The dark night had long passed the twilight hours, and while most people had gone to sleep to prepare for the next day, the lights at the academy remained on.
Groan...
How much ti had passed?
Veronica glanced out the window and noticed the pitch-black sky, prompting her to check the clock. She gasped in surprise.
It was already 3 a.m. How had it gotten so late?
No wonder her body felt stiff—she’d been sitting for too long.
Sigh. "Ti sure flies when you get older—"
She abruptly clamped her hand over her mouth, silencing herself.
Saying such things aloud was practically admitting to aging, sothing she refused to accept.
She wasn’t old yet. Unlike those who hadn’t mastered the peak of magic and were slowly aging, she had fixed her body's coordinates in ti, ensuring she wouldn’t grow old.
Most who reached that level of magic mastery had already beco wrinkled old n and won by then, but this was a secret art she alone could perform.
Still, that irritating brat kept calling her "old" and "granny," and it was starting to get under her skin.
Hmph. That kid was older than her anyway.
Crack. "Ow, my back... I should take a break..."
Yet, Veronica remained oblivious to one simple fact: Stella’s teasing wasn’t about her appearance—it was about her actions.
And that was sothing Veronica would likely never realize.
"I could really use a drink..."
Veronica lay down on the mattress in the corner of her office, muttering to herself.
She had sohow managed to deal with the academy's recent attack.
Of course, there had been plenty of criticism due to the academy allowing another attack, especially considering the past incident. But, fortunately, there had been no casualties, which made it easier to control the narrative.
What the public knew was a story designed to reassure them: the academy hadn’t been attacked; rather, the academy had laid a trap, and the attackers had fallen for it.
A few buildings had been slightly damaged, but they could be rebuilt quickly. There were no casualties, and they had captured all the remnants of the Lightbringers and killed their leader. It was an easy lie to sell.
Still, just because it was easy to manipulate the public didn’t an the aftermath was easy to deal with, hence why Veronica was still working this late.
"Hmm, maybe I’ll drop by the counseling office for a drink—oh."
Veronica’s movents halted as she rembered sothing.
...The counselor was gone.
She hadn’t taken anything with her, so the alcohol she’d hidden there would still be in place, but drinking alone wasn’t exactly appealing.
Sigh. "Really, did she have to leave?"
Veronica didn’t know the full details, but she had so suspicions about why Ophelia had suddenly disappeared.
That madman who had been spewing strange nonsense before his death... He had ntioned her, after all.
Sothing about "the great Ophelia’s orders" or whatever. Veronica hadn’t heard the rest since she’d sliced his head off, but there was no way the leader of a criminal organization would talk about her unless there had been so connection.
She didn’t know the specifics, but it clearly wasn’t a positive relationship.
Even in the face of death, that man had kept running his mouth, seemingly determined to make things difficult for Ophelia.
Sothing about hypnosis too, if she recalled correctly.
Ophelia probably left because of him.
If she had stuck around, Veronica could have easily handled the situation, cleaning up the rumors that man had spread. But Ophelia had jumped to conclusions and vanished.
Sigh. "I should go see her."
Veronica stood up with a sigh.
With most of the work wrapped up, she could afford a brief break. It had been a while since she’d visited that place anyway.
Sob... sob...
"Please don’t cry too much. Here you go."
"What’s this...?"
"On the house. The best way to forget bad things is to drink and move on, right? That’s why you’re here, isn’t it?"
I smiled at the crying custor clutching their glass at one corner of the bar.
"You’ll find better things ahead. Think of this as a little gift to help you forget the bad and find the good."
"...Thank you."
"It’s nothing."
Bars are places where people co carrying all sorts of burdens.
Whether they want to forget sothing or celebrate sothing, they co for the drinks.
...Of course, there are regulars who just genuinely love drinking, but still.
I don’t usually initiate conversations with custors. Most of the ti, they start talking on their own, letting the alcohol loosen their tongues.
I just sit back, wipe down glasses, and listen to their stories. Sotis, I offer them a little extra, like now.
Though, it’s not entirely without ulterior motives.
"...Could I get another one, the sa, please?"
"Of course."
People nursing a heartbreak are easy to charm with a bit of kindness.
Soone who planned to leave after a couple of drinks could end up staying until morning.
It’s a little trick of the trade.
"You’re quite the skilled newbie."
"You know I’m not a newbie, boss."
"Ah, but even experienced newbies are still newbies."
The boss, who had been watching
from the side, started teasing .
She’d probably seen right through my little strategy.
...Well, it’s only natural. After all, she’s the one who taught
these tricks.
She always said that in a bar like ours, where regulars make up most of the clientele, we had to reel in the first-tirs like this.
"Uh, one more drink, please..."
"I think you’ve had enough for tonight. Any more and it could be dangerous. How about calling it a night?"
"...Really?"
"Yes. Drinking is great, but too much of anything is harmful."
If soone drank to the point of blacking out, they wouldn’t even rember the kindness I’d shown them.
It was best to let them enjoy just enough to get tipsy, ensuring they’d want to co back next ti and eventually beco regulars.
"Thanks... for listening."
"I’m not sure how much help I was, though. I’ve never been in a relationship myself."
"...What?"
"Wait, you’ve never dated anyone?"
"...?"
What’s with these reactions?
The heartbroken custor, the boss sipping on a drink while watching , and even the custors sitting farther away all turned to stare at
in shock.
"With that body? Really?"
"...What do you an, 'with that body'?"
"Oh, well, uh..."
I knew where this conversation was headed and shot a glare at the boss.
It would be about my chest again, obviously. She brought it up sotis.
Honestly. Did she think I wanted them to be this big?
They were uncomfortable, heavy, and they hurt when I ran.
Sure, they might look nice, but having a tall, slender body would’ve been my personal preference... It would’ve made a fitted suit look so much better.
"Being big isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. It’s painful and heavy. I’m actually envious of your figure, boss. You’re in great shape."
"...Really?"
"Yes."
The boss gave a bashful smile, likely interpreting my words as flattery.
But I was being sincere.
Her neat, well-grood appearance was surely one of the reasons she had so many regulars at the bar, though she might not have realized it herself.
"Well, thanks for the complint. In that case, I’ll—"
"There she is!"
Suddenly, the boss and I were startled by a familiar voice.
At the sa mont, the chi at the entrance rang, signaling the arrival of a custor.
Without thinking, I instinctively ducked out of sight, moving to a spot where I wouldn’t be seen from the entrance.
"...Bartender?"
"Shh...!"
Why was the principal here?
I wracked my brain, and then it hit —oh right, the boss was friends with the principal.
I had forgotten about that, despite having anticipated her visit when I first started working here.
But after so long without seeing her, it had completely slipped my mind.
"Why are you drinking alone?"
"Oh, well... there aren’t any custors, so I figured I’d have a drink."
"And those people?"
"They said they were finishing up and leaving soon. It’s not like it’s a big deal to have a drink while standing around, right?"
"Hmm..."
My heart pounded in my chest, the thought that the principal might have spotted
making
incredibly nervous.
Did she notice? She probably didn’t, right?
"You should co by more often."
"Sorry about that. I’ve been busy with the academy attack."
"I heard about that. It was a big deal, wasn’t it?"
"It was. But things have settled down now. Most of the work is done."
"That’s good."
"By the way, has Ophelia stopped by here?"
Hiiiiiiii!
Why was she looking for ? Was she planning to kill
for being the suspect behind the incident?!
The fact that soone who could literally tear
limb from limb was hunting
down sent a shiver through , as if I had stepped out into the cold in nothing but thin clothes.
Hypnosis wouldn’t work on her like it did with others—unless I got her drunk, it wouldn’t have any effect at all...
"Why do you ask? Did sothing happen?"
"...No, forget it. If you don’t know, then that’s that."
"You’re so cryptic."
"I feel like drinking sothing strong tonight. Can you manage that?"
"Sure, give
a minute."
As I watched the boss move naturally, preparing a drink, I thought to myself.
...I guess I can’t stay here anymore.
I’d have to find a new place.
I crouched in the corner, hiding, waiting for the principal to leave, as she downed drink after drink.
I could barely make out the conversation between her and the boss. But whatever they were discussing, I knew one thing for sure: I needed to relocate fast.
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