"Are you perhaps free, Ren-san?"
"Aisha-san. Welcome back."
On holidays, Ren often found herself with little to do.
First, her role in household chores was minimal. While going out for a walk would be nice, she tried to refrain as the number of men directing lustful stares at her had increased. Eating and drinking too much out of boredom wasn't good for her wallet, and although she was gradually increasing her collection of novels and manga, there was a limit.
This meant her time was mainly spent practicing magic or resting up in preparation for dungeon exploration.
The latter sounded good when called "resting," but it was, simply put, napping. It was an image that couldn't be helped but be seen as loafing around, which made her feel a little awkward.
It was even more so when hard workers like Mariabelle or Aisha were nearby.
Aisha, one such hard worker, must have been returning from visiting her students. Dressed in her going-out clothes, she circled outside and met Ren's eyes at the window.
"Welcome back. It must be tough not being able to go out freely."
"Isn't it tough for you, Aisha-san, always looking out for everyone?"
"I'm a teacher. It's my job to help my students."
She smiled as if it were nothing, but Ren's homeroom teacher had never been so attentive.
Of course, that teacher had done his job by introducing Iris and doing other necessary things, and the position of a public school teacher and a private girls' school teacher were quite different. Given that the teacher himself had to make a living in another world, it wasn't fair to generalize.
"However, my work might be coming to an end soon. It seems everyone has gotten used to this world."
"You don't need to visit them as frequently anymore?"
"No."
Aisha's students—the 31st batch of Transferees—had started down their own paths, some diving into the dungeon, others working to earn a living.
They were scattered across different workplaces and had new encounters. Worries about work were the responsibility of their employers, and past Transferees knew more about life in this world than Aisha did.
In fact, Aisha, whose relationship with them dated back before the transfer, might now become an obstacle to their acclimatization if she fussed over them too much.
Although some girls, like those who caused trouble, required monitoring, visiting them once or twice a week should be sufficient. Even "the homeroom teacher" could finally relax a little.
"I have an idea. Shall we talk for a bit?"
"Talk? Of course, but..."
Should we move to the living room?
As Ren nodded, Aisha took off her shoes and leaned her body into the open window. Ren quickly supported her and helped her down into the room.
"Thank you."
"You surprised me. Even you do things like that, Aisha-san."
"Even adults can let loose, you know?"
Indeed, if I were to live another ten years or so, I doubted I would become a calm and responsible adult. I'd probably just be drinking with Furi and talking nonsense, only the subject of our complaints would change.
Even so, Aisha showing me such a natural side of herself...
Perhaps it was because Ren wasn't her student. Since their relationship began after coming here, she didn't need to maintain the image of a "distinguished female teacher" as much.
"I wanted to talk with you alone, Ren-san."
Aisha sat down in the chair Ren offered and smiled.
"Um, is this about Mariabelle?"
"It is, but don't worry, I'm not here to complain."
Ren and Mariabelle's relationship was, to put it bluntly, a friends-with-benefits situation. Ren was one of the people who filled the loneliness Mariabelle felt while separated from Aisha, and Aisha could view Ren as one of the people who seduced her lover.
So, it wouldn't be strange for her to hold a grudge, but,
"You were a source of emotional support for Mariabelle, weren't you? I should be grateful; there's no reason for me to hold a grudge."
"Is that... so?"
"Of course. If anything, I want to thank you. You were the one who brought her out of the brothel."
Aisha said that if Mariabelle had continued to live in the brothel, she might have hesitated to visit her.
"She might have changed completely from the Mariabelle I knew. If I thought that, I couldn't just go casually. I might have procrastinated until things became awkward, or even run away."
"I don't think you would have, though? You wanted to see her so badly."
"I did want to see her. But precisely because she was important, I was sometimes afraid of the reunion."
The last time they saw each other was in high school. After such a long time, it wouldn't have been surprising if they had become completely different people.
However, while both had changed, they hadn't forgotten the past. They still cared for each other and were able to start anew.
"I'm glad you got to meet."
"Yes, truly."
Aisha stood up, took Ren's hand, and held it with both of hers.
"Thank you. For inviting Mariabelle. And for accepting me."
"I didn't do anything major. It was because you two loved each other."
Aisha then said "thank you" once more and looked out the window.
The blue sky.
"In this world, women can marry each other, can't they?"
"In Japan, people aren't so prejudiced anymore, right?"
"That's true, but same-sex marriage isn't recognized in Japan, and the school I was at was quite closed off."
"Don't girls' schools have a lot of that kind of thing?"
"Precisely because they do. They viewed it as a passing phase in school, and that they would marry a man when they became adults. That was the prevailing view there."
The sentiment against same-sex relationships is waning, but the fact that women cannot have children together remains unchanged. Not many people can take the plunge when legal protections haven't caught up, and it's not entirely an environment that is kind to Aisha and others.
However, diversity is accepted here.
This is a place with not just white, black, and Asian people, but also elves, golems, and succubi. Many women also fight in the dungeon. The Sage might get angry and call it "unproductive," but that doesn't mean same-sex marriage is disallowed.
"Are you going to get married?"
When Ren asked, Aisha answered with a touch of embarrassment.
"Eventually, yes. We've talked about how nice it would be."
"Please invite me to the ceremony."
"Of course. ...Though, I can't ask you to be the friend representative, can I?"
"No, probably not."
It would definitely be awkward if someone with wings and a tail stood up as the representative.
Phew.
Aisha sighed and sat down next to Ren. There was about a fist's distance between them, close enough that their shoulders might brush at any moment.
"Have you and Mariabelle... done anything since?"
"O-Of course not. Aisha-san is here!"
"I know. ...Though I told her it was 'okay' to do so."
This was the first Ren had heard of it. She couldn't help but ask, "Are you sure that's okay?"
"With you, Ren-san, yes. I don't want her to start a relationship with someone new, and I would be troubled if she got serious, but I can't outright forbid a relationship that started before our reunion."
"It would be fine if you forbade it, though, wouldn't it?"
It wasn't very persuasive coming from Ren, who was in a kind of polyamorous situation.
Aisha shook her head with a smile.
"I have a little ulterior motive, you see."
"Ulterior motive?"
"If you are involved, Ren-san, we might be able to have a child with her, right?"
"...Ah."
The "Grow on Others Skill" Ren had recently acquired in the heat of the moment came to mind.
While so far she had only used it to tease Furi, it could indeed be used in female-female couples.
Until this very moment, Ren hadn't considered using it with a partner she wasn't romantically involved with.
"Tell me if you need me."
"Thank you. ...I might ask you someday."
"Yes. Oh, but we might want to practice once beforehand. It's a very unique sensation, I think."
It could be said to be something women who like women would want to avoid. Even Furi was initially confused, and time is needed to grasp the sensation.
Aisha looked distant when she heard that, but eventually nodded.
"Then, I might just ask you to practice with me, Ren-san."
"Huh?"
"Just kidding."
The way she said it so easily made Ren realize she truly was an adult.
============
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