I was helping with food prep in the kitchen of the still-closed tavern.
Though "helping" just meant watching the pots and cutting ingredients — simple stuff.
No matter how hard I tried, I knew I could never catch up to Nimi's cooking.
"Raide-san, your student has arrived."
"Thanks. I'll head out."
I swapped places with Nimi, who had come to call me, and stepped outside.
Erika was standing there with her butler, wearing a white blouse and skirt as her main outfit.
"Erika, you took my warning to heart right away. As an instructor, I'm proud of how honest you are."
"…I have mixed feelings about that being your first line, but good morning."
"Good morning."
Erika was wearing a light pink cardigan over her clothes.
Well, it was better than yesterday… but why did it still look so seductive?
As long as it hid her from other people's stares, that was fine.
I started walking, taking the still-exasperated Erika with me.
"…Wait a moment. Why are we going to the Adventurers' Guild? …Huh? You're registering me?"
"No, why is the registration name just 'Erika'? Personal? Wait…"
"The bank? Why the bank? An account in my name?"
"The account is under the Deus family… Eh, in my own personal name? No, wait a second…"
"I don't understand what any of this means!"
"I only opened a bank account in your name."
"That's not the point! The fact that I could open an account as an individual is the issue! And I don't understand why you made me do it either!"
Erika stood beside me with her arms crossed, raising her voice.
…Was resting her chest on her arms just standard for her?
I smiled wryly and explained.
"First, getting a bank account is surprisingly simple. You just need something to prove your identity."
For nobles, it was a family crest or documents. For commoners, it was official national papers.
Of course, adventurers were treated as commoners too, so they needed national documents.
Documents backed by the country carried more credibility and trust than anything else.
At least, if the bank was run by the country.
In reality, the banks weren't operated by the kingdom.
Because of their large scale, people often assumed they were, but they weren't.
Simply put, they were big moneylenders. However, since nobles also used them, they couldn't do anything shady.
Some were properly run, others not so much.
I explained this to Erika and then asked her a question.
"If the person who made the deposit dies, where does the money in the account go?"
"It is transferred to the family as inheritance, as stated in the documents."
"Then what happens if an adventurer who registered with a guild card dies?"
"…I see. So that's how it is. The bank profits from it."
She let out a small breath as if convinced, then looked at me with an exasperated expression.
Yes. When registered with a guild card, there was no document naming an heir.
So once death was confirmed, the deposited money became the bank's property.
"Have you noticed? You now have a bank account under Erika's own personal name."
Erika's expression shifted from exasperation to surprise.
She then turned her face away and muttered.
"You're being meddlesome…"
"I'm an instructor, after all."
"…That last part was something you were supposed to pretend you didn't hear."
I smiled wryly at her words.
Sorry, but I'm not a fan of dense heroines. And don't expect that kind of consideration from me.
I'll pick up anything I can get my hands on.
Erika let out one sigh and spoke.
"More importantly, why are we walking down Second Street?"
"There's a place I want to stop by."
The royal capital had twelve main streets radiating from the castle like the hands of a clock, with the street numbers matching the clock positions.
The reason for Erika's question was probably because the Dwarf Chamber of Commerce building was located on this street.
But I had to come to Second Street the day after the story started.
No — I had to come here.
For the sake of my students, for my own sake… and if I could be selfish, for the sake of everyone who played this game.
"Gyaha!"
As we passed beside the Dwarf Chamber of Commerce, a vulgar laugh came from the alley.
I made eye contact with Erika's butler.
As expected of a capable man — he understood what I wanted and moved Erika behind him.
I walked normally and entered the alley.
In the dimly lit passage, there was a young man and a woman who was tearfully spreading her own clothes open, exposing her chest with a look of regret.
The man noticed me and called out.
"What? Hey, nice — an audience… Gah!?"
"Don't talk."
I didn't want to hear his voice for even one second, so I closed the distance instantly and punched him in the stomach.
…This guy — the idiot son of the Dwarf Chamber of Commerce… So it was you.
A purple crystal that I had seen often during the war rolled at his feet.
Filled with disgust and irritation, I crushed it under my foot.
I took off my jacket and draped it over the woman's chest, who had now regained her freedom.
"Ah… th-thank you…"
"I only did what was obvious. Don't worry about it."
"Instructor Raide, are you alright!? …Instructor Felica!?"
Erika approached and recognized Felica.
She slipped past me at a quick pace and draped her own cardigan over Felica.
Looking at Felica's clothes, they were torn to shreds.
There were light wounds visible — she seemed to have been slashed, but the cuts weren't deep.
It looked like the clothes had been cut on purpose.
A dignified woman with glossy purple hair in a bob cut.
She was an instructor for a higher year than the one I was in charge of.
Roy's older sister, and a woman who possessed the rare swordsmanship skill "Calamity."
Above all, she was the woman who died first in the game.
In the game, she was found in a violated state two days later, and hanged herself three days after that.
The game didn't use direct expressions, but phrases like "found in a terrible state" and "apparently hanged herself in her room" told the whole story.
Many analysis groups and players had tried countless times to save the dignified Felica… but none succeeded.
In the end, the analysis team concluded that she was kidnapped during a talk event on a school holiday.
They narrowed down the location from NPC dialogue to this side alley on Second Street, between 12 PM and 1 PM.
Yes — right now.
I checked the clock. It was 12:30.
Watching Erika comfort Felica while giving instructions to the butler, I clenched my fist tighter.
I did it. I actually did it.
I wasn't wrong. The analysis team was right!
Everyone who played the game — she was saved!
It's selfish and unfair, but I've gone and fulfilled everyone's wish for them!!
[Profile]
*Felica Dragor
Height 170 cm Age 24 Glossy purple hair in a bob cut.
Dignified face and a refreshing, straightforward personality.
Her chest is like two large watermelons.
During the war, she was called the Empress for her swordsmanship, the skill "Calamity," and her personality.
She apparently hates being called the Empress and runs away whenever the topic comes up.
Roy's older sister. She tries to teach him even a little of her swordsmanship.