A whole month has passed since the Galactic Prison incident. The Southern Continent has turned into an adventurer's playground, and only a few places with military captains remain in order.
Throughout all this, I haven't spotted a single member of the noble knights, which makes me wonder if they are playing indifferent to the situation or perhaps watching from the sidelines, ready to attack at the slightest opening like a leopard.
This is why I have been keeping a low profile for the past month, halting my plans to reach Herbst Island, where the Ultimate Throne is located.
My goal is inner peace, and as the elderly say, "Those at peace are the ones resting in the shrines." I, for one, don't want to die, just as much as I don't want to attract attention.
According to legends, Herbst is a deserted place that experiences all four seasons in order. The only danger there comes from people attempting to claim the Ultimate Throne.
However, thanks to the numerous individuals vying for the Ultimate Throne, the place is as peaceful as a shrine, which is why I must live there!
Unfortunately, getting there by myself is foolishly insane, and I can't join the Noble Knights or Military due to the bounty on my head. This leaves me with only one option: temporarily join an adventuring team!
I can't join Encender's team because of Layla. Due to the way I played with Silver Widow, I developed certain feelings for her, not romantically! This led to my decision to spare her life when she witnessed my darker side. Considering how frightened she seems by me, she might have already informed the leader about me.
She might not have told them, but I don't like gambling on possibilities. That small chance that she might—or will—tell her boss is enough to eliminate Encender's team from my plans.
Now, my only chance is to join this little girl sitting in front of me. She may appear to be a man both now and in her wanted poster, but she is actually a lady.
The only advantages I have over her are that I know her true identity—though that's not something she will care about—and the fact that she doesn't know that I know she knows I am Tito Roux Z.
Right now, I have dyed my hair completely white and put on glasses to hide my identity. On the other hand, the chameleon has transformed into a man with average looks, the only striking feature being his short, wavy orange hair and black eyes.
Hmm... how can I convince this little girl to take me with her down the supreme road?
"Professor Dyke, it is fortunate that there is a military base in this backwater city. Otherwise, those nasty adventurers would have already kidnapped our students, so... aishi!"
My voice shifted from sorrowful to hateful, causing the man before me to stare at me strangely. His teacup shook a bit, as my words seemed heavy for him to bear.
"Sigh, at least you are alive. The university wouldn't be the same without you, Professor Dyke." My voice was low and carried a hint of shyness, making me glance to the side.
"Ti— ahem." The man cleared his throat as his eyes wandered across the café where we were seated, "I understand how you feel. Trust me, I do."
I asked in a flustered voice, "How I feel? The only thing I feel is the heat in this café."
The man sitting in the wooden chair across from me frowned, then slowly turned his head to look through the window at the narrow street. "Tom, it's snowing outside."
I faked a laugh, trying to correct my own mistake. "I didn't mean temperature; heat can be both cold and hot, right? After all, heat is thermal energy."
"Sigh... Tom, no wonder why you don't manage to become a physics professor?" He pouted slightly as he continued, "Maybe you were talking about the heat between us."
I blinked in startled disbelief, fanning my face with my hand to stop myself from blushing. "Heat between us?! I don't know what you're talking about! I must take my leave; I have to prepare for that, umm... exam! Yes, exam!"
I tried to stand up, but the professor grabbed my hand and declared, "Sit! You and I aren't done yet."
My whole body had no choice but to obey his command. "Ouch! You're hurting me, Dyke! Why are you doing this to me? I don't know if I did something wrong. If you keep harassing me like this, I might cry."
Dyke's face turned thoughtful as he pressed his left hand against my cheeks. "Why aren't you crying now? The answer is simple, Tom: it's because you love me. Even if I slap you, your love for me will stop you from doing anything to harm me."
"..."
Seeing my shocked silence, the man let out a near-cute chuckle. "Don't think I didn't notice you peeking at me in the bath, trying to play it off as a mistake. You're a bitch, Tom; you can't even control yourself at night. You always fantasize using my pictures."
Although that was an act, I couldn't help but blush—it was embarrassing even to imagine.
"If you want to be my lover, then you have to be honest with me, Tom. I'm not someone you can toy with like a market cabbage touched by every passerby. And you also have to be faithful to me."
I looked at the glass table between us with teary eyes. Agreeing to his request now would make me seem desperate. "Can you give me time to think about it? There are a lot of things to consider, Dyke, and even if I tell you everything, there's a small chance you would ever want to talk to me again."
Dyke let go of my hand and spoke with a crystal-clear voice. "Fine, I will give you 24 hours to think about it. If you don't give me a satisfying reply by then, know that it's over between us."
Over!? For your information, I don't like men romantically!
However, all I could do was maintain my pitiful expression. "Yes, Professor Dyke, I will think about it deeply."