The Academy’s Weakest Became A Demon-Limited Hunter
Chapter 351: Side Story — Dorothy's Case

“President, are you ready?”

“Yes, Sen… Oh.”

The moment Dorothy came into my room, I almost stopped breathing.

She was adorned with an iconic witch’s hat, perfectly paired with a lovely outfit to match.

Judging by her shy smile, it seemed like she had come to see my reaction.

“Don’t I look pretty?”

Dorothy lifted the edges of her skirt, showing off her figure.

She had a confident expression, as if she knew she was beautiful.

It was said that a man might get a nosebleed when sexually excited, and that was probably my current state.

“Yes, very much.”

I gave her a thumbs-up, showering my goddess with praise.

“Nihihi.”

It was a great relief to have a sharp memory that allowed me to recall that beautiful sight vividly.

“Can I hug you?”

“you want to be held against your Big Sis’s chest again?”

Dorothy placed her hand on her chest and smiled slyly.

When I nodded, Dorothy shook her head.

“Not now. It’ll wrinkle my clothes… Okay?”

Ignoring her, I approached Dorothy and hugged her tightly.

“I told you, not now…” Dorothy whispered softly in a voice tinged with laughter and wrapped her arms around my waist.

We spent some time tightly embracing each other.

Today was the day I was going on a trip with Dorothy. It was also the day she would realize the future she had longed for.

I left the remaining tasks to the Grand Regent and decided to focus solely on enjoying the trip with Dorothy.

The thought of fully relieving the accumulated fatigue from my hectic workload filled me with anticipation. I felt a sense of liberation.

Dorothy was especially cheerful today. She seemed quite excited. Her mood was contagious, and I felt uplifted as well.

We packed our belongings, got on the carriage, and crossed Düpendorf, laughing and chatting endlessly.

“President, Big Sis has been waiting for this day, you know? I didn’t visit any other places just so I could travel with you.”

The spot next to me.

Dorothy interlocked her fingers with mine and rested her head on my shoulder.

It was a warm and comforting feeling. I didn’t want to move from this moment.

Dorothy continued her playful chatter, carrying on with her stories, “President, you’ve gained the chance to experience, discover, and be moved by new things together with this big sis. It’s going to be a huge milestone in your life. Be honored~”

“I’m honored. I’m truly a successful fan.”

“Nihihi, that’s a great answer!”

Dorothy rested her chin on my shoulder and looked at me closely, smiling bashfully.

Her breath touched my skin, radiating warmth. When I turned to face her, my reflection was captured in her large, sparkling eyes.

For a moment, we said nothing, gazing into each other’s eyes. She was so lovely that a sweet trembling filled my chest.

Dorothy must have felt the same way. I could sense it.

Before long, the carriage passed through the icy lands, crossed the border checkpoint, and arrived at the Zelver Kingdom. After a polite salute from the guards, we headed straight to our destination.

“This is Regel!” Dorothy exclaimed with a bright smile as soon as she got off the carriage.

Her voice was full of energy.

She grabbed my hand and said, “President, let’s go!” as she pulled me along.

The Zelver Kingdom, Regel.

It was the place Dorothy said was famous for its croissants.

The streets were serene.

With just a slight turn of the head, rows of red-brick buildings came into view.

On the streets, colorful and vibrant carriages strolled by, while aesthetically pleasing street lamps stood in rows.

The aroma of freshly baked bread and fragrant coffee beans filled the air. Following the scent, we arrived at a terrace seat of a café.

We ordered some food from the staff. Soon, a glossy croissant and two cups of tea were placed on the table.

Dorothy’s eyes sparkled more than usual. She cut a piece of the croissant with her fork and knife and put it in her mouth.

“…!”

Dorothy widened her eyes in surprise.

She didn’t even make the slightest movement for a moment, which startled me.

“Senior?”

“President… I’m so happy…”

“Pardon?”

“This… it’s unbelievably delicious! I’m so happy to be alive!”

Dorothy, with an expression that made it impossible to tell whether she was laughing or crying, gobbled up the croissant wildly.

“Eat slowly.”

Her adorable behavior made a constant smile linger on my face.

On the table, Dorothy and I each placed a hand, fingers intertwined. It looked like we were a pair of young lovers.

Since we were on a trip, I wanted to stay in physical contact with Dorothy, even if just for a moment.

She seemed to feel the same way.

Even when we separated slightly, she would quickly grab my hand again or cling to my arm, trying to stay close to me.

“Before we head to the Moss Forest.”

Dorothy pointed at me with her fork.

“How about we visit the academy again for the first time in a while?”

Märchen Academy.

Among our planned destinations, it was the closest one to the Moss Forest.

“Why?”

“It’s the start of our trip. I just feel like indulging in some nostalgia… That’s why.”

Nostalgia, huh?

I get it.

It was the place where we met, the central hub of our journey, and a place filled with our memories.

“The corner of the Butterfly Garden and our hideout, I’ve been wanting to visit them again.”

The two places Dorothy mentioned were spots where we had spent a lot of time together.

Even though Märchen Academy was currently in session, we, as alumni, would be allowed to enter the campus.

“Shall we go?”

“Great!”

I, too, wanted to visit the corner of the Butterfly Garden again after such a long time.

However, there was a problem with the hideout.

A realistic problem that neither nostalgia nor romance could resolve.

It hasn’t been cleaned in ages.

It was bound to be dirty.

So much so that even if Dorothy used her wind magic to clear the dust, it wouldn’t be enough.

Still, spending some time on the outdoor table or the roof wouldn’t be too bad.

There was no need to go inside.

Just gazing at the night sky from there would be quite romantic.

It would’ve been nice if the trip had continued smoothly like that, but…

A few hours later, we had to stop at a nearby inn.

Swoooosh!

“…”

Dorothy stood by the window, unable to take her eyes off the torrential rain pouring outside.

On our way to Märchen Academy, a sudden downpour began from the sky.

I quickly put up an ice barrier to avoid getting wet, but our schedule was disrupted.

“It looks like it’ll rain for at least a week, not just here but across the entire continent.”

I used [Clairvoyance] to observe the weather and relayed the information to Dorothy.

It was an uncomfortable thing to say, but I couldn’t hide it.

It would be better to adjust our travel plans.

Even if we shielded the carriage and continued through the rain, the terrain battered by the downpour wouldn’t be suitable for travel.

“President…”

Dorothy’s head creaked as it turned toward me.

Her brows drooped, and the corners of her mouth were downturned.

Dorothy gazed at me with a look of despair, her trembling fingers pointing out the window.

“Please make the rain stop…”

“If we intervene recklessly, it’ll disrupt nature. We can’t do that…”

Altering nature was simple enough.

However, unless a catastrophic natural disaster struck, I resolved to avoid interfering directly with natural phenomena as much as possible.

I wasn’t confident I could handle the backlash.

No matter how precious Dorothy was, I had no intention of breaking a lifelong vow just for today’s trip.

Dorothy sighed quietly and turned her gaze back to the window.

She seemed to understand my reasoning.

“Such a shame… The romance is gone. I didn’t want such a gloomy start…”

Her voice, tinged with disappointment, escaped from her lips.

It was my mistake.

I should’ve checked the weather before leaving.

It had been so long since my last trip that I forgot.

But now wasn’t the time to wallow in regret.

We needed to discuss how to adjust our travel plans.

I pulled out the itinerary Dorothy had given me from my bag.

“I think it’s better to adjust our travel plans. Let’s postpone the Moss Forest and academy visits for later and start with nearby places where the rain won’t be an issue. There are even places that look prettier in the rain.”

“I don’t know… I just feel kind of deflated.”

“Really…?”

When we first set off, she seemed as excited as a child on a school trip.

But the sudden downpour seemed to have dampened her mood.

For a moment, I silently observed Dorothy’s back.

“…”

But… is this necessarily a bad situation?

Travel rarely went exactly as planned.

The shop one wanted to visit might be closed, or bad weather might hit.

So, taking refuge from the rain and unexpectedly ending up at a place like this could be seen as part of the charm of travel.

Besides, the atmosphere here is surprisingly satisfying.

The sound of rain tapping on the stone paving.

The old-fashioned ambiance of the room.

A subtle darkness filled the space, while a bright lamp illuminated the bed.

Even Dorothy had commented on how lovely the room was.

And well…

Above all, as long as Dorothy was with me, that was enough for me.

Suddenly, I approached Dorothy and hugged her from behind.

“President…? Ugh…”

I buried my face in her neck and inhaled deeply.

Her rich scent, mingled with the humidity, overwhelmed my senses and clouded my reason.

Dorothy flinched and let out a soft, ambiguous sound, but she didn’t question my actions or push me away.

“This might sound shameless, but I think this is fine too. The atmosphere is nice… and honestly, as long as I have you here, Senior, that’s all I need.”

When I looked at the window, our faintly reflected figures were visible.

Dorothy’s cheeks turned red, and she lowered her head.

“T-that may be true, but…”

“Senior, it’s evening now, right?”

“Yeah…”

“Are you hungry?”

Dorothy shook her head.

“I had a lot of croissants earlier, so I’m fine.”

Dorothy turned her head and locked her eyes with mine.

She gave a sly smile, her expression laced with subtle tension.

“By the way, President, something’s touching Big Sis’s butt…?” Dorothy spoke softly, almost playfully, about what she had noticed.

For a while, we said nothing, simply letting the sound of rain fill our ears as we gazed intently at each other.

The air gradually grew warm as we felt each other’s body heat and savored the quiet breaths we shared.

Finally, Dorothy whispered to me in a voice laced with deep breaths.

“So… you want to pounce on Big Sis?”

That question made me realize.

We were yearning for one another.