I Got a Fake Job at the Academy

Chapter 835 - Side Story 108: Familiar Yet Unfamiliar (2)

Rudsela doubted her own eyes. At least based on her experience so far, Pantos' female form should have been a large, sturdy beastman female warrior.

Since Iona was like that too, it wasn't strange for Rudsela to have such a fixed notion. Of course, considering Pantos' physique, becoming female wouldn't result in a similar build. A moderately slender and tall woman would have been appropriate.

'But I never expected her to be this small.'

If Pantos brought to mind a polar bear, Pantalena evoked a hamster. The difference in their builds was that significant.

Could that fierce appearance become this doll-like and cute just by becoming a woman? However, Rudsela never looked down on or dismissed Pantalena.

'She's small in size, but the power she possesses is the same.'

Pantos had tremendous destructive power befitting his giant physique. His muscles seemed to breathe with life, and the air filled with tension with just a little exertion.

Pantalena was the same. The moment one looked into her eyes, one could read the beastliness contained within. It was fascinating how such destructive power was completely contained in this small frame.

"Teacher!"

Following behind Pantalena was the automaton girl, Arpe. Her appearance was almost the same with only her hair length and style changed, so it wasn't difficult to recognize her.

And the last one to enter was Bellaruna, or in this era, Belluda Petana.

"Hehehe. I-it's been a while."

With gloomy orange hair covering even his bangs and large round glasses with thick lenses. The oversized white gown that didn't fit his body was still the same, and his characteristic atmosphere felt even gloomier, perhaps because he had become a man.

'Mm. This one gives a really dangerous impression if not a woman.'

Rudsela had already been disgusted when she was a woman, but seeing Belluda as a man gave her an indescribable feeling. Belluda of this era probably hadn't met Chris Benimore yet.

She seriously wondered if she should introduce them early even now. Although the transformation was so surprising, she at least had some rational aspects after falling in love.

'More than that, Chris Benimore in this place, or should I call her Chrisa? She seemed like a completely stern-looking person.'

Should I say she had a typical image of a dormitory supervisor? She had tied her hair back to show her forehead and wore rimless glasses, giving an impression where sternness naturally emanated. She suddenly became curious whether the two would get along well in this world as they did in the previous world if they met.

'More than that, it's been a while since all of the Owens gathered like this.'

In the original world, everyone was living their own lives, so there was no opportunity to gather in one place.

Meeting everyone like this brought new emotions. Of course, the changed appearances also played a part in creating such feelings.

Rudsela chuckled and took out a bottle of liquor from the display stand and poured it into an empty glass.

"Huh? No, sister, why are you trying to drink?"

Joanna asked. Usually, Rudsela never tried to drink unless it was a specific occasion. Especially at an important time like now when she was expanding her foothold in Leathervelk.

At those words, Rudsela chuckled. She thought that indeed, even herself in this world had lived quite harshly.

'Not that it's a bad thing. It's because I lived doing my best that I was able to come this far.'

Not being distracted by other things and running forward looking only ahead. It's undeniably the fastest way to reach one's goal.

'But people aren't perfect. Right now they show steel-like patience and tireless vitality, but someday they inevitably get tired.'

In fact, Rudger had almost been broken several times. The reason he could endure was because he wasn't alone.

And when everything was over, he finally regained peace of mind. There was another fact that Rudger realized.

"Sometimes taking a rest like this is also necessary to take the next step forward."

In the past, stopping or resting was considered a sin. Every minute and second was precious. Times were that desperate and every moment was special. That's why he wielded the whip more and spurred on.

'That's what shouldn't have been done.'

Sometimes stopping was more important than moving forward. Rudger realized this fact too late.

'At least I hope you won't do that.'

Those words were also directed at his past self of a different gender, Rudsela.

"Ahaha! What's this! If you're drinking, that's great for me!"

Alexandra's eyes lit up when Rudsela said she would drink of her own accord. For people of this era, most of their entertainment was drinking and dancing, and that was one of Alexandra's favorite things.

She had been stressed out living in a restricted environment lately, so it seemed like an opportunity now that Rudsela was pouring drinks on her own.

"Ah, no, even so, this is..." 

"Joanna. You come have a drink too. If you keep only working, you'll actually break down." 

"......Well, I never. Do you think you have the right to say that, sister?"

Joanna sat down with a chuckle despite being dumbfounded.

"Ah, fine! Let's just drink! Who's going to die from resting for one day!" 

"I want to drink too!"

The remaining members, swept up in the atmosphere, also joined the drinking session. Only Arpe, being too young, couldn't drink.

The drinking session that began with the Owens comrades deepened along with the night.

Familiar yet unfamiliar. But unfamiliar yet familiar scenery.

"Can you really go in alone?"

Half-drunk Joanna asked with a worried expression. Rudsela chuckled and said.

"If I put my mind to it, I can drive away the alcohol anytime. So don't worry. I'm not weak enough to be worried about wherever I go in the first place." 

"No, I know you're strong. But still, you never know what might happen in life." 

"That's enough, so you go in and rest too. If you're going to work again tomorrow, you need to sleep well even now. I'll be going now."

After sending Joanna back, Rudsela walked the night streets of Leathervelk. Unlike the previous world, the streets of Leathervelk, which hadn't developed yet, didn't have as much vitality as in her memory.

The faintly spreading night fog and crimson gas lamps colored the surroundings like a watercolor painting. As she walked there quietly, she felt several gazes from the alleys.

'Hmm. As expected, since it's an area before development, the public order isn't that good.'

Still, while establishing their position, they had cleaned up all the dangerous gangs, but they couldn't do anything about vagrants.

No matter how developed a city becomes, society's vulnerable class and those who commit crimes never disappear.

'Well, I've enjoyed the alcohol enough at this level. It's time to come to my senses.'

She felt the watchers coming out from the alley. They were three filthy vagrants who hadn't washed properly.

They bared their yellowed teeth and looked at Rudsela lecherously. It was a gaze Rudsela was completely unfamiliar with.

'Ah. I never received such gazes when I was a man, so it's natural. Somehow, it feels strangely unpleasant.'

Receiving such gazes from men wasn't a very good feeling. If she had to define it, it was unpleasant. Very much so.

Just seeing those bastards trying to extend their claws toward a young lady passing by the street, she didn't feel like letting them off.

'Should I cut off their wrists moderately?'

While Rudsela was pondering that, the vagrants had already approached very close. It was the moment when those hands stained with black grime were about to touch Rudsela.

Swoooosh.

The sound of water flowing came from somewhere. At first it was about the level of turning on a moderate faucet, then gradually the sound grew louder and became like a torrent flowing.

"Wh-what's this!" 

"Blurgh! Blurgh!"

Suddenly, a large torrent of water flowing from mid-air swallowed the vagrants. Not satisfied with that, it wrapped around them like a cocoon and then rotated at a fierce speed.

The three vagrants were trapped in a large sphere of water and spun around like laundry in a drum washing machine.

Splash! Swoooosh!

After the sphere stopped, it fell to the ground.

The vagrants trapped inside collapsed spread-eagled on the ground, vomiting water and groveling.

"Well now. Even if you're a teacher at Theon, it's dangerous for a woman to wander around alone on such a night street."

Like drawing back a curtain, a curtain of water was lifted from mid-air and a male walked out from inside. A brown coat that fit his body size perfectly, a cape on his shoulders, and a detective hat worn on his head.

What stood out most was the hair color resembling a clear sky. The man with wavy hair grown out looked at Rudsela with a mischievous smile.

"Or did I interrupt too hastily and ruin an important moment before I could see your true self?" 

"Even if you hadn't stepped in, I was going to handle it on my own."

Rudsela said with a playful smile toward Cain Selmore.

"More than that, what brings our detective here? It seems too much of a coincidence to be just passing by."

Rather than Rudsela, it was Cain Selmore who was flustered by that playful smile.

"What's with you? Did you drink by any chance?" 

"Ah, do I look like it? I did drink though." 

"That figures. Otherwise there's no way you'd smile at me like this."

Rudsela wondered why Cain showed such a reaction. Then belatedly, she recalled that the usual Rudsela treated Cain curtly.

'That can't be helped. The current Cain thinks of me as the infamous godmother of the criminal world and is persistently chasing me.'

The current Cain only had circumstantial evidence but no physical evidence, so he kept sticking by her side and picking fights at every turn. For Rudsela, it must have been quite annoying to have a bothersome fly constantly clinging to her.

Well, that's just from Rudsela's perspective. From the position of having Rudger's memories and experiences, it's just an old story that's already passed. Since she thought "that's how it was then," she was actually even glad to see Cain like this.

"Why? Can't I drink?"

So Rudsela's appearance smiling and speaking like this, Cain couldn't get used to it. He was worried enough to ask back.

"Did something difficult happen by any chance? To even drink like this." 

"No. Nothing in particular." 

"But you're acting like this? No, you weren't this kind of personality normally." 

"What kind of personality was I?" 

"That's, cold and always curt. Never smiling, a brat?" 

"You sure say pretty words."

But it was also a fitting description for the current Rudsela. People looked favorably at her because she was pretty and capable, but just looking at her behavior, she was quite a brat.

When Rudsela smiled playfully, Cain's expression became like he had seen something he shouldn't have.

"Why? Is it strange?" 

"Uh, uhh? Rather than strange, it's just well......" 

"Then should I not smile?"

When Rudsela returned to her usual cold, expressionless face, Cain said in bewilderment.

"N-no. When did I say it was strange? It looks good when you smile! Wait, what am I saying right now? Have I gone crazy too?"

At Cain's appearance of beating his own drum and gong, Rudsela relaxed her expressionless face and let out a chuckle.

"I just, I've always lived busily so I gave myself a little gift. There should be days like this when I drink and relieve stress. Right?" 

"......Yeah. That's true."

Cain said in a lukewarm voice. For him right now, the current situation must be quite incomprehensible. The situation itself where Rudsela, with whom his relationship isn't bad but not good either, is smiling at him would be strange.

Even if gender changes, intuition as a detective doesn't disappear. Cain Selmore now realized that Rudsela was truly enjoying herself and didn't dislike him.

"So, what's your reason for seeking me out? Really to save me from the vagrants?" 

"As if. I rather saved those guys who were about to touch you rashly. That's part of it, but I just came because I saw you." 

"Not that you secretly followed me?" 

"What do you mean!"

Cain reacted with a start. He said he didn't, but Rudsela knew that not long after she started walking the streets, Cain had secretly followed her.

Cain fumbled around trying hard to deny it. His face was strangely reddened. Rudsela found that appearance so ridiculous that she burst out laughing without realizing it.

"Ahaha! Why are you so flustered? So funny." 

"......!"

Cain, seeing Rudsela's smile for the first time, froze in place. His face staring intently at Rudsela was more flushed than before.