After Starting a Thread as a Reincarnated in an Unknown Otome Game, I Got Caught in a Battlefield of Beauties - Chapter 58: Returning to the Academy, Alto is Avoided

Chapter 58: Returning to the Academy, Alto is Avoided

“—… Why? Why is this happening to me?”

“I think it’s your own fault.”

“No way!? I didn’t do anything… If anything, I did my best in everything!”

“If you really believe that, you’re going to distance yourself from everyone even more.”

When I looked up at the sky like it was the end of the world, Leticia, standing next to me, sighed in exasperation. 

The reason I was in this situation…

—I was being avoided.

Everyone was avoiding me to an extreme degree. 

When I walked, the boys who had been chatting happily and even the boys who were being bossed around by a girl like slaves… Wait a minute, stop.

What kind of public school hallway allows for such intense SM play?

Are they out of their minds?

Well, I got a bit off track… but anyway, even those seemingly insane students—the moment they saw me, they paled and ran away as if fleeing for their lives.

“Is he that…”

Hey, what do you mean by “that”?

At the very least, call me “that guy”.

“Oh… the one who went from being a bomb salesman to a regular in student guidance, a destroyer of student council, an attacker of the royal palace, and recently upgraded to a one-man army who single-handedly wiped out the Empire that the kingdom was struggling to fight.”

Huh, I had such nicknames?

I knew about the bomb salesman… but did I get that many more afterwards?

And isn’t the last one way too violent, guys?

“Uwaa… he’s definitely someone you shouldn’t get involved with…”

I don’t want to agree, but hearing that, I have to.

Even I wouldn’t want to get involved.

“Of course! And listen, don’t even look him in the eye! They say he has bombs as powerful as high-level magic that can turn you to ashes! Not even your bones would be left!”

I wouldn’t do that.

“Hiii!!”

Don’t get scared by such cheap threats.

Saying that, the two boys gossiping about me ran off somewhere.

As I watched them with dead eyes, Leticia looked at me with pity and gently patted my back, kinder than ever before.

“Alto… no matter what happens, I’ll always be on your side…”

“I-I’m not really down or anything. In fact, it’s kind of a relief not to deal with all the unnecessary jealousy like before.”

So please don’t comfort me with such a motherly expression.

It makes me feel like crying.

“…It’s okay to cry right now, you know?”

Leticia spread her arms and tilted her head slightly.

As if to say, “Come here.”

“…”

To be honest, I can’t say I don’t want to dive into her chest right now.

If we were alone, I’d happily jump in and cry into her ample bosom with joy.

But, this is school.

And just a moment ago, I told those guys not to do SM play in public… so I can’t exactly indulge in some baby play myself.

“…If I cry, won’t there be even more bad rumors?”

“…Or maybe they might find it surprisingly cute…?”

“I’ll pass.”

Yeah, the downsides are too big. 

Instead of everyone thinking, “How cute,” they’ll be saying, “Did you hear? He was crying in a girl’s chest in public. So gross (LOL).”

I’m not really pretty like Leticia.

“Sigh… well, I’ll just have to endure and keep going.”

“If it gets really tough, you can tell me, okay?”

…She really is kind after all…

I thought as I looked at Leticia, who gave me a gentle smile.

“—No way. Hell. I’m the only one in the classroom.”

Lunch break.

As soon as class ended, everyone, including the teacher, left the classroom at once, leaving me alone. I looked around and muttered to myself.

By the way, in my class, I was given the strange nickname “Bomb Maniac.”

My fragile mental state was as shattered as actual tofu.

Completely beyond repair.

I rested my forehead on the desk and muttered almost unconsciously.

“…Maybe I should stop coming to school…”

“I came to pick you up, Al…to…”

Leticia’s voice trailed off as she entered the empty classroom and saw me slumped lifelessly over my desk. 

Her face gradually turned to one of shock as she looked around the room, puzzled.

“…Where are the others?”

“They all ran away. At a speed like they were doing a cafeteria speedrun.”

By now, the cafeteria is probably packed with students running as if their lives depended on it. 

Poor students from other classes who don’t know anything… though I feel even more sorry for myself.

“…I want to go home. And never come back.”

“You’re seriously in bad shape…”

Leticia gently patted my back. 

Her nurturing touch really warmed my heart.

As I was feeling slightly moved, Hecate suddenly appeared with a pop. 

She leaned in close to my ear, wearing a somewhat annoying grin.

“Should I pat you too?”

“Please.”

“See? I knew you didn’t want only me to do it—wait, what?”

Hecate’s eyes widened in shock as she stared at me. 

I tilted my head, not understanding why she was so surprised.

“…Why are you so surprised?”

“No way… it’s impossible for you, my Contractor, to not insult me and refuse!”

Hey, what kind of jerk do you think I am?

“Do you want to be insulted? Are you some kind of extreme masochist?”

“No, no, it’s not like that… but, it must have really hit you hard. There, there… you did well today.”

Hecate, usually with her annoying grin, now had a motherly smile as she patted my head.

…If she was like this every day, I wouldn’t have to yell at her.

Thinking how it was a hopeless wish against this troublesome spirit, I let the two of them comfort me until ten minutes before class started.

From that day on, I was again depressed when I got a new, nonsensical nickname: “Mama’s Boy.” (Mother-con)

But that’s a story for another time.

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