Midgard"s underground facilities were severely damaged during NIFL"s invasion and had yet to be fully restored.

Hence, due to repairs in progress for the underground training sites, the practical lessons for periods five and six were suspended for now.

Thus, cla.s.ses ended before noon on the first day school resumed—However, the end of the day brought a problem with it.

"I never expected this..."

After school in the cla.s.sroom, Mitsuki sighed deeply.

"I was planning to have lunch at the cafeteria before going back, but looks like that"s out of the question."

Sitting at her desk, Iris commented while rubbing her stomach.

"Well, we"ll just have to eat at Mitsuki"s dorm today. Showing Shion the cafeteria will have to wait until next time."

I agreed and looked at Shion sitting behind me, looking very bored.

"cAfeTEriA, quIcK."

"Sorry, Zwei, it"s all my fault..."

Hearing Shion, Jeanne apologized with apparent guilt.

"Yes. It"s all your fault, Jeanne-chan, so find a solution."

Kili spoke in exasperation but Ariella and Ren defended Jeanne.

"—It can"t be helped. Mitsuki already threatened them with the submission of so many repentance essays and it still turned out like this."

"Mm... The crowds grow every time break comes around. At this rate, maintaining order inside the school will be very hard."

Seeing the two of them so weary, I thought back to today"s commotions.

It had happened after the first period ended. A whole crowd of Jeanne"s fans rushed over.

Back then, they were only shouting "Jeanne-sama!" from the window, but when second period ended, the crowd had grown further, making it difficult even to go to the washroom.

Seeing this, Mitsuki reminded the girls that making noise in the school building would be detrimental to studies, hence the girls were driven away—However, things were still not resolved.

With the sound of the door opening, Lisa, Firill and Tia entered the cla.s.sroom.

"—The situation outside turns out to be the same as predicted."

"Almost the entire student body has gathered together. Unable to cause trouble inside the school building, they are probably going to do it outside."

"There will surely be a big commotion as soon as you go out!"

Hearing our reports, Jeanne slumped her shoulders.

"Why did this happen...? Don"t they believe I"m a girl?"

Jeanne murmured in puzzlement and Lisa looked at her with sympathy.

"No, I believe they should know that you are a girl—"

"...What do you mean?"

Jeanne asked Lisa with a frown. Curious about Lisa"s viewpoint, I also paid attention and listened.

"This students at this school have reached an age when curiosity about romance has started to develop. In other words, they cannot resist the temptations of adolescence. However, here at Midgard where almost everyone is female, there are limited targets for their fantasies."

Saying that, Lisa looked at me.

"In other words, I"m not good enough?"

When I sighed, Lisa shrugged lightly.

"On the contrary, Monon.o.be Yuu. Well—it would be better to say that they have difficulty wrapping their minds around "the correct usage of Monon.o.be Yuu.""

"...What are you talking about?"

Completely unable to understand what she was saying, I tilted my had. Lisa raised an index finger and began to explain like a teacher.

"I am referring to the fact that your conquest is too challenging. This is objective fact—You are the sole male in the school and with such high achievements under your belt too. Y-You, umm, you look rather attractive as well. There is even a fan club for you in school."

"R-Really...?"

Having lost a bit of confidence as a human being due to seeing Jeanne"s popularity, I relaxed my expression after finding out I was validated.

"Yes... Which is why they are at a loss regarding what to do, right? Getting too involved with you could mean a dramatic change to the rest of their lives. For example—like us as we are right now."

"Hmm... I get that. I"ll be careful."

I hastily nodded with solemnity when reminded by Lisa, who smiled faintly in response.

"In that case—Excellent. Well, the girls also understand that half-baked resolve is not enough to build a relationship with you. Although the fact that you selected us has not been disclosed, there is still the great risk of losing their powers from pregnancy. Besides, Mitsuki-san, and... th-the rest of us too, have been keeping a close watch over you. Approaching you is physically difficult."

Lisa spoke with a blush. Next, Firill leaned towards me and whispered.

"...Lisa is very well respected and something like the master of the girls dorm. I think the girls running amok has got something to do with Lisa moving out."

"Hold it, Firill-san! Please do not apply a description like "master" to me!"

After hearing Firill"s comment, Lisa went red and complained.

"Ahem—Anyway, the difficulty level in Jeanne-san"s conquest is not as high. Although she looks like a handsome youth, since she is not the opposite s.e.x, there is no punishment for violating the rule against inappropriate interactions between genders. Even very intimate relations... w-will not have any risk of pregnancy."

Was she picturing something? Lisa averted eye contact in embarra.s.sment.

Hearing this, Ariella chimed in.

"Although Mitsuki and Lisa are very popular among the girls, a cross-dressing beauty is special, after all. Supply and demand has never matched up this well."

"I-I am not some kind of cross-dressing beauty... Honestly, I just feel more at ease in male clothing—"

Shaken, Jeanne explained herself. Kili casually began to tease her.

"In that case, why don"t you just wear a girl"s uniform? I"m sure you"ll look very cute in a skirt, Jeanne-chan."

Saying that, Kili picked up the hem of her skirt. Jeanne went red and shook her head.

"I-I can"t accept that kind of disgraceful attire!"

"...You do realize your comment is an insult to every girl in the school?"

Kili"s surprised question prompted Jeanne to frantically apologize to Lisa and the others.

"Oh... I-I am very sorry—I just mean when I"m the one wearing it... I don"t think it suits me..."

Her voice grew softer and softer and she lowered her head.

"I think you"re mistaken..."

"Eh!? C-Captain—Please don"t make fun of me!"

I was simply offering my honest opinion but Jeanne went red to her ears and shouted at me.

Silently listening to our conversation, Mitsuki looked at Jeanne as though making a decision.

"—No other way. To prevent Jeanne-san from being followed, please exit from the back door. It is an entrance meant for accessing the staff dorms, but if you take a long detour along the coast, you will be able to return to my dorm."

"Ehhh!? I can"t go home with the Captain?"

Jeanne asked Mitsuki with an expression of shock.

"—No. If you were to be discovered, Jeanne-san, it could cause chaos. In that case, Nii-san and me aside, that would be quite dangerous for Shion-san who is still young, would it not?"

"Hmm... T-True. I understand. Let"s do that."

Jeanne nodded with difficulty once Shion was brought up.

"Mama... wE haVe to seParAte?"

Shion clutched Jeanne"s clothing with unease.

"...Yes. But Captain—Papa—will accompany you. Captain, I am leaving Zwei in your hands."

"Yeah, no problem. Shion—go home with P-Papa, okay?"

Still slightly reluctant to call myself "Papa," I nodded stiffly and extended my hand to Shion.

After hesitating between me and Jeanne for a while, Shion held my hand.

"...Papa. tOgethEr."

Her tiny hand gripped stronger than I expected, causing an emotion I had never felt before to swell up within me.

An intense desire to protect her naturally filled my heart. I suppose this was what you would call paternal instinct.

"Hmm—"

However, Iris was staring at me without saying a word.

"W-What"s wrong?"

"...Nothing."

Iris put on a poker face and others reacted the same way except for Kili who leaned in and smiled mischievously at me.

"Fufu, Iris-chan and the others are jealous. You guys really look like a family."

"Wha—"

"Of course, I"m jealous too, okay? Hurry and make a baby with me."

Her smooth fingertip slid over my cheek, causing my heart rate to quicken.

However, Mitsuki stepped in between us and drove Kili away.

"Kili-san! Please distance yourself from Nii-san! We are still students and inappropriate interactions between the genders are forbidden!"

"Eh—Why?"

"There is no why!"

While this battle of words was raging, Shion gripped my hand tightly.

"Yes, what is it?"

"Papa, hOw aRE baBieS maDe?"

"......"

My thoughts froze. I stood there, unable to say anything.

Next to us, Jeanne was also rendered speechless, but as soon as she regained her senses, she directed an angry outburst at Kili.

"Hey! Kili, you are being a bad influence on Zwei!"

"What are you talking about? Can"t you just teach her properly?"

"Shut up!"

Amid the commotion, I heard a tiny rumble.

Following the sound, I saw Vritra, who had not partic.i.p.ated in the dialogue so far, rubbing her stomach.

When our eyes met, Vritra spoke to hide her surprise.

"...I care not about any of this, but could ye all hasten the journey back? I am hungry."