"Haah~ still so sleepy… looks like I really shouldn't overwork myself in the future."
After a long night and a busy morning, Haru put his hand on his room's doorknob and let out a long yawn.
But almost immediately, something felt… off.
Why wasn't the door locked? Did he… forget to lock it?
Haru was pretty sure he remembered locking it.
It wasn't like there was anything too scandalous inside— even Iono and Sabrina had temporarily been relocated elsewhere—just some clothes and odds and ends that weren't worth much.
But since the "battlefield" hadn't been completely cleaned up yet, he had made a point of double-checking the lock before leaving, just to make sure no one accidentally saw anything they weren't supposed to.
So why, when he opened the door now, was it unlocked?
Could it be a thief?
But no, that didn't make sense—this was the Pokémon world. Burglars weren't exactly common, and who would come all the way out to this backwater to steal from him…?
Don't they have anything better to do?
If not a thief, then who unlocked the door?
Frowning, Haru shoved the door open.
The scene inside, however, was nothing like what he'd imagined.
He had expected to find his room in complete disarray, valuables gone.
Instead… nothing was missing. Everything was exactly the way he'd left it.
Actually—no. There was more than before.
Standing there frozen, holding one of his used "fish bags," was none other than his nominal student, Miss Liko. She hadn't even fully processed the situation yet.
"…?"
The crime-drama scenario Haru had been spinning in his head instantly short-circuited.
Wh–what exactly… was happening here?
Why would Liko pick the lock to his room? Why come here now? And why was she holding that bag?
For a moment, Haru honestly wondered if he'd stumbled into another world line by accident.
He was just… completely dumbfounded.
If it were Lusamine standing here, he'd get it. Lusamine was the type who might do something like this—heck, she might even brazenly put that "balloon" in her mouth right in front of him.
But Liko doing something like this? Haru would sooner believe the urban legend about a Typhlosion assaulting a human.
The two of them stared at each other for several long seconds before Liko's face flushed a deep red—like Iono's when that happened to her.
"I–I–I'm sorry, Professor Haru! I didn't mean to!"
She panicked. Totally panicked.
She'd never expected to be caught red-handed like this.
Flustered, she waved her hands and tried to explain, but halfway through she realized she was still holding the "balloon."
It was like noticing a bug on your face while getting dressed—she shrieked internally and hurled the horrifying thing away.
Her strength in that moment was almost superhuman, her earlier frailty forgotten.
But… the "balloon" wasn't an actual Bug-type Pokémon. It didn't get knocked out that easily.
Quite the opposite—because she threw it toward a wall only a short distance away, and the "opening" wasn't sealed, the impact splattered its contents.
Warm liquid sprayed across her pale arm and cheek, marking her with Haru's "colors."
This was far worse than just holding it. She had already been mortified—now it was on her.
Just as she was about to scream, Haru quickly stepped forward and clapped a hand over her mouth.
"Hold it, Liko. You don't want everyone to know what you were doing in my room, right?"
"If you don't want that, then don't make a sound."
She had wanted to resist being pinned to the wall, but after hearing that, she obediently shut her mouth.
It wasn't that she wasn't embarrassed—she really didn't want a public social death.
Embarrassing herself in front of Haru was one thing—after all, she knew some of his secrets—but in front of her classmates?
If that happened, she might as well just drop dead.
Thankfully, he'd stopped her before she could humiliate herself further.
But… now that she was this close to him, that masculine scent of his made her eyes go hazy… even her breathing quickened.
She knew something was wrong with her, but she… couldn't quite fight it.
"Liko? What's wrong with you?"
Sensing her strange behavior, Haru let go of the girl whose actions he couldn't quite make sense of.
"…Ah—no, it's nothing."
Snapping out of it, Liko quickly stepped back.
Something wasn't right—why was she acting this weird? Was she… actually a dirty-minded girl?
And had she been… charmed by Haru without realizing it?
No way! That couldn't be!
But thinking back to what she'd done last night, she had to admit… maybe it was true.
From any angle, she didn't exactly look like a "good" girl right now.
If not for the last shreds of her restraint and shame, she might have already turned into a "butterfly of the night."
Miserably, she looked down at her hand still smeared with that suspicious liquid, then back at Haru.
"Professor Haru… if I really became… that kind of bad girl… would you still pay attention to me?"
"…?"
"Liko, you're acting really strange today. What on earth happened to you?"
Haru grabbed a box of tissues from the table and started helping her wipe the stuff off, his tone carrying a bit of genuine concern.
At first, he'd wondered if she'd been influenced by Iono or someone else, but thinking it through, it seemed more like some kind of accident.
After all, what were the chances of meeting that many perverts in one lifetime? Liko didn't look like one of those people at all.
By "bad," she probably just meant sneaking into someone else's room without permission, right?
Which, granted, was pretty bad.
"Um… actually, I came to find you, Teacher."
"But when I knocked and saw the door wasn't closed, I just… walked in. I'm sorry."
"I really didn't mean it—please don't misunderstand."
Seeing that he wasn't scolding her, Liko sniffled and tried to explain.
Even so, her mind kept wandering back to those messy, indecent scenarios—dirtier than anything a true pervert could dream up.
"My door wasn't locked? Wait—you didn't open it?"
Haru froze.
"No! It really wasn't me, please believe me, Sensei!"
Half-bending toward him, she stared up at him with wide, watery eyes, as if terrified he'd get the wrong idea.
Haru, half-believing her, nodded. "I see. Alright, I understand."
"But then—why were you holding that… thing?"
He honestly doubted she knew exactly what she was holding.
After all, the "balloon" contained his genetic material. If she knew, why on earth would she pick it up?
"This… I just…"
"Curious?" he offered.
"Yes! Just curious! I've never seen anything like it before."
Liko nodded furiously, clinging to the lifeline he'd given her.
Did she know what it was? Of course she did!
Even if she'd never seen one in person, she'd certainly heard of it—and she knew exactly what was inside, too.
But there was no way she could admit that right now, or her image in his eyes would be… irredeemable.
Even she didn't understand why she'd been compelled to pick up such a filthy thing—why she'd even wanted to lick it.
Maybe she really was "sick."
"Alright. Next time, don't touch things like that. They're dirty."
"I… I understand, Professor Haru."
He nodded slightly. "Good. Now, is there anything else? If not, get ready—we'll be leaving soo—"
"Um… Professor Haru, can I stay by your side?"
"I keep feeling like… something here is calling out to me."
And in her mind, she naturally filled in the part she didn't say aloud: And maybe I can find a chance to have my way with you…
But she quickly scolded herself for even thinking it.
No—that wasn't it! She was a proper girl, not some pervert!
Get a grip, Liko. Don't let Lillie or that woman who resembles her drag you down their path!
Remember—you are not a dirty girl!
It took all her willpower to push those thoughts back down.
But… if she succeeded this time, would it be so easy the next?
Even Liko herself wasn't sure.
The "pure-hearted" Haru, meanwhile, had no idea that this weak, pitiful, helpless-looking girl in front of him was already eyeing his body. He was still seriously pondering her words.
"Something's calling to you? Interesting…"
"You can stay. But the northern villages might get dangerous soon—so you'll have to stick close to me at all times."
Almost before he'd finished speaking, she answered loudly:
"No problem, Teacher! I'll definitely… stay with you."
"…?"
***************************
Read advanced chapters ahead of everyone else on my P@treon.
P@treon/GodDragcell