I Realized It Was an Academy Game After 10 Years

“Johann, what’s up with the work earlier…”

“I’m going to hang for a bit.”

“You can’t do that?!”

Just let me be.

I have to kill my past self who made such crazy remarks in front of a girl! Thank goodness Karina is so nice, or if I said that in front of Renny, my body and head would have split by now.

She might have just looked at me like I’m a lunatic.

Of course, she wouldn’t let me within ten meters of Karina.

…Renny didn’t catch on, did she?

“People can make mistakes, so you don’t have to worry too much! I’ve messed up words reciting prayers in front of people, and um… you don’t have to feel so embarrassed about it…”

“Hmm? Did something happen, Karina?”

“Uh, it’s nothing!”

Don’t look at me like you suspect something. I said don’t look!

Wait, when did you even arrive? Didn’t you say you were going to chop wood?

“Firewood?”

“Firewood? How much could there be… it should be done soon?”

I vaguely remembered bringing back about five trees’ worth. Did she finish it that quickly? I should check.

To avoid an awkward situation, I went to the storage shed where the firewood was kept, and there was a large stack of firewood cut uniformly. It wasn’t far, as it was made right next to the house.

With her brute strength, she gets things done in no time. It really was the right call to assign physical tasks to her. Of course, I could do it too, but I just wanted to take it easy.

Doing everything alone, like fetching well water, chopping wood, cooking, cleaning, working, scouting, checking traps, exploring the beach—it felt like my body was going to give up. This time, I planned to divide the labor neatly so I could get a bit more rest.

After all, even if the dungeon exploration ends, I will have to keep living on this deserted island for a while. So Renny needs to recover quickly, and we should redistribute the roles to make things easier.

The effect was obvious.

I now had enough free time to enjoy fishing leisurely.

I could say my quality of life had improved.

It was a bit regrettable that such rest would soon end, as we would have to enter the dungeon…

The dungeon. The dungeon, huh.

I’ve stepped a bit into the entrance before, but it’s my first time going further inside.

Maybe something worse than a bear leader or hydra is waiting inside. That’s the worst-case scenario. But this deserted island is always a place where the worst-case scenario prevails.

It’s a place that cannot adequately be described as “sucks.”

“…Now that I think about it, I don’t remember what level the hydra was in the game.”

Thinking of the bosses from the latter stages, it doesn’t seem like it would be that strong, but that doesn’t mean it’s weak. Maybe it’s around mid-boss level. It could be stronger than that.

Ah, I wish I could check X Wiki.

If I could at least look at X Wiki, I could fill in the holes in my memory a bit.

Sigh, looking for something that isn’t there is pointless.

“…Let’s just get back.”

I need to eat.

I headed straight from the storage shed back home.

Opening the door and looking at the brazier, I saw Karina placing a pot on the wooden table that I made. Maybe it was because of her weaker strength or because of her huge chest, but the way she held the pot looked precariously unsteady. Thankfully, the pot didn’t spill its contents and landed nicely on the table.

“Johann, it’s time to eat.”

I sat down naturally and peered into the pot. Fish heads floated on the green broth. Even though the broth looked toxic, it tasted better than expected. After all, anyone picky about food is likely to die first on a deserted island, so if you see signs of picky eating, just pray for them. They won’t last long anyway.

To survive, you have to at least chew on some worms.

I scooped some soup with a spoon and tasted it.

Mmm, today’s seasoning is just right.

At first, I was having a hard time adjusting to island cooking, but nowadays, that never happens. That meant I was adapting pretty well to living on the deserted island. While eating, I casually glanced at Karina. She brought the spoon to her small lips leisurely.

Every time I see her, her small mouth makes her look like a chick pecking at food.

Ah, we made eye contact.

We both quickly looked away. Despite saying that, the awkwardness was still there. I unconsciously felt my body twitch. Renny was looking curiously at us from the corner of my eye.

When I sneakily turned to look at Renny, she was alternating her gaze between Karina and me, casting a glare filled with suspicion. It was already awkward enough, and with Renny acting like that, it made my insides uneasy. Unable to hold back, I spoke to Renny.

“Renny.”

“What?”

“Do you have something to say to me?”

“No, I’m just a little paranoid, so don’t mind it.”

Your expression says otherwise!

But it felt too awkward to continue talking, so I just slightly lowered my head and finished my bowl.

—————————

In the afternoon, I was scheduled to retrieve the hydra’s carcass with Renny.

We took quite a bit of flesh, but it’s hard to carry everything since the bones and skin are so large. Neither Renny nor I were in great shape right after the fight. Of course, thanks to Karina’s healing magic, we were ready to go, but that doesn’t mean we could shake off all our fatigue. So we were moving bones and skins little by little back home.

“Hey.”

I looked at Renny, who called me over. She had something to say. I could guess what was coming next. Holding the hydra skull above her head while walking, Renny paused for a moment before speaking.

“You didn’t get caught doing anything weird with Karina, did you?”

“Just going to hang for a bit.”

“What do you mean, why does that lead to that conclusion?!”

Wow, her grip is ridiculously strong. I had no choice but to stop as Renny gripped the back of my neck.

What a brute force. It’s downright demoralizing.

“Don’t bring up my dark past. It’s painful enough.”

“Hey, could you explain a bit…”

Nope. Absolutely not.

If I say anything, it would be an obvious end—either I get a restraining order or become ‘Renny tears Johann to shreds.’ The future looks hopeless!

“It’s not a big deal. I just reflexively said she was pretty.”

“Why are you reacting like that if it’s such a small thing? You’re not lying, are you?”

“No, really!”

Renny stared at me as if she were trying to get to the bottom of it. I met her gaze with innocent and clear eyes to prove my innocence. After staring at me for a while, Renny’s gaze suddenly dropped and then came back up. Maybe it’s just me, but her cheeks seemed a bit flushed.

How long has it been? The painfully stretched-out time came to an end, and Renny turned her gaze away and spoke.

“Uh… Should I let you off the hook? I’ve heard that guys become wise after getting off once.”

Why did it lead to that conclusion?

To be honest, I’m a little tempted… but no, that’s not it.

And what’s with that hand gesture? Where did she learn that?

Doing that would only bring temporary joy, but the atmosphere would get way more awkward. I wouldn’t be able to handle the aftermath, so it’s better to handle it alone.

“I don’t understand what you’re talking about at all.”

I pretended not to know and walked ahead.

We walked in silence for a while on the open path. I guess Renny felt as awkward about starting a conversation as I did. We didn’t say a word until we arrived home, like a monk in meditation.

“…Where should I put this?”

“Just leave it in front of the workshop.”

“Okay.”

Renny and I piled the hydra’s skin and bones in front of the workshop. These bones were intended for making new armor and weapons. We need to be thoroughly prepared for the dungeon exploration. This quantity shouldn’t be a problem for creating new gear. As I looked at the piled bones in front of the workshop, I turned to Renny.

“I’m going for a little walk.”

“…Okay. Have a good one.”

Her effort to act nonchalant as she sent me off felt strange.

Is she trying to show some consideration?

I quietly accepted Renny’s consideration and headed towards the beach.

———–

‘So guys are still guys, I guess.’

On a normal day, she would have expressed herself further, but Renny sighed as she watched Johann hurry off.

“What crazy thing did I just say…”

Even now, when she thought back on it, she realized she had just said something absurd. It was just a careless remark she made after hearing a former coworker say, “Men become generally wise after getting a once-off.” Renny almost banged her head against the wall.

More specifically, she stopped just before her head was about to hit the wall. If she hadn’t, there would have been a hole in the wall. She knew well that it would lead to more headaches, so she managed to stop in time.

‘What should I do…?’

Renny was willing to accept anything as long as it was good for Karina, but a complicated process was needed. She had to assess whether the person approaching the escorted target had ill intentions or posed threats to Karina.

Her one and only mission.

“Well, at least it’s better than that damn pig!”

The third prince who openly drooled over Karina’s figure. The aristocrats who subtly threw flirtatious glances. The only saving grace was that they treated her as a saint? Renny shook her head as she recalled those memories that made her want to vomit.

Most men who approached Karina were like that.

But what about him?

Renny thought of Johann.

A rugged figure reminiscent of the northern barbarians. His body full of painful life scars. A face with only fragments of his original features visible due to scars. Objectively, it was difficult to see him as someone with a good impression.

A dangerous-looking man.

But Johann wasn’t that kind of person.

Strangely gentlemanly, he didn’t easily approach when two women were around. Even though it must be tough, he hardly showed it. That was quite fascinating to her.

“Surely, he’s not a bad guy. Not a bad guy…”

He just needs to dress up a bit better.

Renny chuckled at the absurdity of her thoughts and pulled her head away from the wall.

The very fact that she was thinking this way felt ridiculous.

“Well, there’s plenty of time…”

For the first time, she made the judgment that it was worth holding back.

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