The Babysitter Wants to Stop Dying

15: The End of the Tutorial (5)

'U-uncomfortable. I'd rather faint!'

Darkness had already fallen upon the sea, yet Mago and Renie were still performing guard duty outside. Which meant there were only three of us in the cabin: me, Lottie, and Camila. And to top it off, Lottie was sleeping very comfortably.

A full twelve hours since we left the island.

Twelve hours of being alone with Camila.

Twelve hours of my patience drying up and shriveling.

I felt like I was trapped in the Room of Spirit and Time.

'I think I know what hyperventilation is.'

Moreover, the Professor was just scanning through documents like a machine. She's been in that state since boarding, as if she doesn't get tired.

Are geniuses different? Is working so enjoyable that she could go crazy?

Scary. She might really be a devil worshipper.

'I'm craving a night shift.'

To think I'd rather be outside in the night wind. As expected of Camila, she's no ordinary person.

As I was getting lost in idle thoughts in the uncomfortable air, Cobe suddenly came to mind.

Camila hadn't said much to me since we departed. If she knew, she would never have just let it slide, what I had done. Which means,

'Cobe completely believed my words.'

The events before Camila came flickered in my mind.

'Arsen!'

After the Gate closed and I was blankly catching my breath, Cobe approached me. Covered in green fluid, he was huffing and puffing with only his face wiped.

'The terror attack, the dead people, and even Sir Masimo came, so I was out of my mind, but you! What on earth did you do? Were you an electric type too? Or, don't tell me you copied my ability?'

Cobe, pouring out questions with a completely confused face.

Here it comes.

But I already had a countermeasure in mind.

'Mr. Cobe.'

I called his name with a calm and indifferent face.

'I'm listening. Hurry up and tell me. What is it!'

'What are you talking about, Mr. Cobe? How could I use your ability?'

'Huh? Arsen, do I look like an idiot to you? You definitely shot electricity just like me, wh-what are you doing?'

'Did you perhaps hit your head? It doesn't seem so.'

Cobe, who was rampaging with a flushed face, flinched and trembled when I placed my hand on his head with a worried expression. He backed away with a wary look and his eyes rolled around.

'What are you talking about? More importantly, don't touch me!'

'It's true that I held your hand because I was scared, but to say I shot electricity.... Rather, I got electrocuted by you and became like this, didn't I?'

As I held up my blackened arms, Cobe's eyes wavered. But he still didn't seem to believe me.

In that case.

'Besides, don't you know how rare multiple ability holders are? I'm an immortal. My rank is C!'

'Uh, huh? That's right?'

When the other person speaks with a calm and serious face, even the truth begins to waver. Add a reasonable basis to that, and you can't help but stumble.

Did I remember wrong? No? Was it really like that? That's not right. As this process repeats, you start to not believe your own memory. If the situation at that time was chaotic, the effect would be doubled.

Of course, this doesn't work well on smart people.

'Then... I'm the one who took care of the Administrator?'

'Of course.'

Cobe's face brightened. I smiled faintly and nodded.

'I'm glad he's stupid. Really glad.'

I had no intention of revealing my ability right now. It was random, so I didn't even know how it was activated, and it was unstable, so drawing unnecessary attention was a problem.

Finding the protagonist was the most important thing, so it would be really troublesome if I got attention, or, though it's unlikely, if I became a Ranker.

'Once I find the protagonist, I'll live a safety-first life in the background, so there's no need to stand out.'

Even if the Administrator wakes up and tells the truth, Cobe, who already thinks it's his own achievement, won't stand still. He'll either handle it appropriately, or I'll have to tell the truth then.

For now, I expressed my gratitude for Cobe's intelligence and returned to the situation at hand. A bleak landscape unfolded without fail.

Is there really no way to resolve this uncomfortable atmosphere?

"Excuse me, Professor."

"What is it."

"Shouldn't the people outside get some rest too? It seems they haven't rested for a moment since we departed. How about I take over for a while?"

"There's no need to worry about those two. Just focus on your rest, Mr. Neroro."

"Ah. That... is right, isn't it?"

I mustered up the courage to speak, but all that came back was the corner of her eye flicking up and down. Is she really going to check that mountain of documents piled up there?

Come to think of it, what are those all about. She told me to, so I loaded them all without distinguishing between the scorched and burnt ones.

'I want to go out.'

I thought about going to the bathroom one more time, but I remembered I had gone thirty minutes ago and planted my butt back down. She might think I'm a bedwetter.

'What can I do besides breathing.'

There was a limit to just sitting there blankly. I wish I could just sleep like Lottie, but I can't just stretch out and sleep in front of the working Professor.

My gaze naturally turned to Camila, who was sitting on the sofa across from me.

Her brilliant purple eyes move busily. Occasionally, she circles something. But mostly, she sets aside the documents she has read with an annoyed expression.

'A devil worshipper. I don't really believe it, but anyway, that's what they say.'

There's no smoke without fire. Is it just a rumor because she's too competent? Or is this also a clue related to the destruction?

As I was uncharacteristically racking my brain, my head throbbed. Then suddenly,

'Oh. But just because she's the protagonist's person doesn't necessarily mean she's a good person, right?'

Take the shonen manga I've been reading since I was a kid, for example. The protagonist's best friend or family member being the final boss is not a one or two-time occurrence.

'Should I be wary as the Center Director said.'

It was when I was groaning while leaning back.

"I can't concentrate when you keep looking at me like that. Is there something you want to say?"

Huk. I'm caught.

"No, Professor. It's just that I don't have anything to do...."

"Come to think of it, you call me Professor. As if you know me well."

Camila, who had taken off her glasses, put down the bundle of papers she was holding. Her burdensome eyes met mine directly. My palms were sweating.

I'm actually not that immune to beautiful women. But these uncomfortable situations, where it's just the two of us, of course Lottie is here, but anyway. These situations keep happening, so to be honest, I'm very mentally exhausted.

After choosing my words for a moment, I finally decided to bring up that story first.

"It's a bit late to say this now, but I've actually seen you a few times."

"We have?"

"I'm a graduate of Remble from this June. Luckily, I was able to attend your class a few times."

"Remble?"

Camila's eyes widened with a surprised expression. Seeing her behavior so far, I had thought she would know all this, but it seems she didn't.

"You probably don't remember. I wasn't a very noticeable student."

"Wait.... I think I've heard of it. Immortality users are not common."

Camila's brow narrowed faintly.

She seemed to be struggling to remember me, but from her expression, it seemed she wasn't having much success.

"Professor, of course you'll take care of everything, but just in case, I'm not going to lose my job or anything, right?"

What pulled Camila out of her thoughts was a question I had been wanting to ask for a while. Camila, who had been closing her eyes intently, shook her head.

"You will continue to work as Lottie's sitter. You can think of it as your affiliation changing."

"Is that so. That's a relief."

One of the things I had been holding in was resolved. Good. I'm definitely not losing my job.

As the conversation was cut off again, I casually picked up a biscuit from the table.

"Mr. Neroro."

Just as I put one in my mouth, the Professor called me. As I mumbled and looked at her, a somewhat strange expression met my gaze.

"I haven't completed the plan yet, so I can't say for sure, but a lot will change in the future. You'll need to be prepared."

Words that are burdensome just to hear.

The biscuit in my mouth got stuck in my throat. I needed water, water.

"Eup, kek! Keub...!"

Camila, with a somewhat pathetic look in her eyes, handed me a glass of water. I chugged it all down as soon as I got it.

"That, that plan is...."

"You'll find out everything later. Ah. Is Lottie speaking well these days? Her language is still slow compared to other children."

My mouth closed at the unexpected question. The appearance of a question that Lottie's guardian could certainly ask.

After hesitating for a moment, I nodded my head.

"Yees.... She's slow. Very slow. I try to talk to her often, but I'm not sure about the effect."

"But it's not a problem, so there's no need to worry too much."

"Ah, yes, yes."

Uh.

The flow of conversation just now was a bit....

Didn't the speaker change?

"Lottie is originally a child who cries easily and is sensitive, but she's really quiet next to you, Mr. Neroro. It's surprisingly so."

"Is that so? I thought Lottie was on the gentle side."

Perhaps because it was a compliment from the child's mother, my shoulders strangely puffed up.

"How was life at the Center. Were there any shortages in facilities or supplies?"

After that, we talked about various things. Camila's questions somehow felt like small talk, but it was better than being in silence.

Since it had come to this, I also asked quite a few things I was curious about Astava, while staying within appropriate boundaries.

"Excuse me, can I ask just one more thing?"

"...What is it?"

Did I talk too much? The conversation had cut off at some point, and Camila's gaze, as she was looking over the pile of papers again, was quite sharp.

But I couldn't help it.

It just came to me now, but this one was really, the most, completely, truly the most important factor.

"May I ask what will happen to my salary? It would be troublesome for me if there are changes due to my circumstances."

"...."

Why isn't she saying anything.

"I have to pay off a debt, and it's quite a large one. It's okay, please tell me comfortably."

"...."

"Professor?"

"...It will be paid without any changes. The same as at present."

It was the first time I had seen Camila flustered.