The Retired Supporting Character Wants to Live Quietly - Chapter 139

Chapter 139 – The Academy Visit of Lormane (5)

Dragging my exhausted body downstairs after being tormented by Ismera all night, I found Olysia bustling around the kitchen, busy as usual in honor of the esteemed guests.

Ismera, having just finished washing up, was coming in through the back door.

“Good morning, everyone.”

A moment later, Kirrin came down the stairs, her face looking rather haggard.

She must have overdone it with the drinking last night.

Her complexion, usually a rich chocolate brown, now resembled the pale gray of wet cement. It looked like she could use some holy healing at the infirmary.

At my suggestion, Kirrin nodded weakly, agreeing to visit the infirmary after the morning meeting.

In contrast, Ismera’s face was glowing, as if she’d consumed a high-grade healing potion with a high troll-blood content.

After eating the breakfast Olysia had prepared, we all headed out to work together.

As we made our way across campus, staff members we passed greeted us and stepped aside respectfully.

“Good morning, everyone.”

For some reason, Ismera, in an unusually good mood, waved back with a cheerful smile, surprising everyone.

She seemed full of energy today.

“Good morning, Headmaster! Vice-Headmaster!”

Lina, emerging from the faculty dormitory, spotted us and came running—like the wind, as usual.

“And good morning to you, Head Professor!”

After breezing past Kirrin and Ismera, Lina grabbed my hand and shook it energetically.

“Yes, yes. Good morning. Now let go of my hand.”

Noticing Ismera’s wide-eyed stare at Lina, I quickly pulled my hand back.

“See you later!”

Lina, oblivious to the sharp gaze from Ismera, cheerfully waved and darted off, her cloak billowing behind her.

“As expected of a specialist in infiltration. She’s fast.”

Kirrin, watching Lina disappear in the distance, commented in admiration. Meanwhile, Ismera, sidling up to me in a crab-like manner, softly took hold of my hand and whispered.

“It’s nothing, right?”

“Nothing.”

“Good.”

She then let go, making sure no one saw, and moved away again.

# # # # #

Monday morning meant the weekly staff meeting.

Looking utterly miserable, Kirrin relayed various updates.

The one everyone was most interested in was Kaiden. Apparently, he was expected to come sometime this week after wrapping up his work at the Tower of Illusions.

Kirrin also reminded us that the end-of-semester evaluations were coming up soon and urged everyone to prepare thoroughly. After that, she practically fled the room.

“What’s up with her?”

Lina tilted her head in confusion, prompting Professor Felimia to adjust her glasses and explain.

“There was a dinner party at the Head Professor’s house last night, with the Headmaster and Vice-Headmaster in attendance. Didn’t you know?”

“How would I know? You’re the one who’s always collecting gossip, Professor Felimia. I take it there was a lot of drinking involved? Right?”

Lina glanced at me, and I just shrugged with a smile. Ismera, seated directly to my right, was watching me intently.

# # # # #

After finishing my patrol around campus, inspecting classrooms and practice areas, I suddenly remembered Kirrin had gone to the infirmary. I decided to stop by and check on her.

“Hello, Priestess?”

I entered the infirmary, but there was no sign of Maya, who usually sat at the reception desk, scribbling away at her ledger.

Where could she be? Perhaps she’s taking care of Kirrin?

I walked further in, and sure enough, there was Kirrin lying in one of the beds, groaning.

“Ohhh, ohhh….”

“Headmaster. Are you alright?”

“Dian…. Do I look alright to you?”

“You look like you’re on the verge of death.”

“Ohhh, ohhh….”

Kirrin moaned as she weakly raised a hand.

“Water… please….”

“Sure.”

I handed her the water cup from the bedside table, and she gulped it down before collapsing back onto the bed.

“Where’s Priestess Maya?”

“She did some holy healing earlier and went to her room to pack….”

“Pack? For what?”

“She said she wanted to make a quick trip to the Church headquarters, so I told her to go ahead….”

“Is that so?”

Just then, Maya emerged from the back room.

“Hello, Priestess.”

“Hello, Head Professor.”

With her usual indifferent expression, Maya gave me a slight nod before turning to Kirrin.

“How are you feeling now, Headmaster?”

“I don’t know…. I feel like I’m going to die… my head is splitting open….”

“Holy healing doesn’t cure hangovers, I’m afraid. As I advised, you should spend the morning resting.”

“Alright…. But I have so much to do….”

Kirrin grumbled, rubbing her forehead.

“What do you mean, ‘so much to do’? Vice-Headmaster Ismera took care of everything already.”

“That’s true, but… still, I feel bad just sitting around doing nothing….”

Such a kind-hearted dark elf.

“By the way, Priestess, why are you heading to the Church headquarters so suddenly?”

“I have matters to report to the Chief Administrator.”

Maya replied calmly.

“As you are aware, I’m officially assigned to the Academy, but my original affiliation is with the Church headquarters. I’m obligated to report my activities to the Chief Administrator.”

“That makes sense. Please give my regards to Lormane when you get there. Tell her we’re grateful for sending you to assist us.”

“I’ll pass along the message.”

With that, Maya walked past me and back to the reception desk, where she began scribbling something down once again.

Probably Kirrin’s medical records. She’s certainly diligent when it comes to documentation.

Linus and Celine had joked that Maya’s ledgers were really reports on me, but when I had peeked at one earlier, there was nothing incriminating in it.

Just a baseless worry.

Ten years have passed since the war ended, and surely Lormane has changed over time. Linus and Celine seem stuck in the past, still viewing her as she was back then.

If Lormane hadn’t changed, there’s no way I would’ve made it out of the Church unharmed when I visited earlier this year.

Something must’ve happened.

After all, as one of the continent’s celebrated heroes now, I’m sure Lormane has undergone some internal reform.

“Ohhh, Dian….”

Kirrin called out to me, pulling me from my thoughts.

“What is it?”

“If I die, Ismera should be the next Headmaster…. You’ll be the new Vice-Headmaster….”

I burst out laughing.

“I didn’t know the Headmaster position was passed down like a noble title. And aren’t you just hungover? Why are you talking like it’s your last will?”

“Even if I don’t die… it’s still the best course of action…. Ohhh, ohhh….”

Another wave of pain hit, and Kirrin clutched her head in agony, unable to continue.

“Get well soon.”

I gave her a farewell and headed for the door, but something caught my eye before I left.

There were leaves stuck all over the back of Maya’s bright purple priestess robe.

How did a priestess get her clothes covered in leaves?

Maybe she hung them out to dry after washing, and they blew off the line without her noticing.

“Priestess. You’ve got leaves stuck on your back.”

Not wanting to touch her and risk any misunderstandings, I just pointed it out. Maya reached behind herself and brushed them off.

“Thank you, Head Professor.”

Acknowledging her thanks, I left the infirmary.

Scritch, scritch, scritch, scritch.

Even as I closed the door behind me, the sound of Maya writing in her ledger continued.

# # # # #

When I got home after work, I found Olysia outside, broom in hand, poking around the garden.

“Where could it have gone?”

“What are you doing?”

“Oh, you’re back? I’m looking for signs of a stray cat or wild dog.”

“Why all of a sudden?”

“Look at this.”

Olysia pointed to a spot with her broom.

It was just below the large window in the living room. A broken bush branch lay on the ground.

The branch looked like it had been pressed down, as if something heavy—like a sack of rice—had been placed on it.

“Judging by the size, I’d say it was a wild dog. It made quite a mess. Maybe it squeezed through a gap in the front gate?”

“Maybe. But it’s not a big deal, is it?”

“How can you say that? Something unfamiliar entered the house! And don’t forget the paving stones near the wall the other day. What if someone used those to climb over and spy on us?”

“Hmm. Isn’t that a bit of a stretch…?”

Suddenly, a memory from this morning surfaced.

The leaves stuck to Maya’s robe.

Now that I think about it, they were the same kind of leaves as the ones in our garden’s bushes.

“Where are you going?”

I left through the front gate and headed for the overgrown lot nearby.

Picking up the two leftover paving stones, I stacked them by the wall and helped Olysia climb up.

“What’s going on?”

Peeking her head just over the wall, Olysia asked.

She’s a bit taller than Maya.

If Maya had used the stones to climb up, she would’ve been able to peer over the wall, just like this.

Scritch, scritch, scritch, scritch.

The sound I always heard whenever I visited the infirmary.

The leaves stuck to her robe.

The perfect height of the paving stones.

And now her sudden trip to the Church headquarters.

Of all times, right after last night, when Ismera and I….

“Sir Dian! Where are you going? Dinner’s almost ready!”

Ignoring Olysia, I ran out of the residential area and headed straight for the infirmary.

The lights were off, and the door was locked.

“Priestess Maya!”

I called out, but there was no answer.

She usually lived here, keeping the infirmary open at all times, but now she was gone.

“Excuse me!”

I ran to the main gate.

“Have you seen Priestess Maya leave?”

“Yes, sir. She left a few hours ago.”

Damn it.

# # # # #

At that very moment, in front of the Church headquarters.

After paying the carriage fare, Maya hurried up the steps and into the Great Temple, clutching the patient ledger tightly to her chest.

Weaving through hallways and staircases, she soon reached her destination.

“Chief Administrator, it’s Maya.”

“Come in.”

The door to the Chief Administrator’s office slowly opened.

———-