Jill slammed her fist into the wall, silencing all of the noisy students.  The entire cellar trembled through the wall.  Noin, who had just finished explaining the circumstance of Lutiya’s disappearance, froze in place, holding the same position from when he was getting his injuries bandaged.

“……Ahh, in other words, the fact that we are alive and our operation to take control have all been exposed.”

Roger truly was an adult.  Noin responded immediately.

“Yes, honestly, being attacked at any moment wouldn’t be strange.”
“For now, we’d better prepare to escape.  The operation will have to be postponed too.  Is that alright, Jill-sensei?”
“—No.”

Jill lowered the fist she had struck the wall with and looked around.

“The opposite.  We should attack.  Time-wise, there’s no guarantee the enemy will be able to respond in time.  On the other hand, we’re already fully prepared.  That’s why, we should strike before we are struck.  Of course, we’ll change the objective and route.”
“Well, that’s one way to think about it… but there’s the question of how Lutiya will act.”
“That is my failure.  If I had done more… if I had done things properly… I didn’t notice anything.”

Those around Jill were at a loss upon seeing her acting down.

This won’t do. I have to stay firm.  Jill raised her head as she told herself that.  At moments like these, it’s time to resupply.

“—Rho, call His Majesty.  This is a state of emergency.”
“Gyu—”

Standing along the wall next to Sauté, Rho let out a displeased chirp and tried to hide inside his bag.  Jill firmly grabbed his rear and plopped him down onto a desk.

“This is a state of emergency!  Just call him already!  You can do it!”
“U……ukyuu kyu kyuu……”
“Ji-Jill-sensei, maybe you shouldn’t force him?  Rho-kun looks troubled—”
“If you don’t do it, I’ll cry!”

Rho, and everyone around Jill, froze at her childlike threat.  She ignored all of them and appealed to Rho.

“Are you fine with that?  Leaving me crying?  And you still call yourself my husband!? Come! Come right this instant! Teleport here!  I’m feeling really down!  Hey, are you even listening to me you stupid husband—”
“I’ll say this now, but I am the Dragon Emperor.  Being summoned so simply and casually undermines my authority.”

Jill stiffened, startled by the voice that came from behind her.  She hadn’t expected him to come so quickly.  She turned around and found Hades standing there with an annoyed expression.

“Even though you never call me once claiming it was because of the training camp.  So, what?  Is this one of those requests to go save a student, or something, Jill-sensei?”

Jill choked up at his words.  As she clenched her fists, he continued indifferently.

“I already have Rave out searching for that boy.  I’ll listen to what he has to say too, if necessary, but that’s it.”
“‘That’s it,’ Hades?  Lutiya is technically your younger brother…”

Hades gave Roger a sharp glare.

“So what if we’re brothers?  That is irrelevant.  If he’s going to drag me down, then all the more reason.”
“I understand, all I just want is some time.  I do not want Your Majesty to get involved.  This was my mistake, I will take responsibility myself.”

Jill clenched her fist and shouted.

“I will properly educate Lutiya!  As his teacher, with this fist!”
“Wait, no, Jill-sensei. That’s corporal punishment……”

“Also, Your Majesty!  I’ll hug you tightly, so please hug me tightly.”

Like a wave breaking, those around them receded.  She realized her words were out of place, but Hades also being taken aback was just rude.  Why did he think she called him there for?  He didn’t really think it was just to discuss Lutiya, did he?  She even said she was feeling down.

Yet, when she held both arms out wide to him, he knelt down and reached out for her.  Thus, she stood on the tips of her toes and hugged him.  From both his neck and silky black hair came the usual pleasant fragrance.

“……Isn’t taking advantage of me at a time like this unfair?”
“It’s not unfair, it’s resupplying.  Your Majesty in truth should also be feeling tired.  Are you hiding it again?”
“It’s not that I am hiding it.  Just… things will get troublesome if the dragons go even more out of control.  Dragons are the divine messengers of the Dragon God.  They are creatures more strongly influenced by the order of the world than humans… This can still be resolved as a temporary issue, but for dragons under my control to be forced to turn against me could potentially violate the laws of the world.”

Jill’s eyes widened.  Then, she discreetly moved her mouth.

“……What did Rave-sama say?”
“He says everything is fine.  Any actions we take would be for correcting order.  However…”

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