These are…!" "Regular passes for <Mimir Industrial High School>'s exclusive routes?!" "Originally issued only to high-ranking members of the <United Student Council>, but I managed to get them by force. With these, you can use all the ether trains between <Central Prism Academy> and <Mimir Industrial High School>."

Belle smiled gently, despite her worn-out appearance.

"It’s funny how we met, but… here we are." "Hehe…" "Haha." "Eep?! Wait…! Let me join in…?!"

We all laughed, remembering our first encounter with Belle.

"Then~ I’ll return to my usual duties!" "Belle-senpai…!" Belle stood up, smiling brightly, as she did when we first met. That smile seemed both relieved and playful, as if to ensure there’d be no awkwardness when we met again.

"So far, this has been <United Student Council>'s cute secretary… Belle!" "Thank you, Belle-senpai!" "Comrade Belle! If you’re ever in trouble, come to <Central Prism Academy>!" "Yes―♪ We’re not just allies but friends~☆"

Belle laughed heartily at our words and was about to leave the hospital room.

"Oh, by the way…!" "…?" "Is there something else?" "[Crimson Trajectory] called an airship to <Central Prism Academy>, so please come to the makeshift dock. She wants to say goodbye." "Eir called?" "Then, I’ve said everything I needed to, so I’ll be off~"

With that, Belle waved her side ponytail and left the room.

"…It’s time to go back." "Really… I thought it’d be just one night of trouble." "Indeed☆" "Eep…! Okay…"

It was time for us to leave <Scarlet Academy> and return home.